This one was not for me at all. I've liked T.J. Klunes stuff before but I'm not a fan of his backlist revamp at all.

I enjoyed aspects of this a lot. The way the main character finds belonging in an unexpected place is very characteristic of TJ Klune, and it's something I love about all their writing. That said, the first act of finding a lost pack-member drew me in a lot more than the wolf-pack drama of the second act did, I almost wondered if it would be better split into two shorter books.

I’ve liked some of TJ Klune’s other work and I’ve always found his writing very whimsical. I’m just not sure I liked this one? I thought the writing was very strong and Ox’s voice was really distinct, and there was some sections where he talks about his pack and Green Creek that were beautiful to read, almost poetic. I guess I felt like the plot wasn’t strong or structured enough to justify everything that was happening? This is great if you want a gay werewolf romance, I’ll say that.

packpackpack 🐺

Wolfsong releases in hardcover today. The book follows Ox, who is left by his father at a young age and basically tells him that he won’t amount to anything. In comes Joe, who won’t stop talking and touching Ox and claiming him first as his friend. The Bennett family treats Ox as one of their own, even bringing his Mom into their little pack.

There were a lot of characters, but they were all brought in at the right time with the perfect amount of back story. Not only do you fall for Ox and Joe, but you fall in love with the whole pack and root for them all.

Points of this book will make you laugh, other points will make you cry. But, in the end, the journey is worth it and you’ll want to sing your song and howl at the moon with them.

I can’t wait to start the next book - Ravensong!

Thank you Tor Books and NetGalley for the eARC… I’m on my way to buy a physical copy! 💗🐺

This was an interesting book. This is about werewolves who live in a very small country town. It includes a family of werewolves and neighbors that are not werewolves that are just human. The story is about the interaction of these humans who become part of this werewolf family. it is engaging. It’s interesting it’s fun it’s dark. It’s sad. It’s typical. The difference is that there is a sapphic romance that was good if you’re OK reading about sapphic romances. There was no love story between the other humans or werewolves. There is territorial fighting and domination by Alphas from other packs, that affect their lives. Overall, this is a very well written book typical of Mr. Klune. And I would recommend it if you like werewolf stories.
3.75 stars

After reading T.J. .Klune’s books Under the Whispering Door, The House in the Cerulean Sea, and In the Lives of Puppets, I was so excited to read some of Klunes works which predated these popular releases. I was so excited to be introduced to Ox, Gordo, and Joe and the Bennett clan. The welcome feeling felt warm and personal. I felt as though the Bennett family were the type of people who loved without question as long as their pack was safe; if you were loyal, they were loyal.
I wish someone looked at me the way Joe looks at Ox, smelling of “candy canes and pine cones and epic and awesome”. I will say I did not expect it to be as much of a romance read as it was, but I am not at all mad about it. I did think it would be more about pack, and family, loyalty, and survival and in many ways it is that as well. I feel like in the wolf pack, it does not matter if you are gay or bisexual and I really like that. There’s so much acceptance and openness about simply loving who you love. There are more negative connotations towards being human rather than a man loving another man and honestly, I can get behind that sentiment sometimes.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book if you are looking for a supernatural/ paranormal LGBTQIA+ romance with loyalty, heart, warmth, and a welcomeness towards all who offer good intentions. My one critique would be that some of the dialogue can be a bit campy but I really kind of think we all say dumb things when we are in love, don’t we?

TJ Klune’s writing is DEFINITELY in my top five of all time. It is moving and magical. It is thoughtful and provocative and honest. I always think and feel more when I read his books and Wolfsong was about love and loss and family and rawness that we all need and fits right into those empty spaces in our hearts. Ox goes on my list of all-time favorite characters. He’s lonely and lost but doesn’t hide that and his ability to love and the hope he has made me love him so much. There such beautiful and thoughtful themes explored in this book. There is found family and self worth and I adored all the amazing and gritty character development. As always I am in love with another Klune book and can’t wait to read the next book in the series, Ravensong!

4.5 stars

Thank you @netgalley and @torbooks for the copy!

As much as I've loved TJ Klune's other books, I wasn't sure how I'd feel about this one - paranormal romance is not my usual genre. I absolutely fell in love with the characters, though. The writing style he uses in Wolfsong is quite different from his other books, but clearly intentional - he allows us in to Ox's head, lets us see how he thinks and the many things he leaves unsaid. The narrative voice may be my favorite part of the book; it was unlike anything I've read, and used to great effect. Excited for the new cover and the re release of this book!

This was a sweet book that made my heart feel so full. I loved the relationships between the characters and it was a unique story that was incredibly well written. Definitely recommend!

I picked up this book because TJ Klune is a genius and I am so so so glad that I did. TJ has a way of bringing you into the world's they create and making them your own.


Ox grew up knowing one thing that his father bestowed to him... he was worthless and would never ever belong..When he was 12, his father left.

When Ox was sixteen, the Bennett family moved in next door which would change his life forever. For you see, the Bennetts are shapeshifters that can turn into wolves at will. Ox becomes immersed in this world of magic and fantasy and finds a true "pack" to belong to.

This book was so beautifully written and I wish I could experience reading it for the first time again! Be ready to be taken on the journey of a lifetime in this novel. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC, this book was phenomenal.

Goodreads 4.3 stars
Me: 4.5 stars

#tjklune #wolfsong #netgalley #romance #booksta #bookish #bookshelf #bookcase #library #reading #read #fiction #fantasy

Wolfsong by TJ Klune (published 7/4/2023!) is another “stayed up too late on a work night to finish it” book for 2023. I haven’t read a book about werewolves, witches, and young love in a long time and while much of this story was lore-adjacent with other writers and universes, it maintained a clear boundary between the world of Green Creek and other ‘creature’ series. I’m looking forward to diving into the second book Ravensong when it’s released August 1st

Positives: The best part about this book is that it was an action-packed werewolf love story where the romance, relationship, and attraction were key parts of the story, but it wasn’t a Romance Novel. The main characters were complex and flawed and sweet and relatable. The plot was well paced, and I never felt like I ‘missed anything’ or “would you quit belaboring the point”.

Wish List: I always appreciate the inclusion of sex scenes to further the narrative or mature a character, but the writing style in these sections was noticeably different from the rest of the story. The slight change in voice and style put me off balance to such a degree that it felt like reading a different story, and then jumping back into the main story. On the other hand, sometimes sex in real life feels like stepping out of the main story, and back in again so perhaps it’s all good. Either way, it made me think about writing and storytelling and relationships which is always an indication of a great story.

As always, I appreciate the opportunity afforded me to have an early read by netgalley.com and Tor Books . The opinions in this review are expressly those of ButIDigressBookClub and are intended for use by my followers and friends when choosing their next book. #butidigress #butidigressbookclub #wolfsong #netgalley #torpublishing @torbooks @tjklunebooks

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Publishing Review 7/3/2023

I'm so excited for a new group of readers to discover these books and the wolves of Green Creek! It's been a few years since I originally read the series, and I admittedly rated the books lowly my first time through them, but something about them stuck with me. When I saw that they were going to be republished by Tor, I figured it was time to revisit Green Creek, and I'm so glad I did. Rereading this first book felt like coming home. All I wanted to do when I finished Wolfsong was pick up Ravensong immediately and keep myself immersed in the world TJ Klune has created.

I actually wasn’t totally sure what to expect when I picked this one up. I saw wolves and T.J. Klune and was in thought!

Ox is around 12 when his father leaves but he learns to live with that. And when the mysterious Bennetts come to town, his bond with their son, Joe, sets in motion a series of events he never could have predicted.

Admittedly, I struggled with this book early on. The style of writing felt very different from Klune’s other books. But I eventually settled in and it for sure kept my attention in the latter half. I really loved getting to know the characters. Their emotions felt chaotic but real. I also enjoyed the story as a whole. It was interesting without being wholly predictable.

There were definitely parts that made me a bit uncomfortable. There is an age-gap relationship that starts when both are children; a lot of this is tied to the idea of mates and werewolves, which I understood, but it was still off-putting for sure. And while I liked the parts that were unpredictable, the parts that were just ended up frustrating me even more since there was clearly potential for the unexpected.

It was well-worth the read, however, and I’ll definitely continue with the series as it covers other characters.

Wolfsong is getting new covers (I presume), so thank you to Tor Books for providing me with an arc via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I love TJ Klune and am a big fan of In the Lives of Puppets and The House on the Cerulean Sea. That being said this was not one of my favorites. In typical fashion he does a beautiful job writing about both adults and children who have experienced trauma and how they cope/react to that trauma. However, I found the pacing was too slow for me and I didn’t love the underage relationship that developed between the characters. That being said my opinion seems to be an unpopular one because it looks well loved on other review sites.

"It was reverence. It was grace. It was beauty. I wondered if this meant I could finally breathe. Like I had found my place in this world I didn't understand."

This had my heart singing along with the wolves!

Another beautiful and solid book by T.J. Klune! Wolfsong is the first book in the Green Creek series and I am salivating/anticipating reading the next book!

I am not a big fantasy reader, but if T.J. Klune writes it, I am going to read it. He writes characters that I care about. I am invested in their stories and cheer when they triumph and cry when they suffer. He writes about longing so beautifully, about finding your family, being a part of something bigger than yourself, the deep ties of friendship and love. His books warm my heart, have me feeling all kinds of emotions and leave me wanting more.

In this book, Ox Matheson's father left when he was twelve years old. He was not a kind man, and his cruel words left a mark and affected how Ox viewed himself. Then one day he met Joe, the youngest Bennett boy, on his walk home and life would never be the same for either of them.

The Bennetts are a family like no other. They have tight bonds, they are welcoming, they are accepting, they opened their hearts and their home to Ox, they are a pack, they are werewolves. Ox, well Ox is different. He is all "candy canes and pinecones and epic and awesome."

There is so much heart and soul in this book. There is so much more to say about this book. I could gush about it for hours. I loved the friendships, the relationships, the angst, and the unique characters. I appreciated how the characters had many layers. I loved how Ox's confidence grew.

Sometimes our lives can be changed by small things, and sometimes lives are changed by bigger things. I loved how everyone's lives were changed by meeting, by loving, by accepting and by nurturing each other. Sometimes it takes others to show us the beauty we have inside ourselves. It took one man, Ox's father to put him down, it took a pack to lift him up, so he could see that he was worthy, that he mattered, that he important.

This book is not all howling and singing, there is loss, there is triumph, there is grief, there is joy, there is happiness, there is tragedy, there is romance, and above all, there is the pack.

I'm really, truly torn about Wolfsong. I usually love all things TJ Klune and I did enjoy reading this one, too, but somehow the age gap just didn't sit right with me. Not the way it was presented. As usual, I love Klune's writing style and I enjoyed the different (platonic/familial) relationship dynamics portrayed here, but the whole time I was reading this, I was just dreading the moment Ox and Joseph would get together, especially because it's so abundantly clear that they while right from the start. Still holding out hope that the next one will be more up my alley again.

Ox is a special kid who no one understands. Everyone thinks he is slow. His father leaves him and his mother, and Ox starts working at a young age at Gordo’s shop where his father used to work. The Bennett family comes to town, and there is something different about them too. Before long, they’ve accepted Ox as family, and Ox discovers their big secret - they are werewolves. As Ox learns family is more than those that are blood related, trouble comes to Green Creek to pull them apart. Will Ox discover what makes him special? Will he be able to save his family?

This was a beautifully written book. Once started, I couldn’t put it down. The characters were well developed with flaws and relatable. The plot was extremely well written. Whenever I pick up a book by TJ Klune, I know I’ll love it. Highly recommend.

Thank you Net Galley and the publishers for giving me access to the story in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’m not usually the target audience for shifter romances, but I love TJ Klune, so I had to give this one a shot, and I wasn’t disappointed. Klune is one of my favorites out there writing found family stories, and what’s a better way to showcase found family than a werewolf pack? The voice it was written in felt perfect for the character, and it was great to see the storytelling style expand as the character grew.

I feel I need to mention the age gap here, because the idea of a romance forming between characters who met when one of them was 10 and the other 16 is a little… eeehhh, but be assured that nothing happens until everyone is of age. But I do understand the squick factor, as I felt it, too.

Overall, while I’m not going to go out and start reading shifter romances as a habit, I will probably continue reading his series, because I love Klune’s writing that much.

I found Wolfsong to be a breathtaking, heart achingly jewel of a romance, and one that will be in my memory for a long while. Its a story of love, friendship, hardship, and unity of family; and simply couldn’t help but love it!!

Wolfsong by TJ Klune: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Format: ebook courtesy of Tor Books and NetGalley

I just started reading books by TJ Klune this year, and I have really loved his standalones. I was excited to read this book, the first in a successful series by him. Unfortunately, this book was not as special to me as his previous works, though I feel that I did learn some things while reading. I realize that I am not the target demographic for this book, and that impacts my reception of some key points of the book.
I did feel uncomfortable with the age gap between the love interests, as they met and bonded with each other (platonically but permanently) while one of the characters was a child- not even a teenager. Though the relationship does not grow sexual until both parties are of age, it still left a bad taste in my mouth because there was a distinct brother-like relationship between them previously- when it became romantic it felt dangerously close to pedophilic AND incestual. Most frustrating is that I do not see what purpose the age gap held- the book could have been just as good if both characters were closer in age when they met.
The writing style in this book is very specific and different from the other books that I’ve read by Klune. Though the book is for mature readers, it does feature adolescent and young adult characters, and the writing reflects that. I was personally not a fan of the italicized inner monologues. Lastly, and this is addressed directly in the book, but it was difficult to read the story and not compare it to the Twilight series.
I can see how Klune’s writing style has developed over the years, and I appreciate his writing, especially representing diverse characters and stories, and I will absolutely continue reading his books, but I will not be continuing with the series, though I will still recommend it to followers who have an interest in it.