I really wanted to love this one, I am really in a queer werewolves phase right now, and the art style is very pretty, I love the retro feel, but it felt kind of flat. To start we have Tessa, our main character, comparing herself to her more feminine cheerleader sister which in the year of our lord 2024 is not a good look, I am really tired of this “But she wears short skirts, I wear T-shirts” mindset in the media. Tessa deals with a lot and does quite a bit of growing during the story, but I wish there was more world-building because everything felt half-assed and the side characters were underdeveloped.
Overall this is an ok story, but the angsty teen MC doesn´t do it for me anymore.

Full Shift is also full of heart and the ups and downs of being a teenager in a changing body ,- in both expected ways and supernatural ones. Beautiful art accompanies this beautiful coming of age story.

Dealing with being a new-ish werewolf, Tessa doesn’t feel like she fits in anywhere and is struggling to figure out who she is. Her father died a couple years ago from cancer. When her crush, Madie, finally pay attention to her, she accidentally shifts in front of her. Now things are awkward. Things only get worse when a group of vigilantes shows up wanting to cure werewolves. When Tessa accidentally makes the vigilantes think Maddie is a werewolf, she asks the pack to protect Maddie. With everyone in danger, can Tessa and Maddie work with the pack to stop the hunters?

The plot is a mix of romance and fast-paced adventure. It’s well written, engaging, and draws the reader into the story. The characters are realistic, likable, and easy to relate to. The magical realism is mixed well into the story and helps bring Tessa’s world to life. Readers who like werewolves, coming-of-age romance, adventure, and magical realism will want to pick this one up. Recommended for library collections where such graphic novels are popular. Gr 7 and up, 4 stars

Tessa is a werewolf, but doesn't want to be. Her friend Maddie has something important to tell her, and Tessa thinking it's that she is another werewolf, exposes herself to Maddie. A misunderstanding leads Tessa onto a dangerous path, as the hunters who supposedly offered a cure, want all the werewolves dead. Filled with werewolf lore, a budding lesbian relationship, and teenage drama, this is a fun and heartfelt story of accepting who you are, claws and all.

Full Shift by Jennifer Dugan is a graphic novel about a very angsty teenage werewolf and her desperate desire to not be a werewolf.

Tessa has just lost her real dad, the former alpha of her pack, and she is not dealing with it well at all. Mack, the current alpha took over as leader of the pack and Tessa doesn’t like him either. No one helps her with her out of control grief either, which is just sad. It was difficult seeing her struggles. She is so angry and it doesn’t help that her pack has bullied her most of her life because she can’t shift
Except she CAN shift she just doesn’t want to or learn how to control it.
She lost the only person who believed in her, her dad. She is extremely depressed, holds back on shifting full knowing if she refuses to shift she will weaken and die
.
As soon as she hears of hunters that have a possible cure to make her human, that was created and cursed by a witch, she tracks them down, dragging Maddie, her love interest along with her, makes a huge mistake and puts her entire family, pack, and Maddie in serious danger.
Of course, the cure isn’t what she expected it to be and the hunters have no interest in curing werewolves. Instead it’s the exact opposite.

I didn’t find Tessa to be a likable character at all. She is so angry and mean to everyone, even her own family and Maddie, the girl that admitted she has a crush on her. I could not find the humor that is advertised. Alright, I can’t stand Tessa at all. I do like her sister, Mack, and Maddie - the only reason I kept reading. Everything that comes out of her mouth is self degrading or rude. No wonder why the pack thinks she is a disgrace. And then she puts the entire pack and Maddie, a human, in danger because of her own selfish actions. And she broke pack rules by revealing herself to a human, who have no idea they exist. She does change and grow, eventually making some good decisions, but it takes way too long considering this is character-driven with a lot of dialogue and little action.

I appreciate the queer representation, but there is no reason the “reveal” had to be so awkward. The entire relationship between Tessa and Maddie is awkward! Does Tessa even like Maddie? I don’t think she likes anyone, and is just protecting Maddie from the hunters because she feels bad.

I understand that this is a YA graphic novel, but as a comic book critic and entertainment journalist, I can say that the story is predictable and lacks any real depth. The main character is unlikeable enough to almost make me DNF, and it was not an enjoyable experience, It’s almost like it was trying too hard to make Tessa edgy, sarcastic and funny like Paper Girls, but it doesn’t work for me at all. It could work for some readers though. That’s for the reader to decide.

I am a massive fan of Jennifer Dugan and this book was no different.
Kit Seaton's art is fantastic and Jennifer Dugan wrote a top notch story.

The relationships between the characters are complex and deep, and the story is just... ah! Chef's kiss.
There were parts that had me on the edge of my seat and parts that had my kicking my feet with glee.
I'm so happy I got to read this.

Thank you to Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group for the opportunity to read an eARC of this Graphic Novel.

I’m a big fan of this author ever since “Melt We Me” which was an adorable YA road trip book. This new book does not disappoint. Love the supernatural aspects as well as the great characters that I’ve come to expect from Dugan. I’m so glad to have this graphic novel - great illustrations and great plot!

Wow what an emotional and impactful book about not fitting in with your people, depression and the risks we’ll take for those we love. Sobbed reading this truly. Love the art style and story.

I appreciated this cute Sapphic warewolf story. It was full of teenage angst and family bond. It followed the typical teenage plot - there's love, there's trouble. Trouble is solved, everything is fine and dandy. I don't think it was complicated or over the top deep. Perfect for younger YA side.

However I wish the Netgalley/ARC version could have had more of the graphics included, The formatting of the dialogue was bad, and in parts confusing (two sentences blended together). My rating has nothing to do with the formatting, just a thought for future - I'd love to enjoy the full story instead of just the dialogue written out.

Thank you to Penguin Teen and Netgalley for my review copy.

This is a cute queer graphic novel that is perfect for the halloween season. Read this one in a day, the art work is wonderful and werewolves are always a good time!

Thank you netgalley for the arc.

I really loved this Werewolf Found Family Story. Can't Wait now to read Coven as soon
as it gets to me from the library. This was not the netgalley copy since the format was
crap. But this Story was super cute and really nice!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6671136829

A pseudo follow up to Coven last year, this was a queer/sapphic coming of age story about being true to yourself and also there are werewolves. We follow Tessa and awkward teen who doesn't feel like she belongs at school or with her pack and after a miscommunication is even on the outs with her best friend. But as some hunters come into town Tessa takes charge and some very big moves when it comes to protecting her pack. I really enjoyed this book and really felt what Tessa was going through, lots of big emotions for a graphic novel. Also kudos to the illustrator because the wolves were cute but also so vicious looking at times?

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review. I look forward to more from this duo!

this was easily my favorite jennifer dugan yet. from the art style to the story i really did enjoy the story overall. while this was short and sweet it truly packed a punch as i teared up a few times followings tessa's story. i think this graphic novel is a great metaphor for dealing with mental illness, specifically depression, while giving it a quirky supernational spin and explanation.

tessa goes from a tough time, grieving the loss of her father and feeling like a misfit to growing more into herself and finding her people so to speak. it was a beautiful little story and makes me feel redeemed and excited to try again with dugan's graphic novels in the future after not being so successful in the past.

Thank you so much to Netgalley & Penguin Teen for allowing me early access in exchange for my honest review.

Full Shift is a coming of age story about Tessa, whose family are werewolves. She believes she doesn't fit anywhere in this world. She think she isn't good enough for her family because she can't fully shift yet, and her family treats her like crap for it. A group of werewolf hunters are trying to hunt down her pack. When she finds out that the hunters have a cure to turn them into humans, Tessa believes it's fate. She believes this will solve all her problems, but when her plan comes crashing down, it makes her feel even worse and puts her pack and Maddie in danger. She will do anything to help her family and help Maddie.

The main reason why I rated this book four stars is because of how terrible Tessa's family treats her and I don't blame her for acting out the way she does. She can't fully shift yet and her pack treats her like an outcast, and it's wrong. There was a part at the end where the alpha male who took over for her dad pretty much threatened her with kicking her out of the pack, and it just rubbed me the wrong way. People make mistakes, it happens all the time, but the girl shouldn't be punished for one mistake.

Tessa and Maddie's interactions are just okay. Tessa believes that Maddie is the same as her, aka a werewolf, and Tessa transforms into a werewolf in front of her. It freaks Maddie out, obviously, because how can you not, but the miscommunication between them is irritating at first. I do love that Maddie eventually realizes that Tessa is more than just a werewolf and comes to love and respect her.

Overall, I did love this, but not as much as I thought I did.

I really enjoyed this - I thought the story was sweet and the art was incredibly well done. I thought it was a great story about the main character accepting herself and her family and all that comes along with it

Thanks to Penguin Group and Netgalley for this copy in exchange for my review.

Full Shift is a story that follows Tessa, a teen dealing with crushes, the loss of her father, and not being able to fully shift into her wolf form. This makes her feel like an outsider not only among her pack, but she also feels like she doesn't belong with humans, so she's stuck in between. But when rumors of werewolf hunters with a possible cure pop up she becomes interested, thinking it will solve her problems. But she quickly learns that connecting with her wolf is the best way to connect with her world.

Overall this was a really quick read, very well written, and I would be interested to read more of this world. The characters are likeable (except you Charlie) and I loved the dynamic between all the characters. And Tessa and Maddie, childhood friends, are so utterly adorable and sweet. Tessa as the main character is one many can relate too, especially for those of us who have felt 'othered' by many social groups. Like we don't fit in with family, peers, anyone really. And it isn't until we start to feel comfortable in our own skin, which is hard as all get out, do we start to really find our place in the world.

I love when the story, art, and writing come together perfectly to build a cohesive and entertaining story. This graphic novel will at times make you feel a nervous for the fate of the characters, but ultimately it gives a sense of acceptance and family that will make your heart warm.

Mistakes will be made and growing will happen. When you were born to be a werewolf that makes the teenage growing pains all the more difficult. Mix in a little bit of a crush and the beginnings of a new love things get all the more complicated.

I loved this graphic novel. I have to applaud the art just a bit extra heavily on this one. Every page is gorgeously drawn and colored. Sometimes, I feel like going back and flipping through just to appreciate the art. This graphic novel was crafted with pure love and it shows.

For the outcasts and the queers who are just figuring out who they are and where their people are, this book is for you. Loving yourself can be complicated and sometimes a long journey. This book shows all of that. It’s well worth the read.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

This book. This book has my whole heart. I absolutely adored this! From the incredible characters, to the plot, to falling in love with everything so quickly- I couldn’t put this down. I highly recommend this!

I enjoyed this one. It was cute at times but in the middle I started to cringe. It was a quick read and the art is awesome! I wish there were fewer swear words in this book, as I think many of my middle school students would enjoy it, but I don’t feel terribly comfortable with putting this book in my classroom library. Honestly, more worried about parents than students on that front. Anyway, Full Shift is a dramatic, queer, coming into oneself story. It has heavy themes of belonging, acceptance, and self love. 3.5 ✨

Tessa feels like a human in wolf clothing. Born a shifter, she’s been struggling with her wolf side more and more, especially with her father’s death. It doesn’t help that Tessa’s sister, Kylie, takes to it like a fish to water. She shifted two years ago, making her the older sister in werewolf terms. Kylie’s beautiful, confident, cheerful, and fashionable, and everyone loves her. In contrast, Tess is clumsy, awkward, a failure, and a loner. Until the note.

Tessa’s best friend Maddie left her a note. It’s a simple sentence, but Tessa holds onto it like a lifeline: “I think we have a lot more in common than you realize, Tessa.” Is it possible Maddie is another form of supernatural? Can Tessa finally share her secret, share her confusion and unhappiness with her? Will she finally have someone who gets her, who is hers, and not just another member of the pack who is better at being a wolf than Tessa is?

No. No, that’s not it. That’s far from it. Now, heartbroken and hurt, Tessa pulls ever further away from her family. When word comes to the pack that there are hunters out there with a cure — a cure they plan to force on werewolves — Tessa takes a desperate chance to find them. If she’s not a werewolf, if she’s just human, things will be easier, right?

Full Shift is a 257-page graphic novel, and I wish it were longer. The art is loose and organic, with flowing shapes and an emphasis on natural colors and forms. The woods, the river, the buildings, and the clothing of Tess and the pack are in subdued neutral shades, while Maddie stands out in more vibrant colors. The wolves themselves are drawn with humor and joy — with lolling tongues and bright, eager expressions. It’s a joy to look at.

The story is quick and the writing bright. The banter between Maddie and Tess is sharp, and a stark contrast to Tess’ quiet moments of despair. There’s a beautiful scene in pastel blues and purples with Tess’ wolf bursting out of her chest while she lies, serene, even as her words speak of hunger and rage. Because Tess doesn’t lash out in her anger; instead, she pulls all of her pain inside, using it to chain her wolf and hurt herself. But when she does shift, does allow herself to fully embrace her dual nature, it’s as natural and easy as breathing. Embracing all of herself, being herself. It’s lovely.

Also lovely is the moment when Tess opens up to her sister about how she feels about her growing isolation from the pack, even as she grows closer to her wolf. It’s the time she needs her family most, and her sister opens her arms and pulls her in. Tess grows from the first page to the last, from a young woman struggling to distance herself from others to someone reaching out to be embraced. It’s just beautiful.

Her romance with Maddie is a little less … er, smooth. For one, she’s been an absolute jerk to her, and for another, she runs away whenever Maddie gets too close to the source of Tess’ pain. When Tess needs her help, Maddie isn’t above a bit of snapping back: “Sorry it startles me when you suddenly turn into a werewolf, but that doesn’t give you permission to be an asshole forever!” But Maddie, like Tess’ family, realizes that Tess is hurting and, like Tess’ sister, understands why she did what she did. It doesn’t mean forgiveness is a given. Tess has to earn that. The two of them have a natural, easy chemistry that I enjoyed, and a good bit of banter. (The expressions of the kid in the background as Tessa and Maddie finally make their grand confessions to one another is hilarious.)

If you like found families, big and boisterous werewolf packs, alphas who know how to lead rather than rule, and stories in which a troubled character becomes worthy of her own respect, this is the story for you. I really, really hope you enjoy it as much as I did.