i loved the art in this, kit seaton is ridiculously talented and deserves more recognition. jennifer dugan is one of the best sapphic writers ever

The latest from activist and author Jennifer Dugan is a compelling and emotional graphic novel that finds Tessa struggling to belong, accept herself and navigate teenage life. Unlike her friends Tessa is a werewolf and since the death of her father has felt like an outcast everywhere. At school she is grappling with unspoken feelings for her friend Maddie, and at home among her werewolf family trying to find her place. Werewolf hunters enter the scene with a ‘cure’ that allegedly turns werewolves human. This seems like the perfect escape. Tessa can only partially shift unlike the rest of her pack. But is this cure too good to be true, do the hunters have ‘good’ intentions or are the wolves in jeopardy? This is a story of Tessa's journey as she embraces her identity, it blends supernatural tension, a thrilling adventure and personal growth. The Shift is perfect for new and young adults.

Thank you to #NetGalley, the author Jennifer Dugan and Penguin Group - Penguin Young Readers Group for a digital copy of #FullShift in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book follows Tessa, a teenage werewolf, who's struggling with her identity while her pack faces threats from werewolf hunters claiming to have a cure for lycanthropy. The romance subplot with her friend Maddie adds a nice layer of depth to the story, showing Tessa's emotional journey and what she's willing to fight for. The artwork throughout is mostly solid, though some panels in my copy were a bit blurry. Overall, if you're into supernatural YA stories with compelling characters and a touch of romance, this one is worth checking out.

Thank you Netgalley for the e-ARC!

This was such a fun take on a wolf shifter story. I loved the drawings for this graphic novel. I literally read this in less than an hour I enjoyed it that much. Cute lesbian werewolf story but loved that the main character learned to really embrace her wolf. Definitely want to read more from this author

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Teen for the arc!
This story is all about accepting and understanding yourself and community. In this case, it happens to be a werewolf community. Tessa feelings of isolation from her family and community after the death of her father leads her to struggle with her identity as a wolf and feel as though she is drowning in her grief. The discussion of loss and grief in the story is one that is surprisingly impactful and emotional. Tessa’s feelings of isolation and grief lead her to lash out at her community as well as her wolf.
The romance is pretty sweet with Maddie being an amazing character. She is smart, powerful, and brave. I really like getting to see her dynamic with Tessa and how Maddie stands by her throughout the story.
I do wish that we got to see more connection between Tessa and her sister. The initial introduction to her sister where Tessa insults random things about her sister felt unnecessary. I think there could’ve been better ways to establish the friction between them.

Thank you to NetGalley, G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, and Penguin Young Readers Group for this advanced copy! You can pick up Full Shift on August 27, 2024.

I really enjoyed this one! Tessa's struggles felt very teen-relatable, and her growth throughout the story was truly inspirational. So many teens struggle to accept differences about themselves, but I feel Dugan approached that experience in a way that's empathetic and thrilling. While the art was gorgeous, I do wish it hadn't been quite so blurry. I'm sure the finished copy will be stunning, though!

This is definitely a must-read for those who enjoy shifter stories with a healthy dose of queer teen romance and family drama!

this is a sapphic werewolf graphic novel! I thought the twilight references in this were so funny. I love when Jennifer Dugan is involved in the stories of graphic novels and the art is also cool to look at, especially the wolf forms! This is also a book about family and finding where you belong

A really cute series with a good story and fun art. The designs are also really cool and better than the typical werewolf tale.

📖📖 Book Review 📖📖 Some time during the last few months, I became a fan of graphic novels. What started as a way to read what my kids were reading became an appreciation…which became something I truly enjoy! I am so glad I am at this point so that I could enjoy The Shift! The illustrations will draw the reader in immediately and what follows is a captivating story about finding oneself in those infamously tough teenage years. Adventure, horror, and finding acceptance fill the beautiful pages in this amazing young adult novel!

Review will be posted on Goodreads when it is there and the final review will be posted on Instagram ahead of the publication date!

This was one that took me a while to get through and that was only because of time and my irrational fear of werewolves. Honestly my irrational fear is the main reason that you should pick up this book. The art style of this book makes those wolves look so realistic and scary but at the same time beautiful. I like how this art style works with our setting, characters, and plot of the story. It felt like I was immersed in this story and was just in as much danger as our characters.

I also really enjoyed that this is a coming-of-age story that tackles grief. I like that our main character is struggling with being a werewolf and what that means now that her dad isn't around to guide her through this change. I think it was great to see the amount of trouble this leads her to and have her grapple with this while at the same time struggle with teenage things like being attracted to someone. I liked the way that this story plays out and how all the characters engage with each other.

While not my favorite book, it was still a good read. I loved the comparisons of werewolves and queer people as well as the interesting world. Unfortunately the artwork for me was blurry (not the fault of the author but rather my device) so I wasn't fully able to be immersed. I do feel as though the plot was rushed and I wish we got more time with the characters and the world. A solid read, hopefully I will be able to see the artwork less blurry when it is published. (3.5 stars rounded up)

This was a generally interesting sapphic werewolf graphic novel, although I realised I might not be the target audience while I was reading. It’s definitely YA and definitely has some classic sapphic and werewolf angst which were definitely all fun, and I’m a huge fan of Kit Seaton’s artwork. It’s a pretty straightforward story with a slight romance subplot (friends to lovers!!) and pretty typical werewolf lore. The characters are a little bit messy but there’s a good heart to the overall story, and definitely some funny moments as well instead of just being all supernatural doom and gloom. If you’re interested in sapphic teenagers, reluctant werewolves, and/or YA graphic novels, this might be worth checking out!

ARC Review: Full Shift by Jennifer Dugan, illustrations by Kit Seaton.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Out August 27, 2024

Thank you, #NetGalley and @penguinteen, for a chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I only recently got into graphic novels, and the idea of a sapphic YA werewolf one was too appealing to pass up. Tessa, the main character, is a teenager dealing with a lot: the loss of her father, her feelings of being misplaced in her home life, and her first love, a girl she initially thought was revealing that she was also a supe, but really just is queer. Great news for Tessa’s crush, but bad news because she totally shifted in front of her, thinking that she was another supernatural creature.

This story does a great job dealing with the struggle to find one's identity. Dugan writes Tessa as such a relatable MC. The discomfort in your own body, the desire to be unlike everyone else—it all felt so true to being a teenager. Tessa thought she was finding a “cure” to her curse and instead found herself wrapped up in a race to save her family. Finally finding common ground with her pack was such a great moment for Tessa, who really felt like she never belonged to this pack.

The sapphic love story between Tessa and Maddie is so sweet. Maddie’s coming out was a funny miscommunication but she was so earnest and it’s obvious that the trust between them is a cornerstone in their relationship, even when they’re fighting. Dugan gave us a charming love story with the right amount of snark and shared understanding. No notes.

Overall, this is a fun, quick, and delightful read that I’d turn to again.

***Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House Putnam for sending me an e-arc of Full Shift by Jennifer Dugan and Kit Seaton. All thoughts are my own!***

My rating: 4.5 stars

Tessa is a werewolf supe who doesn't feel like she belongs anywhere, including in her own pack. She's an outcast in her pack since she can't shift into her full werewolf form. And she can't even tell Maddie, the girl who she's had a crush on since fourth grade, that she likes her. She would give anything if she didn't have to be a werewolf anymore.

So when Tessa finds out a group of werewolf hunters seem to have the cure to make her just human, she tracks them down. But tracking them down mean risking her entire pack in the process. The only way to save everyone is to embrace her inner wolf.

I've been highly anticipating the newest graphic novel from Jennifer Dugan and Kit Seaton since i found out they were coming out with another one after Coven. I'm glad they did another supernatural type story. I love Kit Seaton's art style, but unfortunately in the arc, it was a little grainy. I know it's probably because it's digital I had an issue making out some of the details on the pages. I was reading it on my phone but usually I don't have issues reading graphic novels on my phone, but I know in print it will be clearer.

I really liked the story itself. Tessa having to trust her pack and embracing her inner wolf to take down the bad guys that want to kill her pack. And a queer romance from Jennifer Dugan always hits the mark. The grief in this graphic novel hit me a bit. Tessa's father was the alpha of their pack before he died from cancer and the flashback moments in this book really hit how deep she had a relationship with her father.

The lessons at the end of the graphic novel that Tessa learned also ended the story nicely. The fact that Tessa doesn't need to be someone else, that her being part werewolf is who she is and it's something to love about herself.

This graphic novel is such a quick read, but it's definitely a great read. Anyone who loves a supernatural, queer, YA graphic novel will highly enjoy it.

Full Shift by Jennifer Dugan and Kit Seaton is available August 27, 2024!

I will read anything Jennifer Dugan puts out - she is the queen of Queer YA!

This was my first graphic novel, and I have to say, I really enjoyed the format (though there were some issues with the ARC in terms of the clarity of the text). Tessa is a teenage werewolf who doesn't fit in with her pack after the death of her dad, or at school. She is crushing on Maddie, a student journalist who is also queer. The story that unfolds is an action packed coming of age, with Tessa realizing just how important her found family is.

The cut scenes were my favorite, with the descriptions of werewolves, the enemy hideout, etc. I enjoyed the call outs in that format.


Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for the ARC!

Thank you to Penguin and NetGalley for the eARC of this book!

4.5 Stars rounded up!

I loved this book. Ever since I was younger, I always loved reading werewolf stories. Probably not the ones you're thinking of. I was not a Wattpad werewolf fan. I was a fan of the stories like this one.

This book is perfect for fans of Blackwater, which is a graphic novel and a webcomic that I believe I still free online? Along with other webcomics like Earthshine (my favorite), After Dark (eh, less good), and Time and Time Again. If you enjoyed this or any of those, those are my recommendations.

I thought that the art style (though blurry, which I assume will be fixed by the final draft, so that didn't affect my review) was very nice. I also liked the storyline, characters, and the depth. I thought the sibling dynamic of the sisters being both older and younger was fascinating and portrayed realistically too. Overall, this was a quick and very enjoyable read. I'd consider buying this to reread in the future.

Special thanks to Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked this story and the premise was fun (I know that if I was younger this would be right up my alley). The reason I gave it 3 stars is because it was so hard to see the art (the writing appeared fine though).

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for accepting my request for an ACR of this book!
3/5
Ahhh ok I enjoyed this book so much. I loved Tessa and her pack. The art was so fun, but for me the graphics didn’t load all the way, I couldn’t see the fine details. Thank god I could still read it though.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Full Shift by Jennifer Dugan and Kit Seaton is a YA paranormal Sapphic graphic novel. Tessa is a werewolf with a large pack and still learning how to fully shift. When her crush, Maddie, puts a note in her locker, Tessa becomes convinced that Maddie is also a supernatural being only to not only expose herself as a werewolf, but also to learn that Maddie is completely human. Meanwhile, a group of supernatural hunters are looking to hurt Tessa’s pack in revenge for the turning of a friend.

I really liked the worldbuilding in this. Werewolves count ages differently than humans, with the first year of life being when they shift for the first time. This creates an interesting relationship between Tessa and her younger/older sister Kylie. Kylie was born two years after Tessa but because Kylie shifted for the first time more than a year before Tessa, Kylie is the older sister in werewolf society. There’s some really cool and interesting ideas in this concept that I would love to see explored more in werewolf fiction and by the creators of this graphic novel.

Tessa and Maddie’s romance was super cute. Tessa has had a crush on Maddie since the fourth grade and is very shy around Maddie until her secret is exposed. The misunderstandings between them felt real and fed into the allegories of Queerness and being a late bloomer. Maddie is very sweet and gives Tessa a lot of chances, showing compassion and understanding towards Tessa’s stressful situation while also expressing curiosity in shifter society.

I would recommend this to fans of Queer paranormal romance, readers looking for a Sapphic take on werewolves through a YA lens, and those looking for Queer graphic novels.

I am very disappointed in the quality of this E-ARC. I was so excited to receive one because this title is one I've been highly anticipating and I love graphic novels. While I'm perfectly fine with graphic novel ARCs that have unfinished art (I've read and reviewed those before), the art in this is entirely blurry and does not make for a pleasant reading experience. I'm not sure why this choice was made. I will wait and review the book after publication. The three star rating is a placeholder.