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

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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.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

I enjoyed this graphic novel by Jennifer Dugan and Kris Seaton. The art was good and suited the story. The story of a reluctant teen werewolf coming into her own and her developing relationship with her high school crush was a quick and entertaining read. There was a sweet romance and some action. External danger to the pack helps to add conflict and keep the pace moving along. I liked this one better than Coven. The two were linked in the same universe and that was another interesting aspect. I will definitely read more.

*Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of an ARC of Full Shift!*

Full Shift is a unique YA graphic novel that follows Tessa, a queer werewolf who is struggling with her identity.

I feel like this book was so on the nose about how it is growing up queer and coming out to people. (Maddie’s coming out cracked me up.) It also tackles the hopelessness you feel when you don’t want to be who you have no choice in being.

Tessa hates her ‘condition’ and in a search for a cure to make her fully human she alienates the people who care about her, including her long time crush.

Being so caught up in trying to change who she is, she accidentally puts Maddie and her pack in danger. In order to save the people she loves she has to accept who she is and learn to love herself and her wolf.

This book was super cute and I really hope we get more in the future from this universe. Maybe another graphic novel with the other supes!

I received an advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This graphic novel is taking me longer to finish, and I'm barely halfway. I'm having a hard time continuing the story. The art looks faded in a way, or it could just be the file I was given from Netgalley. Otherwise, I'm going to "did-not-finish" this piece.

I couldn't wait until August to read or publish my review of Jennifer Dugan and Kit Seaton's latest supernatural graphic novel. I'm pretty obsessed with werewolves. You throw in sapphic romance and a coming of age tale of accepting oneself, and you got me hook, line, sinker. I already pre-ordered my hardcopy so I can fully immerse myself in the art of the graphic novel. Seaton's use of color and detail, albeit a bit obscured in the eARC, was truly gorgeous. Dugan's writing was spot on. She once again gets the voice of a disillusioned teenager so right, I find myself reverting back to those days. You'll want to experience this as well. Go pre-order your own copy now! Overwhelmingly recommend!

Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, and NetGalley for providing an eARC for an honest review.

So this was good and all but all of the artwork is blurry in the ARC copy. Unfortunately that did hinder my love for it a little bit because it's almost like it felt like a specific choice because all of the text is crystal clear. I have no idea how anything works involving downloads and image quality and all of that but it was so weird that the text was clear but the artwork was blurry.

I'll probably flip through a final copy at some point just to see the artwork and all its glory but I don't know if I would buy it. It is a decent book but I didn't love it.

The story: Full shift is a refreshingly new and exciting story. Throughout reading this graphic novel I constantly found myself thinking ‘I have never read anything like this before’. The confidence Jennifer Dugan had in this story and in her writing was palpable. The grief was written into this story so organically that I felt the deep emotions Tessa was feeling although I have never lost a parent myself. Similarly, without ever having a sister, I felt like I could relate to the annoying, competitive, and loving relationship between Tess and Kylie. It was really fun to watch their relationship ebb and flow throughout the story. The blend of blood relatives and found family also set a really beautiful foundation for the support Tessa finds by the end of the story. The love interest, Maddie, had me feeling all kinds of proud – a strong, intelligent, confident, queer young women – YES YES YES! Throughout the story, I truly connected with Tessa’s story of feeling lost, insufficient, helpless but finding yourself through wanting to help others.

The Art: There are not enough positive adjectives in the English language to describe these perfect graphics! The detail is unmatched and has me wanting to re-read this novel over and over again, convinced I’d notice something new each time! The way the grey scale is used in contract to the vivid forefront of the main characters of a scene provides an immersive reading experience without being overwhelmed by the drawings. The individuality of each wolf was phenomenal to see. I also really enjoyed all the food in the air throughout the book – that had me laughing out loud!

As always, its so refreshing to read stories with queer main characters that don’t revolve around coming out or queer angst! These stories are IMPORTANT. Every young adult (and adult) can relate to Tessa’s story, queer or not.

(Full disclosure: I received a free e-ARC for review through NetGalley.)

When Tessa's longtime crush Maddie passes her a note referencing 'all that they have in common,' Tessa is stoked: could Maddie possibly a werewolf too? Maybe the "curse" she's been wishing away her whole life finally has an upside. Or, no, that's clearly too much to hope for; if Maddie isn't a werewolf, what kind of supe could she be? (Witch? Banshee? Vampire? The possibilities are endless.)

But the big reveal goes horribly wrong, and Tessa is left feeling even more alone and alienated (from her pack, classmates, and the world in general) than before. When her pack alpha and surrogate dad, Mack, gets some intel about a group of hunters who are working with a rogue witch to cure werewolves, Tessa strikes out on her own in search of them. Not to neutralize the threat, but to offer herself up as a guinea pig: she's sick of being a werewolf, and a middling one, at that. (Her younger sister, Kylie, shifted a full two years before Tessa, and Tessa has yet to shift fully.) But a lone wolf is a dangerous one, and Tessa's teenage angst quickly puts everyone she loves in danger. Can she finally surrender to the wolf inside of her, before it's too late?

FULL SHIFT is such a great book that I'm willing to add it to my favorites bookshelf, even if I could barely make out the artwork. When it comes to e-ARCs of graphic novels, I usually get a digital copy that has some degree of pixelation; worst case, it's bad enough that I can't read the text without getting some serious eyestrain. This was a little different in that the text was crystal clear, while the artwork was nearly indecipherable. Luckily I was able to follow the story, even if I didn't get to marvel at Kristen Seaton's gorgeous illustrations. I mean, I'm inferring from the cover, but my hopes are high, especially for the wolves.

The story itself is entertaining and filled with pathos and heart. Tessa's feelings of loneliness - even in a lodge packed to overflowing with her extended wolf family - is the stuff of epic ballads. I love her scenes with Maddie (and Maddie's scenes with Mac), and the convo that kicks off the story is pretty hilarious. Ditto: the "what are your intentions with my daughter" interrogation; I'm not usually a fan, but the queer/werewolf spin makes it work. There are so many great little details, from the FAQ about werewolves to Tessa and Kylie's relationship and Tessa's meeting with her dad in the afterlife. Speaking of dads, I was all geared up to hate the replacement dad, but Mac is a pretty stand up guy. And his backstory with Anderson is fantastic too. I even loved the TWILIGHT references.

Honestly, I just can't say enough good things about FULL SHIFT. Gay werewolves? Sign me up!

I really enjoyed this take on werewolves. I loved how the pack was represented and the depiction of what family is. As for the story, I felt like it dragged in some points. I wanted a little more action and a little less filler. I think I would have reallocated some of those pages to building up the drama and making the stakes seem higher. But overall this was a good graphic novel. I appreciated the way this was illustrated - made it really easy to follow along

FILE NEEDS FIX ASAP. Something is seriously wrong with the ARC file for this graphic novel. The Net Galley app file has low-resolution images and it was incredibly difficult to make any of the illustrations out. I tried reading the .acsm file on my computer and the illustrations were just bugging out completely so all I could read were the text bubbles. Made for an unpleasant reading experience.

This copy was incredibly difficult to read as the only thing clear were the words and not what I look for in graphic novels - the pictures! Despite that, though it did unavoidably affect my reading experience, this was a fun graphic novel exploring werewolves with the sweetest sapphic romance there too!

I'm very eager to pick up a physical copy of this - what I could make out of the images was GORGEOUS and the plot was fun and engaging! I'd love more in this universe but I know that's unlikely. Overall: thoroughly enjoyable, fun and everything you need when you looking for something quick, easy and queer!

A queer YA graphic novel about a girl who would do anything to be human by @jl_dugan & @seakitillustrate
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Tessa is struggling to fit in both at home and school. Ever since her younger sister transitioned to a werewolf before her, she now acts like her older sister. She’s crushing on her friend, Maddie, and Mack, the man who replaced her dad after his death, is not her father, no matter how hard he tries. Still unable to fully transform on her own when she wants, Tessa thinks being human would be better. When she hears of another pack who has the cure for this, she thinks all her problems are solved. But the pack may have nefarious intentions and it’s up to Tessa to protect those she loves.
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This was such a great story—I even teared up at the end. I wish the eARC had allowed me to see the illustrations better, but what I did see was amazing. I can’t wait to get the physical copy. I’m looking forward to more graphic novels by Dugan. I received a free copy for an honest review. This #book releases August 27!

CW: violence, blood, death of a parent (recounted)

4.5 ⭐️