Wolfsong: A Green Creek Novel

Elle

Beautiful and poignant and heartbreaking and satisfying.

"I don't know what I was expecting, but it doesn't matter, because this book surpassed all my expectations. I was a bit bewildered at the beginning of the book until I realised that the narrator (the whole book is told from Ox's perspective) was only 12. The style is reminiscent of the first Harry Potter book in that sense, told with an almost childlike simplicity that then matures as the character matures. Despite that, the writing is absolutely beautiful. Poetic. The story is that of Ox and Joe. First the author builds up a picture of Ox's life before Joe, and I don't mean to give the impression that this is tedious, because it's not, but things definitely pick up pace after Joe arrives on the scene. The earliest part of the story feels necessary though, because it paints a picture that is crucial to understanding Ox. And, in truth, to understanding his friend Gordo who plays a big part in the story and in Ox's life (and stars in the sequel). Ox quickly becomes not only friends with Joe and his family, but part of their family. Ox doesn't have many people to call his own, so this love and acceptance is a truly wonderful thing for him. We see all their interactions from Ox's point of view, and then sometimes, we're given new information or a new perspective and it changes everything. At more than one point, I skipped backwards to re-read a scene with a fresh perspective on the events that had taken place. It was very clever. I don't want to give too much away, and I actually think the blurb itself contains too many spoilers. The less you know, the more you'll enjoy the book. Joe and his family are wolf shifters. If you've read wolf shifter novels before, I promise this will be different. The author did some fabulous work on making the reader understand how different it was from being human and what it meant for someone like Ox to be accepted as part of their family, their pack, but not be a wolf shifter. I thought it was very well done. But then bad things happen and life changes dramatically for Joe and Ox. They have to re-evaluate how life works and how their relationship fits into their new lives. One of the things that I love is that Ox, who struggles so hard to believe that he is worthy of anything, realises that while he loves Joe and desperately wants Joe as his partner in life, he doesn't need Joe and he can stand on his own two feet and actually do bloody well at it. It's not often you get that in a romance novel. And it doesn't make their love feel any less special or strong, it's just that Ox finally believes in himself (the way Joe has believed in Ox from the very beginning). The story is beautiful and poignant and heartbreaking and satisfying and definitely worth the five stars I gave it. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel which stars Gordo. This is one of the best books I've read this year, and I think Ox is the most interesting, well-created character I've encountered since Alex from L A Witt's Static and Cole from Jaime Reese's A Restored Man (and that's bloody high praise since Cole is my favourite character of all time!). The vast majority of the book is not steamy, although there are a couple of sex scenes. The focus is far more on the emotional relationships. Definitely read it. You won't regret it. ["

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June 28, 2019 Verified Purchase

Angie Elle

Wolfsong

"Do I want to be writing this review right now? Quite frankly no. No, I don’t. I want to be reading Ravensong, but sometimes life throws you lemons and you write reviews. So, Wolfsong – I love books about family, especially when it’s the family you make along the way, so this book was destined to be a winner for me. There are so many things about this book that I loved, but I know I won’t remember them all. So I’m going to share some of the highlights: The entire Bennett pack. This is a family that, yes, has their issues, but they love each other. And I know – wolves and instincts, but still. The camaraderie between them was so precious. I loved their time together. The way this book highlights how important a positive male presence is in a young man’s life. Ox’s first experience with a male figure was his father, and let’s face it. The man was a wreck, and he had nothing nice to say about his son. But once Gordo became the main male figure in Ox’s life, he wouldn’t let Ox forget how special and important he was. And then, even with Mark Bennett, some of the first things out of his mouth were to tell Ox how amazing he was. And then Joe, doling out compliments (even if it was just about how good Ox smelled,) and then finally, Thomas Bennett. So warm and welcoming; this man had a capacity to love that was unparalleled. It was clear that just knowing how special Thomas was and that a man that special was able to love him was enough to shape Ox. In so many good ways. That he took the time to spend with Ox, that he made the effort to spend one on one time with him – it changed the entire course of Ox’s life. And I feel, in some ways, gave Ox life. The world building. I feel like the world building in this book was done so uniquely. A large portion of it was shown in how the Bennett’s interacted with each other vs. their physical surroundings, and I loved that. It was like you could feel the pulse of this world while you were reading the book. I loved every facet of it. Team Human and the way all the men at Gordo’s shop acted like brothers. They weren’t an actual pack, but their affection for each other was evident and adorable. They’d taken each other in and created their own family, and they dynamic was just amazing. The writing style and the way the foreshadowing slapped you in the face. I didn’t think this was my thing. I like subtle and hinty things that creep up on you. This author gives you the bones and then the meat, and it worked so well here; I loved the way it was done. The way things stick with us was illustrated in this book. There were things that were said to Ox, good and bad, that have stuck with him, and no matter how much good we do, no matter how much good we hear, the bad things still haunt us. It’s what we do with them and whether or not we accept them that can change us for better or worse. And in all of this, there was one simple scene with Ox’s mother that she probably never gave a second thought to, but he remembered the special moment over and over again, and it just emphasized how important the little things matter. Gordo and Mark. OK. Can we talk tension here? Gordo and Mark struck my fancy the moment Ox spied them walking into a theater together, and it only heightened as the book went on. I was hooked on them from moment one, and I couldn’t be more thrilled that they have their own story. And what a doozy it is so far! The slow burn between Ox and Joe. Holy smokes. It could not be any slower or burn any brighter. They have such chemistry, in every single interaction whether they’re being friends or more. I loved all their interactions, and I could never wait to read more of them. Could I find reasons to bring this book down to four stars? Sure. But I don’t think that would be an authentic rating. Anything that might not have worked for me in this book (and trust me – it was minimal) was outshone by how much I loved this story. This is, at its core, about family and loving someone as they are, and it touched me so much. And the funny thing is, despite this story being sweet for the most part, I found it to be such a page turner. My emotions ran high throughout the whole book; I couldn’t wait to see what next good thing awaited Ox, and I loved that he was able to find and receive such goodness. I could go on and on about what I loved about this book, but this review is so long you’ve probably already stopped reading. All I can say is read Wolfsong. And if you don’t love it – well, then. Our friendship is probably on the rocks. This review was originally posted on Books & Beauty Are My Bag. ["

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September 25, 2018 Verified Purchase

DonnaC

Stunning MM shifter romance, one I won't forget

"Wolfsong by TJ Klune 4.5 stars!!! “Your first mistake was underestimating me. My pack. I may be human, but I run with wolves.” This is my first book by TJ Klune and it certainly won’t be my last. This is a MM paranormal shifter romance, not my usual genre by any stretch of the imagination but there was something that called out to me to read, it actually screamed “read this book,” and I am so glad that I listened. Wolfsong is a fairly long book, however it didn’t read that way. Once I began this journey with Ox and Joe there was no going back. TJ Klune, with his atmospheric and evocative writing totally consumed my every thought as he transported me with words to a small town, these two houses and the woods that surrounded them. Woods that harboured a lot of secrets, none more so than about the family that lived next door, just down the lane. “It should have been obvious what they were, but then I wasn’t looking for the incredible buried in the ordinary.” Wolfsong is a story of family, the strength of a family unit, the camaraderie between siblings, the battles, the fight through adversity but most of all, love. That all-encompassing love that no matter the circumstances we feed off it, we thrive on it, but most of all we need it. Where no matter your sexual orientation, whether you’re man or beast, the heart knows who the heart wants and who the hell are we to tell it it’s wrong. This is not a book inundated with sex scenes, there are a few that were written extremely well but this book centres on the characters, their emotions, their feelings and their well-being and for me, this was extremely refreshing. “There was never anyone else for me. Because even if you couldn’t hear me when I called for you, the howl in my heart was always meant for you.” Ox was a boy that had little to no self-worth, his father had really done a doozy on him as a child and his father’s parting pearls of wisdom had laid heavy in his heart and mind. He was twelve when his father walked away and never looked and since then it was just Ox and his mum. His mum worked hard to keep a roof over their head but Ox was now the man of the house and he took his responsibilities seriously. There were only two houses in his little lane and the house at the end had been vacant for a very long time, though one day, there was movement, there was a family but most importantly there was a little boy, a little boy called Joe. Joe Bennett was a young boy that had been through a lot in his little short life, a boy that never spoke until he met Ox. Once Joe and Ox’s paths cross, Joe makes up for his time being mute with never ending dialogue that at times leaves Ox begging for mercy but brings nothing but smiles and joy to his family. Joe’s family takes Ox and his mother under their wings but it soon becomes apparent that not all is at it seems in Joe’s household. “It was candy canes and pinecones. It was epic and awesome. And it was home.” The Bennett’s were shifters and their absence was enforced to protect those around them. Now evil forces are destined to rip this family apart and Ox soon finds himself in the mix. That is what happens when a shifter gives you his wolf. “The bonds were there. Between us. The bond to my Alpha. The bond to my Joe.” This was a beautiful story that contained a lot of a characters, none superfluous to the story but some that gave this a little fantasy feel too. Where witches/wizards and shifters unite to protect and fight for good versus evil. Where two boys become friends and eventually become each other’s lives, literally. When connections are made for life and love is forever. This is a book about bonds, bonds that are unbreakable, this is a book about love, loss and tragedy, where the hugest hearts make the hugest sacrifices but the underlying message remains the same, love conquers all. A fantastic story and one that will take a piece of my heart with it. “I told you guys, I’m a witch. I’m not a Jedi.” ["

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September 23, 2016 Verified Purchase

Gregg BD

Absolutely Mind Blowing!!!

"What an incredible rollercoaster ride! This story has humor that made me laugh out loud (and receiving looks from bystanders), highs that made me beam in happiness, and depths that brought tears. Reading a story this in-depth, this detailed, and this intense is so rare. Ox and Joe lead an incredible cast of characters, and some of the most evil villains who’ve ever created havoc in a novel. The heart of the story is definitely Ox; so sweet, so open, so courageous, so open, and a bit damaged. Joe’s confidence and enthusiasm for Ox is also endearing to read. They have such a struggle ahead of them! All the secondary characters also contribute greatly to the story. None of them feel unnecessary to the telling of the story. I also appreciated how Ox struggled with forgiving Joe for his absence. So many times when the two main characters have a disagreement, it seems to be settled in a single chapter. Not here. This author shows us how Ox really struggles to let go of his anger, and I just found the whole process to be very realistic. And the writing style the author chose was very unusual, in my opinion, but felt so right as the way Ox would communicate with us. My only complaint, and it’s a slight one, is the point-of-view. Maybe I’ve just gotten used to hearing each main character’s POV, but I really would have loved to have heard Joe’s POV. For example, after Joe first met Ox, I would have really loved to hear Joe’s POV after Ox left the Bennett’s house. We do sort of hear about it later through Joe’s family later in the story. Or, I would have loved to see Joe’s POV after he figured out Ox was having “those” thoughts about him. Again, this is just a minor criticism and again, probably just because it veers off from what I usually read. All in all, I can’t recommend this story enough. I’m also a huge fan of human/shifter fated mates, and this story ticked that box for me as well. I am absolutely off and running to read Book 2, and I will reread this story again and again. To TJ Klune, thanks so much for sharing your talent and giving me a great universe to step into. ["

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January 22, 2024 Verified Purchase

Stephanie

5++ Stars

"5++ Stars! Wolfsong" by TJ Klune is an absolute masterpiece! I devoured this book and can't recommend it highly enough. The characters are incredibly well-developed and compelling. Ox and Joe, the main leads, are beautifully crafted with depth and flaws. Their relationship evolves organically, showcasing genuine affection, found family, and the complexities of love and loss. Klune tackles heavy themes like grief, trauma, and societal prejudice with sensitivity and grace. While there are poignant moments of sadness, the overall tone is one of hope, resilience, and the transformative power of love. The world-building is unique and immersive, with its own mythology and social structures. And the writing is simply breathtaking. Klune's prose is evocative and lyrical, allowing me to deeply connect with the characters and feel the full force of their emotions. "Minor Spoilers Regarding Age Gap" Some comments I read have expressed concern about the age gap between Ox and Joe. However, it's important to note that this is a childhood friends-to-lovers romance. They first met when Joe was 10 and Ox was 16. Ox provided a crucial support system for Joe, who had experienced trauma, acting as a big brother figure. No romantic feelings developed until Joe was 17, and Ox was 22, and even then, it began with a single kiss. A significant period passes – three years – before their relationship progresses further. While Joe, at a young age, recognized Ox as his "mate," this was more of an instinctive, subconscious connection than a romantic one. At that stage, their relationship was primarily one of friendship, providing Joe with the safety and sense of home he desperately needed after his trauma. This nuanced portrayal of their evolving relationship addresses the age gap concerns by emphasizing the gradual nature of their romantic involvement and the importance of the strong, supportive foundation of their friendship."Minor Spoilers" Some readers have expressed concern about the age gap between Ox and Joe. However, it's important to note that this is a childhood friends-to-lovers romance. They first met when Joe was 10 and Ox was 16. Ox provided a crucial support system for Joe, who had experienced trauma, acting as a big brother figure. No romantic feelings developed until Joe was 17 and Ox was 22, and even then, it began with a single kiss. A significant period passes – three years – before their relationship progresses further. While Joe, at a young age, recognized Ox as his "mate," this was more of an instinctive, subconscious connection than a romantic one. At that stage, their relationship was primarily one of friendship, providing Joe with the safety and sense of home he desperately needed after his trauma. This nuanced portrayal of their evolving relationship addresses the age gap concerns by emphasizing the gradual nature of their romantic involvement and the importance of the strong, supportive foundation of their friendship. ["

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January 10, 2025 Verified Purchase