
Shifters as you never read them before...

There are some pretty damned amazing reviews out there for this book already, so I have no idea what I'm going to say that's different or even remotely as good. But, what the hell, I'll try anything once.
One of my friends in his review said 'this is how you do a freakin' shifter novel and to a point I agree with him except really this is how you do a novel....any kind of novel. Over the years I've read a few shifter novels but it's been quite a while since one has captured my attention so compellingly, so intensely and even longer since a novel has wrapped itself around my heart the way this one did.
I have zero doubt that this will be on my list of Top 10 Books For 2016. Ok, I think I'm going to try something different here. I'm going to try to actually explain what reading this book felt like for me...
'Wolfsong' was like sitting outside on a beautiful summer's day, where it's sunny and peaceful, calm but with a gentle breeze and as your sitting there you feel that breeze softly pushing at you, whispering to you, gently leading you where you never thought to go and you get lost in the beauty of how good it feels, how comfortable you are. Until before you know what's happened the sun has shifted behind some clouds and things are dark and you know there's a storm coming and you want to run and hide to not be caught in the thunder and lighting, the torrential rain that's going to soak through to your very bones but you can't. You're trapped and the only thing to do is to push through it, to be strong and endure.
Am I waxing a little poetic here...probably but I think it works in this instance because 'Wolfsong' for me was an incredibly powerful story. I shared every emotion that poured from the pages of this novel. There were times when all I could do was smile and laugh, cry...oh, lordie I don't remember the last time a book made me cry so much or rage with frustration so intensely.
I mean seriously ladies and gentlemen this is a shifter story, they're suppose to be amusing, entertaining, maybe a bit dark and angsty but this...this was heartbreaking, gut wrenching stuff with touches of humor that snuck up on me and had me laughing in the middle of the night before I realized that I was probably going to wake up my husband...again. That's right don't expect that just because you have to get up the next day that you're going to put the book down because I'll warn you now if you do you're probably just going to wake up in a couple of hours with your hand reaching for your e-reader before you've even really got your eyes open because you just need to know what happens next and waiting until morning is simply not acceptable.
My only concern with this book is that I'm not sure I ever want to read another shifter book because I just can't see how it could possibly measure up and yes, this is now my benchmark for all things shifter and it's a pretty tough act to follow. T.J. Klune you have ruined me for other shifter books...thanks ;)
I gave this book 5 stars because apparently that's the most that I get to choose but in truth this book deserves all the stars of a beautiful clear summer sky.
Who would I recommend this book to everyone who reads because it's not just a shifter novel, what it really is...is a beautiful, breathtaking story that shouldn't be missed by anyone.
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An ARC of this book was graciously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.