Wolfsong Review

Title:  Wolfsong
Series: Yes - waiting for book #2
Author:  T.J. Klune
Publisher:  Dreamspinner Press
Release Date:  June 20, 2016
Buy Links:  Amazon DSP 
My Rating:  5+++ Howling Sing-Me-Home ♥'s

My Thoughts:  One of my Top Five Books of 2016.  Absolutely breathtaking! 



Synopsis:
Ox was twelve when his daddy taught him a very valuable lesson. He said that Ox wasn’t worth anything and people would never understand him. Then he left.

Ox was sixteen when he met the boy on the road, the boy who talked and talked and talked. Ox found out later the boy hadn’t spoken in almost two years before that day, and that the boy belonged to a family who had moved into the house at the end of the lane.

Ox was seventeen when he found out the boy’s secret, and it painted the world around him in colors of red and orange and violet, of Alpha and Beta and Omega.

Ox was twenty-three when murder came to town and tore a hole in his head and heart. The boy chased after the monster with revenge in his bloodred eyes, leaving Ox behind to pick up the pieces.

It’s been three years since that fateful day—and the boy is back. Except now he’s a man, and Ox can no longer ignore the song that howls between them.

Review:
Once in a blue moon, I come across a book that pushes all the right buttons.  It crosses genres and refuses to be defined, labeled, or contained in a small box.  It defies definition and howls in a strong voice.  It's beautifully written and sings to my heart & soul.  Wolfsong is a Once in a Blue Moon Top 5 of the Year book for me.  I heard your message loud & clear T.J. Klune.  You sang me home with your epic love story.  Yes, I said, "Epic Love Story" for without a shadow of doubt, this is one of the most beautiful, mind-sweeping, purest love stories I've ever read.  Mere words are inadequate to relay the explosion of emotions and feelings that this book evoked in me.

I'm not going to touch on details of the story as I hope each reader can go on this journey with an open mind & blank slate.  I didn't read any reviews before starting Wolfsong, and I'm so thankful I didn't.  I knew that it was highly rated, that friends loved it, and that it was written by an author that writes a lot of "funny" books, though this was reported to be "serious". I heard rumblings it was about "wolves" and that it was m/m romance.  Quite a combo for sure!  

And so I opened the cover and started reading.  In a matter of pages, I was totally, irrevocably enthralled with these characters.  A young Ox - big, strong, different, lacking self-worth as his father told him he was "dumb as an ox" before disappearing from Ox's life.  A young ten-year-old Joe - a tornado of arms & legs and non-stop chatter when he introduces Ox to his family - one of the cutest, funniest, most endearing characters I've ever met.  Evil touched him in the past, leaving him damaged, and yet his essence explodes with purity & innocence in a way that will make you smile while ensnaring your heart.  An awesome support cast lends depth, drama, laughter, and magic to this story as they blend their strong, individual voices into one unique familial unit defined not by blood, but by love.

Wolfsong is an epic love story that speaks of unbreakable bonds that grow stronger with each passing year.  It's the story of family and all that encompasses - whether bound by blood or heart.  It's the story of ultimate sacrifice, triumph over evil, and acceptance of fate. It's a story about believing, trusting, and daring to dream. It's the story of a love so strong, so pure, so magical that it stands the test of time.  Wolfsong will stand the test of time as it resides on my All Time Favorites Shelf.  All I can say is Read This Book!  It's a Page Burner! 

My Rating:  5+++++++ Howling, Sing-Me-Home ♥'s