duncandahusky's review
3.0
2.75 out of 5
This one just didn't work for me. I liked the characters - Quinn is charmingly awkward and Kellan is a good foil for him. But while we got some good backstory on Quinn and I could see where he was coming from, I never really felt much of a connection to Kellan.
The other problem was the plot. It was easy to guess where the story was going early on. In these cases the story is redeemed if there is an interesting, surprising twist, or if the story is so well-told it doesn't matter. Neither of these were the case. The story was flat and linear from beginning to end. I felt like this could have been a well-written werewolf story from the Nifty Archive. If that were the case, great, but I expect more from a pro author.
This one just didn't work for me. I liked the characters - Quinn is charmingly awkward and Kellan is a good foil for him. But while we got some good backstory on Quinn and I could see where he was coming from, I never really felt much of a connection to Kellan.
The other problem was the plot. It was easy to guess where the story was going early on. In these cases the story is redeemed if there is an interesting, surprising twist, or if the story is so well-told it doesn't matter. Neither of these were the case. The story was flat and linear from beginning to end. I felt like this could have been a well-written werewolf story from the Nifty Archive. If that were the case, great, but I expect more from a pro author.
tinkcourtney's review
4.0
This was an enjoyable and fairly fast read. There weren't a lot of surprises in the plot along the way - enough clues were left that I had most things figured out early on - but that didn't detract much from the experience for me. The connection and chemistry between Quinn and Kellan was well-written, and it was fun to go along for the ride and see their relationship grow.
wendylynnm's review
4.0
Wolf Shifters...✔
First love...✔
Hot guys...✔
Written by Jay Northcote...✔
What more could I want? Everything on my list for a new paranormal book was checked off. This book is a sweet paranormal romance about two young men in their early 20's who meet and fall quickly in love, a love that is much more of an instant attraction, it's more of a pull of their souls. Quinn, who has grown up human and in all ways is human, himself falls so hard for Kellan, a shifter, who is new in town. Kellan and his pack are more like gypsies and drift from town to town because shifters are not usually welcomed.
Troubles start as soon as Kellan and his pack hit town and it takes Quinn and fellow pack supports to find who is truly behind the attacks before Kellan and his pack are run out of town.
I enjoyed Jay's first attempt at a paranormal book, I thought Kellan and Quinn were a great couple.
First love...✔
Hot guys...✔
Written by Jay Northcote...✔
What more could I want? Everything on my list for a new paranormal book was checked off. This book is a sweet paranormal romance about two young men in their early 20's who meet and fall quickly in love, a love that is much more of an instant attraction, it's more of a pull of their souls. Quinn, who has grown up human and in all ways is human, himself falls so hard for Kellan, a shifter, who is new in town. Kellan and his pack are more like gypsies and drift from town to town because shifters are not usually welcomed.
Troubles start as soon as Kellan and his pack hit town and it takes Quinn and fellow pack supports to find who is truly behind the attacks before Kellan and his pack are run out of town.
I enjoyed Jay's first attempt at a paranormal book, I thought Kellan and Quinn were a great couple.
momoyoon's review
2.0
It was...not that developed and pretty empty... and as someone who enjoys werewolves and abo shit it wasn't that great either,,,,,
chloeinbooksland's review
lighthearted
mysterious
3.0
I listened to the audiobook and liked it well enough.
the_novel_approach's review
4.0
The Half Wolf is a story about self-discovery, about learning your true self, about being who you are. It’s about family and about love. But most of all it’s about accepting the differences that exist between us all.
It’s Jay Northcote’s first dance with shifters, and it was a good one. He built a world that wasn’t so different from our own. There were shifters and there was magic, but other than that, everything was just the same. Because of that it was easy to get in the story. I like it when there is world building in paranormal books, but this worked just fine for me too. In this case we are focused on the main pair, and Quinn discovering things about himself.
In the world that Northcote created, humans know about shifters, but most of them don’t accept them. They are skeptical and often hostile towards them. They are afraid of those who are different and don’t want to have anything to do with them. Of course, there are exceptions to those behaviours. There are those who give shifters jobs and treat them as equals. They accept them and don’t blame them for everything.
I won’t go into the story other than to say it had romance, but it also had action, mystery and one or two fight scenes.
Quinn and Kellan’s relationship progressed rather quickly—just think that the whole book took place in a little over a week—but I can get past that since we are talking about shifters here. They were truly supportive of each other and a great match. Quinn’s self-discovery and the changes he went through were captivating to see. He felt different and he know something was going on, but until the last moment, he couldn’t put his finger on it. My heart broke for his family’s story and for him once he learned of the deception he lived with his whole life.
The secondary characters were well developed and I liked all of them, even those who were hostile towards the shifters in the beginning. In the end they redeemed themselves and changed their minds in a believable way, and only after facing facts. It wasn’t just a change of heart during a discussion. It was a realisation based on events that happened before their eyes. It seemed much more honest and long-term.
Reviewed by Ky for The Novel Approach
It’s Jay Northcote’s first dance with shifters, and it was a good one. He built a world that wasn’t so different from our own. There were shifters and there was magic, but other than that, everything was just the same. Because of that it was easy to get in the story. I like it when there is world building in paranormal books, but this worked just fine for me too. In this case we are focused on the main pair, and Quinn discovering things about himself.
In the world that Northcote created, humans know about shifters, but most of them don’t accept them. They are skeptical and often hostile towards them. They are afraid of those who are different and don’t want to have anything to do with them. Of course, there are exceptions to those behaviours. There are those who give shifters jobs and treat them as equals. They accept them and don’t blame them for everything.
I won’t go into the story other than to say it had romance, but it also had action, mystery and one or two fight scenes.
Quinn and Kellan’s relationship progressed rather quickly—just think that the whole book took place in a little over a week—but I can get past that since we are talking about shifters here. They were truly supportive of each other and a great match. Quinn’s self-discovery and the changes he went through were captivating to see. He felt different and he know something was going on, but until the last moment, he couldn’t put his finger on it. My heart broke for his family’s story and for him once he learned of the deception he lived with his whole life.
The secondary characters were well developed and I liked all of them, even those who were hostile towards the shifters in the beginning. In the end they redeemed themselves and changed their minds in a believable way, and only after facing facts. It wasn’t just a change of heart during a discussion. It was a realisation based on events that happened before their eyes. It seemed much more honest and long-term.
Reviewed by Ky for The Novel Approach
haunted_by_humans's review
2.0
Definitely not the worst thing I’ve ever read but it seemed pretty rushed and lacked some personality in the characters.
atheresa's review
2.0
This was YA even though it was presented as adult fiction with adult MCs. Quinn and Kellan's characters behaved much younger than their 20 years. Their internal thought processes were quite immature. Their world views were very simple. They both referred to their mother figures. Quinn and Kellan's relationship development wasn't deep nor multifaceted.
cadiva's review
5.0
When Jay said he was thinking of writing a shifter story I was enthusiastically cheering him on and this book is proof positive that he can turn his hand to the paranormal side of MM romance as well as he does young and new adult.
It's inherently British too, set in the Welsh valleys where it's entirely too easy to believe there really are shifters living among the tiny little farming communities.
It also very much shines a light on another typically British tradition - that of travelling people who follow the routes their families have driven for generations around the country.
By that I don't mean the New Age Travellers, as they came to be known, but the genuine Romani families whose lives have changed little only to exchange a horse and vardo for a pickup and a caravan.
There's also an element of self-discovery, as Quinn begins to feel something's up after meeting Kellan and and having an instant attraction to the shifter.
I also loved that this didn't feel in the slightest bit paranormal outside of the turning into a wolf bit that is! Now by that I mean there wasn't an emphasis on the supernatural fact that these people could turn into wolves. It was just treated as one of those things.
Mostly The Half Wolf is a book about discovering your true self, about falling in love, about family being more than just blood, it's about friendships and fears, about ancient mistrusts and new hopes; it's settling down and digging in roots, and it's about always being willing to listen to the voice inside when it nags you to go out and find your place.
It's lovely and passionate and sweet and emotional and it packs a lot in to a fairly short length. I hope Jay lingers in this world for a while.
The beautiful cover from Garrett Leigh perfectly sums up the delights inside as Quinn awakens in a number of ways.
#ARC provided by the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
It's inherently British too, set in the Welsh valleys where it's entirely too easy to believe there really are shifters living among the tiny little farming communities.
It also very much shines a light on another typically British tradition - that of travelling people who follow the routes their families have driven for generations around the country.
By that I don't mean the New Age Travellers, as they came to be known, but the genuine Romani families whose lives have changed little only to exchange a horse and vardo for a pickup and a caravan.
There's also an element of self-discovery, as Quinn begins to feel something's up after meeting Kellan and and having an instant attraction to the shifter.
I also loved that this didn't feel in the slightest bit paranormal outside of the turning into a wolf bit that is! Now by that I mean there wasn't an emphasis on the supernatural fact that these people could turn into wolves. It was just treated as one of those things.
Mostly The Half Wolf is a book about discovering your true self, about falling in love, about family being more than just blood, it's about friendships and fears, about ancient mistrusts and new hopes; it's settling down and digging in roots, and it's about always being willing to listen to the voice inside when it nags you to go out and find your place.
It's lovely and passionate and sweet and emotional and it packs a lot in to a fairly short length. I hope Jay lingers in this world for a while.
The beautiful cover from Garrett Leigh perfectly sums up the delights inside as Quinn awakens in a number of ways.
#ARC provided by the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
misssleepless's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0