Never Cry Werewolf (Never Cry Werewolf, #1)

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Never Cry Werewolf (Never Cry Werewolf #1)

by Heather Davis (Goodreads Author)

3.45 · rating details · 1,913 ratings · 267 reviews

Moonlight can totally change your life.

And it all starts so simply.

You. Him.

The moon.

You're toast.

Okay, so maybe Shelby has made a few mistakes with boys lately (how was she supposed to know Wes had "borrowed" that Porsche?). But her stepmother "totally" overreacts when she catches Shelby in a post-curfew kiss with a hot senior: Suddenly Shel

...more

Hardcover, 216 pages

Published September 1st 2009 by Harper Teen (first published August 18th 2009)

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Oct 10, 2009

Emily rated it

Shelves: reviewed-books

Did you ever wonder what life would be like if you somehow ended up stranded in the woods with Jack Osbourne and Miley Cyrus? What if you weren't stranded at the woods, but were in fact imprisoned at SUMMER CAMP? And what if Jack Osbourne wasn't actually a human being at all, but a human being who could turn into a wolf? If so you are indeed in luck, as that right there is basically the story of Never Cry Werewolf.

I'm going to come right out and say it, so set your phasers to stun pl...moreDid you ever wonder what life would be like if you somehow ended up stranded in the woods with Jack Osbourne and Miley Cyrus? What if you weren't stranded at the woods, but were in fact imprisoned at SUMMER CAMP? And what if Jack Osbourne wasn't actually a human being at all, but a human being who could turn into a wolf? If so you are indeed in luck, as that right there is basically the story of Never Cry Werewolf.

I'm going to come right out and say it, so set your phasers to stun please: I did not enjoy this book.

I came into this book excited to read it, interested in the premise (I love werewolf stories,) wanting to like it, wanting to enjoy the hijinks of the characters and the ultimate resolution of the story, and I don't know whether it was because the whole shebang was only 215 pages or if I've just left that phase of my life where I can connect to stories like this, but I felt just as uninspired and unimpressed on page 215 as I did on page 1.

Shelby by herself isn't unlikeable; she's boy crazy, self absorbed, and unable to conduct a conversation without naming every label on every piece of clothing that she's wearing (don't call her a fashionista though) but she does have a few moments where her personality starts to shine, and she's definitely had to overcome some serious things in her past. I don't know if she's an accurate portrayal of girls in high school now or what, but hers was definitely the most developed character of the story.

I honestly have no opinion of Austin whatsoever; he didn't really receive a lot of character development and all we really learn about him is that his dad is a rock star who certainly reminds me of Ozzy Osbourne (accident? on purpose?), he's superdreamycute, and he has some bizarre "medical condition" that other kids think is just straight-up drug addiction. As the story goes on, it also becomes clear that he and Shelby share a lot of the same issues and emotional baggage.

I think I would be hard pressed to recall a single other character's name. Seriously. I can't recall anything about the camp where the kids all stayed or anything else that happened in the story. Oh, apparently Austin's lycanthropy can be pharmeceutically controlled! I'm not really sure why this was a necessary part of the story. There a couple of plot points that revolve around that little tidbit before the story just gives up on being about anything and fast forwards to the epic fight scene and the stunning makeouts, also known as the conclusion.

Let's take a moment and talk about the conclusion. I appreciate that the target audience for the book is probably not my demographic and that concepts of relationships are certainly different for everyone, but I guess a dude surprising me at boot camp, sucking on my tonsils and then that being the end of the story just doesn't appeal to me. If Mystery Science Theater 3000 featured the song that reminded me of the book as a whole, the ending of the book reminded me of a warped version of John Cusack holding up the radio at the end of Say Anything.

Despite my hopefully obvious lack of connection with the book, it wasn't a complete wash. I can definitely see a much younger audience enjoying the story and connecting with the characters, and anything that keeps people reading at an age when reading isn't a cool thing to do is certainly okay by me. If someone was reading this, I wouldn't slap it out of their hands or anything, but will I be recommending it to anyone I know? Probably not. Different strokes for different folks, I guess.

Overall Grade: D-

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Aug 23, 2009

Kristi (The Story Siren) added it

Shelves: books-i-own

Never Cry Werewolf is a very fast-paced, fun and cutesy type novel. The overall idea was a little unoriginal, and there really wasn't any mystery to the story since we already knew there was a werewolf amidst the campers, and it isn't hard to figure out who.

The characters were a little underdeveloped for my tastes and they weren't really all that interesting. I thought Shelby was a bit on the annoying side actually. She's a smart and strong character, I just wish she would have acted...more

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Aug 02, 2011

Simcsa rated it

Shelves: read-in-2011, read-in-english, fantasy, werewolves, supernatural-creatures

I don't recommend this one. The characters are lacking depth and their desicions are often weird.

Shelby is just a normal teenager, she hangs out with friends, dates boys and sometimes comes home an hour late. Her mother died, her father married again and now she has to deal with new stepmother Priscilla, who is trying everything to get rid of her. Once when she is late, Priscilla finds her kissing (or really near to it) a boy in their garden and sends her to brat camp, where Shelby mee...more

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Nov 29, 2011

Reading Lark rated it

Review Written by Andrea @ Reading Lark
http://readinglark.blogspot.com/2011/11/...

Never Cry Werewolf is a quick read. It was a cute, fun story, but didn't really add anything new to the werewolf myth. It's a pretty straight forward tale about a camp for troubled teens that happens to have a werewolf camper.

The main character, Shelby, has had a few run ins with her parents - mainly about boys - so they've sent her off to summer camp to try and help her find her way back ...more

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Jul 14, 2011

Sara rated it

Shelves: 2-5-stars

Plot: 2.5 Stars
There were just parts of the plot that rubbed me the wrong way. For example, the characters in this book were at "brat camp" but no one noticed when Shelby wandered off during an activity. Also, considering the book centered around Shelby's time at brat camp, the day to day activities and therapy were almost nonexistant. It really left a lot to be desired.

Pace: 3 Stars
For a book I read so quickly, it didn't really feel like anything was happening...more

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Dec 30, 2010

Heather rated it

Never Cry Werewolf was unexpected, in a very good way. The characters, setting, plot – all different from what I was thinking I would read. I really liked Shelby; for all her family’s belief that she’s wild and unruly, she seems to have a good sense of right and wrong and a strong passion for helping the underdog. She shows a surprising amount of respect for her father, and even the evil step-mother (ESM), considering how little they both show her. If I were her, I would have moved on and found...more

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Dec 26, 2010

Jennifer rated it

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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Dec 01, 2010

Mundie Moms & Mundie Kids rated it

Shelves: 2009-100-book-challenge, books-i-own, mundie-moms-reviews

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Aug 02, 2010

BAYA Librarian rated it

Shelves: girl-reads, romance, supernatural, high-low

Never Cry Werewolf is a piece of supernatural romance fluff whose title and cover tell you just about everything that you need to know about what you'll find inside: a young girl in the dark woods looking scared but a little excited, pulling her red hoodie (allusion alert!) around herself while cursive writing spells out the terrible pun of the title? You get the idea. Shelby is a slightly rebellious teen (she has a tendency to get caught making out with boys) whose Evil Stepmother ships her o...more

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Jun 29, 2010

Reading Teen rated it

So what did I think about this book?

Well, I thought it was OK. It was a very clean, steady read. So I was pretty much bored. I wasn't bored that it was clean just the steady part. It never really went anywhere, there was one some what intense scene at the end but fizzled quickly.

The characters were not fully developed and semi-bland. Shelby was the classic "My mom died and I can't stand my new step mom, so I'm going to do everything to annoy the crap out of her"...moreSo what did I think about this book?

Well, I thought it was OK. It was a very clean, steady read. So I was pretty much bored. I wasn't bored that it was clean just the steady part. It never really went anywhere, there was one some what intense scene at the end but fizzled quickly.

The characters were not fully developed and semi-bland. Shelby was the classic "My mom died and I can't stand my new step mom, so I'm going to do everything to annoy the crap out of her" character. Her whole attitude got on my nerves at times and I will add that Shelby could be very disrespectful to her parents. Which her being a teenage girl was pretty realistic.

I couldn't stand how she constantly got herself in huge trouble for Austin, especially in the situation that happens in the first couple of chapters. Seriously, for most of the book she didn't even know him that well and to top things off she had a feeling there was something not right about him. But yet, she always came to his beck-n-call when he needed her help. Though, during the end of the book, I came to a good place with her, were I didn't quite love her but at the same time didn't full-out-hate Shelby. Since, I began to take in her reasoning for acting the way she does and I started to understand her love for Austin even if he wasn't the most normal guy out there. Austin though, was a character that I did enjoy reading about even with his faults. I felt mostly sorry for him, because of how he had to always keep part of himself hidden from the real world. In the book, Austin's dad was a rock legend, so he had to be careful that the kids did not found out about his personal life, for fear of being in the tabloids. Also, towards the end I really liked how he began to come up with ideas that would effect Shelby in a good way instead of a bad one.

The other characters - Ariel and Price - could have been pretty cool but not fully developed as they could have been. I didn't think they had enough appearances as I wanted them too.

Some of the dialogue was a little younger-for-kids sounding and the story was lacking a good mystery. The only villain was a gossip teen ( looking for a paycheck ) who just wanted to leave camp and expose Austin for what he was - A WEREWOLF - not really that exciting. And, I was really hoping for some resolution with Shelby and her dad... which was disappointing when it didn't happen.

If you're in the mood for a lighthearted, clean werewolf teen book then you may enjoy it.

~Amy http://ReadingTeen.net/(less)

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Mar 30, 2010

Jamie rated it

Shelves: don-t-own, library, paranormal, romance, ya

I picked this one up at the library after waiting for what seemed like an eternity for my number to come up. Is it just me or does the girl on the cover look at least a little bit like Kate Hudson only brunette?! I really liked this book....I am really happy with it! Shelby has some issues...She's got a stepmom from hell, her dad would rather just believe her stepmom than try and communicate with Shelby, her mom passed away and on top of that Shelby doesn't trust anyone...herself included! After...more

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Dec 20, 2009

Tiffanycu rated it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. this book is an OK book. it's about a girl named Shelby who gets a stepmother after her real mother dies. She was constantly getting caught messing around boys. so her parents decides to send her to a brat camp. She chose to go to Cresent Camp. She gets into trouble when she chases after two boys into the "forbidden forest" because she felt somewhat attracted to one of the boy. When Mr. Winter, one of the counselors at the camp, caught the three kids, he found that one of the boy, Aust...more

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Dec 08, 2009

Kristina rated it

So the overall setting was different for me which I liked. The story was based around a bunch of rich kids who get sent to summer camp...also know as "brat camp". Now while I enjoyed the different setting I found it rather unspectacular in description. (I expected more since it was paranormal genre). The characters were okay; Shelby and Austin were rather blah throughout the first half of the story. I DID enjoy the fact that the story was told through Shelby's voice. I always feel clos...more

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Nov 06, 2009

Liz rated it

One of the better werewolf novels I've read, probably because it was succinct without dwelling on the nature of good and evil overmuch.

A teenage girl, Shelby, the daughter of a recently rich plastic surgeon is packed off to 'brat camp' on the suggestion of her evil stepmother. She's gone to a camp in Oregon rather than the one her stepmother suggested, a boot camp in the desert. She is pessimistic about the summer, but sees no option but to get through it.

She meets up wi...more

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Aug 15, 2009

thebookblogger rated it

The characters were probably my favorite aspect of this novel. Witty, mysterious and entertaining. They made the story hilarious and interesting. The writing, however, wasn't descriptive or amazing. It was just plain. The pace of the novel was fast, and I was really appreciative of that, because the writing didn't really do wonders for me and if the pace were slow, I'd be bored.

The relationship between Shelby and her dad was a pleasure and I was really anxious to read about their hea...more

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May 03, 2011

Rhianna rated it

Shelves: drama, romance, young-adult, werewolves

Wow, I think I might have to go to camp and see if I can find myself a werewolf then.

Shelby gets caught after curfew kissing a boy outside of her house by her stepmother. This time she cant get out of it and is sent to camp for the summer. But it's not the leisurely camp with sports or canoe rides down the river - this is brat camp. It's where the rich send their children for hard work, therapy, and to learn discipline. It's basically the worst possible way to spend your summer.
S...more

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Apr 22, 2010

Damaris rated it

Recommends it for: Teens, YA

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Shelby is being shipped of to 'Brat camp' by her stepmother from hell and her father ,who is being manipulated by said stepmother, for being caught one too many times with a boy when she wasn't supposed to be.
Austin is the handsome bad boy with the hot accent (or at least he looks the part) that keeps to himself because of his secret that scared away the last person who knew. Just what secret is that? Why, he's a Werewolf of course. Thanks to another camper his serum is confiscated by a ca...moreShelby is being shipped of to 'Brat camp' by her stepmother from hell and her father ,who is being manipulated by said stepmother, for being caught one too many times with a boy when she wasn't supposed to be.
Austin is the handsome bad boy with the hot accent (or at least he looks the part) that keeps to himself because of his secret that scared away the last person who knew. Just what secret is that? Why, he's a Werewolf of course. Thanks to another camper his serum is confiscated by a camp counselor. Needing help he confides in Shelby who reacts the way any normal person would and doesn't believe him and then fears him when she finds out he's not lying. However Shelby can't resist helping boys, its just not in her nature, and so she agrees to try and do what she can. Unable to retrieve the serum the only option is for Austin to break out of the camp and reach the nearest town to have his serum sent by FedEx to him. Then the plan goes wrong when thanks to the same camper who started this mess Shelby has to go with Austin into the forest.

Overall I liked the book. However to me its only a book for when you have a free afternoon and need a light read. Honestly when I first saw the book I didn't want to read it, while I loved the cover and the idea of setting the book in a 'brat camp' intrigued me I found the summary to be superficial (and because I'm a teensy tiny bit biased since I've always prefered vampires to werewolves). I did however come across the book on a boring afternoon and decided I might as well read it since there was nothing else to do. To my surprise Shelby wasnt as shallow as I thought. Most would think Shelby is just a boy crazy teenager but the way I see it is she doesn't get along with her stepmother, she really doesn't talk to her dad a lot and her mother is dead so where is she getting affection from? Boys! So add that to your average boy craziness and its not hard to see why she thinks or acts the way she does. The book left an opening for a sequel that I hope is written and look forward to reading.(less)

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Mar 31, 2010

Jasmine ☮ ♡ ♔ rated it

I really wish i could give this book 2.5 stars. =[ I didn't think it was just okay...but I didn't exactly like it either...I know that probably doesn't make sense. =/

I thought this book was a little bit more than just okay, because it was interesting, at parts. But then at others I found myself really bored and wanting to shoot myself. I really liked the ending of this book, and I am really tempted to give it 3 stars because of just the ending, but I can't bring myself to do it.
...moreI really wish i could give this book 2.5 stars. =[ I didn't think it was just okay...but I didn't exactly like it either...I know that probably doesn't make sense. =/

I thought this book was a little bit more than just okay, because it was interesting, at parts. But then at others I found myself really bored and wanting to shoot myself. I really liked the ending of this book, and I am really tempted to give it 3 stars because of just the ending, but I can't bring myself to do it.

I hear there may be a sequel to this book, and I hope it's better. If there is one I feel like Shelby might become a werewolf, because she had a puncture wound in her. I'm slightly excited to see what happens with Austin and Shelby's story. I won't be eagerly anticipating a sequel or anything, but i will read one if Heath Davis decided to write one.

Now, about Austin. I really liked him, and c'mon just the name Austin sounds hot ( ;:] ), but I felt like he kind of jumped into telling Shelby his secret. I know he felt like he could trust her, but really? He knew her for how long, a couple of days? I thought their relationship wasn't that well developed. They are far from my favorite book couples.

On to Shelby. I'm not sure how I feel about her: on one hand I like her and feel sorry for her, but on the other she gets on my nerves. She's just really annoying at times. For example, when her push-up bra and make-up were taken away she acted like it was the end of the world. OH MY GOD SHE WON'T BE ABLE TO COVER HER FACE WITH JUNK TO MAKE HERSELF LOOK FAKELY PRETTY, AND SHE WON'T BE ABLE TO ENHANCE HER CHEST! THE HORRORS! (One of my pet peeves is people that are in love with make-up, or can't last a couple of days without it.) One thing I really did like about Shelby was how she thought Austin was insane when he told her his secret. In some novels characters easily accept the fact that people they know are some type or supernatural beings, and they aren't even a tad bit scared. Shelby's reaction was realistic; she questioned his secret and at first didn't believe him. At times her scaredness (not a word ;]) of Austin got a bit annoying and I just wanted to scream "HE'S NOT GOING TO HURT YOU WOMAN!"
Oh dear I sound bipolar...I guess what I'm trying to say is that I liked how she didn't immediately believe him, and once she did she was scared, but then it soon got annoying how she couldn't overcome her fear of him for a while.

Overall I think this book was an okay read, but I would've rather been reading something else. While reading Never Cry Werewolf I was easily distracted by other things, such as the TV and other books, but once I actually focused on reading the book I kind of liked it (not really though...oh there I go being bipolar again...)
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Jan 08, 2010

Kate rated it

Shelves: 2010, age-ya, werewolf-books

I was pretty underwhelmed by this book. From the opening paragraph, where the narrator, Shelby, talks about life in Beverly Hills, to the camp setting that felt so similar to Moonlight by Rachel Hawthorne, I didn't find much new to the YA genre OR the werewolf genre.

Shelby tends to trust boys too much, to the point where she gets in trouble. Her wicked stepmother sends her off to a posh brat camp with a troop of other Beverly Hills rejects, heiresses, and celebrity offspring. On...more

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Oct 09, 2009

Ellz Readz rated it

My thoughts...This is a YOUNG adult novel. I would say it would be perfect for kids ages 12-16. That being said, I (being well over 16) enjoyed the book. Our young heroine deals with several huge issues such as death of a parent, step-parents, young love and trust. Shelby is a kind girl who often finds herself as a caregiver to other people she meets, when she really needs to take care of herself. As the story progresses, I saw significant character growth.

On the surface, this i...more

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Oct 08, 2009

Katieb (MundieMoms) rated it

Shelves: books-i-own, 2009-100-book-challenge

I have a things for wolves in stories (Sam in Shiver, the wolf pack in the Twilight Saga) so when I read the description of this book, I was excited to read it. I found that I really enjoyed Davis's fun writing style. The story is a quick, fun read. The characters were fun, but I didn't feel as attached to them as I normally do in books. The character's aren't as developed in depth and the story line is a fun, but not in-depth story. It's not hard to figure out who the werewolf is, mixed in wit...moreI have a things for wolves in stories (Sam in Shiver, the wolf pack in the Twilight Saga) so when I read the description of this book, I was excited to read it. I found that I really enjoyed Davis's fun writing style. The story is a quick, fun read. The characters were fun, but I didn't feel as attached to them as I normally do in books. The character's aren't as developed in depth and the story line is a fun, but not in-depth story. It's not hard to figure out who the werewolf is, mixed in with the other teenage campers at the prestigious brat camp in Oregon.

We met Shelby who's 16, lost her mom a couple years, lives with her dad and more or less money hungry step mom who's had them move from WI to Beverly Hills. Shelby gets caught kissing a boy out the in gardens which sends her step mom over edge. Apparently Shelby's been in trouble before with boys, and her dad and step mom decide brat crap will cure her.

Upon arriving at a prestigious brat camp in Oregon (filled with a lot of other well known celebrities kids), Shelby meets Austin Austin Bridges, III (and son of a rock star, who's from England) and a Ariel, who knows Austin and his family, but not their secret. We learn more about Austin through Ariel and what she tells Shelby.

We learn Austin's family has a secret and Austin turns to Shelby to help him keep the secret, a secret. Only his family, and two other people know this secret. For most of the story Shelby herself is trying to figure out if she should really trust Austin, but she's so drawn to him to can't help but believe him despite the doubts she keeps having. It's not until he changes and saves her does she really learn to trust him. Along the way their friendship develops into something out.

It's not until she realizes she can trust him, does she then do something that will cost her a trip to the dreaded brat camp her step mother wanted to send her to in the first. Shelby risks it all to save Austin and keep his family secret, a secret.
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Mar 01, 2011

Savannah (Books With Bite) rated it

This was a cute read. My problem was with the plot. How can a parent send a daughter to brat camp or even worse military camp over trouble with boys. Its seem to me the dad didn't care enough for his daughter to do anything. He allowed the stepmother to make all the decisions and of course she just sent her away. I like the plot better when the reader got to the camp. We saw Shelby grow in who she is. She was able to open up over matters that were bothering her.

The wolf part was good. ...more

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Jul 17, 2011

Danielle rated it

Moonlight can totally change your life. And it all starts so simply. You. Him. The moon. You’re toast.
Okay, so maybe Shelby has made a few mistakes with boys lately. But her stepmother totally overreacts when she packs Shelby off to brat camp. Suddenly, it’s good-bye, prom dress; hello, hiking boots.

Things start looking up, though, when Shelby meets fellow camper (and son of a rock star!) Austin Bridges III. But soon she realizes there’s more to Austin than crush material—his f...moreMoonlight can totally change your life. And it all starts so simply. You. Him. The moon. You’re toast.
Okay, so maybe Shelby has made a few mistakes with boys lately. But her stepmother totally overreacts when she packs Shelby off to brat camp. Suddenly, it’s good-bye, prom dress; hello, hiking boots.

Things start looking up, though, when Shelby meets fellow camper (and son of a rock star!) Austin Bridges III. But soon she realizes there’s more to Austin than crush material—his family has a dark secret, and he wants Shelby’s help guarding it. . . .

I picked up this book for a few reasons:
1)The cover looked nice
2)I saw 'Werewolf' and was immediately drawn to it
3)I had just finished The CLearing, also by Heather Davis and LOVED it so I decided to give this one a try too.

What did I think of this book? Well, it wasn't as good as The Clearing in my opinion, but it was still pretty good. The main character is a 16 year old girl who lives with her father and evil step-mother Priscilla (thought the name suited her well :)) after her mother dies three years earlier. Shelby is caught kissing a boy out under the moonlight in her step-mother's rose garden and her step mom immediately seizes this as an opportunity to send her away. Shelby apparently hasn't had to best choice of guys; always putting their needs before her own and her parents sees this as the last straw.

She is sent off to Camp Crescent, a prestigious brat camp where the rich and famous send their problem children to change for the "better". Here, while enduring sickening therapy sessions, Shelby meets Austin Bridges III. He's handsome, the son of a rocker, and has an English accent. Sounds perfect right? Well, it just so happens the Austin has a little secret, and if anyone were to find out this secret, it could endanger his family.

Austin eventually ends up revealing his secret to Shelby who promises to keep it safe and help him. She is one of the two people outside the family who know this secret; the other is a girl who didn't take it so well. Through most of the story, Shelby is hestitant when it comes to trusting Austin (she has trust issues), but she can not deny the attraction she has for him. Their friendship blossoms into something more as teh story goes on, and she learns to trust him after he changges and saves her life.

After going through great lengths to protect Austin and his secret, Shelby is shipped off to another brat camp, which is more like a military camp and 1000X worse. But after being there for a while, she gets a rather good surprise that makes all she went through seem worth it. Can you guess what...or who...it is? ;) (less)

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Jun 27, 2010

Emma rated it

Shelves: fiction, young-adult, fantasy

Shelby used to be a girl who sometimes needed to find out where her next meal would come from. That was before her mom passed away and her dad remarried to "honey bun," as her dad called her, and her dad became rich by inventing a new drug for plastic surgery. Shelby disregards the rules placed at home, stays out later on dates, dates guys where she usually ends up doing their homework or something along those lines that gets her in trouble. Her stepmother is tired of Shelby's disrega...more

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Aug 19, 2011

Karen Kaiser rated it

Shelves: one-star, summer-2011, fiction, romance, fantasy

I'll start out by saying that, despite the fact that I gave this book only one star, it wasn't that bad. It just wasn't good, or original, or compelling, etc, etc. The fact that Austin's lycanthropy could be controlled by a prescription drug was about the only unique thing about this story. And I respected that.

That being said...everything else was pretty run-of-the-mill. You've got the damaged-in-some-way heroine who doesn't trust anyone and has built walls around herself and doesn...moreI'll start out by saying that, despite the fact that I gave this book only one star, it wasn't that bad. It just wasn't good, or original, or compelling, etc, etc. The fact that Austin's lycanthropy could be controlled by a prescription drug was about the only unique thing about this story. And I respected that.

That being said...everything else was pretty run-of-the-mill. You've got the damaged-in-some-way heroine who doesn't trust anyone and has built walls around herself and doesn't need to/want to be saved and blah blah blah. Strong women are great, don't get me wrong. But the way they're portrayed in today's media...I get sick of it. Everyone and their grandmother talked about Shelby being 'brave' and 'strong' and 'fearless,' but when it got rough, who was the one who needed saving from a cougar? Shelby. I'm not bashing her for that. Not many people can face a wild cat and come out victorious. But after building up all of this 'she's so strong' crap, could the author have picked a different climax? A climax that actually supported the characterization?
And I thought Shelby's alleged tendency to put herself at risk just to help others was a bit exaggerated. At the beginning of the story, she had only helped a variety of boys with their homework or charity work or whatever. How generous of her. She's truly a martyr. And then she just ran off into the woods, supposedly to help Mr. Winter's, Charles, and Austin. Mr. Winter's was probably no stranger to those woods. Shelby thought he needed help simply because he was chubby. Can anyone say stereotyping? And she had no idea what kind of forest experience Charles or Austin had. She just assumed they were clueless simply because they were going to brat camp and came from rich families. Isn't she going to brat camp? Isn't she rich, even if that's a recent development? Hell, she categorized Austin as not-outdoorsy just because he was British. Does that count as racial stereotyping? Jeez. And as it turned out, Austin had more experience with the woods than she did, because he was a, you know, werewolf. And stuff. Anyway, her selfless tendencies weren't really that selfless. She liked helping people sometimes, okay. That's wonderful. She was no saint though, and I got annoyed when everyone described her that way.
And what was all that crap about her not being the kind of girl who liked being saved? Or the kind of girl who actually did the saving? Yes, Shelby wrapped up Austin's wound immediately following the cat-fight. And yes, Shelby did end up getting Austin's serum for him. That can be loosely defined as saving him. However, scaring off the wild feline seems a bit more heroic (not by too much, seeing as he was at the time a wild animal capable of such a feat). But who's deeds did we focus on? Shelby's. Um, okay.

After the heroine, you've got the classic damaged-in-some-way-besides-his-supernatural-affliction hero. He's charming, handsome, sensitive, and speaks in an archaic way I find weird, even if he is British. I'm sure if I put in the time, I could waste an entire notebook on male characters that fit in the exact same mold as Austin. To be honest, the sensitive-hot-guy character has been ruined for me. Give me a character with anger problems and anti-social tendencies, or maybe a stoic, thoughtful guy who hardly ever talks. I'll devolve into a drooling, fangirl mess. But sensitive and romantic....it's become stale bread by now.

This book even sprinkled in the secondary-best-friend character, Ariel. She's only mentioned between the important, romantic scenes when nothing else is really going on. She's cute, short, has a tiny, inconsequential crush on another non-important character, and is the understanding, devoted, caring friend that our young heroine really needs. I'm all for friendship, but...this type of character has also become stale for me. I'd appreciate Ariel more if she was defined better.

As for the plot...it, too, is pretty standard. Girl and Guy meet at a secondary location that conveniently lacks the presence of parental units. Once again, I'm sure I could fill an entire notebook with examples of this cliche. Sure, there are counselors there, but...that didn't really stop the midnight strolls, did it? Girl, who is trying to be strong and tough and independent, tells herself not to crush on gorgeous, mysterious (British) Guy. Girl doesn't listen to herself, and crushes on Guy. After all, he's hot and British. Tense conversations absolutely rife with romantic undertones ensue. Then...gasp! Guy is a werewolf. Girl doesn't believe him, and runs off. Then, after some careful thought, Girl believes him and decides to help him. Girl gets into trouble for it, in more ways than one. Guy saves girl. Girl helps...excuse me, saves...Guy. Girl and Guy reunite at the end and have an explosive, satisfyingly romantic kiss. End.

This story is way too common, but I suppose it got that way for a reason. It's not a bad plot, just...stale. That's exactly what this entire book was to me. Stale. Like I've had my favorite kind of bread way too many times, and it's no longer my favorite. It's still good bread, I guess, but....it's no longer my cup of tea. Or bread...

So this book wasn't really bad, I guess. But it definitely wasn't worth buying, so don't waste your money or your shelf-space. If you don't mind wasting your time by reading it, then go for it. But don't be surprised if it just kind of goes out one ear, if you know what I mean. I certainly won't have trouble forgetting that I ever read this book. (less)

· see review

Apr 17, 2010

Kelsey rated it

Shelves: own

I picked up Never Cry Werewolf a few months ago as a spur of the moment thing and put it down after about 30 pages. It wasn't exactly what I was looking for at the time, but then I picked it up again a few days ago- and I'm glad I did. It was exactly the light, quick read I needed, a break from some of the heavier reads I've been tackling lately.

As I mentioned before, this was a short and sweet book, and that's as far as it went for me. I really liked most of the secondary character...more I picked up Never Cry Werewolf a few months ago as a spur of the moment thing and put it down after about 30 pages. It wasn't exactly what I was looking for at the time, but then I picked it up again a few days ago- and I'm glad I did. It was exactly the light, quick read I needed, a break from some of the heavier reads I've been tackling lately.

As I mentioned before, this was a short and sweet book, and that's as far as it went for me. I really liked most of the secondary characters, but sadly didn't get enough of them. The friend, Ariel was great, I would have loved to hear more about her. The main character Shelby could have been the kick-butt, awesome heroine, but she fell a little flat for me. It may have been that I couldn't really relate to her. Her mother had died and her father remarried the wicked stepmom. From page one, I liked Shelby's sarcastic and witty tone, but at times it got to be a little much. She said some stupid things and her personality flip-flopped, and she wasn't very developed. The main thing I liked about having Shelby as the main character was that she was different from a lot of characters I've read lately. Although, yes, she was annoying at times, she was the type of character that normally may have more of a background role, but rather took center stage with Never Cry Werewolf. By the end I could better understand her and her decisions, but still she wasn't a great character overall.

The plot of Never Cry Werewolf was unique, I really liked the brat camp idea, that added a lot to the book, and of course the werewolf aspect. This was definitely not your typical werewolf read. Davis added her own twist and although the plot and characters fell a little flat I liked how she orchestrated it. Maybe with 50 or 60 more pages the oomph factor could have made it's mark on me.

As I was reading, I was drawn in, and could definitely have finished it in one sitting, but at times the plot got a little slow for me. Shelby wants to help Austin. She helps him. Shelby complains about her stepmother. Shelby, Shelby, Shelby. Repeat. I think this was where things got a little tedious for me when Shelby was busy complaining or moping the plot stalled. I did really like how the sub plots worked in. There were quite a few sub plots that really added a lot to the book. There were even some twists in the plot that surprised me. Romance was definitely a part of this and I did feel the connection between Shelby and Austin. I did think she may be the character to scream and run when hearing the word werewolf, but she really turned out to be braver than I first thought.

Overall, Never Cry Werewolf was a good debut that may not hook all readers, but will definitely stand out. It contained unique, albeit under-developed, characters, and a plot that occasionally dragged, but it definitely laid the works for greater things from Davis in the future. I expected a short and fun read from Never Cry Werewolf and I got just a little bit more. I definitely know Heather Davis has it in her to write even better, so I can't wait to start The Clearing!

Overall: 3.5 out of 5 stars
(less)

· see review

Sep 04, 2011

Amanda Kelley rated it

Shelves: 2009-n-under, 2011-read-list, standalone-novels, ya, wishlist, reviews-written

Also reviewed on my blog, the Vintage Bookworm (http://www.vintagebookworm.blogspot.com)

Never Cry Werewolf is a short, fun read. It is pretty fast paced, but enjoyable. Shelby was a good character, but at the same time I didn't really connect with her full-heartily. All the characters were lacking a bit of depth, they were fun to read about, but didn't seem completely real.

Shelby's step-mother really annoyed me, sometimes she seemed like she really cared, but then others you...more

· see review

Mar 23, 2011

Audiaa rated it

Shelves: 2011, young-adult, fantasy

The story was a little cliché and cheesy, but it was also a fun and quick read. The main character's "evil" step-mother decides that she should be sent to 'brat camp' during the summer because of her behavior, which really isn't that bad. At camp, she keeps getting into trouble mostly due to one of the boys, a son of a rock star, that she meets at the beginning of the trip. Early on, this boy discloses that he's a werewolf and that he needs his medication or he will go all wolfy du...more

· see review

Oct 19, 2010

Nina rated it

Last year when I first noticed this book on different blogs I added it to my tbr list. I read a lot of reviews about it, always giving it three stars of telling it was okay, but nothing special or spectacular. I still wanted to give it a try and I am glad I did.

Shelby’s character is negative, boy crazy and just a little too bit of a pout. Well, that doesn’t sounds too good. But after reading about her stepmother and father I could understand why. I could understand her actions and he...more

· see review

Dec 30, 2011

Kenny rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: advisory-2011-2012

Never Cry Werewolf, by Heather Davis is about this teenage girl named Shelby who spends time with her friends, she is like any other girl who falls in love (she finds boys to date). The thing that is saddening about this book is Shelby's mother past away, and so Shelby's father married had to get re-married. I fine this totally insane, having a stepmother named Priscilla, who wants the ax her out of both her and her father's life. What is really cute about this story is Shelby falls in love wi...more

· see review

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About Heather Davis

Heather Davis is an award-winning young adult author based in the Pacific Northwest. With a touch of the paranormal, her stories center around ordinary people in extraordinary situations and explore the nature of love and life.

She’s most comfortable crafting stories with a pen in her hand and rain pounding against the windows, but you will find her writing anywhere she goes.

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Quotes from Never Cry Werewolf

“She’s pure evil. Stay on her good side.”

“And here I thought she hated me because I don’t sing stupid songs.” — 9 people liked it

“I didn’t mean to go after him, but no one was doing anything, and I’m probably the only one here who’s actually been in the woods for real.”

“Besides—he’s British. What do they know about camping and wilderness survival and all that?”...

There too busy drinking tea and playing cricket. He would have been lost without me” — 8 people liked it

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