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Claire de Lune (Claire de Lune #1)

3.59 of 5 stars 3.59 · rating details · 3,659 ratings · 421 reviews

Torn between two destinies… Claire is having the perfect sixteenth birthday. Her pool party is a big success, and gorgeous Matthew keeps chatting and flirting with her as if she’s the only girl there. But that night, she discovers something that takes away all sense of normalcy: she’s a werewolf.

As Claire is initiated into the pack of female werewolves, she must deal not o...more

Hardcover, 352 pages

Published May 18th 2010 by Simon Pulse

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Jun 18, 2010 Morgan F rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: pulse-it, young-adult, fantasy, werewolves, characters-i-wanna-shoot, its-a-girl, 2010, read-2010, debut, medium-sized, suckfest, e-book

I wasn't expecting much from this book to begin with, so I can't consider myself disappointed.

Claire is having the best birthday of her life. Her pool party is off the chain (people still say that, right?) and Hottie Matthew is starting to show interest in plain old Claire. Emphasis on plain. But when the full moon surfaces, her mother tells her a dark secret, both her and Claire are werewolves. Now Claire life becomes a lot more complicated. Not only does she have to deal with all her bodily c...more I wasn't expecting much from this book to begin with, so I can't consider myself disappointed.

Claire is having the best birthday of her life. Her pool party is off the chain (people still say that, right?) and Hottie Matthew is starting to show interest in plain old Claire. Emphasis on plain. But when the full moon surfaces, her mother tells her a dark secret, both her and Claire are werewolves. Now Claire life becomes a lot more complicated. Not only does she have to deal with all her bodily changes of becoming a furry beast, she has to hide her secret from everyone, including her best friend, Emily, and Hottie Matthew. But there is also a rouge werewolf on the loose, on that is killing humans and endangering the existance of Claire's pack. To make the plot even twistier, Hottie Matthew is also the son of some deranged scientist hellbent of capturing and "curing" werewolves.

Okay, okay. I know this is a fantasy book. I know it has very little basis in the real world. But I can't help but bring forth some logical impossibilities this book passes off. There will be some spoilers ahead, although I shall try to use hypothetical situations only.

Say everyone knows werewolves exist. Say everyone thinks werewolves are bad, without even one PETA activist to wave a mighty picket sign. Say there are entire government organizations dedicated to researching and controlling lycanthropes. But despite all this, people know nothing about werewolves, at all. They don't know, or suspect, that they are all female (one thing I did like about this book was all the werewolf girl-power), and don't know their habits or anything. So instead of, I don't know, researching and studying one of the few werewolves they manage to capture, they lock it up in a cage in some unguarded lab, until they can "cure" it. Now, does this make sense? What kind of respectable lab, holding some a valuable specimen, doesn't even have surveillance cameras and puts the key to the cage of this valuable specimen IN THE REFRIGERATOR!!!!!!

Oh, and say, you were a bloodthristy werewolf. You like sunflowers right? And after killing some poor dude, you get your picture taken with a sunflower blocking your face. Uh-oh. I would be careful now. Because some ditzy teenager will walk aimlessly into your house, see a sunflower (which could or could not be the same one), and when they later see the incriminating picture, they will automatically link you to the scene of the crime. So be careful in the future.

Oh, and apparently bodies smell enough to be gag-worthy after 15 minutes of being deceased, and lupine body language is diverse enough to have complete nonverbal conversations with specific wordchoice and every thing. Even when you are not even freaking LOOKING at the werewolf you are having a conversation with.

Okay, with that off my chest....on to the characters. I have decided I dislike the name Claire. It just is a soiled name. Every time I hear it now, it brings to mind some annoying teenage "heroine". No offense to the Claires out there. You can't help what you are named at birth. So even though my first impression of you is shot to pieces, you still have the possibility of growing on me. All the characters in this story were just so completely underdeveloped. Not a likable or memorable face in the bunch. Everyone just filled their stereotypical role. Claire the "sweet" and quiet narrator, who only wants to protect her friends and family. Hottie Matthew, the attractive and understanding love interest who inexplicably falls for Plain Janes. Emily, the talkative and bubbly biffle. And Marie, the type-A mother. Mix in some wolves and bad guys, and there you go.

The plot was poo. I would say it was predictable, but I did fall prey to the red-herring for the longest time. I am actually quite ashamed I didn't figure it out sooner. So props there. And there was just no action or suspense. Just Claire fretting and worrying. I had no problem putting this book down.

Oh, and what is the mysterious Goddess that created werewolves?

Don't let my bitchin' and moanin' stop you from reading this book if it sounds interesting, really. It's just books like these make me bitter.(less)

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Dec 23, 2012 Eyehavenofilter rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: impossible-young-love, wtf

I only picked this up because of the title..Debussy is one of my favorite composers. But unfortunately it's the cleverest part of this book. It had such potential, but fell flat within 20 pages. Insta-love, convenient plot and character lines, that a baked Idaho potato could see coming a million miles away. Claire our intrepid heroine finds out she is budding werewolf, and at 16 her transformation has already begun, heralded by a rash on her palms and ears, ( seriously?) but our self proclaimed...more

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Apr 01, 2013 Book Chick City rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult

Reviewed by Jo for Book Chick City. 7/10 on the blog.

More recently, when I read a book's subject is about werewolves I am hesitant because of the amount of werewolf books we have had. How can this one be any different from the rest?

I was pleasantly surprised by 'Claire de Lune'. There are no cliches here. For starters, you cannot be made into a wolf from a hungry were looking for a quick nibble, and there are only female wolves too. Also, humans know werewolves exist, so there are no angsty secr...more

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Jan 31, 2011 Skye rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review is also posted on my blog, In The Good Books.

Claire De Lune is written in the third person perspective of Claire, who has recently found out she's a werewolf. Claire's a likable heroine, with natural reactions. She takes time to get accustomed to being a werewolf, and sees the downside in it. She acts and thinks like a teenager her age, though matures as you would expect under her situation.

Claire De Lune was set in a world that already knew about the existence of werewolves, and had...more

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Jul 24, 2010 Kristi (The Story Siren) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own, signed-books

Claire de Lune is a unique idea on werewolf mythology. Although personally I would have liked to know a little bit more about the history and a deeper explanation of the ties to their 'goddess'. It doesn't necessarily take away from the story, but it would have been a much appreciated addition.

Claire was a fantastic character. Even if your not a fan of paranormal elements, you can't help but relate with Claire and her struggle to fit in and be a normal teenager. I mean, sure Claire has that whol...more

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Oct 11, 2012 Leslie Preddy rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: grades 8-12

The story opens with the foreshadowing of a rogue werewolf’s vengeful thoughts, which sets the scene for a world where werewolves exist, although are not common. In this world, Claire seems to be a normal 16 year old girl crushing on a normal boy whose dad just happens to work for the Federal Human Protection Agency. Unfortunately, Claire finds out on her sixteenth birthday not only does she have to deal with all the normal adolescent issues, but her sweet sixteen rite-of-passage is to learn tha...more

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Aug 13, 2012 Laurie Whitlock rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: done

Clair just celebrated her sixteenth birthday but unlike other sixteen years old she didn’t get a car. She got a pair of sapphire earrings and was told that she comes from a long line of female werewolves. She has to battle her ever changing body, her mother who she’s never been close to and how to lie to her best friend and new boyfriend Matthew.

This is the first book by Johnson and it’s well written and makes you keep turning the pages to find out what happens next. As Clair goes on the journe...more

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Aug 10, 2012 Erica rated it 1 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I wasn't able to finish the book. Pretty much, I read the first 70 pages, and then I flipped through the book to something interesting, or more interesting. I finally found myself at the end, and found out who was killing all the people.

I know other people have talked about this already, but how does someone link sunflowers in your house to posing by sunflowers in a murder photo shoot that you are definitely the killer. The only thing that the main character wonders is that it could be a coinc...more I wasn't able to finish the book. Pretty much, I read the first 70 pages, and then I flipped through the book to something interesting, or more interesting. I finally found myself at the end, and found out who was killing all the people.

I know other people have talked about this already, but how does someone link sunflowers in your house to posing by sunflowers in a murder photo shoot that you are definitely the killer. The only thing that the main character wonders is that it could be a coincidence. What about how huge of a leap that is, and how absolutely random.

I definitely wasn't expecting a book like this. Most of it was Claire talking to her mom, fighting with her mom, complaining about her mom, or kissing Matt, who she just met at her birthday party. I was probably expecting the average girl werewolf meets boy werewolf, which seriously? It probably would've been more interesting.( Also, it so happens that all werewolves are female. What did you do, Ms. Johnson?)

The murder mystery was okay (just not the part of how they found out that it was Zahlia), but I didn't like Claire's relationship with Matt-- from barely knowing him (if she did, it wasn't mentioned that I know of-- it could've been said further into the book, but I'll never know) to cuddling up and kissing on their first date. They barely know each other. Let me repeat this. They. Barely. Know. Each. Other. I kept thinking that (at one of the places that I stopped at to read) when Matt asked to meet her after Matt had transformed, I was sure that he was going to try to lock her in a cage, and that he was actually on the same side as his dad. Who even dates a person whose dad kills werewolves, when (let's say) you are one. Hmm….. doesn't strike me as a good idea. Maybe if you've known them for a while, and are sure that they disagree with their dad's opinions about werewolves, but there's this thing called lying. I didn't like that part of the book either.

I just read 13 to life before this book, and like Claire de Lune, it has the promise of werewolves in it. 13 to Life was pretty much just a teen drama. The. Whole. Way. THrough. Except like one mention of the werewolves at very end. (Fortunately, I don't mind teen dramas that much, but that's no important.) So, therefore, a plus side to Claire de Lune, is that it definitely is about and has a lot of werewolves.

And with that, those are the reasons why I dislike this book. This is probably the largest review I've done. Congrats if you read the whole thing! :D
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Mar 25, 2012 OpenBookSociety.com rated it 4 of 5 stars

Review brought to you by OBS staff member Dawn

Beware of spoilers

I was hesitant to read Claire De Lune as I’m not a big fan of werewolf stories. I was pleasantly surprised, engrossed from the beginning. That doesn’t often happen to me with a writer’s first book.

Claire is a relatable character in that she’s been handed something she doesn’t want but must learn to deal with. Matthew clashes with his father’s beliefs. Neither he or Claire has an easy road ahead.

I love the girl power, only women are...more

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Jan 06, 2012 Misty Baker rated it 3 of 5 stars

After reading “Invisible Tears” it was imperative that I read something light-hearted, fun, and completely unrealistic. So in search of something to readjust my psyche I decided to dive into “Claire de lune” which has been waiting patiently on my Kindle for about 2 weeks now. If you think about it it was kind of inevitable… you can’t get much more unrealistic than werewolves.

Hanover Falls is a pretty average town, you have your famous photographers, your cute boys, your mildly obsessive activist...more After reading “Invisible Tears” it was imperative that I read something light-hearted, fun, and completely unrealistic. So in search of something to readjust my psyche I decided to dive into “Claire de lune” which has been waiting patiently on my Kindle for about 2 weeks now. If you think about it it was kind of inevitable… you can’t get much more unrealistic than werewolves.

Hanover Falls is a pretty average town, you have your famous photographers, your cute boys, your mildly obsessive activist, and your werewolves. Ok… so maybe the werewolf thing makes it a little less average, but in Claire’s eyes, large walking puppies are just another thing that makes life…life. That is until she find out she is one. On her 16th birthday Claire’s life is suddenly turned upside down. The itchy ears and hands she though was just a rash turns into something much more menacing, and to top it off, the boy (who she finally managed to nab) is none other than the local “lets kill em all” guru’s son. Will Claire ever learn to accept the “thing” she’s always been? Where are all these mysterious bodies coming from? And, will her faith in one person ultimately hurt or help her?

“Claire de lune” though enjoyable, was no more than “just another wolf tale.” With the exception of the “female only” wolf pack, the story lacked originality and could be easily dropped into the generic paranormal bin. Christine Johnson’s writing was predictable, but solid, and her fight scenes were so quick they barely allowed the reader to get amped up or anxious as to who would come out on top. There is an obvious formula to these types of books, and Johnson didn’t swerve (even the tiniest of blips) from it.

If you are a fan of paranormals, you will like it. Like I said, it wasn’t bad, it was just “another book.”

Here is my advice… if you need something to distract you (like I did) or are fishing for the quick summer read, then this is definitely a book to grab off the shelf. If you are looking for something with a little more depth… keep walking, this one is just to calculable to engage any sort of forward thought.

Happy reading my fellow Kindle-ites and remember: Rashes are gross… there is a crew of people out there that can fix it for you…quit living in denial and get some cream.(less)

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Aug 14, 2011 All Things Urban Fantasy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-by-julia

There is something about the werewolf mythology that lends itself very well to the trials of female adolescence. By making her particular brand of lycanthropy a secret matriarchy with strict rules, Christine Johnson marries her myth even closer to the teenage plight. By tradition, Claire doesn’t discover her heritage until her sixteenth birthday, making her a very human girl who has to deal a whole set of inhuman challenges.

As with any story rife with hormones and angst, Claire has bouts of self...more

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Apr 13, 2011 Andrew Sydlik rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror-and-fantasy

Decent read about a teenage female werewolf, who finds herself thrown into the politics of a small werewolf pack, a rogue werewolf killing humans, and antipathy from prejudiced, terrified humans. And wouldn’t you know it, the boy she likes is the son of the scientist. Even though it had a number of flaws, I found myself really enjoying it. I think it was two reasons:
1) all werewolves are female in this world (males apparently cannot survive the condition – this is the opposite of convention, sin...more

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Feb 23, 2011 Amy Jacobs rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own

I have had this book for a while now, and finally took the time to read it. The cover is actually what attracted me to this book in the first place and that alone made me want to buy it.

When Claire turns sixteen, she is expecting a car. Well, she doesn't get the car but gets fur instead. It seems her mom has been keeping Claire's true heritage a secret until now. After finally getting the attention of Matthew at her birthday party, Claire discovers that she is actually a werewolf. With a rogue w...more

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Jan 25, 2011 Monica rated it 4 of 5 stars

I personally really enjoyed Clair de Lune. I found the new rules that were created for werewolves in this novel a refreshing change from what we've been seeing in other books. First off, werewolves can only be female. Second, you're born a werewolf, no biting involved. Also, humans know that werewolves exist. That was probably the best part for me. I always hated that people didn't know about all the paranormal surrounding them in other books and it was a breath of fresh air to have the human co...more I personally really enjoyed Clair de Lune. I found the new rules that were created for werewolves in this novel a refreshing change from what we've been seeing in other books. First off, werewolves can only be female. Second, you're born a werewolf, no biting involved. Also, humans know that werewolves exist. That was probably the best part for me. I always hated that people didn't know about all the paranormal surrounding them in other books and it was a breath of fresh air to have the human community know about the wolves existence. (Now I'm just waiting on the book where not only do humans know about them, but they also get along with them!)

The plot was pretty good as far as plots go. There were a couple different things going on. There was the relationship with Claire and Matthew, Claire coming into her wolfness, the rouge wolf, and the humans that were hunting the werewolves. I'm a romantic so of course my favorite part was Claire and Matthew! *sigh* Their relationship was pretty typical though. I won't go into detail so as not to ruin the book but I think you all know how they end up! I really enjoyed the part about how the humans hunted the werewolves because there had been killings in the area. They all blindly followed one man just because of a fear they had of the wolves. This was pretty cool because in most books it's just the wolves hiding from the humans so they don't know they exist. In Claire de Lune however, the humans knew they existed and the wolves had to hid for their own safety.

Character wise it wasn't that great. I found Claire to be kind of whinny for my taste. But then again I would probably be ten times worse if that happened to me. Claire's mother was an interesting yet slightly frustrating character. She was secretive and seemed to disappear at the most inconvenient times. Zahlia, one of the wolves in Claire's pack, she was mysterious, you never seemed to know what was going on with her and for awhile you weren't quite sure where her allegiance lied, again I won't go into details because I don't want to spoil anything. The last character I found interesting was Claire's nanny like type person, Lisbeth, I personally was thinking that she was something more than she let on the whole time, but I'm not gonna tell you if I was right or not! Matthew, Claire's beau, I wish he wasn't so stereotypical, I doubt I even have to explain this one. Just once I would like to see the guy freak out and leave (but that's just me!)(actually, this did happen in Blood and Chocolate, which I find very similar to this book, definitely read it if you liked this, but in B&C she ends up with someone else so it's okay). By the end of the book I wasn't really bonded to any of the characters. None of them had striking personalities and I wasn't sad to see the book end like I normally am. I wasn't left with the feeling of wanting more.

Over all, the book proved itself to break away from a lot of the werewolf stereotypes although as long as a book is about werewolves it never will fully do that. The plot was good and there was always something interesting going on but the characters were lacking.(less)

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Dec 01, 2010 Mundie Moms & Mundie Kids rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010-100-book-challenge, 2010-debut-author, arcs-i-own, books-i-own, mundie-moms-reviews, signed-books-arcs

4.5 stars

Claire de Lune's werewolf mythology is amazing and unlike anything I've read so far. Being a wolf girl, I loved the pack dynamic and the unique mythology that surrounds it, as only females are werewolves and it's passed down from generation to generation.

Claire Benoit's 16th birthday party started off great. Her mom who's often gone from home was there, as well as her best friend, Emily and many of the kids from her school, to enjoy her backyard pool party. To Claire's surprise her lo...more
4.5 stars

Claire de Lune's werewolf mythology is amazing and unlike anything I've read so far. Being a wolf girl, I loved the pack dynamic and the unique mythology that surrounds it, as only females are werewolves and it's passed down from generation to generation.

Claire Benoit's 16th birthday party started off great. Her mom who's often gone from home was there, as well as her best friend, Emily and many of the kids from her school, to enjoy her backyard pool party. To Claire's surprise her long time crush, and the hottest guy at her school, soccer star Matthew Engle is there and has a crush on her too. Her party ends sooner than excepted as frantic parents make their children come home, as a killer werewolf is in the area. Just as Claire and Matthew steal a kiss behind the pool house, Claire's house keeper, Lisbeth calls her inside. Claire's mother has to leave unexpected leaving Claire to herself. Claire's not feeling to great and to her horror discover that fur has started to show up on her ear and legs.

Claire is about to be thrust into a world she doesn't want any part of, and she'll learn the secrets her Mother's been keeping from her. Claire will have learn to embrace her other side, as she learns a lot about the pack dynamics and what an honor it is to be part of the females only werewolves pack. Frustrated and feeling betrayed that her mother kept secrets from her, Claire is not only dealing with learning she can't run away or hide from her destiny, but she also struggles with a broken relationship she has with her mom and keeping all this a secret from her best friend Emily, her housekeeper Lisbeth, and her first love, Matthew.

Surrounded by woods, Claire's town is on high alert and has enforced curfews as the killer werewolf is roaming freely and more deaths are being reported. It's up to the pack to stop it. Matthew's father is leading the hunt to kill all the werewolves and things go from bad to worse to when Claire's mom is caught. Claire now has to decide if she can trust Matthew with her family's secret, as he's her only hope in saving her mother. By telling him, she's not only risking his life, but the life of the pack.

I really enjoyed the different character relationships from Claire and her mom's some what broken relationship, to Emily, Claire's best friend and Lisbeth, the house keeper that's been with Claire since she was young. Each of the character were real and I enjoyed the dynamics of each of their relationships, especially Matthew's and Claire's. While Matthew's dad is a well known doctor, Matthew didn't agree with what his dad was practicing and doesn't agree to the killing of the werewolves. Claire and her mom have never been close and Claire's mom is often gone traveling the world for her business, or so Claire thought.

Mixed with a little bit of the killer wolf's point of view, and you have an engaging, twisty read, with action and a little bit of romance. This is a one book who's sequel I can't wait to read.(less)

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Aug 04, 2010 Rhianna rated it 3 of 5 stars

A Good Choice For Younger Werewolf Fans

It could be the perfect summer. Claire's sixteenth birthday party is a poolside hit. Her crush, Matthew flirts with her. But then a werewolf is spotted in the woods behind her house and the town's hysteria over the sighting leads to an early end for Claire's special bash. It couldn't get much worse... until Claire finds out the family secret.

Now she's forced to lie to her au pair, her best friend and worse, Matthew. But with Matthew's father, a supposed we...more

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Jul 09, 2010 Angela rated it 3 of 5 stars

Reading this shortly after Sisters Red makes for a study in contrasts - both stories are nominally about werewolves, but while one is a horror/thriller with touches of romances and a strong girl-power relationship at the core, Claire de Lune is much more in line with the usual paranormal romance trend that's swept through YA lit over the past few years.

I enjoyed the basics of the story - Johnson's particular twist on the werewolf (loup-garou) legends, the matriarchal werewolf pack structure, and...more Reading this shortly after Sisters Red makes for a study in contrasts - both stories are nominally about werewolves, but while one is a horror/thriller with touches of romances and a strong girl-power relationship at the core, Claire de Lune is much more in line with the usual paranormal romance trend that's swept through YA lit over the past few years.

I enjoyed the basics of the story - Johnson's particular twist on the werewolf (loup-garou) legends, the matriarchal werewolf pack structure, and the mystery about who the lone werewolf was that has set a whole town on edge, as its murdering people apparently at random. Like [Book: The Body Finder], the tension mounts as we get brief glimpses from the rogue werewolf's point of view, usually as she's about to bite through the throat of a hapless human victim.

Those parts really shouldn't have been the highlight of the novel.

I found myself getting hugely annoyed with the storyline between Claire and her best friend, Emily. Emily seemed to serve no purpose, other than to give Claire an excuse to talk awkwardly and super-briefly about her burgeoning romance with Matthew - the son of a famous werewolf hunter (don't get excited - the dad's a nerdy scientist, not Hugh Jackman as Van Helsing or anything). I also get really annoyed with parent-child relationships where the parent refuses to tell the child anything important. It gets worse when, like Claire's mother does here, she flat out tells Claire that there's lots to learn about being a werewolf, but she has to wait three months before she can get any real answers, despite the very obvious danger of the rogue werewolf on the prowl.

I really wish more time had been spent on the history of the world. Werewolves are a fact of life in the story - but we're given no indication of how long humanity has been aware of werewolves. Were they ever the stuff of legend? When did the various anti-werewolf government agencies form? And Claire makes a passing reference to how silver doesn't harm werewolves, musing that some werewolf long ago had pulled a fast one on the humans - how on earth did that happen?! So many questions, so few answers.

The strong point of the novel is Claire and, to an extent, her romance with Matthew. It's not a groundbreaking paranormal romance, but it was nice to see a totally normal relationship contrasted with how not normal Claire's life is once she learns she's a werewolf herself. (less)

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Jun 23, 2010 J.Elle rated it 1 of 5 stars

I plucked this off of the library shelf because of the title, which is a song I listened to non-stop almost the entire time I was pregnant with my son. Who is a tiny genius. He's 14 months and if you fart, he says, "fart" and laughs. And he loves books. (Both clearly signs of a genuis in the making.) Clearly, those studies are right, listening to classical music while pregnant does a baby, even in utero, good. If only I could say that reading this book did the same thing. Instead, I was forced t...more

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Jun 19, 2010 Thebookhour rated it 3 of 5 stars

*ARC Review*

Claire de Lune is the story of a girl named Claire who discovers shortly after her sixteenth birthday that she is becoming a werewolf.

Faced with this knowledge she is forced to struggle through her growing feelings for Matthew, the son of the town’s werewolf hunter, knowing that she should be pushing him away not kissing him in darkened corners. Soon a series of mysterious killings begin plaguing the town, turning those surrounding the pack into an angry, anxious mob who are out for...more *ARC Review*

Claire de Lune is the story of a girl named Claire who discovers shortly after her sixteenth birthday that she is becoming a werewolf.

Faced with this knowledge she is forced to struggle through her growing feelings for Matthew, the son of the town’s werewolf hunter, knowing that she should be pushing him away not kissing him in darkened corners. Soon a series of mysterious killings begin plaguing the town, turning those surrounding the pack into an angry, anxious mob who are out for blood. Werewolf blood. Lines and alliances are drawn, and Claire is suddenly the keeper of secrets she never envisioned she would hold. Secrets that seem to be driving wedge between her and everyone she loves.

The premise of this novel is darkly romantic and fabulously intricate – a wonderful, paranormal, coming of age novel. Unfortunately, for me at least, the writing didn’t fully live up to this idea. Claire’s surroundings only ever received the most cursory descriptions, making it difficult for me as the reader to slide into her skin. Claire hardly ever stopped to truly debate her situation, to psychoanalyse, and while this benefitted the pace of the novel, which at 336 pages is long, it didn’t benefit the emotional experience the book provided for the reader. A longer book could have given you so much more – simply put, the quality of this book was obviously affected by its word count.

Finally, Matthew: ‘babe’ is a term you use when you cannot remember someone’s name. ‘I love you, but it’s not like I want us to get married’ is not a romantic statement. Also, mate, what do you look like? – in detail please! What do you like apart from soccer, and crying werewolves? Why do you take Claire’s breath away? I’d really like to know.

Final verdict: not as romantic as Twilight, or as engaging as Blood and Chocolate.

Christine Johnson’s first novel does have a scintillating title and a gorgeous cover, but it didn’t leave me emotionally undone as great ‘favourite pile’ books do. However, the plot was solid and the novel keeps the reader in suspense throughout (although annoyingly you learn the identity of the killer, through Claire’s own experiences, chapters before she realises it).
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May 07, 2010 Katie rated it 5 of 5 stars

I think this book would be a GOOD READ for book clubs, mothers and daughters, teens, librarians, werewolf fans, twilight fans, fantasy genre fans, people that need a book for vacation, and lovers of books.

I just finished reading this book. I went to school with Christine, the author, elementary-high school. So, disclaimer. But, if anything, knowing her made me read the book with a MUCH more critical eye. (I'm not too critical, re: books, usually, unless I REALLY hate them. THen I just stop readi...more

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Apr 23, 2010 Wicked Walker rated it 4 of 5 stars

What an awesomely unique book on werewolves and pack dynamics! This books shakes up what you thought you knew about werewolves, in Claire's world...everyone knows they exist although she certainly doesn't know anyone that is one. Or at least that's what she thinks until on her 16th birthday she starts the change and her mom drops the bomb....yup, werewolf. She is in the process of changing but will take 3 full moons (3 months) to completely change 100%. At first Claire is freaked, her life is o...more

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Apr 03, 2010 Cleverly rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recently finding out you are a werewolf and trying to maintain a normal teen life isn't going to be easy for Claire. During her birthday pool party Claire finds out Matt has a crush on her. They hit it off so great you can really feel the pull between them. There is one problem and that's Matt's father. He is out to prove his life long research, his "cure" for werewolves works. Through the entire book you keep asking yourself is it a good idea to tell Matt that Claire is a werewolf? You could fe...more

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Mar 21, 2010 Christina (Reading Extensively) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, read2010, romance, ya

On Claire Benoit's sixteenth birthday she finds out that she is a werewolf which does more than complicate her new relationship with cute Matthew Engle. Matthew's dad is at the head of an anti-werewolf organization and there is a murderous rogue werewolf on the loose. As Claire struggles to deal with the changes of her transformation, the town's increasing paranoia, and her mother's continued secrecy, Matthew is the one bright spot in her life. But how can she be with him when she can't tell him...more On Claire Benoit's sixteenth birthday she finds out that she is a werewolf which does more than complicate her new relationship with cute Matthew Engle. Matthew's dad is at the head of an anti-werewolf organization and there is a murderous rogue werewolf on the loose. As Claire struggles to deal with the changes of her transformation, the town's increasing paranoia, and her mother's continued secrecy, Matthew is the one bright spot in her life. But how can she be with him when she can't tell him the truth? And just who is behind the murders plaguing her community? Could it be one of the members of her werewolf pack or is it someone else entirely? Time is running out as the killer comes closer...

Claire de Lune is the first in an interesting new paranormal romance series featuring werewolves. In this series werewolves are female and this is a very female empowering novel. In fact there are only a few major male characters. The women of the werewolf pack are strong and capable. Claire is a brave heroine and her mother is also a very strong character. I really like how Claire's transition to a werewolf is handled. Her confusion and anger at being left out of the loop or the way she is treated by older members of the pack are reminiscent of the way it feels as a teen to have your parents treat you like you are still a child. In a way, the werewolf transformation is like going through puberty with the physical changes Claire has to cope with as well.

The romance between Claire and Matthew is sweet and the two share a strong bond even though she has to keep part of life secret from him. The suspense element also serves to keep the pages turning as we briefly see through the eyes of the killer throughout the novel and try to figure out who it is. Some of the minor characters can be irritating such as Claire's best friend Emily but thankfully it is not a huge distraction. I thought the werewolf mythology was interesting especially some of the special abilities they had. Hopefully that will be explored further in the sequel. Overall I thought this was a good first novel from Christine Johnson. This title is less like Shiver and more like Blood and Chocolate but I think most fans of YA paranormal romance would be pleased. Look for the sequel in 2011.
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Dec 14, 2012 Linda rated it 3 of 5 stars

This first novel by this author is well-written. I'm just not a fan of werewolves. The whole thought of a human hunting down an animal when in an animal form itself and killing it with jaws and then eating it...well, ugh! That being said, there were some good parts to the story and even poignant ones. Claire does two new things almost simultaneously when she turns 16: she falls in love with a guy who is sweet and kind and she learns that she is a werewolf from a long line of female werewolves. A...more

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Sep 27, 2012 Shannon rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, shifters, wolves, library

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

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Jan 30, 2011 Nairabell rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2011, teen-ya-paranormal, 4-star

On her sixteenth birthday Claire Benoit discovers she's a werewolf, something that both terrifys her and puts her budding romance with Matthew Engle at risk. Claire's hometown of Hanover Falls has recently had a spree of murders committed by a rogue werewolf, leaving the residents terrified and Matthew's father Dr Engle on the hunt. Dr Engle claims he can cure lycanthropy, but as Claire learns more about her true nature she realises that Matthew's father doesn't know as much as he claims. Then t...more On her sixteenth birthday Claire Benoit discovers she's a werewolf, something that both terrifys her and puts her budding romance with Matthew Engle at risk. Claire's hometown of Hanover Falls has recently had a spree of murders committed by a rogue werewolf, leaving the residents terrified and Matthew's father Dr Engle on the hunt. Dr Engle claims he can cure lycanthropy, but as Claire learns more about her true nature she realises that Matthew's father doesn't know as much as he claims. Then the attacks become more daring and frequent, and Claire is left struggling to protect her secret.

I picked up this book purely for the cover and title. Claire de Lune is an awesome title for a book about a werewolf called Claire. I loved the fact the book is set in a world where werewolves are known about, and the idea of Lycanthropy Researchers International, but this angle wasn't really fulfilled which is a shame as it made the book unique. The idea of having only female werewolves was interesting, although I never fully grasped why many of the werewolf terms were in French as the only French character is Claire's mother Marie.

I do feel the characters could have used more development, especially the rogue wolf who is hunting humans. The reasoning is explained, but there could have been more depth to the motivations. That said I do think that the main characters were well developed, even if they seemed a little cookie cutter at first - like the hunky jock who falls for the shy unpopular girl.

The romance aspect of the storyline was okay but not anything special. There wasn't anything that really made it stand out, and I couldn't help comparing it to the amazing romance in Blood and Chocolate. There was the occasional 'I'm a werewolf dating a guy whose father hunts werewolves', but that aspect never really went anywhere and could easily be removed from the book as it had barely any impact on the storyline.

I enjoyed what I was reading but through most of the book I felt like there was something missing. A couple of things could have been focused on more - how did werewolves become recognised in mainstream society, more romance, more from the rogue wolf's viewpoint - and maybe that is what was lacking. However, the ending of the book is incredible. I don't want to give anything away but it completes the book really well.

All in all I enjoyed this and will probably look out for the sequel Nocturne out August 2011.

Plot: 9/10
Characters: 8/10
Ending: 10/10
Enjoyment: 7/10
Cover: 9/10

Overall: 43/50 (less)

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Jul 19, 2010 Lea rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: 14 and up.

Claire Benoit is celebrating her sixteenth birthday with a pool party when the festivities are interrupted by reports of a werewolf sighting. Everyone knows about werewolves (there are even government agencies devoted to studying them), and everyone fears them. Everyone, that is, except Claire's mother, who later coolly informs Claire that she is a loup-garou, a werewolf, and that Claire too will begin turning into one at the next full moon.

Claire de Lune is a great read, and an exciting new add...more

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Mar 10, 2011 Crystal (Elegantly Bound Books) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewd

I remember first hearing about this book over a year ago before taking my hiatus from blogging. I was so super excited about this book coming out I'm pretty sure I even dedicated a Waiting on Wednesday to it as well. So I go to the library to see what I can find and viola, there is Claire de Lune, just sitting there in the new release section and no one else seems to be seeing what I'm seeing. My first thought was, "how is it that I can just pick this book up and check it out without signing up...more

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Dec 07, 2010 Amanda (GoodChoiceReading) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own

Claire De Lune pulled me in from the first page. This book completely skipped any werewolf cliches, and it truly felt like a world all its own. The werewolf concept in this novel, and the difference between that and society's perceptions, was fascinating.

The characters were well developed and I liked Claire a lot. She was strong willed, and accepted her fate rather quickly. Matthew, the love interest, was about as perfect as they come.

Unfortunately the story started to fall flat for me about mid...more

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Aug 26, 2010 Lynn rated it 4 of 5 stars

I received this book from a book store give away. Since I tend to read YA Fiction a great deal I thought it was a wonderful free gift.

Claire has just turned 16 -- her mother is a world famous / world travelling photographer and Claire is constantly in the care of an au pair. She has never known her father whom, according to her mother, died before she was born. Claire's life revolved around her best friend Emily and the possible new boy friend, Matthew.

This book is excellent in that the story u...more

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About Christine Johnson

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I grew up in, moved away from, and finally came home to Indianapolis, Indiana. While I was in the “away” part of that adventure, I was living in Chicago, Illinois, where I went to DePaul University and met my husband. I majored in Political Science. For the record, Political Science is a totally useless degree. But it’s also totally fascinating and I lov...more

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“silence across the field. When they reached the edge of the forest, Claire’s anxiety faded. It really would be easier” — 3 people liked it

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