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The Werewolf Whisperer #1
The Werewolf Whisperer
The Kyon Virus (also known as KV, Wereflu, or The Affliction) is a sudden-onset viral infectious disease that attacks the entire body, transforming the muscular and skeletal structures of the host. The Kyon Virus manifests in hosts in a variety of ways, leading to the three-tiered classification of the Were: Hound, Feral and Werebeast. No known cure for the Kyon Virus exists, nor can the symptoms be treated. It is estimated at the initial outbreak (see K-Day) one in twenty Californians contracted the disease.
Ferocious werewolf virus hits L.A.
Werebeasts rampage through the streets.
The city's in chaos.
Nobody's safe.
Lucy Lowell jumps right in to help the Afflicted. And she has a bizarre knack for making the feral creatures sit and stay.
Her sister-in-arms, Xochi Magaña - a fierce drink-slinger with an affinity for shiny, sharp weapons – is desperate to free her Werebeast brother.
Thrust into the space between violence and death, the two women try to battle the tragic fallout of the werewolf apocalypse.
But keeping Angelenos from clawing each other to bits is not all it's cracked up to be.
Welcome to the werewolf apocalypse. Hope you're locked and loaded.
You’ll chew right through this urban fantasy like a hound through a milk bone.
Grab your copy today.
408 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 7, 2014
237 people are currently reading
262 people want to read
About the author
Camilla Ochlan
27 books48 followersOwner of a precariously untamed imagination and a scuffed set of polyhedral dice (which have gotten her in trouble more than once), Camilla writes fantasy and science fiction.
An unapologetic dog lover and cat servant, she lives in Los Angeles with her husband — actor, producer, audiobook narrator, and dialect coach P.J. Ochlan, and a pack of sweet rescue dogs and cats.
An unapologetic dog lover and cat servant, she lives in Los Angeles with her husband — actor, producer, audiobook narrator, and dialect coach P.J. Ochlan, and a pack of sweet rescue dogs and cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
March 5, 2019
THE WEREWOLF WHISPERER takes the lycanthrope legend to the OPPOSITE of obedience school. The result is a feral genre mix breed that will maul your expectations as if it were a McRib sandwich.
That being said, for all it's clever twists and and savage turns, Camilla Ochlan & Bonita Gutierrez have also managed to craft two of the strongest female characters I've read in a long time. They are not superheroes nor are they the vampire-pining groupies that seem to flood the genre. Lucy and Xochitl are sisters in arms. At times, each others greatest strength. At others, each others weakness. Think Thelma & Louise if they were on a literal highway to Hell. But something tells me these two would turn their car around and chase those demonic cops right off the cliff.
The Werewolf Whisperer is the rarest of things. A monster book that never loses touch with its humanity, and might have you questioning your own. I can't wait to see what happens next.
That being said, for all it's clever twists and and savage turns, Camilla Ochlan & Bonita Gutierrez have also managed to craft two of the strongest female characters I've read in a long time. They are not superheroes nor are they the vampire-pining groupies that seem to flood the genre. Lucy and Xochitl are sisters in arms. At times, each others greatest strength. At others, each others weakness. Think Thelma & Louise if they were on a literal highway to Hell. But something tells me these two would turn their car around and chase those demonic cops right off the cliff.
The Werewolf Whisperer is the rarest of things. A monster book that never loses touch with its humanity, and might have you questioning your own. I can't wait to see what happens next.
April 16, 2015
I loved it!
You get to see the beginning of a friendship between Lucy and Xochi, and you watch it grow and flower. They are ideal partners. One slightly withdrawn, and better with animals than people. The other only marginally better with people, but very forward and in your face. You can't help but get involved in their lives to date.
The plot is continuous, and runs smoothly with something always happening. You'll need to keep page turning to see what happens next, and you certainly won't want to put it down.
There are times you want to laugh, times you want to cry, and there's more than once where you want to cheer them on. In my opinion a sign of a very good, well written book. I will certainly be looking forward to the next installment.
You get to see the beginning of a friendship between Lucy and Xochi, and you watch it grow and flower. They are ideal partners. One slightly withdrawn, and better with animals than people. The other only marginally better with people, but very forward and in your face. You can't help but get involved in their lives to date.
The plot is continuous, and runs smoothly with something always happening. You'll need to keep page turning to see what happens next, and you certainly won't want to put it down.
There are times you want to laugh, times you want to cry, and there's more than once where you want to cheer them on. In my opinion a sign of a very good, well written book. I will certainly be looking forward to the next installment.
June 11, 2015
Wow.....this was....disturbing. Ladies and Gentlemen! Introducing Lucy and Xochitl, the two of the most inappropriate heroines I have come across in a very long time.
These girls body-shame, stereotype, belittle and insult pretty much every person they meet, and still somehow manage to run a business. I mean, some of the stuff that was attributed to the mouths of these 'heroines' was downright disgusting.
Brace yourselves bitches, winter isn't coming just yet, but it might by the time you finish reading this review. The rant is just that long.
Intro wise - Chapter 3 says it all...
“Could your loved one be a Feral?
Need to housebreak your Hound?
Need Werebeast removal?
You need
The Werewolf Whisperer
Satisfaction guaranteed.”
Yeah well, Caesar Milan called – he wants his shit back.
The editing was so poor it made it almost impossible to follow the plot. The entire thing was riddled with SHOUTY CAPITALS, JUST IN CASE OUR BRAINS COULDN'T PICK UP ON THE INVERTED AND REGULAR EXCLAMATION MARKS THAT THE CHARACTERS ARE BAING LOUD!!! A lot of it was in Spanish, offering little or no translation, so brush up on that Espanol if you want to understand it. Mainly, just the swear words will do; add to that multiple supporting characters popping up every other sentence that came with barely a few words of description and virtually no background to speak of, and you wind up with a massive headache from just trying to follow the damned thing.
The book itself was written in the third person but the carriers of the narrative changed with such speed that you had no clue who was talking, whose POV are we following, or where the hell were we all going. Mess, it was all a big mess.
Now for the characters themselves:
Xochitl and Lucy or Xo and Lucy, and I will call her Xo because my European brain keeps butchering the pronunciation. The authors tried really, really hard to make them sound badass but they sadly didn't read badass. They read as disrespectful bigots with a serious need for an attitude adjustment. Their badassery was nothing more than insults to everyone around them accompanied by profanities in two languages. It was like listening to a kid trying to sound mature by adding 'fucking' in front of every other word. Badassery comes from the way you act, not how badly you speak. And the actions of these two???
Lucy is the 'Whisperer'. She is obeyed by the weres, the only thing she needs to do is issue a command. And she uses her talents to help people with their furry problems, that is -affected people and their friends and family. That on it's own is nothing I have a problem with, I mean that's why I started reading the book. It's the way she does it that's warped. If you have a chance just read the first chapter, it will all become crystal clear. She treats her clients as idiots and their affected relatives like rabid Pomeraninas. I shit you not, she shouts HEEL BOY, DOWN BOY to a human being that's by her own words infected by a virus that can and will affect them and their families for the rest of their lives. Completely dehumanizing the infected victim named Jimmy by making him preform for treats, she then proceeds to insult and cuss out the parents in their own home for having been traumatized by their child going friggin wild and not knowing how to cope. She finishes her triad with asking to be paid for her services...... Because she is a professional that knows her job and values her clients and what they, and their afflicted loved ones must be going trough. Yup, this is the MC, the 'Whisperer', the lifesaver....Oh and one of the services she provides? Killing your kid if it's rabid. For a fee... Oh boy....
I've asked Jimmy how would he rate the service he received...
Alrighty then....
Xo is an unique character herself, doing her damnedest not to let Lucy have all the fun or steal the thunder. I can't help but imagine her as an extremely muscular and healthy person with a severe aversion to food and everybody who eats it. Why is that, you ask? Because from page one she has nothing but an array of colorful insults for anyone on the heavier side. Again, refer to the first chapter where there is a chase scene, and Xo speaks to one of the characters conveniently named Fat Dan, “Hey Gordito! Roll to me, you big tub of lard” , a few chapters down she almost runs him down singing “There goes the lard-ass!” She described Fat Dan as being obviously fat, sweaty, in his thirties, living in his mother's basement....and a BRONIE?
You did not just stereotype and ridicule an entire fandom using the worst cliché you could possibly find....
Wow...Just fucking wow...
Not to hold just Fat Dan to the candle, Xo does this a lot. There's an officer named Ramos who was trying to flirt with Lucy, and she graced him with, ”pudgy bald officer, chubby lovesick puppy, this chubby pendejo and Gordito” Gordito seems to be her fave...
Like I said, I had this book on TBR for ages, and I was really excited about reading it, I love a good UF/PNR, but this took bad on a whole new level. It was shallow, vapid, dumb and ignorant. The authors didn't really do themselves any favors with bringing these two characters to life. I found them incapable of living up even to the blurb, and that is only a few sentences long, let alone the whole novel.
I recommend this to no one. Not a single soul...In fact...
These girls body-shame, stereotype, belittle and insult pretty much every person they meet, and still somehow manage to run a business. I mean, some of the stuff that was attributed to the mouths of these 'heroines' was downright disgusting.
Brace yourselves bitches, winter isn't coming just yet, but it might by the time you finish reading this review. The rant is just that long.
Intro wise - Chapter 3 says it all...
“Could your loved one be a Feral?
Need to housebreak your Hound?
Need Werebeast removal?
You need
The Werewolf Whisperer
Satisfaction guaranteed.”
Yeah well, Caesar Milan called – he wants his shit back.
The editing was so poor it made it almost impossible to follow the plot. The entire thing was riddled with SHOUTY CAPITALS, JUST IN CASE OUR BRAINS COULDN'T PICK UP ON THE INVERTED AND REGULAR EXCLAMATION MARKS THAT THE CHARACTERS ARE BAING LOUD!!! A lot of it was in Spanish, offering little or no translation, so brush up on that Espanol if you want to understand it. Mainly, just the swear words will do; add to that multiple supporting characters popping up every other sentence that came with barely a few words of description and virtually no background to speak of, and you wind up with a massive headache from just trying to follow the damned thing.
The book itself was written in the third person but the carriers of the narrative changed with such speed that you had no clue who was talking, whose POV are we following, or where the hell were we all going. Mess, it was all a big mess.
Now for the characters themselves:
Xochitl and Lucy or Xo and Lucy, and I will call her Xo because my European brain keeps butchering the pronunciation. The authors tried really, really hard to make them sound badass but they sadly didn't read badass. They read as disrespectful bigots with a serious need for an attitude adjustment. Their badassery was nothing more than insults to everyone around them accompanied by profanities in two languages. It was like listening to a kid trying to sound mature by adding 'fucking' in front of every other word. Badassery comes from the way you act, not how badly you speak. And the actions of these two???
Lucy is the 'Whisperer'. She is obeyed by the weres, the only thing she needs to do is issue a command. And she uses her talents to help people with their furry problems, that is -affected people and their friends and family. That on it's own is nothing I have a problem with, I mean that's why I started reading the book. It's the way she does it that's warped. If you have a chance just read the first chapter, it will all become crystal clear. She treats her clients as idiots and their affected relatives like rabid Pomeraninas. I shit you not, she shouts HEEL BOY, DOWN BOY to a human being that's by her own words infected by a virus that can and will affect them and their families for the rest of their lives. Completely dehumanizing the infected victim named Jimmy by making him preform for treats, she then proceeds to insult and cuss out the parents in their own home for having been traumatized by their child going friggin wild and not knowing how to cope. She finishes her triad with asking to be paid for her services...... Because she is a professional that knows her job and values her clients and what they, and their afflicted loved ones must be going trough. Yup, this is the MC, the 'Whisperer', the lifesaver....Oh and one of the services she provides? Killing your kid if it's rabid. For a fee... Oh boy....
I've asked Jimmy how would he rate the service he received...
Alrighty then....
Xo is an unique character herself, doing her damnedest not to let Lucy have all the fun or steal the thunder. I can't help but imagine her as an extremely muscular and healthy person with a severe aversion to food and everybody who eats it. Why is that, you ask? Because from page one she has nothing but an array of colorful insults for anyone on the heavier side. Again, refer to the first chapter where there is a chase scene, and Xo speaks to one of the characters conveniently named Fat Dan, “Hey Gordito! Roll to me, you big tub of lard” , a few chapters down she almost runs him down singing “There goes the lard-ass!” She described Fat Dan as being obviously fat, sweaty, in his thirties, living in his mother's basement....and a BRONIE?
You did not just stereotype and ridicule an entire fandom using the worst cliché you could possibly find....
Wow...Just fucking wow...
Not to hold just Fat Dan to the candle, Xo does this a lot. There's an officer named Ramos who was trying to flirt with Lucy, and she graced him with, ”pudgy bald officer, chubby lovesick puppy, this chubby pendejo and Gordito” Gordito seems to be her fave...
Like I said, I had this book on TBR for ages, and I was really excited about reading it, I love a good UF/PNR, but this took bad on a whole new level. It was shallow, vapid, dumb and ignorant. The authors didn't really do themselves any favors with bringing these two characters to life. I found them incapable of living up even to the blurb, and that is only a few sentences long, let alone the whole novel.
I recommend this to no one. Not a single soul...In fact...
March 22, 2015
A Brilliant Non-Magical Take on Werewolves - (and human nature) The most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire. - Ferdinand FochAny deviation is looked upon as a perversion, is feared, and is usually a target of hatred and prejudice. - Joey SkaggsFear is the most debilitating emotion in the world, and it can keep you from ever truly knowing yourself and others - its adverse effects can no longer be overlooked or underestimated. Fear breeds hatred, and hatred has the power to destroy everything in its path. - Kevyn AucoinLucy Lowell’s life changed in an instant – an instant in which her partner with the LAPD Animal Cruelty Task Force, Officer Gabe Torres, was shot in the back. A moment when Gabe – changed. When fangs and claws grew, bones twisted, and a monster stood before her. Her life changed. And then life changed. For the whole world.Now, the problems of walking the dog, training and, of course, housebreaking, gain a whole new meaning… as in, teaching the family teenager not to chew on the furniture or use the floor for a toilet. Nope, these aren’t your sexy, muscled up Alpha heroes so adored by us lovers of Urban Fantasy. Uh uh – this is “Jimmy, get off the couch!” “Sally! Spit out my Louboutin!” “Bad Tommy! No piddling on the carpet!” Since the appearance of the Kyon Virus, California really has “gone to the dogs” – and these dogs can definitely go feral. An estimated 1-in-20 Californians are struck down when the Virus appears. No one seems to know what it is, where it comes from, or even though it is supposedly limited to California, just how far it has truly spread. Of course, as humans will, for every calm and positive person willing to accept the Afflicted into their lives and their worlds, for every family willing to work with and continue to love their newest furry family member, there are the cruel, the vicious, the hateful and the murderous. And then there is Lucy Lowell and her partner, Xochitl Magaña. Lucy, better known by the public as “The Werewolf Whisperer,” the woman who can calm your Hound, control your Feral, or help you retain your sanity by putting down your beloved child who has become a Werebeast. Life isn’t easy for Lucy and Xochitl – but it is about to get a lot uglier, and more dangerous, than they would have ever believed. For there is a lot more going on than appears on the surface – and all the kings horses and all the kings men may never be able to put the world back together again.The Werewolf Whisperer is, in a word, brilliant. There is no trope to this book. Instead, the story is unusual, amazingly well thought out, mature, and definitely non-magical. While the whole book is excellent, the authors interest in and research regarding military, scientific and medical issues really grabbed me, keeping me deeply interested in not only the story of Lucy, Xoc and the other major and minor characters in the story – but also in how beautifully the technical issues of the book were handled. Of course, psychology plays a huge role in a world where your child, your wife, your husband, or even your grandmother suddenly devolves into a wolf – a wolf who may have the personality of the biggest, dumbest, happy-go-lucky Golden Retriever you ever saw --- or of a rabid wolverine with a nasty hangnail. Hate plays a huge part in the story. Humans hate anything, or anyone, they perceive as different from themselves. And Kyon provides just the excuse that the violent, the religious fanatics, the sad and savage and cruel and complete and totally whacked need to justify horrific actions. "So you handled him the way human beings always handle things that are bigger than they are. You banded together. Like hunters trying to bring down a mastodon. Like bullfighters trying to weaken a giant bull to prepare it for the kill. Pokes, taunts, teases. Keep him turning around. He can't guess where the next blow was coming from. Prick him with barbs that stay under his skin. Weaken him with pain. Madden him. Because big as he is, you can make him do things. You can make him yell. You can make him run. You can make him cry. See? He's weaker than you after all." – Orson Scott CardOf course, poking and prodding at the ‘dogs’ just won’t satisfy the hate when guns and torture work so very well. And being able to train and communicate with the ‘newly furry’ places Lucy square in the crosshairs of the religious fanatics, sure that the Kyon sufferers are actually demons sent by Satan, hated by their god, whoever they choose to call ‘him’, and fair game for the savagery of the “Righteous”. This is a story well versed in the ‘humans behaving badly’ concept of humanity as an entity.While this can certainly be placed easily within the UF genre, I refuse to limit the book in this manner. I would instead call it a marriage of medical mystery, legal and military thriller, suspense, horror, and, oh yes, urban fantasy. After all, the main characters in the book do turn into ‘wolves’. Just not wolves as we have ever seen them before. And believe me – this a good, very good, wonderful thing.Note: I have no idea how I came across The Werewolf Whisperer, but I can’t find an email from a publisher in my inbox, so I take it that it wasn’t offered to me by a publisher as many of the books I review are. I read the book through Kindle Unlimited, so I read it for free (Score!!!). I can’t recommend it highly enough. In many ways, the tone of the book reminds me of the works of Natasha Mostert in its surreal yet highly realistic, in its own way, delivery and storyline. Get it. Read it. I found it more than worth the reading time, and I look forward to the next book in the series! (Oh, and for those who mentioned that the Hispanic character is too “white” for their tastes – both of the authors, Camilla Ochlan and Bonita Gutierrez have very light skin and eyes. I would imagine that being “too white” is just as difficult in Hispanic culture as it is in Native American or African American circles – so in my mind, the skin colour issue simply adds another layer to a complex character…)
May 10, 2015
California is in the throes of the Kyon pandemic, an infectious viral disease that turns those afflicted into a form of werewolf creature. Lucy Lowell, known as the Werewolf Whisperer, and her compatriot, Xochitl (Socheel) Magaňa, have used Lucy's ability to control and domesticate the less wildly afflicted to gain fame from those who seek to protect loved ones afflicted with the disease from the mobs who see total isolation and eradication of all werecreatures as the only answer. Lucy's story of becoming the Werewolf Whisperer originates two years earlier on the day the pandemic suddenly began, when as an officer in the LAPD Animal Cruelty Task Force in the midst of a raid on a dogfight just outside Xochitl's bar, she is faced with her LAPD partner suddenly transforming next to her. This was a very interesting and somewhat original view of the werewolf mythology as a viral plague and the two strong female protagonists who fight and protect both the afflicted and those overreacting or taking advantage of the infestation. However, the reader must concentrate on keeping track of the story as it alternates chapter to chapter from Lucy and Xochitl's current hurdles in instructing, defending and assisting new werewolves and their families to the origin story of tragedy and perseverance that brings these two women to becoming a team. Even though I could see how this back and forth storytelling held back surprising revelations from the earlier timeline, a more linear story timeline would be less confusing to potential readers.
January 21, 2015
Writing about recently-published independent fiction is one of the reasons I started my blog. But lately, I haven’t written anything at all. Not because there aren’t a bunch a very good books being independently published, but simply because I haven’t gotten around to writing the reviews for the books I’ve read. My apologies, a bad case of flu, a sudden social life, and the holidays has made me about three months late for a bunch of reviews I had promised to write. Here is the first of about five I have on backlog.
The Werewolf Whisperer, a novel jointly written by Camilla Ochlan and Bonita Gutierrez blends Los Angeles’ Latino culture, the werewolf genre and the tough guy (and tough girl) prototype into a hearty, smooth blend of fun reading. The premise of the book isn’t groundbreaking – Los Angeles has been hit by a virus that turns its victims into werewolves – but the novel moves at a fast pace, refuses to buy into the current monster/young woman love triangle cliché, and is an entertaining read. I recommend the book heartily because, while passing the Bechdel test, the novel is fast-paced, well-plotted, and entertaining. Buy it as a beach or airport read.
The core strength in The Werewolf Whisperer resides in the solid friendship Xochitl Magaña, a former barkeep, and Lucy Lowell, the werewolf whisperer who was once a cop, share. The two women are opposites whose traits and skills complement each other well. Together, they run a werewolf catching and retraining service, and the work this entails is interspersed in the novel with each women’s back story. As the first book in what I am guessing will be a three or four part series, Ochlan and Gutierrez have written a solid foundational fiction for their work.
The only drawback I can find in the book is that (much like the 19th century heroines in Latin American novels) although the book presents many minority characters, the book takes pains to point out that its Latino heroine is of mixed heritage and light-skinned while minor (and sometimes less noble) characters are darker complected. It would have been nice to have seen this trope avoided.
The Werewolf Whisperer, a novel jointly written by Camilla Ochlan and Bonita Gutierrez blends Los Angeles’ Latino culture, the werewolf genre and the tough guy (and tough girl) prototype into a hearty, smooth blend of fun reading. The premise of the book isn’t groundbreaking – Los Angeles has been hit by a virus that turns its victims into werewolves – but the novel moves at a fast pace, refuses to buy into the current monster/young woman love triangle cliché, and is an entertaining read. I recommend the book heartily because, while passing the Bechdel test, the novel is fast-paced, well-plotted, and entertaining. Buy it as a beach or airport read.
The core strength in The Werewolf Whisperer resides in the solid friendship Xochitl Magaña, a former barkeep, and Lucy Lowell, the werewolf whisperer who was once a cop, share. The two women are opposites whose traits and skills complement each other well. Together, they run a werewolf catching and retraining service, and the work this entails is interspersed in the novel with each women’s back story. As the first book in what I am guessing will be a three or four part series, Ochlan and Gutierrez have written a solid foundational fiction for their work.
The only drawback I can find in the book is that (much like the 19th century heroines in Latin American novels) although the book presents many minority characters, the book takes pains to point out that its Latino heroine is of mixed heritage and light-skinned while minor (and sometimes less noble) characters are darker complected. It would have been nice to have seen this trope avoided.
March 31, 2015
Wow, there is so much jam packed into this story it is hard to know where to start. This is a completely different take on the werewolf genre and, whilst it is clearly fantasy there is a strong sic-fi element too. The characters of Lucy and Xochtl are probably one of my favorite female characters ever. Strong and badass, but they have realism. They get hurt, they have feelings and emotions and they aren't afraid to get the job done. The story generally has it all- action, adventure, a touch of mystery, a wicked sense of humor and the odd moments that bring a lump to your throat. But it is also a complex story with a lot of twists and turns- no skipping pages, you need all the information. It is fast paced and high octane pretty much from start to finish so you will need to strap on your safety belt. Well written, superbly edited and fully engrossing. A highly recommend it.
October 28, 2014
Excellent debut! The Werewolf Whisperer offers something rare: a new idea! Set in modern-day California, it shares more with alternate histories like Mira Grant's Newsflesh Triology and McCammon's The Wolf's Hour than urban fantasies a la J.R. Ward or Larissa Ione, but anyone who enjoys that genre will appreciate this.
There is plenty of action, lots of suspense, an ongoing mystery to unravel and a couple of badass female protagonists, but that's just the surface. Yes, the female protagonists are badass, but they're also realistic. Lucy and Xochi are complex and compelling women, and their friendship is a driving force in this book. The secondary characters are also well-drawn, and rather than just serve to move the plot, they help to reveal different aspects of the heroines.
The response of the public and various medical and military factions are also fully plausible. This isn't a magic world, despite the werewolves. As the story moves between the present day and flashbacks to the initial outbreak of the Kyon Virus, the progressive response of the world to this threat is fully realized. Of course you're going to get some Big Bads, and you also get some awesome acts of random goodness just like the real world and the writing is deft enough that you aren't always sure exactly which way things are going to fall out. It keeps the tension and the suspense well-paced throughout the book.
Rather than give any more plot away, let me say that this is a great story, well-told. It's worth a gamble even for those who don't generally read the genre --- males and females alike. I am anxiously awaiting the next book in the series!
(FYI for those familiar with the unreliability of many self-published titles this is well-edited and well-formatted.)
There is plenty of action, lots of suspense, an ongoing mystery to unravel and a couple of badass female protagonists, but that's just the surface. Yes, the female protagonists are badass, but they're also realistic. Lucy and Xochi are complex and compelling women, and their friendship is a driving force in this book. The secondary characters are also well-drawn, and rather than just serve to move the plot, they help to reveal different aspects of the heroines.
The response of the public and various medical and military factions are also fully plausible. This isn't a magic world, despite the werewolves. As the story moves between the present day and flashbacks to the initial outbreak of the Kyon Virus, the progressive response of the world to this threat is fully realized. Of course you're going to get some Big Bads, and you also get some awesome acts of random goodness just like the real world and the writing is deft enough that you aren't always sure exactly which way things are going to fall out. It keeps the tension and the suspense well-paced throughout the book.
Rather than give any more plot away, let me say that this is a great story, well-told. It's worth a gamble even for those who don't generally read the genre --- males and females alike. I am anxiously awaiting the next book in the series!
(FYI for those familiar with the unreliability of many self-published titles this is well-edited and well-formatted.)
November 7, 2015
This was a super fun story, which I could totally envision as a television series! It was cool having two song female leads, with male characters playing the supporting roles. I recommend this for anyone into sci-fi/supernatural TV genres. (I'd give book examples to compare it to if I've read anything like it before!) Looking forward to seeing the series unfold. :-)
July 2, 2015
I really enjoyed this book and if the next one were out I would have jumped right into it. It offers a unique spin on the traditional Werewolf storyline that is more relatable to modern day without the gore and porn. I would love to see this as a TV series!
April 13, 2017
A unique paranormal drama that unfolds a were-pandemic with an in-depth character focus on the two leads---switching storylines from the beginning of the were-virus to present day. Not dystopian, thankfully, but a realistic handling of a mysterious crisis, and with an intimate and authentic portrayal of Los Angeles and its denizens. Like a classic investigator partnership, our buddy team complement each other, one hot, one cool, and they have their personal demons to battle with. Has an episodic pacing, reminding me of a mini-series. It's a great way to handle a viral disaster needing solving, and right into the next book!
August 9, 2019
This is one of the titles in my SPFBO group that I was interested enough to read in its entirety. That doesn't mean it has been chosen for semi-finalists or that it has been eliminated at this point either by our group (eventually there will be a post for that).
***
A lot has changed in Lucy’s world- two years ago she was on the animal cruelty task-force breaking up dog-fighting rings. Now, Lucy, is basically Cesar Millan, with a gift for training our furry loved ones- they just happen to be Werewolves and our family and friends that have been hit with the Kyon virus. In some respects, maybe life hasn’t changed that much for Lucy after all, she’s still a champion to the underdog*. wink, wink*
This tells the story in a past (two years ago) timeline and a present timeline.
The past introduces us to Lucy and Xochitl (pronounced SO-cheel), a bit of their families, how they ended up working together, and when the Kyon virus first started showing up.
The present time has our girls operating the equivalent of an obedience school/camp, running interference rescuing hounds from being caught by the Catchers, and plot-wise hinting at more to the whole Kyon virus outbreak and that there may be more to Lucy’s Alpha-gift.
I liked the girls. It’s hard to find UF with a couple of lady leads. Smart, funny, and tough- kind of Thelma and Louise meets Cagney and Lacey- their friendship was a highlight for me.
This gives us Girl Power characters and an imaginative spin on werewolves and has fun doing it.
This was such an interesting concept and I could see that the authors had a hoot coming up with some of the stuff in this story. It’s totally whacked in places but entertaining when you just roll with it, and my eyes were doing some seriously hard rolling at times- especially at that whole Smoky and the Bandit inspired scene.
The story takes it time getting its plot on the road, and detours frequently- there is a lot of filler, something I wouldn’t have minded so much considering how entertaining it could be at times, except this ended in very non-end kind of way, leaving us hanging with nothing really answered. I was a little disappointed and it made it hard for me to overlook a lot of the other issues: story jumpiness, missing context and explanations (e.g. Kai dognapped but appears out of nowhere later) and one of the more frustrating story devices; timeline jumping and that use of inconsequential tidbit and information saving to hook us to continue.
After four-hundred pages I expect a satisfying stopping place or if it ends on a cliffie, to at least have a lot more answers to tide me over if I want to continue.
Other Notes-
-There is a nice diverse cast of characters.
-It’s a unique take on werewolves that kept me reading for the first half. Hope for an ending as unique in concept, kept me through the rest.
-Some Spanish phrases sprinkled throughout- I maybe know twelve words of Spanish and for the most part I understood intent when it wasn’t directly translated. It helps that a lot of it was cussing and words of exasperation, there’s also a glossary in the back (I, of course found this after finishing the book).
-Tightening things up in the timelines and losing some of those out of the blue filler scenes etc. probably could have shaved a good fifty or so pages without being missed.
- I got a huge kick out of Kai- it was hard not to picture him as a puppy with some of his antics.
- Imogen made me think of Cruella DeVil.
I’m afraid the ending docked my score quite a bit because it affected my ability to overlook other issues that I might have ignored in favour of the fun.
my score- spfbo5 3.5/10 or 2 stars
https://starlitbook.com/2019/08/06/sp...
***
A lot has changed in Lucy’s world- two years ago she was on the animal cruelty task-force breaking up dog-fighting rings. Now, Lucy, is basically Cesar Millan, with a gift for training our furry loved ones- they just happen to be Werewolves and our family and friends that have been hit with the Kyon virus. In some respects, maybe life hasn’t changed that much for Lucy after all, she’s still a champion to the underdog*. wink, wink*
This tells the story in a past (two years ago) timeline and a present timeline.
The past introduces us to Lucy and Xochitl (pronounced SO-cheel), a bit of their families, how they ended up working together, and when the Kyon virus first started showing up.
The present time has our girls operating the equivalent of an obedience school/camp, running interference rescuing hounds from being caught by the Catchers, and plot-wise hinting at more to the whole Kyon virus outbreak and that there may be more to Lucy’s Alpha-gift.
I liked the girls. It’s hard to find UF with a couple of lady leads. Smart, funny, and tough- kind of Thelma and Louise meets Cagney and Lacey- their friendship was a highlight for me.
This gives us Girl Power characters and an imaginative spin on werewolves and has fun doing it.
This was such an interesting concept and I could see that the authors had a hoot coming up with some of the stuff in this story. It’s totally whacked in places but entertaining when you just roll with it, and my eyes were doing some seriously hard rolling at times- especially at that whole Smoky and the Bandit inspired scene.
The story takes it time getting its plot on the road, and detours frequently- there is a lot of filler, something I wouldn’t have minded so much considering how entertaining it could be at times, except this ended in very non-end kind of way, leaving us hanging with nothing really answered. I was a little disappointed and it made it hard for me to overlook a lot of the other issues: story jumpiness, missing context and explanations (e.g. Kai dognapped but appears out of nowhere later) and one of the more frustrating story devices; timeline jumping and that use of inconsequential tidbit and information saving to hook us to continue.
After four-hundred pages I expect a satisfying stopping place or if it ends on a cliffie, to at least have a lot more answers to tide me over if I want to continue.
Other Notes-
-There is a nice diverse cast of characters.
-It’s a unique take on werewolves that kept me reading for the first half. Hope for an ending as unique in concept, kept me through the rest.
-Some Spanish phrases sprinkled throughout- I maybe know twelve words of Spanish and for the most part I understood intent when it wasn’t directly translated. It helps that a lot of it was cussing and words of exasperation, there’s also a glossary in the back (I, of course found this after finishing the book).
-Tightening things up in the timelines and losing some of those out of the blue filler scenes etc. probably could have shaved a good fifty or so pages without being missed.
- I got a huge kick out of Kai- it was hard not to picture him as a puppy with some of his antics.
- Imogen made me think of Cruella DeVil.
I’m afraid the ending docked my score quite a bit because it affected my ability to overlook other issues that I might have ignored in favour of the fun.
my score- spfbo5 3.5/10 or 2 stars
https://starlitbook.com/2019/08/06/sp...
October 24, 2017
The Werewolf Whisperer is a different take on werewolves from the usual monster angle in movies and books. In Camilla and Bonita's interesting novel, there are different levels of werewolf behavior. And most of the time, they are youngsters who are treated as children and pets but things can go wrong with them. And that is where the Werewolf Whisperer comes in to handle the situation for those in trouble. Lucy and Xochitl are your detective/hunter pair that handles the werewolves, no matter the level of trouble. And Lucy has that midas touch on the werewolves. Her story with her mother is the emotional core of the book. And the entire book is an adventure of their tales to help the werewolves where they can. It's not so much a scary werewolf story if one is expecting that. My only dislike of the book is the generous use of the backstory throughout the book and the constant shift in time through past and present. I felt that was confusing at first and it took me some pages to get a real handle on what was going on. Kind of like putting together a story out of order together in the right timeline (kind of like the move Pulp Fiction). Other than that, I recommend the book.
August 29, 2018
Heart Stopping Ending
The Werewolf Whisperer gives werewolves a whole new look. Gone are the creatures from Dr. Creep’s Shock Theater and the hot, sexy wolves we’re seeing more of in recent days. These beasts are just humans who have contracted a strange virus and quite literally turn into canines. They come in various forms from the innocent hounds to actual werebeasts you don’t want to meet up with in a dark alley. Enter Lucy Lowell, a former cop with a rare ability to control these creatures and her trusty sidekick, Xochi Magana. Out to help both the Afflicted and their families deal with this horrible virus, Lucy does the best she can while Xochi is determined to save her own Afflicted brother by any means possible.
While the format is a bit challenging to follow at times (going back and forth from the beginning of the outbreak to “present day”) the story is compelling and toward the end things are moving so fast that the WTF ending will leave you with your jaw on the floor.
The only real drawback for me was that there is a lot of Spanish littered throughout the tale, which in and of itself is great, but often there was no English translation, or “in other words” description of what was said. I looked up all of Xochi’s swearwords, because frankly, I like swearwords. But there was a chapter that began with several paragraphs of Spanish and no explanation as to what it was about. Wonderful for those who speak the language, but I feel like I may have missed out on something important. (Looking for a Babelfish as we speak!)
Regardless of my own shortcomings and lack of foreign language skills, The Werewolf Whisperer is a fantastic story, and I’m anxiously looking forward to reading the next installment!
The Werewolf Whisperer gives werewolves a whole new look. Gone are the creatures from Dr. Creep’s Shock Theater and the hot, sexy wolves we’re seeing more of in recent days. These beasts are just humans who have contracted a strange virus and quite literally turn into canines. They come in various forms from the innocent hounds to actual werebeasts you don’t want to meet up with in a dark alley. Enter Lucy Lowell, a former cop with a rare ability to control these creatures and her trusty sidekick, Xochi Magana. Out to help both the Afflicted and their families deal with this horrible virus, Lucy does the best she can while Xochi is determined to save her own Afflicted brother by any means possible.
While the format is a bit challenging to follow at times (going back and forth from the beginning of the outbreak to “present day”) the story is compelling and toward the end things are moving so fast that the WTF ending will leave you with your jaw on the floor.
The only real drawback for me was that there is a lot of Spanish littered throughout the tale, which in and of itself is great, but often there was no English translation, or “in other words” description of what was said. I looked up all of Xochi’s swearwords, because frankly, I like swearwords. But there was a chapter that began with several paragraphs of Spanish and no explanation as to what it was about. Wonderful for those who speak the language, but I feel like I may have missed out on something important. (Looking for a Babelfish as we speak!)
Regardless of my own shortcomings and lack of foreign language skills, The Werewolf Whisperer is a fantastic story, and I’m anxiously looking forward to reading the next installment!
January 28, 2023
This is a hard book for me to rate.
Let's start with this: it's an interesting, different take on werewolves, that I'm enjoying.
Next, our lead females, Lucy and Xochitl... they are damn awesome. A pair of female best friends, them against the world, and they are just great together. I enjoy them both very much.
But.
I literally loathe every other character in this book. They are all liars, manipulators, total assholes. It's not Lucy and Xoch trying to survive the werewolf apocalypse, it's Lucy and Xoch trying to survive a world of absolute shitheads, with the mindless monster wolves not even close to the worst thing out there. I don't mean literal monsters. Just people who are fucking monsters.
Everyone is lying to them. Let's take Hanna. I would happily light that bitch on fire. She has betrayed Lucy in the worst way I can even imagine, and I suspect she did it because she wanted full control of Lucy. I loathe this woman. Xoch's friends are also clearly lying to her and using her. Miguel? Fuck him.
It undercuts these amazing women to have them believe utterly and be totally loyal to such completely obvious assholes. And so I just don't know what to think, honestly. At times this book felt like a slog because I was so angry at those people, and angry at Lucy and Xoch for not seeing the obvious.
I've started the next book but I'm having a hard time sticking with it, because I'm just so angry. Because, of course, right off the bat in book 2 we get to see - in detail - yet another betrayal. It infuriated me, and I ended up setting it down.
I have said this in other reviews, for other books, but the fact is if you want me to follow a series about a heroic character or group of characters, you need to give me a world worth saving or it just isn't worth the sacrifice of the heroes. Right now, if the Earth in this book was struck by a comet, I'd briefly feel sad for Lucy and Xochitl, but overall think THAT was worth the sacrifice because at least the planet full of shitheads is gone. And that's where I'm about at with this book.
There are possibly other decent characters - Kai comes to mind. But there's been enough sketchy about Kai that I don't really trust him. So... Well, bring on the meteor.
I think I'm talking myself out of continuing book 2 with this review. We'll see.
Let's start with this: it's an interesting, different take on werewolves, that I'm enjoying.
Next, our lead females, Lucy and Xochitl... they are damn awesome. A pair of female best friends, them against the world, and they are just great together. I enjoy them both very much.
But.
I literally loathe every other character in this book. They are all liars, manipulators, total assholes. It's not Lucy and Xoch trying to survive the werewolf apocalypse, it's Lucy and Xoch trying to survive a world of absolute shitheads, with the mindless monster wolves not even close to the worst thing out there. I don't mean literal monsters. Just people who are fucking monsters.
Everyone is lying to them. Let's take Hanna. I would happily light that bitch on fire. She has betrayed Lucy in the worst way I can even imagine, and I suspect she did it because she wanted full control of Lucy. I loathe this woman. Xoch's friends are also clearly lying to her and using her. Miguel? Fuck him.
It undercuts these amazing women to have them believe utterly and be totally loyal to such completely obvious assholes. And so I just don't know what to think, honestly. At times this book felt like a slog because I was so angry at those people, and angry at Lucy and Xoch for not seeing the obvious.
I've started the next book but I'm having a hard time sticking with it, because I'm just so angry. Because, of course, right off the bat in book 2 we get to see - in detail - yet another betrayal. It infuriated me, and I ended up setting it down.
I have said this in other reviews, for other books, but the fact is if you want me to follow a series about a heroic character or group of characters, you need to give me a world worth saving or it just isn't worth the sacrifice of the heroes. Right now, if the Earth in this book was struck by a comet, I'd briefly feel sad for Lucy and Xochitl, but overall think THAT was worth the sacrifice because at least the planet full of shitheads is gone. And that's where I'm about at with this book.
There are possibly other decent characters - Kai comes to mind. But there's been enough sketchy about Kai that I don't really trust him. So... Well, bring on the meteor.
I think I'm talking myself out of continuing book 2 with this review. We'll see.
January 4, 2021
This took a while to settle into because it was dialogue heavy and I felt there wasn't enough description or exposition to easily grasp what was going on right away, not to mention a few names beginning with X raising questions about pronunciation.
Eventually I caught on that all the chatter about make-up and wardrobe was preparation for a television appearance, wherein the werewolf whisperer was expected to give a demonstration. What could go wrong?
The author's note at the end also pointed out that this was related to a series. My feeling is that the Christmas add-on expected a certain amount of familiarity with the original story.
To me the plotting didn't really hold together, although I started to get to know a couple of main characters. I do have the first book of the series and will attempt to read that soon, but if it's as disjointed as this one, it might become a DNF.
We did get a werewolf transformation, but the strands of story were such that I couldn't tell you how that came out.
Eventually I caught on that all the chatter about make-up and wardrobe was preparation for a television appearance, wherein the werewolf whisperer was expected to give a demonstration. What could go wrong?
The author's note at the end also pointed out that this was related to a series. My feeling is that the Christmas add-on expected a certain amount of familiarity with the original story.
To me the plotting didn't really hold together, although I started to get to know a couple of main characters. I do have the first book of the series and will attempt to read that soon, but if it's as disjointed as this one, it might become a DNF.
We did get a werewolf transformation, but the strands of story were such that I couldn't tell you how that came out.
July 14, 2017
I loved it! My favorite scene was the trucker scene because it highlighted the best part of the book - that you can have two, strong female protagonists on a journey together without a man being the central focus of the story. GREAT READ!
July 13, 2017
Love these two kick ass characters and the new spin on werewolves! Their friendship reminds me of how I interact with my own best friend. Very relatable and action packed. Loaning this one to my daughter and looking forward to reading the next!
February 16, 2017
Finally, a believable werewolf story. I usually read science fiction, and this really is a science fiction story, not fantasy. People are transformed into werewolves due to an infectious viral pandemic instead of all that magical who-haw. No sparkling here. Realistic characters who have believable, plot driven character arcs. It's fast paced and full of action, with no chosen ones or sappy, unlikely romances cluttering things up. Highly recommended.
September 29, 2017
An enjoyable read, with action, forming friendships and character growth.
January 31, 2016
At first I wasn't sure I would enjoy this book as it jumped from one timeline to another frequently. However it is such a page-turner of a story that it soon didn't matter to me as much as I'd feared. The talents of Camilla Ochlan & Bonita Gutierrez produce a story that includes intrigue, apocalyptic mayhem and strong characters. The friendship between the two quite disparate women makes for an interesting dynamic and the reader can't help but love the feisty Xochitl and the quieter Lucy. Without giving too much away I will say that another of my trigger was nearly pulled when the ending was a minor cliffhanger and yet it was also a satisfying ending that was a little unexpected to me. I can't wait for these two talented ladies to turn up in book two, it will be such a rush to read more of their story.
October 9, 2019
We were both coming off writing and producing short films. I had just completed the film festival circuit for my short film Cantar and Camilla was going into production for her short film Dog Breath. The idea for The Werewolf Whisperer was sparked by Dog Breath, a suburban ghost story, while observing the on-set dog trainer. We wondered "what if?" We initially thought this would be a web series and wrote a thirteen episode season over one summer. We intended on shooting it, came up with a budget and realized our imaginations had exceeded our means. So naturally, we decided to write a novel...cause that's what you do, right? And thus, The Werewolf Whisperer was born.
Enjoy! And have a Werebeast-free day!
Enjoy! And have a Werebeast-free day!
November 12, 2015
Loved it! Can't wait to curl up with Book 2!!
June 16, 2021
"The Werewolf Whisperer" is an Urban Horror story, but that genre tag is somewhat reductive in this case. This is a book that crackles with action and comedy as well as monster scares and arcane lore. Amazon lists one of its categories as "Mash-up" and that may be the most accurate place for this fantastic read, which should appeal to fans of action, mystery, police procedurals, modern noir, workplace comedies and more. Perhaps the finest quality of the work is the clarity with which this mash-up of multiple genres is delivered, so that each of its many tones is effective in its turn without the whole thing becoming muddy or confused.
Set in an extremely near-future Los Angeles, the world of The Werewolf Whisperer is so crisply detailed that it feels utterly real, grounding the supernatural elements and making them instantly believable, even though they require the reader accepting the existence of a virus that renders the infected lycanthropic. In this world, werewolves are an accepted fact and a public health concern that must be dealt with by police and by private contractors like our heroines, Lucy, the titular 'werewolf whisperer' who has a preternatural ability to communicate with the lycanthropes, and her partner, the hard-hitting former criminal, Xochitl. This provides a source of dark social satire, such as the early scene when we are introduced to a wealthy Beverly Hills family who fail to protect the neighborhood from their wayward (and lycanthropic) son, simply paying authorities to turn a blind eye. Setting the story in a world so similar to our own also allows the story to just explode out of the gate, dropping you right into the middle of the action and delivering exposition on a need-to-know basis.
I love stories with multiple protagonists and storylines. Some don't and I get that, but puzzling together a story that leaps from one POV or timeline to another is part of the fun for me. Camilla Ochlan and Bonita Gutierrez have created a fragmented structure that derives tension and momentum from the negative spaces between chapters without ever becoming confusing. What's more, because this is a series, those gaps they create in the story are sure to be filled in as they write more. I, for one, am on board for the ride.
Set in an extremely near-future Los Angeles, the world of The Werewolf Whisperer is so crisply detailed that it feels utterly real, grounding the supernatural elements and making them instantly believable, even though they require the reader accepting the existence of a virus that renders the infected lycanthropic. In this world, werewolves are an accepted fact and a public health concern that must be dealt with by police and by private contractors like our heroines, Lucy, the titular 'werewolf whisperer' who has a preternatural ability to communicate with the lycanthropes, and her partner, the hard-hitting former criminal, Xochitl. This provides a source of dark social satire, such as the early scene when we are introduced to a wealthy Beverly Hills family who fail to protect the neighborhood from their wayward (and lycanthropic) son, simply paying authorities to turn a blind eye. Setting the story in a world so similar to our own also allows the story to just explode out of the gate, dropping you right into the middle of the action and delivering exposition on a need-to-know basis.
I love stories with multiple protagonists and storylines. Some don't and I get that, but puzzling together a story that leaps from one POV or timeline to another is part of the fun for me. Camilla Ochlan and Bonita Gutierrez have created a fragmented structure that derives tension and momentum from the negative spaces between chapters without ever becoming confusing. What's more, because this is a series, those gaps they create in the story are sure to be filled in as they write more. I, for one, am on board for the ride.
October 31, 2017
This is a great book on so many levels. It’s unique (a female, West Coast buddy story with no need for romance to bolster the plot), it’s badass (one of the main characters runs around with a set of knives and a shotgun), and it’s full of heart (there are dogs in it – they had me at the dogs) without having the saccharine after taste of a Hallmark movie. Bonita Gutierrez and Camilla Ochlan’s writing style is cinematic, so scenes fly together seamlessly. The characters are genuine and even though they’re flawed in all the right places, don’t feel contrived. This book is such a treat given the number of similar titles out there that have a good concept but are lacking in their execution. So much fun! Working on the sequel now!
August 19, 2018
The writing in this new series is excellent, great description, witty dialogue, well wrought characters, but for me the best parts are the introduction of a sci-fi element to the development of were species, and the companion story of friendship that develops, through hardship, between strong female leads.
This novel is written seamlessly in two time periods, present tense adventures of Lucy Lowell, the Werewolf Whisperer, and Xochitl Magana, her partner, as well as two years previously when weres came to be. The interludes into the past explain characters, incidents and motivations of the present, and are intergral to the story.
Lucy starts out as a LAPD officer assigned to a division for animal cruelty. Xochi is her informant. There is an illegal dog fighting ring held behind Xochi's cantina and a sting is in progress. It ends in anything but an expected manner when the KV (Kyon Virus) erupts during the attempted arrests. Panic ensues when humans transform to creatures of myth. Only Lucy's experience with canines saves the day. However her refusal to follow orders from superiors has other results.
Skip to the future and Lucy and Xochi have combined to form an irrespressible team, chasing down errant weres, and attending book signings of their adventures. Both women are still broken from the events of the past. They are outsiders with no one to understand what they have been though except each other. Together they have found a purpose in helping others deal with the hounds, ferals and weres of the present, resulting in many exciting, sometimes violent adventures.
At the same time they search for answers of their own. Why is Lucy able to control the afflicted as no one else can? Where did KV really come from? Join Lucy And Xochi for the thrilling ride of a lifetime and meet weres as you have never seen them before!
Kindle Unlimited edition
This novel is written seamlessly in two time periods, present tense adventures of Lucy Lowell, the Werewolf Whisperer, and Xochitl Magana, her partner, as well as two years previously when weres came to be. The interludes into the past explain characters, incidents and motivations of the present, and are intergral to the story.
Lucy starts out as a LAPD officer assigned to a division for animal cruelty. Xochi is her informant. There is an illegal dog fighting ring held behind Xochi's cantina and a sting is in progress. It ends in anything but an expected manner when the KV (Kyon Virus) erupts during the attempted arrests. Panic ensues when humans transform to creatures of myth. Only Lucy's experience with canines saves the day. However her refusal to follow orders from superiors has other results.
Skip to the future and Lucy and Xochi have combined to form an irrespressible team, chasing down errant weres, and attending book signings of their adventures. Both women are still broken from the events of the past. They are outsiders with no one to understand what they have been though except each other. Together they have found a purpose in helping others deal with the hounds, ferals and weres of the present, resulting in many exciting, sometimes violent adventures.
At the same time they search for answers of their own. Why is Lucy able to control the afflicted as no one else can? Where did KV really come from? Join Lucy And Xochi for the thrilling ride of a lifetime and meet weres as you have never seen them before!
Kindle Unlimited edition
May 17, 2017
Have you ever noticed how a successful television series will leave you with a cliff hanger at season's end, so you'll have to come back and watch the first episode of the new season? I really - REALLY - wanted to give this a poor review just for that reason, but I can't. It's simply too well written. This is an action packed story with well developed characters. Personally, I think the authors should have given the reader more information before ending the book. As it stands right now, I'll have to either buy book #2 or continue to wonder what really happened. A little disclaimer at the beginning of the book would have been good.
December 1, 2018
I just finished book 2 of the series: The Alpha and the Omega (TA&O) - You have to take both The Werewolf Whisperer (TWW) and it's sequel together, just as in many other series. Just like today's TV serials, too many questions and plot threads are left hanging at the end of "season 1"
The Series: Wow! What a ride! The action is gripping and tightly written. I love the few fight scenes in the book. Plus as a newly transplanted Angeleno, it's fun to read some of the locations I'm discovering in LA in the books.
TWW: Like any series intro this one takes a while to really draw in the reader. Give it time. The greatest reason I see that a reader may not engage is the split timelines. Once I figured out the mechanics behind this narrative style - ever other chapter time hops between two main narratives that are tied together to form a cohesive whole.
Basically: California is in quarantine due to an outbreak of a virus that has turned humans into lycanthropes. But not just big nasty werewolves. There are also lap-dog personality, wild feral dog personalities, and ... yep, big mean nasty eat your face weres. The authors develop their own specific terms and build the story around Lucy and Xotchi. Lucy is able to command and control all of the various "types" or levels of the new shifters. Two years into the viral outbreak Lucy's talent has given her the edge and a thriving business coaching others in how to care for their loved ones who have been afflicted by the virus. But, of course, there are threats beyond someone's child, spouse or love suddenly going furry and gaining the personality of a crazed Chihauhau.
The secondary timeline centers around the activities immediately following the outbreak. How Lucy finds her talent, how Xotchi, wife of a crime lord in LA, inherits the Olds Torino, and how SoCal deals with the aftermath of an outbreak that sends crazed furry, slobbering, deranged un-human killers into the heart of La La Land.
These two timelines are basically linear in their own respects but hop in and out of various character POVs. The influence of the training and experience in TV and Scriptwriting is apparent in these books. The downside to this style of writing is that it works better on the screen than on the page. When you add this to shifting POVs on the various chapters: Lucy, Xotchi, one of the minor characters, news clippings, memos, texts, etc that the authors use to set the scene and build the backstory, I can see why some readers may have a difficult time getting this volume off the ground.
However, the writers do find their groove early on. The reader, however, may struggle a bit - as I did - to really get into the characters and their personalities until the book is well along. My advice is to treat this more like an epic fantasy in TWW (Book 1), rather than Urban Fantasy/Thriller. The series does steer hard into UF/Thriller territory, but the world building and backstory need time and chapters outside of the Main Characters' POV to develop.
I'm providing my rating on this book as part of the cohesive whole of both Book 1 and Book 2 together. If I had to rank the two, TWW would get a 4.5 star because of the dual timeline narrative. Book 2 (TA&O) give the UF/T readers what they'll crave. But, be warned. You'll need to have book 2 already loaded on your tablet. Like any good TV series, the writers are counting on the second season to give you the payoff for the questions they created in the first season.
The Series: Wow! What a ride! The action is gripping and tightly written. I love the few fight scenes in the book. Plus as a newly transplanted Angeleno, it's fun to read some of the locations I'm discovering in LA in the books.
TWW: Like any series intro this one takes a while to really draw in the reader. Give it time. The greatest reason I see that a reader may not engage is the split timelines. Once I figured out the mechanics behind this narrative style - ever other chapter time hops between two main narratives that are tied together to form a cohesive whole.
Basically: California is in quarantine due to an outbreak of a virus that has turned humans into lycanthropes. But not just big nasty werewolves. There are also lap-dog personality, wild feral dog personalities, and ... yep, big mean nasty eat your face weres. The authors develop their own specific terms and build the story around Lucy and Xotchi. Lucy is able to command and control all of the various "types" or levels of the new shifters. Two years into the viral outbreak Lucy's talent has given her the edge and a thriving business coaching others in how to care for their loved ones who have been afflicted by the virus. But, of course, there are threats beyond someone's child, spouse or love suddenly going furry and gaining the personality of a crazed Chihauhau.
The secondary timeline centers around the activities immediately following the outbreak. How Lucy finds her talent, how Xotchi, wife of a crime lord in LA, inherits the Olds Torino, and how SoCal deals with the aftermath of an outbreak that sends crazed furry, slobbering, deranged un-human killers into the heart of La La Land.
These two timelines are basically linear in their own respects but hop in and out of various character POVs. The influence of the training and experience in TV and Scriptwriting is apparent in these books. The downside to this style of writing is that it works better on the screen than on the page. When you add this to shifting POVs on the various chapters: Lucy, Xotchi, one of the minor characters, news clippings, memos, texts, etc that the authors use to set the scene and build the backstory, I can see why some readers may have a difficult time getting this volume off the ground.
However, the writers do find their groove early on. The reader, however, may struggle a bit - as I did - to really get into the characters and their personalities until the book is well along. My advice is to treat this more like an epic fantasy in TWW (Book 1), rather than Urban Fantasy/Thriller. The series does steer hard into UF/Thriller territory, but the world building and backstory need time and chapters outside of the Main Characters' POV to develop.
I'm providing my rating on this book as part of the cohesive whole of both Book 1 and Book 2 together. If I had to rank the two, TWW would get a 4.5 star because of the dual timeline narrative. Book 2 (TA&O) give the UF/T readers what they'll crave. But, be warned. You'll need to have book 2 already loaded on your tablet. Like any good TV series, the writers are counting on the second season to give you the payoff for the questions they created in the first season.
December 7, 2014
If you are looking for something a bit different in the werewolf genre this might be the book for you but I must admit that I did not enjoy the backwards and forwards in time I realize it was to enhance the back story to the book but for me I just wanted to get on with the story. Overall it was a good read and I will be looking out for the next one.
April 12, 2015
Great premise. Imagine Cesar Millan only with werewolves.
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