The Perils of Growing Up Werewolf

Hair in all the Wrong Places #2

by Andrew Buckley

Being a werewolf is no picnic. Colin’s constantly hungry, spends a ton of time shaving, and fights to keep his emotions in check to avoid turning into a giant, drooling, hairy, smelly, howling wolf. But Colin's not the only creature hanging around the town of Elkwood. Vampires, zombies, goblins, ogres, and other questionable visitors and their various shenanigans have got everyone on edge.

Colin just wants to live a normal life, date, and get his homework done on time. But the town of Elkwood needs him. So when a secret government organization asks for his help, will he be able to control the animal inside, or will he give in to the perils of growing up werewolf?

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

237 pages, Paperback

First published October 3, 2017

About the author

Andrew Buckley is an accomplished storyteller, educator, and keynote speaker with over two decades of experience in creative writing, storytelling, and marketing. As a published author, Andrew favours playing in the fantasy and paranormal sandboxes and has a terrible habit of writing with a humorous and satirical slant despite being asked politely on numerous occasions to ‘please stop doing that’. He continues to successfully navigate both traditional and self-publishing landscapes, crafting engaging speculative fiction that resonates with readers of all ages.

Known for his distinctive voice that seamlessly blends humour with compelling narratives, Andrew has established himself as a versatile creator across multiple platforms, including novels, comic books, screenplays, and podcasts. His engaging presentation style and deep understanding of storytelling mechanics make him a sought-after speaker at schools, colleges, writing conferences, and comic conventions worldwide.

Andrew is a self-proclaimed film school-educated writer, which means he’s spent most of his life with no money and a strong opinion about bad movies. Around the turn of the century he attended the Vancouver Film School’s Writing for Film and Television program, graduating with excellence, and successfully selling multiple film and TV properties that have never seen the light of day. After abandoning the industry for many years, he was dragged kicking and screaming back into the film world when he co-wrote *Knight Terror*, a feature length horror comedy that is scheduled for production in late 2025.

As a marketing professional, Andrew has lent his expertise to major national and international brands, specializing in content creation, copywriting, and strategy development. His academic contributions include developing curriculum and teaching marketing, social media, and communication theory at the post-secondary level.

Based in British Columbia's Okanagan Valley, Andrew continues to expand his creative portfolio while sharing his knowledge and passion for storytelling through various mediums. He is represented by Terrie Wolf of AKA Literary Management and maintains an active presence in both traditional and digital publishing spaces.

At the time you’re reading this, he’s likely busy working on several new projects and attempting to bend time and space to allow for more hours in the day.

Reviews

[Danielle's]

Colin is back in an all-new paranormal adventure. He has been let loose to team up with Silas (His creator), and help find the bad guys. Unfortunately, something goes wrong, and Colin finds himself grounded back to Elkwood.

He may be in the dog house, but life is looking up. He has his best friend by his side and the girl of his dreams. Now all he needs to do is stop the crazy town meltdown. The old headmaster needs to be replaced, and the new man for the job is rather suspicious. The children's behaviour at school has become out of control, and there is definitely something strange going on. The adults are all too busy with an out of town mission, so it is up to Colin to save the day.

Book two in the Hair in all the right places is the continuous story of Colin. I would recommend you read book one first. I enjoyed this one just as much as the first one or slightly more. The story has been set up in book one so we can enjoy the characters more in this instalment. The same comical humour is used throughout, and the mystery has stepped up a notch.

This is the Christmas present you are looking for if you have a 15 ish-year-old, who is a little socially awkward, and into werewolves/fantasy. The book has a great sense of humour, and I love how the author talks to you at the beginning of these books.

The book is packed with paranormal activities, action, mystery, and a little kissing.

4.5 stars out of 5. This book is perfect for the intended audience.

*ARC received in exchange for a fair review* Blog tour date 20th October 2017.

[Wortmagie]

Meine Zusammenarbeit mit dem kanadischen Autor Andrew Buckley begann im April 2016, als er mich bat, seinen Young Adult – Roman Hair in All the Wrong Places zu rezensieren. Ich war Feuer und Flamme für den kleinen Nerd Colin, der sich unverhofft und voller Begeisterung in einen Werwolf verwandelt. Der Austausch mit Andrew war ebenso fabelhaft und ich äußerte sofort mein Interesse an der Fortsetzung, die damals für August 2017 geplant war. Letztendlich brauchten Andrew und sein Verlag Month9Books zwei Monate länger, um „The Perils of Growing Up Werewolf“ zu veröffentlichen, aber er hielt sein Versprechen und sandte mir ein Rezensionsexemplar zu. Zuversichtlich, erneut eine witzige und herzliche Geschichte vorzufinden, stürzte mich freudig in mein zweites Abenteuer mit Colin.

Das Leben ist unfair, sogar für einen Werwolf. Über zwei Jahre arbeitete der mittlerweile 15-jährige Colin darauf hin, an Außeneinsätzen der Night Watch teilnehmen zu dürfen. Er trainierte und lernte, seine animalische Seite zu kontrollieren. Doch seine heiß ersehnte erste Mission endet in einem Desaster und alle geben Colin die Schuld daran. Niemand glaubt ihm, dass er tatsächlich einen schwebenden Mann mit rotglühenden Augen gesehen hat und sich nur deshalb auf offener Straße verwandelte, weil seine hypersensiblen Sinne manipuliert wurden. Nicht einmal Silas, sein Mentor und Rudelführer. Wieder sitzt Colin in Elkwood fest. Während das Team nach Europa reist, muss er zu Hause bleiben und sich zum ersten Mal allein dem aufziehenden Vollmond stellen. Er ahnt nicht, dass die Verteidigung Elkwoods schon bald in seinen Pranken liegen wird. Denn der schwebende Mann war keine Einbildung. Colin hat genug Comics gelesen. Er weiß, dass niemand, dessen Augen rot leuchten, jemals etwas Gutes im Sinn hatte.

Am Ende meiner Lektüre von „The Perils of Growing Up Werewolf“ zog sich ein fettes Grinsen über mein Gesicht. Die Geschichten um den jungen Werwolf Colin machen mich einfach glücklich. Das Lesen bereitet mir so viel Spaß, dass mich eventuelle Mängel nicht die Bohne interessieren. Es ist, als würde sich mein analytisches Ich stumm und respektvoll zurückziehen, sobald ich die ersten Sätze lese und erst wieder hervorkriechen, wenn ich das neuste Abenteuer mit Colin überstanden habe. Offenbar schlägt Andrew Buckley eine Saite in meinem Inneren an, die es mir ermöglicht, seine Bücher so zu genießen, wie ich es vor meiner Zeit als Buchbloggerin konnte. Obwohl ich die reflektierte Auseinandersetzung mit Literatur nicht missen möchte, bedauere ich es manchmal, dass ich die nörgelnde kleine Stimme in meinem Kopf nur noch selten zum Schweigen bringen kann. An Colins Seite gelingt mir das und dafür bin ich Andrew sehr dankbar. Mit der Reihe „Hair in All the Wrong Places“ kann ich Urlaub von mir selbst nehmen, was unglaublich erleichternd und entspannend ist. Folglich erfüllte „The Perils of Growing Up Werewolf“ all meine Erwartungen. Es ist ein lustiger, rasanter und actiongeladener zweiter Band, der sich hinter dem Auftakt nicht verstecken muss. Andrew zieht seine Leser_innen mit simplen, aber effektiven Strategien in die packende Handlung hinein. Er bringt sie in eine dem Protagonisten überlegene Position, wodurch sich für mich das intensive Bedürfnis entwickelte, einzugreifen, um Colin vor drohenden Gefahren zu warnen. Colin selbst ist nun zwei Jahre älter und erfreulich stabil in seine Identität als Werwolf hineingewachsen. Er haderte zwar nie mit seinem Schicksal, doch jetzt ist er wirklich in Fell und Krallen angekommen. Er verkörpert exakt die seinem Alter angemessene Balance zwischen reifem und kindischem Verhalten. Er handelt intuitiv erwachsen, indem er seinem untrüglichen Gespür für Richtig und Falsch folgt und ist deshalb in der Lage, Elkwood spektakulär zu verteidigen. Dank seines Mentors Silas kennt er seine Stärken und Schwächen genau und erreicht bereits in jungen Jahren ein beeindruckendes Maß an Kontrolle, das sich vor allem während des Vollmonds zeigt. Ich frage mich, ob Colin vielleicht das Zeug zum Alpha hat, da mir seine Fähigkeit, selbst in Wolfsgestalt klar zu denken, außerordentlich stark ausgeprägt erscheint. Möglicherweise ist Silas aber auch nur ein außergewöhnlich guter Lehrer. Die Beziehung zwischen den beiden wärmte mir das Herz. Silas ist für Colin zu einer richtigen Vaterfigur geworden. Damit füllt er das Loch in Colins Leben aus, das seine Eltern hinterließen und übernimmt eine Rolle, die seine Oma, zu der er mittlerweile ein viel besseres Verhältnis hat, nicht einnehmen konnte. Durch Silas‘ Präsenz fällt kaum auf, dass seine Eltern abwesend sind, was allerdings nicht bedeutet, dass ich nicht neugierig auf sie wäre. Das wäre doch mal eine interessante Entwicklung für den nächsten Band. 😉

Rein objektiv weiß ich natürlich, dass „The Perils of Growing Up Werewolf“ an der einen oder anderen Stelle verbessert werden könnte. Es könnte atmosphärischer sein und den Blickwinkel etwas ausweiten, sodass sich die Wahrnehmung nicht ausschließlich auf Colin beschränkt. Doch emotional möchte ich, dass es genauso bleibt, wie es ist. Ich würde nichts daran ändern, weil ich Colin furchtbar gern begleite. Meiner Ansicht nach ist es gerade die fehlende Perfektion, die Andrew Buckleys Romane authentisch macht. Hier ist nichts glattgeschliffen oder poliert, er erzählt einfach die Geschichte dieses sympathischen Jungen von nebenan, der zufällig ein Werwolf ist. Mir ist das warme, liebevolle, entspannte und beinahe heimelige Gefühl, das ich beim Lesen empfinde, wesentlich wichtiger als makelloses Worldbuilding und eine ambitionierte Konstruktion. „Hair in All the Wrong Places“ ist eine bodenständige Reihe, die mich durch ehrliche, unverstellte Emotionen abholt. Deshalb werde ich sie weiterverfolgen. Nicht, weil es sich um große Schriftstellerei handelt. Sondern weil sie die Hobby-Literaturkritikerin in mir für ein paar Stunden verstummen lässt.

Vielen Dank an Andrew Buckley für die Bereitstellung dieses Rezensionsexemplars im Austausch für eine ehrliche Rezension!

[Danielle's]

Colin is back in an all-new paranormal adventure. He has been let loose to team up with Silas (His creator), and help find the bad guys. Unfortunately, something goes wrong, and Colin finds himself grounded back to Elkwood.

He may be in the dog house, but life is looking up. He has his best friend by his side and the girl of his dreams. Now all he needs to do is stop the crazy town meltdown. The old headmaster needs to be replaced, and the new man for the job is rather suspicious. The children's behaviour at school has become out of control, and there is definitely something strange going on. The adults are all too busy with an out of town mission, so it is up to Colin to save the day.

Book two in the Hair in all the right places is the continuous story of Colin. I would recommend you read book one first. I enjoyed this one just as much as the first one or slightly more. The story has been set up in book one so we can enjoy the characters more in this instalment. The same comical humour is used throughout, and the mystery has stepped up a notch.

This is the Christmas present you are looking for if you have a 15 ish-year-old, who is a little socially awkward, and into werewolves/fantasy. The book has a great sense of humour, and I love how the author talks to you at the beginning of these books.

The book is packed with paranormal activities, action, mystery, and a little kissing.

4.5 stars out of 5. This book is perfect for the intended audience.

*ARC received in exchange for a fair review* Blog tour date 20th October 2017.

[Tonja Drecker]

Young fans of werewolves, witches, vampires, demons and all sorts of other fantastical creatures will dive into these pages and be howling for delight all the way to the last page.

Colin is a teenager. If that wasn't hard enough to deal with, he happens to be a werewolf too. Luckily, he lives in a town where magical creatures can mix with 'normals' and lead a somewhat peaceful life. That is, until classrooms explode, strange men with evil eyes appear and killer werewolves haunt the forest. Now, Colin not only has to survive algebra, he has to figure out what danger is about to destroy the town and keep his inner werewolf from controlling him.

This is the second book in the series, and although I'd highly recommend reading the first one, there is enough background information to sink into this book without reading book one.

Colin is a fairly normal guy. He's level-headed, pretty mature in his decision making but still a teen, which sometimes means getting into more trouble than he'd hoped. He's settled pretty well into his new existence as a werewolf and enjoys a little more popularity at school since his adventures in book one. But he still is awkward and doesn't really fit in. In other words, he's a pretty average teen and easy to sympathize with and like.

Although Colin has some fairly impressive werewolf powers and gets to show off in several scenes, this is also a story of friendship and working together. Colin takes the lead. . .somewhat hesitantly. . .but it's the support from those around him which help him pull through. But even this doesn't always work smoothly. Every character has their own quirks, and not all of them are ready to help him. Despite all of the magic and fantasy, the relationships and dialogue between the characters stays realistic and makes the story feel like it could happen in any school—if there was magic, that is.

The pacing holds steady the entire way through, making this a read which is hard to set down until the very last page. There are layers of mystery, and although some things are easy to predict, others come as a complete surprise. It's not a deep read but weaves a constant flow of humor into the action. Even the romance stays light and never overshadows the main plot or fun. The only disappointment to this tale is that it does have a last page. But luckily, there will be more to come.

I received a complimentary copy and loved the adventure so much that I wanted to leave my honest thoughts.

[Carl Hackman]

Colin is allowed out of Elkwood for the first time in two years. He has been added to the 'Night Watch', a group formed to track down and neutralize rogue supernatural people. The group is also tasked with bringing special people back to Elkwood.

His first mission didn't go to plan. Having his senses blocked by some weird guy with glowing red eyes and changing into a werewolf in front of a large portion of the population of Seattle definitely wasn't on his 'to do list'.

Returned to Elkwood and removed from the Night Watch was a huge blow to Colin, but when they go werewolf chasing in Europe and leave him behind it is more than just infuriating; Colin is a badass werewolf and that little incident in Seattle was just a one off and he was a key part of the team, or so he thought.

Once they have gone things get worse, and he is the only one who can protect Elkwood from the storm brewing; well there is Becca, his grandmother, a batty wizard and a military base full of soldiers and supernatural prisoners, but they don't realize that the town is threatened until it is almost too late.

This novel is another winner by Andrew and continues his tradition of excellent stories that you can't put down, except for bathroom breaks, although they might not be a reason to stop reading either.

I great book that I heartily recommend, as I would with all the novels he as written. Worth every single star I have given it.

[Suze]

Colin is a teenage werewolf. He's constantly hungry and needs to learn how to control his wolf side, which isn't always easy. Fortunately he has Becca, his witch and necromancer girlfriend. She knows exactly what it's like to be a teenager with abilities. Colin is living in Elkwood, where there are all kinds of different creatures, like vampires, krakens, ogres and more. Colin's working for an organization that helps to keep them in check and protect the human citizens of Elkwood. When a mission goes wrong Colin has some explaining to do, but was it really his fault?

Weird things are happening in Elkwood. Colin is used to a grandma who controls the weather, magic and hanging out with other werewolves, but this is different. Elkwood needs Colin to fix the problem, will he be able to do it, even though he's still young and hasn't been a werewolf all that long? Who can he count on for help and will he manage to come up with a plan that works?

Hair in All the Wrong Places 2 (The Perils of Growing Up Werewolf) is a fantastic gripping story. Colin is kindhearted and caring. He can be dangerous when he's in wolf form, but he's also just a regular teenager. I loved these two different sides of his character. He's very much in love, he likes spending time with his girlfriend Becca, he's a good friend, stands up to bullies and he loves food. I liked how he remains so normal, while he's also strong, smart and resilient and takes being a wolf seriously. He's a fantastic hero and I enjoyed reading about his adventures.

I couldn't wait to read another story set in Elkwood, it's such a fascinating fictional town. It was fun to read more about the different inhabitants and their abilities. There's such a great variety of supernatural characters and they're all fabulous. Andew Buckley's tone of voice is filled with sympathy and he has a catchy sense of humor that always makes me smile. Hair in All the Wrong Places 2 (The Perils of Growing Up Werewolf) is just as good as the first book in the series, Hair in All the Wrong Places. The stories are dynamic, entertaining, captivating and clever. I love this series and highly recommend it.

[Laura Hernandez]

OMG!!! Colin and friends are back once again to entertain and captivate and I must say that though I loved the first book in this series I Loved, loved, loved this one. Full of werewolves, vampires, witches and an adorable; well, I think it's adorable, fire imp. This author immediately pulls you in and entangles you in the story line with his witty reportoire and characters that you'll quickly fall in love with. This is a book you'll want to read over and over again!!

A MUST read!!

(I requested a copy for review purposes and made no guarantee of a favorable review. The opinions expressed herein are unbiased and my ow.)

[Jacqui]

Hair in All the Wrong Places 2 is the sequel to Hair in All the Wrong Places, but could be read as a standalone novel.

Colin is a 13-year-old boy living in Elkwood with his grandmother. Elkwood is no ordinary town, and Colin is no ordinary boy. After being bitten by Silas and turned into a werewolf, Colin is adjusting to his new life in a town filled with supernatural beings. While working with the Night Watch, a unit tasked with fighting rogue supernaturals, Colin encounters a being with red eyes, floating in the air. Things escalate and the situation ends badly. No one will believe Colin about the being and he is sent off in disgrace.
Colin and his witch girlfriend are back at school when a new principal arrives. Something is very off about him though. Soon stranger than normal strange things occur, and with the Night Watch away, it is up to Colin to save the day. It’s a huge burden to place on a young werewolf who hasn’t even transitioned at full moon by himself. Is Colin up to the task? And if not, is there anyone available to help?

Another great piece of writing by Andrew Buckley! He has taken the generally overworked supernatural sensation and put his spin on it. To be able to ensure that a middle grade book has enough substance to entertain an adult takes skill, and this series certainly entertains. You get action, humour, a clever storyline and a moral or two thrown in for good measure. Sometimes characters and plots can become cumbersome with descriptions or just too much info. Here we are presented with just enough so that the flow of reading is very comfortable. The author has a very easy to read writing style, which makes reading the book a pleasure. A clever little twist on the end definitely leaves you wanting more. Colin’s character is growing and many of his decisions are indicative of a good role model. New characters have entered the story, some good and some bad; but they all have their place.

I highly recommend this book and look forward to see what happens with Colin and Elkwood.

[Carl Hackman]

Colin is allowed out of Elkwood for the first time in two years. He has been added to the 'Night Watch', a group formed to track down and neutralize rogue supernatural people. The group is also tasked with bringing special people back to Elkwood.

His first mission didn't go to plan. Having his senses blocked by some weird guy with glowing red eyes and changing into a werewolf in front of a large portion of the population of Seattle definitely wasn't on his 'to do list'.

Returned to Elkwood and removed from the Night Watch was a huge blow to Colin, but when they go werewolf chasing in Europe and leave him behind it is more than just infuriating; Colin is a badass werewolf and that little incident in Seattle was just a one off and he was a key part of the team, or so he thought.

Once they have gone things get worse, and he is the only one who can protect Elkwood from the storm brewing; well there is Becca, his grandmother, a batty wizard and a military base full of soldiers and supernatural prisoners, but they don't realize that the town is threatened until it is almost too late.

This novel is another winner by Andrew and continues his tradition of excellent stories that you can't put down, except for bathroom breaks, although they might not be a reason to stop reading either.

I great book that I heartily recommend, as I would with all the novels he as written. Worth every single star I have given it.

[Cheyenne]

To Colin being a werewolf is no problem, he has gotten used to it. All Colin wants is to live a normal life but that's not so easy living in Elkwood. He knows he has to help Elkwood though, so when a secret government organization asks for his help, he can't back down. He knows that what he has to do -who he has to find- is a very serious mission, but how can he help when no one is taking him serious. His vision is messed with and he can't think straight right when he almost had caught the guy, and something just pulls the werewolf out of him causing him to change out in the open. Yet Colin couldn't stop it like someone made him do that. When he tried to tell the government what happened they didn't believe him, not even Silas -the werewolf in his pack- believed him. So what does he do? He tries to find and fight the bad guy but not just by himself, with all the other "monsters" in Elkwood.

[Maddy Martinelli]

I would first like to thank Chapter by Chapter Blog Tours for including me in this blog tour and providing me with a review copy for an honest review, as well as Month9Bccooks for contacting me about reviewing this novel! The first installment of this series, Hair in All the Wrong Places, is a great read that is quick-paced and will have you turning the pages as you follow along the story of a teenage werewolf and the complications that he has to live with in his daily life. I really enjoyed how much character development that Colin went through throughout this book, and I liked how the author involved Becca, Jeremy, and Colin's other friends into his story in Elkwood. This is such a fantastic read if you are looking for something fun and quick, while still having an interesting plot line and characters that are all unique in their own ways. Towards the end of the book, I liked the predicament that Colin was in, as well as Becca, was resolved, and that the fact that their feelings for each other were never put on the line when Colin was in trouble or when he was off fighting some unknown source of evil at that time. I also really liked how the introduction of Colin's new principle was written out - the results were unexpected and truly had me interested in his character development throughout the story. The story picked up right as the first novel ended, and the author did a very good job of staying consistent with details from the first novel as well as adding in new details that allowed the second installment to add onto Colin's story. I highly recommend this series to fans of the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling and fans of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan. You can see my review of the first novel, Hair in All the Wrong Places, as well, posted here!

** You can find all of my reviews here, on my Goodreads page; add me as a friend!, as well as on my blog: www.thepaperworlds.blogspot.com and can find me on Instagram and Twitter as @thepaperworlds and on my Tumblr: www.thepaperworlds.tumblr.com **

[Joseph Fisher]

The series has been so good! The second outing was just as good as the first. Just a fun mystical werewolf story and definitely providing a well needed distraction from the bullshit That is the world currently.

[Midu Hadi]

I liked the first one...a lot. This one was good too. But what I find frustrating is that Colin had saved the town's collective ass. How can the powers that be not listen to him or treat him like a kid? He is a werewolf who ate his teacher's heart, saved the girl, and the town. Cut him slack, even if he did wolf out in the middle of the street. He's new to his powers, has only one mentor-strong wolf pack, is a teenager, and is also bigger as a wolf than his mentor.

Anyway, a wizard is sneaking around the town and trying to take over. Nobody believes Colin as usual but he comes through for them anyway! Stupid town!