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Wolf-Boy
A coming of age story set in Provincetown, Truro, and Dennis Cape Cod during the summer of 1979. Sixteen-year-old Danny Halligan is seeking to define his sexual identity, struggling to navigate his feeling toward 18-year old childhood friend Liam Preston. Their lives spiral out of control when they meet 21-year-old Gracie Rose, a charismatic photographer and Yale dropout with a vision of a flesh festival on film. Danny finds his mind unraveling as he is caught up in a torrent of drugs, sex and photography. Entire days are lost in drug fueled grappling and flesh wars in a massive tree fort known as the Palace of the Palpable Pines. Gracie’s vision includes masking her subjects to maintain their anonymity. Liam becomes Lone Ranger while Danny’s fur covered mask transforms him into Wolf-Boy. Danny is left mentally and physically ravaged as Gracie gains ever more fame for her ground-breaking photographs, known as Transfiguration Photos.
336 pages, Paperback
Published July 22, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 16, 2024
✰ 3.75 stars ✰
“There’s a true fluidity about all those images in my life—it sometimes seems refreshing, other times so caustic it chokes me. Everything in my young life dealt with the power of pictures and their effect on memory.”
Probably one of the hardest books I've ever had to read, rate, and review. Read - because I could only watch helplessly as the story of Wolf-Boy unraveled before me. Rate - because despite what I may have given it, I don't ignore what will be upsetting for those who will read it, but I can't deny the experience of what it felt like while reading it. Review - because as it happens when it comes time to write about books that leave such a visceral impression on me, it becomes difficult for me to put my thoughts into real words. 🥺
“Gracie Rose was like a big budget magician out of Las Vegas, skilled with sleight of hand and every sort of trickery. Perhaps if I had learned that lesson a lot earlier, I wouldn’t have risked my life to impress her so much in 1979.”
Y'know? It's funny - after my request was approved, I seriously considered not reading it. After being on the receiving end of numerous ARC rejections, I figured, what does it matter if I ignored this one? But, something held me back; and I think the publishers took one look at my reading shelves and knew that this was exactly the kind of book I would read - that I was the right audience for the kind of story David Fitzpatrick had to share. There are a lot of triggers for this book, which, unfortunately, are not highlighted beforehand. I'm not sure if they will be included in the original copy, but it is not a light read or for the faint of heart. And if I could, I would keep this review short and -- no, it's not a sweet read. But, I've realized now that writing out my thoughts not only helps get them off my chest and head, but it's also, in a way, therapeutic! It gives me this calmness that I have at least an outlet for where I can express myself. 😔
In 1979, bisexuality was a foreign concept to many who were still struggling to accept that there could even be people who could be willfully attracted to the opposite sex. For sixteen-year-old Danny Halligan, it was uncharted territory - an impossible notion that he never expected to be attracted to both men and women, especially in a town like Providence, Cape Cod. 'My defiant wolf mask appears to roar, I’m the most ruined and obliterated soul around here, but I’m also young and resilient, so ignore me at your peril, insipid fools.' 😢 And when twenty-two year old college dropout and exotic beauty, Gracie drops by with her flagrant artistic ambitions and hypersexualized ideas, it is that search to please and learn - to have a creative look on life through an experienced hand, despite how ill-advised the guidance may be, then Danny is surely in store for a harsh and painfully sad awakening.
“Deliver me, Gracie,” I say, and she smiles and understands.
“Plenty of time for that later,” she says. “Stay untouched, Wolf-Boy.”
I giggle nervously, not understanding, not fully comprehending. But somehow, I know that’s going to be my name this summer. I guess that’s the most precise way of explaining Gracie Rose and my relationship with her— I didn’t ever fully comprehend why she did anything.
But I could never say no.”
Gracie is the embodiment of a sexual predator, a manipulative bitch, a harmful aggressor, a jealous deviante, a heinous fiend - everything under the sun to make one squeamish at how she willfully and deliberately instigated a relationship with a minor, all in the pursuit of exploiting her own personal gain. It is that reminder that even young boys can become targets of older women who promise so much, only to hurt them in the process. 😡 Everytime she appeared on the page, I felt uncomfortable - dirty - tainted, and I couldn't say or do anything to help Danny - to tell him to stop. I wanted to scream at her to get the hell away from him!! 'Only mesmerized by this breathtakingly innocent kid,” she says. “And his lusty allegiance to me, to the cause, to try anything with his whole body, mind, and soul.' I thought, is it willful ignorance that made him continue for so long? ? Of how harmful she was to her, how he fought with his father, just to protect and prove her innocence? Or was it just that comfort of being wanted by another, even when the signs were showing him that something was wrong with this setup. That he had to get out while he could, before it was too late. 😰
It made me even sadder when he would reason with himself - that he never saw her as a villain because he was a willful participant in all their exploitations - in all the drug usage - in all her strange requests that gave him the high of escapism - of having a chance to be older than he was - to experience life's pleasures at its fullest - questioning his own inhibitions and desires - 'will it be Gracie or Liam who owns your captive heart?' - having a chance to attain the answers of life from someone he supposedly loved and admired, because she was so different than the norm - taking advantage of him with her sweet-talk reassurances that she knows what's best for him and that is enough even for his conscience mind to think it is okay. 😠 'All I know is this wonderful, unique, and talented woman—pushing twenty-two—who’s fascinated and turned on by a horn-dog sixteen-year-old boy is mine for the summer, and I’m hers.'
How she preyed on his curiosity, how she coaxed him into acts simply because she could - how she was both controlling and convincing to the point of harming him? How she made them don their respective masks not only to hide their identities but shield herself from whatever she made them indulge in. Honestly, it's books like this that I feel compelled to analyze to the extreme, because if anything, Danny was the epitome of a sheep in wolf's clothing - 'kind and loving, to a fault' - even as a child, and that's why he was such an easy target - how he was a victim to the impossibility of being with good people to explore his developing preferences - how he became the prey of a wolf who was determined to devour him for all that he was - without any care for his well being or safety - it made me so upset to my stomach - no words will do it justice. 😞
“If you sit and overanalyze existence, Boss, you’ll probably end up finding the closest ledge and committing the irreversible, so be wise and humble and never quit.
Just pray and love, and help others around you as you climb, but for Christ’s sake, Danny, always go forward.”
Told through a nonlinear narrative, it is a coming of age story, where the trauma of the past plays such a heartbreaking role in Danny's life - stripping him of his innocence and making his heart vulnerable to more pain. The writing is intoxicating because you can't put it down till you know what exactly went down to lead Danny to the state that we find him in. 😢
It is also is a cruel reminder what happens when one becomes hooked to drugs, 'the CIA potions' - the unstable frame of mind that makes you lose all rational sense while under the influence. My heart hurt for Danny so much - so much anger and hurt that I wanted to claw into the book and finish off a character myself - so revolting and despicable were their actions. Danny may have donned the wolf mask to become Wolf-Boy for Gracie's own amusement, to entertain her disgusting amusement at the sake of his and Liam's own innocence. 😥 'The shots are all still impressive—the public called us whores, druggies, miscreants, and pornographers. Three youths in our glory—toned, tanned, and wild, set to take on the whole universe.' The author does rely on certain plot devices to make Danny's situation an even more pitiful one - almost as if giving a substantial reason as to why he chose this path. It's what I describe as tools of convenience, which many a time I have seen authors employ for their story's plot. It certainly added to the pathos of his story, but I didn't mind it - noticed it, of course, but I still didn't mind it too much. 😔
The writing style worked for me; there was a good balance between Danny's inner thoughts and his interactions and every emotion was delivered well. The emotional whiplash is an experience I won't likely forget - two and a half hours of sheer shock of being glued to my screen. It may only be February, and I may never bring myself to read it again, but I don't think I'll ever forget it. 'Just a thoroughly damaged, trauma-riddled teen mind reliving a nightmare.' This heart-breaking exploration of gut-wrenching exploitation of this helpless soul, driven by his own cravings to better understand himself that he was trapped by it. 🥺🥺 His personal growth felt so raw and real - the battle of his psychosis that crippled his mental state - that led him to a path of darkness and loneliness more than what any mask could hide him from. I really could feel everything.
Danny's relationship with his father and his gay uncle were two very poignant and powerful ones; one that you can actually see the changes reflect on Danny, allowing him to become more honest and open - wanting to give himself a chance to show his true self to them. 'I feel a sudden burst of love, terror, and affection and want to embrace him and confess everything. How reckless I’ve behaved; how blindly arrogant and naive I’ve acted since day one of this summer.' That one scene when they discussed his newfound interest in boys and girls - all parents who are first opposed to the thought should be willing to change. That final scene when he clung to his father - omg, please don't let me remember how palpable and tangible that moment was - that words can, indeed, hurt. 💔💔
“Mostly though, I felt intense arousal, mixed with the mad, terrifying possibility that we might get caught. We were young, so very naive, but not so much that we didn’t grasp we were playing with fire.
Screwing around with rules that older kids and adults had decided on long ago. That was, of course, boys go with girls, and girls with boys.”
You may have noticed I have not talked about the relationship between Danny and Liam - and I'm not going to. I think it's best if readers who wish to read it, decide for themselves their thoughts on it. It is their dynamic that I have the most conflicted feelings about, one I know will garner a lot of unmitigated aggravation, agitation, but one that probably hit the hardest for me. 😟 'From one extreme to the next, Liam keeps me guessing about his motives, and so remains forever intriguing. Like a large iridescent viper, he both repels and fascinates me, which annoys me too.' The difference between Gracie and Liam is in their history and you have to really feel it on your own to understand why till the end, Danny's heart could not forget or forgive the past. I don't condone what Liam did - not in the slightest. Even as the events inched closer to the day of the final extravaganza that caused irrevocable damage, I teared up afterwards. 😢
I couldn't help thinking what could have been their relationship had it not been for her involvement - had she not come into their lives. Had she not met them, perhaps their friendship could have gone in a different direction - had her own jealousy not sprung a need to destroy whatever hope they had - 'Liam and I nothing but tools, handsome pawns in your bizarre game of chess on the Cape?' It will be a cause of much argument, how much Liam is to blame for what happened -how maybe Liam was already in the bad books, racing towards the potential of hurting Danny... But then, the author gave me the penultimate chapter - and a part of my heart hurt a bit more and at the same time healed. ❤️🩹❤️🩹 Something in me felt hopeful and a bit relieved that maybe, just maybe the author shared my views, as well. Was it to absolve him of guilt for his participation in Danny's plight? To give readers a view of the person that he was in Danny's life? To find a way for us to forgive him - not only for his own sake, but for Danny's heart to forgive himself? Or perhaps it was simply to show just how dangerous manipulation and substance abuse can be in the long run - one that can only lead to heartbreak and sadness. 😟
“Artists see truth, maybe, more clarity, less filter, leads to trouble.”
“Like a long dormant bomb?” I ask. “Or tears hidden inside a wolf- boy’s mask?””
When I'm reading, I usually only highlight the quotes that stand out to me the most; this time, I was actually writing out all of the intense emotions that were raging through my veins - so that I wouldn't forget what I was feeling at that very moment. So much unbridled feeling - so much hurt and shock that at one point, I typed this into my notes - 'Oh my God, why did I request this book???' 😭😭😭 For these were the final comments I wrote out after completing it - verbatim: (please forgive the errors, my fingers were too overwhelmed)
'I hate this book with a burning passion but I don't regret reading it or requesting it because there are always other ways to explore the dynamic of sexuality awakening and if it is harsh and cruel way such as this experience than I can only learn from it.'
*Thank you to Edelweiss for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
“There’s a true fluidity about all those images in my life—it sometimes seems refreshing, other times so caustic it chokes me. Everything in my young life dealt with the power of pictures and their effect on memory.”
Probably one of the hardest books I've ever had to read, rate, and review. Read - because I could only watch helplessly as the story of Wolf-Boy unraveled before me. Rate - because despite what I may have given it, I don't ignore what will be upsetting for those who will read it, but I can't deny the experience of what it felt like while reading it. Review - because as it happens when it comes time to write about books that leave such a visceral impression on me, it becomes difficult for me to put my thoughts into real words. 🥺
“Gracie Rose was like a big budget magician out of Las Vegas, skilled with sleight of hand and every sort of trickery. Perhaps if I had learned that lesson a lot earlier, I wouldn’t have risked my life to impress her so much in 1979.”
Y'know? It's funny - after my request was approved, I seriously considered not reading it. After being on the receiving end of numerous ARC rejections, I figured, what does it matter if I ignored this one? But, something held me back; and I think the publishers took one look at my reading shelves and knew that this was exactly the kind of book I would read - that I was the right audience for the kind of story David Fitzpatrick had to share. There are a lot of triggers for this book, which, unfortunately, are not highlighted beforehand. I'm not sure if they will be included in the original copy, but it is not a light read or for the faint of heart. And if I could, I would keep this review short and -- no, it's not a sweet read. But, I've realized now that writing out my thoughts not only helps get them off my chest and head, but it's also, in a way, therapeutic! It gives me this calmness that I have at least an outlet for where I can express myself. 😔
In 1979, bisexuality was a foreign concept to many who were still struggling to accept that there could even be people who could be willfully attracted to the opposite sex. For sixteen-year-old Danny Halligan, it was uncharted territory - an impossible notion that he never expected to be attracted to both men and women, especially in a town like Providence, Cape Cod. 'My defiant wolf mask appears to roar, I’m the most ruined and obliterated soul around here, but I’m also young and resilient, so ignore me at your peril, insipid fools.' 😢 And when twenty-two year old college dropout and exotic beauty, Gracie drops by with her flagrant artistic ambitions and hypersexualized ideas, it is that search to please and learn - to have a creative look on life through an experienced hand, despite how ill-advised the guidance may be, then Danny is surely in store for a harsh and painfully sad awakening.
“Deliver me, Gracie,” I say, and she smiles and understands.
“Plenty of time for that later,” she says. “Stay untouched, Wolf-Boy.”
I giggle nervously, not understanding, not fully comprehending. But somehow, I know that’s going to be my name this summer. I guess that’s the most precise way of explaining Gracie Rose and my relationship with her— I didn’t ever fully comprehend why she did anything.
But I could never say no.”
Gracie is the embodiment of a sexual predator, a manipulative bitch, a harmful aggressor, a jealous deviante, a heinous fiend - everything under the sun to make one squeamish at how she willfully and deliberately instigated a relationship with a minor, all in the pursuit of exploiting her own personal gain. It is that reminder that even young boys can become targets of older women who promise so much, only to hurt them in the process. 😡 Everytime she appeared on the page, I felt uncomfortable - dirty - tainted, and I couldn't say or do anything to help Danny - to tell him to stop. I wanted to scream at her to get the hell away from him!! 'Only mesmerized by this breathtakingly innocent kid,” she says. “And his lusty allegiance to me, to the cause, to try anything with his whole body, mind, and soul.' I thought, is it willful ignorance that made him continue for so long? ? Of how harmful she was to her, how he fought with his father, just to protect and prove her innocence? Or was it just that comfort of being wanted by another, even when the signs were showing him that something was wrong with this setup. That he had to get out while he could, before it was too late. 😰
It made me even sadder when he would reason with himself - that he never saw her as a villain because he was a willful participant in all their exploitations - in all the drug usage - in all her strange requests that gave him the high of escapism - of having a chance to be older than he was - to experience life's pleasures at its fullest - questioning his own inhibitions and desires - 'will it be Gracie or Liam who owns your captive heart?' - having a chance to attain the answers of life from someone he supposedly loved and admired, because she was so different than the norm - taking advantage of him with her sweet-talk reassurances that she knows what's best for him and that is enough even for his conscience mind to think it is okay. 😠 'All I know is this wonderful, unique, and talented woman—pushing twenty-two—who’s fascinated and turned on by a horn-dog sixteen-year-old boy is mine for the summer, and I’m hers.'
How she preyed on his curiosity, how she coaxed him into acts simply because she could - how she was both controlling and convincing to the point of harming him? How she made them don their respective masks not only to hide their identities but shield herself from whatever she made them indulge in. Honestly, it's books like this that I feel compelled to analyze to the extreme, because if anything, Danny was the epitome of a sheep in wolf's clothing - 'kind and loving, to a fault' - even as a child, and that's why he was such an easy target - how he was a victim to the impossibility of being with good people to explore his developing preferences - how he became the prey of a wolf who was determined to devour him for all that he was - without any care for his well being or safety - it made me so upset to my stomach - no words will do it justice. 😞
“If you sit and overanalyze existence, Boss, you’ll probably end up finding the closest ledge and committing the irreversible, so be wise and humble and never quit.
Just pray and love, and help others around you as you climb, but for Christ’s sake, Danny, always go forward.”
Told through a nonlinear narrative, it is a coming of age story, where the trauma of the past plays such a heartbreaking role in Danny's life - stripping him of his innocence and making his heart vulnerable to more pain. The writing is intoxicating because you can't put it down till you know what exactly went down to lead Danny to the state that we find him in. 😢
It is also is a cruel reminder what happens when one becomes hooked to drugs, 'the CIA potions' - the unstable frame of mind that makes you lose all rational sense while under the influence. My heart hurt for Danny so much - so much anger and hurt that I wanted to claw into the book and finish off a character myself - so revolting and despicable were their actions. Danny may have donned the wolf mask to become Wolf-Boy for Gracie's own amusement, to entertain her disgusting amusement at the sake of his and Liam's own innocence. 😥 'The shots are all still impressive—the public called us whores, druggies, miscreants, and pornographers. Three youths in our glory—toned, tanned, and wild, set to take on the whole universe.' The author does rely on certain plot devices to make Danny's situation an even more pitiful one - almost as if giving a substantial reason as to why he chose this path. It's what I describe as tools of convenience, which many a time I have seen authors employ for their story's plot. It certainly added to the pathos of his story, but I didn't mind it - noticed it, of course, but I still didn't mind it too much. 😔
The writing style worked for me; there was a good balance between Danny's inner thoughts and his interactions and every emotion was delivered well. The emotional whiplash is an experience I won't likely forget - two and a half hours of sheer shock of being glued to my screen. It may only be February, and I may never bring myself to read it again, but I don't think I'll ever forget it. 'Just a thoroughly damaged, trauma-riddled teen mind reliving a nightmare.' This heart-breaking exploration of gut-wrenching exploitation of this helpless soul, driven by his own cravings to better understand himself that he was trapped by it. 🥺🥺 His personal growth felt so raw and real - the battle of his psychosis that crippled his mental state - that led him to a path of darkness and loneliness more than what any mask could hide him from. I really could feel everything.
Danny's relationship with his father and his gay uncle were two very poignant and powerful ones; one that you can actually see the changes reflect on Danny, allowing him to become more honest and open - wanting to give himself a chance to show his true self to them. 'I feel a sudden burst of love, terror, and affection and want to embrace him and confess everything. How reckless I’ve behaved; how blindly arrogant and naive I’ve acted since day one of this summer.' That one scene when they discussed his newfound interest in boys and girls - all parents who are first opposed to the thought should be willing to change. That final scene when he clung to his father - omg, please don't let me remember how palpable and tangible that moment was - that words can, indeed, hurt. 💔💔
“Mostly though, I felt intense arousal, mixed with the mad, terrifying possibility that we might get caught. We were young, so very naive, but not so much that we didn’t grasp we were playing with fire.
Screwing around with rules that older kids and adults had decided on long ago. That was, of course, boys go with girls, and girls with boys.”
You may have noticed I have not talked about the relationship between Danny and Liam - and I'm not going to. I think it's best if readers who wish to read it, decide for themselves their thoughts on it. It is their dynamic that I have the most conflicted feelings about, one I know will garner a lot of unmitigated aggravation, agitation, but one that probably hit the hardest for me. 😟 'From one extreme to the next, Liam keeps me guessing about his motives, and so remains forever intriguing. Like a large iridescent viper, he both repels and fascinates me, which annoys me too.' The difference between Gracie and Liam is in their history and you have to really feel it on your own to understand why till the end, Danny's heart could not forget or forgive the past. I don't condone what Liam did - not in the slightest. Even as the events inched closer to the day of the final extravaganza that caused irrevocable damage, I teared up afterwards. 😢
I couldn't help thinking what could have been their relationship had it not been for her involvement - had she not come into their lives. Had she not met them, perhaps their friendship could have gone in a different direction - had her own jealousy not sprung a need to destroy whatever hope they had - 'Liam and I nothing but tools, handsome pawns in your bizarre game of chess on the Cape?' It will be a cause of much argument, how much Liam is to blame for what happened -how maybe Liam was already in the bad books, racing towards the potential of hurting Danny... But then, the author gave me the penultimate chapter - and a part of my heart hurt a bit more and at the same time healed. ❤️🩹❤️🩹 Something in me felt hopeful and a bit relieved that maybe, just maybe the author shared my views, as well. Was it to absolve him of guilt for his participation in Danny's plight? To give readers a view of the person that he was in Danny's life? To find a way for us to forgive him - not only for his own sake, but for Danny's heart to forgive himself? Or perhaps it was simply to show just how dangerous manipulation and substance abuse can be in the long run - one that can only lead to heartbreak and sadness. 😟
“Artists see truth, maybe, more clarity, less filter, leads to trouble.”
“Like a long dormant bomb?” I ask. “Or tears hidden inside a wolf- boy’s mask?””
When I'm reading, I usually only highlight the quotes that stand out to me the most; this time, I was actually writing out all of the intense emotions that were raging through my veins - so that I wouldn't forget what I was feeling at that very moment. So much unbridled feeling - so much hurt and shock that at one point, I typed this into my notes - 'Oh my God, why did I request this book???' 😭😭😭 For these were the final comments I wrote out after completing it - verbatim: (please forgive the errors, my fingers were too overwhelmed)
'I hate this book with a burning passion but I don't regret reading it or requesting it because there are always other ways to explore the dynamic of sexuality awakening and if it is harsh and cruel way such as this experience than I can only learn from it.'
*Thank you to Edelweiss for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
September 10, 2024
Wolf-Boy is as disturbing as it is brilliant. This book was so infuriating, but this is not meant as a negative statement. Fitzpatrick is a very talented author, and I appreciate what he created with this book. That said, multiple times, I found myself stopping and just putting the book down. I read a lot of genres, including extreme horror. This isn't that by any stretch, but it is horrific.
Two of the three main characters are, at their core, absolutely despicable human beings. And our MC, Wolf-Boy, is naive and damaged. This book was the farthest thing from what I was expecting, and it's left a permanent mark on my mind. I won't go into any further details because I don't want to give too much of the storyline away.
This book is told in sort of a then and now timeline. We read what happened to Danny as a child, and then we are brought into his current experience. This is more than a coming of age tale and more than an exploration of sexuality. It's literal trauma written out and raw on the page. We watch Danny experience it and then witness the aftermath of his trauma as it completely wrecks him and as he struggles to move beyond it.
I will say I definitely recommend this book, but please don't go in blind. This book has the capacity to be extremely triggering.
Personal Disclaimer:
I do want to state that this book is not overly explicit. The abuse is mentioned, but it doesn't go into any sort of graphic details. It is, however, obvious what is being done and that there is obvious manipulation, gaslighting, and eventually physical assault.
Overall, the book is well written, and you are drawn in and can't help but to feel connected to and saddened for Danny. Also, the momma bear in me was screaming at the father to stop being such a tool and open his eyes!
Danny was truly just a boy trying to find himself. He wanted love, friendship, and acceptance, but ultimately was manipulated and used.
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Two of the three main characters are, at their core, absolutely despicable human beings. And our MC, Wolf-Boy, is naive and damaged. This book was the farthest thing from what I was expecting, and it's left a permanent mark on my mind. I won't go into any further details because I don't want to give too much of the storyline away.
This book is told in sort of a then and now timeline. We read what happened to Danny as a child, and then we are brought into his current experience. This is more than a coming of age tale and more than an exploration of sexuality. It's literal trauma written out and raw on the page. We watch Danny experience it and then witness the aftermath of his trauma as it completely wrecks him and as he struggles to move beyond it.
I will say I definitely recommend this book, but please don't go in blind. This book has the capacity to be extremely triggering.
Personal Disclaimer:
I do want to state that this book is not overly explicit. The abuse is mentioned, but it doesn't go into any sort of graphic details. It is, however, obvious what is being done and that there is obvious manipulation, gaslighting, and eventually physical assault.
Overall, the book is well written, and you are drawn in and can't help but to feel connected to and saddened for Danny. Also, the momma bear in me was screaming at the father to stop being such a tool and open his eyes!
Danny was truly just a boy trying to find himself. He wanted love, friendship, and acceptance, but ultimately was manipulated and used.
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 10, 2024
Whoa.... I put this book down and kept thinking, "What did I just read?! " Not that it was bad.... I have to say well done to the writer David Fitzpatrick to invoke emotions in that way through his writing.
The storyline is an emotional, intense and I have to say it will be triggering for some people through the topics that are weaved within the main characters' storyline and the plot of the book. Please make sure you look into it before you go into this book+
It is very much a YA/coming of age story, but be warned, I would recommend this for your 18 plus who could handle this sort of novel.
The author takes us on this whirlwind of a journey through Danny's life where we are able to see his past - from his childhood and we see how what happened, shapes an moulds his decisions he makes, his thoughts, his experience and the relationships are affected in the now. The character development throughout out was well thought out and intricate to the plot and really added to an already harrowing at times read.
Thiis was powerful, emotional, and thought-provoking, but also a very hard read at times and I don't want to say too much more before I slip out any spoilers and I will be looking out for more by this author in the future
The storyline is an emotional, intense and I have to say it will be triggering for some people through the topics that are weaved within the main characters' storyline and the plot of the book. Please make sure you look into it before you go into this book+
It is very much a YA/coming of age story, but be warned, I would recommend this for your 18 plus who could handle this sort of novel.
The author takes us on this whirlwind of a journey through Danny's life where we are able to see his past - from his childhood and we see how what happened, shapes an moulds his decisions he makes, his thoughts, his experience and the relationships are affected in the now. The character development throughout out was well thought out and intricate to the plot and really added to an already harrowing at times read.
Thiis was powerful, emotional, and thought-provoking, but also a very hard read at times and I don't want to say too much more before I slip out any spoilers and I will be looking out for more by this author in the future
September 13, 2024
This book had me HOOKED. I blew half the book in one sitting. This book spoke to me - a young man on the beginning of his life, his entire life. Immense pressure to determine the rest of his life. How does anyone survive that? How did I survive that? Did I?
Nonlinear. 17 yo bisexual male MC. Abuse. Mental health.
Danny has a lot going on - attraction to his friend Liam. Consumed by a photographer, Gracie Rose. Drugs and alcohol. Family.
In 3 months, Danny's world crashes, leading him to a swanky institution with doctors and meds.
I can't give any more details without spoilers.
Highly recommend
Nonlinear. 17 yo bisexual male MC. Abuse. Mental health.
Danny has a lot going on - attraction to his friend Liam. Consumed by a photographer, Gracie Rose. Drugs and alcohol. Family.
In 3 months, Danny's world crashes, leading him to a swanky institution with doctors and meds.
I can't give any more details without spoilers.
Highly recommend
October 3, 2024
Wolf Boy is a complicated, disturbing, heartbreaking, brilliant novel. This book looks at a variety of complex topics such as: sexuality, mental health, abuse & manipulation. For this reason, I would recommend looking at the trigger warnings before reading.
This book discusses bisexuality in some depth, in particular as in the time this was set (1979 and around this date), although homosexuality in general was not accepted, bisexuality was also particularly misunderstood. The story weaves through the ‘then’ and ‘now’, I will admit that this was the bit I struggled with slightly - possibly because of my dyslexia I struggled to keep up at times!
I’m not really too sure how to discuss this further without spoilers, but this book really made me think and is one i would definitely recommend (just be aware that this book could be a lot for some).
This book discusses bisexuality in some depth, in particular as in the time this was set (1979 and around this date), although homosexuality in general was not accepted, bisexuality was also particularly misunderstood. The story weaves through the ‘then’ and ‘now’, I will admit that this was the bit I struggled with slightly - possibly because of my dyslexia I struggled to keep up at times!
I’m not really too sure how to discuss this further without spoilers, but this book really made me think and is one i would definitely recommend (just be aware that this book could be a lot for some).
September 15, 2024
Here is my review for Wolf-Boy by David Fitzpatrick
This book I got into straight away from the start but there are trigger warnings for this book so please read them if a frank coming of age story is likely to offend. Danny is a sixteen-year-old who is trying to find his sexual orientation as well as struggling to sort out his feelings for his childhood friend Liam Preston who is eighteen-years-old. Together, the friends then meet Gracie Rose who is twenty-one-years-old with a fascinating personality and is a photographer with a lot of talent. She engages Danny and Liam into her pictures but has them wearing masks to obscure who they are as they are naked. The book starts in the summer of 1979. The story is very open and frank in its telling of the coming of age of Danny. I enjoyed the story though and it’s very interesting as you can see how someone could be manipulated into doing things at that age as an experiment. The writing was good and it had been well thought out. It was an easy reading style. I liked the cover of the book. I thought it was very appropriate to have a mask like a wolf on there.
Blurb :
A coming of age story set in Provincetown, Truro, and Dennis Cape Cod during the summer of 1979. Sixteen-year-old Danny Halligan is seeking to define his sexual identity, struggling to navigate his feeling toward 18-year old childhood friend Liam Preston. Their lives spiral out of control when they meet 21-year-old Gracie Rose, a charismatic photographer and Yale dropout with a vision of a flesh festival on film. Danny finds his mind unraveling as he is caught up in a torrent of drugs, sex and photography. Entire days are lost in drug fueled grappling and flesh wars in a massive tree fort known as the Palace of the Palpable Pines. Gracie's vision includes masking her subjects to maintain their anonymity. Liam becomes Lone Ranger while Danny's fur covered mask transforms him into Wolf-Boy. Danny is left mentally and physically ravaged as Gracie gains ever more fame for her ground-breaking photographs, known as Transfiguration Photos.
This book I got into straight away from the start but there are trigger warnings for this book so please read them if a frank coming of age story is likely to offend. Danny is a sixteen-year-old who is trying to find his sexual orientation as well as struggling to sort out his feelings for his childhood friend Liam Preston who is eighteen-years-old. Together, the friends then meet Gracie Rose who is twenty-one-years-old with a fascinating personality and is a photographer with a lot of talent. She engages Danny and Liam into her pictures but has them wearing masks to obscure who they are as they are naked. The book starts in the summer of 1979. The story is very open and frank in its telling of the coming of age of Danny. I enjoyed the story though and it’s very interesting as you can see how someone could be manipulated into doing things at that age as an experiment. The writing was good and it had been well thought out. It was an easy reading style. I liked the cover of the book. I thought it was very appropriate to have a mask like a wolf on there.
Blurb :
A coming of age story set in Provincetown, Truro, and Dennis Cape Cod during the summer of 1979. Sixteen-year-old Danny Halligan is seeking to define his sexual identity, struggling to navigate his feeling toward 18-year old childhood friend Liam Preston. Their lives spiral out of control when they meet 21-year-old Gracie Rose, a charismatic photographer and Yale dropout with a vision of a flesh festival on film. Danny finds his mind unraveling as he is caught up in a torrent of drugs, sex and photography. Entire days are lost in drug fueled grappling and flesh wars in a massive tree fort known as the Palace of the Palpable Pines. Gracie's vision includes masking her subjects to maintain their anonymity. Liam becomes Lone Ranger while Danny's fur covered mask transforms him into Wolf-Boy. Danny is left mentally and physically ravaged as Gracie gains ever more fame for her ground-breaking photographs, known as Transfiguration Photos.
September 11, 2024
✨🔮🌞🌕🍄🌕🌞🔮✨
ARC REVIEW - BOOK TOUR
Wolf-Boy - David Fitzpatrick
4/5⭐️
✨✨✨✨✨✨
I wanted to read this book for the cover and wow am I glad I did. This book will most definitely be triggering for some so please make sure to look into it before starting. You will be brought on an intense journey of Danny’s life from past to now. I definitely shed some tears while reading for Danny and was routing so hard for him. The writing was done amazing and really made you feel like you were along the journey with Danny. I did binge read this entire book but I did find myself stopping to take a minute because it was just that intense. There’s so much trauma in this book and Danny definitely figuring out his sexuality. With all of that I definitely recommend if you are wanting a more intense and emotional read.
📚📚📚
If you like to read:
- YA with darker themes
- Thriller
- Horror
- LGBTQ Fiction
… You should definitely check this out
📚📚📚
Thank you so much for sending me a copy for an honest review in my own words. #AD
✨Do you enjoy thriller movies? Which one is your favorite?
#books #booklover #smut #booknerd #bookfriend #bookish #booklovers #bookishcommunity #bookloversunite #instabook #bookporn #bookphotography #reviews #igbooks #ilovereading #smutty #bookaddiction #bookhoader #hotnsexy #fortheloveofbooks #bookrecs #yummy #givemeallthebooks #readingthepainaway #booktok #arc #giftedcopy
ARC REVIEW - BOOK TOUR
Wolf-Boy - David Fitzpatrick
4/5⭐️
✨✨✨✨✨✨
I wanted to read this book for the cover and wow am I glad I did. This book will most definitely be triggering for some so please make sure to look into it before starting. You will be brought on an intense journey of Danny’s life from past to now. I definitely shed some tears while reading for Danny and was routing so hard for him. The writing was done amazing and really made you feel like you were along the journey with Danny. I did binge read this entire book but I did find myself stopping to take a minute because it was just that intense. There’s so much trauma in this book and Danny definitely figuring out his sexuality. With all of that I definitely recommend if you are wanting a more intense and emotional read.
📚📚📚
If you like to read:
- YA with darker themes
- Thriller
- Horror
- LGBTQ Fiction
… You should definitely check this out
📚📚📚
Thank you so much for sending me a copy for an honest review in my own words. #AD
✨Do you enjoy thriller movies? Which one is your favorite?
#books #booklover #smut #booknerd #bookfriend #bookish #booklovers #bookishcommunity #bookloversunite #instabook #bookporn #bookphotography #reviews #igbooks #ilovereading #smutty #bookaddiction #bookhoader #hotnsexy #fortheloveofbooks #bookrecs #yummy #givemeallthebooks #readingthepainaway #booktok #arc #giftedcopy
September 15, 2024
If you have been following me for a while you will know that I like my books dark, the darker the better and this book definitely delivered that. It is definitely up there with the top ten darkest books I have read.
A powerful, intense and emotional book that i think would definitely be described as a coming of age book however due to the content, which I think would be a lot for most people, it should definitely be aimed at the older ya readers.
It is very well written with a story line that instantly drew me in and although I read it in a very short amount of time, I had to stop to take a deep breath a couple of time. This book was truly devastating with at times leaving me feeling like my heart was actually going to break into a thousand pieces.
This definitely isn't for the faint at heart it is a shocking and disturbing read, and I think it comes with TW for a reason so they should definitely be checked. However with all that being said I loved it and would definitely recommend it to those out there who like me, like their reads dark and disturbing
A powerful, intense and emotional book that i think would definitely be described as a coming of age book however due to the content, which I think would be a lot for most people, it should definitely be aimed at the older ya readers.
It is very well written with a story line that instantly drew me in and although I read it in a very short amount of time, I had to stop to take a deep breath a couple of time. This book was truly devastating with at times leaving me feeling like my heart was actually going to break into a thousand pieces.
This definitely isn't for the faint at heart it is a shocking and disturbing read, and I think it comes with TW for a reason so they should definitely be checked. However with all that being said I loved it and would definitely recommend it to those out there who like me, like their reads dark and disturbing
October 6, 2024
This was not always easy to read as it deals with some complex issues such as abuse, mental health including suicide, and sexuality/sexual orientation. It's a powerfully raw account of growing up in a world where your very identity is seen as being wrong and sinful.
Gosh did my heart go out to Danny. I just wanted to hug him and tell him he was allowed to be himself, and that his dad's opinion on bisexual men was wrong. I didn't like Gracie Rose at all though. I thought she was manipulative,and only really seemed to care about herself.
At times I was slightly confused by the timeline, which jumped back and forth, but overall I thought the book was really well written and had an engaging storyline with some difficult issues woven in.
Gosh did my heart go out to Danny. I just wanted to hug him and tell him he was allowed to be himself, and that his dad's opinion on bisexual men was wrong. I didn't like Gracie Rose at all though. I thought she was manipulative,and only really seemed to care about herself.
At times I was slightly confused by the timeline, which jumped back and forth, but overall I thought the book was really well written and had an engaging storyline with some difficult issues woven in.
September 17, 2024
Thank you @KellyALacey @lovebookstours #Ad #LBTCrew #BookTwitter #FreeReview #FreeBookreview #LBTYAHorror #LBTThriller #LBTLGBTQ for letting me be part of this tour and reviewing this book. Wolf Boy is a LGBTQ genre and is about Danny who is 16 teen years old. Danny is the main narrator the story. The story does go to past and present a few times and I liked how it jumps to this due to you understanding more what happened to Danny and why he was where he was in the present. I found it was easy to follow the story all the way through. It's about the summer of 1979 that changes his life not in a good way but that's just my opinion. I found Wolf Boy to me hard read due to the events that happened to Danny and felt for him emotionally and was sad by his struggles that happen to him due to people he thought where his friends Liam and Gracie. The story is written well and David Fitzpatrick has done his research well due to the topics that are mention in the book and tackle them well. I would say there are some trigger warnings in the book, drugs, and sex. The Wolf boy is totally different from what I have read before, and I am glad I read it . I found it interesting and gripping read. I needed to read to the end to found out what happen to Danny and I feel the ending was right for Danny and has a good plot. 5 stars.
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