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smallspoonbigfork's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Finished it in a day! Wasn't expecting something so reflective despite the reviews on the front cover of this book literally spelling it out for me, but I felt that a lot resonated with my own experiences of being a trans man and trying to become as 'manly' as possible
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual content, Vomit, Gore, and Gun violence
Minor: Homophobia
el_viral's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
By no means perfect, but such an enjoyable read! Does exactly what it says it will and gives us the gay werewolf we didn't know we needed in our lives. Great fun, and hard to put down. Definitely recommend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Sexual content
Moderate: Drug use
issymaae's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Sexual content, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Drug use, Murder, and Homophobia
Minor: Fatphobia, Blood, and Animal death
mayakinsley's review
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
An adult version of the magical kid adventure novels like Escape From Mr Lemoncello’s Library or Peter Nimble and the Fantastic Eyes. Also kind of analogous to an American settler take on Taika Waititi’s What We Do In The Shadows and Wellington Paranormal movies and series.
It is also similar in writing style to Matthew Binder’s Pure Cosmos Club, but with a more reliable narrator and a focus on the world of business and startups instead of a focus on the world of high art and cults.
It is also similar in writing style to Matthew Binder’s Pure Cosmos Club, but with a more reliable narrator and a focus on the world of business and startups instead of a focus on the world of high art and cults.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Violence
chersonese's review against another edition
dark
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
This book is a different take on werewolves, i've seen elements of it done before in older media where it didn't quit mirror modern toxic masculinity as well as this book and I found that refreshing. However, while I did like this book, it just felt rushed. It's fast-paced anyway but sometimes I felt that moments that were left to breath didn't need it and others needed a step back before continuing.
The ending felt really tacked on to me as well, I don't know if this is more to do with me, but the whole joining up as a supernatural defense squad genuinely disappointed me. I get that the author obviously has a sequel in the works and is excited for that but it just felt so forced. My other nitpick was the flippant responses to murder throughout the book, the overarching tone didn't make casual murder any less jarring when played off for laughs.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Murder, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Homophobia
cjwitch's review
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
ARC Review: A werewolf satire about toxic masculinity with the title of "Bored Gay Werewolf"...Admittedly, I went into this with a lot of expectations. I expected a lot of humor, some lovable and some deplorable characters, and a lot of werewolf action.
Sadly, I ended the book feeling very...mid. Despite what the title suggests, this is not really a book about werewolves and it definitely didn't have the humor that the title seemed to me to promise. In the full book, there were three werewolf scenes and two of those were only a few short paragraphs in length.
Where the book did deliver is in the commentary on toxic masculinity.
Tyler is the exact type of guy that I despise, which is intentional by the author. He is a stereotype of reasonably rich, white, CIS male entrepreneur: always talking while actually saying and doing nothing, yet somehow also doling out tasks and taking credit for everything that happens anywhere in his vicinity. Brian, unfortunately, is not much better. He is selfish, self-centered, and self-destructive. He ignores his friends, doesn't care about who or what he hurts, and drinks and does drugs to exist in a perpetual state of oblivion.
Brian's coworker friends, however, I did greatly enjoy. They aren't perfect either, with some realistic character flaws, but they aren't annoying in the way Tyler and Brian are and are responsible for the only real elements of humor within the book.
It wasn't until around chapters 6 or 7 when I started enjoying the book for what it had to say, though I didn't fully engage with the story until the climax near the end. Ultimately, my disappointment in this book lay in my own expectations with it. Don't go into this looking for a fantasy/action werewolf book or even a humorous satire (because the humor is scarce). If you go into this expecting a commentary on toxic masculinity with a slight fantasy element, you will likely enjoy it.
Sadly, I ended the book feeling very...mid. Despite what the title suggests, this is not really a book about werewolves and it definitely didn't have the humor that the title seemed to me to promise. In the full book, there were three werewolf scenes and two of those were only a few short paragraphs in length.
Where the book did deliver is in the commentary on toxic masculinity.
Tyler is the exact type of guy that I despise, which is intentional by the author. He is a stereotype of reasonably rich, white, CIS male entrepreneur: always talking while actually saying and doing nothing, yet somehow also doling out tasks and taking credit for everything that happens anywhere in his vicinity. Brian, unfortunately, is not much better. He is selfish, self-centered, and self-destructive. He ignores his friends, doesn't care about who or what he hurts, and drinks and does drugs to exist in a perpetual state of oblivion.
Brian's coworker friends, however, I did greatly enjoy. They aren't perfect either, with some realistic character flaws, but they aren't annoying in the way Tyler and Brian are and are responsible for the only real elements of humor within the book.
It wasn't until around chapters 6 or 7 when I started enjoying the book for what it had to say, though I didn't fully engage with the story until the climax near the end. Ultimately, my disappointment in this book lay in my own expectations with it. Don't go into this looking for a fantasy/action werewolf book or even a humorous satire (because the humor is scarce). If you go into this expecting a commentary on toxic masculinity with a slight fantasy element, you will likely enjoy it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Violence, Alcoholism, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Homophobia
not_another_ana's review
adventurous
challenging
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher
Brian is going through a rough patch. A minimum wage job as a server, a bad relationship with his family, an unifinished degree, oh yeah and the fact that every month he transforms into a werewolf and mauls people to death. One day he crosses paths with Tyler, a fellow werewolf and entrepreneur, who seems to not only be in control of his lycanthropy but is also willing to help Brian out. But Tyler's ideas of how to manage the change take a concerning turn that will put Brian in a difficult and dangerous position.
I liked the main concept of this book but I just couldn't get into it. It's a satire of toxic masculinity, the grind, and the monetization of all facets of life. Tyler is a caricature of a white cis straight male entrepreneur, the kind that talks big game yet never says anything. The book confronts what happens when these kind of people get told no and I did enjoy that, it made me laugh at times while also ringing quite true. I think it's the werewolf bit that disappointed me. It was one of the main reasons why I picked it up so I was frustrated that the author rarely went into the specifics of it. The transformation, the pros and the cons, the loss of control, etc.
The tone of this book felt odd at times. It had all these funny moments and little quips that were well done but clashed with these supposedly serious situations. It came across as a Marvel movie at times, the crucial plot points never had time to breathe and unfold. I did enjoy the characters, though I liked Nik and Darby more than our protagonist. Other than that it was fine but predictable, I saw the big plot twist at the end coming from a mile away and was incredibly displeased with the closing scene. Bottom line if you were interested in this because of the werewolf aspect I recommend you skip it.
Brian is going through a rough patch. A minimum wage job as a server, a bad relationship with his family, an unifinished degree, oh yeah and the fact that every month he transforms into a werewolf and mauls people to death. One day he crosses paths with Tyler, a fellow werewolf and entrepreneur, who seems to not only be in control of his lycanthropy but is also willing to help Brian out. But Tyler's ideas of how to manage the change take a concerning turn that will put Brian in a difficult and dangerous position.
I liked the main concept of this book but I just couldn't get into it. It's a satire of toxic masculinity, the grind, and the monetization of all facets of life. Tyler is a caricature of a white cis straight male entrepreneur, the kind that talks big game yet never says anything. The book confronts what happens when these kind of people get told no and I did enjoy that, it made me laugh at times while also ringing quite true. I think it's the werewolf bit that disappointed me. It was one of the main reasons why I picked it up so I was frustrated that the author rarely went into the specifics of it. The transformation, the pros and the cons, the loss of control, etc.
The tone of this book felt odd at times. It had all these funny moments and little quips that were well done but clashed with these supposedly serious situations. It came across as a Marvel movie at times, the crucial plot points never had time to breathe and unfold. I did enjoy the characters, though I liked Nik and Darby more than our protagonist. Other than that it was fine but predictable, I saw the big plot twist at the end coming from a mile away and was incredibly displeased with the closing scene. Bottom line if you were interested in this because of the werewolf aspect I recommend you skip it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Alcoholism, Animal death, Alcohol, and Sexual content
Moderate: Drug use, Medical content, Gun violence, and Bullying
grets_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Gun violence, Violence, and Murder
Minor: Drug use, Alcoholism, and Blood
e_r_q's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
"Brian liked learning about the moon, how astrology and folklore brought a magic and queerness to the werewolf stuff that was otherwise always so carnal and aggressive."
Personally, I believe Werewolves have always been an inherently queer concept, as they disrupt the binaries of gender, sexuality and even humanity. But, in Bored Gay Werewolf, through his very witty and engaging writing, Tony Santorella brings the concept back to its queer (and matriarchal) roots, whilst also criticising the toxically masculine heteronormative alpha trope that has plagued the werewolf genre.
🐺🏳️🌈
Bored Gay Werewolf is not only a genuinely relatable portrait of the modern queer experience, but it also explores an incredibly creative"Werewolf business/pyramid scheme" concept. The main cast of characters are also extremely lovable and well-crafted.
It's a very well paced novel, however some stuff feels a bit too rushed or glossed over. It honestly could do with being a bit longer, so it has more room to flesh things out and explore some ideas further. But it ends on the note that suggests the potential for sequels, so hopefully there will be the opportunity for expansion in those books.
"He tries to remember how he came out to his parents. Maybe he could use that as a template ... although there is no werewolf equivalent of finding gay porn on the family computer."
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Blood, Death, Murder, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, and Violence
Minor: Homophobia
atomicbritt's review against another edition
dark
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore, Violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Drug use
Minor: Animal cruelty