Quick Review: Never Cry Werewolf by Heather Davis

Title: Never Cry Werewolf
Author: Heather Davis
Publisher/Publication Date: Harper Teen/Sept.1, 2009
Source: bought from charity auction/paperback/216 pages




Goodreads Summary:

Moonlight can totally change your life.

And it all starts so simply.

You. Him.

The moon.

You're toast.

Okay, so maybe Shelby has made a few mistakes with boys lately (how was she supposed to know Wes had "borrowed" that Porsche?). But her stepmother "totally" overreacts when she catches Shelby in a post-curfew kiss with a hot senior: Suddenly Shelby's summer plans are on the shelf, and she's being packed off to brat camp. It's good-bye, prom dress; hello, hiking boots.

Things start looking up, though, when Shelby meets fellow camper (and son of a rock star) Austin Bridges III. But soon she realizes there's more to Austin than crush material--his family has a dark secret, and he wants Shelby's help guarding it. Shelby knows that she "really" shouldn't be getting tangled up with another bad boy . . . but who is she to turn her back on a guy in need, especially such a good-looking one? One thing's for sure: That pesky full moon is about to get her into trouble all over again.

My Feelings:

This was one of those "so-so" books for me.  The cover is okay; it isn't something that really jumps out at me, although I do like the red riding hood reference.  Cliche but still fun.  

I am a huge fan of anything "werewolf" so I was pretty stoked to be reading this...until I actually started reading it.  It just didn't grab me and hold me tight.  

In a lot of places it was just boring.  Plain and simple.  In other parts it made me feel like this was a story about a bunch of rich spoiled brats...wait it kinda is.  

Even though there is a werewolf in the book, it didn't really seem like a werewolf romance.  

Our main character, Shelby, gets forced to go to a troubled teens camp because she basically ticked off her stepmother one too many times.  She feels like her dad doesn't respect her anymore since her mom died and she pretty much hates her stepmother.  Wow that sounds like other fairy tales we know of too.  

Shelby is likable but she just wasn't my type of character.  The way she talked about the moonlight, it almost seemed like she was a little more paranormal.  But she was more of a hormone fueled teenage girl.  

Then there is our heroine's love interest, Austin, the famous son of a rock star, who enters the picture in a leather jacket.  It seems like all potential bad boys must wear leather jacket in order to be said bad boy, huh?  

I did like Ariel though.  She is the quirky girl who doesn't act like the spoiled rich girl but instead the insightful friend that helps you figure out the problem.  I thought she was cute and loved how she was automatically drawn to Shelby even though Shelby was the loner in the group.  

This isn't a terrible story but it wasn't the most exciting piece I have ever read either.  I felt like we were constantly being told how dangerous Austin's shift would be but when we finally get to witness the wolf, it was more like "bleh" than "wow!"  

I just like my werewolf stories, even YA novels, with more bite and this one didn't have it for me.  With that being said, I do think someone who wants a quick read and is more there for the teenage romance than the paranormal aspect might enjoy this book.  

I gave Never Cry Werewolf 2 hearts.

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