Book Review: Weregirl by C.D. Bell

weregirl-ciSynopsis: C. D. Bell’s WEREGIRL is a fast-paced teen thriller set in Tether, Michigan, a town on the brink of shutdown since it was stripped of its resources by corporate polluter Dutch Chemical. High school junior Nessa Kurland is a cross-country runner with her eyes set on one thing: a college scholarship as her one-way ticket out of Tether. 

Talented teammate Cynthia Sinise invites Nessa on a nighttime run through Tether’s overgrown forest trails. But she speeds ahead, leaving Nessa alone to discover a trapped wolf. Nessa tries to free the animal but is badly bitten, seemingly ruining her hopes for a strong fall season with the cross-country team. 

Instead, Nessa’s freakishly quick recovery is followed by improved running times. All her senses are heightened. Nessa has transformed. 

She has become a werewolf. 


TRB Review – 3.5/5

Weregirl is a feminist twist on a classic usually male-driven werewolf transformation story. It was dramatic, witty, and detailed – just not exactly my cup of tea.

A little bird told me that this was going to be better than the Twilight series, which I can happily say is true. It’s a much more feminist story with a very strong and determined female lead character. Unlike the gloomy and uninteresting Bella Swan, Nessa fights hard for what she believes in and although she is struggling through the story with her changes and adjusting to the new life that she’s be chosen for, she remains feisty and curious.

I unfortunately was not a fan of this author’s writing style. There were countless sentences where unnecessary information was added in parenthesis, I find this to be an overused and frankly loose form of writing that I have difficulty appreciating. This book is not necessarily dramatically high school level, but I would say that it is geared more so towards readers who appreciate or can relate to said age group’s maturity level and way of behaving. One thing that I did enjoy was the occasional pop of very expressive scenery and senses.

“She could hear the running of water, the music of wind in the trees. She could smell the heaviness of leaves turning to soil, the acidity given off the broken branch of a pine tree.” Weregirl, pg. 150

I was pleased that the author included more than just the expected teenage wolf drama. The side story of the town’s chemical exposure kept me intrigued, it was a buffer that was very welcome and moved the story farther along that just a normal “girl gets turned into a wolf and has to find her place in the world again” story. Overall, the story is well rounded and the characters are nicely developed. This was an uncorrected ARC, so it’s very possible that the grammatical issues I had were entirely based off this fact. Regardless, I was impressed with the multi-faceted story weaving that was done, and the fact that this wasn’t your average teenage angst werewolf tale. I’d suggest this to anyone that doesn’t mind a little high school drama and enjoys a good feminist lead character.


I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author’s publicist in exchange for an honest review.


About the author:

weregirl-author-picWhen she’s not biking the streets of Brooklyn, NY, you can find C. D. Bell writing in a decrepit RV clinging to the side of a hill in upstate New York, trying to teach herself to watercolor, or inventing her own recipes. She is a voracious reader of anything and everything fantasy, supernatural, or romance. And she swears that the monsters she often writes about are not real— at least she hopes not.

The second installment of the WEREGIRL trilogy is already in the works.

You can follow the Weregirl team via Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter or visit the official website for updates & info!

Order this book via one of your favorite retailers today!
Amazon, Book DepositoryBarnes & Noble, or purchase an autographed copy here!

Subscription Review: BookCase.Club

BookCase.Club is a monthly book subscription box that caters to fans of multiple genres including Young Adult, Mystery/Thriller, Sci-Fi, Children’s Paranormal Romance, Romance, Cookbooks, and Military. Each box includes 2 hand-picked books from the genre of your choosing along with an information page and a note from the team. My first month’s subscription was to the “Teenage Dream Case.”


This box was paid for by me, for me, specifically for use in this review. It was in no way sponsored by or provided by a third party.


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Subscription Details:

The Box: BookCase.Club
The Cost: Starting at $9.99 plus s&h ($5.00 to the US only)
Discounts: Varying, 10% off up to 25% off for a 3-month subscription
What’s Inside: 2 hand-picked novels from the genre of your choice

TRB Review:

This box was a bit of a different approach to the monthly subscription boxes that I’ve seen. Most of the ones that I’ve signed up for so far have been a bit pricey ($30+/month), but they’ve also been themed and have included more than just books (bookish themed goodies). I immediately liked this box because you know exactly what to expect from it – 2 mystery choice books and THAT’S IT! You are even able to switch your genre monthly, it just needs to be done by the time the new billing period begins (the 10th of each month).

The sign up options are simple and very similar to that of other boxes. You can get a 1, 3, 6, or 12-month subscription saving you anywhere from $2 per quarter up to $20/year.

pricing

There are two genre options that only send out quarterly (Cookbooks & Military) and the rest are a monthly subscription. Shipping is only available to US residents at the moment, but it is a flat rate of $5.00 per box and that seems completely reasonable to me.

Unboxing & Contents:

img_1985There is no real “presentation” with this box, but if you think about it it’s really not even necessary. Since this box only contains books, there’s no need for special innards or a certain style of packing. They packaged it well, there was some tissue paper taking up the excess space and the books were in perfect shape when they arrived.

Each box contains a page with a description/explanation of the books as well as a note or two from the team. The back has all of their contact info, which I love especially since the hashtags are there for you to reference on social media!

I also love that it was hand signed by Melissa, it’s a great personal touch!

In this month’s “Teenage Dreams Case” there were two YA books, one of which was a paperback and the other a hardcover. I like this combo because I can never choose what books I want to own in which format, it takes the guesswork out of it all and I was very pleased with having received a hardcover in the mix having paid less than $15 for the box.

img_1987The first of the two novels, Life After Theft by Aprilynne Pike, is a paperback YA novel published in 2014. Amazon says about the book, “Aprilynne Pike, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Wings series, shines in this stand-alone novel that offers a humorous twist on ghosts and is perfect for fans of Ally Carter, Rachel Hawkins, and Kiersten White. Paying for your mistakes takes on a whole new meaning in this clever and exhilarating modern retelling of The Scarlet Pimpernel. Kirkus Reviews called Life After Theft “a brisk, down-to-earth thriller,” and School Library Journal proclaimed it a “whirlwind adventure full of secrets, lies, unlikely friendships, and romance.”

Approx. Value: $9.99 via Amazon w/ free Prime shipping

img_1976The box’s second novel, Denton’s Little Death Date by Lance Rubin, is a hardcover reprint edition published in 2015. Amazon says, “Get ready to die laughing: this is an outrageously funny ride through the last hours of a teenager’s life as he searches for love, meaning, answers, and (just maybe) a way to live on.” Some reviews via Amazon – “Rubin is really funny but like John Green, he manages to be poignant at the same time. You’ll laugh out loud while you read this, but you’re probably going to tear up a bit too.” —Bustle

“An utterly enjoyable, engrossing page-turner.” — Bulletin

Approx. Value: $11.38 via Amazon w/ free Prime shipping

The overall worth of the books in this box came to just under $22.00 factoring in the free Prime shipping if you subscribe to that service. I paid $13.49 for my first box (using a 15% off code), that puts the savings at roughly $8.50 – that’s saving enough to buy another paperback book if you ask me! But here I am being a penny pincher ;)

Packaging Quality – 5/5
Content Quality – 4/5
Overall Rating – 4.5/5 

I was very happy with this subscription box, and plan to continue with my service! Although you truly aren’t saving a ton, the trouble of having to go to the store, read through and choose new books, etc. is all taken care of for you and coming from a chronically non-social person who doesn’t care to go to the bookstore anyway, it’s PERFECT!

The only thing that I am not a huge fan of, is that the books are not new releases. I don’t mind reading older books (these were within the last 2 years), and I imagine they get a discount purchasing books this way, but I think it would be more enticing if the content was a bit newer. Again though looking at the cost and convenience aspect, totally worth it.

If you haven’t already, make sure you check these guys out and get signed up. They offer great customer service, tracking info when your package ships, and a fantastic array of books delivered to your front door for a very minimal price. If you’re not a fan of all the “stuff” that comes with other boxes and don’t see paying for it if you won’t use it (like I came to the conclusion with my Owlcrate box earlier this month), and you don’t mind reading something that could be a few years old – then this is the box for you.

What subscription boxes are you subscribed to monthly? We are curious to find out and discover new boxes so please, comment below or contact us if you’d like for us to review a subscription box that you manage!

XOXO
Savana C.