Full of heart and mystery... This is Not a Werewolf Story by Sandra Evans (Blog Tour Review, Guest Post & Giveaway)

Sunday, December 11, 2016 - Leave a Comment

I posted an excerpt for this tour last week here (if you'd like to go check that out). I'm posting again with a review and a guest post - this awesome newsletter page (you should read them all in order as they're super fun!!). Read those and enter the giveaway below...

This is Not a Werewolf Story

by Sandra Evans

Middle Grade Fantasy
Hardcover & ebook, 352 pages
July 26th 2016 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Summary

This is the story of Raul, a boy of few words, fewer friends, and almost no family. He is a loner—but he isn’t lonely. All week long he looks after the younger boys at One Of Our Kind Boarding School while dodging the barbs of terrible Tuffman, the jerk of a gym teacher.

Like every other kid in the world, he longs for Fridays, but not for the usual reasons. As soon as the other students go home for the weekend, Raul makes his way to a lighthouse deep in the heart of the woods. There he waits for sunset—and the mysterious, marvelous phenomenon that allows him to go home, too. But the woods have secrets . . . and so does Raul. When a new kid arrives at school, they may not stay secret for long.

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My Review

THIS IS NOT A WEREWOLF STORY is a story not to be missed! Full of endearing characters, some science, a little magic, and a whole lot of heart, it's sure to delight readers. A perfect story for tweens, especially boys ages ten to thirteen, but highly enjoyable for all.

This is probably one of the best middle grade books I've read. Part of that is due to my son being absolutely perfect for this book and being able to share it with him. The other part is just that it's written fabulously well. The characters are spot-on with their insecurities, fears, reactions, choices, and hopes. The humor felt natural and added a lot to the story as well. There's also the mix of science and magic that I loved with plenty of twists and turns so that there is a constant undertone of mystery.

Then there is the emotional aspect of this story. Some of these characters are just plain mean. Some are disloyal. Some are sweet. Some try to act tough, but are big softies, or act like softies, but are quite tough. Some are super smart in some ways and not at all in others. It felt like what everyone experiences in school growing up with all those different personalities. There are some really tough things that Raul faces as do some of the other characters. I immediately connected with him and because that connection was there, I really felt for Raul and was emotionally invested in what happens. There is so much heart in this story!

I also have to mention that there are a ton of lines or parts that I could quote that resonated with me. I could fill pages, but you'll just have to read the book to get them all. They were fantastic! Here's one I'll share:

There's a lot I don't understand. I think I'm becoming a wonderer, like Dean Swift. The less I know, the more there is to discover.

In the end, was it what I wished for? A resounding yes! This was so very, very good. Definitely worth the read and a book I highly recommend!

Content: Some instances of bullying and violence, but clean.
Source: Received a complimentary copy from the publisher through Prism Book Tours, which did not require a review nor affect it in any way.

Guest Post

This is a page from Raul's boarding school's newsletter (the second out of six):

About the Author

Sandra Evans is a writer and teacher from the Pacific Northwest. Her forthcoming middle grade novel, This is Not a Werewolf Story (Simon & Schuster July 2016), was inspired by her favorite 12th century French tale, Bisclavret, by Marie de France. Born in Washington state, Sandra spent her childhood on U.S. Navy bases from Florida to Hawaii, and returned to the Northwest as a teenager. Since then, she has lived and traveled in France and Europe, but has never strayed far for long from the Puget Sound region.

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Tour Schedule

November 28th: Launch