Scan barcode
A review by gnashchick
I Was a Teenage Weredeer by Michael Suttkus, C.T. Phipps
5.0
The first thing I loved about this book was that it didn’t take itself too seriously. My usual fare is horror and dark SF, but every now and then, I need to read something that makes me laugh. I got a kick out of “Straight Outta Fangton” and a return to this world where supernatural creatures could be lurking behind the counter of your local gas-n-go, just trying to make a buck, was a welcome opportunity. Or in this case, working at the Deerlightful Diner. It’s not hard to figure out that puns abound in this book. Most are eye-rollingly bad (as they should be) but that’s a big part of the charm.
The story revolves around a mysterious death, old family rivalries, small-town nastiness and the magic that makes everything that much weirder…or weredeer, depending on your point of view. Jane Doe and her friend Emma O’Henry, a werewolf, are embroiled in the search for Victoria O’Henry’s murderer. Jane’s brother, Jeremy, is the prime suspect and she’s determined to prove that he’s innocent of murder. Her natural powers of foresight and magic, a posse of friends and a wizardly FBI agent lead them all down a frightening path of mystery, intrigue, and danger.
The second thing I loved was the cast of characters and how their shifter natures played off each other. For example, when werewolves are around, Jane is keenly aware that she’s a prey species. The banter between characters is smart, funny and reeks of teenage angst. Like Fangton, this is our world, only more magically delicious, so the riffs and references to pop culture made the book more immersive for me. I was slightly put off by a bit too much banter during tense scenes, though.
Lastly, don’t let the jokes and puns fool you. This story gets darker as the clues unfold. It’s not just a whodunit, and the deeper the investigation goes, the more complicated the situation becomes. Like any small town, Bright Falls has its own microcosm of societal ills, and those rise to the surface no matter how hard people try to keep them secret. I absolutely don’t want to spoil anything, but I will mention a content warning for abusive behavior.
My main complaint is rather like my waistline – it sags a little. It happens. Pacing is tough, and I understand that some chapters need to be there to give readers a chance to breathe, get to know a character, or enjoy a little comic relief, but there was a little too much of that right around the middle of the book. However, the wind-up to the end fixed all of that and left me thoroughly satisfied.
I recommend this for people looking for an entertaining read that offers humor, thrills, and touches on serious subjects. I’m looking forward to more from Jane Doe, and other stories from this magical world.
The story revolves around a mysterious death, old family rivalries, small-town nastiness and the magic that makes everything that much weirder…or weredeer, depending on your point of view. Jane Doe and her friend Emma O’Henry, a werewolf, are embroiled in the search for Victoria O’Henry’s murderer. Jane’s brother, Jeremy, is the prime suspect and she’s determined to prove that he’s innocent of murder. Her natural powers of foresight and magic, a posse of friends and a wizardly FBI agent lead them all down a frightening path of mystery, intrigue, and danger.
The second thing I loved was the cast of characters and how their shifter natures played off each other. For example, when werewolves are around, Jane is keenly aware that she’s a prey species. The banter between characters is smart, funny and reeks of teenage angst. Like Fangton, this is our world, only more magically delicious, so the riffs and references to pop culture made the book more immersive for me. I was slightly put off by a bit too much banter during tense scenes, though.
Lastly, don’t let the jokes and puns fool you. This story gets darker as the clues unfold. It’s not just a whodunit, and the deeper the investigation goes, the more complicated the situation becomes. Like any small town, Bright Falls has its own microcosm of societal ills, and those rise to the surface no matter how hard people try to keep them secret. I absolutely don’t want to spoil anything, but I will mention a content warning for abusive behavior.
My main complaint is rather like my waistline – it sags a little. It happens. Pacing is tough, and I understand that some chapters need to be there to give readers a chance to breathe, get to know a character, or enjoy a little comic relief, but there was a little too much of that right around the middle of the book. However, the wind-up to the end fixed all of that and left me thoroughly satisfied.
I recommend this for people looking for an entertaining read that offers humor, thrills, and touches on serious subjects. I’m looking forward to more from Jane Doe, and other stories from this magical world.