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WHEREWOLVES
Using a fun, explosive style, full of new slang and fresh dialogue, WHEREWOLVES is the story of a group of high school seniors, most “military brats”, who are headed for an army-type survival weekend.
The underdogs, Jeffrey and Doris, do not want to go as they fear for their safety among the disdain and cruelty of the popular students. Sergeant Tim O’Sullivan, their teacher, as well as their dysfunctional parents pressure them into going, but it is an unforgivable act by their peers that propels the pair to go. Likewise, Elie, a student resented because of his Arab roots, is even more determined to prove himself this weekend. In the background, a news report cautions of a wanted couple with alleged super-human strength supposedly brought on by a new drug on the streets.
In the woods, the students hike, hunt, camp, and soon act in unity as the forest brings them closer together. But does it? O’Sullivan leaves them alone for the night. The students bond, chant, tell campfire tales, and quickly lose their fears and inhibitions. HOO-AH! Though sexual tensions are high, it soon turns to violence and everything quickly turns sour.
When the kids start disappearing one after the other, the remaining begin to unwittingly “act like the natives” carving spears, ready to face whatever is out there. What has gotten into them?
Amid the blood-curdling growls and the gruesome deaths, the story’s underlying layers are revealed. We see how misconceptions, prejudice, greed, fear, and hatred bring out the worst and best in them.
What is out there? Can it really be werewolves?
The underdogs, Jeffrey and Doris, do not want to go as they fear for their safety among the disdain and cruelty of the popular students. Sergeant Tim O’Sullivan, their teacher, as well as their dysfunctional parents pressure them into going, but it is an unforgivable act by their peers that propels the pair to go. Likewise, Elie, a student resented because of his Arab roots, is even more determined to prove himself this weekend. In the background, a news report cautions of a wanted couple with alleged super-human strength supposedly brought on by a new drug on the streets.
In the woods, the students hike, hunt, camp, and soon act in unity as the forest brings them closer together. But does it? O’Sullivan leaves them alone for the night. The students bond, chant, tell campfire tales, and quickly lose their fears and inhibitions. HOO-AH! Though sexual tensions are high, it soon turns to violence and everything quickly turns sour.
When the kids start disappearing one after the other, the remaining begin to unwittingly “act like the natives” carving spears, ready to face whatever is out there. What has gotten into them?
Amid the blood-curdling growls and the gruesome deaths, the story’s underlying layers are revealed. We see how misconceptions, prejudice, greed, fear, and hatred bring out the worst and best in them.
What is out there? Can it really be werewolves?
- GenresHorrorParanormal
210 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 17, 2013
About the author
John Vamvas
1 book130 followersJohn Vamvas grew up in one of Montreal's (Canada) roughest boroughs. His high school teachers always told him that he'd be in jail or dead by eighteen. Thank God for the Arts. Actor, playwright, screenwriter and now novelist, he has been writing with his writing partner/wife, Olga Montes, for over twenty years. He loves words, especially dialogue, and has a lot of fun coming up with new ways to say the same thing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
October 14, 2019
I read this back in 2015, but never wrote the review. I have a ton of notes, so that must mean I would be sharing too much. Don’t want to spoil anything. Ya know, a group of kids goes in the woods, I think we all know that some are going to be left behind.
S ize up the situation, surroundings, physical conditions, equipment
U se your senses
R ember where you are
V anquish fear and panic
I mprovise and improve
V alue living
A ct like the natives
L ive by your wits
Most of the characters left a lot to be desired, so it was hard to feel sorry for them. They are seriously damaged
I didn’t see where the story was going and I do love the twist. Brutal. I wanted blood and guts and gore and I got it.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Wherewolves by John Vamvas & Olga Montes.
See more at fundinmental
S ize up the situation, surroundings, physical conditions, equipment
U se your senses
R ember where you are
V anquish fear and panic
I mprovise and improve
V alue living
A ct like the natives
L ive by your wits
Most of the characters left a lot to be desired, so it was hard to feel sorry for them. They are seriously damaged
I didn’t see where the story was going and I do love the twist. Brutal. I wanted blood and guts and gore and I got it.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Wherewolves by John Vamvas & Olga Montes.
See more at fundinmental
April 1, 2013
John Vamvas and Olga Montes’s WHEREWOLVES is a horror novel that goes a step beyond the expected. In part, it’s about a group of troubled teens trying to survive an unthinkable horror during a school-sponsored weekend survival trip. But the actual horror here has less to do with the creatures that ruthlessly attack the teens than it does the adults who orchestrated it all – and with their ultimate motives.
WHEREWOLVES begins with a woman running frantically from some sort of creatures. Vamvas and Montes do an admirable job creating heart-pounding tension as Dilly fights for her life. We get just brief glimpses of whatever it is that’s chasing her, but it’s enough. When a hapless truck driver tries to help, things get even more chillingly terrifying. Then the novel shifts to Hooper High School where a group of unruly teens are preparing for a survival trip sponsored by their teacher, a retired military hero named O’Sullivan. These are real kids, warts and all, and they talk and act pretty much the way we would expect them to. Most of them are angry and defensive, some are bullies, a few are downright dangerous, and none of them – with two possible exceptions – are particularly likable. These are all military brats whose parents were killed or damaged in Iraq, or who have experienced other terrors in their young lives. And O’Sullivan hopes to use the survival weekend to help them get past the trauma and find the strength and heroism he believes lies within them.
Unfortunately, things go very wrong. When O’Sullivan leaves the kids on their own for the night, the same creatures we saw at the start of the novel begin to wreak havoc on the campsite, picking off the kids in horror-movie fashion. But what’s really going on? There are hints here of the 2012 film “Cabin in the Woods,” which means there’s more to what’s happening than we think. In the end, we find ourselves back at the beginning, but this time it all makes sense. And it’s more horrible than we ever could have imagined.
This novel is being marketed to the “mature Young Adult” or “New Adult” markets, which means you should expect heavy doses of profanity, sex, and violence. And Vamvas and Montes don’t disappoint. The teens in this novel pretty much do nothing but spew profanity and lust after each other. And once the carnage kicks into high gear (about two-thirds of the way in), there’s enough blood and guts to satisfy any horror fan. This is not a book for younger teens, and parents should be warned that even though the main characters are high school students this novel does not read like a YA title.
My only real criticism is that the majority of WHEREWOLVES focuses on O’Sullivan’s class of troubled teens, meaning readers do have to slog through a whole lot of teen nonsense on the way to the denouement. I have to admit to getting a little impatient for the creatures to resurface as I plowed my way through the pranks, bullying, sexual repartee, and general teenage shenanigans. And there were a few of those kids I couldn’t wait to see torn apart by beasts in the night. But Vamvas and Montes do eventually deliver, and the payoff is worth the wait, so be patient. I’m just not sure New Adult readers (usually in their early twenties) would be as interested in all this teen angst as younger readers might. But with all the graphic violence, sex, and language, this is not a book for younger teens.
The authors have said that WHEREWOLVES is “not so much a horror story as it is a social commentary,” and I do agree with that. The book is more about the world we live in – and how we treat each other – than it is about monsters in the night. “Despite their lack of likability,” the authors said, “we hope our characters’ humanity shines through, thus distorting the reader’s concept of good and bad, black and white, right and wrong.” That’s an excellent assessment of what happens in WHEREWOLVES. This is one horror novel that will have you thinking long after you’ve finished reading.
[Please note: I was provided a copy of this book for review; the opinions expressed here are my own.]
WHEREWOLVES begins with a woman running frantically from some sort of creatures. Vamvas and Montes do an admirable job creating heart-pounding tension as Dilly fights for her life. We get just brief glimpses of whatever it is that’s chasing her, but it’s enough. When a hapless truck driver tries to help, things get even more chillingly terrifying. Then the novel shifts to Hooper High School where a group of unruly teens are preparing for a survival trip sponsored by their teacher, a retired military hero named O’Sullivan. These are real kids, warts and all, and they talk and act pretty much the way we would expect them to. Most of them are angry and defensive, some are bullies, a few are downright dangerous, and none of them – with two possible exceptions – are particularly likable. These are all military brats whose parents were killed or damaged in Iraq, or who have experienced other terrors in their young lives. And O’Sullivan hopes to use the survival weekend to help them get past the trauma and find the strength and heroism he believes lies within them.
Unfortunately, things go very wrong. When O’Sullivan leaves the kids on their own for the night, the same creatures we saw at the start of the novel begin to wreak havoc on the campsite, picking off the kids in horror-movie fashion. But what’s really going on? There are hints here of the 2012 film “Cabin in the Woods,” which means there’s more to what’s happening than we think. In the end, we find ourselves back at the beginning, but this time it all makes sense. And it’s more horrible than we ever could have imagined.
This novel is being marketed to the “mature Young Adult” or “New Adult” markets, which means you should expect heavy doses of profanity, sex, and violence. And Vamvas and Montes don’t disappoint. The teens in this novel pretty much do nothing but spew profanity and lust after each other. And once the carnage kicks into high gear (about two-thirds of the way in), there’s enough blood and guts to satisfy any horror fan. This is not a book for younger teens, and parents should be warned that even though the main characters are high school students this novel does not read like a YA title.
My only real criticism is that the majority of WHEREWOLVES focuses on O’Sullivan’s class of troubled teens, meaning readers do have to slog through a whole lot of teen nonsense on the way to the denouement. I have to admit to getting a little impatient for the creatures to resurface as I plowed my way through the pranks, bullying, sexual repartee, and general teenage shenanigans. And there were a few of those kids I couldn’t wait to see torn apart by beasts in the night. But Vamvas and Montes do eventually deliver, and the payoff is worth the wait, so be patient. I’m just not sure New Adult readers (usually in their early twenties) would be as interested in all this teen angst as younger readers might. But with all the graphic violence, sex, and language, this is not a book for younger teens.
The authors have said that WHEREWOLVES is “not so much a horror story as it is a social commentary,” and I do agree with that. The book is more about the world we live in – and how we treat each other – than it is about monsters in the night. “Despite their lack of likability,” the authors said, “we hope our characters’ humanity shines through, thus distorting the reader’s concept of good and bad, black and white, right and wrong.” That’s an excellent assessment of what happens in WHEREWOLVES. This is one horror novel that will have you thinking long after you’ve finished reading.
[Please note: I was provided a copy of this book for review; the opinions expressed here are my own.]
August 29, 2014
I’m a huge fan of B- movies and this reads like a good one. As I read each scene I easily and gleefully visualized it, every bloody bit of it.
A group of troubled teens are taken into the woods for a survival weekend. The teacher leaves them to fend for themselves. I know. Seen ir or read it before…. you think.
The author brings a lot to the table, introducing you to the characters which consist of the typical jocks, bullies, and geeks. You get to know what drives them, what scares them, before they even enter the woods that night.
As dark approaches, they huddle around the campfire telling stories. It might not be a cozy gathering, but things aren’t too bad. Until they sense something watching them.
This is where the story gets gritty. I love character driven novels and how, when a group is faced with a life or death situation, the dynamics come into play. It takes just a few hours for the fight or flight instincts to consume the teens and chaos to reign once some of the group go missing.
The screaming and snarling from the deep dark of the woods scatters the group and they fear each other as much as what’s stalking them.
The authors brought it all to the table, the fear of the dark, the peer pressure, the teen angst, and the will to survive. This book may have teen characters, but I don’t think there’s much difference between how they acted and a group of adults would act. If you’ve watched Stephen King’s The Mist, you can see how quickly adults succumb to their own fears. In fact, I think the teens might be better prepared for something like this. They aren’t that far from when they feared the bogey man under the bed and may be quicker to believe the unimaginable.
From the title you get a clue to what’s stalking these teens. Feral beasts from your nightmares. These aren’t shifters. They don’t turn into humans and they are horrific in their maniacal glee as they rampage through the group.
I knew what was waiting out in the woods, I knew not everyone would survive, and I knew some would turn on each other and that filled me with trepidation, built the tension to a fever pitch, and had me jumping when my dog suddenly barked at something outside. His own special effects to set the mood for me.
I just love a good werewolf book without the shifter glamour and romance. It was a bloody frolic right to the deliciously wicked ending.
I received this book for my honest review.
A group of troubled teens are taken into the woods for a survival weekend. The teacher leaves them to fend for themselves. I know. Seen ir or read it before…. you think.
The author brings a lot to the table, introducing you to the characters which consist of the typical jocks, bullies, and geeks. You get to know what drives them, what scares them, before they even enter the woods that night.
As dark approaches, they huddle around the campfire telling stories. It might not be a cozy gathering, but things aren’t too bad. Until they sense something watching them.
This is where the story gets gritty. I love character driven novels and how, when a group is faced with a life or death situation, the dynamics come into play. It takes just a few hours for the fight or flight instincts to consume the teens and chaos to reign once some of the group go missing.
The screaming and snarling from the deep dark of the woods scatters the group and they fear each other as much as what’s stalking them.
The authors brought it all to the table, the fear of the dark, the peer pressure, the teen angst, and the will to survive. This book may have teen characters, but I don’t think there’s much difference between how they acted and a group of adults would act. If you’ve watched Stephen King’s The Mist, you can see how quickly adults succumb to their own fears. In fact, I think the teens might be better prepared for something like this. They aren’t that far from when they feared the bogey man under the bed and may be quicker to believe the unimaginable.
From the title you get a clue to what’s stalking these teens. Feral beasts from your nightmares. These aren’t shifters. They don’t turn into humans and they are horrific in their maniacal glee as they rampage through the group.
I knew what was waiting out in the woods, I knew not everyone would survive, and I knew some would turn on each other and that filled me with trepidation, built the tension to a fever pitch, and had me jumping when my dog suddenly barked at something outside. His own special effects to set the mood for me.
I just love a good werewolf book without the shifter glamour and romance. It was a bloody frolic right to the deliciously wicked ending.
I received this book for my honest review.
April 3, 2013
The book starts off with a pretty decent action scene which gets your attention. The action is described using short bursts of sentences, not long and overburdened with excessive detail. Some people like too much detail but I like a smooth read where I don't need Google translator for the big words (yes I'm literate, but like I said I enjoy fun, smooth reads.)
The dialogue, the important part, is VERY believable and even the characters thoughts come out as believable. By that I mean the dialogue is something that you'd most likely actually hear, not contrived. The dialogue and character interactions are true-to-life and sometimes disturbing. Its a sad fact that kids can get tormented emotionally by peers and I love how the book chronicles both the main story and the characters lives without creating havoc. The characters develop just enough to pull you in, and they make those hard choices that, in reality, would most likely occur. For instance, if facing a monster and hanging over a cliff would you A) get eaten B) let go and fall?
The teens act and behave just a real teens do, and if you don't have kids you might not get into this aspect. When dealing with monsters its important to have as much realism as possible which leads to the chills and furrowed brow. As you read, the pages are filled with the thoughts of the characters so that you can follow the story from your perspective AND theirs. It was like a fantasy rendition of The Breakfast Club at times. Not in a boring way, but in an interactive way.
The first action scene is followed up by a surprise action scene which was more like a gift because most books go from the initial action to the story line. This book went from action to story line/action and it didn't let up for awhile.
THERE ARE TWISTS and they start on page 15. Where did the girl go? Actually, her showing up alive was the first twist. After all that, you expect her to 'turn' and eat hospital people but you get....a twist. They aren't complicated twists, only fun. You don't have to do a lot of thinking or figuring out, not those kind of twists, but twists where you THINK the story will keep heading one way and then it goes "nope" and suddenly turns you to the right a bit...then the left....then straight then to the right again. Its crazy how much i loved this read.
It keeps you engaged because you HAVE to know what is happening. The first chapter didn't seem to stop. It was so full of action that I literally couldn't even stop to answer my door. Whomever it was can come back. I was at the diner scene and not stopping.
So basically, short and easy to digest writing style. True and believable dialogue. Wonderfully detailed without over-use of big words or redundant fight scenes. It reminded me a bit of Lord of the Flies versus Silver Bullet but only way cooler. For whatever reason, i couldn't physically stop reading until the 3rd chapter.
The dialogue, the important part, is VERY believable and even the characters thoughts come out as believable. By that I mean the dialogue is something that you'd most likely actually hear, not contrived. The dialogue and character interactions are true-to-life and sometimes disturbing. Its a sad fact that kids can get tormented emotionally by peers and I love how the book chronicles both the main story and the characters lives without creating havoc. The characters develop just enough to pull you in, and they make those hard choices that, in reality, would most likely occur. For instance, if facing a monster and hanging over a cliff would you A) get eaten B) let go and fall?
The teens act and behave just a real teens do, and if you don't have kids you might not get into this aspect. When dealing with monsters its important to have as much realism as possible which leads to the chills and furrowed brow. As you read, the pages are filled with the thoughts of the characters so that you can follow the story from your perspective AND theirs. It was like a fantasy rendition of The Breakfast Club at times. Not in a boring way, but in an interactive way.
The first action scene is followed up by a surprise action scene which was more like a gift because most books go from the initial action to the story line. This book went from action to story line/action and it didn't let up for awhile.
THERE ARE TWISTS and they start on page 15. Where did the girl go? Actually, her showing up alive was the first twist. After all that, you expect her to 'turn' and eat hospital people but you get....a twist. They aren't complicated twists, only fun. You don't have to do a lot of thinking or figuring out, not those kind of twists, but twists where you THINK the story will keep heading one way and then it goes "nope" and suddenly turns you to the right a bit...then the left....then straight then to the right again. Its crazy how much i loved this read.
It keeps you engaged because you HAVE to know what is happening. The first chapter didn't seem to stop. It was so full of action that I literally couldn't even stop to answer my door. Whomever it was can come back. I was at the diner scene and not stopping.
So basically, short and easy to digest writing style. True and believable dialogue. Wonderfully detailed without over-use of big words or redundant fight scenes. It reminded me a bit of Lord of the Flies versus Silver Bullet but only way cooler. For whatever reason, i couldn't physically stop reading until the 3rd chapter.
December 11, 2021
I'll be honest and admit that I couldn't finish this book. I don't know if it was good or bad. I made around the 30% mark and gave up. I'm probably too damn old, but there was so much slang that it drove me bonkers! I JUST HAD TO QUIT. My thanks to the publishers and netgalley, but this was not for me.
Also, I kept waiting for the whowolves, whatwolves, whenwolves and whywolves to show up...snicker!😍 Lol!
Also, I kept waiting for the whowolves, whatwolves, whenwolves and whywolves to show up...snicker!😍 Lol!
June 8, 2013
Wherewolves is a powerful tale of menace and social commentary, with dark humor and clever plotting that keeps the reader knotted in its tight spiral of teen angst mixed with horror film imagery. On the surface it is a teen-in-peril tale, but the writing of the characters, the nature of the peril, and the narrative twists makes it surprising, exciting, and inventive. Characters jump off the page as vivid personifications of troubled teens caught between hormonal change, vice-like parental pressure, and the possibility of chemically induced monsters lurking in the proverbial woods. The best horror stories leave the reader with palpable frissons; this is always the ultimate aim of a good horror story: to strike uncertainty and fear in the reader; but many of these best examples also use the monster to reflect a subtext of social, cultural or political allegory. Wherewolves scores points on both these levels by appeasing the demands of a good horror story (with a bloody finale that is not for the squeamish) but also layering the `monster' (as a metaphorical `beast within') to bear the weight of social commentary on a wide range of themes: the deadly consequences of drug use; the dangers of unchecked military psychological & physiological training; the burdensome pressures of unrealistic parental expectation and lack of parental guidance. Wherewolves is a novel that rewards multiple readings, with elements of its plot twists embedded in descriptive details and foreshadowed through dialogue and narrational point of view. The story begins with a bang, in medias res, chaos in the woods, a prey and a victim. The young woman, Dilly is being chased through the woods by something feral, monstrous, dangerous, and animal-like. Like Sally from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, she is rescued by a truck driver, Drew, who battles with her against the unseen force. Once nearing safety, the state troopers arrive on the scene to help Drew and Dilly, but mysteriously, Dilly has disappeared....only to return much later as a key character. Here we see one of the strengths of the writing: the play with appearance and reality, as characters and situations, including the ultimate nature of the beast, end up not being what they appear. Here Dilly appears as a victim, chased by the `monster,' but with the gain of hindsight, is anything but a victim. The lightning paced opening ends with the force of a blunt object: Drew and the troopers arrive at a diner, where chaos seems to be brewing on the inside; the outside of the diner window covered by the inside shades and thickly splattered blood. A crowd of media and police gather outside, plotting the best way to enter the troubled diner. And then we are left to hang, as the story cuts back in time, methodically churning its way back to the beginning, to Dilly running, and eventually returning to the bloody mayhem inside the tragic diner, in classic A-B-A non-linear structure. At this point the novel spends the next chunk of story time developing the many young protagonists (you may want to write them down to keep track of whose who), and then the story shifts into nervy energy overload when it arrives at the ex-soldier teacher Tim O'Sullivan's planned weekend survival retreat, designed to `toughen' the kids up to be military `worthy'. Tim leaves the kids stranded to fend for themselves (as his Dad did to him years earlier) but instead of your usual survival agenda there is something mean, vicious and fascinatingly mysterious lurking in the woods, encircling the teens who themselves are becoming unstable. The reader learns of several twists concerning why Tim leaves and to where (without giving away much, he remains as a distanced observer of a scenario gone horribly wrong). What makes this a particularly inventive take on the werewolf lore is the nature of the beast. The writers manage to have their cake and eat it by offering us the violence and ferociousness of the traditional werewolf, but tinged with a realist edge that strives for social commentary with a lexicon of youthful argot that is a mix of street slang and made-up language, a la `Clockwork Orange'. Wherewolves is a novel to savor quickly the first time, and slowly the second.
PS: I started to read this as a Kindle version but then HAD to switch to the real thing, so bought a hard copy. With the old school nature of the story, and the many references and homages to 1970s & 1980s horror, it seemed like the right thing to do!
PS: I started to read this as a Kindle version but then HAD to switch to the real thing, so bought a hard copy. With the old school nature of the story, and the many references and homages to 1970s & 1980s horror, it seemed like the right thing to do!
May 14, 2015
A copy of Wherewolves was sent to Confessions of a Reviewer by the authors John Vamvas and Olga Montes in exchange for an honest review. This is said review.
Again, never heard of John Vamvas or Olga Montes. They took a gamble and sent me a copy of their book for review. I took a gamble and read it. Did the gamble pay off?
A group of high school seniors are on a weekend camping trip organised by their (ex-army) school teacher. They are all kids of military personnel. A lot of them have an unpleasant history. Some it as a direct result of their teacher’s actions during a campaign. The two misfits of the class Jeffrey and Doris really don’t want to go. They fear that the rest of the class may cause them harm on the trip.
Once there, the teacher abandons them, leaving them to fend for themselves as a character building exercise. Or is that really his intentions? What are those weird animal growls they can here? Can there really be werewolves out here? What follows is a confused and bloody battle for survival. Will anyone make it?
This is a strange one. I hadn’t read up on anything to do with the story before picking it up to read. It might have explained a few things if I had.
When you start to read this story the first thing you will notice is that the narrative isn’t exactly orthodox. It reads almost like a manuscript for a film. Some of the narrative between dialogue sounds more like instructions rather than free flowing words to describe the surroundings and what is actually happening to the kids. You can imagine a group of actors sitting around a table discussing the script before shooting begins. It turns out that is exactly what it is. This was originally written as a screenplay and then turned into a novel. Sometimes, rather annoyingly, it reads like the dialogue was added to the screenplay without any further amendment.
The book starts at 100mph. The first ten percent is a fast flowing chase with two people fighting for their lives to get away from an unseen evil, hell bent on ripping them to pieces. The next seventy percent is spent going through the lives of the school kids and getting them ready for the trip. It’s not until eighty percent through the story that it takes off again and leaves you pretty breathless with a rip roaring race to the finish. If the whole book had been like the first ten and the last twenty percent, I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more.
The characters are a miss match of different personalities. In many respects it mirrors a typical high school class. The jocks, the cheerleaders, the misfits and the in betweens. There are the fights, the flirts and the general unhappiness at being thrown together for a weekend away. Jeffrey and Doris are the misfits. They don’t want to go and no one wants them to go. The class bullies are intent on making it hell for them.
Once they get abandoned, that’s where the fun starts. Paranoia, confusion and a different will to survive in each person soon has everyone at each other’s throats. There is also something stalking them. Something in the woods that no one can see. Something purely animalistic and evil. It wants them all to die. The only problem is no one has any clue as to what it is. The best thing about the story is, the reader has no idea either.
There are a couple of twists in this story that will make you have to forget everything you believed you knew as you were reading. I really liked that. Whilst it was difficult to read at times and the story flagged a bit for me in the middle, once the twists revealed themselves, you had no idea what was going on and just had to follow the adventure until all was finally revealed. The last twenty percent is a mad race to the finish. It’s exciting. It’s brutal. It’s bloody. It’s fun.
To summarise: Fast start. Fast finish. Slow in the middle. The narrative is a bit hard to follow at times, reading more like instructions than a story. A couple of killer twists that mean you have to change your perception of things that have been happening. In general a good read. I think I would definitely read more from these two but it would need to read more like a book than a screenplay for me.
General rating:
★★★ Liked it. Would read author again but not so recommended.
Horror rating:
★★★ Creepy but could have had more.
Again, never heard of John Vamvas or Olga Montes. They took a gamble and sent me a copy of their book for review. I took a gamble and read it. Did the gamble pay off?
A group of high school seniors are on a weekend camping trip organised by their (ex-army) school teacher. They are all kids of military personnel. A lot of them have an unpleasant history. Some it as a direct result of their teacher’s actions during a campaign. The two misfits of the class Jeffrey and Doris really don’t want to go. They fear that the rest of the class may cause them harm on the trip.
Once there, the teacher abandons them, leaving them to fend for themselves as a character building exercise. Or is that really his intentions? What are those weird animal growls they can here? Can there really be werewolves out here? What follows is a confused and bloody battle for survival. Will anyone make it?
This is a strange one. I hadn’t read up on anything to do with the story before picking it up to read. It might have explained a few things if I had.
When you start to read this story the first thing you will notice is that the narrative isn’t exactly orthodox. It reads almost like a manuscript for a film. Some of the narrative between dialogue sounds more like instructions rather than free flowing words to describe the surroundings and what is actually happening to the kids. You can imagine a group of actors sitting around a table discussing the script before shooting begins. It turns out that is exactly what it is. This was originally written as a screenplay and then turned into a novel. Sometimes, rather annoyingly, it reads like the dialogue was added to the screenplay without any further amendment.
The book starts at 100mph. The first ten percent is a fast flowing chase with two people fighting for their lives to get away from an unseen evil, hell bent on ripping them to pieces. The next seventy percent is spent going through the lives of the school kids and getting them ready for the trip. It’s not until eighty percent through the story that it takes off again and leaves you pretty breathless with a rip roaring race to the finish. If the whole book had been like the first ten and the last twenty percent, I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more.
The characters are a miss match of different personalities. In many respects it mirrors a typical high school class. The jocks, the cheerleaders, the misfits and the in betweens. There are the fights, the flirts and the general unhappiness at being thrown together for a weekend away. Jeffrey and Doris are the misfits. They don’t want to go and no one wants them to go. The class bullies are intent on making it hell for them.
Once they get abandoned, that’s where the fun starts. Paranoia, confusion and a different will to survive in each person soon has everyone at each other’s throats. There is also something stalking them. Something in the woods that no one can see. Something purely animalistic and evil. It wants them all to die. The only problem is no one has any clue as to what it is. The best thing about the story is, the reader has no idea either.
There are a couple of twists in this story that will make you have to forget everything you believed you knew as you were reading. I really liked that. Whilst it was difficult to read at times and the story flagged a bit for me in the middle, once the twists revealed themselves, you had no idea what was going on and just had to follow the adventure until all was finally revealed. The last twenty percent is a mad race to the finish. It’s exciting. It’s brutal. It’s bloody. It’s fun.
To summarise: Fast start. Fast finish. Slow in the middle. The narrative is a bit hard to follow at times, reading more like instructions than a story. A couple of killer twists that mean you have to change your perception of things that have been happening. In general a good read. I think I would definitely read more from these two but it would need to read more like a book than a screenplay for me.
General rating:
★★★ Liked it. Would read author again but not so recommended.
Horror rating:
★★★ Creepy but could have had more.
April 23, 2015
The reader is drawn in from the beginning. The first scene is full of fast-paced action and terror as a woman runs for her life, terrified she will get caught and killed by the hairy beasts that are following her through the trees. I love a story that has this much intensity at the start, gripping the reader before they have even begun, and Wherewolves certainly does that!
We are then later introduced to the characters of the class. It is clear early on that Doris and Jeffrey are teased quite a lot by their peers. They are viewed as the class geeks, making them a target for nasty comments and pranks. Their parents and teacher, Sergeant Tim O’Sullivan, make matters even worse for the two as they are pressured into taking part on a survival trip that neither want to go on. This would leave them being surrounded by a whole class of taunters, and who knows how far they’ll go!
Jeffrey and Doris are not the only two to stand out from the rest. Elie is also recognised as different due to his Arabic roots and does receive some racist comments. Some of the main characters take it upon themselves to ensure that Elie doesn’t make it to the trip. The dialogue, jokes, mockery and bullying are certainly areas that anyone who has experienced High School will empathise with, and the strength of the modern-day dialogue will connect young and new adult readers (I would recommend 15ys+).
Once on their camping trip for their survival weekend the story begins to twist. The plot is unpredictable and doesn’t work out quite the way as expected. Is it a paranormal, or is it a teenage horror? Or both? There is the suspicion of the super-human reaction, brought on by a new drug, that has been mentioned on the news not too far from where the group are camping that may explain what is going on. But then again, amid the hills and trees, who knows what lurks about in the darkness just waiting for it’s next kill! Or, could it be that Elie has been pushed too far and decided to retaliate?
As one by one the class students are being killed the tension escalates to a higher level. The reader will have to keep on reading to find out what is happening, and who or what is being so savage. With so many class students to remember I did get a little lost keeping track of some of them as they disperse and run from these terrible beasts. This would be easier to follow if watching the screenplay and visualising them on stage or on screen.
I also felt that when reading the dialogue between the students early on it was very much like reading a script, albeit with a little more description. As a book this made the reader wait a little too long before the action really began to start up again. However, as a screenplay and watching it on stage I would imagine the atmosphere to be electric. The book may benefit in parts to a little more description and atmosphere building to create a more fluid read and even more tension.
That said, the authors do get their message across very clearly. Whilst there may be dangers out there in the world, we are a danger to ourselves. The way in which we treat each other, hold grudges, taunt and attack is sometimes the biggest beast of them all. Wherewolves shows how a group of people, some of whom can’t stand each other, can pull together during times of trouble in order to survive. And a message to the younger reader in particular is to not mistreat others. You never know who the bigger beast will be eventually, and you may need to pull together to beat an even bigger one!
Wherewolves is a lively story throughout, whether it be from the taunting and jeering between the students, or the action and horror. As it draws to an end you can really see the brilliance as everything comes together, and even areas that haven’t been explained earlier are covered later on. It is well worth the read, and I would imagine it would be fantastic to watch!
A copy of Wherewolves was provided by the author, Olga Montes, in return for a fair and honest review.
We are then later introduced to the characters of the class. It is clear early on that Doris and Jeffrey are teased quite a lot by their peers. They are viewed as the class geeks, making them a target for nasty comments and pranks. Their parents and teacher, Sergeant Tim O’Sullivan, make matters even worse for the two as they are pressured into taking part on a survival trip that neither want to go on. This would leave them being surrounded by a whole class of taunters, and who knows how far they’ll go!
Jeffrey and Doris are not the only two to stand out from the rest. Elie is also recognised as different due to his Arabic roots and does receive some racist comments. Some of the main characters take it upon themselves to ensure that Elie doesn’t make it to the trip. The dialogue, jokes, mockery and bullying are certainly areas that anyone who has experienced High School will empathise with, and the strength of the modern-day dialogue will connect young and new adult readers (I would recommend 15ys+).
Once on their camping trip for their survival weekend the story begins to twist. The plot is unpredictable and doesn’t work out quite the way as expected. Is it a paranormal, or is it a teenage horror? Or both? There is the suspicion of the super-human reaction, brought on by a new drug, that has been mentioned on the news not too far from where the group are camping that may explain what is going on. But then again, amid the hills and trees, who knows what lurks about in the darkness just waiting for it’s next kill! Or, could it be that Elie has been pushed too far and decided to retaliate?
As one by one the class students are being killed the tension escalates to a higher level. The reader will have to keep on reading to find out what is happening, and who or what is being so savage. With so many class students to remember I did get a little lost keeping track of some of them as they disperse and run from these terrible beasts. This would be easier to follow if watching the screenplay and visualising them on stage or on screen.
I also felt that when reading the dialogue between the students early on it was very much like reading a script, albeit with a little more description. As a book this made the reader wait a little too long before the action really began to start up again. However, as a screenplay and watching it on stage I would imagine the atmosphere to be electric. The book may benefit in parts to a little more description and atmosphere building to create a more fluid read and even more tension.
That said, the authors do get their message across very clearly. Whilst there may be dangers out there in the world, we are a danger to ourselves. The way in which we treat each other, hold grudges, taunt and attack is sometimes the biggest beast of them all. Wherewolves shows how a group of people, some of whom can’t stand each other, can pull together during times of trouble in order to survive. And a message to the younger reader in particular is to not mistreat others. You never know who the bigger beast will be eventually, and you may need to pull together to beat an even bigger one!
Wherewolves is a lively story throughout, whether it be from the taunting and jeering between the students, or the action and horror. As it draws to an end you can really see the brilliance as everything comes together, and even areas that haven’t been explained earlier are covered later on. It is well worth the read, and I would imagine it would be fantastic to watch!
A copy of Wherewolves was provided by the author, Olga Montes, in return for a fair and honest review.
April 22, 2013
Based on the screenplay, WHEREWOLVES, by John Vamvas and Olga Montes this novel kept me on my toes once all the action started - I just couldn't put it down. A group of troubled high school seniors who mainly all come from military backgrounds, along with their teacher, The Sarge, go away on a weekend of survival training and must face their fears. The novel was completely unpredictable - I couldn't believe how it ended, I thought it was something else and I was completely fooled (in a good way). The entire novel was completely realistic as well (the way the teens talked, acted, were, etc). The beginning of the novel, which is really the end, starts with an action scene to grab your attention, and then moves on to build up the story a bit before the action at the end makes you not want to put the book down. The detail in the novel was so "detailed" that I vividly saw everything in my mind, but it wasn't too overwhelming. I am not usually into "werewolves" type novels, but this is not your usual "werewolves" novel either! I absolutely recommend it.
I hope a second novel is written, I want to know more, what happens next? What happens after Dawn leaves the cabin? Please give us more!
I cannot wait for this novel to come out on paperback, as I plan to get a print copy (read the e-book) and get both Vamvas & Montes to sign it for me. (Is it a bonus that their adorable son is in my son's kindergarten class?)
A MUST READ!
I hope a second novel is written, I want to know more, what happens next? What happens after Dawn leaves the cabin? Please give us more!
I cannot wait for this novel to come out on paperback, as I plan to get a print copy (read the e-book) and get both Vamvas & Montes to sign it for me. (Is it a bonus that their adorable son is in my son's kindergarten class?)
A MUST READ!
May 24, 2013
Got this review on Amazon today:
A HORROR Must Read!!!!! May 24 2013
By Sandy
http://www.amazon.ca/WHEREWOLVES-eboo...
WHEREWOLVES was an amazing novel that propelled me from page to page. I could not put it down. The characters were extremely well described that you felt you knew each of them personally. The descriptive horror even shocked you while reading. The visuals created in your imagination were terrifying.
Definitely not a children's book. Best for teens and adults. A very easy read lets you get lost in the story from page 1.
Story line extremely "au Courant" for todays world. The authors write with great passion for horror. Twists and turns that lead to a fantastic ending!!!!!
A HORROR Must Read!!!!! May 24 2013
By Sandy
http://www.amazon.ca/WHEREWOLVES-eboo...
WHEREWOLVES was an amazing novel that propelled me from page to page. I could not put it down. The characters were extremely well described that you felt you knew each of them personally. The descriptive horror even shocked you while reading. The visuals created in your imagination were terrifying.
Definitely not a children's book. Best for teens and adults. A very easy read lets you get lost in the story from page 1.
Story line extremely "au Courant" for todays world. The authors write with great passion for horror. Twists and turns that lead to a fantastic ending!!!!!
May 25, 2013
Got this review on Amazon yesterday... :)
5.0 out of 5 stars amazing story telling! May 24, 2013
By Stupid_Hamster
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I picked up this book this afternoon and I was done with it in the evening. There's been very few books that I could not put down and this is one of them.
It has action, twists and an element of every werewolf story in it. A beautiful homage to all my favorites and the artful pirouette at the end is an elegant twist!
Well done!
http://www.amazon.com/WHEREWOLVES-ebo...
5.0 out of 5 stars amazing story telling! May 24, 2013
By Stupid_Hamster
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I picked up this book this afternoon and I was done with it in the evening. There's been very few books that I could not put down and this is one of them.
It has action, twists and an element of every werewolf story in it. A beautiful homage to all my favorites and the artful pirouette at the end is an elegant twist!
Well done!
http://www.amazon.com/WHEREWOLVES-ebo...
April 18, 2013
Wherewolves is AWESOME! The writing is outstanding, edgy and modern!
I had to hold my breath, and read faster to keep up with the pace of this thrilling, yet very believable horror story! The writers did an incredible job intertwining the compelling characters, and different levels of social elements and the true horrors of life. With incredible detail and conviction they brought the story to life, I could see it unfold as I read it.
I loved the book…now I can’t wait for the movie!
I had to hold my breath, and read faster to keep up with the pace of this thrilling, yet very believable horror story! The writers did an incredible job intertwining the compelling characters, and different levels of social elements and the true horrors of life. With incredible detail and conviction they brought the story to life, I could see it unfold as I read it.
I loved the book…now I can’t wait for the movie!
April 21, 2013
What I liked: This is a well written story, with crisp characters and a detailed, satisfying plot. The story moves, and keeps you entertained. It’s both horror and social commentary, and suggests a lot of bigger ideas that are worth contemplating.
What I didn’t like: Way, way too gory for me, and I would never let my teen read it.
In sum: If you like horror and YA, this will satisfy, but don't give it to your kids.
What I didn’t like: Way, way too gory for me, and I would never let my teen read it.
In sum: If you like horror and YA, this will satisfy, but don't give it to your kids.
August 30, 2013
This was a great YA read filled with teenaged angst, sexual tension, suspense, thrills, and chills a little for everybody.
For my full review head over to my blog ordinary girlz book reviews http://ordinarygirlzbookreviews.weebl...
For my full review head over to my blog ordinary girlz book reviews http://ordinarygirlzbookreviews.weebl...
March 13, 2013
The plot is well thought out and fast paced, with many twists and turns that will leave you guessing right up to the last page. Definitely makes me want to see the movie.
April 17, 2013
Finally! A book without a predictable ending. It is fast past, engaging, and thrilling from beginning to end. You won't be able to put it down or guess what will happen next.
November 29, 2014
The book starts off with a young woman running away from creatures, seeking refuge with a truck driver in his cab. And whatever is out there seems to be attacking his cab as well despite him driving fast.
We are than taken back about 2 days or so prior and are introduced to Doris, a High School Student and clearly an oddball, dresses differently and likes werewolves. She does not fit in with the rest of the 'popular crew' at school and gets bullied ruthlessly by the others. Only Jeffrey, a fellow student, gets bullied even more. In the first chapters, we get introduced to all 18 of the students who are preparing to go on a 'survival camp' weekend with their ex-military teacher, Tim O'Sullivan who wants to toughen them up. Once in the camp, strange things start to happen. First, all students seem to lose all their inhibitions, which for some of them really goes beyond their usual behaviour. But it is getting worse, and something is lurking out there.
I did enjoy this fast-paced read. I understand it is written for a movie script, and I can absolutely see this as a movie. It is not just teen/slasher, but there is a deeper background. Without giving too much away, each of the 18 students has their individual story which gets revealed as you read along, and there are reasons why some of them behave in a certain way i.e. is there more to the bullying than meets the eye. My favourite character (though not one of the lead characters) is probably Dawn who is deeply traumatised by her parent's death which she witnessed and unable to speak since. None of the kids 'background stories' is giving in great detail and long explanations, but is interwoven, and this certainly brings the story along without stalling and without unnecessary padding. I did find the writing very refreshing. It does get a bit gory at the end, with torn body parts etc, but this is what we expect from a werewolf story really, don't we?
I did had a bit of trouble at the beginning to extinguish between the different teens - there are 18 of them. I had to go back a few times so see 'so who was that again?' - obviously that won't be so much of an issue with a film version. Some of them are more distinguished than others, but the authors do 'show' rather than 'tell' their individualities i.e. Ronald whose nickname is Obama because he looks like the president, Elie who his disliked because 'his folks' are to blame for the US going to war (i.e. he is Muslim). It also becomes clear that they all live near a US Army base, so the life of most of them is in one way or another effected by being the children of Army personnel. And teacher O'Sullivan might have other motives as well rather than just being someone who wants adventure for their kids.
While there are some sexual scenes, it is nothing explicit and I would think it can be read from 16+ definitely.
Overall, an enjoyable read, and I'm looking forward to the movie version. I did like the ending and for me personally, even though there is a lot of blot and guts here in the final chapters, in a twisted way it is also a positive story about raising above bullying and overcoming personal problems. Yes, some might disagree that it is a rather drastic way of dealing but than, it is fiction, and it is suppose to make us think and challenge.
http://thepegsterreads.blogspot.co.uk...
We are than taken back about 2 days or so prior and are introduced to Doris, a High School Student and clearly an oddball, dresses differently and likes werewolves. She does not fit in with the rest of the 'popular crew' at school and gets bullied ruthlessly by the others. Only Jeffrey, a fellow student, gets bullied even more. In the first chapters, we get introduced to all 18 of the students who are preparing to go on a 'survival camp' weekend with their ex-military teacher, Tim O'Sullivan who wants to toughen them up. Once in the camp, strange things start to happen. First, all students seem to lose all their inhibitions, which for some of them really goes beyond their usual behaviour. But it is getting worse, and something is lurking out there.
I did enjoy this fast-paced read. I understand it is written for a movie script, and I can absolutely see this as a movie. It is not just teen/slasher, but there is a deeper background. Without giving too much away, each of the 18 students has their individual story which gets revealed as you read along, and there are reasons why some of them behave in a certain way i.e. is there more to the bullying than meets the eye. My favourite character (though not one of the lead characters) is probably Dawn who is deeply traumatised by her parent's death which she witnessed and unable to speak since. None of the kids 'background stories' is giving in great detail and long explanations, but is interwoven, and this certainly brings the story along without stalling and without unnecessary padding. I did find the writing very refreshing. It does get a bit gory at the end, with torn body parts etc, but this is what we expect from a werewolf story really, don't we?
I did had a bit of trouble at the beginning to extinguish between the different teens - there are 18 of them. I had to go back a few times so see 'so who was that again?' - obviously that won't be so much of an issue with a film version. Some of them are more distinguished than others, but the authors do 'show' rather than 'tell' their individualities i.e. Ronald whose nickname is Obama because he looks like the president, Elie who his disliked because 'his folks' are to blame for the US going to war (i.e. he is Muslim). It also becomes clear that they all live near a US Army base, so the life of most of them is in one way or another effected by being the children of Army personnel. And teacher O'Sullivan might have other motives as well rather than just being someone who wants adventure for their kids.
While there are some sexual scenes, it is nothing explicit and I would think it can be read from 16+ definitely.
Overall, an enjoyable read, and I'm looking forward to the movie version. I did like the ending and for me personally, even though there is a lot of blot and guts here in the final chapters, in a twisted way it is also a positive story about raising above bullying and overcoming personal problems. Yes, some might disagree that it is a rather drastic way of dealing but than, it is fiction, and it is suppose to make us think and challenge.
http://thepegsterreads.blogspot.co.uk...
July 23, 2014
Title: Wherewolves
Author: John Vamvas and Olga Montes
Publisher: Self Published
Genres: YA, Horror, Thriller.
Release Date: February 17th 2013
Pages: 304
Where Acquired:
Buy at Amazon Here
- Best Book Price: £8.02 Kindle Price: £2.05 (as of when posted)
UK Cover:
17540116
Goodreads Description:
Using a fun, explosive style, full of new slang and fresh dialogue, WHEREWOLVES is the story of a group of high school seniors, most “military brats”, who are headed for an army-type survival weekend.
The underdogs, Jeffrey and Doris, do not want to go as they fear for their safety among the disdain and cruelty of the popular students. Sergeant Tim O’Sullivan, their teacher, as well as their dysfunctional parents pressure them into going, but it is an unforgivable act by their peers that propels the pair to go. Likewise, Elie, a student resented because of his Arab roots, is even more determined to prove himself this weekend. In the background, a news report cautions of a wanted couple with alleged super-human strength supposedly brought on by a new drug on the streets.
In the woods, the students hike, hunt, camp, and soon act in unity as the forest brings them closer together. But does it? O’Sullivan leaves them alone for the night. The students bond, chant, tell campfire tales, and quickly lose their fears and inhibitions. HOO-AH! Though sexual tensions are high, it soon turns to violence and everything quickly turns sour.
When the kids start disappearing one after the other, the remaining begin to unwittingly “act like the natives” carving spears, ready to face whatever is out there. What has gotten into them?
Amid the blood-curdling growls and the gruesome deaths, the story’s underlying layers are revealed. We see how misconceptions, prejudice, greed, fear, and hatred bring out the worst and best in them.
What is out there? Can it really be werewolves
My Review:
This book is thrilling and fast paced, the type that will have you sitting on the edge of your seat the whole time you are immersed in the novel. I loved the theme of army children and the way that this book reveals some very real problems that these children face in real life every day. It was nice to have a cast of characters where everyone has faults and no one is perfect, this is a very rare thing to come across in the world of books. This novel is very down to earth and realistic and I believe that this is what makes the book so spectacular and believable when the more paranormal elements kick in. There are so many twists to the plot that you never get bored and I have to say that the ending was one of the most thought through and realistic of any horror I have ever read, and one of my favourites. My only down point is that the novel is rather slow to begin and once the action kicks in, it ends too fast, but this only adds to the suspense and build up to that spectacular ending!
Quotes:
Today, Instead of quotes - why not check out an excerpt of the book?
http://wherewolvestheblog.com/the-novel/
Rating:
****
Have You Read This Book?
How Did You Find It?
Why Don't You Leave Me A Comment, Or a Link To Your Own Blog?
I Would Love To Hear Your Views!
-The Reading Rose
Author: John Vamvas and Olga Montes
Publisher: Self Published
Genres: YA, Horror, Thriller.
Release Date: February 17th 2013
Pages: 304
Where Acquired:
Buy at Amazon Here
- Best Book Price: £8.02 Kindle Price: £2.05 (as of when posted)
UK Cover:
17540116
Goodreads Description:
Using a fun, explosive style, full of new slang and fresh dialogue, WHEREWOLVES is the story of a group of high school seniors, most “military brats”, who are headed for an army-type survival weekend.
The underdogs, Jeffrey and Doris, do not want to go as they fear for their safety among the disdain and cruelty of the popular students. Sergeant Tim O’Sullivan, their teacher, as well as their dysfunctional parents pressure them into going, but it is an unforgivable act by their peers that propels the pair to go. Likewise, Elie, a student resented because of his Arab roots, is even more determined to prove himself this weekend. In the background, a news report cautions of a wanted couple with alleged super-human strength supposedly brought on by a new drug on the streets.
In the woods, the students hike, hunt, camp, and soon act in unity as the forest brings them closer together. But does it? O’Sullivan leaves them alone for the night. The students bond, chant, tell campfire tales, and quickly lose their fears and inhibitions. HOO-AH! Though sexual tensions are high, it soon turns to violence and everything quickly turns sour.
When the kids start disappearing one after the other, the remaining begin to unwittingly “act like the natives” carving spears, ready to face whatever is out there. What has gotten into them?
Amid the blood-curdling growls and the gruesome deaths, the story’s underlying layers are revealed. We see how misconceptions, prejudice, greed, fear, and hatred bring out the worst and best in them.
What is out there? Can it really be werewolves
My Review:
This book is thrilling and fast paced, the type that will have you sitting on the edge of your seat the whole time you are immersed in the novel. I loved the theme of army children and the way that this book reveals some very real problems that these children face in real life every day. It was nice to have a cast of characters where everyone has faults and no one is perfect, this is a very rare thing to come across in the world of books. This novel is very down to earth and realistic and I believe that this is what makes the book so spectacular and believable when the more paranormal elements kick in. There are so many twists to the plot that you never get bored and I have to say that the ending was one of the most thought through and realistic of any horror I have ever read, and one of my favourites. My only down point is that the novel is rather slow to begin and once the action kicks in, it ends too fast, but this only adds to the suspense and build up to that spectacular ending!
Quotes:
Today, Instead of quotes - why not check out an excerpt of the book?
http://wherewolvestheblog.com/the-novel/
Rating:
****
Have You Read This Book?
How Did You Find It?
Why Don't You Leave Me A Comment, Or a Link To Your Own Blog?
I Would Love To Hear Your Views!
-The Reading Rose
June 27, 2014
What a rush to this story! Ok I’m getting ahead of myself.
A group of trouble teens is dropped off in the woods for a weekend of surviving on their own. While their teacher watches from afar. There is already tension and animosity among the teens, but being away from adults unleashes it all. But as night falls, things start happening. Guns come out, pants drop, and people change. Around the camp fire the teens talk about werewolves and how one of them could be one. Doris and Jeffery the geeks are in their element. It becomes clear that something or someone is watching them as the night progresses. It doesn’t take long for the teens to start turning on each other, not trusting, afraid and confused as to what is happening.
Can they survive the weekend? Can they survive themselves?
This is a fast paced ride through blood and guts. Being a child of the 80′s and growing up on movies like this one, took me home! The best thing about this book, it’s written for the big screen. I found myself caught up in this book, trying to picture how it would look on the big screen. The plot is well scripted and kept me guessing all the way up to the end. Honestly, I’m surprised I didn’t faint from reading this book as many times as I held my breath. The story pulled me in and made me one of the teens in the story, I was caught up in the action, fearing for my life. The down side for me, to many kids – 18. I had a hard time remember who was who and who was together, I knew who hated who that was easy.
A group of trouble teens is dropped off in the woods for a weekend of surviving on their own. While their teacher watches from afar. There is already tension and animosity among the teens, but being away from adults unleashes it all. But as night falls, things start happening. Guns come out, pants drop, and people change. Around the camp fire the teens talk about werewolves and how one of them could be one. Doris and Jeffery the geeks are in their element. It becomes clear that something or someone is watching them as the night progresses. It doesn’t take long for the teens to start turning on each other, not trusting, afraid and confused as to what is happening.
Can they survive the weekend? Can they survive themselves?
This is a fast paced ride through blood and guts. Being a child of the 80′s and growing up on movies like this one, took me home! The best thing about this book, it’s written for the big screen. I found myself caught up in this book, trying to picture how it would look on the big screen. The plot is well scripted and kept me guessing all the way up to the end. Honestly, I’m surprised I didn’t faint from reading this book as many times as I held my breath. The story pulled me in and made me one of the teens in the story, I was caught up in the action, fearing for my life. The down side for me, to many kids – 18. I had a hard time remember who was who and who was together, I knew who hated who that was easy.
March 29, 2018
1 star
Two not-so-popular high school seniors are forced to go on a camping trip with their fellow classmates. The group leader is ex-military, as are most of the kids – military brats. The leader leaves them alone in the woods to fend for themselves. Whether this is by design or for some other reason is unknown.
The kids soon get into trouble (of course). There is something out there in the woods. It’s tracking them. Classmates soon disappear. They are killed.
This book reminded me of Lord of the Flies in some ways. A bunch of kids run amok and revert to non-societal acceptable forms of behavior. The reader can just tell who is going to do what.
I didn’t find the book either fun or explosive. In fact, it was rather predictable and more than a little boring. It was adapted from a screenplay, and it read like one (I would imagine). Not having much exposure to screenplays, I couldn’t even tell if it were a very good one. I found the writing style disruptive and disjointed. It also read like a young adult novel. I was immediately struck by this. I did not enjoy the book. There are far too many good books out there to read to spend time reading one such as this.
I want to thank NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for forwarding to me a copy of this book to read and review.
Two not-so-popular high school seniors are forced to go on a camping trip with their fellow classmates. The group leader is ex-military, as are most of the kids – military brats. The leader leaves them alone in the woods to fend for themselves. Whether this is by design or for some other reason is unknown.
The kids soon get into trouble (of course). There is something out there in the woods. It’s tracking them. Classmates soon disappear. They are killed.
This book reminded me of Lord of the Flies in some ways. A bunch of kids run amok and revert to non-societal acceptable forms of behavior. The reader can just tell who is going to do what.
I didn’t find the book either fun or explosive. In fact, it was rather predictable and more than a little boring. It was adapted from a screenplay, and it read like one (I would imagine). Not having much exposure to screenplays, I couldn’t even tell if it were a very good one. I found the writing style disruptive and disjointed. It also read like a young adult novel. I was immediately struck by this. I did not enjoy the book. There are far too many good books out there to read to spend time reading one such as this.
I want to thank NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for forwarding to me a copy of this book to read and review.
October 23, 2013
"But the real monster is within, and when it comes out, it's as fugly as you see it, or as it lets you see it."
It took me a while (probably half the book) to get involved with the "Wherewolves" story. I found the first half disjointed, full of a lot of barely developed characters that hardly held my interest, and a plot line that I needed a GPS to follow.
BUT about midway through the book, everything clicked and I found myself engrossed in this commentary/horror tale. There were plenty of twists and turns to keep me guessing and turning the pages.
There's definitely a Lord of the Flies atmosphere to the story although I think it could have been toned down a little. Teen angst, bullying, lust, stereotypical behaviours - all seemed to be exaggerated and almost slapstick in some spots.
And this definitely isn't a book for young teens (language, violence, sexual situations) even though it has teen characters in it. I'm glad that the authors realize this and are marketing it to mature Teens/New Adults.
Overall, I would recommend this book to readers that want a different type of horror story - both internalized and externalized horror.
It took me a while (probably half the book) to get involved with the "Wherewolves" story. I found the first half disjointed, full of a lot of barely developed characters that hardly held my interest, and a plot line that I needed a GPS to follow.
BUT about midway through the book, everything clicked and I found myself engrossed in this commentary/horror tale. There were plenty of twists and turns to keep me guessing and turning the pages.
There's definitely a Lord of the Flies atmosphere to the story although I think it could have been toned down a little. Teen angst, bullying, lust, stereotypical behaviours - all seemed to be exaggerated and almost slapstick in some spots.
And this definitely isn't a book for young teens (language, violence, sexual situations) even though it has teen characters in it. I'm glad that the authors realize this and are marketing it to mature Teens/New Adults.
Overall, I would recommend this book to readers that want a different type of horror story - both internalized and externalized horror.
Want to read
October 11, 2013Author's guest post at my blog:
http://bookfare.blogspot.com/2013/10/...
http://bookfare.blogspot.com/2013/10/...
May 30, 2014
In the beginning I thought the characters were a bit cliche. As the story continued I couldn't put it down. I loved the ending. Great book for horror lovers!
April 10, 2018
I got this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. The book is called Wherewolves and it is written by John Vamvas and Olga Montes, it was published on April 26, 2013.
The book starts off with a woman running for her life, and although it catches your attention, everything is confusing. Personally, I thought I had missed the first portion of the book or got an incomplete copy. After that, a lot of the story seems like you were supposed to know a whole backstory about all the characters and why they are in an area that seems to be a military boot camp for high schoolers. Later, the students go out for a big survival mission in the woods and start getting attacked by who knows what. At least every chapter of the book seems like it includes alcohol, drugs, or something relating to sex.
If given the choice, do not read this book. As I said, it is wildly inappropriate and it also has a lot of extreme gore. Had I been given the choice to not have to read the book, I would although once I request it, I need to write a review.
Check out my other reviews at: dragons-lair-book-blog.blogspot.com
I promise not all of my reviews are bad.
The book starts off with a woman running for her life, and although it catches your attention, everything is confusing. Personally, I thought I had missed the first portion of the book or got an incomplete copy. After that, a lot of the story seems like you were supposed to know a whole backstory about all the characters and why they are in an area that seems to be a military boot camp for high schoolers. Later, the students go out for a big survival mission in the woods and start getting attacked by who knows what. At least every chapter of the book seems like it includes alcohol, drugs, or something relating to sex.
If given the choice, do not read this book. As I said, it is wildly inappropriate and it also has a lot of extreme gore. Had I been given the choice to not have to read the book, I would although once I request it, I need to write a review.
Check out my other reviews at: dragons-lair-book-blog.blogspot.com
I promise not all of my reviews are bad.
April 28, 2018
Read for NetGalley.
Do not waste your time or money.
Do not waste your time or money.
November 8, 2015
When the authors first sent me this novel, I wasn't too excited about it. The title immediately suggests it to be a paranormal horror, and I imagined characters cowering in the dark as a fluffy thing with teeth prowled outside their walls, trying to claw its way in. Wherewolves surprised me, as it's so much more than that, and the fluffy thing with teeth was only a small part of the horrific jigsaw I tried desperately to piece together.
The first 10% of the novel starts off as we'd expect, with a woman running for her life from (you guessed it) two fluffy things with teeth. The suspense here is unreal, and the atmosphere created is one of sheer confusion and panic. We're thrown in at the deep end, and we think we're on a chronological line with some idea of what we're dealing with. We are incorrect.
The narrative then abruptly removes us from the forest, and throws into more familiar, yet similarly terrifying, surroundings - a high school. It's here we are treated to an in-depth characterisation of each of the students, and this does wonders to help us understand their fears and motivations. It's true to life high school, with bullying, shallow relationships, and the power struggle of popularity. The knowledge we gain of the students helps make the carnage, when it comes, much more interesting as we see how humanity differs when faced with a fight or flight situation.
It takes a while to get to the violence, but the build-up makes this rewarding. The students are taken on a trip to the forest as part of their soldier training. Rather than a study of supernatural monsters, it's more of a study on the human condition, and how we treat other. The characters react to emotional abuse, each of them battling with their own inner demons carved from traumatic past experience.
The suspense, gore, and violence involved is worthy of a B-movie. I particularly liked the monsters remaining ever so slightly out of sight, adding to the tension, saving us from an overdone focus, and keeping the unknown behind the veil until the last moment. There are a good few twists thrown our way which make us question everything we've already learned; I love being kept guessing until the last gasp and being forced to change my perception, so this was a welcome device. Seeing everything come together at the end, and basking in the horror of it all was wonderful.
Vamvas and Montes had originally written this story as a screenplay, which I'm pleased to hear is currently in production. At times, it really does feel like reading a screenplay; details seem to have been added as an after thought, and dialogue takes precedence over description. This doesn't actually impact the enjoyment of the story too heavily, instead adding to the fast paced character development, which is an important factor. I do feel some more descriptive elements could have helped the novel flow more smoothly.
A true social commentary where we come to understand monsters are human, and can be made that way by other humans. An incredibly worthwhile read, which I'm glad I was asked to review - thank you.
The first 10% of the novel starts off as we'd expect, with a woman running for her life from (you guessed it) two fluffy things with teeth. The suspense here is unreal, and the atmosphere created is one of sheer confusion and panic. We're thrown in at the deep end, and we think we're on a chronological line with some idea of what we're dealing with. We are incorrect.
The narrative then abruptly removes us from the forest, and throws into more familiar, yet similarly terrifying, surroundings - a high school. It's here we are treated to an in-depth characterisation of each of the students, and this does wonders to help us understand their fears and motivations. It's true to life high school, with bullying, shallow relationships, and the power struggle of popularity. The knowledge we gain of the students helps make the carnage, when it comes, much more interesting as we see how humanity differs when faced with a fight or flight situation.
It takes a while to get to the violence, but the build-up makes this rewarding. The students are taken on a trip to the forest as part of their soldier training. Rather than a study of supernatural monsters, it's more of a study on the human condition, and how we treat other. The characters react to emotional abuse, each of them battling with their own inner demons carved from traumatic past experience.
The suspense, gore, and violence involved is worthy of a B-movie. I particularly liked the monsters remaining ever so slightly out of sight, adding to the tension, saving us from an overdone focus, and keeping the unknown behind the veil until the last moment. There are a good few twists thrown our way which make us question everything we've already learned; I love being kept guessing until the last gasp and being forced to change my perception, so this was a welcome device. Seeing everything come together at the end, and basking in the horror of it all was wonderful.
Vamvas and Montes had originally written this story as a screenplay, which I'm pleased to hear is currently in production. At times, it really does feel like reading a screenplay; details seem to have been added as an after thought, and dialogue takes precedence over description. This doesn't actually impact the enjoyment of the story too heavily, instead adding to the fast paced character development, which is an important factor. I do feel some more descriptive elements could have helped the novel flow more smoothly.
A true social commentary where we come to understand monsters are human, and can be made that way by other humans. An incredibly worthwhile read, which I'm glad I was asked to review - thank you.
May 9, 2013
Let me begin by saying this novel is based on a screenplay. That does come back to haunt the novel. A group of high school students head into the woods for army style survival weekend. We have the very typical cast of high school characters here. The underling beta male and female, an Arab-American complete with identity issues, and the brat pack of popular kids. They trek into the woods under the illusion of bonding and camaraderie. A dark cloud hangs over the event however as reports of a couple with super-human abilities (from some new street drug) hiding in the woods circulate on the news. As expected, the weekend quickly sours however as people begin disappearing. The survivalist mode becomes real as the young people fight for their lives.
I mentioned this novel began as a screenplay. It reads like a screenplay. The narrative comes in short, cliché bursts that never allows the story to develop any depth. “A harrowing growl booms-her feet are in the air, her face smashes to the ground.” “Breathe girl Breathe.” Staccato script-style writing makes for a great film, but it fails to draw the reader into anything beyond the surface story. I never really cared about any of the characters as individuals. The popular kids are, as expected, brutal to the beta kids. What should have elicited sympathy for these kids just did not resonate because I never developed any sense of them.
The plot does have some interesting twists and turns. Our military hero teacher is not what he seems (no plot spoiler, just a hint). There is more going on than meets the eye. I again come back to the screenplay issue. I often felt as if the authors were reaching for something that they just did not capture in the narrative. Writing is far more involved than film. It’s all about the detail. It’s about that small phrase or single sentence that draws the narrative sharply. Wherewolves never paints a rich enough picture to draw us in. The twists and turns make the novel interesting, but never compelling. This one was lost in translation between screen and print.
Originally published at Horror Novel Reviews
I mentioned this novel began as a screenplay. It reads like a screenplay. The narrative comes in short, cliché bursts that never allows the story to develop any depth. “A harrowing growl booms-her feet are in the air, her face smashes to the ground.” “Breathe girl Breathe.” Staccato script-style writing makes for a great film, but it fails to draw the reader into anything beyond the surface story. I never really cared about any of the characters as individuals. The popular kids are, as expected, brutal to the beta kids. What should have elicited sympathy for these kids just did not resonate because I never developed any sense of them.
The plot does have some interesting twists and turns. Our military hero teacher is not what he seems (no plot spoiler, just a hint). There is more going on than meets the eye. I again come back to the screenplay issue. I often felt as if the authors were reaching for something that they just did not capture in the narrative. Writing is far more involved than film. It’s all about the detail. It’s about that small phrase or single sentence that draws the narrative sharply. Wherewolves never paints a rich enough picture to draw us in. The twists and turns make the novel interesting, but never compelling. This one was lost in translation between screen and print.
Originally published at Horror Novel Reviews
June 18, 2014
Wherewolves was apparently adapted from a screenplay. Perhaps the story works on-screen, but ultimately a book must stand on its own merit.
Wherewolves struggles and ultimately fails to break free from the shackles of its screenplay origins. The characters are almost cookie-cutter stock slasher-movie stereotypes, with little fleshed out to expand upon that. They were established just about enough for me to be completely non-invested in what happens to them, even with around half of the book dedicated to setting them up. The plot, such as it is, may be better suited to the big screen. It just wasn't enough to build a book around without significant character work which just felt absent. It was straightforward with no perceptible twists to it.
Even the werewolves themselves weren't much to write home about. There wasn't much to separate them from a more natural animal attack, if anything at all.
The present-tense narrative made it read like a screenplay and the onomatopoeic growls and screams just ripped me from the already unsteady flow of the narrative and came across as comical. Perhaps this is supposed to be a tongue-in-cheek take on the concept of werewolves. Having read nothing else in the genre perhaps I missed the joke, but I feel as though the more likely explanation is simply that it just reads like a screenplay. The dialogue came across as clunky in general, and didn't seem to fit the characters in places.
Overall I'd say it's probably better to try and find the screen adaptation if it exists, it probably has a better chance of showing the intended story in a way the novel just hasn't managed to capture.
Wherewolves struggles and ultimately fails to break free from the shackles of its screenplay origins. The characters are almost cookie-cutter stock slasher-movie stereotypes, with little fleshed out to expand upon that. They were established just about enough for me to be completely non-invested in what happens to them, even with around half of the book dedicated to setting them up. The plot, such as it is, may be better suited to the big screen. It just wasn't enough to build a book around without significant character work which just felt absent. It was straightforward with no perceptible twists to it.
Even the werewolves themselves weren't much to write home about. There wasn't much to separate them from a more natural animal attack, if anything at all.
The present-tense narrative made it read like a screenplay and the onomatopoeic growls and screams just ripped me from the already unsteady flow of the narrative and came across as comical. Perhaps this is supposed to be a tongue-in-cheek take on the concept of werewolves. Having read nothing else in the genre perhaps I missed the joke, but I feel as though the more likely explanation is simply that it just reads like a screenplay. The dialogue came across as clunky in general, and didn't seem to fit the characters in places.
Overall I'd say it's probably better to try and find the screen adaptation if it exists, it probably has a better chance of showing the intended story in a way the novel just hasn't managed to capture.
July 14, 2018
Wherewolves by John Varnras and Olga Montes.
The underdogs, Jeffrey and Doris, do not want to go as they fear for their safety among the disdain and cruelty of the popular students. Sergeant Tim O’Sullivan, their teacher, as well as their dysfunctional parents pressure them into going, but it is an unforgivable act by their peers that propels the pair to go. Likewise, Elie, a student resented because of his Arab roots, is even more determined to prove himself this weekend. In the background, a news report cautions of a wanted couple with alleged super-human strength supposedly brought on by a new drug on the streets.
In the woods, the students hike, hunt, camp, and soon act in unity as the forest brings them closer together. But does it? O’Sullivan leaves them alone for the night. The students bond, chant, tell campfire tales, and quickly lose their fears and inhibitions. HOO-AH! Though sexual tensions are high, it soon turns to violence and everything quickly turns sour.
When the kids start disappearing one after the other, the remaining begin to unwittingly “act like the natives” carving spears, ready to face whatever is out there. What has gotten into them?
Amid blood-curdling growls and gruesome deaths, the story’s underlying layers are revealed. We see how misconceptions, prejudice, greed, fear, and hatred bring out the worst and best in us.
What is out there? Can it really be werewolves?
A fantastic read.
I really enjoyed this book. It was fantastic.
Very gory. I loved the storyline and the cover. I read this in one sitting. Just couldn't put it down. I hope there is more to come. 5*.
The underdogs, Jeffrey and Doris, do not want to go as they fear for their safety among the disdain and cruelty of the popular students. Sergeant Tim O’Sullivan, their teacher, as well as their dysfunctional parents pressure them into going, but it is an unforgivable act by their peers that propels the pair to go. Likewise, Elie, a student resented because of his Arab roots, is even more determined to prove himself this weekend. In the background, a news report cautions of a wanted couple with alleged super-human strength supposedly brought on by a new drug on the streets.
In the woods, the students hike, hunt, camp, and soon act in unity as the forest brings them closer together. But does it? O’Sullivan leaves them alone for the night. The students bond, chant, tell campfire tales, and quickly lose their fears and inhibitions. HOO-AH! Though sexual tensions are high, it soon turns to violence and everything quickly turns sour.
When the kids start disappearing one after the other, the remaining begin to unwittingly “act like the natives” carving spears, ready to face whatever is out there. What has gotten into them?
Amid blood-curdling growls and gruesome deaths, the story’s underlying layers are revealed. We see how misconceptions, prejudice, greed, fear, and hatred bring out the worst and best in us.
What is out there? Can it really be werewolves?
A fantastic read.
I really enjoyed this book. It was fantastic.
Very gory. I loved the storyline and the cover. I read this in one sitting. Just couldn't put it down. I hope there is more to come. 5*.
April 8, 2019
I got this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. The book is called Wherewolves and it is written by John Vamvas and Olga Montes, it was published on April 26, 2013.
The book starts off with a woman running for her life, and although it catches your attention, everything is confusing. Personally, I thought I had missed the first portion of the book or got an incomplete copy. After that, a lot of the story seems like you were supposed to know a whole backstory about all the characters and why they are in an area that seems to be a military boot camp for high schoolers. Later, the students go out for a big survival mission in the woods and start getting attacked by who knows what. At least every chapter of the book seems like it includes alcohol, drugs, or something relating to sex.
If given the choice, do not read this book. As I said, it is wildly inappropriate and it also has a lot of extreme gore. Had I been given the choice to not have to read the book, I would although once I request it, I need to write a review.
The book starts off with a woman running for her life, and although it catches your attention, everything is confusing. Personally, I thought I had missed the first portion of the book or got an incomplete copy. After that, a lot of the story seems like you were supposed to know a whole backstory about all the characters and why they are in an area that seems to be a military boot camp for high schoolers. Later, the students go out for a big survival mission in the woods and start getting attacked by who knows what. At least every chapter of the book seems like it includes alcohol, drugs, or something relating to sex.
If given the choice, do not read this book. As I said, it is wildly inappropriate and it also has a lot of extreme gore. Had I been given the choice to not have to read the book, I would although once I request it, I need to write a review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews