Hi everyone! Thanks again so much for being here. Thanks also to TBR & Beyond Tours for having me on this tour. As usual, click on the banner above to see the full schedule and other tours happening this time around.
Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to TBR & Beyond Tours, Jessica Vitalis, Netgalley, and Greenwillow Books for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.
I think I had even more of an appreciation for this novel after watching an interview with Jessica Vitalis talk more about her inspiration for this story. Knowing that some part of this was inspired by the narration of The Book Thief and using a character like Death to tell the story was really cool.
I enjoyed being able to see life through someone else’s eyes, and also getting to see just how much Gauge’s life has changed since everything happened. Of course, people don’t always believe a child when something happens, because apparently young people don’t know the difference between real and fake right? But luckily Gauge is able to work with another person in this quest.
I also really liked how Vitalis dealt with grief through the eyes of these characters, and I think that this was a beautiful story to read. This was also my first time reading a book from Vitalis, and I am curious to read future novels from her.
- Why is being able to see a wolf automatically mean that you’re cursed?
- Wolves are amazing creatures!
- This town is weird and I don’t like how they are treating Gauge.
- I feel so bad for him.
- I know I lost my grandfather but I still can’t imagine even half of what Gauge must be feeling right now.
- I adore stories with friendships involved.
- Especially ones that grow throughout the story.
- The wolf is intriguing.
- I actually really like that Vitalis went with using the wolf as a narrator.
- MG books really kick some butt.
- Nothing is ever as it seems.
- I could only imagine what the wolf has seen throughout its years.
- I actually like their story to be honest.
- What an interesting story.
- Yeah, wow this was such a wild ride.
The Wolf’s Curse
by Jessica Vitalis
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Release Date: September 21, 2021
Genre: MG Fantasy
Length: 336 pages
Content Warnings: Grief, death
“The path ahead isn’t easy. It will be filled with darkness and despair, and you will almost certainly regret your decision, just as I regret mine.”
~Narrator, The Wolf’s Curse
Twelve-year-old Gauge’s life has been cursed since the day he witnessed a Great White Wolf steal his grandpapá’s soul, preventing it from reaching the Sea-in-the-Sky and sailing into eternity. When the superstitious residents of Bouge-by-the-Sea accuse the boy of crying wolf, he joins forces with another orphan to prove his innocence. They navigate their shared grief in a journey that ultimately reveals life-changing truths about the wolf––and death. Narrated in a voice reminiscent of The Book Thief and Lemony Snicket, this fast-paced adventure is perfect for fans of literary fiction fantasy such as A Wish in the Dark and The Girl Who Drank the Moon.
JESSICA VITALIS is a Columbia MBA-wielding writer. After leaving home at 16, Vitalis explored several careers before turning her talents to middle grade literature. She brings her experience growing up in a nontraditional childhood to her stories, exploring themes such as death and grief, domestic violence, and socio-economic disparities. With a mission to write entertaining and thought-provoking literature, she often includes magic and fantastical settings. As an active volunteer in the kidlit community, she’s also passionate about using her privilege to lift up other voices. In addition to volunteering with We Need Diverse Books and Pitch Wars, she founded Magic in the Middle, a series of free monthly recorded book talks, to help educators introduce young readers to new stories. She was recently named a 2021 Canada Council of the Arts Grant Recipient. An American expat, she now lives in Canada with her husband and two precocious daughters. She loves traveling, sailing and scuba diving, but when she’s at home, she can usually be found reading a book or changing the batteries in her heated socks.
Sometimes Leelynn Reads 
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the story!
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I like your 15 thoughts! I’m always having thoughts and questions in my head while reading too lol. Great review!
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