Young Adult: Wolf Born by Sue Bursztynski

Sue Bursztynski has been reviewing young adult and children’s books here at January Magazine for close to a decade. So it was a special delight to receive word that her newest book, Wolfborn, had been published by Woolshed Press, an imprint of Random House Australia. It was extra special in part because, of all her books, this latest is the closest to her beat here at January Magazine: young adult and children’s books, quite often with a paranormal bent.

For obvious reasons, we make it a general policy not to review books by our own contributing editors. It does not break protocol, however, to tell you how the publisher describes Bursztynski’s new book:

Break the curse or howl forever.

Etienne, son of a lord in the kingdom of Armorique, goes to train as a knight with Geraint of Lucanne. Geraint is brave and kind, a good teacher and master - but he has a secret that he has kept from his family. He is bisclavret, a born werewolf. When Geraint is betrayed, Etienne must ally with the local wise-woman and her daughter, themselves bisclavret, to save his lord. But time is running out. If Geraint's enemies have their way, Geraint will soon be trapped in his wolf form.

And Etienne has his own secret. The decisions he makes will change his life forever...

Inspired by a medieval romance, this engaging novel forces us to question everything we thought we knew about werewolves.

The book has only been out for a few weeks, but has been showered with stellar reviews. Well done, Sue! We’re all as proud as can be.