Review: Brothersong by T.J. Klune
SYNOPSIS:
In the ruins of Caswell, Maine, Carter Bennett learned the truth of what had been right in front of him the entire time. And then it—he—was gone.
Desperate for answers, Carter takes to the road, leaving family and the safety of his pack behind, all in the name of a man he only knows as a feral wolf. But therein lies the danger: wolves are pack animals, and the longer Carter is on his own, the more his mind slips toward the endless void of Omega insanity.
But he pushes on, following the trail left by Gavin.
Gavin, the son of Robert Livingstone. The half-brother of Gordo Livingstone.
What Carter finds will change the course of the wolves forever. Because Gavin’s history with the Bennett pack goes back further than anyone knows, a secret kept hidden by Carter’s father, Thomas Bennett.
And with this knowledge comes a price: the sins of the fathers now rest upon the shoulders of their sons.
REVIEW:
The epic conclusion to a fantastic series. I think the book can be broken down into two parts, Carter’s romance and the pack’s fight for their lives. In terms of Carter’s romance, I didn’t love it as much as the other stories. But in terms of the Bennett pack versus Robert Livingstone, the story blew my mind.
So I think the problem with the story was it’s difficult to balance such a monumental showdown with a romance. In that regard, I felt that Carter and Gavin lacked the fluidity and their relationship felt rushed. While it is clear they have a strong emotional connection, the physical aspect of their relationship went from 0 to 100. I wished they got the time and balance but you know with inevitable doom approaching, I guess things happen when they happen.
In terms of the Bennett pack, this book was action packed (terrible pun not intended, please forgive me). There is a deeper dive on Thomas Bennett and honestly, the man lost some of my respect over the course of this story. He had so many dirty secrets but I also think it was necessary because it showed his humanity, it made him a more vulnerable and flawed character. He lost some of that hero worship glow that he had throughout the series.
Joe, Carter, and Kelly really formed a tight knit relationship over the story. They had the honest, hard conversations and came out stronger on the other side. They shared their fears and vulnerabilities and Carter and Kelly finally start to see Joe as the younger brother again, instead of the Alpha. Ox was the steady constant throughout the story. Endlessly brave and selfless, I still love him and he will forever be my favorite. But the surprise twist I wasn’t anticipating was with Tanner and Chris and let me just say, these two, ugh I love these hilarious men.
The story also extends into Gordo finding acceptance for his brother but also Robbie realizing that Gordo is still his brother, even if he has another one now. Gordo’s Christmas gift to Gavin had me tears. And that wasn’t the only time I found myself in tears. The build-up and anticipation had me on the edge of my seat. I couldn’t wait to find out what was going to happen next. I needed a xanax to finish this story, the last 100 pages were brutal. Emotionally gripping, on the edge of your seat thrilling, I felt so many emotions in such a short period of time, I had to remind myself to take a few calming breaths every couple pages.
The story was truly beautiful, even if I wanted more as I read the last page. I got the closure I needed for every single character. I can’t even remember the last time I had a book hangover like this; honestly, I think I might go and re-read the entire series now.
LINKS:
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
