I gave it a chance hoping to find a gem. I liked certain aspects of the story. I like how weird Hawthorne is. I liked her family and the hippies, I liked Vernon, Rush and Conner. Much of the book felt real and genuine. I, too, remember the feeling of loneliness in high school, even when you are at the big party, or the intrigue of the older boy. Or the mean girl that you put in her place, but feel empty and hurtful inside when you actually deal with her. Unfortunately this was coupled with the idea of a lost girl turning into a werewolf instead of being dead, lost or having run away. The fact that everyone was so passive about Hawthorne pursuing this felt counterfeit. Also, that this young girl would believe or want to believe this for months was a mistake by the author. However, I actually wanted to finish this story and I did like how the author tied up some ends and let your imagination fill in others. In the end, it was a mixed bag for sure.