Book Review of Fool Moon by Jim Butcher

Goodreads Summary: Harry Dresden--WizardLost Items Found. Paranormal Investigations. Consulting. Advice. Reasonable Rates. No Love Potions, Endless Purses, or Other Entertainment.

Business has been slow. Okay, business has been dead. And not even of the undead variety. You would think Chicago would have a little more action for the only professional wizard in the phone book. But lately, Harry Dresden hasn't been able to dredge up any kind of work--magical or mundane.

But just when it looks like he can't afford his next meal, a murder comes along that requires his particular brand of supernatural expertise.

A brutally mutilated corpse. Strange-looking paw prints. A full moon. Take three guesses--and the first two don't count...
Goodreads Rating: 4.04 stars with over 129,000 ratings
Genre Listing: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Mystery, Fiction, Paranormal
Get the Book: Amazon, Book Depository
Reviews on series: Storm Front by Jim Butcher
Goodreads: 9/30 (I miscounted in the last review)
2018 Reading Challenge:  #21 A book involving a mythical creature (Check out the reading challenge here.)

Review:

So far, I think I'm making pretty decent progress on my challenge. I'm at least mildly thinking about what's on the list before I pick a book to read. I wasn't really sure where I was going to stick Fool Moon until just a few days ago. Luckily, a book full of wizardry and werewolves seems like a good fit for Mythical Creatures to me! Another idea for this one would be #32 an Action Adventure book or #47 A book with a male main character.

I'm really glad that my friend Tress got me into this series. I adore the sense of humor that Harry has, as well as the sort of wing it attitude. He makes an interesting main character because he's smart, funny, knows his strengths, but also understands his weaknesses. I get really tired of reading books where the main character is either perfect in every way or has some "quirk" that's supposed to make them unique and then fails to do so. 

Susan's grown on me as a love interest for Harry. In Storm Front, I was really hoping there'd be something between Murph and Harry. I felt that Susan came across as just trying to use Dresden for the link to supernatural stories. In Fool Moon, I felt like she really came across as she cared about Harry, or at least was starting to. I'm actually interested to see where the relationship heads in the next book.

I feel like the trust/broken trust issue between Harry and Murph is going to be a reoccurring theme in the series. Based on the end of the book, it made it seem like things are somewhat patched up, but I have a feeling something will change that in book three. We'll see if I'm right. 

I really enjoyed the different types of werewolves that Butcher put in this story. I liked how he gave each type their own identity and history. It was interesting since some of it strayed from the typical versions of the creature I've read about in the past.  I thought the concept of having a magic belt turn a person into a wolf was interesting. I also like the point of view provided when it was used. It made it seem like an internal good vs. evil type of thing.

I'm going to try something a little different with my reviews. What I'd like to do is do a quick overview of my review, like I just did. I'm then going to rate it, and below the rating, I'm going to ask a series of book-club-style questions. My answers are going to be with spoilers, just as a warning. I would really love for folks to chime in. 

Discussion Questions:

1.) What was your favorite type of wolf depicted in Fool Moon?

I really enjoyed the Hexenwolfe. I thought the idea of a magic item being able to turn someone. The concept was an interesting one that I have not read before. As I mentioned previously, I also really liked how the point of view changed and the internal struggle it provided. 

2.) What is your least favorite type of wolf depicted? 

I wouldn't really say I have a least favorite exactly. I liked them all in their own way, but I felt like The type of wolf Tera was got the least amount of attention. In the entire book it was hinted that she was *something else* and then at the end, it hinted towards the fact that she was a wolf transforming into a human. I think the concept is interesting, and I'd like to read more of it, but there just wasn't much detail on it. It was more of a "wait... what?' moment for me.

3.) What is your favorite part of the story?

I liked that Harry has to learn to fight without his magic. It's very obviously his identity, and I think by losing it momentarily he has to grow and use his intellect to get himself out of situations. 

What's your least favorite part?

Probably the weird sexual tension that Agent Benn has with being a Hexenwolf.  It seemed out of place and awkward. I didn't really see the point of her constantly exposing her self to touch the belt and shift. It felt like they only point of it was "Hey! Boobs!" 

5.) What are you looking forward to the most in the series?

I'm really hoping that we get to dive into more of Harry's past. I want to know what's so terrifying in his past, what people see when they soulgaze with him, and obviously who's trying to set him up. I also want to know more about him becoming a wizard, I still don't full understand how that happens in this world. Does some random person just decide to become a wizard and train for it? Is there some kind of gene? Does some magic toad lick your face and then *bam* yerrr a wizard, Harry? I need to know these things.