CLAIRE DE LUNE

An enjoyable if forgettable supernatural romance, this debut novel will be appreciated by teens who can’t get enough of the genre. Soon after Claire turns 16, she discovers that the itchy hands and ears plaguing her of late are due not to a rash but to her burgeoning transformation into a werewolf. Her somewhat emotionally distant mother explains that the women in their family are part of a long tradition of loup-garou that she must now join. Complicating matters is Claire’s newfound relationship with a sweet, gentle guy who is the son of a zealous scientist bent on curing werewolves of their affliction, even if it means killing them. A series of murders being committed by a rogue wolf builds a satisfying degree of suspense, there is a nicely constructed red herring and the unadorned, simple writing style works well. Claire is a sympathetic character, though her love interest seems too idealized and one-dimensional and the conclusion entirely too tidy—in the end, there is not much to set apart this reworking of a familiar idea. (Supernatural romance. 12 & up)