5. "Sharp Teeth" by Toby Barlow

Toby Barlow tackles the werewolf legend in Sharp Teeth, a novel-in-verse. While the plot coalesces somewhat slowly, the characters are compelling: a compassionate dog-catcher, a weary cop, and various members of the three werewolf packs prowling and plotting in the greater Los Angeles area.

There's a level of brutality in the book that can be difficult to take, especially in descriptions of dogfights and the cruelty perpetrated by some of the dogcatchers. But there's also a strong sense of vengeance toward those who exploit animals, exhaustion at the harshness of life, and hope and possibility. Barlow's poetry sometimes reaches eloquence, and I have to admit to misty eyes at the end.