Strange New Moons edited by Stephen Kozeniewski & Kayleigh Dobbs is a collection of werewolf tales where every tale is an adventure and full of the unexpected!
Let’s dive in!
My Thoughts on Strange New Moons edited by Stephen Kozeniewski & Kayleigh Dobbs –
I backed this Kickstarter project, and when it officially published, I took far too long to finally dive in. OH MY GOSH, this was so fun!
Per usual here are my notes about each tale!
Foreword –
Oh, I am so glad the editors decided to do another anthology! I just love them so much! What a fun kick-off to the collection!
Vargasången by Mary SanGiovonni –
After the death of her husband, this mother knows she must call upon the lore passed down through her family to keep her two young sons safe. So when something appears at their doorstep, she’s ready to do what needs to be done…
I was SO nervous to see where this tale was going, but I also kept wanting to jump up and shout, “GO MOMMA!”
Seamus by Keawe Melina Patrick –
When an animal rehabilitator catches a giant wolf who was snagged in a trap, she has plans to fix him up. But once she learns who he is, her plans change. Little does she know, this wolf isn’t going to play along.
Oh my gosh, I was so anxious. Each time we saw this woman, things got more and more intense. I was so nervous to see what she would do next.
Agonies of the Flesh by Ej Sidle –
When an old friend arrives at her clinic with someone in desperate need of her services, this woman must choose her next move very carefully.
Ah, to see endometriosis in stories is still so exciting. This is such a terrible condition, and I’m so happy to see it becoming more normal to discuss. I related to Wendy and her anger toward doctors who do nothing about it. It took me nine different doctors before I was finally granted surgery.
That Time Of The Month by Kayleigh Dobbs –
When a man gets stuck outside during the full moon, he’s the type of man who thinks he’ll be lucky and get home safe. Little does he know… something awaits his arrival.
Oh my gosh, I loved this take on the werewolf so much. Picturing the wolves with their wine glasses had me giggling.
It’s All For The Best, Sweetie by Rose Strickman –
Sending letters to her granddaughter, readers slowly learn the terrifying reason why this old woman has locked her family member up in her basement.
Oh, this was so unsettling! I loved that it was one-sided so we couldn’t guess at what was to come!
The Pit by John Durgin –
Stuck on an island, this Lycan has been forced to fight other of his kind until the death in a dog fighting pit. He’s behaved as their star, but he’s also been watching…
Ugh, the start of this one is heartbreaking! Jumping into The Pit, readers will be rooting for our main character as he begins his fight. Seeing what happens next was a blast!
Expose The Fur Below by Rebecca Rowland –
Convinced he’s a werewolf, this young man does everything he can to prepare for a change, even looping in his best friend to help. But little does he know, she has other plans.
Oh my gosh! This was fun, gross, and nerve-wracking! I used to work in a deli, and the meat slicer always terrified me…
Who Keeps Shitting On The Memorial Fire Tower? by Somer Canon –
Determined to catch whatever had been going on at the fire tower, these two men who keep having to clean it up month after month, won’t settle until they get answers. But of course, what they find is way more than just some poo.
Don’t let the title throw you off; there’s so much terror and gore in here! I love how Somer can go from humor to full-blown terror in a second!
Lark by Amanda Headlee –
After a terrible accident one night, a family struggles to come together until one day, the mom brings the family dog back home. The surviving daughter is thrilled, but the father is not.
Beginning with a terribly sad event, it’s tough watching this family live through their grief. But things take a turn soon enough! Ah, that ending!
March Of Night, Scratch Of Claw by Tim Lebbon –
While wandering the town during the march, where people dress in costumes of monsters and other such beings, this man has a falling out with his best friend and goes to drink his sorrows away. At the bar, he meets a strange woman and takes a token of protection.
Plopping right in the middle of an interesting event, then guiding us along this man’s regrets, I was so hooked and couldn’t wait to see what would happen next!
Blackfish by Stephen Kozeniewski –
With the thought of seeing their daughters being the only thing getting her through her quarantine, once her exit interview concludes, she only has one goal. But what awaits her in the nursery?
Oh, the pacing of this was perfect! I loved how we slowly learn why the character is where they are, what the big event was, and what the fallout from the big event ended up being.
Bit Part by Matthew R. Davis –
When walking alone, this man hears a scuffle and goes to see if he can help. Of course, he has no idea what he’s getting himself into.
Oh my gosh, what a fun reversal of this theme!
Red In Tooth And Law by Simon Clark –
Determined to save lives, this man urges himself not to transform as he chases a feral. But when they encounter people, things get tricky.
Another tale that had me so anxious to see what would happen next! The cage scene especially…
My Favorite Passages –
The glittering night was silent. Ice-sheathed branches of leafless trees shivered and tinkled as the breath of early January moaned across the mountain top.
— Vargasången by Mary SanGiovonni
Cesar opened his mouth, but it was blood that spouted out, not words.
— The Pit by Johnson Durgin
It took nearly a year before Tom realized that the occurrences, what he and Luis had taken to calling the Shindigs of Shit, were happening around the full moon every month.
— Who Keeps Shitting On The Memorial Fire Tower? by Somer Canon
The woman leaned on her axe and gave him a sympathetic look, looking less now like a murderous maniac and more like a final girl waiting for the cops to come clean up the scene of her desperate triumph.
— Bit Part by Matthew R. Davis
My Final Thoughts on Strange New Moons –
I love the lore of the werewolf, but I always seem to struggle to find a good story about them. In this collection, I struggle to choose favorites! Every tale was so unique and absolutely wild in its own way.
Werewolf fans, don’t wait, grab your copy today!
Purchase your copy of Strange New Moons
Thanks for reading!
