Thirteen Moons: The Werewolf Almanac

by C. A. Boozarjomehri

Genres: Fantasy

227 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication September 1, 2026

Reviews

[Genny · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cover and the premise honestly are what made me instantly click into this book, and I was not disappointed. I loved how the 13 chapters being sorted into types of full moons complemented the story— and when viewed digitally, the artistic renderings of each moon type were gorgeous.

The story is told through the eyes of Lyka, who has experienced a lot of trauma and hardships in her life. This is supernatural fantasy with found family and grappling with your identity. The interactions between the fur-folk as well as the humans are what drives this story at its core, and how major events in your life can shape how you perceive and interact with the world. There are jumps in time but the story always matches the theme of the moon established at the start of the chapter.

Be sure to grab a copy when it’s released on September 1, 2026!

Thank you to C.A. Boozarjomehri and Victory Editing Netgalley Co-Op for providing this eARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Kate Brasington · Rating 4 out of 5]

🌙🌙 ARC REVIEW🌙🌙

Firstly I love how every single chapter pertains to a different type of full moon I thought that was fantastic and clever as it pertains to the title of this book!
Thirteen Moons follows Lyka a wolf shifter and her many phases of life. We learn about the hardships the fur folk go through as well as the many traumatic experiences Lyka experiences through her life. This isn’t all sad there are some sweet parts too!
Thirteen moons is a bit of a slow burn and it is beautifully done! I found myself not wanting to finish this book because I loved how cozy it made me feel!
Thirteen moons released September 1st and I think it is perfect for anybody who wants to read a slice of life book about shifters!
Thank you to the author for sending me an early copy of your book!

[Ally · Rating 4 out of 5]

My rating: ★★★★☆ (4 stars)
werewolves 🤝 folklore 🤝 "wait... why is this fictional almanac making me want to believe werewolves are real?"
okay but...i LOVE when authors fully commit to a concept and making an entire book read like a real werewolf field guide/almanac???yeah, that was such a fun idea!
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.
what i loved was THE FORMAT.
this isn't your typical novel.
instead, it feels like you've stumbled across an old book that's been passed around by generations of werewolf hunters, cryptid enthusiasts, or maybe even werewolves themselves.
the entries are creative, immersive and packed with little details that make the world feel surprisingly believable.
i found myself reading "just one more section" over and over again.
i also really enjoyed how much inspiration the book takes from folklore.
it doesn't rely on just one version of werewolves.
instead, it pulls from different myths, traditions and legends, making the whole thing feel much richer than i expected.
as someone who loves mythology and folklore, that was easily one of my favorite parts.
and can we appreciate the illustrations and overall presentation? they add so much personality to the book.
it genuinely feels like something you'd find tucked away in the back corner of a dusty library and i absolutely loved that aesthetic.
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.
BUT, because this is written like an almanac rather than a traditional story, it won't be for everyone.
if you're looking for a central plot, character development, romance or a fast-paced narrative then this isn't really that kind of book.
it's much more about exploring an idea than telling a single story.
i also found that some entries were stronger than others.
there were sections that completely pulled me in...and a few that felt a little repetitive or didn't grab my attention quite as much.
but that's also kind of the nature of this format.
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.
overall this was such a creative reading experience.
it's immersive, beautifully presented and clearly written by someone who had a lot of fun building this fictional world.
i love books that experiment with format, and this definitely stands out from anything else i've read recently.
so if you like werewolves, folklore and mythology, fictional field guides, beautifully illustrated books
and a unique reading experiences...i think you'll really enjoy this one.

My final thoughts;
i came for the werewolves...
i stayed because apparently i'll read literally anything if you convince me it's a centuries-old field guide full of cryptid lore. 🌕🐺📖

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC!

[Sayla Masse · Rating 5 out of 5]

★★★★★

*Thirteen Moons: The Werewolf Almanac* completely surprised me. I expected a werewolf story, but what I found was a heartfelt coming-of-age fantasy about family, identity, community, and the moments that shape a life.

The book is structured around the thirteen full moons of the year, with each chapter feeling like its own beautifully crafted story. Every moon has a distinct theme and emotional payoff, making it easy to savor one chapter at a time. At the same time, each story builds naturally into the next, creating a larger narrative that follows Lyka from childhood into adulthood. By the end, all of those seemingly separate moments come together into a deeply satisfying whole.

The prose is warm and immersive, and the emotional beats land without ever feeling manipulative. The worldbuilding is refreshingly original, presenting werewolves and other mythical creatures as people with families, traditions, and everyday lives rather than horror monsters. The relationships are the heart of the novel, especially the found family, friendships, and slow-blooming romance.

If you enjoy character-driven fantasy, folklore-inspired worlds, LGBTQ+ representation, found family, and stories that leave you feeling hopeful, *Thirteen Moons* is well worth picking up. It's the kind of book that's just as rewarding to read straight through as it is to revisit one moon at a time.

[Kat Reads Skulls · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the advance readers copy! All opinions expressed are my own 🖤

This wasn’t what I expected, it turned out to be better. This is a werewolf novel that tells one story from Lyka’s life for each one of the 13 full moons of the year, spanning from her childhood to seeing her own child grown up.

First off, the format was beautifully formatted and every story had emotional weight to it, even when they weren’t all in chronological order. The author did a great job of fleshing out every section with details that made the fur folk and others seem real and integrated into our current universe, with all the joys and ugly realities that would bring.

If you’re looking for a sweet romance or soft coming of age, this isn’t it. The exploration of grief and the darker sides of human nature are present and written well (I.e. this book made me cry but I’m happy about it??). None of the characters are perfect, but in all the grief and figuring herself out, Lyka also found how to create and appreciate moments of joy in an imperfect and cruel world, and that’s a message I needed to see right now.

Emotional and character driven werewolf story that has jumped to the top of my favorite reads of the year, absolutely recommend.

[Kim Layman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was much different than I was expecting, but not in a bad way. It was warmer and cozier, despite the struggles that were presented for the FMC, Lyka.

The novel breaks up Lyka life into thirteen parts, starting with her birth, what happened to her parents, and how that impacted her. And despite the downs that clearly could have caused her pain and added trauma to her life, the author does not leave her there. It’s balanced with love.

As Lyka moves through life, we see her grow, marry, have a family, but also deal with humanity’s prejudice against her kind, werewolf hybrids. We also experience her losses that come with age, but also from pain and regretful decisions. It’s relatable because we’ve all been there, and know how she’s feeling.

A caveat, this story is not a straight shot through her life. There is some past mixed in with the present, but the backstory adds fullness to Lyka’s story, and why some of the things that happened to her, happened.

I really enjoyed this folklore/fiction mash up. It was an engaging read that felt like a relative would tell you when they are older in life. 4.5 stars

Thank you to the author for a copy of his book through BookSirens. My opinion is my own.

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thirteen Moons by C. A. Boozarjomehri is a refreshing take on the werewolf genre. Instead of focusing only on monsters and mayhem, the story explores family, identity, love, loss, friendship, and what it means to find where you belong. The FMC Lyka’s journey through life, told one full moon at a time, gives the story a unique and almost folkloric feel. I really enjoyed the way the author blends paranormal elements with genuine emotional moments. The Alaskan setting and the community of “fur folk” add plenty of atmosphere, while the characters made the story feel personal and relatable. The themes of found family and resilience are especially touching. Overall, Thirteen Moons is more than a supernatural story: it’s a thoughtful coming-of-age tale about discovering yourself and the people who become home.

I received an ARC copy from NetGalley. Thank you for giving me the chance to read this novel and share my honest review of the novel

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book covered a lot of time and character development in a fairly short page count. I like how it was structured like interconnected short stories throughout the main character's life. I enjoyed the writing style and the characters. The aspects of world building included in the first parts were interesting but the later sections didn't have as much for reasons that made sense with the direction the overall story went. The jumps around in time from chapter to chapter were interesting and well ordered and told a cohesive story overall, but at times it was hard to tell if we were going forward or backwards in time (or sometimes how far in a direction even if I could tell which one) until context clues showed up several pages into the chapter. This is good for people looking for a cozy read that prioritizes the characters and the main character's arc more than a complicated plot line.

[Jill Mess · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've given this story 2.5 stars, but I can't do half stars so 3 will do.
This story follows Lyka - a fur folk - and her journey through life. Each chapter follows a different moon and quite literally feels like a slice of life. While typically that's my jam, in this story it didn't quite work for me only because at one point we jump forward in time about half way in and then jump abruptly back.

As a credit to the author, it honestly felt as if they were so passionate about getting the story out that it felt a bit rushed. It wasn't bad and I don't mean it as an insult. I just wish there was more. Some topics were explained in great detail and others just felt rushed and it took me out of the story.
I loved the concept, but not always the execution if that makes sense.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance copy from NetGalley for my honest review.

This book was so intriguing, I have never read another one like it. The format was fascinating to me.

It is called The Werewolf Almanac. Each chapter is a different moon (month) of the year. This book reads almost like a diary, if the person only remembered to write 13 entries over the span of their entire life.

We start out by learning about the main character's birth, then we see her adolescence. Then we see high school, then graduate school, and suddenly we are jumping into childbirth and then that child's wedding. It was so unique to see snippets of events, but you don't feel like you're missing out on anything. I really enjoyed this style of writing. I recommend.

[camille · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this not knowing what to expect, and low and behold it was extremely different than what i usually read.

BUT it was so damn good, the format was excellent, i love how it wasn't always linear.

August and Septembre chapter had me crying, December as well. I was unwell and just reading through the tears. It just goes how to show that even without a linear story we still got attached to the characters.

The numerous love stories in this were so sweet, the lesson to learn in this are hard hitting and sad, could be why i cried so much.

Beautiful story, great writing.

Thank you to netgalley for allowing me to read this arc, great experience all around reading this.

[Faiza · Rating 4 out of 5]

C.A. Boozarjomehri did an amazing job with this debut novel.

It's a heartfelt coming-of-age fantasy that beautifully explores family, identity, community, and the moments that shape who we become.

I don't want to spoil anything, so I'll keep this review short. This book is absolutely worth picking up. I was genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed it, and once I started reading, I couldn't put it down until I finished. If you're looking for an emotional, character-driven fantasy, I'd definitely recommend giving this one a try.

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC

DNF at 57%.
This book jumps around A LOT when it comes to time line. I also wouldn’t call this a “coming of age” story. It’s not a story about her as a teen figuring out who she is and about her shifting and about her life as she matures from teen to adult. By the 50% she’s already 29. I didn’t really like the writing style and DNFed due to that, the jumping around the pregnancy trope (no thanks).
While I liked the characters the writing and plot wasn’t it for me.

[Ramandeep Kaur · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thirteen Moons is a gentle reminder that love doesn't have to be complicated. At its heart, this is a story about found family, first love, and the quiet sakoon that comes from genuine connection. The characters feel real and simple - no unnecessary drama, just pure emotions and honest bonds. A cozy, heartwarming read about how true love and friendship can bring peace into even the coldest moments of life.

[The Weaver · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a maybe for me. I do love the world building and the werewolves. But I wished there was more in this store and more werewolves. It did feel cozy for me. I only will recommend this book if you like cozy paranormal books. 3 star isn’t necessarily a bad rating in my opinion because it’s an average rating.

[Tabetha McMillan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was unique in a way that I loved. It follows Lyka (a werewolf) throught her life by 13 moon phases. Each moon phase is a chapter about a part of her life and her experiences. It's an emotional coming of age story that has love, grief, found family, supernatural creatures, duke action n more in it. If you like shifter books give this one a try, it's not your typical werewolf story.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thirteen Moons is a great read, but it certainly hurt my heart. This book reads like a memoir as though Lyka is telling her story with moments which defined who she is as a person. Lyka’s found family is full of ‘characters’ and loved. I enjoyed Thirteen Moons but be warned I had a serious ugly cry while reading the book.

(Actual Rating is 4.5 Stars)

[J Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!

This book is so much more than just another werewolf novel. Better than anything I imagined. I liked how Lyka Aewyn’s life story was wrapped into the meanings of the thirteen moons in a way that was deeply personal. I laughed, I cried, I sighed. What a wonderful story! I received an advance copy, but my review is honest and voluntary.

[Kimberly C · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an emotional roller coaster. I love the characters, the story and the structure. It was very relatable in the human aspect and I liked the thought processes of the thirteen moons. A short read, but it definitely packed a punch and keeps you hooked!

[danie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to the author the arc opportunity!

This was a good, short debut novella! I enjoyed the pacing, the plot, and the characters. A great book for any shifter fans!