Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Turn

Rate this book

506 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 7, 2026

Loading...
Loading...

About the author

Megan Stockton

62 books327 followers
Megan Stockton is an indie author who lives in rural Middle Tennessee with her husband and two children. She primarily writes, horror, thriller, dystopian, and science fiction/fantasy novels that are character-driven and immersive. She is known for delivering works that are raw, thought-provoking, brutal, and cinematic.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
20 (62%)
4 stars
7 (21%)
3 stars
5 (15%)
2 stars
0 (0%)
1 star
0 (0%)
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
Profile Image for Pisces51.
826 reviews73 followers
August 14, 2026
TURN (2026) By Megan Stockton
My Review Five Stars

How far (does) “for better or worse” really go when the person you love might be the thing you should fear.


This hefty (506 page) horror novel was just released by popular Indie author Megan Stockton in June of this year. I snapped up a copy of the kindle edition the minute I saw it advertised. It was designated as a Group Read by Splatterpunk horror book club for the month of August. I have really enjoyed prior works by Stockton, and have been a staunch fan since reading her debut novel Bluejay (2023) . She is at the top of her game with this epic werewolf yarn featuring a pair of honeymooners in the wild woods of her native Tennessee.

I finished reading this book in mid-August and it is mortifying to be uploading this review during the first week of October. In my defense, I absolutely “spammed” the Discussion Thread on Splatterpunk , a fact which does not exactly make me feel proud. That said, it certainly immortalized by interest level and thrill reading this latest story by Stockton.

One of the things I noticed was what I perceived to be a lack of interest in the group read specifically, but within the population of horror genre fans in general. It is my opinion that the length of the book may have been off-putting. I was thrown for a loop myself when I spotted “506 pages”, which was after the nomination was approved for the club’s August Group Read. It is funny about that, though. I listened to audiobooks a few years ago and insisted on the Unabridged Versions. I feel this way about novels. Yes, I think that this book could be less pages and still be effective, but I couldn't pick paragraphs to omit because I enjoyed every scene.

It piqued my interest so I looked briefly at the reviews, ratings, and statistics on Amazon and of course, Goodreads. The ratings are 4.7 Stars and 4.60 Stars respectively, but the sample was low numbers. This suggests to me that the readers who chose to pick it up pretty much loved it, while the numbers who did choose to read it were low. This at least in the short term does not bode well for this outstanding Indie author who independently published the book with Bad Luck Cat Publishing . However, it may simply be a matter of time before the novel gains any significant traction with the horror genre community.

The book at its most basic level is an epic honeymoon tale about a happy couple out of their element stranded in the desolate Tennessee woods. The story is unfolded using alternating first person POV between the two main characters Holden and Ezra. The Cover Art in tandem with the one-word title Turn veritably shouts “Werewolf” of course. Speaking of werewolves, I was very impressed by the deft and imaginative treatment of this classic horror trope. Holden’s “change” is not governed by the cycle of the moon or any of the “rules” we learned from watching Lon Chaney in the iconic Wolfman . Subsequent to the infamous wound from the cursed creature it is only gradually that Holt’s body, mind, and emotions are altered. His strong will to remain in control of his body and actions only stretch so far as the grip of the monster becomes stronger and his features begin to change as his hunger consumes him.

It is early in the novel that the reader recognizes the gradual yet steady feeling of increasing dread. The complications wrought by a fierce storm render their romantic getaway to nature's solitude into an official "trapped in the woods" scenario. Holt is transforming into a large, fast, inordinately strong and deadly animal. The creature and the human man have an undeniable connection. The story explores how Holden's exposure is gradually impacting and eroding his own free will. The infiltration of the wild beast is gradually causing Holt, the human man who adores his mate, to falter and manifest fear when his hands touch Ezra's body. I was chilled by the fine line between sexual passion and the biological imperative to "feed", satisfy hunger, and abandon all stop-gaps for the sight and satisfaction of bloodlust. The unbridled horror of the book was only beginning to peak its head out at that point. A " ballet" of intertwined bodies and unbridled passion between our two lovers morphed into a deadly dance with death.

This lengthy outing by Stockton is unlike any of her previous works. There is stomach churning blood and gore, a depth of depravity that is almost indescribable. But the rich character development of the two men who are racing against time with little chance of reclaiming their lives is relentless and has the author at the top of her game. She demonstrated a gravitas with this work that I have not experienced with her earlier novels.

Toward the end of the novel, the narrative was still not giving up any clues to how the end of the story would play out. In reading Stockton's prior works that was hardly an atypical observation. The writing was tense as a bow string and the extreme horror was flowing like a red river. But the character studies are so well written that experiencing what the two men were feeling and reacting at this critical point was pulse pounding terror.

By the time the end was in sight I had spent a lot of time with Holden and Ezra and I really enjoyed Ezra shedding his dependent posture and transforming into a determined and believable hero. I was genuinely concerned about how Stockton was going to sew this saga up at the end. I honestly REALLY liked this quite lengthy epic werewolf imagining from Megan Stockton. The rich character development, the rendering of extreme horror scenes so graphic you could almost imagine the scent of copper pennies in the air, the relentless pace of the narrative. ALL superb. Turn was a gripping character study, a terrifying creature tale, and a roller coaster ride to Hell and back. It was action-packed extreme horror with a monster you will remember and a couple you will love.

STOCKTON SHOULD BE EVERY HORROR FAN’S "STOCK IN TRADE”

Profile Image for Breanna.
374 reviews9 followers
June 19, 2026
Man, I don't even know where to begin! Turn by Megan Stockton is everything. The atmosphere is incredible, the descriptions pull you right into the story, and the love between Ez and Holt is absolutely palpable.
Imagine trying to enjoy your honeymoon when everything that could go wrong does. Storms, a power outage, complete isolation, and a creepy creature determined to ruin everything. Megan does an amazing job making you feel every emotion right alongside the characters. Their love, fear, stress, and determination felt so real.
Author 14 books54 followers
October 13, 2026
My goodness, this is my first book by Stockton, and it won't be my last. This is a hefty one; I think the print version clocks in at around 500 pages. I was forewarned that it was a gruesome read, and there's certainly body horror and gore in abundance. Turn follows a couple on their honeymoon during a stay at a remote cabin in the woods. Werewolves are obviously involved, and the title was well chosen. This novel is the most detailed, most complex and complete description of what it would (probably, I can't speak from personal experience) feel like to endure the process of turning into a werewolf. But, the novel is so much more than that.

Stockton gives us pain and transformation, mixing hunger with love, and investigates the intersection of hunger and consumption with desire. The main characters are extremely well done, with the novel alternating between the POV of the couple, one of whom is slowly changing while the other does everything he can to save him, and to still see him for who he is. The alternating POV, occasionally showing the same experiences/same scenes from two different sets of eyes was a fun element.

The fact that the main characters share a love of horror allows for copious references and humor mingled throughout the novel, as they navigate being thrust into their own horror story.

Stockton is a master at one liners and scenery depiction. I found myself underlining descriptions that were just so deliciously delivered and spot on ... that which may sound simple on the surface, captured so smoothly in words that the scene becomes visible instantly in the mind's eye. You can imagine what that sort of capability conjures for the more gory scenes. Thankfully I've found I have a strong stomach for gore, and was unaffected, but let this be a warning if you're not a fan of devouring human flesh.

In short, Turn is excellent reading, and you should add it to your TBR.
Profile Image for S.E. Howard.
Author 35 books63 followers
July 15, 2026
One of the earliest descriptions of a werewolf can be found in "The Epic of Gilgamesh," the first-ever recorded story in human civilization. In the millennia since that ancient debut, stories of wolves and men, and the amalgamation of the two, have fascinated and terrified mankind. In her latest novel, "Turn," author Megan Stockton offers an imaginative take on the classic horror trope, combining body horror, creature-feature, and, at its heart, a love story in a gruesome, heart-wrenching combination.

In "Turn," newlyweds Ezra and Holden are on their honeymoon, trading in the familiar skyline of the city for the quiet, wooded foothills of rural Tennessee. Holden grew up in the country, and wants to share his love for these quaint roots with his new husband. Ezra would much rather be vacationing at a deluxe resort with room service, but he loves Holden and thus is willing to play along. And at first, everything seems picture perfect. The cabin they've rented, although out in the middle of nowhere, is charming and cozy, within walking distance of hiking trails, a fire pit, and a beautiful lake that's perfect for fishing or swimming. And even though a woman at a local convenience store warns the lovebirds that they shouldn't go out after dark -- they shouldn't be staying at that cabin at all, she says -- Ezra tries to convince himself that it's not so bad, after all. Besides, he's with Holden, and that's all that matters.

Of course, from there, things start to go wrong. Ezra and Holden catch glimpses of a strange, hulking figure in the woods that seems to be watching them. The power goes out at the cabin, plunging them into darkness, and when the owner of the cabin sets off into the woods to restart the generator, he never returns. A powerful storm lambasts the area, knocking out trees and blocking the only road leading to or from the mountain, leaving Ezra and Holden stranded. Alone in the forest, while trying to track down their wayward landlord, Holden stumbles across something monstrous, and when he tries to flee for safety in the cabin, he's attacked. Although he manages to escape, he's bitten in the scuffle, and from there, things get even worse.

We all know the legends. Once you're bitten, you begin to turn. Stockton leans fully into this tried-and-true premise, but in an interesting twist, Holden's transition from man to monster isn't sudden, swift, or limited to only moonlit nights. Instead, it's insidious, a creeping hunger that begins to grow inside of him, a slow and methodical rewiring of his body's impulses and needs. At first, he mistakes these changes as physical desires, but slowly, to his horror, he discovers they are much worse. As that relentless hunger begins to consume him, he finds himself growing increasingly more helpless to resist it -- and the gruesome urges it compels him to slake.

As a reader, you expect a werewolf story to be bloody and violent, and Stockton delivers. Surprisingly, however, she also manages to portray horror in smaller, quieter moments as well, and it's here that the true terror lies. Holden is disgusted and dismayed by the lengths to which he finds himself -- against his will -- satisfying his new bestial compulsions, while Ezra struggles to reconcile the gentle, caring man with whom he fell in love with this new, bloodthirsty stranger jockeying for control of Holden's body and mind. It's their love that propels the story and allows Holden to hang onto the fraying strands of his humanity while Ezra desperately tries to find a way out of a seemingly hopeless predicament, some means by which he can free Holden from his terrible fate.

"Turn" swings back and forth between intimate-scale horror and big, bold, and bloody, but never feels like it doesn't know where it's going or what kind of story it wants to be. It's a tale told with confidence, sincerity, and heart, with as keen an eye toward the grisly details as it is the tender, heartbreaking moments in between. Stockton takes timeless lore and makes it uniquely her own, and the end result is fantastic.
Profile Image for Stephanie.
188 reviews11 followers
July 4, 2026
Turn, by Megan Stockton, is a fantastic, fresh take on the familiar werewolf subgenre. When Holden and Ezra go to a remote cabin in the forests of Tennessee for their honeymoon, they expect nothing but a week of relaxation and newly-wedded bliss. Holden wants to prove to his husband that the woods can be beautiful, safe, and charming. But when a violent storm knocks out the power one evening, Holden heads down the path to the generator to get the lights back on. Something happens that he can’t explain, something terrifying that has sharp teeth and an unnatural form. After he’s bitten, he begins to change in ways he can’t comprehend. Instead of the perfect getaway alone, the isolation becomes a trap in and of itself. And as Ezra watches the man he loves more than anything become something he doesn’t recognize, he also begins to turn into someone who will do whatever it takes to survive and save Holden from the unthinkable, no matter what the cost.

I absolutely loved this story. Holden and Ezra were characters that I quickly fell in love with, and I wanted to fly through this book as fast as possible but also dreaded reading about what was happening to them. The story was told from the first-person perspective in alternating chapters between the main characters, which made the narrative incredibly effective. The reader was immersed in the inner thoughts of Holden as he turned, his feelings, his terror, and also Ezra’s as he fought to save his husband. There were moments that made me laugh out loud because their banter and relationship were so real, and times when I teared up because their emotions were blatantly raw and powerful. Turn will have you asking how far you would go to save the love of your life, how much you’re willing to change to do it, and whether love is enough to do both.
Profile Image for Rhonda Bobbitt.
651 reviews47 followers
June 4, 2026
Arc book Review
Turn
Megan Stockton
507 pages of pure terror.
“Achievement unlocked: Horrifying Woodland Encounter.”
A honeymoon straight from hell delivered by Satan himself. Love can make you do horrifying things that you never knew you could do.
This was not your cozy little creature feature...it was aggressively unhinged. I laughed, I cried, I gaged, I would have thrown the book across the room (in a good way lol) if I wasn't reading on my kindle.

I loved the banter between Ezra and Holden.
“I swear if you ever die naked, I’ll put pants on you before I call for help.”

“Swear to God, one vine comes near my asshole, and I am jumping off the nearest cliff.”

Where does she come up with these stories?
Megan described it as....
The erotic body horror def eroticing and body horroring. And she wasn't kidding this was off the walls...good.
I've read 70 books so far this year and this one is in my top 3.
Profile Image for Josette Thomas.
1,423 reviews1 follower
June 19, 2026
I have seen this author recommended from several book groups. I decided to give it a try. The book was absolutely frightening and gross! I have. never been so frightened while reading a book as I was with one. Once I began reading this delightful tale of murder and mayhem, I could not put it down! I found myself awake at all hours hoping to see if Ezra would be able to take on the evil that infected his husband. I am not much of a splatterpunk horror reader but I really needed to read a book by this author. I can honestly say the gore was up there (the description of eating a person). I will not. ever get some of the scenes out of my head but the outcome definitely made up for those specific horrors. There were parts of the story that I gasped at the inhumanity of the situation. Other scenes made me incredibly angry and discouraged by the lack of empathy. Finally the scenes of the evil being’s ability to come out of the story were absolutely mind boggling. I look forward to reading more books by this author. Now I say, “Bring on the splatterpunk horror!”
Profile Image for Tasha.
545 reviews11 followers
June 18, 2026

“... because love, apparently, could grow teeth too.”

A visceral, raw story of how far we would go for our soul mate.

Heartache, dread, strongest level of love, sex, cannibalism, supernatural. It’s all there.

Our two main characters, Ezra and Holden, are on their honeymoon when everything falls apart. They are tested time and time again, but their love never wavers. Not once.


Each chapter switches between Ezra and Holden, and it is flawless.

Fantastic descriptions of the characters feelings and their physical appearance. The blood and gore is just right. Enough to make you gag. Enough to make you cry.

This is one of those stories that will have you feeling every emotion. It will also stick with you for days. I know I am still feeling it all a couple weeks after reading it. It was hard for me to write my true feelings of the story because it is just that good.

You must read this.

One million stars for Turn.

Profile Image for Kayla Frederick.
Author 31 books165 followers
June 25, 2026
On their honeymoon, Holden and Ezra decide to go to a remote cabin so they can be alone and just enjoy one another’s company. But there’s a storm on the way, and things quickly go off the rails. Without power, they’re forced out of the safety of the cabin and into the woods where they quickly realize that they’re not as alone as they thought they’d be.

This was a slow burn in the beginning, but it had such an explosive ending. I adored Ezra and Holden. They had so much chemistry, and it really made the second half of the book hit harder. Especially since we see the events unfold from both Ezra and Holden’s POV.

How far would you go for the one you love? This book will make you double think that answer!
Profile Image for Rickey.
657 reviews2 followers
November 5, 2026
LOVED THIS!!!

This was fantastic! Holt and Ezra get all the awards for best couple in fiction. This book was a simple premise done extremely well. Basically what is City Mouse and Country Mouse were a black gay couple on their honeymoon in the woods and got attacked by a werewolf. Relationship goals abound in this. The love and caring they have for each other throughout this whole ordeal is beautiful but it never feels fake or fictional. It feels like what real couples would do for each other in a situation like this.

This might be my book of the year, definitely my horror of the year. I will read whatever Megan Stockton writes next.
1,410 reviews66 followers
June 6, 2026
Ezra and Holdon are on their honeymoon. Things don't go as they planned. How far would you go for the one you love? Emotion filled read packed full of humor ,love, determination and more.
Profile Image for Sarah Corwin.
214 reviews6 followers
June 18, 2026
Werewolf stories always focus so much on the body horror of turning in the moment, but this was next level. The slow transformation and added moments from Megan made the werewolf store even more insane with more gross factor, horror, and the slow dread that builds as you see what is happening before Ez and Holden do make the story so tense.

I was also obsessed with Ez as a character because of the connection he had from his traumatic past and how it coincided with Holden’s storyline. It was beautifully written and gave me chills. Beautiful, gross, and so scary! Another great one!
Profile Image for Alyssa Margo.
85 reviews2 followers
September 25, 2026
Love me some Megan Stockton. Such a descriptive writer, I always feel like I’m in the book. This one was extra gruesome though I will say😭
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews