AHHHHHHHHHHH! When I tell you I choked on my water when this Netgalley approval came through, I'm not exaggerating. This was one of my most anticipated reads for the year, and it did NOT disappoint! Never Whistle at Night is set to hit shelves on September 19, 2023, and it's a collection of stories featuring indigenous stories and narratives penned by Tiffany Morris, Morgan Talty, Andrea L. Rogers, Rebecca Roanhorse, Shane Hawk, Kelli Jo Ford, Tommy Orange, and so many other fantastic native authors. Their writing invoked a level of fear and horror that I'll be thinking about from now until forever, and I can't wait for spooky season so I can pick this baby up again for the ultimate scare!

Normally a short story collection is a fast read. This was not. From the foreword, you're told to sort of suspend your expectations, how the stories can end inconclusively and are handed off like 'Have this.' You really have to remember that throughout because some of the stories here end abruptly and yeah, now it's yours and enjoy. That can be hard to resolve when you're used to things that end with a clear finish.

The other thing I found with this book was the difference in stories. It's a "Dark Fiction Anthology" but some of these are edge of your seat spooky then sad, some are just generally sad, some are unsettling, some even have funny moments mixed in with the tension (The Longest Street in the World, for example. I just found the idea of the Junior arguing with this murderous entity laughable, despite the context of the story.). There is such a breadth of difference that you just find all the emotions and the ones in between while navigating this book.

The Prepper and Uncle Robert Rides the Lightning for example, both were beautiful stories in different ways and both broke my heart. Collections, Navajos Don't Wear Elk Teeth and Tick Talk set my heart racing and we so unsettling. Dead Owls straddled both, being so unsettling then finishing with a kick in the emotions.

The one that is really living rent free in my head is Kushtuka by Mathilda Zeller. I've been revisiting the story, wrapping my head around Tapeesa's experience and that ending. Sometimes I can resolve it with the 'It just be like that sometimes' meme and other times I'm still staring down this story like 'ok but how?!' This was also the first story in the book. It just started with a winner.

I also have to give special mention to Stephen Graham Jones' foreword. It is arguably one of the best forewords I've read. It felt so like a conversation and invitation to this suspended belief world. Like a written version of the start of a Twilight Zone episode. It was funny, casual, bursting with language that set this almost campfire, holding a light under your chin tone. It opened up in a brilliant way for an excellent set of stories.

There's a bit in Dead Owls where the narrator says "Sometimes it's convenient being Native -- we've got a pretty high tolerance for weirdness" and that sums it up really. Just embrace the unended stories and expect weirdness and a bombardment of emotions.

A great collection of short horror stories. I definitely enjoyed some more than others and have some new authors to check out!

Thank you netgalley and publisher for the chance to read and review this book

I don't consider myself a horror person, but I found myself quickly and unexpectedly absorbed in "Never Whistle at Night." I appreciate how the anthology gave me such a wide-ranging exposure to this particular segment of the genre. The distinct indigenous perspectives through which these stories were all crafted made for an experience that was unlike any I've had. As it turns out, I do enjoy reading that has a little bit of darkness and scare mixed in. Or at least, it appears that I enjoy horror stories that deliver chills mixed in with themes of identity, colonization, and similar subject matters that I can reflect upon.

I would love to read another collection if one where to be edited together. In the meantime, I have plans to revisit this anthology again when October rolls around.

Book : Never Whistle At Night
Author : Shane Hawk & Theodore C. Van Alst Jr
Pub Date : 19 Sept 2023

Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Random House, Vintage, & the author for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I have become more and more obsessed with books filled with short stories. There is something about a book with a variety of stories. Do you know what I love even MORE than a book filled with short stories?? A collection in one amazing book filled with mysterious horror short stories written by multicultural writers. These stories are amazing. Each of them carried some sort of different eerie vibe to them and some of their culture. I tried to pull out favorites but I have to say that literally every single one of these I loved equally.

Each of them carried some sort of different eerie creepy twisty vibe that makes you gasp, eyes widen & sits you in shock with that goosebump feel. I am so happy that I got he chance to read this collection because these are something that I can keep going back to read through time here and there and I cannot wait to share these with my book friends when the collection is released. An absolute must have/must read.

I'm not the biggest fan of collections of stories but this was super good. Spooky, atmospheric, and some were downright terrifying. I loved the use of indigenous culture for these as well. Every story was beautifully written and had it's own unique touch.

I think I’m obviously biased but I loved this collection. I find it really interesting when horror has unexpected twists or endings that stray from the tropes. I found that time and time again in NWAN. Indigenous horror is so different and gives us something new and exciting for the genre. I especially liked the introduction to new authors I hadn’t heard of before. I can’t wait to see more of Shane and Ted’s work and I hope to read more from the authors featured as well

In general a smart, well-written collection that highlights some authors I will need to look more into.