I really enjoyed reading Moonsick. I read it in a weekend, wanting to know what happened. It reminded me of the movie, Werewolves. The movie left me wanting more as it didn't really tackle anything of substance, and it toyed with deeper ideas, but fell flat. However, I feel like Moonsick scratched that itch that I was wanting. I really liked that it explored how the pandemic impacted communities differently, especially different economic classes. And the characters were human in their reactions and motivations. I only wished the pacing had been a little more consistent. The ending/climax felt a little rushed in comparison with the rest of the book. Overall, I loved it, and I hope there is a sequel!

“Moonsick” is a young adult horror fantasy novel where a werewolf turns the world into a very scary place! A High School senior named Heidi, who is privileged, must come to terms with her new reality of where becoming a werewolf is a terrifying contagious disease! Heidi’s parents go on vacation and she hosts a party at her mansion in celebration of graduating high school. With the full moon tonight and the party tomorrow, a worldwide werewolf epidemic happens and it turns into a very deadly situation! This book takes us on a journey of her trying to survive this epidemic!

I felt this book had an interesting twist on an epidemic! This is a fast paced read that I found to be mysterious and intriguing. It comes with a lot of adventure that kept me wanting to know what was going to happen next! I really enjoyed the overall structure and atmosphere of this book. It was thought provoking, flowed well and came with a clear thesis! It was easy to read and unique. This book is about survival, identity, transformation, social inequality, and explores the duality of monsters. Furthermore, this book also comes with a queer representation. This novel was well written and had clear themes! I was fully immersed while reading this. Overall, I give this a 4 out of 5 stars!

Content warnings include horror, transformation and fear. I think fans of the movies Twilight and Teen Wolf would really enjoy reading this book!

Thank you to NetGalley, author Tom O'Donnell and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for this digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This book is expected to be published on September 23, 2025!

Moonsick is well written and clearly has a strong voice, but I just couldn’t get into it. The premise is interesting and the writing solid, but it didn’t really click with me. Might be a great fit for others, just not my kind of story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Tom O'Donnell's “Moonsick” is a blood-soaked, breathless YA thriller that sinks its claws into you from page one and doesn’t let go. At once a survival story, a character-driven coming-of-age, and a sharp reflection on power, privilege, and pandemics, this werewolf story howls with energy and relevance.

The premise is deceptively simple: Heidi, a high school senior living a life of luxury and routine protection from the lycanthropic virus plaguing her world, finds herself infected after a botched robbery during the full moon. Teaming up with Cam, one of the would-be thieves who’s also been bitten, they go on the run, dodging a government task force and desperately searching for a cure. But what begins as a fight for survival quickly evolves into something deeper: a journey through a society where the infected are feared, hunted, and discarded.

O'Donnell's take on werewolves is refreshingly brutal—think Hemlock Grove or The Vampire Diaries, with body horror transformations that aren’t glamorized, but raw and unsettling. The world-building, which folds the werewolf virus into society’s daily operations (complete with swabs, curfews, and kill squads), feels eerily resonant in a post-pandemic age. There's a clear parallel to the handling of real-world outbreaks, showing how society protects the privileged and sacrifices the vulnerable. Heidi’s transformation as she goes from a sheltered, popular girl into someone reckoning with her own privilege and fragility is one of the book’s most satisfying arcs.

That said, “Moonsick” isn’t without its bumps. Some readers might find the beginning trope-heavy, like a high school party gone wrong and a rich girl in crisis, but the story uses its clichés knowingly, in a way that feels campy and self-aware rather than lazy. Some of the characterization, especially with the stereotypes, almost turned me off the book, but I persevered for the character growth and the thriller/horror elements. The love story element between Heidi and Cam is hit-or-miss; it adds stakes while others may find it underdeveloped or awkwardly timed.

Character likability may vary. Heidi and Cam are complicated, flawed, and occasionally frustrating—which might alienate some, but also grounds them in the chaotic reality they’re facing. The POV shifts between Heidi and another character can feel jarring at times, pulling you out of the fast-paced story.

Despite these imperfections, “Moonsick” thrives on its pace, atmosphere, and thematic depth. It delivers thrilling werewolf horror with teeth, while sneaking in smart commentary on societal decay, privilege, and moral ambiguity. It’s chaotic, it’s messy, and—most importantly—it’s fun. If you’re in the mood for a YA horror novel with claws, heart, and a bite of social relevance, “Moonsick” is a wild ride worth taking.

⭐⭐

MOONSICK by Tom O'Donnell

Thank you Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the earc (Sept 23)

Heidi has it all: popular boyfriend, rich parents, etc. And the party of the year. One thing is in the way: she must make it through the full moon. When someone breaks in, she is infected and must team up with the boy who broke in in order to find the cure.
MOONSICK is a YA sci-fi-y book that pulls from   inspiration from a world overtaken with a virus and werewolves like in Teen Wolf. I don't know what I expected from this book, but it wasn't this. I guess witn it being compared to Teen Wolf I wanted more Teen Wold vibes. I don't know. MOONSICK didn't pull me in the way I wanted; or at least not as much as I wanted. This book was interesting: two people on the search for a cure so they wouldn't be werewolves forever after being infected. Honestly, the bulk of why I disliked this was the characters. The characters---even the main ones---were unlikeable. Not just a little. And the book read in a way that I didn't like as it back and forth between Heidi's pov and Erik's.
This ended like there might be a sequel, which I do feel is needed because this offered an unsatisfying ending.

3.5/5 stars
Read via NetGalley

Let me first say, I don't know if I'm the target audience for this book at 26 years old; but, I think I absolutely was 10 years ago. But then again, maybe I wouldn't have enjoyed the cringe factor of this book as much 10 years ago (blech boyfriend, perfect female lead, high school drama). This book reminds me of binging the Vampire Diaries tv show with my siblings and making fun of the cringy, overly dramatic "high school" vampires while also loving it at the same time. Yes, I'm saying the cringe is good!

This felt similar, but with this world it's kind of a COVID-esque werewolf pandemic nightmare. Don't ask me, I can't really explain.

Plot – 4/5, fast paced but at times felt underdeveloped (like the main characters' frontal lobes), feels mostly satisfying

Science/World – 3/5, like I said, don't ask me, I can't really explain. Werewolves + virus + pandemic + eat the rich! + reddit conspiracies

Characters – 3/5, wanted some more development from some of the characters as well as the relationships between them. Arch-nemesis? Super-mom or salty mom?? Okay, tell me more! The unlikable characters = very unlikable, so good work there

Vibes – 4/5, funny, cringy, gorey

Enjoyability – 4/5, lots of fun, wanted a littttttle more high school drama (above mentioned NEMESIS?)

Awesome name for a book, honestly. The book seems like it leaves room for a sequel. I'd probably read a sequel. I'd watch a series based on Moonsick, too (move over, Elena)!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

#netgalley #Moonsick

I don’t know about the Scream comparison, and I’ve never read Stephen King, but Moonsick hits like a silver bullet. It's a fast, fun, blood-slicked YA thriller with some sharp teeth and surprising depth. It’s messy, chaotic, and honestly? A blast.

The setup is simple: a full moon, a high-tech mansion, and a girl named Heidi who’s never really had to think too hard about the world outside her bubble—until she’s attacked. What follows is part survival story, part self-discovery, and has just enough blood and grit to keep things tense. Heidi and Cam are both infected after a robbery goes sideways, and the story really kicks into gear once they’re forced to navigate a world that treats werewolves as dangerous and disposable. Heidi's infected, freaked out, and on the run with Cam as they struggle to maintain a sense of normalcy to find a cure.

The transformation scenes are brutal in the best way, think Hemlock Grove or The Vampire Diaries, not glittery teen drama. Underneath all the violence and chaos, there’s a smart thread running through it: commentary about who gets protected, who gets ignored, and how the system only shifts when the powerful are personally affected. A moment tied to Cam's past really drives this point home.

The ending definitely leaves space for a sequel and keeps a few threads loose, but as a whole, the book sinks its claws in early and doesn't let go. It's just feral enough that when it winks and dares you to chase it, you probably will. I haven’t read YA in a while, and this reminded me how fun it can be.

Thank you to NetGalley for the e-ARC!

what an interesting book about the lycan disease and those that have it. It leads for another book and helping the resistance . Loved that she found love while dealing with a new disease and finding her tribe.

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

The concept of this book was so unique and interesting!
Heidi is a high school girl who has everything a girl could want. But with a world where an infectious disease is present, and has the world on edge. So, can you really have it all? During Heidi's senior year, everything is supposed to go according to plan, until one night throws everything off course. This night leads to Heidi deciding what to do and if truly the life she had was all it was planned out to be....

I found myself drawn in the first half of the book. I was eating it up and didn't want to put it down! For a Young Adult book, I found this to be a perfect book for them! It mentions gore, explicit language, and a verbally abusive relationship. So with these warnings, I say this is more of an older young adult book.
The beginning of the book felt very eerie and had me feeling on edge, wondering how the world works. It gives very COVID-19 vibes. When the world was trying to figure out what to do. It's a book that handles times of uncertainty well and shows how many people react differently. I enjoyed seeing the parallels to the real world during times of mass pandemic.
I will say the random profession of love I was not the biggest fan of. It felt oddly placed in and kinda made it all drop flat. I wish it had been something they simply developed from sharing the experience.
Overall, for a Young Adult book, I enjoyed it!

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to get an ARC of this book and review it!

I love a good werewolf book. It's one of my favorite tropes in horror fiction and this one starts out with a fantastic premise and then follows through on that.

In this world, people know that werewolves exist. For the past five years this werewolf "virus" has become part of daily life for everyone. From being swabbed, to having a curfew during full moons, to a specialized police force to take out and either detain or kill those infected.

Heidi is a rich girl who's had it easy, living in a wealthy area with the best protection system against these creatures when they turn. Until one night when someone breaks into her home to steal silver. They leave an area unprotected and all three are attacked. One is ripped apart but Heidi and Cam (one of the intruders) are injured, which means they are now infected.

As they run away to avoid the task force and trying to not kill anyone, they have to navigate this world where they are the hunted while trying to maintain their humanity. Along the way they'll search for a possible cure, get involved with a creepy woman who lives in the woods, and attempt to escape an agent hell bent on hunting them down.

This is more of a YA novel but it was great. The werewolves are terrifying, there's a good amount of blood and gore without that being the main focus, and several arcs from different characters which makes the book thrum along at a really good pace.

If you, like me, need another great werewolf book for your TBR, this is one I highly recommend.

I received an ARC of this book through Netgalley. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.

The book starts off like an extremely cliche high school movie. I’m pretty sure the exact scenes have already happened countless times in media. But like, respectfully. This book reads like a super campy werewolf movie and it was really fun to read. It’s also extremely interesting to see how COVID has impacted werewolf stories.

It’d be interesting to see where the story may go after this first book, because I definitely don’t think I would’ve gone the way the main character did, and I’m wondering if I may change my mind a bit if there’s more development after the kids become a little less like….kids. I don’t have the moral conundrums Heidi has but I understand why she may have been written like that for a YA novel.

My only complaint about the book is just that there was a super unnecessary romance in there.

Loved the premise of this book!
Unfortunately, I wanted to like/care about the characters, but I was just missing something to do that.