**3.5 STARS**

Content Warning: violence, death, loss of a parent

I went into this one not knowing it was inspired by Sense and Sensibility until after I read it. With that said, I loved how it is written because I felt like it was regency era inspired so I think the author did a great job capturing that era and the gothic vibes.

As for it being inspired by Sense and Sensibility, I can definitely see that with a few twists here and there. The world building and history is interesting with this encroaching fog that kills people, so over generations it has pushed territories to defend and protect their borders. Merrick’s family has had a change in head of household with her father’s death and her sister is the named the next lord of their manor. What I found fascinating in the stories was the relationship between the sisters and how complicated it is. Bottom line is both girls are trying to survive and keep their house in order but one is head of household and the other has to marry. It’s not so easy to do either though when their borders are being breached, and they seem weak.

I did enjoy how the story unfolded though it can feel slow at some parts because a lot of it is a mystery until all is revealed. I loved the gothic atmosphere. I mean the fog has Phantoms (zombies?) that kill people! It took me only two days to read but I can’t say I loved Merrick. She is pitted as the most vulnerable of the sisters because she has no power, and has to marry to survive but she seems willing to fall for any guy who pays her attention. Is that survival or is she just too trusting? Especially when she has a cousin-in-law, Cressida who is trying to teach her to be more aware of the games the people in power play? I just wanted Merrick to be a little more smarter about some situations. But as a comparison to Marianne from Sense and Sensibility then I can totally see that she stacks up well to her. I did want more from Essie also.

My Thoughts:

Regency era mystery, gothic vibes, zombies in the mist, and inspired by Sense and Sensibility – I think the author pulled it off. I do wish I loved the characters more though and the romance had a chance to take off, but is there a book two because the ending did feel like it was left open? Overall, I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from this author.

This book had everything I love:
Mystery and Suspense
Unexpected Plot Twists
The best male love interest
And like court stuff

This book was great once I got into it, it just took a little bit for my interest to fully be there. This is a really well done debut novel, and the world building is *chefs kiss*. As a person who has a hard time visualizing things in my brain, I need strong imagery, and this book has it.

There better be a second one coming!!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this ARC for my honest review.

I absolutely loved this! Atmospheric and understated while creating a convincing and rich fantasy-version of England. I loved the re-telling from the perspective of Marianne and found the major twist excellent and unexpected. One of my favorite reads of the year!

I received a copy thought NetGalley for review.

I really enjoyed this one, its got atmospheric Phantom (ie. zombie like sickness) mist, and only the Lords, the ruling families are in on the secrets of beating the ever creeping mist back and protecting humanity from losing themselves to it, deteriorating to a Phantom and then going back to eat their loved ones.

The Manor Born, or those descended from the families of Lords have magical immunity to the mist, only they can go into it and not become a Phantom. Charged with protecting their people, and communities Lords are trained in battle, in combat to hunt and destroy Phantoms in the mist. And hold off the Greylands that have already been lost to mist.

Archdaughter Merrick Darling, fled her home and manor Norland House in Sussex 6 months ago after the death of her mother, when her father declared she would not inherit the title of Lord. For what else was a spare Manorborn to do, but find herself a good husband and bolster her house's name. But in that time she had yet to form an attachment when her sister, Estella writes informing her their father has died. And so she must return.

She finds Estella much changed in those months, she appears almost frightened and haunted herself.
Something strange is happening at Norland House and Merrick is determined to uncover it.
Norland House is in trouble with a series of recent breaches, the mist leaking in and killing the populace before the Manorborn and their men and sweep in and end the Phantoms.

With ruthless cousins already in the house by the time she arrives, and other Houses looking for a weakness, to either take over, marry into or oust the Darling line. And it turns out her Father did not publicly declare a Vessel, an heir before he died. The assumption is Estella is the presumptive Vessel, but she doesn't appear remotely ready to take up the title of Lord.
She's keeping secrets from Merrick, and it's looking like their father went mad with grief prior to his untimely death before leaping into the mist himself.

With a pack of vultures circling, can Merrick help her sister, and uncover whatever rot seems to have taken up in Norland House before it's too late?

It's got Regency era manners, zombie like creatures, an encroaching deadly mist, women trained to shoot guns and kill phantoms plus dance and balls and woo society at large, romance, secrets, rebellion. I honestly cannot wait for book 2!

I have to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me a chance at reading this book.

I made it through 50% of this book and said, no more. I love Sense and Sensibility, but I think having Marianne as the focus of this story, ,or the 'story' of this story in general was confusing, meandering, and just ... rough.

There was just so much boring dribble happening, no real agency. The Marianne character ran off to the city to find a husband of good fortune, leaving the Eleanor sister with her father. Father dies, his title passes to the Eleanor sister, other sister is upset. There are 'invisible fences' so to speak that are blocking the ghouls from coming through (lanterns) and there seems to be breaches in them. You have the Col Brandon character, who seems to have a past / secret, but he is reluctant to tell it Then, the Eleanor sister goes missing.

I just feel a lot of things are happening with no real flow or build into WHY these things are happening. I like seeing characters build relationships, build / rebuild their lives, and there just was none of that happening.

It's a shame that I was really excited for this book for me to not get through it.

Haunting and atmospheric, The Monstrous Kind is a clever twist on Austen’s Sense and Sensibility!

Merrick is the perfect flawed MC and the epitome of Marianne. She’s headstrong and flighty, but also fierce and determined. I loved the tension and angst between her and Brandon. The plot was extremely creative and I enjoyed learning about the different Manors and Lords. The lyrical prose also gave the story an almost ethereal quality. It was like watching a dream unfold with the perfect amount of mystery and romantic intrigue.

If you loved Pride and Prejudice with Zombies and/or One Dark Window, this story is absolutely for you! The ending was fairly open ended, so I’m hoping for more stories set in this otherworldly England.

Thank you to Netgalley, Delacorte Press, and Random House for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVED The Monstrous Kind! Lydia is a fantastic writer, and she created the most amazing gothic setting. This is such a fun twist on a classic story.

WOW0w, The Monstrous Kind was so fun to read! This book had everything including a Regency setting, a zombie-producing fog, mysterious deaths, a love triangle, and twists and reveals to boot! It was incredibly atmospheric and fast-paced, and some of the writing/metaphors were especially evocative and top-notch. The only thing I may have hesitated about was a sense of lack of depth to the characters, relationships, and/or world-building that prevented me from really connecting to them at a deeper level. I look forward to Author Lydia's Gregovic future works!!

5 Stars

The Monstrous Kind reads like Stephen King’s The Mist meets Bridgerton with a little bit of the house politics of Gideon the Ninth. A bit of a tricky 5 stars from me.

First, let me say, the writing is flawless. The author clearly has a lot of skill and she showcases it well in the glittering decadence of the setting, juxtaposed against the creeping horror of the mist. I loved watching all the quiet, unspoken politics wielded by an iron fist in a lace glove, the subtle social maneuverings that drive the plot.

I did have a bit of trouble getting into the book, especially in the first 1/3. I felt like the main character’s focus was a little scattered. The mystery was SO compelling to me that when the MC would distracted from it by the subplot, I found myself missing the forward propulsion of the main plot. That said, I can’t deduct any stars for it. The writing is SO good and the characters vibrant and distinct, I’m 100% sure those same elements that didn’t appeal to me will be absolute catnip to a lot of readers, especially voracious readers of the Romantasy genre.

Overall, a really solid showing, especially for a debut. Eager to see what this author does next.

The Monstrous Kind
by Lydia Gregovic
Pub Date: Sep 03 2024

Merrick Darling’s life as daughter of the Manor Lord of Sussex is better than most. Unlike the commoners, she is immune to the toxic fog that encroached on England generations earlier. She will never become a Phantom—one of the monstrous creatures that stalk her province’s borders—and as long as the fires burn to hold them back, her safety is ensured. She wants for nothing, yet she will never inherit her family’s Manor. She must marry smartly or live at the kindness of her elder sister, Essie.

Everything is turned on its head, though, when Merrick’s father dies suddenly. Torn from her New London society life of ball gowns and parties, Merrick must travel back to her childhood home, the Darling estate of Norland House, and what she finds there is bewildering. Once strong and capable, Essie is withdrawn and frightened—and with good cause. A recent string of attacks along the province’s borders has turned their formerly bucolic countryside into a terrifying and unpredictable landscape. The fog is closing in and the fires aren’t holding, which makes Merrick and Essie vulnerable in more ways than one. Because the Phantoms are far from the only monsters in Merrick’s world, and the other eleven Manor Lords are always watching for weakness.

Revealing her and her sister’s current state to the rest of the Manors is out of the question, but when Essie goes missing, it’s clear that Merrick needs help. Only, who can she trust when everyone seems to be scheming, and when all she holds true feels like it’s slipping right out of her grasp?

Sense and Sensibility with Phantoms (ghost zombies)?! Sign me up. This was a solid read. Not as scary as I was hoping (since it was compared to House of Salt and Sorrow), but it was a fun read. While most things were predictable, there were some twists that I wasn't expecting.

I was disappointed in the lacking romance considering it was labeled Romantasy. Also, there was a lot more tell than show for the plot. But overall really well done. Especially for a debut novel (what?!).

This had a great mystery and I really hope there is book 2.

"The Monstrous Kind" was a quick and easy read that kept my attention the entire way through. I guessed most of the plot twists well ahead of time, but I really enjoyed Merrick as a main character. The life that had been carved out for her, the power thrust onto her, and the search for truth all felt so vivid and real through her. I do wish that the book was slightly more spooky, despite there being plenty of atmosphere in the story. The "Sense and Sensibility" comps make complete sense with the story, but they take nothing away from the many changes that Gregovic manages to make entirely her own.

I don’t think this books is for me. I didn’t get too far into it before DNFing. It felt overwritten, and I guess I just don’t vibe with the regency era.

“In the end, it is death that calls me home again.”
What an opening line. This really just consumed me from the start. The Monstrous Kind has the gothic regency vibes that I loved about Belladonna, with a hauntingly beautiful prose similar to Allison Saft and Ava Reid. This isn’t a cozy fantasy by any means, but it was cozy to me with its eerie manor setting and a plot focused on mystery and secrets. The concept of a deadly mist and killer phantoms intrigued me from the first chapter. I loved that fantasy element that boosted the spooky atmosphere even higher and made for some action packed fighting scenes.
In the midst of all the dark secrets, there’s a really sweet romance that warmed my heart. He supported her fighting and protecting herself, and offered her freedom from all the political chaos. Not to mention he has heterochromia eyes, scars, and a mysterious yet tragic backstory. The yearning and tension was everything, I couldn’t get enough of him.
There were so many plot twists that I lost count, and absolutely no one is who they seem. It’s no surprise that this was 5 stars for me. I knew from the first chapter I was gonna be in love with this world and these characters and this book. It wrapped up nicely, leaving me with a smile on my face. However, I wouldn’t be opposed to a sequel set in the same world. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

The Monstrous Kind is a gothic, mysterious romantasy that hooks the reader from the first page.

I had a great time with this one. It was haunting, romantic, and very entertaining. It had me guessing and smirking with its stunningly atmospheric prose and beautiful scenes. I was able to guess many of the big reveals at the end, but I still had a fun time with the mystery. This story had so many fun elements, and I cannot wait to read more of Lydia’s work.

Thank you to the publisher for the free ARC!

Lydia Gregovic's debur novel has an intricate world-building, suspenseful plot, and compelling characters. Set in a dystopian England plagued by toxic fog and monstrous creatures known as Phantoms, the story follows Merrick Darling, a young woman who must confront her family's secrets and the darkness lurking in her own heart. Merrick's life takes a dramatic turn when her father dies unexpectedly, forcing her to return to her childhood home, Norland House. There, she discovers that her once-strong sister, Essie, has become withdrawn and fearful. As attacks on the province's borders intensify, Merrick and Essie find themselves trapped in a world of danger and uncertainty. The novel's strength lies in its atmospheric setting. Gregovic paints a vivid picture of a world where the toxic fog has transformed the landscape into a terrifying and unpredictable place. The Phantoms, with their grotesque forms and deadly venom, pose a constant threat to the inhabitants. However, as Merrick delves deeper into the secrets of her family and the other Manor Lords, she realizes that the true monsters may not be the ones lurking in the fog.
Merrick is a complex and relatable protagonist. Her journey from a sheltered and privileged existence to a world of danger and intrigue is both compelling and heartbreaking. She grapples with her own prejudices and fears, and her determination to protect her sister drives her to make difficult choices. Gregovic's writing is both lyrical and suspenseful. She deftly weaves together elements of fantasy, horror, and mystery, creating a story that is both thrilling and thought-provoking. Overall, I highly recommend this book for fans of dystopian fiction, fantasy, and suspense.

I was interested right from the title and cover. Then add in the romantasy and monsters and I was hooked.

Right from the first page, I knew I wouldn’t be able to put it down. I loved everything about this.

The world-building was fantastic, and it had the perfect gothic feel.

This was the author’s first book, and it was fantastic. You could tell, that she put a lot of time, effort and thought into this! I can’t wait to read more from this author!

it was a dark and twisted tale, filled with angst and paired with chilly & mysterious atmosphere. I love the writing style and how each character personalities were portrayed, especially Killian (he is such a dear must be protected at all cost). I also love Merrick as a lead, also Estella and Ames and actually everything about this book!

This was such a good book! I really love this author so I was so excited to get to read this book. The plot was so good I could not put it down until I finished! The characters were unique and I loved the journey and turmoil they went through. I will be recommending this book to all of my friends and family.