Not spicy, but the fantasy is there!
The characters were beautiful and Merrick was the perfect brave FMC.

-Spooky and haunting
-Moderate PDF
- easy to follow

GOTHIC REGENCY??? SIGN ME UP.

I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the premise of this book, but I do not think it met all of my expectations. I was not sold on the writing, but I stuck through for the ideas and atomosphere of the book.

Merrick Darling and her older sister, Essie live in a world where England is isolated from the rest of the world by a fog that turns those who dare to venture into it into zombie-like creatures called Phantoms. A group of aristocrats who live in large country homes called Manors and together form a council called the Manor Lords (regardless of gender) that rules over the land.

One of these Lords is Merrick and Essie's father. It's well-known that Essie will be his heir and the next Manor Lord, so Merrick heads to New London to try and secure a husband for herself. She's close to landing one, when she's called home suddenly due to her father's death. Merrick returns home to find a house in disarray. There are incursions on the borders of their territory with the fog moving in, her brother and formidable sister-in-law have returned and taken charge of things, and Essie is a nervous wreck - a ball of anxiety and paranoia.

As Merrick meets a dashing soldier as well as another Manor heir, she must decide where her heart lies all while delving into the mysteries in her family, and the upper class in general.

I enjoyed the book, although I didn't find a great deal of the original Jane Austen story of "Sense and Sensibility" in this retelling. There's a few vague similarities, but that's all.

That said, if it's enjoyed as an alternate universe period story, it has enough unique elements and plot twists that it's very interesting and will have you wanting to find out what happens next. The last thing I'll leave you with that is vaguely spoiler-y (?) is this: I don't think the author liked Eleanor much in Jane Austen's book. Her sympathies clearly lie with Mary Anne. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. I'll be happy to return to this world if the author chooses to return to this world at any point. Thank you to Random House, Lydia Gregovic, and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. This is a voluntary review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

While this book was interesting the slow pacing just couldn't hold my attention. I got about 50% of the way through it and realized I was kind of forcing myself to continue reading and that it was feeling a little too much like a chore. Switching to the audiobook helped, but overall it was just feeling a little too much like a snoozefest for me. I'm sure there are others out there who will completely eat this book up, unfortunately I am just not one of them.

Well. The cover is stunning! The setting did feel appropriately regency! Unfortunately, the list of nice things I can say about this book ends here. I’ve never seen a heroine live her life in passive tense like I saw in this book, and the sheer number of simile and metaphors drastically impacted clarity.

I really enjoyed this book! The stories' pacing was great and I enjoyed the premise and the worldbuilding the author created. I also enjoyed the narrator's voices and pacing, and I thought they did a great job navigating this story. I would love to read this one again!

I enjoyed the style of this book but the pacing was a bit too slow for me. I also don’t really read much historical fiction so it’s possible that’s why it was harder for me to get into.

Wow, I’m kicking myself for not reading this sooner. It’s so beautifully written. I felt spellbound from the very beginning. The gothic vibes are immaculate and the mysterious nature of the storyline kept me on the edge of my seat. If you are a fan of Ava Reid and Erin Craig, this will be a perfect selection for you. It’s eerie and scenic and it’s so good. I read about half of it in one sitting which is a testament to how I addicted I am.

In other words, read the book!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the eARC!

I was really excited for this book just based on the blurb alone. The book is atmospheric, with a nice blend of mystery and fantasy. The overall plotline was intriguing, however it was a too slow-paced and I struggled to get through it.

this was a fun book! unfortunately a little too slow for me... I appreciated the jane austenesque additions to the novel (i love a good regency touch) but i feel like I didn't really connect to it :( i think i have to give it another shot though!!

5 Stars

STOP GIMME GIMME GIMME MORE. THAT ENDING?!!!!!! GAHHHHHH I SHALL NEVER SURVIVEEEEEEE. LIKE I NEED THERE TO BE ANOTHER BOOK MORE THAN I NEED AIRRRRRR.

This book is everything my gothic loving regency obsessed self needed. First we had Pride & Prejudice and Zombies. But that merely paved the road for A Monstrous Kind to RUNNNNNN. And now I’m finding out the author has another book and IF WE DONT GET MORE OF MERICK AND KILLIAN I SHALL LIGHT MY OWN ESTATE ON FIRE.

Anyhoo I have zero chill around this book and am obsessed and want everyone to read it right meow.

The Monstrous Kind is a supernatural mystery, which encompasses a story about sisters and social manners in Regency England. Twelve families make up the ruling class due to their immunity to the deadly fog surrounding the country. Commoners will be killed by the fog or turned into monsters. Merrick Darling, daughter of the Manor Lord of Sussex, is off in New London looking for a husband, but returns home when her father dies. On her way home she is saved by sentry Killian Brandon, when she is attacked by a fog-infected monster. She arrives home to find the Manor’s perimeter being breached and her sister Essie preparing to become Lord of the Manor. The other Lords, sensing their family’s weaknesses, are jockeying to take them over, and the Monsters are looming. Killian and Merrick form an alliance t

Bridgerton with zombies? Also reminded me of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

An atmospheric, haunting, romantasy inspired by Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility. I adored the complex characters and the constant twists and turns that the plot took.
Overall a very satisfying book that I cannot wait to get a physical copy of!

I liked the overall idea of the plot. The mist that turns people into Phantoms who are driven by a hunger for human flesh was a cool idea and I liked the mystery surrounding the Darlings and who might want them gone.

I thought the Phantoms didn't get enough page time and also weren't well explained. I wanted a deeper dive into what was going on and more people turning. This could have been creepier and I would have loved to see it a bit darker.

The romance is more of a love triangle, though I think it's easy to see where things will end up and I think we could have done without it. It also made the story read younger and less interesting to me.

There were highlights for sure, including one twist I didn't expect and a fairly even pace. This is a fun book to read in autumn with a spooky setting.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for the copy.

I couldnt get into this book. I'm really not in the bridgerton and zombie vibes. I really tried to get into this because I wanted to reread it for the sppky vibes for october but I had to DNF

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher of this book for this eARC.

As a Jane Austen enthusiast, anything that claims to be in the same vein is an instant To-Read for me. And this was creepy! I only wish that we spent more time with the other sister.

This was not my cup of tea. From the beginning the prose put me off and there wasn't anything interesting enough to redeem it enough for me to continue reading. I wasn't a fan of the main character. This book was just not for me.

I started this book with high expectations but unfortunately it did not pull me in. The writing was flowery and descriptive but it was too slow paced for me. Soi I reluctantly had to not finish the book. Thank you for the opportunity and all the best to the author.

This book is a retelling of Austen’s *Sense and Sensibility*, but it takes a unique approach with several changes that make it feel quite different from the original. One of the standout features is the introduction of monstrous creatures that rise from the mist, avoiding torchlight and fire, with manor lords responsible for protecting the lands from these breaches. At the heart of the story are two sisters, grieving the loss of their father and trying to ensure they don’t lose their manor to other lords.

While the plot starts off a bit slow, it becomes clear that this is more of a character-driven story. I really enjoyed getting to know Merrick better as the story unfolded, and I appreciated her strength and growth as a character. Though the romance is present, it’s not the central focus, which I liked. Instead, the book delves into themes of sisterhood, mystery, and loss. The political intrigue was another highlight for me, adding layers to the story and deepening the sense of mystery about who was plotting with whom and for what reasons. I’m excited to see how these elements develop in the next book.

Merrick’s character was particularly well done. She’s strong, but also flawed, and I found her relatable. She’s self-aware enough to recognize when she’s being childish or overreacting, which made her feel more real. There were moments where I found myself thinking, “Why are you doing this alone?” but her combination of intelligence and youthful impulsiveness felt right for her character.

Although some are calling this book a gothic horror, I didn’t quite see it that way. There are definitely spooky elements and eerie vibes, but nothing that screamed horror or gothic to me. You’ll still be able to sleep at night—though you might stay up late because you can’t put the book down until you reach the end.

I’m eager to see if this debut author will write a second book and what other stories she’ll bring to the table in the future!

I loved Merrick as a character and the atmosphere was just so rich and off putting at the same time. There's so much to love about an austen retelling, especially a dark one and I think Lydia Gregovic really nailed it.