I Am the Swarm is a beautifully written story in verse form. The book is filled with symbolism and addresses several topics such as abuse, neglect, self harm, and mental health. Chewin uses magic realism to bring Nell's, the main character, emotions to life. The little insects of emotion fill the story. These creatures give readers insight to Nell and the various events in her life, primarily those of trauma and moments of self discovery.

While the verse is very poetic, It took some time for me to grasp the plot of the book. For me, the book's message built over the entirety of the story with little glimpses flittering in and out of the narrative. I believe for that reason, the book would work wonderfully for text analysis with older teens and up.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read, "I Am the Swarm", by Hayley Chewins. Unforunately, I do not think I was able to pick up on the message of this book. The poetic writing was beautiful. I may give this one another try once it is on the shelves.

Y’all already know how I’m going to start this lol Me an novels in verse do not always pair well. I got this one to offer to my co-workers as a pick for our program, Tournament of Books. Unfortunately, I didn’t care for it much.

Ok so the novels in verse are always a hit or miss for me. It’s only because I always feel like there’s chunks of stuff missing from each story. And this one was just like this. At one point she was upset and making bugs. The next she was telling us about the scumbag who was teaching her. And it went so fast. I felt like there were bits and pieces that we were missing.

I did like the message and the prose. It was amazing. I do want to know why it was bugs tho lol I was terrified there would be roaches or something and y’all know I don’t care for bugs in the first place. So yeah, I was not amused. But I think it gave the message that was intended. Like bugs are gross and so are these gross feelings that these people have given to me.

I know I’m not actually the target audience for novels in verse, but I always love to experience new books and new formats. And even though this one had some missing spots, it was all still good. And I still want to read more from this author as well.

This magic-realist novel in verse is brutal and beautiful and excellently written. The women of Nell Strand's family get strange, terrible magic when they turn 15. Her mother can't stay one age, a teenager with her daughters as often as she's a real grown-up. Nell's sister Mora is full of music and the only way to let it out is to cut her skin open. And Nell's cloudy emotions come through as bugs spewing from her mouth. But more than the magic, this is a story about messy families and mental health struggles. It's about first loves and about sexual abuse. It's about trying to find your voice, your emotions, your anger, even when you feel silent and invisible.
Like I said, it's really good. It's really hard. It takes on these terrible things with grace and beauty.

What a freaking amazing premise! It's unique, fun, and so easy to read. I was engrossed from the start! I hope more books are written for this series.

I first encountered Hayley Chewins's gorgeous prose in The Turnaway Girls; I thoroughly fell in love with it while reading The Sisters of Straygarden Place. Chewins is that rare writer whose prose possesses the rhythmic, uncanny quality of dark fantasy poetry, and so when I learned she was coming out with a novel in verse, I knew immediately that I had to read it. I Am the Swarm was every bit the evocative, powerful, razor-sharp story I hoped it would be.

Chewins's command of language and rhythm is impeccable. Every line break, every turn of phrase, every evocative word, feels chosen by some unseeable algorithm that blends into something truly remarkable. Nell’s character is impeccable, as wild and relatable as the creatures she conjures, and her emotions leap out from the page as fiercely as any butterfly.

Although set within the confines of the real world, I Am the Swarm contains some of the most unique magic I’ve ever read. I can’t recall a secondary-world fantasy that was more original and uncanny than the magic contained by the Strand family. Insects, music contained inside one’s body, age ephemerality…every beat of this story, every character, and every word thrums with individuality, authenticity, and mystery. I truly can’t recommend I Am the Swarm enough!

I Am the Swarm by Hayley Chewins is a beautifully crafted and thought provoking story.
A magical YA story that caught me by surprise and held me captive till the very end.

This was an unusual and unique read. At first, I was confused by the layout of the words, but then realized that it was meant to be written as a poem.

Nell is a young teen in a family of women who are cursed with magic. It's not the kind of magic you think or would even want. It shows up in peculiar ways and at awkward times. Nell's magic comes to her in the form of insects, directly related to her emotions. Whether she's angry, sad, happy, confused, etc. Different types of insects represent each emotion. Without openly discussing how she was feeling, I was still able to understand by what type of insect appeared.

This was a beautiful yet heartbreaking story about a young teen's struggles to understand herself, her family, and the world around her.

This beautifully written novel in verse weaves a perfect metaphor by using magical traits to stand for the mental illness and problems passed down through family lineage. Intensely relatable for me as an adult reader while staying age appropriate for the intended teen audience.

First and foremost as always thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book. This was an incredibly good read! The story was beautifully written and the characters were flushed out really well! Loved this! Definitely worth the read!

“The magic is passed down the line, a cursed family heirloom that nobody wants. I’ve never wanted it. But that has never mattered. No matter what I want. I’m still going to get it.”

Like all the Strand women before her, Nell is aware of the strange power that courses through her veins—one that keeps her family trapped in an endless cycle of misery. In comparison to the haunting melodies of her older sister’s blood and a mother who can shapeshift into many ages, Nell Strand’s ability to display her emotional world in the form of ladybugs and dragonflies initially seems like a blessing. However, she soon learns that even her seemingly beautiful shell can break when her rage and resentment is no longer allowed to hide. Finding herself torn between rising tensions in her household and unwanted advances from those around her, Nell seeks comfort through a heated, unexpected love—one she calls her antidote.

I Am the Swarm’s verse writing drew me into Nell’s heart immediately, unveiling her deepest scars and her desire for the normalcy that she has been robbed of. Through an emotionless father and a mother that frequently seeks to escape from the horrors of her shape-shifting self, readers can see exactly how magic has divided the Strand family and destroyed the protagonist’s relationship with her sister, Mora. Witnessing the personalized and cruel nature of each of the Strand women’s magic, however, was the most interesting aspect of the book for me. In Nell’s case, she is forced to deal with the physical manifestation of emotions that she feels numb to, which causes her to embark on her own healing journey as she navigates her strained relationships with her family members. This parallels her experiences with the boy she loves and her piano teacher who threatens her sense of control, forcing her to confront her feelings of isolation. Throughout the course of the book, I found myself wanting to know more about the boy and I wished Chewins had leaned a bit more into the romance to push Nell’s development. Besides that, the pacing was exceptional, as I felt that all the necessary pieces of information fell together like a puzzle at the end as Nell recounts past moments, leading to her slowly mending her family’s rifts. Similar to her other slice-of-life stories, Hayley Chewins’ I Am the Swarm masterfully captures the struggle between a girl and her cursed magic amidst the typical troubles of one’s teenage years.

I Am The Swarm
•spoiler-free review•
4.0 ⭐️

This book is written in a novel-in-verse format, meaning the entire story is told through poetry. As someone who’s written and published a handful of poems/collections, I was excited to see how this story would go.

I loved the premise, and how the story tackles magical realism with intense topics. The magical elements makes it easier for me as a reader to connect with Nell, our main character, and her family. It’s both a beautiful and haunting book.

If you’re a fan of poetry, magical YA novels, or books that delicately discuss real-life issues, then I think you’d enjoy I Am The Swarm!

(Thank you @netgalley for the e-arc!)

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This was an unusually written, thought provoking read.
The author's style of writing made me feel exactly what the female lead was feeling - all of her pent up emotions, confusion, loneliness...you name it. I was even brough to tears a couple of times, and I only ever cry for a book when what I am reading is really good.
I wish the author could have explored the female lead's powers a little more and maybe have delved into what was affecting the sister so much. The family portrayed here was really dysfunctional, and I would have liked to see a little bit more resolution and togetherness at the end, instead of such an open finish.

Trigger warnings (I do not recommend reading if any of these trigger you) - Self harm, eating disorders, anxiety, depression, sexual abuse, dysfunctional family, absent parents...etc.

Do you ever pickup a book and know your teenage self would have eaten it up? Of course, even as a teenager I was never drawn to poetry or verse, so I think that is where this book has lost me. I want to love it. I want to appreciate hate the beautiful flow of words and the emotions presented, but I cannot connect completely with characters who are only fleetingly presented. I am obsessed with this cover and the premise, however. I think reading a physical copy would have been a better option so I could study the words on the page. It was a book that needed the sound of a page turn. The book was a lot more and less than I thought. Again, I saved this book in June because of the cover, and I missed the part where it was written in verse. But it was also more because it touched on some very heavy topics. Perfect for fans of Crank and magical realism.

It took a little while for me to fully get used to the writing style. But when I did. I really liked it. If you like contemporary books with a magical element or books written in verse, I'd recommend this.

Beautiful. Lyrical. Poetic. Magical.

This story is told in verses. I wish it had more distinct chapters to help indicate where the reader is in the narrative. It follows Nell, a fifteen-year-old girl who inherits generational magic and explores how she navigates this gift within her challenging family dynamics.

To say that I cried reading this book is an understatement. This book is very powerful in stating what it is like to live in toxic situations and how that can effect people in each generation. I loved the symbolism with the insects reflecting different moods and mindsets that the main character was facing at the time. It was a little repetitive with some stuff but overall a very powerful message.

"A propulsive YA novel in verse that blends the contemporary magic of Jandy Nelson with the simmering feminist rage of Laurie Halse Anderson's Shout.

As far back as anyone can remember, the women of the Strand family have been magical.

Their gifts manifest when they each turn fifteen, always in different ways. But Nell Strand knows that her family's magic is a curse. Her mother's age changes every day; she's often too young to be the mother Nell needs. Her older sister bleeds music and will do anything to release the songs inside her. Nell sees the way magic rips her family apart again and again.

When Nell's own magic arrives in the form of ladybugs alighting on the keys of her beloved piano, the first thing she feels is joy. The ladybugs are a piece of her, a harmless and delicate manifestation of her creativity. But soon enough, the rest come. Thick-shelled glossy beetles that creep along her collarbone when her piano teacher stares at her. Soft gray moths that appear and die alongside a rush of disappointment. Worst of all are the wasps. It doesn't matter how deep she buries her rage, the wasps always come. Nell will have to decide just how much of herself she's willing to lock away to stop them - or if she can find the strength to feel, no matter the consequences.

An intense, emotional read simmering with rage and magic, I Am the Swarm is a captivating YA novel in verse that beautifully speaks to the complicated nature of growing up as a girl."

Damn, I'd hate to have my emotions literally tied to wasps.

A potent and powerful novel in verse that speaks to growing up, the strength that can come from anger, and finding one’s voice. Reading the novel in verse was sometimes tricky for me, but the magical realism used is top notch and the sheer potency of emotions is wonderfully vivid. This book truly captures the uncertainty of adolescence.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)

😘 Thanks to @PenguinTeen and @NetGalley for the gifted eARC. All opinions are mine alone.

👩🏻‍🏫 Reader Notes & Trigger Warnings: This book deals with some heavier topics and is not for the faint of heart. It includes depictions of self harm, suicide attempts, self-starvation, and sexual harassment. Take care.

I believe this novel in verse has so much potential. It has a very powerful premise. Unfortunately the organization and structure of the writing created confusion and pulled me out of the narrative constantly. In truth, I’m hoping that it was an error in the digital arcs and that the final product does not have this issue. I plan on reading it when it’s published to revisit my rating. I think if the structure wasn’t so confusing this would have been a 5 star read for me. I especially loved the visual symbolism of the magic of Nell, Mora, and their mother. I think this novel explores multiple struggles of women and their mental health in a very beautiful way. I think the message of female rage along with hope was built up to so well.