Lyrical, poetic, and dark, this book follows the youngest Strand daughter's perspective and tells the tale of the Strand women, who are all beholders of strange, whimsical magic. I was not expecting this book to be written in a poem style way. The writing was beautiful, but at times a little too abstract for me to understand the complete context of the sentences. This story carries across its emotional tones very well, so definitely great for reading for just vibes.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me early access to this book!

*** Thanks to Netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.***

I liked the idea of the book but it felt all over the place, like the main character was talking about something and then the next part would be about something else. At some point I thought that maybe my ebook file was downloaded wrong or something, that's how confused I was sometimes.I didn't know that it was going to be in verse, if I had maybe I wouldn't have gotten it. The subject was interesting but the style was just not for me.

I was unable to appropriately get into this title and allow myself to be consumed by the material. I did not finish this book, and I recognize that this is a personal failing and should not be a reflection of the book itself, merely that I was not prepared for the story to be told in prose, and therefore, I was not ready for the formatting of this book.

The book itself was very well written, but I can see some young readers being challenged with the subject matter of this title. I enjoyed what I did read before my time concluded with this novel.

I'm not always a fan of novel in verse styling, but I thought this was really well done.

In Nell's family, women always get magic when they're 15. It may be beautiful, but it's always problematic. A grandmother who feels every room of a house, the inhabitants, the emotions, all the contents inside. She chooses to reside in a small cottage, where she doesn't have to feel so much. A mother who can be any age, between 15 and 42.

A sister, locked away. Because inside her, her blood is music. And when she cuts herself, she lets out a symphony.

And Nell. Whose feelings become insects. Who doesn't know what she's feeling until she sees them, who can't feel until they're there, outside her like they were waiting for her.

I found the magic concept, and the way it's explained for each woman so interesting. How it could be overwhelming at first, but how you could come to terms with it, how it could become a part of you.

TW - I knew there would be bugs, but I did have some panic issues at times with how they were described crawling on her or being coughed up. If you have issues with things - particularly insects - touching you, I would proceed with caution, it was described in a very sensory way.

I Am The Swarm is a new young adult verse novel filled with magic and teenage angst. It follows fifteen year old Neil Strand and her family. The Strand women are all magical - - her mother's age changes every day - and her sister hears music whenever she bleeds. Now it is Neil's turn for magic and it appears to her in the form of insects.

At first Neil's insects appear to be harmless and mostly docile but quickly angry insects take their place. Different insects for all of her different emotions she is experiencing. She is a mix of emotions due to her age. She is a mix of emotions due to her age, her family situation, and a dark secret that slowly reveals itself overtime. The secret is honestly heartbreaking once you realize exactly what it is.

The book is written entirely in verse creating a beautiful poem. Hayley Chewins writes in a very lyrical style where everything is interconnected. There is also wonderful imagery presented as you watch Neil slowly start to come into herself. It really is charming the way the magic is incorporated into the story. The reader doesn't get all the answers right away - they're taken on a bit of a journey. Even at the end you still don't know everything about the magic but at the same time you are not necessarily left with any questions. Some readers might not like this writing style but I was completely captivated by it.

I Am The Swarm is a heavy book but ends with a sensation of hope. There seems to be a message about accepting one self flaws and all. That you don't need to be perfect to be considered whole. And that you should not be ashamed to express emotions especially if you are female. For a teenage girl like Neil these messages are very important.

I Am the Swarm was a thrilling and intense read that kept me on edge from start to finish. I really enjoyed the dark, atmospheric world Hayley Chewins created, and the sense of danger and tension felt very immersive. Some parts felt a bit rushed or could have used more depth, but overall, the characters were compelling and the story gripping. It’s a strong, exciting read that I’d highly recommend to fans of suspense and dark fantasy.

Love the premise! I was Amazed at the powers and magic in this book. However the format threw me off some times. Definitely had fun and feel that connection for Nell.

Immersive, powerful, and beautifully crafted, I Am the Swarm utilizes lyricism and evocative imagery to tell its story. The ways in which mental health is depicted and symbolized is as powerful as it is difficult to read at times. But the raw beauty and honesty of each character's journey is handled with a deftness and grace that keeps readers enthralled.

I appreciated the opportunity to read this book, even at the points when it felt difficult. Because that's what reading should be.

Special thank you to Netgallery for the opportunity to review!

What an unusual, heartbreaking, and exquisitely beautiful read. I’m not normally someone who dabbles in poetry, but the prose was so fantastically rich, and it grew on me, greatly. Please check trigger warnings before reading. Some instances were a little heavy, and you are dealing with a young girl learning to balance her power — and her emotions — in light of all of the circumstances she is facing.

🦋: Exploration of mental health, abuse, self-harm, and parental neglect. Raw, powerful.

In this unique and fascinating magical realist novel, readers discover Nell Strand’s magical gift alongside her. Born into the Strand family, the women of the family’s gifts manifest at fifteen in different ways, but their magic is also a curse and rips the family apart. Nell’s mother’s age changes constantly and her sister bleeds music, and Nell manifests different bugs with different emotions. Forced to keep a lock on her emotions, Nell must decide how much of herself she can lock away or if she will brave the consequences of feeling her emotions. Packed with emotions and including some feminist rage, this book captures the complex emotional whirlwind of teenage girlhood in this powerful and fascinating novel. The characters are complex, detailed, and intense, and the emotional atmosphere of this book is perfectly written and incredibly detailed. The characters really pull readers into the story, and readers will definitely understand and sympathize with Nell as she deals with her new magic and the consequences of her family’s magical gifts. Entertaining, brilliantly written, and unique, this powerful new novel is a must-read for girls and women, and this fascinating magic system is a brilliant metaphor for this complex, unique, and nonlinear period of life.

so deeply moving and poetic; the writing style is something I haven't really seen before, and I thought it was really unique, given that it's structured to be written like a poem. i loved reading about the magic and her family. a beautiful coming-of-age story !!

The girlies in the Strand family come into their magical abilities when they hit 15 years old. Each one acquires a different power. This is a delightfully bizarre trip into the weird world of Hayley Chewins imagination. One of the characters has insect or bugs fly or march by according to her emotional reaction to the situation she finds herself in. Butterflies good, wasps not so good. My thanks to the author and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC! I found the audiobook on Libby, so my review will actually reflect the published audiobook rather than the ARC(there were quite a few differences between them, at least in the first chapter when I was attempting to read along as I listened).

First off, I think it’s AWESOME that the author narrated her book herself! She did an incredible job capturing the atmosphere of this thought-provoking story. Overall, I was easily hooked and enjoyed Nell’s growth through the book. Her growing rage toward her sister, piano teacher, parents, and others is palpable, and I could hear the buzzing of wasps myself in her lonely tirades. I also appreciated the subtle love story with “the antidote,” and her growing resilience against her troubles. The writing was beautifully poetic, and the imagery clear.

On the flip side, the story was a bit repetitive. Especially since I listened to the entire audiobook(4 hours long) in the span of a day, I noticed that things kept resurfacing without much change. It’s a quick read, but not too much happens outside of Nell’s inner turmoil. It’s definitely a “slice of life” kind of book, and it did a great job of tracking Nell’s growing desperation, but I generally like to read books with more plot. I will say that I don’t think this book was meant to be plot-heavy, and that’s okay! It’s not the style I usually read, but it was poetic and enjoyable nonetheless.

I love novels in verse, and the majority of this book was really good! I have very little complaints. However, the romance needed a bit of work in my opinion ??? Anyways, other than that, the book was good.

I really enjoyed this book and thought that the lyrical verse was beautiful. It was profound and brought life to the topics of mental health, womanhood, and family in an intriguing way. Discussing the struggles of mental health through the metaphor of magic was both beautiful and sad at the same time.

Please be advised to look at trigger warnings, as there is heavier subject matter.

I received this as an ARC through the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am so thankful to have gotten the chance to review this book early and I have since bought two copies for people in my life. The imagery was beautiful and perfectly complimented by the style the author chose to write in. I found the subject matter both hard to delve into at times but also alluring while maintaining relatability. I think the bugs utilized as a symbol for emotions were well characterized and intentionally constructed. I will be watching out for this author now!

The title and cover of this book caught my eye so I was very interested to read it. The beginning started off strong, but seemed to slow down. However, I think this may have just been a "miss" for me. The writing itself is pretty good, the story has a lot of potential, and I love the fantasy/magical parts of the story. I loved reading about the magic that the characters had. I will say that this was a darker read so mind the trigger warnings if you need any.

I Am the Swarm is weird in a really interesting way. It’s lyrical, haunting, and full of emotions that don’t sit quietly. It’s the kind of story that quietly works its way under your skin.

Nell’s magic is deeply tied to her emotions. When she feels too much, she swarms. Her fear. Her shame. Her hope. It all takes form as insects that crawl into her world and refuse to be ignored. It is such a visceral and unique metaphor for trauma and emotional repression. It’s strange and kind of creepy and totally powerful.

Her family is complicated. Her mom is unpredictable. Her sister bleeds music. The whole house feels like it’s holding its breath. It’s not a comforting kind of magic. It’s messy and sharp and sometimes scary. But it also feels real in a way that hits hard.

That said, I don’t think I totally understood everything Nell was going through. I love books written in verse, but this one felt a little too vague at times. I wasn’t sure what was actually happening, especially with some of the more surreal or symbolic scenes.

This is a story about grief, survival, and what happens when you finally let yourself feel. It is eerie, sad, and hopeful all at once.

Tropes and Themes
🪲 Emotion-based magic
📖 Novel in verse
👧 YA girl with a dangerous gift
🖤 Family trauma
🎭 Magical realism with identity themes

Written in verse, I Am the Swarm follows Nell as she gets her strange magic, a gift all women in her family have. But gift might not be the right word. Their magic twists and shapes their world in unexpected ways. A mother whose age changes every day, a sister who bleeds music, and little space is left for Nell and the insects that emerge with her emotions—some she barely understands. She’s left to navigate her power and the dangers of life alone.
This book is absolutely stunning. The metaphors for mental health struggles through twisted magic that alter perception and connection are breathtaking. Along with the inherent risks of growing up a girl. We see generations of women struggling in their own ways, helping how they can, and sometimes failing. We see the danger in struggling alone and the fight to reach out when the people you trust the most can’t bear their own weight, let alone yours. Add this to your reading list and bookmark it for discussions of mental health and women’s struggles with older teens and young adults.

This is a lovely book in verse, that felt a tad underbaked (it's very short, and almost allegorical, with insects representing the lead character's emotions.)

I guess I liked what this book was trying to do, even though it didn't necessarily always land for me personally. The writing is circular, which is both evocative but also a little repetitive. For example: "I hid. And I was invisible. I was invisible. So I hid. I hid. So I was invisible. I was invisible. And I hid."

However, the idea that all of the women in this family get such strange magical powers and how this young woman tries to live her life in spite of hers, is really compelling. (Loved Aunt Sabine!)

If you find insects gross or scary, this likely isn't the book for you, although these bugs mostly pop up when a feeling is in play and then quickly die en masse. But this book deals with so much trauma and dark, powerful feelings that they feel like an apt metaphor.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for granting me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.