I appreciate what this book was trying to do, but it simply did not work for me. I love books in verse, and I like the uniqueness of this story and its inclusion of very heavy topics. However, the format, style, and pacing kept me from ever sinking into the story. Additionally, reading this on Kindle made the formatting a mess — maybe I would have enjoyed it more in its printed form. Hard to say.

I loved the premise — magical realism, mental illness and female rage depicted through magic — but something didn't quite land for me. While I appreciate the idea of a novel in verse, I'm a) not 100% sure it's for me, and b) not sure it was executed here as well as it could have been. And I mean "not sure" quite literally — there were several times I was unable to tell if the verse was truly quite out of order intentionally, or if something had fallen apart with the ebook's formatting. If it was intentional, it made the story a bit hard to follow.

I also wish we could have gotten a little more depth. I needed more history, more emotional pull.

3.5 rounded up. The writing style serves this magical realism story. I appreciated the symbolism of the magic. There were times the writing was layered and non linear and that got a little confusing? But overall good read.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I don’t know how or why but I didn’t get this. To be fair, i probably should have DNF’d but since it was so short I wanted to give it it’s full chance. Mistake. I think the biggest issue I had was that I didn’t understand the world or magic system. The plot didn’t seem to be fully realized and this was the kind of “slice of life” story I do not enjoy. The pacing was slow and I suppose it’s trying to be a slow creeping horror but it just wasn’t that. I kept waiting for something to happen and very little really did. I had zero interest in anything happening and continued purely out of spite by the halfway mark.
Would not recommend.

Not your typical novel in verse, this book for older readers (due to themes of self-harm, eating disorders, and sexual assault) is told in an unusual but interesting way, in that some action lines are mixed in with thoughts (making it sometimes hard to tell what is happening and when upon first read, but offering a unique way of storytelling). Using extensive imagery to bring female anger to life, the South African-set main character receives her magic at age 15 (as did her sister, mother, and grandmother, each arriving in a different form). As the story unfolds, the various magics affect the family as a whole, but the story itself focuses on the main character's personal growth through deep reflection and emotionally-charged details of her days. Overall, this is an unusual NIV, but one that addresses important topics, and it will appeal to those interested in books with fantasy elements and feminine strength.

What a beautiful book.

Let’s start with the writing. This is a novel written in verse which perfectly suits the story that it is telling. The words flow and cascade off the page. Absolutely gorgeous writing. The emotions and characters felt incredibly vivid.

I adored the magical elements. Felt so unique and fresh. Also made for really beautiful imagery. And what a story… describing it feels too simplistic, but it was truly wonderful reading about this girl trying to come to terms with her emotions. It wasn’t a full five star to me simply because I would have liked to have spent a little bit more time on the development towards the end.


Would highly recommend if you want a stunning story written in verse that discusses emotions, complex family dynamics and mental illness.

I would advise looking at trigger warnings beforehand since it does get heavy. These are also specified in the beginning of the book.

4.5⭐️

Am the Swarm by Hayley Chewins

I Am the Swarm is one of those rare novels that lingers with you long after the last page, weaving together threads of horror, family, and the unsettling power of nature. Hayley Chewins delivers a dark, atmospheric story that felt both intimate and terrifying.

The book centers on a family grappling with loss and trauma, set against the eerie backdrop of an encroaching swarm of bees that symbolize so much more than just a natural phenomenon. The way Chewins uses the swarm as a metaphor for grief, memory, and change is masterful — it’s haunting and beautiful all at once.

What struck me most was the emotional depth of the characters. Their pain, their secrets, and their bonds felt raw and incredibly real. The tension steadily built as the swarm threatened to consume everything, mirroring the internal struggles each character faces. I found myself caught between dread and empathy, unable to look away.

Chewins’ prose is sharp and vivid, painting scenes that are both poetic and unsettling. The blend of horror and family drama makes this novel stand out — it’s not just about fear, but about how we confront what’s hidden inside us.

I Am the Swarm is perfect for readers who appreciate horror with heart, stories that probe the darkness without losing sight of humanity. It’s a deeply affecting read that unsettles and stays with you long after.

I did end up DNF'ing and not because there was anything wrong with the book it was very original, but it was hard to completely keep up and needs trigger warning.

Wowza. This book was intense. It is filled with female rage and tackles some hard topics. It is a fast, intensely visual story—the imagery layered and vivid. Beautiful in a very disturbing sort of way.

The writing is truly exceptional. This is the essence of a story—everything superfluous whittled away. Poetry.

Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)

I received an ARC of I Am the Swarm by Hayley Chewins through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The concept really grabbed me — a girl whose emotions manifest as insects? It’s bizarre, poetic, and incredibly intriguing. I appreciated the emotional weight behind that metaphor, especially how each type of insect represented a different feeling. It felt raw and original, and I give the book full credit for trying something different.

That said, while I liked the idea more than the actual reading experience, I didn’t find myself fully pulled in. The writing, told in verse, was lyrical and often beautiful, but I personally found it hard to stay grounded in the story. There were moments when I felt lost — not because of the emotional complexity, but because the structure and pacing made it hard to connect with what was actually happening.

The family dynamics, especially with Nell’s mother and sister, were filled with interesting ideas, but they didn’t feel fully explored. It left me with questions that I’m not sure the book ever intended to answer. I kept waiting for the story to "click" emotionally, but for me, it never quite did.

Overall, I’m glad I read this and I think it will really resonate with readers who enjoy metaphor-heavy, introspective writing — especially in verse. But for me, it was just okay. A strong concept that didn’t totally land in execution.

This was such an amazing read! A journey that is beautifully depicted of mental health, physical abuse, and parental neglect. The women in Nell's family have magic, but they are cursed. Her mother is battling depression and neglecting her duties as a mother, and her sister Mori has suicidal ideation. Their father works to stay away as his coping mechanism. Nell's magic emerges as insects; the wasps are like her screams because she feels invisible and unseen. I thought this book was going to be about magic gone awry, but it was so much more emotional and powerful than that! Such an amazing read!

I Am The Swarm is a strong, painfully dark but poetic story. It makes you dig deep, dive, and reflect on the heartbreaking topics that are being spoken about.💫💫💫💫💫


Ouma, Mamma Odette, Aunt Sabine, Mora, the piano teacher, the cat, and the boy are all part of Nell's very complex, magical, and traumatic world. They encompass all that Nell sees, feels, discovers, dissects, and internalizes. Her traumas, pain, desires, and her whole being are so beautifully detailed in this magical realism prose written in verse. The themes are deep, heavy, full of trauma, and then some. All the women in her life share some form of mental health issues and definitely deep embedded trauma and lots of hurt. Insects are the way in which she sees, feels, and touches her emotions that slowly develop as she grows and as she experiences new situations.

Yellow ladybugs, moths, insects, black butterflies, wasps, ants, praying mantis, black beetles, roaches, dragonflies, and yellow stink bugs are all part of her and she of them.

Thank you, Netgalley and Penguin Young Reader's Group/ Viking Books, for this ARC. All opinions are entirely my own.

I am the Swarm is beautifully written, sometimes tough to read. I think the target audience might be female and older, maybe 15+.

This YA magical realism novel in verse deals with some real issues, while still being really beautiful. There is family and figuring out where you belong. This is heavy, but it really pulls you in and keeps you wanting more.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

You can be angry... Let them get big...As big as you need them to get
Very paraphrased, favorite quote.

Other amazing one is
"a universe in which every voice is a guy's voice"

Rage that simmers under the skin, that builds and is always told to be polite or quiet. This book has a swarm inside a girl. These bugs that force her to look at her emotions, this magic that breaks the walls and doesn't allow for self denial is touching in a brutal way.

I got a bit lots with the verses a bit, but the story was a touching on to me personally as well. My own swarm bussing in agreement. The feelings and bugs took me back to a vulnerable time and I am glad that I am in a good place to confront these emotions. If I had read this as a teen, I probably would have had a tsunami of emotions reading it and recommended it forever.

I don't know if it's a regional slang for ditching class, but I laughed a lot seeing 'bunked' in a book!

Um oh my god this was so good

“Every girl needs her anger.”

I think this story is truly something everyone needs to read. It was so poignant and really reflective of what growing up feels like. Also SO reflective of self harm, eating disorders and agoraphobia.

I love Nell and k love Shay and omg this seriously could be a movie or a short film. This was truly phenomenal.

I Am the Swarm is a magical realism YA fantasy written in a kind of verse stream of consciousness. This story is a poignant coming of age story for Nell Strand, a daughter of a family of women who all get a magical gift when they turn 15. This book explores heavy themes of familial trauma, CSA trauma, and generational trauma. While heavy, this book was a beautiful picture of resilience in the face of hardship and I loved the character arc of Nell as she went from emotional numbness to welcoming her emotions for the myriad of ways our feelings protect, guide and communicate with us.

I would like to thank Penguin Group and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was very well written. I loved the imagery and prose. Nell was definitely dealing with some mental health issues s well as her sister. Her mother also suffered from mental health which made Nell’s life difficult to traverse.

This story was a little rough for me to read.

I want to thank NetGalley and Penguin You g Readers Group for the advanced reader copy and this is my honest review of this work.

Thank you to Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | Viking Books for Young Readers for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I normally do not read "magic" book. I did enjoy this one. I would recommend this book.

I ended up DNFing this title around 50%.

It is a super short story so I could have pushed myself through, but I just didn't want to. Why does Mr. ________ have no name? I didn't realize how much the pedophile sexual harassment would affect me and I decided it was time to be done.

I know this is supposed to be a book that is marketed to teens. I would highly suggest a parent review this before choosing to let their kids read it.

Since I couldn't finish, I will not be reviewing this title on instagram. I do not believe that is fair. I was not the right reader for this, but others will be.