A dark modern day fairytale full of fae and other magical creatures. 4 stars! Absolutely brilliant. The world building, relationships between the mother and daughter, and a magical forest this was quite the adventure.

I think one of my most bizarre reading habits is that I cannot read an Alyssa Wees book in one sitting. Which is insane, because I am so drawn into her worlds, and I can't stop thinking about the books when I'm not reading them.

What is it about an enchanted wood that draws a girl in? One is taught to fear it, shown the monsters that lurk inside. The other has her memories taken, and is made to forget it. Yet both can't resist the lure of the woods and what lurks inside them, even if there are monsters.

I don't have the words for this book. It's amazing and beautiful, and so captivating. I want to talk about these books so badly, to share just how... how... how much they contain. It truly is a fairy tale for adults, for those days when you want, need, the magic and the wonder. The beauty and the horror, because there is something unsettling in Wees' worlds she builds, yet at the same time they are absolutely stunning.

It's not even that I can share quotes, because I can't break quotes down enough to capture what's being said, the emotion and grit that encompasses everything. I did send a page or two to a couple of friends, even though I knew they wouldn't understand without the background. Luckily, the book is out, so if I show up at your house with a copy of Nocturnal and We Shall Be Monsters, you've been warned. I'll try to leave instead of making myself comfortable and reading the book to you.

I think that's the best I can say. That you should read this book, because it can't be talked about properly enough. Maybe once you have, when we've both been into the beyond and back, then we'll have words for the experience together.

Wow. I've been completely blown away by this.

Loved the premise! Enjoyed the characters and the setting. For once I enjoyed the dual perspective especially the mom’s because I was very confused in the beginning.

“Where did a hero end and a monster begin?”

We Shall Be Monsters is a dark fairy tale for the folks who sought adventure in the nature of their surroundings. Gemma was always warned away from the woods behind her house, yet still she finds herself drawn to them time and time again. One night Gemma’s mother is taken into the woods by a witch and her monster. It’s up to Gemma to find her mother and save her from the witch’s curse.

I love that the author chose to tell this story using two POVs during different timelines. We really get to know Gemma and Virginia this way, and feel the connection between mother and daughter. I do think that the first half of this novel was much stronger than the second. More than once I found myself zoning out towards the end and having to go back and reread. Thankfully, I did enjoy this author’s writing style. The imagery was beautiful and it was so easy to visualize the woods in which this story takes place. I loved all of the mythical creatures and wish we got to see more of the fairies during happier times.

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for a review copy. I’ll definitely read from this author again and look forward to checking out her backlist.

While this started out interesting, I quickly found myself loosing interest. I tried to stick it out but unfortunately I am going to DNF.

Alyssa Wees’ We Shall Be Monsters is a captivating and eerie historical fantasy that reimagines the iconic figures of the Frankenstein mythos with fresh, thought-provoking twists. The novel takes readers into a world where science, power, and identity collide, following a group of women who are bound together by their shared experiences as outcasts and their pursuit of vengeance. Wees’ writing is atmospheric and haunting, with vivid descriptions that draw you into a gothic world filled with both beauty and horror. The characters are strong and complex, each grappling with their own struggles for autonomy and recognition. The pacing is a bit slow at times, but the novel's exploration of power, feminism, and the monster within makes it a compelling and deeply emotional read.

Dark, atmospheric, and ever so evocative, We Shall Be Monsters weaves a tale that is both thoughtful and addictive.

Wee's has taken the dual narrative approach here and spun a masterful tale using it! Often, I personally struggle with multiple POV's , as one always seems to capture my attention more than the other, but these two stories are woven just right to create a breathtaking tapestry of a tale.

Readers that enjoy their fairy tales to have teeth will find this one perfectly suited for their TBR piles!

I love dark fairytales and this was no exception. The language is rich and vibrant. The story is beautiful and atmospheric. Absolutely stellar.

*The Fairy’s Curse* is a dark and lyrical fantasy that draws you in with its mix of fairyland danger, vengeful witches, and a daughter’s quest to rescue her mom. Gemma’s journey through the enchanted woods is filled with twists, danger, and family secrets, and the alternating perspectives between her and her mother really deepen the emotional layers of the story. If you like hauntingly atmospheric tales about family bonds and magical curses, this one will definitely keep you hooked.

At the time, I’d believed that what I was doing was right. All villainesses do, don’t they?”

This was a stunning dark fairytale, full of rich language and deep reflections on what makes someone a monster. I wrote down so many quotes as I read - I really loved the writing! The story focused on mothers and daughters in multiple generations, and how their love for each other manifested sometimes harmful ways.

I’m always looking for good fantasy standalones, so finding this one was a big win! It’s full of curses, magical objects, fae, and monsters. The world building of the enchanted forest was just enough to build the atmosphere and set the stage for the storyline.

I haven’t seen this one around much, and I need more people to read it!

I frankly feel conflicted by this book. On one hand, it is so beautifully written, so alluring and captivating. It feels like a story captured in sweet sap. On the other one, I fail to feel the characters as real, painfully one-dimensional and dull, But in a way, that works on the book's flavor as it solidifies that fairy tale feel, where characters are driven by forces bigger than themselves, whimsical and victims of the written fate that the author crafted for them, and relived by the reader every time the pages are explored again.

The lore, world building and feel are something I love, but that always feels lacking, and I cannot fully grasp the reason. I love the dual POV of the story, the adventure of Gemma as she enters the woods, and the past of Virginia, in pain, confused and in a reality she does not fully grasp.

The dual POVs in this story helped with understand the characters. I really enjoyed the author's writing style, it kept me interested through the story. Definitely worth the read!

I wish I had known this was romantasy before diving into it...the blurb advertises a fascinating portal fantasy centering the relationship between a mother and daughter. However, this relationship plays second fiddle to the one between the protagonist and a fae prince. While I'm certain this will appeal to fans of Sarah J. Mass and Jennifer L. Armentrout, I was sad to encounter something other than what I was hoping for. I also find it hard to classify this as an adult novel. Gemma's age throughout the story and the thematic simplicity of the content lend at least her POV scenes more of a YA feel.

Unfortunately this was just not for me. It just didn't grasp my attention the way I wanted it to. I will try this one again as a published book. I will be purchasing the finished edition in teh near future to be able to read it.

good mystery about a couple and staying in a house and the other couple there. kept me on my toes . good mystery and figuring stuff out.

We Shall be Monsters is a dual POV following Gemma and her mother Virginia. They live near magical woods filled with fairies, monsters, and witches. Virginia tells her daughters to avoid the woods but Gemma can't resist and meets the fairy prince. We also learn about Virginia's past with the fairies and the deals she made.

This was a dark fairytale with attributes reminding me of a Holly Black book. I did get a little thrown off by the back and forth between the POVs and time lines but it was still a good read. It was more twisted that I thought it would be but I liked them surprises.

Thank you to Random House Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Solid 4 stars!

For a relatively short novel, the world building was beautifully done and it married just enough whimsy and magic with enough real world references for you to anchor to. There were some elements of gothic horror weaved in that were really well done.

To accomplish a multi-generational connection through the book isn't easy and I felt Alyssa Wees did a remarkable job at it.

I found the timeline jumping a bit confusing at times, otherwise this would have been closer to a five star rating.

First, can we just take a moment to appreciate how beautiful this cover is?! If you are looking for a dark atmospheric tale with fairies, witches, and curses that also explores the complexities of the mother/daughter relationship - you found it with this one!

The story unfolds through alternating POVs of mother (Virginia/Gigi) and daughter (Gemma). They live in an antique shop at the edge of an enchanted wood. The woods can be beautiful but they also house monsters and danger. Virginia’s mother tried to warn her, but she did not listen. A curse is then bestowed on Virginia for falling in love with a witch’s apprentice. To make things worse, it will take effect on the 15th birthday on Virginia and the apprentice’s daughter. Virginia spends years trying to find a way to break the curse while trying to keep her daughter safe from the woods. When Gemma unknowingly gets too close to breaking the curse, the witch takes Virginia. It then becomes Gemma’s mission to find her mother and help break the curse.

There were times where the pacing was a bit off. The lyrical style is lovely but there were several times where is dragged and I felt myself losing interest in some chapters. Overall, I enjoyed the world building, storyline and plot twist!

What an unusual fantasy story about woods and beasts and magic.

I liked the flip between past and present and how the woods have changed three generations of women in different ways. There’s probably some deeper subtext to the story but I liked it for the interesting tale that it was. It kept my interest and had a satisfying ending.

I liked the characters a lot too. Gemma, especially.

We Shall Be Monsters is LUSH! If you love rich, atmospheric writing, you’re going to devour Wees’ work. Mystery, magical forests, fae and a non-linear timeline kept me absolutely hooked.