This publisher never fails. This is another wonderful book from this publisher from a talented author. Wees' book was so much fun to read and I loved every second of it. I loved the characters and found the world to be so much fun to move around in as the story developed. I highly recommend this book and I love the cover, the art is so pretty and I think fits the book so well.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. Unfortunately, this book was not for me. I wanted to love it so much but the writing style had me lost and I couldn’t get past the first few chapters. The metaphors and similes used were cringy at best. This just was not my cup of tea.

Gemma lives at the edge of the woods… a woods, her mother Virginia says she must not enter under any circumstances. There are monsters that live in these woods, monsters who will hunt and devour innocent little girls who come across them. But for all its mystery, Gemma is drawn into these woods for the magic she experiences - and her mother has no trouble understanding why.

Gemma has never encountered a monster, at least that she can remember. She does not know what a monster was, only that it would eat you. You will have nightmares her mama says, you will never sleep soundly again. Only that it would speak in a voice like deep water, and when it called to you it was impossible to resist. So each time Gemma finds herself drawn into the woods, her mother Virginia uses magic to take these memories away - that is, until Gemma stumbles upon the truth of why her mother wants to keep her away from the woods, the secret of her parentage, and the curse that hangs upon them all. Her mother is taken, replaced by an imposter, and it is up to Gemma to repair the damage brought to her family. But as she moves along her quest, she starts to question her actions and the impact she has on the rest of her world.

Where did a hero end, and a monster begin?

We Shall Be Monsters was a wonderful mix of fantasy and family drama. The story gets revealed to us through both Gemma and her mother Virginia’s points of view with timeline jumps that manage to tie together everything seamlessly. It was a beautiful portrayal of family bonds as we try to do what we think is best and realize our failings along the way. I did find myself annoyed with the male characters during the story but it only helped to highlight how women are in charge of their own stories… and where it may not be from their own beginnings, it belongs solely to them in their endings.

Read if you like: mother-daughter relationships, fantasy, dual timeline, multiple points of view

(I received an advanced copy of this novel via NetGalley so final quotations may differ)

Book Fort Rating: 5 Stars

Is it building the Book Fort? It's currently picking out the gothic wallpaper that will line the walls.

I have a lot of feelings about this book.

Let me first be clear this was a 4.5 star read that I've rounded to a 5 - that doesn't mean the book was without flaw, but that I found the story and meaning to outweigh some of the smaller execution things that I noticed while reading. That story, by the way, is like if Alice in Wonderland, Coraline, and Brave had a baby that grew up in an 80's dark fantasy world. And I ate it up.

To say that We Shall Be Monsters is simply about the connections between a mother and daughter does not do this book the justice it deserves. The question that Alyssa Wees poses to all of us reading is simple: What does it really mean to be a monster? But the answer to that question changes over and over again within the text, showing our main characters Gemma and Virginia (or Gigi, for short) that monsters can be found everywhere, including inside of ourselves. And being a monster means that even when we don't mean to, even when we don't intend to, we can unfortunately harm those around us - especially those we love the very most.

The writing in this book was, 95% of the time, absolutely gorgeous. I will make mention that it reads much more like a lyrical literary fiction (similar to Donna Tartt's The Secret History) than a general dark fiction or fantasy novel. If that isn't your cup of tea, you will likely feel as lost in this book as Gemma and Virginia do in the woods. I am a big fan of meandering prose, so this book spoke to my tastes, but I can understand why others may not feel the same way.

For my reading taste, the 5% of the time that the writing did not speak to me occurred whenever more modern phrases ended up in the prose - it was jarring to be in the middle of dark lyricism, to suddenly have a character talk about how they don't want children to "ditch school." It didn't occur overly often, but did break the suspension of disbelief I think is necessary to truly immerse yourself in this book.

I felt that the character development throughout this novel was easily its strongest point. Both Gigi and Gemma noticeably grow as both mother/daughter and people throughout the book. This was especially noticeable as Gemma went through and concluded her "coming of age" within the woods, as she took the position of leader, and Gigi was gently pushed to step back and allow her daughter to take care of her, rather than the other way around. I also felt that their relationship developed in a beautiful way throughout the novel, and I think that many mothers and daughters with perhaps less than perfect relationships will feel the same way by the end of reading this.

I also just loved the general aesthetic of this book - it demanded dark, fantastical music as I read, and the lyrical descriptions Wees weaves into the prose really transport you to this sometimes scary, sometimes not place in Michigan. To that end, I've created a playlist full of the perfect creepy fanciful music to read along to - feel free to check it out at the end of this review.

My biggest gripe with this book, honestly, was that I don't think it could ever truly decide if it was an adult or YA novel. This may be because one of the main characters was a full-grown woman in her 30s, and the other was a girl between the ages of 12 and 15, but I often felt like it oscillated between the two genres in a way that was strange. I sometimes felt that Gemma's thought processes were far beyond realistic for a YA character, and simultaneously thought Gigi's sometimes were a little less than I would have expected. I honestly believe this to be a side effect of the writing style and general aesthetic, which I've already pointed out I love, so I can forgive this. Like I mentioned - hefty suspension of disbelief.

That all being said, I would (and will) recommend this book to anyone who enjoys dark fantasy, adventure fiction, lit fic, or just wants to spend some time in some creepy woods with a monster or three. Many thanks to Netgalley and Random House Del Rey for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I can't wait to pick up a copy of this book once it's finally published for my library shelf.

Publication Date: 11/12/2024

Reading Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7Bo250OHKKYmxEmNjikAxd?si=2ac34f35e21c479b&nd=1&dlsi=03004d84747744d3

This book is perfect. Absolutely perfect. A dark fairy tale with magic and fae and monsters. But in truth it's about the relationships of mothers and daughters and breaking generational...missteps. I don't think either mother we read about nor either daughter was a bad character. The mothers did what they could to protect their daughters. And their daughters did what they could to be themselves. There's such a beauty filled within the darkness and I was unable to put this down. Couldn't stop thinking about it when I had to.

This book had so many beautiful pieces. I wasn’t sure how they were all going to fit together, but I was content with the ending. The way this story casts light on generational trauma in the form of magical curses is splendid and heartbreaking. I would highly recommend for anyone seeking a dark, melancholic story of magic and fae.

#WeShallBeMonsters by #AlyssaWees is truly a story about mothers and their daughters. How badly we want to protect our children and the things our mothers do that we swear we never would and yet somehow tend to repeat those same mistakes just in different ways.

Gemma and Virginia live by an enchanted wood where fairies roam and darker things tend to linger. All her life Gemma has been told to stay away from the woods from the dangerous things that live here. The woods though have always called to her and she goes to them from time to time where she meets all over again and again her fairy prince. Yet each time they meet its as though she has forgotten who he is and all of their adventures together.

Virginia wants nothing more than to keep Gemma from the woods and the things that live within it the way her mother kept her from them. Enough so that she does to her the unthinkable and steals Gemma's memories of the woods and the fairy prince every night with the use of an enchanted hair brush that she herself stole from the Slit Witch that lives within the woods years ago. Virginia can't just take Gemma and leave because the woods are a part of her and inside of them resides the man she loves. Virginia and her mother have been trying for years to break the curse that was placed upon him by the Slit Witch, but their time is running out and soon he will come for Virginia and eat the still beating heart out of her chest.

A novel about learning to love onesself, being brave even when you feel like a coward, and knowing that fear is a good thing as long as you don't let it control you We Shall Be Monsters is full of the most beautiful imagery that pulls you into these enchanted woods and makes you wish that you never have to leave them behind. I dragged my feet finishing this book because I didn't want the adventure to end. Bravo to Alyssa Wees for writing a novel that will forever live in my heart and on my shelves.

I want to thank #Netgalley and #PenguinRandomHouse for the chance to read #WeShallBeMonsters by AlyssaWees in return for a fair and honest review.

Loved the touches of fantasy and horror throughout! It felt like a book whose author read the original fairytales instead of the Disney movies (and possibly watched Labyrinth too much)

Wow.

No really, I’m rather speechless - We Shall Be Monsters is spectacular.

A dark fairytale set in a forest outside a modern world. Fae, witches, monsters, and magic are brought to life with lyrical prose and atmospheric writing.

But the real magic inside this novel, the themes of motherhood, family, and what it means to be a monster. You might be surprised what you discover…

I loved every single thing about this book and have nary a single negative thing to say about it.

If you love thought provoking, atmospheric story-telling (think Ava Reid, or T. Kingfisher) this is a must read.

What I think you’ll love…
- atmospheric, lush prose & world-building
- themes of family, mother-daughter relationships, & a multigenerational tale
- fae, witches, living forest, monsters, & magic
- a tiny touch of horror
- rich storytelling and distinct voices in both POVs
- non-linear timeline
- mystery and intrigue that will keep you guessing!
- thought-provoking (what makes a monster?)

What I didn’t love…
- NOTHING THIS BOOK IS PHENOMENAL! QUICK READING MY REVIEW AND GO READ IT INSTEAD!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House (Del Rey) for sending this book (eARC) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book! The magic was very unique, and her lyrical prose really brought the eerie forest to life. The dual time line POVs were confusing at first, but brought a lot of the depth to the story. The main themes in the book are defiance, protection, and familial love. I think this would be a great book for women to read with their daughters. Overall, I really enjoyed it. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 - This was a unique dark fairy tale and I overall enjoyed it. I felt like the middle dragged on a bit and the ending was abrupt, leaving me wanting more. Despite the this being a dark fairy tale it highlighted many deeper themes. Also had some great quotes. "I suppose every monster is real for someone somewhere".

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy, all thoughts are my own.

Is a unique fairy tale inspired story leading with caution and curiosity. Have the story in the perspective of the mother and daughter shows how mothers may think we are doing the best for our child but it hinders something within them and once the child is free their inner self can come out. The world is well built and has its own fairy world in the regular world and the background of woods is interesting and covered. Virgina and Gemma are a wonderful mother daughter duo. Overall a story worth reading and love the creatures and people that they meet in the woods.

Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey for the opportunity to read this e-arc. This is my honest opinion..

I really struggled reading this book. Although I can see it picking up and the world building eventually being worth it, it takes way too long to get to the story in my opinion. It didn't hook me in and I also was so confused on the setting for about 10-15% of the book.

This is an interesting read if you like the darker side to fairy stories. However, this story is more about the strength, the generational trauma, the lies, betrayals, and forgiveness these characters have to go through to make it through a curse. Gemma and her mother Virginia live just outside a magical woods which is a gateway into a fairy realm. Virginia falls in love with one and gets cursed, she tries to hide her daughter from the truth. The way she goes about it is just as monstrous. This story cycles between grandmother, mother, and daughter and shows their fortitude to survive and save each other.

Alyssa Wees always writes the most haunting fairy tales, and I think We Shall Be Monsters is my new favorite. I loved the alternating mother and daughter perspectives; they added so much depth to the narrative. The magical world the main characters enter is lush and beautifully described. It reminded me a little bit of Holly Blacks faerie books.

I love gothic stories and this almost hit for me. It was beautifully lush but didn’t quite lure me in like I’ve experienced before. I love the mother daughter story but don’t feel like the respect between the two was fleshed out like I’d like.

Thanks to Del Rey for the gifted copy!

I was immediately drawn to the cover of this book... and the title, too. Told as a dark and lyrical fantasy, I loved the blend of Fae with fairytales and the mother/daughter dynamic of the book. This was more slower-paced than expected, and I also didn't expect it to be set in the present day, but that's what I get for going off of vibes instead of reading the synopsis. This is a great, darker witchy and fairytale read with lovely worldbuilding and narrative around family.

I struggled with the first 30-ish percent of the story. It felt very clunky trying to get into the meat of the story. But once we got there I absolutely loved Alyssa's way of bringing life into this fairytale. It definitely leans more into the darker nature of how folklore tales are written versus the more sweet versions of fairytales that get told. Which for me is a bonus because I adore folklore.

I felt like this was a let down for me. The writing wasn’t bad but the storytelling wasn’t there. I had high expectations from the way this was marketed.

This was one of the most beautifully written dark fairytales I’ve ever read, it was almost lyrical at times. Throughout this story you visit with themes of love, the bond between mother and daughter, and the age old warnings about what lurks within the shade of the forest. I cannot suggest this enough, especially for this time of year when the air is crisp and even the leaves seem to throw a little more shadow.