Beasts seems to take inspiration from A Quiet Place, with strange monsters of unknown origins laying havoc to civilized society and two young children doing their best to survive an impossible situation. After losing their mother to an attack, Abdi and Alva try to survive illness, weather, and the beasts, both animal and human, that stand between their home and evacuation to safety.

This story has so much potential, but it either needed to be longer, or cut out some elements to spend more time with its themes. The stakes are high and well-explained, and Ingvild Bjerkeland does an exceptional job balancing the naivety of children this age with the skepticism that comes with the kind of trauma Abdi and Alva have endured since the monsters arrived. This story was strongest when society was still collapsing, and we saw what it took for people to cross their own lines. The beasts had scary moments, but because we interacted with them very little, I didn’t feel as much about them as I did about characters like Kai and Lucy. I also feel that there were some translation choices and errors that contributed to my dissatisfaction with the story.

All in all, this is a great middle grades appropriate horror book. It’s not gory or overly frightening, but there are moments of suspense. I will definitely be re-reading it once it releases to see if it gets cleaned up.

Fast paced, easy to read novella—and very short so you can definitely finish it in one sitting. It's thrilling and it kept me on the edge of my seat from the beginning to end. It is also emotional, I *almost* shed my tears several times, and it is terrifying—just imagine a 13 yo boy running for his dear life while protecting his little sister, got chased by a monster, and witnessed their mother got killed before.

I love the relationship between Abdi and Alva. Abdi is such a caring, protecting older brother. He is the only character I can easily connect with. However, when I read it, I feel like Alva is somehow older than 5 years old.

The setting feels like typical apocalyptic world, quiet but eerie, everyone's either running away or hiding somewhere. It is scary—in a good way.

If you want a fast-read, spine chilling story, this is definitely worth checking.

Fast paced, the story overall is great and the pacing good. I HATED the ending though. Why did you end it like that?

As siblings Abdi and Alva struggle to survive after beasts -- strange creatures that no one knows anything about -- attack their home, they find themselves alone and making their way to the costal city of Djupevik. Together they try to determine who they can trust and the lengths they will go to survive.

This was a great book. Starting from the first page, the fast pace keeps you at the edge of your seat as you follow the siblings from one crisis to another. I appreciate the flashbacks to the early days of the attacks as it demonstrates just how quickly the kids ended up in the situation that they are in. Abdi and Alva's relationship is heartwarming and bittersweet as they cling to each other as they progress through the book.

The abrupt ending kind of threw me off and, with no suggesting of a sequel or series, it was slightly disappointing.

Abdi is a 13 year old boy and has to take care of his little sister in a world overrun by monsters called Beasts.

This novella is a YA spin on The Quiet Place and Bird Box, as well as the Netflix Nordic production The Rain. The Scandinavian vibes are definitely noticeable in the easy, fast-paced writing style of the author.

This novella is the first work of Ingvild Bjerkeland to be translated into English, prior to that they have only published children's books. As much as I love a good open ended horror novella, this could have gone a little more in-depth on the aspects of human interactions in such brutal, hard times. I would have enjoyed more of Abdi's input on how others treat them and how big of a change he had to undergo in order to make everything work.

Alva's character isn't explored at all, which is unfortunate, but understandable. However, I think a child aged 5 would have gotten in far more trouble than the siblings had to endure.

Nevertheless, Beasts is highly enjoyable and a good entry point for younger horror readers, or just as a quick and atmospheric story for older genre enthusiasts.

"...but fear followed me into my dreams and painted them red."

Ingvild Bjerkeland's novella is about Thirteen-year-old Abdi and his five-year-old sister Alva are on the run, they live in a world that has been overrun by hitherto unknown beasts. Their last hope is to escape through the forest and to the sea. As they recall the strange events that led to the beasts' arrival, and how the two of them got to where they were, they must ask themselves who they can trust and what they will do to survive.

This is a YA novella that has been described as a cross between "A Quiet Place" and "The Road".

With this kind of trope the heart of the story lies within the will to survive between these two siblings. The way in which they overcome the most horrific events, challenges to survive and the strength in hope makes this a heartbreaking read.

The story being told through the point of view of these siblings makes it all the more emotional.

I wanted this to go deeper into the minds of the characters. The what happened was okay, but I wanted to care more about who it happened to.

I read this book yesterday, which initially caught my attention on NetGalley, first due to its striking cover and then the intriguing promotional blurb. If you're a fast reader, it’s possible to finish it in a very short time. The story is reminiscent of The Road. Two young siblings are attempting to escape an island overrun by Beasts. After their mother is killed by these creatures, the two children, Abdi and Alva, not only fight to survive but also struggle to reach a boat that will take them away from the island. The chapters are short, and the language is incredibly simple, even to the point of being almost too straightforward. This, I believe, is due to the book can be defined as part of the young adult genre. The novel features giant, furry creatures that attack and kill humans, though their origin is never clearly explained. While this is a bit of a cliche—along with the journey and road detail—it still offers an enjoyable read for young adult fiction fans.
Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for the ARC.
(Pub day: April 2025)

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I did enjoy this very much. Considering this is YA I felt like it was very suspenseful but too much as to be too much for a you get audience. It’s was so intense that I needed to know what was happening the whole time I read this. If I didn’t have to work I would’ve finished immediately. The only things stopping this from being rated higher is I didn’t love the ending and the second half of the book felt a bit rushed. The first half was perfectly paced in my opinion. If this book was like 200 pages longer I think it would’ve had more time for a solid story and I would’ve loved it more.

I absolutely adored this book! I loved Ingvild Bjerkeland’s writing, she had a grip on me the entire time. The entire book felt haunted with the uncertainty of what was to come and yet throughout it all the young characters desperately clung to the hope of finding their father. This would be an excellent pick for a children’s book club as there is so much that can be discussed with youth readers. I can very easily see this book becoming a modern classic, with young readers connecting to it in a similar as many connect to Hatchet.

Thank you NetGalley and Levine Querido for a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

Fast paced, addictive read. I really loved the characters Abidi and Alva. The descriptions of the monsters were chilling as was the new reality of the world these children find themselves in. I also really liked that the author didn't shy away from the harsh realities of what a dystopian world could mean. (People dying, refusing to help, violence) My biggest complaint is that this story didn't seem long enough and seemed unfinished. This story abruptly ends right in the middle of things- I thought perhaps I might have got an incomplete file. I don't mind open and ambiguous endings- but this one just left me disappointed.

"Beasts" by Ingvild Bjerkeland is a gripping YA horror novella that plunges readers into a world overrun by mysterious creatures. Following siblings Abdi and Alva as they navigate this perilous landscape, the story is both tense and heartfelt. While the narrative is engaging, some readers might find the plot underdeveloped. Overall, it's a quick, suspenseful read that leaves a lasting impression.

Surprisingly touching story about survival. It's a fast read - in part because it's short but also because the story compels you to keep flipping pages.

Abdi is a big brother, aiming to keep his sister Alva safe and alive. They are on the move, starving, trying to find safety even though everything around them is dangerous. The monsters, mainly only referred to as Beasts, were so well crafted in that just their smell in the story could spook the reader. But two kids traveling alone in a world that is just trying to stay alive, it's not just the Beasts that they need to fear. I felt completely swept away with their struggle to survive and their journey.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

This book had a great plot with intriguing characters. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.

I liked this book (and loved the cover art!). I liked the writing style and will totally seek this author out again. I’ve read a lot of similar stories lately so I felt kinda burnt out on the plot points, but that is a personal problem. I think I will reread in like a year with fresh eyes and it will hit me differently!

"beasts" is an intense, action-packed book set in a post-apocalyptic world overtaken by the titular beasts. so the comparison to a quiet place is understandable and very apt, but the promise of a "deliciously original" story falls short, as the book doesn't offer anything particularly new to the genre.

while the relationships between the main characters, abdi and alva, are very sweet, the characters themselves feel a bit under-explored. i mean this is somewhat expected in the young adult genre, and for its target audience, it may not be a significant drawback so it's alright. however, the world-building, while ambitious, often feels confusing and lacking in detail which takes away from the overall experience.

one of the more frustrating aspects of the book is the lack of descriptive details surrounding the identity of the beasts. at times, they are described to be almost human-like, yet their identity is never fully explained, which may have been the author's intention to create intrigue but ultimately it left me perplexed.

however, nothing disappointed me in the entire book as much as the ending. i can't explain it without spoiling the book, but it was so underwhelming -like, soooo underwhelming- that i can hardly begin to express my frustration. if the book were part of a series, i might have been more forgiving; i wouldn't be pleased, but i wouldn't detract a whole star. however, since (to my knowledge) it’s a standalone, the ending feels very bleh.

as an adult reader, i recognize that i am not the target audience for this book. an average middle-grade reader would very much enjoy it, and i would feel comfortable recommending it to anyone looking to introduce kids to reading.

overall, "beasts" is a quick okay-ish read for anyone who's already deep immersed in the genre, but it shines as an impressive introduction for young readers interested in the post-apocalyptic or horror genre(s).

Thank you to Levine Querido and NetGalley for this ARC.

I bounced between a 3 and 4 for this one and ultimately landed on a 4 since the "A Quiet Place" vibes were strong in this one. It's a short and sweet novella with an easy to follow story and a touching brother and sister relationship. If you're in the mood for dystopian AND monsters without over-complex world building, this is the one to pick up. I loved the description of the monsters with their curling/uncurling claws!

As a YA novel, this had the perfect blend of horror and a touching sibling relationship. The simple, straightforward writing style typical of YA doesn’t always appeal to me, but it worked here, adding to Beasts’ fast pace. I read it in one sitting and was hooked! It’s a solid alternative to the usual adult apocalyptic stories, following a small group as they flee, find shelter, and search for a true safe haven.

I’m giving it a 4 instead of a 5 because of the ambiguous ending and the setting. It’s supposed to be in Norway, but aside from the occasional place name, it could have been anywhere.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc:

Unfortunately, this was not for me. It's a very short book, which means a fast pace is almost guaranteed, but this was entirely too fast. There is no time spent lingering in any moment and really absorbing the situation. It also doesn't allow for any meaningful character relationships to be built. The only one I cared for was Alva and Abdi and that's because they're our leads, and also children.

The writing style also did not appeal to me. It was always, 'we went here, we did this, we ran away'. It was tell, not show. And it made the whole experience feel stunted. It was also frustrating to get crumbs of really interesting information on the titular 'beasts', just for it to go absolutely nowhere. There were a couple moments where I found them genuinely frightening. I thought they would be mindless creatures but they were more intelligent than that, I wanted so badly to see more of them.

The one thing I did like was Abdi and watching his struggles as a 13 year old boy responsible for caring for his sister in such horrible circumstances. Watching a child go through these things is so profoundly sad and I think his exhaustion and fear was done well.

Beasts is a quick horror novella that gives you a small peek into a world invaded by horrifyingly intelligent, but strikingly inhuman beasts. The characters invoke a reader's sympathy as they flee the beasts. My one issue was the briefness of some of the encounters in the novella. It is meant to be short, but I feel like a dozen or more pages may have lended some of the scenes more suspense or weight to the overall story. This was be a great jumping off point into horror for a YA reader.