I did not not like this book at all, first of all it read like YA not like the characters in question were in their 30s, second of all the invasion itself didn't start till 359 pages in...by this point I was bored out of my mind and third of all it was just silly and boring!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.

There is something about this book that is fundamentally indescribable.

Anastasia Miller is the vanguard of an oncoming alien invasion. She knows this because when she was three, the original Anastasia was eaten by an alien plant and she is what was left behind. It feels strange to describe that scene as loving and yet it is. The narrative is gentle but insistent on the experience of a terrible thing that must happen all the same. I was initally drawn to the book by a comparison to The Little Shop of Horrors and it has the quirkiness of it in spades. Anatasia grows and makes friends, fashions a life for herself while she tells everyone she meets that she is the vanguard of an oncoming alien invasion.

There's the introduction of what it means to be human when you know that you aren't, looping in identity through touching scenes with Anatasia's boyfriend (a transgender man) and the other vanguards of the oncoming invasion that she meets. It's a very human reaction to the revelation of aliens and their vanguards, also touching on citizenship and belonging, propaganda, while crafting a solid plot and circumstances.

It's a read that I'm going to be thinking about for a very long time afterwards.

This was very much a book of 2 halves for me. The first half was really entertaining and I enjoyed getting to know Stasia, Grahame, mandy and lucas (and Seymour) a lot. The tone was quite light hearted in this part. It was the latter part where the narrative just lost me, unfortunately and it felt unbalanced. Overall I did like this one, but just not as much as I thought I would in the first half.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with an arc through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved the premise and the introduction to the book. It started very dark and I could feel the goosebumps. However, the rest of the book never lived up to this premise.

It read very slow and at some point it got tiring. Stasia's internal monologue got really repetitive, too. We kept reading about the upcoming invasion and how soon it's going to happen. But it feels like it’s never going to happen. As readers we can see how many days to the event are left and in this case it's only fuelling the frustration.

What didn't help was that it started as an adult horror but throughout the story it started shifting too much to YA. And I love YA books. Around the 57% mark, I realized I'm no longer anticipating how the story would conclude. With a heavy heart I decided to DNF the book.

However, I think some people might like it more than me. A stuffy atmosphere can be felt throughout the book, which makes it a perfect read for the upcoming summerween season.

A comet containing many MANY alien seeds crashes into Earth's atmosphere and sprinkles it's cargo aorund the planet. If they have landed in an environment conducive to growth then a beautiful plant the likes of which has never been seen before on Earth eventually develops and using the smell of the very best things you've ever smelled, it lures people within touching distance so that the plant can grab them, stick them in what is essentially a cocoon, steal their image and knowledge and send out a plant-based clone. These clones will then tell anybody who asks that they are the vanguard of an invasive species and the aliens are coming - which leads to people thinking they're an oddball, a liar, mentally unwell, or a mixture!

Guess what though? They were right! This book kicks off just as the aliens that planted their offspring years before decide it's time to come back and conquer the planet. Anastasia Miller is one of the plant people, soebody who has a limited social circle, in part due to her repeatedly telling people she's really an alien that was body swapped. I liked her a lot! The way she dealt with the world and the routine of trying to just get along on a day to day basis when you're not "one of the cool kids" and don't necessarily fit in with people's perceived expectations was really well done. Her circle of friends gets introduced and expanded until they're very well rounded characters, each with differing opinions of Stasia's story and different reactions when it is revealed to be correct!

The invasion was setup really well, from the government involvement being both suspicious and believable, to the crazy and imaginative extra terrestrial life forms that eventually turn up. Even though you know from the start of the book what is going to happen there is still a lot of nuance and details to really pad out the story, and the characterwork massively helped with that. I did find the ending quite abrupt, to the point where I went back and reread the last chapter as I was convinced I must have skipped over something, but apparently not.

Anastasia Miller is not human; she is a representative of an alien plant armada coming to Earth. She has been telling people this since she was three, when the original Anastasia went into the woods and this version came out three days later. Since then, Stasia has had to deal with all the usual issues of humanity, with the added bonus of the label delusional and the pyschotherapy that comes with it. Now in her thirties, a scientist has found a signal from space that calls to Stasia, and humans have to handle the realisation that not only was Stasia right, but that the vanguard is swiftly approaching.
Grant writes gorgeous, enticing descriptions that shift between childish whimsy and Lovecraftian horror, blending plants into horror in a way that contrasts sporror but bears similarities. Each character is distinct, with clear motivations and emotions that provide a scattered view of how humanity may act as an invasion approaches, including the complicated loyalties of any aliens who may already be here. The cast considers what life could be on other worlds, and how family can be complicated by a number of factors.
An interesting take on what humanity is when you aren't human, and how people react to truths they didn't believe, against a backdrop of the apocalypse and all that implies.

I've been in a female rage/horror type mood and this was what the doctor ordered! The Day of the Triffids is an all time favourite of mine, and I knew I needed to pick this up. Add in some aliens and I am hooked. It was a fun, creepy, and thought-provoking books. However, even with such a great premise, the book was a tad long and overly ambitious. But I did have fun.

This is a hard book to rate. When it works, it really works - the visceral creepiness of the aliens, the slow detachment of the main character from humanity that leaves you wondering if there was ever anything human about her in the first place...

Unfortunately, it doesn't always work. The pacing is all over the place, and there were some aspects of the plot that came off as unbelievable - for instance, since the flowers consume and replicate children and the process takes a few days, it must be that several thousands children all over the world all went missing in the same few months/years and came back claiming to be alien invaders and not only this didn't make national news, Stasia wasn't even aware of it? I don't buy it. Another aspect was the condition to keep the aliens from attacking earth - are you telling me no one triggered it, not even by accident? Also seems implausible.

Overall, I did enjoy it and recommend it if you're looking for a unique take on alien invasions that manages to deliver some truly poignant moments and some truly creepy ones, but it could have been a favorite, and sadly it wasn't.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I don't count myself a fan of Mira Grant; I didn't like Feed and that put me off reading any of her other books, but something about this appealed and I was sure glad I gave it a go.

Overgrowth follows the story of alien seed pod that takes over the body of 3-year-0ld Anastasia Miller, who returns after a few days "missing" in the woods to tell everyone she is in fact an alien. She keeps this up throughout her mostly normal life as a human, until things begin to change for her upon the impending invasion of her own race.

I started off reading the book thinking "how are they going to stretch this one out? Surely it would have been better a short story?" But how wrong I was. Although some may feel the pacing slow, I thought it built beautifully and I raced through the book in a couple of days, staying up late to reach the conclusion.

I loved the themes of what constitutes humanity, love in all forms (not just kin), anger, identity... I loved the dry humour; I loved the main protagonist, Anastatsia as she really doesn't know what she wants, even as she becomes what she was destined to become (a man-eating plant but hey, nobody's perfect).

This is not a horror; it's a thoughtful piece of science fiction and it's all the better for it.

Well, I hated it

When I read the synopsis, I though I'd devour this book and ask for more because oof the whole Annihilation meet Day of the Triffid. Let me tell you a secret. There is no annihilation but that my poor brain cells. There's no triffids either. No creeping dread, no body horror, nothing but never ending identity crisis. The whole book is a self discovery journey poorly veiled as a sci-fi.

Nothing is wrong with the themes of found family and a path to find yourself, if only it was marketed as such. But when you expect a full on alien invasion, that we keep being told about and see no aliens until 70% of the book is gone, well, that's a let down.

The plot is full of holes. No locks or cameras in a secret government facility for alien containment? Justified by lack of funding? Are you kidding me? Like, they didn't have $50 and a locksmith? Or a minimum wage dude to sit in a chair outside the alien's cell? Yeah, right. Random cosplayer infiltrating said facility with no background check? Giant flying plant dinosaurs are more believable than that pile of crap.

Alien technology. Poor short exposition with no details. What fuel do those organic ships burn? How is it produced? Your guess is as good as mine.

Apparently humanity did not fight at all. Like AT ALL! Because, you know, a few thousand alien sociopaths infiltrated the government everywhere. So the rest 8 billion were like "Oh well, too late, can't do anything, let's get eaten" (insert facepalm emoji).

Where did Stacia's cat go? Why was he even mentioned? Why did we need Lucas or his stupid toxic girlfriend? The message of found family could be just as easily conveyed via Graham and Mandy alone.

Character development was the only good thing this book had going, however silly and immature their actions. We just keep diving back into Stacia's doubts about her humanity or lack thereof and the struggles she's facing, instead of exploring the alien menace and actually witnessing the 'big bad invasion'.

If you're after a book that teaches you to accept yourself and others around you the way you are, without pretenses and excuses, this book is for you. If you're after actual sci-fi with aliens and struggles of humanity against the overwhelming odds of an invading space armada, run the other way.

Overgrowth isn't something I'd usually read it. Sci-fi isn't really my thing, but this book was intriguing enough that it convinced me to pick up more of this genre and it wasn't even perfect anyways.

Anastasia and the other characters' dynamics were entertaining - especially her roommates. Some of their scenes were amusing and I liked how only some of them believed her, it made it more realistic.

If I'm being honest, the beginning was kinda tough to get through. It felt pretty informative, supposedly there was so much happening, but I couldn'r really bring myself to care what happens next. Luckily, about half way through, I finally got the sense of it but it still read pretty slowly.

This is the best book I have read in a while. I was never quite sure what was going to happen next. I will be thinking about this one and probably rereading it more than once.

Overgrowth was touted as an adult, horror/science fiction with comp titles such as War of The Worlds and Annihilation - I'm here to tell you that, unfortunately, it is not quite that.

The best way I can think of to sum up this book would be Independance Day crossed with The Princess Diaries, except if Mia had known she was an alien royalty all along and no one had believed her, and when the Genovian's come to collect their princess it turns out they are in fact carnivorous plant aliens.
The overall tone feels dark, as any alien invasion would, but it's also quite young: the characters are meant to be in their thirties for the most part, but read teen/early twenties at best and the horror starts with a bang and then all but disappears afterwards besides a few gunshot wounds and carnivorous aliens, of course. I also think the book really would have benefitted from being edited a bit more liberally and cut down a hundred pages or more - it took a long time to get to the action, and really lulled for me at times.

The story felt unique coming from Stasia's point of view, she's a great character, and there's a lot of emotional and thought provoking content as she discovers more of herself and true culture. At times the allegories become a little too transparent, bordering preaching, but very interesting packaging to explore them in - there's a definite focus on being an immigrant, and also some trans/gender identity discussion, and potentially neuro-divergence if you read between the lines.

TLDR: If you're here for annihilation style mind bending alien weirdness and horror to leave you second guessing the stars, you'll be underwhelmed. But, if you're after a story about alien plants, found family and a sort of coming of age/deciding where loyalties lie/nature vs nurture style exploration with some minor horror balanced with fun nods to alien pop culture and a heavy dose of social commentary with exploration of what it means to be human - I think you'll enjoy this.

Thank you to Daphne Press for the ARC read.

3 Stars for it's potential

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I want to state up front that I DNF'd this book around the 20% mark as I don't think I'm the intended audience for the novel.

I absolutely loved the intro about how she was taken. That was so well written and gripping I was on the edge of my seat.
But once the story started proper I was genuinely really bored. An entire chapter about her eating waffles and getting to work? I don't know, but it wasn't my thing. I enjoy reading sci-fi (big fan of Andy Weir, Becky Chambers, Blake Crouch amongst others) and I feel like this was marketed as heavy sci-fi (and was a sci-fi book pick for both Owlcrate and Illumicrate) but to me it seemed a delve into the human condition and a commentary on society. Not what I signed up for.

I think people who enjoy drama based reads focusing on interpersonal relationships in a contemporary setting may enjoy this more.

I was so excited for this, even though it was the starbright pick for may I was so eager to read it I asked for the arc on netgalley and got it.

I love the "the earth was warned and still sleepwalks into disaster" thing, its very topical. Some reviews seem to feel the trans boyfriend thing was over egged and political- I don't think it was. It is just a novel where the main love interest in a trans man and people are maybe just objecting to a trans male love interest which isn't the author's fault.

The basic concept at the heart of the book is interesting and I love Graham and Stasia's relationship. I hate in any book I read when the main character is dating a jerk or someone who turns on her, so Graham (even though he may have justification to panic) is refreshing). My favourite character even though she isn't always that likeable is the scientist Toni, she has a very fresh (and correct) take on everything.

A lot of it did feel realistic, the government trying to deny it, then panicking, underfunded agencies screwing up and both the aliens and the humans being in no win situations if they don't try and kill each other.

I do feel like the marketing in this book was a bit wrong (not the authors fault) it is very much marketed as body horror and while there is some it feels a lot "lighter" than how it is sold. It would also work better if the characters were new graduates in their twenties or even students- they are supposedly mid thirties yet feel quite a bit younger.

On the whole, worth a read and if there was a sequel covering what Stasia does next I would be very interested. Plus I have the Starbright exclusive edition and it is so pretty.

"Love survives the death of flesh, remarkably well, when love is there."

This book just gave me the reminder to water and care for my plants. Just in case the invasion is truly coming, I want to be on the right side of it!

Overgrowth opens up with a 3-year old Anastasia Miller being captured and essentially eaten by a space plant who spews her out 3 days later. Since that moment, Stasia has claimed that she is the 'vanguard of invading species of alien plant people' and no matter how ridiculous it sounds, or how many therapists and specialists she has seen, her stance has always been that the aliens are coming.

The story then jumps forward and we see Stasia, now 35 years old, living a typical adult life, with her roommates, her boyfriend Graham and a cat. She is quirky, down to earth and still claim she's an alien and the invasion is coming. Everyone thinks it's funny, until the invasion actually does come and things are no longer funny.

I will admit, I was glued to the pages for a good 60/70%. I was so invested into where this story will go - the narrative was engaging and multi-layered with plenty of social commentary and modern issues. Stasia's character was hilarious, ridiculous and so over the top but I instantly felt connected to her and how she stuck to her values regardless of the changes around her. I do think I wish she was more 'wtf is actually going on' but I guess when being alien is ingrained in your DNA, you kind of just believe it innately. I loved Stasia and Graham, how they connected and how he was there for her from the beginning until the very end. Sometimes I found it odd how his loyalty never wavered (even when she was all green and 'planty').

I did find that around 70% mark, the story just fell off a bit and I was very confused what I was reading - I do agree that the book could have cut out at least 150 pages and still make perfect sense. Contrary to other reviews the 'plot-twist' fit the ridiculousness of the narrative and so it fit with me, but I can see how it ruined the story for others. The botanical and plant terminology intensified and I guess I just never knew there were so many words to describe plants, but the whole plant powers and aliens themselves just became a bit of a jumbled mess.

I was however very entertained throughout and drawn into this strange, eerie and apocalyptic world. I felt the timeline changes at each chapter gave this sense of urgency - nothing will save humans from this invasion. This desperation was felt throughout and all the characters went through their own stages of grief until accepting their ultimate fates. It had a sort of happy ending, not in a traditional sense, but one that I was content with.

Overall, this was a very unique, quirky and dark story about humanity, overconsumption, greed and its flaws with a sci-fi backdrop.

"Mercy was no longer an option. Mercy had never been an option. As soon as the seeds sprouted in fertile soil, it had become inevitable that the conflict would bring us here, two species as unalike as it was possible to be fighting over the resources of a single world."

this was an absolutely stellar read - the texture of the story was sensational, the characters real and fascinating (i loved Toni with a passion) and the depictions of the aliens themselves so perfectly otherworldly i felt as transported as Stasia felt. the tension was suspended perfectly throughout the book, the themes of literal alienation, autonomy, destiny, humanity and home were all so interesting. what a gift this book was!

A fun reading experience from start to finish. Intriguing story, characters that will appeal to all reads and action packed twists and turns.

A Twisty, Thought-Provoking Alien Invasion Tale with Teeth

Mira Grant delivers a unique spin on the alien invasion genre in Overgrowth, blending heart, horror, and a sly sense of humor. Imagine Day of the Triffids filtered through the offbeat lens of Little Shop of Horrors, and you’ll get close to the strange, smart energy this novel exudes.

At the center is Anastasia "Stasia" Miller, a young woman who has insisted since childhood that she’s not human—just an alien left behind, waiting for her people to return. For years, her claims were dismissed as fantasy or delusion. But when a signal from the stars begins to blare across Earth, everything changes. The invasion is real, and Stasia might not be crazy after all—she might be the first sign of something far bigger.

What works best in Overgrowth is Grant’s signature style: fast-paced prose, sharp dialogue, and characters who feel deeply real even in the most surreal circumstances. Stasia herself is a fascinating protagonist—vulnerable, defiant, and refreshingly self-aware. The novel also does a great job exploring themes of identity, belief, and what it means to belong.

The only reason this isn’t a five-star read is that the middle lags slightly, with some repetition in character interactions and a few plot threads that don’t fully pay off. Still, the climax is thrilling and emotionally satisfying, sticking the landing in true Mira Grant fashion.

Clever, creepy, and oddly moving, Overgrowth is a standout entry in the alien invasion canon. If you're a fan of speculative fiction with heart and bite, this one is worth your time.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 stars (more if I could have)

I was so excited for this book, Mira Grant is the horror genre pen name of Seanan McGuire who is possibly my favourite fantasy writer of all time. I haven’t read Mira’s past books because horror has never been my thing but the cool sci-fi little of shop of horrors premise of this one was impossible to resist. I was not disappointed, this book was amazing, it had all the found family, loveable characters and quirky vibes that I love from their fantasy works, combined with some truly creepy moments, I was hooked from start to finish.

I loved the “normal life” of the body snatching alien that Mira builds up. I have never read a book where the alien comes to earth only to end up working in customer service. I also loved all the pop culture in jokes, like Seymour the cat 😂 ❤️

Having read this book it’s clear to me that maybe horror, or at least horror written by Mira Grant may be my thing after all. It’s made my week that I now have Mira’s back catalogue to check out for more books by one of the very best authors around.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Daphne Press for the opportunity to read this ARC.