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.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ebook ARC of *Overgrowth* in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way, and all thoughts and opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Mira Grant continues to prove why she’s one of my favourite authors in speculative fiction. *Overgrowth* is an eerie, gripping, and brilliantly disturbing read that had me hooked from page one. The blend of science fiction, body horror, and the chilling concept of alien lifeforms hiding among us created a narrative that was both fascinating and deeply unsettling—in the best possible way.

Grant masterfully crafts a story that balances tension and curiosity, drawing the reader into a world that feels uncomfortably plausible. The body horror elements genuinely made my skin crawl, and yet I couldn’t look away. The alien premise is executed with intelligence and subtlety, never feeling overdone or gimmicky.

I honestly have no criticisms of this book—*Overgrowth* is easily my favourite read of the year so far. It left such an impression that my partner surprised me with a special edition copy, which now holds pride of place on my shelf.

If you’ve been curious about Mira Grant’s work, this is an excellent entry point. And if you’re already a fan, *Overgrowth* will only deepen your appreciation for her storytelling. I’m now even more excited to dive into *Into the Drowning Deep* and explore everything else she’s written—or will write in the future. Highly recommend!

This book was a bit disappointing, but I think it’s partially the result of inaccurate marketing. I was expecting a high action horror/thriller about alien invasions, but it was actually a very slow build about humanity, belonging, and the consequences of neglecting those we view as other. I found the concept very intriguing but the execution was lackluster. Most of the characters—with the exception of Toni, the compelling scientist who narrowly avoided being abducted as a child and devoted her life to investigating aliens—felt bland and two-dimensional, and while the build-up established Stasia’s position as an outcast in human society, it felt like much too long before the invasion actually began.

Mira Grant’s horror never fails to hit the mark.
I wasn’t expecting this to be so character-driven, but I loved it. Added appreciation for the trans man love interest, and as a neurodivergent person I could deeply relate to the way the alien MC was perceived by others and interacted with the world. I started following Mira Grant’s work after reading INTO THE DROWNING DEEP, where I felt the Autistic character was really relatable—fellow Autists looking for a main character to relate to will find that here.
This felt like LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS with sweeping INTERSTELLAR themes of family, self-growth, (aha) and love!

3.5 stars

Such a thought provoking book about humanity; how beautiful human connections can grow to be but also how hateful and fearful we can get, about belonging, and about the incredibly intimidating Fermi Paradox.

If this was a tighter story with less meandering in the first half, I probably would've absolutely loved it.

I wanted to love this. A sci-fi book about Stasia, an alien in disguise sent years ahead of an alien invasion of Earth, who has always known she replaced a living child, but has grown up raised by humans, with human relationships.
It started very promisingly, introducing us to Stasia and the people around her, and it ended well. I also enjoyed the chapters with the quotes from War of the Worlds and in-book characters.
Sadly I felt like it didn't really know what to do with the main chunk of the book, and found myself getting bored at times. It was 500 pages but felt more like 700, and I didn't think it needed to even be so long in the first place.
Some interesting ideas, it just didn't grab me in the way I wanted it to.

The first part of the book is everything I would have wanted from a good read. The second part was to slow and not engaging enough to keep my interest up.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eArc in exchange for my honest opinions.

I was intrigued by the first half of Overgrowth—the buildup of the alien invasion was gripping, and I found myself genuinely invested, wondering how it would all unfold. The story is immersive, I liked the characters, and the tension was well-paced at the start. However, the second half of the book really dragged for me. I struggled to stay engaged as the plot seemed to lose momentum, and I found myself just going through the motions to finish. That said, I think hardcore sci-fi and alien invasion fans who appreciate detailed storytelling might find more to love here than I did.

It's been a while since I read a book with alien invasion and never one where the alien is the main character. Genuinely I have so much to think and I kept wondering what would I do if I was in that position. I could relate with the BFF about feeling like an alien because you immigrated to another country and you will always be an other in their eyes, sad but oh well.

Yeah anyway, love the plot, could put the book down but I was thinking about it when I was not reading it. Characters were relatable and loveable.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone who like alien invasion books. I already recommended this book to a friend as I need someone to talk to lol

I really loved reading this book. When I’d go to put it down for a while to do some writing or something else with my day, I’d still be thinking about the plot and how our main character was going to react to the next thing that happened to her. That is what marks a great book from a good one, in my opinion, and I’d probably raise this rating to a 4.5 stars if the opinion was available on Netgalley and Goodreads.
The premise? Awesome. The execution? Matches the hype that the premise suggests will be delivered. I liked learning new things as our main character learnt them, it made me feel super connected to her as she’s going through all these changes: physical, emotional, mental, otherworldly, and it helped that she was just written super well and wasn’t annoying (to put it bluntly.)
Our side characters, while not as compelling as the woman whose head we inhabit, also felt real with different personalities and ways of going about the new world they found themselves fighting in.
The ambiance was super good and the prose very well written, I really felt like I was going to these green forests and being immersed in this strange, alien culture.
My issue with government and authority really came out in full force during this book, haha, and made me realise I might be one of those humans siding with the aliens…

Overgrowth is the most recent horror novel written by Mira Grant (Seanan Mcguire's pen name for this genre), published by Daphne Press. A romp, fun, but also thought-provoking sci-fi horror, a character driven story set against the backdrop of an alien invasion, using the horror genre to explore themes such as the othering of minorities with the pretext of the common well-being.

Stasia Miller walked off into the woods one day when she was three years old and had an encounter with an interesting plant; after coming back from that encounter, she's been telling everyone that she's an alien, vanguard to the invention that will happen, even if not many people believe her. Thirty-two years later, Anastasia is an adult and has a boyfriend; however, an alien message has been received and people start to suddenly notice what Stasia was saying, as the threat of an alien invasion only brings more uncertainty as the days pass.

With this backdrop, we have an interesting proposal that looks at humanity, found family and choices; the signal acts as the spark for the story. Despite having that compulsion to say she's an alien for years, Stasia can't be sure how the encounter with her alien family will go, but when she's persecuted by her own government, stripped of the rights she should have (due to her alien origin), it will be proved that she can only trust in those friends that are her found family. Grant puts a great care on creating a cast that stays with you in the middle of the chaos of the story, even if the villains are a little plain/stereotypical (especially the agent).
Pun not intended, but also the growth of Stasia as character is another of the highlights of the book, especially after her encounter with her real family.

Overgrowth is definitely not afraid of going for creepy and eerie moments, gifting us some moments that are nightmare worthy; the alien invasion also gives us an insight into how quickly a society can devolve into fascism in the name of protecting its citizens. While the alien invasion is not a new trope, I liked how Grant approached to it, giving it a fresh touch.
In terms of pacing, I really enjoyed the beginning and the ending, but it is true that it can slog a bit in the middle section, especially as we are introduced to Stasia's adult life; but overall, it is still enjoyable, as all those details drop in that section will eventually make sense.

Overgrowth is an interesting sci-fi horror novel, perfect if you are looking for a book that could be described as Little Shop of Horrors meets Independence Day, thought-provoking but with a fair dose of action. If you liked her previous horror novels (honestly, I still love Feed), I totally recommend you to give this one a try!