Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Tor Nightfire for an advanced copy of this audiobook in an exchange for an honest review.

I think if you’re a fan of Mira Grant’s writing style you will love this book.

I really enjoyed how unique and diverse our main cast was, however since I just recently read her Newsflesh series the parallels kind of stood out starkly to me. Yes, there were enough differences that I really can’t complain but it did have me side eyeing the book.

Speaking of a side-eye I actually listened to the audiobook and Caitlin Kelly did a phenomenal job and I’m looking forward to listening to other audiobooks narrated by her.

My final thoughts can be wrapped up as so; this did not feel like a horror to me and considering I’m actively reading the Southern Reach trilogy the comparison to Annihilation was sooo far off-kilter. (The above statement did not affect my rating as I’m assuming they aren’t the authors choice)

I don't think I've ever had a book that made me think so deeply about who's side I was on or how I felt about the things happening. This book when thought about on the full level could cause such a deep debate with a persons self. It makes you see the lack of humanity some people would have because your getting the story from the "bad guys" point of view, but in the next minute you are faced with the nature of what that "bad guy" could potentially do and how bad it could be. The only Character I can say I never flipped flopped my feelings for was Tony, cause she stayed aggressive the whole time. But all the other characters you start to understand and sympathize with and the next moment you are angry for them or at them. I enjoyed the entire experience and the thought debates this book presented. I also enjoyed how the narrator fully expressed the feeling the FMC had in each scenario. I would recommend this book to any of my friends who enjoyed analyzing stories or having deep discussion of meanings and action, because i don't think any person could not sympathize with each character in their own unique situation but also hate the outcomes they each face.

I previously enjoyed Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant and was excited to see she had another book out. This time about killer aliens. This was a creepy science fiction horror book about an alien invasion. We follow Anastasia who was a converted alien at three years old. She lives her whole life telling everyone she is an alien and that her species will be coming soon to take over the planet. No one believes her until the aliens come to take over the planet.

I liked the vast array of characters in this book. We had trans representation and Mexican American representation. I liked Anastasia as a character, but I would have liked her to kick some butt in this story, she was rather bland. I wanted to see more of an attack, we have a brief encounter at the end, but I would have liked a bit more excitement throughout the story. It was a lot of talking between characters. More action, less talking.

I liked this book and will continue reading books by Mira Grant. She puts a new spin on sci fi horror and it's always a fun read.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

If you want weird girl scifi fiction then this is for you. Not my genre but it was well written. I got confused a little but that’s a me problem.

I'm not sure how to rate Overgrowth to be honest. It's definitely creepy with it's vivid descriptions and body horror, but the pacing of this was abysmal. I feel like this would have benefitted from being shorter and not so drawn out.

What would happen if pod people/body snatchers were crossbred with Audrey 2 from Little Shop of Horrors? Well, you don't have to wonder anymore because Mira Grant has got you covered. She's constructed the novel Overgrowth.

As a little girl. Anastasia was devoured and cloned by an alien flower. That's how this story starts, so that's fun. Her pod person is a perfect double, except she tells everyone that she is a scout for an alien armada.
As Stasia grows up and integrates into her Earth life, she forms bonds but never stops announcing her alien identity. This is written off as an eccentricity until an alien signal is received, proving extraterrestrial intelligence. And possibly proving Stasia isn't crazy.

Overgrowth is a story dealing with identity, family (birth and found), and what it means to trust in yourself. The obvious nods to classic sci-fi and horror works were very appreciated by this reader. Definitely H.G. Wells, probably Ray Bradbury, big shout-outs to Little Shop of Horrors and Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Maybe a little Borg and Na'vi? Mira Grant expands on and updates these sci-fi and horror ideas for a new generation of readers. Adding more levity and heart, allowing us to sympathize with the "alien threat".
Caitlin Kelly wdid a great job narrating. First and Second were my favorite voices.

What happens when your alien sleeper agent is assimilated into their human life? A life with a job, friends, family and a pet cat? Who will they choose to stand beside? Will they betray their humanity for the flowers?

A charming and yet horrifying exploration of humanity, colonization, and what it takes to be family.

Disclaimer: I read this as a tandem read with a physical ARC as well as an audiobook ARC from NetGalley and Tornightfire. All opinions are my own. This is my honest and voluntary review.

The audiobook was done very well. (See audiobook stats below for more details). I feel like the audiobook narrator did a great job, being very clear and concise with her narration, as well as holding the same speed in tempo throughout the text. I never had to adjust my speed or change any settings for the audiobook. It all played out really well from beginning to end. I felt like the narrator gave great characterization to everybody involved and did a great job differentiating each character with her voice.

This book did an excellent job of making you care about all of the characters while subtly building this creeping feeling of dread and claustrophobia as the invasion closes in on you. It was almost charming in the way the characters were portrayed. It felt so much like a cozy found family type situation, with the undercurrent of a hostile alien invasion that was going to wipe out humanity at any moment. It was very easy to root for the characters in general, even the ones you necessarily shouldn't be rooting for. I enjoyed the conflicted feelings I had for the characters, because I knew I shouldn't be caring for them and yet I ultimately did.

There was great diversity within the characters that were represented. There was representation in the way of a Mexican American character, where her language and culture was mentioned several times throughout the text. As well as a very prominent trans main character that was discussed quite regularly and was very normalized. I enjoyed that quite a bit. We also had a brief mention of Asian American characters as well. I really enjoyed that the characters were not just present within the text, but also it spoke of their background and/or trials and tribulations several times throughout the book as well which solidified that the author was really making an attempt to represent by public communities and not just checking off for some sort of "diversity checkbox".

I really enjoyed the way humanity was really explored throughout the text. What makes us human and ties us to those around us was a big theme in this book. I felt like it covered multiple facets of this theme and it was very interesting to read. Watching our main character Anastasia grapple with what made her human versus what made her "other" was at times stressful but always interesting and poignant. Relating humanity to family that you have created also was extremely interesting to read about. Blood is not always what makes us family.

I felt the overall premise of this book was extremely interesting. I've never read anything like it, and I found it to be an extremely easy book to hold my attention. I did get a little bogged down during info dumps. Some conversations I felt got a little too heavy on the "tell" and not the "show". But overall, the entire book really captured my attention and my imagination. The imagery within this novel was so amazingly done. I definitely could picture of these plant human hybrids at work consistently being revealed throughout the novel. I felt the way that the aliens were portrayed was also very unique and different from other popular portrayals throughout media.

Overall, I think this is gonna be an absolutely wonderful sci-fi release for this year. It's definitely gonna be one. I'll think about for a long time.

Audiobook Stats:
⏰: 8 hours 18 minutes
🎤: Frankie Corzo, Cynthia Farrell
Genre: Sci-fi Horror
Gore: 🧟‍♂️🧟‍♂️
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Audio/ Tornightfire
Themes: humanity, colonization, found family
Representation: Mexican American characters, Trans characters

As a big fan of Into the Drowning Deep, I was really excited to receive this ALC! I enjoyed the beginning but felt it start to lag a bit in the middle and then we got some pay off at the end. I did overall like this but I didn’t love it.

Thank you NetGalley, for an early release audiobook of Overgrowth. 3.5/5 stars

I start off my review by stating my attraction to Mira Gant's writing. Grant is wonderfully intelligent human with a heavy science background and it shines beautifully in her work. The thing for me in horror is it has to be believable to be effective and she accomplishes this. There is a logical cause for a creature or situation to be able to exist using scientific application. She can create entire perfect scenarios that make the nerdiest of us scream internally. There is great care to detail that enforces the logic which increases the horror factor! Her world building pays off as does the build in tension.

Overgrowth has the elements I listed above, with a huge emphasis on the human condition and the emotions we go through during dire circumstances. Right away Grant takes a huge risk in the trigger warning department. This really sets the tone for the reader that there are going to be uncomfortable situations and the characters are going to be on a rollercoaster of all the feels. Anastasia is the main character in the story with clearly defined flaws and insecurities that Grant explores. The supporting characters all give the reader interactions for different reaction types and scenarios that could occur during an invasion. On a specific level, this is insightful. We look at race, class, segregated individuals, lgbtqia, and more. Grahm is my favorite character, not because of the reveal, but because of how he approaches things. What a well rounded person! Forgiving and very logical.
The horror aspect in the book is noteworthy. Beautiful yet terrifying. Transformations and experiences are described. This aspect dealt with a lot of human emotion also in a bit of detail.

Overall, the story was interesting, the science was mostly there and the message was loud and clear. I like that there was a strong message and it could reach this genera and the choice of invasion and how it unfolded was mostly succinct, but some parts did feel untidy. The last 20ish percent of the book really started looking into the sci-fi aspect and it really had me hooked, but the nasa lab and the transition from a certain place back to earth was choppy in my opinion. It's like looking at really beautiful art, but at a certain angle and not straight on, if that makes sense. I will continue to read Grant and her other pen Seanan McGuire, because she is scary smart and an amazing author.

Marked as spoilers on good reads
Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillian audio for an early copy of this audio book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

It’s really hard to put a star rating on this because unfortunately it didn’t come across as advertised. I read Into the Drowning Deep and expected it to be much more like that. It read much more YA and horror-lite than what I expected. It also seemed to be more about the issues discussed than idk the freaking plant aliens??? The reward was the friends we made along the way?

The focus on this story is the narrator who is killed by aliens as a child and taken over by an alien plant species for an eventual take over of earth. She is not given any information about the “mission” and just goes on living as a human all the while telling everyone who will listen that she is an alien. No one thinks this as actually as strange as they should. She is diagnosed and schizophrenic and that’s that.

The narrator struggles with an identity crisis. After telling everyone she’s an alien and being pissy they don’t believe her, she gets the opportunity to prove to them she is right. And immediately wonders if she’s more human now than alien? And after living on human food for literally 30 years all of a sudden she’s desperate for human blood?

One line in particular really took me out of the story. The narrator makes a comment about her trans boyfriend stating she can’t believe he doesn’t really think she is an alien when she believes he is a man. I said wtf out loud. Why was this included?

I think this would have made a fantastic novella. The premise was intriguing and it would have been super easy to include the “full on body horror” that was advertised. This was barely horror and needed to pick a lane.

The fourth wall breaks were really inorganic too. This is not a Deadpool movie.

I enjoyed the audiobook narrator and think she did a great job with the creepy atmosphere.

Overgrowth is a good entry level sci-fi. It's Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Little Shop of Horrors vibes.

From the beginning, Anastasia is known to be an alien. She narrates how she got here and compulsively tells everyone she meets that she is an alien. She has done this since she took over the body of a three year old 30+ years ago. Things get real for the few people in her life who don't think she's crazy, when an alien signal is recorded and released to the media. She has to grapple with what it means to no longer have any doubt of what she is and where her loyalties lie between her alien kind, and the humans that are all she's ever known.

There were some pacing issues, but overall, I enjoyed the ride. There is a sprinkling of body horror, but I don't know if I would categorize the story as horror. This is a solid pick for anyone looking to try sci-fi that isn't overly complicated.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Caitlin Kelly. She did a good job portraying the naivety of Stasia. I felt like I was actually listening to her inner monologue, instead of a book being read.

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio, for an early audiobook copy in exchange for my honest review.

Wow...this book was out of this world. Pun intended. I really loved the connections the author made using current societal narratives between illegal aliens and extraterrestrial alien life. The focus on trans humans and their struggles was also amazingly done. Love wins.

"True" Rating: 4.5 of 5

Anastasia's never doubted she is what she is always declare herself to be- an alien vanguard for the coming invasion. It's just that after a time it became something she wasn't sure was even relevant. I mean, if most people laugh you off, family and teachers try to 'fix' you, your mother believes you but in that she sees you as a murder of her baby, and you don't actually know anything else about yourself, what can someone do but keep on keepin' on? She settled into a life in which she tolerated the exhausting energy of people and the inevitable rejections and occasional harassment. It wasn't like she hadn't found at least a few who took her declaration as a personality trait and welcomed her all the same. Except then her family, her real family, comes knocking to retrieve their little blossom.

“Overgrowth” mixes up the seemingly, regrettably, timeless elements and well known themes of classic invasion tales. She lays that side out on display so that she can spend her energy developing the underlying factors that are unique to her tale below. The result is an adventure that excites and haunts in the same ways Rod Sterling era “The Twilight Zone” productions did. It's a combination of everyday horror, psychology, and commentary on social and governmental politics past and present.

There was never any doubt that Mira Grant would be able to bring a unique alien creation to life. Working in fantastical genres under another name she's proven the ability frequently. Indeed her otherworldly invaders deliver. Not constrained to only a peek at her creations by page count or format, we're treated with a showcase of culture, motivations, logic, vast variations, and layman biological processes.

What hooked into me was how she walked the tightrope between metaphor and direct commentary. “Overgrowth” examines the collective drain of empathy, broken systems, the ways people are 'othered', and brushes on context and behavioral repetition in history. Never fear. It's not just a piece to vent about all the ills of human nature and our current global and political system. There are glimmers of those who fight back to not perpetuate negativity. Those same people aren't always perfect. Even those in our support systems have their own life experiences that could emerge from our subconscious under dire circumstances. Grant digs into the nuances and murky waters of where human instinct and conditioning form all of us.

At the heart of this book is Stashia's allied group. Allies, not friends entire, as there are some prickly realistic group dynamics common to the every day let alone when the world is ending and you're on the run. Each character's strong individual nature also work as tools to create tension through motivations instead of simple emotion. Interpersonal interactions also contribute to the singular frustration with the reading experience.

If I can say anything negative it is that there were some repetitious thoughts and conversations that added maybe a few too many pages. I understand people with life long trauma in one way or another need reaffirmation and reassurance as they also frequently walk and and hand with being doubtful and self critical. But Stashia's reflections of her relationships flare up maybe more than necessary to advance the story or character growth. At the same time, a concept so detailed would still require time to develop.

“Overgrowth” was everything I wanted from it and more than I anticipated in many ways. The cherry on top is a smirk and slow clap reveal ending that reveals the context of one aspect's inclusion. I must also give a shout out to Caitlin Kelly for a great narration job. Once again, Grant proves why she's one of my favorite working authors.

Oh boy, that ending got me! Overgrowth is a cross between "Invasion of the Body Snatchers meets Day of the Triffids by way of Arrival." Our FMC has been telling everyone the truth since she was three years old that she is an alien sent ahead of an invasion. Present day, there is an alien signal being broadcast around the world, humanity is finally starting to realize that it's already been warned, and it may be too late. I categorize this story as a sci-fi horror. We also have an LGBTQ+ love interest. Overgrowth was slow to medium paced, and the majority of this was to offer LOTS of character development for all the characters. How do you come to terms with a future you didn't ask for under circumstances you couldn't control? It gives the story a healthy mix of both plot and character development. I enjoyed the book and was engaged the whole time.

The story itself is chilling and full of suspence. The audiobook simply enhances the experience and pulls you into the world. The production team outdid themselves. The narration gave me the damn chills. This is an audiobook which you don't wanna miss.

I quite liked this first contact / aliens among us Sci-Fi novel. A three-year-old wanders into the woods, enticed by the smell of candy. Three days later, she appears to return home unharmed, except she insists she is an alien. While that premise sounds funny, the novel has heart, as this ostracized and now grown young woman has found her tribe, including her cosplay-enjoying roommate, her trans boyfriend, and her “asshole cat.”
But the aliens ARE coming. Her aliens. What they do may be the answer that saves humanity.
The audiobook narration is excellent and the how the story plays out is fresh and engaging.
My thanks to the author, publisher, @MacmillanAudio, and #NetGalley for early access to the audiobook of #Overgrowth for review purposes.

4.5 rounded up to 5

Aliens are coming! Aliens are coming! Don't say I didn't warn you!

Mira Grant is fantastic at sci-fi horror and Overgrowth is no expectation. It has the vibes of War of the Worlds and The Silent Place. What would you do if you KNOW aliens are coming but nobody will listen to you? What would you do once they arrive? What if YOU are an alien?

Once I started this audio I did not stop or pause it. In whatever equivalent in an audio read is, this is a page turner and addicting. I was enthralled from start to finish.

Anastasia "Stasia" told the world she wasn't one of us. Everyone thought it was the imagination of a child and even an odd quirk or a coping mechanism. But when scientists record alien tones from space, those who laugh the loudest fall silent. The anxiety builds like a slow-churning storm as the invasion counts down. There's an unnerving sense of helplessness watching society scramble for answers when the truth has been in plain sight for decades. The horror isn't in the armada arriving but in the grim realization that the invasion has already happened and has been growing. They have walked among us for years. They learned our language, wore our faces, and waited for this moment. Now, they are our for our blood.

Stasia is deeply human and hauntingly alienated in her loneliness, detachment from people, and belief in who she truly is. She's caught between two worlds, and neither one seems entirely safe. It's not just about aliens, but it's about ignorance, denial, and the way we dismiss what doesn't fit into our version of reality and normalcy. It has a poignant and reflective voice of them versus us, and those who are different are bad; great commentary on current affairs.

The audiobook has a narrator who delivers a performance that heightens the emotional impact of every scene. You can feel Stasia's alienation and desperation. It added an edge of suspense that keeps you on the verge of holding your breath.

It is a story about being feared for not falling into line and hums with quiet dread. It delivers its final truth with a gut punch. It's not just about the end but the end of humanity.

Thank you, NetGalley and McMillan Audio / Tor Nightfire, for the opportunity to review and provide my honest feedback.

So happy I had the opportunity to read Overgrowth by Mira Grant. I love reading Science Fiction, this is my first exploration into SciFi Horror. This book was well written, and while reading it, I envisioned it as a movie in my mind.

The nods to the film Little Shop of Horror were entertaining, but also left me disappointed because the author never reveals what happens to Seymore.

<spoiler>Finally I love that the ending did not resort to some unrealistic heroic save, as I am a firm believer that every book does not need to have a neat and happy ending. <spoiler>

The Narration for this book by Caitlin Kelly was very well done, making the story an entertaining and listen.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, Tor Nightfire, Netgalley and Goodreads for the opportunity to listen to thie ALC read this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I think this is one of the first books where I, personally, have encountered the “Alien” being the main character and the one who has been telling people her whole life, she is an alien. Honestly, the premise really drew me in because I wanted to know more about how she would act and react as her Plant Race of beings worked their way closer towards earth. I was actually pretty surprised by how she processed the discovery of more of her kind as well as the inner turmoil she faced when having to choose between the people she has grown to love, and the race of being which sent her to Earth to be a Harvest.

When Anastasia was 3, she walked into the woods, drawn by some unknown need to explore, and discovered a flower which smells of all the best things in the world. After three days, she emerged from the woods telling everyone she could that she was part of the vanguard of a race of beings on their way to our planet. Many people believed she was kidnapped and traumatized by the event, but her story never wavered and now in her mid-30’s she is still compelled to tell the same story whenever someone asks her where she is from or if she is an alien.

The book is eerie because I think it does ask some very good questions about humanity and what it means to be human. Though Anastasia is not technically human, she still feels emotions the same way though it does seem the closer her fleet nears to earth, the more her loyalty is swayed into the “Us vs Them” mindset. It’s hard to tell more without feeling I may fall over the line into spoilers, but I think this certainly falls into the realm of the book Annihilation by VanderMeer. The pacing is a bit slow at times, but it does give the reader time to understand what is going on instead of rushing through moments. Sometimes the dialogue gets a bit bogged down and repetitive but I still found the story compelling.