Gracias, NetGalley, the publisher, and Jennifer Niven for this Advanced Reader's Copy!

This one had a really promising setup — moody boarding school, a famous (and kind of terrifying) writer hosting an elite storytelling retreat, and a group of students who all clearly have something to hide. But while When We Were Monsters had the bones of something great, it didn’t fully come together for me. It took me A LONG TIME to get into it and something about it just felt...confusing?

The story follows Effy and Arlo, who were best friends (and lovers) once—until something awful happened that tore them apart. Now they're both part of a group of eight students invited to Meredith Graffam’s intense, almost cult-like writing retreat. Right away, I loved the dark academia vibes and how claustrophobic everything felt once they were all snowed in. The tension was there… at least in the beginning.

Effy was probably the most compelling character for me. She’s grieving, she's unsure of herself, and she’s desperate to make sense of both her writing and her past. But she also kind of annoyed me at the same time. Arlo, on the other hand, felt more distant. I could tell there was a lot going on with him emotionally, but I didn’t feel as connected to him as I wanted to.

The other characters—Ness, Ramon, Isaac, and the rest—had potential, but most of them blurred together for me. I wish we'd gotten more time to really feel their personalities instead of just hearing their backstories. Same with the “monsters” theme — it was interesting, but I don’t think it hit as hard as it was meant to.

By the end, some things landed and some didn’t. The atmosphere stayed strong throughout, but the pacing dragged in the middle and the emotional payoff fell a bit flat. I kept waiting to feel that “aha” moment where everything clicks and hits you in the chest — but it never really came.

Overall: 3 stars. I didn’t hate it, and I think it’ll work for readers who love slow-burn, character-driven stories with a gothic edge. It just didn’t leave much of a lasting impact for me.

To kick off the fall Spooky Season, there's nothing I love more than a good dark academia thriller, and since I loved Jennifer Niven's All the Bright Places, I was really excited to read When We Were Monsters.

I really liked the premise of this book, but unfortunately, it fell really flat for me in quite a few different ways, and I just didn't love it. The dual narration didn't work well for me here, and I often had to jump back because I had a hard time remembering if I was reading Arlo or Effy's POV since they read with such a similar tone/voice. Also, with so many "main" characters at play, it felt strange that we ONLY got Effy and Arlo's POVs given that the other students were so different personality-wise, and I think hearing parts of the story from additional POVs would have kept things from feeling so stale and repetitive.

There was a lot of suspension of disbelief required, which is often the case in YA thrillers, but it just felt like TOO much here, too many times. At 400 pages long, I think this story would have benefitted from being tidied and tightened up a bit.

All in all, it certainly wasn't a bad story, but it wasn't great either.

A dark academia slow burn ya thriller perfect for fall! I was suprised to see Jennifer Niven had written a thriller, and im so glad she did!! This one was so close to 5 stars! More like 4.75 stars.

The star of this story was the atmospheric setting!! It was an unpaid actor. The antagonist is unhinged and always had you guessing! Some parts were slightly predictable, but there were plenty of twists and turns I never saw coming!  I had the best time reading this story!

When We Were Monsters started off so strong. The characters were fun. I love a writing or creative retreat setting and that did not disappoint. I didn't love the relationship between Effy and Arlo. It felt like a completely unnecessary part of the story line. There was one pretty fun twist. But I thought that the end was ultimately a little anti-climatic. I thought Meredith was a really interesting and compelling character.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you Knopf Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for the ARC!

If you loved If We Were Villains, then you are going to love this one. This story has it all: pretentious teens, toxic relationships, complex characters, students chasing academic validation, and a murder. I loved the dual story telling method, with both POVs being so different and helping us see different aspects of these characters. I really loved knowing how the story was going to end, because of the opening line, but trying to figure out why. This should be on anyones fall TBR this year!

When We Were Monsters by Jennifer Niven is an amazing YA dark academia thriller.
A remarkable, compelling, and addictive story.
I was sucked into this story and held captive.
An absolute page-turner!

Thank You NetGalley and Knopf Books for Young Readers for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Just how far would you go to make it as a writer? Dark Academia with a touch of teen drama, psychological drama, and a thriller mystery with a touch of romance! The story follows a group of writers all drawn together to work with a prestigious yet scandal filled writer in an elite New England boarding school where they are placed into a workshop that will literally break them. Going to an isolated estate of the school's founder surrounded by snowy woods and a stormed-tossed seas, the students will compete with one another until only the last one standing will get the chance to make all their creative dreams come true... yet the unconventional methods of their teacher has them questioning what is truly going on... and with dark secrets, murders, and more.... they'll need to work together to make it out alive. The story follows along two main POVS: Graffam and Effy, two writers who were once in love with each other but parted... but now Graffam is determined to win her back and prove he's here to stay. I think this is the perfect autumnal read because it mixes in such a moody vibe with a fun dark academia mystery and there is a second chance romance too. It's a intriguing read and it's a quick one too!

Release Date: September 2, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Random House Children's Books | Knopf Books for Young Readers for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

A YA dark academia with ambitious students, an eerie secluded mansion, and an unsettling mentor. The book is narrated in dual POV by Effy and Arlo, two of the selected students for a prestigious Jan Term class where they will be mentored by notorious celebrity writer Meredith Graffam. Meredith Graffam, author of a book and witness in a case that falsely imprisoned a man for the murder of her best friend, takes eight students under her wing for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a scholarship and the chance to have their work adapted for the screen. Graffam's unorthodox teaching methods are meant to break the students wide open, letting them access wells of creativity and truth that will make them better writers. If students fail to please her, they are sent home. Thus, students expose their darkest secrets, praying they get to stay. Cut off from the main campus, a vicious storm further isolates the group. As mysteries about the past come to light, everyone will have to decide to who trust.

Perfect for fans of thrillers, locked-room mysteries, and disquieting mentors. Effy and Arlo are rich, engaging narrators who truly bring the story to life.

This one’s dark academia with teeth. A dead teacher, a stormy estate, and eight ambitious teens tangled in secrets and storytelling.

DNF at 50%

I'm not really sure how to explain this book. It felt really slow *which could have been because I read online and that happens for me sometimes) but i'm not really sure where the story was going.

I'm a big fan of Jennifer Niven's work, and I loved seeing a novel that was such a departure from her other books. The slow build of suspense and the way she kept the characters (and the reader) of balance through manipulation and misinformation really pulled me along. But this book is more than just a plot driven ride. Like all Niven's books, her characters have depth and dimension and the kind of tragic backstories that have us rooting for them and hoping they find the connection and love they deserve. And the way she weaves the questions of morality, accountability, and what makes a monster has me still thinking about those things. Absolutely loved this novel and will definitely recommend it.

Everyone wants their big break. And multi-award-winning entertainer Meredith Graffam can give them that. But at what cost?

Effy and Arlo are two of eight students chosen to attend their elite boarding school's coveted Jan Term session with Meredith Graffam, at the end of which one student will be chosen to be personally mentored by Graffam. Effy is trying to make a name for herself. Arlo is just trying to stay afloat. But the complicated history between them isn't making things easy, nor are Meredith Graffam's increasingly bizarre and unorthodox methods of getting the best work out of her students.

As students drop from the program one by one and events of the isolated term become completely unstable, Effy and Arlo will discover just how much they're willing to endure for the promise of success.

I've read Jennifer Niven books before, but none of those were thrillers, so I wasn't really sure what to expect. Thankfully, Niven uses a combination of rumor, redirection, and red herrings to craft a savvy YA mystery. The final reveal and outcome wasn't particularly surprising— nor do I think it was really meant to be, given how many hints led up to it— but the journey contained plenty of twists and unexpected moments.

The novel switches between the perspectives of Effy and Arlo. While Effy is a serviceable narrator with a dark childhood mystery haunting her, Arlo's backstory is more recent and a bit richer, which ultimately makes him the more interesting of you two. Both are both a wee bit too pretentious for your average teen, but then again, they are essentially artistic baby geniuses. The chemistry between the two is good, but I actually wished Niven focused on their relationship and backstories a little less— memory and pining are all good, but too much of it tended to disrupt the pace from time to time.

The other characters in the story were intriguing and played well into Niven's “everyone's a suspect game.” The author is careful to give them all a backstory worth investing in. The ultimate secondary character is, of course, Meredith Graffam, who holds everyone else's fate in her hands. While her methods of “teaching” are unpredictable, the predictability of her ultimate goal was a bit underwhelming. Still, she had some big, powerful moments in the story.

When We Were Monsters is a pretty wild, but sometimes uneven, ride from a veteran author, culminating in a climatic ending. However, I found myself disappointed in the final fate of the characters, which seemed to forsake all the thriller elements for something more cookie-cutter and completely unrealistic. It's still a solid read, however, and I'd recommend it to folks who enjoy a (semi) locked door mystery.

3.5 stars

What a change for this author and it works! Couldn’t put this book down and it had me guessing throughout. Teens and adult alike will devour this masterpiece.

When We Were Monsters - Jennifer Niven

4.5⭐️

Surprising no one, this is one of my most anticipated reads of the year. Jennifer Niven is easily one of my favourite authors and I feel like I’ve waited so long for more of her words.

This is a dark academia young adult psychological thriller. It was atmospheric, spooky, and kept me questioning many things. I both wanted to be there with them and also as far away as possible.

I was captivated by the characters and the details, and the storyline made it hard to put it down.

This was exactly what I hoped for.

Pub Date: Sept 2

Thank you penguinteen for the earc 🤍🤍

Who is a favourite author of yours?

8 teens at an elite boarding school in Massachusetts are selected for an intensive January Term that takes place in an old, isolated house surrounded by a large forest and ocean cliffs on campus. The teacher is a former student and famous author. The dark story is told in alternating chapters by Effy and Arlo, two of the students. The beginning and ending were good (once I made peace that the situation was implausible), but it got bogged down in the middle. I also had to look often to see who was narrating each chapter - their voices weren't distinct enough. Still, this should appeal to high school students who like suspense (with a little romance).

I rarely do this, but I had to DNF this book only ten percent of the way in. I tried, I really did. It's a shame, as I did want to enjoy this book, but the writing was not suited well for the genre. A thriller/mystery is meant to draw you in and not give too much away. Instead, Niven's narration is clunky and over explains too much up front. It left the characters feeling inauthentic. Ultimately, I couldn't bring myself to read any more.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's for the eARC.

When We Were Monsters was an atmospheric, locked door style mystery. We had two main characters and lots of twists throughout. I feel like this "writer's retreat, locked door" style book has just been overdone for me. I need to move on from them because this novel, on its own, was fine. But I just did not end up enjoying it.

I really just didn’t fall in love with this book. I do think the twist is beautifully done; however, I just never was able to get invested in the two main characters. Meridith was a very quirky character and she does a good job of keeping the students on their toes. She was one of the only entertaining aspects of this book at least for me personally.
Thank you to Random House Children’s Publishing and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

Talk about an atmospheric read! This book truly made me feel like I was in a secluded mansion on the outskirts of a boarding school. When We Were Monsters is truly a slow burn of a story Each chapter, my unease and the tension grew as Graffam pushed the students further and further and the students started questioning her methods and reasons. I loved getting both Arlo and Effy’s POVs. I thought they were such interesting characters who really grew. I liked the book’s look into the world of privilege and access while also diving into accountability and redemption. This would be a perfect stormy day read in the fall, especially for readers who love dark academia vibes.
CW: death, violence, car accident

Thank you Random House Children’s Books for the digital reader’s copy!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy

When We Were Monsters by Jennifer Niven is a first person dual-POV YA dark academia thriller. At an elite boarding school, the biggest and most exclusive tradition is Jan Term, a short session in January a handful of students are invited to and led by an elite mentor. Eight students are selected for their storytelling abilities and are to be guided by Meredith Graffam, who has had controversy follow her at every turn in her own creative journey. But students start disappearing and nobody knows where they went. Effy and Arlo are two of the chosen students and the tension between them from their previous romantic liaisons are going to have to be dealt with or put to the side if they’re going to survive.

I originally thought this was going to be more of a horror because of the title, but this isn’t really a horror. Dark academia fits because of the setting and what we learn later while thriller fits due to the fast pacing and short chapters. I don’t quite know what the difference in YA is between a darker thriller and a horror if there are no supernatural elements as they seem to be fairly similar to me, but this felt like it firmly fell on the thriller side.

Effy and Arlo’s relationship is very complicated due to what happened before the story opened. Arlo and Effy have had a physical relationship and Arlo still has feelings for Effy, but due to his actions, Effy wants nothing to do with him. Despite this, the two are still probably the closest in their group of eight and are forced to be close to each other during Jan Term, which makes them start talking again and processing what happened between them and how it made them feel and continues to make them feel. It’s not enough of a focus for me to think of this book as a romance or romantic, but the romance arc that is common in a lot of YA is present.

Effy’s character arc is really defined by her mother’s death when she was a child and her father going to prison for it as he was the one responsible for the accident that killed her. Effy was raised by her grandmother as a result and she wasn’t present during the accident, but she still has nightmares related to it that make her feel like she was there, implying that she might have PTSD. It is never easy to lose a parent at a young age, it’s even harder to lose both and to grow up knowing that one parent was responsible. I felt that a lot of her behavior, both now and in the past, felt pretty consistent with undiagnosed PTSD that is mostly being managed.

Content warning for mentions of car accidents and drowning

I would recommend this to fans of YA dark academia and readers of YA thrillers who want a messy romantic relationship