Thank you, NetGalley, and Mariner Books, for allowing me to read this book early. The opinion in this review is my own.

Yana is essentially a con artist going from town to town staging supernatural events and then charging the town for her to get rid of whatever is causing the events. Yana comes to a town and meets Anka who is the town pariah, being groomed for marriage, and needs Yana’s help.

This was a wild ride. It was atmospheric and creepy. It had lots of gore, but otherwise, wasn’t particularly scary. The characters had charm and I became invested in the story. The pacing was inconsistent, from enthralling to boring. Overall, I like this book a lot and I would recommend this book. It has a good feminist approach, but not too much. It was empowering and heartfelt.

Out February, 10th 2026
This book doesn’t ask for permission—it kicks the door down, drenched in blood and fury, and dares you to look away. It’s a gothic fever dream stitched together with Slavic folklore, righteous rage, and the kind of monstrous femininity that doesn’t apologize for existing. The village is cursed, the men are vile, and the girls? They’re done playing nice. It’s not just horror—it’s a reclamation. A howl in the dark. A middle finger to every system that ever tried to tame a woman by calling her a witch.

The monster here isn’t some shadowy creature lurking in the woods—it’s the Captain grooming a girl for marriage, the villagers blaming a child for their misfortunes, the quiet complicity of a world that punishes girls for surviving. So what do you do when you’re powerless? You make yourself a monster. You conjure something so terrifying it forces the world to reckon with you. And it’s not pretty. It’s messy, raw, and gloriously unhinged. The prose is sharp enough to draw blood, and the atmosphere drips with dread and defiance.

This is the kind of story that makes you want to scream into the void, then build a bonfire out of every lie you were ever told about being “too much.” It’s cathartic, it’s brutal, and it’s a love letter to every girl who’s ever been called a curse. If rage had a scent, it would be this book—earthy, metallic, and just a little bit holy.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Mariner Books for this ARC!

I really liked this! Firstly, I found the premise very interesting--a girl, a con-artist, creating "supernatural" phenomena and forcing a village to use her demon-catching services, while people in the village find their own potential benefits . It's something I've never seen before, and combined with the general vibe and atmosphere, I found it really effective.

This book is inspired by Slavic folklore and fairytales; in plotting, structure, and themes, it reads like a fairytale, which can be a good or bad thing depending on the reader. Overall, I enjoyed it, but I do think this leads to the missing star in my rating. I found the plot to be a little too straightforward, the characters a little too one-note and archetypal. I just wish we had gotten more, pushed a little further.

I'm definitely excited to see what else Kovatcheva writes!

She Made Herself a Monster has such a cool premise — dark, folkloric vibes mixed with a coming-of-age story. Anna Kovatcheva’s writing is vivid and atmospheric, and there are moments where the imagery really sticks with you.

That said, the pacing felt a bit uneven for me. Some parts pulled me in, while others dragged, and I never fully connected with the characters the way I wanted to. I ended up liking the idea of the book more than I loved the actual reading experience. Still, it’s creative and memorable, and I think it’ll really click with the right reader.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the early copy in exchange for my honest review.

What a crazy, short ride! So many points in this book I hated how the characters acted but you could empathize and understand why they are the way they are. Complex but easily understandable characters with a plot that I eattttt up every time! Definitely for the fans of books like Lapvona! I was looking for a little more horror aspect but I enjoyed the plot regardless.

She Made Herself A Monster is a gothic tale depicting a 19th century Bulgarian village under the belief they are cursed and the fake vampire hunter who begins to realize they're right.

The slavic folklore and mythology behind Koprivci is really well done and roots the reader to the setting. There is a strong, wide cast of characters, many of whom are delightful, such as Anka and Yana, and still many others who are dislikable, such as the Captain and Kiril.

Not entirely horror but pleeenty eerie and morbid, with copious levels of gore; the actual supernatural aspect is thinner than I was led to believe. The writing, however, is beautifully dreamlike and dark, which fits the tone and subject matter. There is an extreme sense of foreboding, especially going through Ankas's narrative, who is being groomed to marry her own father-figure to fulfill his twisted fantasies. Lovely dude.

A lot is unsaid between characters, hidden meanings behind hidden meanings, and it leaves a scene somewhat confusing, but overall, I enjoyed this. Important theme of the story: real monsters aren't blood-sucking shadows mutilating villagers livestock but are actually the abusers in positions of power.

Thank you to Mariner Books, NetGalley, and the author for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

She Made Herself a Monster is dark, razor-sharp, and utterly mesmerizing. Anna Kovatcheva crafts a story that crawls under your skin and refuses to leave, blending unsettling beauty with a creeping sense of dread. The prose is elegant yet dangerous—every sentence feels like it’s holding a secret just out of reach.

This isn’t just horror for shock’s sake; it’s layered, intelligent, and emotionally cutting. Kovatcheva’s characters feel disturbingly real, their desires and fears pulling you deeper into the shadows. I found myself torn between devouring it in one sitting and slowing down to savor every haunting detail.

If you like your fiction intelligent, unnerving, and impossible to shake, this one’s a masterpiece.

2.75ish.- but i will round up because I enjoyed some snips of Kirils medical knowledge and uses and the fight to prevent a marriage.

liked the story of the Captain and his mistake and the storyline about Anka and her parents.

but vampires. Kiril. the other characters. it was too disjointed for me.

over all I found the writing average, the read easy, and folky . interesting. something new for me.

thank you @netgalley.com for the ARC on this one! it was fun reading something new out of my normal zone.

Quick very high level summary. Yana is traveling con artist who claims to be a vampire slayer. While on her travels she meets a orphaned girl named Anka who’s village sees her as a bringer of bad luck to the village. Together Yana and Anka form an alliance that takes a definite turn to the unexpected.

My Take.
Very character driven with a folklore feel and gothic vibes and a very atmospheric setting. The world itself is rich and immersive. The story has a narrative, that elicits strong emotion though not always in a comfortable way. For example, the uncle left me with an overly, not in the good way, creepy feeling. I did enjoy the power of the collective feminist aspect to the story. It needed it to provide much needed contrast from that creepy uncle. Overall and interesting story that is well written. If you enjoy dark gothic horror with strong female leads or Frankenstein’s monster with a hint of Brothers Grimm vibes, this will be the story for you.

A skillfully constructed and engaging tale echoing Eastern European folk myths and supernatural beliefs. Although the reader is led to believe that there is something magical occurring it emerges that only the cynical and scheming minds of humans are at work here, making the action a nonetheless a fascinating dive into legends of vampires, ghosts and other paranormal beings and entities. Still, there's something mysterious at work here, complicated by a disturbing semi-incestuous theme that drives the protagonist relentlessly. As a young woman grows into adulthood she must come to grips with social expectations and familial responsibilities as well as dealing with unwanted attentions from a childhood guardian. Both her romantic and existential survival are threatened she struggles, successfully, to avoid disaster and find fulfillment. Nicely written with the modern reader in mind but ripe with the savor of Middle and Eastern European folklore the narrative moves quickly and satisfyingly to an appropriate ending. Good for fans of fantasy, but also for those who enjoy semi-historical fiction.

This was definitely one of the more unique takes to vampires I have read, in a good way! I found myself racing through this book to see how it would unfold and then ultimately end.


Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for giving me the opportunity to review the book. All opinions are my own.

Based in a small unfortunate village in Bulgaria, the story follows young Anka, whom the townsfolk believe to be the harbinger of all their woes due to the devastating circumstances of her birth that claimed the lives of both of her parents. She was lucky enough to be raised with her cousin by The Captain, a powerful man respected by the townsfolk, but as she grows he makes his intentions to marry her clear and Anka dreads that future. As tensions rise among the people because of their continued ill fortunes and the inability of the women of the town to carry and birth healthy children, a stranger appears, Yana, with a way to cast out the suspected demons causing the black cloud over the village. Is her plan enough to restore the wellbeing of the whole of Koprivci or will Anka be forced to suffer a life she doesn't want?

I honestly loved this book so much. I thought the worldbuilding and folklore of the town really painted the picture of who the people are and how they could look to just about anything if they'd thought it was an answer to their suffering. Small details, like Kiril having to cut down a sapling with one swing for his friend's wedding, showed just how thoughtful and well done the creation of the village was. There are a lot of characters but they all felt distinct. The prose is well written and I enjoyed the folklore woven throughout. When I started reading I thought the book was going to head in a different direction but I was surprised and satisfied with the turns of the book. Ultimately I would recommend to someone looking for gothic folklore vibes with a focus on women reclaiming their power.

Thank you to Net Galley, Mariner Books, and the author for giving me the opportunity to review the book. All opinions are my own.

Truly one of the most unique vampire books I’ve read to date. I thought I had guessed where the plot was going and who would be the vampire, but I was pleasantly surprised when I realized I was wrong. I’d love if this author continued with Anka’s story but this also left me so satisfied. I’ve already recommended it to multiple people when I wasn’t even 50% in, that’s how much I loved it!

I really enjoyed this book. The premise was unique & interesting & the vibe was super creepy which is exactly what I wanted with fall coming up. I loved Yana & Anka. The story does such a good job showing how women find power in impossible situations. As someone from the Balkans, I really loved the Slavic folklore that was woven throughout the story.

With such a gripping description and prologue, “She Made Herself a Monster” promises an unsettling tale of feminine rage. A promise that is mostly, but not entirely, realized.

The characters are strong, all with clear motivations and explanations for any existing flaws. There were times where I disliked characters such as Kiril so strongly, but then would read a passage that made me empathize with him instead. When my opinions about character genuinely change throughout a book, I know that the author has written them in a believable we. Additionally, even though there was an antagonist for this novel, I liked how the author humanized them and showed their compassionate side.

Strongly character driven, I found the plot mostly solid with some areas that needed a little more attention. For example, the motif of Hassan’s comet was nice and the moment with Kiril and Hassan at the beginning was nice, but then it felt like that part of the story and Kiril’s life was abruptly dropped. It made me confused on why it wasn’t addressed more at the end. However, the main story, focusing on Anka and Kiril, kept me engaged with the novel. By the end I was fully invested with how the main plot would resolve itself.

Even though I was expecting a bit more horror throughout the novel, I was pleased to find a novel that carefully examines the bond of a broken “family.” It brings up the question of what lengths we would go to in order to support the ones we love.

I thoroughly enjoyed this! The writing was atmospheric and extremely approachable, which I love when a story explores darker themes. I genuinely went back and forth MULTIPLE times about what I expected to happen, and was thoroughly satisfied by the end.

The first half of the book had me in a chokehold - the setup had me from the first page. The back half slowed down a bit. Some of the relationships were a little confusing (odd sexual tension between Anka and Kiril?? Ambiguous tension between Anka and Yana??), but ultimately the plot didn't suffer for it.

Overall I'm very glad to have had the opportunity to read an early copy of this book, thanks to Mariner Books! Will definitely recommend this one to folks who like the Gothic thriller genre

Anna Kovatchea certainly has a way with words, as there is some beautiful writing here. She gives us a great sense of dread and darkness in this tale about a small town with a superstition so deep that they allow an outsider in to try to rid the town of the vampire or entity that is possessing the town.

I must confess I have never read this genre. I was curious about it but I don't feel qualified to write a review, as this subject matter doesn't excite me. I don't get the whole genre. Is this meant to be entertaining?? There is so much blood, death, and destruction that it was unsettling.

Fantasy of course, with a happy ending. I am sure readers of the genre will like this book.

This book!! Deeply entrenched in folklore with incredible atmosphere and prose, I could read this over and over again. Creative and poetic.

This story was so atmospheric, it would make a great fall read! Very gothic feeling with a unique plot. I enjoyed the characters, it was easy to understand and sympathize with their feelings thanks to how well written they were. All in all a great story.

Thank you to Netgalley and Mariner Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'll write a longer, more detailed review for this one after the publication date- but it was an easy 4 to 4.5 stars for me.

Dark, atmospheric, and steeped in Slavic folklore, She Made Herself a Monster is a powerful gothic story set in 19th-century Bulgaria. Kovatcheva’s prose is lush and eerie, weaving a story full of creeping dread and quiet resistance. From the opening pages, I was hooked by the world she builds—where superstition seeps into the muddy streets.

I especially appreciated how the novel doles out information in small, suspenseful fragments, keeping the tension taut while developing a cast of characters shaped by trauma, loyalty, and survival. There are gothic elements, moments of gore, and a sense of something always lurking, but at its core this is a story of women—resilient, clever, and furious—who refuse to go quietly. It's both timely and timeless.

I think this is a great fall or winter reread, and I will likely pick it up again around that time. I look forward to reading this author's future publications.