What do you think?
Rate this book
We Shall Be Monsters
A dark, lyrical fantasy blending the world of the Fae with the stories mothers tell to keep their daughters safe - and the consequences of disregarding the truth, no matter how sinister.
Gemma lives with her mother in an isolated antique shop in Michigan, near a small patch of woods that conceals an enchanted gateway to fairyland. She knows she's not supposed to go into the woods - her mother Virginia has warned her multiple times about the monsters that lurk there - and yet defiantly, curiously, she goes anyway.
Virginia understands her daughter's defiance. She knows the lure of the woods all too well. Her own mother warned her about the monsters that resided there, and she also did not listen. Until a witch cursed her true love, Ash - Gemma's father - into the form of a beast in the days before Gemma's birth. And if Virginia cannot break the curse before her daughter turns fifteen, Ash will eat Virginia's heart and Gemma will belong to the witch. So Virginia will do whatever she can to protect her daughter - even if it means stealing Gemma's memories away.
But everything changes when Gemma inadvertently gets too close to the truth, and the witch steals Virginia away instead. Now it is up to Gemma to venture deep into Fae lands to try and rescue her mother and break the curse.
Told in alternating viewpoints between Gemma and Virginia, this lyrical novel is not only a tale of a girl's fantastical quest through a darkly magical fairyland, but also an examination of the complex bonds of love and resentment that lie between parents and their children.
Gemma lives with her mother in an isolated antique shop in Michigan, near a small patch of woods that conceals an enchanted gateway to fairyland. She knows she's not supposed to go into the woods - her mother Virginia has warned her multiple times about the monsters that lurk there - and yet defiantly, curiously, she goes anyway.
Virginia understands her daughter's defiance. She knows the lure of the woods all too well. Her own mother warned her about the monsters that resided there, and she also did not listen. Until a witch cursed her true love, Ash - Gemma's father - into the form of a beast in the days before Gemma's birth. And if Virginia cannot break the curse before her daughter turns fifteen, Ash will eat Virginia's heart and Gemma will belong to the witch. So Virginia will do whatever she can to protect her daughter - even if it means stealing Gemma's memories away.
But everything changes when Gemma inadvertently gets too close to the truth, and the witch steals Virginia away instead. Now it is up to Gemma to venture deep into Fae lands to try and rescue her mother and break the curse.
Told in alternating viewpoints between Gemma and Virginia, this lyrical novel is not only a tale of a girl's fantastical quest through a darkly magical fairyland, but also an examination of the complex bonds of love and resentment that lie between parents and their children.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published November 12, 2024
144 people are currently reading
26334 people want to read
About the author
Alyssa Wees
4 books312 followersAlyssa Wees's debut novel is The Waking Forest. She lives and writes in Chicago. To learn more about Alyssa and her writing, go to her website alyssawees.com, and follow @alyssa_wees on Instagram.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 357 reviews
August 29, 2024
Labyrinth meets John Connolly's The Book of Lost Things, kind of. I mean, I wouldn't say that I enjoyed it as much as either of those two, which isn't surprising considering the adoration I have for both (one of my favorite films and one of my favorite books!), but it definitely has some of the same vibes, seeing as how there's a young girl on a quest through a dangerous and magical land and all that that entails.
There are lots of things to love about this book. There are fairies and witches and handsome princes. There's a magical quest and monsters to be slain. The prose is lovely (although perhaps a bit florid for my tastes) and the world-building is immersive. There's romance and complicated mother-daughter relationships and curses to be broken. Basically, it's all one big dark fairy tale and I am all about dark fairy tales.
At the same time, however, Gemma's quest just seemed so superficial at times. She flitted from one dangerous circumstance to another, but there was very little depth to many of the situations. For example, her escape from the Woods Below (which you think would be an ordeal considering how difficult it was to get there to begin with) is essentially limited to “they searched around and eventually found an exit.” Woo boy, that'll get the adrenaline pumping.
My biggest issue with this book, though, is what was done to Silvanus's character. He started out as this mysterious and alluring fairy prince and them somehow ended up the Scrappy-Doo of the fairy woods (Lemme at 'em! Lemme at 'em!). I don't want to say too much and spoil things, but he pretty much becomes a caricature of himself and I didn't like it one bit. Props to Gemma for her reaction to his Scrappy-Dooing (yes, this is a verb, created by me just now) at the end, though.
But still, despite these issues, it's pretty much impossible for me to dislike a tale that involves a dangerous quest through a magical forest. It's not The Book of Lost Things (which you should totally read if you haven't already), but it is dark and fantastical and enthralling and maybe even a bit heartwarming too.
My overall rating: 3.65 stars, rounded up.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is November 12, 2024.
There are lots of things to love about this book. There are fairies and witches and handsome princes. There's a magical quest and monsters to be slain. The prose is lovely (although perhaps a bit florid for my tastes) and the world-building is immersive. There's romance and complicated mother-daughter relationships and curses to be broken. Basically, it's all one big dark fairy tale and I am all about dark fairy tales.
At the same time, however, Gemma's quest just seemed so superficial at times. She flitted from one dangerous circumstance to another, but there was very little depth to many of the situations. For example, her escape from the Woods Below (which you think would be an ordeal considering how difficult it was to get there to begin with) is essentially limited to “they searched around and eventually found an exit.” Woo boy, that'll get the adrenaline pumping.
My biggest issue with this book, though, is what was done to Silvanus's character. He started out as this mysterious and alluring fairy prince and them somehow ended up the Scrappy-Doo of the fairy woods (Lemme at 'em! Lemme at 'em!). I don't want to say too much and spoil things, but he pretty much becomes a caricature of himself and I didn't like it one bit. Props to Gemma for her reaction to his Scrappy-Dooing (yes, this is a verb, created by me just now) at the end, though.
But still, despite these issues, it's pretty much impossible for me to dislike a tale that involves a dangerous quest through a magical forest. It's not The Book of Lost Things (which you should totally read if you haven't already), but it is dark and fantastical and enthralling and maybe even a bit heartwarming too.
My overall rating: 3.65 stars, rounded up.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is November 12, 2024.
January 12, 2025
5⭐️ | TikTok | IG |
Wow. F-ing Phenomenal.
No really, I’m rather speechless - We Shall Be Monsters is spectacular.
A dark fairytale set in a forest outside a modern world. Fae, witches, monsters, and magic are brought to life with lyrical prose and atmospheric writing. But the real magic inside this novel? The themes of motherhood, family, and what it means to be a monster. You might be surprised what you discover…
I loved every single thing about this book and have nary a single negative thing to say about it.
If you love thought provoking, atmospheric story-telling (think Ava Reid, or T. Kingfisher) this is a must read.
What I think you’ll love…
- atmospheric, lush prose & world-building
- themes of family, mother-daughter relationships, & a multigenerational tale
- fae, witches, living forest, monsters, & magic
- a tiny touch of horror
- rich storytelling and distinct voices in both POVs
- non-linear timeline
- mystery and intrigue that will keep you guessing!
- thought-provoking (what makes a monster?)
What I didn’t love…
- NOTHING THIS BOOK IS PHENOMENAL! QUIT READING MY REVIEW AND GO READ IT INSTEAD!
Thank you NetGalley and Random House (Del Rey) for sending this book (eARC) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Wow. F-ing Phenomenal.
No really, I’m rather speechless - We Shall Be Monsters is spectacular.
A dark fairytale set in a forest outside a modern world. Fae, witches, monsters, and magic are brought to life with lyrical prose and atmospheric writing. But the real magic inside this novel? The themes of motherhood, family, and what it means to be a monster. You might be surprised what you discover…
I loved every single thing about this book and have nary a single negative thing to say about it.
If you love thought provoking, atmospheric story-telling (think Ava Reid, or T. Kingfisher) this is a must read.
What I think you’ll love…
- atmospheric, lush prose & world-building
- themes of family, mother-daughter relationships, & a multigenerational tale
- fae, witches, living forest, monsters, & magic
- a tiny touch of horror
- rich storytelling and distinct voices in both POVs
- non-linear timeline
- mystery and intrigue that will keep you guessing!
- thought-provoking (what makes a monster?)
What I didn’t love…
- NOTHING THIS BOOK IS PHENOMENAL! QUIT READING MY REVIEW AND GO READ IT INSTEAD!
Thank you NetGalley and Random House (Del Rey) for sending this book (eARC) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
January 18, 2025
This book is an enchanting and haunting tale that delves deep into the bonds between mothers and daughters, set against a backdrop of dark fairyland lore. The story follows Gemma Cassata, who lives with her mother, Virginia, in a secluded antiques shop in Michigan. This shop is near an enticing but dangerous forest that hides a magical gateway to fairyland. Despite her mother's repeated warnings about the perils that lie within the woods, Gemma's curiosity leads her to venture into the forbidden realm.
Virginia's own history with the woods is fraught with sorrow, as she defied similar warnings from her mother, resulting in a witch's curse on her true love. To protect Gemma, Virginia goes as far as stealing her daughter's memories. However, when Gemma edges too close to uncovering the truth, the witch takes Virginia, compelling Gemma to embark on a perilous journey into the heart of the mystical woods to save her mother and lift the curse.
Told through the alternating perspectives of Gemma and Virginia, the novel weaves a complex and lyrical narrative that explores themes of defiance, protection, and the enduring power of familial love. The dual timelines add depth and richness to the story, creating a multi-layered fantasy that feels both timeless and fresh. Wees’ prose is beautifully crafted, bringing the eerie, enchanting world to life and making this book a must-read for fans of dark fantasy and fairy tales.
Overall, "We Shall Be Monsters" is a spellbinding blend of fairy-tale enchantment and familial drama, perfect for those who relish a tale where the mundane and the magical intertwine. Alyssa Wees' skillful storytelling and evocative writing make this book a captivating read that is hard to put down.
Many thanks to NetGalley and publishers: Random House Publishing Group/ Ballantine/Del Rey for sharing this brilliant fantasy novel's digital reviewer copy in exchange of my honest thoughts.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
medium blog
instagram
facebook
twitter
Virginia's own history with the woods is fraught with sorrow, as she defied similar warnings from her mother, resulting in a witch's curse on her true love. To protect Gemma, Virginia goes as far as stealing her daughter's memories. However, when Gemma edges too close to uncovering the truth, the witch takes Virginia, compelling Gemma to embark on a perilous journey into the heart of the mystical woods to save her mother and lift the curse.
Told through the alternating perspectives of Gemma and Virginia, the novel weaves a complex and lyrical narrative that explores themes of defiance, protection, and the enduring power of familial love. The dual timelines add depth and richness to the story, creating a multi-layered fantasy that feels both timeless and fresh. Wees’ prose is beautifully crafted, bringing the eerie, enchanting world to life and making this book a must-read for fans of dark fantasy and fairy tales.
Overall, "We Shall Be Monsters" is a spellbinding blend of fairy-tale enchantment and familial drama, perfect for those who relish a tale where the mundane and the magical intertwine. Alyssa Wees' skillful storytelling and evocative writing make this book a captivating read that is hard to put down.
Many thanks to NetGalley and publishers: Random House Publishing Group/ Ballantine/Del Rey for sharing this brilliant fantasy novel's digital reviewer copy in exchange of my honest thoughts.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
medium blog
April 25, 2025
Fake Fairytale lovers stay AWAY!!! This one's for the REAL fairytale lovers out there
September 30, 2024
Alyssa Wees has crafted a dark fairy tale that manages to blend the classic and the contemporary, and it is an absolute delight. This story is seductive, playfully enticing you, luring you deeper into a forest that has no boundary.
The writing is very much reminiscent of a fairy tale. It is lyrical and almost elegiac at times, sung to a tune lost in the wind’s melody. You can choose any section of this text and be fooled into thinking this was a traditional fairy tale, in not just its tone and tambor but what it presents the fantastic, the way the fantastic invades the mundane without question or necessary explanation. Everything fits into the dream logic of a fairy tale, with important truths hidden under layers of magic and imagination. And yet Wees play with traditional form, as well. The chapters alternate between the perspectives of our main character, a young girl, and that of her mother. Divided in three sections, the first and last section see each chapter, regardless of the perspective following a singular narrative chronology. However, the second section divides our timelines, with the young girl’s chapters continuing in the present, moving the current story forward, and the mother’s chapters jumping back 16 years, sometimes more, setting the scene and creating all of the backstory that lets us see how we are the products of our parents, our inherited ecologies, and that makes the current story even richer. It is this constant shifting of perspective and the introduction of two parallel stories, albeit 16 years apart, that lets this fairy tale sit comfortably on the shelves of contemporary fiction. I will say that the narrative pacing in the second section does slow down a little, since there are two stories happening simultaneously, and that change in pacing was noticeable. However, the section was doing really delicate work of creating connections across time, showing foundational relationships and patterns that inform the modern-day storyline, and both stories were told with similarly spritely, dancing prose that even as I felt the pace slowing I was always content to be in the world that Wees was painting for me.
The characters were, to a certain degree, traditional fairy tale characters. On one hand it was inferred they had complicated and well-rounded lives, but on the other hand we experienced them through their participation in a fairy tale, and all fairy tales bear some passing resemblance to a morality tale, a warning disguised as an exciting quest. As such the characters needed to be wide enough that we can see ourselves in their shoes, enthralled and terrified by this forest at the same time. They need to have interesting enough lives to feel unique but also need to be general enough that we dissolve into them and their stories, and I think they did that well. If you are interested in an in-depth character study than you might be disappointed, but the characters feel genuine, whimsical, and dangerous, both full of story and open books at the same time, and they fit the fairy tale ambiance really well in that regard. The story itself, the narrative, is also a strong bland of traditional and contemporary. As with fairy tales it involves quests, it involves uncovering truths that, had they been openly discussed in the first place the whole story could have been avoided. There is journey, both literal and character. Wees does manage, though, to question the very idea of a quest, and to have enough twists and turns to complicate a traditional fairy tale. A classical fairy tale usually has clear demarcation between shadows and light, and here our characters and their stories weave in and out, not following any predetermined path through their forest. None of the surprises or revelations were entirely surprising, they felt supported and expected, but not in a bad way. When the reveals come you will have likely guessed them beforehand, because Wees has already made a comfortable nest for those reveals to roost in. So, there are reveals that feel comfortable, like everyone is included in the secret that we all know already. We know that isn’t Red Riding Hood’s grandmother, but we still want to see what happens when she learns it. By giving us two different perspectives we are constantly just a little ahead of both of our characters, which makes the reveals feel natural and refreshing.
Lastly, this story isn’t afraid to ask important question. About child-parent relationships, yes, about cycles of abuse and inherited trauma, inherited habits and worldviews. But it also asks ideas about what it means to belong to something, and what in means to be between worlds, lost in space, neither here nor there. It asks what we believe about ourselves, and how confident we are in telling our own stories. And it asks us whether our hearts are filled with love and forgiveness or whether they are lost to ambition and greed, lost in the stories other people may tell about us. As the title suggests, the story forces us to ask, who gets to define what it means to be a monster?
Nothing about this story feels preachy or didactic, it really does exploit the fairy tale modality in the best possible ways. It feels appropriate for a YA audience and adult audience alike, but you have to appreciate the fairy tale vibes and all that comes with that. It is dark, and there are moments of danger and peril, but these are all moments of growth and exploration, too. The writing is wonderful, and blending of multiple POV narration and multiple timelines with classical fairy tale rhythm and style is an affecting and enchanting blend, and the story itself shows a young woman finding out who and how she wants to be in the world, and we can all find a bit of ourselves in her journey, if we’re willing to brave the forest’s edge.
I want to thank the author, the publisher Ballantine – Del Ray, and NetGalley, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The writing is very much reminiscent of a fairy tale. It is lyrical and almost elegiac at times, sung to a tune lost in the wind’s melody. You can choose any section of this text and be fooled into thinking this was a traditional fairy tale, in not just its tone and tambor but what it presents the fantastic, the way the fantastic invades the mundane without question or necessary explanation. Everything fits into the dream logic of a fairy tale, with important truths hidden under layers of magic and imagination. And yet Wees play with traditional form, as well. The chapters alternate between the perspectives of our main character, a young girl, and that of her mother. Divided in three sections, the first and last section see each chapter, regardless of the perspective following a singular narrative chronology. However, the second section divides our timelines, with the young girl’s chapters continuing in the present, moving the current story forward, and the mother’s chapters jumping back 16 years, sometimes more, setting the scene and creating all of the backstory that lets us see how we are the products of our parents, our inherited ecologies, and that makes the current story even richer. It is this constant shifting of perspective and the introduction of two parallel stories, albeit 16 years apart, that lets this fairy tale sit comfortably on the shelves of contemporary fiction. I will say that the narrative pacing in the second section does slow down a little, since there are two stories happening simultaneously, and that change in pacing was noticeable. However, the section was doing really delicate work of creating connections across time, showing foundational relationships and patterns that inform the modern-day storyline, and both stories were told with similarly spritely, dancing prose that even as I felt the pace slowing I was always content to be in the world that Wees was painting for me.
The characters were, to a certain degree, traditional fairy tale characters. On one hand it was inferred they had complicated and well-rounded lives, but on the other hand we experienced them through their participation in a fairy tale, and all fairy tales bear some passing resemblance to a morality tale, a warning disguised as an exciting quest. As such the characters needed to be wide enough that we can see ourselves in their shoes, enthralled and terrified by this forest at the same time. They need to have interesting enough lives to feel unique but also need to be general enough that we dissolve into them and their stories, and I think they did that well. If you are interested in an in-depth character study than you might be disappointed, but the characters feel genuine, whimsical, and dangerous, both full of story and open books at the same time, and they fit the fairy tale ambiance really well in that regard. The story itself, the narrative, is also a strong bland of traditional and contemporary. As with fairy tales it involves quests, it involves uncovering truths that, had they been openly discussed in the first place the whole story could have been avoided. There is journey, both literal and character. Wees does manage, though, to question the very idea of a quest, and to have enough twists and turns to complicate a traditional fairy tale. A classical fairy tale usually has clear demarcation between shadows and light, and here our characters and their stories weave in and out, not following any predetermined path through their forest. None of the surprises or revelations were entirely surprising, they felt supported and expected, but not in a bad way. When the reveals come you will have likely guessed them beforehand, because Wees has already made a comfortable nest for those reveals to roost in. So, there are reveals that feel comfortable, like everyone is included in the secret that we all know already. We know that isn’t Red Riding Hood’s grandmother, but we still want to see what happens when she learns it. By giving us two different perspectives we are constantly just a little ahead of both of our characters, which makes the reveals feel natural and refreshing.
Lastly, this story isn’t afraid to ask important question. About child-parent relationships, yes, about cycles of abuse and inherited trauma, inherited habits and worldviews. But it also asks ideas about what it means to belong to something, and what in means to be between worlds, lost in space, neither here nor there. It asks what we believe about ourselves, and how confident we are in telling our own stories. And it asks us whether our hearts are filled with love and forgiveness or whether they are lost to ambition and greed, lost in the stories other people may tell about us. As the title suggests, the story forces us to ask, who gets to define what it means to be a monster?
Was a monster that which consumed more than its share? One that ate and ate and ate, leaving great holes in the world, gaps the rest of us could never hope to fill? I hadn’t believed this particular monster was real, but I suppose every monster is real for someone, somewhere. Why would we bother to tell fairy tales if no part of them was to be believed at all?
Hush now.
Hush.
Nothing about this story feels preachy or didactic, it really does exploit the fairy tale modality in the best possible ways. It feels appropriate for a YA audience and adult audience alike, but you have to appreciate the fairy tale vibes and all that comes with that. It is dark, and there are moments of danger and peril, but these are all moments of growth and exploration, too. The writing is wonderful, and blending of multiple POV narration and multiple timelines with classical fairy tale rhythm and style is an affecting and enchanting blend, and the story itself shows a young woman finding out who and how she wants to be in the world, and we can all find a bit of ourselves in her journey, if we’re willing to brave the forest’s edge.
I want to thank the author, the publisher Ballantine – Del Ray, and NetGalley, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 8, 2024
What in the world did I just finish? First of all, the pace of this book is painful. Short chapters that alternate between two main characters made this drag. How can a book that changes POV so often also feel so long and slow? There was so much background and then pivotal moments were zoomed through. I started this book on October 16th and couldn’t be bothered to finish until November 5th. I usually read a 300 page book in 3 days.
I don’t really feel that any character in this book was likable. The parents in the story meet, sleep together, and almost immediately are separated. They get back together 16 years in the future and it’s as if the author checked off a task on a list for them. Resolved!
Don’t even get me started on the random jumping around of the daughter in the story. There are so many words, and yet her storyline feels disjointed. Her ending is a question mark. This was probably the least satisfying ending of any book that I have read this year.
The origin of the monster is baffling to me. Was this some sort of comment on society’s fixation with motherhood? Was it a comment on postpartum depression? I am so annoyed that I don’t even want to give this more thought.
I would love for someone who loved this book to explain the monster and explain the endings for mother and daughter are satisfying. I am not getting it.
Two stars for an interesting premise, I guess?
I don’t really feel that any character in this book was likable. The parents in the story meet, sleep together, and almost immediately are separated. They get back together 16 years in the future and it’s as if the author checked off a task on a list for them. Resolved!
Don’t even get me started on the random jumping around of the daughter in the story. There are so many words, and yet her storyline feels disjointed. Her ending is a question mark. This was probably the least satisfying ending of any book that I have read this year.
The origin of the monster is baffling to me. Was this some sort of comment on society’s fixation with motherhood? Was it a comment on postpartum depression? I am so annoyed that I don’t even want to give this more thought.
I would love for someone who loved this book to explain the monster and explain the endings for mother and daughter are satisfying. I am not getting it.
Two stars for an interesting premise, I guess?
December 13, 2024
The best description I can come up with for this book is “dark Alice in Wonderland, with themes of intergenerational trauma and bodily autonomy.”
The protagonist of this book is Gemma, who lives with her antique-shop-owner mother Virginia (Gigi). Their home/store is next to a “little strip of woods” in their small Michigan hometown, which Gemma and Gigi know is also a vast, ancient, dark fairy forest. At least Gigi knows something about it; what Gemma knows is that her mother is very, very clear with her that there are monsters in the woods, and Gemma must never, ever go into them.
Gemma, being a kid, ignores this warning. In fact, being a kid, she takes every opportunity to go into the woods precisely because of this warning . She sometimes encounters scary things, but she also encounters things like fairy princes that make her question her mother’s insistent warnings. Luckily (depending on your point of view) Gigi is able to lock Gemma’s memories of the woods away thanks to an enchanted hairbrush. The plot proper starts when Gemma sees her mom having a serious conversation with something that sure looks like a monster, which is interrupted by a being called the Slit Witch with talk of bargains entered into, debts owed, and Gemma’s not-far-off 15th birthday. Gemma sees Gigi taken into the woods, and replaced with a doppelgänger summoned by the Witch, and things proceed from there.
I called this book a “dark Alice in Wonderland” at the top, by which I meant it’s in the tradition of “person falls into a strange world where strange things happen.” Readers looking for a Sandersonian “magic system” aren’t going to be satisfied here; magic remains otherworldly and unknowable. Which is exactly as it should be for this story.
The story switches between Gemma’s and Gigi’s perspectives, and between the present and the not-so-distant past when Gigi was just reaching adulthood. Gigi’s mother, Gemma’s grandmother, also worked hard to keep her daughter out of the woods, though in different ways and for different (or not-so-different) reasons. Obviously those efforts weren’t really any more successful than Gigi’s own.
The title of the book speaks to the primary theme. Good and bad, hero or monster; these things are not always easy to identify, and not just at the surface level of the appearance of the “monster” Gemma sees Gigi talking to which I mentioned above. No one is entirely good or bad; people can do bad things (like, for example, stealing your daughter’s memories) for good or at least justifiable reasons. Things that seem defensible and even admirable can be nothing of the sort. And even the very worst of actions can come from a place that inspires empathy.
And, of course, there are some people who are simply irredeemable. The Slit Witch, I have to say, is one of the more terrifying beings I’ve ever read about. The author’s descriptions of her alone take an already good book to another level.
This was gripping and scary. Standalone as far as I know; there’s room for a sequel, but one isn’t necessary. I hope there isn’t one; the ending felt satisfying, appropriate, and well-earned.
My blog
The protagonist of this book is Gemma, who lives with her antique-shop-owner mother Virginia (Gigi). Their home/store is next to a “little strip of woods” in their small Michigan hometown, which Gemma and Gigi know is also a vast, ancient, dark fairy forest. At least Gigi knows something about it; what Gemma knows is that her mother is very, very clear with her that there are monsters in the woods, and Gemma must never, ever go into them.
Gemma, being a kid, ignores this warning. In fact, being a kid, she takes every opportunity to go into the woods precisely because of this warning . She sometimes encounters scary things, but she also encounters things like fairy princes that make her question her mother’s insistent warnings. Luckily (depending on your point of view) Gigi is able to lock Gemma’s memories of the woods away thanks to an enchanted hairbrush. The plot proper starts when Gemma sees her mom having a serious conversation with something that sure looks like a monster, which is interrupted by a being called the Slit Witch with talk of bargains entered into, debts owed, and Gemma’s not-far-off 15th birthday. Gemma sees Gigi taken into the woods, and replaced with a doppelgänger summoned by the Witch, and things proceed from there.
I called this book a “dark Alice in Wonderland” at the top, by which I meant it’s in the tradition of “person falls into a strange world where strange things happen.” Readers looking for a Sandersonian “magic system” aren’t going to be satisfied here; magic remains otherworldly and unknowable. Which is exactly as it should be for this story.
The story switches between Gemma’s and Gigi’s perspectives, and between the present and the not-so-distant past when Gigi was just reaching adulthood. Gigi’s mother, Gemma’s grandmother, also worked hard to keep her daughter out of the woods, though in different ways and for different (or not-so-different) reasons. Obviously those efforts weren’t really any more successful than Gigi’s own.
The title of the book speaks to the primary theme. Good and bad, hero or monster; these things are not always easy to identify, and not just at the surface level of the appearance of the “monster” Gemma sees Gigi talking to which I mentioned above. No one is entirely good or bad; people can do bad things (like, for example, stealing your daughter’s memories) for good or at least justifiable reasons. Things that seem defensible and even admirable can be nothing of the sort. And even the very worst of actions can come from a place that inspires empathy.
And, of course, there are some people who are simply irredeemable. The Slit Witch, I have to say, is one of the more terrifying beings I’ve ever read about. The author’s descriptions of her alone take an already good book to another level.
This was gripping and scary. Standalone as far as I know; there’s room for a sequel, but one isn’t necessary. I hope there isn’t one; the ending felt satisfying, appropriate, and well-earned.
My blog
July 9, 2024
Shows a lot of promise, great premise but the reader wanders the pages as lost as the characters of the books do in the woods.
August 7, 2024
We Shall Be Monsters is a beautifully written fairy tale with gothic, creepy vibes woven throughout the lyrical prose. I saw this book described on NetGalley as if Coraline, Alice in Wonderland, and Brave had a baby and that description couldn’t be more accurate. I loved this book and the main characters it contained.
I especially liked that it wasn’t just a dark fairy tale or an adventure lit fic; We Shall Be Monsters touched on several complex themes, including what it means to be a monster and what protecting someone truly entails, but it did so without losing its sense of adventure or purpose. I also loved the mother-daughter bonds that were explored and I appreciated that neither character shied away when (painful) opportunities to grow were presented.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I especially liked that it wasn’t just a dark fairy tale or an adventure lit fic; We Shall Be Monsters touched on several complex themes, including what it means to be a monster and what protecting someone truly entails, but it did so without losing its sense of adventure or purpose. I also loved the mother-daughter bonds that were explored and I appreciated that neither character shied away when (painful) opportunities to grow were presented.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 30, 2024
At its heart, We Shall Be Monsters is a book about the relationships between mothers and daughters. One timeline follows Virginia who longs for the woods her mother has tried to keep her away from while the other follows Virginia's eventual daughter, who must journey into the woods to break a curse. Beautifully written, this fantasy novel reads like an old fairytale with some twists and a twinge of horror along the way.
August 30, 2024
Everything you ever loved about dark and twisty fairy tales as child written for adults, We Shall Be Monsters was so fun to read. The protagonists were lovable; The antagonist was easy to fear; and in true dark fairy tale fashion, absolutely nothing is as it seems. Written from two mother and daughter perspectives and told across two timelines, this story captured my curiosity from the first page.
Gemma is a young girl who lives next to an enchanted wood. It’s the one place she longs to go every day, but it’s also the one place forbidden to her by her mother. Like any curious child, she routinely goes further than she ought into the trees. Never one to hide things from her mother, she tells her all of her adventures in the evening when mama brushes her hair before bed- exactly 100 strokes, no more and no less. When Gemma wakes in the morning, she has no memory of her adventures the previous day.
Virginia is a mother torn between her true love and the unceasing need to keep her daughter safe from the monsters who roam the woods. She hates taking her daughter’s memories, but keeping her daughter safe from the Slit Witch is the more important to her than the sanctity of her daughter’s lived experiences. Her only hope for the future is to break the curse keeping her family torn apart: she must find a mirror that shows the true self before her daughter turns 15. When Gemma is twelve years old, Virginia is kidnapped by the Slit Witch, and it’s up to Gemma to figure out how to break the curse and rescue her mother from the Slit Witch before time runs out.
This book is an exploration on the makings of a monster— at what point does a being cross the threshold of being monstrous and is there ever a path for redemption? Can we save our loved ones from walking the path that leads to monsters? Can we save them from themselves? Should we? And at what point does saving our loved ones from the monsters become our very descent into monstrosity? These are all questions Alyssa digs into in this dark and bewitching read. I had so much fun with this book.
I’d like to thank Random House and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Gemma is a young girl who lives next to an enchanted wood. It’s the one place she longs to go every day, but it’s also the one place forbidden to her by her mother. Like any curious child, she routinely goes further than she ought into the trees. Never one to hide things from her mother, she tells her all of her adventures in the evening when mama brushes her hair before bed- exactly 100 strokes, no more and no less. When Gemma wakes in the morning, she has no memory of her adventures the previous day.
Virginia is a mother torn between her true love and the unceasing need to keep her daughter safe from the monsters who roam the woods. She hates taking her daughter’s memories, but keeping her daughter safe from the Slit Witch is the more important to her than the sanctity of her daughter’s lived experiences. Her only hope for the future is to break the curse keeping her family torn apart: she must find a mirror that shows the true self before her daughter turns 15. When Gemma is twelve years old, Virginia is kidnapped by the Slit Witch, and it’s up to Gemma to figure out how to break the curse and rescue her mother from the Slit Witch before time runs out.
This book is an exploration on the makings of a monster— at what point does a being cross the threshold of being monstrous and is there ever a path for redemption? Can we save our loved ones from walking the path that leads to monsters? Can we save them from themselves? Should we? And at what point does saving our loved ones from the monsters become our very descent into monstrosity? These are all questions Alyssa digs into in this dark and bewitching read. I had so much fun with this book.
I’d like to thank Random House and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 1, 2025
We Shall Be Monsters by Alyssa Wees is a fantasy romance that I feel like I kind of inhaled. Well, as much as possible with an audiobook. If you're a fan of eerie fae, this one shouldn't be missed. It really reminded me of Labyrinth and that really worked for me. The world-building in this is great, but I think my favorite aspect is the mother-daughter relationship. I'll have to be on the lookout for more from this author in the future.
August 30, 2024
We Shall Be Monsters delves deeply into the complex bonds while weaving together two interlocking narratives. The novel is beautifully crafted, echoing the timeless qualities of a classic fairytale while introducing surprising twists and a subtle undercurrent of horror that keeps the reader enthralled.
August 29, 2024
It's been a long while since I read a true fairytale, one that whisks me in and out of fairyland, spinning my heart around. Gemma and Virginia's stories entwine in the best way as mother and daughter, as victims of a terrible spell, and as heroines who champion true love and blood love. I was really sad to have this story end, and I hope that Alyssa Wees brings us back to the fairy realm in a future book. I'll be snapping up that one quick.
December 11, 2024
I love escaping into a great dark fairytale. There isn’t any spice at all but there are wonderful adventures and trials. If you enjoy fairytales or dark fantasy you will enjoy this. I would recommend this for anyone 13yr and up that wants some fairytale experience.
# We Shall Be Monsters
# 11/30/2024 ~ 12/2/2024
# 5.0 / 5.0
# We Shall Be Monsters
# 11/30/2024 ~ 12/2/2024
# 5.0 / 5.0
November 3, 2024
“There is nothing more human than curiosity.”
We Shall Be Monsters / Alyssa Wees
First and foremost, thank you to Netgalley and publishers: Random House Publishing - Ballentine | Del Rey, for the opportunity to be able to read this e-ARC!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book from beginning to end - a story that blends mundane life with a mysterious magic in the woods. I became a Mom this last January, so this book was very meaningful to me, since it touched on the mother/daughter relationships of 3 generations of women: grandmother (Clarice), mother (Virginia/Gigi), and daughter (Gemma). I especially loved the references to innocence/goodness and pure curiosity in youth, the reasons why mothers nag (lol), the strength of fear, and the downsides of hope.
While I find the main plot of literal found family to be the main essence of the story, I truly felt that this story highlighted the love mothers have for their daughters and that they will do whatever they can to protect them no matter the cost. I find that Alyssa Wees’ writing was absolutely beautiful in this lyrical novel, and the way it was structured in a dual POV between Gigi and Gemma was superbly done.
I will say that there were times when the plot was a bit all over the place which had me a little lost, but it still kept me interested to keep on reading to find out. True definition of “one more chapter” (aka ended up finishing the book…)
Tropes:
✨Lyrical dark fantasy novel
✨Enchanted woods
✨Monsters, Fae, & Witches
✨Forbidden Romance
✨Mamas/Daughters Relationship
✨Fairytale w/ a sprinkle of horror
✨Curse-breaking
✨Magical Artifacts
We Shall Be Monsters / Alyssa Wees
First and foremost, thank you to Netgalley and publishers: Random House Publishing - Ballentine | Del Rey, for the opportunity to be able to read this e-ARC!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book from beginning to end - a story that blends mundane life with a mysterious magic in the woods. I became a Mom this last January, so this book was very meaningful to me, since it touched on the mother/daughter relationships of 3 generations of women: grandmother (Clarice), mother (Virginia/Gigi), and daughter (Gemma). I especially loved the references to innocence/goodness and pure curiosity in youth, the reasons why mothers nag (lol), the strength of fear, and the downsides of hope.
While I find the main plot of literal found family to be the main essence of the story, I truly felt that this story highlighted the love mothers have for their daughters and that they will do whatever they can to protect them no matter the cost. I find that Alyssa Wees’ writing was absolutely beautiful in this lyrical novel, and the way it was structured in a dual POV between Gigi and Gemma was superbly done.
I will say that there were times when the plot was a bit all over the place which had me a little lost, but it still kept me interested to keep on reading to find out. True definition of “one more chapter” (aka ended up finishing the book…)
Tropes:
✨Lyrical dark fantasy novel
✨Enchanted woods
✨Monsters, Fae, & Witches
✨Forbidden Romance
✨Mamas/Daughters Relationship
✨Fairytale w/ a sprinkle of horror
✨Curse-breaking
✨Magical Artifacts
September 12, 2024
I had the pleasure of reading this book as my first ever ARC and it did not disappoint.
Wees was able to create a compelling fantasy in a more modern setting. Even though I cannot pinpoint the exact time period, I did pick up on a GameBoy reference. The ambiguity made this fantasy even more unique.
This book gave me the same feeling I had as a young child reading Coraline. Gemma’s story into the woods feels like an older and more magical counterpart to Coraline’s journey to the other mother’s world.
In a similar fashion, the story also reminded me of the 1985 movie, Return to Oz.
I enjoyed the dual POVs between Gemma and her mother, Virginia. Being able to understand Virginia’s motivations makes the origin of this tale even more tragic. You really feel how high the stakes are for Gemma’s family and what a parent will sacrifice for a child.
If you are in the mood for a darker fairy tale, then this book is for you.
Thank you Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine, Del Ray, and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Wees was able to create a compelling fantasy in a more modern setting. Even though I cannot pinpoint the exact time period, I did pick up on a GameBoy reference. The ambiguity made this fantasy even more unique.
This book gave me the same feeling I had as a young child reading Coraline. Gemma’s story into the woods feels like an older and more magical counterpart to Coraline’s journey to the other mother’s world.
In a similar fashion, the story also reminded me of the 1985 movie, Return to Oz.
I enjoyed the dual POVs between Gemma and her mother, Virginia. Being able to understand Virginia’s motivations makes the origin of this tale even more tragic. You really feel how high the stakes are for Gemma’s family and what a parent will sacrifice for a child.
If you are in the mood for a darker fairy tale, then this book is for you.
Thank you Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine, Del Ray, and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 5, 2024
What a beautiful world full of sparkle, darkness, monsters, and magic!
Gemma truly comes into her own while searching the woods for her mother, Virginia, after she is taken by the Slit Witch. Why was she taken, where has she gone, and how does Gemma go about getting her back?
This book was the best little fantasy dive I’ve had in a good long while. With original and unique creations paired with some mythological, fantastical, and literary staples, We Shall Be Monsters was completely immersive and I’m sad I’m no longer in those magical Michigan woods. I loved one love story, scoffed at another, gasped, and got a little grossed out; it was great!
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for sending this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Gemma truly comes into her own while searching the woods for her mother, Virginia, after she is taken by the Slit Witch. Why was she taken, where has she gone, and how does Gemma go about getting her back?
This book was the best little fantasy dive I’ve had in a good long while. With original and unique creations paired with some mythological, fantastical, and literary staples, We Shall Be Monsters was completely immersive and I’m sad I’m no longer in those magical Michigan woods. I loved one love story, scoffed at another, gasped, and got a little grossed out; it was great!
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for sending this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
October 18, 2024
Is a unique fairy tale inspired story leading with caution and curiosity. Have the story in the perspective of the mother and daughter shows how mothers may think we are doing the best for our child but it hinders something within them and once the child is free their inner self can come out. The world is well built and has its own fairy world in the regular world and the background of woods is interesting and covered. Virgina and Gemma are a wonderful mother daughter duo. Overall a story worth reading and love the creatures and people that they meet in the woods.
Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey for the opportunity to read this e-arc. This is my honest opinion..
Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey for the opportunity to read this e-arc. This is my honest opinion..
February 21, 2025
"Amazing how only twenty little steps back into the woods had changed my life so completely."
This was as much Virginia's story, as it was Gemma's. A generational curse that you strive to break free from!
A dark fairytale that gives Beauty and the Beast vibes, but also monsters and has quests. I loved the mother/daughter dual POV. I would recommend this to anyone (especially YA's) who are looking to get into fantasy books. This was a fun and engaging read!!
This was as much Virginia's story, as it was Gemma's. A generational curse that you strive to break free from!
A dark fairytale that gives Beauty and the Beast vibes, but also monsters and has quests. I loved the mother/daughter dual POV. I would recommend this to anyone (especially YA's) who are looking to get into fantasy books. This was a fun and engaging read!!
October 28, 2024
Now playing:
The Night we Met - Lord Huron
1:35 ───ㅇ───── 3:47
⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
Characters:
Gemma - I love wild little Gemma. Her resolve for saving her mother is moving and I love the way she is brave despite being scared and how smart she is.
Virginia - Despite her flaws it was evident of her fierce love for her family.
Ash - He was charming fun and so motivated by love. I teared up at his reunion with Gemma. He always took care of Virginia before all else, and it was one of the best romances I have read in a really long time.
Silvanus - I hated, HATED what they did to him. He started out as a sweet love interest for Gemma, only to turn into a hot headed crazy person who I just found myself wishing he would SHUT UP almost all the time.
⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
Plot: I LOVED this book yall, a favorite of the year easily. The plot was fast moving as it took us down a path of twisted tales and complex morals. The complex scenes we flew through were so magical. And while I did see the solution I didn't see a lot of other things that left me SHOOK and I LOVED IT!!!
⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
Writing: This world was so LUSH. The writing fully sucked me in and was so beautifully it bled into real life. I loved the way it painted life. It made me ask so many questions AND AHHHH READ IT
⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
Overall thoughts: I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE WAY IT MAKES US ASK WHAT TRUELY MAKES A MONSTER IS SO GOOD AND ALL THE MORAL QUESTIONS ARE SO YUMMY
"We choose which stories we tell our daughters. Not which ones they believe."
The Night we Met - Lord Huron
1:35 ───ㅇ───── 3:47
⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
Characters:
Gemma - I love wild little Gemma. Her resolve for saving her mother is moving and I love the way she is brave despite being scared and how smart she is.
Virginia - Despite her flaws it was evident of her fierce love for her family.
Ash - He was charming fun and so motivated by love. I teared up at his reunion with Gemma. He always took care of Virginia before all else, and it was one of the best romances I have read in a really long time.
Silvanus - I hated, HATED what they did to him. He started out as a sweet love interest for Gemma, only to turn into a hot headed crazy person who I just found myself wishing he would SHUT UP almost all the time.
⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
Plot: I LOVED this book yall, a favorite of the year easily. The plot was fast moving as it took us down a path of twisted tales and complex morals. The complex scenes we flew through were so magical. And while I did see the solution I didn't see a lot of other things that left me SHOOK and I LOVED IT!!!
⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
Writing: This world was so LUSH. The writing fully sucked me in and was so beautifully it bled into real life. I loved the way it painted life. It made me ask so many questions AND AHHHH READ IT
⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
Overall thoughts: I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE WAY IT MAKES US ASK WHAT TRUELY MAKES A MONSTER IS SO GOOD AND ALL THE MORAL QUESTIONS ARE SO YUMMY
"We choose which stories we tell our daughters. Not which ones they believe."
October 7, 2024
Book: We Shall Be Monsters
Author: Alyssa Wees
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars
I thank the publisher, Del Rey, for sending me an ARC. This is the second book by this author I have read. I have enjoyed both of them. Alyssa has this way of writing that pulls you in and wraps you into the world.
In this one, we follow Gemma and Virginia, who live in their shop in Michigan. Right away, we pick on the fact that things are not what they seem. The woods around them are not normal woods. They will take you into a fairytale-only it’s not the fairytale of childhood. This one comprises monsters, witches, and evil with no hope of escaping it. It calls to Gemma. No matter how hard she tries to be a good girl and listen to her mother, she cannot stay away from it. What she doesn’t know is that her mother completely understands how she feels. Virginia, like her daughter, is drawn to the forest. Her mother had warned her about the forest and, like Gemma, she did not stay away. It’s personal too. Ash, Virginia’s lover and Gemma’s father has had a curse placed on him. He is a monster. There is more than that. If Virginia cannot break the curse by the time Gemma is fifteen, it will end up costing everyone. Virginia thinks she has everything under control….That is until Gemma enters the forest and comes upon a certain witch. Now, Virginia fears that history could repeat itself.
This is one of those books that you have to take your time with. This is a short book, but you cannot rush it. You have to slow down with your reading and allow the story to flow through you. If you do that, then you will see how atmospheric the writing is, and how it has this touch that allows you to become completely engrossed and immersed in the world. The writing makes this feel like a gothic fairytale. I don’t know how else to describe it. This is one of my favourite things in books. I love it whenever we are given this dark and unforgiven fairytale vibe and find ourselves taken into the world. You are there in the forest with both Gemma and Virginia. You see the beauty of the world, but also the darkness that lurks within it. Everything is woven together in a way that pulls you in and makes it difficult to escape the world.
The family drama is so well done too. We have a mother-daughter duo Gemma and Viringia who are more alike than they realize. Although Virginia knows how much they are alike…Anyway, these two live were nearly cut off from the world. Both are bound together by the woods and its secrets. We see what Virginia will do for her daughter. She protects her but understands her at the same time. She knows how Gemma is feeling because she once went through the same thing. She knows what it is like to be drawn to the forest and how you cannot resist its call. Yet, she knows what it is going to cost them. Everything she does is out of love for her daughter. Gemma wants to listen to her mother and do as she says, but it is hard. When she doesn’t listen, she sees the costs first hand and it tears her apart. She knows and blames herself for what has happened. This drives her character and it makes her who she is. Everything she does is to right the wrong.
I know I have said this in other reviews, but I do love mother-daughter relationships in books. I thought that this one was well done. I think what this one work so well was the fact that we got both of their points of view. We got modern day with Gemma and the past with Virginia. By doing this, we got to see how much they are alike and what got us to the point in the book. We see the lure and draw of the forest first-hand. We see the dangers. We also see the drive to protect those we love. A lot of times in books we don’t get to see the how and the why when it comes to parents. We just know it is there. By letting us see the events that got us to this point it leaves an impact. I do not think the story would have worked the way it did if Alyssa had not done it this way.
I thought that the side characters could have been developed a little bit better. While they were well done, I would have liked to have seen a little bit more of them. They did help with the story and did play their role very well. I would have liked just a little bit more for me to make that deep connection. I’m probably the only one who feels this way, but I like to have a really deep bond with my characters. (Yes, I know writing side characters is not easy and I am not very good at writing them myself, so I am not the best judge of this.)
Overall, I did enjoy this one. If you are looking for a book with a dark and atmospheric fairytale vibe, then I highly encourage you to give this one a go.
This book comes out on November 12, 2024.
Youtube: https://youtu.be/zBS0VBDjOKo
Author: Alyssa Wees
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars
I thank the publisher, Del Rey, for sending me an ARC. This is the second book by this author I have read. I have enjoyed both of them. Alyssa has this way of writing that pulls you in and wraps you into the world.
In this one, we follow Gemma and Virginia, who live in their shop in Michigan. Right away, we pick on the fact that things are not what they seem. The woods around them are not normal woods. They will take you into a fairytale-only it’s not the fairytale of childhood. This one comprises monsters, witches, and evil with no hope of escaping it. It calls to Gemma. No matter how hard she tries to be a good girl and listen to her mother, she cannot stay away from it. What she doesn’t know is that her mother completely understands how she feels. Virginia, like her daughter, is drawn to the forest. Her mother had warned her about the forest and, like Gemma, she did not stay away. It’s personal too. Ash, Virginia’s lover and Gemma’s father has had a curse placed on him. He is a monster. There is more than that. If Virginia cannot break the curse by the time Gemma is fifteen, it will end up costing everyone. Virginia thinks she has everything under control….That is until Gemma enters the forest and comes upon a certain witch. Now, Virginia fears that history could repeat itself.
This is one of those books that you have to take your time with. This is a short book, but you cannot rush it. You have to slow down with your reading and allow the story to flow through you. If you do that, then you will see how atmospheric the writing is, and how it has this touch that allows you to become completely engrossed and immersed in the world. The writing makes this feel like a gothic fairytale. I don’t know how else to describe it. This is one of my favourite things in books. I love it whenever we are given this dark and unforgiven fairytale vibe and find ourselves taken into the world. You are there in the forest with both Gemma and Virginia. You see the beauty of the world, but also the darkness that lurks within it. Everything is woven together in a way that pulls you in and makes it difficult to escape the world.
The family drama is so well done too. We have a mother-daughter duo Gemma and Viringia who are more alike than they realize. Although Virginia knows how much they are alike…Anyway, these two live were nearly cut off from the world. Both are bound together by the woods and its secrets. We see what Virginia will do for her daughter. She protects her but understands her at the same time. She knows how Gemma is feeling because she once went through the same thing. She knows what it is like to be drawn to the forest and how you cannot resist its call. Yet, she knows what it is going to cost them. Everything she does is out of love for her daughter. Gemma wants to listen to her mother and do as she says, but it is hard. When she doesn’t listen, she sees the costs first hand and it tears her apart. She knows and blames herself for what has happened. This drives her character and it makes her who she is. Everything she does is to right the wrong.
I know I have said this in other reviews, but I do love mother-daughter relationships in books. I thought that this one was well done. I think what this one work so well was the fact that we got both of their points of view. We got modern day with Gemma and the past with Virginia. By doing this, we got to see how much they are alike and what got us to the point in the book. We see the lure and draw of the forest first-hand. We see the dangers. We also see the drive to protect those we love. A lot of times in books we don’t get to see the how and the why when it comes to parents. We just know it is there. By letting us see the events that got us to this point it leaves an impact. I do not think the story would have worked the way it did if Alyssa had not done it this way.
I thought that the side characters could have been developed a little bit better. While they were well done, I would have liked to have seen a little bit more of them. They did help with the story and did play their role very well. I would have liked just a little bit more for me to make that deep connection. I’m probably the only one who feels this way, but I like to have a really deep bond with my characters. (Yes, I know writing side characters is not easy and I am not very good at writing them myself, so I am not the best judge of this.)
Overall, I did enjoy this one. If you are looking for a book with a dark and atmospheric fairytale vibe, then I highly encourage you to give this one a go.
This book comes out on November 12, 2024.
Youtube: https://youtu.be/zBS0VBDjOKo
August 21, 2024
Thank you @netgalley for this early copy. This was a really fantastic book and I truly loved it.
We shall be mosters is a beautiful, multigenerational tale of a grandmother, mother and daughter who become what they fear to save each other and those they love. They will tear their world apart, lie and deceive, and keep each other from making the same mistakes of their past to save them from hurt. Alyssa Wees’ world building paints incredibly vivid pictures of the fairyland in the woods and the creatures who inhabit it. At first I struggled to get into the story, but once the story really started unfolding, it was hard to put down. As a mother of a young daughter, I felt the profoundness of what it is to have a daughter and wish for her to not make the mistakes of her mother; and as a daughter, I understand why a mother wouldn’t want her daughter to make the same mistakes. It’s truly a love story of mothers more than anything else. I loved this beautifully lyrical novel. This will be a book that I pass on to my daughter in hopes that she understands what a mothers loves means. I’ve already preordered this, it really is a masterpiece
We shall be mosters is a beautiful, multigenerational tale of a grandmother, mother and daughter who become what they fear to save each other and those they love. They will tear their world apart, lie and deceive, and keep each other from making the same mistakes of their past to save them from hurt. Alyssa Wees’ world building paints incredibly vivid pictures of the fairyland in the woods and the creatures who inhabit it. At first I struggled to get into the story, but once the story really started unfolding, it was hard to put down. As a mother of a young daughter, I felt the profoundness of what it is to have a daughter and wish for her to not make the mistakes of her mother; and as a daughter, I understand why a mother wouldn’t want her daughter to make the same mistakes. It’s truly a love story of mothers more than anything else. I loved this beautifully lyrical novel. This will be a book that I pass on to my daughter in hopes that she understands what a mothers loves means. I’ve already preordered this, it really is a masterpiece
January 5, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley for the arc.
Give it 3.5 stars
This book is about a mother and daughter and the supposed monsters in the woods. It's a duo POV with the mom and daughter. It kind of started off as the mother looking for this special mirror but that's not completely the plot of the book. Mostly , about fear and monsters in the woods and possibly monsters in humans.
"Yes, though the problem is not fear itself . It's what we do with it."
I don't know why this took me so long to finish. I liked it but I didn't love it. It might have been the writing.
This book is out now.
Give it 3.5 stars
This book is about a mother and daughter and the supposed monsters in the woods. It's a duo POV with the mom and daughter. It kind of started off as the mother looking for this special mirror but that's not completely the plot of the book. Mostly , about fear and monsters in the woods and possibly monsters in humans.
"Yes, though the problem is not fear itself . It's what we do with it."
I don't know why this took me so long to finish. I liked it but I didn't love it. It might have been the writing.
This book is out now.
August 17, 2024
✨ We Shall Be Monsters ✨
- Alyssa Wees
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A huge thank you for the ARC from NetGalley, the publishers, and of course Alyssa Wees for this phenomenal story.
I have had We Shall Be Monsters on my TBR pile since back in May so I was beyond thrilled to be able to dive into this as soon as I received it.
Maybe it’s because an older mother to a 4 year old but the story became so much more than a fantastic fantasy, it was a story of motherhood and protecting our people.
The story was complex and entertaining and just out right beautifully written. Wees created a world I was enthralled with. I loved following bother Virginia’s pov as well as Gemma’s. It was just a story I can’t wait to share with everyone.
(personal star ratings:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - best of the best, WILL read again
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - LOVED it! Just may not read again
⭐️⭐️⭐️ - had fun reading it and will suggest it
⭐️⭐️ - not my favorite, no suggestion
⭐️ - DNF
- Alyssa Wees
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A huge thank you for the ARC from NetGalley, the publishers, and of course Alyssa Wees for this phenomenal story.
I have had We Shall Be Monsters on my TBR pile since back in May so I was beyond thrilled to be able to dive into this as soon as I received it.
Maybe it’s because an older mother to a 4 year old but the story became so much more than a fantastic fantasy, it was a story of motherhood and protecting our people.
The story was complex and entertaining and just out right beautifully written. Wees created a world I was enthralled with. I loved following bother Virginia’s pov as well as Gemma’s. It was just a story I can’t wait to share with everyone.
(personal star ratings:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - best of the best, WILL read again
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - LOVED it! Just may not read again
⭐️⭐️⭐️ - had fun reading it and will suggest it
⭐️⭐️ - not my favorite, no suggestion
⭐️ - DNF
October 4, 2024
This was such a creative dark fairy tale fantasy. A story filled with magic, adventure, Fae, Witches, and of course monsters. Dual pov between a mother (Virginia) and her daughter (Gemma).
Growing up, both the mother and daughter were drawn to the woods behind their home, but constantly warned and even forbidden to enter them by their mothers. I loved that we were able to see the reasoning of why Virginia does what she does to Gemma. Mother's only want to protect their daughters, and this is a tale they tell to keep their girls safe. But ultimately, nothing could stop the pull to the woods.
This book gave me spooky Labyrinth/ Alice in Wonderland vibes and I absolutely loved it!
Thank you so much NetGalley for this arc!
Growing up, both the mother and daughter were drawn to the woods behind their home, but constantly warned and even forbidden to enter them by their mothers. I loved that we were able to see the reasoning of why Virginia does what she does to Gemma. Mother's only want to protect their daughters, and this is a tale they tell to keep their girls safe. But ultimately, nothing could stop the pull to the woods.
This book gave me spooky Labyrinth/ Alice in Wonderland vibes and I absolutely loved it!
Thank you so much NetGalley for this arc!
September 5, 2024
3.5 star
This book has a dark atmosphere to it that is absolutely perfect for fall. It also has fairies, wolves, witches, and other magical creatures. I loved the descriptions of the world that made it feel like I was there. It shows the complex relationship between mother and daughters which I feel like when I was younger I would not have grasped/ enjoyed as much but now having a daughter myself, I felt like I was able to truly grasp that and appreciate it in this book. Now my only thing that has me rating this under 4 stars was just that the daughter’s pov reads a little too young for me. I know that she is only 12 and then moves to her being 15 but I felt like I had a hard time staying immersed during her parts. Overall I would recommend this book if you are looking for a magical fall book that has a great story line that mixes fantasy with a more real world feel.
This book has a dark atmosphere to it that is absolutely perfect for fall. It also has fairies, wolves, witches, and other magical creatures. I loved the descriptions of the world that made it feel like I was there. It shows the complex relationship between mother and daughters which I feel like when I was younger I would not have grasped/ enjoyed as much but now having a daughter myself, I felt like I was able to truly grasp that and appreciate it in this book. Now my only thing that has me rating this under 4 stars was just that the daughter’s pov reads a little too young for me. I know that she is only 12 and then moves to her being 15 but I felt like I had a hard time staying immersed during her parts. Overall I would recommend this book if you are looking for a magical fall book that has a great story line that mixes fantasy with a more real world feel.
November 3, 2024
Do you remember being a kid, when everything felt magical?
I know I do. I lived on a quiet, secluded property, surrounded by woods. And while I never actually discovered fairies lurking in the trees, I always hoped I would.
But with "We Shall Be Monsters," the characters don't need to hope. Because their dreams of a fantastical fairy world are real.
Everything about this book is whimsical, right from the very start. As soon as the book opens, it's clear that these characters are destined for something greater. The language itself is powerful yet lyrical, and it feels as though you're traveling to a space beyond the modern world, to a legend borne of the trees and the wind and the stream.
How I imagined Gemma might look on her journey into the woods.
The basic premise of this book — a mother named Virginia and a daughter named Gemma, called to by the magical powers in the woods — is what drew me in. They know magic is real, that the woods are more than just a little patch of trees in their Michigan backyard. But at different points in their lives, they're both forbidden from entering, because the strikingly magical world is not always what it seems. Danger, ever-present, lurks just beyond the trees. Do they listen? Of course not — or we wouldn't have a plot!
From this simple premise comes a coming-of-age novel told from two perspectives that shows how magic can shape us into the people we're meant to become. With great duty set upon us, we can transform into the hero — or the monster.
The latter third of this book spent a good deal of time reflecting on what it means to be a monster, and while I think it provided a good message, I'm not sure it was in line with the rest of the narrative. I think that humanizing the villains in this story doesn't work because their motivations weren't based on noble intent. They weren't good characters who found themselves in a pickle and had to make a bad choice. They're selfish, willing to do anything to reach their goals — which felt very black and white rather than the gray area the novel would have us believe.
Even so, I don't think this takes anything away from the tale of self-discovery, of growing up and finding the true power you have inside yourself. This book shows the loving bond between mothers and daughters — stronger than even the most evil of magic — as well as the inseparable closeness between lovers torn apart. It has most of the things I love in a book — adventure, romance, horror, and of course, a hefty dose of fantasy.
On the whole, I give this book four stars. I took a star off because there was a period in the middle where both Gemma and Virginia were exploring the woods in different timelines that felt too similar — it was like they were having the same experiences, and it confused me for a while. This part dragged a bit until we finally started getting into the action, then it was a page-turner.
If you like stories about fantastical worlds like "Alice" or "The Ocean at the End of the Lane," then I think you'll like this too.
Enjoy that review? See more on my blog, Spectral Reads.
I know I do. I lived on a quiet, secluded property, surrounded by woods. And while I never actually discovered fairies lurking in the trees, I always hoped I would.
But with "We Shall Be Monsters," the characters don't need to hope. Because their dreams of a fantastical fairy world are real.
Everything about this book is whimsical, right from the very start. As soon as the book opens, it's clear that these characters are destined for something greater. The language itself is powerful yet lyrical, and it feels as though you're traveling to a space beyond the modern world, to a legend borne of the trees and the wind and the stream.
How I imagined Gemma might look on her journey into the woods.
The basic premise of this book — a mother named Virginia and a daughter named Gemma, called to by the magical powers in the woods — is what drew me in. They know magic is real, that the woods are more than just a little patch of trees in their Michigan backyard. But at different points in their lives, they're both forbidden from entering, because the strikingly magical world is not always what it seems. Danger, ever-present, lurks just beyond the trees. Do they listen? Of course not — or we wouldn't have a plot!
From this simple premise comes a coming-of-age novel told from two perspectives that shows how magic can shape us into the people we're meant to become. With great duty set upon us, we can transform into the hero — or the monster.
The latter third of this book spent a good deal of time reflecting on what it means to be a monster, and while I think it provided a good message, I'm not sure it was in line with the rest of the narrative. I think that humanizing the villains in this story doesn't work because their motivations weren't based on noble intent. They weren't good characters who found themselves in a pickle and had to make a bad choice. They're selfish, willing to do anything to reach their goals — which felt very black and white rather than the gray area the novel would have us believe.
Even so, I don't think this takes anything away from the tale of self-discovery, of growing up and finding the true power you have inside yourself. This book shows the loving bond between mothers and daughters — stronger than even the most evil of magic — as well as the inseparable closeness between lovers torn apart. It has most of the things I love in a book — adventure, romance, horror, and of course, a hefty dose of fantasy.
On the whole, I give this book four stars. I took a star off because there was a period in the middle where both Gemma and Virginia were exploring the woods in different timelines that felt too similar — it was like they were having the same experiences, and it confused me for a while. This part dragged a bit until we finally started getting into the action, then it was a page-turner.
If you like stories about fantastical worlds like "Alice" or "The Ocean at the End of the Lane," then I think you'll like this too.
Enjoy that review? See more on my blog, Spectral Reads.
August 20, 2024
This book felt like a fever dream. It was a dark, gothic fairytale that was light, whimsical, and intangible while also being heavy, sad, and real.
It is a dual POV story, one following the daughter Gemma and the other following the mother Virginia. Both of the POVs follow the same storyline but both characters are on unique journeys very different from one another.
"What is a monster, truly? A murderer? A cheat, a liar, a thing that hides in the dark, or one that moves freely in the light, all the more terrifying for blending in, for being difficult to spot? What does a monster look like? Do claws and fangs alone make a monster? A cat has both, and we call it cute. What is a monster then? Ask one hundred people and you will get one hundred answers."
The daughter and mother live near the forest, and when the daughter is young she finds the forest to be irresistible and whimsical. Her mother is afraid of it and says it’s forbidden. But why is her mother so afraid of the forest yet still living near, why is the daughter pulled towards it?
This book touches themes of motherhood and raising children, the fine line between protecting your children and harming them by keeping away the truth. You’re made to think about how everyone has to go down their own path regardless of wisdom handed down, and you really reflect on good versus evil and what makes something monstrous and not.
I will say, for me at times this book was slightly hard to follow. There is a lot going on and it takes awhile for questions to be answered. The plot was intriguing enough to keep me searching and keep me going but it is a commitment.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for an advanced copy of this book.
It is a dual POV story, one following the daughter Gemma and the other following the mother Virginia. Both of the POVs follow the same storyline but both characters are on unique journeys very different from one another.
"What is a monster, truly? A murderer? A cheat, a liar, a thing that hides in the dark, or one that moves freely in the light, all the more terrifying for blending in, for being difficult to spot? What does a monster look like? Do claws and fangs alone make a monster? A cat has both, and we call it cute. What is a monster then? Ask one hundred people and you will get one hundred answers."
The daughter and mother live near the forest, and when the daughter is young she finds the forest to be irresistible and whimsical. Her mother is afraid of it and says it’s forbidden. But why is her mother so afraid of the forest yet still living near, why is the daughter pulled towards it?
This book touches themes of motherhood and raising children, the fine line between protecting your children and harming them by keeping away the truth. You’re made to think about how everyone has to go down their own path regardless of wisdom handed down, and you really reflect on good versus evil and what makes something monstrous and not.
I will say, for me at times this book was slightly hard to follow. There is a lot going on and it takes awhile for questions to be answered. The plot was intriguing enough to keep me searching and keep me going but it is a commitment.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for an advanced copy of this book.
September 20, 2024
A whimsical book with a haunting vibe.
Gemma is a young girl who lives with her mother in an antique shop and she’s always been told to stay away from the woods that line their property, they are not safe. However, it is human nature to be curious and Gemma finds herself disobeying her mother’s warnings of deathly monsters. She is going in those woods.
The woodland journeys were interesting and the cast of creatures even more so. I enjoyed the feeling of being on edge and not know what could happened while in the woods. It was unsafe. Witches, faeries and monsters were interwoven amongst the trees and I loved that but unfortunately sometimes it felt like it could have been expanded on.
I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing me access to this ARC.
Gemma is a young girl who lives with her mother in an antique shop and she’s always been told to stay away from the woods that line their property, they are not safe. However, it is human nature to be curious and Gemma finds herself disobeying her mother’s warnings of deathly monsters. She is going in those woods.
The woodland journeys were interesting and the cast of creatures even more so. I enjoyed the feeling of being on edge and not know what could happened while in the woods. It was unsafe. Witches, faeries and monsters were interwoven amongst the trees and I loved that but unfortunately sometimes it felt like it could have been expanded on.
I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing me access to this ARC.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 357 reviews