Thank you to netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | Nancy Paulsen Books for allowing me to read this book. I really enjoyed really a book about Indian mythology..

Ok so I’ve never read anything about Indian Mythology before but I saw this cover and immediately knew I wanted to try it out and I am so happy I did! I’m slowly getting more into gothic/darker theme type books and this was perfect for that. It was easy to follow along having no concept of the mythology or world. I really loved how this book ended and I’m looking forward to more!

I needed to read this as soon as I saw it pitched as being similar to Frankenstein. While similar to that classic it was also wholly unique. I loved the authors note at the end which also explains how the book differs and is like actual Hindi mythology. It's was a great experience and I need book two cause the ending was a cliffhanger that I was not expecting

In this YA novel, author Tara Sim takes elements of Hindu mythology and creates her own fascinating and rich fantasy world. Kajal and her sister Lasya are orphans, raising themselves and trying to make a life and a home when Lasya dies. Desperate to bring her back, Kajal becomes a fierce student of necromancy. But before she can raise Lasya, she's nabbed by untrustworthy entities who need to resurrect someone else first: the region's prince, killed in battle. It's soon evident that no one can be fully trusted, that high-level politics are involved and very dangerous, and that Kajal needs help and mentorship. She finds the last a bit in a village of witches, but otherwise is on her own. It was refreshing to read a novel in which the protagonist DID develop and grow and learn from her mistakes and those of others and become a more mature person. There's a lot of good female and nonbinary representation, as well as consideration of class, disability, and other issues. There's a jump in personas towards the end that could be handled more smoothly, or inserted in smaller chunks throughout the book, but overall the storytelling is well-paced. The end leaves an opening for a sequel, which I will happily gobble up when it comes.

the second i saw frankenstein i RAN to request this!!!! that is one of my absolute favorite books and to see it woven so intricately and well with indian culture made for SUCH a unique fantasy read! also how could i resist the most adorable undead dog to truly top it off

This book left me so wonderfully conflicted: Content but upset with the ending, in awe of the story telling but mad that it had to end, and craving more but satisfied with what I read.

Tara Sim borrows bits of Frankenstein in an amazing retelling of Halahala. Infused with Hindu mythology (and some Buddhist), the story follows Kajal’s quest to bring her sister back to life. Every bit of Hindu lore was explained in a way that even someone with little background knowledge of Hinduism could follow. I only know the basics and could keep up- though I did constantly look up pronunciations. A pronunciation guide would be the cherry on top. Plus the typical tropes (one horse, for example) were done in a different way- understated but definitely a trope.

The writing style is beautiful. The prose is not overly flowery. The horror aspect was well done. The horror scenes were scary without being over the top. There was definitely some Walking Dead vibes! Even with the horror, the banter was really amusing. The small snippet of romance was cute and believeable- no falling head over heels immediately.

The characters were so relatable. Kajal is witty, strong-willed, and perceptive. I really enjoyed her character’s growth, especially at the end. Tav was tragic and almost underdone- I wanted more of him! But I like how his actions make more sense by the end.

The pacing was different but not bad. Youre thrown into the story fast paced with a hundred questions. The pacing slows down, but never to a point where it gets boring. When I thought I was in a lull there would be a wild twist that had me audibly gasping (or yelling or screaming “no no no!”).

This is definitely a book I will re-read over and over. I’m surprised it’s not blowing up on social media.

Captivating world building and magic system, slow burn romance, and a fresh take on Frankenstein... YES PLEASE!
This book DELIVERED!
The concept of this book sounded like it was either going to be a big hit or a big miss and I am so happy to say it was a hit.
The Indian mythology was so fresh and captivating. I honestly could not put this down.
I am not usually a fan of dark atmosphere reads but it completely works for this world.
Highly recommend and can't wait for more.

This is a very cool book, with fascinating characters and a compelling plot. I don't think I've ever read anything quite like it.

To begin, I would HIGHLY suggest reading this book on Kindle if you aren't familiar with Indian terms. There are a ton of them in here -- from the names of demons and fairies, to clothing and food descriptions, to Ayurvedic medicine --and it was so very nice to just highlight those words on my Kindle and get instantly served up a definition! This really helped me stay in the flow of the book.

There is a huge, and unique world created within this story. While at first brush it seems to be based on Hindu mythology, as the author says in the notes at the end, "In the world of We Shall Be Monsters, there is no Hindu pantheon. This faith of this world is largely Buddhist in nature with an undertone of Sikhism, and the gods that exist are ones I have made up myself, as well as many demons and spirits."

The story itself moves quickly, but is easy to follow. Kajal is a great lead character and it's fascinating to watch the layers of her personality develop on this epic quest she finds herself on to safe her sister and resurrect a prince. Nothing is quite it seems in this world, and the stakes are terribly high during a time in which the world is at war in life AND in the afterlife.

Technically, this book is the beginning of the series, but it does not end on a huge cliffhanger. Yes, it is clearly set up for another quest for these characters, but I thought all of the major questions in THIS book were wrapped up nicely. (Note for future books-- more Vritka and Kajal scenes, please! I enjoyed their prickly relationship!)

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for granting me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 This was the first time I read a fantasy novel based on Indian mythology, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I originally heard about this book from Margaret Owen (author of Little Thieves), and I completely get why she was talking it up: We love a slightly unhinged girl with an attitude problem. I really liked Kajal, in all her impulsive, ragey imperfection. I enjoyed the interesting world-building and magic system, the lovable characters, the Frankenstein-esque resurrection science/magic, and the sprinkling of slow burn romance. It was a great read. I did not realize it was only the first book in a planned series, so I was getting stressed as the book was coming to a close. I’m excited to revisit the characters in the next book!
Also, I loved the dog (and I say that as someone who doesn’t usually love the dog in books where I am very clearly supposed to love the dog).

“Humans were touchy on the subject of death, she’d noticed. They dwelled in the past and feared for the future, sometimes forgetting to live in the present.”

We Shall Be Monsters is a quest for life in a world where death has become corrupted. When Kajal’s sister dies, she hides the body instead of burning it as custom dictates. She intends to resurrect her sister, however the dead who aren’t burned return as “bhutas,” violent, vengeful ghosts. As Kajal runs out of time, her sister’s bhuta follows her and kills mercilessly anyone who upsets Kajal. Kajal’s efforts to resurrect her sister are delayed as she’s enlisted to resurrect a dead prince, one who it is believed will end the blight that affects the land, and reset the balance of life and death.
Sim’s story is based on Hindu and Buddhist mythology and draws from the beauty of Indian culture. Sim is a master at writing about death through this lens. What starts as a terrifying horror novel ends with an appreciation for the balance between life and death, light and dark, good and evil. She highlights the necessity for both and makes unapproachable topics beautiful. She faces the realities of grief and complications of loyalty and duty. Her characters make tough decisions rooted in a desire to do good, but must ultimately engage in “evil” or horrific acts to achieve their goals. They are characters you fear as much as you sympathize with. As a reader, I wanted to see these characters achieve their goals, no matter the cost.
I recommend this book to fans of fantasy and horror genres. I volunteered to read and review this book for Netgalley and my opinion is my own.

First, I want to thank NetGalley, and Penguin for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I requested this book primarily because I'm a huge fan of cultural mythology and it would have been my first foray into Indian mythology. I'm also always intrigued by stories featuring sisters. On both counts, this book did not disappoint.
The Frankenstein vibes were there for sure as well.

One thing that stood out to me while reading was that I never found myself bored. Regardless of what was happening, I remained engaged, never drifting off in thought or wishing for something to end.

I appreciate that the novel wasn't solely focused on romance, although there were some romantic relationships developing.

As for the characters:
Kajal was portrayed as determined, intelligent, and clever. She was depicted as thoroughly human, exhibiting flaws, feelings, and needs that resonated deeply. It's a reminder that humans can be inherently good yet still make choices that seem questionable for what they perceive as the right reasons. Her love for her sister and her yearning for acceptance were so tangible that I often overlooked her extraordinary abilities.
The chemistry between Tav and Kajal unfolded naturally as the story progressed, and once I understood why I was even more invested in the story.
Kutaa was the goodest good boy and I am so glad he was along for the whole ride.
When it comes to our side characters at the university. I can see the set up as to why they will be needed, but I didnt have any strong connection to any of them.
Lasya - I don't want to spoil this book for anyone, so I am just going to say, that being a Bhuta changed her in ways that I am eager to understand.

While I had anticipated a revelation about halfway through the story, a significant twist at the end left me eagerly anticipating the next book.

I give this 4.5 rounded up to 5

First, I want to thank NetGalley, Tara Sim, and the publisher for allowing me to read this advanced reader copy.

I also want to mention before I go any further that I didn't finish this book but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't give it a try.

I was drawn to this book for the cover, it is absolutely beautiful! Upon reading the synopsis, I was somewhat hesitant about the horror aspect and hint of potential romance but intrigued about the blend of Frankenstein and Indian Mythology (and I LOVE a sister storyline). I've been trying to read books outside of my comfort genres and have been pleasantly surprised so I decided to give We Shall Be Monsters a try. Unfortunately, I'm also in my "if I'm not in love with it, I'm not finishing it" era, so I DNF'd at 53%. I might try to read the physical copy once it is published (partially so I can have this gorgeous cover on my bookshelf) because I didn't have any major issue with the book, I just simply could not get into it. I'm not sure if it was because I feel like the synopsis told me the first 35% in a few sentences or if it was the pacing itself but this book dragged for me. I kept trying to pick it up just to see if maybe something would hook me but I just never got there.

DNF for me just means that I set the book down and can't bring myself to pick it back up, there were no glaring issues for me and I would still recommend this to people who enjoy slower paced novels with some world building!

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book!!

We Shall Be Monsters is Tara Sim’s take on Frankenstein with an Indian Mythology twist! As readers, we follow Kajal, a young woman who has spent years perfecting a resurrection ritual in order to bring her beloved sister back from the dead. Along the way, she finds herself in trouble, and the only way out is to make an arrangement with a couple of rebels. Free her from being condemned and accused of witchcraft and assistance in retrieving her sister’s body in exchange for Kajal resurrecting the deceased crowned prince in order to overthrow the current ruler. Sounds simple, right?

Well, things seem to be going according to plan, and Kajal is even provided a great space to conduct the ritual. Then the complication arises. What happens when you actually resurrect the wrong person? That’s for us readers to find out.

I absolutely loved the concept of this book! I have not encountered many books that uses Indian mythology to develop such an in depth fantasy setting. That being said, I do wish that there was a guide or a reference section where I could look at to remind myself of some of the creatures or concepts mentioned throughout the book. I was finding times when I really struggled to recall a particular detail or minor character.

The characters were enjoyable to read about and follow, especially Kajal. She was spunky, driven, and independent. There were several lines that made me laugh, especially any mention of Raja Hiss. She was definitely a protagonist I enjoyed following. Tav was a great character who played off well with Kajal. They had really strong dialogue together. He was also just a very pleasant character and quite the cinnamon roll that I would want to protect. The one character I think I didn’t really connect with was Vritika. She didn’t feel as fleshed out as the others, but I am hoping this will change in the next book.

I am very eager to see what will happen in the next book. I will be impatiently waiting!!! I hope I’ll be able to grab an ARC for the sequel once it is available

this book was literally everything to me. I adored the MC's and the writing style kept me on the edge of my seat. I knew that I would love it because I'm a fan of City of Dusk but this book really blew me away with the authors first try for YA.

Sim takes the Frankenstein story and sets it in a fantasy version of India where all the monsters and magic and gods of Hindu and Buddhist mythology are very much real - and humans can be the worst kind of monsters. I loved the story being driven by familial love rather than just the pure ego of the original Frankenstein. Plus, an undead dog companion, who was one of the best characters!

Sim's states in her very awesome Author's Note at the end that her telling here is as similar to the original religion and mythology as Lord of the Rings is to the original Germanic religion and mythology, so don't look to her to be your teacher of non-Western myth and religion, just go along for the fun fantasy ride, and if you want to actually learn more, try a library. Well said!

A loose retelling of Halahala mixed with Trigun and some Frankenstein for added flavor, We Shall Be Monsters was a fresh YA with a lot of heart.

Armed with only her loyal and undead dog Kutaa, a scalpel, and her own determination, Kajal sets out to resurrect her sister before she permanently becomes a vengeful ghost called a bhuta. Along the way she falls in with some rebels who wish to use her resurrection for their own schemes.

I enjoyed reading this so much that I struggled to complete it in a timely or linear fashion. I would too quickly get distracted by looking up Indian mythology, how to pronounce hindi/urdu terms, and checking if I could find the author's tour dates so I could convince her to doodle Raja Hiss in my book (my growing obsession with this little doodle is chronicled in my reading history updates 😅).

Kajal is delightfully prickly and surly, someone with a constant black cloud over her that often bites her in the ass. She's likewise incredibly intelligent, steadfastly loyal, and admirably persistent in her goals. And though she's haunted by the mistakes she's made in the past, she's willing to learn from them and consistently struggles to do the right thing in the present and for the future. I really enjoyed following her POV.

And honestly I wish I could gush about this more, but everything else feels too much like it will dive into spoiler territory so just know that: I will kill for Kutaa, I will commission a drawing of my buddy Raja Hiss one way or another, and I will be eagerly anticipating the sequel to this.

I recommend this to anyone who's interested in Indian Fantasy as Tara Sim draws from her desi background and has a lovely note at the end of the book (or honestly even just if you want a break from the same Western, medieval fantasies all the time), anyone who likes well crafted stories (you might figure out some of the main twists as I did, but I defy you to clock 'em all), and anyone who loves a good animal companion.

Also also, while I have you here, maybe check out her Dark Gods trilogy too? Midnight Kingdom was one of my favourite reads of 2023 and this series is shaping up to be an all time fav.

I owe NetGalley and the author a review so here it is (school tends to let me drown)! First, I want to thank NetGalley and the author for this super enjoyable read, it's nice to see more Indian mythology in the fantasy world. I will admit, that I had to do some research on Tara Sim to see if this book would hopefully use factual mythology instead of someone who half-heartedly threw together a book with willy-nilly research.

Honestly, color me impressed. I've never read a book by Sim but plan to check out her other series as time allows me! I enjoy the main character, what can I say? I'm a sucker for my morally gray/anti-hero girlies. While she's not inherently a bad person, reviving her sister tends to lead her down some not-so-honorable paths, and cause a certain few people to...die. I really enjoy the interactions between the MMC and FMC, and the fact that they're two "opposites" on a spectrum makes my little heart sing.

Thus far, I've enjoyed the character and world-building! The only gripe I have is after Kajal dies (to be resurrected) the book hits a bit of a slump, I suppose it's winding down towards the end, but I found myself having trouble keeping interest in it.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and will be looking forward to the next one. The dog was also an amazing plus

"After her sister Lasya’s sudden death, Kajal vows to do whatever it takes to bring her back. No cost is too great, even if it means preventing Lasya’s soul from joining the cycle of reincarnation. But as Kajal prepares for the resurrection, her sister’s trapped soul warps into a bhuta—a violent, wraith-like spirit hell-bent on murdering those who wronged it in life. With each kill, the bhuta becomes stronger and fiercer, and Kajal’s chances of resurrecting Lasya with her soul intact grow slimmer."

Honestly this book has so much going on that I don't even really know how to review it. This is definitely a Frankenstein meets Indian mythology story and it was so much fun! When Kajal ends up helping two unlikely allies in resurrecting a fallen prince in order to then resurrect her sister she is in for more than she bargained for. When Kajal realizes she has resurrected the wrong person panic ensues and lies start to build up. They must find the real prince before their secret gets out and she is turned over to ruthless soldiers for being a witch.

This was so good! I loved all the twists and turns along their journey. I cannot wait for the 2nd book!

This is my first encounter with this author, and I am glad I got to read this! It is steeped in Indian/Hindu mythology, about which I knew virtually nothing. I find it fascinating, after reading this tale.

The story begins with Kajal bursting out of her coffin, in which she was about to be burned/cremated. She's alive. Now, I was never quite clear if she had been dead and came back. That's one point that wasn't made clear, unless I missed it.

Kajal's sister, Lasya, remained dead. Something went wrong. Horribly wrong.

From this point, Kajal sets out to hone her skills and gather ingredients needed to revive Lasya. But in the process, she runs into a couple of rebels who appear to be willing to help her. They aren't quite honesty, though, and force her to work toward reviving the crown prince, Advaith, who was killed in battle twenty years ago.

Things don't quite go as planned (do they ever) and the story gets more and more complex as it goes. And that's all the plot reveal I will give.

I became totally engrossed in this story and its characters and found that I couldn't wait to finish. As already mentioned, there is a lot of Hindu mythology in this, and I wasn't really aware of any of it. I looked a few things up along the way, and then discovered the afterword, in which Ms Sim explained most of it. This is an ARC edition, and it might be nice if the "afterword" was a "foreword," instead, for those of us who don't know any of this mythology.

I believe this is geared toward the YA audience, but that didn't affect my enjoyment at all. I rather like a lot of the YA material that I see. The character development is great, I think, and one thing that keeps it interesting is that it is kind of hard to tell who are the "good guys" and who are the "bad guys." It may be, perhaps, that there is really only one "bad guy" in this story, but we are exposed very much to him. It does appear to be a series, so I'm sure we will see more of him, later.

At one point, the story takes a huge detour, which was slightly off-putting, at first, but the more I got into it, the better and more interesting it got. A lot was explained in that part, about what had gone before and what was coming up. That may sound confusing, but it's the best I can do.

To wrap it up, I absolutely loved this book! I look forward to reading more by this author, and hope to continue in the series, when more volumes become available.

As stated, this was an ARC, which I received from NetGalley, and this is a voluntary review.

I need the sequel to this book immediately! I was sucked in from the first line to the last. Tara Sim weaves a deeply beautiful story in this dark fantasy based in Indian mythology. I loved it and plan to get myself a physical copy as soon as it comes out!