Queer horror retellings? Sign me up! I’ve tried reading Stephen King quite a few times, and often find myself not being able to get into it. However, I have devoured and adored every Stephen King story retelling that I’ve come across, and this one story is no exception. I thought the story was woven together beautifully, and I was hooked until the end.

Thanks to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers and Jill Baguchinsky for the chance to read ‘So Witches We Became’! There were sections that I enjoyed and I can definitely see this book being a fave if I was more in the target demographic. Young Adult books are so hit or miss for me. I did enjoy how the relationships were portrayed.

Creepy and unsettling as the cover (which I love), this book was a really enjoyable read. The comparison to Stephen King's The Mist is apt, and the gothic vibes were straight up my alley. I also love a book that centres friendship, as I feel there aren't enough books that do that. This was a solid YA horror novel.

“A reminder that if "boys will be boys", girls will fight back.”

First, what a gorgeous cover!
Second, I am ALWAYS here for feminine rage.

I see the easy comparisons to The Mist, but this felt more akin to Speak meets The Craft. It was very much a YA story (in terms of writing and predictability) that gore loving me would have eaten up in high school.

The traumas the girls faced at the hands of terrible men were centered, but there was acknowledgement that men also suffer because of patriarchal bs. Queerness In the book was just… normal, something that would be amazing in our actual society.

The world is a dumpster fire right now, and this was a nice little reminder of the power women and girls have when part of a community.

Baguchinsky targets the theme of feminism in an eloquent way. I loved the female empowerment and depiction of queerness in this novel; it definitely feels like a good influence to the intended audience (teenagers). I totally wish I could have read this book in the fall or winter since it gives off spooky vibes!

A HUGE thank you to netgalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for an ARC of this moving and beautiful story. I don't really want to give a plot summary because this is one novel you are going to want to go into kind of blind. I know with the summary on the back of the book and reading the first few chapters, I was like "how did the title come about"? Oh boy, it came together so satisfyingly.

I l oved the aspect of the mist and the shadow following around Nell. It was two nice subplots that went into one and it made so much sense. This book is IMPORTANT. It is sadly something a lot of women (and men) can relate to and feel a part of. I am overly obsessed that I really want a tattoo to keep this novel with me forever, though it is likely to stay in my head. I could go on and on but really, I just want to leave it at read this novel, you won't be disappointed.

BRAVO Jill, I cannot wait to see what else you unleash for us.

This was a fun thriller/horror most of the time! Our small group of friends is spring breaking on a barrier island off the Florida coast, but it seems a little weird. Like something's off. Almost immediately, though, things take a turn for the worst when our MC's best friend's jerk boyfriend shows up. MC visibly hates him for reasons we will find out, but as it turns out the island also hates him because it won't let him and his friend leave. A caustic mist descends. Horror commences. But why is all of this happening?

It takes the book a while to get to that, and it stumbles a bit here trying to connect what's happening to the island to the friends to the island's past, etc. All of that felt like it got lifted out of another book. So while this was a quick read it wasn't super satisfying at the end.

So Witches We Became starts out interesting. The creepy happenings on the island are enough to satisfy horror lovers. However, the later half of the book lost me. Not because I was confused by the plot, but because it became boring and predictable and detached. I wish that there had been more leaning in to the horror and less of the overly explanatory details. Assume that your reader is smarter than they are, and let them make those connections.

I received a review copy of So Witches We Became from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

So Witches We Became by Jill Baguchinsky is a haunting and atmospheric YA horror novel that blends female rage, trauma, and the supernatural into a gripping narrative. Set on a private Florida island during a spring break trip gone horribly wrong, this story follows Nell and her friends as they confront a curse that traps them with a toxic mist and a vengeful beast lurking in the surrounding waters.

Baguchinsky masterfully crafts a tense, eerie environment where the island itself feels alive, out for revenge. As secrets from Nell’s past—and those of her friends—begin to unravel, the novel delves into themes of trauma, assault, and survival. I especially appreciated how the author tackles these difficult topics, including how sexual abuse impacts both men and women, adding layers of depth to the horror elements.

While the book takes a bit of time to build up, once the mist rolls in, the pacing picks up, delivering moments of body horror and suspense. The diverse and queer representation adds to the richness of the story, though some of the feminist messaging might feel basic for older readers. However, it’s a powerful and much-needed narrative for its target YA audience.

The story is more spooky than terrifying, but its chilling imagery and focus on female friendship, survival, and confronting past traumas make it a compelling read. Fans of The Mist and Courtney Summers will find much to enjoy in this feminist horror.

4 stars.

I absolutely love horror/thriller books that make a statement for social justice. This is so much fun but also so important.

I have been loving YA horror lately and add in some feminine rage? I’m all here for it. The atmospheric writing was on point in this book. The whole island just gave me the heebie jeebies. I loved getting to know the characters and especially loved the flashbacks. This book dealt with some heavy topics and was written with respect for anyone who has gone through these events. I loved the female friendships and how they showed the struggles of any friend group. I loved the journey this book takes us on and how the journey ends. Definitely recommend this to anyone, who like me, also has Halloween decorations up already or is just looking for some spooky vibes

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book was fantastic! It was filled with female rage, terror, and suspense. There were several moments that were actually spooky and super eerie. I liked that this book seemed to be a YA reimagining of The Mist by Stephen King. With a diverse cast of characters, all with their different strengths and weakness, they kept me engaged with the whole story. I loved the themes of vengeance that these women got in the end.

I wanted to love this book but it just didn't do it for me. I found the speed of the story to be too slow and some of the characters weren't likable enough for me to really get caught up in the story. Did I order it for my HS library? Yes, hopefully my students will enjoy it but it's just not the story for me.

The feminine rage, the story’s message, and what the girls said about their story all was executed very well. This book carried on with a sense of dread pretty much throughout, it was creepy. It almost finished like that until we figured out what was controlling the mist. Now that part got to be too weird for me and i just felt like it failed in the horror part. Now the feminine rage omg I was rooting for these girls so hard especially when Nell went back for you know who. Solid 3 star book with a great message.

This was enjoyable, for what it was. I am not a big YA reader but I found this engaging, a little spooky and not too steamy which is where I see a lot of YA going these days. Would recommend. Also, absolutely gorgeous cover art.

Top 5 Reasons to Read

1. Mists and Witches - This isolation trope was so creepy and the lore behind the witches added even more suspense to the already isolated setting.
2. Secrets - Nothing is what it seems, and no one can fully be trusted.
3. Friendship - The friendships in this one are tested.
4. Romance - Who doesn't love a good romance story when reading a horror? It was fun to see Nell fall for someone new and outside of her immediate friend group.
5. Death - Welp, there were some gruesome deaths.

I was really enjoying this at first--the atmosphere, the tone, the characters all started off really compelling. The pacing, though, is where this story didn't quite pull me in. I found this story to overall be pretty boring. It takes so long for us to get going and get into what the synopsis promises (like nearly 200/250 pages) and by that point I just didn't really care anymore--I didn't care about the characters, and I just wanted to be done with the book, honestly. The tone and atmosphere of the story surrounding the spooky parts was good, but we only got brief moments of that and it wasn't enough to carry this book.
Overall, really interesting idea and the author is clearly talented, we just needed to get to the meat & potatoes of the book a lot sooner.

This will definitely be a book that I think of far down the line. It’s not an easy book even thought it might seem that from the synopsis. I think I thought it would be and then it very certainly wasn’t. I think I knew that it would be a book that has more than what meets the eye – but I don’t think I was expecting all of this.

The book certainly went above and beyond my expectations. I enjoyed the ride and was solidly in the book a ton. I really like friendship groups and I think all girls are always interesting (I have an older sister, we both went to the same all-girls school so for the most part most of our friends are girls) – there’s so many ways that it can go. I liked this friendship group, I think they worked well together and even though they had their issues (as with any friendship group), they ultimately were there for each other. I really liked that – they chose to stick with each other and be there for each other.

Nell was definitely my favourite character. I liked that we were in her head, she was a good narrator and took us along the journey, allowing us to discover things through her. Which I like! Sometimes I prefer to figure out the mystery before the characters and other times I like when the characters and I are in the dark together. I didn’t like Dia and Harper at the start – there were things that they did or things that happened and I wasn’t exactly there for it. Luckily they improved and I ended up liking them.

I did want more of Harry but also I understood why they didn’t focus on him more. But I like how they tied him in at the end. I was annoyed that Harper (his sister) got annoyed at him often and I kept saying “Harper, he’s being a good brother!” I think I’m getting old but also like… trust your siblings, I feel? Especially if they’re good like Harry.

I liked Tris from when we met her. I think it was a good idea to add her – both as a character and a love interest. I had hoped she would be a good addition and not just simply there (to add another character, I mean), so I was glad to see that wasn’t the case. Gavin and Christopher however, I could and would throw both into the lake and not think twice of them. I instantly knew I’d dislike them and then it became even clearer (basically by their first scene). What boys/men think they can get away with just because they want to… will never cease to make me angry.

The plot and pacing go hand-in-hand together. It’s a slow pace and it very much could’ve not been handled well but it did. That’s credit to the author because sometimes a medium or even fast paced book can feel slow. I know with another book I’d easily be less interested or even dnf because the pacing is so slow and the plot is taking forever to show (and it’s not even that long) but here it works. That’s all due to the characters. They’re well-written, fleshed out. Their differences work well both against each other and together when they need to. Could the author have introduced the witches earlier? Yes, but I’m actually glad that she didn’t! It allowed me to get to know their personalities, how they interacted with each other.

So Witches We Became by Jill Baguchinsky is a gripping, atmospheric novel that masterfully blends horror, feminism, and the resilience of female friendship. With its queer, feminist spin on Stephen King’s The Mist, this book offers a refreshing and powerful take on the genre, making it a must-read for fans of She Is a Haunting and those who crave stories of empowerment and survival.

Plot and Setting:
The story centers on Nell, a high school senior, and her friends as they embark on what they hope will be a dream spring break at a vacation house on a private Florida island. However, the island’s tragic history and Nell’s own secrets collide, unleashing a toxic, vengeful mist and a mysterious, devouring beast in the surrounding waters. The plot is compelling, with the island’s eerie atmosphere adding a layer of suspense that keeps readers hooked from start to finish.

Characters and Themes:
Nell is a well-developed protagonist whose internal struggles and bravery drive the narrative. Her journey is not just about surviving the island’s curse but also confronting her past traumas and the shadow that has haunted her since childhood. The theme of female rage is poignantly explored, as Nell and her friends face their own secrets and the collective horror of their situation. The book does a commendable job of highlighting the strength found in female friendship and solidarity, even in the face of unimaginable terror.

Writing and Style:
Baguchinsky’s writing is vivid and evocative, painting a chilling picture of the island and the supernatural elements at play. The narrative seamlessly weaves together horror with the emotional aftermath of surviving assault, creating a story that is both thrilling and deeply moving. The pacing is generally well-maintained, although there are moments where the plot’s intensity dips slightly before picking up again.

Queer Representation:
One of the standout aspects of So Witches We Became is its diverse and queer representation. The characters’ identities are woven naturally into the story, enriching the narrative without feeling forced. This inclusivity adds depth to the characters and broadens the novel’s appeal.

Critique:
While So Witches We Became is a captivating read, it occasionally struggles with balancing its multiple plot threads. Some of the secondary characters’ backstories and secrets could have been explored more thoroughly to enhance the overall impact. Additionally, the climax, though satisfying, felt a bit rushed, leaving a few questions unanswered.

Conclusion:
Overall, So Witches We Became is a powerful, feminist horror novel that stands out for its unique take on the genre and its strong, multidimensional characters. Jill Baguchinsky delivers a story that is both terrifying and empowering, making it a notable addition to contemporary YA horror. With its themes of resilience, friendship, and the fight against inner and outer demons, this book earns a well-deserved four stars.

So Witches We Became is a fast-paced YA queer horror that will have you rethink going to a vacation house with friends. This book deals with themes of feminine rage, friendship, and mental health, but it will have you returning for more.

The story has a slow beginning that builds the tension, and I wondered where the horror element will make an appearance. I was pleasantly surprised by how the author delivered the twist, and after one specific chapter, I couldn't put the book down. I like the flashbacks which give the reader extra insight into the characters. The mystery element of the island and the supposed curse kept me guessing and the sense of satisfaction I had once the title made sense was amazing. It's so rewarding! There is more to the story than the ghosts, curses, and creepy island. Heavier topics are dealt with that explore the level of friendship and how far people are willing to go for the ones they care about.

- YA Horror
- Vacation house
- Curses
- Witches
- Queer
- Friendship
- Music
- Writing horror stories

I recommend this book to readers who like spooky, YA horror, but please read the TW's as some may be triggering to readers.