I'm convinced Liselle Sambury cannot write a bad book. This was a little creepy, a little culty, and by the end? A whole lot of effed up.

Sunny is one of several children in the complicated wealthy Behre family. She tries to be happy and perfect at all times to uphold the family name, especially after her brother, Dom was accused of murdering his girlfriend and is awaiting trial. Their mother recently died, leaving Sunny a note that said "take care of Dom". Another body is found in the private school their mother founded, and Sunny will stop at nothing to ensure Dom is not a suspect in another murder.

I really enjoyed this story! I loved that this was set in Canada, and had so many Toronto references that I knew so well. It was fun being able to pinpoint exactly where the characters were. The family dynamics were so interesting, especially the sibling dynamics. All the children in the Behre family were complicated and had differing relationships with one another. The strained relationship between Sunny and Karter had me so invested in the story and where things were heading. I loved how fiercely Sunny defended Dom, even when the rest of the family were so against him. There were many twists I hadn't seen coming, and I loved every one of them. The horror elements were so well done, and I am very intrigued to pick up another book from this author!

This was a weird book, an enjoyable book, but weird. The children in this book are highly influenced by their mother and not always in a good way.

I thought the ending was really interesting and I definitely did not expect it.

As always, I look forward to reading more of Liselle Sambury's work in the future.

I absolutely loved this book!! I couldn’t put it down.
I just loved all the characters. I highly recommend this book.

I absolutely loved reading this book! This is Liselle Sambury's 2nd published YA horror novel, and man, it was so amazing to read! The premise had me hooked, and I needed to keep turning the pages, to see where this story would go!

This story really was one of family secrets, the ones that they were keeping from the world, and the ones they were keeping from themselves. I wanted to know every single one, because I'm nosy and curious like that, and oh, there were some pretty shocking ones!

That there all these murders as the school that their family set up makes things all the more complicated, and I had such a great time watching Sunny deal with it all. And oh, the places that this story went were so fantastic!

I absolutely loved seeing how this story wrapped up, the way the threads were tied together was really well done and so very clever! Where we left these characters, too, was really good, I'm really satisfied with that ending, and how it closed off this story!

Loved reading this book and I can't wait to read more by Liselle Sambury!

Tender Beasts is a creepy YA horror thriller that touches on some deep topics: class division, race and racism, generational trauma, grooming... I appreciate that Sambury includes her list of triggers on the Goodreads page. It should probably include "you'll have a weird relationship with milk after reading this."

I really enjoyed the plot and the setting, and the rich family drama is always a fun touch. I also love that we get some dual timeline explanations as secrets are revealed.

My one big complaint is that I struggled with being in Sunny's head so much. Her constant need to state how she is putting on a happy face, don't let them see you sweat, my feelings don't matter, etc. grated. I'm wondering if this is a side effect of a thirty-something woman reading YA for the first time in quite a while, but it pulled me out of the story a bit at times.

The creep factor and that ending more than made up for it though.

*Review will be posted in March 21st*

This had been one of my anticipated read for 2024, so I was really excited to get my hands on it when it was made available on NetGalley. I've only read one of her books, Blood Like Magic, but I've been wanting to read more of her books for a while, just somehow never got around. One of the reasons I actually didn't read the sequel to Blood Like Magic was that at that time, I had bought the paperback and wanted to wait for the paperback of the sequel.
There is just something so addicting about Liselle Sambury's writing, and I can't believe that this is only my second book by her. I was hooked from the beginning, and I really enjoy the vibe she had created in this book. There's murder, there's family affairs, some horror and a good dose of social commentary. Sunny was a great main character to follow, and I really found myself invested in her story. That is something that can make a big impact for me in how I enjoy a book.
Honestly, I really enjoyed it. And I can't wait to read her other books, as I do have some catching up to do. I'm also always enjoying adding more Canadians author to my shelves, so I will definitely work my way through the books I haven't read.

This might be one of my top reads of the year. I had no idea what to expect when I picked this up but it was an incredible read. Liselle manages to take, family trauma, generational wealth, systematic racism and a story about a creepy, possibly mythical boogey man and weave it all into a wild ride of a read that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. Sunny's journey felt so personal to what so many middle children feel with a twist of mystery added to it that felt relatable even in a story that was larger than life, and then family dynamics were heartbreaking but tangible. I loved this book and I have been talking about it constantly since I read it, and I can't wait to read other titles by Liselle! (I also loved that it's set in Canada, which is where I'm from!)

“𝘖𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘦𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘵, 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘱𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘩. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘦.”

The Behre family runs a school for the less privileged and when their mom dies, the family is left to take over the school and look after the family. After a grisly murder takes place at the school, family secrets are unveiled, and the family must do what it can to protect its own.

—-

I admit, I didn’t LOVE this book. I liked it but I felt it dragged on for too long. I found myself a bit bored and the whole milk man thing was a bit much for me. You know when you are just ready to move on to another book?
That being said, the writing itself was good and the character development was done quite well, It just didn’t click for me personally. 🤷‍♀️. I did really enjoy Delicious Monsters, so I will definitely be keeping an eye out for more of Liselles work 🙌

I give this one somewhere between 3.25 and 3.5 stars ⭐️

This story is a haunting thriller who unveils dark secrets. In “Tender Beasts” by Liselle Sambury, secrets stretch across generations and leave a trail of unanswered questions… and blood.

Meet Sunny Behre: a student at an exclusive private school who is thrust into a nightmare when her world collides with murder. The death of her mother shatters the illusion of perfection and her mother's cryptic final words plunge her into a web of intrigue.

Meet Dom: the youngest brother of Sunny who stands accused of murder. Sunny's loyalty is torn: should she protect the family legacy or seek the truth? The urgency intensifies when another classmate is brutally killed and readers embark on a perilous journey, unearthing buried secrets along the way.

Sambury builds tension like an expert as characters race against time while navigating a maze of lies, betrayal, and hidden agendas. The supernatural elements woven into the narrative add an eerie layer, leaving this reader with goosebumps.

I love how we get to explore identity, privilege, and the weight of generational trauma. Sambury tackles race and class dynamics with poise, exposing the fault lines within the affluent world. Prepare to be haunted by family secrets as Sambury's prose walks a tightrope between reality and the supernatural. As they turn the pages, readers will grapple with their defining choices and be left wondering if redemption is possible… even for the most tender of beasts?

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Canada, and Margaret K. McElderry Books for a temporary e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I just finished Tender Beasts by Liselle Sambury and here is my review.

A murder has rocked a private school. The body was mutilated and what looks like an occult symbol is part of the mystery surrounding the death.

Sunny is not only dealing with the death of her mother but her younger brother is being eyed for the death of his girlfriend.

Sunny is supposed to take over the family business and her mother left her a note asking her to take care of her younger brother Dom. Now She finds him standing over the body of another dead body. He swears he didn’t do it and the more they both dig into what is going on, the more she sees that her father is lying, her other siblings are lying and her baby brother could be a murderer.

The family legacy has been built on a lot more than just…. Hardwork.

This book was actually pretty dang creepy for a YA book. The book started off a little on the slower side and I wasn’t sure I was going to get sucked in but the next thing I knew…. I was done and it was way past my bedtime.

The book is set in the present and the past. We find out through a journal what happened on the ranch when the mother and father were young and it was sinister. I loved the past parts. I don’t want to spoil it but the story of what was going on and what was happening in the present…. Could not get enough!!

I liked Sunny. She was likable and relatable. You could tell she really loved her family but the interesting thing for me was how they all treated the youngest brother. You could tell something wasn’t right there. I had to unravel the mystery and it was very well done. I liked that the book moved from the school, to the ranch and it was written so well that I could set the scene in my mind. I love when books find a balance of character development, story building and exciting plot. It ended well but I felt, if they wanted to, they could easily write a sequel.

I was hooked after a few chapters and if you are like me and love a good horror.. This one is a winner

4.5 stars thank you @netgalley and @simonschulsterca for my gifted copy

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4 stars!

I love the Canadian setting, and physically knowing all the little spots that were mentioned in the book! The drama and suspense was there right from the beginning which really drew me in as a reader.

Although the main character is still a teenager in High School, this book really dealt with mature topics, but the author really did well with internalizing and portraying how a teenager would be dealing with these situations; trying to act like an adult, but not having enough life experience to truly be treated as one by other adults.

The power vacuum left after the matriarch of the family passed away, is such an interesting plot to the story, as the siblings try to fill that void, especially for the younger ones. There is always more to a person than what meets the eye - even your own siblings.

Tender Beasts is a wonderful YA horror novel.

I was excited to read this one because I loved Sambury’s last horror, Delicious Monsters, so much.

Sunny’s younger brother, Dom, is accused of murder. She wants to clear his name, but she’s not sure he’s innocent.

It gets very weird from there. There’s a bit of dark academia, some cult action, a smattering of folk horror vibes, and some scenes that feel very slasher movie.

I love Liselle Sambury’s gruesome world-building. This book is so strange and creepy, and the characters feel like real, not always likeable people. She weaves in issues of race and class, and looks at how we shape our identities and how the people in our lives perceive us.

I really loved this one. The young adult horror genre is on fire these days and I am here for it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Margaret K. McElderry Books for my review copy of this book.

Tender Beasts by Liselle Sambury follows the Behre family. A well-known, rich and privileged Black family in Toronto who own and operate a school with private school opportunities for families that cannot afford a private school education as well as other businesses such as a farm that proves to be a pivotal plot point in the story.

However, there is something peculiar about the Behre’s and tragedy seems to follow them. At the very beginning, the matriarch of the family is found dead and what follows is death upon death or murder upon murder as the two youngest Behres, Sunny and Dom try to unravel the mystery of the deaths their family seems to be linked to.

This thriller/horror mystery is fast paced and compelling as the reader tries to make sense of all the pieces they are being given. The murder scenes are gory and disconcerting and the characters are frustrating for the most part. There are many uncanny aspects in this book which emphasizes the horror part of the story. There is a Milk Man, messages left on mirrors, and symbols marked in blood. There is disturbing history that binds the plot which I found fascinating and creepy.

Besides Sunny and Dom, I found the entire cast to be juvenile and repetitive. I appreciated the conversation around privilege and the perception of Black vs White in the media, cultural appropriation and bias. I understood that the Behres are rich! I didn’t need to be told over and over and over.

I requested a copy of Tender Beats after loving Delicious Monsters, Sambury’s previous YA Horror/Thriller novel. I personally enjoyed Delicious Monsters more. But if you enjoy YA novels with an eerie storyline and cult vibes, then this is the book for you!

Tender Beasts releases Feb 27th. Thank you so much Simon & Schuster Canada, Liselle Sambury & NetGalley for an early copy of the book!

#TenderBeasts #BIPOCBookReview

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada. This book was good!! This read to me a bit more mature than YA because the subject matter but I enjoyed it. The generational trama was done well in this book and the parts where the moms journal entries appeared were great. I enjoyed all of Sambury’s book and I will be ready for her next one!

Sunny’s family runs a private school for underprivileged children. When one of its students is murdered and the accused is Sunny’s younger brother, the family attempts to save face. Except the family has been unraveling for years and as more bodies keep popping up, Sunny tries to step up to keep her family together, even if it means working against them.

The first thing I wanted to do after finishing this book was DM the author to ask if she was okay. No, seriously. Are you okay Liselle? I worry about you if you have ideas like what is in this book rolling around in your brain LOL.

I found I was unable to tear myself away from this book. I have managed to read and enjoy all of Liselle’s books thus far. As a very (very) casual connoisseur of horror novels and a self proclaimed scaredy cat, I would describe her previous novel, Delicious Monsters, as dipping my toe outside of my comfort zone. It was as if I was reading this with my hand covering my eyes with a tiny gap to peek at what was happening. This book forced me to take a giant leap outside of my comfort zone. There’s more than just a serial killer on the loose. I don’t want to give the plot away by saying much more but just know that it’s creepy. Frankly I was never sure if what was happening to the Behre family was real or if they were just unhinged. The mystery of it all was what kept me engaged in the beginning because the family is a very unlikeable bunch but as the story unravels you begin to appreciate why that is.

To my fellow GTA-ers, this book is set in Toronto and is jam packed to the brim with references to places and cultures!

Definitely check out the Trigger Warnings the author has posted.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Tender Beasts by Liselle Sambury follows a young girl, Sunny, whose brother is accused murder. While attempting to reveal the true killers who incriminated her brother, Sunny uncovers a deep secret, involving her family in a cultish ritual for the “Milk Man”—a forever elusive killer.
This book had me completely on edge! The way Sambury described the thriller and mystery was exciting. I did think the build up was a little too slow, however. The last 20% of the book was so exciting, and I felt that every loose end and unexplained happening was finally brought together in a great way. To be able to enjoy the story to its fullest, I just needed to accept Sunny was unlikeable, and everything was supposed to be confusing to add to the mental torment… All in all, the idea was new, refreshing, terrifying, and certainly fulfilled its purpose of YA psychological thriller.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Canada for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review!

3.75 - I adored Delicious Monsters so was very excited to be given the chance to review Tender Beasts. And it's a good story! Liselle Sambury does an excellent job showing generational trauma and paralleling it through her protagonist Sunny and the diary of her late mom Ainsley. There were strong folk horror vibes and a lot of great gore, but I think there were just a bit too many characters. Some I forgot about because they disappeared until crucial moments, others just didn't seem to add all that much to the plot.

Still a fantastic book though, I can't wait to see what Sambury has in store next!

4.25 stars

When the matriarch of the Behre family dies suddenly, Sunny thinks it only a matter of time until her mother’s plan for Sunny to take over as head of the family becomes known to her siblings. Instead, all Sunny gets is a vague note from her mother to take care of her youngest brother Dom. The brother she barely knows and who’s been charged with second degree murder. When another student is found murdered, Dom is firmly in the frame as a suspect. But Sunny is determined to fulfill her mother’s last wish by proving Dom’s innocence. As Sunny and Dom investigate, more bodies start falling and long held family secrets are unearthed.

I really enjoyed this book. I’m convinced that no one writes complex family relationships the way Liselle Sambury does. Sunny as a character has such a great arc throughout the course of the book. Separate from any horror elements, there are some really nice moments that comment on a person’s self-image versus how other people see them. It’s got interesting characters layered with some generational trauma and an unputdownable mystery. Plus some creepy horror (that’s not too scary). All of the elements are woven together so well, I would definitely recommend it.

I did have a couple of small issues. There were a couple small lags in pacing, and this book didn’t quite reach the emotional heights of Delicious Monsters for me. But those are minor complaints in an otherwise very fun read.

Liselle Sambury is now one of my favourite authors and I definitely want to read her other books!

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for the eARC. This is my honest review.

This is a YA novel set in Ontario, where our main character Sunny lives with her wealthy family who run an exclusive needs-based private school.
Things seem great until bodies start turning up - and Sunny’s brother is the main suspect. As Sunny works to uncover information, readers learn of a mysterious entity, her deceased mother’s journals revealing decades old secrets, and some complicated family dynamics.

I’ll be real - I didn’t LOVE this book. The premise is good on paper, but maybe a bit lacking in terms of narrative. It was a lot of “telling” and not a lot of “showing”, which impacted my enjoyment while reading.
The ending twist took me by surprise though, and while I didn’t love the “milk man” angle of things, it was a satisfying end for me.
I struggled with there being no supernatural elements in the book whatsoever until the last 50 pages or so, when we find out that the entire book rides on the “milk man” beast.

That being said, I think YA readers might enjoy this more than I did!