This was not for me. The themes were interesting but the language was way too modern for a book set in the 1700s. I’m disappointed because I really wanted to like this!

Full of angst and male chauvinism, Griffis takes us on a journey through the dangers of being a woman in 18th century France. Even more dangerous is a woman who refuses to live by the rules set by men. Joséphine and Clara are such women. Joséphine is brash and strong, but fears abandonment. Clara is calm and rational, and loves Joséphine deeply. They are the fight coming for the men in the town of Mende, as they are also fighting the beast who haunts their woods.

Griffis writes a powerful novel about brutality and abuse of women at the hands of men. She also highlights witchcraft hysteria that was used to keep women in a position of submission-fear becoming a weapon of choice and coercion. But the author gives us a group of eclectic characters that you come to love and cheer for, who choose courage in the face of immense adversity. They also embrace who they are, regardless if society accepts them.

This book was an enjoyable read-full of tension and anguish. If you are a fan of fantasy and underdog-to-hero, this one’s for you.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

3.5 stars!

This was an enjoyable read! I don't typically gravitate towards historical fiction, but I quite liked this one and I found it interesting this was somewhat based on real events. Some things I noticed is that the writing felt much more modern compared to our 18th century setting, which made really immersing myself into the story a bit challenging. Along with that, I think the way that the actual French was integrated into the book was not the most graceful, and at times felt a bit clunky or pointless.

I liked our characters, I thought they were engaging enough and I never tired from reading their POV. The themes I think were also excellently executed, touching on the topics of feminism and abuses of power. For a YA book, I think this is very good, it's just that it doesn't quite reach the heights I had hoped for with it. Though it wasn't quite for me, I think there is definitely an audience for this book that will absolutely adore it.

Inspired by true events, this book is set in rural France in the 1700s where a village is plagued by a mysterious beast that is targeting women and children.

The men in this village are generally awful and abusive, while those who don't participate in the abuse happily look the other way. A few teenage girls see the beast as an opportunity to stage their deaths and escape the village for a better life, but the beast is real and they also need to avoid actually falling victim to it.

This was a pretty good YA historical fiction with fantasy, horror, and feminist elements to it.

The writing felt a bit modern for historical fiction which I see people complaining about in other reviews. It's a legitimate complaint but it didn't bother me that much. The book is YA and the language made it more readable. Also we have to remember that teenagers in 1700s France were just normal people like us and probably thought in a way similar to us. Yeah the book didn't have old timey prose, it also wasn't in French. Whatever.

I really enjoyed the idea of women using the idea of a monster to escape the real monster in their life which is the patriarchy and religious oppression. It worked well and there were a ton of memorable lines and quotes in the book (which I won't add here since I read an arc which is subject to some changes).

I'd definitely recommend picking this one up! It's a quick easy and inspiring read. Thanks to Penguin Teen Canada for the advanced copy!

This was an interesting historical horror YA take on the Beast of Gévaudan. I really liked the historical research that Griffis did for the book, but I felt like the horror could’ve been vamped up to really make this feel creepy, but I also thought the narration style of the book made this feel younger than its target audience. 😕

The book follows Joséphine, a 17-year-old shepherdess who finds that her town is now center stage for a series of mysterious deaths and disappearances by the creature that the area has come to call the Beast. I had my issues with her as she’s incredibly reckless for someone who experienced traumatic abandonment in her childhood. On top of this, she makes rash decisions, jumps to conclusions, and is incredibly quick to anger so this made for a very interesting and rather annoying character for me. Not only was this a bit of a hurdle to get through, but also the way in which she talks and narrates the book at times felt like she was younger than her 17 years. 🙁

I also felt like the book was written with a stark black and white kind of filter when it came to men in general. The male characters were either incredibly self absorbed, violent, or unable to take anything seriously. There’s one character that was able to avoid this kind of characterization, but on the flip side, he was so loyal and father-like that it felt weird to not get a middle ground between the two. 😐

The Beast itself felt less like horror and mystery, and more of a guessing game. Because of this, while I liked the historical take on how the Beast could have come about, I still thought the way in which this revelation comes about could have been a bit more suspenseful and creepy since this was pitched as a YA historical horror. 🫤

All in all, it was fine, but I just feel like some things could have been done better. Big thank you goes out to Delacrote Press and NetGalley for accepting my request to read this in exchange for an honest review. ❤️

Publication date: December 3!

Overall: 3/5 ⭐️

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

We Are the Beasts by Gigi Griffis is a first person YA Queer historical horror. Inspired by the unsolved mystery of the Beast of Gévaudan, Jo and Clara are two young shepherdesses living in the French countryside in 1765. Their town is being terrorized by beasts, both one that no one can capture and the humans hiding beastly natures.

My favorite part of this was how there is this constant mystery element of whether or not something supernatural is going on. There were times where I thought it was going to lean one way and then new evidence directed me in the other direction and I would switch back again. The constant push and pull is highlighted by how Jo has a strong desire to bite the men who are predators around her and the way certain characters are introduced. It really felt like it could have gone either way.

Clara and Jo have a slowburn romance that is based on a strong friendship since childhood. Jo has lived with Clara’s family since her father abandoned her and she left the home of Belle, another girl in the area whose father is obsessed with appearing virtuous but doesn’t actually care about others. Clara is of Ethiopian descent, helping to highlight the rich diversity that has existed in Europe for centuries and in the French-speaking world. Jo and Clara have a prayer that is a confirmation of their love and devotion to each other and I loved seeing it every single time.

Belle and Jo have the second best relationship even though it is extremely messy. Belle is very self-centered and not very self-aware, but we get to see her better points over time. What makes Belle feel unlikeable is when she is more interested in the publicity the Beast has been attracting than the fact that people are dying and there is a risk of a young woman being accused of witchcraft. But I do see potential in her to grow and change if she ever leaves her father’s thumb. Jo’s frustration with her is more than understandable, but even Jo can see there is something else going on and does have compassion for Belle despite their very strained history.

Content warning for homophobia, abuse, sexual assault by a religious figure, and sexism

I would recommend this to fans of YA horror that is historical instead of contemporary, readers who prefer horror that deals with critique of religious institutions, and those looking for a horror based on an unsolved mystery

This is a bit of history/folklore I’ve been interested in for a while but this was the first book I’ve read about it. I enjoyed how the author took the lore of the beast and wove it into a larger story, particularly using the beast as a metaphor/comparative of patriarchy. I didn’t know that there was a sapphic romance, so I was pleasantly surprised by that and felt the tension between Clara and Joséphine immediately.

Thank you, Netgalley and Random House, for the e-arc in exchange for a review.

I'm honestly very disappointed in the book, it has all the makings of a wonderful book: the cover is gorgeous, LGBT+ friendly, feminine rage (which was frankly need this week/election week), and slight speaking out against the church. I thought I would love this book, but it just wasn't it.

It took so long to get through, even though it was only 350 pages. I kept falling asleep because it was just so boring. The characters were flat and 1 dimensional. The butterflies come up once and then are never talked about or explained even though according to the cover they seem intrical to the story. We spend all this time being fearful of a random beasts that just happens to be a lioness.

I would rate it 1 star but I added an extra just because I do love feminine rage books I just wish we got more of that.

Oh, what great timing to read this book. The strong female friendships, paired with the raw feminist rage is what made this inspiration of the Beast of Gévaudan a perfect book as WE ARE THE BEASTS.

Gigi crafted a beautiful story and distinct voices that made me root for the characters to escape their abusive lives.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children for the eARC and congrats Gigi!

"Deaths and disappearances pile up as a mysterious beast stalks the French countryside and two girls seize an unlikely opportunity that just might save them all - or serve them up on a platter.

Step into this chilling, historical horror inspired by the unsolved mystery of the Beast of Gévaudan.

When a series of brutal, mysterious deaths start plaguing the countryside and whispers of a beast in the mountains reach the quiet French hamlet of Mende, most people believe it's a curse - God's punishment for their sins.

But to sixteen-year-old Joséphine and her best friend, Clara, the beast isn't a curse. It's an opportunity.

For years, the girls of Mende have been living in a nightmare - fathers who drink, brothers who punch, homes that feel like prisons - and this is a chance to get them out.

Using the creature's attacks as cover, Joséphine and Clara set out to fake their friends' deaths and hide them away until it's safe to run. But escape is harder than they thought. If they can't brave a harsh winter with little food... If the villagers discover what they're doing... If the beast finds them first...

Those fake deaths might just become real ones."

You gotta take what opportunities you're given!

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. This one had a lot of hope for me, but unfortunately fell flat. It wasn't really keeping my interest the way it needed to, and I didn't feel a great connection with the main characters. I might reattempt in the future, but for me, if I have to work that hard to try and love it, it's just not meant to be.

We are the Beasts follows Joséphine and her best friend Clara in a small town 1765, France under attack by a beast that resides in the nearby forest. The villagers believe it’s a curse from God to punish them for their sins. But Joséphine believes it can be an opportunity. With the help of Clara, the two girls begin to use the beast’s murders to fake the deaths of their friends with cruel fathers and brothers. But the threat of being caught lingers and as the beast seems to be closing in on them, the deaths they’re faking might become real.

This was an enjoyable read! The concept was really interesting and so fascinating that it was inspired by real events. The overall vibe of the book was well done and I liked that it was set in a small French town. I generally enjoy historical fictions books like this one where the women are accused to be witches and the men are generally awful. It was a little slow and I would’ve preferred a bit more horror, but I also liked that the story was centered on women helping other women. It was also so refreshing that Joséphine and Clara were shepherdesses—I don’t think I’ve ever read a book where the main characters are before and it was a detail I thought was fun.

Joséphine and Clara are good main characters, and I like the cast of women they saved and surrounded themselves in. There’s a lot of queer representation which I really liked and Louis’s story was so sad. I liked that Joséphine and Clara’s relationship wasn’t perfect and that it had a lot of growth by the end. It was really nice to see that relationship progress. Charlotte’s story was so sad but heartwarming. I’m really happy with the ending and liked the direction the character’s lives are going in as they felt fitting and believable. The last 50 or so pages gets super intense and is really nicely fast-paced.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read if you love historical fiction, beasts terrorizing small towns, and women supporting other women.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This story is based on true events in Gevaudan, France. The region was plague by a wolf-like creature attacking villagers. It was called the Beast of Gevaudan. It follows a few characters and themes of "no good deed goes unpunished" as we follow them through chaos, and also, harm that sometimes befalls women at the hands of those who should be protecting them. Thank you to NetGalley & Random House Children/Delacorte Press for the ARC. This book publishes December 10, 2024.

This book is absolutely amazing. It really captures the essence of what it means to be a woman. It had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. It is so beautifully written and the overall themes are brilliantly exposed in the end. I have no criticism. I am glad to have the privilege of reading and enjoying it.

Thank you netgalley and PRH/Delacorte Press for the e-arc,

I'm not giving this book a star rating on GR because I dnfed it 12% in,

While the characters are intriguing and I think if I could sit down with this at a later date to try again, would be willing to give this a second read, there were two stand out things that made me go: "Hm, this one isn't for me."

1) On page three it says "Not today, Satan." this immediately threw me out of 1700's France and made me cringe a little. I'm not sure how well this would go over with YA readers. To be honest it made me go: "oh, a millennial wrote this" and that thought chased me until I got 12% into the book and decided to set it down for now.

2) I usually don't mind anachronistic language in historical novels, in fact, I prefer it because it allows historical research and atmosphere to be built in a more genuine way-- therein lies the issue. I would not be able to tell where this book is set if not for the handful of odd French words tossed in or the the brief description of the landscape.

3) Speaking of those odd French words peppered in to remind us this story is set in France and these characters are French, it just didn't land with me. It was another thing that removed me from the story and not to sound harsh, but it felt like a very lazy way of worldbuilding.

Overall, I was not grounded in this book early enough to really understand the stakes beyond "girls being targeted by the patriarchy" I generally like that theme but if a book is going to be a historical horror, I need something to sink my teeth into and We are the Beasts lacks that toothiness after the first chapter. This book feels more like the Beast of Gevaudan as a trojan horse for a screw the patriarchy, girls and their wrongs esque plot.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children’s/Delacorte Press for the ARC.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The author takes a crack at the Beast of Gevaudan, one of my favorite unsolved historical mysteries. However, the beast is not the main character or focus of the story. The beast hiding behind human masks is the real enemy.

I liked many elements the author used in the story, especially the Ethiopian connection. I would love to find out the research behind this connection. The characters for the most part were well written, a few seemed predictable/formulaic. Some of that may be due to the fact that with so many characters in play it was hard to fully grasp some of them. The part of the story that includes the beast itself was interesting, but was not as surprising as I had hoped. I do think the theory the author went with is one of the most plausible. The author’s take on the sheep in the story was great throughout.

For a YA book I found this to fit in the middle and I enjoyed that. Too often when I read a YA book it is either too mature, disturbing or too childish for me to agree with the rating. To me, this is a perfect balance and makes it accessible to a broad age range. The violence is real enough and adequately expressed without glorifying it.

My criticisms are personal opinion. I found some of the modern slang that was used a couple of times did not fit the narrative well. Adding some of the French words and phrases could have been a nice touch but I felt they were too simplified or overused. I also felt some of the situations and solutions were not completely realistic or possible. The story flowed very well, however at the end I did feel like it moved too fast and could have been drawn out for the good of the story.

My 5 star streak is slowly getting broken up by low reviews…
Unfortunate, but let’s just get to the review.

Plot Summary:

Sixteen-year-old Josephine and her best friend Clara are shepherdess living in France when deadly attacks begin wreaking havoc in her small town. Instead of cowering at the threat of this beast, Josephine and Clara take it as an opportunity to save the girls suffering at the hands of men in their community.
But as their number of rescued girls grows, escape seems more and more impossible. Will the men of the village find them out? Or will the beast get to them first?

Plot Review:

I don’t really know what to say about this book.
At the heart of it, there were some important lessons and meanings. I love a book with a deeper message.
But, well, this was not at all like the book I was promised.
It’s marked as horror, but I was never genuinely scared throughout this story. In fact, I felt very little of anything. There was no connection to these characters. No gentle introduction to them or the situation they are in.
Instead, we are thrust into the story and into Josephine’s life.
And the “beast” in question never felt like a real threat. The men in this story were the true terror, I know, but I was also told I would get a beast and it was simply not delivered to me.
Well, it was, but it also wasn’t, and I was left very disappointed.
Again, I loved the overall message, but this plot was not it. You can have important lessons and also have a decent storyline at the same time.
No need to sacrifice one for the other.
But I don’t think Griffis got that memo…

Characters:

Josephine was… Fine.
Clara was… Fine.
Everyone else was…. Fine.
Honestly, I don’t really know them or understand them. I felt like we spent so long together, yet I just never felt anything about them.
I loved the strong emotions they felt and their sense of justice was very satisfying, but they didn’t make me feel what I wanted to feel.
I guess that’s kind of all I have to say.

Overall Thoughts:

I love books with powerful messages, but this was not it.

"I will save this little girl if it's the last thing I do." This gripping tale of a village in 1700's France, troubled by beasts both human and animal. A group of girls bond together to protect their own, under tremendous societal/religious pressure. Definitely has a subversive, feminist vibe - which I loved! A few slips into 21st century speak, but for me that didn't stop the flow. I was swept up in this story from page one. It moves quickly, and drops hints along the way. Great read!! Looking forward to seeing the hard copy - the cover illustration is gorgeous! Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's for the eARC.

LGBTQ+ rep: sapphic relationship (not really the focus), achillean relationship between two minor characters

Josephine, a young shepherdess living in the Gevaudan region of France with her best friend Clara, is faced with two sets of beasts: 1. the monster roaming the countryside and killing young girls and 2. the men of her village, who think they are owed anything they want. When the two girls stumble across a young girl in the aftermath of an attack, they decide to fake her death rather than hand her back to her abusive father. What follows is a tale of suspense, camaraderie, and refusing to give up.

Pros: the setting of this book was incredible - as someone who has spent a lot of time in the woods by themselves, I was taken back to that feeling of paranoia where I was carefully inspected every shadow and branch. I really enjoyed the main cast of characters, and the way they all came together felt really good when it happened.

Cons: I thought the balance between "the men have absolute power over everyone" and "Josephine is still impulsive and spunky" wasn't quite right. The consequences for being not normal and not falling in line were repeatedly described to be so steep that I didn't quite believe Josephine still had the lack of impulse control and fire she had and hadn't faced worst. It required slightly more suspension of disbelief than I was able to give.

All in all I ate this up!

3.25

Now playing:

FEMININE RAGE - PEGGY
1:35 ───ㅇ───── 3:47

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Characters:

Louis - He is the only character that matters. He is the best.

The lambs - IYKYK THEY ARE ACTUALLY THE BEST

Belle - I liked her complex character and how she didn't exactly fit our rag tag crew but she was complex

Clara - I loved her soft caring nature but also her communication with Jo, especially when she finally allowed herself to express her anger

Jo - I don't have a lot to say on her. She had a lot of feist to her and I loved that. Especially in a world like this with women extremely suppressed her anger was refreshing.

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Plot: The plot I wish was a bit more high stakes, it was also at times extremely unbelievable, but still the found family was nice

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Overall thoughts: This book made me angry in all the write ways. It was an easy read with deeper themes the closer you look, It was fun and fresh

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"I love you."
"Forever."
"And ever."
"Amen."