The Monstrous Kind is the mysterious tale of Merrick Darling and her family - a so-called "Manorborn" family who are immune to the phantoms living across their borders. Merrick travels back home after the death of her father left her sister in charge of the family estate. What follows is a tale of family, rivals and ghosts.

To start - the story was fascinating. It was unique and captivating. I finished the book purely to find out what happened, and I'm glad I did. The twists and turns throughout left me wondering what would happen next. I enjoyed the tone of the book, particularly that we were learning about the mysteries as Merrick did.

That being said, I felt that the characters and story were underdeveloped. As much as I enjoyed Merrick's journey, I hated her as a character. She was seemingly intelligent, but was clueless the majority of the book as to what was happening around her. I also struggled to enjoy the language used after some time. While I liked the Victorian style language, the overuse of metaphors became burdensome and rarely left me feeling like I could paint a picture in my head. They were also incredibly repetitive, particularly with the metaphors surrounding milk and cream colored things. By the 30% mark, I felt that skimming the book was more effective because I wasn't trying to comprehend everything being said.

Overall, I think this was a decent debut novel with room to grow; however, one will need patience to finish it. I look forward to seeing this author continue through her career, as she has incredible potential and a mind to create an engaging story.

This is one of my first horror books that I’ve read. I received this as an ARC and enjoyed it. It was fast-paced and kept me intrigued by the twists and turns. I wish that we had learned about more depths to the characters as the story developed. The romance seemed an afterthought, which is fine, but never felt like it was thought out.

What an interesting and unique take on Jane Austen's <i>Sense and Sensibility</i> with a Regency England cut off with a mist (or Smoke as they call it) filled with creatures lurking within, waiting, lingering to take anyone who dares step within either eat them or make them part of the Phantoms - zombie-like creatures. Merrick has been called home to attend her father's funeral. There she finds her sister, who has now taken the position as Manorlord, and who seems to hold a deep resentment for her leaving. Merrick must navigate the treacherous landscape of secrets and lies within the manor.

I am not going to lie - I have never been a fan of Jane Austen books. I have read them in the past but I have not touched them since. This book is not a retelling of <i>Sense and Sensibility</i> but more of a unique take on the book itself with twelve families immune to the Smoke that lingers along the borders of their homes. Merrick has returned home from a Season in the city. Her father has passed away and her sister has been named Manorlord, something that Merrick had already known and the reason why she had left in the first place, but on her return, she found that the Smoke has breached areas around the manor and this is obvious when her carriage is surrounded and the creatures converge upon it.

Jane Austen's books have never been a favorite of mine. So, I never read any of the other books written by her and this was one that I had passed by. So character-wise I am not sure how well Merrick and her sister are to the characters they are meant to resemble. The story is solid with an interesting twist to the plot at the end. I found this book a rather quick read for me from the moment I picked it up until I put it down. I think, once you do read this one, it will leave you kinda reeling at the end especially when you learn who has been behind it all. I am still thinking about it even now as I make this review.

This book will be a nice addition to anyone's Harvest TBRs and I recommend that you add it.


*Disclaimer: Thank you to the author, her publishers, and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book. The opinions of this review are mine and mine alone.

I'll start off by saying that I am partially biased, because I follow Lydia Gregovic on social media, and one time we had a lovely conversation about Professor Layton games. I am also biased because I have a soft spot in my heart for regency, and Austen-inspired, stories. (Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, anyone?) That said, what a truly phenomenal book.

I initially saw this book on Ava Reid's Instagram story, and I knew immediately that I wanted to read this book. I know. I know. Don't judge a book by its cover and all of that, but sometimes, the cover is exactly right, and it does its job conveying to you that this is your kind of book.

Also, on the note of the art, I cannot wait to own this book physcially because I cannot imagine that the art on the title page was done justice on the Netgalley shelf app on my phone. I know sometimes these come through as more true "kindle" books, but I really appreciated that the formatting of this allowed me to see the detailing on the first pages of the parts as well as the more subtle detailing on the chapters.

I have heard Gregovic refer to this book as her first-born child, and I think that the love and care and time which were spent on the book are evident in its atmosphere and its dialogue, both of which I thought were top-notch, a masterclass.

I think sometimes when people are doing regency, they lean a little too heavy into the exposition or descriptions of the way that the society works at the upfront, leaving the reader wanting a bit more of a hook, or a jump into the action. I think Gregovic did a really lovely job at combining the two, setting readers down right at the edge of the mist, with a narrator who was more than equipped to explain why they should be feeling the unease that comes with that placement, which I think can be a hurdle with horror on occasion. getting the reader in the correct headspace to feel as though the looming threat might actually come to fruition.

Also, not that it is exactly the same, but I felt like weaving in the snippets of the Toast from the very beginning was a good way to hook readers who are only familiar with regency-era historical fiction from their recent Bridgerton binge session, and a good way to start to indirectly introduce the conventions and opinions of the society while Merrick was still isolated.

I love a book where the plot twists are able to take me by surprise, and that was largely true for this book, though some of the twists later in the novel were more apparent than others.

Overall, I really enjoyed my time with the book, and I loved getting to be with Merrick as a character. If you like fantasy, regency-era historical fiction, horror, or mysteries, I would recommend this book to you without a doubt. I can't wait to see what Gregovic writes next.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

For me this book started out very slow and continued the slow pace past the midpoint. However, once I got past the gradual build up, I was definitely sucked in and eager to discover where the story was leading me. It without a doubt kept me intrigued right up to the very last sentence, and I'm now ready and waiting for book 2.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's | Delacorte Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Although it is a Sense and Sensibility retelling, the vibes I got from it were more One Dark Window meets A Study in Drowning with regency. The book is a perfect amount of darkness. Although some things are explained, others leave you to wonder, such as the reason the Greylands are what they are in the first place. I feel like this leaves it open for even a potential prequel? I was in love with Killian Brandon from the beginning and so happy to watch his character develop. I also loved the writing style of this one. Definitely planning to do a re-read once published! Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to read this ARC. 🙏❤️

Imagine a Regency England cut off from the world by a white fog (the Smoke) roiling with nasty creatures that long to destroy everything they can reach. Only the twelve ruling families are immune to the pernicious effects of the Smoke, so when Merrick Darling returns home from a season in New London looking for a husband, she doesn't really need to be rescued by handsome Killian Brandon.

But something is terribly wrong at Norland House, the ancestral home of the Darlings. Merrick's sister, chosen to lead the family, appears fragile and haunted, and will not forgive Merrick for abandoning her. Reluctantly, Merrick must figure out what's going wrong — and how to put it right for the good of her family, and for the salvation of the people her family is sworn to protect.

Atmospheric in the best early Gothic sense, this is a monster story where the hero uncovers layers of monstrosity all around her. I found it slow going to begin, but the half-modern/ half-historical tone of the writing and the scrappy, prosaic character of flawed Merrick combined to keep me in the story. A solid choice for fans of — there is such a thing, whatever it's really called — YA romantic horror adventure stories.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the free eARC in exchange for my unfettered opinion.

I read this book in less than a day - I couldn’t put it down! So so so fun - gothic and mysterious vibes are totally up my alley and this delivered. I loved the Sense and Sensibility touch throughout (now I just want to go watch the movie even though they are completely different!). I thought the ending dragged on a bit and could’ve been wrapped up a bit tighter, other than that what a fun read.

If you’re looking for zombies, Sense & Sensibility, a woman who can shoot a gun and don’t need no man to save her, and a touch of romance please read this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.
Sadly this was a no for me. I was simply bored. The characters didn’t grab me, the plot trudged along. And the retelling aspect was hardly there. Decent writing but otherwise lacking in elements I needed.

Thank you Netgalley for the E-arc.
Unfortunately i had to DNF about 50% of the way through.
For me personally there wasn’t as much world building as I’d like, making it hard to fully immerse yourself in the story.
That being said that it is a fun story over all.

Unfortunately, I am DNF’ing this ARC at 62%. Despite this, I'm still giving the book 3 stars because it had some good qualities. I enjoyed the writing and the scenery. Gregovic’s atmospheric writing reminded me a lot of Ava Reid’s style, and I picked up this book because Ava Reid recommended it.

Inspired by "Sense and Sensibility," The Monstrous Kind follows Merrick Darling. After her father's passing, she returns home to her manor to help her sister. However, when her sister goes missing, Merrick struggles to determine whom she can trust and what her next move should be.

The characters and pacing were the main reasons this was a DNF for me. Merrick, the main character, felt bland and lacked personality. The pacing was the biggest issue; it felt like I was trudging through the book with nothing happening. I can enjoy an 800-page book where nothing happens if the characters are interesting, but that element was missing here.

This might be a case of the right book at the wrong time, and I may pick it up again in the future. For now, I felt like I was struggling to read more than 2% each time I picked it up, and I didn't want to put myself into a reading slump. Despite this, I would definitely give Gregovic’s writing another try in the future!

The Monstrous Kind hit me at just the right time. I was craving a young adult gothic fantasy in the vein of Erin A. Craig, and while Gregovic's writing is quite a bit different from Craig's, this book managed to scratch that itch.

The story opens with main character, Merrick, being called home from London after the death of her father. Her sister has inherited their father's title as Manorlord, and is expected to protect the people of Sussex from a dangerous mist that has engulfed the land. Although the true danger is the Phantoms that stalk the mist - feral, zombie-like creatures that will attack anyone foolish enough to step inside. As Merrick travels home, her carriage plunges into the mist, and she is attacked by a Phantom.

The worldbuilding here was truly excellent. There are a lot of new terms to digest in the first few pages, but the world never felt incomprehensible to me. I was immediately hooked by the mysterious mist and the Phantoms within. There is a sweet romance hinted at, a compelling mystery surrounding Merrick's sister Estella, and plenty of action.

I did go into this without realizing it was a Sense and Sensibility retelling, and while I have read S&S, it is my least favorite of Austen's works. I also haven't read S&S in over 15 years, so I definitely think The Monstrous Kind stands well on its own. Unfortunately, I don't remember S&S well enough to speak to its effectiveness as a retelling, but I loved the Rengecy-era vibes in The Monstrous Kind, and I always think a Regency sensibility works well in a gothic fantasy. The only thing I didn't love was the writing. At first, I thought it was lush and lyrical, but as the book went on, the incessant metaphors and similes started to wear on me. I think in this instance, less is more. That said, this is the author's debut (I think?) and I'm sure their writing will improve with future works. I'm still very excited to read the sequel! (I think there's a sequel?)

Thank you to Netgalley and to Random House Children's for granting me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

thanks to NetGalley for the eARC

⭐️=3.5 | 😘=2.5 | 🤬=3.25 | ⚔️=4 | 14+

summary: Sense and Sensibility inspired (but NOT a retelling); gothic Regency England girl’s father dies and her stupid cousin and his wife don’t give her her inheritance and also she has a mysterious sister and also there’s a ghost/monster hunter and also

thoughts: a retelling of this sort requires two reviews (lest I feel dishonest). here is my review as a regular, non-Sense and Sensiblity-associated novel:

- I liked the vibes, but this was quite predictable, especially the last twist, which made for a slightly frustrating reading experience. the world building was fun, however slightly unnecessary (there’s, like, twelve big families it bothers explaining with an infographic at the beginning even though only like four are relevant to the plot). overall, it’s okay? there’s some fun angst between Merrick and Killian.

picky review as a Sense and Sensibility retelling:

- this is arguably, maybe, slightly inspired by S&S, but absolutely not a retelling!! a retelling implies (imo) at least some semblance of integrity to original characterization and theme of the overall work (both of these being more important than plot), and A Monstrous Kind did not do that! Merrick is sort of outspoken, but cares too much about social conventions to be considered a true interpretation of Marianne. and Elinor!! what was that!! Sense and Sensibility is about sisterhood, about finding and holding on to family despite differences!! it’s about siblings!!!!! and this, like… butchered it. its most basic, bare bones premise (sisters’ father dies and those to whom his property was left do not provide the sisters with what they deserve to inherit) is sort of Sense and Sensibility, but the rest is absolutely not. like I don’t even care about plot, I just care about character and theme. whatever.

keeping all this in mind, I’ve averaged the star rating. 3.5 overall, I guess.

If you like mystery, romantasy, and monsters this is the book for you! I loved the gothic vibe and the lore of the land, although it did take a tiny bit to get into.

Dive into The Monstrous Kind, where Regency elegance meets spine-chilling mysteries and supernatural thrills! Merrick Darling's journey from high society to haunted manor is a rollercoaster of secrets, monsters, and sisterly twists. With a dash of romance and a lot of suspense, this novel is a thrilling ride through a world where every ball gown hides a dark secret and every fog-laden path leads to adventure. Grab your top hat and join Merrick on her quest—you won't want to miss this enchanting blend of historical charm and eerie excitement!

**3.5 STARS**

Content Warning: violence, death, loss of a parent

I went into this one not knowing it was inspired by Sense and Sensibility until after I read it. With that said, I loved how it is written because I felt like it was regency era inspired so I think the author did a great job capturing that era and the gothic vibes.

As for it being inspired by Sense and Sensibility, I can definitely see that with a few twists here and there. The world building and history is interesting with this encroaching fog that kills people, so over generations it has pushed territories to defend and protect their borders. Merrick’s family has had a change in head of household with her father’s death and her sister is the named the next lord of their manor. What I found fascinating in the stories was the relationship between the sisters and how complicated it is. Bottom line is both girls are trying to survive and keep their house in order but one is head of household and the other has to marry. It’s not so easy to do either though when their borders are being breached, and they seem weak.

I did enjoy how the story unfolded though it can feel slow at some parts because a lot of it is a mystery until all is revealed. I loved the gothic atmosphere. I mean the fog has Phantoms (zombies?) that kill people! It took me only two days to read but I can’t say I loved Merrick. She is pitted as the most vulnerable of the sisters because she has no power, and has to marry to survive but she seems willing to fall for any guy who pays her attention. Is that survival or is she just too trusting? Especially when she has a cousin-in-law, Cressida who is trying to teach her to be more aware of the games the people in power play? I just wanted Merrick to be a little more smarter about some situations. But as a comparison to Marianne from Sense and Sensibility then I can totally see that she stacks up well to her. I did want more from Essie also.

My Thoughts:

Regency era mystery, gothic vibes, zombies in the mist, and inspired by Sense and Sensibility – I think the author pulled it off. I do wish I loved the characters more though and the romance had a chance to take off, but is there a book two because the ending did feel like it was left open? Overall, I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from this author.

This book had everything I love:
Mystery and Suspense
Unexpected Plot Twists
The best male love interest
And like court stuff

This book was great once I got into it, it just took a little bit for my interest to fully be there. This is a really well done debut novel, and the world building is *chefs kiss*. As a person who has a hard time visualizing things in my brain, I need strong imagery, and this book has it.

There better be a second one coming!!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this ARC for my honest review.

I absolutely loved this! Atmospheric and understated while creating a convincing and rich fantasy-version of England. I loved the re-telling from the perspective of Marianne and found the major twist excellent and unexpected. One of my favorite reads of the year!

I received a copy thought NetGalley for review.

I really enjoyed this one, its got atmospheric Phantom (ie. zombie like sickness) mist, and only the Lords, the ruling families are in on the secrets of beating the ever creeping mist back and protecting humanity from losing themselves to it, deteriorating to a Phantom and then going back to eat their loved ones.

The Manor Born, or those descended from the families of Lords have magical immunity to the mist, only they can go into it and not become a Phantom. Charged with protecting their people, and communities Lords are trained in battle, in combat to hunt and destroy Phantoms in the mist. And hold off the Greylands that have already been lost to mist.

Archdaughter Merrick Darling, fled her home and manor Norland House in Sussex 6 months ago after the death of her mother, when her father declared she would not inherit the title of Lord. For what else was a spare Manorborn to do, but find herself a good husband and bolster her house's name. But in that time she had yet to form an attachment when her sister, Estella writes informing her their father has died. And so she must return.

She finds Estella much changed in those months, she appears almost frightened and haunted herself.
Something strange is happening at Norland House and Merrick is determined to uncover it.
Norland House is in trouble with a series of recent breaches, the mist leaking in and killing the populace before the Manorborn and their men and sweep in and end the Phantoms.

With ruthless cousins already in the house by the time she arrives, and other Houses looking for a weakness, to either take over, marry into or oust the Darling line. And it turns out her Father did not publicly declare a Vessel, an heir before he died. The assumption is Estella is the presumptive Vessel, but she doesn't appear remotely ready to take up the title of Lord.
She's keeping secrets from Merrick, and it's looking like their father went mad with grief prior to his untimely death before leaping into the mist himself.

With a pack of vultures circling, can Merrick help her sister, and uncover whatever rot seems to have taken up in Norland House before it's too late?

It's got Regency era manners, zombie like creatures, an encroaching deadly mist, women trained to shoot guns and kill phantoms plus dance and balls and woo society at large, romance, secrets, rebellion. I honestly cannot wait for book 2!