The Monstrous Kind
By: Lydia Gregovic
YA Title: Recommended: 12& up but great for Adults

Stars: 4 Stars
Format: E-Book

Review: Let’s talk about this book, which is nothing short of mesmerizing. If you’re someone who sometimes judges a book by its cover, then consider this one a triumph. As for the story itself… I was unexpectedly enthralled. I began with minimal expectations, but the narrative quickly exceeded them in the most thrilling way.

What a captivating and eerie tale it turned out to be! The setting, dark-enchanting, and unique magic system are nothing short of lovely. This book is a gem for anyone craving an innovative fantasy read. Drawing inspiration from Austen's Sense and Sensibility, it weaves a regency fantasy imbued with a chilling gothic atmosphere.

Imagine a world shrouded in a persistent, ghostly fog, with dilapidated, haunted homes and monstrous creatures prowling the edges of the provinces—utterly spine-tingling! The families and provinces, each with distinct traits and abilities, are introduced at the beginning, setting a solid foundation for the grim and atmospheric narrative that follows.

Pros: Atmospheric, Gothic, Eerie, and laced with Mystery and Intrigue. This book has it all! The pacing is impeccable, and it's an outstanding debut. I'm eagerly anticipating the sequel and can’t wait to see where this hauntingly dark journey leads next!

Cons: I believe this book was described as a romantic, and I believe this was more of a Fantasy with a small romance subplot.

Recommend (Yes/No/Maybe): Yes, but don't approach this book expecting a romantasy. It’s interesting to note that some readers have compared it to House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin Craig, and I agree—the dark tones are strikingly similar, and I absolutely loved House of Salt and Sorrows! Additionally, the misty atmosphere reminded me of One Dark Window, evoking a similar sense of excitement to that found in the Gillig duology.

Thank you, NetGalley and Delacorte Press, for allowing me the opportunity to review the title.

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

The Monstrous Kind by Lydia Gregovic is a first person-POV alternative history Regency YA Gothic fantasy. Merrick has spent time in New London along high society but doesn't have an engagement to show for it. When she returns to her family manor after the death of her father to find her sister, Essie, withdrawn and the phantoms creeping closer, she's got a lot more on her plate than finding a husband.

The worldbuilding is so interesting. I've only recently started getting into Gothic and this hit a lot of the buttons that I've started to associate with it. We have phantoms, a manor falling apart, a female lead who constantly feels like everything is slipping away, including what she knows, and we have a dark, rich atmosphere that plays to the genre and time period.

As a lead, Merrick is certainly not dumb, but she is a bit naive. Part of that comes from how several of the men in her life treated her. Her father raised her and Essie almost exactly the same, putting both in the running to inherit the manor, until he told Merrick that she would never have it. On top of that, a potential romance partner or option for fake dating to get the attention of others shows up to Merrick's father's funeral with a fiancee. It makes her a bit jaded as the book goes on, but she never forgets about the things she needs to do to survive.

Between Killian and Ames, the two potential love interests, I liked Killian the best from the beginning. Ames is charming and knows the right things to say, which usually makes me automatically distrust a potential love interest in a Gothic or horror. Killian, on the other hand, is kind of gruff and tells it like it is, but still has his secrets and isn’t totally without his own agenda. Killian also respects Merrick’s autonomy a lot more and seems to listen more to her boundaries.

Content warning for kidnapping and mentions of suicide

I would recommend this to fans of both YA and Gothic fantasy, readers who prefer the Regency period for their historical fiction, and those looking for their next Gothic read that includes phantoms and complicated father-daughter relationships

I honestly had no idea what this book was about, I simply wanted this for the cover but let me tell you, this author right here said I’m going out the gate with action! My mouth was open and I was scrolling through the pages rapidly. Hands down a new favorite.

The Monstrous Kind is the perfect read for fall/spooky season. The back drop of Regency England is fitting for the gothic tale full of complex characters and plot twists that I didn’t see coming. The plot lulls at some points and the romance doesn’t deliver like an expected romantasy, but it was still an enjoyable read!

Thank you again to NetGalley and Random House Children for a chance to read and review an advanced copy of this book!

The Monsterous Kind is a hauntingly atmospheric escape into Regency Era England that ensorcells readers in a creepy battle to get to the bottom or a mystery while holding onto their position as Manor Lord, and not being killed by the dangerous monsters that lurk in the Smoke.

Two sisters, Essie and Merrick, are all that remains of their immediate family and the ever-present Smoke, within which lethally dangerous monsters lurk is spreading for reasons they cannot determine - all while juggling court politics and attempting to figure out who they can trust. Family secrets unravel as they race to solve the mysteries before they lose the position of Manor Lord - or worse, their lives.

📖 I thought the plot was quite good. It's interesting and fun with some twists and turns. Layered nicely and has you guessing at times.

🗺 World building was intricate and well described, bringing all of your senses into the world. Being the first book in a series, a fair bit of time is spent building the world so that you get a fully immersive experience.

⏳️ I felt the pacing was good, but I feel like the gaps between action were a bit too long. It's so beautifully written that I didn't notice initially.

✍️🏼 The prose is truly divine. It's flowery without going into purple, with unique expressions and word choices. Dialogue felt natural. Both flowed well, nice and smooth.

👥️ The characters are well developed with nice arcs and growth. I loved that I could never decide if I loved one character or loved to hate her.

💞 There isn't a lot of romance in this one, so if that's important to you, this may not be something you would enjoy. I enjoyed the SLOW burn and wouldn't have minded a bit more romance, but I enjoyed that aspect as it was.

When I say it's a slow burn, I mean it's a SLOW burn, and I loved that. They get to know one another (as much as Regency Era allowed) before anything more, and I appreciate that. It's been 20+ years since I've read Sense and Sensibility, so I can't say if I could tell the author drew inspo from it. I just don't remember enough to say. I love how descriptive the author is and her style of writing.

I didn't love that some of the twists felt obvious to me. That may be a YA thing? I don't know. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love that aspect. There were a few too many similies for my tastes, even though they were beautifully written. As well as the world was developed, the amount of time spent on it bogged me down a bit reading it. I understand world building is necessary, and to do so intricately takes time, but I feel like it could've been spread through the book more or something.

📚 If you enjoyed Anatomy: A Love Story, House of Salt & Sorrow, House of Marionne, or just enjoy YA Gothic Fantasy, I think you would enjoy this solidly strong start to a series by debut novelist Lydia Gregovic.

I enjoyed it a lot, just didn't quite love it. I'll definitely continue the series, I'm quite interested to see where the story goes. I would love to learn more about the other Manor Lords and their provinces, more on the phantoms and the Smoke in future books in this series.

Thank you to @_lydiagregovic_ @randomhousechildrens @randomhousekids @netgalley for the opportunity to read this eARC. I'm choosing to leave this unbiased review.

This was the perfect spooky fall story, complete with mystery and romance.

It was a bit difficult to understand the world building at first. I got into it about halfway and I’m looking forward to the sequel!

Thank you for the opportunity of an eARC and I am leaving this review willingly.

The Monstrous Kind by Lydia Gregovic
ARC thanks to @netgalley and @delacortepress

From the opening line, this book promises an ominous story and it delivers perfectly. Too spooky to read at night moments, slow burn gothic, mists, phantoms, and twists you don't see coming. This book has the makings of everything I love!

Follow Merrick as she travels back home to Norland House following her father's passing. Quickly, she finds it in a state that isn't what it used to be and discover with her that her father's death might not be what it seems. Pair that with a phantom filled fog threatening their borders and you have the perfect book for spooky season!

I've said it twice now but I must say it again, I highly recommend this book if you love Belladonna, House of Salt and Sorrows, One Dark Window, Nightweaver or A Study in Drowning. I would also now add Rebecca to that list. Put this on your TBRs stat! Pub day is TOMORROW, Sept 3rd!

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Random House Children's | Delacorte Press. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Fantasy, Horror, Historical Fantasy, Regency Fantasy, Historical Romance, Gothic
Audience: Young Adult
Spice Level: Kissing
Language: Some profanity

THE MONSTEROUS KIND is incredibly addicting! I was riveted with the plot and anxious to see what would happen next.

I was so vested in Merrick! The pressure on her is enormous as she has returned home for her father's funeral, and she receives a tense welcome from her family.

Why are certain family members not trustworthy? And what is going on at the borders? Who are these monsters, and why are they attacking? What is the mysterious symbol on the wooden chest? Who can Merrick trust besides her sister?

Truly gripping!

There are a couple of times when Merrick makes questionable decisions. In these cases, I thought her choices served the plot, and I would have liked to have her reasoning bolstered when all instinct told a reasonable person to do something different. Was this a big deal? Not really—I still loved the story.

I think anyone who likes atmospheric reads in a proper society will love this book. Tell me what you think after you read it.

Happy reading!

PS: It gets monstrous bonus points for Jane Austen references!

i’ll start off with a positive: the vibes were immaculate. i loved the atmosphere of the novel! however, i think my expectations were much too high. it was just…bland. there was no flavor! no spice! nothing! i ended up with disappointment and boredom :( AND A LOVE TRIANGLE!

“An atmospheric, haunting, romantasy inspired by Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility, set in a Regency England about two sisters fighting to hold on to their manor while deadly monsters prowl along its perimeters.”

🥀Deadly mist
🥀Manor-based system of peerage
🥀Gothic x regency
🥀Walking Dead x Bridgerton

This Sense and Sensibility inspired romance is dreamy and gothic at the same time. Anything Austen inspired always piques my interest although it often makes me draw comparisons rather than let a book stand on its own.

I loved the idea of the different manor houses, each with their own reputations and social standing. Merrick Darling’s family are one of the more influential houses, and like the members of the peerage, are immune to the toxic fog that turns people into monstrous creatures. When her family dies, she returns home to find her sister, Essie, withdrawn and scared as the fog starts closing in. I wish we had seen more of the other manor houses and their political machinations to make the world feel a little less insular.

As Merrick investigates her sister’s disappearance, with the help of a guard, Killian, she begins to unravel dark truths. I didn’t know what to make of Merrick. We are told she has a fiery temper but this is never really shown. She is also supposedly the darling of the season in New London, implying she is adept at playing the game and people, but she reads as rather lost for most of the book and is easily misled. Unfortunately, I also didn’t feel much chemistry between any of the romantic interests, although I did quite like Killian.

I mostly struggled with the writing style which felt slightly overwritten with an overuse of similes but I appreciate this is debut. Whilst I found this distracting, the last 15% of the story packed a lot of action in and ended with quite a twist. Based on this, I imagine the sequel will open the world up even further to Merrick and the reader which is promising.

Thank you so much to the author for providing me an early copy of this book.

This is hands down, the perfect fall read, in my opinion.
There was never a dull moment, and right when I thought I could predict what was coming next, everything was turned on it's head! While the character development may seem a bit slow, it is definitely intentional and aids in the pacing of the story. Through and through, I enjoyed this read and devoured it in one sitting! I can guarantee I will be rereading this and recommending it to everyone who loves a fast paced fantasy read!
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for sending me an early copy of this book!

I've been fascinated by this YA fantasy Sense & Sensibility horror/thriller set in Regency England.

Yes, you read that correctly - what a combo, right?
Horror is definitely not my genre but there was enough of the rest to keep me intrigued. The writing is fab with a lot of detail, descriptive passages, and backstory world building. As mentioned, this is YA and marketed for 12 and up. Personally, that seems like a young audience due more to the content that is gruesome than any proclaimed romantasy. "The Monstrous Kind" by Lydia Gregovic is out tomorrow and might be the perfect spooky Bridgerton thriller for your fall TBR.

The Monstrous Kind
By Lydia Gregovic
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Thank you to @netgalley and @randomhousechildrens for the egalley in exchange for my honest feedback

*Thank you Delecorte Press and NetGalley for the eArc of The Monstrous Kind in exchange for an honest review!

3.5 ⭐️

From the blurb: “An atmospheric, haunting, romantasy inspired by Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility, set in Regency era England about two sisters fighting to hold on to their manor while deadly monsters prowl along its perimeters—perfect for fans of House of Salt and Sorrows and Anatomy: A Love Story.”

My thoughts:

I enjoyed this one! The premise was interesting and “atmospheric” and “haunting” are apt descriptors making this a great spooky season read.

I loved the concept of the different manors- at the start you get a list of the different manors with a description of their values and characteristics. It was a nice touch, but also something that wasn’t really shown in the story itself. I feel like more could have done with that.

The world building was an absolute strength and I’m a stickler for world building. There was no scrimping here- it was complete with lore and history, the politics, the social hierarchy- all worked together to paint a vivid picture and a satisfying concept of the world and how it works.

Imagery is a strength and also kind of a weakness? The writing style is very descriptive on the edge of flowery but dark flowery, not fluffy flowery. On the one hand this worked really well for contributing to the atmospheric world building, and the haunting, gothic, gritty vibe, but lots and lots of similes and “as if’s.” It was very noticeable, and if it’s noticeable then it becomes a bit distracting.

Cressida is an intriguing character- not likable but intriguing. Hot and cold, but not in a jarring, frustrating way- in a way that works because I was definitely wondering what her angle is and was interested to find out if she is friend or foe.

Typically if something is labeled a “romantasy” I’m thinking it is going to be pretty heavy on the romance and have some level of spice. There were definitely ships here and romantic tension, but it doesn’t really fit what I would consider a Romantasy. If you’re coming in expecting spice you will be left wanting, but the suspense was enough to keep me turning pages!

Overall, this was a great read to kick off the “ber” months! 🍂🍁

For me, the more accurate rating for this book would be 3.5☆. I did like this book. It was a bit of a different story than I've read before, which I was thrilled over. It was unique and original. What brought my rating down was the main character. She really got on my nerves. I was glad to see a bit of growth at the very end of the book, but she continued to make bad choices the whole story. I hope the next book has more character growth. I don't know if I will continue the series or not.
I got this as an ARC from Netgalley but these opinions are my own.

There was a pretty major typo on the first page of this book, “thei7s” instead of “theirs” this is an ARC so it didn’t bother me too much but I thought I’d mention it. I love lyrical writing but the metaphors in this book felt forced,

I struggled with this one. Especially after finding the movie pride & prejudice and zombies to be a rollicking fun movie….reading the blurb for this as a sense and sensibility with zombie like creatures was just not as much fun.
The FMC seems to always be forgetting her weapons or needing saving. I honestly just couldn’t get into the story. I do see where it could be a fun story for some.
I received an ARC of this title, all opinions are my own.

There’s slow burn, and then there’s just a book that never catches light.

The Monstrous Kind doesn’t lack for atmosphere or aesthetics, believe me. It also doesn’t lack a sense of romance or chemistry between characters. The dialogue is actually the best part of the novel, which is nice when dialogue tends to be a problem in some other gothic fantasy novels.

None of these positives can make up for the host of negatives that this novel is composed of, however. From its slow, predictable, and writ beginning that failed to engage me, to the absolute cookie-cutter trope-ish characters, to the painfully apparent foreshadowing and false leads, and scenes that were obviously filler and could have easily been cut to help the dreadful pacing of the story, this book just never took off. I can honestly say I didn’t even become halfway interested in how the story might end until almost 60% of the way through, and by then I had already guessed how everything went together. I just wanted to see how they were going to assemble it all at the end.

Even there I was disappointed.

I can’t recommend this book. I just think it’s a lackluster example of gothic fantasy in a world where there are thousands of gothic fantasies that outshine it by far.

This was Bridgerton smashed into the movie set The Mist with zombies. I would not say at all that this is based on Sense and Sensibility. I honestly almost DNF'd this book, it drug on so. There were spots of excitement but not enough to really reward the reader for sticking to such a dry story. The ending of this book was surprising and had me screaming at the characters because of the unexpected twist in the story. When I say the end, I am talking about the last 100 pages of a 300 page book.

I enjoy myself a good regency romance every now and again but this book didn’t do it for me. I feel that with some tweaking it could be really good. I would not run to get book 2 if there is one but I would read it at some point just to find out how the budding love story between Merrick and Killian develops.

Thank you Netgalley, Delacorte Press, and Lydia Gregovic for this e-ARC. The opinions posted in this review are given voluntarily and uncoerced .

'A line of iron lampposts extends along the cliff edge for as far as I can see in either direction, fires burning steadily in the lanterns that hang from each of their boughs, blazing against the approaching night. Beyond that lies the fog....The Graylands. That's what we call then-the mist-choked, uninhabitable swaths of our nation, the Smoke....'

This young adult fantasy has the very real feel of a murder mystery, horror, and historical fantasy all wrapped up into one story. The 'Monstrous Kind' tags itself as the fantasy version of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility. I most certain can agree with that assessment but at the same time I would say I very much got the same feelings I did when I read both Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and Stephen King's The Mist.

Over one hundred years ago the mist came and changed the face of England forever. London was burned to the ground in an effort to kill the creatures that came with the mist. Out of the ashes, New London was built and society learned to move on only with new rules and responsibilities. The Darling family of Sussex, through many generations, have been charged with the responsibility of keeping at bay those things that go bump in the night. Also known as 'Manorborn', the Darling's have some type of genetic immunity to the beings that reside in the mist.

Merrick and Estelle Darling both trained under their father's tutelage, learning how to maintain the lanterns and kill the zombie like monsters. Merrick had always assumed that her father would name her as the next Lord of Norland House; she assumed wrong. That title ultimately was bestowed on Estelle. In response, Merrick did the only thing she could, she moved to New London in the hopes of making a good match in marriage. This was what society expected of her. Unfortunately, shortly after her mother's death in a tragic carriage accident her father passed away. Estelle called Merrick home.

Upon her return to Norland House, Merrick discovers that everything is not as it seems. The reasons given for her father's death doesn't make sense, her sister is acting out of character, something or someone has been messing with the perimeter of her families land, extinguishing the lanterns and allowing the creatures to attack the residents. The mist is quickly encroaching closer and closer to the manor.

The reading age for 'The Monstrous Kind' is on point. Very little romance. I would rate the story PG-13 for the horror factor alone. I found the pace of the story to be medium until about 50% and then things really began to pick up. Merrick and Estelle are not completely lovable characters. They are both flawed and understandably so. Merrick is angry because she was passed over for the Lordship and Estelle is bitter due to all the responsibilities left on her shoulders. I found Killian Brandon to be a most lovable and ideal character. He is mysterious as well as heroic, he is described as having scars but those only add to his mystic.

Gregovic is releasing this story just in time for the Halloween spooky season and I certainly can see this being a holiday favorite.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

thank you netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy!

it was a struggle to finish this book, even though I was initially very excited by the concept of a gothic jane austen retelling. i wasn't a big fan of the the writing style, sometimes it felt a little forced and overwritten to me. the plot was bogged down with too much exposition and lacked the spark needed to engage me. while this book may appeal to some readers, it wasn't for me.