The creep factor is everything from the cover to the descriptions. It's not for the faint of heart between the vivid horror both in the sea and of humanity, the dark language, and the entrenched mythology, it's an older teen reader and/or a horror lover who will dive in. Plus the environmental commentary rides just under the surface.

Noon is discovering things about herself including her queerness and more in a waterworld that Noon's mother believes her son and husband (Noon's brother and dad) have been reincarnated as creatures of the deep so when they set out on a mission from a not-nice man there are multiple reasons to accept.

The setting is what makes the book. It's not quite the like her debut but the uniqueness of the story gives it some extra swagger with the blooms and monsters.

This is an amazing eco-horror YA novel, and any fan of the Annihilation/Southern Reach trilogy should love this. It was Southern/swamp Gothic mixed with a stunning Vietnamese immigrant story and immigration cosmologies/mythologies, and every page was a stunner. And that ending was so good!! Can't wait to get my own copy.

They Bloom at Night
Trang Thanh Tran
Genre: YA Horror
Length: 260 pages
Release Date: March 4, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis:
The author of the New York Times bestselling horror phenomenon She Is a Haunting is back with a novel about the monsters that swim beneath us . . . and live within us.

Since the hurricane, the town of Mercy, Louisiana has been overtaken by a strange red algae bloom. Noon and her mother have carved out a life in the wreckage, trawling for the mutated wildlife that lurks in the water and trading it to the corrupt harbormaster. When she's focused on survival, Noon doesn't have to cope with what happened to her at the Cove or the monster itching at her skin.

Mercy has never been a safe place, but it's getting worse. People are disappearing, and the only clues as to why are whispers of underwater shadows and warnings to never answer the knocks at night. When the harbormaster demands she capture the creature that's been drowning residents, Noon finds a reluctant ally in his daughter Covey. And as the next storm approaches, the two set off to find what's haunting Mercy. After all, Noon is no stranger to monsters . . .

Review:
I was immediately drawn to this book with the breathtaking cover art. It took me all of one sitting to read this novel and it sucked me in from the very first line. The story explores themes of trauma, gender identity, and the aftermath of an assault. I enjoyed the connection between humans and nature, it felt like the ocean was a character throughout which I really enjoyed. In my life I find the ocean to be both serene and terrifying. Tran so seemlessly blended Vietnamese mythology, self exploration, horror, and sci-fi elements.

They Bloom at Night tells the story of Noon who is living in a post-apocalyptic Louisiana and after several people go missing, Noon is now tasked with finding the creatures and beasts that have taken up residence in the waters. This leads her to find herself and what this world means for her through haunting imagery and some body horror. This book is absolutely stunning and is filled with fantastic proae and a compelling lead character. The way this story weaves the horror throughout and the sense of unease was truly captivating. I would certainly recommend the book for teenagers who love horror or who are interested in a moody story that deals with generational trauma and loss.

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc!

as i continue my horror journey, i find that i enjoy horror novels that emphasizes the author's culture and commentary on the specific culture's diaspora.

I love how beautiful and introspective Trang Thanh Tran's writing is, and this book is no exception!!! I raced through this one. The pacing was spot on, and the overall eerie vibe had me on the edge of my seat. One of the best queer gothic books I've read!!!

If you’re a fan of horror, you should check this book out. This was a great read because not only was it well written as a horror story, but it was a tale of self discovery journey for Nhung. Growing up, she struggled with her identity. She always wanted to be on the water in the boat her dad would take out to sea but, being female, she had to stay home with her mom while her younger brother gets to follow their dad’s footsteps. Everything that happens that leads up to the end is slow burn edge of your seat. I couldn’t see what was coming at each turn. It was well worth the time reading this book and it’s the first time I got to read a book by this author.

They Bloom at Night was unfortunately not for me. I really loved the cover! And I appreciated the Vietnamese folklore throughout the story, but ultimately it fell a little flat for me.

The story felt a bit disjointed and hard to follow. It was hard to picture the setting for me as well for some reason. I do think a lot of people will appreciate this book though.

Really enjoyed this spooky look into environmental disaster, and how it weaved together science and family mythology. The body horror was truly disturbing, and I say that with utmost respect and terrified awe! I also just really enjoyed all the characters, especially Noon. Her journey through this book was powerful, and fit in well with the horror aspects.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one! I was on the edge of my seat the entire time and I will definitely be picking up more by this author!!

"They Bloom at Night" delves into the horrors that lurk both beneath the surface of the water and within the depths of the human psyche.

Set in the ravaged town of Mercy, Louisiana, in the aftermath of a devastating hurricane, the story follows Noon, a young woman navigating a world choked by a strange red algae bloom and populated by mutated wildlife. Noon and her mother survive by scavenging these creatures, trading them with the corrupt harbormaster. However, Mercy is far from safe. People are vanishing, and whispers of underwater shadows and nocturnal knocks haunt the town. When the harbormaster tasks Noon with capturing the creature responsible for the drownings, she finds an unlikely ally in his daughter, Covey. Together, they embark on a perilous journey to uncover the truth behind Mercy's haunting, facing not only the external monsters but also the internal ones that plague Noon.

This was a multilayered story with much deeper meanings than simple monster horror. It explored themes of trauma, survival, and the insidious nature of fear. The atmospheric prose and vivid descriptions painted a haunting picture of a town struggling to survive in a world transformed by disaster.

I was particularly impressed with the authentic-feeling diverse cast of characters, with lots of LGBTQ+ representation. It was refreshing to see such a wide range of identities woven seamlessly into the narrative. Furthermore, the incorporation of Vietnamese folklore and customs added a rich and unique layer to the story, making it stand out from typical horror novels.

"There are birds and trees, revived flowers. Friends. From the red algae come monstrous forms, but there is also life in the animals returning where they were once extinct. This world and it's sharp, intense beauty.

There is me too, scars and all, freckled and peeling.

I was beautiful. I am beautiful."

GENRE: Gothic/Horror Fantasy with Folklore
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐.5/5
FORMAT: eBook on Netgalley with Colored Pages Book Tour

Would I recommend to others?: I'd recommend They bloom at night for people looking to read gothic fantasy with multiple themes happening at once & with a quick pace as well.

Long Review:
They bloom at night is a Gothic Fantasy book in which we explore a red algae overtaking a small town called Mercy near the water. We explore the different themes regarding Vietnamese Folklore, Ocean Species and Algae overtaking the world. We look at identity and gender throughout the book. We grow with the characters and learn the distinction of being an adult and the reality of it.

I quite enjoyed They bloom at night, I think we get to explore the folklore of Song and how Nhung sheds her human reality to become a creature of the sea. We get to explore the generational trauma of moving, leaving behind our ancestors and a country that once loved us with its folklore, its good & its bad. We get to explore the lack of acceptance and having to stand out when we are all different.

We learn what it's like growing up with an older generation that lacks hope and lacks the focus on love that it leaks into our generation:
"It's a bad habit of mine, finding the worst in every situation, but no one has taught me to hope."

But, we also learn that we aren't responsible for a whole generation's mistake and that we do not need to keep apologiseing for them:
"I'm learning that she will never apologize for her father's mistakes, the same way I won't for Mom's. And why should we, actually?"

They bloom at Night also has a sarcastic humour to it, which I loved:
"We are late a lot," I say in what must be a betrayal to multiple cultures. I'll apologize to the entire continent of Asia later."

We also get to explore Grief and how holding on to folklores is the only way to go forward sometimes:. We cling to folklore in the hope that it can still prove our loved ones are around and that they haven't gone far. We cling to the fact that maybe one day, we will be able to see them in this world and that they haven't truly gone.

They bloom at Night was truly an adventure that I quite enjoyed. I think I would have liked to know more about Song as a folklore and I do feel that was not explored deeply in here. The book is more on the shorter side though and addressed numerous themes at once. I think the pace varied from fast pace in most parts, with a slower pace in a few places. This book would be ideal for people to get introduced into Vietnamese Folklore, like me. However, it will leave you wanting to explore it further (like me) and perhaps that was the intention.

Thank you to Netgalley, Colored Pages Tour and the publisher for the eArc copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

They Bloom at Night is an ambitious novel that blends Vietnamese folklore, gothic horror, and Noon's deeply personal explorations of identity and trauma. Noon’s journey is haunting in every sense of the word. As she returns to a past that has shaped her in ways she’s only beginning to understand, she grapples with shifting relationships, a changing body, and the ghosts - both literal and metaphorical - that refuse to stay buried. Despite being a YA book, the novel doesn’t shy away from heavy themes, touching on intergenerational trauma, grief, and gender identity in ways that were raw and surprising.

That said, the execution doesn’t always match the novel’s ambition, and unfortunately, that was the case here. The writing, at times, feels disjointed, making it difficult to fully immerse in the world. Some passages required multiple rereads to actually understand what the author was trying to say, which detracted from the atmosphere and slowed the pacing immensely. The world-building was also hazy and confusing - I could grasp the general strokes of Mercy’s eerie setting, but the larger context of the hurricane and sea-life remained frustratingly vague. Considering the dystopian-ish premise was the entire reason I picked this book up, this made the experience pretty disappointing and dulled the impact of what could have been a truly stunning book.

Despite these issues, They Bloom at Night is a worthwhile read for those who appreciate gothic horror infused with cultural depth and rich thematic storytelling. Even with the less than stellar execution, its heart remains strong, making it a novel that is both unsettling and deeply moving.

Thank you to the publisher via NetGalley for providing me with a copy of They Bloom at Night by Trang Thanh Tran in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own and are not influenced by any third parties.

A beautiful story, I wish I read with my eyes instead of doing an audiobook. I think the audiobook distracted me from almost lyrical writing style that showed the beauty within horror and exploring one's identity. It was a touch graphic (not a bad thing), a touch adventurous, and a lot of feelings packed into this book. It's about grief, loss, monstrous feelings one feels while identifying oneself, and how others perceive us when we're not understood.

Not a scary book, but one with lots of other scary elements to make on think in the end.

2.5 stars. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, the concept of this book was so cool and chilling. A monster story infused with cosmic and body horror elements, it draws heavily on Vietnamese folklore. While it’s a young adult novel, it tackles heavy themes such as sexual assault, transformation and change, and survival in dystopian world.

While I enjoyed certain aspects of this book, I found it difficult to follow at times due to the plot’s ambiguity. I also didn’t feel a strong connection with any of the characters. Despite there only being a few characters, I struggled to visualize or feel engaged with any of them. As much as I wanted to love this book, the characters and writing just didn’t resonate with me.

If you’re looking for a YA survival story with an end-of-world setting, a group of teens hunting a monster, and themes of cosmic horror, you may enjoy this more than I did!

🪸🅱🅾🅾🅺 🆁🅴🆅🅸🅴🆆 + 🅵🅰🆅🅾🆁🅸🆃🅴 🆀🆄🅾🆃🅴🆂 🪸

|| 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝘽𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙢 𝙖𝙩 𝙉𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 by Trang Thanh Tran ||
Pub Day: March 11, 2025

🌟Thank you partners @coloredpagesbt, @bloomsburypublishing, @nvtran_, and @libro.fm for the gifted copy and ALC.🌟

𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝘽𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙢 𝙖𝙩 𝙉𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 is a compelling, genre bending tale about the monsters that live within us and around us. Tran creates a ghastly, mythological, and sci-fi environment where the characters’ insecurities, fears, and concerns bubble up on the surface any chance they can. The main character Noon is undeniably facing a challenge as she deals with longing grief of her brother and father, gender conformity and acceptance, sexual trauma, and body changes while the world she knows is being plagued by climate change, a red algae bloom spreading to affect the water’s ecosystem, and a greedy, dangerous man that wields his power to oppress others.

What’s interesting about this novel is that it tackles so many big button issues affecting young adults that people often want to disregard, overlook, or minimize. The young characters constantly deal with parents that do not listen to them or understand how they are processing trauma, grief, relocation, and/or identity. Tran shows us what happens when we believe that monsters and chaos can only bloom at night, then we don’t focus on the ones that walk and talk during the day. Even if there are monster-like sea creatures affecting the Louisiana community, the novel vividly shows us how to be more accepting, empowering, and understanding.

I was so intrigued by the cover of this book that I had to see what it would entail. While I didn’t quite piece together every plot line in a neat fashion, I did make note of the messages about self-expression and acceptance, which is crucial to developing the next generation of informed citizens. I think many readers will enjoy this genre-blending narrative.

Please swipe left to see what quotes reeled me deep into the novel.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨(3.5)

🏷 #TheyBloomAtNight #TrangThanhTran #TheyBloomAtNightTour #ColoredPagesBookTours #Horror #YA #Queer #bookreview #Bookish #Bookstagrammer #BookLover #wellreadblackgirl

1. “For those who can’t see themselves in mirrors” (epigraph)
2. “Can I be everything and nothing at the same time? Extra fat, extra parts, narrow bones. A shadow you know is there but whose shape remains unseen until it emerges on concrete. I want a body that’s easy to manipulate” (51).
3. “Mirrors show a you that no one else sees, and you begin to wonder if either is really truly you. […]. Am I a girl enough—the right kind? Going through life invisible is easier, but the temptation is still there to stand before a mirror and call the worst monsters to you” (100).
4. “Adults having their shit figured out is an illusion of childhood. You wake up one day and the mirage is gone. […]. Even when you’re hurt, they will tell you your wounds aren’t real. Better yet, put a sweater on it and hide away” (154-155).
5. “Sometimes we need people to hunt the things inside of us that need to die but that we aren’t ready to kill” (163).
6. “It’s strange, how little love you can survive on until you experience the warmth of people who choose you despite everything” (175).
7. “We can work hard all we want, but if the bootstraps are barely holding on by the thread, it snaps anyway. I’m tired of following the lessons set out by others. I want to find a new way forward, even if it takes deconstructing down to the marrow” (239)

They Bloom at Night is a wonderful read for fans of body horror, queer coming-of-age stories, Vietnamese folklore, and ocean mutations. Our main character Nhung takes on the task of discovering what monsters lurk in the oceans and what’s causing the blooming red algae all around this small Louisiana town. Simultaneously, Nhung is trying to discover herself within the intersectionality of being of Vietnamese descent, her sexuality, and how she views her body.

The horrors persist, but Nhung persisted even more. The world around the characters is falling apart, full of eerie depictions of gore and wounds. This book ended up being so much more than what it seems as race, class, intergenerational trauma, and sexuality heavily impact the characters. This is a deep and heavy book with so many layers to dissect.

Even though I’m ending this read with 3.5 stars, I still loved the themes and was immediately gripped by the body horror and gore. The only qualms I’m having about this book is that the dialogue seems forced and wasn’t thought out all the way. The dialogue is rushed, a little cheesy, and would kind of throw me out of the other plot building that happened.

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for an early e-copy of They Bloom at Night in exchange for my honest opinion.

in THEY BLOOM AT NIGHT a red algae bloom has overtaken mercy, louisiana, bringing with it mutated wildlife and rising waters. noon is trapped in a town full of monsters, both literal and emotional, while navigating her strained relationship with her mom, who believes their deceased family has reincarnated as sea creatures. as a new storm looms, noon must face the traumatic past tied to a party at the cove and decide whether to confront the monster within her.

like in her debut, SHE IS A HAUNTING, tran creates an emotional and atmospheric setting with clear and accessible prose. this is a unique story with insightful commentary on identity, trauma, and family dynamics. that said, the book is short, and unfortunately, that brevity shows. i really wanted more depth, especially on the family lore and sông specifically. what we got felt half-baked and underdeveloped.

i also struggled to connect with the characters, as we learn very little about anyone except noon, which made it hard to root for them. that said, noon’s journey of forming bonds with both old and new friends creates a sense of found family which i’m a total sucker for, so she won points from me there.

i didn’t become fully invested in the story until i was more than halfway through, and even then there wasn't much going on to keep me hooked. the concept was strong, but the execution fell a bit flat for me this time.

although this wasn't my favorite, i will continue to pick up tran's works in the future.

thank you so much colored pages book tours for sending me this beautiful copy of trang thanh tran’s newest novel!

[arc review]
Thank you to Bloomsbury for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
They Bloom at Night releases March 4, 2025

3.5

“The monsters have always been human. I should’ve known that.”

In the aftermath of a hurricane, the town of Mercy is overtaken by the bloom of red algae.
With dwindling resources and a debt to pay, Nhung must find the alleged monster that is responsible for the disappearance of so many residents.

They Bloom at Night is a unique and thought-provoking exploration of SA, survival, and gender identity. The gradual increase of body horror and body transformations cleverly shape the aforementioned themes as the characters try to make sense of the folklore surrounding them.

I’d recommend this if you like genre-bending, coming-of-age stories, with a climate-ravaged setting.

“Mercy is an echo chamber, and even when your family comes from somewhere else, it will swallow you.”

In the push and pull factors of migration, there are only two factors that cause people to leave the places where they’re born: climate and employment. (Yes, resources fall under climate.) In They Bloom at Night, the coastal town of Mercy once held a big Vietnamese immigrant population, but in reality Vietnamese immigrants of the 20th century settled mostly in California and then all over the American coastline in varying population sizes so long as they had access to the water. Sugar Land, Texas, would’ve been the largest population closest to the setting in the book due to its proximity to the Padre Islands and the Gulf of Mexico.

Those immigrants left their birthplace behind, but not their ways. That theme, of being a child in a new world trying to find yourself when your culture has no term for you; really, it has no concept of you, isn’t a new one in this genre, but the way in which author Trang Thanh Tran approaches it from this angle of gender identity and sense of parental apathy really adds a sharp melancholy to the internal struggles and grief that Noon, our protagonist, is weighed down by throughout this whole book.

That there is the problem: Out of this whole book, I only liked Noon. The Louisiana setting felt too obvious and an easy target for the plotline. The male characters felt like caricatures of rednecks in the deep south and it kept throwing me off. Covey, the main supporting character in the book, felt like a supporting character I’ve seen in several other YA novels in the vein of this one and I felt like I could honestly predict her movements and decisions. Then there was Noon’s backstory, which is one I’ve read before in YA novels with leads of all sorts. What saves this backstory from being called out is how it affects the entire plot and not just Noon.

I just wished for more from this book. It was one of my most-anticipated reads of the first quarter of the year.

I was provided a copy of this title by the author and publisher via Netgalley. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. All reviews rated three stars or lower will not appear on my social media. Thank you.