This was a fantastic magical world and was engaged with what was happening in this concept. The characters worked in this young adult novel, and had that element that I was looking for. I enjoyed how good Hayley Chewins wrote this and that the characters felt like real people.

This heartfelt and evocative YA fantasy is a poetic journey of self-discovery, beautifully enhanced with magical realism while addressing mental health, physical abuse, and parental neglect.

The lyrical writing, emotional depth, and heartbreaking story of Nell—a young girl trapped in a home where her sister Mori struggles with suicidal tendencies, her mother battles depression while neglecting her responsibilities, and her father immerses himself in work to avoid confronting their issues—create a poignant narrative. With Mori now in a clinic undergoing much-needed treatment, and their strained relationship adding to the tension, Nell is forced to confront her long-buried feelings as she grapples with being invisible to those around her. She longs to be seen and heard, to express her love, fear, resentment, and especially the anger she has kept hidden for years. The wasps she releases symbolize her inner screams, reflecting the pain she has suppressed.

The struggles of the Strand women and their years-long battles with mental health are masterfully portrayed through symbolism and magical powers. Yet, the story also offers hope, showing how one can navigate personal struggles and embrace their own flaws, strengths, and vulnerabilities. In the end, the scars we bear and the pain we endure make us stronger, setting us apart, as long as we find our voice and "speak" our truth.

I loved this emotional and powerful journey—it moved me to tears and touched the deepest parts of my soul with its raw beauty. It's a pure and unique story that readers must experience for themselves.

Many thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | Viking Books for Young Readers for providing this intense YA fantasy fiction's digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I will be reading this one in its entirety when it actually comes out. I read about a quarter of it from the eARC provided by Netgalley. What I read was both captivating and absolutely stunning but I will not be finishing until I can see it in the format the author intended. Unfortunately, when the novel is in verse I feel like e-formats really detract from the book. Like I said though, I will 1000% be reading this one on release day, I am heading to preorder now.