We Shall Be Monsters
By Alyssa Wees

Quick Rundown
- Mother/Daughter Relationships
- Fairytale and Folklore

We Shall Be Monsters dives into a dual POV fantasy story featuring Gemma and Virginia. Gemma, Virginia’s future daughter, must venture into the forest to break a curse. Meanwhile, in the past, Virginia longs to be in the woods, but her mother forbids it.

This book is a hauntingly dark novel that will remind readers of Grimm’s fairytales. I appreciated how the book doesn’t simply tell a story but also opens the door to complex situations and topics.

I want to thank the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. This review is based on an ARC copy I received from NetGalley. These opinions are my own and were given freely.

This book felt like a fever dream. It was a dark, gothic fairytale that was light, whimsical, and intangible while also being heavy, sad, and real.

It is a dual POV story, one following the daughter Gemma and the other following the mother Virginia. Both of the POVs follow the same storyline but both characters are on unique journeys very different from one another.

"What is a monster, truly? A murderer? A cheat, a liar, a thing that hides in the dark, or one that moves freely in the light, all the more terrifying for blending in, for being difficult to spot? What does a monster look like? Do claws and fangs alone make a monster? A cat has both, and we call it cute. What is a monster then? Ask one hundred people and you will get one hundred answers."

The daughter and mother live near the forest, and when the daughter is young she finds the forest to be irresistible and whimsical. Her mother is afraid of it and says it's forbidden. But why is her mother so afraid of the forest yet still living near it, why is the daughter pulled towards it?

This book touches on themes of motherhood and raising children, the fine line between protecting your children and harming them by keeping away the truth. You're made to think about how everyone has to go down their own path regardless of the wisdom handed down, and you reflect on good versus evil and what makes something monstrous and not.

I will say, for me at times this book was slightly hard to follow, there is a lot going on and it takes a bit for questions to be answered. The plot was intriguing enough to keep me searching and keep me going but it is a commitment. Thank you to NetGalley and the author for an advanced copy of this book.

You know those stories that just feel MADE for you? This is that for me. A dark fairytale, a haunted forest, a complicated mother/daughter relationship, exquisite prose. I was enchanted from beginning to end. In the vein of some of my favorite authors like VE Schwab, Ava Reid, and Roshani Chokshi, this story is a slow build and that is part of its charm. It needles its way into your heart and holds fast until you're fully immersed and can't let go.

This book is a about the relationship between a mother and daughter. It's like a an old timey fairy tale. Creey vibes. Very good read

Overall I enjoyed this story, but for some reason it felt much longer than it needed to be and I found myself wanting to skim some of it. While I liked both POV's, I also at times forgot if it was Virginia or Gemma.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Dark, engrossing, enchanting.
I started reading this book and quickly got sucked into its lyrical storytelling and fantastic world-building.
The characters felt real and possessed depth, and the author told us just enough to keep you wanting more.
It is not very often that I find a book which capitalises on its world building and is actually very thorough with it, and We Shall Be Monsters certainly did not disappoint. I was taken on a breath taking journey throughout The Woods, met many creatures, some scary and some not at all, and witnessed the growth of the female lead from a naive child to a brave teenager.
I really enjoyed this read, and I look forward to reading anything else Ms. Wees writes.

We Shall Be Monsters is a haunting fairy tale diving into relationships between mother and daughter with dark fantasy aspects.

The story follows Gemma and her mother Virginia. Nearby a dangerous forest holds a magical gateway into another realm. Despite her mother’s repeated warnings, curiosity takes its toll.

As the story progresses, Gemma must embark on a journey to life a curse and save her mother.

We Shall Be Monsters is a darker fairy tale with added family elements, ultimately setting the scene for a spellbinding, captivating read with pieces reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland, Coraline, and other dark tales we all know well.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this ARC

A huge thank you for the ARC from NetGalley, the publishers, and of course Alyssa Wees for this phenomenal story.

I have had We Shall Be Monsters on my TBR pile since back in May so I was beyond thrilled to be able to dive into this as soon as I received it.

Maybe it’s because an older mother to a 4 year old but the story became so much more than a fantastic fantasy, it was a story of motherhood and protecting our people.

The story was complex and entertaining and just out right beautifully written. Wees created a world I was enthralled with. I loved following bother Virginia’s pov as well as Gemma’s. It was just a story I can’t wait to share with everyone.

I loved the idea of this book and the dark fairytale mythical vibes! It is a perfect fall read very spooky! I thought the plot was very interesting once it got going just took awhile for me and the beginning felt slow. I still was intrigued enough that I will recommend and add to our library!

Gemma lives in an isolated antique shop with her mother, Virginia. Right outside is a mysterious patch of woods that hides an enchanted gateway to a fairyland. Virginia doesn't want Gemma near the woods, telling her some beasts live in the woods and to stay away. Despite these warnings, Gemma is drawn to the forest. Virginia, too, was once a curious and defiant daughter who did not heed her mother's warnings about the woods. Her disobedience led to a witch cursing her true love just days before Gemma was born. Haunted by her past, Virginia is determined to protect Gemma from the same fate, even stealing her daughter's memories to keep her safe from the truth. Gemma begins to uncover the secrets of the woods, and a witch reappears and takes Virginia captive. Gemma must courageously rescue her mother and break their family's curse.

Gemma's character is naive but brilliant. She has to navigate a dark world and grapple with complex emotions throughout the story. Gemma is unique, and readers instantly love her daring and brave spirit. Virginia's story plays out as a woman struggling to protect her daughter and find a way to break the curse that separates her from her family. You can feel her anxiousness. The mother-daughter relationship highlights mothers' sacrifices to protect their children and how daughters must eventually forge their paths. The story also examines inherited trauma and past actions' impact on future generations. Through alternating perspectives, the author skillfully portrays the inner worlds of both Gemma and Virginia. It allows the reader to connect with the characters and grasp the inner thoughts of both Gemma and Virginia. Readers will love the magical fairytale elements of the story and the courage of both characters.

I received an ARC ebook for my honest review. Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine, Del Rey.

I liked the plot twist and the storyline of this book. I had trouble getting into it, it’s a bit slow paced and choppy in some areas but I think worth the read.

I wanted more. I connected with the synopsis and the overall plot. The execution left me wanting. I feel like the whole monster vs hero victims could have been further explored and less man vs woman, but more on the Haunting Beast just wanting to be free and happy and how the views of others made her, so called, evil. Not, that I support the eating of babies, but that this woman needed friendship, love, and support. As a mom, a daughter, a woman, I was kinda shocked that the complexity of that mix and change from daughter to mother was rushed through like much of the ending. It was a good story, a good idea, and wonderful beginning. The middle was dicey, and the end rushed. I'm not sure if I'll share my thoughts too publicly or broadly because I desperately wanted to love this book. Maybe this will still be someone's favorite and it will speak to them in new and deep ways.

I appreciate getting to read it early and I wish anyone who reads this response has a great day. And that they understand I really really really wanted to fall in love but I just couldn't force myself

Absolutely haunting but fantastic read. I will need to read it again just to make sure I got everything I possibly could from it.

This book instantly gave me mythical enchantment vibes. What’s in the woods?

At first I wasn’t completely sure of the setting / time period but the author quickly provides us with the information needed along with some world building and introducing us to a few main characters including Gemma and her mama. The pacing is a tad slow in the beginning but I don’t mind that. It takes me a while to get sucked into a story so the pacing actually helped me do that, and I was cast into an enchanted state eager to finish the book!

Alyssa Wees is a new author for me but id love to read more from them! I’d definitely recommend this to a friend :)

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing group for sharing this digital copy with me!

I posted my review on good reads :)

DNF at 15%.
First and foremost, the writing style simply wasn't for me.
I felt lost the entire time, it was hard to follow.
Gemma's POV chapters simply didn't draw me in, I felt myself skimming more than actually reading and becoming immersed in the story.

This is a dark fairy tale full of witches and demons, and is written with such a beautiful lyrical prose. It has a pretty slow start but just hang in there until you're about 1/3 of the way through and you won't be disappointed!

We Shall Be Monsters was such a beautifully written fairy tale! I absolutely loved the gothic vibes. Perfect creepy tones sprinkled throughout the whole story made this quite possibly one of my favorite books read this year.

The mom and daughter relationship was also beautifully explored and they were by far such great characters to grow with. While the plot has witty characters I really enjoyed several items were brought forward we really don’t read a-lot about such as what it feels to be a monster or even the pretend factor. We all have to pretend (even us not monsters!)

Thank you for allowing me to live with these characters for a bit!

Appreciation to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for access to this digital ARC in return for an honest review.

I did not expect this sweet mother-daughter fairy tale to be so haunting. Giving Grimms Fairy Tale vibes, there is a dark edge to this story that goes beyond the fantastical monsters in the woods.

The woods acting as an allegory for the magic and fear that comes with motherhood, Wees builds a faerie playground that drenches the reader in nostalgia for the magic of childhood. The main character Gemma living in the naivete afforded only to the easy compartmentalization of a sheltered child. Something never afforded to her mother, Virginia, raised in the fears of motherhood which is embodied in the dark side of the woods - the beasts, magical illusions, and natural dangers - only as big as you make them out to be. Being brave an exercise in acting and believing. Wees beautifully weaves a picture of the unintentional generational trauma one could say is implicit to the nature of motherhood. She paints a fanciful solution. Increased empathy, forgiveness, and learning to share the burden.

Overall, I enjoyed this story immensely. An element I particularly enjoyed was the fox symbolism and foreshadowing. My only critiques were Gemma's repetitive internal musings had me skimming at points, along with moments where lack of distinctive voice between Gemma and Virginia had me doublechecking who was narrating (didn't seem like an intentional plot device). Rating this a 4/5 stars.

A girl marked for death ventures into the wooded realm of the fairies to rescue her mother in this dark, lyrical fantasy about vengeful witches, beastly fathers, and the stories mothers tell to keep their daughters safe—from the author of Nocturne.


What a lovely and descriptive story this is!

Gemma and her mother live in an antiques shop in Michigan. Surrounded by woods that she is not allowed to go into.
Gemma doesn’t listen. The woods call to her and when she meets a fairy prince there, nothing will keep her away.

Virginia is determined to keep her daughter out of the woods and away from the monsters that inhabit it.

Full of witches, demons, sprites and fairies, this was a story I eagerly read!




NetGalley/ RHPG/ Del Rey November 12, 2024

A cross-generational dark fairytale centered around mother daughter bonds. The chapters alternate between Gemma, a 15 year old girl who sets off into magical woods to rescue her abducted mother, and Virginia, said mother and her flashbacks of her cursed love. There were delightfully creepy forest creatures and fae (no watered down romantasy fae here) and some great lines about the difference between good and evil, monsters and heroes. This was a delightful adventure that made me nostalgic for fairytales I read in my youth.

*****POTENTIAL SPOILER***** Some heart string pulling was attempted at the end with one character that I did not feel at all. She was honestly a monster and she can't Medea 2.0 her way into sympathy. I don't want children either but that doesn't mean I'm going to start eating babies.