Thanks NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the eARC!

There is a fine line between being the hero of your own tale and becoming the monster of someone else's.

I really wanted to love this! I love the idea of a sentient forest, mischievous-bordering-on-cruel fae, anthropomorphic animals, and a curse with a countdown? Give me more. Unfortunately, stylistically, what (I think) was meant to evoke whimsy instead bordered on purple prose. I enjoyed the dual POV with Virginia and Gemma, more so Virginia, but I also felt like the story dragged through the middle and the ending was too abrupt.

This will be a 5⭐ for many readers, just not for me.

Review will be posted on Goodreads, and run from 9/29/24 in perpetuity

This was a beautiful book about ugly things!what we think of monsters, is not always the case.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I loved this book! It was dark, magical, and ethereal...all the makings of a great fairytale. The alternating perspectives between Gemma and her mother add depth. The book's themes explore the consequences of ignoring the truth, the complexities of mother-daughter relationships, and what it means to be a monster. I was fully enveloped in this world.

And look at that cover art...Amazing!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc! This dark, gothic, spooky tale was surprisingly deep and emotional. Not my usual cup of tea but I remained engaged and am glad I picked it up.

I want to start by thanking NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing me with an ARC of "We Shall Be Monsters" by Alyssa Wees. This novel is a haunting and beautifully written exploration of what it means to be human. Wees masterfully blends elements of gothic horror and lyrical prose to create a story that is both chilling and deeply moving. The characters are complex and well-developed, and the plot is filled with unexpected twists and turns. Overall, I give it four stars for its captivating storytelling and emotional depth.

Gemma is a girl drawn to the forest, regardless of the warnings of monsters from her mother. When her mother is taken and replaced with a shadow, Gemma must decide to listen to her mother's warnings or to enter the woods and rescue her.

This book goes between two POVs, Gemma and her mother, Virginia. I loved the back and forth, which allowed a richer reading experience and a deeper understanding of the characters.  It's a story many mothers and daughters experience. Virginia tries to protect Gemma and raise her differently than she was raised, but Gemma must learn for herself. I loved this story. Filled with mystery, magic, and monsters, it's a story of learning to accept that maybe there is a little monster in all of us. It's up to each person to decide what to do with it and decide if you can love someone else's monster.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

A beautifully written, lyrical tale that captures the imagination with its blend of monsters, fairies, and themes of forbidden love and betrayal. As my first experience with Wees’s work, I was struck by her enchanting prose, which perfectly balances whimsy and haunting elements.

The narrative immerses you in a world where magic intertwines with darkness, creating a captivating atmosphere that kept me turning pages.

We Shall Be Monsters by Alyssa Wees (publishing 11/12/24) is an atmospheric dark fantasy following the story of three generations of women and their relationship with each other and the magical forest right outside their house. There’s fairies, witches, sprites, wolves, and of course, monsters.

The story slowly unfolds through the alternating POVs of Gemma, a teenager, and her mother, Virginia. When the Slit Witch takes her mother, Gemma goes into the forest to find her and ultimately finds new understanding of the forest and herself.

The writing is beautiful and introspective which makes it a bit slower of a read, at least for me. I really liked the dual POV here because it showcased how sometimes parents may hide things from their kids to protect them but how that can lead to resentment in those relationships.

I recommend this to anyone who loves a magical forest, coming of age story, complicated, mother-daughter relationships, and introspective writing. I’ll be purchasing a copy for myself when it publishes! I mean look at that pretty cover!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own! I will post my review on October 31 on Instagram @bookologist_phd

This book is full of mysterious creatures, fairy tales and secrets, and the alternating stories of Virginia (Gigi) and Gemma and their connection to the woods bordering the family antiques store. As the title suggests, the story focuses on monsters— how do we recognize them, what makes one a monster, is a monster doomed to always be a monster or is redemption possible, is it better to know that monsters exist or to have to discover it on your own later, would monsters be less terrifying if we knew the truth about them earlier instead of our imagination filling in the details from the vague stories/threats we are told. The story also turns out to be inspirational when Gemma finally realizes the truth about herself, her parents, the woods, and the monsters, and seeks to use her power and knowledge to make things better.

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Gemma lives in a small town in Michigan near a forest she’s grown up around. She plays in the woods even though she’s been told time and time again by her mother that they are not safe and mysteriously forgets about gallivanting in the woods with faeries. Everything changes when her mother gets kidnapped and replaced by a smoke spell cast by the Split Witch. Gemma knows her mother’s life depends on her and Gemma must go against the instinct instilled in her, telling her the woods aren’t safe.

I am disappointed with this book. I’m a Michigan girl, I was hoping for an exploration of the uniqueness of Michigan. Maybe some native plants, typical wildlife, a spell cast with magical Great Lakes water. Michigan was mentioned once, Ann Arbor was mentioned once, and that’s about all I got. We Shall Become Monsters was repetitive. Countless times I had to skim through the rest of a paragraph because the author said the same thing about four different times. I never connected with the book. I never felt engrossed or included. The pacing was odd, the two narratives were odd, the way events kind of jumped around was odd; resulting in the storytelling feeling stilted. Some characters were unnecessary, like Silvanus. He didn’t really serve a purpose other than initially engaging Gemma with the woods when she was little and then getting in her way up until the end of the book. Lastly, I really wanted this book to have some sort of creepy woods factor. I think it had great potential to be eerie. The Hunting Beast garden was awesome with all the bones sticking out and gnarly plants growing. That would have made the book better for me.

Thank you netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for the eArc of We Shall Be Monsters

4⭐️

Overall this was a really enjoyable and captivating story. The story flips back and forth between Gemma's story and her mother's past and their connectionto the magic woods behind their home. At times the plot seemed a little slow, and I did start to skim some pages when that happened. The whole book had such an interesting tone though and definitely had a fairytale vibe to it. If you're looking for a magical, fairytale like story then this is the book for you.

I am at a loss for words in describing this haunting , lyrical tale of horrific monsters, mischievous fairies,and forbidden love and betrayal. Gemma, twelve years old, and Claire her mother, live a solitary life by the edge of an enchanted forest. Gemma’s mother has forbidden her to enter the woods because they are filled with dangerous monsters and other nefarious creatures.But why do they live so close to the mystical woods? As the tale unfolds, we learn of Claire’s forbidden love, and Gemma’s quest to save her mother and newly found father from a witch’s evil curse. I was immersed in this magical tale of mother- daughter love, as well as the healing of forgiveness.

A whimsical book with a haunting vibe.

Gemma is a young girl who lives with her mother in an antique shop and she’s always been told to stay away from the woods that line their property, they are not safe. However, it is human nature to be curious and Gemma finds herself disobeying her mother’s warnings of deathly monsters. She is going in those woods.

The woodland journeys were interesting and the cast of creatures even more so. I enjoyed the feeling of being on edge and not know what could happened while in the woods. It was unsafe. Witches, faeries and monsters were interwoven amongst the trees and I loved that but unfortunately sometimes it felt like it could have been expanded on.

I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing me access to this ARC.

We Shall Be Monsters is an eerie tale told from the perspectives of a girl and her mother who live in Michigan. Near their house are enchanted woods. Gemma is enticed by these woods, while Virginia is scared of them, especially because of her connection to it. Before Gemma was born, a witch turned her father, Ash, into a monster, and if Virginia doesn’t break the curse before Gemma turns 15, Ash will remain a monster forever.

This was an interesting read! I loved the premise and execution of the plot. It was fairly predictable, but I became oddly attached to the characters. The characters and their relationships were my favorite part of this book, With Virginia, I loved seeing the how her relationship with her mother mirrored her relationship with Gemma. She was a daughter who defied her mother yet grew up to be a mother as strict as her own. Gemma, despite her young age, is mature with a kind heart. She is childlike and adventurous but also rational and forgiving.

The storytelling was very much fairytale-like. The woods are vast and unknown, and Gemma and Virginia’s journeys in these woods are diverse. There’s happiness and excitement in one corner, but danger and death in another.

Although I enjoyed this book for the most part, the plot felt overly simple at times. So many situations and problems were portrayed as being more complex than they really were. A little more communication, a little less hesitation from the characters could have easily led this story to be half as long as it really was. And though I feel this way, I also understand how realistic it is. There were so many instances for many characters where a small change in actions could have led very different results. Likely better, easier results. But life doesn’t always let you take the easy way out. The characters in this book weren’t able to either, whether it was because of their own or others’ choices and actions.

Overall, this book blended many different elements really well into a simple plot that successfully evokes a discussion about life. Definitely a great read for the spooky season!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

Gemma is drawn to the woods in her backyard, the woods that her mother has forbidden her from entering due to the monsters that lurk within. When Gemma sees her mother taken into the forest by a witch, she embarks on a journey to get her mother back, to make new discoveries about her family history, and to step into her bravery.
This book was a truly captivating fairy tale. Following in the footsteps of Coraline, Labyrinth, and Grimm’s Fairy Tales, We Shall Be Monsters is a beautiful book of a young girl growing up in the backdrop of dark and beautiful magic. I found myself reflecting on generational trauma, the meaning of bravery, and the balance of good and bad in the world.
This book was an engaging read, the multiple perspectives of Gemma and her mother, Virginia, were interesting despite the fact that I don’t usually enjoy multiple perspectives, and the quest Gemma had to complete left me with anticipation and worry. I found at a few points that the journey Gemma was on left a little to be desired and the side characters were only explored at a surface level when they could’ve been fleshed out into very interesting characters.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend for a nice spooky autumnal read! Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for an early ebook copy! Expected publication November 12, 2024.

“Where did a hero end and a monster begin?”
I don’t even know where to begin except to say I loved this book. Hero’s and monsters, hope and fear. Mothers and daughters, the questions about the relationships between them and what is normal.
Gemma is a beautiful character, young but smart and brave. You end up on this journey and grow and learn with her.
“I would but my faith elsewhere — in friendship and in family, in love and even in fear, because having a little fear is good.”
There’s a little about love, loss, grief and having faith in letting the fear in, but not letting it take control. I learned to love Virginia too, as a mother myself I began to realize the things she did, and empathized with her.
Even in moments when there is talk about becoming a mother and not wanting to be, being called a monster because it’s just not what you want. While this is only fiction, it’s easy to understand the feelings in the words. While someone was longing so much for a child, another was not given a choice. Both felt lost in their own situations and became something other than themselves.
So many different views of a mother’s relationship with her child, or the lack of even, told in such a. Beautiful way. This will be a book I read again and again. At times I wasn’t sure to be sad or happy or somewhere in between.

A haunting, and atmospheric fantasy with dark magic and the irresistible call of the unknown.

We Shall Be Monsters is lyrical and luciously dark, focusing on Gemma, who lives with her mother, Virginia, near a mysterious enchanted forest. Gemma has been warned for years to stay away from the forest, however intrigue wins, which leaves Gemma to embark on a dangerous and perilous journey to rescue her mother, and in doing so also discovering the truth behind her own life.


We Shall Be Monsters masterfully intertwines the fantastical elements with deep emotional layers. The balance between the adventure and Gemma’s own personal journey kept me engaged and intrigued as she goes not only on a mission to save her mother but also a mission of self-discovery.

My only critique is that the book did have moments that seemed to flow slower than the rest of the book, especially when it came to the plot and worldbuilding during the middle of the book. 


I loved that Wees gave us both Gemma and Virginia’s POV’s, providing us with a better understanding of the stakes at hand and added an emotional depth to the story that I don’t think would have struck as hard were we not given both POV’s.


This is the perfect read for those who love a fairytale-fantasy with darker elements, and complex relationships between characters. The prose and lyrical writing style was nothing short of hauntingly beautiful and absolutely immerive. 


A big thank you to NetGalley, Alyssa Wees, and Ballentine | Del Rey for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

4.5 Stars!

Brief Overview:

Gemma and her mother Virginia live near an enchanted wood in Northern Michigan. When Virginia goes missing in the night, Gemma takes it upon herself to venture into the woods to find her, starting a magical journey through an unknown world.

My thoughts:

I was drawn in due to the setting in Northern Michigan. I'm a sucker for anything based in my state! Now, it took a minute to get into this, but once I was in I was HOOKED. I did not want to go to sleep, go to work, even eat, I wanted to sit in my room and finish this book! There are strong themes of generational trauma and the struggle to break the cycle. The ending had me absolutely sobbing. Highly recommend to anyone that enjoys a magical quest!

Alyssa Wees’ We Shall Be Monsters is a haunting, atmospheric fantasy that weaves together dark magic, mother-daughter bonds, and the irresistible allure of the unknown. With its lyrical prose and fairy-tale ambiance, the novel draws readers into a world where nothing is as it seems, and danger lurks just beyond the trees.

The story centers around Gemma Cassata, a curious girl living with her mother, Virginia, in an isolated Michigan antique shop, dangerously close to a mysterious and enchanted forest. Virginia has spent years warning her daughter about the dangers of the woods—monsters, witches, and the curses they bring—but Gemma’s intrigue wins out. The novel quickly plunges into dark fantasy when Virginia is taken by the same forces she once feared, leaving Gemma to embark on a dangerous quest to rescue her mother and uncover the truth behind her own existence.

One of the novel’s standout features is its dual narrative, alternating between Gemma’s perspective as she journeys through fairyland and Virginia’s own history and regrets. Wees deftly explores the complexity of the mother-daughter relationship, illustrating the love, fear, and protectiveness that bind them, even as secrets come to light. Virginia’s choice to steal her daughter’s memories in an attempt to shield her from danger adds depth to her character, transforming her from a simple overprotective mother into a figure with her own complicated past and motivations.

The novel’s rich, lyrical prose is one of its defining strengths. Wees creates an atmosphere that is at once enchanting and foreboding, capturing the eerie beauty of the woods and the menace that hides within. Her descriptions of the magical realm Gemma enters are vivid and transportive, bringing to life a world that feels both otherworldly and deeply connected to the dark undercurrents of classic fairy tales. The enchanted forest, with its secrets, witches, and beasts, serves as both a literal and symbolic setting for Gemma’s journey of self-discovery.

We Shall Be Monsters excels at blending the fantastical with the emotional. As Gemma faces the witches and curses of fairyland, she also grapples with her feelings of betrayal, fear, and love for her mother. This balance between the magical adventure and the emotional stakes keeps the reader invested in Gemma’s journey, which is more than just a rescue mission—it's a quest for identity and understanding.

However, while the novel’s lush prose is a strength, it occasionally slows the pacing of the story. The richly descriptive writing can sometimes overwhelm the plot, especially in the middle sections where the momentum dips as Gemma navigates the magical realm. Readers who enjoy fast-paced action may find themselves wishing for quicker plot progression, though fans of slower, more atmospheric storytelling will likely appreciate the immersive experience.

The alternating viewpoints between Gemma and Virginia provide a fuller understanding of the stakes, though at times Virginia’s sections feel slightly underdeveloped compared to Gemma’s. Her backstory, while intriguing, could have benefited from more exploration, particularly her connection to the witch who cursed her true love and the ramifications of that event. Nevertheless, the dual narrative structure adds emotional weight to the story, as readers see both sides of the mother-daughter relationship and how the past continues to shape their present.

The novel’s themes of legacy, protection, and the cyclical nature of fairy-tale curses are compelling. Both Gemma and Virginia are bound by the choices of their mothers, and the novel explores how daughters inherit not only love but also the burdens and mistakes of their parents. This generational aspect adds a layer of depth to the fantasy elements, making We Shall Be Monsters not just a story of magical adventure, but also a meditation on the stories we tell to protect the ones we love—and the consequences of those stories.

Final Thoughts:
We Shall Be Monsters is a beautifully written, darkly enchanting tale that combines the allure of fairy-tale magic with the complexities of mother-daughter relationships. Alyssa Wees' lush prose and haunting world-building create an immersive reading experience, though the novel’s slow pacing may not appeal to all readers. Still, for those who love dark fantasy with emotional depth and lyrical storytelling, this book is a rewarding journey into a world where monsters lurk and love both protects and binds.

Perfect timing entering into fall to read this book. I love a dark fantasy setting and this books aura did not disappoint. Shows the complex relationship between a mother and daughter so well between the two main characters Gemma and Virginia. This dark fairytale features lots of creatures like fae, and witches.

Gemma, the daughter is banned from entering the enchanted woods near their home. Gemma decided to go on a magical quest into the woods anyways when her mother is kidnapped by the Slit Witch.

The book is a dark fantasy fairytale with lots of adventure and beautiful relationships. Beautiful written with a lyrical prose.