Books that combine my love of historical fiction and horror are always a nice treat for me, and this book delivered that in spades. I also loved that this one is YA so it was more about creepy vibes than anything else, and it sure was! The tropes in this book are not new, or unusual, and I feel that I have read a handful of books very similar to this already this year. However, what sets this book apart was the delightful writing. It was so well done and vivid. When I say this book creeped me out, I mean it. I don’t read at night, and books like this would be one I would avoid at night because it felt so realistic, and the writing just came alive. This book had a deeper meaning, and it was interesting to think about what the beast represented. It was very unsettling on so many levels, and while I think some of that will be lost on YA readers, I still think it is an important message. The pacing was nice and fast and kept me on the edge of my seat. This book had me fully engaged and I loved it. I finished this one over the course of an afternoon and recommend it for a rainy day when the creepy vibes will hit just right.


Thank you to @randomhousekids @delacortepress @gigi.griffis and @netgalley for the e-arc. All thoughts are my own.