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She Made Herself A Monster
Not yet published
Expected 12 Feb 26
'It's dangerous to go alone at night...'
Yana, a vampire hunter, rides into Koprivci promising salvation. The village’s curse has endured for many years and rumour has it that Anka – whose parents died on the night of her birth – is to blame. But enduring the villagers’ suspicion is the least of Anka’s worries; now she has reached womanhood, she can no longer avoid the odious marriage that seems to be her only option.
When animal corpses start to appear in the village square and eggs filled with blood are found in the chicken coops, panic rises. The villagers look to Yana for hope. She knows all about the monsters that stalk the night, monsters that only she can vanquish. But Yana is a liar. And monsters come in all different forms.
Yana and Anka become unlikely allies in hatching a plot to save both Koprivci and Anka from their fates. But then their plan takes on a horrifying life of its own...
Yana, a vampire hunter, rides into Koprivci promising salvation. The village’s curse has endured for many years and rumour has it that Anka – whose parents died on the night of her birth – is to blame. But enduring the villagers’ suspicion is the least of Anka’s worries; now she has reached womanhood, she can no longer avoid the odious marriage that seems to be her only option.
When animal corpses start to appear in the village square and eggs filled with blood are found in the chicken coops, panic rises. The villagers look to Yana for hope. She knows all about the monsters that stalk the night, monsters that only she can vanquish. But Yana is a liar. And monsters come in all different forms.
Yana and Anka become unlikely allies in hatching a plot to save both Koprivci and Anka from their fates. But then their plan takes on a horrifying life of its own...
Kindle Edition
Expected publication February 10, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
December 13, 2025
I'll be honest i don't typically go for folklore horror because I usually end up dnf'ing or just finding them really dull but this cover & synopsis sold me
Overall I did enjoy this. I loved the writing, the superstitious "cursed" village, the dark gothic atmosphere...but after finishing it I couldn't help but feel like the synopsis is a little misleading. The prologue pulled me in right from the beginning, & I flew through the first 50%, but the longer I read I was just left waiting for the vampire/vampire hunter aspect to kick in & well...there's barely any in the book at all.
The last half was a little boring for me, I think this really just comes down to there not actually being any vamps or vampire hunting going on like I anticipated. This is definitely a character driven story, mainly focusing on Anka & her trying to escape a forced marriage.
Captain Creepy is just...gross & weird & he deserved a lot more than what he got. I think this is still worth a read if you're someone who likes a more character driven gothic story but I would advise not to go into this expecting vamps or monsters because you might end up disappointed. I definitely see the potential in Anna Kovatcheva so I will be keeping an eye out for her books in the future!
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review
Overall I did enjoy this. I loved the writing, the superstitious "cursed" village, the dark gothic atmosphere...but after finishing it I couldn't help but feel like the synopsis is a little misleading. The prologue pulled me in right from the beginning, & I flew through the first 50%, but the longer I read I was just left waiting for the vampire/vampire hunter aspect to kick in & well...there's barely any in the book at all.
The last half was a little boring for me, I think this really just comes down to there not actually being any vamps or vampire hunting going on like I anticipated. This is definitely a character driven story, mainly focusing on Anka & her trying to escape a forced marriage.
Captain Creepy is just...gross & weird & he deserved a lot more than what he got. I think this is still worth a read if you're someone who likes a more character driven gothic story but I would advise not to go into this expecting vamps or monsters because you might end up disappointed. I definitely see the potential in Anna Kovatcheva so I will be keeping an eye out for her books in the future!
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review
November 9, 2025
3.25 ⭐️
She Made Herself a Monster is a character-driven story with beautiful prose and vivid imagery. However, I agree with other reviewers that the description of this book is misleading. Very little of the story delivers on the premise of a vampire hunter and an orphan conjuring a monster to help the latter escape a forced marriage. In fact, this doesn’t really come to fruition at all. Instead, the story focuses on the inner monsters of our characters, and how a superstitious town is quick to blame their misfortunes on the supernatural, rather than the man-made monsters that live among them.
Thank you NetGalley and Mariner Books for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
She Made Herself a Monster is a character-driven story with beautiful prose and vivid imagery. However, I agree with other reviewers that the description of this book is misleading. Very little of the story delivers on the premise of a vampire hunter and an orphan conjuring a monster to help the latter escape a forced marriage. In fact, this doesn’t really come to fruition at all. Instead, the story focuses on the inner monsters of our characters, and how a superstitious town is quick to blame their misfortunes on the supernatural, rather than the man-made monsters that live among them.
Thank you NetGalley and Mariner Books for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
November 7, 2025
Sharp, visceral, and atmospheric. I've been looking forward to this book - a tale of a con artist pretending to be a vampire hunter in a small Bulgarian village - ever since it was first announced, and I'm thrilled that it met my high expectations. I loved the setting, the folk horror elements, the tight pacing and unpredictable plot - but most of all, I loved the characters, each complex and fully realised. An excellent read.
August 3, 2025
With such a gripping description and prologue, “She Made Herself a Monster” promises an unsettling tale of feminine rage. A promise that is mostly, but not entirely, realized.
The characters are strong, all with clear motivations and explanations for any existing flaws. There were times where I disliked characters such as Kiril so strongly, but then would read a passage that made me empathize with him instead. When my opinions about character genuinely change throughout a book, I know that the author has written them in a believable we. Additionally, even though there was an antagonist for this novel, I liked how the author humanized them and showed their compassionate side.
Strongly character driven, I found the plot mostly solid with some areas that needed a little more attention. For example, the motif of Hassan’s comet was nice and the moment with Kiril and Hassan at the beginning was nice, but then it felt like that part of the story and Kiril’s life was abruptly dropped. It made me confused on why it wasn’t addressed more at the end. However, the main story, focusing on Anka and Kiril, kept me engaged with the novel. By the end I was fully invested with how the main plot would resolve itself.
Even though I was expecting a bit more horror throughout the novel, I was pleased to find a novel that carefully examines the bond of a broken “family.” It brings up the question of what lengths we would go to in order to support the ones we love.
❗️Although thisbook was provided to me as an ARC from NetGalley, all opinions are my own.❗️
The characters are strong, all with clear motivations and explanations for any existing flaws. There were times where I disliked characters such as Kiril so strongly, but then would read a passage that made me empathize with him instead. When my opinions about character genuinely change throughout a book, I know that the author has written them in a believable we. Additionally, even though there was an antagonist for this novel, I liked how the author humanized them and showed their compassionate side.
Strongly character driven, I found the plot mostly solid with some areas that needed a little more attention. For example, the motif of Hassan’s comet was nice and the moment with Kiril and Hassan at the beginning was nice, but then it felt like that part of the story and Kiril’s life was abruptly dropped. It made me confused on why it wasn’t addressed more at the end. However, the main story, focusing on Anka and Kiril, kept me engaged with the novel. By the end I was fully invested with how the main plot would resolve itself.
Even though I was expecting a bit more horror throughout the novel, I was pleased to find a novel that carefully examines the bond of a broken “family.” It brings up the question of what lengths we would go to in order to support the ones we love.
❗️Although thisbook was provided to me as an ARC from NetGalley, all opinions are my own.❗️
July 12, 2025
5/5 -
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review
Has a similar backdrop to Lapvona (a small, superstitious village with morbid tales), but it focuses on the reclaimation of autonomy. I also found the story of the fake vampire hunter to be unique, and the perspectives of each character to be utterly engrossing. I would recommend this book for people who love the movie The Handmaid's Tale and Lapvona. Kovatcheva is an amazing storyteller, and the plot just comes together seamlessly.
Has a similar backdrop to Lapvona (a small, superstitious village with morbid tales), but it focuses on the reclaimation of autonomy. I also found the story of the fake vampire hunter to be unique, and the perspectives of each character to be utterly engrossing. I would recommend this book for people who love the movie The Handmaid's Tale and Lapvona. Kovatcheva is an amazing storyteller, and the plot just comes together seamlessly.
November 19, 2025
This one wasn’t for me unfortunately and I agree with others that the description is very misleading. There is no vampire hunting here, just a charlatan one in what isn’t a fantasy horror but a character based book.
The main problem I had was the characters. I didn’t gel with one of them. They vary from uninteresting to damn right nasty and unlikeable. I really had nothing invested in them as I read the book. There are also a few wtf moments with the actions of our characters where I had no idea why they happened or what they were in the book for.
There are some nice descriptive prose if that’s your thing but personally I find it hard to enjoy any book where I have no interest in what happens to any of the characters and sadly this was the case here.
Many thanks to the publisher for the ARC through Netgalley.
The main problem I had was the characters. I didn’t gel with one of them. They vary from uninteresting to damn right nasty and unlikeable. I really had nothing invested in them as I read the book. There are also a few wtf moments with the actions of our characters where I had no idea why they happened or what they were in the book for.
There are some nice descriptive prose if that’s your thing but personally I find it hard to enjoy any book where I have no interest in what happens to any of the characters and sadly this was the case here.
Many thanks to the publisher for the ARC through Netgalley.
September 20, 2025
I liked this...but also...why was I so confused sometimes? As a couple early readers mentioned, the setting reminded me a bit of Lapvona with the superstitious village and morbid tales (not quite as strange and morbid as Lapvona though).
So there was some genuinely stunning writing and some incredibly bold and descriptive scenes (egg, comb, brick, lamb). The premise of a fake vampire slayer using her work to relinquish villages of unfounded paranoia and superstition is fascinating! The atmosphere was dark and Gothic and everything I love.
However, I felt like the plot could be a bit thin and muddled. Specific points were brought up that never seemed to come back around (ex. the comet). Also, please, someone explain to me that scene early in the book when Kiril and Anka are fighting.
So, all in all, I'd read any future novel from this author because they have some gold.
So there was some genuinely stunning writing and some incredibly bold and descriptive scenes (egg, comb, brick, lamb). The premise of a fake vampire slayer using her work to relinquish villages of unfounded paranoia and superstition is fascinating! The atmosphere was dark and Gothic and everything I love.
However, I felt like the plot could be a bit thin and muddled. Specific points were brought up that never seemed to come back around (ex. the comet). Also, please, someone explain to me that scene early in the book when Kiril and Anka are fighting.
So, all in all, I'd read any future novel from this author because they have some gold.
November 15, 2025
I enjoyed this book. It's about a girl trying to escape a marriage to the man who raised her. She employs a woman who has come to town to organize a ( making of a monster , so to speak ) to fake kill her so she can escape. Of course everything doesn't go to plan. Overall I liked this book and found it interesting. I was hoping for a little more monster but that's ok.
September 23, 2025
The first 60% of this book: this book’s alright
The last 40% of this book: what the FUCK
The last 40% of this book: what the FUCK
Want to read
June 27, 2025oooh this one sound sSO fun!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Unfortunately, I couldn’t really get into this one. While the premise was interesting, the story ultimately failed to deliver on its promise. I struggled to connect with any of the characters, and the weird uncle–foster father dynamic was especially off putting and gross. If the story had stayed more focused on its original premise and been trimmed down into a novella, it would have made for a much stronger reading experience.
Thank you to Netgalley and Mariner Books for this arc
Thank you to Netgalley and Mariner Books for this arc
November 30, 2025
4.5 rounded up
MAN the description on goodreads is not accurate at all but i am so glad i was able to read this book (i love my job)
can't wait for it to be published so i can recommend it to my local gothic folk horror enthusiasts
MAN the description on goodreads is not accurate at all but i am so glad i was able to read this book (i love my job)
can't wait for it to be published so i can recommend it to my local gothic folk horror enthusiasts
November 12, 2025
What I liked most about this story is that it's possible to sympathize with people who make poor decisions. They're put in impossible positions, and the bad choices they make are small enough to seem inconsequential. Things mostly revolve around gendered violence, but it's isn't just about sexually abusing and exploiting women (though do be warned that sexual assault does occur in this book). It's also about enacting little betrayals. It's exposing secrets. It's complicity in the face of cruelty. It's taking advantage of a harmful situation that you didn't technically create. It's choosing one woman over another. It's believing a rumor. It's being betrayed by your own body and desires. Eventually, however, these inconsequential things build up, and small acts of violence reveal themselves to be incredibly damaging, especially if there's a conveniently vulnerable scapegoat.
In this case, the scapegoat is Anka, a girl being groomed to marry a man she's not interested in, but she's not the only vulnerable person in town. There's also Nina, the widow being accused of witchcraft. There's Kiril, Anka's abused, manipulated, and deeply insecure cousin. There's the entire town of Koprivici, a small Bulgarian village that seems to have been cursed.
Because of this curse, everyone is superstitious, which allows them to fall prey to the new arrival, a con woman who's pretending to be a vampire hunter. Her intentions aren't initially pure, not exactly, but they're also not nefarious. She Made Herself a Monster isn't interested in easy and simplistic divides between good and evil. Everyone, no matter how kind and innocent, finds that protecting themselves and those they care about always come at a cost.
What you should expect from this story is beautiful prose, a folkloric atmosphere, more gore and suspense than actual supernatural horror, a few scenes with (what I interpreted as) sapphic pining, a fascinating twist on the vampire story, and a tiny bit of righteous feminine rage.
If I have criticisms, it's that the plot and premise are a little thin. Anka has her reasons for not running away from her desperate circumstances, but they get increasingly flimsier over time. It's sometimes not totally clear why her plans for escape are constantly changing and failing.
I also found that some characters didn't have the most distinctive voices. The side characters especially blurred together, and I kept getting the sense that there might have been a few dropped plot lines around them. (For example, for a book about superstitions, it's disappointing to meet zero characters who are actually superstitious. All we see is people who know better tricking their neighbors. We don't learn much about those tricked neighbors.) It's a real shame, because what makes the book special is a tangled web of relationships and a resulting set of power dynamics between many people in one village. Since a lot of characters have an important role to play in this web, Anka doesn't (or shouldn't) have the burden of carrying the narrative alone. However, as the plot progresses, minor characters get sidelined. The focus ends up narrowing in on Anka a little too much, and I eventually started to realize that she's somewhat derivative as far as protagonists in horror novels go.
~Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a digital ARC. All opinions are my own.~
In this case, the scapegoat is Anka, a girl being groomed to marry a man she's not interested in, but she's not the only vulnerable person in town. There's also Nina, the widow being accused of witchcraft. There's Kiril, Anka's abused, manipulated, and deeply insecure cousin. There's the entire town of Koprivici, a small Bulgarian village that seems to have been cursed.
Because of this curse, everyone is superstitious, which allows them to fall prey to the new arrival, a con woman who's pretending to be a vampire hunter. Her intentions aren't initially pure, not exactly, but they're also not nefarious. She Made Herself a Monster isn't interested in easy and simplistic divides between good and evil. Everyone, no matter how kind and innocent, finds that protecting themselves and those they care about always come at a cost.
What you should expect from this story is beautiful prose, a folkloric atmosphere, more gore and suspense than actual supernatural horror, a few scenes with (what I interpreted as) sapphic pining, a fascinating twist on the vampire story, and a tiny bit of righteous feminine rage.
If I have criticisms, it's that the plot and premise are a little thin. Anka has her reasons for not running away from her desperate circumstances, but they get increasingly flimsier over time. It's sometimes not totally clear why her plans for escape are constantly changing and failing.
I also found that some characters didn't have the most distinctive voices. The side characters especially blurred together, and I kept getting the sense that there might have been a few dropped plot lines around them. (For example, for a book about superstitions, it's disappointing to meet zero characters who are actually superstitious. All we see is people who know better tricking their neighbors. We don't learn much about those tricked neighbors.) It's a real shame, because what makes the book special is a tangled web of relationships and a resulting set of power dynamics between many people in one village. Since a lot of characters have an important role to play in this web, Anka doesn't (or shouldn't) have the burden of carrying the narrative alone. However, as the plot progresses, minor characters get sidelined. The focus ends up narrowing in on Anka a little too much, and I eventually started to realize that she's somewhat derivative as far as protagonists in horror novels go.
~Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a digital ARC. All opinions are my own.~
September 5, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 STARS
this was a decent read. i loved that there wasn't really a "bad guy" here, but more of a well-written cast of characters who were left with difficult choices and did what they could to survive. even when you disliked a character, the author finds a way to get the readers to empathize with the characters. i love that the entire story unfolds around superstitions and folklore. it's like if all those scary stories you heard growing up coming to life in front of your eyes & all the ways you could "break the curse" so to speak.
i may add more to this review at a later date, but for now... i'd simply say that i'd recommend it. it encompasses that gothic vibe with some bloody scenes. but it's so much more than that. it begs the question of whether or not we abide by our moral compass to protect people we love. like, how far are you willing to go? what are you willing to do? again, i thoroughly enjoyed it & left me wanting more.
thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read an advanced copy via NetGalley. i leave this review of my own volition. all thoughts and opinions are my own.
this was a decent read. i loved that there wasn't really a "bad guy" here, but more of a well-written cast of characters who were left with difficult choices and did what they could to survive. even when you disliked a character, the author finds a way to get the readers to empathize with the characters. i love that the entire story unfolds around superstitions and folklore. it's like if all those scary stories you heard growing up coming to life in front of your eyes & all the ways you could "break the curse" so to speak.
i may add more to this review at a later date, but for now... i'd simply say that i'd recommend it. it encompasses that gothic vibe with some bloody scenes. but it's so much more than that. it begs the question of whether or not we abide by our moral compass to protect people we love. like, how far are you willing to go? what are you willing to do? again, i thoroughly enjoyed it & left me wanting more.
thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read an advanced copy via NetGalley. i leave this review of my own volition. all thoughts and opinions are my own.
November 15, 2025
I was so so excited for this but ultimately I found it underwhelming. The plot was thin and there were no likable characters (imo), which would usually help me look past lack of compelling plot. I have to say I did find the writing well done (just perhaps a bit overkill on the constancy of the descriptions), and I enjoyed cultural elements of the book too.
November 5, 2025
This book has: 1) eye catching title, 2) gorgeous cover, 3) beautiful writing, 4) interesting blurb. I loved this book since the very beginning, especially when it turned horrific and gory. Loved Yana and Anka, all my support went for them, Captain can go to hell for all I care (I didn't like him at all). Also, the female rage? Chef's kiss. So glad I picked up this book. Imo I think this book is perfect for The Hounding fans.
October 15, 2025
I wasn't sure what I was stepping into... would it be a Frankenstein tale or Crucible-like trials?
I truly enjoyed this novel. A tale of real life monsters set in 19th century, small village in Bulgaria. How cruel humans can be especially with a cheering crowd in the shadows, comforting their own fears. We create our own monsters to make ourselves feel better, to explain and jusify misfortunes.
Thank you for the ARC opportunity thru Goodreads giveaway.
I truly enjoyed this novel. A tale of real life monsters set in 19th century, small village in Bulgaria. How cruel humans can be especially with a cheering crowd in the shadows, comforting their own fears. We create our own monsters to make ourselves feel better, to explain and jusify misfortunes.
Thank you for the ARC opportunity thru Goodreads giveaway.
December 8, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK, Vintage | Harvill for providing me with the ARC.
Pub Date 12 Feb 2026
“A vampire is hunger made flesh”
She made herself a monster is not a typical vampire novel. I’m pretty sure this original take will surprise you. I always love when stories contain elements of the Slavic folklore, fables and rituals and here everything is presented in the most raw and fascinating way. The sharp, quick writing makes the pages flow and the strong, fully fleshed-out characters were solid and complex.
I expected our vampire hunter to be the main character, but the central figure is Anka. Her story is so tragic and the real horror is what is to come for her. The familial trauma is reflected in every character, we have a true villain who is disgusting and evil, but also a person, who believes that he can undo the wrongs he did. Kiril is probably the most complex character; his arc is the most fleshed out. I disliked him at the beginning, but getting to know him, I sympathized with him and loved the way he grounded himself by the end. The least interesting person for me was Yana, but still her presence was the key for the events to unfold. The animal killings were necessary for the sacrifices, but still it was hard to read it, so check the triggers for animal death. It was done respectfully though, as respectful as a killing could be.
There were so many great elements, and superstitions, and tales incorporated here as metaphors. The tale of the golden girl is one of my favorite stories and I loved seeing it here. The two interludes were also a great touch. I feel like the physical copy of this book would look amazing, so I would recommend reading it physically. I’ll absolutely get my copy once it gets published.
Pub Date 12 Feb 2026
“A vampire is hunger made flesh”
She made herself a monster is not a typical vampire novel. I’m pretty sure this original take will surprise you. I always love when stories contain elements of the Slavic folklore, fables and rituals and here everything is presented in the most raw and fascinating way. The sharp, quick writing makes the pages flow and the strong, fully fleshed-out characters were solid and complex.
I expected our vampire hunter to be the main character, but the central figure is Anka. Her story is so tragic and the real horror is what is to come for her. The familial trauma is reflected in every character, we have a true villain who is disgusting and evil, but also a person, who believes that he can undo the wrongs he did. Kiril is probably the most complex character; his arc is the most fleshed out. I disliked him at the beginning, but getting to know him, I sympathized with him and loved the way he grounded himself by the end. The least interesting person for me was Yana, but still her presence was the key for the events to unfold. The animal killings were necessary for the sacrifices, but still it was hard to read it, so check the triggers for animal death. It was done respectfully though, as respectful as a killing could be.
There were so many great elements, and superstitions, and tales incorporated here as metaphors. The tale of the golden girl is one of my favorite stories and I loved seeing it here. The two interludes were also a great touch. I feel like the physical copy of this book would look amazing, so I would recommend reading it physically. I’ll absolutely get my copy once it gets published.
August 3, 2025
There is some wonderful writing in this book. As I have never read this genre, I thought this would be a good first. I just couldn't get past the blood and thin storyline, which was somewhat confusing.
A young woman is born, her parents die, and superstition suurrounds her life in a small town. This is understandable, but there are so much unsaid and hidden messages from the characters that I was a bit lost in the story. It just didn't grab me.
I am sure readers of this fantasy supernatural will like it as it is dreamy and forboding, but I just couldn't.
A young woman is born, her parents die, and superstition suurrounds her life in a small town. This is understandable, but there are so much unsaid and hidden messages from the characters that I was a bit lost in the story. It just didn't grab me.
I am sure readers of this fantasy supernatural will like it as it is dreamy and forboding, but I just couldn't.
November 27, 2025
Well, this was a lovely surprise. I’m going to try my best to say why I find this book so special without spoiling it. Not easy but it can be done.
When I first heard about the book, the words that caught my attention were vampires and slayers. Here comes the 90s kid raised watching Buffy so those are magical words to me. I love vampire stories and seeing this was set in what was a new setting for me sounded great. I had to google where Koprivci was and was surprised to see it is in Bosnia. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book set in Bosnia or any of the countries near it. So that also made me interested in the book because it’s cool to see different folklore influencing a story about vampires and ghosts or demons…each culture saw these things differently and I find it fascinating to learn about it.
It was hard for me to say when in history this story would take place. I would say a couple of hundred years ago but I can’t say a specific decade or even century. A war is referenced often so I tried to search all the wars that happened in Bosnia or around it and I can’t choose one that could be the one from this book. I knew it wasn’t the most recent one because I was alive during that war and this is historical fiction. It could be the war is a made up concept for this book or it could be a very local conflict that has not been reported as much outside the area. Anyway, that was just my former History major self trying to get more information from the story but it’s not something I need to know to enjoy the book.
It’s clear this is set at a time when more progress was being accessed by people through knowledge of things like science. But those people still refused to understand the science due to ignorance and fear of the unknown. It makes for a great plot device and I appreciated that part of the story.
Because the vampire side of the story was what got my attention, I was a bit confused reading the book because I don’t find that to be that prevalent. This story is more about real monsters. As in humans hurting others, whether they mean to or not. And that makes it maybe less interesting to some who just want the supernatural and the action with the vampires. For me, it makes the story a lot richer and more impactful.
We don’t have the largest cast of characters but each one plays a very important part. Even if they get less page time, their actions or just their presence influences how the story evolves. So that’s pretty cool to not just have filler characters who show up for one scene and then they’re gone.
I don’t want to say much about Yana because it’s so fun to discover how she is as a character and what her true intentions are. But I can say she’s so much more than just a slayer or a seer or whatever name people give her. She’s an incredibly layered character and what she does is maybe morally grey, but it makes sense. It crosses lines for sure but there is a point to her actions. It isn’t just done for her own gain and that’s why she’s so interesting as a character.
Anka’s story is so sad but so real. Through her, we can have so much commentary, which I adore and I always say it. There’s a very important theme that we cover with her character and I don’t want to say what because it’s a spoiler and this is an ARC review. But it was beautifully done. The nuances of her character arc were fantastic. And it’s all that which links her story with Yana’s and creates that friendship and that need to help each other.
I was very curious about Kiril because right at the beginning we see he’s a science guy. He goes to the city and can learn more about medicine and how to be a doctor. But then he goes back to a town where people believe in curses and such superstitions and…what is he going to do? They don’t believe in him and the knowledge he can use to help them. That’s very realistic. I mean, some people still refuse to respect science and everything it teaches us in 2025. So imagine back then. It was a very good portrayal of that time when people tried to leave behind the old superstitions to maybe embrace the progress that could make their lives better.
However, other aspects of Kiril as a character were a bit off putting. Realistic too and I can appreciate that. So while I understand why his character is the way it is and I find it fits the story, a few things bothered me because having a person like him around me would bother me. So maybe I’m biased in a way.
With this I’m trying to show this book is more about the characters than the monsters. It’s a great character study and I love those types of books. But to anyone who just wants monsters, it can be a bit disappointing. So it is fair to mention that.
The description of even the most basic things was very beautiful. It was very easy to visualize the town and the people and the houses…all very well done. I also felt that the author used the interludes to flex her writing skills a little, which I’m never opposed to. The writing as a whole was beautiful but those sections felt like extra pretty writing. Which for a story like this one is absolutely a great thing.
I could write about this book for hours really but I would have to make comments about things that are spoilery. And I loved finding out all the different aspects of the book on my own so I wouldn’t want to ruin it for anyone else.
Thank you to Random House UK/Vintage and NetGalley for providing me with an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
When I first heard about the book, the words that caught my attention were vampires and slayers. Here comes the 90s kid raised watching Buffy so those are magical words to me. I love vampire stories and seeing this was set in what was a new setting for me sounded great. I had to google where Koprivci was and was surprised to see it is in Bosnia. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book set in Bosnia or any of the countries near it. So that also made me interested in the book because it’s cool to see different folklore influencing a story about vampires and ghosts or demons…each culture saw these things differently and I find it fascinating to learn about it.
It was hard for me to say when in history this story would take place. I would say a couple of hundred years ago but I can’t say a specific decade or even century. A war is referenced often so I tried to search all the wars that happened in Bosnia or around it and I can’t choose one that could be the one from this book. I knew it wasn’t the most recent one because I was alive during that war and this is historical fiction. It could be the war is a made up concept for this book or it could be a very local conflict that has not been reported as much outside the area. Anyway, that was just my former History major self trying to get more information from the story but it’s not something I need to know to enjoy the book.
It’s clear this is set at a time when more progress was being accessed by people through knowledge of things like science. But those people still refused to understand the science due to ignorance and fear of the unknown. It makes for a great plot device and I appreciated that part of the story.
Because the vampire side of the story was what got my attention, I was a bit confused reading the book because I don’t find that to be that prevalent. This story is more about real monsters. As in humans hurting others, whether they mean to or not. And that makes it maybe less interesting to some who just want the supernatural and the action with the vampires. For me, it makes the story a lot richer and more impactful.
We don’t have the largest cast of characters but each one plays a very important part. Even if they get less page time, their actions or just their presence influences how the story evolves. So that’s pretty cool to not just have filler characters who show up for one scene and then they’re gone.
I don’t want to say much about Yana because it’s so fun to discover how she is as a character and what her true intentions are. But I can say she’s so much more than just a slayer or a seer or whatever name people give her. She’s an incredibly layered character and what she does is maybe morally grey, but it makes sense. It crosses lines for sure but there is a point to her actions. It isn’t just done for her own gain and that’s why she’s so interesting as a character.
Anka’s story is so sad but so real. Through her, we can have so much commentary, which I adore and I always say it. There’s a very important theme that we cover with her character and I don’t want to say what because it’s a spoiler and this is an ARC review. But it was beautifully done. The nuances of her character arc were fantastic. And it’s all that which links her story with Yana’s and creates that friendship and that need to help each other.
I was very curious about Kiril because right at the beginning we see he’s a science guy. He goes to the city and can learn more about medicine and how to be a doctor. But then he goes back to a town where people believe in curses and such superstitions and…what is he going to do? They don’t believe in him and the knowledge he can use to help them. That’s very realistic. I mean, some people still refuse to respect science and everything it teaches us in 2025. So imagine back then. It was a very good portrayal of that time when people tried to leave behind the old superstitions to maybe embrace the progress that could make their lives better.
However, other aspects of Kiril as a character were a bit off putting. Realistic too and I can appreciate that. So while I understand why his character is the way it is and I find it fits the story, a few things bothered me because having a person like him around me would bother me. So maybe I’m biased in a way.
With this I’m trying to show this book is more about the characters than the monsters. It’s a great character study and I love those types of books. But to anyone who just wants monsters, it can be a bit disappointing. So it is fair to mention that.
The description of even the most basic things was very beautiful. It was very easy to visualize the town and the people and the houses…all very well done. I also felt that the author used the interludes to flex her writing skills a little, which I’m never opposed to. The writing as a whole was beautiful but those sections felt like extra pretty writing. Which for a story like this one is absolutely a great thing.
I could write about this book for hours really but I would have to make comments about things that are spoilery. And I loved finding out all the different aspects of the book on my own so I wouldn’t want to ruin it for anyone else.
Thank you to Random House UK/Vintage and NetGalley for providing me with an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 31, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley, Anna Kovatcheva, and Mariner Books for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
4.25 stars
This book reminded me of some ways of Blood on Her Tongue. Both books are about women having to deal with societal pressures and expectations. I'm glad that I ended up enjoying this book more. The story hooked from the first page of the book. We mainly follow two characters: Yana, a vampire slayer who is actually a con artist, and Anka, an orphan who has become a woman, making her a target of the man who raised her. This is a story about a broken family, controlled by a powerful man who believes everything is his for the taking. It's also a story about superstitions that wreak havoc on the town. I enjoyed the fact that the characters felt like real people. I could easily see how something like this could have happened. Please check TW's. Warning of a brutal animal death. I would recommend this book!
4.25 stars
This book reminded me of some ways of Blood on Her Tongue. Both books are about women having to deal with societal pressures and expectations. I'm glad that I ended up enjoying this book more. The story hooked from the first page of the book. We mainly follow two characters: Yana, a vampire slayer who is actually a con artist, and Anka, an orphan who has become a woman, making her a target of the man who raised her. This is a story about a broken family, controlled by a powerful man who believes everything is his for the taking. It's also a story about superstitions that wreak havoc on the town. I enjoyed the fact that the characters felt like real people. I could easily see how something like this could have happened. Please check TW's. Warning of a brutal animal death. I would recommend this book!
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December 12, 2025Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK for an eARC in exchange for an honest review
The gothic style of this really worked for me - when I think gothic I usually think some kind of spooky manor or dark cobbled streets but this was set in a rural, superstitious village and it was really the characters that brought on that feeling of creeping dread.
Heavy on themes of blood: both as power and womanhood but also as violence and cruelty - some of it made for difficult reading, especially that slow burning tension of her Uncle in the background patiently waiting to marry her, so yucky.
I found the set up different to what I expected, it felt like the primary relationship in this was between the cousins not between the two girls getting to know each other. Going into it I thought the tension would be built around the "vampire slayer" evading capture for fraud or something but really she was there to paint the scenery for a more complex familial plot unravelling in the foreground.
The gothic style of this really worked for me - when I think gothic I usually think some kind of spooky manor or dark cobbled streets but this was set in a rural, superstitious village and it was really the characters that brought on that feeling of creeping dread.
Heavy on themes of blood: both as power and womanhood but also as violence and cruelty - some of it made for difficult reading, especially that slow burning tension of her Uncle in the background patiently waiting to marry her, so yucky.
I found the set up different to what I expected, it felt like the primary relationship in this was between the cousins not between the two girls getting to know each other. Going into it I thought the tension would be built around the "vampire slayer" evading capture for fraud or something but really she was there to paint the scenery for a more complex familial plot unravelling in the foreground.
Review of advance copy received from Publishers Weekly
"Bones tight, heartbeat an echo. If only she could be a knife. If only she could
be a lamb, drunk on clover, slipping away into dead leaves."
I really enjoyed the vampire lore and the superstition surrounding the village.
this was beautifully written although don't take the vampire aspect so literally-its more vampiric belief as opposed to actually vampirism!
the story is essentially a seer helping a girl escape her fate of marrying the captain at any and all cost, even if it makes her, herself, a monster 👀
be a lamb, drunk on clover, slipping away into dead leaves."
I really enjoyed the vampire lore and the superstition surrounding the village.
this was beautifully written although don't take the vampire aspect so literally-its more vampiric belief as opposed to actually vampirism!
the story is essentially a seer helping a girl escape her fate of marrying the captain at any and all cost, even if it makes her, herself, a monster 👀
November 30, 2025
The atmosphere that is created within this book from page one is outstanding. It continues this way until about half way through.
This book follows characters that are flawed - one of the main reasons I liked it so much. If a character can make you feel so strongly about their actions then you know they’ve been written properly and done justice by the author. This was a reoccurring theme throughout - characters that truly hook you and keep you reading, chapter after chapter.
Whilst I did strongly like the first half of the book, I do feel as though the second half - in comparison to the first - let the story as a whole down quite significantly, this is reflected in my 3.5 star rating of it - it would’ve definitely been 4+ stars if it had of continued as strongly as it did in the beginning.
With that being said, I did really enjoy this book and still read the whole thing, I think perhaps a lot of the issue is that the beginning set such a high standard to be maintained throughout that when it dropped off a bit, it made it all the more obvious.
Thank you to NetGalley and VintageBooks for kindly gifting me an eARC of this book!
3.5⭐️
This book follows characters that are flawed - one of the main reasons I liked it so much. If a character can make you feel so strongly about their actions then you know they’ve been written properly and done justice by the author. This was a reoccurring theme throughout - characters that truly hook you and keep you reading, chapter after chapter.
Whilst I did strongly like the first half of the book, I do feel as though the second half - in comparison to the first - let the story as a whole down quite significantly, this is reflected in my 3.5 star rating of it - it would’ve definitely been 4+ stars if it had of continued as strongly as it did in the beginning.
With that being said, I did really enjoy this book and still read the whole thing, I think perhaps a lot of the issue is that the beginning set such a high standard to be maintained throughout that when it dropped off a bit, it made it all the more obvious.
Thank you to NetGalley and VintageBooks for kindly gifting me an eARC of this book!
3.5⭐️
September 23, 2025
Beautiful storytelling on this book, I liked the superstitions and and the metaphors and it really transport you to the village In the ambiance and description
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December 4, 2025this was not good and also the copy is misleading thank you
August 7, 2025
Truly one of the most unique vampire books. I recommended this to friends before I was even 50% into it that’s how good this is
August 13, 2025
ARC review! Thank you netgalley :)
What a crazy, short ride! So many points in this book I hated how the characters acted but you could empathize and understand why they are the way they are. Complex but easily understandable characters with a plot that I eattttt up every time! Definitely for the fans of books like Lapvona! I was looking for a little more horror aspect but I enjoyed the plot regardless.
What a crazy, short ride! So many points in this book I hated how the characters acted but you could empathize and understand why they are the way they are. Complex but easily understandable characters with a plot that I eattttt up every time! Definitely for the fans of books like Lapvona! I was looking for a little more horror aspect but I enjoyed the plot regardless.
July 25, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley and Mariner Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I'll write a longer, more detailed review for this one after the publication date- but it was an easy 4 to 4.5 stars for me.
Dark, atmospheric, and steeped in Slavic folklore, She Made Herself a Monster is a powerful gothic story set in 19th-century Bulgaria. Kovatcheva’s prose is lush and eerie, weaving a story full of creeping dread and quiet resistance. From the opening pages, I was hooked by the world she builds—where superstition seeps into the muddy streets.
I especially appreciated how the novel doles out information in small, suspenseful fragments, keeping the tension taut while developing a cast of characters shaped by trauma, loyalty, and survival. There are gothic elements, moments of gore, and a sense of something always lurking, but at its core this is a story of women—resilient, clever, and furious—who refuse to go quietly. It's both timely and timeless.
I think this is a great fall or winter reread, and I will likely pick it up again around that time. I look forward to reading this author's future publications.
I'll write a longer, more detailed review for this one after the publication date- but it was an easy 4 to 4.5 stars for me.
Dark, atmospheric, and steeped in Slavic folklore, She Made Herself a Monster is a powerful gothic story set in 19th-century Bulgaria. Kovatcheva’s prose is lush and eerie, weaving a story full of creeping dread and quiet resistance. From the opening pages, I was hooked by the world she builds—where superstition seeps into the muddy streets.
I especially appreciated how the novel doles out information in small, suspenseful fragments, keeping the tension taut while developing a cast of characters shaped by trauma, loyalty, and survival. There are gothic elements, moments of gore, and a sense of something always lurking, but at its core this is a story of women—resilient, clever, and furious—who refuse to go quietly. It's both timely and timeless.
I think this is a great fall or winter reread, and I will likely pick it up again around that time. I look forward to reading this author's future publications.
December 17, 2025
— 3.25/5 ★ // arc review (slight spoilers)
“It’s the strange thing about humans… Never just one thing. Never just good or bad, all tender or hard. It’s so easy to keep loving a person, even if they hurt you."
(I’d like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for accepting my request to read this arc in exchange for an honest review. ♡)
There’s so much to like and enjoy about this book; the atmosphere, the writing, and the premise are all crafted perfectly, and yet something just didn’t feel quite right about it. When I think about the story, I’m left with a bittersweet feeling because it felt so close to achieving great things, yet fell just short of it (at least for me personally).
Firstly, I’d like to start with the aspects that I did like. For instance, the setting and writing. The tense, gothic, and dreary atmosphere of a Bulgarian village in the 19th century is incredibly alluring and was one of the main things that attracted me to this book in the first place. I love all things folklore and supernatural, and I felt so grateful to have been allowed to read this ARC in the middle of winter. It fit so perfectly with the season, which greatly contributed to my enjoyment of it.
However, there were a few issues that impacted my overall experience.
The synopsis had me ooh-ing and ah-ing in appreciation for its novelty. I really do love when a book offers an original theme and experience. It’s because of this that I can’t lie and say that I expected vampires because, as it clearly states in the description, vampires are a guise for the travelling con artist, Yana. However, I did for a large portion of the novel wonder if there was something supernatural lurking in the background of the story, what with the mystery of some of the side characters and the length of the novel. Unfortunately, no such thing happened, and while I do appreciate the “What if the monsters were us all along?” premise, I did begin to find myself feeling a little bit disappointed in the predictability and tedium of the plot. As well as this, I loved the horror elements that were incorporated, but I just found there to not be enough mystique or foreboding elements incorporated into the plot; it’s one of the biggest reasons why I felt dissatisfied. The potential of the storyline had me eagerly anticipating the conclusion, just for me to leave the experience longing for it to have taken a different path. I believe that the length of the book didn’t help this; in fact, I think that the narrative would have greatly benefited from being a novella, focusing on Anka and her escape from her already predetermined future. It just felt too long and scattered for the ultimately short, character-focused plot that it became.
Nevertheless, I did love the sapphic relationships and the bond shared between all of the female characters. Nothing warms my heart quite like sisterhood and the dedication and respect women can have for one another, even when it comes at the expense of their own personal happiness. It felt like the men in the novel were certainly being critiqued and being held (deservedly) accountable for their actions, which left me feeling satisfied in a sense… Though the grooming and borderline incestuous and pedophilic relationship between Anka and her uncle-figure, Captain, did leave a sour taste in my mouth, I loved the expression of female rage and revenge we see in the latter half.
Ultimately, I truly believe that Kovatcheva has a talent for words and scene building, and while this book sadly didn’t tick all of my boxes, I feel as though she has an enormous amount of potential in her future works! I look forward to seeing what comes next.
“It’s the strange thing about humans… Never just one thing. Never just good or bad, all tender or hard. It’s so easy to keep loving a person, even if they hurt you."
(I’d like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for accepting my request to read this arc in exchange for an honest review. ♡)
There’s so much to like and enjoy about this book; the atmosphere, the writing, and the premise are all crafted perfectly, and yet something just didn’t feel quite right about it. When I think about the story, I’m left with a bittersweet feeling because it felt so close to achieving great things, yet fell just short of it (at least for me personally).
Firstly, I’d like to start with the aspects that I did like. For instance, the setting and writing. The tense, gothic, and dreary atmosphere of a Bulgarian village in the 19th century is incredibly alluring and was one of the main things that attracted me to this book in the first place. I love all things folklore and supernatural, and I felt so grateful to have been allowed to read this ARC in the middle of winter. It fit so perfectly with the season, which greatly contributed to my enjoyment of it.
However, there were a few issues that impacted my overall experience.
The synopsis had me ooh-ing and ah-ing in appreciation for its novelty. I really do love when a book offers an original theme and experience. It’s because of this that I can’t lie and say that I expected vampires because, as it clearly states in the description, vampires are a guise for the travelling con artist, Yana. However, I did for a large portion of the novel wonder if there was something supernatural lurking in the background of the story, what with the mystery of some of the side characters and the length of the novel. Unfortunately, no such thing happened, and while I do appreciate the “What if the monsters were us all along?” premise, I did begin to find myself feeling a little bit disappointed in the predictability and tedium of the plot. As well as this, I loved the horror elements that were incorporated, but I just found there to not be enough mystique or foreboding elements incorporated into the plot; it’s one of the biggest reasons why I felt dissatisfied. The potential of the storyline had me eagerly anticipating the conclusion, just for me to leave the experience longing for it to have taken a different path. I believe that the length of the book didn’t help this; in fact, I think that the narrative would have greatly benefited from being a novella, focusing on Anka and her escape from her already predetermined future. It just felt too long and scattered for the ultimately short, character-focused plot that it became.
Nevertheless, I did love the sapphic relationships and the bond shared between all of the female characters. Nothing warms my heart quite like sisterhood and the dedication and respect women can have for one another, even when it comes at the expense of their own personal happiness. It felt like the men in the novel were certainly being critiqued and being held (deservedly) accountable for their actions, which left me feeling satisfied in a sense… Though the grooming and borderline incestuous and pedophilic relationship between Anka and her uncle-figure, Captain, did leave a sour taste in my mouth, I loved the expression of female rage and revenge we see in the latter half.
Ultimately, I truly believe that Kovatcheva has a talent for words and scene building, and while this book sadly didn’t tick all of my boxes, I feel as though she has an enormous amount of potential in her future works! I look forward to seeing what comes next.
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