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Nest of Tongues
A lyrical, evocative horror about vampires from the Philippines . . . and a hunter on their tail. A brother and sister fight to protect their secrets, their community, and most of all, each other, in this evocative novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Patron Saints of Nothing.
As Filipino vampires known as manananggal, Lily and her brother Caleb understand the value of a secret. After all, to hide is to survive. To lie is to live. They’d never harm another person—but people only believe their worst fears around creatures of myth. So the siblings stay quiet. They follow their community’s rules.
Until a monster hunter turns up and kills a fellow manananggal, anyway.
Until Caleb is marked as the hunter’s next prey.
Suddenly, he and Lily realize there’s always been more at stake than the lives of their people. Because when doing everything "right" is still a death sentence, what can they take as truth? As the hunter nears, the siblings must decide if they’ll be driven from the only home they’ve ever known . . . or fight to protect a community that may already be lost.
As Filipino vampires known as manananggal, Lily and her brother Caleb understand the value of a secret. After all, to hide is to survive. To lie is to live. They’d never harm another person—but people only believe their worst fears around creatures of myth. So the siblings stay quiet. They follow their community’s rules.
Until a monster hunter turns up and kills a fellow manananggal, anyway.
Until Caleb is marked as the hunter’s next prey.
Suddenly, he and Lily realize there’s always been more at stake than the lives of their people. Because when doing everything "right" is still a death sentence, what can they take as truth? As the hunter nears, the siblings must decide if they’ll be driven from the only home they’ve ever known . . . or fight to protect a community that may already be lost.
362 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 11, 2026
About the author
Randy Ribay
19 books1,079 followersRandy Ribay is an award-winning author of young adult fiction. His most recent novel, Patron Saints of Nothing, earned five starred reviews, was selected as a Freeman Book Award winner, and was a finalist for the National Book Award, LA Times Book Prize, Walden Book Award, Edgar Award, International Thriller Writers Award, and the CILIP Carnegie Medal. His other works include Project Kawayan, After the Shot Drops, and An Infinite Number of Parallel Universes. His next novels, The Chronicles of the Avatar: The Reckoning of Roku (Abrams) and Everything We Never Had, (Kokila/Penguin) will be out in 2024.
Born in the Philippines and raised in the Midwest, Randy earned his BA in English Literature from the University of Colorado at Boulder and his Ed.M. in Language and Literacy from Harvard Graduate School of Education. He currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, son, and cat-like dog.
Born in the Philippines and raised in the Midwest, Randy earned his BA in English Literature from the University of Colorado at Boulder and his Ed.M. in Language and Literacy from Harvard Graduate School of Education. He currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, son, and cat-like dog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
April 14, 2026
I take back what I said. This is not giving Filipino TWILIGHT.
I learned Filipino vampires are called manananggal from a folk-horror short film called TAGA from a CAPE event I went to. Watch it. It's horrifying.
These kids are not horrifying. I think they think they are, but honestly, they're just students that feed off blood. And hybrids at that. I thought the politics of this would come up later, but that plotline was dropped.
My main takeaway: Gen Z is insufferable. And this book is as performative as every liberal try-hard on social media.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Books for Young Readers
I learned Filipino vampires are called manananggal from a folk-horror short film called TAGA from a CAPE event I went to. Watch it. It's horrifying.
These kids are not horrifying. I think they think they are, but honestly, they're just students that feed off blood. And hybrids at that. I thought the politics of this would come up later, but that plotline was dropped.
My main takeaway: Gen Z is insufferable. And this book is as performative as every liberal try-hard on social media.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Books for Young Readers
September 3, 2026
i never knew how much i needed this until now.
Read
August 17, 2026Nest of Tongues follows the story of two siblings who find themselves in the middle of being targeted by someone called Bayani, who marks and kills people who hide their true identities as Philippine creatures called Ta’li. With Caleb being marked as the new target, Lily must find a way to save her brother from being killed.
This book is somehow a story of the Filipino diaspora, where some left the country because of the chaos that happened in the ’80s. Some of these Filipinos are those who possess supernatural abilities. Through time, they live in the shadows, living their ways and surviving like the rest of the people.
This novel mentioned the dark past of the Philippines as well, and it connected through the plot of the story. It gave a false narrative from known leaders that enabled its “cult” to create violence towards their target victims. This is not far from the real reality, in which words turn into “truths” despite their fallacies.
The theme of “unity” is interesting to me. With a common enemy at large, the expectation is to come together. Yet, this gives an unusual solution – to hide and let terror consume them. They have the capacity and skills to fight, but they don’t want to use them, for they are comfortable with just accepting that these things will happen and embracing it if death will knock on their doors.
The book shows a very good quality of children – finding ways and finding courage. Unconditional love for a sibling is such an extraordinary thing one can have. It is the very root of keeping each other safe. Probably, taking care of a sibling is a very innate ability of the Panganay, which Lily had shown.
I love how Randy allows us to glimpse the lives of Filipinos in the US – they might be kababayans, but they still have different opinions on issues. Yet, most importantly, it shows us that the love for family will never change, no matter where a Filipino lives.
This book is somehow a story of the Filipino diaspora, where some left the country because of the chaos that happened in the ’80s. Some of these Filipinos are those who possess supernatural abilities. Through time, they live in the shadows, living their ways and surviving like the rest of the people.
This novel mentioned the dark past of the Philippines as well, and it connected through the plot of the story. It gave a false narrative from known leaders that enabled its “cult” to create violence towards their target victims. This is not far from the real reality, in which words turn into “truths” despite their fallacies.
The theme of “unity” is interesting to me. With a common enemy at large, the expectation is to come together. Yet, this gives an unusual solution – to hide and let terror consume them. They have the capacity and skills to fight, but they don’t want to use them, for they are comfortable with just accepting that these things will happen and embracing it if death will knock on their doors.
The book shows a very good quality of children – finding ways and finding courage. Unconditional love for a sibling is such an extraordinary thing one can have. It is the very root of keeping each other safe. Probably, taking care of a sibling is a very innate ability of the Panganay, which Lily had shown.
I love how Randy allows us to glimpse the lives of Filipinos in the US – they might be kababayans, but they still have different opinions on issues. Yet, most importantly, it shows us that the love for family will never change, no matter where a Filipino lives.
Read
August 1, 2026actual rating: 4.5 ⭐️
*full book review to be followed*
*full book review to be followed*
August 20, 2026
My first encounter with Randy Ribay was with his breakout novel Patron Saints of Nothing, a YA novel about a Filipino-American teen’s homecoming amidst Duterte’s War on Drugs when it victimized his cousin in the Philippines. My 14 year old self devoured the novel within a few hours, pleased to discover that the author's family was from the same hometown as I was – the town in Bicol that appeared in the novel. I followed ‘Patron Saints’ up with his After the Shot Drops, a novel on brotherhood and basketball. ‘Nest of Tongues’ is my third novel of his, five years since reading the last. I received a copy from the publisher Penguin Random House through Bookworms Unite PH in exchange for an online feature and honest review.
Nest of Tongues is a YA horror that serves as Ribay’s contribution to the ever-growing Filipino myth-inspired literature. In the afterword, he acknowledged the diversity of Filipino myths and explained that the version in the book is his own. While based on the traditional mythos, his aswang has twists made to connect with his diasporic experience and subvert the traditional view of the aswang as evil creatures.
Ribay’s aswang/tawong lipod (a Bicolano term used here as a proper name to the aswang) are superpowered humans of different varieties with roots in the Philippines demonized and targeted to death during the ascent of Catholicism in the country. This oppression is continued and sustained by forces deeply connected to the contemporary Philippine State, hence the mass immigration to the United States. That the US is a haven struck me as weird as the characters seem to be aware of the CIA-backed aswang hunt in the 50’s and other shenanigans. Nonetheless, since aswangs are native to the Philippines, there were less threat in abroad.
They live normal lives by day, pressured to hide their powers except when they have to get sustenance from the blood of other living beings such as common animals in the wild. I personally prefer my aswang as creatures that have to actually haunt and consume people but I understand why Ribay’s aswang had to deviate and be more sanitized and sympathetic for the story’s purposes. There is a decent amount of body horror and really bleak implications in the novel but I thought the YA interpretation of manananggal in this book undermined its own intention to be classified as horror, resulting in something more akin to urban fantasy mixed with social commentary.
The protagonists are two manananggal siblings living in Bay Area, California: fiery and rebellious Lily and reluctant, newly-turned manananggal Caleb. Following a string of killings in the place, Caleb receives a death sentence through a literal mark on his nape from the Bayani. They then have to go against elders’ advice to stay put and hidden and seek the Bayani. Lily and Caleb go through their respective satisfying character arcs throughout the novel, with the most emotional parts being about their relationship, following the absence of their parents (in different ways) and the schism that develops between them and their lola.
Ribay’s writing is very accessible to the book’s audience. I breezed quickly through the 400 pages of an alternate PoV, day-of-the-week format that delivers on the fast pacing and a web of mysteries, with strategic placing of the investigative and action-packed sequences among the relatively light, comedic parts. My issues on the writing include the tendency to overtly emulate how contemporary teens talk, resulting in an annoying amount of “hella” and “eff” words. The main characters are also both treated as mouthpieces to comment on whatever various issues and topics (performative activism, fascism, feminism, etc.) in every moment possible, often with an unnatural placement and disjointment with the actual plot.
The book ends having most threads still unresolved, with me only later knowing that this is a planned duology. With some mysteries out of the way, I hope the sequel features more of the history of the Tawong Lipod and the Bayani, more of the secret community, and really tap into the deep horror potential. I’m especially excited about the prospect of an anti-heroic perspective in the mix other than Caleb and Lily.
Nest of Tongues is at its core a story of young siblings thrust in a dangerous life-or-death position but an opportune one as well, with their idealism and willingness to change how things are. I have reservations with the writing and the world’s premise but I still thought the book was able to highlight some compelling themes related to how authority figures, regardless of intentions, readily decide how things are dealt with, how lives must be lived, how things are named, and how identities take shape; as well as the correspondent struggles to reclaim this power. My complete feelings on this book will depend on how the sequel ties everything up.
Nest of Tongues is a YA horror that serves as Ribay’s contribution to the ever-growing Filipino myth-inspired literature. In the afterword, he acknowledged the diversity of Filipino myths and explained that the version in the book is his own. While based on the traditional mythos, his aswang has twists made to connect with his diasporic experience and subvert the traditional view of the aswang as evil creatures.
Ribay’s aswang/tawong lipod (a Bicolano term used here as a proper name to the aswang) are superpowered humans of different varieties with roots in the Philippines demonized and targeted to death during the ascent of Catholicism in the country. This oppression is continued and sustained by forces deeply connected to the contemporary Philippine State, hence the mass immigration to the United States. That the US is a haven struck me as weird as the characters seem to be aware of the CIA-backed aswang hunt in the 50’s and other shenanigans. Nonetheless, since aswangs are native to the Philippines, there were less threat in abroad.
They live normal lives by day, pressured to hide their powers except when they have to get sustenance from the blood of other living beings such as common animals in the wild. I personally prefer my aswang as creatures that have to actually haunt and consume people but I understand why Ribay’s aswang had to deviate and be more sanitized and sympathetic for the story’s purposes. There is a decent amount of body horror and really bleak implications in the novel but I thought the YA interpretation of manananggal in this book undermined its own intention to be classified as horror, resulting in something more akin to urban fantasy mixed with social commentary.
The protagonists are two manananggal siblings living in Bay Area, California: fiery and rebellious Lily and reluctant, newly-turned manananggal Caleb. Following a string of killings in the place, Caleb receives a death sentence through a literal mark on his nape from the Bayani. They then have to go against elders’ advice to stay put and hidden and seek the Bayani. Lily and Caleb go through their respective satisfying character arcs throughout the novel, with the most emotional parts being about their relationship, following the absence of their parents (in different ways) and the schism that develops between them and their lola.
Ribay’s writing is very accessible to the book’s audience. I breezed quickly through the 400 pages of an alternate PoV, day-of-the-week format that delivers on the fast pacing and a web of mysteries, with strategic placing of the investigative and action-packed sequences among the relatively light, comedic parts. My issues on the writing include the tendency to overtly emulate how contemporary teens talk, resulting in an annoying amount of “hella” and “eff” words. The main characters are also both treated as mouthpieces to comment on whatever various issues and topics (performative activism, fascism, feminism, etc.) in every moment possible, often with an unnatural placement and disjointment with the actual plot.
The book ends having most threads still unresolved, with me only later knowing that this is a planned duology. With some mysteries out of the way, I hope the sequel features more of the history of the Tawong Lipod and the Bayani, more of the secret community, and really tap into the deep horror potential. I’m especially excited about the prospect of an anti-heroic perspective in the mix other than Caleb and Lily.
Nest of Tongues is at its core a story of young siblings thrust in a dangerous life-or-death position but an opportune one as well, with their idealism and willingness to change how things are. I have reservations with the writing and the world’s premise but I still thought the book was able to highlight some compelling themes related to how authority figures, regardless of intentions, readily decide how things are dealt with, how lives must be lived, how things are named, and how identities take shape; as well as the correspondent struggles to reclaim this power. My complete feelings on this book will depend on how the sequel ties everything up.
August 26, 2026
Je vous en conjuuuuuuuuure : lisez ce roman ! Avec celui-ci, la place de Ribay dans mes valeurs sûres s’est consolidée – je vous explique pourquoi !
Lily et son frère Caleb mènent une double vie : comme plusieurs matriarches de leur famille, ils sont des mananggals, et doivent dissimuler leur identité au reste du monde. Ce qu’ils arrivent bien à faire jusqu’à ce qu’ils tombent sur le cadavre d’une personne ciblée par le Bayani qui traque tout individu surnaturel. Alors, quand Caleb devient à son tour ciblé, Lily et lui vont tout mettre en œuvre pour l’abattre une bonne fois pour toutes.
Ce roman a la recette parfaite pour plaire. D’un côté, nous avons tout ce qui se rapporte au folklore précolonial des Philippines, puisque le roman nous présente différents personnages et leur manière de fonctionner. C’est assez détaillé pour qu’on puisse bien comprendre ce qui se passe, mais écrit d’une manière qui nous donne tout de même envie d’en savoir plus et donc de rechercher de l’information à ce sujet en dehors de notre lecture. C’est rare qu’un roman me donne cet effet et c’est quelque chose qui m’a énormément plu.
D’un autre, nous avons la relation entre Lily et Caleb au centre du récit et j’ai adoré suivre cette fratrie qui se complète si bien. Lily se sent responsable vis-à-vis de son frère, et lui aussi veut mettre la main à la pâte pour la soutenir et l’épauler dans leur quotidien. Ils sont complémentaires, se serrent les coudes… vraiment j’ai beaucoup aimé les suivre et voir comment ils viennent à bout des épreuves comme ils le peuvent. Ils sont très cute !
Et avec ça, on a aussi l’histoire en tant que telle qui captive notre attention dès la première page. En fait… tout est bien exécuté entre le rythme, la narration à deux temps, et l’intrigue en tant que telle. Rien ne m’a paru de trop et j’ai même eu le droit à des petites surprises au fil de ma lecture. Tout pour garantir une belle expérience !
Tout ça pour dire, encore une fois : ajoutez ce livre à votre wishlist, ça en vaut trop la peine !
Lily et son frère Caleb mènent une double vie : comme plusieurs matriarches de leur famille, ils sont des mananggals, et doivent dissimuler leur identité au reste du monde. Ce qu’ils arrivent bien à faire jusqu’à ce qu’ils tombent sur le cadavre d’une personne ciblée par le Bayani qui traque tout individu surnaturel. Alors, quand Caleb devient à son tour ciblé, Lily et lui vont tout mettre en œuvre pour l’abattre une bonne fois pour toutes.
Ce roman a la recette parfaite pour plaire. D’un côté, nous avons tout ce qui se rapporte au folklore précolonial des Philippines, puisque le roman nous présente différents personnages et leur manière de fonctionner. C’est assez détaillé pour qu’on puisse bien comprendre ce qui se passe, mais écrit d’une manière qui nous donne tout de même envie d’en savoir plus et donc de rechercher de l’information à ce sujet en dehors de notre lecture. C’est rare qu’un roman me donne cet effet et c’est quelque chose qui m’a énormément plu.
D’un autre, nous avons la relation entre Lily et Caleb au centre du récit et j’ai adoré suivre cette fratrie qui se complète si bien. Lily se sent responsable vis-à-vis de son frère, et lui aussi veut mettre la main à la pâte pour la soutenir et l’épauler dans leur quotidien. Ils sont complémentaires, se serrent les coudes… vraiment j’ai beaucoup aimé les suivre et voir comment ils viennent à bout des épreuves comme ils le peuvent. Ils sont très cute !
Et avec ça, on a aussi l’histoire en tant que telle qui captive notre attention dès la première page. En fait… tout est bien exécuté entre le rythme, la narration à deux temps, et l’intrigue en tant que telle. Rien ne m’a paru de trop et j’ai même eu le droit à des petites surprises au fil de ma lecture. Tout pour garantir une belle expérience !
Tout ça pour dire, encore une fois : ajoutez ce livre à votre wishlist, ça en vaut trop la peine !
September 8, 2026
Caleb never felt like he belonged. First, he’s a male manananggal when they’re almost always female, and two, for most of his life he was the only non manananggal in the family. It was a bond his Lola, his mother, and his sister shared, inadvertently shutting him out. When he turned, his grandmother was delighted (his mother had already left, both to pursue her academic interest and because she didn’t want to be a mother) and so was his sister … but Caleb wasn’t ready for what he was, to kill and feed off blood.
Lily is bold, clever, powerful … and very protective of her brother. While he’s now a manananggal, too, he’s not a very good one, and now the hunter — who kills any and all non-human creatures, has set his sight on Caleb, who can barely manage to drink his blood, let alone fight back.
And those are the two strongest parts of this book. The close and sincere bond between the siblings — beautifully written — and the mythology. The council unable to fight back, taught all their lives that to do so is to lose, their grandmother and her secrets, the magic from the variety of Filipino myths, and the siblings having to come of age. It’s a fast, fun book that doesn’t dwell too much on the angst, instead focusing on the action.
Well worth a read, especially if you’re looking for a new paranormal fantasy that isn’t just shifters and vampires. Well, not the television famous vampires. Thank you so very much to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC!
September 15, 2026
I was really confused by this book. It could be a "I'm not smart enough for how this message is trying to be told." The cover was great and premise seemed to be steeped in Filipino folklore. I was really excited to dive in. But I'm convinced the Midwest upbringing (I'm from the Midwest so this is based on my experiences) impacted their ability to actually connect with true anti-facism/anti-racism experiences. It read how Grandpa's in my neighborhood would sound if they were "faking Liberal." Idk. It just landed weird. I think the concept was there but read insincerely.
September 16, 2026
Thanks for the free copy I was sent in a goodreads giveaway!
This story was interesting, I admit I hadn’t heard many of the legends and folklore of the Philippines that were referenced! Vampires who can detach their upper torso are such a cool concept and kind of horrifying (trailing entrails!)
Unfortunately the tone is bit juvenile from what I’ve been reading lately but I enjoyed the focus on sibling/family relationships in a supernatural book (although not completely without some romance) Personally I think they should have been more monstrous.
I do feel hella hella hella old.
This story was interesting, I admit I hadn’t heard many of the legends and folklore of the Philippines that were referenced! Vampires who can detach their upper torso are such a cool concept and kind of horrifying (trailing entrails!)
Unfortunately the tone is bit juvenile from what I’ve been reading lately but I enjoyed the focus on sibling/family relationships in a supernatural book (although not completely without some romance) Personally I think they should have been more monstrous.
I do feel hella hella hella old.
August 14, 2026
Thank you to the publisher and JM of Bookworms Unite PH for the review copy! This has in no way influenced my reading experience or opinions.
As someone who grew up glued to the screen watching the Pedro Penduko teleseryes back in the day, Randy Ribay’s Nest of Tongues was a highly anticipated read for me this year. I enjoyed reading Patron Saints of Nothing and I look forward to reading his Avatar Roku books, so I got excited hearing that he has a YA novel featuring Filipino mythology and folklore front and center coming out soon. So much so that I signed up to join the local book tour for the title expecting to get rejected due to my abysmal stats but somehow got in—and I got to read the book early! (Thank you JM of Bookworms Unite PH!)
My heart was full after reading it. How could you not when it’s authentically Filipino—from the honorifics, mannerisms, cultural and historical references, toxic traits, current issues, even down to the intergenerational trauma. The best part? None of it felt like it was written to cater to the western audiences. Unfortunately, anyone unfamiliar with or removed from the culture may not completely understand it (I think you have to be eagle-eyed to spot context clues and explanations). It’s a little inconvenient, but Nest of Tongues was really just written for us Filipinos! We don’t have a lot of cultural rep in mainstream media, after all. So that’s something to consider.
The sibling bond between Lily and Caleb was undoubtedly the heart and soul of the book. Their dynamic was solid and well-written, and something you’d typically expect from Filipino siblings. They’d banter, tease, and insult each other, but at the end of the day, they would not hesitate to put their lives on the line to keep each other safe. In some ways, Lily reminded me a lot of my own older sister, especially with her rage and ferocity to protect her loved ones. She’s like so annoying but for the right reasons (I love her). Meanwhile, I spiritually relate to Caleb for a whole lot of reasons teehee.
The Nest of Tongues was pretty much about family, if anything—and I mean genuinely. No one disappears for like ¾ of the book unlike other YA’s. Even though the mother was mostly absent, her presence was felt (I can’t say the same with the father, though). The Abadianos were one messy family with favoritism issues, but a family regardless. They’re flawed, they’ve made mistakes, and sometimes you don’t even understand them because they just do what they think is the best. I’d say Lola acknowledging her faults and being sorry about it was a bit unrealistic but then again, this book has manananggals, kapres, and what have you anyway so whatever.
I also found the new take on folklore very interesting, given the book’s overarching theme and message. Caleb was probably the first male manananggal I’ve ever heard and read about (in media and otherwise). It’s unlike what I’ve learned but I’m embracing the reimagination anyway with open arms. I’d say the worldbuilding was very simple and easy to follow for anyone already familiar with Filipino folklore. Tonally, it reminded me of the Trese show if it was PG-13, set in America, and the main protagonists were getting hunted down by Alexandra Trese herself.
Although Nest of Tongues was marketed as a YA horror novel (probably due to the manananggals’ visceral nature of transforming… and local folklore making them look scary, hideous, and out for blood), it wasn’t particularly scary per se. Compared to what I’m used to reading in the horror genre, I believe the Nest of Tongues was more of a YA urban fantasy than anything else. The story was told through two manananggals’ POV’s, after all. What normal people would consider as terrifying would look completely normal to them.
The Nest of Tongues was full of YA’isms and Pinoy fantasy tropes—which could be a good thing or a bad thing. We have the absent parents with lola being their main guardians, “this isn’t you” moments, overuse of teenage slangs, the audacity to take matters into their own hands, to name a few. At this point, I’ve just accepted that if I were to read a YA book set in the contemporary period, I would have to just deal with teenagers being teenagers, and YA books being YA books. It seems like there’s a trend these days that you gotta have at least one annoying Gen Z leftist character in YA books. I was rolling my eyes at first, but performative leftists eventually get called out #iykyk.
The book’s language was too bro-y for my taste, though. Don’t get me wrong, I do find Caleb to be a wholesome nerd, though, like that’s cousin… but it gets to a point. Even for Lily—I don’t think we’ve seen more of her feminine side. “Hot priest” isn’t going to cut it 😭 It’s painfully obvious the book was written by a male author.
Personally, I would not get into Randy Ribay books for romance. Expect little to none. (Avid readers of his work who disagree with this take, feel free to let your voice be known.) Even with a minor romantic subplot, don’t expect it’d be swoonworthy. This is the second book I’ve read from him with questionable romantic subplots too. At this point, it’s like a minor inconvenience for my experience as a reader. I don’t think the plot would be even remotely affected if the romance was just tossed out of the window altogether. (And I hope we only see less of it in any future books in the series.)
I would, however, read Randy Ribay for the social commentary. That’s probably one of the things I liked most about his works. The Patron Saints of Nothing was the first book I’ve read of his, and I was pretty much impressed with how he handled something as sensitive as the drug wars and extra-judicial killings that happened in the Philippines with such care and nuance. The Nest of Tongues was no different. The book explored the idea of narratives and stories being circulated without questioning them, among others. It’s a timely and universal issue, whether you live in the Philippines or in the United States. Moreover, I find it especially fascinating how it’s exploring extremism on both sides by subverting the superhero trope.
I could already see this book being a top book club pick in the Philippines (and hopefully elsewhere as well). There’s a lot of things to unpack here that could generate thoughtful discussions which I’d be keen to read or listen to as soon as everyone can get their hands on it!
All in all, Nest of Tongues wasn’t perfect but it was everything I could hope for in a YA fantasy about Filipino mythology and folklore, complex family dynamics, and propaganda. It’s well-paced and action-packed, and heartstopping moments where all you can hear is pin drop silence. I’m especially stoked to see where the story goes with the way things ended and, of course, more of the secret world of “heroes” and “monsters”. If you’re like me and you grew up with the Pedro Penduko teleseryes and/or komiks, or loved the Trese show and/or graphic novels, then I highly recommend picking up this book!
As someone who grew up glued to the screen watching the Pedro Penduko teleseryes back in the day, Randy Ribay’s Nest of Tongues was a highly anticipated read for me this year. I enjoyed reading Patron Saints of Nothing and I look forward to reading his Avatar Roku books, so I got excited hearing that he has a YA novel featuring Filipino mythology and folklore front and center coming out soon. So much so that I signed up to join the local book tour for the title expecting to get rejected due to my abysmal stats but somehow got in—and I got to read the book early! (Thank you JM of Bookworms Unite PH!)
My heart was full after reading it. How could you not when it’s authentically Filipino—from the honorifics, mannerisms, cultural and historical references, toxic traits, current issues, even down to the intergenerational trauma. The best part? None of it felt like it was written to cater to the western audiences. Unfortunately, anyone unfamiliar with or removed from the culture may not completely understand it (I think you have to be eagle-eyed to spot context clues and explanations). It’s a little inconvenient, but Nest of Tongues was really just written for us Filipinos! We don’t have a lot of cultural rep in mainstream media, after all. So that’s something to consider.
The sibling bond between Lily and Caleb was undoubtedly the heart and soul of the book. Their dynamic was solid and well-written, and something you’d typically expect from Filipino siblings. They’d banter, tease, and insult each other, but at the end of the day, they would not hesitate to put their lives on the line to keep each other safe. In some ways, Lily reminded me a lot of my own older sister, especially with her rage and ferocity to protect her loved ones. She’s like so annoying but for the right reasons (I love her). Meanwhile, I spiritually relate to Caleb for a whole lot of reasons teehee.
The Nest of Tongues was pretty much about family, if anything—and I mean genuinely. No one disappears for like ¾ of the book unlike other YA’s. Even though the mother was mostly absent, her presence was felt (I can’t say the same with the father, though). The Abadianos were one messy family with favoritism issues, but a family regardless. They’re flawed, they’ve made mistakes, and sometimes you don’t even understand them because they just do what they think is the best. I’d say Lola acknowledging her faults and being sorry about it was a bit unrealistic but then again, this book has manananggals, kapres, and what have you anyway so whatever.
I also found the new take on folklore very interesting, given the book’s overarching theme and message. Caleb was probably the first male manananggal I’ve ever heard and read about (in media and otherwise). It’s unlike what I’ve learned but I’m embracing the reimagination anyway with open arms. I’d say the worldbuilding was very simple and easy to follow for anyone already familiar with Filipino folklore. Tonally, it reminded me of the Trese show if it was PG-13, set in America, and the main protagonists were getting hunted down by Alexandra Trese herself.
Although Nest of Tongues was marketed as a YA horror novel (probably due to the manananggals’ visceral nature of transforming… and local folklore making them look scary, hideous, and out for blood), it wasn’t particularly scary per se. Compared to what I’m used to reading in the horror genre, I believe the Nest of Tongues was more of a YA urban fantasy than anything else. The story was told through two manananggals’ POV’s, after all. What normal people would consider as terrifying would look completely normal to them.
The Nest of Tongues was full of YA’isms and Pinoy fantasy tropes—which could be a good thing or a bad thing. We have the absent parents with lola being their main guardians, “this isn’t you” moments, overuse of teenage slangs, the audacity to take matters into their own hands, to name a few. At this point, I’ve just accepted that if I were to read a YA book set in the contemporary period, I would have to just deal with teenagers being teenagers, and YA books being YA books. It seems like there’s a trend these days that you gotta have at least one annoying Gen Z leftist character in YA books. I was rolling my eyes at first, but performative leftists eventually get called out #iykyk.
The book’s language was too bro-y for my taste, though. Don’t get me wrong, I do find Caleb to be a wholesome nerd, though, like that’s cousin… but it gets to a point. Even for Lily—I don’t think we’ve seen more of her feminine side. “Hot priest” isn’t going to cut it 😭 It’s painfully obvious the book was written by a male author.
Personally, I would not get into Randy Ribay books for romance. Expect little to none. (Avid readers of his work who disagree with this take, feel free to let your voice be known.) Even with a minor romantic subplot, don’t expect it’d be swoonworthy. This is the second book I’ve read from him with questionable romantic subplots too. At this point, it’s like a minor inconvenience for my experience as a reader. I don’t think the plot would be even remotely affected if the romance was just tossed out of the window altogether. (And I hope we only see less of it in any future books in the series.)
I would, however, read Randy Ribay for the social commentary. That’s probably one of the things I liked most about his works. The Patron Saints of Nothing was the first book I’ve read of his, and I was pretty much impressed with how he handled something as sensitive as the drug wars and extra-judicial killings that happened in the Philippines with such care and nuance. The Nest of Tongues was no different. The book explored the idea of narratives and stories being circulated without questioning them, among others. It’s a timely and universal issue, whether you live in the Philippines or in the United States. Moreover, I find it especially fascinating how it’s exploring extremism on both sides by subverting the superhero trope.
I could already see this book being a top book club pick in the Philippines (and hopefully elsewhere as well). There’s a lot of things to unpack here that could generate thoughtful discussions which I’d be keen to read or listen to as soon as everyone can get their hands on it!
All in all, Nest of Tongues wasn’t perfect but it was everything I could hope for in a YA fantasy about Filipino mythology and folklore, complex family dynamics, and propaganda. It’s well-paced and action-packed, and heartstopping moments where all you can hear is pin drop silence. I’m especially stoked to see where the story goes with the way things ended and, of course, more of the secret world of “heroes” and “monsters”. If you’re like me and you grew up with the Pedro Penduko teleseryes and/or komiks, or loved the Trese show and/or graphic novels, then I highly recommend picking up this book!
September 10, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley, Randy Ribay, and Random House Children's Books for a free review copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
TW: Death, Language, Blood, Mild Gore, Racism, Abandonment, and Animal Harm/Death.
Ever since I was a young teen, I have had a soft spot for monsters. I remember going to a Borders bookstore a few towns over once a month with my family, and I would always return home with a vampire book of some kind. Through the years, I started to branch out a little, finding books about other types of blood-drinking creatures from other countries. The Manananggal was a creature I found rather interesting--a vampire-like monster from Filipino folklore and beliefs that detaches its upper half from its lower half, grows wings, and flies around at night to drink the blood of pregnant women and fetuses (not to be confused with the Krasue, the Penanggalan, or the Leyak, all of which are similar but different monsters in the folklore of other countries).
Years later, I am still rather fond of blood-drinking monsters. When I saw "Nest of Tongues" available on NetGalley for review purposes, I quickly applied. When I received my digital ARC, I was excited to dig in. After getting about 35% in, I realized that this book was not for me. I have been told that author Randy Ribay has other books that are a lot better than this one. I certainly hope so. It really makes me sad to have not enjoyed "Nest of Tongues" because I think it could have been a great story.
Caleb and Lily are siblings with a secret; their family is full of Manananggal. The youngest of the two, Caleb is very sweet and kind, and is also one of the first male Manananggal in their family. Lily is a protective older sister, but is also rebellious, rude, and reckless. One night, while Lily is teaching Caleb how to hunt, they come across one of their kind, dead, on the top of a building. It looks as though she had been stabbed through the heart. By morning's first light, the body has turned to ash, leaving no evidence behind. A hunter of their kind has found the little nest of Manananggal. None of them will be safe soon.
So...how did "Nest of Tongues" go wrong? The premise seems great, having family, community, kick-ass special powers, vampires from Filipino folklore, other creatures from the region, and two siblings that balance each other out. For me, the problem wasn't with the story itself, but with the characters and how they spoke. Nearly every interaction between the siblings or the siblings and their friends reads like how a 60 year old, white Republican on Facebook *thinks* Gen Z or Gen Alpha speak. I could not go a page without Caleb or Lily spouting off about how Fascism is bad, or racism, or how 'that's not very feminist of you.'
Let me be clear: Yes. Fascism bad. Racism bad. Feminism (true Feminism, not that TERF crap) good. My problem with how these characters are written is that they feel like they are just repeating what they've read or seen on social media. Never, at any point, did I feel like these kids actually knew what they were talking about when they brought up these 'buzz words.' For so many chapters, I had to tell myself, "Yes. These kids are cringe. All kids are, at some point in their lives, cringe. I was cringe. Whomever is reading this review right now was cringe at some point in their life. Kids are, by definition, cringe." At some point, I just couldn't make that excuse any longer. It was simply too heavy-handed.
I cannot recommend "Nest of Tongues." I didn't find it likeable, charming, scary, or even thought-provoking. I thought it talked down to the intended readers without really saying anything of worth at all.
TW: Death, Language, Blood, Mild Gore, Racism, Abandonment, and Animal Harm/Death.
Ever since I was a young teen, I have had a soft spot for monsters. I remember going to a Borders bookstore a few towns over once a month with my family, and I would always return home with a vampire book of some kind. Through the years, I started to branch out a little, finding books about other types of blood-drinking creatures from other countries. The Manananggal was a creature I found rather interesting--a vampire-like monster from Filipino folklore and beliefs that detaches its upper half from its lower half, grows wings, and flies around at night to drink the blood of pregnant women and fetuses (not to be confused with the Krasue, the Penanggalan, or the Leyak, all of which are similar but different monsters in the folklore of other countries).
Years later, I am still rather fond of blood-drinking monsters. When I saw "Nest of Tongues" available on NetGalley for review purposes, I quickly applied. When I received my digital ARC, I was excited to dig in. After getting about 35% in, I realized that this book was not for me. I have been told that author Randy Ribay has other books that are a lot better than this one. I certainly hope so. It really makes me sad to have not enjoyed "Nest of Tongues" because I think it could have been a great story.
Caleb and Lily are siblings with a secret; their family is full of Manananggal. The youngest of the two, Caleb is very sweet and kind, and is also one of the first male Manananggal in their family. Lily is a protective older sister, but is also rebellious, rude, and reckless. One night, while Lily is teaching Caleb how to hunt, they come across one of their kind, dead, on the top of a building. It looks as though she had been stabbed through the heart. By morning's first light, the body has turned to ash, leaving no evidence behind. A hunter of their kind has found the little nest of Manananggal. None of them will be safe soon.
So...how did "Nest of Tongues" go wrong? The premise seems great, having family, community, kick-ass special powers, vampires from Filipino folklore, other creatures from the region, and two siblings that balance each other out. For me, the problem wasn't with the story itself, but with the characters and how they spoke. Nearly every interaction between the siblings or the siblings and their friends reads like how a 60 year old, white Republican on Facebook *thinks* Gen Z or Gen Alpha speak. I could not go a page without Caleb or Lily spouting off about how Fascism is bad, or racism, or how 'that's not very feminist of you.'
Let me be clear: Yes. Fascism bad. Racism bad. Feminism (true Feminism, not that TERF crap) good. My problem with how these characters are written is that they feel like they are just repeating what they've read or seen on social media. Never, at any point, did I feel like these kids actually knew what they were talking about when they brought up these 'buzz words.' For so many chapters, I had to tell myself, "Yes. These kids are cringe. All kids are, at some point in their lives, cringe. I was cringe. Whomever is reading this review right now was cringe at some point in their life. Kids are, by definition, cringe." At some point, I just couldn't make that excuse any longer. It was simply too heavy-handed.
I cannot recommend "Nest of Tongues." I didn't find it likeable, charming, scary, or even thought-provoking. I thought it talked down to the intended readers without really saying anything of worth at all.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Random House Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book! The following review is completely my own.
I was so excited when Randy revealed this book, and since I'm an avid fan of his work, I was practically vibrating in my seat when I was approved for the ARC. While I did enjoy this, I think I'm going to give Nest of Tongues 3.5 stars, maybe 3.75, because there are a few things that didn't make it a solid four star read.
I'm so happy that Filipino mythology/folklore inspired books are on the rise, and I love Randy's twist and take on it! Having manananggals, one of the most infamous creatures in PH folklore, be the main focus and protagonists is such a cool move and a great way to twist the monster hunter story/trope on its head. It was nice to see different creatures like the duwende, kapres, and more existing in the modern world in places that I've been to (RIP the manananggal who died on top of Seafood City) or would be familiar with. With the descriptions of the creatures and casual references to Filipino culture and life, the care that Randy takes in depicting our culture is familiar and evident, yet understandable enough to non-Filipino readers (I think; I'm Filipino so I'm biased lol). Though the story is set in modern day NorCal, there are generally enough fantastical elements that it feels like a proper urban fantasy.
Lily and Caleb were a great pair as well! They're a very well written and realistic pair of siblings; they banter and joke together, but have different experiences despite being part of the same family and clash because of the differences in how they were raised and see the world. Their character growth and bond were great, and they actually acted like real siblings instead of how authors think siblings interact. They tease and insult each other but repeatedly put themselves in harm's way to defend each other, and it's perfect.
My main criticism is that the writing doesn't feel as tight as it does in Randy's other books. There are plenty of pop culture references and constant usage of slang and common curse words, perhaps almost too much. On one hand, Lily and Caleb are teenagers, so their language makes sense, but on the other hand, there were times where it didn't feel appropriate and clashed with the serious events/atmosphere. There were times where I wished there were less witty references, silly dialogue, and "gotcha" moments and more grit and horror elements instead. I loved the underlying theme of how lies and propaganda shape our understanding of the world, a point that was excellently made in the better-written second half of the book. But I also believe there could've been more nuance in some of the other points that were being said instead of having them dumped outright every now and then to make conversations look deeper. Like I said, though, the second half of Nest of Tongues was riveting and even though this book isn't out yet, I'm so ready for the sequel.
Overall, I enjoyed Randy's leap into Filipino mythology and can't wait to read more! He's one of my favorite authors ever and I'm eager to see what else he comes up with. (P.S: I interviewed him about this book; if you're curious, look up "Randy Ribay Bookstr"!)
I was so excited when Randy revealed this book, and since I'm an avid fan of his work, I was practically vibrating in my seat when I was approved for the ARC. While I did enjoy this, I think I'm going to give Nest of Tongues 3.5 stars, maybe 3.75, because there are a few things that didn't make it a solid four star read.
I'm so happy that Filipino mythology/folklore inspired books are on the rise, and I love Randy's twist and take on it! Having manananggals, one of the most infamous creatures in PH folklore, be the main focus and protagonists is such a cool move and a great way to twist the monster hunter story/trope on its head. It was nice to see different creatures like the duwende, kapres, and more existing in the modern world in places that I've been to (RIP the manananggal who died on top of Seafood City) or would be familiar with. With the descriptions of the creatures and casual references to Filipino culture and life, the care that Randy takes in depicting our culture is familiar and evident, yet understandable enough to non-Filipino readers (I think; I'm Filipino so I'm biased lol). Though the story is set in modern day NorCal, there are generally enough fantastical elements that it feels like a proper urban fantasy.
Lily and Caleb were a great pair as well! They're a very well written and realistic pair of siblings; they banter and joke together, but have different experiences despite being part of the same family and clash because of the differences in how they were raised and see the world. Their character growth and bond were great, and they actually acted like real siblings instead of how authors think siblings interact. They tease and insult each other but repeatedly put themselves in harm's way to defend each other, and it's perfect.
My main criticism is that the writing doesn't feel as tight as it does in Randy's other books. There are plenty of pop culture references and constant usage of slang and common curse words, perhaps almost too much. On one hand, Lily and Caleb are teenagers, so their language makes sense, but on the other hand, there were times where it didn't feel appropriate and clashed with the serious events/atmosphere. There were times where I wished there were less witty references, silly dialogue, and "gotcha" moments and more grit and horror elements instead. I loved the underlying theme of how lies and propaganda shape our understanding of the world, a point that was excellently made in the better-written second half of the book. But I also believe there could've been more nuance in some of the other points that were being said instead of having them dumped outright every now and then to make conversations look deeper. Like I said, though, the second half of Nest of Tongues was riveting and even though this book isn't out yet, I'm so ready for the sequel.
Overall, I enjoyed Randy's leap into Filipino mythology and can't wait to read more! He's one of my favorite authors ever and I'm eager to see what else he comes up with. (P.S: I interviewed him about this book; if you're curious, look up "Randy Ribay Bookstr"!)
September 11, 2026
~~Thank you to NetGalley and Bonnier Books UK for the ARC!~~
I liked this!
I dunno anything about Filipino mythology, but as a fan of Ribay's works I really felt drawn to it. Learning about manananggals and other folklore from Filipino legend was quite interesting. The setup and framing was the go-to when it comes to YA books about mythological creatures (i.e., hide their powers/monster forms because humans will exterminate us), so that made it easy to comprehend the logic in this book's world. But learning the similarities and differences between the manananggals and Western vampires was really cool. I only learned just before writing this that this book is a duology, so I hope that we get to know more about the Bayani and the other creatures of Filipino myth mentioned in passing.
I really loved that this focused primarily on the siblings and their love for each other. Both Lily and Caleb's POVs were fully fleshed out with their personalities, and they had good chemistry during the time they spent together. But I think my perspective is a bit skewed, because Caleb felt younger than his repeatedly stated age of 15. Maybe I've read too many kids the same age saving the world, or maybe 15-year-olds do act more like Caleb nowadays. Regardless, he experiences a good enough growth by the end that matures him out. I was slower to getting around Lily, but that's where the sibling bond brings out the best of her.
The one thing that was kind of irritating for me was the "how you doing, fellow kids?" type of lingo and verbiage utilized. I don't know if the teens reading this book would find it relatable or cringe, but I personally leaned more towards the later. The politics, they way they were presented, at least, felt very much more like a lecture from Ribay than natural integration. I don't doubt teens nowadays are more in tune into politics than ever, but here it felt overly excessive. The history regarding the Philippines and the suffering its people faced because of violent colonialism was definitely warranted, but everything else felt like a stretch or a tangent. I mean, Ribay, a man who's written two canon Avatar: The Last Airbender books, likened Aang to being a perpetuator of fascism. The love interest's of Caleb's made that argument with her full chest, and he was like, "Wow, you're so right." That whole thing was weird and left a bad taste in my mouth.
The plot itself was kinda meandering. Caleb gets the hunter mark, and Lily makes all these connections to find the Bayani by basically pulling them out of her ass. I thought I knew who it was for most of the story, but then the plot twist came and I felt mislead. The clues on the red herring out weighed more than the actual villain. I wish there was more time spent dropping concise hints on the true villains rather than the red herrings. It very much peeved me.
But, overall, I still liked this. I wanna see where the story goes, especially with that last chapter indicating the villain's not done. I definitely will be reading the next book when that comes out.
I liked this!
I dunno anything about Filipino mythology, but as a fan of Ribay's works I really felt drawn to it. Learning about manananggals and other folklore from Filipino legend was quite interesting. The setup and framing was the go-to when it comes to YA books about mythological creatures (i.e., hide their powers/monster forms because humans will exterminate us), so that made it easy to comprehend the logic in this book's world. But learning the similarities and differences between the manananggals and Western vampires was really cool. I only learned just before writing this that this book is a duology, so I hope that we get to know more about the Bayani and the other creatures of Filipino myth mentioned in passing.
I really loved that this focused primarily on the siblings and their love for each other. Both Lily and Caleb's POVs were fully fleshed out with their personalities, and they had good chemistry during the time they spent together. But I think my perspective is a bit skewed, because Caleb felt younger than his repeatedly stated age of 15. Maybe I've read too many kids the same age saving the world, or maybe 15-year-olds do act more like Caleb nowadays. Regardless, he experiences a good enough growth by the end that matures him out. I was slower to getting around Lily, but that's where the sibling bond brings out the best of her.
The one thing that was kind of irritating for me was the "how you doing, fellow kids?" type of lingo and verbiage utilized. I don't know if the teens reading this book would find it relatable or cringe, but I personally leaned more towards the later. The politics, they way they were presented, at least, felt very much more like a lecture from Ribay than natural integration. I don't doubt teens nowadays are more in tune into politics than ever, but here it felt overly excessive. The history regarding the Philippines and the suffering its people faced because of violent colonialism was definitely warranted, but everything else felt like a stretch or a tangent. I mean, Ribay, a man who's written two canon Avatar: The Last Airbender books, likened Aang to being a perpetuator of fascism. The love interest's of Caleb's made that argument with her full chest, and he was like, "Wow, you're so right." That whole thing was weird and left a bad taste in my mouth.
The plot itself was kinda meandering. Caleb gets the hunter mark, and Lily makes all these connections to find the Bayani by basically pulling them out of her ass. I thought I knew who it was for most of the story, but then the plot twist came and I felt mislead. The clues on the red herring out weighed more than the actual villain. I wish there was more time spent dropping concise hints on the true villains rather than the red herrings. It very much peeved me.
But, overall, I still liked this. I wanna see where the story goes, especially with that last chapter indicating the villain's not done. I definitely will be reading the next book when that comes out.
August 17, 2026
Content Warning: violence, death
+ I was ecstatic to get my hands on this arc because I read one book from this author and loved it. Plus this one was about the manananggal (I’m Ilocano so all I ever knew them as was the Aswang). So the fact that all these scary Filipino mythology and folklore monsters was being feature in a book was exciting to me! I loved learning all about the different creatures and monsters I didn’t know about and was delighted when I read something familiar like the white lady apparition that seems to be common in Filipino ghost stories.
+~ I love that the manananggal was the good guys in this book. I like how it explores the theme of good and evil. I mean there are always two sides to a story right? So most of the story is a mystery about who this bayani could be that is killing the manananggals and it’s a race to stop them before it kills Caleb. And Lily is not about to let that happen. Also, I loved their Lola (grandmother) she made me laugh a few times, and there were times I wished Lily treated her with a little more respect, but I get it – families are complicated, which is explored in the story as well.
+~ Mysteries always feel a little bit slow to me, so there were times I wish it moved faster. There is action, mostly in the second half, and secrets that are revealed in the end. Mostly, I just enjoyed being immersed in the Filipino-American culture that was featured in the book, especially the family and community elements.
+~ This is a young adult book and yes Lily and Caleb, are very young adult in the way they act and speak. These kids curse a lot, which is realistic, but it was a lot more than I was expecting and a bit too much for me at times. But I did enjoy how close they were as siblings, they looked out for one another. Lily was a protective big sister and would do anything to keep Caleb safe.
Final Thoughts:
I’m very excited to see a story based on Filipino mythology and folklore since that’s what I grew up with. Some of the creatures in the book were monsters my parents used to tell me about so I felt seen by that. I’m glad more people will get to learn something about these stories and creatures from this book. I enjoyed the sibling bond, family and community elements that are themes in the book, even if some of these family connections were complicated. There was a little more cursing than I would have liked in a young adult book, but I do think the teens were portrayed very well. I did like the second half of the story more because it had more action and secret reveals. Overall, I think this is a young adult book that people can learn from and also enjoy if they are into vampires, mystery and mythology.
Read if you like:
Filipino mythology/folklore
sibling bond, family
young adult mystery
+ I was ecstatic to get my hands on this arc because I read one book from this author and loved it. Plus this one was about the manananggal (I’m Ilocano so all I ever knew them as was the Aswang). So the fact that all these scary Filipino mythology and folklore monsters was being feature in a book was exciting to me! I loved learning all about the different creatures and monsters I didn’t know about and was delighted when I read something familiar like the white lady apparition that seems to be common in Filipino ghost stories.
+~ I love that the manananggal was the good guys in this book. I like how it explores the theme of good and evil. I mean there are always two sides to a story right? So most of the story is a mystery about who this bayani could be that is killing the manananggals and it’s a race to stop them before it kills Caleb. And Lily is not about to let that happen. Also, I loved their Lola (grandmother) she made me laugh a few times, and there were times I wished Lily treated her with a little more respect, but I get it – families are complicated, which is explored in the story as well.
+~ Mysteries always feel a little bit slow to me, so there were times I wish it moved faster. There is action, mostly in the second half, and secrets that are revealed in the end. Mostly, I just enjoyed being immersed in the Filipino-American culture that was featured in the book, especially the family and community elements.
+~ This is a young adult book and yes Lily and Caleb, are very young adult in the way they act and speak. These kids curse a lot, which is realistic, but it was a lot more than I was expecting and a bit too much for me at times. But I did enjoy how close they were as siblings, they looked out for one another. Lily was a protective big sister and would do anything to keep Caleb safe.
Final Thoughts:
I’m very excited to see a story based on Filipino mythology and folklore since that’s what I grew up with. Some of the creatures in the book were monsters my parents used to tell me about so I felt seen by that. I’m glad more people will get to learn something about these stories and creatures from this book. I enjoyed the sibling bond, family and community elements that are themes in the book, even if some of these family connections were complicated. There was a little more cursing than I would have liked in a young adult book, but I do think the teens were portrayed very well. I did like the second half of the story more because it had more action and secret reveals. Overall, I think this is a young adult book that people can learn from and also enjoy if they are into vampires, mystery and mythology.
Read if you like:
Filipino mythology/folklore
sibling bond, family
young adult mystery
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Read: July 28th - August 7th
Format: E-Book
Rating: 4 Stars
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Honestly, I picked up this book just because I was impressed someone was tackling guts-dangling, wings vampires protagonists. Them as horror villains? Expected. Filipino vampires, which are a lot more unnerving visually, getting their time to shine as the stories' good guys? Heck yeah, I'm interested.
And this was honestly such a good story. I loved the family bond and how messy things were allowed to be. All of the characters had flaws, and they were acknowledged. The sibling dynamic really sold this book, both because of their care for each other, and how it explored the different ways that a sibling can grow up in the same family.
The idea around narratives and how little we can question them also was well done. All sides in this have missing pieces while thinking they have the full story, and I loved getting to see each piece fall into place. Even when I'd think I'd figured all the twists out, a new one would be tossed in, reminding me I also shouldn't trust I had all the information.
Also, Caleb is a nerd, and I adored seeing how authentic his nerdiness felt. He compared something to a cool down on an ability, and that made everything click in my head exactly. Dude understands the way of gamer minds 😂
There are, unfortunately, some negatives. The way the teenagers speak in this had me wanting to hit my head off the wall a bit, mostly because of how many times certain curses or slang were thrown in in places they didn't feel like they fit. I get it. These are angsty teens (especially in Lily's case), but the sheer amount made the words feel meaningless. They didn't add any impact, and it just became grating. Just overall, the cursing and slang that we see for the most part detracted rather than feeling natural to the characters.
The book could also sometimes feel very forced in its messaging, especially with Lily, which I THINK was intentional to fit her character, because she also wasn't always right on her takes, but it did make me cringe a little sometimes. Very possible it can just be excused as teenager being teenager in her thoughts and feelings, but it did bother me a bit, and this is my review, so!!! :D
This is a great YA novel overall, with an exploration of mythos and culture that a lot of people (especially in the US, where this is set) are ignorant/unknowledgeable about. Great themes, great characters, and a fun story that seems like will continue in another book 👀 Excited to see that goes considering where a couple of characters were left at the end of this.
Format: E-Book
Rating: 4 Stars
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Honestly, I picked up this book just because I was impressed someone was tackling guts-dangling, wings vampires protagonists. Them as horror villains? Expected. Filipino vampires, which are a lot more unnerving visually, getting their time to shine as the stories' good guys? Heck yeah, I'm interested.
And this was honestly such a good story. I loved the family bond and how messy things were allowed to be. All of the characters had flaws, and they were acknowledged. The sibling dynamic really sold this book, both because of their care for each other, and how it explored the different ways that a sibling can grow up in the same family.
The idea around narratives and how little we can question them also was well done. All sides in this have missing pieces while thinking they have the full story, and I loved getting to see each piece fall into place. Even when I'd think I'd figured all the twists out, a new one would be tossed in, reminding me I also shouldn't trust I had all the information.
Also, Caleb is a nerd, and I adored seeing how authentic his nerdiness felt. He compared something to a cool down on an ability, and that made everything click in my head exactly. Dude understands the way of gamer minds 😂
There are, unfortunately, some negatives. The way the teenagers speak in this had me wanting to hit my head off the wall a bit, mostly because of how many times certain curses or slang were thrown in in places they didn't feel like they fit. I get it. These are angsty teens (especially in Lily's case), but the sheer amount made the words feel meaningless. They didn't add any impact, and it just became grating. Just overall, the cursing and slang that we see for the most part detracted rather than feeling natural to the characters.
The book could also sometimes feel very forced in its messaging, especially with Lily, which I THINK was intentional to fit her character, because she also wasn't always right on her takes, but it did make me cringe a little sometimes. Very possible it can just be excused as teenager being teenager in her thoughts and feelings, but it did bother me a bit, and this is my review, so!!! :D
This is a great YA novel overall, with an exploration of mythos and culture that a lot of people (especially in the US, where this is set) are ignorant/unknowledgeable about. Great themes, great characters, and a fun story that seems like will continue in another book 👀 Excited to see that goes considering where a couple of characters were left at the end of this.
August 11, 2026
Let me start by saying Patron Saints of Nothing is one of my favorite books, so when I learned that Randy Ribay was writing a horror novel featuring Filipino mythology, of course I ran to NetGalley to request an eARC. And I'm so grateful to the publisher for approving my request!
Lily and Caleb are manananggal, Filipino vampires. They've been taught to keep their heads down and blend in, even be mediocre, for the sake of staying safe. Yet despite that, Caleb is marked by an unknown demon hunter and the siblings have a matter of days to find the hunter and prevent Caleb's death.
The story absolutely gave Buffy vibes, except flipped. The "chosen one" is actually the fanatical villain in this story and you're actually rooting for the demons, who just want to live their lives without harming others. The themes are pretty obvious and parts of the plot are predictable, but that didn't take away from the story. I loved how the importance of family and a strong support system were highlighted and I especially loved how Ribay portrayed the conflict between the mindset of keeping your head down for safety versus standing up for what you believe in. I think this is an incredibly relatable conflict, especially for children of immigrants in the diaspora. Being quite a bit older than Lily, I could understand Lola's perspective, but also being quite a bit younger than Lola, I know the value of Lily's spirit. Is Lily very young and idealistic? Absolutely. There's some learning to be done there, but at the same time, you can appreciate her willingness to fight back against the status quo when doing the opposite will result in harm to people she loves.
I was definitely heartbroken by how some things turn out in the book. RIbay once again knows how to take complicated feelings (this time, family dynamics) and turn it into such a powerful and emotional storytelling tool.
Things I could have done without: the constant slang (okay, maybe I'm showing my age there) and the . I also would have very much liked to see more of the different Ta'li. The ending seems to set up for future books, so fingers crossed we get to meet more!
Thank you again to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Lily and Caleb are manananggal, Filipino vampires. They've been taught to keep their heads down and blend in, even be mediocre, for the sake of staying safe. Yet despite that, Caleb is marked by an unknown demon hunter and the siblings have a matter of days to find the hunter and prevent Caleb's death.
The story absolutely gave Buffy vibes, except flipped. The "chosen one" is actually the fanatical villain in this story and you're actually rooting for the demons, who just want to live their lives without harming others. The themes are pretty obvious and parts of the plot are predictable, but that didn't take away from the story. I loved how the importance of family and a strong support system were highlighted and I especially loved how Ribay portrayed the conflict between the mindset of keeping your head down for safety versus standing up for what you believe in. I think this is an incredibly relatable conflict, especially for children of immigrants in the diaspora. Being quite a bit older than Lily, I could understand Lola's perspective, but also being quite a bit younger than Lola, I know the value of Lily's spirit. Is Lily very young and idealistic? Absolutely. There's some learning to be done there, but at the same time, you can appreciate her willingness to fight back against the status quo when doing the opposite will result in harm to people she loves.
I was definitely heartbroken by how some things turn out in the book. RIbay once again knows how to take complicated feelings (this time, family dynamics) and turn it into such a powerful and emotional storytelling tool.
Things I could have done without: the constant slang (okay, maybe I'm showing my age there) and the . I also would have very much liked to see more of the different Ta'li. The ending seems to set up for future books, so fingers crossed we get to meet more!
Thank you again to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 13, 2026
I received an advance copy of this book but this review reflects my honest thoughts and personal reading experience.
What if evil begins when you become certain you're the good one?
That was the question I kept coming back to while reading Nest of Tongues, Randy Ribay’s latest YA horror novel about Lily and Caleb Abadiano, Filipino American siblings who are manananggal.
They hide. They follow the rules. They try to hurt no one.
Then the Bayani comes for them, already certain he knows what they are.
And suddenly, the line between monster and hunted becomes much harder to draw.
What happens to people when someone else gets to define who they are?
The manananggal already comes with a story attached to it: monster, threat, something to fear.
Ribay does not simply flip that story and ask us to sympathize with the monster. He asks something harder: what does it do to you to live inside a story someone else wrote about you?
Can a story be true and still be unfair?
This is the question that hit closest to home for me as a journalist and storyteller.
We like to think truth is enough. Get the facts right, verify them, tell the story.
But storytelling is also a series of choices.
Where do we begin? Whose voice do we trust? What do we emphasize? What do we leave out?
A story can contain no lie and still flatten someone beyond recognition.
What responsibility comes with being the one who gets to tell the story?
That question followed me beyond the book because this is also my work.
Storytellers hold enormous power.
And Nest of Tongues reminded me that the responsibility is not just to make people care. It is to make sure our need for a compelling narrative does not become more important than the people inside it.
What truths disappear when every story needs a hero and a villain?
This may be what the book understands best.
The mythology is strong, but the heart of Nest of Tongues is Lily and Caleb learning to see each other beyond fear, survival, and the roles they have learned to play.
Good intentions and real harm can exist in the same room. So can love, ego, fear, loyalty, and terrible choices.
There are literal monsters in this book.
But the scarier thing is realizing that recognizing one was never as simple as trusting your instincts. Sometimes you have to know where to look, and be willing to look closely enough to see what’s really there.
What if evil begins when you become certain you're the good one?
That was the question I kept coming back to while reading Nest of Tongues, Randy Ribay’s latest YA horror novel about Lily and Caleb Abadiano, Filipino American siblings who are manananggal.
They hide. They follow the rules. They try to hurt no one.
Then the Bayani comes for them, already certain he knows what they are.
And suddenly, the line between monster and hunted becomes much harder to draw.
What happens to people when someone else gets to define who they are?
The manananggal already comes with a story attached to it: monster, threat, something to fear.
Ribay does not simply flip that story and ask us to sympathize with the monster. He asks something harder: what does it do to you to live inside a story someone else wrote about you?
Can a story be true and still be unfair?
This is the question that hit closest to home for me as a journalist and storyteller.
We like to think truth is enough. Get the facts right, verify them, tell the story.
But storytelling is also a series of choices.
Where do we begin? Whose voice do we trust? What do we emphasize? What do we leave out?
A story can contain no lie and still flatten someone beyond recognition.
What responsibility comes with being the one who gets to tell the story?
That question followed me beyond the book because this is also my work.
Storytellers hold enormous power.
And Nest of Tongues reminded me that the responsibility is not just to make people care. It is to make sure our need for a compelling narrative does not become more important than the people inside it.
What truths disappear when every story needs a hero and a villain?
This may be what the book understands best.
The mythology is strong, but the heart of Nest of Tongues is Lily and Caleb learning to see each other beyond fear, survival, and the roles they have learned to play.
Good intentions and real harm can exist in the same room. So can love, ego, fear, loyalty, and terrible choices.
There are literal monsters in this book.
But the scarier thing is realizing that recognizing one was never as simple as trusting your instincts. Sometimes you have to know where to look, and be willing to look closely enough to see what’s really there.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.25 stars
This was a fun and dark read for teens, and I liked that the silliness and seriousness were balanced really well. (Just look past the performative activist mindsets [which, honestly, was really grating after the "superheroes are fascist propaganda" diatribe, but the characters are so young so I'll give it a pass]).
Filipino folklore and mythical creatures are part and parcel of this story, and I loved how they were essential to the MCs' Filipino American first/second gen family origins. This novel would be a great intro for kids who are curious and want to explore beyond the usual Western supernatural creature stories with vampires, vampire hunters, etc. that are pervasive in YA.
I really liked the sibling relationship between Caleb and Lily as they navigated between their lives as humans during the day and as manananggal at night. They had a strong bond despite their absent parents (their mother is doing research in the Philippines while their father is emotionally absent) and their grandmother being the de facto parent because of their fractured parental relationships. For kids who are in similar situations, I think this could help them see that they're not alone.
The vibes in this novel reminded me of smaller Marvel movies and Stranger Things. I liked that the author knew when to emphasize serious scenes and when to pull back so that this dark story wasn't all doom and gloom. The first half was a little rough because the plot was sort of aimless (hence my rating), but when the stakes really increased, the story became a lot more interesting.
There's a set up for a sequel, but I doubt I'll read it. (The novel is a bit too young YA for me.) But I hope that teens will enjoy this twist on Filipino folklore.
Thank you to Random House Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for this story.
This was a fun and dark read for teens, and I liked that the silliness and seriousness were balanced really well. (Just look past the performative activist mindsets [which, honestly, was really grating after the "superheroes are fascist propaganda" diatribe, but the characters are so young so I'll give it a pass]).
Filipino folklore and mythical creatures are part and parcel of this story, and I loved how they were essential to the MCs' Filipino American first/second gen family origins. This novel would be a great intro for kids who are curious and want to explore beyond the usual Western supernatural creature stories with vampires, vampire hunters, etc. that are pervasive in YA.
I really liked the sibling relationship between Caleb and Lily as they navigated between their lives as humans during the day and as manananggal at night. They had a strong bond despite their absent parents (their mother is doing research in the Philippines while their father is emotionally absent) and their grandmother being the de facto parent because of their fractured parental relationships. For kids who are in similar situations, I think this could help them see that they're not alone.
The vibes in this novel reminded me of smaller Marvel movies and Stranger Things. I liked that the author knew when to emphasize serious scenes and when to pull back so that this dark story wasn't all doom and gloom. The first half was a little rough because the plot was sort of aimless (hence my rating), but when the stakes really increased, the story became a lot more interesting.
There's a set up for a sequel, but I doubt I'll read it. (The novel is a bit too young YA for me.) But I hope that teens will enjoy this twist on Filipino folklore.
Thank you to Random House Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for this story.
August 13, 2026
Well. This was disappointing.
I loved Patron Saints of Nothing so much that I still talk about it. So naturally, when I saw that the author had a new book, I was ready. Excited. Hopeful. Basically already emotionally invested.
And then I read Nest of Tongues.
This one was not my favorite. At all.
The premise had so much potential: Filipino vampires, a brother and sister protecting their secrets and their community, a monster hunter coming after them, and a whole lot of mythology and horror baked into the story. I was READY.
Instead, I spent a significant portion of the book wondering if I had accidentally wandered into a completely different book.
I almost stopped reading during the extended diatribe about how superheroes are fascists.
Wait. What?
I came for Filipino vampires. I did not realize I was also enrolling in Superhero Political Theory 101.
And then there were the f-words.
And listen, I work with teenagers all day. I am not clutching my pearls over a swear word. Teens swear. Adults swear. I swear. At this point, I have heard enough creative vocabulary to qualify as an anthropologist.
But 125 f-words in fewer than 400 pages?
Bro.
I don't think sailors curse that much.
The writing is definitely lyrical and evocative, and I appreciated the attempt to explore mythology, identity, community, fear, and what happens when simply following the rules doesn't keep you safe. Unfortunately, the execution just didn't work for me. I never connected with the characters the way I desperately wanted to, and the story repeatedly pulled me out of the narrative rather than sucking me into it.
Which is especially frustrating because I know this author can make me care deeply about a story and its characters.
Patron Saints of Nothing made me care. Nest of Tongues mostly made me check how many pages I had left.
Many thanks to Get Underlined and Delacorte Press for this gifted copy.
I loved Patron Saints of Nothing so much that I still talk about it. So naturally, when I saw that the author had a new book, I was ready. Excited. Hopeful. Basically already emotionally invested.
And then I read Nest of Tongues.
This one was not my favorite. At all.
The premise had so much potential: Filipino vampires, a brother and sister protecting their secrets and their community, a monster hunter coming after them, and a whole lot of mythology and horror baked into the story. I was READY.
Instead, I spent a significant portion of the book wondering if I had accidentally wandered into a completely different book.
I almost stopped reading during the extended diatribe about how superheroes are fascists.
Wait. What?
I came for Filipino vampires. I did not realize I was also enrolling in Superhero Political Theory 101.
And then there were the f-words.
And listen, I work with teenagers all day. I am not clutching my pearls over a swear word. Teens swear. Adults swear. I swear. At this point, I have heard enough creative vocabulary to qualify as an anthropologist.
But 125 f-words in fewer than 400 pages?
Bro.
I don't think sailors curse that much.
The writing is definitely lyrical and evocative, and I appreciated the attempt to explore mythology, identity, community, fear, and what happens when simply following the rules doesn't keep you safe. Unfortunately, the execution just didn't work for me. I never connected with the characters the way I desperately wanted to, and the story repeatedly pulled me out of the narrative rather than sucking me into it.
Which is especially frustrating because I know this author can make me care deeply about a story and its characters.
Patron Saints of Nothing made me care. Nest of Tongues mostly made me check how many pages I had left.
Many thanks to Get Underlined and Delacorte Press for this gifted copy.
August 18, 2026
3.5 stars
First of all thank you to Penguin Random House for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Nest of Tongues has the kind of paranormal YA atmosphere where ordinary teenage life exists alongside a secret supernatural world. Except instead of the usual vampires, Randy Ribay brings Filipino folklore to the forefront, and that was easily one of my favorite things about this book.
I especially appreciated Ribay’s treatment of the word “aswang.” He turns it into a slur within the world of the novel, giving the word an added weight beyond simply referring to a supernatural creature. It becomes a reflection of fear, prejudice, othering, and the power of language to define someone as an outsider. I thought this was such an interesting way to explore identity and the question of who gets to decide what and who is considered monstrous.
The world-building was another highlight for me. I loved how Filipino folklore was woven into the characters’ lives, their families, and their community rather than simply being used as spooky background. The themes of family, siblinghood, identity, and who gets to control the “truth” were also handled in ways I found really compelling. Lily and Caleb’s relationship, in particular, added so much heart to the story.
And I really enjoyed Ribay’s writing style. It’s accessible, engaging, and very easy to get into. Once I started reading, I found myself settling into the story pretty quickly.
Nest of Tongues was such a refreshing take on paranormal YA, and I loved seeing Filipino folklore take center stage in a story like this. Definitely one for readers who enjoy supernatural YA, sibling-centered stories, and folklore-inspired worlds.
Thank you also to @bookwormsuniteph for including me in this book tour. 🩷
First of all thank you to Penguin Random House for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Nest of Tongues has the kind of paranormal YA atmosphere where ordinary teenage life exists alongside a secret supernatural world. Except instead of the usual vampires, Randy Ribay brings Filipino folklore to the forefront, and that was easily one of my favorite things about this book.
I especially appreciated Ribay’s treatment of the word “aswang.” He turns it into a slur within the world of the novel, giving the word an added weight beyond simply referring to a supernatural creature. It becomes a reflection of fear, prejudice, othering, and the power of language to define someone as an outsider. I thought this was such an interesting way to explore identity and the question of who gets to decide what and who is considered monstrous.
The world-building was another highlight for me. I loved how Filipino folklore was woven into the characters’ lives, their families, and their community rather than simply being used as spooky background. The themes of family, siblinghood, identity, and who gets to control the “truth” were also handled in ways I found really compelling. Lily and Caleb’s relationship, in particular, added so much heart to the story.
And I really enjoyed Ribay’s writing style. It’s accessible, engaging, and very easy to get into. Once I started reading, I found myself settling into the story pretty quickly.
Nest of Tongues was such a refreshing take on paranormal YA, and I loved seeing Filipino folklore take center stage in a story like this. Definitely one for readers who enjoy supernatural YA, sibling-centered stories, and folklore-inspired worlds.
Thank you also to @bookwormsuniteph for including me in this book tour. 🩷
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
On a whole, I'm glad I didn't DNF this book 15% in no matter how much I wanted to. It did get better throughout and at the end of the day it was more enjoyable than frustrating which I suppose is the balance I'd rather it strike.
To start with the positive, I really am a sucker for sibling dynamics that aren't perfect but they're both doing what they think is best. Even better when what they think is best isn't what the other person wants and it leads to conflict. Sign me up keep me signed up because I will always be there for that.
The worldbuilding also was super cool and I loved the inclusions of Filipino culture and various aspects of folklore. I think all of the implementation was really clever and compelling and it's the type of thing that only leaves me wanting to know more. I'd love if everything was explored just a little more in depth because the idea of implications are there and I'd love to see the author flesh them out.
Now for the thing that almost made me quit reading several times over: the dialogue. I could not get behind the way any of the characters talked. In trying to be hip and with it it became insufferable from all sides. I can excuse Lily and Caleb to an extent because yeah they're teenagers in a YA book there's an element to it that can't be avoided but! When their grandmother and every other character talks the same as the narration which is to say obnoxiously, it can be a bit difficult! As the plot picked up it became more bearable but it was regularly infuriating.
To start with the positive, I really am a sucker for sibling dynamics that aren't perfect but they're both doing what they think is best. Even better when what they think is best isn't what the other person wants and it leads to conflict. Sign me up keep me signed up because I will always be there for that.
The worldbuilding also was super cool and I loved the inclusions of Filipino culture and various aspects of folklore. I think all of the implementation was really clever and compelling and it's the type of thing that only leaves me wanting to know more. I'd love if everything was explored just a little more in depth because the idea of implications are there and I'd love to see the author flesh them out.
Now for the thing that almost made me quit reading several times over: the dialogue. I could not get behind the way any of the characters talked. In trying to be hip and with it it became insufferable from all sides. I can excuse Lily and Caleb to an extent because yeah they're teenagers in a YA book there's an element to it that can't be avoided but! When their grandmother and every other character talks the same as the narration which is to say obnoxiously, it can be a bit difficult! As the plot picked up it became more bearable but it was regularly infuriating.
May 9, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley & Random House Children's Books for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.
It was great to read more on Filipino myths and monsters--the Manananggal were absolutely fascinating protagonists. I liked how their "rules" worked, and it was just cool to see them in action. They're basically vampires, but it's a lot more unique than traditional American/European vampires.
The twins were pretty fun protagonists, but I feel like I had a hard time figuring out which POV I was reading halfway through a chapter because they genuinely sounded the same at times.
I liked the drama with their grandmother and mother, it was pretty compelling and dramatic. I feel like the story was a typical fast-paced YA book but I feel like it could have gone a little bit slower and help flesh out Lily & Caleb more. I do appreciate that we didn't spend too much time at boring human school though, ha.
I know this is weird, but I feel like the title is NOT at all fitting for the story. It just sounds weird. Where's the nest in this story? There isn't one. Maybe it's meant to be a nest of "lies"? I don't know, I just feel like it was very unsuited for this story. I could see why they didn't want to include the word "Manananggal" in the title since it's long and unfamiliar, but maybe something like "Half-Vampire" in the title could have gotten more attention. I'm not a book title expert but I just really didn't like this book's title, the cover and story is what caught me.
It was great to read more on Filipino myths and monsters--the Manananggal were absolutely fascinating protagonists. I liked how their "rules" worked, and it was just cool to see them in action. They're basically vampires, but it's a lot more unique than traditional American/European vampires.
The twins were pretty fun protagonists, but I feel like I had a hard time figuring out which POV I was reading halfway through a chapter because they genuinely sounded the same at times.
I liked the drama with their grandmother and mother, it was pretty compelling and dramatic. I feel like the story was a typical fast-paced YA book but I feel like it could have gone a little bit slower and help flesh out Lily & Caleb more. I do appreciate that we didn't spend too much time at boring human school though, ha.
I know this is weird, but I feel like the title is NOT at all fitting for the story. It just sounds weird. Where's the nest in this story? There isn't one. Maybe it's meant to be a nest of "lies"? I don't know, I just feel like it was very unsuited for this story. I could see why they didn't want to include the word "Manananggal" in the title since it's long and unfamiliar, but maybe something like "Half-Vampire" in the title could have gotten more attention. I'm not a book title expert but I just really didn't like this book's title, the cover and story is what caught me.
August 13, 2026
I read this in one sitting, what a phenomenal story by Randy Ribay.
Evokes a sense of the Filipino community, the community of the Ta'Li (powerful beings in disguise as humans) and parallels to immigration: stay small snd survive, or use your voice, own your story and fight the injustice?
I love the sibling dynamic between Lily, a queer protective and assertive older sister and Caleb, her more timid and softer, younger brother. Through the story they grow and learn from each other, as they try to evade the Bayani, the legendary hunter killer of the Ta'Li.
I also enjoyed the intergenerational household - familiar dynamic, and the tension between Lily and their Lola.
Bonus that it is set in the Bay Area. You can feel the soul of the Bay in this book.
"Maybe Lola was right that we need to tell new stories. Better stories. Maybe this is the story we need to tell-not that we are alone and powerless, waiting for some savior. But that we need each other, and that that is our power, that is our salvation"
Spoiler:
.
.
.
There is scene later in the book between an older young man (I assume so, because he is a nurse) and Lily, who is a senior in high school and possibly seventeen? It seems like they are flirting. I did wish that was something that explored differently. It is normal for teens to have crushes but I think older young adults (19+) should not entertain it.
Evokes a sense of the Filipino community, the community of the Ta'Li (powerful beings in disguise as humans) and parallels to immigration: stay small snd survive, or use your voice, own your story and fight the injustice?
I love the sibling dynamic between Lily, a queer protective and assertive older sister and Caleb, her more timid and softer, younger brother. Through the story they grow and learn from each other, as they try to evade the Bayani, the legendary hunter killer of the Ta'Li.
I also enjoyed the intergenerational household - familiar dynamic, and the tension between Lily and their Lola.
Bonus that it is set in the Bay Area. You can feel the soul of the Bay in this book.
"Maybe Lola was right that we need to tell new stories. Better stories. Maybe this is the story we need to tell-not that we are alone and powerless, waiting for some savior. But that we need each other, and that that is our power, that is our salvation"
Spoiler:
.
.
.
There is scene later in the book between an older young man (I assume so, because he is a nurse) and Lily, who is a senior in high school and possibly seventeen? It seems like they are flirting. I did wish that was something that explored differently. It is normal for teens to have crushes but I think older young adults (19+) should not entertain it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 25, 2026
Yet another of Randy Ribay's works that got me on the dedication. Centuries of colonization & then moving into the diaspora results in lost history, spirituality, beliefs, & culture. What isn't lost gets colonized & forever alters us. Randy brings one facet of that into the light, reclaiming our past to bring us together, remind us we aren't alone & we survive because our ancestors survived through the centuries of subjugation. One theme throughout is hiding to not draw attention, a reality passed down from one generation to the next: keep your head down, don't make waves, smile & be grateful, stay alive. Like other colonized people of color, our ancestors took the things, knowledge, beliefs to prevent them from disappearing altogether, this hiding ensures it will continue to be passed down if tended to appropriately. In the story, as in real life, we see the negative effects of hiding for survival. The characters feel like fractions of themselves, they lack a cohesive community, that lack of cohesiveness means less support structure for survival, information necessary for survival not being shared, increased risk of death, being underprepared, & so on. Stories like this were extinguished somewhere in my family ancestry & I'm thankful for diasporic Filipino/a/x authors & Philippine Filipinos for telling them & being honest about the regional differences. Plus, Randy creates hilarious moments that have me cackling out loud. That Lola...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy
Dark, funny, self-aware, and more than meets the eye
At its core, this book is about sibling relationships and how, despite not having the ideal family situation and having very different personalities, Lily and Caleb have each other’s backs.
“Such a strange thing how siblings can grow up in the same house, raised by the same family, yet carry their own separate —and equally valid —truths about that shared experience”.
I had a good laugh reading this. I found it funny how self-aware and Gen Z Lily and Caleb are. To me, it didn't take away from the severity of the situation, just good ol’ dark humor to cope.
The story’s fast-paced and I like the author’s twist on the mananggals and other Filipino supernatural creatures, how each kind had their own Datu or chieftain to represent them. And tying it to historical events and people. I also love that on a deeper level, the Ta’Li represent the marginalized, the people making themselves small just to be able to live peacefully.
Kinda unrelated but earlier this year, I read Silk & Sinew, and one of the stories there, is of a Half-Filipina whose manananggal powers awakened unbeknownst to her immediate family. That story stayed with me and I often wonder about her life as a manananggal in the US. So, I guess the universe answered me with this book 😂
Thank you, author, publisher and bookwormsunite for my copy of Nest Tongues
At its core, this book is about sibling relationships and how, despite not having the ideal family situation and having very different personalities, Lily and Caleb have each other’s backs.
“Such a strange thing how siblings can grow up in the same house, raised by the same family, yet carry their own separate —and equally valid —truths about that shared experience”.
I had a good laugh reading this. I found it funny how self-aware and Gen Z Lily and Caleb are. To me, it didn't take away from the severity of the situation, just good ol’ dark humor to cope.
The story’s fast-paced and I like the author’s twist on the mananggals and other Filipino supernatural creatures, how each kind had their own Datu or chieftain to represent them. And tying it to historical events and people. I also love that on a deeper level, the Ta’Li represent the marginalized, the people making themselves small just to be able to live peacefully.
Kinda unrelated but earlier this year, I read Silk & Sinew, and one of the stories there, is of a Half-Filipina whose manananggal powers awakened unbeknownst to her immediate family. That story stayed with me and I often wonder about her life as a manananggal in the US. So, I guess the universe answered me with this book 😂
Thank you, author, publisher and bookwormsunite for my copy of Nest Tongues
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I am always excited to read any book that Randy Ribay publishes, so I was excited to get a copy of Nest of Tongues, a horror/fantasy featuring manananggal, Filipino vampires. The story follows Lily and her brother Caleb, who are two such manananggal but also normal high school students who live with their grandmother because their mom is out doing academic research. Lily and Caleb are trying to live normal teenage lives with friends and dating but also go out and sustain themselves in their other forms. When Caleb is marked as prey by a monster hunter, their lives and everything they know gets turned on end. Again, as in all of his books, Ribay still takes time and care to educate his readers who may be unfamiliar with the history of the Phillipines and, in addition in the case of this book, manananggal, as well as other topics in American history. The story in this one is engaging and informative albeit a little uneven in action to start, but culminates in an exciting ending that challenges the characters to consider what they believe in versus what they have been told. Overall, though, teens will be interested, and this is a good purchase for school libraries. Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for this ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
thanks to netgalley & the publisher for the ARC!
really enjoyed this one! I learned a lot abot filipino folklore. I've heard of the Aswang, but this book turns that into a slur instead of a specific cryptid.
the constant "hella" and "mad" slang was irritating. I understand these are high schoolers in the bay but....come on. it doesn't match the rest of the dialogue and felt a bit jarring whenever it popped up.
I enjoyed how this book focused heavily on family. you don't see that a lot in fantasy, especially with romantasy being more dominant in recent years (I thought that was the genre before I read the plot...lol). lemme tell ya if my brother was marked for death by some superpowered villain...i'd tell him best of luck!
the dual pov was a bit confusing at times, I would forget who's POV I was in. the voice could've been slightly more clear/distinct for each character.
I enjoyed the guessing of who the bad guy was. some interesting red herrings that kept me guessing along the way.
overall a nice, easy read with an ending set up for a second book. I feel a trilogy would be too much, but would definitely read a 2nd.
really enjoyed this one! I learned a lot abot filipino folklore. I've heard of the Aswang, but this book turns that into a slur instead of a specific cryptid.
the constant "hella" and "mad" slang was irritating. I understand these are high schoolers in the bay but....come on. it doesn't match the rest of the dialogue and felt a bit jarring whenever it popped up.
I enjoyed how this book focused heavily on family. you don't see that a lot in fantasy, especially with romantasy being more dominant in recent years (I thought that was the genre before I read the plot...lol). lemme tell ya if my brother was marked for death by some superpowered villain...i'd tell him best of luck!
the dual pov was a bit confusing at times, I would forget who's POV I was in. the voice could've been slightly more clear/distinct for each character.
I enjoyed the guessing of who the bad guy was. some interesting red herrings that kept me guessing along the way.
overall a nice, easy read with an ending set up for a second book. I feel a trilogy would be too much, but would definitely read a 2nd.
August 15, 2026
Caleb and Lily are teen Filipino-American siblings who are manananggals: Filipino vampires. Coming out only at night to feed off animals, they must hide from the world who they really are. Caleb and Lily don’t want to harm other humans; they just want to stay safe in a world that doesn’t know or understand them. So they keep to themselves and stay hidden. Well, that is until the Bayani—a powerful monster hunter—shows up and kills another manananggal. When Caleb is marked as the Bayani’s next target, Lily and their Lola will do anything to keep him safe. But how? The Bayani has superhero-like powers. The only answer is a dangerous one: hunt down the Bayani themselves.
Randy Ribay’s latest novel does not disappoint! An impressive horror novel based on Filipino folklore, and one that readers will connect with based on what’s happening in today’s world. As Caleb and Lily’s Lola said, “we need to tell new stories. Better stories. Maybe this is the story we need to tell—not that we are alone and powerless, waiting for some savior. But that we need each other, and that that is our power, that is our salvation” (354). I have a feeling there will be a sequel, and I can’t wait!
Randy Ribay’s latest novel does not disappoint! An impressive horror novel based on Filipino folklore, and one that readers will connect with based on what’s happening in today’s world. As Caleb and Lily’s Lola said, “we need to tell new stories. Better stories. Maybe this is the story we need to tell—not that we are alone and powerless, waiting for some savior. But that we need each other, and that that is our power, that is our salvation” (354). I have a feeling there will be a sequel, and I can’t wait!
September 9, 2026
*Nest of Tongues* is full of adventure, siblings and heart.
It was one of the best YA reading experiences I've had in sometime - the MCs are age appropriate, and while the prose is obviously written for a younger audience, it doesn't mean it is worse off in quality. In fact, I thought it was incredibly smart. Metaphor is weaved throughout the story, allowing the narrative of colonisation, cultural oppression, forced assimilation to be both accessible for the intended YA reader and still compelling to an older one.
Lily and Caleb were such realistic siblings! The ability to be both completely annoyed and fiercely loyal to your sibling is one-of-a-kind, and while my sibling and I may not be a pair of vampires, potato potahto, Lily and Caleb's bond perfectly captures this feeling throughout the book, and I loved it.
The mystery itself, while not necessarily surprising, was intriguing enough. I enjoyed the few twists and the pacing was great.
This very much can be read as a standalone, though I think, based on the ending, there might be room for a fresh follow-up sequel? I'll be on the look out if that is the case.
It was one of the best YA reading experiences I've had in sometime - the MCs are age appropriate, and while the prose is obviously written for a younger audience, it doesn't mean it is worse off in quality. In fact, I thought it was incredibly smart. Metaphor is weaved throughout the story, allowing the narrative of colonisation, cultural oppression, forced assimilation to be both accessible for the intended YA reader and still compelling to an older one.
Lily and Caleb were such realistic siblings! The ability to be both completely annoyed and fiercely loyal to your sibling is one-of-a-kind, and while my sibling and I may not be a pair of vampires, potato potahto, Lily and Caleb's bond perfectly captures this feeling throughout the book, and I loved it.
The mystery itself, while not necessarily surprising, was intriguing enough. I enjoyed the few twists and the pacing was great.
This very much can be read as a standalone, though I think, based on the ending, there might be room for a fresh follow-up sequel? I'll be on the look out if that is the case.
September 3, 2026
The premise immediately hooked me: Filipino vampires, a tight-knit sibling bond, and a ruthless monster hunter closing in. I really appreciated the heavy inclusion of Filipino mythology and folklore, I learned some new things while reading, and Randy Ribay does a wonderful job weaving cultural elements seamlessly into the world-building.
At the heart of the story are Lily and Caleb. Their relationship completely is amazing, and their fierce devotion to keeping each other safe feels genuine and emotionally raw.
Plot-wise, a few beats were a bit predictable, but Ribay balances this well by throwing in diversion that kept the suspense alive and made me second-guess where things were heading. My main gripe was with some of the dialogue. I realise the characters are Gen Alpha, but a few of their lines felt a little too cringe or try-hard for my taste (though maybe that’s just a sign I'm getting old! 😂)
If you’re a teen looking for a unique, mythology-driven horror story, or just a reader eager to step outside standard Western vampire tropes, this is definitely worth picking up!
At the heart of the story are Lily and Caleb. Their relationship completely is amazing, and their fierce devotion to keeping each other safe feels genuine and emotionally raw.
Plot-wise, a few beats were a bit predictable, but Ribay balances this well by throwing in diversion that kept the suspense alive and made me second-guess where things were heading. My main gripe was with some of the dialogue. I realise the characters are Gen Alpha, but a few of their lines felt a little too cringe or try-hard for my taste (though maybe that’s just a sign I'm getting old! 😂)
If you’re a teen looking for a unique, mythology-driven horror story, or just a reader eager to step outside standard Western vampire tropes, this is definitely worth picking up!
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