A Thousand Monstrous Forms: A Novel

by Saratoga Schaefer

Bluebeard gets a gothic horror and sapphic romance twist in this fairytale retelling from the author of Serial Killer Support Group and Trad Wife.

A young ceramic artist moves into her new wife’s isolated manor and gets drawn into dark discoveries that stain her marriage—and her very soul.

Artist Poppy Reed doesn’t care if others think her marriage to Celia Marie Fox, a wealthy art dealer, is impulsive. Sure, they’ve only known each other for six months, and Celia has an infamous romantic reputation, but Poppy is brimming with excitement when she moves across the country to Celia’s a formidable, isolated, and art-filled manor called Busirane.

As Poppy tries to celebrate her first weeks of marriage and enjoy her new home, Busirane seems intent on rebuffing her every attempt to settle in. Strange noises and confounding occurrences lead Poppy to believe the house is haunted, a suspicion worsened by Celia’s insistence that Poppy avoid the locked basement.

When Celia leaves for a work trip, Poppy is left alone in the house, then finds herself snowed in. Surrounded by secrets, stalked by faceless statues, and beset by bodiless whispers, she struggles to trust her wife—and her own mind. When Poppy is eventually drawn to the forbidden basement, dark truths shatter everything she thought she knew, throwing her into a desperate bid for survival.

Drenched in dread, this contemporary gothic folktale retelling will have you checking all the locks. Twice.

Genres: Horror, Gothic, Queer, Adult, Lesbian, LGBT, Fiction

336 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication September 15, 2026

About the author

Saratoga Schaefer (they/them) is the USA Today Bestselling and Indie Press Bestselling author of vicious horrors and twisted thrillers. Their books have been featured in Variety, People Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, and Glamour, and their writing has appeared in Writer’s Digest, CrimeReads, and more. Originally from Brooklyn, Saratoga now lives upstate with several needy animals and a haunted clown table.

Reviews

[Erin Dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨You had me at gothic/sapphic Bluebeard retelling!!!!✨

Is this my top favorite book of 2026???? I know we have like half of a year left, but I think this may be my number 1 read this year!👏 😍

A Thousand Monstrous Forms is absolute PERFECTION!!! I was so EXCITED for this one and it DELIVERED!!

I’m screaming 🙀

The setting, the atmosphere, the writing, the characters, everything is just incredible. The story sucked me right in and did not let go. I cannot speak enough about how well done the gothic atmosphere is!!! A very haunting, gothic, and disturbing read indeed! THE ENDING is also perfection!! This is one of those books that feels written for me and I can’t tell you enough how much I love it.

I also really like that the book shines a light about abuse in queer couples as well. That is an important topic that I don’t think gets discussed enough. I enjoyed how all of the things regarding gender and roles & villain and hero were done in this book. I can’t speak more about that without spoilers so I’ll just leave it at that.

This is the 2nd book that I’ve read from this author (the first was Trad Wife) and Saratoga Schaefer…I really, really like how you think! 👏

Highly, HIGHLY recommend this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free ebook copy in exchange for an honest review. This book is expected to be released September 15, 2026 .

[Kayda Noelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who doesn’t love a haunted house read? Throw in a sapphic romance, and a forbidden basement, and I’m pretty much locked-in.

This had great pacing. It was a slow build, leaving those breadcrumbs of doubt and suspicion along the way, and ending with a bang. I found myself so frustrated with Poppy for not making her voice be heard after everything she was experiencing. I found myself angry with Celia for all the excuses she gave to Poppy. But after the big reveal, I see I was supposed to feel all of those things 🤣

The statues were a little silly to me, I’ll admit. And the end got a little wonky for my personal taste, but I had fun with it!

Painting Poppy and Mirror Poppy will stick with me for a while 👀

Big thanks to Crooked Lane books and NetGalley for the early copy!

[Maeggie Dotts · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I got an email that I was pre approved to read a book by Saratoga Schaefer I was honored! So thank you to Crooked Lane books and NetGalley for this arc.

How to describe the feeling this book gave me…It’s like when you’re a kid and you get up in the middle of the night to get a drink from the kitchen. Your house looks completely different at night and you run up the stairs on all fours because you think someone is watching you…Maybe that was just me?? Anyway the spooky scary vibes are immaculate. I don’t think I can look in a mirror at night ever again.

For me, I had a very hard time envisioning Celia as a woman. Every time abuse was present, my mind kept wanting to envision a man. I think the main theme, that abuse can come from anyone regardless of sex or gender, is such an important topic that needs more acknowledgment especially in same sex couples. That when its a woman being abused or even doing the abusing we are inclined not to believe it. Its a solid message that is executed oh so well.

[Chelsea Pittman · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a quick elopement, Poppy moves into her new wife’s family home and discovers the beautiful mansion is a nightmare.

Full of scary images and twists, this book is perfect for haunted house fans. It’s all that and more with relationship red flags and moving statues. Nothing is as it seems.

Not as disturbing as Trad Wife, though few things are, but I think horror fans will enjoy it! I especially loved everything from the faerie book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Saratoga Schaefer, and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity. I have written this voluntarily and honestly.

[Mieke René · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yeah baby! I was sucked-in, reading this book over the course of four days. This book has all the feels. This story explores the pain of investing yourself into another human, while they build you up into their own work of art and then break you down with their metaphorical sledgehammer.

I found literal jump scares…as I’m reading it on my phone (thanks to the Crooked Lane and NetGalley ARC)….alone in my quiet house…and my phone suddenly chirps a notification cause me to jump out of my skin! There is the fire, complications, and messiness of human relationships that made me squirm (for more). I was wholeheartedly triggered and reexamining my own relationships.

I also found imbedded humor, I love Saratoga Schaefer for that. They are an author you can devour in appreciation for their raw love of literature, storytelling, and gothic-horror depictions. This book is definitely my fav of her four books (so far!)

[Laura]

um hello i need this?! I've been dyyyying for a Bluebeard retelling

[Shae Bentley · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐️

[Nicole Austin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

“A Thousand Monstrous Forms” by Saratoga Schaefer is one of those horror novels that gets under your skin almost immediately and never really lets go. Equal parts gothic haunted house story, toxic relationship horror, and sapphic Bluebeard retelling, this book had me completely hooked from the start. The atmosphere is so thick with dread that I felt uneasy for most of the reading experience, and I mean that as a compliment.

The story follows Poppy, a ceramic artist who has recently married the beautiful and charismatic Celia after a whirlwind six-month romance. Together they move into Celia's family manor, where Poppy hopes to focus on her art and start a new chapter of her life. But almost from the moment she arrives, things feel wrong. Strange reflections move on their own, the wallpaper seems alive, faceless statues watch her from the garden, and the house itself feels less like a setting and more like a living, breathing presence with its own agenda.

The manor is easily one of the strongest parts of the book. Saratoga Schaefer creates a setting that feels genuinely haunted, not just by ghosts but by secrets, memories, and something much darker lurking beneath the surface. Every hallway, mirror, statue, and shadow seems loaded with tension. The mirror scenes in particular were absolutely fantastic. They were creepy, unsettling, and often had me waiting for the next horrifying thing to happen. The faceless marble statues were another standout element that I don't think I'll be forgetting anytime soon (they reminded me of the Weeping Angels in Doctor Who, and they were absolutely terrifying).

What makes the horror especially effective is how closely it's tied to Poppy's relationship with Celia. From the beginning, the red flags are impossible to ignore. There's the significant age gap, the rushed marriage, the isolation from friends and family, the constant love bombing, the gaslighting, and the alarming revelation that Celia has had multiple wives before Poppy. As readers, we can see the warning signs immediately, but Poppy's desperate need to be loved and accepted keeps her overlooking things she probably shouldn't. At times I wanted to shake her and tell her to stand up for herself, but her people-pleasing tendencies and lack of confidence felt painfully realistic, especially since Poppy is aware of her own issues.

The book does an excellent job exploring emotional abuse alongside its supernatural horror. As Poppy begins uncovering more about Celia and the manor, the two forms of horror become deeply intertwined. The story constantly keeps you questioning whether the house is trying to hurt Poppy, protect her, or warn her. The tension builds steadily as both the haunting and Celia's increasingly strange behavior escalate.

And speaking of escalation, once the book starts revealing its secrets, it absolutely takes off. One major revelation arrives much earlier than I expected, and it completely changed how I viewed everything that came before. From there, the story only becomes more bizarre, horrifying, and unpredictable. There are some genuinely creepy moments throughout, along with some body horror, gore, and several scenes that had my anxiety levels climbing. Horror books rarely make me physically tense, but this one absolutely succeeded.

I also loved the artistic elements woven throughout the story. Poppy's work with ceramics adds a unique layer to the narrative, and the imagery surrounding art, sculpture, and creation fits perfectly with the novel's themes of control, identity, and transformation. The visuals are stunning throughout. There were multiple scenes that felt so vivid I could practically see them playing out as a movie.

The climax is chaotic, emotional, and deeply satisfying. While the story embraces its supernatural horror roots, it never loses sight of Poppy's personal journey. At its core, this is a story about reclaiming yourself after manipulation and abuse, learning to fight back, and refusing to let someone else define who you are. Watching Poppy grow into her own strength was one of the most rewarding parts of the book.

The ending delivers both closure and one final unsettling note that suggests the story may not be completely finished with Poppy just yet. It's the kind of ending that lingers after you close the book.

Overall, “A Thousand Monstrous Forms” is a beautifully written gothic horror novel packed with creepy imagery, toxic relationships, haunted house terror, folklore influences, and unforgettable atmosphere. It's unsettling, emotional, visually stunning, and surprisingly empowering beneath all the horror. If you enjoy gothic fiction, sapphic horror, haunted mansions, and stories where the monsters are both supernatural and painfully human, this one is absolutely worth picking up.

[Justin Soderberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

USA Today bestselling author Saratoga Schaefer is having already having a stellar year with Trad Wife and The Last Time We Drowned , but it continues with their latest novel. A Thousand Monstrous Forms , a dread-filled, creepy, and terrifying horror tale that had me reading with my back to the wall.

Artist Poppy Reed doesn’t care if others think her marriage to Celia Marie Fox, a wealthy art dealer, is impulsive. Sure, they’ve only known each other for six months, and Celia has an infamous romantic reputation, but Poppy is brimming with excitement when she moves across the country to Celia’s home: a formidable, isolated, and art-filled manor called Busirane.

As Poppy tries to celebrate her first weeks of marriage and enjoy her new home, Busirane seems intent on rebuffing her every attempt to settle in. Strange noises and confounding occurrences lead Poppy to believe the house is haunted, a suspicion worsened by Celia’s insistence that Poppy avoid the locked basement.

When Celia leaves for a work trip, Poppy is left alone in the house, then finds herself snowed in. Surrounded by secrets, stalked by faceless statues, and beset by bodiless whispers, she struggles to trust her wife—and her own mind. When Poppy is eventually drawn to the forbidden basement, dark truths shatter everything she thought she knew, throwing her into a desperate bid for survival.

I have read my fair share of haunted house stories over the years and while I don't tend to go for them first, I do tend to enjoy them. What makes this haunted dwelling story stand out is the author. I have now convinced myself that I would read the instructions on making an apple pie if it was written by Schaefer. There is something about the way Saratoga crafts their stories, no matter the genre or plot, that draws me in and keeps me around.

A Thousand Monstrous Forms was one I was heavily looking forward to reading and it didn't disappoint. Not only is this story filled with dread and unease, it has a few jump scares that will make you yelp out loud, something I find hard to accomplish in prose novels at times. This story is one of those tales that is hard to read inside your own house, especially one like mine which is over 100 years old. What creepy, unsettling things have happened in the history of this house that might rear its ugly face in moments of quiet and tranquility, making you utterly frightened.

What made A Thousand Monstrous Forms even more terrifying was the fast-paced nature of the story as well. Schaefer wasted no time allowing these frightening moments to appear, not letting us settle in at all. Saratoga does wonderfully balance this scares with a real sense of foreboding unease, building on tension and dread throughout the story as well.

I feel most people have had or know of someone who has had a relationship that has moved extremely quickly, ignoring any red flags, rules, or questions that may arise. With A Thousand Monstrous Forms, Schaefer builds a story that is more than just one that frightens, but has deeper story to tell. When things get creepy after moving into an ld house with someone, let's be honest, you barely know and they don't take it seriously, how could you not question everything. It can be good to trust someone, but how far does that trust go when this unsettling house proves to be too much.

A Thousand Monstrous Forms is a modernized and horrifying take on the classic French folktale Bluebird by Charles Perrault. Taking stories from the 1600s and twisting them to fit a modern tale feels like an undertaking that I would not want to try, but Schaefer seems to do with ease.

A Thousand Monstrous Forms is a chilling haunted house tale filled with a sense of dread, a ton of tension, and some pretty frightening scares, all while exploring trust and relationships. Saratoga Schaefer once again proved they are one of the more compelling voices in storytelling today. A Thousand Monstrous Forms is dread-soaked horror story that made me happy I read with the lights on.

A Thousand Monstrous Forms hits bookstores everywhere on September 15, 2026 from Crooked Lane Books.

NOTE: We received an advance copy of A Thousand Monstrous Forms from the publisher. Opinions are our own.

[Candyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for an advance copy of this book.

Saratoga, come to the front. You have outdone yourself.

A few months ago, I read Trad Wife by Saratoga Schaefer. I loved what a wild ride it was, but I had some critiques about the development of the story. So, when I was approved for an eARC of A Thousand Monstrous Forms I was honored but was expecting a similar reading experience with similar critiques.

I. Was. Wrong.

A Thousand Monstrous Forms is the story of talented, newly married artist Poppy and her very rich, very mysterious art-collector wife, Celia. Celia has moved Poppy into her family’s manor, but there are rules that must be followed, secrets that must be kept, and a basement door that must never, never, be opened.

What I loved:

Character development. The history of the characters was built out slowly. Poppy’s personality was pretty evident out of the gate, but her history was revealed a bit at a time. Same with Celia. Amidst the backdrop of the house, which is a character all on its own, this slow building character development adds to the tension of the story. Schaeffer did a fantastic job of not only telling us through Poppy that Celia is mysterious; she also made Celia feel mysterious to the reader.
I had unpleasant feelings toward Poppy’s character from the beginning of the book. Literally page one. By the time I was finished reading, I realized that through the entire book, Poppy's best friend Aditi was the voice of all of us screaming our frustrations and red flags at Poppy from this side of the pages, and that Poppy's infuriatingly passive personality was an intentional choice by the author.

Atmosphere and pacing is where Schaefer really shines. They really create tension that lives in every corner, every room, and every painting of this sprawling manor. The relationship between Celia and Poppy becomes its own source of escalating dread. Pacing is very well-done. Around the halfway point, you better hold on to your pants.

The social commentary was a bit on the nose, but it opens an avenue toward necessary thought and conversation regarding the dismissal of abusive and manipulative behaviors within the confines of a relationship when both relationship partners are women. Read with caution if you are sensitive to these themes.

If you like gothic horror, sapphic romance, and complex human relationships, and if you can stick beside a willfully passive female main character for a good portion of the story, you will devour this book. All in, this was my favorite by Saratoga Schaefer so far. Definitely recommend.

[Pages in the wild · Rating 5 out of 5]

Halfway through this book I realized I have no idea what Bluebeard is about, but what a great way to learn.

When I saw Saratoga Schaefer had another horror book coming out, I was so excited. I’d heard nothing but great things about Trad Wife (I finally bought it after losing patience waiting on my Libby hold), and this made me even more excited to dive into it because the way Schaefer writes horror is perfection.

Poppy has just moved across the country after marrying her wife, Celia. The two met through their shared love of and career in art, Poppy is a ceramic artist and Celia is an art dealer. Their new home is filled with artwork, including five stone statues of women standing outside. From the moment Poppy arrives, the house feels off. Strange things begin happening, but Celia brushes them off as dreams or stress. Before leaving on a work trip, she gives Poppy one firm boundary, stay out of the basement.

This book had me from page one. There was immediately something about Celia and Poppy’s relationship that had me side eyeing. Was it the age gap? The financial imbalance? The way Poppy’s needs always seemed to be left unanswered? All of the above? From the very first night there was this creeping feeling that something was off, and I needed to know what was going on. Once I started noticing little things not quite lining up in Celia’s story, , I couldn’t stop questioning if Celia had shady intentions or was just not a great partner, or both.

I absolutely loved Poppy. She is such a vulnerable and naive character that although her decisions are terrible at times, you understand how she got there. She constantly talks herself out of trusting her own instincts, minimizes her own needs, and holds onto the moments that reassure her everything is fine instead of listening to the growing pile of red flags. That slow erosion of confidence made the psychological horror just as unsettling as the supernatural elements.

Schaefer absolutely nails atmosphere. The house feels tense and unwelcoming from the beginning and the horror builds at a pace that kept me turning pages. Even when I started putting pieces together, I never actually felt like I had it all figured out, even at the very end.

I highly recommend picking this one up when it releases in September. It’s the perfect book to kick off spooky season.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars (rounded up to 5).

Thank you Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

@pagesinthewild.books

[Mya Joan Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

" Celia collected wives like she collected art. She took from places that weren't hers, conquered them, then left her prizes to rot in her home, never to see their native land again"



This book absolutely terrified me, but not in the way I expected. It isn't just creepy because of the horror elements—it gets under your skin by digging into grief, trauma, guilt, and the darker parts of being human. There were so many moments that left me feeling uneasy, and that feeling stayed with me long after I put the book down.

I'll admit the buildup is slow. Normally that's something I struggle with, and I'm usually wishing the story would get moving. But somehow it completely worked here. Every chapter added another layer of dread, and instead of feeling bored, I found myself getting more anxious because I knew something awful was waiting around the corner. The slow pacing gave me time to really connect with the characters and understand everything they were carrying emotionally, which made the scary moments hit so much harder.

What really surprised me was how emotionally deep this story went. I came in expecting horror, but I got so much more than that. The characters felt real, their pain felt real, and the emotional weight behind everything made this much more than just a frightening read. There were scenes that genuinely broke my heart just as much as they creeped me out.

The atmosphere was incredible too. There was this constant sense of dread hanging over every page, and I found myself questioning what was real and what wasn't right alongside the characters. It was the kind of horror that slowly wraps itself around you instead of relying on nonstop scares.

The only reason this isn't a full five stars for me is because the slower beginning did make it take a little while before I was completely invested. Even though I think the pacing was the right choice for this story, it still took some patience to get there.

Overall, this was a beautifully haunting, emotionally heavy horror novel that proved slow burns can be incredibly rewarding when they're done well. If you're looking for a horror story that's just as interested in breaking your heart as it is in scaring you, this one is absolutely worth picking up.

[erica utti-hodge ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up. thank you to Netgalley for access to this eARC!

A Thousand Monstrous Forms is a relatively quick-paced, easily digestible horror retelling of Bluebeard. Poppy, a young ceramic artist who has left an abusive relationship, quickly falls in love with and marries a generationally wealthy art dealer, Celia, despite her best friends concerns. after moving to a manor in the middle of nowhere, with no car and no job, Poppy begins to be tormented by the house--maybe its in her head, or maybe its a warning?

it is difficult to write a book like this--one where your main character stays in a situation we all can recognize she shouldn't for some emotional reason. dread needs to build slowly, but fast enough to keep the reader engaged, and the relationship holding the premise of the book together needs to at first appear strong enough for us to understand why our protagonist continues to make irrational choices. most of this Schaefer does wonderfully, particularly the pacing of the novel.

however, my biggest gripe with this book is that the author does not trust the reader to make connections, and things are overly spelled out. there is almost TOO MUCH of the main character's interiority to the point where nothing is left up to our interpretation. this reads like a movie you would watch on a second screen, where the main characters keep verbally explaining their plans over and over instead of letting you watch the plot unfold because (1) the characters actions don't make complete sense and mostly are a function of pushing the plot forward and (2) they don't trust you to be paying attention.

in reading Trad Wife, i had a similar problem, which makes me think that this is just the style Schaefer likes to explore her main characters through. since this was my main point of contention with the novel, if you enjoyed the narration of Trad Wife, you will definitely like this! the premise is really cool, and it is obvious that the author took care with connecting the plot and motifs with classic literature.

readers who enjoy easy reads but are open to horror elements in their thrillers would enjoy this novel a lot. if you are looking for a queer retelling that highlights women as the antagonists, protagonists, and saviors, this is for you.

[shyra ☾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

an artsy, haunted manor oozing out beauty & forbidden sapphism was indeed a pleasant surprise like none other!

ꕤ｡˚⋆ ”someone i loved once gave me a box full of darkness. it took me years to understand that this too, was a gift.”
— mary oliver

i was stoked & honored when i found out i was approved the arc for a thousand monstrous forms!
having not read trad wife yet, i’ve heard fantastic things.
i plan on reading it before the year ends but when i seen this arc?
game on!

ꕤ｡˚⋆ ”celia collected wives like she collected art.”

busirane manor is legit its own main character!
poppy is a ceramic artist moving in with her new wife at an isolated manor. she loses herself not trusting her instincts when celia begs for her skin and undergoing insomnia, clinging to ghosts, stalked by mythical statues.
one topic that was absolute peak is how this illuminates a doomed red flag wlw bond blending with art that acknowledges same sex marriage abuse. it doesn’t get pointed out the way it should but this story didn’t fail to do that!
what’s 4+4=? 8TE

i already sense miss saratoga schaefer is a splendid writer!
i pretty much tend to enjoy haunted house stories depending on the vibe & fright scale.
who doesn’t love chilling stories that makes you go all night leaving the lights on? (i still stay in the dark because i’ve been a nighttime girly my whole life)
this definitely made me miss pottery class when i was a junior in high school. i also never knew what bluebeard was before this so it’s always nice to learn something new.
this is a tough take on an abusive relationship.. if you’ve experienced anything in that nature i don’t suggest stumbling upon this

ꕤ｡˚⋆ ”for love in a thousand monstrous forms often appears.”

thank you netgalley & crooked lane books for providing the arc in exchange for my honest review!~

[marta ౨ৎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ★ I usually pride myself on not getting scared easily, but A Thousand Monstrous Forms officially broke my streak. It is so incredibly rare for me to find an horror novel that ACTUALLY affects me in a psychological level, but this book absolutely delivered. The horror elements to me are brilliant, there was some psychological tension that truly kept me up at night. Reading this in the dark was a genuine challenge at times because the scary scenes are so vivid and masterfully crafted that they gave me physical chills. Literally, I got goosebumps all over my body.

The supernatural mystery itself is excellent and kept me constantly questioning the 'why?' and 'how?' behind everything. However I did struggle to connect 100% with the characters, especially Poppy. While I appreciated her growth, her extreme naiveness and reactions to the things happening grew a bit frustrating after a while. Celia was kinda plain at times, though makes sense by the end of it all. There is a specific quote in the book around 37% into it that immediately clicked to me and made me realize exactly where the story was heading, which took away a bit of the suspense regarding the human characters. Same with the ending. I know we are dealing with horror fiction but the resolution felt a tad too "convenient" and cinematic compared to the psychological dread of the rest of the book.

Still, amazing read. The statues lore immediately sold me. Great, great work. And hey, it's queer too! Made it even more fun with its commentary.

Thank you to NetGalley, Saratoga Schaefer and Crooked Lane Books for giving me an ARC of the book for my honest review!

[kira · Rating 5 out of 5]

They would lose me after the first creaking sound in the middle of the night, bruh 😭🤚 Like, yes, honey, I love you, but what's wrong with your house??? Bye, just no ❤️

Poppy moved in with Celia after their recent wedding. It was quite an impulsive decision, but Poppy is head over heels in love and now lives in a beautiful house that makes her old apartment seem like a storage room.

But all is not quite as it seems. Poppy has strange dreams and visions, and she swears the house doesn't want her here. Celia always has an explanation and an answer to her wife's worries, but surprise! Poppy catches her in a lie. So, on top of her being dishonest, add in the fact that Celia talks in her sleep (with her eyes open, mind you) which is creepy enough, but when Poppy realized Celia's muttering was "Give me your skin," I really need to know what magnesium she's taking because HELLO?

And when Poppy claims at the party that the atmosphere in the house is changing, she feels it, hears sounds etc her friend wasn't affected at all, so you start to wonder: is the mc crazy? am I crazy? Is anyone in this house even telling the truth? The author plays on readers' emotions using the trope of the unreliable narrator, and does it SUPERBLY

A Thousand Monstrous Forms is a eerie, terrifying, and extremely atmospheric book that reminded me of You did nothing wrong and Crimson Peak , so if you enjoyed these or similar works, definitely add this novel to your TBR!

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an eARC

[Sarah (sarwestyreads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up

A Thousand Monstrous Forms had an intriguing premise, but unfortunately it didn't quite live up to my expectations. After loving Trad Wife, I knew this one had big shoes to fill. This was a very slow burn, and I felt like not much really happened until around the 65% mark. Once the final 30% hit, though, things got absolutely wild. I just wish the pacing had been a little more balanced throughout.

One thing I couldn't stop noticing was that bell jar was mentioned 87 times...especially because the way it was described in the baseball is not what I would have pictured. It's almost like 2 different types of jars combined? I get where the title of this book came from, but it was hard to remember and has such a small part in the book, I think it should have been reconsidered.

I also struggled with Poppy as a character. She's 25, but her level of naivety made me picture someone much younger. At the same time, she constantly talked about how worldly Celia was at the 'ripe old age' of 35, which felt just overall off. I also had a hard time buying into Poppy and Celia's relationship with them getting married so quickly. The ending definitely picked up the pace and had some genuinely shocking moments, but I was left with quite a few unanswered questions. I especially wanted more closure surrounding the police investigation into Celia's death.

Overall, this one didn't work for me as well as Trad Wife, but if you enjoy slow burn psychological suspense that explodes in the final act, it may still be worth picking up.

[VeroniCanRead · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.75 ⭐ ARC Review

🗽For Fans of:
- gothic horror
- creepy house
- LGBTQIA rep
- sapphic romance
- red flag relationship
- single POV
- single timeline

⚠️ Check Your Triggers: manipulative relationships and more
Do your research and read what’s right for you <3

✏️ Spoiler-Free ARC Review

This book immediately gave me creepy house vibes from the beginning but as soon as she mentioned the statues in the garden, I thought of the Weeping Angels from Doctor Who and it creeped me out even more.

The book is written into three parts and while I stayed up late to read part 1, when I stopped, I found that I was actually really creeped out. I had to put on my comfort show to stop thinking about what would happen next and that creepy house with all its rooms.

Also, for anyone who has been in a manipulative relationship, this book will feel familiar in the worst way. Still, it felt like an important light on how abuse can happen to anyone in any kind of relationship.

The ending was fantastic. It never felt rushed and the last few pages were chef’s kiss! 😗👌

I’ve loved everything this author had written so far and I can’t wait to see what they come up with next!


🖤 Thank you to author Saratoga Schaefer and publisher Crooked Lane Books for the digital advanced reader copy (ARC) via NetGalley.
As always, my reviews are honest, my own, and voluntary!

📚 Book: A Thousand Monstrous Forms by Saratoga Schaefer
📅 Release Date: September 15, 2026
⭐ Rating: 4.75 out of 5

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poppy is in LOVE love. So much so that she moves clear across the country to be with her new wife in an old manor, miles from civilization, sight unseen. Busirane, the foreboding manor, is massive and mysterious; Poppy is unnerved by the shadows, creaks, cold patches and feelings she is getting from this space. When Poppy’s new wife leaves on a work trip, Poppy finds herself alone in this massive, haunting space, fighting for survival.

The dread and uncertainty nagged at me within the first few chapters. Unease is a common theme throughout this tale, the skin on the back of my neck prickling often and it even had me looking over my shoulder a bit and checking closets. As the tension rises, so does the unease, in a beautifully done way that causes the reader to question what’s really going on, much like the characters in this story. Schaefer writes this in such an eerie and creepy way that gets under the skin making you afraid to turn the page but forcing you to do so because you’re so desperate for answers and resolution.

The ending of this book is unexpected and so well put together. I am so thrilled to have been able to read this and enjoy it. Fully recommend to anyone who enjoys the horror genre.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this ARC opportunity for this absolutely awaited book by Saratoga Schaefer. I am beyond delighted to receive this. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Mihaela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Crooked Lane Books, author Saratoga Schaefer and NetGalley for the ARC.

My rating: 4.5 ⭐️

A gender-bent, modern retelling of Bluebeard. Haunted house meets fairytale metaphors in this rendition of toxic relationships and their cycles.

The whole story was showing us two sides of the same coin: how victims of abuse and toxic relationships go on living after escaping. Some bury their fractured self and try to be the perfect version of themselves, others become the abuser, the manipulator, the gaslighter.

It starts out slow, we get to see Poppy and Celia in their honeymoon phase. We get sprinkles of unease from the start, as the house itself seems to come alive with hunger and hostility towards Celia's new wife, Poppy. We all know how Bluebeard goes, so the reveal of the ex-wives was expected, just not in such a way. The gothic descriptions of the house, the isolation Poppy goes through, the atmosphere is perfect for a horror.

The part with the revenge was a bit too RPG-like for me, but otherwise it was an awesome read. Loved living with Poppy in her dread and her fears, trying to see what is a nightmare and what is reality.

Throughout the book, we get clues on how Celia really is, and how much Poppy swallows of her real self and her retorts for the sake of their love. It is also a good reminder for everyone how we need good friends to help us see through those rose glasses when something seems just too good to be real.

[A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely devoured this book, my 2nd book by this author and i am enamoured by it.

I love the historical setting of the mansion, i could imagine all these old dusty rooms with time period features.

Poppy is embarking on a new chapter in her life and luckily has met her beautiful wife who has given her a great opportunity to develop her sculptures and clay work from home. Her wife is a free spirit and they are going with the flow of everyday life.

Poppy starts to settle in and this is where the tension and eerieness starts to emerge. Especially when odd things start happening and its very subtle to start with. The mirror scenes were creepy but brilliant, as a reader your constantly awaiting whats coming next. At times Poppy notices a few changes in her wife but tries not to think nothing of it .

I dont want to give to much away but this needs to be turned into a film as I think it would be great, where is the nearest movie director.

I loved this, the statues, the overall horror vibe reminds me so much of why i love this author and its genre features. I think its has the emotional balance of life and married life and moving on , friendships tested and of course the horror elements. It feels actions packed at times too.

Last few chapters had me up reading , an absolute entertaining read ! I havent read anything along these lines for a while but it will certainly stay with me. I wont be looking at belljars anytime soon.

We need more from this author, pure entertainment !

[Adriana Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I previously read Tradwife by Saratoga Schaeffer, so when I was offered the opportunity to read A Thousand Monstrous Forms I was beyond excited!

Poppy has found herself in a whirlwind romance with Celia. After they get married, Poppy moves into Celia’s manor. She is nervous and anxious, but ultimately excited to start her life with her new wife. After arriving, unpacking and saying goodbye to her best friend, Poppy tries to settle into her new home but there is a strange feeling and she’s seeing some strange things. Ultimately, Poppy dismisses it as being tired and in a new place. Once Celia arrives home, Poppy is comforted, but her unease never really goes away. The longer Poppy stays in this house and the more that is revealed about their pasts the more she can’t decide if she’s going crazy, Celia isn’t who she said she is, or something more paranormal is going on.

The way this book had me creeped out is truly impressive. I even feel at one point there was a jump scare, and I didn’t even know that was possible while reading (lol). I felt so submerged in the story and could not stop turning the pages. The setting of this house was so clear in my mind that everything played out like a movie. I needed to know what was happening and enjoyed every second of this ride.

I am truly a Saratoga Schaeffer fan at this point and will be reading whatever they put out next!!

[Alex E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5: A Thousand Monstrous Forms

If Saratoga writes it, I'll read it!

Ceramic artist Poppy gets married to Celia, a wealthy art dealer (with a shady past). Poppy's friends aren't sure about Celia; it was a quick dating-to-marriage turnaround, plus Celia lives in a remote manor far away from the life Poppy knows. At first Celia seems to dote on Poppy's every whim, even installing a ceramic studio within the manor - but something about the strictly off-limits basement starts to make Poppy wonder if there is more to Ceila than she knows.

Vibes:
-Gothic horror meets sapphic romance meets fairytale
-Bluebeard retelling
-SO many red flags!
-Fast paced
-Weeping Angels (Doctor Who) viiiiibes
-Creepy, feeling of dread (but not terrifying)
-cool historical manor home setting

I absolutely enjoyed this! YES for the Bluebeard vibes, but also the commentary on toxic relationships, control, and identity was on point. If you are a fan of horror folklore and sapphic relationships, this one is for you!
.......
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Crooked Lane Books for the ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. All views expressed are my own.
.......
PS: New here? Hi! 👋 FYI: I don’t sugarcoat my reviews. Peek at my pinned post to see how my rating system works. 😘🖤

[Kate Connell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sapphic take on a gothic classic, this is Bluebeard for a new era.

Poppy Reed is an artist who recently went through a whirlwind romance and a quick marriage with Celia Marie Fox, after having known each other for six months. Celia is a wealthy art dealer and despite her infamous romantic reputation and her isolated east coast manor far from everything and everyone Poppy knows, Poppy is excited to start their life together. Besides, her best friend and pseudo-sister Aditi lives on the East Coast, albeit in the city four hours away from Busirane, the name Celia calls her home.

Poppy is determined to be positive, but the house itself seems to not want her there. Her reflection moves without her, she doesn't have access to all the rooms, Celia has started talking in her sleep saying she wants Poppy's skin, and Poppy is forbidden from entering the locked basement under any circumstances. As Poppy becomes increasingly sure that the home is haunted, Celia has work trips, requiring Poppy to be alone, and without the car, essentially stranded at Busirane.

On one trip, a storm snows Poppy in and as the voices around the house and Poppy's fear propel her towards the basement, she must stop at nothing to save herself, and those she cares for.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this novel.

[Murphy Baisley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read the eGalley of A Thousand Monstrous Forms. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Poppy has just eloped and moved across country to live in her new wife's remote, manor estate. Celia is an art dealer, and Poppy's ceramic work caught her eye, and they engaged in a whirlwind romance. Bisarane, as the estate is called, is old, Gothic, and atmospheric. There's just something not quite right with things, but hey, it's filled with art and art has emotion, yes?

I related to Poppy and her experiences far too much in this for my comfort. Her trauma, her emotional neglect from her parents, her desire for her happily ever after - well, it all came across very well. Her reactions and refusal to believe the worst and her utter adoration of Celia make the story that much more poignant.

The dread starts as soon as Poppy arrives at Bisarane and doesn't let up. It feels like a sapphic Crimson Peak without, well, the incest or the sibling. The evocative turns of phrase that Saratoga Schaeffer uses create a dark, twisted beauty amidst character-driven prose. Poppy unravels the mystery of Bisarane eventually, but she will forever be changed by her experience.

4.5/5.

If you enjoy haunted houses, gothic atmospheres, and questioning reality, this is for you.

[C. A. Hayward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poppy is newly married and moving into her wife’s definitely-not-haunted rural manor. What could go wrong?!

From day one in the manor things go bump in the night, reflections in mirrors wave at her, and the statues in the garden keep moving, but Poppy is convinced it’s just the stress of moving. Her wife lets her believe that too…

This was such a great queer horror! There was so much tension throughout the whole book and that ending?! I was on the edge of my seat for this entire book and loved every second.

My only gripe with this story is that there is so much tension from page 1, which is great, but it also means there wasn’t a natural ramping up of creepy things escalating. It was just tension at 11/10 the whole time. That’s not necessarily bad but I did feel like I was missing that natural escalation. E.g. (While trying not to give away too many spoilers) The most major creepy thing for me was when her wife starts talking in her sleep (if you know you know) but that happened SO early on and I feel like that could have been saved/explored in more depth and to an even scarier extent later when other more haunted things are ramping up a bit as well!

Otherwise this was such a fun read and I would 100% recommend. If you love the weeping angel episodes of doctor who you will love this book!

[tee (rin's version) · Rating 4 out of 5]

be bold, be bold, be not to bold

thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

im quite familiar with saratoga’s work with my first book of hers being the trad wife and i enjoyed it a lot. it didn’t surprise me that i still enjoyed this one too. i am familiar with the forbidden chamber concept of folklore but this is my first introduction to bluebeard as well as the faerie queen.

to start, genuinely it is a retelling of bluebeard, but make it sapphic. with some twist in the end.

the characters were complex in a way, we don’t get much background to it at the start but was slowly introduced along the story. i feel like there’s so much to explore with some characters especially with the fmc’s wife, celia and her past, the fmc’s past as well. i am particularly interested in the particular five side characters that haunt the storyline, gooood i wish i wish saratoga had touched more on them.

danse macabre was a nice touch, i would say the entire book felt like a song, like i’m on my edge of the seat being forced to not feel like i was gaslighted and anxious but am indeed gaslighted and anxious.

anyway, good pace, good twist, easy read and well the ending, you just have to read it yourself. 3.5*

[Elyrria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing from start to finish! It is a gothic, sapphic horror based on the Bluebeard fairy tale, with heavy nods to the classic, Faerie Queen. This is the second time I have given one of Schaefer's books five stars, and once again, it is well deserved.

This story handles heavy topics like intimate partner violence, being queer, and navigating life without a good support system or functional family. The topics are all handled responsibly, and I was gripped from the very beginning. A vulnerable young woman leaves the few people she knows behind to marry her sapphic lover and stay at her large estate. As she settles in, she realizes that the house has a personality of its own, and the woman she thinks she loves is hiding a mountain of dark secrets.

I could see this book winning the Goodreads Choice Award in its category at the end of the year. It was beautifully done, and the ending had my heart pounding! I love Schaefer's books because they always include deeper social commentary, alongside the hallmarks of gothic literature I love.

Thank you to the publishers at NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for sending me an e-ARC. This is one of my favorite NetGalley and horror reads of 2026!

[RavenReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a bit of a rocky start with this one. The central relationship features a significant age and socioeconomic gap, and I found myself frustrated by how naive and impulsive the younger character was. I kept wondering how she could miss so many glaring red flags, which made it difficult for me to fully invest in her decisions.

About halfway through, I was convinced I'd figured out the big twist. As it turns out, I was wrong (at least about that twist) which I have to give Schaefer credit for. It's always nice when a horror novel can still surprise me.

Despite my reservations, the atmosphere is where this book truly shines. Saratoga Schaefer once again proves she knows how to create an unsettling sense of dread, and the creeping horror builds in a way that is unmistakably her style.

I was a little disappointed by the departure from the strong, intelligent female protagonists I've come to expect from Schaefer's previous work, but the haunting atmosphere and genuinely creepy moments kept me turning the pages. It may not be my favorite of hers, but it's another solid entry that showcases her talent for writing unsettling horror.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books, and Saratoga Schaefer for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Jacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, I am never going to shut up about his book. Saratoga Schaefer has crafted an atmospheric, dread-filled, compulsively readable nightmare. I read the majority of this novel in a library with horribly bright overhead lighting… during the middle of summer… in Texas, and yet my brain was fully existing within the realm of a crumbling gothic estate in the belly of an East Coast winter. Unarguably my favorite horror of the year. Schaefer makes excellent use of the source material while also creating something so brilliantly new and exciting. I LOVED Poppy. It was so easy to root for her and fully immerse myself in her fear.

With my (now) second favorite horror of the year being Bloom by Delilah S. Dawson, it’s clear I can narrow my reading taste to atmosphere centered sapphic horror with creepy basements, doomed relationships, and seriously flawed women. I will definitely be recommending this one and I can’t wait to read Trad Wife.

(also, this is going on the list of books I will have to purchase a personal physical copy of when it comes out because of the STUNNING cover and title) (obsessed)

thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read early <3