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Monstrous
Forced to spend her summer in her aunt's strange small town, a teen girl discovers dark secrets hidden in the woods. From the author of Bad Witch Burning comes another pulse-pounding novel perfect for fans of Supernatural and Lovecraft Country.
Don't go outside past dark. Come straight home after church. And above all—never, ever, go into Red Wood.
These are the rules Latavia’s aunt tells her as soon as she arrives in Sanctum, Alabama for the summer. Weird, but Latavia isn’t here to solve any scary small town mysteries; she’s here for six weeks and six weeks only, and then she’s off to college and won’t look back. Still, Sanctum has its perks—mainly, the cute girl who works at the local ice cream shop.
But Latavia can’t ignore how strange her aunt’s tiny town is. The residents are suspicious of her and at times hostile, and it’s clear she’s some kind of outsider. That’s proven when Latavia is dragged out of her house in the dead of night, into the forbidden Red Wood, and presented as a human sacrifice to an ancient monster.
Latavia won’t be eaten without a fight. She’ll do whatever she has to do to survive—even if that includes making a deal with the monster, endangering her crush and family, and even risk turning into a monster herself.
Don't go outside past dark. Come straight home after church. And above all—never, ever, go into Red Wood.
These are the rules Latavia’s aunt tells her as soon as she arrives in Sanctum, Alabama for the summer. Weird, but Latavia isn’t here to solve any scary small town mysteries; she’s here for six weeks and six weeks only, and then she’s off to college and won’t look back. Still, Sanctum has its perks—mainly, the cute girl who works at the local ice cream shop.
But Latavia can’t ignore how strange her aunt’s tiny town is. The residents are suspicious of her and at times hostile, and it’s clear she’s some kind of outsider. That’s proven when Latavia is dragged out of her house in the dead of night, into the forbidden Red Wood, and presented as a human sacrifice to an ancient monster.
Latavia won’t be eaten without a fight. She’ll do whatever she has to do to survive—even if that includes making a deal with the monster, endangering her crush and family, and even risk turning into a monster herself.
432 pages, Paperback
First published September 12, 2023
31 people are currently reading
6215 people want to read
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July 19, 2025
Monstrous is a dark, YA Fantasy story from Jessica Lewis.
I've heard incredible things about this author's first novel, Bad Witch Burning, but haven't gotten to it yet. After reading this, I know I'll be picking it up soon.
In this story we follow a teen girl, Latavia, who due to some challenges in her home-life, goes to stay with her Aunt in the small town of Sanctum, Alabama.
From the start her Aunt institutes a lot of rules: don't go out after dark, come home directly after church, and definitely don't stray into the woods...
It's strange, but Latavia isn't here for a holiday. It's just a stop-over for 6-weeks before she leaves for college. She's not here to shake anything up, so she keeps her head down and tries to do as her Aunt directs.
Nevertheless, trouble catches up with her one night when she is kidnapped from her Aunt's house, dragged to the very same woods she was instructed to avoid, and offered up as human sacrifice to the ancient monster who lives there.
Latavia isn't going down without a fight though, and this monster may have met its match. Latavia is willing to do anything to survive, including bargain with the monster, and maybe even risk becoming one herself.
Y'all, you have to be intrigued by this set-up. An ancient monster that lives in the woods on the outskirts of a small town. Residents ready and willing to sacrifice the new girl to feed the monster's hunger.
What the heck is going on here!?
I was amazed at how quickly I got sucked into this story. I started reading it one Saturday and then the next thing I knew, the sun had set and I was 71% of the way through.
I really enjoyed Latavia's perspective. I love the new girl trope, especially when that is paired with a creepy small town vibe, where all the residents behave strangely. Going along with Latavia as she tried to navigate just getting by in this town was interesting.
I also enjoyed how Lewis added some more thoughtful, hard-hitting themes as well, in addition to the Darker Fantasy elements.
I liked learning about the reasons behind Latavia coming to Sanctum in the first place. She was really going through some difficult things and in one respect, it was great that she had an Aunt willing to take her in, but then, you know, the human sacrifice and stuff, so it was a bit of a mess.
Also, Latavia did have a love interest over the course of this story and watching their relationship blossom was very sweet. In spite of everything going on, or maybe because of that, they grew close fairly quickly, but it all felt quite natural to me.
At the end of the day, this story just had so many fun and interesting elements, and Lewis was able to blend them all seamlessly. The new girl trope, small town secrets, Sapphic romance, a man-eating monster and a murder cult. Seriously, what else do you need!?
I was hooked from the start, and while there were some things that weren't perfect for me, I still had a great experience with it and found it super compelling.
As mentioned above, I am definitely planning to read more from this author, starting with Bad Witch Burning. If you like Dark, YA Contemporary Fantasy, channeling small town vibes and dangerous secrets, you absolutely should check this one out.
Thank you to the publisher, Delacorte Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This was a lot of fun!
I've heard incredible things about this author's first novel, Bad Witch Burning, but haven't gotten to it yet. After reading this, I know I'll be picking it up soon.
In this story we follow a teen girl, Latavia, who due to some challenges in her home-life, goes to stay with her Aunt in the small town of Sanctum, Alabama.
From the start her Aunt institutes a lot of rules: don't go out after dark, come home directly after church, and definitely don't stray into the woods...
It's strange, but Latavia isn't here for a holiday. It's just a stop-over for 6-weeks before she leaves for college. She's not here to shake anything up, so she keeps her head down and tries to do as her Aunt directs.
Nevertheless, trouble catches up with her one night when she is kidnapped from her Aunt's house, dragged to the very same woods she was instructed to avoid, and offered up as human sacrifice to the ancient monster who lives there.
Latavia isn't going down without a fight though, and this monster may have met its match. Latavia is willing to do anything to survive, including bargain with the monster, and maybe even risk becoming one herself.
Y'all, you have to be intrigued by this set-up. An ancient monster that lives in the woods on the outskirts of a small town. Residents ready and willing to sacrifice the new girl to feed the monster's hunger.
What the heck is going on here!?
I was amazed at how quickly I got sucked into this story. I started reading it one Saturday and then the next thing I knew, the sun had set and I was 71% of the way through.
I really enjoyed Latavia's perspective. I love the new girl trope, especially when that is paired with a creepy small town vibe, where all the residents behave strangely. Going along with Latavia as she tried to navigate just getting by in this town was interesting.
I also enjoyed how Lewis added some more thoughtful, hard-hitting themes as well, in addition to the Darker Fantasy elements.
I liked learning about the reasons behind Latavia coming to Sanctum in the first place. She was really going through some difficult things and in one respect, it was great that she had an Aunt willing to take her in, but then, you know, the human sacrifice and stuff, so it was a bit of a mess.
Also, Latavia did have a love interest over the course of this story and watching their relationship blossom was very sweet. In spite of everything going on, or maybe because of that, they grew close fairly quickly, but it all felt quite natural to me.
At the end of the day, this story just had so many fun and interesting elements, and Lewis was able to blend them all seamlessly. The new girl trope, small town secrets, Sapphic romance, a man-eating monster and a murder cult. Seriously, what else do you need!?
I was hooked from the start, and while there were some things that weren't perfect for me, I still had a great experience with it and found it super compelling.
As mentioned above, I am definitely planning to read more from this author, starting with Bad Witch Burning. If you like Dark, YA Contemporary Fantasy, channeling small town vibes and dangerous secrets, you absolutely should check this one out.
Thank you to the publisher, Delacorte Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This was a lot of fun!
Want to read
January 17, 2022"A YA horror novel about a girl who is kidnapped as a sacrificial offering to an ancient beast, only to make a deal with the monster to release it and avenge those who betrayed her—even if that includes her own family."
AND the main character is sapphic omg
AND the main character is sapphic omg
October 26, 2023
A sapphic girl is offered as a sacrifice to a monster against her will and then joins forces with it to get revenge...
Monstrous wasn't quite what I was expecting but while parts of it were a bit clunky, overall I enjoyed it and liked what it was doing. The early chapters are fantastic- mysterious and disturbing as we're introduced to this insular small town with major cult vibes. Latavia was only supposed to be there for the summer before college, staying with her aunt and cousin after her mom kicked her out, but things go very wrong very fast...
The introduction of the snake was really not what I was expecting, but he ended up growing on me as an interesting and complicated character. I like how much lore there is to the world-building and how this lets a Black girl be angry and get revenge, while also being a story that deals with trauma, mental health, and healing.
Mixed feelings on the romance given the circumstances, especially because it isn't always great for the pacing though I do like books like this with quieter moments before things get dark again. There is an extended villain monologue that is over-explaining everything and feels kind of out of character, plus some of the implementation of world-building elements is inconsistent. So not a perfect book, but still one I enjoyed and one I think other people could really be into as well. I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
Content warnings include physical injury that's ongoing, gore, death, murder, panic attacks, talk of self-harm, bloodletting.
Monstrous wasn't quite what I was expecting but while parts of it were a bit clunky, overall I enjoyed it and liked what it was doing. The early chapters are fantastic- mysterious and disturbing as we're introduced to this insular small town with major cult vibes. Latavia was only supposed to be there for the summer before college, staying with her aunt and cousin after her mom kicked her out, but things go very wrong very fast...
The introduction of the snake was really not what I was expecting, but he ended up growing on me as an interesting and complicated character. I like how much lore there is to the world-building and how this lets a Black girl be angry and get revenge, while also being a story that deals with trauma, mental health, and healing.
Mixed feelings on the romance given the circumstances, especially because it isn't always great for the pacing though I do like books like this with quieter moments before things get dark again. There is an extended villain monologue that is over-explaining everything and feels kind of out of character, plus some of the implementation of world-building elements is inconsistent. So not a perfect book, but still one I enjoyed and one I think other people could really be into as well. I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
Content warnings include physical injury that's ongoing, gore, death, murder, panic attacks, talk of self-harm, bloodletting.
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May 9, 2024
That took an early turn I did not expect, holy shit.
Latavia was a phenomenal heroine. The horror was horrifying. The monster monstrous. The people just as bad as the monsters in the town. There's a dash of sapphic romance, although this isn't a romance. There are secrets upon secrets and real bad people just trying to fuck shit up and keep their power. The ending was the only thing that let me down, but I saw where it was going.
Latavia was a phenomenal heroine. The horror was horrifying. The monster monstrous. The people just as bad as the monsters in the town. There's a dash of sapphic romance, although this isn't a romance. There are secrets upon secrets and real bad people just trying to fuck shit up and keep their power. The ending was the only thing that let me down, but I saw where it was going.
April 3, 2023
I think I enjoyed this more than Bad Witch Burning.
I like the horror aspect in this book, and while the monster definitely wasn't what I was expecting, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed his character.
There were a lot of twists in this that I didn't see coming, and even the ones I did see were executed in a very satisfying way.
I do wish there wasn't a romance subplot in here though. I feel like anytime there's a romance in YA horror, it tends to detract from the main plot of the book. I kinda felt like it was a bit forced in here, and while I could see why Latavia liked Allison so much, I couldn't really see why Allison liked Latavia. It just didn't work for me tbh.
Other than that, I had a really good time with this book. I loved the way certain deaths happened and how Latavia seemed to really lean into her murderous side.
The ending worked for me as well. I liked open endings in my horror, and while this book did end in that way, I wouldn't be adversed against a sequel. Especially one that might follow the story of a certain crow that's mentioned in the book.
I really hope Jessica Lewis continues writing more horror, because she definitely has a knack for it.
《Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 》
I like the horror aspect in this book, and while the monster definitely wasn't what I was expecting, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed his character.
There were a lot of twists in this that I didn't see coming, and even the ones I did see were executed in a very satisfying way.
I do wish there wasn't a romance subplot in here though. I feel like anytime there's a romance in YA horror, it tends to detract from the main plot of the book. I kinda felt like it was a bit forced in here, and while I could see why Latavia liked Allison so much, I couldn't really see why Allison liked Latavia. It just didn't work for me tbh.
Other than that, I had a really good time with this book. I loved the way certain deaths happened and how Latavia seemed to really lean into her murderous side.
The ending worked for me as well. I liked open endings in my horror, and while this book did end in that way, I wouldn't be adversed against a sequel. Especially one that might follow the story of a certain crow that's mentioned in the book.
I really hope Jessica Lewis continues writing more horror, because she definitely has a knack for it.
《Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 》
Want to read
April 10, 2021A YA horror novel about a girl who is kidnapped as a sacrificial offering to an ancient beast, only to make a deal with the monster to release it and avenge those who betrayed her—even if that includes her own family.
I mean,,,WOW
I mean,,,WOW
August 31, 2023
I loved the premise of the book the most. A young girl siding with the enemy for revenge has always been one of my favorite tropes (and not done as often as I'd like) Latavia isn't messing around. She wants those who nearly had her sacrificed, dead so much I could feel her rage through the page (I love it when my reviews turn into poetry) She has a bum leg for almost the entire book and still manages to slay.
Unfortunately, some parts were a slog. My issue was with the middle of the book and all the back and forth and opening chapter dream sequences. I felt like there wasn't enough tension during this time and it felt redundant. The reveals were also done without flair and had me reading it over like, did she really do the twists like that? The end was like a deflated balloon.
All in all, I had a good time for the first 25% of the book and then it went downhill for me. This is still a great book about the power of healing from trauma and the power of love.
Unfortunately, some parts were a slog. My issue was with the middle of the book and all the back and forth and opening chapter dream sequences. I felt like there wasn't enough tension during this time and it felt redundant. The reveals were also done without flair and had me reading it over like, did she really do the twists like that? The end was like a deflated balloon.
All in all, I had a good time for the first 25% of the book and then it went downhill for me. This is still a great book about the power of healing from trauma and the power of love.
September 21, 2023
A girl who was meant to be a sacrifice to an old monster in the woods flips things upside down and joins the monster in getting revenge. Okay, I'm here for it.
I thought this was great, Latavia was strong and a fighter, not about to let the people of this town take her down. As the story goes on and we learn about the town's history, you start to question who the real villains are and how far can you take revenge before becoming a villain yourself.
This was fast paced and exciting, with some good surprises and an open ending. I could have left out the romance, but it wasn't the main part of the plot so I'm not too concerned.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for the copy.
I thought this was great, Latavia was strong and a fighter, not about to let the people of this town take her down. As the story goes on and we learn about the town's history, you start to question who the real villains are and how far can you take revenge before becoming a villain yourself.
This was fast paced and exciting, with some good surprises and an open ending. I could have left out the romance, but it wasn't the main part of the plot so I'm not too concerned.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for the copy.
February 29, 2024
I'm always on the look out for a good YA Horror novel, so I was really pleased to see just how much Monstrous by Jessica Lewis worked for me. It's dark, mysterious, creepy, and right up my alley. I love how this one starts and jumps right into things. It doesn't waste any time and I really appreciated that aspect. If you haven't read this or Bad Witch Burning by Jessica Lewis and are a fan of YA Horror, you're missing out.
February 16, 2021
I read this book in an early draft and it has stayed with me ever since. Revenge, vengeance, family and fear, mixed together with a spooky small town and murderous snake. So good!
October 31, 2023
the dialogue was unfortunately twitter poisoned, flipping between therapy speak and ironic quips, and the plot couldn’t help but undermine itself at every given opportunity. the ending reads as half finished, the initial story ended up being completely irrelevant to what actually went down, and our purpose for the entire story was discarded. the book only accomplished maybe a quarter of what it initially intended to do and all of it proved to be rather useless in the long run with no bearing on the actual narrative.
the emotional beats were all over the place, the romance proved to be quickly tiring, and at the end our main goal is implied to be accomplished offscreen after the book ends. except it wasn’t really our main goal because the original goal was made forcibly irrelevant by the narrative. at the end of the book i could only wonder what the was the fucking point? why write 400 pages of a nothingburger plot with a shit ending? what happened to the plot of the movie!
also are we still doing villain exposition monologues. even if it is YA, evil grinning cartoon villain monologuing his whole plot to the protagonist is very played out.
it’s only getting two stars for the snake.
the emotional beats were all over the place, the romance proved to be quickly tiring, and at the end our main goal is implied to be accomplished offscreen after the book ends. except it wasn’t really our main goal because the original goal was made forcibly irrelevant by the narrative. at the end of the book i could only wonder what the was the fucking point? why write 400 pages of a nothingburger plot with a shit ending? what happened to the plot of the movie!
also are we still doing villain exposition monologues. even if it is YA, evil grinning cartoon villain monologuing his whole plot to the protagonist is very played out.
it’s only getting two stars for the snake.
April 25, 2022
I feel so lucky to have read this in its early stages. Jessica has such a powerful way with words and emotions—I was glued to every single page.
December 6, 2023
4.2
EYYYYY. An anticipated read that didn't let me down! Snake dad and a continued determination murder!!!!
*Review to come*
EYYYYY. An anticipated read that didn't let me down! Snake dad and a continued determination murder!!!!
*Review to come*
November 29, 2023
What am I listening to? Wow, I couldn't believe this was the same author that I gave 5 stars to Bad Witch Burning.
September 12, 2023
When I picked this book up, I purposely didn’t read the blurb. I previously read the author’s debut novel Bad Witch Burning. I gave it 4.5/5 stars despite the fact that the blurb was terrible at describing what the book was actually about. I didn’t feel like being fooled again, so I ignored it. I saw a Black female on the cover surrounded by what looked like a snake, basilisk, or a naga, and I was down. My decision to read it was about forty percent previous experience with the author, and sixty percent cover art. And, i was not disappointed.
When comparing Monstrous to Bad Witch Burning, they feel extremely similar while being nothing alike. They are both very much YA horror novels. However, where Bad Witch Burning was dipped, bathed, and baptized in horror vibes, Monstrous was more supernatural vibes with horror elements.
Monstrous is a book about a girl who has virtually no one. She’s eighteen years old with plans to go to college that get several disrupted when the citizens of Sanctum, Alabama try to sacrifice her to a giant snake monster. She is literally having the worst day of her life. But, Latavia Johnson is a fighter. She won’t go willingly into whatever plan this creepy town and its cult have in store for her.
Latavia is an amazing character. At the start of the story, we learn that she basically has no relationship with her mother and is homeless because her mother kicked her out the summer before she goes to college on a track and field scholarship. Her aunt comes to the rescue/seemingly comes to the rescue and offers Latavia a room in her home for the summer. She’s already going through a traumatic event when she’s dragged to the altar as a sacrifice. Despite this, or maybe because of it, Latavia does not go willingly into death. She makes a deal with the snake monster to get revenge on the town.
Latavia’s revenge is the main plot of the book, and watching it unfold is gripping and entertaining. There is a side story, however, that almost completely trumps this storyline. That’s Latavia’s personal struggle through her anxiety and PTSD about being a sacrifice, her personal growth into becoming a stronger person/monster, and her growing relationship with the snake monster. Reading the blurb of this book, you would expect the snake monster to be an all encompassing villain, but the author had different plans.
Throughout this whole entire book Latavia continues to develop and grow as a character. The snake monster also grows as a character. Due to their relationship, they both grow and blossom into something more than they were before. Their relationship is beautiful. I wanted them to burn the town down and walk/slither off into the sunset together as woman and snake.
The other characters in this novel were also very well thought out and easily distinguishable from each other. There is fat rep, queer rep, and mental health rep. The author also provided real world representation of racism in small town Southern America. Even those despicable characters were more than just caricatures and stereotypes.
The only element of this book that didn’t work for me is the same element that never works for me. That’s the romance. I can handle a very small amount of romance in books, but too much of it and I begin to space out a bit. This happened during this book. Although I must say that the romance was adorable. It was well written and unrushed.
The last great element of this book was the ending. It was a very satisfying ending. It wasn’t completely wrapped up nicely and tied in a bow. Sometimes that works for books, and sometimes it doesn’t. For this book, the slight bit of an open ending was the appropriate way to conclude this story.
4.75/5
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s and Delacorte Press for providing an advanced copy of this book. I leave this review voluntarily.
When comparing Monstrous to Bad Witch Burning, they feel extremely similar while being nothing alike. They are both very much YA horror novels. However, where Bad Witch Burning was dipped, bathed, and baptized in horror vibes, Monstrous was more supernatural vibes with horror elements.
Monstrous is a book about a girl who has virtually no one. She’s eighteen years old with plans to go to college that get several disrupted when the citizens of Sanctum, Alabama try to sacrifice her to a giant snake monster. She is literally having the worst day of her life. But, Latavia Johnson is a fighter. She won’t go willingly into whatever plan this creepy town and its cult have in store for her.
Latavia is an amazing character. At the start of the story, we learn that she basically has no relationship with her mother and is homeless because her mother kicked her out the summer before she goes to college on a track and field scholarship. Her aunt comes to the rescue/seemingly comes to the rescue and offers Latavia a room in her home for the summer. She’s already going through a traumatic event when she’s dragged to the altar as a sacrifice. Despite this, or maybe because of it, Latavia does not go willingly into death. She makes a deal with the snake monster to get revenge on the town.
Latavia’s revenge is the main plot of the book, and watching it unfold is gripping and entertaining. There is a side story, however, that almost completely trumps this storyline. That’s Latavia’s personal struggle through her anxiety and PTSD about being a sacrifice, her personal growth into becoming a stronger person/monster, and her growing relationship with the snake monster. Reading the blurb of this book, you would expect the snake monster to be an all encompassing villain, but the author had different plans.
Throughout this whole entire book Latavia continues to develop and grow as a character. The snake monster also grows as a character. Due to their relationship, they both grow and blossom into something more than they were before. Their relationship is beautiful. I wanted them to burn the town down and walk/slither off into the sunset together as woman and snake.
The other characters in this novel were also very well thought out and easily distinguishable from each other. There is fat rep, queer rep, and mental health rep. The author also provided real world representation of racism in small town Southern America. Even those despicable characters were more than just caricatures and stereotypes.
The only element of this book that didn’t work for me is the same element that never works for me. That’s the romance. I can handle a very small amount of romance in books, but too much of it and I begin to space out a bit. This happened during this book. Although I must say that the romance was adorable. It was well written and unrushed.
The last great element of this book was the ending. It was a very satisfying ending. It wasn’t completely wrapped up nicely and tied in a bow. Sometimes that works for books, and sometimes it doesn’t. For this book, the slight bit of an open ending was the appropriate way to conclude this story.
4.75/5
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s and Delacorte Press for providing an advanced copy of this book. I leave this review voluntarily.
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November 18, 2023
Sadly, not for me.
I loved the beginning, but then the
I loved the beginning, but then the
February 15, 2021
I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH
September 29, 2023
The writing isn’t good, but the plot was and I loved getting a sort of anti-hero mc.
January 22, 2024
Gave this two stars rather than one because there were some concepts floating around in here that were cool, but they were....not executed well.
June 19, 2024
Jessica Lewis is easily becoming one of my favorite writers, definitely on my auto-read list. Lewis has a unique way of shedding deeply dark stories. You can easily fall in love with the writing style. The twist near the end was very good. I can't say ascmuch as I would like without spoilers but you should read this!
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If you like making new book friends, playing games, giveaways, traveling books, and reading reviews, check out LiterALLy BOOKiSh, a book club on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/12086...
December 21, 2023
A gripping and twisted fantasy horror with a touch of culty shenanigans. This was a monstrous, fast paced, immersive and surprisingly emotional read and one I would happily recommend. Between this and her debut, Jessica Lewis is definitely an author to be excited about.
TW: PTSD, discussion of parental abuse
TW: PTSD, discussion of parental abuse
September 6, 2023
I love that Jessica makes the reader ponder what does it mean to be monstrous...thoroughly enjoyed this!
January 17, 2024
actually like a 3.7
January 17, 2024
DNF. Too much suspension of disbelief. Weird stuff happens, the protagonist asks why, and no one gives a definitive answer.
January 28, 2024
Thanks to Netgalley and Delacorte Press for access to an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
When Latavia has no choice but to temporarily move in with her Aunt and younger cousin in Sanctum, Alabama until school starts up in the fall, she's already less than fond of the town. But after the deaths and subsequent closed-casket funerals of three citizens of the town pull the people of Sanctum together in a matter of six weeks, Latavia starts to feel like there might be something odd going on in Sanctum. But as a black girl who is also sapphic, there are already enough people giving her looks around town as it is. She chooses to focus more on time with her cousin Jade and their friend Allison--the girl who Latavia has formed a crush on since coming to stay in Sanctum.
But when the town Sheriff and two other men show up that night before she's meant to go out to a party with Allison, dragging her kicking and screaming from the house, and even her cousin won't help her? Then she *knows* something messed up is going on. But will she make it through the night and get the chance to figure it out, or will she be the next in the long run of closed-casket funerals and names marked on the plaque in the park?
This book was such a *trip* and I ate up every second of it. Latavia was such a badass main character, and her struggles both with PTSD after the horrific things she goes through and with her search for revenge against the people who wronged her were so fun, tense, exciting, and *upsetting* to read. I won't say more plot wise to avoid spoiling anything, but her benefactor of sorts was such a fun character, and I adored the relationship between them and Latavia as well as between Latavia and Allison and Jade. I did find myself wishing at some points that her PTSD was shown in a few different ways to really drive the point without having to reference it by name so often and tell instead of showing, but my gosh this made me excited to read more of Jessica Lewis's work.
A few content warnings to keep in mind:
Panic attacks, PTSD, mention of physical and mental abuse, ritualistic sacrifice, attempted murder, murder, extensive physical injury, violence, assault, dog attack, cult-ish behavior.
When Latavia has no choice but to temporarily move in with her Aunt and younger cousin in Sanctum, Alabama until school starts up in the fall, she's already less than fond of the town. But after the deaths and subsequent closed-casket funerals of three citizens of the town pull the people of Sanctum together in a matter of six weeks, Latavia starts to feel like there might be something odd going on in Sanctum. But as a black girl who is also sapphic, there are already enough people giving her looks around town as it is. She chooses to focus more on time with her cousin Jade and their friend Allison--the girl who Latavia has formed a crush on since coming to stay in Sanctum.
But when the town Sheriff and two other men show up that night before she's meant to go out to a party with Allison, dragging her kicking and screaming from the house, and even her cousin won't help her? Then she *knows* something messed up is going on. But will she make it through the night and get the chance to figure it out, or will she be the next in the long run of closed-casket funerals and names marked on the plaque in the park?
This book was such a *trip* and I ate up every second of it. Latavia was such a badass main character, and her struggles both with PTSD after the horrific things she goes through and with her search for revenge against the people who wronged her were so fun, tense, exciting, and *upsetting* to read. I won't say more plot wise to avoid spoiling anything, but her benefactor of sorts was such a fun character, and I adored the relationship between them and Latavia as well as between Latavia and Allison and Jade. I did find myself wishing at some points that her PTSD was shown in a few different ways to really drive the point without having to reference it by name so often and tell instead of showing, but my gosh this made me excited to read more of Jessica Lewis's work.
A few content warnings to keep in mind:
Panic attacks, PTSD, mention of physical and mental abuse, ritualistic sacrifice, attempted murder, murder, extensive physical injury, violence, assault, dog attack, cult-ish behavior.
May 29, 2023
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely loved this book. I think my favorite aspect of this book is that as you read the book, the realization that the monster isn't quite as monstrous as he came off to be, while the main character is not fully the innocent victim that she appeared to be. I loved how this story built immediately from the beginning and I didn't even mind the romance aspect of it. It didn't feel forced to me, and I really loved how it wasn't a "let's see how fast these people can jump into bed together" kind of romance. It was very sweet and slow, and consent was huge, which I really loved. I also enjoyed the ending of this book, which was a surprise to me, because that's not usually how I like endings to go, but it fit this book, in my opinion.
I absolutely loved this book. I think my favorite aspect of this book is that as you read the book, the realization that the monster isn't quite as monstrous as he came off to be, while the main character is not fully the innocent victim that she appeared to be. I loved how this story built immediately from the beginning and I didn't even mind the romance aspect of it. It didn't feel forced to me, and I really loved how it wasn't a "let's see how fast these people can jump into bed together" kind of romance. It was very sweet and slow, and consent was huge, which I really loved. I also enjoyed the ending of this book, which was a surprise to me, because that's not usually how I like endings to go, but it fit this book, in my opinion.
March 8, 2023
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children's for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
The plot itself was really good and the story pulled you in. I did think the dialogue and a lot of the character interactions were very akwardly written and forced, but that improved a bit as the book went on. There were also a surplus of dividing comments and character descriptions, which was unpalatable. Side note: that was the most awkward "getting together" scene ever. Very cringey and not how I was expecting it to go, especially after the nice build up. The story picked up very quickly and was action-packed and twisty. Once it got moving, it pulled you in and had fast pacing throughout, which was great. The story itself was really great and I didn't want to put it down. I liked the blend of realistic scenario and fantasy, as well as the sapphic aspects and cult vibes.
The plot itself was really good and the story pulled you in. I did think the dialogue and a lot of the character interactions were very akwardly written and forced, but that improved a bit as the book went on. There were also a surplus of dividing comments and character descriptions, which was unpalatable. Side note: that was the most awkward "getting together" scene ever. Very cringey and not how I was expecting it to go, especially after the nice build up. The story picked up very quickly and was action-packed and twisty. Once it got moving, it pulled you in and had fast pacing throughout, which was great. The story itself was really great and I didn't want to put it down. I liked the blend of realistic scenario and fantasy, as well as the sapphic aspects and cult vibes.
September 12, 2025
Now, why did I love the Snake’s and Latavia’s friendship? They were so cute and I was glad that they ended up going off with each other.
I linked that this book questioned morality and good vs bad. And that sometimes the real monsters are the ones that live around you, not just a giant human-eating snake in the woods.
This dealt with a lot of dark topics like child abandonment, mental illness, domestic abuse, and homophobia, and it was dealt with care.
I liked how blood thirsty Latavia was. It was against bad people, not indiscriminate. Some of those people deserved what they got.
Overall, I really enjoyed this, but I wasn't particularly scared by the story. So does this count as more of a fantasy story?
I linked that this book questioned morality and good vs bad. And that sometimes the real monsters are the ones that live around you, not just a giant human-eating snake in the woods.
This dealt with a lot of dark topics like child abandonment, mental illness, domestic abuse, and homophobia, and it was dealt with care.
I liked how blood thirsty Latavia was. It was against bad people, not indiscriminate. Some of those people deserved what they got.
Overall, I really enjoyed this, but I wasn't particularly scared by the story. So does this count as more of a fantasy story?
January 13, 2024
I can't believe it took me this long to read a Jessica Lewis book. Monstrous is a different take on a small town dealing with a monster in the woods. I liked the story behind why the monster is in Sanctum. The town has to sacrifice a person to keep the monster at bay. They are basically feeding this thing so it doesn't eat everyone in the town.
Then Latavia visit her aunt and cousin and turns things upside down but not in the way you may think. This book's twist was so good. It may also make you think twice about wondering in the woods.
I'll definitely pick up more of this author's books.
Then Latavia visit her aunt and cousin and turns things upside down but not in the way you may think. This book's twist was so good. It may also make you think twice about wondering in the woods.
I'll definitely pick up more of this author's books.
March 31, 2024
5 🌟!!!!
We love snake dad. So. Much. 🐍💕 (Okay maybe I just love snake dad but either way!!!)
I really did like the dynamic between the snake and Latavia. And I love that the "bad guys" (they're really not that bad, not all monsters are bad) won!! The whole book I was going "please Latavia please do not kill Snake, please have a happy ending". I am thrilled that there was, in fact, a happy ending, and I really enjoyed this book.
Maybe I should be concerned about how much the Snake's reasoning resonated with me. 😅 Either way I loved this book!
We love snake dad. So. Much. 🐍💕 (Okay maybe I just love snake dad but either way!!!)
I really did like the dynamic between the snake and Latavia. And I love that the "bad guys" (they're really not that bad, not all monsters are bad) won!! The whole book I was going "please Latavia please do not kill Snake, please have a happy ending". I am thrilled that there was, in fact, a happy ending, and I really enjoyed this book.
Maybe I should be concerned about how much the Snake's reasoning resonated with me. 😅 Either way I loved this book!
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