What do you think?
Rate this book
We Shall be Monsters #1
We Shall Be Monsters
Frankenstein meets Indian mythology in this twisty, darkly atmospheric fantasy where the horror is not the monsters you face but the ones you create.
After her sister Lasya’s sudden death, Kajal vows to do whatever it takes to bring her back. No cost is too great, even if it means preventing Lasya’s soul from joining the cycle of reincarnation. But as Kajal prepares for the resurrection, her sister’s trapped soul warps into a bhuta—a violent, wraith-like spirit hell-bent on murdering those who wronged it in life. With each kill, the bhuta becomes stronger and fiercer, and Kajal’s chances of resurrecting Lasya with her soul intact grow slimmer.
Blamed for Lasya’s rampage and condemned as a witch, Kajal is locked away with little hope of escape. That is, until two strangers who label themselves rebels arrive and offer to free her. The catch: She must resurrect the kingdom’s fallen crown prince, aiding their coup to overthrow the usurper who sits the throne. Desperate to return to Lasya’s body, Kajal rushes to revive the crown prince . . . only to discover that she’s resurrected another boy entirely.
All her life, Kajal has trusted no one but her sister. But with Lasya dead and rebels ready to turn her over to the usurper’s ruthless soldiers, Kajal is forced to work with the boy she mistakenly revived. Together, they must find the crown prince before the rebels discover her mistake, or the bhuta finally turns its murderous fury on the person truly responsible for Lasya’s death: Kajal.
After her sister Lasya’s sudden death, Kajal vows to do whatever it takes to bring her back. No cost is too great, even if it means preventing Lasya’s soul from joining the cycle of reincarnation. But as Kajal prepares for the resurrection, her sister’s trapped soul warps into a bhuta—a violent, wraith-like spirit hell-bent on murdering those who wronged it in life. With each kill, the bhuta becomes stronger and fiercer, and Kajal’s chances of resurrecting Lasya with her soul intact grow slimmer.
Blamed for Lasya’s rampage and condemned as a witch, Kajal is locked away with little hope of escape. That is, until two strangers who label themselves rebels arrive and offer to free her. The catch: She must resurrect the kingdom’s fallen crown prince, aiding their coup to overthrow the usurper who sits the throne. Desperate to return to Lasya’s body, Kajal rushes to revive the crown prince . . . only to discover that she’s resurrected another boy entirely.
All her life, Kajal has trusted no one but her sister. But with Lasya dead and rebels ready to turn her over to the usurper’s ruthless soldiers, Kajal is forced to work with the boy she mistakenly revived. Together, they must find the crown prince before the rebels discover her mistake, or the bhuta finally turns its murderous fury on the person truly responsible for Lasya’s death: Kajal.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published June 25, 2024
80 people are currently reading
19713 people want to read
About the author
Tara Sim
20 books1,439 followersTara Sim is a YA and adult fantasy author found in the wilds of the Bay Area, California. When she's not writing about magic, murder, and mayhem, she drinks tea and wrangles cats.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 320 reviews
July 21, 2021
There's an undead dog who's a Very Good Boy and I don't think you can ask for anything more.
March 29, 2024
Kajal inhaled deeply. Two bodies in this room, and only one heartbeat.
But not for long.
A loose retelling of Halahala mixed with Trigun and some Frankenstein for added flavor, We Shall Be Monsters was a fresh YA with a lot of heart.
Armed with only her loyal and undead dog Kutaa, a scalpel, and her own determination, Kajal sets out to resurrect her sister before she permanently becomes a vengeful ghost called a bhuta. Along the way she falls in with some rebels who wish to use her resurrection for their own schemes.
I enjoyed reading this so much that I struggled to complete it in a timely or linear fashion. I would too quickly get distracted by looking up Indian mythology, how to pronounce hindi/urdu terms, and checking if I could find the author's tour dates so I could convince her to doodle Raja Hiss in my book (my growing obsession with this little doodle is chronicled in my reading history updates 😅).
Kajal is delightfully prickly and surly, someone with a constant black cloud over her that often bites her in the ass. She's likewise incredibly intelligent, steadfastly loyal, and admirably persistent in her goals. And though she's haunted by the mistakes she's made in the past, she's willing to learn from them and consistently struggles to do the right thing in the present and for the future. I really enjoyed following her POV.
And honestly I wish I could gush about this more, but everything else feels too much like it will dive into spoiler territory so just know that: I will kill for Kutaa, I will commission a drawing of my buddy Raja Hiss one way or another, and I will be eagerly anticipating the sequel to this.
I recommend this to anyone who's interested in Indian Fantasy as Tara Sim draws from her desi background and has a lovely note at the end of the book (or honestly even just if you want a break from the same Western, medieval fantasies all the time), anyone who likes well crafted stories (you might figure out some of the main twists as I did, but I defy you to clock 'em all), and anyone who loves a good animal companion.
Also also, while I have you here, maybe check out her Dark Gods trilogy too? Midnight Kingdom was one of my favourite reads of 2023 and this series is shaping up to be an all time fav.
Thank you to Nancy Paulsen Books and NetGalley for an ARC. All thoughts and opinions and screaming into the void about a mustachioed snake doodle are my own.
July 11, 2024
★★★★ (4.0)
Frankenstein x Indian mythology is a perfect combination in this book. It was slow in the beginning, but as I got through more chapters, I started to like where the story was going. The elements of myth, siblings, friendship and adventure in this book are immaculate and interesting, with intriguing characters whose development captivated me. The twist caught me off guard and was definitely a very good idea to include in the plot. My only issue is the lack of a glossary or descriptions of the various creatures that exist in the book. Some phrases confused me because I wasn't familiar with them. I also thought this was a standalone book, but it turns out it’s a series, so I wasn't prepared for that. Overall, I adore this book, liked the writing, and the way it introduced me to new aspects of Indian mythology. I'm glad I picked it up. I highly recommend it to everyone, especially YA fantasy fans.
Frankenstein x Indian mythology is a perfect combination in this book. It was slow in the beginning, but as I got through more chapters, I started to like where the story was going. The elements of myth, siblings, friendship and adventure in this book are immaculate and interesting, with intriguing characters whose development captivated me. The twist caught me off guard and was definitely a very good idea to include in the plot. My only issue is the lack of a glossary or descriptions of the various creatures that exist in the book. Some phrases confused me because I wasn't familiar with them. I also thought this was a standalone book, but it turns out it’s a series, so I wasn't prepared for that. Overall, I adore this book, liked the writing, and the way it introduced me to new aspects of Indian mythology. I'm glad I picked it up. I highly recommend it to everyone, especially YA fantasy fans.
June 8, 2024
I loved this book from the first read I did of the description. I loved the world quite a bit and while there were a few chapters that felt almost out of place I could tell where they were going (there had been some non-subtle foreshadowing of it) so I stuck with it and it worked. I liked the characters a lot (especially the undead good boy dog). After Kajal’s sister Lasya dies Kajal swears to do anything at any cost to bring her back. Along the journey she meets a great cast of characters and gets caught up in an insurrection she couldn’t care less about. I was expecting the cliffhanger ending but I was still disappointed to not be able to finish the story. (I’m the kind of person who needs to know always all the things). I really liked the mythology woven into this and it’s not something I knew a lot about so I enjoyed learning it even more. Definitely will have to make a note to read the sequel to this one when it comes out.
May 11, 2024
Thank you so much to Penguin Teen for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This book was AMAZING!! We Shall Be Monsters might just be the most unique South Asian fantasy-horror book I've ever read. The premise of the novel already sounded super interesting, and immediately after reading the first few chapters, I was hooked. I loved the ties and exploration of Dharmic religions to the horror genre and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. You can tell how much care and research went into this book, and that is something that I love about Tara Sim's work. The novel was so rich with motifs and elements from Indian culture and religions, and I loved being able to connect the mythology featured in the book to stories that I grew up with. I also love how queernormative this world is as well!
Aside from the fantasy and horror aspect, this book had a lot of heart to the story. I loved following Kajal at the beginning of the novel as she's on her own trying to figure out how to resurrect her sister, Lasya. But by the end of the novel, we have a whole cast of characters working with (and against 👀) Kajal, and it was so much fun following these characters. Kutaa is my personal favorite omg--every scene with him was adorable and hilarious.
My favorite scene was definitely the moody, angsty hint of a romance we get from Kajal and *spoiler*. It was the perfect kind of slowburn filled with yearning against this dark, twisty setting. The reveals at the end of the book felt like one hit after the other and I cannot wait to see where this story goes in the conclusion of this duology! I definitely recommend picking this up if you love desi fantasy books!
Follow me on TikTok | Instagram | Twitter for more book reviews & recommendations!
This book was AMAZING!! We Shall Be Monsters might just be the most unique South Asian fantasy-horror book I've ever read. The premise of the novel already sounded super interesting, and immediately after reading the first few chapters, I was hooked. I loved the ties and exploration of Dharmic religions to the horror genre and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. You can tell how much care and research went into this book, and that is something that I love about Tara Sim's work. The novel was so rich with motifs and elements from Indian culture and religions, and I loved being able to connect the mythology featured in the book to stories that I grew up with. I also love how queernormative this world is as well!
Aside from the fantasy and horror aspect, this book had a lot of heart to the story. I loved following Kajal at the beginning of the novel as she's on her own trying to figure out how to resurrect her sister, Lasya. But by the end of the novel, we have a whole cast of characters working with (and against 👀) Kajal, and it was so much fun following these characters. Kutaa is my personal favorite omg--every scene with him was adorable and hilarious.
My favorite scene was definitely the moody, angsty hint of a romance we get from Kajal and *spoiler*. It was the perfect kind of slowburn filled with yearning against this dark, twisty setting. The reveals at the end of the book felt like one hit after the other and I cannot wait to see where this story goes in the conclusion of this duology! I definitely recommend picking this up if you love desi fantasy books!
Follow me on TikTok | Instagram | Twitter for more book reviews & recommendations!
September 30, 2024
I think this book was good. I think it was interesting, but the writing style was just not for me. Tara Sim had created an interesting world, and reading about Indian Mythology and the characters was interesting, but I don't think Sim's writing style and I don't fit well, and I can't exactly put my finger on why. I still recommend this book to others. Learning about Indian Mythology through the story was fascinating and my favorite aspect of it. The characters were dynamic and fun. Don't let my comment on the writing style stop you from reading because it is so subjective. I still think other aspects of the novel were great. Lasya and Kajal were interesting characters and their complicated dyamic was something I was invested in. I do reccomend it for people.
January 29, 2024
I'm not a big fantasy reader, but when I see a book with any culture's mythology, I have to read it! I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to follow along with the world building, which wasn't excessive. The way the Indian mythology was woven into the familiar story of Frankenstein was flawless.
I was interested in this book for my high school students and a mythology elective I teach, and this will perfectly fit what I was looking for. The characters were complex, three-dimensional, and relatable. The reader will also see them struggle with doing the right thing and having to face the consequences of their actions, which is so important for teens to read about.
The addition of the dog was a beautiful touch, and the non-binary character was such an important way of making this story inclusive for all readers. The ending was spectacular, and I can't wait to see where book two takes me!
I was interested in this book for my high school students and a mythology elective I teach, and this will perfectly fit what I was looking for. The characters were complex, three-dimensional, and relatable. The reader will also see them struggle with doing the right thing and having to face the consequences of their actions, which is so important for teens to read about.
The addition of the dog was a beautiful touch, and the non-binary character was such an important way of making this story inclusive for all readers. The ending was spectacular, and I can't wait to see where book two takes me!
February 26, 2025
It's hard to believe that this is a YA novel.
This is a well-written novel about grief and the supernatural. While the main storyline wasn't about monster slaying, the type of supernatural creatures that showed up reminded me a lot of The Witcher series. Kajal reminded me of Yennefer (also from The Witcher), with her willfulness, her resilience, and her magical skills.
Kajal's grief for her sister felt very realistic. Her memories of Lasya kept her sister alive even though her sister wasn't physically there. This relationship also helped readers understand Kajal's character, while also providing character development.
I sort of tuned out in the last third because it was heavy on the sibling melodrama. But even then, I'm still interested to see how the story plays out.
Thank you to Nancy Paulsen Books and NetGalley for this arc.
This is a well-written novel about grief and the supernatural. While the main storyline wasn't about monster slaying, the type of supernatural creatures that showed up reminded me a lot of The Witcher series. Kajal reminded me of Yennefer (also from The Witcher), with her willfulness, her resilience, and her magical skills.
Kajal's grief for her sister felt very realistic. Her memories of Lasya kept her sister alive even though her sister wasn't physically there. This relationship also helped readers understand Kajal's character, while also providing character development.
I sort of tuned out in the last third because it was heavy on the sibling melodrama. But even then, I'm still interested to see how the story plays out.
Thank you to Nancy Paulsen Books and NetGalley for this arc.
July 1, 2024
2024 reads: 179/250
i received an advanced review copy from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.
after her sister lasya’s sudden death, kajal sets out to do whatever she can to bring her back, even if it means preventing lasya’s soul from joining the cycle of reincarnation. as lasya’s soul warps into a bhuta, kajal realizes she’s running out of time to reanimate her sister…and is locked away for being a witch. two rebels find kajal and break her out. they make a deal: they will return lasya’s body to her after she resurrects the crown prince. this task proves even more difficult than kajal thought, though, since the body the rebels bring to her does not belong to the crown prince…
as soon as i saw this being marketed as “frankenstein meets indian mythology,” i was hooked. (that’s kind of a lie. i was already hooked when i saw tara sim + that cover.) i think those four words are a great way to describe this book! i didn’t love the original frankenstein, but i adore books inspired by it, and i loved how tara sim combined this story with indian mythology. i don’t think i’ve read a book featuring a bhuta before, so i found this aspect really interesting as well.
i think one of my favorite parts was the sibling dynamics. on one hand, we have crown prince advaith and his brother tavinder. it was kind of wild that the rebels thought they found the missing prince’s body after all this time just for the body to belong to his secret brother😭 then, we have kajal and lasya. honestly, these two would have completely satisfied my craving for complex sibling dynamics. kajal feels so much guilt for lasya’s death and the harm that her bhuta has caused. i really liked seeing how this played out.
i highly recommend this book and can’t wait for the sequel!
i received an advanced review copy from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.
after her sister lasya’s sudden death, kajal sets out to do whatever she can to bring her back, even if it means preventing lasya’s soul from joining the cycle of reincarnation. as lasya’s soul warps into a bhuta, kajal realizes she’s running out of time to reanimate her sister…and is locked away for being a witch. two rebels find kajal and break her out. they make a deal: they will return lasya’s body to her after she resurrects the crown prince. this task proves even more difficult than kajal thought, though, since the body the rebels bring to her does not belong to the crown prince…
as soon as i saw this being marketed as “frankenstein meets indian mythology,” i was hooked. (that’s kind of a lie. i was already hooked when i saw tara sim + that cover.) i think those four words are a great way to describe this book! i didn’t love the original frankenstein, but i adore books inspired by it, and i loved how tara sim combined this story with indian mythology. i don’t think i’ve read a book featuring a bhuta before, so i found this aspect really interesting as well.
i think one of my favorite parts was the sibling dynamics. on one hand, we have crown prince advaith and his brother tavinder. it was kind of wild that the rebels thought they found the missing prince’s body after all this time just for the body to belong to his secret brother😭 then, we have kajal and lasya. honestly, these two would have completely satisfied my craving for complex sibling dynamics. kajal feels so much guilt for lasya’s death and the harm that her bhuta has caused. i really liked seeing how this played out.
i highly recommend this book and can’t wait for the sequel!
June 29, 2024
I was so pleasantly surprised by this book! It’s billed as Frankenstein mixed with Indian Mythology and I think that’s an apt description—I’ve been craving more stories about necromancers. We Shall Be Monsters delivers that with layers of mythology that was a pleasure to dive into. I had not read any Indian mythology-inspired books but now I need to find more! The author takes elements of Hindu and Buddhist mythologies and blends them with deities of her own invention into a richly atmospheric world that sucks you in. Bhutas, Rakshasas, Nagas, Dakinis (Witches), and the cycle of reincarnation all have roles to play in the plot which was engaging and well-paced.
The story is mostly quest-based so it feels like an adventure (or misadventure 😆). However, there are just enough slow moments to allow readers to get to know the characters and feel empathy for them, especially in their darkest moments. I love it when an author makes me root for characters who are flawed or morally grey. Side note, I feel like the term “morally grey” is overused but I think it fits this situation. The way the author explored the theme of good vs evil is what kept me turning the pages. Well, that and the reveals 😉.
While the author foreshadowed certain things quite well, I didn’t see other twists coming at all because I was focused elsewhere! There were enough questions, mysteries, and things I wondered about the world-building (which later got explained) that I thoroughly enjoyed the reading experience. I enjoy theorizing and stopping to recap to myself and this book allowed for that! Not gonna lie, my favourite part was the last 60 pages or so, where we get to spend time…somewhere else. I don’t want to talk specifics to avoid spoilers but suffice it to say that I’ll be keeping my eyes open for book 2 so I can hopefully spend more time in that realm 😈!
The story is mostly quest-based so it feels like an adventure (or misadventure 😆). However, there are just enough slow moments to allow readers to get to know the characters and feel empathy for them, especially in their darkest moments. I love it when an author makes me root for characters who are flawed or morally grey. Side note, I feel like the term “morally grey” is overused but I think it fits this situation. The way the author explored the theme of good vs evil is what kept me turning the pages. Well, that and the reveals 😉.
While the author foreshadowed certain things quite well, I didn’t see other twists coming at all because I was focused elsewhere! There were enough questions, mysteries, and things I wondered about the world-building (which later got explained) that I thoroughly enjoyed the reading experience. I enjoy theorizing and stopping to recap to myself and this book allowed for that! Not gonna lie, my favourite part was the last 60 pages or so, where we get to spend time…somewhere else. I don’t want to talk specifics to avoid spoilers but suffice it to say that I’ll be keeping my eyes open for book 2 so I can hopefully spend more time in that realm 😈!
May 3, 2024
I received a copy from Nancy Paulsen Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
When Kajal wakes up and tears her way out of a coffin, she never expected to discover her sister in a matching coffin beside hers. Unlike Kajal, Lasya is extremely dead. Distraught, Kajal decides that the best way to deal with accidentally killing her sister is to bring her back to life. Unfortunately for her, she seems to draw attention to herself everywhere she goes. It’s how she finds herself arrested in yet another witch hunt and forced to rely on the help of two rebels. Now Kajal has to help them bring the crown prince back to life so they’ll help her get Lasya’s body to a safe location for revival.
This book is absolutely amazing. I actually put the other books I was reading down just so I could devote all my reading time to this book alone. We follow Kajal in a very loose Halahala retelling soon after a terrible accident resulted in the death of her sister. From the moment she wakes up and discovers that Lasya is dead, she is filled with grief and is convinced the best route is to bring her sister back from the dead.
The best thing for Kajal to do is to blend into her surroundings wherever she goes, but she sticks out and tells people off as she sees fit. She feels very deeply and the only people she could ever count on is Lasya and herself, so we’re watching her race against time before Lasya’s soul is warped and becomes a bhuta. The only problem is that she’s become a bhuta much earlier than expected, and anyone who crosses Kajal drops like flies because the bhuta is attacking anyone Kajal gets angry with. Insert a witch hunt, some rebels, and bringing the wrong prince back from the dead and you’ve got a recipe for one hell of a story.
I absolutely loved the characters. Each of them are well developed. You can tell that even the characters that briefly appear have a lot of dimension. I really enjoyed watching the story slowly unfold and see how much foreshadowing there is. There’s only one part toward the end of the book that felt super out of place and kind of odd until you see the reason for it, and I wish that part was better planned out because it came out of the blue. I honestly thought that maybe the advance copy I received abruptly ended and that section was an unannounced preview for the next book. Then it loops back around and back into the story and now I understand why it’s there, but it was just odd and out of place for the most part. There was no foreshadowing, so I’m hoping that this is something that is edited to fit into the story better for the final copy for publication.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book and even with that one section that felt out of place, it was honestly one of my top reads for this entire year. I am so excited to read the next book when it comes out. I’m buying this book the second it drops and plan on rereading it sometime between the day it releases and whenever the second book will eventually drop.
When Kajal wakes up and tears her way out of a coffin, she never expected to discover her sister in a matching coffin beside hers. Unlike Kajal, Lasya is extremely dead. Distraught, Kajal decides that the best way to deal with accidentally killing her sister is to bring her back to life. Unfortunately for her, she seems to draw attention to herself everywhere she goes. It’s how she finds herself arrested in yet another witch hunt and forced to rely on the help of two rebels. Now Kajal has to help them bring the crown prince back to life so they’ll help her get Lasya’s body to a safe location for revival.
This book is absolutely amazing. I actually put the other books I was reading down just so I could devote all my reading time to this book alone. We follow Kajal in a very loose Halahala retelling soon after a terrible accident resulted in the death of her sister. From the moment she wakes up and discovers that Lasya is dead, she is filled with grief and is convinced the best route is to bring her sister back from the dead.
The best thing for Kajal to do is to blend into her surroundings wherever she goes, but she sticks out and tells people off as she sees fit. She feels very deeply and the only people she could ever count on is Lasya and herself, so we’re watching her race against time before Lasya’s soul is warped and becomes a bhuta. The only problem is that she’s become a bhuta much earlier than expected, and anyone who crosses Kajal drops like flies because the bhuta is attacking anyone Kajal gets angry with. Insert a witch hunt, some rebels, and bringing the wrong prince back from the dead and you’ve got a recipe for one hell of a story.
I absolutely loved the characters. Each of them are well developed. You can tell that even the characters that briefly appear have a lot of dimension. I really enjoyed watching the story slowly unfold and see how much foreshadowing there is. There’s only one part toward the end of the book that felt super out of place and kind of odd until you see the reason for it, and I wish that part was better planned out because it came out of the blue. I honestly thought that maybe the advance copy I received abruptly ended and that section was an unannounced preview for the next book. Then it loops back around and back into the story and now I understand why it’s there, but it was just odd and out of place for the most part. There was no foreshadowing, so I’m hoping that this is something that is edited to fit into the story better for the final copy for publication.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book and even with that one section that felt out of place, it was honestly one of my top reads for this entire year. I am so excited to read the next book when it comes out. I’m buying this book the second it drops and plan on rereading it sometime between the day it releases and whenever the second book will eventually drop.
November 28, 2024
3.5
This develops into quite the epic story based in a world of Indian myths and mythology.
What starts of as a personal story of a young girl who vows to resurrect her dead sister.....Indian Frankenstein was the starting point of the book...opens up into religious themes and some interesting characters.
This develops into quite the epic story based in a world of Indian myths and mythology.
What starts of as a personal story of a young girl who vows to resurrect her dead sister.....Indian Frankenstein was the starting point of the book...opens up into religious themes and some interesting characters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 17, 2024
Kajal is alive…but at what cost? With an experiment gone wrong that left her sister dead, Kajal is determined to find a way to resurrect her sister. Thinking she had enough time, Kajal has been meticulously trying to find a successful way to bring her sister back, but not too long after her first real successful attempt, a buhta—violent spirit bent on killing—shows up that just so happens to be her sister. With everyone, more and more convinced that she’s a witch and that she’s the one to blame for the demons and the blight, Kajal finds herself locked up. Offered help to escape, but at the cost of resurrecting a prince, what other choice does she have? It isn’t until Kajal resurrects the wrong person does things start to take a turn.
There’s a lot to unfold with this story, especially with the characters. I enjoyed the exploration of good vs evil with them. This book had a lot of reveals, some more shocking than others. At the 70% mark is when for me, things took an interesting turn and really kept my attention. There is information in this book that is hidden from the reader and isn’t revealed until later on and some of the characters like Kajal will start to make more sense then. This just makes the ending even more shocking with how certain things in the book are connected to each other even from the beginning!
Thank you to Colored Pages Book Tours and Penguin Teen for the gifted copy!
There’s a lot to unfold with this story, especially with the characters. I enjoyed the exploration of good vs evil with them. This book had a lot of reveals, some more shocking than others. At the 70% mark is when for me, things took an interesting turn and really kept my attention. There is information in this book that is hidden from the reader and isn’t revealed until later on and some of the characters like Kajal will start to make more sense then. This just makes the ending even more shocking with how certain things in the book are connected to each other even from the beginning!
Thank you to Colored Pages Book Tours and Penguin Teen for the gifted copy!
June 22, 2024
4.5/5 got an arc from work
This was thoroughly enjoyable! A fantasy based in a mythology I’m not super familiar with and with lots of twists and turns, I read about 200 pages in one day because it just sucked me in like that! Can’t wait to see how it all wraps up!
This was thoroughly enjoyable! A fantasy based in a mythology I’m not super familiar with and with lots of twists and turns, I read about 200 pages in one day because it just sucked me in like that! Can’t wait to see how it all wraps up!
June 28, 2024
take this review with a HUGE grain of salt cuz i don’t read YA lol
anyways while i loved a lot of the plot elements in here and i knew the writing was going to be a bit “easier” to read due to being YA this read to me like a middle school grade book and that’s fine but i’m an adult and it made the story feel so long and boring. the action lacked punched, the magical elements fell flat, the creature designs were generic and it’s a shame cuz i do like the overall plot. i like how it’s a story motivated by sibling love, i like the revived dog, i like that there’s a mini arc of just collecting the lost prince’s body parts, i like the element of a ghost that protects you, but the writing! i just couldn’t get into the writing!
anyways while i loved a lot of the plot elements in here and i knew the writing was going to be a bit “easier” to read due to being YA this read to me like a middle school grade book and that’s fine but i’m an adult and it made the story feel so long and boring. the action lacked punched, the magical elements fell flat, the creature designs were generic and it’s a shame cuz i do like the overall plot. i like how it’s a story motivated by sibling love, i like the revived dog, i like that there’s a mini arc of just collecting the lost prince’s body parts, i like the element of a ghost that protects you, but the writing! i just couldn’t get into the writing!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 29, 2024
2.5
I didn't realize this was YA until after I received the ARC so take this review with a grain of salt as I typically don't read YA anymore.
I liked the premise and some of the characters but the authorial tone did not do it for me (I can't tell if it was grating or I don't know... something about it seemed off)
Pacing was off and the plot seemed like it was lacking something - maybe would've been more successful for me if treated as more New Adult?
I did appreciate the exposure to Indian/Hindu mythology as I'm not familiar with it - and I even enjoyed some scenes (resurrection scene at University)
Sad I didn't enjoy this as much as I thought I would. Side note, this cover is gorgeous).
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC!
I didn't realize this was YA until after I received the ARC so take this review with a grain of salt as I typically don't read YA anymore.
I liked the premise and some of the characters but the authorial tone did not do it for me (I can't tell if it was grating or I don't know... something about it seemed off)
Pacing was off and the plot seemed like it was lacking something - maybe would've been more successful for me if treated as more New Adult?
I did appreciate the exposure to Indian/Hindu mythology as I'm not familiar with it - and I even enjoyed some scenes (resurrection scene at University)
Sad I didn't enjoy this as much as I thought I would. Side note, this cover is gorgeous).
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC!
November 10, 2024
why can't people actually talk to each other?? that cannot be the entire issue!! i do love all the references to south asian culture and i do plan to read book 2.
Read
June 28, 2025Soft? DNF @50%.
It's tricky because I did like what I read. It does have a rather unique premise, and and interesting world. However, something just wasn't clicking here for me as well after Kajal reached the university. We had the introduction of a mean girl (but not actually because everyone loves her, she's just not nice to Kajal?), and repeated instances of Kajal doing kind of obviously stupid stuff without, amongst some other things, but again, I don't even really know if it's those things in particular that have made me set this down for now.
TL;DR: Basically well worth checking out but there's a lot of other books I am super excited to read right now so it's being put aside for now.
It's tricky because I did like what I read. It does have a rather unique premise, and and interesting world. However, something just wasn't clicking here for me as well after Kajal reached the university. We had the introduction of a mean girl (but not actually because everyone loves her, she's just not nice to Kajal?), and repeated instances of Kajal doing kind of obviously stupid stuff without, amongst some other things, but again, I don't even really know if it's those things in particular that have made me set this down for now.
TL;DR: Basically well worth checking out but there's a lot of other books I am super excited to read right now so it's being put aside for now.
June 30, 2024
4.5 stars 🌟
RTC! This book ruined my heart but it was so good
[TW: death and murder, war themes, blood and gore, knife wounds, dead bodies, death of family members, scars, childhood abuse mentioned, torture]
RTC! This book ruined my heart but it was so good
[TW: death and murder, war themes, blood and gore, knife wounds, dead bodies, death of family members, scars, childhood abuse mentioned, torture]
June 19, 2024
Thank you Nancy Paulsen Books/Penguin Teen and NetGalley for the gifted review copy!
A book that will stay with me for a long time, just as the original Frankenstein has. It is a tale that explores despair, hope, love, guilt, and the notion of monstrosity in a way that is both beautiful and haunting. Its impact is lasting, its characters memorable, and its story deeply moving. I highly recommend it to any reader who appreciates a well-told, emotional, and thought-provoking tale.
A book that will stay with me for a long time, just as the original Frankenstein has. It is a tale that explores despair, hope, love, guilt, and the notion of monstrosity in a way that is both beautiful and haunting. Its impact is lasting, its characters memorable, and its story deeply moving. I highly recommend it to any reader who appreciates a well-told, emotional, and thought-provoking tale.
July 1, 2025
We Shall Be Monsters (We Shall Be Monsters #1) by Tara Sim is my favorite book by this author so far. It pulled me in right away. Kajal is quite an interesting character with a great arc and development. Also that extremely good dog really stole the whole show. I'm really looking forward to the upcoming sequel.
October 15, 2024
4.5 books. Longer read but didn’t feel slow and man did the last quarter or so make up for it. Loved the concept of Indian mythology meets Frankenstein. Overall very enjoyable
June 20, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Oh, WOW, this book was so good!
The premise is that our main character, Kajal has learned the ability to resurrect the dead and is planning to do so for her dead sister, whom she feels responsible for.
She is not able to do this without getting into a heap of trouble, getting imprisoned, getting stuck in a bargain, accidentally resurrecting a prince, but the wrong one and just in general being a chaos gremlin. This girl does not know when to stop talking or not cause problems, and you know what, good for her. I support it 100%.
The wrong prince she accidentally resurrects is Tav, who is just a sweet boy trying to save HIS brother, the prince who was supposed to be resurrected. It’s all just very messy.
Kajal and Tav had a really sweet relationship, he had her back every time she inevitably made a mess of their situation and he was so kind to her just because he could be. There is a lot they need to talk about in the next book though…
Honestly, the characters made this book. Lasya and Kajal had a wonderful sisterly bond and I also liked how Kajal came to understand Jassi as someone in a position similar to hers.
The mythology in this book was really interesting and cool to learn about and yeah, I just really enjoyed this book!
Oh, WOW, this book was so good!
The premise is that our main character, Kajal has learned the ability to resurrect the dead and is planning to do so for her dead sister, whom she feels responsible for.
She is not able to do this without getting into a heap of trouble, getting imprisoned, getting stuck in a bargain, accidentally resurrecting a prince, but the wrong one and just in general being a chaos gremlin. This girl does not know when to stop talking or not cause problems, and you know what, good for her. I support it 100%.
The wrong prince she accidentally resurrects is Tav, who is just a sweet boy trying to save HIS brother, the prince who was supposed to be resurrected. It’s all just very messy.
Kajal and Tav had a really sweet relationship, he had her back every time she inevitably made a mess of their situation and he was so kind to her just because he could be. There is a lot they need to talk about in the next book though…
Honestly, the characters made this book. Lasya and Kajal had a wonderful sisterly bond and I also liked how Kajal came to understand Jassi as someone in a position similar to hers.
The mythology in this book was really interesting and cool to learn about and yeah, I just really enjoyed this book!
November 30, 2024
2.75 stars.
this should have been one of my favorite reads of the year. it's got spooky, frankenstein, undead vibes. it's got indian mythology. it's got complicated sister relationships, a morally gray protagonist/antihero, super cool gods/demons/spirits/mortals dynamics, a unique setup, and a bunch of plot twists.
but something about it just didn't quite hit?
i liked each aspect of the book - logically, i understood that the plot was interesting, that the character dynamics were developed well, the worldbuilding was fascinating, etc. i don't know what it was, but i just never emotionally connected to these characters. a lot of the time when this happens to me it is the fault of inconsistent or downright bad writing, but i didn't take issue with anything specific in tara sim's prose. it wasn't outstanding by any means, but it was serviceable.
basically, i'm confused at why i didn't love this. all the elements were there. but i found myself waiting for it to be over, and i was kind of frustrated to find out this was a series, because i wanted it to be wrapped up and done with. if you're looking for a dark ya fantasy with indian mythology, i definitely recommend it - i think this was an 'it's not the book it's me' situation. but i just didn't vibe with it, and that's ok!
this should have been one of my favorite reads of the year. it's got spooky, frankenstein, undead vibes. it's got indian mythology. it's got complicated sister relationships, a morally gray protagonist/antihero, super cool gods/demons/spirits/mortals dynamics, a unique setup, and a bunch of plot twists.
but something about it just didn't quite hit?
i liked each aspect of the book - logically, i understood that the plot was interesting, that the character dynamics were developed well, the worldbuilding was fascinating, etc. i don't know what it was, but i just never emotionally connected to these characters. a lot of the time when this happens to me it is the fault of inconsistent or downright bad writing, but i didn't take issue with anything specific in tara sim's prose. it wasn't outstanding by any means, but it was serviceable.
basically, i'm confused at why i didn't love this. all the elements were there. but i found myself waiting for it to be over, and i was kind of frustrated to find out this was a series, because i wanted it to be wrapped up and done with. if you're looking for a dark ya fantasy with indian mythology, i definitely recommend it - i think this was an 'it's not the book it's me' situation. but i just didn't vibe with it, and that's ok!
did-not-finish
November 5, 2023THIS PREMISE SOUNDS SO COOL
October 8, 2024
Loved the characters, mythology, animal companion, and sibling dynamics. Really well developed and kept me on my toes!
August 25, 2024
Thanks to Nancy Paulsen Books/Penguin Random House and Netgalley for the ARC.
"Although she was surrounded by death, she'd never wanted to be the cause of it. Yet it seemed that, in her presence, death was not merely a threat but something inevitable."
We Shall Be Monsters begins an ambitious new series from Tara that is filled with Indian mythology, symbolism and necromancy worthy of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. I mean the main character, Kajal, wakes up in a coffin, is there a better way to start?!! Kajal is distraught to find that her sister Lasya is dead beside her and vows to do whatever is necessary to bring her back before her soul is lost forever. And so begins a story filled with magic, alternate dimensions, demonic beings and demigods. If you are like me and unfamiliar with Indian myths, it can feel like a lot with all the new vocabulary and ideas. I think this is why the first part of the book felt a bit slow and tough to get into, as I had to get to learn and understand the different beings, and creatures that Kajal encounters on her journey. But once she raised a few more people from the dead and the politics and secrets started to come to light, the story really solidified. I liked that this was a fantasy where no orcs, elves or wizards are in sight, and you really get immersed in the culture that Tara does a wonderful job in laying out for you. Oh, there's also an undead animal companion and Gutaa is bestest undead dog, I love him!!! I listened to the audio book and very much enjoyed the narration and will definitely be waiting impatiently for the next installment of the series!!
"Although she was surrounded by death, she'd never wanted to be the cause of it. Yet it seemed that, in her presence, death was not merely a threat but something inevitable."
We Shall Be Monsters begins an ambitious new series from Tara that is filled with Indian mythology, symbolism and necromancy worthy of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. I mean the main character, Kajal, wakes up in a coffin, is there a better way to start?!! Kajal is distraught to find that her sister Lasya is dead beside her and vows to do whatever is necessary to bring her back before her soul is lost forever. And so begins a story filled with magic, alternate dimensions, demonic beings and demigods. If you are like me and unfamiliar with Indian myths, it can feel like a lot with all the new vocabulary and ideas. I think this is why the first part of the book felt a bit slow and tough to get into, as I had to get to learn and understand the different beings, and creatures that Kajal encounters on her journey. But once she raised a few more people from the dead and the politics and secrets started to come to light, the story really solidified. I liked that this was a fantasy where no orcs, elves or wizards are in sight, and you really get immersed in the culture that Tara does a wonderful job in laying out for you. Oh, there's also an undead animal companion and Gutaa is bestest undead dog, I love him!!! I listened to the audio book and very much enjoyed the narration and will definitely be waiting impatiently for the next installment of the series!!
June 25, 2024
4.5. We Shall Be Monsters is described as Indian mythology meets Frankenstein which couldn’t sound more interesting!
The first chapter draws you in immediately with Kajal waking up and escaping from a coffin only to find her sister, Lasya, in one as well except Lasya is dead. She desperately wants to resurrect her but she has to bring someone else, the person who will help her, back to life first! The clock is ticking before Lasya’s soul becomes a bhuta. Kajal meets people along the way and faces multiple challenges from the very start. The characters were so beautifully written, I felt like I was living inside of their world for the entirety of this book! It was so refreshing to read something different and new, this story was so unique. I was so excited to read this from the first time I read the description and it absolutely did not disappoint. What a wonderful story!
Thank you so much to Netgalley, Tara Sim, and Nancy Paulsen Books for providing this free ARC. This is my honest review! This published today, June 25th!
The first chapter draws you in immediately with Kajal waking up and escaping from a coffin only to find her sister, Lasya, in one as well except Lasya is dead. She desperately wants to resurrect her but she has to bring someone else, the person who will help her, back to life first! The clock is ticking before Lasya’s soul becomes a bhuta. Kajal meets people along the way and faces multiple challenges from the very start. The characters were so beautifully written, I felt like I was living inside of their world for the entirety of this book! It was so refreshing to read something different and new, this story was so unique. I was so excited to read this from the first time I read the description and it absolutely did not disappoint. What a wonderful story!
Thank you so much to Netgalley, Tara Sim, and Nancy Paulsen Books for providing this free ARC. This is my honest review! This published today, June 25th!
April 18, 2024
4.5 This was the first time I read a fantasy novel based on Indian mythology, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I originally heard about this book from Margaret Owen (author of Little Thieves), and I completely get why she was talking it up: We love a slightly unhinged girl with an attitude problem. I really liked Kajal, in all her impulsive, ragey imperfection.
Selling points:
-Interesting world-building and magic system
-Lovable characters
-Frankenstein-esque resurrection science/magic (but without having to suffer through Victor Frankenstein’s infuriating inaction, wallowing, and poor decision making)
-Sprinkling of slow burn romance.
I did not realize this was only the first book in a planned series, so I was getting stressed as the book was coming to a close. I’m excited to revisit the characters in the next book!
Also, I loved the dog (and I say that as someone who doesn’t usually love the dog in books where I am very clearly supposed to love the dog).
Selling points:
-Interesting world-building and magic system
-Lovable characters
-Frankenstein-esque resurrection science/magic (but without having to suffer through Victor Frankenstein’s infuriating inaction, wallowing, and poor decision making)
-Sprinkling of slow burn romance.
I did not realize this was only the first book in a planned series, so I was getting stressed as the book was coming to a close. I’m excited to revisit the characters in the next book!
Also, I loved the dog (and I say that as someone who doesn’t usually love the dog in books where I am very clearly supposed to love the dog).
June 22, 2024
Thank you to Penguin for the physical arc!
We Shall Be Monsters follows Kajal after her sister Lasya’s death. She will do whatever it takes to bring her back—no matter the cost. Kajal plans to resurrect her sister’s soul but before she can, it warps into a violent, wraith-like spirit. She must work quickly to save her sister or risk losing her soul forever. After Lasya’s spirit wrecks havoc, Kajal is captured and labeled a witch. Before she can try to escape, two rebels come to save her. She must resurrect the kingdom’s fallen crown prince so they can overthrow the usurper on the throne in exchange for saving Lasya’s body and soul. When Kajal’s resurrection goes wrong and she saves the wrong boy, she must work with him to find the real crown prince before the rebels figure out her mistake or Lasya’s spirit turns her fury on Kajal.
If you love Frankenstein or Indian mythology, this is definitely the fantasy for you! It’s so atmospheric with such tense, dark moments. I loved the horror elements in the novel, and especially loved the mythology. It was so interesting, and a lot of topics and creatures get covered. I’m not super well versed in Indian mythology so this was a treat to learn more about! The plot is really well done and keeps you engaged. I’m really curious to see where book two will take the story and characters.
I really liked the main characters. Kajal is a really good lead with a steadfast goal of saving her sister. I loved how dedicated she was to Lasya—sister stories are some of my favourites. Tav was so sweet and I loved his relationship with Kajal. Dalbir and Jassi were such good side characters and created some nice levity and sweet scenes. And a few other characters that would be too spoilery to share, but are just as complex and fascinating!
The ending of this book is wild, and I loved the twist it took. I definitely will be reading book two when it comes out—hopefully sooner than later!
Would recommend if you love YA fantasy, Indian mythology, or Frankenstein!
We Shall Be Monsters follows Kajal after her sister Lasya’s death. She will do whatever it takes to bring her back—no matter the cost. Kajal plans to resurrect her sister’s soul but before she can, it warps into a violent, wraith-like spirit. She must work quickly to save her sister or risk losing her soul forever. After Lasya’s spirit wrecks havoc, Kajal is captured and labeled a witch. Before she can try to escape, two rebels come to save her. She must resurrect the kingdom’s fallen crown prince so they can overthrow the usurper on the throne in exchange for saving Lasya’s body and soul. When Kajal’s resurrection goes wrong and she saves the wrong boy, she must work with him to find the real crown prince before the rebels figure out her mistake or Lasya’s spirit turns her fury on Kajal.
If you love Frankenstein or Indian mythology, this is definitely the fantasy for you! It’s so atmospheric with such tense, dark moments. I loved the horror elements in the novel, and especially loved the mythology. It was so interesting, and a lot of topics and creatures get covered. I’m not super well versed in Indian mythology so this was a treat to learn more about! The plot is really well done and keeps you engaged. I’m really curious to see where book two will take the story and characters.
I really liked the main characters. Kajal is a really good lead with a steadfast goal of saving her sister. I loved how dedicated she was to Lasya—sister stories are some of my favourites. Tav was so sweet and I loved his relationship with Kajal. Dalbir and Jassi were such good side characters and created some nice levity and sweet scenes. And a few other characters that would be too spoilery to share, but are just as complex and fascinating!
The ending of this book is wild, and I loved the twist it took. I definitely will be reading book two when it comes out—hopefully sooner than later!
Would recommend if you love YA fantasy, Indian mythology, or Frankenstein!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 320 reviews