Monstrous by Jessica Lewis
Published by Delacorte Press on September 12, 2023
ISBN: 0593434811
Genres: Horror, Supernatural
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads

Monstrous by Jessica Lewis is undeniably a page turner. The main character, Avie, is a confident, snarky, star athlete about to set off for college who is stuck living with her aunt in a strange Southern town run by a powerful religious cult. When she is sacrificed by the cult to a giant snake that lives in the woods she is able to save herself by making a deal to help the snake escape in exchange for her life, special powers, and the safety of her cousin and her crush.

This book is in the female revenge genre like award winning, The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson, but I never found myself rooting for Avie like I rooted for Jackson’s lead Maddy. In order to get the plot moving the author sacrifices the tension and character development needed to feel like a “good for her” horror novel. As a result, Monstrous had the pace of a thriller, the tone of a rom com and the complexity of a middle grade mystery.

There needs to be more Black, queer, female leads in the horror genre and the premise of this book is so original and interesting that I was really rooting for it, but ultimately this isn’t a necessary addition to a YA collection.

Reviewed by Ivy Burns, Merrill Memorial Library, Yarmouth