Be like Abby and get crafty! Paint, draw, sketch, or collage using Little Monsters as the inspiration—it could be a scene Brodeur explicitly includes in the novel, a memory of one of the characters, an abstract feeling a passage evoked in you, an imagined future for the Gardner family, and beyond. Bonus points if you reference some of the “comps” to which Rachel compares Abby’s art when she visits Arcadia in the beginning of the novel.

WOW! This book went beyond my expectations. Kara Thomas SLAYED Little Monsters. I am so glad I decided to give it a chance because I didn't much like her first novel, The Darkest Corners. Anyway, this book is perfect for fans of young adult mysteries and thrillers. This one gives us a juicy look at jealousies that go on in high school and how such jealousies can lead to murder! Inspired by David Copperfield, Kingsolver crafts a 21st-century coming-of-age story set in America’s hard-pressed rural South.

Why do you think Brodeur titled the novel Little Monsters, yet the name of Abby’s painting is the singular “Little Monster”★ After her troubled relationship with her mother became too much to bear, Kacey Young moves to the small town of Broken Falls, Wisconsin to live with the father she'd never met and his family—his wife, his 13-year-old daughter Lauren, and his stepson, Andrew. I really enjoyed this book, and it reminded me of a Megan Abbott book with less cruelty and more twists. But that's not to say that Thomas' style or storytelling ability is derivative or imitative in any way—I love her voice, and I'm definitely going to read the rest of her books as well. I’m smitten with books that keep me guessing. The more complicated the mystery, the more invested I am in the plot, the characters and especially the ending. I always try to guess the twist. It’s part of why I love murder-mystery books so much. It’s like I’m transported into the story, alongside the main character, trying to figure out what the hell is going on. Bonus points if the story has an unreliable narrator. Taking this into account, it was a given that I would have so much fun reading this book. There was a constant air of mystery surrounding everything, which helped me immerse in the book world. Which of the characters in Little Monsters did you find easiest to write★ Who would you return to in the form of a short story or novella★

Tantrum Tabitha – She is a naughty, little blonde girl who always throws a fit. Tabitha has a terrible habit of causing a scene. Whenever things do not go her way, Tabitha will always throw a fit, especially when it comes to stuff she hates, whether it be going on public transport, going shopping, or having to wear a bobble hat.Bossy Bethany – She is a bossy, yet very independent, strong-witted, little red-haired girl, always telling others what to do. Bethany is always bossing other people around, by telling them what they are doing wrong and telling them to do it right, or by telling them what to do. Sometimes, her bossiness can get the better of her. I decided to alternate between the physical book and audiobook. I loved this full cast. I thought it was fantastic. I enjoyed the whole story of this messy, complicated family! It takes place in Cape Cod, which is like one of our favorite places EVER!, In 2016. Adam is a soon to 70 yo father of his adult children, Ken and Abby. Their mother passed away when they were little and they were raised by their father. Dad is an oceanographer with Bipolar. Ken is hoping for a career in politics, married to his wife Jenny, and they have 2 daughters. Abby is an artist and currently single. Abby and Ken used to be close when they were young but things happened between them…and now, there is a tension between them. This family has secrets and circumstances seem to be tearing everyone apart. Told through alternating chapters and characters, you get everyone's side of the story. One secret comes to light during this story and I was so interested in how that would play out. I thought this was a really good family story. If you like slow burn, character driven books about family dynamics, this will be for you. Very good!! But it’s not only prose that sells this story. Thomas so fully inhabits the teenage mind that dialogue is startlingly authentic. And the characters are so vividly depicted that they seem like old friends. The whodunnit almost becomes secondary to the protagonist’s fate. It’s practically painful that you can no longer follow Kacey’s journey. Like she was a vital piece ripped from you, never to return. Adam looked his so-called doctor in the eye and delivered a formidable handshake. He’d teach this generation proper conduct, one millennial at a time. Little Monsters was my first introduction to Adrianne Brodeurs work, so I didn’t completely know what to expect going in. The synopsis and the authors memoir suggested a tale of dysfunctional families and mental health, whereas the cover and the authors previous fiction hinted at more of a beach-read. I was very happy to see it delivered the first. This is a layered story of a family teetering on an edge, the threads that bind them stretched to the breaking point. With clear allusions to the biblical tale of Cain and Abel, this is a narrative that I highly recommend you experience for yourself.

I really enjoyed this YA mystery. It's atmosphere was creepy,,,very much so...and the mood of the book was broody. The reader is lost..or at least I was. There are so many pieces of the puzzle to put together. When the police question Kacey, she's not exactly forthcoming with the truth. Does she have something to hide she's not letting on to the Reader? Many thanks to NetGalley, Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster, and the author for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. Publication date: June 27, 2023. I would recommend this dark mystery with a hint of the paranormal. I did not adore it however. I liked it greatly. And now I need to use spoilers. Adrienne Brodeur knows her way around a family drama... Brodeur weaves a story dense with stinging secrets and simmering resentments, rooted in another context that she knows well: the manicured towns and wild fringes of Cape Cod... Set against the island's rippling dune grasses and scrub pines, [the] narrative is as elegantly rendered as it is compulsively readable." — VogueI received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Kara Thomas, and the publisher, Delacorte Press, for this opportunity. From the author of the bestselling memoir Wild Game comes a riveting novel about Cape Cod, complicated families, and long-buried secrets. But drill down a little and there are unresolved traumas that must be healed and secrets that must come out. These fully-realized characters are each on the cusp of singing their own songs – much like the whales that Adam studies – and grasping control of their own destinies. The writing is confident with sharp narrative tension and sharply observed episodes that lead to growth and understanding as the book proceeds. In particular, therapy sessions between Ken and his psychoanalyst, George, are beautifully illuminated. Shy Sophie – She is a timid little girl. She gets very uncomfortable with being in the company of others, and she will often shy away, even saying, "I'm shy.". She is half-Chinese. Another commendable aspect of the novel is its avoidance on subscribing to the twisted, abusive stepfamily trope through its depiction that such can be as loving and supportive as one's biological family. Moreover, the normalization of seeking help from mental health professionals and taking prescribed medication are also points to be appreciated in the novel.