#qtpocreads

[giovanareadshere]

When Your Whole Bloodline Might Be the Villain

Wowwww. Tender Beasts was a fast-paced trip full of layered moments, unsettling family drama, and hella details that only clicked in the final chapters. I’m so glad I stuck with it because that ending?? Worth it. 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

And shoutout to Liselle Sambury for including an epilogue because I was 100% that reader screaming, “Wait, but what happens to the Behres?” I needed closure, and she delivered. This might be the first book I’ve read where an entire family is possessed by a demonic entity… and I am not gonna lie; I was eating it up. 🍽️

What really impressed me was how many layers this story managed to hold without ever feeling forced: race, queerness, social class, academic pressure, family trauma, journal entries, and spooky dark academia vibes. All woven in, all intentional. Some of the characters (Sunny, I’m definitely looking at you) drove me up the wall, but even when they were doing hella, they still mattered. Every person in this messy, possessed-ass family had a role to play.

Also? I love that the author is Trinidadian! 👏🏾🇹🇹I didn’t know what to expect going in, but this book showed me I need to read more from her ASAP. And yes, I read the physical book and listened to the audiobook from my library. Peak reading experience. 🙂‍↔️