I said this in my Good Reads review, easily one of my 5-star reads for 2025. I cannot believe that this is a debut novel. Let's talk what I liked about this novel:

1. It goes straight to the characters. Immediately, I met the characters, starting with Dorothy and it's not even a boring introduction, there's intrigued already around her and what could be the "problem" in her arc. And then, each character can be distinguished easily. They're beautifully written and described. It's not hard to "see" what they look like and what they "feel" like as characters and I think that really helps a lot with readers especially in a fantasy setting. My favorite character is Aiden. Next is Lola, she's badass. And maybe... Mmmmm... I'm thinking whether Dorothy or Declan. I dunno, I'll wait for book 2. But yes, Aiden is my top favorite character, no doubt.

2. The setting. Descriptive, easy to remember, easy to visualize. It does feel like it's another character in this novel. And the way it was described is just atmospheric and grounded to reality of elite coastal small towns. It absolutely helped with setting up the vibe of the plot and how it will or may affect the characters as they flow along the story. If I'm going to compare it to a film, this is most certainly giving The Covenant (2006) film meets Gossip Girl. That's it. And I LOVE the dark academia feels and moody vibes of the coastal town.

3. Plot & Genre. I'm saying this is Gothic but this is also a Folkloric Horror which is the cherry on top for any horror fantasy novels. I rarely get banshees and sirens into the mix; it's always vampires and witches. And I am so OVER that. So, this to me, is PEAK and FRESH. The lores between the families and how it defines the characters' problems really made me flip through the pages because I wanted to know, who was who. And I love that it's not upfront, like I had to make guesses and the twists and cliffhangers between the end of each chapter are so smooth. That allowed me as a reader to think about "Oh, what would I do If I was in that situation?". The foreshadowing here is beautifully written. Like I said, it's not upfront and I have to go through chapters in order to understand and "see" what is about to happen to my favorite characters hahahaha

4. The ending. I kept clicking on my Kindle button to see if there's more because I'm hooked. I need to know what happens next. I MUST know, what happens next. So, I hate and love the ending. Let me tell you, as I was reading the last few sentences, I can imagine the HORROR when Declan felt the hard journal and the PANIC 4th walled HAHAHAH I had to lean on my bed's head board because when I read that the nurse did this creepy ass, one finger on her mouth like "Shushing" Declan as she's looking at him...AAAAAAAACCCCKKKK DAMN! THAT'S FREAKY AF! You have NO IDEA how much I love this novel. I'm freaking out. I still have book hangover and I'm now re-reading it. I don't care. I think I'll keep on rereading it until next year when this author decides to end my misery and publish the next book in the series, because my goodness... This is an effective torture, really.

5. The Cover. Let's talk about one of the reasons why I picked up this novel in a sea full of free epubs in this website. Thing is, the title caught my attention but the art of the cover got me clicking. I'm a book designer as well, and i love looking at details on covers. This one's got A LOT, and I love that. It's giving some hints as to what we're in for.

6. The description/summary. I mean, the moment I saw: "blood-bound legacies, and a coastal town" and "Some monsters are born. Others are made. But the worst are inherited." That was the hook. I wanted to know WDYM inherited? So, good job.

7. Pacing and number of pages and chapters. I think this works well already. Are there parts when I felt like it was dragging? MMmmm... not so much. Just some in Dorothy's chapters. But, like I said, IDC. I just wanted to understand more about these characters and where they're leading me to.

Overall, I can't think of a single reason or what I didn't like about this novel. Well, I hate that it's done... Like damn. I need more. I hope this author doesn't rush into writing the next book because I can see that hard-work and patience was put into this novel. There's effort to it and really, that's what any industry loves to see in an author and their work. In a world full of boring ass, horror fantasy creatures THIS stands out because it allowed the readers to witness the story unfold in a way that hooks us every time we flip the page. The way this author wrote and described everything and used adjectives and representations of the characters' emotions and the high stakes is what I'm in for. It's just so good. Words are not enough. I hope this gets picked up, IDC if traditional or audiovis but yes, this is something else. And I cannot wait to see this author write more novels and inspire more people to love folkloric horror genre.

Phenomenal job indeed.

The Monsters They Made Us by @frankjcamachobooks

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

“Long before Driftmoor was a town, it was a threshold where the veil between the natural and supernatural ran thin. Where wicked bargains were struck in the dark. Bargains that cursed four bloodlines forever.”

I took a chance on requesting a few arcs from @netgalley not really thinking to get approved with my 300ish followers on Insta. If you know me, I’m a sucker for pretty covers and titles that call to my soul. Happened upon The Monsters they Made us by the author @frankjcamachobooks
sent a request and got approved. And what can i say …

I feel that this is a book written for me, whereas an adult i see myself in fictional teenagers.

The author’s words resonate with me, like the book is something familiar, something meant for me. Destined.

Beautifully written lines got me highlighting like a madman (madwoman).

Dark, atmospheric, like a siren’s song pulling me in, I couldn’t put it down. I am mesmerized and pulled into the world of Driftmoor. I started the book but I am left not wanting it to end.

Will definitely still grab a physical copy when it’s out! ✨✨✨ Can’t wait, October 1st 2025!

This is the perfect YA book for the spooky season. 👻

We've got 4 POVs: Dorothy, Lola, Declan, and Aiden, all from legacy families with supernatural history. Each of them is trying to uncover their family's past while keeping their own secrets, not realizing how interconnected their histories really are.

These are complex characters who hide behind masks, trying to be who people expect them to be. There is a great deal of tension and mystery between them that anything they do seems suspicious. I loved getting to know each one better through their individual chapters. There is a heavy situation that happens to one of the characters, and I really appreciated the author including a note right after the chapter. I would usually see this posted before the first chapter or at the end of the book, but it feels more impactful having it after that particular chapter.

My favorite character was Aiden. He's such a sweetheart who is always there for others, but it feels like no one is there for him besides Declan. I loved seeing his interactions with Noah and hope to see their relationship develop more in the next book.

This is one of those books where we unravel what is happening as we read along. We don't know what's happening at the moment, but everything slowly starts to be revealed, and you start making the connections. I was worried multiple POVs might make things confusing, but it actually flowed really smoothly. The writing builds a moody, atmospheric vibe and characters with real depth.

This felt more like a setup book where everyone is being introduced and how they fit into this supernatural setting. And with how it ended, I have more questions that need to be answered. I seriously can't wait for the next one!

Thank you NetGalley and FJC Books for the ARC.

5/5
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

There’s a line early on — “Driftmoor was a place where names mattered more than people.”
It’s the kind of sentence that quietly ruins you. Because it’s true, isn’t it? The weight of family, of reputation, of the ghosts we inherit — they all can become a kind of curse.

The Monsters They Made Us follows four souls bound to Driftmoor: Dorothy, Declan, Lola and Aiden. Four stories bleeding into each other, each one heavy with inherited sin. They are descendants, heirs, survivors, but first of all children of promises made long ago to things that should never have been trusted.

Dorothy, with her quiet strength and haunted curiosity.
Declan, who carries grief like a second skin.
Lola, equal parts fire and ruin.
Aiden, distant and cold, hiding something almost tender beneath it all.

And that’s the beauty of this book: it doesn’t just give you characters. It gives you people who are broken in ways that feel devastatingly human, Each one aching to rewrite the story written in their blood.

This isn’t the kind of fantasy that dazzles you with spectacle.:
It lingers, It drips, It sinks under your skin like salt water.
Every chapter feels like a confession and every secret like a wound being reopened.

The magic system feels ancient and symbolic — elemental power, prophecies and myths that whisper of banshees and sirens, of the ouroboros snake devouring its own tail. The line between divine and monstrous blurs constantly. Every act of power feels like both creation and destruction. And through it all, the world itself hums with memory the old manor that mourns its lost sons, the Silver Shoals Lighthouse standing like a ghost on the edge of the sea.

I think what I loved most is how alive the places felt. Frank J. Camacho doesn’t just describe a setting, he gives it emotion. The manor sighs in its loneliness. The lighthouse flickers like guilt trying to find redemption. Driftmoor breathes.

There’s a quiet sadness that runs through the prose, like a low note in the background. It reminded me of the way Donna Tartt writes silence — how something unspoken can feel louder than dialogue. The writing is precise, cinematic and poetic without ever losing sincerity. Every line feels crafted with care.

Some sentences I keep thinking about:

“Stay in your room. Stay quiet. Stay unseen.”
“A subtle thread through the tapestry of his self-image, tightening whenever he caught his reflection.”
“I’d tell you that the world ending wouldn’t change the fact that I see you. Even when you try to disappear.”

Those words linger, they don’t leave when you close the book.

There’s not much romance here, but when it does appear, it feels raw and real: two people reaching for light in the middle of all the darkness. It’s not about falling in love; it’s about being seen. About survival, about the rare kindness that still exists in a ruined world.

Camacho’s greatest strength, though, lies in how he balances beauty and sorrow. Every scene is soaked in atmosphere — candlelight, fog, guilt, bloodlines along with the hum of something sacred and cursed. It’s a dark academia story, but it’s also a tragedy about inheritance and identity. About how sometimes, the monsters we fear most are the ones our families made us become.

If I had to describe how it felt to read it, I’d say: like walking through an abandoned chapel at dusk. The air heavy with silence, the floor cold beneath your feet and the faint echo of prayers that were never answered.

It’s lonely and beautiful and a little terrifying.

For a debut, it’s astonishing. Four POVs, each equally compelling. Seamless transitions. Short, sharp chapters that feel like breaths between confessions. I never once wanted to skip ahead — I wanted to listen. To every one of them.

And when it ended, I didn’t feel finished. I felt haunted (the good kind, the kind that makes you stare at the ceiling for a while after).

Because this story isn’t really about monsters.
It’s about what we inherit. What we carry. What we can’t put down, even when it hurts to hold.

I really, really loved this book. More than I expected to. It’s dark and sad and kind of beautiful in the worst way.
And maybe that’s why it stayed.