When a series of brutal, mysterious deaths start plaguing the countryside and whispers of a beast in the mountains reach the quiet French hamlet of Mende, most people believe it’s a curse—God’s punishment for their sins.

But to sixteen-year-old Joséphine and her best friend, Clara, the beast isn’t a curse. It’s an opportunity.

For years, the girls of Mende have been living in a nightmare—fathers who drink, brothers who punch, homes that feel like prisons—and this is a chance to get them out.

Using the creature’s attacks as cover, Joséphine and Clara set out to fake their friends’ deaths and hide them away until it’s safe to run. But escape is harder than they thought. If they can’t brave a harsh winter with little food… If the villagers discover what they’re doing… If the beast finds them first…

Those fake deaths might just become real ones.

“Full of courage, heart, and danger, WE ARE THE BEASTS is a thoroughly engrossing read about the lengths young women must go to to survive when confronted by beasts of all kinds. I gasped, I smiled, I was enraged—this book is triumphant.” – Kendare Blake, #1 NYT Bestselling author of Three Dark Crowns

“Like sharp teeth in the dark, WE ARE THE BEASTS takes hold of you and never lets go. A compelling, tense, and thoughtful exploration of what it means to be girls in a world of monsters.” – Kiersten White, #1 NYT bestselling author of The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein

"Visceral and poetic...A dread-filled yet inspiring tale of the power that angry girls can wield." - Kirkus Reviews

"[A] heart-pounding and gruesome historical thriller." - Publishers Weekly

"Merciless and triumphant." - The Bulletin

"Exciting historical horror; full of sharp turns and fast-paced action with a ­fiery, feminist heart." - School Library Journal

Amazon Editor's Pick for Best YA