ARC Review: This is how a Villian is Made by Amanda Headlee

 

Title: This is How a Villain is Made

By: Amanda Headlee

Genre: Horror

Pages: 163

Release Date: September 4th, 2025 

Rating: ★★★★★

 

Summary from Goodreads:Fleeing her father's cruelty, Beatrix Beaumont arrives in Yellow Creek City with little more than a name and a will to survive. When she lands work as a caretaker in the home of a respected town leader, it seems like a stroke of luck.
But the house holds dark secrets—and Bea is no longer free.
As she's drawn deeper into a twisted world of control and illusion, Bea must confront the shadows within and around her. To escape, she'll have to decide what she's willing to endure… and who she's willing to become.

 

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Review:This Is How Villains Are Made is a haunting, beautifully written story that grabs you from the very first page and doesn’t let go. Amanda Headlee weaves a gothic, atmospheric tale full of tension, dark secrets, and razor sharp psychological depth. Beatrix Beaumont is a heroine who lingers in your mind. Her desperation, strength, and slow transformation are both heartbreaking and empowering. If anything, I found myself wishing there had been more backstory for Beatrix, because her character was so compelling that I wanted to know even more about what shaped her. What makes this novel shine is the way it blurs the line between victim and survivor, forcing readers to consider what happens when survival demands compromise and change. Lyrical yet terrifying, intimate yet sweeping, this book delivers a raw and unforgettable portrait of resilience and the birth of darkness.

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.