I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

As far back as anyone can remember, the women of the Strand family have been magical.

Their gifts manifest when they each turn fifteen, always in different ways. But Nell Strand knows that her family's magic is a curse. Her mother’s age changes every day; she's often too young to be the mother Nell needs. Her older sister bleeds music and will do anything to release the songs inside her. Nell sees the way magic rips her family apart again and again.

When Nell’s own magic arrives in the form of ladybugs alighting on the keys of her beloved piano, the first thing she feels is joy. The ladybugs are a piece of her, a harmless and delicate manifestation of her creativity. But soon enough, the rest come. Thick-shelled glossy beetles that creep along her collarbone when her piano teacher stares at her. Soft gray moths that appear and die alongside a rush of disappointment. Worst of all are the wasps. It doesn’t matter how deep she buries her rage, the wasps always come. Nell will have to decide just how much of herself she’s willing to lock away to stop them—or if she can find the strength to feel, no matter the consequences.

Short and Sweet Review

In Nell Strand’s family all of the woman have a magical gift that manifests when they turn 15. Nell doesn’t think these are gifts but more like curses. Her mother changes her age everyday, her sister bleeds music, and depending on how Nell feels different insects appear but the one that appears the most are the wasps when Nell is angry. Throughout the book we see Nell trying to figure out if she should suppress her feelings or feel her emotions and bring out the swarm.

I Am the Swarm was an interesting book and one that I read in one sitting. I liked that it was a novel in verse. Nell is our main character and she’s seen how the magic has affected everyone in her family and she feels like it tears them apart more so than bringing them together. Nell’s mom changes her age everyday and most times can’t be a mother to Nell and most of the time she’s more of a friend or dealing with her own teenage emotions. Her sister isn’t around much because she’s getting help. We see Nell deal with her emotions she doesn’t like the swarm of wasps so when she meets a boy who makes her happy enough to keep the swarm away she wants to keep him around but she realizes that maybe she does need to feel her emotions. I did like Nell as a character and it’s hard not to feel for her she’s going through a lot, normal teenage things but also dealing with magic and also her piano teacher who’s a pervert. We see Nell deal with all of this and I feel like this read as a coming of age novel with some magical realism in it.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, it was different and really held my attention. This is a powerful read and I love that it was a novel in verse I feel like that added to this book. I would definitely recommend this book.