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literarypenguin's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was an unexpected delight to read! I wasn't expecting to enjoy this book when I first saw it but I was very surprised with how this book turned out!
The dystopian setting that this book was set in was a setting i ate up the more i read it! I loved to see that a threat other then the typical zombie actually ended the world. The lore of the monsters, how they each looked different, their abilities, and why the more humanoid ones were here in the first place was very fascinating to learn. How some of the building were delapated and run down showing a picture of how the world used to be before.
The romance between Danny and Wren was filled with such great chemistry and sexual tension. Those scenes were spicy as well yet very well written. The descriptions of how these two thought of each other were amazing. I liked how they learned more about each other as the book went on eventually forming a bond that was beautiful.
I definitely want to read more of this series and more books from Lily Mayne in general! I can't wait to read this story from Wren's perspective, I'm dying to know how he thought about all this.
The dystopian setting that this book was set in was a setting i ate up the more i read it! I loved to see that a threat other then the typical zombie actually ended the world. The lore of the monsters, how they each looked different, their abilities, and why the more humanoid ones were here in the first place was very fascinating to learn. How some of the building were delapated and run down showing a picture of how the world used to be before.
The romance between Danny and Wren was filled with such great chemistry and sexual tension. Those scenes were spicy as well yet very well written. The descriptions of how these two thought of each other were amazing. I liked how they learned more about each other as the book went on eventually forming a bond that was beautiful.
I definitely want to read more of this series and more books from Lily Mayne in general! I can't wait to read this story from Wren's perspective, I'm dying to know how he thought about all this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Torture
Moderate: Gun violence and Homophobia
Minor: Death of parent
crazyras101's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Torture
adricheyenne's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Murder and War
Minor: Torture and Vomit
vermontsnowboarder's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
0.5
The book started decently strong. The world-building and the idea of a wasteland inhabited by monsters was intriguing. I was looking forward to seeing the politics of what had happened and why the world had gotten to the point it had gotten to. The first 12 chapters were slow, but I figured they were working up to something.
Unfortunately, after chapter 12, it became rather dull. Any world-building stopped, and any insight as to why the world had become what it was. Raiders were mentioned several times, but we never saw or met them.
The characters were undeveloped. In the case of Wyn, I was ok with that. It left an air of mystery. But there was no reason for Danny to be such a flat character. At one point in the book, I thought the author wanted us to view him as a cinnamon roll. But unfortunately, they just wrote a whingy, clingy, unconfident baby.
Unfortunately, after chapter 12, it became rather dull. Any world-building stopped, and any insight as to why the world had become what it was. Raiders were mentioned several times, but we never saw or met them.
The characters were undeveloped. In the case of Wyn, I was ok with that. It left an air of mystery. But there was no reason for Danny to be such a flat character. At one point in the book, I thought the author wanted us to view him as a cinnamon roll. But unfortunately, they just wrote a whingy, clingy, unconfident baby.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Torture
szilvvvv's review against another edition
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Torture
Moderate: Homophobia
sofieishere's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
The beginning of the story is fun, but it starts to become very boring when they're on the run.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Blood, and Colonisation
Moderate: Homophobia and Torture
Minor: Grief, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
joonjxne's review against another edition
dark
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Torture, and Murder
auburn_phoenix_15's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
I would have rated the book five stars, but the torture and violence were a bit much for me but needed to fit the storyline.
Danny and Wyn are an unlikely pairing, but they are made for each other. Danny is a man who didn't have anything in life and joined the military to fit in somewhere, so when the Soul Eater doesn't kill him, everything changes for him. Danny is sassy and slowly realises that he and Wyn may be attracted.
Wyn is so sweet, if not a little intimidating and scary initially. The journey they embark on and the things they encounter bring them together. The spice is stunning and very well done, and meeting Edin was fabulous; he remembers me as a big rugby player who is a teddy bear on the inside.
This was the first time I read Lily Mayne, and I will be reading the rest of this series and her other books.
Danny and Wyn are an unlikely pairing, but they are made for each other. Danny is a man who didn't have anything in life and joined the military to fit in somewhere, so when the Soul Eater doesn't kill him, everything changes for him. Danny is sassy and slowly realises that he and Wyn may be attracted.
Wyn is so sweet, if not a little intimidating and scary initially. The journey they embark on and the things they encounter bring them together. The spice is stunning and very well done, and meeting Edin was fabulous; he remembers me as a big rugby player who is a teddy bear on the inside.
This was the first time I read Lily Mayne, and I will be reading the rest of this series and her other books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Death, Gun violence, and Homophobia
Minor: Death of parent
shinyfox's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gun violence, Homophobia, Police brutality, and Death of parent
Minor: Confinement and Cursing
wardenred's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
“And if we both want to be together, we’re going to fuckin’ be together.”
Okay, well, *now* I understand what the hype is all about! :D
The Monstrous series has been on my TBR for a while, and I actually expected to like a lot once I finallygot around to it. However, recently I read another book by the same author (Berries and Greed) and was underwhelmed by nothing ever happening in it for pages on end. So I was a bit wary going into Soul Eater and kept my expectations low. Happy to say they were exceeded by a mile! Wyn and Danny are both awesome and work so well together. I loved following their love story, even when it got dark.
The setting here is both exciting and slightly overwhelming. I just kept wanting to get a better feel for it, you know? Maybe get a glimpse of one of those military-controlled cities, after all. Have more interactions with the other monsters in the wastelands, and not just Edin (though I absolutely loved Edin and get the feeling I'll enjoy reading his story very much, especially if he ends up getting some POV chapters—a reader can dream). Just, you know, things to spice up the endless repetition of going from place to place, scavenging for food and essentials, and sometimes pausing to get rid of some parasites. It didn't feel *super* repetitive because there was this strong romance arc I was very much invested in, but I feel like there could be more done with such promising setting—and more of it tied into the story itself. As it was, the most exciting bits, such as those humans who tried rescuing Danny when they though he was in danger from Wyn or the monster attack closer to the end, felt like very obvious hanging threads to be picked up later, rather than slightly more self-contained beats that strongly matter to the current book.
There was also a bit of sloppiness re: worldbuilding that took me out of the story sometimes—like, how come almost every abandoned place they came across had running water and sometimes even electricity? Sure, there was an offhanded explanation that it had to do with maintaining the facilities at the military bases scattered around he country. However, that's just not how communications work. It is perfectly possible to keep the lights on and water running on a base without pumping water to all over the uninhabited lands. Not just possible, but cheaper and more efficient. Either there's something going on with it, or, I suspect, this is simply under-researched.
And speaking of under-researched things: I kinda feel like the author got so engrossed into inventing the monster physiology that some aspects of familiar human physiology got out of hand in all those spicy scenes. :D Not really complaining though, given that those scenes for the most part were not just hot fun, but also moved the characters and relationship arc along as they should. That approach is always my favorite.
All in all, in spite of my complaints, I had a lot of fun with this story and will definitely continue the series. This is an intriguing start with lovely characters, and I expect the books will only get stronger from here.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Torture, and Violence