bookswithdes's reviews
408 reviews

Wow. The plot has thickened. Not just the ending, but the entire book. But that ending??? The people from the west attacking the academy? Dragons? Spencer’s shifting into his werebeast form and hanging off a dragon's tail (that was just cool)?? Tristian being blasted and is nearly dying?!?! It was a whirlwind. But at least Rhianna is finally with Renzo, but we need Tristian to heal so she can breathe. But I’m seriously hoping we’ll get more Renzo content because I love that crazy man. On a better note, before all that drama went down, can we talk about Tristian doing a complete 180?? Like out of nowhere, he decided he would stop fighting their bond, even though he still called her pig girl 😑 but changed the nickname to piglet 🥺. But he started escorting her to all of her classes, made sure she got a nice, full breakfast, asked her to the ball PUBLICLY, and bought her multiple vintage dresses for said ball!! And that’s not even including that scene when Tristian goes invisible in class and starts doing stuff with Rhianna IN CLASS 🥵🥵. It. Was. Hot. But speaking of hot, Rhianna was being a bad bitch and she chained up stone naked—just like he did to her in the motel—got herself off not even letting him watch and left him chained and naked 😳🤭. And then sweet Azlan, felt bad for not giving her any gifts for being his mate and he got her a whole bunch of new designer clothes, bras, panties, and he wrote her the sweetest note ever 😭. Which was courtesy of his sister teasing/reminding him about it, and we also got a nice scene of Ellie and Rhi bonding👏👏. Plus, we got another hint of Rhianna and her men being fated mates in the past and being reincarnated…😳 But y’all, I can’t believe Spencer left school early and enlisted himself to the front lines early?? All because he didn’t trust his werebeast around Rhianna and he wanted to keep her safe 🥺. Now, seriously I need everything to end on a good note in this next book because I don’t want a cliffhanger and then having to wait until October to get answers 😭. And on a side note, I love Pip, his personality, and how communicative he is, like the little pig recognized that Renzo didn’t want to hurt her anymore and helped him get Rhianna to him!! Like hello?? He is so smart. So literally every book I’m wishing that he remains harm free. Also, Winnie is such an amazing person and friend to Rhianna and she deserves all the attention and happiness. So I’m always sad for her when Rhianna keeps things from her, but it’s never coming from a bad place, so I, 100% want no more fighting between them.

Favorite quotes/scenes:

“I’m beginning to realize that all I want is the thrill of her. The touch of her. And the taste. Fuck, even the scent of her. The only thing that makes my blood shimmer. I want her. And I don’t think I can fight this any longer.”

“What did you feel when you first saw me?”

“I thought you were the most beautiful creature I’d ever seen.” (Azlan)

“But if fate were to give you another mate, I believe I’d be accepting of that.”

“Even if he were an asshole?”

“Like Phoenix, you mean?”

“Worse than Phoenix?”

“Then I’d whip him into shape for you. Fate has given me you, Rhi, and I’m destined to follow you to the edge of the world and back again now, facing whatever else fate throws our way.”

“You’re so fucking beautiful, Rhianna. So fucking beautiful. And I can’t get enough of you.”

“I’m so … so fucking hard. Come here and let me show you just how hard.”

“Hmmm. I don’t think so.”

“What?!”

“You don’t think so?”

“No, Professor. I think I’m going to leave you right where you are and head back to my dorm room.”

“You can’t leave me like this!”

“I think I can. I’ll see you in our tutoring session tomorrow, Professor.”

“‘To my little mate’ …” 

“Oh gosh, that is so adorable.”

“Keep reading.”

“‘Thank you again for taking me into your life and into your heart. Please accept this small gift as a token of my love for you. You are the guiding light – the one Northern star – in my life now. Maybe you will wear this bracelet and think of me as I am thinking of you. “‘All my love, my heart and my world, “‘Azlan. “‘Kiss kiss kiss kiss.’”

“I don’t care if she belongs to my cousin. Because she belongs to me, too. And I’m going to have her. Screw everything else. Every concern, every worry, everything that’s been holding me back. I don’t give a fuck about any of it at all. None of it. I want her.”

“Yeah, you have a very busy, chaotic mind.”

“Beautiful or sewer, professor, make up your mind.”

“It’s messy and chaotic–that’s what makes it so beautiful.”

“I want a little collar to place around her neck so I can tether her to my side. Or maybe I want that collar around my own neck and the lead in her hand.” (Renzo)

“I don’t like being away from her and that’s not just because I’m concerned for her safety, concerned to have her lying back in my bed. No, I miss the little thing. She’s burrowed under my skin. Fuck, she’s burrowed into my heart and I miss her voice, her face, her scent. I miss everything about her.” (Azlan)

“How did I have the strength to leave her in the first place? How did I tear myself away? Because being with her is like heaven, addictive, something I can’t live without.” (Azlan)

“How is it possible? How can someone so beautiful, so precious, so strong and so fragile, belong to me? Why would fate give her to me? But I know the answer. To protect. I will protect her from all those who would use her, who would harm her, who would threaten her.” (Stone)

“Everyone is looking at her. She’s like a goddess in a sea of mortals. Everybody is captivated by her. They can’t drag their eyes from her. It’s like they finally see what I saw from the start–how damn special this woman is.” (Stone)

Spoilers!! 

 

Y’all, I love me some psycho men (fictional only lol), and RENZO??? Hits the spot. Like seriously he’s deranged for trying to send her all these bloody gifts but he has me giggling and swooning because he’s constantly thinking about her and taking revenge for her and he just wants her to know 🤷‍♀️. And he calls her “little rabbit” just like Killian from God of Malice and he’s my second favorite log man 😩. So safe to say, I love Renzo. Even though he hasn’t had a bunch of scenes, he’s definitely in my mind. Like this man was literally sent to kill her, but as soon as he felt that tug in his guy, he switched gears and now he’s all about her. And then we have Azlan, now that she’s freshly mated to him, wow, the spice scenes are spicing. Plus, his protectiveness over her 😩. And I’m loving how she sees him as a safe place now, like she’s still getting used to it, but she just always wants to be with him 🤭, I just love it. Plus, I’m loving the forbidden student x professor vibes with Stone and Rhi. Like all the arguing, the built up tension, the mini threesome…and that final scene 🤭. And now, we just need the other two to fix their shit because we can already see how little by little they’re softening for her. Like the werebeast aka Spencer not attacking her, Tristan preventing the werebeast from potentially attacking her with his invisibility powers, Spencer properly teaching her how to fight when he learns Renzo is after her, and Spencer wanting her at his dueling match and wanting to impress her. Like these men are down bad for her, but won’t admit to themselves. Like I need them to fix their behavior already. 

 

But y’all, Tristian and Azlan are cousins?? That was a nice shock. Also, we finally learned some information about Rhi’s past and her mother. But I cannot wait to see what the next book has in store for us 👏👏 

 

 

“I want you to give it to the girl.” (Renzo 🤭) 

“What girl?” 

“The one who looks like she fell out of a fairytale.” 

“What’s her name?” 

“Rhianna Blackwaters.” 

“I’ll give it to her. Who should I say it’s from?” 

“Her other half. She’ll know.” 

 

“Besides, I bet I made my mark on you too.” 

“Any you did, I healed.” (Azlan) 

“But I did mark you?” 

“You’ve done more than mark me.” (Azlan) 

“I have?” 

“You’ve captivated me. You’re beautiful. Brave. Smart. And you don’t know when to shut up.” (Azlan) 

 

“I like watching you. You’re such a strange little thing. And you sound so delicious when you scream. You know, I bet I could make you scream twice as loud as he can.” (Renzo) 

 

“She’s not a bitch.” A brat maybe, but not a bitch. A brat who has spilled some color into a world that was looking desolate and gray. “She’s special.” (Azlan to Tristan) 

 

“Like I said, no one here talks to me. Not after that incident with the dude and his tongue. People are so fucking touchy. Especially about their body parts.” (Renzo 🤦‍♀️🤣) 

 

“What did your aunt tell you about your mother?” 

“That she was beautiful. Clever. Kind. That I looked just like her. That she loved me. That she’d been so desperate to have me. That I was the …that I was the light in her life.” 

“I think you may be the light in mine too, Rhianna.” 

 

“Spencer, you had hundreds of people cheering out there for you today, chanting your goddamn name. Who cares if I was there or not?” 

“I care. I wanted you there.” 

 

“Because, damn it, I do love this girl. For all her brattiness and snark, for her sharp tongue and her naivety. I love her. I love her for her smile, her laugh, for the way her cheeks fill with color and her eyes dance with excitement. Fuck, I love her.” (Stone) 

 

“The moment I answered that call from Azlan. The moment I agreed to help him bring the girl in. The moment I laid eyes on her. From that moment, I was set on a path, my fate, and it was always leading right here. Into my bed, between her legs. This was always where I was meant to be. So damn the consequences. Damn all of it. She’s my mate, my fated mate, and I’m done fighting it. I’m letting go. Falling.” (Stone) 

I just knew I was going to love this book, and it did NOT disappoint. The fated mates in this book 🤭, it just reaffirmed my love for fated mates especially in RH/why choose books!! I absolutely love all of the characters even though there are three who are complete assholes and two who are straight up bullying her 🫣, but I just know these men will make up for it and I mean, the TENSION??? Like these men HATE that they want her and how she is on their minds 24/7 🤭🤭. Like I’m loving this giddy feeling while reading this book which I haven’t felt in a little bit. But y’all, I could NOT stop reading this book, like at first I only had difficulty in the beginning because I had a headache but once that went away, I seriously could not stop reading. I mean I finished it in a day!! But I will definitely be starting the next book like right away, I need MORE. And y’all, I went into this knowing it’s an incomplete series and the final book is coming out in October, but I am not ready for the cliffhanger that the fourth book will give us and having to wait like 3 months 😩, but I legit couldn’t wait to read this series like it was literally calling out to me. 

 

So we meet Rhianna, a 20-year old, an unregistered magical (which is a crime in this world), who has a pet pig named Pip, who has been on the run her whole life with her aunt from the authorities and everyone else for reasons we don’t know yet. That is until, Rhianna gets discovered by the authorities enforcer who is named the “man in black” literally the entire book and she feels a tug in her gut to him…but he is there to take her to Arrow Hart Academy, a requirement for magicals to attend until they are 21. We also meet Stone, the hot grumpy professor (who gives Lance Orion vibes for all my ZA girlies, and instead of telling everyone that they aren’t special, but just tells her, iykyk) who assists “the man in black” to escort her to the academy. Then of course, there are two popular guys in school who are best friends but are absolute assholes to her and they are Tristian and Spencer who honestly cannot leave this girl alone but torture her any chance they get. But there’s a certain someone out of that duo, who gives into this thoughts and desires and kisses her 🤭. And there may or may not be one more guy who may be a potential mate that we learn about in the end…But y’all everyone in this damn academy cannot give this girl a break and bully her any chance they get, except her roomie, Winnie—thank goodness—, and is basically her only friend there. 

 

So if you don’t like the bullying trope, even though it’s only 2/4 maybe ⅖ guys, you might not like this, but for everyone else, you NEED to read this. The tropes are magical academy, fated mates, bullying, asshole MMCs, RH/why choose, age gap, and student x professor . 

 

Favorite quotes/scenes: 

“What the fuck is that?” (Stone) 

“My pig.” (Rhi) 

“Why the fuck does she have a pig?” (Stone) 

The man in black shrugs. 

“Is she mentally unstable?” (Stone) 

“Possibly.” 

 

“You going to kiss me back, sweetheart? Kiss me back.” (Literally swooned 😩) 

I don’t know if I wasn’t truly in the mood for this book or didn’t enjoy the writing, but i couldn’t get into the book. I think I needed more depth to the characters, but it wasn’t a bad book. I genuinely think many people love this book and will love it, I just couldn’t connect to it. I loved the little girl, Lola, and Marlow’s dog, Waffles who was an Australian shepherd and corgi mix 🤭. I definitely want to read the other books like the prequel novella about Dylan’s sister, Presley, and the most recent book, Cash. 

 Favorite quotes/scenes:

 

“Thank you. I’m glad you were with Lola today. She’s fortunate to have you in her life.” 

“Okay, who are you, and what have you done with Dylan Stafford?” 

“What if I said you make me want to be a better person?” 

 

He’s downright sexy, particularly with his five o’clock shadow and glasses. 

“You think I’m sexy?” 

Did I say that out loud? 

“Yeah, you did.” 

That too? 

“For the time being, let’s assume that whatever is going through your head is coming out of that beautiful mouth of yours.” 

“Will you stop being so nice? It’s freaking me out.” 

“You’ll get used to it.” 

 

“Taking care of Marlow brings me a sense of satisfaction that I’ve been missing. Now that I know what it’s like, there’s a part of me that yearns to be the one she trusts to heal all her wounds, the one to kiss away the pain.” 

 

“I want to be the first person she shares her successes with and the one to hold her when she cries. Whether we have a day, a week, or a year together, I’m willing to take the chance. Because aside from Lola, she matters more to me than anyone else.” 

 

“She’s a goddamn vision and I want to make her mine. Only mine.” 

 

“Dylan Stafford, what has gotten into you?” 

She has. Marlow Taylor has become a fixture in my life, and I never want her to leave. 

 

“God, this woman has me completely under her spell, and I’m basking in the gratification of being claimed by her.” 

 

“I would have paid a million dollars for a Marlow Taylor original. But for this particular piece, I’d give up everything. It’s priceless because I’ll think of you and Lola every time I see it. You’ve brought color into our lives both literally and figuratively, and there isn’t a version of our future without you.” 

 

“She’s like the sun, and we’re all lucky enough to be in her orbit, basking in her warmth. She deserves nothing less than unwavering support as she chases her dreams, and I’m committed to making sure she has it.” 

 

“Dylan might think of me as the color in his life, but he’s the brushstroke and the canvas in mine.” 

 

“I love you, sunshine. You own my heart and soul, and I’ll spend the rest of my life showing you how much you mean to me. No matter the distance between us, you’re mine. Now and forever.” 

 

“Getting a new neighbor didn’t turn out anything as I expected, but now I know what happens when a single dad gets a nanny for his daughter… She becomes their whole universe.” 

While this wasn’t my favorite book, I definitely loved the plot in this book and the journey Gloam and Rig go on. How Rig, a raider who had rarely been out in the wastes, risked his life to help monsters who were enslaved by a heartless human who was involved in some questionable things. And no matter how crazy things got, he never gave up on wanting to release Gloam and the Borolesh. And then we learn about how gloam got enslaved 😢. Plus, we learn about a crazy new plot line going on around the wastes about a cult… 👀 For Aury and Ghost lovers, there is some overlap in this book, and we get a big purple surprise at the end 👏👏(my favorite monster). 

 

“Mary has already told you what I look like under here. I am ugly to human eyes. Not like you.” 

“Mary can go fuck herself, I scrawled on the page, digging the pencil in hard. I know you’re not ugly. You couldn’t be to me.” 

 

“There is so much I want to say to you.” 

“I’m ready to hear all of it.” 

“My Adam. I love you.” 

 

“Look at that pretty mouth.” 

“Nothing about me is pretty. Not like you.” 

“Not true. Everything about you is perfect. Including that voice.” 

 

“You are my Androcles.” 

“Who?” 

“The slave who pulled the thorn from the lion’s paw.” 

“Oh.” 

“And like the lion,”—Gloam reached out and cupped my chin—“ I will be loyal to you always, my Adam. I will never leave your side.” 

 

“Finding you has made everything worth it. I would go through it all a thousand times again to have you, Adam.” 

 

“I wish you’d never been through any of it. But at least I got to meet you.” “Not just meet me, little firebrand. You’re stuck with me now. You are my everything.” 

 

“You are my greatest weakness—not my true name, or any compulsion I can be put under. But you are the one I gladly carry. I would do anything for you, just as you have done everything for me.” 

 

“I never claimed to be mature. I’m only twenty-five. Technically my brain’s only just fully developed. I’ve got less than a year left to be a reckless idiot before I have to start being sensible.” 

“I’m afraid I don’t have that excuse, my little firebrand.” 

“How old are you?” 

“A little over a thousand.” 

“Oh. Okay. Just a small age gap, then.” 

 

“Rig, I can see your bare ass.” (Lilac) 

“And it’s the best one you’ll ever see, pal, so enjoy it.” 

“It is.” 

“Pretty sure yours is the best, but I’m going to need a closer inspection to make sure.” 

“I’m sure that’s what is called a bad pick-up line, is it not?” 

 

“He was so beautiful, my Adam, with his golden-brown skin and his soft, messy hair. His deep brown eyes were almost the exact shame shade as my blood. Perhaps that was a morbid analogy, but it called to something in the very core of me. He was meant for me. He was part of me.” 

This was such a cute and perfect novella. We got to see the monster world and Wyn and Danny share lifespans so they can live a long time together 👏👏. Plus, it means the other monster/human couples will be able to do the same thing!! I hope they’ll tell the other couples and I will be definitely be continuing the series 🫶. 

“If you just want to live your normal human life, I swear I will protect you for all of it. And I will treasure every moment I get to spend with you.” 

“But then, when I die, you’d be alone again.” 

“It would be worth it. For the time I had with you.” 

 

You’re getting the raw end of the deal here. You’d be…halving what’s left of your life. For me.” 

“Trust me, Danny, I am not getting the raw end of the deal.” 

“I get you.” 

 

“He was mine. He was always supposed to be mine. I had just needed to wait for a long time to find him. But the wait had been worth it.” 

 

“My sweet human. You know I love you, yes?” 

“Um, yes. I love y—“ 

“But you were a terrible soldier.” 

“What—No, I wasn’t! Okay, maybe I was.” 

“It’s just not your calling. There’s no shame in it.” 

“Oh, really? Because it feels like there’s shame in it right now.” 

 

“I don’t give him shit.” 

“You know what I mean. He teases you and you get all grumpy about it.” 

“That is untrue. He should respect me. I am his elder.” 

“Wyn, you’re everyone’s elder.” 

 

“I feel bad. We’re getting spunk in the pool.” 

“Don’t feel bad. Just consider it an offering to the gods.”
“What? You said these pools weren’t sacred! We just fucked in a religious place? You had your tongue up my ass on sacred ground?” 

“My sweet, it was a joke.” I would just have to make sure he didn’t see the shrine when we left. 

 

“I was just being a sentimental fool, but it suddenly felt like my life, my existence, had more meaning. More purpose. It was for him.” 

 

“We will be tiny, wrinkly bags of bones together when we are old.” 

“Is it weird how happy that makes me?” 

“For once, you’re not being weird.” 

 

“Humans kind of suck, huh?” 

“Some of you are nice.” 

“Some of us?” 

“One of you. One human. You.” 

 

“I love you, Wyn. I’m so glad I met you. And that I get to spend the next few thousand years with you.” 

“I love you, too. You were always meant to meet me. You’re mine.” 

“I never really believed in fate, or soul mates, but… I think you’re mine.” 

“I am yours.” 

“Okay, fine, sorry. You are my soul mate.” 

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 stars. 

I definitely loved Adam and Olive together. They were absolutely opposites attract and grumpy x sunshine. Plus, this book had one of my favorite tropes, fake dating!! One of my favorite things about them was the fact that they met in the prologue first and then again two years later!! Like why didn’t Adam say anything to Olive before 😭 like he didn’t even have to bring up the bathroom meet cute. But it was so perfect regardless, especially since he remembered things she said in that bathroom even though two years had passed 😳. The only this is that I wished we had some more development between them because Olive was just admitting that she had a crush on Adam and then she’s in love with him already?? Also, I just know that if we had Adam pov’s it would’ve been 10x better. Because that man was down BAD for her in the bonus scene. Like he was ravenous in every sense of the word.

Also, I loved the friendships both Olive and Adam had. Like the fact that Adam was friends with Holden for three decades, almost four is so insane and perfect 😭😭. And then Anh and Malcom matched Olive’s craziness perfectly. And the fact that Malcom and Holden started dating too 👏👏 . Especially since their personalities were so similar. Plus, I was so happy to see that Malcom and Adam had a good amount of things in common and I could imagine them growing to be really good friends over time, especially since they’re dating each others best friends 😭.

"Did you…Did you just kiss me?" "Nope."

"Ah. Okay, then. Are you sure?"

Dammit.

"Are you not . .Married, or something?"

"My wife and the twins won't mind."

"I'm considered a flight risk."

"Flight risk?“ God, he was a felon on parole. A jury of his peers had convicted him for crimes against grad students. He'd probably whacked someone on the head with a microscope for mislabeling peptide samples. (she’s such a dramatic overthinker 🤦‍♀️🤣)

“He was smiling, staring at her with a strange light in his eyes. And would you look at that: Adam Carlsen had dimples.”

“I’m all sticky, Adam.”

"Ssh. I'll clean you up myself."

“He was warm, and smelled like himself, like safe and home.”

"I am going to take care of this. And then I'll come find you, and I'll take care of you."

"And I'm awakened by this waterfall pouring down on me—"

Adam rolled his eyes. "It was a drop."

"And I'm asking myself why it's raining inside the cabin, when I realize that it's coming from the top bunk and that Adam, who was, like, thirteen at the time-"

"Six. I was six, and you were seven."

"Had pissed the bed, and the piss was seeping through the mattress and onto me."

"I should never have trusted him with you. I'm sorry."

He said it-"with you"—like Olive was something special, uniquely precious to him. His most beloved treasure. It made her want to shiver, and laugh, and weep at the same time. It made her happy and confused.

"Sweetheart. What is the second thing?"

"Ik hou van jou, Adam."

“I like no one, absolutely no one, but I liked you from the start. I liked you when I didn't know you, and now that I do know you it's only gotten worse. Sometimes, often, always, I think about you before falling asleep. Then I dream of you, and when I wake up my head's still there, stuck on something funny, beautiful, filthy, intelligent that's all about you.”

“Is there anything I can do for you? I'll take you grocery shopping and fill your fridge when we're back home. Buy you a new bike and a case of decent reagent and that sludge you drink. Kill the people who made you cry. Is there something you need?

Name it. It's yours. If I have it, it's yours.”

Olive lifts a hand, just to run her fingers through his hair, and Adam is speechless. Mindless. This is— Jesus. Oh, God.

She smiles at him, happy, hopeful, beautiful, and says, "Hey"

Adam smiles, too, and thinks, This is it. He thinks, I love you. He thinks, Maybe, one day, you'll even let me tell you. And he says,"Hey.'

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 stars. 

Ghost and Aury were so precious. They were just two soft boys who were lovers not fighters. It was genuinely love at first sight or love at first sound from Aury’s POV, but they had to get through Aury’s PTSD and trauma and Ghost’s injuries before they could explore things together. I wish we had more development between the two like for me it felt like a jump from them healing together to being together already. But either way, I loved them together. I loved how Aury was one of the few people who stood up for Ghost and helped Ghost tell everyone on how dangerous his missions were and how much he dreaded them. I loved how they were each other's safe space who just wanted to read together, take care of the hens together, and just survive together. 

I really appreciated that we got to see how a raider went through life in wastes and taking a break from the military men, even though I love our two military men, three including Charlie. Ghost, a raider who lives in the Nebraska camp, the same camp that Cat, the man who was Charlie’s roommate in the human-monster fighting ring, mentioned in book two. And Aury is monster 001 who we saw in Danny and Wyn’s book when the military base was still intact. I also loved meeting the people in Aury’s camp like Lilac, Anchor (poor girl is so overwhelmed without her best friend and former co-leader, Cat), Bo, Daisy, and Rig. I’m really interested in Rig and Lilac’s book. I cannot wait to continue this series especially with Wyn’s novella next 👏👏. 

 

 

“You shouldn’t go out there, Ghost.” 

“It’s fine. Someone has to.” 

“Why does it always have to be you?” 🥹 

 

“But I still don’t… Why were you ashamed for me to see you, but not Rig? I don’t understand.” 

“I don’t know. I heard your voice and it… cut through everything else—through all the noise in my head. It sounded… important.” 

 

“I wanted to give him so much that he was drunk on it. I wanted to replace every bad memory he had of humans with good ones. With memories of me.” 

 

“You’re wonderful.” 

“I’m really not. 

“You are. You are. You’re kind, and you’re beautiful.” 

 

“Aury was the opposite of chaos. He was like a… a calm, steady island in the middle of a tumultuous sea. He was soft and soothing. A balm.” 

 

“I felt like I’d woken up after a long sleep. Like I had something driving me each day, rather than going through the motions. He made mundane things feel new and joyful again, like reading or gardening or tending to the hens.” 

 

“I love you, Gage. I will be forever grateful that you found me that day. I owe you so much.” 

 

“I’ve left something for you on the nightstand, but it’s not a big deal and when I come back, I don’t want you to mention it.” 

“What—” But he had already slipped out of the room. I looked over at the nightstand and froze when I saw the little wooden figurine on it. With big wings. One damaged. (Oh lilac 😭😭) 

 

“I knew he wouldn’t have gone far, because he would want to watch over you. So I just walked around until I got the sudden urge to flee in terror, which meant he was nearby.” 😭🤣 

 

“I’m so glad you came back. Can’t believe I’m going to owe Moth for the rest of my life.” 

“He told me how sad you were. I hated the thought of it. But… I came back mainly for the girls.” 

 

“It feels different here. Safer. Like I…” 

“Like you belong. Because you do.” He belonged with me. 

 

“The life seed didn’t die. When we were done with living, we simply allowed the earth to take us back, to use our body for new life. When Gage’s human life came to an end, I would follow him. I knew it deep in the core of me already—there was no question. He was my mate.” 

 

“I liked the thought of giving my life, my memories, to the next rycke, because Gage would live on in them forever. He would be a balm, a reprieve from all the darkness. A sweet, delicate bloom that stayed rooted deep in the earth in the eye of a swirling storm of death and rage. I would make sure of it—I would make sure that my memories of him were never lost. I would make them the brightest spot in my mind.” 

I absolutely loved Edin and Hunter, they are so precious and different from Wyn and Danny  which makes me appreciate them so much more. I definitely loved the switch in dynamic from book 1 because now Hunter, the human is the grumpy and Edin, the monster is the happy sunshine one. If you loved Edin in book 1, you’ll definitely love him more. I was always so sad when Edin left in book 1, so getting his book and getting to see more of his personality and learning about his background was very special. I loved seeing their relationship unfold from Hunter being annoyed with the too happy monster to appreciating everything he does for him. And how is it that these monsters are so thoughtful and considerate for their humans even though human customs are so strange to them. 

 

So their story begins with Hunter and Charlie, Hunter’s best friend and military buddy of 12 years, are trekking through the Wastes, formerly known as the United states, to get to the closest military base when they are ambushed. In a rush to help Charlie, Hunter falls into a sinkhole with no way to get out until a large purple monster pops his head in to inquire about the human in the hole 🤣. After retrieving Hunter out of the sinkhole, Edin enlists himself to help Hunter rescue Charlie, and as they embark on their journey bonds are made and new friends are made along the way!!! 

 

I will definitely be continuing this series and I cannot wait to get to Charlie’s book with Moth because I know everyone is obsessed with him. Also, I definitely CANNOT wait to read Wyn’s novella and them on their journey to get a HEA forever?!?! And also I need Edin and Hunter to be together forever, no matter what. No human life span. And honestly it needs to be like that for every human x monster because either the monsters are immortal or have extended life spans and humans don’t, so hopefully everyone will live happily ever after FOREVER or I’ll delude myself into thinking that they will. 

 

 

“Can you get me out?” 

“You want to get out?” 

“Yes, I want to fucking get out! Unless you’re going to eat me or something if I do.” 

“I don’t want to eat you.” The monster paused. “Well, I mean…” 🤭 

 

“So. What were you doing in that hole?” 

“What was I doing in there? I fell! I didn’t—I didn’t want to be in the fucking hole!” 

“How am I supposed to know everything that humans do or don’t do? Maybe humans love being in holes.” 

 

“I’m not getting into bed with you leering at me, scratch. Or is this just an excuse for you to stare at my ass.” 

“I don’t need an excuse to do that, human. But I would appreciate a look at it while you’re not wearing pants.” 

 

“I’ve wanted to fuck you since the first moment I saw you, josdo.” 

“Josdo? What does that mean?” 

“It means ‘morsel’, human. Because that day we met, when I told you I didn’t want to eat you…” He leaned even closer to nuzzle my ear, making a pleasant shiver run up my spine. “… I lied.” 

 

“What are you wearing, josdo?” 

“My clothes are in the dryer. I washed them while we were waiting for you.” 

“Mm. I like the shirt. It’s very tight.” 

“Thanks.” 

“And the pants. I can see the outline of your cock.” 

“What? Goddamnit. Poor Danny.” 

 

“Okay, look. Edin and I are… together. Okay?” 

“Together? As in, together? You’re… It’s not just fucking?” 

“Yes, together. Together together. He is mine.” 

 

“You’re just… good, Edin. Kind. And generous, and selfless. And you…You make me calm. You soothe me.” 

“I certainly didn’t in the beginning. I thought your head was going to pop that first day.” 

“I was under a lot of stress. You just said so yourself! But you were kind of annoying, scratch.” 

“That makes me happy, josdo. That I can be this for you. That I soothe you. You soothe me too. The restless part of me that has been there since my family was… Since I’ve been alone. You make me feel like I can settle again.” 

 

“Maybe my life out here would still be pointless and achieve nothing other than a hopefully comfortable existence, but at least it would be mine. My decisions. My choices. And I chose Edin.” 

 

“It’s not about giving anything up, scratch. With you, I’ve… I’ve gained something more than I ever thought I’d have. You’re what I’m not willing to give up.” 

“Hunter. You do not know what it means for me to hear you say that.” 

 

“Anyway, josdo. You distracted me with your beautiful body before I could ask. You spoke to Charlie. You have decided not to go back.” 

“Sorry, scratch. You’re stuck with me.” 

“It’s what I want more than anything.” 

“Me too.” 

 

“He was squeamish about eating creatures from my world, but would happily eat eggs? Like I said—humans were very odd.” 

 

“I wondered for a moment if love was different for humans. If he meant something different by it. For me, it was an overwhelming sensation in my chest that swelled so big when I looked at him, or breathed him in, or lost myself in his beautiful body. It was a bone-deep instinct to keep Hunter safe. To keep him fed and warm and happy. To do anything, risk anything, to see those things happen.” 

 

“I still could not believe that I had a place in this world that was mine—mine and Hunter’s. I’d had no place, in any world, for so long.” 

 

“So, you love me enough to stay out here with me, josdo? Eating your mushed up grass compost food out here in the Wastes?” 

“You don’t eat the compost, scratch. But yes. I love you enough to stay out here. There’s nowhere I’d rather be.” 

This plot and world is so cool. It’s a post apocalyptic world after a war between Monsters and Humans when a rip between their worlds appeared. Twenty years later, the United States is a giant waste land with the rest of the human population in the coastal cities. In this book, the MMC’s are Danny, a 23-year old human who joined the military when he had no one else after his mom died, and Wyn, also known as the Soul Eater, a 5,000-10,000 year old or older monster who is nearly unkillable and immortal. I absolutely loved the dynamic between Danny and Wyn, it was very much grumpy/sunshine or at least grumpy from Wyn. Wyn was so freaking caring, thoughtful and considerate of Danny even though he’s so unaware of human customs and needs. Not only that, but he’s a secret softie who has his own fears and insecurities 🥹. And Danny is seriously perfect for him because he was the first human to not treat him unfairly or with disgust and treated him like every other person. Plus, he cared and wanted Wyn for Wyn and nothing else. We also get to meet Edin, a large purple monster friend of Wyn who is sweet and funny, so I can’t wait to read his book 👏 👏. 

 

 

“What am I doing here with you? Really? Why did you offer for me to come with you?” 

“You were the first human to treat me with something other than contempt or disgust. I decided to give you a chance at survival. If I’d known you were this annoying and talkative, I may have decided differently.” 

 

“I was in the area and sensed Wyn close by. It’s been a while, brother.” (Edin) 

“Yes.” 

“How do you put up with his incessant talking?” (Edin) 

 

“I can stay with you at night. If you really… If that’s what you want.” 

“And can you keep your hood down while we’re inside together?” 

“Why?” 

“Because I want your face to be the first thing I see when I wake up.” 

“Really?” 

“Yes, really.” 

 

“I want you all the time, Danny Sullihan. My sweet human.” 

 

“How did you know where to find me in there?” 

“You’re in my blood now, Danny Sullihan. I’ll always be able to find you.” 

 

“You’re all I want, Wyn. You and me.” 

“My whole life has felt like I was just kind of drifting. No purpose. No aim. But now… This feels like where I’m meant to be. This feels right.” 

“It does. It is. You’re mine, Danny Sullihan. I’ve been waiting for you for a long time.” 

 

“Are you angry with me, Danny? The thought of you being angry at me makes my stomach hurt.” (Edin) 

 

“You are so precious.” 

Oh my god. I made an embarrassed, disgusted noise and shoved at his immovable brick wall of a chest, my face on fire. “Shut up.” 

“You are. You’re precious. I just want to wrap you up in big thick blankets and keep you safe.” 

“Oh my god, shut up, Edin.” 

 

“I love you. More than anything in this universe. But you can’t tell anyone.” 

“Because no one can know Wyn the Soul Eater has a heart?” “Exactly.” 

“I love you too.” 

 

“You sure you want to commit to somethin’ so long-term, Soul Eater? You might be sick of me in a year. Or two.” 

“I’ve wanted you from the beginning, my sweet human.And I will want you until the end.” 

“Me too.” 

 

It’s him, it whispered at the back of my cluttered mind. Some old instinct I’d long forgotten. See him. See him. And when finally I did, I knew him instantly. When I saw him, I recognised him straight away. Even if his face wasn’t yet familiar to me. He was mine. He was everything.