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4.18 AVERAGE
4.18 AVERAGE
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ — A tender, terrifying, beautifully monstrous love story
Lily Mayne absolutely delivered with The Rycke. This instalment gave us everything we've been waiting for and then some — rich world-building, a deeper look at life in the wastes, and most importantly, the long-anticipated introduction of the Rycke: Aury (aka One) and his human, Gage.
Aury is pure contradiction in the best way. A 700-year-old, shy, gentle, winged monster with bird-like talons, forked tongue, and a body covered in scars and black veins. He's devastatingly powerful, haunted by trauma, and yet deeply kind — a creature all other monsters fear, yet who wants nothing more than safety and softness. And Gage? He’s the anxious, self-effacing, chicken-keeping scout who’s spent his life hiding in the shadows. Watching these two broken souls slowly find comfort, love, and strength in each other was honestly breathtaking.
Their bond was so beautifully written — full of quiet moments, pining, and vulnerability. The scenes where they read to each other (yes, read to each other) melted my heart. And the wing cuddling? Absolute top-tier monster romance content. There’s something incredibly tender about how protective Aury is of Gage, and how Gage, in turn, learns to stand up — for himself and for Aury.
But don't be fooled — Mayne doesn’t shy away from the brutal side of this world. When Aury finally lets loose, it’s terrifying, gory, and epic. The contrast between his gentle love for Gage and his violent, almost godlike rage was brilliantly executed. It added such depth to his character and underscored just how much he’s been through — and how far he’ll go to protect those he loves.
Beyond the romance, the side characters were all fantastic. We got more insight into the raider camp Edin once mentioned, met new faves like Moth (who better get his own book
Lily Mayne absolutely delivered with The Rycke. This instalment gave us everything we've been waiting for and then some — rich world-building, a deeper look at life in the wastes, and most importantly, the long-anticipated introduction of the Rycke: Aury (aka One) and his human, Gage.
Aury is pure contradiction in the best way. A 700-year-old, shy, gentle, winged monster with bird-like talons, forked tongue, and a body covered in scars and black veins. He's devastatingly powerful, haunted by trauma, and yet deeply kind — a creature all other monsters fear, yet who wants nothing more than safety and softness. And Gage? He’s the anxious, self-effacing, chicken-keeping scout who’s spent his life hiding in the shadows. Watching these two broken souls slowly find comfort, love, and strength in each other was honestly breathtaking.
Their bond was so beautifully written — full of quiet moments, pining, and vulnerability. The scenes where they read to each other (yes, read to each other) melted my heart. And the wing cuddling? Absolute top-tier monster romance content. There’s something incredibly tender about how protective Aury is of Gage, and how Gage, in turn, learns to stand up — for himself and for Aury.
But don't be fooled — Mayne doesn’t shy away from the brutal side of this world. When Aury finally lets loose, it’s terrifying, gory, and epic. The contrast between his gentle love for Gage and his violent, almost godlike rage was brilliantly executed. It added such depth to his character and underscored just how much he’s been through — and how far he’ll go to protect those he loves.
Beyond the romance, the side characters were all fantastic. We got more insight into the raider camp Edin once mentioned, met new faves like Moth (who better get his own book
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:
Yes
4/5 ⭐
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood
Moderate: Homophobia
emotional
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
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:
Yes
adventurous
funny
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:
Yes
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
Aury was so not what I’d been expecting and that was a noce surprise. I also really liked to see the anxious side to Ghost. I felt really sorry for Moth and am excited to read his book later.
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes