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4.18 AVERAGE
4.18 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
If the ancient monsters don't eat or drink, why do they have buttholes? Or digestive systems in general?
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
Another amazing book in this series. I really loved Ghost and Aury’s story. I loved how much Aury soothed Ghosts anxiety and I love that he gave him courage. The book wasn’t a true HEA because the storyline wants to run right into book 4 which is not a problem for me. I also cannot wait to read the rest of the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Death, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Slavery, Trafficking, Grief
Anal sex, oral sex, cum play
If you think mutual voice kink isn’t now at the top of my fave trope list, you gotta another thing coming, bud.
This series is so delightful that it causes me physical pain. It’s frankly excruciating. Queer monster romance can be a hard sell to the average joe (come on, joe, at least try a silicone tentacle) but I want everyone to read this damn series. I have bought FOUR people copies of Soul Eater to recruit for the bandwagon (which I read for the first time not even 4 months ago). The Rycke is simply a masterpiece, in much the same way Soul Eater was, but also in entirely new ways.
The conflicts in this book have convinced me, once and for all, that I’m an empathomasochist. Now, that isn’t actually a word (probably) but it’s the only explanation I have for why I continue to read these books, knowing they’re going to wreck me. Mayne masterfully soothes the angst with purely adorable anecdotes so the work comes out perfectly balanced.
Aury is a fascinatingly complex & nuanced MC. I adore him, but of course I do, because it’s essentially a requirement. The camp was a new setting for this world but almost immediately I felt immersed in the setting & acquainted with the new menagerie of compelling side characters, most especially sweet boi Moth
This series is so delightful that it causes me physical pain. It’s frankly excruciating. Queer monster romance can be a hard sell to the average joe (come on, joe, at least try a silicone tentacle) but I want everyone to read this damn series. I have bought FOUR people copies of Soul Eater to recruit for the bandwagon (which I read for the first time not even 4 months ago). The Rycke is simply a masterpiece, in much the same way Soul Eater was, but also in entirely new ways.
The conflicts in this book have convinced me, once and for all, that I’m an empathomasochist. Now, that isn’t actually a word (probably) but it’s the only explanation I have for why I continue to read these books, knowing they’re going to wreck me. Mayne masterfully soothes the angst with purely adorable anecdotes so the work comes out perfectly balanced.
Aury is a fascinatingly complex & nuanced MC. I adore him, but of course I do, because it’s essentially a requirement. The camp was a new setting for this world but almost immediately I felt immersed in the setting & acquainted with the new menagerie of compelling side characters, most especially sweet boi Moth
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Re-read. Loved it as much this time as the first. No notes. Original review is below.
******************************************
Book 3 of her Monstrous series follows Aury (aka The Rycke Monster) & Ghost (aka Gage Human). Ghost is a raider living/surviving in the Wastes who is sent out to scavenge things for the raider camp he lives in (Cats camp... the Cat we met in book 2 who his camp believes is missing or dead but we know better) and he does so even though he hates it as he suffers with major anxiety about not being useful and worries he would be kicked out of the camp if he refused. On one such trip with his friend Rig they stumble across a bound & catatonic Rycke who we have seen mentioned in the previous two books so we know has been held and tortured by the military and is feared by all other monsters for... reasons. They set him free and take him back to their camp to help him heal. Not all of the camp members are thrilled about this, which causes friction. Aury is so shy, timid, soft-spoken, and gentle. He only really speaks to Rig at first but watches Ghost, and it's clear the pair feel drawn to one another. Slowly, their connection grows through reading to each other & Aury helping Gage with his pet chickens, and things soon start progressing to a more romantic vibe between them, and when they get there, their chemistry is palpable. The lead up to that first kiss had me in a chokehold. The way Aury would wrap his wings around Gage melted me every time!
Aury is such a sweetheart... until he isn't. 👀 That is all I will be saying about that so as not to spoil anything, but that scene was incredible! Love a protective MMC! We got to meet yet more side characters in this that I know have books later in the series, which I can't wait to get to. Rigs, Lilac & Moth were just great, and Lily gave us just enough to intrigue & endear them to the reader. The world-building continued to be fantastic without being overbearing to the story. Each book just adds another layer to this world, and I love it. Michael Lesley's performance was once again incredible, and I think the voice he chose for Aury was perfect!
"Why did humans have to try and ruin and torture and hurt everything that they didn't fully understand?"
"Then the beastie turned their head to look up at Rig with big, pitch black eyes, and I got my first proper look at their face. Their dark, greenish-black hair was no longer falling over it in unwashed waves.
I exhaled a sharp, quiet puff of breath, glad my mask muffled the sound.
They were the most beautiful thing Id ever seen."
"I heard your voice and it... cut through everything else--through all the noise in my head. It sounded... important."
Jesus. My eyes threatened to water as I stared at him. No one had ever said anything like that to me before. Like I... mattered so much. Like my very pres- ence affected them in such a way."
"I'm happy for you. You two are so cute it makes my teeth hurt. And I would be a terrible friend if I didn't encourage you to keep doing whatever it was you two were doing last night, because by the sounds of it, it was exquisite. Please, keep having as much freaky monster sex as you can. I'm living vicariously through you."
"He strode toward me, brows pinched with concern. When he reached me, he cupped the sides of my neck with gentle hands. "Are you alright?"
And then I did the least tough-raider-living-in-an-apocalyptic-wasteland-infested-with-monsters thing that I possibly could. I burst into tears."
******************************************
Book 3 of her Monstrous series follows Aury (aka The Rycke Monster) & Ghost (aka Gage Human). Ghost is a raider living/surviving in the Wastes who is sent out to scavenge things for the raider camp he lives in (Cats camp... the Cat we met in book 2 who his camp believes is missing or dead but we know better) and he does so even though he hates it as he suffers with major anxiety about not being useful and worries he would be kicked out of the camp if he refused. On one such trip with his friend Rig they stumble across a bound & catatonic Rycke who we have seen mentioned in the previous two books so we know has been held and tortured by the military and is feared by all other monsters for... reasons. They set him free and take him back to their camp to help him heal. Not all of the camp members are thrilled about this, which causes friction. Aury is so shy, timid, soft-spoken, and gentle. He only really speaks to Rig at first but watches Ghost, and it's clear the pair feel drawn to one another. Slowly, their connection grows through reading to each other & Aury helping Gage with his pet chickens, and things soon start progressing to a more romantic vibe between them, and when they get there, their chemistry is palpable. The lead up to that first kiss had me in a chokehold. The way Aury would wrap his wings around Gage melted me every time!
Aury is such a sweetheart... until he isn't. 👀 That is all I will be saying about that so as not to spoil anything, but that scene was incredible! Love a protective MMC! We got to meet yet more side characters in this that I know have books later in the series, which I can't wait to get to. Rigs, Lilac & Moth were just great, and Lily gave us just enough to intrigue & endear them to the reader. The world-building continued to be fantastic without being overbearing to the story. Each book just adds another layer to this world, and I love it. Michael Lesley's performance was once again incredible, and I think the voice he chose for Aury was perfect!
"Why did humans have to try and ruin and torture and hurt everything that they didn't fully understand?"
"Then the beastie turned their head to look up at Rig with big, pitch black eyes, and I got my first proper look at their face. Their dark, greenish-black hair was no longer falling over it in unwashed waves.
I exhaled a sharp, quiet puff of breath, glad my mask muffled the sound.
They were the most beautiful thing Id ever seen."
"I heard your voice and it... cut through everything else--through all the noise in my head. It sounded... important."
Jesus. My eyes threatened to water as I stared at him. No one had ever said anything like that to me before. Like I... mattered so much. Like my very pres- ence affected them in such a way."
"I'm happy for you. You two are so cute it makes my teeth hurt. And I would be a terrible friend if I didn't encourage you to keep doing whatever it was you two were doing last night, because by the sounds of it, it was exquisite. Please, keep having as much freaky monster sex as you can. I'm living vicariously through you."
"He strode toward me, brows pinched with concern. When he reached me, he cupped the sides of my neck with gentle hands. "Are you alright?"
And then I did the least tough-raider-living-in-an-apocalyptic-wasteland-infested-with-monsters thing that I possibly could. I burst into tears."
“I didn’t care what he could become. I didn’t see that monstrous face when I looked at Aury. This was my sweet, gentle, kind monster. He was still my Aury.”
This is one of those books I wish I could read again for the first time. Oh my God!! I don’t think I can fully express how much I loved this one. By far, this was the most entertaining book in the series—the plot was so strong, packed with action, and filled with amazing new characters. I absolutely loved every single second of it, and honestly, five stars don’t feel like enough.
Aury—the scariest and most dangerous monster to ever exist—also turned out to be kind, sweet, lovely, and so shy that I basically melted for him. I love that with him we got both sides: the quiet, reserved, almost bashful monster and the confident, assertive, terrifying force of nature when provoked. From the very beginning, he was so aware of Gage, so infatuated with him, and my heart just broke knowing the pain and cruelty he had endured, and how everyone feared him. All I wanted to do was hug him. He’s the perfect monster—powerful and dangerous when he has to be, but never seeking to be that way unless the one he loves is in danger. Ugh, I adore him!
“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 do feel… It feels different here,” he admitted, voice soft. “Safer. Like I…”He trailed off, but I could tell what he’d been about to say. “Like you belong.” I leaned forward to kiss him. “Because you do.” He belonged with me.
Gage/Ghost—is such a relatable character for me. His anxiety, overthinking, and constant worrying are things I deeply connect with, which made me feel even closer to him. I love that he’s such a strong and good-hearted person, and that the horrors of the Wastes and everything he’s been through didn’t turn him into someone cold or heartless. I hated how he was treated in the camp—he’s the kind of person people overlook when in reality, he’s the one everyone relies on. That just made me love him even more. And the way he was so bothered by Aury’s “bad” reaction toward him at the start—when in reality, Aury just didn’t want him to see him like that—was so sweet and endearing. I loved his instant fascination with this hurt, feared monster and the way he came to love him so fiercely.
One admitted eventually, his voice soft. “I heard your voice and it… cut through everything else—through all the noise in my head. It sounded… important.” Jesus. My eyes threatened to water as I stared at him. No one had ever said anything like that to me before. Like I… mattered so much. Like my very presence affected them in such a way.
“I fell asleep far too quickly, one hand stretched out on the bed toward the monster reading to me in his soft, sweet voice.”
Aury and Gage surpassed every expectation I had. My God, how they stole my heart. They were intense together, but also so sweet and tender that they became absolutely addictive to read about. Their love story was so well-written and so perfect that they are now one of my all-time favorite couples.
“Wait… what’s your real name?”
After a moment, One’s face broke into a huge, beautiful grin, and I knew that was it. I was utterly smitten. Totally, one hundred percent gone for this strange, winged monster with creepy black eyes and ghostly, green-tinged skin. “Aury,” he said.
His smile was joyful and infectious, and I felt my mouth curling up even though I still felt like total shit. “Aury,” I repeated
“I was shaking, frozen to the spot as I watched him return to the Aury I knew, once again naked. But this time he wasn’t trembling with distress. This time when he turned to face me, I could see only grim determination in his features. He’d protected me, and he wasn’t sorry about it.”
“He nodded, and I winced when I felt the barb beneath his ear almost catch my skin.[…] Then he lifted his head to nuzzle my sternum, dropping another kiss there, and I forgot all about the dangerous parts of him anyway.”
I do have to talk about Moth. I know he has his own book, and I absolutely love Aury and Gage together, but I can’t ignore that I saw the potential of Gage and Moth. Those few moments between them—and the obvious longing and sadness Moth felt watching Gage in love with someone else—killed me. It made me wonder what if? But I know it wasn’t meant to be, and I’m excited to see who Moth ends up with. Just to be clear, I’m still completely satisfied and happy with Aury and Gage’s relationship, it was just a bittersweet little “what if” for me.
Moth’s face twitched, and for a second, his eyes tightened with something that looked like devastation. “He’s bonded to you, then.” He swallowed. “Did they try and hurt you?”
I nodded. […] “He—the new leader—was threatening this camp. And then one of them hit me, and Aury…” I trailed off, because there wasn’t really any other way to spin it.
“He killed everyone and destroyed everything in sight. Except you.”
I nodded again
“I’m sorry you’re hurting, Ghost.” I looked up at him and could see the intense longing in Moth’s eyes before he shielded it by looking away. For a moment, I wondered what would have happened if he’d never disappeared on me that day.
The plot in this third book was phenomenal. I love how these books are written with the idea of continuing the overarching story through the perspectives of different couples. The endings are always left a little open, letting us know we’ll see these characters again while also introducing a new main character. I also have to highlight the way this author has created the history, the origin, and the nature of every single one of the monsters we’ve met—it’s so detailed, brilliantly crafted, and smartly executed. I especially love that she makes it clear that the human characters are actually human and aren’t magically going to become immortal, and I adore the way that fact is addressed in each and every book in the series. I truly admire Lily Mayne’s writing and have officially declared her a genius in my eyes.
“Humans could die so easily, but the rycke chose its death. Our bodies didn’t fail. 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.”
Do I wish Wyn, Danny, Hunter, and Edin had appeared in this book? Absolutely, I miss them so much. Wyn and Danny are still my favorites… but now they have company.
I’m so excited to read whatever comes next in this wild, dangerous, and strangely beautiful world full of monsters. Honestly, I could talk about every single moment of this book in detail because I loved it all. It makes me wish I had someone close to me who’s read the series so I could obsess over it with them, because I’m absolutely hooked on the world, on the couples, on everything. So let’s see who’s next…
“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.”
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
Ghost needs to be protected at all costs. But Aury needs to be protected even more. Their relationship is so beautiful to me - so soft and gentle. They truly love one another. And Ghost calms Aury in such a way that makes everything possible. I just love how the characters are so 3D. They feel like real people and I love the world more and more as I read the books.
The Rycke might be my favourite book in the monstrous series so far. Ghost is so kind and caring but would do anything he can to protect the people he loves. Even when he can’t really do much. The monster love interest here is one of my favourites. I really love seeing how timid and gentile they are but when it comes down to protecting their loved ones they will do so with no problems. It was great getting to see the immensely feared rycke that I read about in the past 2 books.
What I think stands out from this book is that the characters have a clear goal and steady progression towards it. The story didn’t seem to drag on at all and something was always keeping the plot moving which was nice.
Totally recommend this book and series!
What I think stands out from this book is that the characters have a clear goal and steady progression towards it. The story didn’t seem to drag on at all and something was always keeping the plot moving which was nice.
Totally recommend this book and series!
emotional
slow-paced
Strong character development:
No
wow! this series just keeps upping the stakes and i’m so here for it. i loved this and can’t wait to dive into the next book! i don’t know if they’re my new favorite couple but gage and aury are wonderful and so desperately gentle!
i kept trying to predict when aury would rycke outand i should have known that it wouldn’t just be a badass moment but would have a heartbreaking aftermath (aury stumbling to the river after hours of gage not talking to him and desperately scrubbing the blood away while shaking had my heart clench fr). that was on me for not reminding myself of chapter 2 and the immediate reality check that one gave lmao.
i kept trying to predict when aury would rycke out
gage fucking twirling his hair (i assume) while he’s wondering if aury will smile at him again, down bad isn’t even enough to describe it lmao
aury going “please don’t go” every single time gage needs to leave camp had my heart break every time omg. also gage is so deeply relatable, not him downplaying almost dying every time he leaves because he doesn’t want to make a fuss lmao, same babes
lilac is such a vibe and honestly iconic, obsessed with everything about him