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Monster Haven #1.5
Ill-Conceived Magic
Empath and caretaker to monsters, Zoey Donovan, finds a package on her front lawn. It cries a lot and wears diapers. It also has horns, cloven hooves, and green skin.
Zoey and Maurice the closet monster look for the unlikely parents in a crazy attempt to bring together the mismatched family. A dangerous prospect, considering the family's hostile relatives.
Ill-Conceived Magic is a short story in the same world as the Monster Haven novels from Carina Press. It also includes a bonus first chapter of Pooka in My Pantry.
This story can be enjoyed without having read the novels. However, it fits chronologically between book one, Monster in My Closet, and book two, Pooka in My Pantry. Books one and two are available everywhere great digital books are sold. Look for book three, Fairies in My Fireplace, in September of 2013.
Zoey and Maurice the closet monster look for the unlikely parents in a crazy attempt to bring together the mismatched family. A dangerous prospect, considering the family's hostile relatives.
Ill-Conceived Magic is a short story in the same world as the Monster Haven novels from Carina Press. It also includes a bonus first chapter of Pooka in My Pantry.
This story can be enjoyed without having read the novels. However, it fits chronologically between book one, Monster in My Closet, and book two, Pooka in My Pantry. Books one and two are available everywhere great digital books are sold. Look for book three, Fairies in My Fireplace, in September of 2013.
38 pages, ebook
First published March 6, 2013
12 people are currently reading
248 people want to read
About the author
R.L. Naquin
32 books278 followersRachel is the author of the urban fantasy Monster Haven series from Carina Press. She believes in magic, the power of love, good cheese, lucky socks, and putting things off until stress gets them done faster at the last minute. Her home is Disneyland, despite her current location in Kansas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
July 12, 2016
*shudders and giggles at the same time* I may never look at satyrs the same again but I absolutely loved this one.
February 29, 2016
Zoey has just learned that she’s an empathy and care taker of the hidden supernatural beings. After all she’s currently living with her very own closet monster Maurice. Just like any other day she arrives home from work only to find on the back steps a baby has been left and tasked with the challenge of figuring out what to do with her. Thanks to Maurice who’s able to point her in the right direction they may just be able to save the baby and find its parents. However she’s going to have to confront the families of the parents which may just prove to be deadly.
I love Zoey she’s one of my favorite characters in the urban fantasy world after all she’s a very unique character which I adore. I also really like Maurice but that could be in part that even if he is a closet monster he’s a good guy. We also have a glimpse of Iris as well as the gargoyle that’s temporarily staying with them.
I can’t believe I didn’t read this one when it came out considering that Monster Haven is one of my favorite series. I love the concept for the supernatural world of the hidden living among the human and that Zoey just happens to have stepped into her mother’s shoes to take care of them. The characters are easy to connect with you can’t help falling in love with Zoey’s unique charm. This side story shows us a side of Maurice that doesn’t come out very often and show’s Zoey that he will do what has to be done to protect her. They make an excellent team and I’m not afraid to say I wish I had a monster in my closet also. I’ve enjoyed the author’s storytelling it’s a beautifully done short story that complements the series well.
I love Zoey she’s one of my favorite characters in the urban fantasy world after all she’s a very unique character which I adore. I also really like Maurice but that could be in part that even if he is a closet monster he’s a good guy. We also have a glimpse of Iris as well as the gargoyle that’s temporarily staying with them.
I can’t believe I didn’t read this one when it came out considering that Monster Haven is one of my favorite series. I love the concept for the supernatural world of the hidden living among the human and that Zoey just happens to have stepped into her mother’s shoes to take care of them. The characters are easy to connect with you can’t help falling in love with Zoey’s unique charm. This side story shows us a side of Maurice that doesn’t come out very often and show’s Zoey that he will do what has to be done to protect her. They make an excellent team and I’m not afraid to say I wish I had a monster in my closet also. I’ve enjoyed the author’s storytelling it’s a beautifully done short story that complements the series well.
April 15, 2014
After really enjoying Monster in My Closet I couldn't wait to spend more time in the world that R.L. Naquin has created. This story is set not long after the first book, Zoey is now used to sharing her house with the various supernatural creatures who have come to her for help and she's actually enjoying having them around. Things are thrown into disarray when they find a rather surprising gift on the doorstep though - an abandoned baby. The baby isn't exactly human either, in fact it seems to be part dryad and part satyr which is rather surprising considering how much the two species hate each other. Can Zoey track down the baby's parents and reunite a family or will that prove to be impossible considering both sides are practically at war?
Ill-Conceived Magic is a very short story of around 50 pages so it is a very quick read but it is still full of the humour I've come to expect from this series. Zoey and Maurice get a lot more than they bargained for when they set out to find the baby's parents and their interactions with the satyrs in particular were absolutely hilarious. If you enjoyed the first book in the series then you're sure to love this story just as much.
My one hesitancy to recommend it would be down to the price, I know it is becoming more and more common for authors to offer additional short stories set in the same world as their established series. These stories aren't usually essential reading to follow the ongoing series plot (I believe that is the case here but I won't know for sure until I read Pooka in My Pantry) and I do enjoy getting additional insight into the characters but I think it's a bit of a rip off to charge fans for such a short story when a lot of authors offer similar ones for free. In fact Ill-Conceived Magic was originally available for free from Smashwords (which is thankfully when I downloaded it) but is currently more expensive on Amazon UK than the first full length novel and that just doesn't seem right to me. I'm definitely looking forward to continuing with this series but I'm reluctant to pay so much for the short stories that seem to be coming in between each full length book so I may decide to skip Hidden Holidays and What Zoey Doesn't Know.
Ill-Conceived Magic is a very short story of around 50 pages so it is a very quick read but it is still full of the humour I've come to expect from this series. Zoey and Maurice get a lot more than they bargained for when they set out to find the baby's parents and their interactions with the satyrs in particular were absolutely hilarious. If you enjoyed the first book in the series then you're sure to love this story just as much.
My one hesitancy to recommend it would be down to the price, I know it is becoming more and more common for authors to offer additional short stories set in the same world as their established series. These stories aren't usually essential reading to follow the ongoing series plot (I believe that is the case here but I won't know for sure until I read Pooka in My Pantry) and I do enjoy getting additional insight into the characters but I think it's a bit of a rip off to charge fans for such a short story when a lot of authors offer similar ones for free. In fact Ill-Conceived Magic was originally available for free from Smashwords (which is thankfully when I downloaded it) but is currently more expensive on Amazon UK than the first full length novel and that just doesn't seem right to me. I'm definitely looking forward to continuing with this series but I'm reluctant to pay so much for the short stories that seem to be coming in between each full length book so I may decide to skip Hidden Holidays and What Zoey Doesn't Know.
March 21, 2013
Review originally posted here: www.roxtao.com
One of the books I’ve read last year that went directly in my 2012 Top 5 was Monster in My Closet, written by R.L. Naquin. It’s probably the cutest story I’ve ever read and Maurice, one of the main characters is surely the sweetest hero I’ve met. You can imagine my enthusiasm when I found out that in addition to the second book in the series (soon to be published), the author also published a short story, situated between the first and the second book.
The meeting with Zoey, Maurice and the rest of the incredible characters brought me a huge smile on my face from the first second, smile that remained there even after I finished the last page.
This short story offers us a chance to see Zoey in a new monster saving mission. From the moment Maurice, the monster from the closet that she thought was just a product of her imagination proves to be as real as she is, Zoey’s life changes. She already knew that her ability to feel everybody’s emotions at the highest degree was not that normal. But Maurice offered her the chance to discover a new world that she didn’t know it existed. The monsters in the closets, the gargoyles, the fairies and all the other magic beings she thought were imaginary are very, very real. And the combination between the fact that she now knows about them, that she’s an empath and that her own mother was a protector for these creatures is leading to only one direction: Zoey herself becomes a protector for the needy magical beings. And her fame seems to grow stronger. Already having in her house a closet monster and a gargoyle – both of them divorced and homeless, an abused family of brownies (some kind of tiny fairies) and a skunk-ape that protects her home, Zoey discovers that her future is still full of surprises. After finding a mysterious package on the front lawn, the heroine finds herself in a race where she’ll have to solve some mysteries, get rid of a group of satyrs and a furious dryad and reunite a split family. Meanwhile, she makes a shocking discovery about her friend Maurice and their relation seems to be breaking. She’s the only one who could save it, but only if she can ignore her own confusion.
If I didn’t make you curious enough, I’ll just tell you again and again that Maurice is one of the loveliest heroes I’ve ever met! You just have to meet him!
The story is written in the same funny style, but full of surprising realistic shades, that we discovered in the first book, Monster in My Closet. Despite their fantastic features, the characters have real problems, they act in a disarming honestly way and the whole sensation is that you just took a look in a normal house, where the members are simply living normal lives. Of course, the difference would be that the characters are anything but normal and apart from their everyday problems, they also have some issues more difficult than you could ever imagine.
I highly recommend R.L. Naquin’s series! Despite the fact that there is a huge amount of fantasy and paranormal books written in the last few years, I think this author is slipping pure magic in her books and so, the story she managed to create has something truly special.
The short story can be read for free. You can download it from Smashwords. Of course, it can be read as a stand-alone, but I would recommend you to read Monster in My Closet first, otherwise you could miss some of the story’s enchantment or the characters’ charm. I don’t usually recommend books with such passion. This is because our preferences might be different, so something I loved in a book could be something you despise. But in this case, I’m 99% sure that you won’t regret your purchase and that you’ll have a wonderful time reading the Monster Haven series.
One of the books I’ve read last year that went directly in my 2012 Top 5 was Monster in My Closet, written by R.L. Naquin. It’s probably the cutest story I’ve ever read and Maurice, one of the main characters is surely the sweetest hero I’ve met. You can imagine my enthusiasm when I found out that in addition to the second book in the series (soon to be published), the author also published a short story, situated between the first and the second book.
The meeting with Zoey, Maurice and the rest of the incredible characters brought me a huge smile on my face from the first second, smile that remained there even after I finished the last page.
This short story offers us a chance to see Zoey in a new monster saving mission. From the moment Maurice, the monster from the closet that she thought was just a product of her imagination proves to be as real as she is, Zoey’s life changes. She already knew that her ability to feel everybody’s emotions at the highest degree was not that normal. But Maurice offered her the chance to discover a new world that she didn’t know it existed. The monsters in the closets, the gargoyles, the fairies and all the other magic beings she thought were imaginary are very, very real. And the combination between the fact that she now knows about them, that she’s an empath and that her own mother was a protector for these creatures is leading to only one direction: Zoey herself becomes a protector for the needy magical beings. And her fame seems to grow stronger. Already having in her house a closet monster and a gargoyle – both of them divorced and homeless, an abused family of brownies (some kind of tiny fairies) and a skunk-ape that protects her home, Zoey discovers that her future is still full of surprises. After finding a mysterious package on the front lawn, the heroine finds herself in a race where she’ll have to solve some mysteries, get rid of a group of satyrs and a furious dryad and reunite a split family. Meanwhile, she makes a shocking discovery about her friend Maurice and their relation seems to be breaking. She’s the only one who could save it, but only if she can ignore her own confusion.
If I didn’t make you curious enough, I’ll just tell you again and again that Maurice is one of the loveliest heroes I’ve ever met! You just have to meet him!
The story is written in the same funny style, but full of surprising realistic shades, that we discovered in the first book, Monster in My Closet. Despite their fantastic features, the characters have real problems, they act in a disarming honestly way and the whole sensation is that you just took a look in a normal house, where the members are simply living normal lives. Of course, the difference would be that the characters are anything but normal and apart from their everyday problems, they also have some issues more difficult than you could ever imagine.
I highly recommend R.L. Naquin’s series! Despite the fact that there is a huge amount of fantasy and paranormal books written in the last few years, I think this author is slipping pure magic in her books and so, the story she managed to create has something truly special.
The short story can be read for free. You can download it from Smashwords. Of course, it can be read as a stand-alone, but I would recommend you to read Monster in My Closet first, otherwise you could miss some of the story’s enchantment or the characters’ charm. I don’t usually recommend books with such passion. This is because our preferences might be different, so something I loved in a book could be something you despise. But in this case, I’m 99% sure that you won’t regret your purchase and that you’ll have a wonderful time reading the Monster Haven series.
March 7, 2013
"Ill-Conceived Magic" is a charming short story that takes place in Naquin's "Monster Haven" world. Zoey, the empath, is still coming to grips with the Hidden world she has discovered all around her. As if having a closet monster in her home, along with his brother-in-law Phil (a gargoyle), wasn't enough, now someone has dropped more trouble on her doorstep -- literally.
Serving as a bridge between Monster in My Closet (book 1) and the upcoming Pooka in My Pantry (book 2), this short story is a delightful return to the world I fell in love with. Zoey and Maurice the closet monster return, but we are also treated to new creatures in this story too. And we also get to see a different side of Maurice. But no spoilers here.
As a bonus, this story is FREE on Smashwords, and includes a bonus chapter from the upcoming Pooka. It's a great read for fans of the Monster Haven series, and those new to the series will enjoy it too.
Highly recommended!
Serving as a bridge between Monster in My Closet (book 1) and the upcoming Pooka in My Pantry (book 2), this short story is a delightful return to the world I fell in love with. Zoey and Maurice the closet monster return, but we are also treated to new creatures in this story too. And we also get to see a different side of Maurice. But no spoilers here.
As a bonus, this story is FREE on Smashwords, and includes a bonus chapter from the upcoming Pooka. It's a great read for fans of the Monster Haven series, and those new to the series will enjoy it too.
Highly recommended!
July 24, 2018
This was a cute short story that fills the gap between the first and second books of the series. While not critical, it does give you a healthy dose of gargoyle with a loving splash of family drama.
Zoey ends up finding a kid. I know, I was scared, too. Will this persist? I’m not really a big kid story fan… Don’t worry – this is definitely a standalone that doesn’t necessarily tie in completely. We learn about inter-monster-racism, what Maurice has hidden inside himself, and begin to learn the gargoyle language along the way. Zoey is her usual adorably clueless self who somehow manages to muddle her way through. Maurice is still my favorite.
Zoey ends up finding a kid. I know, I was scared, too. Will this persist? I’m not really a big kid story fan… Don’t worry – this is definitely a standalone that doesn’t necessarily tie in completely. We learn about inter-monster-racism, what Maurice has hidden inside himself, and begin to learn the gargoyle language along the way. Zoey is her usual adorably clueless self who somehow manages to muddle her way through. Maurice is still my favorite.
August 17, 2018
3.5/5. It's hard for me to give much higher reviews for such short stories unless I really like the characters. The story picks up sometime after the first book and we're introduced to goat-men and angry tree women who have proper names but it would take time to look up the proper term and correct spelling as I know I wouldn't get it right the first time. I like how things turned out, Zoey is still helping people out, we have Maurice still around and overall it was a nice short tale.
January 29, 2015
Having been surprised at how funny Monster in my Closet was, I couldn't wait to get onto this short story which I picked up free last year, to see what Zoey and Maurice did next.
Zoey finds a half satyr, half dryad baby abandoned on her doorstep and she and Maurice are clueless as to what to do. They decide to find the real parents to see if the problem can be solved which means facing down hostile dryad women and horny violent satyrs. Maurice is in a panic about Zoey's safety but she is only concerned with the baby's welfare.
For a short story, this had everything-paranormal action, lots of laughs and a big pile of Maurice! What else could you want? The fun comes in the form of Maurice and Phil doing karaoke to the Titanic theme with Phil of course using words that make sense only to him! I couldn't stop laughing! Instead of 'near, far, wherever you are' from Maurice, we got from Phil 'yawn, stew, forget my old shoe'. Very funny. Phil's guide to nappy changing was amusing as well. I was also amused in a sick way by the initial slimy introductions from the satyrs until they got nasty.
We also get the serious side, exploring the friendship between Zoey and Maurice, asking the question of can you accept friends for who they are, even if they have a side you don't like much? Poor Maurice really goes through hell on this journey, trying to keep her safe and fearing that he might lose her friendship. The story also explores the relationship between two enemy races and the prejudice that the resulting baby has to face from both sides, which I found pretty poignant.
Overall this was a great addition to the series and I really liked it. I recommend this series to fans of paranormal cozy mysteries and light urban fantasy.
Zoey finds a half satyr, half dryad baby abandoned on her doorstep and she and Maurice are clueless as to what to do. They decide to find the real parents to see if the problem can be solved which means facing down hostile dryad women and horny violent satyrs. Maurice is in a panic about Zoey's safety but she is only concerned with the baby's welfare.
For a short story, this had everything-paranormal action, lots of laughs and a big pile of Maurice! What else could you want? The fun comes in the form of Maurice and Phil doing karaoke to the Titanic theme with Phil of course using words that make sense only to him! I couldn't stop laughing! Instead of 'near, far, wherever you are' from Maurice, we got from Phil 'yawn, stew, forget my old shoe'. Very funny. Phil's guide to nappy changing was amusing as well. I was also amused in a sick way by the initial slimy introductions from the satyrs until they got nasty.
We also get the serious side, exploring the friendship between Zoey and Maurice, asking the question of can you accept friends for who they are, even if they have a side you don't like much? Poor Maurice really goes through hell on this journey, trying to keep her safe and fearing that he might lose her friendship. The story also explores the relationship between two enemy races and the prejudice that the resulting baby has to face from both sides, which I found pretty poignant.
Overall this was a great addition to the series and I really liked it. I recommend this series to fans of paranormal cozy mysteries and light urban fantasy.
August 26, 2013
The ONLY reason this short story doesn't get a 5 star, is because.. well, it's too short!! :-)
What do you do when a baby is left on your doorstep? Normally, you would call the Police. That’s not an option for Zoey Donovan. Zoey is an Aegis, the protector and caretaker of the Hidden (magical creatures), and the baby sitting on her doorstep is definitely not human. Unless human babies started having sage skin and olive hair, complete with goat legs and two tiny horns . So, what to do?
The hunt is on for the little baby girls parents. Only when you’re trying to locate a beautiful little mixed girl parents, when both parties Family hates each other…. You’re into more trouble than planned for.
This is a sweet and cute little short story set in the world of the Monster Haven Series, right after Monster in My Closet. We see Zoey and Maurice wander off on their own little adventure, trying to find the parents to the little girl found on Zoey’s doorstep. But it isn’t as easy as one would think. The dryads will not accept her and the Satyrs… well, they’re being Satyrns. I’m still having nightmares about the chase in the woods!! O_O I totally blame you Rachel!
I enjoyed Ill-conceived Magic. It’s a beautiful tale about love and what it can overcome… and transmonsterification. :-) It gives us a few surprises, and it fits perfectly into the rest of the series.
Did I mention it’s free? No? Ups. (looks innocent)
Well it is. You can find it here: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...
ENJOY! I know I did.
What do you do when a baby is left on your doorstep? Normally, you would call the Police. That’s not an option for Zoey Donovan. Zoey is an Aegis, the protector and caretaker of the Hidden (magical creatures), and the baby sitting on her doorstep is definitely not human. Unless human babies started having sage skin and olive hair, complete with goat legs and two tiny horns . So, what to do?
The hunt is on for the little baby girls parents. Only when you’re trying to locate a beautiful little mixed girl parents, when both parties Family hates each other…. You’re into more trouble than planned for.
This is a sweet and cute little short story set in the world of the Monster Haven Series, right after Monster in My Closet. We see Zoey and Maurice wander off on their own little adventure, trying to find the parents to the little girl found on Zoey’s doorstep. But it isn’t as easy as one would think. The dryads will not accept her and the Satyrs… well, they’re being Satyrns. I’m still having nightmares about the chase in the woods!! O_O I totally blame you Rachel!
I enjoyed Ill-conceived Magic. It’s a beautiful tale about love and what it can overcome… and transmonsterification. :-) It gives us a few surprises, and it fits perfectly into the rest of the series.
Did I mention it’s free? No? Ups. (looks innocent)
Well it is. You can find it here: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...
ENJOY! I know I did.
February 25, 2014
First and foremost let me say that I am a huge fan of R.L. Aquino's monster series so you can imagine how happy I was to discover she had written a short story about my favorite characters. Although I am a fan I always try to be honest in my reviews. With that being said, I just loved this quirky novella.
Joey comes home from work lugging groceries only to be met in the driveway by a group of frantic fairies. Imagine her surprise when they lead her to her doorstep where she discovers a green, horned and Hoover baby in a laundry basket. As Zoey and Maurice the closet monster rack their brains on the best way to care for the baby, they realize they must discover where her parents are.
It seems the father of the baby is a satyr and the mother is a druid. The union of these two species are not allowed and therefore any resulting child would strictly be prohibited. It's kind of a Hatfield and McCoy situation. In order to locate the parents Zoey will have to put herself in danger by going up to the mountain of the satyrs. She just hopes that with Maurice's help, she will get out alive and in one piece.
This is another gem in the series and provides some additional insight into the character of Maurice and his abilities. The reason I love this series so is due to all of the wonderful humor. This novella is just as wonderful as the rest with this regards. If you have not read this series do yourself a favor and start with the first book "Monster in My Closet." You won't regret it.
Joey comes home from work lugging groceries only to be met in the driveway by a group of frantic fairies. Imagine her surprise when they lead her to her doorstep where she discovers a green, horned and Hoover baby in a laundry basket. As Zoey and Maurice the closet monster rack their brains on the best way to care for the baby, they realize they must discover where her parents are.
It seems the father of the baby is a satyr and the mother is a druid. The union of these two species are not allowed and therefore any resulting child would strictly be prohibited. It's kind of a Hatfield and McCoy situation. In order to locate the parents Zoey will have to put herself in danger by going up to the mountain of the satyrs. She just hopes that with Maurice's help, she will get out alive and in one piece.
This is another gem in the series and provides some additional insight into the character of Maurice and his abilities. The reason I love this series so is due to all of the wonderful humor. This novella is just as wonderful as the rest with this regards. If you have not read this series do yourself a favor and start with the first book "Monster in My Closet." You won't regret it.
February 15, 2014
I’ll-Conceived Magic takes place between MONSTER IN MY CLOSET and POOKA IN MY PANTRY so you should read at least the first book before tackling Ill-Conceived Magic. Although the extended Smashword description says otherwise, this short story does sort of assume that the reader is familiar with Zoey and her world so it won’t be the smoothest introduction if you’re brand new to the series. Naquin gives you the basic intro in Ill-Conceived Magic but it won’t be nearly as satisfying if you don’t already know Zoey and Maurice.
This’ll be a quick post because it’s a short story. Zoey find a baby in her backyard and spends the duration of Ill-Conceived Magic trying to find her parents. It has Naquin’s signature humour, including some really great moments and one-liners with some satyrs. There’s also a lot of great random statements by Maurice’s brother-in-law, the gargoyle.
Most interesting about this story is what we learn about Maurice. We’ve only seen the softer side of Maurice in the novels so far and Naquin uses this opportunity to show us why he’s a “closet monster” not a “closet bunny”. This little revelation will make reading future (and previous) novels a bit more interesting, though it’s definitely not essential to read this before moving on to POOKA IN MY PANTRY. That being said, why wouldn’t you read this? It’s a free visit back into the Monster Haven world.
http://ireadgood.wordpress.com
This’ll be a quick post because it’s a short story. Zoey find a baby in her backyard and spends the duration of Ill-Conceived Magic trying to find her parents. It has Naquin’s signature humour, including some really great moments and one-liners with some satyrs. There’s also a lot of great random statements by Maurice’s brother-in-law, the gargoyle.
Most interesting about this story is what we learn about Maurice. We’ve only seen the softer side of Maurice in the novels so far and Naquin uses this opportunity to show us why he’s a “closet monster” not a “closet bunny”. This little revelation will make reading future (and previous) novels a bit more interesting, though it’s definitely not essential to read this before moving on to POOKA IN MY PANTRY. That being said, why wouldn’t you read this? It’s a free visit back into the Monster Haven world.
http://ireadgood.wordpress.com
June 15, 2013
I really enjoyed this Zoey and Maurice adventure.
Zoey is an empath and is always willing to help Hidden creatures/monsters. Heck, she has a closet monster and his gargoyle brother-in-law staying with her. But when a cute green baby is dumped at her house, it's a problem she hadn't expected. The cutie happens to be half dryad and half satyr, so taking care of her isn't easy.
But Zoey's determined to find her parents and gets herself into a whole heap of trouble!
I love the way this supernatural world is opening up, and the satyr imagery was both hilarious and frightening. I also enjoyed seeing another--more horrifying--side of Maurice. I actually think their friendship is awesome.
This is another excellent Monster Haven Story that the lovely author is actually offering for free. You should check it out! :)
Zoey is an empath and is always willing to help Hidden creatures/monsters. Heck, she has a closet monster and his gargoyle brother-in-law staying with her. But when a cute green baby is dumped at her house, it's a problem she hadn't expected. The cutie happens to be half dryad and half satyr, so taking care of her isn't easy.
But Zoey's determined to find her parents and gets herself into a whole heap of trouble!
I love the way this supernatural world is opening up, and the satyr imagery was both hilarious and frightening. I also enjoyed seeing another--more horrifying--side of Maurice. I actually think their friendship is awesome.
This is another excellent Monster Haven Story that the lovely author is actually offering for free. You should check it out! :)
September 3, 2013
Having just finished the third Monster Haven book, Faeries in my Fireplace I was happy to have discovered this little freebie short. What a fun little read as Zoey finds a bundle of joy dropped on her doorstep without a note. There is no way that Zoey is going to let the little half breed grow up without a family but first she's going to track down the babies parents to make sure they really don't want the little cutie.
Zoey's quest put her in a bad situation of her own making but with her favorite closet monster Maurice at her back, it's all's well that ends well. Love this little extra Zoey story and I can't wait for more - good thing there are three more full length Zoey stories in the works.
This story was free at smashwords at the time of this review here's the link:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/...
Zoey's quest put her in a bad situation of her own making but with her favorite closet monster Maurice at her back, it's all's well that ends well. Love this little extra Zoey story and I can't wait for more - good thing there are three more full length Zoey stories in the works.
This story was free at smashwords at the time of this review here's the link:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/...
August 3, 2017
This was a short story sequel to the first Monster Haven book. Some of the problems I had with the first book were address in this story and I really enjoyed it. The balance between silly and serious was better and even though Zoey still makes some not so great choices, she acknowledges her own stupidity and that gives me hope for her character. Part of this story was a painful example of her ill-preparedness to deal with the new world in which she has been thrust and I look forward to continuing the series to she how she adapts and how her relationships grow.
July 30, 2013
I want to like this series, because it can be quirky, creative, sweet, and fun.
But I'm still having a really hard time reconciling the lighthearted tone with the casual sexual violence/attempted sexual violence. It's just disconcerting. (Though had I re-read my review of the first book before picking this novella off the to-read pile, I probably would've been more prepared for the mountain encounter.)
But I'm still having a really hard time reconciling the lighthearted tone with the casual sexual violence/attempted sexual violence. It's just disconcerting. (Though had I re-read my review of the first book before picking this novella off the to-read pile, I probably would've been more prepared for the mountain encounter.)
August 10, 2016
There were so many ridiculous, laugh out loud moments in this book. I love Zoey and her unusual family. The baby was super cute and I loved all of them trying to take care of her. It was great having Phil there…I love Gargoyle talk and I hope we get more of him cause the things he said were outrageously hilarious. And the Satyrs? Oh my gosh, all the penis talk had me cracking up. I cannot wait to read more of this series.
November 4, 2015
I'm a sucker for these kinds of stories. Although the description hardly touches the main storyline it gives you that immediate feeling of "this is going to be fun!". The hidden world of monsters is in trouble and they need help. This light hearted book series, which is a complete and finished series, has a way of getting to you. The monsters become humane and at some point tears are involved. Anyone with a weakness for the underdogs should read this.
September 1, 2015
"Ill-Conceived Magic" is a Monster Haven short story by R.L. Naquin. When a mysterious bundle of joy is dropped off at Zoey's house, not only does she have to figure out what it is, but she has to make sure that she is taking care of her properly. Before Zoey tries to find a foster family for the infant, she wants to track down her parents first. Overall, this was a cute story. Zoey is definitely in over her head.
March 15, 2013
This short was a delight, from beginning to end - all the little discoveries and crazy misfits make for a fun read. Honestly, I can't recommend this short and the earlier book Monster in my Closet enough - funny, loveable characters dealing with real life.
April 3, 2014
Time and again I have complained about the horrible lack of skill that most novelists display in their short stories. It seems most writers can only really excel at one or the other. That is not the case here. This story was as delightful as her novel.
September 12, 2015
Fun sequel to this series. Loving the made up world with fairies living in the garden and a monster from the closet cooking amazing dishes in the kitchen. Oh and did I mention he cleans too? Now that's my kind of monster.Will continue to read more in this series.
April 3, 2013
Fun and FREE urban fantasy short. I get a kick out of Zoey and her pal Maurice, the muffin-cooking closet monster. Add dryads, satrys and a crossbreed baby and you get a quick, fun read.
April 26, 2013
I'm so in love with this series. Such fun.
July 22, 2013
Nice, pleasant little short story. This to me is what a novella should be, entertaining but not too ambitious to take away from the novels in the series.
September 17, 2013
Cute novella addition to this series. Really loving these characters! And a heroine that is NOT TSTL. Can't wait to read the next one!
February 2, 2014
love the whole idea of the Hidden. I am really growing to love the characters. As this was only a short story--it only gets 4 stars.
April 20, 2014
Short and cute.
July 24, 2014
Nice and short. It didn't really have much of an impact on the series (so it's not a necessity to read), but it was OK.
June 28, 2021
Love these, onto book 2
August 10, 2015
3.5 stars.
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