What do you think?
Rate this book
A Ballad for Slayers & Monsters
Kas of Veldenier is a Slayer, a travelling monster hunter for hire.
Claudia of Trulio is half-human, half-vampyric. Half monster.
They should be nothing more than enemies. But when the long-lost remnant of the dragon Ombral turns up, and with it the possibility of unleashing the dragons to wreak havoc on Vil Tresar as they did long ago, Kas and Claudia’s paths converge. Through a shared desire to keep the dragons from returning, they embark on a quest to see the remnant destroyed. Along the way, they will encounter fearsome monsters as well as a burgeoning desire for each other. Can a monster and a monster slayer truly find love together?
Pursuing them from the shadows is Serisa, a vampyric who wishes to see the world burn. And she will need the remnant to make that wish a reality…
Claudia of Trulio is half-human, half-vampyric. Half monster.
They should be nothing more than enemies. But when the long-lost remnant of the dragon Ombral turns up, and with it the possibility of unleashing the dragons to wreak havoc on Vil Tresar as they did long ago, Kas and Claudia’s paths converge. Through a shared desire to keep the dragons from returning, they embark on a quest to see the remnant destroyed. Along the way, they will encounter fearsome monsters as well as a burgeoning desire for each other. Can a monster and a monster slayer truly find love together?
Pursuing them from the shadows is Serisa, a vampyric who wishes to see the world burn. And she will need the remnant to make that wish a reality…
Unknown Binding
First published April 15, 2025
21 people are currently reading
2662 people want to read
About the author
Rita A. Rubin
10 books111 followersAn indie author currently residing in Melbourne, Australia with their dog, cat and many books.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
August 25, 2024
It's a little surreal to think this book is really complete after so many years of it being an ever-growing idea in my head. The feminist 'The Witcher' story I came up with for a creative writing class. The sapphic love story between a monster hunter and a monster I longed for and the fantasy adventure with an all-female cast that I'd love to see more of. It's been quite the journey, Ballad, and I'll leave you now with a piece of my heart tucked between your pages.
April 15, 2025
happy publication day 🌟💜
OMG THIS BOOK WAS AWESOME.
FULL REVIEW TO COME. BUT TRUST ME AND ADD THIS TO YOUR TBR
Can we all take a moment to admire this cover ? It’s perfect, and it suits them so well.
I’ve got an arc from the author and all thoughts are mine.
I first heard about Ballad for slayers and monsters on twitter two years ago, I’m so grateful I could read an arc 🥹.
Anyway this book was literally perfect. Am I objective? Probably not but it’s a book about a Slayer falling for a Vampire, and it’s sapphic HOW COULD I NOT LOVE IT.
This book slaps. I got obsessed, I literally couldn’t put it down. Everything was perfect.
I swear I know other word beyond perfect, but it’s hard to use any other words when ITS PERFECT.
Aara is their daughter. I don’t make the rules she’s their daughter. That’s it. And she’s a baby. And I love her. And I wish nothing but for her happiness.
Claudia is a sweet cinnamon rolls who can kill you and looking good while doing it. Love her to death. She’s been through a lot and deserves nothing but happiness and a strong woman.
Kas. Love of my life. Look at her. Prettiest woman who ever lived. Strongest arms. With swords. I’m so gay for her. Kas marry me.
She’s my type of character, HOT, funny, traumatised and STRONG. If you love Gideon Nav I have good news for you 👀.
Kas and Claudia relationship made me feel so single. In the best way. Their banter was top notch. If you like reluctant allies to lovers this is the book for you. EVEN IF YOU DONT. THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU.
The antagonist maybe had a point and I understood why they did what they did. To be honest I love when a book makes me see through the eyes of the antagonist, I empathised with them and felt bad.
This book is the perfect mix of The Witcher, Castlevania, Gideon the ninth and This gilded abyss.
This book will be out in April and OMG. I want all the editions of this book. Pls. Add it to goodreads, preorder it and YOU CAN STILL REQUEST ARCS. TRUST ME. You won’t regret it.
Probably one of the book that will end up in my favorite books of the year.
OMG THIS BOOK WAS AWESOME.
FULL REVIEW TO COME. BUT TRUST ME AND ADD THIS TO YOUR TBR
Can we all take a moment to admire this cover ? It’s perfect, and it suits them so well.
I’ve got an arc from the author and all thoughts are mine.
I first heard about Ballad for slayers and monsters on twitter two years ago, I’m so grateful I could read an arc 🥹.
Anyway this book was literally perfect. Am I objective? Probably not but it’s a book about a Slayer falling for a Vampire, and it’s sapphic HOW COULD I NOT LOVE IT.
This book slaps. I got obsessed, I literally couldn’t put it down. Everything was perfect.
I swear I know other word beyond perfect, but it’s hard to use any other words when ITS PERFECT.
Aara is their daughter. I don’t make the rules she’s their daughter. That’s it. And she’s a baby. And I love her. And I wish nothing but for her happiness.
Claudia is a sweet cinnamon rolls who can kill you and looking good while doing it. Love her to death. She’s been through a lot and deserves nothing but happiness and a strong woman.
Kas. Love of my life. Look at her. Prettiest woman who ever lived. Strongest arms. With swords. I’m so gay for her. Kas marry me.
She’s my type of character, HOT, funny, traumatised and STRONG. If you love Gideon Nav I have good news for you 👀.
Kas and Claudia relationship made me feel so single. In the best way. Their banter was top notch. If you like reluctant allies to lovers this is the book for you. EVEN IF YOU DONT. THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU.
The antagonist maybe had a point and I understood why they did what they did. To be honest I love when a book makes me see through the eyes of the antagonist, I empathised with them and felt bad.
This book is the perfect mix of The Witcher, Castlevania, Gideon the ninth and This gilded abyss.
This book will be out in April and OMG. I want all the editions of this book. Pls. Add it to goodreads, preorder it and YOU CAN STILL REQUEST ARCS. TRUST ME. You won’t regret it.
Probably one of the book that will end up in my favorite books of the year.
February 27, 2025
Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-Op for the ARC!
I really loved the queer representation in this book! The premise of the book was interesting and I enjoyed reading from the three main character's POVs. However, the writing took so much away from the book. The pacing wasn't good and the writing and sentence structure was choppy. At times the dialogue also fell flat. The story could be predictable at times, and the way the author was over explaining everything and not letting the reader interpret things for themselves was tiring. I did not get very invested in the characters and their development as well, which was disappointing because I feel like more could have been done with this book.
I really loved the queer representation in this book! The premise of the book was interesting and I enjoyed reading from the three main character's POVs. However, the writing took so much away from the book. The pacing wasn't good and the writing and sentence structure was choppy. At times the dialogue also fell flat. The story could be predictable at times, and the way the author was over explaining everything and not letting the reader interpret things for themselves was tiring. I did not get very invested in the characters and their development as well, which was disappointing because I feel like more could have been done with this book.
May 15, 2025
that was so much fun !!
May 8, 2025
Kinda reads like a mid caitvi fic set in the world of the Witcher. It's an easy read, entertaining enough, but it does get corny sometimes.
February 12, 2025
“A Ballad for Slayers & Monsters” by Rita A. Rubin is a sapphic fantasy novel, featuring the main characters of Kas, a monster slayer, and Claudia, a half “vampyric” monster. The two form an unlikely alliance to stop, Serisa, a full vampyric from using a relic to reawaken dragons and doom humanity.
Between fierce battles, the heart of the story is a lovely romance between two sworn enemies. Both carrying the baggage of traumatic pasts, they reluctantly team up and realize, along the way, that they have more in common than they once thought.
The novel has a good premise, especially with a classic enemies-to-lovers trope, and has an interesting world full of monsters. However, the way so many magical creatures were included felt like going through bullet points or a list of monsters. I also assumed (my fault) that the book is YA, but the slaying and battle scenes can get quite violent. So, if you, like me, assumed the age range based on the cover, just know this book does include fairly explicit scenes of violence and sex.
The book includes multiple perspectives from characters including Kas, Claudia, and Serisa. I enjoy reading multiple perspectives but the switches in this book were often sudden and short-lived and slightly overlapped each other. I found that switching so often took me out of the story a bit, especially when reading the same dialogue as the previous page.
Although I had some issues with the pacing and wished some things were given more time to flesh out, I enjoyed the book. I think “A Ballad for Slayers & Monsters” is a super fun fantasy and romance novel with lots of action scenes too. I love the inclusion of queer characters and I am a fan of the star-crossed lovers, enemies-to-lovers vibes. I think the book feels a bit like a dnd campaign, so if these vibes are for you, I definitely recommend reading!
Between fierce battles, the heart of the story is a lovely romance between two sworn enemies. Both carrying the baggage of traumatic pasts, they reluctantly team up and realize, along the way, that they have more in common than they once thought.
The novel has a good premise, especially with a classic enemies-to-lovers trope, and has an interesting world full of monsters. However, the way so many magical creatures were included felt like going through bullet points or a list of monsters. I also assumed (my fault) that the book is YA, but the slaying and battle scenes can get quite violent. So, if you, like me, assumed the age range based on the cover, just know this book does include fairly explicit scenes of violence and sex.
The book includes multiple perspectives from characters including Kas, Claudia, and Serisa. I enjoy reading multiple perspectives but the switches in this book were often sudden and short-lived and slightly overlapped each other. I found that switching so often took me out of the story a bit, especially when reading the same dialogue as the previous page.
Although I had some issues with the pacing and wished some things were given more time to flesh out, I enjoyed the book. I think “A Ballad for Slayers & Monsters” is a super fun fantasy and romance novel with lots of action scenes too. I love the inclusion of queer characters and I am a fan of the star-crossed lovers, enemies-to-lovers vibes. I think the book feels a bit like a dnd campaign, so if these vibes are for you, I definitely recommend reading!
February 7, 2025
When I signed up to be an ARC reader for ‘A Ballad for Slayers & Monsters,' an adult fantasy with a beautiful sapphic romance. I also joined the street team community, a lovely welcoming space for fellow Ballad cheerleaders. As a complete outsider to the group at first, it was really easy to slide into chats, and of course, I jumped in straight away when it came to sharing the beautiful cover reveal! The reveal went live on the 3rd of February, and gosh, what a stunning cover. Through Rubin's descriptions in the book, the characters on the cover look exactly the same as how I imagined them in my head. The artist is known online as A Fools Death and can be found on the following sites @afoolsdeath.bsky.social (Bluesky) and @afoolsdeath (Instagram).
The book is being released on the 15th April, and I’m about to tell you all the reasons why you should add it to your reading lists for 2025. Strong women
Healer women
Cat women
Pirate women
Slayer women
Vampire women
Women Dragons
Women who sword fight
Merry band of women
Trans women
5 stars
La fin
The majority of men die in this book, and honestly, this feels like it should be enough to give it the 5 star rating it deserves. I JOKE! But what a breath of fresh air to have an original all women fantasy cast. As an aged (late 20s) girlie, I am constantly angry, and I’ve been angry for years, yet when I was reading this book, the anger simmered to nothing. The noise of the world melted away. There were no reminders in the book of how crap it is and has been to be a woman.
I couldn’t actually put it down and I read it all in one sitting. The story reads as a standalone but I hope Rubin expands it and turns it into the multi-mega-universe I need it to be. It did start as a fanfic, but it is written eloquently and has rightfully earned its place as a work of fantasy fiction.
I’ve never known a book be so wholesome but also soul destroyingly sad at the same time. Reading this book is like getting a warm hug. In a world that is very broken and that is led by very broken people, this book is like a beacon of the bright, warm, welcoming light calling you in from the storm around you.
Even the villain of the book pulls at your heart strings, Rubin has written her as a classic villain full of sass and confidence, creating an icon, even though you don’t want her to win. Serisa feels a bit like an anime villain mixed with the greats from our childhood.
You know that if you had started the book from Serisa’s point of view, you’d be on her side. It’s a bit like watching a nature documentary. If it’s about Antelope, you hope they get away from the Lion. If it's about Lions, you hope they catch the Antelope. It really shows the talent behind how multi-layered Rubin makes her characters. Understanding the baddie’s pain and transferring that to the reader is one of the hardest tasks for authors, and it’s rarely done this well. You become aware of the layers, and they maximise the enjoyment of the read.
Similarly, the fight and battle scenes are well thought out and believable. Both sides get hurt. There isn’t a strong super-human/monster victor. Each fight is raw and has you on the edge of your seat. The switches of pov toward the end really help solidify the feelings and mission of each character. This is where Serisa really comes into that old-school villain as she mocks and laughs at her sister and Kas.
Rubin also covers different family breakdowns, through death, feuds, and lack of acceptance. Through Rubin’s emotive writing style, you are taken through the journey of lives as quickly as you read it. At times, your heart will even feel like it’s breaking before you’re thrust back into the action. The juxtaposition between the violence and emotional admissions saddles your heart. The pen is mightier than the sword, but both will gut you.Books like this are what will keep us going through scary times. It is resilience through art. And all we can do is read them, love them and promote them. Come home to this found family, where you’ll be accepted and find your place.
The book is being released on the 15th April, and I’m about to tell you all the reasons why you should add it to your reading lists for 2025. Strong women
Healer women
Cat women
Pirate women
Slayer women
Vampire women
Women Dragons
Women who sword fight
Merry band of women
Trans women
5 stars
La fin
The majority of men die in this book, and honestly, this feels like it should be enough to give it the 5 star rating it deserves. I JOKE! But what a breath of fresh air to have an original all women fantasy cast. As an aged (late 20s) girlie, I am constantly angry, and I’ve been angry for years, yet when I was reading this book, the anger simmered to nothing. The noise of the world melted away. There were no reminders in the book of how crap it is and has been to be a woman.
I couldn’t actually put it down and I read it all in one sitting. The story reads as a standalone but I hope Rubin expands it and turns it into the multi-mega-universe I need it to be. It did start as a fanfic, but it is written eloquently and has rightfully earned its place as a work of fantasy fiction.
I’ve never known a book be so wholesome but also soul destroyingly sad at the same time. Reading this book is like getting a warm hug. In a world that is very broken and that is led by very broken people, this book is like a beacon of the bright, warm, welcoming light calling you in from the storm around you.
Even the villain of the book pulls at your heart strings, Rubin has written her as a classic villain full of sass and confidence, creating an icon, even though you don’t want her to win. Serisa feels a bit like an anime villain mixed with the greats from our childhood.
You know that if you had started the book from Serisa’s point of view, you’d be on her side. It’s a bit like watching a nature documentary. If it’s about Antelope, you hope they get away from the Lion. If it's about Lions, you hope they catch the Antelope. It really shows the talent behind how multi-layered Rubin makes her characters. Understanding the baddie’s pain and transferring that to the reader is one of the hardest tasks for authors, and it’s rarely done this well. You become aware of the layers, and they maximise the enjoyment of the read.
Similarly, the fight and battle scenes are well thought out and believable. Both sides get hurt. There isn’t a strong super-human/monster victor. Each fight is raw and has you on the edge of your seat. The switches of pov toward the end really help solidify the feelings and mission of each character. This is where Serisa really comes into that old-school villain as she mocks and laughs at her sister and Kas.
Rubin also covers different family breakdowns, through death, feuds, and lack of acceptance. Through Rubin’s emotive writing style, you are taken through the journey of lives as quickly as you read it. At times, your heart will even feel like it’s breaking before you’re thrust back into the action. The juxtaposition between the violence and emotional admissions saddles your heart. The pen is mightier than the sword, but both will gut you.Books like this are what will keep us going through scary times. It is resilience through art. And all we can do is read them, love them and promote them. Come home to this found family, where you’ll be accepted and find your place.
April 19, 2025
A Ballad for Slayers and Monsters by Rita A. Rubin is quite the adventure—equal parts sapphic slow-burn romance and save-the-world fantasy. I enjoyed the ride.
Following the death of her family, Kas becomes a monster slayer. Claudia is a monster—or at least half-monster, for what it’s worth. The two are brought together by chance and a magical remnant capable of releasing vanquished dragons who threaten to annihilate humanity. As the two journey to Slayer's Keep, where the only thing they think can destroy the remnant is kept, they realize they are both more than just a slayer and a monster.
Rubin creates a volatile world filled with all manner of monsters, as well as monstrous humans. The dragon lore is interesting and distinct from anything I've read before. I appreciate the complexity of the antagonist and her relationship with Claudia. One of my favorite supporting characters is Aara, the little werecat. She brings lightness to the group and softens Kas, while also being smart and adorable. Claudia is another favorite character, for her strength and fortitude. This quest is undertaken by some very competent, formidable women with swords and serious butt-kicking skills, and I am here for it.
Great world-building and character development, action, a big battle final boss scene, and some lady love make this a satisfying read.
My only critiques are that more time could have been devoted to the protagonists’ relationship development during their journey and that the high fantasy elements could have been explored in greater depth.
I recommend this enemies-to-lovers romantasy. I am giving it 3.75 stars, rounded up.
#enemiestolovers #fantasy #highfantasy #romantasy #dragons #shifters #vampires #quest #swords #HEA
I received a free ARC from NetGalley. This is my honest opinion.
Following the death of her family, Kas becomes a monster slayer. Claudia is a monster—or at least half-monster, for what it’s worth. The two are brought together by chance and a magical remnant capable of releasing vanquished dragons who threaten to annihilate humanity. As the two journey to Slayer's Keep, where the only thing they think can destroy the remnant is kept, they realize they are both more than just a slayer and a monster.
Rubin creates a volatile world filled with all manner of monsters, as well as monstrous humans. The dragon lore is interesting and distinct from anything I've read before. I appreciate the complexity of the antagonist and her relationship with Claudia. One of my favorite supporting characters is Aara, the little werecat. She brings lightness to the group and softens Kas, while also being smart and adorable. Claudia is another favorite character, for her strength and fortitude. This quest is undertaken by some very competent, formidable women with swords and serious butt-kicking skills, and I am here for it.
Great world-building and character development, action, a big battle final boss scene, and some lady love make this a satisfying read.
My only critiques are that more time could have been devoted to the protagonists’ relationship development during their journey and that the high fantasy elements could have been explored in greater depth.
I recommend this enemies-to-lovers romantasy. I am giving it 3.75 stars, rounded up.
#enemiestolovers #fantasy #highfantasy #romantasy #dragons #shifters #vampires #quest #swords #HEA
I received a free ARC from NetGalley. This is my honest opinion.
February 12, 2025
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I truly enjoyed this book. While I have some minor complaints, I was completely engaged in the story from start to finish. The pacing is perfect for 90% of the book—it maintains a break-neck speed and hits all the high notes! There’s never a dull moment.
I also have to praise the strong, predominantly female cast, which makes the feminist themes feel naturally integrated rather than forced or dumbed down. It felt refreshing without being heavy-handed, which is ALWAYS a pet peeve of mine in such books.
That said, while I wouldn’t call the plot predictable, I do feel the book lacks a major plot twist or a gasp-worthy reveal. The final battle felt like it dragged on, which was disappointing because the pacing had been so tight until that point. I was also a bit disappointed [MAJOR SPOILERS, Part IV-ch. 7/89%]
Part IV is really my only complaint, though, in what was otherwise a truly amazing book. I felt like I went on a real adventure with these characters, and it’s a story I’ll remember fondly for many years to come!
I truly enjoyed this book. While I have some minor complaints, I was completely engaged in the story from start to finish. The pacing is perfect for 90% of the book—it maintains a break-neck speed and hits all the high notes! There’s never a dull moment.
I also have to praise the strong, predominantly female cast, which makes the feminist themes feel naturally integrated rather than forced or dumbed down. It felt refreshing without being heavy-handed, which is ALWAYS a pet peeve of mine in such books.
That said, while I wouldn’t call the plot predictable, I do feel the book lacks a major plot twist or a gasp-worthy reveal. The final battle felt like it dragged on, which was disappointing because the pacing had been so tight until that point. I was also a bit disappointed [MAJOR SPOILERS, Part IV-ch. 7/89%]
Part IV is really my only complaint, though, in what was otherwise a truly amazing book. I felt like I went on a real adventure with these characters, and it’s a story I’ll remember fondly for many years to come!
October 29, 2025
I'm a simple lesbian: I see women wielding swords on the cover and a promise of a monster hunter/monster romance and I'm interested. I see "half-monster", with the implication that this is unusual in the world the story is set in, and my interest is piqued even more, especially because that monster is a (half) vampire. I'm not a vampire connoisseur, but I do like to see how various authors explore and interpret vampire lore; half-vampires seem to be, according to the most well-known lores, an impossibility (excluding Twilight), so I was excited to see what Rubin would do with this. Add to all that a whisper of dragons being relevant, and I'm fully sold. I started A Ballad for Slayers & Monsters intrigued but without any set expectations, having never read from this author before.
The prologue didn't set the bar too high, and then the following chapters just kept lowering it more and more.
To be fair, this isn't the worst book I've ever read. That title belongs to T. Kingfisher's Clockwork Boys, but I can draw some similarities in the ways both of these books were written (especially the "humor"), so I guess if you enjoy T. Kingfisher's books, you might like this one too.
Rubin is an indie author, but I firmly believe that published books should adhere to certain standards — ones which this book didn't meet — whether they're indie or traditionally published. I didn't DNF it because my curiosity was my reading motivation, but unfortunately that couldn't be attributed to Rubin's skill in storytelling or writing style.
I found the writing style to be stilted and stiff, the narrative voice as lively as a reanimated corpse. The dialogue was also stilted and unnatural: there was no flow to it, the characters who were supposedly friends for years talked to each other like they had no understanding of how the other's mind worked and it overly relied on being corny and clichéd. There were so many sentences which made me feel like Rubin didn't have a line editor but desperately needed it, so much so that the ESL tutor in me itched to pull out my markers and start correcting. I'll let some non-spoilery examples illustrate this for you, and I'll break them into three most notable categories:
1. grammatical mistakes & fear of commas
... my brain hurts.
&
I CANNOT stress enough how often you'll find Fear of Commas examples like the two above. IT'S NOT QUIRKY. IT'S NOT A WRITING STYLE. IT'S ANNOYING AS FUCK AND MAKES IT SOUND LIKE YOU'RE FALLING ASLEEP MID-SENTENCE. IT BREAKS THE FLOW OF THE THOUGHT. SOME GENERAL SENTENCE STRUCTURE RULES EXIST FOR A REASON. PLEASE UNDERSTAND.
2. what an odd way of putting it
... that's a forearm.
This is giving "I've gone over the way to describe this so many times that I don't know how to talk like a normal person anymore" because wdym "bury the edge of it". No one would think that during a fight. When someone/thing is coming at you with a hatchet, you're assuming they wanna kill you and your brain will supply you with this information, even if it's exaggerated and your opponent doesn't truly have the strength for it, in order to get you to move the hell out of the way.
Is it severed or split down the middle? You can't have both.
... so it looks nothing like a chicken egg. Ngl, at least this made me laugh out loud at how ridiculous it was.
3. amateur wordsmith
I'm pretty sure ice-coldness isn't an actual word...
??????????????
Most of these are from the first 33% of the book — I only noted down the most confounding examples, but trust me, THE ENTIRE BOOK IS WRITTEN THIS WAY.
Next on the menu we have plot and characterization. Now, I've never watched or played the Witcher and have only a vague idea of what it is about, so I can't comment on how similar A Ballad for Slayers & Monsters is to it with any relevance. Yes, I live under a rock. It's worth noting that in author's own words, this is "a feminist the Witcher with an all-female cast". When authors describe their books by comparing them to a well-established and beloved franchise, or as a combination of more of them, it always seems to me like they're unknowingly shooting themselves in the foot by admitting that they didn't even try to be original or creative.
But, since I don't know enough to compare the plot of this book to its major source of inspiration, I'll just tell you my unbiased thoughts on it.
Since vampires — or vampyrics, as they're called in this book — are such an integral part of the story, I think it's fair to make them their own talking point. The vampire lore was quite unremarkable, but that's okay — sometimes a monster is just a monster. That can be fun too. I found the half-vampire lore a bit underwhelming though, especially because it was revealed to us in almost its entirety in a single conversation.
Speaking of infodumps... When we got glimpses into the history of Vil Tresar, those paragraphs sounded like they were copy pasted from a worldbuilding draft — no specific years or persons of note mentioned, everything was very vague. On the other hand, characters' motivations were overexplained, and this overexplaining was not limited to infodumps — most action scenes were tiresome instead of exciting as either every single step was given to us with reasons behind it OR the steps didn't make sense because the ways the characters moved didn't match their strikes. The result would end up being a choppy-sounding scene with the only thrills coming in the form of surprises. Also, between the three POVs that we got, we would learn details about the character whose POV we were in only to later have them relay those same details to another character, so we'd get the same info from two different POVs, which was unnecessarily repetitive. Additionally, conversations about LGBT issues that were supposed to be heartfelt fell flat because we saw no proof of the supposed struggle of queer people — I genuinely thought that kind of discrimination didn't exist in this universe.
I found many other inconsistencies in the storyline. For one, the magic system was never explained. How did Kas use her gauntlet? What made a good sorcerer? How could humans use magic at all? What's the source of magic in this world? We literally learn NOTHING about it. We only know a little about the dragons and how the monsters came to be. Nothing else!!!!! Were we supposed to just borrow that knowledge from the Witcher? That's embarrassing.
I'm getting tired of this review, so the rest of my complaints will be in bullet points.
• The romance between Kas and Claudia needed more time to develop. They became too trusting too suddenly — as I was reading, I felt like the author was growing impatient with their struggles to reconcile their beliefs with their desires and decided to speed it up a bit. As a result, their revelations about each other didn't feel earned and their union fell flat to me. I also didn't feel their chemistry.
• Every conflict was conveniently resolved by a sudden fight breaking out, which would surreptitiously prove the point the POV character wanted to make
• Unrealistic movement while injured — ESPECIALLY in the fourth part of the book. It was so bad that it had me going
• Serisa's character arc and that final scene with her and Claudia... Bruh, what was that? It's like Rubin didn't know what to do with her and so we got... whatever that was. It was out of character for Claudia to do what she did!!!!! It just made no fucking sense.
• Kas was basically Vi from Arcane
I know this was supposed to be a sillygoofy book which doesn't take itself seriously, but with the themes it was exploring, it just didn't work. The humor also didn't work for me — it was deeply unfunny. Truly nothing about this book worked for me, and while it kept me reasonably entertained, I just can't look past the inconsistencies and that messy writing. It was bad and I doubt I'll be reading from this author again.
The prologue didn't set the bar too high, and then the following chapters just kept lowering it more and more.
To be fair, this isn't the worst book I've ever read. That title belongs to T. Kingfisher's Clockwork Boys, but I can draw some similarities in the ways both of these books were written (especially the "humor"), so I guess if you enjoy T. Kingfisher's books, you might like this one too.
Rubin is an indie author, but I firmly believe that published books should adhere to certain standards — ones which this book didn't meet — whether they're indie or traditionally published. I didn't DNF it because my curiosity was my reading motivation, but unfortunately that couldn't be attributed to Rubin's skill in storytelling or writing style.
I found the writing style to be stilted and stiff, the narrative voice as lively as a reanimated corpse. The dialogue was also stilted and unnatural: there was no flow to it, the characters who were supposedly friends for years talked to each other like they had no understanding of how the other's mind worked and it overly relied on being corny and clichéd. There were so many sentences which made me feel like Rubin didn't have a line editor but desperately needed it, so much so that the ESL tutor in me itched to pull out my markers and start correcting. I'll let some non-spoilery examples illustrate this for you, and I'll break them into three most notable categories:
1. grammatical mistakes & fear of commas
It was only as Kas drew closer to the mountains did she hear a cry split the air.
But no sooner was the strega free of her first two attackers, was Claudia before her, aiming her sword at the monster’s heart.
“[...] Take me with you. The two of us together might mean less of a chance in this quest ending in death or with the remnant stolen.”
... my brain hurts.
It appeared to be busying itself with eating. The snapping of its beak and sounds of ripping flesh audible even from this distance.
&
With no other choice, Kas let go of the branch and fell to the ground. Landing hard on the rocky floor.
I CANNOT stress enough how often you'll find Fear of Commas examples like the two above. IT'S NOT QUIRKY. IT'S NOT A WRITING STYLE. IT'S ANNOYING AS FUCK AND MAKES IT SOUND LIKE YOU'RE FALLING ASLEEP MID-SENTENCE. IT BREAKS THE FLOW OF THE THOUGHT. SOME GENERAL SENTENCE STRUCTURE RULES EXIST FOR A REASON. PLEASE UNDERSTAND.
2. what an odd way of putting it
[...] the same length perhaps as Serisa’s elbow to her wrist [...]
... that's a forearm.
The closest one swinging at her with its hatchet, intending to bury the edge of it into her skull.
This is giving "I've gone over the way to describe this so many times that I don't know how to talk like a normal person anymore" because wdym "bury the edge of it". No one would think that during a fight. When someone/thing is coming at you with a hatchet, you're assuming they wanna kill you and your brain will supply you with this information, even if it's exaggerated and your opponent doesn't truly have the strength for it, in order to get you to move the hell out of the way.
Above her was the corpse whose head she had severed down the middle.
Is it severed or split down the middle? You can't have both.
It could have almost passed for a chicken’s egg, had it not been larger than Kas’s head. Its shell was also far too white and pristine. It looked as if it had been carved out of stone.
... so it looks nothing like a chicken egg. Ngl, at least this made me laugh out loud at how ridiculous it was.
3. amateur wordsmith
Yet still the sight of them sent ice-coldness rushing through her veins like no other monster did.
I'm pretty sure ice-coldness isn't an actual word...
Of course, no such thing ever eventuated.
??????????????
Most of these are from the first 33% of the book — I only noted down the most confounding examples, but trust me, THE ENTIRE BOOK IS WRITTEN THIS WAY.
Next on the menu we have plot and characterization. Now, I've never watched or played the Witcher and have only a vague idea of what it is about, so I can't comment on how similar A Ballad for Slayers & Monsters is to it with any relevance. Yes, I live under a rock. It's worth noting that in author's own words, this is "a feminist the Witcher with an all-female cast". When authors describe their books by comparing them to a well-established and beloved franchise, or as a combination of more of them, it always seems to me like they're unknowingly shooting themselves in the foot by admitting that they didn't even try to be original or creative.
But, since I don't know enough to compare the plot of this book to its major source of inspiration, I'll just tell you my unbiased thoughts on it.
Since vampires — or vampyrics, as they're called in this book — are such an integral part of the story, I think it's fair to make them their own talking point. The vampire lore was quite unremarkable, but that's okay — sometimes a monster is just a monster. That can be fun too. I found the half-vampire lore a bit underwhelming though, especially because it was revealed to us in almost its entirety in a single conversation.
Speaking of infodumps... When we got glimpses into the history of Vil Tresar, those paragraphs sounded like they were copy pasted from a worldbuilding draft — no specific years or persons of note mentioned, everything was very vague. On the other hand, characters' motivations were overexplained, and this overexplaining was not limited to infodumps — most action scenes were tiresome instead of exciting as either every single step was given to us with reasons behind it OR the steps didn't make sense because the ways the characters moved didn't match their strikes. The result would end up being a choppy-sounding scene with the only thrills coming in the form of surprises. Also, between the three POVs that we got, we would learn details about the character whose POV we were in only to later have them relay those same details to another character, so we'd get the same info from two different POVs, which was unnecessarily repetitive. Additionally, conversations about LGBT issues that were supposed to be heartfelt fell flat because we saw no proof of the supposed struggle of queer people — I genuinely thought that kind of discrimination didn't exist in this universe.
I found many other inconsistencies in the storyline. For one, the magic system was never explained. How did Kas use her gauntlet? What made a good sorcerer? How could humans use magic at all? What's the source of magic in this world? We literally learn NOTHING about it. We only know a little about the dragons and how the monsters came to be. Nothing else!!!!! Were we supposed to just borrow that knowledge from the Witcher? That's embarrassing.
I'm getting tired of this review, so the rest of my complaints will be in bullet points.
• The romance between Kas and Claudia needed more time to develop. They became too trusting too suddenly — as I was reading, I felt like the author was growing impatient with their struggles to reconcile their beliefs with their desires and decided to speed it up a bit. As a result, their revelations about each other didn't feel earned and their union fell flat to me. I also didn't feel their chemistry.
• Every conflict was conveniently resolved by a sudden fight breaking out, which would surreptitiously prove the point the POV character wanted to make
• Unrealistic movement while injured — ESPECIALLY in the fourth part of the book. It was so bad that it had me going
• Serisa's character arc and that final scene with her and Claudia... Bruh, what was that? It's like Rubin didn't know what to do with her and so we got... whatever that was. It was out of character for Claudia to do what she did!!!!! It just made no fucking sense.
• Kas was basically Vi from Arcane
I know this was supposed to be a sillygoofy book which doesn't take itself seriously, but with the themes it was exploring, it just didn't work. The humor also didn't work for me — it was deeply unfunny. Truly nothing about this book worked for me, and while it kept me reasonably entertained, I just can't look past the inconsistencies and that messy writing. It was bad and I doubt I'll be reading from this author again.
Read
February 25, 2025A BALLAD FOR SLAYERS & MONSTERS has a compelling story and I'm sure that queer romance readers will ADORE Kas and Claudia's relationship. The world is heavily inspired by The Witcher and contains many references to the franchise. It has plenty of similar concepts, but a less gritty society.
As an author myself, I can see the love Rubin put into it. The prose is flowing and clear, and the characters will take the right audience's hearts by storm.
As a reader, I must admit that this book wasn't for me and it didn't hook me. I decided not to rate it because I'm definitely not the right audience for this novel and it's on me. It's certainly a good story and the premise sounded PERFECT for me — a BIG fan of The Witcher books and games. Unfortunately, this novel and I didn't click, but the right readers will love it.
I certainly recommend it to fans of sapphic romance, sword and sorcery fantasy settings, and to those who search for good representation and a lovable cast of characters!
I received an ARC from the author and I'm leaving this review voluntarily.
As an author myself, I can see the love Rubin put into it. The prose is flowing and clear, and the characters will take the right audience's hearts by storm.
As a reader, I must admit that this book wasn't for me and it didn't hook me. I decided not to rate it because I'm definitely not the right audience for this novel and it's on me. It's certainly a good story and the premise sounded PERFECT for me — a BIG fan of The Witcher books and games. Unfortunately, this novel and I didn't click, but the right readers will love it.
I certainly recommend it to fans of sapphic romance, sword and sorcery fantasy settings, and to those who search for good representation and a lovable cast of characters!
I received an ARC from the author and I'm leaving this review voluntarily.
March 14, 2025
I received an ARC of this book and am leaving a review voluntarily.
The beginning opens with a bang which I give massive props to. Beginnings are hard! But in one chapter length, I immediately cared about the MC, was introduced to the types of magic in the world, understood our main character is at a massive disadvantage and I wanted vengeance and justice for her so badly.
Claudia and Kas are exactly the type of couple I want and love to follow—both strong, both competent in caring for themselves, both able to hold their own in battle but when you put them together…ooo, then things get interesting!
It’s a cliche but they bicker and banter like a married couple and I was so here for it! I wanted to just sit there and watch them go at each other so they could make up later.
I enjoy the villain as well. I’d actually call them more an antagonist actually…though that’s not quite right either. Let’s just say you could see why the villain acted like they did. No excuse! But…understandable and I love it when stories do that because it makes you think!
If you want a story with an awesome magic system, action, a couple with great chemistry, and a plot (and villain) that make you think twice, check it out!
The beginning opens with a bang which I give massive props to. Beginnings are hard! But in one chapter length, I immediately cared about the MC, was introduced to the types of magic in the world, understood our main character is at a massive disadvantage and I wanted vengeance and justice for her so badly.
Claudia and Kas are exactly the type of couple I want and love to follow—both strong, both competent in caring for themselves, both able to hold their own in battle but when you put them together…ooo, then things get interesting!
It’s a cliche but they bicker and banter like a married couple and I was so here for it! I wanted to just sit there and watch them go at each other so they could make up later.
I enjoy the villain as well. I’d actually call them more an antagonist actually…though that’s not quite right either. Let’s just say you could see why the villain acted like they did. No excuse! But…understandable and I love it when stories do that because it makes you think!
If you want a story with an awesome magic system, action, a couple with great chemistry, and a plot (and villain) that make you think twice, check it out!
June 19, 2025
4⭐
This was so good!! Such a fun story, very easy to read and follow the characters’ journey.
The characters were all so well written, Kas and her past and her becoming a slayer and just how kind she was, Claudia and her story with being half a vampire but also how she set the whole plot in wanting to stop her Serisa from destroying the whole world, and Serisa, who even though she was the villain and wanted to end mankind, she had suffered so much and just wanted to ease her pain and get revenge.
The romance was perfect, it took a while for them to notice each other but the yearning was done so well and I was giggling and kicking my feet every time they as much as glanced at each other.
This book could’ve benefited being a bit longer and some scenes a bit more developed, and some parts felt like they happened too easily to keep the story moving, while it has made sense for there to have been a bit more struggle or suspicion from the characters. Nonetheless, very much enjoyed reading this.
This was so good!! Such a fun story, very easy to read and follow the characters’ journey.
The characters were all so well written, Kas and her past and her becoming a slayer and just how kind she was, Claudia and her story with being half a vampire but also how she set the whole plot in wanting to stop her Serisa from destroying the whole world, and Serisa, who even though she was the villain and wanted to end mankind, she had suffered so much and just wanted to ease her pain and get revenge.
The romance was perfect, it took a while for them to notice each other but the yearning was done so well and I was giggling and kicking my feet every time they as much as glanced at each other.
This book could’ve benefited being a bit longer and some scenes a bit more developed, and some parts felt like they happened too easily to keep the story moving, while it has made sense for there to have been a bit more struggle or suspicion from the characters. Nonetheless, very much enjoyed reading this.
February 11, 2025
3,75⭐️
A Ballad for Slayers & Monsters by Rita A. Rubin is a fast-paced fantasy romance.
I was drawn in from the beginning by the cover and the premise; The Witcher but make it sapphic and with vampires? Say less.
I was very taken with the story so I consider this novel a pretty enjoyable read overall.
Nonetheless, I would’ve liked to see a deeper exploration of the characters and perhaps of the romance between the two protagonists.
While I wasn’t particularly fond of the ending, I would still recommend this book to any fantasy lovers, especially those who love a pretty much all-female cast of characters.
Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
A Ballad for Slayers & Monsters by Rita A. Rubin is a fast-paced fantasy romance.
I was drawn in from the beginning by the cover and the premise; The Witcher but make it sapphic and with vampires? Say less.
I was very taken with the story so I consider this novel a pretty enjoyable read overall.
Nonetheless, I would’ve liked to see a deeper exploration of the characters and perhaps of the romance between the two protagonists.
While I wasn’t particularly fond of the ending, I would still recommend this book to any fantasy lovers, especially those who love a pretty much all-female cast of characters.
Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
November 11, 2025
this might be a caitvi fanfic but I just cant prove it
February 4, 2025
☆ Fun Factor 5/5
☆ Writing Style 3/5
☆ Characters 4/5
☆ Plot 2/5
☆ Setting 1/5
☆ Feels 2/5
☆ Spiciness 4/5 (several sex scenes and a really sweet slow burn romance)
Ultimate verdict ☆☆☆☆/5
☆☆☆Best Character Award goes to:☆☆☆ CLAUDIA my girl!!!!
Review: LETS GO LESBIANS!!!
Marketed as a sapphic Witcher homage, you get exactly what you're asking for. Kas is Geralt-ing all over the place with TWO silver swords mind you, except she's not as philosophical, conflicted, or nuanced as he is. For a majority of the book, she sees a monster, it dies. And just like Geralt, every woman on two legs thinks she's the hottest thing in town; it was oddly endearing and refreshing to see a lot of the tropes from such a masculine genre as monster-slayer fantasy reflected with a 95% female cast of characters. Everybody here is lesbians, and I love it!!! It's unapologetically a play on a very dude bro dominated genre and I was having a blast.
There's some kind of monster for Kas to kill in pretty much every chapter, from griffins to merfolk to DRAGONS. Yea, if you read the Witcher series and complained "he spends too much time being sad and not enough killing things," your prayers have been answered.
Claudia, Kas's half-vampire love interest, gives off massive Alucard of Castlevania energy, and not just from her beautiful platinum hair and cool rapier either. She's got the same sort of sadness Alucard does about a mortal parent dying and the grief the immortal one went through at the loss, and then without spoiling anything, this becomes a save the world plot because of grief for a beloved lost. It just worked.
Have we seen these tropes done before? Ohhhh yes. Did I care? No. Not at all. Did this start it's life as a Witcher x Castlevania fanfic but with lots of lesbians? Maybe, but good for Rita. This was a really really fun read.
Ultimately though the romance between Kas and Claudia is the real heart of everything. Their banter, the gradual gains in trust and respect for each other that ultimately turn into love. It's just incredibly sweet.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for my honest review!
☆ Writing Style 3/5
☆ Characters 4/5
☆ Plot 2/5
☆ Setting 1/5
☆ Feels 2/5
☆ Spiciness 4/5 (several sex scenes and a really sweet slow burn romance)
Ultimate verdict ☆☆☆☆/5
☆☆☆Best Character Award goes to:☆☆☆ CLAUDIA my girl!!!!
Review: LETS GO LESBIANS!!!
Marketed as a sapphic Witcher homage, you get exactly what you're asking for. Kas is Geralt-ing all over the place with TWO silver swords mind you, except she's not as philosophical, conflicted, or nuanced as he is. For a majority of the book, she sees a monster, it dies. And just like Geralt, every woman on two legs thinks she's the hottest thing in town; it was oddly endearing and refreshing to see a lot of the tropes from such a masculine genre as monster-slayer fantasy reflected with a 95% female cast of characters. Everybody here is lesbians, and I love it!!! It's unapologetically a play on a very dude bro dominated genre and I was having a blast.
There's some kind of monster for Kas to kill in pretty much every chapter, from griffins to merfolk to DRAGONS. Yea, if you read the Witcher series and complained "he spends too much time being sad and not enough killing things," your prayers have been answered.
Claudia, Kas's half-vampire love interest, gives off massive Alucard of Castlevania energy, and not just from her beautiful platinum hair and cool rapier either. She's got the same sort of sadness Alucard does about a mortal parent dying and the grief the immortal one went through at the loss, and then without spoiling anything, this becomes a save the world plot because of grief for a beloved lost. It just worked.
Have we seen these tropes done before? Ohhhh yes. Did I care? No. Not at all. Did this start it's life as a Witcher x Castlevania fanfic but with lots of lesbians? Maybe, but good for Rita. This was a really really fun read.
Ultimately though the romance between Kas and Claudia is the real heart of everything. Their banter, the gradual gains in trust and respect for each other that ultimately turn into love. It's just incredibly sweet.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for my honest review!
April 16, 2025
Described as a queer feminist version of The Witcher, this book had me intrigued from the start—I’m a fan of all those elements, even if romantasy isn’t usually my genre. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite live up to the hype for me.
The pacing felt uneven—dragging in some sections and then rushing through others—and the dialogue often pulled me out of the story rather than immersing me further. The seemingly endless parade of monsters began to feel like a checklist, rather than adding meaningful stakes or tension.
That said, I did enjoy the enemies-to-lovers dynamic, which was well-executed between the two leads. Kas and Claudia were both charming and distinct, with personalities and issues that made them feel real. However, I found the main villain a bit grating, especially in how her arc was resolved.
Despite the YA-leaning cover design, I wouldn’t categorize this as YA due to the explicit sex and violence. Just something to keep in mind for potential readers.
And maybe this is just a personal quirk, but Claudia will always be the werewolf from Monster High in my head—so remembering she’s a vampire (sorry, vampiric) was a recurring mental hiccup. That brings me to another small gripe: why tweak the names of every single monster just slightly? It felt unnecessary and occasionally distracting.
In the end, this one wasn’t for me, which is a shame because I really wanted to love it. Still, I did find moments of enjoyment, and I can see it resonating more strongly with the right audience.
The pacing felt uneven—dragging in some sections and then rushing through others—and the dialogue often pulled me out of the story rather than immersing me further. The seemingly endless parade of monsters began to feel like a checklist, rather than adding meaningful stakes or tension.
That said, I did enjoy the enemies-to-lovers dynamic, which was well-executed between the two leads. Kas and Claudia were both charming and distinct, with personalities and issues that made them feel real. However, I found the main villain a bit grating, especially in how her arc was resolved.
Despite the YA-leaning cover design, I wouldn’t categorize this as YA due to the explicit sex and violence. Just something to keep in mind for potential readers.
And maybe this is just a personal quirk, but Claudia will always be the werewolf from Monster High in my head—so remembering she’s a vampire (sorry, vampiric) was a recurring mental hiccup. That brings me to another small gripe: why tweak the names of every single monster just slightly? It felt unnecessary and occasionally distracting.
In the end, this one wasn’t for me, which is a shame because I really wanted to love it. Still, I did find moments of enjoyment, and I can see it resonating more strongly with the right audience.
Read
April 29, 2025(Disclaimer: I received an early version of this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving an honest review; this has not affected my opinion of the book.)
I’ve been looking forward to A BALLAD FOR SLAYERS AND MONSTERS ever since Rita first started talking about it, so naturally I HAD to get my hands on an ARC the moment it was offered. A fantasy adventure featuring vampires and sapphic romance? And dragons? Yes PLEASE. This book is basically packaged with a sticker that says “For Talli.”
The characters are all compelling—antagonists included—and noticeably grow and change throughout the story. I loved the way Kas and Claudia grew to trust, and later love, each other—fans of “enemies to lovers” will eat this one up. Their relationship felt authentic and believable: not too fast, and not too slow. I will say that I expected this book to be longer than it is; it moves at a quick pace, which was fine for driving the plot forward but I felt that that was often at the expense of slower, softer moments between the characters. On one hand, it makes for a quick read. On the other, it left me wishing I’d gotten to know the characters a little better. That being said, I don’t want to judge the book too harshly as the version I read is not the final version. All in all, this was a fantastic read that kept me intrigued, entertained, and thrilled from start to finish.
I’ve been looking forward to A BALLAD FOR SLAYERS AND MONSTERS ever since Rita first started talking about it, so naturally I HAD to get my hands on an ARC the moment it was offered. A fantasy adventure featuring vampires and sapphic romance? And dragons? Yes PLEASE. This book is basically packaged with a sticker that says “For Talli.”
The characters are all compelling—antagonists included—and noticeably grow and change throughout the story. I loved the way Kas and Claudia grew to trust, and later love, each other—fans of “enemies to lovers” will eat this one up. Their relationship felt authentic and believable: not too fast, and not too slow. I will say that I expected this book to be longer than it is; it moves at a quick pace, which was fine for driving the plot forward but I felt that that was often at the expense of slower, softer moments between the characters. On one hand, it makes for a quick read. On the other, it left me wishing I’d gotten to know the characters a little better. That being said, I don’t want to judge the book too harshly as the version I read is not the final version. All in all, this was a fantastic read that kept me intrigued, entertained, and thrilled from start to finish.
April 29, 2025
The Witcher but make it sapphic?! SAY LESS 😍 I just wish it was longer bc it felt like there was so much that could be explored
February 7, 2025
I received an advanced reader copy from the author and am leaving a review voluntarily.
I was really excited to read this book after having read and loved Of Knights and Books and Falling In Love. I was also really curious to read more of a high-stakes book from this author and boy howdy this did not disappoint. My favourite part of A Ballad for Slayers & Monsters to me was the characters, particularly Kas and Claudia, the monster slayer and the (half) monster, and the way their relationship developed throughout the book. I'm such a sucker for when a romance starts out with both parts wanting to k*ll each other and ends with them being so head-over-heels in love with each other. My only criticism is I wish the pace could have slowed down a bit. I would have liked the story to go on a bit longer. But other than that, this book was a delight and Rubin has cemented themselves as one of my auto-buy authors.
I was really excited to read this book after having read and loved Of Knights and Books and Falling In Love. I was also really curious to read more of a high-stakes book from this author and boy howdy this did not disappoint. My favourite part of A Ballad for Slayers & Monsters to me was the characters, particularly Kas and Claudia, the monster slayer and the (half) monster, and the way their relationship developed throughout the book. I'm such a sucker for when a romance starts out with both parts wanting to k*ll each other and ends with them being so head-over-heels in love with each other. My only criticism is I wish the pace could have slowed down a bit. I would have liked the story to go on a bit longer. But other than that, this book was a delight and Rubin has cemented themselves as one of my auto-buy authors.
February 9, 2025
I absolutely flew through the last half of this book. Rubin has done it again and written another compelling and imaginative story with characters you just can't help but adore. The trans rep in this story was also such a pleasant surprise!
I read this as an advanced reader copy from the author.
I read this as an advanced reader copy from the author.
February 26, 2025
3/5 ⭐
Thanks for the arc!!! Full review down here:
Okay that was fun.
I must say that I was a little scared to ask for the arc since romantasy is a genre I don't usually love, and I didn't want to sugarcoat my review if I didn't like it. Luckily, it wasn't the case at all. To be clear, I'm always very harsh with my ratings, so what a 3/5 ⭐ means to me: "I liked it, I would definitely recommend it to people who i know enjoy this genre, even if it had it's issues". So let's go
Some stuff I enjoyed:
-Super fast paced and fun
-Loved the mix of serious gorey fights but with a light plot. It's a mix I haven't seen before and I liked it!!
-Aara <3
-The past years I've been having trouble with finding wlw pairings with natural chemistry (tragic, I tell you) so having Kas and Claudia matching so well was a pleasure too.
I have few things that I didn't love, such as I wish it wasn't longer (but I understand that's just me being a chunky-fantasy-book lover). Also, some parts of the book felt a little like a mix of a lot of popular tropes, which definitely isn't a bad thing on its own bc it matched well altogether, but again, personal preferences.
The narrative writing was pretty good in my opinion, but the dialogues felt a little too cliché, and the villains construction was a little plain too.
Overall, better written than I was expecting, with two solid main characters, and light plot.
Definitely recommend as a beach read for ur next lesbian summer <3
Thanks for the arc!!! Full review down here:
Okay that was fun.
I must say that I was a little scared to ask for the arc since romantasy is a genre I don't usually love, and I didn't want to sugarcoat my review if I didn't like it. Luckily, it wasn't the case at all. To be clear, I'm always very harsh with my ratings, so what a 3/5 ⭐ means to me: "I liked it, I would definitely recommend it to people who i know enjoy this genre, even if it had it's issues". So let's go
Some stuff I enjoyed:
-Super fast paced and fun
-Loved the mix of serious gorey fights but with a light plot. It's a mix I haven't seen before and I liked it!!
-Aara <3
-The past years I've been having trouble with finding wlw pairings with natural chemistry (tragic, I tell you) so having Kas and Claudia matching so well was a pleasure too.
I have few things that I didn't love, such as I wish it wasn't longer (but I understand that's just me being a chunky-fantasy-book lover). Also, some parts of the book felt a little like a mix of a lot of popular tropes, which definitely isn't a bad thing on its own bc it matched well altogether, but again, personal preferences.
The narrative writing was pretty good in my opinion, but the dialogues felt a little too cliché, and the villains construction was a little plain too.
Overall, better written than I was expecting, with two solid main characters, and light plot.
Definitely recommend as a beach read for ur next lesbian summer <3
April 6, 2025
3.75
Thank you Netgalley for the free ARC ebook in exchange for an unbiased review.
I enjoyed this book! The first thing i noticed was the writing style, which was a little odd and took taking used to. But as i read on it was fine. I do think there was many times that there was filler sentences that felt unnecessary and even repetitive; that the author could have left out. These were sentences that often pointed out a very obvious thing that happened when it was already inferred in the previous paragraph. Also, just as a preference i would have liked the characters’ inner thoughts to be italicized, as well as call backs to other characters’ quotes. It helps differentiate them from the other paragraphs a bit more.
The plot was interesting, love a good journey. I do think a map would have been nice to go along with this book so you could follow the journey. Since this is a stand-alone i think there could have been more world building and lore, especially surrounding the Slayers and the dragons. We only really meet two Slayers and do not have any backstory from them or about time in the Slayer’s Keep. An interlude or prologue of the First Sllayer defeating the Dragons would have been an amazing addition.
I did like all the different monsters that the characters encountered including the smaller ones such as Aara..
I am glad that Serisa decided to go herself, she was irredeemable at that point with all she had killed and intended to kill with the release of the Dragons. I liked the romance, it did not feel rushed and it felt genuine.
Thank you Netgalley for the free ARC ebook in exchange for an unbiased review.
I enjoyed this book! The first thing i noticed was the writing style, which was a little odd and took taking used to. But as i read on it was fine. I do think there was many times that there was filler sentences that felt unnecessary and even repetitive; that the author could have left out. These were sentences that often pointed out a very obvious thing that happened when it was already inferred in the previous paragraph. Also, just as a preference i would have liked the characters’ inner thoughts to be italicized, as well as call backs to other characters’ quotes. It helps differentiate them from the other paragraphs a bit more.
The plot was interesting, love a good journey. I do think a map would have been nice to go along with this book so you could follow the journey. Since this is a stand-alone i think there could have been more world building and lore, especially surrounding the Slayers and the dragons. We only really meet two Slayers and do not have any backstory from them or about time in the Slayer’s Keep. An interlude or prologue of the First Sllayer defeating the Dragons would have been an amazing addition.
I did like all the different monsters that the characters encountered including the smaller ones such as Aara..
I am glad that Serisa decided to go herself, she was irredeemable at that point with all she had killed and intended to kill with the release of the Dragons. I liked the romance, it did not feel rushed and it felt genuine.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2025
I received a Ballad for Slayers and Monsters as an ARC, thank you for the early copy Rita!
This book reminds me so much of Castlevania, which was what drew me to read it initially! The beginning was so strong, and I couldn't put it down after starting. The storyline was reminiscent of The Witcher and Castlevania, which are both series that I love, so I enjoyed the story a lot!
I liked all of the characters, even the villains. I think that Serisa had valid feelings around hating humans, and I felt a lot of empathy for her and the things she went through.
Kas and Claudia are so cute together! I definitely had vibes of Vi and Caitlyn with them, iykyk. I think their romance was realistic, and they suited each other well. They had moments of great banter and lots of sweet moments too.
Honestly, I would have loved for this to have been longer and more of a slow burn. But that's personal preference because that's what I enjoy. I think Rita did a great job of the enemies to lovers trope in the book.
I would love to see them in any future books that Rita writes! Maybe a sequel in the future from Aara's point of view as an adult? 👀
There's so much I loved about this book, I can't wait to order a physical copy to annotate my favourite parts!
This book reminds me so much of Castlevania, which was what drew me to read it initially! The beginning was so strong, and I couldn't put it down after starting. The storyline was reminiscent of The Witcher and Castlevania, which are both series that I love, so I enjoyed the story a lot!
I liked all of the characters, even the villains. I think that Serisa had valid feelings around hating humans, and I felt a lot of empathy for her and the things she went through.
Kas and Claudia are so cute together! I definitely had vibes of Vi and Caitlyn with them, iykyk. I think their romance was realistic, and they suited each other well. They had moments of great banter and lots of sweet moments too.
Honestly, I would have loved for this to have been longer and more of a slow burn. But that's personal preference because that's what I enjoy. I think Rita did a great job of the enemies to lovers trope in the book.
I would love to see them in any future books that Rita writes! Maybe a sequel in the future from Aara's point of view as an adult? 👀
There's so much I loved about this book, I can't wait to order a physical copy to annotate my favourite parts!
April 17, 2025
Sapphic The Witcher x Demon Slayer? SAY LESS SHAWTY
I really had a great time reading it, and I kinda hope A Ballad for Slayers & Monsters would be only book 1 of a series? 😂 Several reasons for that :
- First, because I felt like a lot was going to be explored, and the fact that everything was in only one book resulted in a few things feeling a little flat sometimes. Like, not enough time for everything to simmer and grow until it "blows"
- Second, because I WANT MORE! 😂 This was one adventure, and by the end, I felt like they all had properly introduced themselves, their dynamic, and the world, and now I want to deeper stuff hahaha.
- Third, because they're all awesome and I truly love the all-female cast on a dark epic fantasy
Anyway, I had overall I really recommend for anyone wanting a fast-paced romantasy with low/medium spice, and I now have a solid crush on a grumpy redhead with tree trunks for arms 😂💖
This is an ARC review. Thank you, Rita A. Rubin, for the ARC copy!
I really had a great time reading it, and I kinda hope A Ballad for Slayers & Monsters would be only book 1 of a series? 😂 Several reasons for that :
- First, because I felt like a lot was going to be explored, and the fact that everything was in only one book resulted in a few things feeling a little flat sometimes. Like, not enough time for everything to simmer and grow until it "blows"
- Second, because I WANT MORE! 😂 This was one adventure, and by the end, I felt like they all had properly introduced themselves, their dynamic, and the world, and now I want to deeper stuff hahaha.
- Third, because they're all awesome and I truly love the all-female cast on a dark epic fantasy
Anyway, I had overall I really recommend for anyone wanting a fast-paced romantasy with low/medium spice, and I now have a solid crush on a grumpy redhead with tree trunks for arms 😂💖
This is an ARC review. Thank you, Rita A. Rubin, for the ARC copy!
March 7, 2025
4.5 stars!!
Thank you to Rita Ruben and Netgalley for the ARC!!
Wow this was honestly such a breath of fresh air for me
I loved the story and plot for this book so much, it felt like I was embarking on the adventure with them and the banter and conversations between all of the characters felt so natural!
Kas and Claudia have my heart, like I love the lesbians so much
There was a lot of rep in this book!! I loved Aara’s trans rep, got a lot of lesbian relationships and different character traits and looks
I felt like this was just a super fun ride and I loved it the whole time
The pacing was also pretty good, it had plenty of action while also having lots of downtime for character development and exploring their world which I loved, all the traveling they did felt fun
Not to mention how Kas and Claudia had a pretty good enemies to lovers relationship, it worked out super well
The only thing I would change is for it to be longer :D
Thank you to Rita Ruben and Netgalley for the ARC!!
Wow this was honestly such a breath of fresh air for me
I loved the story and plot for this book so much, it felt like I was embarking on the adventure with them and the banter and conversations between all of the characters felt so natural!
Kas and Claudia have my heart, like I love the lesbians so much
There was a lot of rep in this book!! I loved Aara’s trans rep, got a lot of lesbian relationships and different character traits and looks
I felt like this was just a super fun ride and I loved it the whole time
The pacing was also pretty good, it had plenty of action while also having lots of downtime for character development and exploring their world which I loved, all the traveling they did felt fun
Not to mention how Kas and Claudia had a pretty good enemies to lovers relationship, it worked out super well
The only thing I would change is for it to be longer :D
April 14, 2025
Thank you, Netgalley, for the ARC.
I really struggled with this book. It has feminine Witcher vibes, which I was so excited to read it. I love The Witcher. It even has my favorite trope enemies to lovers. And it has a lot of action.
I just could not get into the story, and sometimes, it felt rushed. I liked that we got the POV from different characters (slayer, vampires, etc.). But something was missing.
Sadly, this book wasn't for me.
I really struggled with this book. It has feminine Witcher vibes, which I was so excited to read it. I love The Witcher. It even has my favorite trope enemies to lovers. And it has a lot of action.
I just could not get into the story, and sometimes, it felt rushed. I liked that we got the POV from different characters (slayer, vampires, etc.). But something was missing.
Sadly, this book wasn't for me.
October 26, 2025
Very Wattpad-esque CaitVi fanfic set in a dark fantasy setting reminiscent of The Witcher/Castlevania
It’s fun & cute & an honestly strong premise, but at times generic writing. Also, there was as almost too much going on…? The different perspective’s felt a little all over the place at times and hard to keep up with. I think a couple more rounds of editing could have made this a 10/10 book potentially?
It’s fun & cute & an honestly strong premise, but at times generic writing. Also, there was as almost too much going on…? The different perspective’s felt a little all over the place at times and hard to keep up with. I think a couple more rounds of editing could have made this a 10/10 book potentially?
December 8, 2025
2.5/5 ⭐️ It was good but something was missing for me. I think the dialogue fell flat at times and made it hard for me to connect with the characters and romance. It had a lot of potential though and I enjoyed the premise.
May 4, 2025
character development suffered a bit from the short length but all around i enjoyed!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews