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Slaymore Academy #1
Krammin' With A Kraken
Ever been tickled by a tentacle? Neither had he…I’m a kraken, but that’s a secret between you and me, okay? Don’t go betraying me or I might blame you for slaying me. Well, you and whichever trophy hunter thinks they can take me down.I’m just on land to graduate from Slaymore Academy with honors—how hard can it be?Turns out… really, really hard. *wink wink*Regardless, I’m determined to stay focused. I’m going to learn from the best so I can return to the Bering Sea and make it safer for all the species who call it home.It’s important that I closely guard my secret, so that when I reveal myself, I can prove the point that krakens aren’t the mindless monsters we’ve been made out to be.And finally, I’m determined to not fall in love. Who needs that distraction—especially with so much on the line? Contrary to what my parents believe, I’m not just a baby-maker or a pawn to marry off in exchange for an alliance. I’m going to make a change for the krakens.But Fate’s an evil son-of-a-you-know-what who’s been meddling in my business. Now, I’ve caught the eye of the campus’ golden boy… and he’s determined to find a way past my barriers and into my heart.Poor guy has no idea what he’s getting into. Will he accept me when he learns the truth?And most importantly… I wonder how he feels about tentacles?Krammin’ With A Kraken is the first book in the Slaymore Academy series. The steam builds a little slower than some of my other books, but when it kicks in, there is plenty of heat in the bedroom… and other places.Each book in the Slaymore Academy series is a standalone, featuring a different girl struggling to fit in with the rest of her species, who finds herself at Slaymore. Every book in this series will end with a HEA… so no cliffhangers! Also, some of the girls may pop up in each other’s books. Since these books feature various paranormals who possess a variety of abilities, the steamy parts of the books will definitely take advantage of those skills.
230 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 11, 2023
257 people are currently reading
224 people want to read
About the author
Darci R. Acula
11 books51 followersDarci R. Acula is Sedona Ashe's not-so-secret pen name. Sedona's books tend to focus on Reverse Harem relationships, while Darci's books feature only MF relationships.
Darci (aka Sedona) doesn’t reserve her sarcasm for her books; her poor husband can tell you that her wit, humor, and snarky attitude are just part of her daily life. While she loves writing paranormal shifter reverse harem novels, she’s a sucker for true love, twisted situations, and wacky humor.
Darci lives in a small town at the base of the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee. She and her husband share their home with their three children, adorable pup, five cats, pet arctic fox, chickens, and over a hundred other reptiles. When she isn’t working, she enjoys getting away from the computer to hike, free dive, travel, study languages, and capture images of places and animals through her photography. Darci has a crazy goal of writing a million words in a year, and spending six months exploring Indonesia.
Darci (aka Sedona) doesn’t reserve her sarcasm for her books; her poor husband can tell you that her wit, humor, and snarky attitude are just part of her daily life. While she loves writing paranormal shifter reverse harem novels, she’s a sucker for true love, twisted situations, and wacky humor.
Darci lives in a small town at the base of the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee. She and her husband share their home with their three children, adorable pup, five cats, pet arctic fox, chickens, and over a hundred other reptiles. When she isn’t working, she enjoys getting away from the computer to hike, free dive, travel, study languages, and capture images of places and animals through her photography. Darci has a crazy goal of writing a million words in a year, and spending six months exploring Indonesia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
November 2, 2025
⭐3.4
Review To Come: imagine if Nevermore Academy featured kraken people and spice? This book is good fun!
Review To Come: imagine if Nevermore Academy featured kraken people and spice? This book is good fun!
May 26, 2024
A quick, adorable, medium spicy read. I’ll fully admit that the cover made me read it. The woman is the kraken!! A female with tentacles? The dude is just a big ball of golden retriever sweetness. Oh yeah, I’m definitely going to read it.
My only complaint is that it wasn’t longer
My only complaint is that it wasn’t longer
May 17, 2024
I really liked it but I wanted more. So much more from this book. It was too short. I can't wait to read the next one.
July 7, 2025
I really enjoyed this book. I didn't realise I liked the characters or had latched onto them so much, till emotional things happened and I found myself caring about the outcome and hoping for the best for the ones I like.
It's a short book, and its plot is not complex or high fantasy. It's mostly character-based based but it has enough world and character build to feel like those characters could easily fit into a longer more adventurous dark fantasy and still hold up.
And...I want Dayious...I'm jealous, I want my lightning mate! I found myself thinking...he has brothers right, Hook me up! Then sighing because it's not real damn it!
I kind of want to be a Kraken now too, those tentacles seem fun for both parties, although I can't give up calamari so....
Anyway, an entertaining spicy academy fated mate standalone, passionate smex with okay (basic level) monster smut, with a HEA.
4 stars
It's a short book, and its plot is not complex or high fantasy. It's mostly character-based based but it has enough world and character build to feel like those characters could easily fit into a longer more adventurous dark fantasy and still hold up.
And...I want Dayious...I'm jealous, I want my lightning mate! I found myself thinking...he has brothers right, Hook me up! Then sighing because it's not real damn it!
I kind of want to be a Kraken now too, those tentacles seem fun for both parties, although I can't give up calamari so....
Anyway, an entertaining spicy academy fated mate standalone, passionate smex with okay (basic level) monster smut, with a HEA.
4 stars
September 5, 2025
4⭐️’s - I wanted to rate this higher mostly because I wanted MORE! Yes, I’m selfish.
Thule this book was short in the scheme of a one-off, it had a fantastic plot that kept me engaged. I really enjoyed the character development and how the characters evolved over the short span of the book.
But I enjoyed it so much I was super bummed the book was over! I wanted to know how things evolved after the ending of the book!
I was also listening via audiobook and was lured in my my favorite narrators: Bridget and Jake Bordeaux! Stellar performances by them both, as per usual. They also add to the enjoyment to a book, hence me “whining” that it’s over.
Thule this book was short in the scheme of a one-off, it had a fantastic plot that kept me engaged. I really enjoyed the character development and how the characters evolved over the short span of the book.
But I enjoyed it so much I was super bummed the book was over! I wanted to know how things evolved after the ending of the book!
I was also listening via audiobook and was lured in my my favorite narrators: Bridget and Jake Bordeaux! Stellar performances by them both, as per usual. They also add to the enjoyment to a book, hence me “whining” that it’s over.
Read
September 28, 2025DNF end chapter 9. The main female character is just annoying. She hates and is rude to everyone except her love interest.
November 12, 2023
Ride the tentacles, reap the rewards…
This was such a fun standalone story set in a new series! So much cuteness! I love everything Sedona Ashe (aka Darci) has to write and I couldn’t help but check this out…and I devoured it. A female Kraken named Seta does everything to be accepted by her peers, and to prove her species aren’t monsters, that includes attending an academy for other paranormals to fit in. There at Slaymore, she meets her roommate, a witty succubus named Ayla, and a few others. Despite the fear they might not be accepting of her, she finds comfort in a guy who she never thought she could like more than a casual fling. Deus proves her wrong, though, when they find common ground in their relationship. A lot of sexual tension and fast burn romance, and if you like tentacles, this might just be for you! Can’t wait for more :)
This was such a fun standalone story set in a new series! So much cuteness! I love everything Sedona Ashe (aka Darci) has to write and I couldn’t help but check this out…and I devoured it. A female Kraken named Seta does everything to be accepted by her peers, and to prove her species aren’t monsters, that includes attending an academy for other paranormals to fit in. There at Slaymore, she meets her roommate, a witty succubus named Ayla, and a few others. Despite the fear they might not be accepting of her, she finds comfort in a guy who she never thought she could like more than a casual fling. Deus proves her wrong, though, when they find common ground in their relationship. A lot of sexual tension and fast burn romance, and if you like tentacles, this might just be for you! Can’t wait for more :)
September 20, 2025
#Monster #Fantasy #FatedMates #NewAdult #Paranormal #Novella
Written in first person from an alternating dual POV, this novella is set at the college Slaymore Academy. This can be read as a standalone and ends with a HEA. I was looking for an academy book for a reading challenge that was not high school, not bully, and that was a standalone when I found this. It was just what I wanted. This was my first book by this author (in either of her pen names) and I was impressed with her creativity, her writing style, and her ability to make the characters so engaging in a novella length book.
Seta, 20, is a Kraken. She has an enchantment that allows her to have a human form and to shift or partial shift as she desires. She arrives at Slaymore (love that name) to get her degree in Marine Mythology in the hopes of building better relations between her clan and other paranormal groups. Amadeus is a golden retriever guy who falls fast for Seta and is drawn to her from the moment she arrives on campus. I have never read a book with a character who has powers like his or a FMC with tentacles before. Both allowed the fun times between the characters to have an element of danger and unexpected hotness. This was a fun read, and I can see myself returning for more of the variety of monsters and paranormals who attend Slaymore.
Written in first person from an alternating dual POV, this novella is set at the college Slaymore Academy. This can be read as a standalone and ends with a HEA. I was looking for an academy book for a reading challenge that was not high school, not bully, and that was a standalone when I found this. It was just what I wanted. This was my first book by this author (in either of her pen names) and I was impressed with her creativity, her writing style, and her ability to make the characters so engaging in a novella length book.
Seta, 20, is a Kraken. She has an enchantment that allows her to have a human form and to shift or partial shift as she desires. She arrives at Slaymore (love that name) to get her degree in Marine Mythology in the hopes of building better relations between her clan and other paranormal groups. Amadeus is a golden retriever guy who falls fast for Seta and is drawn to her from the moment she arrives on campus. I have never read a book with a character who has powers like his or a FMC with tentacles before. Both allowed the fun times between the characters to have an element of danger and unexpected hotness. This was a fun read, and I can see myself returning for more of the variety of monsters and paranormals who attend Slaymore.
October 5, 2025
It’s a fun lightweight monster romance book.
She has to hid what she is for fear of others lashing out, her kind are seen as evil monsters.
Out of all the other creatures she could be mated to why was it a guy made of literal lightning? Lightning and water do not mix well, the dude has a fear of water and he could fry everything in the ocean 😬🤦♀️
Oh well he’s this cute little ray of sunshine, but almost a little (too perfect).
His best friend is a hunter and the biggest douche bag on campus, the fact that he stuck up for him so long even when he made all the other friends uncomfortable didn’t sit well.
Their relationship was very predictable and the overall storyline, but it’s entertaining enough.
The spice was fun 😆
She has to hid what she is for fear of others lashing out, her kind are seen as evil monsters.
Out of all the other creatures she could be mated to why was it a guy made of literal lightning? Lightning and water do not mix well, the dude has a fear of water and he could fry everything in the ocean 😬🤦♀️
Oh well he’s this cute little ray of sunshine, but almost a little (too perfect).
His best friend is a hunter and the biggest douche bag on campus, the fact that he stuck up for him so long even when he made all the other friends uncomfortable didn’t sit well.
Their relationship was very predictable and the overall storyline, but it’s entertaining enough.
The spice was fun 😆
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 2, 2025
This book was fabulous but it was not long enough! I want so much more from this couple, from this world and the narrators. Seta is a Kraken. I love a good Kraken story and couldn’t wait to dive in. Dayious from the moment he graced the story has my heart. What an amazing guy with a heart of gold. It’s sweet it’s funny splashed with heat and just a great storyline. Honestly my only complaint is I wanted more. More in the main story because it was so good and just a bit more on the end. Day leaves off making a huge sacrifice and I feel like an epilogue of that amazing act of courage would have wrapped this up with a big beautiful bow Narration was phenomenal!
December 27, 2023
This book was so good - and it's a paranormal shifter I haven't read before! Tired of dragons, wolves, etc - reach for this book. Seta is a completely relatable character trying to fit in with her peers and have a normal school experience, who experiences a lot of prejudice towards though of her kind. Along the way of just trying to get an education, she meets up with a quirky roommate and some irresistible men that she is determined to keep in the friend zone (Ha!). Great first book to this series - can't wait to see more!
March 31, 2024
that was a cute paranormal romance
Seta is a Kraken shifter going to university in the hopes of showing that krakens aren’t monsters and to also get a degree in marine biology to help the creatures of the deep sea. She didn’t plan on meeting a boy and falling in love, but that is exactly what happened when Deus runs into her on her first day.
I loved Deus and how committed he was. His golden retriever personality was exactly what she needed. He was genuine and everything you look for in a book boyfriend.
Seta is a Kraken shifter going to university in the hopes of showing that krakens aren’t monsters and to also get a degree in marine biology to help the creatures of the deep sea. She didn’t plan on meeting a boy and falling in love, but that is exactly what happened when Deus runs into her on her first day.
I loved Deus and how committed he was. His golden retriever personality was exactly what she needed. He was genuine and everything you look for in a book boyfriend.
October 12, 2025
I love it when a storyline can be so original and nothing that I have read before. I’ve never read a book to do with Kraken or the Kraken species at all. I think it was inspiring to have a university that had so many mythical creatures and allowed this one to be allowed at the school. The characters were unique and the setting was realistic. The storyline went at a good pace. Sidenote, I absolutely loved the succubus that was the best friend character. I wish that there could be a story based on her.
November 21, 2023
It was a short and easy read, with an entertaining and enjoyable storyline.
There was humor, drama, lots of feelings and some spice.
Seta and Amadeus were obviously meant to be. It just took Seta a little longer to accept that.
Amadeus was a sweetheart and kind to everyone.
I think both MC grew in their own ways. I loved seeing their relationship develop into something more.
I loved the banter between Seta and her roommate.
Overall, I thought it was a fun and sweet read!
There was humor, drama, lots of feelings and some spice.
Seta and Amadeus were obviously meant to be. It just took Seta a little longer to accept that.
Amadeus was a sweetheart and kind to everyone.
I think both MC grew in their own ways. I loved seeing their relationship develop into something more.
I loved the banter between Seta and her roommate.
Overall, I thought it was a fun and sweet read!
November 19, 2023
Wonderful shifter read. The main characters are an absolutely super easy to fall in love with. This is another written short story. Recommend it to everyone looking for a wonderful easy to read book with great characters. Love having a Kracken in the story as you don’t see them very often. Look forward to reading more about Deus and Seta in the future.
January 6, 2024
This one took a bit to sucker me in. (Get it? Sucker cuz kraken.) It had a slow start with an expected amount of young [paranormal] adult angst. But then once we got into the action a few chapters in, I couldn’t put it down!
And what’s not to love about a school for paranormals? Is that an official trope? It should be because I love it.
And what’s not to love about a school for paranormals? Is that an official trope? It should be because I love it.
August 1, 2024
A good read
This is my first time reading anything by these authors and I definitely enjoyed it.
The story was great and I enjoyed the way it flowed easily.
I read it within a few hours and was pleased by the length of it.
I would say my only downfall for it was the lack of spice.
The main FMC was amazing and sassy and totally what I would imagine.
This is my first time reading anything by these authors and I definitely enjoyed it.
The story was great and I enjoyed the way it flowed easily.
I read it within a few hours and was pleased by the length of it.
I would say my only downfall for it was the lack of spice.
The main FMC was amazing and sassy and totally what I would imagine.
August 15, 2025
This book promises a lot of - creativity, never before seen spice , warnings about bullying - but I felt let down. Somehow it was just.. bland? Way too short, jumped around a bit. It would have benefited from a bit more ‘fleshing out’ in parts.
Loved the concept of the girly being the monster.. but that’s about it 🙃
Loved the concept of the girly being the monster.. but that’s about it 🙃
December 23, 2025
First Kraken romance and this was interesting, especially with the FMC Seta being the "monster". Equally intriguing was the unusual nature of the MMC Amadeus as living lightning, being an offspring of Zeus himself. For these two unique beings to also recognize that they might be fated mates, but first tried to get to know each other and become friends without that pressure.
Their chemistry and compatibility are so intense, that it would definitely be worthy of another book to see how life post-college turns out, since both Seta and Amadeus are high profile individuals in the paranormal communities because of their lineage. And who wouldn't want to know how extra special their kids could be.
Enjoyed the lore of the variety of paranormal beings introduced and can't wait to see what the rest of the series brings.
Side note - If you can, listen to the audiobook; the duet narration was fantastic!
Their chemistry and compatibility are so intense, that it would definitely be worthy of another book to see how life post-college turns out, since both Seta and Amadeus are high profile individuals in the paranormal communities because of their lineage. And who wouldn't want to know how extra special their kids could be.
Enjoyed the lore of the variety of paranormal beings introduced and can't wait to see what the rest of the series brings.
Side note - If you can, listen to the audiobook; the duet narration was fantastic!
January 19, 2026
loved this quick past short story. I really loved the MFC being a kraken. As a different paranormal shape-shifting guardian, and her drive to help change the views on all living creatures, that Krakens deserve to live as openly as everyone and be protected like many paranormal creatures. love the romance and friendships the grown along the way also.
March 5, 2024
How does a kraken greet its friends? With a big wave!
This book was soooo good!! Although you can hardly expect anything less from the author behind it!! I could not put this book down!! Definitely a must read!!
This book was soooo good!! Although you can hardly expect anything less from the author behind it!! I could not put this book down!! Definitely a must read!!
July 20, 2025
Un livre qui parle d'une femelle kraken
qui a des tentacules et qui les utilise 😏 elle est grumpy, studieuse et solitaire tandis que le mec est juste A do ra ble plein de lumière toujours souriant et prêt à aider tout le monde. C'était pas mal a lire rapide et mignon
qui a des tentacules et qui les utilise 😏 elle est grumpy, studieuse et solitaire tandis que le mec est juste A do ra ble plein de lumière toujours souriant et prêt à aider tout le monde. C'était pas mal a lire rapide et mignon
September 11, 2025
3.5 stars, it's cute predictable easy reading but they most certainly do not do all the things I would do if I had tentacles. it's quite brief so not much depth but there was enough for it to be enjoyable.
September 13, 2025
I enjoyed the story, especially since the perceived monster this time around isn’t the male main character, but the female. There have been some interesting twists and so far, I liked it a lot. I’m looking forward to the next book.
November 15, 2025
Super cute for what it was! It honestly could’ve been a longer more drawn out series with our fmc & mmc and I would eat that up!!
Loved the conflict & how our fmc was able to show that krakens are protectors!
Loved Ayla 😅
I hope we get a story for her!! <3
Loved the conflict & how our fmc was able to show that krakens are protectors!
Loved Ayla 😅
I hope we get a story for her!! <3
November 12, 2023
So good
This book was amazing!!! I absolutely love deus and seta!!! This was such a good read I want more!!!! 🖤🖤
This book was amazing!!! I absolutely love deus and seta!!! This was such a good read I want more!!!! 🖤🖤
November 29, 2023
good
This was a good book. I’m glad Seta stood up for herself. And both her and Deus grow as characters. And the showdown with the villain was well done.
This was a good book. I’m glad Seta stood up for herself. And both her and Deus grow as characters. And the showdown with the villain was well done.
December 10, 2023
Loved it!
Loved this book!
I really enjoyed the story and the characters!
I loved Seta and Deus and watching their relationship grow.
Can’t wait for more in this series!
Loved this book!
I really enjoyed the story and the characters!
I loved Seta and Deus and watching their relationship grow.
Can’t wait for more in this series!
February 27, 2024
Short and sweet
Super funny and a decently paced short book great for an evening's reading. Sweet characters and a truly unlikeable villain.
Super funny and a decently paced short book great for an evening's reading. Sweet characters and a truly unlikeable villain.
May 11, 2024
Good
I love how she took a monster that is supposed to be feared but did it in a way that people could love her and cheer for her. I can't wait to check out the next book.
I love how she took a monster that is supposed to be feared but did it in a way that people could love her and cheer for her. I can't wait to check out the next book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews