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Monsters Within #1
Endless Anger
Sometimes the pomegranate doesn't fall far from the tree...
Asher Anderson is angry―at the world, at himself, at the way his best friend Lucy Wolfe seems determined to tune out this buzzing connection between them. He doesn't mean to solve all his problems with violence, but maybe he has too much of his father in him. That's why the faculty at Avernia College hates him, right? Because of the "evil" blood in his veins?
He should know better than to darken the old, ivy-covered university's door, but it's practically a law of the universe: wherever Lucy goes, Asher follows. Even if that means entering a twisting labyrinth of secret societies, human sacrifices, and a very personal history soaked in blood.
Lucy is used to being an outcast. She's even used to Asher being her dark, brooding shadow. What she isn't used to is him shattering her resolve by taking her up against library bookshelves as she desperately pretends her heart hasn't always been his. She should know better than to play with fire, but with unexplained deaths and pointed threats ripping apart the university's fabric, Asher and Lucy soon find themselves at the center of the turmoil…where they'll have to confront their feelings or die trying.
From USA Today bestselling author Sav R. Miller comes the first in a dazzling spin-off trilogy focusing on the children of the original Monsters & Muses: a dark and twisted contemporary romance inspired by the Greek Furies, set at an exclusive (and dangerous) university.
Asher Anderson is angry―at the world, at himself, at the way his best friend Lucy Wolfe seems determined to tune out this buzzing connection between them. He doesn't mean to solve all his problems with violence, but maybe he has too much of his father in him. That's why the faculty at Avernia College hates him, right? Because of the "evil" blood in his veins?
He should know better than to darken the old, ivy-covered university's door, but it's practically a law of the universe: wherever Lucy goes, Asher follows. Even if that means entering a twisting labyrinth of secret societies, human sacrifices, and a very personal history soaked in blood.
Lucy is used to being an outcast. She's even used to Asher being her dark, brooding shadow. What she isn't used to is him shattering her resolve by taking her up against library bookshelves as she desperately pretends her heart hasn't always been his. She should know better than to play with fire, but with unexplained deaths and pointed threats ripping apart the university's fabric, Asher and Lucy soon find themselves at the center of the turmoil…where they'll have to confront their feelings or die trying.
From USA Today bestselling author Sav R. Miller comes the first in a dazzling spin-off trilogy focusing on the children of the original Monsters & Muses: a dark and twisted contemporary romance inspired by the Greek Furies, set at an exclusive (and dangerous) university.
448 pages, Paperback
First published August 19, 2025
975 people are currently reading
17970 people want to read
About the author
Sav R. Miller
24 books6,119 followersJoin my Facebook reader group for exclusive content & to learn about new projects before anyone else: https://facebook.com/groups/savrmiller
Follow me on Instagram/Facebook: @srmauthor
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Sav R. Miller is a USA Today bestselling author of adult romance with varying levels of darkness and steam.
In 2018, Sav put her lifelong love of reading and writing to use and graduated with a B.A. in Creative Writing and a minor in Cultural Anthropology. Nowadays, she spends her time giving morally gray characters their happily-ever-afters.
Currently, Sav lives in Kentucky with her dogs Lord Byron, Poe, and Arrow. She loves sitcoms, silence, and sardonic humor.
Follow me on Instagram/Facebook: @srmauthor
Or Tik Tok: @authorsavrmiller
To keep up with all things Sav, subscribe to my newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/p2n6z9
Sav R. Miller is a USA Today bestselling author of adult romance with varying levels of darkness and steam.
In 2018, Sav put her lifelong love of reading and writing to use and graduated with a B.A. in Creative Writing and a minor in Cultural Anthropology. Nowadays, she spends her time giving morally gray characters their happily-ever-afters.
Currently, Sav lives in Kentucky with her dogs Lord Byron, Poe, and Arrow. She loves sitcoms, silence, and sardonic humor.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 650 reviews
August 25, 2025
✨ Endless Anger by Sav R. Miller ✨
Monsters Within #1
3.5 stars ⭐️
Okay sooo… this was not bad at all, but I didn’t fall in love with it either 👀. It had moments where I was like “YES this is what I wanted” and then other times where I felt kinda meh and lost.
The romance? The saving grace.
Asher and Lucy were the best part hands down. Friends-to-lovers but make it dark academia, cursed bloodlines, and creepy universities?? Their chemistry was actually 🔥. Asher being completely obsessed, pathetically down bad, ride-or-die for Lucy?? Yeah, I ate that up. I’ll always love a boy who’s like “it’s her or no one”.
The setting + vibes?
The whole ivy-covered university, secret societies, creepy rituals, curses thing was soooo aesthetic 🌙🕯️… but also felt half-baked. Like, I wanted MORE. The mystery and worldbuilding didn’t feel fleshed out enough, and sometimes the plot was just messy. Lots of moments where I didn’t know what was going on, and not in a good mysterious way, more in a “wait what did I miss?” way.
Spice?
🌶️🌶️🌶️. It doesn’t hit until later but when it does—it delivers.
My main issue:
It kinda feels like you need to read the Monsters & Muses series first. I haven’t, so half the time I was confused about families, history, and why the school hated Asher’s last name so much. It made me feel like an outsider looking in instead of fully immersed. This should’ve stood stronger as a new-gen starter.
But like… Asher + Lucy? They carried. The slow-burn tension, the pining, the angst?? Yeah, I was kicking my feet.
Final thoughts:
I had fun with the romance, but the rest was just okay. Will I keep reading? Absolutely. Mostly because the parents’ series sounds even more my vibe and I’m dying for Noelle x Professor Dupont in the next book 🤭. Student x professor?? Yeah I’m already seated.
So yeah—3.5 stars. Dark, messy, kinda confusing, but with a romance that kept me hooked.
🕸️🍷 If you want obsessed MMCs, culty college vibes, and some dark twisted passion, this might be worth your time.
Monsters Within #1
3.5 stars ⭐️
Okay sooo… this was not bad at all, but I didn’t fall in love with it either 👀. It had moments where I was like “YES this is what I wanted” and then other times where I felt kinda meh and lost.
The romance? The saving grace.
Asher and Lucy were the best part hands down. Friends-to-lovers but make it dark academia, cursed bloodlines, and creepy universities?? Their chemistry was actually 🔥. Asher being completely obsessed, pathetically down bad, ride-or-die for Lucy?? Yeah, I ate that up. I’ll always love a boy who’s like “it’s her or no one”.
The setting + vibes?
The whole ivy-covered university, secret societies, creepy rituals, curses thing was soooo aesthetic 🌙🕯️… but also felt half-baked. Like, I wanted MORE. The mystery and worldbuilding didn’t feel fleshed out enough, and sometimes the plot was just messy. Lots of moments where I didn’t know what was going on, and not in a good mysterious way, more in a “wait what did I miss?” way.
Spice?
🌶️🌶️🌶️. It doesn’t hit until later but when it does—it delivers.
My main issue:
It kinda feels like you need to read the Monsters & Muses series first. I haven’t, so half the time I was confused about families, history, and why the school hated Asher’s last name so much. It made me feel like an outsider looking in instead of fully immersed. This should’ve stood stronger as a new-gen starter.
But like… Asher + Lucy? They carried. The slow-burn tension, the pining, the angst?? Yeah, I was kicking my feet.
Final thoughts:
I had fun with the romance, but the rest was just okay. Will I keep reading? Absolutely. Mostly because the parents’ series sounds even more my vibe and I’m dying for Noelle x Professor Dupont in the next book 🤭. Student x professor?? Yeah I’m already seated.
So yeah—3.5 stars. Dark, messy, kinda confusing, but with a romance that kept me hooked.
🕸️🍷 If you want obsessed MMCs, culty college vibes, and some dark twisted passion, this might be worth your time.
Read
March 8, 2025WE HAVE A COVER AND BLURB PEOPLE, THIS IS NOT A DRILL!
Sometimes the pomegranate doesn't fall far from the tree...
Asher Anderson is angry―at the world, at himself, at the way his best friend Lucy Wolfe seems determined to tune out this buzzing connection between them. He doesn't mean to solve all his problems with violence, but maybe he has too much of his father in him. That's why the faculty at Avernia College hates him, right? Because of the "evil" blood in his veins?
He should know better than to darken the old, ivy-covered university's door, but it's practically a law of the universe: wherever Lucy goes, Asher follows. Even if that means entering a twisting labyrinth of secret societies, human sacrifices, and a very personal history soaked in blood.
Lucy is used to being an outcast. She's even used to Asher being her dark, brooding shadow. What she isn't used to is him shattering her resolve by taking her up against library bookshelves as she desperately pretends her heart hasn't always been his. She should know better than to play with fire, but with unexplained deaths and pointed threats ripping apart the university's fabric, Asher and Lucy soon find themselves at the center of the turmoil…where they'll have to confront their feelings or die trying.
RELEASING AUGUST 19TH
Sometimes the pomegranate doesn't fall far from the tree...
Asher Anderson is angry―at the world, at himself, at the way his best friend Lucy Wolfe seems determined to tune out this buzzing connection between them. He doesn't mean to solve all his problems with violence, but maybe he has too much of his father in him. That's why the faculty at Avernia College hates him, right? Because of the "evil" blood in his veins?
He should know better than to darken the old, ivy-covered university's door, but it's practically a law of the universe: wherever Lucy goes, Asher follows. Even if that means entering a twisting labyrinth of secret societies, human sacrifices, and a very personal history soaked in blood.
Lucy is used to being an outcast. She's even used to Asher being her dark, brooding shadow. What she isn't used to is him shattering her resolve by taking her up against library bookshelves as she desperately pretends her heart hasn't always been his. She should know better than to play with fire, but with unexplained deaths and pointed threats ripping apart the university's fabric, Asher and Lucy soon find themselves at the center of the turmoil…where they'll have to confront their feelings or die trying.
RELEASING AUGUST 19TH
September 16, 2025
જ⁀➴ 3 stars
༉‧₊˚🕯️🖤❀༉‧₊˚. ༉‧₊˚🕯️🖤❀༉‧₊˚. ༉‧₊˚🕯️🖤❀༉‧₊˚. ༉‧₊˚🕯️🖤❀༉‧₊˚. ༉‧₊˚🕯️🖤❀༉‧₊˚. ༉‧₊˚🕯️🖤
Okay, so to be completely honest, this was DARK, but I think with my expectations going into the book, I thought it was going to be a whole lot darker than it was. Don't get me wrong, please check the trigger warnings (I'll list them at the end of the review) before reading this, but it overall wasn't a horrible story, which took me by surprise!
Asher Anderson has lived with anger his entire life. It just...runs in his blood and his family name. The only person who seems to calm that anger is his best friend, Lucy Wolfe. They've grown up together and become best friends, and he's spent most of his life looking out for her and keeping her safe. When college decision time rolls around and Lucy decides to take after Asher's oldest sister, Quincy's, footsteps in going to Avernia College, a prestigious liberal arts university away from their hometown, Asher knows that he can't let her go alone. When unexplained deaths and human sacrifices happen on campus as soon as Asher and Lucy are in the same place, they have to work together to get to the bottom of who is behind it and put a stop to it.
So I want to start this review by addressing one of the bigger elephants in the room. I 100% agree with other people who've read this before reading the "first generation" series, AKA the Monsters and Muses series, that you should ABSOLUTELY read that ENTIRE series first. Yes, all six books. I thought I wouldn't have any issues with understanding what was going on because this series is supposed to be a standalone since this is a totally different set of characters, but when you find out that Asher, Lucy, and all of their friends are the kids of the couples in each of the Monsters and Muses books, I started to get extremely confused as to who was who's kid and their relationship to each other. I remember thumbing through the book in person at Barnes & Noble, and there are family trees at the end of the physical book, but they weren't in the version I had on Kindle Unlimited, which I feel like would've been extremely helpful to help me understand who is who.
Something I loved about the characters was how close all of them were to each other because of how all of their parents are friends so their kids all grew up with each other, but I feel like reading the first generation series first would help for a more immersive reading experience and understanding the connections among everyone a little better. It also doesn't help that all of them call each other their cousins and their friend's parents "aunt" and "uncle"--which, I should say, is totally normal if you have EXTREMELY close family friends so this isn't anything out of the norm!--but the fact that some of them ARE BLOOD related cousins and some of them are just "cousins" because they're extremely close with each other (thanks to their parents) added an extra layer of confusion for me. I also feel like I would've felt more invested in this if I read the first series because I don't really understand the whole Anderson family curse and why it impacts Asher and his siblings so much. I'm sure there's more context in Promises and Pomegranates, which is Asher's parents' story, but I figured that if this were a separate series, I wouldn't have needed to read the first series to understand why it was so high stakes.
Another thing I should point out is that a majority of the book, although it is STILL considered a dark romance, mostly felt like a dark academia mystery/thriller to me. Yes, there were extremely dark, graphic, violent scenes in the book, none of which I am going to go into to 1) avoid spoilers and 2) not scar anyone who may be sensitive to this type of content, but I honestly went into the book thinking that it was going to be one chapter after the other just filled with gore and graphic violence when that wasn't the case at all.
I would say there's three or four major scenes that are extremely graphic throughout the entire story in terms of gore and violence, and the rest of it just felt like any other mystery/thriller book with a side of friends-to-lovers romance. A majority of the horror/gore is packed into the last few chapters of the book, which I thought was pretty overwhelming, and I had to step away for a bit before picking the book back up. I can't really say I didn't see it coming, considering I felt like I was waiting for the other shoe to drop for a majority of the book, because I was just like, "Okay, this doesn't feel overly dark to me, when is that going to kick in?"
(Something of note that was a big concern to me going into the story, but ended up NOT being a concern: this book does NOT romanticize SA or rape. I think the author did a good job in showing how it affects everyone negatively, especially the victim and anyone who knows them.)
The atmosphere in the book gave me ALL the dark academia vibes. I pictured dark, cloudy, rainy days on a centuries-old, prestigious campus that was reminiscent of an Ivy League college in New England (considering the school is located in New Hampshire, that helps with the vibes a lot more, haha), and this book delivered on all of that. It's the perfect kind of read for the fall! Add in secret societies, rich kids who think they're above the law, and libraries filled with old archives and endless shelves of books, and that added to the whole atmosphere and vibe of the book.
As for Asher and Lucy themselves, I added this book to my "Guys Who Are Down Bad" shelf on Goodreads, AKA the book I reserve for MMCs who would do anything for their woman. Asher was HORRENDOUSLY down bad, and you could tell he loves and cares about Lucy a lot. I don't agree with him putting a tracking device on Lucy's clothes without her consent, so he knows where she is at all times, though. The friend-to-lovers aspect of their romance carried the entire book, to be honest.
The book is dual POV with Asher and Lucy's POVs, and I especially liked the flashbacks to them when they were younger, so we can see exactly how deep their relationship runs. It honestly felt a teensy bit like YA at the beginning of the book without the writing style that usually comes with a YA romance book. Asher and Lucy were young, their friends were the same age, and they did everything normal teenagers did--hang out with each other, joke around, go to parties they shouldn't have, applying for colleges--and even the conversation Lucy and her dad, Alistair, had about her going away to college and him being worried and wanting to make sure she's safe while she's away, all just felt like things you could find in any YA coming-of-age book.
Ironically, one of the things I found unrealistic in the book was the spice. Both of the MCs are virgins (there is NOTHING wrong with that!), but the fact that their first time was this perfect thing and nothing went wrong felt unrealistic to me. Like, I personally couldn't even tell that both of them were virgins in the story, considering it just felt like they both knew what they were doing right off the bat and nothing about it was awkward. I do feel like the ending gave me whiplash, though, and felt kind of unrealistic. Like, you're telling me Lucy and Asher both don't have survivor's guilt over what happened at the end, and instead of processing their grief and feelings, they just....hook up? I get that everyone processes their grief in different ways, but it didn't seem right to me that they just didn't take the time to process everything that happened, considering they all saw people they care about get murdered throughout the story.
So overall, would I say I enjoyed this? I would say yes, but with an asterisk. Your mileage may vary depending on whether or not you read the first generation series and how okay you are with the trigger warnings, and had I read the first generation series first, I think I would've enjoyed this a lot more.
༉‧₊˚🕯️🖤❀༉‧₊˚. ༉‧₊˚🕯️🖤❀༉‧₊˚. ༉‧₊˚🕯️🖤❀༉‧₊˚. ༉‧₊˚🕯️🖤❀༉‧₊˚. ༉‧₊˚🕯️🖤❀༉‧₊˚. ༉‧₊˚🕯️🖤
Trigger/content warnings (PLEASE TAKE THESE SERIOUSLY, THESE WERE PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR AT THE BEGINNING OF THE BOOK!): on-page rape of a side character, on page SA and sexual violence, explicit sexual scenes, graphic violence, gore, murder, torture, off-page death of a family pet and funeral for said pet
⋆˙⟡ 𝒫𝓇𝑒-𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹: You know when you go to a bookstore and you just see a book on the shelf or on a table somewhere that intrigues you, but you don't buy it, but then every time you come back it's still there taunting you? That's me with this book.
I've never read anything by Sav R. Miller before, although I have seen her other books floating around on social media and whenever I step into a Barnes & Noble. I know enough to know that she's normally a dark romance author, which, if you know me, is a genre I usually steer clear of like it's the plague. It's just a personal choice, only because some of the typical content warnings/trigger warnings that show up in the dark romance genre are things that have happened to me in real life, and the romanticization of SA/rape in some of these dark romance books that are out there isn't something I vibe with at all. However, this seems a little different than other books in this genre because this sounds like a New Adult dark academia book, which is a genre I do enjoy a lot, mixed with a little bit of mystery/thriller elements in it based on the synopsis with the unexplained deaths around the campus. If anything, I'm reading this because it falls under dark academia. (The pretty cover also helps a lot, too.)
I'm going to go into this with an open mind, considering this is my first-ever book from the genre, but also be 100% aware of the trigger warnings. I have this book on Kindle Unlimited, so I can back away and stop reading it if it gets to be too much.
"Because when I'm here, tangled up in her moonlight, my anger doesn't feel so endless."
༉‧₊˚🕯️🖤❀༉‧₊˚. ༉‧₊˚🕯️🖤❀༉‧₊˚. ༉‧₊˚🕯️🖤❀༉‧₊˚. ༉‧₊˚🕯️🖤❀༉‧₊˚. ༉‧₊˚🕯️🖤❀༉‧₊˚. ༉‧₊˚🕯️🖤
Okay, so to be completely honest, this was DARK, but I think with my expectations going into the book, I thought it was going to be a whole lot darker than it was. Don't get me wrong, please check the trigger warnings (I'll list them at the end of the review) before reading this, but it overall wasn't a horrible story, which took me by surprise!
Asher Anderson has lived with anger his entire life. It just...runs in his blood and his family name. The only person who seems to calm that anger is his best friend, Lucy Wolfe. They've grown up together and become best friends, and he's spent most of his life looking out for her and keeping her safe. When college decision time rolls around and Lucy decides to take after Asher's oldest sister, Quincy's, footsteps in going to Avernia College, a prestigious liberal arts university away from their hometown, Asher knows that he can't let her go alone. When unexplained deaths and human sacrifices happen on campus as soon as Asher and Lucy are in the same place, they have to work together to get to the bottom of who is behind it and put a stop to it.
So I want to start this review by addressing one of the bigger elephants in the room. I 100% agree with other people who've read this before reading the "first generation" series, AKA the Monsters and Muses series, that you should ABSOLUTELY read that ENTIRE series first. Yes, all six books. I thought I wouldn't have any issues with understanding what was going on because this series is supposed to be a standalone since this is a totally different set of characters, but when you find out that Asher, Lucy, and all of their friends are the kids of the couples in each of the Monsters and Muses books, I started to get extremely confused as to who was who's kid and their relationship to each other. I remember thumbing through the book in person at Barnes & Noble, and there are family trees at the end of the physical book, but they weren't in the version I had on Kindle Unlimited, which I feel like would've been extremely helpful to help me understand who is who.
Something I loved about the characters was how close all of them were to each other because of how all of their parents are friends so their kids all grew up with each other, but I feel like reading the first generation series first would help for a more immersive reading experience and understanding the connections among everyone a little better. It also doesn't help that all of them call each other their cousins and their friend's parents "aunt" and "uncle"--which, I should say, is totally normal if you have EXTREMELY close family friends so this isn't anything out of the norm!--but the fact that some of them ARE BLOOD related cousins and some of them are just "cousins" because they're extremely close with each other (thanks to their parents) added an extra layer of confusion for me. I also feel like I would've felt more invested in this if I read the first series because I don't really understand the whole Anderson family curse and why it impacts Asher and his siblings so much. I'm sure there's more context in Promises and Pomegranates, which is Asher's parents' story, but I figured that if this were a separate series, I wouldn't have needed to read the first series to understand why it was so high stakes.
Another thing I should point out is that a majority of the book, although it is STILL considered a dark romance, mostly felt like a dark academia mystery/thriller to me. Yes, there were extremely dark, graphic, violent scenes in the book, none of which I am going to go into to 1) avoid spoilers and 2) not scar anyone who may be sensitive to this type of content, but I honestly went into the book thinking that it was going to be one chapter after the other just filled with gore and graphic violence when that wasn't the case at all.
I would say there's three or four major scenes that are extremely graphic throughout the entire story in terms of gore and violence, and the rest of it just felt like any other mystery/thriller book with a side of friends-to-lovers romance. A majority of the horror/gore is packed into the last few chapters of the book, which I thought was pretty overwhelming, and I had to step away for a bit before picking the book back up. I can't really say I didn't see it coming, considering I felt like I was waiting for the other shoe to drop for a majority of the book, because I was just like, "Okay, this doesn't feel overly dark to me, when is that going to kick in?"
(Something of note that was a big concern to me going into the story, but ended up NOT being a concern: this book does NOT romanticize SA or rape. I think the author did a good job in showing how it affects everyone negatively, especially the victim and anyone who knows them.)
The atmosphere in the book gave me ALL the dark academia vibes. I pictured dark, cloudy, rainy days on a centuries-old, prestigious campus that was reminiscent of an Ivy League college in New England (considering the school is located in New Hampshire, that helps with the vibes a lot more, haha), and this book delivered on all of that. It's the perfect kind of read for the fall! Add in secret societies, rich kids who think they're above the law, and libraries filled with old archives and endless shelves of books, and that added to the whole atmosphere and vibe of the book.
As for Asher and Lucy themselves, I added this book to my "Guys Who Are Down Bad" shelf on Goodreads, AKA the book I reserve for MMCs who would do anything for their woman. Asher was HORRENDOUSLY down bad, and you could tell he loves and cares about Lucy a lot. I don't agree with him putting a tracking device on Lucy's clothes without her consent, so he knows where she is at all times, though. The friend-to-lovers aspect of their romance carried the entire book, to be honest.
The book is dual POV with Asher and Lucy's POVs, and I especially liked the flashbacks to them when they were younger, so we can see exactly how deep their relationship runs. It honestly felt a teensy bit like YA at the beginning of the book without the writing style that usually comes with a YA romance book. Asher and Lucy were young, their friends were the same age, and they did everything normal teenagers did--hang out with each other, joke around, go to parties they shouldn't have, applying for colleges--and even the conversation Lucy and her dad, Alistair, had about her going away to college and him being worried and wanting to make sure she's safe while she's away, all just felt like things you could find in any YA coming-of-age book.
Ironically, one of the things I found unrealistic in the book was the spice. Both of the MCs are virgins (there is NOTHING wrong with that!), but the fact that their first time was this perfect thing and nothing went wrong felt unrealistic to me. Like, I personally couldn't even tell that both of them were virgins in the story, considering it just felt like they both knew what they were doing right off the bat and nothing about it was awkward. I do feel like the ending gave me whiplash, though, and felt kind of unrealistic. Like, you're telling me Lucy and Asher both don't have survivor's guilt over what happened at the end, and instead of processing their grief and feelings, they just....hook up? I get that everyone processes their grief in different ways, but it didn't seem right to me that they just didn't take the time to process everything that happened, considering they all saw people they care about get murdered throughout the story.
So overall, would I say I enjoyed this? I would say yes, but with an asterisk. Your mileage may vary depending on whether or not you read the first generation series and how okay you are with the trigger warnings, and had I read the first generation series first, I think I would've enjoyed this a lot more.
༉‧₊˚🕯️🖤❀༉‧₊˚. ༉‧₊˚🕯️🖤❀༉‧₊˚. ༉‧₊˚🕯️🖤❀༉‧₊˚. ༉‧₊˚🕯️🖤❀༉‧₊˚. ༉‧₊˚🕯️🖤❀༉‧₊˚. ༉‧₊˚🕯️🖤
Trigger/content warnings (PLEASE TAKE THESE SERIOUSLY, THESE WERE PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR AT THE BEGINNING OF THE BOOK!): on-page rape of a side character, on page SA and sexual violence, explicit sexual scenes, graphic violence, gore, murder, torture, off-page death of a family pet and funeral for said pet
⋆˙⟡ 𝒫𝓇𝑒-𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹: You know when you go to a bookstore and you just see a book on the shelf or on a table somewhere that intrigues you, but you don't buy it, but then every time you come back it's still there taunting you? That's me with this book.
I've never read anything by Sav R. Miller before, although I have seen her other books floating around on social media and whenever I step into a Barnes & Noble. I know enough to know that she's normally a dark romance author, which, if you know me, is a genre I usually steer clear of like it's the plague. It's just a personal choice, only because some of the typical content warnings/trigger warnings that show up in the dark romance genre are things that have happened to me in real life, and the romanticization of SA/rape in some of these dark romance books that are out there isn't something I vibe with at all. However, this seems a little different than other books in this genre because this sounds like a New Adult dark academia book, which is a genre I do enjoy a lot, mixed with a little bit of mystery/thriller elements in it based on the synopsis with the unexplained deaths around the campus. If anything, I'm reading this because it falls under dark academia. (The pretty cover also helps a lot, too.)
I'm going to go into this with an open mind, considering this is my first-ever book from the genre, but also be 100% aware of the trigger warnings. I have this book on Kindle Unlimited, so I can back away and stop reading it if it gets to be too much.
Want to read
July 21, 2025Never read a book by this author... but LOOK AT THIS COVER!
August 27, 2025
this was my first book by this author, and it definitely won’t be my last! that said, I was a little confused at first, mainly because I didn’t fully understand why the Anderson name was so despised or the full history behind it. I think reading the first generation (the parents' book) would’ve helped clarify that, and I would’ve enjoyed this even more.
but even with that, Asher and Lucy were everything
the slow burn between them was perfection, the tension was palpable, and the yearning? chef’s kiss 👩🏻🍳💋
also, the next book is gonna be a professor X student? count me in, I’m already hooked!
but even with that, Asher and Lucy were everything
the slow burn between them was perfection, the tension was palpable, and the yearning? chef’s kiss 👩🏻🍳💋
also, the next book is gonna be a professor X student? count me in, I’m already hooked!
Want to read
November 1, 2025
*Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an E-Arc in exchange for an honest review!*
Now why on earth did I think this book was going to come out in October instead of August. 🤦🏼♀️
Anyways, happy release day!
I’m so excited to start reading this very soon.
————————
I have a weakness for second-generation books in beloved series.
Have I read the first-gen ones? Not even a little.
Oops, I guess?
Now why on earth did I think this book was going to come out in October instead of August. 🤦🏼♀️
Anyways, happy release day!
I’m so excited to start reading this very soon.
————————
I have a weakness for second-generation books in beloved series.
Have I read the first-gen ones? Not even a little.
Oops, I guess?
August 18, 2025
3.5 ★ [rounded up]
I hadn't read any of the first gen books but I had no problem following this.
I adored both main characters. Asher is my absolute favourite type of MMC—completely obsessed, pathetically down bad, and it’s her or no one vibes. Lucy was a great FMC and the ADHD rep was done well.
The romance was my favourite part of this book. Friends-to-idiots-to-lovers filled with angst, tension, and secret pining. I would say this is medium burn—spice starts around 50% onwards, but when it happens it hits 🔥
World-building is minimal but it’s an easy and entertaining read. The plot was fine—a bit slow in the middle but had enough mystery to keep my attention.
Tropes:
✦ childhood friends to lovers
✦ dark academia
✦ small town university
✦ grumpy x grumpy
✦ family curse
✦ virgin MCs
✦ one dorm (bed)
✦ 🌶️🌶️.5
I hadn't read any of the first gen books but I had no problem following this.
I adored both main characters. Asher is my absolute favourite type of MMC—completely obsessed, pathetically down bad, and it’s her or no one vibes. Lucy was a great FMC and the ADHD rep was done well.
The romance was my favourite part of this book. Friends-to-idiots-to-lovers filled with angst, tension, and secret pining. I would say this is medium burn—spice starts around 50% onwards, but when it happens it hits 🔥
World-building is minimal but it’s an easy and entertaining read. The plot was fine—a bit slow in the middle but had enough mystery to keep my attention.
Tropes:
✦ childhood friends to lovers
✦ dark academia
✦ small town university
✦ grumpy x grumpy
✦ family curse
✦ virgin MCs
✦ one dorm (bed)
✦ 🌶️🌶️.5
August 21, 2025
solid 4 star read here
Let’s start with the good things first: Sav knows how to write characters. Each person felt very real and thought out, and there were almost too many characters for me to keep track of lol. However it’s Asher that really shined for me in this book. Man was down bad and I really loved that this book mostly focused on his POV. I absolutely ATE UP the relationship between him and Lucy. And even though I’m normally not a big childhood friends to lovers arc, this one hit for me. I was kicking my feet and giggling. AND ASHERS ANGST. IT WAS SO GOOD. The smut was also super good I was into it. Everything felt so PASSIONATE AND INTENSE. This was a lot of fun honestly and I enjoyed it more than I’ve enjoyed a lot of other books recently.
HOWEVER, I will say that there were some glaring issues with this book. The biggest one was the plot. It was all over the place. An absolute mess. It was really hard to follow, and a lot of things were just completely not explained or even alluded to. I know this series continues with different characters and I’m sure we will get answers, but I feel like there should have been some sort of clarity in the plot that was just completely missing. This may also be because I didn’t read the series with the parents, but since this is a complete new series, I shouldn’t have to read the other one to understand this plot????
At the end of the day, though, I liked the characters and the writing enough that I could ignore the plot confusion. I will for sure read the next book when it comes out in January.
Let’s start with the good things first: Sav knows how to write characters. Each person felt very real and thought out, and there were almost too many characters for me to keep track of lol. However it’s Asher that really shined for me in this book. Man was down bad and I really loved that this book mostly focused on his POV. I absolutely ATE UP the relationship between him and Lucy. And even though I’m normally not a big childhood friends to lovers arc, this one hit for me. I was kicking my feet and giggling. AND ASHERS ANGST. IT WAS SO GOOD. The smut was also super good I was into it. Everything felt so PASSIONATE AND INTENSE. This was a lot of fun honestly and I enjoyed it more than I’ve enjoyed a lot of other books recently.
HOWEVER, I will say that there were some glaring issues with this book. The biggest one was the plot. It was all over the place. An absolute mess. It was really hard to follow, and a lot of things were just completely not explained or even alluded to. I know this series continues with different characters and I’m sure we will get answers, but I feel like there should have been some sort of clarity in the plot that was just completely missing. This may also be because I didn’t read the series with the parents, but since this is a complete new series, I shouldn’t have to read the other one to understand this plot????
At the end of the day, though, I liked the characters and the writing enough that I could ignore the plot confusion. I will for sure read the next book when it comes out in January.
Want to read
May 8, 2025The cover is beautiful omg
Want to read
September 24, 2025𝘀𝗼𝗳𝘁 𝗱𝗻𝗳 @𝟭𝟮%
i’m definitely enjoying this book, but i’m not in the mood for it at the moment. i’m back in my fantasy era and i just kinda got out of my slump, so i’ll definitely come back to this!
♥︎𓆩♡𓆪♥︎
𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱
𝗼𝗸 𝘀𝗼 𝗶 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻'𝘁 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶'𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘄, 𝗶 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝘁. 𝗶 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝘁 𝗺𝗲 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝘆... 𝗶 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗴𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗮 𝗯𝗲 𝗮 𝗕𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗘𝗥!
i’m definitely enjoying this book, but i’m not in the mood for it at the moment. i’m back in my fantasy era and i just kinda got out of my slump, so i’ll definitely come back to this!
♥︎𓆩♡𓆪♥︎
𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱
𝗼𝗸 𝘀𝗼 𝗶 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻'𝘁 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶'𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘄, 𝗶 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝘁. 𝗶 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝘁 𝗺𝗲 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝘆... 𝗶 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗴𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗮 𝗯𝗲 𝗮 𝗕𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗘𝗥!
not-published-yet
July 16, 2023I don’t think a can wait a wholeass year for this
August 5, 2025
So I learnt after reading the characters in this book are connected to another series by this author, but came here to say that absolutely does not matter, it reads well on its own and you don’t feel like you’re missing anything if you haven’t read the other series!
What you do get if you read is:
Dark romance
Dark academia
Inspired by Greek furies
I actually enjoyed the romance in this one, there was a good build up between the love interest, a lot of tension and steamy parts and they have a natural connection that comes off the page,
I loved the secret society, creepy rituals and culty vibes, this is always what I want from a dark academia book 😆
This one is definitely worth a read if you enjoy the above themes!
I’d be interested in going back and reading from the authors previous works!
Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and Sav R Miller for the gifted copy!
Publish date: August 19th
What you do get if you read is:
Dark romance
Dark academia
Inspired by Greek furies
I actually enjoyed the romance in this one, there was a good build up between the love interest, a lot of tension and steamy parts and they have a natural connection that comes off the page,
I loved the secret society, creepy rituals and culty vibes, this is always what I want from a dark academia book 😆
This one is definitely worth a read if you enjoy the above themes!
I’d be interested in going back and reading from the authors previous works!
Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and Sav R Miller for the gifted copy!
Publish date: August 19th
September 11, 2025
Rtc! 3.5 stars rounded up!
꒰🐺꒱ 𝙋𝙧𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙‧₊ ᵎᵎ
Can’t wait to read this! Just bought it recently, and the sprayed edges are gorgeous!
Have I read the first gen series? Nope. Hoping I’ll still understand it anyways lol
I don’t read childhood friends to lovers that much but based on the blurb, I know I’m going to love this :)
꒰🐺꒱ 𝙋𝙧𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙‧₊ ᵎᵎ
Can’t wait to read this! Just bought it recently, and the sprayed edges are gorgeous!
Have I read the first gen series? Nope. Hoping I’ll still understand it anyways lol
I don’t read childhood friends to lovers that much but based on the blurb, I know I’m going to love this :)
October 8, 2025
2.5⭐️ what even was this. why was everyone killed off?? hello?? and the author wanted the college to be a high school, i swear. no one in college would hate someone so violently that she would be the “outcast” that is just sooo unrealistic and very high school coded. also no way this girl has been living college life, making out with people, dating people for three years and she’s still a virgin. WHAT IN THE WORLD. that is the stupidest plot line of the story and i’m not shaming anyone who is 22 years old and a virgin but it’s just wildly unrealistic when she’s dated people?? like if she’s gonna be a virgin at least have some explanation for it: “oh i want my first to be asher” “oh i was just never ready” “oh i want to wait until marriage and that’s my opinion” like there’s valid reasons to be at college for 3 years and be a virgin but they didn’t give those reasons at all and just acted like everything was normal. also the school bully?? hello?? we don’t get more high school than that and that whole thing just pissed me off. anyways also hated asher like he didn’t know how to communicate, never apologized for ditching her, and just expecting her to forgive him immediately. he was always intruding on her life and kept yapping about how he would go to the ends of the earth for her but the only active action we saw was him beating up random people who were kind of mean to her. anyways that’s my rant thanks for coming to my ted talk lol
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 30, 2025
4.5
READ 👏🏻 THIS 👏🏻 BOOK 👏🏻
READ 👏🏻 THIS 👏🏻 BOOK 👏🏻
August 16, 2025
I have been waiting all summer to read this book and holy shit it did NOT disappoint. I personally think this is Sav’s best book from the plot, to the yearning, and enemies to lovers, it was all AMAZING. I really liked how Sav added some political undertones in some parts which I feel like in today’s day and age it’s needed so it was really nice to see that. And I was DYING when one of the kids asked “do you think our parents have ever had sex together” like I was dead lol because yuppp they have haha. The plot was so addicting to read, and Sav almost had me crying towards the end of the book because I was so nervous everything wouldn’t turn out happily ever after! But Sav came through like always and didn’t leave me hanging! I’m SO excited to read Jealous Rage and Foxe’s book! Overall Endless Anger was definitely one of my favorite reads of this year!
August 19, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 4.75 Stars
This was my first book by Sav R. Miller, and it will definitely not be my last. I devoured it in just two days and honestly didn’t want to put it down. The yearning between Lucy and Asher was absolutely palpable, you could feel it in every interaction.
I loved how obsessed Asher was with Lucy, how far he was willing to go to protect her, and how determined he was to make her his. Their relationship felt inevitable, like fate itself had been weaving them together since the moment they were born.
The university setting? Completely unhinged in the best way. The secret societies, the twisted initiations, and the dark lore tied to them were unlike anything I have read before. It added such a haunting and intriguing layer to the story.
The side characters also stole my heart. They were a mismatched little crew that grew on me so much, and by the end I was desperately hoping nothing bad would happen to them.
And let’s just say, once Asher and Lucy finally got together, the spice was phenomenal. Off the charts, can’t look away, absolutely worth the wait.
I am so excited to dive into book two, and I will definitely be picking up more of Sav R. Miller’s books soon.
This was my first book by Sav R. Miller, and it will definitely not be my last. I devoured it in just two days and honestly didn’t want to put it down. The yearning between Lucy and Asher was absolutely palpable, you could feel it in every interaction.
I loved how obsessed Asher was with Lucy, how far he was willing to go to protect her, and how determined he was to make her his. Their relationship felt inevitable, like fate itself had been weaving them together since the moment they were born.
The university setting? Completely unhinged in the best way. The secret societies, the twisted initiations, and the dark lore tied to them were unlike anything I have read before. It added such a haunting and intriguing layer to the story.
The side characters also stole my heart. They were a mismatched little crew that grew on me so much, and by the end I was desperately hoping nothing bad would happen to them.
And let’s just say, once Asher and Lucy finally got together, the spice was phenomenal. Off the charts, can’t look away, absolutely worth the wait.
I am so excited to dive into book two, and I will definitely be picking up more of Sav R. Miller’s books soon.
August 21, 2025
Actual rating 3.25 ⭐️
August 20, 2025
2.5⭐️ well I’m very sad I didn’t enjoy this.. the premise was promising but it just really dragged for me.
This is a the next gen series following the kids of the main characters in her other series. I haven’t read that series so I’m not sure if I would have enjoyed it more if I did. I was very excited because I’ve been loving a good dark academia murder mystery but this really fell flat for me. I couldn’t connect to the characters, I felt like things were happening but also nothing was happening. The spice was good though.
I ended up skimming the ending just to see what happened.
Thank you sourcebooks and netgalley for the advanced copy.
This is a the next gen series following the kids of the main characters in her other series. I haven’t read that series so I’m not sure if I would have enjoyed it more if I did. I was very excited because I’ve been loving a good dark academia murder mystery but this really fell flat for me. I couldn’t connect to the characters, I felt like things were happening but also nothing was happening. The spice was good though.
I ended up skimming the ending just to see what happened.
Thank you sourcebooks and netgalley for the advanced copy.
December 9, 2025
asher anderson, you dog!!!!!!! 🥵🥵 this was so fun & mysterious. and dare i say the perfect childhood friends to lovers with a side of yearning and dollop of angst? i loved both mc’s, but the parents were hilarious too so obviously i’m gonna have to go binge the first gen soon.
August 13, 2025
5 ⭐️♾️
Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. I would also like to thank Sourcebooks UK for the proof copy. All opinions are my own.
I fear that this may even be a god tier book for me, because I’m speechless. We’re so back baby!! 🤩🙂↔️
Wow, wow, wow!! Miss Miller, you have outdone yourself. Take a bow!! I’m never going to shut up about this book, are you kidding me 🥹🥹
What a phenomenal start to a new series. This has been years in the making! I have been quite literally GIDDY for this book since 2023, when it was first teased that there was more to come from the Monsters and Muses universe. While you don’t have to read the first books which follow their parents, I will say that it does enhance the experience, and highly recommend doing so. Seeing how the children interact with their cousins and their parents really was such a surreal and giddy experience for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was more emotionally invested because, having known what their parents have been through, now seeing them as parents and seeing their children and how happy they all are was so heartwarming to see.
It is a real credit to Sav as an author and to her writing. The way her mind works and her authorship have created a really enriched and immersive universe here. Her world building is so enriching and layered that it feels completely lived in. Every setting, every interaction, every small detail was purposeful, and it all worked together to create an immersive experience that I found impossible to put it down, and the entire time I was reading, I felt like I was inside this world, breathing the same air as the characters, and I really cannot wait for more to come from Monsters Within.
Onto the stars of the show: Asher Anderson and Lucy Wolfe, children of Kal and Elena Anderson and Alastair and Cora Wolfe. You could really see how alike they were to their parents, and the traits they had were unique to them as individuals. Especially Lucy, with how she wanted to be her own entity that wasn’t shadowed by her family‘s name or her parents’ success and persona. Similarly with Asher, he is his parents’ child through and through. He is a well-balanced blend of Kal and Elena. Asher and Lucy have been the best of friends literally from the moment they were born. I really loved the flashbacks to their teenage years. They gave a nice insight into the other characters, their parents, and how they all interacted. Straight from the start, you could see how obsessed and how badly Asher had it for Lucy. I think Sav once said that Leo De Tore was the mayor of Down Badsville, but honestly, Asher Blake Anderson could give his uncle Leo a run for his money.
Honestly, I was rooting for them from the very start. They drift apart due to a falling out and misunderstanding, and I didn’t think Asher could become more obsessed with Lucy, but he did, and I just loved it.
When Lucy leaves for college to start at Avernia, having been sold on it from Quincy (Kal and Elena’s eldest daughter), the rift between the once best friends worsens. Asher has finally had enough, so he does what any obsessed, unhinged, and in love with his best friend person would do: he joins the college as an RA, obviously. One reason I am wholly obsessed, and absolutely love this is because I very much enjoy dark romance, and I also really enjoy dark academia. This delivered on both. Avernia College isn’t all that it seems, and the founding families date back to Kal’s ancestors, adding to the eerie mystery and family curse that is on the Anderson kids. I loved the eerie vibes and how everything wasn’t as it seemed with what was happening at the college.
The side characters in this were phenomenal. I have to give credit where credit is due: Sav is a mastermind. I freaking ADORE Aurora and Foxe; separately, I need to know what the tea is between those two!! And don’t even get me started on Foxe.
My sweet, golden retriever Foxeglove Micah James— PROTECT MY BABY at all costs! Listen, I am a Foxe James FANNN. I will never shut up about him! All I hope is that we get to see more of Foxe.
Now, maybe this is just because of how emotionally invested I was in this, but there were a few chapters towards the end that I personally struggled with. I’m not even joking when I say that I cried. I will not be able to think of those chapters without thinking of this book. That’s how much of a profound mark this book has left on me. This really is a book that will stay with me forever because it was just an incredible read, even when it was hard to get through.
I loved how they were both virgins. It wasn’t awkward to the point where it was cringe; it felt very natural, and the spice was spicy and hot. Again, they are their parents’ children haha!
All in all, I had an absolutely phenomenal, incredible time with this book. It was an exhilarating start to the series and it’s left me wanting more. I really can’t wait to see more of the Anderson children, more from the side characters, and of course my baby Foxe!!
Tropes
Dark academia
Childhood friends to idiots to lovers
Grumpy/Grumpy
Family curse
One (dorm) bed
Hidden secrets
Small town university
Virgin MCs
Second generation series
Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. I would also like to thank Sourcebooks UK for the proof copy. All opinions are my own.
I fear that this may even be a god tier book for me, because I’m speechless. We’re so back baby!! 🤩🙂↔️
Wow, wow, wow!! Miss Miller, you have outdone yourself. Take a bow!! I’m never going to shut up about this book, are you kidding me 🥹🥹
What a phenomenal start to a new series. This has been years in the making! I have been quite literally GIDDY for this book since 2023, when it was first teased that there was more to come from the Monsters and Muses universe. While you don’t have to read the first books which follow their parents, I will say that it does enhance the experience, and highly recommend doing so. Seeing how the children interact with their cousins and their parents really was such a surreal and giddy experience for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was more emotionally invested because, having known what their parents have been through, now seeing them as parents and seeing their children and how happy they all are was so heartwarming to see.
It is a real credit to Sav as an author and to her writing. The way her mind works and her authorship have created a really enriched and immersive universe here. Her world building is so enriching and layered that it feels completely lived in. Every setting, every interaction, every small detail was purposeful, and it all worked together to create an immersive experience that I found impossible to put it down, and the entire time I was reading, I felt like I was inside this world, breathing the same air as the characters, and I really cannot wait for more to come from Monsters Within.
Onto the stars of the show: Asher Anderson and Lucy Wolfe, children of Kal and Elena Anderson and Alastair and Cora Wolfe. You could really see how alike they were to their parents, and the traits they had were unique to them as individuals. Especially Lucy, with how she wanted to be her own entity that wasn’t shadowed by her family‘s name or her parents’ success and persona. Similarly with Asher, he is his parents’ child through and through. He is a well-balanced blend of Kal and Elena. Asher and Lucy have been the best of friends literally from the moment they were born. I really loved the flashbacks to their teenage years. They gave a nice insight into the other characters, their parents, and how they all interacted. Straight from the start, you could see how obsessed and how badly Asher had it for Lucy. I think Sav once said that Leo De Tore was the mayor of Down Badsville, but honestly, Asher Blake Anderson could give his uncle Leo a run for his money.
Honestly, I was rooting for them from the very start. They drift apart due to a falling out and misunderstanding, and I didn’t think Asher could become more obsessed with Lucy, but he did, and I just loved it.
When Lucy leaves for college to start at Avernia, having been sold on it from Quincy (Kal and Elena’s eldest daughter), the rift between the once best friends worsens. Asher has finally had enough, so he does what any obsessed, unhinged, and in love with his best friend person would do: he joins the college as an RA, obviously. One reason I am wholly obsessed, and absolutely love this is because I very much enjoy dark romance, and I also really enjoy dark academia. This delivered on both. Avernia College isn’t all that it seems, and the founding families date back to Kal’s ancestors, adding to the eerie mystery and family curse that is on the Anderson kids. I loved the eerie vibes and how everything wasn’t as it seemed with what was happening at the college.
The side characters in this were phenomenal. I have to give credit where credit is due: Sav is a mastermind. I freaking ADORE Aurora and Foxe; separately, I need to know what the tea is between those two!! And don’t even get me started on Foxe.
“I’m but a simple goldfish,” he croons, flipping his hair out of his face. “If you don’t pay enough attention to me, I’ll die.”
My sweet, golden retriever Foxeglove Micah James— PROTECT MY BABY at all costs! Listen, I am a Foxe James FANNN. I will never shut up about him! All I hope is that we get to see more of Foxe.
Now, maybe this is just because of how emotionally invested I was in this, but there were a few chapters towards the end that I personally struggled with. I’m not even joking when I say that I cried. I will not be able to think of those chapters without thinking of this book. That’s how much of a profound mark this book has left on me. This really is a book that will stay with me forever because it was just an incredible read, even when it was hard to get through.
I loved how they were both virgins. It wasn’t awkward to the point where it was cringe; it felt very natural, and the spice was spicy and hot. Again, they are their parents’ children haha!
All in all, I had an absolutely phenomenal, incredible time with this book. It was an exhilarating start to the series and it’s left me wanting more. I really can’t wait to see more of the Anderson children, more from the side characters, and of course my baby Foxe!!
Tropes
Dark academia
Childhood friends to idiots to lovers
Grumpy/Grumpy
Family curse
One (dorm) bed
Hidden secrets
Small town university
Virgin MCs
Second generation series
August 24, 2025
OMG. Endless Anger is everything and more that I was hoping for! Getting to see the babies from Monsters & Muses all grown up has me yearning for more of their stories!
Lucy is incredible, compassionate, empathetic, maybe a bit stubborn, and honestly so relatable. I found myself understanding a lot of her struggles and inner thoughts. The way she navigates ADHD I think will be something a lot of neurodivergents can relate to as well. Her friendship to relationship with Asher is the definition of soulmates imo! The way their connection blooms is *chefs kiss* 🤌🏼💋
Asher is exactly what I expected of Kal and Elena's son to be like. He's broody, sarcastic, yet protective and caring towards the people in his life that he truly cares for. Definitely some anger there, the parallels and differences between him and Kal personality wise are so cool to see. I also loved seeing a little of his relationship with his older sisters, I can't wait to get more of that in the next books too.
The darkness of this book had me sucked in. I couldn't get enough of the atmosphere, the curse and paranormal talk, and the overall eerie vibe. I do feel like you can totally read this book without reading the 1st gen series (Monsters & Muses) even though you will miss a bit of the layered complexity of the relationships between the parents and kids.
So, read those as well, because they are WONDERFUL! (I mean, an opportunity to read more Sav, why wouldn't you??)
This series is easily going to become a new favorite for me!
Thank you so much for the ARC, I'm leaving this review voluntarily and all thoughts are my own.
Lucy is incredible, compassionate, empathetic, maybe a bit stubborn, and honestly so relatable. I found myself understanding a lot of her struggles and inner thoughts. The way she navigates ADHD I think will be something a lot of neurodivergents can relate to as well. Her friendship to relationship with Asher is the definition of soulmates imo! The way their connection blooms is *chefs kiss* 🤌🏼💋
Asher is exactly what I expected of Kal and Elena's son to be like. He's broody, sarcastic, yet protective and caring towards the people in his life that he truly cares for. Definitely some anger there, the parallels and differences between him and Kal personality wise are so cool to see. I also loved seeing a little of his relationship with his older sisters, I can't wait to get more of that in the next books too.
The darkness of this book had me sucked in. I couldn't get enough of the atmosphere, the curse and paranormal talk, and the overall eerie vibe. I do feel like you can totally read this book without reading the 1st gen series (Monsters & Muses) even though you will miss a bit of the layered complexity of the relationships between the parents and kids.
So, read those as well, because they are WONDERFUL! (I mean, an opportunity to read more Sav, why wouldn't you??)
This series is easily going to become a new favorite for me!
Thank you so much for the ARC, I'm leaving this review voluntarily and all thoughts are my own.
July 25, 2025
ARC Review: Endless Anger
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
This book had everything—dark academia vibes, secret societies, spice, and a romance that hits you right in the chest. Asher is all broody rage and bad decisions, and Lucy is the only one who’s ever really seen him. Their chemistry? Absolutely electric.
I loved how the mystery kept unfolding around them—rituals, murders, creepy campus secrets—and yet the tension between them stayed front and center. It’s the perfect mix of plot and spice, with twists that actually surprised me.
If you’re into morally gray guys, angsty romance, and dark settings with a little bite, definitely pick this one up. I’m already dying for the next book.
Releases 8/19/25!✨Thank you to @srmauthor @read_bloom and @netgalley for sending me an ARC to review!
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
This book had everything—dark academia vibes, secret societies, spice, and a romance that hits you right in the chest. Asher is all broody rage and bad decisions, and Lucy is the only one who’s ever really seen him. Their chemistry? Absolutely electric.
I loved how the mystery kept unfolding around them—rituals, murders, creepy campus secrets—and yet the tension between them stayed front and center. It’s the perfect mix of plot and spice, with twists that actually surprised me.
If you’re into morally gray guys, angsty romance, and dark settings with a little bite, definitely pick this one up. I’m already dying for the next book.
Releases 8/19/25!✨Thank you to @srmauthor @read_bloom and @netgalley for sending me an ARC to review!
August 25, 2025
4/5
OKAY WOW. I have so many thoughts but lots on how I have no clue how long this series will be????! Maybe this one is a trilogy just for the Andersons but we have SO many other characters that are going to have books right?? Aurora and Fox, I assume Beckett, and then we haven’t met Justin or Henry (OR REDACTED!!) but I assume if they’re mentioned in the important people section of this book then they’ll get books?? I AM SO EXCITED REGARDLESS. AND ALSO MAYBE WE GET A MUNA BOOK??
Guys the end of this book is insanely dark and I was so shocked by it but wow does it set up the series perfectly.
The setting of Avernia College is chef’s kiss. So creepy and so unsettling. The way crazy shit happens but everyone lets it slide?? The way the elite have so much power but there are people pulling the strings they don’t even know??
The plot of this book is excellent. Again, the murders are heartbreaking and unsettling; and the lore is just so insanely cool. AND THE END I WAS ACTUALLY SO SCARED. And so sad because Sav does not pull punches when it comes to violence here.
Lucy I’ll admit is not my favourite character. She just annoyed me a lot and I didn’t find her relatable. That being said, THE END WHAT THE FUCK. She did not deserve to go through any of that.
I can’t say Asher was any better for me. Again I just didn’t relate to him.
Their romance is fine, nothing I adored, but I’ll say I enjoyed seeing them as kids at the beginning and I enjoyed the slowburn. I also found the smut to be really well written!
BUT AGAIN GUYS THE PLOT. This is what I’m here for and making theories about. The lore is insane and I need to know everything. Wow.
Although I’ll admit I’m not totally into Noelle and Sutton being the next book (hello!! Foxe!!) I’m going to be seated for it regardless. ALSO I have a feeling Quincy’s book will be sapphic 😄 love to see sapphic dark romance guys I’ve never read that before.
So yeah in conclusion I would come here for the plot because WOW does it pack a gut punch. Sav R Miller this was a great start to a series and I’m going to read the rest of your stuff now 😩
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the e-arc!
OKAY WOW. I have so many thoughts but lots on how I have no clue how long this series will be????! Maybe this one is a trilogy just for the Andersons but we have SO many other characters that are going to have books right?? Aurora and Fox, I assume Beckett, and then we haven’t met Justin or Henry (OR REDACTED!!) but I assume if they’re mentioned in the important people section of this book then they’ll get books?? I AM SO EXCITED REGARDLESS. AND ALSO MAYBE WE GET A MUNA BOOK??
Guys the end of this book is insanely dark and I was so shocked by it but wow does it set up the series perfectly.
The setting of Avernia College is chef’s kiss. So creepy and so unsettling. The way crazy shit happens but everyone lets it slide?? The way the elite have so much power but there are people pulling the strings they don’t even know??
The plot of this book is excellent. Again, the murders are heartbreaking and unsettling; and the lore is just so insanely cool. AND THE END I WAS ACTUALLY SO SCARED. And so sad because Sav does not pull punches when it comes to violence here.
Lucy I’ll admit is not my favourite character. She just annoyed me a lot and I didn’t find her relatable. That being said, THE END WHAT THE FUCK. She did not deserve to go through any of that.
I can’t say Asher was any better for me. Again I just didn’t relate to him.
Their romance is fine, nothing I adored, but I’ll say I enjoyed seeing them as kids at the beginning and I enjoyed the slowburn. I also found the smut to be really well written!
BUT AGAIN GUYS THE PLOT. This is what I’m here for and making theories about. The lore is insane and I need to know everything. Wow.
Although I’ll admit I’m not totally into Noelle and Sutton being the next book (hello!! Foxe!!) I’m going to be seated for it regardless. ALSO I have a feeling Quincy’s book will be sapphic 😄 love to see sapphic dark romance guys I’ve never read that before.
So yeah in conclusion I would come here for the plot because WOW does it pack a gut punch. Sav R Miller this was a great start to a series and I’m going to read the rest of your stuff now 😩
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the e-arc!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 16, 2025
I have been impatiently waiting for this book since the second Sav announced we were getting a next gen series featuring the kids of one of my favorite dark romance series. BUT nothing could have prepared me for the absolute masterpiece this was….I am still trying to pick up my jaw from the floor, Sav did not come to play about these babies.
This follows Asher, the son of the infamous Kallum Asher Anderson and mafia princess Elena, and Lucy, the daughter of our favorite corrupt mayor Allister Wolfe and his eccentric wife Cora, and some of the other Monster & Muses children and families from late teenage drama to the haunted hallowed halls of Avernia College. This was packed full of angst, yearning, secret societies, dark academia vibes and a healthy dose of spice. I fear that this series will only continue to be on an upward trajectory to one of my favorite series as it progresses if this is just book one.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This follows Asher, the son of the infamous Kallum Asher Anderson and mafia princess Elena, and Lucy, the daughter of our favorite corrupt mayor Allister Wolfe and his eccentric wife Cora, and some of the other Monster & Muses children and families from late teenage drama to the haunted hallowed halls of Avernia College. This was packed full of angst, yearning, secret societies, dark academia vibes and a healthy dose of spice. I fear that this series will only continue to be on an upward trajectory to one of my favorite series as it progresses if this is just book one.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 20, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
This is a dark gothic romance that has secret societies and curses. These are the kids from the Monsters and Muses series. Asher was always there to protect Lucy until she left for college, where Asher was supposed to follow, but bailed on her due to a curse. Years later, Asher does show up at the college and the tension between the two is more than they can fight. Well I didn’t love this book. I didn’t necessarily hate it either.
This is a dark gothic romance that has secret societies and curses. These are the kids from the Monsters and Muses series. Asher was always there to protect Lucy until she left for college, where Asher was supposed to follow, but bailed on her due to a curse. Years later, Asher does show up at the college and the tension between the two is more than they can fight. Well I didn’t love this book. I didn’t necessarily hate it either.
August 22, 2025
Top read of 2025. So. Fcking. Good. Give me a childhood best friends plot and I’m gonna eat it UP every time.
August 7, 2025
Endless Anger is a spinoff series from the Monsters & Muses series following their children. Full disclosure: I’ve never read the Monsters & Muses series, though Endless Anger can be read without reading the original series. Supposedly.
Endless Anger is a friends-to-lovers romance in a dark academia setting with an ominous curse. While the friends-to-lovers romance and the actual setting are the standout aspects of the novel, the rest is left to be desired.
The novel begins with multiple chapters from both Lucy and Asher’s perspective through their childhood establishing the bond between the two characters. These chapters are instrumental to their relationship.
Lucy and Asher’s relationship is easily the best part of the novel. Their chemistry is fire hot and undeniable. If you’re a fan of friends-to-lovers, Endless Anger delivers one of the best versions I’ve ever read.
Spicel level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Unfortunately, the rest of the novel is disappointing. I would not recommend reading Endless Anger unless you’ve read the previous series. I felt confused and lost most of the time. Endless Anger should have been the first book in a completely standalone series.
Overall, while I loved Lucy and Asher together, the rest of Endless Anger was a disappointment.
*** I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Endless Anger is a friends-to-lovers romance in a dark academia setting with an ominous curse. While the friends-to-lovers romance and the actual setting are the standout aspects of the novel, the rest is left to be desired.
The novel begins with multiple chapters from both Lucy and Asher’s perspective through their childhood establishing the bond between the two characters. These chapters are instrumental to their relationship.
Lucy and Asher’s relationship is easily the best part of the novel. Their chemistry is fire hot and undeniable. If you’re a fan of friends-to-lovers, Endless Anger delivers one of the best versions I’ve ever read.
Spicel level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Unfortunately, the rest of the novel is disappointing. I would not recommend reading Endless Anger unless you’ve read the previous series. I felt confused and lost most of the time. Endless Anger should have been the first book in a completely standalone series.
Overall, while I loved Lucy and Asher together, the rest of Endless Anger was a disappointment.
*** I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 21, 2025
I don't feel like I'm the correct audience for this one. While this was "contemporary romance," it was very very dark and not my usual cup of tea. I know that there are tons of readers out there that love dark romance, I just don't think that I can accurately rate it, since I am not type of reader who enjoys having my books freak me out a bit.
This one was super mysterious, with some horror elements thrown in, if that is your thing! This one also has a MMC that would burn the world down for the FMC, which I am always a fan of.
*edit - There is some very graphic torture in this book, if that is too much for you (it was almost too much for me tbh), here is your warning.*
I received this eARC on Edelweiss <3
This one was super mysterious, with some horror elements thrown in, if that is your thing! This one also has a MMC that would burn the world down for the FMC, which I am always a fan of.
*edit - There is some very graphic torture in this book, if that is too much for you (it was almost too much for me tbh), here is your warning.*
I received this eARC on Edelweiss <3
October 9, 2025
This is more of a 3.5 because I wanted more of them actually being together. The FMC spent most of the book “hating” him while her inner monologue said otherwise. Like life’s to short girl he’s loved you since ya’ll were kids just accept it already.
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