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The Saltwater Curse
A woman escaping her past…
Kristy Gallagher has slayed a monster before. When she could no longer live with her husband’s abuse, she plunged a knife into his neck. Then, she fled his family’s criminal empire—changing her name and traveling to the far reaches of the world, before finding her safe haven in Bali.
She’s used to looking over her shoulder but nothing could prepare her for the monster that lurks beyond the shore. Sharp claws, grasping tentacles—Krakens are real, and their King has decided she’s to be his bride.
A monster trying to end a curse…
Ordus is King of the Dead Lands, the last Kraken of his bloodline, and the final hope to break a terrible curse that plagues his lands. He must find his destined bride, his soul mate, and marry her to save his kingdom.
His fated mate shouldn’t be a human, but something about her calls to him like no other creature ever has. He drags her to his island, kicking and screaming, begging to be returned to the mainland.
Ordus must convince her he’s not a monster to be feared, but her soul mate who will protect her from anything and anyone who means her harm.
Including his own people.
Kristy Gallagher has slayed a monster before. When she could no longer live with her husband’s abuse, she plunged a knife into his neck. Then, she fled his family’s criminal empire—changing her name and traveling to the far reaches of the world, before finding her safe haven in Bali.
She’s used to looking over her shoulder but nothing could prepare her for the monster that lurks beyond the shore. Sharp claws, grasping tentacles—Krakens are real, and their King has decided she’s to be his bride.
A monster trying to end a curse…
Ordus is King of the Dead Lands, the last Kraken of his bloodline, and the final hope to break a terrible curse that plagues his lands. He must find his destined bride, his soul mate, and marry her to save his kingdom.
His fated mate shouldn’t be a human, but something about her calls to him like no other creature ever has. He drags her to his island, kicking and screaming, begging to be returned to the mainland.
Ordus must convince her he’s not a monster to be feared, but her soul mate who will protect her from anything and anyone who means her harm.
Including his own people.
382 pages, Paperback
First published June 5, 2025
2381 people are currently reading
13071 people want to read
About the author
Avina St. Graves
11 books4,603 followersFrom an early age, romance author Avina St. Graves spent her days imagining fantasy worlds and dreamy fictional men, which spurred on her introverted tendencies. In all her day dreaming, there seemed to be a reoccurring theme of morally grey female characters, love interests who belonged in prison, and unnecessary trauma and bloodshed.
When she isn't reading, writing, doom scrolling, or figuring out how to make red flags look green, you can find her holed up in bed, combating the three Ps: back pain, neck pain, and knee pain.
When she isn't reading, writing, doom scrolling, or figuring out how to make red flags look green, you can find her holed up in bed, combating the three Ps: back pain, neck pain, and knee pain.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,061 reviews
June 12, 2025
THE SALTWATER CURSE — chaotic spice, underwater vibes, and a kraken who can’t cook 🐙💀
Rating: 2.75⭐
Spice: 🌶️🌶️/5 — tentacles were the highlight, I fear.
🐙 Fated Mates
🫧 Kidnapping / Captor-Captive
🐙 Forced Proximity
🫧 Kraken Romance
🐙 Slow Burn
🫧 Beauty and the Beast Vibes
🐙 Trauma Recovery
🫧 He Falls First
I came into this expecting sea castles, seductive monsters, and SPICE—like, take-me-under-the-ocean-and-ruin-me levels of spice. What I got instead was a crabby man-kraken who kidnaps a traumatized woman, can’t cook for the life of him, and lives in a place that’s NOT EVEN A CASTLE. Like hello?? You’re a kraken king, where’s the underwater opulence??
Let me be so serious for a second—the only thing I loved in this book was Vasz, the chaotic coconut-obsessed sea creature. He’s like a dog-octopus hybrid who deserves his own novella. The rest? Ehh.
I wanted to root for Cindi. I really did. And I don’t get the hate she's getting because like... imagine getting kidnapped by a giant alien kraken, dumped in a world where you can’t even eat because your lovely captor keeps giving you raw fish, and when you tell him it’s not edible for you he’s like “liar 😡 u just wanna escape”... sir???
Though I’ll give credit where it's due—when he finally realizes humans aren’t into raw sushi 24/7, he learns to cook for her 🥺 so that was cute. But it took ages to get there. The romance? Honestly more like a hostage situation for 70% of the book.
Spice was barely there. First scene? 77%. Second? In the last 5%. You blink, you miss it. If you came for the spice… manage your expectations. It’s giving soft launch. 😭
Now Ordus… he truly loved her. Like this man-was-down-bad level of worship. She was everything to him and I actually felt so bad for him. But bro was also so annoyingly stubborn. Wouldn't let her leave. Ignored every word she said. Kept dragging her back like “but we're fated 🥺” and I’m just here like “then why won’t you let her go??”
And Cindi? The ONLY reason she even considered staying was because she was being hunted and literally had nowhere else to go. Not because she suddenly fell for him. Not because of romantic tension. More like survival instinct.
The pacing? Rough.
It felt like I was reading a hostage negotiation with spicy intermissions. Like Ordus begging her to stay, Cindi begging him to let her leave, on loop. There was no build-up of romantic tension, no slow burn, just a hard left turn into "I guess I love you now??"
And THEN, in the final chapters, plot randomly popped back up like: “Remember me??” 😭 It was like the author suddenly remembered this had a curse subplot and tried to tie it up last minute.
All that said, this book did make me laugh at times—whether it was Vasz’s coconut madness or just the sheer ridiculousness of some scenes. I read it in 2 days. I wasn’t bored, just... underwhelmed. Especially since it was hyped as a fated mates monster romance and I expected that classic “he’s monstrous to the world but soft for her” vibe. But instead I got... sushi denial and emotional miscommunication.
Would I recommend it? If you’re really into tentacle smut and can handle a romance that takes forever to romance, maybe. But don’t come expecting sea-palace spice fests or insta-love. This one’s more trauma recovery meets underwater awkwardness.
TLDR:
🐙 Vasz supremacy forever
🫧 Raw fish is NOT dinner
🐙 Kraken kings need to build better castles
🫧 Spice comes late, leaves early
🐙 Fated mates? Questionable.
🫧 Cindi needs therapy. Not tentacles.
Final thoughts:
I get what the author was trying to do—Hades/Persephone but make it oceanic and traumatized—but it just didn’t deliver. Some moments hit. Most made me sigh. And in the end, I kinda wish Cindi got a seaside therapist instead.
Rating: 2.75⭐
Spice: 🌶️🌶️/5 — tentacles were the highlight, I fear.
🐙 Fated Mates
🫧 Kidnapping / Captor-Captive
🐙 Forced Proximity
🫧 Kraken Romance
🐙 Slow Burn
🫧 Beauty and the Beast Vibes
🐙 Trauma Recovery
🫧 He Falls First
I came into this expecting sea castles, seductive monsters, and SPICE—like, take-me-under-the-ocean-and-ruin-me levels of spice. What I got instead was a crabby man-kraken who kidnaps a traumatized woman, can’t cook for the life of him, and lives in a place that’s NOT EVEN A CASTLE. Like hello?? You’re a kraken king, where’s the underwater opulence??
Let me be so serious for a second—the only thing I loved in this book was Vasz, the chaotic coconut-obsessed sea creature. He’s like a dog-octopus hybrid who deserves his own novella. The rest? Ehh.
I wanted to root for Cindi. I really did. And I don’t get the hate she's getting because like... imagine getting kidnapped by a giant alien kraken, dumped in a world where you can’t even eat because your lovely captor keeps giving you raw fish, and when you tell him it’s not edible for you he’s like “liar 😡 u just wanna escape”... sir???
Though I’ll give credit where it's due—when he finally realizes humans aren’t into raw sushi 24/7, he learns to cook for her 🥺 so that was cute. But it took ages to get there. The romance? Honestly more like a hostage situation for 70% of the book.
Spice was barely there. First scene? 77%. Second? In the last 5%. You blink, you miss it. If you came for the spice… manage your expectations. It’s giving soft launch. 😭
Now Ordus… he truly loved her. Like this man-was-down-bad level of worship. She was everything to him and I actually felt so bad for him. But bro was also so annoyingly stubborn. Wouldn't let her leave. Ignored every word she said. Kept dragging her back like “but we're fated 🥺” and I’m just here like “then why won’t you let her go??”
And Cindi? The ONLY reason she even considered staying was because she was being hunted and literally had nowhere else to go. Not because she suddenly fell for him. Not because of romantic tension. More like survival instinct.
The pacing? Rough.
It felt like I was reading a hostage negotiation with spicy intermissions. Like Ordus begging her to stay, Cindi begging him to let her leave, on loop. There was no build-up of romantic tension, no slow burn, just a hard left turn into "I guess I love you now??"
And THEN, in the final chapters, plot randomly popped back up like: “Remember me??” 😭 It was like the author suddenly remembered this had a curse subplot and tried to tie it up last minute.
All that said, this book did make me laugh at times—whether it was Vasz’s coconut madness or just the sheer ridiculousness of some scenes. I read it in 2 days. I wasn’t bored, just... underwhelmed. Especially since it was hyped as a fated mates monster romance and I expected that classic “he’s monstrous to the world but soft for her” vibe. But instead I got... sushi denial and emotional miscommunication.
Would I recommend it? If you’re really into tentacle smut and can handle a romance that takes forever to romance, maybe. But don’t come expecting sea-palace spice fests or insta-love. This one’s more trauma recovery meets underwater awkwardness.
TLDR:
🐙 Vasz supremacy forever
🫧 Raw fish is NOT dinner
🐙 Kraken kings need to build better castles
🫧 Spice comes late, leaves early
🐙 Fated mates? Questionable.
🫧 Cindi needs therapy. Not tentacles.
Final thoughts:
I get what the author was trying to do—Hades/Persephone but make it oceanic and traumatized—but it just didn’t deliver. Some moments hit. Most made me sigh. And in the end, I kinda wish Cindi got a seaside therapist instead.
July 24, 2025
──⋆𐙚₊˚⊹♡┊2.5 ★
Tentacles, trauma, and tropical confusion: The Saltwater Curse sets sail with a darkly seductive premise, but sadly ends up adrift in tonal chaos and emotional ambiguity. A book that talked a big game but underdelivered, in every single way possible 🐙✋🏻❌
Listen, I was 100% intrigued (and on board with) by a monster romance with tentacles, just as much as the next girl. Sea-palace opulence, a rich underwater world, emotionally fraught monster romance, and tentacle spice? Sign me up! Only the problem is I expected all this and got none of it. What I got instead was a gloomy island shack, an outcast king who spends way too much time wallowing in self-pity, and a romance that read like reluctant cohabitation rather than seduction.
Romantic tension? Slow burn? Sexual chemistry? Reluctant pining and longing? Zero. Nada. None. Instead, the tug-of-war between Ordus and Cindi eclipses everything else. And by tug-of-war, I mean Cindi begging (or attempting) to escape, and Ordus begging her right back to stay with him. Rinse and repeat for at least 50%. I have nothing against forced kidnapping nor Stockholm syndrome, but if a sizeable half of the book is just the two main characters going back and forth about it then it takes the enjoyment of the romance completely. Honestly, it felt to me more like hostage negotiation than romance.
I won't lie, Ordus was the main saving grace in this book. He clearly loved, adored and cherished Cindi so much and the lengths he was willing to go to for her had me giggling and kicking my feet. He learns to cook for her once he realises she can't eat raw fish, carries all her skincare and living appliances to the island for her, kills ruthlessly to protect her, and saves her whenever she needs him. The scenes where he was confused by human inventions and devices were so endearing! Like when he cornered the tourist and asked him how to cook a fish, and then he didn't know what a pan was or what a YouTube video was. Or when he called a luggage a "clam-chest". 🥹🥹
But that's where my praise ends.
Avina St Graves and I haven't had the best relationship so far. Her books are apparently wildly popular, which baffles me because I don't see the appeal. Why does she always feature FMCs whose only talent is indecision?? If you know me, you’ll know that’s one of my biggest pet peeves in terms of FMC personality traits. I hated Bella from Skin of a Sinner for that exact reason, and I wasn’t a big fan of Cindi here either. She waffles back and forth on whether to stay with Ordus, shying away from the responsibility of being his bride but also terrified of returning to her old life. At 60-70% of the book, her internal conflict STILL isn’t resolved.
Her journey centers not on finding herself and falling in love, but on surviving. She’s conflicted throughout—wanting freedom but unable to return to the violent world she fled. And when Cindi finally makes a decision... it's halfhearted. Sloppy. Almost as though St Graves didn't want to put in the effort she should’ve spent on Cindi’s character development and informed decisions. Ultimately, her final choice to stay with Ordus isn’t rooted in love – rather than choosing him for who he is, it’s a grim acknowledgment that she has nowhere else to go. It’s a stark portrayal of choosing stability over affection, and the novel never fully reconciles that emotional truth.
Safety isn't love. Security isn't love. Escapism isn't love. Staying with someone purely because they can (conveniently) provide you with respite from your nightmares isn't love.
As for the spice….. it was perhaps the most lackluster spice I’ve read this year. Let me preface this by saying I don’t expect every book I read to have spice; in fact, it’s not a requirement. But for a book marketed on monster romance, the spice is sparse and lukewarm. Tentacles get some airtime (iykyk), but otherwise the spicy scenes are delayed and rushed. The first, short one occurs after 75% of the book (this gives you an idea of how much time was spent describing Cindi’s indecision) and there was a second, longer one closer to the end. Essentially, the spice lacked the emotional payoff I was looking for.
Next, the plot and setting (or lack of). Everything felt like disjointed bits and pieces rather than a cohesive fantasy realm or arc that could stand on its own. For much of the book, the tension revolves around whether Cindi will escape Ordus' island. The kraken kingdom and its watery politics are never fully realized. Its mythology invites curiosity but languishes until the very end, when plot elements resurface with a gasp of “Oh right, the curse.” I just finished this book and I couldn't for the life of me tell you why the curse existed or what it was. And having the only other significant side character be the “villain” all along? It's a lazy cop-out that reveals a lack of world-building and investment in other characters. And the ending made me so confused – it read like Cindi was NOT meant to be Ordus' fated mate after all, because he had only been drawn to the tattoo Deedee made her get? This plotline was sloppily introduced and never properly resolved.
And finally, my favorite character – VASZ. Shark-doggopus hybrid obsessed with coconuts who is the purest, most innocent creature in this book. I would have loved if we got an entire book from his POV.
Overall, there was potential brilliance — a rich atmosphere, unique romance premise, and themes of trauma recovery — but they were needlessly squandered on unresolved tension and genre confusion. It’s less a tale of fated love than of reluctant tolerance set against a murky tide.
─────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────────
Other than the Celestial Kingdom duology I haven't read a single 5-star book this year (excluding rereads). When will this end 😭😭😭😭😭
🐋🐚☾⋆⁺₊ PRE-READ ♡ | If you see me reading a kraken romance with TENTACLES (yes, you read that right) just look away because I swear it's not that serious 🤣
Tentacles, trauma, and tropical confusion: The Saltwater Curse sets sail with a darkly seductive premise, but sadly ends up adrift in tonal chaos and emotional ambiguity. A book that talked a big game but underdelivered, in every single way possible 🐙✋🏻❌
“Your soul called to me from across the sea.” Ocean-blue eyes hold mine with the ferocity of a chemical fire. It’s an oath, adoration packaged in possession. “The moment I saw you, the course of my life was altered to become wholly devoted to you, your every whim, your every thought, need. The Goddess deemed I belong to you, and you belong to me. The rest of my days are yours. If you are not with me, I will cease to exist.”
Listen, I was 100% intrigued (and on board with) by a monster romance with tentacles, just as much as the next girl. Sea-palace opulence, a rich underwater world, emotionally fraught monster romance, and tentacle spice? Sign me up! Only the problem is I expected all this and got none of it. What I got instead was a gloomy island shack, an outcast king who spends way too much time wallowing in self-pity, and a romance that read like reluctant cohabitation rather than seduction.
Romantic tension? Slow burn? Sexual chemistry? Reluctant pining and longing? Zero. Nada. None. Instead, the tug-of-war between Ordus and Cindi eclipses everything else. And by tug-of-war, I mean Cindi begging (or attempting) to escape, and Ordus begging her right back to stay with him. Rinse and repeat for at least 50%. I have nothing against forced kidnapping nor Stockholm syndrome, but if a sizeable half of the book is just the two main characters going back and forth about it then it takes the enjoyment of the romance completely. Honestly, it felt to me more like hostage negotiation than romance.
I won't lie, Ordus was the main saving grace in this book. He clearly loved, adored and cherished Cindi so much and the lengths he was willing to go to for her had me giggling and kicking my feet. He learns to cook for her once he realises she can't eat raw fish, carries all her skincare and living appliances to the island for her, kills ruthlessly to protect her, and saves her whenever she needs him. The scenes where he was confused by human inventions and devices were so endearing! Like when he cornered the tourist and asked him how to cook a fish, and then he didn't know what a pan was or what a YouTube video was. Or when he called a luggage a "clam-chest". 🥹🥹
"I would kill every male alive for you—monster and human. It makes no difference to me whether you take their last breath or I do.” I inhale sharply and still when he trails a finger down my jaw. “Ask, and I will make it so.”
But that's where my praise ends.
Avina St Graves and I haven't had the best relationship so far. Her books are apparently wildly popular, which baffles me because I don't see the appeal. Why does she always feature FMCs whose only talent is indecision?? If you know me, you’ll know that’s one of my biggest pet peeves in terms of FMC personality traits. I hated Bella from Skin of a Sinner for that exact reason, and I wasn’t a big fan of Cindi here either. She waffles back and forth on whether to stay with Ordus, shying away from the responsibility of being his bride but also terrified of returning to her old life. At 60-70% of the book, her internal conflict STILL isn’t resolved.
If you thank people for the bare minimum, you'll teach them mediocrity is the standard.
Her journey centers not on finding herself and falling in love, but on surviving. She’s conflicted throughout—wanting freedom but unable to return to the violent world she fled. And when Cindi finally makes a decision... it's halfhearted. Sloppy. Almost as though St Graves didn't want to put in the effort she should’ve spent on Cindi’s character development and informed decisions. Ultimately, her final choice to stay with Ordus isn’t rooted in love – rather than choosing him for who he is, it’s a grim acknowledgment that she has nowhere else to go. It’s a stark portrayal of choosing stability over affection, and the novel never fully reconciles that emotional truth.
Safety isn't love. Security isn't love. Escapism isn't love. Staying with someone purely because they can (conveniently) provide you with respite from your nightmares isn't love.
I may be the king, but I bow to her, and she bows to no one. Between us, the only one who will submit is me.
As for the spice….. it was perhaps the most lackluster spice I’ve read this year. Let me preface this by saying I don’t expect every book I read to have spice; in fact, it’s not a requirement. But for a book marketed on monster romance, the spice is sparse and lukewarm. Tentacles get some airtime (iykyk), but otherwise the spicy scenes are delayed and rushed. The first, short one occurs after 75% of the book (this gives you an idea of how much time was spent describing Cindi’s indecision) and there was a second, longer one closer to the end. Essentially, the spice lacked the emotional payoff I was looking for.
"I’ll be gentle.”
A tear trickles down my face. “You’re always gentle.”
He kisses my wet cheek. “Only with you.”
Next, the plot and setting (or lack of). Everything felt like disjointed bits and pieces rather than a cohesive fantasy realm or arc that could stand on its own. For much of the book, the tension revolves around whether Cindi will escape Ordus' island. The kraken kingdom and its watery politics are never fully realized. Its mythology invites curiosity but languishes until the very end, when plot elements resurface with a gasp of “Oh right, the curse.” I just finished this book and I couldn't for the life of me tell you why the curse existed or what it was. And having the only other significant side character be the “villain” all along? It's a lazy cop-out that reveals a lack of world-building and investment in other characters. And the ending made me so confused – it read like Cindi was NOT meant to be Ordus' fated mate after all, because he had only been drawn to the tattoo Deedee made her get? This plotline was sloppily introduced and never properly resolved.
And finally, my favorite character – VASZ. Shark-doggopus hybrid obsessed with coconuts who is the purest, most innocent creature in this book. I would have loved if we got an entire book from his POV.
I do not rest. I do not squander. My Queen Mate’s life depends on me.
I am her guard shark-doggopus.
My eyes narrow at the wooden plank, daring it to drift closer and disturb my human. It is not easy protecting Cindi. Everything is a threat.
Overall, there was potential brilliance — a rich atmosphere, unique romance premise, and themes of trauma recovery — but they were needlessly squandered on unresolved tension and genre confusion. It’s less a tale of fated love than of reluctant tolerance set against a murky tide.
"You are my mate, Cindi. Fated mate or not, I choose you. If you do not want to marry me, I will still choose you. If you want to leave this island and move to a faraway land, I will follow, because I still choose you.”
─────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────────
Other than the Celestial Kingdom duology I haven't read a single 5-star book this year (excluding rereads). When will this end 😭😭😭😭😭
🐋🐚☾⋆⁺₊ PRE-READ ♡ | If you see me reading a kraken romance with TENTACLES (yes, you read that right) just look away because I swear it's not that serious 🤣
August 4, 2025
This book was neither great nor bad it was average 🙂.
I really had high hopes for this but at least the spice didn't disappoint 🤭♥️.
I will excuse Avina because this is her first monster romance book she's written but I wish she'd at least had refined the plot 🤷🏾♀️.
I am an avid monster romance reader but this fell flat. 💀 I didn't feel even feel the chemistry 😭💔.
There were times it was there but then it'd leave.😶 Now don't get it twisted there were actually cute/great scenes in this.
I'd recommend this book to someone who just started reading monster romance books.🤷🏾♀️
I really had high hopes for this but at least the spice didn't disappoint 🤭♥️.
I will excuse Avina because this is her first monster romance book she's written but I wish she'd at least had refined the plot 🤷🏾♀️.
I am an avid monster romance reader but this fell flat. 💀 I didn't feel even feel the chemistry 😭💔.
There were times it was there but then it'd leave.😶 Now don't get it twisted there were actually cute/great scenes in this.
I'd recommend this book to someone who just started reading monster romance books.🤷🏾♀️
June 6, 2025
4 Coconut Stars ⭐️
Spicy Level: 🌶️🌶️/5
This book made me giggle a lot, and I loved that it didn’t take itself too seriously while still delivering on so many levels.
Our main character, Kristy, was married to an abusive man from a dangerous, powerful family. She had to be perfect at all times, the perfect wife, or face the consequences. One day, she snapped and stabbed him. Now she’s on the run, living under a new identity as Cindi, because Kristy died the day he did. Cindi flees to Bali to escape everything and finds work with two women making counterfeit microchips for fake passports. One day, she crosses paths with Ordus, who believes without a doubt that she is his fated mate. So he kidnaps her, whisks her off to his island den, and basically plans to live happily ever after, make lots ofbabies cubs, and call it a day. Cindi, of course, is not on board with this. For one, Ordus is a Kraken, AND DOES NOT UNDERSTAND HOW TO KEEP A HUMAN ALIVE... and because he has a bizarre little shark-dog-octopus pet who follows him around, that is obsessed with coconuts, and whose name sounds just like Vaseline... Yeah she is totally screwed!
𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
Cindi/Kristy was a very troubled character. She is struggling with undiagnosed PTSD and deep emotional trauma from her marriage. She flinches at every male interaction. She walks on eggshells. She’s terrified that her past will catch up with her, and she’s constantly in survival mode, always being super perceptive of her surroundings and what's going on around her so that she can't get hurt again. She is so scared of what will happen that she refuses to get close to anyone out of fear that she will get beaten, punched, pushed around for not listening, not being perfect enough, or not being good enough.
Then we have Ordus, who is basically a cinnamon roll HIMBO with tentacles. He fits every charming stereotype in monster romance where he is socially clueless about human norms but tries so hard, is fiercely protective, and would burn the world to make his mate smile. He’s achingly sweet, genuinely gentle, and completely devoted to Cindi. He doesn’t just want her, his soul bleeds for her. I love that he was literally just such a cute little green flag, and so swoon-worthy. There's just nothing to hate about him. Yes, he might be a little bit of a monster and can be scary because he would literally rip off somebody's head for daring to touch his mate but he was just so adorable.
Ordus is caught in a painful dilemma. He has an intrinsic duty to his land and people, who are suffering under a long-standing curse and if his mate finally accepts him, the curse will be broken. The issue is his people will never accept Kristy/Cindi as she is a human. So he is torn between protecting his mate and his kingdom.
The best thing about this book was the inclusion of Vaszeline's POV. You cannot help but laugh and smile when you read his chapters. He is a shark-dog-octopus hybrid and he's obsessed with coconuts, and he stole the show. He is so cute and adorable and smitten with his queen, and he would protect her with his life. I loved how he and Ordus communicated and bickered but you could feel how devoted to each other they were. A true Kraken's best friend.
The vibes and the world of this book were also really great. And mostly I say that because I started reading this in Bali, and because this was set in Bali I was able to actually see, taste and hear the food, music and culture the characters were experiencing. Basically, this book hit on a different level because I was there in the book! AND I CAN SAY EVERYTHING WAS ON POINT! Avina's writing was so realistic, so perfect in everything that it described... it was just FANTASTIC!
Now it is also a fun read, it’s going to make you laugh, giggle, and blush and yes it is going to lean into the "Stereotype" Monster Romance elements but if that is what you are looking for you are going to have a good time! It's also a great balance of levity with seriousness as it deals with a woman who’s overcoming her trauma and learning that not every man is bad for you. And how she finally finds a man, a big gooey cinnamon roll sweetheart in a literal monster. That dichotomy is what makes this so sweet.
This book also shows why Avina St. Graves is such a fantastic author because she is so versatile. You never really know what you're going to get when you pick up one of her books, because no book of hers is ever the same. She has such a vivid and incredible imagination, and the way that she can write characters from the biggest red flags to the biggest green flags just shows her range and her ability to make you love an MMC no matter what he's waving around!
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Monster Romance
▶ Captive/Captor (Hades and Persephone Vibes)
▶ Kidnapping and Stalking
▶ Touch Her You Die/Get Eaten
▶ Burn the World for You
▶ Forced Proximity
▶ Fated Mates
▶ He Falls First
▶ Obsessive, Protective and Jealous MMC
▶ Animal Companion
▶ HIMBO/Cinnamon Roll
and 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▷ "Mine"
▷ Tending to Injuries
▷ She Stabs Him
▷ Steamy Water Scene
▷ "It Won't Fit"
▷ "You Taste Like..."
▷ Loves her smile/laugh
▷ "More"
▷ Cages her with his Arms
Basically, if you're not afraid to get a little wet and wild, then grab a coconut and dive in. You won’t regret it.
Spicy Level: 🌶️🌶️/5
This book made me giggle a lot, and I loved that it didn’t take itself too seriously while still delivering on so many levels.
“Your soul called to me from across the sea...𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
The moment I saw you, the course of my life was altered to become wholly devoted to you, your every whim, your every thought, need. The Goddess deemed I belong to you, and you belong to me. The rest of my days are yours. If you are not with me, I will cease to exist.”
Our main character, Kristy, was married to an abusive man from a dangerous, powerful family. She had to be perfect at all times, the perfect wife, or face the consequences. One day, she snapped and stabbed him. Now she’s on the run, living under a new identity as Cindi, because Kristy died the day he did. Cindi flees to Bali to escape everything and finds work with two women making counterfeit microchips for fake passports. One day, she crosses paths with Ordus, who believes without a doubt that she is his fated mate. So he kidnaps her, whisks her off to his island den, and basically plans to live happily ever after, make lots of
𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
Cindi/Kristy was a very troubled character. She is struggling with undiagnosed PTSD and deep emotional trauma from her marriage. She flinches at every male interaction. She walks on eggshells. She’s terrified that her past will catch up with her, and she’s constantly in survival mode, always being super perceptive of her surroundings and what's going on around her so that she can't get hurt again. She is so scared of what will happen that she refuses to get close to anyone out of fear that she will get beaten, punched, pushed around for not listening, not being perfect enough, or not being good enough.
Then we have Ordus, who is basically a cinnamon roll HIMBO with tentacles. He fits every charming stereotype in monster romance where he is socially clueless about human norms but tries so hard, is fiercely protective, and would burn the world to make his mate smile. He’s achingly sweet, genuinely gentle, and completely devoted to Cindi. He doesn’t just want her, his soul bleeds for her. I love that he was literally just such a cute little green flag, and so swoon-worthy. There's just nothing to hate about him. Yes, he might be a little bit of a monster and can be scary because he would literally rip off somebody's head for daring to touch his mate but he was just so adorable.
Ordus is caught in a painful dilemma. He has an intrinsic duty to his land and people, who are suffering under a long-standing curse and if his mate finally accepts him, the curse will be broken. The issue is his people will never accept Kristy/Cindi as she is a human. So he is torn between protecting his mate and his kingdom.
The best thing about this book was the inclusion of Vaszeline's POV. You cannot help but laugh and smile when you read his chapters. He is a shark-dog-octopus hybrid and he's obsessed with coconuts, and he stole the show. He is so cute and adorable and smitten with his queen, and he would protect her with his life. I loved how he and Ordus communicated and bickered but you could feel how devoted to each other they were. A true Kraken's best friend.
The vibes and the world of this book were also really great. And mostly I say that because I started reading this in Bali, and because this was set in Bali I was able to actually see, taste and hear the food, music and culture the characters were experiencing. Basically, this book hit on a different level because I was there in the book! AND I CAN SAY EVERYTHING WAS ON POINT! Avina's writing was so realistic, so perfect in everything that it described... it was just FANTASTIC!
Now it is also a fun read, it’s going to make you laugh, giggle, and blush and yes it is going to lean into the "Stereotype" Monster Romance elements but if that is what you are looking for you are going to have a good time! It's also a great balance of levity with seriousness as it deals with a woman who’s overcoming her trauma and learning that not every man is bad for you. And how she finally finds a man, a big gooey cinnamon roll sweetheart in a literal monster. That dichotomy is what makes this so sweet.
This book also shows why Avina St. Graves is such a fantastic author because she is so versatile. You never really know what you're going to get when you pick up one of her books, because no book of hers is ever the same. She has such a vivid and incredible imagination, and the way that she can write characters from the biggest red flags to the biggest green flags just shows her range and her ability to make you love an MMC no matter what he's waving around!
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Monster Romance
▶ Captive/Captor (Hades and Persephone Vibes)
▶ Kidnapping and Stalking
▶ Touch Her You Die/Get Eaten
▶ Burn the World for You
▶ Forced Proximity
▶ Fated Mates
▶ He Falls First
▶ Obsessive, Protective and Jealous MMC
▶ Animal Companion
▶ HIMBO/Cinnamon Roll
and 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▷ "Mine"
▷ Tending to Injuries
▷ She Stabs Him
▷ Steamy Water Scene
▷ "It Won't Fit"
▷ "You Taste Like..."
▷ Loves her smile/laugh
▷ "More"
▷ Cages her with his Arms
Basically, if you're not afraid to get a little wet and wild, then grab a coconut and dive in. You won’t regret it.
June 9, 2025
i miss the person i was before i read the words “breeding arm”
June 7, 2025
There is absolutely NO WAY people liked this book. I’m literally so disappointed after this being advertised as not only a “spicy” read, but as a fated mates romance. There was absolutely ZERO romance or spice. Like the FMC, Cindi hated Ordus until like 85% in the book and I honestly still believe she hates him. Like ordus was literally a cuddly bear who was the literal sweetest monster on the planet who deserves no harm, but his literal fated mate was absolutely so mean to him for no reason. If she was mean to him for like 30% of the book it would have been fine but for the majority of the book?? That’s literally so unrealistic to their relationship. And then you expect me to believe that she all of a sudden wants to marry him and loves him?? Like come on. And where was the so called spice? They literally had sex twice and the first time was at 78% when Cindi still didn’t like him. Honestly the spice came out of nowhere especially five seconds before she was mad at him. Absolutely nothing even happened in this book besides ordus kidnapping Cindi and her complaining the whole time while he literally BEGGED for any attention from her. Cindi doesn’t deserve him at all. And the weird plot at the end?? That just didn’t even make sense whatsoever. It’s like the author all of a sudden remembered that she started a storyline at the beginning of the book and needed to wrap it up. AVOID
June 5, 2025
going to dive into the deep sea so i can find my own kraken 🐙🖤
the moment avina started talking about this book i just KNEW it was going to be my next obsession. there’s not one book or character avina writes that i wont immediately fall in love with !! thank you so much avina babes for letting me arc read 🌊 i’m literally gonna go day dream about this book again and again because I DON’T BELONG IN THIS UNIVERSE 😭 I NEED MY OWN KRAKEN
this is a dark kraken shifter romance, indonesia setting, hades and persephone inspired, stalking, tentacles, captor / captive, fated mates, touch her and he eats you, marking, three povs (ordus, cindi, vasz), standalone 🩵
omg … OH MY GOD ??! i’ve never read a kraken shifter romance before so this was completely new to me !! i absolutely ate it up 😩
cindi is currently hiding away in indonesia after escaping her abusive ex’s clutches. her backstory was heartbreaking and made me want to punch someone in the face. she’s constantly looking over her shoulder and staying alert about her surroundings. she always feels like someone is out there watching, waiting for her to slip up 🫣 ordus and his pet vasz have been trying to find a way to break the curse set upon his kingdom many years ago. he lost his whole family and home but being set on finding his willing mate, ordus is not giving up on breaking this curse. when he sets his sight on cindi, he can’t help but follow her everywhere 🤭
did i just fall in love with a literal kraken ? fuck yes.
do i wish i was cindi ? never have i ever wanted to be an fmc so damn bad in my life.
tentacles ? lots. of. them.
cindi and ordus are so perfect for each other 😩 the way ordus did everything with her in mind and for her … TEN OUT OF FUCKING TEN 💥💳 omg don’t even get me started on vasz’s povs 😂 i was CACKLING !! literally that was such a great inclusion. i felt like i was inside vasz’s head and with them the whole time. i never wanted to leave vasz’s chaotic mind 💀
i’ve been staring at my wall just thinking about ordus and his tentacles 😝 brb while i make this book my whole personality until further notice
🌶️🌶️
the moment avina started talking about this book i just KNEW it was going to be my next obsession. there’s not one book or character avina writes that i wont immediately fall in love with !! thank you so much avina babes for letting me arc read 🌊 i’m literally gonna go day dream about this book again and again because I DON’T BELONG IN THIS UNIVERSE 😭 I NEED MY OWN KRAKEN
this is a dark kraken shifter romance, indonesia setting, hades and persephone inspired, stalking, tentacles, captor / captive, fated mates, touch her and he eats you, marking, three povs (ordus, cindi, vasz), standalone 🩵
omg … OH MY GOD ??! i’ve never read a kraken shifter romance before so this was completely new to me !! i absolutely ate it up 😩
cindi is currently hiding away in indonesia after escaping her abusive ex’s clutches. her backstory was heartbreaking and made me want to punch someone in the face. she’s constantly looking over her shoulder and staying alert about her surroundings. she always feels like someone is out there watching, waiting for her to slip up 🫣 ordus and his pet vasz have been trying to find a way to break the curse set upon his kingdom many years ago. he lost his whole family and home but being set on finding his willing mate, ordus is not giving up on breaking this curse. when he sets his sight on cindi, he can’t help but follow her everywhere 🤭
did i just fall in love with a literal kraken ? fuck yes.
do i wish i was cindi ? never have i ever wanted to be an fmc so damn bad in my life.
tentacles ? lots. of. them.
cindi and ordus are so perfect for each other 😩 the way ordus did everything with her in mind and for her … TEN OUT OF FUCKING TEN 💥💳 omg don’t even get me started on vasz’s povs 😂 i was CACKLING !! literally that was such a great inclusion. i felt like i was inside vasz’s head and with them the whole time. i never wanted to leave vasz’s chaotic mind 💀
i’ve been staring at my wall just thinking about ordus and his tentacles 😝 brb while i make this book my whole personality until further notice
🌶️🌶️
January 6, 2025
I don’t even need to know what it is about. I do know it will make me re-examine my life and morals and I’m perfectly okay with that.
June 10, 2025
i’m OBSESSED with this book to absolutely no one’s surprise!!!!
i haven’t read a monster romance in a while but this one reallyyyyy delivered. ordus is a kraken ok but he’s an acts of service, boy obsessed, golden retriever-esque, upset-her-and-die, devoted kraken KINGGGG.
this book was just so funny and he is one of the most down bad MCs i’ve ever read
i haven’t read a monster romance in a while but this one reallyyyyy delivered. ordus is a kraken ok but he’s an acts of service, boy obsessed, golden retriever-esque, upset-her-and-die, devoted kraken KINGGGG.
this book was just so funny and he is one of the most down bad MCs i’ve ever read
October 1, 2025
I’m feeling rather let down about this one.
I’ve read books by this Author before, so I know they can write well and produce good quality works.
However this just isn’t all that present here.
Weeks and weeks of anticipation for this book, and as I reached the end, I was left feeling disappointed.
The first indication that this book wasn’t going to be as great as promised? The spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors. It shows how little attention was paid when, within the first 100 pages, there are issues and typos not caught by the editing process.
This then aligns with the inconsistencies, repetitive narrative and pacing problems.
There were holes within holes decorating the plot of this book. So many details that were not explained, so many tidbits that went nowhere. It left everything feeling very hollow.
This book boasts a ‘Spicey Romance’ label with the ever loved ‘Fated Mates’ & ‘Enemies to Lovers’ trope lines, yet it failed to deliver any of these.
I have tasted Mayonnaise that’s spicier than the contents of this book and for all the grind you endure, the first (what I call) semi-spice doesn’t come until 78% in. We’re not even going to talk about how mediocre that scene is either.
The second and final spice you get is 95% in and it’s maybe .002% of an upgrade from mediocre. It’s genuinely not worth reading.
The Romance was not romance-ing. This couple sucked.
Don’t get me wrong, I loved the construction of MMC, the idea and the delivery of his character was great.
Do I think his character could have been better? Sure. Did I hate reading his chapters? Absolutely not.
The FMC however made me want to DNF this book.
I’m not exaggerating when I say that the FMC spends almost the entirety of the book disliking and at times even HATING the MMC. Every chapter from her POV is constant rehashing of her trauma, complaining, MMC directed spew and her desire to escape.
Then we get to 90% in.
No lie, page 352 out of 391 (for the device I read this on) she has a very sudden and jarring change of heart and decides she doesn’t hate MMC and she in-fact wants to marry him.
Ex-FRIGGEN-CUSE ME!?!?
There was no organic growth, no development. The yearning, pining etc was all one sided.
It felt disingenuous and forced.
Also, I couldn’t help but wonder the purpose of Vasz and its POV chapters. It did nothing for the plot, narrative or progression.
It seemed as though it was added simply for the quirk.
It would have been better if it served a more authentic purpose for the story, that tied something together, rather than coming off as another pointless thread in a sea of pointless threads.
On the note of ‘Fated Mates’, if you read this book then you will understand what I mean when I say that by ‘Fated Mates’ definition, no matter how you paint it, there was NO FATED MATES in this story. Facts are facts, I will hear no rebuttals, argue with the wall.
Anyway, I could go on for age about my issues with this book, and who knows maybe one day I will, but for now I’m just going to close out with the recommendation that if you want a good KrackenxHuman Romance, try Tiffany Roberts instead.
I’ve read books by this Author before, so I know they can write well and produce good quality works.
However this just isn’t all that present here.
Weeks and weeks of anticipation for this book, and as I reached the end, I was left feeling disappointed.
The first indication that this book wasn’t going to be as great as promised? The spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors. It shows how little attention was paid when, within the first 100 pages, there are issues and typos not caught by the editing process.
This then aligns with the inconsistencies, repetitive narrative and pacing problems.
There were holes within holes decorating the plot of this book. So many details that were not explained, so many tidbits that went nowhere. It left everything feeling very hollow.
This book boasts a ‘Spicey Romance’ label with the ever loved ‘Fated Mates’ & ‘Enemies to Lovers’ trope lines, yet it failed to deliver any of these.
I have tasted Mayonnaise that’s spicier than the contents of this book and for all the grind you endure, the first (what I call) semi-spice doesn’t come until 78% in. We’re not even going to talk about how mediocre that scene is either.
The second and final spice you get is 95% in and it’s maybe .002% of an upgrade from mediocre. It’s genuinely not worth reading.
The Romance was not romance-ing. This couple sucked.
Don’t get me wrong, I loved the construction of MMC, the idea and the delivery of his character was great.
Do I think his character could have been better? Sure. Did I hate reading his chapters? Absolutely not.
The FMC however made me want to DNF this book.
I’m not exaggerating when I say that the FMC spends almost the entirety of the book disliking and at times even HATING the MMC. Every chapter from her POV is constant rehashing of her trauma, complaining, MMC directed spew and her desire to escape.
Then we get to 90% in.
No lie, page 352 out of 391 (for the device I read this on) she has a very sudden and jarring change of heart and decides she doesn’t hate MMC and she in-fact wants to marry him.
Ex-FRIGGEN-CUSE ME!?!?
There was no organic growth, no development. The yearning, pining etc was all one sided.
It felt disingenuous and forced.
Also, I couldn’t help but wonder the purpose of Vasz and its POV chapters. It did nothing for the plot, narrative or progression.
It seemed as though it was added simply for the quirk.
It would have been better if it served a more authentic purpose for the story, that tied something together, rather than coming off as another pointless thread in a sea of pointless threads.
On the note of ‘Fated Mates’, if you read this book then you will understand what I mean when I say that by ‘Fated Mates’ definition, no matter how you paint it, there was NO FATED MATES in this story. Facts are facts, I will hear no rebuttals, argue with the wall.
Anyway, I could go on for age about my issues with this book, and who knows maybe one day I will, but for now I’m just going to close out with the recommendation that if you want a good KrackenxHuman Romance, try Tiffany Roberts instead.
June 6, 2025
This shit is ass
June 8, 2025
They both talked about their past too much. She always talked about her abusive ex in her POVs. I get that she is traumatized, but it was so repetitive and annoying. She compared the abusive ex to our MMC all the freaking time. Ordus was perfect. Avina’s MMCs always are. He was such a soft, broken kraken 🐙 I loved him.
The other thing I enjoyed was Vasz! I loved that dog-octopus thingy 🐾🦑 I liked it fine, not enough to DNF and finished it in 2 days, but didn’t love it as much as Avina’s other book, Fiery Little Thing, which is my favorite❤️
The other thing I enjoyed was Vasz! I loved that dog-octopus thingy 🐾🦑 I liked it fine, not enough to DNF and finished it in 2 days, but didn’t love it as much as Avina’s other book, Fiery Little Thing, which is my favorite❤️
June 7, 2025
y’all I love a good tentacle moment. I fear this had me questioning myself in the hottest way possible. Ordus is the cinnamon roll kraken of my dreams.
I inhaled this embarrassingly quick & all I’m going to say is you’re thinking to yourself “wtf I could never find tentacles sexy,” babygirl think AGAIN.
Thank you to Avina St. Graves and her team for an eARC!
I inhaled this embarrassingly quick & all I’m going to say is you’re thinking to yourself “wtf I could never find tentacles sexy,” babygirl think AGAIN.
Thank you to Avina St. Graves and her team for an eARC!
June 8, 2025
I think I expected something else… I still read it in two days, but it was nothing crazy🙈 I was pretty annoyed at Ordus’ stubbornness but he turned out sweet in the end🤷♀️
I wish we didn’t have to wait until the 78% mark for them to be intimate.. it made the plot feel very dragged out as the book has been advertised as a spicy romance - which is definietly false advertisement! there are LITERALLY only 2 very short rushed scenes.. the first one isn’t even ‘romantic’ and came out of nowhere. the rOmAnCe made the end feel rushed and not that belieavable😐
I wish we didn’t have to wait until the 78% mark for them to be intimate.. it made the plot feel very dragged out as the book has been advertised as a spicy romance - which is definietly false advertisement! there are LITERALLY only 2 very short rushed scenes.. the first one isn’t even ‘romantic’ and came out of nowhere. the rOmAnCe made the end feel rushed and not that belieavable😐
December 3, 2025
we already know this one gonna be good 😩
July 26, 2025
3⭐️
“You, Cindi. I choose you. Always. If you die, I’ll follow. If you run, I’ll be there. I will never let you go. I will never not choose you.”
𓇼 ⋆.˚ 𓆉 𓆝 𓆡⋆.˚ 𓇼 𓇼 ⋆.˚ 𓆉 𓆝 𓆡⋆.˚ 𓇼 𓇼 ⋆.˚ 𓆉 𓆝 𓆡
🌊 Fated mates
🥥monster romance
🌊 he is obsessed
🥥kidnapping
🌊 FMC on the run
🥥curses & witches
🌊 male yearning
𓇼 ⋆.˚ 𓆉 𓆝 𓆡⋆.˚ 𓇼 𓇼 ⋆.˚ 𓆉 𓆝 𓆡⋆.˚ 𓇼 𓇼 ⋆.˚ 𓆉 𓆝 𓆡
MMC did not disappoint. He was so obsessed with her like she stabbed him and he thought she was marking him . He would hiss at women if they come near him because he was only hers. Did he came near Roman from skin of the sinner ? No.
Going into the book I didn’t expect much from the plot , however there was a nice plot twist near the end . The FMC was nice and I sympathized with her . Their shark/ dog companion was such a cutie but TBH I didn’t enjoy his POV much ;It was at first but then I felt like it was too much and unnecessary .
🥥˖°𓇼🌊⋆pre-read 🥥˖°𓇼🌊⋆
Avina wrote Roman who was one of my favorite book boyfriends last year so I have high expectations for the MMC .
“You, Cindi. I choose you. Always. If you die, I’ll follow. If you run, I’ll be there. I will never let you go. I will never not choose you.”
𓇼 ⋆.˚ 𓆉 𓆝 𓆡⋆.˚ 𓇼 𓇼 ⋆.˚ 𓆉 𓆝 𓆡⋆.˚ 𓇼 𓇼 ⋆.˚ 𓆉 𓆝 𓆡
🌊 Fated mates
🥥monster romance
🌊 he is obsessed
🥥kidnapping
🌊 FMC on the run
🥥curses & witches
🌊 male yearning
𓇼 ⋆.˚ 𓆉 𓆝 𓆡⋆.˚ 𓇼 𓇼 ⋆.˚ 𓆉 𓆝 𓆡⋆.˚ 𓇼 𓇼 ⋆.˚ 𓆉 𓆝 𓆡
MMC did not disappoint. He was so obsessed with her like she stabbed him and he thought she was marking him . He would hiss at women if they come near him because he was only hers. Did he came near Roman from skin of the sinner ? No.
Going into the book I didn’t expect much from the plot , however there was a nice plot twist near the end . The FMC was nice and I sympathized with her . Their shark/ dog companion was such a cutie but TBH I didn’t enjoy his POV much ;It was at first but then I felt like it was too much and unnecessary .
🥥˖°𓇼🌊⋆pre-read 🥥˖°𓇼🌊⋆
Avina wrote Roman who was one of my favorite book boyfriends last year so I have high expectations for the MMC .
June 13, 2025
4.25⭐️
This was so good, I ate it up and would have finished it yesterday evening, but I went to the cinema.
Anyway, I don't read monster/shifter romances, only paranormal romances where the characters are human shaped lmao but this was so good, tell me why I got horny for a kraken.
Whatever, Ordus was so gentle, kind, caring, I found really fun when he didn't understand humans' object or behaviors. He was so protective of Cindi, it broke my heart reading about him not feeling enough for his mate and trying his best to give her what she needed.
Cindi is so smart and strong, her DV and mental health rep have been done very well; it was heartwarming to read about her opening up, trusting Ordus and finding peace, finally.
The slow burn was slow burning help, but it was realistic because of Cindi's past; I think Ordus could have communicated more, especially his intentions because my girl was panicking.
Vasz was so fun, like he stole the scene multiple times, I loved the chapters from his pov.
About the whole curse plot, I didn't expect how it evolved in the end, I was hooked when we finally get answers and the curse lifts; also Miss Avina I know what you did here, you cooked with Cindi's discourse about the famine, the ecosystem being destroyed and the intentional genocide of the krakens 🍉🍉🍉 love you.
Safety notes
- no cheating
- no OM/OW
- Ordus refused to marry some other krakens because he wanted to wait for his mate but not clear if he waited all his life or most of his years
This was so good, I ate it up and would have finished it yesterday evening, but I went to the cinema.
Anyway, I don't read monster/shifter romances, only paranormal romances where the characters are human shaped lmao but this was so good, tell me why I got horny for a kraken.
Whatever, Ordus was so gentle, kind, caring, I found really fun when he didn't understand humans' object or behaviors. He was so protective of Cindi, it broke my heart reading about him not feeling enough for his mate and trying his best to give her what she needed.
Cindi is so smart and strong, her DV and mental health rep have been done very well; it was heartwarming to read about her opening up, trusting Ordus and finding peace, finally.
The slow burn was slow burning help, but it was realistic because of Cindi's past; I think Ordus could have communicated more, especially his intentions because my girl was panicking.
Vasz was so fun, like he stole the scene multiple times, I loved the chapters from his pov.
About the whole curse plot, I didn't expect how it evolved in the end, I was hooked when we finally get answers and the curse lifts; also Miss Avina I know what you did here, you cooked with Cindi's discourse about the famine, the ecosystem being destroyed and the intentional genocide of the krakens 🍉🍉🍉 love you.
Safety notes
- no cheating
- no OM/OW
- Ordus refused to marry some other krakens because he wanted to wait for his mate but not clear if he waited all his life or most of his years
June 8, 2025
2.5 stars. The constant mention of her ex ruined most of it.
June 17, 2025
Felt like this was marketed as hot kraken smut. Reality? Noooo girl this was BORINGGGGG. The first like 85% is just the FMC bitching about being there and wanting to go home. She is insufferable almost the ENTIRE book. She had like 5% where she didn’t piss me off.
You can’t convince me she ever truly liked him. She hated him so much and not in a hot enemies to lovers way. She was so mean to him and most of the time her problems were her own communication skill issues. He gives her a fish and she says she needs human food. Hey girly hate to break it to you but fish is in fact human food. Maybe if you EXPLAINED you need it cooked then you wouldn’t be starving. Says she needs water, he points to the ocean and she says she needs human water. SAY YOU CANT DRINK OCEAN WATER AND NEED FRESH WATER HOLY SHIT JUST USE YOUR BIG GIRL WORDS. And she blames HIM for not understanding. She says no one ever listens to her. Well when you have toddler level communication skills and tantrums, I guess so????
He was such a marshmallow and deserved better than her. I understand she has trauma but the paranoia the entire book was exhausting especially since there was no development from it. She tells {……} to go to therapy when hellllllo YOU need therapy girl!!!
The Vasz POVs were just useless. What was the point of that…..
I thought it would be a fun spicy kraken fated mates book and it was just not. The spice was barely spicing at the end. It was just them both being miserable the whole time. Would’ve done 1⭐️ but I liked Ordus. To sum it up this book is 90% BORING fluff with her being a raging bitch and 10% of rushed plot (that’s being generous)
You can’t convince me she ever truly liked him. She hated him so much and not in a hot enemies to lovers way. She was so mean to him and most of the time her problems were her own communication skill issues. He gives her a fish and she says she needs human food. Hey girly hate to break it to you but fish is in fact human food. Maybe if you EXPLAINED you need it cooked then you wouldn’t be starving. Says she needs water, he points to the ocean and she says she needs human water. SAY YOU CANT DRINK OCEAN WATER AND NEED FRESH WATER HOLY SHIT JUST USE YOUR BIG GIRL WORDS. And she blames HIM for not understanding. She says no one ever listens to her. Well when you have toddler level communication skills and tantrums, I guess so????
He was such a marshmallow and deserved better than her. I understand she has trauma but the paranoia the entire book was exhausting especially since there was no development from it. She tells {……} to go to therapy when hellllllo YOU need therapy girl!!!
The Vasz POVs were just useless. What was the point of that…..
I thought it would be a fun spicy kraken fated mates book and it was just not. The spice was barely spicing at the end. It was just them both being miserable the whole time. Would’ve done 1⭐️ but I liked Ordus. To sum it up this book is 90% BORING fluff with her being a raging bitch and 10% of rushed plot (that’s being generous)
May 20, 2025
This book was so fun! Ive never read a sea creature romance so this was new to me!
Loved the balance of plot and spice, it was perfect the way it was. The mmc and fmc deserved to be happy after being rejected by many!
Vaseline stole my heart 😂 funny because my dogs name is coco so when she called him coco because he likes coconuts i died!
Loved the balance of plot and spice, it was perfect the way it was. The mmc and fmc deserved to be happy after being rejected by many!
Vaseline stole my heart 😂 funny because my dogs name is coco so when she called him coco because he likes coconuts i died!
June 6, 2025
4.25- OH how i would’ve loved to post more reaction to this book but alas i binge read it all on the plane. couldn’t stop reading, 10/10 addicting. who knew all i needed as a slump buster was a lowkey soft kraken man with a shark octopus dog hybrid pet.
honestly not much to complain about, just that i expected a little more spice! will never complain about tentacles 😌
honestly not much to complain about, just that i expected a little more spice! will never complain about tentacles 😌
July 6, 2025
This book was a 5 star for me based on originality alone. The pet POV sent me to another dimension. It was spot on to how I imagine my pet's thought process goes. The MCs were perfect for one another and I enjoyed how Avina navigated the captor/captive dynamic.
🌶🌶
🌶🌶
June 15, 2025
I’m not really sure what I just read, but it was entertaining 🤷🏻♀️
Vasz definitely stole the show tho 😂
Vasz definitely stole the show tho 😂
September 13, 2025
Monster romance: allá vamos.
¿Lo que me he reído con este libro? ¿Y lo poco que veo las "dark flags" en lo que a monstruos y fantasía se refiere? 🥲
Vamos a partir de que mi forma de describir a los personajes de este libro sería:
- Un kraken que busca a su alma gemela y con los tentáculos muy sueltos para 💀
- Un perro-tiburón obsesionado con los cocos
- Una chiquilla que ha 💀 ha su marido, se esconde de la familia de este, y a la que le gustan los dildos de tentáculos
Si no os lo he vendido ya y no habéis ido a leerlo, podéis seguir leyendo.
Me lo empecé por Leyre y lo he disfrutado un montón. Es mi segundo Monster romance hasta el momento, pero no será el último.
Si bien es cierto que a mí me dió la sensación de ser muy cuqui porque Ordus, el kraken, es muy mono, Leyre me ha abierto los ojos sobre ciertas redflags que quizás he pasado un poco por alto y que de ser de un libro sin fantasía habría visto, como por ejemplo: que la secuestra, que no la deja volver a su casa, que mata a mucha gente... en fin, detallitos 👀 Así que podríamos denominarlo un Monster dark-cuqui romance.
Vamos a seguir tres puntos de vista y uno de ellos es el de Vasz, el perro-tiburón, y si no os encanta os perseguiré mirándoos así: 😠😠
Me ha gustado el plot final, pero de lo que más he disfrutado es de la evolución de Ordus a lo largo del libro, su devoción absoluta, y como la dinámica entre ellos va cambiando. Y de Vasz, he disfrutado muchísimo de Vasz.
Por si aún no queda claro: recomendado 100%
¿Qué vais a encontrar?
✨️ Monster romance
✨️ Kraken - humana
✨️ Secuestrador - secuestrada
✨️ Partes un poco dark (secuestro, asesinato...)
✨️ Fated mates
✨️ Un perro tiburón
✨️ 3 PoV
✨️ Spice
✨️ Maldición
✨️ Hades & Persefone retelling
✨️ Autoconclusivo (Bonus Scene en la web de la autora)
¿Lo que me he reído con este libro? ¿Y lo poco que veo las "dark flags" en lo que a monstruos y fantasía se refiere? 🥲
Vamos a partir de que mi forma de describir a los personajes de este libro sería:
- Un kraken que busca a su alma gemela y con los tentáculos muy sueltos para 💀
- Un perro-tiburón obsesionado con los cocos
- Una chiquilla que ha 💀 ha su marido, se esconde de la familia de este, y a la que le gustan los dildos de tentáculos
Si no os lo he vendido ya y no habéis ido a leerlo, podéis seguir leyendo.
Me lo empecé por Leyre y lo he disfrutado un montón. Es mi segundo Monster romance hasta el momento, pero no será el último.
Si bien es cierto que a mí me dió la sensación de ser muy cuqui porque Ordus, el kraken, es muy mono, Leyre me ha abierto los ojos sobre ciertas redflags que quizás he pasado un poco por alto y que de ser de un libro sin fantasía habría visto, como por ejemplo: que la secuestra, que no la deja volver a su casa, que mata a mucha gente... en fin, detallitos 👀 Así que podríamos denominarlo un Monster dark-cuqui romance.
Vamos a seguir tres puntos de vista y uno de ellos es el de Vasz, el perro-tiburón, y si no os encanta os perseguiré mirándoos así: 😠😠
Me ha gustado el plot final, pero de lo que más he disfrutado es de la evolución de Ordus a lo largo del libro, su devoción absoluta, y como la dinámica entre ellos va cambiando. Y de Vasz, he disfrutado muchísimo de Vasz.
Por si aún no queda claro: recomendado 100%
¿Qué vais a encontrar?
✨️ Monster romance
✨️ Kraken - humana
✨️ Secuestrador - secuestrada
✨️ Partes un poco dark (secuestro, asesinato...)
✨️ Fated mates
✨️ Un perro tiburón
✨️ 3 PoV
✨️ Spice
✨️ Maldición
✨️ Hades & Persefone retelling
✨️ Autoconclusivo (Bonus Scene en la web de la autora)
June 10, 2025
⭐️4.75 🌶️4
Girlaaaaaaaa I have to collect my thoughts that was some crazy shit I just read and yet my ass was sat swinging my feet the entire time🤭
I love Avina down and mamas writes nothing but greatness argue with ya mama and papi because I said wtf I said 👏🏾👏🏾
Girlaaaaaaaa I have to collect my thoughts that was some crazy shit I just read and yet my ass was sat swinging my feet the entire time🤭
I love Avina down and mamas writes nothing but greatness argue with ya mama and papi because I said wtf I said 👏🏾👏🏾
May 16, 2025
HOLYYYYY!!!! DID I EAT THIS BOOK UP IN 2 DAYS? YESSS I DID!! AND I WOULDNT MIND IF ORDUS EATS ME TOO😝😝😝😝😝 On a serious note though this book had me in a chokehold!! Like seriously it was so freaking good !!🤭 The tension, the plot basically everything!!!
Ordus my favourite kraken!! Omggg he’s so good, he’s literally a green flag !! No but for real he’s genuinely the sweetest kraken. I love how he’s so caring such a gentleman frr!!🥺❤️The way he protects his woman ahhhh immediate swoon worthy !! His back story well damnn poor him he deserved better cause tell me why are these lot hating on this sweet guy? 😭😭 also this book has definitely added another kink to my basket !!lol 🤣
Cindi omggg!! This woman she’s so brave and strong and the sweetest girl in story !! Here backstory again wanted to make me throw hands on someone. 😭😭 She deserves so much better aswell and she did w our daddy kraken ordus they’re I swear meant for each other I mean they but yeah. I really loved her complex character and how she grows overtime. Seriously I want both her and her kraken !!😝😝
But seriously overall everything about this book made me laugh , giggle and swoon and it was just chef 💋 Hehehe. Guyssss Avina St Graves did it again!! She has my heart !!♥️
🩵Tropes🩵
Fated mates
Hades & Persephone inspired
Tentacles lots of em
Captive x captor
Set in Indonesia
Touch her and he eats em
Ordus my favourite kraken!! Omggg he’s so good, he’s literally a green flag !! No but for real he’s genuinely the sweetest kraken. I love how he’s so caring such a gentleman frr!!🥺❤️The way he protects his woman ahhhh immediate swoon worthy !! His back story well damnn poor him he deserved better cause tell me why are these lot hating on this sweet guy? 😭😭 also this book has definitely added another kink to my basket !!lol 🤣
Cindi omggg!! This woman she’s so brave and strong and the sweetest girl in story !! Here backstory again wanted to make me throw hands on someone. 😭😭 She deserves so much better aswell and she did w our daddy kraken ordus they’re I swear meant for each other I mean they but yeah. I really loved her complex character and how she grows overtime. Seriously I want both her and her kraken !!😝😝
But seriously overall everything about this book made me laugh , giggle and swoon and it was just chef 💋 Hehehe. Guyssss Avina St Graves did it again!! She has my heart !!♥️
🩵Tropes🩵
Fated mates
Hades & Persephone inspired
Tentacles lots of em
Captive x captor
Set in Indonesia
Touch her and he eats em
June 8, 2025
how am i supposed to read about human men now
June 10, 2025
it just wasn’t THAT good… however i’m happy it’s a shifter and not another fae romance
June 8, 2025
⭐️4.5 🌶️3
🦑Monster/shifter romance
🥥Captive/captor (Hades & Persephone vibes)
🏝️He falls first
🦑Fated mates
🥥Stuffing (so many tentacles guys)
🏝️It won’t fit
🦑Touch her and he eats you
🥥Animal companion
🏝️3 POVs (1 pet)
Listen. If I didn’t have to be a functioning member of society (ew, I know), I would have finished this in one sitting. The ULTIMATE cinnamon roll boyfriend in the form of a Kraken who would literally die for her. I’m hardcore in love with Ordus and would like one of my own please.
and then we add in Vasz?! My cheeks hurt from smiling. “I am her guard shark-doggopus.” He really is a good boy 😭
I also really liked Cindi. She had (rightfully so) PTSD, but was trying so hard to make a life for herself and control what she could. I respected that she stood up for herself and grew, and still had self preservation skills.
“I had on a pair of cherry-tinted glasses, and my first serious boyfriend could do no wrong in my eyes. Narcissists are manipulative. I got played, and I fell for it, simple as that.” GIRL SAME.
Also these truth bombs really hit hard.
“Violent men aren’t violent because they lost their temper—they’re violent because they know they can get away with it.”
“I don’t need to go out to sea to find a monster; they exist on land. They hide under human skin and call themselves men.”
SOME NOTES if you’re the author proceed with caution….there also may be slight spoilers
I wish there was more of the main conflict in the middle when she was chillin on the island. It felt like a whole lot of nothing but him forcing her to be there happened until the end. But I DID enjoy that nothing immensely. Also, there was no closure on the whole Ex situation that had her so scared from the start (or her arm for that matter, what happened with that). Also because I am who I am, I wanted more spice. Sue me.
🦑Monster/shifter romance
🥥Captive/captor (Hades & Persephone vibes)
🏝️He falls first
🦑Fated mates
🥥Stuffing (so many tentacles guys)
🏝️It won’t fit
🦑Touch her and he eats you
🥥Animal companion
🏝️3 POVs (1 pet)
Listen. If I didn’t have to be a functioning member of society (ew, I know), I would have finished this in one sitting. The ULTIMATE cinnamon roll boyfriend in the form of a Kraken who would literally die for her. I’m hardcore in love with Ordus and would like one of my own please.
and then we add in Vasz?! My cheeks hurt from smiling. “I am her guard shark-doggopus.” He really is a good boy 😭
I also really liked Cindi. She had (rightfully so) PTSD, but was trying so hard to make a life for herself and control what she could. I respected that she stood up for herself and grew, and still had self preservation skills.
“I had on a pair of cherry-tinted glasses, and my first serious boyfriend could do no wrong in my eyes. Narcissists are manipulative. I got played, and I fell for it, simple as that.” GIRL SAME.
Also these truth bombs really hit hard.
“Violent men aren’t violent because they lost their temper—they’re violent because they know they can get away with it.”
“I don’t need to go out to sea to find a monster; they exist on land. They hide under human skin and call themselves men.”
SOME NOTES if you’re the author proceed with caution….there also may be slight spoilers
I wish there was more of the main conflict in the middle when she was chillin on the island. It felt like a whole lot of nothing but him forcing her to be there happened until the end. But I DID enjoy that nothing immensely. Also, there was no closure on the whole Ex situation that had her so scared from the start (or her arm for that matter, what happened with that). Also because I am who I am, I wanted more spice. Sue me.
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