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Kill the Beast
The night Lyssa Cadogan's brother was murdered by a faerie-made monster known as the Beast, she made him a she would find a way to destroy the immortal creature and avenge his death. For thirteen years, she has been hunting faeries and the abominations they created. But in all that time, the one Beast she is most desperate to find has never resurfaced.
Until she meets Alderic Casimir de Laurent, a melodramatic dandy with a coin purse bigger than his brain. Somehow, he has found the monster’s lair, and—even more surprising—retrieved one of its claws. A claw Lyssa needs in order to forge a sword that can kill the Beast.
Alderic is ill-equipped for a hunt and almost guaranteed to get himself killed. But as the two of them search for the rest of the materials that will be the Beast's undoing, Alderic reveals hidden dark secrets that he guards as carefully as Lyssa guards hers. Before long, and against Lyssa's better judgment, an unlikely friendship begins to bloom—one that will either lead to the culmination of Lyssa's quest for vengeance, or spell doom for them both.
9 hrs. 18 mins.
Until she meets Alderic Casimir de Laurent, a melodramatic dandy with a coin purse bigger than his brain. Somehow, he has found the monster’s lair, and—even more surprising—retrieved one of its claws. A claw Lyssa needs in order to forge a sword that can kill the Beast.
Alderic is ill-equipped for a hunt and almost guaranteed to get himself killed. But as the two of them search for the rest of the materials that will be the Beast's undoing, Alderic reveals hidden dark secrets that he guards as carefully as Lyssa guards hers. Before long, and against Lyssa's better judgment, an unlikely friendship begins to bloom—one that will either lead to the culmination of Lyssa's quest for vengeance, or spell doom for them both.
9 hrs. 18 mins.
10 pages, Audible Audio
First published October 14, 2025
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October 29, 2025Seems like several Beauty & Beast and adjacent retellings are being released precisely when the fan authority on the fairy tale (yeah, I'm humble, the humblest!) isn't on a slump and not remotely in the mood for it...
But that doesn't mean you'll escape me that easily! I got my copy on publication day, of course.
My before-reading thoughts are rather neutral: On one hand, I see that this is again reaching for the overambitious comparison to established classics that's a landmine for new & not that famous authors. In this case, the comparison is to The Witcher and Howl's Moving Castle.
Mmm . . . veddy intedestink!
But too risky. There's a Beauty & Beast retelling in the first book of The Witcher (the story collection one) that was original for its time but has since been copied a lot and lost its freshness. As for Howl, I don't particularly care for it but it has a large following and is a beloved classic, so I'm sure the bar will be high for the fans of that who read this. In any case, the plot premise (Beauty hunts Beast) is one of the most common plots for retellings of this tale, so there's a sort of predictable comfort in knowing this won't go too far with the tale.
Low expectations recommended, very low.
But that doesn't mean you'll escape me that easily! I got my copy on publication day, of course.
My before-reading thoughts are rather neutral: On one hand, I see that this is again reaching for the overambitious comparison to established classics that's a landmine for new & not that famous authors. In this case, the comparison is to The Witcher and Howl's Moving Castle.
Mmm . . . veddy intedestink!
But too risky. There's a Beauty & Beast retelling in the first book of The Witcher (the story collection one) that was original for its time but has since been copied a lot and lost its freshness. As for Howl, I don't particularly care for it but it has a large following and is a beloved classic, so I'm sure the bar will be high for the fans of that who read this. In any case, the plot premise (Beauty hunts Beast) is one of the most common plots for retellings of this tale, so there's a sort of predictable comfort in knowing this won't go too far with the tale.
Low expectations recommended, very low.
December 22, 2025
What if I were a rough and muscular blacksmith girl and you were a fashionable and rich soft boy and we were hunting a terrible monster together while also falling in love maybe? Platonically, I mean.
May 21, 2025
It was beautiful.
This is a masterfully tale about accepting yourself, others, and the love and support they can offer.
The writing is absolutely perfect, packed with magic and emotions, and I loved every page of it.
Thank you Tor Publishing Group for this ARC!
This is a masterfully tale about accepting yourself, others, and the love and support they can offer.
The writing is absolutely perfect, packed with magic and emotions, and I loved every page of it.
Thank you Tor Publishing Group for this ARC!
November 5, 2025
Reminiscent of Beauty and The Beast - but Gaston is the FMC, a total badass, and queer.
I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It’s a cozy fantasy with enough stakes to keep you interested and excellent pacing! The found family in this is top tier and the audiobook is AMAZING!
However it is interesting that Goodreads indicates this is a romance or a romantasy, I thought this was friendship love - not romantic love. Don’t get me wrong there is a bit of tension and I do think they are attracted to each other but if you go into this hoping for romance you’re going to be a little disappointed.
Whats to love…
- queer MCs (both are bi)
- found family
- muscle mommy FMC
- Beauty and the Beast vibes
- curses, witches, fae, and monsters
- Adventure and a quest
Audiobook Narration: 5/5 This was a spectacular performance! The pausing, the pacing, the inflection all perfect! The voice variation and range was absurdly good! This felt closer to a full cast due to the full range of voices the narrator does for each character! ABSOLUTE MUST READ VIA AUDIO!
4.5⭐️| IG | TikTok |
Thank you NetGalley and Tor for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.
I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It’s a cozy fantasy with enough stakes to keep you interested and excellent pacing! The found family in this is top tier and the audiobook is AMAZING!
However it is interesting that Goodreads indicates this is a romance or a romantasy, I thought this was friendship love - not romantic love. Don’t get me wrong there is a bit of tension and I do think they are attracted to each other but if you go into this hoping for romance you’re going to be a little disappointed.
Whats to love…
- queer MCs (both are bi)
- found family
- muscle mommy FMC
- Beauty and the Beast vibes
- curses, witches, fae, and monsters
- Adventure and a quest
Audiobook Narration: 5/5 This was a spectacular performance! The pausing, the pacing, the inflection all perfect! The voice variation and range was absurdly good! This felt closer to a full cast due to the full range of voices the narrator does for each character! ABSOLUTE MUST READ VIA AUDIO!
4.5⭐️| IG | TikTok |
Thank you NetGalley and Tor for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.
July 31, 2025
you have to be fucking JOKING right now how dare you make me feel so many emotions about a buff woman with anger issues and a rich fruitcake
September 10, 2025
4.5 ★— What do a bounty hunter seeking revenge for her brother’s death and a charming nobleman with seemingly more money than sense have in common?
They both want to kill the beast that’s been terrorizing nearby towns for years.
God, I can’t even express how much fun this was to listen to on audiobook!
Lyssa is the tough-as-nails heroine of this book, and I loved that her outer appearance matched her strength. She’s over six feet tall, muscled, and truly imposing, which is not something you see often in female protagonists and I loved her even more for it!
As an experienced and renowned killer of fae creatures, she really does feel like a female version of Geralt of Rivia: all business, no nonsense, and deeply reluctant to form close attachments.
Of course, that doesn’t entirely stop her from doing exactly that, because as the story unfolds, you slowly meet the people in her orbit, and there’s a beautiful found-family element that shines through as the plot progresses.
Alderic, the man who hires her to kill the infamous beast, is Lyssa’s polar opposite in both looks and personality. He’s soft-spoken, witty, endlessly charming, and he clashes with her in the most entertaining ways. Their dynamic was well-written, and watching them slowly open up to one another and see more hidden depths to each other was just perfectly told and illustrated. I thought their friendship grew in a way that felt natural and genuinely earned!
As the story went on, I kept thinking that I could easily read ten more books about their adventures.
That’s how good this was!
One important note, though, for anyone looking for romance: their relationship stays completely platonic. If you’re looking for romantic moments, you won’t really find those here. But what you will get is a strong, stoic heroine and a richly developed bond with more nuance and emotional weight than many romantic relationships in this genre.
🎧Audiobook/Narration
🎙️Narration Form: Solo
The narrator was truly masterful! I loved the different affectations she took on for the various characters and, in turn, had a great time listening to the story.
_________________________
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.
They both want to kill the beast that’s been terrorizing nearby towns for years.
God, I can’t even express how much fun this was to listen to on audiobook!
Lyssa is the tough-as-nails heroine of this book, and I loved that her outer appearance matched her strength. She’s over six feet tall, muscled, and truly imposing, which is not something you see often in female protagonists and I loved her even more for it!
As an experienced and renowned killer of fae creatures, she really does feel like a female version of Geralt of Rivia: all business, no nonsense, and deeply reluctant to form close attachments.
Of course, that doesn’t entirely stop her from doing exactly that, because as the story unfolds, you slowly meet the people in her orbit, and there’s a beautiful found-family element that shines through as the plot progresses.
Alderic, the man who hires her to kill the infamous beast, is Lyssa’s polar opposite in both looks and personality. He’s soft-spoken, witty, endlessly charming, and he clashes with her in the most entertaining ways. Their dynamic was well-written, and watching them slowly open up to one another and see more hidden depths to each other was just perfectly told and illustrated. I thought their friendship grew in a way that felt natural and genuinely earned!
As the story went on, I kept thinking that I could easily read ten more books about their adventures.
That’s how good this was!
One important note, though, for anyone looking for romance: their relationship stays completely platonic. If you’re looking for romantic moments, you won’t really find those here. But what you will get is a strong, stoic heroine and a richly developed bond with more nuance and emotional weight than many romantic relationships in this genre.
🎧Audiobook/Narration
🎙️Narration Form: Solo
The narrator was truly masterful! I loved the different affectations she took on for the various characters and, in turn, had a great time listening to the story.
_________________________
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.
November 22, 2025
can confirm the mob song was running through my head the entire time
October 17, 2025
Masc femme x femme masc slow burn friendship, in a Queer normative world with bisexual rep? Say no more
October 12, 2025
THIS RIGHT HERE. This is the experience I hope to have every time I begin reading a new story. I felt everything—grief, pity, loneliness, despair—mixed with burgeoning trust, hope and…love?
The build-up of Alyssa and Alderic’s relationship is relatively quick in terms of actual time spent together, and yet none of it ever felt rushed. I bought it, the whole deal. Some book relationships are not-believable and don’t make you care if anything actually happens. Not so here. I genuinely cared about the characters, and I felt all the emotions with them.
Yes, I cried, multiple times.
It was an experience, and I loved every second of it.
Swift is an author to watch. This is extremely well-written, and there are many, many little details that all come together beautifully at the end. I was surprised multiple times, in such good ways. After reading so many predictable plots, I absolutely love when an author is able to fool me.
I really hope that another book set in this world is coming our way. The worldbuilding is *chef’s kiss*.
This is how you DEBUT, folks. If you love fantasy, it’s a must-read.
Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Books for an eARC. All opinions are my own.
The build-up of Alyssa and Alderic’s relationship is relatively quick in terms of actual time spent together, and yet none of it ever felt rushed. I bought it, the whole deal. Some book relationships are not-believable and don’t make you care if anything actually happens. Not so here. I genuinely cared about the characters, and I felt all the emotions with them.
Yes, I cried, multiple times.
It was an experience, and I loved every second of it.
Swift is an author to watch. This is extremely well-written, and there are many, many little details that all come together beautifully at the end. I was surprised multiple times, in such good ways. After reading so many predictable plots, I absolutely love when an author is able to fool me.
I really hope that another book set in this world is coming our way. The worldbuilding is *chef’s kiss*.
This is how you DEBUT, folks. If you love fantasy, it’s a must-read.
Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Books for an eARC. All opinions are my own.
December 6, 2025
The writing in Kill the Beast is like getting a poky bit of plant material in your sock: subtle discomfort at first that balloons into an all-encompassing need to stop and get it out (or cut off the foot). I felt itchy within the first couple pages at the way no one in this book can have a simple conversation without someone spitting, smirking, snapping, lifting the chin, or otherwise being dramatic. I finished mostly because I was at the point in the week when it felt like more effort to drop it and try something new than keep going. Mistakes were made.
This is very YA despite the content (buckets o' blood) and the constant swearing (I get it, I work a field job, but how about some creativity instead of just saying 'fuck' all the time?). #notliketheothergirls heroine - check! Abundant time spent navel gazing and wanting to be vulnerable and open but not being able to - check! I was promised a radical new Beauty and the Beast retelling instead of this lame banter:
Sigh. Apart from the clunky writing, I really didn't like the main character Lyssa, who is rightfully called out by other characters for being myopic, incapable of nuance, and violent to the point of self-destruction. It's a redemption character arc, but most of the redemption happens so late that I lost all respect for Lyssa. Of course, since I didn't like her, I also was 100% not into the key relationship that the redemption hinges upon (and the abundant waffling and soul-searching it requires).
The world building is also a bit peculiar. In most respects, it's standard Medieval-Lite, but there is tap water, photography, electricity, and...botulism? Technology is not otherwise integrated into this world of swords, killing contests, and magic quests, which is an interesting decision.
I wish I hadn't bothered. The last fairy tale retelling I read (Cinder House) was so good that I thought maybe the genre had turned a corner, but no.
This is very YA despite the content (buckets o' blood) and the constant swearing (I get it, I work a field job, but how about some creativity instead of just saying 'fuck' all the time?). #notliketheothergirls heroine - check! Abundant time spent navel gazing and wanting to be vulnerable and open but not being able to - check! I was promised a radical new Beauty and the Beast retelling instead of this lame banter:
"Do I have to do anything special while I fill it?"
"Yeah, you have to howl at the moon in order to activate the spells."
He wrinkled his nose. "Really?"
"No." She laughed at the look on his face. "You would have done it though, wouldn't you?"
Alderic rolled his eyes and uncorked the canteen. "You're not half as amusing as you think you are."
"But I am somewhat amusing?"
Sigh. Apart from the clunky writing, I really didn't like the main character Lyssa, who is rightfully called out by other characters for being myopic, incapable of nuance, and violent to the point of self-destruction. It's a redemption character arc, but most of the redemption happens so late that I lost all respect for Lyssa. Of course, since I didn't like her, I also was 100% not into the key relationship that the redemption hinges upon (and the abundant waffling and soul-searching it requires).
The world building is also a bit peculiar. In most respects, it's standard Medieval-Lite, but there is tap water, photography, electricity, and...botulism? Technology is not otherwise integrated into this world of swords, killing contests, and magic quests, which is an interesting decision.
I wish I hadn't bothered. The last fairy tale retelling I read (Cinder House) was so good that I thought maybe the genre had turned a corner, but no.
August 1, 2025
Check content warnings on this one before reading! Suicidal ideation, self harm, and harm to a pet are fairly big factors in the story.
I was very excited to get an advance reader copy of this book after seeing it marketed as similar to T. Kingfisher and Naomi Novik - two of my favorites. Unfortunately, after reading it, I’m not sure the comparison makes sense. Yes, it’s a dark fairy tale retelling but it doesn’t have the same style of prose and wit that Kingfisher and Novik are popular for. I think that set my expectations for a different kind of story, but I’d say this is much closer in prose style to Legends & Lattes. Not bad, just not as engaging or thought-provoking.
Did I overall enjoy the story? Sure. It was good, for the most part. Honestly, I was too frustrated with the main character to ever fully enjoy it. Lyssa is driven by rage. RAGE. It was hard to relate to her struggles because every decision was made in anger and it could be extremely violent toward innocent people. I get the point the author was trying to make, but there was no nuance to her actions, no regret for the pain she caused, which left me feeling pretty icky by the end. I wanted to root for her, but as she rejected opportunity after opportunity to do better, I lost hope. But reading other reviews, it sounds like other readers did connect with her so maybe I’m the problem?
I was very excited to get an advance reader copy of this book after seeing it marketed as similar to T. Kingfisher and Naomi Novik - two of my favorites. Unfortunately, after reading it, I’m not sure the comparison makes sense. Yes, it’s a dark fairy tale retelling but it doesn’t have the same style of prose and wit that Kingfisher and Novik are popular for. I think that set my expectations for a different kind of story, but I’d say this is much closer in prose style to Legends & Lattes. Not bad, just not as engaging or thought-provoking.
Did I overall enjoy the story? Sure. It was good, for the most part. Honestly, I was too frustrated with the main character to ever fully enjoy it. Lyssa is driven by rage. RAGE. It was hard to relate to her struggles because every decision was made in anger and it could be extremely violent toward innocent people. I get the point the author was trying to make, but there was no nuance to her actions, no regret for the pain she caused, which left me feeling pretty icky by the end. I wanted to root for her, but as she rejected opportunity after opportunity to do better, I lost hope. But reading other reviews, it sounds like other readers did connect with her so maybe I’m the problem?
August 7, 2025
I can't believe everyone's gushing about this book, not a single negative opinion. It's called "beautiful", "cozy" and "wholesome"... have we read the same book??? This was a total opposite of that. Are all those positive reviews written by chatgpt or what?
Warning, there will be spoilers, because it's impossible to dissect the messaging of this book without talking about its contents in its entirety.
Lyssa is a butch woman monster-hunter who's an utter caricature of a "strong female protagonist". She's unreasonable, her first answer to everything is violence, she repeatedly gets herself into trouble she needs bailing from, and all that is excused by her tragic backstory because she got her brother killed, so over a decade later she's still going around on a rampage with a huge chip on her shoulder.
She kills sentient fantasy creatures for greedy capitalists who want to steal the land belonging to the "faeries" - not because she's greedy, or because she wants to protect the locals, but because of her deep hatred of anything faerie. It's the fantasy equivalent of committing hate crimes because a member of that group committed a crime against you or your family, so now you hate all of them and deem it justified to condemn or mistreat the whole group.
This works in fantasy when the fantasy species are depicted as malevolent and dangerous, but it's clear Lyssa is no Geralt, she will take a contract no matter is the creature threatening or harmless just to fuel her hatred. But don't worry, she overcharges rich people so she can kill cheaply for the poor. What a noble Robin Hood we have here!
She's so thick-headed we're served a common trope "friends make an intervention" where everyone tries to convince the main character to stop being stupid and stubborn and smell the coffee, but the main character digs their heels in until a big climax eureka moment.
Even when she undergoes her supposed redemption arc, she's nowhere near repenting for her behavior. She punches Alderic in the face, because apparently intimate violence against men is a funny punchline. Imagine if the roles were reversed, and a strong warrior male character punched a female character he claimed to love and gave her a black eye because "she lied to him". Would you find that wholesome and beautiful? Or are we only clapping because violence against women is a "serious subject" but violence against men is a "butt of a joke"?
Moreover, Lyssa never apologized or tried to make it up to the person she wronged the most: her lesbian ex, Honoria. She vilifies Honoria for abandoning her across the majority of the novel, calling her a "bitch" and her new fae partner a "whore". Then she mutilates her by cutting her hand off in a fight. When she finally finds out why Honoria started working with the fae, and that these were benevolent motivations, and that she abandoned Lyssa because Lyssa was consumed by hatred and obsessed with revenge, what does she do? Nothing. Behaves as if there's no problem here and leaves Honoria mutilated and likely stranded without the means to return to the fae world (it's unclear whether Honoria can find the entrance to the fae world without having the hand where her magical tattoo was). This plot thread is never picked up again.
However, what is picked up, is a teary reunion with Lyssa's deadbeat dad. Because apparently it's always more "wholesome" to portray the protagonist as a forgiver than someone who should seek forgiveness. The person who was wronged is tossed aside, the person who was justifiably shunned (her father was irresponsible, produced lots of gambling debts and abandoned Lyssa and her brother in an abusive orphanage which they escaped from to live homeless on the streets) gets to hear "let bygones be bygones". Because family hell yeah.
And of course the "moral of the story" is that revenge is bad. I've read middle grade books with more depth than this supposedly adult fantasy.
It takes the archetype of a "strong female protagonist", vilifies it, and then "redeems" it through making Lyssa give up her hunt. That's right, it's not about turning the sword to a good cause, but hanging it up. One warrior woman ends up without a hand, and the other one stops being a warrior. After all, nothing good can come from ladies picking up swords, right?
It fares no better when it comes to the main male character, Alderic. First thing we learn about him is that he's very fashionable, but it's only used as a plot device to make Lyssa disrespect and demean him. The contrast between Alderic praising Lyssa for her blacksmithing skill only for Lyssa to mock Alderic for his crocheting and embroidering afterwards reminds us that Lyssa is an awful person, but also that there's no respect for hobbies traditionally ascribed to women.
Alderic's interest in fashion and needlework mostly exists so Lyssa can underestimate him, and the only way this underestimating is challenged is by bringing up Alderic's traditionally masculine qualities like being 2 inches taller than Lyssa (yes, it's spelled out she was 5'10" and he was 2 inches taller, because it's only a man if he's 6 feet or above, right? 🙄) and defeating her in a hand-to-hand combat. Because if he couldn't fight, she would be justified to bully him?
The total cherry on top is when Alderic mentions his childhood and states his love of fashion comes from his mother obsessing about having a daughter and forcing Alderic into a female role by making him wear dresses and forcing him to embroider. Because no way in hell a man could be interested in anything so "unmanly" if he wasn't forcibly groomed into it, right? 🙄
Alderic role in the story is to be Lyssa's punching bag metaphorically and literally, because he's so overcome by guilt, depression and belief he's unlovable, he'd gladly enter a Stockholm Syndrome relationship with Lyssa and justify everything, even take her punches with a smile. There's never any discussion that this kind of treatment between friends or otherwise close people is not okay.
Just because Lyssa decided to do the bare minimum, i.e. not kill Alderic (after she learned she doesn't HAVE to kill him and can save him, and the aforementioned intervention of friends convincing her not to do it, she still went to do it and had a miraculous last moment change of heart because the the author wanted a *gasp* plot twist at the expense of the character having no real growth just a sudden eureka moment) all her bullying, endangering herself and people around her and wanton violence gets a pass. She's redeemed now!
She never apologized to Alderic how she treated him either, even though she knew how hard he tried to undo his mistake from the past. She does think his fate is unfair, but then defaults to "muh revenge". Thinking you're sorry for someone has zero bearing if it has no influence on your words and especially actions. And punching him and then telling him how you're besties for life is a typical manipulative behavior of abusers.
The novel also manages to commit asexual erasure by centering the story around "love stronger than death" but that love is totally chaste without a single thought of attraction, or a single thought noticing said lack of attraction and pondering about it, but also clearly stating both main characters are bisexual, not asexual, with a history of romantic and sexual relationships they sought and enjoyed. Alderic himself got into his trouble exactly because he was too horny for his own good towards a fae woman. Lyssa depicts her relationship with Honoria as "more than friends" and confirms she "took her to bed".
This presents asexuality as something you can easily slip into, rather than something deeply defining how someone experiences love, attraction and intimate relationships across their whole life.
It's extremely tiresome when asexuality is presented this way. Just this year we've heard from a very controversial yet famous public figure that International Asexuality Day is for people who "don't fancy a shag". As if it was so simple like not going out for a coffee today.
The characters lack any deeper thoughts about the nature of their relationship either, they behave as if sexual subjects didn't exist, which is a peculiar choice for a book attempting to be so queer. But maybe that's the problem, many people of certain political beliefs will tell you they aren't against queer people... as long as their sexuality stays invisible.
Lyssa is a butch woman who's depicted as cruel, over-the-top violent and self-absorbed. Alderic is a queer man with more effeminate appearance and hobbies typically pursued by women, and those aspects of him are constantly made fun of, with the exception of the times when they can be used for something more "manly" like stitching wounds. Honoria is a lesbian whose role comes down to "mean ex antagonist" and even when she's revealed to be serving good, not evil, she's instead left mutilated and thrown under the bus without even a single sorry.
Is this book queer-friendly? No, I don't think so.
Is this book cozy? Hell no!
Personally I'm extremely disappointed with the direction Tor as a publisher is going, between several AI covers, fake debut from the ex-president of SFWA who's a bestselling author and doesn't need to take the debut badge from actual debuts, giving a huge deal to an author with anti-Semitic behavior on social media, disproportionate investment in their Bramble romantasy lineup (many of which are questionable choices, like a master/slave romance) in comparison to the books coming out from the main imprint, securing paid promo on "top 10 must read fantasy" lists for an author who's a well-connected editor rather than spending that budget on uplifting more POC authors, and problematic books like this one, which pretends to be progressive, but instead is very regressive in its messaging, I really feel the powerhouse of fantasy publishing lost my respect.
I haven't felt so invalidated by a book and so gaslit by the community's reception of it for a long time.
Warning, there will be spoilers, because it's impossible to dissect the messaging of this book without talking about its contents in its entirety.
Lyssa is a butch woman monster-hunter who's an utter caricature of a "strong female protagonist". She's unreasonable, her first answer to everything is violence, she repeatedly gets herself into trouble she needs bailing from, and all that is excused by her tragic backstory because she got her brother killed, so over a decade later she's still going around on a rampage with a huge chip on her shoulder.
She kills sentient fantasy creatures for greedy capitalists who want to steal the land belonging to the "faeries" - not because she's greedy, or because she wants to protect the locals, but because of her deep hatred of anything faerie. It's the fantasy equivalent of committing hate crimes because a member of that group committed a crime against you or your family, so now you hate all of them and deem it justified to condemn or mistreat the whole group.
This works in fantasy when the fantasy species are depicted as malevolent and dangerous, but it's clear Lyssa is no Geralt, she will take a contract no matter is the creature threatening or harmless just to fuel her hatred. But don't worry, she overcharges rich people so she can kill cheaply for the poor. What a noble Robin Hood we have here!
She's so thick-headed we're served a common trope "friends make an intervention" where everyone tries to convince the main character to stop being stupid and stubborn and smell the coffee, but the main character digs their heels in until a big climax eureka moment.
Even when she undergoes her supposed redemption arc, she's nowhere near repenting for her behavior. She punches Alderic in the face, because apparently intimate violence against men is a funny punchline. Imagine if the roles were reversed, and a strong warrior male character punched a female character he claimed to love and gave her a black eye because "she lied to him". Would you find that wholesome and beautiful? Or are we only clapping because violence against women is a "serious subject" but violence against men is a "butt of a joke"?
Moreover, Lyssa never apologized or tried to make it up to the person she wronged the most: her lesbian ex, Honoria. She vilifies Honoria for abandoning her across the majority of the novel, calling her a "bitch" and her new fae partner a "whore". Then she mutilates her by cutting her hand off in a fight. When she finally finds out why Honoria started working with the fae, and that these were benevolent motivations, and that she abandoned Lyssa because Lyssa was consumed by hatred and obsessed with revenge, what does she do? Nothing. Behaves as if there's no problem here and leaves Honoria mutilated and likely stranded without the means to return to the fae world (it's unclear whether Honoria can find the entrance to the fae world without having the hand where her magical tattoo was). This plot thread is never picked up again.
However, what is picked up, is a teary reunion with Lyssa's deadbeat dad. Because apparently it's always more "wholesome" to portray the protagonist as a forgiver than someone who should seek forgiveness. The person who was wronged is tossed aside, the person who was justifiably shunned (her father was irresponsible, produced lots of gambling debts and abandoned Lyssa and her brother in an abusive orphanage which they escaped from to live homeless on the streets) gets to hear "let bygones be bygones". Because family hell yeah.
And of course the "moral of the story" is that revenge is bad. I've read middle grade books with more depth than this supposedly adult fantasy.
It takes the archetype of a "strong female protagonist", vilifies it, and then "redeems" it through making Lyssa give up her hunt. That's right, it's not about turning the sword to a good cause, but hanging it up. One warrior woman ends up without a hand, and the other one stops being a warrior. After all, nothing good can come from ladies picking up swords, right?
It fares no better when it comes to the main male character, Alderic. First thing we learn about him is that he's very fashionable, but it's only used as a plot device to make Lyssa disrespect and demean him. The contrast between Alderic praising Lyssa for her blacksmithing skill only for Lyssa to mock Alderic for his crocheting and embroidering afterwards reminds us that Lyssa is an awful person, but also that there's no respect for hobbies traditionally ascribed to women.
Alderic's interest in fashion and needlework mostly exists so Lyssa can underestimate him, and the only way this underestimating is challenged is by bringing up Alderic's traditionally masculine qualities like being 2 inches taller than Lyssa (yes, it's spelled out she was 5'10" and he was 2 inches taller, because it's only a man if he's 6 feet or above, right? 🙄) and defeating her in a hand-to-hand combat. Because if he couldn't fight, she would be justified to bully him?
The total cherry on top is when Alderic mentions his childhood and states his love of fashion comes from his mother obsessing about having a daughter and forcing Alderic into a female role by making him wear dresses and forcing him to embroider. Because no way in hell a man could be interested in anything so "unmanly" if he wasn't forcibly groomed into it, right? 🙄
Alderic role in the story is to be Lyssa's punching bag metaphorically and literally, because he's so overcome by guilt, depression and belief he's unlovable, he'd gladly enter a Stockholm Syndrome relationship with Lyssa and justify everything, even take her punches with a smile. There's never any discussion that this kind of treatment between friends or otherwise close people is not okay.
Just because Lyssa decided to do the bare minimum, i.e. not kill Alderic (after she learned she doesn't HAVE to kill him and can save him, and the aforementioned intervention of friends convincing her not to do it, she still went to do it and had a miraculous last moment change of heart because the the author wanted a *gasp* plot twist at the expense of the character having no real growth just a sudden eureka moment) all her bullying, endangering herself and people around her and wanton violence gets a pass. She's redeemed now!
She never apologized to Alderic how she treated him either, even though she knew how hard he tried to undo his mistake from the past. She does think his fate is unfair, but then defaults to "muh revenge". Thinking you're sorry for someone has zero bearing if it has no influence on your words and especially actions. And punching him and then telling him how you're besties for life is a typical manipulative behavior of abusers.
The novel also manages to commit asexual erasure by centering the story around "love stronger than death" but that love is totally chaste without a single thought of attraction, or a single thought noticing said lack of attraction and pondering about it, but also clearly stating both main characters are bisexual, not asexual, with a history of romantic and sexual relationships they sought and enjoyed. Alderic himself got into his trouble exactly because he was too horny for his own good towards a fae woman. Lyssa depicts her relationship with Honoria as "more than friends" and confirms she "took her to bed".
This presents asexuality as something you can easily slip into, rather than something deeply defining how someone experiences love, attraction and intimate relationships across their whole life.
It's extremely tiresome when asexuality is presented this way. Just this year we've heard from a very controversial yet famous public figure that International Asexuality Day is for people who "don't fancy a shag". As if it was so simple like not going out for a coffee today.
The characters lack any deeper thoughts about the nature of their relationship either, they behave as if sexual subjects didn't exist, which is a peculiar choice for a book attempting to be so queer. But maybe that's the problem, many people of certain political beliefs will tell you they aren't against queer people... as long as their sexuality stays invisible.
Lyssa is a butch woman who's depicted as cruel, over-the-top violent and self-absorbed. Alderic is a queer man with more effeminate appearance and hobbies typically pursued by women, and those aspects of him are constantly made fun of, with the exception of the times when they can be used for something more "manly" like stitching wounds. Honoria is a lesbian whose role comes down to "mean ex antagonist" and even when she's revealed to be serving good, not evil, she's instead left mutilated and thrown under the bus without even a single sorry.
Is this book queer-friendly? No, I don't think so.
Is this book cozy? Hell no!
Personally I'm extremely disappointed with the direction Tor as a publisher is going, between several AI covers, fake debut from the ex-president of SFWA who's a bestselling author and doesn't need to take the debut badge from actual debuts, giving a huge deal to an author with anti-Semitic behavior on social media, disproportionate investment in their Bramble romantasy lineup (many of which are questionable choices, like a master/slave romance) in comparison to the books coming out from the main imprint, securing paid promo on "top 10 must read fantasy" lists for an author who's a well-connected editor rather than spending that budget on uplifting more POC authors, and problematic books like this one, which pretends to be progressive, but instead is very regressive in its messaging, I really feel the powerhouse of fantasy publishing lost my respect.
I haven't felt so invalidated by a book and so gaslit by the community's reception of it for a long time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 29, 2025
Pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this, the found family, queer normative world, and platonic love was SO GOOD and healed something in me. I think I was a bit too stressed while reading for it to feel like a truly cozy fantasy but there was a warmth infused through the whole story and the resolution dragged me through an emotional gauntlet
Also shoutout for this book making me cry into my pillow at one in the morning, sign of a top tier read
Also shoutout for this book making me cry into my pillow at one in the morning, sign of a top tier read
September 18, 2025
I knew that I would like this book, but I didn't anticipate how much I would LOVE this book! It reminded me a bit of The Witcher, but cozier and with a female protagonist. Lyssa is a beast-hunter who has earned the nickname "The Butcher". Her main goal is to track down and kill the infamous faerie monster The Beast, who slaughtered her brother. A wealthy nobleman, Alderic, offers his knowledge, money, and is already in possession of one component needed to forge a magical weapon strong enough to kill The Beast. Reluctantly, Lyssa agree to teaming up with him.
The world with faeries and magic and witches is delightful! The quest-like format of procuring the needed components for the weapon produces a nice structure to the story. It feels cozy somehow, but the stakes are pretty high and there are moments of bloodshed. The best part is the relationship arc between Lyssa and Alderic. Without giving anything away, I genuinely loved this story and where it took us. I loved the no-romance, found family approach Serra Swift chose for this book. I highly recommend this one! Book releases 10/14/25.
The world with faeries and magic and witches is delightful! The quest-like format of procuring the needed components for the weapon produces a nice structure to the story. It feels cozy somehow, but the stakes are pretty high and there are moments of bloodshed. The best part is the relationship arc between Lyssa and Alderic. Without giving anything away, I genuinely loved this story and where it took us. I loved the no-romance, found family approach Serra Swift chose for this book. I highly recommend this one! Book releases 10/14/25.
Read
December 19, 2025Okay so in some ways I really liked this. It's a very different take on a Beauty and the Beast adjacent story and it plays with gender expectations in a way I appreciate. (we get a badass warrior heroine determined to kill the beast who murdered her brother and a more effeminate hero who hires her to kill the beast and is often underestimated) The writing is beautiful and the way it tackles grief and revenge is well done.
However, it's all from Lyssa's perspective and it's extremely obvious to the reader what the "twist" is going to be from almost the very beginning, but the text acts as if that isn't the case. I think if we had gotten even a few chapters from Alderic's perspective, acknowledging that the reader is "let in" on something the main character is unaware of, this would have hit better for me. Because then instead of waiting for the obvious reveal it would ratchet up the tension and tragedy of what's coming.
Again, I think it's a good book with an interesting story and I would read more from this author. I just wish the approach had been tweaked because I could see fully loving the book in that case.
However, it's all from Lyssa's perspective and it's extremely obvious to the reader what the "twist" is going to be from almost the very beginning, but the text acts as if that isn't the case. I think if we had gotten even a few chapters from Alderic's perspective, acknowledging that the reader is "let in" on something the main character is unaware of, this would have hit better for me. Because then instead of waiting for the obvious reveal it would ratchet up the tension and tragedy of what's coming.
Again, I think it's a good book with an interesting story and I would read more from this author. I just wish the approach had been tweaked because I could see fully loving the book in that case.
October 13, 2025
There are a few things about this story that didn't quite land for me but despite this, overwhelmingly, I found myself rather enamoured by the world this was set in -- definitely a fantasy land but also sorta historical? -- as well as the magical creatures and the lore surrounding them.
I also really enjoyed most of the characters.. with the notable exception being our protagonist, however. While normally I love me a badass capable woman, instead she was just.. all rage. And while it's understandable -- being that she's been consumed with hunting down faerie creatures after the death of her brother, and she's had to shape herself into a person who can not only survive those encounters but also is fueled by the loss, and the promise to avenge her sibling -- her behaviour, complete with lashing out and intractability and not a little bit of hypocrisy was rather tiring; it was not fun to constantly be swimming through her temper tantrums. But I did appreciate how this was relevant to the storytelling and can acknowledge how this made for a really lovely epiphany moment in the climax.
As for said climax though, I mean, I put two and two together about how this revenge story would all play out very early on. I don't think it's supposed to be a big surprise but, because there's no hint in the synopsis, I won't even allude to any hint over this element. And despite seeing it a mile away, I still really liked it.
Some of the others bits that didn't land are related to the romantic (maybe?) dynamic, which happens a litttttle too quickly to be believable, as well as my lack of satisfaction over Lyssa's unresolved issues with her ex. Sure, I can maybe see how the author tried to put some closure on that but, sorry, no, their interaction before that was just too intense to be wrapped up in a neat bow by a short little conversation after the fact.
Overall, though, a pretty solid debut. I'll definitely be curious to see what Swift comes out with next.
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. **
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This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
I also really enjoyed most of the characters.. with the notable exception being our protagonist, however. While normally I love me a badass capable woman, instead she was just.. all rage. And while it's understandable -- being that she's been consumed with hunting down faerie creatures after the death of her brother, and she's had to shape herself into a person who can not only survive those encounters but also is fueled by the loss, and the promise to avenge her sibling -- her behaviour, complete with lashing out and intractability and not a little bit of hypocrisy was rather tiring; it was not fun to constantly be swimming through her temper tantrums. But I did appreciate how this was relevant to the storytelling and can acknowledge how this made for a really lovely epiphany moment in the climax.
As for said climax though, I mean, I put two and two together about how this revenge story would all play out very early on. I don't think it's supposed to be a big surprise but, because there's no hint in the synopsis, I won't even allude to any hint over this element. And despite seeing it a mile away, I still really liked it.
Some of the others bits that didn't land are related to the romantic (maybe?) dynamic, which happens a litttttle too quickly to be believable, as well as my lack of satisfaction over Lyssa's unresolved issues with her ex. Sure, I can maybe see how the author tried to put some closure on that but, sorry, no, their interaction before that was just too intense to be wrapped up in a neat bow by a short little conversation after the fact.
Overall, though, a pretty solid debut. I'll definitely be curious to see what Swift comes out with next.
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. **
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This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
October 25, 2025
I think this is my favorite book of the year. I’m sorry to say nothing will compare. The end.
If this book isn’t on your radar - it is now!
Where do I even start? First thing is the audiobook is phenomenal. Moira Quirk is one of my newest favorite narrators. Coincidentally, this is not the first book that I’m rating highly based on her narration either. Her voice and delivery is just perfect for the whimsical fantasy world created by the author. She brought these characters to life, from Lyssa’s tough exterior and potty mouth, to Aldaric’s gentlemanly frilly nature, it was wonderful. Highly recommend this story on audio just for the laughs!!
Lyssa Carnifex AKA The Butcher, a faerie killing bounty hunter and blacksmith. I fell for Lyssa right in the first chapter. We got straight to the point! She is sassy, strong, stubborn, cunning, yet deep down just looking for her own slice of family. After the Beast of Buxton Fields killed her brother, swearing a blood oath to avenge his death. It took her thirteen years to finally track down the beast, but it comes with some stipulations.
Enter Alderic stage left.
Alderic Casimir de Laurent - you stole my heart. This character is so lovable, from his choice of fashion and a large caring heart. The quick banter and sarcastic jokes between him and Lyssa were a-plenty! Their friendship warms my soul. It’s like a love story with a found family theme. Cozy to the max, truly magical what the author created with this relationship. It just makes me all giddy and happy.
Brandy 🐶 Lyssa’s bullmastiff companion stole every scene and he deserves all the snackies and cuddles forever and ever.
Additional side characters round out the found family vibes. Nadia, a young apprentice for Ragnhild, a witch and Lyssa’s sort of mentor. The dialogue between the three ladies really had me kicking my feet. Nadia was giving Lyssa a run for her money with the clap backs!
Now to the fairytale story (Not me realizing this was a ‘retelling’ totally at the end 🤪). I completely agree with The Witcher and T. Kingfisher comparisons, but it’s so leveled up and standing on its own creativity. The world building is quite simple but still very clever. There’s not a whole lot, if any, info dumping. It’s a very organic and effortless magic system that will appeal to many cozy fantasy fans. Do not be fooled because this is certainly not boring, with action scenes, mystery, a curse (or two) and Lyssa’s punch-happy shenanigans. There is great tension in the plot and real stakes showing growth for Lyssa, and steady pacing throughout the book.
Ten stars, I love this book so much!
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the free audiobook.
If this book isn’t on your radar - it is now!
Where do I even start? First thing is the audiobook is phenomenal. Moira Quirk is one of my newest favorite narrators. Coincidentally, this is not the first book that I’m rating highly based on her narration either. Her voice and delivery is just perfect for the whimsical fantasy world created by the author. She brought these characters to life, from Lyssa’s tough exterior and potty mouth, to Aldaric’s gentlemanly frilly nature, it was wonderful. Highly recommend this story on audio just for the laughs!!
Lyssa Carnifex AKA The Butcher, a faerie killing bounty hunter and blacksmith. I fell for Lyssa right in the first chapter. We got straight to the point! She is sassy, strong, stubborn, cunning, yet deep down just looking for her own slice of family. After the Beast of Buxton Fields killed her brother, swearing a blood oath to avenge his death. It took her thirteen years to finally track down the beast, but it comes with some stipulations.
Enter Alderic stage left.
Alderic Casimir de Laurent - you stole my heart. This character is so lovable, from his choice of fashion and a large caring heart. The quick banter and sarcastic jokes between him and Lyssa were a-plenty! Their friendship warms my soul. It’s like a love story with a found family theme. Cozy to the max, truly magical what the author created with this relationship. It just makes me all giddy and happy.
Brandy 🐶 Lyssa’s bullmastiff companion stole every scene and he deserves all the snackies and cuddles forever and ever.
Additional side characters round out the found family vibes. Nadia, a young apprentice for Ragnhild, a witch and Lyssa’s sort of mentor. The dialogue between the three ladies really had me kicking my feet. Nadia was giving Lyssa a run for her money with the clap backs!
Now to the fairytale story (Not me realizing this was a ‘retelling’ totally at the end 🤪). I completely agree with The Witcher and T. Kingfisher comparisons, but it’s so leveled up and standing on its own creativity. The world building is quite simple but still very clever. There’s not a whole lot, if any, info dumping. It’s a very organic and effortless magic system that will appeal to many cozy fantasy fans. Do not be fooled because this is certainly not boring, with action scenes, mystery, a curse (or two) and Lyssa’s punch-happy shenanigans. There is great tension in the plot and real stakes showing growth for Lyssa, and steady pacing throughout the book.
Ten stars, I love this book so much!
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the free audiobook.
Read
October 15, 2025When I saw this book announced as a story about a monster-slayer warrior woman and a decorative noble sidekick, I knew I have to read this. I love tough fighter women, and I love men who defy narrow gender roles.
I have very mixed feelings towards this book. I love the author tried something different. I love Alderic being not just a "cinnamon roll" but having some feminine-coded hobbies and tastes (esp. in fashion), because we rarely get that, and especially rarely when the main relationship is with a woman and not between two men.
I did not love the misleading marketing calling this "cozy" because there were lots of decidedly uncozy things in this one: grief, slurs, violence incl. towards family members/loved ones, murder, mutilation, abusive childhood backstory, suicidal ideation and attempted suicide in backstory, and injury to an animal.
I've read my fair share of dark and violent fantasy, but they were never advertised as cozy. I would say this isn't a cozy, it's a gaslamp adventure fantasy.
I also did not love Lyssa, the pov fmc. I usually enjoy "unlikeable" heroines when they're motivated by self-preservation, ambition, fighting dirty in an oppressive world, y'know, the "good for her" trope, where fmc is morally grey, but punching up and generally dealing with a world unfair to her.
But Lyssa isn't fighting for a worthy goal with questionable methods, nope, she was addicted to her revenge and hatred for the fae & their creations as a "cope" for her grief, and she was very 1-dimensional at that, and wasn't really learning anything no matter how hard the plot was banging her over the head with reveals. And that alone maybe wouldn't be too damning, but she's also abhorrent to every other character: Alderic, her ex Honoria, her witchy friends, her father, random strangers...
There isn't a single relationship where she isn't abusive to humanize her, contrary to for example The Dollmakers where fmc is very entitled, but her interactions with Roque are respectful or The Scarlet Throne where fmc is a power-hungry villainess, but has a fondness for her protege, Medha. Also both in The Dollmakers and in The Scarlet Throne fmcs pay the price of their hubris, which makes their story more sympathetic all things taken into consideration. Lyssa felt like the author's pet, where both the plot and the side characters coddle her, so she never has to pay the price for her decisions and actions.
Anyway, I'll leave this unrated after struggling to decide for months (I've read this book in May). I want to endorse this book and see it succeed so publishing takes notion that foppish and effeminate men can be marketable too outside of gay fiction. But also... I can't forgive Lyssa being verbally and physically abusive and it being handwaved away. Alderic deserved better. If the roles were reversed (i.e. traditional), I'd also be screaming "girl, run".
The original tally of upsides and downsides:
Pluses:
* Easily readable, fairly "windowpane" prose.
* Lovable dog companion.
* Worldbuilding presenting a mix of familiar with fresh: it's a secondary world fantasy taking place in an equivalent of the 19th century with pistols, gas lamps and early electricity. There are also fae and other common mythological creatures from this folklore, like trolls, redcaps, ogres, mermaids; there's also a division similar to high fae and dark fae where ones are more noble but haughty while the second are wicked and spiteful.
* Found family vibe.
* Quest fantasy that didn't feel boring thanks to the witty banter.
* Slow reveal of clues that feels both suspenseful and natural.
* Fairy tale retelling.
* Interesting exploration of grief.
* Queer representation (bisexual leads, lesbian side character).
Minuses:
* Lyssa is a very flat character.
* Preachy moral lesson about revenge.
* The situation between Lyssa and Honoria didn't have a proper conclusion.
* Decidedly not cozy. I swear these days marketers put everything into either romantasy, epic, gothic or cozy and half the time the shoe doesn't fit.
In the end, it's a short, concise standalone you can possibly read in one sitting or two. If you like prickly / unlikeable female protagonists or a quest road trip style fantasy with fae lore, you might enjoy this book.
Thank you Netgalley and Tor Books for the ARC!
I have very mixed feelings towards this book. I love the author tried something different. I love Alderic being not just a "cinnamon roll" but having some feminine-coded hobbies and tastes (esp. in fashion), because we rarely get that, and especially rarely when the main relationship is with a woman and not between two men.
I did not love the misleading marketing calling this "cozy" because there were lots of decidedly uncozy things in this one: grief, slurs, violence incl. towards family members/loved ones, murder, mutilation, abusive childhood backstory, suicidal ideation and attempted suicide in backstory, and injury to an animal.
I've read my fair share of dark and violent fantasy, but they were never advertised as cozy. I would say this isn't a cozy, it's a gaslamp adventure fantasy.
I also did not love Lyssa, the pov fmc. I usually enjoy "unlikeable" heroines when they're motivated by self-preservation, ambition, fighting dirty in an oppressive world, y'know, the "good for her" trope, where fmc is morally grey, but punching up and generally dealing with a world unfair to her.
But Lyssa isn't fighting for a worthy goal with questionable methods, nope, she was addicted to her revenge and hatred for the fae & their creations as a "cope" for her grief, and she was very 1-dimensional at that, and wasn't really learning anything no matter how hard the plot was banging her over the head with reveals. And that alone maybe wouldn't be too damning, but she's also abhorrent to every other character: Alderic, her ex Honoria, her witchy friends, her father, random strangers...
There isn't a single relationship where she isn't abusive to humanize her, contrary to for example The Dollmakers where fmc is very entitled, but her interactions with Roque are respectful or The Scarlet Throne where fmc is a power-hungry villainess, but has a fondness for her protege, Medha. Also both in The Dollmakers and in The Scarlet Throne fmcs pay the price of their hubris, which makes their story more sympathetic all things taken into consideration. Lyssa felt like the author's pet, where both the plot and the side characters coddle her, so she never has to pay the price for her decisions and actions.
Anyway, I'll leave this unrated after struggling to decide for months (I've read this book in May). I want to endorse this book and see it succeed so publishing takes notion that foppish and effeminate men can be marketable too outside of gay fiction. But also... I can't forgive Lyssa being verbally and physically abusive and it being handwaved away. Alderic deserved better. If the roles were reversed (i.e. traditional), I'd also be screaming "girl, run".
The original tally of upsides and downsides:
Pluses:
* Easily readable, fairly "windowpane" prose.
* Lovable dog companion.
* Worldbuilding presenting a mix of familiar with fresh: it's a secondary world fantasy taking place in an equivalent of the 19th century with pistols, gas lamps and early electricity. There are also fae and other common mythological creatures from this folklore, like trolls, redcaps, ogres, mermaids; there's also a division similar to high fae and dark fae where ones are more noble but haughty while the second are wicked and spiteful.
* Found family vibe.
* Quest fantasy that didn't feel boring thanks to the witty banter.
* Slow reveal of clues that feels both suspenseful and natural.
* Fairy tale retelling.
* Interesting exploration of grief.
* Queer representation (bisexual leads, lesbian side character).
Minuses:
* Lyssa is a very flat character.
* Preachy moral lesson about revenge.
* The situation between Lyssa and Honoria didn't have a proper conclusion.
* Decidedly not cozy. I swear these days marketers put everything into either romantasy, epic, gothic or cozy and half the time the shoe doesn't fit.
In the end, it's a short, concise standalone you can possibly read in one sitting or two. If you like prickly / unlikeable female protagonists or a quest road trip style fantasy with fae lore, you might enjoy this book.
Thank you Netgalley and Tor Books for the ARC!
Currently reading
December 16, 2025The writing style and voice are giving young teenager, but this is an adult fantasy, yeah? Let's hope it gets better.
October 10, 2025
While not a bad book (2/5=it was okay), I think Kill the Beast is completely mismarketed which sets up expectations that are never met. Overall, I found the plot, world building, most characters, and (repetitive) prose to be lacking depth and in no way comparable to the rich writing in Howl's Moving Castle or Kingfisher’s work, so if you are a fan of those this might not be the read for you.
First off, Kill the Beast is not a romance (and definitely not a romantasy) despite being labeled as such. There is some found family, and love between friends that develops, but if you are expecting romantic love this is not the book for you. Second, the simplistic plot and low-stakes in Kill the Beast could lean towards “cozy” in the sense that you know what you are in for, but because the characters are filled with rage and suicidal thoughts there is never a relaxing or calm moment. The saving grace of the book is Alderic, who is a lovely and lively character full of depth, and I think the story would have been more enjoyable from his point of view. But instead the book is told through Lyssa, who is one-dimensional and that dimension is RAGE. A small note, but I personally dislike when books overuse curse words like f*ck and b*tch, which Lyssa does frequently because she is *angry.*
Instead, I’d say this book has a similar prose and plot depth as Legends and Lattes (although with more RAGE), which was a DNF for me. I thought the new take on Beauty and the Beast was fun, Alderic is a great character, and the love between friends is wonderful, but overall I think the book reads more as YA and is possibly attracting the wrong audience.
I received the audiobook for free from Macmillan Audio in exchange for my honest review, and Moira Quirk does a great job narrating the story!
First off, Kill the Beast is not a romance (and definitely not a romantasy) despite being labeled as such. There is some found family, and love between friends that develops, but if you are expecting romantic love this is not the book for you. Second, the simplistic plot and low-stakes in Kill the Beast could lean towards “cozy” in the sense that you know what you are in for, but because the characters are filled with rage and suicidal thoughts there is never a relaxing or calm moment. The saving grace of the book is Alderic, who is a lovely and lively character full of depth, and I think the story would have been more enjoyable from his point of view. But instead the book is told through Lyssa, who is one-dimensional and that dimension is RAGE. A small note, but I personally dislike when books overuse curse words like f*ck and b*tch, which Lyssa does frequently because she is *angry.*
Instead, I’d say this book has a similar prose and plot depth as Legends and Lattes (although with more RAGE), which was a DNF for me. I thought the new take on Beauty and the Beast was fun, Alderic is a great character, and the love between friends is wonderful, but overall I think the book reads more as YA and is possibly attracting the wrong audience.
I received the audiobook for free from Macmillan Audio in exchange for my honest review, and Moira Quirk does a great job narrating the story!
October 26, 2025
2025 reads: 298/300
i received a complimentary review copy from the publisher via netgalley. i am leaving this review voluntarily.
for thirteen years, lyssa cadogan has bided her time, waiting for the opportunity to avenge her brother’s murder. the faerie-made monster who killed him, known as the beast, has not resurfaced in that time, though. she teams up with alderic casimir de laurent, who found the beast’s lair—and even brought back one of its claws!—to forge a weapon that can kill it once and for all.
i requested this book because it seemed like it’d be a bit similar to beauty and the beast, one of my personal favorites, and while it was reminiscent of that tale, this story was its own beast. (i apologize for the pun.) i loved the friendship between lyssa and alderic and the personal growth they both went through. the big plot twist, though somewhat expected, made the story so much more emotional. i really enjoyed this book, and i’m looking forward to more from the author!
i received a complimentary review copy from the publisher via netgalley. i am leaving this review voluntarily.
for thirteen years, lyssa cadogan has bided her time, waiting for the opportunity to avenge her brother’s murder. the faerie-made monster who killed him, known as the beast, has not resurfaced in that time, though. she teams up with alderic casimir de laurent, who found the beast’s lair—and even brought back one of its claws!—to forge a weapon that can kill it once and for all.
i requested this book because it seemed like it’d be a bit similar to beauty and the beast, one of my personal favorites, and while it was reminiscent of that tale, this story was its own beast. (i apologize for the pun.) i loved the friendship between lyssa and alderic and the personal growth they both went through. the big plot twist, though somewhat expected, made the story so much more emotional. i really enjoyed this book, and i’m looking forward to more from the author!
December 17, 2025
Story 4 stars. Narration 4.5 stars
This was the debut book by this author and that was a bit hard to believe. It was a bit slow at times in the first 25% but picked up nicely after that. It managed to shock me with a twist and I couldn’t believe how well done it was by the author.
Lyssa was a killer of faeries in a land where they are responsible for many deaths and heartache. She’s well known for it and dresses and acts the part. Just under 6 foot tall, she doesn’t care for frivolous things most women care about. Her motivation was the death of her brother right in front of her as a monster ravaged a group of people. She has sworn to find that particular monster, but so far can’t find it. Enter Alderic, a very rich fop of a man that buys his weight in clothes on a regular basis. In other words, her exact opposite. He hires her to kill the beast and this necessitates they work and travel together to get the right ingredients to do the job. Many things happen and before long a friendship is forged.
Although a bit slow at first, I ended up enjoying the listen. I really liked both main characters and loved that the author wrote them so differently than most would have. Their personalities really stood out for me. So unique. Side characters were equally fleshed out and I liked them as well. I also thought the world building was pretty amazing. I felt like I could see the world clearly and could easily picture a movie being made. Just my wishful thinking here. It’s a clean read, but because of violence I don’t think anyone younger than 13 should read it-depending on maturity level.
Edited to add that this has an awesome dog as a character. Any book that has a dog for a major character is a book I will read.
This was the debut book by this author and that was a bit hard to believe. It was a bit slow at times in the first 25% but picked up nicely after that. It managed to shock me with a twist and I couldn’t believe how well done it was by the author.
Lyssa was a killer of faeries in a land where they are responsible for many deaths and heartache. She’s well known for it and dresses and acts the part. Just under 6 foot tall, she doesn’t care for frivolous things most women care about. Her motivation was the death of her brother right in front of her as a monster ravaged a group of people. She has sworn to find that particular monster, but so far can’t find it. Enter Alderic, a very rich fop of a man that buys his weight in clothes on a regular basis. In other words, her exact opposite. He hires her to kill the beast and this necessitates they work and travel together to get the right ingredients to do the job. Many things happen and before long a friendship is forged.
Although a bit slow at first, I ended up enjoying the listen. I really liked both main characters and loved that the author wrote them so differently than most would have. Their personalities really stood out for me. So unique. Side characters were equally fleshed out and I liked them as well. I also thought the world building was pretty amazing. I felt like I could see the world clearly and could easily picture a movie being made. Just my wishful thinking here. It’s a clean read, but because of violence I don’t think anyone younger than 13 should read it-depending on maturity level.
Edited to add that this has an awesome dog as a character. Any book that has a dog for a major character is a book I will read.
September 11, 2025
What an interesting read. So much rage and vengeance that are met with equal measures of growth and healing.
Alderic is my favorite character in this book. He had the most depth and the kindest heart. Lyssa was difficult to connect with. I can understand her grief, but her behavior throughout was frustrating.
Alderic is my favorite character in this book. He had the most depth and the kindest heart. Lyssa was difficult to connect with. I can understand her grief, but her behavior throughout was frustrating.
November 17, 2025
Writing a review for a 5 star read is always so hard, because what do you mean I have to somehow distill how much I love these characters into just a few sentences???
Kill the Beast was a little bit The Witcher, a little bit Howl's Moving Castle, and the tiniest bit Beauty and the Beast, and wow - what a winning combination. I will always love a grumpy gal and goofy guy team-up, and Lyssa and Aldaric fit that to a T. And what fabulous chemistry they had! I absolutely adored their unlikely friendship and how they brought out the best in one another. Please give me 5 more books about the two of them hunting down monsters, I will devour them all.
Also shoutout to the audiobook narrator, Moira Quirk! Audiobooks have been carrying me through the last couple months and some are definitely better than others, but I was really blown away by Quirk's performance! She had an incredibly array of accents and voices and it really heightened the experience for me. Highly recommend the audio if you're thinking of picking this one up!
Kill the Beast was a little bit The Witcher, a little bit Howl's Moving Castle, and the tiniest bit Beauty and the Beast, and wow - what a winning combination. I will always love a grumpy gal and goofy guy team-up, and Lyssa and Aldaric fit that to a T. And what fabulous chemistry they had! I absolutely adored their unlikely friendship and how they brought out the best in one another. Please give me 5 more books about the two of them hunting down monsters, I will devour them all.
Also shoutout to the audiobook narrator, Moira Quirk! Audiobooks have been carrying me through the last couple months and some are definitely better than others, but I was really blown away by Quirk's performance! She had an incredibly array of accents and voices and it really heightened the experience for me. Highly recommend the audio if you're thinking of picking this one up!
December 1, 2025
Algo se le podrá salvar.
En este momento no sé qué, pero como no ha sido el peor del año, por el momento, mientras lo proceso, podemos fingir que es de al menos 2 ⭐
En este momento no sé qué, pero como no ha sido el peor del año, por el momento, mientras lo proceso, podemos fingir que es de al menos 2 ⭐
September 21, 2025
Lyssa is The Butcher, a famous faerie Hound hunter who is hell bent on killing the Beast of Buxton Fields, the murderous Hound that killed her brother and set her on a path to revenge. When a rich drunk reaches out to her with both a hefty sum to pay her to kill the Beast and clues to its location, she's finally the closest to her goal as she's ever been in her life. Naturally, shenanigans and self-discovery ensue.
Not gonna lie, I almost DNF'd this. Not because it was bad at all, this is a perfectly fine debut. The characters are a bit simplistic and the "lessons" they learn are a bit heavy handed. Some of the writing and character monologue is so melodramatic, the characters felt a bit like angsty teenagers. Having finished it, I do stand by the opinion that this will be better received by folks who like YA fantasy.
As someone who reads a lot in this genre, this didn't stand out too much to me, but it is a nice addition to the genre, with a romantic sub-plot I was pretty invested in.
I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION THAT I DO LOVE that Serra Swift gave us a love interest wonderfully far removed from the broody, growling, 6'8", dark-haired, hyper masculine characters that we're seeing so much in Romantasy now. Alderic is a perfect fop and I really liked him.
Not gonna lie, I almost DNF'd this. Not because it was bad at all, this is a perfectly fine debut. The characters are a bit simplistic and the "lessons" they learn are a bit heavy handed. Some of the writing and character monologue is so melodramatic, the characters felt a bit like angsty teenagers. Having finished it, I do stand by the opinion that this will be better received by folks who like YA fantasy.
As someone who reads a lot in this genre, this didn't stand out too much to me, but it is a nice addition to the genre, with a romantic sub-plot I was pretty invested in.
I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION THAT I DO LOVE that Serra Swift gave us a love interest wonderfully far removed from the broody, growling, 6'8", dark-haired, hyper masculine characters that we're seeing so much in Romantasy now. Alderic is a perfect fop and I really liked him.
October 28, 2025
Welp, I didn’t know how much my TBR needed a Gaston retelling/redemption story- but here we are, as smitten as ever.
I should know by now now that if Moira Quirk is on something, it’s bound to be great.
Many thanks to #MaxAudio2025 for this copy. 🥰
I should know by now now that if Moira Quirk is on something, it’s bound to be great.
Many thanks to #MaxAudio2025 for this copy. 🥰
September 15, 2025
Kill The Beast was a beautiful story. It was sad, but also fun. There were fairies and found family, love, and loss. It made me cry more than once, which I didn't expect. I loved the main characters, and I wish there were more stories about them.
Thank you to Netgalley and McMillan Audio for this ALC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley and McMillan Audio for this ALC in exchange for an honest review.
September 11, 2025
4.5⭐ rounded up
I. Loved. This. Book. Finished it in a day. I laughed. I cried. "Ease of movement? Look no further!"💀
Lyssa is a monster hunter, fueled by rage and vengeance. Alderic is a seemingly happy-go-lucky dandy who hires her to kill the faerie beast that killed her brother. The lore surrounding faerie curses around their world is light but interesting, interspersed well throughout the story. Not too complicated, no awkward infodumping. From the comp list, in my opinion, it's most similar in vibe to Swordheart. Fast, colorful, fun, and heartfelt. And as always, Moira Quirk is phenomenal on audio.
My only complaint is that Lyssa is very slow to figure out the plot reveals, which made them less climactic. I saw all of them much sooner than she did. HOWEVER, this fits her character development exactly; she's definitely a fists-first-brain-later kind of gal. So I can forgive it. As my film studies professor always said, you can't know whether you would or wouldn't do something in a situation you've never been in. You can only say whether the character's choices are consistent. Lyssa's reluctance to look outside herself and figure other people out is definitely consistent.
But her growth is excellent, the last scenes are so meaningful, and Alderic is the best thing since Howl (or Suoh Tamaki, if you're extra nerdy). Wholeheartedly recommending this book to anyone who will listen. Thank you to both Serra and Moira!
I. Loved. This. Book. Finished it in a day. I laughed. I cried. "Ease of movement? Look no further!"💀
Lyssa is a monster hunter, fueled by rage and vengeance. Alderic is a seemingly happy-go-lucky dandy who hires her to kill the faerie beast that killed her brother. The lore surrounding faerie curses around their world is light but interesting, interspersed well throughout the story. Not too complicated, no awkward infodumping. From the comp list, in my opinion, it's most similar in vibe to Swordheart. Fast, colorful, fun, and heartfelt. And as always, Moira Quirk is phenomenal on audio.
My only complaint is that Lyssa is very slow to figure out the plot reveals, which made them less climactic. I saw all of them much sooner than she did. HOWEVER, this fits her character development exactly; she's definitely a fists-first-brain-later kind of gal. So I can forgive it. As my film studies professor always said, you can't know whether you would or wouldn't do something in a situation you've never been in. You can only say whether the character's choices are consistent. Lyssa's reluctance to look outside herself and figure other people out is definitely consistent.
But her growth is excellent, the last scenes are so meaningful, and Alderic is the best thing since Howl (or Suoh Tamaki, if you're extra nerdy). Wholeheartedly recommending this book to anyone who will listen. Thank you to both Serra and Moira!
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