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Thing of Ruin
Frankenstein-inspired Historical Gothic Romantasy set in 1818, BavariaThey never stopped. The echoes, the longings, the nightmares and confusions of egos clustered in one body, each haunting an organ or a limb, a patch of skin, or a fragment of bone.
He was all of them. He was none of them.
He was...
... like every single part of him...
Better off. Dead.
Born in a dungeon so deep that the sky, the grass, and the sea are just myths.
He has no name, only what they call Construct-Twelve. His memories, his fears and nightmares are not his own, and his hands know skills he never learned. He is a collection of parts that came from dead men.
When a fire burns it all to the ground, he finds himself alone and disoriented in a world too vast. His sudden freedom is torture. He does what he must to secure a place in a prison cell, the constriction of four walls the only thing that gives him comfort. He’d rather waste away than live. It’s what he deserves. He saw the humans outside and how they react to him. He’s an abomination.
Then one night, a new prisoner is thrown into the cell next to his. Instead of screaming, like all the others, she sings.
She sings, and he wants to sing with her.
Slow burn
Touch-starved monster
Forced proximity
One prison cell
Morally gray characters
Gore as a love-language
He was all of them. He was none of them.
He was...
... like every single part of him...
Better off. Dead.
Born in a dungeon so deep that the sky, the grass, and the sea are just myths.
He has no name, only what they call Construct-Twelve. His memories, his fears and nightmares are not his own, and his hands know skills he never learned. He is a collection of parts that came from dead men.
When a fire burns it all to the ground, he finds himself alone and disoriented in a world too vast. His sudden freedom is torture. He does what he must to secure a place in a prison cell, the constriction of four walls the only thing that gives him comfort. He’d rather waste away than live. It’s what he deserves. He saw the humans outside and how they react to him. He’s an abomination.
Then one night, a new prisoner is thrown into the cell next to his. Instead of screaming, like all the others, she sings.
She sings, and he wants to sing with her.
Slow burn
Touch-starved monster
Forced proximity
One prison cell
Morally gray characters
Gore as a love-language
412 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 28, 2025
88 people are currently reading
298 people want to read
About the author
Cara Wylde
147 books649 followersCara Wylde loves to write about strong, feisty women and their hot Alphas who will do anything to make them happy. Her books are filled with romance and just a dash of mystery, suspense, and that eerie atmosphere she fell in love with reading too many gothic novels. With a master's degree in Comparative Literature, she can't help but play with tropes and themes from various genres, trying to come up with fresh perspectives on the paranormal characters her readers love so much. Vampires, shape-shifters, demons, witches... Cara will always make sure they get their own twists.
When she's not writing, Cara is reading, planning her next story, or daydreaming. Her idea of pure heaven is a day filled with nothing but her laptop, a huge coffee pot, relaxing music, and a new, exciting project.
When she's not writing, Cara is reading, planning her next story, or daydreaming. Her idea of pure heaven is a day filled with nothing but her laptop, a huge coffee pot, relaxing music, and a new, exciting project.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
December 29, 2025
Thing of Ruin absolutely exceeded my already high expectations. Excellent world building, it’s a mix of 1800s Europe with a magical twist that’s easy to understand and adds to the immersion. Characters you can’t help but fall in love with, they’re both broken, they both monsters ? They’re both human and they both complete each other. Theres masterful foreshadowing and excellent pacing. It will emotionally ruin you. What an appropriate title since I now feel like a thing of ruin myself.
January 7, 2026
2.5, to be fair. The AI art throughout really killed it for me.
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December 30, 202523%, page 85
I'm going to hold on a little bit longer so I know I'm giving this a fair shot. I was HIGHLY anticipating this release and it's not quite what I was expecting. I'm not familiar with this author's work, but the premise seemed fascinating and I absolutely LOVE gothic romance, but it has to be done right. So far... I'm not convinced this is the masterpiece I was hoping for. The author's tone is not mature enough, for my liking, to adequately pull off this kind of gothic atmosphere. We shall see...
I'm going to hold on a little bit longer so I know I'm giving this a fair shot. I was HIGHLY anticipating this release and it's not quite what I was expecting. I'm not familiar with this author's work, but the premise seemed fascinating and I absolutely LOVE gothic romance, but it has to be done right. So far... I'm not convinced this is the masterpiece I was hoping for. The author's tone is not mature enough, for my liking, to adequately pull off this kind of gothic atmosphere. We shall see...
January 5, 2026
Oh man, what do I say about this book?
This is not my usual kind of read, and it was slower paced than I expected, but I also couldn't stop reading. It captivated me, and for someone with the attention span of a gnat this is high praise 😂. I also didn't realise it was a cliffhanger ending, so now I'm bummed that I have to wait for the next one, but I will 100% be reading it. It's hard to say much without spoilers, but the twists and turns in this had me bawling, though something clicked with me at around 75% and I knew exactly what was coming at the end. Not sure how I feel about it yet but I'm hoping the next book will resolve my uncertainty. Overall a 4.5🌟 for me. Emotional and heart-wrenching with sprinkles of humour and healing to balance it out.
This is not my usual kind of read, and it was slower paced than I expected, but I also couldn't stop reading. It captivated me, and for someone with the attention span of a gnat this is high praise 😂. I also didn't realise it was a cliffhanger ending, so now I'm bummed that I have to wait for the next one, but I will 100% be reading it. It's hard to say much without spoilers, but the twists and turns in this had me bawling, though something clicked with me at around 75% and I knew exactly what was coming at the end. Not sure how I feel about it yet but I'm hoping the next book will resolve my uncertainty. Overall a 4.5🌟 for me. Emotional and heart-wrenching with sprinkles of humour and healing to balance it out.
January 11, 2026
With all the social media posts about the new Frankenstein movie and having read other similar themed books, both humorous and dark,
I had to grab this and add to my reading collection. It's dark, moving and sad. I will add, I am not a lover of HEA for now or cliffhanger's but am glad that the next book will be out in May. :)
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I had to grab this and add to my reading collection. It's dark, moving and sad. I will add, I am not a lover of HEA for now or cliffhanger's but am glad that the next book will be out in May. :)
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 5, 2026
For all of us that needed Frankensteins Creature to get his love story, read this!!
This was a beautiful take on a classic story that leaves you with a heart breaking cliffhanger. The magic system was interesting, the story moved at a perfect pace and Rune… this man needs to be protected at all costs. The slow burn was done so well that it made all the intimate moments feel like fire. I need the next book like I need air for my next breath.
This was a beautiful take on a classic story that leaves you with a heart breaking cliffhanger. The magic system was interesting, the story moved at a perfect pace and Rune… this man needs to be protected at all costs. The slow burn was done so well that it made all the intimate moments feel like fire. I need the next book like I need air for my next breath.
January 12, 2026
🌶️ Another book I am back and forth on… this had an amazing start and had me invested within a few pages, but then it kept dragging its feet to get going. Things were tossed in that weren’t needed, seemingly just to give the characters something to do while they grew familiar with each other, but there is no real emotional connection between these two.
Seraphina is stuck in wanting revenge against four men for the death of her love and the brutal attack on herself that took her eyes and her innocence. The first man she manages to castrate before being captured and tossed into a jail cell and it is here that she meets Rune, a construct made by the enemy out of various body parts sewn crudely together.
Rune is in because he managed to escape where he was created during the chaos of a fire, but he has no real idea of who or what he is- only an assortment of memories that co trading one another and make no sense. He sees himself as a thing of ruin and the world is far too much stimulus so he confesses to a murder he didn’t commit so he can hide from the world in a small cell.
The majority of the book is first them in their cell and then it’s their slow travels to nowhere really. The story meanders horribly with some random characters tossing a clue or two at the pair, but Seraphina is determined to not listen to any of it. For a blind girl she is going well out of her way to keep herself in the dark on who and what Rune is.
That and for a gal whose only been gang raped and left for dead, she suddenly wants to get it on with Rune even when he keeps telling her he doesn’t want to be seen or touched and she shouldn’t want his touch anyway. So we spend the second half of the story with Seraphina focused a lot on sex and ignoring the warnings.
It is painfully obvious what the “twist” at the end will be, and (reading the blurb for the upcoming continuation) yeah, I even had something else right. Not that it matters, what I know and what the character knows are two completely different things really.
So does Seraphina and Rune stick together to continue their journey after the big reveal cliffhanger??? You’ll have to read it and see I guess.
Personally, I don’t much care for Seraphina as a character because she’s not thinking rationally at all. The story begins two years after her assault and her anger has only festered- I can live with that. My problem is halfway through she drops the revenge plot and begins getting frustrated and jealous with Rune, undermining the “relationship” we’re supposed to be getting invested in.
By the time she’s back to revenge at the end, it’s obvious the time together hasn’t actually brought them close at all. Rune will follow along with whatever Seraphina wants, but she’s too wrapped up in her own trauma to recognize just how deep Rune’s fears are as well.
Rune is likable for the most part, although he is woefully clueless to a lot of things. He knows a wide variety of things and has highly trained skills in an improbably wide scope of study, but has no idea how to handle being in a crowd or of what his own body’s reactions are to different stimuli. He’s essentially neurodivergent in character and yet he is also capable of horrific violence.
He is certainly more interesting than Seraphina, but even Rune lacks depth so it is hard to feel much of anything for either character as the story unfolds. The mythos and world building have complex concepts to them, but it’s all done in long and boring info dumps by Seraphina where she’s essentially just lecturing to Rune, which doesn’t make it interesting at all. Does he really need the Latin names for the four different schools of relic belief?
Does it really matter where Seraphina’s beliefs fall? Not really, especially since her opinions have changed before we even meet her. Even then she’s willing to do things she never considered before for her own selfish means.
Yeah, it doesn’t make her a sympathetic character at all, but that’s just my opinion. She’s angry and wants the men responsible to feel her wrath even though the country is at war and she has better things she should be focusing on. Rune only believes in himself because Seraphina says she does, which is a trope ripe for heartache and despair, because you can’t stand on your own when it’s someone else’s feelings alone that you are supporting yourself on.
Will I read book two when it comes out? No. But only because I am not the least bit curious about any of the characters or their fates. I probably stand in the minority there though, but I don’t mind. There are plenty of authors out there waiting for me to stumble across them.
Seraphina is stuck in wanting revenge against four men for the death of her love and the brutal attack on herself that took her eyes and her innocence. The first man she manages to castrate before being captured and tossed into a jail cell and it is here that she meets Rune, a construct made by the enemy out of various body parts sewn crudely together.
Rune is in because he managed to escape where he was created during the chaos of a fire, but he has no real idea of who or what he is- only an assortment of memories that co trading one another and make no sense. He sees himself as a thing of ruin and the world is far too much stimulus so he confesses to a murder he didn’t commit so he can hide from the world in a small cell.
The majority of the book is first them in their cell and then it’s their slow travels to nowhere really. The story meanders horribly with some random characters tossing a clue or two at the pair, but Seraphina is determined to not listen to any of it. For a blind girl she is going well out of her way to keep herself in the dark on who and what Rune is.
That and for a gal whose only been gang raped and left for dead, she suddenly wants to get it on with Rune even when he keeps telling her he doesn’t want to be seen or touched and she shouldn’t want his touch anyway. So we spend the second half of the story with Seraphina focused a lot on sex and ignoring the warnings.
It is painfully obvious what the “twist” at the end will be, and (reading the blurb for the upcoming continuation) yeah, I even had something else right. Not that it matters, what I know and what the character knows are two completely different things really.
So does Seraphina and Rune stick together to continue their journey after the big reveal cliffhanger??? You’ll have to read it and see I guess.
Personally, I don’t much care for Seraphina as a character because she’s not thinking rationally at all. The story begins two years after her assault and her anger has only festered- I can live with that. My problem is halfway through she drops the revenge plot and begins getting frustrated and jealous with Rune, undermining the “relationship” we’re supposed to be getting invested in.
By the time she’s back to revenge at the end, it’s obvious the time together hasn’t actually brought them close at all. Rune will follow along with whatever Seraphina wants, but she’s too wrapped up in her own trauma to recognize just how deep Rune’s fears are as well.
Rune is likable for the most part, although he is woefully clueless to a lot of things. He knows a wide variety of things and has highly trained skills in an improbably wide scope of study, but has no idea how to handle being in a crowd or of what his own body’s reactions are to different stimuli. He’s essentially neurodivergent in character and yet he is also capable of horrific violence.
He is certainly more interesting than Seraphina, but even Rune lacks depth so it is hard to feel much of anything for either character as the story unfolds. The mythos and world building have complex concepts to them, but it’s all done in long and boring info dumps by Seraphina where she’s essentially just lecturing to Rune, which doesn’t make it interesting at all. Does he really need the Latin names for the four different schools of relic belief?
Does it really matter where Seraphina’s beliefs fall? Not really, especially since her opinions have changed before we even meet her. Even then she’s willing to do things she never considered before for her own selfish means.
Yeah, it doesn’t make her a sympathetic character at all, but that’s just my opinion. She’s angry and wants the men responsible to feel her wrath even though the country is at war and she has better things she should be focusing on. Rune only believes in himself because Seraphina says she does, which is a trope ripe for heartache and despair, because you can’t stand on your own when it’s someone else’s feelings alone that you are supporting yourself on.
Will I read book two when it comes out? No. But only because I am not the least bit curious about any of the characters or their fates. I probably stand in the minority there though, but I don’t mind. There are plenty of authors out there waiting for me to stumble across them.
January 16, 2026
A new take on revenants and Frankenstein’s monster. I enjoyed it immensely. However, there are some truly gruesome things that happen in the book that may be triggering. Plus, gore.
After escaping the place where he had been made during a fire, Thing, ended up in jail because he admitted to murdering and mutilating women, in order to have a place to stay and food. However, the jail was very cold during the winter months, they only fed him once a day, and the cleansing facilities was non existent. It hurt me to see people treated in this way. Although, I know that they were historically. Plus, they were treating him harshly because of what he had admitted he had done. When asked what his name was, he tried to say Ruin, but they ended up calling him Rune. Then Seraphina Bell, of the Sarumite Order, with the resistance, ends up being arrested for attacking a man who acted a coward and caused irreparable harm to her and the man she loved. After finding out what had happened to her, I was glad for what she had done. Finding out everything had me crying. Sera can totally kick butt. It is amazing, and you’ll see why, I’m not giving it away. Then, the watchmen are big jerks, because they think that they can get away with anything they want because most of the people in the jail will die anyway, sooner or later.
In this world, there are Saint’s relics- bones that have powers and are used to do things, from healing, to harming and all in between. Little miracles. But, there is a man who believes that he should have all of the relics under his control. That is who, Seraphina and the other rebels are fighting against. People are dying left and right, the common folk, in the little villages, because there is a water or food shortage, or all of the men are gone because they are fighting in the war. The fact that it is 1818 for most of the book. I love how the author twisted history and made it magical and yet the same as what most humans do in situations like this. Sera and Rune begin to talk as their cells are next to each other. Then, when she fights back, they put her in with Rune, expecting him to kill her. The way they work together is amazing and inspiring. I loved them together, even tho they don’t quite get along at first, because of the ‘guilt’ of the things that Rune did.
Then, things get really bad there. Finally, they come up with a plan. Learning about the history of the relics was fascinating and semi weird. lol. There are three groups of beliefs surrounding Relics- The Sarumite Order, and the rest you will learn. lol. I’m not giving that away. The fight scenes are awesome, all the more after you learn a few things that are freaky and yet awesome. lol. After an ‘adventure’ we find out some heartbreaking facts regarding the constructs like Rune. I cried my eyes out, even tho I’d figured out a few things much earlier in the book. Rune & Sera get really close to each other and things get steamy, only to find out some heartbreaking facts that pretty much blew my mind and made me cry. So many questions were answered by the end, yet there are more. I can’t wait to see what happens next.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
After escaping the place where he had been made during a fire, Thing, ended up in jail because he admitted to murdering and mutilating women, in order to have a place to stay and food. However, the jail was very cold during the winter months, they only fed him once a day, and the cleansing facilities was non existent. It hurt me to see people treated in this way. Although, I know that they were historically. Plus, they were treating him harshly because of what he had admitted he had done. When asked what his name was, he tried to say Ruin, but they ended up calling him Rune. Then Seraphina Bell, of the Sarumite Order, with the resistance, ends up being arrested for attacking a man who acted a coward and caused irreparable harm to her and the man she loved. After finding out what had happened to her, I was glad for what she had done. Finding out everything had me crying. Sera can totally kick butt. It is amazing, and you’ll see why, I’m not giving it away. Then, the watchmen are big jerks, because they think that they can get away with anything they want because most of the people in the jail will die anyway, sooner or later.
In this world, there are Saint’s relics- bones that have powers and are used to do things, from healing, to harming and all in between. Little miracles. But, there is a man who believes that he should have all of the relics under his control. That is who, Seraphina and the other rebels are fighting against. People are dying left and right, the common folk, in the little villages, because there is a water or food shortage, or all of the men are gone because they are fighting in the war. The fact that it is 1818 for most of the book. I love how the author twisted history and made it magical and yet the same as what most humans do in situations like this. Sera and Rune begin to talk as their cells are next to each other. Then, when she fights back, they put her in with Rune, expecting him to kill her. The way they work together is amazing and inspiring. I loved them together, even tho they don’t quite get along at first, because of the ‘guilt’ of the things that Rune did.
Then, things get really bad there. Finally, they come up with a plan. Learning about the history of the relics was fascinating and semi weird. lol. There are three groups of beliefs surrounding Relics- The Sarumite Order, and the rest you will learn. lol. I’m not giving that away. The fight scenes are awesome, all the more after you learn a few things that are freaky and yet awesome. lol. After an ‘adventure’ we find out some heartbreaking facts regarding the constructs like Rune. I cried my eyes out, even tho I’d figured out a few things much earlier in the book. Rune & Sera get really close to each other and things get steamy, only to find out some heartbreaking facts that pretty much blew my mind and made me cry. So many questions were answered by the end, yet there are more. I can’t wait to see what happens next.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 7, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶
🌹Frankenstein Reimagining
💫Gaslamp with Fantasy Elements
🥀Angst, So Much Angst
💥Forced Proximity
❤️🩹Scarred and Touch Starved MMC
🗡Touch Her and Be R1pped Apart Literally
❤️🔥Slowww Burn
A love letter to Frankenstein with delicate character building, a rich, gothic gaslamp setting, and horror and mystery elements that keep you clutching this book till the very past page.
This is the slow burn I love! Where emotions, tenuous connections, fear of the other, and gradual affection, all blossoms in the hardest of circumstances. Rune thinks himself an abomination. He covers, he hides, he's afraid of the vastness of the sky having been sheltered, he doesn't want the beauty of a prisoner he shares a cell with to look upon his hideousness.
He doesn't realize he's the nost beautiful soul in all the ways that matter. And if you ask me he's still as beautiful outside as well as in. Seraphina bares marks.of her own trauma (physical and emotional). These two broken souls are brought together by unfathomable circumstance but begin to see beyond fears, pain, and rejection.
Amidst the heartbreaking tragedy and poignancy of Rune, I am mesmerized by his spirit. He's incredibly tender, kind, and will sacrifice so much for Seraphina. The drama is as compelling as their growing romance, it's thoughtful and elegant in its construction, much like Rune himself. Punctuated with moments of ghastly horror (which I loved seeing), there's a driving mystery about it all as well that our couple is chasing...to find the truth. And will that truth destroy them or will their love for one another be strong enough to overcome.
Book two I need you now!
🌶🌶
🌹Frankenstein Reimagining
💫Gaslamp with Fantasy Elements
🥀Angst, So Much Angst
💥Forced Proximity
❤️🩹Scarred and Touch Starved MMC
🗡Touch Her and Be R1pped Apart Literally
❤️🔥Slowww Burn
A love letter to Frankenstein with delicate character building, a rich, gothic gaslamp setting, and horror and mystery elements that keep you clutching this book till the very past page.
This is the slow burn I love! Where emotions, tenuous connections, fear of the other, and gradual affection, all blossoms in the hardest of circumstances. Rune thinks himself an abomination. He covers, he hides, he's afraid of the vastness of the sky having been sheltered, he doesn't want the beauty of a prisoner he shares a cell with to look upon his hideousness.
He doesn't realize he's the nost beautiful soul in all the ways that matter. And if you ask me he's still as beautiful outside as well as in. Seraphina bares marks.of her own trauma (physical and emotional). These two broken souls are brought together by unfathomable circumstance but begin to see beyond fears, pain, and rejection.
Amidst the heartbreaking tragedy and poignancy of Rune, I am mesmerized by his spirit. He's incredibly tender, kind, and will sacrifice so much for Seraphina. The drama is as compelling as their growing romance, it's thoughtful and elegant in its construction, much like Rune himself. Punctuated with moments of ghastly horror (which I loved seeing), there's a driving mystery about it all as well that our couple is chasing...to find the truth. And will that truth destroy them or will their love for one another be strong enough to overcome.
Book two I need you now!
December 29, 2025
Thing of Ruin is a gothic, atmospheric fantasy that succeeds most where it leans into interiority, tenderness, and restraint, and stumbles slightly when it reaches for symbolic extremity.
It’s set against a bleak, historically grounded backdrop that gives the story real texture, not just vibes. The prose feels human, intentional, and emotionally literate. No AI flatness, no algorithmic gloss. The pacing pulls you in quietly and keeps you there, which is why it’s so easy to read in long stretches.
The strongest element is the emotional tone: gentle, sad, intimate. The central relationship is built on vulnerability rather than dominance, which is refreshing, and both characters are allowed to be broken without becoming caricatures. There’s real care in how trauma, bodily loss, and identity are handled, even when it’s uncomfortable.
Where it falters is near the end, when the story chooses symbolic shock over relational realism. The emotional logic mostly holds, but one key choice prioritizes dramatic penance instead of agency, which slightly undercuts the intimacy the book worked so hard to build. It doesn’t ruin the story, but it does break the spell just enough to notice.
Overall verdict:
A strong, emotionally alive gothic fantasy with depth, atmosphere, and heart. Not perfect, but memorable. Worth reading, especially if you value tenderness, damaged characters, and quiet intensity over spectacle.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)
It’s set against a bleak, historically grounded backdrop that gives the story real texture, not just vibes. The prose feels human, intentional, and emotionally literate. No AI flatness, no algorithmic gloss. The pacing pulls you in quietly and keeps you there, which is why it’s so easy to read in long stretches.
The strongest element is the emotional tone: gentle, sad, intimate. The central relationship is built on vulnerability rather than dominance, which is refreshing, and both characters are allowed to be broken without becoming caricatures. There’s real care in how trauma, bodily loss, and identity are handled, even when it’s uncomfortable.
Where it falters is near the end, when the story chooses symbolic shock over relational realism. The emotional logic mostly holds, but one key choice prioritizes dramatic penance instead of agency, which slightly undercuts the intimacy the book worked so hard to build. It doesn’t ruin the story, but it does break the spell just enough to notice.
Overall verdict:
A strong, emotionally alive gothic fantasy with depth, atmosphere, and heart. Not perfect, but memorable. Worth reading, especially if you value tenderness, damaged characters, and quiet intensity over spectacle.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)
December 31, 2025
Thing of Ruin is not a story about falling in love — it is about being claimed by something ancient, inhuman, and irrevocably dark. Cara Wylde delivers a gothic monster romance that leans fully into horror, desire, and the slow erosion of what it means to remain human.
From the beginning, the atmosphere is thick with unease. This is a world where shadows watch, walls whisper, and the monster is never fully out of sight — nor fully understood. The creature at the heart of the story is not softened or redeemed; it is other, terrifying, and magnetic in equal measure. Its presence feels inevitable, like rot creeping through stone.
The romance unfolds as a descent rather than a journey. There is no safety here — only fascination, fear, and the dangerous pull of something that should not want her… and yet does. The tension between prey and protector, captor and craving, creates a relationship that is deeply unsettling and impossible to look away from.
Cara Wylde excels at embracing the grotesque beauty of monster romance. Desire is portrayed as consuming and corruptive, blurring the line between terror and longing. Every interaction feels like a step closer to annihilation — or transformation.
From the beginning, the atmosphere is thick with unease. This is a world where shadows watch, walls whisper, and the monster is never fully out of sight — nor fully understood. The creature at the heart of the story is not softened or redeemed; it is other, terrifying, and magnetic in equal measure. Its presence feels inevitable, like rot creeping through stone.
The romance unfolds as a descent rather than a journey. There is no safety here — only fascination, fear, and the dangerous pull of something that should not want her… and yet does. The tension between prey and protector, captor and craving, creates a relationship that is deeply unsettling and impossible to look away from.
Cara Wylde excels at embracing the grotesque beauty of monster romance. Desire is portrayed as consuming and corruptive, blurring the line between terror and longing. Every interaction feels like a step closer to annihilation — or transformation.
January 8, 2026
Dark, disturbing, and I want more!
Since this author is one of my favorites, I just had to read this book, and I will way that I was not disappointed. This book is about Rune, a man/creature who is in prison for a heinous crime which he did not commit. It is also Seraphina's story, or at least the beginning of it. She is a young woman who was brutally attacked and left for dead. But two years later she is alive, blind, and determined to exact revenge on the men who attacked her. They meet in the prison in which they are both confined.
I found the new system of magic this author has created to be utterly fascinating, and with the way it was tied into the religious beliefs of the world I was absolutely engrossed, and it was impossible to put this book down. There is a dark undercurrent to this book, and some readers might find some of the narrative disturbing. I thought the characters were wonderfully written and compelling, and with some unexpected twists in the plot I was engaged in this book from the first page. I think this is a fantastic book, and I highly recommend it to other readers. I am already looking forward to the next book!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary ARC provided by Book Sprout.
Since this author is one of my favorites, I just had to read this book, and I will way that I was not disappointed. This book is about Rune, a man/creature who is in prison for a heinous crime which he did not commit. It is also Seraphina's story, or at least the beginning of it. She is a young woman who was brutally attacked and left for dead. But two years later she is alive, blind, and determined to exact revenge on the men who attacked her. They meet in the prison in which they are both confined.
I found the new system of magic this author has created to be utterly fascinating, and with the way it was tied into the religious beliefs of the world I was absolutely engrossed, and it was impossible to put this book down. There is a dark undercurrent to this book, and some readers might find some of the narrative disturbing. I thought the characters were wonderfully written and compelling, and with some unexpected twists in the plot I was engaged in this book from the first page. I think this is a fantastic book, and I highly recommend it to other readers. I am already looking forward to the next book!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary ARC provided by Book Sprout.
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January 8, 2026Well, I made it to page 178 or so before I put it down and never cared to go back.
You know how some book characters speak to you, draw you in - breathe purpose?
Rune did. Rune was a kind abomination and while his secrets were obvious from the start, it’s okay, because he was worth it.
Seraphina drove me up a wall. Her character was like nails on a blackboard to my every nerve until she reached the last one.
Sometimes I love hating a book character. Especially when the world itself is so unique and well thought out. But she felt like a plot device I didn’t want to read. And she just got more and more idiotic (I won’t explain to avoid having to check the spoiler box).
On a whim, I skipped to the end and was glad I did, it confirmed my suspicions and showed me that the book just isn’t for me.
Things you might love:
✅ Strong Heroine
✅ Unique World
✅ Well Developed Magic System
✅ Sweet Scarred Hero With a Mysterious Past
Things you might hate:
(Slight spoilers don’t read the triggers if you don’t want to know.)
⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️
❌ Off page r@pe
❌ Violence
❌ Morally gray MC’s
❌ A not so happy cliffhanger
Time for me to go speed date another book! Happy reading everyone!
You know how some book characters speak to you, draw you in - breathe purpose?
Rune did. Rune was a kind abomination and while his secrets were obvious from the start, it’s okay, because he was worth it.
Seraphina drove me up a wall. Her character was like nails on a blackboard to my every nerve until she reached the last one.
Sometimes I love hating a book character. Especially when the world itself is so unique and well thought out. But she felt like a plot device I didn’t want to read. And she just got more and more idiotic (I won’t explain to avoid having to check the spoiler box).
On a whim, I skipped to the end and was glad I did, it confirmed my suspicions and showed me that the book just isn’t for me.
Things you might love:
✅ Strong Heroine
✅ Unique World
✅ Well Developed Magic System
✅ Sweet Scarred Hero With a Mysterious Past
Things you might hate:
(Slight spoilers don’t read the triggers if you don’t want to know.)
⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️
❌ Off page r@pe
❌ Violence
❌ Morally gray MC’s
❌ A not so happy cliffhanger
Time for me to go speed date another book! Happy reading everyone!
December 30, 2025
A Reverant Revenant
Wylde cleverly opens up this retelling of Shelley’s Frankenstein in the year 1818, the year Frankenstein was published. The reanimated man calls himself Rune, because he can’t remember who he is. He meets Seraphina, a woman who has been maimed, in a Bavarian jail where they are both confined. This fascinating romance involves their escape amidst an ongoing war in which generals use “relics” as weapons. Both main characters have a unique perspective and a wealth of information on relics and their individual attributes. Seraphina wants to continue her revenge against those who destroyed her life and Rune is simply motivated to accompany Seraphina in her quest, because she regards him as a man and not an abomination. The author wraps readers in heartbreak, tragedy, horror and poignancy with the aplomb of a word wizard and a mistress of prose. She also incorporates some beautiful imagery of the main characters.
Follow these two as they make their way to finding the truths each seeks and bring a box of tissues…you’ll need them.
I have received an ARC from the author and I am leaving an unbiased review voluntarily.
January 10, 2026
Thing of Ruin is book one of the author’s new series Stichborne:
The Sacred and the Sewn, and if this book is an example of what can be expected going forward the reader is in for some epic and powerful storytelling.
I loved Seraphina and Rune/Construct Twelve’s story which sent many a shiver down my spine as the Frankenstein vibes hit me in all the right places and the revelations began to make themselves known.
The story was sooo deliciously engaging, and well written with perfectly crafted lead characters who though filled with their own individual vulnerabilities and horrors that life has dealt them, steadfastly remain unbroken.
Be still my heart as it was tugged upon time and time again in an adventure of the soul and the often times disappointing inhumanity of man.
Immerse yourself in this mesmerizing, wonderfully imagined world and take the journey through an excellent and solid good read.
I knew the author could write a good story but this one would receive a bounty of stars if I could give them. TBC.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The Sacred and the Sewn, and if this book is an example of what can be expected going forward the reader is in for some epic and powerful storytelling.
I loved Seraphina and Rune/Construct Twelve’s story which sent many a shiver down my spine as the Frankenstein vibes hit me in all the right places and the revelations began to make themselves known.
The story was sooo deliciously engaging, and well written with perfectly crafted lead characters who though filled with their own individual vulnerabilities and horrors that life has dealt them, steadfastly remain unbroken.
Be still my heart as it was tugged upon time and time again in an adventure of the soul and the often times disappointing inhumanity of man.
Immerse yourself in this mesmerizing, wonderfully imagined world and take the journey through an excellent and solid good read.
I knew the author could write a good story but this one would receive a bounty of stars if I could give them. TBC.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 4, 2026
That Which Makes Us Human
"I am a thing of ruin, a blasphemy of flesh."
Rune is a monster, a hideous creature; he must be, with how many look upon him. And the world is so big and scary. Perhaps the only safe place for him is a prison cell.
But when he meets another prisoner who makes him want to live, he will do anything for her. He will live for her, protect her, be her guide, and even kill for her. In return, she vows to do the same as he searches for his lost memories.
But what if the answers they seek destroy what they have gained?
Set in the same year Mary Shelley published her beloved classic, Thing of Ruin follows the journey of a man-made creature and the only woman who saw him for what he truly was: a human. But what makes someone human can also make them monstrous.
A great story to dive into if you enjoy Shelley's Frankenstein and mysteries with a religious subplot. This book does have some spice, but it fits well into the plot. A five out of five story.
"I am a thing of ruin, a blasphemy of flesh."
Rune is a monster, a hideous creature; he must be, with how many look upon him. And the world is so big and scary. Perhaps the only safe place for him is a prison cell.
But when he meets another prisoner who makes him want to live, he will do anything for her. He will live for her, protect her, be her guide, and even kill for her. In return, she vows to do the same as he searches for his lost memories.
But what if the answers they seek destroy what they have gained?
Set in the same year Mary Shelley published her beloved classic, Thing of Ruin follows the journey of a man-made creature and the only woman who saw him for what he truly was: a human. But what makes someone human can also make them monstrous.
A great story to dive into if you enjoy Shelley's Frankenstein and mysteries with a religious subplot. This book does have some spice, but it fits well into the plot. A five out of five story.
January 7, 2026
I went into this with high hopes - the authors first novella about revenants blew me away (I cried for like a day over the ending of it). For the most part, it delivered.
Rune is so precious to me and must be protected at all costs. Never did a thing wrong his whole life and I mean that literally. Seraphina was a harder nut to crack. I felt for her, I loved how protective she became over Rune - and yet in that moment that mattered most, she ran. I understand WHY, but I really hope book 2 starts with her regretting it and trying to find him.
I'll admit, I didn't see the whole end coming. The hands, yes. The eyes, no. But it made all the times she said "Rune is my eyes" so fitting. BUT!!! That ending?!! I really don't know how I feel about it. I've been thinking about it since I finished, so I suppose it done its job. My heart hurts for him so badly, I sort of hope Briar becomes someone who he can trust (and if it causes some jealously with Seraphina, so be it hehehehe)
Rune is so precious to me and must be protected at all costs. Never did a thing wrong his whole life and I mean that literally. Seraphina was a harder nut to crack. I felt for her, I loved how protective she became over Rune - and yet in that moment that mattered most, she ran. I understand WHY, but I really hope book 2 starts with her regretting it and trying to find him.
I'll admit, I didn't see the whole end coming. The hands, yes. The eyes, no. But it made all the times she said "Rune is my eyes" so fitting. BUT!!! That ending?!! I really don't know how I feel about it. I've been thinking about it since I finished, so I suppose it done its job. My heart hurts for him so badly, I sort of hope Briar becomes someone who he can trust (and if it causes some jealously with Seraphina, so be it hehehehe)
January 8, 2026
Be warned this is a two part story. And omfg this book.
It’s dark. It nasty. It’s haunting. It will grab you and make you sick. But it is so fuc*ing good.
Its darkness is so dark. It makes you see how truly evil a human can be and shoves you into the dark. Not gently but harshly.
This story I expected it to go one way while I had the sinking feeling it was all going to go so wrong. I absolutely hate it. But I need book two or I will literally go insane. I need to know what happens. How can it just stop here. I would have read a three day read to get this whole story at once.
I need to know what happens to these two. They were just budding in their romance. Rune was oh so slowly accepting Seraphina and the closeness they could have. She was getting him to open up to her and the world. Why oh why couldn’t that last reveal not happened to them. He could have had any other persons 👀 but no they had to be hers. D@mn it. Bad enough who the 🤲 were from.
It’s dark. It nasty. It’s haunting. It will grab you and make you sick. But it is so fuc*ing good.
Its darkness is so dark. It makes you see how truly evil a human can be and shoves you into the dark. Not gently but harshly.
This story I expected it to go one way while I had the sinking feeling it was all going to go so wrong. I absolutely hate it. But I need book two or I will literally go insane. I need to know what happens. How can it just stop here. I would have read a three day read to get this whole story at once.
I need to know what happens to these two. They were just budding in their romance. Rune was oh so slowly accepting Seraphina and the closeness they could have. She was getting him to open up to her and the world. Why oh why couldn’t that last reveal not happened to them. He could have had any other persons 👀 but no they had to be hers. D@mn it. Bad enough who the 🤲 were from.
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December 31, 2025This was not my cuppa. There are lots of reasons for this, but here are just a few it didn't work for me:
1. It's the first book in a series. I'm in a phase of life where I just don't want to commit to series ... unless it is hella awesome. This reluctance is particularly marked when the release date of future books is undisclosed. I don't have the time to invest in a series that I'm for sure gonna forget before the next book releases.
2. I struggled to invest in the characters ... at times both were annoying, but especially Seraphina.
3. This could have benefitted from more focused proofreading.
1. It's the first book in a series. I'm in a phase of life where I just don't want to commit to series ... unless it is hella awesome. This reluctance is particularly marked when the release date of future books is undisclosed. I don't have the time to invest in a series that I'm for sure gonna forget before the next book releases.
2. I struggled to invest in the characters ... at times both were annoying, but especially Seraphina.
3. This could have benefitted from more focused proofreading.
December 31, 2025
It's difficult to classify this story: its not a romance, a horror, a mystery or a suspense. Although there are some elements that touch on the romantic, the horrific, the suspenseful and the mysterious. We see the events unfold through the eyes of Ruin, a scarred man who remembers very little of his life, and Seraphina, whose sadness is glimpsed through the memories she chooses to share. An embittered battle, a search for relics that can heal as opposed to harm, a countryside in the midst of starvation and disease. This story ends on a cliffhanger and I am most anxious to see what comes next.
4.5 stars
4.5 stars
January 13, 2026
If I could imagine Frankenstein it would be Ruin. Afraid of open spaces. With cuts/stitches covering his body and seemingly afraid to be outdoors. So why the 3 ⭐️. It dragged. And when the main female character was blind the storyline stopped working for me. Too much conflict and not enough purpose. I get her revenge. But this book is not even a slow burn for me. Just exceptionally detailed about ruins and it got boring. I don’t want to skip paragraphs and unfortunately that’s what I found myself doing. Good premise. Just needs work.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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December 30, 2025This book is a very different book to what I normally read. Not bad, but was a very different read for me.
The world is written in a way it opens up throughout the story and you can visualise it easily.
I felt so sorry for Rune at the beginning, but you get to see his character flourish during the story, so that was very good.
Over all I enjoyed this read. Will I continue with the series, I don't know. But, that would be because the storyline is so different to my normal.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The world is written in a way it opens up throughout the story and you can visualise it easily.
I felt so sorry for Rune at the beginning, but you get to see his character flourish during the story, so that was very good.
Over all I enjoyed this read. Will I continue with the series, I don't know. But, that would be because the storyline is so different to my normal.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 8, 2026
I am not one to finish a book, but unfortunately this is the first one of the year. Frankenstein is my favourite classic and I read every retelling or book inspired by Frankenstein, so when I saw this one I was excited to start it. I felt like it dragged too much at the beginning with the prison, then when the characters found their freedom I found myself not particularly caring? I hate deciding to stop reading a book because the author deserves better than that, but this fell flat for me, but I still will look out for any books by this author because the writing style is interesting to me.
January 10, 2026
Thing of Ruin is the first book in the Stitchborne: The Sacred and the Sewn series, a gothic romantasy inspired by Frankenstein. Lulled into the story by the precise writing that captures the feelings of Seraphina and Ruin so deeply you feel it. Elements of horror, magic, religion, mystery, suspense, and romance entwined with purpose kept me up all night to finish. The wait till Thing of Sorrow in May is going to be torture, my anticipation is high!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 12, 2026
This is Book 1 of the Stitchborne: The Sacred and the Sewn series.
'Born in a dungeon so deep that the sky, the grass, and the sea are just myths.'
The plot was intriguing and intense and well paced. World building was excellent and impressive. The characters drove the storyline and they were very compelling and complex and complicated. All in all a great start to the series. Enjoyed immensely and highly recommend.
Grab a copy, kick back and enjoy!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
'Born in a dungeon so deep that the sky, the grass, and the sea are just myths.'
The plot was intriguing and intense and well paced. World building was excellent and impressive. The characters drove the storyline and they were very compelling and complex and complicated. All in all a great start to the series. Enjoyed immensely and highly recommend.
Grab a copy, kick back and enjoy!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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January 1, 2026Not too sure about this, if you're looking for a deep, touching romance, this definitely wasn't it. I loved the Frankenstein aspect, but there were some disturbing things in this story that didn't quite appeal to me, even if the horror fan in me finds it intriguing. BUT I am here for romance, not the horror.
Might pick this up after the series ends, but right now it's left hanging on a note I'm uncertain to continue.
The FMC was also...not really someone I warmed up to.
Might pick this up after the series ends, but right now it's left hanging on a note I'm uncertain to continue.
The FMC was also...not really someone I warmed up to.
January 10, 2026
This was a fab series opener that's filled with emotions. The world building in this Gothic romance was perfect and I loved the idea of both characters being broken. This is a slow burn romance for Rune and Seraphina and that's realistic for their situation. Sadly, there's a cliffy at the end of this book but it's so worth reading this retelling that's got mystery, drama, emotions, fear, humour and healing. I was glued to my reader and can't wait for the next book. Good fun!
January 12, 2026
This is not a gentle story, but wrought with war, heartbreak, vengeance, violence, and it's aftermath. Seraphina and Rune are trying to survive the savagery done to them and relearn life afterwards. The moments of tenderness and kindness are golden. This is not a delicate story, but beautiful in the ways that anything like Frankenstein is.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 28, 2025
Seraphina had been locked up, and Rune was in the next cell to her. She hadn't killed Hartmann, but maybe she should have? Will Rune help her to survive? She sings at night - and he simgs with her - where are his memories coming from? Great characters, brilliant twists and turns.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 4, 2026
all i can say is holy shit. i thought a chapter or two here or there was a bit slow moving, but everything was necessary for the plot. a lot of the talk about the history of the world went over my head, but i still was able to grasp the necessary details from it. overall i give this book the easiest 5 stars i could possibly imagine. had my jaw on the FLOOR in the last few chapters. i’m setting up a reminder in my calendar for the release of the next book. i can’t wait
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