What do you think?
Rate this book
To Unmake a Monster
They called him a monster.
She taught him how to be human.
When the alien Dominion burns Earth to ash, Commander Draxen Zeyric crashes behind enemy lines—and into the hands of Olivia Blakely, a human doctor who refuses to let him die.
In the wreckage of two dying worlds, a forbidden connection sparks.
Blood becomes mercy. Mercy becomes desire. And desire becomes rebellion.
But peace has a price, and loving him might cost Olivia the only home she has left.
A haunting tale of war, sacrifice, and the kind of love that can’t be contained by species—or stars.
She taught him how to be human.
When the alien Dominion burns Earth to ash, Commander Draxen Zeyric crashes behind enemy lines—and into the hands of Olivia Blakely, a human doctor who refuses to let him die.
In the wreckage of two dying worlds, a forbidden connection sparks.
Blood becomes mercy. Mercy becomes desire. And desire becomes rebellion.
But peace has a price, and loving him might cost Olivia the only home she has left.
A haunting tale of war, sacrifice, and the kind of love that can’t be contained by species—or stars.
445 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 6, 2025
4 people want to read
About the author
Alexa Carrington
5 books2 followersAlexa Carrington grew up surrounded by books and second-hand stories, which sparked her love for reading and eventually inspired her to write her own. As an indie author, she enjoys experimenting with different genres — from sweeping fantasy adventures to intense dark romances — always with strong emotion at the heart of her stories. Alexa hopes her books give readers an escape and a reminder that they’re never alone in their journeys.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 10, 2025
I received an Advanced Reader Copy for an honest review!
3.675 stars out of 5
In an apocalyptic world where aliens have taken over—be killed, be enslaved, or keep running and fighting—the options aren’t great when you’re a medical student just trying to get home and see if your family is alive.
This book has the reader feeling nostalgic taking us back to 2012 with her first person writing style and narration. I realised how much I missed it where we get to immerse ourselves into not one but two POVs!
Now, as you can see with the stars there were some hits and some misses for me. These are my personal feelings and may be pros or enjoyable for other readers!
The Misses
1. Repetition: There were certain phrases such as , and , or any iteration of those just grated on my nerves because I thought I had reread the same line over and over again, but no, I was making progress. It’s just a line repeated so consistently it took me out of the moment.
2. Draxen's pacing:
Things I loved
1. Teaching her how to fight: Nothing screams more audacity than a (alien) man to teach a woman who is mad at him how to fight. I loved it.
2. "My little star" God, I am a sucker for these gentle terms of affection though I won't
3. Banter: I'm a sucker for sassy banter between two people. It makes me so giddy.
Random Thoughts
OLIVIA! WHY AREN'T YOU STERILIZING YOUR NEEDLES EVEN IF ITS FROM FIRE OR ALCOHOL? YOU STRESSED ME OUT SO MUCH GIRL!
OLIVIA YOU ARE A MEDICAL STUDENT! BEHAVE YOURSELF, GIRL!
"Wanna see?" Draxen, I am going to fight you - you cocky bastard! I will pick up Olivia and run! (Though I am sure she'd want to see anyway sooooooo)
Collective Thoughts
I haven't read books in a few months so it was a lovely book to ease myself back into reading. Although I am not the biggest reader for aliens x humans (again, that's MY media preference) and I can see many readers really enjoying the vibes and romance dynamics.
November 28, 2025
First of all thank you for allowing me to ARC read!!! I absolutely loved this! I’m not a big alien reader but this changed my opinion!!! It was a great read and so exciting! I love Olivia and Draxen and their chemistry!
This is a great read and a great opportunity to support an indie author!!!!
This is a great read and a great opportunity to support an indie author!!!!
January 26, 2026
Enemies to lovers or better, supposed enemies to lovers, duo POV, one alien who had gotten the assignment to kill all life on earth and a human who is desperate to get to her family, helping the wounded along the way. What will he do when he sees her? And what will she do when he needs help?
The story starts strong. Earth is under attack and the Aliens from Athios are whipping the planet clean to inhabit it themselves. First, we meet Olivia, a former med-student that is trying to get to her family. While she is traveling, she also takes us back to where it all started. The first attack and her struggle to get across the country, helping whoever needs it along the way. Then we meet Draxen. An alien commander who thinks people are like vermin, weak and fragile because that is what he has been told. He kills without mercy. Women, children, the elderly, no one is safe. But as it turns out, humans aren’t that weak after all and he realizes that maybe, what he has been told, isn’t the truth.
I was invested in the story right from the start. Olivia is a likable character. Brave, a bit sassy and most of all, determined. Drax comes off as morally grey, but you’ll soon find out that he isn’t that bad. The moment he lays eyes on Olivia, he doesn’t kill her but instead, he helps her. Later, when he needs help, she returns the favor. You can feel the tension between the two characters. And because of the duo POV you get to follow both their train of thoughts. I loved the first conversation they had together. The awkwardness and at the same time, both of them trying to sound confident. They are supposed to be sworn enemies after all. They decide to stick together leading to some hilarious situations “just for research, I am a doctor after all”, some miscommunication and of course (sexual) tension.
The road to her family is bumpy. Not only do they have to avoid the other aliens and deal with the resistance (people that are fighting back), but they also have to deal with their own feelings and thoughts. The smut scenes didn’t grip me as much. There was a lot of emphasis on his size and the fact that he had quite the stamina. The “dirty talk” of him wanting to make a baby also didn’t help. There was a sort of insta love in which they fell for each other hard and fast. But he, maybe I would too if I met a tall, hunky alien.
This book is full of action. Either they are fighting someone or fighting “under the covers”. They form an alliance with resistance fighters and other rouge aliens to retake control of earth. There is love, loss, tension and heartbreak and some really funny moments. The final battle was a bit confusing but that could also be because there was a lot happening. And if you want to know how it ends? I would recommend you read the book!
Al in all I gave this book 3,5 stars, rounded up to 4.
The story starts strong. Earth is under attack and the Aliens from Athios are whipping the planet clean to inhabit it themselves. First, we meet Olivia, a former med-student that is trying to get to her family. While she is traveling, she also takes us back to where it all started. The first attack and her struggle to get across the country, helping whoever needs it along the way. Then we meet Draxen. An alien commander who thinks people are like vermin, weak and fragile because that is what he has been told. He kills without mercy. Women, children, the elderly, no one is safe. But as it turns out, humans aren’t that weak after all and he realizes that maybe, what he has been told, isn’t the truth.
I was invested in the story right from the start. Olivia is a likable character. Brave, a bit sassy and most of all, determined. Drax comes off as morally grey, but you’ll soon find out that he isn’t that bad. The moment he lays eyes on Olivia, he doesn’t kill her but instead, he helps her. Later, when he needs help, she returns the favor. You can feel the tension between the two characters. And because of the duo POV you get to follow both their train of thoughts. I loved the first conversation they had together. The awkwardness and at the same time, both of them trying to sound confident. They are supposed to be sworn enemies after all. They decide to stick together leading to some hilarious situations “just for research, I am a doctor after all”, some miscommunication and of course (sexual) tension.
The road to her family is bumpy. Not only do they have to avoid the other aliens and deal with the resistance (people that are fighting back), but they also have to deal with their own feelings and thoughts. The smut scenes didn’t grip me as much. There was a lot of emphasis on his size and the fact that he had quite the stamina. The “dirty talk” of him wanting to make a baby also didn’t help. There was a sort of insta love in which they fell for each other hard and fast. But he, maybe I would too if I met a tall, hunky alien.
This book is full of action. Either they are fighting someone or fighting “under the covers”. They form an alliance with resistance fighters and other rouge aliens to retake control of earth. There is love, loss, tension and heartbreak and some really funny moments. The final battle was a bit confusing but that could also be because there was a lot happening. And if you want to know how it ends? I would recommend you read the book!
Al in all I gave this book 3,5 stars, rounded up to 4.
November 24, 2025
This was definitely an interesting read, and I really enjoyed the story! This is not something that I would normally read, however, I am glad that I took the chance and did.
When the alien Dominion decides that Earth is the most comparable planet for them to inhabit so that they can expand, their army, led by Commander Draxen Zeyric, starts to burn Earth to ash. They are eliminating everything and everybody. To the Dominion, humans are weak and vermin.
Olivia Blakely was a med student in New York when the war with the aliens started. Immediately her goal was to try to survive and get back home to her family in Wyoming. She wasn't sure if they would be alive, but she was not going to give up.
Several things happen that cause Draxen and Olivia to cross paths, and for some reason, he decides to not eliminate her. If anybody found out, he would be eliminated immediately. Even though Draxen is responsible for the war that is currently happening, when his ship crashes and Olivia finds him, she refuses to let him die.
The journey with Draxen and Olivia is a tough one. Their connection is forbidden, their worlds are at war and dying, and they are doing everything they can to survive. The story shows the transformation between the characters and their connection, and the grief that they are going through in this process. There are some spicy scenes towards the middle of the book. I feel like it is all contained to one section and it is not spread throughout the book.
Definitely recommend that you check this one out and give this indie author a chance!
When the alien Dominion decides that Earth is the most comparable planet for them to inhabit so that they can expand, their army, led by Commander Draxen Zeyric, starts to burn Earth to ash. They are eliminating everything and everybody. To the Dominion, humans are weak and vermin.
Olivia Blakely was a med student in New York when the war with the aliens started. Immediately her goal was to try to survive and get back home to her family in Wyoming. She wasn't sure if they would be alive, but she was not going to give up.
Several things happen that cause Draxen and Olivia to cross paths, and for some reason, he decides to not eliminate her. If anybody found out, he would be eliminated immediately. Even though Draxen is responsible for the war that is currently happening, when his ship crashes and Olivia finds him, she refuses to let him die.
The journey with Draxen and Olivia is a tough one. Their connection is forbidden, their worlds are at war and dying, and they are doing everything they can to survive. The story shows the transformation between the characters and their connection, and the grief that they are going through in this process. There are some spicy scenes towards the middle of the book. I feel like it is all contained to one section and it is not spread throughout the book.
Definitely recommend that you check this one out and give this indie author a chance!
January 28, 2026
2.5 rounded up to 3….ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
To Unmake a Monster grabbed my attention because spicy sci-fi romance isn’t very common, and the premise had a lot of potential. I wanted to love it, but it didn’t quite land for me.
I’m an immersive reader — I like to really know my characters and the world they live in. Here, basic details were missing: why they came, how they came, what they look like, and even their race, customs, or beliefs. The details were incredibly thin.
By contrast, books like Ice Planet Barbarians manage to be all spicy romance while also giving fabulous world-building, unique alien viewpoints, and interesting physiology that make the story feel alive.
Draxen felt like a missed opportunity to me. He could have offered a unique perspective on humans, but that wasn’t explored. With few side characters, the main characters and plot needed to carry everything, and that didn’t quite happen. Physically, we know the dude likes to shag… but not much else, and Olivia came across as quite bland. The lack of inner dialogue made it harder to connect with either of them and therefore took me a while to finish the book.
Overall, the concept is really appealing, but I wanted more depth, richer world-building, and stronger character development to make it fully work.
To Unmake a Monster grabbed my attention because spicy sci-fi romance isn’t very common, and the premise had a lot of potential. I wanted to love it, but it didn’t quite land for me.
I’m an immersive reader — I like to really know my characters and the world they live in. Here, basic details were missing: why they came, how they came, what they look like, and even their race, customs, or beliefs. The details were incredibly thin.
By contrast, books like Ice Planet Barbarians manage to be all spicy romance while also giving fabulous world-building, unique alien viewpoints, and interesting physiology that make the story feel alive.
Draxen felt like a missed opportunity to me. He could have offered a unique perspective on humans, but that wasn’t explored. With few side characters, the main characters and plot needed to carry everything, and that didn’t quite happen. Physically, we know the dude likes to shag… but not much else, and Olivia came across as quite bland. The lack of inner dialogue made it harder to connect with either of them and therefore took me a while to finish the book.
Overall, the concept is really appealing, but I wanted more depth, richer world-building, and stronger character development to make it fully work.
December 17, 2025
Omgggg thank youuu soo much to the author for sending me the arccc omggggg at first i was like what the helly is going on but then i kept reading and wowww Noo this is actually one of my favourite it’s like enemies to lovers and omggg this book is sooo worth what the hellyyy was going on im trying no to spoil the book but omggg the two main characters keep eating man I love them sooo much if u like dystopian u should read this book basically th book is about aliens starting a war on earth and the FMC is a wants to be a doctor she’s a medical student but because of the was she was basically a doctor but then she started worrying about her fmaily and went to look for them and when she was walking she saw the aline and omgggg jsut read it trust me
January 25, 2026
I recieved this as an ARC review .. My honest review is I really like this book ! .. I finished this book in two days because I couldn’t stop reading. The story is intense and a little creepy in the best way, and the main character was messy, brave, and easy to get hooked on . There were some twists that surprised me but actually made sense, not like some books that try too hard.
If you like slightly spooky sci‑fi or fantasy with strong characters and a lot of heart, this is a solid pick. I’d definitely recommend it to friends.
If you like slightly spooky sci‑fi or fantasy with strong characters and a lot of heart, this is a solid pick. I’d definitely recommend it to friends.
November 21, 2025
‼️ Arc Reader ‼️
If I could rate this book higher I would! I started this afternoon and wasn’t able to put it down! This book was wonderfully written and something I will definitely be purchasing when released.
If you love non-Human MMC’s you will absolutely adore Draxen! 🩵
If I could rate this book higher I would! I started this afternoon and wasn’t able to put it down! This book was wonderfully written and something I will definitely be purchasing when released.
If you love non-Human MMC’s you will absolutely adore Draxen! 🩵
December 1, 2025
This was such a great book about romance and alien invasion. I love how it all turned out and you are definitely wondering what comes next. I loved the romance between these two and the tropes that are in this book are great.
January 22, 2026
What a amazing story! I loved how it shows that redemption is possible even for those who seemed beyond lost. It shows that hope can survive anything even war. I couldn’t stop reading it! I finished it in one sitting!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews