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Where Monsters Bloom : Mouse and Monster
814 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 13, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 15, 2026
Let me start by saying this: when it comes to black and POC women authors, I make it a point to not rate any books below three stars. It’s hard enough for our books to be seen or read so I don’t want to contribute to our continued invisibility.
Disclaimer over. Now my thoughts.
You know, books like this one are engaging. Not because it’s romantic or even exciting. It’s more like an experiment to see how pathetic can you write a character without being a parody. Because that is what Austin and Tatiana are: two of the most pitiful main characters I have read in a long time. Tatiana was more egregious so I’m gonna talk about her. Say after me: trauma and codependency. She did not love that man. She was neglected, verbally abused and abandoned from childhood. She has never had a whiff of what a healthy relationship of ANY type would be. So of course this boy who gives her a concerning amount of attention, stalks her and publicly humiliates her in an attempt to coerce her into becoming his property, her mind has warped that into the affection she craved and deserved from the people who were supposed to be there for her from birth. Normally, I hate female leads like this. Especially if they’re black women. I feel the tears and woeful sighs of my ancestors who are probably wondering what the hell I’m reading where a black woman is willingly letting a white man whip her and getting aroused by it. But while my ancestors did weep and my inner ornery feminist wanted to run Austin over many a time, I just felt bad for her. Baby girl needed more than therapy. She needed a full psychological reset The relationship was giving Joker and Harley Quinn, but Harley Quinn at least had a personality and eventually kicked Joker to the curb. Tiana was just Austin’s thing. Wanted to speak? Ask Austin. Can’t choose your clothes? Ask Austin. Hell, I’m surprised she didn’t ask him if she could go to the bathroom when she had to piss. Her character or lack thereof is something worthy of a dissertation for a doctoral candidate in psychology. She wanted nothing to do with the real world. Ten years of separation didn’t make a difference either; both of them not even two halves of a whole; they’re just…Austin.
Austin on the other hand needed to be committed. Grade A sociopath right there. He is everything that is wrong with the world today: rich spoiled white man who never heard the word no and feels entitled to take whatever he wants. He benefits from his background and the fact that he’s fine. If he was ugly or broke and black, he’d be under the jail. I had less sympathy for him but I found his emotional outbursts fascinating; like watching a gorilla throw feces at the wall.
Anyway, I don’t hate this author. Far from it. I’ve read two other of her books and enjoyed them. They are not for everyone and I have to be in a certain mood for me to enjoy these kinds of male protagonists (likely during a certain time of the month if my people with a uterus catch my drift). But, Tiana, get help. Austin, go to jail.
Disclaimer over. Now my thoughts.
You know, books like this one are engaging. Not because it’s romantic or even exciting. It’s more like an experiment to see how pathetic can you write a character without being a parody. Because that is what Austin and Tatiana are: two of the most pitiful main characters I have read in a long time. Tatiana was more egregious so I’m gonna talk about her. Say after me: trauma and codependency. She did not love that man. She was neglected, verbally abused and abandoned from childhood. She has never had a whiff of what a healthy relationship of ANY type would be. So of course this boy who gives her a concerning amount of attention, stalks her and publicly humiliates her in an attempt to coerce her into becoming his property, her mind has warped that into the affection she craved and deserved from the people who were supposed to be there for her from birth. Normally, I hate female leads like this. Especially if they’re black women. I feel the tears and woeful sighs of my ancestors who are probably wondering what the hell I’m reading where a black woman is willingly letting a white man whip her and getting aroused by it. But while my ancestors did weep and my inner ornery feminist wanted to run Austin over many a time, I just felt bad for her. Baby girl needed more than therapy. She needed a full psychological reset The relationship was giving Joker and Harley Quinn, but Harley Quinn at least had a personality and eventually kicked Joker to the curb. Tiana was just Austin’s thing. Wanted to speak? Ask Austin. Can’t choose your clothes? Ask Austin. Hell, I’m surprised she didn’t ask him if she could go to the bathroom when she had to piss. Her character or lack thereof is something worthy of a dissertation for a doctoral candidate in psychology. She wanted nothing to do with the real world. Ten years of separation didn’t make a difference either; both of them not even two halves of a whole; they’re just…Austin.
Austin on the other hand needed to be committed. Grade A sociopath right there. He is everything that is wrong with the world today: rich spoiled white man who never heard the word no and feels entitled to take whatever he wants. He benefits from his background and the fact that he’s fine. If he was ugly or broke and black, he’d be under the jail. I had less sympathy for him but I found his emotional outbursts fascinating; like watching a gorilla throw feces at the wall.
Anyway, I don’t hate this author. Far from it. I’ve read two other of her books and enjoyed them. They are not for everyone and I have to be in a certain mood for me to enjoy these kinds of male protagonists (likely during a certain time of the month if my people with a uterus catch my drift). But, Tiana, get help. Austin, go to jail.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 15, 2026
very disappointed
I was so excited for this book but it was just not the one. The characters as so unbelievable. The MMC was practically unredeemable. The FMC was unrealistic. The first half of the story was basically a thriller, I felt stressed out for the FMC and the last part was eye roll central.
I was so excited for this book but it was just not the one. The characters as so unbelievable. The MMC was practically unredeemable. The FMC was unrealistic. The first half of the story was basically a thriller, I felt stressed out for the FMC and the last part was eye roll central.
March 29, 2026
Promising but needs a rework
Biggest compliment is that she actually wrote a true dark, morally gray romance. Hats off to the author for that. Also, I liked that the main character was not the stereotypical self-assured character. She was a true sub in every sense. Loved that change of pace. What was hard to take was the long monologues and soliloquies that bordered the work down. Some descriptions went over for 2-3 pages constantly restating itself. It got tiresome!
There was also the over-utilization of tropes. We get it! Everyone wants her. Everyone is mean. The girl has narcolepsy (it’s my only explanation for how often she was asleep), and if she’s not sleeping, she’s crying. Austin is interesting. His character was honestly super interesting before he became less toxic out of nowhere. The 10 year jump made ZERO sense! The benefit was that you got to see how bat poop crazy both characters are. For that, you get - solid 3 stars. Rework with an editor, and it will be a juicy 4 1/2 star read.
1/2 star will always be taken because if a Black person’s knuckles turn white, they are ASHY. I don’t understand why this is confusing to authors. The girl was already a technicolored dream coat. She kept changing skin colors in the book.
Biggest compliment is that she actually wrote a true dark, morally gray romance. Hats off to the author for that. Also, I liked that the main character was not the stereotypical self-assured character. She was a true sub in every sense. Loved that change of pace. What was hard to take was the long monologues and soliloquies that bordered the work down. Some descriptions went over for 2-3 pages constantly restating itself. It got tiresome!
There was also the over-utilization of tropes. We get it! Everyone wants her. Everyone is mean. The girl has narcolepsy (it’s my only explanation for how often she was asleep), and if she’s not sleeping, she’s crying. Austin is interesting. His character was honestly super interesting before he became less toxic out of nowhere. The 10 year jump made ZERO sense! The benefit was that you got to see how bat poop crazy both characters are. For that, you get - solid 3 stars. Rework with an editor, and it will be a juicy 4 1/2 star read.
1/2 star will always be taken because if a Black person’s knuckles turn white, they are ASHY. I don’t understand why this is confusing to authors. The girl was already a technicolored dream coat. She kept changing skin colors in the book.
February 16, 2026
No excuses
I didn't love this book like the authors others and I feel disappointed because I have been waiting for this one with anticipation. The author says there has been feedback/ backlash that a black woman shouldn't behave in a certain way in stories told and I disagree with those people and agree with the author that in the book world color/race shouldn't be the defining factor towards behavior that being said I didn't care about this couples happily ever after. The FMC and MC shared a brain...his. This wasn't broken people finding love and then through trial and error redemption this was master and slave and not in a sexy bdsm way neither of them learned a thing even after a 10 year time jump they shared a hive mind. The bad acts of Austin being forgotten or forgiven just got tiresome. I gave this an extra star because I got though it all and as someone who has given this author 5 stars before on another book it was hard to be harsh but I am a hopeful reader.
I didn't love this book like the authors others and I feel disappointed because I have been waiting for this one with anticipation. The author says there has been feedback/ backlash that a black woman shouldn't behave in a certain way in stories told and I disagree with those people and agree with the author that in the book world color/race shouldn't be the defining factor towards behavior that being said I didn't care about this couples happily ever after. The FMC and MC shared a brain...his. This wasn't broken people finding love and then through trial and error redemption this was master and slave and not in a sexy bdsm way neither of them learned a thing even after a 10 year time jump they shared a hive mind. The bad acts of Austin being forgotten or forgiven just got tiresome. I gave this an extra star because I got though it all and as someone who has given this author 5 stars before on another book it was hard to be harsh but I am a hopeful reader.
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March 3, 2026When I tell you
This was a emotional Rollercoaster ride with no breaks in sight that's what it was. The first half of this book will have you going from 0-100 and back again. If you love a good dark romance that will have you in your feelings this is it. Enjoy oh and here's a box of tissue. You'll need it.
This was a emotional Rollercoaster ride with no breaks in sight that's what it was. The first half of this book will have you going from 0-100 and back again. If you love a good dark romance that will have you in your feelings this is it. Enjoy oh and here's a box of tissue. You'll need it.
March 19, 2026
Too long
This would’ve been a five star read if the book was shorter. They are so many repetitive things that was unnecessary. I still enjoyed it, but I would’ve enjoyed it more if it had ended sooner.
This would’ve been a five star read if the book was shorter. They are so many repetitive things that was unnecessary. I still enjoyed it, but I would’ve enjoyed it more if it had ended sooner.
February 16, 2026
Couldn’t put it down
A throughly entertaining and captivating read, hard an gritty storytelling, I was angry, hopeful, heartsick and finally elated. Well done.
A throughly entertaining and captivating read, hard an gritty storytelling, I was angry, hopeful, heartsick and finally elated. Well done.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews