Menagerie: A Female Rage Novel

by Marnie L. Norton

601 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 28, 2026

About the author

Female Rage Specialist and Dark Romantasy Author of...

The Fallow Trilogy
The Female Rage Series

Reviews

[HonestlybookedJulie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is rage- filled in the best way!

I just really love Marnie’s writing style. Her books are constantly giving you new information, new layers to the characters, and new things to uncover, so you’re never bored. She manages to be descriptive without it ever feeling heavy or dragged out, and the worldbuilding is so well done. I loved the travelling circus/menagerie aspect of this one and all the different creatures and side characters felt genuinely developed rather than just there to fill space.

Kyra was such a likeable female main character. I loved her rage and anger, but I also really liked that she had a softer side too. She felt very real and her backstory was genuinely interesting. I also loved getting the dual POV with Luric because that man… genuinely incredible. His backstory and character were so well written, and the connection between him and Kyra was done really, really well. Marnie’s characters always have light and shade to them too. Nobody is just simply “good” or “bad”, and I really liked that the antagonists actually felt layered and believable.

I also really love that these books are anti patriarchy without slipping into man hating. There’s a lot of anger and feminine rage in them, but there’s also so much heart. Even though this is part of the Feminine Rage series, you could absolutely read it as a standalone, although I’d still highly recommend reading the first book as well. For me, this was an easy five star read because I just connect so much with Marnie’s characters, worlds, and writing style every single time.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW - Outstanding! Another fabulous instalment to this stand-alone series. This time we dive into the goings on of 'Harkam’s Menagerie of Magical Creatures', where on the outside it's full of magic, mystery & wonder, whilst behind the curtain you see abuse, malnutrition & forced captivity.

I totally bonded with the character of (Kyra) as she's such a relatable female, whose just trying to feel her way as she has come into womanhood & powers. You can really feel for her as she struggles with the rage & anger that is bubbling under the surface around certain people / circumstances as she's trying to vent but in a restricted way, whilst also showing a gentler, nurturing, protecting side with her fellow 'Acts' in the menagerie. I do love a dual POV & in this book it really is the Ying to the Yang in so many levels with Luric the son of a god & Goddess & whose powers are within the Vampiric realms - but on steroids! & who is a phenomenal character in both actions, soul & knowledge. Both of them have such an interesting backstory bringing extra depth & texture to the narrative.

There's a beautiful found family aspect to the book with all the other 'Acts' of the circus, where they all have a soft redeeming feature that counter-balances their dark nature, giving them all a 3 dimensional outline. I think like many the character that created the most vitriol was Harkam's character I quite quickly wanted to take a baseball bat & wrap it around his head! Usually I'd say I like a villain, but not in this case.

A beautifully descriptive world giving dark, Victorian-esq vibes as you are taken around the circus. Along with rich & opulent narrative of clothes, food & different locations that you can fully immerse yourself in.

Overall, I'm loving this standalone series. So, if you love a female rage novel that's has layer upon layer of gritty narrative & that will make you 'feel the feels', then I would 100% you pick these up & settle in for a fantabulous ride into pure escapism.

[bookishbodybuilder · Rating 5 out of 5]

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️♾️
Spice rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5👅


This was EVERYTHING I’d hoped for and more. Marnie has a gift of encapsulating female rage and creating magical writing and beautiful stories. I am honestly in love with these characters and I am SO happy that they will be back 😍

The FMC Kyra has been a member of Harkam’s Menagerie for as long as she can remember, seemingly bound by the alloy cuffs created by an ancient powerful witch. Her found family and their magic is curbed and insurgence is held in check by the power within the binds. Her magic is powerful, potent and able to kill with a touch. She possesses the power of the sun, and the abuse and torture she has been subjected to at the hands of the ringleader has created a rage that eats through her.

The MMC, Luric, is the son of a God and Goddess, a rare creature not dissimilar to a Vampyre but he possesses his father’s shadows and strength. He is captured by the menagerie and forced to become an act, darkness to rival the sun. The pair share a history, but the memories stolen have made them hazy for Kyra.
This story follows their journey to freedom, and their purpose at the Old Gods will.

“I am the light of Luxa, living and breathing. I am the sun made flesh, and before the sun, all of darkness kneels.” I GOT CHILLS 😍😍


I fucking loved this.

[Isabell ✨theinkveil✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is wreckeage in a beauftiful wrapping. I LOVED every second of it. The dual POV makes the story unfold in the best way, and it is beautifully written unfolding as we dive further in. Its like an onion, layer after layer peeling off revealing plottwists leaving you gasping. The vibe is dark and eerie, its blood and pain with a rising pulse throughout the entire book. Very much in tact with the name of the seires its written in, female rage. how the author has the imagination to write such a story I have no idea, but Marnie, thank you for taking us into the dark cornes of your mind, I love it here. Do it more.

[Holly Emberton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another 5 star hitter from Marnie. This book transports you to the most magical place, with beautiful descriptions and unforgettable characters. Menagerie is feminine rage at its finest, where the MMC finds her strength with the help of her found family, to conquer not only her own demons but the one that has caged her from a child. Enemy to lovers at its best, Kyra and Luric will have you quivering at the knees. 💜

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

And another 5☆

This author never ceases to entertain me in every way. I love a good female rage story and the way Marnie writes you feel the passion of the characters. I loved Kyra!

What's next ❤️

[Lucy Pickford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I’ve loved Marnie’s writing for some time and it honestly just gets better. Her ability to create different worlds is unbelievable, the magic, the powers, the creatures, the slow burn, and of course the spice 🥵

I would 100% reccomend this to everyone!

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this book. The whole dark magical circus vibe was great and pretty unique to me. Kyra was such a great character and fully relatable... the simmering rage of her circumstances and being held against her will was shown well and when we reached that pinnacle breaking point 😩 I was shouting with joy. My only gripe with Kyra was that she got MY MAN LURIC... Gods above I fell for him. The emotional connections I had with all the characters, whether that be hating them or full cheerleader mode for them, shows how well the author portrayed them. Amazing work.
I read Blood Hunt prior to this and I loved it, but Menagerie was upped in a way I can't describe. The female empowerment and female rage aspect really hits home and I loved it.
Well done on another excellent book Marnie.