Ruin: A Horror Monster Romance: A Monster's Prey

by Kat Bethel

216 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 7, 2026

About the author

Kat Bethel writes omegaverse, paranormal romance, and fantasy romance.

Reviews

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW

“You can't escape, Dandelion."

Sasha has a bit of a family tradition, falling for monsters. At this point, the Rinah curse is looking less like a curse and more like a very questionable dating preference.

Fresh out of a mental hospital after a suicide attempt, Sasha makes a bold life choice. Therapy? Nope. A relaxing vacation? Absolutely not. She burns down her marital home. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your opinion of him), her lying, cheating husband wasn't inside.

Then she's off hunting the creature that's driving people to suicide. Sensible enough, until she falls for... a ghost. And not just any ghost. A ghost who clearly spent his afterlife getting a PhD in supernatural orgasms.

This book is cute, fast-paced, chaotic in the best way, and ridiculously entertaining. It wasn't quite my favorite in the series, but it still earned 5 stars because I had way too much fun reading it. The Rinah women seriously need a dating app with a "humans only" filter.

Thanks to Book Sirens for sending me an advanced copy to read and review.

[Jess Adams]

Arrrrrrrgh! The 4th is here! First to get the ARC. Cannot wait to read and upload my review. God I wish I had the chance to get these as physical ARCs 😩 I love this series and hope it will never end!!!!

[Heather Kellermann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun smutty edition to the Monster's Prey series! As always, the editing could be a little better, but I still thoroughly enjoyed our MMC, Ruin.

[bookishpadawan · Rating 3 out of 5]

💀Horror monster romance
🌿Self-destructive FMC fresh out of a grippy sock vacation
💀Instaobsessed
🌿He'll turn the world to ash for her
💀Sleep paralysis
🌿Shadows in every orifice
💀"If you run, I will catch you."
🌿Interconnected standalone

♥️♥️Thank you to Booksirens and Kat Bethel for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own♥️♥️

3,5/5⭐

"If you run, I will catch you."

Sasha is a monster-hunting witch who hunts monsters born from the dark magic her ancestors created centuries ago. since she goes on a mission to hunt a monster in the Dark Entry Forest, she finds herself being haunted and shadowed by a mysterious shadow monster that follows her wherever she goes, ruining everything around him except Sasha. the more she tries to escape him, the more chaos he unleashes to prevent Sasha from running away from him.

"You think you can get rid of me?"
"I'll turn everything ash. Is that what you want?" he whispered in my ear.
"There won't be anything left for you to protect if you don't come back to me."

I really liked the premise of this book, and I loved the characters. Sasha's character stood out to me, and I think her backstory is really interesting. she's a monster hunting witch and a suicidal survivor who dedicating her life to hunting monsters because of the dark magic her ancestor created. but while I found the story engaging and thrilling, I felt like something was missing. I think the execution just didn't work for me :( I got lost in some of the plot, and I wish the characters had more depth. I struggled with Abiel and Sasha's relationship because their dynamic lacks communication... it felt like most of their interactions are just spicy scenes instead of meaningful communication or emotional development. the ending also felt rushed and confused me. it seemed like everything wrapped up too quickly without giving enough time for the story to develop.

"You brought something back to life inside me that should have stayed dead."

"You are too perfect." His breath rolled over me, making my trembling increase. "You're going to make me burn this world down for you."

but despite those issues, I still enjoyed this book! I loved the worldbuilding...it's immersive and eerie and I could really feel the horror Sasha experiences while hunting monsters. the pacing is fast, tension and action packed, and the story kept me invested. Abiel is a truly morally black MMC. He's so obsessed with Sasha that he ruins everything around him without a second thought for the innocent people caught in the chaos he creates. if you love monster romance and a morally black MMC who (literally) tears the world apart for the one woman he's obsessed with, you neeeed to read this book!✨

[RoseLabyrinth Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. 

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5 stars) 

⚠️ Trigger Warnings⚠️: Please check the author's content warnings before diving in! This story heavy-handedly explores dark, intense themes including suicide (a major book theme), mental deterioration, dubcon/noncon, somnophilia, stalking, attempted kidnapping, murder, and gore. 

Having absolutely devoured the previous installments in this series (Rot, Echo, and Chuckles), I was thrilled to see a fourth book drop! I sprinted into this read driven purely by hype and that creepy-as-hell cover, and Kat Bethel once again delivered a dark, hauntingly atmospheric monster romance. 

What I Loved
A Unique FMC & Dynamic: While we did see an FMC attempt to hunt a monster previously in Chuckles, this heroine takes it to a whole new level—she's been hunting monsters since she was a teenager. Her experience makes her role so refreshing, and the build-up and gradual development of her relationship with the MMC kept me completely hooked. 
Truly Monstrous Concepts: The shadow-death aspect was phenomenal! I loved that the MMC was depicted as a genuine, terrifying entity rather than just a human with sharp teeth. The lore surrounding the graveyard, the settlement, and his shadowy form brought incredible eerie vibes. 
Memorable Dialogue:Lines like "Immortal dedication sounds great after a human’s ripped your heart out" captured the exact mood of this book so brilliantly. 

Constructive Thoughts
Pacing Stalls at the Finale: The tension, dread, and atmospheric buildup throughout the story were so intense that the actual climax felt a bit like it hit the brakes. After such high stakes, the ending tapered off and felt a little too abrupt. 
Left Wanting More: While it delivers a satisfying, happy(ish) resolution for our couple, the story feels like it ended just a bit too soon. I was hoping for a bit more payoff, explosive confrontation, or extended aftermath to match the massive, lingering threat established in the beginning. 

Ultimately, Ruin is a captivating, eerie addition to the series that succeeds on atmosphere, unique character dynamics, and genuinely terrifying monster lore. Even though the ending felt a bit rushed, the journey getting there was wildly entertaining, and I still highly recommend picking it up if you love high-stakes, dark monster romance!

[Amy M · Rating 3 out of 5]

It pains me to say that I did not love this book. This is the third book of this series that I've read and it is the first one that fell a little flat. This book isn't really a standalone because you need to know the backstory of the Rinah witches to understand the context and none of that was given in the book. I enjoyed the ruin and decay aspect because it felt really different from other books I've read, the storyline was just a bit too chaotic and confusing for me.

The book begins with Sasha coming home after being in a psych ward after trying to kill herself because her husband left her for a younger woman. There is a wraith there that she previously trapped, but no additional information is given. Why is the wraith in her home, where did it come from? After burning down her house, she just drives around for awhile until she stops at a motel in an area that happens to be super haunted with lots of teen suicides. The haunted forest and ghost bruises were pretty cool and I enjoyed how the story built from there. The abandoned town and historical lore was really interesting and, of course, Sasha discovers that the Rinah witches had influenced this town as well. There are cameos from Willow and Esme, but no context is given other than all three of them being cousins.

Where the author lost me was the introduction of the hat man. As someone who is chronically online, I know of the hat man as a joke about a sleep paralysis hallucination when you take too much benadryl. It yanked me out of the story so fast and was totally unnecessary to the plot. Both the hat man and Sasha's husband served no purpose, other than to make Abiel jealous and possessive. The final conflict through the end of the book was just pure chaos. I'm still not really sure what happened or why. We get apocalyptic-levels of ruin and Abiel in his monster form, then it is straight to HEA. I needed a little more time in the story to understand what happened because the ending felt really abrupt.

Thank you to BookSirens and Kat Bethel for the free eARC.

[Valentia D'Ambroise · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC review

Once again we find ourselves delightful story about a Rinah witch and her monster. This time a shadow creature with a flare for the obsessed and nightmarish. Sadly I’ve read more shadow aficionados than alligator aficionados so I did not discover new things about myself along the way.

This time we hear from Sasha a recent divorcee who struggles with the aftermath of het shitty ex-husband stil trying to wurm his way into het life while the scars of his shitty-ness have not healed over yet. Het struggles around her life and her marriage were portrayed with such care and beauty for the topics the authors touches upon. The same goes for the tale of her monster Abiel; how he became what he is and a love that transcends time but leaves room for a happily ever after his former life; gave the coupling of these two a sweet and wholesome fundament to start from and some tangible to work with.

While this book was quite lovely, very well written in a way that made me breeze through it; I find it difficult to pinpoint what makes it special. I think my main issue was twofold:

On the one hand a lack of description of the places we kept running off to kept me personally as a reader at arms length—it is in that sense perhaps a better book for those from the States and familiar with dingy motels and the Old World Aesthetic associated with it. Because I am not I tried, but found myself falling to emerge myself in the story.

Secondly the rules of this universe—like I said in my review of Rot—are difficult to grasp and so anything goes; but it takes a good while for the shadow monster to do or act or feel like a monster purely within the relationship between the main characters.

So on a personal level, I really prefer Rot. Since it brought something unexpected to the table. Ruin was wonderful and a breeze, but more difficult to recommend outside of the series.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[I'mogén · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to booksirens for an eArc. All opinions remain 100% genuine.

Actual rating: 3.5 / 5

This was a crazy one! Another monster that I was a bit conflicted with - major shadow daddy vibes but even though he was a misunderstood guy, Abiel still willingly caused destruction, due to his obsession. I did love the back story though - I'm a sucker for Kat's building of a character's origin story. Especially when it's in a different time period.


I will say Sasha was probably the Rinah witch I least enjoyed. Not that it's a competition and everyone handles traumatic events in different ways (and I only think this because they are fictional), but I feel like the others so far (namely Esme and Talia) had far more history and things to move through that almost justified their actions, or rather certain compulsions and chains of events... Sasha seemed destructive for no real reason.  She clearly has a lot of personal development to do and work through her ideas of self-worth to break through toxic cycles, but really she still ended up going back to what she knows... She was abandoned by a parental figure (which I know all too well), but she grew up loved by her extended family who took her in and didn't leave her when they could see her relationships being unhealthy. So it didn't feel like we had any real growth of our main character and the same for Abiel too.


I really enjoyed this, but development wise, our characters didn't feel redeemable and I kind of wish they did. But then again, that creates a divide and differentiated them from the other couples we've read about so far!

[Summer R Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the author and the publisher or publishers for all your hard work! I'm leaving this review voluntarily and happily! Take a look!

I liked this one. Its definitely different from her other books. It had less to do with a villian after the main character and more with the monater and the witch. I really liked that. The one thing i didn't like was there was unnecessary deaths in my opinion. There was a lot a sexy time and i loved it. I absolutely loved that we got to learn so much about the monster and where he came from. Im a sucker for lore so that was huge for me.

I really like the type of monster he was too. Im starting to like the newer monsters more it seems than the earlier. I will always Love Chuckles he was my first love from these books. But the more she makes it gets harder to choose.

These books definitely are getting darker and I love it. Though I dont want to spoil the book talking about how I feel about their relationship at the end. All ill say is i wish it would have ended a little differently somehow. 

One more thing I liked was the symbolism throughout the book. Symbolism is huge for witchcraft amd it is for Rinah witches too. As you read this book more things become clearer.

[Moonburst · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a Rinah witch, Sasha has hunted monsters for years. But despite her efforts, it has never gotten her what she desired: to be loved and respected. Between her divorce proceedings and her incompletely treated mental health condition, Sasha decides to bite off more than she can chew when she takes on the Dark Entry Forest. Now she has a shadow bound to her every step, and she's unsure if she can even banish it if she wants to.

Sash struggles with depression and suicidal ideation. She sees her value in what she can provide for others, so the fact that she was abandoned by her mother and now her husband is a continuous sore spot. Sasha can't see past her own failings, and the shadow entity attaching himself to her only proves that she's a failure as a witch instead. As everything around her comes to ruin, Sasha is forced to take a brutal look at herself and determine if there's something worth saving after all.

Ruin is a quick paced monster romance that delves deeply into what determines a person's worth. A well-written, interesting read.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Deborah Sauer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nope. Not for me. If you’re ok with stalking, repeated rape/sexual assault, branding and mass killing you might be ok with it. Even though this is labeled a stand alone, I felt lost on details of the FMC. Eventually you figure out the FMC Sasha is a witch and a monster hunter. She has no powers, at least in this book, so more of a modern witch just waving sage. She tried to commit suicide and just got out of a psych ward. Back to monster hunting apparently. She goes after a shadowy monster alone, when she should’ve had a partner with her. He claims her. She cannot figure out how to kill him and he won’t let her go. She never asks why people have to die or if he can stop. They never have any real conversations until the end of the book. He just wants 🌶️. He is a monster in every sense. The equivalent of an abuser that claims to love you, but abuses in every way, shape and form. She’s a broken character and doesn’t get as worked up as a normal person would over the hundreds, possibly thousands, of people he’s killed.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Carly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ruin: A Horror Monster Romance: A Monster's Prey
Author: Kat Bethel
Release: Aug 7, 2026
Genre: Monster Romance
Trope: Urban Legend, Monster, Possessive MMC
I am so glad I got the chance to read another iteration in this monster universe. I now must read Chuckles so I can know secondary character Esme’s story. The MMC/Monster back story in this one is explained through out the book and it makes for a great read. It add layers to the character and creates empathy when you think there probably shouldn’t be. Again, we have an FMC/MMC relationship that wasn’t insta-love – she has a job to do and fights her gut the whole way. The writing is atmospheric and character descriptions build us the perfect shadow daddy.
Triggers: I don’t have any triggers and I won’t helicopter yours. Always check your triggers and be good to yourself.
I received an ARC for free from the Author, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
#bookstagram #readersofinstagram #reviews #books #indie

[Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ruin felt kinda different the other Rinah witch books but not necessarily in a bad way. Where the other Rinahs were mostly morally good, I found Sasha to be more morally grey, I liked Abiel as a love interest but Sasha being so casual at times about the collateral damage Abiel caused put me off a little. For example, I’d have liked to have seen her find away to contain his destruction beyond him just staying removed from people and maybe a permanent way to set his victims to rest. That being said I did like the cottage ending and it was nice seeing imperfect MCS. I also like that instead of a blurb we figure out the plot as we go, it adds a fun and unique mystery element.

Features;
🩸Shadow Monster Love Interest
🎩Continuation of Rinah Lore
💀Shitty Husbands
🪾Chaotic FMC
🐺Morally Grey FMC
👤Dubcon Spice (Check CWs)
🖤Small Town/Haunted Settlement Setting
🔥Monster Hunter x Monster

[Becky L Bauer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a dark horror monster romance book with gore galore! The fmc is a witch who seems to hunt things that go bump in the night . The way the author brought attention to the world building, sensations of breath on her neck when first truly acknowledging the thing following her, the way things felt that you couldn’t see all tying so well into the world build . I loved this authors previous books but I thjnk this one is so surprisingly easy to read it flows so well. It’s like a cat and mouse game . Knowing that the mmc is in her wake in every step, ignoring him until it’s impossible to do so, the spice and slow burn is awesome, trying to figure what he is and how to remove him, love the story and would read again

[Allie D · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! It kept me hooked from start to finish, with plenty of spice and a story that flowed really well. The characters were well-developed, and the plot twists kept me guessing.

The only thing that threw me off was the MMC's backstory. I found it a little confusing at times and had to reread a few sections to fully understand it, though that may have just been me.

Overall, it was a captivating, steamy read with great storytelling, and I'd definitely recommend it. Already completely in love with Kat’s work. I can't wait to see what she writes next!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Emily Summers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, Kat, for sending me an ARC of Ruin!

I loved every second of this toxic (in the best way) ride. Sasha is a witch. She’s supposed to hunt & kill monsters, not fall for them. After returning from a grippy sock vacation, she decides burning down her own home & diving back into work is what she needs.

That decision leads her right into the tendrils of shadow daddy Abiel, and he’s not giving her up. The possessiveness. The obsession. The shadow spice. He’s broken. She’s ruined. Chef’s kiss.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author, and I’m looking forward to reading more!

[Kyana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This monster witch story is about Sasha Rinah, a witch, & Abiel, a shadow monster. I've liked every single one of these stories so far.

Some favorite phrases:
1. Sometimes you couldn't k*ll the monster. Sometimes you brought it dandelions every day during blooming season.
2. My dandelion. I can't ruin you, because you are already ruined.
3. And you can't destroy me, because I'm already destroyed.

There is a HEA.

Thank you booksirens & Kat Bethel for the e-arc!

[The Literary Chimera · Rating 5 out of 5]

It will have you watching the shadows.
Another Rinah witch and another dangerous monster. It's a winning combo every time. This one has very dark themes, so reader beware. I didn't like this one as much as Kat's other books in this series, however I definitely did enjoy it. It does have more tie ins to the other books with characters from previous books. It's certainly not one you'll want to read alone in the dark.

[Denise Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book

I had one other book like this and I’ve read thousands of books. So strange, yet so good. The characters are well developed so you liked, loved, or hated them. Just such a strange story. Twists and things you didn’t see coming. Even spice which made things nice. I’m lucky to have a lot of time to read. So much to absorb I will have to read it several more times! On to her next book!!!

[Leo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got the ebook arc from Booksirens.
3.5 stars rounded up.
I had read another book in the series, Chuckles. Which I loved. Enjoyed this one as well. Dark, twisty and steamy. I liked the lore/myeestery aspect of her monster and it felt bit diffrent from what I read before as well as having an engaging plot.

[Lina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jesus!!! I been waiting for this one for a while. As soon I saw the promotion for this one got excited quickly. Kat has become my favorite.I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Read it in 2 days, it couldn't be one because my family keep interrupting.

[Koa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being ruined and destroyed made them perfect for each other. This was actioned packed that had my imagination going full force with images as each massacre came. Unique in their own way. These rinah witches are some bad a$$ women who are capable of anything. There was some intimacy that was spicy and wild, left me shook. Obsession is one of my favorite things in a man well in a monster. 10/10

[Jenni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sasha was released from Psych after an attempt on her own life steming from her ex hubby, she decides to burn down the martial home and do what her familys alwaus done being a monster hunting witch, and she ends up with Abiel and his tendencies for ruin but never hers. Well written fast paced quick steamy monster romance

[Aimee C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Rinah witch getting in the middle of something she might not be able to get rid of. Sasha isnt sure what the thing stalking her is, one thing is certain though whatever he is wont stop calling her Dandelion. I was absolutely ready for the 4th installment ruin but boy i wasnt ready for who Ruin is as a being. The obsession and haunting pain in this book just make it even better.

[Sarah Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have thoroughly enjoyed all of the books in this series and Ruin did not disappoint! This book grabbed my attention from the first page and I could not put it down. I’m loving meeting all the monsters and learning more about the Rinah witches with every story. I cannot wait for the next one!

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a dark horror/monster romance. Witch and monster are a great combo but know thos us very dark and obsessed MMC. First time by this author and now I need to read the rest. Check your triggers but enjoy.

[Amy Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing read and I simply enjoyed every minute of it! I highly recommend this to be your next read!!!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Krystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chapters 6-10

Getting answers and solving a mystery is what we get in these chapters. Sasha talks to a local person at the diner and gets some answers and along with doing research on her own.
Chapter 10 I'm hello already a heart rate rising moment
or was Sasha dreaming ?


I have only read 5 chapters already and I am hooked.
I still say I want to know what goes on in Kat's head when she is writing? I love how We get little surprises if you look close enough.

[Kori · Rating 5 out of 5]

🖤How perfect that Sasha, a woman with intense abandonment issues falls for her literal shadow🖤

✨This book is dark & Abiel is a monster in every sense of the word but he calls her his dandelion🖤

✨I've read every book in this series and I will continue to do so! I feel the series has gotten progressively darker every book with more of the Rinah history being revealed as well as the different connections between the characters and I'm really excited to see what's come!

💀 Horror/Monster Romance
🖤 Self destructive FMC
❤️‍🔥 Instaobsessed
🌑 Sleep paralysis
⚠️ Check Trigger Warnings !!