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Books & Beasts
Acornwood looks like your average small-town.
Cute bakery. Family bookstore. Far too many acorn trees.
What do a werewolf detective, a vampire who works at the local blood bank, and a demon rockstar have in common?
Apparently, they're all destined to fall for Clementine Hallow.
Which would be flattering…
If someone in Acornwood wasn't leaving a trail of bodies that all seem to lead back to her.
Now Clementine is caught between three fiercely protective monsters, a murder investigation that's closing in, and a town that's beginning to wonder if she's a victim…
…or the reason the killing started.
Cute bakery. Family bookstore. Far too many acorn trees.
What do a werewolf detective, a vampire who works at the local blood bank, and a demon rockstar have in common?
Apparently, they're all destined to fall for Clementine Hallow.
Which would be flattering…
If someone in Acornwood wasn't leaving a trail of bodies that all seem to lead back to her.
Now Clementine is caught between three fiercely protective monsters, a murder investigation that's closing in, and a town that's beginning to wonder if she's a victim…
…or the reason the killing started.
257 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 17, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was the cozy, small supernatural-esque autumn-leaves feeling town read I needed inbetween reading fantasy and horror books.
From the first page, I found it quirky and cute, and found such humour in Emilee's writing. The premise of two worlds colliding to make humans living alongside the supernatural worked extremely well, and felt the main characters Clementine, Calder, Elias and Azreal all bounced off each other superbly. Books & Beasts is definitely a different kettle of fish compared to Emilee's debut mafia romance, with so much banter and an abundance of cute laugh-out-loud moments - I mean, I applaud Clem for getting it on with a werewolf, a demon and a vampire. Too much pressure if it were me.
One of my favourites in Books & Beasts is Ink, the cat. I love a good side character, especially when they're an animal, so kudos to Emilee for twisting him into the storyline. It worked perfectly.
Books & Beasts is written through the POV of all four main characters, so be prepared to have your mind go from one head to the other. Emilee's writing is clean, crisp, and easy to read, so if you want something that will make you smile, laugh, and be entertained, this will be what you need.
A warning: this is not for the prudish. Be open minded when reading this genre, because it's a wonderful ride filled with characters you'd fall in love with.
From the first page, I found it quirky and cute, and found such humour in Emilee's writing. The premise of two worlds colliding to make humans living alongside the supernatural worked extremely well, and felt the main characters Clementine, Calder, Elias and Azreal all bounced off each other superbly. Books & Beasts is definitely a different kettle of fish compared to Emilee's debut mafia romance, with so much banter and an abundance of cute laugh-out-loud moments - I mean, I applaud Clem for getting it on with a werewolf, a demon and a vampire. Too much pressure if it were me.
One of my favourites in Books & Beasts is Ink, the cat. I love a good side character, especially when they're an animal, so kudos to Emilee for twisting him into the storyline. It worked perfectly.
Books & Beasts is written through the POV of all four main characters, so be prepared to have your mind go from one head to the other. Emilee's writing is clean, crisp, and easy to read, so if you want something that will make you smile, laugh, and be entertained, this will be what you need.
A warning: this is not for the prudish. Be open minded when reading this genre, because it's a wonderful ride filled with characters you'd fall in love with.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is the perfect October read with the cozy, chaotic, romantic suspense vibes and I loved every minute of this book which was kind of surprising with all the supernatural creatures but I fell in love with each and every one of them.
Ryn blew this out of the park!
Ryn blew this out of the park!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Another great read from Ryn! I really enjoyed this book from page one.
Clementine is witty, chaotic, hilarious, and completely addicted to coffee. I need her as my best friend! And her first meetings with Calder, Elias, and Azrael? Holy heck, these guys!
And Ink? I absolutely loved him and need a whole book to know more about him!
The banter and humour were everything. This book was chaotic in the best way, fast paced, and so much fun to read. I was hooked on the characters and their entertaining interactions from the very beginning.
I also loved that the supernatural world was openly known among the humans. The world-building was so intriguing, and I wish we’d gotten to explore it more, especially when it came to the guys and their backgrounds.
My biggest complaint? I needed another 200 pages! I would have happily devoured more yearning, tension, and time for these relationships to develop. The potential was absolutely there, and I just wanted more time to watch everything unfold. The ending also felt a little abrupt, leaving me wishing we'd had more.
4.5 stars
Clementine is witty, chaotic, hilarious, and completely addicted to coffee. I need her as my best friend! And her first meetings with Calder, Elias, and Azrael? Holy heck, these guys!
And Ink? I absolutely loved him and need a whole book to know more about him!
The banter and humour were everything. This book was chaotic in the best way, fast paced, and so much fun to read. I was hooked on the characters and their entertaining interactions from the very beginning.
I also loved that the supernatural world was openly known among the humans. The world-building was so intriguing, and I wish we’d gotten to explore it more, especially when it came to the guys and their backgrounds.
My biggest complaint? I needed another 200 pages! I would have happily devoured more yearning, tension, and time for these relationships to develop. The potential was absolutely there, and I just wanted more time to watch everything unfold. The ending also felt a little abrupt, leaving me wishing we'd had more.
4.5 stars
October 17, 2026
monsters & surprises
Warning: Acornwood will ruin you for every other small town.
Two worlds have collided, humans and monsters are now neighbours, and Clementine has somehow ended up with a werewolf, a demon AND a vampire. Why pick one when you can have the whole monster buffet? Respect, Clem. Respect.
This book is pure October chaos in the best way. It's cosy, spicy and ridiculously funny, and the banter had me cackling like a witch over a cauldron. Throw in a murder mystery that kept yanking the rug out from under me, a frankly concerning amount of coffee, far too many acorns, and Ink, a cat with zero manners and maximum attitude, and I was hooked from page one.
Every main character gets their own POV, and each voice is so distinct that hopping between heads is half the fun. I blushed, I gasped, I kicked my feet, and I binged the lot without coming up for air.
Not for the prudish, but if you want laughs, swoon and a whodunnit that keeps you guessing, add it to your TBR right now.
Ryn's gloriously chaotic brain strikes again.
Warning: Acornwood will ruin you for every other small town.
Two worlds have collided, humans and monsters are now neighbours, and Clementine has somehow ended up with a werewolf, a demon AND a vampire. Why pick one when you can have the whole monster buffet? Respect, Clem. Respect.
This book is pure October chaos in the best way. It's cosy, spicy and ridiculously funny, and the banter had me cackling like a witch over a cauldron. Throw in a murder mystery that kept yanking the rug out from under me, a frankly concerning amount of coffee, far too many acorns, and Ink, a cat with zero manners and maximum attitude, and I was hooked from page one.
Every main character gets their own POV, and each voice is so distinct that hopping between heads is half the fun. I blushed, I gasped, I kicked my feet, and I binged the lot without coming up for air.
Not for the prudish, but if you want laughs, swoon and a whodunnit that keeps you guessing, add it to your TBR right now.
Ryn's gloriously chaotic brain strikes again.
October 15, 2026
I had no idea what to expect from this book. This my first read from Ryn and I was so excited to go in blind.
I’m a real sucker for anything with fated mates, so i knew Books & Beasts, if done right would be amazing and it truly was!
I found the world building to be insanely satisfying & easy to learn and keep up with the different groups of people and their backgrounds. The writing is outstanding, Ryn has done such an amazing job!
The connections between Clementine and her mates, Azrael, Elias & Calder feels genuine and so sweet and has the right amount of spice to not overpower the plot of the book.
But can we take a moment for the spice?!
Instant chemistry, soul deep bonds, banter for days. I loved the novelty of Acornwood, with everything going on, you can take comfort in the little things like the town’s obsession with acorns, squirrels and coffee.
This book has so many twists and turns, there is so much to unravel and so many secrets to uncover!
Also if you ask me? Ink is the real main character!
Thank you Ryn for this ARC 🫶🏻
Happy Reading
😊📚☕️
I’m a real sucker for anything with fated mates, so i knew Books & Beasts, if done right would be amazing and it truly was!
I found the world building to be insanely satisfying & easy to learn and keep up with the different groups of people and their backgrounds. The writing is outstanding, Ryn has done such an amazing job!
The connections between Clementine and her mates, Azrael, Elias & Calder feels genuine and so sweet and has the right amount of spice to not overpower the plot of the book.
But can we take a moment for the spice?!
Instant chemistry, soul deep bonds, banter for days. I loved the novelty of Acornwood, with everything going on, you can take comfort in the little things like the town’s obsession with acorns, squirrels and coffee.
This book has so many twists and turns, there is so much to unravel and so many secrets to uncover!
Also if you ask me? Ink is the real main character!
Thank you Ryn for this ARC 🫶🏻
Happy Reading
😊📚☕️
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC disclosure:
I received an advance reader copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to author for the opportunity.
This book caught me off guard. I started it expecting a cute story about a bookshop owner and a few "monster" mates, but I wasn't ready for the fantastic writing from Ryn Emilee.
This book was FUNNY AS HELL, and the way the characters interact with each other was perfection.
On one side, we have Clementine, a cute and adorable human who owns a family bookshop and is obsessed with her books and coffee (COFFEE BEFORE ALL).
But then a murder happens, and she might be involved.
The romance between all the characters, because this is not a monogamous thing (thank you, Ryn), is fantastic.
The four (FOUR, YES, I SAID FOUR) are fated mates, and I can't get enough of each one of them.
A vampire, a demon, and a werewolf. You need this.
And there's also INK, the cat. I can't stop laughing.
It's not 5 stars just because the ending was a little abrupt. I need more details, more of them. I hope we get that.
I received an advance reader copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to author for the opportunity.
This book caught me off guard. I started it expecting a cute story about a bookshop owner and a few "monster" mates, but I wasn't ready for the fantastic writing from Ryn Emilee.
This book was FUNNY AS HELL, and the way the characters interact with each other was perfection.
On one side, we have Clementine, a cute and adorable human who owns a family bookshop and is obsessed with her books and coffee (COFFEE BEFORE ALL).
But then a murder happens, and she might be involved.
The romance between all the characters, because this is not a monogamous thing (thank you, Ryn), is fantastic.
The four (FOUR, YES, I SAID FOUR) are fated mates, and I can't get enough of each one of them.
A vampire, a demon, and a werewolf. You need this.
And there's also INK, the cat. I can't stop laughing.
It's not 5 stars just because the ending was a little abrupt. I need more details, more of them. I hope we get that.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Ryn has done it again!!
I absolutely loved how unpredictable this story was and how it kept me guessing. Just when I thought I had things figured out, Ryn threw another curveball at me!
One of my favourite things was getting the POV of every main character. They were all so different, with their own personalities and perspectives which made the story so much more interesting. I loved getting inside each of their heads and seeing how their individual stories came together.
Books and Beasts was such an entertaining read, full of unexpected surprises, gasps, laughs, coffee addiction and characters who each brought something unique to the story.
If you love books that keep you on your toes and make you question everything you think you know, this one deserves a spot on your TBR!
I absolutely loved how unpredictable this story was and how it kept me guessing. Just when I thought I had things figured out, Ryn threw another curveball at me!
One of my favourite things was getting the POV of every main character. They were all so different, with their own personalities and perspectives which made the story so much more interesting. I loved getting inside each of their heads and seeing how their individual stories came together.
Books and Beasts was such an entertaining read, full of unexpected surprises, gasps, laughs, coffee addiction and characters who each brought something unique to the story.
If you love books that keep you on your toes and make you question everything you think you know, this one deserves a spot on your TBR!
Review of advance copy received from Author
“I like hearing your heartbeat” honestly left me melted, why is that so sweet, even though the night before he slapped her 🐱
This book had me CACKLING and I mean like full blown wicked witch cackle! I was blushing and kicking my feet and my mouth dropped open in shock a few times, and I was completely consumed by this book the moment I started it, I binged it and i couldn’t put it down! The chemistry between the characters the banter and the mystery aspect of it all had me enthralled! It was just so good and well written, I wanted more of the story but technically it ended with no open ends or questions but I just didn’t want to leave this world that is ACORNWOOD!
This book had me CACKLING and I mean like full blown wicked witch cackle! I was blushing and kicking my feet and my mouth dropped open in shock a few times, and I was completely consumed by this book the moment I started it, I binged it and i couldn’t put it down! The chemistry between the characters the banter and the mystery aspect of it all had me enthralled! It was just so good and well written, I wanted more of the story but technically it ended with no open ends or questions but I just didn’t want to leave this world that is ACORNWOOD!
October 19, 2026
📚LOVED THIS! 📚
A bookstore in the middle of a town that welcomes Humans and Monsters. Perfection.
The dialogue, whit, snark, dry humor, and banter between characters made this such a fun reading experience. The authors snark in the intro pages and around Gen AI sucked me in and I knew this book would be fantastic before I ever started the story!
Ink was a fantastic surprise. Hoping for more stories in Acornwood and would absolutely love more of Clem, Az, Calder, and Elias.
Well Done & I look forward to more books from this new author.
A bookstore in the middle of a town that welcomes Humans and Monsters. Perfection.
The dialogue, whit, snark, dry humor, and banter between characters made this such a fun reading experience. The authors snark in the intro pages and around Gen AI sucked me in and I knew this book would be fantastic before I ever started the story!
Ink was a fantastic surprise. Hoping for more stories in Acornwood and would absolutely love more of Clem, Az, Calder, and Elias.
Well Done & I look forward to more books from this new author.
October 25, 2026
The banter and genuine realteability of this book was fantastic and had me actually giggling out loud.
I was obsessed with all 3 MMCs and normally I have a favourite because lets me honest who doesn't but I genuinely was obsessed with all 3 so thank the spirits I didn't have to choose. This story honestly was just so much fun and spicy and a good spooky little time my only issue was that I wanted more.
I was obsessed with all 3 MMCs and normally I have a favourite because lets me honest who doesn't but I genuinely was obsessed with all 3 so thank the spirits I didn't have to choose. This story honestly was just so much fun and spicy and a good spooky little time my only issue was that I wanted more.
October 24, 2026
Such a good Halloween read! This book made me giggle out loud. It’s so spicy in such a good way!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I love Ryn’s beautifully chaotic brain!
I honestly laughed so much and had so much fun reading this. It had everything, banter, spice, a sane amount of coffee (yes, I said sane… yes, I also have a coffee addiction), too many acorns, 3 different types of monster’s cos a girl needs options, an a**hole cat plus more.
The chemistry and banter between the characters, the “who did it” of the murder mystery had me hooked from the first crime scene.
I honestly laughed so much and had so much fun reading this. It had everything, banter, spice, a sane amount of coffee (yes, I said sane… yes, I also have a coffee addiction), too many acorns, 3 different types of monster’s cos a girl needs options, an a**hole cat plus more.
The chemistry and banter between the characters, the “who did it” of the murder mystery had me hooked from the first crime scene.
November 4, 2026
Books and Beasts – Ryn Emilee
Arc Read
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 5 STARS
Vampires and werewolves and demons, OH MY! 😍
Welcome to Acornwood, where the town is cute and quirky, the supernatural men are delicious, and apparently one mate just isn't enough!
Meet Clementine, a human just trying to run her family's bookstore. Enter Calder, the werewolf detective 🐺, Elias, the vampire working at the local blood bank 🧛🏻♂️, and Azrael, the demon rockstar 😈. Plot twist? They're ALL her mates!
And honestly, when it comes to picking a favourite, it's definitely a WHY CHOOSE situation! 😏❤️
Of course, we can't forget Ink, the resident asshole cat who is secretly a hidden Arcane. 🐈⬛ Because what's a little supernatural chaos without a sarcastic feline thrown into the mix?
But Acornwood isn't all cosy bookstores and supernatural hotties. With a string of murders seemingly leading straight to Clementine, things are about to get a whole lot more interesting! 👀
This was my first time reading Ryn Emilee, and what a way to start! I received this book as an ARC, and it was such a fun read. A cute, quirky small-town paranormal romance packed with unpredictable twists, laugh-out-loud moments, mystery and plenty of why choose goodness!
And THAT CLIFFHANGER?! 😱 Excuse me?! I need the next book ASAP!
Five stars, three supernatural mates, one asshole cat and absolutely no patience for that cliffhanger! 📚
Arc Read
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 5 STARS
Vampires and werewolves and demons, OH MY! 😍
Welcome to Acornwood, where the town is cute and quirky, the supernatural men are delicious, and apparently one mate just isn't enough!
Meet Clementine, a human just trying to run her family's bookstore. Enter Calder, the werewolf detective 🐺, Elias, the vampire working at the local blood bank 🧛🏻♂️, and Azrael, the demon rockstar 😈. Plot twist? They're ALL her mates!
And honestly, when it comes to picking a favourite, it's definitely a WHY CHOOSE situation! 😏❤️
Of course, we can't forget Ink, the resident asshole cat who is secretly a hidden Arcane. 🐈⬛ Because what's a little supernatural chaos without a sarcastic feline thrown into the mix?
But Acornwood isn't all cosy bookstores and supernatural hotties. With a string of murders seemingly leading straight to Clementine, things are about to get a whole lot more interesting! 👀
This was my first time reading Ryn Emilee, and what a way to start! I received this book as an ARC, and it was such a fun read. A cute, quirky small-town paranormal romance packed with unpredictable twists, laugh-out-loud moments, mystery and plenty of why choose goodness!
And THAT CLIFFHANGER?! 😱 Excuse me?! I need the next book ASAP!
Five stars, three supernatural mates, one asshole cat and absolutely no patience for that cliffhanger! 📚
October 19, 2026
I received an Advanced Copy of the book and am leaving an honest review.
This book was a very cute and sweet story, with a little bit of murder (of course). This was my first ‘monster/magical creature’ romance and it did not disappoint. The plot was written beautifully, and the twists were not predictable. I always love a fated mates story, and the author did such a good job at integrating this trope in without it being cliche. Overall, the spice was hot for a cozy, coffee-filled, fall-themed novel.
The vibes of a small town, an impeccable book store and a broken veil between humans and creatures alike, I thoroughly enjoyed.
If you want sweet like map syrup with some murder, I highly recommend that you read this novel.
This book was a very cute and sweet story, with a little bit of murder (of course). This was my first ‘monster/magical creature’ romance and it did not disappoint. The plot was written beautifully, and the twists were not predictable. I always love a fated mates story, and the author did such a good job at integrating this trope in without it being cliche. Overall, the spice was hot for a cozy, coffee-filled, fall-themed novel.
The vibes of a small town, an impeccable book store and a broken veil between humans and creatures alike, I thoroughly enjoyed.
If you want sweet like map syrup with some murder, I highly recommend that you read this novel.
October 20, 2026
A great read for this season. It has a small town romance with a murder mystery. There are vampires, demons, werewolves, witches and humans.
The fmc is clementine, she is a human bookstore owner.she has a cat named ink, who is a mystery in himself. All hell is about to break loose for her.
The mmcs are Azrael( demon band singer), Calder( a werewolf cop), and Elias( a vampire who works in the blood lab). They are all mates to clementine, who will she pick?
Will they find out who committed the murder and why?
The fmc is clementine, she is a human bookstore owner.she has a cat named ink, who is a mystery in himself. All hell is about to break loose for her.
The mmcs are Azrael( demon band singer), Calder( a werewolf cop), and Elias( a vampire who works in the blood lab). They are all mates to clementine, who will she pick?
Will they find out who committed the murder and why?
Review of advance copy
The idea behind this story was fantastic! I loved the characters, the small-town setting, the murder mystery and the fact that the boyfriends were boyfriends! The banter was fantastic, and Ink was iconic. Overall, an incredible spooky season read that I would definitely read again. My only complaint was that the ending felt a bit rushed. Everything tied together perfectly, it just moved so quickly that I sat there wondering if I had missed something.
October 14, 2026
🧡ARC review🧡
Small town romance meets the paranormal.
A cosy read to hit those autumnal spooky vibes 👻 a fast paced romance filled with comedy, cuteness and coffee. I would’ve loved to have had a longer book with more build up in the relationships and main plot lines and less of an abrupt ending but it was an easy read!
Small town romance meets the paranormal.
A cosy read to hit those autumnal spooky vibes 👻 a fast paced romance filled with comedy, cuteness and coffee. I would’ve loved to have had a longer book with more build up in the relationships and main plot lines and less of an abrupt ending but it was an easy read!
October 24, 2026
I absolutely loved this one.
A werewolf, a vampire and a demon rockstar? Well, that’s certainly not your average love triangle, add in a murder mystery, plenty of danger and a heroine who might not be as innocent as she seems, and I couldn’t stop reading. Expect plenty of spice, suspense and supernatural shenanigans.
A werewolf, a vampire and a demon rockstar? Well, that’s certainly not your average love triangle, add in a murder mystery, plenty of danger and a heroine who might not be as innocent as she seems, and I couldn’t stop reading. Expect plenty of spice, suspense and supernatural shenanigans.
October 31, 2026
😈 Books & Beasts by @rynemileeauthor - this is Ryn's second book and what a delightfully devilish story it is. We are immediately immersed in a whodunit, and as we follow our main character navigating this scenario we get a why choose monster romance that has greater meaning to the story. We loved the whimsy and comedic nature as well the Easter eggs of @benjamintwiggwrites ... We were humbled and teary at the surprise of Auntie Ryn immortalising Baby Labrarian in the pages of this story. Thanks bish for making us cry in the acknowledgements. A great way to end the Halloween month!
October 19, 2026
I had the absolute pleasure of receiving an ARC of Books & Beasts by Ryn Emilee and this was SUCH a fun read.
Clementine, three beastly mates, a murder mystery AND an absolutely unnecessary amount of spice? Say less. 😂🌶️
I really loved that this wasn’t just spice for the sake of spice either. There was actually a story here that kept me interested. The mystery running through it gave me something to keep guessing about, while Clementine and her three mates brought all the chaotic why choose energy I wanted.
And listen… when I say spicy, I mean SPICY. 👀 The chemistry was definitely chemistry-ing.
It was fun, a little unhinged, super steamy and had enough mystery woven through it to keep me turning the pages.
Thank you so much to Ryn for trusting me with an ARC. 🤍
Clementine, three beastly mates, a murder mystery AND an absolutely unnecessary amount of spice? Say less. 😂🌶️
I really loved that this wasn’t just spice for the sake of spice either. There was actually a story here that kept me interested. The mystery running through it gave me something to keep guessing about, while Clementine and her three mates brought all the chaotic why choose energy I wanted.
And listen… when I say spicy, I mean SPICY. 👀 The chemistry was definitely chemistry-ing.
It was fun, a little unhinged, super steamy and had enough mystery woven through it to keep me turning the pages.
Thank you so much to Ryn for trusting me with an ARC. 🤍
October 14, 2026
Acornwood is my new favourite place!
A town where monsters and humans live together. A werewolf, a demon and a vampire are fated mates to Clementine a human and what's a girl to do choose? HELL NO! you keep them all!
This book is full of laugh at loud moments. The witty one liners and banter are perfection and the chemistry is off the charts. Oh and a super cute cat that isn't what you expect.
Ryn's writing grabs you and puts your right in the middle of this cozy town and makes you want to stay there forever.
Fated Mates, Monster X Humans, Why Choose, what more could you ask for? Oh yeah add in a bit of murder mystery and a prophecy and you have one hell of a book.
A town where monsters and humans live together. A werewolf, a demon and a vampire are fated mates to Clementine a human and what's a girl to do choose? HELL NO! you keep them all!
This book is full of laugh at loud moments. The witty one liners and banter are perfection and the chemistry is off the charts. Oh and a super cute cat that isn't what you expect.
Ryn's writing grabs you and puts your right in the middle of this cozy town and makes you want to stay there forever.
Fated Mates, Monster X Humans, Why Choose, what more could you ask for? Oh yeah add in a bit of murder mystery and a prophecy and you have one hell of a book.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews