What do you think?
Rate this book
Creatures of the Night
Make your way home at five. Be in the tunnels as the sun begins to fall. Seal the entrance. Leave enough room for malfunction. These are the rules I grew up with, the ones I never dared to break. Until now.
Milena’s twentieth birthday, the day she would join the ranks of her village’s hunters, should have been the most exciting day of her life. Being a hunter meant she would be able to help protect her village from the murderous wolves who take human form—the creatures of the night. But a chance encounter with Elias, the enigmatic leader of the creatures, leaves her questioning everything she has ever believed to be true.
Up until now, Elias has managed to protect the creatures of the night and keep the secrets of his past well hidden. Now, as tensions between the groups grow, Elias is forced to make hard decisions: ones that will cost lives. Nobody is safe, especially Milena, the person he is inexplicably drawn to even though it could destroy them both.
Milena’s twentieth birthday, the day she would join the ranks of her village’s hunters, should have been the most exciting day of her life. Being a hunter meant she would be able to help protect her village from the murderous wolves who take human form—the creatures of the night. But a chance encounter with Elias, the enigmatic leader of the creatures, leaves her questioning everything she has ever believed to be true.
Up until now, Elias has managed to protect the creatures of the night and keep the secrets of his past well hidden. Now, as tensions between the groups grow, Elias is forced to make hard decisions: ones that will cost lives. Nobody is safe, especially Milena, the person he is inexplicably drawn to even though it could destroy them both.
296 pages, Paperback
First published July 13, 2021
52 people are currently reading
3697 people want to read
About the author
Grace Collins
2 books93 followersGrace Collins first discovered her love for writing when she posted her ideas online at the age of thirteen. She has a BA in psychology and French, and has a Master of Teaching and Learning. Her debut novel, Creatures of the Night, has amassed over one million reads online and received a Watty Award for Horror and Paranormal. Grace lives in Aotearoa New Zealand and enjoys spending time in nature, traveling, and learning new languages.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 29 of 134 reviews
May 14, 2021
I wrote this book and after pouring blood, sweat, and tears into it, I've ended up with something I'm proud to call mine. I hope other readers can find some enjoyment in it too. Please note that this is the first book in a series.
July 6, 2021
3.5 stars
This was such a fun paranormal romance! The romance in here is definitely slow burn and I'm assuming it's going to be a series since it has a cliffhanger, so make sure you know about that going in. Melina has grown up with this group of people since she was a child and her parents died. Her 20th birthday is coming up and everything she has ever know goes out the window as she has to decide for herself who to trust and who is her enemy.
I don't really want to say any more about the plot because I loved figuring things out as I went along. We do have shifters, which I always enjoy in my paranormal romances. I do wish we got some more information about the other paranormal creatures, but I'm assuming we'll get more if there are more books after this one. The last half of the book I enjoyed so much more than the first half because there was so much action and I had no idea who was going to live or die. I enjoyed the personal journey Melina had to go on as she changed as a person as she learned more about the truth about her past. I would have liked a little more from the romance, which is why this is getting 3.5 instead of a full 4 stars, but I am excited to see where the story goes next!
**I was sponsored by the publisher to discuss this book in a book haul on my youtube channel, but all opinions about my experience reading the book are my own and are no way influenced by working with the publisher.
This was such a fun paranormal romance! The romance in here is definitely slow burn and I'm assuming it's going to be a series since it has a cliffhanger, so make sure you know about that going in. Melina has grown up with this group of people since she was a child and her parents died. Her 20th birthday is coming up and everything she has ever know goes out the window as she has to decide for herself who to trust and who is her enemy.
I don't really want to say any more about the plot because I loved figuring things out as I went along. We do have shifters, which I always enjoy in my paranormal romances. I do wish we got some more information about the other paranormal creatures, but I'm assuming we'll get more if there are more books after this one. The last half of the book I enjoyed so much more than the first half because there was so much action and I had no idea who was going to live or die. I enjoyed the personal journey Melina had to go on as she changed as a person as she learned more about the truth about her past. I would have liked a little more from the romance, which is why this is getting 3.5 instead of a full 4 stars, but I am excited to see where the story goes next!
**I was sponsored by the publisher to discuss this book in a book haul on my youtube channel, but all opinions about my experience reading the book are my own and are no way influenced by working with the publisher.
February 10, 2021
I received an ARC of this book. This is my honest review :)
First thing. I loved this so much. Even with it only being around 280 pages, I felt like so much happened (and I love it).
My PROS:
Milena was such a relatable and connectable main character. I found it so easy to be intrigued by her story. I was instantly attached to the book because of that.
Character relationships - Every relationship Milena had with anyone was so well written and built (and even if we didn’t get to see the start of a relationship the actions of the characters demonstrated it). The romantic, the friendly and the family. They were all so beautifully done.
The story itself was very interesting and well rounded.
My MIDS:
Father figure - I’m only putting this here because of how much I cried over Milena’s relationship with her Father figure. My heart is full of pain, but the relationship was so well done that I didn’t even mind all the tears.
My CONS:
That the whole series isn’t already out. Sad days...I need more and that Cliffhanger!!!
All and all I really enjoyed this book and even though it’s a fantasy I felt like it was so ‘real’. I connected to the story and the characters very easily and I can’t wait for the next book🤍
I also want to add something quick...what is so heartbreaking to me is that there is no real villain in this book, everyone is just trying to do their best. Which is spine tingling. There’s no real ‘bad’ people because you get to understand why characters do what they do.
I cried about 50 different times💔
First thing. I loved this so much. Even with it only being around 280 pages, I felt like so much happened (and I love it).
My PROS:
Milena was such a relatable and connectable main character. I found it so easy to be intrigued by her story. I was instantly attached to the book because of that.
Character relationships - Every relationship Milena had with anyone was so well written and built (and even if we didn’t get to see the start of a relationship the actions of the characters demonstrated it). The romantic, the friendly and the family. They were all so beautifully done.
The story itself was very interesting and well rounded.
My MIDS:
Father figure - I’m only putting this here because of how much I cried over Milena’s relationship with her Father figure. My heart is full of pain, but the relationship was so well done that I didn’t even mind all the tears.
My CONS:
That the whole series isn’t already out. Sad days...I need more and that Cliffhanger!!!
All and all I really enjoyed this book and even though it’s a fantasy I felt like it was so ‘real’. I connected to the story and the characters very easily and I can’t wait for the next book🤍
I also want to add something quick...what is so heartbreaking to me is that there is no real villain in this book, everyone is just trying to do their best. Which is spine tingling. There’s no real ‘bad’ people because you get to understand why characters do what they do.
I cried about 50 different times💔
June 23, 2021
I have received this ARC from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Creatures of the Night was such a wild ride. From the very beginning, I was pretty intrigued by the characters and the world they lived in. I didn't necessarily like them because it was pretty obvious that something was off when it came to them. Well, other than Milena because she seemed to be the only normal one.
After meeting Milena, I will admit that I was a bit hesitant about her. Mostly because I didn't want it to be like other books where they didn't know what they truly were but then magically was good at every thing and anything. Luckily, she didn't really know the people she used to live with until the day they tried to murder her. Yikes!
Then on top of that, she is shoved into a place with people she really doesn't know. Things also start to click into place about everyone involved in this book as well. The whole hollows and werewolves thing was just so fascinating that I couldn't put the book down. I just wanted to know every tiny detail before I reached the last page.
In the end, I'm so excited for the next book. Whenever it becomes a thing because I seriously can't wait for it. I just want more!
Creatures of the Night was such a wild ride. From the very beginning, I was pretty intrigued by the characters and the world they lived in. I didn't necessarily like them because it was pretty obvious that something was off when it came to them. Well, other than Milena because she seemed to be the only normal one.
After meeting Milena, I will admit that I was a bit hesitant about her. Mostly because I didn't want it to be like other books where they didn't know what they truly were but then magically was good at every thing and anything. Luckily, she didn't really know the people she used to live with until the day they tried to murder her. Yikes!
Then on top of that, she is shoved into a place with people she really doesn't know. Things also start to click into place about everyone involved in this book as well. The whole hollows and werewolves thing was just so fascinating that I couldn't put the book down. I just wanted to know every tiny detail before I reached the last page.
In the end, I'm so excited for the next book. Whenever it becomes a thing because I seriously can't wait for it. I just want more!
January 30, 2021
Whew. This one…I really wanted to like it. I mean, look at that cover! And the description. As a werewolf lover, I was so excited to get to read this one. And it started out alright…but sadly it went downhill from there. Let’s start with what I did like.
The Pro (yes, singular):
The fantasy development was pretty interesting. Yes, there are humans and “creatures of the night” (read: werewolves). But there are also creatures called “hollowers” and “wispers”, which were unique and intriguing. I didn’t get a ton of detail on them, but I did appreciate the creativity and originality present in the fantasy development of this book.
Now, to the things I didn’t like as much.
The Cons:
The biggest con for me in Creatures of the Night was Milena herself. What a disappointment of a main character. The girl is so freaking bland. I couldn’t connect with her at all, and I still have very little idea of her true personality (yes, I read the whole book). At times she’d have fearful, hurt, or angry emotions about things, but they never felt genuine. She never felt genuine, and I couldn’t really bring myself to care about her problems. I suppose she was generically good, but I couldn’t discern any particular bravery or kindness or anything to maker her a worthwhile protagonist.
Unfortunately, I felt much the same about all the other characters. The villains were generically nasty. The love interest was generically mysterious. All the relationships in the book felt bland and flat, especially between Milena and Elias. I felt zero connection between them, and that was supposed to be the draw of the book!
With such bland characters and relationships, you may wonder if anything actually happened. Well it did, and it was even more frustrating than the characters for me. If you’ve ever read a book or watched a drama that was throwing twists and betrayals and angst at you just for drama’s sake, you know how irritating it can be. The poor character development, poor plot arc, and a completely unsatisfying and overly dramatic ending made me even more frustrated with Creatures of the Night than I was already.
Sigh. As you can see, I have a lot to say about my problems with this one. The actual writing was so-so. Not horrendous, but not great. Unfortunately the plot and characters kind of killed my enjoyment of the fantasy development.
The Pro (yes, singular):
The fantasy development was pretty interesting. Yes, there are humans and “creatures of the night” (read: werewolves). But there are also creatures called “hollowers” and “wispers”, which were unique and intriguing. I didn’t get a ton of detail on them, but I did appreciate the creativity and originality present in the fantasy development of this book.
Now, to the things I didn’t like as much.
The Cons:
The biggest con for me in Creatures of the Night was Milena herself. What a disappointment of a main character. The girl is so freaking bland. I couldn’t connect with her at all, and I still have very little idea of her true personality (yes, I read the whole book). At times she’d have fearful, hurt, or angry emotions about things, but they never felt genuine. She never felt genuine, and I couldn’t really bring myself to care about her problems. I suppose she was generically good, but I couldn’t discern any particular bravery or kindness or anything to maker her a worthwhile protagonist.
Unfortunately, I felt much the same about all the other characters. The villains were generically nasty. The love interest was generically mysterious. All the relationships in the book felt bland and flat, especially between Milena and Elias. I felt zero connection between them, and that was supposed to be the draw of the book!
With such bland characters and relationships, you may wonder if anything actually happened. Well it did, and it was even more frustrating than the characters for me. If you’ve ever read a book or watched a drama that was throwing twists and betrayals and angst at you just for drama’s sake, you know how irritating it can be. The poor character development, poor plot arc, and a completely unsatisfying and overly dramatic ending made me even more frustrated with Creatures of the Night than I was already.
Sigh. As you can see, I have a lot to say about my problems with this one. The actual writing was so-so. Not horrendous, but not great. Unfortunately the plot and characters kind of killed my enjoyment of the fantasy development.
May 7, 2023
WARNING: This text may contain spoilers
"All my life I hid from the trees. The night and its shadows were my enemies. I feared the pink hue of the sunset. Ravenous creatures haunted my nightmares, agonizing growls and blood-matted fur rattling my bones. My reality was distorted, twisted by a man who shaped my childhood, but I always knew monsters were real.
Now I know that they can look human too."
This book was so intriguing. Like, before I even read it, I was already hooked by the name and the blurb, and THAT COVER- 😍😍
It was a very fast-paced and fantastic story, filled with several plot twists, and cliffhangers in every chapter! I loved the mystery regarding as to why Milena was targeted, however, to be honest, the actual reason was kind of a let-down in the end.
The romance that developed was a really sweet and cute one that took its time to develop, but both characters frustrated me when it came to acknowledging their feelings, especially Elias. However, Elias was a really good and well-written character, and has a deep and complex background, and I loved every paragraph through which we got to find out more about him.
A prominent and recurring theme in this book was loyalty, that was accentuated in all the characters, with different motives and morals. Something extremely interesting about this book is the fact that there aren't really any heroes or villains, good or bad characters, everyone is doing what they think is best for themselves and their families, and you can understand why everyone is doing what they're doing.
This was a very beautiful and exciting story with a very intriguing mystery and very interesting characters. However, there a few parts that are slightly graphic or gory, so I wouldn't really recommend it to people who are easily triggered. Please check out trigger warnings :))
Song: Way Down we Go by KALEO
"All my life I hid from the trees. The night and its shadows were my enemies. I feared the pink hue of the sunset. Ravenous creatures haunted my nightmares, agonizing growls and blood-matted fur rattling my bones. My reality was distorted, twisted by a man who shaped my childhood, but I always knew monsters were real.
Now I know that they can look human too."
This book was so intriguing. Like, before I even read it, I was already hooked by the name and the blurb, and THAT COVER- 😍😍
It was a very fast-paced and fantastic story, filled with several plot twists, and cliffhangers in every chapter! I loved the mystery regarding as to why Milena was targeted, however, to be honest, the actual reason was kind of a let-down in the end.
The romance that developed was a really sweet and cute one that took its time to develop, but both characters frustrated me when it came to acknowledging their feelings, especially Elias. However, Elias was a really good and well-written character, and has a deep and complex background, and I loved every paragraph through which we got to find out more about him.
A prominent and recurring theme in this book was loyalty, that was accentuated in all the characters, with different motives and morals. Something extremely interesting about this book is the fact that there aren't really any heroes or villains, good or bad characters, everyone is doing what they think is best for themselves and their families, and you can understand why everyone is doing what they're doing.
This was a very beautiful and exciting story with a very intriguing mystery and very interesting characters. However, there a few parts that are slightly graphic or gory, so I wouldn't really recommend it to people who are easily triggered. Please check out trigger warnings :))
Song: Way Down we Go by KALEO
July 16, 2021
I was given a free copy of the book for review.
As the author of a werewolf series and a life-long lover of wolves, I jumped at the chance to read this book. The premise was solid, as was the catalyst that sends our protagonist into an entirely new world. I'm a sucker for protags thrust into something entirely different; I love when they're forced to rethink their lives, ideas, beliefs, etc.
Milena's parents were killed when she was young, and she's grown up in a world where murderous creatures hunt them at night. She's excited to be able to become a hunter (something that has been long overdue)but when her 20th birthday comes, she's gets the shock of her life. Now, she's faced with two worlds, both deadlier than the last.
My issue with the synopsis is that I expected there to be a second POV from Elias since he gets his own paragraph. It alludes to a duel POV that I sort of wished we had.
I digress
Upon our first intro to Milena, you see her as a meek girl who wants nothing more than to become a hunter like every person her age, but as soon as she's free from her old life, she shows no ambitions toward...anything. At first glance, I see a protagonist without agency. The plot is moving around her, instead of the other way around. She doesn't make any choices that affect the storyline in any extreme way. In the writing world, you'd say Milena is more reactive than proactive. Others make her decisions and she does nothing to move the plot along. She's a victim and makes no moves to prove otherwise. By the end, I was waiting for some AH-HA moment for Melina to really show her strength, but alas...
Driving the story is Elias, a broody "creature of the night" and a supporting cast of characters that I actually loved. My qualms about Elias is that he doesn't show affection, and does nothing but be cruel and vague to Milena so the romance fell flat. They both had a common goal ( maybe? It's not clear, but I'm going to say yes but the subtle hints throughout) but don't truly work together the way they should. As I said about the romance, it had promise; I do love me some enemies to lovers. But we didn't have enough bonding and quiet moments thrown in to really get to know anyone.
The world-building wasn't immersive. I thought at first that this was a dystopian-type world, but with the mention of castles, my mind stalled. I'm not sure about the continent in which they all lived and how everything came to be. There weren't specifics on what set these clans apart other than hunting one another. I want to escape in fictional worlds, but if I can't get a grip on the world, I'm stuck hovering over the pages like a book wraith screeching for answers.
The twists felt rushed with no time for reaction. I didn't feel much about them because they weren't surprising. Overall, I wished I cared more about something in the book, but honestly, I did not feel connected.
The lack of character arc and agency affected my rating the most. The messy ending sealed the deal. This had the potential for a solid fantasy novel, but unfortunately, it was in need of serious developmental edits. As an author myself, I have learned some hard lessons about the art of writing and I've come to realize that it is NOT EASY. My last project had a lack of agency and let me tell you, the second I set my protag on a proactive plotline, the story changed drastically for the better and now it shines like the gods damn sun. I also learned from readers and took into account all the flaws in my writing and spun it around for the better. Getting low reviews sucks, but I hope Grace can take some good from it. I have a strong feeling she's going to be one to watch in the future.
As the author of a werewolf series and a life-long lover of wolves, I jumped at the chance to read this book. The premise was solid, as was the catalyst that sends our protagonist into an entirely new world. I'm a sucker for protags thrust into something entirely different; I love when they're forced to rethink their lives, ideas, beliefs, etc.
Milena's parents were killed when she was young, and she's grown up in a world where murderous creatures hunt them at night. She's excited to be able to become a hunter (something that has been long overdue)but when her 20th birthday comes, she's gets the shock of her life. Now, she's faced with two worlds, both deadlier than the last.
My issue with the synopsis is that I expected there to be a second POV from Elias since he gets his own paragraph. It alludes to a duel POV that I sort of wished we had.
I digress
Upon our first intro to Milena, you see her as a meek girl who wants nothing more than to become a hunter like every person her age, but as soon as she's free from her old life, she shows no ambitions toward...anything. At first glance, I see a protagonist without agency. The plot is moving around her, instead of the other way around. She doesn't make any choices that affect the storyline in any extreme way. In the writing world, you'd say Milena is more reactive than proactive. Others make her decisions and she does nothing to move the plot along. She's a victim and makes no moves to prove otherwise. By the end, I was waiting for some AH-HA moment for Melina to really show her strength, but alas...
Driving the story is Elias, a broody "creature of the night" and a supporting cast of characters that I actually loved. My qualms about Elias is that he doesn't show affection, and does nothing but be cruel and vague to Milena so the romance fell flat. They both had a common goal ( maybe? It's not clear, but I'm going to say yes but the subtle hints throughout) but don't truly work together the way they should. As I said about the romance, it had promise; I do love me some enemies to lovers. But we didn't have enough bonding and quiet moments thrown in to really get to know anyone.
The world-building wasn't immersive. I thought at first that this was a dystopian-type world, but with the mention of castles, my mind stalled. I'm not sure about the continent in which they all lived and how everything came to be. There weren't specifics on what set these clans apart other than hunting one another. I want to escape in fictional worlds, but if I can't get a grip on the world, I'm stuck hovering over the pages like a book wraith screeching for answers.
The twists felt rushed with no time for reaction. I didn't feel much about them because they weren't surprising. Overall, I wished I cared more about something in the book, but honestly, I did not feel connected.
The lack of character arc and agency affected my rating the most. The messy ending sealed the deal. This had the potential for a solid fantasy novel, but unfortunately, it was in need of serious developmental edits. As an author myself, I have learned some hard lessons about the art of writing and I've come to realize that it is NOT EASY. My last project had a lack of agency and let me tell you, the second I set my protag on a proactive plotline, the story changed drastically for the better and now it shines like the gods damn sun. I also learned from readers and took into account all the flaws in my writing and spun it around for the better. Getting low reviews sucks, but I hope Grace can take some good from it. I have a strong feeling she's going to be one to watch in the future.
October 8, 2023
Pardon me, but this is fucking terrible. I was iffy about the juvenile writing style right from the start, but figured I’d give it a chance. That chance ended rather abruptly at page 56, when the author makes a MASSIVE, unforgivable, blunder in storyline continuity.
Page 55
My head pounds as I sink into the water, rubbing my legs and shuddering at the way the water turns brown.
Page 56
I take a deep breath and peel my clothes off, then slide into the warm water with a sigh.
How the hell does the author forget from one page to the next that her mc is ALREADY IN THE WATER??? Not only that, but how does this inconsistency skip notice upon editing? Even if the author has done their own editing (which I strongly suspect is the case here), how does a blunder of this magnitude make it to final print????
So yeah, this is a DNF for me.
Page 55
My head pounds as I sink into the water, rubbing my legs and shuddering at the way the water turns brown.
Page 56
I take a deep breath and peel my clothes off, then slide into the warm water with a sigh.
How the hell does the author forget from one page to the next that her mc is ALREADY IN THE WATER??? Not only that, but how does this inconsistency skip notice upon editing? Even if the author has done their own editing (which I strongly suspect is the case here), how does a blunder of this magnitude make it to final print????
So yeah, this is a DNF for me.
July 11, 2021
3.5⭐
This was a pretty interesting read. Even though I found the events a little runny during the beginning. Within the first four chapters, a lot of things had happened and the same was followed towards the end.
The story follows Milena who has been living a pretty ordinary life for twenty years among her people who all seemed to be afraid of the 'creatures of the night' who are said to hunt them at night time. The tradition of the village follows such that when someone turns of age, they are taken to their first hunt but as Milena's turn comes, she finds her life being turned upside down and now she's running from the very people she called her family once.
The best part about this book was the dynamic of relationships each character shared with each other. It was different and full of little twists and turns. As for the plot, the beginning did feel a little hurried considering the writing was a little fast paced and it didn't give much time for proper introduction to the characters. However, the middle of the book was enjoyable and had a new twist every page. I also enjoyed the ending although I think it could have been better if there was more time given to build the relationship between Elias and Melina before things got out of hand. The cliffhanger at the end has me on wait for the next book!
Thanks to Netgalley and Wattpad Books for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was a pretty interesting read. Even though I found the events a little runny during the beginning. Within the first four chapters, a lot of things had happened and the same was followed towards the end.
The story follows Milena who has been living a pretty ordinary life for twenty years among her people who all seemed to be afraid of the 'creatures of the night' who are said to hunt them at night time. The tradition of the village follows such that when someone turns of age, they are taken to their first hunt but as Milena's turn comes, she finds her life being turned upside down and now she's running from the very people she called her family once.
The best part about this book was the dynamic of relationships each character shared with each other. It was different and full of little twists and turns. As for the plot, the beginning did feel a little hurried considering the writing was a little fast paced and it didn't give much time for proper introduction to the characters. However, the middle of the book was enjoyable and had a new twist every page. I also enjoyed the ending although I think it could have been better if there was more time given to build the relationship between Elias and Melina before things got out of hand. The cliffhanger at the end has me on wait for the next book!
Thanks to Netgalley and Wattpad Books for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 19, 2021
This was a good read and an original concept. I liked Milena. At first I was worried that she was going to be yet another self sacrificing young female YA character that needs constant saving from her legion of protectors. As the plot thickened and her knowledge grew, she showed real grit and intelligence. When she needed to protect herself, she did! I’m looking forward to seeing her character continue to develop as a strong women in future books of the series. I also appreciated that there was a complexity in the morality of the characters. Each character was trying to protect the interests of their kind even if it meant betraying those close to them. Looking forward to the next book.
October 9, 2021
This was meh didn't hate it didn't love it
The writing itself wasn't bad at all its just the story and Romance lacked for me it ended on a ending for s sequel do I have any interest in reading that nope
The writing itself wasn't bad at all its just the story and Romance lacked for me it ended on a ending for s sequel do I have any interest in reading that nope
April 12, 2021
A great read. Not formulaic or predictable it will keep surprising you until the end - which I warn you is on a cliffhanger. There will be another book in what is apparently going to be a series.
May 13, 2021
*3.5 stars*
Check out my review on my blog: http://thereadingdevil.blogspot.com/2...
Or read below:
Creatures of the Night is a great debut by Grace Collins. It features a unique premise, and some great characters! The book follows Milena, a 19 year old girl who lives in tunnels with her people. All she wants to do is go out and hunt with her fellow villagers, but has to wait until her 20th birthday. Milena was actually a really great character. She took everything in stride, and didn't always rely on others to protect her. She was able to take matters into her own hands, and do what she felt was necessary. My only complaint about her is that she was, at times, a little too "woe is me" and "everything is my fault" for my taste. I mean I got it, but I felt like maybe she could have stopped repeating that everything was her fault over... and over... and over again. But her ability to think on her feet and cope with difficult situations made up for it, in my opinion.
Elias is the leader of the creatures (think shapeshifters/werewolves). He seemed to really care about his people, and was always willing to do what was necessary to protect them. While I did like him and Milena together, I found that everything happened very abruptly. I didn't feel like there was much lead up to them connecting. In fact, I wasn't 100% sure who her love interest was going to be until they kissed lol. It seemed out of the blue, but I just rolled with it and it ended up working ok.
I think the book is really creative, but it just needed a bit more depth. There wasn't much lead up to certain aspects, and it had me feeling a little confused at some points. Everything happened very quickly, and it ended rather abruptly as well. So, while I enjoyed the book and am looking forward to the next one, I think there is some things that can be improved. Still recommend giving it a try though!
Check out my review on my blog: http://thereadingdevil.blogspot.com/2...
Or read below:
Creatures of the Night is a great debut by Grace Collins. It features a unique premise, and some great characters! The book follows Milena, a 19 year old girl who lives in tunnels with her people. All she wants to do is go out and hunt with her fellow villagers, but has to wait until her 20th birthday. Milena was actually a really great character. She took everything in stride, and didn't always rely on others to protect her. She was able to take matters into her own hands, and do what she felt was necessary. My only complaint about her is that she was, at times, a little too "woe is me" and "everything is my fault" for my taste. I mean I got it, but I felt like maybe she could have stopped repeating that everything was her fault over... and over... and over again. But her ability to think on her feet and cope with difficult situations made up for it, in my opinion.
Elias is the leader of the creatures (think shapeshifters/werewolves). He seemed to really care about his people, and was always willing to do what was necessary to protect them. While I did like him and Milena together, I found that everything happened very abruptly. I didn't feel like there was much lead up to them connecting. In fact, I wasn't 100% sure who her love interest was going to be until they kissed lol. It seemed out of the blue, but I just rolled with it and it ended up working ok.
I think the book is really creative, but it just needed a bit more depth. There wasn't much lead up to certain aspects, and it had me feeling a little confused at some points. Everything happened very quickly, and it ended rather abruptly as well. So, while I enjoyed the book and am looking forward to the next one, I think there is some things that can be improved. Still recommend giving it a try though!
September 27, 2021
So I finally finished the book that was gifted by a friend of mine. I must say, I was quite intrigued by it, but then I felt like it was dragging because there was so much drama and argument, and I felt like it was dragging on for me. Not to mention, I don't see any connection between Elias and Milena. It felt so bland - forced, even. I wish there was more build up between them.
And also, I was upset that all of it was a setup from the very beginning. Like Elias didn't bother to tell Milena that he is the Wisper, not Milena. And to top it all off, his guardian switched himself and Milena so that the Hollowers would think she is the Wisper, not Elias. It's like, "Are you frickin' kidding me?"
And also, in the synopsis, it sounded like we were going to have Elias' POV, but it didn't show it when I first read it. That also disappointed me.
I also wished there was more build up on Milena. I felt like there was little to no character growth until the end, but it seems she's still stubborn and innocent in my opinion.
I'm hoping the next book would be better, but I was semi satisfied and semi not. My thing is that it could've gone better, especially the ending. It felt so messy and rushed. So here's to hoping the second book is fine.
Please don't take my opinion seriously. I'm sure there are other people who have enjoyed it better than. Please give it a shot if you love reading shifter books.
And also, I was upset that all of it was a setup from the very beginning. Like Elias didn't bother to tell Milena that he is the Wisper, not Milena. And to top it all off, his guardian switched himself and Milena so that the Hollowers would think she is the Wisper, not Elias. It's like, "Are you frickin' kidding me?"
And also, in the synopsis, it sounded like we were going to have Elias' POV, but it didn't show it when I first read it. That also disappointed me.
I also wished there was more build up on Milena. I felt like there was little to no character growth until the end, but it seems she's still stubborn and innocent in my opinion.
I'm hoping the next book would be better, but I was semi satisfied and semi not. My thing is that it could've gone better, especially the ending. It felt so messy and rushed. So here's to hoping the second book is fine.
Please don't take my opinion seriously. I'm sure there are other people who have enjoyed it better than. Please give it a shot if you love reading shifter books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 25, 2021
A new take on Beauty and the Beast. Although not marketed as a B&B re-telling, it has an eerie similarity.
Girl grows up thinking one thing, only to be betrayed by everything she's ever know.
Girl gets swept up into a new world with capturers that she should hate, but doesn't.
Here's where things get dicey....she's not who people want her to be, but she'll sacrifice herself anyways.
This world is imaginative, the story is written very well, but it lacks something. I'm not quite certain I can put my finger on it though. Maybe world building? Giving us glimpses at the lives of all of the species and how they came to hate one another. Could be the lack of understanding in what the motive is once the end goal has been accomplished, what each species has to lose if things for the "bad guys" pan out.
All I know is, that cliffhanger makes book two consume my thoughts.
Thank you WattPad Books, Netgalley, and Grace Collins for gifting me an eARC of Creatures of the Night. This review is being left voluntarily and all opinions are my own.
Girl grows up thinking one thing, only to be betrayed by everything she's ever know.
Girl gets swept up into a new world with capturers that she should hate, but doesn't.
Here's where things get dicey....she's not who people want her to be, but she'll sacrifice herself anyways.
This world is imaginative, the story is written very well, but it lacks something. I'm not quite certain I can put my finger on it though. Maybe world building? Giving us glimpses at the lives of all of the species and how they came to hate one another. Could be the lack of understanding in what the motive is once the end goal has been accomplished, what each species has to lose if things for the "bad guys" pan out.
All I know is, that cliffhanger makes book two consume my thoughts.
Thank you WattPad Books, Netgalley, and Grace Collins for gifting me an eARC of Creatures of the Night. This review is being left voluntarily and all opinions are my own.
April 7, 2024
Creatures of the night
My overall rating: 1
Now I was excited to read this book. I love supporting young authors that started their careers online and Grace Collin’s book intrigued me. I'm sad that this book didn’t reach the expectation I hoped but it's not because of poor writing or anything like that so I'm going to start with talking about what I thought were the good and bad parts of this book:
Pros—————
Concept,
I liked the original concept of the world this story takes place in, with all the brand new creatures and species. Wispers, Hollows, and shifters were all well-formatted and cool ideas that I think the author made easy to understand and follow while still engaging the reader by adding a layer of mystery to it.
Pace,
This book is fast pace and light so I enjoyed reading it when I was kinda tired and didn’t have the energy for really intense word building.
Cons—————
Predictable,
The plot twists in this book were predictable or just depicted as something bland and unshocking. A lot of the plot twists also just got kinda glimpsed by not spending enough time on them at all.
The romance,
I didn’t click with the main love interests and their story in this book. At all. I think their connection was way too rushed and too immediate. It did develop to some degree but it was just always very apparent where it would end up.
Inconsistency,
I think the characters never really shaped their personality at least not the main character. Cassia and the other lesser characters felt more explored than our main character.
Missed opportunity,
I don’t think I got enough moments to like the characters I was reading about. In the first half of the book, I grew to love Cassia with her sass and snappy remarks and her showing emotions and comments about her thoughts but by the second half, all these practically stopped, same with Elias’s charm comments. I think the book being so fast-paced took away moments that could have been like Cassia and Milena opening up to each other or Elias teaching Melina how to read or Eric and Melina having a conversation about why he doesn’t enjoy her company.
Way too fast,
I think the pace of this book is a flaw and a pro so I think it comes down to preference but for me no matter if I found it light to read it felt rushed and stressed. The whole Ana part happened within what felt like two seconds.
Unclear,
I think Melina and Elias’s backstory is blurry and doesn’t fit into the story. And the environment this book takes place in. I was painted a picture of a world where creatures and nonhuman animal-like species roamed the forest earth people living in clans and surviving off of small areas of land but then to find out that there are human orphanages?? So are their cities now or what. And even if we say that a small clan did have orphanages how did the followers not get to them if Ana just seemed to take one.
Ending,
For this section of the review, there are spoilers so if you haven’t read this book skip to the next section
SPOILER ALERT FOR THIS SECTION
I think the ending just felt meh instead of giving both readers and characters time to process and mourn the death of an important character it got pushed into a cliffhanger. It would’ve been much more interesting to leave the book ending with characters truly believing Elias was dead and then by the end creating a dual point perspective giving us a view from Elias’s eyes seeing him hurt or locked up somewhere. I didn’t believe for a second that Elias was truly gone and it kinda ruined the ending for me.
SPOILER AGAIN SRY
Unoriginal,
Now for the biggest reason I gave this book such a low rating, this book is pretty much city of bones by Cassandra Clare in a different font.
Milena is a downgraded version of clary: grew up thinking she was human people try and kill her because she holds power in her blood or something and then she gets help from these mysterious people who have “special abilities”. Oh! And an evil dad ofc.
Then you have Elias who is just another pretty boy like Jace but worse: The savior and leader angel who has golden eyes when using his powers and he immediately feels protective of the main character. He's haunted by his past scared to hurt Milena or should I just say Clary at this point. He also is reviled o have special powers just like Jace. I was honestly shocked to not see a sibling oh nvm were not siblings trope between him and Melina
Then of course we have Eric who is just a less complex version of Alec: bitter attitudes, loyal to rip off Jace, and highly dislikes our downgraded Clary but in this book, we don't have the reason of jealousy like we have in the mortal instruments instead we get no reasoning for his feelings towards Melina. Oh, and Ana took him and Elias in or something like that and they grew up together just like Jace and Alec.
And now for Cassia: What more can I say she’s Izzy. For a while kept wondering to myself why I enjoyed this character so much and then I realized that it's because she’s one of my favorite characters in a different book! When I read that she had white hair I dropped the book (to clear up what I'm talking about it's about Izzy’s iconic wig in the first book). Cassia has the same subtly flirtatious chemistry with Melinda that Izzy has with clary. She also has the same dynamic as Elias and Eric. When Eric said “I disapprove of this” and cassia responded with “you disapprove of everything” I rolled my eyes and said “come on” it's straight out of the mortal instruments.
The whole focus around blood and different clans in the book too is scarily similar to the mortal instruments. The same thing for humans being the victim and also for Melina feeling guilty for being the cause of everything.
looking into Grace collins herself one of her favorite books is City of Bones by Cassandra Clare.
SPOILER OVER
I think the author struggled to find her voice and her own story without being heavily influenced by the authors and books she loves which is something I think every author including myself struggles with. I think Grace Collins has some really big potential and I hope she keeps writing and expressing herself. If there is a sequel to creatures of the night will I read it? Most probably not. If Grace publishes a brand new story will I read that? I’ll be the first to click the pre-order button. I'm excited to see where this young artist does with her skills in the future and I'm curious to see how her work projects more of who she is and brings interesting worlds to the world of literature.
Keep it up Grace 👍
My overall rating: 1
Now I was excited to read this book. I love supporting young authors that started their careers online and Grace Collin’s book intrigued me. I'm sad that this book didn’t reach the expectation I hoped but it's not because of poor writing or anything like that so I'm going to start with talking about what I thought were the good and bad parts of this book:
Pros—————
Concept,
I liked the original concept of the world this story takes place in, with all the brand new creatures and species. Wispers, Hollows, and shifters were all well-formatted and cool ideas that I think the author made easy to understand and follow while still engaging the reader by adding a layer of mystery to it.
Pace,
This book is fast pace and light so I enjoyed reading it when I was kinda tired and didn’t have the energy for really intense word building.
Cons—————
Predictable,
The plot twists in this book were predictable or just depicted as something bland and unshocking. A lot of the plot twists also just got kinda glimpsed by not spending enough time on them at all.
The romance,
I didn’t click with the main love interests and their story in this book. At all. I think their connection was way too rushed and too immediate. It did develop to some degree but it was just always very apparent where it would end up.
Inconsistency,
I think the characters never really shaped their personality at least not the main character. Cassia and the other lesser characters felt more explored than our main character.
Missed opportunity,
I don’t think I got enough moments to like the characters I was reading about. In the first half of the book, I grew to love Cassia with her sass and snappy remarks and her showing emotions and comments about her thoughts but by the second half, all these practically stopped, same with Elias’s charm comments. I think the book being so fast-paced took away moments that could have been like Cassia and Milena opening up to each other or Elias teaching Melina how to read or Eric and Melina having a conversation about why he doesn’t enjoy her company.
Way too fast,
I think the pace of this book is a flaw and a pro so I think it comes down to preference but for me no matter if I found it light to read it felt rushed and stressed. The whole Ana part happened within what felt like two seconds.
Unclear,
I think Melina and Elias’s backstory is blurry and doesn’t fit into the story. And the environment this book takes place in. I was painted a picture of a world where creatures and nonhuman animal-like species roamed the forest earth people living in clans and surviving off of small areas of land but then to find out that there are human orphanages?? So are their cities now or what. And even if we say that a small clan did have orphanages how did the followers not get to them if Ana just seemed to take one.
Ending,
For this section of the review, there are spoilers so if you haven’t read this book skip to the next section
SPOILER ALERT FOR THIS SECTION
I think the ending just felt meh instead of giving both readers and characters time to process and mourn the death of an important character it got pushed into a cliffhanger. It would’ve been much more interesting to leave the book ending with characters truly believing Elias was dead and then by the end creating a dual point perspective giving us a view from Elias’s eyes seeing him hurt or locked up somewhere. I didn’t believe for a second that Elias was truly gone and it kinda ruined the ending for me.
SPOILER AGAIN SRY
Unoriginal,
Now for the biggest reason I gave this book such a low rating, this book is pretty much city of bones by Cassandra Clare in a different font.
Milena is a downgraded version of clary: grew up thinking she was human people try and kill her because she holds power in her blood or something and then she gets help from these mysterious people who have “special abilities”. Oh! And an evil dad ofc.
Then you have Elias who is just another pretty boy like Jace but worse: The savior and leader angel who has golden eyes when using his powers and he immediately feels protective of the main character. He's haunted by his past scared to hurt Milena or should I just say Clary at this point. He also is reviled o have special powers just like Jace. I was honestly shocked to not see a sibling oh nvm were not siblings trope between him and Melina
Then of course we have Eric who is just a less complex version of Alec: bitter attitudes, loyal to rip off Jace, and highly dislikes our downgraded Clary but in this book, we don't have the reason of jealousy like we have in the mortal instruments instead we get no reasoning for his feelings towards Melina. Oh, and Ana took him and Elias in or something like that and they grew up together just like Jace and Alec.
And now for Cassia: What more can I say she’s Izzy. For a while kept wondering to myself why I enjoyed this character so much and then I realized that it's because she’s one of my favorite characters in a different book! When I read that she had white hair I dropped the book (to clear up what I'm talking about it's about Izzy’s iconic wig in the first book). Cassia has the same subtly flirtatious chemistry with Melinda that Izzy has with clary. She also has the same dynamic as Elias and Eric. When Eric said “I disapprove of this” and cassia responded with “you disapprove of everything” I rolled my eyes and said “come on” it's straight out of the mortal instruments.
The whole focus around blood and different clans in the book too is scarily similar to the mortal instruments. The same thing for humans being the victim and also for Melina feeling guilty for being the cause of everything.
looking into Grace collins herself one of her favorite books is City of Bones by Cassandra Clare.
SPOILER OVER
I think the author struggled to find her voice and her own story without being heavily influenced by the authors and books she loves which is something I think every author including myself struggles with. I think Grace Collins has some really big potential and I hope she keeps writing and expressing herself. If there is a sequel to creatures of the night will I read it? Most probably not. If Grace publishes a brand new story will I read that? I’ll be the first to click the pre-order button. I'm excited to see where this young artist does with her skills in the future and I'm curious to see how her work projects more of who she is and brings interesting worlds to the world of literature.
Keep it up Grace 👍
September 1, 2021
I haven’t read a werewolf book in a hot minute, so I was excited to pick up Creatures of the Night! Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my expectations, and I ended up having to really push myself through it.
For one, the characters just seem cold and boring. There wasn’t any personality that leapt off the page, nothing to separate many of the characters (they just seemed too similar to one another to be interesting), and the romance was sort of there, but not really. The protagonist comes off as a pick-me-girl, and is so naive that it was getting on my nerves.
As for the plot, it wasn’t that exciting, and sadly lacked the ability to grab my attention. The lore and worldbuilding in the book was a bit confusing, and also just left the reader clueless. It was a sort of mess by the end of the story, and I ended up with more questions than answers.
I was also surprised by how choppy the writing was, and how bland it read. The setting and the dialogue didn’t flow nicely, and instead of losing myself in the book, I kept zoning out. The chapters didn’t have a nice rise and fall either, so as for the writing mechanics, it wasn’t the best.
It was the closest I’ve been to DNFing in awhile, and this was only one in a series of books I really didn’t enjoy, but I managed to finish it. Personally, I don’t recommend this book, but if werewolf romances are your thing, you might want to give it a try! I’ll be giving it 1/5 stars, because I just plain did not like this book at all.
Thank you to Wattpad Books for a chance to read an ARC! Creatures of the Night is in stores now.
For one, the characters just seem cold and boring. There wasn’t any personality that leapt off the page, nothing to separate many of the characters (they just seemed too similar to one another to be interesting), and the romance was sort of there, but not really. The protagonist comes off as a pick-me-girl, and is so naive that it was getting on my nerves.
As for the plot, it wasn’t that exciting, and sadly lacked the ability to grab my attention. The lore and worldbuilding in the book was a bit confusing, and also just left the reader clueless. It was a sort of mess by the end of the story, and I ended up with more questions than answers.
I was also surprised by how choppy the writing was, and how bland it read. The setting and the dialogue didn’t flow nicely, and instead of losing myself in the book, I kept zoning out. The chapters didn’t have a nice rise and fall either, so as for the writing mechanics, it wasn’t the best.
It was the closest I’ve been to DNFing in awhile, and this was only one in a series of books I really didn’t enjoy, but I managed to finish it. Personally, I don’t recommend this book, but if werewolf romances are your thing, you might want to give it a try! I’ll be giving it 1/5 stars, because I just plain did not like this book at all.
Thank you to Wattpad Books for a chance to read an ARC! Creatures of the Night is in stores now.
August 22, 2021
In 2019, I fell in love with Creatures of the Night. 🌙
I've fallen back in love with this story now. I freaked out when I got the physical copy in my hands!! The themes on identity, trust, and sensation of belonging is the heart of this new adult, Milena is twenty years old, supernatural thriller story. The pacing is impeccable, Milena's voice has me transported to the world.
I don't want to give too much away. There are secrets. Twists and turns. Elias. 💕 I adore Elias, and the characterization for Eric and Flo are amazing.
What's refreshing is that the characters are themselves: messy, make choices (sometimes good and sometimes bad) and there were actions because of them. It's a beautiful story. I highly recommend Creatures of the Night! 🤗
I've fallen back in love with this story now. I freaked out when I got the physical copy in my hands!! The themes on identity, trust, and sensation of belonging is the heart of this new adult, Milena is twenty years old, supernatural thriller story. The pacing is impeccable, Milena's voice has me transported to the world.
I don't want to give too much away. There are secrets. Twists and turns. Elias. 💕 I adore Elias, and the characterization for Eric and Flo are amazing.
What's refreshing is that the characters are themselves: messy, make choices (sometimes good and sometimes bad) and there were actions because of them. It's a beautiful story. I highly recommend Creatures of the Night! 🤗
January 5, 2022
4.5 Stars✨
I was intrigued right from the beginning. Though I am normally not a fan of werewolves this book really surprised me. I read through the book in little more than a day and especially the last 90 pages definitely had me one the edge of my seat, I couldn’t flip the pages fast enough. I love a good cliffhanger and am really excited for the second book.
I really liked the romance. Perfect slow burn and all the jearning - we love to see it!🙏🏼
All the characters where intriguing and you never really knew who was on whoms side. I hope there will be some further development of the side characters and their relationships in the next book.
I think there is still some room for improvement in terms of world building and character development though as this a debut novel I think Grace Collins really did an amazing job and I could feel her passion for the story throughout the entire book!
If you are looking for a fast, compelling read with slow burn, strangers to lovers and a not-so-usual fantasy setting this is the book for you!
I was intrigued right from the beginning. Though I am normally not a fan of werewolves this book really surprised me. I read through the book in little more than a day and especially the last 90 pages definitely had me one the edge of my seat, I couldn’t flip the pages fast enough. I love a good cliffhanger and am really excited for the second book.
I really liked the romance. Perfect slow burn and all the jearning - we love to see it!🙏🏼
All the characters where intriguing and you never really knew who was on whoms side. I hope there will be some further development of the side characters and their relationships in the next book.
I think there is still some room for improvement in terms of world building and character development though as this a debut novel I think Grace Collins really did an amazing job and I could feel her passion for the story throughout the entire book!
If you are looking for a fast, compelling read with slow burn, strangers to lovers and a not-so-usual fantasy setting this is the book for you!
September 11, 2023
Okayyy, soooo....
I picked this up as a joke. I've read it in 2 DAYS!
I wasn't supposed to like it this much! And it wasn't even a bad story! I couldn't put the book down.
The first 200 pages were fine, world building and character communication were all right.
BUT the last 100 pages all happed in a few hours, plus it ends on a major cliffhanger. Although I liked this book I don't think I will read the rest of the saga. It's like a professional wattpad story.
I would recommend if you want to have a fun time and explore this kind of trope.
I picked this up as a joke. I've read it in 2 DAYS!
I wasn't supposed to like it this much! And it wasn't even a bad story! I couldn't put the book down.
The first 200 pages were fine, world building and character communication were all right.
BUT the last 100 pages all happed in a few hours, plus it ends on a major cliffhanger. Although I liked this book I don't think I will read the rest of the saga. It's like a professional wattpad story.
I would recommend if you want to have a fun time and explore this kind of trope.
December 5, 2022
This was a super fast, and entertaining read. I enjoyed the different fantastical elements that we're introduced to, such as wispers. I think I would've enjoyed this a lot more if I could connect with the characters more. The MC felt very one dimensional and the romance wasn't as passionate as I would've hoped. But nonetheless, a great story!
April 20, 2022
The blurb on the back was absolutely not kidding when it said that this book would be equal parts suspense, mystery, and romance.
If you like all three of these characteristics in a book AND paranormal stories about shape shifters surrounded by a complex female lead, then you're in for a treat.
If you like all three of these characteristics in a book AND paranormal stories about shape shifters surrounded by a complex female lead, then you're in for a treat.
July 12, 2021
3.5⭐️
This was such a unique twist on the vampire/werewolf trope! It definitely gave me all the Cursebreakers & Beauty and the Beast vibes which I just loved. I was hoping for a little more, especially on the romance scale and general world development, BUT. Overall, I really enjoyed it and that plot twist ending!! So good.
Milena has been anxiously awaiting her 20th birthday when everything will finally change for her. She'll become a hunter and will, at last, be accepted in her village. But everything changes when a creature of the night is caught and imprisoned unexpectedly bringing their mysterious leader into her life, causing her to question everything she's ever believed and known to be real and true.
• Read This If You Like •
— wolf shifters
— fairy tale feels
— mysteriousness + intrigue
— secret identity
— forest + mountain settings
— fire magic + hybrid magical creatures
— vampire/werewolf trope
— slow burn, push & pull romance
Creatures of the Night will be out this week on July 13th. Thanks so much to the Wattpad Books and Edelweiss+ for my advanced e-copy!
This was such a unique twist on the vampire/werewolf trope! It definitely gave me all the Cursebreakers & Beauty and the Beast vibes which I just loved. I was hoping for a little more, especially on the romance scale and general world development, BUT. Overall, I really enjoyed it and that plot twist ending!! So good.
Milena has been anxiously awaiting her 20th birthday when everything will finally change for her. She'll become a hunter and will, at last, be accepted in her village. But everything changes when a creature of the night is caught and imprisoned unexpectedly bringing their mysterious leader into her life, causing her to question everything she's ever believed and known to be real and true.
• Read This If You Like •
— wolf shifters
— fairy tale feels
— mysteriousness + intrigue
— secret identity
— forest + mountain settings
— fire magic + hybrid magical creatures
— vampire/werewolf trope
— slow burn, push & pull romance
Creatures of the Night will be out this week on July 13th. Thanks so much to the Wattpad Books and Edelweiss+ for my advanced e-copy!
June 30, 2021
It’s like the Maze Runner and Robin McKinley’s Beauty had a baby. And it grew up in woods divided by interspecies rivalry.
Is there romance? Yes. ;)
A world you want to live in for a few hours? Absolutely.
Will I be reading the second? Please give me nowwwww.
Definitely YA. So settle yourself in for some drama, angst and cheese.
That said, the thoughtfulness of this book caught me off guard.
When a MC is traumatized in the first pages of a book, I buckle up for an individualistic (unrealistic) triumph over crippling psychological odds. It pains me.
So when this one tackled it head on—I was surprised, to say the least. We got…
- the confusing subtleties of domestic abuse; excuses and affection in the midst of betrayal.
- What it means to trust again. (I mean RIP OUT MY HEART with the loyalty, love and friendship arcs!!)
- How much time healing really takes. A lot of which is done alone and even more done of which is done in community.
Also: death and killing aren’t just glossed over (?!). Paranormal can be pretty brutal when it comes to killing. So I loved the tension between life and violence in this book.
Ok. Critiques. I have three.
The relationship occasionally felt a little forced. I think it was the dialogue. Every once in a while, felt like a beat was dropped. Like the romance was bubbled away so the dialogue was divided—only a few times (glorious, heart rending times) did their moments feel super closely linked to the plot.
Milena was a little hard to track w emotionally. I felt like most scenes needed an emotional tracking announcement. Which I feel like is part of deciding to explore the realities of trauma. It’s a rollercoaster. And I don’t envy the writer their task. However, it sometimes felt stilted to get these emotional updates.
Finally, some of the side characters felt like caricatures. I almost didn’t include this critique because at the end our two main sides get so much extra dimension they practically became full meals in their own right. But until then they were a little 1:D (probably to compensate for the emotional journey of Milena). Some people don’t like that. Didn’t bother me over much. The comic relief was needed.
Overall, a very lovely afternoon spent. :)
Is there romance? Yes. ;)
A world you want to live in for a few hours? Absolutely.
Will I be reading the second? Please give me nowwwww.
Definitely YA. So settle yourself in for some drama, angst and cheese.
That said, the thoughtfulness of this book caught me off guard.
When a MC is traumatized in the first pages of a book, I buckle up for an individualistic (unrealistic) triumph over crippling psychological odds. It pains me.
So when this one tackled it head on—I was surprised, to say the least. We got…
- the confusing subtleties of domestic abuse; excuses and affection in the midst of betrayal.
- What it means to trust again. (I mean RIP OUT MY HEART with the loyalty, love and friendship arcs!!)
- How much time healing really takes. A lot of which is done alone and even more done of which is done in community.
Also: death and killing aren’t just glossed over (?!). Paranormal can be pretty brutal when it comes to killing. So I loved the tension between life and violence in this book.
Ok. Critiques. I have three.
The relationship occasionally felt a little forced. I think it was the dialogue. Every once in a while, felt like a beat was dropped. Like the romance was bubbled away so the dialogue was divided—only a few times (glorious, heart rending times) did their moments feel super closely linked to the plot.
Milena was a little hard to track w emotionally. I felt like most scenes needed an emotional tracking announcement. Which I feel like is part of deciding to explore the realities of trauma. It’s a rollercoaster. And I don’t envy the writer their task. However, it sometimes felt stilted to get these emotional updates.
Finally, some of the side characters felt like caricatures. I almost didn’t include this critique because at the end our two main sides get so much extra dimension they practically became full meals in their own right. But until then they were a little 1:D (probably to compensate for the emotional journey of Milena). Some people don’t like that. Didn’t bother me over much. The comic relief was needed.
Overall, a very lovely afternoon spent. :)
July 19, 2021
This book was surprising! I really enjoyed it and read it in one sitting. I am now letting my 13 year old daughter read it. Fair warning, there is definitely some violence in this book. The book also ends on a cliff hanger. I cannot wait to see how it ends!
July 18, 2022
Honestly love this unique perspective on werewolves and shifters and the like. It didn't feel like every other books I've read and I enjoyed that. Also the romance was wonderful.
I really would love a sequel to this because that ending needs to be addressed. Properly.
I really would love a sequel to this because that ending needs to be addressed. Properly.
July 6, 2021
I was absolutely enthralled with the plot of Creatures of the Night. The flow of the writing was beautifully done and the plot was well spaced out in my opinion. I have been very excited about reading this book and was not disappointed at all.
Creatures of the Night follows an enemies to lovers plot involving Milena, a member of a village who hunts the creatures of the night. Milena is an enjoyable FMC with a mysterious past and curious nature. I did feel like her character could use some more depth but the foreshadowing in this book tells me that the next installment will be revealing for sure.
I felt like the chemistry in this book was very YA and slow burn. The world building was very easy to follow which is appreciated. It was fun reading a book that focused mainly on plot and relationships between characters.
I definitely had fun reading this book and would recommend it for a quick YA Fantasy read !
Creatures of the Night follows an enemies to lovers plot involving Milena, a member of a village who hunts the creatures of the night. Milena is an enjoyable FMC with a mysterious past and curious nature. I did feel like her character could use some more depth but the foreshadowing in this book tells me that the next installment will be revealing for sure.
I felt like the chemistry in this book was very YA and slow burn. The world building was very easy to follow which is appreciated. It was fun reading a book that focused mainly on plot and relationships between characters.
I definitely had fun reading this book and would recommend it for a quick YA Fantasy read !
July 5, 2021
I received an ARC for an honest review.
At the beginning of this novel, we meet Milena who lives in a set of caves. Her "people" have been hunting the Creatures in the wood for years and when she turns twenty she finally gets to go on her first hunt but it doesn't go how she thought it would go. She then learns everything in her life isn't what she thought it was.
I enjoyed this novel. Milena one of the main characters was a relatable character. I loved that further into the book and as she learned more about this world than she thought she knew. She took steps to try and do the right thing. She was someone who didn't want anybody protecting her because she can protect her self and I admire that in a person. I liked the character development and enjoyed the story. This was an original concept I hadn't read anywhere before. I loved being immersed in this world and can't wait for the sequel.
At the beginning of this novel, we meet Milena who lives in a set of caves. Her "people" have been hunting the Creatures in the wood for years and when she turns twenty she finally gets to go on her first hunt but it doesn't go how she thought it would go. She then learns everything in her life isn't what she thought it was.
I enjoyed this novel. Milena one of the main characters was a relatable character. I loved that further into the book and as she learned more about this world than she thought she knew. She took steps to try and do the right thing. She was someone who didn't want anybody protecting her because she can protect her self and I admire that in a person. I liked the character development and enjoyed the story. This was an original concept I hadn't read anywhere before. I loved being immersed in this world and can't wait for the sequel.
April 15, 2024
Synopsis
Milena’s biggest dream from the time she was a little girl was to become a huntress like her guardian Charles, and the leader of their people. However, he and his people had different plans for her. What she knew was that they were hunting the monsters they called creatures of the night. She always saw murderers in them while they were only protecting their people from her people. She learned about it soon after she turned twenty. On her twentieth birthday she learned that she won’t become a huntress, but a sacrifice. Charles was raising, and protecting her this whole time just to sacrifice her for immortality. She was lucky enough that someone was always nearby watching her, and making sure she wouldn't get hurt. On the day of the sacrifice, the leader of the creatures of the night came to her rescue. He took her away and shared the truth with her. Now it’s her turn to decide what to do with this knowledge and learn who she can trust.
Book Review
I think I didn’t read any books about werewolves for about ten years. When I started reading books they all were about vampires and werewolves, so after reading a thousand of them, I didn't feel like reading stories like this anymore. However, since I had a good surprise with books like Crave, and The Beautiful that was about vampires, I decided to give this book a chance. It was so good that I read it in two days. I wasn’t expecting it, and imagine my shock when after two hours I was already halfway through the book.
The world in this book was divided into four species; humans, shifters, hollowers, and whispers. The whispers were the most powerful of them all because of their unique powers, however, with years they became almost extinct since only one of them was left behind on the earth. Wolf shifters dedicated their lives to protecting the vulnerable humans from the colonies of hollowers that are feeding on them to survive. This was the first thing that intrigued me to read it because of its uniqueness. I liked the fact that when you read the book you learn about this world together with Milena since she found out about all of this first when she was taken away from hollowers. It let me understand the world and the story better.
In the beginning, I thought the trope in this book was the chosen one but how wrong I was. The book is full of plot twists and you never know what’s gonna happen next, and who you and Milena can trust. Milena grew a lot as a person in this book since after she was betrayed by her only family she didn’t know who he was. It took her quite some time to figure it out but it also made her stronger. Elias was a great help to her. He made her feel safe for the first time in a long time. He gave her a place to belong, and people to care about. You have no idea how badly I wanted them to be together. You can feel the chemistry between them but he keeps his distance, which made me drive crazy. Well, I understand why he does it but man it’s so frustrating.
Elias is my favorite character in this book but it’s not a surprise. Mysterious and powerful guys were always my weakness. He has something in himself that you just want to get more and more scenes with him. I still feel I didn’t get enough of him, so I hope there will be a second book since there is such a cliffhanger at the end of the book.
What else can I tell you? If you are looking for an original story with new species and a unique plot then you should read this book. It will not disappoint you! I would like to thank FavoritePages, Grace Collins, and Wattpad Books for including me in the blog tour for this book. I cannot wait to read the next book in this series!
Milena’s biggest dream from the time she was a little girl was to become a huntress like her guardian Charles, and the leader of their people. However, he and his people had different plans for her. What she knew was that they were hunting the monsters they called creatures of the night. She always saw murderers in them while they were only protecting their people from her people. She learned about it soon after she turned twenty. On her twentieth birthday she learned that she won’t become a huntress, but a sacrifice. Charles was raising, and protecting her this whole time just to sacrifice her for immortality. She was lucky enough that someone was always nearby watching her, and making sure she wouldn't get hurt. On the day of the sacrifice, the leader of the creatures of the night came to her rescue. He took her away and shared the truth with her. Now it’s her turn to decide what to do with this knowledge and learn who she can trust.
Book Review
I think I didn’t read any books about werewolves for about ten years. When I started reading books they all were about vampires and werewolves, so after reading a thousand of them, I didn't feel like reading stories like this anymore. However, since I had a good surprise with books like Crave, and The Beautiful that was about vampires, I decided to give this book a chance. It was so good that I read it in two days. I wasn’t expecting it, and imagine my shock when after two hours I was already halfway through the book.
The world in this book was divided into four species; humans, shifters, hollowers, and whispers. The whispers were the most powerful of them all because of their unique powers, however, with years they became almost extinct since only one of them was left behind on the earth. Wolf shifters dedicated their lives to protecting the vulnerable humans from the colonies of hollowers that are feeding on them to survive. This was the first thing that intrigued me to read it because of its uniqueness. I liked the fact that when you read the book you learn about this world together with Milena since she found out about all of this first when she was taken away from hollowers. It let me understand the world and the story better.
In the beginning, I thought the trope in this book was the chosen one but how wrong I was. The book is full of plot twists and you never know what’s gonna happen next, and who you and Milena can trust. Milena grew a lot as a person in this book since after she was betrayed by her only family she didn’t know who he was. It took her quite some time to figure it out but it also made her stronger. Elias was a great help to her. He made her feel safe for the first time in a long time. He gave her a place to belong, and people to care about. You have no idea how badly I wanted them to be together. You can feel the chemistry between them but he keeps his distance, which made me drive crazy. Well, I understand why he does it but man it’s so frustrating.
Elias is my favorite character in this book but it’s not a surprise. Mysterious and powerful guys were always my weakness. He has something in himself that you just want to get more and more scenes with him. I still feel I didn’t get enough of him, so I hope there will be a second book since there is such a cliffhanger at the end of the book.
What else can I tell you? If you are looking for an original story with new species and a unique plot then you should read this book. It will not disappoint you! I would like to thank FavoritePages, Grace Collins, and Wattpad Books for including me in the blog tour for this book. I cannot wait to read the next book in this series!
Displaying 1 - 29 of 134 reviews