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When the creature from your nightmares turns out to be the woman of your dreams...

Nadezhda is running away from her problems—mainly her family's supernatural murder cult that's constantly putting her loved ones in danger. Fortunately, her grandmother left her the house at the edge of a swamplife preserve so she can go off-grid for a while.

It turns out the shack isn't the only thing she's inherited—the ancient kikimora who followed her family from Ukraine years ago is still dwelling in the swamp and she's looking for an offering.

Suddenly the tales Nadezhda heard of the creature don't seem so scary anymore, and she's willing to fight off her natural instincts to run if it means she gets to give herself to the most beautiful monster.

Content Warnings:
This book is intended for the 18 and up audience. It contains graphic sex, oral sex, use of sex toys. There some mentions of emotional abuse from family members, discussions about murder-for-hire, a scene with a dead body, conspiracy to murder a family member, and post-breakup sadness. More detailed warnings are listed on the author's website.

104 pages, ebook

First published January 27, 2022

190 people are currently reading
1933 people want to read

About the author

Darva Green

21 books244 followers

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5 stars
319 (20%)
4 stars
481 (30%)
3 stars
555 (34%)
2 stars
189 (11%)
1 star
47 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 290 reviews
Profile Image for Leo.
4,984 reviews627 followers
November 21, 2024
Short but oh so sweet and very hot novella. Lived the characters and the romance between them but also liked the plot even if it was brief due to it being a novella.
Profile Image for Della B.
653 reviews179 followers
January 22, 2022
This novel definitely lives up to its billing of being a steamy romance. The monster is an ancient kikimora which lives in the swamp behind the home where Dez lived with her grandmother. After her grandmother’s passing, Dez returns looking for peace and quiet to work on her art and remove herself from being accessible and exploitable by her family. The family all have paranormal abilities which they use to rid the world of evil. Though it is a noble cause, Dez is just not into killing people .

The story is an interesting concept which would benefit from more background on Dez’s family and their business. What we are given is the barest amount possible to progress the plot. There is a lot of steam and sex between Dez and the swamp kikimora with a lesson to be learned about loving the real person underneath our façades. Although She Came from the Swamp was not my cup of tea I know others will really enjoy it.

I received an advance review copy from BookSirens and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for AnnMaree Of Oz.
1,510 reviews131 followers
January 28, 2022
I've really enjoyed these UnCanny Case Files that have been releasing from time to time. Obviously I've stuck to the FF tales, but there's het and mm offerings, too!

This one is on Kindle Unlimited and I would recommend it, and others I have read.

They are all steamy, with a supernatural plot. I felt this one had more depth than others I have read. Although I certainly still have questions about our two leading ladies and their powers and abilities!

Nadezhda has certain gifts of dreamwork magic and her entire family has other stronger powers which she is desperate to get away from, and their nefarious deeds. She has returned to her passed GrandMothers house near the swamps of Florida to try and get some peace. But she finds herself haunted by a strange swamp creature. Kikimora is described as being a strange swamp creature that sounds a lot like Poison Ivy from the comics with similar powers lol. But also more abilities too.

Together they are lonely hearts looking for something more. It was touching as we learnt more and more about both women's pasts and inability to connect to others because of overbearing family experiences.

So while yes there is 'monster fucking' and these may well be the hook that captures your attention, the reel is the stories of the characters and their struggles, which I found very touching. Check it out!
Profile Image for Netgyrl (Laura).
625 reviews217 followers
October 31, 2023
4 stars - Surprisingly sweet monster erotic romance.

When the story first started, I was a bit skeptical. The monster was very "monstery." I did not really understand the attraction. But as it went on, and we got to know the kikimora better, it turns out she was sweet and very protective, and I started to get into it a little better. I enjoyed the ending as well.
Profile Image for gpears.
223 reviews5 followers
December 21, 2023
conducting research on the state of lesbian romantasy/monsterfawking…and well..it’s not looking good for us 😭 this was Camp tho and pretty decent for what it was but the taylor swift evermore JUMPSCARE in a sex scene just sent me 😭
Profile Image for Heather.
733 reviews11 followers
October 3, 2023
Fun Sexy Monster Romance!

So interesting and wonderfully descriptive! Very steamy, well done and moves the story along. Fairly quick short read. Fun and flirty. Scary and sexy. I loved it!
Profile Image for lauraღ.
2,343 reviews171 followers
January 29, 2022
Welp, that was that. I’d lived a nice life. Sure, it was a little weird, but dying because I was too horny to run seemed a fitting end for me.

Okay, this was freaking delightful! I've never read anything quite like it; the author describes it as 'nightmare-fuel-to-lovers'. Unorthodox, but really fun and sexy, striking the perfect tone and building up this lovely, tender, steamy romance. And yet it still had this sort of melancholy, creeping atmosphere to it that I just loved.

Nadezhda inherits her grandmother's old house at the edge of a swamp, and returns to it when the supernatural shenanigans plaguing her life start hurting those around her. But lurking in the swamp (and also in her dreams) is the monster her grandmother told her about, the one she'd always been terrified of as a child, but feels an overwhelming attraction to now. The romance is unconventional, to say the least, but so freaking good. I loved their banter and flirtation, the pull that they felt towards each other, the way they were connected. That connection wasn't very well explained (unless I somehow missed it) but I still adored the idea of it. The world is a pretty interesting one, and I'd love to read more stories in it. But mostly I just really liked this for the characters, who both charmed me so thoroughly. I wouldn't have thought I'd read and thoroughly enjoy a book about a sexy swamp lady, but the author nailed it. Huge kudos.

Content warnings: at the bottom of the blurb, by the author

“I did not appreciate the offering you left for me. Perhaps you’d like to offer me something else?”
Profile Image for Billy ⋆。・☽・⋆* (semi-hiatus).
145 reviews4 followers
January 29, 2024
I had an absolute blast with this book, and it's incredibly steamy. By the way, Goodreads is missing a third alternate cover - which is a beautiful cover! But not to worry, Darva Green's Instagram has got us covered (DG insta link: https://www.instagram.com/p/CvKnJwXLU4e/)

When I first read the blurb just three days ago and saw that the creature was named "kikimora," I realized how little I remembered (or knew) of Eastern European mythology. This sparked a rabbit hole journey through Wikipedia, and I was absolutely captivated by what I read. And honestly, I've always had a deep passion for mythology in all its forms, from every corner of the world. So I was definitely intrigued by the blurb and what the author would be presenting.

Suggention/Recommendation: If you, like me, aren't quite sure what a kikimora is and you plan to dive into this book, I'd suggest a quick web search. It'll give you valuable context and common info about the subject (just to skim through). Plus, it can make your reading experience extra enjoyable.

My positive aspects:
-Engaging plot (The plot here is not only engaging but also genuinely interesting);
- Simple yet amazing world-building (What struck me about this book was the world-building; it's simple yet somehow astoundingly effective);
- Beautiful description of Nature (One of the most enchanting parts of nature, wetlands and swamp areas, is very well described throughout the book - besides I'm a sucker for swamps/wetlands);
- Realistic dynamics and chemistry between MCs (This story isn't just about the steamy scenes, although there are plenty of those! It also delves into the realness of the main characters' relationship and the challenges they face. And this depth is achieved in just 100 pages - impressive!);
- Well written! (The author's writing style is not just enjoyable but also incredibly captivating).

My overall experience with this book was absolutely enjoyable. And I'm looking forward to diving into the rest of the series and exploring more of this author's works.

(Edit: forgot to mention, I'm not a swifty fan - and the author mentions that they hear taylor swift 🫤 so I kind of ingnored that info 🤗 tho it did not ruin my reading experience.)

- 2nd read - and it's still fun!
Profile Image for Gabriella.
326 reviews85 followers
January 10, 2025
This was pretty good but I didn’t connect with it as much as I’d hoped. I would have liked more romance development and fewer sex scenes.
Profile Image for  Bon.
1,349 reviews198 followers
February 3, 2022
Ahhhh, I loved this unashamedly in all its botanical sapphic glory! From the fully-fleshed out characters to the hints at the story continuing, I thoroughly enjoyed this romp in the swamp.

Our protagonist Dez is a nicely rounded character. Her narrative voice was super funny. Only a few pages in we know Dez is post-breakup, an artist, really in shape, with a cute dog, and more than a passing familiarity with disposing of dead bodies. She must also often place wards before sleeping at night, lest pesky sex demons or other nefarious things intrude. That was very entertaining and I was immediately invested. PLUS, SHE LIVES IN A SWAMP HUT!!! This book truly had me living my best bog witch dreams.

I liked that things with villain Dmitri were left open-ended, and also that the Uncanny agents appeared, bringing together this series' universe. And the magical dream-walking was interesting, as were all of the Kikimora's powers. The little road trip was a charming inclusion.

The, shall we say vegetative aspects of Mora's physique were so cool. And of course I loved the Show Me Your True Form, and the sex was written fantastically. *cough* VINES *cough*

5 enthusiastic stars.
Profile Image for Sky. .
348 reviews1 follower
November 1, 2023
I kept picturing Kikimora as the monster in the show Swamp things, and that’s definitely not hot or sexy at all 💀😂😂😂
Profile Image for kim ☆.
76 reviews96 followers
April 18, 2025
finally managed to finish the 106 page long lesbian swamp monster smut i started almost a year ago everyone cheer please
Profile Image for BookishKB.
834 reviews207 followers
February 4, 2025
I was so excited to read this as it had been recommend to me by multiple friends. I was disappointed with it to be honest.
The beginning felt awkward and Dez’s family background was only half explained. Even though it was pretty central to the plot.
There was also an annoying third act breakup. 😑
Profile Image for Alex (HEABookNerd).
2,440 reviews
March 1, 2022
I really enjoyed SHE CAME FROM THE SWAMP and it was a super spicy romance. Nadezhda just wants her family to leave her alone so staying at her late grandmother's swamp house seems perfect. That is until her dreamwalking brings her in contact with the elusive kikimora that Nadezhda always thought were just tall tales.

I've been dipping my toes into monster romance lately and the monster in this one, a kikimora, is definitely the most monster-like in appearance that I've read so far. (Note to interested readers: this is not the kikimora from The Witcher that comes up when you Google image search, that one is really scary eeee.)

I found Mora's story and history really interesting and I loved that Nadezhda was attracted to and loved Mora's true form. Mora was a bit self-conscious about her appearance but Nadezhda made it very clear that she wanted Mora just the way she was. And hello to that hot tub scene, hot in more ways than one.

I do wish there had been a better explanation or introduction to Nadezhda's murder cult family. It was all just kind of thrown at the readers and I never fully understood what was going on there.

Content Warning: references to the recent death of Nadezhda's grandmother; pressure, bullying, and intimidation from family members.
Profile Image for Liv - Livslibrarylabyrinth.
216 reviews39 followers
December 22, 2024
Why are there so many references to Taylor Swift in a monster smut novella 😭

This book started off so well that it made me really excited to read it, but it unfortunately felt rushed overall.

My main problems were (which may not be a problem for you):
- The main character apparently has powers but I don't understand what these powers are as they were never really explained.
- There was a bunch of family drama with a family business but again, this isn't really explained.
- There was a third act breakup (despite the book only being 100ish pages long) that just came out of nowhere.
- It was insta lust with zero chemistry at the start. She just kind of saw the swamp monster and then felt horny.

I did enjoy the Slavic elements and the beginning was set up to be semi horror which I really enjoyed.

I liked the writing for the most part so will probably still read more from this author.
Profile Image for Erica.
706 reviews847 followers
April 6, 2025
this was in fact a book i read
Profile Image for Lake.
519 reviews50 followers
September 29, 2022
High steam FF monster romance

I liked this a whole lot. Dez is a great character, and I love that she's buff and muscled, and works out often. The kikimora is ofcourse 7 feet tall and immensely strong. I loved the folklore - with a little bit of the leshy, rusalka, and domovoi! - and the character backstories. It's part of a series of classified case files for an Uncanny Society. A longer book with more about Dez's family business (of murder) would have been great, but I try not to make too many demands of novellas. But novellas do not need 80% breakups, so I could have done without that.

PS. Reading my highlights reminded me how much I liked the way strength is written here. Dez is a strong character, physically and mentally, and the kikimora is supernaturally strong and powerful. But no one can be strong forever, and Mora and Dez support each other without the infantilizing kind of 'smol teeny tiny human and tol superhuman being' common in fantasy romance. They're able to accept help without suddenly becoming helpless damsels. I didn't think this was so rare until reading it made me realise I haven't come across it all that often.
Profile Image for Victoria.
527 reviews80 followers
January 23, 2022
I love the human/non-human trope, mostly shape-shifter, vampire, demon, or even human/spirit. But I don’t think I have ever read one with monster/human, like literally a maw-mouth with seaweed hair that kind of monster. I felt bizarre in the first few chapters, still trying to keep up the pace, but the more I read, the more I found I was enjoying it, and in the end they have grown on me! I only wish there were more background stories of the two MCs

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for K.C..
Author 20 books261 followers
January 18, 2022
Hot F/F monster romance!
Sexy kikimora/swamp lady who turns into a hot goth girl? Can I get a HELLZ YEAH? The relationship development between Mora and Dez was effortless, hot, and romantic all in one. The paranormal world building based on legends was immersive while at the same time so down to earth, it felt believable. As the story progressed, both women found not only each other but also who they truly are.
I’ll definitely be reading more from the author in the future!
Profile Image for Tuni.
1,037 reviews5 followers
January 17, 2024
It was just a mess. Vague half explained backstory and family drama that could have just been cut entirely. A relationship that was instalust without any real work or explanation put into them actually being a couple. So we get the quickest get together, break up, and then reconciliation in the last three chapters.

The family drama and what not COULD be interesting, but not in a limited space novella. If we are going for a short smutty lesbian swamp monster erotica, just lean all in.
Profile Image for thosemeddlingkids.
796 reviews77 followers
June 7, 2025
3.5 stars

Quick, fun & horny sapphic monster romance. Imagine having a horny dream and the monster you are fucking turns out to be very much alive and haunting the swamp of the newly found home you've inherited. Ooops.

Not much plot or depth, but this was a fun listen.

CW for again, too many Taylor Swift references, why? lol
Profile Image for b (tobias forge's version).
908 reviews21 followers
Read
October 2, 2023
I've been wanting to explore the wild world of monsterfucker romances for awhile, but the vast majority of them I come across are straight, and that's just not my thing. So I was intrigued when I found this one while browsing through Kindle Unlimited.

Admittedly, I downloaded it partially for the bit, but... I really liked it. I'm not even sure why I'm surprised: I love books about inheritances, I love spooky things and folkloric creatures, I love tall goth girls. But I guess I wasn't expecting all the feelings or to enjoy the protagonist as much as I did.

Good stuff, will read the next one.
Profile Image for Caitlin.
1,822 reviews52 followers
March 24, 2025
Look, I was looking forward to a little sapphic monster smut. But I do have a few standards in my writing, and this just didn't make much sense. The spicy scenes were spicy but I constantly was trying to play catch up on what was actually going on beyond that and so it was all lost on me a little bit.

I will probably try one of the others in this series because I can get them through the library in the hopes that the writing will get a little better but my expectations are definitely low.
Profile Image for Ashley (Red-Haired Ash Reads).
3,360 reviews181 followers
June 5, 2022
Rating: 4 stars - It was really good

Nadezhda is returning to her grandmother’s home in the swamp to get away from her crazy family. What she doesn’t expect is to find herself dreamwalking with an ancient kikimora, or to be attracted to her.

Well this was a wonderful and super spicy monster romance. Nadezhda and Mora had a very steamy and intense romance. They instantly want each other but Mora pushes Nadezhda away thinking she will grow bored with her but Nadezha makes it clear that she wants Mora just how she is. Their relationship was intense from the very beginning and very steamy, especially that hot tub scene.

"I feed off the fear of humans. Yet, here you are, wanting the monster lurking beneath it all?"

Mora’s history and story was very interesting. I really liked learning about her and how she is tied to people. Sadly, we don’t get very much of Nadezhda’s story. We get a vague reference to her family being part of a murder cult thing and that they are always trying to drag her into their missions. It was never really clear and was confusing.

Overall, this was an enjoyable and short monster romance. I really liked Nadezhda and Mora and enjoyed their steamy relationship.

Trigger Warnings: death of a grandparent, emotionally abusive family members, bullying,

You can also find my reviews at Red-Haired Ash Reads.
Profile Image for Sterling Sapphic Reads.
389 reviews452 followers
May 25, 2024
This is an original story that blends supernatural elements with romance in a way that kept me turning the pages. Green has crafted a unique storyline that takes familiar tropes and gives them a fresh and exciting twist.

One of the things I loved most about this book is its steamy and passionate scenes. The chemistry between Nadezhda and the kikimora (Mora) is palpable, and their relationship is both intense and captivating. The steamy scenes are well-written and add an extra layer of depth to the story.

The storyline itself is so original. The idea of a supernatural murder cult and a creature from Ukrainian folklore living in a swamp is both intriguing and imaginative. The author has created a world that feels both fantastical and believable.

This is a fantastic read that blends romance, and supernatural elements in a way that is both thrilling and captivating. I absolutely it to anyone looking for a short and steamy read with an original storyline.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 290 reviews

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