Cruel Monsters: An Epic Fantasy Romance

by Katherine Bogle

"Your purpose is to die."

That's what the people of Alma told me for the thirteen months they tortured me. With no memory of who I once was, all I could do was try and flee.

Found. Tormented. Sacrificed.

On the day I'm meant to slay myself for their sake, I use one last act of rebellion to choose life over death, and a world I never knew existed swallows me whole.

Dark Fae. Shade. Demons.

The prince who rescued me thinks I'm their salvation, one of the last powerful Light Fae ever born. But when dark magic begins to leak out of me, corroding all they've given me, will the Dark Fae truly be my saviors? Or will they throw me to the wolves?

Cruel Monsters is a standalone epic fantasy romance where the heroine won't have to choose between her Dark Fae princes, her half-demon Shade, or the nightmare chaser she's slowly falling for.

It contains violence, slow burn romance, sexually explicit content, unique magic, dark themes including scenes of abuse (dark story, not dark romance), and is intended for ages 18+. If you have any triggers, please read the foreword before perusing.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Demons, Fae, Paranormal, Dark Romance, Royalty

Paperback

First published July 17, 2021

About the author

Katherine Bogle is the USA Today bestselling author of Queen of Thieves, Her Wolf, I am Alpha and the international bestselling Dominion Rising series.

She first found success with her debut novel, Haven, which came second in the World’s Best Story contest 2015. Since then, she has gone on to release 20+ books with one core theme: kick-butt heroines. Though her series may span genres—from fantasy to steampunk to science fiction—she will always write about strong women overcoming the odds.

Join her newsletter for info on upcoming releases, free stuff and more:
https://katherine-bogle.kit.com/8b426...

Her website:
https://linktr.ee/katherinebogle

NOW AVAILABLE:

Haven (Chronicles of Warshard #1)
Savages (Chronicles of Warshard #2)
Ashen (Chronicles of Warshard #3)
Fyre: A Chronicles of Warshard short story collection
The Blood Amulet: A Chronicles of Warshard Short Story

The Aldar Dominion (Dominion Rising #1)
The Zahkx Alliance (Dominion Rising #2)
The Darri Commission (Dominion Rising #3)
The Stowaway Experiment: A Dominion Rising Short Story
The Smugglers Legion: A Dominion Rising Short Story

Queen of Thieves (Clockwork Thief #1)
Daughter of Chaos (Clockwork Thief #2)
King of Empires (Clockwork Thief #3)
Empress of Annihilation (Clockwork Thief #4)
Harbinger of War (Clockwork Thief #5)
Goddess of Death (Clockwork Thief #6)

Her Wolf (Silver Shifter #1)
Her Dragon (Silver Shifter #2)
Her Bear (Silver Shifter #3)
Her Panther (Silver Shifter #4)

Demon's Game (A Soul Collectors Prequel)
Reaper's Fire (Soul Collectors #1)
Reaper's Fate (Soul Collectors #2)

Cruel Monsters (Standalone)

I am Alpha (Rise of the Beast Queen #1)
They Call me Beast (Rise of the Beast Queen #2)

Shifter's Promise (Standalone)

COMING SOON:

Bow to your Queen (Rise of the Beast Queen #3)

Reviews

[RLbooks (in and out) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cruel Monsters is a character-driven fantasy RH where the FMC grows significantly from an abusive background to having power and love. There is a content warning regarding some of the darker elements of this book and while I was able to read and enjoy this standalone, some of the darker elements were hard for me to get through (note: I do not typically read dark books so my threshold for this is lower than many others). Most of the darker scenes were recollections of past abuse and none of her men are in any way abusive. While there are action scenes closer to the end of the book, most of this book is focused on developing the main characters. Just fyi for those that like to know, there are no mm/ff scenes and the men are only focused on the FMC.

Some of the parts I liked the most about this book are: protective men, a FMC finding her way and slowly growing, interesting fantasy world and magic, and a slow lead up to steam given the FMC's triggers. The FMC is kind, caring, curious, and ends up with a bit of a dark side when it comes to those who hurt those weaker than them. Because there is such a focus on growth and healing before the relationship is established, I did feel that the emotional connection was strong between the FMC and each of her guys. I also genuinely liked each of the guys, even the more reserved one who was fighting his attraction.

I personally prefer more extended epilogues with standalone books and more time with a group post-commitment to their relationship, but I did like the epilogue and where the book ended with the FMC happy and settled with her men. There's also the potential for more books to be written in this world based on the ending, which would be interesting since there's a lot we still don't know about the greater world.

[Jeanny · Rating 3 out of 5]

A weak 2.5 stars
I found the FMC frustrating & a massive walking political catastrophic event. I wasn’t a fan. The book was well written & the world building was interesting enough to finish.

Tbh the book reminded me of the Greek tragedies or Epic Cycle. I started thinking of the light fairy as Helena of Troy 😂. I’ve always found that cow infuriating.

[❀ Crystal ✿ - PEACE ☮ LOVE ♥ BOOKS · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so on board with this new monster trend in RH reads and this book was a wonderful example of that. I was a little confused on the ‘monster’ part for much of the book as most of the characters are Fae and for me that’s just not necessarily a being I see as a monster but along came some demons to prove me wrong. The book does open with some triggering content rape so heed the authors warnings on that. After the fact it’s referred to and the heroine has flashbacks but it’s not drawn out aside from her torment early on. After being used, abused and sacrificed to demons, Thirteen is at the end of her rope but she refuses to back down. Turns out not only does she have no memories prior to her year as a prisoner, everything she’s been told especially about the monsters has been a lie. Finally Thirteen has unwavering freedom and respect, something she’s never received. I found her to be an enjoyable heroine and the slow burn romance worked best for her given her past. Thirteen ends up with four mates and two kingdoms, and recognition of a hero but it’s all in a days work for her especially when she cares less about details and more about getting her mates naked. Sure they may all have had a slow relationship and no sex until nearly the end, but once Thirteen took care of business all she wanted was to ride her men lol. The length of the book worked really well too for this being a standalone and I really felt like I got to know all the characters without being rushed. As always when there’s no epilogue I want to throw a tantrum so 🤬🤬😡🤬😡🤬😡🤬 but other than that and Gavriel’s shocking betrayal and almost genecidal war in the end. I mean wtf was that. I was pretty shocked and still am, I thought she’d never forgive him but she did on the spot. I guess I’m just unclear on if any demons were actually killed then or blood was just spilt. I mean those were families and he just stood there while his men raided like savages which is almost worse than if he participated. It was just a lot to process as the end of the book did seem to rush by after such a relaxing pace.

With all the changes going on with the wall, the demons and more a epilogue or even extended end would have been cool to see the outside world explored and changed as well. But then again whose to say more can’t be explored in this world, I’d definitely read it. I really enjoyed this book and will have to check out what else this author has up her sleeve 😈😈😈

[Van Rysseghem · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spoiler at the very end. This book started out good, but could have been so much better. The world building was great, the pace okay. I always like a bit of a break in the point of view to let the love interest(s) to show their side of the story. But then it all went to shit. It was like the author realised that she was already at chapter 29 and had not reached 50% of the content she wanted. So she crammed it into the last 6 chapters and an epilogue which could have been an entire second book. Then their was such an open ending that you could have filled it up with the content of the whole star wars Canon and be left with still some questions. The book just stopped at what felled like the premises of a whole series. Without mentioning what the next book would be called or anything, she just gave us a chapter out of one of the books that had nothing to do with this one... So how can you do an easy follow up as reader... Aaaaargh.
Oh and by the way, mayor trigger warnings for anyone who went through the worst kind of trauma's you can go through. I have to say, although not being a good judge for it, it feels as if the author is kind of respectful about it. We'll untill the final 5 chapters where the girl who couldn't be touched in a certain way by one and/or all of her love interest due to the trauma suddenly has a foursome... Because that shit happens in real life 🤦🏽‍♀️

[Christina Luberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book started out with a mystery, that I actually thought that I missed a book before it. As you read the book did get better and you did not want to put it down. The ending I did think could have been better. Felt the guys just jumped in with no real thought. It did end with her next adventure, but yet the end of her story was done.. Which I understand The next book will be "Devourer of Magic". So jump in and follow the Mystery of what happened to Thirteen on her journey to get free and find out who she really is. I received a free copy for my honest review.

[Zen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

I have mixed feelings about this book. I was put off a little when the first chapter showed us the SA of the FMC the same way one would describe what they ate for breakfast. I stuck with, and there were parts I really enjoyed, but others, not so much. The blase way violence is depicted and described just made it all feel detached from the stoey.

[Elena J · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Cruel Monsters, Katherine Bogle delivers a haunting, sensual, and powerfully redemptive dark fantasy that blurs the line between torment and transcendence. It begins with a chilling decree “Your purpose is to die.” and unfolds into an epic of survival, identity, and forbidden desire.

Imprisoned, tortured, and stripped of memory, the heroine’s escape thrusts her into a world where light and darkness are not moral absolutes but living forces. The Dark Fae who rescue her believe she’s the last Light Fae, destined to save them yet the magic inside her is corrupted, consuming everything it touches.

Bogle’s prose burns with emotion and mythic resonance. The world-building is lush and gothic, filled with shimmering contrasts: pain and pleasure, devotion and damnation, love and ruin. The slow-burn romance spanning princes, demons, and shades becomes not a triangle, but a collision of fates, bound by desire and destiny.

Cruel Monsters isn’t just fantasy; it’s a meditation on the resilience of the broken, a reminder that even in the darkest worlds, light can be born from defiance.

[❌ Book Hunter ❌ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Could have been better.

The world building was pretty damn interesting but I felt that this could have been expanded on more. I wanted more information and history behind everything.

At first I really did like thirteen but as the story continues I felt myself disliking her more and more. She just in my opinion too weak for myself to like her. Constantly crying, seeking approval from others, being too sweet, her beauty tooooo perfect. In a sense she was just too perfect for me to even relate too. It was like eating an overly sweet cupcake with too sweet frosting with extra sprinkles on top, but make them black because you know…. Keep it “edgy”.

She was just too much at the end of the day.

Then we have our main guys. I get a tad annoyed when we have an instant love connection. Especially when it’s everyone with a dick that wants her.

We get it already.

Like I said the world building and magic was pretty dang cool but the characters ehhhhh pass. Not into the too sweet, insta love thing. Also I hate with RH use brothers. Idk why but it feels so gross to read. Haha.

Always,

Xoxo 💋

[Kayla Pipkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want so much more of these characters.
A stand-alone was just not enough.
Plus there is so much the author can still give us concerning Thirteen and the members of her harem.
I know we will be getting more from this universe, so maybe we will meet these characters again.
But for now they are done.
I really enjoyed this book.
Thirteen has been beaten down by life but she doesn't let it stop her from wanting to experience more.
She doesn't give in to the temptation of ending it all.
Then all of that pain finally pays off.
She finds those who except her for her; the good and the bad. Even the parts she isn't sure anyone would love her for.
The guys were equally as great.
While there aren't many steamy scenes, the build-up to their relationship and watching them figure out what it is they want was everything.
This book is told from multiple points of view.
Overall, it is a fantastic read and I highly recommend you grabbing a copy and reading it.

[Ariadna Vedia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Es un pena la verdad porque siento que esta historia daba para muchísimo más. Todo ha pasado demasiado rápido, tanto como la trama y el romance. Literalmente todos se enamoraron de la protagonista en segundos y no lo he disfrutado mucho. La trama es interesante, nada fuera de este mundo pero lo suficiente como para no aburrirme tanto. El final siento que ha sido muy precipitado, como si todo empezara a encajar mágicamente y listo, final feliz. La protagonista no me ha desagradado, tal vez un poco más de desarrollo no hubiese estado mal, los intereses amorosos son otra historia; Gavriel (terrible así se llama mi hermano) no me ha gustado nada, un personaje sin vida que no transmite ningún tipo emoción, Valen y Draven más de lo mismo y finalmente Mordecai que aunque mejoró un poco tampoco es la gran cosa. Ninguno de ellos me ha transmitido nada. En fin, una buena trama desaprovechada en mi opinión.

[Chelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

More please?

I really enjoyed this. Bogle has a very unique world that she's built here and I'm excited to see what other stories she has to tell in it. If I have one complaint thought, it would be the complete 180 personality change for the heroine. She starts out as this tortured, meek victim and at the end she's all psycho vigilante killer. It was jarring to say the least. I would have loved it if she was like that from the beginning but it was kind of shocking when she just flipped a switch at the end there.
I had only ever read one of Katherine Bogle's cowriten series before but now I'm very intrigued to read more from her as a solo writer. I especially want to read more about this world she's built here. I know she said that Thirteen's story is done but I hope she changes her mind and does more about them traveling the world and maybe meeting her dad.

[Reannan Sanders · Rating 4 out of 5]

wow wow wow amazing!!!

This slow burn standalone reverse harem had me immersed from the first chapter. The storyline is amazing and has a fulfilling ending, the men within her harem had me panting by the end 🥵
This multi pov story follows Thirteen and her harem as she is taken away from her thirteen months of abuse at the hands of humans and taken to the Dark Fae palace where she meets 3 of her 4 men. They help her discover her magic and her memories that were once taken from her. There are triggers within this book such as r*pe, abuse, flashbacks of abuse, sexual assault. The character development of the FMC is a beauty to see, from a scared frail damsel in distress to a badass bitch who not only protects herself but also her men.

[Marina · Rating 2 out of 5]

It Started Strong...

Was good up until the end which felt rushed and conclusions cheapened. Ended up skimming just to get answers in the end. Either this needed to be two books or the beginning should have been shorter and the end longer. Really the thing that ruined a decent read was the jumpy needless battle scenes, weird emphasis on revenge, and unrealistic social/political resolutions in the final chapters. The issues in the story were just too big and poorly handled for a novel.

Also, issues with world building and background in regards to segregation of humans from fae along with other SPN creatures in Novac. Poorly explained on top of confusing politics and power structures. Needed work.

[Juniper Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

low spice

The story was good but there was very little spice. Which is fine and I’m sure most people love that but I wished for more. I wanted to see more of their romantic relationship growth but we didn’t get a lot. Mostly just friendship and personal growth. The story was good but for me if the romance and spice had been boosted it would be better. And I didn’t love how immediately she forgave Gavriel at the end. She should have been mad longer. Yeah he was getting revenge like she was but he took his revenge on innocents and she made sure to never hurt Innocent them people

[T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cruel Monsters is a stand-alone, epic fantasy ebook I borrowed through Kindle Unlimited (KU).

Note: contains violence/abuse--those with triggers should skip this one.

The story was nicely paced and Thirteen was an interesting character; the writer did a stellar job with Thirteen's character development and motivations. I didn't like the relationships development so much. The men's personalities seemed flat and interchangeable. I would love to have seen more individuality, range of emotion, and depth. Some parts, like the dreams, were redundant so I found myself skimming each recurrence. The plot and world-building make this a worthwhile read.

[B ~ modern day bookworm~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not your normal love story

This book has many dark themes: please read the trigger warnings and keep yourself safe.

Thirteen is strong, resilient, and a kaleidoscope of personable attributes. She reacts like a “normal” living being would react to surviving what she has all her or should I say can remember life.

Draven, Valen, Gravial, Mordecai are all unique characters of their own right and bring in depth and development to the world building and history surrounding them and the backstories at play around them.

It’s a long journey, not actually of travel, but if relationships being built, understanding being sought, and righteousness being forged.

[Fleur · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was a book about revenge. Straight and simple. The thing about her revenge though, it was gratifying to see her tormentors get their comeuppance….but then what else was there to make me feel good?
I guess it was a bit…plain. Just revenge while she finds men who love her along the way. No intense plot twists. Very basic simple type of love. Not awful, but it was like the bare bones of a story. I needed more. I needed the story to be fleshed out. Just like in my own life where things are complicated and intense, I expect characters and their story to represent something similar too.

[Daniela · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐4
Otro día leyendo un libro con un cliché que no me gusta (slow burn) pero este lo ameeeee😭
Le tenía mucha fé y la verdad no me decepcionó. Al principio me costó mucho trabajo entender el mundo de fantasía pero eso es francamente normal. Es harem inverso con fantasía ¿Que más puedo pedir?😫
El libro solo tiene 1 escena spicy pero fue ✨GLORIOSA✨
Trece y su venganza fue algo maravilloso de leer.
Siento que el libro se quedó un poco corto porque quería leer más sobre trece y su evolución con sus poderes.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic standalone!

You don't see many complete stories that are single books these days, but this author manages it. The book has enough detail to be interesting and isn't either to long or short, I even enjoy that the sexy times weren't rushed and instead the book gradually built up to it. This may be my favorite stand alone in a while and I can't wait to see if the author does more in this universe.

[Siri · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am going to be honest with ya´ll , i could not care less about this book. At first what got me interested was that the heroin was abused and i do have a thing for broken main characters i don´t now why. Buut sadly i lost interest and i felt like the guys where kinda lame and the heroin was waay to kind forgiving and meek.... no backbone and i felt like it was just smiles and hugs , the story fell a lil flat

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Epic standalone

I didnt entirely know What to expect when I started this book. But by the end I wished it was a series because I loved the world this author created along with the characters, and story arc. It is a RH story with one hott scene and some dark aspects to it. I love how we get to see Thirteen grown into her own after being beaten down time and time again. She shows true strength and a bit a madness that you cant help but love. Highly recommend

[TipseyBookReviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thirteen has been abused for 13 months by the people of Alma and now she is to be sacrificed to the Demon. I really felt for a thirteen - she has been abused, but she has continued to fight in anyway that she can. She’s fierce and resilient. The guys are instantly devoted to her - especially Dray and Mordecai. I need a Shade :)

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mmm.

I loved the plot and the characters. But it sort of fell flat for me at the end. The time jump and then just ending. This book with Thirteen and her men would have been a fantastic series instead of the fast pace and leaving a few plot holes. I wouldn't even call it a HFN since it seems there would still be so much turmoil in the world and their nation.

[Sarah]

I want more

I loved this new world, I've read a couple books by this author a while back and decided to try this book out and I loved it! I was hoping there'd be a book two for these characters, to learn more about what happens after and to get to know the men better but it was still a fun read and fast paced.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

That can't be it!! 😭

There is still so much I wanted to read of these characters. Most importantly I want to read her finally finding her dad! Please consider a second book, or a novella as I loved these characters and I want to see more of their adventures as they go out into the world

[Joely · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was good up until the end where it felt rushed and could have been a series vs a single book. The conflicted was resolved too quickly and there were a lot of questions left unanswered that don’t seem to be leading to another story with these same characters as a focus. That being said the beginning was captivating and the universe that was built was really interesting.

[Boo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed.

This was my first time reading from this author and it was a great read. I liked the characters and the plot was a pretty good one. Liked the fae and demons and I’m looking forward to more from this universe. Tho I feel like it left me with one or two unanswered questions. A really good read.

[Amanda Crossland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book

I loved it. It was so creative. The writing was explosive, the emotions felt entirely natural towards each situation and the main characters dif POV’s helped explain why each acted the way they did. I did feel the end was a bit rushed but I guess it had to end sometime. Lol enjoy!

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad start to the series! I was in the mood for a RH with fae and it fit the bill. There were times when the book dragged a bit for me but overall interesting concept and likeable characters. I was not a fan of the actions of one of her guys at the end of the book but the author did a great job explaining their thoughts and later having them beg for forgiveness and own up to their mistake. Probably won’t continue onto book 2.

[Lacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great new read

I like the new to me ideas in this story. The things done to the mfl were distressing but I liked the way she was able to take revenge. I also liked that the author has a trigger warning right on the first page to let everyone who needs it. I’ll be reading the next one, I’m looking forward to Thirteen’s new life and adventures.