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New Blood: Eldritch Blues #1
Aberrant Monsters
Evicting a monster is no easy feat. Especially when the monster lives inside you.
I’m a rift walker, one of a handful of humans able to step into a world of monsters and arcane magic. We follow three simple rules:
*Never step into the eldritch realm after sundown.
*Never stay for more than an hour
*Never, ever bring anything back
I broke all three rules.
Now my body is host to a psychotic aberration who materialises after sundown to haunt me in the flesh. Flesh arranged on a body made for sin, despite its monstrous proportions.
Telarion delights in tormenting me with his deep grumbling voice, and arrogant demands.
He wants out. He wants to be free, and I’m totally on board with finding a way to evict him.
But the Supernatural agency governing Eldritch activity have other plans for us.
They want us to work for them, hunting down other eldritch horrors. In return, they’ll refrain from exterminating us and find a way to separate us instead.
But the clock is ticking, because the longer we’re connected, the more I’m changing, and I’m afraid…Afraid that by the time they find a solution, it might be too late.
I might already be a monster.
A Paranormal Urban Fantasy with an MF romance.
I’m a rift walker, one of a handful of humans able to step into a world of monsters and arcane magic. We follow three simple rules:
*Never step into the eldritch realm after sundown.
*Never stay for more than an hour
*Never, ever bring anything back
I broke all three rules.
Now my body is host to a psychotic aberration who materialises after sundown to haunt me in the flesh. Flesh arranged on a body made for sin, despite its monstrous proportions.
Telarion delights in tormenting me with his deep grumbling voice, and arrogant demands.
He wants out. He wants to be free, and I’m totally on board with finding a way to evict him.
But the Supernatural agency governing Eldritch activity have other plans for us.
They want us to work for them, hunting down other eldritch horrors. In return, they’ll refrain from exterminating us and find a way to separate us instead.
But the clock is ticking, because the longer we’re connected, the more I’m changing, and I’m afraid…Afraid that by the time they find a solution, it might be too late.
I might already be a monster.
A Paranormal Urban Fantasy with an MF romance.
244 pages, Hardcover
First published January 26, 2022
789 people are currently reading
5830 people want to read
About the author
Debbie Cassidy
134 books2,805 followersDebbie Cassidy lives in England, Bedfordshire, with her three kids and very supportive husband. Coffee and chocolate biscuits are her writing fuels of choice, and she is still working on getting that perfect tower of solitude built in her back garden. Obsessed with building new worlds and reading about them, she spends her spare time daydreaming and conversing with the characters in her head. She writes Urban Fantasy, Romance, Fantasy and Reverse Harem Fantasy. All her books contain plenty of action, romance and twisty plots.
Connect with Debbie via her website at https://debbiecassidyauthor.com, email her at debbiecassidyauthor@gmail.com or check her out on twitter https://twitter.com/authordcassidy Sign up to her newsletter to grab a free short story, and stay up to date on new releases: http://www.subscribepage.com/f6u2k8 Or join her reader group on Facebook to stay in the know: https://www.facebook.com/groups/17595...
Connect with Debbie via her website at https://debbiecassidyauthor.com, email her at debbiecassidyauthor@gmail.com or check her out on twitter https://twitter.com/authordcassidy Sign up to her newsletter to grab a free short story, and stay up to date on new releases: http://www.subscribepage.com/f6u2k8 Or join her reader group on Facebook to stay in the know: https://www.facebook.com/groups/17595...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 260 reviews
June 5, 2022
I feel like this story deserves four stars, but I only enjoyed it three. Rounding it up, because the overall concept is good. *3.5*
I love the overall idea of this story but at times I was bored and waiting for something substantial to happen. It could be the author is dragging the story out for the series? This book leaves the reader with a ton of unanswered questions.
What exactly happened to her mother?
Is Quentin a friend or a spy?
What does the Order do?
What exactly are August's talents?
What other secrets is uncle Fred keeping?
Why is Telarion an aberrant, how'd he get that way, and why can't he remember any of his past?
An attempted BR with my sweet friend Twinkle, who bowed out early.
“You are mine to protect, tiny human. They cannot have you.”A well-developed story with richly drawn characters. Had that old school pnr feel to it, loads of sexual tension between August and Telarion, a bit of foreplay, but zero actual steam. I honestly couldn't figure out why they liked each other, except for the fact that they're stuck together?
I love the overall idea of this story but at times I was bored and waiting for something substantial to happen. It could be the author is dragging the story out for the series? This book leaves the reader with a ton of unanswered questions.
What exactly happened to her mother?
Is Quentin a friend or a spy?
What does the Order do?
What exactly are August's talents?
What other secrets is uncle Fred keeping?
Why is Telarion an aberrant, how'd he get that way, and why can't he remember any of his past?
An attempted BR with my sweet friend Twinkle, who bowed out early.
February 20, 2022
Aberrant Monsters has now climbed to one of my top reads of this year. It is so addictive that I could not put it down and binged it in two sittings, you have been warned!
If you are looking for the "villain gets the girl" and "he hates everyone but her" tropes, which just happens to be some of my favourites right now, READ THIS BOOK! It is a spicy paranormal romance with monsters. August is a rift walker, a rare type of new blood that can cross to other dimensions. She becomes a body host to an aberration, Telarion, a deadly monster that lives inside of her and comes out a night. Telarion is however much more than just a good looking monster, he is protective of August and at times seems to care for her.. (impossible monsters don't have feelings.. right?) ;) Their attraction is undeniable and the chemistry drips from the pages!
The side characters are also one of my favourite elements of this book, their dialogues are so fun! I officially need to read everything written by Debbie Cassidy, and good thing that I have some of her other books also because I'm officially addicted to her writing.
Thank you to Lagardnermedia for sending me a copy for review!
If you are looking for the "villain gets the girl" and "he hates everyone but her" tropes, which just happens to be some of my favourites right now, READ THIS BOOK! It is a spicy paranormal romance with monsters. August is a rift walker, a rare type of new blood that can cross to other dimensions. She becomes a body host to an aberration, Telarion, a deadly monster that lives inside of her and comes out a night. Telarion is however much more than just a good looking monster, he is protective of August and at times seems to care for her.. (impossible monsters don't have feelings.. right?) ;) Their attraction is undeniable and the chemistry drips from the pages!
The side characters are also one of my favourite elements of this book, their dialogues are so fun! I officially need to read everything written by Debbie Cassidy, and good thing that I have some of her other books also because I'm officially addicted to her writing.
Thank you to Lagardnermedia for sending me a copy for review!
April 18, 2022
DNF @ 46%
Not nearly enough world building or character development to make me want to continue on with this.
Not nearly enough world building or character development to make me want to continue on with this.
March 21, 2022
This is like if Venom and Jessica Jones had a baby and added romance.
From the very beginning, this story starts off with action. I was honestly blown away at the world building. I was never confused and always excited to learn more. The different monsters were very interesting and detailed perfectly.
I looove love love August and the monster inside her. Their interactions were so good. A push and pull, conflicting feelings towards each other. I kept wanting to pop August on the head for not realizing certain things about that relationship.
This story even has amazing, funny side characters.
I blew through this book and instantly wanted to start book 2!
From the very beginning, this story starts off with action. I was honestly blown away at the world building. I was never confused and always excited to learn more. The different monsters were very interesting and detailed perfectly.
I looove love love August and the monster inside her. Their interactions were so good. A push and pull, conflicting feelings towards each other. I kept wanting to pop August on the head for not realizing certain things about that relationship.
This story even has amazing, funny side characters.
I blew through this book and instantly wanted to start book 2!
February 22, 2022
4.5 stars
I really enjoyed this book! It had fantastic world building and the story was so immersive. The world building made complete sense, which made the world feel real to me.
I loved the tension between August and Telarion and was super intrigued by their relationship. I cannot wait to see what becomes of them in future books and am super curious to find out more about Telarion!
Thanks so much to the author for gifting me a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed this book! It had fantastic world building and the story was so immersive. The world building made complete sense, which made the world feel real to me.
I loved the tension between August and Telarion and was super intrigued by their relationship. I cannot wait to see what becomes of them in future books and am super curious to find out more about Telarion!
Thanks so much to the author for gifting me a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 5, 2022
3 ⭐️ Decent monster romance
"He may be a monster to everyone else, but he isn't a monster to me."
This was my first monster romance, and it was pretty good. I didn't love it necessarily but it was a quick, easy read with an interesting plot and fascinating world-building. However, there were some things that bothered me.
I enjoyed the characters, for the most part, especially Nandi and Telarion (I want to know more about him!), but sometimes the MC annoyed me. She's supposed to be a badass but happens to get her ass kicked repeatedly and always needs Telarion's assistance to get her out of bad situations.
The pacing of the story was odd. It started really interesting, but it felt like the author dragged the story out with unnecessary descriptions and repetitive inner dialogue. But there were a few action-packed/exciting moments when the story picked up and carried my interest.
The progression of the romance is taking too long. Let's be honest, that's why I'm reading this story, so in that regard, it was a letdown. Nothing really happens between the two except August and Telarion getting to third base and realizing they have feelings for each other. And I heard from a friend who read the second book that they don't really come together until the end of the third book, so I'm out. I don't want to wait that long.
I also don't believe in their romance. I didn't understand where the shift in their feelings came from. August goes from being horrified of Telarion to liking him because he saved her a couple of times. I get being grateful, but I don't understand the transition from gratitude to love. ''
I saw the third act coming. The stuff about the haunted house and eldritch was no surprise, so what was supposed to be an intense plot point wasn't that exciting to me.
This is random, but when August vomits, Uncle Fred offer's her "a glass of milk to settle your tummy." What the f*ck??? No. That's so disgusting! Who in their right mind would think milk is the perfect drink after someone vomits?
Anyways, while the story had its flaws, it was still a relatively entertaining, quick read. I don't plan on continuing with the second book, but I'd recommend checking it out if you like paranormal/monster, slow-burn romances.
"He may be a monster to everyone else, but he isn't a monster to me."
This was my first monster romance, and it was pretty good. I didn't love it necessarily but it was a quick, easy read with an interesting plot and fascinating world-building. However, there were some things that bothered me.
I enjoyed the characters, for the most part, especially Nandi and Telarion (I want to know more about him!), but sometimes the MC annoyed me. She's supposed to be a badass but happens to get her ass kicked repeatedly and always needs Telarion's assistance to get her out of bad situations.
The pacing of the story was odd. It started really interesting, but it felt like the author dragged the story out with unnecessary descriptions and repetitive inner dialogue. But there were a few action-packed/exciting moments when the story picked up and carried my interest.
The progression of the romance is taking too long. Let's be honest, that's why I'm reading this story, so in that regard, it was a letdown. Nothing really happens between the two except August and Telarion getting to third base and realizing they have feelings for each other. And I heard from a friend who read the second book that they don't really come together until the end of the third book, so I'm out. I don't want to wait that long.
I also don't believe in their romance. I didn't understand where the shift in their feelings came from. August goes from being horrified of Telarion to liking him because he saved her a couple of times. I get being grateful, but I don't understand the transition from gratitude to love. ''
I saw the third act coming. The stuff about the haunted house and eldritch was no surprise, so what was supposed to be an intense plot point wasn't that exciting to me.
This is random, but when August vomits, Uncle Fred offer's her "a glass of milk to settle your tummy." What the f*ck??? No. That's so disgusting! Who in their right mind would think milk is the perfect drink after someone vomits?
Anyways, while the story had its flaws, it was still a relatively entertaining, quick read. I don't plan on continuing with the second book, but I'd recommend checking it out if you like paranormal/monster, slow-burn romances.
March 9, 2022
2.5 I severely dislike the MC, she reminds me of a little girl trying to play grown up. All she does is stumble into shit, make poor choice, go against her own intuition to continue to put herself into bad situations. Its just a mess. Trusts everyone even when her inner dialogue is saying she should not trust. Doesn’t try to get herself out of anything and just keeps getting pushed around, yet we’re supposed to believe she’s badass? And can fight and can be someone really important. Ugh
I also felt the pacing of the book odd. Will not continue, almost dnf.
I also felt the pacing of the book odd. Will not continue, almost dnf.
February 10, 2024
I picked this book out of the thousands of free books in my Kindle library thinking it was a Paranormal Monster Reverse Harem. Well, I got everything right except the RH part, it's an MF romance. Usually, if I discovered too late that the RH book I'm reading is just an MF I would be super peeved at myself for carelessly choosing books to read based on book covers and author names without bothering to read the synopsis. Surprisingly I'm not disappointed at all! When I realized it wasn't a RH I was a bit relieved. I love the MMC so much I'm completely happy with him stealing the spotlight and being the only Man in the FMC's life.
The story is an Urban Fantasy where supernatural beings have come through rifts and made little super babies with the humans that grew up to be known as New Bloods. So we have a mix of Supes, New Bloods, and Humans all living together in a segregated society where humans are protected species under the law and the New Bloods have very little privilege and freedom.
The FMC is a rare Rift Walker but has managed to hide it from 'The Order', the ones who police the New Bloods and other Supes, by pretending to be a powerless human. She has only used her Rift Walking Powers, which allow her to cross over into a different world that they know little about, 3 times in her life. The last time she used them she almost died but was saved by a powerful monster, the MMC, that made a deal with her. He would kill the lesser monsters that were currently attacking her and lend her his ability to heal since she was on death's doorstep. In return, she had to allow him to inhabit her body. The MMC is sort of like a ghost, a spectral being without a soul that has no memory of his past, except he becomes corporeal at night and has a hunger that drives him to feed on humans regularly.
With the FMCs help the MMC is now on the human plane. During the daytime, he resides inside of the FMC like a possessing demon, and at night he can separate from her and become his own person. He's powerful and can switch between spectral and solid forms, he can grow his body until he's a massive monster able to devour a human head with one bite. He's supposedly soulless and his type of monster shouldn't feel emotion or be able to care for anything beyond feeding his hunger but he displays attributes that show he has feelings for the "tiny human" he's inhabiting. They play it off as him simply protecting his "host" since he needs her to survive on the human plane.
I'm loving the dynamic between the FMC and MMC while also enjoying the slow to medium-burn growth of their relationship.
The story is an Urban Fantasy where supernatural beings have come through rifts and made little super babies with the humans that grew up to be known as New Bloods. So we have a mix of Supes, New Bloods, and Humans all living together in a segregated society where humans are protected species under the law and the New Bloods have very little privilege and freedom.
The FMC is a rare Rift Walker but has managed to hide it from 'The Order', the ones who police the New Bloods and other Supes, by pretending to be a powerless human. She has only used her Rift Walking Powers, which allow her to cross over into a different world that they know little about, 3 times in her life. The last time she used them she almost died but was saved by a powerful monster, the MMC, that made a deal with her. He would kill the lesser monsters that were currently attacking her and lend her his ability to heal since she was on death's doorstep. In return, she had to allow him to inhabit her body. The MMC is sort of like a ghost, a spectral being without a soul that has no memory of his past, except he becomes corporeal at night and has a hunger that drives him to feed on humans regularly.
With the FMCs help the MMC is now on the human plane. During the daytime, he resides inside of the FMC like a possessing demon, and at night he can separate from her and become his own person. He's powerful and can switch between spectral and solid forms, he can grow his body until he's a massive monster able to devour a human head with one bite. He's supposedly soulless and his type of monster shouldn't feel emotion or be able to care for anything beyond feeding his hunger but he displays attributes that show he has feelings for the "tiny human" he's inhabiting. They play it off as him simply protecting his "host" since he needs her to survive on the human plane.
I'm loving the dynamic between the FMC and MMC while also enjoying the slow to medium-burn growth of their relationship.
February 21, 2022
Enormous thank you to the author for gifting me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts and opinions expressed below are my own.
So, I devoured Aberrant Monsters by Debbie Cassidy in literally one gulp–I was entirely glued to my kindle and sincerely couldn’t stop until I reached the end, which left me fully hanging from the edge of my seat…UGH. Book 2 releases 4/14 sooo if you need me I’ll be pining away for this sequel!!
By far my favorite element of this novel is the super unique connection/bond between the badass heroine, August Vera, and the sexy monster using her body as a host during the daytime, Telarion. He’s devastatingly swoon-worthy, but also toe-curlingly violent, which definitely makes for one of my favorite combinations in a dark, brooding love interest. August and Telarion’s push-and-pull relationship of forbidden love and angst nonstop kept me turning those pages with reckless abandon!
All the side characters were also very intriguing; I particularly loved the club scenes with Lothos and he’s definitely one I’d love to learn more about in the next installments! I appreciate how the entire premise of life force and sexual energy pervading the magic systems of this book felt super unique and original to me! The writing is both rich in worldbuilding as well as fast-paced with a compelling style that left me feeling totally fascinated and spellbound.
I can highly recommend this one to fans of slowburn paranormal romance 18+, especially those with a taste for the darker side of fantasy romance!
So, I devoured Aberrant Monsters by Debbie Cassidy in literally one gulp–I was entirely glued to my kindle and sincerely couldn’t stop until I reached the end, which left me fully hanging from the edge of my seat…UGH. Book 2 releases 4/14 sooo if you need me I’ll be pining away for this sequel!!
By far my favorite element of this novel is the super unique connection/bond between the badass heroine, August Vera, and the sexy monster using her body as a host during the daytime, Telarion. He’s devastatingly swoon-worthy, but also toe-curlingly violent, which definitely makes for one of my favorite combinations in a dark, brooding love interest. August and Telarion’s push-and-pull relationship of forbidden love and angst nonstop kept me turning those pages with reckless abandon!
All the side characters were also very intriguing; I particularly loved the club scenes with Lothos and he’s definitely one I’d love to learn more about in the next installments! I appreciate how the entire premise of life force and sexual energy pervading the magic systems of this book felt super unique and original to me! The writing is both rich in worldbuilding as well as fast-paced with a compelling style that left me feeling totally fascinated and spellbound.
I can highly recommend this one to fans of slowburn paranormal romance 18+, especially those with a taste for the darker side of fantasy romance!
March 15, 2022
This book had good writing and potential. I liked the hero and the heroine.
SPOILER PSOILER SPOILER PSOILER
But I didn't like how the heroine made bad decisions. She also had to feed off sexual energy so she used the entity she's hosting "Telarion" and a succubus named Lothos.
Heroine finds out her mother died rift walking. And her mother made a blood contract so that her daughter would never be forced to work as a rift walker. Heroine lies to her uncle and steals his address book so she can look up magic workers and look for answers. Her uncle told her she had to be careful and hide her abilities. Nope she randomly tells this person she just met she is a rift walker. That person immediately turns her in. Now the agency wants her to work for them and promises she can be separate from Telarion. Telarion eats people's faces. And bodies.
Heroine asks for a new contract. BUT NEVER FOLLOWS THROUGH. She lets her handler Quentin keep putting her off with vague assurances like they are looking it over. We find out at the end they have an agenda, want no contract with heroine, and are studying her. Quentin (her handler) also keeps not answering his phone and it turns out the agency can control him.
I don't want to read a series about an evil agency trying to control the very powerful heroine. She needs to be smarter and remember what her mother died over (working for the agency).
SPOILER PSOILER SPOILER PSOILER
But I didn't like how the heroine made bad decisions. She also had to feed off sexual energy so she used the entity she's hosting "Telarion" and a succubus named Lothos.
Heroine finds out her mother died rift walking. And her mother made a blood contract so that her daughter would never be forced to work as a rift walker. Heroine lies to her uncle and steals his address book so she can look up magic workers and look for answers. Her uncle told her she had to be careful and hide her abilities. Nope she randomly tells this person she just met she is a rift walker. That person immediately turns her in. Now the agency wants her to work for them and promises she can be separate from Telarion. Telarion eats people's faces. And bodies.
Heroine asks for a new contract. BUT NEVER FOLLOWS THROUGH. She lets her handler Quentin keep putting her off with vague assurances like they are looking it over. We find out at the end they have an agenda, want no contract with heroine, and are studying her. Quentin (her handler) also keeps not answering his phone and it turns out the agency can control him.
I don't want to read a series about an evil agency trying to control the very powerful heroine. She needs to be smarter and remember what her mother died over (working for the agency).
February 11, 2022
Hello new favorite book! When I heard ABERRANT MONSTERS would be a monster romance, I had no idea what to expect. I certainly didn’t anticipate falling in love with it as much as I did! If you’re curious about characters such as Venom from the Marvel universe, or if you’ve read Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson and enjoyed the dynamic between Artemisia and the Revenant, then you need to try this book!
Aberrant Monsters follows rift walker August, who has the ability to step into rifts leading into a monster dimension. The rules to doing this are simple: don’t go after sundown, don’t stay for longer than an hour, and don’t take anything with you. Dire circumstances, however, bring August to break all of these rules, and now her body is host to the aberrant Telarion, who can only materialize in glorious flesh after sundown. Their coexistence is anything but ideal, but things get more complicated when a supernatural agency discovers August’s secret. Instead of exterminating August and Telarion, they’re offered a deal: help hunt down other eldritch monsters, and in return the agency will help sever their link. What could go wrong? Many things…but you’ll have to read the book to find out!
I could go on for eons on why I love this book, but I’ll try to be brief. The world building was incredible! Rich with supernatural beings and lore, but explained so simply that I never felt lost, and I appreciated the variety immensely! The characters were an absolute delight. Found family fans will adore August’s group of friends as much as I did, especially because the author did a fantastic job at weaving secrets and expectations into the storylines of the secondary characters as well. And of course, Telarion and August. Say hello to my new OTP supreme! August is a strong, independent, fierce queen of my soul, and Telarion is the perfect mix of protective, aggressive and secret-softie that makes me weak in the knees. The banter and tension between these two was FIRE. It kept me glued to the pages like few things can, and I devoured this book! A joyous experience in the moment, but I feel quite desperate now that I need to wait for the sequel.
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy. All opinions are my own.
Aberrant Monsters follows rift walker August, who has the ability to step into rifts leading into a monster dimension. The rules to doing this are simple: don’t go after sundown, don’t stay for longer than an hour, and don’t take anything with you. Dire circumstances, however, bring August to break all of these rules, and now her body is host to the aberrant Telarion, who can only materialize in glorious flesh after sundown. Their coexistence is anything but ideal, but things get more complicated when a supernatural agency discovers August’s secret. Instead of exterminating August and Telarion, they’re offered a deal: help hunt down other eldritch monsters, and in return the agency will help sever their link. What could go wrong? Many things…but you’ll have to read the book to find out!
I could go on for eons on why I love this book, but I’ll try to be brief. The world building was incredible! Rich with supernatural beings and lore, but explained so simply that I never felt lost, and I appreciated the variety immensely! The characters were an absolute delight. Found family fans will adore August’s group of friends as much as I did, especially because the author did a fantastic job at weaving secrets and expectations into the storylines of the secondary characters as well. And of course, Telarion and August. Say hello to my new OTP supreme! August is a strong, independent, fierce queen of my soul, and Telarion is the perfect mix of protective, aggressive and secret-softie that makes me weak in the knees. The banter and tension between these two was FIRE. It kept me glued to the pages like few things can, and I devoured this book! A joyous experience in the moment, but I feel quite desperate now that I need to wait for the sequel.
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy. All opinions are my own.
February 1, 2022
This book was amazing. It’s like a paranormal retelling of Venom. Telarion is basically Venom and it is fantastic. I am in so in love with him. And August is amazing. Ugh these two. I cannot wait for next book. And that cliffhanger is brutal.
January 11, 2022
4.5.
I have been a long time fan of Debbie, particularly her first few RH series, but due to my waning love of the RH genre, I haven't enjoyed a book of hers as much as this new one for a long time!
The world building is interesting, with a fresh take on the usual supernatural groups. You have regular humans, your more classic supernaturals, then New Bloods, who were humans transformed into something 'other' after a historic virus. I would have liked a little more world building regarding the New Bloods, but we're very much drop fed information as we go, rather than info dumps.
So our female MC is a rift walker, which is a rare, but not massively powerful New Blood, who can basically temporarily open a rift to a parallel world filled with Eldrich monsters. On one of her travels she almost dies and its saved by one of these monsters, but I ly by cutting a deal with them that she can host their form in the regular world. By day he lives inside her body, but by night he becomes corporal and needs to feed on blood or flesh, mostly on bad guys, to keep our heroine happy.
I really loved Telarion, the monster, and I liked the way he was only slightly humanised. The fact he is a monster and 'other' works well and I liked his dynamic and blossoming feeling for August.
Add in a militant Order that wants to use August and can't be trusted, and trying to run her own business, and we have a couple of plots running alongside each other.
This is a UF, so Telarion is the only love interest, and it works really well. Debbie writes really good chemistry on her romances, but as there's only the one couple I feel like I was more invested in them.
I really enjoyed this and highly recommended.
I have been a long time fan of Debbie, particularly her first few RH series, but due to my waning love of the RH genre, I haven't enjoyed a book of hers as much as this new one for a long time!
The world building is interesting, with a fresh take on the usual supernatural groups. You have regular humans, your more classic supernaturals, then New Bloods, who were humans transformed into something 'other' after a historic virus. I would have liked a little more world building regarding the New Bloods, but we're very much drop fed information as we go, rather than info dumps.
So our female MC is a rift walker, which is a rare, but not massively powerful New Blood, who can basically temporarily open a rift to a parallel world filled with Eldrich monsters. On one of her travels she almost dies and its saved by one of these monsters, but I ly by cutting a deal with them that she can host their form in the regular world. By day he lives inside her body, but by night he becomes corporal and needs to feed on blood or flesh, mostly on bad guys, to keep our heroine happy.
I really loved Telarion, the monster, and I liked the way he was only slightly humanised. The fact he is a monster and 'other' works well and I liked his dynamic and blossoming feeling for August.
Add in a militant Order that wants to use August and can't be trusted, and trying to run her own business, and we have a couple of plots running alongside each other.
This is a UF, so Telarion is the only love interest, and it works really well. Debbie writes really good chemistry on her romances, but as there's only the one couple I feel like I was more invested in them.
I really enjoyed this and highly recommended.
December 24, 2021
Holy freaking crap!!! I absolutely LOVED this book!! I am DYING for more!!! What we have here is nothing short of brilliance, and you will devour it like the best read of the year it is! The characters are awesome, we get some bread trails being laid out and some puzzle pieces dropped, we get slammed with a major reveal at the end to set up the next book and my mystery meter is going crazy trying to work out what could possibly be going on. I love this author!! This book is a definite must read ASA-f’in-P!!
April 8, 2022
OMG OBSESSED... Love August character love Telarion! It took me a bit to read because of my hectic schedule these past two weeks, but I swear this book is bingable. The author takes us on an amazing, action packed ride in this venom retelling! I love marvel so much, this was so amazing to dive into.
August character was beautifully developed, her fierce and determined personality definitely made me love her from the start. Lets talk about Telarion... ahhh, I loved him so much, but then again I always fall for the morally grey character LOL. The development of their relation definitely had me rooting for so much more. The side characters are always get me, Quentin definitely made the list of favs. The world building was put together so well, the pace of the story definitely kept me hooked.
Absolutely loved this book and I cant wait for more by the author! Huge thanks for sending me a copy of the book. All opinions are my own.
August character was beautifully developed, her fierce and determined personality definitely made me love her from the start. Lets talk about Telarion... ahhh, I loved him so much, but then again I always fall for the morally grey character LOL. The development of their relation definitely had me rooting for so much more. The side characters are always get me, Quentin definitely made the list of favs. The world building was put together so well, the pace of the story definitely kept me hooked.
Absolutely loved this book and I cant wait for more by the author! Huge thanks for sending me a copy of the book. All opinions are my own.
February 10, 2022
I'm not entirely sure where the monster hype comes from. I'm not entirely sure why all of a sudden we all want, need and crave monster love stories. And not the sensual, hot, human looking monsters. No, the true monsters, with horns and hair and everything at least double its normal size. However, when I read the blurb for this book I knew I had to have it and when there was a chance to get an arc for this book I was therefore quite happy to get one.
What I loved most about this book is the world. Cassidy built this amazing, interesting and very vivid world. She managed to make every part of the town feel different and wherever our characters traveled I could almost smell, see and feel the places they were visiting. It's quite clear that this world is full of possibilities. For more monster stories, but also for entirely different stories. Because especially politically there is much work to do.
At times the plot of the book felt a little chaotic. Not that it was hard to follow, on the contrary. It was quite easy to follow and understand what's going on. It just felt that there were a few too many plot-lines and they didn't seem to mix perfectly. However, I was quite surprised when in the end Cassidy managed to connect all these plot lines and to show us that everything might have seemed chaotic, but was anything but. And especially after the last chapter I can't wait for the next book.
That's also because I really love August, the heroine in this story. At times she can be quite reckless and having a powerful monster depending on her survival made her a little careless when it comes to caring about her own life, but she so clearly has her heart in the right place. She cares about her friends, about the world she lives in and about the people in that world. And even though the odds might be against them, I'm rooting for her and her monster to get a happy ending!
What I loved most about this book is the world. Cassidy built this amazing, interesting and very vivid world. She managed to make every part of the town feel different and wherever our characters traveled I could almost smell, see and feel the places they were visiting. It's quite clear that this world is full of possibilities. For more monster stories, but also for entirely different stories. Because especially politically there is much work to do.
At times the plot of the book felt a little chaotic. Not that it was hard to follow, on the contrary. It was quite easy to follow and understand what's going on. It just felt that there were a few too many plot-lines and they didn't seem to mix perfectly. However, I was quite surprised when in the end Cassidy managed to connect all these plot lines and to show us that everything might have seemed chaotic, but was anything but. And especially after the last chapter I can't wait for the next book.
That's also because I really love August, the heroine in this story. At times she can be quite reckless and having a powerful monster depending on her survival made her a little careless when it comes to caring about her own life, but she so clearly has her heart in the right place. She cares about her friends, about the world she lives in and about the people in that world. And even though the odds might be against them, I'm rooting for her and her monster to get a happy ending!
September 6, 2023
This wasn’t bad per say. It just didn’t capture me, and lacked certain elements I find important in a story.
It was to short. I didn’t feel a connection with any of the characters, and I feel like this is because we didn’t really get to know anything other than the surface. Had it been longer things may have been different.
The haunted coffeemaker made this more childish to me.
The climax didn’t feel like a climax. It felt like every other situation they had been in throughout the book, where they simply stumbled upon danger and dealt with it within a few pages.
No character development.
Overall it was just bland.
I liked Lothos. He seemed interesting.
Telarion had potential, though I never seemed to figure him out.
This didn’t capture me enough to continue.
It was to short. I didn’t feel a connection with any of the characters, and I feel like this is because we didn’t really get to know anything other than the surface. Had it been longer things may have been different.
The haunted coffeemaker made this more childish to me.
The climax didn’t feel like a climax. It felt like every other situation they had been in throughout the book, where they simply stumbled upon danger and dealt with it within a few pages.
No character development.
Overall it was just bland.
I liked Lothos. He seemed interesting.
Telarion had potential, though I never seemed to figure him out.
This didn’t capture me enough to continue.
February 23, 2022
2,8 stars. Not one of my favourites from this author.
February 28, 2022
Love this new world
Aberrant Monsters is the first book in the newest series, and just wow. There's so many twists and turns going on that I am absolutely hooked. I need to know more, because everything is definitely not what it seems. August and Nandi are both amazing characters and I can't wait to see what is in store for these two ladies. The mysteries surrounding everyone and everything, especially Mr. Tall Dark and Deadly, I can't wait for more
Aberrant Monsters is the first book in the newest series, and just wow. There's so many twists and turns going on that I am absolutely hooked. I need to know more, because everything is definitely not what it seems. August and Nandi are both amazing characters and I can't wait to see what is in store for these two ladies. The mysteries surrounding everyone and everything, especially Mr. Tall Dark and Deadly, I can't wait for more
February 14, 2022
Wow, this book was AMAZING! The story follows August, a young woman with the ability to walk into rifts, aka rips into the world that serve as gateways to a parallel dimension. To escape a deadly situation, August accesses one of these rifts when it isn’t safe, and only manages to survive by making a deal with a monster, an aberration called Telarion: he saves her life, but she will carry him out of the rift and be his host. Now August is hosting this monster inside her, and every day after sundown, he comes out. Much like Venom and Eddie Brock, but make Venom but the hotter, smexier version.
The world-building in this book was fantastic. The author wrote it in a way that was easy to grasp without ever falling in the info-dump trap. But most importantly, I loved the characters. August is a fantastic female lead, and she’s surrounded by an amazing cast of secondary characters. Her relationship with Telarion was so fascinating, especially given their connection. I never imagined I would fall head over heels for a monster, but Telarion has ways. Sure, his jaw unhinges and he eats bad humans, and his tongue is very long, but his ruthlessness and monstrous ways have his charm. (I love it when he calls her tiny human!) Besides, there’s a whole mystery surrounding him that has me very intrigued. I’m developing theories.
The mystery element is quite prevalent in this book and runs side by side with the romance, which made me affectionately call August and her friends “The Monstrous Scooby gang.” (I was a huge fan of Scooby-Doo. What does this story have to do with Scooby? Absolutely nothing. Let’s proceed.) There’s actually multiple mystery plotlines, a main one that is solved within the book, and others instead that will run presumably throughout the entire series. Basically, this book was written with every intention to blow my mind. It has everything want and love: romance, chemistry, spice, mystery, amazing characters, and supernatural beings. It’s perfect!
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy. Opinions are my own!
The world-building in this book was fantastic. The author wrote it in a way that was easy to grasp without ever falling in the info-dump trap. But most importantly, I loved the characters. August is a fantastic female lead, and she’s surrounded by an amazing cast of secondary characters. Her relationship with Telarion was so fascinating, especially given their connection. I never imagined I would fall head over heels for a monster, but Telarion has ways. Sure, his jaw unhinges and he eats bad humans, and his tongue is very long, but his ruthlessness and monstrous ways have his charm. (I love it when he calls her tiny human!) Besides, there’s a whole mystery surrounding him that has me very intrigued. I’m developing theories.
The mystery element is quite prevalent in this book and runs side by side with the romance, which made me affectionately call August and her friends “The Monstrous Scooby gang.” (I was a huge fan of Scooby-Doo. What does this story have to do with Scooby? Absolutely nothing. Let’s proceed.) There’s actually multiple mystery plotlines, a main one that is solved within the book, and others instead that will run presumably throughout the entire series. Basically, this book was written with every intention to blow my mind. It has everything want and love: romance, chemistry, spice, mystery, amazing characters, and supernatural beings. It’s perfect!
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy. Opinions are my own!
March 21, 2022
This had an interesting premise with Telarion being attached to our FMC which is why I picked this up. I am not sure I have read many PNR with that idea so I was immediately interested.
Throughout the book I definitely felt like the parts that shined were the interactions with August and Telarion. I found myself being a little bored with the main plot and the side characters didn't jump out at me at all. With the amount I read I am not sure this will stay in my head? Like I wanna know more about August and Telarion and I wanna read that but I not sure the rest will keep me interested.
Also this is not spicy for whatever reviews below are mentioning spicy they must not read a lot because this was a low spice read for me. There is good sexual tension and a very small dash but I would say this is a slowburn.
Throughout the book I definitely felt like the parts that shined were the interactions with August and Telarion. I found myself being a little bored with the main plot and the side characters didn't jump out at me at all. With the amount I read I am not sure this will stay in my head? Like I wanna know more about August and Telarion and I wanna read that but I not sure the rest will keep me interested.
Also this is not spicy for whatever reviews below are mentioning spicy they must not read a lot because this was a low spice read for me. There is good sexual tension and a very small dash but I would say this is a slowburn.
May 4, 2022
Spice: 🌶/3
Quote: “I broke all three rules. Now my body is host to a psychotic aberration who materialises after sundown to haunt me in the flesh. Flesh arranged on a body made for sin, despite its monstrous proportions.”
Summary: August Vera has an otherworldly demon living inside of her, who goes by the name of Telarion. If trapped inside of her for too long, she too will become a monster as he is. They should want to be freed of one another, but as time goes on, dangers arise and hungers intensify, things get a bit more complicated.
This book was a quick read, which was perfect for while I was on vacation! I genuinely enjoyed this book, and definitely found it to be captivating and entertaining!
I don’t like giving negative reviews, but I wanted to be honest with you all on how I felt. I didn’t feel as though I could give it 4 stars- but I did still enjoy this read and would recommend it to those in need of a short, adventurous, fast-paced, slightly wacky, tension-filled, read! And if you like the movie Venom 😁
As I said unfortunately I wasn’t able to give this book the greatest rating- there wasn’t as much spice as it let on, and the descriptions weren’t very detailed, which made it hard to picture what the characters looked like and what was happening. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the writing style, and there were a few spelling mistakes that I caught as well. I felt as though the main character kept getting into similar types of trouble over and over again, and it was a bit repetitive. 😕
That all being said, I did start the second book this past weekend and I am already enjoying it more than the first one! It’s already much spicier 🌶 I think that the world they live in is so cool and complex and there is a lot of opportunity for it to be a great series. 😊
Quote: “I broke all three rules. Now my body is host to a psychotic aberration who materialises after sundown to haunt me in the flesh. Flesh arranged on a body made for sin, despite its monstrous proportions.”
Summary: August Vera has an otherworldly demon living inside of her, who goes by the name of Telarion. If trapped inside of her for too long, she too will become a monster as he is. They should want to be freed of one another, but as time goes on, dangers arise and hungers intensify, things get a bit more complicated.
This book was a quick read, which was perfect for while I was on vacation! I genuinely enjoyed this book, and definitely found it to be captivating and entertaining!
I don’t like giving negative reviews, but I wanted to be honest with you all on how I felt. I didn’t feel as though I could give it 4 stars- but I did still enjoy this read and would recommend it to those in need of a short, adventurous, fast-paced, slightly wacky, tension-filled, read! And if you like the movie Venom 😁
As I said unfortunately I wasn’t able to give this book the greatest rating- there wasn’t as much spice as it let on, and the descriptions weren’t very detailed, which made it hard to picture what the characters looked like and what was happening. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the writing style, and there were a few spelling mistakes that I caught as well. I felt as though the main character kept getting into similar types of trouble over and over again, and it was a bit repetitive. 😕
That all being said, I did start the second book this past weekend and I am already enjoying it more than the first one! It’s already much spicier 🌶 I think that the world they live in is so cool and complex and there is a lot of opportunity for it to be a great series. 😊
October 16, 2022
♡No Spoilers♡
I had seen a Tik tok about this book being like a Venom vibe but make it romance. This book did not disappoint. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the world and characters.
Synopsis: August is a rift walker, who is carrying an psychotic aberration inside of her. During the day Telarion resides inside of hers. But when the sun sets and the darkness consumes the sky. Telarion materializes outside of August’s body. August is desperate to rid herself of this monster who also craves freedom. Things become complicated when August learns the truth about her mothers past, and about the supernatural agency that wants to use August’s abilities to walk into the monster realm and provide them with information. In exchange they will help separate Telarion. Before August becomes a monster herself.
♡Overall:The chemistry and banter between Telarion and August was chefs kiss. The attraction and yearning is there, but August is fighting it with her entire being. It’s a slow burn and I just know that it’s going to pay off! The world is filled with magic and all kinds of beings; vampires, gargoyles, ghosts, etc. I really adored her inner circle which included her Uncle, her best friend and Archer who all work together to debunk or confirm hauntings and various other jobs. It gave me Scooby Doo vibes which I loved, and I am absolutely going to continue with this series. Would highly recommend to anyone who wants to jump into a unique world of magic and monsters.
I had seen a Tik tok about this book being like a Venom vibe but make it romance. This book did not disappoint. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the world and characters.
Synopsis: August is a rift walker, who is carrying an psychotic aberration inside of her. During the day Telarion resides inside of hers. But when the sun sets and the darkness consumes the sky. Telarion materializes outside of August’s body. August is desperate to rid herself of this monster who also craves freedom. Things become complicated when August learns the truth about her mothers past, and about the supernatural agency that wants to use August’s abilities to walk into the monster realm and provide them with information. In exchange they will help separate Telarion. Before August becomes a monster herself.
♡Overall:The chemistry and banter between Telarion and August was chefs kiss. The attraction and yearning is there, but August is fighting it with her entire being. It’s a slow burn and I just know that it’s going to pay off! The world is filled with magic and all kinds of beings; vampires, gargoyles, ghosts, etc. I really adored her inner circle which included her Uncle, her best friend and Archer who all work together to debunk or confirm hauntings and various other jobs. It gave me Scooby Doo vibes which I loved, and I am absolutely going to continue with this series. Would highly recommend to anyone who wants to jump into a unique world of magic and monsters.
January 16, 2023
3,5
Este libro trata de August ella vive en un mundo lleno de seres supernatural es donde algunos humanos tienen habilidades únicas, como ella. Ella puede atravesar las grietas hacia otro mundo, solo que rompió las 3 reglas esenciales de todo ser como ella, no entrar al otro lado después de la puesta de sol, no quedarse más de una hora y no traer nada con ella. Por salvar su vida trae a un ser extraño con ella, quien solo puede salir después de la puesta del sol y volver al cuerpo de ella al amanecer. Un día la orden se entera de esto u a cambio de no acabar con ellos les proponen un trato, que ellos terminen con más monstruos mientras ellos buscan una forma de separarlos.
Tengo que admitir que este libro me está sorprendiendo mucho, no tiene la super trama pero uno siempre está ahí al borde preguntándose qué pasó y haciéndose preguntas que espero luego respondan, el romance es muy Meh, espero mejore en los demás libros.
Es un libro corto y se lee rápido, la verdad si estoy interesada en la trama aunque no tenga mucha profundidad y así, todavía estoy confusa con el mundo, pero ahí voy viendo de a poco. En general es una buena lectura para pasar el rato, es un libro se lee solo, la verdad. Es entretenido y tiene indicios de un buen romance y una trama más compleja, en especial por ese final, ¿cómo me dejan así?
Este libro trata de August ella vive en un mundo lleno de seres supernatural es donde algunos humanos tienen habilidades únicas, como ella. Ella puede atravesar las grietas hacia otro mundo, solo que rompió las 3 reglas esenciales de todo ser como ella, no entrar al otro lado después de la puesta de sol, no quedarse más de una hora y no traer nada con ella. Por salvar su vida trae a un ser extraño con ella, quien solo puede salir después de la puesta del sol y volver al cuerpo de ella al amanecer. Un día la orden se entera de esto u a cambio de no acabar con ellos les proponen un trato, que ellos terminen con más monstruos mientras ellos buscan una forma de separarlos.
Tengo que admitir que este libro me está sorprendiendo mucho, no tiene la super trama pero uno siempre está ahí al borde preguntándose qué pasó y haciéndose preguntas que espero luego respondan, el romance es muy Meh, espero mejore en los demás libros.
Es un libro corto y se lee rápido, la verdad si estoy interesada en la trama aunque no tenga mucha profundidad y así, todavía estoy confusa con el mundo, pero ahí voy viendo de a poco. En general es una buena lectura para pasar el rato, es un libro se lee solo, la verdad. Es entretenido y tiene indicios de un buen romance y una trama más compleja, en especial por ese final, ¿cómo me dejan así?
September 2, 2022
4.5 stars! This was a fun, fast-paced, new adult urban fantasy with a human heroine and a demon love interest who was basically Venom. I laughed to myself multiple times while reading, I just could not get enough of Telarion!
“You can't just eat everyone who pisses you off.”This was very slow burn with an investigative mystery plot taking center stage in the story. In fact, what would've made this a five-star read from me is to have gotten the backstory of when August and Telarion first fused/met, because at the beginning of the story they're already bound together. On the flip side, it means you hit the ground running from the start and it's quite fast-paced. I just would've liked to have seen their first few interactions and to have seen more of Telarion in general; he was hands down the star of the show for me.
“I can. But I understand it makes you uncomfortable, and so I refrain.”
“Tell me what you fear, and I'll eat it.”
February 22, 2022
4.5 rounded up
Eldritch monsters, Order if Yaga…. Debbie Cassidy returns to her base in epic fashion, pulling out all the stops and edging to the foundation of horror fantasy, while still firmly staying in the realm of Urban Fantasy. This introduction is the first in a new series that promises to intrigue as much as it entertains.
Telarion, the said Eldritch monster, has hitched a ride and co-opted August’s body, using her as a host / a feat that could see them both killed if it got out. But of course, the powers that be are in the know and manipulate the situation to get August Under their thumb, as a powerful being and useful tool, a rift Walker.
Some of this is predictable, because powers are seldom mundane and a world of magic inspires mystery - yet Cassidy delivers some surprises along the way, like that ending!
First person, urban fantasy.
Eldritch monsters, Order if Yaga…. Debbie Cassidy returns to her base in epic fashion, pulling out all the stops and edging to the foundation of horror fantasy, while still firmly staying in the realm of Urban Fantasy. This introduction is the first in a new series that promises to intrigue as much as it entertains.
Telarion, the said Eldritch monster, has hitched a ride and co-opted August’s body, using her as a host / a feat that could see them both killed if it got out. But of course, the powers that be are in the know and manipulate the situation to get August Under their thumb, as a powerful being and useful tool, a rift Walker.
Some of this is predictable, because powers are seldom mundane and a world of magic inspires mystery - yet Cassidy delivers some surprises along the way, like that ending!
First person, urban fantasy.
February 24, 2022
I loved this so much. I say this time and time again about the author, Debbie Cassidy but I love the worlds and the characters she builds and for this one I definitely loved Telarion, he's my favourite kind of monster.
August is a rift walker, but she also has an aberrant bound to her by the name of Telarion. Auggie is sassy and bas@$$ and speaks her own mind, which I loved about her. And Telarion is kinda quiet, but there is more to this monster than what meets the eye. The side characters in the story including Lothos, Uncle Fred, Nandi, Archie, and even Dot really complement the story, including the addition of Quentin later on.
There are a lot of secrets and half-truths going on throughout the story, and I'm loving getting to learn them at the same time as August does.
And with that cliffy of an ending I can't wait for book two.
August is a rift walker, but she also has an aberrant bound to her by the name of Telarion. Auggie is sassy and bas@$$ and speaks her own mind, which I loved about her. And Telarion is kinda quiet, but there is more to this monster than what meets the eye. The side characters in the story including Lothos, Uncle Fred, Nandi, Archie, and even Dot really complement the story, including the addition of Quentin later on.
There are a lot of secrets and half-truths going on throughout the story, and I'm loving getting to learn them at the same time as August does.
And with that cliffy of an ending I can't wait for book two.
February 16, 2022
Actual rating 3/5, but very close 4!
I walked into this book with no expectations and enjoyed what I read. This book is super concise and easy to binge, which I recommend doing! It is definitely a story that needs to be read in one sitting.
Cassidy does a terrific job at creating secondary characters! I found myself enjoying their storylines more over August. I still enjoyed August a lot. She was a badass heroine with a good friend group, but often times overshadowed by her friends!
My favorite character is Quentin. He was so interesting to me and I need to know who and what he is! If he's hiding anything and what his endgame is! Honestly, I just need more about him in general.
I'm super pumped for book 2, but I hate that I have to wait for it!
I walked into this book with no expectations and enjoyed what I read. This book is super concise and easy to binge, which I recommend doing! It is definitely a story that needs to be read in one sitting.
Cassidy does a terrific job at creating secondary characters! I found myself enjoying their storylines more over August. I still enjoyed August a lot. She was a badass heroine with a good friend group, but often times overshadowed by her friends!
My favorite character is Quentin. He was so interesting to me and I need to know who and what he is! If he's hiding anything and what his endgame is! Honestly, I just need more about him in general.
I'm super pumped for book 2, but I hate that I have to wait for it!
February 17, 2022
Wow. This was quite the read!
There is a lot that goes on in this book, sometimes it's a bit all over the place. But by the end it all comes together smoothly.
The world building is amazing. From all the different creatures you briefly are introduced too, to the unknown monsters. I enjoyed that this book has creatures unlike every other book. It's not just filled with vampires and wolf's. It's filled with ghosts and monsters ive never heard of.
I loved Telerion (I probably spelt that wrong) he's not the sweet loving monster you always seem to find in books. He's ruthless yet protective.
August is strong and determined, and sassy. Which works perfectly.
Quentin is a mystery that I can't wait to learn more about!!
I can't wait for the next book, because the order is up to something and I need to know what it iss!
There is a lot that goes on in this book, sometimes it's a bit all over the place. But by the end it all comes together smoothly.
The world building is amazing. From all the different creatures you briefly are introduced too, to the unknown monsters. I enjoyed that this book has creatures unlike every other book. It's not just filled with vampires and wolf's. It's filled with ghosts and monsters ive never heard of.
I loved Telerion (I probably spelt that wrong) he's not the sweet loving monster you always seem to find in books. He's ruthless yet protective.
August is strong and determined, and sassy. Which works perfectly.
Quentin is a mystery that I can't wait to learn more about!!
I can't wait for the next book, because the order is up to something and I need to know what it iss!
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