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Those Who Break Chains #2
The Might of Monsters
To be a sorceress means to seize your desires and take possession, to invoke powers most ancient to triumph—to leave no challengers alive, and take back all that is yours by right.
Olesya Hua could have been the sorceress of her age, if not for the curse that struck her down. Now risen from its ashes, she's determined to carve her mark into the world.
Recadat Kongmanee is the survivor of a heinous affliction that has left her with unnatural hunger… and potent magic that’s slowly killing her. When she comes to Olesya’s door, she doesn’t expect to find a kindred spirit, or that the cabal who wronged her was also responsible for nearly breaking Olesya.
United in purpose. Each powerful in her own way. And for herself, Olesya is determined to bring the world to heel.
Now is the time of the sorceress.
Olesya Hua could have been the sorceress of her age, if not for the curse that struck her down. Now risen from its ashes, she's determined to carve her mark into the world.
Recadat Kongmanee is the survivor of a heinous affliction that has left her with unnatural hunger… and potent magic that’s slowly killing her. When she comes to Olesya’s door, she doesn’t expect to find a kindred spirit, or that the cabal who wronged her was also responsible for nearly breaking Olesya.
United in purpose. Each powerful in her own way. And for herself, Olesya is determined to bring the world to heel.
Now is the time of the sorceress.
322 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 16, 2022
About the author
Maria Ying
13 books76 followersMaria Ying is both a fictional character and the joint pseudonym of Devi Lacroix and Benjanun Sriduangkaew, who have challenged themselves to write fiction with no speculative elements for once.
Devi Lacroix can be found at
Website: devilacroix.com
Twitter: twitter.com/DeviLacroix
Benjanun Sriduangkaew can be found at
Website: beekian.wordpress.com
Twitter: twitter.com/benjanun_s
Devi Lacroix can be found at
Website: devilacroix.com
Twitter: twitter.com/DeviLacroix
Benjanun Sriduangkaew can be found at
Website: beekian.wordpress.com
Twitter: twitter.com/benjanun_s
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
January 26, 2023
4.5/5 stars. I will be posting a separate review of The Demon of the House of Hua,a prequel novella included in this book.
Some time after The Grace of Sorcerers, Viveca Hua and her demon wife Yves have left for an infernal plane to recover a lost artifact. Now, Olesya, Viveca's sister, takes care of the Hua estate in their absence along with her weretiger wife Dallas. Fahriye Budak, a former inspector for Sealing and Containment (S&C), and the old lover of Viveca and Olesya's late mother, adjusts to her life in his golem body and rekindles with an old flame, Lussah al-Kattan; who is from the Her Pitiless Command trilogy by Benjanun Sriduangkaew, one-half of the author Maria Ying's true identity. Things seem great since the fall of their enemy Cecilie in the last book. However, peace is fleeting. An ancient, magical being of pure light called Nuawa is hunting down and killing mages; it is also a longtime enemy of the Huas. Recadat Kongmanee, from Sriduangkaew's Machine Mandate series, resurrects. The only surviving member of Cecilie's eldritch insect hive, her memories are fractured and her body is convoluted. Worst of all, she awakens next to her dead partner and unrequited love interest Thannarat. Recadat is hell-bent on revenge, something is wrong with Olesya, and Fahriye and Lussadh just cannot seem to find out where the Nuawa is or what it's doing. When a beautiful but mysterious women called the Melusine steps into the picture, things get even dicier.
The Might of Monsters focuses primarily on Olesya and Dallas, their relationship(s) and what's happening to them. Viveca and Yves aren't present that much in this book. The promising and satisfying character development that was present in The Grace of Sorcerers is still here, thankfully. All five of our perspectives--Olesya, Dallas, Recadat, Fahriye, and the Melusine to a lesser extent--are filled with emotion and desires and every character arc reaches a proper place by the end. These perspectives are predominantly first person, though there is some third person views to move things along at certain points. All of the perspectives are distinct: Olesya is angry and hungry for satisfaction; Dallas is trying to make sense of things and survive based on her tiger instincts; Recadat is tired, confused, and thirsty for revenge; Fahriye is older and has a bit more knowledge and patience with certain things, but she's also a bit forlorn, missing Elizaveta Hua; and the Melusine is vicious and power-hungry. Now, Olesya and the Melusine's perspectives will come off similar to some, but there is a reason for that, but I shan't spoil it. Maria Ying (the authors Sriduangkaew and Devi Lacroix, not the character in the book) do a good job of keeping these perspectives distinct and interesting.
Recadat was my favorite perspective as she was one of my favorite characters from the Machine Mandate series. Her forlornness, exhaustion, and searching for things which she might never attain was relatable, but also an endearing plotline. What happens with her body and powers is also incredible interesting. After Recadat, I think Dallas was my favorite. We see more how a weretiger acts and things and how her "jungle mentality" is still engrained within her. She's a genuinely good person who's willing to do anything to get everything back to peace. I still enjoyed the other three perspectives equally, although Recadat and Dallas remain my top two. As I said, Fahriye is older and she's more gentle and wiser than the somewhat younger characters. Seeing the thoughts and emotions and actions of an older butch lesbian was interesting. Olesya and the Melusine's hunger was a delicious, messy, and sexy, but the other perspectives were just a bit more unique to me.
The story that unfolds tells us new information about the ancient magic of this world, but also of just how powerful and secretive Elizaveta was. Truly, she left a hole in the world of mages, but whether each and every mage is happy about that hole or not is clearly shown and mentioned as divisive. Nonetheless, Elizaveta's absence can be felt across the characters, especially for Fahriye and Olesya. Fahriye, because she loved Elizaveta and isn't sure what to do without herself despite her budding romance with Lussadh, and Olesya, because we learn that growing up she felt inferior to Viveca and secretly desired her mother all to herself. Olesya's character arc, along with the Melusine's, showed a much darker part of the book. It was handled well and without shock value, though there are some twists and turns involved.
There isn't too many fight scenes/magic battles, but when they're there they are well-coordinated, bloody, appropriately lengthy, and filled with such ferocity. The Melusine and Dallas get most of the credit for this, though Recadat shines on her own for this. Sriduangkaew and Lacroix have a gift for writing dynamic fight scenes. But also steamy, and rough, sex scenes. The sex scenes weren't too wild like in the previous book (I remember the hole scene between Yves and Viveca), but there was still a primarily between some of them, particularly between Olesya and Dallas and between Dallas and Recadat--seriously, the Dallas and Recadat one was utterly primal, in the most literal sense.
The final battle is filled with revelations and dire achievements (for lack of a better word). It is a complex series of battles within a battle that once again show how Elizaveta's life and demise is connected to almost everything. I liked how this lingering influence of Elizaveta was implemented. The final moment of the final battle is poignant but well-deserved and what wraps up afterward is as well. Mostly.
So here's where a small criticism comes in. The ending is predominately happy, but with a major hint than another sequel is on its way (I believe it is, at least). Olesya and Dallas are happy as if Fahriye and Lussadh. Recadat and the Melusine have somewhat happy endings that are satisfying. However, I cannot help if that they would be more satisfying if they went a slightly different direction. I will put my thoughts under spoilers.
One of my favorite works by Sriduangkaew is Now Will Machines Hollow the Beast, and there she gives us a bittersweet ending that keeps our favorite characters from that book powerful, but also still reminding us that not all things end peacefully.
That one criticism aside, this is a great sequel. Fun, sexy, and just filled with interesting characters. It was great to see Recadat again.
Some time after The Grace of Sorcerers, Viveca Hua and her demon wife Yves have left for an infernal plane to recover a lost artifact. Now, Olesya, Viveca's sister, takes care of the Hua estate in their absence along with her weretiger wife Dallas. Fahriye Budak, a former inspector for Sealing and Containment (S&C), and the old lover of Viveca and Olesya's late mother, adjusts to her life in his golem body and rekindles with an old flame, Lussah al-Kattan; who is from the Her Pitiless Command trilogy by Benjanun Sriduangkaew, one-half of the author Maria Ying's true identity. Things seem great since the fall of their enemy Cecilie in the last book. However, peace is fleeting. An ancient, magical being of pure light called Nuawa is hunting down and killing mages; it is also a longtime enemy of the Huas. Recadat Kongmanee, from Sriduangkaew's Machine Mandate series, resurrects. The only surviving member of Cecilie's eldritch insect hive, her memories are fractured and her body is convoluted. Worst of all, she awakens next to her dead partner and unrequited love interest Thannarat. Recadat is hell-bent on revenge, something is wrong with Olesya, and Fahriye and Lussadh just cannot seem to find out where the Nuawa is or what it's doing. When a beautiful but mysterious women called the Melusine steps into the picture, things get even dicier.
The Might of Monsters focuses primarily on Olesya and Dallas, their relationship(s) and what's happening to them. Viveca and Yves aren't present that much in this book. The promising and satisfying character development that was present in The Grace of Sorcerers is still here, thankfully. All five of our perspectives--Olesya, Dallas, Recadat, Fahriye, and the Melusine to a lesser extent--are filled with emotion and desires and every character arc reaches a proper place by the end. These perspectives are predominantly first person, though there is some third person views to move things along at certain points. All of the perspectives are distinct: Olesya is angry and hungry for satisfaction; Dallas is trying to make sense of things and survive based on her tiger instincts; Recadat is tired, confused, and thirsty for revenge; Fahriye is older and has a bit more knowledge and patience with certain things, but she's also a bit forlorn, missing Elizaveta Hua; and the Melusine is vicious and power-hungry. Now, Olesya and the Melusine's perspectives will come off similar to some, but there is a reason for that, but I shan't spoil it. Maria Ying (the authors Sriduangkaew and Devi Lacroix, not the character in the book) do a good job of keeping these perspectives distinct and interesting.
Recadat was my favorite perspective as she was one of my favorite characters from the Machine Mandate series. Her forlornness, exhaustion, and searching for things which she might never attain was relatable, but also an endearing plotline. What happens with her body and powers is also incredible interesting. After Recadat, I think Dallas was my favorite. We see more how a weretiger acts and things and how her "jungle mentality" is still engrained within her. She's a genuinely good person who's willing to do anything to get everything back to peace. I still enjoyed the other three perspectives equally, although Recadat and Dallas remain my top two. As I said, Fahriye is older and she's more gentle and wiser than the somewhat younger characters. Seeing the thoughts and emotions and actions of an older butch lesbian was interesting. Olesya and the Melusine's hunger was a delicious, messy, and sexy, but the other perspectives were just a bit more unique to me.
The story that unfolds tells us new information about the ancient magic of this world, but also of just how powerful and secretive Elizaveta was. Truly, she left a hole in the world of mages, but whether each and every mage is happy about that hole or not is clearly shown and mentioned as divisive. Nonetheless, Elizaveta's absence can be felt across the characters, especially for Fahriye and Olesya. Fahriye, because she loved Elizaveta and isn't sure what to do without herself despite her budding romance with Lussadh, and Olesya, because we learn that growing up she felt inferior to Viveca and secretly desired her mother all to herself. Olesya's character arc, along with the Melusine's, showed a much darker part of the book. It was handled well and without shock value, though there are some twists and turns involved.
There isn't too many fight scenes/magic battles, but when they're there they are well-coordinated, bloody, appropriately lengthy, and filled with such ferocity. The Melusine and Dallas get most of the credit for this, though Recadat shines on her own for this. Sriduangkaew and Lacroix have a gift for writing dynamic fight scenes. But also steamy, and rough, sex scenes. The sex scenes weren't too wild like in the previous book (I remember the hole scene between Yves and Viveca), but there was still a primarily between some of them, particularly between Olesya and Dallas and between Dallas and Recadat--seriously, the Dallas and Recadat one was utterly primal, in the most literal sense.
The final battle is filled with revelations and dire achievements (for lack of a better word). It is a complex series of battles within a battle that once again show how Elizaveta's life and demise is connected to almost everything. I liked how this lingering influence of Elizaveta was implemented. The final moment of the final battle is poignant but well-deserved and what wraps up afterward is as well. Mostly.
So here's where a small criticism comes in. The ending is predominately happy, but with a major hint than another sequel is on its way (I believe it is, at least). Olesya and Dallas are happy as if Fahriye and Lussadh. Recadat and the Melusine have somewhat happy endings that are satisfying. However, I cannot help if that they would be more satisfying if they went a slightly different direction. I will put my thoughts under spoilers.
One of my favorite works by Sriduangkaew is Now Will Machines Hollow the Beast, and there she gives us a bittersweet ending that keeps our favorite characters from that book powerful, but also still reminding us that not all things end peacefully.
That one criticism aside, this is a great sequel. Fun, sexy, and just filled with interesting characters. It was great to see Recadat again.
July 2, 2023
Trans women and elder lesbians and poly romance yay! I feel like the first book had more plot? But I did appreciate all the character development here.
CW for a lot of body horror and some insects
CW for a lot of body horror and some insects
January 9, 2024
I loved it even better than the first one. The portray of polyamory in its glory and hardships is amazing and somehow, very comforting to me. I'm definitely in love with how this is all written, the characters, the representation and pride of bodies... definitely one of my favorite books.
I love the Tiger, i felt for Olesya, and i was greatly intrigued by the Panther. I cannot wait to read more about all of these characters.
I love the Tiger, i felt for Olesya, and i was greatly intrigued by the Panther. I cannot wait to read more about all of these characters.
November 11, 2023
This installment in the series is frenetic and intense, with lots of characters to keep track of and more action—both in the bedroom and on the battlefield—than you can shake an ancient, intelligent magical sword at. You’ll understand that reference when you read it. I was blown away by the romance (as always with lesbians of all stripes, cis, trans, and nonbinary) and characterization, especially the scenes between Fahriye and Lussadh, which were beautiful and truly unique. I enjoyed the fantasy plot but it was a tad overblown for me personally, hence the 4 stars instead of 5. That's my issue, not the book's. If you like a big build to a complex finale against a multifaceted big boss, you'll love the ending. A fantastic read and still my all-time favorite series. On to the next book (The Serpent of the House of Hua) I go! The series finale (The Ruin of Beasts) is coming November 14, so my TBR is set through Thanksgiving.
November 21, 2024
This was a reread, and I won't go into deep thoughts but I especially appreciated variety of relationships, many of them polyamorous in nature, between lesbians of all stripes: demon, weretiger, sorcerer, cis, nonbinary, and trans.
Recadat is a character who stood out in the reread, one of the many broken people inhabiting the Chainverse who somehow find a shred of hope and love amid the darkness.
The fantasy plot was good, but it didn't wow me--I remember having the same feeling the first time through. But I didn't care then and I don't care now, because I'm here for the characters and relationships, which are excellent. The rest is mostly filler to me.
Recadat is a character who stood out in the reread, one of the many broken people inhabiting the Chainverse who somehow find a shred of hope and love amid the darkness.
The fantasy plot was good, but it didn't wow me--I remember having the same feeling the first time through. But I didn't care then and I don't care now, because I'm here for the characters and relationships, which are excellent. The rest is mostly filler to me.
March 5, 2023
Did I read the prologue or did the prologue read me? Honestly I can't get Elizaveta and Fahriye out of my head, older butchfemme with a secret relationship 🫶
The first book in this series was already 5 stars for me but I lived this one a lot better (that's because I am more of an Olesya girlie (gender-neutral)). There are more lesbians (and yet it didnt feel like too much), a new plot, angst and insecurities and more fantasy creatures and monsters.
The first book in this series was already 5 stars for me but I lived this one a lot better (that's because I am more of an Olesya girlie (gender-neutral)). There are more lesbians (and yet it didnt feel like too much), a new plot, angst and insecurities and more fantasy creatures and monsters.
November 25, 2022
This was intense and intricate and seems to be heading somewhere else. If the ending and epilogue hints are more than a tease than A third book rather than just a little novella, will continue the adventures and romances shown from the earlier books. I very ,much look forward to whoever the Winter Queen turns out to be.
December 6, 2022
I just finished and this book was amazing. This book was really romantic and action packed. It was so great to see more of the characters I loved from the first book. I am really looking forward to the next book in this series!
December 13, 2023
I really enjoy the Maria Ying books. Loads of drama and action and a lot of lurid scenes. I'm not super into all the vore, but everything else is stellar. The magic is imaginative and twisted.
February 5, 2024
Even more gore than the previous one, more lesbians and more non binary characters 🫡
July 22, 2024
4/5
Intriguing characters marred by a somewhat contrived mystery.
Intriguing characters marred by a somewhat contrived mystery.
February 2, 2025
Light 4
March 28, 2025
These women (the two that make up Maria Ying) know exactly what I want. About to devour the next ones in record time
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews