Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Monsters of Ashwood #1

Voices in the Dark

Rate this book
The voices are calling...can you hear them?

Jenna Hellsing isn’t afraid of the dark…in fact, she’s drawn to it.
For the last several years Jenna has been trying to quiet her demons, and the sleepy little town of Ashwood, Oregon seems to be the perfect place to hide and start over….but the darkness isn’t ready to let Jenna go.

Degal’s heart is colder than stone. After all, he’s been separated from his mates for more than a century, with only one focus: To protect Ashwood Manor, his home. When a young, fearless woman buys the legendary manor, Degal feels an undeniable bond he can’t ignore.

As Jenna tries to navigate her new life, she finds that some voices are too hard to resist.
Especially the ones you hear in the dark.

125 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 18, 2022

120 people are currently reading
575 people want to read

About the author

Ariel Dawn

69 books280 followers
USA Today Bestselling Author Ariel Dawn is a real life mermaid and self-professed geek with a penchant for a good book and a strong cup of coffee (or tea!).

Ariel writes plot driven paranormal romance, monster romance, reverse harem, and urban fantasy featuring feisty heroines, sinfully delicious heroes, and neurodivergent besties.

As a fellow neurodivergent, when she isn't writing, she can be found cosplaying, attending conventions, or creating all sorts of artwork in her studio. She loves hanging out with family and friends as well as playing video games and board games with her retro gamer husband.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
86 (31%)
4 stars
101 (36%)
3 stars
63 (22%)
2 stars
21 (7%)
1 star
3 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
Profile Image for Dani (Daniiireads).
1,977 reviews328 followers
February 21, 2023
Tropes:
- small town
- spooky vibes
- monsters
- mates

Jenna Hellsing can see and talk to ghosts, which is how she ended up spending months at Shadyside. Now she’s been out for three months, living in the small town of Ashwood, and living in a halfway house while working for the towns visitors center.

Ashwood isn’t what it seems though—the town is supposedly haunted and it’s forest full of monsters, along with it’s main attraction, the giant Ashwood Manor, where a woman was murdered a hundred years ago.

Something about the old manor calls to Jenna, and she decides to purchase the dilapidated mansion. She soon learns she isn’t the only inhabitant of Ashwood Manor or it’s grounds—her roommate is a voyeuristic ghost, and a grumpy gargoyle lives in the carriage house on the property.

Voices in the Dark is a quick and spicy read, and was the perfect set up for Jenna, Degal, and Shadows story! Jenna is a wonderful and hilarious FMC, and I loved the banter between her and Degal. Although, I think Shadow may be my favorite so far!

Can’t wait for more of this series, and to learn more about Flint!
Profile Image for Shannon.
367 reviews
October 19, 2022
A dark and spicy story! It's a pretty quick read, with more character development than plot. And it does set up for the next book. There's plenty of steam, including some M/M type scenes. Plus lots of insta-lust!
It's an interesting read, albeit with more characterization than plot, but from the plot elements that are there they set up the series nicely.
One thing I did enjoy was the dark, morally gray parts, where Jenna questions her sanity and her decisions in life.
Profile Image for Sarah Chambers.
250 reviews14 followers
August 13, 2024
The spooky vibes continue! I enjoyed this one about a haunted house full of monsters and the new owner who doesn't scare easily. 🦇
Profile Image for Carly.
66 reviews2 followers
January 13, 2025
Yeah, not for me, unfortunately.

Right off the bat we are hit with spelling and grammatical errors. "Addams" Family is spelled "Adams," there's multiple people speaking in one paragraph; separated only by more quotes so you're left having to distinguish who is speaking in that particular sentence. I wish I could say that improved, but it didn't. Cliché references to Jason Momoa are misspelled even.

I appreciated the house itself, I suppose. I'm a sucker for gothic romance, so the house, left in all its glory, was a plus for me- but let's dissect that a bit.
- the historical society came in and was able to do some renovations, but neither them nor the listing agent bothered to throw away the withered flowers in the foyer?
- speaking of agent, how did she afford this house when she was literally locked up until this point? She was still in a halfway house when she decided one day, "Meh, I'll buy it."
- within 24hrs, she's the proud owner. I get it was cheaper, but still not feasible. And how did she close on it in one day? It takes longer than that for the title company to even find the paperwork on a home
- Why couldn't Jenna be her own person? The story felt dampened by her being basically a reincarnation of someone else. For one, it's overdone. But to give her no autonomy felt generic.

I also didn't realize how short this story was. Now, I don't necessarily mind that- but label it as such. I finished the "book" in less than three hours.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Sadie Forsythe.
Author 1 book287 followers
June 19, 2024
I'm going to give this duology a single review since I read the books back to back, and they form one continuous story. Honestly, the two books combined are less than 350 pages, so I don't know why the author bothered to break them in two. I know there's the sell-more-books aspect. But finding standalone Why Choose romances is like finding a treasure. I wish more authors would write them, and here I see a perfect opportunity to do so squandered.

I have mixed feelings about this series. In one sense, I liked it a lot. I liked that the men of the harem have a real, deeply felt, and openly expressed relationship with one another. I liked the characters themselves. Since I finished book one and then bought book two, I obviously enjoyed spending time with them.

BUT I was hoping for so much more than this series delivered. There are some aspects of the story that seriously disappointed me. (This will be spoilerish, by the way.) I found the heroine bland. Honestly, among the three men's history and established relationship, she felt very much like a late addition tag-along rather than a truly important addition. Honestly, I'm not even sure she felt like the main character of the book. Degal, in terms of page time and development, and Shadow, in terms of group dynamics, fit the bill a lot better.

But mostly, the author made some choices I thought were super cliched and predictable. At the tail end of book one, I had a premonition of where the story was going and made this note:
I'm going to be so disappointed if this book/series goes in the reincarnated lover direction. Let her be important as herself, not as Virginia 2.0. Please!

Well, to risk repeating myself, I was disappointed. It wasn't straightforward reincarnation, but it's close enough to fit the bill. I want a heroine that the men love FOR HER, not for what (or who) she is a reflection of.

The villain was incredibly obvious. It's the only named character with no other stated character role (best friend, work colleague, lover, etc.), and his motivation was one we've all seen a billion times before. It's serious low-hanging fruit in the plotting department. I have to say the same about the FMC's history of rape. *Yawn* So overused as to have been leeched of all emotional impact. Again, it's low-hanging fruit plotting. It's evidence of either incredible laziness or an author who has yet to mature and learn to imagine plot points for themselves instead of choosing them from pre-scripted cultural story arcs.

As a side note, I'm quite tolerant of purple prose. But if you are not, this might not be the book for you. It could also do with another editing pass. All in all, this wasn't horrible. I like it well enough. But it left me with several unanswered questions and could have been so much more than it is.
Profile Image for Aislinn.
379 reviews7 followers
October 11, 2022
“Voices in the Dark” is the perfect, bite sized story to whet your appetite for monster romance. As we head into fall, I’ve slowly begun incorporating more spooky, monster reads into my TBR. With “Voices in the Dark”, you have the initial world building and introduction to the harem. For now, we have Jenna, a woman who can see ghosts, Shadow, a literal spirit, and Degal, who is a gargoyle. The book ends on a cliffhanger where you’re also introduced to the third, and final MMC: Flint. There is very little drama in this book, with most of the plot centered around making you familiar to the setting and characters. I hope book 2 comes out soon so that I can add this to the list of monstrous books I’m reading this fall!

I received an arc in exchange for review. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Christi.
463 reviews2 followers
June 7, 2023
If I had known what this really was I wouldn't have even picked it up. I thought it was a full length book but it’s actually a novella at 125 pages on the Kindle. I read the book blind then went back and read the summary and it does not feel like the two actually match up for me. None of the story is fleshed out and it turns into a “plot, what plot?” by the end. I have no idea who any of the characters really are other than knowing Degal is the gargoyle, Shadow is the wraith/ghost, and Flint is the forest monster. There is no relationship building, it’s just an instant attraction. The book focuses on darker themes of sex including strangulation and pain play which I am not into so that could be part of my problem with the book.

I did appreciate Jenna insisting on getting consent from Degal before sex, but there was no mention of any kind of birth control and a lot of focus on “seed”. Honestly I skimmed a lot of the sex because I just was not into any of it.

The beginning started out kind of interesting and was able to grab my attention, even if I thought it was a bit odd. We open on her checking into a halfway house and her apparently “favorite” nurse bringing her meds. She was committed for being able to see ghosts and “dark thoughts” that were later revealed to be a sexual attraction to strangulation (of both herself and her partner) and pain. We then get an immediate three month time skip and info-dump about her growing up in foster care before bouncing between homelessness and asylums until this point. The flashback to her ex paying her for what I wasn’t sure was actually sex or rape was not needed.

Other issues:
-one instance of “corporeal” spelled “corporal”
-First time Addams family is mentioned it is spelled “Adams”
-Jason Momoa’s name is spelled “Mamoa” all three times he is referenced
Profile Image for The Caffeinated Grimoire.
735 reviews5 followers
September 21, 2023
Jenna and her Monsters ♡

I really enjoyed this read it had a spooky gothic feel with a side of mystery. I always love a good PNR book, and whilst RH is not really my go-to, when they're done like this one, I love them. I love it when they're all in sync with each other and genuinely love everyone in the bond without conflict.
This also reads like a novella with enough spice, plot, and mystery to keep you interested. I can't wait to see how it wraps up in the second half of this duet ♡

Jenna has been dubbed crazy most of her life because she sees, feels, and hears things that no one else can. He most recent home was Shadyside, a place where they tried to medicate her for her so-called hallucinations. But now she's free, and taking up residence is a quiet, boring town with a dark history. Ashwood Manor is front and centre of all the ghost stories surrounding the town but rather than being repelled by it's darkness Jenna is drawn to it and so when she sees the for sale sign and a price too good to be true she snatches it up. With a small problem of a cottage and occupant that come with it, Jenna becomes the new mistress of Ashwood Manor. Ghosts have never scared her off before, and her newest roommate seems to draw out desires she's sure normal people shouldn't have over those not alive. But it's not just her ghostly friend she's drawn to but also her new neighbor who isn't as human as he seems but an ancient gargoyle forced to stone each morning with the light. They can't deny the pull they all feel towards each other, a pull neither Shadow or Degal have felt since the murd3r of their mate a century ago but the bond between them is still as strong as ever and now with Jenna they can have it all again.
But the darkness that haunts her past isn't quite ready to let her go just yet.

Recommend Reading 📚
Profile Image for Karina.
580 reviews5 followers
August 26, 2025
Did not realize this is essentially a novella, not sure why it's broken up into two books. Also, before I get much further in this review, I DO plan on reading the second book. They're fast enough reads and I'm just interested enough.

Anyway, this book starts off interesting, but almost immediately becomes just a bit too predictable. The insta-love (and lust) was honestly a bit of a bummer, there was definitely room for more build up and exploration, particularly if this is a story to span multiple books. There were some logistics around the house that I was willing to ignore for the sake of the story, but some of the other time lines were a little confusing....we literally jumped A MONTH at one point which is insane in a 125 page novella. I also think the huge jump was used as an excuse to gloss over any relationship building, but honestly, we needed it.

Anyway, I would like to read the second book because I think that Flint has potential, and honestly I like the dynamic of the other two MMCs as well...they genuinely care about each other. I do agree with one of the other reviews that state that Jenna is not the main character of this story. That doesn't bother me, I love multi-POV poly books, but I do know it throws some people.
Profile Image for Jai M {Cat Crazy Dragon }.
872 reviews49 followers
May 24, 2023
Slow, creepy, moody, incomplete…

T.W. Has scenes that describe what amounts to submissive, sexual abuse. The one time I really don’t want details, is one of the few times this story provides them.

Was too slow for my tastes, too moody with an emphasis on twisted drama.
Not enough details, plot development, or character development.

Had a similar feel as Anne Rice, but lacked her details and depth.
The emphasis was on atmosphere, rather than the information that would make up a world, or a characters personality and choices.
We are expected to simply accept the way of things, with few questions of why or how.

It’s possible these issues will be dealt with in later books, but I’m just not that patient.
Plus, there wasn’t enough to like, look forward to, or fall for, to make up for the traumatically, sadistic moments.

I only gave it a 3, because of the quality of the words, in spite of the story and it’s lethargic and depressing characters.
Profile Image for Julia.
514 reviews8 followers
January 14, 2024
i have mixed feelings about this one. it’s short and spooky and interesting, so those are all good things. but our fmc is a little too “not like other girls” for me.

several times in this book her internal monologue goes off track to be like “most people wouldn’t do this…” or “no one normal would do this…” or something like that just so she can be like “but not me cause guess what? i’m different!! i’m spooky and dark and weird and crazy and just so unique and different from everyone else.”

which is overdone and less interesting than paranormal authors seem to think it is.

but i like the house and the descriptions, and obviously learning about shadow and degal’s pasts with their wife is really interesting. part of me wishes this book was just about that.

bring us back to their days with their mate, and leave “very special and unique” jenna out of it completely.
Profile Image for The Literary Vixen.
611 reviews22 followers
July 11, 2023
Let’s take a moment to appreciate the cover. Isn’t it just so pretty?

I did not expect to become so attached, even consumed with this world and story! This story came out of nowhere and stole my heart. Along with its characters. I was already here for the dark vibes. The steamy scenes are scorching and just *chefs kiss* The ending left me wanting more and I’m ecstatic that there is a second book!

If you enjoy monster romance, this book is for you! Just binge read the duology. You’re welcome. I give this 5 stars.
Profile Image for Cassandra Medcalf.
Author 80 books103 followers
August 25, 2024
I love when dark romance meets monsters, and this fit that vibe PERFECTLY. Seriously, if you're looking for a book to kick off the Halloween season, crack this one open. Our main heroine with a dark past (she was institutionalized for a mysterious reason we learn more about later) buys a haunted house so she can get out of her living situation. And there she finds some... Well-endowed monsters and a ghost-like monster and more mysteries!
Super spicy and intriguing. I'm diving right into book 2!
Profile Image for Kassey J.
544 reviews1 follower
November 28, 2023
I really liked this duet. I was erked by one thing then it got resolved lol so it's a 4 star duet.



****SPOILER ALERT Below****







So the thing that erks me is we were told in this first book degal and shadow had a D/s relationship but that no one knew and like they were keeping it hidden from their mates so I was a little pissed and was ready to rate it a 3 star but the author slid it in (like letting all the mates know(pun totally not intended;)) at the very ending of the 2nd book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Karyn.
210 reviews
October 14, 2024
I really wanted to like this, but honestly, it is barely worth the 3 stars. I got bored reading it. The characters are not likeable or relatable in any way. The book just stops at a random point, probably a word count, apparently to force you to buy another book. I won’t be reading the 2nd. Very disappointing, as it could have been so much better, as the premise was basically unique and intriguing.
Profile Image for Jessica L.
Author 2 books
December 5, 2024
I enjoyed this book a lot! The plot was captivating, the characters relatable for us who are neurospicy, and it’s written in a way that feels relaxing/easy to read. I can’t wait to get to the next book.

This is my first jump into why choose and monsters. I was hesitant! Now, I’m ready to go deeper (I had to, sorry not sorry.) I’m so glad this was my first book to try out some new genres. I think it was a perfect match for me.
Profile Image for booksrissa.
41 reviews1 follower
February 4, 2023
So good!

I went into this sort of blind. I didn’t really read the synopsis just kind of skimmed over it. The story revolves around Jenna, Degal, Shadow and Flint. Man. Im obsessed. This is part of a duet so it ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. Im excited to start the second. There’s so many things to be revealed still.
Profile Image for Bradley  Kylian.
47 reviews4 followers
October 27, 2025
Voices in the Dark pulled me in from the very first page and refused to let go. Ariel Dawn has a gift for blending passion, mystery, and the supernatural in a way that feels completely immersive. The story of Jenna and Degal is hauntingly beautiful two souls drawn together by fate, darkness, and an unexplainable bond that transcends time.
5 reviews
May 24, 2023
Great read!

I downloaded this when I was wanting to read but knew I wasn’t going to have a lot of time for a long series and it did not disappoint! Well written, fast moving plot, and good character building.
Profile Image for tatisbookshelf .
266 reviews2 followers
September 14, 2023
had me hooked from page one

Idk what kind of readers crack this author put in this book but dude, it was good. I was hooked. I have an idea about what Jenna is👀 excited to see where that goes. I love Shadow & Degal, I need more
Profile Image for Kearstin Ellis.
567 reviews27 followers
May 4, 2024
Jenna purchased Ashwood Manor without any thoughts on who / what resides there

She heard stories but knew she needed to create a new life and her own story.

This book has spice, love, lust, and trauma.

Such a quick and interesting read can’t wait to start book two
797 reviews5 followers
January 1, 2025
It's short and packed full. A lot is going on as backstory and worldbuilding in this book. I wanted more of the crumbs than I got, to be honest. Some hints of darkness, but not as many as I'd expected.

I'll pick up the next in the series to see where it goes.
Profile Image for Tylia.
133 reviews4 followers
April 4, 2023
this was so good!

I absolutely adored my time while reading this! I can’t wait to continue the series because holy hell was that hot
59 reviews
May 9, 2023
When I saw those trigger warnings, I was like what am I getting into?? But god damn I couldn’t put it down. Start of a wonderful series.
Profile Image for auds thoughts {hiatus}.
223 reviews6 followers
June 6, 2023
I wanted to give something more spooky and supernatural a try, wasn’t really for me. Overall, the book was decent.
Profile Image for Karley.
53 reviews
September 6, 2023
Wish it was long, excited to read more about flint in second book!
Profile Image for Kassybetweenpages.
554 reviews61 followers
October 27, 2024
I devoured this book, it's a quick read but full of delicious monster romance goodness. small town, spooky manor vibes Jenna and her monsters are everything.
Profile Image for Allison Morrison.
19 reviews
January 5, 2025
Loved the way the spice was written and how you’re not sure of who the characters are, until it’s right there in your face!
Profile Image for A.
10 reviews5 followers
February 6, 2025
mmm.

Well this definitely got me out of the weird slump I was in. Shadow is by far my favorite of all the characters. I have theory’s about Jenna.

Will be heading to book 2 now 🫡
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.