Shalini Abeysekara
Union Square and Co
1 April 2025
416
eBook - PDF
Fantasy Romance
ARC via NetGalley
She knows the taste of death. He'll stoke her hunger for it.
Eighteen-year-old Sarai doesn't know why someone tried to kill her four years ago, but she does know that her case was closed without justice. Hellbent on vengeance, she returns to the scene of the crime as a Petitor, a prosecutor who can magically detect lies, and is assigned to work with Tetrarch Kadra. Ice-cold and perennially sadistic, Kadra is the most vicious of the four judges who rule the land - and the prime suspect in a string of deaths identical to Sarai's attempted murder.
Certain of his guilt, Sarai begins a double life: solving cases with Kadra by day and plotting his ruin by night. But Kadra is charming and there's something alluring about the wrath he wields against the city's corruption. So when the evidence she finds embroils her in a deadly political battle, Sarai must also fight against her attraction to Kadra - because despite his growing hold on her heart, his voice matches the only memory she has of her assailant...
I hesitated at first over requesting a review copy of this book. I like romantasy, but a few I've read in recent times have left me feeling cold, with sex scenes taking over the story. Thankfully I decided to try This Monster of Mine, because that was not the case with this book at all; in fact, it was an incredibly strong debut work. The world building was excellently handled, and both that and the well-drawn characters drew me in from the first few chapters. The tale moved at an excellent pace throughout and I kept wanted to read 'just one more chapter'. The slow buildup of the relationship between Sarai and Kadra was expertly written, and by the time we reached the book's single sex scene, it was highly anticipated and impactful, helping to shape the characters rather than being there just for titillation, which is exactly what I have been looking for and struggling to find in romantasy lately. This is a very dark and violent story, which was totally fine by me but will perhaps not be suitable for all readers. However, if that doesn't put you off and you are looking for a romantasy that has character depth and a good plot, I definitely recommend This Monster of Mine. I will be keen to read more from this author in the future and I am giving this book 5 stars.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
No comments:
Post a Comment