Like everyone else, I’m reflecting on the reads that I enjoyed the best. Honestly? If you saw I gave something four or five stars (which is almost everything I review because I don’t like reading something I don’t think I’m going to enjoy) then I it was one of the best things I’ve read this year.
So if I’m going to make a list then it needs to be a book that has shaped the way I regard and read monster romance. These are the books that, for better or worse, affected how I reviewed and will review other books by those authors and with those tropes or styles.
So in no particular order, here’s the books that changed the game for me in 2022.
Surrendering to Scylla By Wren K. Morris
Uncensored thoughts: This story was beautiful. I thought I knew where it was going, but Morris knew better than I did. This story is criminally underrated and not given enough attention.
Why it changed the game: The concept was novel against the genre landscape and the plot was gorgeously engaging. The obvious game-changing aspect of Surrendering to Scylla is having a female monster and male human pairing. It is the opposite of the typical hetero match up we typically see in monster romance and Morris nailed it.
The Lady and the Orc by Finley Fenn
Uncensored thoughts: This is a dark series that rewards readers who can handle it with some of the best creativity and original storytelling in the monster romance world.
Why it changed the game: The Orc Sworn series as a whole has a fan base I would envy as an author. I credit that community and the creativity of the series for my journey that started 2022 with reading Lady and is continuing still with a whole monster romance blog and podcast.
A Lady of Rooksgrave Manor by Kathryn Moon
Uncensored thoughts: I can only hope to write like Kathryn Moon one day. She writes writes romance with its fullest meaning. It is a love story, but these books are also packed with journeys and adventure.
Why it changed the game: Moon is one of those authors who gives the main characters goals and journeys that compliment the romantic plot they are in. Her books have encouraged me to seek that out more as a reader. She also was one of the authors that has sold me on poly romance even though I personally live a monogamous lifestyle.
Bound by Trish Heinrich
Uncensored thoughts: The Monsters and Artifacts world makes me want more Indiana Jones-esque monster romance books out there. Heinrich has found herself a good world to explore and her storytelling chops just get better as the series goes on.
Why it changed the game: If Moon prepped me for poly romances and meaty side plots, then Heinrich sealed it for me. Feral is hot and Bound is melting in terms of both sexiness and plot. The MaA series smartly borrows from folklore taken from our world while also engaging in the thrill of a crime drama. That’s a lot going on with many places to mess up, but Heinrich does it for me. Frankly, I want more of that.
Flame and Fraud by A.M. Kore
Uncensored thoughts: I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again. Kore has written a brilliant premise for a video game. This gamer would call out sick to play this on its release day though.
Why it changed the game: Kore proved to me that second person narratives work and work (really) well. It also opened up my thoughts on where indie writers like Kore can and should maybe explore their art like in video games quite frankly.
Housekeeping
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