My Monster Romance Favorites of 2023
2023 is over but what I read that year makes me excited for 2024
I read, on average, about two books every week in 2023. That’s a lot of books, authors, and series. This post is an incomplete list, but if I were to give a complete one, I would have to list every book I reviewed in 2023.
So, I kept the list of the stuff that first bubbled to the top of my mind when I asked myself to recollect the year. I don’t have these books and authors in any particular order, but they are in categories!
Here’s to Monster Romance’s growth in 2024!
Debut Authors
Lyonne Riley
Lyonne Riley has elevated my expectations of a novella. I honestly look at Riley’s writing journey under this pen name and think she’s showing a solid direction our little corner of commercial literature can go.
N. Cáceres
The writer behind the Cáceres pen name isn‘t planning on publishing in 2024 under that pen name, but their storytelling cracked open my skull to rethink where Monster Romance could go. Now, I am BEGGING for more diverse folklore to make its way into our spaces. Please!
Veteran Reads
A Blue Ribbon Romance by C. M. Nascosta
A Blue Ribbon is a love letter to Monster Romance readers. Morning Glory Milking Farm, the original FMC viewpoint of the story, was a Monster Romance reader's first love for so many. This book felt like a victory lap for the genre and its readers.
The Beauty and the Orcs by Finley Fenn
Nobody makes me read book bricks like Finley Fenn. Yes, it is long, but more importantly, it tackles addiction in such a sensitive and educated way. I think what makes me keep thinking of Finley’s work is that it is such an excellent example of how we can express profound truths in the guise of smutty romance.
Bingeable Series
The Spider’s Mate Trilogy by Tiffany Roberts
I have devoted several podcast episodes to this, so I will spare you my waxing poetic too much. One can make an excellent argument that Tiffany Roberts has been crucial in defining the Monster Romance genre, and this trilogy is a big reason why.
The Naga Brides Series by Naomi Lucas
The deeper one goes into this series, the deeper the world-building of Naga Brides gets. Every book gave me a discovery and more questions. I think it takes a skilled storyteller to keep pulling the reader along like Lucas.
BONUS READ!
Chokepoint Capitalism by Rebecca Giblin and Cory Doctorow
Out-of-genre bonus! However, I found this to be relevant, thoroughly researched commentary on our creative industries, of which literature like Monster Romance is one of them. The chapter readers and writers will find the most interesting is about Amazon in Chapter 2. The book may help you appreciate why “Enshittification” is my word for 2023.