Gods & Monsters

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5 Min Read

Hi Friends,

It has, once again, been a hot minute since my last post. I don’t mean to be so inconsistent. In fact, just this morning, I was thinking about how consistently I am inconsistent. One of my many charming attributes.

This last month I read Gods & Monsters by Shelby Mahurin. It was a roller coaster of emotions for me. Let’s get into it.

Quick synopsis: Lou has been running from her mother, Morganne, for most of her life. But it’s time to stop running and face the monster that she is. After a devastating blow from Morganne and her evil allies, Lou awakens as a new being. She is no longer the Lou her friends knew, the Lou that fell in love with a huntsman. A darkness has settled over her and her friends, and it will take more than love to drive it out.  

Non-spoiler review:
Overall I really liked the book and the story. The writing style kept me interested, the characters are great, I even loved the humor that was sprinkled into the story to lighten the dark mood every so often. But one thing that happened with this entire series (that I fear happens too often with trilogies) is there are points in the story that could be omitted. Shrink this down to a dualogy and you got yourself one exciting page turner.

The first part of the book picks up exactly right where the second one ended. Which we love. Let me get right back into the story and get moving! But then things slow down…way down…in the middle, then the last 1/3 picks up again. Makes it a struggle to keep going. This is my gripe with trilogies, and why I have a hard time reading them.

The first book is great at building worlds, characters, and introducing the big bad. Then the second book goes after the big bad for a little bit, and we are left with our main characters just…wandering around the world? Then towards the end of that book something exciting happens to get you to read the third book and what happens there? The same thing.

Most trilogies feel drawn out. The story doesn’t need to be as long as they are making it. I feel like the publishers just want to extend the story into a long series for the cash grab. Unfortunately that’s what I suspect is happening with the “Fourth Wing” series. (Which, fun fact, was only supposed to be 3 books, but now we are waiting on book 4.)

One of my favorites is “The Shepard King” duology by Rachel Gillig. Two books that were jam packed with everything you wanted and needed to know. She was sill able to build an entire world, a brand new magic system, create a love interest with a some tension, and defeat the big bad all in 2 books. Brava Rachel.

Now I’m not saying all trilogies and series are like this. I clearly haven’t read every single one, but in my experience, there’s always a lull in the story the longer the series goes. A “filler” book, if you will. Just like some of your favorite TV shows. Take Friends, for example. At least once per season, sometimes more, there was a “filler” episode. An episode that consisted mostly of flashbacks that didn’t progress the story. I tend to just skip past them now any time I rewatch.

You may be asking yourself, “Then why do you even bother reading a trilogy or series in the first place?”
Because, dear reader, I am hopeful. I get excited about a series full of intrigue and magic. I look forward to the tension between our two main characters. I want the story to let me escape from our, less than ideal, reality. But once the story has a “blah” 2 or 10 chapters, makes it difficult to keep on going.

Plus, the books look pretty on my bookshelf. :)

BEWARE: Spoilers ahead:
This will be pretty short seeing how I just ranted about books in general and not this one in particular.

Basically, Lou gets possessed by Nicholina, for like 6 chapters. Then Reid makes a grand gesture to save her life. They are reunited for about a page and a half. THEN Morganne shows up to fight them, Reid makes another grand gesture using his own magic to make Morganne forget she even had a daughter. But the cost was Reid forgetting he even knew anything about Lou and all of their friends.

For the largest part of the story they are all trying to find a way to get Reid’s memories back so he can stop being the a-hole he was as a huntsman. I will say, this part was interesting in itself since we did get Reid’s POV. It was like we were re-introduced to the Reid we met back in book 1. How did these two ever fall in love?

Throughout this whole time Reid is still attracted to Lou and can’t figure out why. After countless attempts at trying to jog his memories, Lou finally just gives up and tells him to figure it out.

He does.

Once he gets his memory back, Morganne does too. *GASP* Big fight happens at the end. Lou finally defeats Morganne, everyone lives happily ever after. The end.

The epilogue was my favorite part of this book. Not because it meant I was at the end, but because it was written in Ansel’s POV. Their friend who was killed in book 2.

Since Ansel is a ghost, he is able to witness Lou and Reid have a real wedding day. He goes through the whole day seeing Lou all ready with Coco. He gets to see Reid and Beau get the ceremony all set up. It was really sweet.

Finally at the end, Ansel was able to move on and be with his family. *Tear*

I liked this series, I just wish it held up to the love I had for it in book one. Leave book one as is. Take most of book two and merge it with some of book three, perfection. I was just so excited and optimistic for it to all fall flat in the end.

No more series for awhile.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5 Stars