Author: Liselle Sambury
Series: A Mastery of Monsters #1
Genre: Urban Fantasy/YA/Mystery
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publication Date: July 29, 2025
Edition: Ebook, 592 pages
Source: NetGalley
Purchase: Amazon US | Apple Books | Barnes & Noble | BAM | Bookshop | Kobo | Powell's |
Synopsis:
When August’s brother disappears before his sophomore semester, everyone thinks the stress of college got to him. But August knows her brother would never have left her voluntarily, especially not after their mother so recently went missing.
The only clue he left behind was a note telling her to stay safe and protect their remaining family. And after August is attacked by a ten-foot-tall creature with fur and claws, she realizes that her brother might be in more danger than she could have imagined.
Unfortunately for her, the only person with a connection to the mysterious creature is the bookish Virgil Hawthorne…and he knows about them because he is one. If he doesn’t find a partner to help control his true nature, he’ll lose his humanity and become a mindless beast—exactly what the secret society he’s grown up in would love to put down.
Virgil makes a proposition: August will join his society and partner with him, and in return, he’ll help her find her brother. And so August is plunged into a deadly competition to win one of the few coveted candidate spots, all while trying to accept a frightening reality: that monsters are real, and she has to learn to master them if she’s to have any hope of saving her brother.
Ninth House meets Legendborn in this thrilling first book in a dark academia fantasy series about a teen who’s willing to do anything to find her brother—even infiltrate a secret society full of monsters.
The only clue he left behind was a note telling her to stay safe and protect their remaining family. And after August is attacked by a ten-foot-tall creature with fur and claws, she realizes that her brother might be in more danger than she could have imagined.
Unfortunately for her, the only person with a connection to the mysterious creature is the bookish Virgil Hawthorne…and he knows about them because he is one. If he doesn’t find a partner to help control his true nature, he’ll lose his humanity and become a mindless beast—exactly what the secret society he’s grown up in would love to put down.
Virgil makes a proposition: August will join his society and partner with him, and in return, he’ll help her find her brother. And so August is plunged into a deadly competition to win one of the few coveted candidate spots, all while trying to accept a frightening reality: that monsters are real, and she has to learn to master them if she’s to have any hope of saving her brother.
Ninth House meets Legendborn in this thrilling first book in a dark academia fantasy series about a teen who’s willing to do anything to find her brother—even infiltrate a secret society full of monsters.
I hoped to finish this ARC before it was published, but life stuff got in the way.
The prologue was very gripping, and I was very invested in August and her arc through out the book, even though she was tough to like as a character. She was often cruel to those around her who were trying to help her. Though their reasons for doing so weren't always clear. Even she was using the people around her for selfish reasons. I don't think it was a mistake to make her unlikable. She was very relatable to me when it came to family dynamics. Never being "good enough" even when giving your all. Going above and beyond was still never enough, how her brother was treated like the golden child and his shortcomings were ignored. (only she and her brother got along and liked each other. I haven't talked to my brothers in years.)
I loved the commentary on the erasure of identity, and how it can also dehumanize people. And it wasn't lost to me that the identities that were discouraged were anything that highlighted non-whiteness. I liked the side characters. Virgil was a good foil for August, I liked how they challenged each other when it came to world view. Corey, her character was heartbreaking in a lot of ways for me. I really felt for her, and admired her perseverance.
The only side character I didn't like, because I don't like the trope, was the stereotypical mean bully character, Caden. I feel like that role could've been implemented in a more organic way. The way it was in this book felt very cartoon-y at times.
My biggest struggle with this book was pacing. Some aspects of the world
building were a little confusing for me. The timeline for the society
didn't always make sense. Some of the "real world" aspects were lost on
me, because I'm not Canadian and this book is set in Canada. At around the 60% mark the pacing took a dip for me and things started to feel over explained. I wanted to dig more into the society and the QBSS rivalry, and how Augusts family tied into things sooner. This book was honestly, a little too long for how much of the book felt like filler. The trials for the candidates were unclear how it was supposed to help their partner maintain humanity.
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