For some reason, I thought I already wrote a review on this series: Monsters & Muses by Sav. R Miller, but I haven’t. I only wrote a review for Promise and Pomegranates and then did quick thoughts in my monthly round-ups whenever I read each of the remaining books. But since this series is technically finished now, I figured I would summarize my thoughts on this series.
Books in the Series:
- Promises and Pomegranates: Hades (Kal Anderson) and Persephone (Elena Ricci) – 3 stars
- Vipers and Virtuosos: Orpheus (Aiden James) and Eurydice (Riley Kelly) – 3 stars
- Oaths and Omissions: Helen of Troy (Lenny/Helene Primrose and Jonas Wolfe) – 3.5 stars
- Arrows and Apologies: Apollo (Alistair Wolfe) and Daphne (Cora Astor) – 3.5 stars
- Souls and Sorrows: Eros (Cash Primrose) and Psyche (Arianna Ricci) – 3.5 stars
- Liars and Liaisons: Pan (Grayson James) and Echo (Violet Artinos)
Thoughts on Monsters & Muses Series
Everyone in this series is related in some way or married into the family of another couple in this series. Kal is the half-brother of Violet, who is cousins with Cora. Grayson is the uncle of Aiden, though they are around the same age. And everyone else if they have the same last name are full siblings.
They are each standalone, so you don’t need to read the previous books to understand the next, but I would recommend reading them in order as characters from each pop up throughout the series. Timeline wise it also makes since to read them in order as they take place one after the other. So, it’s the best way to avoid spoilers. Granted, every couple ends up getting a HEA (happily ever after) so it’s not really a spoiler to see them together. What is are the events that happen within each book. So, if you don’t want the plot line ruin I would recommend reading them in order. As it ends with a final scene of all of them together as we see one of the pairs finally getting married. Not all of the couples are married at that point, but most of them are at least engaged by the end of the ten years that happen between the start of the first book to the end of the last.
Monsters & Muses is told from the first person POV, but include both halves of the pairings, so you get both perspectives on what’s happened in their tale. And each tale is inspired by a Greek mythology, though they are not a retelling of them. Meaning there are hints or call backs to the Greek mythology, or elements heavily inspired by the tale but don’t follow the exact plotline. They are also considered dark romance, since there are a lot of twisted things that happen and no one is morally sound. Aiden stalks Riley, Cash straight up purchases Arianna in an auction, Kal cuts Elena when they’re intimate, and so on and so forth. I would recommend checking the trigger warnings for each book before going into them.
The first two books in the series were not my favorites. The first I felt there wasn’t a lot of depth in the plot and a lot of those elements happen in the background. Something that doesn’t happen in the later books, where those elements are largely explored on page. The second book, I had issues with since stalking is not my cup of tea. Especially when the stalker then has dubious consensual sex with the person they target. The rest of the books in the series while there were darker elements, I never were put off by them to that extent. Granted, I was questioning myself for not having more of an issue with the fact that Cash Primrose literally bought Ariana Ricci in an auction to be his wife. But I guess that more comes down to the point where he didn’t force himself on her afterwards.
Most of these relationships also involve age gaps with the guys being 10+ years older. The exception to those being Riley (21) and Aiden (25), granted when they first met it was called out more since she was a minor at the time, but became less important later considering they were both adults when they got into a serious relationship. The other being Ariana (24) and Cash (31), but the age difference never really comes up. In almost all the other relationships, the guy specifically notices or comments on how much younger the girl is to them.
Overall, I enjoyed this series.
Would I say it’s the best series I’ve ever read? No.
Have I re-read some of these books or parts of them multiple times? Yes.
Did most of them have something where I was questioning their sanity or decision making? Yes.
Were they extremely memorable? Yes and no, at the same time. Some parts of each plot stick out in my brain, while others just wash away with all the books I’ve read.
But if you like dark romances and things inspired by Greek mythology, I would recommend checking out this series. Just make sure to check out the trigger warnings as each book is different. And know that none of these people (especially the guys) have problems with killing or getting their hands dirty.
Love ya,
Mae Polzine
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