Spooktastic Reads: Monsters and Beasts

The prompt today for Spooktastic Reads, a Wyrd and Wonder mini event, is “monsters and beasts.” I’m always amazed at authors’ imaginations and the fauna they create. In celebration of this creativity, here’s a list of books that have some interesting and sometimes bone-chilling monsters and beasts.

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Given this series brought me back to the world of reading, I have to include it here. There is a slew of unique monsters in these books. I promise no spoilers, but the Suriel, the Bone Carver, Bryaxis, and the Weaver are some of my favorites. If you know, you know.

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

In THE GILDED ONES there are monsters called deathshrieks, which, if I’m remembering correctly, incapacitate everyone by screaming really loudly. They attack villages to steal young girls and then destroy everyone else. But in a patriarchal, cult-like society, is it really any surprise that things aren’t exactly as they seem?

Sabriel by Garth Nix

Although this book has been around for 25 years, I just read it recently and really enjoyed it. There are definitely monsters of a dark nature in this timeless YA fantasy book. I thought the Mordicant described in the first third of the book was pretty terrifying.

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

This list of fairly recent reads for me has to include the Shadow and Bone trilogy. In these books is both beast and monster. I won’t go into detail about the mythical beasts as they’re important components of the plot, as you can probably tell by the book covers. But the volcra, the main monsters, are not something to be taken lightly (or are they? Puns!).

Juniper and Thorn by Ava Reid

If you’re looking for a dark, twisted story of controlling familial love (I mean, who isn’t?), check out this tale. There are a lot of quirky monsters described by Marlinchen, the main character. Although they’re more background elements, they definitely added to the gothic feel of the novel.

What are some books you enjoyed that have beasts and/or monsters?

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