Monsters come in all shapes and sizes, and not all of them have sharp teeth and beady red eyes.New London. A thriving metropolis at the forefront of technological advancement and a shining gem of civilization.Faeries. Whether they come off cute and cuddly or downright predatory, they all bring misfortune or are heralds of it.Experience is a harsh taskmistress, but her lessons sink the deepest. … taskmistress, but her lessons sink the deepest. Having been taught the lesson at great cost, Kal’s rules for dealing with faeries are simple: don’t talk to them, don’t look at them, don’t give them the time of day. So when the Other Side comes knocking one fateful, stormy day, Kal, at first, pretends not to notice. Was forgetting this rule his folly?
His way of life is in great danger. His little sister, Sammie, a natural mage, is taken by Ouroboros, a criminal organization made up of raving lunatics that profit off the misery and suffering of others, and have everything to do with all the crimes of magic in New London.
Kal will go to any lengths to save his sister, even to his death. Accompanied by his sylph companion, a mischievous pest, Kal dives deep into the dark underbelly of the city, but are his hands enough to dig his sister out from the muck?
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Original Review (Book published 10/18/19):
I usually don’t leave bad reviews, because I am careful to pick books that seem comprehensive and in my enjoyed genres. From the Amazon blurb, I thought this one would be in my lane, but I really feel like I wasted my time. There wasn’t enough explanation to keep involved in the story and understand what was going on. From the first time shift, everything seemed disjointed and not not adequately explained. Seeming friends became enemies with no explanations. There were so many questions and plot threads unraveling by the end of the story, and the big climax just fell flat. At the end, I realized that maybe Kal and Sammie’s journey isn’t over yet, but that wasn’t really made clear. The last page just says The End, not To Be Continued. And I don’t see any other books available in the series. Judging this book as a stand alone, I would say pass. It might have been a good start, but there are just too many holes and too little explanation. I gave it two stars for creative effort, but when I got to the end I was just disappointed.
Updated 6/6/21:
A second book (The Monster’s in the Details) was issued 10/21/20. If I had known more books were planned, my initial rating for this book might have been higher. I can’t say unless I re-read this book However, as a stand-alone read, my rating is accurate. This book is unsatisfactory as a stand-alone read.
Excellent read wonderful start for this Series. Wish I did not have to wait so long for book 2. Can not wait to find out where the story is going to go.
I liked this story! I did enjoy it! Something a little different. Good ideas & plot interesting characters. I will look forward to the next part to the series!
Definitely a darker fantasy but a great story nonetheless. It’s full of action and I didn’t see the twist at the end coming!
Ren Ryder did a great job with this book. I loved the interactions between the characters and the storyline is intriguing. Yes, I’ll be continuing on with the next book in the series!
I was so impressed with Greg Patmore’s narration. With all the different character voices he performed I forgot that there was only one narrator. A very entertaining performance.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and I have voluntarily left this review.
Ren Ryder is a wonderful new author & the narrator is perfect for this audiobook!
The world building is dynamic, the characters are fantastic & the story is top notch.
There are many surprises along the way as well. Some awesome & some truly heartbreaking. It’s a story worth listening to or reading, without a doubt.
I can’t wait to listen to audiobook 2 & then audiobook 3!!! 5 stars just is not enough.
There’s No “Such thing As Monsters: Gaslamp Faeries Series, Book 1 The title lets us know we are about to enter a world with faeries and monsters. Magic is probably a given. What we wake up to seems to be a normal world at the start of the industrial revolution where our MC, Kal, can see these nefarious beings but pretends not to see them lest they discover that he can see them. Trying to act normal when you have pointed ears and see things no one else does isn’t easy. Dirt poor, Kal has learned to hide and fend for himself and his beloved sister. Being naive doesn’t help as Kal finds that the bad guys are eviler than he imagined, and they know magic. Kal learns quickly when he has too and now that a big gang has kidnapped his sister, Kal must make alliances that he rather not. Throughout the rest of the book, we learn that Kal doesn’t know who or what he really is. This road is lined with strife, heartache and misery, and lots of arse-kicking. Ren Ryder did a good job at bringing me into this faeryland world. The abrupt ending has me wanting more, looking forward to book 2, The Monster’s in the Details. I scored an ARC copy and this is an honest review.
There’s No Such Thing As Monsters (Gaslamp Faeries #1) (Audible Edition), my first read/listen from author Ren Ryder and the first book in the Gaslamp Faeries series“I received a free Audible copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.” The gifting of this book did not affect my opinion of it. Greg Patmore’s entertaining narration made the book flow smoothly & quickly. I look forward to reading more from this author and in this series. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 – July 24, 2018).