Do you remember the first time you slipped into the wardrobe and found a frozen land? 
Or maybe when you first walked into Diagon Alley? 
Or maybe when you discovered Alanna from Tamora Pierce? 

A moment when you just knew you had read yourself into a place you never wanted to be separated from? This book, A Mastery of Monsters, felt like that all over again for me. A gift really, after all the books I have read. A beautiful gift! 

It starts off with a deadly mystery involving the impossible... Monsters in the modern day. Then it takes you on a journey that engages your mind, stirs your soul, and gets your heart pumping. All because of a dramatic skill revelation and some witty banter. 

The world building and lore in this book is seamless. Bit by bit is revealed, making you wonder about what is true and what is perception? What really is the history of this world? This style of writing and these unexpected reveals keep your brain ticking over with questions. Really interesting questions! 

I absolutely loved it. 

Then we have August and Virgil, our main characters who are not perfect, but who are so real in their appearances, feelings, and needs, that you instantly feel a reflection of them within you. You feel as though you know them. Even though their trials and tribulations are wrapped in fantasy, it all still feels grounded in reality. And it is not just the two of them who connected with me that way, but also the entire found family. They are an eclectic bunch. Pushy, ‘we will be your friend’, lovable, skilled, and carrying around their own secrets. Some deadly ones too. 

I swear if the mystery and magic do not grab you, the characters and their individual stories will. 

Liselle Sambury proves once again she is a FORCE in writing stories that you just want to sink into and forget everything else around you. 

A Mastery of Monsters is definitely book 1 of what will be an astounding series. I cannot wait to see how it all unfolds!