Monster Fiction

"Perfect deadpan marks the opening of Ali Simpson’s The Monster'" writes Susan Merrell of The Southampton Review in her introduction to this issue of Recommended Reading.

Ben is now Draco Rex the dragon king, and his dynasty is steadily growing. His women give him a new dragon-kin child every few weeks, he has fortified and improved his village and palace, and the water dragons are coming back from the brink of extinction. Life is good for him, but the gods have further plans, so it is time for the new ruler to build a raft and expand his domain.

In the explosive third book of the viral Heavenly Bodies series, Elara and Lorenzo have no choice but to join forces with their greatest enemy to stop the Dark from destroying the world, but as their power grows and their bond deepens, love itself may become the price of salvation. The Dark...

One minute, I'm solving cases in my small town of Mystic Harbor, and the next, I'm face-to-face with her. Ellie Landish. Witch. Former fiancée. And the biggest "what if" of my life. I still don't understand why she broke my heart three years ago, but now she's back, tangled in a case that reeks of magic and trouble. I should keep it professional, solve her problem, and walk away. But seeing her again stirs up everything I thought I'd buried. And worse? Every time I look at her, I want what we had back.

Jack Wilder’s a big animal vet, a wildlife wrangler, and a man with a huge heart. His passions take him through Asia, Africa, and all points in between to rescue endangered species or heal creatures who’d be happy to repay the favor with a fanged bite. His life gets an unexpected upgrade when he’s brought to Navishala, a fantasy world of mountains, high-altitude forests, and more sentient species than you can shake a sword at. It’s a world that needs someone who can wrangle dragonkin, rescue trapped pegasus foals, or save the odd cattle ranch from a monster rampage.

One hot chocolate crisis at a holiday dinner party, an unforgettable mistletoe kiss, and suddenly, I'm falling for one of the hottest goalies in the NMHL. Ehrokk is a sweet orc with hard muscles, a soft heart, and the kind of submissive eyes that draw me right in. As a vampire, I've been alive for centuries, but there's something about him that calls to me. After a New Year's Eve that changes us both, we wonder if we're fated to be together. But we lead such different lives that we aren't sure we can make it work. Can we give true love a shot?

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of World War Z is back with “the Bigfoot thriller you didn’t know you needed in your life, and one of the greatest horror novels I’ve ever read” (Blake Crouch, author of Dark Matter and Recursion). As the ash and chaos from Mount...

After surviving an encounter with the Beast, the pinnacle of power in the Nexeus, Salvos decides she still needs to get stronger. But power does not come easy, especially at the higher levels. Fortunately for Salvos, she has made an enemy out of the Demon King himself, and she will take advantage of his animosity towards her. If the Deathsquad Hunters want to come for her head? She will welcome them with open arms.

The suspense is bone-chilling when you realize the monsters are real . . . Miles away from the hectic city, Reed and Rebecca hike into the beautiful Northwester woods. They are surrounded by gorgeous mountains, waterfalls, and hundreds of acres of unspoiled wilderness. During their first night...

After his parents' separation uproots him from everyone and everything he's ever known, Spencer tries to bury himself in video games. That's easier said than done when his game systems are miles away, and the only game shop in town doubles as a smoke den. Ready to give up, Spencer is introduced to Monster Gear—an augmented reality, geocaching, monster-taming RPG for his phone. Thinking it's just another mobile game, Spencer is ready to try it and toss it aside. There's only one problem: the monsters are real.

Betrayed and bloodied, The Hand has failed. After a desperate battle, Nismera, the Goddess of War, now rules the realms as the last remnants of Samkiel's power spill across the sky. Desperate to keep Samkiel safe after almost losing him, Dianna is willing to give up everything to protect him, even if that means sacrificing their relationship itself. But that's not a risk Samkiel is willing to take, even as the stakes grow ever higher. The one true king is poised to return, but when the dust settles, who will truly rule?

Kai is the hardest working warrior in his generation... and the unluckiest. In a world where most people receive magical skills, classes, or cultivation, Kai has nothing but his wits and his strength. His only choice will be to forge a new path against fate, no matter where it takes him. Savage monsters pour endlessly from the wasteland, threatening the survival of civilization itself. They say that human strength isn't enough and only those gifted with destined powers have a chance of making a difference. Kai is hungry to fight in that war, to be someone who matters.

When Crusher breaks down during a race, Blaze transforms into a powerful tow truck to pull him to safety! Boys and girls ages 2 to 5 will love this story based on a fun-filled episode of Nickelodeon's Blaze and the Monster Machines.

In Monsters, Inc., join monsters Mike and Sulley on a wild adventure that takes them from the Scare Floor at Monsters, Inc., all the way to the dangerous human world. Joined by the human child, Boo, the best friends must return the little girl before an evil plot prevents her from ever going home.

Gather round close, for I have a secret to tell. Late at night, while everyone is sleeping, dreaming of white knights and fairytales. I'm making friends with the monsters. They call to me, like finds like, right? My biggest secret, I'm the scariest monster I know. I think I'm the bad guy.

A towering genius who'd already solved the problem of death by making memory recording possible, Cassia leads a team of scientists and problem solvers to a station floating in the harsh winds of Saturn. Their mission: to grow interstellar ships using nanobots in the planet's material-rich environment. She called them "monsters" to help sell the project to a skeptical public. Little did she know how prophetic that name would become.

Syl hat den Wald bezwungen, hinterlistigen Goblin-Verrat überlebt und sich–als Elfe getarnt–in eine Stadt eingeschlichen. Nun hat Syl das nächste große Ziel vor Augen: eine fliegende Insel erobern! Überall wimmelt es von Pegasi, Harpyien, Ghulen und listigen Pixies, während Syl auf der Jagd nach dem schwer fassbaren gelben Schleim ist. Der Reiz der Blitzeigenschaft ist einfach zu stark, und Syl wird vor nichts zurückschrecken, um den gelben Kern ihrer stetig wachsenden Sammlung hinzuzufügen.

The Banished Lands are engulfed in war and chaos. The cunning Queen Rhin has conquered the west and High King Nathair has the cauldron, most powerful of the seven treasures. At his back stands the scheming Calidus and a warband of the Kadoshim, dread demons of the Otherworld. They plan to bring...

Have you ever lost yourself in a fantasy world you created? That's how I've survived the years alone in a reality where humans cower in fear of supernatural creatures hiding behind the veil. All I've ever had is my pen, my notebook, and the world I created to make it through the days as a ward of the state, suffering at the hands of the real villains of the world—humans. The pages of my notebook hold three sinful, feared monsters. Ones that I certainly shouldn't be pining over since they aren't even real.

Her entire life, Xo has brought others happiness and love, complete with endings tied in pretty little bows. This year, she wants that for herself. Love. Romance. A happy ending. And there's a grumpy Santa who's more than willing to grant her this wish in exchange for finding his love for Christmas again. Where there are candy canes, there are happily ever afters... and they're both about to find theirs.