The Sweetest Walking Apocalypse You'll Ever Meet
If you've already fallen in love with the Monstrous series, then The Rycke is another incredible installment that somehow manages to make one of the most terrifying monsters in existence into one of the sweetest cinnamon rolls you'll ever read about. Seriously.
Aury may be capable of leveling entire settlements, but all this man really wants to do is read books, tend a garden, and fuss over chickens. I absolutely adored him.
Back to the Wastes
One of my favorite things about Lily Mayne's Monstrous series is the world itself.
Twenty years after monsters invaded Earth, most humans survive inside overcrowded military cities while the rest of the country has become the Wastes, a dangerous landscape filled with monsters, raiders, and abandoned military installations.
Every new book expands this world a little more, introducing fascinating monster species while reminding readers that the real monsters aren't always the ones with claws and wings.
Meet the Couple
Ghost (Gage) (MMC): The Nebraska raider camp's scout and scavenger. Despite regularly venturing into the Wastes, Ghost is absolutely terrified of it. He's sweet, anxious, quietly funny, and struggles with severe self-doubt. Between repairing everyone's clothes, caring for his beloved chickens, and always putting others first, Ghost was incredibly easy to root for.
Aury (MMC): The last surviving Rycke and former military prisoner known only as Specimen 001. While other monsters fear his species, Aury couldn't be more different from his terrifying reputation. He's gentle, compassionate, painfully shy, and happiest when he's surrounded by books, plants, and Ghost's chickens. Until someone threatens the people he loves. Then all bets are off.
My Favorite Couple So Far
One thing Lily Mayne does incredibly well is creating couples that feel completely different from one another. Ghost and Aury have one of the sweetest relationships in the entire series.
Watching Ghost slowly trust Aury while Aury quietly cares for him during his illness completely melted my heart. Neither character sees themselves as particularly special, yet they constantly put each other first. Their relationship develops naturally, making every emotional moment hit even harder.
Action, Emotion, and One Incredible Reveal
Without spoiling too much, this book has some of the biggest action scenes in the series so far.
Between terrifying monster encounters, Collector Mary's obsession with acquiring Aury, and the continuing mystery surrounding Cat's disappearance, there was never a dull moment. Then comes that scene. The moment someone harms Ghost and Aury's protective instincts finally snap.
I won't spoil every detail, but seeing the Rycke reveal his true form was absolutely breathtaking. The transformation is both horrifying and heartbreaking, reminding readers why every other monster fears his species so much.
Plenty of Heart Alongside the Spice
As exciting as the action is, the emotional moments are what stayed with me. Learning what the military did to Aury while he was imprisoned was devastating, and hearing about his previous lives made me love his character even more.
Despite everything he's endured, Aury remains one of the gentlest characters in the series. Of course, this is still a Lily Mayne book, so the romance eventually turns plenty spicy. The chemistry between Ghost and Aury is fantastic, balancing tenderness, humor, and enough heat to keep monster romance fans very happy.
The Verdict
Highly Recommended For: Fans of monster romance, gentle giant love interests, anxiety representation, found family, emotional slow burns, action-packed fantasy, and protective mate romances.
The Rycke easily became my second favorite book in the series.
Ghost and Aury are such lovable characters that I couldn't help rooting for them from beginning to end. Between the emotional character development, intense action sequences, incredible world-building, and one of the sweetest romances in the series, this book had everything I wanted.
And just when I thought things couldn't get any crazier, Lily Mayne ended the book by sending Rig off with Collector Mary, leaving me desperate to find out what happens next. Needless to say, I immediately reached for the next book.
Happy reading, and remember my fellow spicy book dragons, before starting a book please check the tropes, and always check for trigger warnings. Nobody likes an unfinished book because the tropes aren't your cup of tea or to have a bad experience reading due to the trigger warnings.
