Lesser Known Monsters | By Rory Michaelson

 

Synopsis :

 

 

 

Being the chosen one isn’t always a good thing…

Oscar Tundale is not a hero. Anxious, indecisive, and awkward, he can barely get through a normal day. Now he’s about to find out monsters are real. Oscar’s friends: brave, stubborn Zara, and hyperactive, paranoid Marcus, might help discover what hunts him, and unravel the truth about the handsome doctor he pines for. But only heroes can save the world, so maybe the best Oscar can hope for is to not end it by accident.

The LESSER KNOWN MONSTERS series is a dark queer fantasy featuring diverse characters on a found family adventure. Perfect for fans of horror and paranormal romance who seek LGBTQ+ heroes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My thoughts

 

 

 

 

Narrative and Plot

 

 

 

Lesser Known Monsters is quite an imaginative monster tale with unique creatures and alternate world-building. Although I am unfamiliar with the folklore, if any, that inspired this monsterverse, it piques my interest. However, I couldn’t keep track of the monster description before each chapter and couldn’t tell how many of them made it to the story.

The book starts with a bang but lags a bit in the middle. Perhaps it was essential to emphasize on the one night of casual snooping around that changed the lives of Oscar and his friends. It certainly felt like a long night.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Characters and Conflicts

 

 

 

One of my favorite things about the story is the dynamics between the friends – Oscar, Zoya, and Marcus. They are adorably dorky, witty, and likable characters with depth. The chemistry between Oscar and Dmitri was striking. The romance was balanced perfectly and peppered throughout evenly for a story like this.

At times, the story became a bit dramatic, but then again, it wouldn’t be extra if monsters were actually real. Maybe that was the angle, but I completely missed it. Also, Oscar, as the main character, felt a bit passive. Dmitri fought for him, Zoya and Marcus fought for him, but it would have been nice for a moment if Oscar stood up for himself instead of being a damsel in distress.

However, this is only the first book. Oscar still has a lot more to offer and the others, too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conclusion

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even though I am not a fan of monster stories, I had a good time reading this one. This is a onetime read for me, but I would recommend it for people who are fans of unique monster tales.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

 

 

 

 

 

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BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors. It is organized by @TheWriteReads

I received this book in exchange for an honest review for the BBNYA  2022.