I love dark, folklore inspired fantasies. I also love disaster sad-sack characters falling in love. So this duology is a win-win.

These were just some of my notes as I was reading and I feel like they sum up my overall thoughts pretty well:

-I think Dimova does such a remarkable job of blending dark folklore with humor and intrigue.
-There is a humorous edge to so many of these characters that I adored. And some really sweet, silly moments that made me laugh. It was a nice balance to the themes of grief and guilt that so many of these characters are experiencing.
-It's canon that they read monster romance! I love this for everyone involved.
-Kikimoras are a real bitch. Would not recommend.
-Look at all of these queer monster loving fools! I love them.
-I do wish there had been just a pinch more of romance. The slow burn really slow burned but I still wanted just a little bit more. (even like a little epilogue with them being sweet and happy.)

The narrators did a fabulous job with this book! (I ADORED that it was Dual POV)

Huge thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced audio!

3.25 stars

🎧Audiobook🎧 is well-narrated.

OK. First-off, I absolutely loved the first book in this series! The world-building is creative, detailed and so well thought-out. In the first book, I found the characters truly likeable and they pulled on my heart-strings. I dashed through every adventure with them, hoping desperately for a solid (if not truly happy) ending. And though I had only read/reviewed *Foul Days* only ~6 months ago, I reread and re-enjoyed that book before beginning this second installation.

I was SO EXCITED to read this second book by Genoveva Dimova, until.......

The shift from a one-person to two-person viewpoint probably could have worked well in this book - if it wasn't THESE two characters!! Not only did the witch completely lose all of the personal development that she gained in the first book, but now the cop (whose viewpoint we see for the first time in the second book) is just as self-conscious, un-confident and whiny as she had been and now reverts to. I swear that the amount of adventure fades for the first half of this book, only to make way for an onslaught of "I will never be enough", "I'm so stupid" and "There is zero chance that they return my feelings" - from both of them. Honestly, it went on long enough to ruin my love for this series!

I'm glad that I didn't completely give up on reading this audiobook, as things did sort-of pick up in the last half or third. The magic gets more complex, as do the consequences. The reasons that I loved the first book somewhat faded back into the fold. That said, it wasn't a true redemption.

I know from experience that healing and personal growth are cyclical, but both of these characters lost both that and any pull on my heart-strings as they whined their way through the first half of the book. Any balance that may have been an illusion due to the one-person viewpoint disappears. And it created my perception that neither of these people were even mature enough to maintain any kind of relationship whatsoever. Basically taking what I perceived to be more of an adult first book, and reverting the second into the kind of popular romantasy and YA that I thoroughly avoid.

There are so very few fantasy and sci.fi books these days that don't centre on romance, and I was so disappointed to see this series and this author be affected by the market in this way. Let's ditch the washing of all stories with romance to make them sell, and let fantasy and sci.fi maintain adventures, with a possible side of relationships rather than being complete overtaken.

Huge gratitude to Netgalley and the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for an Audio-ARC of this book, in exchange for my (probably too) honest review. I really WAS so thrilled to receive this audiobook!!

Yes.

Loved it.

Super fun duology. I’d happily read 10 more.

It’s the perfect blend of humor and seriousness and action.

I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what else Genoveva Dimova can cook up for future books.

Thanks to Tor and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an advanced copy and ALC to review! Can’t wait to add it to my shelf when it releases.

Such a great finisher for the duology.

Kosara and Asen have been separated following the events of Foul Days as he returned to the other side of the wall and she's remained in Chernograd. However murders that leave witches beheaded and the unexpected early return of the foul days draws them together again.

Of course there's more mystery, detective work, and dangerous plans to preserve Chernograd and the realm of monsters.

Ultimately what stood out for me was the closure each of our main characters were able to achieve in this book in a way that allowed them to free and ready for each other. There's no spice, but I personally appreciate the slow, respectful burn of romance as the story is not centered on this relationship, it's just a nice garnish.

There's dashes of unexpected humor (the werewolf bookclub) throughout that add some levity to an otherwise fairly dark story. The inclusion of Slavic folklore into the fantasy also adds a little extra depth.

If you've enjoyed any Spinning Silver, The Bear and the Nightingale or the like, chances are you'll get a kick out of this duology.

Genre: Slavic inspired fantasy

Six months ago, during the Foul Days (at the New Year when the Chernogradians hunker down inside with their vodka for a couple of weeks indoors while the monsters stalk their streets), witch Kosara and detective Asen trapped the Zmey, the terrible dragon-man monster, in the Wall that separates Chernograd and Belograd. The Wall is designed now to let humans through, but not monsters. Things should be relatively peaceful in Chernograd, but a cool summer and the creeping presence of monsters out of season have Kosara on alert for an early Foul Days.

For Kosara, a witch from Chernograd, the monsters are a part of her daily life: she ignores some and keeps a healthy distance from others, but also fosters relationships with her household spirits. Asen, the detective from Belograd, is still not used to the monsters, as the Wall has kept them away from his regular life, and to be honest, he’s still reeling from his first Chernogradian experience. But when something happens in Belograd, he knows Kosara is the only person he can turn to. (For my romance readers, there is just enough of a romantic thread between Kosara and Asen to hook you!) The character development while both Kosara and Asen sort out their pasts and try to navigate a future balances out a plot filled with monsters and peril.

I’m really impressed by the scope of this fantasy duology. I love Slavic folklore, and Dimova sets a strong, creepy, dark tone that makes you feel as if you should be reading this during a cold and stormy night, or with a glass of vodka in hand. The worldbuilding evokes an atmospheric setting of hard times with a dash of hope, common in Slavic tales. I, of course, cheered for the house on chicken legs, but also love that Dimova uses a huge range of the monsters (with a very helpful “Practical Guide to Monsters” in the back).

The audiobook is a dual narration by Tim Campbell and Zura Johnson, which is interesting because the first book is narrated only by Zura Johnson, and Foul Days is primarily Kosara’s perspective, whereas we get Asen’s perspective in this one as well. I highly recommend the audiobooks, but also recommend reading along with your eyes for the rich worldbuilding.

I can’t recommend this debut duology highly enough to readers who want a darker fantasy laced with Eastern European vibes and a touch of romance.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Monstrous Nights is the witty, adventurous sequel to Foul Days with brilliant characters, pulse-pounding action, addictive writing, and magical creatures galore.

This series has my heart. I love the characters and their excellent development. The writing is elegant and beautiful. The romance is satisfyingly spectacular, and the pacing is lovely. The incorporations of Slavic monsters, cozy and dark fantasy, slow burn, and a snowy setting make this story the ultimate fantasy novel. I cannot recommend this series enough!

Tim Campbell and Zura Johnson narrated this audiobook wonderfully. The accents and depth they used fit the story perfectly, and their voices complemented each other very well. MN makes for a great audiobook listen!

Thank you to the publisher for the free ALC!

4.5 ⭐️

Monstrous Nights is a perfect continuation of Foul Days —> if you liked Foul Days, I think it’s very safe to say you’ll enjoy Monstrous Nights. FYI there is a short 1.5 story you may also want to check out: Ace Up Her Sleeve. My goal is to always keep things as spoiler free as possible. Monstrous Nights (MN) delivers with more creatures, some may even switch “sides”, more magic, more slow burn tension, more mysteries to solve with Kosara. The audiobook for MN is just as enjoyable as it was for Foul Days (again, if you liked the 1st, you’ll like the second). Zura Johnson is joined by Tim Campbell for a dual POV narration. I zoomed through this book in less than a day. This duology has been one of my favorite reads of the year so far. I highly recommend checking it out.

Thank you, thank you so much for sharing this story with me NetGalley, Genoveva Dimova, and Macmillan Audio for this audiobook ARC.

‘Foul Days’ was a 5 star read for me, and a must read before this sequel. We pick up six months later - Kosara and Asen are back, dancing around each other’s feelings, and once again trying to solve interlocking mysteries: who is killing witches and stealing their shadows? Why are monsters entering the human realm unexpectedly? And is the Zmey really vanquished?

The same vibrant Slavic inspired world building and fantastical creatures are back, and this sequel certainly carries on as strongly as the first in the series. The narrators of the audiobook also add much to the story in terms of accent, pronunciation, and character inflection, perfectly depicting the slightly darker atmosphere of this type of fairy tale. I thoroughly enjoyed being immersed in this world with these characters once again, and while the ending ties everything up in a very satisfying way, I am sad this is only a duology because I want more!

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I've found that there are a couple of general approaches to a duology, the first is that there is one story split in half in each book, leaving readers hanging with nothing settled at the end of book one; the second is to tell a complete story in the first book and a second story in the sequel that are only tangentially connected. The author of The Witch's Compendium of Monsters does a magnificent job of a hybrid, where readers of Foul Days received a satisfying semi-conclusion with a teaser that there was more to be resolved. And in Monstrous Nights we get a complete resolution. There is more magic, more monsters, more of the slow-burn romance between Kosara and Asen, and more of a mystery to delve into. And I found myself enjoying this conclusion even more than the first book. This duology was a brilliant mix of folklore and urban fantasy and I hope to read more from this author in the future.
I read this book as an audiobook and the actors were excellent at narrating Kosara and Asen's stories. The voices of both actors enhanced the dual viewpoint in the tale and their emotions shone through making the story come alive.
I received advanced access to this audiobook thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Macmillan Audio) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.