A Mastery of Monsters is a wild, intense ride from start to finish. Liselle Sambury drops you right into a world where monsters are real, secret societies run deep, and survival depends on more than just strength—it takes smarts, loyalty, and grit. August is the kind of heroine you can’t help but root for: determined, grieving, and completely unwilling to give up on her brother, no matter how terrifying things get. The world-building is rich without ever feeling overwhelming, and the society’s deadly trials keep the tension high. It has all the dark academia vibes, but with its unique flavor, full of eerie magic, high stakes, and sharp emotional beats.

The dynamic between August and Virgil is one of the book’s strongest points. Their partnership starts shaky (he is literally part-monster, after all), but watching them learn to trust each other is so satisfying. There’s no rushed romance here, just two people with a ton of baggage trying to survive something way bigger than they expected. Sambury handles its growth with care while never letting up on the action. This book has so much going for it—great characters, a gripping plot, and real emotional depth. I flew through it and already can’t wait for the sequel. If you like dark magic, monsters, and characters who refuse to break, this one’s a must-read.

This is one that I was so excited to read, I love dark academia and I couldn’t wait to dive into this one. However, I just couldn’t get into this story. I struggled with the writing, and that made me not really connect to the story. I may try it again on audio when it releases.

There were a lot of things I appreciated about "A Mastery of Monsters". For starters, while there is a magical competition at its core (which, if I'm being honest, was actually the least interesting plot aspect of the book), the book deals heavily with how higher education is gatekept from people deemed "unworthy" and how those that manage to get in are often pushed out via a variety of different methods to make sure only the "right people" succeed. It tackles racism, sexism, classism (within and without the bounds of education) while also dealing with privilege and grief, the expectations people have for you and how constraining they can be. This book is long, but I feel like it utilized the page count well.

August is the main character and the story is told in 1st-person. This was both a blessing and a curse. For one, at the beginning of the book, August is pretty infuriating to be in the mind of. She's 17 and grieving, while also in denial about grieving, and she's isolated herself from other people heavily. I do think the author does an excellent job at giving her character growth in a way that felt believable within the scope of the story. I don't think she's a bad character at all. It's just that reading from an older lens, the way she behaves at the beginning feels like a child's overcorrection in response to growing up a people-pleaser with the added bonus of also lashing out at everyone instead of actually talking to people. This isn't a criticism, despite my frustrations, because it felt very genuine. On the other hand, there were a number of moments where it felt like August should have put things together or asked questions re: certain plot points and didn't. That was a little less understandable, especially given how smart August actually is. I recognize she's young still, but there were multiple moments where it felt like she probably should have put two-and-two together and just... didn't. But that's really the only gripe I had with her character.

What I actually liked the most was the way August built up relationships and opened up to both her family and friends. I really liked the dialogue between characters and the way those relationships grew throughout the book. While I do think Virgil and August's relationship developed in a realistic way, I kind of wished Virgil had gotten his own POV. At least for a few chapters. I can definitely see why the author didn't, but I still think it would've given their relationship a bit more depth.

I think, though, that the reason this wasn't a 5 star is that there was a lot of information delivered to the reader and, most often, this was done in heavy bits of expository dialogue. It felt a little repetitive and was occasionally a bit hard to keep track of. I think I recognize why the author did it that way (especially if this is just a duology, like my hunch says it is), but I wish there had been a bit more variance in how the information was delivered and also how much.

Overall, though, I'd pretty highly recommend this if you're a dark academia girlie (gender-neutral) because this is a pretty good one with some excellent character growth and an intriguing plot. I'm honestly so intrigued as to how the author plans on bringing all the plot threads together in the next book.

A mastery of monsters is a ya novel that just didn’t grab me. The writing was very juvenile even though the characters were in college. The FMC just isn’t for me. I didn't like her. I think my whole problem was with the writing. It didn’t grab me and I couldn’t get interested. I’m sure others will like this but I just couldn’t get into it. I DNFed.
Thank you for the arc.

This was filled with deadly secrets and surprising turns. As August looks for her brother, she teams up with Virgil, but she has no idea what she's about to get into.

A great book by Liselle Sambury! Monsters, mystery, thrills, this book has it all! August needs to find out where her brother is after he goes missing, but in doing so she teams up with Virgil and learns about the underground world of monsters. She has to enroll in school and become a master if she plans on getting to the bottom of her brother's whereabouts. This book has a lot of characters and moving parts, but once you get into it, you won't want to stop reading until the end!

I enjoyed this book and the way that the author built a world of fantastical monsters and factions alongside the mortals. Sambury also masterfully created opposing organizations that were both in leadership flux, resulting in a lot of fluidity of allegiance throughout the story. This was a story in which you did not know which characters to trust (if any). You can tell early on that this book is the first in what will be a trilogy (at least) just based on all of the moving parts. There were a lot of novel aspects to this supernatural tale, and I found the challenges and competitions to be very creative and exciting. That said, I did not like August. I had to cheer for her because she is the central character and her fate is intertwined with others far more deserving of being cheered on, but she really is shady and self-absorbed (and my dislike is not based on her size). I really enjoyed the part of the book devoted to Autumn's family and Mia's quest to create a community around the family and land. There were aspects of this book that were predictable, however a lot of the events were surprising due to that fluid allegiance. And, as for the end, I'm not really sold on some of the circumstances (can only hope that they are corrected in the next book in the series). My thanks go to NetGalley for granting me access to a ARC copy of the book. All in all, I found the book to be very entertaining and look forward to the next in the series.

Overall, I had a lot of fun with this one! It was a bit overwhelming, but successfully done. Truthfully, I think this book could have benefited from being slimmed down a bit. I would recommend it to teen patrons coming in who enjoyed Legendborn and are looking for a solid fantasy. The writing is well done. Thank you to the publisher for an early copy!

Welcome back to reasons why I'm convinced you should never join a secret society in college.

A Mastery of Monsters is a YA urban fantasy/dark academia novel that features a secret monster society, deadly competitions, and mysteries involving missing people. Urban fantasy can sometimes be a bit hit or miss for me, but I didn't mind those elements so much in this book. Admittedly, the setting is implied to be recent, as characters frequently use terms like "rizz," "sus," and "vibes" that might make some readers cringe (especially because they're used unironically), but it wasn't too impactful on my reading experience.
After August's brother disappears and she's attacked by a monster in the forest, she must ally with the only person who might have the knowledge and the willingness to help her: Virgil, a bookworm destined to turn into a monster himself if he doesn't find someone to bond with. The story balances college social life, deadly competitions, and mystery investigations quite well. The pacing can be a bit slow at times, and the book itself is a bit lengthy, but it's overall enjoyable. I found the ending to be a bit anticlimactic, and I struggled to get a grasp on all of the worldbuilding and characters because it felt info-dumpy at times. That being said, I really did have fun trying to guess the mystery, and I was invested in the plot.
August is probably one of my favorite FMCs of the year so far. She's fiery and stubborn, but she's also empathetic, and I found her to be quite realistic. Virgil was fun too, but that could just be because I like bookworm characters. I will admit that there were a lot of names, and sometimes I struggled to keep track of who was who (I think it could've benefited from a glossary and maybe dramatis personae, especially within everyone's affiliations), but I was relatively indifferent to most of the side characters. I liked who I was supposed to like, although so many of the motivations were twisty enough that I'm still not sure who to trust. In general, I just think August's personality is something we need more of in the genre.
If you're a fan of dark academia, secret societies, or not-so-monstrous monsters, check out A Mastery of Monsters.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC!

3.75/5

DNF at 25%. I didn't get to fully enjoy this book at this time. I felt like I couldn't connect with the plot. I might pick this up at a later date.

Gasp. What do you mean monsters are real? What do you mean magic is real? What do you mean this is set in Canada?!!

The Canada part is just a nice bonus—I feel like I rarely read books that aren’t set in the U.S. or England.

So, you get the gist: monsters, magic, and a deadly competition. If you like YA novels packed with action, intrigue, and a hefty dose of politics, this book is for you. I don’t usually find the political backdrop in fantasy novels all that necessary or interesting. But in A Mastery of Monsters, we actually get to explore this super cool society with a super long name that claims to be inclusive—while practicing blatant discrimination. Hypocrisy? Or realism?

Love in its usual form (romantic) is notably lacking, which I actually appreciate. But the found family trope? Strong in this one. There’s plenty of love to go around, plus angst, family drama, and yes, family secrets (of course).

Fair warning: you might cringe. I found this book wholesome in parts where others will probably roll their eyes or want to gag. But if you can cut the sugar with some black coffee (or bitter tea), there’s enough depth and action here to keep even the most cringe-averse reader engaged.

Me? I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. I’m excited to see what the forces that be have in store for August, Virgil, Corey, and the rest of the crew. May the best Master–Monster pair win.

A Mastery of Monsters delivered a fast-paced, twisty, and emotionally driven tale that mixed dark academia with supernatural danger in all the best ways. It gripped me from the first chapter and didn’t let go.
August was a fierce protagonist—resourceful, loyal, and stubborn in the best sense. Her desperation to find her missing brother felt urgent and real, and I loved how far she was willing to go, even when it meant diving headfirst into a secret society full of literal monsters. The stakes were high, and the atmosphere was pitch-perfect: eerie libraries, dangerous initiations, and the constant question of who could be trusted (spoiler: almost no one).
Virgil, the reluctant monster-boy with a tragic secret and sharp edges of his own, made for a compelling partner and foil to August’s fire. Their reluctant alliance added just enough tension and chemistry to keep things interesting without overwhelming the plot.
The only reason this wasn't a full five stars for me? A few world-building elements felt a bit rushed, especially around the society’s rules and its long history. But honestly, the action, emotional depth, and fierce sibling bond more than made up for it.
If you’re into dark secrets, monster lore, elite competitions, and fierce girls who won’t back down, A Mastery of Monsters absolutely delivered. I’ll be grabbing the sequel the second it drops.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

3.75 stars

I really enjoyed this read! It’s being marketed as Ninth House meets Legendborn and while I haven’t read Legendborn- I can definitely see the similarities to Ninth House! Especially when it comes to the dark academia theme and the political intrigue which involve different societies. I found the conflict amongst the different factions a bit difficult to follow but I LOVE the concept of the connection between Masters and Monsters as well as the tests that have to go through physically and mentally to complete a bond. August is a character that has so much strength and she is absolutely hilarious! I loved reading through her perspective! I am excited to see how the story progresses in the sequel! I will definitely have to do a reread to really try and digest everything having to do with the faction groups and anything I may have missed during this first read through!

Thank you so much to Simon Teen for the Netgalley ARC of this upcoming release!

I actually quite enjoyed this one. It definitely delivered on the "secret society full of monsters" it promised. And I love that the FMC was a take-no-shit kind of girl.

I haven't yet read any of the author's previous works. But I definitely want to, now.

This YA dark academia fantasy is packed with monsters, trials, and a fierce heroine—and I couldn’t put it down!

August’s brother has disappeared from college, leaving behind only a cryptic note to stay safe and protect our family. When August is suddenly attacked by a 10-foot-tall beast, she realizes her brother is in far more trouble than she ever imagined.

🔥 What I Loved:
✨ August is a strong, independent main character who refuses to follow convention. She’ll do whatever it takes for the people she loves.
✨ Corey—one of my favorite characters—wears a prosthetic and is an absolute powerhouse. She trains August to fight, proving that nothing holds her back.
✨ Virgil is turning into a monster and needs a bonded master to survive. He and August team up for the trials, and his kindness makes him the perfect balance to her fire.

If you love secret societies, political intrigue, found family, and epic trials, this book is for you!

When August’s brother disappears before his sophomore semester, everyone thinks the stress of college got to him. But August knows her brother would never have left her voluntarily, especially not after their mother so recently went missing.

The only clue he left behind was a note telling her to stay safe and protect their remaining family. And after August is attacked by a ten-foot-tall creature with fur and claws, she realizes that her brother might be in more danger than she could have imagined.

Unfortunately for her, the only person with a connection to the mysterious creature is the bookish Virgil Hawthorne…and he knows about them because he is one. If he doesn’t find a partner to help control his true nature, he’ll lose his humanity and become a mindless beast—exactly what the secret society he’s grown up in would love to put down.

Virgil makes a proposition: August will join his society and partner with him, and in return, he’ll help her find her brother. And so August is plunged into a deadly competition to win one of the few coveted candidate spots, all while trying to accept a frightening reality: that monsters are real, and she has to learn to master them if she’s to have any hope of saving her brother.

Liselle Sambury is easily one of my favorite authors. I am picky about starting a new series over standalone but I didn't hesitate when I saw her name. This is a dark academia fantasy so you get those great secret society plots on top of the monsters. August is a headstrong main character that is willing to take risks and make big choices for the people that she cares about. August's tenuous partnership with Virgil makes for a good foil and there is a level of suspense added because they are each together only because it serves their own purposes. I am so excited to see where this series goes from here!

3.5 stars! I’ll admit it took me a few tries to get into this one. It was a bit hard for me to keep track of all the factions and groups and characters, but there’s a unique premise and interesting worldbuilding. The highlight of this book was definitely August and Virgil, I thought they were so great together and there were multiple moments that I thought were really cute. I also loved Corey! I dislike ALL of the authority figures bc I ain’t trusting nobody LOL. There were times when the pacing lagged, and the overall book felt a bit too long, but the final act was entertaining and I’m super interested to see where the story goes!

As a lover if books under 400 pages, I wa leary about this one because of how long it was. But, of course, Ms. Sambury absolutely rocked my world. I resonated so much with August's struggle with her body/weight and saw great empowerment in her learning to love herself regardless. The dynamic between August and Virgil was *chef's kiss*. My only critique is that the dynamic of the Society were kind of confusing. I couldn't keep straight what the rules and customs were. Overall, It didn't take away from the overall impact of the story.