3.5 rounded up

First, I enjoyed the monster plot and will always be here for deadly competition. The trials were easily my favorite part and I couldn't read fast enough when August and Virgil were fighting the other candidates and kicking butt.

The author put work into world-building which was nice, but it made the book long and there were times I got a bit distracted. Since this is set in our world, just with hidden monsters and secret societies, I think we could have scaled back on some of the info dumps and just let things unfold.

August isn't a likeable character really, she's so mean to her family and doesn't get much better throughout the story. Virgil is a sweetheart and I would put myself through trials to help him if I could. I also liked the friend group that was formed and they helped pick up slack from the MC.

I'll definitely read the next book to see the Monster's Ball and how messy it gets.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Margaret K. McElderry Books and NetGalley for the copy.

Liselle Sambury's newest novel dives deep into the world of dark academia, but with her signature twist—monsters, mystery, and emotional depth. Set in modern-day Toronto, the book begins grounded in our own reality, following August, a skeptical, sharp-witted protagonist whose world turns upside down when her brother disappears under strange circumstances. As she searches for him, August is forced to confront the truth: monsters are real, and one of them is offering to help.

What unfolds is a thrilling mix of secret societies, supernatural danger, and a deadly competition that August must survive if she wants to uncover the truth. The world-building is immersive without ever feeling overwhelming—Sambury feeds us information piece by piece, and I appreciated the clarity in how the monster lore and society worked. There’s political intrigue, violence, and stakes that feel genuinely high, especially as August begins to realize how little she actually knows about the people closest to her.

I’ll admit, the book starts off a bit slow—it’s nearly 600 pages—but once it gets going, it *really* gets going. The pacing picks up as August is pulled deeper into the hidden world, and the pages start flying. I didn’t immediately click with her as a protagonist, but I grew to love her resilience, her honesty, and the way she slowly opens up to others. The supporting cast is strong, and I especially loved the budding connection between August and Virgil, her monster "partner" with secrets of his own. There’s a hint of romance, but the focus remains on August’s personal journey and the bond she shares with her brother.

Overall, whether you're a die-hard dark academia fan or someone just looking for a fast-paced, emotionally rich supernatural mystery, this book is absolutely worth your time. It balances world-building, character development, and high-stakes action beautifully—and with that ending, I’ll definitely be first in line for the sequel.

The prologue was very gripping, and I was very invested in August and her arc through out the book, even though she was tough to like as a character. She was often cruel to those around her who were trying to help her. Though their reasons for doing so weren't always clear. Even she was using the people around her for selfish reasons. I don't think it was a mistake to make her unlikable. She was very relatable to me when it came to family dynamics. Never being "good enough" even when giving your all. Going above and beyond was still never enough, how her brother was treated like the golden child and his shortcomings were ignored.

I loved the commentary on the erasure of identity, and how it can also dehumanize people. And it wasn't lost to me that the identities that were discouraged were anything that highlighted non-whiteness. I liked the side characters. Virgil was a good foil for August, I liked how they challenged each other when it came to world view. Corey, her character was heartbreaking in a lot of ways for me. I really felt for her, and admired her perseverance.
The only side character I didn't like, because I don't like the trope, was the stereotypical mean bully character, Caden. I feel like that role could've been implemented in a more organic way. The way it was in this book felt very cartoon-y at times.

My biggest struggle with this book was pacing. Some aspects of the world building were a little confusing for me. The timeline for the society didn't always make sense. Some of the "real world" aspects were lost on me, because I'm not Canadian and this book is set in Canada. At around the 60% mark the pacing took a dip for me and things started to feel over explained. I wanted to dig more into the society and the QBSS rivalry, and how Augusts family tied into things sooner. This book was honestly, a little too long for how much of the book felt like filler. The trials for the candidates were unclear how it was supposed to help their partner maintain humanity.

This one was a tough read for me. I struggled to really get into the storyline. The world building was well done, if not a bit over-informative but the FMC just did not draw me into the story. I like dark academia but I believe this was too much of a struggle for me to carry on to the next book.

A Mastery of Monsters delivers a gripping dark academia fantasy with an inventive premise and sharp social commentary. It blends Ninth House’s secret-society intrigue with the emotional intensity of Legendborn, set against a backdrop of academic pressure, generational trauma, and supernatural danger.

August’s fierce determination to find her missing brother pulled me in immediately, and I loved the eerie atmosphere, elite campus setting, and chilling monster lore. The master/monster dynamic was particularly compelling, offering layered metaphors for racism, cultural erasure, and power structures disguised as equality. Sambury doesn’t shy away from hard questions, and I appreciated the nuance in how those themes were handled.

That said, my feelings are a bit mixed. Virgil’s character felt inconsistent. His “awkward nerd” persona only surfaced when August needed to justify resisting her feelings, but otherwise, his characterization felt smoother and more confident, which made those moments feel exaggerated. I also wanted more fire from August. Her anger and grief simmer throughout the book, but I kept waiting for her to fully unleash them in a trial or confrontation, something to match the emotional stakes. And while the ending ties up the central mystery, it felt a little too neat, especially in how it quickly shifted focus to the budding romance.

Still, I think this book has a lot going for it: a rich concept, smart commentary, and a hauntingly atmospheric setting. If future installments dive deeper into character development and let August truly step into her power, I’d absolutely consider continuing the series.

Loved how Sambury uses the concept of monstrosity to bring into focus the question of humanity and what it means to be human, which reminded me very much of Octavia Butler's book Dawn. The character work is perfect, and both August and the subsequent side characters were fully fleshed out and going through their own personal journeys. The world building and the secret society element was perfectly done and spread out throughout the book, with multiple reveals that I did not see coming. I'm looking forward to seeing where this is going.

3.5 - I really tried with this one, and I think I maybe read it at a wrong time (before/after I was on vacation, because it just didn't feel like a beach book), but while I really loved the concept of this book, the length of it just made it hard to get through! When I heard that this book was marketed as Ninth House meets Legendborn in a YA fantasy, I was immediately drawn to it. Those are two of my favorite fantasy series of all times, and I can truly see the similarities with A Mastery of Monsters!! Between the dark academia, secret society vibes and the monster hunting FMC, this book had all the right ingredients. Since it is a first book in the series, you can expect that there would have to be a lot of world building. However, despite how the fantasy setting and secret society/trials part kept my attention, the length just made it sooo hard to get through this book.

A Mastery of Monsters follows August, whose brother goes missing while at college, right after their mother has disappeared. August is determined to figure out where her brother has gone, but it seems like the only person who may be able to help her is Virgil, someone with a very big secret, and who is part of a secret society on campus. August quickly finds out that a world full of monsters exists, and agrees to go through the different stages of a deadly competition to prove herself and gain one of the coveted spots in the society.

This book had all the right ingredients, and parts of it I really enjoyed. I think the concept of a fantasy book where humans are turning into monsters and have to work with their masters to keep their transformation under control is super cool. I also really enjoyed the secret society and competition, it really reminded me of Legendborn. I also enjoyed the budding romance between August and Virgil and the journey August went on. However, the book was just a bit too long for me.

Thank you to Simon Teen for the free book!

Did not finish. The premise had me intrigued but I was a little confused by the world building and it wasn't holding my attention. Writing was good and I know people will like it.

Thank you Margaret K. McElderry for the review copy! I ended up primarily listening to this on audio (which was fantastic), but would pull up the ebook to look something up and it was so helpful!

August has a lot of trust issues, but after reading this book, I don't think she has enough. The entire time I was reading this and someone new showed up I would message a friend who'd finished it before me with "this person is sus" and you know what, I stand by that.

I'd definitely say that the first few chapters are a bit confusing, especially since the prologue isn't following the MC, but because of how confused I was when I started piecing things together I felt SO SMART. I need book two in my hand stat because that ending????????????

If you want a book set on a campus where the students actually go to class, this isn't it. If you want a dark academia about a corrupt secret society that makes you wonder who the real monsters are, sibling bonds, and deadly trials, get comfy, because this is a long one!

The Prologue alone will peak your interest, it did mine! The suspense and action will keep you reading (I literally binged through half the book in a single sitting…). I love how much this book reflects modern society and calls it out, it’s brilliant! I sure hope there is a sequel coming soon to this book and see what comes next for Vergil and August (hard core shipping them)! I love how August transforms into an unapologetic badass which we all knew she already was. And don’t get me started on the fight scenes! They were bloody amazing (literally). Again I can’t wait to hopefully explore more of this world!

Friends. What a ride!

So the comp titles for this are Ninth House and Legendborn and I think it fits that description perfectly well. It's got those Dark Academia secret society vibes written all throughout the novel. Not to mention missing family members, shady pasts, and major cult vibes.

I loved the set up of the secret societies and the implications of what they may be hiding. Having them appear to be one thing while having hte feeling that they really meant something else definitely made you feel on edge the whole time while you were just waiting for something bad to happen.

And a lot of this book felt that way. You were seeing all of these terrible things happen to August and you were just waiting for the next bad thing. I think August felt a bit that way herself. She definitely had an understanding of who she was and what she stood for but things outside of her control could really send her on an anger spiral without much notice. She was a bit chaotic and fun to follow, even if she was angry or worried a lot. She had some great clapbacks too, a joy to read.

Thank you to #Netgalley and #SimunandShusterChildrens for the chance to read an eArc of #AMasteryofMonsters by #LiselleSambury


August finds herself adrift after losing her mother and feeling pushed out by her father but she knows that she can always turn to her brother anytime. After being attacked by some sort of monster in the park she goes to her brother for help. However after that she finds that he is missing and tells her not to come looking that the monster that she saw was after her and that she was safer far away from him.
Fleeing from a monster one night she finds herself meeting Virgil a very interesting man that seems to need her special set of skills to win a tournament and in return he will help her find her brother and have access to information that she otherwise wouldn't. The catch is her life will be forever changed if she loses but also if she wins. Sometimes there are no good choices.

4.25 ⭐️

A dark academia setting?! With monsters? Say less!

I was a little worried when I started this book due to the initial world building section. However, if you can get past that the story really picks up and draws you in. I loved how well thought out the characters. I didn't like August at first, but as the story went on I began to really love her and the growth she goes through as the story progresses.

If I had any criticism, it would be that it could have been a tad shorter while still preserving the integrity of the story. Some parts in the middle did have a small pacing problem for me. Also, it felt a little choppy at times going from one aspect of the story to another. However, none of this was irritating enough to detract from the enjoyment of the book!

I will definitely be picking up the next installment!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing | Margaret K. McElderry Books for this digital advanced copy!

🪴| I ate this book up and enjoyed every moment. Slow burn dark academia with all the good stuff. Found family. Monsters. Secret society. Rivalry. Suspense. I’m excited to see what’s next from this triology.✨

I’m a huge fan of dark academia and secret societies, so I was really excited to read this book. Do check out trigger warnings, though, before reading. After finishing, this gave me similar vibes to Legendborn — not a copy of it, but it brought out some of the same feelings. What really worked for me in this book was the characters. They were all so different, but well thought out and developed. I also found the overall plot to be interesting; however, the pacing needed definite work. There were times I had to force myself to keep focused on the story. I think this needed to either trimmed down. There was a lot of world building in this book, which, in general was really nice, although, at times, it went too in depth. One of the other things I found fascinating in this story was the monsters and the relationships they have to form to keep control. I thought the audiobook narration was fine. It wasn’t a favorite for me as I wanted more emotion and variation in tone used throughout the story.

This book was WILD! Dark, emotional, mysterious, and even heartwarming—it gave me all the feels. Dark academia is one of my favorite genres, so I tend to judge it pretty harshly... but honestly, I have nothing bad to say about this one. It’s a masterpiece—and it’s set in Canada!

We follow August Blake as she grapples with the disappearance of her mother—and later, her brother. The plot had me hooked from the start. The mystery kept me on my toes, and I felt like I was training for the competition myself: learning, studying, and trying to grasp all the rules and layers of this intense, information-rich world.

The world-building is incredibly detailed—to the point of being overwhelming at times. I actually had to bring out a notebook to keep track of the various organizations, their rules, and the society's operations. It definitely slowed my reading pace and made the book feel a little longer than expected—not a dealbreaker, just an observation. That said, it was worth it. Learning about this world, the monsters, and the well-thought-out structures was genuinely fascinating.

August is such a strong character—honestly, a joy to read. Her stubbornness and the banter between her and Virgil were absolute gold! Speaking of Virgil... this character tugged at my heartstrings. When it was said that he'd spent most of his life passively accepting his circumstances, and then: "But you, you make him fight." I broke into pieces.

The dark academia vibes and the secret societies reminded me a bit of Legendborn—but with even higher stakes.

This book... what an experience. What a thrill. What a world. The jewel in the crown for me was absolutely the Black and African American representation. When you see yourself in a book, you form a deeper connection—because now you’re visualizing yourself more vividly within the story. This was an emotional rollercoaster that I rode with my hands in the air, screaming with excitement, and a smile on my face. It was intense, tender, clever, and so full of heart.

I cannot wait for the next one.

Huge thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing | Margaret K. McElderry Books, and Liselle Sambury for the ARC of this phenomenal first installment in what’s shaping up to be a brilliant trilogy.

3.25 - All I needed to hear was that there were monsters and secret societies.

A Mastery of Monsters follows August Black. After her brother goes missing, leaving only a note behind telling August to stay safe, she knows something’s wrong. That suspicion is solidified when August gets attacked by a monster. In a moment of desperation, August turns to Virgil, an insufferable stranger she met one night who has a connection to a secret society dedicated to controlling these monsters. Things turn when August finds out Virgil himself is a monster. Soon, they both come to an agreement- Virgil will help find August’s brother if she helps him pass a series of tests in his society which will save his life, and control his monster abilities.

I really loved the concept of this book. The society which we’re introduced to has many layers. While August joins the society, we’re still cautious of it, and often shown its flaws. I also loved the idea of the whole monster/master bond. I did find myself often confused at the constant world building, and the connection between both societies. While it was heavily explained in the book, I still felt as though there were many things which were only briefly discussed, and I wish were more seamlessly embedded into the story. I also felt a bit bored at times. This book is quite hefty, and a lot of it felt like just filler. I did like the characters, but I felt a sort of disconnect from them. Same goes for the romance. It was barely touched on, but somehow developed through the story without us really feeling it. My biggest complaint was that the book kept snapping me back into reality. There were a lot of pop culture references as well as talk about race that felt almost forced. There were definitely moments in this book that I didn’t love the way I hoped I would, but I did like it overall, and will be continuing this series.

Thank you to Simon Teen for sending me a review copy.

content warnings (provided on-page by author): death of a parent, death of a teenager, fatphobia, mentions of disordered eating, dismemberment, drug and alcohol use, violence/gore, suicide mention

when august’s brother disappears before his sophomore semester, everyone thinks the stress of college got to him. but august knows he’d never leave her of his own volition, especially since their mom went missing recently. the only clue he left behind was a note telling her to stay safe and protect their family. when she’s attacked by a ten-foot creatures with fur and claws, she realizes her brother is in more danger than she could’ve imagined. she traces the creature back to virgil hawthorne, who knows about the creature because he is one. he makes august a proposition: august will join his society and partner with him to help control his true nature, and he’ll help her find his brother. august is swept up into a world of monsters and plunged into a deadly competition all while trying to save her brother.

i’ve loved all of liselle sambury’s other books, so i was very eager to start this one! i was intrigued by the promises of an academic setting, deadly competition, and the mystery surrounding august’s brother, jules. these were all such interesting aspects, and i loved how sambury made these tropes her own. from the dedication through the epilogue, i was hooked. i’m glad this is just book one because i know sambury will do amazing things with the rest of the series. i can’t wait for book two!

I was really excited to read this book because I absolutely ADORE all of this authors other books. However, this one didn’t really grip me as much as her other books did. And it was really, really long- I felt like we honestly could have chopped a whole chunk of it out. I did really like the world and the mystery- but I really wish I liked the characters more !

This is book one of the Mastery of Monsters Trilogy. This is a dark academia fantasy. It starts right off with the action and continues through the book. From the start of the book, you are drawn in and can’t put it down. This book has a strong, well-developed and an interesting story line with twists and unexpected turns that keep you reading and turning the pages. It pulled me in from beginning to end and held my attention. Amazing world building that is detailed and imaginative and so well done that you're drawn into a fantastic world unlike any other. Strong, interesting, and fascinating characters that are well developed and diverse. The storyline is fast-paced and very well written, filled with magic, Fae, danger, death, politics, intrigue, and subterfuge. I can’t wait to read the rest of this series. I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an Advance Reader Copy of this story.