I love me some Ruby Dixon but unfortunately this was not my fave by her. The first 75% was just so slow and repetitive. The last 25% really saved the book for me, it was much faster paced and exciting. I did like both MCs a lot and I do think this world is so fun.

This was a very fun easy read! Gwenna is a very loveable character and is trying so hard to fit in at the guild! Raptor is brooding and very touch her and die. There is forbidden love. I loved the mystery aspect although I solved it pretty early on. Kipp as a reoccurring character I was so happy about. Was the perfect pick me up read when I was feeling a book slump coming on. Overall a very enjoyable read, especially if you loved Bull Moon Rising.

By the Horns is the sequel to Blood Moon Rising, though both can be stand-alone. We do get characters from the first book though which I was happy to see! I love that this one follows a necromancer, the power was very intriguing especially how it can be used to help her job, though it has many downsides like overwhelming her and being a forbidden power. Those two get off to a funny and sexy start.

I absolutely adore Ruby Dixon's writing. Every time I pick up one of her books, I know I'm in for something that's equal parts spicy, adventurous, and surprisingly wholesome?-thats how this one felt and By the Horns delivers on all fronts!

This second installment was just as good and fun as book one. Gwenna and Raptor completely stole my heart. Their dynamic was electric, and I loved the "monster romance meets Indiana Jones" vibe-full of action, chemistry, and just the right amount of emotional depth.

Ruby has a real gift for creating fantasy worlds that feel both wild and warm, and characters that are easy to root for (even if they have claws or horns). I'm thrilled to add this beauty to my shelf, and I already can't wait for the next one. Gosh, I hope there is a next one!

If you're a fan of monster romance with a heart, By the Horns is a must-read!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy!!! This is a great palate cleanser. It's just a lot of fun. While it has a lot of character scenes that are tense, there is a lot of light hidden in the pages that shines through. And it is a "monster" romance book, which means plenty of levity and absurdity. While it's the second in the series, you can read them alone. You might not understand all the references, but context clues help a lot. I'm going to put the first book on hold and be pleasantly surprised when Libby lets me know it's ready.

Ruby Dixon writes it, I'm gonna read it! I was really impressed with the world building in the last book, so I was excited to return to this world with Gwenna and Raptor.

Gwenna is determined to become a fledgling again and actually graduate to artificer this time. I liked that her motivation focused on becoming more than a servant because it makes way more money! She's no fool. Only problem is, Gwenna can secretly sense the dead which makes her a necromancer! This is troublesome since the only proper magic is in the ancient devices (at least according to the Guild). Meanwhile, Raptor is smitten with Gwenna but also suspects her of theft...

I really, really love this world of artifacts and ancient ruins! Raptor and Gwenna are definitely hornier than Aspeth (now Sparrow) and Hawk. If you liked the last one, you'll definitely enjoy this one. It's so fun watching them fall in love and go on dangerous archeological digs!

Also Mudlark - ha!

Thank you to Ace and NetGalley for this eARC.

📜 Bookish Thoughts
Ruby Dixon could write an instruction manual and I’d eat it up. By the Horns was my most anticipated release of the year, and it did not disappoint. Ruby always delivers on immersive worldbuilding, lovable characters, and witty banter!

I was so excited to get Gwenna’s story after Bull Moon Rising. Her backstory hit hard. Gwenna grew up in poverty and that trauma is still very much with her. She’s constantly thinking about how to send money home to her mom, how to keep a job, and how to survive. On top of that, she sees herself as “just a servant” and feels invisible in a world with a very clear class divide .
And when her necromancer abilities start to surface, things get even more complicated.

I adored Gwenna and Raptor together. Their chemistry was instant. Raptor definitely had some moments where I wanted to shake him because it was so obvious Gwenna wasn’t the thief he was looking for. But he came through in the end. He was protective, caring, and fully devoted to her even before he realized the truth. And the spice? Absolutely 🔥🔥🔥🔥

I’ll definitely be listening to the audiobook when it comes out. And fingers crossed we get more books in this world because I love this series.

💫 What You Can Expect:
• Monster romantasy
• Minotaur MMC
• Necromancer FMC
• Forced proximity
• Found family
• Class divide
• Magical artifacts

📖 Final Score: 5 stars
🗓️ Pub Date: September 2, 2025
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

Thank you Netgalley and Berkley for an arc of this novel - all opinions are honest and my own.

I love Ruby Dixon.

I haven’t read ALL of her extensive backlist, but I’ve read enough to know that I trust her to consistently write stories that I enjoy.

‘By the Horns’ is the second book in the Royal Artifactual Guild series, and while this book focuses on a completely different couple.. I would absolutely recommend reading book 1 first.

This isn’t really a series that can be read out of order, because you’ll miss a lot of context and world building that takes place in book 1.

I’d say this series is a little more plot heavy than some of Ruby’s other series… but don’t worry there is still plenty of steam.

Even though I loved book 1, I think I may like this one a smidge more! I loved Gwenna’s character and her chemistry with Raptor is undeniable - and I love the dual POV we get in this series.

Also, since this is book 2 I was easily able to immerse myself in the story without much buildup…. Because things pick up FAST in this one.

PUB DATE: September 2, 2025

SUGGESTED SNACK PAIRING: onion rings

“‘Free onions. I reach over and pluck the wedge of onion off his mug and pop it into my mouth. I love onions. I could eat them all day long. It's one reason why this is my favorite tavern, but one reason amongst many.”

TRIGGERS: sexual content, murder, bullying, injury detail, pregnancy scare, claustrophobia, misogyny, sexual harassment, corpses, servant abuse

Bull Moon Rising was one of my top reads of 2025 so obviously I was stoked for this sequel!! When it was first announced that it was about Gwenna and Raptor, I was honestly indifferent... AND THEN I GOT BOTH A REVEAL THAT RAPTOR HAS A PERMANENT KNOT AND KNOT BITING IN CHAPTER TWO AND I WAS SAT— NEVER DOUBTED RUBY FOR A SECOND 🙂‍↔️

Gwenna being a necromancer? Loved.
Gwenna focused on wanting to progress in the Guild and figuring out her magic meanwhile Raptor just wants to progress their relationship? Loved.
More Kip? Loved.
Murder mystery? Loved.

If you enjoyed Bull Moon Rising I can't imagine you not enjoying this one as well.

Couple quick thoughts about next book:
- In my mind the only character that seems to be in a position to be the MC in a separate story is Arrod (introduced in this book)... will we see male human x female minotaur? male human x male minotaur? male human x female minotaur x male minotaur??????
- Book 1 we got to learn about the ring ceremony, book 2 we get to see the aftermath of the ring ceremony, RUBY PLEASE IN BOOK 3 CAN I GET THE ENTIRE RING CEREMONY IT SEEMS ONLY FAIR 😭

Disclaimer: I did receive an eARC of this book from the Berkley Romance Influencer Program via NetGalley.

Ruby Dixon has done it again!

I absolutely was floored when I found out I was accepted for this arc because i’ve been anticipating this book and it did not disappoint! Gwenna and Raptor have amazing banter and the trust that was built between them took long but was so powerful, I really felt like I watched two people fall in love.

The world building was so fun in this one and I felt like I got all my questions answered. And for anyone who cares... wink wink… the smut was top tier and I was a hot mess.

Thank you Net Galley and Ruby Dixon for providing this arc.

I really enjoyed Bull Moon Rising, and I loved revisiting the Royal Artifactual Guild in this sequel, Our (human) heroine is Gwenna, formerly the maid of Aspeth from Bull Moon Rising, currently a maid employed by the guild after her whole team failed in the first book. She's ready to try again, but there's a complication - she can sense and hear the dead, which is not only illegal magic but is like super illegal, forbidden necromancy. Her new team includes Taurian Raptor, who has been demoted and forced to go through the process of being trained and trying to get back into the guild as an artificer. The true story is that Raptor has been working with Hawk (from the first book) and Rooster, a leader in the guild, to try to figure out who is stealing expensive artifacts. He suspects Gwenna because of her sus behavior, but of course that's actually because she can hear the dead and she's trying to hide it, which, by the way, led her very early in the book to hook up with Raptor in a hospital room that she was cleaning while he was blindfolded and had no idea who she was. A solid monster romantasy with adventure, a mystery, spice, and a lot of time spent in a library. Content warning for murder (described on page).

We met Gwenna in Aspeth's book and she was one of the unfortunate members of Aspeth's Five who was made to be a Repeater if she wanted to attempt to become an artificer again. This is all thanks to a little case of thievery which, YES, Gwenna might have instigated, but she did it with good intentions. So now her Repeater time is coming to an end and Gwenna has to apply to see if she'll be accepted as a fledgling again.

Somehow she ends up joining forces with Raptor, the Taurian she maybe might have gotten a little physical with. He doesn't know she was the one that took him to the heights of ecstasy, though, so when she acts a little weird around him, he thinks the worst. Oh, plus she can hear the dead, so she also gets a little weird because of that. Because, you know, she doesn't want anyone (except Aspeth and her former Five members) knowing THAT about her.

Anywho. With Raptor on a secret infiltration mission to help figure out who's pilfering artifacts and Gwenna acting a little shifty whenever he's around, well, you can see how he might think she's the thief. But when someone starts targeting her, he has to consider that there's even more going on than they originally thought.

A little case of the dead trying desperately to communicate, some terribly trying times in the tunnels beneath the city, the hand of a god, an undercover mission, some betrayal, a male who is willing to do what needs to be done to help the Guild, and a lady who worries that her new found ability might end up getting her killed. MAN, I like this world and all the situations these fledglings get involved in.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Ruby Dixon does it again with this sequel to the Royal Artifact Guild. Gwenna from the first book has to wait another year to try and pledge in as a fledgling at the Royal Artifact Guild. However, her friends from last year cannot help her this year. Luckily, she meets Raptor. A Taurian who is undercover as a fledgling and joins teams with her. She may be weaker than her team, and slower, and the worst one on the team. However, she has a secret that could get her killed. She has real magic, being able to hear the dead may be a nuisance but it may just save her and her team's life, and help find the treasure they are looking for. She and Raptor have to learn to trust one another to get through the criminals trying to get them out of the way.

4.5✨
Hugeeee thanks to NetGalley, the publishers and Ruby Dixon for this ARC! I screamed when I got the email and immediately got to it 😂

This was so enjoyable! I liked this a little more than book 1 and I absolutely loved book 1. The author included a list of TW and I really appreciated that!

Gwenna was a character I really got attached to in the previous book. She’s resourceful, smart and simply fun to follow about. I really loved Raptor too. I was happy we got to see the previous characters and the found family is just simply too precious!

The Indiana Jones vibes with the plot and world building absolutely worked for me. And the romance was sweeet! It lays a bit on insta-lust but the author makes it work.

I really hope the author writes author stories in this world because I’m absolutely bewitched!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
5⭐️

Monster romance meets magical worldbuilding in this spicy, heartfelt gem.

By the Horns delivers everything fans of fantasy romance crave—unique worldbuilding, laugh-out-loud banter, steamy monster tension, and a heroine on a mission to take control of her own life. Gwenna is fiery, determined, and so easy to root for, especially as she navigates unexpected chemistry with the mysterious (and very horny) Raptor. Their dynamic is hilarious, hot, and surprisingly sweet.

This book balances insta-lust with real emotional payoff, skipping the tired third-act breakup trope and giving us characters who actually grow. The world is rich with political tension and evolving gender roles, making it a standout in the monster romance genre.

Perfect for readers who want monster spice with heart, humor, and world-shaking stakes. Ruby Dixon has created something special—and we’re ready for more.

Solid romance novel, though sometimes the prose feels a bit unrefined. It does manage to make the miscommunication trope quite funny (and isn't the cause for a third act breakup, but the conflict in the first act). Overall, enjoyable but not an all-time favorite.

Gwenna didn't aspire to join the Royal Artifactual Guild, but followed her friend Lark to the city anyway. Now that Lark is settled into her dream job at the Archives, Gwenna has to decide if she wants to try repeating her training and working for a guild spot or spend the rest of her life doing drudgery maid work. But Gwenna has a lot of ground to make up and unfortunately, more than a few secrets she's trying to hide - like the fact that the voices of the dead follow her and press her to do their unfinished work!

What Gwenna needs is a distraction from the voices so that she can focus on training and earning a living - enter the best distraction around, a Taurian guild member named Raptor who has his own secrets to deal with. What starts as a quickie to distract and take the edge off becomes a search for a mystery woman, a hunt for a traitor, and sabotage that could actually kill!

If you like your fantasy steamy, sticky, and hilarious, don't wait to read this latest release from Ruby Dixon!

5/5 By the horns was the perfect follow up to bull moon rising and had the same perfect blend of sweet and spicy - i fell in love with gwenn and raptor's story just as much as I did with aspeth and hawk!

4.75 stars.

That was delightful. I loved the first one and I adored this one.

If Ruby Dixon would like to keep writing about this world, I will gladly keep reading!

In book 1, Gwenna accompanies her naive (and virginal) lady on her quest to become an "artificer", something women DON'T do. And Gwenna is not super enthusiastic about coming along for the ride. However she saw that there could be more for her life than being a servant and she WANTS that. She's hungry for more.

in book 2, we see Gwenna after her first year of trying ended up in failure. She's getting ready for her comeback when some strange powers start irritating the crap out of her. It's when she's at her lowest where she meets Raptor, blinded and healing in the hospital and suffering from extreme horniness (ya ya, it's a monster romance... it makes sense). He thinks she's come to "relieve him" and she decides to "jump on it", (literally) to distract her from her irritating powers.

Well, he's smitten after one time and proceeds to hunt for his new love when he's finally out of the sick bed.

Little does he know that he'll end up on the same team and he'll be fighting his attraction to his teammate without knowing she's the mysterious woman he is crushing on.

I am not not for insta-lust. Nor am I a big fan of most of Ruby Dixon's books... but this one WORKED for me!

I was giggling, kicking my feet, and fanning myself!

I loved this. I was a bit bummed out by their lack of trust for each other all the way into 70% of the book, but it resolves fairly easily and we don't' have a 3rd act breakup (phew).

The worldbuilding is SO FUN and I want so many more stories of what's going on and whether they can change the world so that women as artificarers are normalized and mancers are welcome and looting history for power is not so prevalent.

Safety deets
- Both are experienced. Raptor has been with a lot of sex workers because of his particular issue, but once he meets Gwenna, he's true to her even at the risk of his own comfort and well-being.
- No birth control or disease prevention discussed during their first time... and disease is not discussed later. I would be a bit nervous to be with Raptor because that dude has beeen arouuuuund.
- They are happy, in love, and married in the end.
- no third act breakup