No Such Thing As Monsters

Snake-Oil, Book 1

by Kaitlin Corvus

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Book 1 of Snake-Oil

Pub Date Mar 10 2026 | Archive Date Mar 12 2026

Shadow Spark Publishing

General Fiction (Adult) | Historical Fiction | Horror

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Description

Rosie has spent her lifetime not believing in monsters. She’s a scientist by nature—open-minded, but a cynic at heart, with a ledger of things to prove to everyone who doubts her. She’s not above a bit of dubious fun, though, especially if Devon, her best friend and life-long love, asks.

When a night at the circus ends in the fortune-teller’s tent, Rosie guzzles a potion named Familiar to prove a point—and everything she thought she knew about the natural world starts unravelling. Beginning with Raum La Roux. Large, cantankerous, intimidating—and, according to him, bound to her until Rosie chooses someone for him to kill.

Suddenly, monsters don’t seem so far-fetched.

Set against a vintage 1920s backdrop of gritty realism and eerie enchantment, No Such Thing As Monsters is a psychological fantasy about power, consent, and the monsters we make of each other.

Advance Praise

I now truly understand what a book hangover means. This story pulled me in to glitzy socialite parties veneered over seedy, drunken nightlife, and bound me (iykyk) with the promise of something even more sinister. Corvus's exceptional prose is the feast I hunger for, and she combines feminism and violence in a way that's irresistible. My mind keeps playing over certain scenes (anything with Raum, really), and when I'm finally able to catch my breath, I find myself taking a deeper introspection on the movement within this story: the evolution among characters and how certain themes present, roll out, and tie up in the end. I want to turn around and read it again. - Courtney Collins, Author of In the Name of Honor

Marketing Plan

I will promote across social platforms (Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook), sharing teaser graphics, quotes, and behind‑the‑scenes content, and run a coordinated preorder campaign with themed visuals and trope‑forward posts to build early interest. I plan to reach out to reviewers of dark fantasy, horror, and speculative fiction, including Bookstagrammers and BookTok creators who focus on atmospheric, character‑driven stories. I will also share the NetGalley link with my newsletter subscribers and writing community. Leading up to release, I’ll run targeted ads on Meta and Amazon to reach readers who like to read dark, mythic, and psychological fantasy.

Available Editions

EDITION	Ebook
ISBN	9387534715421
PRICE	$4.99 (USD)
PAGES	380

Available on NetGalley

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Additional Information

Average rating from 13 members

Featured Reviews

Kathryn M, Reviewer

This was a strong start to the Snake-Oil series, it had that element that I was wanting and enjoyed about in the genre. The characters were everything that I was looking for and enjoyed getting introduced to them in this world. I thought the storyline worked well in this genre and am glad I was able to go on the journey. Kaitlin Corvus has a strong writing style and I was glad I was able to get into this series and look forward to more.

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Jasmine N, Reviewer

KAITLIN CORVUS, I DEMAND AT LEAST THREE HUNDRED MORE BOOKS IN THIS SERIES!...Pretty please 😘

Big, huge thank you to Kaitlin, Victory Editing & NetGalley for this ARC, it is very much appreciated.

*I highly recommend listening to Jazz music while reading this absolute delight. It sets the vibe perfectly*

My pin curls are holding on for dear life and I'm losing sequins left and right. What a ride that was!

When Rosie the sceptic is reluctantly dragged to have her fortune told, she rebels by downing a random "potion" with no regard for it's ingredients or the consequences of her actions. She would soon come to both regret and revere that decision, as it brought her sarcasm, sass and shadows in the form of Raum La Roux.

Turns out, it's not easy trying to get the person you love to realise you see them as more than a friend when a huge, tattooed demon keeps appearing to kiss you at inopportune times.

This gorgeous read transports you right into the 1920s with stolen kisses, silky speakeasies and star-studded glamour around every corner. I can't wait to read more books in what is clearly going to be my new favourite series.

I can't even talk about the ending, I'm afraid. Can't talk at all, actually, as my jaw is currently on the floor.

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Nonnien T, Reviewer

Thank you to NetGalley, Kaitlin Corvus and the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC and provide my honest review. I’m grateful for the opportunity.

No Such Things As Monsters starts off with skeptical and scientific minutes Rosalie and her two friends Peter and Devon going to a fortune teller at a circus. One potion later and everything changes. The potion might be named Familiar but things are about to get very strange indeed. A being named Raum invades the edges of her world and claims to be bound to her until she chooses someone for him to kill.

Firstly, I couldn’t put this down. Literally stayed up until 4 am I was so engrossed in the story. The setting was so beautiful and immersive. I could taste the whisky and smell the cigarette smoke in the speakeasy.

Secondly, the characters were both realistic and flawed. Rosie isn’t perfect and neither are her friends. That made me so much more invested in them.

There are moments that the plot slows but for me that just heightened the sense of suspense.

This was an engaging and atmospheric read and I am definitely planning on rereading it in the future.