Title: Lesser Known Monsters (Lesser Known Monsters # 1)
Author: Rory Michaelson
Publisher: Self published
Page Count: 290
Genre: Dark fantasy, paranormal romance, horror
Rep: LGBTQ+ (M/M, trans), POC, mental health
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫 (4.5)
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ – romantic interactions, kissing, and making out; one or more on-page sex scenes.
Blurb for Lesser Known Monsters
Being the chosen one isn’t always a good thing...
Oscar Tundale is not a hero. Anxious, indecisive, and awkward, he can barely get through a normal day. Now he’s about to find out monsters are real. Oscar’s friends: brave, stubborn Zara, and hyperactive, paranoid Marcus, might help discover what hunts him, and unravel the truth about the handsome doctor he pines for. But only heroes can save the world, so maybe the best Oscar can hope for is to not end it by accident.
The LESSER KNOWN MONSTERS series is a dark queer fantasy featuring diverse characters on a found family adventure. Perfect for fans of horror and paranormal romance who seek LGBTQ+ heroes.
My Review
Given urban fantasies and paranormal romances are both harder sells for me, I wasn't sure what I was in for going into this. But I'd heard great things online, so decided to give it a go—and I'm so glab I did! Lesser Known Monsters grabed me right out of the gate and didn't let go until the end.
We start with our bumbling, oh-so-relatable hero, Oscar, who barely has his life together, let alone his love life. He's loveably awkward and indecisive but at the same time, knows what he wants—even if it is a handsome doctor who may or may not be human and consequently plunges Oscar and his friends into the world of the supernatural. Monsters and mayhem ensue.
For me, the strength of the story lay in our main characters. While Oscar is our point of view character, his friends/sidekicks very nearly steal the show, with each one being distinct and leaping off the page in their own right.
My only dissapointment was in the revelation of the villian who I was hoping might come with a twist, but ended up being a touch predictable and one-dimensional. But honestly, in the wake of Oscar's character arc and everything else this story does so well, it hardly mattered. I would actually argue that the true main antagonist of the book was Oscar's own self doubt.
Overall, Lesser Known Monsters is a pacey read with loveable characters, great humour, diverse representation, and fabulous audio narration. Highly recommend!