Rating: 5 stars

Tales of a Monstrous Heart is a slow-burn gothic romantasy inspired by Jane Eyre and drenched with forbidden love and endless yearning. This book was one of my most anticipated 2024 releases and it far exceeded my expectations. Tales of a Monstrous Heart is the first book in a trilogy by @jenniferdelaneyauthor and the fact that this is a debut makes it all the more impressive. The fact that I couldn’t immediately devour any further books by Jennifer after finishing Tales was criminal.

If you take just ONE recommendation from me, let it be this one. This book has bewitched me, consumed me, ruined me for any other. Tales of a Monstrous Heart is officially my most highlighted book, and I had an absolute blast reading it. The tension, the banter, the love, the AUDACITY! Words truly cannot begin to describe the rollercoaster of emotions I felt while reading this book (but I’ll try my best).

If, like me, you love fierce and feral FMCs (with swords), I am honoured to point you in the direction of Katherine Woodrow. Kat is a Fey attempting to graduate from the Institute of Magic and needs to secure a Mage Partnership. However, she is faced with prejudice everywhere she turns, particularly from the Institute’s council, who will seemingly do anything in their power to prevent her from succeeding. Against her better judgement, Kat is forced to accept a Partnership with the elusive Lord Blackthorn as a last resort. Chaos ensues. Kat is the manifestation of everything I love in a character - brave in the face of adversity, loyal, intelligent, and maybe a little unhinged. The way her character developed throughout the book left me in tatters. Watching her deal with her trauma and internalised resentment of her Fey heritage broke my heart and I’m so ready to be battered all over again in book two.

Lord Emrys Blackthorn. My, my, my. I must admit that a good 75% of my highlights are his TANTALISING, LYRICAL, SEXY interactions with Kat. I was hanging onto his every word; Kat, I get it girl. Emrys is mysterious, secretive, brooding, scarred, WET AND HALF DRESSED (IYKYK) (HE’S SO HOT), and yet he’s also thoughtful, loving, compassionate, and willing to sacrifice anything for those he cares for. The thing I adored most about Emrys (and there are many things I do adore about him) was his immediate and unfaltering acceptance of Kat, despite her stubbornness, her heritage, and the chaos that comes with her as a package deal. AND he gives her a nickname with left me permanently swooning. I have SO many questions, more than I began with, and I’m very excited to continue to thirst over him in book two

Tales of a Monstrous Heart’s best kept secret is the SIDE CHARACTERS! I could read a book about every single one of them. Alma, William, Thean, you ALL have my heart. I don’t want to say too much about them because they were a very pleasant surprise, and I’d love for everyone to experience it, BUT I will say that the friendships in this book truly healed a part of me. I have so much love for these characters and I’m excited to see new readers fall in love with them as I did.

The pacing and plot progression in this book was truly fantastic; I was captivated from beginning to end. Readers are immediately thrown into the deep end, beginning Tales in a forbidden library of dark and dangerous texts, and ending Tales with their hearts wrenched from their chests, questioning everything, and yearning for more. I seriously cannot express how much I adored this book. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to read this wonderful book early, BUT I am nothing if not impatient and the wait for book two will truly be torturous. I am very excited to reread this book alongside everyone else when it releases in August.

Thank you so much to the publisher for the eARC, and for putting up with my endless raving.

My gothic literature loving heart was squealing with delight the whole way through this beautiful and atmospheric book. Set against a dark academia backdrop, the story follows the brave, strong and fierce main woman Kat, as she partners up with the dark and brooding Lord Blackthorn to unravel the mystery of fey disappearances and the rise of dark magic across the land.

It felt like such a breath of fresh air in a time where romantasy books has had a tendency to become one similar story after another. The world, the history and the magic system all felt very unique. The main and side characters are all so well written, their backstories heart wrenching, and it’s found family at its finest!

The slow burn is slow, but oh so worth it, for that build up of tension and desire between Kat and Emrys. Actual butterflies!

And that ending. Is it too early to request book two?!?

I have literal goosebumps, this book is that good.

If you love Jane Eyre and all things gothic, this is the perfect book for you.

I was captivated from the very first chapter and I struggled to put it down. It’s addictive in the best way. It had me questioning everything and left me wanting more.

The characters are brilliant and I loved the relationships that this book has built. The secondary characters aren’t two dimensional, they’re lovable and have their own complex backstories.

Emrys. That’s all I’m going to say. That man. The enigma. I love him.

The ending gave me literal chills. The build up was just as good as the climax and I loved every single second of it.

That cliffhanger though, I’m dying for the next one.

In a bizarre turn of events this book didn’t totally work for me, and trust me I am usually a gothic romantasy fiend. There was something about this story that just didn’t completely interest me and I often found my mind wandering while reading. I would’ve preferred if the plot was more clear because I thought the actual motivation of this story was a bit ambiguous.

If the story had been more engaging for me I can imagine that I would’ve really liked this book. The characters of this story were a big strength in my opinion. I really liked both Kat and Emrys and found the development of their relationship to be compelling.

The atmosphere of the book was also great. I am a big fan a gothic atmosphere which I thought this delivered really well.

I struggled with this one sadly, I found the pacing to be all over the place and I’m genuinely not sure what the over arching plot is supposed to be, it felt a bit muddled.

That being said, I really liked these characters and they have so much potential! The love story again has so much potential as does the world.

Last year I was in a pub listening to a young woman talk about the book she had just had accepted. She was expansive and enthusiastic and as I listened to her I thought, I really must read that. But at the same time I really hoped my reading experience lived up to both my and her expectations.
Reader, it did.
Kat is half fey in a world which has suppressed all non humans for centuries. She has made it against all the odds to the Institute of Magic and all the way to the end of the course. All she needs now is a partnership agreement, the training contract that will enable her to move into employment. But no one wants to partner with a fey no matter how good her grades and when she helps out an undeserving fellow student, her very existence at the Institute is threatened until she is offered one chance. A partnership with the (tall, dark) mysterious Emrys Blackthorn. Soon Kat finds herself in his isolated manor house where all kinds of secrets lurk and darkness waits to trap them while her forbidden attraction for her mentor grows. But Emrys isn't the only one with secrets and as the danger intensifies, Kat struggles to keep hers contained.
Dark, gothic, sensual and original, peopled with believable characters and well thought out worldbuilding Tales of a Monstrous Heart is an unputdownable fantasy adventure. Highly recommended.

Delaney really knows how to create characters that are real and flawed, but you cannot not love them. Plus, the writing was amazing as well. I really enjoyed reading it.

Let me start this review by saying that I completely devoured this book in a way that I couldn’t stop but wanted it to last forever. It was a constant battle to try and pace myself to savour this gorgeous book!

In Tales of a Monstrous Heart we follow Kat and Emrys as they unravel the return of dark magic, the mysterious disappearances of fey and this very strange disease that is plaguing the world. They are thrown int a world of ancient books that hide hideous monsters, dark fiends who play with nightmares and mortal men who wish nothing more than to see them both burn. This is a story of perseverance, courage, found family and love.

Kat and Emrys are two character that I anticipate I’ll be carrying inside my heart for a long time - they must be protected at all costs! I particularly love how mundane and good they are, despise all the ugly things the world has shown and done to them. In their struggles, they decide to be courageous, good and somehow move on with their lives. The traumas and sadness of their pasts is there and you can see how it still influences them in the present and who they’ve become. And despise everything, they still choose to be good. The way their friendship slowly blossoms into something more is beautiful and I could not get enough of them! We need healthy relationships!

I also loved the side characters - I say side but they are as relevant as the main duo! -, Alma and William. They are simply lovely and you must meet them too! The house was another amazing character, full of charm, mischief and definitely a personality of their own! And the enchanted library is gorgeous, full of dark academia vibes and cursed books!

This book kept me hooked the entire time, and I did not see the big plot twists towards the end… and that epic climax of an ending? Had me wishing for book two straight away - and as I am writing this, book one hasn’t even come out just yet! What a beautifully done cliffhanger! This is a truly fabulous debut and a must for all fans of gothic, cosy romantasies! The writing was magnificent, it felt like it was a letter to my soul - and I rarely feel this way about books! I definitely connected to a whole new level with the writing! I can barely believe this is a debut, Jennifer where have you been hiding?!

Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own

***SPOILER FREE***

This was such a great read for fans of both romantasy and gothic fiction!

We follow Katherine Woodrow, a young fey woman, who has suffered extreme prejudice all her life for being different. Her fey blood has made her a social outcast in a world were mortals rule and magic is considered particularly negative when weilded by those who aren't human. To escape the Institute of Magic where she is treated like someone to be feared, she accepts a partnership as a Mage to Lord Emerys Blackthorn and moves to his sentient manor house to work with him.

The nods to Jane Eyre gave this novel an extra fun twist and with the added elements of magic, murderous dark beings and the slow-burn love story, it really was the full package for me! I really enjoyed reading about all the characters, especially William for with his positive attitude and warm personality. Katherine and Alma have such a sweet friendship and I adored how protective Alma was of her. And then Emerys, well. I LOVED him. He's the brooding MMC that dreams are made of!

This is definitely going to be a hit with romantasy lovers and I'll be recommending it to everyone as one to pick up when it publishes in the Summer!

Thank you so much to Gollancz, Orion Publishing Group and Jennifer Delaney for the advanced copy of this book in exchanged for my unbiased review!

This is was phenomenal book; one of the best books I've read this year.

I have been so excited for this book for months; it has sounded more and more incredible with each little tidbit released about it on social media. So, my excitement continued to build. And then, I was lucky enough to receive a sampler containing the first two (or three) chapters last year and I was completely gobsmacked. Just from those few chapters, I knew this was going to be an outstanding read. And boy was I right.

I have absolutely no criticisms for this book; everything was genuinely perfection. The plot, writing, themes, characters, relationships, pacing. Everything was just on point. I am not exaggerating when I say that this is one of the best fantasy/romantasy books I've ever read. It is absolutely fantastic.

While there are so many amazing aspects and part to this book, the best is the characters, particularly Kat. I honestly just loved and adored her so much. She is strong, powerful, funny, kind and intelligent. Exactly my kind of protagonist! She also just feels so genuine and authentic, which may sound ludicrous as this is a fantasy book, but she feels so lifelike. At the heart, she is a normal character, who has powerful magic and I LOVED that about her. It helped me to gel with her very quickly. And thank you Jennifer for not constantly going on about her looks!!!! That is always something that irritates me in fantasy books - looks always overshadow powers. Emrys is amazing, and perhaps the best male love interest I've ever read in a fantasy book. Again, he also just feels so authentic as a character; he respects Kat and her powers and treats her well. The way he backs her and stands up for her is beautiful. They have such amazing chemistry and a lovely relationship. They don't rush into anything, nor take it too slowly - it's just the perfect pacing. I just love them so incredibly much.

And let's just talk about the writing - amazing!!!! It is so incredibly well written; you are completely swept away into the story and characters. It is so immersive and detailed, that nothing feels left out. There isn't a single word on the page that shouldn't be there, everything is perfectly slotted into the story. This is a story that has such a deep and almost vivid background too, which just adds another layer to the story. There's a history and lore here.

Loved this book so, so much and would HIGHLY recommend it to all of the fantasy lovers out there!

Thank you NetGalley and Gollancz for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This is like Howl's Moving Castle and Jane Eyre had a little dark academia baby and I'm so here for it. After getting to read the sampler a whole back, this book has been a very anticipated read for me!

A scholarly, half-fey FMC desperate to prove her worth, a brooding and mysterious Lord who has a great many secrets, a shapeshifting maid, a horned manservant and a definitely-sentient house all make this a page-turner for sure.

I loved this darkly gothic world, full of rich lore and history, steeped in magic both small and grand, beautiful and terrifying. I cannot forgive Jennifer for that cliffhanger though 😅

This is the sumptuous gothic romantasy you need in your life. A highly entertaining read I thoroughly enjoyed.

— 5 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"Out of all the punishments I've endured, why is being forbidden to have you the worst of them all?"

📖 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 384 pages
👤 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫:Jennifer Delaney
🏢 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫: Gollancz
📅 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞: 29 August 2024

What you can expect:
— Adult Gothic Fantasy Romance
— First Instalment In A Trilogy
— First Person X Single POV
— Jane Eyre Inspired
— Fey X Scarred Dark Mysterious Lord
— Sentient & Meddling House
— Forbidden Romance
— Close Proximity
— Tending To Each Other's Wounds
— Dark Academia
— Murder Mystery
— Found Family
— 'Who Did This To You'
— Slow Burn Romance
— Morally Grey Characters
— Non-Binary Flirts

𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬:
Tales of a Monstrous Heart is the first instalment in a new trilogy by debut author Jennifer Delaney. Be careful of the dark and those that call it friend. Katherine Woodrow is Fey, and all she wants is to graduate from the Institute of Magic. But when the prejudiced mortal council threaten her position at the institute, she is left with only one option: accept a Mage Partnership with the elusive Lord Blackthorn. Emrys Blackthorn is a riddle Kat is fearful of solving. The mysterious, cursed war hero with his stormy eyes and unpredictable ways leaves Kat with more questions than answers. What she does know is that she is irresistibly drawn to him . . . no matter how forbidden it might be. When a string of murders and fey disappearances herald the return of dark magic, Kat and Emrys are thrown into a world of ancient books that hide hideous monsters, dark fiends who play with nightmares and mortal men who wish nothing more than to see them both burn. But what haunts them both are secrets even ghosts dare not whisper, while insidious shadows lick their teeth and sharpen their claws, waiting for the moment that all tales will come to light - even the monstrous ones.

𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲:
To say I'm thrilled and in awe is an understatement. I've been highly anticipating Tales of a Monstrous Heart for months after following the author on social media and if I could give higher than a five star rating... I would. Knowing this story is a debut publication for author Jennifer Delaney only adds to my delight, and I cannot wait to see what comes next for Delaney as a writer and how she continues to explore in the Tales series. This richly seductive and gothic tale was unputdownable with its compelling narrative, enticing setting, haunting mystery and well-explored storyline. The pacing was steady from beginning to end as we are granted ample time to discover our main cast of characters and divulge into the lore of their world, and I look forward to see what comes next in the story after that explosive ending left my jaw dropped and my heart racing. I devoured this book and its contents in one sitting whilst barely coming up for air... that's how good it is.

𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭:
I was thoroughly submersed into the plot of Tales of a Monstrous Heart from the very first page as we are immediately thrust into an action-packed first chapter. Faced with the prejudice of her heritage and an innate need to fit in amongst her human peers, Katherine Woodrow desperately tries to keep her chaos to a minimum to little success. Unfortunately for her, fate is fickle and in the mood to play games. With her magic at risk of being 'cleansed' and being cast out of the Institute, Kat has begun to lose hope until she receives partnership papers from the mysterious and presumed dead Lord Emrys Blackthorn. Lord Blackthorn provides Kat with the opportunity she desperately needed, until she finds herself in the middle of a murder mystery as her fellow Fey continue to turn up dead with sinister forces at play. At no point did I find the plot to 'lull' or drag as we follow Katherine and Emrys in their bid for answers. The history of their world plays a recurring role in the mystery that they desperately seek to unveil, and I really enjoyed how this was incorporated into the developing plot. It became clear that nothing is said or done without reason, and I look forward to see where the rest of the series will go as more secrets are revealed and mysteries are unravelled.

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬:
Katherine Woodrow is my kind of main character with her feisty and formidable nature. When we are first introduced to Kat, she is doing everything she can to blend in with her human peers and hide her Fey heritage. All she wants is to be viewed as an equal, and it broke my heart to recognise how strong of a character she is that has been forced with submit to the will of others. Her bravery and resilience manifest in the defence of those who need it... even the undeserving. Kat is willing to do whatever it takes to protect the few people in her life that she cares for, and I had the best time seeing just unhinged she could become in response to that protection. She's intelligent and resourceful, and her loyalty is unparalleled. I felt immense pride for Kat's character as she began to unravel the 'truths' she had been given and analyse the world around her as it is. Kat really comes into herself and her identity as a powerful Fey which was a monumental moment after spending so many years trying to be accepted for who she wasn't. Her trauma broke my heart after slowly learning about what she had endured as the plot progressed, and I'm really eager to see where her character will go after that epic ending to the book. Jennifer... you'll be receiving my therapy bill.

LORD Emrys Blackthorn. Phew. What a man he turned out to be. I've been practically salivating over this man as a result of Delaney's teasers in the last few months, and to say he did not disappoint is an understatement. Dark and broody. Horrifically scarred and mysterious. Check and check. And yet despite his imposing presence, I was pleasantly surprised to see how soft and compassionate Emrys could be. His patience and guardian-like regard towards William was so endearing and special. This bond helped showcase that as secretive and and seemingly unreachable his character is, Emrys is still capable of forming bonds despite how selective he may be. His willingness to trust in Kat from the beginning had me opening up to his character and eager to learn more about his character. His mysterious allure pulled me in, and I completely understand Kat's attraction to him. Also... I love a man with a protective streak that still recognises his woman's ability to defend herself. I was consistently swooning at his protection attempts, just to start laughing at Kat's stubborn disregard as she went on to do what she wanted anyone. This poor stoic man just wanted to find answers on the murder mystery plaguing their lands, just to be left baffled and frustrated (yet attracted) by his stubborn Fey companion. I still very much feel like there is more to Emrys's character than what was revealed, and I look forward to being granted a more intimate insight to his character in book two.

William and Alma were the best supporting characters that I could hope for. William's youthful and positive outlook on life despite how devastating his past circumstances were. Alma's unrelenting and loyal nature. They acted as a perfect balance to one another and I adored their joined page time. I was thrilled to see them forge a solid companionship as the story progressed, and I look forward to see where their roles and character arcs develop throughout the trilogy. And of course, a special mention to the devious and alluring Thean. Whilst I was constantly plagued by the instinct that this is not a character to be trusted, I can't help to admit that I found myself looking forward to their appearance on-page. There's definitely more to this character than meets the eye and knowing what I now know by the end of Tales of a Monstrous Heart, I suspect Thean will have a much bigger role to play in coming books.

𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭:
The relationship development between Kat and Emrys was written to absolute perfection. The pining and the longing. The tension and the forbidden nature to their attraction. I eager to see how their budding attraction would be addressed as Emrys is technically a mentor to Kat, however I was thrilled to see that this didn't make the dynamic in any way uncomfortable. Kat goes into their partnership ambled with knowledge of her own, and even finds herself educating Emrys on knowledge he is not in possession of. This helped to create a balance in their uneven power dynamic and establish a mutual respect long before their attraction is even addressed. Trust was slow to build as both characters had endured their own horrors and trauma which affected their ability to emotionally let people in, and it was a beautiful and slightly chaotic to watch as their tentative trust began to grow along with the story. Nothing makes me more giddy than watching two broken people start to find pieces of themselves in the other, and it was hilarious to watch as a sentient house became their biggest supporter and matchmaker. Also, did I mention that Tales of a Monstrous Heart includes nicknames that are personal to them? Swoon. Kat and Emrys have burrowed their way into my very heart and soul, and I'm really rooting for the series to end with their happily ever after.

𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
I don't think I could fully articulate just how much I loved Tales of a Monstrous Heart, and I hope I've managed to somewhat do it justice in my review. There is not a single complaint to be found from me, and I think it done a wonderful job setting up the explosive plot that I'm expecting to see in the sequel. I will absolutely be rereading this as I await book two in the hopes of rediscovering the small 'easter eggs' that I have undoubtedly missed during my first read through. I cannot praise and recommend this book any more, and I already know it has solidified a spot in my top three reads of 2024.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲.