Review: This Monster of Mine (This Monster of Mine #1) by Shalini Abeysekara

*I received an advance reading copy of this book from Canadian Manda Group in exchange for an honest review.

This Monster of Mine

(This Monster of Mine #1)

by Shalini Abeysekara

April 1, 2025

Goodreads Summary:

She knows the taste of death. He'll stoke her hunger for it.

Eighteen-year-old Sarai doesn't know why someone tried to kill her four years ago, but she does know that her case was closed without justice. Hellbent on vengeance, she returns to the scene of the crime as a Petitor, a prosecutor who can magically detect lies, and is assigned to work with Tetrarch Kadra. Ice-cold and perennially sadistic, Kadra is the most vicious of the four judges who rule the land - and the prime suspect in a string of deaths identical to Sarai's attempted murder.

Certain of his guilt, Sarai begins a double life: solving cases with Kadra by day and plotting his ruin by night. But Kadra is charming and there's something alluring about the wrath he wields against the city's corruption. So when the evidence she finds embroils her in a deadly political battle, Sarai must also fight against her attraction to Kadra - because despite his growing hold on her heart, his voice matches the only memory she has of her assailant...

A dazzling Ancient Rome-inspired romantasy debut, This Monster of Mine is a bloodbath of manipulation, deception, and forbidden love.

Review

I almost DNFed This Monster of Mine because the first few chapters didn’t quite interest me. However, that brutal prologue demanded I keep reading so I did. And I was rewarded! Once the story got going, the magic and the characters gripped me.

With a distinct magic system, This Monster of Mine was a tug of war between two powerful sides. As neither showed their true selves until later in the story, I had much fun forming theories as I read. The Sidran Tower Girl played an unexpectedly important role in shifting the political climate. Knowing her identity while few others knew, made reading This Monster of Mine an even more enjoyable experience than normal. Some of the links that were revealed towards the end shocked me. So as much as I hate to say this (because the evil guys did extremely despicable things), both sides played brilliantly.

Sarai’s scars led her down a twisty path in This Monster of Mine. To find the truth, she faced down numerous obstacles and overcame countless uncertainties. Sarai’s got a heart of gold, staying true to herself until the end. Kadra was a bit of a mystery. It wasn’t until later in the story that we get a better grasp on him. His stone-cold façade masked a great deal of pain and regret. The world was not kind to Sarai and Kadra but they made the best of it.

I can’t talk about This Monster of Mine without mentioning the strong connection between Sarai and Kadra. The obvious heat between them sizzled the pages. Despite the intensity, lines were maintained as they fulfilled their duties. I was very happy for Sarai and Kadra when they inevitably figured things out ;)

Compared to the beginning of This Monster of Mine, I loved the ending. It was coherent and immensely satisfying. I’m not sure how Ms. Shalini Abeysekara will continue this series but I absolutely can’t wait for more from this world!!

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and not affected in any way. Any quotes included in my review were taken from the copy I received.