MoodReads - Romance Book Discovery
The Stacks
DiscoverMy ShelvesReading Stats
Sign upLog in
MoodReads - Romantasy Book Discovery

because goodreads doesn't
have a spice filter

Discover

  • Discover Page
  • Reading Stacks
  • Tropes
  • Moods
  • Creatures
  • Spicy Books

Get MoodReads

  • so what is it.
  • iOS App
  • Browser Extension
  • MoodReads Premium
  • Gift a Subscription
  • For Creators
  • Share MoodReads

Go Deeper

  • FAQ
  • Roadmap
  • Request a Feature
  • vs Goodreads
  • vs StoryGraph
  • Who Built This?

The Serious Stuff

  • Values
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Support

get emails when something big happens. no spam, just news.

© 2026 MoodReads. Built by a romantasy reader for romantasy readers.

rattle the stars, bitches.

Cover of Kill the Beast

Kill the Beast

by Serra Swift

🥛clean
4.1 on Goodreads (2,013)

Rate this book

sign in to add to shelves, track reading status, and see your stats

find similar →
ReportSpoiler settings

Ending

reveal ending

Why Read This?The one-sentence sell. What do you get for showing up to this book, even when it's hard?

A Beauty and the Beast retelling that swaps romance for razor-sharp banter and a grief-to-redemption found family arc. Lyssa is a grief-hardened monster hunter, Alderic is a melodramatic dandy with hidden depths, and together they forge an unlikely bond that earns every emotional beat.

Synopsis

The Witcher meets Howl’s Moving Castle in this debut original faerie tale of revenge, redemption, and friendship―for fans of T. Kingfisher, Naomi Novik, and cozy fantasy with a dash of gritty adventure. The night Lyssa Cadogan's brother was murdered by a faerie-made monster known as the Beast, she made him a promise: she would find a way to destroy the immortal creature and avenge his death. For thirteen years, she has been hunting faeries and the abominations they created. But in all that time, the one Beast she is most desperate to find has never resurfaced. Until she meets Alderic Casimir de Laurent, a melodramatic dandy with a coin purse bigger than his brain. Somehow, he has found the monster’s lair, and―even more surprising―retrieved one of its claws. A claw Lyssa needs in order to forge a sword that can kill the Beast. When the witch Ragnhild decrees that Alderic and Lyssa must gather the other ingredients to forge the weapon together, or else the spell will fail, Lyssa gets more than she bargained for. Alderic is ill-equipped for the task at hand, and almost guaranteed to get himself killed. But as the two of them search for the materials that will be the Beast's undoing, Alderic reveals hidden depths: dark secrets that he guards as carefully as Lyssa guards hers. Before long, and against Lyssa's better judgment, they begin to forge a blooming friendship―one that will either lead to the culmination of Lyssa's quest for vengeance, or spell doom for them both.

book details below may contain spoilers. some hidden

At a Glance

This is the cozy fantasy for people who think they don't like cozy fantasy. Serra Swift's debut packs genuine emotional weight—grief, revenge, and the slow thaw of a friendship built on mutual distrust—wrapped in a quest story with Witcher-level grit and Howl's Moving Castle charm. The platonic core makes it stand apart in a genre saturated with romance, and the banter between Lyssa and Alderic is some of the sharpest you'll find.

trope onetrope twotrope threetrope four

Book Details

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Goodreads RatingThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.

4.06 ★ (2k)

Page CountHow long the commitment is.

309 pages

PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.

2025

Primary GenreWhat type of book this is. Romance? Fantasy? A 400-page therapy session disguised as a thriller?

Cozy Fantasy

PairingWho's falling in love? The gender makeup of your main romance. Helps you find your specific flavor of love story.

N/A

POVWhose head are you in? First person = deep in the feels. Third = watching from above. Dual = emotional whiplash (affectionate).

First Person

Romance PacingHow long until they kiss? Slow burn = 300 pages of tension. Insta-love = page 12 and it's already chaos.

Delayed Romance

AudiobookCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

AvailableCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

No audiobook yet

TropesPlot devices and story situations that drive the romance. These are the circumstances that throw characters together or create conflict, not how they personally relate.

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
beauty and the beastfairytale retellingforced alliance
RomanceMagicActionAngstWorld
Theme Constellation

Mood & Vibe

MoodWhat you felt reading this. Swoony? Gutted? Deliciously unhinged? The emotional fingerprint.

darkwittyadventurousemotionalatmospheric

Writing StyleHow the author writes - prose style, dialogue approach, and narrative voice. This is about craft and delivery, not emotional effect.

wittyatmosphericdarkbanter-heavy

Story PacingDoes the story sprint or saunter? Fast = you'll miss sleep. Slow = you'll savor every word. Medium = balanced chaos.

medium

Emotional WeightHow much are you gonna cry? Light = fun feels. Moderate = real stakes. Heavy = bring tissues. Devastating = call your therapist.

heavy

Energy RequiredCan you read this on a Tuesday after work, or do you need a full Saturday and three cups of coffee? Low/Medium/High.

medium

VibesOne perfect sentence that captures the essence. Like: 'Fae politics meets forbidden romance with zero chill.'

found family questBeauty and the Beast retellingcozy with gritty edgesplatonic soulmatesWitcher meets Howl's Moving Castle

Characters

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

FMC ArchetypeWho is she? The female main character's core identity/role. Assassin? Healer? General Badass?

vengeful / revenge-drivenhuntergeneral badass

MMC ArchetypeWho is he? The male main character's core identity/role. Your exact flavor of book boyfriend.

secretly softrogue/scoundrel

Relationship DynamicsThe interpersonal dynamic between the main characters. How do they relate to each other? This is about character energy and connection style, not plot situations.

found familybanterreluctant allies to lovers
This stuff might hit different. No shame in needing to know what's coming. (8)▼
spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
violencedeathdeath of loved oneanimal deathchildhood traumagriefsuicidal ideationbullying
Browse books by content warning →

World & Setting

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

World TypeWhat kind of world are you stepping into? High fantasy = full secondary world. Urban fantasy = magic in modern cities. Portal = starts here, goes there.

steampunk / gaslampfae realm / faerie courts

Primary SettingWhere does the story physically take place? Court intrigue = palace. Dark academia = campus. Cozy witch vibes = small town. This is about location, not world rules.

forest / wilderness

Fantasy CreaturesWhat supernatural beings populate this world? Fae courts, vampire covens, dragon riders, or just regular humans doing their best.

faewitches/wizards/warlocksgolems / animated constructs

RepresentationIdentity representation in the book. LGBTQ+, race/ethnicity, disability, neurodivergence, body type, age and more.

bisexual MCqueer

Reading Context

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Emotional PayoffWhat you get for showing up. The catharsis, the growth, the 'I'm a different person now' moment. This is why the hard books are worth it.

found family feelscathartic releasebook hangover

Best Time of YearSeasonal mood rings for books. Summer romance reads different than winter gothic.

anytime

When & Where to ReadContext matters. Some books are Beach Trip energy, others are 3am Bedtime spiral-reads. Trust.

cozy eveningrainy weekendlazy Sunday

this page is just the start

  • import your Goodreads or StoryGraph TBR. we tag every book with spice, tropes, CWs, mood, all of it
  • tell us a vibe (“enemies to lovers fae, high spice”) and BookMatch finds the book
  • 4,000+ romantasy books searchable by 45 fields
  • book clubs, reading challenges, and a community of readers who get it
free account

Quick Facts

Spice LevelThe heat scale. 0=wholesome, 1=kisses, 2=fade-to-black, 3=tasteful spice, 4=explicit, 5=you need a cold shower. Know thyself.🥛clean
PagesHow long the commitment is.309
PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.2025
GoodreadsThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.4.06 ★ (2k)
EndingEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.reveal ending
Similar picks →

My Notes

Loading...

Short Takes

quick 280-character reactions for this book. drop a thought, rate the vibe, keep scrolling.

Sign in to share your take.

Loading...

Book Chat

live reactions, hot takes, screaming into the void about Kill the Beast

Similar Books

Cover of War of Mist (The Oremere Chronicles, #3)KU

War of Mist (The Oremere Chronicles, #3)

Helen Scheuerer

🥛·multi-POV·✓
forbidden lovesecret heir/royaltyforced alliance
Cover of Her Radiant Curse

Her Radiant Curse

Elizabeth Lim

🥛·dual POV
beauty and the beastcursed love interestforbidden love
Cover of Assassin's Quest

Assassin's Quest

The Farseer Trilogy, #3

Robin Hobb

🥛·first person·✓
N/A
Cover of The Bright Sword

The Bright Sword

Lev Grossman

🥛·third person·✓
N/A
Cover of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Harry Potter, #3

J.K. Rowling

🥛·third person·✓
N/A
Cover of The Strength of the Few

The Strength of the Few

Hierarchy, #2

James Islington

🥛·first person
N/A
Cover of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Harry Potter, #2

J.K. Rowling

🥛·third person·✓
N/A
Cover of The Islands of Chaldea

The Islands of Chaldea

Diana Wynne Jones

🥛·first person
N/A