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 The Rycke

The Rycke

by Lily Mayne

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️explicit·Monstrous #3
4.5 on MoodReads (1 rating)4.3 on Goodreads (14,848)

Rate this book

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

Available on Kindle Unlimited
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?

The hurt/comfort here is next level. Two deeply damaged characters healing each other in a brutal world. Aury's gentleness despite his terrifying power is devastating, and Ghost's anxiety rep feels real and respectful.

Synopsis

Life as a raider in the Wastes, where monsters roam and the military lurks, is as easy as it sounds. I’ve been out here for a long time, and the fear that courses through my blood every time I have to step outside our camp walls to scavenge never fades. No matter how many monsters you face—and have to run for your life from—it doesn’t ever get easier. But when I come across a bound and injured monster in an abandoned military base, I can’t leave him behind. His presence in our camp is causing tension, but I can’t bring myself to care when I get to see a different side to him—when he starts to show me who he is, beneath the pain and lingering trauma. But despite his gentle nature, I soon discover why others are so desperate to own him. Why the military, and now this stranger lurking outside our camp, want to put him back in chains and take him away from me. There’s something hiding under his skin. Something that threatens to upend my entire life, the one I’ve spent my years carefully protecting out here. There’s a reason why all other monsters fear him. The Rycke is Book Three of the Monstrous series, a post-apocalyptic m/m fantasy series that features monsters and human men falling in love. It is best to read the series in order. Warning: This m/m love story contains explicit sexual content and is not suitable for young readers. It also contains graphic depictions of torture and violence, and deals with PTSD.

book details below may contain spoilers. some hidden

At a Glance

Book 3 of the Monstrous series. Gage (Ghost), an anxious raider, frees an injured ancient winged monster named Aury from an abandoned military base in Nevada. Their bond deepens as two broken souls find safety in each other. Emotionally devastating with profound tenderness. Must read the series in order.

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.

4.27 ★ (14.8k)

Page CountHow long the commitment is.

330 pages

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

2021

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

Paranormal Romance

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

M/M

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.

Slow Burn

CliffhangerEnding 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

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.

Yes

FormatHow fancy is the audio? Standard = one narrator. Full cast = theater kids went off. GraphicAudio = a MoViE iN yOuR mInD.

N/A

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
hurt/comfortmonster romancerescue romanceforced proximitytouch her and dieopposites attractfated mates
RomanceMagicActionAngstWorld
Theme Constellation

Mood & Vibe

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

emotionalgrittymelancholicheartwarmingintenseangsty

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

emotionalimmersiverawlushintrospective

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.

high

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

page turner

Characters

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

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

monster MMCsecretly softcinnamon roll

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.

hurt/comfortprotective love interestmutual piningpower imbalanceonly soft for themferal devotion

Spice Details 🌶️

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
Spice Level 5

Spice StyleNot just how much spice, but what kind. Emotional intimacy? Explicit but vanilla? Plot-driven heat? Know your flavor.

Explicit M/M scenes with a monster partner. Tender and emotional intimacy woven through the hurt/comfort dynamic. Size difference and gentle monster energy.

Getting SteamyGentle kinks. Fun but nothing too crazy. The appetizer, so to speak.

touch starvationpossessive/protectivebody worshipsize difference focus

Bringing the HeatFor those who know exactly what they came for. This is where you find your exact brand of chaos. The good stuff.

size differencemonster romance elementsmonstrous anatomybonding/claiming/marking
Browse more books by spice level →
This stuff might hit different. No shame in needing to know what's coming. (10)▼
spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
torturePTSDgraphic violencegoreviolencetraumacaptivityimprisonmentanxietypanic attacks
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.

post-apocalyptic

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.

bunker / base / compound

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

monsters

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

gayanxiety repmental health rep

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.

cathartic releasebook hangover incomingthe swoonredemption arcferal brain activated

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 weekendsick dayat night

Monstrous

Soul Eater

#1 Soul Eater

Edin

#2 Edin

The Rycke

#3 The Rycke

Moth

#5 Moth

A Monstrous Christmas in Camp

#6.5 A Monstrous Christmas in Camp

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.🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️explicit
PagesHow long the commitment is.330
PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.2021
GoodreadsThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.4.27 ★ (14.8k)
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

SeriesThe series this book belongs to and where it falls in the reading order.

Monstrous #3
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 The Rycke

Similar Books

Cover of Guarded by the Kraken

Guarded by the Kraken

Monster Security Agency, #4

Cassie Alexander

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️·dual POV
forced proximitybodyguard/protection detailmonster romance
Cover of Servant to the SpidaeKU

Servant to the Spidae

Aspect and Anchor, #4

Ruby Dixon

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️·first person
forced proximitycaretaking romancereverse harem / why choose
Cover of Sweet BerriesKU

Sweet Berries

Cambric Creek, #2

C.M. Nascosta

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️·first person
monster romanceopposites attractinstant attraction
Cover of A Soul to Touch

A Soul to Touch

Duskwalker Brides, #3

Opal Reyne

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️·dual POV
monster romanceforced proximitysurvival romance
Cover of Claimed by the CthulhuKU

Claimed by the Cthulhu

Monstrous Meet Cutes, #2

Wendi Guff

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️·dual POV
fated matesmonster romancemeet cute
Cover of Berries and GreedKU

Berries and Greed

Deep Earth Dating, #1

Lily Mayne

🌶️🌶️·dual POV
friends to loversroommatesforced proximity
Cover of Audited by the Anubis

Audited by the Anubis

Wendi Gogh

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️·dual POV
monster romanceopposites attractgrumpy sunshine
Cover of EvanKU

Evan

The Wild Edges, #2

Lark Taylor

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️·dual POV
fated matesforced proximityhurt/comfort