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A Mastery of Monsters (Mastery of Monsters Trilogy)

Liselle Sambury

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Two starred reviews! Ninth House meets Legendborn in this “bold and bloody” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) first book in a dark academia fantasy series about a teen who’s willing to do anything to find her brother—even infiltrate a secret society full of monsters.

When August’s brother disappears before his sophomore semester, everyone thinks the stress of college got to him. But August knows her brother would never have left her voluntarily, especially not after their mother so recently went missing. The only clue he left behind was a note telling her to stay safe and protect their remaining family.

And after August is attacked by a ten-foot-tall creature with fur and claws, she realizes that her brother might be in more danger than she could have imagined. Unfortunately for her, the only person with a connection to the mysterious creature is the bookish Virgil Hawthorne…and he knows about them because he is one.

If he doesn’t find a partner to help control his true nature, he’ll lose his humanity and become a mindless beast—exactly what the secret society he’s grown up in would love to put down. Virgil makes a proposition: August will join his society and partner with him, and in return, he’ll help her find her brother.

And so August is plunged into a deadly competition to win one of the few coveted candidate spots, all while trying to accept a frightening reality: that monsters are real, and she has to learn to master them if she’s to have any hope of saving her brother.

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Posts about this title from Celestial

Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jun 18

let’s talk about books with TRANSFORMATIONS!

let’s talk about books with TRANSFORMATIONS! werewolves and shapeshifters and zombies, oh my!

📚 books mentioned: - A Mastery of Monsters by Liselle Sambury - Wild Seed by Octavia E. Butler - The Transition by Logan-Ashley Kisner - Grief Eater by Emma Osborne

👗💄: - eyeshadow is The Lord of the Rings Middle Earth Palette from Glamlite and The Spring Symphony Palette from Dandy Lion Cosmetics - eyeliner is Vegan Longwear Eyeliner (Minty) from Pacifica Beauty - mascara is Highly Rated Lash Extensions XL from Milani Cosmetics - Lip Buttercream (Vanilla Whip) from Pacifica Beauty - (also if you have a question about my makeup or something i’m wearing, most of it is curated in my shopmy!)

thank you to Simon Teen, Underlined, and Interstellar Flight Press for the gifted copies!

#creaturefeature #horrorbooks #horrorbookrecs #nycinfluencer #bookstagram • Doubleday @simonteen @doubledaybooks @getunderlined @interstellarflightpress @glamlite @dandylionsco @milanicosmetics @pacificabeauty

4 books

Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jan 10

YA best of 2025

young adult authors continue to put out some of the boldest, most fascinating, and most inclusive books out there!

i read mostly adult, but it’s fun to dive back into YA and feel only a little jealous of the kids that will get to experience these worlds as teenagers.

📚 books mentioned: - A Mastery of Monsters by Liselle Sambury - Lucha of the Night Forest by Tehlor Kay Mejia - I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me by Jamison Shea - The Coven Tendency by Zoe Hana Mikuta - These Vengeful Gods by Gabe Cole Novoa - Somadina by Akwaeke Emezi

👗💄: - dress is from Lacemade - eyeshadow is In A Trance Palette from Colourpop and The Lord of the Rings Middle-Earth Palette from Glamlite - shimmer are Eyeshadow Singles (Blushing Lizard and Mermacculate) from Half Magic - eyeliner is Vegan Longwear Eyeliner (Lilac) from Pacifica - lip combo is Lip Lingerie Liner Stain (Up To No Good) from NYX Cosmetics and Wicked: For Good Glinda Glossy Balm from r.e.m. beauty - (also if you have a question about my makeup or something i’m wearing, most of it is curated in my shopmy!)

thank you to Simon Teen and Get Underlined for the gifted copies!

#youngadultbooks #fantasybooks #horrorbooks #nycinfluencer #bookstagram @simonteen @getunderlined @fiercereads @disneybooks @lacemadeofficial @colourpopcosmetics @glamlite @halfmagicbeauty @pacificabeauty @nyxcosmetics @r.e.m.beauty

young adult book recommendations • best young adult books of 2025 • favorite YA books • fantasy books • horror book recs • diverse books • diverse young adult reads • Simon Teen • Get Underlined • Fierce Reads • Disney Hyperion

6 books

Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Oct 15 2025

fall mood book recs

whatever your fall mood may be … i’ve got you covered with a book rec!

📚 books mentioned: - Recipes for an Unexpected Afterlife by Deston J. Munden - Killer on the Road / The Babysitter Lives by Stephen Graham Jones - The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi - A Mastery of Monsters by Liselle Sambury

👗💄: - sweater & headband are from Walmart - eyeshadow is two Sparklestiks from @halfmagicbeauty - (also if you have a question about my makeup or something i’m wearing, most of it is curated in my shopmy!)

thank you Bindery Books, Saga Press, William Morrow, and Simon Teen for the gifted copies! #fallbooks #fallbookrecs #fantasybooks #fantasybookrecs #cozyfantasy #horrorbooks #horrorbookrecs #gothicbooks #gothicbookrecs #darkacademia #SagaSaysCrew #sagapressbooks #SagaSays #SimonTeenInfluencer #binderybooks #celestial #WilliamMorrowpartner #HarperCollinsPartner #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #diversebookstagram #nycbookstagram #bookstagram @bindery_books @sagapressbooks @williammorrowbooks @simonteen

4 books

Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Sep 5 2025

oh I am SO VERY READY for fantasy fall. and giving you all ample time to prepare!!

📚 books mentioned: - The Maiden and Her Monster by Maddie Martinez - Beasts of Prey by Ayana Gray - The Macabre by Kosoko Jackson - A Mastery of Monsters by Liselle Sambury

👗💄: - dress is from Cider - sparkly green eyeliner is the moondust liquid glitter eyeliner from Urban Decay - (also if you have a question about my makeup or something i’m wearing, most of it is curated in my shopmy!)

thank you to Tor Books, Penguin Teen, Harper Votager, and Simon Teen for the gifted copies!

#fantasybooks #fantasyfall #fantasybookrecs #fantasybookreview #fantasybookrecommendations #bestfantasybooks #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #diversebookstagram #nycbookstagram #bookstagram @torbooks @penguinteen @harpervoyagerus @simonteen

4 books

Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Aug 23 2025

young adult books that i’d love to see celebrated more!!

📚 books mentioned: - These Vengeful Gods by Gabe Cole Novoa - Conditions of a Heart by Bethany Mangle - A Mastery of Monsters by Liselle Sambury

👗💄: - rainbow eyeshadow using the Mírame palette from Aora México @aoramakeup - dress is from @anthropologie, rented from @nuuly - (also if you have a question about my makeup or something i’m wearing, most of it is curated in my shopmy!)

thank you to Get Underlined and Simon Teen for the gifted copies!

#youngadultbooks #yabooks #bannedbooks #readbannedbooks #stopbookbanning #yabookrecs #youngadultbookrecs #fantasybooks #romancebooks #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #diversebookstagram #nycbookstagram #bookstagram #nycbookstagram @getunderlined @simonteen

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Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Aug 9 2025

what did you read this week? here’s my speedy reading update!

📚 books mentioned: - A Mastery of Monsters by Liselle Sambury - Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant - Killer on the Road/The Babysitter Lives by Stephen Graham Jones

thank you to Simon Teen and Saga Press for the gifted copies!

#readingupdate #readingcheckin #weeklyreading #fantasybooks #horrorbooks #darkacademia #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #SagaSaysCrew #SimonTeenInfluencer #sagapressbooks #SagaSays #bookstagram #nycbookstagram @simonteen @orbitbooks_us @sagapressbooks

3 books

Posts about this book from across Bindery

Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jun 18

let’s talk about books with TRANSFORMATIONS!

let’s talk about books with TRANSFORMATIONS! werewolves and shapeshifters and zombies, oh my!

thank you to Simon Teen, Underlined, and Interstellar Flight Press for the gifted copies!

4 books

chronicallybookish\ \ Kaley\ \ • Mar 21

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3 best books I've read so far this year

Trust that I’ll be screaming about these all year long 🙂‍↕️ #booktok #bookrecommendations #fantasybooktok #fantasybookrecs #darkacademiabooks

3 books

chronicallybookish\ \ Kaley\ \ • Mar 5

Join for free

february reading wrap up!

Did you have any 5 star reads in February? #booktok #readingwrapup #fantasybooktok #romancebooktok #bookreviews

13 books

Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jan 10

YA best of 2025

young adult authors continue to put out some of the boldest, most fascinating, and most inclusive books out there!

i read mostly adult, but it’s fun to dive back into YA and feel only a little jealous of the kids that will get to experience these worlds as teenagers.

thank you to Simon Teen and Get Underlined for the gifted copies!

6 books

Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Oct 15 2025

fall mood book recs

whatever your fall mood may be … i’ve got you covered with a book rec!

4 books

Beverly Books\ \ Kristian\ \ • Sep 11 2025

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Poll:\ \ What would you like to hear about first?\ \ This is going to sound a bit like "Where's Waldo?", but it's true.\ \ \ \ Since my last post, I feel like I've been going--going--going. So here's a brief overview of everywhere book-related I've been since Apollycon.\ \ \ \ During Apollycon,I visited a bunch of fantastic bookstores. I've wanted to venture down to Mahogany Books, and I wasn't disappointed. Friends To Lovers also fell onto my list, so hitting them during their grand opening was a treat.\ \ There was a short lull, a period where I got to see local authors that I think are amazing. Lindsay Hameroff is one of them (if you like new adult romance that hits you in the feels, her books are perfect for you). From there, I visited more book stores. Central Pennsylvania has a lot of indie bookstores. And they're so unique and different. I really appreciate that.\ \ In the beginning of May, I drove to New Jersey for Romancing The Craft Workshop.\ \ \ \ At the end of May, it was time for my annual writing retreat. I road tripped to Tennessee. Not only is my critique group the best ever--but Kim Brubaker Bradley also heads a literacy nonprofit which she gave us a tour of.\ \ Then there were of course, more signings.\ \ And then, NYC. It feels like in the last six months, NYC has whittled itself into my heart. I know visiting a place is different from living there, but I have enjoyed all of my adventures there and the ones that are coming over the horizon.\ \ In August, I found myself at New Voices, New Rooms, which was amazing. I'd only gone to the ABA (American Bookseller Association) Winter and Children Institute. Going to NAIBA felt like a hug.\ \ So those are the various places I've found myself since I last posted. I've been on the move like the little energizer bunny but I wouldn't trade it for the world.\ \ \ \ With so many places I've been, I have more in-depth posts about each thing. But you get to help choose which adventure to hear about first!

Where Has Kristian Been?

3 books

Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Sep 5 2025