Review: Monstrous by MarcyKate Connolly

From Goodreads: The city of Bryre suffers under the magic of an evil wizard. Because of his curse, girls sicken and disappear without a trace, and Bryre’s inhabitants live in fear. No one is allowed outside after dark. Yet night is the only time that Kymera can enter this dangerous city, for she must not be seen by humans. Her father says they would not understand her wings, the bolts in her neck, or her spiky tail - they would kill her. They would not understand that she was created for a purpose: to rescue the girls of Bryre. Despite her caution, a boy named Ren sees Kym and begins to leave a perfect red rose for her every evening. As they become friends, Kym learns that Ren knows about the missing girls, the wizard, and the evil magic that haunts Bryre. And what he knows will change Kym’s life.  

My Rating: 3.5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: Although I found Monstrous by MarcyKate Connolly to be a solid read, I do think this book will appeal more to its target audience of middle-graders. As an older reader looking for a great MG read, I found the plot lagging at times, and wasn’t at all surprised by the twists that were revealed. (The lone exception would have to be the ending – but that was only because it was so random).

To younger readers, especially young girls, however, I’d recommend that they give Monstrous a try. Firstly, it has a female protagonist who isn’t a damsel in distress. In fact, I really liked that Kymera repeatedly rescues her friend, Ren, rather than it being the other way around. Secondly, I appreciated that the one of the messages of Monstrous was to not judge people based on their physical appearance.

Monstrous will be released by HarperCollins Children's Books on February 10, 2015. 

Comments About the Cover: I love the illustrated look of the cover! 

In exchange for an honest review, this book was received from the publisher (HarperCollins) for free via Edelweiss.