If you want a morally gray, badass FMC, a hero that would burn the world for her, sizzling romance and exquisite world-building then look no further than Amber V. Nicole’s The Book of Azrael. The first book of the Gods and Monsters series, published by Rose & Star Publishing, sets the stage for the explosive narrative and more gods to awaken, before the battle is unleashed in The Throne of Broken Gods and The Dawn of the Cursed Queen.
You should definitely check out our summary of the first book before reading further.
This underrated BookTok fantasy romance does not only have an amazing and complex story, but its characters are well-built, realistic, and a real enemies-to-lovers romance. If you hate liking the villains, this will definitely be a challenge because everyone has a backstory and damn good reasons for their actions. Giving Throne of Glass vibes, Gods & Monsters series is a must for every respectable romantasy reader.
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Don’t forget to check our Throne of Glass reading order, character analysis and Maasvers theories and connections.
Let’s waste no more time and dive in!
But beware valiant bookworms, there shall be some spoilers ahead!
Dianna and Samkiel might be the coolest main characters, but they are only the cherry on top of the dark romance. They are true enemies as a God and an Ig’Morruthen, which makes their love story even better.
Dianna, aka the baddest bitch across realms, is hardcore, intelligent, and cunning. She can whoop everybody’s asses and still look amazing. A born-fighter, Dianna sacrificed her life by becoming an Ig’Morruthen, awakening a monster in exchange for saving her sister’s life after making a deal with Kaden. She will stop at nothing when protecting her people, and will cross any lines to get what she wants.
She is an absolute sweetheart, and yet she is constantly betrayed by those she trusts. When she meets Samkiel, it’s like fate has conspired for them to meet and get entangled in this eternal war. Dianna has the hardest time trusting Samkiel—and who can blame her—but when she does, she can only fall for him harder.
Their romance is an immaculate slow burn for the ages. The loss of her sister, Gabby, will push her over the edge, and the whole world will feel her wrath. She is definitely a force to be reckoned with, and with Samkiel by her side, she is one of the deadliest predators. She also has to come to terms with her true origins as Azrael’s daughter and an ex-celestial. All hail the new Queen of Rashaerim and Samkiel’s amata, we can’t wait to see her annihilate Nismera!
predators. She also has to come to terms with her true origins as Azrael’s daughter and an ex-celestial. All hail the new Queen of Rashaerim and Samkiel’s amata, we can’t wait to see her annihilate Nismera!
The last born God and the King of Rashaerim, Samuel is the World Ender, and rightfully so. When betrayed by those who sought power for themselves, Samkiel, with his tremendous power, destroyed Rashaerim and locked all the realms away. Isolated in the ruins of Rashaerim, he has not come to terms with his failure, but when The Hand—his hand-picked celestials—calls for him, he has to be the King he was born to be.
His meeting with Dianna is nothing but deadly and explosive; World Ender meets Ender of Worlds. However, the more he gets to know the evil and charming Ig’ Morruthen, the more he realizes she is just as hurt as he is.
Dianna helps him deal with his PTSD, and it does not take long for him to realize that she is the one for him. He will even risk his own life and godhood, all to be with her, and he will not give up on her under any circumstances. With Dianna as his Queen, Samkiel will attempt to eliminate the threat of his half-sister Nismera and save the world.
A council of celestials that Samkiel has picked and trained to be Guardians of the Etherworld and the Netherworld. We see all of them united in the second book.
Samkiel’s best friend and one of the few who support his relationship with Dianna from the start. He, along with Neverra, his amata, take Gabby—Dianna’s sister—under their wing so Samkiel and Dianna can work against Kaden. Neverra’s kidnapping almost breaks him, but with Dianna’s help, the amatas are reunited. Logan is extremely loyal to Samkiel, and when forced to betray him, he is actively fighting with his subconscious to break Nismera’s spell.
Neverra is The Hand’s best warrior and does not stop fighting for Samkiel even when kidnapped. She is loyal, kind, and caring. Despite the short time they spend together, she and Gabby become friends, and her death costs her. She and Imogen will become Dianna’s friends.
We first see Imogen in Samkiel’s memory through Dianna’s powers, and let’s just say it gets quite heated. However, after millennia, Imogen is no longer Samkiel’s betrothed, but they do still care for one another deeply. Imogen kept the council together while Samkiel was away and tried to reach him countless times. When put under Nismera’s spell, many want a taste of Imogen, but Isiah, one of Nismera’s evil brothers, protects her—we smell an amata bond.
A real dilemma, you either hate or deeply sympathize with Vincent. He is the appointed leader of The Hand while Samkiel is away, and responsible for damage control when he returns. He hates Dianna from the get-go, but he has his own agenda. Bound to Nismera, he is the one who betrays Samkiel, resulting in the fall of The Hand. His story progresses with his romance with Camilla, and we are all waiting with bated breath to see if he will redeem himself.
The blond bombshell and the funny one of the group, Cameron is easygoing, charming and deeply in love with his fellow Hand member, Xavier. When Kaden threatens Xavier, Cameron willingly betrays Samkiel and drinks Kaden’s blood, becoming the second successful Ig’Morruthen after Dianna. He will find Dianna and Samkiel, and will gladly grovel until they accept him back.
Xavier is perhaps the nicest one of all celestials; he is happy to be included anywhere and will do anything to be helpful. Still haunted by losing his sister, he finds a friend in Dianna. Having not had his feelings reciprocated by Cameron, he decides to take his life in his own hands, but is tragically sold away as a soldier by Nismera. Will Cameron manage to get to him? We’ll have to patiently wait for book 4.
Gabby is a warm radiant light, fun, extroverted and eager to love and explore, she lives her immortal life to the fullest. She absolutely loves her sister and has been pressuring her for years to leave Kaden. When she is finally ready to settle with someone, Gabby’s life is turned upside down. From living with the celestials to getting kidnapped and even killed on livestream, Gabby makes sure Dianna knows she is loved and cherished. You will be missed, little Martinez!
Another bombshell and one of Dianna’s past flames, Camilla is a powerful witch who has a lot to atone for. She helps Samkiel locate the “Book of Azrael” and tries to warn him of what’s to come. Guilt, due to Gabby’s murder and her role in it, leads her to help Dianna wreak havoc. When she is taken by Nismera, she uses her powers to restore an ancient relic. Her romance with Vincent is delectable; hot and twisted!
We had to mention Roccurem or Reggie, the stranded Fate Dianna saves from his eternal prison. At first, he only wants to protect the realms, but soon he comes to care for Dianna. He tags along with her in all her adventures and even puts himself on the line to protect her.
Unir’s other children—apart from Samkiel—and his most brutal commanders. They all have incredible powers and the good genes run in the family.
She was defeated in the Gods’ War, which resulted in Unir sacrificing himself for Samkiel and the “fall” of Rashaerim. Now she is back with a vengeance and a plan she has been making for more than a thousand years. She wants to be the true “King” of the realms, now that she thinks she killed Samkiel. She uses her brothers to install fear and has destroyed countless planets in her quest for power. Nismera definitely has her own agenda, with ancient weapons and secret plans.
We can say many things about Kaden, but he definitely loves Dianna in his own twisted way. Being locked away by your own father to perish with your brother will mess a person up. He wants Dianna for himself, but he sacrifices his personal happiness for his sister’s cause. Despite murdering Gabby in cold blood to get back at Dianna, he has not given up on her yet. In the third book, we see his suspicions of Nismera’s real intentions growing.
Definitely the most mysterious of the three siblings, Isaiah is only seen in The Dawn of the Cursed Queen. His strange connection with Imogen and the way he cares for his siblings make it really hard to hate him. The second Ig’Morruthen brother, his abilities to control blood have given him the title “Blood Scorn”. He is definitely to be feared, but like good romance girlies, we want to see more of him in the next book.
We really hope we have convinced you to give this 6-star fantasy books a read. With rich character development, different POVs, and mortal enemies that do the enemies-to-lovers trope justice—not to mention the cliffhanger of Unir showing up at the end of The Dawn of the Cursed Queen—this is guaranteed to keep you at the edge of your seat. We suggest you open your Kindle, log into Amazon, Goodreads or your alternative of choice, or even download the audiobook immediately! In whatever format, we guarantee it’s worth it.
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Amber V. Nicole explores several different sets of powers in the Gods & Monsters series. From Dianna’s Ig’Morruthen form, to Samkiel’s godly powers, nothing is out of the question. Creation, teleportation, and destruction are easily achieved. Spells by witches and other beings like vampires also play a role in the story.
Yes, the “Book of Azrael” exists, and Samkiel and Dianna find it in the first book of the series. The book was created by Azrael, a celestial inventor and Samkiel’s friend in the old world, and is said to contain a way to kill Samkiel, so if it falls in the wrong hands it could upend the realms. Nismera uses it to construct a weapon to kill Samkiel and almost succeeds.
Always living in her own enchanted little world, Christina discovered the magic that can be hidden within the pages of a book when one dares to take a closer look from a tender age. An avid reader, she is constantly inspired to delve into the secrets woven between the lines and challenges herself to find her own voice amidst the chaos. She is a dedicated fan of the classics, but the supernatural creatures that have tormented readers for years are her kryptonite. The mastery it takes to infuse the author's essence, molded by the era they grew up in to their innermost desires fascinates her. Undoubtedly, putting her passion and knowledge on paper has a mesmerizing allure on her, and following the steps of so many other dreamers before her she wishes to leave her mark in the literary world. Guided by T.S Eliot’s haunting words: “I will show you fear in a handful of dust” she intends to wreak havoc in the minds of her future readers.
