A Mastery of Monsters - (Mastery of Monsters Trilogy) by Liselle Sambury (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

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 and magical creatures.

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 monster 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.

Review Quotes

"August's acerbic, quick-witted narration tackles the society's sinister ideals head-on, while confident prose by Sambury skillfully explores nuanced examinations of parental pressure and neglect, prejudice, systemic violence, and unjust power dynamics. Propulsive pacing, layered lore, and high emotional stakes further distinguish this dark academia series opener."--Publishers Weekly, starred review "5/12/25"

"Through the metaphor of monsters, Sambury explores salient questions about belonging, justice, mass incarceration, the line between revolution and terrorism, and racism and systemic inequality...A bold and bloody series opener."--Kirkus Reviews, starred review "6/1/25"

"With August fully immersed in a twisting net of ever-complicating personal relationships and secret society politics, this contemporary fantasy successfully executes complex intrigue in a manner typically reserved for second-world settings...Complete with sympathetic characters always struggling to do their best, this is a unique, satisfyingly packaged adventure."--Booklist "July 2025"

About the Author

Liselle Sambury is a Trinidadian Canadian author and Governor General's Literary Awards Finalist. She has a love for stories with dark themes, complicated families, and edges of hope. In her free time, she shares helpful tips for upcoming writers and details of her publishing journey through a YouTube channel dedicated to demystifying the business of being an author.