Untethering Dark

De: Desirée M. Niccoli

Narrado por: Kimberly M. Wetherell

In the shadows of the forest, he waits…

A bloody and bewitching monster romance from Desirée M. Niccoli.

A winter hag in training, Astrid spends her days in the Black Forest sharpening her spell craft and flinging axes at tourists, and her nights leaving offerings to the ancient eldritch monster that guards the woods. She’s one sex ritual away from leaving the last trace of her unwanted humanity behind and stepping into her full power.

It’s the perfect life. Until a group of unruly humans brings that same deadly monster to her doorstep. Now, her only hope for survival is a plate of poisoned cookies.

Gudarīks has roamed the Black Forest since it sprouted its first trees, consuming any who violate his beloved land. Lured to the witch’s gate, he is amused at her attempt to poison him with sweets…but spending time with her awakens millennia of repressed desire. Astrid doesn’t shy away from the gentle caress of his claws or his most ravenous attentions.

As witch and monster find long-buried heat in the wintery landscape they call home, signs of a dark, lost magic begin to appear in the forest. When a rising supernatural threat has them questioning not only their ability to protect the forest, but Gudarīks’s own immortality, their only solution may be to share their strength and create a union beyond mortal comprehension.

Wonderfully Cozy (and Violent) Monster Romance

This was such a treat to listen to with a lovely and rich performance from Wetherell! Astrid and Gudarīks are wonderfully thoughtful, supportive, and tender with one another nearly from the moment they meet. The supporting cast are also quite charming, and the friendships Astrid has with them are just as heartfelt as her budding romance with Gudarīks. There is *just* enough tension from the villains to keep the plot moving without being distractingly dramatic, and it rarely gets in the way of the cozy and/or steamy part of the story. i haven't loved a monster romance this much since Rose Daughter. Can't wait to see more from this author!

Viciously Heartwarming

This book was such a vicious delight. I feel like that is the best way to describe it. Niccoli brought her specific brand of heartwarming bloodthirsty vibes right into the darker monster lover world, and I loved every second.

There is a quote from the book that I feel like can sum up a lot of my thoughts in the perfect way.
“Weapon in one hand, sipping tea from her thermos with the other, Astrid was a study in contrary multitudes.”

You have this character in Astrid who has worked her whole life to strip away her humanity. To be more vicious. To rip out a heart directly from a man’s chest and take a big bite, but she is doing it for the most wholesome of reasons. So many of the characters in this book are truly a study in contrary multitudes, but Astrid leads the pack. I absolutely love how she walks through the world, and I want to be her when I grow up.

Gudarīks is no exception to containing multitudes. A feared entity within the forest. A guardian with no mercy for those who don’t follow the rules. And yet. He is my first “animal skull for a head” MMC, and he will always hold a special place in my heart. If you see me out in the woods with a plate of cookies, mind your business.

I also immediately fell in love with all the side characters! Astrid’s friends. Her mother. The animal companions. Goats are in! I want to ride in sleighs and have bimonthly dinners with all of them. I love it when an author can just immediately make side characters just as important as the mains.

One of the things that I love most about Niccoli’s books is the overarching themes of what it is to be a monster and who the real monsters are. This book really does an incredible job of exploring that in a totally new way. We have monsters coming from all sides, and not all of them have horns.

I just truly loved everything about this book. I especially loved the exploration of German Folklore! It was a lot of fun to get to learn about a few legends I had never heard before. I definitely walked away with a few new recipes I can’t wait to try. There will also twists and turns. I was stressing through the end, and when we finally got there, my heart was absolutely touched by how it all wrapped up.