Dang, I really wanted to love this one but just could not. Great ideas, poor execution. The writing style pulled me out of the story too often.

I stepped outside my usual comfort zone with The Reveal and dipped a toe into the monster romance trope — and surprisingly? I didn’t hate it. Megan Crane’s world-building is rich and dark, pulling you into a universe that feels both otherworldly and eerily intimate. That said, the pacing did drag in places for me — not in a bad way, just enough that I found myself wishing for a little more action or tension to break up the slower bits.

But I get it — foundations were being laid, the stakes were being built, and the world was slowly unraveling in ways that set the tone for what’s to come. If you’re craving something different, a little dark, and heavy on the setup with a slow-burn payoff, The Reveal might just be your kind of strange.

This was an interesting read and not my typical read.

This book gives you a different take on a post apocalyptic world.

The plot was entertaining enough, the characters were written decently. The world the story takes place in was interesting and written with enough details you weren’t guessing what things were like.

A decent read.

Thanks NetGalley for the eARC.

In a world where monsters run the show after “revealing” themselves three years ago all anyone can do is try to survive. Winter is struggling to make ends meet, take care of her frail grandmother and worry about her brother who was lost to the high of vampire blood. Oh and she’s also an oracle who needs to work out how to save the world from further destruction.

I picked up the ARC of The Reveal, though I’m not keen on anything kind of post-apocolypsy, but the blurb intrigued me enough to give it a shot.There’s no cosy love story here. It's raw and it’s brutal in its way, but a warmth also seeps in through the cracks in the little moments that normally would be so forgettable, but I guess when you’re facing death every day, the good times deserve to be remarked upon.

The myriad of characters in this book are what bring it to life though. From the monsters who help Winter, to her immediate family and new renters, there are so many different personalities, you’d think there would be more clashing, but it works. Crane really digs into complex human emotions and brings them to the page without overcomplicating things, what Winter feels, and indeed the other humans (not many at this point), was pretty visceral to me as the reader, both positive and negative. While not much phases me, quite a few scenes made my stomach drop.

Spice wise,the main and only love interest is a vampire. A Spartan vampire to be precise. While he was indeed hot and Winter was indeed really really into him, it was okay. Love me some biting, love me a bit of blood and vampire compulsion antics are always a lot of fun but there wasn’t anything really jaw dropping or spectacular. Just some vampire/human nookie. It didn’t matter because while it could be labelled as a monster romance it was really an exploration of human (and other) natures. Winter had locked herself away so tightly from all that could hurt her. When she finally faced the “monsters” she found relief, safety, freedom and strength. She could pretend to herself that she had it, but only when she accepted the things she didn’t think she wanted, was she truly who she was meant to be. Everything action she takes is taken out of desperation in the beginning, and we see that growth, where eventually, with some help from her monstrous crew, her choices become what they should be. Choices.

Would I bother with “The Reveal”? I would. The story flowed smoothly and kept me turning the page until I finished the entire book in one sitting, the characters were well written and fully formed. There didn’t feel like there was anything lacking in any department. I loved the use of the cards (and I’m a stickler for witchy protocol in fiction) and while I do prefer more spice I don’t feel it was needed. What Winter and Ariel felt was enough, the fact that they bumped uglies doesn’t even matter. It was all about letting go of her own restraints.

The Reveal comes out on the 7th October 2025.

I wanted to love this one after loving Megan Crane’s previous books. Especially since it had the same vibe as her other dystopian/post apocalyptic books.
But I didn’t really feel the chemistry between Ariel and Winter. Ariel was interesting on her own (along with her ragtag monster Cryptid tenants) but throw Ariel into the mix and it weirdly became boring? Honestly, I was more interested in the world and monsters than the actual main characters and that doesn’t happen to me often.

*Vampires, Baristas, and Oracle Decks, Oh My!*

A tattooed vampire king, a mortal barista with unresolved trauma, and a Pacific Northwest on the brink of a second apocalypse—*The Reveal* by Megan Crane is serving up some bold paranormal energy. I had the chance to read it early (thanks, NetGalley!) and while I had my issues with insta-love and a battle sequence that fizzled when it should’ve flared, there’s still plenty for monster romance readers to sink their teeth into. Especially if you love found family, magical decks, or books that make you say “What did I *just* read… and do I want more?”

Hype Report
This book isn’t yet published. I had the honor of reading it as an advance review copy (ARC) through NetGalley. So there isn’t a lot of hype yet. Get-Hyped!

Aesthetic
Cover:
The cover illustration on this book immediately caught my attention. The vibrant colors and intricate details of the cards kept me engaged. Clearly denoting the paranormal content through imagery, I knew what to expect from the blurb. The typeface of the title feels relevant while not being formulaic. There is something a little bit weird about using all caps with the swashing and the inconsistent sizes of the letters. The more I look at it, the more it bothers me.

Interior:

Considering this was an Advance Review Copy (ARC) and is likely to be refined before publication, the interior was in really good shape. I did notice a couple of gaps in the text that made me think a word was missing until I noticed that the text was justified and a long word was forced to jump to the next line. Overall it was as expected for an ebook.

Did the design affect whether I bought the book?
Yes, the cover kept calling out to me. I couldn’t say no.

Plot Summary
From the Publisher:

**In the wake of a monstrous world war, a mortal woman’s submission to an enigmatic vampire is the only way to live in this enthralling paranormal romance from *USA Today* bestselling author Megan Crane.**

*It’s a different world now, Winter Bishop. Get used to it. Or die.*

For the three years since the Reveal, when monsters rose from the shadows, I’ve been just another human trying to maintain normalcy in a world where life is short and brutal. Coexisting with werewolves, zombies, and vampires—each alarmingly true to their myths—isn’t easy.

Now I’ve been summoned by Ariel Skinner, the charismatic king of the vampires, who holds my missing brother’s life in his hands. To save him, I must do everything Ariel says. His quicksilver gaze and the way he makes my body hum should scare me, but the wildfire chemistry is just too hot.

I should have known that Ariel would want more.

Because there’s a greater cataclysm to come, and it will make everything worse. To help stop it, Ariel needs me. And whatever fresh hell arises, with every beat of my disastrously mortal heart, I need *him*.

After all, I’m only human.

One Sentence Synopsis:

25 year old barista, Winter, is surviving the paranormal apocalypse known as “the reveal” while trying to pay off her Grans mortgage and help her addict twin brother when she gets pulled into a sequence of events that might be the second end of the world - but also falls in love.*

Character analysis:

The characters in this book are a mixed bag. Some characters are instantly likable or hatable depending on their role, but others I still can’t quite figure out how I feel about them. Winter, the female main character, is relatable to a degree, but sometimes lapses into being annoying or overly dramatic. She has a rather matter-of-fact, realist point of view, sprinkled with snark. Ariel, the male main character, has no personality. Winter seems to fall for him because he is a vampire - no other reason that I can discern. However, many of the side characters are endearing and their interaction with the FMC and each other is much more interesting.

Writing style evaluation:

The writing is well paced, and written in a way that keeps the reader engaged with the story. The tone is very consistent throughout. Setting descriptions are spot on. Having lived much of my life in the Pacific Northwest, and visited the area the book is set in, the vibes are well captured.

Crane keeps her characters’ experiences in mind when writing descriptions from their point of view. In one instance, they are describing something as silk, but following up with the fact that the character is just guessing because they aren’t a fabric expert. On one hand, I appreciate this, because it's off-putting when first-person POV describes things that they would have no way of knowing about. On the other hand, this probably accounts for the overuse of certain descriptors (how many times can you describe a person or part of a person as “marble” before it's just too much?)

Theme analysis:

Addiction is a major theme in this book. How addictions affect families specifically. The toll of elder care and dementia is explored. Winter also gets a look at the perspective of the other side and learns that “monsters” may not be all bad. She experiences a bit of found family, or at least the beginnings of it.

Critical evaluation:

The premise of The Reveal by Megan Crane is enticing. The plot follows an arc that makes sense for the characters. Various themes are explored in meaningful ways. Some of the characters experience personal growth - Augie, Winter’s twin brother, most notably. Hurdles were overcome. The main events in the story conclude in a satisfying way, while leaving the door open for the next book in the Bloodlore series.

Personal opinion:

While I am a fan of spice, this novel relies on sexual encounters and matching tattoos to be the building blocks of an epic love story. More time and care needed to be spent in developing the emotional bond between the main characters to make this a swoon-worthy vampire romance story that readers gush over.

Furthermore, the climactic battle sequence at the end of the story is, well, anti-climactic. The setup is there, side characters play their roles beautifully, but then the FMC just suddenly has abilities heretofore untold and just nips the baddie in the bud. Uh, okay. The struggle was not real.

However, the semi-sentient oracle cards were a cool plot device and I really enjoyed how they played a role throughout the story. As a fan of Tarot cards, I would have liked more description of the oracle card and the symbols and meanings. This was glanced over at best – a missed opportunity in my opinion.

Recommendation:

If you are a vampire romance reader, this is a fun little romp to add to your collection. Paranormal, monster, and occult romance readers, jump in, because I think this series is going to have plenty of monster smut to please you all. If you are looking for dark romance or a more serious fare, this is not for you.

This is giving a little True Blood but without the love triangle.

Favorite Quotes:

“The issue is, I want him to see me as a whole person first. And only then as his mate.”

“I leave her to her intense shuffling, trying not to look directly at the dark cards with all the golden figures and symbols that always seem *sticky*, like they’re trying to pull me in.”

“I’m a goddamn barista, for fuck’s sake.”

“No one asks a sacrificial lamb what she might have liked to do with her life.”

“This makes me so unhappy with myself that all I can think to do is make myself an overly big breakfast. My feelings on toast.”

“I can’t decide if the embarrassment is actually life-threatening or not.”

Other Notes:

Available for Pre-order

Release Date: October 07, 2025

This review will appear at laceyinthelibrary.com on September 28, 2025 and be promoted on my social media channels that same week.

Gimme, gimme, gimme. That is how I felt when I read the description for this title. I loved it! The tropes are everything I am looking for.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an arc of this book !
I give this book 3,5 stars. It wasn’t bad. It had some action. I think the sequel will be pretty interesting. The writing was nice. Winter is badass and fights for the people she cares for. My issue is with the MMC. Other than being the vampire king and having an enormous cock (which we know because it is described that way too many times in the book) I don’t know what personality he has. Nonetheless, it was still an enjoyable book.

3.75 rounded to 4. This book was overall fun, and a unique take on the monster romance genre. I liked the apocalyptic feel that coexisted with things like banks and coffee shops. There was a good bit of humor and story building that made this a fun and easy read.

The main reason for detraction is the overall lack of building the relationship between Winter and Ariel. Their relationship seems purely sexual until we’re expected to believe they’re in love, with a distinct lack of them actually having conversations and getting to know each other at all. Moreover, the “big battle” at the end felt very rushed and almost an afterthought without seeming to have any real impact on the overall story.

I think it’s a very unique story and I’m still interested in seeing where it goes

Thank you for the chance to read The Reveal.

I rated this 4.5 rounded up to 5.

I loved so much of this book - the grittiness of the post Reveal world, the found family, the realism of being the family member of an addict and the toughness of our FMC. Winter has seen some shit and is coming out fighting.

I only took off half a star because the relationship in the book doesn't really work for me. There's no foundation for it besides insta love and hot sex. I still liked Ariel's character, he's more an ancient vampire than most writers put together, but he's not much for a romantic interest.

However the story really works without a romance and so it's still a fun and exciting read.

This book is so good because I love how they mention werewolves and vampires and zombies in it. I love that supernatural theme. I’m obsessed with the cover art because it’s so cute and matches with the story. Overall, this is going to be one of my 2025 favorite fantasy books that I’m going to recommend to anyone to read. I want to say a thank you to Netgalley and the Author for letting me read this ARC book.

I received this book as an ARC - but all thoughts are my own!

WOW! There is so much I loved about this book. The apocalypse, fantasy, and romance wrapped into one. The supporting characters weee actually so strong in this I thought Maddox, Savi, and Ariel had such good depth. Oddly enough I didn’t love Winter but I think she’s purposefully abrasive given her character’s circumstances.

The overall plot was really good. The McGoughlin battle was solid and really peaked. The Crater Lake final battle didn’t hit as hard but it was less blood and battle and more Winter pulling strength from within.

I will say I knew this was more than just one book and it would continue but AH!! I’ll keep my eye out for the next because I’m so curious what is to come and so excited for more character growth.

Tres años después del The reveal, el día en que los monstruos dejaron de esconderse, Winter vive en el Valle de Applegate, un lugar arrasado por criaturas sobrenaturales. En medio de una sociedad colapsada, aislada del resto del mundo y rodeada de vampiros, zombis y hombres lobo, su única prioridad es proteger a su abuela enferma y conservar la propiedad familiar de manos del despiadado prestamista local.

Como último recurso, Winter decide alquilar las cabañas en su terreno. Lo que no esperaba es que sus nuevos inquilinos incluyeran a Maddox, una antigua compañera de escuela que ahora sabe que siempre fue una mujer lobo; Savi, una enigmática joven que parece demasiado perfecta para este mundo roto; y Briar, una chica tatuada, ruda y claramente a la defensiva.

Viviendo todos juntos, humanos y no tan humanos, la tensión y el misterio crecen. A medida que Winter intenta mantener su hogar en pie, se ve atrapada entre secretos oscuros, advertencias crípticas de su abuela, y una creciente atracción por sus inquilinas, mientras una amenaza mayor, quizás una deidad antigua y corrupta, empieza a despertar.


Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest

wow. just wow. this book follows characters through a different kind of post apocalyptic world. i was HOOKED from the first chapter. absolutely beautiful and gut wrenching at the same time.

full of suspense, betrayal, action and trust between characters, everything felt so real. i genuinely forgot i was reading a book. such a different kind of romantasy / supernatural romance compared to what i’ve read before. i definitely recommend this book to anyone!

Thankyou Netgalley and montlake for the eArc - All reviews are my own.

This book was certainly a surprise. I don't know what i was actually expecting! This is my first Megan Crane book and it won't be my last... I HAVE to know what happens next! The world building was great and I flew through it. I love the cover, it drew me in immediately.

Our girl Winter is surviving in a Post Apocalyptic world caring for her Granny and trying to keep the monsters away. (I did find the repetition of the generic term for the zombies, gargoyles, werewolves, vampires etc "Monsters" slightly annoying at the beginning but thankfully that petered out). I was cheering Winter on, along with the powerful monsters she formed relationships with and there certainly was some spice.

If anything could have improved this book for me it would have been the connection with the two main characters. There were moments where their connections hinted at deeper emotional layers, but these weren't fully explored, leaving me wanting more growth and complexity in their relationship.

That aside, the plot kept me engaged throughout, and the side characters added to the story. I would definitely recommend this book, especially to fans of dark fantasy and paranormal romance.

loved this romance of an oracle with friends that are a sorceress and werewolf. loved that she was able to find love and deal with the big bad who might be coming back . would read the next book on this series

Thank you Netgalley and Montlake for the eArc.

I don't know what I was expecting when going into this book - but I found the storyline so compelling! If you love stories with supernatural creatures this book has it. From mysterious vampires to moody werewolves and even zombies!

The Reveal flipped the world upside down when humans were made the bottom of the foodchain and the supernatural world took over. Winter is just trying to survive, until she gets dragged into the King of the Vampires orbit by force.

The romance was compelling, the plot dramatic and engaging, I did think at times it did drag - but overall it was a really nice and different story!

Check out this book when it comes out October 7th!

If a post apocalyptic Jacksonville full of super natural creatures is up your street you will enjoy this book. There is a brooding vampire king who runs an MMA school, a prom queen turned werewolf and a terrifying goddess of filth.
All while Winter has to fortify her home against zombies, work shifts at a coffee stand and try to help her brother through his addictions.

If you’re after something a bit different mixed with all things supernatural this is for you.

It’s a very short read at just short of 300 pages and I easily read this in one sitting. I would have liked a bit more depth and length into the ending and context behind the villain. But overall I did enjoy this book.

Thank you to net galley and Montlake for the eARC.

Arc Review !!

tropes: paranormal romantasy, snarky fmc, bonding

This book was a wonderful surprise to say the least!! I thought the cover was particularly hooking to get a reader to know more from the description and it delivered! This is a paranormal romantasy with vampires, werewolves, goddesses, etc. that all follow through a fast-paced plot with plenty of world building. This is open-door spice for all my lovers out there!! Overall, I would recommend for anyone looking for a fun and fast read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the read!

The Reveal tells the story of a different kind of post-apocalyptic world, one that is ruled by everyone’s favourite monsters and where the very survival of humankind is fraught. As a concept, this isn’t something I had come across before and, for this reason, it felt like a fresh and creative perspective.

I have to say the world building was a particular strength; seeing how these powerful monsters would co-habit the world alongside each other and engage with gifted humans was interesting and I would have liked to delve into this more thoroughly as a system. My favourite character was, by far, Gran and I loved the fact she had an all-knowing presence and played the long game with her family.

For me, it was unexpectedly spicy, not that I minded this, but I clearly missed the hint in the blurb about wildfire chemistry! I’m also not sure I would agree fully as the relationship between Winter and Ariel was borne more from an overwhelming compulsion and didn’t move much beyond this dynamic. It just felt there wasn’t much substance to the foundation of their relationship. I also found some of the intimate scenes or references a bit repetitive and oddly paced throughout the story leaving little room for other detail.

There was a bit of disappointment that the major storytelling scenes skimmed over so much of the action or seemed too convenient at times in order to drive the story forward. Again, I think this might have been a pacing issue from a narrative point of view, hence the rating.

Overall, it’s an entertaining read if you’re into fast paced fantasy and supernatural romances.