For readers who detest spoilers of any kind, feel free to ignore this section and go right on to picking yourself up a copy of the books.
However, if you are a reader who is particularly selective about the content you read, no matter the reason, then please click on the following sections (with the full knowledge you might be spoiling key moments in the series for yourself).
Please be aware that while the There Be Monsters series is ultimately filled with stories of spice, love, adventure, love, and acceptance, it is a spinoff of an epic dark fantasy series set in a tough and darker world built on the hurt/comfort trope. As such, it can touch on sensitive content that may be difficult for some readers, including:
- monsters (fae, humanoid, and bestial)
- magic that comes at a cost
- mentions of past fighting/wars
- swearing
- disability
- PTSD
- ye olde xenophobia
- fallibility
- secrets
Violence and loss may be referenced to as a part of a character's life or backstory, but is not featured in this series directly.
While some of the characters might engage in chase/prey, harsh language, or rough each other up occasionally, it is always explicitly consensual and expressly enjoyed.
All steamy scenes are always between explicitly consenting adults; usually both open door and wildly enthusiastic. Enjoy without fear!
PLEASE NOTE: While I've tried to make these lists as comprehensive as possible, including calling in help to spot any tags I may have missed, it is impossible to give a complete accounting of topics all readers everywhere will be sensitive to. And too, there are often tangential tags I've purposefully left out where listing them might create an anticipation of their importance where there is none (Example: If a POV character has wings, but they are no more referenced than arms or legs, a tag such as 'wing fic' feels inaccurate or even dishonest, as this is not a story about having or caring for wings.)
All that said, if you run across something in this series you believe should have been on this list, or believe is just plain wildly incorrect, please hit that Contact button above and let me know so I can fix it. I've tried my best to research the heck out of my topics where possible, but I'm under no illusion that I (or my writing) am perfect.
Help from readers like you has been invaluable in making sure this series is as enjoyable as possible for everyone. These books wouldn't even exist without the support of so many amazing people, and I am truly grateful and touched by the response it has received right from the outset of its creation, on through the path to publishing, and beyond.
I can't wait for you to give them a try, and discover the monstrous side of a Sunless Land for yourself.
There Be Monsters is a high-heat, romance-focused sub-series of standalones set in my a Sunless Land universe (writing as J.A. Skald). While still canon, they are intended to be brighter, tighter, and spicier glimpses of the world more in the vein of the books I write as CJ Pines, and are not part of the longer (& darker) 'Songs of a Sunless Land' epic storyline. Readers of each series could safely skip the other if they wish, as any direct crossovers (such as the liaison between The Archduke and Prince Amydos in When Summer Comes in Winter's Court; fae/mer, enemies-AND-lovers, power struggles) are only included in this series if they are extra-steamy standalones.
In the world of traditionally published books, these kinds of salacious side stories would be kept under lock and key by publishers hungry to release the next big 'legitimate' volume. But here in the indie world, I like to think there's space for indulgent, snackable stories too.
On top of the standard series Content Tags (found above), When Summer Comes in Winter's Court also includes the following:
- Enemies & Lovers
- Culture clash
- Power play
- Power struggles
- There is Plot in this porn
- There is Porn in this plot
- Puns / Double Entendres
- Bullying
- Threats
- Love-as-a-Threat
- Emotional Constipation (Cultural)
- Emotional Constipation (Personal)
- Fae Fuckery (metaphorical)
- Fae Fuckery (literal)
- Rough sex
- Rougher dirty talk
- Whump
- Unreliable Narrator(s)
- Polynorm culture
- Marriage negotiations
- One-sided kinks
- Monsterlovin’ (Fae/Mer)
- Double penetration
- Post-coital 'locking' (aka 'knotting', but without a technical knot)
- Non-human anatomy is fun
- Non-human biology is also fun
- Eating live (mythological) animals
- Blue/Orange (Non-human) Morality
- Limb counting: Extreme Challenge Edition
In addition to the standard series Content Tags (found above):
- Gods & myths
- Chase / Prey
- Shifters
- Size differences
- Dominance play
- Culture clash
- Power struggles
- There is Plot in this porn
- There is Porn in this plot
- Rough sex
- Rougher dirty talk
- Whump
- Monsterlovin’
- Non-human anatomy is fun
- Blue/Orange (Non-human) Morality
- References to consuming the godhead of other divinities
In addition to the standard series Content Tags (found above):
- Demigods & myths
- Size differences
- Age Gap
- Plus-sized MC
- There is Plot in this porn
- There is Porn in this plot
- Whump
- Angst
- widower MC/mention of spouse’s death
- Non-human MC
- Monsterlovin’
- Non-human anatomy is fun
- Milking
- 'Knotting' (in-book term is different'
- Body worship
- Blue/Orange (Non-human) Morality
- Culture exchange
- Opposites attract
- Steamy AF
- Mortal/immortal romance
- MCs over 30
- Folklore
- Cozy romantasy
And as always, if you run across something in any of my books you believe should have been on these lists, please drop me a line via my Contact page and let me know.