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Monster in My Closet (A Monster Haven Story #1)
by
R.L. Naquin (Goodreads Author)
I stopped believing in monsters long ago. But I knew I wasn't imagining things when I found one in my kitchen baking muffins. I'd seen him before: lurking in my closet, scaring the crap out of my five-year-old self. Turns out that was a misunderstanding, and now Maurice needs a place to stay. How could I say no?
After all, I've always been a magnet for the emotionally needy...more
After all, I've always been a magnet for the emotionally needy...more
ebook, 209 pages
Published
July 30th 2012
by Carina Press
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I loved this book so much, I wanted to hug it, and squeeze it, and then read it again. I am so happy this is going to be a series, I love the characters that much.
It starts off with Zoey, a free spirit with a questionable taste in clothes. Zoey is an empath, but never being trained, doesn’t know how to shield, so she suffers from migraines. Zoeys powers are pretty rare, so when she becomes the target of an incubus it takes some old friends, and new to keep her safe.
Enter Maurice, oh Maurice how...more
It starts off with Zoey, a free spirit with a questionable taste in clothes. Zoey is an empath, but never being trained, doesn’t know how to shield, so she suffers from migraines. Zoeys powers are pretty rare, so when she becomes the target of an incubus it takes some old friends, and new to keep her safe.
Enter Maurice, oh Maurice how...more
So Much Fun!
Even at five, Zoey knew monsters weren't real. Sure, she was terrified when she thought she saw a monster in her closet as she lay in bed at night, but when her mom came in and opened that closet door, turned on the light, and shooed that imaginary monster right on out of there, Zoey knew that her mom was being the wonderful mother she was, humoring her and taking her fear away by being silly. Monsters aren't real. Everyone knows that.
And for twenty-three years that was merely a fact...more
Even at five, Zoey knew monsters weren't real. Sure, she was terrified when she thought she saw a monster in her closet as she lay in bed at night, but when her mom came in and opened that closet door, turned on the light, and shooed that imaginary monster right on out of there, Zoey knew that her mom was being the wonderful mother she was, humoring her and taking her fear away by being silly. Monsters aren't real. Everyone knows that.
And for twenty-three years that was merely a fact...more
When Zoey was five a closet monster scared her half to death. She never sees him again until the morning she wakes up to find that same closet monster, whose name is Maurice, sitting at her kitchen table with homemade muffins and no place else to go. She's pretty sure her life just skidded off track. Add to that her heretofore unidentified empathic abilities, a murderus incubus and a super hot paramedic and you get a funny and thrilling fantasy.
Really fun, I'm hoping for a sequel!
Really fun, I'm hoping for a sequel!
3.5
Oh, well...This one was sweet! I wasn't sure how would turn this "Monster in My Closet" premise, but the writer took my doubts away and pleasantly surprised me.
Starting with empath, kind-hearted Zoey, a slightly weird woman with outrageous fashion style, to the magic creatures like good-smelling Skunk-apes, Brownies, Dragons and more, to a Demon who kills women in a very strange way...all combined in this story, made this a light book with some dark corners with a lot of adventures!
I liked t...more
Oh, well...This one was sweet! I wasn't sure how would turn this "Monster in My Closet" premise, but the writer took my doubts away and pleasantly surprised me.
Starting with empath, kind-hearted Zoey, a slightly weird woman with outrageous fashion style, to the magic creatures like good-smelling Skunk-apes, Brownies, Dragons and more, to a Demon who kills women in a very strange way...all combined in this story, made this a light book with some dark corners with a lot of adventures!
I liked t...more
Most of us have a memory or two where we called for our mommies and daddies in the middle of the night because we saw a shadow or we thought there was a monster in the closet or under our beds. Well, what if instead of a bad monster it was really a creature that was temporarily living in your house until a more suitable home could be found for it? Zoey is a wedding planner in Sausalito, California. She recalls screaming for her mother in the middle of the night when she saw a monster come out of...more
Egalley thanks to Carina Press
This is very much a paranormal chick-lit novel, despite the bodies dropping right, left and centre. It's lighthearted, funny and entertaining, and it was a pleasure to read it.
Zoey is what I like about chick-lit. She is flamboyant, geeky and very eccentric redhead wedding planner. She is also an empath who ends up absorbing feelings of everyone else around her.
So when one morning she gets out of bed and finds a closet monster in her kitchen making her a fresh cup...more
This is very much a paranormal chick-lit novel, despite the bodies dropping right, left and centre. It's lighthearted, funny and entertaining, and it was a pleasure to read it.
Zoey is what I like about chick-lit. She is flamboyant, geeky and very eccentric redhead wedding planner. She is also an empath who ends up absorbing feelings of everyone else around her.
So when one morning she gets out of bed and finds a closet monster in her kitchen making her a fresh cup...more
Sep 23, 2012
Lori {Romancing the Dark Side}
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
To fans of Katie MacAlister and Molly Harper
A fun escape into a paranormal world of monsters and mayhem!
Most kids think see monsters in the closet or under their bed throughout their childhood but Zoey was almost scared to death by one when she was five. She's put that awful memory behind her and tried to move on, owning her own wedding planning business...until she wakes up one morning to the smell of coffee and muffins in her kitchen by none other than the very same monster who she encountered in her childhood. The monster in question n...more
Most kids think see monsters in the closet or under their bed throughout their childhood but Zoey was almost scared to death by one when she was five. She's put that awful memory behind her and tried to move on, owning her own wedding planning business...until she wakes up one morning to the smell of coffee and muffins in her kitchen by none other than the very same monster who she encountered in her childhood. The monster in question n...more
Monster in My Closet is a breath of fresh air that isn't afraid to step outside the box. It has all the aspects of a book that I could ever hope for. Urban Fantasy, a dash of romance, paranormal creatures, and silly scenes. There was no doubt in my mind that this book is a must read just by reading the first line.
"Of all the possible weapons I might have grabbed, I choose a toilet brush."
The main character, Zoey, is an empath that always seems to draw in people that are in need. Upon confronting...more
"Of all the possible weapons I might have grabbed, I choose a toilet brush."
The main character, Zoey, is an empath that always seems to draw in people that are in need. Upon confronting...more
What a wonderful world Monster Haven is. It's full of fascinating ideas that I'm hoping will be explored in future books. The characters are warm and people you'd like to meet -- well, except for the villains.
It's such a different sort of book that I'm not too sure how to write this review -- then again, reviews and I often struggle.
And then there's the whole issue of spoilers...hmm, anything I say will probably be one. Ok. Read the book and tell me what you think of it. I think it's fantasy wi...more
It's such a different sort of book that I'm not too sure how to write this review -- then again, reviews and I often struggle.
And then there's the whole issue of spoilers...hmm, anything I say will probably be one. Ok. Read the book and tell me what you think of it. I think it's fantasy wi...more
UF is often either snarky but without real depth, or intense action with no breaks. Monster in My Closet was different. I found it to be the perfect mix of quirky characters and emotional depth. There was plenty of action to move the plot along and it never dragged, yet the characters were sweet and quirky. Zoey, the lead, is an empath who has always been able to read others' emotions, yet never understood that was what she was doing, and didn't realize that those emotions were the reason why sh...more
After the first few sentences involving a plunger being used as a weapon, I knew I was going to love MONSTER IN MY CLOSET complete with all of its cheekiness and quirky characters. I liked how fast Zoey accepted the fact that all of these creatures she is discovering are real and she has empathic powers. Since she discovers all of this in pretty rapid succession her acceptance was pretty much out of exasperation at the constant barrage of more strangeness in her life.
Zoey’s closet monster (calle...more
Zoey’s closet monster (calle...more
Disclaimer: the author is a friend of mine. However, let that not distract from her general awesomeness.
Monsters in My Closet is charming. Unlike most urban fantasy, there are no dark-eyed, smoldering vampires, no werewolves with animalistic passions, and the heroine, quite frankly, has much better things to do than faint at the first sign of danger. There are weddings to be planned, after all.
Zoe would do anything for her friends and family. The definition of "friends and family" grows unexpect...more
Monsters in My Closet is charming. Unlike most urban fantasy, there are no dark-eyed, smoldering vampires, no werewolves with animalistic passions, and the heroine, quite frankly, has much better things to do than faint at the first sign of danger. There are weddings to be planned, after all.
Zoe would do anything for her friends and family. The definition of "friends and family" grows unexpect...more
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.
Quick & Dirty: Quirky paranormal story with a slight romance and filled with demons and an evil incubus.
Opening Sentence: Of all the possible weapons I might have grabbed, I chose a toilet brush.
The Review:
Monster in My Closet by R.L. Naquin is a contemporary story with a paranormal twist. The cover intrigued me and the synopsis piqued my interest. Monsters that go bump in the night are always something to scare young children, but when those same monster...more
Quick & Dirty: Quirky paranormal story with a slight romance and filled with demons and an evil incubus.
Opening Sentence: Of all the possible weapons I might have grabbed, I chose a toilet brush.
The Review:
Monster in My Closet by R.L. Naquin is a contemporary story with a paranormal twist. The cover intrigued me and the synopsis piqued my interest. Monsters that go bump in the night are always something to scare young children, but when those same monster...more
I rarely request ARCs through NetGalley, but I decided to make an exception for this book. And I am glad I did.
This book has everything I want in an Urban Fantasy. Familiar fantasy races, but with enough twists for them to feel brand new. And then there are the Closet monsters. I loved Maurice, with his fretting and cooking. What's more, all the twists and the reasons for them made a lot of sense.
This was the first time I read about a wedding planner, but it was intresting to get an insight in...more
This book has everything I want in an Urban Fantasy. Familiar fantasy races, but with enough twists for them to feel brand new. And then there are the Closet monsters. I loved Maurice, with his fretting and cooking. What's more, all the twists and the reasons for them made a lot of sense.
This was the first time I read about a wedding planner, but it was intresting to get an insight in...more
I loved this. I’d just read a really bleak book, then I opened this up and breathed a sigh of relief. It was warm, funny, well written and had a fresh perspective.
The characters in this are superb. Zoey is an ordinary kind of person, who wishes that she was one of those kick ass heroines with a black belt in several martial arts, however she isn’t, but by the end of the book, she’s managed to pull out her own special skills and use them. I love her dress sense—or lack of it—and the fact that she...more
The characters in this are superb. Zoey is an ordinary kind of person, who wishes that she was one of those kick ass heroines with a black belt in several martial arts, however she isn’t, but by the end of the book, she’s managed to pull out her own special skills and use them. I love her dress sense—or lack of it—and the fact that she...more
I really enjoyed the first half. Zoey seems like a funny, kind person who finds herself on the road to self-discovery, prompted by the return of a monster who hid in her closet when she was a child. The world building was delightful and sweet, except for the incubis. (He was described a few times as being sexy and pirate-like. Personally, I think pirates are far more creepy than sexy, but pop culture tells me I'm in the minority on that one).
Anyway, somewhere in the second half, things started t...more
Anyway, somewhere in the second half, things started t...more
3.5 stars - Just some quick thoughts... Zoey is a quirky empath/wedding planner with questionable taste in clothing who discovers a hidden word of supernatural creatures when her childhood monster-under-the-bed comes home (after his wife kicks him out). Monster in My Closet, the Monster Haven series starter, was cute and sad both - the muffin making monster and the new residents of Zoey's home which has suddenly become a half-way house for displaced supernaturals was cute but there is bit of dar...more
I admit I fell in love with the book from the first words. In fact..no, I’m lying! I think that since the moment I saw the book’s title I became desperate to find out the story. I have a bad habit of creating different expectations around a novel, depending of it’s title and cover and of course, in this case also, once I saw those elements I suspected/hoped that the story would be as original as it seemed to be. And fortunately, I wasn’t wrong. I loved the novel written by R.L. Naquin from the f...more
Zoey is a quirky wedding planner who once believed everyone could sense others feelings and emotions. Imagine her surprise when she realized that not only is that a special talent specific to her but that the talent made her attractive to an evil incubus demon. With the demon on her trail and her client’s lives in jeopardy she will need all the help she can get to level the playing field. Good thing Maurice the monster who once lived in her closet came back into her life bringing a fair share of...more
You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2012/07/...
Zoey is half owner of a bridal consulting firm, Happily Ever After, with her best friend Sara. She’s also an empath, although until recently, has always thought she was just particularly sensitive to others’ feelings. When she gets up one morning and there is a monster at her kitchen table, humming to himself, reading the paper and sipping coffee, her world is turned upside down, very suddenly. The monster’s name is Mauric...more
Zoey is half owner of a bridal consulting firm, Happily Ever After, with her best friend Sara. She’s also an empath, although until recently, has always thought she was just particularly sensitive to others’ feelings. When she gets up one morning and there is a monster at her kitchen table, humming to himself, reading the paper and sipping coffee, her world is turned upside down, very suddenly. The monster’s name is Mauric...more
This was a really cute and enjoyable read.
Zoey is your typical ditzy but lovable chick lit heroine where at first glance she looks like a complete mess, disorganized and with outrageous fashion choices but by the end of the book finds her inner goddess and becomes an efficient woman who gets the job done. She wakes up one morning to find the closet monster of her childhood (Maurice) in her kitchen reading a paper with coffee made along with orange-strawberry muffins. It turns out that he had bee...more
Zoey is your typical ditzy but lovable chick lit heroine where at first glance she looks like a complete mess, disorganized and with outrageous fashion choices but by the end of the book finds her inner goddess and becomes an efficient woman who gets the job done. She wakes up one morning to find the closet monster of her childhood (Maurice) in her kitchen reading a paper with coffee made along with orange-strawberry muffins. It turns out that he had bee...more
I have to say this was a pleasant surprise. I am hoping that we will get to see more of Zoey, Riley and Maurice as I would like to watch the romance play out for Zoey and Riley plus the antics of Maurice.
Zoey wakes up to a noise and proceeds to run in to her closet monster from when she was little. His name is Maurice and he quickly apologizes for the misunderstanding from her youth and opens her eyes to the world of the Hidden. You see brownies, sea monsters and other things you were told when...more
Zoey wakes up to a noise and proceeds to run in to her closet monster from when she was little. His name is Maurice and he quickly apologizes for the misunderstanding from her youth and opens her eyes to the world of the Hidden. You see brownies, sea monsters and other things you were told when...more
My review:
Helping and understanding people have been her life until some days ago. Zoey, a twenty-eight wedding planning woman has been receiving emotions from everyone except from her. Working everyday along with Sara, her bestfriend and once college roommate and now business partner she most understand her new life. When she was five years old, she was being scared my a little monster that was lurking in the shadows in her closet, just to come back to her life; older, cooks good and needs a ho...more
Helping and understanding people have been her life until some days ago. Zoey, a twenty-eight wedding planning woman has been receiving emotions from everyone except from her. Working everyday along with Sara, her bestfriend and once college roommate and now business partner she most understand her new life. When she was five years old, she was being scared my a little monster that was lurking in the shadows in her closet, just to come back to her life; older, cooks good and needs a ho...more
What a nice surprise Monster In My Closet was! I loved the mix of adventure and quirky sense of humor. Zoey has quickly become one of my favorite heroines ever! I mean, how could she not since the first glimpse we get of her she is ready to protect herself with nothing less than a toilet brush. Not to mention her utter geekiness and over-the-top-but-lovable sense of style.
Monster In My Closet gives us a delightful host of side characters that stole my heart. We get not only the closet monster Ma...more
Monster In My Closet gives us a delightful host of side characters that stole my heart. We get not only the closet monster Ma...more
Interesting premise, but a disjointed read. The events of the story are too out of sync with the light tone of the narration; its not meaningful juxtaposition as best I can tell. The character depictions and interactions are more like what you would see in a cozy mystery than in urban fantasy. Also (view spoiler)...more
Mar 29, 2013
Waverly
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
audiobook,
urban-fantasy
What's fun about this one: Naquin peoples her world with the creatures of childhood stories who are soul weary with issues that weigh down adults -- an unfaithful wife, a serial killer, a wife-beating husband -- all mashed up in a surreal fairy tale. Zoey, the human heroine, is a sweet, slightly kooky wedding planner who learns that her mother was in fact a defender of the Unseen before she disappeared in mysterious circumstances.
Zoey becomes aware of her empath powers at the same time that the...more
Zoey becomes aware of her empath powers at the same time that the...more
Original Post at Fangs, Wands and Fairy Dust.com MONSTER IN MY CLOSET
How Did You/Your Parents Handle Those Scary Monsters?
When you come by please comment and let me know you came by from Good Reads!
MONSTER IN MY CLOSET
A Monster Haven Story
R. L. Naquin
Carina Press a Harlequin Imprint July 30, 2012
E-Book (Kindle 413 KB 209 pages, 77,000 words)
Disclosure: Uncorrected Advance E-Galley loaned by Publisher via NetGalley.com.
No Remuneration was exchanged. Except as noted all opinions herein are my ow...more
How Did You/Your Parents Handle Those Scary Monsters?
When you come by please comment and let me know you came by from Good Reads!
MONSTER IN MY CLOSET
A Monster Haven Story
R. L. Naquin
Carina Press a Harlequin Imprint July 30, 2012
E-Book (Kindle 413 KB 209 pages, 77,000 words)
Disclosure: Uncorrected Advance E-Galley loaned by Publisher via NetGalley.com.
No Remuneration was exchanged. Except as noted all opinions herein are my ow...more
4.5 Stars
Sometimes a book comes along, and from the first sentence I know that I will love it. When Monster in My Closet started with "Of all the possible weapons I might have grabbed, I choose a toilet brush", I knew that this was one of those books.
Zoey wakes up one morning to find her greatest childhood nightmare sitting at her kitchen table, drinking coffee and reading a newspaper. Turns out, his name is Maurice and he didn't want to scare her when she was 5 years old, but wanted to play. S...more
Sometimes a book comes along, and from the first sentence I know that I will love it. When Monster in My Closet started with "Of all the possible weapons I might have grabbed, I choose a toilet brush", I knew that this was one of those books.
Zoey wakes up one morning to find her greatest childhood nightmare sitting at her kitchen table, drinking coffee and reading a newspaper. Turns out, his name is Maurice and he didn't want to scare her when she was 5 years old, but wanted to play. S...more
Today was actually the second time that I finished this book. The first was on the Kindle, this time from Audible.
I enjoyed it both times. The story is a little quirky, and little all over the place, but in this instance it works. Since it takes place from Zoe's perspective I think the style illustrates her personality. I liked the characters, and the story book feel, and thought the duality of lighthearted storytelling and dark subject matters (spousal abuse, what amounts to rape, and death) in...more
I enjoyed it both times. The story is a little quirky, and little all over the place, but in this instance it works. Since it takes place from Zoe's perspective I think the style illustrates her personality. I liked the characters, and the story book feel, and thought the duality of lighthearted storytelling and dark subject matters (spousal abuse, what amounts to rape, and death) in...more
This review is an original post from Booked&Loaded located at http://wp.me/p28Reg-eu
Monster In My Closet was cute and funny. There were many LOL moments and I realy enjoyed Zoey. Her character and quirkiness was fitting and unique.
I have been putting off this full review for a couple of days. Honestly, this is one of those books that is truly difficult to rate. It doesn’t really fall in the “OMG It was terriffic!” catagory nor does it fall under “ACK I read this?” category either! This alway...more
Monster In My Closet was cute and funny. There were many LOL moments and I realy enjoyed Zoey. Her character and quirkiness was fitting and unique.
I have been putting off this full review for a couple of days. Honestly, this is one of those books that is truly difficult to rate. It doesn’t really fall in the “OMG It was terriffic!” catagory nor does it fall under “ACK I read this?” category either! This alway...more
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| Book Giveaways: Win a copy of Monster in My Closet | 1 | 41 | Jul 24, 2012 10:02pm | |
| The Indie Exchang...: Win a copy of Monster in My Closet | 4 | 13 | Jul 24, 2012 06:44pm | |
| Advanced Review R...: Win a copy of Monster in My Closet | 1 | 17 | Jul 23, 2012 05:24pm | |
| Book Giveaways: Win a copy of Monster in My Closet | 1 | 12 | Jul 23, 2012 05:22pm | |
| Anticipating! | 1 | 7 | Jun 28, 2012 12:51am |
Rachel is the author of the urban fantasy Monster Haven series from Carina Press. She believes in magic, the power of love, good cheese, lucky socks, and putting things off until stress gets them done faster at the last minute. Her home is Disneyland, despite her current location in Kansas.
https://www.facebook.com/rlnaquin
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“Nice one, Zoey. You did everything short of farting in there. Maybe if you see him again, you can tell him you have a yeast infection.”
—
1 person liked it
More quotes…
Yeah Maurice is a closet monster. There is also a skunk ape, dragon, fairies, brownies, sea monster, and oth...more
Mar 28, 2013 08:32am
Yeah Maurice is a closet monster. There is also a skunk ape, dragon, fairies, brownies, sea m...more
Mar 28, 2013 08:49am