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Moth Woods
A lonely mothman…
The little piece of almost heaven I carved out for myself ain't bad. I've got my truffle pig, Rampy, and my farm, and my work. It ain't much, but it's honest work, and a peaceful existence.
There ain't nothin' else I really need. But every year when the moth mating call comes along, I'm reminded of how lonely my life can be.
Then I meet Ollie, and a smidgen of somethin' is growin' like a breeze between us. I ain't nothin' special, though. Ollie cain't possibly want me.
After all, I ain't normal. Ollie's a little strange, but their weird cain't possibly match mine.
A shy flatwoods monster…
I finally return to life in West Virginia, where my kind first took root. Nothing's worked out for me, and I'm ready for something less stressful and more peaceful.
I don't expect to meet Glen, the sweet guy at the farmer's market selling mouthwatering ramps, my favorite West Virginia specialty. I keep coming back for more, but Glen's kind eyes and welcoming smile are just as alluring.
All I wanted was peace and quiet. I wasn't looking for love, but it sneaked up on me out of the woods, and now I'm falling hard for Glen.
But I'm a cryptid, a frightening monster. There's no way he'd still want me if he knew how weird I really am.
Moth Woods is a 20k word novella about an autistic mothman and an anxious flatwoods monster, two classic West Virginia cryptids. It features a pansexual x genderfluid sweet, spicy, and cozy romance with a side of angst, and of course, weirdness. The Contemporary Cryptids series are standalones and can be read in any order.
The little piece of almost heaven I carved out for myself ain't bad. I've got my truffle pig, Rampy, and my farm, and my work. It ain't much, but it's honest work, and a peaceful existence.
There ain't nothin' else I really need. But every year when the moth mating call comes along, I'm reminded of how lonely my life can be.
Then I meet Ollie, and a smidgen of somethin' is growin' like a breeze between us. I ain't nothin' special, though. Ollie cain't possibly want me.
After all, I ain't normal. Ollie's a little strange, but their weird cain't possibly match mine.
A shy flatwoods monster…
I finally return to life in West Virginia, where my kind first took root. Nothing's worked out for me, and I'm ready for something less stressful and more peaceful.
I don't expect to meet Glen, the sweet guy at the farmer's market selling mouthwatering ramps, my favorite West Virginia specialty. I keep coming back for more, but Glen's kind eyes and welcoming smile are just as alluring.
All I wanted was peace and quiet. I wasn't looking for love, but it sneaked up on me out of the woods, and now I'm falling hard for Glen.
But I'm a cryptid, a frightening monster. There's no way he'd still want me if he knew how weird I really am.
Moth Woods is a 20k word novella about an autistic mothman and an anxious flatwoods monster, two classic West Virginia cryptids. It features a pansexual x genderfluid sweet, spicy, and cozy romance with a side of angst, and of course, weirdness. The Contemporary Cryptids series are standalones and can be read in any order.
96 pages, Paperback
Published August 31, 2025
About the author
Amara Lynn
46 books59 followersAmara Lynn has always been a quiet daydreamer. Coming up with characters and worlds since childhood, Amara eventually found an outlet in writing. Amara loves anything to do with pirates, villains and superheroes, angels and demons.
They were born and raised in the Midwest USA, where they remain stuck with their spouse and two cats. They love to write about soft monsters and cryptids, grumpy enbies, and forever will be weak for the grumpy one is soft for the sunshine one trope. When not writing, they are usually watching anime, playing games, and obsessing over their out of control music playlists.
They were born and raised in the Midwest USA, where they remain stuck with their spouse and two cats. They love to write about soft monsters and cryptids, grumpy enbies, and forever will be weak for the grumpy one is soft for the sunshine one trope. When not writing, they are usually watching anime, playing games, and obsessing over their out of control music playlists.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 20, 2025
This is such a sweet read, short but packed with so much symbolism and inclusion that it's practically bursting at the seams. So bear with me as I try to break it down a little (spoiler free.)
This book is one of love, hope and understanding. It doesn't matter what weirdness you have, or think you have, love is out there for you to grab. You're never stuck alone, you'll find your people and they will love every part of you.
It also includes the LGBTQ+ community as a queernormative tale, its about acceptable and visibility, done masterfully through the use of cryptids.
The characters voices and prose used around them is charming and delightful, I think I'd go to the ends of the world for Glen. Lynn has made their characters loveable and authentic, a beacon of warmth.
This is so much more than a short story about cryptids in the woods.
This book is one of love, hope and understanding. It doesn't matter what weirdness you have, or think you have, love is out there for you to grab. You're never stuck alone, you'll find your people and they will love every part of you.
It also includes the LGBTQ+ community as a queernormative tale, its about acceptable and visibility, done masterfully through the use of cryptids.
The characters voices and prose used around them is charming and delightful, I think I'd go to the ends of the world for Glen. Lynn has made their characters loveable and authentic, a beacon of warmth.
This is so much more than a short story about cryptids in the woods.
August 31, 2025
There are times when a book just falls into your lap and shifts something in you. This is one of those books. 🥹
As a Midwestern country queer, this book felt like a love letter, a calling home, and a kiss goodnight. Ollie and Glen were so intentionally written: each character’s complexity whispered to the reader through quiet moments by the campfire and awkward eye contact. They were both beautiful and dynamic and so damn loveable. I had to take breaks while reading because they just kept making me crying.
Moth Woods is a fantastic example of queerness and disability as reflections of monstrosity, and how even those deemed most monstrous by society are deserving of love.
Damn this book was good. 🥹
As a Midwestern country queer, this book felt like a love letter, a calling home, and a kiss goodnight. Ollie and Glen were so intentionally written: each character’s complexity whispered to the reader through quiet moments by the campfire and awkward eye contact. They were both beautiful and dynamic and so damn loveable. I had to take breaks while reading because they just kept making me crying.
Moth Woods is a fantastic example of queerness and disability as reflections of monstrosity, and how even those deemed most monstrous by society are deserving of love.
Damn this book was good. 🥹
August 29, 2025
Moth Woods is cute and cozy cryptid romance. And though it is part of a series, it can be read as a stand alone. I love the way Amara Lynn writes these two neurodivergent characters and I related to them so much. The romance between Glen and Ollie is so sweet. And I love how Lynn writes each character’s queerness into their cryptid forms.
July 30, 2025
A different take on crytpids than what I've read before! There's low stakes, a lot of LGBTQ+ representation, and understanding characters. Did have to look up what a ramp was cause it was mentioned so much and I had no idea what the they were talking about. So I learned something new!
July 14, 2025
I received an ARC for this book from the author. Thank you!
If you want a quick read with a sweet cryptid romance and low stakes, then you need to give this a read.
If you want a quick read with a sweet cryptid romance and low stakes, then you need to give this a read.
August 10, 2025
I received an ARC in return for a review.
This was a very sweet little romance! If you like cryptids and queer romance you should definitely give it a read!
This was a very sweet little romance! If you like cryptids and queer romance you should definitely give it a read!
August 22, 2025
Lots of great representation for lgbtqia+ and neurodiversity. Not to my tastes but others might really enjoy it.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews