I wanted to love this one more, and I can see people loving it! I found that it took on a very one-note feel for me, and didn't have as much as I hoped– mostly because, by the time the book starts, everybody's already dead. I had high hopes for this, and though the actual writing style was fun and entertaining, it was not an overall fantastic experience.

Okay, this was a wild ride and I thoroughly enjoyed every second of it!

First thing first: that cover! It is gorgeous and fits perfectly with the story itself - it is a whacky space comedy about monsters and AIs.

I really enjoyed experiencing the events through the pov of the Demeter (the space ship’s AI) and seeing it go through life-altering changes. The whole story is not told through her perspective though: almost every major character gets a pov chapter. This can get confusing at times but I thought it added spice whenever the plot started going kinda flat. There are also a bunch of big time jumps but frankly, when you’re seeing things unfold through an AIs perspective, that doesn’t really matter.

I thought the concept was brilliant - but also felt that it got a bit too gimmicky at times. The writing got a little repetitive at times too. If this was a longer book, that might’ve become a problem. But thankfully the author knew what she was doing and found the optimum length for this story.

The characters were all very interesting and endearing in one way or another. They never felt ‘forced’ or expendable either. There are some character resolutions that happen in the end that I thought were somewhat rushed.

Also, there are a couple chapters written in binary that was really fun to decipher. However, I think adding a ASCII alphabet at the end would help a great deal in deciphering for other readers who are not as interested in binary :)

In the end, this was a fast-paced, easy to read and really fun story about found-families and monsters; and it did a great job at that.

I desperately need this to become a series! Thanks so much to Bindery and the author and NetGalley for the early review copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I absolutely adored this book as i knew I would from the blurb. I am really loving the (newer?) genre of sci fi in space that’s on the softer side, not cozy per se (this is actually kinda brutal in spots haha) but not politics heavy. This is the perfect blend of nostalgia that is perfect for 80s babies who grew up with cheesy monster flicks.

This book features snarky AI ship systems , Becky Chambers level found family, and just about the most high brow humor I’ve come across. I found this super easy to read and I’d love to see more from this author.

Small criticism: the first few ‘sections’ (don’t want to spoil) feel a little disconnected but don’t worry it comes together perfectly. Also the POV changes quite a bit but the chapters always make it really clear about who is speaking.

I really enjoyed this one, it was an easy 5⭐️. The characters, the writing, the worlds/setting all very captivating. I’m recommending this to everyone, and I’m seeking out the book for my collection once it’s published.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bindery for the eARC!

What a fun goofy heartfelt ride! This book combined Scifi with classic monsters in a very unexpected and delightful way. Who knew an autopilot and a medical ai could be so compelling! Highly recommend picking this one up!

Thank you to NetGalley, Ezeekat Press and Barbara Truelove for the arc!

**I received an advanced copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange of an honest review. All opinions are entirely my own**

This book was really good! It being written in first-person threw me at first since I don't generally like first-person (which almost made me put it down), but I kept reading and started falling in love with the story! Part of what kept my attention was the AI ship (Demeter) being the one to tell the story. And that was something I had to keep in mind throughout the story when there were dry bits. Because an AI isn't supposed to feel things, but Demeter is definitely different.
The relationships Demeter forms throughout the story help keep the story moving. I was always wanting to know what happened to the characters that would come into her life and then seemingly disappear again. And even though this story takes place over 50 years, everything comes together so nicely and you learn about what has happened and will happen to these people.
Something that I really loved about this book though is how the author managed to include so many supernatural creatures. We have vampires, werewolves, fishy aliens, mummies, the list goes on. I do enjoy me some supernatural creatures.
Overall, this book was amazingly crafted. The characters were likable, they showed growth (even Steve in his way), and are going on to live their best lives. You could say this story really had a happy ending. I wouldn't even mind some sort of follow-up something just to see where all their exploring has led them, because this group has plenty of adventures to go on.

Easily one of my top reads of the year. This scifi take on classic horror novels is a delight, both for horror nerds and for readers who love lighthearted scifi. Demeter is a spaceship who notices that something is wrong - all the humans travelling on her are suddenly dead, the captain is dead at the helm, and recorded prayers are booming over the sound system. Troublesome enough, until it happens again and again. Soon, she'll need to bring together a found family of a werewolf, a monster, a mummy, and the prickly medical AI to get vengence for her and her dead humans. Exteremly fun and cheerful, even with the enourmous body count. A perfect example of cozy horror that inspired me to build an entire Halloween display around it. Seriously, read this book.

I absolutely loved this book. Cozy adjacent space horror. And it's so funny! Also, I don't think I've ever cried because of a medical ship AI doctor, but here we are. I loved every page.

This book is so unhinged and that is in the best way. I honestly wasn't expecting for it to turn out a five star read (I'm extremely picky with five star books) but I have to say that this book is amazing and has it all, it's witty, funny, action packed, and most importantly once you start reading you can't put it down.

I loved the characters, especially Demeter, she was just trying her best. I really liked her dynamic with Steward and seeing them progress in their relationship was cute. And yes, I'm talking about AIs here.

Also, I loved the rest of the crew, we have a werewolf, a vampire, a mummy named Steve, a non-binary Frankenstein's monster, and a fleet of spider drones which are the cutest.

This book is narrated mostly in Demeter's point of view, but one thing I quite enjoyed is that there ara brief intermissions by the other characters and I felt that helped to give depth to them.

I really don't now what more to say without entering in a spoilers zone, so I'll just end this review saying that if you like witty and fast paced books, where the characters are very different from each other, and with some queer romance on the side, then this book is for you and I totally recommend it.

Of Monsters and Mainframes is the mashup of scifi and classic monsters that I never knew I needed. A funny, fresh, and entertaining read that kept me turning the pages to the end.

I devoured this book. I am a fidgety person and usually can't sit and read for long periods of time, but I think I only put this book down for maybe fifteen minutes while I was reading it. It's a fresh, funny, wild story with incredibly loveable characters and unique scenarios and technology that was so refreshing to read. If you like vampires and werewolves and other cryptids, or if you like AIs and cyborgs and spaceships or if you like both, you will love this book!

If you’re looking for a sci-fi thriller that keeps you on edge while also delivering emotional depth, this one is a must-read!!!

Of Monsters and Mainframes is an adrenaline-fueled blend of thriller, sci-fi, and humor, with an AI at its core. From page one, it throws you into a high-stakes fight for survival, where control is frustratingly out of reach, especially when you’re limited to what an AI ship can do in deep space.

Beyond the action, the book explores the weight of bullying, not being believed, and how superiority can break someone down until they doubt themselves. But at its heart, it’s about found family and the courage to adapt, not just to survive, but to do what’s right.

PS – Of Monsters and Mainframes could easily find a home in Epic Universe’s Dark Universe!!!

!!!!!!!!!! What a book. AIs aren't programmed to want revenge, but the Demeter is different. She used to be a normal space ship, until Dracula massacred all her passengers. After that, there was a werewolf incident that left two little kids, and then an incident with some sort of alien pathogen that turned everyone into fish people and almost launched the ship into a star, and then there was the event with an ancient being of doom...and you get the gist. Demeter may or may not be cursed, and no one believes her, and after every incident, she's one step closer to being scrapped. And then she's stolen(ish) and commandeered by a crew of a werewolf, a patched together AI-art project, a furious vampire, an exhausted medical AI, and an ancient being of doom. Together, they're going to end Dracula, or die trying.
I loved it. It was campy and so so so fun. Demeter and Steward as primary narrators are so interesting, because they really aren't human; they're weird and delightful and unique voices. The monster crew also is so good. I especially loved Frank, the shy engineer/art project. But Mina and Agnus are also wonderful, and who can't love an ancient being of doom named Steve? It's funny and heartfelt and altogether a really fantastic project, the love child of old Gothic lit and pulp sci-fi and it works so well. The start is a little episodic but I promise it's worth it to stay through to the end. It really picks up.

This is an amazingly refreshing sci fi adventure. The concept is brilliant, the characters are loveable, and it’s just so, so much fun. Any fans of sci fi or classic monsters need to read this book.

This book just was not for me. I don’t feel it is fair to share a star rating publicly because there was nothing inherently wrong with the book. I just didn’t vibe with it, but I can see why others would.

As posted on Goodreads:

This book caught me off guard in THE BEST WAY.

Did I know I needed a book about monsters in space complete with sarcastic robots and hilarious dialogue? No I didn’t, and yet was completely obsessed - like, read the whole book in 24 hours obsessed.

I don’t want to give away the cast or the twists too much, but I want to make it clear that I am not a sci-fi fan when it comes to books - however, the premise of vampires in space was just too insane sounding to pass up. And besides, this isn’t just sci-fi, its a space opera that combines sci-fi, horror and surprising comedy (and even throws in a pinch of found family and a few heartwarming moments).

And I know you’re thinking, “Okay, monsters and robots in space sounds fun and all, but it’s all SO unrelatable…” But wait! There’s also humans with… issues. I mean, there’s even a chapter titled “Earth Sucks” - and who hasn’t thought that lately?

And then, we are blessed with Demeter - who has the humour and literalness of C3P0, and the deadpan delivery to match. She was, without a doubt, my favourite character in the book, and I laughed out loud numerous times at her comments.
I. Love. Demeter.

I will admit there were a couple instances where I thought maybe there was just a bit much going on, but the author got me back on board every single time.

Overall, this book is phenomenal, I absolutely recommend, and have already pre-ordered a physical copy for myself.

This one of the best and most unique sci-fi stories I've ever read. Murderbot meets Dracula meets Star Trek. I could not put this book down. Completely original, yet filled with nostalgia and optimism. This book was a literary glass of cold lemonade on a hot day.
This book played on the common trope of an AI-led future, but instead of leading towards the typical dystopian "AI takes over the world," it asks the question: What if the AI loved? What if the AI had feelings and thoughts and desires? What if the AI wanted to protect the people it was in charge of? Demeter and Steward were absolutely charming characters, and the language describing their interactions as AI machines capable of distinct and independent thought was brilliantly crafted.
Normally when authors use multi-POV, there comes a point where one has trouble remembering who is telling the story. I never had that problem with this book. Each voice is clear and distinct, and I found myself thoroughly enchanted by all of them.
I cannot wait for this book to come out- I will be recommending it to everyone I know.

Demeter just wants to shuttle her passengers from one place to the next. And she’s had a perfect track record until Dracula stows aboard and ruins everything.

Ever since then the humans just keep DYING, and all sorts of supernatural monsters seem to be drawn to her.

Steward, the medical AI thinks she’s being melodramatic and somewhat unhinged of course.

With a reputation as the ghost ship, she’s been optimised, and even died, and Demeter now only has one goal : revenge on Dracula.

With a mismatched crew of a werewolf, a medical AI, an engineer built from the dead, a spider drone, a mummy, and a vampire, Demeter sets out to find and destroy her nemesis.

This book had me hooked within two pages. And I could not put it down. I read until 2am. And laughed so much. If you’d tell me I’d get emotional over AI characters, I wouldn’t have believed you, but here we are.

Of Monsters and Mainframes is absolutely brilliant. Is it sci-fi? Supernatural? Space opera? Horror? I don’t know what it is, but it’s my new favourite genre. Bring on more books Barbara Truelove!

Of Monsters and Mainframes by Barbara Truelove

A ships mainframe AI, it’s medical AI, a werewolf, a pharaoh, and a cyborg go in search (for revenge) of Dracula in this awesome Sci-Fi novel by Barbara Truelove.

This is truly the wackiest, craziest, weirdest book I’ve ever read, but in a good way. I loved the relationship and banter between our 2 AI’s it was like a married couple. Also all the other characters were very well fleshed out.

The book is extremely well written. I actually felt like I was on a spaceship with everyone.

Highly recommend this fantastic book.

Of Monsters and Mainframes by Barbara Truelove

Demeter shuttles her passengers silently through the spacious skies. She is the brains of the operation; rather, she is the ship. Her AI-chipped brain flooded with code representing guidelines and structure. This trip to Alpha Centauri is not like the others. Her passengers are dying, or more precisely, they are dead. With as much guilt as her neural networks will permit, she laments onward. What happens when you experience more of the same dread? Another trip, the same outcome of death. Dubiously trying to escape the moniker “the ghost ship,” Demeter deals with bullying from the other vessels around the galaxy. She receives assistance from Steward, an AI doctor with whom Demeter shares her experiences. Together, they examine those fateful trips and search for those responsible. Time is of the essence when faced with uncovering a scandal, with Demeter being the scapegoat.

Refreshing. The sip of an iced cold tea while lounging on a hot beach. Many things come to mind, but I can now include Barbara Truelove's book on the list. Is there such a sub-genre as cozy-horror-SF? It must be said that this book gave me Legends & Latte’s vibes with a science fiction twist. The inner workings and witty, comedic prose immediately time-warped me to what I loved about Travis Baldree’s story. A robotic ship with feelings, romantic and otherwise, fascinated me. As a human reader, I was on the outside looking in. How in the world was this going to work? I can’t possibly feel empathetic for a ship, could I? I was looking for the slip-up. Fortunately, it never materialized. The supporting characters brought the world to life. Although their unique personalities enhanced an already captivating story, Demeter herself was always the focal point, which left the reader more emotionally attached to the main attraction.

Looking back, I was impressed. A comedic yet horrific tale about survival, friendship, and love. A ship that’s indestructible yet on the run from her termination due to human debauchery. A feel-good story filled with werewolf savagery, spiderbots, blinding vampire incisors, and a mummy-like entity with a penchant for money, all within the confines of an AI-driven ship with a romantic side. Sign me up! I am giving this 4.5 stars and rounding up to 5 stars. This deserves your attention; it is highly recommended!

Many thanks to Bindery Books for the ARC through Netgalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion.