Where do I even begin with this book? It was absolutely wonderful. I was hooked instantly and feeling emotional for AI characters before I even got halfway through the book. I found the main characters so lovable, and honestly, I related to them way more than I thought I would. Barbara Truelove did a great job tying characters who by all accounts should not feel and see things the way we humans do, to our similar experiences. The relationship between the two main AIs was a beautiful slow burn to what I consider an amazing representation of an ace-spec relationship. The main "human"/monster's of the story were wonderfully developed and this book takes it's time letting you get to know the events leading up to everything so that you see how it all ties in together. I love how many different types of monsters got included in this story, and seeing the web form between them all. Of Monsters and Mainframes is my favorite read of 2025 so far, and I am already pre-ordering my physical copies (yes, I said copies, plural, so I can give them to my family/friends).

ARC curtest of NetGalley

A menagerie of multifaceted mythological monsters team up with the sweetest sentient spaceship and a medical ai with a manipulation module. Primary objective? Kill Dracula, of course! I was so attached to this motley crew that putting down the book had a 99.99% chance of failure; error 404: bookmark not found. Is March too early to declare this as my book of the year 2025? Of Monsters and Mainframes surpasses stellar at faster-than-light speed... we've gone interstellar, folks!

Thank you to Netgalley and Bindery Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review :)

Thank you ezeekat press and netgalley for an eARC of this book


There is just something about anxious robots/ai that are so lovable and Demeter is 100% lovable they make me want to cry. The author also found a way to make a ship fighting monsters high stakes and intense even tho the ship is very limited in what it can actualy do. Most sode charavters were also great, would recommend if you like the murderbot diaries and found family

This book is super fun, but it does have some plot holes. I don’t think that the fish people were totally explained. The romance toward the end isn’t introduced/scaffolded well. Overall, this is a fun indie book with some good ideas.

This book is what happens when Alien and Dracula have a wild, queer love child that was raised on vintage sci-fi horror and existential questions about AI ethics. And I loved every second of it. It’s equal parts pulpy fun and surprisingly emotional—Truelove manages to weave a story that questions what it means to be a “monster” while delivering a ride that’s part horror, part sci-fi, part revenge story, and all heart. Read this if you love Murderbot Diaries, chaotic found families, and the idea of a spaceship going full John Wick on an immortal bloodsucker.

This was such a fun read! I really loved the writing style - it was a breath of fresh air. So quirky, fast paced and funny, it really made me just fly through this book. We have a rag-tag team of characters, complete with some paranormal/supernatural elements that made this story very unique. I absolutely adored Demeter and Steward. They were written so perfectly and their chapters were always my favorites. The only thing I didn’t love is that this read almost as a collection of short stories rather than a novel. It seemed a little disconnected in some places, and I didn’t feel the ending had the impact that it should have. However, I had so much fun reading it that this isn’t even a major complaint. Very enjoyable read, I will absolutely pick up more books from this author in the future.

The Monster Mash meets Murderbot in this hilarious yet touching tale of a ship AI set on seeking revenge against Dracula. Demeter, a passenger ship, is deemed a "Ghost Ship" after an attack from Dracula results in its passengers dying (multiple times). Aided by a quirky band of familiar monsters (among them a mummy, a werewolf, and the medbay AI who frequently talks back to Demeter) the ship hunts down Dracula and tries to restore its status as a well-regarded passenger ship. This thrilling mashup of comedy, horror, and space opera will have you laughing and on the edge of your seat!

“They're all dead. Everybody's dead, Dave.”-Red Dwarf
AI Economy Class Interstellar Passenger Liner aka Demeter has run into the issue that all her passengers are not moving, her files have been deleted, and she has been asleep. Her efficiency keeps falling and a message is popping up telling her that something is very wrong. Demeter comes to the terrible realization that all the passengers aboard her vessel…are dead. This is only the beginning and will not be her last encounter with the supernatural. This was a magnificent novel and you need to read it!

#ThxNetGalley #BarbaraTruelove #OfMonstersandMainframes

Interesting in premise, I found the writing to be hard to follow and I was not a fan of the main character. there were one or two supporting characters that stood out to me but all in all, one that I will not revisit.

What an absolutely wild ride. I laughed, I cried, and I rooted for these characters from start to finish. It was so chaotic and I loved every second.

This book was an incredible surprise to me! I thought the blurb sounded interesting, and was excited to get the chance to dig into it when I got my hands on a copy. But I was shocked at how deeply hooked I became after reading about a quarter of the novel. I loved the humor, I loved the weird fantasy and sci-fi elements, I loved the parallels to old-school horror, and I thought it was wholly original and wholly engrossing. These characters are lovely, and the story was deeply satisfying. Please do yourself the favor of picking this one up--you won't regret it. This author is now firmly on my "keep an eye out" list, because this book is really something special.

Loved this book narrated by a commuter transport AI as it realizes all of its passengers are dead- but why? As the book goes on, more and more characters are introduced, mirroring classic movie monsters but with a twist! Very funny, suspenseful, humorous and action packed, with a wonderful found family component! Highly recommended!

This was one of the most unhinged and weirdest books I have ever read, but in a good way. I was a bit skeptical about the genre blending with sci-fi and fantasy elements going into the book, but I was pleasantly surprised as to how it turned out. I got attached to Frank and Steward almost immediately after they were introduced and I thoroughly enjoyed reading their POVs. I also loved the subtle representation the book had as well. Overall, it was enjoyable.

I love a voicey narrator, especially the robotic kind. If you liked Murderbots, you should definitely pick up Of Monsters and Mainframes. With humorous writing, this book didn’t take itself too seriously, but there were plenty of tender moments too (I have a soft spot for robots who have a soft spot for humans). This book was unpredictable and wild in the best way. It had some of my favorite tropes; a band of misfits, space operas, monsters, and snarky robots. The cover art is also fabulous, and I’ll be picking up a trophy copy to go in my pile of weird books for weird people like me.
Thanks to NetGalley, Ezeekat Press and Bindery for the ARC!

Quite the monster mash, but it works well! I love that most of the POV is through the two computers. Well worth reading.

This is such a silly book. I love it so much. I'm so glad I got the NetGalley ARC, and I'm buying it for myself as soon as it comes out. I love this space ship and her found family full of monsters!

I'll add, I'm definitely getting this for the school library were I work as well. I have a couple of students who loved A Complicated Love Story Set in Space by Shaun David Hutchinson, and I think they'll love this one too.

This book was a really unique and entertaining read. It was a fun and heartwarming adventure with mixes of scifi, creature features, and a great genre bender. It was very campy and had lots of easter eggs and references to classic universal horror monsters. The book was weird but in the best way.

This is not just a "5-star-because-I-got-an-eARC" review. I <i>loved</i> this book.

This book just made me feel good! Yes, some awful things happened. Yes, there were sad parts and tense moments. But the relationships developed between the characters were just so charming. I've always had a soft spot for AI characters (in books, not a fan of chatgpt tbh) and Demeter is just adorable. The way she changes and adapts to deal with the various situations (and characters) she encounters while still trying to stay true to herself leads to a wholly entertaining book with a lot of heart.

This book was very fun and entertaining, with good writing and a solid plot. I was most invested in Demeter and Steward (which makes sense, as you’re reading from their perspectives for the majority of the book), but it did mean I was less invested in the other characters.

The mystery/overarching villain could have been more clearly shown.

I absolutely loved Of Monsters & Mainframes!
Thank you so much to EzeekatPress, Bindery Books & Barbara Truelove for the opportunity to read this exhilarating ARC!

It was fun, heart warming, cozy, and at times not so cozy. A wild adventure in space with humans, AI, monsters and aliens, and some of them who turn out to be the most incredible found family I loved getting to know.

Once I had a chance to get stuck into reading this story I was hooked and time flew by. I remember thinking that so much had happened but not once did the story feel like it was dragging on too long! I was swept up in it all, and this is one of my most favourite NetGalley ARCs I have ever read!

Of Monsters & Mainframes is a fantastic space opera that will firmly hold a special place in my heart and on my shelves once my preorder arrives!