Welcome to our Fun Friday Roundup!
Today we're doing a roundup of genre-hopping book recs from Monty Jay, dark romance author of the Hollow Boys series and more, which they shared during the most recent Fun Friday Book Recommendations on The LitJoy Podcast! These are books Monty shared when asked which books most impacted their life, both as a writer and a reader. From horror to mythological to nonfiction, there's something for everyone in this dark romance author's faves!
Dark Romance Author Monty Jay's Favorite Books Roundup
Lord of the Flies
William Golding
"The thing is - fear can't hurt you any more than a dream."
Lord of the Flies Synopsis Sneak Peek
At the dawn of the next world war, a plane crashes on an uncharted island, stranding a group of schoolboys. At first, with no adult supervision, their freedom is something to celebrate; this far from civilization the boys can do anything they want. Anything. They attempt to forge their own society, failing, however, in the face of terror, sin and evil. And as order collapses, as strange howls echo in the night, as terror begins its reign, the hope of adventure seems as far from reality as the hope of being rescued.
Maeve Fly
C.J. Leede
"The wolf is strong. But there is one who is stronger. You will have to feed it, every day, forever. You will have to nurture it, Maeve, for the wolf can never be seen again. Not by me, and not by anyone. You cannot be what you are and survive."
Maeve Fly Synopsis Sneak Peek
A provocative and unforgettable debut that is both a blood-soaked love letter to Los Angeles and a gleeful send-up to iconic horror villains, Maeve Fly will thrill fans of slashers and the macabre. By day, Maeve Fly works at the happiest place in the world as every child’s favorite ice princess. By the neon night glow of the Sunset Strip, Maeve haunts the dive bars with a drink in one hand and a book in the other, imitating her misanthropic literary heroes. But when Gideon Green - her best friend’s brother - moves to town, he awakens something dangerous within her, and the world she knows suddenly shifts beneath her feet. Step aside Patrick Bateman, it’s Maeve’s turn with the knife.
Mr. Mercedes
Stephen King
“Never tell a lie when you can tell the truth.”
Mr. Mercedes Synopsis Sneak Peek
In the predawn hours, in a distressed American city, hundreds of unemployed men and women line up for the opening of a job fair. Emerging from the fog, invisible until it is too late, a lone driver plows through the crowd in a stolen Mercedes, running over the innocent, backing up, and charging again. Eight people are killed; fifteen are wounded. The killer escapes. Months later, an ex-cop named Bill Hodges, still haunted by the unsolved crime, contemplates suicide. When he gets a crazed letter from "the perk," claiming credit for the murders, Hodges wakes up from his depressed and vacant retirement, fearing another even more diabolical attack and hell-bent on preventing it.
The Song of Achilles
Madeline Miller
“In the darkness, two shadows, reaching through the hopeless, heavy dusk. Their hands meet, and light spills in a flood like a hundred golden urns pouring out of the sun.”
The Song of Achilles Synopsis Sneak Peek
Achilles, "the best of all the Greeks," son of the cruel sea goddess Thetis and the legendary king Peleus, is strong, swift, and beautiful, irresistible to all who meet him. Patroclus is an awkward young prince, exiled from his homeland after an act of shocking violence. Brought together by chance, they forge an inseparable bond, despite risking the gods' wrath. They are trained by the centaur Chiron in the arts of war and medicine, but when word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, all the heroes of Greece are called upon to lay siege to Troy in her name. Seduced by the promise of a glorious destiny, Achilles joins their cause, and torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows. Little do they know that the cruel Fates will test them both as never before and demand a terrible sacrifice.
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
Bessel van der Kolk M.D.
“Being able to feel safe with other people is probably the single most important aspect of mental health; safe connections are fundamental to meaningful and satisfying lives.”
The Body Keeps the Score Synopsis Sneak Peek
Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, one of the world's foremost experts on trauma, has spent over three decades working with survivors. In The Body Keeps the Score , he uses recent scientific advances to show how trauma literally reshapes both body and brain, compromising sufferers' capacities for pleasure, engagement, self-control, and trust. He explores innovative treatments—from neurofeedback and meditation to sports, drama, and yoga—that offer new paths to recovery by activating the brain's natural neuroplasticity. Based on Dr. van der Kolk's own research and that of other leading specialists, The Body Keeps the Score exposes the tremendous power of our relationships both to hurt and to heal—and offers new hope for reclaiming lives.
We so loved hearing all about the books that inspired Monty Jay! See any you love? Tell us in the comments below, or let us know which of the dark romance author's picks got added to your TBR!
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Have you checked out our Fun Friday Book Recommendations on The LitJoy Podcast yet? They're great for when you're short on time and in need of something new to read, and we'll be sharing more throughout the summer as The LitJoy Podcast takes a summer vacation! Kelly and Alix, along with a slew of fascinating guests, talk everything from fantasy to romance to nonfiction books. Need details on the books they mention? Hop back over here, because we'll be sharing roundups of all their book recommendations right here on the LitJoy Lounge each month!
Missed this Fun Friday interview with Dark Romance Author Monty Jay? Want to hear more about what drew them to these genre-hopping faves? Check out the Fun Friday Podcast Episode below!
Topics Discussed
[0:39] Lord of the Flies by William Golding
[1:24] Maeve Fly by CJ Leede
[2:58] Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King
[6:12] The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
[9:37] The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk M.D.
Author Bio
Monty Jay is a dark romance author with titles published in multiple countries. Their books are for hopeless romantics with wicked hearts looking for their next morally grey hero. They call the Appalachian Mountains home, along with their two furry friends, Poe and Maeve. When they aren’t writing you can find them reading anything Stephen King, in a tattoo chair, or bingeing a new true crime documentary.
Interested in checking out some of the most popular books by Monty Jay?
If you like sports romance, check out The Fury Series! Prefer dark romance? Introduce yourself to The Hollow Boys! Monty Jay lists trigger warnings on their website:
*As a reminder, we at LitJoy care about your emotional well-being, and highly recommend checking for trigger warnings when starting any new book! We hope you'll do so for any and all of our book recommendation roundups. Your mental health comes first!
