Of Monsters and Mainframes | Monster Cookies
Demetr has one job - shuttling humans between Earth and Alpha Centauri. It should be easy enough for a spaceship programmed to protect humans at all costs. But monsters (that aren’t supposed to exist) keep hijacking her voyages and killing everyone on board. No one believes her, and her reputation is taking a hit. Out of fear of being decommissioned, she must band together with her own crew of monsters to conquer the evil that started it all — Dracula. But with everyone having their own motivations, can they really trust each other?
This was a fun, unique and quirky read. I don’t advise listening to it on audio as there is a lot of code that is easy to skim over with the eyes but is painstakingly read out in the audio.
Told in multi-pov, Of Monsters and Mainframes is a mashup of monster horror, sci-fi, and found family. At times hilarious, horrifying, and heartfelt, this book inhabits the mind of each of its distinctive characters: The spaceship, a werewolf, a medical AI, a new take on Frankenstein’s monster, and a long dead pharaoh, to name a few. Their banter and wit propel the story forward, exploring deeper concepts without weighing the reader down.
Of course, I could not help but make some monster cookies to go with this amazing cover and the fun characters within. Best enjoyed with a glass of milk, these hearty oat and peanut butter chocolate chip cookies are what dreams are made of and the perfect accompaniment to an out-of-this-world read.
Monster Cookies
Makes about 2 dozen
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup peanut butter
¾ cup brown sugar, packed
¾ cup white sugar
2 eggs, room temp
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup candy-covered chocolate pieces
Preheat oven to 350ºF and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Cream together butter, peanut butter, and sugars. Add in eggs, one at a time, mixing until incorporated. Stir in vanilla. Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir just until combined. Fold in oats, and both kinds of chocolate..
Using a large cookie scoop, scoop out the dough, roll into a ball and then flatten to ½ inch thick. Place on prepared baking sheets an inch or two apart (these cookies should not spread too much).
Bake for about 15 minutes or until starting to brown on the edges (do not overcook as they will dry out). Let cool 3-5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Or, enjoy warm for the ooey-gooey chocolate experience.
Interested in more cookie recipes? Check them out here.
Hi I’m Cheri, I’ve been staying up too late reading since I was a kid hiding under the covers with a flashlight.