Book of Monsters

I recently stumbled upon Book of Monsters by Pragmatic Play, and honestly, it felt like walking into a haunted library right before Halloween. If you're new to slots, don't worry—this isn't the kind of game that gives you nightmares. It's more like a fun, spooky cartoon than a horror movie. Think Hotel Transylvania meets an Indiana Jones adventure.

Visually, the game is a treat. The reels are set against a dark, foggy backdrop that looks like an old dungeon or a creepy study, complete with cobwebs and flickering candles. The colour palette is full of deep purples, glowing greens, and eerie oranges that really pop on the screen. I absolutely loved the art style; the monsters are designed with a lot of personality rather than just being scary.

The soundtrack deserves a shout-out too. It’s this mysterious, orchestral tune that builds up tension but stays catchy enough that I didn't reach for the mute button. When I loaded it up, the first thing I noticed was how polished everything looked—Pragmatic Play really knows how to make a game look crisp. It sets a perfect mood for a late-night gaming session with a warm drink.

Let's talk about how this game actually works. If you've never played a "Book" style slot before, you're in for a treat because the mechanics are super simple to pick up. The game uses a standard 5-reel, 3-row grid with 10 paylines. Imagine the paylines as specific paths from left to right—if you line up matching symbols on these paths, you win. Easy, right?

The Symbols

• Low-Value Symbols: These are your standard playing cards (10, J, Q, K, A), but they've been given a spooky makeover with stitches and slime to fit the theme.
• High-Value Symbols: This is where the money is! We're talking Werewolves, Mummies, Dracula-types, and a brave Explorer character who pays the most.

Now, here is the most important part: the Book Symbol. In this game, the Book pulls double duty. It acts as both a Wild (which means it substitutes for any other symbol to help you make a match) and a Scatter (which triggers the bonus features). It's basically the Swiss Army knife of symbols.

During my base game spins, I found the gameplay to be smooth but straightforward. There aren't any confusing cascading blocks or complicated cluster pays here—it's just good old-fashioned spinning. It clicks after a few spins, and you'll quickly learn to root for those Book symbols to drop.

Okay, let's get into the math-y stuff, but I promise to keep it simple. Book of Monsters comes with an RTP (Return to Player) of 95.5%. In the slot world, the industry average is usually around 96%, so this is just a tiny bit lower than what I usually look for. Practically speaking, for every $100 put into the game, the math says it pays back $95.50 over millions of spins—but remember, anything can happen in your specific session!

Understanding the Volatility

This game is rated as High Volatility. Think of volatility like a rollercoaster. Low volatility is a kiddie ride—smooth, lots of small bumps (wins), but nothing too crazy. High volatility, like this game, is the big thrill ride. You might go through long stretches where nothing much happens (which can be tough on the bankroll), but when you do hit a win, it has the potential to be massive.

When I was playing, I definitely felt this. I went about 20 spins with barely a nibble, and then suddenly hit a huge win that made up for it. It's an "all or nothing" kind of vibe, so you need a bit of patience.

This is my favourite part of the review because this is where the game goes from "fun" to "absolutely thrilling." The main event in Book of Monsters is the Free Spins feature.

How to Trigger It

You need to land 3 or more Book symbols anywhere on the screen. You don't need them to line up perfectly; as long as three appear, you're in! You get 10 Free Spins instantly.

The Special Expanding Symbol

Before the free spins start, the book flips open (cool animation, by the way) and randomly selects one symbol to be the Special Expanding Symbol. This is the magic sauce.

Here is why this is cool: during your free spins, if this special symbol lands on enough reels, it expands to cover the entire reel. And the best part? They don't even need to be next to each other to pay out! It's like having a magic wand that fills the screen with winners.

My Experience: I managed to trigger the bonus round and got the Mummy as my special symbol. On my 4th spin, I landed three Mummies on reels 1, 3, and 5. They all expanded, and the game paid me as if they were right next to each other. Watching those reels fill up with monsters was barely scary—it was just awesome. You can also re-trigger the feature if you land 3 more books, which actually happened to me once!

Since Book of Monsters is highly volatile, you can't just go in blazing with max bets unless you have a massive budget. Here is how I approached it to make my Canadian dollars last longer.

• The "Patience" Strategy: Because wins can be spaced out, I recommend betting smaller amounts than you usually would. If you normally bet $2 a spin, maybe try $0.50 or $1.00 here. This buys you more spins to try and trigger that elusive bonus round.
• Session Length: I'd suggest planning for a slightly longer session. This isn't really a "spin five times and leave" kind of game. You usually need to stick around a bit to see the features kick in.
• Bonus Buy: If the casino offers a "Bonus Buy" feature (where you pay 100x your bet to instantly get free spins), be careful! It's super tempting, but it burns through your budget fast. I tried it once, and while it was fun, I didn't make my money back that time. Only do this if you are okay with the risk!

The great news for us is that Pragmatic Play is huge in the Canadian market. You can find Book of Monsters at pretty much any major online casino that accepts Canadian players.

I personally look for sites that support Interac. It makes depositing CAD so much easier—it's just like paying a friend back for lunch. When I tested this game, I played it mostly on my mobile phone while lounging on the couch. The game is fully optimized for mobile, so the buttons are easy to press and the graphics look sharp even on a smaller screen.

Pro Tip: Before you bet your hard-earned loonies, look for a "Demo Mode" or "Play for Fun" option. It lets you spin for free so you can see how that expanding symbol mechanic works without risking a dime. It's the best way to practice!