Nic

Preliminary Review: A Bold Bet with a Great Payoff

My hat off to you. It's definitely not easy to write a novel that delves so heavily into very sensitive topics such as teenage pregnancy/marriage and abusive relationships. It was a bold bet in the sense that it could have easily gone wrong, but from what I've read so far you really know what you're doing and the way you tug at your readers' heartstrings is just masterful.

Straightforward reading, writing that makes you love or hate characters as intended by the author, good pace... This story has ticked all the boxes for what I look for in a great book.

There were very few grammar mistakes, but nothing remotely serious enough to take away any enjoyment from reading this book. Definitely a job well done!

Will keep reading for sure!

Promising Concept. Interesting Execution

This is a nice concept you came up with for your story. You propose a convincing setting for a post-apocalyptic world, including the nature of the characters you have depicted so far.

The only thing I don't quite know how to feel about is in the blurb when you say that the protagonist's parents "produced" her. It made me wonder whether you wanted to say that they gave birth to her, or whether the use of the word "produce" (as though she were some sort of object) was done on purpose. If it's the latter, then that's already a very powerful statement as early as in the blurb, which is not something a reader sees very often.

I give the plot 4 stars so far because you haven't really disclosed much (which is perfectly fine with me). Once I see how this story evolves, I can adjust the rating if needed.

Keep up the great job!

Preliminary Review: Starting Strong

Well, I may have only read the first chapter so far but damn was it a good one! Everything about this book is masterfully crafted. The plot is clear from the get-go, yet the author doesn't reveal more than it's extremely necessary. The characters are designed in a way that they're all very unique (and yes, even though Hayden is the typical stunning stud that exudes overconfidence at a first glance soon we realize there's more to him than just that, which is quite refreshing). The descriptions are very vivid, and one of the book's strongest selling points, if not the strongest.

Also I love the fact that you took the time to properly name car brands and models. As a huge fan of cars, I really appreciate it. Huge plus there.

There are very few grammar mistakes here and there but aside from one in which you got the word order wrong (you wrote "no way f*cking..." rather than "no f*cking way..."), they're very small mistakes.

Also I wish Aria hadn't been made look so fragile the first time she saw Hayden. Don't get me wrong, I understand why you did it, and it was most probably the right way to go about it, but Aria (at least to me) looked like such a powerful character right from the start than seeing her suddenly become so defenceless was a bit of a letdown. I know I am being very nitpicky here, and I do apologise for that, but I did need to point that out.

Still, I don't want that to take anything away from the fact that so far this is a phenomenal work. I will keep reading for sure! You got me hooked!

Keep up the great work! And sorry for taking so long to review your story!

A masterpiece I don't like

I didn't like this story. At all. So why give it a perfect rate, then? Simple, because this is not a story I was meant to like. Readers who actually enjoy dark stories may like it, but for me those kinds of stories leave a feeling in me as though my heart is being crushed by some heavy object. And this book did that from start to end. Therefore, even though I don't like it, calling this story anything less than a masterpiece would be doing it a disservice. The whole book tries to justify the protagonist's actions, and it all feels wrong because no matter how much I try to get in her shoes, I cannot even understand her rationale, which makes sense since she's messed up to begin with. And then the realisation dawns on me (not going to spoil it for you) and everything makes sense.

Therefore, I can confidently say, this is the first time I have read a masterpiece I don't like.

Promising

After having read four chapters so far, I must say I found myself enjoying this book more than I thought I would have. At first, I felt as though the plot is awfully generic and cliché, but very soon the author proved me wrong. There are many little details within the chapters that make it stand out from a generic sob story. I found this very refreshing and pleasantly surprising. The characters are masterfully depicted so that one can't remain indifferent to them. There are some grammar mistakes here and there that my nitpicky nature won't allow to go unnoticed, but nothing serious enough for me not to enjoy the story. Definitely looking forward to reading more!

The Difference is in the Details

At a first glance, one may not find much to separate this book from your typical, run-of-the-mill wolf story that seems to be so popular in this platform. However, in every chapter the attentive reader can find small details here and there that give the book a whole new layer of freshness and originality. It's definitely a reward to one's commitment to the read.

Moreover, the author's writing style is beautiful, from the way the words sound when I read them in my mind to how eloquently they present the information. This is one of the book's strongest points.

Only aspect I'd point out that needs improvement is the way the lack of lore. Though there are some hints here and there, the book seems to be more centered around Eve than anything else. The first chapters of a book are especially ideal to present at least some lore, but for the most part it seems it's all about Eve and the fact that she's suffering —regardless of where this happens—

All in all, though, this book (thus far) is definitely worth the read. The writer knows what they're doing, and it's clearly working for them.

Keep up the good job, author!

This is what Romance should be like.

Not gonna lie, the plot of this book feels awfully generic to me... And that's about all I can point out as 'negative' in this story. I mean, it's a cliché, but clichés work for a reason, and this book is a perfect example of that.

But, literally everything else is executed flawlessly: the setting is vivid, full of imagery, yet it doesn't feel overwhelming; the characters are fresh, convincing and relatable, and each of them has this own unique feel to them that makes them stand out in their own way. The chemistry between Emma and Luke is phenomenal, that goes without saying, and though some situations seem a bit forced for my liking (like Mrs. Carter sending the cab away without so much as a second thought) as a reader I felt it was in the best interest of the story, so I see no reason to be picky about that. If anything, the absurdity of it got a few chuckles out of me, which I greatly appreciate.

The cultural references in this book deserve their own paragraph. As soon as chapter 2 you get to witness the author's hand in having their characters discuss literature, cinema, comics and anime, and the best part is that the author managed to brilliantly handle such an eclectic group of topics for discussion in a seamless way.

Finally, I am the kind of person that prefers to see time in a love story being devoted to building a relationship between a couple than having this wasted dynamic of "I'm with you now but tomorrow I'm with someone else and so on and so forth" (if you've ever played —or watched— The Legend of Heroes - Trails in the Sky, especially the First and Second chapter you'll know exactly what I mean) so in that sense I'm satisfied with how the author went about this. This is what Romance should be like.

Thanks for sharing this amazing story, author!

Better than I Expected

In all honesty, I wasn't expecting to like this book nearly as much as I did. I suspect this is because of the blurb, and how you present the plot in it. I don't think the story is about a boy who eats a table. Rather, I think that's the trigger for the events of the book. I'd suggest working on the blurb because there's wasted potential there.

Once you get into the actual book, your work is a real page turner. The power system you've created is very original, and it takes the concept of "you're what you eat" to a whole new level. Also I like how you portrayed Toby in the sense that he's a very relatable character, but I feel the story is a little bit too centred on him. I'd like to see more of the side characters, especially the ones that support him.

Finally, I should point out that there are some minor grammar mistakes you should fix, and also that during some fight scenes I found it hard to keep track of what was happening. I agree with someone who said it was hard to establish temporal and spatial references at times, too.

But all in all, you've written a phenomenal story. The pace is so on-point that it makes all the minor details practically irrelevant.

I'd definitely suggest this book to other fellow readers! Thank you for sharing!

Great Idea, Flawed Execution

The premise of your book could very well make for a truly engaging read, but unfortunately there are many aspects that lower the overall quality of your production, mainly tense shift, punctuation and coherence. If I become more demanding, I would say none of the characters, except for Annie, triggered any feelings in me. You've written her off very well as your protagonist, but in doing so the rest of your characters seem irrelevant.

I believe that with a very thorough revision, you can make this book a very good one! You've got the right idea, all you need now is to execute it properly.

Off to a Great Start!

I can already see many promising elements in this book despite it only being 1 chapter long at the time of writing this review. Your writing is elegant, your vocabulary rich and colourful and your descriptions vivid and effective.

I did notice a few grammar mistakes here and there but it's nothing that a thorough revision can't solve (perhaps you may want to use some sort of support such as Grammarly or something along those lines).

I would also advice that you try to avoid always referring to your characters by their name. I noticed this especially with Juliet. Instead of something like (for example): "Juliet looked at the buildings, feeling anxious. She was never this insecure but Juliet didn't know why she felt like this." you could write: "Juliet looked at the buildings, feeling anxious. The girl/woman/female was never this insecure but she didn't know why she felt like this.". I feel that'd help improve your already-beautiful narrative.

Finally, if you're going to write a compilation of short stories, maybe you might want to consider establishing some sort of subtle connection between all the characters. I'm sure your readers would have a wonderful time trying to explore how a number of seemingly-unrelated stories come together at some point.

All in all, I think your wonderful writing style makes this book very promising. With just a little bit of polishing I'm sure you'll have a real gem of a book for your readers to enjoy.

Keep up the great work!

Generic Idea, Unique Execution

At a first glance, this looks like yet another run-of-the-mill story about the new girl at school falling for the insanely popular stud of a man. However, I can appreciate some decisions that you've made in the world you've started to create that make the plot feel actually quite refreshing. Mainly the fact that the guy with the killer looks isn't some mighty macho that exudes overconfidence, but rather an introverted nerd, and that it is the woman who, despite her shyness, seems to make the advances rather than the man. I could easily list about half a dozen stereotypes you've utterly demolished with just those two decisions you've made, and then there are other, more subtle ones. You have invited us readers to venture into a world that seems plain and boring at first, but becomes more colourful and interesting the more attention you pay to it. That is quite the reward for the committed reader, and a wonderful trait that showcases your skill as a writer!

Keep up the great job!

Also, I'm so sorry about how long it's taken me to review your book. I was certain I had reviewed it but it looks like I never did. So sorry again for that, and thank you for your patience!

Nice Idea but Needs Polishing

You have a cool concept in mind for this book, but sadly there are some issues that take away the good things from the story, such as grammar mistakes, lack of capitalisation for some words, text-type words and mistakes in punctuation.

Also, at times you introduce very relevant piece of information as though it should be taken for granted that the reader already knows about it, which leads to big information gaps.

That said, I do think this could be a very good book if you manage to fix these issues.

Keep it up!

More than I was Hoping For

Damn! I honestly thought this was gonna be one of those boring, clichéd stories about the good girl and the bad boy, but as the story progresses you see that neither character is so stereotypically absolute, which makes the whole plot feel so refreshingly unique! Very well done! Keep up the great job!

Surprisingly Interesting

To be honest, I was never big into shifter stories as the topic didn't quite catch my interest. The only reason I gave this book a shot was because I wanted to see whether I could come across a newfound gem that may make me discover a new literary preference... Which I'm very glad I did because this story has been fantastic so far. I immediately fell in love with your elegant writing style and your masterful lexical command. The only thing I would point out is that so far I can't really tell what the plot for the book is. I know the *prospect* of the plot, but not the plot itself. Still, considering that the story has only six chapters at the time of me writing this review, I don't think the plot remaining hidden for now is a bad thing, since you still have plenty of time to establish it.

All in all, phenomenal work so far! Keep up the great job!

An Emotional Rollercoaster

Poetry is a genre that is very near and dear to my heart, since it's the genre I chose to start my path as an amateur writer. I absolutely LOVE this book! Each poem triggers a different emotion from the reader and one can go from partaking in the author's joy to sharing their grief, and every other feeling across the whole spectrum, in but a few lines. I greatly appreciate the fact that each poem is a clear insight into the author's heart and mind —that's a marvellous thing!—. All I can say is thank you for sharing this. As a fellow amateur poet, and as a poetry lover, you've done the genre complete justice with your book!

Keep up the great job!

(Also, I'm so very sorry about how long I took to review your book. I thought I had already done so but apparently it slipped past me. Again, I deeply apologise)

Intriguing From the Very Beginning

So far I've only read the first two chapters for this book, but I'm already hooked on it. The plot seems simple but with just enough mystery to make the reader want to find the answer to the questions they make without the story becoming overwhelming. The writing style is simple and elegant, vibrant but not overly pompous. Great call on the use of italics to easily tell reality from dreamscape apart. I'll definitely follow this story as it progresses. It promises to be quite the gem! Keep up the great job!

Preliminary Review: Clichés work for a reason

As much as I try to stay away from clichés, there is a reason why they work. But it takes a masterful craft to make a cliché work. After reading the first seven chapters of this book, to me it feels as clichéd as you can get. Still, contrary to my expectations, I found myself rather enjoying the pace of the novel rather than experiencing the usual cringe that a poorly-built cliché triggers in me. This is the author's best selling point in my opinion. They chose to go the cliché route, and they built the cliché with expert skill. They made the cliché work, which from my experience is no minor feat.

Aside from that, there are a few details that make this story even more enjoyable for me overall: the fact that the main character is a writer, which creates a sense of familiarity and convergence with many readers who are also writers. It was an excellent choice for the protagonist. There's also the fact that the protagonist of the novel Amy writes, Arya, shares a similar name with her, showing how Amy wants to reflect herself on Arya yet she's not fully ready to admit she sees herself in her character. Every minor detail seems to be deliberately devised, which further showcases the author's skillful writing.

The only negative aspect I can comment on is the existence of a few grammatical mistakes. Most of them aren't even serious, and not even worth mentioning if it wasn't for my nitpicky nature, but a rather big one that I found many times throughout the story is the absence of the question mark in most (if not all) questions in direct speech (AKA the dialogues between inverted commas). The reader will instinctively read this as a question but the question mark still needs to be there.

Also, and this is completely unrelated to the technical review of the book, but, is it bad that, even though I know this story is all about Jake and Amy, I absolutely want her to be with Elijah instead?

Preliminary Review: A Lexical Masterpiece

At the time of writing this review I have read three chapters of this story. Though 'reading' doesn't quite express what the author made me feel. I felt my mind was pleasured by words. I felt lexically stimulated. The way the author commands words is simply breathtaking. From the apex of embellished elegance to the most primitive mundane crudeness, Datura Moon expertly selects the most effective register to create the desired effect. And yet through it all, not once does the reader feel overwhelmed by the author's masterfully-crafted vocabulary to the point of clear understanding being compromised.

As for the characters, the dynamics Datura creates between them is so enjoyable to witness. Each character so far is written off in a way that they provide a unique element for the story, thus making each interaction between them unique to those characters. The way they interact so far is very predictable, and yet there's something so satisfying about watching those interactions unfold. It triggers that feeling in the reader that compels them to say "Hah! I called it! What a great character (Character Name) is!".

Finally, the breathtaking description of the locations made me feel I was there like very few other books ever did, even those written by professional authors. I can safely say "Tears of the Moon" so far is much superior to some professional works I've read.

Keep up the phenomenal work!

Preliminary Review: It's the small details that make this story great

Writing a review based on only four chapters of a fifty-plus-chapter-long book is no easy task, but still, even so early into this book there are elements that hint at the potential greatness the story has to offer:

The plot: A woman who wants to travel around the world somehow ends up leaving Earth and wanting to come back. It seems much too simple at first, yet the author skillfully manages to plant the seed in the reader's mind: how does this story reach that point? They manage to do this by means of a very slow start. They let the reader's mind ponder the possible answers to that question in their heads, and that in turn makes the book into a real page-turner.

The writing style: The author manages to convey the feelings of the protagonist in a masterful manner. I would say that the story seems to be a bit too centred on her, which under normal circumstances I wouldn't like, but Sonia cleverly chooses to use the first person POV in the narration. This dispels any possible feeling of disapproval because of the lack of insight into the other characters: after all the protagonist isn't *forced* to know how the characters around her feel.

The details: As an Argentinean, I love the fact that the author chose to actually include Spanish dialogues in the story, as well as an accurate English translation for non-Spanish speakers. My only problem with it is that, at least for me, some of the Spanish dialogues feel as though the characters who speak Spanish in the story are foreigners who are competent speakers of a non-native language rather than native speakers. The dialogues sometimes don't feel natural enough for me to perceive them as the speech of a native speaker, but perhaps that's just me since Argentinean Spanish does differ from that of most other countries. In the details I should also mention the masterful selection of names for the characters of Latin ascendance, as well as the cultural references scattered throughout the chapters. It all contributes to make the story more colourful, more vibrant and more realistic.

If I had to point out something I don't particularly like, is that the first romantic scene in the book feels a bit too clichéd, but that's just me being nitpicky about a personal preference of mine, so I can't really say resorting to clichés is a "wrong" thing to do. Besides, sometimes it takes a good cliché to make a good story.

So all in all, a very enjoyable read so far. Keep up the great work!

Potentially a five-star

If this book is not a five-star (yet), it's only because so far the plot hasn't really fascinated me. Though with only four chapters to its name so far, there's still plenty of chances for this to change. Everything else is done masterfully by the author: the writing style; the lexical richness; the character profiles especially. I found myself instantly hooked by the relationship between the characters thanks to their unique, contrastive traits. This is masterful writing at its finest. If the author manages to make the plot more inviting (at least for me), this will EASILY be a five-star book. Keep up the great work!