Merle Blackbird

Simple but Spicy

I'm reviewing a grand total of 3 chapters of this story (all that has been uploaded at the time of this review) - so take this one with a grain of salt. This novel seems to be the steamy tale of a dissatisfied housewife and her journey into sexual exploration with someone besides her disinterested husband. It's everything you might expect out of the trope: Casey is sweet and unassuming but secretly freaky, her knight in shining armor is confident and rich, and Casey's best friend is as mysterious as she is overly encouraging. The story is well-written and nicely paced. My chief gripe (involving guess work and a mere three chapters) would be that the characters feel false - by that I mean their judgements, decisions, and traits seem to bend to the plot, rather than stand on their own. However, if a shallow, spicy romance is what you're looking for, this might be a nice pick. I would be sure to check that the author is still updating, however, before getting too invested.

A Beautiful Diary of the Author's Imagination

The single strongest piece of this work is easily the characters, particularly the main character, Summer. Summer is the reason I was hooked by this story - her character is lifelike, loveable, intriguing, and powerful. Summer brings a unique and humorous perspective to the story, one that kept me reading for 300+ Inkitt pages.

The story itself bears a strong reflection of real life: complicated, wandering, and full of twists. While this factor may certainly play a part in the charm of the story, it is also where the would-be plot suffers. You could call it "coming of age," "a glimpse in the life of..." etc, but to me (with my specific tastes) it's just poor plotting. You will meet many characters through the course of this novel who will come in and go out in the span of a single chapter. Little heed is paid to small leads and potential side stories. Lots of unimportant details (and characters) will be flung at you and never mentioned again. Interactions that happen in the beginning of the book are as good as never existing as soon as they are over. While there is some build in Summer's character and a select few of Summer's relationships, the storyline itself will see very little progression. - With that explained, you might understand why I found the description of the novel misleading: the story is not about Summer's adventure with a group of boys over vacation, the story is about Summer's character and how it evolves in increments throughout the day-in-day-out passage of time.

It's slow, but compelling. I would liken this novel to a diary. Summer's story is beautiful and lifelike. For a relaxing, meandering, and amusing read, I would recommend this book.

Simple, Cute, Cozy, and Gay

This is a cute, cozy, gay romance with just enough bits of mystery and suspense to keep the electronic pages turning quickly. The chapter lengths are nice, the plot is compelling, and the pacing is exceptional. I will say, however, that the characters can feel a little shallow at times. The psychology behind their actions does not always line up, and a few times, parts of the story felt a little anticlimactic. We also never get a very deep dive into any settings. The story is written diary-style with highlights spelled out, but everything else (including side characters) blurring into unimportance. This makes the story feel on the overly simple side, but the same makes it a good pick for a cozy read or a quick binge! Kudos to the author, and to those inclined - this is a nice option for your next read!

Witty, Twisted, and Riveting

A deeply wronged carpenter discovers the void after revenge, and a spoiled prince craves happiness with true meaning. Their paths clash in this riveting medieval adventure of violence, loss, discovery, wit, and twists. The characters in this story are nothing short of powerful. Bruno will make you cry. You will hate Aurelia as much as admire her. And you will never have so strong an urge to slap someone as hard as hug him until you meet Hadrian.

The twists in this story floored me more than a few times. The plot is masterfully crafted, and the pacing is excellent. The only negative I could mention is the lack of proof-reading in some areas, and therefore minor errors here and there.

Be prepared to read this novel in one go, because the cliff-hangers will grab you - gown or tunic and all.

Vampires, Hybrids, and Drama

Haughty and royal Prince Dara comes to terms with his nature - and his romantic feelings - after grueling abuse and long-term captivity. Be prepared to read this novel in a day or two, because you're not likely to be able to put it down. The thrill is real - compelling characters, an emersive plot, love, passion, violence, and danger.

I'm not sure how much of the setting and fictitious science is the author's original creation, but it makes for an immediate hook. While the storyline is somewhat predictable, the small twists and impeccable pacing create a truly addictive story. As a novel with a heavily fantastical setting, not every moment of the plot makes sense - a flaw I find completely forgiveable given the overriding merit of the story. All of that being said, pay heed to the trigger warnings. Through incredible escalation, this author will make you FEEL every millimeter of violation, so be warned.

As a last note, I love the characters in this story. Characters will always be the driving decision maker of a story I love versus one that's just good. The characters in this novel feel real, believable, and genuine - and in most moments of the story, their psychology checks out suitably. My one gripe would be how incredibly fast Dara swings between life-and-death options. For a military man with years of strategy behind him, his personal decisions frequently seem spontaneous and miscalculated - somewhat understandable given his dire circumstances, but still mildly irritating to me as a reader.

A Joyride of Dark Emotions and Never-Ending Plot Twists

A joyride of dark emotions and never-ending plot twists. An ex-assasin is out to find the meaning of morality. A gang lord is exactly the mixture of upright and manipulative to be his cure. This novel is dark, thrilling, and very gay.

This writer is EXCEPTIONALLY talented - as I am a writer myself, feel free to take this statement as law heh heh heh. Seriously, the writing legitimately wowed me. The addictive pace, deep characters, inspiring description, and lifelike dialogue make this novel one hard book to put down. One of my favorite things about authors who have really developed in their own style is how and when they choose to include description. This novel does not fail to paint many pictures, and you will be fully *collared* and led as the author pleases. I found it almost irritating how strongly I chose a side among a selection of morally gray characters. Finally, the psychology behind the characters is a novel within the novel. I love a character with a sturdy psychological framework, and these characters blew it out of the water.

Now for a note on the negative: I'm pretty sure the author lost interest in this book towards the end. There is one particular chapter that feels like ten years stuffed into five minutes. The wrap-up is rather hasty, and the last section almost feels as if it were written by someone else. (No shade on the author, that kind of thing happens to everyone.) Of course, by the time you get to that part in the story, you will be far too invested to even think about not finishing, so be that as it may. I will also clarify - the novel is complete, and the ending comes with a satisfying epilogue. Kudos to the author, and to those inclined, this is a great pick for you next read!!

Do Not Recommend

I'm guessing this was written by someone pretty young. While I'm sure it was a great step in the author's growth, the story is not really worth reading. I loved the premise, but the follow-through is disorganized, nonsensical, and incoherent. The characters behave as if they are either elementary-age children or adults strung out on cocaine. Plot devices are poorly used, interactions make no sense, the storyline lacks build and climax, and the characters are paper-thin.

Kudos to the author for the effort (and improvement, I'm sure), but this is not a worthy read for purposes of entertainment.