nikz

Starfyre and swords, oh my!

Let me start by saying that I love Marie. I love how she doesn’t conform to her society’s ideals about women and her free-spirited nature is just something that’ll draw someone to her. Also, she likes swords and dislikes dancing. It’s a win. I like her character and I love to see her progress as a swordswoman.

That being said, there are lots of grammatical errors and missing punctuations (which honestly can be remedied and improved). The plot idea and concept is there, although the execution can be improved as well. There are chapters that can be merged into one, using just break lines, and there are filler chapters that feel like they don’t fit in the overall main plot. With a bit of proofreading and editing, it can be solved tbh.

Overall though, I enjoyed the character interactions and especially Marie with her sword master.

Absolutely worth the read!

I’m not going to lie—I’ve read so many books similar to this one that I was skeptical about reading this. But the author proved me wrong when she showed such fantastic writing and refreshing characters! Each characters are distinctively unique with their own voices although we only have Emma as the main focal point of narrator’s view. The flow of the story as it progresses is natural and doesn’t feel rushed for me. If you’re someone who likes banters between the main characters, you’ll love this for sure—I did! Emma is this dork whose courage and dedication is simply unstoppable. She has doubts like any other normal person, but she pushes through those doubts to see the end goal of whatever decision she chose on. Meanwhile, Luke is the “not-like-other-guys” character, and I don’t mean this in a demeaning way. He’s the funny and sweet guy whose free spirit remains untamed and untainted. He’s not afraid of being himself, even among strangers, and I find this side so bold of him. Together, they make quite a pair.

The progression of their relationship is painted in a balanced pace that doesn’t feel hurried (which puzzles me because it feels like should be considering the circumstances that they find themselves in, but it’s not like that at all). What I love is the open communication between them, since they’re both not hesitant to say things what they want. They’re also very smart and careful about each other, because they’re both aware of how badly things would go if they’re not careful. But both are willing to take a chance and they also make that clear.

The only complain that I have in this book is that it doesn’t have more chapters. Honestly, it’s amazing. So, if you’re looking for a read that’s relaxing, full of good feelings, and fantastically written characters, you came to the right spot! Kudos to the author for making a book that’s worth the read!

Lyrical and poetic and absolutely fantastic

I don’t usually read first-person- povs and tend to enjoy them, but this one, I enjoyed a ton. The MC is just so profoundly human amidst her not-so human life and the ‘people’ she interacts with. She’s a skeptic despite being one of the “magical” beings that exist, which I think is realistic and a breath of fresh air. What I love about this book the most is the writing itself. It’s very poetic, with lots of imageries and metaphors, which I just adore, to be honest. It makes the writing appear lyrical, which for me adds a certain flavor and dramatic flair to the book itself. Even the short chapters add depth in the book and don’t feel like fillers at all. However, the pacing of the plot is kind of slow. Honestly, this is one of the few instances where the slow pacing of the plot just adds to the good kind of tension of the overall tone of the book, so I hardly have any complains there. Overall, 5/5! I just love it! Kudos to the author for writing such an amazing book!

A dash of dark and dangerous and a pinch of romance

First thing first, I like the writing style of the author. He gives the characters distinct voices that make the book so much more interesting. That being said, there are some parts of the book that I believe is inconsistent to the premise?

For example, there are characters sharing vital information to the MC that “others” don’t know about. If others don’t know, if the information is a secret, then why did they share it so easily to the MC? It’s a bit illogical considering the circumstances surrounding those areas. It would’ve been more credible if the MC himself found out about it through investigation, rather than have the characters tell him when it’s confidential info. It’s just strange to me considering that, for others, the MC is merely a somewhat normal guy living a normal life. He hasn’t even earned their trust or gave reasons why they should trust him.

There’s also when the MC asked two complete strangers to live with him when he knows that he’s a danger to others, as stated by his best friend. If he can afford asking two strangers to live with him, then why did he tell his love interest to stay away? If the goal is to show that the MC still has a kind heart regardless of the situation that he’s in and the trauma that haunts him, then maybe show it in the first appearance when he bumped into his love interest? He could’ve been less rude by not ignoring her, tried to salvage the situation by showing remorse, and then maybe when the love interest expresses interest, that’s when he starts to close up and build walls.

Regarding the MC being a Shifter, it came such a surprise to me, and it just so happen to conveniently occur when the officer told him about Shifters. I know this is a thriller. I suppose I was thinking that there should’ve been a build-up about the MC being a Shifter, like some kind of sign that didn’t appear out of nowhere and not feel like a plot-convenience? Maybe when he and his friend were arguing, he could’ve shown signs that would have the readers take a second look? Maybe a growl, unusual show of strength, or whatever animalistic habits/signs there are? Sure, there was a scene where the love interest accidentally elbowed an object that the MC caught with ease (and without looking), but that feels like the bare minimum.

Although I’ve said all these points, I’m aware I haven’t read the entirety of the book, so there’s a huge amount of things I haven’t learned. I could’ve also missed some symbolism pertaining to the MC being a Shifter, and I’m just rambling at this point. The book already has so much potential and it’s well-written, although I feel like the execution needs a tweaking.

Overall, I’ll give it 4 stars. Kudos for the writer for putting hours and effort into making complex characters and events, as well as world building.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?????

Yes that’s the title of the review because I’m only up to 5 chapters and it ended in such a promising note that now I can’t wait to read the rest of the book.

I love Reina and how three dimensional she is. She has her flaws and she acknowledges those; although she does work on it, it’s not always perfect but she tries and it’s not enough. I don’t know how to feel about Winston yet, but I truly hope he won’t string the female lead along even if he’s interested in another girl. Beatrice sounds like a typically beautiful person who every female lead will hate because she’s pretty, but I see hints of her personality around the later chapters. Then, there’s the new guy in chapter 5 that I’m honestly side-eyeing. Needless to say, the author has gotten me invested in the characters in just a few chapters.

I love the imagery and metaphors. There are some grammatical errors and incorrect punctuations, but then again, that can be easily solved. Honestly, the long paragraphs is kind of overwhelming to look at so I suggest breaking them into two or three so it won’t feel so overwhelming. The plot is starting out nicely and moving at a perfect pace also. All in all, amazing and a must read!

Interesting

This novel focuses on a boy named Gareth and his struggles while being the main outcast of his community. Not only is he being heavily bullied, but he’s also made into being a bad guy despite being the victim. You’ll really feel for Gareth’s situation, especially when you’ve encountered some heavy bullying of your own. I find the plot a bit fast-paced though, and there are scenes where I find confusing, like the time Gareth and another bully had a knife fight. It wasn’t particularly bad, since I believe that it’ll be later explained in future chapters.

What I found intriguing was in the second chapter of the novel when it was revealed that someone paid the people who was helping Gareth to stop helping him. It seemed that someone was really out to get him, and this time, it’s not just a school bully but someone powerful enough to pay people to stay away from him.

The problem I have with this novel—aside from some grammatical errors but those can be easily fixed—is some of the unreasonable and absurd characters, like the teachers and even the authority figures. Gareth’s also aware of their extreme biased and favoritism, which I honestly found funny.

Overall, if you like a story with a fast pace and has lots of action, while also dealing with heavy topics like bullying, this one’s for you.

Very thrilling

If you’re looking to read a compelling story with a complex character, a well-constructed plot, and, not just one, but two thrilling male leads, this one is for you. The story progresses well—not too fast, but not too slow either—and each chapter reveals different sides to the character that adds to the angst and drama to the story. It’s honestly a read that would make you want to sit back, because there’s just too much tension. I honestly can’t wait to read more! Keep it up, author!

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Intriguing and complex

I’ve only read the first few chapters so far and I just wanted to say that it’s a great book with very interesting characters. The main, Elsea, seems to have traded her childhood in order to care for her younger sister, Gem, because their mom left. Her love interest, Liam, seems to be interested in Elsea right away after they met which is cute, especially when he tries to strike up conversations with her. I like Elsea’s protective attitude when it comes to her family, obviously since she’s been acting as Gem’s mother for so long. I feel kind of sad for her though cuz she was forced to grow up so young to care for someone else.

Anyways, that’s the information I’ve had so far but I’ll be continuing to read this book. It’s an interesting story. Kudos to the author!

~ svrakkin