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Mentor, The
Mentor, The
Lee Matthew Goldberg | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry, Mystery, Thriller
6
7.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Oh, I’m so sad I can only give this book a 3 star review. I really wanted to love this one! The synopsis sounds so dark, intense and creepy, but it let me down in that department… almost completely!

The first 40% of this book was definitely enthralling, at times silly and over the top, but still exciting to read. The characters were interesting, the story was moving along nicely and the writing was simple, but not bad. It was about when I got to 50% that I realised I was getting a little bit bored by this novel.

Characters in this one weren’t so bad. They were well developed and even though there were a fair few number of them, we did get to know them individually, quite well. My problem was that they were pretty unbelievable and I didn’t really like any of them. I’m not sure if Kyle was meant to come across as an anti-hero, but that’s kind of what he felt like… although for me, it was mostly anti, less hero. I really didn’t like the introduction to the character as being a semi-graphic description of the sex he had with his girlfriend.

The plot for this book sounded amazing! An English professor writes a depraved book that sounds like an unsolved murder case from years ago? Is it just a coincidence or is it something more sinister? Doesn’t that sounds amazing? Well, it isn’t, I hate to say! Yes, this professor does write a depraved, and terribly written, book about kidnapping a girl but it doesn’t allude to the fact it might be about a cold case until around the 60% mark, which is ridiculous!

At 336 pages, this isn’t a long novel, but it definitely could have been cut down! Most of this novel was a very repetitive back and forth between Kyle and his mad professor. Repetition like this in books is something I absolutely despise and with each new chapter, I could feel myself losing the will to read this book.

That was my first issue with the writing, and then my annoyance moved on to the number of spelling, grammatical and sentence structure errors. Considering this novel was about an editor, you would have thought the real editor would have caught the vast number of cock ups in this book!

I got very irritated by this novel towards the end. The story was convoluted, silly and unrealistic. I got to the point of skimming pages in the ending chapters, yes, it was that disappointing. Not to mention this wasn’t creepy or tense at all. It was pretty predictable all the way through and the ending was a cheap way out.

Overall, I wouldn’t recommend this novel. It gets 3 stars because I did enjoy the first 40% or so, but the story became silly and I couldn’t get over the number of errors in the writing.
  
In Pain and Blood (Spellster #1)
In Pain and Blood (Spellster #1)
Aldrea Alien | 2017 | LGBTQ+, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
4
4.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
In Pain and Blood (Spellster #1) by Aldrea Alien
In Pain and Blood is the first book in the Spellster series, and has all the hallmarks of everything I enjoy - epic fantasy, m/m, romance, action, and adventure. Dylan has spent his life in 'the Tower' learning how to be a spellster. Magic comes easily to him, but his guardian keeps on telling him to stay safe in the tower, and not to make waves. However, one event shoves him to the forefront, and he sees more of life than he expected. Trying to make his way back to the Tower, he becomes part of a ragtag group and sees life in a completely different way.

This should have been a good book. I really wanted it to be a good book, but it fell short for me on a number of different levels. First of all, it's long. And I mean REALLY long. Now don't get me wrong, I love epic fantasy, and regularly read books of a thick volume. However, for this book, it felt like it needed some serious editing to get some of the monotonous repetition removed. Also, this land is supposed to be under attack, but they manage to completely miss any and every member of either army on their two month trek across the land - which we hear about in great detail. How this book started actually had me going back to check on the blurb as I thought I was reading a completely different book. It does change and become the story the blurb describes, but only after a long start. It is only the two main characters who we really meet, and I wouldn't say I 'know' them very well. Even their companions, who they spend so much time with, aren't really fleshed out. It didn't help when one of the main characters spoke to everyone as 'my dear hunter/my dear warrior/my dear spellster'. I know this was supposed to be one of his quirks, but I got it after the first dozen times. It really didn't need repeating multiple times on every page. The ending, such as it was, is the only thing in the book that felt rushed. Big events happen, something life-changing happens to a supporting character, opinions change, a lifetime's enduring love is pronounced, and it happens at the speed of light.

I struggled to finish this book. It was only my sheer stubborn nature and optimistic belief that it would get better (and if I finished it before it ended, I would never know) that kept me turning the pages to the very end. I am glad I've read it, but I wouldn't recommend it.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
    Procreate

    Procreate

    Entertainment and Photo & Video

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    App

    Apple Design Award winner and App Store Essential – Procreate is the most powerful sketching,...

    KLANG2

    KLANG2

    Music and Lifestyle

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    KLANG からさらなる進化を遂げ飛躍的にバージョンアップした” KLANG 2 “ ...

    DomiNations

    DomiNations

    Games and Entertainment

    7.5 (4 Ratings) Rate It

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    Grow a flourishing civilization and journey through all of human history as the leader of a mighty...

Mending the Rift Box Set
Mending the Rift Box Set
Valentina Heart | 2019 | LGBTQ+, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
7.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Mending the Rift Box Set by Valentina Heart
Mending the Rift Box Set is three stories in one. I'm actually really glad I read them together as they made for one nice-sized book that way. We meet Rin, an isolated and pretty much useless prince, who has been bargained away to become another King's property. Rin shows he has a backbone by insisting he becomes his spouse. Merin is the king and trying his best to not just be the 'conqueror'. Together, they find more than they expected in each other.

I thoroughly enjoyed this box set. It was filled with fantasy elements of magic and mpreg, plus sadness and hope. The characters develop nicely throughout the three novellas, and I loved how each land was described. Rin is a little firecracker when provoked, which Merin seemed to enjoy doing! Rin and Merin are a great couple, and I only hope this series continues. I would love to know how Ori gets on, plus the others, with plenty of R/M action too.

With no obvious editing or grammatical errors, this book was a satisfying read that ticked my boxes. For a light, entertaining #M_M read, then I have no hesitation in recommending this.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
Lost Wolf (New Dawn, #4)
Lost Wolf (New Dawn, #4)
Rachel M. Raithby | 2019 | Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult (YA)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Lost Wolf (New Dawn, #4) by Rachel M. Raithby
Lost Wolf is the fourth book in the New Dawn series, and we not only have a new couple, but we go back and re-meet the others too. The start of this book runs concurrently with a couple of the others, so you get to see Tyler and Regan in action that you 'missed' last time.

Regan hasn't had it easy, and it is her story to tell so I won't even try. Needless to say, Tyler is the one who helps her to live again, although being Dark Shadow, that poses a problem all of its own. Not only that, but Kat and Bass are having their own problems, brought about by Castor still trying to ruin their lives. No-one said being a shifter was easy.

There is so much in this book - from meeting new characters, to new romance, to building plans, to the world ending... it's all there. And without a single editing or grammatical error that I noticed. The storyline flowed smoothly, and with the chapter headings, you always knew when you were. I have thoroughly enjoyed this addition to the series, and I can't wait to see where we go from here. Absolutely recommended by me.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!