Books

Eclipse of the Eternal: The Odyssey of Valerian Kross by Joseph Farr [Book Review]

 in Adult / Books / Fiction by

This book was requested by the author to be reviewed. I did not receive any financial compensation for this review. All thoughts in this review are my own.

Summary

“In a world where the lines between right and wrong are blurred by war, Valerian’s journey is not just one of physical battles but also an internal struggle with faith, duty, and morality. The novel masterfully combines historical accuracy with a rich, imaginative narrative, bringing to life the brutal realities of medieval warfare and the complexities of human nature.

Joseph Farr’s skillful storytelling immerses readers in a vividly depicted era, making “Eclipse of the Eternal” a must-read for fans of historical fiction and dark fantasy. The book is a testament to the timeless themes of courage, honor, and the enduring human spirit.”

–Amazon.com

Review

It’s been quite a while since I’ve done a review at the request of a newer author but when I saw dark romance, I was pretty excited! The summary had me incredibly intrigued and some of the reviews on Amazon gave me even more curiosity. I’m definitely glad that I found the time to give this a read.

First, I absolutely devoured this book! It was like 520 pages (PDF/Kindle edition) and it felt a little daunting when you think a lot of romance books are 200-300 pages. I was like, “What the heck is going to happen for that many pages?” Well, a lot!

Additionally, this was a FFM book for the most part and while I usually can’t stand those kinds, this one worked because it was vampires and the kind of dynamic going on so if that’s not your thing, don’t let that immediately turn you off!

A slow start into a page turner!

So with how the book started, I’m not going to lie I was worried it was going to a really slow book. It really was setting the scene with Valerian, who he was and what made him into who he was. I want to clarify by what I mean slow here. When you think a romance book, they really do move and get through the story because the purpose is…well…the smut. This book to me felt more like dark fantasy with some dark erotic romance mixed in so the slow start absolutely worked because the story was a lot more than just smut.

Think a little bit Nalini Singh’s Guild Hunter books where there is absolutely that good stuff, but there is such a deep story that some massive chunks have nothing but story progression. This is kind of what was going on here! I just had to recalibrate my mind after a few of my reads recently.

A story of fighting your true nature to be something more.

Because of the set up with who Valerian was, the rest of the story once he turned into a made sense. The story really followed him through his beginning years in the vampire world. It wasn’t like other vampire books I’ve read as it seems the rules of existence and changing into a vampire were different, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it. Because of what Valerian was as a human, with all the honor, he didn’t like what he had become and wanted to find another way. The book  followed him through lust, death, betrayal, anger and a personal journey. I truly enjoyed reading his journey and how intricate it was and it constantly kept you guessing! It was a different kind of take on a vampire story.

The smut was good!

So, I want to also directly call this out because I know when people hear erotic romance and a male author they are like 👀. I mean I absolutely get it based on some of the books I’ve read, but I’ve also read so many male authors who have done an amazing job too. But I do feel some posts on Instagram and such have perpetuated a bit of a negative stereotype. But I will say I was very impressed and Joseph did an incredible job. All that stuff really did feel hypnotic and highly sensual. I felt that Joseph was able to accurately portray those kind of relations for vampires – sensual, violent, intense!

He was eloquent in his words, how he described things and generally the progression of scenes so I’d give them a solid 4 out of 5 star and a good 3 out of 5 on the spice level! Only giving it a 3 and not a 4 because the story was so much more than that. The spices scenes were a good 4 out of 5, but since there was a lot more to the book, overall the book spice was 3/5. But gotdaymnnnn – that nun scene. I was NOT ready! I’d say this was absolutely dark romance – vampire does adult stuff with a person and person ends up dead. But compared to some other books out there, this was fairly tame by far as a lot of those scenes were pretty “tame”.

The writing was eloquent & unexpected.

Joseph’s writing was quite unexpected. He used very eloquent words that was reminiscent of some more classic literature I felt and he creatively described and set the scenes.  He really tried to capture the time period that the book was set, around the 1200’s, through the journal entries of Valerian at the end of chapters, kind of summing up what happened in the characters own POV. Additionally, he also was able to quite decently make you feel like you transported to the wars during this time period and help you connect with Valerian, understand him and then better connect with his journey.

Additionally, the dynamics that he created between the three main characters kept you guessing. You were really unsure until towards the end who was going to do what, and what could happen.

Overall a very enjoyable vampire romance that transports you to the past.

I thoroughly enjoyed Eclipse of the Eternal. Once I got over the initial concern that it was going to be a slow read, and once Valerian changed, the book was a page turner. I was curious what was going to happen, what his journey was going to be, and what the two females in his sphere who were constantly going back and forth through jealously and vying for his attention would do next! Joseph very creatively set the scene and it was a unique story telling the transition of a vampire who had a moral compass like a true arrow.

I give this a solid 4/5 stars and if you’re looking for a slightly different read, this is worth your time!

 

About the Author

Joseph Farr, renowned as a virtuoso in Dark Fantasy and Historical Fiction, has enthralled audiences with his groundbreaking debut, “Eclipse of the Eternal.” This success was further amplified in his “Ebon Blade Saga,” a quartet of fantasy novels set in the richly conceived World of Mythas.

Originating from a quaint town in West Virginia, Joseph’s formative years in the 1970s and 80s were deeply immersed in the legendary tales of King Arthur, the galactic odyssey of Star Wars, and the transformative theories of Joseph Campbell. These eclectic inspirations kindled a fire in his imagination, propelling him toward the fantastical realms of popular role-playing games and the art of weaving stories.

Joseph’s academic endeavors in history, theology, psychology, comparative mythology, and sociology have profoundly shaped his literary craft. His adept fusion of these varied disciplines enables him to forge narratives that are not only richly imaginative and engaging but also resonate with the complexities of the human spirit. His works are a testament to his skill in interlacing the strands of historical lore and fantastical elements, creating enthralling worlds where history and fantasy intermingle seamlessly.

Presently settled in the peaceful countryside of West Virginia, Joseph pursues his literary aspirations alongside his daughter and their devoted dog, Deogee. He delves into the more
obscure facets of fantasy and historical fiction in this idyllic haven. His creations transcend mere storytelling; they are profound explorations of the human psyche, venturing into the intricate layers of psychology and the elusive shadows lurking within the human soul. Joseph Farr is more than a raconteur; he is a masterful architect of imaginary worlds, crafting tales that captivate, challenge, and stimulate introspection, etching an indelible mark on the consciousness of his readers.

Last Minute Bookish Gifts | Kindle Unlimited or Audible!

 in Books by

With the holiday’s rapidly approaching, you may be scrambling for some good last minute gifts.

If you have a book reader on your list, I have two great items that are sure to make them incredibly happy!

You could gift them Kindle Unlimited or Audible during this holiday season!

What is the difference?

Kindle Unlimited gives you access to thousands of books that you can read for free through your membership on various devices. You don’t need an Amazon device (but that would be a great gift too) to utilize it either! You can read from any computer, smartphone or an Amazon device if you want.


Audible is for audio books. If you know your reader really enjoys listening to their books read, then this is a fantastic option!

Or, why not gift both!!! You can choose various length options (and the gifting appears to be a better bang for your buck too) to let them enjoy both.

Or if you have access to their account, you could pay for Audible Plus for them which gives you all the amazing benefits of Audible but lets you keep one of the things you listen to each month, all yours!

These kind of gifts don’t get much better and for last minute dashes, you can be sure to give them a smile. I mean who doesn’t want unlimited books????

The Predator by Runyx [Book Review] 1

 in Adult / Books / Fiction / Kindle Unlimited / Romance by

Summary

“What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object in the field of death?

In the dark underbelly of the mob, Tristan Caine has been an anomaly. As the only non-blooded member in the high circle of the Tenebrae Outfit, he is an enigma to all – his skills unparalleled, his morality questionable, and his motives unknown. He is lethal and he knows it.

As does Morana Vitalio, the genius extraordinaire daughter of the rival family. What Caine does with weapons, Morana does with computers. When a twenty-year-old mystery resurfaces, Morana infiltrates Caine’s house, intent on killing him, unaware of a tie that binds them together. Hate, heat, and history clash together with unexpected sparks.

But something bigger, something worse is happening in their world. And despite their animosity, only they can fight it down.”

–Amazon.com

Review

So I have hopped on board the December Kindle Unlimited smut train and it has left the station and is rolling through at massive speeds! I went into this universe of books with decently low expectations to be honest and while some of those expectations have been met, some books have actually surprised me. This book is one of them.

Now, I will say right off the bat, if you are expecting some high quality, lofty writing from these books you will be mistaken. That is not what these books are. Most people read these books for the spice and a bit of story, but more heavily on the spice. I mean, that is what we are here for in #booktok. But, this book really did well in so many ways.

A Developing Story & Characters?? Who would have thunk!

The story progressed. I mean, like there was an actual story going on around all the bow-chick-wow-wow. As everyone knows, I’m a sucker for some kind of story progression and character development. I can’t stand when they don’t go anywhere. This one actually had a story and some decent character development – and by decent I mean they did progress but we don’t have any high level coming to a spiritual awakening kind of moments. But it was enough that I did feel that this was a good piece of adult literature and not like some of the other fanfiction quality books I’ve read.

Morona was a badass and we love a strong female in these stories. But realistically strong – not over the top and trying to be something that was not attainable. I don’t personally love when they are just a bit too overdone (read a few like that recently). Tristan, well we love him (yes yes I know, bad man but we love him anyway).

Dark romance so do be ready.

This is not those cutesy romance books. This is dark romance. So go into it with that awareness. I didn’t see any trigger warnings at the front of the book as this book was not as dark as some other ones, but it’s a mafia book so you can kind of guess the kind of themes that will be in here.

A series of yum.

This is a series, so you have a few books to see through. I thought the first one was the best and the second was just as enjoyable. I have not gotten through the rest of the series yet as I am seeing what else is out there, but if you want a series that progresses with the different characters and feeds into a larger story, then this is a good one for you!

 

With these kind of books there’s honestly not much to review because you can’t really review the writing and the story progression per se because they aren’t those kind of books. However, I can tell you if I would recommend it or not.

Yes, I would recommend this as a nice quick read.

I would give this a 4/5 on the spice level as well.

Goodreads Fake Review Bombing Drama | What’s The Tea?

 in Books / Interesting by

If you in any of the book communities either on X/Twitter or Instagram, you have probably been hearing some of the drama. Allegedly, an author negatively review bombing books and positively reviewing her own with fake accounts. First time author Cait Corrain has been accused of doing this and because of the allegations has had her book deal removed.

Here is part one of the drama as shared by author Xiran Jay Zhao. Visit their Instagram to see all 4 parts to understand the situation. That will give you a nice run down!

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Xiran Jay Zhao (@xiranjayzhao)

If you want receipts, then you can go here!

Now me being curious me decided to go to Twitter to see what the author has been tweeting. And well…she has released a very lame and horrible apology. I’d recommend giving it a read and having a good little laugh. It’s very….”oh poor me” kind of writing.


So you have a young author:

  • making fake accounts to leave false reviews
  • targeting BIPOC authors
  • targeting books of a similar genre/theme to hers
  • throwing a “friend” under a bus
  • connected to the point above, trying to falsify an explanation with photocopying and fake convos
  • a really embarrassingly bad apology

The other good thing out of this was seeing the level of organization a fanfiction community, specifically the Reylo community, had to band together to say “um no, these are lies.”

So some of you who ended up here may be asking “well so what? they’re just reviews, this kind of stuff happens on Amazon all the time.” And I would say you are right to that point but there are a few reasons why this is so bad.

First and foremost, the author ultimately has lied once being caught. That’s a pretty bad thing to do and not something you want an author to be doing. Kind of raises a lot of questions about their ethics and morals as a writer.

Next, small authors who either self publish, don’t have a massive marketing budget, or just enter the market at a competitive time really rely on those reviews to have sales. They work hard to send our ARCs, work hard to have bloggers read the books and write a well crafted review and rely on reviews on sites like Goodreads to have people pick up their book. It’s difficult to get genuine reviews. But then having one person use fake accounts to just drop a 1 star is wrong. I am not saying don’t give a book 1 stars if you don’t like it, but have a genuine reason. You don’t just start a book you haven’t read because you don’t like the person or, worse yet, know nothing about them but just want their book to look bad.

Then, the author used these fake accounts to support her own book. So gave herself fake positive reviews. Based on my understanding, she had a good book already with positive reviews and a good deal for publishing. So there really was no need for this. It was the icing on the cake.

Finally, there does appear to be some racism involved here as well. Reportedly quite a lot of the authors were BIPOC or the books had those kind of characters in them and negative and nasty reviews were left. In the apology, the author seems to blame medications for what she did. Although as a lot of the comments point out, since when do medications make you racist?

Ultimately, these actions have had consequences. She has been dropped by her publisher and her book is no longer slated to be released in 2024.

I do hope this young woman gets the help that she needs if she is truly struggling with something. But using that as an excuse – when many others battle their own things and exist just find – sounds like a cop out to me. She made a mistake and has not truly owned up to it and if she wants to be an author she will have to work hard to repair the damage.

The internet never forgets and when it spreads this far, this can be career ending before it begins.

So advice to young/new authors out there. Don’t use fake accounts. It can be so tempting to have friends help you by giving reviews. And sure, have your friends read your book and review, but having them just boost you isn’t good. It can also be tempting to make fake accounts to help yourself. But when it comes to this, this is not the way. And of course it goes without saying (although clearly it needs to be said) don’t be racist.

It’s amazing what can be traced back to you when you least expect it. Be safe out there y’all!

Update 12/12 @ 4:30pm: It appears that the author has now turned off commenting on her apology post and may be blocking various individuals as well that are calling her out. While I don’t condone bullying for payback, if you can’t take what you dish out…maybe should have thought a little about this before?

Also you can read a bit more at themarsue.com as well!

Update 12/15 @ 7 am: A few other small pieces of information have come out which you have probably seen going around. As you probably heard, the author crafted a fake conversation with themselves to try and play off the entire situation. You can see this convo below.

Image

Additionally, as Xiran also added on twitter:

 

 

9 Bookish Elf On The Shelf Ideas

 in Books / Holiday by

‘Tis the season for elf on the shelf. Now while we are a few weeks in, you may be looking for ideas to survive your entire month of bringing magic to the young ones. If you’re not entirely sure what elf on the shelf is, check out this really good article that also has some great ideas for you.

And if for some reason you don’t have your elf on the shelf yet, head on over to Amazon to get one quickly delivered. Just say that he was busy or if the kids were giving you problems this year, that he was debating whether to visit or not.

As a reminder, no one can touch the elf otherwise the magic is ruined! So make sure that where you choose to put him it’s out of high traffic areas from yourself, the kids and any pets!

All books the elf engaged in can be used them to read together with your child and the elf to continue to encourage the love of reading.

So with all the ideas out there, here are a few bookish ideas to give your elf some reading spirit!

1. Bookshelf Mess

Have your little elf in the middle of pulling a book out on the shelf and have a few of the other books all over the place. You can be sure to have your child help tidy up a bit and in the morning of the following day, the bookshelf will be all fixed.

2. Dress-up as a book character

If you are blessed with sewing and creative abilities, grab your kids favorite book and make a little costume (as much as you can manage but enough to get the point across) for your elf and have them put it on while propped up reading the book.

3. Write a note asking to read!

For some, you may find it challenging to get your child to practice reading so place the elf in a safe spot with a hand written note from the elf, asking your child to read their favorite book to it! We can’t not do what the elf asks, now can we?

4. Place him with food books or books with food.

If you enjoy food and have child themed books that have food in them, a great idea is to make one of the foods from the book (or go buy something close) and have the elf with the book, and the piece of food. Maybe it can be partially eating too!

5. Felt to make items.

There are many books where there are things being made, or items that look cool. You can use pieces of felt to have the elf try and re-create something in the book. In the morning your child can find the elf with the finished project or, if you aren’t as talented at crafts, just give it a good go and you can use the “he ran out of time” excuse!

6. A magical stack of book gifts.

Now this could be great for kids who have birthdays in December, or if you feel giving a few gifts early could work. Having your elf with a wrapped stack of gifts and have it as a gift that came from the elf could be exciting. Of course keep in mind other parents may not be giving gifts with their elf so don’t go too overboard.

7. Favorite book friends!

If your child has a book that is very important to them, or their absolute favorite, have the elf be found sitting reading the book or with it. It could have left a note stating how much they loved it. Get creative here but it’s a great way to have them bond a little bit through christmas magic.

8. Have him reading to stuffed animals or toys.

Have the elf sitting in front of all the toys, or some of your kids favorites, reading to them one of their favorite books. Of course be careful where you place the elf to avoid hands touching so  maybe the elf higher up and the toys on the ground.

9. Have them practice words to give the elf magic.

This idea came from SheSaved as I was out and about reading up on elf on the shelf, and I love this one! There’s a good chance your kid is learning new words so have them written on cards and set a rule maybe a few days to practice these words because they need to to recharge the elf’s magic! A great way to encourage the practicing but feed into the magic of the holidays!

For some other ideas, check out posts here as well that are more book specific!