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Shards of Sevia #5
Judgment Call
Kiva is handsome, generous, and very much in love with recently-widowed Preen Enda. But the thought of becoming his wife fills her with dread--especially when men from her past--men who know too much--begin appearing in her peaceful town. It's only a matter of time before her secrets are revealed. If Kiva learns the truth about what happened to Preen's first husband, will he still want to become her second? JUDGMENT CALL is the fifth book in SHARDS OF SEVIA, a Speculative Romantic Suspense series. It completes the story that began in FINAL CHANCE.
156 pages, Paperback
Published September 23, 2022
1 person is currently reading
22 people want to read
About the author
E.B. Roshan
12 books88 followersE.B. Roshan has enjoyed a nomadic lifestyle for several years, living in the Middle East, Asia and various parts of the U.S. She is now temporarily settled in Pennsylvania with her husband and three children.
To learn more about E.B. Roshan and her books, visit: https://shardsofsevia.wordpress.com
To learn more about E.B. Roshan and her books, visit: https://shardsofsevia.wordpress.com
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
August 24, 2022
4.5 stars!
Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher/author. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Characters: Preen (the main lady) and Kiva (the main guy) were both well-developed, sympathetic characters. Their pasts added to the story, and I enjoyed watching their growth.
Language: Clean.
Moral/theme: Forgiveness and all its ramifications was a major theme.
Plot: Growing threats and Preen and Kiva's conflicted relationship kept me flipping electronic pages.
Romance: Clean. Maybe a kiss?
Writing: E.B. Roshan's clear writing style worked well. I could easily picture what she described.
Overall: Judgment Call was an entertaining read that I'd recommend to those who enjoy Christian fiction, romantic suspense, and slightly dystopian/speculative novels.
Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher/author. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Characters: Preen (the main lady) and Kiva (the main guy) were both well-developed, sympathetic characters. Their pasts added to the story, and I enjoyed watching their growth.
Language: Clean.
Moral/theme: Forgiveness and all its ramifications was a major theme.
Plot: Growing threats and Preen and Kiva's conflicted relationship kept me flipping electronic pages.
Romance: Clean. Maybe a kiss?
Writing: E.B. Roshan's clear writing style worked well. I could easily picture what she described.
Overall: Judgment Call was an entertaining read that I'd recommend to those who enjoy Christian fiction, romantic suspense, and slightly dystopian/speculative novels.
December 27, 2024
I can’t decide if this is a 4 or 5 star read. When I started this book, I had no idea what I was getting myself into—the synopsis wasn’t very clear to me—and the first few chapters had me decidedly intrigued, not to say puzzled. In the end, though, I enjoyed this so much I want the rest of the series!
First off, it took me until the end of the book and rereading the author’s note to realize this was all contemporary fantasy/kingdom adventure. I spent the whole book firmly convinced this was some Eurasian or Middle Eastern land whose wars I’d somehow never heard about. According to the author's note, it does seem like this imaginary country is set in a Slavic setting. Anyways, I was delighted by such an unusual setting. Roshan did a great job world building, with special days, heroes, calendars, history, culture… It was really amazing. This setting alone was 40% of my enjoyment of the book.
The characters were interesting to me. I liked Preen. She wasn’t exactly a sympathetic character, with a lot of flaws, but I related to her grief and confusion and fear and guilt, and she made for a fascinating MC. Kiva also had plenty of faults, but he ended up pretty nice and I loved, loved, loved how their romance finally wound up. And Sitabi was super cute. ;) The Neyrevs, Arjun, and Sufya were pretty awesome—love the addition of Sufya’s different culture! Erkan was pretty fascinating—such a mix of good and not-good—and Sanjit… well, I really enjoyed how the author had you feeling for him but also able to judge him. Overall, while none of the characters were really awesome, they were all very realistic, and made you think a lot about people and personality and choices—which I also really appreciated.
Finally, the plot was definitely unique. With all the background of civil war and national chaos—fascinating in itself—was all the layers of personal choices, good and bad. Things weren’t whitewashed, with Preen + Rama’s premarital relationship and Sanjit’s prostitution and women-selling ring (both which affect the story, but are only mentions, not actually happening on screen). Preen’s backstory was handled tastefully all the same, and I appreciated seeing how she had to face the consequences of her choices, yet found healing + forgiveness. Her relationship with Kiva, too, was very thought-provoking. Usually I hate the misunderstanding trope, but here I really related to it, because I too flee from hard conversations and prefer to just pretend everything is okay to talking through a potentially hard and confrontational conversation. And Kiva learning about listening instead of offering solutions, or pointing out why Preen’s wrong… And the message about forgiveness vs. enabling the wicked… yeah, there were some great messages needed in real life. The climax was pretty crazy, too, and I enjoyed it after all the slow-paced, everyday theme of the rest of the book—and the final revelation by Preen! Everything wrapped up satisfactorily—and realistically.
I can’t say that I “loved” this book. It’s a bit too serious and sober to fangirl over. But it’s one of the most realistic, thought-provoking books I've read, and I really appreciated that. The setting fascinates me, and the real-life aspect of it all satisfies me. If the writing style was a bit stronger, and the characters a little more loveable, this would totally be a 5 star read. On the other hand, it spoke to me and stayed with me a lot longer than most books. Overall, I’m settling on 4.5. I recommend this to those who like tough but grace-filled stories and strong, unique world building, and I totally want to read the rest of this series myself!
A Favourite Quote: “I did the right thing, you did the right thing and Sanjit—he did what he wanted to do.”
A Favourite Humorous Quote: “Come out, you,” he called down. “Preen's man, if you're alive down there, come out.” Since I was alive, and planned to stay alive, I stayed put.
*Content list to come. I received a complimentary copy of this book for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.*
First off, it took me until the end of the book and rereading the author’s note to realize this was all contemporary fantasy/kingdom adventure. I spent the whole book firmly convinced this was some Eurasian or Middle Eastern land whose wars I’d somehow never heard about. According to the author's note, it does seem like this imaginary country is set in a Slavic setting. Anyways, I was delighted by such an unusual setting. Roshan did a great job world building, with special days, heroes, calendars, history, culture… It was really amazing. This setting alone was 40% of my enjoyment of the book.
The characters were interesting to me. I liked Preen. She wasn’t exactly a sympathetic character, with a lot of flaws, but I related to her grief and confusion and fear and guilt, and she made for a fascinating MC. Kiva also had plenty of faults, but he ended up pretty nice and I loved, loved, loved how their romance finally wound up. And Sitabi was super cute. ;) The Neyrevs, Arjun, and Sufya were pretty awesome—love the addition of Sufya’s different culture! Erkan was pretty fascinating—such a mix of good and not-good—and Sanjit… well, I really enjoyed how the author had you feeling for him but also able to judge him. Overall, while none of the characters were really awesome, they were all very realistic, and made you think a lot about people and personality and choices—which I also really appreciated.
Finally, the plot was definitely unique. With all the background of civil war and national chaos—fascinating in itself—was all the layers of personal choices, good and bad. Things weren’t whitewashed, with Preen + Rama’s premarital relationship and Sanjit’s prostitution and women-selling ring (both which affect the story, but are only mentions, not actually happening on screen). Preen’s backstory was handled tastefully all the same, and I appreciated seeing how she had to face the consequences of her choices, yet found healing + forgiveness. Her relationship with Kiva, too, was very thought-provoking. Usually I hate the misunderstanding trope, but here I really related to it, because I too flee from hard conversations and prefer to just pretend everything is okay to talking through a potentially hard and confrontational conversation. And Kiva learning about listening instead of offering solutions, or pointing out why Preen’s wrong… And the message about forgiveness vs. enabling the wicked… yeah, there were some great messages needed in real life. The climax was pretty crazy, too, and I enjoyed it after all the slow-paced, everyday theme of the rest of the book—and the final revelation by Preen! Everything wrapped up satisfactorily—and realistically.
I can’t say that I “loved” this book. It’s a bit too serious and sober to fangirl over. But it’s one of the most realistic, thought-provoking books I've read, and I really appreciated that. The setting fascinates me, and the real-life aspect of it all satisfies me. If the writing style was a bit stronger, and the characters a little more loveable, this would totally be a 5 star read. On the other hand, it spoke to me and stayed with me a lot longer than most books. Overall, I’m settling on 4.5. I recommend this to those who like tough but grace-filled stories and strong, unique world building, and I totally want to read the rest of this series myself!
A Favourite Quote: “I did the right thing, you did the right thing and Sanjit—he did what he wanted to do.”
A Favourite Humorous Quote: “Come out, you,” he called down. “Preen's man, if you're alive down there, come out.” Since I was alive, and planned to stay alive, I stayed put.
*Content list to come. I received a complimentary copy of this book for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.*
May 29, 2023
Interesting ending to all the books glad no one was killed in the end but my favourite book has to be the first
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June 27, 2024Author Content Rating:
Violence: moderate injuries, gunfire, a character takes his own life. No graphic descriptions.
Sexual content: sex/human trafficking is discussed. A character remembers having sex with her boyfriend prior to marriage. No graphic descriptions in either case.
Other: Smoking, alcohol use, a character is drunk
Violence: moderate injuries, gunfire, a character takes his own life. No graphic descriptions.
Sexual content: sex/human trafficking is discussed. A character remembers having sex with her boyfriend prior to marriage. No graphic descriptions in either case.
Other: Smoking, alcohol use, a character is drunk
September 25, 2022
A heartfelt story about forgiveness and moving on from the past, Judgment Call was my introduction to the Shards of Sevia series, even though it's actually the fifth book. For the most part, I was able to jump in without a problem, but a few things related to the characters' backstories confused me. I'm sure if I'd read the previous books, there wouldn't have been any issue.
I loved the tone of the story! It really felt like a glimpse into another culture. The struggles that Preen and Kiva dealt with seemed authentic, not just thrown in for the sake of drama. The plot kept me interested despite moving at a slower pace for the majority of the book.
There were some moments when Kiva's thoughtlessness frustrated me, and Preen's feelings for him didn't always seem consistent. Overall, though, I was happy with the conclusion that was reached. I'd like to start from the beginning of the series and learn more about some of the other characters mentioned.
I loved the tone of the story! It really felt like a glimpse into another culture. The struggles that Preen and Kiva dealt with seemed authentic, not just thrown in for the sake of drama. The plot kept me interested despite moving at a slower pace for the majority of the book.
There were some moments when Kiva's thoughtlessness frustrated me, and Preen's feelings for him didn't always seem consistent. Overall, though, I was happy with the conclusion that was reached. I'd like to start from the beginning of the series and learn more about some of the other characters mentioned.
October 13, 2022
Judgment Call by E. B. Roshan is the 5th book in her Shards of Sevia series. It is also the first book I have read from this author. The descriptions of the world in which her characters live in was vivid and easy to form a picture in my mind of the setting. Her writing was easy to follow, helping to fill in the backstory from the prior books. God’s redemption, as well as forgiving those who’ve hurt us, was so brought to the forefront of the story that I must give it a 4 of 5 Stars. Well done, E. B.
November 13, 2023
With a slow yet gripping build and a realistically complex storyline, Judgment Call is a raw and evocative novella with heart and grit.
Occasionally, when chapters switched point-of-view characters, I had a difficult time tracking with the dialogue transitions, but for the most part, the dialogue is excellently written. The back-and-forth between characters, as well as the pauses, action tags, and non-verbal reactions, are all interesting and believable. It feels very real, and that’s an immensely admirable thing. While reading, I’d sometimes feel confused and have a hard time keeping details straight, but that’s no fault of the author, just mine for not having read Preen’s previous books in the series. (So I would definitely recommend first reading the preceding books in the series, though it’s really no trouble to enjoy this one without having read the others!) With a dystopian atmosphere juxtaposed by a generally rural and pastoral European setting, the novella also boasts thorough, vivid, and intriguing worldbuilding.
As the main protagonist, Preen is deeply dimensional, with tangible, bare emotions and inner conflict. She’s flawed and hurting, yet she’s aching and striving for redemption and faith, and I had little trouble connecting with her instantly. Moreover, her daughter Sitabi’s behavior and dialogue are written excellently and are beautifully consistent with her three-year-old age. It’s something that arrested me at once; I admired it so much since I often have a hard time seeing fictional children written like they’re the age they’re purported to be! I did find myself getting turned off by Kiva much of the time; he struck me as a bit too thoughtless and kept grabbing Preen (her arms, wrists, etc.), so a lot of the time Preen’s feelings for him didn’t make much sense to me.
Throughout the story, the author slipped beautiful, thought-provoking lines into the narrative, gently weaving in the characters’ wrestling with what warrants forgiveness, second chances, and boundaries. How you move on. How you bury the past without ignoring it completely. How you give yourself grace. The themes are so important, so needed, so timeless, and they flowed with the storyline wonderfully.
A perfectly paced, deeply character-driven story that grapples with the fallout and “quieter” internal kickback from past trauma, Judgment Call is a worthwhile, well-written dystopian novella.
🐂 content: non-explicit reference to Preen and Rama’s first instance of intimacy. Preen became pregnant out of wedlock. Mentions of past violence, torture, and prostitution. An instance of drunkenness. A man lifts a woman onto his lap to comfort her. A non-descriptive kiss. 🐂
* Many thanks to the author for sending me a free digital copy of her book in exchange for my honest review! All thoughts are my own, and no positive review was required. *
Occasionally, when chapters switched point-of-view characters, I had a difficult time tracking with the dialogue transitions, but for the most part, the dialogue is excellently written. The back-and-forth between characters, as well as the pauses, action tags, and non-verbal reactions, are all interesting and believable. It feels very real, and that’s an immensely admirable thing. While reading, I’d sometimes feel confused and have a hard time keeping details straight, but that’s no fault of the author, just mine for not having read Preen’s previous books in the series. (So I would definitely recommend first reading the preceding books in the series, though it’s really no trouble to enjoy this one without having read the others!) With a dystopian atmosphere juxtaposed by a generally rural and pastoral European setting, the novella also boasts thorough, vivid, and intriguing worldbuilding.
As the main protagonist, Preen is deeply dimensional, with tangible, bare emotions and inner conflict. She’s flawed and hurting, yet she’s aching and striving for redemption and faith, and I had little trouble connecting with her instantly. Moreover, her daughter Sitabi’s behavior and dialogue are written excellently and are beautifully consistent with her three-year-old age. It’s something that arrested me at once; I admired it so much since I often have a hard time seeing fictional children written like they’re the age they’re purported to be! I did find myself getting turned off by Kiva much of the time; he struck me as a bit too thoughtless and kept grabbing Preen (her arms, wrists, etc.), so a lot of the time Preen’s feelings for him didn’t make much sense to me.
Throughout the story, the author slipped beautiful, thought-provoking lines into the narrative, gently weaving in the characters’ wrestling with what warrants forgiveness, second chances, and boundaries. How you move on. How you bury the past without ignoring it completely. How you give yourself grace. The themes are so important, so needed, so timeless, and they flowed with the storyline wonderfully.
A perfectly paced, deeply character-driven story that grapples with the fallout and “quieter” internal kickback from past trauma, Judgment Call is a worthwhile, well-written dystopian novella.
🐂 content: non-explicit reference to Preen and Rama’s first instance of intimacy. Preen became pregnant out of wedlock. Mentions of past violence, torture, and prostitution. An instance of drunkenness. A man lifts a woman onto his lap to comfort her. A non-descriptive kiss. 🐂
* Many thanks to the author for sending me a free digital copy of her book in exchange for my honest review! All thoughts are my own, and no positive review was required. *
September 25, 2022
Disclaimer: I received an ARC copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book. I appreciated the depth of the characters and their circumstances, as well as how the author approached those circumstances. The interactions between characters, the thought processes, and the descriptions frequently realistic and enjoyable (in that they were entertaining to read, not in that the situations were all that great since this book tackles some heavy matters).
Something I'm coming to expect and appreciate about the Shards of Sevia books is that the topics of the books are genuinely challenging and thought-provoking, to the point that when the characters mess up in big ways I can't even be mad at them, because I have no idea how I'd handle it myself. What I love most about that is that when the characters come to an understanding or conclusion about such things, I can better appreciate that understanding/conclusion since I was wondering right alongside them.
This book certainly does that quite a bit. I was very intrigued to see how the author would handle writing about such a complex matters presented in the book's description, and I was not disappointed.
This - heavy topics being tastefully handled from a Christian perspective - is something I greatly value in a book. Modern and traditional fiction tends to lack heart and a deeper sense of hope (a kind of hope which I have seldom experienced in anything aside from stories by Christians), and then strictly Christian fiction often tends to "tell" rather than "show" these circumstances from a Biblical viewpoint, which is seldom ever helpful or enjoyable for me.
This book, however, has a good balance of that.
I would also like to note how much I appreciate the world that surrounds this story. I love the atmosphere of this world, how it's so hardy but at the same time feels like it's being pulled apart several threads at a time as the circumstances within it carry on.
And I love that despite this very interesting world, the dystopian/post-apocalyptic (I'm honestly not sure how to describe it) situation is really just a setting for a much more personal and relatable story. Don't get me wrong, it plays a big part in the story, but the focus is on the characters and their lives. And that's a perspective I always appreciate seeing.
The thing holding this back from me giving this five stars is the fact that at times the book felt pretty rough around the edges. Yet at others it flowed and was written extremely well, which is why I'm keeping the rating at four stars for the overall quality and value (that of course being based on my personal preferences). I do believe it's important to note, though, that this problem may have been cleaned up in the final version (since, as I disclaimed, this was an ARC copy).
For how much I enjoyed it, quality aside, it would likely also be at about three and a half or four stars on a five star system, or perhaps six stars on a ten star system (seriously goodreads, please give us a 10-star system with half stars).
As I said, I really appreciated this book and I did enjoy it, and I do intend to keep up with the series. I think these books have a great amount of potential to them and I'm excited to see where they go from here!
I really enjoyed this book. I appreciated the depth of the characters and their circumstances, as well as how the author approached those circumstances. The interactions between characters, the thought processes, and the descriptions frequently realistic and enjoyable (in that they were entertaining to read, not in that the situations were all that great since this book tackles some heavy matters).
Something I'm coming to expect and appreciate about the Shards of Sevia books is that the topics of the books are genuinely challenging and thought-provoking, to the point that when the characters mess up in big ways I can't even be mad at them, because I have no idea how I'd handle it myself. What I love most about that is that when the characters come to an understanding or conclusion about such things, I can better appreciate that understanding/conclusion since I was wondering right alongside them.
This book certainly does that quite a bit. I was very intrigued to see how the author would handle writing about such a complex matters presented in the book's description, and I was not disappointed.
This - heavy topics being tastefully handled from a Christian perspective - is something I greatly value in a book. Modern and traditional fiction tends to lack heart and a deeper sense of hope (a kind of hope which I have seldom experienced in anything aside from stories by Christians), and then strictly Christian fiction often tends to "tell" rather than "show" these circumstances from a Biblical viewpoint, which is seldom ever helpful or enjoyable for me.
This book, however, has a good balance of that.
I would also like to note how much I appreciate the world that surrounds this story. I love the atmosphere of this world, how it's so hardy but at the same time feels like it's being pulled apart several threads at a time as the circumstances within it carry on.
And I love that despite this very interesting world, the dystopian/post-apocalyptic (I'm honestly not sure how to describe it) situation is really just a setting for a much more personal and relatable story. Don't get me wrong, it plays a big part in the story, but the focus is on the characters and their lives. And that's a perspective I always appreciate seeing.
The thing holding this back from me giving this five stars is the fact that at times the book felt pretty rough around the edges. Yet at others it flowed and was written extremely well, which is why I'm keeping the rating at four stars for the overall quality and value (that of course being based on my personal preferences). I do believe it's important to note, though, that this problem may have been cleaned up in the final version (since, as I disclaimed, this was an ARC copy).
For how much I enjoyed it, quality aside, it would likely also be at about three and a half or four stars on a five star system, or perhaps six stars on a ten star system (seriously goodreads, please give us a 10-star system with half stars).
As I said, I really appreciated this book and I did enjoy it, and I do intend to keep up with the series. I think these books have a great amount of potential to them and I'm excited to see where they go from here!
November 7, 2022
Judgment Call is the fifth novel in the SHARDS OF SEVIA series, although it can be read as a standalone. In a suspenseful narrative, the author weaves past and present events in each character's life. It is told from the perspective of the protagonists - Preen and Kiva. It is skillfully crafted to paint a picture for the reader to visualize each scene. It accurately depicts Sitabi's innocence, trust, love, chance, jealousy, flashbacks, Tur traditions, and forgiveness. Every detail has been considered. The reader can see Preen's struggles as she rebuilds her life. The book is fantastic.
June 19, 2023
This book was interesting. It's book 5 in a series, and I haven't read any of the previous books, so I knew none of the backstory. Because of that, I didn't understand why Preen was so closed off and seemingly spoiled. About halfway through, I found out, and that made all the difference. I went from being ho-hum about the book to, "Oooohhhhh! That makes so much sense now!"
So. I do recommend starting with book 1 and reading your way through, but if the other books are like this one, I think it'll be well worth your time!
~I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own, and no positive review was required.~
So. I do recommend starting with book 1 and reading your way through, but if the other books are like this one, I think it'll be well worth your time!
~I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own, and no positive review was required.~
October 24, 2022
It isn’t often I find a book where I am more interested in the culture being portrayed than I am in the characters and plot itself, yet here we are with Judgement Call by E.B. Roshan.
While the plot of this book was intriguing, it wasn’t what captivated me. The interesting and unique characters trying to figure out their traumas, their pasts, and their futures wasn’t what captivated me either. Instead, what really drew me in was the different culture that I am not familiar with but I desperately wanted to learn more about.
The book starts of so strong, introducing us to Preen and her daughter Sitabi, and showing us the life that used to exist, and the life they have been thrust into now. Preen used to be, and still is in a way, in love with a man named Rama, who helped conceive her daughter. But Rama is gone, and they are building a new life with a man named Kiva, who has loved Preen for as long as he can remember.
There is this perfect path and perfect life laid out for Preen to follow along and she is not interested. One of the reasons she loved Rama so much was because she got to pick him for herself, rather than have him dictated to her. Having him die and not be a part of her life anymore was a blow. Having her family essentially shrug off his death and ask her when she was going to get married to Kiva was an even bigger blow. While part of me understands this, I am not from this culture, (a culture I am not entirely sure what is) and I wish the author took time to explain more about this culture because the way it is portrayed is beautiful and harsh. Kind of a like a winter’s day where the tree’s are beautiful and icy, but the wind is cold enough that it stings when it hits your cheeks.
I enjoyed this book quite a bit, and I liked how action packed the ending was. Someone the author managed to write an ending that was dramatic and terrifying, and yet perfectly beautiful as well as it brought two people together. I also really loved that the past hurts characters felt were not magically healed. Kiva did not trust Preen anymore because she ran away with Rama. While this was eventually patched up and they trusted each other again, it didn’t happen with magic, but instead heard work and harder realizations.
Overall – this was a good book that I wish had taken the time to delve more into the culture it is portraying. The characters the author painted are vivid and interesting. That being said, if you are not interested in a culture outside of your own, I do not know if this would be the best book for you.
For more book reviews, visit aliciajeanne.com
While the plot of this book was intriguing, it wasn’t what captivated me. The interesting and unique characters trying to figure out their traumas, their pasts, and their futures wasn’t what captivated me either. Instead, what really drew me in was the different culture that I am not familiar with but I desperately wanted to learn more about.
The book starts of so strong, introducing us to Preen and her daughter Sitabi, and showing us the life that used to exist, and the life they have been thrust into now. Preen used to be, and still is in a way, in love with a man named Rama, who helped conceive her daughter. But Rama is gone, and they are building a new life with a man named Kiva, who has loved Preen for as long as he can remember.
There is this perfect path and perfect life laid out for Preen to follow along and she is not interested. One of the reasons she loved Rama so much was because she got to pick him for herself, rather than have him dictated to her. Having him die and not be a part of her life anymore was a blow. Having her family essentially shrug off his death and ask her when she was going to get married to Kiva was an even bigger blow. While part of me understands this, I am not from this culture, (a culture I am not entirely sure what is) and I wish the author took time to explain more about this culture because the way it is portrayed is beautiful and harsh. Kind of a like a winter’s day where the tree’s are beautiful and icy, but the wind is cold enough that it stings when it hits your cheeks.
I enjoyed this book quite a bit, and I liked how action packed the ending was. Someone the author managed to write an ending that was dramatic and terrifying, and yet perfectly beautiful as well as it brought two people together. I also really loved that the past hurts characters felt were not magically healed. Kiva did not trust Preen anymore because she ran away with Rama. While this was eventually patched up and they trusted each other again, it didn’t happen with magic, but instead heard work and harder realizations.
Overall – this was a good book that I wish had taken the time to delve more into the culture it is portraying. The characters the author painted are vivid and interesting. That being said, if you are not interested in a culture outside of your own, I do not know if this would be the best book for you.
For more book reviews, visit aliciajeanne.com
August 27, 2022
FTC Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for a review. I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions herein expressed are my own.
Overview: I’m not usually a big fan of dystopian stories. But this one is the fourth or fifth one I’ve read this year, so maybe they’re growing on me? At any rate, this was a sweet novella focusing on a young woman who feels she’s gone too far to be forgiven. It’s the fifth book in a series, but enough background information is given that I was able to follow along with everything, despite not having read the previous four books.
Characters: Preen was a good character, with real fears and responses to situations that make perfect sense in light of her background. She goes through some great character development that feels realistic, despite the brevity of the story.
Kiva seems like a nice guy. I wish we’d gotten a little more from his perspective. He did seem a bit too perfect, but he had his flaws too, so it all rounds out in the end.
The naming system of the characters did confuse me a little. According to the author’s note at the beginning, Sevia is a Slavic country, but all the names sound Indian. Maybe this is explained in the earlier books?
Content: A character remembers the first time she had sex (nothing graphic). In the past, two characters had a child out of wedlock. Two couples share kisses. There are mentions of a prostitution ring.
There’s some violence, but nothing detailed. A character is shot. One side of a character’s face is completely scarred. Preen remembers deaths that happened in the past.
A couple of characters are said to curse, but none of the words are actually on the page.
Writing: E. B. Roshan has a smooth writing style that communicates the story well. This being a novella, there’s not much room for complicated plots, but she works well with the limited space she has, weaving the theme of forgiveness throughout the story.
There are a few grammar errors throughout. It might be a stylistic choice, but there are numerous double negatives (e.g. “didn’t see nobody”). Those irked me a bit, but as I said, maybe it’s just supposed to be reflective of the local dialect.
Summary: While this wasn’t quite my cup of tea, it’s definitely an intriguing story. I liked the main theme; Roshan does a great job of exploring the different facets of forgiveness and how that plays out in practical, difficult situations. Romantic suspense fans aged 16+ would enjoy this book.
Overview: I’m not usually a big fan of dystopian stories. But this one is the fourth or fifth one I’ve read this year, so maybe they’re growing on me? At any rate, this was a sweet novella focusing on a young woman who feels she’s gone too far to be forgiven. It’s the fifth book in a series, but enough background information is given that I was able to follow along with everything, despite not having read the previous four books.
Characters: Preen was a good character, with real fears and responses to situations that make perfect sense in light of her background. She goes through some great character development that feels realistic, despite the brevity of the story.
Kiva seems like a nice guy. I wish we’d gotten a little more from his perspective. He did seem a bit too perfect, but he had his flaws too, so it all rounds out in the end.
The naming system of the characters did confuse me a little. According to the author’s note at the beginning, Sevia is a Slavic country, but all the names sound Indian. Maybe this is explained in the earlier books?
Content: A character remembers the first time she had sex (nothing graphic). In the past, two characters had a child out of wedlock. Two couples share kisses. There are mentions of a prostitution ring.
There’s some violence, but nothing detailed. A character is shot. One side of a character’s face is completely scarred. Preen remembers deaths that happened in the past.
A couple of characters are said to curse, but none of the words are actually on the page.
Writing: E. B. Roshan has a smooth writing style that communicates the story well. This being a novella, there’s not much room for complicated plots, but she works well with the limited space she has, weaving the theme of forgiveness throughout the story.
There are a few grammar errors throughout. It might be a stylistic choice, but there are numerous double negatives (e.g. “didn’t see nobody”). Those irked me a bit, but as I said, maybe it’s just supposed to be reflective of the local dialect.
Summary: While this wasn’t quite my cup of tea, it’s definitely an intriguing story. I liked the main theme; Roshan does a great job of exploring the different facets of forgiveness and how that plays out in practical, difficult situations. Romantic suspense fans aged 16+ would enjoy this book.
October 7, 2022
Judgment Call by E.B Roshan
Title - Judgment Call (Shards Of Sevia #5)
Author - E.B Roshan
Published - September 2022
Pages - 158 Pages
Rating - 4*
Preen Enda is a widow with a troubled past, and Kiva is a handsome and generous man who is very much in love with Preen. The problem is Preen is terrified at the thought of becoming Kiva's wife, especially when men from her past start showing up threatening to expose her past and all her secrets. Including what happened to her first husband. What will happen if Kiva finds out about Preen's past and her first husband? Would he still want to marry her?
Characters - I found the characters to be well developed, I thought the character development was good throughout the book. The character's stories and personalities really added to the quality of the book.
Atmosphere - I found this book to be very thought-provoking, it leaves you with a deep sense of hope and you can tell it has been written with a lot of heart.
Writing Style - I found this author's writing style to be very clear, and well-written with vivid imagery. I also found the author showed a good balance between show and tell within the book. Overall I really enjoyed this author's writing style.
Plot - Really interesting, keeps you hooked and needing to read on and find out what happens next. It flows really well. I am looking forward to reading more from this author and this series.
Logic - Good logic throughout the book, Made sense, No plot holes.
Enjoyment - Overall I enjoyed this book, It's not my usual genre that I go for but I did enjoy it. I would recommend this book to others. I shall read more from this author and more from this series.
Title - Judgment Call (Shards Of Sevia #5)
Author - E.B Roshan
Published - September 2022
Pages - 158 Pages
Rating - 4*
Preen Enda is a widow with a troubled past, and Kiva is a handsome and generous man who is very much in love with Preen. The problem is Preen is terrified at the thought of becoming Kiva's wife, especially when men from her past start showing up threatening to expose her past and all her secrets. Including what happened to her first husband. What will happen if Kiva finds out about Preen's past and her first husband? Would he still want to marry her?
Characters - I found the characters to be well developed, I thought the character development was good throughout the book. The character's stories and personalities really added to the quality of the book.
Atmosphere - I found this book to be very thought-provoking, it leaves you with a deep sense of hope and you can tell it has been written with a lot of heart.
Writing Style - I found this author's writing style to be very clear, and well-written with vivid imagery. I also found the author showed a good balance between show and tell within the book. Overall I really enjoyed this author's writing style.
Plot - Really interesting, keeps you hooked and needing to read on and find out what happens next. It flows really well. I am looking forward to reading more from this author and this series.
Logic - Good logic throughout the book, Made sense, No plot holes.
Enjoyment - Overall I enjoyed this book, It's not my usual genre that I go for but I did enjoy it. I would recommend this book to others. I shall read more from this author and more from this series.
September 6, 2022
If you enjoy clean dystopians with a fresh setting and compelling arguments, this one will be a quick read. I started it intending to read a couple chapters, then ended up finishing it within a couple hours because I couldn't put it down. The characters are easy to sympathize with, the settings well-written, and the theme and main struggle in the story is VERY compelling and thought-provoking. Without spoilers, it's something that makes you set the book down for a moment and ask yourself what you'd do in their shoes, because it's the type of impossible situation that worms its way into reality so often. I was impressed by the thought and planning that Roshan placed into this main theme, plus how the situation evolved throughout the story -- very, very well done. Finally, the story is fast-paced even when we're not in an actual action scene.
** I was provided with a review copy via the publisher in order to provide my honest review. The opinions expressed are my own.
** I was provided with a review copy via the publisher in order to provide my honest review. The opinions expressed are my own.
September 23, 2022
I have to be honest and state that Judgement Call was a little outside of my comfort zone when comparing it to the books I generally tend to pick up, but I was still looking forward to the opportunity to read an upcoming release by a new to me author.
I want to start off by saying how impressed I was with E.B. Roshan's writing style. I went into this story having not read the four books prior to it, and I never felt like I was missing out on the story. She weaved an immersive and smooth story, while still giving enough background information to make new readers feel they weren't missing anything without providing enough to make readers of the series feel bored or like it was unnecessary. That takes a lot of talent to pull off, and I found that admirable. I also have to comment on the fact that even though this book ended up being a bit too much for me personally, her writing style still kept me engaged and wanting to finish the book despite having hesitations about certain parts of the plot.
The characters seemed authentic and well written, and I could easily empathize with how they handled certain situations considering the traumatic events they'd had to deal with in their past. Both Preen and Kiva show a lot of growth and maturity, as they have to overcome a lot of negative tendencies in order to work towards growing their relationship into a successful marriage.
The suspense builds slowly throughout the developing story, but once it gets going it never really stops. It definitely keeps the reader on the edge of their seat, and several plot points ended up happening that I was definitely neither expecting or prepared for.
All in all, this was certainly a well written, romantic suspense with touches of both the dystopian and speculative genres, and a faith element that contributed to the well rounded story. It ended up not really being for me, but I would definitely recommend it to fans of any of those genres, especially for adult readers as I think some of the content would be a bit much for teenagers or preteens.
Final Rating: 3.5/5
I'm glad I had the opportunity to read this one and take a chance on a new author!
Thanks so much to E.B. Roshan for allowing me to advance read and review this one!
I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the author. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and this is my honest review.
I want to start off by saying how impressed I was with E.B. Roshan's writing style. I went into this story having not read the four books prior to it, and I never felt like I was missing out on the story. She weaved an immersive and smooth story, while still giving enough background information to make new readers feel they weren't missing anything without providing enough to make readers of the series feel bored or like it was unnecessary. That takes a lot of talent to pull off, and I found that admirable. I also have to comment on the fact that even though this book ended up being a bit too much for me personally, her writing style still kept me engaged and wanting to finish the book despite having hesitations about certain parts of the plot.
The characters seemed authentic and well written, and I could easily empathize with how they handled certain situations considering the traumatic events they'd had to deal with in their past. Both Preen and Kiva show a lot of growth and maturity, as they have to overcome a lot of negative tendencies in order to work towards growing their relationship into a successful marriage.
The suspense builds slowly throughout the developing story, but once it gets going it never really stops. It definitely keeps the reader on the edge of their seat, and several plot points ended up happening that I was definitely neither expecting or prepared for.
All in all, this was certainly a well written, romantic suspense with touches of both the dystopian and speculative genres, and a faith element that contributed to the well rounded story. It ended up not really being for me, but I would definitely recommend it to fans of any of those genres, especially for adult readers as I think some of the content would be a bit much for teenagers or preteens.
Final Rating: 3.5/5
I'm glad I had the opportunity to read this one and take a chance on a new author!
Thanks so much to E.B. Roshan for allowing me to advance read and review this one!
I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the author. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and this is my honest review.
September 24, 2022
So when I agreed to read this novella, I had no idea it was book 5. I have to admit, as I started reading, I felt like I was missing something. It took off right away, and I felt a little lost. Reading the previous books probably makes a difference.
With that said, I did start to enjoy the story in the end of the book. It took a moment to understand what was happening. Having no backstory, I didn't understand why one guy was mad at the others. Or why he wanted to enact revenge so bad. I did learn it at the very end and was good with it.
Kiva is my favorite character, which is crazy since I disliked him for most of the story. I thought he was a little controlling at first but that died off when he did what he did. He became the hero.
I wish I had time to read the other stories because I feel like as a whole the series would be fantastic. I just started in the wrong spot.
With that said, I did start to enjoy the story in the end of the book. It took a moment to understand what was happening. Having no backstory, I didn't understand why one guy was mad at the others. Or why he wanted to enact revenge so bad. I did learn it at the very end and was good with it.
Kiva is my favorite character, which is crazy since I disliked him for most of the story. I thought he was a little controlling at first but that died off when he did what he did. He became the hero.
I wish I had time to read the other stories because I feel like as a whole the series would be fantastic. I just started in the wrong spot.
October 1, 2022
A sweet novella that explores the themes of forgiveness and moving on. I enjoyed the pacing of this story, and the steady escalation of events. Preen is an endearing character despite her flaws. The supporting characters feel well fleshed out. I like the setting; an interesting mix of old world and new. I feel like reading the other books may have helped me understand the politics of the world better, but it's a minor quibble. In the end, this book was well-written and the ending is satisfactory. I like happy endings!
August 31, 2022
E.B. Roshan weaves a fantastic tell of intrigue and second chances in Judgment Call. The suspense slowly builds as characters from the past show up in Preen's hometown with unknown motives and lots of baggage. Kiva constantly fights for Preen's affections against shadows from her past, and he wonders what real battles he may yet have to fight. If you enjoy speculative fiction and suspense, take some time to check out this series.
July 14, 2023
THIS BOOK FEELS SO REAL. From the story itself, the characters, to their feelings, emotions, everything!
Full review on my blog!
jdlreads.wordpress.com
Full review on my blog!
jdlreads.wordpress.com
May 31, 2023
I haven’t read the other books so I can’t attest to how this fits into the series but I can say that it was a pretty good book that stood on its own. It was fast-paced and high tension. The only drawback for me was that I didn’t see a lot of character development but it was a short book.
May 28, 2023
"Out in the open, no shame was as awful as it appeared when hidden in the dark."The last novella I read in this series was the second, Final Chance, which I really enjoyed. I wish I could say the same for this one but unfortunately I can’t. Somehow reading this novella felt like it had been written by an entirely different author.
For one thing, the POV switched from third person perspective to first, going back and forth from Kiva and Preen’s perspective. While I usually like first person perspective reads, in this one it didn’t seem to work as well, the reason being that the characters themselves appeared to be different than the last time I read about them. Now, could this be because the last novella I read was in 2020 maybe but I don’t believe so as I went back and skimmed Final Chance just to see about some of the differences.
One of the difficulties in liking this novella had to do with not liking the characters much. Again, they almost came across as completely different characters from the last time I read about them. For some reason I did not remember Preen only being a teenager in the other novella and now just turning 18. That changes a lot of my view on how I perceive so much around her like the romance and her having a child. I think the reason I didn’t remember or it didn’t stick in my brain that she’s not even 18 yet is because her internal voice reads like someone in their mid-20s. The only thing that doesn’t is her tendency towards self pity and over emotional reacting. Also, sometimes her word choices don’t fit, like “didn’t say nothing more”, “wouldn’t neither of us be”, they make her sounds like a country girl, a way she didn’t talk in the last novella. Preen is very articulate for her age most of the book but then she’ll say things that don’t fit in her overall vernacular and that is jarring. And it seemed like her relationship with her daughter not only took a backseat but a bad turn as well. I know she’s young herself but it seemed like she was always upset with Sitabi and only paying attention to her to chastise her or provide her with basic needs and not much more. Yes, she was marrying Kiva to give her a father but her being a mother left much to be desired.
As for the romance, honestly, I don’t know that there even was much of one sadly. I thought she was over Rama by the end of the last book, from what I remember there wasn’t much redemption for him but she spends the entirety of this book defending him and being angry at the man she’s supposed to marry who came to help her at the end of the other book. And the nice Kiva I remember was completely changed. Again, could be my time away from reading the last one but his character seemed so kind-hearted to me and yet in this book he comes across as the sad friend-zoned guy who just won’t take a hint from the girl who wants nothing to do with him. Kiva and Preen’s love story would’ve been good had it been about what it originally started out as, realizing you made a bad choice when you were young and deciding to make the wiser one now that you’ve learned. Of course that was made out to be like she was going to marry Kiva out of obligation and not love but there could’ve been both, love can be a choice to recognize the good someone is offering vs the bad she let herself fall into. That’s what I had hoped would be the romantic story, Preen realizing that Kiva had been the right guy all along and her letting go of the rose colored glasses related to Rama. Instead Kiva is made out to be someone who just wants to have a do over and puts all his wants on Preen and she can’t forget about Rama long enough to see all the attempts Kiva is making to build her and her daughter a better life. The only reason they have a good end is because Preen feels she gets a do over with saving Kiva, something she guilts herself with over Rama the entire novella. They don’t come together because she realizes she really does love him or recognizes how good he’ll be for her, its only because she feels she relived a moment she regrets with her former husband in a better way with Kiva. Not an awesome romantic plot there.
As for world building I had hoped this time around I would get a better understanding of where these people were and what their culture was like, even what they looked like really as last time I remember having the impression they were of an Indian / Islamic culture. Unfortunately I didn’t come away with much of a better impression than the last time, if anything I felt more confused by the addition of too many mixed cultural details. I believe it’s meant to be a fictional world inside of our own. Unfortunately though the culture of these people borrows from so many other cultures it’s hard to distinguish what these people are meant to be like. Maybe I’d understand more if I read all the books but between the blend of blue jeans, wood fueled houses, red hair with dreadlocks, nose rings, green wedding dresses and country speak I’m unsure just what culture this is meant to resemble. The author has created this world of Sevia but it is somehow still linked to our own world. This blending is where confusion happens. The characters have a very Western way of acting and appearing yet their customs are mostly Middle Eastern, something that doesn’t mesh well to me and creates a disjointed mess of the narrative.
Especially when it comes to the faith narrative. Christianity is of course an our world and non-fictional thing yet aspects of the novella lend itself to making faith seem shallow or inconsistent. While the wearing of a nose ring for a character isn’t in and of itself a big deal, in the overall sense of Middle Eastern customs the novella puts forth that creates conflicts with a Christian faith. Nose rings in Hindu faith represent worship and devotion to the goddess Parvati so having that be part of a custom with characters in the book who practice Christianity doesn’t fit. Nor does marrying your 2nd cousin. Although not strictly prohibited, there is honestly an ick factor that does need to be realized.
Much of the “faith” for these characters comes down to platitudes and big signs they believe they’ve been given from God which I don’t think counts really as faith at all when God doesn’t usually work that way. Overall I think the author would’ve been better suited to creating her own religious system in this world that fit the customs and whims of the people in the novella instead of using Christianity but not making the message or meanings clear.
This book falls squarely in the ambiguous literary fiction, the plot kind of ambles about without a seeming direction. The author attempts to get us involved with the characters but unfortunately I couldn’t feel much for them as the world around them wasn’t clearly defined so it was hard to image who they were or why I should really invest in them at all. The novella gets two stars merely because the author does have some poetic one liners and I appreciate her willingness to communicate with readers as she has been nice when I have sent back comments on her work.
This may be my last foray into this world but I’m glad to have finished Preen’s story, I’m glad she had a better end than where I left her the last time. Although not perfect I’ll always take a happy ending.
– I voluntarily read and reviewed an e-copy of this book I received for free from the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own. –
Review on my blog: The Babbling Books Blog
September 9, 2024
Judgment Call - Shards of Sevia by E. B. Roshan is the fifth in the Shards of Sevia series and a direct sequel to Final Chance, the second book. This set of novels concerns Sevia, a fictional country, torn apart by rival factions. A bloody uprising has caused peacekeeping troops to enter, but their efforts haven’t resulted in peace.
The conflict has uprooted and psychologically scarred Preen. Judgment Call is about forgiveness—forgiving oneself, forgiving others, possibly even trusting an enemy. It’s also an action-adventure with a love story at its center. Will Preen eventually allow her suitor into her world?
This novel doesn’t shy away from hard questions or honest talk about faith. The characters may be religious people, but they struggle to forgive an enemy when he asks for it.
Brutal, genuine, and never plodding Judgment Call may be read alone or as part of a duology with Final Chance. Either way, you’re bound to be swept up into this contemporary romantic thriller.
The conflict has uprooted and psychologically scarred Preen. Judgment Call is about forgiveness—forgiving oneself, forgiving others, possibly even trusting an enemy. It’s also an action-adventure with a love story at its center. Will Preen eventually allow her suitor into her world?
This novel doesn’t shy away from hard questions or honest talk about faith. The characters may be religious people, but they struggle to forgive an enemy when he asks for it.
Brutal, genuine, and never plodding Judgment Call may be read alone or as part of a duology with Final Chance. Either way, you’re bound to be swept up into this contemporary romantic thriller.
June 30, 2023
A great addition to the series, Judgment call is a fast-paced read with a little bit of everything. There’s action and drama, but there are also quiet moments of introspection and discussion about love and family. The world-building is well-done and the characters fit in their world, unique and true to it. I would recommend this series to anyone looking for a good read.
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