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The Codex of Indresal #1
Only a Portal Away
Where Enchanted (2007) Meets Wheel of Time!
What would you do if you came home one day to find your favorite fictional character from the book series you're obsessed with standing in the middle of your living room, injured and confused? That was the dilemma Aliya, a tired junior from the University of Georgia, had to face when she walked into her house. Only to find that it was broken into by her favorite fictional Crown Prince Enzo al'Deran.
Reluctant to believe him at first, Aliya had no choice but to do so when Enzo creates miniature portals right in front of her. A feat Aliya was pretty sure could not happen in the real world.
Adamant to go back to his world, Enzo enlists Aliya's help. But could they actually be able to go back into Enzo's not-so-fictional world of Indresal. Especially with the maniac that chased Enzo from Indresal had also come through the portal to Earth. Intent on killing Enzo.
Was Aliya willing to risk her life and future for a person that she still wasn't sure might just be a figment of her imagination?
What would you do if you came home one day to find your favorite fictional character from the book series you're obsessed with standing in the middle of your living room, injured and confused? That was the dilemma Aliya, a tired junior from the University of Georgia, had to face when she walked into her house. Only to find that it was broken into by her favorite fictional Crown Prince Enzo al'Deran.
Reluctant to believe him at first, Aliya had no choice but to do so when Enzo creates miniature portals right in front of her. A feat Aliya was pretty sure could not happen in the real world.
Adamant to go back to his world, Enzo enlists Aliya's help. But could they actually be able to go back into Enzo's not-so-fictional world of Indresal. Especially with the maniac that chased Enzo from Indresal had also come through the portal to Earth. Intent on killing Enzo.
Was Aliya willing to risk her life and future for a person that she still wasn't sure might just be a figment of her imagination?
- GenresFantasy
Unknown Binding
First published May 21, 2024
3 people are currently reading
54 people want to read
About the author
Akira Varma
7 books25 followersHello loves!
I am Akira (obviously...). I write fantasy, sci-fi and romance... and sometimes mix those genres together. I began writing when Supernatural, Marvel, and Doctor Who - all movies and shows that I'll gladly discuss with anyone that wants to talk to me about - started killing off my favorite characters. Although, I think I should write more in this section, I believe I'm too much of an introvert to go outside and do anything else.
See you guys in my next books!
Love,
Akira
I am Akira (obviously...). I write fantasy, sci-fi and romance... and sometimes mix those genres together. I began writing when Supernatural, Marvel, and Doctor Who - all movies and shows that I'll gladly discuss with anyone that wants to talk to me about - started killing off my favorite characters. Although, I think I should write more in this section, I believe I'm too much of an introvert to go outside and do anything else.
See you guys in my next books!
Love,
Akira
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
September 13, 2024
⭐2.4
A brilliant concept let down by weak execution, 'Only a Portal Away' by Akira Varma boasts a compelling premise: the unexpected discovery that the magical world you've cherished is not only real, but far more perilous than imagined. This revelation, triggered by the arrival of a beloved character in one's home, is an intriguing setup. The narrative is engaging, with Enzo's portal-manipulation abilities serving as a strong plot device. For those willing to look past the novel’s flaws, there’s an enjoyable story here.
While the pacing is adequate, the writing style significantly detracts from the reading experience. The prose is marred by repetition, limited vocabulary, and a lack of refinement. The writing is undeniably the novel’s weakest element and would greatly benefit from extensive editing.
The primary characters are somewhat underdeveloped, which is unfortunate given their evident potential. Sienna’s irritation with the others adds a humorous charm, but overall, these characters could have been much more impactful - particularly Aliya, of whom we learn so little despite her pivotal role.
The novel is rich in high-stakes action sequences and features a formidable villain commanding a fearsome berserker army, although the emotional depth of the story is somewhat neglected.
'Only a Portal Away' is built on an excellent foundation, but its execution falls short. The plot is captivating, with a skillfully handled cliffhanger, but the novel is ultimately held back by subpar writing. With substantial editing and a more thorough exploration of the characters, this story has the potential to be truly remarkable.
Genre:
-Fantasy Romance
Tropes:
-Quest
-Magical realism
-Fantasy World
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
A brilliant concept let down by weak execution, 'Only a Portal Away' by Akira Varma boasts a compelling premise: the unexpected discovery that the magical world you've cherished is not only real, but far more perilous than imagined. This revelation, triggered by the arrival of a beloved character in one's home, is an intriguing setup. The narrative is engaging, with Enzo's portal-manipulation abilities serving as a strong plot device. For those willing to look past the novel’s flaws, there’s an enjoyable story here.
While the pacing is adequate, the writing style significantly detracts from the reading experience. The prose is marred by repetition, limited vocabulary, and a lack of refinement. The writing is undeniably the novel’s weakest element and would greatly benefit from extensive editing.
The primary characters are somewhat underdeveloped, which is unfortunate given their evident potential. Sienna’s irritation with the others adds a humorous charm, but overall, these characters could have been much more impactful - particularly Aliya, of whom we learn so little despite her pivotal role.
The novel is rich in high-stakes action sequences and features a formidable villain commanding a fearsome berserker army, although the emotional depth of the story is somewhat neglected.
'Only a Portal Away' is built on an excellent foundation, but its execution falls short. The plot is captivating, with a skillfully handled cliffhanger, but the novel is ultimately held back by subpar writing. With substantial editing and a more thorough exploration of the characters, this story has the potential to be truly remarkable.
Genre:
-Fantasy Romance
Tropes:
-Quest
-Magical realism
-Fantasy World
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 5, 2024
Who is your favorite book character? I certainly have one! Picture this: After a demanding day at classes, working her second job, and grocery shopping, Aliya comes home to find her favorite book character waiting in her living room. His name is Crown Prince Enzo of Ravendore, and he has mistakenly landed on Earth through the wrong portal. Enzo urgently needs to return to Ravendore, but to make matters worse, he has lost his power to portal back home. He may need help comprehending cars, Taylor Swift, or traffic, but he knows there is a connection to Aliya. Can she assist him in getting back home? What will unfold when they realize he is trailed by an evil Dark One disciple and his rogue Berserkers? It's a situation unlike any other and is about to unravel unexpectedly.
In "Only One Portal Away" by Akira Varma, I was immediately drawn in by the witty and intriguing chapter titles. Phrases such as "This has to be the Twilight Zone" and "Idiots. I am dealing with Idiots." perfectly showcase Varma's clever sense of humor. Enzo and Aliya are wonderfully complex and romantic characters, and you can't help but become emotionally invested in their journey. Sienna is portrayed as a tenacious fighter and survivor from Pheandra, and her possession of a glowing crystal necklace adds another layer of mystique to the story as she helps Enzo find his way back home. On the other hand, Damon is depicted as the epitome of an evil, cruel, and exasperating villain, embodying everything a villain should be and more.
Aliya's emotional connection to Enzo strengthens as she reveals her delightful sense of humor. It's truly endearing to witness her momentarily flustered state when Enzo uncovers the depth of her adoration for his character. Lightheartedly, she jokes, "No fictional character should ever know how much you love them." Additionally, Aliya expresses her search for a new author capable of evoking intense emotions without leaving her feeling emotionally shattered.
The book captivated me with its exhilarating fight scenes, which showcased Enzo's unwavering dedication to his homeland and his fierce desire to shield Aliya from Damon. Their fate's unpredictability and constant uncertainty kept me on the edge of my seat. This captivating read is a perfect choice for fantasy and romance fans. As the opening installment in The Codex of Indresal series, it left me anxiously awaiting the next chapter in the saga.
Honest book review for Reedsy
In "Only One Portal Away" by Akira Varma, I was immediately drawn in by the witty and intriguing chapter titles. Phrases such as "This has to be the Twilight Zone" and "Idiots. I am dealing with Idiots." perfectly showcase Varma's clever sense of humor. Enzo and Aliya are wonderfully complex and romantic characters, and you can't help but become emotionally invested in their journey. Sienna is portrayed as a tenacious fighter and survivor from Pheandra, and her possession of a glowing crystal necklace adds another layer of mystique to the story as she helps Enzo find his way back home. On the other hand, Damon is depicted as the epitome of an evil, cruel, and exasperating villain, embodying everything a villain should be and more.
Aliya's emotional connection to Enzo strengthens as she reveals her delightful sense of humor. It's truly endearing to witness her momentarily flustered state when Enzo uncovers the depth of her adoration for his character. Lightheartedly, she jokes, "No fictional character should ever know how much you love them." Additionally, Aliya expresses her search for a new author capable of evoking intense emotions without leaving her feeling emotionally shattered.
The book captivated me with its exhilarating fight scenes, which showcased Enzo's unwavering dedication to his homeland and his fierce desire to shield Aliya from Damon. Their fate's unpredictability and constant uncertainty kept me on the edge of my seat. This captivating read is a perfect choice for fantasy and romance fans. As the opening installment in The Codex of Indresal series, it left me anxiously awaiting the next chapter in the saga.
Honest book review for Reedsy
January 12, 2026
ARC
eARC recieved from NetGalley.
fascinating premise. I was excited to see what the author would do with the romance because there are many ways it can go down with a book-boyfriend & fan pair: How much embarrassment does the character feel? How does she deal with it? Does she show her love outwardly or keep it hidden? Does it throw off the MC? Does he think she's weird?
however, it takes a disappointing turn with the insta-love. The characters seem to accept everything thrown at them. It ended up making the entire thing a bit unrealistic. multiple times, the author adds weird phrases - it ends up reading like a fan-fiction at times.
the entire plot of how Aliya found the secret author could've been added, and it would've made things a bit more interesting. instead, she seems to magically find the name and house of someone who was supposed to be mysterious.
the dialogues are hilarious at times, but the reading eventually gets tiring as there is more telling than showing. characters go back and forth in their thoughts for multiple pages without any progress. there’s also the constant repetition of actions and endless thoughts (and I mean it, they're pages long) the characters have - why does Aliya need to remind herself of the real name of someone four times in the span of 2 pages
all that being said, the premise was intriguing and I hope the writing in the further books improves.
eARC recieved from NetGalley.
fascinating premise. I was excited to see what the author would do with the romance because there are many ways it can go down with a book-boyfriend & fan pair: How much embarrassment does the character feel? How does she deal with it? Does she show her love outwardly or keep it hidden? Does it throw off the MC? Does he think she's weird?
however, it takes a disappointing turn with the insta-love. The characters seem to accept everything thrown at them. It ended up making the entire thing a bit unrealistic. multiple times, the author adds weird phrases - it ends up reading like a fan-fiction at times.
the entire plot of how Aliya found the secret author could've been added, and it would've made things a bit more interesting. instead, she seems to magically find the name and house of someone who was supposed to be mysterious.
the dialogues are hilarious at times, but the reading eventually gets tiring as there is more telling than showing. characters go back and forth in their thoughts for multiple pages without any progress. there’s also the constant repetition of actions and endless thoughts (and I mean it, they're pages long) the characters have - why does Aliya need to remind herself of the real name of someone four times in the span of 2 pages
all that being said, the premise was intriguing and I hope the writing in the further books improves.
April 27, 2024
“No fictional character should know the extent [to which] you love them.” I want to start by saying that I loved the premise of the book - you come home one day and your favorite character is standing in your living room and needs your help? Uh, yes please.
Where I think the idea gets let down is in the pacing (so fast) and the writing style (so repetitive!), as well as in the (lack of) character development. It doesn’t really make sense that Enzo would form such a bond with Aliya as fast as he does, and even the reader knows basically nothing about her by the end of the book. And also, he is kind of a jerk to her! To me, the chapter headings were a little silly, and not a good fit for the chapters themselves, though I did chuckle at the one about Aliya thinking Damon would be taller. I know we are not meant to comment on these types of things, but… an editor is really needed to catch the MANY errors in spelling and grammar, and some (albeit minor) plot holes, such as one character having a bat in the backseat of her car (but she is actually driving another character’s car at the time….).
I really wanted to hear more about the original book series that had made Aliya such a fan. My favorite line in the book - “Even Crown Princes can be side characters in someone else’s story,” - is so awesome, but we hear nothing about that someone else and never learn whether it was a real person or whether it was a story that Sienna had made up.
I did like the cliffhanger ending!
Thank you to NetGalley and Akira Varma for allowing me to read an advance release copy of the book; this is my honest review.
Where I think the idea gets let down is in the pacing (so fast) and the writing style (so repetitive!), as well as in the (lack of) character development. It doesn’t really make sense that Enzo would form such a bond with Aliya as fast as he does, and even the reader knows basically nothing about her by the end of the book. And also, he is kind of a jerk to her! To me, the chapter headings were a little silly, and not a good fit for the chapters themselves, though I did chuckle at the one about Aliya thinking Damon would be taller. I know we are not meant to comment on these types of things, but… an editor is really needed to catch the MANY errors in spelling and grammar, and some (albeit minor) plot holes, such as one character having a bat in the backseat of her car (but she is actually driving another character’s car at the time….).
I really wanted to hear more about the original book series that had made Aliya such a fan. My favorite line in the book - “Even Crown Princes can be side characters in someone else’s story,” - is so awesome, but we hear nothing about that someone else and never learn whether it was a real person or whether it was a story that Sienna had made up.
I did like the cliffhanger ending!
Thank you to NetGalley and Akira Varma for allowing me to read an advance release copy of the book; this is my honest review.
April 17, 2025
I was...not going to finish Akira Varma's Only a Portal Away.
About 29 pages in, I decided this book was very poorly written and therefore not worth my time. When I reach this point with a book, usually my first stop is to read the reviews, confirming to myself that it's not about to get better any time soon. And of the reviews I've read thus far, I genuinely do believe this was an accurate assessment.
That said, I also can't in good conscience rate this book a well deserved one-star if I DNF at 11%.
Let me just say that forcing myself to finish this was a chore; but I believe it was necessary because, if nothing else, I think this book does call for an in-depth explanation for why a reasonably good concept just isn't working out and potential readers deserve to know what they're getting themselves into...
When I say that the entire book is like this, an offhand and disjointed stream of consciousness that jumps from one thing to the next and then circles back to repeat itself all while never actually showing readers anything, I wish I were joking. This small excerpt alone literally repeats itself again with just a single paragraph in between that describes the her fictional crush looking at his hands. And then we get pages of her embarrassment because the author just can't help herself from describing all the things Aliya either owns or has done relating to this favorite character of hers. And then we get repeats of how good this guy looks.
I can't even begin with how many times I groaned at those repeats. My word, they never ended!
And this is without even bothering to get into the abject ridiculousness of assuming someone from a fantasy realm would understand anything about browser history.
Only a Portal Away desperately needs a team of editors to sit the author down and explain all of the cuts it needs to be functionally readable and then discuss how to add content that will move the story along without making it feel rushed. We didn't need to be in Aliya's head this much, rather we needed to see her reacting and learning. We needed to see how these characters might grow to actually feel for each other; Enzo, especially, but yes, even Aliya! There's so much you can do with a plot like this and at every turn Varma just failed.
I did not need to be getting direct thoughts from Aliya through the whole novel literally telling me what was going on in her head, I needed the author to show me. As it stands, with all the cuts I would have made due to ridiculous redundancy, this book should have been half as long as it ended up being. The problem with this, of course, is that you've got little more than an outline of your story's plot masquerading as the book as a result.
And this is precisely why the world building and character development felt so lacking—when you fill your novel with pages of useless fluff to meet the word count goals, you have precious little space for the actual story. There's no showing readers evolution of thought or character development when you've spent twelve paragraphs alternating between internal embarrassment and ogling the other character.
Let me put it this way: Enzo's realization of the realities of his situation should not have been something he reached in approximately nine sentences of his dialogue. Just like so much else in this book, "What? [...] Uh, yes I am. Are you really sure that I'm fictional? What world is this? What even made you think I'm fictional? Who wrote this book? How do they know so much about this world? Do you know where the writer is? [...] Take me to her," should have taken pages to evolve, especially when a mere minute prior, Enzo had thought the book was a collected written history of a past war.
And I don't think anyone would be surprised to learn that this entire exchange, including the questions in verbatim, repeats several times in the subsequent pages.
I do genuinely believe that this had potential...but for the love of literature, if an author is going to self-publish, they need to spring for a team of good editors. Traditional publishing has them for a reason!
I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
About 29 pages in, I decided this book was very poorly written and therefore not worth my time. When I reach this point with a book, usually my first stop is to read the reviews, confirming to myself that it's not about to get better any time soon. And of the reviews I've read thus far, I genuinely do believe this was an accurate assessment.
That said, I also can't in good conscience rate this book a well deserved one-star if I DNF at 11%.
Let me just say that forcing myself to finish this was a chore; but I believe it was necessary because, if nothing else, I think this book does call for an in-depth explanation for why a reasonably good concept just isn't working out and potential readers deserve to know what they're getting themselves into...
"No fictional character should know the extent you love them. Aliya pursed her lips. Her eyes widened at the thought of all the fanfiction that she had read of Enzo. Aliya bit her lip as her breath hitched. Trying to control her emotions was futile at the moment. Her mind raced with all the images from the times she'd imagined Enzo...
He wasn't supposed to know that!
No one was supposed to know that!
That was supposed to be between her and her grave!
He already teased her about the hearts around his name in the book series. What would he even think of her if he saw her browser history? The thought itself was daunting. No hole would be deep enough for Aliya to dive into to escape the embarrassment. He didn't need to know that.
And if she had any say in it, he wouldn't have known any of this.
But she didn't. And here she was, desperately hoping that the hearts around his name were the only thing that Enzo saw."
When I say that the entire book is like this, an offhand and disjointed stream of consciousness that jumps from one thing to the next and then circles back to repeat itself all while never actually showing readers anything, I wish I were joking. This small excerpt alone literally repeats itself again with just a single paragraph in between that describes the her fictional crush looking at his hands. And then we get pages of her embarrassment because the author just can't help herself from describing all the things Aliya either owns or has done relating to this favorite character of hers. And then we get repeats of how good this guy looks.
I can't even begin with how many times I groaned at those repeats. My word, they never ended!
And this is without even bothering to get into the abject ridiculousness of assuming someone from a fantasy realm would understand anything about browser history.
Only a Portal Away desperately needs a team of editors to sit the author down and explain all of the cuts it needs to be functionally readable and then discuss how to add content that will move the story along without making it feel rushed. We didn't need to be in Aliya's head this much, rather we needed to see her reacting and learning. We needed to see how these characters might grow to actually feel for each other; Enzo, especially, but yes, even Aliya! There's so much you can do with a plot like this and at every turn Varma just failed.
I did not need to be getting direct thoughts from Aliya through the whole novel literally telling me what was going on in her head, I needed the author to show me. As it stands, with all the cuts I would have made due to ridiculous redundancy, this book should have been half as long as it ended up being. The problem with this, of course, is that you've got little more than an outline of your story's plot masquerading as the book as a result.
And this is precisely why the world building and character development felt so lacking—when you fill your novel with pages of useless fluff to meet the word count goals, you have precious little space for the actual story. There's no showing readers evolution of thought or character development when you've spent twelve paragraphs alternating between internal embarrassment and ogling the other character.
Let me put it this way: Enzo's realization of the realities of his situation should not have been something he reached in approximately nine sentences of his dialogue. Just like so much else in this book, "What? [...] Uh, yes I am. Are you really sure that I'm fictional? What world is this? What even made you think I'm fictional? Who wrote this book? How do they know so much about this world? Do you know where the writer is? [...] Take me to her," should have taken pages to evolve, especially when a mere minute prior, Enzo had thought the book was a collected written history of a past war.
And I don't think anyone would be surprised to learn that this entire exchange, including the questions in verbatim, repeats several times in the subsequent pages.
I do genuinely believe that this had potential...but for the love of literature, if an author is going to self-publish, they need to spring for a team of good editors. Traditional publishing has them for a reason!
I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 21, 2024
The Codex of Indresal. Ravendoore. War Torn Kingdoms. Fae. Ancient Elves. Magical Worlds.
This book takes the bookworm's dream: taking the reader's favorite character from their favorite novel, ripping them from their ink and paper world into the real world? He is wounded, dumbfounded. Aliya is a Junior at Georgia University. The favorite character: Crown Prince Enzo al'Deran of Ravendore.
Aliya wants to believe that the Prince came from her fantastical, magical, beautiful fictional world. To prove she isn't losing her mind, Enzo creates a portal to prove that the magic he weilds is real, that he is flesh and blood.
The Prince asks for Aliya's help. Enzo wants to take his reader into the world of Indresal. No pressure, along with learning of the fact that Enzo is being chased by the villain; and the villain is now in the real, tangible world.
Aliya must decide if she is willing to risk her life in order to save Indresal and the Crown Prince. She could either be going crazy, or she must save her favorite beloved fictional world. I needed this fun light-hearted read. There is so much fun whimsy.
There are dark moments, like when Crown Prince contends with terrible nightmares of the war. Blood, war, anger, screams, cries. The banter is witty and sweet. The silliness of Enzo slowly learning of Aliya's world is humorous and adorable.
I do believe this novel could have done much more with the plot, with more developed character arcs. The elements I loved were: the slow burn romance, a romantasy, and elves. Who doesn't love Elves. However, I still am not a fan of dual POVs. Also, I am just not a fan of the timeline constantly shifting back and forth between storylines. Overall, a good read. I would give the next book a chance to see where the adorable, whimsy couple does next in their fictional adventures 🌟🌟🌟/5 Stars!
This book takes the bookworm's dream: taking the reader's favorite character from their favorite novel, ripping them from their ink and paper world into the real world? He is wounded, dumbfounded. Aliya is a Junior at Georgia University. The favorite character: Crown Prince Enzo al'Deran of Ravendore.
Aliya wants to believe that the Prince came from her fantastical, magical, beautiful fictional world. To prove she isn't losing her mind, Enzo creates a portal to prove that the magic he weilds is real, that he is flesh and blood.
The Prince asks for Aliya's help. Enzo wants to take his reader into the world of Indresal. No pressure, along with learning of the fact that Enzo is being chased by the villain; and the villain is now in the real, tangible world.
Aliya must decide if she is willing to risk her life in order to save Indresal and the Crown Prince. She could either be going crazy, or she must save her favorite beloved fictional world. I needed this fun light-hearted read. There is so much fun whimsy.
There are dark moments, like when Crown Prince contends with terrible nightmares of the war. Blood, war, anger, screams, cries. The banter is witty and sweet. The silliness of Enzo slowly learning of Aliya's world is humorous and adorable.
I do believe this novel could have done much more with the plot, with more developed character arcs. The elements I loved were: the slow burn romance, a romantasy, and elves. Who doesn't love Elves. However, I still am not a fan of dual POVs. Also, I am just not a fan of the timeline constantly shifting back and forth between storylines. Overall, a good read. I would give the next book a chance to see where the adorable, whimsy couple does next in their fictional adventures 🌟🌟🌟/5 Stars!
April 23, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Akira Varma for allowing me a chance to read this book early in exchange for an honest review.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to meet your favorite fictional book character?
Well, Aliya does.
When she gets home from work one night to find an injured man in her house. She realizes that its Crown Prince Enzo of Ravendore, a character from her favorite book series. The rest of the story from there is a wild ride.
If you like:
✔ Changing timelines
✔ Fae
✔ Magic portals
✔ Adventure
✔ War torn kingdoms
There's a lot more, but I'll leave it at that.
This book was very fast paced (it takes place over only 2 DAYS) and I found myself flying through it. It was nice to read about the characters of books being placed into our world. I found myself laughing out loud whenever Enzo was riding in a car.
Romance was not the main point of this plot, which is a bit out of the norm for me, but I really enjoyed it. The plot of the book had you wondering what was going to happen next and the CLIFFHANGER at the end of this book. This book isn't even out yet and I need the second one.
A few things that I found was the repetitiveness, it felt like sometimes I was reading the same thing over and over and I was just ready to get to the next part. Also the fact that the same words were being used quite often. I don't think I've read the word "unhelpfully" more in my life than I did in this book.
Overall I would recommend this book, just push past the repetitiveness and I think you'll really enjoy it.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to meet your favorite fictional book character?
Well, Aliya does.
When she gets home from work one night to find an injured man in her house. She realizes that its Crown Prince Enzo of Ravendore, a character from her favorite book series. The rest of the story from there is a wild ride.
If you like:
✔ Changing timelines
✔ Fae
✔ Magic portals
✔ Adventure
✔ War torn kingdoms
There's a lot more, but I'll leave it at that.
This book was very fast paced (it takes place over only 2 DAYS) and I found myself flying through it. It was nice to read about the characters of books being placed into our world. I found myself laughing out loud whenever Enzo was riding in a car.
Romance was not the main point of this plot, which is a bit out of the norm for me, but I really enjoyed it. The plot of the book had you wondering what was going to happen next and the CLIFFHANGER at the end of this book. This book isn't even out yet and I need the second one.
A few things that I found was the repetitiveness, it felt like sometimes I was reading the same thing over and over and I was just ready to get to the next part. Also the fact that the same words were being used quite often. I don't think I've read the word "unhelpfully" more in my life than I did in this book.
Overall I would recommend this book, just push past the repetitiveness and I think you'll really enjoy it.
June 4, 2024
What would you do if you met your favourite character?
Such a great premise and a great start, I thoroughly enjoyed the first 30% of the book.
At around the 30% mark I found a lot of dialogue became repetitive and sometimes over explaining, getting bogged down in minor details, while not delving deep into character development.
A quick revision and removing some details while fleshing out more and this book would be a winner, I was totally invested in the premise, the stories and Indresal.
Thank you to Netgalley and the author for this ARC.
Such a great premise and a great start, I thoroughly enjoyed the first 30% of the book.
At around the 30% mark I found a lot of dialogue became repetitive and sometimes over explaining, getting bogged down in minor details, while not delving deep into character development.
A quick revision and removing some details while fleshing out more and this book would be a winner, I was totally invested in the premise, the stories and Indresal.
Thank you to Netgalley and the author for this ARC.
January 8, 2025
promising concept but very lackluster execution. i was initially intrigued by this bc of the local setting in my state but found the writing extremely disjointed & choppy, consistent repetition & over-explanation which made it so difficult to fully enjoy & be immersed by the story.
thank you to victory publishing for the opportunity to review an advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest thoughts 💌
thank you to victory publishing for the opportunity to review an advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest thoughts 💌
September 1, 2024
Only a Portal Away (The Codex of Indresal #1)
by Akira Varma
𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 ⇝ ★★★☆☆
🦋 𝐃𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 🦋
“I’d say I apologize for the cliff-hanger… But honestly, I’m not really sorry. Can I be sorry for NOT being sorry? Anyway, enjoy!”
𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 ↴
The book had me but after about 52% it kind of lost me a bit… I was very excited about this one because who wouldn’t want to me their favorite fictional character (except for maybe dark romance girlies). The book seemed a little repetitive, and I just couldn’t stay 100% focused on it. It was more of a “can we just get to the end” moment for me. I feel like we needed a bit more information about Aliya because we just don’t know much besides she’s a college student and her favorite fictional character is Enzo al’Deran… I’m honestly not sure if I will pick up the next book even with this cliffhanger.
𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 ↴
“This book mentions violence against people at all ages (yes, I mean ALL ages). There are mentions of death of loved ones, massacre and genocide - both on and off the pages. Please DO skip the parts that you’re uncomfortable reading. Your mental health is important and my priority!”
𝐖𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐲? ↴
If you like your books repetitive then why not?
🫧 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐫 🫧
This is an Advanced Reader copy. Although this book was given to me as an ARC my thoughts are my own.
🫧 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 📖
by Akira Varma
𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 ⇝ ★★★☆☆
🦋 𝐃𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 🦋
“I’d say I apologize for the cliff-hanger… But honestly, I’m not really sorry. Can I be sorry for NOT being sorry? Anyway, enjoy!”
𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 ↴
The book had me but after about 52% it kind of lost me a bit… I was very excited about this one because who wouldn’t want to me their favorite fictional character (except for maybe dark romance girlies). The book seemed a little repetitive, and I just couldn’t stay 100% focused on it. It was more of a “can we just get to the end” moment for me. I feel like we needed a bit more information about Aliya because we just don’t know much besides she’s a college student and her favorite fictional character is Enzo al’Deran… I’m honestly not sure if I will pick up the next book even with this cliffhanger.
𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 ↴
“This book mentions violence against people at all ages (yes, I mean ALL ages). There are mentions of death of loved ones, massacre and genocide - both on and off the pages. Please DO skip the parts that you’re uncomfortable reading. Your mental health is important and my priority!”
𝐖𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐲? ↴
If you like your books repetitive then why not?
🫧 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐫 🫧
This is an Advanced Reader copy. Although this book was given to me as an ARC my thoughts are my own.
🫧 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 📖
November 27, 2024
𝘖𝘩 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘰 𝘐 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯…𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭, 𝘣𝘶𝘵…
I didn’t love it nor do I hate it. I see where the author is going with the story, but sadly, the content in the book was poorly written… However, I really do love the idea of the fictional character coming to life… literally every book girlies dream 🤣
Now, I know I know, I’m not published nor do I have any book out there in the world, so I can’t speak.. but I there is room for improvement.
Firstly, if I was the proof reader for this novel, I’d definitely point out that there were so many things that were repeated quite often and it made the story feel like it was written by someone who had no idea what a thesaurus was, knew how to spell, or use grammar properly. These are easy mistakes but they could’ve been avoided if proofread properly. For example, the use of “his/her brain said unhelpfully…” that was used to many times to count that I kept sighing whenever I read it. While reading, it felt like the structure was whacked or as if the author had forgotten what they had written and then either repeated it again but written slightly different, or just forgot about it. For example, I picked up that Enzo described Aliya had “brown eyes behind glasses…” only for him to ask himself pages later: “since when did she wear glasses?”
It was just confusing and made the book feel like it waffled a lot as if to fill the gaps or to make the story feel like there’s more. My English teacher used to say I waffled a lot when doing essays so I’ve remembered some points to keep it concise.
The story seems very fast paced and everything seems to be happening in the span of 2-3 days which makes it feel like it gets lost every now and then. Especially with the lack of mentioning whether it was night or day. Cause it felt like what seemed to be described as days on end of running for their life, was only 1 day. There’s not much space for the world building to get a sense of the stuff that’s happening. In Enzo’s flash back POVs it was really boring I almost wanted to skim through them, but I continued to read it so I can make this review and give feedback.
Secondly, the characters weren’t portrayed well. It felt like I was getting whiplash from both Aliya and Enzo’s personalities or characteristics that I started to get confused with how they were actually feeling; in the moment and about each other. I know the author tried to weave in the romance or like to try create banter or slow burn between them, but it wasn’t executed well. Apparently Enzo teased Aliya a lot but it seemed like he was annoyed at her and she to him, it wasn’t clearly written that I couldn’t get that feeling from either of them.
Aliya’s personality seems so hot and cold. She says she loves Enzo cause he’s her fav fictional character, but then she’s saying “never meet your heroes”, that he wasn’t actually her favourite character and then she’s consistently rolling her eyes at him and scoffing. Idk if this is supposed to be “banter”, but it’s written kinda poorly. I can see where the author is trying to go with this, I really do, it’s just badly written.
Thirdly, there was a lack of mundane things. Like did they have showers? Or did they just change and get on with their day? It wasn’t very clear and it felt like the author didn’t take this into account and only wanted to progress with the story and keep with the action and create the “suspense”. With the lack of the smaller details like these, it made me believe that the characters never heard of sleep or showers. Back in the earlier chapters is more so where I was looking for that description since it was described that Enzo was injured and Aliya tried to clean his wounds. But there was a lack of information and it made me question: “did he have armour on? Did she have to remove his armour to clean his arm?” These small details were missed and it made me assume at one point that he went to sleep in Aliya’s bed in his armour (if he wore any), but miraculously woke up with his chest exposed.
Maybe that’s just me thinking these small things, but in the long run, these smaller details could’ve made the story a lot better.
Because overall, I really did enjoy it. It’s just the story felt rushed and it could’ve been better if it was really taken into account. No shade to the author, these were just some thoughts I had while reading.
So, dear author, if you see this review and read it, please don’t let it deter you from writing. Let this be feedback, as if I were someone proofreading your work, to help you improve your writing or to think about the small things to help with future books!! I’d be interested to see where Aliya and Enzo’s story goes, cause damn cliffhanger…
I didn’t love it nor do I hate it. I see where the author is going with the story, but sadly, the content in the book was poorly written… However, I really do love the idea of the fictional character coming to life… literally every book girlies dream 🤣
Now, I know I know, I’m not published nor do I have any book out there in the world, so I can’t speak.. but I there is room for improvement.
Firstly, if I was the proof reader for this novel, I’d definitely point out that there were so many things that were repeated quite often and it made the story feel like it was written by someone who had no idea what a thesaurus was, knew how to spell, or use grammar properly. These are easy mistakes but they could’ve been avoided if proofread properly. For example, the use of “his/her brain said unhelpfully…” that was used to many times to count that I kept sighing whenever I read it. While reading, it felt like the structure was whacked or as if the author had forgotten what they had written and then either repeated it again but written slightly different, or just forgot about it. For example, I picked up that Enzo described Aliya had “brown eyes behind glasses…” only for him to ask himself pages later: “since when did she wear glasses?”
It was just confusing and made the book feel like it waffled a lot as if to fill the gaps or to make the story feel like there’s more. My English teacher used to say I waffled a lot when doing essays so I’ve remembered some points to keep it concise.
The story seems very fast paced and everything seems to be happening in the span of 2-3 days which makes it feel like it gets lost every now and then. Especially with the lack of mentioning whether it was night or day. Cause it felt like what seemed to be described as days on end of running for their life, was only 1 day. There’s not much space for the world building to get a sense of the stuff that’s happening. In Enzo’s flash back POVs it was really boring I almost wanted to skim through them, but I continued to read it so I can make this review and give feedback.
Secondly, the characters weren’t portrayed well. It felt like I was getting whiplash from both Aliya and Enzo’s personalities or characteristics that I started to get confused with how they were actually feeling; in the moment and about each other. I know the author tried to weave in the romance or like to try create banter or slow burn between them, but it wasn’t executed well. Apparently Enzo teased Aliya a lot but it seemed like he was annoyed at her and she to him, it wasn’t clearly written that I couldn’t get that feeling from either of them.
Aliya’s personality seems so hot and cold. She says she loves Enzo cause he’s her fav fictional character, but then she’s saying “never meet your heroes”, that he wasn’t actually her favourite character and then she’s consistently rolling her eyes at him and scoffing. Idk if this is supposed to be “banter”, but it’s written kinda poorly. I can see where the author is trying to go with this, I really do, it’s just badly written.
Thirdly, there was a lack of mundane things. Like did they have showers? Or did they just change and get on with their day? It wasn’t very clear and it felt like the author didn’t take this into account and only wanted to progress with the story and keep with the action and create the “suspense”. With the lack of the smaller details like these, it made me believe that the characters never heard of sleep or showers. Back in the earlier chapters is more so where I was looking for that description since it was described that Enzo was injured and Aliya tried to clean his wounds. But there was a lack of information and it made me question: “did he have armour on? Did she have to remove his armour to clean his arm?” These small details were missed and it made me assume at one point that he went to sleep in Aliya’s bed in his armour (if he wore any), but miraculously woke up with his chest exposed.
Maybe that’s just me thinking these small things, but in the long run, these smaller details could’ve made the story a lot better.
Because overall, I really did enjoy it. It’s just the story felt rushed and it could’ve been better if it was really taken into account. No shade to the author, these were just some thoughts I had while reading.
So, dear author, if you see this review and read it, please don’t let it deter you from writing. Let this be feedback, as if I were someone proofreading your work, to help you improve your writing or to think about the small things to help with future books!! I’d be interested to see where Aliya and Enzo’s story goes, cause damn cliffhanger…
June 8, 2024
Thank you, NetGalley for giving me a free copy for an honest review.
This book has an amazing premise. 'Your favorite book character appears in your living room needing your help.' I man please I've read the Tumbler posts for it... sadly the Tumbler posts are better.
For the good part of this series, The first chapter was fun... I'm happy we got a full lesbian relationship... Yeah, that's about it. If you want a watered-down 'Fourth Wing' story with no spice (If that's your thing) and no character development, then this might be a good read. But I'm going to get into the longer bit about why this is a disappointment.
1. The characters don't act how they should: This comes from a few parts. Enzo has instant love for the FMC (I forgot her name, it sounded like a fantasy name where she's the only non-fantasy character and I jumped over her name when I saw it). There's really no reason for him to fall for her. She's a fangirl, it would be funnier if he thought she was weird and was put off by her then learned she was a good person or whatever. But nah, we're getting the generic insta-love. I was trying to figure out why Enzo was this woman's favorite character. Cause to me, the big spooky guy seemed more interesting. Also, there are times when I wanted the FMC to use her book knowledge to figure stuff out. She's read the series, she has a map of the country on her wall. Why doesn't she know about the Berserkers or all the other stuff that gets revealed? She felt like a character who was a stand-in without any depth or growth.
2. It's a constant chase scene: 70% of this book is someone shouting to get into a car because something is after them. I wanted more than that and I wasn't getting it. The only times we're not getting a chase scene is when the POV shifts.
3. Flashbacks: I was so confused by how the flashbacks in this were done. I didn't know if Enzo was dreaming or reliving something, it wasn't well defined and I wish the author could have taken more time.
4. Neck break pacing: This book on my Kindle took me a little over two hours to read. That's not a book. That's not a long enough book to be telling any fantasy story. I felt like I found fanfiction for a fandom I'm not a part of and was missing 50% of the background information. I don't know or care much about the fantasy world Enzo is from. It feels like every generic fantasy world. I don't get a sense of anything interesting because we're going from plot beat to plot beat without any thought.
I feel like this book was a rough draft of an idea. I'm really sad the book that got published with this plot hook is so mediocre. This could have been an interesting book where we talk about our dependency on fictional characters. How our heroes aren't what the written word makes them out to be. Or how the love of a fictional character can give a person the strength to get through their every day. But we didn't get that... And now I'm disappointed.
This book has an amazing premise. 'Your favorite book character appears in your living room needing your help.' I man please I've read the Tumbler posts for it... sadly the Tumbler posts are better.
For the good part of this series, The first chapter was fun... I'm happy we got a full lesbian relationship... Yeah, that's about it. If you want a watered-down 'Fourth Wing' story with no spice (If that's your thing) and no character development, then this might be a good read. But I'm going to get into the longer bit about why this is a disappointment.
1. The characters don't act how they should: This comes from a few parts. Enzo has instant love for the FMC (I forgot her name, it sounded like a fantasy name where she's the only non-fantasy character and I jumped over her name when I saw it). There's really no reason for him to fall for her. She's a fangirl, it would be funnier if he thought she was weird and was put off by her then learned she was a good person or whatever. But nah, we're getting the generic insta-love. I was trying to figure out why Enzo was this woman's favorite character. Cause to me, the big spooky guy seemed more interesting. Also, there are times when I wanted the FMC to use her book knowledge to figure stuff out. She's read the series, she has a map of the country on her wall. Why doesn't she know about the Berserkers or all the other stuff that gets revealed? She felt like a character who was a stand-in without any depth or growth.
2. It's a constant chase scene: 70% of this book is someone shouting to get into a car because something is after them. I wanted more than that and I wasn't getting it. The only times we're not getting a chase scene is when the POV shifts.
3. Flashbacks: I was so confused by how the flashbacks in this were done. I didn't know if Enzo was dreaming or reliving something, it wasn't well defined and I wish the author could have taken more time.
4. Neck break pacing: This book on my Kindle took me a little over two hours to read. That's not a book. That's not a long enough book to be telling any fantasy story. I felt like I found fanfiction for a fandom I'm not a part of and was missing 50% of the background information. I don't know or care much about the fantasy world Enzo is from. It feels like every generic fantasy world. I don't get a sense of anything interesting because we're going from plot beat to plot beat without any thought.
I feel like this book was a rough draft of an idea. I'm really sad the book that got published with this plot hook is so mediocre. This could have been an interesting book where we talk about our dependency on fictional characters. How our heroes aren't what the written word makes them out to be. Or how the love of a fictional character can give a person the strength to get through their every day. But we didn't get that... And now I'm disappointed.
July 8, 2024
2.5/5 ⭐️ So, here’s the thing. You can tell when an author is excited about their material and is trying hard to make you like and believe in it like they do. And that’s good! Unfortunately that’s pretty much the only good thing I can say about this one. Most of these reviews hit the nail on the head about the issues so I’ll try to be brief, but outline what stuck out to me.
1. Crazy repetitive. This was the first thing I noticed and it made it almost impossible to read, from the dialogue to how many times the author repeated the FMCS name, especially in the beginning. It drove me crazy, I’m sorry to say, and made me genuinely surprised this wasn’t the authors debut.
2. Poorly written characters. The insta love was too sudden to be believable or captivating. No way the MMC went through all he did and somehow fell in love with some girl with a creepy shrine to him immediately? He just gave in to the whole situation so soon it was unrealistic and made it hard to care at all about their relationship. Side note: the constant harping on how obsessed she was with him was not only realistic (we all have fictional boyfriends but her thing was just too much tbh) and cringey. Wouldn’t she care about any of the other elements of the book that much, any other character, or just this side character prince?
3. Flashbacks. I honestly feel bad about this but I found them so incredibly boring it was hard to read. They should have been so much more interesting and gripping for what they were and it just… wasn’t.
4. Unrealistic. I’m not talking about the portal jumping stuff. I mean the details. How can you discuss for so long how an author is incredibly reclusive & hard to find, and then the next morning you’ve suddenly found BOTH her home addresses without any explanation? Not even a sentence for how this hard to find author was found by an amateur sleuth on google? Lol.
Overall, hard to read and not enjoyable. Apologies if this comes off as harsh, but I truly believe with some better editing and feedback this author could give us something quite good. Until then, I’m not impressed.
—Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. 🤍
1. Crazy repetitive. This was the first thing I noticed and it made it almost impossible to read, from the dialogue to how many times the author repeated the FMCS name, especially in the beginning. It drove me crazy, I’m sorry to say, and made me genuinely surprised this wasn’t the authors debut.
2. Poorly written characters. The insta love was too sudden to be believable or captivating. No way the MMC went through all he did and somehow fell in love with some girl with a creepy shrine to him immediately? He just gave in to the whole situation so soon it was unrealistic and made it hard to care at all about their relationship. Side note: the constant harping on how obsessed she was with him was not only realistic (we all have fictional boyfriends but her thing was just too much tbh) and cringey. Wouldn’t she care about any of the other elements of the book that much, any other character, or just this side character prince?
3. Flashbacks. I honestly feel bad about this but I found them so incredibly boring it was hard to read. They should have been so much more interesting and gripping for what they were and it just… wasn’t.
4. Unrealistic. I’m not talking about the portal jumping stuff. I mean the details. How can you discuss for so long how an author is incredibly reclusive & hard to find, and then the next morning you’ve suddenly found BOTH her home addresses without any explanation? Not even a sentence for how this hard to find author was found by an amateur sleuth on google? Lol.
Overall, hard to read and not enjoyable. Apologies if this comes off as harsh, but I truly believe with some better editing and feedback this author could give us something quite good. Until then, I’m not impressed.
—Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. 🤍
April 25, 2024
Thank you to Akira Varma and Netgalley for giving me early access to this book in exchange for an honest review.
As an aspiring writer myself, one of my WIPs actually has the same basic premise: "What would you do if your favorite character suddenly shows up?" which is what made me want to read this book in the first place. The first 20% was... okay, and some parts are great; this book touched on some aspects of "meeting your favorite character" that I haven't quite explored in my own work.
Unfortunately, it's all downhill from there. The grammatical issues and typos are things I could overlook, as they may get fixed in the final version anyway. But so much telling makes the reading experience tedious, and it's hard to overlook how plot-convenient some things could be.
First of all, it's never explained how Aliya could find the address to her favorite author's home SO EASILY, when the said author uses a pseudonym and supposedly protects her identity very well. And then there's the repetitions; this book would describe the same actions and/or feelings more than once at times. In addition, the book would use weird phrases multiple times, such as:
(Statement), that was.
(Statement), her mind added, unhelpfully.
His body ached in places he didn't know he has muscles.
But what bothers me the most is how none of the characters' motivations are explored deeply enough; Enzo wants to return to where he comes from, sure, but after a while he no longer bases his actions on that - and I'm not even sure what Aliya wants. And when I don't get their motivations, I can't relate to them nor care about them.
The two main characters are almost immediately attracted to each other; Aliya, I get, since this is her favorite fictional character in the flesh - but Enzo? Then again, I don't get why Aliya is willing to risk so much - even her life - for Enzo. Heck, I don't even get why the so-called villain is so insistently on their tails. It's like this book is trying to do so many things at once.
As an aspiring writer myself, one of my WIPs actually has the same basic premise: "What would you do if your favorite character suddenly shows up?" which is what made me want to read this book in the first place. The first 20% was... okay, and some parts are great; this book touched on some aspects of "meeting your favorite character" that I haven't quite explored in my own work.
Unfortunately, it's all downhill from there. The grammatical issues and typos are things I could overlook, as they may get fixed in the final version anyway. But so much telling makes the reading experience tedious, and it's hard to overlook how plot-convenient some things could be.
First of all, it's never explained how Aliya could find the address to her favorite author's home SO EASILY, when the said author uses a pseudonym and supposedly protects her identity very well. And then there's the repetitions; this book would describe the same actions and/or feelings more than once at times. In addition, the book would use weird phrases multiple times, such as:
(Statement), that was.
(Statement), her mind added, unhelpfully.
His body ached in places he didn't know he has muscles.
But what bothers me the most is how none of the characters' motivations are explored deeply enough; Enzo wants to return to where he comes from, sure, but after a while he no longer bases his actions on that - and I'm not even sure what Aliya wants. And when I don't get their motivations, I can't relate to them nor care about them.
The two main characters are almost immediately attracted to each other; Aliya, I get, since this is her favorite fictional character in the flesh - but Enzo? Then again, I don't get why Aliya is willing to risk so much - even her life - for Enzo. Heck, I don't even get why the so-called villain is so insistently on their tails. It's like this book is trying to do so many things at once.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 12, 2024
Thank you Akira Varma for giving me this opportunity to be an arc reader for this book.
Only a Portal Away is the dream for every lover of fiction. When college student Aliya suddenly comes face to face with her (second favourite) fictional character her world tumbles upside down. Prince Enzo has only known war in Indesral. In one of his many battles against the Dark One, he unknowingly creates a portal to Earth where he meets Aliya. Together they go on a quest to find a way back to Indesral. All while being chased by Damon and his beasts.
Aliya is a fierce, funny and loyal college student who represents any girl who gets the chance to meet her (second) favourite character in real life. Enzo is a true procrastinator and charming as hell. I loved how he gets confused by Earth and how he makes mental notes to postpone certain chats with Aliya and others. He loves to tease Aliya when he finds out that she has all kinds of trinkets and merch of him and his world.
The chemistry between Aliya and Enzo is undeniable. While there is not much going on yet, there is definitely a certain attraction between the two. Even though they had a rough start.
The plot is certainly something that will get you on the edge of your seat. Varma knows precisely how to balance humour and tension. The world-building is incredible as well. With magic portals, epic battles and fallen kingdoms. With the multi-POV (mainly of Aliya and Enzo) we get an insight into their confused heads while venturing on their quest. The ending was exciting at the least. When you think it all is over, the more questions you get in return. (Just like when Enzo came to Earth)
I'd highly recommend this book to any book lover who wishes for her fictional dream to come true.
Only a Portal Away is the dream for every lover of fiction. When college student Aliya suddenly comes face to face with her (second favourite) fictional character her world tumbles upside down. Prince Enzo has only known war in Indesral. In one of his many battles against the Dark One, he unknowingly creates a portal to Earth where he meets Aliya. Together they go on a quest to find a way back to Indesral. All while being chased by Damon and his beasts.
Aliya is a fierce, funny and loyal college student who represents any girl who gets the chance to meet her (second) favourite character in real life. Enzo is a true procrastinator and charming as hell. I loved how he gets confused by Earth and how he makes mental notes to postpone certain chats with Aliya and others. He loves to tease Aliya when he finds out that she has all kinds of trinkets and merch of him and his world.
The chemistry between Aliya and Enzo is undeniable. While there is not much going on yet, there is definitely a certain attraction between the two. Even though they had a rough start.
The plot is certainly something that will get you on the edge of your seat. Varma knows precisely how to balance humour and tension. The world-building is incredible as well. With magic portals, epic battles and fallen kingdoms. With the multi-POV (mainly of Aliya and Enzo) we get an insight into their confused heads while venturing on their quest. The ending was exciting at the least. When you think it all is over, the more questions you get in return. (Just like when Enzo came to Earth)
I'd highly recommend this book to any book lover who wishes for her fictional dream to come true.
May 25, 2024
This was an amazing concept but horribly written. I was drawn to this story by the blurb because it was so unique. Your favorite book boyfriend suddenly appears in your living room, which starts a quest to get him back to his world? Come on- that should be an instant five star read. Unfortunately, this read like a really bad fan fiction.
The writing was clipped and disjointed. I’ve never been so upset with the line writing in a story. I understand that what I was given an eARC, but there’s no way the entire book would be so heavily edited by release that every sentence that started with a conjunction would be fixed. Her writing was very repetitive. She’d mention the same thing in the same paragraph, but worded it differently. The author tends to focus on useless things, such as constant back cracking and a whole page about struggling with grocery bags.
The prologue was pointless and confusing. Nothing from the prologue is ever eluded to again.
The characters had so much potential but lacked suitable development. Aliya had the least amount of development. All I know about her is that she’s an engineering student at UGA who lacks the intelligence to understand that what she says to Enzo makes no sense because he is literally from another world. Enzo and Sienna had a decent amount of character building, but Enzo did not come across as likable. There’s even a POV from the villain. I understand him more than I understand the female main character.
I really enjoyed the concept but holy moly, the writing made it an absolute struggle to finish.
Thank you NetGalley for the eARC.
The writing was clipped and disjointed. I’ve never been so upset with the line writing in a story. I understand that what I was given an eARC, but there’s no way the entire book would be so heavily edited by release that every sentence that started with a conjunction would be fixed. Her writing was very repetitive. She’d mention the same thing in the same paragraph, but worded it differently. The author tends to focus on useless things, such as constant back cracking and a whole page about struggling with grocery bags.
The prologue was pointless and confusing. Nothing from the prologue is ever eluded to again.
The characters had so much potential but lacked suitable development. Aliya had the least amount of development. All I know about her is that she’s an engineering student at UGA who lacks the intelligence to understand that what she says to Enzo makes no sense because he is literally from another world. Enzo and Sienna had a decent amount of character building, but Enzo did not come across as likable. There’s even a POV from the villain. I understand him more than I understand the female main character.
I really enjoyed the concept but holy moly, the writing made it an absolute struggle to finish.
Thank you NetGalley for the eARC.
April 17, 2024
I want to start this of by saying thank you to Akria Varma for giving me the opportunity to be an arc reader of Only a Portal Away.
Being someone who has enjoyed fantasy for years and has always dreamed of what it would be like to get to meet a character from a book, the amount of joy I had for Aliya while reading this was unexplainable. She was living my dream.
When ordinary college student Aliya comes face to face with her favourite fictional character, her whole world turns upside down. She is pulled into a war that she has only read about and sees things that seem so unimaginable.
The world-building was amazing, with multiple kingdoms, magic portals, battles, and different creatures you can really imagine everything that is going on. I really enjoyed the muli-POVs giving us insight to each of the characters. I also think that Enzo’s memories were very well done and helped expand our knowledge of the plot as a whole.
The only thing that really bothered me, is how fast the plot moved. I’ve had issues like this before, so it might just be a personal preference, but just into the second chapter I felt thrown into so much that I would have preferred a bit more build-up. Though it got better in the second half of the book, everything in general seemed to move really quickly which didn’t feel entirely realistic to me.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and the cliffhanger definitely got me so I will be watching out for a second book. I would recommend this book to any lover of fantasy who wants to see their own unimaginable dreams come to life.
Being someone who has enjoyed fantasy for years and has always dreamed of what it would be like to get to meet a character from a book, the amount of joy I had for Aliya while reading this was unexplainable. She was living my dream.
When ordinary college student Aliya comes face to face with her favourite fictional character, her whole world turns upside down. She is pulled into a war that she has only read about and sees things that seem so unimaginable.
The world-building was amazing, with multiple kingdoms, magic portals, battles, and different creatures you can really imagine everything that is going on. I really enjoyed the muli-POVs giving us insight to each of the characters. I also think that Enzo’s memories were very well done and helped expand our knowledge of the plot as a whole.
The only thing that really bothered me, is how fast the plot moved. I’ve had issues like this before, so it might just be a personal preference, but just into the second chapter I felt thrown into so much that I would have preferred a bit more build-up. Though it got better in the second half of the book, everything in general seemed to move really quickly which didn’t feel entirely realistic to me.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and the cliffhanger definitely got me so I will be watching out for a second book. I would recommend this book to any lover of fantasy who wants to see their own unimaginable dreams come to life.
Read
January 3, 2026When Aliya comes home after a strenuous day at Uni and work, she longs to curl up under her blanket with her favourite book, what she doesn't expect, is to have her home broken into by her beloved, favourite fictional character, the brooding, and deliciously gorgeous, yet injured, Crown Prince Enzo al'Deran.
Now in the mortal world Prince Enzo is injured and unable to access his magical powers, and cannot heal himself, Heavily relying on Aliya and her death-trap car and bizarre mortal traditions, the two set out to help him get back to his lands, but with the dark one also loose in the mortal realm, Enzo and Aliya may be in more danger than they first feared.
The premise of this story gripped me immediately, coming home to the fictional love of your life standing in your living room?! Say less. However the execution fell flat for me, the world-building was executed so well, and felt so close to being immersive, but the way the dialogue and POV's were written ended up pulling me out of the story, a lot. There was a lot of repetitive phrases where characters names were thrown in several times a sentence, and some of it just felt unbelievable.
It turns out this one wasn't for me. I just didn't feel the strong connection to the characters I longed for, and struggled to gather the motivation to pick the story back up once I'd put it down. The premise was gripping, and the plot itself was fast-paced, action packed, and had some refreshing and unique ideas, but I just couldn't push through unfortunately more of a me problem, I think.
DNF @ page 90
Now in the mortal world Prince Enzo is injured and unable to access his magical powers, and cannot heal himself, Heavily relying on Aliya and her death-trap car and bizarre mortal traditions, the two set out to help him get back to his lands, but with the dark one also loose in the mortal realm, Enzo and Aliya may be in more danger than they first feared.
The premise of this story gripped me immediately, coming home to the fictional love of your life standing in your living room?! Say less. However the execution fell flat for me, the world-building was executed so well, and felt so close to being immersive, but the way the dialogue and POV's were written ended up pulling me out of the story, a lot. There was a lot of repetitive phrases where characters names were thrown in several times a sentence, and some of it just felt unbelievable.
It turns out this one wasn't for me. I just didn't feel the strong connection to the characters I longed for, and struggled to gather the motivation to pick the story back up once I'd put it down. The premise was gripping, and the plot itself was fast-paced, action packed, and had some refreshing and unique ideas, but I just couldn't push through unfortunately more of a me problem, I think.
DNF @ page 90
May 5, 2024
An interesting idea with questionable execution.
“Only a Portal Away” finds your average girl Aliya face to face with her favorite fictional character and while they try to make sense of what could make something like that possible they realize he may not be the only thing that’s jumped off the page.
Here’s the thing I think any of us who find enjoyment reading have dreamt of a scenario where our favorite characters end up in our world and feel a connection to us that’s just as strong as the one who feel to them but unlike this version of that fantasy I would have way more questions.
The characters in this are fine with more than a few sharing names to that of The Vampire Diaries but maybe that’s just a coincidence? There’s a lot of repetition in not only plot elements but also character quirks and dialogue which makes it a bit clunky overall.
I agree with some other readers that one of the biggest struggles is that we know next to nothing about the original book series Prince Enzo falls out of so the impact of her meeting him and the rules of the world that’s now bleeding into our reality makes little sense as to why it would be a favorite at all.
I had high hopes for this one but I do hope other readers find enjoyment with the series!
*special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**
“Only a Portal Away” finds your average girl Aliya face to face with her favorite fictional character and while they try to make sense of what could make something like that possible they realize he may not be the only thing that’s jumped off the page.
Here’s the thing I think any of us who find enjoyment reading have dreamt of a scenario where our favorite characters end up in our world and feel a connection to us that’s just as strong as the one who feel to them but unlike this version of that fantasy I would have way more questions.
The characters in this are fine with more than a few sharing names to that of The Vampire Diaries but maybe that’s just a coincidence? There’s a lot of repetition in not only plot elements but also character quirks and dialogue which makes it a bit clunky overall.
I agree with some other readers that one of the biggest struggles is that we know next to nothing about the original book series Prince Enzo falls out of so the impact of her meeting him and the rules of the world that’s now bleeding into our reality makes little sense as to why it would be a favorite at all.
I had high hopes for this one but I do hope other readers find enjoyment with the series!
*special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**
June 27, 2024
***I received an ARC from Net Galley in exchange for my honest review
When Aliya, a junior from the University of Georgia, returns home with her arms full of groceries, she finds a surprise waiting for her.... her favorite fictional character, the Crown Prince Enzo al'Deran had broken in and was in her living room. She didn't believe that he was who he said he was, at first anyway.... not until she saw the pointy ears, oh and when he created the portal in her living room. Enzo is determined to go back to his world, but he needs her help. When he discovers all of the books that have been written about him & about Indresal, he decides that the author must hold the key to getting back to his world. The problem is, the maniac that chased Enzo from Indresal has also come through the portal to Earth. Intent on killing Enzo, and he will stop at nothing..
This is book one in The Codex Of Indresal series, and this series promises to be a good one. The author did a great job with character and world building, and I love how this book ended, on a cliffhanger, setting it up for the next book. I am really excited to see where the series goes from here, and I look forward to seeing if there is a romance in the future for Enzo & Aliya.
When Aliya, a junior from the University of Georgia, returns home with her arms full of groceries, she finds a surprise waiting for her.... her favorite fictional character, the Crown Prince Enzo al'Deran had broken in and was in her living room. She didn't believe that he was who he said he was, at first anyway.... not until she saw the pointy ears, oh and when he created the portal in her living room. Enzo is determined to go back to his world, but he needs her help. When he discovers all of the books that have been written about him & about Indresal, he decides that the author must hold the key to getting back to his world. The problem is, the maniac that chased Enzo from Indresal has also come through the portal to Earth. Intent on killing Enzo, and he will stop at nothing..
This is book one in The Codex Of Indresal series, and this series promises to be a good one. The author did a great job with character and world building, and I love how this book ended, on a cliffhanger, setting it up for the next book. I am really excited to see where the series goes from here, and I look forward to seeing if there is a romance in the future for Enzo & Aliya.
May 3, 2024
Imagine you get home after a hard day of work or uni and your favorite fictional character is standing in your living room...
That is exactly what happens to Aliya.
Crowns Prince Enzo of Ravendore is standing in her living room and her life will never be the same!
This book contains:
- Fae
- Magic portals
- Kingdoms at war
- Slow burn
- Adventure
This book just had me squealing and giggling the whole time.
The banter between them is amazing and him just being flabbergasted by her world is just too cute.
Also how Aliya is just so embarassed by all the fanart and little knick- knacks she has laying around is hilarious.
The book is really fast paced and i could not put it down! I mean, we all imagined at some point what it would be like
to meet our favorite fictional character so to read a book like that was amazing!
I loved every single second of it and immediately had to look up when the next one was coming out, cause i
need to know how the story continues!
I highly recommend this book to anyone that always wondered, what it would be like, to meet your favorite fictional character!
That is exactly what happens to Aliya.
Crowns Prince Enzo of Ravendore is standing in her living room and her life will never be the same!
This book contains:
- Fae
- Magic portals
- Kingdoms at war
- Slow burn
- Adventure
This book just had me squealing and giggling the whole time.
The banter between them is amazing and him just being flabbergasted by her world is just too cute.
Also how Aliya is just so embarassed by all the fanart and little knick- knacks she has laying around is hilarious.
The book is really fast paced and i could not put it down! I mean, we all imagined at some point what it would be like
to meet our favorite fictional character so to read a book like that was amazing!
I loved every single second of it and immediately had to look up when the next one was coming out, cause i
need to know how the story continues!
I highly recommend this book to anyone that always wondered, what it would be like, to meet your favorite fictional character!
August 1, 2024
I instantly started enjoying this book merely from the fact that it reminded me of Kate and Leopold but a fantasy action version. When Aliyah comes home and finds her favorite book character Prince Enzo there and injured she embarks on a journey to help him get back home. This journey takes them on quite an adventure together.
If you like:
- Magic portals
- Adventure
- Different timelines
- Wizards
- Slow Burn
You will enjoy and read this book very quickly. It was a quick read, which surprised me as I didn't realize how fast I was going through it until I finished. I was not prepared at all for it to end on a Cliffhanger as I guiltily was getting impatient for the happy ending that I was imagining in my head. Overall this book was a much-needed read for me to get me out of my current book slump I fell into. One downside is the repetitiveness that would happen sometimes, it gave me brief deja vu moments. But if you can look past that the eagerness from the authors' writing is contagious and will have you enjoying the book regardless.
Thank you to NetGalley and Akira Varma for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review of the book.
If you like:
- Magic portals
- Adventure
- Different timelines
- Wizards
- Slow Burn
You will enjoy and read this book very quickly. It was a quick read, which surprised me as I didn't realize how fast I was going through it until I finished. I was not prepared at all for it to end on a Cliffhanger as I guiltily was getting impatient for the happy ending that I was imagining in my head. Overall this book was a much-needed read for me to get me out of my current book slump I fell into. One downside is the repetitiveness that would happen sometimes, it gave me brief deja vu moments. But if you can look past that the eagerness from the authors' writing is contagious and will have you enjoying the book regardless.
Thank you to NetGalley and Akira Varma for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review of the book.
May 27, 2024
This book had such a promising premise (like who hadn't dreamt of their favourite fantasy book bf suddenly turning up at their house?), but unfortunately, the execution felt very poor. So much lost potential.
The plot wasn't very fleshed out, many things felt forced, like the insta love Enzo had for Aliya or how ready she is to sacrifice herself after knowing him for only one day.
The writing also could have been better. The story was more told than shown and I couldn't have cared less about the history and the many wars. It lacked at lot of development of the world and the characters. Many things weren't explained good enough for the reader to keep up. At times it felt a lot like a movie script for a rushed YA film (I immediately had to think about Abduction or Percy Jackson). Some things were quite unrealistic, like how fast Aliya found out the home address of an author who couldn't have been more private and hidden. There were also too many plot holes and mistakes.
2 ☆ stars
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review :)
The plot wasn't very fleshed out, many things felt forced, like the insta love Enzo had for Aliya or how ready she is to sacrifice herself after knowing him for only one day.
The writing also could have been better. The story was more told than shown and I couldn't have cared less about the history and the many wars. It lacked at lot of development of the world and the characters. Many things weren't explained good enough for the reader to keep up. At times it felt a lot like a movie script for a rushed YA film (I immediately had to think about Abduction or Percy Jackson). Some things were quite unrealistic, like how fast Aliya found out the home address of an author who couldn't have been more private and hidden. There were also too many plot holes and mistakes.
2 ☆ stars
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review :)
June 10, 2024
Aliya, a weary junior from the University of Georgia, faces an unexpected dilemma when she discovers her favorite fictional character, Crown Prince Enzo al’Deran, injured and confused in her living room. Enzo claims to be from the not-so-fictional world of Indresal, and he demonstrates the impossible: creating miniature portals. Determined to return home, Enzo enlists Aliya’s help. But danger looms—Enzo’s pursuer has followed him to Earth, intent on killing him. Aliya must decide whether to risk her life for a seemingly imaginary person.
“Only a Portal Away” is incredibly adventurous, blending humor, banter, and a touch of romance. The playful confusion Enzo experiences in the human realm adds a lighthearted touch. However, the writing style occasionally feels repetitive, and character development could be deeper. Despite these minor flaws, the novel’s unique premise and fast-paced plot make it an enjoyable read.
If you’re a fan of enchanting worlds and unexpected encounters, this book might just be your next portal to adventure!
“Only a Portal Away” is incredibly adventurous, blending humor, banter, and a touch of romance. The playful confusion Enzo experiences in the human realm adds a lighthearted touch. However, the writing style occasionally feels repetitive, and character development could be deeper. Despite these minor flaws, the novel’s unique premise and fast-paced plot make it an enjoyable read.
If you’re a fan of enchanting worlds and unexpected encounters, this book might just be your next portal to adventure!
June 30, 2024
Ok so here’s what we have book lovers- your favorite character, Crown Prince Enzo, is now flesh and blood, standing right in front of you!🤴
Aliya can’t believe her eyes, surely she is losing her mind but nope this is real! Now Aliya must help Enzo and the fictional world of Indresal.🏰
You’ve got an author, characters come to life from the pages of a book, villains and magical portals! I had really high hopes for with all of this but I just couldn’t get there. I struggled through to finish, just because I wanted to know what happened. Even thought there is another book, I just don’t feel (right now atleast) that I am invested enough to read the next one.
2.5, I know a lot of work went into creating this and I was hooked with the description, unfortunately it just ended up not being for me in the end.
Thank you to the author, Akira Varna, and Booksprout for the opportunity to read this book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Aliya can’t believe her eyes, surely she is losing her mind but nope this is real! Now Aliya must help Enzo and the fictional world of Indresal.🏰
You’ve got an author, characters come to life from the pages of a book, villains and magical portals! I had really high hopes for with all of this but I just couldn’t get there. I struggled through to finish, just because I wanted to know what happened. Even thought there is another book, I just don’t feel (right now atleast) that I am invested enough to read the next one.
2.5, I know a lot of work went into creating this and I was hooked with the description, unfortunately it just ended up not being for me in the end.
Thank you to the author, Akira Varna, and Booksprout for the opportunity to read this book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 17, 2024
“No fictional character should know the extend you love them.”
“Only a Portal Away,” by Akira Varma
Aliya, a struggling college student, comes home one day to find her favorite fictional character in her apartment and he’s injured. Crown Prince Enzo al’Deran goes through a portal to the human realm even though he’s in the middle of a war. Now he and Aliya are trying to find a way to portal him back to his realm.
This book is incredibly adventurous. It had a fun, lighthearted, joking feel even though they are being hunted and then when he dreams of the war, he was in. the banter between the two main characters and the humor of Enzo being so confused by human realm things was very entertaining. The story was interesting and never boring the entire way through. I really liked it and can’t wait for the next book. 4 out of 5 stars.
-Slow Burn
-Portal Fantasy
-Multi POV
-Elves
Thank you for the ARC.
“Only a Portal Away,” by Akira Varma
Aliya, a struggling college student, comes home one day to find her favorite fictional character in her apartment and he’s injured. Crown Prince Enzo al’Deran goes through a portal to the human realm even though he’s in the middle of a war. Now he and Aliya are trying to find a way to portal him back to his realm.
This book is incredibly adventurous. It had a fun, lighthearted, joking feel even though they are being hunted and then when he dreams of the war, he was in. the banter between the two main characters and the humor of Enzo being so confused by human realm things was very entertaining. The story was interesting and never boring the entire way through. I really liked it and can’t wait for the next book. 4 out of 5 stars.
-Slow Burn
-Portal Fantasy
-Multi POV
-Elves
Thank you for the ARC.
May 17, 2024
Wow. What a wild ride. All action and adventure with some funny banter mixed in. I was hooked pretty early on with this book.
What happens when your favorite fictional character from your favorite book series shows up in your living room? A whole lot of crazy that’s for sure!
I loved Aliya and Enzo’s initial dialogues and internal musings. I was smiling the entire time she was explaining things like cars & airplanes and how it would only take a couple hours to go 100 miles.
I enjoyed the multiple POVs and the overlapping timelines had me so intrigued!
There was some repetitiveness in order to get to those overlapping timelines but ultimately, they didn’t bother me.
I am definitely super invested and want to know what happens next!
If you like fun, easy to read, action packed fantasy books check it out!
Thank you NetGalley & Akira Varma for the ARC in exchange for my review!
What happens when your favorite fictional character from your favorite book series shows up in your living room? A whole lot of crazy that’s for sure!
I loved Aliya and Enzo’s initial dialogues and internal musings. I was smiling the entire time she was explaining things like cars & airplanes and how it would only take a couple hours to go 100 miles.
I enjoyed the multiple POVs and the overlapping timelines had me so intrigued!
There was some repetitiveness in order to get to those overlapping timelines but ultimately, they didn’t bother me.
I am definitely super invested and want to know what happens next!
If you like fun, easy to read, action packed fantasy books check it out!
Thank you NetGalley & Akira Varma for the ARC in exchange for my review!
July 15, 2024
The idea of this book is really interesting, but the delivery was a bit underwhelming.
I liked how the FMC was obsessed with the whole franchise and had lots of merch. I like that still was more level-headed in comparison with the Prince, but they are both quite immature, and it is even stated in the book. I liked Sienna's backstory and her relationship with her wife.
What I didn't like however was the pacing, which was a bit too fast, the fact that the writing was repetitive. The leaps between reality/dream/past were a bit confusing at times. And I still don't understand why was Enzo so interested in Aliya, or why was she risking her life for him? I get that she liked the character super much, but he was kind of an a-hole and from liking a fictional character to doing everything to protect them is quite a bit of a leap.
For me, this book deserves a 3.5 stars. I would have loved to be able to give it more stars, but it still needs to be refined a bit, so it can really shine.
I liked how the FMC was obsessed with the whole franchise and had lots of merch. I like that still was more level-headed in comparison with the Prince, but they are both quite immature, and it is even stated in the book. I liked Sienna's backstory and her relationship with her wife.
What I didn't like however was the pacing, which was a bit too fast, the fact that the writing was repetitive. The leaps between reality/dream/past were a bit confusing at times. And I still don't understand why was Enzo so interested in Aliya, or why was she risking her life for him? I get that she liked the character super much, but he was kind of an a-hole and from liking a fictional character to doing everything to protect them is quite a bit of a leap.
For me, this book deserves a 3.5 stars. I would have loved to be able to give it more stars, but it still needs to be refined a bit, so it can really shine.
April 21, 2024
This book breathes life into the protagonist's favourite fictional character and book series. It was interesting to see a fantasy we've probably all indulged in be brought to life through the pages of this story.
The light humour in Aliya's thoughts was really entertaining, and Enzo's rogue behaviour and confusion as he navigates the modern human world was comical. The multiple perspectives were fun to explore, but I wanted to feel more connected to Aliya in particular by learning more about her personally. I think that this would be developed in later books within the series, and I'm particularly invested in how things will turn out for Aliya and Enzo.
The book is probably best suited for those looking to read some light fantasy, and would be enjoyable for those interested in fan fiction as a theme.
eARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op.
The light humour in Aliya's thoughts was really entertaining, and Enzo's rogue behaviour and confusion as he navigates the modern human world was comical. The multiple perspectives were fun to explore, but I wanted to feel more connected to Aliya in particular by learning more about her personally. I think that this would be developed in later books within the series, and I'm particularly invested in how things will turn out for Aliya and Enzo.
The book is probably best suited for those looking to read some light fantasy, and would be enjoyable for those interested in fan fiction as a theme.
eARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op.
June 20, 2024
I agree with others that this book is not well written, that is, grammatically.
But, to give it an honest chance, I tried not to dive too deeply into that but instead focus on the story.
And as for that, the story itself is quite nice. It was even entertaining enough for me to draw me in in such a way that I didn't really notice the grammar mistakes anymore ( or the writing got better).
The basic premise is not extremely original, but the way it is written makes it unpredictable and intriguing.
The main characters Alya and Enzo were relatable but unfortunately the secondary character, Sienna is inconsequential. She seems to change of basic personality regularly, and that distracts me from the story.
So all in all I am of two minds about it as it is now. But I think that after good editing this could be a great book.
But, to give it an honest chance, I tried not to dive too deeply into that but instead focus on the story.
And as for that, the story itself is quite nice. It was even entertaining enough for me to draw me in in such a way that I didn't really notice the grammar mistakes anymore ( or the writing got better).
The basic premise is not extremely original, but the way it is written makes it unpredictable and intriguing.
The main characters Alya and Enzo were relatable but unfortunately the secondary character, Sienna is inconsequential. She seems to change of basic personality regularly, and that distracts me from the story.
So all in all I am of two minds about it as it is now. But I think that after good editing this could be a great book.
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