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Mountain Refuge: A Slice-of-life LitRPG Adventure
When reclusive Ethan’s solitary winter in a mountain cabin is upended by the arrival of a wounded, mysterious elf, his world flips like a snowflake in a storm. Suddenly, he's patching up Lyra’s strange, non-human wounds while a bizarre HUD system reveals unexpected magical talents—his own and hers. Before long, his cozy refuge transforms into a chaotic sanctuary, where a protective werewolf and a healing water nymph join forces with him.
As bitter blizzards, human hunters, and ancient grudges converge, these unlikely allies must combine their divergent powers—and navigate equally unpredictable hearts—to forge a safe haven in a world that’s as harsh as it is enchanted.
Deep, Inner Backwoods explores survivalist outback hijinks.
As bitter blizzards, human hunters, and ancient grudges converge, these unlikely allies must combine their divergent powers—and navigate equally unpredictable hearts—to forge a safe haven in a world that’s as harsh as it is enchanted.
Deep, Inner Backwoods explores survivalist outback hijinks.
534 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 27, 2025
432 people are currently reading
46 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
May 16, 2025
This book was pretty underwhelming.
The MC is a guy that had been a corporate bigwig before having an anxiety attack in front of everyone and retreating to a backwoods cabin to live the life of a hermit. During a suddenly intense winter storm, he spots a figure staggering and collapsing in the snow. To his surprise, it's a female elf that he drags back inside his cabin to help. And thus begins his adventures into a hidden world.
The plot is very bare bones, with the authors doing a lot of telling, and only a little showing. The number of times things are summarized is excessive. There are lots of continuity errors, such as the MC thinking how they've bonded over the past few months, when it's been a few days.
This book was advertised in places as being harem, but it didn't feel like it. The MC is intimate with the rescued elf once, and after that, she treats him with some fondness but zero romantic interest. The werewolf woman bonds with him for life as werewolves apparently do after several days of interaction. She seems unconcerned about his previous involvement with the elf, which her sensitive nose would have detected. Zero mention is made about the two sharing him or anything else that implies it's a forming harem. The book blurb mentions a "healing water nymph" that never heals, and shows zero romantic interest in the MC. She's just a representative of the magical water creatures.
If you had told me AI wrote this book, I wouldn't be too surprised. As such, there is zero reason for me to try reading a sequel to this.
The MC is a guy that had been a corporate bigwig before having an anxiety attack in front of everyone and retreating to a backwoods cabin to live the life of a hermit. During a suddenly intense winter storm, he spots a figure staggering and collapsing in the snow. To his surprise, it's a female elf that he drags back inside his cabin to help. And thus begins his adventures into a hidden world.
The plot is very bare bones, with the authors doing a lot of telling, and only a little showing. The number of times things are summarized is excessive. There are lots of continuity errors, such as the MC thinking how they've bonded over the past few months, when it's been a few days.
This book was advertised in places as being harem, but it didn't feel like it. The MC is intimate with the rescued elf once, and after that, she treats him with some fondness but zero romantic interest. The werewolf woman bonds with him for life as werewolves apparently do after several days of interaction. She seems unconcerned about his previous involvement with the elf, which her sensitive nose would have detected. Zero mention is made about the two sharing him or anything else that implies it's a forming harem. The book blurb mentions a "healing water nymph" that never heals, and shows zero romantic interest in the MC. She's just a representative of the magical water creatures.
If you had told me AI wrote this book, I wouldn't be too surprised. As such, there is zero reason for me to try reading a sequel to this.
May 19, 2025
Good start but bad ending
The story started good had some great funny spots made you chuckle and laugh but then the main character was just too much of a wimp. Always concerned about killing someone when their life was in danger he'd have intimate relations with 1 and then start wringing his hands about having it with another I mean he was just too much of a wimp too much of a simp not enough conviction and Precision. I won't be reading the second book if there is 1 this author just Doesn't know how to keep a strong main character focused.
The story started good had some great funny spots made you chuckle and laugh but then the main character was just too much of a wimp. Always concerned about killing someone when their life was in danger he'd have intimate relations with 1 and then start wringing his hands about having it with another I mean he was just too much of a wimp too much of a simp not enough conviction and Precision. I won't be reading the second book if there is 1 this author just Doesn't know how to keep a strong main character focused.
June 16, 2025
Holes you could sail a tanker through
I will fully admit I DNF this book. I made it to about 40% and just couldn’t handle the plot holes anymore. For having 2 “authors” listed, how did neither one think about continuity in scene?
The whole thing starts with a massive blizzard, dropping 3-5 FEET of snow everywhere. It is even commented that the MC had to dig a TUNNEL to get to his generator at one point because the snow was over some of the windows! Suddenly, none of that matters, they’re boarding up said windows to cover them and then looking out at movement. Apparently snow higher than the windows no longer blocks sight?
Also the 2 wolves have to be restrained in case of going moon insane, ok I can roll with that; however, the 3 wolves working with the hunters don’t have this problem??? They just keep going as if nothing is happening…..
Finally the MC takes off to the lake walking 2 miles through a creek in FREEZING weather with multiple feet of snow everywhere! He would have died from hypothermia well before then, not even counting getting to the lake itself. Then after all that a massive thunderstorm kicks up and they jump out in it, AGAIN IN FREEZING WEATHER SURROUNDED BY UP TO 5 FEET OF SNOW?!?!!!
At that point I just couldn’t anymore. The authors apparently can’t keep track of their own story structure or just don’t care. Hopefully this was just poorly written by AI because of not…. Yikes.
I will fully admit I DNF this book. I made it to about 40% and just couldn’t handle the plot holes anymore. For having 2 “authors” listed, how did neither one think about continuity in scene?
The whole thing starts with a massive blizzard, dropping 3-5 FEET of snow everywhere. It is even commented that the MC had to dig a TUNNEL to get to his generator at one point because the snow was over some of the windows! Suddenly, none of that matters, they’re boarding up said windows to cover them and then looking out at movement. Apparently snow higher than the windows no longer blocks sight?
Also the 2 wolves have to be restrained in case of going moon insane, ok I can roll with that; however, the 3 wolves working with the hunters don’t have this problem??? They just keep going as if nothing is happening…..
Finally the MC takes off to the lake walking 2 miles through a creek in FREEZING weather with multiple feet of snow everywhere! He would have died from hypothermia well before then, not even counting getting to the lake itself. Then after all that a massive thunderstorm kicks up and they jump out in it, AGAIN IN FREEZING WEATHER SURROUNDED BY UP TO 5 FEET OF SNOW?!?!!!
At that point I just couldn’t anymore. The authors apparently can’t keep track of their own story structure or just don’t care. Hopefully this was just poorly written by AI because of not…. Yikes.
July 8, 2025
I guess?
Not sure how this meant to be slice of life?
Aside from the 4 paragraphs where he went and checked the fuel in his generator, I don’t know how this is meant to be alive of life?
Instead, it’s yet another of an unending parade of shittily written harem fantasies, with an attractive AI generated elf girl cover.
Got 73% of the way through this one before DNF. Why? Because it was curing my insomnia, that’s why.
The main character has no defining quality, other than ‘the eyes of the forest’ a magical video game HUD that means that the ‘forest’ has picked him. He’s dealt with so much trauma and “Bad Stuff©️” happening to him that it gives him the depth of experience that 100+ year old women flock to him because he’s so interesting.
Despite the fact that his enemies are literally dissecting his allies alive, he ‘doesn’t want to kill them’.
The book is 70% “action”, 28% talking/generic non action, and 2% the worst sex scenes this side of a Catholic junior highs diaries.
Just skip it.
Not sure how this meant to be slice of life?
Aside from the 4 paragraphs where he went and checked the fuel in his generator, I don’t know how this is meant to be alive of life?
Instead, it’s yet another of an unending parade of shittily written harem fantasies, with an attractive AI generated elf girl cover.
Got 73% of the way through this one before DNF. Why? Because it was curing my insomnia, that’s why.
The main character has no defining quality, other than ‘the eyes of the forest’ a magical video game HUD that means that the ‘forest’ has picked him. He’s dealt with so much trauma and “Bad Stuff©️” happening to him that it gives him the depth of experience that 100+ year old women flock to him because he’s so interesting.
Despite the fact that his enemies are literally dissecting his allies alive, he ‘doesn’t want to kill them’.
The book is 70% “action”, 28% talking/generic non action, and 2% the worst sex scenes this side of a Catholic junior highs diaries.
Just skip it.
October 8, 2025
1 star, I put a book down. 2 stars, I wouldn't read again and won't pick up a sequel. 3 stars, I won't read again, but maybe the sequel would move forward. 4 stars, I enjoyed it and would recommend it to a friend. 5 stars, I'll reread it, recommend it, and try to get my son to experience some of the joy this book gave to me.
This book was on the list of Kindle Unlimited recommendations and had a in the woods, surviving on your own premise (according to the summary on the site) that seemed interesting so I picked it up. The book was an easy read, the prose simple and straightforward, with the plot and the events proceeding steadily without extremes of action or of boredom. The story requires a significant amount of suspension of disbelief, not because of the supernatural aspects, but because the action between protagonists and antagonists held little urgency or suspense, with antagonists which rightly should be much more dangerous being handled relatively easily by the various characters, and generally off-stage, which let the book flow, but didn't engender much drama. All antagonists were faceless, lifeless, without any individual purpose, only chess pieces to get in the way and to be removed. This is unfortunate because it means the protagonists also didn't require a significant amount of character development except for their interpersonal relationships.
The world building (it is set in the Pacific Northwest in a world that has magic but is mostly undiscovered) has some good ideas, including how a LITRPG trope and interface can be available to the prime protagonist without needing much explanation in relation to a supernatural world. I could glimpse some of the opportunities, missed in this book, maybe to be pursued in the next, that could explain and merge technology and seemingly magical beings and systems, but they were glimpsed only as observations of environments and events in the plot.
The main character is a sympathetic, blank slate, whether intentionally or unintentionally, and whose only real conflict beside plot progress is dealing with inner trauma and rationalizing all the fantastical things (both magical and just fortunate) in his life. The inner dialogue gets a bit repetitive as it is repeated as exposition and resolution every few chapters to reinforce the character's ease in coping with the plot.
Overall, it reads like half a diary/personal log and half a day dream adventure by someone who is generally just trying to get catharsis by having happy endings where they are the hero and also are never (and thus don't need to confront being) a bad guy. I think this is one facet of slice-of-life fiction that is developing both within the genre and as writers mature - life gets more complex over time, and the story does too. Maybe readers search out this sort of fiction to escape into simpler worlds.
I currently have the second book, just started, on my virtual book shelf and will get back to it eventually, or not, but without too much urgency, and the first ended without much outstanding plot to resolve in the next book.
This book was on the list of Kindle Unlimited recommendations and had a in the woods, surviving on your own premise (according to the summary on the site) that seemed interesting so I picked it up. The book was an easy read, the prose simple and straightforward, with the plot and the events proceeding steadily without extremes of action or of boredom. The story requires a significant amount of suspension of disbelief, not because of the supernatural aspects, but because the action between protagonists and antagonists held little urgency or suspense, with antagonists which rightly should be much more dangerous being handled relatively easily by the various characters, and generally off-stage, which let the book flow, but didn't engender much drama. All antagonists were faceless, lifeless, without any individual purpose, only chess pieces to get in the way and to be removed. This is unfortunate because it means the protagonists also didn't require a significant amount of character development except for their interpersonal relationships.
The world building (it is set in the Pacific Northwest in a world that has magic but is mostly undiscovered) has some good ideas, including how a LITRPG trope and interface can be available to the prime protagonist without needing much explanation in relation to a supernatural world. I could glimpse some of the opportunities, missed in this book, maybe to be pursued in the next, that could explain and merge technology and seemingly magical beings and systems, but they were glimpsed only as observations of environments and events in the plot.
The main character is a sympathetic, blank slate, whether intentionally or unintentionally, and whose only real conflict beside plot progress is dealing with inner trauma and rationalizing all the fantastical things (both magical and just fortunate) in his life. The inner dialogue gets a bit repetitive as it is repeated as exposition and resolution every few chapters to reinforce the character's ease in coping with the plot.
Overall, it reads like half a diary/personal log and half a day dream adventure by someone who is generally just trying to get catharsis by having happy endings where they are the hero and also are never (and thus don't need to confront being) a bad guy. I think this is one facet of slice-of-life fiction that is developing both within the genre and as writers mature - life gets more complex over time, and the story does too. Maybe readers search out this sort of fiction to escape into simpler worlds.
I currently have the second book, just started, on my virtual book shelf and will get back to it eventually, or not, but without too much urgency, and the first ended without much outstanding plot to resolve in the next book.
May 5, 2025
Great Book, One Major Issue
This is a very well written book and the story is very good, with strong characters, but there are a couple elements that just don’t make any sense concerning the romantic interests.
SPOILER.
The main character creates a temporary bond and then sleeps with one character, and then forms a life bond and sleeps with another character seemingly over a couple of days with zero and I mean zero communication about the whole thing. They all claim the main character is very important to them and it’s mentioned the first partner approves the second match through a plot device but never with words, there’s absolutely no conversation between either girl either. It just feels as if he gets one in bed and then completely forgets about her to pursue the other one. The plot and story otherwise is fantastic. The romantic elements start off really well, but it’s like the author couldn’t figure out what to do with girl number one, and she’s the one you as the reader fall for because she gets the majority of the downtime interactions in the beginning of the book. The second one is introduced in combat and other than the fact that she claims wolves enter life long partnerships different to humans (she also claims she’s had temporary pleasure based relationships). That was confusing because you can’t have it both ways in the context created, as they contradict each other, unless they’re exactly like human relationships who generally do both temporary and long term. The author makes a point that these characters are not lifelong mates, but then wants you to feel the same gravitas, but it comes off as friends with benefits until one of them gets bored and no longer wants to “walk together”. Other than the early statement about the seriousness in which they take relationships, there’s no conversation really discussing the future implications of their relationship.
All in all, it’s a good book, definitely worth the read. The romance begins well, but for the reasons mentioned, is ultimately lacking in many ways.
This is a very well written book and the story is very good, with strong characters, but there are a couple elements that just don’t make any sense concerning the romantic interests.
SPOILER.
The main character creates a temporary bond and then sleeps with one character, and then forms a life bond and sleeps with another character seemingly over a couple of days with zero and I mean zero communication about the whole thing. They all claim the main character is very important to them and it’s mentioned the first partner approves the second match through a plot device but never with words, there’s absolutely no conversation between either girl either. It just feels as if he gets one in bed and then completely forgets about her to pursue the other one. The plot and story otherwise is fantastic. The romantic elements start off really well, but it’s like the author couldn’t figure out what to do with girl number one, and she’s the one you as the reader fall for because she gets the majority of the downtime interactions in the beginning of the book. The second one is introduced in combat and other than the fact that she claims wolves enter life long partnerships different to humans (she also claims she’s had temporary pleasure based relationships). That was confusing because you can’t have it both ways in the context created, as they contradict each other, unless they’re exactly like human relationships who generally do both temporary and long term. The author makes a point that these characters are not lifelong mates, but then wants you to feel the same gravitas, but it comes off as friends with benefits until one of them gets bored and no longer wants to “walk together”. Other than the early statement about the seriousness in which they take relationships, there’s no conversation really discussing the future implications of their relationship.
All in all, it’s a good book, definitely worth the read. The romance begins well, but for the reasons mentioned, is ultimately lacking in many ways.
May 11, 2025
It started pretty good,but dropped off quickly.
DNF First this is not harem lit which was a big plus. The MC is all over the place. Weak minded in the beginning the overly strong then back to weak again and again. He is a pacifist with people out to kill him and his companions. He believes scaring the bad guys off will work, like they wouldn't just just come back with more people. The plot doesn't make sense if this is government sponsored experiment. The government would not just send 6 people.
The dialogue between the characters stars out ok, but quickly becomes stilted. Many of the thing that happened earlier are forgotten about or rehashed multiple times.
DNF First this is not harem lit which was a big plus. The MC is all over the place. Weak minded in the beginning the overly strong then back to weak again and again. He is a pacifist with people out to kill him and his companions. He believes scaring the bad guys off will work, like they wouldn't just just come back with more people. The plot doesn't make sense if this is government sponsored experiment. The government would not just send 6 people.
The dialogue between the characters stars out ok, but quickly becomes stilted. Many of the thing that happened earlier are forgotten about or rehashed multiple times.
April 27, 2025
Ethan Reed has moved off the grid and imposed his own self isolation and enjoys it until very powerful blizzard moves into the area. That's when he discovers he's really not alone and there's a whole other world out there that he always thought was made up. Now an elf and two werewolves show him that company can be good the only problem is that his new companions are being hunted. Can Ethan and his group help save the mystical realm in the mountains or will those hunting all these magical creatures win the battle?
May 20, 2025
Promising Start, disjointed story.
The story started well enough, with some interesting takes on the GameLit genre. I liked the initial character development.
As the story continues, major plot points shift completely with no transition. Entire key events and character interactions are completely ignored. The book concludes with a long set of repeated psudo-philosophical observations rather than a storyline.
This could have been an interesting and enjoyable story, if the author had read it as a whole and developed it differently.
The story started well enough, with some interesting takes on the GameLit genre. I liked the initial character development.
As the story continues, major plot points shift completely with no transition. Entire key events and character interactions are completely ignored. The book concludes with a long set of repeated psudo-philosophical observations rather than a storyline.
This could have been an interesting and enjoyable story, if the author had read it as a whole and developed it differently.
June 18, 2025
Started good
Im not sure what i expected with this book, but enjoyed the first half after that it went down hill.
So much didn't make sense and the ending was weird. It could be it works with the second book, but it was very anti climactic after the first half.
I think i used 5 min on the æast chapter and skopped most of it. It was just plain boring...
I bought the second book, but not sure I want to read it now.
And final though: the hub transæater got so annoying in the end.
Im not sure what i expected with this book, but enjoyed the first half after that it went down hill.
So much didn't make sense and the ending was weird. It could be it works with the second book, but it was very anti climactic after the first half.
I think i used 5 min on the æast chapter and skopped most of it. It was just plain boring...
I bought the second book, but not sure I want to read it now.
And final though: the hub transæater got so annoying in the end.
October 11, 2025
An Interesting Tale
This was a thoughtful story with interesting twists and turns. Rekindling of past bonds between humans and the magical world. It was nice to see a conflict resolved with wisdom and negotiation, give all out battle. Budding relationship forged with respect. I am looking forward to the next book!
This was a thoughtful story with interesting twists and turns. Rekindling of past bonds between humans and the magical world. It was nice to see a conflict resolved with wisdom and negotiation, give all out battle. Budding relationship forged with respect. I am looking forward to the next book!
November 2, 2025
Interesting
The story is well written and doesn’t contain any notable grammatical errors. The story does feel a bit naive with its let’s all just get along theme. Disappointingly, there doesn’t seem to be any climax to the story and the resolution tends to drag on excessively long. That being said, it is worth a read.
The story is well written and doesn’t contain any notable grammatical errors. The story does feel a bit naive with its let’s all just get along theme. Disappointingly, there doesn’t seem to be any climax to the story and the resolution tends to drag on excessively long. That being said, it is worth a read.
May 7, 2025
Weird dynamic between main characters
The MC's 2 partners have almost no interaction between each other, then without any explanation the MC chooses one woman over the other without any discussion with the other.
The MC's 2 partners have almost no interaction between each other, then without any explanation the MC chooses one woman over the other without any discussion with the other.
May 13, 2025
Very fun
This book was a lot of fun. I liked the characters and the action. The plot was pretty straightforward.
However, it's not really slice of life. Its more of a minor quibble than anything serious. But, still the audience should be aware.
Highly recommended.
This book was a lot of fun. I liked the characters and the action. The plot was pretty straightforward.
However, it's not really slice of life. Its more of a minor quibble than anything serious. But, still the audience should be aware.
Highly recommended.
May 28, 2025
Decent plot poor execution
Really liked the beginning; plot, characters, and setting. But when it got to the confrontation, it totally lost it. Both the philosophy & events were ludicrous & unrealistic. Poorly thought out. Couldn't hget past it.
Really liked the beginning; plot, characters, and setting. But when it got to the confrontation, it totally lost it. Both the philosophy & events were ludicrous & unrealistic. Poorly thought out. Couldn't hget past it.
May 30, 2025
Stupid MC
Any book with an MC who is being actively hunted by trained soldiers who are willing and able to kill him and he refuses to kill them back, is automatically a one star from me.
Any book with an MC who is being actively hunted by trained soldiers who are willing and able to kill him and he refuses to kill them back, is automatically a one star from me.
May 31, 2025
Read well
I actually appreciated this more than I thought I would. What I expected to be a harem novel turned into a love story. Really good show. The epilogue was extremely well done as well.
I actually appreciated this more than I thought I would. What I expected to be a harem novel turned into a love story. Really good show. The epilogue was extremely well done as well.
Read
September 28, 2025In addition to all the problems noted in other reviews about plot-holes, whingey MC, and continuity, this book also suffers from a healthy dose of woke-ism with the "all humans are evils racists" trope that we just can't seem to get away from in 2025.
May 1, 2025
Very good book
This is a fine fantasy adventure novel. It is well written and edited. I especially like the water nymph. I anxiously await the sequel.
This is a fine fantasy adventure novel. It is well written and edited. I especially like the water nymph. I anxiously await the sequel.
May 11, 2025
Written by AI
A real written can't be this bad at managing interconnected plot points, this was obviously written by AI or heavily ai assisted tools
A real written can't be this bad at managing interconnected plot points, this was obviously written by AI or heavily ai assisted tools
May 23, 2025
AI cover. Wouldn't put it past the author to generate the whole story.
June 15, 2025
Overall a very enjoyable read with a well written story line and logical development. The ending was somewhat tedious as it was drawn out perhaps a bit too much, but still, an enjoyable story.
June 21, 2025
Good read
Interesting but rather preachy towards the end. It's world seemingly logical and settled. The sex almost seems out of place.
Interesting but rather preachy towards the end. It's world seemingly logical and settled. The sex almost seems out of place.
June 24, 2025
good story and shows what the government would do to gain any advantage and not caring how.
July 19, 2025
Overuse of em dashes makes it feel like it was written by ChatGPT.
October 7, 2025
Good Try
I thought the language and presentation were stilted and narrative rather than natural. Characters were explained rather than observed. I enjoy
I thought the language and presentation were stilted and narrative rather than natural. Characters were explained rather than observed. I enjoy
January 11, 2026
Different approach
Unusual approach bringing the magical world and human culture together. Humans being seen as the bad guys. Keeps you turning the pages.
Unusual approach bringing the magical world and human culture together. Humans being seen as the bad guys. Keeps you turning the pages.
April 9, 2026
Couldn't finish it, cringe dialog and boring plot.
June 13, 2025
The dialogue was very clunky, and the first third or so is pretty much all lines of dialogue going back and forth in isolation.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews