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The Spirus #1
The Spirus
Answers were promised if a dangerous quest was undertaken
Her entire past has been kept from her. Her tutor and the man who raised her has taught her she cannot leave the house or be seen because no one is supposed to be able to do what she can do. All she knows is hiding. Everything changes when he tells her the only way he will answer her questions about her past and why she is the way she is, is if she journeys to the mainland to deliver a message to the Tempris princess.
The tribe's salvation could lie in one strange girl
They prayed for the Spirus to return during the first war. They prayed for her while their people disappeared. Some were starting to think she was a myth. Who is this girl with all of their abilities at once that none of the tribes know about?
*this book contains adult material*
Her entire past has been kept from her. Her tutor and the man who raised her has taught her she cannot leave the house or be seen because no one is supposed to be able to do what she can do. All she knows is hiding. Everything changes when he tells her the only way he will answer her questions about her past and why she is the way she is, is if she journeys to the mainland to deliver a message to the Tempris princess.
The tribe's salvation could lie in one strange girl
They prayed for the Spirus to return during the first war. They prayed for her while their people disappeared. Some were starting to think she was a myth. Who is this girl with all of their abilities at once that none of the tribes know about?
*this book contains adult material*
449 pages, ebook
First published December 25, 2016
49 people are currently reading
73 people want to read
About the author
J.B. Trepagnier
125 books822 followersUSA Today Bestselling Author JB Trepagnier is secretly 30 feral cats in a trench coat and combat boots writing romance with a shared feral cat hive mind.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
May 11, 2017
Epic high fantasy, this is one of those books that gets deep and takes a long time to read through. Lots of backstory, endless exposition, and rich detail immerse you in a world as unique as it is entertaining. There were many different stories and layers that build on one another, progressing the story from a slow beginning to a satisfying ending.
I found the story told from different POV refreshing. By far, Soryn is my favorite but her companions and family also provide extra layers of detail that help move the novel along. This is a long read, which at times could be a bit exhausting but I did not mind and the story never lost my interest. The Spirus creates a world of magic and mystery from the beginning and takes you on a long and thrilling ride. Much of the story is very different than any I have read before, even for fantasy it was unique. The more you read the more this book draws you in.
Overall, a great story. I highly recommend it.
I found the story told from different POV refreshing. By far, Soryn is my favorite but her companions and family also provide extra layers of detail that help move the novel along. This is a long read, which at times could be a bit exhausting but I did not mind and the story never lost my interest. The Spirus creates a world of magic and mystery from the beginning and takes you on a long and thrilling ride. Much of the story is very different than any I have read before, even for fantasy it was unique. The more you read the more this book draws you in.
Overall, a great story. I highly recommend it.
March 5, 2017
This book is dense and long. For me that makes it hard to give a fair review. So I will concentrate on letting the reader know what to expect as a lot of my comments are neither good or bad. Right off the bat their is four pages inside Soryn's head, as she thought about her life, how she got into the position she is in, and well, back story. Not DUNE level long explanation of back story but quite a bit. (BTW: I hated reading DUNE, but a lot of my friends rave about it. If you like DUNE, MOBY DICK, or Steinbeck you'll enjoy it more than I did. If you feel Ian Fleming spends too long on build up and back story than it's not for you.
That being said, the time spent inside Soryn's head was decently written. So this is a matter of taste.
There are a lot of sub-plots. This is another matter of taste. A lot of people liked the movies, DARK KNIGHT and WATCHMEN, so sub-plots piled upon sub-plots are popular, but it gets me confused. I kept having to stop reading to remember something that happened earlier. I believe this might have been me, not the writing, as I've had that feeling in highly praised books before (As well as the two movies I mentioned). However, the author did not help me by not having chapters. I tend to flip back and forth in long books to jog my memory. I couldn't do that with this book because there were no chapters. There were breaks, when switching POV, but no actual chapters.
The theme, a character, Soryn, has always been different and as she comes of age discovers her destiny, is a classic. It was handled well and I could get into Soryn's character even with everything I mentioned above.
Personally, I give it two stars, but I'm adding a star as I know many, many people that enjoy the things in it that I didn't like. So don't come up to me at COMICON demanding to know how I couldn't like DUNE and DARK KNIGHT.
That being said, the time spent inside Soryn's head was decently written. So this is a matter of taste.
There are a lot of sub-plots. This is another matter of taste. A lot of people liked the movies, DARK KNIGHT and WATCHMEN, so sub-plots piled upon sub-plots are popular, but it gets me confused. I kept having to stop reading to remember something that happened earlier. I believe this might have been me, not the writing, as I've had that feeling in highly praised books before (As well as the two movies I mentioned). However, the author did not help me by not having chapters. I tend to flip back and forth in long books to jog my memory. I couldn't do that with this book because there were no chapters. There were breaks, when switching POV, but no actual chapters.
The theme, a character, Soryn, has always been different and as she comes of age discovers her destiny, is a classic. It was handled well and I could get into Soryn's character even with everything I mentioned above.
Personally, I give it two stars, but I'm adding a star as I know many, many people that enjoy the things in it that I didn't like. So don't come up to me at COMICON demanding to know how I couldn't like DUNE and DARK KNIGHT.
November 30, 2020
4.5 stars
I really loved this book. Mostly because its written in simple language. I loved that its sort of Epic Fantasy but written in everyday language, making the book more reader friendly than most. I enjoy books written in the language that doesn't make me work for the story, where it is almost like it was written by or for people to whom English is not a mother-tongue. These are books that I don't want to put down. It was very easy to get lost in this story.
I loved Soryn and her tantrums, I think after being raised in isolation for 19 years, by an old man and frog-turned-man friend, her reactions were understandable. And I love how her character grew and developed throughout the story. I thought she was a realistic character and her struggles with interactions and relationships were fitting.
Initially, I was planning to ready the boxset but after finishing the 1st book, I don't see why the others were made full instalments instead of novellas because the story is well concluded in this book. Imo, the others are just add-ons or bonus material.
I really loved this book. Mostly because its written in simple language. I loved that its sort of Epic Fantasy but written in everyday language, making the book more reader friendly than most. I enjoy books written in the language that doesn't make me work for the story, where it is almost like it was written by or for people to whom English is not a mother-tongue. These are books that I don't want to put down. It was very easy to get lost in this story.
I loved Soryn and her tantrums, I think after being raised in isolation for 19 years, by an old man and frog-turned-man friend, her reactions were understandable. And I love how her character grew and developed throughout the story. I thought she was a realistic character and her struggles with interactions and relationships were fitting.
Initially, I was planning to ready the boxset but after finishing the 1st book, I don't see why the others were made full instalments instead of novellas because the story is well concluded in this book. Imo, the others are just add-ons or bonus material.
April 6, 2017
Belisarus was the person who had raised Soryn, as well as her tutor. He explained to her, that she was different, and everything about her needed to be kept hidden.
There were the Farkhi, Tarks, Theran, and the Tempris. Four different types of tribes that these people could change into four different forms, and Soryn could do everything each one of them could do. Belisarus never told Soryn why she was able to change into all the forms.
Soryn had questions, always. And no one ever had any answers for her. She had heard stories, knew of routines, and how things were done, but the thing is, it was always different for her, but why?
Soryn had a best friend, whom she created while playing her flute. The animals would gather around her while she would play it, and she adored them. And she longed for a friend, therefore she created: Frog. But she is uncertain as to how she created him, except that it happened when she played her flute. Belsarus told her to get rid of him, but she didn’t. Frog protected her, and she him.
There is a castle, which Soryn makes her way up to because Belsarus is much too old and he needs to tell Esylle something. He had once been her tutor as well. When Soryn revealed herself to Esylle, from a swan to herself, she used the call to your blood method. This startled Esylle. Immediately, Esylle thought that Soryn was her missing or stolen daughter: Lisana. And not just because Soryn could call to her blood, but because Soryn even looked like her.
When Leodos, a human had people from the other tribes look at Soryn, they seen something in her, and kissed her hand. This shocked him, and he then knew she was something far different from what he had expected. But he was still certain that Soryn was not Esylle’s daughter. However, Esylle, missing and needing, and wanting her long-lost daughter, felt differently, and she wanted it to be true more than anything.
The four tribes had always heard about a girl who would have all of the abilities, the true Spirus, but they just thought it was a myth. A myth until Leodos exposed it. Now she could be in danger, and even Leodos knew this.
But Soryn delivered her message, a message to learn who she was, and in order to have it completely fulfilled to learn who she is, Esylle must come back to see and meet with Belsarus. Fortunately, with much argument from Leodos and many other of Esylle’s guards, eventually she agrees, because she is just as curious as Soryn is.
Now in order for you to know all of the secrets, you must read this fabulous five-star book, and see for yourself. I don’t want to tell you everything and have you know from cover to cover because that just isn’t fair. But what I will tell you is this: I loved how the chapters were foretold by each person. That made it much easier to follow along. I loved that part, I wish more writers would do that, it makes it a lot less confusing. This book would make for an excellent movie, like a fairy tale kind of mystery. I really enjoyed every bit of this, and I think I found myself a new favorite writer!
There were the Farkhi, Tarks, Theran, and the Tempris. Four different types of tribes that these people could change into four different forms, and Soryn could do everything each one of them could do. Belisarus never told Soryn why she was able to change into all the forms.
Soryn had questions, always. And no one ever had any answers for her. She had heard stories, knew of routines, and how things were done, but the thing is, it was always different for her, but why?
Soryn had a best friend, whom she created while playing her flute. The animals would gather around her while she would play it, and she adored them. And she longed for a friend, therefore she created: Frog. But she is uncertain as to how she created him, except that it happened when she played her flute. Belsarus told her to get rid of him, but she didn’t. Frog protected her, and she him.
There is a castle, which Soryn makes her way up to because Belsarus is much too old and he needs to tell Esylle something. He had once been her tutor as well. When Soryn revealed herself to Esylle, from a swan to herself, she used the call to your blood method. This startled Esylle. Immediately, Esylle thought that Soryn was her missing or stolen daughter: Lisana. And not just because Soryn could call to her blood, but because Soryn even looked like her.
When Leodos, a human had people from the other tribes look at Soryn, they seen something in her, and kissed her hand. This shocked him, and he then knew she was something far different from what he had expected. But he was still certain that Soryn was not Esylle’s daughter. However, Esylle, missing and needing, and wanting her long-lost daughter, felt differently, and she wanted it to be true more than anything.
The four tribes had always heard about a girl who would have all of the abilities, the true Spirus, but they just thought it was a myth. A myth until Leodos exposed it. Now she could be in danger, and even Leodos knew this.
But Soryn delivered her message, a message to learn who she was, and in order to have it completely fulfilled to learn who she is, Esylle must come back to see and meet with Belsarus. Fortunately, with much argument from Leodos and many other of Esylle’s guards, eventually she agrees, because she is just as curious as Soryn is.
Now in order for you to know all of the secrets, you must read this fabulous five-star book, and see for yourself. I don’t want to tell you everything and have you know from cover to cover because that just isn’t fair. But what I will tell you is this: I loved how the chapters were foretold by each person. That made it much easier to follow along. I loved that part, I wish more writers would do that, it makes it a lot less confusing. This book would make for an excellent movie, like a fairy tale kind of mystery. I really enjoyed every bit of this, and I think I found myself a new favorite writer!
February 5, 2017
Writer was generously provided with ARC by the author in exchange for my honest review:
My recent journey into the fantasy realm has taken me away from my usual dark romance fixation and introduced me to a world where plot is also important.
Yes I do. Like a perv. An easily entertained, smutty little perv.
The Spirus is about a young woman, Soryn, with extraordinary magical abilities that make no sense to her, and she has spent years in isolation without gaining any insight. Lo and behold, she is told it is time to venture into the world, where she discovers her abilities both frighten and fascinate those around her, as she is like no other.
Pictured above: also frightening, yet fascinating
This is a lengthy novel with quite a bit of attention to the details of Soryn’s world. As the pace increases, little snippets of information begin to pour in, allowing us to figure out the mystery along with everyone else involved. The point of view is not specific to Soryn alone. As chapters progress, we see how others around her see her as well, which was an interesting lens.
We also learn a few tips and tricks about how some of the men from the different tribes mate:
"None of you will be hurt by my choice, but none of you will like it at first. I’ve told Sono and I’m telling you. Enjoy the time you have with me and stop getting bothered with the time I spend with the others. You’re going to have to learn to share.”
I knew I should have taken a gap year.
Sexual content is there, but not super graphic. The subject of "mating" is a topic that comes up frequently, however (see above). You get to mate, you get to mate, everyone gets to mate!
Nuts and bolts: This could do with another round of editing for grammar/spelling, which was at times a bit of a distraction from the story. POV changes quite a bit as well. The dialogue sometimes goes straight up back and forth without indicating who said what, which can get a little confusing.
All in all, a solid story for fantasy fans!
My recent journey into the fantasy realm has taken me away from my usual dark romance fixation and introduced me to a world where plot is also important.
Yes I do. Like a perv. An easily entertained, smutty little perv.
The Spirus is about a young woman, Soryn, with extraordinary magical abilities that make no sense to her, and she has spent years in isolation without gaining any insight. Lo and behold, she is told it is time to venture into the world, where she discovers her abilities both frighten and fascinate those around her, as she is like no other.
Pictured above: also frightening, yet fascinating
This is a lengthy novel with quite a bit of attention to the details of Soryn’s world. As the pace increases, little snippets of information begin to pour in, allowing us to figure out the mystery along with everyone else involved. The point of view is not specific to Soryn alone. As chapters progress, we see how others around her see her as well, which was an interesting lens.
We also learn a few tips and tricks about how some of the men from the different tribes mate:
"None of you will be hurt by my choice, but none of you will like it at first. I’ve told Sono and I’m telling you. Enjoy the time you have with me and stop getting bothered with the time I spend with the others. You’re going to have to learn to share.”
I knew I should have taken a gap year.
Sexual content is there, but not super graphic. The subject of "mating" is a topic that comes up frequently, however (see above). You get to mate, you get to mate, everyone gets to mate!
Nuts and bolts: This could do with another round of editing for grammar/spelling, which was at times a bit of a distraction from the story. POV changes quite a bit as well. The dialogue sometimes goes straight up back and forth without indicating who said what, which can get a little confusing.
All in all, a solid story for fantasy fans!
March 22, 2017
This is an intriguing story with all the elements one comes to expect from a rich fantasy novel: magic, mystery, and inter-tribal conflict. The story revolves around Soryn, an unbelievably powerful being whose past is a mystery. The book starts with her beginning a journey in which she not only begins to discover who she is, but what the world expects (demands) from her. The story switches viewpoints each chapter, a technique I think worked quite well for this particular narrative. The writing flows, but became a little repetitive with regards to Soryn's identity for my taste. Would definitely recommend to any fantasy enthusiast!
February 22, 2017
While this book had a good, complex plot and intriguing characters and subplots, it was a little dense for my tastes. I would have much preferred more dialogue scenes to break up the great, exhausting blocks of internal musing and exposition. That being said, it still kept my attention well enough.
The main character, Soryn, is doing a creditable job in her fate, working to use her magical abilities to shape her future. A lot is expected of her, and she has great trust issues, but they are understandable.
Frequent changes in tense and the unusual formatting sometimes made it difficult to read the ebook. Because many of the paragraphs were large, the two spaces used to indent each paragraph was insufficient to differentiate each one. The omniscient point of view was a bit confusing at times, as it drew in close to one or another character. Still, the world-building was good and the characters engaging.
The main character, Soryn, is doing a creditable job in her fate, working to use her magical abilities to shape her future. A lot is expected of her, and she has great trust issues, but they are understandable.
Frequent changes in tense and the unusual formatting sometimes made it difficult to read the ebook. Because many of the paragraphs were large, the two spaces used to indent each paragraph was insufficient to differentiate each one. The omniscient point of view was a bit confusing at times, as it drew in close to one or another character. Still, the world-building was good and the characters engaging.
December 23, 2018
Captivated from the start!
Two different tribes have heard of the Spirus, but only believe it to be a myth.
Soryn is sent on a mission to get the princess to voluntarily follow her back to the only home she's ever known. The princess thinks Soryn may be her long lost daughter so agrees and along the way her and her men have seen the little girl posses many of the powers of both tribes. Is Soryn the Spirus? Will Bellisaurus, Soryn's gaurdian, be able to answer everything? This is an absolute must read. JB Trepagnier is at her finest with the beginning of this awesome series, I can't wait to start book 2!
Two different tribes have heard of the Spirus, but only believe it to be a myth.
Soryn is sent on a mission to get the princess to voluntarily follow her back to the only home she's ever known. The princess thinks Soryn may be her long lost daughter so agrees and along the way her and her men have seen the little girl posses many of the powers of both tribes. Is Soryn the Spirus? Will Bellisaurus, Soryn's gaurdian, be able to answer everything? This is an absolute must read. JB Trepagnier is at her finest with the beginning of this awesome series, I can't wait to start book 2!
February 27, 2017
This book brought me great joy!! It had me wanting more so it was very hard to put down. I love how the characters all developed and you got to know them. Only one I thought needed more chapters so I could of known him more was Neptis. For a fantasy/ romance book this one also had enough action and suspense that it kept you turning pages. I am hoping that the Author creates more like this. Anyone that loves Fantasy should love this book. It sort of has the appeal that Eragon had.
January 12, 2018
To Whom Much Is Given, Much Is Required
Not every girl can transform into anything she wants and back again. Not every girl has mastered fire. Not every girl can heal herself when she is injured. Not every girl can breathe underwater or issue steam from her eyes when she cries. And most certainly, most women don’t have too many men wanting her to bear their children. And yet, here we have the magical Soryn, in a land replete with different tribes and a whole lot of history. The author does a beautiful job of bringing us along Soryn’s journey from age 19 onward, depicting her typical teenage mood swings from annoyed to cheerful, grappling with her identity, challenging authority, experiencing confusion and conflict, feeling self-conscious and embarrassed, happy one minute and sad the next, affectionate one day and distant the following, dealing with issues like inebriation and sex, compounded by the fact that those who love her—in particular, her parents--are highly protective of her. Indeed, she holds the fate of many in her hands because she is so special, and to go into details of her journey and how she goes from a life of seclusion and secrets to a life of openness and inclusion is to take away the fun of diving into this fantasy novel yourself. The bottom line is, it is fully worth taking the journey with this untamable beauty as she copes with those who love her, those who might fear her, and even those who dislike her, before she comes full circle, fully aware of who she is and where she belongs.
Not every girl can transform into anything she wants and back again. Not every girl has mastered fire. Not every girl can heal herself when she is injured. Not every girl can breathe underwater or issue steam from her eyes when she cries. And most certainly, most women don’t have too many men wanting her to bear their children. And yet, here we have the magical Soryn, in a land replete with different tribes and a whole lot of history. The author does a beautiful job of bringing us along Soryn’s journey from age 19 onward, depicting her typical teenage mood swings from annoyed to cheerful, grappling with her identity, challenging authority, experiencing confusion and conflict, feeling self-conscious and embarrassed, happy one minute and sad the next, affectionate one day and distant the following, dealing with issues like inebriation and sex, compounded by the fact that those who love her—in particular, her parents--are highly protective of her. Indeed, she holds the fate of many in her hands because she is so special, and to go into details of her journey and how she goes from a life of seclusion and secrets to a life of openness and inclusion is to take away the fun of diving into this fantasy novel yourself. The bottom line is, it is fully worth taking the journey with this untamable beauty as she copes with those who love her, those who might fear her, and even those who dislike her, before she comes full circle, fully aware of who she is and where she belongs.
March 3, 2017
3.5
This was a very unique fantasy story and when I say fantasy I mean epic and high. Not for those who only like a little magic in their tales.
It was a tad dense in places, could have used a bit less of the main characters internalizing everything and a bit more dialogue or action.
The MC is a special snowflake, she has amazing magic powers, in fact all the powers. Her character is written well and is likeable. Her personality is one of the things I very much enjoyed about this novel. Soryn is like a babe in the woods, she’s been kept in isolation and is learning, not only about her environment, but also about herself.
The formatting was a little weird and I recommend the author change it so it’s a little more user friendly.
I love a novel where the author took the time to really invest in the world building, as this one did. Between the original culture and different clans like Farkhi and Tarks, you could tell a lot of time and effort went into this book.
The story is told from multiple POV’s which was interesting and confusing at the same time, but allowed the use of third person while getting everyone’s thoughts on the situation and places.
Over all I enjoyed reading this.
This was a very unique fantasy story and when I say fantasy I mean epic and high. Not for those who only like a little magic in their tales.
It was a tad dense in places, could have used a bit less of the main characters internalizing everything and a bit more dialogue or action.
The MC is a special snowflake, she has amazing magic powers, in fact all the powers. Her character is written well and is likeable. Her personality is one of the things I very much enjoyed about this novel. Soryn is like a babe in the woods, she’s been kept in isolation and is learning, not only about her environment, but also about herself.
The formatting was a little weird and I recommend the author change it so it’s a little more user friendly.
I love a novel where the author took the time to really invest in the world building, as this one did. Between the original culture and different clans like Farkhi and Tarks, you could tell a lot of time and effort went into this book.
The story is told from multiple POV’s which was interesting and confusing at the same time, but allowed the use of third person while getting everyone’s thoughts on the situation and places.
Over all I enjoyed reading this.
September 6, 2017
I liked this story. It start's out with a girl making her way to a castle to deliver a message. She turns into a fly, locates the princess then follows her and a 'tall man' outside where she then turns into a swan and then back to human form where she delivers the message and then transforms into a bird to fly away, but she's shot down with an arrow by the 'tall man.'
The princess demand the 'tall man' be gentle with her and not harm her when he questions her. When he removes the arrow the wound heals itself and three prisoners from different tribes are brought in. When they see her they immediately fall to their knees trying to kiss her hands.
This starts a long journey to a far away island where magic doesn't exist except for this girl. Along the way the three tribes gather around her, fearful that the humans would find out and seek to kill her. Really good fantasy with plenty of magic and even a dragon.
That said, this book is very dense. Long paragraphs tend to give me eye strain so it took me longer to read than normal. Another downside for me was the amount of tell vs. show. I would have enjoyed letting my imagination run wild a bit more. Finally, each paragraph is told from a different character's POV and there was a good amount of overlap.
The princess demand the 'tall man' be gentle with her and not harm her when he questions her. When he removes the arrow the wound heals itself and three prisoners from different tribes are brought in. When they see her they immediately fall to their knees trying to kiss her hands.
This starts a long journey to a far away island where magic doesn't exist except for this girl. Along the way the three tribes gather around her, fearful that the humans would find out and seek to kill her. Really good fantasy with plenty of magic and even a dragon.
That said, this book is very dense. Long paragraphs tend to give me eye strain so it took me longer to read than normal. Another downside for me was the amount of tell vs. show. I would have enjoyed letting my imagination run wild a bit more. Finally, each paragraph is told from a different character's POV and there was a good amount of overlap.
July 9, 2022
This book is so so so so bad that it entranced me and I had to finish it. Sort of like watching an accident. You know it is going to be bad and you can't unsee it, but are compelled to keep watching or in this case read. This book would be perfect for a Mystery Science Theater 3000 for fantasy books.
The writing is atrocious and has so many typos. The book is heavy handed with exposition, so much could have been said through dialogue. Everything is over explained to the point of painful and if that isn't bad enough it is constantly repeated. Mansplaining would be a huge step up over this. And yet, the wording is convoluted and weirdly structured. It's almost like no medium-big words could be used so lots of simple words were needed.
In the first chapter, the FMC is sent from a remote island (foreign country) to deliver a message to a princess. The FMC is shot down with an arrow, taken to the equivalent of a dungeon, and interrogated by Leodos a close friend to the princess. Leodos strips the FMC naked and pulls out the arrow. When the FMC comes to, she is expected to answer any and all questions Leodos asks. He is frustrated and angry with her when she isn't forthcoming with information. Why would she answer any questions in that type of situation?
Leodos takes the FMC to the princess who thinks the FMC is her kidnapped daughter. Within minutes the princess and Leodos berate and yell at the FMC with things like she is acting like a brat basically treating her like a child they have a strong relationship with. The FMC has barely met them and doesn't want to do what the say and doesn't know the answer to their questions. Even if she knew them longer than an hour she is 19 years old. They all decide to go to the FMC's home to get answers.
Leodos, the princess, the FMC and 5 human soldiers set out to get answers. They end up having to walk and not take horses. It doesn't appear that they have provisions, bed rolls etc and the princess is fine with it all. No one bats an eye that the princess is going to hike a long way. The party doesn't even go back into the palace to get supplies after deciding to not take horses.
The soldiers don't follow any of the rules laid out, in fact 1 of the soldiers is pretty vocal about killing the FMC. No one really deals with the soldier. Everyone keeps thinking maybe the soldier needs to have an accident but no one pulls rank or kicks him out of the group. The princess and Leodos (quasi in charge of the soldiers) don't seem to have any control over the soldiers. The soldiers sometimes boss them around.
The tribes get involved with the party. The kings and princes of the 3 tribes constantly berate, yell and try to tell the FMC what she will do. They talk over each other about what she will do, with out giving her having any agency. When she does something to either get their attention or to knock them down everyone yells at her that she is a spoiled brat having a temper tantrum. She's from a foreign country that speak a different language. Why would she just go along with people from a different culture that she barely knows.
What little steam there is, is uncomfortable to downright disturbing. The FMC is a super naive 19 year old that doesn't know anything about interacting with people especially men who like her. The culture of the tribes is basically nothing happens unless your are wed to the person that was chosen for you. She experiences senso basically like going into heat and the only way to stop it is to have sex with someone. So one of the king's, takes her behind a bush to fix the problem and make it enjoyable for her. The king's son who is about the same age as the FMC has to listen while on the lookout. I guess in some of the tribes widows who go into senso are fixed by unmarried men. All the men and women marry around the age of 17-19. So an older widow could be fixed with a 16 year old from the same tribe. Ewwww!! The whole thing seemed "Clan of the Cavebears" to me.
She enjoyed the experience and the feeling of her orgasm helped her with her magic. She wanted to experience the feeling again and was told she couldn't just have sex unless she married. All the kings have flat out told her if she doesn't pick one of the princes then they would pick someone for her. WTF! The FMC barely knows anyone, is speaking a 2nd language, in a foreign culture, is constantly treated like a child, never talked to and is constantly expected to do whatever someone says. She is also expected to save/protect all the people in the tribes along with stopping a war between humans and the tribe.
Sex is always referred to as "mate" or "mated". So if someone had sex last night, it would be referred to as they mated last night. Using mate instead of sex really bothered me. To me mate/mated has a sense of permanency that sex does not.
A good 40% of the book was spent on making sure to keep the FMC from mating and making sure to micromanage her so she couldn't "mate". She is 19 years old has only met everyone for a short period of time. Regardless of that she is an adult. 2 characters decide they have all the parental rights to her and are entitled to control everything about her and berate her constantly for not doing what they want. The 2 characters mate without being wed the same night she does and try and punish her for it.
When she gets more competent with her powers her personality changes. She becomes confident and decisive. Everyone berates her about the change. Basically everyone is unhappy with her no matter what happens. They treat her like a child while simultaneously expecting her to be a queen. No one ever tried to understand the FMC or see things from her point of view.
This book is the most sexually repressive book I have ever read in the RH genre. The actual reason (plot) of the book was forgotten for long stretches to focus solely on making sure the FMC does not mate. In fact that seemed to be the reason for the book and yet it is a RH book. WTF!!!
The writing is atrocious and has so many typos. The book is heavy handed with exposition, so much could have been said through dialogue. Everything is over explained to the point of painful and if that isn't bad enough it is constantly repeated. Mansplaining would be a huge step up over this. And yet, the wording is convoluted and weirdly structured. It's almost like no medium-big words could be used so lots of simple words were needed.
In the first chapter, the FMC is sent from a remote island (foreign country) to deliver a message to a princess. The FMC is shot down with an arrow, taken to the equivalent of a dungeon, and interrogated by Leodos a close friend to the princess. Leodos strips the FMC naked and pulls out the arrow. When the FMC comes to, she is expected to answer any and all questions Leodos asks. He is frustrated and angry with her when she isn't forthcoming with information. Why would she answer any questions in that type of situation?
Leodos takes the FMC to the princess who thinks the FMC is her kidnapped daughter. Within minutes the princess and Leodos berate and yell at the FMC with things like she is acting like a brat basically treating her like a child they have a strong relationship with. The FMC has barely met them and doesn't want to do what the say and doesn't know the answer to their questions. Even if she knew them longer than an hour she is 19 years old. They all decide to go to the FMC's home to get answers.
Leodos, the princess, the FMC and 5 human soldiers set out to get answers. They end up having to walk and not take horses. It doesn't appear that they have provisions, bed rolls etc and the princess is fine with it all. No one bats an eye that the princess is going to hike a long way. The party doesn't even go back into the palace to get supplies after deciding to not take horses.
The soldiers don't follow any of the rules laid out, in fact 1 of the soldiers is pretty vocal about killing the FMC. No one really deals with the soldier. Everyone keeps thinking maybe the soldier needs to have an accident but no one pulls rank or kicks him out of the group. The princess and Leodos (quasi in charge of the soldiers) don't seem to have any control over the soldiers. The soldiers sometimes boss them around.
The tribes get involved with the party. The kings and princes of the 3 tribes constantly berate, yell and try to tell the FMC what she will do. They talk over each other about what she will do, with out giving her having any agency. When she does something to either get their attention or to knock them down everyone yells at her that she is a spoiled brat having a temper tantrum. She's from a foreign country that speak a different language. Why would she just go along with people from a different culture that she barely knows.
What little steam there is, is uncomfortable to downright disturbing. The FMC is a super naive 19 year old that doesn't know anything about interacting with people especially men who like her. The culture of the tribes is basically nothing happens unless your are wed to the person that was chosen for you. She experiences senso basically like going into heat and the only way to stop it is to have sex with someone. So one of the king's, takes her behind a bush to fix the problem and make it enjoyable for her. The king's son who is about the same age as the FMC has to listen while on the lookout. I guess in some of the tribes widows who go into senso are fixed by unmarried men. All the men and women marry around the age of 17-19. So an older widow could be fixed with a 16 year old from the same tribe. Ewwww!! The whole thing seemed "Clan of the Cavebears" to me.
She enjoyed the experience and the feeling of her orgasm helped her with her magic. She wanted to experience the feeling again and was told she couldn't just have sex unless she married. All the kings have flat out told her if she doesn't pick one of the princes then they would pick someone for her. WTF! The FMC barely knows anyone, is speaking a 2nd language, in a foreign culture, is constantly treated like a child, never talked to and is constantly expected to do whatever someone says. She is also expected to save/protect all the people in the tribes along with stopping a war between humans and the tribe.
Sex is always referred to as "mate" or "mated". So if someone had sex last night, it would be referred to as they mated last night. Using mate instead of sex really bothered me. To me mate/mated has a sense of permanency that sex does not.
A good 40% of the book was spent on making sure to keep the FMC from mating and making sure to micromanage her so she couldn't "mate". She is 19 years old has only met everyone for a short period of time. Regardless of that she is an adult. 2 characters decide they have all the parental rights to her and are entitled to control everything about her and berate her constantly for not doing what they want. The 2 characters mate without being wed the same night she does and try and punish her for it.
When she gets more competent with her powers her personality changes. She becomes confident and decisive. Everyone berates her about the change. Basically everyone is unhappy with her no matter what happens. They treat her like a child while simultaneously expecting her to be a queen. No one ever tried to understand the FMC or see things from her point of view.
This book is the most sexually repressive book I have ever read in the RH genre. The actual reason (plot) of the book was forgotten for long stretches to focus solely on making sure the FMC does not mate. In fact that seemed to be the reason for the book and yet it is a RH book. WTF!!!
February 17, 2017
Soryn has been kept in the dark throughout her childhood about a great many things. She has been raised in isolation, but that is all about to change when her mentor promises answers in exchange for a strange mission: travel to mainland and touch the princess residing there in order to and try to call to the fire in the princess's blood, which from what little Soryn knows should not work, unless they are related... Thus begins her journey of both self-discovery, and world-discovery, and self-mastery.
The author tells the story from the perspective of the main characters which are denoted at the beginning of each chapter, and unveils a fantastical adventure along the way. Each character has a unique backstory and personality, which remain consisten throughout the story as their fates intertwine.
The author tells the story from the perspective of the main characters which are denoted at the beginning of each chapter, and unveils a fantastical adventure along the way. Each character has a unique backstory and personality, which remain consisten throughout the story as their fates intertwine.
March 19, 2017
The Spirus is an entrancing novel about a world where humans without magic interact with those with fascinating powers. There is a fear and jealousy within those without magic that creates an underlying tension that borders on war throughout a large portion of Trepagnier’s work.
The main character, Soryn, enters this land-in-conflict and begins to set the world into some semblance of order through her god-like powers. I was captivated by the steady revelation of Soryn’s increasing abilities.
The author has a unique style, where questions and ideas are repeated from a number of points of view, but rather than being annoying, the effect is more endearing. I felt as if I were in the head of the confused girl, striving to understand her place and her mission.
Soryn was raised by an individual who kept her shielded not only from the majority of her relatives, but also from many of the ways of the world - to include anything remotely loving or sexual. Thus, once she was unleashed from her bonds, she has quite a compelling and stimulating life. I was enthralled by the writing and I particularly enjoyed the ending as the author delves into Soryn’s future which developed just along the lines I hoped.
The main character, Soryn, enters this land-in-conflict and begins to set the world into some semblance of order through her god-like powers. I was captivated by the steady revelation of Soryn’s increasing abilities.
The author has a unique style, where questions and ideas are repeated from a number of points of view, but rather than being annoying, the effect is more endearing. I felt as if I were in the head of the confused girl, striving to understand her place and her mission.
Soryn was raised by an individual who kept her shielded not only from the majority of her relatives, but also from many of the ways of the world - to include anything remotely loving or sexual. Thus, once she was unleashed from her bonds, she has quite a compelling and stimulating life. I was enthralled by the writing and I particularly enjoyed the ending as the author delves into Soryn’s future which developed just along the lines I hoped.
March 13, 2017
The plot of The Spirus was extremely interesting, and I was hooked from the first page. I loved the magic. I loved the coming of age, finding out your destiny aspect coming from the main Character, a young girl named Soryn. I really enjoyed her character and I felt myself connecting to her from the beginning. She's extremely likable, and her point of view was, most of the time, easy to follow.
Though, the book did not stay in her point of view. It's actually told from multiple POV's, and even though you got valuable information about Soryn from each switch, I found myself wishing to get back to Soryn's POV, as I found hers the most interesting.
It actually took me a while to realize that this book did not have chapters. That (I'm not sure if it was an error or the author chose not to put them in) made it difficult to have a sense of where I was in the book. I tried to go back to a particular spot and found that I had no idea where it was or what chapter I was on. Not something I enjoyed.
As far as the world in which the characters live, I can tell that the author took her time building this part of the story. It was intriguing, magical, and just about everything you want in a fantasy world.
Overall, I liked it. It took some time to get through, due to the length. Not that there's anything bad about a long book, but I think if the author could have shaved off quite a bit of the bulk and still done a fantastic job at telling the story. I didn't love the formatting, I wanted a bit more dialogue to break things up, and I thought a little condensing could have made the story a little easier to follow.
Though, the book did not stay in her point of view. It's actually told from multiple POV's, and even though you got valuable information about Soryn from each switch, I found myself wishing to get back to Soryn's POV, as I found hers the most interesting.
It actually took me a while to realize that this book did not have chapters. That (I'm not sure if it was an error or the author chose not to put them in) made it difficult to have a sense of where I was in the book. I tried to go back to a particular spot and found that I had no idea where it was or what chapter I was on. Not something I enjoyed.
As far as the world in which the characters live, I can tell that the author took her time building this part of the story. It was intriguing, magical, and just about everything you want in a fantasy world.
Overall, I liked it. It took some time to get through, due to the length. Not that there's anything bad about a long book, but I think if the author could have shaved off quite a bit of the bulk and still done a fantastic job at telling the story. I didn't love the formatting, I wanted a bit more dialogue to break things up, and I thought a little condensing could have made the story a little easier to follow.
September 4, 2018
A great beginning for a series.
I can't wait for more of this series, I want to say more about this story but I absolutely hate spoilers, so I won't go into details.
Reasons I enjoyed this book:
Tear-jerker, Happily Ever After, Witty, Romantic, Wonderful characters, Page-turner, Great world building, Unpredictable, Original, Realistic, Easy-to-read, Entertaining, Action-packed Twisted, Steamy, Funny, Haunting, Tragic, Scary, Informative, Whimsical.
Bookshelves/tags:
adventure, fantasy, mystery, paranormal, series, shifters.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I can't wait for more of this series, I want to say more about this story but I absolutely hate spoilers, so I won't go into details.
Reasons I enjoyed this book:
Tear-jerker, Happily Ever After, Witty, Romantic, Wonderful characters, Page-turner, Great world building, Unpredictable, Original, Realistic, Easy-to-read, Entertaining, Action-packed Twisted, Steamy, Funny, Haunting, Tragic, Scary, Informative, Whimsical.
Bookshelves/tags:
adventure, fantasy, mystery, paranormal, series, shifters.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 28, 2018
This was an ok read, the story line was great, the characters were just ok and the writing wasn’t very well executed. For me this book felt like it just went on forever, I really really did enjoy the concept though, it was extremely original, kind of fun and definitely a bit witty. I just had a difficult time getting through it though, but at about halfway it started to pick up and did get better. Not sure I would ever re-read this but for a one time read it did entertain me, I might have to read the rest of the series just to find out what happens.
September 10, 2018
The Spirus
A Reverse Harem Series
JB Trepagnier
This was a great fantasy novel. I loved the elements of magic and shape shifting where she can transform into amazing things. When she meets the princes and they all want her to choose them it is crazy, but it being a novel of course why choose? It is fabulous that you do not have to. I love this first entry in the series as Soryn discovers who she is and starts to come to terms with it. I cannot wait to see what happens next.
A Reverse Harem Series
JB Trepagnier
This was a great fantasy novel. I loved the elements of magic and shape shifting where she can transform into amazing things. When she meets the princes and they all want her to choose them it is crazy, but it being a novel of course why choose? It is fabulous that you do not have to. I love this first entry in the series as Soryn discovers who she is and starts to come to terms with it. I cannot wait to see what happens next.
January 11, 2018
I was drawn into this magical story from page one, and totally enthralled until the end. This is the best fantasy I’ve read in years. It is an epic fantasy with magic, magical beings, and wonderful settings. It is rich with characters and setting. The magic enhances the story and well explained as to make it feel real even though it is rather fantastic. This is one not to miss.
October 21, 2018
What a wonderful start to a brand-new series!
I was in from the first few chapters. I loved the main characters and the secondary characters were great.
Plot was spot on and writing was excellent!
I am looking forward to the next installment!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I was in from the first few chapters. I loved the main characters and the secondary characters were great.
Plot was spot on and writing was excellent!
I am looking forward to the next installment!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 17, 2018
Received an arc in exchange for an honest review. Omg. This book was awesome. Read cover to cover because I couldn’t put it down. Fun characters. Exciting plot. I definitely recommend this book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 29, 2018
I enjoyed this book alot. I thought the story was intriguing and original. All of the characters were well written. It was interesting reading all the views of the varying tribes versus humans. I look forward to reading more from this author.
October 5, 2018
This is a really good story. It's about a girl who is kidnapped and hidden because of what she can and will do in the future. Some will want her dead and others will want her help. I like the concept though it was written in a way that was hard for me to read. I am hoping the rest of the series gets easier.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 8, 2019
Great start to a series. Loved the character progression. Loved the world and the characters. Great new book to the rh library
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 28, 2018
Enjoyable read though at first it took me some time to get into it. I liked the writing and the characters were interesting to me.
July 9, 2018
It was quite good read sparks the imagination of the reader as they journey through their hiden secrets as it unfolds with issues to sort through the pages.
May 10, 2019
This is a great read! Well written this fab storyline is complex and gripping and has some fantastic characters! Intrigue and suspense I cannot wait to read more of this fantasy series!
January 26, 2017
This book hooked me from the very first pages and I stayed up all night reading it. It had a little bit of everything: interesting moments and characters, intrigue and suspense as we wondered who this girl was and what was going to happen to her, and then a brilliantly executed narrative as everyone tries to understand the Spirus and this being they've been praying toward for years.
The author does a great job of bringing the reader into the story and making us feel for this girl. She is wholly unique, and instead of a blessing that feels like a curse. She is trying to learn about herself in a hostile world and understand what her place is. There was some sexual content in the story, but nothing overly done or in bad taste. I will definitely be keeping an eye on this author and following up to see what else she has in store. Great read!
The author does a great job of bringing the reader into the story and making us feel for this girl. She is wholly unique, and instead of a blessing that feels like a curse. She is trying to learn about herself in a hostile world and understand what her place is. There was some sexual content in the story, but nothing overly done or in bad taste. I will definitely be keeping an eye on this author and following up to see what else she has in store. Great read!
September 30, 2018
All she knew was hiding. She knew nothing of who she really was and he wouldn't tell her. One day he tells her to find out she needs to travel to find out. The people who knows about her think of her as a myth so she travels to find them. Will she find out who she is? Why does she have powers? follow her journey
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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