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Himagusian Chronicles #1
Himagus
Kylie Lauder survived the invasion of earth by the Himagusians. But her family did not. As she struggles to survive, she meets others who are willing to avenge the death of the human race. Torn between myth and reality, Kylie embarks on an adventure that forces her to choose between sacrifice and her happily ever after.
- GenresFantasy
143 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 13, 2020
1 person is currently reading
68 people want to read
About the author
Kerat Kaur Jhaj
4 books85 followersKerat Jhaj the winner of Scholastic art and writing contests and a booktuber on her channel "Jatti Numba One" started writing "Himagus" her debut novella as a freshman in highschool. She is still a high school student living in northern California and can often be found jamming to Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato and other pop artist's.
Check out her YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ4R...
Check out her YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ4R...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
March 24, 2021
~ 2 stars ~
TW/CW: rape, child abuse, death, murder, grief, misogyny
~ Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of this novella in exchange for an honest review. ~
I’m not sure what I was expecting with this book. It was presented as a dark romance fantasy so I expected a...well...romance. And one that I like, to specify.
This is a debut book, and a self published one written by a high schooler at that, which is wonderful, so I don’t want to seem discouraging. The concept is interesting and that was the reason I decided to read it in the first place, and I ended up not liking it unfortunately. But if the synopsis interests you too, I do recommend you try it out and see for yourself, as you may like it better than I did.
what I disliked:
~ I thought that the story itself was a tad too messy. It was trying to do too much, especially for a novella.
This book follows Kylie, who is the sole survivor of an apocalypse. Two Himagusians, who are essentially aliens, were sent by their Emperor to observe life on planet earth for a couple of years before they get the orders to wipe them all out. These Himagusians are also shape shifters. While they prefer their human form, they also have a mostorley form too. And they can turn into werewolves. And they can do magic. When one of them, William, saw Kylie, he fell in love with her and couldn't find the will to kill her like the others . So he kept her hidden in his home in California, with the help of the other one, David. David and Kylie become fast friends. William tells one day Kylie that there is a way that everything could go back to normal. When some of the Himagusians come to earth, for reasons I forgot, David and William must greet them and have daily meetings with them, so they are gone for a good part of the day. They leave at magical all seeing ball at her disposal that she may use, so she uses it to find out David and William’s story. This aspect takes up a good chunk of the book. There is also a prophecy about William. And, they start to train Kylie to fight against their own kind, who are evil, vicious, and are unfeeling, except that of hate and anger.
I found the ending was very underwhelming, and just as confusing as the rest.
This novella is a little over a hundred pages, and I was getting whiplash from how fast things were moving, and half the time, I didn’t even know what was going on. A fever dream really.
~ The world building was quite underdeveloped. There was so much I wanted to know and didn’t.
~ The romance was also underdeveloped. Not only was it insta love, but I had no idea what anyone was feeling. One moment Kylie would talk about how terrible William is for killing her family, and the next her inner monologues would be her thinking of him in warm ways. She loves him, but doesn’t want to, from what I understand, but it’s all weird. And William cares for her more than she does him, and she uses that to take advantage of him, and to get him to tell her things she shouldn’t know. And for a romance fantasy, there weren't much romantic moments between them. They had no connection or chemistry.
~ The characters... I didn’t care for them or their relationships. They were very 2D.
~ The writing was not for me.
Now, I’m going to sound like an absolute prick for saying this, but there were a few grammar mistakes, and sentences that didn’t fit, or made no sense. I always notice this in books if it is present, and while it doesn’t ruin anything really and is easy to overlook, it bothers me because I am that prick that I am trying not to sound like.
There were also pop culture references, which are one of my biggest pet peeves. Some people love them, some people don’t mind them, but personally I do not. There were references to things like TikTok, YouTube, Ed Sheeran, words like dude and bruh, and it didn’t do it for me.
There were also a lot of exclamation marks and the dialogues felt unnatural.
It just needs to be more polished overall, but there is nothing really wrong with it objectively. It just overall was subjectively not for me
Final Thoughts: I didn’t like much about it, other than the cover which is gorgeous, but I didn't hate it, so it's a 2 star. I wish I did like it more than I did, but that is not the case. You will find that a lot of my critiques have to do with things not being developed, and that once again ties back to trying to do too much with such little time. Perhaps if this was a novel, than things could have been more fleshed out.
TW/CW: rape, child abuse, death, murder, grief, misogyny
~ Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of this novella in exchange for an honest review. ~
I’m not sure what I was expecting with this book. It was presented as a dark romance fantasy so I expected a...well...romance. And one that I like, to specify.
This is a debut book, and a self published one written by a high schooler at that, which is wonderful, so I don’t want to seem discouraging. The concept is interesting and that was the reason I decided to read it in the first place, and I ended up not liking it unfortunately. But if the synopsis interests you too, I do recommend you try it out and see for yourself, as you may like it better than I did.
what I disliked:
~ I thought that the story itself was a tad too messy. It was trying to do too much, especially for a novella.
This book follows Kylie, who is the sole survivor of an apocalypse. Two Himagusians, who are essentially aliens, were sent by their Emperor to observe life on planet earth for a couple of years before they get the orders to wipe them all out. These Himagusians are also shape shifters. While they prefer their human form, they also have a mostorley form too. And they can turn into werewolves. And they can do magic. When one of them, William, saw Kylie, he fell in love with her and couldn't find the will to kill her like the others . So he kept her hidden in his home in California, with the help of the other one, David. David and Kylie become fast friends. William tells one day Kylie that there is a way that everything could go back to normal. When some of the Himagusians come to earth, for reasons I forgot, David and William must greet them and have daily meetings with them, so they are gone for a good part of the day. They leave at magical all seeing ball at her disposal that she may use, so she uses it to find out David and William’s story. This aspect takes up a good chunk of the book. There is also a prophecy about William. And, they start to train Kylie to fight against their own kind, who are evil, vicious, and are unfeeling, except that of hate and anger.
I found the ending was very underwhelming, and just as confusing as the rest.
This novella is a little over a hundred pages, and I was getting whiplash from how fast things were moving, and half the time, I didn’t even know what was going on. A fever dream really.
~ The world building was quite underdeveloped. There was so much I wanted to know and didn’t.
~ The romance was also underdeveloped. Not only was it insta love, but I had no idea what anyone was feeling. One moment Kylie would talk about how terrible William is for killing her family, and the next her inner monologues would be her thinking of him in warm ways. She loves him, but doesn’t want to, from what I understand, but it’s all weird. And William cares for her more than she does him, and she uses that to take advantage of him, and to get him to tell her things she shouldn’t know. And for a romance fantasy, there weren't much romantic moments between them. They had no connection or chemistry.
~ The characters... I didn’t care for them or their relationships. They were very 2D.
~ The writing was not for me.
Now, I’m going to sound like an absolute prick for saying this, but there were a few grammar mistakes, and sentences that didn’t fit, or made no sense. I always notice this in books if it is present, and while it doesn’t ruin anything really and is easy to overlook, it bothers me because I am that prick that I am trying not to sound like.
There were also pop culture references, which are one of my biggest pet peeves. Some people love them, some people don’t mind them, but personally I do not. There were references to things like TikTok, YouTube, Ed Sheeran, words like dude and bruh, and it didn’t do it for me.
There were also a lot of exclamation marks and the dialogues felt unnatural.
It just needs to be more polished overall, but there is nothing really wrong with it objectively. It just overall was subjectively not for me
Final Thoughts: I didn’t like much about it, other than the cover which is gorgeous, but I didn't hate it, so it's a 2 star. I wish I did like it more than I did, but that is not the case. You will find that a lot of my critiques have to do with things not being developed, and that once again ties back to trying to do too much with such little time. Perhaps if this was a novel, than things could have been more fleshed out.
September 2, 2020
I have been thinking over how I want to write this review for sometime now. Overall this story has really solid bones. The storyline is good but I felt that development of characters and presentation need some more fine- tuning. I am aware that the author is a young writer and I in no way wish to discourage that. Please know that I think you are off to a fabulous start and that with time and dedication you and your work have the capability to go far.
I received a copy of this e-book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I received a copy of this e-book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
December 16, 2020
Himagus is something I have NEVER seen before. There are a lot of stories that take fantasy beings (such as demons, gods, vampires...) and turn them into science fiction by giving an intelligent explanation of how they work, but Himagus does the opposite. The story introduces us to an alien race that is, in fact, what we attribute as supernatural rather than the usual 'oh gods are just a race of beings whose technology we don't understand.' They are actually magical, which by the way magic is also a great power of theirs.
The book begins with a demonic massacre straight out of a scary movie, the main character (Kylie) having been spared due to a strange, almost 'love at first sight' type scenario. It then progresses into her trying to come to terms with what happened (what IS happening) as her logical emotions conflict with her illogical ones. While learning about the violent aliens who have invaded Earth, Kylie discovers in the most bizarre ways that even in a world of darkness, light is not so easily quelled.
The aliens' culture is another fresh take that Himagus presents. We've all seen the 'warrior' races in scifi books/shows where violence, stoicism, or apathy prevail over all else. However with the Himagusians, their world quite literally runs on evil. It was like taking all the worst aspects of every culture to have existed in real life, mixing them together, and amplifying their negativity.
While applying the theme of advanced alien races viewing humanity as cockroaches to be exterminated, only to learn love, compassion, or even fun from our complex race, it also shows that these wildly different beings never inherently lacked the capability for such positivity. It was simply their aggressive upbringing and traditions that trained them to be as they are. That in itself is a very strong message.
At parts, the author's writing style does feel a bit unrefined, but it is not enough to detract from the enjoyment of the story. Take into consideration (read the acknowledgments) that they were a ninth grade student when first taking on this book project, and there really is no room for criticism. Overall, it was well-done and extremely unique. I'm greatly looking forward to the sequel, especially with the twists toward the end of the story (no spoilers lol).
Merged review:
Himagus is something I have NEVER seen before. There are a lot of stories that take fantasy beings (such as demons, gods, vampires...) and turn them into science fiction by giving an intelligent explanation of how they work, but Himagus does the opposite. The story introduces us to an alien race that is, in fact, what we attribute as supernatural rather than the usual 'oh gods are just a race of beings whose technology we don't understand.' They are actually magical, which by the way magic is also a great power of theirs.
The book begins with a demonic massacre straight out of a scary movie, the main character (Kylie) having been spared due to a strange, almost 'love at first sight' type scenario. It then progresses into her trying to come to terms with what happened (what IS happening) as her logical emotions conflict with her illogical ones. While learning about the violent aliens who have invaded Earth, Kylie discovers in the most bizarre ways that even in a world of darkness, light is not so easily quelled.
The aliens' culture is another fresh take that Himagus presents. We've all seen the 'warrior' races in scifi books/shows where violence, stoicism, or apathy prevail over all else. However with the Himagusians, their world quite literally runs on evil. It was like taking all the worst aspects of every culture to have existed in real life, mixing them together, and amplifying their negativity.
While applying the theme of advanced alien races viewing humanity as cockroaches to be exterminated, only to learn love, compassion, or even fun from our complex race, it also shows that these wildly different beings never inherently lacked the capability for such positivity. It was simply their aggressive upbringing and traditions that trained them to be as they are. That in itself is a very strong message.
At parts, the author's writing style does feel a bit unrefined, but it is not enough to detract from the enjoyment of the story. Take into consideration (read the acknowledgments) that they were a ninth grade student when first taking on this book project, and there really is no room for criticism. Overall, it was well-done and extremely unique. I'm greatly looking forward to the sequel, especially with the twists toward the end of the story (no spoilers lol).
The book begins with a demonic massacre straight out of a scary movie, the main character (Kylie) having been spared due to a strange, almost 'love at first sight' type scenario. It then progresses into her trying to come to terms with what happened (what IS happening) as her logical emotions conflict with her illogical ones. While learning about the violent aliens who have invaded Earth, Kylie discovers in the most bizarre ways that even in a world of darkness, light is not so easily quelled.
The aliens' culture is another fresh take that Himagus presents. We've all seen the 'warrior' races in scifi books/shows where violence, stoicism, or apathy prevail over all else. However with the Himagusians, their world quite literally runs on evil. It was like taking all the worst aspects of every culture to have existed in real life, mixing them together, and amplifying their negativity.
While applying the theme of advanced alien races viewing humanity as cockroaches to be exterminated, only to learn love, compassion, or even fun from our complex race, it also shows that these wildly different beings never inherently lacked the capability for such positivity. It was simply their aggressive upbringing and traditions that trained them to be as they are. That in itself is a very strong message.
At parts, the author's writing style does feel a bit unrefined, but it is not enough to detract from the enjoyment of the story. Take into consideration (read the acknowledgments) that they were a ninth grade student when first taking on this book project, and there really is no room for criticism. Overall, it was well-done and extremely unique. I'm greatly looking forward to the sequel, especially with the twists toward the end of the story (no spoilers lol).
Merged review:
Himagus is something I have NEVER seen before. There are a lot of stories that take fantasy beings (such as demons, gods, vampires...) and turn them into science fiction by giving an intelligent explanation of how they work, but Himagus does the opposite. The story introduces us to an alien race that is, in fact, what we attribute as supernatural rather than the usual 'oh gods are just a race of beings whose technology we don't understand.' They are actually magical, which by the way magic is also a great power of theirs.
The book begins with a demonic massacre straight out of a scary movie, the main character (Kylie) having been spared due to a strange, almost 'love at first sight' type scenario. It then progresses into her trying to come to terms with what happened (what IS happening) as her logical emotions conflict with her illogical ones. While learning about the violent aliens who have invaded Earth, Kylie discovers in the most bizarre ways that even in a world of darkness, light is not so easily quelled.
The aliens' culture is another fresh take that Himagus presents. We've all seen the 'warrior' races in scifi books/shows where violence, stoicism, or apathy prevail over all else. However with the Himagusians, their world quite literally runs on evil. It was like taking all the worst aspects of every culture to have existed in real life, mixing them together, and amplifying their negativity.
While applying the theme of advanced alien races viewing humanity as cockroaches to be exterminated, only to learn love, compassion, or even fun from our complex race, it also shows that these wildly different beings never inherently lacked the capability for such positivity. It was simply their aggressive upbringing and traditions that trained them to be as they are. That in itself is a very strong message.
At parts, the author's writing style does feel a bit unrefined, but it is not enough to detract from the enjoyment of the story. Take into consideration (read the acknowledgments) that they were a ninth grade student when first taking on this book project, and there really is no room for criticism. Overall, it was well-done and extremely unique. I'm greatly looking forward to the sequel, especially with the twists toward the end of the story (no spoilers lol).
March 16, 2021
I'm sad to say that I did not enjoy this book. I know the author was in high school when she wrote this book and is still in school.
Most of my gripes are with the MC and her reactions to everyone being dead and the supposed love from the aliens. Very little of it came off as realistic.
Ultimately, I want to see this author continue to write and get better at her craft. Nobody is good from the start and we all get better with every project.
I will be reading every book from this author to watch her progress and will wait until I can give her a 10/10
Most of my gripes are with the MC and her reactions to everyone being dead and the supposed love from the aliens. Very little of it came off as realistic.
Ultimately, I want to see this author continue to write and get better at her craft. Nobody is good from the start and we all get better with every project.
I will be reading every book from this author to watch her progress and will wait until I can give her a 10/10
August 11, 2021
This was a great book and I enjoyed reading it. It was a great that I couldn’t put it down. It had a great storyline and good characters.
August 18, 2021
I finished Himagus last night. And even though it wasn't a perfect book, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is a fairly short book. I think it would be officially a novella instead of a full lenght book.
And for me it felt like a dark fairytale. And that is something I absolutely love.
My review contains a lot of spoilers, so be warned if you continue reading!
The book is about Kylie, who wakes up and finds out her entire family is murdered. Every single one of them is death, apart from her. And she quickly finds out the entire human race is killed. And a monster who turns into a human being, tells her he saved her because he loves her. His name is William.
He explains that his race wants to kill the entire universe so that only his race is left. Kylie has so much anger, that she tries to kill him. But she doesn't succeed. They do have an instant connection and they start to love each other.
There is also a character David. He is a sort of brother of William.
I liked how ... sometimes factual or emotionless the gruesome details were written. Williams race reproduces by raping woman. And they have to birth as much children as they can until they die in child birth.
The background stories of William and David are heart breaking. William is born out of rape. The leader of his race didn't like his eye color. So as a newborn they poked a needle in his eyes and changed the color.
The background stories are told through a ball. A sort of magic ball. You can ask it anything and it shows you what happened. Kylie even replays the night her entire family is killed.
David's story is heartbreaking too. His mother fell in love. And her father disagrees. And he beats her so severely. She has been beaten since she was a small child. She gets pregant of her lover Deber. And she almost dies after her father beats her again. But in a time lapse she is given time to give birth in 4 days. She dies quickly after her son is born.
William and David tell Kylie that there is a way to bring back the human race to live. They need to steal a pendant who grants wishes. They teach her how to fight.
And in the end when they do fight. Both William and David die. And Kylie wakes up in her bed, at home, and everything is normal again. No more aliens, no more invasion.
She ends up in an asylum and leaves it when she is 25. She finds the ball again, the home she shared with William and David. And watches her story with them on repeat. Because she loves them, and misses them. Her pain is so palpable that she wouldn't mind starving to death.
I loved all the dark themes in this book. The hurt and pain and gruesome details.
But you can really sense this is a debut novel. At times I wish there were more emotions in this book. In the beginning you don't really feel Kylie's pain after she finds out her entire family is dead. And the book is fairly short. I wish it was a bit longer and more worked out.
But I loved the story and darkness so much, a part of me just doesn't care that it isn't perfect. Because it lacks details, it has a fairytale vibe. And there are background stories woven into it. So it really is a solid book in a way.
To be honest, this book kinda stole my heart. I love it so much. So yeah, I don't care it wasn't perfect. It was right for me. And hopefully for other readers as well.
I want to thank the author for sharing this dark and amazing story with us readers! It means a lot! <3
And for me it felt like a dark fairytale. And that is something I absolutely love.
My review contains a lot of spoilers, so be warned if you continue reading!
The book is about Kylie, who wakes up and finds out her entire family is murdered. Every single one of them is death, apart from her. And she quickly finds out the entire human race is killed. And a monster who turns into a human being, tells her he saved her because he loves her. His name is William.
He explains that his race wants to kill the entire universe so that only his race is left. Kylie has so much anger, that she tries to kill him. But she doesn't succeed. They do have an instant connection and they start to love each other.
There is also a character David. He is a sort of brother of William.
I liked how ... sometimes factual or emotionless the gruesome details were written. Williams race reproduces by raping woman. And they have to birth as much children as they can until they die in child birth.
The background stories of William and David are heart breaking. William is born out of rape. The leader of his race didn't like his eye color. So as a newborn they poked a needle in his eyes and changed the color.
The background stories are told through a ball. A sort of magic ball. You can ask it anything and it shows you what happened. Kylie even replays the night her entire family is killed.
David's story is heartbreaking too. His mother fell in love. And her father disagrees. And he beats her so severely. She has been beaten since she was a small child. She gets pregant of her lover Deber. And she almost dies after her father beats her again. But in a time lapse she is given time to give birth in 4 days. She dies quickly after her son is born.
William and David tell Kylie that there is a way to bring back the human race to live. They need to steal a pendant who grants wishes. They teach her how to fight.
And in the end when they do fight. Both William and David die. And Kylie wakes up in her bed, at home, and everything is normal again. No more aliens, no more invasion.
She ends up in an asylum and leaves it when she is 25. She finds the ball again, the home she shared with William and David. And watches her story with them on repeat. Because she loves them, and misses them. Her pain is so palpable that she wouldn't mind starving to death.
I loved all the dark themes in this book. The hurt and pain and gruesome details.
But you can really sense this is a debut novel. At times I wish there were more emotions in this book. In the beginning you don't really feel Kylie's pain after she finds out her entire family is dead. And the book is fairly short. I wish it was a bit longer and more worked out.
But I loved the story and darkness so much, a part of me just doesn't care that it isn't perfect. Because it lacks details, it has a fairytale vibe. And there are background stories woven into it. So it really is a solid book in a way.
To be honest, this book kinda stole my heart. I love it so much. So yeah, I don't care it wasn't perfect. It was right for me. And hopefully for other readers as well.
I want to thank the author for sharing this dark and amazing story with us readers! It means a lot! <3
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 10, 2021
This was a hard one for me to review. The story is about alien werewolfs and magic users who come to the planet Earth, destroy absolutely everyone except one girl, who they both fall in love with. It reminded me of a mix between Twilight, Harry Potter, and weirdness. The story itself is extremely choppy, and all the characters need to be fleshed out more. There is very little depth to them. I got all the war through this book ready to garbage it as an unworthy read. Then I read the acknowledgement from the writer. She is a young girl who started this book her freshman year in highschool and finished it her senior year. That being said, I never want to discourage young writers. That's the exact age I began writing, and God knows I could use improvement from those days. There is real talent here. She needs to hone her craft with some good creative writing classes and definitely do better at describing both locations and the motivations of her characters actions. A lot of the time I was lost. I enjoyed thoroughly how she delved into the past of both her "alien" characters parents backgrounds and how they were born. This was probably the best part in the story. I hope she does keep writing. It can only get better with age and practice.
September 27, 2024
Thank you to Kerat Kaur Jhaj for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
3 stars
First and foremost, I loved the cover. It's both beautiful and relevant to the story. Secondly, I enjoyed the plot of the story. However, a trigger warning for sexual assault, misogyny, and child abuse is required. That being said, I loved the stories conveyed using the "ball". Also, I found Kylie hilarious. Even though the situation was dire, I admired her sense of humor.
I expected her to maintain her disdain for these aliens while putting on a false mask of liking them. But eventually caring for them by finally understanding their situation and expressing her sadness at losing them in the last chapter. This would have been a more realistic plot.
Furthermore, she didn't say much about her life before the invasion; the book was short, but I'm sure incorporating her memories of her family and friends would have been interesting.
Magus was described in a generalised manner. More details should have been given on werewolves and magus.
I wasn't very attached to the characters. At first, I thought William was untrustworthy. Later, he appeared to be OK. These characters need a lot more refinement.
David appeared to be laid-back and amusing. The author hinted at a love triangle at one point. However, the book lacked romance. It seemed more like a dark fantasy.
Final Thoughts:
The author did an excellent job of introducing stories via the magical ball. The stories helped a lot in understanding the characters better and building up the world. I really loved the stories, however tragic they were. Still, a lot is unknown, and I’ll be continuing to read the second book.
3 stars
First and foremost, I loved the cover. It's both beautiful and relevant to the story. Secondly, I enjoyed the plot of the story. However, a trigger warning for sexual assault, misogyny, and child abuse is required. That being said, I loved the stories conveyed using the "ball". Also, I found Kylie hilarious. Even though the situation was dire, I admired her sense of humor.
World-building:
Both David and William gave us some insight into Himagus. However, Kylie's diving into both of their pasts allowed us to understand first-hand just how twisted up their world was.
Because the book's main setting remained on Earth, we didn't get to learn about the Himagus planet's landscape, language, and so on.
The "ball" was extremely useful in gauging the morals of the individuals who lived there. However, it did not provide answers to many questions. The magical ball translated several scenes from Himagus. We couldn't, however, presume that aliens spoke any of our native languages. And did they know how to write in our Earth languages? Because it is stated in one of the chapters that the words were in a different language. The magical ball, on the other hand, had translated it into English. And surely, not all Himagusians knew how to speak English. David and William were exceptions, but what about the rest of them? Were they trained? Kylie had met one of the Himagusians and was able to comprehend his speech very well, and vice versa.
Plot/Pacing:
This is a fast-paced novel. If I'm not mistaken, the author has covered seven days of Kylie's life since the invasion, which accounts for eighty percent of the book. Following that, I'm assuming three months have gone by according to William's plan.
The book could have been lengthier in order to properly stretch out the events in the first half of the book over a much longer time frame. Because the book is concise and to the point, it was difficult to process all of the information that was stated, and it was overwhelming at times. As a result, the book came across as rushed.
When William said that he was the one who killed her family, I was disappointed that no attention was given to the portions where remarks or some kind of reaction were required. Or when the magical ball released mist, causing a storm. What was it even about?
And I was surprised, to say the least, when she had to explain the practice fight session with David. She had to have some combat experience. Someone couldn't possibly become a pro overnight. And what did she even eat? Because the only things mentioned were cereal and supper. And it had better be protein-rich.
The epilogue was confusing. If she was really observant, then she could have noticed her family’s reaction to her "dream" and stopped trying to convince them otherwise. Instead of wasting her time and becoming disassociated from society, she may have tried to discover the truth on her own.
Characters:
Kylie Lauder is a teen, but her exact age isn’t mentioned. She was kind, funny, and seemed level-headed, right up until the end of chapter one. Then she just went out of character. Insta-love seemed unideal at that particular moment. There should have been some build-up for Kylie to reveal this feeling.
And her whole ignorant attitude towards death and murder is not what I had expected. I began to wonder what I had been missing when she referred to them as her boyfriend and best friend. The problem was that she was the only one who acknowledged it, and it all appeared to be in her head.
“You took everything away from me—my whole world—and think, you can make it up to me. He wants me, but I’ll never forgive him. I’ll go as he plans and take my revenge.”
I expected her to maintain her disdain for these aliens while putting on a false mask of liking them. But eventually caring for them by finally understanding their situation and expressing her sadness at losing them in the last chapter. This would have been a more realistic plot.
Furthermore, she didn't say much about her life before the invasion; the book was short, but I'm sure incorporating her memories of her family and friends would have been interesting.
Magus was described in a generalised manner. More details should have been given on werewolves and magus.
I wasn't very attached to the characters. At first, I thought William was untrustworthy. Later, he appeared to be OK. These characters need a lot more refinement.
David appeared to be laid-back and amusing. The author hinted at a love triangle at one point. However, the book lacked romance. It seemed more like a dark fantasy.
Final Thoughts:
The author did an excellent job of introducing stories via the magical ball. The stories helped a lot in understanding the characters better and building up the world. I really loved the stories, however tragic they were. Still, a lot is unknown, and I’ll be continuing to read the second book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2021
Title: Himagus
Author: Kerat Kaur Jhaj
Pages: 179
Rating: 2.5/5 (Rounded up to 3)
A huge thank you to the author for letting me read and review Himagus
Synopsis:
When Kylie wakes up to a world consisting of butchered bodies, she soon discovers she is the only person left in the world. She is left wondering what to do and she is lost, this is until William, the man who killed her parents and spared her and David show up and promise to fix the mess they have made. Kylie doesn’t trust their word, but she wants the chance to avenge her family and it is unsafe for her to remain by herself, so she goes with them to hide from the Himagusians who wanted all of mankind to be wiped out. The only hope of fixing the earth is to work with William and steal the magic pendant off the emperor. Kylie questions if this is pendant is a myth but she has to try, knowing there could also be a risk that there are no wishes left.
Review:
First things first, I have to comment on the stunning front cover, it is eye catching and draws your attention to the book straight away. When I read the description in the email sent to me by the author, it piqued my curiosity instantly, especially the part about the butchered bodies! However, after reading the description on Goodreads, I was left feeling a little unsure as to how I would connect with the book, knowing there could be a sci-fi element in there, a genre I don’t usually connect well with, however I was excited to give it a go!
After finishing Himagus, I wouldn’t say I fell in love with the book or connected on a deep level, it just didn’t give me the fire in my belly. I felt that the pace didn’t suit the authors fantastic ideas, the story moved a little too quick for me and it made it almost unbelievable (even though it is a fantasy.) Kylie’s reactions to losing her family also didn’t sit quite right with me, her reactions didn’t seem as human as I would have expected.
I did appreciate how we got some character’s back stories such as William, so we are able to understand the Himagus race and where they came from. I also found the Himagus race to be very interesting, especially for their brutal ways. The fantasy feel was also very nice and I liked the werewolves and magical feel the author created. The author also did a good job at setting the scenes at times which I could visualise.
I just generally struggled to connect with the storyline and the characters. The main leads didn’t have enough about them for me, and at times I also felt quite confused with the story due to how fast it moved on. I did question at times if this would be a better suited read for young adults/teenagers but there again some of the writing of the author was to an adult level.
This was a nice, easy and quick read that you can get through in one sitting. I do really admire and respect how young the author was when she wrote this book and how she managed to create a whole different world and species. I can really see her potential and it would be interesting to see how her writing advances in the future
Author: Kerat Kaur Jhaj
Pages: 179
Rating: 2.5/5 (Rounded up to 3)
A huge thank you to the author for letting me read and review Himagus
Synopsis:
When Kylie wakes up to a world consisting of butchered bodies, she soon discovers she is the only person left in the world. She is left wondering what to do and she is lost, this is until William, the man who killed her parents and spared her and David show up and promise to fix the mess they have made. Kylie doesn’t trust their word, but she wants the chance to avenge her family and it is unsafe for her to remain by herself, so she goes with them to hide from the Himagusians who wanted all of mankind to be wiped out. The only hope of fixing the earth is to work with William and steal the magic pendant off the emperor. Kylie questions if this is pendant is a myth but she has to try, knowing there could also be a risk that there are no wishes left.
Review:
First things first, I have to comment on the stunning front cover, it is eye catching and draws your attention to the book straight away. When I read the description in the email sent to me by the author, it piqued my curiosity instantly, especially the part about the butchered bodies! However, after reading the description on Goodreads, I was left feeling a little unsure as to how I would connect with the book, knowing there could be a sci-fi element in there, a genre I don’t usually connect well with, however I was excited to give it a go!
After finishing Himagus, I wouldn’t say I fell in love with the book or connected on a deep level, it just didn’t give me the fire in my belly. I felt that the pace didn’t suit the authors fantastic ideas, the story moved a little too quick for me and it made it almost unbelievable (even though it is a fantasy.) Kylie’s reactions to losing her family also didn’t sit quite right with me, her reactions didn’t seem as human as I would have expected.
I did appreciate how we got some character’s back stories such as William, so we are able to understand the Himagus race and where they came from. I also found the Himagus race to be very interesting, especially for their brutal ways. The fantasy feel was also very nice and I liked the werewolves and magical feel the author created. The author also did a good job at setting the scenes at times which I could visualise.
I just generally struggled to connect with the storyline and the characters. The main leads didn’t have enough about them for me, and at times I also felt quite confused with the story due to how fast it moved on. I did question at times if this would be a better suited read for young adults/teenagers but there again some of the writing of the author was to an adult level.
This was a nice, easy and quick read that you can get through in one sitting. I do really admire and respect how young the author was when she wrote this book and how she managed to create a whole different world and species. I can really see her potential and it would be interesting to see how her writing advances in the future
January 31, 2021
While it is clear that the author was young when she wrote this, it's a super promising start. This book had all of the elements needed for a book to become excellent, they just needed to be expanded on.
Throughout this entire book, I was hooked. At times, I will admit that I was confused, but I was still able to enjoy the story. The plot felt entirely unique, and I loved that about it. Kerat took an idea we've seen hundreds of times (aliens, mages, werewolves) and turned it into a new story, and created her own lore and history.
I loved the way this started off, it was such a strong start! Immediately, we're thrown into Kylie finding her entire family dead, which I shouldn't have enjoyed as much as I did. Anyway, I was immediately drawn into the story, and I couldn't wait to find out what was next.
Now, the next part of this review is going to be full of criticisms, not because this is a bad book, but because it could've been an amazing book.
Throughout the entire book, I was constantly caught off guard by the flashback scenes. I really wished these had been marked with a time stamp, such as "20 years before" or something similar. The flashbacks were super important to the story, and I loved learning a bit more about the Himagus through them!
My main complaint about this book is that I was unable to connect with the characters or the romance. We're thrown into a "love at first sight" love triangle, which combines two tropes I hate into one. With that being said though, the love triangle didn't bother me too much, because both guys weren't actively fighting for our main character. To me, the romance felt a bit unbelievable because our main character was a bit too accepting of her love interest's murders, but I ended up just ignoring the fact that he helped destroy humans.
This was definitely one of the most innovative fantasies I've read, and I can't wait to see what else this author has to offer!
Thanks to Kerat Kaur Jhaj for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
Throughout this entire book, I was hooked. At times, I will admit that I was confused, but I was still able to enjoy the story. The plot felt entirely unique, and I loved that about it. Kerat took an idea we've seen hundreds of times (aliens, mages, werewolves) and turned it into a new story, and created her own lore and history.
I loved the way this started off, it was such a strong start! Immediately, we're thrown into Kylie finding her entire family dead, which I shouldn't have enjoyed as much as I did. Anyway, I was immediately drawn into the story, and I couldn't wait to find out what was next.
Now, the next part of this review is going to be full of criticisms, not because this is a bad book, but because it could've been an amazing book.
Throughout the entire book, I was constantly caught off guard by the flashback scenes. I really wished these had been marked with a time stamp, such as "20 years before" or something similar. The flashbacks were super important to the story, and I loved learning a bit more about the Himagus through them!
My main complaint about this book is that I was unable to connect with the characters or the romance. We're thrown into a "love at first sight" love triangle, which combines two tropes I hate into one. With that being said though, the love triangle didn't bother me too much, because both guys weren't actively fighting for our main character. To me, the romance felt a bit unbelievable because our main character was a bit too accepting of her love interest's murders, but I ended up just ignoring the fact that he helped destroy humans.
This was definitely one of the most innovative fantasies I've read, and I can't wait to see what else this author has to offer!
Thanks to Kerat Kaur Jhaj for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
January 5, 2021
3/5 stars
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The world has ended. Well, life for the people on Earth has ended, anyway. One girl wakes up to discover that she is the only survivor. Two creatures from another planet murdered everyone, following the orders of those in charge of their world. However, they fell for her. Keeping her alive and hidden, they start to work together to undo what has been done.
First of all, I think this story has a lot of cool concepts. The author started working on this at a young age and it really has a lot of promise. However, the writing was a bit all over the place and I had a hard time getting into it. It also left me confused at certain points. The characters had a weird relationship which made it hard to root for them (insta-love and lots of murder.) Ultimately, while the plot seemed like it was interesting, the story still needs a little work. However, this author did a great job for her first book and I believe she has a lot of potential!
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The world has ended. Well, life for the people on Earth has ended, anyway. One girl wakes up to discover that she is the only survivor. Two creatures from another planet murdered everyone, following the orders of those in charge of their world. However, they fell for her. Keeping her alive and hidden, they start to work together to undo what has been done.
First of all, I think this story has a lot of cool concepts. The author started working on this at a young age and it really has a lot of promise. However, the writing was a bit all over the place and I had a hard time getting into it. It also left me confused at certain points. The characters had a weird relationship which made it hard to root for them (insta-love and lots of murder.) Ultimately, while the plot seemed like it was interesting, the story still needs a little work. However, this author did a great job for her first book and I believe she has a lot of potential!
January 8, 2021
Himagus - Kerat Kaur Jhaj
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review thanks to Kerat.
A planet called Himagus, had been planning to take over Earth and terminate mankind for decades. And when that did happen it was all because of two Himagusians, one a werewolf and the other a magus, who had lived on Earth for seven years to complete this task. But as they both fell for one human girl, they kept her alive.
And now it's up to her, to attempt bringing humans back, take her revenge on these Himagusians or admit she's in love and live happily ever after.
This is a very quick read, so there was not as much character development as I would’ve liked, but there was still enough for the story to be enjoyable. Overall this is a well-written novella for a young author and should attract readers that enjoy YA and paranormal romance.
I look forward to seeing what Kerat does with the sequel, especially given the twist at the end.
Rating 4/5
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review thanks to Kerat.
A planet called Himagus, had been planning to take over Earth and terminate mankind for decades. And when that did happen it was all because of two Himagusians, one a werewolf and the other a magus, who had lived on Earth for seven years to complete this task. But as they both fell for one human girl, they kept her alive.
And now it's up to her, to attempt bringing humans back, take her revenge on these Himagusians or admit she's in love and live happily ever after.
This is a very quick read, so there was not as much character development as I would’ve liked, but there was still enough for the story to be enjoyable. Overall this is a well-written novella for a young author and should attract readers that enjoy YA and paranormal romance.
I look forward to seeing what Kerat does with the sequel, especially given the twist at the end.
Rating 4/5
February 16, 2021
I was given a free .mobi in exchange for an honest review and this is one time that I am sorry for the honesty I have to give. Mainly because this was written by a high school student and I do not want to tear down their confidence and I want them to keep working and keep writing and keep publishing.
I am sorry, but this is going into the DNF pile. While I applaud the author for publishing her first novel while still in high school, I just…could not finish this. I believe this could have benefited from being run through the editing process a few more times before publication.
If you'd like to read the rest of my review, please visit my blog!
I am sorry, but this is going into the DNF pile. While I applaud the author for publishing her first novel while still in high school, I just…could not finish this. I believe this could have benefited from being run through the editing process a few more times before publication.
If you'd like to read the rest of my review, please visit my blog!
January 28, 2021
Thank you Kerat for reaching out to me to read this and review it. All opinions are my own.
Actual rating 2.5/5
The concept of this is very cool and super different. I like the idea of an alien race coming to overtake earth. The bones were there, the execution lacked. I wasn’t a fan of the romance. I know Insta love is a thing, but in this context it seemed unbelievable. I did think for what it was that the plot arc was fully realized and well thought out. It just was lacking for me, personally. I don’t think this book is bad, it just wasn’t great for me. I think it needed a little more in the romance and explanation of it, but it was okay.
Actual rating 2.5/5
The concept of this is very cool and super different. I like the idea of an alien race coming to overtake earth. The bones were there, the execution lacked. I wasn’t a fan of the romance. I know Insta love is a thing, but in this context it seemed unbelievable. I did think for what it was that the plot arc was fully realized and well thought out. It just was lacking for me, personally. I don’t think this book is bad, it just wasn’t great for me. I think it needed a little more in the romance and explanation of it, but it was okay.
April 1, 2021
This review is also featured on Behind the Pages: Himagus
Thank you to Kerat Kaur Jhaj for providing me with a copy for an honest review!
Kylie wakes up to find her family brutally murdered, their bodies strewn across the house. And the world outside her house is just as gruesome. Two himagusians, William and David, have infiltrated the planet and ended humankind. But there is a chance to rewrite time and bring back the life that was stolen. William and David have fallen for Kylie, fascinated by her, and she must try to win back humanity by winning their hearts.
I was enticed by this end of the world story. Finding yourself as the last living human after an alien race has invaded and slaughtered every last human. The setup was well done. Kylie enters a shocking state and denial after realizing what has happened. Her sarcastic lines and inner monologue made her a fun character to follow.
But when William and David entered the scene, the romance angle seemed abrupt. I thought Kylie’s thoughts of manipulating the boys into liking her was a good plot point. But the instant love wasn’t believable due to the atrocities the boys committed. Even with the lingering plot point of being able to go back in time somehow to fix everything, the romance needed more time to form. Kylie went through an extremely traumatic experience. If the intent was to portray Stockholm syndrome, the execution didn’t quite make it.
The novella is heavily based on dialogue and at times can be immature. Some of the jokes shared between the boys and Kylie were not what I would expect out of dark fantasy. But given that Himagus is a novella, Kerat Kaur Jha did a good job laying down the intentions of the himagusians. She brought to life violent people set on dominating lesser races. And she tackled some harsher subjects in an innovative way.
Thank you to Kerat Kaur Jhaj for providing me with a copy for an honest review!
Kylie wakes up to find her family brutally murdered, their bodies strewn across the house. And the world outside her house is just as gruesome. Two himagusians, William and David, have infiltrated the planet and ended humankind. But there is a chance to rewrite time and bring back the life that was stolen. William and David have fallen for Kylie, fascinated by her, and she must try to win back humanity by winning their hearts.
I was enticed by this end of the world story. Finding yourself as the last living human after an alien race has invaded and slaughtered every last human. The setup was well done. Kylie enters a shocking state and denial after realizing what has happened. Her sarcastic lines and inner monologue made her a fun character to follow.
But when William and David entered the scene, the romance angle seemed abrupt. I thought Kylie’s thoughts of manipulating the boys into liking her was a good plot point. But the instant love wasn’t believable due to the atrocities the boys committed. Even with the lingering plot point of being able to go back in time somehow to fix everything, the romance needed more time to form. Kylie went through an extremely traumatic experience. If the intent was to portray Stockholm syndrome, the execution didn’t quite make it.
The novella is heavily based on dialogue and at times can be immature. Some of the jokes shared between the boys and Kylie were not what I would expect out of dark fantasy. But given that Himagus is a novella, Kerat Kaur Jha did a good job laying down the intentions of the himagusians. She brought to life violent people set on dominating lesser races. And she tackled some harsher subjects in an innovative way.
April 16, 2021
Himagus is a good dark fantasy novel written by Kerat Kaur Jhaj. This is the first book in the Himagusian Chronicles series. This is also her debut novel.
When she had woken up to a world consisting only of butchered human bodies, Kylie Lauder had been lost and not sure of what to do, that was when William and David had shown up, promising to fix her world. But how much was there word worth? As she stays hidden, from other Himagusians who had now taken over Earth, she discovered secrets, even they didn't know. The magical locket that the Emperor wears, can grant three wishes. But has he used all three of them? Will the three of them be enough to fight off the emperor's men as Kylie tries to snatch away the locket? Will it grant her wish of bringing humans back? What if this is only a myth and she should avenge her people instead? Or maybe.she truly does love William enough to not care about her dead family and the human realm and this can be her happily ever after? Read Himagus by Kerat Kaur Jhaj to find out.
I had a good time reading this book. I felt that it was additive as I binge read it in one sitting. According to me the best thing about this would the the details of the world and the backstory of the main characters, especially that of David and William. Also I liked the fast pase of the book. Although there were a few shortcomings like I personally wanted to know a bit more about Kylie. Also I have a few questions but maybe they'll be answered later in the series, but overall it was a good read.
I'll conclude by recommending this book to everyone. If you like books in the dark fantasy genre then please do pick it up.
When she had woken up to a world consisting only of butchered human bodies, Kylie Lauder had been lost and not sure of what to do, that was when William and David had shown up, promising to fix her world. But how much was there word worth? As she stays hidden, from other Himagusians who had now taken over Earth, she discovered secrets, even they didn't know. The magical locket that the Emperor wears, can grant three wishes. But has he used all three of them? Will the three of them be enough to fight off the emperor's men as Kylie tries to snatch away the locket? Will it grant her wish of bringing humans back? What if this is only a myth and she should avenge her people instead? Or maybe.she truly does love William enough to not care about her dead family and the human realm and this can be her happily ever after? Read Himagus by Kerat Kaur Jhaj to find out.
I had a good time reading this book. I felt that it was additive as I binge read it in one sitting. According to me the best thing about this would the the details of the world and the backstory of the main characters, especially that of David and William. Also I liked the fast pase of the book. Although there were a few shortcomings like I personally wanted to know a bit more about Kylie. Also I have a few questions but maybe they'll be answered later in the series, but overall it was a good read.
I'll conclude by recommending this book to everyone. If you like books in the dark fantasy genre then please do pick it up.
March 31, 2021
trigger wannings rape, child abuse, death & muder
A thank you not to the author. sorry that you had to wait so long for the revieuw.
I didnt know what to expecting with this book, because it was presented as a dark fantasy novel.
I didnt expecting a rape or child abuse. but more a dark love/romance fantasy with dead and murder.
what i didnt like was:
The rape and child abuse but that was a hard trigger for me. maybe thats why i didnt like it.
The romance was underdeveloped. Not only was it insta love, but I had no idea what anyone was feeling. because one moment she could kill him. and the next she loved him but should think that way. because of the murder he comited.
the plus was that it drew me into the story in one go. And that I wanted to finish the book as soon as possible. but it isnt a book i would chose for on the bookshelve at home.
A thank you not to the author. sorry that you had to wait so long for the revieuw.
I didnt know what to expecting with this book, because it was presented as a dark fantasy novel.
I didnt expecting a rape or child abuse. but more a dark love/romance fantasy with dead and murder.
what i didnt like was:
The rape and child abuse but that was a hard trigger for me. maybe thats why i didnt like it.
The romance was underdeveloped. Not only was it insta love, but I had no idea what anyone was feeling. because one moment she could kill him. and the next she loved him but should think that way. because of the murder he comited.
the plus was that it drew me into the story in one go. And that I wanted to finish the book as soon as possible. but it isnt a book i would chose for on the bookshelve at home.
April 20, 2021
Chapter 1 had a hook in hand, bait in place. It grabbed me the way a good novel would.
The delivery was not very satisfying, too hasty...rushed. I felt like I had started reading at the middle of the book by the way things unfurled.
But what it lacked in that aspect, it made up for through the plot. An amazing storyline fit for a veteran author. The fact that this is a debut novel makes it more stunning still! Unfortunately the execution was less than so-so.
An issue I had with the book is the lack of solid morals in place. This is what I look for in books, the tackling of various problems which function as eye-openers, catalysts to change and encouragement for the opressed. Albeit introducing a few close subjects, the book just sort of barely skimmed the surface.
Thanks to the author for the free book for reviews! And I am so sorry for posting this later than I promised.
The delivery was not very satisfying, too hasty...rushed. I felt like I had started reading at the middle of the book by the way things unfurled.
But what it lacked in that aspect, it made up for through the plot. An amazing storyline fit for a veteran author. The fact that this is a debut novel makes it more stunning still! Unfortunately the execution was less than so-so.
An issue I had with the book is the lack of solid morals in place. This is what I look for in books, the tackling of various problems which function as eye-openers, catalysts to change and encouragement for the opressed. Albeit introducing a few close subjects, the book just sort of barely skimmed the surface.
Thanks to the author for the free book for reviews! And I am so sorry for posting this later than I promised.
April 30, 2022
Imagine that all humans are killed by aliens and you are the only one who survived. Well, that actually happens at the beginning of this book. Kylie is spared but all the other humans are killed. And she is determined to bring back everyone by trusting the two Himagusians, one of whom refused to kill her.
The book has a slow start but it soon picks up pace when Kylie starts using 'THE BALL' to know William and David's past. The book reaches its peak when she is able to get hold of the King's Magical necklace, but will she be able to bring back humanity? (To avoid spoilers let it remain as a question). Whatever happens after she wishes for humans to be alive is painful and sad. And the story ends in a cliff-hanger, which makes things more interesting. Overall, it’s a well written book and definitely has its own essence which makes it worth reading.
The book has a slow start but it soon picks up pace when Kylie starts using 'THE BALL' to know William and David's past. The book reaches its peak when she is able to get hold of the King's Magical necklace, but will she be able to bring back humanity? (To avoid spoilers let it remain as a question). Whatever happens after she wishes for humans to be alive is painful and sad. And the story ends in a cliff-hanger, which makes things more interesting. Overall, it’s a well written book and definitely has its own essence which makes it worth reading.
July 16, 2020
It is actually quite rare to find a novel that holds your attention from the very first page, yet Higamus does – through a mixture of shock and brave narrative. I knew immediately that this was something special.
This is a stunning novel by an exciting young writer and I have no doubt it attract readers from across the YA, paranormal romance and dark fantasy genres. Offering a unique twist on stories reminiscent of The Hunger Games and Game of Thrones, readers will recognise the well-travelled battle between good and evil, that ultimately serves to reflect the extremes our own human nature.
The story of one girl’s journey to save the earth and her loved ones, whilst coming to terms with the depth of her own feelings. This is a story with more than one surprise in store and the writer is gifted in her ability to create a believable, if daunting, new world.
Merged review:
It is actually quite rare to find a novel that holds your attention from the very first page, yet Higamus does – through a mixture of shock and brave narrative. I knew immediately that this was something special.
This is a stunning novel by an exciting young writer and I have no doubt it attract readers from across the YA, paranormal romance and dark fantasy genres. Offering a unique twist on stories reminiscent of The Hunger Games and Game of Thrones, readers will recognise the well-travelled battle between good and evil, that ultimately serves to reflect the extremes our own human nature.
The story of one girl’s journey to save the earth and her loved ones, whilst coming to terms with the depth of her own feelings. This is a story with more than one surprise in store and the writer is gifted in her ability to create a believable, if daunting, new world.
This is a stunning novel by an exciting young writer and I have no doubt it attract readers from across the YA, paranormal romance and dark fantasy genres. Offering a unique twist on stories reminiscent of The Hunger Games and Game of Thrones, readers will recognise the well-travelled battle between good and evil, that ultimately serves to reflect the extremes our own human nature.
The story of one girl’s journey to save the earth and her loved ones, whilst coming to terms with the depth of her own feelings. This is a story with more than one surprise in store and the writer is gifted in her ability to create a believable, if daunting, new world.
Merged review:
It is actually quite rare to find a novel that holds your attention from the very first page, yet Higamus does – through a mixture of shock and brave narrative. I knew immediately that this was something special.
This is a stunning novel by an exciting young writer and I have no doubt it attract readers from across the YA, paranormal romance and dark fantasy genres. Offering a unique twist on stories reminiscent of The Hunger Games and Game of Thrones, readers will recognise the well-travelled battle between good and evil, that ultimately serves to reflect the extremes our own human nature.
The story of one girl’s journey to save the earth and her loved ones, whilst coming to terms with the depth of her own feelings. This is a story with more than one surprise in store and the writer is gifted in her ability to create a believable, if daunting, new world.
January 31, 2021
This book was definitely an interesting read. The beginning of the book opens up with the main character realizing she is the last human on Earth because an alien race killed everyone else, including her family.
Now, Kylie is taken by the two aliens who killed everyone because they're "interested" in her. The problem I have here is these two just killed her family, yet she is almost unfazed by it. She's too busy falling in love with them. The love between her and them feels forced. Enemies to lovers is an awesome trope, but I think the author may have rushed it here. Not that William is a bad guy as shown through the crystal ball when Kylie looks into his past. Which is a unique way to give background information.
The worldbuilding involving the Himagus is good. They're a violent race and it's interesting to see their world and learn their drive.
I'm giving this book 3/5 stars because I did like the story, there was just some flaws where I think it could have been better.
The ending is one of those. The climax seemed rushed and the last chapter gave a whole lot of story that was rushed. I'd love to see what those last paragraphs looked like in more detail.
I do enjoy the author's writing though so I'll be keeping an eye out for more.
Now, Kylie is taken by the two aliens who killed everyone because they're "interested" in her. The problem I have here is these two just killed her family, yet she is almost unfazed by it. She's too busy falling in love with them. The love between her and them feels forced. Enemies to lovers is an awesome trope, but I think the author may have rushed it here. Not that William is a bad guy as shown through the crystal ball when Kylie looks into his past. Which is a unique way to give background information.
The worldbuilding involving the Himagus is good. They're a violent race and it's interesting to see their world and learn their drive.
I'm giving this book 3/5 stars because I did like the story, there was just some flaws where I think it could have been better.
The ending is one of those. The climax seemed rushed and the last chapter gave a whole lot of story that was rushed. I'd love to see what those last paragraphs looked like in more detail.
I do enjoy the author's writing though so I'll be keeping an eye out for more.
September 10, 2020
I enjoyed reading Himagus. I thought the story had a great flow and well written plot along with great character work. I loved the cover as well. I look forward to reading more by this author and recommend reading.
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.
May 5, 2021
Imagine the horror of waking up one morning to the stench of human decay pervading every sense. Kylie Lauder is the only survivor after power hungry, apathetic creatures decimate everyone she loves. Scouring the nearby landscape, she finds only corpses that have been slaughtered unceremoniously and abandoned. A frightening, enormous creature approaches Kylie in the street and threatens her, only to promise he will never kill her. Ultimately taken in by the very individuals that destroyed her world, Kylie finds herself inexplicably drawn to them as they work together to try to right the wrongs that have been committed.
This unique narrative was written by a high school student and incorporates frequent references to pop culture and colloquial language. Slang and relaxed spelling appear in the dialogue, giving each character a recognizable voice. Heavy subject matter like rape, violence, and strong language are included, making this book best suited to a more mature audience.
Though the premise of this story is intriguing, some work needs to be done to enhance the exposition and world-building to connect readers to the characters and their struggles. Several inconsistencies bring readers out of the story, leaving them to wonder why certain events are happening when earlier information suggests otherwise. Despite this, the story has a decent plot progression and just needs some additional enhancements.
This book shows promise and is left open for a subsequent novel. Fans of Twilight and supernatural love stories will enjoy watching as this tale unfolds and will appreciate the growth that will no doubt take place in future installments. This is a complex and interesting debut by a young author.
I received a copy of this book from the author and I chose to leave this review.
This unique narrative was written by a high school student and incorporates frequent references to pop culture and colloquial language. Slang and relaxed spelling appear in the dialogue, giving each character a recognizable voice. Heavy subject matter like rape, violence, and strong language are included, making this book best suited to a more mature audience.
Though the premise of this story is intriguing, some work needs to be done to enhance the exposition and world-building to connect readers to the characters and their struggles. Several inconsistencies bring readers out of the story, leaving them to wonder why certain events are happening when earlier information suggests otherwise. Despite this, the story has a decent plot progression and just needs some additional enhancements.
This book shows promise and is left open for a subsequent novel. Fans of Twilight and supernatural love stories will enjoy watching as this tale unfolds and will appreciate the growth that will no doubt take place in future installments. This is a complex and interesting debut by a young author.
I received a copy of this book from the author and I chose to leave this review.
March 18, 2021
Personally, I prefer stories that don't take too long to get to the point. While I do think character development is important, I do get tired with stories where I feel as though almost nothing has happened through three chapters. Himagus is the opposite of this, in the first chapter you are thrust into a scenario that almost feels as though it could be at the end of a climax. So much has happened before the book starts that you are already immersed. As we go through the journey, we are picking up the pieces of what has already happened while dealing with the current situation AND preparing for what is to come. I love the feeling of total immersion that comes from a story that is presented this way. I feel this is especially ambitious when writing about a story with a different set of magical rules and an alien species.
As another reviewer stated, there is absolutely some room for character development and presentation to be fine tuned. However, the result of that being a bit rushed is that as a reader we are constantly moving forward with the storyline, never stopping for a breath. I think this helps to engulf ourselves in this world with creatures that are very different from humans. The alien's society is one i find very intriguing, their absolute brutality and how it effects their society is interesting. Also, seeing how they are affected by human interaction is just as interesting.
Overall there is of course room for improvement but for a first-time author writing about a world this different, it is well-done. It is ambitious and I personally cannot wait to see what the author does next.
As another reviewer stated, there is absolutely some room for character development and presentation to be fine tuned. However, the result of that being a bit rushed is that as a reader we are constantly moving forward with the storyline, never stopping for a breath. I think this helps to engulf ourselves in this world with creatures that are very different from humans. The alien's society is one i find very intriguing, their absolute brutality and how it effects their society is interesting. Also, seeing how they are affected by human interaction is just as interesting.
Overall there is of course room for improvement but for a first-time author writing about a world this different, it is well-done. It is ambitious and I personally cannot wait to see what the author does next.
April 10, 2021
A few things you need to know before you read:
It's a novella.
It's written by a teenager, for teenagers.
It's gory and full of shock factor.
It has several cute heart pitter-patter moments, and it takes no time to get to them if that's what you're looking for.
It's creative.
The book is a novella, so you are dropped into the plot quickly, and there really isn't much time to build a background. The author obviously had a lot of lore she wanted to drop, and heart racing scenes she wanted to get to, and she starts it well. She didn't do a page of data dump "Hi, my name is so-and-so, I'm sixteen, here's my magical world rules" young authors typically do. Instead, she threw you into the character's reaction, flash backs, and run-ins with the male protagonist, then forced you to learn about everything through the novella. Does it move quickly? Yes. Is there some confusing dialogue or behavior? Yes (I'm in my 30's, I don't understand teenagers normally. Thus, it was a familiar level of confusion for me.) Would I have loved this as a teenager? Yes. I loved horror films, a little shot of mild sexual tension, and sarcasm. I could burn through this in an hour and it felt like a B-rate horror film to me (in a fun way). I feel the author learned a lot from putting this book out there, and I think she has the skill to implement that into the next one.
I will say, if the author chose to drop this on one of those chapter by chapter apps, I think she would end up with a lot of followers. The flow is something individuals who want to quickly consume would favor (weekly chapter drop/webtoon readers).
It's a novella.
It's written by a teenager, for teenagers.
It's gory and full of shock factor.
It has several cute heart pitter-patter moments, and it takes no time to get to them if that's what you're looking for.
It's creative.
The book is a novella, so you are dropped into the plot quickly, and there really isn't much time to build a background. The author obviously had a lot of lore she wanted to drop, and heart racing scenes she wanted to get to, and she starts it well. She didn't do a page of data dump "Hi, my name is so-and-so, I'm sixteen, here's my magical world rules" young authors typically do. Instead, she threw you into the character's reaction, flash backs, and run-ins with the male protagonist, then forced you to learn about everything through the novella. Does it move quickly? Yes. Is there some confusing dialogue or behavior? Yes (I'm in my 30's, I don't understand teenagers normally. Thus, it was a familiar level of confusion for me.) Would I have loved this as a teenager? Yes. I loved horror films, a little shot of mild sexual tension, and sarcasm. I could burn through this in an hour and it felt like a B-rate horror film to me (in a fun way). I feel the author learned a lot from putting this book out there, and I think she has the skill to implement that into the next one.
I will say, if the author chose to drop this on one of those chapter by chapter apps, I think she would end up with a lot of followers. The flow is something individuals who want to quickly consume would favor (weekly chapter drop/webtoon readers).
April 3, 2021
Thank you very much to the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This was a tough review for me to write, because there is clearly a lot of imagination and a lot of passion that went into this novella. Unfortunately, the story just didn't hold my attention.
It's always hard when I come across a story like this, because I never want to discourage anyone from writing. The author wrote this while she was still in high school, and regardless of my opinions here, the fact that this story was completed and published is a fantastic accomplishment.
This story is absolutely filled with imagination and style, with a lot of hard work and dedication clearly being displayed by a young talent. The summary seemed very enticing: a dark romance, a destroyed Earth, a blend of science-fiction and pure fantasy sounded like a wild ride from start to finish. Unfortunately, the elements simply didn't pull together into a cohesive, engaging narrative.
Himagus is a story with a lot of promise that just couldn't come together in the end. I applaud the author for writing and publishing her first novella and I really do hope that the author continues to move forward on her writing journey. There's a lot of potential here, it just needs a bit more work and polish before it can truly shine.
Check out the review on my blog for more details
This was a tough review for me to write, because there is clearly a lot of imagination and a lot of passion that went into this novella. Unfortunately, the story just didn't hold my attention.
It's always hard when I come across a story like this, because I never want to discourage anyone from writing. The author wrote this while she was still in high school, and regardless of my opinions here, the fact that this story was completed and published is a fantastic accomplishment.
This story is absolutely filled with imagination and style, with a lot of hard work and dedication clearly being displayed by a young talent. The summary seemed very enticing: a dark romance, a destroyed Earth, a blend of science-fiction and pure fantasy sounded like a wild ride from start to finish. Unfortunately, the elements simply didn't pull together into a cohesive, engaging narrative.
Himagus is a story with a lot of promise that just couldn't come together in the end. I applaud the author for writing and publishing her first novella and I really do hope that the author continues to move forward on her writing journey. There's a lot of potential here, it just needs a bit more work and polish before it can truly shine.
Check out the review on my blog for more details
March 27, 2021
Trigger Warning- Rape, abuse, misogyny.
I am giving this book 3.5 Stars.
I received a free copy of this book, so thank you so much Kerat Kaur. Your imagination blew me away. This was like nothing I had read before.
This story makes you think about a million things, like love, revenge, vengeance, hatred, how awfully we have treated our own earth and the list does not stop.
It was nothing less than reading a nightmare. How are you supposed to live when everyone you love is dead? and how to live with yourself when falling for the killer? What is that alien planet which thrives on hate, violence, and brutality?
I loved how the story was written with a clear objective and did not stray. I appreciate the author's efforts to put in some mystery about the characters and the unveiling was flabergasting. I missed the romance a little. There was so much potential to build an epic love, however, she managed to write the beginning of it. Something monumental must be waiting to happen in book 2.
Overall, I'd say it a good, simple, and short book. There were magic, emotions, and lots of secrets. If you want to read something different, you must try this one.
I am giving this book 3.5 Stars.
I received a free copy of this book, so thank you so much Kerat Kaur. Your imagination blew me away. This was like nothing I had read before.
This story makes you think about a million things, like love, revenge, vengeance, hatred, how awfully we have treated our own earth and the list does not stop.
It was nothing less than reading a nightmare. How are you supposed to live when everyone you love is dead? and how to live with yourself when falling for the killer? What is that alien planet which thrives on hate, violence, and brutality?
I loved how the story was written with a clear objective and did not stray. I appreciate the author's efforts to put in some mystery about the characters and the unveiling was flabergasting. I missed the romance a little. There was so much potential to build an epic love, however, she managed to write the beginning of it. Something monumental must be waiting to happen in book 2.
Overall, I'd say it a good, simple, and short book. There were magic, emotions, and lots of secrets. If you want to read something different, you must try this one.
Want to read
June 26, 2021I received a arc copy for giving a honest review.
Kylee wakes up to find her entire family has been brutally murdered, leaving the house she finds everyone else in town except her is the same way. No one answers the phone no matter who she calls. She is barely hanging on when the person who has killed everyone comes back for her. She wants to die and join her family but William has other plans.
He has fallen in love with Kylee and with his friend David who has helped him kill the entire population of earth. But for Kylee, they will now go against the King and the Emperor of their home planet to bring everyone back to life with magic.
The first 25% of the book is hard to figure out what exactly is going on, which is one reason for lowering the star score, plus the ending seemed rushed, like the author wasn't sure how to end the story. Otherwise it's a good story and if there is a part 2 I will enjoy reading it to see where the author takes it.
Kylee wakes up to find her entire family has been brutally murdered, leaving the house she finds everyone else in town except her is the same way. No one answers the phone no matter who she calls. She is barely hanging on when the person who has killed everyone comes back for her. She wants to die and join her family but William has other plans.
He has fallen in love with Kylee and with his friend David who has helped him kill the entire population of earth. But for Kylee, they will now go against the King and the Emperor of their home planet to bring everyone back to life with magic.
The first 25% of the book is hard to figure out what exactly is going on, which is one reason for lowering the star score, plus the ending seemed rushed, like the author wasn't sure how to end the story. Otherwise it's a good story and if there is a part 2 I will enjoy reading it to see where the author takes it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 8, 2022
Thank you to Kerat (the author) for providing me with a copy
First, I would like to warn everyone that this book contains sensitive subjects likerape, child abuse, murder, and death.
Now for the book. I like the idea. I believe the idea is really good and can make an amazing story, but there's space for improvement.
I liked that we get to see the back story of the main characters and how they end up where they are however, the story is very fast paced and skips a few steps on what it is like to be a human with emotions and how things are really processed by the brain.
I know this is the first book of a young author and that being self-published doesn't help. But I believe Kerat can improve and I give her my support to keep writing because the story is there just needs to be explained a bit better.
Can't wait to read the second book to see the improvement happening.
Keep on going Kerat.
First, I would like to warn everyone that this book contains sensitive subjects like
Now for the book. I like the idea. I believe the idea is really good and can make an amazing story, but there's space for improvement.
I liked that we get to see the back story of the main characters and how they end up where they are however, the story is very fast paced and skips a few steps on what it is like to be a human with emotions and how things are really processed by the brain.
I know this is the first book of a young author and that being self-published doesn't help. But I believe Kerat can improve and I give her my support to keep writing because the story is there just needs to be explained a bit better.
Can't wait to read the second book to see the improvement happening.
Keep on going Kerat.
May 5, 2021
Solid story, started out a little different from what im use to reading. This book just wasn't my cup of tea.
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