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Lapidary
Inhabited by various creatures, the magical world of Testatha has existed in peace since the White Crystal, which can open rifts between worlds, has been lost. This is until a rumor surfaces that twenty-two years after the crystal shook the world, it has been found again and hidden…
Natka Roqueze has never been anything special. To be precise: she isn’t even sure who or what she is. All she knows is that her depression is getting out of control, and that she might find the answer to her pain, when she finds the White Crystal.
But who has it? The humans might wield it, to banish all magic. The angels might have it, so that they can return to Heaven. The Fae might keep it, to rule the world. The daimons, including the gorgeous but dangerous Devton, might use it for personal gain.
Everyone in this world has secrets. Everyone has something they want to hide. With death and danger looming over the Clepsydra Society, depending on the White Crystal’s untamed power, Natka will have to find the artefact before the world suffers the consequences of someone beating her to it.
Natka Roqueze has never been anything special. To be precise: she isn’t even sure who or what she is. All she knows is that her depression is getting out of control, and that she might find the answer to her pain, when she finds the White Crystal.
But who has it? The humans might wield it, to banish all magic. The angels might have it, so that they can return to Heaven. The Fae might keep it, to rule the world. The daimons, including the gorgeous but dangerous Devton, might use it for personal gain.
Everyone in this world has secrets. Everyone has something they want to hide. With death and danger looming over the Clepsydra Society, depending on the White Crystal’s untamed power, Natka will have to find the artefact before the world suffers the consequences of someone beating her to it.
- GenresFantasy
Kindle Edition
Published April 27, 2022
16 people are currently reading
315 people want to read
About the author
Tayla Jean Grossberg
13 books37 followersMermaid. Heroin. Actress. Assassin. Princess. Dragon rider.
Tayla was all of these things as a child (due to her overactive imagination). She grew up on a game ranch in South Africa, between animals such as leopards, buffalo, zebras and giraffes.
She expanded her horizons by travelling America and Europe. Experiences, people she meets, places she visits and animals she loves inspire her to write novels. Now Tayla spends her time reading, writing and going on crazy adventures.
The only thing she can’t do is reach the top shelf.
Tayla was all of these things as a child (due to her overactive imagination). She grew up on a game ranch in South Africa, between animals such as leopards, buffalo, zebras and giraffes.
She expanded her horizons by travelling America and Europe. Experiences, people she meets, places she visits and animals she loves inspire her to write novels. Now Tayla spends her time reading, writing and going on crazy adventures.
The only thing she can’t do is reach the top shelf.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
August 7, 2022
My lord, Lapidary is a BRILLIANTLY written book by Tayla Jean Grossberg. This book contains so many emotions. It had my heart pounding throughout the book.
The book starts off with Natka searching for her boyfriend Ryker. It don't want to spoil anything about this book. I want each and every one of you to experience it all on your own. But right from that scene and onwards. I could vividly picture what Tayla wrote down. I felt all the emotions. Felt the wind in my hair at certain instances.
The author has a canny ability to humanize all the characters in this book. Even the dark and rotten ones. We as readers are able to connect, understand and get why they do what they do.
And the ending!! I absolutely cannot wait for the second book in this series. But my heart also ached for Devton!
It is by far one of the best fantasy books I read so far! I cannot wait for the sequel!
6/5 stars from me!
The book starts off with Natka searching for her boyfriend Ryker. It don't want to spoil anything about this book. I want each and every one of you to experience it all on your own. But right from that scene and onwards. I could vividly picture what Tayla wrote down. I felt all the emotions. Felt the wind in my hair at certain instances.
The author has a canny ability to humanize all the characters in this book. Even the dark and rotten ones. We as readers are able to connect, understand and get why they do what they do.
And the ending!! I absolutely cannot wait for the second book in this series. But my heart also ached for Devton!
It is by far one of the best fantasy books I read so far! I cannot wait for the sequel!
6/5 stars from me!
December 1, 2023
Lapidary is the first book in a completed fantasy duology that’s perfect for fans of Crescent City or Supernatural! I finished this one late last night and I loooved it. It’s incredibly fast paced and while there is a lot of works building, it never felt like it slowed down the pace or dulled the story. It unexpectedly dealt with heavy topics like grief, but it dealt with them in such an authentic way that it really enriched the character development. I also really loved our main characters and thought Nakta and Devton’s chemistry was undeniable. I’m so glad book two (the final book) is already out because I can jump right in!
Thanks to the author for gifting me a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thanks to the author for gifting me a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
December 7, 2023
This is the first book in an adult fantasy duology with lots of magical creatures such as angels, demons, vampires, sea-folk and fae! If you are fan of the TV show supernatural, you will enjoy the paranormal aspect of the story!
The stakes are high from the very beginning, as Natka discovers the dead body of her fiancée after what seems a suicide attempt. I felt like an investigator alongside her as we slowly start putting the pieces together of this mystery. The worldbuilding is lush! full of all types of supernatural creatures as well as magical crystals… There is mental health rep as Natka recovers from her depression and tons of family drama.
I felt like the story kicked up a notch when Natka arrived at Ocelos and Devton appears! 😍 Natka sometimes makes some reckless and impulsive decisions, which made it hard to relate but much more intriguing to read! The romance was my favorite part of the story. Definitely check the triggers before reading since the story deals also with some sensitive topics.
Thanks for the author for gifting me a copy for review
The stakes are high from the very beginning, as Natka discovers the dead body of her fiancée after what seems a suicide attempt. I felt like an investigator alongside her as we slowly start putting the pieces together of this mystery. The worldbuilding is lush! full of all types of supernatural creatures as well as magical crystals… There is mental health rep as Natka recovers from her depression and tons of family drama.
I felt like the story kicked up a notch when Natka arrived at Ocelos and Devton appears! 😍 Natka sometimes makes some reckless and impulsive decisions, which made it hard to relate but much more intriguing to read! The romance was my favorite part of the story. Definitely check the triggers before reading since the story deals also with some sensitive topics.
Thanks for the author for gifting me a copy for review
December 13, 2023
Lapidary is book one in a fantasy duology. I immediately clicked with this book because of the supernatural vibes I was getting. It's a fight between humans, angels, and fae and I enjoyed every second of this book. It is a fast read and I can't wait to read book 2.
January 3, 2024
Lapidary is the first in the completed duet, Clepsydra Society. This is an urban fantasy perfect for lovers of Slowburn Romance and adventure. As a huge fan of the show Supernatural, this brought me back to several episodes in the series.
I loved the representation of grief, mourning, and coming to terms with changes in life. Natka was a character I truly liked, the struggles of loss and the torment in her life, have her all broken. But she is ready to take her life back and make mends with her past to move on. I love a heroine like this, strong and relatable in a sense.
The world building was pretty great. And the inclusion of different types of beings was perfect, there’s a great moral to this story. The author used the story to promote kindness and acceptance, we should learn more before we come to conclusions or judge. There is however a huge hangover, but worry not, the duet is complete.
Huge thanks to the author for sending me a copy. All opinions are my own.
I loved the representation of grief, mourning, and coming to terms with changes in life. Natka was a character I truly liked, the struggles of loss and the torment in her life, have her all broken. But she is ready to take her life back and make mends with her past to move on. I love a heroine like this, strong and relatable in a sense.
The world building was pretty great. And the inclusion of different types of beings was perfect, there’s a great moral to this story. The author used the story to promote kindness and acceptance, we should learn more before we come to conclusions or judge. There is however a huge hangover, but worry not, the duet is complete.
Huge thanks to the author for sending me a copy. All opinions are my own.
June 11, 2023
I enjoyed this one overall, but there were some issues and style choices that made it a bit confusing throughout.
I was approached by the author to read this book.
I did enjoy the overall storyline! It was fresh and compelling—I loved the combination of modern and fantastical elements. That being said, the writing style was overall confusing. I had to read some pages several times to figure out what was going on. Additionally, the main character was a bit flat— while the characters around her changed a lot, I felt that she remained mostly static throughout the story. But, this was a great story nonetheless! I would recommend this book to fans of contemporary and fantasy books.
Rating: 3.5/5
I was approached by the author to read this book.
I did enjoy the overall storyline! It was fresh and compelling—I loved the combination of modern and fantastical elements. That being said, the writing style was overall confusing. I had to read some pages several times to figure out what was going on. Additionally, the main character was a bit flat— while the characters around her changed a lot, I felt that she remained mostly static throughout the story. But, this was a great story nonetheless! I would recommend this book to fans of contemporary and fantasy books.
Rating: 3.5/5
July 14, 2023
“Lapidary: Clepsydra Society Book 1” by Tayla Jean Grossberg is an urban fantasy novel of love, grief, adventure, and hope. Natka Roqueze wakes up one night to a horrifying discovery, but her nightmare is only beginning. She is soon set on a path to learn the truth about her fiancée and on the hunt for the missing White Crystal, the same crystal responsible for tearing open rifts between worlds, causing angels to fall from Heaven, daimons to emerge from the Netherworld and creatures such as fae and merpeople to suddenly inhabit the Earth. Along the way, she teams up with one of the most notorious daimons in her city, but can she survive the gang members who believe she has the crystal and will kill her to get it?
One of the things that I like about the female lead character is that she is strong, independent, and brave. Natka is absolutely these things – but she is also human. I had to remind myself of this when she gave in to the temptation to take a drug. Up until then, I admired how she spoke out against the rampant drug use taking hold in her city, even trying to steer her young sister away from dealing them. Then I lost respect for her when she turned around and took a drug herself. She reasons that it will help her to take the edge off while getting over the shock of killing someone (which she did in self-defense), but she also acknowledges that, in doing so, she is being a hypocrite.
Aside from this, it’s an enjoyable story. I’m a huge fan of Supernatural, so reading a story where there are humans, angels and daimons on Earth was reminiscent of the popular TV show.
This isn’t just a story about solving a mystery or a fantasy tale of angels, daimons, mermaids, and dragons; it’s a story of coming to terms with grief. Of trying to figure out what to do now and where to go from here after someone we love dies. Natka is broken and tormented, and she spends most of the story trying to recover from her pain, heal from it and come to terms with her loss. It takes her a very long time, but that’s how it is with grief. There is no expiration date when it comes to grief, and everyone has their own ways of coping with it, of living with it. For Natka, she hits rock bottom, but with time, understanding friends, forgiveness and, yes, even love for another, she is able to climb out of the darkness and stand on her feet again. It helps that she has a little sister to look out for, and the story development of how they make amends with each other is very touching.
Another message this story sends is that we should not judge people for what they are, but for the kind of person they are. This really stands out for the character Devton, who people judge harshly because he is half daimon. Devton accepts what he is and even defends it. In fact, he has the words “I am what I am” tattooed on his back. He refuses to give in to the negative perceptions that a lot of people have about daimons and he is not only confident in himself, but sure of his path.
As fallible as Natka is (and what good main character isn’t?), her redeeming qualities stand out in this story. Despite her pain and what she has been through, she is very brave. I was practically cheering every time she stood up to a bully, as well as the many times she had to defend herself against those who tried to either stop her or destroy her. She admits many times that “humans are weak” compared to the angels, daimons, merpeople, and fae that now populate Earth, but she is definitely NOT weak. She is so strong and so brave. It may have something to do with the fact that she once lived on the streets and had to learn how to survive on her own the hard way, or maybe it’s because she is half-angel. Maybe it’s both! Even so, as disappointed with her as I was about the whole drug use thing, I did appreciate how she turned herself around and realized that she needed to stay on the straight and narrow. Probably because there were powerful creatures who wanted her dead.
“Lapidary” by Tayla Jean Grossberg is an enjoyable story to read, despite the drug use and the ending that left this reader with a foul taste in her mouth (seriously! It undoes all Natkas’s progress!). This fantasy story will appeal to fans of Supernatural and to readers who enjoy urban fantasies. It’s an interesting and unique story that had me turning the pages to find out what happened next.
One of the things that I like about the female lead character is that she is strong, independent, and brave. Natka is absolutely these things – but she is also human. I had to remind myself of this when she gave in to the temptation to take a drug. Up until then, I admired how she spoke out against the rampant drug use taking hold in her city, even trying to steer her young sister away from dealing them. Then I lost respect for her when she turned around and took a drug herself. She reasons that it will help her to take the edge off while getting over the shock of killing someone (which she did in self-defense), but she also acknowledges that, in doing so, she is being a hypocrite.
Aside from this, it’s an enjoyable story. I’m a huge fan of Supernatural, so reading a story where there are humans, angels and daimons on Earth was reminiscent of the popular TV show.
This isn’t just a story about solving a mystery or a fantasy tale of angels, daimons, mermaids, and dragons; it’s a story of coming to terms with grief. Of trying to figure out what to do now and where to go from here after someone we love dies. Natka is broken and tormented, and she spends most of the story trying to recover from her pain, heal from it and come to terms with her loss. It takes her a very long time, but that’s how it is with grief. There is no expiration date when it comes to grief, and everyone has their own ways of coping with it, of living with it. For Natka, she hits rock bottom, but with time, understanding friends, forgiveness and, yes, even love for another, she is able to climb out of the darkness and stand on her feet again. It helps that she has a little sister to look out for, and the story development of how they make amends with each other is very touching.
Another message this story sends is that we should not judge people for what they are, but for the kind of person they are. This really stands out for the character Devton, who people judge harshly because he is half daimon. Devton accepts what he is and even defends it. In fact, he has the words “I am what I am” tattooed on his back. He refuses to give in to the negative perceptions that a lot of people have about daimons and he is not only confident in himself, but sure of his path.
As fallible as Natka is (and what good main character isn’t?), her redeeming qualities stand out in this story. Despite her pain and what she has been through, she is very brave. I was practically cheering every time she stood up to a bully, as well as the many times she had to defend herself against those who tried to either stop her or destroy her. She admits many times that “humans are weak” compared to the angels, daimons, merpeople, and fae that now populate Earth, but she is definitely NOT weak. She is so strong and so brave. It may have something to do with the fact that she once lived on the streets and had to learn how to survive on her own the hard way, or maybe it’s because she is half-angel. Maybe it’s both! Even so, as disappointed with her as I was about the whole drug use thing, I did appreciate how she turned herself around and realized that she needed to stay on the straight and narrow. Probably because there were powerful creatures who wanted her dead.
“Lapidary” by Tayla Jean Grossberg is an enjoyable story to read, despite the drug use and the ending that left this reader with a foul taste in her mouth (seriously! It undoes all Natkas’s progress!). This fantasy story will appeal to fans of Supernatural and to readers who enjoy urban fantasies. It’s an interesting and unique story that had me turning the pages to find out what happened next.
November 29, 2022
First of all: 5 stars
(I,m not sure if it contains spoilers, just in case I´ll mark it as one :)
@taylajeangrossberg approached me on Instagram to read her book. I started reading without
any expectations but omg let. me. tell. you!! This book surprised
me!! (in a very very positive way)
I loved the story so much. I haven´t read anything similar to this yet, and I already bought the second
book before I even finished the first one!!
I very much liked the character development. Natka has a few heavy problems in the beginning of the book, and I love
how her character got back on track, started healing and discovered a lot of secrets.
(Plus I really loved Devton and Natka together!! ahhhhhhhhhhh) How they slowly started to get closer to each other
ugh love it.
'I tried to hit him, but he caught my hand and forced me against the wall.'
-- Juicy.
(a few words later) Brooo already shipping themmmm
'"Okay, keep your secret," he said. "It makes me want to get to know you even more than already."'
-- Sir?! Yes PLEASEEE
Those are not all of my reactions but the review would be too long :D (If you guys want I can upload them on Goodreads tho)
Favourite Quotes:
'I was like a moth, being drawn to a flame, and if I get too close, I´d get burned.'
Favourite Characters:
Natka & Devton
(I,m not sure if it contains spoilers, just in case I´ll mark it as one :)
@taylajeangrossberg approached me on Instagram to read her book. I started reading without
any expectations but omg let. me. tell. you!! This book surprised
me!! (in a very very positive way)
I loved the story so much. I haven´t read anything similar to this yet, and I already bought the second
book before I even finished the first one!!
I very much liked the character development. Natka has a few heavy problems in the beginning of the book, and I love
how her character got back on track, started healing and discovered a lot of secrets.
(Plus I really loved Devton and Natka together!! ahhhhhhhhhhh) How they slowly started to get closer to each other
ugh love it.
'I tried to hit him, but he caught my hand and forced me against the wall.'
-- Juicy.
(a few words later) Brooo already shipping themmmm
'"Okay, keep your secret," he said. "It makes me want to get to know you even more than already."'
-- Sir?! Yes PLEASEEE
Those are not all of my reactions but the review would be too long :D (If you guys want I can upload them on Goodreads tho)
Favourite Quotes:
'I was like a moth, being drawn to a flame, and if I get too close, I´d get burned.'
Favourite Characters:
Natka & Devton
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 24, 2023
The author reached out to me on insta and I was excited to read an indie fantasy, but sadly, this wasn't it.
This novel needed a lot more passes with a line editor and copy editor. There were so many incorrect tense shifts. It's written in past tense, but sometimes in the same paragraph, it'll switch to present tense or past perfect tense, even in situations where the past perfect isn't called for. This wasn't a one-off occasion either. It was jarringly consistent throughout the novel. It read like a first or second draft, not a polished final draft.
The dialogue is very stilted and for some odd reason, contractions aren't used. It felt very unnatural to read. And trust me, this wasn't a True Grit situation.
I did like the worldbuilding, where humans are on the lowest totem pole, while supernatural creatures such as merfolk, daimons, and angels reign supreme. I just wish that the novel would've gone more in-depth with it. The worldbuilding felt secondary to the FMC's inner conflict and her romance with Dev the half-demon gang leader bad boy.
The FMC's characterization was highly inconsistent. She started off as a flawed character, then throughout the novel she transformed into a Mary Sue. It turned out that she learned how to fight, use a gun, knife, bow/arrow, etc. when she was young, and she became the best in her self-defense class and the teacher couldn't teach her anything anymore. That's not how that works, but sure, okay.
There's a scene where she kills a dragon with one shot. Um, what? There were no scenes that showed her keeping up with her training, yet she has perfect aim with a rifle? Seriously? And this is at her weakest, when she's barely eating. Fyi, this isn't how any of this works either.
There's another scene where Nat mentions that she can "play almost anything and had all the famous and best classical pieces memorized" (Chapter 39). Okay, Mary Sue.
Right at the end, she turns into the biggest Mary Sue out of all the Mary Sues and at that point, I couldn't take it anymore.
Also, I saw the reveal and big secret a mile away. It was nothing new or revelatory.
There's one scene where Dev promotes her to manager of the night club that he owns (called My Night Habit lol) and where she works. But she didn't do any managing after a major event happened there and the entire time, I was wondering who the hell was in charge of the night club???
Also, Nat beats up her coworker, throws a beer at a VIP customer, and never gets fired? Lord, I've read fanfic that was more logical than this book.
I can't speak for those with schizophrenia, but the way that the book deals with it left me feeling... Idk, uneasy? It was used as a plot point that became a throwaway issue at the end.
This novel has left me so frustrated. I'd rather read Fourth Wing again and I really didn't like that book.
This novel needed a lot more passes with a line editor and copy editor. There were so many incorrect tense shifts. It's written in past tense, but sometimes in the same paragraph, it'll switch to present tense or past perfect tense, even in situations where the past perfect isn't called for. This wasn't a one-off occasion either. It was jarringly consistent throughout the novel. It read like a first or second draft, not a polished final draft.
The dialogue is very stilted and for some odd reason, contractions aren't used. It felt very unnatural to read. And trust me, this wasn't a True Grit situation.
I did like the worldbuilding, where humans are on the lowest totem pole, while supernatural creatures such as merfolk, daimons, and angels reign supreme. I just wish that the novel would've gone more in-depth with it. The worldbuilding felt secondary to the FMC's inner conflict and her romance with Dev the half-demon gang leader bad boy.
The FMC's characterization was highly inconsistent. She started off as a flawed character, then throughout the novel she transformed into a Mary Sue. It turned out that she learned how to fight, use a gun, knife, bow/arrow, etc. when she was young, and she became the best in her self-defense class and the teacher couldn't teach her anything anymore. That's not how that works, but sure, okay.
There's a scene where she kills a dragon with one shot. Um, what? There were no scenes that showed her keeping up with her training, yet she has perfect aim with a rifle? Seriously? And this is at her weakest, when she's barely eating. Fyi, this isn't how any of this works either.
There's another scene where Nat mentions that she can "play almost anything and had all the famous and best classical pieces memorized" (Chapter 39). Okay, Mary Sue.
Right at the end, she turns into the biggest Mary Sue out of all the Mary Sues and at that point, I couldn't take it anymore.
Also, I saw the reveal and big secret a mile away. It was nothing new or revelatory.
There's one scene where Dev promotes her to manager of the night club that he owns (called My Night Habit lol) and where she works. But she didn't do any managing after a major event happened there and the entire time, I was wondering who the hell was in charge of the night club???
Also, Nat beats up her coworker, throws a beer at a VIP customer, and never gets fired? Lord, I've read fanfic that was more logical than this book.
I can't speak for those with schizophrenia, but the way that the book deals with it left me feeling... Idk, uneasy? It was used as a plot point that became a throwaway issue at the end.
This novel has left me so frustrated. I'd rather read Fourth Wing again and I really didn't like that book.
May 28, 2023
3.5 STARS. The author reached out to my book club to read her book. I enjoyed this book. I really do love a modern fantasy. There were definitely elements similar to Crescent City so if you enjoyed those, you would love this one too. The pacing of this novel is great, but some of the twists were easy to see coming.
June 6, 2023
When the author contacted me to see if I would be interested in reading her book in exchange for an honest review on Amazon, I was a bit skeptical. However, after looking at the synopsis and a few reviews on Goodreads, I decided to give it a try, and I don't regret it because "Lapidary" turned out to be a wonderful discovery.
In this new adult fantasy novel, we follow Natka, a young girl whose fae fiancé has just committed suicide for obscure reasons. She falls into depression but finds herself wanting to uncover the reasons that led her fiancé to such a decision. She begins to investigate and discovers that her fiancé had secrets and that his death is not what it seems. Along the way, she teams up with a demon named Devton.
In terms of atmosphere, I feel there are strong vibes reminiscent of Crescent City, modern cities where all kinds of magical creatures coexist: angels, demons, fae, etc. Magic is naturally present as each species has its own magic, but the story mainly focuses on angels, demons, and fae.
The plot may be somewhat straightforward as we follow an unofficial investigation where Natka tries to find out why her fiancé died and ends up getting involved in a larger story that involves saving the world. Nevertheless, I was captivated by the story. There are power struggles between different species, lies, romance, and the book ends with a small cliffhanger. The book also addresses suicide and depression, which are more sensitive topics, so it's good to be aware of that before diving into this novel.
Regarding the romance, I really liked the relationship between Natka and Devon. Despite being a demon gang leader, Devon is not the arrogant, alpha male type often found in many stories. He's actually a surfer and is patient with Natka, who struggles to move on after the death of her fiancé. It's a nice romance, although not extraordinary.
Overall, it's a very enjoyable book that definitely deserves more hype!
In this new adult fantasy novel, we follow Natka, a young girl whose fae fiancé has just committed suicide for obscure reasons. She falls into depression but finds herself wanting to uncover the reasons that led her fiancé to such a decision. She begins to investigate and discovers that her fiancé had secrets and that his death is not what it seems. Along the way, she teams up with a demon named Devton.
In terms of atmosphere, I feel there are strong vibes reminiscent of Crescent City, modern cities where all kinds of magical creatures coexist: angels, demons, fae, etc. Magic is naturally present as each species has its own magic, but the story mainly focuses on angels, demons, and fae.
The plot may be somewhat straightforward as we follow an unofficial investigation where Natka tries to find out why her fiancé died and ends up getting involved in a larger story that involves saving the world. Nevertheless, I was captivated by the story. There are power struggles between different species, lies, romance, and the book ends with a small cliffhanger. The book also addresses suicide and depression, which are more sensitive topics, so it's good to be aware of that before diving into this novel.
Regarding the romance, I really liked the relationship between Natka and Devon. Despite being a demon gang leader, Devon is not the arrogant, alpha male type often found in many stories. He's actually a surfer and is patient with Natka, who struggles to move on after the death of her fiancé. It's a nice romance, although not extraordinary.
Overall, it's a very enjoyable book that definitely deserves more hype!
March 17, 2023
I am so glad to be done with this book.
The storyline was good but the writing was mediocre at best. It felt very amateur. There were an ungodly amount of grammatical errors that I couldn't overlook. The repetitive usage of curse words did nothing but make me take the story less serious (coming from someone who curses more than I'd like sometimes).
I don't even know where to start with the characters. I wanted to like Natka more but for someone who had such negative self-talk, she thought way too highly of herself. If that even makes sense.
The relationship between Natka and Devton made me cringe so many times. I don't think I've ever written 'gag' so many times in my annotations.
Overall, I do think that this book has some potential but could use some serious editorial work.
I wanted to DNF this so many times but as this was a gifted copy - I felt the need to finish it.
The storyline was good but the writing was mediocre at best. It felt very amateur. There were an ungodly amount of grammatical errors that I couldn't overlook. The repetitive usage of curse words did nothing but make me take the story less serious (coming from someone who curses more than I'd like sometimes).
I don't even know where to start with the characters. I wanted to like Natka more but for someone who had such negative self-talk, she thought way too highly of herself. If that even makes sense.
The relationship between Natka and Devton made me cringe so many times. I don't think I've ever written 'gag' so many times in my annotations.
Overall, I do think that this book has some potential but could use some serious editorial work.
I wanted to DNF this so many times but as this was a gifted copy - I felt the need to finish it.
April 19, 2023
Inhabited by various creatures, the magical world of Testatha has existed in peace since the White Crystal, which can open rifts between worlds, has been lost. This is until a rumor surfaces that twenty-two years after the crystal shook the world, it has been found again and hidden…
Natka Roqueze has never been anything special. To be precise: she isn’t even sure who or what she is. All she knows is that her depression is getting out of control, and that she might find the answer to her pain, when she finds the White Crystal.
But who has it? The humans might wield it, to banish all magic. The angels might have it, so that they can return to Heaven. The Fae might keep it, to rule the world. The daimons, including the gorgeous but dangerous Devton, might use it for personal gain.
Everyone in this world has secrets. Everyone has something they want to hide. With death and danger looming over the Clepsydra Society, depending on the White Crystal’s untamed power, Natka will have to find the artifact before the world suffers the consequences of someone beating her to it.
Review:
I did not expect to enjoy this book. From the first few chapters, I believed it to be tedious and slow. The writing was hard to follow and very blunt, at first. But, as I pushed through (about chapter 5), I began to truly enjoy the story. The beginning had potential, and it was reached by the end. The story does end on a cliffhanger.
Natka - Rough around the edges and a little unlikable, Natka is a good main character. She suffers loss and pain that makes the readers feel for her. I did find her to be realistic in bad ways, highlighting human pain in its worst lighting.
Devton - A good, likable character that I enjoyed. He was well written and had flaws, but they were realistic ones.
Ace - He was the most confusing character of all. I do not believe I understood most of his part in the story. He had potential but I do not think it was met.
I’d give this story 4 stars out of 5. Other than my confusion, slow beginning, and the lack of character development in Ace, it was an enjoyable read. I found it to be more than what I expected, and I am glad I continued through it.
This story can be found on KindleUnlimited for 0$ and in paperback for 15.99 on Amazon.
Natka Roqueze has never been anything special. To be precise: she isn’t even sure who or what she is. All she knows is that her depression is getting out of control, and that she might find the answer to her pain, when she finds the White Crystal.
But who has it? The humans might wield it, to banish all magic. The angels might have it, so that they can return to Heaven. The Fae might keep it, to rule the world. The daimons, including the gorgeous but dangerous Devton, might use it for personal gain.
Everyone in this world has secrets. Everyone has something they want to hide. With death and danger looming over the Clepsydra Society, depending on the White Crystal’s untamed power, Natka will have to find the artifact before the world suffers the consequences of someone beating her to it.
Review:
I did not expect to enjoy this book. From the first few chapters, I believed it to be tedious and slow. The writing was hard to follow and very blunt, at first. But, as I pushed through (about chapter 5), I began to truly enjoy the story. The beginning had potential, and it was reached by the end. The story does end on a cliffhanger.
Natka - Rough around the edges and a little unlikable, Natka is a good main character. She suffers loss and pain that makes the readers feel for her. I did find her to be realistic in bad ways, highlighting human pain in its worst lighting.
Devton - A good, likable character that I enjoyed. He was well written and had flaws, but they were realistic ones.
Ace - He was the most confusing character of all. I do not believe I understood most of his part in the story. He had potential but I do not think it was met.
I’d give this story 4 stars out of 5. Other than my confusion, slow beginning, and the lack of character development in Ace, it was an enjoyable read. I found it to be more than what I expected, and I am glad I continued through it.
This story can be found on KindleUnlimited for 0$ and in paperback for 15.99 on Amazon.
November 22, 2022
Lapidary by @tayla.jean.grossberg
Tayla approached me about reviewing her book and so I started reading, not expecting to be sucked into this book at all but....
Holy Ayana, I loved it.
There are your usual angels, Fae, daimons and humans which each have their own hierarchy. But the 'weak' human Natka isn't what she seems, neither is her seemingly perfect Fae fiancé Ryker.
Especially when Ryker ends up committing what looks like suicide not long after proposing to Nat and planning to get married at the edge of the world.
The only thing Nat can find is that a letter was sent to Ryker from his ex about the white crystal which can bring people back to life and also make rifts between worlds. Everyone wants the stone to go back to their respective worlds but what did Ryker have to do with it and did he have it? If he did where is it now? And was he murdered or did he commit suicide?
Nats sole purpose after drinking herself almost to death for over a year is to find out what happened to Ryker.
Tayla does an amazing job of showing how grief effects everyone after Rykers death and how Nat got herself out of her drunken fueled grief. How Nats relationship with her adopted parents changes and also her adopted sister Ava who I really loved as a character and I'm so glad she got quite a bit of page time.
Devton is another character who I loved. I feel like he's a very much a 'Rhysand' of this book! He is trying to find the white crystal to bring back his father who died when the first rift was made, so works with Nat to find it.
Neither of them are prepared to realise that the stone is closer to home than either of them imagined. But is Dev just using Nat to get to the stone or does can a daimon really develop feelings for a human?
This book was just delectable and I didn't want it to end! How this author hasn't been more widely promoted I have no idea! Everything was perfection!
It's such an easy read that makes you cry, laugh, smile..... go into shock with all the twists and want to throw the book.
BRB.... Off to read book 2 as that cliffhanger was just infuriating in the best way 😂
5/5
🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟/🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
Tayla approached me about reviewing her book and so I started reading, not expecting to be sucked into this book at all but....
Holy Ayana, I loved it.
There are your usual angels, Fae, daimons and humans which each have their own hierarchy. But the 'weak' human Natka isn't what she seems, neither is her seemingly perfect Fae fiancé Ryker.
Especially when Ryker ends up committing what looks like suicide not long after proposing to Nat and planning to get married at the edge of the world.
The only thing Nat can find is that a letter was sent to Ryker from his ex about the white crystal which can bring people back to life and also make rifts between worlds. Everyone wants the stone to go back to their respective worlds but what did Ryker have to do with it and did he have it? If he did where is it now? And was he murdered or did he commit suicide?
Nats sole purpose after drinking herself almost to death for over a year is to find out what happened to Ryker.
Tayla does an amazing job of showing how grief effects everyone after Rykers death and how Nat got herself out of her drunken fueled grief. How Nats relationship with her adopted parents changes and also her adopted sister Ava who I really loved as a character and I'm so glad she got quite a bit of page time.
Devton is another character who I loved. I feel like he's a very much a 'Rhysand' of this book! He is trying to find the white crystal to bring back his father who died when the first rift was made, so works with Nat to find it.
Neither of them are prepared to realise that the stone is closer to home than either of them imagined. But is Dev just using Nat to get to the stone or does can a daimon really develop feelings for a human?
This book was just delectable and I didn't want it to end! How this author hasn't been more widely promoted I have no idea! Everything was perfection!
It's such an easy read that makes you cry, laugh, smile..... go into shock with all the twists and want to throw the book.
BRB.... Off to read book 2 as that cliffhanger was just infuriating in the best way 😂
5/5
🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟/🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
June 27, 2023
🪽Lapidary 🪽
Lapidary is book one of the Clepsydra Society duology by @tayla.jean.grossberg
And I’d 10000000% recommend you read it !!
Especially if you loved :
✨Sarah j Maas- Crescent City🌙
✨Kerri Arthur- Lizzie Grace series
✨Laurell K Hamilton - all of her series
✨Jasmin Mas- Psycho Shifters
✨———————————————✨
This book had me GRIPPED from the first chapters and the emotions it was pulling from me, wow! 🥹
I’ve cried, laughed and swooned.
😢😂😮💨
The story follows Natka a bad ass human in a world filled with all the magical and mythical creatures your imagination. Tragedy strikes and Natka is left alone in a world where humans are less than nothing and just trying to survive.
It turns out her love, her husband to be had hidden so much of himself from her including that he had the rare white crystal which opens portals hidden in his possession.
Now all the heads of each race are trying to find it and Natka is stuck in the middle, unable to trust anyone except maybe a dark, dangerous daimon… only time will tell 🥹🫣
Tayla has an incredible writing style, I loved the sass of Natka and this story is so well thought out and complex without the heavy hog of navigating too much world building. There are so many twist and turns in this book and I just loved it. I devoured it in one day! I cannot wait to read book two because I need me some more!! 👀😅
Tayla also highlights complex issues and challenges people face such as racial prejudices about mixed race relationships (cross species relationships in regards to this story) and mental health issue I.e PTSD, depression and schizophrenia.
Futhermore her writing is inclusive supporting freedom of sexuality and highlights the impact grief can have on another, which was eloquently done.
I must say the way in which Tayla depicted Natka’s grief was beautifully heart breaking.. yes I ugly cried a few times! 🥺😭
This may have just taken place for my favourite read of the year!😍
⭐️5
🌶️3- slow burn can tell it’s getting hot 🥵
💧4
🧜♂️Tropes🧜♀️
Mystery
Mysterious MMC
Slow burn
Morally grey
Lost artefact
Lapidary is book one of the Clepsydra Society duology by @tayla.jean.grossberg
And I’d 10000000% recommend you read it !!
Especially if you loved :
✨Sarah j Maas- Crescent City🌙
✨Kerri Arthur- Lizzie Grace series
✨Laurell K Hamilton - all of her series
✨Jasmin Mas- Psycho Shifters
✨———————————————✨
This book had me GRIPPED from the first chapters and the emotions it was pulling from me, wow! 🥹
I’ve cried, laughed and swooned.
😢😂😮💨
The story follows Natka a bad ass human in a world filled with all the magical and mythical creatures your imagination. Tragedy strikes and Natka is left alone in a world where humans are less than nothing and just trying to survive.
It turns out her love, her husband to be had hidden so much of himself from her including that he had the rare white crystal which opens portals hidden in his possession.
Now all the heads of each race are trying to find it and Natka is stuck in the middle, unable to trust anyone except maybe a dark, dangerous daimon… only time will tell 🥹🫣
Tayla has an incredible writing style, I loved the sass of Natka and this story is so well thought out and complex without the heavy hog of navigating too much world building. There are so many twist and turns in this book and I just loved it. I devoured it in one day! I cannot wait to read book two because I need me some more!! 👀😅
Tayla also highlights complex issues and challenges people face such as racial prejudices about mixed race relationships (cross species relationships in regards to this story) and mental health issue I.e PTSD, depression and schizophrenia.
Futhermore her writing is inclusive supporting freedom of sexuality and highlights the impact grief can have on another, which was eloquently done.
I must say the way in which Tayla depicted Natka’s grief was beautifully heart breaking.. yes I ugly cried a few times! 🥺😭
This may have just taken place for my favourite read of the year!😍
⭐️5
🌶️3- slow burn can tell it’s getting hot 🥵
💧4
🧜♂️Tropes🧜♀️
Mystery
Mysterious MMC
Slow burn
Morally grey
Lost artefact
November 17, 2022
Ryker wasn't in bed next to her. The sheets were cold so she knew he had gotten up awhile ago. As she walked through the apartment looking for him she noticed the doors to the balcony were opened and stepped outside, but he wasn't there.
Living in a busy city there were always sirens and other street noises, but when she noticed the Sky Watch she dressed and went to see what was going on. When she arrived below she noticed that Ryker's best friend Ace wasn't wearing his uniform and when she saw the look on the angel's face she looked behind him to see a Fae lying on the ground with this head cracked open.
Ryker's lifeless eyes were looking at her. Why would her fiance jump from their 47th floor apartment when they were about to leave on their wedding trip?
I loved this book! It is very well written and the characters are fully developed and relatable. This is the first time that I have read Tayla Jean Grossberg and I loved this amazing story full of fae, deimons, angels and other creatures.
Natka had left home as soon as her parents told her that they weren't really her parents. They had found her in the arms of an archangel after The Shaking. It was bad enough that she was looked down on being a human, but to find out that she was part angel was too much for her to handle. Ryker had taken her in when she was at rock bottom and now she is finding out that everything she knew about him was a lie.
This book is action-packed from beginning to end. This is book one of a two-book series so expect a cliffhanger and is it a doozy! This book may be full of fantasy beings but it is very realistic and Tayla draws you into this complex world and you don't want to leave.
If you want a book full of suspense, danger and smoking hot chemistry you will love this book! Natka's hunt for the truth about Ryker's death and her quest in destroying the White Crystal will keep you turning the pages. Highly recommend!
Living in a busy city there were always sirens and other street noises, but when she noticed the Sky Watch she dressed and went to see what was going on. When she arrived below she noticed that Ryker's best friend Ace wasn't wearing his uniform and when she saw the look on the angel's face she looked behind him to see a Fae lying on the ground with this head cracked open.
Ryker's lifeless eyes were looking at her. Why would her fiance jump from their 47th floor apartment when they were about to leave on their wedding trip?
I loved this book! It is very well written and the characters are fully developed and relatable. This is the first time that I have read Tayla Jean Grossberg and I loved this amazing story full of fae, deimons, angels and other creatures.
Natka had left home as soon as her parents told her that they weren't really her parents. They had found her in the arms of an archangel after The Shaking. It was bad enough that she was looked down on being a human, but to find out that she was part angel was too much for her to handle. Ryker had taken her in when she was at rock bottom and now she is finding out that everything she knew about him was a lie.
This book is action-packed from beginning to end. This is book one of a two-book series so expect a cliffhanger and is it a doozy! This book may be full of fantasy beings but it is very realistic and Tayla draws you into this complex world and you don't want to leave.
If you want a book full of suspense, danger and smoking hot chemistry you will love this book! Natka's hunt for the truth about Ryker's death and her quest in destroying the White Crystal will keep you turning the pages. Highly recommend!
December 6, 2022
People who are fond of books both as a reader and writer would know how difficult it is to do justice to the characters of your stories. Every character has a different trait, a different outlook and different motive. Now think about a book where apart from these characters there is altogether a new world which also seeks justice when you put forth your imagination, especially in fantasy.
Tayla has done a wonderful job. Romance and Fantasy are my two most favourite genres when it comes to stories and books. This one is a combination of both. As a writer the most adventurous part of writing a fantasy is to handhold your reader into a world which exists inside your mind. And, Tayla has outdone herself by giving her readers a map in the beginning of the book which will help you in understanding Testatha.
And, then came Natka, followed by Devton. A sizzling chemistry between an angel and a daimon, both seeking some relief from their pain, some solace in each other’s loss, some courage in each other’s fears, what more can one ask for in a fantasy.
I am in awe of Devton. He time again proved “I am what I am!”
And, to be honest, Tayla didn’t need any erotic description to tickle my senses, all she did was put the following two lines in her narration:
“The world is a dark place,” I told him.
He pushed hair behind my ears. “The world is much lighter with you in it.”
And
“I can’t lose you,” I told him.
“I love you too much, to let you lose me,” he responded.
I am still unable to get over Devton. I am up for reading the next and last book in the series hoping Devton finally ravages Natka like she has never been ravaged before.
Tayla has done a wonderful job. Romance and Fantasy are my two most favourite genres when it comes to stories and books. This one is a combination of both. As a writer the most adventurous part of writing a fantasy is to handhold your reader into a world which exists inside your mind. And, Tayla has outdone herself by giving her readers a map in the beginning of the book which will help you in understanding Testatha.
And, then came Natka, followed by Devton. A sizzling chemistry between an angel and a daimon, both seeking some relief from their pain, some solace in each other’s loss, some courage in each other’s fears, what more can one ask for in a fantasy.
I am in awe of Devton. He time again proved “I am what I am!”
And, to be honest, Tayla didn’t need any erotic description to tickle my senses, all she did was put the following two lines in her narration:
“The world is a dark place,” I told him.
He pushed hair behind my ears. “The world is much lighter with you in it.”
And
“I can’t lose you,” I told him.
“I love you too much, to let you lose me,” he responded.
I am still unable to get over Devton. I am up for reading the next and last book in the series hoping Devton finally ravages Natka like she has never been ravaged before.
January 1, 2023
3.5 ⭐️
I read this book because the author reached out to me and so I got it! These are my thoughts:
PROS
🏵️ The pacing was amazing! Only the first few chapters were slow but from 1/3 onwards it was well paced! By the third act, it keeps going and going and I just could NOT stop reading it!
🏵️ Amazing creativity with the world building especially the character names and places. Loved the inclusion of gods and goddesses as well.
🏵️ A strong, female protagonist with issues? YES PLEASE. She reminded me a lot of Nesta Archeron from the ACOTAR series.
🏵️Had a nice glimpse of spice in a few scenes.
🏵️REALLY well done foreshadowing
✨”The world is a dark place,’ I told him. He pushed hair behind my ears. ‘The world is much lighter with you in it.’”✨
CONS
🧱 At times the dialogue felt… too correct? Like the characters would say something like “I would not have done that” which felt too formal for characters who were cursing and killing.
🧱 While I love me a good inspo fantasy world, this felt like reading another variant of Crescent City (the “suicide” of a close character, which was feigned overdose, the rifts between worlds and the sudden transformation of the main character, to name a few)
✨”’You’re very easy to love, Dev.’ His lips brushed lightly against mine. The kiss was brief, soft, and ended quickly, as if it should never have happened.” ✨
ALL IN ALL, I would read the second book to know what happens but a re-read of this one is doubtful.
HATED JUST HATED THE RETURN OF A CERTAIN PERSON AT THE END—JUST LET THR GIRL FULLY LOVE ON TF
✨”’I want you to make me feel something.’ His eyes grew darker, like those of a hungry lion, before he stepped closer and wrapped his arms around me. A small sound escaped my lips before his mouth met mine..” ✨
✨“When the time and place is right, I’ll ravage you like you’ve never been ravaged before.”✨
I read this book because the author reached out to me and so I got it! These are my thoughts:
PROS
🏵️ The pacing was amazing! Only the first few chapters were slow but from 1/3 onwards it was well paced! By the third act, it keeps going and going and I just could NOT stop reading it!
🏵️ Amazing creativity with the world building especially the character names and places. Loved the inclusion of gods and goddesses as well.
🏵️ A strong, female protagonist with issues? YES PLEASE. She reminded me a lot of Nesta Archeron from the ACOTAR series.
🏵️Had a nice glimpse of spice in a few scenes.
🏵️REALLY well done foreshadowing
✨”The world is a dark place,’ I told him. He pushed hair behind my ears. ‘The world is much lighter with you in it.’”✨
CONS
🧱 At times the dialogue felt… too correct? Like the characters would say something like “I would not have done that” which felt too formal for characters who were cursing and killing.
🧱 While I love me a good inspo fantasy world, this felt like reading another variant of Crescent City (the “suicide” of a close character, which was feigned overdose, the rifts between worlds and the sudden transformation of the main character, to name a few)
✨”’You’re very easy to love, Dev.’ His lips brushed lightly against mine. The kiss was brief, soft, and ended quickly, as if it should never have happened.” ✨
ALL IN ALL, I would read the second book to know what happens but a re-read of this one is doubtful.
HATED JUST HATED THE RETURN OF A CERTAIN PERSON AT THE END—JUST LET THR GIRL FULLY LOVE ON TF
✨”’I want you to make me feel something.’ His eyes grew darker, like those of a hungry lion, before he stepped closer and wrapped his arms around me. A small sound escaped my lips before his mouth met mine..” ✨
✨“When the time and place is right, I’ll ravage you like you’ve never been ravaged before.”✨
March 26, 2023
Excellent world building and character complexity!
This book was available free on KU and I was pleasantly surprised by it! It definitely has aspects similar to SJM’s Crescent City series. This is a slow burn and left with a lot of things resolved and answered while also creating some new issues and questions that make me ready to dive into book 2 already! There were plenty of moments where I gasped audibly, had to go back and re-read sections because of the major info revealed, and other unexpected tidbits. Relatively few grammar and spelling errors was a nice surprise as some indie authors tend to have quite a bit. I had a feeling I knew where the White Crystal was but there were still a lot of twists, turns, character complexities, and reveals along the way to keep you engaged as it all played out, trying to rule out people and situations to get answers for Natka. I liked the dynamic between Natka and other characters but do wish there were more other female characters for her to interact with as close friends, other than her sister. Maybe she makes more female friends in book 2? Also hoping her sister unpacks the relationship with Quinn more in the next book, since it’s hard to tell currently if there is underlying sincerity from Quinn or if she is just using her.
This book was available free on KU and I was pleasantly surprised by it! It definitely has aspects similar to SJM’s Crescent City series. This is a slow burn and left with a lot of things resolved and answered while also creating some new issues and questions that make me ready to dive into book 2 already! There were plenty of moments where I gasped audibly, had to go back and re-read sections because of the major info revealed, and other unexpected tidbits. Relatively few grammar and spelling errors was a nice surprise as some indie authors tend to have quite a bit. I had a feeling I knew where the White Crystal was but there were still a lot of twists, turns, character complexities, and reveals along the way to keep you engaged as it all played out, trying to rule out people and situations to get answers for Natka. I liked the dynamic between Natka and other characters but do wish there were more other female characters for her to interact with as close friends, other than her sister. Maybe she makes more female friends in book 2? Also hoping her sister unpacks the relationship with Quinn more in the next book, since it’s hard to tell currently if there is underlying sincerity from Quinn or if she is just using her.
February 22, 2023
First I would like to thank Tayla for reaching out to me. I'm so glad she did because if it was not for her I would never know the existence of Lapidary.
Let me tell you this book is worth your time and money. I love the story and the way characters are written. I don't know how to stop myself from giving any spoilers. If you like magical creatures, slow burn, some action, emotional ride then yup it's definitely for you!
*SPOILER*
Ok so I may give a little spoiler because I feel like I need to do the justice for the characters.
Story is obviously 🤌
Natka Roqueze, I just love her character! Definitely an angel.
Devton Embers, I feel like he deserves the world. If I could I would give him the world without a second thought.
The thing I loved the most about this, there was NO JEALOUSY, no toxic relationship which was cherry on top!
You may ask if I liked the book so much then why I gave it 4 stars. The only reason is because of its ending. I WANTED MORE! I want to know what happened after that. I hope I'll find my answers in the next part and I can't wait to read it.
I DEFINITELY DO RECOMMEND IT!
Let me tell you this book is worth your time and money. I love the story and the way characters are written. I don't know how to stop myself from giving any spoilers. If you like magical creatures, slow burn, some action, emotional ride then yup it's definitely for you!
*SPOILER*
Ok so I may give a little spoiler because I feel like I need to do the justice for the characters.
Story is obviously 🤌
Natka Roqueze, I just love her character! Definitely an angel.
Devton Embers, I feel like he deserves the world. If I could I would give him the world without a second thought.
The thing I loved the most about this, there was NO JEALOUSY, no toxic relationship which was cherry on top!
You may ask if I liked the book so much then why I gave it 4 stars. The only reason is because of its ending. I WANTED MORE! I want to know what happened after that. I hope I'll find my answers in the next part and I can't wait to read it.
I DEFINITELY DO RECOMMEND IT!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 1, 2023
The author asked my book club to read/review her book and it is non-stop action! It dives right into the story and builds an intricate and interesting world as you go. The main female character has so much sass and spunk; she’s very fun to read. She goes through trauma, growth, adventure, loss, love – all the feelings. At times, I felt that it almost moved too quickly - I liked that the book is an easy reading size (about 300 pages), but could have used a bit more padding/transition around some scenes for my preference. With that said, the story is fun and provides a good fantasy read that combines a modern world with cell phones and cars with fantasy creatures like angels, daimons, wraiths, and merfolk. The squeal I squealed when the broody dark bad boy enters the scene around 20%. LOL. And what an ending! I’m excited to see how it wraps up in the second book of this duology! Speaking of, I just love the cover art – the way the covers of the two books fit together to form a full picture is beautiful!
May 15, 2023
WOW!
The world is a dark place,” I told him. He pushed hair behind my ears. “The world is much lighter with you in it.”
Wow, going into this book I was a bit nervous just because I don’t tend to read a lot of fantasy books anymore but it was so good I finished in a hour.
The storyline was amazing, the book itself was 300 pages which I honestly think was a perfect choice from Tayla (the author) because throughout the story it never felt like it was dragging on or giving unnecessary details about things that didn’t revolve around the plot or character development which some fantasy books tend to do.
Lapidary does end of a cliffhanger but thankfully the second book Saliency is already out so you don’t have to wait for answer.
if you’re looking for a fantasy book to read, I definitely recommend Lapidary. It has everything from Fae, mystery, supernatural, strong MC & plot twist that keep you guessing.
“There is a thin line between lust and love.”
The world is a dark place,” I told him. He pushed hair behind my ears. “The world is much lighter with you in it.”
Wow, going into this book I was a bit nervous just because I don’t tend to read a lot of fantasy books anymore but it was so good I finished in a hour.
The storyline was amazing, the book itself was 300 pages which I honestly think was a perfect choice from Tayla (the author) because throughout the story it never felt like it was dragging on or giving unnecessary details about things that didn’t revolve around the plot or character development which some fantasy books tend to do.
Lapidary does end of a cliffhanger but thankfully the second book Saliency is already out so you don’t have to wait for answer.
if you’re looking for a fantasy book to read, I definitely recommend Lapidary. It has everything from Fae, mystery, supernatural, strong MC & plot twist that keep you guessing.
“There is a thin line between lust and love.”
July 2, 2023
I was approached by the author to read and review this book, so I went in without knowing what it was about or having any expectations. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. Mind you, I read this trying to come out of my Fourth Wing book slump (iykyk). My favorite aspect was how the author translated mental health, specifically depression since I also suffer, into her main character Natka. In the beginning of the book, Natka battles some serious depression, and it was so refreshing to see a FMC not have it together and fall into that depression then SLOWLY grow out of it to find her purpose rather than struggle for a few chapters then come out of it. You can really feel the journey this was for Natka and was so relatable. Natka’s search for the truth of what happened to her fiancé and her quest for the White Crystal was what kept me reading but I love her relationship with Devton and his background! I do love a morally gray MMC
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 7, 2023
The author reached out to me on instagram and I was so excited that an author had actually messaged me and asked me to read their book. Then the fact that I actually liked the book was even more exciting.
The story was good some of it predictable but over all very good. I enjoyed the story line. I loved the kind of Romeo and Juliet type love story going on.
The ending left me with my mouth hanging open and I need to know how they handle the situation with everything that’s now going on.
Fave quotes: “I thought I lost you”, ……. “I love you to much to let you lose me.”
-Boy yes!! I need this type of love
“The world is much lighter with you in it.”
-yes please!!!!
Fave Characters: hands down Natka and Devton
-I shipped them from the moment they met
The story was good some of it predictable but over all very good. I enjoyed the story line. I loved the kind of Romeo and Juliet type love story going on.
The ending left me with my mouth hanging open and I need to know how they handle the situation with everything that’s now going on.
Fave quotes: “I thought I lost you”, ……. “I love you to much to let you lose me.”
-Boy yes!! I need this type of love
“The world is much lighter with you in it.”
-yes please!!!!
Fave Characters: hands down Natka and Devton
-I shipped them from the moment they met
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 25, 2023
I wish there was more than one rating bar because this writing style and story is unique. At the beginning the writing jumped around and I could not follow but once you got about 33% into the book it was getting there. Personally myself I know what it is like being a self publishing author. Butttt.... Natka is a good main character. She suffers loss and pain that makes the readers feel for her. I just feel like there is a bunch of gaps in the story. One part I still don’t know if the problem has been solved or not.
The spice is ok written spice, totally have read something way dark and rating cold shower afterwards. But this is mello, which I do not mind.
Spice: 🔥🔥🔥
Star: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Angel Romance
The spice is ok written spice, totally have read something way dark and rating cold shower afterwards. But this is mello, which I do not mind.
Spice: 🔥🔥🔥
Star: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Angel Romance
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 15, 2023
I was contacted by the author through Instagram and decided to purchase the Kindle version of their book. After reading it, I have a few thoughts to share:
Firstly, the pacing of the book was excellent. While I had some difficulty with the beginning chapters, it gradually picked up and kept me engaged.
Furthermore, the strong and well-developed female protagonist was one of my favorite aspects of the story. The author did a great job of creating such a character.
I also appreciated the cliffhanger at the end, which left me eager for more.
Lastly, I enjoyed the creativity and world-building, especially the inclusion of gods and goddesses.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and am grateful to the author for reaching out to me to read it.
Firstly, the pacing of the book was excellent. While I had some difficulty with the beginning chapters, it gradually picked up and kept me engaged.
Furthermore, the strong and well-developed female protagonist was one of my favorite aspects of the story. The author did a great job of creating such a character.
I also appreciated the cliffhanger at the end, which left me eager for more.
Lastly, I enjoyed the creativity and world-building, especially the inclusion of gods and goddesses.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and am grateful to the author for reaching out to me to read it.
August 24, 2023
This new adult Fantasy felt fresh and unique. And took me on an intense, emotional journey!
I loved the female MC, Natka. She's been through a lot. Loss. Pain. The story starts out with her remarking "I was nothing but a remnant of the woman I once was." And yet she is incredibly strong and brave.
Once the book takes off, we are plunged into a heroine's quest. And we meet such good characters in Natka's efforts to complete it. The world building was interesting and felt fully fleshed out.
I really enjoyed Natka and Devton's relationship too. Devton was a great character, with flaws, but it only made him feel more real. I'm always a sucker for romantic elements in any book! I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a fresh fantasy read.
I loved the female MC, Natka. She's been through a lot. Loss. Pain. The story starts out with her remarking "I was nothing but a remnant of the woman I once was." And yet she is incredibly strong and brave.
Once the book takes off, we are plunged into a heroine's quest. And we meet such good characters in Natka's efforts to complete it. The world building was interesting and felt fully fleshed out.
I really enjoyed Natka and Devton's relationship too. Devton was a great character, with flaws, but it only made him feel more real. I'm always a sucker for romantic elements in any book! I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a fresh fantasy read.
June 21, 2023
I really enjoyed this book! I was asked by the author if I would like to read this and I'm glad I did. For some reason of wasn't expecting the modern and mystery aspect of it but I was pleasantly surprised. It is a fast paced fairly short fantasy book and so for me felt a little rushed in some parts. I however couldn't put it down. I liked the interesting magic and hierarchial system between the mix of creatures and the dynamic between the factions. After that ending I am looking forward to book 2!
April 4, 2023
Amazing from start to finish!
Wow! I’m so glad that I got recommended this book! I was gripped from the start and really struggled to put it down! So many plot twists I didn’t see coming! And that cliffhanger ending!! I don’t even know what I want to happen next. I really did fall in love with Devton but that cliffhanger has left my emotions in a tangle. I’m so excited to read the next book!
Wow! I’m so glad that I got recommended this book! I was gripped from the start and really struggled to put it down! So many plot twists I didn’t see coming! And that cliffhanger ending!! I don’t even know what I want to happen next. I really did fall in love with Devton but that cliffhanger has left my emotions in a tangle. I’m so excited to read the next book!
February 2, 2024
Loved this Romantasy and the world building and character development was amazing. Supernatural is one of my fav shows and it def gave me all the vibes with the supernatural and mythical creatures and the hunting down of an object. There was so much going on too and I even loved the way the author dealt with the grief of family and finding who you are. If you love slow burn as well and amazing chemistry you’ll love this one.
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