Austenesque Lovers TBR Pile Challenge 2026 discussion

Lefki Karantoni

Is this a "real" author?
With so many books published in so little time, I had supposed AI was involved.
I see a lot of high ratings for her books, even from a few reviewers who are usually hard raters.

I would like to change my "nope-nadas" to "currently reading."

I have never come across this author before. Based on the authors activity on Goodreads it seems like a real author… Who probably uses AI to write…

She has a website and a mailing list, and the profile photo looks like a real person so she looks more legit than some other new authors-

I read the short story that was available for free through the mailing list. It was mildly amusing.

Thanks Nina & Katja,
She does have much more presence at GR and Amazon than most of the AI people. I sighed up for her mailing list and downloaded her Christmas series (5 shortish books)

She also seems to have a presence on FB. Which seems to be legit.

I notice that all of her “read” books are by just a couple of authors (with improbable names like “Rose Thorne”) and all the books are rated 5 stars. I surmise those “read” books are all by herself via AI.

I had not noticed that. You may be correct.

Oh dear. Good catch, Abigail.
But maybe her Lefki ones are legit?

I am still in a quandary.

I had downloaded her Christmas series (5 books), intending to give her a try.
Now I have returned those to KU. I will await further developments.

I loved her book Mr Darcy's New Years Resolution. It didn't feel like AI.

I just came across this discussion.
I’m not an AI. I’m a real person. If you’d taken the time to pop over to my profile and ask a question, you’d have had your answer straight away.
My books are mine, written by me and not AI-written or AI-assisted. They do have mistakes, which many of you have (un)kindly pointed out. Fair enough.
But playing detectives and judging the books I read…? That feels a step too far.
Just to set the record straight, I’d like to direct you to my bio on my author profile. Only two days ago I won a short-story competition run by the University of Bristol (related to Cybersecurity). They would probably know better than most if I were fake, don’t you think?
I'll not reply again to this thread, but I'd like to give you an advice: eat something sweet.
Lefki Karantoni

I don't "know" Lefki personally, but I've read five of her books so far -- all 5 to 5+ in my reviews. I've also purchased her Christmas series as a gift to myself to read next holiday season.

Obviously, I love her work. It's creative, beautifully written, witty, highly original and often deeply touching. I'd rank her in my top handful of JAFF writers -- and I've read hundreds of Austen variations.

The chance of her work being generated or assisted by AI is zero (and I'm a lawyer who used to teach college English many decades ago, so I'm used to close reading). It's such a shame that this thread clearly has hurt the feelings of such a talented writer.

Please read the Pride and Resolutions series -- you won't regret it.

I think her response has probably hurt the feelings of people in this group - it was just plain rude! `There is enough unpleasant in the world at the moment so I have deleted all of her books from my TBR. I don't need verbal abuse from my authors.

Wow!
Look at the apple cart I upset!

I asked for thoughts in a group of readers whose opinions I respect. I would not have expected honesty from a question asked on an “AI profile,” so it didn’t occur to me to post a question there, AI or otherwise.

If a reviewer points out an error, is it (un)kind? OK
Playing detective? OK

I have to agree with CraftyHJ.
I will not be reading anything from this author.

I am not the one needing something sweet.

Lefki wrote: "I'll not reply again to this thread, but I'd like to give you an advice: eat something sweet..."

"an" advice ?

AI is, and will be for a long while, a charged topic. Even more so now, with the broohaha about Shy Girl and Hachette's canceled contract.

Personally, I've chosen to hesitate on reading new authors (for better or worse) Even reviews aren't a good judge anymore.

On another note, There is a push among the authors to encourage transparency and disclosure with authors who use AI in any of its forms: Generative or assisted, or even one of the 'approved' AI editing Pro programs. (I have a feeling fear of loss of income will keep author from taking this path) I think more authors use one of those programs than are honest about it.

One author stated unequivicably, she uses a very old word processing program and won't upgrade because she refuses to have any assist on her computer. This was all on a FB thread.

At the end of the day, as readers, we just need to trust our gut instinct and read what we enjoy.

So far I've only read some samples (to put it on by TBR list) and her newletter bonus fully (after having read this thread and it was sweet) and can say that it has none of the AI hallmarks that I've ever come across so far - for whatever that is worth.
I understand the doubt given the glut of AI generated JAFF coming out in the past year or two. However, I think that some reactions here over her response have been a bit harsh. It's your decision of course what to and what not to read, where to spend your time and your money but ... for a moment put yourself in her shoes. Imagine having actually put in the sweat and tears into her writing and then, without having had any of her works read, having the authenticity questioned? I know that I'd be a little salty in her place in the face of the conclusions made in the absence of actually having read even the free samples from the evidence presented, I could be wrong on the free sample sampling front, but that is the impression that I got.
Was her reaction the best or a wise one from a PR perspective? No, but it WAS a human one IMO. I know that I've had many a salty moment that I was wildly unsuccessful in containing and was lucky that more often than not was extended a little grace.
Just my 2 cents worth (and where I am, when paying in cash, that gets rounded down to 0 cents because we got rid of the penny).
Make of that what you will.

I guess one could always contact an author and ask them "do you publish AI slop", but what are the odds that they're going to tell you, "oh yes, yes I do, glad you asked!"

KDP publishing guidelines say authors are supposed to inform them if their content is AI generated. But I am pretty certain that many don't. Some of the stupidest things that I have read could not have come from a human author of normal memory and intelligence, but there was nothing on the sales page or the credits to indicate AI involvement. Some of those books and authors are gone from Amazon and goodreads now, so maybe somebody else thought something was off.

But suppose I am wrong and some of the stupid things that made me think AI are really human authored....? It doesn't make the book any better, they were still stupid and not worth your money. IMO.

Speaking generally and not in reference to Lefki Karantoni books, which I have not read.

I have restoed my equanimity over AI books and cantankerous JAFF authors with a lovely long walk in the bluebell woods near me. Standing still and being among literally thousands of amazing flowers is enough to calm any soul I think.

I hope you all Enjoy your day and your reading - whatever it is you find yourself doing.