Jess > Recent Status Updates

This is very slow, a lot of buildup. I’m 21% through and the main characters are still children. If you told me this before reading I would have hesitated reading it, but I’m actually loving the story. We’ll see if that continues when they’re adults, though, I guess.

I have no idea when I bought books 2-4 in this series. Why didn’t I buy the first one? Anyways, looking forward to some mindless reading cause my brain needs a break.

I’m going to try this on audiobook at the highest speed and donate these physical copies to charity. This is too dull for me to care anymore.

Been a while since I picked up this book. I’ve read 5 pages and I’m entirely confused. This part seems like the author made it up on the fly and wasn’t concerned if it made sense.

Books like these make me worry about the literacy levels of average adult.

The sentence construction and phrasing makes it seem like the reader is in the head of an unhinged lunatic, and that’s not intentional.

This is actually very well written. I don’t know why, but I didn’t expect that.

I had to write out the rules for magic and historical context just to understand wtf was going on here. I don’t know how I would have done it, but word-vomiting the background through stilted dialogue and exposition wouldn’t be it. This is rough!

Hopefully it will settle into the story now. Please.

Some bad exposition going on here. I would almost rather a straight info dump and just get right to the meat of the story and characters.

I feel stupid that I didn’t suspect who his brother was earlier.

Why is this books such a slog for me?? No, really, I’m trying to figure out what exactly is wrong to provide any kind of critique in a review, and I can’t. Maybe it’s just me?

The constant repetition of extremely long, repetitive, and similar-sounding titles smells like KU word count padding to me.

Not usually a fan, but in this case I’d make an exception: 🏴‍☠️ sail away friends.

It’s early, and I know this is knit-picky, but I hate the alternative word choice for vampires. Just call them vampires. Don’t reinvent the wheel. Like, what are we doing here?

Guessing at the percent because I don’t want to double check, but it has reached PEAK stupidity. Nearly threw my kindle. But honestly there is something about this book that pulls me right back in, eye rolling and all. I know I’ll be back. So I guess that makes me the stupid one.

I don’t know how this book has become so BORING.

There’s a certain type of sentence structure that, while perfectly valid, is overused by amateur writers. It’s fine; everyone starts somewhere. But it becomes like a repeated beat in my mind, and it’s extremely frustrating. I’m pushing through though because I’m intrigued by the premise.

Ahhh I hate this choice by this character—the whole series of choices that led here, really. It was reasoned out, but it seems so out of character to not weigh the possibilities a bit more than he has.

I can’t imagine reading 1600 more pages of this series (maybe more!) so I’m going to admit defeat and accept the lost money I spent on this book. Bummer. I should have kept this a library borrow until I knew if I liked it.

This male main character acts like a smarmy know-it-all, and it’s annoying. Why would a woman who has to endure this in everyday life (mansplaining) want to read escapist fiction where the MMC embodies this? It’s a baffling choice. I’m much more interested in the academy part of this book.

The last sentence at the end of chapter 3 was supposed to be some impactful, mic-drop moment but all it did was underline the fact that this is a novel for young adults or very immature readers (nothing wrong with that).

I need to keep that in mind going forward and adjust my expectations.

There is a highly rated review for this book where the reviewer outs themselves as not understanding this is based on modern isekai (with its own expectations and tropes) and instead insists that it is based on portal fantasy from the 80s. If somebody pointed out I didn’t know wtf I was talking about like that I would simply delete in embarrassment. She keeps digging a hole though.

Anyways excited to start this!

It took me this long to realize what this book is: serialized progression fantasy like you’d find on Royal Road, but without the progression part. The structure, the underpowered MC who becomes OP, the constant underestimating that turns into showing how powerful she really is—it’s all there (except for the LitRPG stuff).

Ok. I think I was wrong. This might be slow burn after all.

If there’s this much sexual tension and blatant flirting at 26%, this is NOT slow burn. I’ve been lied to. But it’s not bad so i’ll continue.

6% in and I can tell this is not for me. Descent writing tho, if ultra-cozy is your thing.

Too much world-building and random details. The writing sucks you in but not enough to do the work of actual plot. These character are unmoored without a goal and conflicts and plans to deal with them. It’s just a boy and his thrall.
I’m desperate for anything, even just a few pages strung together of dialogue! Please!