The story could be quite good if the main leads were not overthinking and complaining ...
586843
The story could be quite good if the main leads were not overthinking and complaining to heavens as much as they did. Also the last part was overextended quite unnecessary. And the misunderstandings were becoming stupid.
4388120
Some tightening of the narrative wouldn't have been a bad idea. I'm losing patience with it. If you buy into the premise that the good doctor would behave in this way, you want the story to GET ON WITH IT.
1074452
A story with a lot of potential, but too many lose ends and a lack of emotion - didn't touch me at all, pity.
1521093
As the story goes, a tale about a young, reluctant hero who gets swept into another land to lead a small band on an epic quest is a story that I will happily curl up with before bed.

However, the main character in the story lacked early characterization, so I was never able to drum up the sympathy necessary to become interested in the tale.  I did enjoy watching the growth of some of the other characters in the story, the elves in particular as they discovered their power.

My other trouble with the book was with the premise for the quest.  An elf has accidentally killed the son of the king and the king will declare war on all elves unless an otter skin is covered with gold.  But the otter skin is enchanted and keeps growing.  So the only way to solve this problem is to get an enchanted sword and kill a dragon in order to steal its gold because this, somehow, will be enough gold to cover the otter skin.

Call me ridiculously soft-hearted, but what did the dragon do to deserve this fate?  I had real issues understanding why stealing the gold from the dragon was any type of noble solution.  Furthermore, couldn't we explain to the king that this was an accident?  Or perhaps the elves should prepare for war with such an unreasonable king who refused to listen or show mercy?  Thus, the premise for the quest failed to convince me that the quest was reasonable at the beginning of the story, so I found myself constantly wondering why the main character was continuing to trundle around with the band of elves.

The author does settle some of these questions toward the end of the book.  And perhaps if I had read another book in the series I would have bought into more of the situation from the beginning.  However, since I was reading it without any background about the world, I found myself nonplussed at various points.

Sex:  None
Violence:  Very mild.  A few magical battles. At some point the main character gets severely charred by a dragon, but the details are sparse and non-gorey.
Cursing:  None
1546513
I thought that this was a decent story.  I do think that things could have been more difficult for the main characters.
1116643
A collection of very likable and engaging characters and a somewhat decent attempt at world-building, but I doubt I'll read the second book because of the number of flat out cliches in this one that the author doesn't want to break out of.  Which she easily could do -- she's terrific, in particular, with dialogue.  Some people over-generalize with regard to female authors writing romance stories involving two men, but there actually are some female authors who manage to write a complete m/m romance without one of the two characters being, basically, a woman who happens to have a penis.  Ms. Derr is not one of them, or choose not to be.

She's got a very strong central character here whose intelligence, sense of duty and courage could have seem overplayed in the wrong hands, but the author never crosses that line.  Here's the thing -- it's not like those aren't female characteristics, too, so why not just have written the character as a woman in the first place?  (Well, frankly, I probably wouldn't have bought the book, so maybe that's the answer.)

Even the constant, drip-drop, what's coming up next, one way after another to drive home the point, again and again and again, that the main character is a bit on the effeminate side would have been fine in the central relationship in the book. It's just that every single gay male relationship in this book involves one partner being, basically, the wife.  I find it ... formulaic, pat, and irritating.  I mean, at least mix things up a little bit in the bedroom scenes, for crying out loud.  (Things don't always play out according to stereotypes.  The author should ask her gay friends, of whom I am sure she has many.)

Is this what women genuinely think relationships between two men are like?  (The answer to that is no, by the way -- N.R. Walker doesn't have any problems handling the fact that, yep, even though they've had sex, they're both still men.)

Be prepared for massive unresolved story lines when you read this.  Although it aims to explore both the realms of politics and war it does that just enough to leave anyone interested in either completely dissatisfied.  The family dynamics of the main character are so fraught with possibilities for truly dramatic and moving storytelling that it almost hurt to see them left unexplored.

Oh, and one recommendation to the author as a lifelong reader of fantasy and science fiction? One nagging irritation in this book is easily fixed.  So, in this world, women can "sire" children and men can get pregnant.  That is not a throwaway reference that you never get to explore or can escape explaining.  Either it's magic you don't talk about, technology you don't talk about, or you forgot to tell us that these people aren't human.  Pick one.  Make something up that makes it make sense.  That's why they call it fiction.

For a quick, romantic story this book is fine.  What I found the most frustrating is that I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever that this particular author could have made this a truly epic tale and a gripping read.  Her characterization skills are THAT good, and I hope she takes the above as constructive criticism because that's certainly how I mean it.
3133935
Certain scenes in this story were well done, mainly the scenes involving the heroine's eating disorder and her predator's inner world. The author's comment at the end of the book reveal that she has worked with victims of abuse, which explains these well-written parts.
  However, there are annoying inconsistencies and omissions in the overall plot. In the early scenes, the heroine's style of dress involves short skirts, then later in the book we are told she dresses in long, flowing, "bohemian" style skirts. A minor flaw, but annoying. More glaring is the fact that the pivotal scene that involves someone's death by shovel blow to the head is never explained. The story goes back & forth in time, revealing other elemenrs, but that key scene is never fully described. At what point did it happen, and how? You will never find out because t have ever author either forgot or didn't feel like explaining that -- even though that scene is key to the plot. Also, the author gives very obvious red-herring "hints" that try to make the reader think the husband character will go a certain way, in an obvious attempt to make the reader feel concern.
  I shouldn't call the main character a "heroine" because she does not really come across as heroic. I didn't like her or any of the characters very much. Like a lot of women, I know something about abusive relationships, and this author did a good job with the villain, but otherwise the rest of the story is "blah". I read it for free with Kindle Unlimited and am glad I didn't spend money on it.
3836375
The premise of the story is interesting. In a world gone robotic, you have to game to make a living.

This story has charm. I liked reading about Coral and like the fact that she didn't choose a combat oriented class. I sort of like Dale and his group of high level players, even though hes kind of a jerk. The relationships between the characters are the highlight of the story.

There are some serious logic problems with the story. 1) The exchange rate of gold of 10 gold = $1 isn't constantly followed. Sometimes 50 gold is referred to as $0.50 and other times a $5, 2) Why is a high level raid in the beginner zone?, 3) Why would high level players grab a level 1 to group with? Isnt there a group finding feature in this advanced game? 4) A raid is not a group of four people. 5) Carol gets all the XP from the boss kill? Either group experience distribution was turned off or she not in a group with everyone. How else did she get in the dungeon?

To be honest the game logic issues almost made me put this story down. But I persevered for you folks at home. After the 30% mark when the story setup is finished, things improve a little. It turns into a, sometimes meandering story of four friends just going on odd adventures to complete the quest they were given. This is an ok story. It has its flaws but it has its gem moments too. With the exception of the unique character classes, most of the game mechanics don't seem well thought out and there are big logic issues in the beginning of the story. Overall, the game world feels a bit boring. What really shines are the four characters in the story. There were lots of cute or funny interactions between them that are endearing.
2720398
The characters  show possibility for development. Two decent loving police officers, two decent lovable librarians, a loving family and a loving lovers family, for the heroine, and a small town in Ohio. The problem is that the author needed a mystery in which to involve these characters and chose poorly. For no visible reason in the character or situation of the heroine, she is made to appear witless,
Too bad. The book is still readable, there is occasion to fear for her safety, to sympathize with her plight, to root for the Good Guys;  there is just not much occasion to respect her intelligence or  common sense.
If this is going to be a series, I can recommend the book as a lead-in to what might easily become much more appealing. In itself it serves well as an introduction to these characters,  the library setting and the small town feeling. I even find myself rooting for the author and hoping she will find a better mystery theme about which to weave her story.
2493778
While it's okay if you've got a penchant for severe bondage scenarios and n/c hypnosis themes, the story can be off-putting. Frankly, the lead character is an jerk who does little to redeem himself in the course of the story, and the plot is dependent on his captors deliberately refraining from giving him a vital piece of information that they have *no reason* not to give out.

It's competently written, but not something I'd re-read.
1609645
The basic story line is quite emotionally engaging, as other reviewers have noted. The protagonist, an 11 year-old girl, in the proverbial blink of an eye is abandoned by those responsible for her care as she is physically thrown out of a car in a strange neighborhood in the dark. More than one Good Samaritan  and one in particular that is about the last imaginable person, or kind of a person, to be thought of in that way  rescues her. She has a safe place to stay, caring adults, and earns a modest income from a variety of tasks in a business owned by one of her benefactors.
  In my estimation, the way the story was structured failed to fully capitalize on its potential. There were, in my view, too many improbable, coincidental, contrived events. There were also numerous instances of the author telling what some of the characters were thinking or feeling, and in such detail that it seriously interrupted my engagement with the narrative. These are the primary reasons for my 3***.
2931190
Maybe I'm being too critical but I found the stories to be not that good.  they'd start out good but then end with not much of a conclusion.
2207863
they need to be extremely well written and there must be a sense that the past and present connect in a way that naturally follows from the events described.  It needs to be more of a mystery and less an amazing turn of events.  It is also difficult to create well developed characters who are victimized by a combination of poverty and unfeeling people.  It is too easy to let them just be... victims.  This novel  did not measure up, but it was a good plot and I enjoyed reading it.
3081648
Dialog is overtly trite when it needs seriousness and on the weak side. The characters could stand more depth development and lose the flippancy. The overall plotline is interesting and with a good editing and serious re-write the book might stand a chance at getting some optioning as a basis for a screenplay.
2908290
This book was difficult for me to review. The plot progression and use of adjunct stories are very good. The premise of the story is simple and believable and the story well written. The sugary sweet and flowery language is just over the top. The leading man Caine, is just too sweet at times and a little too n touch with his feminine side. However, he is also a complete control freak and a do as I say and not as I do kind of guy. I am really sitting on the fence with this story and give it three stars as I appreciate the authors efforts.
865597
The story itself is done well and the ending is pretty surprising, but sometimes it feels cliche, and characters say things I can swear I already heard somewhere else.
3936494
The main character attempts to remain convinced that if you fight for what you believe, there is nothing to apologize for, whatever the consequences of your misguided beliefs.  Story is simply told, yet manages to hold the readers interest.  The secondary characters help illuminate Japanese society during the early post-war years.

Why is the main characters grandson so obnoxious, and where does the idea of being a man, so important to grandfather/grandson communication, fit in?  Sometimes it almost seems like comic relief, or a means of making fun of the grandfather. not worthy of the author.