Hesper

The Artefact #1

by Obasi Naomi

Disfigured, and despised by everyone she knew, Jolene always believed fate was against her. That was until Lord Aiken, whose appearance changed her life for the better. At a point she began to think that perhaps, fate was finally on her side.

Alas, it was all a lie.

But in the deepest moments of her despair, the universe bestowed upon her strange powers in the form of an artefact, an object rumored to be capable of destroying the whole world.

Jolene however, would rather take revenge on those who had hurt her, even if it meant fighting fate itself.

Genres: Fantasy

178 pages, ebook

First published April 11, 2023

About the author

Obasi Naomi is a young, Romance fantasy author, who has an unhealthy obsession for writing about vengeful women. She also loves cats. She hopes to one day finish writing all the books she has already written an outline for, along with her unfinished DIY crafts.

Reviews

[TMR · Rating 4 out of 5]

Note: I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Triggers: rape (twice), child loss, assault, body shaming, bullying.

You know, the novels, where you would hear about a rich charming prince rescuing you, the peasant girl and have the most happy ever after I love Lucy sorta ending in the sunset?

Well not this one.

First love defies you and the logistics of HEA in this one, with people being more than what they seem, and a heroine toughening up in the end, because who needs rich princes and their fuckups a plenty to shred her in half?

Like Beyonce said - "I don't like to gamble, but if there's one thing I'm willing to bet on, it's myself."

So Hesper, and the heroine prove themselves to be more than chased by illusions of love, and instead try to fight every monster like Buffy on their own, and I am SO HERE FOR IT! For example, I am happy without the romance...but with the next one, I might rescind that statement. So don't sue me for that, eh?

But I am so here for it, the development, a strong woman lead, and guys being exactly what they were in this novel (at times): complete d**s. And plenty of action, for our action thrill seekers.

So YES, BUY THIS! RUN FOR IT!

-TMR

[Ifunanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was beyond my expectation! The thrilling suspense, the cliffhangers and the shocking plots! It was wonderful! I sincerely can't wait for part two!

[Em SheIsStartingANewChapter · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️
60 second review: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZNdd9nmRb/

✨Thank you Bookworm Books PR for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review✨

This book was such a great read! The dark themes were unexpected but I enjoyed every single page!

The writing style was great and the betrayal and vengeance throughout this book had me on the edge of my seat!!

[Nancy Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been interested in reading this author's works for a while and bought this book a while ago. Taking advantage this book is teetering into novella territory, I took advantage of its short length and read it.

Lest to say, this is an author I believe readers should keep their eyes on. The ability to grip readers through a story handling such brutal themes while cheering for the battered protagonist impressed me a lot.

This romantasy novella veers into dark romance territory. Expect trigger warnings of body disfigurement, emotional abuse, sexual assault and miscarriage. One thing I would like to mention despite these themes is that the assault scenes are not solely for the sheer shock value, but they serve an ulterior purpose in the novel. I tend to veer away from reading books with this sort of content when it is solely for shock value, but I do accept reading them in cases such as this one where they cement the personal journey of the protagonist and her desire for revenge. Readers that enjoyed the Kill Bill films will see a lot of Bellatrix in Jolene during the later chapters of the book when she finally attains the empowerment that has been denied earlier in the story. The assertive Jolene we meet at the end of book is nowhere even remotely similar to the meek disfigured maid presented in chapter 1.

It is difficult to speak much about the book without spoiling things. It looks like book 2 will involve heists, more positive romance splattered in between betrayal along with wicked fire magic. I loved the protagonist, the mysterious Jidenna and will be hard pressed not to succumb to the temptation of reading book 2 ASAP and discover that will happen next.

[Jadesola Sebiotimo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful story ❤️ can't wait for part two

[Cindy Caballero · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could feel the feminine rage in this book and honestly it fueled my need to read it (in the best way). The intensity which the book is written in makes Jolene’s pain deeply felt. There’s a simmering power beneath every page, and the emotional payoff is worth it.

[Becky · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this via Bookworm PR. I wanted so badly to love this, but I struggled to get through it. The writing style was hard for me to click with, and I didn’t enjoy the constant reminder of ugly v beautiful things.

Joelene’s character development was methodical. I would have liked to have felt that I had gotten to experience it with her rather than feeling like I was being told about it.

The book at the stage that I read it doesn’t have a trigger warning page, but I think it would be a good addition. I knew it was coming as it was mentioned in the ARC sign up, so this wasn’t an issue for me. It could be for new readers though so please be warned.

I don’t consider this to be a bad book by any means. It just isn’t for me.

There’s a lot of potential here, and I will gladly give another book by Obasi Naomi a try.

[Anshii · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book- Hesper by OBASI NAOMI
Rating- 3
Trigger warning-
Rape, child loss, harassment, bullying etc

We always hope for happily ever after or when we were kids we were told some knight in shining armour will come?

But it is not always true! There are sometimes hidden agendas when they act knight in shining armour or they are just pretending it to be. We always learn from experiences.

This book had potential but sometimes things felt rushed.
I am so glad that the FMC made herself strong but there should be more light on that insteal of her tragic life.

I am really excited to read the 2nd book and let's see how the story unfolds.

[Susan May · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great story. It started out kind of sad but in the end it was amazing. Joline had a tough life and worked very hard trying to make ends meet. She was also young and inexperienced in life. People took advantage of her until she made a new friend & grew up in a big way. This story ended with a cliffhanger & I can't wait for the next one. Truly a great read

[Leslie Felger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hesper is a haunting, emotionally charged tale that had me hooked from the very first page. Obasi Naomi weaves a story of pain, transformation, betrayal, and power through the eyes of Jolene—a protagonist whose scars, both seen and unseen, make her one of the most compelling characters I’ve read in a while.

At first, I found myself aching for Jolene, who is cast aside by a world too shallow to look beyond her disfigurement. The introduction of Lord Aiken brings a flicker of hope, and for a while, I was convinced this was going to be a story of redemption through love. But Naomi doesn’t give us an easy story. That hope is shattered, and the twist felt like a gut punch—devastating, but brilliantly done.

Jolene’s descent into despair is raw and believable, and her rebirth through the mysterious artifact is nothing short of mesmerizing. The power she gains isn’t just physical,it’s symbolic of reclaiming her identity and rage. Her thirst for revenge is dark but understandable, and I found myself torn between fearing her and rooting for her.

Naomi’s writing is vivid, lyrical, and emotionally resonant. The moral ambiguity of Jolene’s choices, the subtle themes of fate vs. free will, and the way the story questions the cost of vengeance all stayed with me long after I turned the last page.

Hesper isn’t just a fantasy,it’s a powerful character study wrapped in a world of magic and pain. I highly recommend it.

[Aakanksha Jain · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐉𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐤 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 2025

Hesper by Obasi Naomi is a dark, gripping fantasy about Jolene, a housemaid scarred by betrayal. Left to die, she rises with newfound power and a thirst for vengeance.

Set in Luthia, her journey from naive hope to fierce determination is compelling. The book is fast-paced, though the ending could have been stronger with a more decisive close. Jolene’s transformation is both heartbreaking and empowering, setting the stage for an intense sequel.

If you’re looking for a dark, immersive read or a way to break a reading slump, this is worth picking up. With hints of magic and justice, the Artefact series promises an exciting journey ahead.

𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: Abuse, rape, child loss, and bullying.

Read the detailed review here - Books Chharming

[Ezioma Kalu · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking for a thrilling romance fantasy book, then here's your clue to pick Hesper up. Jolene is all of us, the abused, the poor, the powerless. But would Jolene simply accept her fate and crumble because the world is unfair to her? No. Jolene would fight back. One by one, she would take her revenge on everyone who had stepped on her in the past. And you know what they say about revenge being served hot?
Jolene's story is pleading to be read, she's begging to be heard, to be seen for who she is. She is a full-fledged human, and deserves to be treated as such.

[Eze Chimuanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hesper proved to be an enterprising read, with an intriguing ending that makes you anticipate the sequel to this first book in the Artefact series.
A heart-stirring tale of a young woman who amidst past happenings in her life which were to break her down, finds strength in a most remarkable way.
With the element of surprise in the ending scene, the other books in this series are much anticipated and promise to be even more remarkable.

[Cara Hollingworth · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was getting a solid three from me until the ending. The idea of the story is great. The characters and action were a little flat but not bad. Then, big climax -> end of story. Zero falling action, zero conflict resolution. If it was a TV show, it’d be one of those part 1 of 2 and they put it as the season finale.

[Amaka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jolene, after experiencing the worst thing that can ever happen to a woman, is suddenly gifted powers by a strange turn of fate. Now, with the help of the stranger who saved her, she intends to hurt all those who had caused her harm. The plot line is very good. The ending very abrupt though, but book two is out so I guess I’ll see what happens next.

[Katrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like the story of this book, it’s very intriguing. My main complaints are that I would like more depth - to the characters, the setting, and the plot overall. There is much left unexplored. Hoping we’ll get into more of it in the second book!

[Obasi Naomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm giving myself five stars just for the effort I put into writing this!😊

[Taylor Nussbaum · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book and felt it was well written, I even learned a word I did not know. The only issue I had was I felt jolted in the middle when I suddenly went to a world without magic to a world with magic. I felt torn between two books. I liked both of them, but when they were together it was harder for me and it made me stall out in the middle. But I am glad I finished the book as the end was fulfilling. I would read another book in the series since my major issue with this one was the jarring transition. So I am looking forward to the next book in the series.