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Ori - The Lost Verndari
I lived in HELL. Living in the human slums, taught me how to fight. I fought to protect. I fought to survive. And I fought for a chance to eventually LIVE. My 18th birthday was supposed to be my chance to leave and finally figure out who I am. All the pain I had experienced in my past was nothing compared to the pain I felt on my 18th birthday. Minutes felt like a lifetime. My freedom from the pain, came at the hands of my Verndari Mates. I had only ever heard rumors of the Verndari. Did I trade one Hell for another? Or are they the Salvation I needed to finally Live? This is a Fantasy Reverse Harem Romance with MPOV intended for readers 18+. Some topics contained in this book touch on sensitive issues that may be difficult for some readers. Contains scenes with explicit sexual content, crude language, violence, and flashbacks of abuse. If this content offends and/or is a trigger, please DO NOT read this book.
203 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 1, 2020
15 people are currently reading
16 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
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January 10, 2021
Interesting World Building
This book has interesting world building, even if it feels a little fuzzy around the edges, like it’s not quite fully formed. It’s in a world where humans aren’t living well and there are other species living in the world (it’s not clear why humans are poor and downtrodden or what the other supernatural creatures are). The Verndari are a race of magic users. At the age of 18 a female Verndari ‘awakens’ and her magic calls to her four mates. These mates provide stability for her magic and enhances the mates magic too.
We start the book with a female Verndari baby being hidden in the human foster care system to keep her safe from her father, by her mother. That girl is Ori and her experience of foster care is torturous (literally). She is in the midst of being thrown out of her foster home on her 18th birthday when she awakens and her magic pulses bring her into the Verndari fold, where things are still very precarious for her.
There are some interesting aspects to the plot, but, like the world building, it feels a little fuzzy around the edges. It feels like the author hasn’t really lived deeply in the story for long enough before finishing the book. However, it was definitely interesting enough to keep me reading until the end.
I liked Ori, I thought she was an interesting character. Living with physical and mental torment for most of her life and then being thrust into a magical world she doesn’t understand, is not easy. She is instantly given mates that she wasn’t expecting and told to learn magic quickly or she may die/be killed. She is strong and holds up to everything, probably a little too well to be believable. Everything happens too fast for her to cope as well as she does. It makes me feel less connection with her because she doesn’t feel quite real.
The other characters are also interesting and I wish we’d learn more about them. We were just given hints of who they are and what they are capable of. The insta-love aspect of the mate bond always drives me a bit nuts because magic can only over-ride so much human hesitation, surely? If you put my hesitation, on that front, aside, then the relationship between Ori and her mates is really sweet and supportive. Though I have to say the sex scenes were a bit formulaic for my liking.
All that being said, and I know it seems that there was a lot to criticise, I did really like the book. I just feel that it could have done with a really good editor. It needed someone to be ruthless and push the writer to cut back on what felt unnecessary and push forward what needed more fleshing out. It also needed a good proof reader because the use of ‘wondering’ instead of ‘wandering’ and ‘unemphatic’ instead of ‘unempathatic’ are just two of the examples that I remember off the top of my head. This had the potential to be a much better book and I hope that with practice and possibly really good beta readers the author finds her potential, because I can see the glimmers of a really good writer here.
This book has interesting world building, even if it feels a little fuzzy around the edges, like it’s not quite fully formed. It’s in a world where humans aren’t living well and there are other species living in the world (it’s not clear why humans are poor and downtrodden or what the other supernatural creatures are). The Verndari are a race of magic users. At the age of 18 a female Verndari ‘awakens’ and her magic calls to her four mates. These mates provide stability for her magic and enhances the mates magic too.
We start the book with a female Verndari baby being hidden in the human foster care system to keep her safe from her father, by her mother. That girl is Ori and her experience of foster care is torturous (literally). She is in the midst of being thrown out of her foster home on her 18th birthday when she awakens and her magic pulses bring her into the Verndari fold, where things are still very precarious for her.
There are some interesting aspects to the plot, but, like the world building, it feels a little fuzzy around the edges. It feels like the author hasn’t really lived deeply in the story for long enough before finishing the book. However, it was definitely interesting enough to keep me reading until the end.
I liked Ori, I thought she was an interesting character. Living with physical and mental torment for most of her life and then being thrust into a magical world she doesn’t understand, is not easy. She is instantly given mates that she wasn’t expecting and told to learn magic quickly or she may die/be killed. She is strong and holds up to everything, probably a little too well to be believable. Everything happens too fast for her to cope as well as she does. It makes me feel less connection with her because she doesn’t feel quite real.
The other characters are also interesting and I wish we’d learn more about them. We were just given hints of who they are and what they are capable of. The insta-love aspect of the mate bond always drives me a bit nuts because magic can only over-ride so much human hesitation, surely? If you put my hesitation, on that front, aside, then the relationship between Ori and her mates is really sweet and supportive. Though I have to say the sex scenes were a bit formulaic for my liking.
All that being said, and I know it seems that there was a lot to criticise, I did really like the book. I just feel that it could have done with a really good editor. It needed someone to be ruthless and push the writer to cut back on what felt unnecessary and push forward what needed more fleshing out. It also needed a good proof reader because the use of ‘wondering’ instead of ‘wandering’ and ‘unemphatic’ instead of ‘unempathatic’ are just two of the examples that I remember off the top of my head. This had the potential to be a much better book and I hope that with practice and possibly really good beta readers the author finds her potential, because I can see the glimmers of a really good writer here.
December 1, 2020
An amazingly unique fantasy reverse harem story following a young girl who knows nothing about what she is until she turns 18, then follows a journey of discovery, of adventure, learning to trust and falling in love with her 4 mates. This story contains many secrets, mysteries, acts of betrayal, friendships, brilliant acts of bravery, sizzling sexy scenes, twists and turns and all culminating with a cliffhanger ending after a shocking twist and a perceived happy ever after. Oriana Star is a new to me author, I very much liked their worldbuilding, multiple POV writing style and the way they bring the diverse characters to life with scorching chemistry. Very much looking forward to finding out what happens in the next book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 13, 2024
I’m so disappointed. The story started off so interesting and really drew me in.
Once they were all together it went downhill. How is she so accepting of everything?!? With the way she grew up it feels a little weird that she immediately trusts them all and follows what they say and do without question. Supposedly every moment of her life has been filled with sadness, fear, pain, and trauma, but she acts completely fine about everything. I appreciate a strong FMC, but it’s a little hard to connect with and believe. Then it just kept getting worse because the relationships were surface level. A person tells her she needs to have sex and boom she has sex in the most random unromantic unsexy situation. The trial and story part isn’t too bad, other than being hard to follow sometimes. I’m still saying 1 star though because of the first time she has sex scene on top of everything else.
Once they were all together it went downhill. How is she so accepting of everything?!? With the way she grew up it feels a little weird that she immediately trusts them all and follows what they say and do without question. Supposedly every moment of her life has been filled with sadness, fear, pain, and trauma, but she acts completely fine about everything. I appreciate a strong FMC, but it’s a little hard to connect with and believe. Then it just kept getting worse because the relationships were surface level. A person tells her she needs to have sex and boom she has sex in the most random unromantic unsexy situation. The trial and story part isn’t too bad, other than being hard to follow sometimes. I’m still saying 1 star though because of the first time she has sex scene on top of everything else.
December 3, 2020
I was blown away by this work and I couldn’t put it down. It was great but I felt like it was lacking a little bit in the background information. I was a little unsure of the history of the Verndari and still am, but I adored this work and the characters in it. The main female and her harem were great, I wish I could have learned a little more about each of the males but it was mostly in her POV. I loved the strength the female displayed and the support of the men that came into her life. The plot was great and had me guessing at times.
I give this a five out of five stars. The plot was great and the characters were diverse creating a great story. I look forward to the next in the series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I give this a five out of five stars. The plot was great and the characters were diverse creating a great story. I look forward to the next in the series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 1, 2020
Loved the book it was great, the story was well written and the characters were intriguing. Ori was taken to the human world she was put in foster care, Ori was badly beaten by the foster care people and would stand in and take a beating so the younger ones did not get them. Ori was having a lot of pain and as time went on it was getting worse, everyone had felt her pain as soon as they find out she was in the human world they had to get her out quickly before something happens she was taken to a school ende up finding her four mates. It was a fantastic story.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 15, 2021
I decided to read this book after reading the blurb, the book itself did not disappoint. It does have possible triggers for some readers so please be aware of that. I liked that all the main characters were strong and worked well together. Plenty of intrigue and suspense along with steamy scenes, all of which made for an interesting and entertaining read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 2, 2021
★ Interesting plot, characters, and introduction to the exclusive Vendari ★
—>>> Interesting plot, characters, and introduction to the exclusive Vendari. Many intense, abuse-filled flashbacks for Ori’s background, so please heed the warnings.
—>>> Interesting plot, characters, and introduction to the exclusive Vendari. Many intense, abuse-filled flashbacks for Ori’s background, so please heed the warnings.
January 8, 2021
I really enjoyed Ori and her mates' story. It is well written with great storytelling. Characters are dynamic and have distinct personalities. There is intrigue and suspense from beginning to end. I can't wait to read more of this series!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews