Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reading copy of luminiferos by Yama metro. This was in interesting read. A girl with her mind stuck between worlds. Lots of theology. Interesting but didn’t love and not a hit. I hate to say it but readers want something to drag them in and this just wasn’t not it. Not a bad read for someone who needs to think about life

this was kind of sweet but also kind of questionable? idk. it's a pretty trope-filled fantasy novel and it's like a mishmash of the premise of avatar the last airbender, the other avatar with the magical trees, harry potter, and twilight?? very much a hero's journey archetype with pretty worldbuilding and a "tall dark & handsome" love interest…who just so happens to be like 80 years old…

i'm a little tired of the "oh he's like kind of immortal so he's old-ish but looks really young!!" love interest trope like that's just weird to me why can't you just make him 19 it's not that hard. like him being 80 or 19 doesn't substantially change the plot and honestly would make me think the romance subplot was cuter and less quesh. also, the writing describing the worldbuilding was very very pretty, but it wasn't the most creative, i guess? if you're really into percy-jackson style "there are mystical creatures in our midst!" kind of storytelling, you'll probably love this, and tbh i really liked this part of the story even though it was rehashing a lot of old tropes and myths, but i felt like it was advertised as "wow CRAZY worldbuilding!" and the wow factor wasn't completely there for me. i did really like hairito though. best gargoyle ever <3

overall, if you're into the regular ya fantasy scene, you'll probably like this book; if you're looking for something with a bit more depth, maybe this one ain't for you.

I received an advance readers copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you NetGalley for this free copy.

I really wanted to like this book but I just could not get into it and had to DNF. The main reason being too many tropes combined and really odd pacing. It was uninspiring and just not for me.

The cover is what originally drew me in, but the story was what held my attention the whole way thru. The world building was in-depth and extensive. The background buildup set the stage for current times and made it so any questions that may come up, were answered already. The characters were intriguing, the storyline was unique and addictive. I love magic and adventure and with a little romance mixed in, this story hit all the marks. I could’ve easily finished in a couple days but I tried to draw it out as long as possible. I loved the dynamic between the characters. They flowed beautifully together and it was totally believable. I don’t usually read books more than once, but this book seems like a second read through would be just as enjoyable as the first.

Lilly White is an orphan who has always felt like she's missing a piece of herself, and as she grows older, her visions of a lush and mystical world become more vivid. When a mysterious man offers her a portal to a lost world, she jumps at the chance to find her true family and meaning in her life.

But as she explores this new world, she finds that it's not all rainbows and unicorns. A toxic darkness is consuming everything in its path, threatening the existence of everyone she meets. Lilly must dig deep within herself to find the gifts she never knew she had and fight against the evil that threatens to destroy everything.

The story is a unique blend of fantasy, romance, and philosophy that takes the reader on a journey of self-discovery, transcendence, and love. The world-building is intricate and beautiful, and the author's writing style is descriptive and engaging, pulling the reader into the story.

Lilly is a relatable and likable character, and the reader can't help but root for her as she navigates her way through this new world and discovers her true purpose. The themes of family, love, and the power of self-discovery are woven throughout the story, making it a heartwarming and inspiring read.

Overall, "The Lost World of Lilly White" is a captivating and enchanting story that will appeal to fans of fantasy and romance. It's a tale of hope, courage, and the importance of never giving up on your dreams.

eBook Version of Luminiferos by Yana Metro
Provided by NetGalley and Yana Metro

I devoured this book and stayed up too late reading it. It felt so fresh and new and just enchanting. Enchanting, adventurous, and so fun to read! Every description Yana provides made this world unfold before my eyes. I coudn't not picture it. The magic was so unique and fun. My favorite part is the found family, and the mythical creatures. I'm obsessed with Hairito and she is know my new favorite mythical side kick creature! The plot is really fun and gave me hunting for horcrux vibes, the romance is sweet and sacrificial it's just so so good!

I will be making it my mission to ensure everyone reads this book! I am shocked by some of the reviews. My only guess is when people see the word fantasy and romance they expect a certain type of story line. If you are wanting a spicy fantasy romance, this aint it. It's a beautiful, well developed romance that is woven through out the book. Philosophical undertones and so many amazing themes are seamlessly woven into this story.

Yana's writing style is so fluid and effortless to read. I didn't find myself hoping it would move faster, it seemed to move at just the right pace. Thins were revealed at just the right time and it was absolutely mesmerizing. This might just turn out to be one of my favorite reads of the year.

Only downfall? It's book one in an unfinished series, so we wait... with baited breath!

DNF @ 8%

After averaging almost a book a day over the last couple of months, I went two days barely looking at my Kindle with no desire to pick up this book. Nothing is catching my attention. The narrator is just handing over information with no emotion, and there’s no drive or motivation to keep reading. Considering how beautiful the cover is and how interesting it sounded, I’m pretty disappointed. If I continue at this rate, though, I’ll be stuck reading Luminiferos for months.

The concept of Luminiferos is amazing, where Lilly, our main female character, is in search of her identity and wants answers to her dreams filled with fantastical beasts.

The story is filled with dryads, sirens, and other fantasy creatures. The world building in this novel is really good. The characters, though I was not favorite of. Hopefully, the author will be in the rest of the series, giving more background to Lilly White. How she made money and how she survived is unclear. Will's and Lilly's story arc doesn't make too much sense. The constant preaching to Lilly by one or another character was a bit annoying. I loved Hairito.

There's a lot of hints of Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter influence in the story (at least I felt that), which honestly I didn't mind. I am definitely invested in this world and will be looking forward to the next book.

Sadly not my kinda book. The cover definitely made me want to pick it and I’m grateful to have been approved to read it but it unfortunately didn’t work for me. Several aspects turned me off.

I received an advance review copy for free on Netgalley. However, I am leaving this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.

I was drawn to this book by its interesting description and stunning cover.It got off to a really good start, however, I found the pacing really slow and struggled to connect to the plot. The writing style was also pretty difficult to gel with, I’d say the first 70% was a massive info dump and the plot didn’t really pick up until the last 30%.

This book also had a few tropes that I don’t personally love, including the ‘chosen one’ narrative, forbidden romance and a world-saving quest. Although these are really fun, they’re just not for me and I feel like it’s been done so many times.

That being said, I really enjoyed the characters. They were entreating, dynamic and fleshed out. Particularly Lilly, who went on a journey of emotional growth throughout the boom which was really compelling to witness.

The world-building was also done very well and will completely draw you in. It’s a shame because I really really enjoyed the last 30% of the book, I found the magic system to be very interesting and intricate.

Overall, I thought that this was a really great debut, it had a lot of potential and, despite the execution falling short, I will definitely read more books from this author.

#Luminiferos #NetGalley

My review will not be based on the whole book - DNFed at 24%. I couldn’t get into this but I can’t pinpoint why- which leads me to think it’s a timing issue. I enjoy YA and I enjoyed the idea of the parallel worlds. I will try again at some point!

The cover of Luminiferos: The Omen of Light, the first novel in the Luminiferos series, immediately drew my eye and made me want to read it. I believe there will be seven novels in this series, which gives a lot of room to develop everything from the characters to the story. In this first novel, it does feel a little shaky as it tries to find its ground. I believe as the story moves forward, it will begin to feel more solid, so, even though, I have mixed feelings for this one, I think the rest, when they are available, would be worth a try. The story follows Lilly White, who is trying to find her place in a magical world after living in an orphanage since she was five for thirteen years. As the lives in the modern world, this magical world initially seems to exist only in her mind, but Lilly believes it is real.

The story’s world-building is interesting, although a little wordy in places. Some of it is told through dialogue, which threw me off a little, but was a nice way to introduce everything. As for the actual dialogue, though, there was a bit too much for my taste. Sometimes there would be pages of it and I feel it took me out of the story. The story also has a lot of telling over showing, this is especially true in a two-month time jump in the story where there is some telling to fill in the gaps. For me, this took me right out of the story as the reader loses connecting to any develop. Another element of the writing was an increased use of adjectives as there seemed to be tons per page. It was easy enough to picture everything, but I think a little more polish was needed to make it flow smoother.

As a character, Lilly was filled with self-doubt and anxiety as she goes through her journey. Since there are some moments that seem unrealistic given her age, I do wish her character was aged up slightly. Her inner dialogue, however, sometimes read a lot younger, so, for me, she was not quite consistent as a character. Since her story seemed to follow the “chosen one” trope, I feel there needed a little more set-up in the very beginning. I can see readers no finishing the story as it takes a bit to understand the reasons behind different events, which can be frustrating. Since I read the entire story, I think some of this initial set-up could be moved to earlier sections of the story and it would entice the reader to continue more than its current state. Overall, this series has a lot of potential and has a lot of room to grow. The novel itself has some polish needed, but it is off to a great start and a great introduction to the author.

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, 1137 PRESS, for the opportunity to read this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

I was intrigued by the synopsis and the magic system, but I found that I liked the book, I didn't love it. I think that the book just didn't fall into my taste, it was too dreamy and I'm not the biggest fan of this sub-genre. It reminded me of other books that I didn't finish, I think that if you like strange the dreamer or clockwork angels, you would probably like this book more than I did. It had a really stunning world and magic system, but I didn't like Lily all that much. I think the writing style of this book had lots of thoughts, each chapter felt oddly heavy, it felt like I was thrown into the world, with too much information that I didn't need to know, and the information I needed wasn't there. But I did love the details of the world itself, that was super fun to delve into. The book has a lot of potential, but it just isn't my taste.

Lily was too much of a dreamer for me, she was so hopeful that I thought some of her actions were just ill-informed. I couldn't get myself to like her. She felt passive, and I wish she would take initiative more. She was like a baby deer, but to be fair, it is a new world for her. But I did like her growth by the end of the book, and am hoping to see the growth for the books and Lily for this series.

I would love to read the next books and see the progression, I have hope that Lily will become a stronger character. Now that the world has also been established, I do believe that the next books will have less info dumps. If you like fantasy because of the world-building, you will like this book. There was lots of lore and myths in the book, the author was able to pull different myths into one book beautifully.

Although I found the premise of this book to be amazingly intriguing. I unfortunately could not bring myself to finish the book. There was too much information to take in right as the book began and not enough to detail given to draw the reader in. All in all, its a whimsical story about a character seeming to be stuck in the wrong realm/world and desperately is in search of their real home and family. Looking at some other reviews it seems that some other readers were able to thoroughly enjoy the book and makes me think that it might get better the farther into the story you dive.

This book is a bit of a heavy one. It makes you want to ponder some of the bigger questions in life - who you are, what makes you “you,” and how you respond to the world around you. Do you give in because things look bad, or do you keep fighting to make a better world?

I liked this book and found it generally enjoyable…but also it didn’t fully hold me. I never felt like I got attached to the characters in any way, the plot took a little too long to get moving and kept getting lost under the heavy-handed philosophizing, and the ending was a little confusing.

This is the first book in a series, and while I enjoyed my time with Luminiferos enough, I don’t know if I’ll be continuing with it. However, the cover is gorgeous and I do appreciate the message of the story a lot!

Writing style was not for me. I really wanted to enjoy it, but it just was too wordy for what set itself up as a modern fantasy

First at all thank you for the arc of this book

I requested this arc for the cover and I think that was a mistake
I was not into the book I dfn at 50%

This book was really interesting. For a fantasy novel it did not spend a lot of time world building, however you could still picture where you were with the characters. I really enjoyed the twists, the characters, and the story as a whole. I am excited to see where it goes and learn more about each of the characters in the next books!

Favorite quote: “For you, only good people exist tho whom bad things have happened.”
•
•
•
I was initially attracted to this book by its cover and started reading it blindly only knowing it was fantasy. Ooh I was not disappointed. I could not put this book down. Some great tropes from found family and forced proximity. This book was absolutely enchanting and executed beautifully. The vivid descriptions, characters development and world building it was more than I could ever ask for. The different levels of worlds and magic was so intriguing. The main character Lilly White is a strong headed orphan that is determined to find her family and where she came from as she is convinced she is not from the human world and from a “parallel world”. She is eventually proven right that she is is not from the realm she has been living in for the past 7 years, but going back to where she is from didn’t goes as she thought it would. I have been left with so many questions. I cannot wait for the next book!!

Lilly White is looking for her parents and meaning in this fantasy book. After she is given a paper by a magical creature inviting her back to the land she has been searching for, she is thrown into a world filled with magic, evil, and hard decisions that will alter her life forever.
I gave this book 2/5 stars. I found the plot to be a bit basic and thought the events of the book were rushed. I didn't like the characters and thought that they acted annoying and didn't have normal dialogue. I feel like this book could be hard to follow at times because of how fast everything was happening. Overall, I didn't like this book but I like the cliffhanger at the end. However, I would not recommend it. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.