5/5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers, and H. Schussman for allowing me to read and review this book.

This book is for every bookworm who has ever wanted their favorite book character to come to life. And for every bookworm who wished their favorite book character would fall in love with them.

I was unsure about how this book would turn out, but I was instantly hooked. The concept and execution of this book was fantastic. The book is amazingly written and the characters are all well-written. The book and the book within the book are both interesting and easy to follow.

I highly recommend this book to any and all bookworms and readers out there.

As luck would have it, I was not able to download this book before it was archived. Unfortunate timing of the late approved request, I guess. Thankfully, I am able to circle back to share my feedback now.

The premise of this story fascinated me but it turned out to be not at all what I was expecting. I'm not typically a reader of mystery, but I did really enjoy this particular blend of fantasy fiction. Cassi and Marco were both likable and their budding romance was ... sweet. Schussman's novel idea had the potential for a five star rating, if not for it being repetitive to a fault. I can see how accuracy in the retelling scenes helped blur the lines of reality, but it came at a cost. I found myself skimming ahead because parts were verbatim what I had already read. I'm okay with a clean romance in the end, but I would have liked to experience little more of the hint of danger promised in the synopsis. Overall, it lacked pace and intensity for me.

Not much to say as I found both the plots a bit slow and eventually lost track of what I was reading which ultimately ending in me DNFing the book.
Sorry through the plot sounding intriguing it was just not my cup of tea.
Thanks to netgalley the author and the publisher for this arc.👍
No heartfeeling

A huge thank you to Netgalley and BookBuzz.net for giving me the oppurtunity to read The Tattered Book by H.Schussman in exchange for my honest review.

The genuine curiosity I had for this book when I saw someone had dared to try out and write the most notorious prompt that can be found in many writting blogs online - that of "what of the main character fell in love with the reader ?" prompt" was what originally made me request this book and dare I say, I wasn't disappointed by what I read and was more so than pleasantly surprised by H. Schussman 's take on with this story.

Cassi and Marco had chemistry from the beginning and I loved how they slowly fell for each other ,regardless of their circumstances. I did expect a little more action and danger (since we were talking about italian mob) but otherwise the plot was easy to follow, the characters well written and the ending was what I hoped to read (I'm a sucker for HEA) .
The only thing I would change was the fact that the parts that Cassi dreamt about and then read as part of her book were word for word the same. I think it was done on purpose as to show the very fact that she dreamt of the book and give us the reader experience she would be getting while reading it , but I personally would have liked the narration to differ in her pov.
Other than that, it was a very beautiful story and I'd definetely recommend it.

A book about a book. What's not to like about that? Cassi stops at a garage sale and buys a tattered book but when she starts reading it will her life change? Will she live within the pages of this book?

This is quite an interesting read, a story that goes from what is real and what is not. It has an air of fantasy about it and it is so well written that you can feel yourself drawn into it. It is two stories that at some stage come together making it a bit mysterious and very intriguing.

This is a book I just couldn't put down and I wanted to know what was going to happen in both stories and how they would eventually come together. I wasn't disappointed and loved the way it was written. Great characters and not at all predictable, making it a wonderful book to read. Something a little bit different for sure.

Thank you NetGalley and Independently Published for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Such a great book! I got interested in both plots: what happened to Cassi and her life... and what happened to Marco ans his job as a detective. I really enjoyed your way of writting. If you are thinking on a sequel, I will gladly read it.

I couldn’t put this down and read it on 1 sitting. It was slightly annoying how the story kept repeating as each character experienced it, so to be honest I skim read it when that happened, but I did really enjoy seeing the story play out, and how the author got the ending as I wasn’t sure what would happen

I was really excited to read this book as the premise sounded very different from the usual cookie cutter myseries I've read.I mean who wouldn't like the the sext main character come to life? 🩷
It's definitely a unique concept. I liked Cassie, and her relationship with Marco through out the book is interesting but has an overly repetitive diologue. Meaning when Cssue dreams, the exact scenario is repeated through Marco's narrative which in turn had me skimming pages.

I honestly believe this could have been a 5 star novel had it been executed differently, but overall the story was a quick, easy and entertaining read.

Thank you to netgally snd the Author for allowing me to read the ARC.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC, I was captivated by the description because who doesn’t want the main character to come to life? The book was slightly confusing in the beginning until you understood what was happening. I do think some of the repetition could have been spared which did happen later. The characters were lovable and the romance side story was great. The mystery itself was confusing and too quick to resolve to feel like a real mystery but honestly a great book with an amazing concept I’d like to see play out in a spicer genre.

A captivating tale that blurs the lines between reality and fiction. Cassi's chance purchase of a mysterious book at a garage sale sets off a chain of events that upends her orderly life. As she delves into its pages, the boundary between her dreams and the book's narrative begins to blur, and the enigmatic protagonist becomes a presence that transcends the confines of the written word. Schussman's skillful storytelling draws readers into a world where the boundaries between imagination and reality become fluid, leaving us questioning the nature of fate and existence.

The novel is a masterful blend of mystery and fantasy, with Detective Marco Marino's story intersecting Cassi's in a mesmerizing dance. As Cassi's dreams and Marco's investigations intertwine, the tension and intrigue mount, offering readers a riveting experience that keeps them turning the pages. The Tattered Book is a thought-provoking exploration of the power of literature, dreams, and the connections that transcend the ordinary. Schussman's narrative prowess and the unique premise make this novel a must-read for those who crave stories that challenge our perception of reality.

Okay, fellow bookworms, prepare for a wild ride because The Tattered Book by H. Schussman is like a mystery wrapped in a puzzle, and I am here for it! Imagine buying a worn-out book at a garage sale, and suddenly your life becomes a swirl of dreams, mysteries, and a super cute detective. Yep, that's Cassi's world, and it's so much cooler than she ever bargained for.

Listen up, if you've ever wished for a story that keeps you guessing, this book is your genie in a bottle. Seriously, it's like reading inception – dreams within dreams, mysteries within mysteries. And did I mention the swoon-worthy detective who appears and disappears like magic? Let's just say, I'm totally shipping Cassi and Marco, even though they can't seem to have a proper conversation.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an arc of this book.

This was such a fun read! A little bit fantasy, a little bit romance. This book is definitely worth a read. It’s quick and lighthearted. It’s a little stilted at points, and heavy on mundane day-to-day details, but it’s still enjoyable. There’s no spice, which is a bit different for me, but I was intrigued by the plot.

This book would have definitely been a book I loved in high school. Mystery, love story, and a little bit paranormal all wrapped into one. It was a little bit slow and repetitive at parts but it’s supposed to be due to the nature of how the story is set
Also posted on good reads

The Tattered Book tells the story of Cassi who buys a book called The Scutari Legacy. She begins having dreams about the main character from the book detective Marco Marino, which predict what will happen next in the book. As time goes on Marco and Cassi fall in love.

I thought the premise of this book was extremely interesting and unlike anything else I’ve ever read. I really like Cassi’s character and the witty interactions she has with the side characters. The story of the Scutari Legacy was quite entertaining as well.

However I didn’t feel the connection between Cassi and Marco so found it difficult to be invested in their relationship. The repetition throughout the book became quite tedious as we read about every event twice: once in Cassi’s dream and again when she reads the book. In most cases, the exact same phrases were used each time and I definitely found myself skim reading at times.

Overall I found this to be a fun, quick read. I adored the idea for this book but certain aspects of the execution just didn’t quite work for me.