Heart of Chaos by Avery Stiles

Heart of Chaos by Avery Stiles

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I received an ARC of this book from Less Than Three Press and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

First off: This is the first story I’ve read by this author. What did I know going in? Not much – something about a business partner proposing marriage to Rin, Rin not wanting to marry, turns to a Goddess for help, who tells her to marry her instead. Or . . I think that last part was something I read somewhere the story was about. Sounded interesting enough. Oh, and the cover indicated an interracial relationship of some kind.

What did I find? Well, I immediately knew my impression was off. From the ‘this is what the story is about’ I pictured some Middle Ages (knights and castles level) level fantasy world. And the story opens with Rin turning off a computer. Soooo… Oh, and the people in this world are super focused on business matters (’the Empire of Alhira was a corporate country through and through. Business was expected to be her first love’).

Oh, and that business partner who proposed marriage is male (with Rin 2being female).

So this is a ‘modern’ world with computers, technology, people living for their jobs, etc. etc., mixed with an active polytheistic religion with multiple Gods and Goddesses – who can be seen in person (‘the goddess walked the earth just as all gods did’ – so said after seeing the goddess Hina walking around picking up pastries to eat late at night).

….

Forgot to mention the Goddesses name (God/Goddess, whatever, they are/can be both, heck when first meet, they were a cat licking up milk) – that name being Vistri.

Not sure I particularly like either main character. Rather than saying no to Jarrod, the man who proposed marriage, Rin went to the Gods for help. Um, eh? Saying no is harder than making a plea for help from a trickster god? And the other, Vistri, appears to be a pompous asshole. Eh, whatever.

…

Vistri uses terms of endearment, like ‘dear’ way too much.
…
Right, so, short story read. Unfortunately I never really got into it as much as I thought I would. I was a little too detached from what was going on.

Rating: 3.44

July 2 2018



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