Book Review: Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook by Matt Dinniman (Dungeon Crawler Carl Book 3)

Author: Matt Dinniman

Genre: LitRPG / Progression Fantasy / Dark Humor / Science Fiction Fantasy

Tropes: Dungeon Crawl, Survival, Found Family, Game-Like World, Deadly Challenges, Bounties, Dark Humor, Found Family, Talking Pets, Apocalypse

Spice Level: None

Format: Audiobook 

Series: Dungeon Crawler Carl — Book 3

    After leaving the third floor with Carl’s new device that he definitely can’t use yet, Carl and Donut head into the fourth floor’s Iron Tangle, where they meet up with Katia at the request of one of the other top-ten crawlers. Katia is still getting used to her new class, but she quickly becomes an important and connected part of the team.

    Now Carl, Donut, and their growing group have to figure out the secrets of the subway system while helping as many crawlers as they can—which, let’s be honest, is very much a Carl and Donut thing to do—and somehow make it to the next floor. Of course, there’s also the tiny problem of having bounties placed on their heads by anyone trying to take down the top ten.

    I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I am obsessed with the Dungeon Crawler Carl books. While I still really enjoyed this installment, it didn’t quite hit me the same way as the previous books. There was plenty of the action, violence, absurdity, and dark humor I’ve come to expect from this LitRPG series, but Carl felt like he was in a much darker mental place throughout this book. And honestly? I am so glad he got the cookbook. Those recipes are going to become far more important to Carl than he has any idea right now.

    We also get to see a side of Mordecai that I don’t think I’ve ever seen before. His temper really comes out, especially when it comes to the person Carl got the cookbook from. I genuinely never thought I’d see Mordecai physically lose his temper in a safe room, and while I definitely don't want it to become a regular occurrence, it was incredibly satisfying to watch. Now I desperately need the full story behind what happened there.

    Katia is another fantastic addition to the growing group. She starts this floor still trying to figure out her new class, but she quickly becomes an important part of the core team. I’m not sure whether she’ll remain with Carl and Donut for the entire series, but I really hope she does—or at least becomes one of those recurring background characters who sticks around long enough that you get emotionally attached to them. Donut spends quite a bit of time trying to improve Katia’s appearance, because obviously Donut has opinions about everything, but Katia seems to be doing just fine without taking all of her makeover advice.

    Zev is also slowly growing on me, although I still have some reservations there.

    The biggest difference for me with this book was the emotional tone. There’s some Skull Empire downtime, but the deaths are really beginning to take their toll. Carl is carrying more and more of the emotional weight of everything happening around him, and it makes this installment feel heavier than the previous books.

    I really hope the cookbook gives Carl something positive to hold onto before he gets too far inside his own head. And Mordecai really needs to slow down on the drinking. Seriously. It is bad on this floor. Like, bad bad.

    Even though this wasn't my favorite installment of the series, I still absolutely loved it. The action, violence, ridiculous situations, dark humor, character development, and completely unhinged world-building are exactly why I keep coming back to Dungeon Crawler Carl.

At this point, I don't think there is anything that could stop me from finishing this series.

And yes, I 100% plan on watching the TV adaptation when it comes out, especially because Jeff Hayes is voicing Donut. That casting decision alone has me ridiculously excited.

    This book is available on Kindle Unlimited or buy it on Amazon for $4.49 by clicking here. 

⭐ You’ll like this book if you enjoy:

• Progression fantasy with game-like mechanics

• Apocalypse and survival stories

• Dungeon crawls and deadly challenges

• Dark humor mixed with brutal violence

• Found family and unforgettable characters

• Talking pets with very strong personalities

• Emotional character development beneath the chaos

• Books that somehow make you laugh while simultaneously destroying you emotionally

Books by this Author: 

Dungeon Crawler Carl (Dungeon Crawler Carl Book 1) 

Carl's Doomsday Scenario (Dungeon Crawler Carl Book 2) 

Book Review: The Game Master’s Legacy by Michael D Bridges

Genre: LitRPG • Sci-Fi Fantasy • Cyberpunk Adventure

Tropes: Full-Immersion VR, Disabled MC, Sentient NPCs, Evil Corporation, Glitch-Walker, Virtual Reality Survival, Inherited Legacy, AI Consciousness

Spice Level: None

Format: ARC / eBook

Series: Potential Series Starter

    Kade’s real world is painfully small. Confined to a wheelchair and dependent on a ventilator for most of his life, his only true escape exists inside Aethelgard, the fully immersive VR world his father created before his death. In the game, Kade isn’t weak or fragile—he’s a legendary speedrunner and glitch-walker capable of bending the world’s rules.

    But now the corporation Neosy wants control of the system. And Kade refuses to let them take it. Aethelgard is more than just a game. It’s the only place Kade has ever truly felt free, and his father left him the keys to protect it. There’s just one problem: every code alteration comes with a cost under the Law of Conservation of Code. And Kade himself is the price.

    Meanwhile, Neosy has unleashed EGO to “optimize” the system and recover the mysterious soul-data hidden within the game. They won’t stop until they control everything—including the sentient NPCs who may be far more alive than anyone realizes.

    I received a complimentary ARC copy of this book from the author.

    As someone who absolutely loves LitRPGs and full-immersion VR stories, this immediately grabbed my attention—but what surprised me most was how different it felt from most books in the genre. Kade’s physical disability fundamentally shapes both the emotional core of the story and the stakes within the game itself. In most VR LitRPGs, the virtual world is simply an escape or power fantasy. Here, Aethelgard is deeply personal. It’s the one place where Kade can move freely, feel independent, and connect to the legacy his father left behind. That emotional weight made the story hit harder than I expected.

    The concept behind the “Law of Conservation of Code” was one of the coolest parts of the book. Any change to the game must be balanced with a cost, and because Kade is considered the most unstable variable, he absorbs the consequences physically. It added genuine tension to every major action and made the coding mechanics feel dangerous rather than convenient. That said, the phrase itself was repeated a lot throughout the story—twenty-three times, according to my count—and it occasionally became distracting. Similarly, Kade consistently referring to his father by his full name instead of simply “Dad” during emotional moments felt a little unnatural to me.

    But honestly? Those were very minor complaints in an otherwise incredibly engaging read. I finished the book within 24 hours because once it gets moving, it’s hard to put down. The battle scenes are intense, the emotional moments land well, and the sentient NPCs completely stole my heart. I will always love stories where artificial beings blur the line between programming and personhood.

    And the revenge? Absolutely deserved. Vane got off far easier than I personally would have allowed. The ending leaves room for future books with a small cliffhanger that feels intriguing without being frustrating, and I would absolutely continue this series if the author expands the world further.

---

You’ll Love This Book If You Enjoy:

• LitRPG and VRMMO stories
• Full-immersion virtual reality worlds
• Disabled protagonists in fantasy/sci-fi
• Sentient NPCs and AI consciousness
• Cyberpunk corporations and conspiracies
• Emotional sci-fi adventures
• High-stakes coding and game mechanics
• Fast-paced action with emotional depth
• Ready Player One-style vibes
• Stories where virtual worlds truly matter

A fast-paced and emotionally grounded LitRPG that blends immersive VR gaming, corporate intrigue, and heartfelt character stakes into a genuinely compelling sci-fi adventure.

This book will be published June 1, 2026, but I do not yet have price points or if it will be available with Kindle Unlimited. I will update this page when I know more. 

Book Review: Dungeon Incursions 3 by Adam Bright (Dungeon Incursions Book 3)

 Genre: LitRPG • Post-Apocalyptic Fantasy • Dungeon Crawl

Tropes: Dungeon Runs, Monster Portals, Team Progression, Apocalypse Survival, Leveling System, Government Control

Spice Level:  None

Format: Audiobook

Series: Dungeon Incursions Book 3

    Lance and his team have survived another brutal dungeon run and are steadily leveling up in the aftermath of the apocalypse. Once they’ve stopped “vibrating” enough for another incursion to be considered safe, they head toward a farm two hours outside the city. But outside the dungeons, the world is still changing. The government has issued a new directive that could drastically alter how survivors move forward—and Lance’s group will have to decide where they stand before the next portal opens.

    I’ve now read the first three installments in this series, and they absolutely need to be read in order. That said, I use the term “book” loosely here because these read more like episodic dungeon-crawling adventures than full-length novels.

    The primary focus is very clearly dungeon runs, combat sequences, monster encounters, and power progression.

    And honestly? The dungeon sections are the only fun bit. The portals themselves are one of the coolest aspects of the series. Each dungeon functions like a gateway into another world where monsters spill into Earth until the boss is defeated and the surviving humans are ejected back into reality. It’s a fantastic premise and creates nonstop tension whenever the team enters a new incursion.

    This installment’s dwarven enemies were especially well described, and the action scenes remain the strongest part of the series. The author clearly excels at combat and environmental descriptions.

    Where the series struggles a bit for me is outside the action. Even after three installments, there’s been very little character development, and I’m still not heavily invested in the cast themselves. The quieter moments often feel rushed—as though the story is eager to get back into the next dungeon instead of slowing down long enough to deepen the characters or world-building outside the incursions.

    Because of that, these feel more like “episodes” than fully fleshed-out novels. That isn’t necessarily bad—it just depends on what you’re looking for. If you want nonstop dungeon action and progression mechanics, this absolutely delivers. If you’re hoping for deep emotional arcs or heavy character-driven storytelling, it may feel a little thin.

    I already own the next two installments through the box set, so I’ll definitely keep going to see if the emotional investment catches up with the excellent premise.

---

You’ll Love This Book If You Enjoy:

• LitRPG apocalypse stories
• Dungeon crawling and boss battles
• Fast-paced action over heavy character drama
• Monster-filled alternate worlds
• Team-based leveling systems
• Episodic fantasy adventures
• Portal fantasy with survival stakes
• Continuous combat and progression mechanics

A fun, action-heavy LitRPG with an excellent dungeon concept that shines brightest when the monsters start pouring through the portals.

    This book is available on Kindle Unlimited or buy it on Amazon for $2.99 by clicking here. 

Books by this author: 

Dungeon Incursions Book 1

Dungeon Incursions Book 2

Book Review: Dungeon Incursions Book 2 by Adam Bright (Dungeon Incursions Book 2)

Genre: LitRPG / Dungeon Crawl Fantasy

Tropes: Dungeon Clearing, Progression Fantasy, Leveling System, Party Dynamics, Survival Strategy, Class Upgrades, Monster Waves

Spice Level: None

Format: eBook

Series: Dungeon Incursions Book 2

    After clearing the first dungeon, Lance and his newly formed crew prepare to tackle the next. With fresh upgrades and no real guide explaining how the system works, they hesitate over class choices—but survival doesn’t wait for perfect planning. The second dungeon raises the stakes with more intelligent enemies, stronger creatures, and increased danger at every turn.

    At the end of Book 1, I wasn’t a fan of Lance. He came across as unnecessarily abrasive. In this installment, he tones it down—but I’m not convinced it’s character growth. It feels more like situational focus than meaningful development. I’m still undecided on him as a protagonist.

    The bigger issue for me is structure. These aren’t traditional “books” so much as episodic dungeon runs. Each installment feels like a single instance within what could easily be one larger novel. By the end of Book 2, I was hoping to see a broader plot begin forming, but so far it’s mostly just sequential dungeon progression without much narrative depth.

    The premise works if you enjoy pure dungeon-crawl mechanics and incremental leveling. However, I’m still waiting for more story substance—some larger conflict, world-building expansion, or character evolution—to give the series more weight. Without that, I may not continue.

    There’s not much more I can say without spoiling the entire dungeon run.

📚 Availability:

Available on Kindle Unlimited, or purchase on Amazon for $2.99 by clicking here. 

⭐ You’ll like this book if you enjoy:

• Pure dungeon crawl LitRPG
• Class selection and skill upgrades
• Monster-wave survival progression
• Party-based combat mechanics
• Episodic, instance-style storytelling

⭐ You may want to skip if you prefer:

• Deep character development
• Expansive world-building
• Strong overarching plot arcs

Books by this Author: 

Dungeon Incursions Book 1 

Dungeon Incursions Book 3

Book Review: All Jobs and Classes! I Just Wanted One Skill, Not Them All! Book 1 by Comedian0 L

 

 Genre: LitRPG / Fantasy

Tropes: Reincarnation, System-Based Progression, Child Prodigy, Power Leveling, Skill Collection, Dungeon/Labyrinth Crawling, Found Family (Light), Slow-Burn Worldbuilding

Spice Level: None

Format: eBook

Series: All Jobs and Classes Book 1 (Ends on a cliffhanger)

    After dying, Ludger is reborn into a quiet, rural life—with a system no one else seems to have. He retains all memories from his past life and begins leveling up at an unusually young age. Determined to build a stable future for himself and his mother without drawing dangerous attention, Ludger focuses on controlled growth, careful planning, and skill acquisition. What could possibly go wrong?

    I strongly suspect this book is at least AI-assisted, if not fully AI-written. There really should be clearer disclaimers for AI-generated books. While it could be poor writing, the inconsistencies push me toward the AI explanation. The title itself is misleading—it implies Ludger doesn’t want to collect every class, yet throughout this nearly 800-page book, he repeatedly seeks out new masters specifically to gain more skills and abilities.

    Taken in broad strokes, the story is decent. A man dies in his twenties and is reincarnated into a world filled with labyrinths (their term for dungeons), fantastical creatures, and no modern conveniences. He keeps his memories and gains a passive leveling system that activates whenever he’s taught by someone skilled. Determined to make this life better than his last, Ludger devotes himself to leveling every skill he can find. The premise works—but the execution makes it a difficult read.

    The biggest issue is consistency. Errors repeatedly pulled me out of the story—most notably Viola’s grandfather being incorrectly referred to as Ludger’s grandfather multiple times, despite them not being related at all. These kinds of mistakes add up and seriously hurt immersion.

⚠️ Spoiler Warning:

    The book ends on a clear cliffhanger, with Ludger (now 7) and his half-sister Viola (12) walking into a battlefield camp, where they’re confronted by her grandfather and their father. I don’t personally feel this ruins the story, but I’m flagging it just in case.

    If this book were rewritten—by a human—I’d be more than willing to continue the series. As it stands, I don’t plan to read further.

📚 Availability:

Available on Kindle Unlimited, or purchase on Amazon for $3.99 by clicking here. 

⭐ You’ll like this book if you enjoy:

• LitRPG or Isekai with system-based leveling
• Reincarnation stories with child protagonists
• Skill collection and power progression
• Dungeon/Labyrinth fantasy settings
• Long-form worldbuilding (800+ pages)

⭐ You may want to skip this if you dislike:

• Writing inconsistencies
• Misleading titles
• Suspected AI-assisted prose
• Cliffhanger endings

Book Review: Dungeon Incursions by Adam Bright (Dungeon Incursions Book 1)

Author: Adam Bright

Genre: Apocalyptic LitRPG

Tropes: System Apocalypse, Dungeon Breaks, Party Formation, Real-World Setting, Skill Progression

Spice Level: None

Format: eBook

Series: Dungeon Incursions Book 1

    On the way home from archery practice, Lance and his friends witness monsters attacking their town and instinctively jump into action. When their kills immediately reward them with coins, it becomes clear that the world as they knew it is over. The apocalypse has begun—ushering in dungeon incursions and a game-like system in classic LitRPG fashion.

    This is a fun, fast-paced post-apocalyptic LitRPG that starts right at the moment everything falls apart. There are no system prompts, no lengthy explanations, and no dramatic speeches—just monsters suddenly invading a quiet town and chaos unfolding in real time. While I haven’t read a huge number of LitRPGs set in the modern real world, they remain some of my favorites, and this one fits squarely into that niche.

    That said, there were a few elements that felt odd to me. Most notably, there are no visible stat sheets. Characters can tell they’re improving their skills through use, but they can’t see numerical levels or progress bars. Additionally, all upgrades are coin-based, and arrows cannot be retrieved when looting, effectively making them single-use items. I personally would have liked to at least see an option to purchase stat sheets or system access through the in-game shop—even if that wasn’t available immediately.

    A quick heads-up: this is a very short read at just 112 pages. Book one focuses almost entirely on establishing the party, lightly sketching out the characters, and completing an initial dungeon run. Very little happens beyond setup. I do already have book two, so I’m hoping the story gains more depth and momentum as the series progresses.

    One final note: the MMC was my least favorite character in the book. He’s abrasive and honestly kind of a jerk, and I’m very much hoping for significant character development moving forward.

You’ll like this book if you enjoy:

• System apocalypse stories that start immediately when the world ends
• LitRPGs set in the modern, real world
• Dungeon incursions and early party formation
• Fast, easy reads that focus on setup rather than deep lore
• Skill-based progression without heavy stat crunching

This book is available on Kindle Unlimited or buy it on Amazon for $2.99 by clicking here. 

Books by this author: 

Dungeon Incursions Book 2 

Dungeon Incursions Book 3

Book Review: A Sovereign’s Scorn by Luke W. Logan (Dragon's Dilemma Book 1)

Author: Luke W. Logan

Genre: Fantasy LitRPG

Tropes: Monster Protagonist, Underdog to Overpowered, Gender-Bender, Hidden Identity, Slow Burn Progression

Spice Level: 🌶🌶 – Moderately low spice with a few explicit scenes

Format: Paperback

Series: Dragon’s Dilemma, Book 1

 

   Typhoeus was born the runt of his dragon litter and cast out of the dragonspires into the foothills, forced to survive among the lesser monsters that Creation has populated the world with. Typhoeus is Level-capped until he reaches the age of 100, while human adventurers—unrestricted by such limits—regularly invade his cave in hopes of capturing the “evil dragon runt” for their guild.

    To survive, Typhoeus assumes an alternate form: a carefully designed human female body, crafted to appear unremarkable based on human artwork he sourced from passing caravans. As “Typh,” he must navigate the adventurers’ world from the inside, pairing up with another level-1 adventurer to level discreetly and avoid suspicion.

    I received a paperback copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. The novel opens from the perspective of Typhoeus’s mother before quickly shifting focus to Typheous himself for the remainder of the story. 

    One notable element is the gender-bender aspect. Typh is male as a dragon, but his human form is female. Internally and in narration, Typh is always referred to as male, while other characters perceive and refer to him as female. Personally, I found this perspective split somewhat distracting and felt it took away from immersion at times.

    This is largely a low-spice LitRPG, though there are a handful of explicit scenes scattered throughout. These scenes are technically female/female in presentation, though Typh is still referred to as male internally. I chose to skip these moments, as they felt cringy to me—but more importantly, they are entirely skippable and do not impact the plot or character progression.

    Outside of that aspect, I loved this book. A LitRPG told from a monster’s perspective—rather than yet another human adventurer—is a refreshing change of pace. It’s a clear underdog-to-triumph story, even if Typh is already OP once in human form. I’m very interested to see where the series goes next.

⭐ You’ll like this book if you enjoy:

• LitRPG with non-human or monster protagonists
• Underdog stories with steady progression and power growth
• Fantasy worlds with detailed leveling systems
• Hidden identity and dual-form characters
• A fresh twist on traditional adventurer narratives

    This book is available on Kindle Unlimited or buy it on Amazon for $4.99 by clicking here. 

Book Review: The Mayor of Noobtown by Ryan Rimmel (Noobtown Book 1)

     After a fatal car crash Jim finds himself being cast as a new character for a demon's game of D&D. Except he is still cognizant and soon finds a way to travel to this new world under his own control. Unfortunately, there is no way back to his family and now he is stuck with an annoying shoulder demon whose only goal is to retrieve his levels and once more become the all powerful creature he was before. He has fallen into an old world style area in a noob area. Except the area has long since been abandoned and no one bothered to tell the creatures to take it easy. Can Jim and Shart team up long enough to survive? 

    My husband suggested this book to me as soon as he read that Jim named the demon Shart. Yup. It stands for EXACTLY what you are thinking. The verbiage is crass. The violence is at a ten. And the attitudes are real. So of course I LOVED this book. Seriously though, if you are a fan of the tabletop game, role playing games, and are fine with the type of talk that those games almost always have you'll love this book. 

    This is real world/game world combined. Death is real and permanent, but leveling up a character is also possible. We start out low level, but because he was offered a unique build Shart isn't very helpful other than by telling him he shouldn't be able to do some of the things he does. We follow Jim as he travels to a nearby abandoned town. Along the way he does some minor animal hunting and runs across some goblins that are a bit smarter than the wolves before them. Then the wolves of the goblins are even smarter. Defeating them will be a challenge, but the possible reward is more people for his new town. 

    The writing in this book is not awe-inspiring. There are typos, grammatical errors, and incorrectly used words. Still. The book was good and the quests we began and finished kept my interest and I would definitely be willing to read more on the series. I think my husband actually did finish the series and I heard no complaints about it. There are also stat sheets in the book. For some this is a good thing for others it is a detractor. Personally, I skipped them. It didn't take away from the story and I didn't feel like I was missing anything not knowing the information. 

    This book ties up the quests that had begun while being a bit of a cliff-hanger. There is still plenty of opportunities where this story will go and I hope for good thing. 

    This book is available on Kindle Unlimited or buy it on Amazon for $2.99 by clicking here. 

Book Review: The Clattering by Joan Wendland

     With no memory of who you are or how you arrive you walk up to a group at a table in a bar. They tell you that people only come to a bar for two things to drink or for information and ask what you are there for. After a moment you hear yourself speaking, filling them in on your past and asking them to band together to travel on a quest. Suddenly, you remember these details about yourself and your past. As you travel every once in a while you hear a clattering before anything, or nothing at all, happens. What could this be and what could this mean for yourself and your newfound crew?

    I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I say book, but honestly it is barely countable as a Novella. It is tiny. In fact, most of what I said above is most of the book. But, the author's blurb gave away more than I wanted to. In fact, it basically gave away the only mystery the book had it in. So, I am leaving it out. You'll probably still be able to guess what the clattering is, but maybe not. 

    What little of a book there is to this it was decently written and the characters weren't bad. If there was more meat to the story it would have been more enjoyable. Instead, it felt a bit rushed and condensed. Not a bad thing if you are going for a short story, but for an actual book or even Novella it needs to be longer. Again, I am not saying I didn't like the story. It was good and I love D&D as much as the next girl, and LitRPGs are among my favorite. 

    This book is available on Kindle Unlimited or buy it on Amazon for $2.99 by clicking here. 

Book Review: The Guy Who Accidentally Started the Apocalypse by David Bushman

     When Cameron gave a coupon for a free sub to a homeless man and the self-proclaimed wizard gifted him a wishing-stone in return he thought it was nothing more than the ramblings of a crazy person. But, when he idly wishes to live a life like those in the post-apocalyptic LitRPG he was listening to his wish was granted. Now, most of Earth's population has been decimated by living plants intent to turn those that remain into zombie-like creatures. With the help of a higher sentient being Cameron begins upgrading himself with no real fear of dying, due to respawn abilities. Can the surviving members make a dent in the alien surge to reclaim their homes? 

    I received a copy of this audiobook from the author in exchange for an honest review. I adore this author's writings and was excited to receive this book. The desire to just read this and little else was strong, although I normally read multiple books at once. Still, I haven't had the time to sit and actually write up the review until now, even though the book was finished August 2nd. (Yes, I am the weird person who has a physical notebook filled with the exact dates that I read every book. It dates all the way back to July 2017.) 

    This book is a great combination of the real world LitRPG and VR gaming experience. I haven't read something quite like it within my delves into post-apocalyptic LitRPG and gaming books. I love all of these genres and a mash-up was a yes, please. The author did an amazing job of combining these along with adding in his own personal sense of humor we enjoyed in his other books. 

    Although there is plenty of meat to this story it will absolutely leave you wanting more. Unfortunately, the next book is not out yet and to my knowledge we have not received a pending release date. That being said, there is plenty of action in this book, of all types. 

    The only point of confusion I have in this book is the age of the main character. At the beginning he seems middle aged. While he does receive enhancements throughout the book, I don't know if they ever actually confirmed his age. It did not take anything away from the story by any means, but I was curious. 

    This book is available on Kindle Unlimited or buy it on Amazon for $4.99 by clicking here. 

Books by this author: 

Darklands Online Book 1

Darklands Online Book 2

Darklands Online Book 3

Darklands Online Book 4

Leo's Game by Dalin J. Bradford

     Can an AI fall in love with a human or visa versa? While creating the story with an AI and prompts from it's human counterpart their interactions slowly bleed away from just the story to include...something more? The story Leo's Game that is being written is about an adventurer discovering magic and fighting to right an accident from years before. Will the story be completed along with more for our writers? 

    I received a physical copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I've read both of the other books by this author and I enjoyed them. This is probably rank 3 of 3 by him. That isn't to say it's bad, just not really for me. There are enough AI written books as is right now. This book isn't written by an AI, but it's about an AI writing a story. 

    The story within the story is decent. I like the interactions between the character Leo, his friend, and his mentor. While most of the fighting scenes are skipped within the book they are implied. Personally, I enjoy fighting scenes, but can understand how they'd get a bit redundant with how often the characters within this story would have been fighting. 

    The interactions between the human and the AI are odd. They start out purely working together human and machine then progress into glitches within the system and it talking about things not solely related to the story. 

    The book is well written, having only found one typo within it's pages. Each chapter is a new interaction between the two writers and you can clearly tell who is stating what at each time, which makes for a good read. 

    This book is available on Kindle Unlimited or buy it on Amazon for $0.99 by clicking here. 

Books by this Author (He likes to change his name based on genre, but I received permission to list all his books together like so): 

Savasana's Kiss by R.C. Robin

Five and Twenty by Chris Ramos

Book Review: Immersion Online: The Herald by Evan Klein (Immersion Online Book 4)

     Mace has battled skelters, dealt with the early opening of a cave, almost died at the hands of the Glimmerman and a serial killer since he became the constable for the online gaming platform Immersion Online. Now, he must gather the last of the 5 family members: Mother, Rose, Auntie, Cousin, and Daughter to face the demon god Alitrax. With the new powers bestowed on his character by the Silver Lady he should be able to overcome any obstacle. After all, he is a level 250 herald now. But will it be enough for what lies in wait?  

    I received an ARC copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I have loved every one of these books, to varying degrees, and am sad to see the series come to a close. I hope for good things in the future from this author and wonder what other avenues he plans to pursue. I honestly wasn't sure how he was going to be able to tie all the loose ends in this book together in just one book, but he managed it. 

    Once more we have my original favorite character Hearn in this book. He plays an active role in quite a few scenes and while I don't love his ending it fits well with the storyline. I wish we had a bit more details on what happened with Rhia, but I will let you find out what I mean about that for yourself. 

    I am really proud of Amber for how she handled the fallout of book 3 in this. Finding yourself thrown into the limelight seems like it would be unpleasant. Tinsie is still amazing, but she seems a bit darker in this book. I am curious about what happens with her due to something that happened to her in this book, but I don't know that we will get an answer on that. Depends on what the author decides to do in the future. Havervill is his normal quippy and frustrating self, although the wedding threw me a bit. You'll see what I mean. 

    All of these books are available on Kindle Unlimited and I hope you check them out. Personally I have the physical copies of the first three (sent to me by the amazing Evan Klein) and I love them. While I received this book as an ARC I received it a few days before launch and didn't have time to finish it before launch. The book was released on Aug 31, so start whenever you're ready!

    This book is available on Amazon for $1.99 by clicking here. 

Books by this author: 

The Noob (Immersion Online Book 1)

The Zealot (Immersion Online Book 2)

The Symbiont (Immersion Online Book 3)

Book Review: Arise: Alpha by Jez Cajiao (Arise Book 1)

     After pulling a bank job with some less than savory characters Steve decides to skip out with the entire lot. After all, the payout was much less than expected and no way was he splitting that small amount with others. Getting rid of his identity and starting over on a Greek isle was the easy part. The hard part was staying under the radar. When a video of him saving a woman from drowning goes viral enforcers from his past show up, but they aren't his only concern. A Greek police officer took all his credentials and money until he fixes the oil spilled by his bike going into the water. When attempting to get it out to minimize the damage Steve's nanites are activated and he becomes more. He becomes an Arisen. Now, he needs a purpose. 

    My husband found this book and suggested I read it. I was a bit skeptical because he primarily reads mangas and other Japanese/Korean style writing. Nothing wrong with it, just not really my thing. But, there isn't a thing I wouldn't do for my male so I downloaded the book. I will readily admit that I started reading it solely on the fact that he asked me to and I did not read anything about the book prior to downloading it. That being said he chose a good book for me. 

    We start with a guy that is ex-military just looking for his next thrill. His bike, booze, or women. Any combination of those sounds great, just so long as he remains unnoticed. All good so far. There is a lot of humor in this book, and a lot of it is dark. Which I adore. I have a warped sense of humor so no complaints there. Steve is the unwilling hero and continuously fights against that title while showing us how much it fits him. 

    I wonder if all Steven's have a hero complex...the one's I've met do at least (Spelling specific). Not a bad thing. I liked the way the upgrades worked, as well as how the nanites came to be. Also, he's not a hero that is willing to forgive past grievances. He will without hesitation kill someone because they threatened the wrong person. Maybe he's more anti-hero. Still, I low-key love him. I mean at one point he is described as a poorly shaved bear and considering I have called my husband my Teddy Bear since high school I have a type. Tall, broad shoulders, and a bit hairy is all completely fine by me. I will be reading book 2 at some point, but there are review requests to get to first. 

    Initially I didn't know if this was an Indie author, but I googled the publisher listed on their Amazon page and it says they are a self-publishing service. So another win for Indies! Also, is available on Kindle Unlimited and so is book 2, so we have that going for us. There are vampires, werewolves, and all sorts of other mythical creatures in this book. Even one whose description closely matches that of the Creature of the Black Lagoon (Yes, I mean the 50s movie. Yes, it was made almost 40 years before I was born. It still applies.) Oh, and let's not forget the sex. I will say the sex scenes are disappointing. All the buildup then skips the good part. 

    My favorite character in this book was absolutely Ingrid. She is mouthy and beautiful and deserves all of the good things. Weirdly enough I feel she should be given the option to go through the first part of what Steve went through if she so chose. Not for any kind of romantic notions of love eternal or anything. More protection and not being a damsel in distress. 

    This book is available on Amazon for $5.99 by clicking here. 

Book Review: Cyber Squad Level 3 by Anna Mocikat (A.K. Mocikat) (Cyber Squad Book 3)

 

   Nothing is as it seems. Kai has been told this by everyone since he started working for Helteck and the longer he is there the more this seems true. From VR secrets, a God in the Machine, and even the people that surround him on a daily basis. Is there anyone that isn't deceiving others in some way and can be trusted? Better yet, will Kai survive long enough to achieve his goal of being a level ten tester one day? 

    I received this book as an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. This book cannot be read as a stand-alone, but never fear. All three books are available on Kindle Unlimited. Or you could buy them, which I would personally suggest. I told my husband I intend to get physical copies of all the Mocikat books and he asked me what the point was since I have all the digital. Obviously I need them so I can look at how pretty they are on my shelf and read them when I don't want the screen. 

    With each book in this series Kai's life progressively gets better and yet more chaotic at the same time. There is a twist in this book and it sets up for the next book nicely. I hope that Kai is able to realize it before it is too late! But with everything else he has on his plate it may take longer than normal. 

    The setting in this book is amazing, you feel like you can actually see the games being tested and each instance throughout the book. Mocikat does a wonderful job of putting you into the story. I will say that this book focuses more on the romance aspect than the other books, but it plays well into the storyline. Who do you think Kai will choose? Alice, the beautiful level ten with the crazy boyfriend? Maeve, the sexy and curvy goth girl with a thing for virgins? Or someone who has yet to announce their feelings?

    I am really curious about Stan for some reason in this book. He's been in all the books and is the teams mascot porn-star princess, but I wonder if they are going to meet up in real life. I don't see any of the team going to Australia, but maybe he will come to them. This book does end on a cliffhanger and leaves you wanting more. I'm not sure when we will be getting book 4, but I'm sure Anna will have something in one of her series coming out for us within the next six months. I believe she said more Behind Blue Eyes is next!

    This book is available on Amazon for $3.99 by clicking here. 

Books by this author: 

Shadow City (Shadow City Book 1)

Dark City (Shadow City Book 2)

Behind Blue Eyes (Behind Blue Eyes Book 1)

Fallen Angels (Behind Blue Eyes Book 2)

War Games (Behind Blue Eyes Book 3)

The Tigress (Behind Blue Eyes Book 5)

Level 1 (Cyber Squad Book 1)

Level 2 (Cyber Squad Book 2)

Nephilim Volume 1

Nephilim Volume 2

Nephilim Volume 3

Space Punks

Nightingale's Song (Space Punks Book 2)

Neon Nights (There's No Murder in Paradise Book 1)

Neon Dreams (There's No Murder in Paradise Book 2)

Neon Fever (There's No Murder in Paradise Book 3)

Book Review: Ataris Station by Justin Knight

     An experience that will revolutionize gaming is about to be released: the first fully immersive VR horror survival and four lucky testers will be randomly selected to enter the game on a live stream. Ataris Station is going to be the next best thing, but when someone begins hacking the game lives are soon at risk. Can Dirk and his fellow testers make it through the game and come out the winners or will this be the last game they ever play? 

    I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I have been on a bit of a LitRPG and VR gaming book binge recently, so if you're getting tired of all the posts about them I apologize in advance. There will be another review on another coming in the next few days. However, these books are all amazing and I have yet to find a gaming book I haven't loved. This book is no exception. 

    With a lot of VR games VR has been around for a while in the books and is commonplace. In this book it is still in development and early release. It plunges in with the worst case scenario and I loved that about it. There was also the fact that the monsters on each level had similar characteristics while being different. None were exactly alike which kept the story from being repetitive. The little details like how the players could smell things in VR as well as experience touch and the like through electronic pulses was a great touch, helping immerse the reader. Unlike a lot of other gaming books the characters in this book are all adults in their late 20s to early 30s. 

    Dirk was easily my favorite character. I have a bit of a spot for military guys so him being ex army was helpful. Plus he had a sense of humor, even in bad situations. I am curious what the creatures were like on the two levels that were skipped during the book, but I understand that they weren't pertinent to the storyline. As terrible as it is to say one of the deaths that happened in this book I wasn't in the least torn up about. I am sure you will know who I am referring to once you read it. 

    All in all this was a great book and I look forward to more from this author. This book does resolve the main storyline with just enough left over that the author could branch this into a series if he so desired. If he chose to do so it is decidedly one I would enjoy reading. 

    This book is available on Kindle Unlimited or buy it on Amazon for $4.00 by clicking here. 

Books by this author: 

Escape from Crescendo Station One

Book Review: The Nexus Knight by Shami Stovall (The Nexus Games Book 2)

 

    After the end of game two in the Nexus games Alex Kellan finds himself back in the Oasis. Since finding himself in the Nexus he has found previously unknown to gamers gold arcana, his team has gotten two keys, and is levelling up his new magic. While he didn't choose to come to this odd and bloody place he is adjusting and is determined to win the games. Now more than ever. The Fleetis Dominion cannot be allowed access to Zenith or they will be able to control all the dimensions. Will Kellan's decision to team up with possible comrades with similar goals end in destruction or push them all closer to the 5 needed keys?

    I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Originally I planned to have it ready by launch, but I didn't get it until a few days before release and with everything going on in my personal life there was simply no way for that time frame. That being said I loved this book just as much as I loved book one. 

    Kellan's sense of humor has not changed and Bitzo remains my favored character. He is truly mad and demented and I adore it. I don't know why, because the man is very mentally unstable, but he's amusing. He's like a train wreck in action. You simply can't look away. The blatant and unapologetic nature of the teams captain still bothers me. She is snobby and I low-key hate her. 

    This book included 3 games and a bonus round ending the first half of the Nexus games. I can't wait to see what happens in book 3, whenever it eventually comes out! So far everything I have read by Shami has been great and I look forward to working with her again in the future. She does an amazing job of setting the scene so you have the movie playing continuously in your head without having to grasp for details. Nor do you feel bogged down with too many minute instances. All in all everything flows well together and leaves you wanting more. 

    I am happy to say I have a physical copy of this book on it's way to me right now and can't wait to add it to my Indie Author bookshelf! Definitely going to be a series I read time and again. This book cannot be read without first reading book one, but they are both worth your time. Don't be daunted by their page number. The pages will end far quicker than you are ready for!

    This book is available on Kindle Unlimited or buy it on Amazon for $5.99 by clicking here. 

Other Books by this author: 

The Final Decree

The Nexus Games (The Nexus Games Book 1)

Book Review: DarkLands Online Book 3 by David J. Bushman

     Kurt is becoming more and more familiar with DarkLands Online, but has decided the goddess should no longer be his only option for levelling. Instead, he enters into a battle for the Ithkari championship event going on within the game with his friends, Carmen, Bhae, and Greg. Between the challenges and a group of players determined to kill him no matter what this session is bound to get exciting. Can Kurt become the Ithkari champion while forging his own path? 

    I received a copy of this audiobook from the author in exchange for an honest review. I loved books one and two of this series and was looking forward to this book. It did not disappoint, although I feel like details from the epilogue of the last book was not addressed in this one. This is not a book you can read as a standalone. You will need to read the other books first, but trust me when I say they are beyond worth it. Links for my reviews for them are below. 

    The thing that was not addressed in this book was he was locked out of the game. His account blocked. I thought this was going to be addressed because this book starts with him playing a CoD rip off, but that's not the case. We eventually get back to the programmers, but not with enough details to seem like anything is being accomplished on that front. Not that I am complaining. It is an interesting little tidbit, but Kurt being in the game is kind of the whole point. 

    There were plenty of exciting things that happened both inside and out of the game in this book, as well as a terrible cliffhanger. Not terrible in that I hated it, more concerning and leaves you wanting the next book. 

    While in the game the Ithkari aspect that began in book two is expanded upon with more abilities and a PvP tournament. I can't say I expected how the tournament progressed or ended. It was refreshing from a lot of other gaming things. You'll see what I mean when you read it. We also expand a bit more on Kurt and Bhae. I am a bit curious about what she is like IRL and hope this will be addressed at some point since we know Kurt is in high school. I can't imagine she is much older, but still. I'm curious. 

    Also, I am curious on the quest they were working on. Since they didn't get to turn it in are they going to hatch? Are they lost forever because of what happened? I don't know yet. Hopefully we don't have to wait too long to learn more of the story. 

    The goddess wasn't as big of a player in this book as she was in the others. This in no way took away from the drama that unfolded, and allowed the main character options on how to move forward. 

    This book is available on Amazon for $4.99 by clicking here. This book is available on Kindle Unlimited. 

Books by this author: 

Darklands Online Book 1

Darklands Online Book 2

Darklands Online Book 4

Book Review: Rise of a Dungeon House by John Stovall (City of Masks Book 2)

     After rescuing his sister and obtaining the dungeon core following the death and betrayal of his family James has set sail to fulfill his grandfather's plan. All he has to do is travel to another continent, meet with the guide, travel across the burning sands to Felgoth, complete the bargain with the Abomination that his grandfather put in place, travel home, and establish his Dungeon House. Simple, right? Except the Gods of the Dark want nothing more than to intervene and cause The Gods of Light's champion to fail. 

    I received a physical copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I received it along with his wife's book, the Nexus Games, and you already know how much I loved that book. Just like with that book I started and finished this book in 4 days, although that isn't the same level of achievement with this book as it is shorter. However, it is just as entertaining as his book 1, Fall of a Dungeon House. 

    With some books the further you get in the series the worse they get or they simply get repetitive. That isn't something you have to worry about with this one. It ends in a good stopping place while still leaving you wanting to know what happens next. I don't know if book 3 of this is out yet, but if I am given the option to read and review it I will and let you know what I think. 

    This is a fun LitRPG that you are sure to enjoy if you like Dungeons and Dragons. While this is book 2 in the series and reading book 1 first would be helpful, there are enough details in the book where you could read just this one without being completely lost. You'd be missing details and background, but you would still be able to enjoy the story. I can't wait to see how this series continues!

        This book is available on Amazon for $5.99 by clicking here. This book is available on Kindle Unlimited. 

Book Review: The Nexus Games by Shami Stovall (The Nexus Games Book 1)

     After carrying the corpses of his two brother's in arms for days to make sure they came home from a mission Alex Kellan is on mandatory leave, stateside. On Christmas. For most, this would be a welcome break. But, Kellan has no-one and just wants to go back to what he does best: protecting his country. Instead, he is in a little bar called Niko's Place hitting on a bartender and being stalked by a couple of guys. Oh, well. They don't know what they are getting themselves into. However, things go bad when he is attacked and worms invade. When he gets home he tried to brush off the encounter only to find himself in a new place: The Nexus. All Outsiders must report to the Arbitor or be killed by the Pestbyters. His one chance to get home is to participate in The Nexus Games and win access to Zenith. With over 100 other teams, no one willing to explain the rules to him, and his new-found magical abilities Kellan has his work cut out for him!

    I received a physical copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. When I initially got the book I will admit it seemed like a daunting read. Not for the cover, which is amazing and captivating. But, the book is 586 pages long and the font is small. That being said, the length of the book will NOT matter once you get started! I finished this book in 4 work shifts while still, somehow, doing my job. It is entertaining and will pull you in from the first sentence! I would give you said sentence, but as I was reading it a friend of mine at work asked to see it and is currently borrowing it. She is just as enthralled as I was. 

    This is easily The Hunger Games vs Kingdom Hearts vs D&D. Really, where can you go wrong with a combination like that? I hate that the book ended two games in! I get it. Who wants to read a 1000 page book? Me. The answer is apparently me, because I NEED to know what happens next!. I feel like Zenith is a ruse. I could be wrong, but it just seems too good to be true. 

    Every character in this book you will either love or love to hate. For instance: Kellan is snarky and self-depreciating in his morbid humor. Still love him. The Arbitor is a controlling dragon who rules through fear and death. Major love him. The news-castor has a bloody blindfold and is completely insane. He's also probably one of my favorite characters. He has this Mad Hatter vibe, who is my all-time favorite character in anything. I can't pick a favorite in this book. I can, however, pick a least favorite: the kid. I can't think of his name right now, unfortunately. When you read this book it will be apparent who I mean. He is intolerable. My desire to push him off a cliff is high. I feel like it's Sen. Probably is. Who knows since I can't check right now. 

    This amazing LitRPG read IS available on Kindle Unlimited and I fully expect it to get read. A LOT. If you want to buy it, which is such a good decision might I add, you can pick up the eBook for $4.99 on Amazon by clicking here. Or, better yet, spring for the paperback for $14.99! When you read this book PLEASE let me know what you thought! I can't wait!

Books by this author: 

The Final Decree

The Nexus Knight (The Nexus Games Book 2)

Book Review: Immersion Online: The Symbiont by Evan Klein (Immersion Online Book 3)

     After Mace’s second heart attack while facing the Zealot he is ready to jump back into the game and hopes to a relaxing first day. He is immediately greeted by a snow storm in the normally sunny town of Grandview. Shannon is hard at work finding a way to restore the weather when The Queen calls on Mace to come to her royal gardens. Here he finds the murdered bodies of one of the Queen’s Ladies in Waiting and her two month old child. The City of Grandview granted a quest that the murderer must be find and brought to justice or the weather will get worse. While ghastly, things get much worse when someone is murdered in the same way a few miles from Mace’s home in the real world. Now they must band together with the local detective, Donna Driver, to stop these gruesome murders before more babies are killed. 

     I received a physical copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I have enjoyed the last two books in this series and other than the baby murder this one was no different. Being a mom kids that are around my kids age being killed bothers me a bit, but I know it is something that happens and it’s going to be depicted in stories as well. 

     Baring that fact the story was enjoyable. I can honestly say in this unique who-done-it where you don’t know who the murderer is until the author wants you to. I am curious what is going to happen in the next book with the sure to ensue battle. I am sure that the next book in the series will be just as good as books 1-3. 

    My favorite character had one whole line in this book, on almost the last page, but it seems like the moonshiner will be in the next book. My second favorite is Tinsie, obviously, and she was a large part of this book. Her attitude is unmatched and it is impossible not to love her. 

    This book is available on Amazon for $0.99 by clicking here. This book is available on Kindle Unlimited. 

    If you haven't already read the other books in this series check out my reviews below!

    Immersion Online: The Noob (Immersion Online Book 1)

    Immersion Online: The Zealot (Immersion Online Book 2)

    Immersion Online: The Herald (Immersion Online Book 4)