Review of Earth's Touch

[Ngozi Onyibor]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Earth's Touch" by Ivy Jack.]

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3 out of 5 stars

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She opened her eyes and felt the cold air and a slight breeze on her skin, sensations she shouldn't feel if she were in her bed. The feel of the dry leaves under her feet was enough for her to know she was far away from the castle she lived. She did sleepwalk in the past, but she had never ventured outside the castle's walls. Someone must have lulled her to the forest. Who was it, and what did they want?

Earth's Touch by Ivy Jack is a fantasy romance novel set in a world of magic. The story is premised on the age-long battle between good and evil, and the author explores this concept through characters with magical abilities to control the elements: earth, fire, air, water, and a fifth element. As the first book in the series, Earth's Touch is a teaser narrated through the first-person perspective of Avani and Flint.

Avani embodies qualities that I appreciate in a fictional character. She is self-assured, competent, and assertive. Her wit and courage saw her through many challenging situations, and I love how she mostly employed logic to solve most of her problems. She understandably needed help sometimes, but the fact that she wasn't a constant damsel in distress is endearing.

Earth's Touch is set in the era of sword-wielding warriors and horse-drawn carriages, but some dialogues read like a scene out of a novel set in the twenty-first century. I really wasn't expecting to see words like sh*t and ass—in the context they were used—in a novel set in the time of sovereign kings. As a result, the words seemed alien against the novel's backdrop. Again, most of the unsavory language used in the story felt inauthentic and unnecessary.

I understand that Avani is Flint and his brothers' fated mate, and they need to be connected for her powers to function optimally. Still, I think the level of eroticism in the novel could use some improvement. Ivy relied so heavily on lust to portray their love that it overshadowed the book's main plot. Besides a few instances, there was barely any interaction between Avani and Flint without salacious undertones and acts. Lust is not love; hence, I hope the author balances the book's main plot and the main characters' feelings in the next book. Considering that this is the first book in the "Her Elementals" series, I look forward to seeing a more tasteful depiction of love and romance in subsequent installments.

The book's premise is promising, but its wanton eroticism outshines the plot. Therefore, my rating is 3 out of 5 stars. The editing is impeccable, but the execution could be better.

Readers with a penchant for fantasy and erotic romance novels with dominant female characters will find the story worthwhile. However, it's heavy on gore and eroticism, making it unsuitable for sensitive and younger readers.

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Earth's Touch
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[Ogunkoya Mayowa]

A romance book that is planted in the time of sovereign kings. I would like to know how the first character mentioned was moved outside without her conscience, but anything can happen since it's a world of magic. The book is interesting but contains a few flaws. I hope the author would use this review to make some changes. Nice review.

[Grace Elkana]

Oh wow! I like the premise of this novel. How does someone sleep in a castle and wake up in the forest. That's a mystery that I'd love to see unraveled.

[Edit_or]

Seems and sounds interesting! Thanks for the awesome review.

[Geraldokeke]

Avani seems like an interesting character to relate to and I would love to learn more about her mystic world. Thanks for your honest review.

[Emily Meadows]

Great review - your writing is lovely! I am going to pass on the book based on your recommendation. So much to read, so little time! But seriously, your opening paragraph is just ... chef's kiss.

[G-eanne]

It's always the tiny details that makes a book interesting..
Dry leaves under her feet
Cold air and breeze under her skin..
It's something that most of us relate to and in some sense of way get to experience in our minds as we read through..
That's what a keen reader looks for to be enticed to go to the next chapter and the next till the end and still want more

[Sue Kirega]

Sounds intriguing. I would love to see the demonstration of love in a magical world.

[Grace Lee Rose]

Since the book is a romance book, the level of eroticism wouldn't really bother me. The storyline is engaging and the characters are relatable. I look forward to reading this book. Well done.

[Lazarus Kariuki]

I like this review becuase it has summarised the story so well. It has in addition whetted my appetite for this book and I look forward to laying my hands on it. The recommendation given is explicit and suitable audience will find this novel easily.

[CrossK]

Wow! What an exceptional novel I truly complement the author for such a fantastic job. I mean adding romance and mystery to this book is fascinating. Great work!

[Philomena Osy-Nnamani]

I'd love to read this

[Philomena Osy-Nnamani]

That's a lovely review by the way