Roselyns Discovery (Roselyn Stories of Romance and Erotica Book 3)

There's a rape scene and sexual violence toward both men and women. Personally, I fail to see how does it serve the plot aside from offering some shock value. So, for me, it was gritty and gruesome on the outside, empty inside. Also, some of it was bizarre. Is it really the easiest way to poison someone by view spoiler [covering your penis with venom and assuming that the future victim will want to suck it hide spoiler ]?

I mean, I'm not even a killer and I can think of few other ways to do it. Usually, I have no problem with violence but the problem arises when the characters are built through these scenes. If sex and violence were cut out of the book only a short story would remain. I don't need to see toddler's crushed skull to despise the character who steps on it.

In the end, I'll stay true to my feelings toward the book. I didn't like it. I see little value in the way the events were presented. On the other hand, the book is well structured, clever in places, well edited and neat. If you like your stories to be dark and a bit nihilistic chances are you're enjoy this tale much more than I. Thanks for your interest in my epic fantasy Melokai! I won't rate my own book here but just wanted to let you know a couple of things You can read Chapter One of Melokai on my blog here: Or you can download a free preview ebook of the first five chapters here: All the best, Rosalyn: Nov 03, Jaleesa rated it it was amazing Shelves: I had so much fun with this and I am actually pretty sad I have to wait a year for part 2 but I will do just that.

There were a lot of different characters but there was so much though put into them. There was so much diversity and great world building. It sucked me in right away. Oct 11, Jamie The Kansan Reader marked it as to-read. May 14, Koeur rated it really liked it. Suddenly Ramya must f Publishing Date: A couple of reviewers gave this novel two stars based on their inability to connect with the characters.

Contrary asswipes looking for attention among a sea of 4 star reviews or legitimate insights into a publicly praised novel? A little of both in my opinion. The characters were never built with any depth and you are asked to accept a marginal backstory while focusing on quick paced movement. Ramya never is deserving of her rise to Melokai. She was an angry child that learned to be a warrior and was chosen by a stone phrophet. That is not enough to instill a sense of regard by the reader for the main character.

This sense of betrayal forms the basis of the novel and cries for constant redemption. This redemption is never fulfilled and alienates the reader due to a protagonists non-conforming personality. I found it refreshing as the writer did not attempt to pattern her main character after the hero fantasy mold so often seen. What I really liked about the novel were the different kingdoms and lifeforms that expanded the world and enhanced the characters through movement.

These quests instilled a solid foundation upon which the novel rests through a creative eye. An ambitious amalgamation of human derivatives in the form of blue haired pygmies, walking wolves and hump backed desert residents. There is much gore and sex to be had so enter at your own risk. As the novel unfolds the characters do gain in depth through the tribulations endured. You can read all of my book reviews, here.

Mar 18, Angel rated it it was amazing Shelves: This is a great book. Is it entertaining and well written? Hats off to this author for reaching beyond the accepted norms to create something unique and epic. Jul 09, Rebekah rated it really liked it. Melokai introduces us to a brutal world of tribal nations with unique races and strange customs. The Melokai is the ruler of the Peqkya society. Their tendencies are very bestial, although their appearance is human. It's a misandrous society, where men are second-class citizens and vulnerable to extreme punishments for slight mistakes.

Cats are a big part of their lives, including cats that can speak. The Peqkya culture is very detailed, complex, and violent. It's an excellent display of a cultu Melokai introduces us to a brutal world of tribal nations with unique races and strange customs. It's an excellent display of a culture that combines human instincts, rash consequences, and animalistic survival traits.

This is a violent world, even in sexual arenas. To me it felt like an indication of the state of the societies, or the shortness of tempers, rather than being gratuitous. The different races in this world are humanoid-animal blends, some leaning more toward humans and others leaning more toward the animal. The wolf tribes operate much like wolves, living in small packs with an alpha male and female. They are territorial and very protective of their land and their pack members. Beyond that, we don't see much detail about their customs and traditions, which lent to an off-balanced feeling.

And that's really my only criticism of this work, it lacks a consistency of richness. The Peqkya culture comes alive, while some of the other cultures feel a bit flat or seem to be based mostly on stereotypes. So, there's a kind of unevenness in the immersion. There's a desert society based around camels, which has it's own religion and conniving royal politics.

There's a distant tribe of pygmies. There are a lot of POV characters and a few plotlines left open. Only one climax really comes to fruition in this book, which leaves the author several threads to develop further in the series, and left this reader really wishing to see more of where things are going.

I absolutely loved Melokai Ramya. I can understand there's some debate about whether she brings on herself the plots that scheme against her, but I thought she was a very relatable character who wants the best for her people. I very much enjoyed Rosalyn Kelly's writing style and look forward to the sequel! Dec 07, Yvonne rated it it was amazing Shelves: This books starts with action from the outset and does not let up.

Melokai Ramya is told that "A wolf will claim the throne", her throne no less. The story that follows introduces several other races of people and their interactions with each other. Some of the races have trade agreements and tentative alliances that seem on the face of it, to work. There is however an underlying discord, one that will threaten the fragile peace of all the races.

This is a great read. Rosalyn has created a wo This books starts with action from the outset and does not let up. Rosalyn has created a world that has vivid descriptions of not only the people but also the landscape. Each race has its own distinctive physical characteristic, this compliments the land they live in, each land is also unique to each race. Within the races there are factions that are unhappy and strange alliances are formed, they want change to those in power and also to the restraints that are placed on them.

I am always a little hesitant when I read fantasy books like this. I spent a lot of time a few years ago, reading many books of this genre, some were great but I also found quite a few were lacking. I am happy to say that Melokai falls into the first, it really was a great read. It has a lot of attention to detail, not only has Rosalyn described the details of each race and their corresponding landscape, she has done it so I can visualise them. For me this is an important feature especially in a fantasy book. The character list is very large, and this is why I suggest buying the paperback rather than the eBook version as there is a great list of people and places, as well as a map.

The story has been written in such a way that you are gradually introduced to the various races, it has been done that it makes sense and gives a great flow to the story. This is all wrapped around a plot that is in essence a power struggle, but it has a real sense of depth. There are many elements in this book that make for really interesting, intriguing and addictive reading. This is the first book in a series, with the second due next year , I for one am really going to be keeping my eye out for this.

This is a book is one I would highly recommend to readers of Epic Fantasy, with lots of different other elements. It is a well paced book, very well written and a fantastic read. Mar 15, Aaron-Michael Hall rated it it was amazing. In the Heart of the Mountains by Rosalyn Kelly is an engrossing, dark and diverse fantasy that propels you into the world immediately. Each Melokai ruling the matriarchal society of Peqky serves for a decade, and then a new Melokai is elected. As a result, Rayma had ruled two years longer than any other Melokai. Howbeit, this visit would be different. The stone goddess spoke a prophecy that will inexorably alter the Peqkyians future.

Although bemused by the prophecy, Rayma continues to lead her people and make great strides to improve the lives of her denizens as well as lessen the severe treatment of the pleasure peons PGs. Regardless of some opposition, she is loved by her people and surrounded by loyal counselors and warriors. The Peqkyian society is also intriguing. Most inhabitants display catlike features and also communicate with their feline companions.

In the times of Xayy, a thousand years past, men had a place of ruler as the Melokaz. However, after the then stone prophetesses cursed them, that changed, and now the males peons are considered lesser citizens, and nothing more than a means to procreate and provide physical pleasures. The PGs male pleasure givers existence is better than most other males.

Another interesting and relevant element is the Peqkian children. Women can choose a soulmatch if they feel connected to a certain male. Naturally, with the use of PGs, women are pregnant often, and Peqkian law mandates that no child can know their parents and vice versa. With the dire implications of the prophecy, distrustful allies, warring wolves, and a banished, foreign Trogr Gwrlain arriving in the city, fealties are wavering, and the brittle filament tethering the Peqkian together could shatter at any moment.

Author Rosalyn Kelly has created a vividly intriguing world pervaded with new species, deities, talking animals, concepts, great battles, and milieus that immerse you in this epic world whilst tickling every fantastical desire to satiate even the finickiest of readers. Melokai by Rosalyn Kelly effectually whisks you through multiple lands and societies not all human , and a huge cast of interconnected characters.

What appears to be an end will certainly be a new beginning.

Get A Copy

Sep 23, Adam Taylor rated it it was amazing. I was fortunate enough to receive an advanced copy to voluntarily review. I have to say, it was one of the best choices I had made. This book pulls you in from the beginning, and leaves you gasping once you finish. I pretty much immediately re-read this book.

I could talk all day about how much I liked the setting, plot, and cultures this book has displayed. However my absolute favourite part of this book was the characters. They felt so real, I could easily sympathize with their feelings. The c I was fortunate enough to receive an advanced copy to voluntarily review. The character development followed a logical course that made me feel as if I could predict what they would want to do even though I was generally incorrect!

This is a fantastic book, and as the first of a series I honestly cannot wait for the next one! Oct 13, Nicola Appleby rated it it was amazing. What an absolute rip-roaring cracker of a fantasy novel! Not my normal genre, I must admit, and I was a bit tentative over the first few pages. But I needn't have worried at all as the story gathered pace from the off and had me turning the pages long after I should have put it down. Characters are amazing and incredible, likeable and dislikable in equal measure and it was brilliant to see the plot build from multiple perspectives. As for the world Rosalyn Kelly has created, it's stunning and ma What an absolute rip-roaring cracker of a fantasy novel!

As for the world Rosalyn Kelly has created, it's stunning and magical and feels like anything could be possible. This is a really strong debut novel with an ending that left me desperately wanting more. I really can't wait for the next in the series Nov 11, Ray Else rated it it was amazing. Impressive undertaking, expansive, imaginative. Characters to cheer for and characters to hate. A lot of setup but then a good exciting ending. For a mature audience. Look forward to the next book in the series.

Jul 09, Filip rated it it was ok Shelves: Before I get down to the Good, Bad and Meh, I would like to state that this review represents only my opinion of Melokai. It is my hope to provide what amounts to constructive criticism below. A novel lives or dies by its lead and the eponymous Melokai is not a character whose headspace I enjoyed sharing.

Customers who bought this item also bought

The moment she falls for a savage, all that goes out of the window, in a time of crisis when her country needs her most. Ramya comes off as the main architect of her own destruction and of everything she holds dear , with virtually all problems that befall her a result of her inaction. I appreciate sexual content in novels when it has a purpose.

Explicit sex content may be a mainstay in grimdark fantasy but it should figure in a story as more than a gimmick used for shock value. Simple and too lean by far for my tastes. The only human character I was interested in, V did not share all the problems I had with other PoV characters. Interesting but difficult to visualize at times. A nation ruled by women, wolves walking on two legs, cats speaking, these elements make for only a small part of what Melokai has to offer. I was interested in these different cultures and enjoyed learning more about them. The matriarchal society, in particular, was quite interesting to learn about, what with placing men in the position of slaves and worse.

People adapt according to their habitat. The Verdict I had a hard time finishing this book. Despite my initial enthusiasm, this was not the sort of grimdark novel I enjoy. Too much felt pointless to me.

• La construcción de Europa. De las “guerras civiles” a la “unificación” (Spanish Edition).
• Nocturne No.5 in Bb Major, Op.37;
• The 15 Minute Back Pain and Neck Pain Management Program: Back Pain and Neck Pain Treatment and Relief 15 Minutes a Day No Surgery No Drugs. Effective, Quick and Lasting Back and Neck Pain Relief.?

I enjoy grimdark not for the cruel and vile actions that this subgenre often employs, but for the way characters are shaped by and overcome all manner of hardships if only to fail miserably at the end. Many others did, though! Perhaps what they enjoyed will resonate with you more than my own views.

And of course, the best way to make up your own mind is to read it yourself! Dec 21, Simon Fairbanks rated it it was amazing. Melokai is the first book in a new fantasy trilogy titled 'In the Heart of the Mountains' ITHOTM , which looks set to be a huge success based on the quality of this opening instalment. Author Rosalyn Kelly tells the story of Ramya, the successful but arrogant ruler of Peqkya, a mountain-dwelling nation of warrior women, where men are kept as servants and pleasure-givers.

Ramya's alliances and feuds between neighbouring civilisations fluctuate throughout the novel, and she develops a controversia Melokai is the first book in a new fantasy trilogy titled 'In the Heart of the Mountains' ITHOTM , which looks set to be a huge success based on the quality of this opening instalment. Ramya's alliances and feuds between neighbouring civilisations fluctuate throughout the novel, and she develops a controversial romance with a cave creature The front cover gave me the impression that Melokai was young adult fantasy, but this is actually grimdark fantasy on a par with Game of Thrones and Godblind.

There is violence, rape, torture, and an infant's head gets crushed underfoot, all peppered with superb moments of dark humour. This is perfect for readers with a bloodthirty appetite.

Melokai is deliriously entertaining and wholly immersive. Kelly has an impressive flair for world-building and crafts multiple kingdoms in great detail, each with its own culture and quirks. Her author biography shows that Kelly has travelled the world, which is apparent in the vivid description and variety of the places described. These include the aforementioned, Peqkya; the desert kingdom of Drome; pompous medieval country Fertilian; the rainforest world of Jute, populated by pygmies; and the Zwullfr mountains where the wolves live.

The scale of Kelly's world is supremely vast, with an enormous cast of characters populating each region. A lesser author might have saved something for a later book, or a separate franchise, but Kelly has generously given us a smorgasbord of fantastic cultures to devour all in one novel. The characters are a hateful bunch, in a good way, with no obvious categories of good guys and bad guys, although the spoilt Prince of Drome, Ammad, has a nasty case of the Joffreys. You will be dying for someone to give him a slap. Meanwhile, Violya is one of the more likeable heroes - a warrior woman with magical abilities - who happily looks set to have a bigger part in the sequel out next year, which is titled V.

I eagerly await Part Two and discovering more of the ITHOTM world, much of which is teased in this series opener, including the rebellious Thorne Twins, the cave nation of Troglr, and the literal rise of the wolves. Oct 25, Sugat Machale rated it it was amazing. Melokai was an enticing read and I found it to be an extremely engaging book. Kelly creates a completely new world quite convincingly and populates it with characters that speak to you: What I love most about Rosalyn Kelly's writing is the elegance and the simplicity of her words. She conveys a rather complex multidimensional story with such a grace tha Melokai was an enticing read and I found it to be an extremely engaging book.

She conveys a rather complex multidimensional story with such a grace that the whole process seems natural and one without much premeditation. Melokai offers a world where there is action, prophesies, kingdoms, weird creatures and in short everything you want from a fantasy book and much more. In my opinion, Kelly seeks to go beyond just the story of the book. She also reflects on philosophical questions, the nature of power, and subjugation. Having read the author's short story 'Peonhood' I was much eager to read this book, and I must admit that it has not only stood right on my expectations, but has far surpassed it.

The only thing I found disagreeable about the book was that it ended too soon and I don't know when the second book will come out to advance the story further. I asked for an advanced reader copy of this book after reading 'The fall of Vaasar' by the same author which I also found to be a most lovely novel. Mar 13, Saundra Wright rated it it was amazing. Roslyn Kelly has gifted the reader with a richly envisioned world comprised of basically five nations and peopled them with vastly different races, unlike our own!

• Le Dibbouk et autres textes (French Edition).
• Skin (Flesh, #2) by Kylie Scott.
• Die 120 Tage von Tulúm (German Edition).
• Preludio No. 8 - Piano.
• Roslyn Bane (Author of The Long Way Home)?

The Melokai rules over a nation whose people have lithe catlike qualities to their bodies and clevercat companions. The current Melokai has lead longer than most in this society where female warriors rule and has made many innovations. But times are changing and danger approaches, perhaps from all sides!

Come along on this journey and Roslyn Kelly has gifted the reader with a richly envisioned world comprised of basically five nations and peopled them with vastly different races, unlike our own! Come along on this journey and meet peoples from each of the five nations. Learn about their politics, beliefs and attitudes toward life.

You won't regret one step of your travels! Mar 30, Grady rated it it was amazing. She studied English Literature and Language at Oxford Brookes University before embarking on a PR and marketing career, telling the stories of international brands and businesses. MELOKAI is Book 1 in her The Heart of the Mountains trilogy Rosalyn respects her readers and to assure the trilogy will find an eager audience she takes the time to offer maps and appendices of characters and places and peoples to clarify the new information she presents in this new fantasy world.

The Melokai rolled it around her teeth, touched it to the roof of her mouth and brought it down with a satisfying cluck. She glanced at Chaz. They continued through the circular streets of the city in silence, both soon to lose the ability of speech, but neither with anything to say. Most Melokais ruled for a decade, Ramya had ruled now for two years longer than most. Your time is up!

They had been frantic all morning. Their mewing, trilling, yowling sounded different. When she had left her chambers to head to the busy dining hall, a swarm of squalling, hissing fur had trailed behind. Ramya had made the oath, she knew what happened to old Melokais. Her tongue would be taken and she would be banished by the Stone Prophetess Sybilya, cast out to wander the mountains alone. Sybilya cautioned that those who had tasted power were reluctant to relinquish it, and forever strived to wrench it back, causing unrest, violence and war.

Without speech, old rulers cannot poison the minds of others and bend them to their will, and out in the wilderness there was no one to corrupt. The Stone Prophetess knows best, she lived through the Xayy atrocities after all. The story will continue, as this is a trilogy Sep 14, Mike Moser rated it really liked it. I got an advanced copy of this book and found it to be a compelling story and easy read I got sucked into the characters and storyline pretty quickly and all in all enjoyed it.

Follow the Author

Only reason for not going all the way to "5" stars - I found the dialogue a little strange - kind of too modern and it was a little distracting from the kind of universe the author was seeking to create I also thought the sex stuff was a little overdone But beyond that - clearly a strong effort and a lot of thoug I got an advanced copy of this book and found it to be a compelling story and easy read But beyond that - clearly a strong effort and a lot of thought and imagination went into creating the "world" in which the story was set I look forward to the next installment!

Sep 27, KayteReads rated it it was amazing Shelves: Full review found on Youtube at https: The world building is done so well! I did have some issues with the multiple POVs and the character building, however it did not take away from the book at all! That being said, I really did like getting to read all sides of the story from the different characte Full review found on Youtube at https: That being said, I really did like getting to read all sides of the story from the different characters.

Overall, this book was a solid 4. Apr 07, Niki Livingston rated it it was amazing. Although it was more gory and disturbing than I thought it would be, I enjoyed the writing and the story line. I was a bit put off by the different perspectives throughout the book, as it made it hard to connect with each character, but as I neared the end I felt like I really knew and understood so many various aspects of this world and its characters.

The author did a phenomenal job of keeping it all straight and helping me fall in love with the story. Can't wait for the next Fantastic story! Can't wait for the next book! Oct 07, Roo rated it it was amazing. I received an advance copy of this book that I voluntarily chose to review. This is a book that grabs your attention and imagination from the very first chapter. It's a fantasy book that you can get lost in. The places and characters are described so well that you have a very clear picture in your mind about this fantasy world.

I really enjoyed the way the book was written and was told by various viewpoints. I didn't want it to end. Sep 05, Jordan rated it really liked it Shelves: This is a tricky review to write because my opinions are somewhat all over the place. On the whole, this is a really fascinating novel with complex, innovative ideas explored and an expansive fantasy world that is brilliantly created.

Despite this, I didn't love other aspects of this book quite as much as I expected to. Peqka, the main location of this book, is a strong matriarchal society in which men are basically kept as a form of sex slave for the women and are thus treated as such, with pretty much no rights or worth outside of those duties. This was one of my interesting aspects of this novel and I loved exploring this experiment to see how Kelly had everything play out.

Peqka is really a harsh, cruel land that is obviously not fair to all of its residents, but I think this provided a really interesting look at alternative worlds and the potential for different societies. I was initially surprised by just how violent the Peqkan culture was, but it just added more intensity and elements to consider when learning about this culture.

There are a lot of characters, and of those characters In fact, it's hard to say whether I really liked any of them at all. I've seen in some other reviews that this lack of likability of characters was a big issue for them, but I have to say it didn't really remove all that much from my experience.

Do I like having characters to root for? Is it necessary that I root for and respect all of the characters in a book? I know this will be different for many people, but following questionable people can be just as interesting as lovable people. The thing that makes these good unlikable characters is that they have motivations, goals, hopes, passions--they are multidimensional, which is most important.

Melokai Ramya, for instance, is an extremely ambitious, strong-willed woman who pretty much does whatever she wants, whether it defies those she works with and the people she rules over or not. In ways, her passionate demeanor is admirable, but she also makes some extremely questionable decisions throughout the book that left me wondering what exactly her purpose was and why she seemed like a such a flaky, overly trusting leader.

There are other prominent POVs that we follow, such as Ferraz, Jessima, Darrio, Ammad, and many more, all of which have many negative aspects to their character. However, Ferraz also has some reasonable justifications for some of his actions and there are a few times when I did sympathize with his situation, despite any other attitudes he may also have.

TBQ'S Book Palace: 07/01/ - 08/01/

I think one of the biggest issues in regards to the characters for me was their lack of consistency. There were times when I felt the dialogue was a bit similar in style and the characters seemed exceptionally flighty or not consistent with their established personality. To add to the dialogue issue, I also found some of the dialogue between characters to be a bit stiff or forced at times, which left a rather unnatural feeling.

About Publish Join Sign In. Readers Benefits of registering Where are my ebooks? Describe your issue Have a question not already answered in the links at left or on our main FAQ page? David Watson dscottwatson Categories: Biography , Love Titles: My Asymmetric Inexpressible You. Porn Hound pornhound Categories: Lotus Flesh of Bob Chinn: Johnny Wadd from Screen to Novel. Daniel Padgug ytsw Category: Your Two Sense Worth. Geoffrey Allen GeoffreyAllen Categories: Business , Inspirational Titles: Thomas Bullock tbullock Categories: Jennifer Myers JenniferMyers Category: Trafficking The Good Life.

Giordano Dalla Bernardina, Sr lif3zero Category: General , Author profile Titles: Of Moose and Men: A Skewed Look at Life in Alaska. Quest for a Dream. Kate Flegal katemflegal Categories: Nature , Short stories Titles: The Vampire Coven of London. Stefan Verstappen verstappen Categories: Defense Against the Psychopath. Rex Kipe rexkipe Categories: General , Adventure Titles: David Torrance davidtorrance2 Categories: Grace and Prayer in Pastoral Ministry: Interviews With David Torrance.

Annie Brewer anniegirl29 Category: Emily Gossett blurpGurl26 Category: Hard-Boiled , Literature Titles: Derek Pugh DerekPugh Category: The Owner's Guide to the Teenage Brain. Katherine Kendall KKendall Categories: Emma O'dipe emmaodipe Categories: