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Lilith's Shadow #1
Born a Queen
Librarian's note: See alternate cover edition for ASIN B074FKDDVB here.
For some, hopes, dreams, and ambitions come easily. Not so much for Lilith. Created by one of the most feared supervillains, Shadowmind, she has no past of her own and only a passing familiarity with the world as it is. With a death sentence hanging over her head due to who created her and how, she escaped into the world to see and explore, and perhaps find a meaning to her life. There she encounters heroes and villains alike, including those who brought her maker to justice.
Gina and Rachel are superheroines in San Francisco, and freak chance brings them into contact with Lilith. As they interact, the three grow to be friends… but with villains after them, who knows what the future will bring?
For some, hopes, dreams, and ambitions come easily. Not so much for Lilith. Created by one of the most feared supervillains, Shadowmind, she has no past of her own and only a passing familiarity with the world as it is. With a death sentence hanging over her head due to who created her and how, she escaped into the world to see and explore, and perhaps find a meaning to her life. There she encounters heroes and villains alike, including those who brought her maker to justice.
Gina and Rachel are superheroines in San Francisco, and freak chance brings them into contact with Lilith. As they interact, the three grow to be friends… but with villains after them, who knows what the future will bring?
332 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 21, 2017
257 people are currently reading
326 people want to read
About the author
Benjamin Medrano
45 books302 followersI was born in October, 1985. Not much of my history would likely be of interest, but I grew up primarily in Utah, a land of ultra-conservative people, and yet oddly open to Science Fiction and Fantasy.
I started trying to write in high school. That didn't go well, and I mostly lost the spark for a long time, only rarely finishing writing a story, as most of my inspiration instead went into tabletop role-playing games, like Dungeons & Dragons and Pathfinder. In the process I developed a possibly unhealthy obsession with elves and succubi. If I ever write a story without either, it's probably Science Fiction...and there are even odds that someone will body-mod themselves to look like an elf. Trying to be honest here.
My writing tends to focus on the relationships between characters, though it may not seem like it at times. The stories in the background are just that, a backdrop for the development of the characters and situation. I try to fully think them through, but it's not always the case.
Anyway, not much more to be said. I'm an oddball, and I know it. I'm also somewhat stunned at the success my work has attained thus far, and am trying not to panic over it.
I started trying to write in high school. That didn't go well, and I mostly lost the spark for a long time, only rarely finishing writing a story, as most of my inspiration instead went into tabletop role-playing games, like Dungeons & Dragons and Pathfinder. In the process I developed a possibly unhealthy obsession with elves and succubi. If I ever write a story without either, it's probably Science Fiction...and there are even odds that someone will body-mod themselves to look like an elf. Trying to be honest here.
My writing tends to focus on the relationships between characters, though it may not seem like it at times. The stories in the background are just that, a backdrop for the development of the characters and situation. I try to fully think them through, but it's not always the case.
Anyway, not much more to be said. I'm an oddball, and I know it. I'm also somewhat stunned at the success my work has attained thus far, and am trying not to panic over it.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
March 12, 2018
This superhero story was a little weird but still quite fun even with its quirks. I'm not actually sure what the target audience was for this one as it was a strange mix of an old school superhero action/intrigue tale mixed with a tame, but prominent, romance story and all set in a typical classic super-powered world!
The writing and dialogue were definitely not the best I've ever encountered but they obviously never hurt the flow of the story any as I found myself quite sucked into the plot and interested in the various happenings! It probably helped that I liked the main characters and found the featured villains a fairly interesting bunch.
This followed the story of Lilith, the last creation of the evil supervillain Shadowmind before she was captured and imprisoned, as she tries to find her place in the world. Lilith was created in a lab and so has no past or memories and no experience beyond the educational programs her maker implanted directly into her mind or left in the form of training courses to guide her through trying to get to grips with life as a living being! To complicate matters Lilith already has a destroy on sight warrant out on her as the government and superhero society believe she is a biological weapon left behind by the devious Shadowmind!
The story was actually quite fun. I love the not quite human and new to life trope and that was the basis for this story. Lilith had superpowers but she was neither a superhero or a villain and was just trying to find her place in the world and learn what sort of person she was. She was quite likeable despite being a little socially awkward. Not that it was her fault! She was raised in isolation by a non-sentient AI and was also hindered by her cool but unhelpful compulsion field superpower. Her power made her the centre of attention anywhere she went but was more of a hindrance than a plus as it meant she could not get a minutes peace for people hassling her as she had no way to switch the power off! Lilith got drawn into the superhero/supervillain action when she stepped in to save a heroine who was being attacked. It was the start of a friendship that drew more attention from the local superhero team than she might have wished considering she was trying to hide her past!
I liked the story. The superhero action/intrigue stuff was good as the heroes had to deal with a devious villain who had united a bunch of villains and was causing all sorts of havoc across the city. The romance was also fine. It was tame stuff but I liked how it developed slowly over time and liked the balanced nature of it and the level of communication. The romance did take a weird and unexpected turn in the last third but it worked surprisingly well. I usually hate this sort of romantic development in my stories but I feel like this one worked because the communication was so good!
It is hard to place the tone of the story as this was quite dark at times but never too dark and it stayed mostly PG ratings wise. I'd say it had good balance in that regard. Dark stuff happened but there was lighter moments and the overall tone was not dark.
This was pretty weird but I definitely enjoyed it.
Rating: 4 stars. This is probably a bit generous but it is better than a lot of the stuff I've rated 3.5 stars lately!
Audio Note: I thought Sarah Beth Goer did an excellent job with the audio. Her character voices were decent and she seemed to get the tone of the story. I think she really brought this tale to life!
The writing and dialogue were definitely not the best I've ever encountered but they obviously never hurt the flow of the story any as I found myself quite sucked into the plot and interested in the various happenings! It probably helped that I liked the main characters and found the featured villains a fairly interesting bunch.
This followed the story of Lilith, the last creation of the evil supervillain Shadowmind before she was captured and imprisoned, as she tries to find her place in the world. Lilith was created in a lab and so has no past or memories and no experience beyond the educational programs her maker implanted directly into her mind or left in the form of training courses to guide her through trying to get to grips with life as a living being! To complicate matters Lilith already has a destroy on sight warrant out on her as the government and superhero society believe she is a biological weapon left behind by the devious Shadowmind!
The story was actually quite fun. I love the not quite human and new to life trope and that was the basis for this story. Lilith had superpowers but she was neither a superhero or a villain and was just trying to find her place in the world and learn what sort of person she was. She was quite likeable despite being a little socially awkward. Not that it was her fault! She was raised in isolation by a non-sentient AI and was also hindered by her cool but unhelpful compulsion field superpower. Her power made her the centre of attention anywhere she went but was more of a hindrance than a plus as it meant she could not get a minutes peace for people hassling her as she had no way to switch the power off! Lilith got drawn into the superhero/supervillain action when she stepped in to save a heroine who was being attacked. It was the start of a friendship that drew more attention from the local superhero team than she might have wished considering she was trying to hide her past!
I liked the story. The superhero action/intrigue stuff was good as the heroes had to deal with a devious villain who had united a bunch of villains and was causing all sorts of havoc across the city. The romance was also fine. It was tame stuff but I liked how it developed slowly over time and liked the balanced nature of it and the level of communication. The romance did take a weird and unexpected turn in the last third but it worked surprisingly well. I usually hate this sort of romantic development in my stories but I feel like this one worked because the communication was so good!
It is hard to place the tone of the story as this was quite dark at times but never too dark and it stayed mostly PG ratings wise. I'd say it had good balance in that regard. Dark stuff happened but there was lighter moments and the overall tone was not dark.
This was pretty weird but I definitely enjoyed it.
Rating: 4 stars. This is probably a bit generous but it is better than a lot of the stuff I've rated 3.5 stars lately!
Audio Note: I thought Sarah Beth Goer did an excellent job with the audio. Her character voices were decent and she seemed to get the tone of the story. I think she really brought this tale to life!
June 12, 2018
“Born a Queen (Lilith’s Shadow, book 1)” is a very creative story featuring superheroes, supervillains, magic, and a bit of G-rated lesfic attraction and flirtation.
At first, I thought the narration was too rapid and breathless, but as the story progressed I found I enjoyed the pace and the narrator’s voice, and by the end of the book I thought she was simply terrific for the story and the characters.
While I definitely enjoyed the book, there are points during which the story feels uncertain of what it wants to be, and is uneven, which often happens when a novel undergoes a dramatic rewrite. Medrano notes in the Foreward that
Much of the feel of the story reminded me of Mia Archer’s “Villains Don't Date Heroes!“. There are definitely moments of lightheartedness, and the heroes and villains often are given hilariously campy names and abilities (e.g., Galvanic Action can corrode metal!). The dialogues too are intentionally written to entertain, with a very comic book style of using simple words and brief, stilted, sentences. The men use muscle more than brains, and secret identities don’t really seem to help much. Most super powers, btw, are more magical in nature than what is commonly presented as a “super power”.
But…there are elements of darkness too. The “heroes” do bad things to captured villains, more to help their side be safe than because of any sense of goodness or justice. The villains, nasty as they are, doggedly follow unwritten rules of conduct about what can and cannot be done to heroes. For the most part. Blue Impulse’s plan to rape Warden and Lilith is certainly not on the allowed list, and is definitely one of the darkest parts of the book.
MC Lilith awakens as a blank slate, and is taught by a simplistic AI and she learns much of what she can and cannot do by training and testing herself. Is Lilith good or bad? Like most of us, she’s not certain herself until confronted with a stark choice. She’s not sure she will help a fallen hero…until she does. She develops a mutual friendship with, and attraction for, superheroine MCs Warden and Morgan. The story alternates between describing various nefarious plans of several supervillains and their minions, with the growing friendship of the three MCs. The path to trust and friendship isn’t smooth, and once again the “heroes” don’t always make choices or act as heroically or compassionately as does the mistrusted and feared Lilith.
I liked Lilith; despite her lineage and initial ambivalence toward helping others, she consistently behaved to a higher code of honor than either heroes or villains. I liked Warden and Morgan too, and the relationship of the three women at the end left me really wanting to get the sequel to see whether things would soon be less G-rated! 3.75* for “Born a Queen”, rounded to 4*.
I had several interesting message conversations with the author, asking about the updated cover art. He allowed me to share his comments.
Finally, some comments on book 2. I was very tempted to immediately get the sequel, “Down With the Queen”, but I saw a couple review comments regarding author notes that made me cautious. So I got the book on KU just to take a look at the notes. In a foreword, Medrano notes that
At the end, Medrano notes that
So while I’m definitely planning to listen to the sequel one day, it certainly doesn’t sound like the silly, campy, light-hearted adventure that book 1 was. While it’s probably a better book, it’s not what I’m currently in the mood for. As you know, I tend to prefer escapist books with little angst and nice HEAs. Even with SciFi, Fantasy and Paranormal books that feature more action than romance, I prefer books that feature optimism and humor; rarely do I read books featuring dark, especially dystopian, themes. Still…one day I’ll return to Lilith and her friends to see where Medrano’s creative mind took them.
At first, I thought the narration was too rapid and breathless, but as the story progressed I found I enjoyed the pace and the narrator’s voice, and by the end of the book I thought she was simply terrific for the story and the characters.
While I definitely enjoyed the book, there are points during which the story feels uncertain of what it wants to be, and is uneven, which often happens when a novel undergoes a dramatic rewrite. Medrano notes in the Foreward that
Born a Queen was written and finished in its original incarnation over a year before I even started writing Ancient Ruins, which was what really kickstarted my writing career. The core of the book remains the same, but the book required incredibly extensive edits before it was acceptable for publishing.
Don’t even ask about the original. It was not something I’m proud of.
Much of the feel of the story reminded me of Mia Archer’s “Villains Don't Date Heroes!“. There are definitely moments of lightheartedness, and the heroes and villains often are given hilariously campy names and abilities (e.g., Galvanic Action can corrode metal!). The dialogues too are intentionally written to entertain, with a very comic book style of using simple words and brief, stilted, sentences. The men use muscle more than brains, and secret identities don’t really seem to help much. Most super powers, btw, are more magical in nature than what is commonly presented as a “super power”.
But…there are elements of darkness too. The “heroes” do bad things to captured villains, more to help their side be safe than because of any sense of goodness or justice. The villains, nasty as they are, doggedly follow unwritten rules of conduct about what can and cannot be done to heroes. For the most part. Blue Impulse’s plan to rape Warden and Lilith is certainly not on the allowed list, and is definitely one of the darkest parts of the book.
MC Lilith awakens as a blank slate, and is taught by a simplistic AI and she learns much of what she can and cannot do by training and testing herself. Is Lilith good or bad? Like most of us, she’s not certain herself until confronted with a stark choice. She’s not sure she will help a fallen hero…until she does. She develops a mutual friendship with, and attraction for, superheroine MCs Warden and Morgan. The story alternates between describing various nefarious plans of several supervillains and their minions, with the growing friendship of the three MCs. The path to trust and friendship isn’t smooth, and once again the “heroes” don’t always make choices or act as heroically or compassionately as does the mistrusted and feared Lilith.
I liked Lilith; despite her lineage and initial ambivalence toward helping others, she consistently behaved to a higher code of honor than either heroes or villains. I liked Warden and Morgan too, and the relationship of the three women at the end left me really wanting to get the sequel to see whether things would soon be less G-rated! 3.75* for “Born a Queen”, rounded to 4*.
I had several interesting message conversations with the author, asking about the updated cover art. He allowed me to share his comments.
(1) The initial artist put a glass of red wine in Lilith’s hand. Lilith, as noted in the story, does not take any stimulants of any kind, including alcohol or caffeine, and the author grew up in an alcohol-free household. So, he recommissioned the artwork and had the new artist have her hold a glass of water, instead of wine.
(2) After much back-and-forth about whether Lilith is wearing a man’s shirt, a woman’s shirt, or a shirt with buttons like a woman’s shirt, but folded and buttoned like a man’s shirt…Medrano posited that that the books are in an alternate history, and that it’s possible that shirts with that style exists in that universe…but that the other possibility is that since June Jenssen is from Norway, they might make shirts in that style there…he’s not sure! Hahahaha
(3) Like many of us, Medrano “loathes” squishing of the art when going from a printed/Kindle book cover format to an audible book cover format. He does *all* his own covers from the artwork, adjusting the width, croping it appropriately and adding titles etc. I certainly applaud his efforts and the resulting audible book covers!
Finally, some comments on book 2. I was very tempted to immediately get the sequel, “Down With the Queen”, but I saw a couple review comments regarding author notes that made me cautious. So I got the book on KU just to take a look at the notes. In a foreword, Medrano notes that
“This novel is still going to be dark in segments due to those pre-existing plans. Bad things are going to happen to good people through no fault of their own, and good people are going to make mistakes and assumptions based on their own biases and experiences. There are a lot of scenes in this story that are unpleasant, and I don’t want those of you who read it to think that I like events like these. It’s part of the story I conceptualized, because I want heroes to be human and villains to be evil. Please keep that in mind, if you would?
At the end, Medrano notes that
“I’m afraid that for the time being, this is where Lilith’s story will end. I have another trilogy in mind which will continue the Lilith’s Shadow series, but this is the best point to take a break and work on other series that I’ve promised. …[Down With the Queen] is a fair departure from the previous book, but I think that’s for the best. Life changes for everyone, even superheroes and villains.”
So while I’m definitely planning to listen to the sequel one day, it certainly doesn’t sound like the silly, campy, light-hearted adventure that book 1 was. While it’s probably a better book, it’s not what I’m currently in the mood for. As you know, I tend to prefer escapist books with little angst and nice HEAs. Even with SciFi, Fantasy and Paranormal books that feature more action than romance, I prefer books that feature optimism and humor; rarely do I read books featuring dark, especially dystopian, themes. Still…one day I’ll return to Lilith and her friends to see where Medrano’s creative mind took them.
November 18, 2017
This is an okay read. I didn't find it to be great but it wasn't bad, either. As far as super hero stories go, this book focuses more on the relationship development between three women than on some kind of action plot between super heroes and villains.
Warden is a defense heavy super hero whose powers are sabotaged and compromised, Morgan is Warden's best friend and a super hero of sorcery herself, and Lilith is an unknown entity who came to life as a full grown adult only a year prior and is trying to figure out how she and the world works.
Lilith's origin story is intriguing and I thought the plot was an interesting premise. The dynamics between the women are positive and there is an amicable poly romantic interest between them that's depicted in a very PG sort of way. The narrative basically is a set up for bringing these women together in friendship and then romantically.
The three main leads are likable but I felt like I only knew them superficially at the same time. The story is told through numerous POVs and I think the characters given the most depth ended up being some of the villains, especially Lilith's mother. Otherwise everyone else was sort of one note.
In contrast, reading Cary Caffrey's "The Girls of Alcyone" series, those books are told through multiple POVs, as well, yet I felt I deeply knew Sigrid and many of the other characters.
Medrano's writing is proficient both story wise and technically but I caught myself noticing an issue here and there. There was some unneeded repetition at times for things already conveyed. I think Lilith said Warden's real name before being introduced and she stated Morgan's alter-ego profession before being told. And, I found the timeline for Lilith and her accomplishments as well as the rules between super heroes and villains a little hard to buy but okay, I'll go with it.
I'm pretty pro any book that has accomplished female characters and respectful f/f, or in this case f/f/f, relationships.
This book wraps itself up with some pretty intriguing teasers to find in the second book. I'd be interested to see how those unfold so will likely pick it up when it comes out.
3.45 stars
Warden is a defense heavy super hero whose powers are sabotaged and compromised, Morgan is Warden's best friend and a super hero of sorcery herself, and Lilith is an unknown entity who came to life as a full grown adult only a year prior and is trying to figure out how she and the world works.
Lilith's origin story is intriguing and I thought the plot was an interesting premise. The dynamics between the women are positive and there is an amicable poly romantic interest between them that's depicted in a very PG sort of way. The narrative basically is a set up for bringing these women together in friendship and then romantically.
The three main leads are likable but I felt like I only knew them superficially at the same time. The story is told through numerous POVs and I think the characters given the most depth ended up being some of the villains, especially Lilith's mother. Otherwise everyone else was sort of one note.
In contrast, reading Cary Caffrey's "The Girls of Alcyone" series, those books are told through multiple POVs, as well, yet I felt I deeply knew Sigrid and many of the other characters.
Medrano's writing is proficient both story wise and technically but I caught myself noticing an issue here and there. There was some unneeded repetition at times for things already conveyed. I think Lilith said Warden's real name before being introduced and she stated Morgan's alter-ego profession before being told. And, I found the timeline for Lilith and her accomplishments as well as the rules between super heroes and villains a little hard to buy but okay, I'll go with it.
I'm pretty pro any book that has accomplished female characters and respectful f/f, or in this case f/f/f, relationships.
This book wraps itself up with some pretty intriguing teasers to find in the second book. I'd be interested to see how those unfold so will likely pick it up when it comes out.
3.45 stars
October 31, 2017
Slow
Amazon had recommended this book after finishing another superhero book, and I missed that this was a romance novel set in a superhero world.
The story was placed very slowly and I couldn't bring myself to sympathize with the main character. The actions of several of the characters seemed unrealistic and a little forced just to push the story where the author wanted to go. Dialog was mostly fine when the main character wasn't just brooding and giving an inner monologue about how terrible everything was.
Amazon had recommended this book after finishing another superhero book, and I missed that this was a romance novel set in a superhero world.
The story was placed very slowly and I couldn't bring myself to sympathize with the main character. The actions of several of the characters seemed unrealistic and a little forced just to push the story where the author wanted to go. Dialog was mostly fine when the main character wasn't just brooding and giving an inner monologue about how terrible everything was.
February 20, 2023
Interesting story, familiar setting.
Lilith is a very unique woman. Created by one of the most feared supervillains alive, she woke up only a short time ago. Now she has to find her way into the word, with all it's strange custom's happenings and social rules that make barely make any sense to her. Things take a turn for the interesting when she meets two of the hero's who caught and imprisoned her creator/ mother...
This was an interesting one. Set in a world full of hero's and villains, Lilith is neither. She is just a curious bystander who slowly finds her way in the world. And more importantly what she should do when she's there. I loved Lilith alien character and how she slowly befriends others and learns from them. Especially her friendship with the two hero's adds nicely to the story and adds a necessary twist to this otherwise rather standard superhero story.
In all, a decent story with a interesting main character.
Lilith is a very unique woman. Created by one of the most feared supervillains alive, she woke up only a short time ago. Now she has to find her way into the word, with all it's strange custom's happenings and social rules that make barely make any sense to her. Things take a turn for the interesting when she meets two of the hero's who caught and imprisoned her creator/ mother...
This was an interesting one. Set in a world full of hero's and villains, Lilith is neither. She is just a curious bystander who slowly finds her way in the world. And more importantly what she should do when she's there. I loved Lilith alien character and how she slowly befriends others and learns from them. Especially her friendship with the two hero's adds nicely to the story and adds a necessary twist to this otherwise rather standard superhero story.
In all, a decent story with a interesting main character.
October 25, 2017
Sooo good!
I'm a sucker for super hero books. Couple that with a unique protagonist, a lesbian romance and possibility for a polyamorous relationship and I'm in!
I'm a sucker for super hero books. Couple that with a unique protagonist, a lesbian romance and possibility for a polyamorous relationship and I'm in!
March 24, 2018
Honest review!
I thought from the previous reviews that I was getting something perhaps a bit rough around the edges. Unfortunately I couldn't make it past page five. I applaud the writer for attempting this genre. Lead lesbian characters also great to see, unfortunately that is where the applause ends. Dialogue is rough, childish in nature. There was no need to have vlad drac in the beginning of this. It didn't make it funny. Stating that vlad drac is not a vampire but a Dragon? I suggest omitting that completely. My partner cringed when I read that paragraph to her. I suggest editing, and revising several times. I want to read a story about two lesbian super heroes falling in love. Perhaps search for a editor that reads frequently, or has a background in writing.
I thought from the previous reviews that I was getting something perhaps a bit rough around the edges. Unfortunately I couldn't make it past page five. I applaud the writer for attempting this genre. Lead lesbian characters also great to see, unfortunately that is where the applause ends. Dialogue is rough, childish in nature. There was no need to have vlad drac in the beginning of this. It didn't make it funny. Stating that vlad drac is not a vampire but a Dragon? I suggest omitting that completely. My partner cringed when I read that paragraph to her. I suggest editing, and revising several times. I want to read a story about two lesbian super heroes falling in love. Perhaps search for a editor that reads frequently, or has a background in writing.
December 31, 2017
The book didn’t grab me from the start and I found it quite hard work to keep reading. To start with I didn’t like the way the story jumped from one character to another, most of whom were just irritating. All these villains and super heroes might play a part later in the story, but I started the book wanting to know about Lilith.
There were also a series of small things that annoyed me, for example:
However, after reading a third of the book, what really put me off was the story was just boring.
There were also a series of small things that annoyed me, for example:
However, after reading a third of the book, what really put me off was the story was just boring.
January 4, 2018
The weakest thing about this novel is the dialogue. Every character has the same voice. They all sound like the author does in his afterword. Dumb slimeball villains should use slang and imperfect grammar. Socially inexperienced brand-new-to-being-alive heroines might speak a bit stiltedly, not like someone overly socially adjusted. When speaking to each other, characters shouldn't express several neat points and then have another character respond neatly to those points. Real conversations don't work like that. In the future I hope the author puts more effort into trying to imagine what his characters might actually sound like and how they might truly speak to each other if they, you know, actually existed.
Anyways, I still kind of enjoyed the novel. Because, you know, lesbian superheroes.
Anyways, I still kind of enjoyed the novel. Because, you know, lesbian superheroes.
July 21, 2018
The infamous super villain Shadowmind created Lilith from the DNA of dozens of super heroes and villains with the intent of moving her consciousness into the blank mind of the body. However, as the project went on she began to look on the clone as a daughter and wondering what it would be like if she had a mind of her own. As a pair of heroes pound through her underwater base destroying everything and closing in on capturing her she teleports the almost complete Lilith to a secret base with the last bit of her power reserves. Lilith awakes with the knowledge of her evil mother and basic survival skills but with no goals or personality. Her only company a low grade AI, Lilith sets about training to enter a society filled with super powered individuals.
Really good read.
Really good read.
April 17, 2018
I recommend
As much as I’m not overly interested in superhero media, I did find this book enjoyable. I honestly read the book for the potential romance and I don’t regret it, even if there wasn’t much romance at all.
I completely recommend to anyone like looking for wlw superheroes balancing their everyday lives and protecting their communities.
I must say I can’t wait to read the next installment to this series because I honestly want Lilith, Gina, and Rachel’s relationship to work. I rarely get to see poly relationships in the books I read. I can’t wait to see where this story goes.
As much as I’m not overly interested in superhero media, I did find this book enjoyable. I honestly read the book for the potential romance and I don’t regret it, even if there wasn’t much romance at all.
I completely recommend to anyone like looking for wlw superheroes balancing their everyday lives and protecting their communities.
I must say I can’t wait to read the next installment to this series because I honestly want Lilith, Gina, and Rachel’s relationship to work. I rarely get to see poly relationships in the books I read. I can’t wait to see where this story goes.
May 13, 2018
It's a little dark but nothing too bad. Warning to those who dislike attempted rape or mind control or lesbian relationships. And also a warning that it's not action oriented but more of a romance book. It has a very solid flow. The dark part suits it and makes the story better. I can't really complain. It's literally what the blurb (description) says. The book is about how Lilith cope with the world. Dialogues are alright as long as you listen to the Audiobook version. The ebook version is a bit clunky I suppose, not realistic enough.
October 8, 2021
Pretty good story interesting and Lilith's struggle was a breath of fresh air
May 16, 2019
This is a much better book than the 1 star I am giving it. It gets one star simply because it fails to tell a story. The author admits as much in an introduction, which to me is a really crap move because a lot of people will have already bought the book by the time they read the introduction. Instead the author should ACTUALLY TELL A STORY- not just write a book length introduction.
As introductions go, it is pretty good. The characters and world make sense, which is more than a lot of authors manage. Making this a lesbian superhero story comes across initially as a gimmick but the author tells a character driven story that overcomes the initial gimmicky impression.
Really this would have been a good book if it actually had a culmination. This is very common in today's world and I am tired of explaining of how easy it is to adjust the focus of a story slightly provide a sense of resolution. The best example I've come up with is, are you telling the story of Pearl Harbor or the story of World War II but only covering Pearl Harbor in the first book?
Since book 2 is out in this series and I can get it for free, I will continue on but:
BOTTOM LINE: If I had paid for this book I would be ticked off at the complete lack of resolution. This story is equivalent to a story that tells all about Clark Kent's childhood, how he got a job at the Daily Planet and then stopped.
As introductions go, it is pretty good. The characters and world make sense, which is more than a lot of authors manage. Making this a lesbian superhero story comes across initially as a gimmick but the author tells a character driven story that overcomes the initial gimmicky impression.
Really this would have been a good book if it actually had a culmination. This is very common in today's world and I am tired of explaining of how easy it is to adjust the focus of a story slightly provide a sense of resolution. The best example I've come up with is, are you telling the story of Pearl Harbor or the story of World War II but only covering Pearl Harbor in the first book?
Since book 2 is out in this series and I can get it for free, I will continue on but:
BOTTOM LINE: If I had paid for this book I would be ticked off at the complete lack of resolution. This story is equivalent to a story that tells all about Clark Kent's childhood, how he got a job at the Daily Planet and then stopped.
December 31, 2024
I gave this book a chance after hearing a couple of generally positive reviews about the author. It's not always a given that sapphic characters written by men aren't going to be objectified or overly sexualized. I found Medrano to be a decent writer and I didn't feel like he ventured into either of these territories. I enjoyed the characters, even the antagonists, and getting to watch them grow. Especially Lilith. She was an interesting character, and I felt like her mix of intelligence and naivete were done really well.
Despite this being a why choose type of romance subplot, I appreciated that the relationships took time to grow and weren't instalove or anything like that. Especially with Lilith's particular naivete and ignorance of certain emotions.
The ending wasn't a cliffhanger per say, but the groundwork for the series is definitely being laid down. I'm looking forward to more interactions with all of the various villains and seeing how our heroes are able to beat back the tides of darkness.
Despite this being a why choose type of romance subplot, I appreciated that the relationships took time to grow and weren't instalove or anything like that. Especially with Lilith's particular naivete and ignorance of certain emotions.
The ending wasn't a cliffhanger per say, but the groundwork for the series is definitely being laid down. I'm looking forward to more interactions with all of the various villains and seeing how our heroes are able to beat back the tides of darkness.
August 16, 2023
i loved this book
Born a Queen was a wonderful read! A great superhuman story, i really enjoyed the inside look the author gives us into the lives of heroes🦸♀️and the villains they fight🦹♀️(the only thing I didn’t like, and i never like this in any book, is when a book spends significant time with the bad guys as they are planning their bad stuff, but that’s personal preference and didn’t take away from how good this book is and how much i love it)! I loved that the three MCs are women, Lilith Rachel Gina and sups, great to see sup women in lead roles, and i loved the developing relationship between these three! Supporting characters were great and the story was wonderful. Highly recommend it!
Born a Queen was a wonderful read! A great superhuman story, i really enjoyed the inside look the author gives us into the lives of heroes🦸♀️and the villains they fight🦹♀️(the only thing I didn’t like, and i never like this in any book, is when a book spends significant time with the bad guys as they are planning their bad stuff, but that’s personal preference and didn’t take away from how good this book is and how much i love it)! I loved that the three MCs are women, Lilith Rachel Gina and sups, great to see sup women in lead roles, and i loved the developing relationship between these three! Supporting characters were great and the story was wonderful. Highly recommend it!
March 13, 2018
A character driven story. Although perhaps the plot was a little lacking. Though I personally enjoyed it due to the characters. Plenty of writing cliches though, with perhaps too much description of the characters. If that's your thing, then go right ahead. A little too many adverbs for my liking. Not much left up to the imagination due to over description.
Though am interested in what will happen in the sequel.
Though am interested in what will happen in the sequel.
March 29, 2020
The story setting was relatively interesting and the plot complex enough to leave the readers wondering. And while I do say that love is love is love and others could live their lives as they wanted it. I have to rate this book down a bit more because of my personal preference against polyamory, even if it's with three women.
I was originally contemplating on reading other books of this series, but now I am afraid I am not as delighted to do so.
I was originally contemplating on reading other books of this series, but now I am afraid I am not as delighted to do so.
October 27, 2017
A solid beginning with a very abrupt end.
A cool, superhero story, though it has strong traces of the grittiness that I'm so getting tired of within current superhero stories. Superpowers are supposed to be fun and awesome, darnit! But I digress. Good story, cool superheroines, thanks for writing!
A cool, superhero story, though it has strong traces of the grittiness that I'm so getting tired of within current superhero stories. Superpowers are supposed to be fun and awesome, darnit! But I digress. Good story, cool superheroines, thanks for writing!
January 16, 2018
I really liked how the author gave that note in the beginning, since it was better to expect all those recurring things from the last series and then see them rather than see them without expecting it and then think that the author was just recycling ideas (I guess that it really is a difference of perspective when you know it's coming)
September 30, 2019
Kinda disappointed that Lilith didn't follow Amber's aspiration because it would've been interesting but it was also cool to see her diverge and have her own path/thoughts. Was super surprised by the fact that it ended up in a poly-amorous relationship but also found it very funny and well suited considering the three in the relationship.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 30, 2020
Half a thumbs dowm
Sorry but it just happens I started this after watching a few episodes of The Boys on Amazon Prime Videos and hated them and won't watch any more of them. So for that reason I can't read any more of this series. But if you like this kind of stuff go for it. Just not my cup of coffee.
Sorry but it just happens I started this after watching a few episodes of The Boys on Amazon Prime Videos and hated them and won't watch any more of them. So for that reason I can't read any more of this series. But if you like this kind of stuff go for it. Just not my cup of coffee.
September 3, 2024
Just like his other series about Talyn, this moves way too slow for my taste. It's an 8 hour book whih has less "meat" than some short novels. It's a good slow burn romance and has a nice superhero plot, but everything should be tightened up.
And I'm not a fan of the narrator. Think I'll stop the series after the first instance.
And I'm not a fan of the narrator. Think I'll stop the series after the first instance.
October 29, 2017
Awesome book!
Very good first book in Lilith’s Shadow series, a first foray in superpowered heroes for Benjamin Medrano and I hope not the last! Great characters, great plot, good action! Great!
Very good first book in Lilith’s Shadow series, a first foray in superpowered heroes for Benjamin Medrano and I hope not the last! Great characters, great plot, good action! Great!
October 31, 2017
Cant wait
I can't wait for more from these characters. Definitely going to check out more from this author. Story is well put together the characters are all really cool and I love the relationship Lilith gets into.
I can't wait for more from these characters. Definitely going to check out more from this author. Story is well put together the characters are all really cool and I love the relationship Lilith gets into.
December 11, 2017
I love this book
I loved everything about this book and I can't wait for the next one. I especially loved the build up to the polyamorous relationship and I hope its something that will continue into the other books. You dot see that in a lot of books so its really nice.
I loved everything about this book and I can't wait for the next one. I especially loved the build up to the polyamorous relationship and I hope its something that will continue into the other books. You dot see that in a lot of books so its really nice.
July 13, 2019
Couldn’t make it past the first occurrence of dialogue, meaning... the first page of the “prologue”? Well, it was only named prologue, but after the “world origins” bit, I was quite wary (and weary!) already.
December 24, 2017
This started out really promising, but seemed to get less satisfying as the story went on. I'd still read the sequel.
January 8, 2018
Enjoyable Hero Story
Loved the story, but wished we’d had a bit more at the ending about Lilith’s appointment with Insight. Awaiting the sequel!
Loved the story, but wished we’d had a bit more at the ending about Lilith’s appointment with Insight. Awaiting the sequel!
January 29, 2018
Great take on superheroes!
There are not any overly detailed sex scenes, and i really enjoy the author's take on a world where superheroes exist!
There are not any overly detailed sex scenes, and i really enjoy the author's take on a world where superheroes exist!
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