The Devil's Library: A Review Shop

BOOK REVIEW: RAINY DAY by MissAnonymous020

Book Title: The title is very plain and simple, and it does not have a symbolic, fitting connection to the story other than the introduction scene. Makes you think of a dark romance or psychological thriller. A better title would be nice. 5/10

Book Cover: The cover is surprisingly good, with the lightning strikes in the background, and the main characters are placed nicely in it, not overlapping the title or the author's name, both of which are placed at the perfect location. The fonts used are also good, but there is no rain in the cover, especially since the book is titled, "Rainy Day." A tagline at the top center would have added more weight to the cover, but overall, it is good, and fits, for the most part. 7/10

Description/Blurb: The description of the story is pretty non-existent. The first line is very good, interesting and sets the tone, but then, the rest is just a typical description of the themes of the story. Needs improvement. A better, and more interesting description would attract more readers. 3/10

Plot: The core plot is very nice and well thought out, with the build-up from the first few parts, along with the war sequence and the little comedy on the side, which works well. The only problem is, the rest of the characters, along with the villain, are not used well and are there just for the story to move forward. A little more depth and detail to the plot, especially for the villain and the rise of fire sequence, would greatly improve the book. Overall, it is very much predictable. 6/10

Characters: The characters are good, but not perfect. Jungkook was the best in my opinion, along with Jin, Jennie and Jisoo. The rest of the characters, especially the villain, felt a little underwhelming, with the villain, Kang, being a typical & dumb villain. If there was more backstory to him, along with the reasoning for his betrayal, it would drastically improve the story. The main character is called Kim YN (Reader, I think) for the entirety, and doesn't have a proper character name, which makes it hard to root for her, although she's quite the baddie, and the rest of the characters are good, being goofy during meeting and all. One drawback, her parents get no backstory aside from them being super rich and mafia bosses, getting just one appearance during their murder scene. Overall, all are okay and fit into the story nicely, but more depth would have greatly helped. 5/10

Grammar/Spelling: There are a few grammatical errors and spelling mistakes here and there, but overall, it is okay for the most part. The only bother is, the use of asterisks, italics, and bold in between sentences, breaks the flow and ruins the atmosphere and vibe of the story. If these errors are rectified, the story is seriously a good read. Overall, very less grammar and spelling errors, but some improvement is needed. 8/10

Hook/Engagement: The story captures the reader's interest from the introduction sequence, and it surprisingly keeps engaged to continue reading till the end, wanting to know what happens next, who lives and dies? Who wins and loses? The story does it very well, with each chapter getting more interesting to read. 7/10

Storytelling: The tone of the story shifts as it progresses, going from romance to full on action and revenge, which it does nicely, without any sudden shift. A small build-up to the war and climax is there, along with the small comedy scenes, which work well. But, at times, it feels flat and monotonous, like it just wants to get it over with, like during the flashback of the parents' murder. It was too quick and should not have been rushed. The POV shifts were well executed, and the pacing was steady for most part, but the fourth wall breaking by the author and the main characters' having a banter, it served no purpose. The comedy of those scenes felt a bit forced and the story would have been better without those scenes. The locations are described well, but once again, more details would have made it better. Chapters were too short and too quick. Gentle advice, keep word count to 2.5K to 3K minimum if you are a new author. 7/10

Sellable/Non-sellable: Likely, the story is good and has potential to be a big hit, if the suggested improvements are made. Yes. 6/10

Originality: The Plot is not original and is something I have seen in mafia related movies or dramas. It is fairly simple and basic, but works nicely. 6/10  

Overall Rating: 6/10

Review: A good mafia style action thriller with K-pop idols, with nice action sequences and comedy, but is too fast to understand and connect. Strong, bold and interesting, it is a decent book. With the suggested improvements, it would definitely be a hit.