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4.43 AVERAGE
4.43 AVERAGE
You can find this review of Null & Void on my blog, Heart's Content!
The biggest shout out and thank you to the author, R. Moody, for providing me with a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review!
I know they say that one mustn’t judge a book by its cover, but I think what most people don’t realize about book lovers is that it’s not an intellectual judgement that’s happening when we see a cover; but something more emotional… maybe intuitive too. That’s what I would call whatever I felt when I saw the cover for Null & Void. I hadn’t even read the blurb yet and I was drawn to what the cover depicted. Then, I did read the blurb and a metaphorical gavel slammed down in my mind and a voice yelled “Sold!”. I got really lucky getting chosen to be an ARC reader for the book and I couldn’t wait to start reading.
The first thing I thought when I opened the book was that I was so glad it was as long as it was and I was so sad it wasn’t longer (book-lover problems, but they still matter). The moment I started reading, I was immersed. The author once said her writing is harsh, that there aren’t any flowery descriptions to be found. I would personally like to rephrase that a little. Moody’s writing is one of the strongest aspects of the book, possessing the ability to capture the reader’s heart, string our emotions up and puppeteer them. Yes, her writing is thorny; so well suited to the voice of the FMC, whose mind we exist in primary. But I think the author forgot that where there are thorns, there are roses (anyone that mutters “There are also cactuses,” can come and fight me. Also cactuses bear flowers too, so hush). So, maybe her writing isn’t flowery, but her book has the most heartwarming tenor to it. Even with all the pain, hurt and suffering, there is love; so much love.
The world-building in Null & Void kicks off from page one. Actually, it kicks off from that glorious map (I mean, have you seen it?), that is supported greatly by the detailed glossary that I readobsessively attentively and that is then further expanded upon from page one. The world Moody created is wonderfully singular, setting itself apart with painstaking details, distinct rules and values. However, none of this ever feels overwhelming, because the newness of the world building is wonderfully balanced by the familiarity the readers grow to feel with the characters. One of my favourite tropes in the book world is the found family trope and the author integrates it so organically into the story, that you’ve fallen in love with the characters without even trying.
My absolute favourite style of storytelling is the single first person perspective; which is what Null & Void follows. No one could have been happier than me. I think the rule of storytelling is not to tell believable stories, but to make extraordinary stories believable. Our FMC, Mika, is the author’s most prized tool that she wields with great skill to ensnare her readers’ minds. The author has ensured that every single emotion that may exist, has been entwined into the story and the narrative holds you with said emotion without letting you have a stray thought that removes you, even for a moment, from the words on the page. Like I said earlier, we’re strung up on Moody’s puppet strings the whole time.
I think for the most part, as much as a cover of a book intrigues readers, so do blurbs. We feel something while reading the blurb, sense a potential and want to dive right in. This potential is then defined and decided by the plot. I cannot explain how inter-connected every single moment of Null & Void is to the overall plot, to all the sub-plots and to all the little moments sprinkled throughout the book. When the actual understanding of the plot begins to bloom, I guarantee shock and horror. I can’t wait to see where the next book takes the plot and how it increases the stakes. You can also expect plot twists you didn’t even think to consider would happen; which in my mind as a reader is a big plus.
The characters in the book—as I’ve mentioned nearly under every category so far—are one of the strongest, most important elements of Null & Void. The primary characters which include (in my head) Mika and her team truly are the pillars that hold up the book in many ways. While I agree every element is equally important to a story, I cannot stress the influence good characters have on a book and in readers’ hearts. I think that the five characters have a wonderful balance that you genuinely feel when they’re together—so much so you can sense a discomfort when one of them is missing—and I think that’s beautiful. It’s rare and special to find characters you love so quickly, so easily and I cherished the experience of reading Mika’s story, with all its thorns, hurt and pain. With all its love, misunderstandings and vulnerability. The secondary and tertiary characters are many, however, they’re all well fleshed out, introduced and slotted into their roles neatly. There’s no confusion, strain or struggle to place them. Oh and the emotions some of them trigger… I cannot explain it, it can only be experienced.
I’m not sure how to even talk about the pace in this book. I swear I was swept into a time vortex because each time I checked how much I’d read, I was easily 50-60 pages past my last reading point. I hadn’t even realized how long I’d been reading until my Kindle died mid-sentence and I looked at the time. True story. That being said, I will say, Null & Void keeps up a very very steady pace that has you just sinking into its world. The last maybe 7%-10% was swifter than the rest, but that could also be you zipping through the pages to find out what happened what happened what just happened.
I finished working out and showering this morning and thought involuntarily “I can go back to reading!” before I remembered I’d already finished Null & Void. It was a bitter sweet moment that I wouldn’t have traded for anything else.
With wonderful representation, a unique world, heartfelt characters and hard hitting themes, Null & Void just rose to be one of my favourite reads of this year. Five glorious stars. I have never felt more at home reading a book and even though I haven’t experienced anything like Mika has, my heart was full of her the whole time I was in her mind. The book has content that can be extremely triggering for some, please check trigger warnings before reading. The author has them listed on her website.
Null & Void released yesterday and I hope you choose to read it and you love it as much as I did. I’m not sure how this could possibly be the author’s debut. The book is available for free for all Kindle Unlimited subscribers! Happy happy reading. Be safe.
The biggest shout out and thank you to the author, R. Moody, for providing me with a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review!
I know they say that one mustn’t judge a book by its cover, but I think what most people don’t realize about book lovers is that it’s not an intellectual judgement that’s happening when we see a cover; but something more emotional… maybe intuitive too. That’s what I would call whatever I felt when I saw the cover for Null & Void. I hadn’t even read the blurb yet and I was drawn to what the cover depicted. Then, I did read the blurb and a metaphorical gavel slammed down in my mind and a voice yelled “Sold!”. I got really lucky getting chosen to be an ARC reader for the book and I couldn’t wait to start reading.
The first thing I thought when I opened the book was that I was so glad it was as long as it was and I was so sad it wasn’t longer (book-lover problems, but they still matter). The moment I started reading, I was immersed. The author once said her writing is harsh, that there aren’t any flowery descriptions to be found. I would personally like to rephrase that a little. Moody’s writing is one of the strongest aspects of the book, possessing the ability to capture the reader’s heart, string our emotions up and puppeteer them. Yes, her writing is thorny; so well suited to the voice of the FMC, whose mind we exist in primary. But I think the author forgot that where there are thorns, there are roses (anyone that mutters “There are also cactuses,” can come and fight me. Also cactuses bear flowers too, so hush). So, maybe her writing isn’t flowery, but her book has the most heartwarming tenor to it. Even with all the pain, hurt and suffering, there is love; so much love.
The world-building in Null & Void kicks off from page one. Actually, it kicks off from that glorious map (I mean, have you seen it?), that is supported greatly by the detailed glossary that I read
My absolute favourite style of storytelling is the single first person perspective; which is what Null & Void follows. No one could have been happier than me. I think the rule of storytelling is not to tell believable stories, but to make extraordinary stories believable. Our FMC, Mika, is the author’s most prized tool that she wields with great skill to ensnare her readers’ minds. The author has ensured that every single emotion that may exist, has been entwined into the story and the narrative holds you with said emotion without letting you have a stray thought that removes you, even for a moment, from the words on the page. Like I said earlier, we’re strung up on Moody’s puppet strings the whole time.
I think for the most part, as much as a cover of a book intrigues readers, so do blurbs. We feel something while reading the blurb, sense a potential and want to dive right in. This potential is then defined and decided by the plot. I cannot explain how inter-connected every single moment of Null & Void is to the overall plot, to all the sub-plots and to all the little moments sprinkled throughout the book. When the actual understanding of the plot begins to bloom, I guarantee shock and horror. I can’t wait to see where the next book takes the plot and how it increases the stakes. You can also expect plot twists you didn’t even think to consider would happen; which in my mind as a reader is a big plus.
The characters in the book—as I’ve mentioned nearly under every category so far—are one of the strongest, most important elements of Null & Void. The primary characters which include (in my head) Mika and her team truly are the pillars that hold up the book in many ways. While I agree every element is equally important to a story, I cannot stress the influence good characters have on a book and in readers’ hearts. I think that the five characters have a wonderful balance that you genuinely feel when they’re together—so much so you can sense a discomfort when one of them is missing—and I think that’s beautiful. It’s rare and special to find characters you love so quickly, so easily and I cherished the experience of reading Mika’s story, with all its thorns, hurt and pain. With all its love, misunderstandings and vulnerability. The secondary and tertiary characters are many, however, they’re all well fleshed out, introduced and slotted into their roles neatly. There’s no confusion, strain or struggle to place them. Oh and the emotions some of them trigger… I cannot explain it, it can only be experienced.
I’m not sure how to even talk about the pace in this book. I swear I was swept into a time vortex because each time I checked how much I’d read, I was easily 50-60 pages past my last reading point. I hadn’t even realized how long I’d been reading until my Kindle died mid-sentence and I looked at the time. True story. That being said, I will say, Null & Void keeps up a very very steady pace that has you just sinking into its world. The last maybe 7%-10% was swifter than the rest, but that could also be you zipping through the pages to find out what happened what happened what just happened.
I finished working out and showering this morning and thought involuntarily “I can go back to reading!” before I remembered I’d already finished Null & Void. It was a bitter sweet moment that I wouldn’t have traded for anything else.
With wonderful representation, a unique world, heartfelt characters and hard hitting themes, Null & Void just rose to be one of my favourite reads of this year. Five glorious stars. I have never felt more at home reading a book and even though I haven’t experienced anything like Mika has, my heart was full of her the whole time I was in her mind. The book has content that can be extremely triggering for some, please check trigger warnings before reading. The author has them listed on her website.
Null & Void released yesterday and I hope you choose to read it and you love it as much as I did. I’m not sure how this could possibly be the author’s debut. The book is available for free for all Kindle Unlimited subscribers! Happy happy reading. Be safe.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was an excellent debut novel. I enjoyed watching Mika slowly letting other in. Being the Silent Assassin, she's used to working on her own. Since retirement she's still not really done team work. I love that that Beams is the kind and easy to love father figure. He's Riley and Tovi slowly win Mika over. Although Riley takes an age to win her over!!! I like that there's is representation here for those who identify as non binary and also people who are bisexual. The inclusion was a great idea. The characters all work well together. The good ones and those which are despicable. The story is told entirely from the first person POV of Mika. Except the prologue which is in another character's. I won't say who. It was a really enjoyable debut novel and I'm excited for the next installment. As long as you don't have any of the triggers in this book then I highly recommend this
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Have you ever read a book and the entire time you’re wishing you had a recipe book to go along with it? Yeah me either until now… this is my official request for a null and void recipe pack to be available immediately please and thank you!
I adore Mika, I think she’s such a refreshing take on female emotions, especially the ones that don’t make sense when your brain consistently tears you down.
I thought the pacing at the start was slow but overall I loved the plot! While it has common tropes it feels original and not regurgitated. The magic system is interesting and I’m keen to see what happens in the next book.
The found family is everything! The biological family I could have gone without to be honest.
I hope Mika gets to return to Osraed and confront everyone who ever did her dirty…
#justiceforsweetgal. I may never recover from that. How dare you.
I adore Mika, I think she’s such a refreshing take on female emotions, especially the ones that don’t make sense when your brain consistently tears you down.
I thought the pacing at the start was slow but overall I loved the plot! While it has common tropes it feels original and not regurgitated. The magic system is interesting and I’m keen to see what happens in the next book.
The found family is everything! The biological family I could have gone without to be honest.
I hope Mika gets to return to Osraed and confront everyone who ever did her dirty…
#justiceforsweetgal. I may never recover from that. How dare you.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was in no shape or form prepared for this rollercoaster of emotions.
I cried happy tears, sad tears and angry tears.
5 stars for me is I loved everything about it and I shall recommend this until my dying breath.
Being on R.Moody's street team I was hoping and wishing I would like the book because she's just such an awesome person.
And by getting to know her little by little I got more and more confident that I was gonna like it and her writing style.
And damn she exceeded my expectations my soooooo much.
If you haven't read this, do yourself a frickin favor and read it please.
You won't regret it. 🤍🤓
I cried happy tears, sad tears and angry tears.
5 stars for me is I loved everything about it and I shall recommend this until my dying breath.
Being on R.Moody's street team I was hoping and wishing I would like the book because she's just such an awesome person.
And by getting to know her little by little I got more and more confident that I was gonna like it and her writing style.
And damn she exceeded my expectations my soooooo much.
If you haven't read this, do yourself a frickin favor and read it please.
You won't regret it. 🤍🤓
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
Moderate: Physical abuse
She has flashback that are quit heavy and emotional but they do truly contribute to the story and the fmc's character.
Null & Void by R. Moody (Patrons of the Divine Book 1)
“For Anyone who has ever been told how to feel. Embrace the rage. It probably won’t solve any of your problems, but it’ll be a lot more fun. Stay Moody.”
- R. Moody
In the Romantasy book, Null & Void by R. Moody, we meet a young woman named Mika, who is a retired assassin and has been deemed Null, having no gifts. Though she is conditioned through torture and denials, and taught to fight and survive, Mika’s life changes dramatically when she is sold into a life of servitude, retaining all her conditioning, training and “rage”. She journeys with a diverse party of individuals and learns to co-exist through trial and error. Originally having no interest in teaming up or befriending her travel companions, Mika is thrust into a world where she must learn to trust and adapt, sharing in the groups’ goals and discovering who she really is.
I LOVED THIS STORY! It was so full of twists and turns and takes the reader through the full gamut of emotions. I found myself laughing, lusting and crying all in the same night of reading. The FMC appears strong – not just physically but emotionally, until she realizes that her conditioning had removed much of the balance in her emotions. I particularly enjoyed the relationships she built with her comrades, and the angst that she felt with the MMC. I was drawn in by the detailed descriptions of the lands, the foliage and the animals and the people. Moody’s depictions of the new world she created allows the reader to transport themselves into the book. I felt warm in the desert, and chilled at night in a cave. I experience great heartache when our heroine was at a loss, and true excitement when she was successful. There was torture and pain, but levity and happiness to balance it out. And the way the characters and their relationships evolved was so real, unrushed and honest. I felt I was right there with them.
Stop what you are doing and read this book for yourself! And when you get to the end, you’ll understand when I say – Nooooooooo!
World Building – Author includes World Map, Pronunciation Guide & Glossary which is very helpful.
Plot – Exciting Romantasy with societal structure as an underlying framework to the story.
Spice –
“For Anyone who has ever been told how to feel. Embrace the rage. It probably won’t solve any of your problems, but it’ll be a lot more fun. Stay Moody.”
- R. Moody
In the Romantasy book, Null & Void by R. Moody, we meet a young woman named Mika, who is a retired assassin and has been deemed Null, having no gifts. Though she is conditioned through torture and denials, and taught to fight and survive, Mika’s life changes dramatically when she is sold into a life of servitude, retaining all her conditioning, training and “rage”. She journeys with a diverse party of individuals and learns to co-exist through trial and error. Originally having no interest in teaming up or befriending her travel companions, Mika is thrust into a world where she must learn to trust and adapt, sharing in the groups’ goals and discovering who she really is.
I LOVED THIS STORY! It was so full of twists and turns and takes the reader through the full gamut of emotions. I found myself laughing, lusting and crying all in the same night of reading. The FMC appears strong – not just physically but emotionally, until she realizes that her conditioning had removed much of the balance in her emotions. I particularly enjoyed the relationships she built with her comrades, and the angst that she felt with the MMC. I was drawn in by the detailed descriptions of the lands, the foliage and the animals and the people. Moody’s depictions of the new world she created allows the reader to transport themselves into the book. I felt warm in the desert, and chilled at night in a cave. I experience great heartache when our heroine was at a loss, and true excitement when she was successful. There was torture and pain, but levity and happiness to balance it out. And the way the characters and their relationships evolved was so real, unrushed and honest. I felt I was right there with them.
Stop what you are doing and read this book for yourself! And when you get to the end, you’ll understand when I say – Nooooooooo!
World Building – Author includes World Map, Pronunciation Guide & Glossary which is very helpful.
Plot – Exciting Romantasy with societal structure as an underlying framework to the story.
Spice –
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Null & Void by R. Moody (Patrons of the Divine Book 1)
“For Anyone who has ever been told how to feel. Embrace the rage. It probably won’t solve any of your problems, but it’ll be a lot more fun. Stay Moody.”
- R. Moody
In the Romantasy book, Null & Void by R. Moody, we first learn that due to a cataclysmic event, the lands were separated into six different nations. The people who lived in these nations are divided by their “Gifts”. As we learn the differentiation between peoples, we meet a young woman named Mika, who has been deemed Null, having no gifts. Sold into a type of slavery, Mika is conditioned through torture and denials, and taught to fight and survive. She becomes the Silent Assassin, to be hired out to the rich and gifted to control or extinguish whomever they deem fit. Mika’s life then changes dramatically when she is sold into a new life of servitude, and she retires her life as the Silent Assassin though she retains all her conditioning, training and “rage”. She travels with a diverse group from other lands and learns to co-exist through trial and error. Originally having no interest in teaming up or befriending her travel companions, Mika is thrust into a world where she must learn to trust and adapt, sharing in the goal of her group’s travels.
I LOVED THIS STORY! It was so full of twists and turns and takes the reader through the full gamut of emotions. I found myself laughing, lusting and crying all in the same night of reading. The FMC appears strong – not just physically but emotionally, until she realizes that her conditioning had removed much of the balance in her emotions. I particularly enjoyed the relationships she built with her comrades, and the angst that she felt with the MMC. I was drawn in by the detailed descriptions of the lands, the foliage and the animals and the people. R.Moody’s depictions of the new world she created allows the reader to transport themselves into the book. I felt warm in the desert, and chilled at night in a cave. I experience great loss when our heroine was at a loss, and true excitement when she was successful. There was torture and pain, but levity and happiness to balance it out. And the way the characters evolved was so real and honest, I felt I was right there with them.
Stop what you are doing and read this book for yourself! And when you get to the end, you’ll understand when I say – Nooooooooo!
World Building – Author includes World Map, Pronunciation Guide & Glossary which is very helpful.
Plot – Exciting Romantasy with societal structure as an underlying framework to the story
Spice – 🌶🌶🌶 stranger to friend relationship which turns into love
Fantasy Tropes – Evil King, Enemies to Lovers, Revenge, Found Family
Interesting to me – The complex relationships which constantly are developing throughout the story. Also the range of emotions that are experienced by the reader.
Triggers – Alcohol abuse, Violence & Death, Sexually Explicit, Graphic Torture, Kidnapping
Publication Release – August 13, 2024 with another book expected to follow
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated