Kill Your Darlings was an interesting read, to say the least. I really had no expectations going into it, but it was pretty enjoyable. I’m a big fan of books about authors and this was definitely sounded unique. I’ve read books about readers transporting to their favourite book world, but never an author in the world they created. Such a fun synopsis and it was done pretty well.

The pacing of the book was a little off for me though, it seemed to move extremely slow and then all of a sudden the book started to reach its climax and I was left wondering what had actually happened.

Now, I’m not going to be too harsh about the contents of the book because it’s a personal story that I think is based on the author's life (not the fantasy world part, obviously). You could definitely tell that this book means a lot to the author and that it is a very personal story to be telling - this is why I’ve included the content warnings in this review, there are a lot of heavy topics explored and I need to give a huge trigger warning for chapter 27 onwards. It has very detailed and vivid descriptions of self-harm. Stay safe!

The main cast of characters were quite likeable and I enjoyed hearing about their different species and how they related to the book author’s real life (Kyla, not L.E Harper, this could get very confusing). I don’t think you actually learn the author in the book’s name, I know it isn’t actually Kyla because she goes to say it at one point, but stops herself. I’m not sure if I liked not knowing or if I’m a bit dissatisfied with never finding out.

This leads to my next point. I would have liked to spend some time with the author in the real world. The ending of the story explains why this wasn’t possible, but having a section at the start in the real world would have made Solera feel so much more magical.

Overall Kill Your Darlings was an interesting read, but it did start to drag around the middle. The pacing was way too slow and it felt like there were a lot of events and descriptions repeated too many times.

If you are looking for a fantasy read that doesn’t have romance (asexual rep!) then I’d recommend Kill Your Darlings. Just be aware that it’s a little slow and covers some very heavy topics.

2.5⭐️

After submitting a drastically dramatic draft for the final book of her successful fantasy series, Kyla is being forced to rewrite a majority of the story. That night, she slips into what she thinks is another lucid dream of Solera, the setting of her books. As always, she takes the form of Kyla Starblade, the chosen one main character and spends time with the characters she has created. But when she is unable to wake up like normal, she understands what’s wrong.

The draft of the book she had submitted showed Kyla winning the battle against Lord Zalor, but at the cost of the other main characters; Asher based on her best friend Eric, Rexa based on her cousin Lindsay, and love interest Valen. She must convince these characters that she can now prevent their deaths and help them defeat Zalor. She’s the author of the story, so how hard could it be?

I really wanted to like this. A story where the author is stuck in their own book, and that book contains asexual representation, an unreliable narrator, mental health discussions and dragons? What more could I ask for. Unfortunately, I wasn’t a fan of how the story came together.

One complaint is that you don’t really see any of the “successful fantasy series.” By the author telling the reader what they need to know rather than having the text show what’s important, that fantasy series felt very unfinished. The characters also didn’t feel fully fleshed out and were constantly described based of their human counterparts who we never actually meet. And the fact that the characters so easily went along with Kyla’s explanation of being an author that created was the most unbelievable choice.

When I was approved for this arc on Netgalley, the author sent out trigger warnings before anyone could read, which I appreciate. But people need to be aware that their is very graphic description of a suicide attempt and living with depression. In the acknowledgements, the author says this is basically her autobiography and her way of writing about her experiences. What bothered me, though, is how the MC discusses both her depression and her asexuality with the characters in the story. The interactions came across as almost manipulative, especially the asexuality conversations.

Thanks Netgalley and the pub company for approving me for this ARC.

One of the more annoying parts of the isekai/wish fulfillment genre is that often a character will go from living a sad, lonely, depressed life in the real world, then having their entire lives turned around by arriving in a magical land. Indeed, to suddenly be in a world where you're powerful and adored is sure help lighten the gloom, but at the end of the day, no matter where you go, the one common denominator is YOU. Whatever doubts and fears you had in your real life would surely carry on to the new one, right? Fortunately, this is the exact question L.E. Harper's harrowing and powerful new work seeks to answer.

As an neuro-atypical asexual, I'm an easy in for this book. There are few times I've felt quite as seen as in the final few chapters of Harper's novel. Though my actions have never quite gone as far as our protagonist's, there have been plenty of dark moments in my life where I've walked the similar path. One of the true wonders of Kill Your Darlings is that it makes these moments feel so real; though the fantasy elements may feel rote, the emotional moments hit like bullets.

Kill Your Darlings is not an easy read. It's breezy, whimsical early chapters may lead one to believe that this is all fun and games, but as the book enters its second half, its dark side comes to the fore. Reading through Chapter 27 of this novel was one of the most harrowing experiences of my life, but also one of the most fulfilling, as I felt a sense of kinship with the author in a way I'd rarely felt before. You could tell there's deep pain in the words of the author, especially as you read the author's bio. For all its darkness though, Kill Your Darlings is never without its sense of hope, and the importance of moving on, of trying to better ourselves. There's a light at the end of every tunnel, no matter how dark that tunnel may get.

I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

DNFed the book at 11%

The premise is interesting, but for personal reasons I can't continue reading this book (which is on me, I should have known before requesting an ARC). I'm sorry, both to the author and the publisher.
I might come back to it when I'm in a better headspace, but at the moment I don't think it's a good idea for me to continue reading. Still, I wish the author the best with the release of Kill Your Darlings scheduled for the end of May, and all their next projects.

Have you ever wanted to meet the darlings of a fictional world you created? What if you do and you find that the world, and your reason for being there, isn’t all exactly as it seems?

In Kill Your Darlings that’s exactly what happens! Kyla, a writer, is trapped in the magical world of Solera, a world created as an escape from her reality. In order to save her darlings-the characters she loves and holds dearly-and to save this magical place, she must defeat the darkness that plagues the world… and herself.

This was a masterfully written work of art that is rooted in reality and truth. Even though the premise seems like an alluring fantasy, as we read we find that this book is a heartbreakingly brave exploration of depression and mental health that follows a characters journey as she rediscovers her will to overcome the darkness within to survive and live.

What you’ll find in this story:
⁃ Asexual rep
⁃ Mental health rep
⁃ Magical alternate reality
⁃ Dragons (who doesn’t love dragons?!)
⁃ Epic battles
⁃ Found family
⁃ Hope

If you read this, grab a tissue box and be prepared, because this one will force you to face your own darkness and leave you completely altered by the end. (No seriously, I was a sobbing mess by the end and well after. Grab the tissues.)

(TW- depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, self-harm. Please review the authors note before reading.)

Thanks to NetGalley, L.E. Harper, and the publisher for the ARC! I am so honored to have been able to read this and cannot wait for my physical copy to come!

A good fantasy driven account of a personal journey through depression. The escapism into another world was very well done. The author having created the world knew the characters well and was attached to them greatly. I did not get that connection as the reader instead I felt like I was observing their journey, which I didn’t dislike.
Overall a story with dragons and adventure whist addressing mental health.
3.5 ⭐️

Kill Your Darlings is a portal fantasy where the author is transported to the (dark) fantasy world she has created. The book deals with dark themes regarding mental health, so make sure you check the trigger warnings and make sure you're in a good headspace yourself. This book is for those of us who read books as part of our healing process. It reminds me of a tiktok in which someone mentioned that their therapist told them to stop reading self-help books and instead start reading fiction. There is something healing to be able to relate to a character and watch that character overcome their struggles.

This book feels like a deeply personal project come to live.

This book touches on some very serious topics so please take trigger warnings seriously.

This book baffled me in a good and bad way because I felt lost as one minute I was in a happy fantasy the next I was in a very serious book.

I do not recommend this book if you a re looking for something light and easy to read.

I originally requested this one as the premise of an author waking up in her world reminded me so much of Inkheart by Cornelia Funke. The addition though of the journey with mental illness made the story something else entirely. The way this material was written was raw and emotional, but overall an inspiring story. The inclusion of a lengthy but informative content warning was very much appreciated.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC copy!

I enjoyed reading Kill your darlings. It kept me entertained and hooked the whole time.
Thank you Netgalley for ARC in exchange of my honest feedback

I accessed a digital review copy of this book from the publisher.
Kyla wakes up in the fantasy world she created and has written about. She tries to find out how she got there and how to get back.
I did not like her as a character. The twist of her not being a published author made her choices for her writing completely negated. Her attitude about being ace was annoying and made her sound whiney.

I'm finding it quite hard to rate and review this book. I'm giving it 3.5 stars rounded up. I originally requested it because I was drawn by the premise - an author waking up in her own fantasy book, surrounded by her own characters and thrown into a hero's journey to save them.

I had my doubts around the middle part of this book, something about the writing or the story made it difficult for me to connect to the characters, but I'm glad I kept reading until the end, as everything clicked and I understood what the writer was doing.

While I can't say I enjoyed reading this book because of the very dark themes it explores, I appreciate the hopeful message the writer was trying to convey. I also realise how personal this book is and its depiction of mental health issues like depression, self-loathing, etc. I could certainly relate to the main character's struggles, and I feel like a younger version of me would have found solace in this book's pages. The asexual representation was a welcome bonus surprise.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review, thank you!

What happens when you get stuck in your own story? When your demons become real and your projected character traits and faults are found in the characters who now have to help you complete your quest so you can go back to reality. But what if reality is less cool than a world with magic and dragons. What if the life you had to go back to was full of depression, frustration, and stress. Would you actually want to go back?

This book is hard to read but is good. It addresses depression, and how deep the voice of depression Can really go. It discusses asexuality and how that can be isolating. This book addresses self love in a way that isn’t preachy or too much.

The characters are interesting, and even though the side characters are meant to be fictional characters “come to life,” the side characters are also interesting and well developed.

TW for suicide attempt, depression, acephobia.

This is not a light-hearted fantasy novel. It is a fantastical novel with excellent world building, but it simultaneously deals with some pretty heavy topics. Go into this one with the right frame of mind and you will be rewarded with a great fantasy novel with a fresh concept.

Kyra / the author often dreams about the fantasy world she created. But she soon discovers that she cannot simply wake up this time. She sets off on a Hero's Journey to save her "darlings", the characters she created, from impending doom, hoping that will fix her characters' lives in her created world and fix her depressed life on Earth / the real world.

I hadn't heard of the phrase "Kill Your Darlings" before reading this. It refers to not only removing characters from your storyline regardless of how much you care about them, but also removing flowery prose and extra information. Something I see a lot in fiction today. The self-referencing book about books with Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey, this writer phrase, and remarks about the difficulties of the publishing industry, add unique twists and characterizations to the novel.

It's a fun portal fantasy. Who doesn't dream of waking up in a fantasy world? But the author also shows how most of us would not be prepared! I know I wouldn't be.

The novel does delve into some dark themes around self-harm, suicidal ideation, and depression.
Thank you NetGalley, L.E. Harper, and Shivnath Productions for selecting me to read this ARC.

K!ll Your Darlings by L.E. Harper
⭐⭐⭐⭐. 5
Pub. Date : May 24th, 2023

I would like to thank @NetGalley and @authorlizardharper for a copy of the E-Arc in exchange for an honest review.

🐉

First, because it's important to mention : DRAGONS! Now that it's out of the way, let's see what this book is about.

The main character is an author struggling with financial and mental health problems as well as writer's block. She frequently visits her novel setting while dreaming but this time, it's different. She's stuck in this fictional world and can't seem to be able to go back to reality. She has no other choice but to reveal herself to her characters and help them defeat the villain.

I must say that this book was incredible! While the MC, the author, seemed to know her characters, they started to have a mind of their own and she discovers they are all part of herself. I fell in love with every characters and their refusal to give up, always pushing the author to try and resolve the problem. It was such an interesting concept!

🐉

This novel was dealing with heavy subjects and I must recommend you to check your TW before going into this book as some depictions are very graphic.

I really enjoyed the authors writing style, it was easy to read while still holding complex descriptions and emotion.

Kill Your Darlings is part mental health awareness and part every author's dream-to find yourself in the world of your story. When Kyla wakes to find herself in the body of her protagonist, she quickly discovers that she is trapped in the world of her novel and that she must overcome the big bad to return to home.

This story has some pretty heavy moments and does an excellent job of representing mental illness (depression and self-harm specifically) so be prepared for that going in. I liked they way author Kyla never tried to pretend to be character Kyla and used her own strengths to navigate the fantastical world of her story. Overall, this was a really engaging read and I would definitely read it again.

This was a NetGalley review.

Thank you to NetGalley/the Publisher and Author for letting me review this!

I really don't know how to rate this book...Mainly because for me the triggers that this book has were a little too dark but overall the book itself was amazing. It hit so many different topics and had a lot of great messages throughout that were intertwined within the story. The characters were so in-depth and made sense. This is also a story that you can see is heavily apart of the author, taking from their life experiences and showing you how they recovered and/or persevered through difficult times.

The trigger warnings should be taken seriously prior to reading, it does hit really dark themes and areas of mental health that, while are being talked about in a way to show how to overcome them, could trigger a person in a wrong way.

I think a 4 is the best rating I can give but a lot of people have given this is a 5 star. My enjoyment level was around a 3 only because I have not been in the best mental state recently but I wanted to make sure I reviewed this book and gave feedback since I did ask for this through Netgalley. The actual story was around a 4 star only because at a few points I got lost on where it was heading but those are few and far between. The characters, plot line and themes were amazing and thorough. I think this would be a great book for older high schoolers that are struggling through these issues and/or twenty year-olds.

The author clearly knew what they was trying to showcase throughout the book and drew a lot from their personal experience. I think they succeeded and I cannot wait to read other books from them.

I would recommend this to people that have struggled with mental health, are struggling with mental health, and older teens to twenty year-olds .

I got to 51% in this book, however I couldn’t get over how it reads like fan fiction, which in a way, it is.

Honestly the premise is amazing and I think if I had approached it with a more open mind I would have enjoyed it more.

This is a book I think I will come back to, because I am curious about how it plays out, but the plot development was falling together too easily for my taste.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc.