Rating: 3.75š
Even with a nice twist at the end, Fractured Doors and Forgotten Gods (Hidden Realms #1) by Alice Winters was a story that just didnāt connect with me.
Thereās many stories from this author Iāve found absolutely entertaining and some are in my reread piles, but the main characters, their dynamics between themselves and even those who they are forced into working with are such that I donāt enjoy reading their scenes or didnāt think their relationships felt believable.
Issues like a lack of communication of major issues, especially when Rileyās āsecretā heās not telling anyone/has told anyone smacks of martyrdom. The other issue is that Torin, the god swings emotionally from irritating arrogance to impulsive toddler to sexual being to instant love partner, all without a credible relationship built between the couple.
The story has some interesting mythical creatures, fantasy familiars and the twist plays into another mythology that will play out into the second book.
But Iām not sure Winters has made me care enough about the characters to go further with the series.
Still deciding.
Cover design by Natasha Snow Designs
Hidden Realms
Fractured Doors and Forgotten Gods #1
Timeless Doors and Captured Gods #2 – July 9,2026
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Blurb
Riley
Trying to keep my familiar out of the meat display while shopping is the hardest part of my dayā¦ until someone drops a god right into my humdrum existence.
Torin, a massive man claiming to be a god, is unlike anyone Iāve ever met. He insists on learning English through adult graphic novels, believes the pizza delivery guy is an assassin, and thinks he can kick a subway into submission (talk about adding a bit of spice to my life, which has been sadly lacking since I left the Magical Interference Unit).
The handsome and strangely charismatic god drags me (literally) right into his problems, starting with a creature who wants to tear my head off, yet I find myself following along with his whims.
He knows something is wrong when Doors to another realm begin to open up, allowing an ominous power to get a foothold in our worldā¦ but Iām afraid this quirky god and I might be the only ones keeping this world from ending.
Oh joy.
Torin
I never expected that simply stepping through a Door into Rileyās world would introduce me to so many amazing curiosities, like pizza and burritos! Oh, and a pesky human who really should recognize that Iām a god of war and loveāemphasis on the love.
But thereās more to Riley than meets the eye; why else would their special forces place me with a man who can borrow magic from others? My attempts to woo this mystifying human are thwarted at every turn (I doubt that has anything to do with me tossing him on a horse or taking over his bed).
As Riley and I grow closer, I realize that he might be the very person needed to save this realmā¦ because what is coming for them is beyond anything they can comprehendā¦ one even worse than the atrocity called an āescalator.ā
Fractured Doors and Forgotten Gods is the first book in a series that has a continuing storyline.
June 2, 2026
Accessibility
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Language
āEnglish
File size
5.3 MB
Screen Reader
Supported
Enhanced typesetting
Enabled
X-Ray
Not Enabled
Word Wise
Enabled
Print length
364 pages
Page Flip
Enabled
Book 1 of 2
