Ruinous Return, Book 1

By: SerasStreams

Narrated by: Hannah Trusty

The price for saving the world is the right to rule it.

After saving a faraway world, Lyn Rivers was cast back to Earth. Wanting the admiration, prestige, and glory of saving that world, she forced her way back.

But she was forgotten, and someone else claimed credit for her deeds.

Now, with the power of a deity of destruction, she desires nothing more than to claim her place in history. To do that she will conquer dungeons, make alliances, destroy kingdoms, and build an empire.

After all, why ruin the world when you can bend it to your will?

©2025 SerasStreams (P)2025 Royal Guard Publishing LLC

Fun read - a few content warnings

I really enjoyed the prose and the plot! The characters feel fully developed and their voices fit.

I would just note that there are some descriptions of abuse and recollections of the same that could be pretty triggering for some. Not a criticism, just an fyi.

not fun to listen to

get rid off the ptsd and the staker it's not at all fun to listen to

Ok

This could have been great, but fell short. Mostly because every single "hero" is messed up. Only two are somewhat normal, but talk about having PTSD. and having to work hard to get better. No matter the amount of crap they went through, or how many of them had preexisting conditions, there would be some that make it through without crippling mental trauma. It's just too extreme in the, everyone's messed up, direction to make sense to me. I get it your trying to be more "real", but you went too far the other way.

Overall great but...

So it is definitely worth the credit, but it has some major issues. Namely, ALL the hero's that aren't evil incarnate have CRIPPLING ptsd, and aside from that nit being how people work it also give me the vibe that the author thinks that extremely bad ptsd is a requirement for someone who has seen a lot of violence.
ps: that cliffhanger was cruel

Fun Shorter Anime

Japan is coming out with a lot more lit RPG genre where a person becomes issakide.
this one is a more United States version. I do feel that the ones that come from Japan can go around in circles and sometimes become too long. this book is exciting and gets to the point a lot faster.
it's annoying. how traditional isakai ones were the main character becomes so undecisive or timid. this main character is not that. it's a refreshing change of pace.

beating the reader over the head with a clue by four

If you've ever seen the "subtle foreshadowing" meme, the author has roughly that level of ability to tease the future. The story feels bland, MC is overpowered except for when the plot says nah, there's no build up, everything is just there. Every character is 30+ but 90% of the time they act like they are 15 with their desires and driving motivations, and have similar critical thinking skills. Even the parts that are supposed to feel dark or adult in this book fall flat, any gore and torture is done off screen, the mentions of sex are bland and basic, and the trauma is shallow, angsty, and dull.

can't tolerate the "heroes" constantly crying about their memories.

the story is incredibly boring. lies and secrets to keep their power as heroes, sex and drugs to avoid dealing with trauma.

I'm half way through and can't finish. save the credit.