Tag: multiple POV

Review: An Archer’s Awakening (Of Crowns & Quills Book 1) by Casey Morales

Rating: 3🌈

I picked up An Archer’s Awakening because of that fabulous cover and interesting description. Morales is also a author I’ve never read before.

What I found was a story that has strong themes, great characters, and wonderful potential for the storyline. So why not a higher rating?

The format. Unfortunately Morales undermines what’s best about his story, everything that connects the reader to his characters and their situations by his choices with his narrative.

To begin with the author has multiple points of view which only serve to muddle the various characters and our connections to them. Some of these are honestly secondary cast people who get chapters, like two who get assigned as the POV only to “vanish”, and later be described as an object of their mission. They’re here, disrupting the flow of the narrative and then gone. Literally.

That’s the main issue. It’s a chopped up story. I’m not sure how many books Morales intends for his series but the titles for books one and two are about The Archer. Not 7 or 8 other people. So make it about the Archer.

However it’s as though Morales can’t decide which direction he’s going in this story . So he begins with his two main characters. They truly are the main couple and have the most depth, the relatability of their dynamic. That’s Ranger DeClan Rea (cadet when we meet him) and noble born, fellow Ranger, Ayden. We follow them through training ,through individual exploration of romantic feelings and self worth, and a mystical experience in the mountains. All of which is abruptly, jarringly, stopped by a sudden change in direction.

For no apparent reason we are reading a different story. We get a new set of characters, narrators, new location, and a whole new set of plots about them, an interesting investigation, and yes, one of them turns out to be the mage brother of Ranger DeClan. It’s time for us to forget about that couple and their growing relationship and mystery and now focus entirely on someone else. It’s the brother Mage Keelan and his group now.

Then their section is abruptly ended. And it’s a Princess and King and a Sheriff’s son. And so on.

Frustrating? Absolutely. And this is only the beginning of this questionable process.

Any sort of logical process or narrative flow that allows a reader to follow freely the themes as they thread through the story or any important element or plot lines is almost impossible. It’s too jumbled.

And by extension, taking away from the main characters voices and storylines to squeeze in a perspective from a person that, in my opinion, isn’t necessary, lessens the impact and connectivity on the reader.

Just as we start to care about these characters and their lives and futures, Morales comes up with more strange ways to make less sense and divide our attention.

Towards the end of the book, the author finally brings two of his separate pieces together and the mage brother Kellan is reunited with his Ranger brother DeClan. The story is working in a manner it could have been all along. And it’s terrific. The mysteries are being revealed, investigations started. The book is dynamic and the relationships are revealing hidden depths of information and emotions.

Of course, it can’t stay true to course. Now that it’s working. Let’s go back to separating everything and everyone in a nonsensical manner.

There’s so much more here that I haven’t begun to address. There’s a prologue that sets down a magical threat and future events that involve a prophecy (gods involved of course). That pops up in the middle of the book in a character that had no previous voice so it really adds to the confusion. And there’s a character that everyone can identify as a “villain” without having a V stamped on him. He’s that guy.

So yes, among the fine characters, great scenes, and remarkable moments, there’s just too many overwhelmingly strange writing choices Morales made here that derail the narrative momentum, remove the reader from their connection to the characters and plot, and halt the flow of the storytelling.

Will I read the next book in the series? Yes. Hopefully the author will have abandoned the many pov , multiple sections format that he employed so disastrously here. A great editor helps with this.

Great cover. It did its job and got me to read the book.

Of Crowns and Quills:

◦ An Archer’s Awakening #1

◦ An Archer’s Destiny #2- July 31,2024

Buy link:

An Archer’s Awakening: An epic m/m fantasy romance adventure (Of Crowns & Quills Book 1)

Blurb:

Two Brothers. One Gift. A World on the Brink of Disaster.

In a world where most wield a Gift, Ranger cadet Declan Rea grapples with his lack of magic’s touch. His ungifted status breeds tension with his brother, Keelan, and fuels deep-seated insecurities.

Amidst his struggles, Declan finds solace and strength in a budding romance with fellow cadet, Ayden.

When a shadowy threat rises, and an ancient cult threatens to resurrect a long-forgotten queen, the world is plunged into chaos. Kidnappings and whispers of impending catastrophe set the stage for a showdown of epic proportions, where alliances are forged and loyalties tested.

As Keelan investigates, Declan and Ayden’s burgeoning romance faces the shadowy threat, as they navigate treacherous paths of betrayal and uncertainty.

Amidst the chaos, love becomes their guiding light.

Declan and Ayden uncover secrets of the past and within themselves, confronting their destinies and realizing that true courage lies not in the heat of battle, but in the quiet moments shared between two souls bound by an unbreakable connection.

Perfect for contemporary and fantasy mm romance fans alike, An Archer’s Awakening promises a heartwarming, slow burn, enemies-to-lovers story wrapped in a riveting adventure. From heart-stopping intrigue to tender moments, this story captivates with its blend of romance and peril.

Immerse yourself today in a world where love conquers all and heroes rise to meet their destiny.

Review: Dark Water : A Gay Mystery (Daniel Owen Welsh Mysteries Book 2) by Ripley Hayes

Rating: 3🌈

Dark Water is a mystery novel that , upon reading it, engenders as many conflicting feelings as it has elements to its story.

I like the author, Hayes’ ability to bury ,within the narrative, a deep understanding of the Welsh language, culture, and the issues that have arisen throughout the towns and villages.

Tragically, with a dark presence that’s almost poetic, Hayes incorporates the damage that industry and climate change has wrought upon the landscape and the lives. It’s in the near constant rains, flooding that pours over everything, seeping wetly in every section of their lives. You can feel the dampness, and mold, and decay coming off the pages and imagine the despair that some of the people might feel.

The descriptions, the verbiage, the backgrounds, the locations, the mysteries, and the perfection that is the town’s policeman Daniel Owen’s, for which English is his second language, that’s the strengths of the series and this story.

Unfortunately it’s paired with some other aspects that , imo, work against the most connectable and well written parts of this story.

First would be the multiple points of view here that the author has chosen to use . Sometimes this works well for a novel, especially when the voices are incredibly distinct. But here? They tend to muddle the forward momentum of the storytelling, when the reader has to struggle to understand or remember who exactly a narrator is.

There’s too many people talking. They aren’t either defined clearly enough to care about them that they’re memorable, if they’re a sort of main character like Raven, then they’re so chatty in a bad way that instead of making them interesting, they come across as self indulgent drug dealing narcissists. Teenager or not, that’s not a voice I want to spend time with. Raven is a not.

And then we have Veronica. Who’s Veronica? Oh right , after some back reading. That’s not a good thing.

Then there’s Maldwyn Kent . He was the DCI in the last story where he and Daniel started a relationship I didn’t believe in. Then they left to return to their respective careers.

Now in a act that defied every Mal had told Daniel in the past, he arrives In Daniel’s home town, where Daniel’s been acting DCI, takes Daniel’s long awaited promotion for himself, without prior notice to Daniel who he ghosted after the events of the last book. Kent’s been vocal about his dislike of the Welsh language which is the default language of the village he’s now the DCI of. Mal Kent is also been outspoken about his desire to return to London, getting away from Wales as quickly as possible.

Now in this story, he is quick to initiate a push/pull attitude or relationship with Daniel that raises huge flags.

Kent’s dismisses Daniel’s ideas, tells him to speak English (what a clear message to the village and Daniel that amounts to bigotry), then insists Damien not call him “Sir” as though they were still intimate. Flag, flag, flag.

This clear disrespect of Daniel’s police acumen, even though he’s been a police officer a long time and knows this village intimately, is remarkable. Especially in the the author seems to think we should disregard this attitude when it comes to their romance.

We get little in the way of a romantic journey here. Anything that might bring us over is done “off page “. They had lunches or dinners together, that had happy conversations. Oh joy.

Does that help the reader understand what Daniel sees in a non communicative, dismissive, high handed guy whose suits is papered over with flags? No, it does not. Other than how good looking Mal is.

How small is the dating pool over there ? Plus there’s the moment Daniel sleeps with a good friend. That felt more real than anything with Mal, to be honest.

Then there’s his sister who’s all you’re so adorable together. Really? When. Because it’s not here on the page. It makes zero sense.

Most won’t like the mystery either. It wasn’t fully formed, and resolved. Too many holes, too many gaps in the plot threads surrounding this element.

And the ending is a mess.

Dark Water is totally different from Undermined. Different style, different number of personalities and perspectives, muddy plotting. And the relationship between Daniel and Mal just went from mediocre to why is a great guy having a relationship with the man buried under a mountain of red flags.

I’ll continue on if only for Daniel and the locals in his village. Mal Kent? No.

Daniel Owen Welsh Mysteries:

✓ Undermined #1

✓ Dark Water #2

◦ Leavings #3

◦ A Man #4

◦ Too Many Fires #5

◦ An Allotment of Time #6

◦ A Teachable Moment #7

Buy Link:

Dark Water: A Gay Mystery (Daniel Owen Welsh Mysteries Book 2)

Description:

It’s not a good Monday for DI Daniel Owen.

A body in a wheelie bin. Missing teenagers. His ex turning up as his new boss.

A secretive teenager, a nosy secretary, an idealistic social worker, and a dodgy fruit and veg salesman all have pieces of the jigsaw. If Daniel and Maldwyn can trust each other again, they can put the pieces together.

But time is running out, and at least one child’s life is in danger. It’s been raining for weeks, and the flood waters are rising, threatening to engulf them all.