Blake R. Wolfe

Tim is dumped by his girlfriend, Jennifer, before the office's Christmas party. He starts drinking heavily. His intern, Jax, tries to stop him from getting drunker but Tim is not having that. He grabs Jax and takes him to his office where he offers Jax the place of Jennifer. The next morning Tim is hungover and trying to remember what happened at the party. He is suspended from his job as CEO. Jax decides to take Tim's offer. Both know they will not fall in love. But emotions and intellect do not always match. Then Jennifer returns saying she will marry Tim. What will happen with the feelings beginning between Tim and Jax? Where does Jennifer fit?

I enjoyed this story. Tim is a jerk, right from the start. Jax is trying hard to please Tim at work. Tim finds fault constantly. Jax is looking at the money Tim offered him. He knows it will pay off his student loans. I understand Jax's reasoning. I liked how Jax stood up to Tim every time Tim did or said something inappropriate. Jax and Tim both gave as good as they got. I loved when Jax realized he was developing feelings for Tim and set out to stop them. Tim was happy to oblige. Both walked away from that encounter with neither one winning. Then when Jennifer (the gold digger) walks back into Tim's place, Jax runs. I understand perfectly. I was glad that Cliff, Tim's BFF, tells him to straighten it out with Jax. He does not mince his words.

I liked Dave, Tim's CFO. He also tells Tim how it is but not as rawly as Jax does. Tim gives advice to Dave, as Dave is going through a divorce. The advice is to go after what will make you happy. Tim finally takes his own advice. I was happy it all worked out. I loved Jax's dad's reaction.

I cannot wait to dive into the next book.… (mehr)

Bryce is Cliff's son's best friend. He sees that Elliot, his friend, gets back to college after a party that Bryce will need to clean up after as he is also their pool boy. When Bryce is cleaning up the mess from the party and the pool, Bryce hears noises in the house and goes to investigate. He finds Cliff drunk and helps him to bed. While Cliff has always treated Bryce like a son, the booze has loosened his tongue and behavior. Bryce had a crush on Cliff since he was a teen and discovered he was gay so he's not sure how to take Cliff's actions. It is several days before the truth comes out. When it does, will Bryce leave? Will Bryce and Cliff see where it goes? Will they have a future, or will there be too many people against them?

I loved this book. I loved Bryce. He was so mature. He took care of his mother putting aside his dreams. I liked Cliff and his diffidence about him and Bryce. I liked when Elliot has to come home to see to his dad and lets the truth out about his mother. And I loved when Cliff has to face his truth and make it right with Bryce. I loved how Bryce's mother was all Mama Bear with both Cliff and Elliot. She did not mince words. She let them have it with both barrels.

This story had it all--even a villain of an ex-wife, who I hope Cliff takes back to court to get back some of what she took based on Elliot's story.

I look forward to the rest of the series.… (mehr)

This review is also featured on Behind the Pages: The Crystal Archivist

Dusk has escaped the Circle of the Dawn. Or so he thinks. As he, Tara, and Lex continue their journey to Emerald Deep, they will encounter many challenges. Dusk’s road to freedom is plagued by monstrous beasts and deceptive enemies. And just when he thinks the worst is over, a new threat arises. Dusk will soon learn he can never let his guard down.

I absolutely love Dusk’s character. His appreciation for experiencing something as simple as fishing is so uplifting. He is trying to live his best life even if he is on the run. And the conflict within him is so well written. He wants to trust people and help anyone he can, but there are some hard lessons for him to learn in The Crystal Archivist. I can only hope he hasn’t learned too late.

With this addition to The Crystalline Chronicles, the plot is not played as safe. The characters end up in many more situations where the give and take of battle are better balanced. I appreciated this shift in the conflict. I did find some characters dropped into the background in this one. And while I can see this happening from Dusk’s point of view it felt a bit too abrupt. I wanted a few more tense moments of conversation and body language to gradually build up this plot point.

Regardless, I still enjoyed this story. Watching Dusk evolve as a character is as heartwarming as it is terrifying to see what trouble he can get into. At times I wanted to yell at him for his decisions, but ultimately he just doesn’t know any better yet. I cannot wait to see what happens in the next book and how much more Dusk will develop.… (mehr)

This review is also featured on Behind the Pages: The Crystal Eye

For ten years Dusk has toiled away in the mines. His thoughts of freedom and escape long beaten out of him. When he discovers a hidden cavern in the mines, his life has the chance to change. Daring to take a gem from the bones of a long dead dragon, he hides his prize from the slave masters who would take it away. And when the next chance for escape arises, he finds a new sense of hope and seizes the moment. Dusk must choose who he trusts wisely as he pursues a life of freedom. His path will be plagued by dark encounters and powers he never imagined existed.

While it has a slow start, as the plot progresses, The Crystal Eye reveals itself to be a solid fantasy novel. The world-building and lore are framed as stories and children’s tales told to Dusk by a fellow character named Lex. But have no fear, there are no large bouts of exposition. Blake R. Wolfe keeps the stories contained as easy to understand pieces and Dusk’s enthusiasm to learn more about the world makes it all the more entertaining. He constantly questions the information he takes in. Dusk has such a thirst for life, it’s hard not to smile at his wide-eyed view of the world, learning all he can.

There are some points where the rising action and resulting conflicts didn’t quite line up. Specifically, in the earlier chapters, I wanted to see Lex and Dusk struggle more in their journey. I feel like some parts were played a bit safe, and could have built up the intensity. However, stick with it. The latter half of the book picks up in intensity and I have a feeling book two is going to be even better.

That being said, I’m a big fan of stories where characters reach their lowest points and struggle to make their life better. The Crystal Eye is the perfect example of such a story. Dusk has a lot to learn on the road. Watching him grow confident in himself and his abilities was rewarding. I truly enjoyed the character development and watching Dusk learn the complications that come with forging a friendship. I can’t wait to see what is in store for the characters next.… (mehr)