Blake R. Wolfe

This was another two-nighter. This was so packed with feeling and emotion, so well written, I don’t know where to start.
I had read Blake R. Wolfe’s first book which were a series of interlocking suspense stories about a creature stalking some waterfront towns called Lake Arcadia, but this novel, Jonathan’s Letter, is a completely different genre. While I loved the fun thriller writing of his 1st book, I was blown away with the emotional depth of his writing in this one.
The novel show more follows a group of 4 friends from preteens, through high school, college and marriage and divorce. It skips through time periods, but the chapters always are dated to keep it flowing well. Interwoven are letters from the narrator, Ryan, to his friend Jonathan who he’s nicknamed Kit. While some of the scenes play out like an SE Hinton novel, or Stand By Me, with both fun times of friends growing up and their bonds, but also some very heavy scenes involving abuse, addiction, assault, depression and homophobia. The author is really able to weave a compelling narrative throughout a difficult and realistic set of circumstances the characters face. It shows the good, bad and very secretive ugly that many people cover up in their lives. Our protagonist goes through his journey in a way that you feel a fully fleshed out character and root for him to overcome his hurdles. It’s also hopeful in the way it deals with self acceptance and love. This is a book that I know will stay in my heart and mind for some time to come. I highly recommended this one. show less

I really enjoyed this book of interlocking stories set around Lake Arcadia where mysterious disappearances and deaths are taking place during the Spring, Summer and Fall. Each tale tells the story of a character that has an encounter with the lurking lake creature. And some characters intertwine between stories.
The author does a wonderful job pulling these narratives together. Each story is a piece of a larger puzzle. He also writes wonderfully descriptive characters you can easily root for show more whether they survive the creature or meet their demise. The tension and dread are absolutely palpable. Thriller fans will be glad to spend an evening curled up with Lake Arcadia.
Hopefully, we’ll see more of this genre from this excellent writer. show less

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 show more 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. show less

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 show more 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. show less