Regina Reviews: An Archer's Awakening, Of Crowns and Quills Book 1 by Casey Morales

Blurb:

A new love awakens. Dark forces stir, as the world stands on the brink of war.

My name is Declan Rea. I am a second-year cadet at the Melucian Ranger Academy, the place where those who guard our border are trained.

I thought becoming a Ranger and attending the Academy in a remote village far from the capital would give me some direction and a bit of peace; but, in a world where everyone wields magic, I'm the odd one out—ungifted and unsure.

My lack of magic gnaws at me.

Amidst this struggle, I find unexpected solace in Ayden, a fellow cadet. Our unexpected, forbidden romance becomes the one bright spot in my life.

When mysterious kidnappings occur and whispers of disaster force us into a dangerous journey, Ayden and I must navigate a treacherous path.

The fate of our world hangs in the balance.

An Archer’s Awakening promises an exciting, classic epic fantasy adventure wrapped in a heartwarming, slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers tale for fans of contemporary and fantasy mm romance.

This series is perfect for both epic fantasy and mm romance fans.

Review:

Declan Rea comes from a culture where most people have some sort of paranormal or psychic gift. When Declan's gift never appears he moves away from the capital, his brother, and the mages who raised them, to attend the Melucian Ranger Academy and become part of Melucia's border patrol. The fact that he never received a gift eats away at him, making him bitter. 

Ayden Byrne comes from a Saltmarsh aristocratic family and has never wanted for anything. He asked to be transferred from the Ranger Academy in Saltmarsh to the Melucian Ranger Academy because he wanted to be certain he received true training and not special treatment because of who his family is. Like Declan he is "mute" which is what they call the ungifted.

When Declan first sees Ayden he thinks he's just a stuck up aristocratic snot and wants nothing to do with him, though he thinks he's handsome. Unfortunately for Declan, Ayden turns up everywhere including on their second year trial. Declan is less than enthused when their superiors pair him up with Ayden. But in spite of his misgivings, Ayden turns out to be a relatively good partner, aside from the fact he really doesn't know how to walk quietly in the woods. While Declan and Ayden are working on their second year trial, they encounter brown robed men who attack them when they try to help a woman who has obviously been taken against her will by them. While they are both worried about the woman, they must complete their trial in order to graduate and decide they'll report what they saw when they return. It doesn't take long to realize there is something ominous going on with regards to the brown robed men who call themselves "children." While Declan and Ayden navigate their relationship which improves as time goes on, the underlying question of what is really going on is on everyone's mind.

This story was very difficult for me to get through, honestly. I had never read an epic fantasy novel before this and didn't realize there were going to be so many POV's. It made it very difficult for me to keep track of everyone. I found myself writing down the character's names and where they fit in the story but for me having to take notes just to keep up, instead of reading for pleasure, spoiled the experience. Ms. Morales is clearly a gifted writer, the detailed scenes, descriptions, world building, relationships and dialogue were all wonderful. I just couldn't get past the multiple POV's. So, now I know epic fantasy is not the genre for me. However, if you enjoy reading epic fantasy and love LGBTQ+ characters then you will enjoy this book.