Heather’s Bookshelf: Three Shades
Author: JD Grubb
Released: 04/02/23
Genre: Adult Fantasy
“Having spoken long with Raez, I believe our futures are intertwined—yours, his, and mine. Forces beyond ourselves have brought us together.”
“Three Shades” is separated into 3 main sections and POVs: Ashe, Raez, and Thian all experiencing the same events in their own voices. Each has their own perception about what happens as well as their own backgrounds that lead to what occurs.
Ashe, a Sky Rider, along with Lüfet, an Erïeth (rare eagle-like bird), are called to help capture an Erog. When things go terribly wrong, Ashe is left to deal with the repercussions, but her heart and her head are in different places.
Raez is an Erog sage who’s tired of fighting for the sake of survival. After losing a couple of his friends in battle, he and his black vulture, Ornithez, seek something more while falling into the familiar.
Thian’s POV is that of a spirit . He believes that he, Ashe, and Raez are destined to not only meet, but have a profound effect on all of those around them.
Trigger Warning: violence, animal death
Overall, I enjoyed this story and liked the structure of it. Ashe’s section put me through it. It starts out intriguing, then moves to inspiring, and ends up heartbreaking. And that’s the first POV! Although the POVs delve into the same events, the author weaves the sections together so nicely that it does not seem repetitive. However, I thought the first two POVs were much more clear and relatable than Thian’s. Ashe was by far my favorite character. I found her background complex and her emotional journey relatable. I also enjoyed the beginnings of chapters where the main character was coming out of a dream. I found they provided insight into the characters pasts, dreams, and fears in a nice way. The author does a nice job in also building a fantasy world in a way that does not seem repetitive or overdone. I felt as though I could see the world and easily fill in blanks to see the rest. I was expecting more of a wrap up or some kind of finality at the end of the story, especially the way it was structured, and I just didn’t feel like I got it. I would suspect the author is leaving it open for a sequel? If so, I hope Ashe gets a key role!
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
I checked this story out on a combination of audio and e-book. The audiobook was complementary to the story with smooth and clear voices highlighting the tale. One of the narrators is the author and he does a great job!
OVERALL REVIEW:
Three POVs of the same event highlight this fantasy. An open ending and a less impressive third POV fall a little short of the rest of the story.
Want to learn more about the author?
Check out my interview with JD Grubb
Interested in checking out the book for yourself?
Find it for purchase here or Audible
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