The Time of the Singing

The Time of the Singing

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3.96 of 5 stars 3.96  ·  rating details  ·  67 ratings  ·  23 reviews
Raised by devout parents, Israfel Vacek is a teenager before he realizes he may be turning into someone his parents would shun. When he confesses his fears to his brother, Michael suggests Raf might be able to save himself if he joins the clergy.

Though Raf is well-suited to the clerical life, enjoying the piety of his parishioners, his homosexual desires don't go away. Sti...more
ebook, 195 pages
Published November 11th 2011 by Dreamspinner Press LLC (first published November 10th 2011)

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Lauraadriana
I'm going to forgo the ratings this time, and just write my thoughts on this book.

This book had an identity crisis, or at least that is what it felt like to me. I know that given the premise there must have been a point to be made. I just either didn't see it, or just didn't get it.

I'll explain. Israfel Vaceck is gay, he knows he's gay. He's also a devout Catholic, as a way of coping with his sexual preferences he goes into the priesthood. Hoping that the vow of celibacy and "life given to GOD"...more
Vio
I'm surprised at how much I liked this story about Raf and Nate it was confronting and somewhat uncomfortable but it challenged me to rethink some of my beliefs and opinions about what's wrong and right, not everything is black and white. I am so glad I gave it a chance it really was a very interesting and thought provoking read.

I actually thought the age gap would bother me more but it didn't, Nate came across as mature and cocky he knew what he wanted and that was Raf and nothing was going to...more
T.A. Webb
Israfel Vacek, at an early age, learned he was different. Reserved even as a kid, with a love of learning and books and dead languages. Introspective. Attracted to other boys. His twin brother Micheal, athletic and outgoing, straight, the perfect son. When Michael discovers his twin's "perversion", worried for his soul, he sets in motion a series of events that leads to Israfel's joining the priesthood. After all, it's not a sin to be gay, just to act on it, so Rafe will be safe there, learning...more
Nikyta
4.5 stars

I have to give Ms. Blaydon credit for writing about a priest and having the book so heavily placed inside the religious community. There are a lot of readers out there who won't even touch a book with religion in it because of their own preferences. Me, I'm not religious at all and because of that I don't read a lot of m/m books with religion. I gave this book a chance because I liked the cover. Yes, I am shallow like that. ;-P

I was actually shocked at how much I enjoyed the story. The...more
Alina
This book hits several of my major kinks: underage sex, sex with a priest - I understand that it's not for everyone, but I'm not gonna lie, I picked this book up because of it. And I was pleasantly surprised to see it's such a great read. I'd really recommend for those who find these themes objectionable still give this story a chance, since it's not 'kinky' in the slightest and both controversial issues - priesthood and underage - were handled with amazing tact and skill.
Great story!
Sara
Ever since I as a little girl watched the tv-narration of The Thornbirds in the 80's I've had a thing for romances involving catholic priests, so when I stumbled across this I just had to read it. And I'm glad I took a chance despite that it's told in present tense (something I usually steer clear of, because it's often just plain annoying). It took some time getting used to, but ultimately I think it worked, for me at least, thanks to the story and it's characters.

That this is a love story betw...more
Octobercountry
Disclaimer: I feel that I should note, because of the ongoing scandal and corruption in the Catholic church, that this book does NOT feature a situation that is abusive in any way, nor is the relationship depicted here in any way illegal. Oh, in the early stages this romance is ill-advised, certainly! But it's not against the law.

With that out of the way, the first thing that came to mind as I started this book was, wait a moment, this seems terribly familiar... Sure enough, the plot of this nov...more
Penny Wilder
Penny’s Rating: C+

Even as I start this review, I am still conflicted about this book. There were parts of it that made me uncomfortable. I really liked it, and one of the reasons I enjoyed it so much is because it wasn’t easy to like. It pushed my boundaries, and really made me re-examine some of my own opinions, especially my opinions regarding what I do and do not consider to be consensual sex.

Israfel (Raf) is a 29 year old Catholic priest. He knows he is attracted to men, but he considers his...more
Kate McMurray
4.5 stars. Ms. Blaydon is a new-to-me writer, but this book was definitely a pleasant surprise. It's told in present tense, which is a little weird, but the prose is lovely, and the present tense lends some immediacy to Israfel's crisis of faith. Israfel's faith is also not treated lightly, and he genuinely struggles to reconcile what he believes with what he feels; this part of the story is the most compelling.

What keeps the story from earning all of the fifth star are two things (mild spoiler...more
Anna Matsuyama
Aug 25, 2012 Anna Matsuyama rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: these who like contemporary m/m romance
Recommended to Anna by: Hatteress
It’s strange to know someone who knows the darkness in him, and is not repulsed by it.

I have grown up. When years ago I read Ragana un lietus where one of main heroines have love affair with priest I was shocked and scandalised. Now I understand that priests are humans too. Life is complex.

This is such beautiful and well told love and acceptance story. I might have crush on Israfel.

Israfel Vacek (29) as young teenager was lead to believe by his twin brother, parents and therapy sessions "tha...more
♥Laddie♥
This book is really hard for me to rate. The stars are mostly given for two reasons.

1.)Israfel's struggle to understand and come to terms with himself and his role as a priest was well done. I believed in his anguish and confusion. I could envision him praying desperately for guidence, a sign, some answers, something.

2.) The book is written in third person present tense and that, like Israfel's struggle, was done well. It was interesting to read a whole book in that tense. At no point did I find...more
Feliz
4.75 rounded up to 5. An intense read; a full 4-courses menu rather than a snack.
First of all, a warning: this book features a twenty-nine-year old character having on-page sex with a seventeen-year-old. It’s totally consensual and tastefully done but it’s also graphic and detailed. Readers who are adverse to this kind of thing might want to stop here and avoid this book altogether.

Israfel grew up in a conservative, very religious Catholic family. Unlike his outgoing, athletic brother Michael,...more
Alex
Overall
For people who get squimish about age differences in stories, be aware that the leading males are 17 and 29. Seventeen is the age of consent in the state where the story takes place, so nothing illegal is going on.

This is a very different novel and a very different romance. While it is indeed a romance, the religious themes and Raf's struggles are almost more central to the story. Of course, if it weren't for the romance in the novel, Raf's struggles wouldn't be revealed, so the two go ha...more
Jackie Mckenzie
I really liked this book, and no, I don't have a problem with the age difference thing. Nate was 17, almost 18, and it was stated in the book that the state law for consent was 17, so really a non-issue. I felt bad for Raf having his best friend, his TWIN telling him he is sick and twisted and he needed to be "cured". It was a great journey of discovery for Raf. Sometimes he did sound like a whiny brat, but I think me was dealing with emotions and feelings he should have dealt with when he was y...more
Lasha
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Reggie
If you want to read a book with this theme, read A Hole in God's Pocket by K.Z. Snow or Born Again by Alex Whitehall. Both of these stories deal with the subject matter with depth, clarity and maturity.

I had no trouble with the theme- clergy re-evaluates calling to celibacy. What I had a problem with is- Authority figure working out sexual identity with young hormonally charged person- Not wise or appealing to me.

This book tried to make an issue of gay and celibate vs het and celibate. It was fo...more
Sue
This is a sensitive handling of a very tricky subject, and Louise Blaydon manages to bring her MC, Israfel, to peace and happiness at the end. I especially admired that she managed to make him content with his sexuality, through new understandings of the message of Jesus.
Although not a religious person, I really enjoyed the journey the pair, Israfel and Nate, had to undertake.
A thoughtful, yet romantic and hot book.
Nivalis
May 14, 2013 Nivalis marked it as no-thanks
Fanfic turned "Original".

This book was originally written as a Supernatural (Dean/Castiel) fanfic titled "The Voice Of The Turtledove".

Summary: "Castiel was eleven years old when he first felt there was something wrong with him. He’s twenty-nine, a Roman Catholic priest in a small New England village, before Dean Winchester shows him that there isn’t."
Valentina Heart
Nov 19, 2011 Valentina Heart rated it 4 of 5 stars
Recommended to Valentina by: Nikyta
Shelves: glbt
3.5 stars. I kind of like the last chapter so I'm rating it with 4.
Snuffles
Close to five stars though ;)
Heather C
Nov 16, 2011 Heather C marked it as i-dont-think-so
Priest and underage sex
Chelsey
Love love love love love love love love love. Without question my favorite book of the m/m genre EVER. So well written, so beautiful. I've read it twice since the initial reading and love it even more.
Katie
May 19, 2013 Katie marked it as to-read
River
May 17, 2013 River marked it as to-read
Kate Aaron
May 13, 2013 Kate Aaron marked it as to-read
Tina A
May 13, 2013 Tina A marked it as to-read
Shelves: wish-list, shan
Bridget R.
May 11, 2013 Bridget R. marked it as to-read
Ashlee
May 07, 2013 Ashlee added it
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Dreamspinner Press: The Time of the Singing by Louise Blaydon 1 7 Nov 11, 2011 06:20am  
The Time of the Singing (Kindle Edition)
The Time of the Singing (Paperback)
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Louise Blaydon is a writer, specialising primarily in the m/m romance genre. Her interests are esoteric and changeable, and range from linguistic archaeology to modernist poetry; long walks in the cold to lazy drunken evenings; kicking up leaves to sleeping curled up around the cat. Louise has been writing for as long as she can remember, and penned her first half-formed m/m story at the age of ei...more
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“Israfel has long been a house of cards, and he has been disturbed. He can feel his supports collapsing, day by day.” 1 person liked it
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