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Zeph's Awakening
Zeph is a deeply closeted high school student who is much better at dealing with academics than he is with his fellow students. When two jocks who normally ignore him invite him to a party at the lake, he knows something is wrong. They don't take no for an answer and soon Zeph is in much deeper water than he can deal with - literally. He realizes it is time to make some changes when Charles comes to the rescue...
13 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2011
5 people are currently reading
92 people want to read
About the author
Serena Yates
104 books769 followersI’m a night owl and start writing when everyone else in my time zone is asleep. I’ve loved reading all my life and spent most of my childhood with my nose buried in a book. Although I always wanted to be a writer, financial independence came first. Twenty-some years and a successful business career later I took some online writing classes and never looked back.
Living and working in eight countries has taught me that there is more than one way to get things done. It has instilled tremendous respect for the many different cultures, beliefs, attitudes, and preferences that exist on our planet.
I like exploring those differences in my stories, most of which happen to be romances. My characters have a tendency to want to do their own thing, so I often have to rein them back in. The one thing we all agree on is the desire for a happy ending.
I currently live in Canada, sharing my house with a vast collection of books. I like reading, traveling, spending time with my nieces and listening to classical music. I have a passion for science and learning new languages.
Living and working in eight countries has taught me that there is more than one way to get things done. It has instilled tremendous respect for the many different cultures, beliefs, attitudes, and preferences that exist on our planet.
I like exploring those differences in my stories, most of which happen to be romances. My characters have a tendency to want to do their own thing, so I often have to rein them back in. The one thing we all agree on is the desire for a happy ending.
I currently live in Canada, sharing my house with a vast collection of books. I like reading, traveling, spending time with my nieces and listening to classical music. I have a passion for science and learning new languages.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
April 8, 2015
I liked the writing style, but sadly the "romance" was rushed and undeveloped.
October 27, 2015
I'm sorry, Ms. Yates, I don't want to be mean. I appreciate your dedication to writing and the time and energy you put into providing this free read. I don't give low ratings very often, but I really didn't like this. It hit some buttons for me, though, so take my opinion with a grain of salt. I am still interested in reading one of your other stories.
Anyone have any recommendations? Let me know after you read this review so you know what I didn't like.
My review: If this were written by someone very new to writing, I would think it good. It has that same sort of naivete and simplistic, forthright and guileless story-telling that most of us start out with. The language was clear and concise, and better than the majority of people can write. It was clear what the author was trying to say at every moment. The word usage, grammar, and the writing style were all very good. And she didn't overuse the thesaurus, the trap a lot of writers fall into. So I think she's capable of much better than this one. Maybe her other books are good. Maybe this one was just rushed. I know this year the amount of time given to authors was very short.
It even started off pretty well. The first couple of paragraphs felt awkward, but then it got into a groove and I could imagine a 3 star rating. But then it just went all wonky. There was so much that was important that was left out I was like, "Er, what?" At no time did either the MC or the love interest bring up being gay to the other or suspected or questioned it in their heads before they started to touch each other. I mean not even the "he was giving me this look that I knew meant he was interested" or "I could tell he was into guys..." There was no sexual tension, no foreplay, just, "Hi, I'm touching you now and I didn't even ask or hint to you that I wanted to," kind of thing.
This was not a romance at all because there was no time to have one. 30 seconds after they meet one is already being held tightly by the other. a few minutes after that, one was in the shower turned on. a few minutes after that they were doing the equivalent of a backroom flyby.
This wasn't even erotica because the sex was really minor and short. Even after
I hate age differences and one between a tiny little 18-yr-old high school virgin who looks 16, and is innocent as anything, and a nearly 30-yr-old experienced Porsche owner is disturbing. I was thoroughly creeped out. Alert: teenage boys do not act like do they act like men. Nor do they act like teenage girls. The protagonist acted like, thought like, even sort of looked like a girl. No way was this written by a man. But it didn't even fit the tired old het romance tropes, either. It wasn't that detailed.
The plot was ages old and not executed well: Teenage boys treat gay kid like scum, even though they don't even suspect he's gay. They invite him to go away for the weekend with them. He goes only to make sure they don't wake up his mom because she needs her sleep. He just thinks it will suck and doesn't think about the dangers. Hasn't he watched any TV or high school movies in the past decade?
Everything was so obvious I felt like I was reading billboards. The jocks do something to him of course. But they don't stick around to see what happens. They just do the thing and then take off. They don't wait around to laugh. They don't prank him more by taking his keys or slashing his tires. Once he is in the middle of what they do (which takes only a few seconds), they're gone and they're never brought up again. That thread just stops and basically the story just stops shortly thereafter, too.
There was no explanation even hinted at for why The story ended right after See? No time for anything to develop. It was like "here's the story, look at that pretty man, here's a lukewarm erotica-type scene.
The best thing about it was the cover. (That's pretty hot.)
2.25 stars because of everything involving the love interest. Ew, perv.
Happy ending?
Anyone have any recommendations? Let me know after you read this review so you know what I didn't like.
My review: If this were written by someone very new to writing, I would think it good. It has that same sort of naivete and simplistic, forthright and guileless story-telling that most of us start out with. The language was clear and concise, and better than the majority of people can write. It was clear what the author was trying to say at every moment. The word usage, grammar, and the writing style were all very good. And she didn't overuse the thesaurus, the trap a lot of writers fall into. So I think she's capable of much better than this one. Maybe her other books are good. Maybe this one was just rushed. I know this year the amount of time given to authors was very short.
It even started off pretty well. The first couple of paragraphs felt awkward, but then it got into a groove and I could imagine a 3 star rating. But then it just went all wonky. There was so much that was important that was left out I was like, "Er, what?" At no time did either the MC or the love interest bring up being gay to the other or suspected or questioned it in their heads before they started to touch each other. I mean not even the "he was giving me this look that I knew meant he was interested" or "I could tell he was into guys..." There was no sexual tension, no foreplay, just, "Hi, I'm touching you now and I didn't even ask or hint to you that I wanted to," kind of thing.
This was not a romance at all because there was no time to have one. 30 seconds after they meet one is already being held tightly by the other. a few minutes after that, one was in the shower turned on. a few minutes after that they were doing the equivalent of a backroom flyby.
This wasn't even erotica because the sex was really minor and short. Even after
I hate age differences and one between a tiny little 18-yr-old high school virgin who looks 16, and is innocent as anything, and a nearly 30-yr-old experienced Porsche owner is disturbing. I was thoroughly creeped out. Alert: teenage boys do not act like do they act like men. Nor do they act like teenage girls. The protagonist acted like, thought like, even sort of looked like a girl. No way was this written by a man. But it didn't even fit the tired old het romance tropes, either. It wasn't that detailed.
The plot was ages old and not executed well: Teenage boys treat gay kid like scum, even though they don't even suspect he's gay. They invite him to go away for the weekend with them. He goes only to make sure they don't wake up his mom because she needs her sleep. He just thinks it will suck and doesn't think about the dangers. Hasn't he watched any TV or high school movies in the past decade?
Everything was so obvious I felt like I was reading billboards. The jocks do something to him of course. But they don't stick around to see what happens. They just do the thing and then take off. They don't wait around to laugh. They don't prank him more by taking his keys or slashing his tires. Once he is in the middle of what they do (which takes only a few seconds), they're gone and they're never brought up again. That thread just stops and basically the story just stops shortly thereafter, too.
There was no explanation even hinted at for why The story ended right after See? No time for anything to develop. It was like "here's the story, look at that pretty man, here's a lukewarm erotica-type scene.
The best thing about it was the cover. (That's pretty hot.)
2.25 stars because of everything involving the love interest. Ew, perv.
Happy ending?
November 28, 2016
Well, that was weird and not in a good way either, but at least it fulfills the "Z" I need to complete a challenge. So yay?
July 24, 2011
Great Story. Short and sweet. I can't wait for more from them.
Also loved the photo used to inspire the story (I put the photo under a spoiler tag because it may not be safe for work, no private bits are shown but he is naked):
Also loved the photo used to inspire the story (I put the photo under a spoiler tag because it may not be safe for work, no private bits are shown but he is naked):
Read
May 4, 2022Too short to rate or have much substance (9pages). We have Zeph who is 18, in high school I think and bullied. He meets Charles, they have sex, the end.
February 1, 2012
This was an odd little story. There was bullying, an imaginary guy who becomes real and saves Zeph from the cold after said bullies throw him over a cliff into a lake. The savior is like 30 years old, and Zeph is only like 16 but then said he was 18, so it was a little confusing and hard to grasp the age gap when Zeph and the savior go back to the savior's lake house and fool around. It is a short story, but it felt really rushed.
July 30, 2011
I loved this story. I think Serena made me mad at the bullies and swoon at Zeph's rescue all in the same breath. Fantastic!! I'd like a sequel. Please. :)
July 24, 2011
Very sweet story! I would love to read more with these two and see what happens next. Thank you!
December 7, 2012
Hmmm... It is sweet and heartwarming, I agree. But like Zeph was thinking, 'maybe I'm dreaming'. I know that all romances are unrealistic, I really do. But this one was even more than usual ;) The beginning was interesting, but then everything was happening to fast, that I started to think at one point: "Yep, this is a script to a porn..." Or something.
And, seriously, they don't know each other at all, but they're talking about FOREVER?
Too short, definitely. It could be great, because it had potential, but only if it was longer.
And, seriously, they don't know each other at all, but they're talking about FOREVER?
Too short, definitely. It could be great, because it had potential, but only if it was longer.
Read
July 24, 2011This is a free short story of mine, written for the M/M Romance Group's Hot Summer Days event.
Enjoy it here: http://bit.ly/qSZyns or download it here from goodreads (pdf only) or from my website at www.serenaytes.com (pdf, ePub, mobi and lit).
Enjoy it here: http://bit.ly/qSZyns or download it here from goodreads (pdf only) or from my website at www.serenaytes.com (pdf, ePub, mobi and lit).
July 24, 2011
It was fast but the characters were emotionally detailed. I fell into them. However, the story felt incomplete to me. I didn't feel like there was any resolution to any of it at all. Not to how the plot even started or to the relationship. It was too much of a cliff hanger all around. Still it was a sweet story that I enjoyed.
August 5, 2011
Oh, I loved Zeph! I was proud of the way he reacted to the bullies even though it didn't save him. I'm thrilled to see there might be a longer story or sequel under consideration - yay! I agree with everyone else, I'd love to see the bullies pay and I can't wait to learn more about Zeph's savior Charles (and Zeph too, of course!:) Awesome story, - thank you!!!
November 21, 2011
I really liked the beginning. I felt for Zeph and what his classmates put him through, though the events yet to unfold were pretty obvious. Afterwards, when he met Charles, the story became a little unrealistic and I found myself losing interest in it. The ending is very rushed and not very smart of Zeph.
September 30, 2014
Lovely story! I would have given 5 stars if the bullies had gotten theirs. Perhaps in the sequel? ;)
July 29, 2011
Zeph is sweet, the jocks are complete asshats, but it felt like only part of the story.
October 10, 2011
Cute, short story, although I was a little ‘icked’ by the age difference between the MCs. Plus, its free so definitely worth a quick read.
July 29, 2011
A nice story. It just felt a little incomplete with some issues, like with the bullies, unresolved.
July 31, 2011
A bitter-sweet story arousing many feelings. Your words paint emotive scenes evoking one’s imagination, as a great story should. Thank you Serena, for a most enjoyable and heart warming read.
August 11, 2011
Sweet sexy story about a young man and his nightmare weekend turned into a dream come true!
June 13, 2012
I just did not care. >.<
February 6, 2013
Too short!!
February 18, 2016
This was a little strange for me. I'm no fan of YA to begin with and bullying in particular. This had both and nothing really ended well, because it had no satisfying closure. :(
June 30, 2017
This was a really sweet story. It moved much too fast for my taste but it is a short story after all. At a weekend camping trip with his peers, an outing he didn't want to go on, Zeph finds himself abused and then tossed into frigid waters. But life isn't all bad, as the man of his dreams comes to his rescue. It seems some dreams do come true!
January 7, 2018
2.5 stars
February 27, 2018
2.5 stars
August 29, 2020
This is a great story from Zeph's point of view. When I look at it from Charles' POV, I wonder what makes Zeph something other than a stray who will shortly move on.
February 12, 2017
Sweet little story about Zeph. He literally dreams of a man each night that will love him and accept him after having to hide in the closet at school. Two guys from his school bully his and Zeph gets to meet his dream man in life as his rescuer. Sparks fly as Zeph is being cared for and theres hope for an ever after
July 12, 2016
A part of the Hot Summer Days event and read for the A-Z Titles challenge. An enjoyable short tale on how Zeph's nightmare leads to his dreams come true with Charles. A bit too much insta love for me, even allowing for it being a short story. But it read well.
January 26, 2014
2.5 stars. A cute read but way too short: many things are left unsaid, the story trails off in the middle and the plot isn't exactly realistic. But hey, it's a free read and I'm not going to complain. And like I said, it's still kinda cute :-)
Want to read
January 15, 2015***Read as part of the free Don't Read in the Closet: Volume Three anthology. Story #27***
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews