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Give in to the Feeling

Sarah Zama (Goodreads Author)

3.83 · Rating details · 24 ratings · 21 reviews

EVEN IN SPARKLING JAZZ AGE CHICAGO, SPIRITS CAN TRICK YOU INTO BELIEVING THEY'RE MEN

When Susie comes to Jazz Age America, she knows her life will change. Back in China, spirits mingle in the mists of the rice fields and trick humans into believing they’re men so to steal their soul, and the expectations of a daughter are unimportant and ignore. Here in Chicago, Simon gives ...more

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Published March 4th 2016 by Sarah Zama (first published March 2016)

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· 24 ratings · 21 reviews

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Jun 21, 2017 Whispering Stories rated it really liked it

Give in to the Feeling, is a short novella, set in 1920s Chicago, mainly within a Speakeasy club.

Susie, or Sue Xie, her real name, is a Chinese immigrant who came over to the USA to be with her husband. Unfortunately, he died before she had completed her long journey.

His associate, Simon, was the owner of the Speakeasy, and someone most men feared. He took it upon himself to look after Susie, and gave her everything she wanted, including a nightly spot as a dancer in his club. He owned her.

Susie ...more

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May 31, 2016 Terry Tyler rated it liked it

Reviewed by me as a member of Rosie Amber's Review Team

This is an interesting and unusual novella, set in 1920s Chicago, mostly within a speakeasy. Susie (really Su Xie) is a Chinese girl who has been sent to America by her parents (all is explained) and ends up living with 'Simon', the owner of the speakeasy and a gangster (this is implied, rather than stated). She dances for him and his customers each night; she belongs to him. Then one night she dances with the mysterious Blood, and knows tha ...more

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Sep 01, 2016 Lauralee rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 20th-century, america, historical-fiction

Susie is content with her life as a lead dancer in a speakeasy. She has a boyfriend that gives her everything that she wants. Yet, she feels that she is not completely happy. When a man named Blood walks into the speakeasy, she feels an attraction and for the first time desires to live her own life. The more she spends time with Blood, the more she realizes that her boyfriend is not what he seems to be. Can Susie find her own happiness or must she be bound to the speakeasy?

I really thought that Susie is content with her life as a lead dancer in a speakeasy. She has a boyfriend that gives her everything that she wants. Yet, she feels that she is not completely happy. When a man named Blood walks into the speakeasy, she feels an attraction and for the first time desires to live her own life. The more she spends time with Blood, the more she realizes that her boyfriend is not what he seems to be. Can Susie find her own happiness or must she be bound to the speakeasy?

I really thought that Susie is a tough heroine. She is a woman who is determined to live comfortably. She is a very loyal and dutiful person. However, when she meets Blood, she realizes that there is more to life than just to live comfortably. She she soon begins to question her life, desires, and happiness. She begins to see her boyfriend clearly. Susie realizes that if she wants to be happy, she must make hard choices and to fight for her own survival. Thus, I really like Susie because she is not a damsel-in-distress. Instead, she takes care of herself. Therefore, readers will be enthralled by Susie and root for her as she finds her self-confidence.

Overall, this novella is about choices, love, and survival. It is about a woman’s quest to find her own happiness. The message of this book is to be believe in yourself. I really like the setting of the speakeasy. It is a glittering facade of a dismal prison. I thought the gloomy, eerie, and atmospheric tone was perfect for the story. This story had me spellbound from the first page and it reads like a titillating thriller. The only thing I did not like about the story was the romance. I felt the characters needed to be more-developed because I did not fully comprehend why Susie was so attracted to Blood that she wanted to give up her way of life just to be with him. Still, this story is a breathtaking story that will keep you on the edge of your seat until you reach its climactic end. I recommend this story for fans of fierce heroines, paranormal love triangles, and the glamour of the 1920s.
(Note: This book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.) ...more

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Jun 07, 2017 Melinda Kelly rated it it was amazing

This is the type of story that will have you wanting to reread it just to see if you missed any of the clues! It is a quick read and will keep you turning the pages long after you should be asleep. The reader becomes hooked into the welfare of Susie and then Blood, caring about them as if they were long lost friends. This is no ordinary romance though and the ending is what will make you turn back to the first page to start again. A great debut work.

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Jul 21, 2017 Dave Higgins rated it it was ok

Shelves: reviewed

Zama combines a vibrant portrayal of the illegal drinking clubs of 1920’s America with the trauma of being a first generation immigrant, then adds a dash of the mystical, to create a paranormal romance that is fresh in both setting and issues.

Two years ago, Susie left her small village in China for America to marry a man she’d never met. Only to discover upon arrival that he’d died. Accepting an offer of sanctuary from Simon, his business partner, she finds herself among the smoke and noise of 1 Zama combines a vibrant portrayal of the illegal drinking clubs of 1920’s America with the trauma of being a first generation immigrant, then adds a dash of the mystical, to create a paranormal romance that is fresh in both setting and issues.

Two years ago, Susie left her small village in China for America to marry a man she’d never met. Only to discover upon arrival that he’d died. Accepting an offer of sanctuary from Simon, his business partner, she finds herself among the smoke and noise of 1920’s Chicago. The long hours and short dresses of speakeasies reveal a world where women are as free as men; a freedom she embraces. However, when Blood, a patron, offers her something more than room and board, she discovers Simon’s offer is just a different cage, and that she only buried the expectation that Chinese women will be dutiful not shed it.

This novella is formed of two strands: the struggle of a young Chinese immigrant to choose between the person she loves and her perceived duty to the person who gave her a life; and a conflict between spirits who bond themselves to humans to achieve a presence in the world.

Zama’s handling of the romance is skilled: scenes with Blood share the descriptions of freedom that initially fill Susie’s dancing, smoking, and drinking, whereas scenes without him lose this joy, allowing the reader to feel the pull between them; and, while Susie’s feeling that she has to stay with Simon might seem rather strong to some readers, her memories of childhood in China and arrival in America give a good foundation for this surge of duty.

The concept of spirits who gain power from humans through providing a “benefit” is both interesting, and not noticeably the mythology of a single place squeezed into other places around the world in the manner of, for example, Eastern European vampires who have avoided appearing in other nation’s legends by being exceptional at hiding their true presence. However, the revelation of the metaphysics is, at times, distracting. When Susie first feels the presence of a spirit like those her family warned of, the scene portrays this as a somewhat nebulous fear of ancient myth, but later she demonstrates a much clearer knowledge without any intervening discovery or sense of growing belief; this creates a sense of the narrator withholding things from the reader to maintain mystery, rather than because there is a mystery. In contrast, another character pauses in the middle of a scene to provide several paragraphs of internal dialogue about spirits; while this information is useful to the reader, people do not usually think at length on things they already know – especially while racing to the rescue – so the character seems to turn to the reader to deliver a lecture, which weakens the tension.

This sense Zama is telling the reader what they need to know now rather than showing the characters facing their issues is exacerbated by the imbalance in points-of-view: most of the book is from the perspective of Susie with only the occasional scene from another character to insert certain facts.

Therefore, while the ideas behind the two threads support each other, the execution of the more mystical thread at times interferes with the tale of an immigrant struggling to find happiness.

Susie is – apart from moments of concealing information from the reader – a plausible and sympathetic character; while her angst over her dilemma is a strong feature, it fits well, meaning most readers will recognise the emotional turmoil rather than become irritated by the repetition.

The supporting cast have the same dichotomy: when feeling emotion, they act in ways that immediately resonate; when revealing the world, they seem annoyingly partial in their thoughts.

Overall, I found this novella an interesting idea delivered in a style that didn’t suit me. I recommend it to readers seeking a paranormal romance based around duty or among the criminals and free-spirits of the Jazz Age.

I received a free copy from the author with a request for a fair review. ...more

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Apr 27, 2017 Grace rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy-sci-fi-comics

An enjoyable story. Without giving any spoilers, I would consider this to be more historical paranormal than dieselpunk, as I've seen it promoted. Either way, the author paints a vivid picture of the time and place, as well as the characters.

Occasionally the wording felt a bit awkward, as the author is not a native English-speaker. However, it kind of fit with the story, since the main character is not a native English-speaker, either. A few times I got a little lost as to the passage of time d ...more

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Sep 23, 2016 Ola Adamska rated it really liked it

Shelves: reviewed-2016

This novella is really unsual - Chicago during 20s. So rare!
It takes place mostly in some kind of club. The atmosphre for me was like from some kind of paranormal book and i liked it (somewhere in the middle but not on the top).
The story goes around Chainise girl named Susie (in english). Her story looks like a paper marrige from that time (like in Lisa See Books) so background was made good and accurate for the time of the story ;)
It's a short and easy read book ...more

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Oct 02, 2017 Felicia rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-romance, paranormal-romance, romantic-suspense, short-reads, fiction, ir-multicultural-romance

A speakeasy in the 1920s is the setting for this paranormal novella.

Chinese immigrant, Susie (Su Xie), has the life she never dreamed possible. Sent by her parents to America to fulfill an arranged marriage contract, circumstances lead Susie to instead end up with Simon. When Simon decides to leave the west coast for a new business venture in Chicago he takes Susie with him.

Susie has more freedom than not only women of her culture but of most women of the time. She drinks, smokes, dresses provoc ...more

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Jul 08, 2018 Andrea Stoeckel rated it it was amazing

“We can only have if we give first”

Sui Xie, known as Susie lives and works with Mah Su,Simon. In a speakeasy in Chicago in 1924. However, things aren’t always as they seem as a stranger,Blood, and his brother, Michael arrive on the scene, forcing many battles within Susie, with Simon and an emotional entanglement with Blood that might change all their worlds forever.Set during Prohibition, Susie is amazed that in a time of forbidden things, so much is done to still enjoy life: a fight between go ...more

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Aug 15, 2017 C.P. Lesley rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical-fantasy

A Jazz Age tale, set in a Chicago speakeasy where certain members of the clientele and even of the staff live on another plane. Yes, they are ghosts, and not everyone can see them for what they are. Susie (Su Xie), an immigrant sent from South China to marry a man sight unseen, discovers when she reaches San Francisco that her intended bridegroom has died. His friend helps her out by taking her to Chicago and supporting her, but in return he demands complete and unwavering loyalty. Which becomes ...more

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Aug 12, 2017 Rachel rated it liked it

Ms. Zama has clearly done her research - I enjoyed the historical details in the story. This is a short novella, and it has great potential for being turned into a full- length novel. Ms. Zama has character profiles/ background blurbs for her characters on her website. I think this story would be best enjoyed after reading those first. The novella doesn't give a lot of background information for the characters. But, all in all, a quick read, historical details with a mix of fantasy. I would be i ...more

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Jan 16, 2018 Sherilyn Decter rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical-fiction-roaring-twentie

This is a great book. I didn’t know much about it, except it was recommended by a friend. Very gothic. The supernatural 1920s speakeasy angle is unique and works really well. It’s a novella so I gobbled it up in one sitting.

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Jun 26, 2018 Donna rated it it was amazing

This short story is a great read and something very different to what I normally read. Combining Chinese beliefs on spirits, the twenties Chicago jazz scene, and a sprinkling of romance, it's an interesting mix that really works. I enjoyed this story so much I read it all in one sitting (not a hardship when it's a short novella and a fab story!), and have no qualms in recommending it. ...more

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Nov 19, 2017 LeTara Moore rated it liked it

I enjoy reading supernatural-themed stories. This one, in particular, had so much potential for me but fell short. Here's why: Underdeveloped and rushed. The premise is interesting and the author's style of writing is pretty smooth, so I had no trouble with it holding my attention. I just had so many questions during and after and I felt they weren't really answered. Like, why were Blood and Michael in the speakeasy in the first place? Was their purpose for being there specifically for Susie? Wh ...more

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Mar 31, 2017 Lisa Wolf rated it really liked it

Shelves: 1920s, novellas, supernatural

This supernatural tale is set in 1920s Chicago, with a Chinese flapper at a speakeasy as its main character. Susie is exciting, beautiful, exotic -- and kept in luxury by her savior and patron, the club's owner Simon. But when an alluring stranger enters the club one night, Susie's world is changed -- and the mysteries of the powers surrounding her lead to an otherworldly confrontation.

Excellent depiction of the era and the jazz age feel, plus a compelling main character and dramatic conflict. ...more

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Feb 03, 2016 Sara rated it really liked it

Shelves: advance-reader-copies, atmospheric-reads, historical-fantasy, paranormal-romance, novelettes, prohibition-and-roaring-20s, spirits-and-demons

Actual Rating: 3.75 out of 4

Give In To The Feeling blends the allure of paranormal romance with the sensual, rebellious tone of the Prohibition era. Susie, a Chinese mail-order bride, has been satisfied with her new life in Chicago, working as the lead dancer in her lover Simon's speakeasy. Then, one night, two strangers arrive - and one of them, Blood, dances with Susie. While Susie feels torn between her attraction to Blood and her loyalty to Simon, she can't deny what she realizes Blood can o ...more

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May 18, 2019 Suanne rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal, romance, historical-fiction

Ghosts through the Cracks is a paranormal suspense novella. In it, a Chinese mail-order bride immigrant reaches San Francisco to learn her husband has died. Susie (or Sue Xie, her real name) is taken in by Simon, a business partner of her deceased husband-to-be.

A lot happens in this eight-two-page novella. It could have been somewhat longer and fleshed out in some parts while more repetitive bits could have been cut. The author does a good job with the setting, capturing the sense of a 1920s er ...more

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Aug 01, 2016 Christoph Fischer rated it really liked it

I was attracted to this story because of its setting in the 1920s Chicago and the aspect of the immigrant experience, especially within a speakeasy. Those parts work really well and I felt the author delivered a great deal here.
A Chinese girl is practically owned by a criminal but begins to have feelings for someone else.
We learn about her life in China and in the US and witness her dilemma. The tension over her feelings is well portrayed and overall, Susie is a great main character.
The super ...more

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Oct 16, 2016 Sara Snider rated it really liked it

Shelves: indie, paranormal-stuffs, dieselpunk, romance

This was my first venture into the dieselpunk genre, and I have to say it was very enjoyable. I especially enjoyed the speakeasy setting. Super cool! The characters are interesting and likeable. Especially Susie; she was strong yet vulnerable, courageous in face of her fear. I liked her a lot.

I would have liked to know a bit more about the characters, though. There's a bonus section at the end with some back story about Susie, and that's great. But I'd like to know more about Blood and Michael a ...more

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Dec 15, 2016 Yecheilyah Ysrayl rated it really liked it

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

My first time reading dieselpunk, Give into the Feeling is a Paranormal Romance, dieselpunk novella. We start off meeting Susie, a Chinese American who moved to the United States and is a dancer at a Chicago Speakeasy in the 1920s. When Blood and his brother Michael enter the place and that peculiar feather-brushing sensation overwhelms her, Susie stares toward the black man entering with the long black curly hair passed his s ...more

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Apr 03, 2016 Celine Jeanjean rated it really liked it

Give Into the Feeling is an unusual mix of romance, supernatural, and the Roaring Twenties. I loved how different this book was from what I’ve read of late. Set in a speakeasy (a fabulous setting if ever there was one), featuring both American Indian and Chinese characters, as well as a supernatural element, it makes for a really interesting, and different read.

I very much enjoyed following Susie’s struggles as she found herself torn between Simon (the man to whom she owes loyalty) and Blood (t ...more

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Fantasia Reviews rated it really liked it
Nov 03, 2016

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Jun 13, 2018

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Nov 04, 2016

Jul 27, 2016 Sarah Zama added it · (Review from the author)

Shelves: 1920s-inspired-fiction, dieselpunk

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About Sarah Zama

Sarah Zama

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Born and raised in Verona (Italy), I've always lived to surround myself with books, so it may be a sort of karma that I ended up being a bookseller and an indie author. A fantasy reader since a kid, a Tolkien nerd almost as long, I've always being fascinated with history and old black-and-white mystery films, which may or may not have had a way in my involvement in the dieselpunk community. "Ghost ...more