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Sight Unseen: A Collection of Five Anonymous Novellas
Five top voices in romance dare you to explore the distant corners of their imaginations as they test the limits of storytelling and break the boundaries of what they thought possible. But there’s a twist—the author of each story is a secret. They’re each plumbing the depths of the human heart in ways they’ve never attempted. Taking you high, bringing you low, until you will be hardpressed to guess who wrote what. Can you tell? Want us to?
Too bad our lips are sealed...for now.
***
Lost That Alma knew who she was, once—that is, before she erased her memory with a spell. Some, like the guards at the prison in which she’s held, say that she was a thief, a murderer.
Others say she was a hero. Like Driss, the man who rescues her. He claims to be a friend. He's certainly handsome. And charming. In a perfect.
That's the problem. If he's perfect and she's a hero, how did she end up in prison with a seven-year hole in her memory to begin with?
***
A Clear View of As a child, Kate had one to escape her mother’s deluded hippie commune and live in the real world, where mature adults know that magic isn’t real. But the real world also has its downsides—like rent, student loans, and a cutthroat job market.
Happily, Kate is uniquely qualified for one in-demand psychic. Of course, she’s as fake as the rest of them but nobody plays a fortune-teller as convincingly as a girl raised by a would-be witch. If only Kate’s newest client weren’t so perceptive...and attractive. If only crystal balls didn’t have the habit of lighting up in his presence.
Magic isn’t real, right? Kate is about to find out otherwise...
***
Brad White would be an ordinary accountant with an unrequited crush except for two he works for a criminal motorcycle club and he’s in love with the club president’s daughter. When she discovers the truth about the family business, Brad has to move beyond ordinary and put his life on the line to keep her safe.
Wren Masters, unlike everyone else in her graduating class, chose to stay in Montana because she loves it. But when she finds out her father’s club is running drugs, her family and world crumble. She and Brad risk everything to uncover the truth...and begin a scorching affair.
As the conspiracy—and their feelings—deepen, Brad and Wren must choose between family and justice. And neither seems to include a future for them.
***
Chariot of CJ Crespo, drummer for the once wildly popular rock band Donjon, has always had a thing for frontman Donny Times. They spent the seventies getting high together, making music together, self-destructing together. But her qualms about ruining a creative partnership with sex kept them from ever hooking up. Now, Donny’s conversion to a bizarre fringe religion that won’t allow him to engage in—or even sing about—sex, drugs, or other “sins” threatens to tear Donjon apart.
As the band struggles to embrace a new decade and a new Donny, CJ must decide where she by Donny’s side even if he can’t ever love her? Or making her own music away from a man who gives and takes in equal measures?
***
The Heart is a On the remote planet of Pax Cara lies the greatest secret of the universe. Every generation, the inhabitants must offer up an exceptional young person—the Chosen One—who sacrifices his or her life for the sake of that secret and the planet itself.
However, Vitalis, the current Chosen One, is desperate to free herself from the yoke of destiny. An unexpected invitation to an aristocratic summit seems to be the perfect opportunity for escape. But as soon as she arrives, the most eligible prince in existence proposes marriage.
Sparks fly but Vitalis is wary. Eleian of Terra Illustrata can have anyone he wants. Why has he set his sight on Vitalis who will die within days? Is he hiding an ulterior motive, one that could put everything in jeopardy—her plans, her life, and her heart?
Too bad our lips are sealed...for now.
***
Lost That Alma knew who she was, once—that is, before she erased her memory with a spell. Some, like the guards at the prison in which she’s held, say that she was a thief, a murderer.
Others say she was a hero. Like Driss, the man who rescues her. He claims to be a friend. He's certainly handsome. And charming. In a perfect.
That's the problem. If he's perfect and she's a hero, how did she end up in prison with a seven-year hole in her memory to begin with?
***
A Clear View of As a child, Kate had one to escape her mother’s deluded hippie commune and live in the real world, where mature adults know that magic isn’t real. But the real world also has its downsides—like rent, student loans, and a cutthroat job market.
Happily, Kate is uniquely qualified for one in-demand psychic. Of course, she’s as fake as the rest of them but nobody plays a fortune-teller as convincingly as a girl raised by a would-be witch. If only Kate’s newest client weren’t so perceptive...and attractive. If only crystal balls didn’t have the habit of lighting up in his presence.
Magic isn’t real, right? Kate is about to find out otherwise...
***
Brad White would be an ordinary accountant with an unrequited crush except for two he works for a criminal motorcycle club and he’s in love with the club president’s daughter. When she discovers the truth about the family business, Brad has to move beyond ordinary and put his life on the line to keep her safe.
Wren Masters, unlike everyone else in her graduating class, chose to stay in Montana because she loves it. But when she finds out her father’s club is running drugs, her family and world crumble. She and Brad risk everything to uncover the truth...and begin a scorching affair.
As the conspiracy—and their feelings—deepen, Brad and Wren must choose between family and justice. And neither seems to include a future for them.
***
Chariot of CJ Crespo, drummer for the once wildly popular rock band Donjon, has always had a thing for frontman Donny Times. They spent the seventies getting high together, making music together, self-destructing together. But her qualms about ruining a creative partnership with sex kept them from ever hooking up. Now, Donny’s conversion to a bizarre fringe religion that won’t allow him to engage in—or even sing about—sex, drugs, or other “sins” threatens to tear Donjon apart.
As the band struggles to embrace a new decade and a new Donny, CJ must decide where she by Donny’s side even if he can’t ever love her? Or making her own music away from a man who gives and takes in equal measures?
***
The Heart is a On the remote planet of Pax Cara lies the greatest secret of the universe. Every generation, the inhabitants must offer up an exceptional young person—the Chosen One—who sacrifices his or her life for the sake of that secret and the planet itself.
However, Vitalis, the current Chosen One, is desperate to free herself from the yoke of destiny. An unexpected invitation to an aristocratic summit seems to be the perfect opportunity for escape. But as soon as she arrives, the most eligible prince in existence proposes marriage.
Sparks fly but Vitalis is wary. Eleian of Terra Illustrata can have anyone he wants. Why has he set his sight on Vitalis who will die within days? Is he hiding an ulterior motive, one that could put everything in jeopardy—her plans, her life, and her heart?
386 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 6, 2017
8 people are currently reading
238 people want to read
About the author
Sherry Thomas
38 books7,336 followersUSA Today-bestselling author Sherry Thomas decided years ago that her goal in life is to write every kind of book she enjoys reading. Thus far she has published romance, fantasy, mystery, young adult, and three books inspired by the martial arts epics she grew up devouring. Her books regularly receive starred reviews and best-of-the-year honors from trade publications, including such outlets as the New York Times and National Public Radio.
A Study in Scarlet Women, A Conspiracy in Belgravia, and The Hollow of Fear, the first three entries in her gender-bending Lady Sherlock historical mystery series, are all NPR best books of the year. The Magnolia Sword, her 2019 release, is the first young adult retelling of the original Ballad of Mulan in the English language.
Sherry emigrated from China at age 13 and English is her second language.
“Sherry Thomas has done the impossible and crafted a fresh, exciting new version of Sherlock Holmes. From the carefully plotted twists to the elegant turns of phrase, A Study in Scarlet Women is a splendid addition to Holmes’s world. This book is everything I hoped it would be, and the next adventure cannot come too soon!” —Deanna Raybourn, New York Times bestselling author
“Thomas weaves a lush, intricate fantasy world around a gorgeous romance that kept me riveted until the very last page. What a breathtaking journey!” (Marie Lu, New York Times bestselling author of the Legend series )
"Sherry Thomas is the most powerfully original historical romance author writing today."—Lisa Kleypas, New York Times bestselling author
Visit Sherry at her website
Follow Sherry on twitter
Find Sherry on Facebook
A Study in Scarlet Women, A Conspiracy in Belgravia, and The Hollow of Fear, the first three entries in her gender-bending Lady Sherlock historical mystery series, are all NPR best books of the year. The Magnolia Sword, her 2019 release, is the first young adult retelling of the original Ballad of Mulan in the English language.
Sherry emigrated from China at age 13 and English is her second language.
“Sherry Thomas has done the impossible and crafted a fresh, exciting new version of Sherlock Holmes. From the carefully plotted twists to the elegant turns of phrase, A Study in Scarlet Women is a splendid addition to Holmes’s world. This book is everything I hoped it would be, and the next adventure cannot come too soon!” —Deanna Raybourn, New York Times bestselling author
“Thomas weaves a lush, intricate fantasy world around a gorgeous romance that kept me riveted until the very last page. What a breathtaking journey!” (Marie Lu, New York Times bestselling author of the Legend series )
"Sherry Thomas is the most powerfully original historical romance author writing today."—Lisa Kleypas, New York Times bestselling author
Visit Sherry at her website
Follow Sherry on twitter
Find Sherry on Facebook
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
June 24, 2017
Originally posted at SmexyBooks-http://smexybooks.com/2017/06/review-...
Sight Unseen is a compilation of five romance novellas; each written by a well-known author. The catch is none of them signed their name to their story. Each author was given the chance to write out of their comfort zone, freeing themselves and the readers from any preconceived notions or expectations. Each story is approximately 8 chapters long and deals with a variety of topics. As a fan of each author, I found myself paying far more attention than normal to see if I could detect who wrote what.
Lost That Feeling
Grade: B-
Alma is an amnesic witch who spelled her memory loss after she was captured and sent to prison during a failed rebellion against the King. Months later, she is being rescued by her supposed partners in the rebellion. Now she has to figure out who they are, who she is, and why she sought to erase her memories in the first place.
Lost That Feeling is a well plotted fantasy with an interesting use of amnesia in both the development of the heroine and the romance. Engaging narrative and a smooth pace keeps the reader hooked though the story ends abruptly and the romance is more an element and doesn’t even make itself known till the very end.
“Never cast on yourself…you’ll never see yourself clearly.”
A Clear View of You
Grade C+
Kate Marsh is trying to earn money towards her Ph.D. working as a psychic even though she is a firm disbeliever of anything magical or the supernatural. A man seeking her services offers her $50,000 to help him locate an item that has passed into her mother’s hands; a well-known mystical being. Unfortunately, Kate is on the outs with her mother and believes her to be nothing more than a charlatan and a cult leader. As Kate helps North reclaim his item and begins to work through her animosity towards magic and her mother, she learns a thing or two about the world and her place in it.
A Clean View of You is an interesting urban fantasy story that follows a young woman through a sort of coming age that deals with her personal growth and discovery. Strong and amusing character driven dialogue goes far in setting up the story and romance though I personally felt the story was too cluttered for such a short time span. The reluctant romance builds slow and ends more on a promise than an actual done deal.
“Don’t hate the player…hate the game.”
Free
Grade: B
Wren Masters loves her hometown and her father but when it becomes clear her father’s motorcycle club is engaging in illegal activities, she has to decide if she will turn the other cheek or turn them in. Luckily, the club’s accountant, Brad, steps in to help her with her decision and its consequences.
Free was my favorite of this collection. A modern romance contemporary that focuses on a tough young woman who feels her entire whole world is limited to the small town she lives and the choices she has to make when her life implodes. An impressive full bodied story with a well plotted backstory and yummy tension fuel romance. I like that the author chose to take us all the way to the end and leave us secure in Wren and Bead’s future.
“We’re free.”
Chariot of Desire
Grade: C-
The 70s were a time of sex, drugs, and rock and roll but one popular band hits a roadblock when their lead singer decides to clean up his act by joining a religious cult that forbids sex, drugs, and singing about them. Can the band survive the change or is it time to go their separate ways?
Chariot of Desire was the weakest of the anthology for me. Set in the 80’s, this contemporary shows us a selfish rock star whose wake up call and subsequent reply places unfair demands on the other two members of his band. The head hopping and time jumping was abrupt and the story drifts along seemingly unsure the exact direction the author was trying to go. The romance was non-existent and the story ends on an ambiguous note.
“I miss the seventies.”
The Heart is a Universe
Grade: B
Vitalis, the Chosen One, has known her whole life she was destined to sacrifice herself to save her planet but as she gets closer to the date of her death, the more she questions the whole ritual and the reasons behind it. A marriage proposal from the planet’s most eligible ruler, Eleian, interrupts her escape plan and creates even more questions. Most importantly…why would a man who could have anyone, marry a woman who only has 16 days to live?
The Heart is a Universe is pure sci-fi fantasy that draws freely from mythology to create an layered and complex world. The limited time frame doesn’t distract or shackle the author; the evolution of Vitalis and Eleian’s romance is sexy and bittersweet in it’s development and blends perfectly with the external conflict. A few unexpected twists amp up the tension as we count down towards D-day with this couple. The ending was not what I expected and left me with a question or two but overall an interesting conclusion.
“I’m not looking for a worshipper.”
“I do not recall saying that I planned to worship you, my lady. But I am willing when we are alone and unclothed. “
Though I have my suspicions, I was unable to determine without a doubt who wrote what which really got me thinking. How much more comfortable and accepting are we of some stories because we know who wrote them and how does that translate into our reviews?
Engaging and imaginative, this collection delivers on its objective though there was a sense of disconnect to a couple of the stories. Some leaned more towards their sub-genre then to romance, ending far too soon for the romance to be considered more than just an element to enhance the story. Regardless, this fast, quick, and easy read certainly entertains.
Grade: B
Sight Unseen is a compilation of five romance novellas; each written by a well-known author. The catch is none of them signed their name to their story. Each author was given the chance to write out of their comfort zone, freeing themselves and the readers from any preconceived notions or expectations. Each story is approximately 8 chapters long and deals with a variety of topics. As a fan of each author, I found myself paying far more attention than normal to see if I could detect who wrote what.
Lost That Feeling
Grade: B-
Alma is an amnesic witch who spelled her memory loss after she was captured and sent to prison during a failed rebellion against the King. Months later, she is being rescued by her supposed partners in the rebellion. Now she has to figure out who they are, who she is, and why she sought to erase her memories in the first place.
Lost That Feeling is a well plotted fantasy with an interesting use of amnesia in both the development of the heroine and the romance. Engaging narrative and a smooth pace keeps the reader hooked though the story ends abruptly and the romance is more an element and doesn’t even make itself known till the very end.
“Never cast on yourself…you’ll never see yourself clearly.”
A Clear View of You
Grade C+
Kate Marsh is trying to earn money towards her Ph.D. working as a psychic even though she is a firm disbeliever of anything magical or the supernatural. A man seeking her services offers her $50,000 to help him locate an item that has passed into her mother’s hands; a well-known mystical being. Unfortunately, Kate is on the outs with her mother and believes her to be nothing more than a charlatan and a cult leader. As Kate helps North reclaim his item and begins to work through her animosity towards magic and her mother, she learns a thing or two about the world and her place in it.
A Clean View of You is an interesting urban fantasy story that follows a young woman through a sort of coming age that deals with her personal growth and discovery. Strong and amusing character driven dialogue goes far in setting up the story and romance though I personally felt the story was too cluttered for such a short time span. The reluctant romance builds slow and ends more on a promise than an actual done deal.
“Don’t hate the player…hate the game.”
Free
Grade: B
Wren Masters loves her hometown and her father but when it becomes clear her father’s motorcycle club is engaging in illegal activities, she has to decide if she will turn the other cheek or turn them in. Luckily, the club’s accountant, Brad, steps in to help her with her decision and its consequences.
Free was my favorite of this collection. A modern romance contemporary that focuses on a tough young woman who feels her entire whole world is limited to the small town she lives and the choices she has to make when her life implodes. An impressive full bodied story with a well plotted backstory and yummy tension fuel romance. I like that the author chose to take us all the way to the end and leave us secure in Wren and Bead’s future.
“We’re free.”
Chariot of Desire
Grade: C-
The 70s were a time of sex, drugs, and rock and roll but one popular band hits a roadblock when their lead singer decides to clean up his act by joining a religious cult that forbids sex, drugs, and singing about them. Can the band survive the change or is it time to go their separate ways?
Chariot of Desire was the weakest of the anthology for me. Set in the 80’s, this contemporary shows us a selfish rock star whose wake up call and subsequent reply places unfair demands on the other two members of his band. The head hopping and time jumping was abrupt and the story drifts along seemingly unsure the exact direction the author was trying to go. The romance was non-existent and the story ends on an ambiguous note.
“I miss the seventies.”
The Heart is a Universe
Grade: B
Vitalis, the Chosen One, has known her whole life she was destined to sacrifice herself to save her planet but as she gets closer to the date of her death, the more she questions the whole ritual and the reasons behind it. A marriage proposal from the planet’s most eligible ruler, Eleian, interrupts her escape plan and creates even more questions. Most importantly…why would a man who could have anyone, marry a woman who only has 16 days to live?
The Heart is a Universe is pure sci-fi fantasy that draws freely from mythology to create an layered and complex world. The limited time frame doesn’t distract or shackle the author; the evolution of Vitalis and Eleian’s romance is sexy and bittersweet in it’s development and blends perfectly with the external conflict. A few unexpected twists amp up the tension as we count down towards D-day with this couple. The ending was not what I expected and left me with a question or two but overall an interesting conclusion.
“I’m not looking for a worshipper.”
“I do not recall saying that I planned to worship you, my lady. But I am willing when we are alone and unclothed. “
Though I have my suspicions, I was unable to determine without a doubt who wrote what which really got me thinking. How much more comfortable and accepting are we of some stories because we know who wrote them and how does that translate into our reviews?
Engaging and imaginative, this collection delivers on its objective though there was a sense of disconnect to a couple of the stories. Some leaned more towards their sub-genre then to romance, ending far too soon for the romance to be considered more than just an element to enhance the story. Regardless, this fast, quick, and easy read certainly entertains.
Grade: B
January 2, 2018
These stories range from incredibly cute to ridiculously intense, with only one meh second to last story.
August 24, 2017
Just okay, really. I bought this a little for the concept, but more for the idea of these author "testing the limits" and "breaking the boundaries," which I didn't feel I really got. I suppose that some of the stories are unusual for some of the writers, but a) you don't know who wrote what! and b) they're not that unusual in general.
I read the first two too long ago to really say much at all about them, but I think the second one is Emma Barry. Something about the tone.
The third one, Free, I didn't like much at all. It just confused me. I didn't understand the characters's plan and I didn't understand the town's reaction to the main character's decision.
I think the fourth one, Chariot of Desire, might be Sherry Thomas. I mean, it has flashbacks! Not much of a romance, though.
I'm guessing the last one is Meredith Duran. The ending needed more explanation. As did the plot in general. WHY are they doing human sacrifice again?!!!
I haven't read Erin Satie or J.A. Rock before, so I won't attempt to match the last two stories and authors.
I read the first two too long ago to really say much at all about them, but I think the second one is Emma Barry. Something about the tone.
The third one, Free, I didn't like much at all. It just confused me. I didn't understand the characters's plan and I didn't understand the town's reaction to the main character's decision.
I think the fourth one, Chariot of Desire, might be Sherry Thomas. I mean, it has flashbacks! Not much of a romance, though.
I'm guessing the last one is Meredith Duran. The ending needed more explanation. As did the plot in general. WHY are they doing human sacrifice again?!!!
I haven't read Erin Satie or J.A. Rock before, so I won't attempt to match the last two stories and authors.
November 23, 2021
Overall, a mixed bag, which is usually the case with anthologized stories. Two stories did stand out to me though, and not surprising, they were written by Meredith Duran and Sherry Thomas.
A Clear View of You, Meredith Duran (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) - my favorite story in the anthology and maybe Duran's best short story/novella. I loved the bohemian setting of fortune tellers living in San Francisco and going to college on the side. The heroine, Kate, could have been developed more and the story does a whole lot of complex world building in a very condensed frame, but I liked the ideas Duran was examining. North, the hero, is committed to saving Earth from human destructiveness that is disrupting the climate of the planet. I read this story just mere months after the "heat dome" settled over my hometown of Portland, Ore, and the scenes depicting oppressive heat in the northwest of the U.S., a geographical area not known for extreme weather, and a populace unprepared for dealing with it (aka, no air conditioners!), felt all too real. North must convince Kate to work with him to help stop a crude and ignorant villain from tinkering with climate change. This plot is a bit simplistic, but I still liked the discussions of his love for Earth and his attempts to win the pragmatic Kate over to his side. Unbeknownst to Kate, she has powers, despite living her adult life in denial of witchcraft and a hippy mom who professes to be a witch. I enjoyed the resolution of this story, including the showdown between the climate destroyer and the climate savior. The story also worked for me as a romance. I found North so appealing and I wish this could have been developed into a full novel, even though I'm not hugely into fantasy writing. Above all, I just miss Meredith Duran. Maybe it's time to revisit her novels.
The Heart Is a Universe , Sherry Thomas (⭐️⭐️⭐️.5)
A bit challenging to review/grade this story primarily because I am not a sci fi reader and this book is immersed in speculative, metaphysical world-building. I can well imagine though that sci fi readers would find this story much more to their liking. I do also love that Sherry Thomas is a writer who always branches out and explores a range of genres, and I will continue to keep reading them all as long as she's writing. In this story, there are long passages where my mind was glazing over and I struggled to stay interested in inter-galactic rules. However, the romance, though often too submerged, is lovely and among Thomas's sweeter stories.
The hero Eleian has his heart set on Vitalis, a young woman he knows only through media as he's watched her story as The Chosen One capture public attention since she was a child. Initially he buys into the public narrative that she's heroically prepared to sacrifice herself in a routine ritual to save her planet. Once Eleian manages to find a way to meet Vitalis, he realizes she's a tragic figure and all too human in her fears and anxieties about dying young. Despite Eleian's frail, poor health, Vitalis falls in love with him and the two wistfully imagine a future together. Intermittent attempts to enjoy a romance and sexual life together are constantly thwarted by relapses in Eleian's health and the impending doom that will send Vitalis to an early death. All of this creates a sense of melancholy that hovers over the entire story.
The resolution though is satisfying and a little surprising. Themes of what it means to be a hero are well developed throughout, and having grown up watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I'm reminded that being chosen is glorious and tragic, often at the same time.
The rest of the stories were mediocre and dragged down my rating and enjoyment, especially Erin Satie's story. I had high hopes for it, but it was muddled and confusing. I liked overall the main idea of putting together this anthology and found that to be a clever connecting point to have readers guess the authors and for the authors to depart temporarily from their usual storytelling genres.
A Clear View of You, Meredith Duran (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) - my favorite story in the anthology and maybe Duran's best short story/novella. I loved the bohemian setting of fortune tellers living in San Francisco and going to college on the side. The heroine, Kate, could have been developed more and the story does a whole lot of complex world building in a very condensed frame, but I liked the ideas Duran was examining. North, the hero, is committed to saving Earth from human destructiveness that is disrupting the climate of the planet. I read this story just mere months after the "heat dome" settled over my hometown of Portland, Ore, and the scenes depicting oppressive heat in the northwest of the U.S., a geographical area not known for extreme weather, and a populace unprepared for dealing with it (aka, no air conditioners!), felt all too real. North must convince Kate to work with him to help stop a crude and ignorant villain from tinkering with climate change. This plot is a bit simplistic, but I still liked the discussions of his love for Earth and his attempts to win the pragmatic Kate over to his side. Unbeknownst to Kate, she has powers, despite living her adult life in denial of witchcraft and a hippy mom who professes to be a witch. I enjoyed the resolution of this story, including the showdown between the climate destroyer and the climate savior. The story also worked for me as a romance. I found North so appealing and I wish this could have been developed into a full novel, even though I'm not hugely into fantasy writing. Above all, I just miss Meredith Duran. Maybe it's time to revisit her novels.
The Heart Is a Universe , Sherry Thomas (⭐️⭐️⭐️.5)
A bit challenging to review/grade this story primarily because I am not a sci fi reader and this book is immersed in speculative, metaphysical world-building. I can well imagine though that sci fi readers would find this story much more to their liking. I do also love that Sherry Thomas is a writer who always branches out and explores a range of genres, and I will continue to keep reading them all as long as she's writing. In this story, there are long passages where my mind was glazing over and I struggled to stay interested in inter-galactic rules. However, the romance, though often too submerged, is lovely and among Thomas's sweeter stories.
The hero Eleian has his heart set on Vitalis, a young woman he knows only through media as he's watched her story as The Chosen One capture public attention since she was a child. Initially he buys into the public narrative that she's heroically prepared to sacrifice herself in a routine ritual to save her planet. Once Eleian manages to find a way to meet Vitalis, he realizes she's a tragic figure and all too human in her fears and anxieties about dying young. Despite Eleian's frail, poor health, Vitalis falls in love with him and the two wistfully imagine a future together. Intermittent attempts to enjoy a romance and sexual life together are constantly thwarted by relapses in Eleian's health and the impending doom that will send Vitalis to an early death. All of this creates a sense of melancholy that hovers over the entire story.
The resolution though is satisfying and a little surprising. Themes of what it means to be a hero are well developed throughout, and having grown up watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I'm reminded that being chosen is glorious and tragic, often at the same time.
The rest of the stories were mediocre and dragged down my rating and enjoyment, especially Erin Satie's story. I had high hopes for it, but it was muddled and confusing. I liked overall the main idea of putting together this anthology and found that to be a clever connecting point to have readers guess the authors and for the authors to depart temporarily from their usual storytelling genres.
June 12, 2017
I gave the anthology a 'B' overall at All About Romance. I liked it - the stories are diverse and entertaining - but I didn't love it. I have some ideas about who wrote which story. We'll have to wait and see whether I've got it right or not!
My full review for All About Romance is here: Sight Unseen
When I heard about this anthology and the clever conceit behind it – five famous authors have contributed novellas, but only the publisher knows who penned each story – I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. Sight Unseen is an intriguing idea, and it’s a real challenge to guess who penned each story, but overall, the quality is uneven – only two of the stories left me wanting more – and the HEAs are a bit too ambiguous for some of them to be considered romances.
Lost That Feeling
Grade: B+
Shortly before being captured and jailed for leading a failed rebellion against an evil king, Alma spelled herself and erased the past seven years of her memory.
When Lost That Feeling opens, Alma is trying to sleep when she hears a strange noise and peaks out of her cell to discover two strange men, Driss and Ben, who claim they’ve come to rescue her. She isn’t convinced, but something about Driss stirs her memory, and she escapes with them, deciding to head off with Driss while Ben continues alone, in order to evade the soldiers pursuing them. The story details Alma’s two journeys – her escape from prison and the metaphorical trip in her mind as she reconciles herself to a life she doesn’t remember.
Alma was once a powerful witch, who along with Driss, led a rebellion to overthrow Ozias. She’s still powerful, but weakened by her incarceration, and the journey is difficult. Driss is a sensitive and frustrated hero – he can’t understand why Alma erased her memories, and struggles to support and help her as she rediscovers her world and purpose.
Amnesia is a tricky trope to work with, but I liked this twist on it. Alma controlled her destiny when she made the decision to erase her memories, but reconstructing the reasons behind her decision is a much trickier business. I loved the world building and the parallel narratives, wherein the dynamic of their relationship changes. Before it ends, the author teases at a romantic relationship:
I do too! Unfortunately, my favorite story in the anthology ends abruptly just as it peaks.
A Clear View of You
Grade: B-
Kate Marsh is earning money to pay for her tuition for a PhD program at by working as a psychic, even though she doesn’t believe in magic or the ability to see the future. When a stranger shows up for a reading, Kate assumes it’s just another client, but North is attractive and intense, and he makes Kate nervous. The visit starts oddly – her crystal ball is glowing, and when she touches North’s palm, she feels a current running through her arm, connecting her to him. Flustered by her physical response and North’s amused reaction to her discomfort, Kate attempts to cut short the visit by inventing a vision of his future. North interrupts and stuns her with an offer her of $50,000, to use her ‘skills’ to help him find an object he’s missing. Kate is wary but willing.
A Clear View of You tries to do too much in a too short story. It’s unclear who or what North is until late on, and once he meets Kate, his connection to her and our world slowly emerges. Faeries, magic, mother/daughter conflict, environmental issues and romance all vie for our attention, but while North’s purpose and his surprise attraction to Kate are promising, Kate’s past and the magical world building overwhelm their burgeoning relationship. Kate is intelligent, strong, and brave, but life hasn’t quite turned out as she planned. North is aloof and enigmatic, and I struggled to buy into his attraction to Kate – perhaps because I struggled to identify with such a vaguely drawn character.
In A Clear View of You, not very much is clear until the end of the story. Though the author tries to wrap up all the disparate elements – big themes and two characters with complex backstories – it’s too short, too complex, and too underdeveloped.
Free
Grade: B
Brad has lusted after Wren – a fellow accountant and daughter of the local Motorcycle Club president – for most of his life, and spends his afternoons fantasizing over a relationship with her. Wren spends her days working alongside Brad, flirting and teasing.
Their lives take an abrupt turn shortly after a visit from Wren’s on/off, good for nothing, cheating ex-boyfriend, Zack. Brad can’t understand Wren’s relationship with Zack and struggles to control his temper after Zack leaves. When Wren asks Brad why he’s so upset, he shocks her by telling her the MC is running drugs and it’s only a matter of time before the authorities come knocking on their door. Wren thinks he’s kidding, but when Brad refuses to back down from the accusation, she rapidly cycles between disbelief, anger and confusion. She’d know if the club was involved with drugs… wouldn’t she?
When Wren finally concludes Brad is right, she partners up with him to investigate the club. The drug revelation frees Brad to spend time with Wren outside of work, and she finally sees Brad as more than a friend. Unfortunately, their relationship heats up just as Wren’s life implodes. I loved how the author confidently develops the backstory and tension between Wren and Brad, and then brings them together just as Wren’s life is falling apart. It’s a stark contrast between her newfound happiness with Brad and her despair over the MC, but the author deftly balances the two. Wren struggles to decide what to do about the club and about her feelings for Brad. The tidy resolution of both plot lines is believable, true to Wren’s character, and the tone of the story. With Brad’s love and support, Wren is finally free to soar – free of the burdens of the job and the motorcycle club – solo or with Brad along for the ride.
Free is the sexiest story in the anthology and the best developed. The characters are rich and compelling, the relationship is sexy and believable, and the storyline that powers the narrative – the Lone Gun motorcycle club and its drug running operation – is fascinating, creepy, and adds a nice bit of tension to the story. I’m not a huge fan of MC romances, but this one caught my attention and held it.
Chariot of Desire
Grade: C-
Donny Thomas is lead singer of Donjon, a once wildly popular rock band. He spent the seventies (the band’s heyday) getting high, making music, self-destructing and making bad choices. But he’s never acted on his complicated feelings for Donjon’s drummer, CJ Crespo. Wary of crossing the line from friends to lovers or ruining their creative chemistry, he’s kept her at a distance. As the story opens, Donny’s turning over a new leaf. He’s converted to a religion that doesn’t permit him to engage in sex, drugs or alcohol or to sing about them. Donny struggles with his addictions, the band struggles to support him, and CJ silently rages.
Donny is a classic rockstar cliché – though he’s loved by the masses, he’s lonely and believes his life lacks meaning – but his newfound faith is an unusual twist on the rockstar trope. His new religion screams cult, but Donny can’t or won’t see it. He’s selfish, and despite the fact that his new faith has a profound impact on the band, he won’t give it up. Unfortunately, we know he’s lying to himself and the band – because we see him falter through CJ’s close scrutiny. She’s conflicted and alternately full of rage and tenderness towards Donny but they begin to forge a new path forward as they collaborate on an original song – Chariot of Desire. Their creative partnership helps them overcome their tangled path and ends on a hopeful note? I’m still not sure.
The story ends without a resolution of their relationship, the band’s future or Donny’s faith. And frankly, I didn’t care anyway.
The Heart is a Universe
Grade: B-
Set in the future, this is the story of Vitalis – also known as the Chosen One – shortly before she’s forced to sacrifice her life for the greater good of her planet, Pax Cara. When we first meet her, Vitalis is attending a ball at an aristocratic summit. Beneath a calm and serene facade, she’s in turmoil. The surprise summit invitation provides her with a chance to escape her destiny and she’s decided to abandon Pax Cara and go into hiding. Fate has other plans.
Eleian of Terra, the most eligible prince in existence, secretly arranged for Vitalis to be invited to the summit. He’s closely watched her for ages and believes they belong together. When Eleian asks her to dance, sparks fly and neither is prepared for their intense attraction to each other. Moments later, Eleian proposes marriage but Vitalis is wary. The prince can have any woman he wants – why would he want her, given she’s only got sixteen days left to live?
Although The Heart is a Universe is primarily about the relationship between Eleian and Vitalis, the world building is equally complex and fascinating (and sometimes distracting). As the story unfolds and destiny creeps ever closer, Eleian and Vitalis get to know one another and to reveal their deepest and most profound secrets, eventually finding an all too brief peace and serenity in each other. Their love is tender and heartbreaking – and I kept hoping a plot twist would change both their fates. The story doesn’t end the way I hoped, and I wish we had more time getting to know these characters, but the author crafts a brilliant – and surprisingly romantic – ending to this oddly moving sci fi love story.
Sight Unseen delivers on the mandate sent to its contributors – to write stories of a kind they aren’t known for, in time periods, sub genres, and subject matters that they haven’t had the opportunity to explore. The stories are diverse and compelling ...
The rest of my review for All About Romance is here: Sight Unseen
My full review for All About Romance is here: Sight Unseen
When I heard about this anthology and the clever conceit behind it – five famous authors have contributed novellas, but only the publisher knows who penned each story – I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. Sight Unseen is an intriguing idea, and it’s a real challenge to guess who penned each story, but overall, the quality is uneven – only two of the stories left me wanting more – and the HEAs are a bit too ambiguous for some of them to be considered romances.
Lost That Feeling
Grade: B+
Shortly before being captured and jailed for leading a failed rebellion against an evil king, Alma spelled herself and erased the past seven years of her memory.
When Lost That Feeling opens, Alma is trying to sleep when she hears a strange noise and peaks out of her cell to discover two strange men, Driss and Ben, who claim they’ve come to rescue her. She isn’t convinced, but something about Driss stirs her memory, and she escapes with them, deciding to head off with Driss while Ben continues alone, in order to evade the soldiers pursuing them. The story details Alma’s two journeys – her escape from prison and the metaphorical trip in her mind as she reconciles herself to a life she doesn’t remember.
Alma was once a powerful witch, who along with Driss, led a rebellion to overthrow Ozias. She’s still powerful, but weakened by her incarceration, and the journey is difficult. Driss is a sensitive and frustrated hero – he can’t understand why Alma erased her memories, and struggles to support and help her as she rediscovers her world and purpose.
Amnesia is a tricky trope to work with, but I liked this twist on it. Alma controlled her destiny when she made the decision to erase her memories, but reconstructing the reasons behind her decision is a much trickier business. I loved the world building and the parallel narratives, wherein the dynamic of their relationship changes. Before it ends, the author teases at a romantic relationship:
… “Alma, I have loved you in so many different ways. At first you took care of me. Then you were a friend, an ally, a partner.” His hands settled at her waist, kneading, before sliding up to cup her breasts. After a brief, reverent pause he added, “But I think I like this best.”
I do too! Unfortunately, my favorite story in the anthology ends abruptly just as it peaks.
A Clear View of You
Grade: B-
Kate Marsh is earning money to pay for her tuition for a PhD program at by working as a psychic, even though she doesn’t believe in magic or the ability to see the future. When a stranger shows up for a reading, Kate assumes it’s just another client, but North is attractive and intense, and he makes Kate nervous. The visit starts oddly – her crystal ball is glowing, and when she touches North’s palm, she feels a current running through her arm, connecting her to him. Flustered by her physical response and North’s amused reaction to her discomfort, Kate attempts to cut short the visit by inventing a vision of his future. North interrupts and stuns her with an offer her of $50,000, to use her ‘skills’ to help him find an object he’s missing. Kate is wary but willing.
A Clear View of You tries to do too much in a too short story. It’s unclear who or what North is until late on, and once he meets Kate, his connection to her and our world slowly emerges. Faeries, magic, mother/daughter conflict, environmental issues and romance all vie for our attention, but while North’s purpose and his surprise attraction to Kate are promising, Kate’s past and the magical world building overwhelm their burgeoning relationship. Kate is intelligent, strong, and brave, but life hasn’t quite turned out as she planned. North is aloof and enigmatic, and I struggled to buy into his attraction to Kate – perhaps because I struggled to identify with such a vaguely drawn character.
In A Clear View of You, not very much is clear until the end of the story. Though the author tries to wrap up all the disparate elements – big themes and two characters with complex backstories – it’s too short, too complex, and too underdeveloped.
Free
Grade: B
Brad has lusted after Wren – a fellow accountant and daughter of the local Motorcycle Club president – for most of his life, and spends his afternoons fantasizing over a relationship with her. Wren spends her days working alongside Brad, flirting and teasing.
Their lives take an abrupt turn shortly after a visit from Wren’s on/off, good for nothing, cheating ex-boyfriend, Zack. Brad can’t understand Wren’s relationship with Zack and struggles to control his temper after Zack leaves. When Wren asks Brad why he’s so upset, he shocks her by telling her the MC is running drugs and it’s only a matter of time before the authorities come knocking on their door. Wren thinks he’s kidding, but when Brad refuses to back down from the accusation, she rapidly cycles between disbelief, anger and confusion. She’d know if the club was involved with drugs… wouldn’t she?
When Wren finally concludes Brad is right, she partners up with him to investigate the club. The drug revelation frees Brad to spend time with Wren outside of work, and she finally sees Brad as more than a friend. Unfortunately, their relationship heats up just as Wren’s life implodes. I loved how the author confidently develops the backstory and tension between Wren and Brad, and then brings them together just as Wren’s life is falling apart. It’s a stark contrast between her newfound happiness with Brad and her despair over the MC, but the author deftly balances the two. Wren struggles to decide what to do about the club and about her feelings for Brad. The tidy resolution of both plot lines is believable, true to Wren’s character, and the tone of the story. With Brad’s love and support, Wren is finally free to soar – free of the burdens of the job and the motorcycle club – solo or with Brad along for the ride.
Free is the sexiest story in the anthology and the best developed. The characters are rich and compelling, the relationship is sexy and believable, and the storyline that powers the narrative – the Lone Gun motorcycle club and its drug running operation – is fascinating, creepy, and adds a nice bit of tension to the story. I’m not a huge fan of MC romances, but this one caught my attention and held it.
Chariot of Desire
Grade: C-
Donny Thomas is lead singer of Donjon, a once wildly popular rock band. He spent the seventies (the band’s heyday) getting high, making music, self-destructing and making bad choices. But he’s never acted on his complicated feelings for Donjon’s drummer, CJ Crespo. Wary of crossing the line from friends to lovers or ruining their creative chemistry, he’s kept her at a distance. As the story opens, Donny’s turning over a new leaf. He’s converted to a religion that doesn’t permit him to engage in sex, drugs or alcohol or to sing about them. Donny struggles with his addictions, the band struggles to support him, and CJ silently rages.
Donny is a classic rockstar cliché – though he’s loved by the masses, he’s lonely and believes his life lacks meaning – but his newfound faith is an unusual twist on the rockstar trope. His new religion screams cult, but Donny can’t or won’t see it. He’s selfish, and despite the fact that his new faith has a profound impact on the band, he won’t give it up. Unfortunately, we know he’s lying to himself and the band – because we see him falter through CJ’s close scrutiny. She’s conflicted and alternately full of rage and tenderness towards Donny but they begin to forge a new path forward as they collaborate on an original song – Chariot of Desire. Their creative partnership helps them overcome their tangled path and ends on a hopeful note? I’m still not sure.
The story ends without a resolution of their relationship, the band’s future or Donny’s faith. And frankly, I didn’t care anyway.
The Heart is a Universe
Grade: B-
Set in the future, this is the story of Vitalis – also known as the Chosen One – shortly before she’s forced to sacrifice her life for the greater good of her planet, Pax Cara. When we first meet her, Vitalis is attending a ball at an aristocratic summit. Beneath a calm and serene facade, she’s in turmoil. The surprise summit invitation provides her with a chance to escape her destiny and she’s decided to abandon Pax Cara and go into hiding. Fate has other plans.
Eleian of Terra, the most eligible prince in existence, secretly arranged for Vitalis to be invited to the summit. He’s closely watched her for ages and believes they belong together. When Eleian asks her to dance, sparks fly and neither is prepared for their intense attraction to each other. Moments later, Eleian proposes marriage but Vitalis is wary. The prince can have any woman he wants – why would he want her, given she’s only got sixteen days left to live?
Although The Heart is a Universe is primarily about the relationship between Eleian and Vitalis, the world building is equally complex and fascinating (and sometimes distracting). As the story unfolds and destiny creeps ever closer, Eleian and Vitalis get to know one another and to reveal their deepest and most profound secrets, eventually finding an all too brief peace and serenity in each other. Their love is tender and heartbreaking – and I kept hoping a plot twist would change both their fates. The story doesn’t end the way I hoped, and I wish we had more time getting to know these characters, but the author crafts a brilliant – and surprisingly romantic – ending to this oddly moving sci fi love story.
Sight Unseen delivers on the mandate sent to its contributors – to write stories of a kind they aren’t known for, in time periods, sub genres, and subject matters that they haven’t had the opportunity to explore. The stories are diverse and compelling ...
The rest of my review for All About Romance is here: Sight Unseen
July 2, 2017
Sight Unseen: A Collection of Five Anonymous Novellas
"What stories would you tell if you could? Where would your mind take you, if you let it? Five of the top voices in romance dare you to explore the most distant corners of their imaginations as they test the limits of storytelling and break the boundaries of what even they thought possible, teasing and tormenting you shamelessly as they go.
But there’s a twist—the author of each story is a secret at the time of release. They’re each plumbing the depths of the human heart and mind in ways they’ve never attempted before. Taking you high, bringing you low, until you will be hardpressed to guess who wrote what. Can you tell?
Because it would be maddening to never learn who wrote what, Sight Unseen comes with an end date. Three months after release, the authors of the stories collected here will be revealed."
I’m only familiar with one of the authors in this collection - Sherry Thomas - who I consider a writer who writes romance, rather than a romance writer. Yes, I’m a snob. Not a genre snob, it’s all genre, as far as I’m concerned, but a writing snob. I have a hard time seeing the potential of a story when the author doesn’t know one tense from another, can’t be bothered to do even a miniscule bit of research into the period they’re writing about (hello, historical romance writers who don’t know the difference between Lady Mary Jones, Lady Jones, and Lady John Jones) or the topic (Fifty Shades, anyone?); don’t pay attention to continuity; don’t care if the plot makes any sense...
Anyway, knowing that Thomas is a Writer, I assumed it would be easy to guess which story was hers. So, I started the first one. And Holy cow, this isn’t a romance, it’s a fantasy. And a damn good one. Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a wi… Wait a minute. Since I’m not familiar with the rest of these authors, maybe I shouldn’t jump to conclusions. So, I decided to read at least half of each of the other stories, before making a decision. Because, with everything on my TBR shelf, especially books I’ve committed to writing about, I probably wouldn’t be able to do these novellas credit. But I want to be able to make an educated guess before the reveal. So, this, for right now, is a work in progress.
In the meanwhile, I will say that I think it’s a brilliant idea. Writers get typecast just as much as actors do. Not having to worry about reader expectations would, I imagine, be extremely freeing.
Well, I've now finished the collection, except for that first story. As much as I appreciated the author's use of language, I've realized that it just didn't grab me as a story. Oh, well.
"What stories would you tell if you could? Where would your mind take you, if you let it? Five of the top voices in romance dare you to explore the most distant corners of their imaginations as they test the limits of storytelling and break the boundaries of what even they thought possible, teasing and tormenting you shamelessly as they go.
But there’s a twist—the author of each story is a secret at the time of release. They’re each plumbing the depths of the human heart and mind in ways they’ve never attempted before. Taking you high, bringing you low, until you will be hardpressed to guess who wrote what. Can you tell?
Because it would be maddening to never learn who wrote what, Sight Unseen comes with an end date. Three months after release, the authors of the stories collected here will be revealed."
I’m only familiar with one of the authors in this collection - Sherry Thomas - who I consider a writer who writes romance, rather than a romance writer. Yes, I’m a snob. Not a genre snob, it’s all genre, as far as I’m concerned, but a writing snob. I have a hard time seeing the potential of a story when the author doesn’t know one tense from another, can’t be bothered to do even a miniscule bit of research into the period they’re writing about (hello, historical romance writers who don’t know the difference between Lady Mary Jones, Lady Jones, and Lady John Jones) or the topic (Fifty Shades, anyone?); don’t pay attention to continuity; don’t care if the plot makes any sense...
Anyway, knowing that Thomas is a Writer, I assumed it would be easy to guess which story was hers. So, I started the first one. And Holy cow, this isn’t a romance, it’s a fantasy. And a damn good one. Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a wi… Wait a minute. Since I’m not familiar with the rest of these authors, maybe I shouldn’t jump to conclusions. So, I decided to read at least half of each of the other stories, before making a decision. Because, with everything on my TBR shelf, especially books I’ve committed to writing about, I probably wouldn’t be able to do these novellas credit. But I want to be able to make an educated guess before the reveal. So, this, for right now, is a work in progress.
In the meanwhile, I will say that I think it’s a brilliant idea. Writers get typecast just as much as actors do. Not having to worry about reader expectations would, I imagine, be extremely freeing.
Well, I've now finished the collection, except for that first story. As much as I appreciated the author's use of language, I've realized that it just didn't grab me as a story. Oh, well.
May 8, 2017
Sight Unseen is an ambitious, exciting project. Five well-known romance authors with established reputations and readers (who also have established expectations of their work) each write a novella that stretches them outside their comfort zone, or into a new subgenre.
The trick is, that for three months after the anthology's official release, all the novellas' author names are a secret. Think you know a particular author (or all of them) so well that you can pick their work out of a line-up even if their name isn't on it? Good luck.
Overall, this was one of the better anthologies I've ever read. I don't read a lot of them, because I find that they are frequently populated with stories that would have been better served if they had been allowed to stretch and breathe into at least a category-length romance. That was certainly true of three out of the five. However, the quality of the writing and the ideas in the stories made this collection much more enjoyable.
"Lost that Feeling," a fantasy romance with an interesting take on the amnesia trope, had wonderful world-building. I found the bond between the hero and heroine to be tenuous, though. And the ending was rushed. This was a romance that didn't feel like a romance until the last few paragraphs.
"A Clear View of You" is another fantasy - urban fantasy this time. There was almost too much packed in here. Mother/daughter relationships, learning about the existence of fae, bonds with nature...too much story in too little space. The romance was interwoven more organically into this story, however.
"Free" was my hands-down favorite out of all of these stories. Set in a small town, with a heroine who was a believable small-town tough girl heroine (I grew up in a small town and I've known girls like Wren). A hero who is the accountant to a biker gang (no lie - sounds like crack, but no. It just works). Just enough story to fill the space (and the only explicit one in the bunch)
"Chariot of Desire" - it took me a bit of time to figure out when this was set - the story ends up telling you (early to mid 80's). It features a band that made it big in the 70's with cock rock, but is now playing smaller gigs and trying to find its way now that the lead singer has found God (or a cult) and won't sing those old songs again. A friends-to-lovers tale about him and his drummer, this was another one that could have used a bit more space. Not even necessarily a full short novel. But the ending felt rushed.
"The Heart is a Universe" is a science fiction love story with a 16 day expiration date. I won't spoil it, but this was the one that I liked second best. Like "Free" it actually fit the space it was allotted. It's the only one I even have a guess about the author based on the ambitious puzzle-like quality of the conceit. I won't spoil the story itself, because its fascinating to see it play out, but I think this might be the Sherry Thomas novella.
Despite my criticisms of anthologies in general and this one specifically, I enjoyed it and would recommend it, especially to people who are interested in sampling a bunch of sub-genres in a small package.
I received an Advance Readers Copy in exchange for an honest review.
The trick is, that for three months after the anthology's official release, all the novellas' author names are a secret. Think you know a particular author (or all of them) so well that you can pick their work out of a line-up even if their name isn't on it? Good luck.
Overall, this was one of the better anthologies I've ever read. I don't read a lot of them, because I find that they are frequently populated with stories that would have been better served if they had been allowed to stretch and breathe into at least a category-length romance. That was certainly true of three out of the five. However, the quality of the writing and the ideas in the stories made this collection much more enjoyable.
"Lost that Feeling," a fantasy romance with an interesting take on the amnesia trope, had wonderful world-building. I found the bond between the hero and heroine to be tenuous, though. And the ending was rushed. This was a romance that didn't feel like a romance until the last few paragraphs.
"A Clear View of You" is another fantasy - urban fantasy this time. There was almost too much packed in here. Mother/daughter relationships, learning about the existence of fae, bonds with nature...too much story in too little space. The romance was interwoven more organically into this story, however.
"Free" was my hands-down favorite out of all of these stories. Set in a small town, with a heroine who was a believable small-town tough girl heroine (I grew up in a small town and I've known girls like Wren). A hero who is the accountant to a biker gang (no lie - sounds like crack, but no. It just works). Just enough story to fill the space (and the only explicit one in the bunch)
"Chariot of Desire" - it took me a bit of time to figure out when this was set - the story ends up telling you (early to mid 80's). It features a band that made it big in the 70's with cock rock, but is now playing smaller gigs and trying to find its way now that the lead singer has found God (or a cult) and won't sing those old songs again. A friends-to-lovers tale about him and his drummer, this was another one that could have used a bit more space. Not even necessarily a full short novel. But the ending felt rushed.
"The Heart is a Universe" is a science fiction love story with a 16 day expiration date. I won't spoil it, but this was the one that I liked second best. Like "Free" it actually fit the space it was allotted. It's the only one I even have a guess about the author based on the ambitious puzzle-like quality of the conceit. I won't spoil the story itself, because its fascinating to see it play out, but I think this might be the Sherry Thomas novella.
Despite my criticisms of anthologies in general and this one specifically, I enjoyed it and would recommend it, especially to people who are interested in sampling a bunch of sub-genres in a small package.
I received an Advance Readers Copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 4, 2017
This is an experimental anthology; each author is writing in a genre new to her.
For me, two of the stories stand out as clear and lovely. The story flows, the relationships develop, there may not be a firm ending but I was never confused.
One was a little confusing but I would like to know more about the characters.
One was pretty clear, was not beautiful, I would like to know more, but it did resolve cleanly.
One was confusing and unresolved and I did not really care.
The anchor story, the final in the anthology "The Heart is a Universe" is the strongest, most empathetic, and beautifully written.
I recommend this anthology, I did in fact pay for the paperback edition AFTER I read the (free) ARC.
I might have paid a bit too much for the actual print version but paper, print, and time cost money so I do not regret it. The ebook is more affordable. The beauty and inspiration in the final story is worth the cost.
Although the stories are not not currently accredited they will be in about three months. Part of the fun is trying to figure out which author wrote which story.
For me, two of the stories stand out as clear and lovely. The story flows, the relationships develop, there may not be a firm ending but I was never confused.
One was a little confusing but I would like to know more about the characters.
One was pretty clear, was not beautiful, I would like to know more, but it did resolve cleanly.
One was confusing and unresolved and I did not really care.
The anchor story, the final in the anthology "The Heart is a Universe" is the strongest, most empathetic, and beautifully written.
I recommend this anthology, I did in fact pay for the paperback edition AFTER I read the (free) ARC.
I might have paid a bit too much for the actual print version but paper, print, and time cost money so I do not regret it. The ebook is more affordable. The beauty and inspiration in the final story is worth the cost.
Although the stories are not not currently accredited they will be in about three months. Part of the fun is trying to figure out which author wrote which story.
June 23, 2017
I loved the second, third, and fifth stories. The fifth one is my favorite, followed closely by the third one. I really liked the first one, but I felt like it was missing something. I didn't like the fourth story so much... I couldn't really tell what the story was trying to accomplish, and I didn't enjoy how unresolved everything was at the end. It's like it was missing the last chapter. Also, I really enjoyed the heroine, but the hero did nothing for me.
I'm pretty damn impressed that I liked 4/5 of the stories, especially because I don't particularly enjoy fantasy stories (1, 2 and 5), motorcycle club stories (3), or rock n' roll stories (4).
As for the game of who wrote what... I have no clue. At all. I made some guesses on Twitter, but I'm not at all confident in my choices. And that's so cool! I love the concept of this book, freeing the authors to explore beyond brand and freeing the readers to approach the stories without preconceived notions (positive or otherwise) about their preferred authors.
I'm pretty damn impressed that I liked 4/5 of the stories, especially because I don't particularly enjoy fantasy stories (1, 2 and 5), motorcycle club stories (3), or rock n' roll stories (4).
As for the game of who wrote what... I have no clue. At all. I made some guesses on Twitter, but I'm not at all confident in my choices. And that's so cool! I love the concept of this book, freeing the authors to explore beyond brand and freeing the readers to approach the stories without preconceived notions (positive or otherwise) about their preferred authors.
July 6, 2017
SIGHT UNSEEN is an anthology of five stories written by different authors. Three months after the publication, the authors will be revealed.
LOST THAT FEELING: Alma is being held in prison where she is told she is a thief and a murderer. Having cast a spell on herself, Alma has lost her memories from the last seven years. When she is rescued by a man named Driss, he tells her he is a friend and that she is actually a hero helping to overthrow an oppressive leader. Alma, however, doesn't know who to trust and also who she really is. This story was a disappointment to me. I really loved the setup and the relationship between Alma and Driss seemed to have much promise, but instead of focusing on the relationship, the story spends too much time on the reasons that Alma's spell went wrong. I wish there was more relationship development. Rating: 2 stars.
CLEAR VIEW OF YOU: Kate was raised by her mother as a future witch, but Kate was a disappointment to her mother. As she grew, Kate realized that her mother was actually running a cult and that magic is fake. Fleeing to the "real world" Kate finances her education by acting as a psychic. When her new client, North, has a special request for Kate, she wonders if this is an offer of a lifetime or one too good to be true. I really liked this story. My complaint was that it was too short. I would love to read more stories in this world with these characters. For such a short story, there is a lot of development in the story with both discovery of self and also dramatic plot developments. Fun and intriguing. Rating: 4.5 stars.
FREE: Brad White is in love with Wren Masters. The complication is that Brad works for a criminal motorcycle club and Wren is the club's president's daughter. When Wren discovers the truth about the club, she works with Brad to discover the truth about what is going on with her father's club. The truth may, however, threaten any future for Brad and Wren. This story was uneven and parts of it were unsatisfying, but I loved Brad and his devotion to Wren even when she doesn't respond to him. There was something fresh and intriguing about the story even if it didn't feel polished. I wanted to know more about the future of these two. Rating: 4 stars.
CHARIOT OF DESIRE: CJ Crespo has always been interested in her bandmate Donny Times. After years of self-destructive behavior (it was the 1970s after all), Donny has joined a cultish religion which imposes a morality that threatens to tear the band and Donny and CJ apart. This is more a vignette than a fully reconciled story. I was unhappy because while the story tells something about these characters, it felt unfinished and I was left asking what would actually happen between these characters. Rating: 2.5 stars.
THE HEART IS A UNIVERSE: On the planet of Pax Cora a young woman is slated to be the sacrifice in order to save her planet. Vitalis, however, has moved from acceptance of her fate to the decision to flee and save herself. Her desperation leads her to accept an invitation to a courtship summit where she meets the heroic and handsome prince Eleian of Terra. Immediately upon their meeting the stranger Eleian proposes marriage. What is unclear is what are Eleian's motives in wanting to marry a woman who will die in sixteen days if she doesn't escape. Absolutely wonderful. My favorite story in the anthology. While all the threads didn't come together for me in the end, I thought the journey and the relationship between these characters was compelling. I couldn't put it down and kept turning pages wanting to know what the secrets between these characters were, how the two would resolve the dilemmas facing them and just wanting to know what the end would be. Rating: 4.5 stars.This review was originally posted on Top10RomanceBooks.com
LOST THAT FEELING: Alma is being held in prison where she is told she is a thief and a murderer. Having cast a spell on herself, Alma has lost her memories from the last seven years. When she is rescued by a man named Driss, he tells her he is a friend and that she is actually a hero helping to overthrow an oppressive leader. Alma, however, doesn't know who to trust and also who she really is. This story was a disappointment to me. I really loved the setup and the relationship between Alma and Driss seemed to have much promise, but instead of focusing on the relationship, the story spends too much time on the reasons that Alma's spell went wrong. I wish there was more relationship development. Rating: 2 stars.
CLEAR VIEW OF YOU: Kate was raised by her mother as a future witch, but Kate was a disappointment to her mother. As she grew, Kate realized that her mother was actually running a cult and that magic is fake. Fleeing to the "real world" Kate finances her education by acting as a psychic. When her new client, North, has a special request for Kate, she wonders if this is an offer of a lifetime or one too good to be true. I really liked this story. My complaint was that it was too short. I would love to read more stories in this world with these characters. For such a short story, there is a lot of development in the story with both discovery of self and also dramatic plot developments. Fun and intriguing. Rating: 4.5 stars.
FREE: Brad White is in love with Wren Masters. The complication is that Brad works for a criminal motorcycle club and Wren is the club's president's daughter. When Wren discovers the truth about the club, she works with Brad to discover the truth about what is going on with her father's club. The truth may, however, threaten any future for Brad and Wren. This story was uneven and parts of it were unsatisfying, but I loved Brad and his devotion to Wren even when she doesn't respond to him. There was something fresh and intriguing about the story even if it didn't feel polished. I wanted to know more about the future of these two. Rating: 4 stars.
CHARIOT OF DESIRE: CJ Crespo has always been interested in her bandmate Donny Times. After years of self-destructive behavior (it was the 1970s after all), Donny has joined a cultish religion which imposes a morality that threatens to tear the band and Donny and CJ apart. This is more a vignette than a fully reconciled story. I was unhappy because while the story tells something about these characters, it felt unfinished and I was left asking what would actually happen between these characters. Rating: 2.5 stars.
THE HEART IS A UNIVERSE: On the planet of Pax Cora a young woman is slated to be the sacrifice in order to save her planet. Vitalis, however, has moved from acceptance of her fate to the decision to flee and save herself. Her desperation leads her to accept an invitation to a courtship summit where she meets the heroic and handsome prince Eleian of Terra. Immediately upon their meeting the stranger Eleian proposes marriage. What is unclear is what are Eleian's motives in wanting to marry a woman who will die in sixteen days if she doesn't escape. Absolutely wonderful. My favorite story in the anthology. While all the threads didn't come together for me in the end, I thought the journey and the relationship between these characters was compelling. I couldn't put it down and kept turning pages wanting to know what the secrets between these characters were, how the two would resolve the dilemmas facing them and just wanting to know what the end would be. Rating: 4.5 stars.This review was originally posted on Top10RomanceBooks.com
September 9, 2017
Ok so the reveal has started (one story per day starting yesterday!) but I still want to do the guessing for myself and I'll add the reveals in spoiler tags after I check them.
I've read four of the authors before - everyone except Rock. I'm a huge fan of both Barry and Satie. By Duran, I've only read Duke of Shadows, which I really liked, and by Thomas I've only read a novella that I didn't much care for. SO, here goes:
Lost that Feeling: Perfectly alright, I just didn't... get that feeling. Sorry! Guessing Thomas. Author reveal:
A Clear View of You: Definitely some experienced and effortless writing though I personally didn't care for the magic in this one. Guessing Duran. Author reveal:
Free: Guessing Barry because excellent dialogue. (And accountant hero!) Author reveal:
Chariot of Desire: I liked this one but didn't feel it worked as a romance. Guessing Rock. (Probably because music. Haha. I really am just grasping in the dark here.) Author reveal:
The Heart is a Universe: Very catchy and weird. Guessing Satie. Author reveal:
I've read four of the authors before - everyone except Rock. I'm a huge fan of both Barry and Satie. By Duran, I've only read Duke of Shadows, which I really liked, and by Thomas I've only read a novella that I didn't much care for. SO, here goes:
Lost that Feeling: Perfectly alright, I just didn't... get that feeling. Sorry! Guessing Thomas. Author reveal:
A Clear View of You: Definitely some experienced and effortless writing though I personally didn't care for the magic in this one. Guessing Duran. Author reveal:
Free: Guessing Barry because excellent dialogue. (And accountant hero!) Author reveal:
Chariot of Desire: I liked this one but didn't feel it worked as a romance. Guessing Rock. (Probably because music. Haha. I really am just grasping in the dark here.) Author reveal:
The Heart is a Universe: Very catchy and weird. Guessing Satie. Author reveal:
March 31, 2019
Don’t remember the individual stories, though I recall it being good and me being irritated that I couldn’t match the authors to the stories I liked. I’m all for authors exploring but shorts is how I discover new to me writers. So this game of mystery nonsense was not for me.
June 28, 2017
I do have trouble buying eBooks for full prize, as I don't feel I actually own them. They do not have the same "worth" for me, however illogical or even unjust that may be, as a "real" book in ink and paper that I can put up on a shelf and lend to my friends and so on. I do buy eBooks, but mostly when they are on sale.
I bought this anthology for the full price (it is not a very expensive one, but still above what I usually spend) because of the Smart Bitches podcast. I liked the idea behind the anthology and wanted to support it. For "Sight unseen" five Romance writers were asked to write outside their usual sub-genre and without giving their names. So this is a Romance anthology with five novellas and five authors, but we do not know who wrote which. Later this year, I think in September, there will be a reveal, and readers will know if they guessed correctly. It sadly won't be much of a guessing game for me since I only know one of the authors.
I have finished all five novellas and was pleasantly surprised. Three were excellent, one I liked the idea but was not entirely satisfied with the execution, and one was well written but just not my thing at all.
Lost that feeling
This was the one where I was not entirely satisfied at the end. I liked the idea and some of the world building (it is a fantasy setting). But so many questions were not answered in the end. Maybe it needs a whole book so that it can all come together.
A clear view of you
I loved this from beginning to end. Perfectly executed complex story with complex characters in just one short novella. The idea behind it is so cool. I have been burned by the new age scene when I was young and could totally relate to the heroine. I would love to read more about her and her future adventures. Also I'd like to know how this relationship actually works out in real life. I have some questions on that. But those are new questions - they do not diminish my satisfaction with the ending of the novella. My guess is that this is the one by Sherry Thomas.
Free
Totally different, but equally lovely. I loved the heroine and the (accountant!) hero both SO MUCH. As it is a novella, the author had to decide where to cut and where to invest. And she did totally the right thing in putting it all into the relationship. It helped that they already knew each other very well, they just had to take it to the next level. I even liked the sexy times, which I often don't. The way they both fit (or don't) into the town was well done, too. The only thing that was not entirely fleshed out was the complexity of Wren's family. But I did feel all the feels, so it was really well done in the short space available.
Chariot of desire
This was something totally different. In an 80ies setting. With rock stars. I have read one or two books with rock stars as main characters before, but they were more glamorous. Fantasy stuff. This felt more real, and real is apparently not what I am looking for in my Romance. It did not entirely feel like a Romance to me, even though love and desire are center stage. The language was so evocative that it sometimes left me disgusted. So: the writing in this novella is very good. Just not what I am into.
The heart is a universe
Wonderful is the word. I have not read a lot of Romance in a sci-fi setting. But if it is like this I will! How did she fit all that world building into one novella? And the love story - it is romantic, tragic, very deep, full of surprises. I did not think there could be a fitting end to it, but she pulled it off. Except: I want more.
I bought this anthology for the full price (it is not a very expensive one, but still above what I usually spend) because of the Smart Bitches podcast. I liked the idea behind the anthology and wanted to support it. For "Sight unseen" five Romance writers were asked to write outside their usual sub-genre and without giving their names. So this is a Romance anthology with five novellas and five authors, but we do not know who wrote which. Later this year, I think in September, there will be a reveal, and readers will know if they guessed correctly. It sadly won't be much of a guessing game for me since I only know one of the authors.
I have finished all five novellas and was pleasantly surprised. Three were excellent, one I liked the idea but was not entirely satisfied with the execution, and one was well written but just not my thing at all.
Lost that feeling
This was the one where I was not entirely satisfied at the end. I liked the idea and some of the world building (it is a fantasy setting). But so many questions were not answered in the end. Maybe it needs a whole book so that it can all come together.
A clear view of you
I loved this from beginning to end. Perfectly executed complex story with complex characters in just one short novella. The idea behind it is so cool. I have been burned by the new age scene when I was young and could totally relate to the heroine. I would love to read more about her and her future adventures. Also I'd like to know how this relationship actually works out in real life. I have some questions on that. But those are new questions - they do not diminish my satisfaction with the ending of the novella. My guess is that this is the one by Sherry Thomas.
Free
Totally different, but equally lovely. I loved the heroine and the (accountant!) hero both SO MUCH. As it is a novella, the author had to decide where to cut and where to invest. And she did totally the right thing in putting it all into the relationship. It helped that they already knew each other very well, they just had to take it to the next level. I even liked the sexy times, which I often don't. The way they both fit (or don't) into the town was well done, too. The only thing that was not entirely fleshed out was the complexity of Wren's family. But I did feel all the feels, so it was really well done in the short space available.
Chariot of desire
This was something totally different. In an 80ies setting. With rock stars. I have read one or two books with rock stars as main characters before, but they were more glamorous. Fantasy stuff. This felt more real, and real is apparently not what I am looking for in my Romance. It did not entirely feel like a Romance to me, even though love and desire are center stage. The language was so evocative that it sometimes left me disgusted. So: the writing in this novella is very good. Just not what I am into.
The heart is a universe
Wonderful is the word. I have not read a lot of Romance in a sci-fi setting. But if it is like this I will! How did she fit all that world building into one novella? And the love story - it is romantic, tragic, very deep, full of surprises. I did not think there could be a fitting end to it, but she pulled it off. Except: I want more.
Read
July 16, 2017I'm not sure how to rate this book, here's why:
The first story is good although I started to get bored in the middle. The ending was thought provoking and I really liked that. I was reminded of Star Wars but with an ending. Couldn't figure the time period, could have been past/contemporary/future.
The second story was better. I had a firmer feeling of the environment maybe because I grew up in San Francisco. I haven't been there in decades but the lingo was right and therefore stirred memories. Contemporary time period.
The third story never engaged me. That is NOT because it wasn't well written but it was contemporary and about motorcycle club members. Not in the sphere of my interest at all.
And so I stopped reading. Contemporary romance does not resonate with me. If I had known the collection was modern, I wouldn't have bought it even with the names Sherry Thomas and Meredith Duran on the cover.
So I've decided I will not rate the book because my reason for not finishing and not enjoying myself is my own taste and NOT a reflection of the writing.
The first story is good although I started to get bored in the middle. The ending was thought provoking and I really liked that. I was reminded of Star Wars but with an ending. Couldn't figure the time period, could have been past/contemporary/future.
The second story was better. I had a firmer feeling of the environment maybe because I grew up in San Francisco. I haven't been there in decades but the lingo was right and therefore stirred memories. Contemporary time period.
The third story never engaged me. That is NOT because it wasn't well written but it was contemporary and about motorcycle club members. Not in the sphere of my interest at all.
And so I stopped reading. Contemporary romance does not resonate with me. If I had known the collection was modern, I wouldn't have bought it even with the names Sherry Thomas and Meredith Duran on the cover.
So I've decided I will not rate the book because my reason for not finishing and not enjoying myself is my own taste and NOT a reflection of the writing.
June 16, 2017
I thought it would be a safe pre-order because I like three of the authors - didn't even realize the gimmick until I opened to the first page. But I suspect they purposely chose different genres or wrote against type just to keep folks guessing, which is a fun idea in theory, but didn't work for me in practice.
August 3, 2017
I enjoyed this anthology and 10/10 would read another! However, there were stories that really stood out for me and others that just didn't work quite as neatly.
Standouts were:
1. Free - and I'm sort of seeing that whole scruffy SoA appeal now, plus I loved the geek gets the girl romance.
2. The Heart Is A Universe - okay, unabashedly, this is my favorite story in the anthology, the world building began quietly but built gradually up in a very lovely way and I adore the ending.
3. I feel I'm going to be in the minority here when I say that I enjoyed Chariot of Desire, it didn't read like romance at all, CJ and Donny are definitely not your grandmother's romance duo (or, you know, mine), but it was so well crafted that I didn't mind this ugly duckling roosting here.
So, stories that didn't work for me:
1. Lost That Feeling - This was the story I had imagined I'd enjoy most, Fantasy and Sci-Fi are easily my favorite genres and so when I saw that Sight Unseen had a Fantasy Romance offering, I jumped on board. But, possibly because I'd been devouring Daniel Polansky right before starting Sight Unseen, Lost That Feeling's world building wasn't satisfying and it definitely didn't feel real. Never mind the main character's super speshfulness, world building and context was my biggest problem with the story by far. Though it must be said that the heroine is incredibly special and it must also be said that it is very hard to understand the limits of her abilities, the lines are simply not there. Could she melt the bars of her prison cell and escape? I honestly fail to see why not.
But, there's a silver lining in everything and here are the elements I thought intriguing:
*. The magic system based on the power of words to alter a person's perception of reality is interesting. So maybe the heroine cannot melt the steel bars of her cell but perhaps she might have suggested that her guards....let...her...go?
* The glimpse of the world at the end of the story is really neat. Okay, so we hadn't heard about these restless dead until this moment but, boy, it caught my attention. Why are the pesky dead refusing to lay quietly in their graves? I want to know!
So, in parting, I do feel that with the luxury of more page space the author could flesh out this story satisfyingly. However, as it sits, the resolution with the Big Bad felt pretty puny and, coupled with the underdeveloped world building, made Lost That Feeling a disappointing read.
2. A Clear View Of You - A singular cookie cutter would provide more diversity than this story.
That’s all I have to say.
I might have had a tantrum whilst reading this story and I need people to understand my pain and feel it too.
Let’s start with the classic Heroine In Supernatural/Urban Setting, she’s disgruntled, she’s underpaid, she’s mad at life, she’s so spunky and potty-mouthed! But she’s also an insufferable snob who is utterly narrow-minded and hollier-than-thou.
Plus she has all the first world problems.
It starts right when we meet her when, as a reader, we’re most vulnerable to her giant dick of a personality. It opens with Kate, fearing she’s going to get sacked from the job she hates (where she’s a hack medium) if she’s late again but damn it, she needs her candy bars (more than she needs her job despite that mountain of crushing debt that we’re soon going to be hearing about ad nauseam… because reasons) …Kate is so irritatingly dismissive of just about everyone in line with her that I wanted her out of my head because, man, it had turned into an ugly space.
If I wanted my romance with a side of rage I could have been reading about the Kardashians on the Daily Mail. I’m just saying…
Kate just manages to wrangle her candy bar and hauls bootie to the job she despises when in walks her fairy godmother. Probably. Only this godmother is a tall, utterly blonde and exceedingly handsome man in a fancy suit who finds Kate weirdly compelling.
Kate hates him because Kate hates all people.
He proposes to sign a hefty check for her that would essentially allow her a fresh start. Kate accepts and then proceeds to bitch endlessly about what an asshole he is….all he wants is to meet her mom.
And recover a magic orb. Kate doesn’t believe in magic and this puts her in a foul mood which, if we’re frank, is pretty much default for Kate.
Kate has unwarranted mommy issues.
She also has Bella Swan’s nifty powers of …non-powers
2. A Clear View Of You - A singular cookie cutter would provide more diversity than this story.
I think, in a way, my review of this story is polluted by my total lack of enjoyment and sympathy for the heroine and her first-world-problems and, sweet unicorns, her infinite potential for anger.
That the character was so mad about the most innocuous shit made ME angry in turn. I felt that the heroine and I were stuck on a tantrum loop together. No safe spaces! The anger it burns everything!
If I wanted my romance with a side of rage I could have been reading about the Kardashians on the Daily Mail. I’m just saying…
An exceedingly handsome stranger walks into Harmony “Kate”’s life one day with a proposal she can’t refuse. He’d like Kate to introduce him to her mother whom he believes has acquired a valuable possession of his by mistake and he’d like it back, thank you very much.
His offer? A hefty 50k that would essentially allow Kate to cancel out the hideous mountain of student debt she’s acquired and begin her PhD, this is Kate’s dream but Kate is sort of annoyed. Scratch that, Kate is extremely angry.
Because the object the man-who-might-be-mafia-for-reasons wishes to recover is a magical orb.
Kate doesn’t believe in magic. Kate doesn’t believe in mothers either. Kate is having a hard day and that’s pretty normal for Kate.
I gotta say, I did learn a lot about Kate.
Like:
1. Kate hates magic
2. Kate has unwarranted mommy issues (tell me again about how you grew up in a huge home surrounded by gorgeous woodland with a mom who was free-loving and nature-vibey and wacky and that ruined your life)
3. She has the Bella Swan grab bag of super powers…the power of magic nulling! And the hero responds to it in the exact manner of Edward Cullen, oh, you make things so quiet, oh, the peace, oh the respite (Man, I’d believe it, pal, IF Kate weren’t using the quiet respite-y time to bitch about everything)
And last but not least, the mafia-elf-not-elf-possibly-fairy dude did not give me any lady boners. So there's *that*.
Book boyfriends: 3
Standouts were:
1. Free - and I'm sort of seeing that whole scruffy SoA appeal now, plus I loved the geek gets the girl romance.
2. The Heart Is A Universe - okay, unabashedly, this is my favorite story in the anthology, the world building began quietly but built gradually up in a very lovely way and I adore the ending.
3. I feel I'm going to be in the minority here when I say that I enjoyed Chariot of Desire, it didn't read like romance at all, CJ and Donny are definitely not your grandmother's romance duo (or, you know, mine), but it was so well crafted that I didn't mind this ugly duckling roosting here.
So, stories that didn't work for me:
1. Lost That Feeling - This was the story I had imagined I'd enjoy most, Fantasy and Sci-Fi are easily my favorite genres and so when I saw that Sight Unseen had a Fantasy Romance offering, I jumped on board. But, possibly because I'd been devouring Daniel Polansky right before starting Sight Unseen, Lost That Feeling's world building wasn't satisfying and it definitely didn't feel real. Never mind the main character's super speshfulness, world building and context was my biggest problem with the story by far. Though it must be said that the heroine is incredibly special and it must also be said that it is very hard to understand the limits of her abilities, the lines are simply not there. Could she melt the bars of her prison cell and escape? I honestly fail to see why not.
But, there's a silver lining in everything and here are the elements I thought intriguing:
*. The magic system based on the power of words to alter a person's perception of reality is interesting. So maybe the heroine cannot melt the steel bars of her cell but perhaps she might have suggested that her guards....let...her...go?
* The glimpse of the world at the end of the story is really neat. Okay, so we hadn't heard about these restless dead until this moment but, boy, it caught my attention. Why are the pesky dead refusing to lay quietly in their graves? I want to know!
So, in parting, I do feel that with the luxury of more page space the author could flesh out this story satisfyingly. However, as it sits, the resolution with the Big Bad felt pretty puny and, coupled with the underdeveloped world building, made Lost That Feeling a disappointing read.
2. A Clear View Of You - A singular cookie cutter would provide more diversity than this story.
That’s all I have to say.
I might have had a tantrum whilst reading this story and I need people to understand my pain and feel it too.
Let’s start with the classic Heroine In Supernatural/Urban Setting, she’s disgruntled, she’s underpaid, she’s mad at life, she’s so spunky and potty-mouthed! But she’s also an insufferable snob who is utterly narrow-minded and hollier-than-thou.
Plus she has all the first world problems.
It starts right when we meet her when, as a reader, we’re most vulnerable to her giant dick of a personality. It opens with Kate, fearing she’s going to get sacked from the job she hates (where she’s a hack medium) if she’s late again but damn it, she needs her candy bars (more than she needs her job despite that mountain of crushing debt that we’re soon going to be hearing about ad nauseam… because reasons) …Kate is so irritatingly dismissive of just about everyone in line with her that I wanted her out of my head because, man, it had turned into an ugly space.
If I wanted my romance with a side of rage I could have been reading about the Kardashians on the Daily Mail. I’m just saying…
Kate just manages to wrangle her candy bar and hauls bootie to the job she despises when in walks her fairy godmother. Probably. Only this godmother is a tall, utterly blonde and exceedingly handsome man in a fancy suit who finds Kate weirdly compelling.
Kate hates him because Kate hates all people.
He proposes to sign a hefty check for her that would essentially allow her a fresh start. Kate accepts and then proceeds to bitch endlessly about what an asshole he is….all he wants is to meet her mom.
And recover a magic orb. Kate doesn’t believe in magic and this puts her in a foul mood which, if we’re frank, is pretty much default for Kate.
Kate has unwarranted mommy issues.
She also has Bella Swan’s nifty powers of …non-powers
2. A Clear View Of You - A singular cookie cutter would provide more diversity than this story.
I think, in a way, my review of this story is polluted by my total lack of enjoyment and sympathy for the heroine and her first-world-problems and, sweet unicorns, her infinite potential for anger.
That the character was so mad about the most innocuous shit made ME angry in turn. I felt that the heroine and I were stuck on a tantrum loop together. No safe spaces! The anger it burns everything!
If I wanted my romance with a side of rage I could have been reading about the Kardashians on the Daily Mail. I’m just saying…
An exceedingly handsome stranger walks into Harmony “Kate”’s life one day with a proposal she can’t refuse. He’d like Kate to introduce him to her mother whom he believes has acquired a valuable possession of his by mistake and he’d like it back, thank you very much.
His offer? A hefty 50k that would essentially allow Kate to cancel out the hideous mountain of student debt she’s acquired and begin her PhD, this is Kate’s dream but Kate is sort of annoyed. Scratch that, Kate is extremely angry.
Because the object the man-who-might-be-mafia-for-reasons wishes to recover is a magical orb.
Kate doesn’t believe in magic. Kate doesn’t believe in mothers either. Kate is having a hard day and that’s pretty normal for Kate.
I gotta say, I did learn a lot about Kate.
Like:
1. Kate hates magic
2. Kate has unwarranted mommy issues (tell me again about how you grew up in a huge home surrounded by gorgeous woodland with a mom who was free-loving and nature-vibey and wacky and that ruined your life)
3. She has the Bella Swan grab bag of super powers…the power of magic nulling! And the hero responds to it in the exact manner of Edward Cullen, oh, you make things so quiet, oh, the peace, oh the respite (Man, I’d believe it, pal, IF Kate weren’t using the quiet respite-y time to bitch about everything)
And last but not least, the mafia-elf-not-elf-possibly-fairy dude did not give me any lady boners. So there's *that*.
Book boyfriends: 3
June 6, 2017
Sight Unseen is an ambitious project by five authors to write something from the heart but to remain anonymous. There are five novellas on a variety of themes, but the authors of the stories won’t be revealed until three months after the publication date. Personally, I’ve read 3 of the 5 authors before, but this was no help in determining who wrote what. The stories are fiction with romantic elements. I’d hesitate to label them all romances, but they do involve couples and have happy for now endings. Even if not all the stories are ones a reader would pick up on their own, there is definitely enough great material here to leave a lasting impression.
Lost That Feeling
This fantasy story is about Alma, a young woman who erased her memory with a spell so that the last 7 years is a mystery to her. Rescued from prison by a man who claims to be her partner in a rebellion against the King, the story involves Alma figuring out the details of the years she’s missing and the reasons why she cast the spell on herself. As the first story in the anthology, I was fascinated by how it unfolded, Alma’s magical abilities, and the world building involved in setting the tale. Alma and her partner in crime Driss did not have a romantic relationship before, but since the advent of the spell and her lack of memory, she finds herself attracted to him in the present. Their friendship is complicated by these feelings, and by the fact that the rebellion is still in full swing waiting for Alma to lead them once again. I would definitely be interested in reading more stories set in this world!
A Clear View of You
This paranormal romance centers on Kate, a woman whose mother is a firm believer in magic to the extent that she’s formed a commune of like-minded individuals. Kate’s unconventional upbringing means she’s convincing as a psychic and fortune teller, even though she doesn’t believe in what she prophesies. It’s a job, nothing more. Approached by a man to help her find an object, with the promise of money to pay off her student loans Kate isn’t going to say no – though the man himself isn’t quite what he seems. I really enjoyed this story too, with Kate having to come to terms with a new reality. There’s a sexual attraction between Kate and her client that turns into more as they work hand in hand to recover his missing object. There are some interesting magical elements and strong world building here too.
Free
Set firmly in the here and now, this contemporary romance story details a friendship between Brad, an accountant for a motorcycle club and Wren the daughter of the club’s president. Brad suspects illegal dealings and tells Wren. Together they investigate and discover it’s true, making Wren face a definite dilemma. Should she protect her father whom she loves dearly, or turn him in? Brad’s motives for telling Wren involve unrequited feelings and his desire to keep her safe, even if the end result could mean no possible future relationship between them. I liked the intensity of this story and the realistic discussion of Wren’s choices and their consequences. There are some sexy scenes in this one as Brad and Wren pose as a couple to work undercover, unleashing a passion that surprises Wren for its intensity. Being in a small town and the expectations of the people around them definitely impacts their choices. It’s got a believable happy for now ending and I was fully invested in this couple’s relationship.
Chariot of Desire
Set in the ’80s, this is a rock band romance and delves into the quandaries of lead singer Donny Times who has become a follower of a cult. The music the band created in the ’70s was free with sex and drugs but now Donny insists on making clean music that doesn’t reflect badly on the religious he’s chosen. CJ, the drummer of the band could have been sexually involved with Donny during the band’s heyday but kept their relationship platonic for fear of wrecking their creativity. Donny’s conversion means any chance of building something together is gone since sex is a thing of the past for him. CJ struggles with her choices of staying with the man she’s always cared about or making her own way to live her musical dream. This story isn’t my favorite of the anthology but only for personal reasons as I don’t care for cult stories or rock band ones generally either. It’s well written though and brings up interesting themes of the links between rock music and sex. Donny and CJ both struggle with their choices and the ending shows they still have some work to do but are on the right track to finding happiness together.
The Heart is a Universe
This richly detailed story is a science fiction romance about love and sacrifice. Vitalis is ‘The Chosen One’, a young woman selected as the one who will sacrifice her life for the good of her planet, Pax Cara. She’s got 16 days until her life is forfeit when she meets Prince Eleian of Terra Illustrata, who proposes marriage to her for the short time she has left. She agrees and in the time they spend together she finds out his secrets as he finds out hers. Yet neither can stop fate. This story is definitely one of my favorites for its thorough world building and the ethical dilemma faced by Vitalis who has been trying to figure out a way to save her own life while not destroying her planet in the bargain. It’s clearly a romance too, with Vitalis and Eleian sharing some intimate scenes and heart to heart talks. I loved how the story progresses and the ending is surprising but very satisfying.
This review is posted at https://straightshootinbookreviews.co...
A copy of this collection was provided for review.
Lost That Feeling
This fantasy story is about Alma, a young woman who erased her memory with a spell so that the last 7 years is a mystery to her. Rescued from prison by a man who claims to be her partner in a rebellion against the King, the story involves Alma figuring out the details of the years she’s missing and the reasons why she cast the spell on herself. As the first story in the anthology, I was fascinated by how it unfolded, Alma’s magical abilities, and the world building involved in setting the tale. Alma and her partner in crime Driss did not have a romantic relationship before, but since the advent of the spell and her lack of memory, she finds herself attracted to him in the present. Their friendship is complicated by these feelings, and by the fact that the rebellion is still in full swing waiting for Alma to lead them once again. I would definitely be interested in reading more stories set in this world!
A Clear View of You
This paranormal romance centers on Kate, a woman whose mother is a firm believer in magic to the extent that she’s formed a commune of like-minded individuals. Kate’s unconventional upbringing means she’s convincing as a psychic and fortune teller, even though she doesn’t believe in what she prophesies. It’s a job, nothing more. Approached by a man to help her find an object, with the promise of money to pay off her student loans Kate isn’t going to say no – though the man himself isn’t quite what he seems. I really enjoyed this story too, with Kate having to come to terms with a new reality. There’s a sexual attraction between Kate and her client that turns into more as they work hand in hand to recover his missing object. There are some interesting magical elements and strong world building here too.
Free
Set firmly in the here and now, this contemporary romance story details a friendship between Brad, an accountant for a motorcycle club and Wren the daughter of the club’s president. Brad suspects illegal dealings and tells Wren. Together they investigate and discover it’s true, making Wren face a definite dilemma. Should she protect her father whom she loves dearly, or turn him in? Brad’s motives for telling Wren involve unrequited feelings and his desire to keep her safe, even if the end result could mean no possible future relationship between them. I liked the intensity of this story and the realistic discussion of Wren’s choices and their consequences. There are some sexy scenes in this one as Brad and Wren pose as a couple to work undercover, unleashing a passion that surprises Wren for its intensity. Being in a small town and the expectations of the people around them definitely impacts their choices. It’s got a believable happy for now ending and I was fully invested in this couple’s relationship.
Chariot of Desire
Set in the ’80s, this is a rock band romance and delves into the quandaries of lead singer Donny Times who has become a follower of a cult. The music the band created in the ’70s was free with sex and drugs but now Donny insists on making clean music that doesn’t reflect badly on the religious he’s chosen. CJ, the drummer of the band could have been sexually involved with Donny during the band’s heyday but kept their relationship platonic for fear of wrecking their creativity. Donny’s conversion means any chance of building something together is gone since sex is a thing of the past for him. CJ struggles with her choices of staying with the man she’s always cared about or making her own way to live her musical dream. This story isn’t my favorite of the anthology but only for personal reasons as I don’t care for cult stories or rock band ones generally either. It’s well written though and brings up interesting themes of the links between rock music and sex. Donny and CJ both struggle with their choices and the ending shows they still have some work to do but are on the right track to finding happiness together.
The Heart is a Universe
This richly detailed story is a science fiction romance about love and sacrifice. Vitalis is ‘The Chosen One’, a young woman selected as the one who will sacrifice her life for the good of her planet, Pax Cara. She’s got 16 days until her life is forfeit when she meets Prince Eleian of Terra Illustrata, who proposes marriage to her for the short time she has left. She agrees and in the time they spend together she finds out his secrets as he finds out hers. Yet neither can stop fate. This story is definitely one of my favorites for its thorough world building and the ethical dilemma faced by Vitalis who has been trying to figure out a way to save her own life while not destroying her planet in the bargain. It’s clearly a romance too, with Vitalis and Eleian sharing some intimate scenes and heart to heart talks. I loved how the story progresses and the ending is surprising but very satisfying.
This review is posted at https://straightshootinbookreviews.co...
A copy of this collection was provided for review.
June 20, 2017
SIGHT UNSEEN is an anthology of 5 novellas written by authors unknown. I mean, you know who the 5 authors are, but who wrote what? That's the mystery, and it's trying to answer a question: Does author brand/name dictate readership?
Such a fun concept, and it would've been more fun if we totally don't know who the 5 authors are. Because I have a confession: I've only ever read Sherry Thomas and Meredith Duran's books, and when I saw their names, it was like there's an automatic "get it" clanging in my brain.
That said, I have to confess too that 1) I enjoyed the individual stories, despite not knowing who wrote them, and 2) I have my guesses as to which novellas these two authors wrote, but I couldn't be totally sure.
The novellas were all amazingly well-written, and the worldbuilding superbly done, transporting the reader to their world right from the first page. There's a little something for everyone--from fantasy romance/urban fantasy with magic, to science fiction with different planets, to contemporary romance for those who preferred to have their feet planted firmly on Earth.
I love the SFF stories for their worldbuilding and refreshing mythology; I'm not sure if these are standalones, but if they're part of a series, I wouldn't mind reading more. I love the twists toward the end that some of the authors wove in their stories, that revelation or shift in angle that causes you to go "oh!". While some of the stories started a bit slow for me, and if the same goes for you, my advice would be to hang in there. It's like riding a roller-coaster; there's the slow ascent to the top, but when you get there, the fun begins and never stops.
Highly recommended!
Such a fun concept, and it would've been more fun if we totally don't know who the 5 authors are. Because I have a confession: I've only ever read Sherry Thomas and Meredith Duran's books, and when I saw their names, it was like there's an automatic "get it" clanging in my brain.
That said, I have to confess too that 1) I enjoyed the individual stories, despite not knowing who wrote them, and 2) I have my guesses as to which novellas these two authors wrote, but I couldn't be totally sure.
The novellas were all amazingly well-written, and the worldbuilding superbly done, transporting the reader to their world right from the first page. There's a little something for everyone--from fantasy romance/urban fantasy with magic, to science fiction with different planets, to contemporary romance for those who preferred to have their feet planted firmly on Earth.
I love the SFF stories for their worldbuilding and refreshing mythology; I'm not sure if these are standalones, but if they're part of a series, I wouldn't mind reading more. I love the twists toward the end that some of the authors wove in their stories, that revelation or shift in angle that causes you to go "oh!". While some of the stories started a bit slow for me, and if the same goes for you, my advice would be to hang in there. It's like riding a roller-coaster; there's the slow ascent to the top, but when you get there, the fun begins and never stops.
Highly recommended!
August 17, 2017
I picked this up mainly because I was curious about the premise, and I had to read an anthology for the Ripped Bodice Summer Read Along. I went in figuring that the stories would be interesting but probably not spectacular, since the authors would be writing outside their usual genre. However, I was pleasantly surprised.
Lost That Feeling - 3 stars. Enjoyable, but it felt like that scene in Toy Story 2 where Mrs. Potato Head packs a bunch of stuff inside Mr. Potato Head, until play dough comes spurting out all over. I liked all the pieces, the magic system, the amnesia plot line, even the characters (though the heroine bordered on "specialist of them all!!!!"), but it all felt like too much crammed into a short story. I'd love to see this as a book.
A Clear View of You - 4 stars. I'm a huge fan of paranormal romance, so of course I enjoyed this one, prickly heroine and all. I'd also like to see this one as a full-length book, but I felt like it worked as a short story.
Free - 4 stars. I think this is the most "normal" of the stories, since it's a contemporary. Also, super hot.
Chariot of Desire - 3 stars. I'm normally a fan of rock star romances, but something felt off about this one. I don't think I ever really understood the attraction the hero and heroine had for each other.
The Heart is a Universe - 5 stars. What a delightfully odd story. I was completely sucked in to this one, and while I found the ending somewhat unsatisfying, I definitely give it props for a wild ride.
Lost That Feeling - 3 stars. Enjoyable, but it felt like that scene in Toy Story 2 where Mrs. Potato Head packs a bunch of stuff inside Mr. Potato Head, until play dough comes spurting out all over. I liked all the pieces, the magic system, the amnesia plot line, even the characters (though the heroine bordered on "specialist of them all!!!!"), but it all felt like too much crammed into a short story. I'd love to see this as a book.
A Clear View of You - 4 stars. I'm a huge fan of paranormal romance, so of course I enjoyed this one, prickly heroine and all. I'd also like to see this one as a full-length book, but I felt like it worked as a short story.
Free - 4 stars. I think this is the most "normal" of the stories, since it's a contemporary. Also, super hot.
Chariot of Desire - 3 stars. I'm normally a fan of rock star romances, but something felt off about this one. I don't think I ever really understood the attraction the hero and heroine had for each other.
The Heart is a Universe - 5 stars. What a delightfully odd story. I was completely sucked in to this one, and while I found the ending somewhat unsatisfying, I definitely give it props for a wild ride.
June 6, 2017
Anthologies can be tricky reads -- sometimes it's that one story by a favorite author and sometimes it's a favorite theme that draws you in, but it's also an opportunity to explore new authors. Sight Unseen combines all of these concepts into one thought-provoking group of novellas. The twist here is that the authors are not matched with their story. That was a refreshing concept for me.
There's something for everyone in this set of stories. As with many novellas, it can be hard to pack a big story in a little package and some of the offerings in this anthology suffer a bit from this, but overall, I was intrigued by most of the stories here, but felt a few could have been longer to have more emotional impact.
For me, I'm not familiar with the authors, so the fact this is a secret meant I didn't have any expectations going in, and that was good for me. I am curious as to who wrote my favorites.
ARC provided for review.
There's something for everyone in this set of stories. As with many novellas, it can be hard to pack a big story in a little package and some of the offerings in this anthology suffer a bit from this, but overall, I was intrigued by most of the stories here, but felt a few could have been longer to have more emotional impact.
For me, I'm not familiar with the authors, so the fact this is a secret meant I didn't have any expectations going in, and that was good for me. I am curious as to who wrote my favorites.
ARC provided for review.
June 27, 2017
Guys, I loved all of these stories, except one.
They were all full of women power & I ABSOLUTELY loved it!
Every story I wanted the full novel. The first one had such an interesting plot with the girl erasing her memory.
I loved the biker story because the girl was super bad ass & the hero in it was an accountant & was not as bad ass as her. I liked how she rode a motorcycle & he sat behind her. This story really broke through some gender stereotypes.
I also enjoyed how her first boyfriend had a huge dick & the hero's was smaller & the story wasn't a cock fight over who gets the girl, it was the girls choice the entire time.
The story I didn't like was the rockstar one.
It just sounded like a 20 page love story to how great the 70's drug era was & that type of lifestyle does not sit well with me.
The end was also super mediocre.
I really liked the last story. It was all great.
If you're looking for a light read definitely check out these stories.
They were all full of women power & I ABSOLUTELY loved it!
Every story I wanted the full novel. The first one had such an interesting plot with the girl erasing her memory.
I loved the biker story because the girl was super bad ass & the hero in it was an accountant & was not as bad ass as her. I liked how she rode a motorcycle & he sat behind her. This story really broke through some gender stereotypes.
I also enjoyed how her first boyfriend had a huge dick & the hero's was smaller & the story wasn't a cock fight over who gets the girl, it was the girls choice the entire time.
The story I didn't like was the rockstar one.
It just sounded like a 20 page love story to how great the 70's drug era was & that type of lifestyle does not sit well with me.
The end was also super mediocre.
I really liked the last story. It was all great.
If you're looking for a light read definitely check out these stories.
June 30, 2017
I bought this to support the idea of anonymous novellas and experimentalism in the romance genre, but I think I'm ultimately pretty traditional as my favorite story was the third one, which was most traditionally a romance--the fourth and fifth stretch the boundaries a good bit, and the first and second have more plot than central love story. Also, the anonymous thing didn't really affect how I read things--it's like reading a random free Kindle book by an author I've never heard of. Anyway, here are my ratings for the individual stories:
1: 3
2: 3
3: 5
4: 1
5: 4
That averages to about a 3, but I give it an extra star because even though my own taste is traditional, I love the romance genre and I support ideas that keep it fresh, vivid, and growing.
1: 3
2: 3
3: 5
4: 1
5: 4
That averages to about a 3, but I give it an extra star because even though my own taste is traditional, I love the romance genre and I support ideas that keep it fresh, vivid, and growing.
July 19, 2017
It's an interesting project but the stories aren't all great.
Lost That Feeling - three stars, but it felt unfinished; the side characters aren't really well explored.
A Clear View of You - my favourite, easily five stars. It feels a little like Connie Willis, in the best way possible.
Free - oh dear God, why. Some phrases were so terrible that they are going to be burnt on my retinas forever. The less said the better.
Chariot of Desire - the best thing about this one was its shortness.
The Heart is a Universe - I think this one wants to be LeGuin but fails. There are some interesting ideas here, but the romantic plot and the sf plot don't quite work together. But while it could easily be less wordy, it's still three stars.
Lost That Feeling - three stars, but it felt unfinished; the side characters aren't really well explored.
A Clear View of You - my favourite, easily five stars. It feels a little like Connie Willis, in the best way possible.
Free - oh dear God, why. Some phrases were so terrible that they are going to be burnt on my retinas forever. The less said the better.
Chariot of Desire - the best thing about this one was its shortness.
The Heart is a Universe - I think this one wants to be LeGuin but fails. There are some interesting ideas here, but the romantic plot and the sf plot don't quite work together. But while it could easily be less wordy, it's still three stars.
August 9, 2017
This anthology takes five authors and has them write a story in a genre they don’t usually tackle. The twist is that when it was released the authors’ names were not attached to their story. Most of the stories veered into paranormal or science fiction or western. I’m not fond of any of these, yet really enjoyed these stories. The authors all displayed their writing skills with well structured novellas. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it, especially the last story, the Heart is a Universe. Can’t wait to match the stories with authors.
June 5, 2017
Five stories, five authors known for their talented ways in telling a tale. Each of the narratives will transport you through different romantic genres, different plots all with a happy ending, all very captivating. But the real twist, finding out which author wrote which story! Readers will get a kick out of guessing!
*ARC provided*
*ARC provided*
June 15, 2017
Like most collections, these short stories are uneven in quality.Two of the authors are unfamiliar to me, so my guesses as to authorship are uncertain. The two best stories have a little magic in them, one is a peculiar science fiction/fantasy mashup, and two are gritty, modern-day stories.
June 26, 2019
I enjoyed most of the stories very much. Just goes to show what a good writer can do in a short spoof time.
December 20, 2020
Reviewing the Emma Barry story, .
November 21, 2021
It's only for clear view of you 4.5 and heart is a universe 4, these stories were well worth it ...
June 30, 2017
So I have read at least one book by each of the listed authors but I haven't a clue who wrote what in this collection. So that being said here goes my unbiased review for each one.
Lost That Feeling: Grade C. This was a disjointed and somewhat sloppy amnesia story. It started pretty strong, but dragged in the middle. The overly crammed story lurched toward a somewhat flat and too abrupt ending.
A Clear View of You: Grade A-. The best story in the lot for me. A tale about a supposed magic dud posing as a psychic. Turns out Kate DOES have abilities and the supernatural being called North needs her to realize it in order to help him recover a magic object. Fun time ensue. Well done.
Free: Grade B-. Motorcycle club story with a somewhat unlikable/naive heroine and a slightly milksop hero. The writing elevated the characters.
Chariot of Desire: Grade C-. This was a bit of a skip around narrative that didn't do the story any favors. Dony came across as a bit of a weak cult follower and the overall tone felt preachy. The ending was more of a story dribble and too vague for the story investment.
The Heart is a Universe: Grade B+. This started out pretty slow and Boooooring. I almost didn't finish it. Mistake! This story had the most emotional heft of all. It was also a pretty great premise about another planet and courage in the face of "literal" human sacrifice. There may be tears. The ending wrap up was a bit woohoo and unnecessarily so. Definitely worth the page turn.
Lost That Feeling: Grade C. This was a disjointed and somewhat sloppy amnesia story. It started pretty strong, but dragged in the middle. The overly crammed story lurched toward a somewhat flat and too abrupt ending.
A Clear View of You: Grade A-. The best story in the lot for me. A tale about a supposed magic dud posing as a psychic. Turns out Kate DOES have abilities and the supernatural being called North needs her to realize it in order to help him recover a magic object. Fun time ensue. Well done.
Free: Grade B-. Motorcycle club story with a somewhat unlikable/naive heroine and a slightly milksop hero. The writing elevated the characters.
Chariot of Desire: Grade C-. This was a bit of a skip around narrative that didn't do the story any favors. Dony came across as a bit of a weak cult follower and the overall tone felt preachy. The ending was more of a story dribble and too vague for the story investment.
The Heart is a Universe: Grade B+. This started out pretty slow and Boooooring. I almost didn't finish it. Mistake! This story had the most emotional heft of all. It was also a pretty great premise about another planet and courage in the face of "literal" human sacrifice. There may be tears. The ending wrap up was a bit woohoo and unnecessarily so. Definitely worth the page turn.
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