Glitterland (Spires, #1) in Riptide Publishing

Jun 19, 2013 Kaje Harper rated it it was amazing

The concept of this book is simple - Ash, an educated, well-off writer with severe depression, meets Darian, a happy-go-lucky poor Essex lad and aspiring fashion model with a sunny disposition. Will the attraction of opposites withstand the fact that they are, well, so opposite? But the execution - ah, that's where this book shines, very brightly indeed.

If English is not your first language, this may be a bit of a slog, since Darian's Essex accent is phonetically rendered. For me, it was beautif The concept of this book is simple - Ash, an educated, well-off writer with severe depression, meets Darian, a happy-go-lucky poor Essex lad and aspiring fashion model with a sunny disposition. Will the attraction of opposites withstand the fact that they are, well, so opposite? But the execution - ah, that's where this book shines, very brightly indeed.

If English is not your first language, this may be a bit of a slog, since Darian's Essex accent is phonetically rendered. For me, it was beautifully calculated - an ongoing reminder of how Darian was at odds with everything Ash thought he valued, but not too thick to be read straight through or to force me to slow down and interpret. Darian's gentle optimism, his self-confidence that accepted limitations without being intimidated, and his wise focus on what really mattered, came through that accent. His simple joy in sparkly clothes and good times with friends, his basic shyness under the glitter, and his love of his Nan and his mates and life itself shone from the pages.

Ash was equally well portrayed, and his problems felt so, so articulately familiar. Depression is an all-encompassing problem that smothers light and joy and energy in its dark, muffling fog. The effort to interact with people, to remember the simple rules of social engagement enough to even deal with a store clerk, can feel far out of reach. Getting out of bed can be like rolling a boulder up a hill.

All those loving, helpful people who try to tell you it's not that bad, and there are medications, and just talk to this therapist, and "you can always call me", become another load to carry. You should try to feel better for their sake, but if it were that easy, you would feel better for your own sake. Their caring moves from comfort to just one more demand, until you snap and snarl and drive them off. And then are more alone. Or you cling to them, until their caring is worn thin in the unreasonableness of your demands, and you become more burden than friend. And either way, you lose them.

Ash has gone through all of that, right down to the suicide attempts when he wanted the world to just go away and let him rest. He has managed to keep a couple of friends, but his closest friend, Niall, is getting to the end of his rope, and their relationship was once as lovers and remains complex. Still, his friends pull him out of his isolation just enough to keep him in the land of the living, able to keep going with someone at the end of the lifeline to call.

Ash has struggled out of the deepest pit of depression in the last year or two, and is fragile, but functional, when he meets Darian. For the first time in a long time, he finds someone for whom he is a pleasure and a joy, not a burden or an object of pity. Someone whose light brightens his own darkness. Not just in the heat of the first real more-than-just-reflex sexual attraction he has felt in years, but in the moments between.

Darian, in his glitter and grating accent, moves through the jagged shards of Ash's life without getting wounded, with appreciation and humor. He makes Ash feel almost human, makes him want to try for more. But Ash is hiding most of his problems, and when Darian sees the real Ash, how can he be expected to stay around?

Darian is wonderful, but not unbelievable. Ash is sharp and sarcastic and secretive, but understandably so. The secondary characters, from Niall to their friend Amy to Chloe the fashion designer, are so well created, with their own complexities. This is a book I dove straight through, staying up late for it, my heart in my throat at one point. And yet also a book worth reading every word, with the literary and cultural references, the lines that felt like poetry, and the crystal-sharp depictions of Ash's world. Highly recommended. ...more

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Jun 19, 2013 Christina rated it liked it

Shelves: m-m-romance

My take on this book is exactly the same as my first update. I have two major issues. First, was the use of the purple/lyrical prose. I can tolerate it if it enhances the story. For example, in Scrap Metal the lyrical prose added to the atmosphere and the feel, which in turn brought you further into the story. Everything came alive, but in this book it doesn't fit the nature of the story. Ash is bi-polar depressive and the prose pulled me out of the story and the darkness that surrounds Ash and ...more

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Jun 01, 2013 Shirley Frances rated it it was amazing

Shelves: contemporary, 2013, mm-read, read-2-review, reviewed, glbt

4.75 stars

So I've been thinking about this book, a lot. Although It contains all the elements necessary for it to be a 5 star read for me - the great, interesting characters that win you over within minutes, range in emotions that took me from laughter to anxiety all the way through exasperation and compassion, sex scenes that meant something and some that just didn't and a difficult subject matter that brought about a different take to the opposites attracts concept - it WAS a difficult read fo 4.75 stars

So I've been thinking about this book, a lot. Although It contains all the elements necessary for it to be a 5 star read for me - the great, interesting characters that win you over within minutes, range in emotions that took me from laughter to anxiety all the way through exasperation and compassion, sex scenes that meant something and some that just didn't and a difficult subject matter that brought about a different take to the opposites attracts concept - it WAS a difficult read for me to get through.

It's rare when my being an ESL individual interferes with my reading to the point where I consider not continuing with a book. However, I have to hand it to Alexis Hall, because within just the first couple of chapters I was already interested in knowing what would happen next and that alone kept me from giving up. So with my cell phone handy and the Kindle dictionary at my fingertips I set out to find out how the glitter pirate and the bipolar author get together.

I loved it!

Ash was a treat to read. Living a life marred by his past and present situations, honest to the point of being rude and mentally fragile with a temper to boot, Ash wasn't just imperfect, he felt real to me. I liked that he was not one of those characters who only had some issues, dealt with them and moved one. He had major issues that impacted not only the way he behaved but how he treated others and to see him grow throughout the story while still accepting his flaws was a beautiful thing to me.

Now Darian, I loved from the start. I loved his outlook of life, his acceptance of himself and how he treated others. He was genuine, showing his innocence when talking to Ash and unleashing his passion for the Ash. He was honest and charming, outrageous and sensible. He brought out the best in Ash as well as the worst of his fears to the surface. The ying to Ash's yang.

As I said before, I had trouble with the writing, but not only because of the Essex accent that was written as dialogue but also because of the lyrical prose used as Ash's voice. I usually don't have a problem with this style of writing, but since most of the words were British in nature, I had to stop reading, search for the meaning and move on. However, I don't think it would have worked any other way for the type of person Ash was, so THAT I could get over easily. Sadly, I can't say the same for Darian and his friends. I missed a lot of the jokes and the whole scene in Essex Fashion Week with Darian's friends was lost on me. Hell, it took me a while just to understand what 'hunjed pacent' meant!

Nevertheless, Alexis Hall brought to the page an interesting story that delved into an unspoken aspect of real life and delivered a heart-warming, at times hilarious account of two completely different men falling for each other and finding a middle ground within the chaos that is life. From the endearing Darian with his extreme accent that drove me insane while reading to Niall and his loyalty to Ash all through to Ash's panic attacks, episodes of depression and cluelessness regarding Darian, Glitterland was a surprising touching read that left me wanting more.

I received this title from Riptide through NetGalley in exchange of y honest opinion. ...more

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Jun 19, 2013 justanya rated it really liked it

Shelves: mm-faves, made-me-cry, couldn-t-put-it-down, unforgettable-characters, reformed-jerks, don-t-know-why-i-love-it-i-just-do

I won't go in depth on all the wonderful points of this book. Other reviews posted here did an excellent job covering those bases. What I will comment on is why this story earned 4 stars instead of 5. The book is well written, the characters believable (human) but I just couldn't stomach all the flowery writing I trudged through in an effort to understand the impact Ash's illness has had on his life. Also, Ash was a character I struggled with. It took a lot for me to remotely like him and it was ...more

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Nov 18, 2013 Darkm rated it it was amazing

Shelves: m-m, favorites

This book had been a wonderful surprise.
It was funny, and moving, and all around perfect.

It also teaches us a great lesson about appearances, and about how much kindness can really help and heal.

Now all I need to do is to try Darian's pie :) ...more

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Jun 26, 2013 Clarissa rated it it was amazing

Shelves: owned, m-m, all-time-favorites, 2013-reads, mm-contemporary

Also at Scrollin' Them Papers

For a book that I waited so excitedly to be released, I waited such an embarrassingly long time to read it. And damn if I didn't regret it. I had to do my internship for a couple of months, did not touch a single book and totally missed that raves of this book. /cries

Well, I know that this review would not in any way do the book any justice but here's an attempt anyway.

If I should describe my feeling after and while reading this book, I would say I was glimstruck. To ...more

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