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Something Like #5
Something Like Lightning
Never stop running. No matter how often life trips you up, or how many times your enemies knock you down, just get up and keep on moving until you find where you belong.
Kelly Phillips has been out and proud since he was a young teenager, and thanks to the gay youth group he frequents, he’s never been short on friends or lovers. But when you have almost everything, it’s hard not to focus on what’s just out of reach: A best friend, who would be Mr. Right if he wasn’t already Mr. Straight. Or that handsome athlete at school, who would be easier to wrangle if not for his angel wings. And then there’s the guy who might be a perfect fit, maybe even a soulmate� if only he wasn’t convinced he didn’t need anyone at all. Kelly has always been good at running. Now he must learn to chase, which will not only test his endurance, but the durability of his heart as well.
Something Like Lightning is a new beginning in the Something Like� saga, shifting the focus to a different set of characters while also revisiting a familiar face or two.
Kelly Phillips has been out and proud since he was a young teenager, and thanks to the gay youth group he frequents, he’s never been short on friends or lovers. But when you have almost everything, it’s hard not to focus on what’s just out of reach: A best friend, who would be Mr. Right if he wasn’t already Mr. Straight. Or that handsome athlete at school, who would be easier to wrangle if not for his angel wings. And then there’s the guy who might be a perfect fit, maybe even a soulmate� if only he wasn’t convinced he didn’t need anyone at all. Kelly has always been good at running. Now he must learn to chase, which will not only test his endurance, but the durability of his heart as well.
Something Like Lightning is a new beginning in the Something Like� saga, shifting the focus to a different set of characters while also revisiting a familiar face or two.
389 pages, ebook
First published October 4, 2014
140 people are currently reading
1989 people want to read
About the author
Jay Bell
53Ìýbooks2,174ÌýfollowersJay Bell is a proud gay man and the award-winning author behind dozens of emotional and yet hopelessly optimistic stories. His best-selling book, Something Like Summer, spawned a series of heart-wrenching novels, a musically driven movie, and a lovingly drawn comic. When not crafting imaginary worlds, he occupies his free time with animals, art, action figures, and—most ardently—his husband Andreas. Jay is always dreaming up new stories about boys in love. If that sounds like your cup of tea, you can get the kettle boiling by visiting .
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 159 reviews
October 16, 2014
4.5 stars
My Dearest Jay,
Sincerely,
Justin
I am so conflicted here. I love Jay Bell’s writing, I love his characters, and I usually love the euphoria I get when I finish one of his books. Not this time. I’m still a little wrung out and that ending makes me want to thump Jay in the forehead. Lol
Breann nailed it when she said only Jay Bell could make you love a guy like Kelly. No truer words have ever been spoken. I’ll admit that enough time had passed since reading Something Like Spring that I was more than one-third of the way through this one before it all came back to me. It was like a sucker punch to the gut and I raged. I started questioning everything. I was trying to remember details from Spring and almost stopped to re-read it before continuing with Lightning. I'm glad I didn't because when I was able to connect the dots and remember details it broke my heart. I really hurt for Kelly. BAD! I had a completely different reaction in Spring. I don’t know how to proceed without saying too much but seeing things from Kelly’s point of view was definitely an eye opener. And not a pleasant one. It was much easier when I disliked (OK, hated) Kelly in Spring.
I struggled with most of the main characters in Lightning. I loved them one minute and hated them the next. HATED THEM! With a white hot passion. This is true for almost every single one of them except Allison. I just plain loved Allison. Again it’s hard to elaborate without spoiling something so you’ll just have to experience the range of emotions for yourself. Some of the characters I was able to forgive, at least somewhat. Others, not so much.
The plot here is very intertwined with Something Like Spring. I was expecting this new series to be completely different with brief cameo appearances from characters from some of the other 4 books. I guess on some distant level I knew this was Kelly's story but I didn't expect it to tie so closely with Spring. This one however stays true to the other book in the Something Like series in that there’s a definite connection to at least one other book. In this case it was Spring. Some of the scenes are ones you’ve seen before only now you’re seeing them through someone else's eyes.
I knew how I wanted this to end and it was close. In my opinion some things were resolved a little more than necessary and one MAJOR thing was not resolved enough. Damn you again Jay. You're an evil bastard. :)
If you like the other Something Like books, you’ll eat this one up like it's your favorite desert. If you’re like me and you’re a Jay Bell fan, you will NOT be disappointed. The writing here is spectacular as is the case with all of Jay's recent writing.
Something Like Lightning is not one I’ll soon forget and as much as it pains me to say, I’m looking forward *grumble, grumble* to Something Like Thunder. Asswipe! I love you, JAY!
See Breann & Lori's review of Something Like Lightning at:
My Dearest Jay,
I hate you,
and then I love you.
It's like I want to throw
you off a cliff,
then rush to the bottom
to catch you.
Sincerely,
Justin
I am so conflicted here. I love Jay Bell’s writing, I love his characters, and I usually love the euphoria I get when I finish one of his books. Not this time. I’m still a little wrung out and that ending makes me want to thump Jay in the forehead. Lol
Breann nailed it when she said only Jay Bell could make you love a guy like Kelly. No truer words have ever been spoken. I’ll admit that enough time had passed since reading Something Like Spring that I was more than one-third of the way through this one before it all came back to me. It was like a sucker punch to the gut and I raged. I started questioning everything. I was trying to remember details from Spring and almost stopped to re-read it before continuing with Lightning. I'm glad I didn't because when I was able to connect the dots and remember details it broke my heart. I really hurt for Kelly. BAD! I had a completely different reaction in Spring. I don’t know how to proceed without saying too much but seeing things from Kelly’s point of view was definitely an eye opener. And not a pleasant one. It was much easier when I disliked (OK, hated) Kelly in Spring.
I struggled with most of the main characters in Lightning. I loved them one minute and hated them the next. HATED THEM! With a white hot passion. This is true for almost every single one of them except Allison. I just plain loved Allison. Again it’s hard to elaborate without spoiling something so you’ll just have to experience the range of emotions for yourself. Some of the characters I was able to forgive, at least somewhat. Others, not so much.
The plot here is very intertwined with Something Like Spring. I was expecting this new series to be completely different with brief cameo appearances from characters from some of the other 4 books. I guess on some distant level I knew this was Kelly's story but I didn't expect it to tie so closely with Spring. This one however stays true to the other book in the Something Like series in that there’s a definite connection to at least one other book. In this case it was Spring. Some of the scenes are ones you’ve seen before only now you’re seeing them through someone else's eyes.
I knew how I wanted this to end and it was close. In my opinion some things were resolved a little more than necessary and one MAJOR thing was not resolved enough. Damn you again Jay. You're an evil bastard. :)
If you like the other Something Like books, you’ll eat this one up like it's your favorite desert. If you’re like me and you’re a Jay Bell fan, you will NOT be disappointed. The writing here is spectacular as is the case with all of Jay's recent writing.
Something Like Lightning is not one I’ll soon forget and as much as it pains me to say, I’m looking forward *grumble, grumble* to Something Like Thunder. Asswipe! I love you, JAY!
See Breann & Lori's review of Something Like Lightning at:
December 1, 2014
3.5 stars
I know your game, Jay Bell! I figured you out!
You write these characters and you say to the reader, "I dare you to try and like this guy!" The guys are flawed and irritating and impetuous...but you stick the reader with them for years...seeing them through these growing-up phases...making mistakes and finding out how to fix them. And just when the reader wants to give up on them, you show that all of that was just the character being HUMAN and doing their best through LIFE.
I didn't always get it, but I do now. I didn't get it with Tim Wyman in your first two Seasons books. But I get it with Kelly Phillips in Something LIke Lightning. I wanted to hate Kelly in the beginning. He was this arrogant teenager. Selfish. Irresponsible with his emotions and the emotions of others. And I worried, yet again, that I'd end up hating a book because I couldn't get behind the main character.
But, then it clicked. Kelly was a teeanged boy. And then he was a young man. He was insecure. He was figuring himself out. He was trying to understand love. He was maneuvering through relationships. And that's LIFE. That's the HUMAN experience. And suddenly I didn't hate Kelly...I empathized with him.
Jay Bell's ability to tell a story is amazing. He doesn't shy away from detail, from experience, from tragedy, from SHOCKING twists, from heartbreak. He tackles them head-on. And for the reader who goes in without a hardhat, it can be painful. But it feels...real and honest.
This book is Kelly's journey...from a young teenager obsessed with his best friend, to an older teen facing crisis and overwhelming obstacles, to an emotionally dependent young man trying to figure out love, to an adult living with physical challenges and being brave with his heart. He'sÌýa pain-in-the-ass at times and I wanted to grab him and shake him and yell at him, "What are you doing?" But, I ultimately just wanted him to be...ok. For life to give him a break and allow him it be alright.
The cast of chracters from the Seasons series make an appearance, and to be honest, that's where I thought the book was it's weakest. Maybe I'm biased because I don't particularlyÌýlikeÌýthose characters. But, it was almost too coincidental how all these same people fell into place in Kelly's story and throughout his life. But, for those of you who love that series, I think you'll enjoy seeing your ol' favorites.
Some of the circumstances thrown into the story felt a little contrived at times or maybe a tiny bit unbelievable...but Jay Bell never takes itÌýway over the top and usually is able to save those scenes.
For me, this was not your standard run-of-the-mill coming-of-age romance. It's about a boy who becomes a man and finds love in many forms along the way. Also...kudos for having a main character that is a person-of-color. And a strong family support system.
October 14, 2014
Dear lord why do I get talked into these things. Amazing of course. Review previously at BMBR.
My experience with this book is slightly different to the other two Unicorns. I have only read Something Like Summer (and am still building up the courage/mending my broken heart to read the next books) therefore I had absolutely no idea of anything that would occur in this book. Let me say this works really well as a standalone, but I can imagine having the background knowledge of the other characters also gives a fantastic - but different - reading experience.
Anyone who has toyed with these books knows that they are in for some angst. That their heart is going to be a bit bruised around the edges before the conclusion of the story and this was certainly no exception to that. One of Jay Bell's greatest strengths is his characterisation. Each character is unique and realistic. I really enjoy fully rounded characters, they make reading so much more real and easy to believe. I feel for fully rounded characters more because I believe in them. I really find nothing tropey about any of his characters, they re all flawed, yet I find myself rooting for all of them. Very rarely is there an all out 'bad guy/gal' in his stories.
The story - well, the story is like a roller coaster ride. If I'd read Spring, then maybe some of the downhill turns would not have squeezed my insides so much...but it did make the reading experience all the more wonderful. As with the other Something Like books, this story follows the characters over many years, from teens to their twenties (or beyond). With this particular book Kelly is the MC and I loved him. Really, really loved him. As I didn't know anything about his story my heart ached for him at times, yet I admired his spirit. I also admire the author's ability not to just brush over events and make everything suddenly all right - or make it mellow dramatic nonsense.
With his relationships, again it was so real - yes, I know I keep using that word, but truly it is apt. The intense feelings a person can have, the ups and downs, the difficult choices and guilt. It's all there in Kelly's life and relationships. Superbly written.
The only thing I will say is, I really feel that I need to read the next book now in order to fully understand everything in this book. It's the way his books work - they are all cogs in a bigger book machine and yet we are only seeing one cog at a time, revealing one bit of the story. We may see glimpses of the other cogs as they turn, showing us their story, but I can imagine the full picture will only be available once the entire series is done. So hurry up, get writing Jay, I REALLY need to read Something Like Thunder!
I'd also like to comment on the amazing cover art work - it fits the story so perfectly and is really beautiful. I like the fact that these covers are far from typical MM covers. It's a far from typical MM book - it's just a story, whose characters happen to be gay. Yeah, kinda like life really.
A copy of this book was given by the author in exchange for an honest review.
My experience with this book is slightly different to the other two Unicorns. I have only read Something Like Summer (and am still building up the courage/mending my broken heart to read the next books) therefore I had absolutely no idea of anything that would occur in this book. Let me say this works really well as a standalone, but I can imagine having the background knowledge of the other characters also gives a fantastic - but different - reading experience.
Anyone who has toyed with these books knows that they are in for some angst. That their heart is going to be a bit bruised around the edges before the conclusion of the story and this was certainly no exception to that. One of Jay Bell's greatest strengths is his characterisation. Each character is unique and realistic. I really enjoy fully rounded characters, they make reading so much more real and easy to believe. I feel for fully rounded characters more because I believe in them. I really find nothing tropey about any of his characters, they re all flawed, yet I find myself rooting for all of them. Very rarely is there an all out 'bad guy/gal' in his stories.
The story - well, the story is like a roller coaster ride. If I'd read Spring, then maybe some of the downhill turns would not have squeezed my insides so much...but it did make the reading experience all the more wonderful. As with the other Something Like books, this story follows the characters over many years, from teens to their twenties (or beyond). With this particular book Kelly is the MC and I loved him. Really, really loved him. As I didn't know anything about his story my heart ached for him at times, yet I admired his spirit. I also admire the author's ability not to just brush over events and make everything suddenly all right - or make it mellow dramatic nonsense.
With his relationships, again it was so real - yes, I know I keep using that word, but truly it is apt. The intense feelings a person can have, the ups and downs, the difficult choices and guilt. It's all there in Kelly's life and relationships. Superbly written.
The only thing I will say is, I really feel that I need to read the next book now in order to fully understand everything in this book. It's the way his books work - they are all cogs in a bigger book machine and yet we are only seeing one cog at a time, revealing one bit of the story. We may see glimpses of the other cogs as they turn, showing us their story, but I can imagine the full picture will only be available once the entire series is done. So hurry up, get writing Jay, I REALLY need to read Something Like Thunder!
I'd also like to comment on the amazing cover art work - it fits the story so perfectly and is really beautiful. I like the fact that these covers are far from typical MM covers. It's a far from typical MM book - it's just a story, whose characters happen to be gay. Yeah, kinda like life really.
A copy of this book was given by the author in exchange for an honest review.
September 5, 2021
I wanted to like this more and up until the end, it was close to 4 stars.
We met Kelly and William in Something Like Spring, and even Tim and Ben get cameo appearances, and a lot of other familiar faces pop up. It's as well-written as anything else Bell's done, but I was hoping for something completely new. We get a lot of time spent on Kelly's side of his and William's relationship and breakup, which fills in some blanks but isn't really necessary to understand anything we were told in the previous book. Then the second half of Part 2, after the breakup, feels more like a highlights reel as Bell zips past months and years as Kelly moves on and falls in love with Nathaniel. As a result, there wasn't nearly as much time spent on Kelly and Nathaniel's relationship and I couldn't really buy that he was the great love of Kelly's life or vice versa. Then Part 2 ends with the stupidest breakup I've read in a long time. The epilogue is four years later when they see each other again for the first time since breaking up and ends on a "cliffhanger" as we wait for Nathaniel to tell his side of the story, which is what Something Like Thunder will be about. Since I never really warmed up to Nathaniel, I can't really say I care that much to read about it.
We met Kelly and William in Something Like Spring, and even Tim and Ben get cameo appearances, and a lot of other familiar faces pop up. It's as well-written as anything else Bell's done, but I was hoping for something completely new. We get a lot of time spent on Kelly's side of his and William's relationship and breakup, which fills in some blanks but isn't really necessary to understand anything we were told in the previous book. Then the second half of Part 2, after the breakup, feels more like a highlights reel as Bell zips past months and years as Kelly moves on and falls in love with Nathaniel. As a result, there wasn't nearly as much time spent on Kelly and Nathaniel's relationship and I couldn't really buy that he was the great love of Kelly's life or vice versa. Then Part 2 ends with the stupidest breakup I've read in a long time. The epilogue is four years later when they see each other again for the first time since breaking up and ends on a "cliffhanger" as we wait for Nathaniel to tell his side of the story, which is what Something Like Thunder will be about. Since I never really warmed up to Nathaniel, I can't really say I care that much to read about it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 16, 2015
Nathaniel and Kelly part one.
I never thought I would love Kelly's character so much. He has to be my favorite next to Tim Wyman. Once these guys got an opportunity to tell their own stories,
we understand where they get their edge and attitude.
This installment is SO good, but it leaves us hanging off a cliff at the end there. I'll be back once I read Thunder and hear what Nathaniel has to say for himself. Excited to see his relationship with ceasar (we saw Jason's in Something like Spring) play out, since it is clearly holding him back from loving again.
Ta ta for now!
I never thought I would love Kelly's character so much. He has to be my favorite next to Tim Wyman. Once these guys got an opportunity to tell their own stories,
we understand where they get their edge and attitude.
This installment is SO good, but it leaves us hanging off a cliff at the end there. I'll be back once I read Thunder and hear what Nathaniel has to say for himself. Excited to see his relationship with ceasar (we saw Jason's in Something like Spring) play out, since it is clearly holding him back from loving again.
Ta ta for now!
October 13, 2014
Guess What's finally out? YES!
I know, right?
<<<2 days later >>>
So how did you like it?
Well, Jay is continuously being awesomely genius.
Huh, guess what? I was able to actually like Kelly! Sure he's damn difficult and all, but in the end I kinda felt for him. Wasn't easy being him, although I think, in the future, he needs to change his attitude a little every now and then.
It was most exciting to see our old friends again:
Tim and his Bentley, Allison and her Ben, Jason and ... well now his William.
So, okay, I've got to be honest here; I can't say I really enjoyed seeing Kelly and William together :/
Perhaps that's just me, but I thought they never worked, and since I liked Jason so much I didn't want to think about William with Kelly. Sorry. Really. !!! :(
I am looking forward to reading Nathanial's story. I think it'll be one of my favorites! :)
Oh the heartache! I can already taste it.
I like the guy a lot, and I can't wait to hear his story!
Also, I think he and Kelly do make a great pair! I wonder if they'll get it all worked out or if Nathaniel's heart belongs to someone else after all...
I know, right?
<<<2 days later >>>
So how did you like it?
Well, Jay is continuously being awesomely genius.
Huh, guess what? I was able to actually like Kelly! Sure he's damn difficult and all, but in the end I kinda felt for him. Wasn't easy being him, although I think, in the future, he needs to change his attitude a little every now and then.
It was most exciting to see our old friends again:
Tim and his Bentley, Allison and her Ben, Jason and ... well now his William.
So, okay, I've got to be honest here; I can't say I really enjoyed seeing Kelly and William together :/
Perhaps that's just me, but I thought they never worked, and since I liked Jason so much I didn't want to think about William with Kelly. Sorry. Really. !!! :(
I am looking forward to reading Nathanial's story. I think it'll be one of my favorites! :)
Oh the heartache! I can already taste it.
I like the guy a lot, and I can't wait to hear his story!
Also, I think he and Kelly do make a great pair! I wonder if they'll get it all worked out or if Nathaniel's heart belongs to someone else after all...
Read
October 13, 2014Me need NOW!!!!!!!
~*~
I need to think about this one . . .
The writing, of course, is great, because . . . well, Jay Bell!
I'm just . . . something.
~*~
I need to think about this one . . .
The writing, of course, is great, because . . . well, Jay Bell!
I'm just . . . something.
October 25, 2014
He did it. Somehow, through the magic of the written word, Jay Bell led me to like Kelly Phillips, one of the characters I disliked the most in Something Like Spring.
Welcome to Something Like Lightning, the first book in what's being called the Storms series. It's also the fifth book in the Something Like... universe, and while it brings us back to some familiar faces, it also shifts the reader's focus to those who may have seemed like side characters in the Seasons series.
Here, we get to know all about Kelly Phillips, Jason Grant's rival for romance in Spring. Starting before Kelly meets his first serious boyfriend, Lightning examines the sources of Kelly's anger, bitterness, and resentfulness, including a tragedy that shatters dreams and causes serious physical harm. At first, Kelly's bad attitude grated on me, just like it did in Spring, but as Lightning went on, I was moved to feel for him, and then to like and even respect him.
I'll be honest -- Kelly is not even close to being my favorite of Jay Bell's characters. After all, how can you compete with Benjamin Bentley? But what I was so impressed with in this book, just like all the Something Like... novels, is how masterfully Jay takes a flawed character and makes you feel things for that fictional person that you thought you'd never feel. This is one of the reasons I've given all the books in this series five stars and why I can't wait for Something Like Thunder.
One concluding side note: the only thing that would have made the Something Like... books better is if they had been around when I was in high school and/or college. While they're filled with not-so-perfect characters, tragedy, and heartbreak, Jay's books are also filled with hope and love. That's something that's invaluable to gay youth, and I hope that everyone who can benefit from these novels gets to read them.
Welcome to Something Like Lightning, the first book in what's being called the Storms series. It's also the fifth book in the Something Like... universe, and while it brings us back to some familiar faces, it also shifts the reader's focus to those who may have seemed like side characters in the Seasons series.
Here, we get to know all about Kelly Phillips, Jason Grant's rival for romance in Spring. Starting before Kelly meets his first serious boyfriend, Lightning examines the sources of Kelly's anger, bitterness, and resentfulness, including a tragedy that shatters dreams and causes serious physical harm. At first, Kelly's bad attitude grated on me, just like it did in Spring, but as Lightning went on, I was moved to feel for him, and then to like and even respect him.
I'll be honest -- Kelly is not even close to being my favorite of Jay Bell's characters. After all, how can you compete with Benjamin Bentley? But what I was so impressed with in this book, just like all the Something Like... novels, is how masterfully Jay takes a flawed character and makes you feel things for that fictional person that you thought you'd never feel. This is one of the reasons I've given all the books in this series five stars and why I can't wait for Something Like Thunder.
One concluding side note: the only thing that would have made the Something Like... books better is if they had been around when I was in high school and/or college. While they're filled with not-so-perfect characters, tragedy, and heartbreak, Jay's books are also filled with hope and love. That's something that's invaluable to gay youth, and I hope that everyone who can benefit from these novels gets to read them.
August 1, 2022
One of the best in the field of creating M/M romance fiction with interesting characters, Jay Bell has fashioned another well written, generally absorbing novel.
He has created quite a franchise with his "Something" series, this being the first in the new series of his "Seasons" books with different characters to the previous books.
"Lightning" traces the young life of Kelly Phillips, surely one of the most liberated gay teenagers you will ever encounter, who experiences many dramatic life changing (and some rather improbable) incidents in a remarkably short space of time.
As the novel centers around Kelly as a 16 to 19 year old, a lot of the story does stretch the credibility gap, as our young man appears to have a maturity way beyond his tender years. And at times I cried out, wishing Kelly to be bit more like "your average teenager."
An interesting sideline is that Kelly is of African-American heritage but wisely the author has avoided the temptation of raising this as nothing but a matter of fact and positive issue in Kelly's life.
Didn't enjoy this book as some of the others in the series but still a worthwhile read and especially for young gay people, an uplifting and positive example of growing up just that little bit different.
My rating: more like a ***1/2
He has created quite a franchise with his "Something" series, this being the first in the new series of his "Seasons" books with different characters to the previous books.
"Lightning" traces the young life of Kelly Phillips, surely one of the most liberated gay teenagers you will ever encounter, who experiences many dramatic life changing (and some rather improbable) incidents in a remarkably short space of time.
As the novel centers around Kelly as a 16 to 19 year old, a lot of the story does stretch the credibility gap, as our young man appears to have a maturity way beyond his tender years. And at times I cried out, wishing Kelly to be bit more like "your average teenager."
An interesting sideline is that Kelly is of African-American heritage but wisely the author has avoided the temptation of raising this as nothing but a matter of fact and positive issue in Kelly's life.
Didn't enjoy this book as some of the others in the series but still a worthwhile read and especially for young gay people, an uplifting and positive example of growing up just that little bit different.
My rating: more like a ***1/2
October 11, 2014
I really liked this one, but I didn't love it. I'm not quite sure why. I just never truly warmed up to Kelly as much as I would have liked. I felt for him and admired him throughout the book, but he never really tugged at my heartstrings like some characters do. I did like him & Nathaniel together though, and I'm excited to read more of their story in the next book. Perhaps he will grow on me. ;)
This was a touching story, as all Jay Bell's books are. He's a great storyteller and I love his writing. However, he has also written one of my favorite books, Something Like Autumn, from the Seasons series and I inevitably compare all his stories against that one. I can't help it. *shrugs* It just happens. So, while I enjoyed this story, it wasn't Autumn. ;)
I'm anxious for Something Like Thunder so we can read Nathaniel's story. I think he might be the broken character I'm looking for. Something really tragic must have happened to him to be in that much pain. Is it wrong that I love that kind of angst and the inevitable hurt/comfort that follows? It's like crack to me. ;) Hopefully we don't have to wait too long. Until then...
This was a touching story, as all Jay Bell's books are. He's a great storyteller and I love his writing. However, he has also written one of my favorite books, Something Like Autumn, from the Seasons series and I inevitably compare all his stories against that one. I can't help it. *shrugs* It just happens. So, while I enjoyed this story, it wasn't Autumn. ;)
I'm anxious for Something Like Thunder so we can read Nathaniel's story. I think he might be the broken character I'm looking for. Something really tragic must have happened to him to be in that much pain. Is it wrong that I love that kind of angst and the inevitable hurt/comfort that follows? It's like crack to me. ;) Hopefully we don't have to wait too long. Until then...
February 27, 2024
So I hated Kelly in Spring because William is such a nice guy (and yeah, he did a shit thing that lead to Kelly losing his leg, so I get it) and yet he treats him like garbage. Which he does well before the leg incident. So I wasn't nearly as excited to read this as I was with all of the other books in the series so far. After about the 60% point where it diverted from the stuff you already know from Spring the book really ticked up for me.
Kelly meeting Nathaniel and stuff was adorable and watching Kelly turn into less of a shit dick and into more of a snarky jerk (but being able to actually control his lashing out and stuff) was nice to witness.
I ended up enjoying this more than I thought I would. Jay Bell is really good at making you somehow care for characters who aren't initially very likeable (Hello! TIM in Summer. I half-heartedly hated him until I read Winter!)
I'm excited to read the next book and get more of the story of Nathaniel.
Kelly meeting Nathaniel and stuff was adorable and watching Kelly turn into less of a shit dick and into more of a snarky jerk (but being able to actually control his lashing out and stuff) was nice to witness.
I ended up enjoying this more than I thought I would. Jay Bell is really good at making you somehow care for characters who aren't initially very likeable (Hello! TIM in Summer. I half-heartedly hated him until I read Winter!)
I'm excited to read the next book and get more of the story of Nathaniel.
July 16, 2017
I hated Tim in Something Like Summer, but I fell in love with him in Something Like Winter. I disliked Kelly in Something Like Spring, and now I'm a fan of him too. Funny what putting yourself in other people's shoes does to your perception of them, and Jay Bell is oh so good in making us see that and think about a person's circumstances before judging their actions.
I loved this book. I'm gonna go and re-read the whole series now and then continue with Thunder and Nathaniel's story :D
I loved this book. I'm gonna go and re-read the whole series now and then continue with Thunder and Nathaniel's story :D
February 25, 2016
I think Kelly is my new favourite character in this series! I loved getting his story. Full review to follow...
October 3, 2023
Jay Bell, I will never get tired of reading your books.
I put off reading Something Like Lightning for quite some time because I was not excited about it being from Kelly's point of view. He was nothing but unlikeable in Something Like Spring, which I absolutely adored.
I'm glad I gave this a chance, because I had so much compassion and empathy for Kelly when all was said and done. He still had moments that made liking him difficult (***) and by the end, I still had not connected with him as much as I have with characters like Ben or Jace. But, he is a solid character who I truly enjoyed getting to know and understand. Jay Bell's talent lies within his ability to make readers like even the most challenging of characters.
(***) What William did was chaotic and irresponsible, that goes without saying -- but Kelly treated William like dirt, taking every opportunity he could to talk down to William about his dreams. He even talked down to William for being too nice and too virtuous. That made me so mad.
Kelly had a very powerful story, and I loved watching his personal journey. His character trajectory from the accident to the epilogue was beautiful, and watching someone remain so strong in the face of such trauma is the reason I read books.
Spoiler Alert. My only qualm with the book, and its epilogue / ending, was that I wasn't fully sold on Kelly and Nathaniel's relationship. And maybe that will change when I've read Something Like Thunder and we get more perspective from Nathaniel's end. It just felt a bit strange me that months into their relationship, after professing such a meaningful love ... it ended because someone kissed Kelly without his consent. Which in turn made Nathaniel question their entire relationship -- which estranged them for nearly 4 years -- and then still had them together at the end.
Overall, this book was a solid 4 (if not 4.5 stars) to me, and I have no doubt in my mind that I will continue to love anything I pick up by Jay Bell. Thank goodness I still have 7 books left in the Something Like... series!
I put off reading Something Like Lightning for quite some time because I was not excited about it being from Kelly's point of view. He was nothing but unlikeable in Something Like Spring, which I absolutely adored.
I'm glad I gave this a chance, because I had so much compassion and empathy for Kelly when all was said and done. He still had moments that made liking him difficult (***) and by the end, I still had not connected with him as much as I have with characters like Ben or Jace. But, he is a solid character who I truly enjoyed getting to know and understand. Jay Bell's talent lies within his ability to make readers like even the most challenging of characters.
(***) What William did was chaotic and irresponsible, that goes without saying -- but Kelly treated William like dirt, taking every opportunity he could to talk down to William about his dreams. He even talked down to William for being too nice and too virtuous. That made me so mad.
Kelly had a very powerful story, and I loved watching his personal journey. His character trajectory from the accident to the epilogue was beautiful, and watching someone remain so strong in the face of such trauma is the reason I read books.
Spoiler Alert. My only qualm with the book, and its epilogue / ending, was that I wasn't fully sold on Kelly and Nathaniel's relationship. And maybe that will change when I've read Something Like Thunder and we get more perspective from Nathaniel's end. It just felt a bit strange me that months into their relationship, after professing such a meaningful love ... it ended because someone kissed Kelly without his consent. Which in turn made Nathaniel question their entire relationship -- which estranged them for nearly 4 years -- and then still had them together at the end.
Overall, this book was a solid 4 (if not 4.5 stars) to me, and I have no doubt in my mind that I will continue to love anything I pick up by Jay Bell. Thank goodness I still have 7 books left in the Something Like... series!
January 25, 2016
With every new installment of this series, I continue to be in awe of Jay Bell's talent for interweaving this story of life. Each book is a different perspective and is so crisp and fresh. This was not my favorite book of the series, as a matter of fact it might be my least favorite and it is still a 4 star story (with 5 star writing). For me, I compare it to not loving a single chapter in another book. I've said it before and I will continue to reiterate it, this is an epic tale with so many layers that it is a disservice to yourself as well as the story to miss any part of. I wouldn't have wanted to miss the character development for anything, even if I didn't love it quite as much as Autumn, Winter, and Spring.
October 29, 2014
What a beautifully written book. As one of many of Bell's fans, I fell in love with the Seasons series. We meet Kelly in Spring and I was not sure what spin was Jay Bell going to offer for main character of Lightening. Bell wove such a wonderful tale of love, pain, loss and joy. It makes me want to read Spring again, but that is OK. With characters and plots like his a re-read is always a pleasure.
Go on and start - or continue with the Something Like series�. you will be happy you did.
Thank you Jay for taking the time and the effort to produce such works, sometimes it is hard to wait for the next one but your books always show love and dedication.
Go on and start - or continue with the Something Like series�. you will be happy you did.
Thank you Jay for taking the time and the effort to produce such works, sometimes it is hard to wait for the next one but your books always show love and dedication.
November 22, 2014
I bet you thought you knew Kelly in .
You didn't.
This young man is bitchy, feisty, loyal, (eventually!) brave, honest to the bone, a fighter, and worth every second of your time. Read this book.
You didn't.
This young man is bitchy, feisty, loyal, (eventually!) brave, honest to the bone, a fighter, and worth every second of your time. Read this book.
September 3, 2016
im SO excited to read something like thunder!!!
May 14, 2022
Another great Jay Bell Book!!!
June 14, 2015
A review.
4.75 stars
Something Like Lightning is the first book in the Storm series, featuring secondary characters from Something Like Spring, including Kelly, William, and Nathaniel. That being said, it is my opinion that you will get so much more out of the story if you read the Seasons series first (go, run, get them!).
I have to be honest here and say that I really, I mean really, disliked Kelly for the first third of the book. I did not find him likeable and could best describe him as he hot head who creates the tension, holds a grudge, and is angry, immature, and insecure. Not a pretty picture, that’s for sure, but given his circumstances, not out of character. William on the other hand was the amiable push over, rarely standing up for himself and I could not help but like him. I mean who doesn’t want to spend time with a calm, peaceful person?
What made the difference? What changed the tide from (justifiable and well written) annoyance was the introduction of Kelly’s counselor Allison from the Seasons series. I just love Alison so much. Her personality is a breath of fresh air and her role in Kelly’s life enables him to grow, learn, and move forward. From the point that Kelly and William break up, things progress with Kelly befriending Jason, who in turn sets in motion a chain of events that lead to Kelly and Nathaniel getting together. I can’t say that Nathaniel was a particularly deep character but that was okay, Kelly had enough personality for both of them and he did his part well.
Read Jason’s review in its entirety here.
4.75 stars
Something Like Lightning is the first book in the Storm series, featuring secondary characters from Something Like Spring, including Kelly, William, and Nathaniel. That being said, it is my opinion that you will get so much more out of the story if you read the Seasons series first (go, run, get them!).
I have to be honest here and say that I really, I mean really, disliked Kelly for the first third of the book. I did not find him likeable and could best describe him as he hot head who creates the tension, holds a grudge, and is angry, immature, and insecure. Not a pretty picture, that’s for sure, but given his circumstances, not out of character. William on the other hand was the amiable push over, rarely standing up for himself and I could not help but like him. I mean who doesn’t want to spend time with a calm, peaceful person?
What made the difference? What changed the tide from (justifiable and well written) annoyance was the introduction of Kelly’s counselor Allison from the Seasons series. I just love Alison so much. Her personality is a breath of fresh air and her role in Kelly’s life enables him to grow, learn, and move forward. From the point that Kelly and William break up, things progress with Kelly befriending Jason, who in turn sets in motion a chain of events that lead to Kelly and Nathaniel getting together. I can’t say that Nathaniel was a particularly deep character but that was okay, Kelly had enough personality for both of them and he did his part well.
Read Jason’s review in its entirety here.
June 4, 2015
I didn't really like "Something like Spring", that is probably why I didn't read this one sooner. Frankly I was kind of hoping that William would end up with Kelly even in "Something like Spring" because I just couldn't relate to Jason. And Kelly always seemed like an interesting character to me.
Well this book proves it, he is a very interesting guy. Kelly's story doesn't have an ending it kinds of drifts into oblivion but the phases that his life goes through are nothing short of incredible.
I guess a lot of us wouldn't know how to recover from losing a part of ourselves. And while Kelly does a miserable job of finding himself in the end he does find himself and ultimately that is what really matters. The best part of this story was Kelly and how he finds his way back to living even when faced with the numerous and sometimes seemingly never-ending challenges.
William and Kelly were nothing short of en-lightning, their love story was definitely unique. Seeing these two different people, fall in a love bounded by tragedy, trying to be the best for the other but continuously falling short... Wow.
I also really liked Nathaniel. And I hope Caesar didn't screw him up too bad and I really want a happy ending for Kelly and Nathaniel. Here's hoping we get one.
Well this book proves it, he is a very interesting guy. Kelly's story doesn't have an ending it kinds of drifts into oblivion but the phases that his life goes through are nothing short of incredible.
I guess a lot of us wouldn't know how to recover from losing a part of ourselves. And while Kelly does a miserable job of finding himself in the end he does find himself and ultimately that is what really matters. The best part of this story was Kelly and how he finds his way back to living even when faced with the numerous and sometimes seemingly never-ending challenges.
William and Kelly were nothing short of en-lightning, their love story was definitely unique. Seeing these two different people, fall in a love bounded by tragedy, trying to be the best for the other but continuously falling short... Wow.
I also really liked Nathaniel. And I hope Caesar didn't screw him up too bad and I really want a happy ending for Kelly and Nathaniel. Here's hoping we get one.
January 6, 2020
What i like most about these books is how much i actually learn from them like there is so so so so much i learned about life and relationships and love and true love and just the complications the people the souls the stories and I'm amazed literally I'm bewildered by Jay Bell and the stories he tells and just how does one manage to be such a good storyteller i don't knoe but yeah this was another wonderful frckin experience i am utterly in love with Nathaniel and honestly who wouldn't be and Kelly is a queen honestly he slays and i love how imperfect he is and i love that he's not my favourite person ever but at the same time i am so immensely proud of him for who he is and who he has become
November 2, 2014
I hate this review. Sorry. Jay Bell is one of my favorite authors. I read all his books. For me, Autumn was definitely the best book from the Seasons series. I expected this book to be something new. Instead it connects to the Seasons series. This itself is not bad, but I had several kinds of deja vu's. The characters, the story line, the book setup, it all was a little bit too much according to the "seasons" formula. So, I was not so much surprised and also the Kelly character did not really grab me. Again, I'm sorry for this review, but I'm already looking forward to the next book(s) as both Nathaniel (and William?!) are characters I really love to read more about.
May 4, 2016
I love this series!!!!
December 7, 2014
“You are sixteen going on seventeen, Baby, it's time to think - lalala!� - OK, if you know the song all together now, 1, 2, 3, 4……�. - lol!
Seriously now, Kelly is sixteen about to turn seventeen and as you can imagine the hormones and emotional turmoil are all whirring around like a tornado. It’s a time when you fall in love at the drop of a hat, when you normally think you are in love with anyone that shows any interest at all, whether for five minutes or five years. And once you start dating your first guy, you’re head over heels and the declarations of ever undying love, making promises for ever are always on the agenda. Yes, I loved it. It took *00* years off my life! And no I’m not telling you how many � lol!
This is what I really love about Jay’s books, he really gets the whole teenager perspective spot-on and takes me back to a time (or in my case feels more like a past life *still not telling* - lol) when the future lays ahead like a big adventure and is out there waiting to be taken. Kelly has always known he is gay and has no problems accepting this, thanks here I guess also go to understanding parents. This was one thing that I found great, to read a book where a family can accept and love their son no matter of his sexuality.
He is a tri-athlete and his big dream is to compete in the Olympics, a dream and target to work towards for sure. His best discipline is running and here he excels, not being a runner myself, more a sedate stroller, I was actually left gasping for breath just reading about how this guy could run.
The book begins with him having the usual teenage unrequited love or crush issues on a best friend, Jared, who is training with him for the school competition. However, Kelly decides to tell Jared that he is gay and unfortunately this completely backfires on him. Jared can’t deal with Kelly being gay and therefore decides to keep his distance from Kelly to protect his own image. Although Jared remains totally civil it still hurts and I could feel how angry and hurt Kelly was that the great friendship they had before is no more only because Jared is too chicken shit and scared of his own reputation among his peers, i.e. getting the gay stamp. When Kelly tells Jared he’s gay the only comment Jared has is;
Kelly makes friends with William another tri-athlete and is the competition for Jared and Kelly. Did Kelly do this to get back at Jared? Well, I think that was maybe the initial intention, but things never go according to plan I guess. At first they seem to compliment each other magnificently. William is a strong swimmer, a lot better than Kelly, the other way round Kelly is a much stronger runner than William. Obviously, it makes sense to train together but then it’s not long before the friendship continues off the running track. Kelly is feisty, determined, possibly a little arrogant at times and loses his temper quickly. William is mild mannered, patient, understanding and a real diplomat at heart. Total opposites in many respects and at first it seems they complement each other perfectly.
So, do opposites attract? Well, maybe it is true to a certain extent. But what if the opposites are too opposite? Are too far apart on the attraction scale? What feels at first to be like a match made in heaven gradually begins to turn sour soon enough. At the beginning comes the promises of ever undying love and never leaving each other, but someone who is a little more mature in years like yours sincerely secretly knows that they have their whole lives ahead of them and things change. Their characters have yet to be formed and they still have to discover who they really are. So I could read this part of the story with a big, fat, mature grin on my face, finding it all so sweet but knowing this can’t and won’t last. William wants to be nothing more than to join the Coast Guard and Kelly compete in the Olympics. After the initial honeymoon is over, daily routine and life take over and bit-by-bit so does the bickering and bitching. Faults on both sides for sure. Seriously, there were times I could have banged their bloody heads together behaving like the typical kids that they actually are. Never one particular thing, but a number of things culminating in an accident which then robs Kelly of his dream as an Olympic athlete.
Oh shit! This was a turn of events. Kelly despite all his outward bravado struck me as actually being quite insecure on the inside, always afraid that William will leave him. Due to the accident Kelly is left quite bitter, who wouldn’t be? And William stays with him out of guilt and a sense of obligation. Now if that isn’t a recipe for disaster from the word go then I don’t know what is. Nothing is meant to last forever especially at this age and eventually William has wandering eyes and with someone new on the scene Kelly’s suspicions of disloyalty soon prove to be founded. However, I felt that Kelly didn’t need to wonder as it was really his behaviour that drove William away. I guess there is nothing worse, no matter what the age, when you suspect your partner is being untrue but can’t prove anything and it’s only a feeling. However, feelings normally always turn out to be correct and this led to a bittersweet breakup that nearly had me in tears. Oh the hurt, this is horrible no matter how old you are.
Kelly goes through the usual moping around stage, but like teenagers are they bounce back relatively quickly and through an unforeseen turn of events Kelly now embarks on a career in modelling despite his handicap and becomes very successful. Not the career choice he would have originally thought of for himself, but sometimes in life things never turn out to be the way you intended and sometimes it can be for the better. This is what I also love about Jay’s stories, you are never quite sure in which direction the characters are going to taken by unexpected events, but this keeps the interest and variety for sure. During his modelling he meets Nathaniel who is a little older (early twenties, although from where I’m sitting that’s almost a kid too - lol!) This time everything seems to fit, temperament, outlook on life, character, etc. But Nathaniel is not easy, a little emotionally closeted and needs a bit of working on from Kelly. I loved the way that Kelly chased him and won him over, but Nathaniel has a secret he’s not telling Kelly and no one else, not even the reader, ggrrrrr!!!! Will have to wait for book two I guess to find out what kind of emotional baggage Nathaniel is carrying around with him.
Once these two are together, as perfect as things seem to be, Nathaniel has his issues that he doesn't want to tell anyone, not even Kelly, so decides to break things off after a particular event at a party. Now if the first breakup hurt, this one was a massive emotional punch to the gut. Especially after you start to settle down to the idea that these two are maybe really going to make it and are really made for each other. I guess here the old saying, what doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger, comes into play. Well, in Kelly’s case at least it makes him more determined to achieve what he wants in his life anyhow, but the emptiness never really leaves him. I guess that first big love never really leaves your heart, it just finds a place where it can nestle down undisturbed, where it doesn’t hurt anymore, but I know when I think back I also thought I had found the love of my life. Being able to recall these memories I think keeps us all young at heart and that’s another reason why I loved this book so much. Although I wouldn’t change anything now for the world. Not ever!
Jay writes extremely well, bringing emotions to surface in a myriad of characters. He introduces us to Jared, Kelly’s best friend until it all goes wrong, to Kelly’s parents and younger brother who show love as a family the way it should be, William's parents who are the exact opposite of Kelly’s, his best friend Bonnie upbeat with a wonderful sense of humour, Ben who steals William from him, Allison the counsellor, Marcello the photo studio owner and manager, and last but not least Nathaniel who could be Kelly’s real true love. Well, here’s to hoping anyway. Quite a character study in itself. They all play their role in Kelly’s story and are an intricate part of the person he is and has become, all woven really well into the backdrop of Kelly’s world so to speak. Jay has produced a novel once again that for me is well balanced, puts his MCs through their paces in the romance stakes, an extensive plot line that is well thought out spanning several years and many interconnecting events. A very enjoyable read indeed!
Seriously now, Kelly is sixteen about to turn seventeen and as you can imagine the hormones and emotional turmoil are all whirring around like a tornado. It’s a time when you fall in love at the drop of a hat, when you normally think you are in love with anyone that shows any interest at all, whether for five minutes or five years. And once you start dating your first guy, you’re head over heels and the declarations of ever undying love, making promises for ever are always on the agenda. Yes, I loved it. It took *00* years off my life! And no I’m not telling you how many � lol!
This is what I really love about Jay’s books, he really gets the whole teenager perspective spot-on and takes me back to a time (or in my case feels more like a past life *still not telling* - lol) when the future lays ahead like a big adventure and is out there waiting to be taken. Kelly has always known he is gay and has no problems accepting this, thanks here I guess also go to understanding parents. This was one thing that I found great, to read a book where a family can accept and love their son no matter of his sexuality.
He is a tri-athlete and his big dream is to compete in the Olympics, a dream and target to work towards for sure. His best discipline is running and here he excels, not being a runner myself, more a sedate stroller, I was actually left gasping for breath just reading about how this guy could run.
The book begins with him having the usual teenage unrequited love or crush issues on a best friend, Jared, who is training with him for the school competition. However, Kelly decides to tell Jared that he is gay and unfortunately this completely backfires on him. Jared can’t deal with Kelly being gay and therefore decides to keep his distance from Kelly to protect his own image. Although Jared remains totally civil it still hurts and I could feel how angry and hurt Kelly was that the great friendship they had before is no more only because Jared is too chicken shit and scared of his own reputation among his peers, i.e. getting the gay stamp. When Kelly tells Jared he’s gay the only comment Jared has is;
“Come on , man. It’s bad enough that you’re black.�>- OUCH!! I mean how cruel is that? Double whammy on the insult front. At that point I could have quite happily punched Jared for that comment and as far as I’m concerned he could have totally disappeared from the story right there and then. I know he would have completely dropped out of my life for sure! But then again I think it just shows how immature things still are at that age and teenagers don’t always think before they open their mouths and have to learn through experience. I felt later in the book that Jared had regretted his decision and probably wished he was braver, but at that age peer pressure and image is the all consuming factor.
Kelly makes friends with William another tri-athlete and is the competition for Jared and Kelly. Did Kelly do this to get back at Jared? Well, I think that was maybe the initial intention, but things never go according to plan I guess. At first they seem to compliment each other magnificently. William is a strong swimmer, a lot better than Kelly, the other way round Kelly is a much stronger runner than William. Obviously, it makes sense to train together but then it’s not long before the friendship continues off the running track. Kelly is feisty, determined, possibly a little arrogant at times and loses his temper quickly. William is mild mannered, patient, understanding and a real diplomat at heart. Total opposites in many respects and at first it seems they complement each other perfectly.
So, do opposites attract? Well, maybe it is true to a certain extent. But what if the opposites are too opposite? Are too far apart on the attraction scale? What feels at first to be like a match made in heaven gradually begins to turn sour soon enough. At the beginning comes the promises of ever undying love and never leaving each other, but someone who is a little more mature in years like yours sincerely secretly knows that they have their whole lives ahead of them and things change. Their characters have yet to be formed and they still have to discover who they really are. So I could read this part of the story with a big, fat, mature grin on my face, finding it all so sweet but knowing this can’t and won’t last. William wants to be nothing more than to join the Coast Guard and Kelly compete in the Olympics. After the initial honeymoon is over, daily routine and life take over and bit-by-bit so does the bickering and bitching. Faults on both sides for sure. Seriously, there were times I could have banged their bloody heads together behaving like the typical kids that they actually are. Never one particular thing, but a number of things culminating in an accident which then robs Kelly of his dream as an Olympic athlete.
Oh shit! This was a turn of events. Kelly despite all his outward bravado struck me as actually being quite insecure on the inside, always afraid that William will leave him. Due to the accident Kelly is left quite bitter, who wouldn’t be? And William stays with him out of guilt and a sense of obligation. Now if that isn’t a recipe for disaster from the word go then I don’t know what is. Nothing is meant to last forever especially at this age and eventually William has wandering eyes and with someone new on the scene Kelly’s suspicions of disloyalty soon prove to be founded. However, I felt that Kelly didn’t need to wonder as it was really his behaviour that drove William away. I guess there is nothing worse, no matter what the age, when you suspect your partner is being untrue but can’t prove anything and it’s only a feeling. However, feelings normally always turn out to be correct and this led to a bittersweet breakup that nearly had me in tears. Oh the hurt, this is horrible no matter how old you are.
Kelly goes through the usual moping around stage, but like teenagers are they bounce back relatively quickly and through an unforeseen turn of events Kelly now embarks on a career in modelling despite his handicap and becomes very successful. Not the career choice he would have originally thought of for himself, but sometimes in life things never turn out to be the way you intended and sometimes it can be for the better. This is what I also love about Jay’s stories, you are never quite sure in which direction the characters are going to taken by unexpected events, but this keeps the interest and variety for sure. During his modelling he meets Nathaniel who is a little older (early twenties, although from where I’m sitting that’s almost a kid too - lol!) This time everything seems to fit, temperament, outlook on life, character, etc. But Nathaniel is not easy, a little emotionally closeted and needs a bit of working on from Kelly. I loved the way that Kelly chased him and won him over, but Nathaniel has a secret he’s not telling Kelly and no one else, not even the reader, ggrrrrr!!!! Will have to wait for book two I guess to find out what kind of emotional baggage Nathaniel is carrying around with him.
Once these two are together, as perfect as things seem to be, Nathaniel has his issues that he doesn't want to tell anyone, not even Kelly, so decides to break things off after a particular event at a party. Now if the first breakup hurt, this one was a massive emotional punch to the gut. Especially after you start to settle down to the idea that these two are maybe really going to make it and are really made for each other. I guess here the old saying, what doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger, comes into play. Well, in Kelly’s case at least it makes him more determined to achieve what he wants in his life anyhow, but the emptiness never really leaves him. I guess that first big love never really leaves your heart, it just finds a place where it can nestle down undisturbed, where it doesn’t hurt anymore, but I know when I think back I also thought I had found the love of my life. Being able to recall these memories I think keeps us all young at heart and that’s another reason why I loved this book so much. Although I wouldn’t change anything now for the world. Not ever!
Kelly is a character that invoked mixed feelings in me. From wanting to slap him sometimes for his tantrums and arrogance, basically his immaturity and child like behaviour, to admiring him for his determination and tenacity, to wanting to hold him to make the hurt go away. I found him to be a very multi-faceted character which was in itself for me an intriguing combination. We are taken on Kelly’s emotional ride of highs and lows finishing on maybe a note of hope. Was it a cliff-hanger? Well, I certainly felt that obviously everything has been left open to continue Kelly’s and Nathaniel’s story for sure. Did it make me feel as though I would want to continue the story with them? Well, yes because I’m curious and would like to know how these two get things sorted out and would like to see how Kelly matures with all this emotional turmoil he has been put through. Also I’m sure his modelling career will not be forever, jobs like that are also very fleeting. You’re the top of the pile one month and the next no longer in fashion. So I would like to see where this goes and how Kelly handles this.
Jay writes extremely well, bringing emotions to surface in a myriad of characters. He introduces us to Jared, Kelly’s best friend until it all goes wrong, to Kelly’s parents and younger brother who show love as a family the way it should be, William's parents who are the exact opposite of Kelly’s, his best friend Bonnie upbeat with a wonderful sense of humour, Ben who steals William from him, Allison the counsellor, Marcello the photo studio owner and manager, and last but not least Nathaniel who could be Kelly’s real true love. Well, here’s to hoping anyway. Quite a character study in itself. They all play their role in Kelly’s story and are an intricate part of the person he is and has become, all woven really well into the backdrop of Kelly’s world so to speak. Jay has produced a novel once again that for me is well balanced, puts his MCs through their paces in the romance stakes, an extensive plot line that is well thought out spanning several years and many interconnecting events. A very enjoyable read indeed!
December 4, 2019
While this was probably my least favorite of the "Something Like" series, Bell still turned out a solid novel that manages to connect the entire series, while also pushing a new narrative. The reason I have enjoyed this series so much is because Bell is able to connect the characters just enough that there is a familiarity and comfortability, yet in each installment he manages to make the story fully the protagonists.
For example here, where he puts Kelly in the spotlight, a character who was fairly minor in Jason's story just one book previously. I was excited for this installment because I really enjoyed William's character in the last book, so I thought I would get more of William, and I did get that. Yet, what surprised me was that I actually enjoyed reading about Kelly as well. This seems to be a theme, as I felt the exact same way when reading "Something about Winter." I was not expecting to like Tim, and I wasn't expecting to like Kelly here. In both instances, I ended up being mistaken. It is a testament to Bell's writing. He took a character who until now, seemed to be mostly a jerk, and a device for uncertainty in Jason's story, and turned him into a nuanced and complicated character of his own. It makes you want to look at the side characters Bell offers with a little more of a lens, wondering what their stories are.
The series for me is more then just a love story, or more accurately love stories. It is about perspective. Its not often you get to read a story from multiple perspectives. Generally you get a love story from start to finish from the protagonists' point of view, and that is that. What Bell has done with the "Something Like" series is offer you a story with so many different perspectives that you start to see if from multiple angles. One comment in one of the books that you perceive one way, suddenly takes on such more meaning when you read it from another perspective in the next book. Why I think this approach to the series is so wonderful is because that is what love is. That is what romance is. A love story involves so many more people then just one. It involves the people of our past that maybe broke our heart, or taught us about love and sex and everything else. Those relationships shape how we approach the next ones, and so on. Understanding these nuances help create a stronger, and more beautiful story. It really is, quite amazing how Bell has created this series, in my opinion.
While this was a solid read, and a great addition to the overall series, the one thing it lacked for me was the Seasons characters. I understand that this is meant to be a start of the a new sub-series within the franchise, and so isn't going to focus on Ben, Tim, Jace or really even Jason. I understand that it's necessary to keep the story moving forward, after all, how much more can be said about that group? Still, I missed them. I couldn't help it.
Overall, however, I enjoyed the book a lot and will of course be continuing on to read the rest of the series with anticipation. Bell continues to excite me with his writing, and I cannot wait to see how the rest of the series plays out. On to Nathanial!!
Total side note...I still have yet to find a character in the series I love and like more than Jace. I am not saying it will never happen, but for some reason he has been the character that has stuck with me the most. William is coming in close second now, though he doesn't have his own book yet, at least not that I know of. If he does/will get his own book, its very possible he could give Jace a run for his money. Maybe I have a thing for nice guys...idk.
For example here, where he puts Kelly in the spotlight, a character who was fairly minor in Jason's story just one book previously. I was excited for this installment because I really enjoyed William's character in the last book, so I thought I would get more of William, and I did get that. Yet, what surprised me was that I actually enjoyed reading about Kelly as well. This seems to be a theme, as I felt the exact same way when reading "Something about Winter." I was not expecting to like Tim, and I wasn't expecting to like Kelly here. In both instances, I ended up being mistaken. It is a testament to Bell's writing. He took a character who until now, seemed to be mostly a jerk, and a device for uncertainty in Jason's story, and turned him into a nuanced and complicated character of his own. It makes you want to look at the side characters Bell offers with a little more of a lens, wondering what their stories are.
The series for me is more then just a love story, or more accurately love stories. It is about perspective. Its not often you get to read a story from multiple perspectives. Generally you get a love story from start to finish from the protagonists' point of view, and that is that. What Bell has done with the "Something Like" series is offer you a story with so many different perspectives that you start to see if from multiple angles. One comment in one of the books that you perceive one way, suddenly takes on such more meaning when you read it from another perspective in the next book. Why I think this approach to the series is so wonderful is because that is what love is. That is what romance is. A love story involves so many more people then just one. It involves the people of our past that maybe broke our heart, or taught us about love and sex and everything else. Those relationships shape how we approach the next ones, and so on. Understanding these nuances help create a stronger, and more beautiful story. It really is, quite amazing how Bell has created this series, in my opinion.
While this was a solid read, and a great addition to the overall series, the one thing it lacked for me was the Seasons characters. I understand that this is meant to be a start of the a new sub-series within the franchise, and so isn't going to focus on Ben, Tim, Jace or really even Jason. I understand that it's necessary to keep the story moving forward, after all, how much more can be said about that group? Still, I missed them. I couldn't help it.
Overall, however, I enjoyed the book a lot and will of course be continuing on to read the rest of the series with anticipation. Bell continues to excite me with his writing, and I cannot wait to see how the rest of the series plays out. On to Nathanial!!
Total side note...I still have yet to find a character in the series I love and like more than Jace. I am not saying it will never happen, but for some reason he has been the character that has stuck with me the most. William is coming in close second now, though he doesn't have his own book yet, at least not that I know of. If he does/will get his own book, its very possible he could give Jace a run for his money. Maybe I have a thing for nice guys...idk.
May 12, 2019
I didn't like the character of Kelly in the previous book, and I don't like his character in this book. He's arrogant, overbearing, self-centred, angry... And yes, being an athlete (and annoyingly competitive too) and losing a leg in a freak car accident doesn't help, but still... Towards the end of the book he is finally getting a bit more likeable and he is able to find his place in this world. And then there's Nathaniel, who is carrying a Deep Dark Secret, turning away everyone who is friendly towards him (but his story will be told in the next book in this series).
October 20, 2023
“In the hallway that day, two guys took hold of each other's hands. They didn't shake them or arm wrestle or anything else that young men are expected to do. Instead they simply intertwined their fingers and looked into each other's eyes, the level of emotion apparent to every witness there. In this way, they came out to the entire school without uttering a single word.�
“Only terms of endearment remained muzzled. No relationship titles, no silly pet names, and definitely not the 'L' word. But what their relationship lacked in spoken syllables, it compensated for with an emotional intensity Kelly had never known before. Crushes could be one-sided, but feelings like these had to be mutual, making it easier for them to remain unspoken.�
“Only terms of endearment remained muzzled. No relationship titles, no silly pet names, and definitely not the 'L' word. But what their relationship lacked in spoken syllables, it compensated for with an emotional intensity Kelly had never known before. Crushes could be one-sided, but feelings like these had to be mutual, making it easier for them to remain unspoken.�
May 22, 2019
I mostly enjoyed the first third of this book because it was all new material. I have to admit I've grown weary of Bell's tendancy to rehash the same story over and over from different points of view. I will say that the characters of Kelly and Nathanial are more complex and interesting than many of what we've read before, so this book has that going for it.
December 19, 2024
A good read. Just like the others in this series so far. Always nice to have the stories converge to what one already knew. I’m starting to be a bit weary though that I know too much already so glad to hear that the next book is gonna be about Nathaniel who we barely know anything about.
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