Review: An Opera of a Novel
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 06 1, 2014
SPOILER ALERT – I try to review without spoilers while still giving potential readers a good feel for the book. In this instance I don't think it's possible to discuss the story without giving away important plot information. My apologies, but readers beware of this review.BOOK SCORECARDOverall - 3.5 starsAngst duels with lust for the future of Beth and Ayden's romance. Are they destined to be together forever or can they not escape tragic destinies? Their characters make a very emotional journey together, and take you along for an operatic ride.Fantasy World - 3 starsIt's almost too much. Every location is so over the top fabulous, every meal so special, every single thing is Super Sized. The author eventually reveals a good reason for that, but it can still be a little overwhelming.Tingle - 3 starsBDSM elements recede. The sex is still explosive, but more metaphysical than previous installments.Characters - 3 starsBeth remainds the focus. Ayden is not himself, and I missed reading about a character I enjoyed instead of one I didn't particularly like.Story - 4 starsFeels less like a conclusion to a trilogy and more like an adventure of its own. Lots of spirituality, fate, and introspection on the true nature of love.Summary“TouchStone for ever” by Sydney Jamesson is a big departure from the storyline of the previous two The Story of Us books. “TouchStone for play” reminded me of Fifty Shades of Grey. “TouchStone for giving” reminded me of a James Patterson novel only with a lot more romance. I was simply not prepared for where “TouchStone for ever” took me. The closest I can come is a mixture of “Tale of the Body Thief” and “Meet Joe Black”. I often criticize books for being too stereotypical or using too many cliches, and I have to compliment Sydney Jamesson for doing something completely different. It was creative and I had no idea what was going to happen next. This was absolutely a stunning conclusion to The Story of Us Trilogy.What didn't click for me was the strong, spiritual tone with multiple, unsubtle life lessons. I felt a little like I was reading a dirty version “Left Behind”. This is probably just me as I'm not a spiritual person at all, and most people will instead find it beautiful. I did have to put this book down a number of times as I needed a few mental time outs to deal with it all. I mentioned opera right? Take heart as though the ending is a bit deus ex machina, it's a happy ending which wraps up many subplots and questions from the entire trilogy.I recommend this book to everyone who has followed Beth and Ayden's story from day one. I have to say the second book, “TouchStone for giving” was my favorite of the three, but “TouchStone for ever” comes in a strong second.*book provided by author in exchange for an honest review.For access to all links in this review, please visit [...]