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Something Like #7
Something Like Stories - Volume One
Benjamin Bentley and many other beloved characters from the Something Like... series make their triumphant return in this collection of short stories and bonus material. Something Like Yesterday travels to the past where Eric Conroy attempts to find love against a backdrop of intolerance and political upheaval. In Something Like Fall, Ben meets Jace's family and tries to cope with many changes in the years that follow. Allison Cross finally gets her dues in Something Like Tonight, examining the relationships in her life during a girls night out. Something Like Eternity takes the series where it has never gone before as Victor Hemingway seeks out his ultimate destiny. Also included is a character guide and a timeline of key events thus far. Laughter and tears await you in this very special anthology!
323 pages, Paperback
First published November 11, 2015
123 people are currently reading
1186 people want to read
About the author
Jay Bell
47 books2,216 followersJay 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 www.jaybellbooks.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
November 23, 2015
The first six books in the series needs to be read first before reading this book. A separate review for Something Like Fall can be found here.
Jay certainly knows how to break boundaries with Something Like Stories. This collection of short stories does not only bring into the limelight characters who had played secondary roles in the Something Like… saga. Characters like Eric, who was a significant figure in Tim’s rebirth, finally unravels his past in Something Like Yesterday. Allison, Ben’s best friend, accidentally meets Michelle, Jace’s sister, and both get to have one uninhibited night in Something Like Tonight. And mysterious Victor, who we knew to be an integral part in molding calm and collected Jace, gets to uncover the mystery of his afterlife calling in Something Like Eternity.
Yes, while it was good to finally tap into their minds and get to know them a little more, Something Like Stories also unites worlds by bringing together characters from Jay’s other books like Dante from Hell's Pawn (which I haven’t read yet) and Connor from Kamikaze Boys (who I only remembered when I went through Allison’s files) – characters who crossed paths with one or two of our Something Like… characters and left an impression on these characters, albeit the brief encounter.
I’ve always loved the “ordinariness” of Jay’s characters and stories, despite the heavy drama. And I say that with utmost affection. Ever since I started reading Something Like Summer, I am able to connect with all his characters easily. I always get the feeling that Ben and the gang are just around the corner, waiting for me to join them in an easy conversation about their day-to-day lives. And reading a new book in the series allows me to get to know them better. I’ve fallen in love with these characters that it just gets harder and harder to let go when I reach the end of a story.
That is why I appreciate what Jay did in Something Like Stories. In the previous books, it’s like having one-on-one conversations with the main character. Here, it’s like being in an intimate gathering of friends and family where you get to enjoy the company of all the characters in the series. Simply put, Something Like Stories is like being wrapped up in a tight group hug that leaves you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside.
And like every book in the series and what I consider as Jay’s trademark, these short stories are also laced with pain. I understand that some people do not like to see this in fictional books (even I despise it in some books), but I always think that the pain that Jay lets his characters go through is a welcomed one. Familiar. Relatable. That’s why I’ve cried lots of rivers with his books because I’ve been in these characters’ shoes, too many times to count. And the lessons that these characters take with them are also lessons I can take with me. This collection of short stories is no exception. And I loved every bit of it.
"We live in a world of give and take, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Give others your time and confidence, take away their concerns and loneliness when you can. Give them a piece of yourself when feeling brave, and take their love and cherish it when offered. Life is an exchange, an open market, so get out there and start living before the store closes permanently."
And like I always say with each review that I write for Jay's books, I am excited for what's to come in the saga that's expanding as time goes by. Be it a new chapter for Jason and William, a new adventure for Ben and Tim, or a new character's story – I will always be looking forward to another visit into these characters' lives.
November 28, 2015
By the time you've reached the seventh book in a series, you might think the plots and the characters would start getting stale, old, perhaps a little boring. That's the furthest thing from the truth when it comes to Jay Bell's Something Like... series.
Something Like Stories - Vol. 1 is different from the previous six books in the set -- it's a collection of novellas and short snippets that allow readers to explore some of the series' supporting characters in greater depth. In "Something Like Yesterday," we get to know more about Eric Conroy, Tim's older friend and benefactor, which gives us insight into what it was like growing up gay in the 1950s and 1960s. In "Something Like Tonight," Ben's best friend Allison has a bit of a "What am I doing with my life?" crisis and works through it in an entertaining but ultimately fulfilling way. "Something Like Eternity" reunites us with Victor, in a way that I most certainly did not see coming. All of them were excellent and heartfelt, and they made me so glad that Bell is continuing this series.
And for those who weren't lucky enough to get their hands on the Benjamin Bentley-focused "Something Like Fall" when it was first published, Bell has bound that three-part story in this anthology, as well, along with some other treats that come toward the end of the book. For those who have no idea who Benjamin Bentley is, get your hands on a copy of Something Like Summer -- right now -- and start your journey through this wonderful set of books.
Something Like Stories - Vol. 1 is different from the previous six books in the set -- it's a collection of novellas and short snippets that allow readers to explore some of the series' supporting characters in greater depth. In "Something Like Yesterday," we get to know more about Eric Conroy, Tim's older friend and benefactor, which gives us insight into what it was like growing up gay in the 1950s and 1960s. In "Something Like Tonight," Ben's best friend Allison has a bit of a "What am I doing with my life?" crisis and works through it in an entertaining but ultimately fulfilling way. "Something Like Eternity" reunites us with Victor, in a way that I most certainly did not see coming. All of them were excellent and heartfelt, and they made me so glad that Bell is continuing this series.
And for those who weren't lucky enough to get their hands on the Benjamin Bentley-focused "Something Like Fall" when it was first published, Bell has bound that three-part story in this anthology, as well, along with some other treats that come toward the end of the book. For those who have no idea who Benjamin Bentley is, get your hands on a copy of Something Like Summer -- right now -- and start your journey through this wonderful set of books.
November 14, 2015
If it's says Jay Bell it rings winner!!!!
Thank you, thank you, thank you for giving us back Victor, if only for a few chapters!
Stories Like Eternity was a gift to all of us Victor fans.
Something Like Stories is the perfect must read for every Jay Bell fanatic. I was smiling with pure happiness throughout this book!!!
And Something Like Fall was just as good the second time for me!
A Jay Bell book?.......it could only be 5 stars!
Thank you Jay for this special treat.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for giving us back Victor, if only for a few chapters!
Stories Like Eternity was a gift to all of us Victor fans.
Something Like Stories is the perfect must read for every Jay Bell fanatic. I was smiling with pure happiness throughout this book!!!
And Something Like Fall was just as good the second time for me!
A Jay Bell book?.......it could only be 5 stars!
Thank you Jay for this special treat.
December 10, 2015
REVIEW TO COME!
February 22, 2016
Something Like Stories – четыре рассказа из цикла «Something Like…» Читать лучше после шестой книги иначе нахватаетесь спойлеров.
Something Like Yesterday повествует о молодости Эрика, человека, заменившего Тиму отца. Пожалуй, из всего сборника история понравилась мне меньше всего. Я понимаю, что Эрику и так очень повезло в том, что он встретил на своем жизненном пути Марсело и Тима, мне все же хотелось для него большего. А так история оставила неприятный осадок.
Из-за названия подумала, что Something Like Fall будет о Джейсе, но на деле ему посвящена только первая часть. История написана в духе серии, автор дает нам возможность посмотреть на уже знакомые события глазами других героев. Казалось бы, ну сколько уже можно мусолить одну и ту же тему? И ведь интересно же! Вот как автору это удается?
Не ожидала, что мне так понравится Something Like Tonight. История двух женщин, уставших от того, что их жизнь крутится вокруг мужей и детей. Иногда нужно и о себе любимой подумать!
Something Like Eternity – кроссовер между «Something like…» и «Hell's Pawn» отвечает на вопрос, который мучил меня на протяжении всей серии: «Если Рай все-таки существует, с кем проведет вечность человек, у которого в течении жизни были не одни серьезные отношения, а несколько? » История помогла мне смириться с концовкой «Something like Autumn», мне будто восстановили нервные клетки, потерянные при прочтении третьего тома)
Отдельно хочется отметить краткую биографию основных героев. Меня поражает то, как автор связывает судьбы героев, но без стакана в этой санта-барбаре не разобраться.
Something Like Yesterday повествует о молодости Эрика, человека, заменившего Тиму отца. Пожалуй, из всего сборника история понравилась мне меньше всего. Я понимаю, что Эрику и так очень повезло в том, что он встретил на своем жизненном пути Марсело и Тима, мне все же хотелось для него большего. А так история оставила неприятный осадок.
Из-за названия подумала, что Something Like Fall будет о Джейсе, но на деле ему посвящена только первая часть. История написана в духе серии, автор дает нам возможность посмотреть на уже знакомые события глазами других героев. Казалось бы, ну сколько уже можно мусолить одну и ту же тему? И ведь интересно же! Вот как автору это удается?
Не ожидала, что мне так понравится Something Like Tonight. История двух женщин, уставших от того, что их жизнь крутится вокруг мужей и детей. Иногда нужно и о себе любимой подумать!
Something Like Eternity – кроссовер между «Something like…» и «Hell's Pawn» отвечает на вопрос, который мучил меня на протяжении всей серии: «Если Рай все-таки существует, с кем проведет вечность человек, у которого в течении жизни были не одни серьезные отношения, а несколько? » История помогла мне смириться с концовкой «Something like Autumn», мне будто восстановили нервные клетки, потерянные при прочтении третьего тома)
Отдельно хочется отметить краткую биографию основных героев. Меня поражает то, как автор связывает судьбы героев, но без стакана в этой санта-барбаре не разобраться.
March 12, 2024
I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up the seventh book in the Something Like... series. I knew it was short stories but I didn't know how they fit into everything. I was pleasantly surprised, especially because one of the stories made me pick up another Bell book!
Something Like Yesterday: Tells the story of Eric's life. Sad and wonderful all at once.
Something Like Fall: Tells three little stories about Jace, Tim and Jason, all from Ben. Meeting Jace's family and building his own. I loved this three part story the most.
Something Like Tonight: a hilarious night of fun shared with Michelle and Allison. These two are fun together and I loved seeing them be a bit irresponsible and have a good time!
Something Like Eternity: Before this story it is mentioned that you should read Hell's Pawn so I set the book aside and read it. I LOVED that book. Anyway, this tells the story of Victor after all the souls are released from Purgatory and him meeting up with Jace and finding his true calling in the afterlife. While this adds a weird fantasy aspect to the series that I wasn't sure I was okay with, I really leaned into it and embraced it because it makes things cozy and lovely. Especially harkening back to Something Like Fall where Tim is convinced that Eric and Jace sent Jason to him and Ben to keep them company.
The (not-so) Secret Files of Allison Cross: just a convenient guide of characters told from Allison's perspective and...makes Jay Bell a character in his own books lol
Overall I just loved this set of shorts and am excited to get back to the main books next.
Something Like Yesterday: Tells the story of Eric's life. Sad and wonderful all at once.
Something Like Fall: Tells three little stories about Jace, Tim and Jason, all from Ben. Meeting Jace's family and building his own. I loved this three part story the most.
Something Like Tonight: a hilarious night of fun shared with Michelle and Allison. These two are fun together and I loved seeing them be a bit irresponsible and have a good time!
Something Like Eternity: Before this story it is mentioned that you should read Hell's Pawn so I set the book aside and read it. I LOVED that book. Anyway, this tells the story of Victor after all the souls are released from Purgatory and him meeting up with Jace and finding his true calling in the afterlife. While this adds a weird fantasy aspect to the series that I wasn't sure I was okay with, I really leaned into it and embraced it because it makes things cozy and lovely. Especially harkening back to Something Like Fall where Tim is convinced that Eric and Jace sent Jason to him and Ben to keep them company.
The (not-so) Secret Files of Allison Cross: just a convenient guide of characters told from Allison's perspective and...makes Jay Bell a character in his own books lol
Overall I just loved this set of shorts and am excited to get back to the main books next.
January 26, 2016
All the stars! This collection of stories is not something to read until you've read all the previous books. It reminds me of a love letter Jay wrote for his fans and in turn it makes me want to write one back to him. I enjoyed every single story but Something Like Eternity was by far, my absolute favorite of the bunch. To put it simply, it just made me happy and gave me some peace and closure needed after my heart had been batter through some points in this series.
Looking back I really can't pick out my favorite couple because there are too many that just feel right, I also can't pick a favorite couple or main character because each and every one is so fleshed out and real it would be like saying that one friend is better than another (if you twist my arm, I might have to admit that Marcello is one of my favorite characters from any book ever but you aren't twisting so I'm not admitting).
I know the series is not over, and I can't wait for it to continue because I do believe there are more stories to tell, BUT if I could not read more, I am very satisfied after reading this particular book.
Looking back I really can't pick out my favorite couple because there are too many that just feel right, I also can't pick a favorite couple or main character because each and every one is so fleshed out and real it would be like saying that one friend is better than another (if you twist my arm, I might have to admit that Marcello is one of my favorite characters from any book ever but you aren't twisting so I'm not admitting).
I know the series is not over, and I can't wait for it to continue because I do believe there are more stories to tell, BUT if I could not read more, I am very satisfied after reading this particular book.
January 26, 2016
Nice collection of stories which should be read once the first six books have been completed. It really gave me a sense of closure with some of the other books which was wonderful. If you are a fan of the Something... series you should check these out for sure.
November 14, 2015
5 Great Stars
NOTE: MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD
Wow. That was one hell of a treat.
If you are a fan of Jay Bell, then you would expect this volume to give you that emotional ride that you want. If you are not yet a fan, then start reading Summer!
This book is a collection of Stories or chapters that weren't included in the original scripts of the first 6 books of the series, those little or trivial details you wonder after reading the original books are included here. Not all but those are that significant. These makes this book a good companion after reading the first 6 books of Something Like Series.
These are compilation of stories so my review will be broken down per story, as it should be:
Something Like Yesterday
This story has enough material to have its own book. The theme of extreme homophobia, rejection and the plight of the LGBT Community in the 60s and 70s could’ve been painted more vividly by this story. And Eric is the perfect Something Like character to explore and show this horrible part of our history. If this has become a stand-alone book as part of the original series, we could’ve delved much further on Eric's relationships with Michael and Gabriel so the betrayal at the end could’ve been more substantial and more explosive. I am afraid we didn’t get attached much on Michael’s character to feel the maximum possible hurt. It's there, it's great! But didn't live on its potential.
MICHAEL
Michael…….. Michael. Michael. Michael. I want him to be burned in Jay Bell’s version of hell (but after reading Eternity, it doesn't seem so bad there so I guess my version of Hell then). But I understood Michael’s action. He’s no hero, he’s just an ordinary human being with fear overwhelming him. But that doesn’t mean what he did was forgivable. It’s just that, for me, he falls to that category of human beings whose actions are just very predictable. Basically, not a special person. I am not surprised he doesn't have substantial profile in Allison's not-so secret files. But yes, burn him to hell. (And this throwing scene is somewhat predictable, so even if there was so much tugging at my heart, it didn’t affect me that long)
GABRIEL
Gabriel……….Gabriel. Gabriel. Gabriel. He did help Eric in so many ways, but leaving Eric in their prime days to pursue a younger guy seems…. selfish. There is one comment in an article I have read about falling out of love that struck on me the most: “At the end of the day, people need to realize that love is a choice. If you base it on just feelings, your relationship is bound to fail. Feelings change all the time. You are going to fall in and out of love with someone many times. The problem is that people these days are selfish and are always looking for greener pastures. Love is choice and it's about being selfless.”
“I told Gabriel he was making a mistake, that he would spend the rest of his life regretting the day he lost you. I have no doubt that he will.” - Marcello to Eric
I need to see this in writing. I swear. Reading the last part of this story almost gave me a heart attack. I am trying to contain the feels but it left me “choked” so I tried to read the part very fast to get it over with. Alas, after reading the secret files of Allison Cross, I found him to be very happy. I am very bitter for Eric, which made me respect the latter for having a great heart to accept the end of his relationship with Gabriel. As a reader though, I am not great nor a saint, so I am not sorry if I hate Gabriel. Not the guy I want to marry. No matter what Eric says, he is selfish. And hate him with PASSION. I admire Eric for keeping his cool (relatively) when Gabriel walked away, because if someone did that to me?.....:
If Jay Bell wrote him a story, I will not read it (Sorry, Jay!) unless he promised to at least make him regret leaving Eric alone in their prime days. One of the most despicable characters in Jay Bell's book. More than Ryan, Bryce, Darryl or Krista.
Anyway, enough of that hate! Only Jay Bell can make you interested in a story of two not-even side characters. I wanted more on the story of Tom and Jerry!! What happened to them? That was sad. I thought Homophobia will not be tackled by Jay Bell at all. Well, here’s his answer to my "thought."
Young Marcello is as adorable as his mature version. He seems to possess a very good acumen in terms of philosophy and life which for me merits his own short story or maybe a book for us to understand why. I am not sure if Jay Bell intends to since I can imagine him wanting to preserve the mystery behind such a great man but, as a fan, I can’t help but want one. (After reading Allison's Secret Files, I guess he'll remain a mystery.)
All in all, Eric Conroy is one of the most (if not the best) well-developed character in Jay Bell's book. He had a big heart. Being able to forgive, being able to let go of anger, and living without any trace of bitterness towards Gabriel in the end, Eric is one of the most special person embodied in a book character ever written on this planet. He did try to seduce Gabriel when the latter was still with Robby, which made me flip. But that was the 60s. Homophobia is everywhere. So I forgive his desperation, but I don't condone it. I am glad, though, that there was a Tim Wyman beside his bed when he died. What a fine angel to die with. My new favorite and the only character here in this series that I considered with reverence (Besides Marcello)
Something Like Fall
Refer to my review in Something Like Fall independent GR page.
Something Like Tonight
This story is kinda interesting. This goes to show that Allison has the best, angst-free love life compared to her gay friends. And I guess, Michelle too! The girls had it good in terms of their love life. Poor gay guys. So much deceit, cheating and being abandoned in their golden days.
It is a story of Allison Cross as she tries to recount what lead her to her current life and careers, while we get a glimpse on those characters we learned to love and where they are now. Although it was nice to read, it’s something that didn’t really catch my fancy.I want to see more of that Connor and David (I read that they were the MCs for Kamikaze Boys so, I'll buy this someday), or Cherry Soda. Jay Bell is spurting side characters to obviously continue the Something Like series. AWESOME! <3 Nathaniel and Kelly appeared in this story too. It is so nice to know that they were doing okay. Kinda. LOL. I still want Nathaniel to be mine though. Jay Bell in hinting that Nathaniel and Kelly has a potential rocky road to pass. Oh, I can't see them apart. I'mma die! Forget about my plans to take Nathaniel for myself, just don't let them break apart, Jay!
Something Like Eternity
Ryan Santle: I have been bothered by this question after reading the Seasons series and it is truly okay if you do not answer, but..Seeing that you have incorporated Heaven and Hell in your books, I just wondered if you believe Jace met Victor again from the other side? Heaven or in Hell? And what do you think have they talked about?
Jay Bell: Mild spoilers for Hell's Pawn ahead...I’ve wondered about this myself, mostly because Ben is going to be a very happy guy when he makes it to Heaven. Eventually he’ll have both Tim *and* Jace. Not a bad way to spend eternity. As for Victor, I don’t see him being the type to believe in a specific religion. He wouldn’t want to limit himself to any one philosophy. He would be the kind of soul to wander freely in the afterlife, although he might have gotten caught in Purgatory when things were so messed up there. I have no doubt that Victor and Jace would meet eventually, and I picture it being a very happy reunion. Victor would probably keep travelling though, enjoying a freedom he couldn’t find while living, camping out in the astral wilds. He’d still come around on occasion. I just hope Heaven has really big beds, since it’s going to get crowded. ;) As for what Victor and Jace would talk about, maybe that will end up in a story some day.
I never thought Jay Bell’s "someday" will be just a few months away. He totally spoils his fans. And I love him for it! I won’t discuss this story in detail since this is purely fantasy even in the fictional world of the Something Like Series. So whatever issues I have with it, I made peace while reading it. This is a very enjoyable read that everyone who loves Victor and Jace will probably enjoy! Very, very nicely written. I love every word of it. This story alone is worth the $5.99 I paid.
-------------------------------------------
Overall, it was such a fun read, but I have to admit I didn’t like some of the fate of the characters presented here. Some found their happy endings despite not deserving it like Gabriel, some deserves a second chance and needs help through their healing process but wasn’t given the chance due to personal grudges like Ryan. And it does reflect what the real world is (which is unfair) but, I just don’t get it. My emotions are very conflicted and sometimes, I think reading Jay Bell’s books are not healthy for my psyche anymore. But I still do love his writings!! It’s like my own very personal weed. Unhealthy, but addicting. I just hope those people who committed wrongdoings will someday learn or experience the repercussions of their actions since it's part of the learnings of life.
For example, Ryan, despite what he did, is a troubled soul. I don't think comparing him to the characters with the same situation as his is reason enough to condemn him to oblivion. He needs help. Despite what he did, he is alive, and must be given the help he can get and give him a second chance.
Oh well. These are my thoughts! Looking forward to read WILLIAM'S STORY! <3
NOTE: MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD
Wow. That was one hell of a treat.
If you are a fan of Jay Bell, then you would expect this volume to give you that emotional ride that you want. If you are not yet a fan, then start reading Summer!
This book is a collection of Stories or chapters that weren't included in the original scripts of the first 6 books of the series, those little or trivial details you wonder after reading the original books are included here. Not all but those are that significant. These makes this book a good companion after reading the first 6 books of Something Like Series.
These are compilation of stories so my review will be broken down per story, as it should be:
Something Like Yesterday
This story has enough material to have its own book. The theme of extreme homophobia, rejection and the plight of the LGBT Community in the 60s and 70s could’ve been painted more vividly by this story. And Eric is the perfect Something Like character to explore and show this horrible part of our history. If this has become a stand-alone book as part of the original series, we could’ve delved much further on Eric's relationships with Michael and Gabriel so the betrayal at the end could’ve been more substantial and more explosive. I am afraid we didn’t get attached much on Michael’s character to feel the maximum possible hurt. It's there, it's great! But didn't live on its potential.
MICHAEL
Michael…….. Michael. Michael. Michael. I want him to be burned in Jay Bell’s version of hell (but after reading Eternity, it doesn't seem so bad there so I guess my version of Hell then). But I understood Michael’s action. He’s no hero, he’s just an ordinary human being with fear overwhelming him. But that doesn’t mean what he did was forgivable. It’s just that, for me, he falls to that category of human beings whose actions are just very predictable. Basically, not a special person. I am not surprised he doesn't have substantial profile in Allison's not-so secret files. But yes, burn him to hell. (And this throwing scene is somewhat predictable, so even if there was so much tugging at my heart, it didn’t affect me that long)
GABRIEL
Gabriel……….Gabriel. Gabriel. Gabriel. He did help Eric in so many ways, but leaving Eric in their prime days to pursue a younger guy seems…. selfish. There is one comment in an article I have read about falling out of love that struck on me the most: “At the end of the day, people need to realize that love is a choice. If you base it on just feelings, your relationship is bound to fail. Feelings change all the time. You are going to fall in and out of love with someone many times. The problem is that people these days are selfish and are always looking for greener pastures. Love is choice and it's about being selfless.”
“I told Gabriel he was making a mistake, that he would spend the rest of his life regretting the day he lost you. I have no doubt that he will.” - Marcello to Eric
I need to see this in writing. I swear. Reading the last part of this story almost gave me a heart attack. I am trying to contain the feels but it left me “choked” so I tried to read the part very fast to get it over with. Alas, after reading the secret files of Allison Cross, I found him to be very happy. I am very bitter for Eric, which made me respect the latter for having a great heart to accept the end of his relationship with Gabriel. As a reader though, I am not great nor a saint, so I am not sorry if I hate Gabriel. Not the guy I want to marry. No matter what Eric says, he is selfish. And hate him with PASSION. I admire Eric for keeping his cool (relatively) when Gabriel walked away, because if someone did that to me?.....:
If Jay Bell wrote him a story, I will not read it (Sorry, Jay!) unless he promised to at least make him regret leaving Eric alone in their prime days. One of the most despicable characters in Jay Bell's book. More than Ryan, Bryce, Darryl or Krista.
Anyway, enough of that hate! Only Jay Bell can make you interested in a story of two not-even side characters. I wanted more on the story of Tom and Jerry!! What happened to them? That was sad. I thought Homophobia will not be tackled by Jay Bell at all. Well, here’s his answer to my "thought."
Young Marcello is as adorable as his mature version. He seems to possess a very good acumen in terms of philosophy and life which for me merits his own short story or maybe a book for us to understand why. I am not sure if Jay Bell intends to since I can imagine him wanting to preserve the mystery behind such a great man but, as a fan, I can’t help but want one. (After reading Allison's Secret Files, I guess he'll remain a mystery.)
All in all, Eric Conroy is one of the most (if not the best) well-developed character in Jay Bell's book. He had a big heart. Being able to forgive, being able to let go of anger, and living without any trace of bitterness towards Gabriel in the end, Eric is one of the most special person embodied in a book character ever written on this planet. He did try to seduce Gabriel when the latter was still with Robby, which made me flip. But that was the 60s. Homophobia is everywhere. So I forgive his desperation, but I don't condone it. I am glad, though, that there was a Tim Wyman beside his bed when he died. What a fine angel to die with. My new favorite and the only character here in this series that I considered with reverence (Besides Marcello)
Something Like Fall
Refer to my review in Something Like Fall independent GR page.
Something Like Tonight
This story is kinda interesting. This goes to show that Allison has the best, angst-free love life compared to her gay friends. And I guess, Michelle too! The girls had it good in terms of their love life. Poor gay guys. So much deceit, cheating and being abandoned in their golden days.
It is a story of Allison Cross as she tries to recount what lead her to her current life and careers, while we get a glimpse on those characters we learned to love and where they are now. Although it was nice to read, it’s something that didn’t really catch my fancy.I want to see more of that Connor and David (I read that they were the MCs for Kamikaze Boys so, I'll buy this someday), or Cherry Soda. Jay Bell is spurting side characters to obviously continue the Something Like series. AWESOME! <3 Nathaniel and Kelly appeared in this story too. It is so nice to know that they were doing okay. Kinda. LOL. I still want Nathaniel to be mine though. Jay Bell in hinting that Nathaniel and Kelly has a potential rocky road to pass. Oh, I can't see them apart. I'mma die! Forget about my plans to take Nathaniel for myself, just don't let them break apart, Jay!
Something Like Eternity
Ryan Santle: I have been bothered by this question after reading the Seasons series and it is truly okay if you do not answer, but..Seeing that you have incorporated Heaven and Hell in your books, I just wondered if you believe Jace met Victor again from the other side? Heaven or in Hell? And what do you think have they talked about?
Jay Bell: Mild spoilers for Hell's Pawn ahead...I’ve wondered about this myself, mostly because Ben is going to be a very happy guy when he makes it to Heaven. Eventually he’ll have both Tim *and* Jace. Not a bad way to spend eternity. As for Victor, I don’t see him being the type to believe in a specific religion. He wouldn’t want to limit himself to any one philosophy. He would be the kind of soul to wander freely in the afterlife, although he might have gotten caught in Purgatory when things were so messed up there. I have no doubt that Victor and Jace would meet eventually, and I picture it being a very happy reunion. Victor would probably keep travelling though, enjoying a freedom he couldn’t find while living, camping out in the astral wilds. He’d still come around on occasion. I just hope Heaven has really big beds, since it’s going to get crowded. ;) As for what Victor and Jace would talk about, maybe that will end up in a story some day.
I never thought Jay Bell’s "someday" will be just a few months away. He totally spoils his fans. And I love him for it! I won’t discuss this story in detail since this is purely fantasy even in the fictional world of the Something Like Series. So whatever issues I have with it, I made peace while reading it. This is a very enjoyable read that everyone who loves Victor and Jace will probably enjoy! Very, very nicely written. I love every word of it. This story alone is worth the $5.99 I paid.
-------------------------------------------
Overall, it was such a fun read, but I have to admit I didn’t like some of the fate of the characters presented here. Some found their happy endings despite not deserving it like Gabriel, some deserves a second chance and needs help through their healing process but wasn’t given the chance due to personal grudges like Ryan. And it does reflect what the real world is (which is unfair) but, I just don’t get it. My emotions are very conflicted and sometimes, I think reading Jay Bell’s books are not healthy for my psyche anymore. But I still do love his writings!! It’s like my own very personal weed. Unhealthy, but addicting. I just hope those people who committed wrongdoings will someday learn or experience the repercussions of their actions since it's part of the learnings of life.
For example, Ryan, despite what he did, is a troubled soul. I don't think comparing him to the characters with the same situation as his is reason enough to condemn him to oblivion. He needs help. Despite what he did, he is alive, and must be given the help he can get and give him a second chance.
Oh well. These are my thoughts! Looking forward to read WILLIAM'S STORY! <3
August 26, 2025
My least favorite book in the series so far. Some stories hit, some didn’t. At this point, the character index and timeline are much needed, and I absolutely appreciate that!
The most interesting story was the one told from Victor’s POV. It dabbled into speculative fiction that was something new for Jay Bell to explore.
The most interesting story was the one told from Victor’s POV. It dabbled into speculative fiction that was something new for Jay Bell to explore.
November 22, 2015
Jay Bell never disappoints me, ever. This book is an amazing collection of short stories that gives us the opportunity to know many of Jay's amazing characters better. The characters in the Something Like series are so well written that I always enjoy visiting with these old friends.
This book contains four wonderful stories. In Something Like Yesterday, we go back to the sixties and learn more about Tim's friend, Eric. Something Like Fall revisits Ben, one of my favorite characters, giving us glimpses of his time with Jace, Tim, and Jason. Something Like Tonight gives the reader the opportunity to know Alison better, as she forges a friendship with another Something Like character during a wild night out. Something Like Eternity lets us pick up with Victor and Jace in the afterlife.
This outstanding book not only reunites us with many beloved characters from the series, but it also ties in with a couple of the books which are not part of the series. In additional to the four emotional stories, this volume includes an in depth character guide and a timeline of events for the entire series.
There is no doubt that this will be a book that I will read over and over, like all of the wonderful books I have read by this author. I love that the book is called Something Like Stories Volume One because I am hoping for many more volumes.
This book contains four wonderful stories. In Something Like Yesterday, we go back to the sixties and learn more about Tim's friend, Eric. Something Like Fall revisits Ben, one of my favorite characters, giving us glimpses of his time with Jace, Tim, and Jason. Something Like Tonight gives the reader the opportunity to know Alison better, as she forges a friendship with another Something Like character during a wild night out. Something Like Eternity lets us pick up with Victor and Jace in the afterlife.
This outstanding book not only reunites us with many beloved characters from the series, but it also ties in with a couple of the books which are not part of the series. In additional to the four emotional stories, this volume includes an in depth character guide and a timeline of events for the entire series.
There is no doubt that this will be a book that I will read over and over, like all of the wonderful books I have read by this author. I love that the book is called Something Like Stories Volume One because I am hoping for many more volumes.
August 18, 2016
“I highly recommend that—before proceeding—you have already read the first six books in the series. That’s Summer all the way through Thunder.” ~ Jay Bell, November 2015
‘Something Like Stories Volume One’ by Jay Bell is a set of stories designed to add depth and breadth to the series by giving fans an even better understanding of Jay's extraordinary 'Something Like' world. Some characters are new to me and some have only been mentioned in the series. Others are like old friends. I've often read a book and wanted to know more about the characters besides what I've already read. That rarely happens, even in series. With this anthology, I think Jay is sharing more about his “family” to help fans come closer to feeling the way he does about them.
Something Like Yesterday
As Eric lies on his death bed, dreaming of his mother, he is startled awake. Eric calls for the one person he knows will always be there, Tim. He is grateful for Tim's patience, care and love. When Tim asks Eric to tell his life story, Eric begins with his wonderful mother and relates instances of his childhood. Next are his college days and Michael, whom Eric loves, but with whom he learns a heartbreaking lesson emphasizing how awful it is to be gay. Slowly, things begin to change, but there is still the fear of being caught along with having to hide who he is. Eric joins a social activists group where he meets the charismatic Gabriel, who is a huge influence in his life, but eventually breaks his heart and totally disillusions Eric who vows never to love again. When Eric meets Marcello, who is also a huge influence; he and Eric strangely become the best of friends.
I knew very little about Eric, except that Tim lived with him and inherited part of his vast fortune, so I was anxious to learn more. His life story reminded me of the civil rights movement, Vietnam War, SDA and that life was hard, not just for gays, but for everyone. Eric's struggles broke my heart, and of course, made me cry. It was good to learn about the place Tim had in Eric's life, especially in his role as caregiver, and reminds me that Tim's life wasn't all sunshine and roses either, while he and Ben were apart.
Something Like Fall - Part 1: Missouri 2003
Jace and Ben are driving to Warrenburg to meet Jace's parents for the first time. While there, Jace is regaling Ben with stories of growing up in the town. Ben is nervous but has nothing to fear from Jace's parents who are as wonderful and zany as can be and they absolutely love Ben. Ben feels very welcome and enjoys seeing where Jace grew up. Later Jace has too much to drink and ends up looking through a box of Victor's things. Jace knows about Victor, but doesn't know the most important thing; there's no need to be jealous of him because Victor has been dead for a long time. When Jace finally tells Ben, it's at Victor's spot in the woods and is intense, sad, loving, and special. Years later, Ben returns to the spot to keep a very special promise he made to Jace. With the circle complete, he goes back to his new life with Tim.
Since the mere mention of Jace makes my heart hurt, it's not hard to see why this story touched me deeply. It highlights Jace's personality in such a way that it made me love him even more, if that is possible. The way Ben accepted that Victor was Jace's first love was nothing less than spectacular and made me cry harder than ever. There is no doubt they belonged together.
Something Like Fall - Part Two: Tim, Texas 2008
Ben is back from his trip to Warrenburg where he keeps his final promise to Jace. He and Tim are ready to move into their new house and they are both excited. They both need a break from their pasts, Ben with Jace and Tim with Eric and a new house is the best way for both of them. As Ben and Tim look over the house, they reminisce about old times as they decide how to make the house theirs, playfully picking on each other and bickering. It's a big step, but Ben decides doubts are a worthless waste of time. He loves Tim and wants to be with him and that's all that matters. They have time to work it all out and they will.
I wondered about how Ben and Tim would surmount the feelings about the past, the other men in their lives, and the betrayal that happened between them. This story helped fill in a lot of blanks and satisfied some of my curiosity as well as how I felt about their reunion. These two certainly have a strong but rocky road towards harmony.
Something Like Fall - Part 3: Jason, Texas 2009
Tim and Ben struggle with the idea of someone coming to live with them. When Allyson suggests that a former foster child, Jason, who is down on his luck, would benefit by starting a new life with Tim and Ben, Tim especially is conflicted. He's afraid he will screw it up like he has so many things in the past. When Jason arrives, Tim tries to avoid him which, of course, turns out to be impossible. Ben is his loving, giving self, frustrated with Tim and telling him so. What turns the tables for them and creates harmony is when they both decide that Jason is meant to be there because, somehow, Eric and Jace got together and sent him to them.
I loved seeing Ben be...well Ben, loving, optimistic, giving, and, once again, challenged by Tim's reaction to Jason. I was also proud of Tim for finally putting aside his fear and stepping up to the challenge of having Jason there. The “sign” they received from beyond made me cry.
Something Like Tonight
Allyson is surveying her life and questioning if it is what she wants it to be. She loves her husband, even if he is a bit of a dork, nothing like the men she was attracted to before. Watching old movies with her child brings back happy and sad memories of her mother, reminding her of her grace and beauty and thinking about how she assumed she would grow into that, but never did. She chooses a way she's most familiar with in her work, listing people in her life as case files and assessing their progress. A chat with Michelle's sister also brings her life into focus, reminding her of what's most important. Allyson's conclusion is that she's right where she's supposed to be.
Allyson's “introspection” was informative and heartening. Although not my favorite, her “case file therapy” helped remind me of other characters in the story and brought me up-to-date on their lives, which was a nice bonus. It was also good to know that Allyson was reassured that the choices she made in life were the right ones for her.
Something Like Eternity
Victor is taking a walk in the afterlife, meeting all sorts of creatures. Victor has never been what most people considered normal, but in this reality, he can even do unusual things without having to know why. He can conjure up all sorts of scenarios, places, things, but so far, not people. Eventually he comes to a city and heads straight for a bar called 'The Inferno’. Here he meets a surly bartender who says they are closed. Victor continues to speak to him anyway, only irritating him more. Eventually the bartender introduces himself. His name is Dante. They have a conversation about Victor's life and death and how they are affecting his afterlife. Victor is reminded of all the people he left behind who miss him. Victor confesses he feels a longing to be somewhere but doesn’t know where. Dante tells him he has an appointment with Destiny, a beauty but a real bitch at times. Victor follows Sampson, who was his mother's cat, and encounters a man in an airline pilot's outfit, Jace. They embrace and begin to talk. Jace and Victor begin to discuss all the things they didn't get to before Victor killed himself and how both feel about what happened. Victor also learns of things that happened after he died that he should have experienced, but didn't. He has a lot of things to think about, but an eternity in which to do so.
I am thankful that I had read 'Hells Pawn' before reading this short story. It prepared me for Victor's imaginary journey into the afterlife, having the same themes and fantastical beings and events. I recognized Jace at once in 'Hell's Pawn' and it made my heart ache. This story asks and answers many of the questions I had when first reading about Victor's death; that gave me a feeling of closure with him and, especially, how his choice of death affected Jace, who was so devastated by it at the time. Hearing Victor's side of the story enabled me to understand why he committed suicide and to forgive him.
~~~
The (not-so) Secret Files of Allyson Cross
This section is a tongue-in-cheek look at Allyson's working relationship with the author, Jay Bell. Since everyone knows Allyson is also a counselor, she kids about having Jay on her couch a lot which is quite amusing. The information provided is Allyson's slant from research she has done on all the 'Something Like' characters, listing them in alphabetical order by first name which makes a particular person easier to find without having to remember which story they are in. It is another invaluable tool in any search for more knowledge of the fabulous characters involved.
The Something Like… Timeline
Since there is no earthly way to remember it all, this section of the book concerns exactly what the title implies, a timeline for the entire series which will obviously be very useful as a reference when wanting to know what happened when, where to whom, where, and why, etc. It's another invaluable tool enabling readers to keep events in the correct order rather than having to search through all the books trying to find the information.
Index of Character Profiles
Since characterization is an extremely important concept in fiction writing, the 'Index of Character Profiles' is important, especially in a series of this proportion. Jay has provided an extensive list of every character in the 'Something Like’ family including a physical description, motto, relationship to the other characters; which book they appear in, etc. It's a resource to give you quick access to any of the characters rather than having to remember them that is a real gift. Just about anyone or anything concerning the 'Something Like’ series will be found in this index that I find extremely helpful.
Thank you, Jay, for the entire 'Something' experience. May it continue for as long as you want to explore it.
NOTE: This book was provided by the author for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
‘Something Like Stories Volume One’ by Jay Bell is a set of stories designed to add depth and breadth to the series by giving fans an even better understanding of Jay's extraordinary 'Something Like' world. Some characters are new to me and some have only been mentioned in the series. Others are like old friends. I've often read a book and wanted to know more about the characters besides what I've already read. That rarely happens, even in series. With this anthology, I think Jay is sharing more about his “family” to help fans come closer to feeling the way he does about them.
Something Like Yesterday
As Eric lies on his death bed, dreaming of his mother, he is startled awake. Eric calls for the one person he knows will always be there, Tim. He is grateful for Tim's patience, care and love. When Tim asks Eric to tell his life story, Eric begins with his wonderful mother and relates instances of his childhood. Next are his college days and Michael, whom Eric loves, but with whom he learns a heartbreaking lesson emphasizing how awful it is to be gay. Slowly, things begin to change, but there is still the fear of being caught along with having to hide who he is. Eric joins a social activists group where he meets the charismatic Gabriel, who is a huge influence in his life, but eventually breaks his heart and totally disillusions Eric who vows never to love again. When Eric meets Marcello, who is also a huge influence; he and Eric strangely become the best of friends.
I knew very little about Eric, except that Tim lived with him and inherited part of his vast fortune, so I was anxious to learn more. His life story reminded me of the civil rights movement, Vietnam War, SDA and that life was hard, not just for gays, but for everyone. Eric's struggles broke my heart, and of course, made me cry. It was good to learn about the place Tim had in Eric's life, especially in his role as caregiver, and reminds me that Tim's life wasn't all sunshine and roses either, while he and Ben were apart.
Something Like Fall - Part 1: Missouri 2003
Jace and Ben are driving to Warrenburg to meet Jace's parents for the first time. While there, Jace is regaling Ben with stories of growing up in the town. Ben is nervous but has nothing to fear from Jace's parents who are as wonderful and zany as can be and they absolutely love Ben. Ben feels very welcome and enjoys seeing where Jace grew up. Later Jace has too much to drink and ends up looking through a box of Victor's things. Jace knows about Victor, but doesn't know the most important thing; there's no need to be jealous of him because Victor has been dead for a long time. When Jace finally tells Ben, it's at Victor's spot in the woods and is intense, sad, loving, and special. Years later, Ben returns to the spot to keep a very special promise he made to Jace. With the circle complete, he goes back to his new life with Tim.
Since the mere mention of Jace makes my heart hurt, it's not hard to see why this story touched me deeply. It highlights Jace's personality in such a way that it made me love him even more, if that is possible. The way Ben accepted that Victor was Jace's first love was nothing less than spectacular and made me cry harder than ever. There is no doubt they belonged together.
Something Like Fall - Part Two: Tim, Texas 2008
Ben is back from his trip to Warrenburg where he keeps his final promise to Jace. He and Tim are ready to move into their new house and they are both excited. They both need a break from their pasts, Ben with Jace and Tim with Eric and a new house is the best way for both of them. As Ben and Tim look over the house, they reminisce about old times as they decide how to make the house theirs, playfully picking on each other and bickering. It's a big step, but Ben decides doubts are a worthless waste of time. He loves Tim and wants to be with him and that's all that matters. They have time to work it all out and they will.
I wondered about how Ben and Tim would surmount the feelings about the past, the other men in their lives, and the betrayal that happened between them. This story helped fill in a lot of blanks and satisfied some of my curiosity as well as how I felt about their reunion. These two certainly have a strong but rocky road towards harmony.
Something Like Fall - Part 3: Jason, Texas 2009
Tim and Ben struggle with the idea of someone coming to live with them. When Allyson suggests that a former foster child, Jason, who is down on his luck, would benefit by starting a new life with Tim and Ben, Tim especially is conflicted. He's afraid he will screw it up like he has so many things in the past. When Jason arrives, Tim tries to avoid him which, of course, turns out to be impossible. Ben is his loving, giving self, frustrated with Tim and telling him so. What turns the tables for them and creates harmony is when they both decide that Jason is meant to be there because, somehow, Eric and Jace got together and sent him to them.
I loved seeing Ben be...well Ben, loving, optimistic, giving, and, once again, challenged by Tim's reaction to Jason. I was also proud of Tim for finally putting aside his fear and stepping up to the challenge of having Jason there. The “sign” they received from beyond made me cry.
Something Like Tonight
Allyson is surveying her life and questioning if it is what she wants it to be. She loves her husband, even if he is a bit of a dork, nothing like the men she was attracted to before. Watching old movies with her child brings back happy and sad memories of her mother, reminding her of her grace and beauty and thinking about how she assumed she would grow into that, but never did. She chooses a way she's most familiar with in her work, listing people in her life as case files and assessing their progress. A chat with Michelle's sister also brings her life into focus, reminding her of what's most important. Allyson's conclusion is that she's right where she's supposed to be.
Allyson's “introspection” was informative and heartening. Although not my favorite, her “case file therapy” helped remind me of other characters in the story and brought me up-to-date on their lives, which was a nice bonus. It was also good to know that Allyson was reassured that the choices she made in life were the right ones for her.
Something Like Eternity
Victor is taking a walk in the afterlife, meeting all sorts of creatures. Victor has never been what most people considered normal, but in this reality, he can even do unusual things without having to know why. He can conjure up all sorts of scenarios, places, things, but so far, not people. Eventually he comes to a city and heads straight for a bar called 'The Inferno’. Here he meets a surly bartender who says they are closed. Victor continues to speak to him anyway, only irritating him more. Eventually the bartender introduces himself. His name is Dante. They have a conversation about Victor's life and death and how they are affecting his afterlife. Victor is reminded of all the people he left behind who miss him. Victor confesses he feels a longing to be somewhere but doesn’t know where. Dante tells him he has an appointment with Destiny, a beauty but a real bitch at times. Victor follows Sampson, who was his mother's cat, and encounters a man in an airline pilot's outfit, Jace. They embrace and begin to talk. Jace and Victor begin to discuss all the things they didn't get to before Victor killed himself and how both feel about what happened. Victor also learns of things that happened after he died that he should have experienced, but didn't. He has a lot of things to think about, but an eternity in which to do so.
I am thankful that I had read 'Hells Pawn' before reading this short story. It prepared me for Victor's imaginary journey into the afterlife, having the same themes and fantastical beings and events. I recognized Jace at once in 'Hell's Pawn' and it made my heart ache. This story asks and answers many of the questions I had when first reading about Victor's death; that gave me a feeling of closure with him and, especially, how his choice of death affected Jace, who was so devastated by it at the time. Hearing Victor's side of the story enabled me to understand why he committed suicide and to forgive him.
~~~
The (not-so) Secret Files of Allyson Cross
This section is a tongue-in-cheek look at Allyson's working relationship with the author, Jay Bell. Since everyone knows Allyson is also a counselor, she kids about having Jay on her couch a lot which is quite amusing. The information provided is Allyson's slant from research she has done on all the 'Something Like' characters, listing them in alphabetical order by first name which makes a particular person easier to find without having to remember which story they are in. It is another invaluable tool in any search for more knowledge of the fabulous characters involved.
The Something Like… Timeline
Since there is no earthly way to remember it all, this section of the book concerns exactly what the title implies, a timeline for the entire series which will obviously be very useful as a reference when wanting to know what happened when, where to whom, where, and why, etc. It's another invaluable tool enabling readers to keep events in the correct order rather than having to search through all the books trying to find the information.
Index of Character Profiles
Since characterization is an extremely important concept in fiction writing, the 'Index of Character Profiles' is important, especially in a series of this proportion. Jay has provided an extensive list of every character in the 'Something Like’ family including a physical description, motto, relationship to the other characters; which book they appear in, etc. It's a resource to give you quick access to any of the characters rather than having to remember them that is a real gift. Just about anyone or anything concerning the 'Something Like’ series will be found in this index that I find extremely helpful.
Thank you, Jay, for the entire 'Something' experience. May it continue for as long as you want to explore it.
NOTE: This book was provided by the author for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
October 30, 2017
I don't usually love short stories, even for series I like and often skip them. Both Something Like Stories Volumes have been the rare exception. Fans really CAN'T miss these. wow!
May 29, 2016
This audiobook and these stories were amazing. First of all, the narrator, Kevin R. Free, was outstanding, providing close to a hundred different character voices and accents, both male and female. I forgot I was listening to a narration and felt like I was observing the characters in real time.
The stories? Superb supplements to the core stories already released, most are short and provide enhanced information, thereby providing readers a greater appreciation of the series.
In Something Like Yesterday most of the narration is from Eric Conroy as he tells his personal life details to Tim while Eric is lying on his deathbed. While listening, Tim is working on his latest project—a portrait of Eric. We learn why Eric was originally kicked out of the frat house where Tim was tricked into soliciting funds from Eric as an alumnus in Something Like Winter. We also learn of his love for his long-time partner, Gabriel, and his heartbreak when Gabriel left him. Eric also tells of how his friendship with Marcello developed, and when Tim finishes the portrait, the story concludes. Get ready to sob your heart out if you are anything like me.
In Something Like Fall, we go back to 2003. The story opens with Ben’s first trip to meet Jace’s parents. Though they’ve been together three years already, Ben’s never gotten to meet his parents. While there, Jace takes him to see the clearing where Victor hung out, and Jace explains that this is where he spread Victor’s ashes, and he quietly asks Ben to spread his own ashes there if Ben outlives him. Don’t open the spoiler unless you’ve already read Something Like Autumn. Of course, this time I sobbed even harder.
Continuing in this story, there’s another segment about when Tim and Ben got together after Jace died and finally decided to buy a home of their own. The first part is Ben’s POV and deals with his fears of letting go of Jace. It then moves to Tim’s POV and how he deals with the memory of Jace and Ben’s inability to forget his husband. Then this mini-story moves to Jason’s POV as the young boy has contacted Ben and is now moving in with Ben and Tim.
In Something Like Tonight, the story opens with Ben’s BFF Allison and her husband, Brian. She’s a therapist and her first client in the segment is Kelly (Something Like Lightning and Something Like Thunder). When Allison needs a break from so many needy clients, she goes away for the weekend where she bumps into Michelle, Jace’s sister. They become fast friends and get drunk together on the beach, lose their clothes and car, and have to rely on a truck driver for help as they are limping along an isolated road. I enjoyed this part, much more than I thought I would, but I especially loved the voice the narrator gave Allison’s husband, Brian. It was so geeky, but it made him sound like the sweetheart he is.
In Something Like Eternity, we get to visit the astrophysical plane where Victor is wandering from place to place. Already having been through both Purgatory and Hell, he’s heading to Heaven when he comes across Sampson, who leads him to Jace. They revisit Victor’s clearing and he apologizes for not having reached out to Jace when they were living. Jace shows him how he’s watching over Ben from above and tells him anyone can become a guardian. After a while Victor wanders off and finds his mother, Star, who leads him to a family member he wasn’t aware of—his son, Nathaniel. Yes, the same Nathaniel who loves Kelly, and now Nathaniel has a guardian.
The last section of the audiobook is a brilliantly executed cast of characters, narrated by Allison as if she were profiling them as their therapist. The list is in alphabetical order and lists both MCs and important secondary characters from all the books and stories to date. It even gives us a glimpse of the characters who will be featured in upcoming stories.
It’s hard to say what I loved most about this collection of stories, but if I had to pick, I’d say it was the graphic depiction of how the lives of so many different characters can be intertwined. The impact of one person has far-reaching effects and that was clearly illustrated in this book.
The stories? Superb supplements to the core stories already released, most are short and provide enhanced information, thereby providing readers a greater appreciation of the series.
In Something Like Yesterday most of the narration is from Eric Conroy as he tells his personal life details to Tim while Eric is lying on his deathbed. While listening, Tim is working on his latest project—a portrait of Eric. We learn why Eric was originally kicked out of the frat house where Tim was tricked into soliciting funds from Eric as an alumnus in Something Like Winter. We also learn of his love for his long-time partner, Gabriel, and his heartbreak when Gabriel left him. Eric also tells of how his friendship with Marcello developed, and when Tim finishes the portrait, the story concludes. Get ready to sob your heart out if you are anything like me.
In Something Like Fall, we go back to 2003. The story opens with Ben’s first trip to meet Jace’s parents. Though they’ve been together three years already, Ben’s never gotten to meet his parents. While there, Jace takes him to see the clearing where Victor hung out, and Jace explains that this is where he spread Victor’s ashes, and he quietly asks Ben to spread his own ashes there if Ben outlives him. Don’t open the spoiler unless you’ve already read Something Like Autumn. Of course, this time I sobbed even harder.
Continuing in this story, there’s another segment about when Tim and Ben got together after Jace died and finally decided to buy a home of their own. The first part is Ben’s POV and deals with his fears of letting go of Jace. It then moves to Tim’s POV and how he deals with the memory of Jace and Ben’s inability to forget his husband. Then this mini-story moves to Jason’s POV as the young boy has contacted Ben and is now moving in with Ben and Tim.
In Something Like Tonight, the story opens with Ben’s BFF Allison and her husband, Brian. She’s a therapist and her first client in the segment is Kelly (Something Like Lightning and Something Like Thunder). When Allison needs a break from so many needy clients, she goes away for the weekend where she bumps into Michelle, Jace’s sister. They become fast friends and get drunk together on the beach, lose their clothes and car, and have to rely on a truck driver for help as they are limping along an isolated road. I enjoyed this part, much more than I thought I would, but I especially loved the voice the narrator gave Allison’s husband, Brian. It was so geeky, but it made him sound like the sweetheart he is.
In Something Like Eternity, we get to visit the astrophysical plane where Victor is wandering from place to place. Already having been through both Purgatory and Hell, he’s heading to Heaven when he comes across Sampson, who leads him to Jace. They revisit Victor’s clearing and he apologizes for not having reached out to Jace when they were living. Jace shows him how he’s watching over Ben from above and tells him anyone can become a guardian. After a while Victor wanders off and finds his mother, Star, who leads him to a family member he wasn’t aware of—his son, Nathaniel. Yes, the same Nathaniel who loves Kelly, and now Nathaniel has a guardian.
The last section of the audiobook is a brilliantly executed cast of characters, narrated by Allison as if she were profiling them as their therapist. The list is in alphabetical order and lists both MCs and important secondary characters from all the books and stories to date. It even gives us a glimpse of the characters who will be featured in upcoming stories.
It’s hard to say what I loved most about this collection of stories, but if I had to pick, I’d say it was the graphic depiction of how the lives of so many different characters can be intertwined. The impact of one person has far-reaching effects and that was clearly illustrated in this book.
December 1, 2015
A Joyfully Jay review.
5 stars
Something Like Stories is a collection of stories focusing on characters from Jay Bell’s Something Like… books (Seasons series and Storm series). Although context would definitely help, I feel that these stories, these, “snapshots” of events that occurred within the Seasons series could work as standalone stories. You may not fully get everything, but they will make you search out the full novels in order to fill out the rest of the stories.
I have spent over a hundred hours in the Seasons world, both with the written word and the audiobooks. hese stories, these emotional and moving glimpses deeper into the lives of the characters, made me laugh, cry, and gave me a greater insight into events only discussed on the surface. A must read for readers of the series, and I feel that those new to the books could still enjoy these stories, but warning…you will be buying the books soon after completing this one. I have also rarely give a 5-star rating to an anthology, but this one deserves it.
Read Jason’s review in its entirety here.
5 stars
Something Like Stories is a collection of stories focusing on characters from Jay Bell’s Something Like… books (Seasons series and Storm series). Although context would definitely help, I feel that these stories, these, “snapshots” of events that occurred within the Seasons series could work as standalone stories. You may not fully get everything, but they will make you search out the full novels in order to fill out the rest of the stories.
I have spent over a hundred hours in the Seasons world, both with the written word and the audiobooks. hese stories, these emotional and moving glimpses deeper into the lives of the characters, made me laugh, cry, and gave me a greater insight into events only discussed on the surface. A must read for readers of the series, and I feel that those new to the books could still enjoy these stories, but warning…you will be buying the books soon after completing this one. I have also rarely give a 5-star rating to an anthology, but this one deserves it.
Read Jason’s review in its entirety here.
November 14, 2015
A sweet collection of short stories that answers some questions left from previous books. Best of all, Jace has a significant role. He's my favorite character in the entire Something Like… Series, and checking in with him feels like catching up with an old friend. Bravo to Mr. Jay Bell for a another awesome work!
August 9, 2016
I have to say I truly love the characters Jay bell has created. But the final chapters and timeline it seemed to be a bit overkill in my opinion.
The first stories are interesting and amusing. But some stories do seem a bit forced. Not his best effort, but a nice addition to the series.
The first stories are interesting and amusing. But some stories do seem a bit forced. Not his best effort, but a nice addition to the series.
July 16, 2016
A super enjoyable read for fans of the Something Like series. I loved visiting with these wonderful characters again and the last story...*sigh*...was pure magic. 4 stars
November 2, 2016
amazing stories! it's great to the fill in the many gaps in peoples stories and especially to get back in touch with Ben, Jace and Tim.
April 11, 2018
Something Like Yesterday – 5/5
I loved this one so much. Eric is my most favourite character in the Something Like series. It was amazing to read his story. It was so so good and my absolute favourite part was the fact that the story is written as Eric narrating his life story to Tim.
This really doesn’t happen much in the series' narrative but seeing someone love Tim to the extent that the entire narrative seems suffused with it, is extraordinary. It feels so good to know that he was loved, like really loved and I can’t seem to get over how wonderful Tim is as a person. He is amazing and it was agonizing to see Eric die, again. No matter how many times I read about his death I still get sad every time. I remember expressing this in my review for Winter about how Eric and Tim’s relationship was love in its purest form untinged by any and all sin and to this day I maintain it was amazing that an author could write such a relationship between two unrelated gay men without the relationship ever having to deal with a sexual connotation to it and still be about loving someone as much as Eric loved Tim. This story was so refreshing, I loved it.
Something Like Fall – God alone knows stars/5
I am in uncertain heaven again.
Forever had just cleared up every major doubt I had about Ben & Tim and now that I’m reading these anthologies again, all my uncertainty is flooding back. There are three parts to this story, Jace, Tim & Jason all told from Ben’s perspective.
I liked Part One and when it ended I was shocked that the story didn’t and that there was another Part that too about Tim. This one was an interesting one with Marcello doing a bit to appease the part of me that never wants to see Tim hurt and with Tim meeting Ben’s family and it is a sad affair because there is no Ben meeting Tim’s family. Ben has had it really easy all in all in their relationship. Then Jason comes into the picture and I have had a 180-degree change in my opinion of Jason and I love him and his relationship with Tim & Ben. There is a moment between Tim & Ben in the third part that was pretty emotional and it got me kind of choked up. But this story reminded me of the fundamental imbalance in Ben & Tim’s relationship, these two never fight because Tim always does whatever Ben wants to the point that it is annoying. These two have gotten under my skin in a really bad way, I am never satisfied but somehow I still can’t let go. Why the hell do these two make me suffer so much? Loving them is a really tough job.
Also, I am so not looking forward to the next two stories in this anthology because I am one of those people who rarely feel the need to know about side characters and so far I have had my fill of Victor and somehow after reading this one I can’t even get myself to read Allison’s story, maybe someday.
Something Like Tonight - 4/5
Okay, this one was pretty interesting. Once I figured out who Allison's partner was in her girls' night out. I was all in. Because I love her girls' night out partner almost as much as I love her. I not only gained a very healthy appreciation of her but I wildly loved her foray into having a healthy relationship with herself.
Something Like Eternity - 4/5
Okay, so this is Jay Bell's first foray into the supernatural with respect to this series. Guess I shouldn't have been surprised when this element shows up in Forever because wow this was a whole lot of a take on the afterlife as we follow Victor Hemmingway. I really liked Victor and I love his way of living. Also, we see a lot of other characters come in, some of whom were very surprising entries for me. I can safely say that now more than ever, I'm motivated to read Thunder. I loved this story even though I started this one apprehensive because apparently, this one shared a world with Hell's Pawn but besides Dante who I have no back story on, the fact that I didn't know the story of Hell's Pawn didn't not in any way hinder my enjoyment of this story.
This anthology ends with a rough series timeline and profiles on all the characters introduced in this series till now. The profiles are worth reading through though not all of them are very informative some of them are inspired.
I loved this one so much. Eric is my most favourite character in the Something Like series. It was amazing to read his story. It was so so good and my absolute favourite part was the fact that the story is written as Eric narrating his life story to Tim.
This really doesn’t happen much in the series' narrative but seeing someone love Tim to the extent that the entire narrative seems suffused with it, is extraordinary. It feels so good to know that he was loved, like really loved and I can’t seem to get over how wonderful Tim is as a person. He is amazing and it was agonizing to see Eric die, again. No matter how many times I read about his death I still get sad every time. I remember expressing this in my review for Winter about how Eric and Tim’s relationship was love in its purest form untinged by any and all sin and to this day I maintain it was amazing that an author could write such a relationship between two unrelated gay men without the relationship ever having to deal with a sexual connotation to it and still be about loving someone as much as Eric loved Tim. This story was so refreshing, I loved it.
Something Like Fall – God alone knows stars/5
I am in uncertain heaven again.
Forever had just cleared up every major doubt I had about Ben & Tim and now that I’m reading these anthologies again, all my uncertainty is flooding back. There are three parts to this story, Jace, Tim & Jason all told from Ben’s perspective.
I liked Part One and when it ended I was shocked that the story didn’t and that there was another Part that too about Tim. This one was an interesting one with Marcello doing a bit to appease the part of me that never wants to see Tim hurt and with Tim meeting Ben’s family and it is a sad affair because there is no Ben meeting Tim’s family. Ben has had it really easy all in all in their relationship. Then Jason comes into the picture and I have had a 180-degree change in my opinion of Jason and I love him and his relationship with Tim & Ben. There is a moment between Tim & Ben in the third part that was pretty emotional and it got me kind of choked up. But this story reminded me of the fundamental imbalance in Ben & Tim’s relationship, these two never fight because Tim always does whatever Ben wants to the point that it is annoying. These two have gotten under my skin in a really bad way, I am never satisfied but somehow I still can’t let go. Why the hell do these two make me suffer so much? Loving them is a really tough job.
Also, I am so not looking forward to the next two stories in this anthology because I am one of those people who rarely feel the need to know about side characters and so far I have had my fill of Victor and somehow after reading this one I can’t even get myself to read Allison’s story, maybe someday.
Something Like Tonight - 4/5
Okay, this one was pretty interesting. Once I figured out who Allison's partner was in her girls' night out. I was all in. Because I love her girls' night out partner almost as much as I love her. I not only gained a very healthy appreciation of her but I wildly loved her foray into having a healthy relationship with herself.
Something Like Eternity - 4/5
Okay, so this is Jay Bell's first foray into the supernatural with respect to this series. Guess I shouldn't have been surprised when this element shows up in Forever because wow this was a whole lot of a take on the afterlife as we follow Victor Hemmingway. I really liked Victor and I love his way of living. Also, we see a lot of other characters come in, some of whom were very surprising entries for me. I can safely say that now more than ever, I'm motivated to read Thunder. I loved this story even though I started this one apprehensive because apparently, this one shared a world with Hell's Pawn but besides Dante who I have no back story on, the fact that I didn't know the story of Hell's Pawn didn't not in any way hinder my enjoyment of this story.
This anthology ends with a rough series timeline and profiles on all the characters introduced in this series till now. The profiles are worth reading through though not all of them are very informative some of them are inspired.
March 11, 2019
Delightfully enlightening, Bell has taken the time to establish some key stories outside of his usual format in the Something Like series, and it works brilliantly!
I was always sceptical about the additional stories and whether or not I'd enjoy them, given that I prefer reading lengthy tomes over short stories. Suffice to say that I was proven wrong, much to my delight! Something Like Stories - Volume One takes the time to revisit some of the key characters within the SL universe, characters that we are familiar with but have never really explored before.
In this edition, we are given extracts that follow Eric, Ben, Allison and Victor. We take a trip way back in time to when Eric is growing up in a world rife with homophobia. We are also introduced (chronologically) to Marcello Maltese for the first time, and frankly, I'm still waiting with bated breath to find out his real name! We follow Ben for several years through the dilemmas of accepting the past of Jace and Victor, accepting that he can't be alone forever and must warm to Tim, and accepting Jason into his house. It's not particularly new territory, but it's a nice insight into Ben's thought processes in these scenes!
Allison is entirely new content, and her dynamic is a particularly fun one. She is reminded of her past and decides she wants to take some time away to reconnect with not only the past, but herself. She teams up with Michelle, and the pure humour that contrasts the seriousness of her choices proves to be entirely Allison.
Finally we follow Victor in a particularly curious location. This one has to be my favourite of all the extracts, so I won't give up too much information, but I can say that Victor is reunited with some old faces. It's pleasant, it's heartfelt and it embodies what the SL series is all about: love.
This was a very nice read! It takes a step away from the usual SL format in that it follows a multitude of characters instead of just one, and it's refreshing overall!
I was always sceptical about the additional stories and whether or not I'd enjoy them, given that I prefer reading lengthy tomes over short stories. Suffice to say that I was proven wrong, much to my delight! Something Like Stories - Volume One takes the time to revisit some of the key characters within the SL universe, characters that we are familiar with but have never really explored before.
In this edition, we are given extracts that follow Eric, Ben, Allison and Victor. We take a trip way back in time to when Eric is growing up in a world rife with homophobia. We are also introduced (chronologically) to Marcello Maltese for the first time, and frankly, I'm still waiting with bated breath to find out his real name! We follow Ben for several years through the dilemmas of accepting the past of Jace and Victor, accepting that he can't be alone forever and must warm to Tim, and accepting Jason into his house. It's not particularly new territory, but it's a nice insight into Ben's thought processes in these scenes!
Allison is entirely new content, and her dynamic is a particularly fun one. She is reminded of her past and decides she wants to take some time away to reconnect with not only the past, but herself. She teams up with Michelle, and the pure humour that contrasts the seriousness of her choices proves to be entirely Allison.
Finally we follow Victor in a particularly curious location. This one has to be my favourite of all the extracts, so I won't give up too much information, but I can say that Victor is reunited with some old faces. It's pleasant, it's heartfelt and it embodies what the SL series is all about: love.
This was a very nice read! It takes a step away from the usual SL format in that it follows a multitude of characters instead of just one, and it's refreshing overall!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 15, 2021
"I am glad we found each other again..." - Victor Hemingway
Something Like Stories: Volume One is a compilation of different little stories which I really enjoyed for the reason that they show us new adventures about the characters of previous books that I already love. These stories deserve a sepparate rewiew.
Something Like Yesterday shows us the life of Eric Conroy from the times when he attended university until his last moment and it explains all his attempts to find love with Michael and Gabriel in times of intolerance. What I really love is the fact that at the very end, I could understand why Eric takes care of Tim. The reasons is the fact that Eric sees a younger version of himself in Tim and he tries to protect him from all the injustice and the pain that he had faced in the past.
Something Like Fall is the most beautiful story of the whole book from my point of view since it brings us back the one and only, Ben Bentley. In this story Jay Bell shows us new episodes about Ben and Jace that are just wonderful. Moreover, I really love the chance to read about the love history about Ben and Tim one more time and about how they formed a family with Jason.
Something Like Tonigh is focoused on Allison Cross and I have to admit that it is nice to read a story about her and Michelle Trout. In addition, I must say that this is the most hilarious story about the book and now I love Allison and Michelle a bit more.
Finally, Something Like Eternity takes the series to another level since it is set in the afterlife. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the chance to read about the most bohemian boy of all the series, mister Victor Hemingway.
Something Like Stories: Volume One is a compilation of different little stories which I really enjoyed for the reason that they show us new adventures about the characters of previous books that I already love. These stories deserve a sepparate rewiew.
Something Like Yesterday shows us the life of Eric Conroy from the times when he attended university until his last moment and it explains all his attempts to find love with Michael and Gabriel in times of intolerance. What I really love is the fact that at the very end, I could understand why Eric takes care of Tim. The reasons is the fact that Eric sees a younger version of himself in Tim and he tries to protect him from all the injustice and the pain that he had faced in the past.
Something Like Fall is the most beautiful story of the whole book from my point of view since it brings us back the one and only, Ben Bentley. In this story Jay Bell shows us new episodes about Ben and Jace that are just wonderful. Moreover, I really love the chance to read about the love history about Ben and Tim one more time and about how they formed a family with Jason.
Something Like Tonigh is focoused on Allison Cross and I have to admit that it is nice to read a story about her and Michelle Trout. In addition, I must say that this is the most hilarious story about the book and now I love Allison and Michelle a bit more.
Finally, Something Like Eternity takes the series to another level since it is set in the afterlife. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the chance to read about the most bohemian boy of all the series, mister Victor Hemingway.
December 7, 2023
"Death and I are old acquaintances. I've seen how it can cause those left behind to behave as if they too had died."…"And how it can cause us to romanticize those people, to deity them, so they become beyond reproach. How could mere mortals possibly compete?"
"The decision I made wasn't rational. Explaining it to you feels hopeless because logic wasn't involved. I felt trapped. Not just by my situation, but in my own head. There were voices, thoughts that didn't feel like my own.
They sure as hell didn't make sense. I'm not sure what was wrong with me, but I worried that eventually I'd stop noticing that those voices didn't belong to me. The line was becoming so blurred that sometimes I couldn't tell the difference. My greatest fear became losing touch with who I really was. I didn't want to fade away and be replaced by someone different.”
"When anger stops serving a purpose, it's time to start forgiving, beginning with yourself."
"If you're going to piss on my grave, at least make sure you're facing the right direction so I can watch.
And don't forget to shake."
"We live in a world of give and take, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Give others your time and confidence, take away their concerns and loneliness when you can. Give them a piece of yourself when feeling brave, and take their love and cherish it when offered. Life is an exchange, an open market, so get out there and start living before the store closes permanently."
"Good things happen, bad things happen. That's life. You decide if you want to be happy or not."
"First impressions and second chances? If you keep ruining those, then it's time to take a long hard look in the mirror."
"The decision I made wasn't rational. Explaining it to you feels hopeless because logic wasn't involved. I felt trapped. Not just by my situation, but in my own head. There were voices, thoughts that didn't feel like my own.
They sure as hell didn't make sense. I'm not sure what was wrong with me, but I worried that eventually I'd stop noticing that those voices didn't belong to me. The line was becoming so blurred that sometimes I couldn't tell the difference. My greatest fear became losing touch with who I really was. I didn't want to fade away and be replaced by someone different.”
"When anger stops serving a purpose, it's time to start forgiving, beginning with yourself."
"If you're going to piss on my grave, at least make sure you're facing the right direction so I can watch.
And don't forget to shake."
"We live in a world of give and take, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Give others your time and confidence, take away their concerns and loneliness when you can. Give them a piece of yourself when feeling brave, and take their love and cherish it when offered. Life is an exchange, an open market, so get out there and start living before the store closes permanently."
"Good things happen, bad things happen. That's life. You decide if you want to be happy or not."
"First impressions and second chances? If you keep ruining those, then it's time to take a long hard look in the mirror."
May 21, 2025
“Nice Way To Chance Things Up… 🤹♂️🤹♂️🤹♂️‼️”
After (6) 📚 in the series, to have #7️⃣ be a group of stories set in the same universe, varied by timeline, extended storylines or a more in depth telling of a specific character. Each story is new in some aspect to the first novels and some delve in to supporting characters whose story had yet to told, albeit in less detail and/or covering a shorter time period.
Furthermore, there is certainly more humor and irreverence than in the previous 📚 and a couple of the tales are SO, SO, SO different in their telling and perspective that if the characters had been newly introduced I’d have thought it was from a completely different series of 📚.
I believe over the (5) remaining novels, that there are (2) more that are in the same format so it’ll be interesting to see who makes it in those volumes of anthologies. Unless I’m mistaken, the other (3) are more traditional novels though I haven’t cheated to see who the protagonists are.
I keep saying, MORE Jay Bell please and keep writing more books in the “Something Like…” series, especially Book #2 in the recent reboot, “”When Ben Loved Jace” that’s to follow my favorite so far, “When Ben Loved Tim” (which was the first Jay Bell 📕 I 📖 and that also means it was before I started the “Something Like…” series as well.
It doesn’t matter which came first, “the chicken or the egg” because regardless, I’m hooked… 🪝🪝🪝‼️
After (6) 📚 in the series, to have #7️⃣ be a group of stories set in the same universe, varied by timeline, extended storylines or a more in depth telling of a specific character. Each story is new in some aspect to the first novels and some delve in to supporting characters whose story had yet to told, albeit in less detail and/or covering a shorter time period.
Furthermore, there is certainly more humor and irreverence than in the previous 📚 and a couple of the tales are SO, SO, SO different in their telling and perspective that if the characters had been newly introduced I’d have thought it was from a completely different series of 📚.
I believe over the (5) remaining novels, that there are (2) more that are in the same format so it’ll be interesting to see who makes it in those volumes of anthologies. Unless I’m mistaken, the other (3) are more traditional novels though I haven’t cheated to see who the protagonists are.
I keep saying, MORE Jay Bell please and keep writing more books in the “Something Like…” series, especially Book #2 in the recent reboot, “”When Ben Loved Jace” that’s to follow my favorite so far, “When Ben Loved Tim” (which was the first Jay Bell 📕 I 📖 and that also means it was before I started the “Something Like…” series as well.
It doesn’t matter which came first, “the chicken or the egg” because regardless, I’m hooked… 🪝🪝🪝‼️
August 8, 2018
For the die hard fans of Jay Bell's works, especially the "Something Like..." series, this was a great way to prolong the connection after having read the whole series and keeping those characters in your life; like a true soap opera aficionado.
Jay Bell recommends that a person have read the first six books of his series from "...Summer" to "...Thunder" before being able to get the contextual best from these short stories, however I did find significant clarification benefits for latter works, right up to the last piece "... Forever".
If fore knowledge of the series was important for the latter works in the series, it is essential for these short stories; and some understanding of some of Jay Bell's other works is also of value.
Perhaps less emotionally profound stories, these may have been some of the missing chapters that ended up on the publisher's cutting room floor from the final novels that give great insight into character intricacies that felt overlooked, assumed or otherwise brushed aside from the main works. Others are just great additions, almost reading like epilogues or appendices, without losing any of the poignant character development and story relevance.
Jay Bell recommends that a person have read the first six books of his series from "...Summer" to "...Thunder" before being able to get the contextual best from these short stories, however I did find significant clarification benefits for latter works, right up to the last piece "... Forever".
If fore knowledge of the series was important for the latter works in the series, it is essential for these short stories; and some understanding of some of Jay Bell's other works is also of value.
Perhaps less emotionally profound stories, these may have been some of the missing chapters that ended up on the publisher's cutting room floor from the final novels that give great insight into character intricacies that felt overlooked, assumed or otherwise brushed aside from the main works. Others are just great additions, almost reading like epilogues or appendices, without losing any of the poignant character development and story relevance.
November 24, 2022
Great collection of stories from the series! Expands on some of the main characters and also some minor characters. I appreciate the character profiles and timeline at the end too.
Something Like Yesterday ★★★★☆: Beautiful story about Eric's past. I didn't realize I needed to read Eric's story but I really liked it. I could feel his love for Gabriel but I didn't really understand why. It would have been nice as a full-length story too. The present-day scenes with Tim were so sad.
Something Like Fall ★★★★★: A few extra scenes of the stories of Ben's loves: learning about Jace's past with Victor, making a home with Tim, and bringing Jason into their lives. Everything worked well together. Great read!
Something Like Tonight ★★★☆☆: Allison and Michelle on a girl's night out. It was interesting to read something in Allison's perspective but the story felt a bit out of place compared to the others.
Something Like Eternity ★★★★☆: This was such a sweet story about Victor (and Jace) in the afterlife. It was a bit trippy at times but the love was beautiful.
Something Like Yesterday ★★★★☆: Beautiful story about Eric's past. I didn't realize I needed to read Eric's story but I really liked it. I could feel his love for Gabriel but I didn't really understand why. It would have been nice as a full-length story too. The present-day scenes with Tim were so sad.
Something Like Fall ★★★★★: A few extra scenes of the stories of Ben's loves: learning about Jace's past with Victor, making a home with Tim, and bringing Jason into their lives. Everything worked well together. Great read!
Something Like Tonight ★★★☆☆: Allison and Michelle on a girl's night out. It was interesting to read something in Allison's perspective but the story felt a bit out of place compared to the others.
Something Like Eternity ★★★★☆: This was such a sweet story about Victor (and Jace) in the afterlife. It was a bit trippy at times but the love was beautiful.
August 21, 2017
This set of memorable set of short stores 'fills in the gaps' of the part of the SOMETHING LIKE series. Overall, the writing is classical Jay Bell: superb characterization and fascinating, well conceived stories. Of particular note is the last short story, SOMETHING LIKE ETERNITY. Somewhat of a paranormal story, this short illustrates the creative genius of Mr Bell and his ability to make a paranormal work...and the result is most delightful.
When reading works of Mr Bell, it is clear that not only does he have a firm grasp on the gay male psyche, but also he pens captivating stories with well fleshed out characters. Unlike many authors in the gay genre, Mr Bell does not stress the (perfect) physical appearance of his characters or dwell on their bedroom feats. Rather, it is the intense interactions and thoughtful dialogues between the characters which is the focus of Mr Bell's stories.
When reading works of Mr Bell, it is clear that not only does he have a firm grasp on the gay male psyche, but also he pens captivating stories with well fleshed out characters. Unlike many authors in the gay genre, Mr Bell does not stress the (perfect) physical appearance of his characters or dwell on their bedroom feats. Rather, it is the intense interactions and thoughtful dialogues between the characters which is the focus of Mr Bell's stories.
March 31, 2023
Jay Bell's First Collection of "Something Like..." Short Stories!
Mr. Bell is not only a wonderful novelist with living characters, he also writes magnificent short stories that expands some episodes in his books. The short story about Eric and his early life is very moving. Finding out about Victor and his why he felt the need to take his life is sobering. His feeling about his mother's illness was so close to home, that I wept uncontrollably by his description of him needing the comfort of his mom. Jay Bell adds a glossary -- or as he calls it -- the mixed up files of Allison Cross. There is nothing mixed up in Mr. Bell's writing -- they are all marvelously woven together with love and compassion.
Mr. Bell is not only a wonderful novelist with living characters, he also writes magnificent short stories that expands some episodes in his books. The short story about Eric and his early life is very moving. Finding out about Victor and his why he felt the need to take his life is sobering. His feeling about his mother's illness was so close to home, that I wept uncontrollably by his description of him needing the comfort of his mom. Jay Bell adds a glossary -- or as he calls it -- the mixed up files of Allison Cross. There is nothing mixed up in Mr. Bell's writing -- they are all marvelously woven together with love and compassion.
April 13, 2020
At first I wasn't entirely sold on this idea, but I quickly changed my mind. These little perspectives really changed my opinion of certain characters and I really enjoyed their character development throughout. Eric and Victor will continue to hold a special place in my fictional heart and I thought the afterlife chapter was really beautiful (even though at first I thought it was going to be a bit cringey).
I won't go into as much detail but this book was definitely another necessary addition to the Something Like... series and I will probably refer to this book when I need to remind myself of a timeline and characters relationships which is perfectly summarised at the end of this book.
I won't go into as much detail but this book was definitely another necessary addition to the Something Like... series and I will probably refer to this book when I need to remind myself of a timeline and characters relationships which is perfectly summarised at the end of this book.
August 23, 2020
Something I didn’t know I needed
I have been reading through the something series enjoying the interactions of all the characters. The funny thing is I never felt that there were any holes in the stories. Come to find out I was wrong. This book does a great job of giving additional information with out feeling like it is doing so. The book can stand on its own and yet does a wonderful job of making the stories before it even better. When Ben pours Jace’s the same clearing that Jace poured Victors ashes who would have thought a great story could come out of that. Good read.
I have been reading through the something series enjoying the interactions of all the characters. The funny thing is I never felt that there were any holes in the stories. Come to find out I was wrong. This book does a great job of giving additional information with out feeling like it is doing so. The book can stand on its own and yet does a wonderful job of making the stories before it even better. When Ben pours Jace’s the same clearing that Jace poured Victors ashes who would have thought a great story could come out of that. Good read.
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