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The Community #3
Sightlines
Chase Payne is a walking contradiction. He's the most powerful psychic in the Community, but the least respected. He's the son of the Community's founder, but with his tattoo sleeves and abrasive attitude, he's nothing like his charismatic family. No one knows what to make of him, which is how he wound up locked in a cell on the Farm yet again. But this time, the only man he's ever loved is there too.
Elijah Estrella was used to being the sassy sidekick who fooled around with Chase for fun. But that was before he realized the Community wasn't the haven he'd believed in and Chase was the only person who'd ever truly tried to protect him. Now they're surrounded by people who want to turn them against their friends, and the only way out is to pretend the brainwashing works.
With Chase playing the role of a tyrant's second-in-command, and Elijah acting like Chase's mindless sex toy, they risk everything by plotting a daring escape. In the end, it’s only their psychic abilities, fueled by their growing love for each other, that will allow them to take the Community down once and for all.
Elijah Estrella was used to being the sassy sidekick who fooled around with Chase for fun. But that was before he realized the Community wasn't the haven he'd believed in and Chase was the only person who'd ever truly tried to protect him. Now they're surrounded by people who want to turn them against their friends, and the only way out is to pretend the brainwashing works.
With Chase playing the role of a tyrant's second-in-command, and Elijah acting like Chase's mindless sex toy, they risk everything by plotting a daring escape. In the end, it’s only their psychic abilities, fueled by their growing love for each other, that will allow them to take the Community down once and for all.
257 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 9, 2017
11 people are currently reading
476 people want to read
About the author
Santino Hassell
36 books2,836 followersSantino Hassell was raised by a conservative family but grew up to be a smart-mouthed, school cutting grunge kid, a transient twenty-something, and eventually transformed into a grumpy introvert and unlikely romance author with an affinity for baseball caps. His novels are heavily influenced by the gritty, urban landscape of New York City, and his desire to write relationships fueled by intensity and passion.
He’s been a finalist in both the Bisexual Book Awards and the EPIC Awards, and was nominated for a prestigious RITA award in 2017. His work has been featured in BuzzFeed, Huffington Post, Washington Post, RT Magazine, and Cosmopolitan Magazine.
Santino@santinohassell.com
www.santinohassell.com
http://santinohassell.com/newsletter/
amazon.com/author/santinohassell
https://www.facebook.com/groups/getha...
https://twitter.com/SantinoHassell
https://www.instagram.com/santinohass...
https://www.patreon.com/santinohassell
He’s been a finalist in both the Bisexual Book Awards and the EPIC Awards, and was nominated for a prestigious RITA award in 2017. His work has been featured in BuzzFeed, Huffington Post, Washington Post, RT Magazine, and Cosmopolitan Magazine.
Santino@santinohassell.com
www.santinohassell.com
http://santinohassell.com/newsletter/
amazon.com/author/santinohassell
https://www.facebook.com/groups/getha...
https://twitter.com/SantinoHassell
https://www.instagram.com/santinohass...
https://www.patreon.com/santinohassell
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews
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March 11, 2018Review and rating removed.
October 15, 2017
3,5 rounded up
It pains me to give this book only 3,5 stars, but unfortunately I expected so much more.
Maybe it's me again. Maybe I had too high hopes for this one. Anyway, I was disappointed it didn't raise to my expectations.
I loved the second book, Oversight so much. It was amazing and naturally I expected the third one to knock me on my feet.
I was also a huge fan of Chase. He was so mysterious and I knew his story will break my heart. But I also expected a grand finale and I didn't get it.
Chase and Elijah were very hot together and their bond was so strong and powerful. But Chase's insecurities got me bored. I mean, given his tormented childhood and awful past, I can understand why he couldn't believe Elijah was truly in love with him, and not his brother Holden. But at some point I really wanted them to act like grown ups and just talk! I couldn't understand why Chase chose to sort things out only after the big fight.
Santino surely knows how to create suspense. He's also good with making you love the same characters you once disliked. He can show you glimpses of their haunted souls and make you understand where they come from - like Chase's past. I just didn't expect the grand finale to be so ... plain. I mean, I felt like someone magically poked his fingers and things fell into place way too easily. No BIG fight, no real punishment for the bad guys. After hating them for so long, they deserved a much more painful ending.
And even if we got some surprises, their "final battle" felt pretty unprepared and well, flat.
What I did enjoy about this book and the reason I'm giving it 3,5 stars would be the few hot scenes between Chase and Elijah and the characters' great humor. It was also great revisiting the other couples, Nate and Trent, Holden and Six.
It pains me to give this book only 3,5 stars, but unfortunately I expected so much more.
Maybe it's me again. Maybe I had too high hopes for this one. Anyway, I was disappointed it didn't raise to my expectations.
I loved the second book, Oversight so much. It was amazing and naturally I expected the third one to knock me on my feet.
I was also a huge fan of Chase. He was so mysterious and I knew his story will break my heart. But I also expected a grand finale and I didn't get it.
Chase and Elijah were very hot together and their bond was so strong and powerful. But Chase's insecurities got me bored. I mean, given his tormented childhood and awful past, I can understand why he couldn't believe Elijah was truly in love with him, and not his brother Holden. But at some point I really wanted them to act like grown ups and just talk! I couldn't understand why Chase chose to sort things out only after the big fight.
Santino surely knows how to create suspense. He's also good with making you love the same characters you once disliked. He can show you glimpses of their haunted souls and make you understand where they come from - like Chase's past. I just didn't expect the grand finale to be so ... plain. I mean, I felt like someone magically poked his fingers and things fell into place way too easily. No BIG fight, no real punishment for the bad guys. After hating them for so long, they deserved a much more painful ending.
And even if we got some surprises, their "final battle" felt pretty unprepared and well, flat.
What I did enjoy about this book and the reason I'm giving it 3,5 stars would be the few hot scenes between Chase and Elijah and the characters' great humor. It was also great revisiting the other couples, Nate and Trent, Holden and Six.
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March 14, 2018
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March 9, 2018Review and rating removed.
October 2, 2017
4-4.25 stars.
When I first started reading this series, what I read and got was so not what I expected. I ended up enjoying it so much more than I thought. This series cannot be read as a standalone. Although each book features different characters, the story that flows from book 1 to now is continuous.
Chase is someone you met earlier in the series along with Elijah. As soon as you read their story, you know there was something going on there and I just had to get my hands on their book. And this starts off exactly where book 2 left off.
Though I do wish that there was a bit more romance shown between Chase and Elijah. There wasn't enough. It was more action. But that ending was sweet. Overall, I really enjoyed everything. I'm sad this is the last book.
An arc was provided in exchange for an honest review.
When I first started reading this series, what I read and got was so not what I expected. I ended up enjoying it so much more than I thought. This series cannot be read as a standalone. Although each book features different characters, the story that flows from book 1 to now is continuous.
Chase is someone you met earlier in the series along with Elijah. As soon as you read their story, you know there was something going on there and I just had to get my hands on their book. And this starts off exactly where book 2 left off.
Though I do wish that there was a bit more romance shown between Chase and Elijah. There wasn't enough. It was more action. But that ending was sweet. Overall, I really enjoyed everything. I'm sad this is the last book.
An arc was provided in exchange for an honest review.
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March 9, 2018Review and rating removed
October 25, 2017
~4 Stars~
All in all, I am a fan of this series. I think I may be a bigger fan of the paranormal genre than I realized. My favorite book in this series, hands down, was Book 2 - Holden and Six were fantastic. While this book finished the series nicely, it was a bit lacking in the actual relationship of Chase and Elijah. I realize all the intense action was happening, so I get why it wasn't all about them as a couple during the bulk of the story, but I was hoping for something more maybe at the end about them together.
That aside, I'm really glad I stay with this series and I would definitely say I enjoyed it.
All in all, I am a fan of this series. I think I may be a bigger fan of the paranormal genre than I realized. My favorite book in this series, hands down, was Book 2 - Holden and Six were fantastic. While this book finished the series nicely, it was a bit lacking in the actual relationship of Chase and Elijah. I realize all the intense action was happening, so I get why it wasn't all about them as a couple during the bulk of the story, but I was hoping for something more maybe at the end about them together.
That aside, I'm really glad I stay with this series and I would definitely say I enjoyed it.
October 6, 2017
4.5*
While I'm not sure any series by any author will ever impact me quite the same way as ICoS Santino has yet again produced another riveting read.
This has a slight ICoS feel to it and it's a rough beginning.
It was always a challenge to maintain his mental shield while pretending to be mind-controlled by a sociopath in a black lab coat who was trying to splinter his brain. However, Chase had done it before.
Without his shield, the sociopath in question—Jasper, psychic vamp extraordinaire—would realize Chase had never been truly loyal to the Community. More terrifyingly, he’d also gain access to Chase’s psychic talents....
To cause such mind-numbing pain that Chase at times forgot who he was or even what he was. Could a human experience this and still come out okay? Maybe not. Maybe he wasn’t human. Whatever the case was, he wouldn’t let Jasper get him. And Jasper would never hear him scream. Chase gritted his teeth, fingers clenching....
Chase is powerful, more powerful than anyone realises but his life has been one of captivity and torture and it makes for heavy yet addictive reading.
Elijah is the one good thing in Chase's life and he'd do anything to save him but it's a dangerous game in an even more dangerous place. The Farm.
I noticed a couple of reviews stating this wasn't a romance and they're right but the fact that the love these two share is the only thing that gets them through the horror of the Farm then I suppose it's more of a love story than a romance.
This is a gripping read which never lets up and makes for an exciting read it doesn't leave much room for romance or sex, the heat level on this is lower than I expected but it's inline with the rest of the book and while I'm a huge fan of this author's m/m scenes I found I really liked that random sex scenes hadn't been inserted just for the sake of it. After all they would have distracted from the plot and it's a good plot.
I read a lot of books but not since ICoS have I felt so strongly about any characters. This author appears to be the only one capable of making me form (without actually realising I'm doing it) a mental kill list in my head. This list was headed by Jasper, followed by Richard and Will.
There's no epilogue. I know, what on earth was Santino thinking?
Yet despite this I'm happy.
The world building once again is frightening yet brilliant and this book brings this series to a close and I'm left wondering where this author is going next.
I voluntarily read a review copy kindly provided by NetGalley and Riptide Publishing.
While I'm not sure any series by any author will ever impact me quite the same way as ICoS Santino has yet again produced another riveting read.
This has a slight ICoS feel to it and it's a rough beginning.
It was always a challenge to maintain his mental shield while pretending to be mind-controlled by a sociopath in a black lab coat who was trying to splinter his brain. However, Chase had done it before.
Without his shield, the sociopath in question—Jasper, psychic vamp extraordinaire—would realize Chase had never been truly loyal to the Community. More terrifyingly, he’d also gain access to Chase’s psychic talents....
To cause such mind-numbing pain that Chase at times forgot who he was or even what he was. Could a human experience this and still come out okay? Maybe not. Maybe he wasn’t human. Whatever the case was, he wouldn’t let Jasper get him. And Jasper would never hear him scream. Chase gritted his teeth, fingers clenching....
Chase is powerful, more powerful than anyone realises but his life has been one of captivity and torture and it makes for heavy yet addictive reading.
Elijah is the one good thing in Chase's life and he'd do anything to save him but it's a dangerous game in an even more dangerous place. The Farm.
I noticed a couple of reviews stating this wasn't a romance and they're right but the fact that the love these two share is the only thing that gets them through the horror of the Farm then I suppose it's more of a love story than a romance.
This is a gripping read which never lets up and makes for an exciting read it doesn't leave much room for romance or sex, the heat level on this is lower than I expected but it's inline with the rest of the book and while I'm a huge fan of this author's m/m scenes I found I really liked that random sex scenes hadn't been inserted just for the sake of it. After all they would have distracted from the plot and it's a good plot.
I read a lot of books but not since ICoS have I felt so strongly about any characters. This author appears to be the only one capable of making me form (without actually realising I'm doing it) a mental kill list in my head. This list was headed by Jasper, followed by Richard and Will.
There's no epilogue. I know, what on earth was Santino thinking?
Yet despite this I'm happy.
The world building once again is frightening yet brilliant and this book brings this series to a close and I'm left wondering where this author is going next.
I voluntarily read a review copy kindly provided by NetGalley and Riptide Publishing.
November 17, 2017
4.5 stars
I’ve been waiting for this book ever since I met Chase and Elijah in book 1. I couldn’t wait to read about how the douchey bad boy fell for the sweet twink. ‘Sightlines’ definitely delivered!
Book #3 hits the ground running. Chase and Elijah are captives at the Farm, and their only way to survive is to play along with Richard and Jasper’s vision for the Community. The two men are cut off from any allies, and can only rely on each other.
If you’ve been following along to their side-story in the past two books, you’ll know that Elijah and Chase don’t make things easy on themselves. Their relationship has been a rollercoaster of arguments and misunderstandings.
Even while their lives are in danger, the two men just can’t seem to figure out how to communicate their feelings. Chase, in particular, doesn’t want to admit that he’s been in love with Elijah from the get-go.
I thought Chase’s reluctance to accept his feelings, though annoying at times, was also adorable. It made sense, given his childhood. He was just so afraid of rejection, and that he wasn’t good enough for Elijah.
But regardless, Elijah and Chase were very sweet together. I really liked seeing them slowly work out the kinks in their relationship, and all of that while being total badasses.
Plus, they’ve got some great chemistry in the bedroom!
The action plotline gets as much page time as the romance. The past two books have been building up to this final showdown between Richard and his sons.
I don’t want to give anything away, but I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next. The plot moved quickly, and there was never a dull moment.
The ending was perfect, wrapping everything up nicely for Chase and Elijah, and also for Nate and Trent, and Holden and Six.
If you’re looking for an engaging paranormal series that delivers on the action and the romance, I highly recommend The Community series!
I’ve been waiting for this book ever since I met Chase and Elijah in book 1. I couldn’t wait to read about how the douchey bad boy fell for the sweet twink. ‘Sightlines’ definitely delivered!
Book #3 hits the ground running. Chase and Elijah are captives at the Farm, and their only way to survive is to play along with Richard and Jasper’s vision for the Community. The two men are cut off from any allies, and can only rely on each other.
If you’ve been following along to their side-story in the past two books, you’ll know that Elijah and Chase don’t make things easy on themselves. Their relationship has been a rollercoaster of arguments and misunderstandings.
Even while their lives are in danger, the two men just can’t seem to figure out how to communicate their feelings. Chase, in particular, doesn’t want to admit that he’s been in love with Elijah from the get-go.
I thought Chase’s reluctance to accept his feelings, though annoying at times, was also adorable. It made sense, given his childhood. He was just so afraid of rejection, and that he wasn’t good enough for Elijah.
But regardless, Elijah and Chase were very sweet together. I really liked seeing them slowly work out the kinks in their relationship, and all of that while being total badasses.
Plus, they’ve got some great chemistry in the bedroom!
The action plotline gets as much page time as the romance. The past two books have been building up to this final showdown between Richard and his sons.
I don’t want to give anything away, but I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next. The plot moved quickly, and there was never a dull moment.
The ending was perfect, wrapping everything up nicely for Chase and Elijah, and also for Nate and Trent, and Holden and Six.
If you’re looking for an engaging paranormal series that delivers on the action and the romance, I highly recommend The Community series!
October 16, 2017
Unfortunately, Sightlines was my least favorite of the Community trilogy and that's saying a lot considering it served as the wrapup to the series, and I was already underwhelmed by Oversight (Book 2). I thought the pacing was unusually slow with none of the urgency one would expect considering the circumstances our two heroes found themselves in. Worse was the lack of progress made on the overarching "big bad" plot until well into the final third of the book. By that point, I found it very difficult to retain interest in the story and the way everything was crammed in and rushed to its dubiously tidy conclusion. There were some romantic elements and while I liked Chase and Elijah, I found it difficult to sympathize with Chase's constant insecurities regarding Elijah's feelings towards him.
A disappointing end to what started out as a very promising trilogy. I would recommend Insight, the first book in the series, and also Stygian, the author's other paranormal release, and you can't go wrong with In the Company of Shadows and most of his contemporary works.
A disappointing end to what started out as a very promising trilogy. I would recommend Insight, the first book in the series, and also Stygian, the author's other paranormal release, and you can't go wrong with In the Company of Shadows and most of his contemporary works.
October 8, 2017
Wow, what a great nuanced ending to Santino Hassell's The Community series. Throughout the first two books in the series, we learned about The Community - both its public face and the dark deadly evil underside. We've met Nate of the infamous Black family of psychics and his partner Trent; Holden, whose father started The Community, and his lover Sixtus; and now Sightlines tells Chase's and Elijah's story.
Chase is an incredibly talented multi who has spent most of his life at The Farm being "realigned" (read tortured) in an attempt to usurp his power. Elijah is the beautiful boy that Chase loves with everything he has, but for someone who has had everything systemically torn away from him, letting love in is almost impossible. Chase's love for Elijah (and the resulting "concentration" of his telekinesis powers) propels the story to its conclusion, and yeah, it's all pretty damn awesome when he brings the power.
What I particularly loved about Sightlines is there is no easy answer for what will happen to The Community. Ex-Comm wants to dismantle the Community completely, but CW has helped people in the psychic community who couldn't help themselves or who were trapped. Is continuing The Community a necessary evil? Santino Hassell does a superlative job of showing the danger of such a organization: "The structure prevents anyone from ever democratically picking leaders, they crack down on anyone who speaks against them, they have this perfect face of how they want their organization to be viewed." But then again, is this any different from organized religion?:
I received an ARC from Riptide Publishing, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Review also posted at Gay Book Reviews - check it out!
Chase is an incredibly talented multi who has spent most of his life at The Farm being "realigned" (read tortured) in an attempt to usurp his power. Elijah is the beautiful boy that Chase loves with everything he has, but for someone who has had everything systemically torn away from him, letting love in is almost impossible. Chase's love for Elijah (and the resulting "concentration" of his telekinesis powers) propels the story to its conclusion, and yeah, it's all pretty damn awesome when he brings the power.
What I particularly loved about Sightlines is there is no easy answer for what will happen to The Community. Ex-Comm wants to dismantle the Community completely, but CW has helped people in the psychic community who couldn't help themselves or who were trapped. Is continuing The Community a necessary evil? Santino Hassell does a superlative job of showing the danger of such a organization: "The structure prevents anyone from ever democratically picking leaders, they crack down on anyone who speaks against them, they have this perfect face of how they want their organization to be viewed." But then again, is this any different from organized religion?:
Religion was just as capable of brainwashing and indoctrinating as the Community. If people devoted their lives to something, they sometimes refused to turn their backs on it even if it meant hurting their own.5 stars for Sightlines and 5 stars for the entire The Community series!
I received an ARC from Riptide Publishing, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Review also posted at Gay Book Reviews - check it out!
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March 10, 2018 ** RATING IS REMOVED, BECAUSE REASONS.
http://riptidepublishing.com/a-statem...
https://twitter.com/dreamspinners/sta...
Original Review stays under spoiler tag because Goodreads is first and foremost *my* record of reading activities, and the fiasco doesn't change the fact that I've read this book **
http://riptidepublishing.com/a-statem...
https://twitter.com/dreamspinners/sta...
Original Review stays under spoiler tag because Goodreads is first and foremost *my* record of reading activities, and the fiasco doesn't change the fact that I've read this book **
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March 7, 2018Never, ever going to read due to "alleged" catfishing and money scamming by this author (& his wife)
October 13, 2017
Took me a while to get back into book 3 but by 50% I was back to loving Chase & Elijah. I hated life on the farm, so well done Santino- I guess you wanted that response from your readers ... I certainly could empathize with Chase much more and I was seriously hoping both these guys would find a moment of peace. I must say, Jasper and Will were nasty mother#^*%•ers, I wished they went out with more of a bang !!! It was great to have all the team back together in the second part of the book and watch the dynamics unfold. This was a really good final installment that brought everything together within the series of three books. No standalone read here folks. The conclusion was great and gave a taster insight into what was coming .... just wishing to have had more time with the guys in their happy place !
October 15, 2017
Overall I liked this series a lot and although the romance was a subplot in each book I felt the connection with each couple.
I thought the details that I've come to expect in Santino's writing were missing in books 2 and 3 and since there's an overarching plot I felt the final conflict was rushed.
Sounds like there's no plans to revisit the community anytime in the near future but I wouldn't mind reading how these characters are doing after some time has passed and to see what they've been up to and how their lives have changed.
I thought the details that I've come to expect in Santino's writing were missing in books 2 and 3 and since there's an overarching plot I felt the final conflict was rushed.
Sounds like there's no plans to revisit the community anytime in the near future but I wouldn't mind reading how these characters are doing after some time has passed and to see what they've been up to and how their lives have changed.
November 6, 2017
ARC from the author and Netgalley.
2.5 stars
OK, you guys. I have a less than stellar review to write for a favorite author, so you know the drill. Get in and out of this review asap, but still be informative. I had to go back and read my reviews for Insight and Oversight to see what had changed between them that made me love the second so much, and that still stands. The second book was much more relationship focused (at least IMO,) than the first, and this is where Hassell excels. In fact, I mentioned in my review of the first book that I felt relationship development was sacrificed in favor of world building, and now I find myself wondering what happened. The world building I was sure dominated the first book just wasn’t enough to carry the series. And maybe I was so stuck on the relationship in the second book that I didn’t see the world wasn’t being expanded. In Sightlines, there were parts that left me confused, and there were just way too many players to spend the time developing Elijah and Chase’s relationship to make me buy it. In fact the romance was nonexistent, and the conflict (which was resolved way too easily,) felt very contrived. The bookends of this series (which, IMO, should always be the strongest,) were the weakest. In the second book, I was at least looking forward to Holden and Six’s interactions. I felt like I understood their characters, but that was just not the case here. I was told that Elijah and Chase’s connection was so strong, but I don’t feel like I was ever shown that. I will say that the author did a good job convincing me Chase was a jerk, but the downside to that was that I wasn’t able to buy Chase’s supposed compassion at the end of the book. Like the conflict resolution with Chase and Elijah, it just came too easily.
It pains me to write this review, because I think this author’s talent is out of this world good. Unsurprisingly to anyone who has visited my blog, I’d go so far as to say he’s my favorite romance author. I just think this storyline was very ambitious for a trilogy, and short books at that. I’m curious to see what could have been done with a larger word count. But as it stands, The Community series was not a win for me, and Sightlines left me feeling disappointed.Will there be an audience for this series? Absolutely. Other reviews prove that. I’m just not it.
This review was originally posted on Books & Beauty Are My Bag.
2.5 stars
OK, you guys. I have a less than stellar review to write for a favorite author, so you know the drill. Get in and out of this review asap, but still be informative. I had to go back and read my reviews for Insight and Oversight to see what had changed between them that made me love the second so much, and that still stands. The second book was much more relationship focused (at least IMO,) than the first, and this is where Hassell excels. In fact, I mentioned in my review of the first book that I felt relationship development was sacrificed in favor of world building, and now I find myself wondering what happened. The world building I was sure dominated the first book just wasn’t enough to carry the series. And maybe I was so stuck on the relationship in the second book that I didn’t see the world wasn’t being expanded. In Sightlines, there were parts that left me confused, and there were just way too many players to spend the time developing Elijah and Chase’s relationship to make me buy it. In fact the romance was nonexistent, and the conflict (which was resolved way too easily,) felt very contrived. The bookends of this series (which, IMO, should always be the strongest,) were the weakest. In the second book, I was at least looking forward to Holden and Six’s interactions. I felt like I understood their characters, but that was just not the case here. I was told that Elijah and Chase’s connection was so strong, but I don’t feel like I was ever shown that. I will say that the author did a good job convincing me Chase was a jerk, but the downside to that was that I wasn’t able to buy Chase’s supposed compassion at the end of the book. Like the conflict resolution with Chase and Elijah, it just came too easily.
It pains me to write this review, because I think this author’s talent is out of this world good. Unsurprisingly to anyone who has visited my blog, I’d go so far as to say he’s my favorite romance author. I just think this storyline was very ambitious for a trilogy, and short books at that. I’m curious to see what could have been done with a larger word count. But as it stands, The Community series was not a win for me, and Sightlines left me feeling disappointed.Will there be an audience for this series? Absolutely. Other reviews prove that. I’m just not it.
This review was originally posted on Books & Beauty Are My Bag.
October 28, 2017
4.5 stars. Great finish to the series, and I loved how they finished as family, not just Community. Chase needed that almost as much as he needed Elijah and I loved that too. ❤️
August 11, 2018
2018 Audio Review
Audio was very well done. I like this narrator and the more I listen, the more I like. :) The voices for the characters was distinctive and consistent from one book to the next. Narration - 5 stars.
2017 Review
An ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
First let me start by saying I am so glad I didn't have to wait too long to read the conclusion to this series. Yes, the previous books ended on a cliffhanger of sorts, and YES these must be read in order and you should read them all. I do recommend this series and can't wait for the chance to read them all again at one time. I know I will pick up on things I missed the first time around.
Sightlines is the final book in The Community series and there is a lot of paranormal/extra sensory stuff going on. In Insight, the paranormal aspect was light - meaning there was some mind reading and influencing going on (etc.), but not a lot. In Oversight, the paranormal activity (haha) picked up tremendously and I really got to see what these characters were capable of. (Oh, if only I had powers! Of course, with my luck I'd have the ability to turn into a mud pile - not exactly helpful or cool.)
There are several twists and turns in this story and I was surprised (but not somehow) by some of them. It was great to see Nate and Trent, Holden and Six, and Lia again. I wish this final book was longer so I could see more of them all finally living in peace and being able to relax and just be with their loved ones.
The book as a whole was really good, lots of action and we get to see Chase and Elijah connect and find their love. But specifically the ending seemed a little too easy to me. There was all this build up throughout the trilogy with Ex-Comm and the Big Bad Community and I was mentally preparing myself for Chase and Elijah to be traumatized (I expected a huge mental battle with lots of pain and crying and screaming) and . I have to say I was a disappointed the ending wasn't more difficult for our heroes. (For those who don't like a lot of angst and torture in their stories, I know you will LOVE this book :) )
The final scene is sweet with Elijah sharing his vision(s) of the future with Chase, how they are happy and living together. But Santino hasn't completely ruled out the possibility of writing more for this world, but probably not a full length novel, just short stories and those might not even be published but put online somewhere instead. I do hope he writes something more for us.
Do I even need to say the writing was great? Santino knows how to write an attention grabbing story, and I really enjoyed this. I didn't want to put it down. I am left with some questions about the story - it just seems like not all the loose ends have been capped, but Richard and Jasper are dead (or so we are tooo-o-ooold, haha), the Farm has been basically shut down and The Community Watch is going back to helping psys.
Oh, this would make a GREAT movie series, just sayin'!! :-D Or even a TV series.
I do recommend and keep your fingers crossed more will come!
Audio was very well done. I like this narrator and the more I listen, the more I like. :) The voices for the characters was distinctive and consistent from one book to the next. Narration - 5 stars.
2017 Review
An ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
First let me start by saying I am so glad I didn't have to wait too long to read the conclusion to this series. Yes, the previous books ended on a cliffhanger of sorts, and YES these must be read in order and you should read them all. I do recommend this series and can't wait for the chance to read them all again at one time. I know I will pick up on things I missed the first time around.
Sightlines is the final book in The Community series and there is a lot of paranormal/extra sensory stuff going on. In Insight, the paranormal aspect was light - meaning there was some mind reading and influencing going on (etc.), but not a lot. In Oversight, the paranormal activity (haha) picked up tremendously and I really got to see what these characters were capable of. (Oh, if only I had powers! Of course, with my luck I'd have the ability to turn into a mud pile - not exactly helpful or cool.)
There are several twists and turns in this story and I was surprised (but not somehow) by some of them. It was great to see Nate and Trent, Holden and Six, and Lia again. I wish this final book was longer so I could see more of them all finally living in peace and being able to relax and just be with their loved ones.
The book as a whole was really good, lots of action and we get to see Chase and Elijah connect and find their love. But specifically the ending seemed a little too easy to me. There was all this build up throughout the trilogy with Ex-Comm and the Big Bad Community and I was mentally preparing myself for Chase and Elijah to be traumatized (I expected a huge mental battle with lots of pain and crying and screaming) and . I have to say I was a disappointed the ending wasn't more difficult for our heroes. (For those who don't like a lot of angst and torture in their stories, I know you will LOVE this book :) )
The final scene is sweet with Elijah sharing his vision(s) of the future with Chase, how they are happy and living together. But Santino hasn't completely ruled out the possibility of writing more for this world, but probably not a full length novel, just short stories and those might not even be published but put online somewhere instead. I do hope he writes something more for us.
Do I even need to say the writing was great? Santino knows how to write an attention grabbing story, and I really enjoyed this. I didn't want to put it down. I am left with some questions about the story - it just seems like not all the loose ends have been capped, but Richard and Jasper are dead (or so we are tooo-o-ooold, haha), the Farm has been basically shut down and The Community Watch is going back to helping psys.
Oh, this would make a GREAT movie series, just sayin'!! :-D Or even a TV series.
I do recommend and keep your fingers crossed more will come!
Read
March 16, 2018Rating removed due to the following: http://riptidepublishing.com/a-statem...
😤Original review: I’m in a quandary.....this book....this book was good, but it wasn’t great. It wasn’t quite underwhelming, but it was lacking something Ive come to expect from Santino Hassell: PASSION. It almost felt as if Santino lost his passion for this story.
Was it a 4 Star Read? Almost. Was it 3.5...not quite because it was well edited and pulled together many plot points from the previous books. It just didn’t get my blood going either with the mystery, the action, or the sex (the little that there was). And like one reviewer said, the ending proved less than explosive.
Things I liked.....Chase becoming more of a sympathetic person; learning secrets; Elijah.
When people talk about Hassell’s work one thing that never fails to be mentioned is how real and gritty his stories and characters are. I didn’t get that here. Maybe because it had a paranormal angle. Don’t get me wrong, Hassell is one of my favorite MM authors, but this series fell short of what I’ve come to expect from him.
That being said, you’re already two books in....read the last one and get some damn closure. I’m happy I did.
😤Original review: I’m in a quandary.....this book....this book was good, but it wasn’t great. It wasn’t quite underwhelming, but it was lacking something Ive come to expect from Santino Hassell: PASSION. It almost felt as if Santino lost his passion for this story.
Was it a 4 Star Read? Almost. Was it 3.5...not quite because it was well edited and pulled together many plot points from the previous books. It just didn’t get my blood going either with the mystery, the action, or the sex (the little that there was). And like one reviewer said, the ending proved less than explosive.
Things I liked.....Chase becoming more of a sympathetic person; learning secrets; Elijah.
When people talk about Hassell’s work one thing that never fails to be mentioned is how real and gritty his stories and characters are. I didn’t get that here. Maybe because it had a paranormal angle. Don’t get me wrong, Hassell is one of my favorite MM authors, but this series fell short of what I’ve come to expect from him.
That being said, you’re already two books in....read the last one and get some damn closure. I’m happy I did.
Read
March 10, 2018Rep: gay MC, gay LI, Mexican LI, Latinx character, POC characters
Warnings: explicit violence, rape / attempted rape / implied rape, kidnapping, abuse / child abuse, mind control, torture, ableism, slurs, gendered slurs, mental illness (anxiety, PTSD), homomisia, mention of queermisic family and religion, gaslighting, slutshaming, mention of incest
Warnings: explicit violence, rape / attempted rape / implied rape, kidnapping, abuse / child abuse, mind control, torture, ableism, slurs, gendered slurs, mental illness (anxiety, PTSD), homomisia, mention of queermisic family and religion, gaslighting, slutshaming, mention of incest
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March 10, 2018Rating removed. Review removed.
October 11, 2017
3.5 stars. I get that this is the final book in the Community series. I also get that this book needs to wrap up all lose ends in the series and bring the entire story to a satisfactory conclusion. I get that. But this story is 97% action/thriller/paranormal suspense and 3% romance. I needed/wanted more romance and heat. I needed to not just be told that Chase and Elijah cared for each other, but to see their relationship and feelings evolve over time. Instead, their relationship took a back seat to the larger story being told here. Santino's a good writer and it's an interesting story/series. Had I not started this book wanting to read a romance, I'm sure I would hate rated it higher. Just go into this book knowing what you're going to get and I suspect you will enjoy it more.
October 14, 2017
Oh<3 I love my kids so much ;;;
This series was da best. Gay cute ships, amazing characters, duckin good story line, also psychics!!!
This series was da best. Gay cute ships, amazing characters, duckin good story line, also psychics!!!
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March 9, 2018Loved the book.
Can't support the author anymore, though. Breaks my heart, but not as much as others were broken.
Can't support the author anymore, though. Breaks my heart, but not as much as others were broken.
Read
March 11, 2018
(Leaving my review on this one as I did receive an ARC for this and I want to hold up my end of the bargain. This is no way a denial of those hurt by the author and and I actually do want to give a shout out to all the brave souls who bared themselves and told their stories. May they find the healing they deserve.)
*ARC received via A Novel Take PR as part of blog tour*
3½ ★
The third and last book in the series, this is now about Chase and Elijah. You can’t read this without having read the first 2 or you’ll be lost. Chase and Elijah’s story has been building up from the first book albeit peripherally. It picks up shortly after where book 2 ended.
They’re back to that place which was the root of their problem. They have no choice but to play a part in order to survive. But playing that part wasn’t really playing the part given how they feel about each other. After eventually connecting with the rest of the protags in the series, the ultimate goal is to take down the enemy.
Chase really is full of contradiction from the moment he was introduced. On the one hand, he was gruff and appeared unfeeling. Yet, throughout the whole series, he was really a key to how the events unfolded and how the enemy was taken down. Due to his conditioning, he put so little value on himself. Yet as it turns out, he was the most gifted of them all. I did appreciate all the incongruity to his personality because it really did highlight how a good a person he is whether he believed it or not. And that caustic humor of his definitely added another dimension. I think that’s Santino doing magic with his words.
Elijah has a personality larger than life, especially next to Chase. In a way, I thought he was a contradiction himself. For all that sassiness, he’s someone who’s gone thru so much and is a true survivor. As weak as he may sound sometimes, he was an anchor for Chase. And for all that seeming flighty attitude, he felt deeply committed to Chase. Again, I think that’s Santino doing magic with his words.
To me, they’re an unlikely but perfect pair. They balance each other out and they’re good for each other’s soul.
It’s a decent conclusion to the series. The other protags I’ve come to love are back and all working together to save the day. The bad guys get their comeuppance. My impatience may have gotten the best of me while reading this as certain points, especially in the middle, left me on the underwhelmed side. I would have also liked more substance to their dynamics while in captivity; Elijah, after all, was supposed to be Chase’ sex toy. But I understood; there was a bigger overarching plot that needs closure. And while the buildup to the climax was awesome, the ending still felt somewhat anticlimactic even though it was full of action. I’m thinking it’s just me, so pay no heed.
Because after all is said and done, Santino weaving magic with his words remains on point. It’s like poetry with an edge.
He gave me a smattering of smexy moments, less than what I’m usually used to with his work, but still. He gave me endearing characters and witty exchanges as usual. Santino created this world that I did enjoy in the end, this unique world that just came alive in my head.
*ARC received via A Novel Take PR as part of blog tour*
3½ ★
The third and last book in the series, this is now about Chase and Elijah. You can’t read this without having read the first 2 or you’ll be lost. Chase and Elijah’s story has been building up from the first book albeit peripherally. It picks up shortly after where book 2 ended.
They’re back to that place which was the root of their problem. They have no choice but to play a part in order to survive. But playing that part wasn’t really playing the part given how they feel about each other. After eventually connecting with the rest of the protags in the series, the ultimate goal is to take down the enemy.
Chase really is full of contradiction from the moment he was introduced. On the one hand, he was gruff and appeared unfeeling. Yet, throughout the whole series, he was really a key to how the events unfolded and how the enemy was taken down. Due to his conditioning, he put so little value on himself. Yet as it turns out, he was the most gifted of them all. I did appreciate all the incongruity to his personality because it really did highlight how a good a person he is whether he believed it or not. And that caustic humor of his definitely added another dimension. I think that’s Santino doing magic with his words.
“They stared each other down, the most emo Wild West challenge in the history of challenges...”
Elijah has a personality larger than life, especially next to Chase. In a way, I thought he was a contradiction himself. For all that sassiness, he’s someone who’s gone thru so much and is a true survivor. As weak as he may sound sometimes, he was an anchor for Chase. And for all that seeming flighty attitude, he felt deeply committed to Chase. Again, I think that’s Santino doing magic with his words.
To me, they’re an unlikely but perfect pair. They balance each other out and they’re good for each other’s soul.
“They were a pair in safety and in mortal superhoer-mission-type danger.”
It’s a decent conclusion to the series. The other protags I’ve come to love are back and all working together to save the day. The bad guys get their comeuppance. My impatience may have gotten the best of me while reading this as certain points, especially in the middle, left me on the underwhelmed side. I would have also liked more substance to their dynamics while in captivity; Elijah, after all, was supposed to be Chase’ sex toy. But I understood; there was a bigger overarching plot that needs closure. And while the buildup to the climax was awesome, the ending still felt somewhat anticlimactic even though it was full of action. I’m thinking it’s just me, so pay no heed.
Because after all is said and done, Santino weaving magic with his words remains on point. It’s like poetry with an edge.
“For a moment, stalled in the middle of the wild storm, there was nothing but the two of them pressed together – Chase worshipping Elijah’s body like he was royalty, and Elijah whispering his name like he was a god.”
He gave me a smattering of smexy moments, less than what I’m usually used to with his work, but still. He gave me endearing characters and witty exchanges as usual. Santino created this world that I did enjoy in the end, this unique world that just came alive in my head.
March 9, 2018
Review removed due to reports of misrepresentation, gaslighting, bullying, and emotional manipulation.
I will not support this author any longer.
I will not support this author any longer.
September 26, 2017
This is the third book in Santino Hassell's Community series. This series should be read in order so you can understand the continuing plot line. Each book focuses on a different couple but also follows the same plot. This book was about Chase and Elijah. This was the book I feel like I have been waiting forever for! I wanted their story so badly! Especially after the cliffhanger in the second book! I enjoyed this one a lot, and I'm so sad to see this series ending. I do have to say that I feel as if this last book was much more action focus than relationship focused. I loved all of the action and seeing things finally come to a conclusion, but I did feel like I wanted a little more Chase/Elijah moments.
At times Chase made me want to pick him up and shake him out of frustration, and then other times I just wanted to hug all of his broken pieces back together again. He spent most of his life being tortured and feeling like the "throwaway" son, so he has problems trusting anyone enough to let them close. My heart broke for him so many times because he was just so damaged by the things that have happened to him in his life and always feeling like he was "less than". He constantly doubted himself and the way Elijah felt about him. I hated how hot and cold his behavior with Elijah was, but I also feel like some of it was understandable. After a certain point, I did want to start shaking him for being so difficult.
Oh Elijah. I just loved him so much. He was much more patient with Chase than I ever could have been. lol! I'm not saying he didn't give him hell now and then for his behavior (which I also loved!) but he was loyal and waited Chase out too. There were so many times that my heart ached for Elijah when Chase would say or do something cruel to him. I know it was out of self-defense but Chase could be really mean at times. Elijah came from a rough background and went from being the character that was always singing praises about the great things Community did for people, to having his eyes opened about a lot of bad things that were happening very quickly.
I don't feel like we got as much of a connection with Elijah and Chase, compared to the previous couples. We were at a slight disadvantage with these two because they had already physically been together before this book started so we didn't get to see those moments of them growing closer. I wanted more of them having some nice moments together. Chase spent so much time pushing him away and being downright nasty at times that I didn't click with them as much as I wanted to. I would love a little novella with them in it, or even including all of the characters!
I thought the ended ended up feeling a little bit rushed, if I'm being honest. There was so much build up and then it just felt like it was over too fast. I also felt like things felt a little unfinished when it came down to the politics side of things between Community and ex-Comm. We have the beginnings of possibly something good but I would have liked to have an epilogue to see how things turned out. OR like I said before, a novella would be great to see everything neatly tied up, and things secure with everyone.
* I received an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. *
At times Chase made me want to pick him up and shake him out of frustration, and then other times I just wanted to hug all of his broken pieces back together again. He spent most of his life being tortured and feeling like the "throwaway" son, so he has problems trusting anyone enough to let them close. My heart broke for him so many times because he was just so damaged by the things that have happened to him in his life and always feeling like he was "less than". He constantly doubted himself and the way Elijah felt about him. I hated how hot and cold his behavior with Elijah was, but I also feel like some of it was understandable. After a certain point, I did want to start shaking him for being so difficult.
Oh Elijah. I just loved him so much. He was much more patient with Chase than I ever could have been. lol! I'm not saying he didn't give him hell now and then for his behavior (which I also loved!) but he was loyal and waited Chase out too. There were so many times that my heart ached for Elijah when Chase would say or do something cruel to him. I know it was out of self-defense but Chase could be really mean at times. Elijah came from a rough background and went from being the character that was always singing praises about the great things Community did for people, to having his eyes opened about a lot of bad things that were happening very quickly.
I don't feel like we got as much of a connection with Elijah and Chase, compared to the previous couples. We were at a slight disadvantage with these two because they had already physically been together before this book started so we didn't get to see those moments of them growing closer. I wanted more of them having some nice moments together. Chase spent so much time pushing him away and being downright nasty at times that I didn't click with them as much as I wanted to. I would love a little novella with them in it, or even including all of the characters!
I thought the ended ended up feeling a little bit rushed, if I'm being honest. There was so much build up and then it just felt like it was over too fast. I also felt like things felt a little unfinished when it came down to the politics side of things between Community and ex-Comm. We have the beginnings of possibly something good but I would have liked to have an epilogue to see how things turned out. OR like I said before, a novella would be great to see everything neatly tied up, and things secure with everyone.
* I received an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. *
October 13, 2017
I've wondered how powerful Chase truly is so I was excited about his story. His abilities are definitely all that, but actually, his vulnerability is at least as attractive. He's been starved for affection for so long. It's astonishing that he became such a great man. As much as this is a high-action battle between the good and bad sides of the psy community, it's a love story between Chase and Elijah. Both have been through enough pain for a lifetime. Their resilience is amazing. Chase has some stunning displays of his psy talent in this book. I love that he uses it for protection and not to lord over everyone else. If you want action or romance, Sightlines delivers. It is a fitting ending to the series, but I can also see how more books might be added some day.
October 10, 2017
We have come to the final chapter in The Community. Be warned there may be some spoilers in this review if you haven't read the others in the series. This series is meant to be read in order as there is a continuing story arc that plays in the background while the different characters find their HEAs.At the end of OVERSIGHT we are left with a cliffhanger and not knowing what happened to Chase and Elijah. Elijah got shot while trying to escape The Farm and Chase jumped in the lake after him. SIGHTLINES picks up after that. Chase and Elijah were captured and brought back to the Farm and Chase needs to do some quick thinking to trick his way into getting Elijah out of harms way (read = Jasper's hands) and to escape again. I think the beginning of this book was written quite well because even I had my moments of doubt that maybe The Community was doing something good and necessary for psychics. Richard Payne was getting in my head! Good thing that only lasted a little while.
What stands out about SIGHTLINES is the fact that this is a good conclusion to the horrors going on with the Community. Things had to come to an end and I'm fairly satisfied with how this was wrapped up. This book was non-stop action in terms of that. Every scene was furthering the plot in the direction of bringing down these crazy people.
But here's the thing. Throughout this series I've come to realize one thing... I really enjoy the story as a whole, the concept behind this series, the thrilling element of the books, the small touch of paranormal. And I've come to care about the characters individually. What I always end up having a harder time connecting with is the actual romance. Especially in this book, I wanted much more for Chase than what we got. There was so much going on around Chase and Elijah that it was hard to put in some deep connection moments, but I really felt the lack of them in regards to the final HEA. I didn't quite see them getting there yet, some of the chemistry wasn't completely there for me.
Like I said, this isn't the first book in the series that I feel this way about and I think it's a matter of balance. It's still a testament to the fact that I enjoy the author's writing and characters that I still very much enjoy this series and the world he's created. I care about the characters and want to see what happens to them. Overall, I think this was a good last installment even if I think the door was left open to continue or to spin off.
*ARC provided by publisher
Reviewed by Francesca❤ ♡ Don't want to miss any of our posts? Subscribe to our blog by email! ♡ ❤
October 9, 2017
Review by The Blogger Girls.
This is the final installment of this interesting trilogy, and it wraps things up nicely. It picks up where the previous one left off, with Chase and Elijah getting caught while the others made their get away from the Farm. These absolutely must be read in order, as we learn much about The Community, its members and goals, as well as those who oppose and are trying to stop it. At this point, lines have been mostly drawn, and this segment is where it all ends up playing out.
Things are not going well for these two, as Chase is once again being tortured by the Farm’s resident evil doctor, trying to siphon Chase’s abilities. Chase grew up on the Farm, not in the best of circumstances, mainly being used as a science project for his abilities. Even his own father, and Community mastermind, Richard, has played a big part in not only Chase’s treatment, but that of the many others there, some of who actually volunteered to be a part of their “breeding” program, as well as those who didn’t have a choice. Chase is determined to shut it down, escape with Elijah, and free those who are being held against their will.
Elijah hasn’t been tortured much yet, but neither has he been treated very well. They plan to use him to force Chase to fall into line. Little do they know that Chase has been playing along, with the help of someone on the inside easing up on his meds. He just has to convince Elijah to play along. This is a bit tricky though, as they don’t have the most solid of relationships. Chase is still convinced Elijah is using him as a substitute for his brother, Holden. Chase is one of the most powerful multi-talented Psys there is, but he doesn’t have much control over his abilities. Needless to say, there is a lot going on here that impacts how things go with their escape, their plans, and their relationship.
What we end up with is a fabulously well-rounded story with a really interesting case of characters. There are twists and details interwoven which make this an exciting and refreshing spin on a well-written paranormal/urban fantasy story. Everything comes full circle in this installment which ends on a very satisfying note, though there does seem to be some potential for spin-off stories. I certainly wouldn’t mind reading more about any of these characters and would definitely love to see how they are making out with the new dynamics in place in their world. I definitely recommend this if you are looking for a nice change of pace from the usual paranormal tropes from what I believe is a skilled and talented author.
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