What do you think?
Rate this book
Nineteen
Ezra is nineteen, going to college in his blue-collar hometown, and still living with his mother. It’s all very ordinary… but Ezra is gay, and “ordinary” isn't really what he wants or needs. The romantic in him yearns for a story-book kind of love, but he certainly doesn’t expect to find it at a party that starts in an old field behind campus. That’s when he meets Nick. Ezra doesn’t believe in love at first sight, not really. But there’s a first time for everything.
57 pages, ebook
First published September 1, 2010
94 people want to read
About the author
A.J. Mars
3 books2 followersAJ Mars is a midtwenties wanderer who’s lived everywhere from New Mexico to New Zealand, via half of Western Europe. Her writing reflects her love of travel, although she’s now fairly settled in the UK with her partner and their cats. AJ has a PhD in a useless subject and a passionate interest in Shakespeare. She teaches creative writing and literature classes and tries her best to practice what she preaches.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
January 3, 2012
Nineteen is one long, descriptive scene, of that feeling of the first time.
The story uses 3rd POV, but the voice is mainly that of Ezra ... it starts from eyes meeting Nick from the first time at a summer night party, there's attraction, and they dance, they go for a ride in Nick's car with the top's down, they share drinks from 7-11, they watch the stars in the sky, they kiss (a kiss that is different because it makes them nervous), they learn about their body and of sexual charge, they lose their virginity, and they promise to meet again.
The writing might feel jumpy, but it is taken from a mind of a teenager. It's hard to stay in focus. The writing actually makes me feel what Ezra feels. He's 19-years-old, his nervous, he fumbles because he likes Nick so much, and there's always a chance of making a mistake (even if he kissed other guys before, but it's different with Nick). There's an innocent flair to it, and you are taken into the journey of discovery.
The pacing is very good, Ezra doesn't want to rush, he wants it right. And you, as a reader, is right there with him. Maybe encouraging him a bit, wants to reassure him that it's fine. When it's done, you're also with him, worrying if everything is okay, and you're as nervous as he is, wondering if this is only a one night chance.
And in the end, you smile, because while it's not HEA (hey, they're both nineteen, and this is their first night!) but there is a promise. Of a date the next day, and you think, maybe, Ezra and Nick will be college sweethearts after all :).
The story uses 3rd POV, but the voice is mainly that of Ezra ... it starts from eyes meeting Nick from the first time at a summer night party, there's attraction, and they dance, they go for a ride in Nick's car with the top's down, they share drinks from 7-11, they watch the stars in the sky, they kiss (a kiss that is different because it makes them nervous), they learn about their body and of sexual charge, they lose their virginity, and they promise to meet again.
The writing might feel jumpy, but it is taken from a mind of a teenager. It's hard to stay in focus. The writing actually makes me feel what Ezra feels. He's 19-years-old, his nervous, he fumbles because he likes Nick so much, and there's always a chance of making a mistake (even if he kissed other guys before, but it's different with Nick). There's an innocent flair to it, and you are taken into the journey of discovery.
The pacing is very good, Ezra doesn't want to rush, he wants it right. And you, as a reader, is right there with him. Maybe encouraging him a bit, wants to reassure him that it's fine. When it's done, you're also with him, worrying if everything is okay, and you're as nervous as he is, wondering if this is only a one night chance.
And in the end, you smile, because while it's not HEA (hey, they're both nineteen, and this is their first night!) but there is a promise. Of a date the next day, and you think, maybe, Ezra and Nick will be college sweethearts after all :).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 1, 2010
First time love at it's romantic best and the cadence of the words and the pacing is beautiful.
August 3, 2011
A beautiful vignette, lush language and amazing descriptive details that made me feel like I was *right there*. A perfect written snapshot.
I'd love to see it develop into a novella or even short story - lack of character/plot development is my only complaint.
I'd love to see it develop into a novella or even short story - lack of character/plot development is my only complaint.
March 15, 2011
A book with an original voice that captures a moment in time very well. It will take you right back to that place, on those nights where you felt freedom for the first time. I loved it!
March 14, 2011
Relax and enjoy the writing style because hidden in the words is a fantastic story—short and simple, plot-wise, but great emotions that really reached down inside and touched me.
December 30, 2021
Es una historia muy bonita la verdad.
La autora maneja muy bien el pensar de los personajes; Ezra y Nick dos jóvenes universitarios que en una fiesta se encuentran y se sienten atraídos.
Ezra tiene 19 años y nunca ha tenido sexo, pero con sólo ver a Nick sabe que él es el indicado y esa noche se realizar.
El desarrollo es lento, delicado, yo diría incluso que es ideal. Todo te lleva a un punto idílico donde de verdad parece que ellos están soñando pero no es así y es perfecto.
Se lee rápido pero no creo que quedé como una gran historia en mi mente, es buena para entretener.
La autora maneja muy bien el pensar de los personajes; Ezra y Nick dos jóvenes universitarios que en una fiesta se encuentran y se sienten atraídos.
Ezra tiene 19 años y nunca ha tenido sexo, pero con sólo ver a Nick sabe que él es el indicado y esa noche se realizar.
El desarrollo es lento, delicado, yo diría incluso que es ideal. Todo te lleva a un punto idílico donde de verdad parece que ellos están soñando pero no es así y es perfecto.
Se lee rápido pero no creo que quedé como una gran historia en mi mente, es buena para entretener.
August 28, 2018
4.5 El estilo de escritura de la autora es muy distinto y muy lindo, la historia a pesar de que es insta love, es muy bonita, su escritura es adictiva, pero es una historia muy corta!!!!!. Exijo que sea MAS LARGO!, pero bueno es una corta lectura que disfrute mucho.
October 25, 2010
Nineteen is a novella full of wonder, hope, despair, fear, and awe as two inexperienced young men experience first love. The story is just one long scene as the two boys meet at a party. Once their eyes connect, they’re inseparable as they leave and finally end up alone in a quiet field. Their tentative touches lead to more as they awkwardly fumble their way to passion. There isn’t a happy ending so much as the hope and promise of more.
The story is told in third person present tense and reads almost like a stream of consciousness from Ezra. His attention wanders and drifts from topic to random topic, lighting on banal thoughts while unable to articulate his feelings. His connection with Nick is instantaneous and requires few words. In fact there is scarcely any dialogue used as Ezra and Nick seem to communicate through touch, silence, and common thoughts. Ezra’s mind wanders as he worries about the next move and is he in love, or just lust, does their connection mean anything or just a one night stand.
Each of these thoughts and more tumbles through Ezra’s never ending consciousness as he gazes in awe at Nick. Nick is not a smooth player himself, also inexperienced, shy, wondering, and fearful and the two come together in an awkward passion that feels fitting for their age and inexperience. There is that feeling of first love, hopeful romance, wanting more but afraid to ask for it, hoping the other person can simply read your mind and make it easier. Ezra wants all of this and he wants Nick.
The novella is fun to read, although slightly chaotic since it follows Ezra’s rather random thoughts. The pacing is smooth and the tone always even, which perhaps makes this style more difficult to sink into. It works incredibly well to depict young men in the blush of first passion and maybe love, but it also makes becomes more difficult to read as the story goes on. The even pace would have been helped if the tone changed slightly up and down with Ezra’s excitement or fear. The tone is too one note and keeps the same shifting focus no matter what’s going on.
Thankfully the short length keeps the story exactly where it should be – any longer and it’d be almost headache inducing with the bouncing around of thoughts and ideas like pinballs. Instead this conveys the entire range of emotions and desires from two young men on the verge of something wondrous.
The story is told in third person present tense and reads almost like a stream of consciousness from Ezra. His attention wanders and drifts from topic to random topic, lighting on banal thoughts while unable to articulate his feelings. His connection with Nick is instantaneous and requires few words. In fact there is scarcely any dialogue used as Ezra and Nick seem to communicate through touch, silence, and common thoughts. Ezra’s mind wanders as he worries about the next move and is he in love, or just lust, does their connection mean anything or just a one night stand.
Each of these thoughts and more tumbles through Ezra’s never ending consciousness as he gazes in awe at Nick. Nick is not a smooth player himself, also inexperienced, shy, wondering, and fearful and the two come together in an awkward passion that feels fitting for their age and inexperience. There is that feeling of first love, hopeful romance, wanting more but afraid to ask for it, hoping the other person can simply read your mind and make it easier. Ezra wants all of this and he wants Nick.
The novella is fun to read, although slightly chaotic since it follows Ezra’s rather random thoughts. The pacing is smooth and the tone always even, which perhaps makes this style more difficult to sink into. It works incredibly well to depict young men in the blush of first passion and maybe love, but it also makes becomes more difficult to read as the story goes on. The even pace would have been helped if the tone changed slightly up and down with Ezra’s excitement or fear. The tone is too one note and keeps the same shifting focus no matter what’s going on.
Thankfully the short length keeps the story exactly where it should be – any longer and it’d be almost headache inducing with the bouncing around of thoughts and ideas like pinballs. Instead this conveys the entire range of emotions and desires from two young men on the verge of something wondrous.
January 3, 2012
Rather than a long, drawn-out plot, this tidy little offering encapsulates a single day and night in the life of nineteen-year-old Ezra. He’s hanging out with other students one hot summer day, not really doing anything, not really expecting anything, when he spies another young man named Nick. Magic happens. He doesn’t really believe it at first, because it’s the stuff of fairy tales, this clicking at first sight, but that’s what happens, and the two spend some rather amazing time together, all leading to the loss of Ezra’s virginity.
The story is told in third-person, present tense, in a breathless style that tumbles phrase over phrase so quickly, there’s little time to pause. Even if it is in 3rd person, there’s a definite stream of consciousness to Ezra’s voice, complete with the way his youthful thoughts scatter and jump, sometimes repeating, sometimes disappearing altogether. It’s utterly enchanting at the start, and lends a unique authenticity to the narrator that prevails for the bulk of the telling. At times, it does feel a tad romanticized, but that’s likely a byproduct of the entire surreal mood of his disbelief that all of this is actually happening to him. It’s easy to go along with it, at least until closer to the end when the frenetic pacing drags on a little too long, giving the sense of same-old, same-old when it really isn’t.
While not quite as much is known about Nick, since this is so brief and he plays such a romanticized role in it, he has a certain casual charm and innocence about him that makes it very believable for Ezra to fall for him so quickly. Without that, the story wouldn’t work nearly as well, and honestly, only fails because of the lack of variation within the pacing. I also found myself wondering a little about when this might be placed. The sixties music is considered old, but if there was a time marker to designate when exactly this occurred, I missed it. Probably a victim of being caught up in Ezra’s emotions. But I did love the HFN ending, and because of this, am excited about reading again. I only wish this author had other books for me to buy.
The story is told in third-person, present tense, in a breathless style that tumbles phrase over phrase so quickly, there’s little time to pause. Even if it is in 3rd person, there’s a definite stream of consciousness to Ezra’s voice, complete with the way his youthful thoughts scatter and jump, sometimes repeating, sometimes disappearing altogether. It’s utterly enchanting at the start, and lends a unique authenticity to the narrator that prevails for the bulk of the telling. At times, it does feel a tad romanticized, but that’s likely a byproduct of the entire surreal mood of his disbelief that all of this is actually happening to him. It’s easy to go along with it, at least until closer to the end when the frenetic pacing drags on a little too long, giving the sense of same-old, same-old when it really isn’t.
While not quite as much is known about Nick, since this is so brief and he plays such a romanticized role in it, he has a certain casual charm and innocence about him that makes it very believable for Ezra to fall for him so quickly. Without that, the story wouldn’t work nearly as well, and honestly, only fails because of the lack of variation within the pacing. I also found myself wondering a little about when this might be placed. The sixties music is considered old, but if there was a time marker to designate when exactly this occurred, I missed it. Probably a victim of being caught up in Ezra’s emotions. But I did love the HFN ending, and because of this, am excited about reading again. I only wish this author had other books for me to buy.
May 29, 2013
Ok so the main character said things like- "It‟s one of those nights where everything fits together and you're part of it all, or maybe everything's a part of you, or maybe this guy you're with just makes sense and being with him makes everything else make sense, if that makes sense." What?
And this one - “Here what? Here why? What's that supposed to mean? Well, it doesn't mean anything, not stuff you can put into words. If there were words, it'd be something like, here, this place, this night, this minute and everything in it and everything around us and between us and you, you, we are together. It's like, breathe. This is living." Dude is clearly an airhead.
Other than that it is a good book.
And this one - “Here what? Here why? What's that supposed to mean? Well, it doesn't mean anything, not stuff you can put into words. If there were words, it'd be something like, here, this place, this night, this minute and everything in it and everything around us and between us and you, you, we are together. It's like, breathe. This is living." Dude is clearly an airhead.
Other than that it is a good book.
April 5, 2011
This book should be read more than once. The first time is to be introduced to a unique writing style/pov. There's little dialogue, but more the inner thoughts and musing of a nineteen year old virgin. Many of his thoughts are incomplete, or just impressions of his feelings. Not a lot of complete sentences, but who really does while thinking to themselves.
The storyline is simple. Two boy meets and have an almost instance connection. The rest you'll have to read.
The storyline is simple. Two boy meets and have an almost instance connection. The rest you'll have to read.
August 16, 2012
Sweet short about Ezra, he is at a party and meets Nick.
They drive off together and lose their virginity. Erra feels Nick is special and it is cute how nervous they are.
I actually liked it, but the 3rd person pov of Esra's was at times hard to follow. he didn't think in complete sentences and it sort of rambled. a HFN ending.
They drive off together and lose their virginity. Erra feels Nick is special and it is cute how nervous they are.
I actually liked it, but the 3rd person pov of Esra's was at times hard to follow. he didn't think in complete sentences and it sort of rambled. a HFN ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 15, 2010
Nineteen by A.J. Mars is so sweet. The voice is unique, almost dreamy and it took me awhile to get into it. In fact in the first few pages I was sure I wasn't going to like it but I'm glad I stuck with it. I really enjoyed it. I'd love to hear more from these characters.
April 29, 2011
Loved this authors style of writing. Ezra and Nick learning from each other and most certainly yearning. A poignant glimpse of young romance, and all the uncertainty that comes with it. Not much conversation, but so much emotion. I could read more of this!
January 1, 2011
The present tense narrative just didn't work, unless the intent was distance and disinterest.
March 28, 2011
Quick, sweet snapshot in time.
August 11, 2014
rating: 3.5
lovely imagery, has palpable tension--you can almost feel the boys' nervousness, eagerness and uncertainty in the air.
lovely imagery, has palpable tension--you can almost feel the boys' nervousness, eagerness and uncertainty in the air.
July 8, 2015
I really like it, it was sweet.
But God, if I had to be more than 5 minutes inside Ezra´s head, I would kill myself.
But God, if I had to be more than 5 minutes inside Ezra´s head, I would kill myself.
May 28, 2017
I really liked this!
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews