Reviews

Shattered Glass

Author: AC Katt

Genre: GLBTQ

Reviewed by: Daisiemae

Shattered Glass by A.C. Katt is going to be a very hard book to review and rate. I actually finished this book a couple of days ago, and I wanted to step back from it for a while so I could gather my thoughts together for this review. Honestly, I still have conflicting opinions when I think about this book.
If you are looking for a light read, Shattered Glass is not the book for you. It deals with some heavy issues that we all can relate to a rock and roll lifestyle and much more. There is drug and alcohol abuse, verbal abuse, physical abuse, characters dealing with death of their parents at a young age, an attempted suicide and a rape. I admit, I cried several times throughout this book. It definitely pulled at my heartstrings, and there were several times I had to take a break from reading the book for a few moments and then come back to it later.
Please don’t get me wrong, this book is a very good book. Even though one of the characters, Liam, goes through so much in his young life, I really rallied behind him and was in awe of his inner strength and the self discovery and growth that he goes through. Although this book is really about all of the band members of Shattered Glass, in my opinion, it was Liam that captured my heart in the novel.
Liam is just six years old when he meets Milo and Sam. Liam’s father had just died in a horrible accident and he and his mother, Lily, had just moved into the same neighborhood that Milo and Sam live in. After befriending Liam’s mother, Milo immediately takes the young and effeminate Liam under his wing even though he’s six years older than him.
As the years go by, Milo continues to look out and protect the young Liam. When Milo, Sam and Sam’s younger brother Rick decide to form a band six years later, they have a hard time finding a lead singer. Liam convinces the boys to let him try out, and once Milo and the other band members hear Liam’s beautiful voice, Shattered Glass is born.
As the next few years pass, several things happen. Liam’s mother, Lily, gets terminal cancer and signs guardianship of Liam under Milo’s care. As Milo and Liam become more attached to one another, Milo starts to feel guilty because of his deep love and attraction to the younger Liam, so he had sex with every female groupie he comes across. To make matters worse, Milo is firmly in the closet and has no intentions of ever leaving it. Milo’s father hated homosexuals and because of the venom his father would spew about them, Milo has learned to live in fear of being true about his sexuality to others.
Finally, when Liam is about to turn eighteen, Milo decides to tell Liam how he feels about him. Liam, of course, is thrilled that Milo wants him as much as he wants Milo. They wait until Liam’s eighteenth birthday, and they make love for the first time. Although they live together and have a relationship, they still are in the closet to everyone who is outside of the band. Milo’s fear of what others will think of his sexuality taints the love he and Liam have for each other.
As the years go by, a band member does everything he can to sabotage their relationship. Finally, lack of communication and hurt feelings, break Milo and Liam apart and this also breaks the band apart, too. Now years later, Milo and Liam must meet again to help a fellow band member out. Will they ever be able to find their way back together again?
Believe me; I left a lot out of the story. I didn’t want to get into it my summary too much, because I don’t want to give anything away. I will say that Liam goes through hell and back in his book. At one point, I wondered how much more could he take? I felt such empathy for him and rallied behind him to come out stronger in the end. Thankfully, he does, and I ended up rejoicing at Liam’s sheer will and perseverance to survive and become a better and stronger man than he was before the horrible breakup with Milo.
I had some issues with Milo. At the beginning of the book, Milo is very mature for his age. I was happy that he took Liam under his wing. I really liked him and Liam together as lovers and friends. There were times their relationship was very tender and sweet and I loved it. But, Milo has a temper and is one to jump to conclusions. Often, his actions cause him to cut off his nose to spite his face. He too, does a lot of personal growth throughout the book, but I’m not sure if he will ever look at Liam as an equal. Because he had protected him all those years, and because of the six year age difference, Milo is pretty dominating over Liam and I don’t know if that dynamic of their relationship will ever really change between them.
Even though this book is a rollercoaster ride of happiness and tons of angst, I still enjoyed reading it. The brotherly love that most of the band has for one another was very poignant and sweet at times. I enjoyed watching every character in the book grow up and evolve into the people they became.
Also, before each chapter there is a verse or two of the band’s songs. Some of the songs were truly beautiful and they definitely captured the love Milo and Liam had between them. These songs read as lovely as any poem. I really loved them.
I’m going to recommend this book because it’s extremely well written.  I know because of the drugs, rape and other heavy subject manner, that this book isn’t going to be for everyone. That’s a shame, because it definitely caught my attention and has held onto it. Even now, days later, the characters and their story (especially Liam) weigh heavily on my mind.
When you are in the mood for heavy angst, complex characters and to read about a love that is strong enough to preserver through many of life’s ups and downs; this book is definitely for you.
A.C. Katt has a very interesting website. There is even a Shattered Glass video for our viewing pleasure. I’m looking forward to reading more by this author, and I plan on keeping tissues handy next time I start one of her books! Here is the link to check out A.C. Katt’s website: http://www.ackatt.com/
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Title: Shattered Glass
Author: AC Katt
Publisher: Captiva Press
Published: June 2010
Genre: M-M / Suspense / Erotic Romance / GLBT
ISBN: 978-1-936356-02-7
Reviewer: Sassy Brit
Alternative-Read.com

Ever since Milo Stamis was a kid, he, along with brothers Sam and Rick Stein, bonded like brothers. When a new kid, Liam O’Shea, came along, Milo, who’d suffered at the hands of his own homophobic father immediately spotted Liam’s gay tendencies and vowed to protect him. Besides, without a dad, Liam needed a father figure. The gang formed a band, Shattered Glass, of which Liam later became the lead singer.

Sadly, Liam’s mother died of cancer and Milo agreed to become his guardian until Liam turned eighteen, which was good because they were inseparable, so much so, Milo wonders if he’s taken his guardianship too far. Liam’s young and he needs to experience life for himself – yet Milo doesn’t want to risk losing him to anyone else, especially as Liam is nearly of legal age and they’ve waited so long to be together properly. How can he be Liam’s guardian, confidant, friend, and almost lover all at once? Something has got to give and, unfortunately it does, but it’s neither Milo or Liam’s fault.

When Sam Stein leaves the band to take the bar exam he has high hopes of becoming the band’s lawyer and manager once qualified. To replace him, they take on a new drummer, Bart Hedge, recommended by Sam’s younger brother Rick, but Bart is not there for the good of the band, he has his own agenda. Before long he’s creating an inharmonious vibration of doubt and discord between Milo and Liam – one evil step at a time.  While the rest of the band are high on success, Bart is high on drugs and dealing to Rick who’s need for his next fix gets him caught in a web of lies and deceit he cannot escape. Bart’s clever riffs foil everyone.

Meanwhile, on Liam’s eighteenth birthday his attorney, Walter Cheever, arranges to pass Milo vital details pertaining to the fatal car accident which killed Liam’s father, but neither Walt nor the information reach their destination. Now, six years later, Liam has lost his lover, the band, his career and his livelihood – practically his whole life, and it won’t be long before his stalker takes that too if his dangerous games work as he plans.

What a performance! Shattered Glass starts at a Press Conference in 2002 with news that the lead singer of the band called Shattered Glass, Liam, has left due to “creative differences.” The truth behind this, though, is far from simple. The following events relayed in the book span a large period from their youthful band practice in the garage, right through to living their childhood dreams as famous members of a successful mega-band with all the trappings – roadies, groupies, tours. And a blackmailing stalker whose revenge threats become more deadly with each passing day.

This plot-driven love story takes a fast-paced walk on the wild side of what it’s like to be successful gay musicians playing sweet music together. It also shows how success breeds jealousy from the most unlikely places. Are Milo and Liam strong enough to overcome the terrible ordeal planned for them?

AC Katt has written a haunting story full of powerful images and shocking events. It’s provocative, realistically gritty, and a refreshing take on a gay love story. Shattered Glass is the perfect accompaniment for a music loving, M-M reader lazing on a sunny afternoon in the summertime.

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Genre: Erotic Romance

Title: Shattered Glass

Author:  A.C. Katt

What more could one want in life than to have a successful career, be part of a tightly knit family of close friends, and to finally find true love.  This is what Liam and Milo believe as their world renowned rock band, Shattered Glass, takes part in a special concert and after-party for Liam’s coming of age, a momentous day.  Milo can finally release his pent up emotions for Liam now that he is an adult, and hopefully start a lifelong relationship with him.  Rick, another member of the band and his brother, Sam, their lawyer and manager, are happy for Liam and Milo, who they have been inseparable from since childhood. Rick and Sam are also enjoying the band’s rise to fame.

However, their bonds are tested and personal demons are easily let out of their cages by a twisted and unstable new band member, Bart, with well placed lies, suspicions and manipulation that feed on the fears, insecurities and paranoia of the band members to tear them apart.

I think the theme of this story can best be summarized by a quote from Danish philosopher, Søren Kierkegaard: “Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.”  Each of the four main characters made mistakes and all paid the price for their arrogance and foolishness, but it was necessary for each of them to live through his own personal hell in order to be able to reach points of discovery, self-acceptance, reconciliation, and rebirth.  They had to look back and discover the flaws in themselves and in their relationships in order to make the healing journey forwards to re-cement the pledge they had made to each other almost 20 years before to be brothers of the heart and to achieve some measure of peace with themselves as well as with who and what they are.

A.C. Katt once again paints a detailed picture, drawing us into the world of the main characters, where we learn to love each one of them, despite their flaws.  Each character is complex and compellingly developed so that you feel you really know them and want what is best for them.  As the reader, I knew the truth when the characters did not, and I found myself rooting for each one of them, willing them to throw off their cloaks of fear and paranoia and bask in the warmth of true love and friendship.

All in all, what appears as simply a love story in the beginning grows into so much more.  Shattered Glass is a captivating story of love, lies, treachery, manipulation, murder, and ultimately forgiveness and the power of true friendship.

A.C. Katt has become well known in the fiction genre of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) romance.  Her writing style is a little sappy and unrealistic at times, and it is extremely graphic sexually, so I must warn that it is definitely not suitable for young or sensitive readers.  To say some of the scenes are shocking is putting it mildly; however, if you can look beyond the graphic content it is actually a wonderful story that also becomes a lesson in tolerance and acceptance.  For those interested in this genre, I would definitely recommend this book.

A.C. Katt was born in New York City. She worked and raised four children in New Jersey and now lives with her husband in New Mexico where she has found her niche writing GLBT romance novels.

Reviewer:  Cindy Taylor, Allbooks Review.

Title:  Shattered Glass

Author: A.C. Katt

Publisher:  Captiva Press

Format: ebook               July, 2010