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Dissonance
dis•so•nance [dis-uh-nuhns]—noun. 1. inharmonious or harsh sound; discord; cacophony. 2. a. a simultaneous combination of tones conventionally accepted as being in a state of unrest and needing completion. b. an unresolved, discordant chord or interval.
Matthias McGaughey checks into his new dormitory, dreading the new year, new people, and new dangers. The past year was a nightmare, and now he lives in a constant state of unrest, unable to find balance or trust anyone. The building director, Kent Thomas, can feel the vibes pouring off Matthias; they're discordant enough that even he can tell the musician is very troubled. Appointing himself Matthias's protector, Kent tries his best to draw Matthias out of his shell. Despite his initial resistance, Matthias finds himself warming to his new friend. Little does he know that Kent, already in love, will help him weave harmony between the past, the present, and their future.
Matthias McGaughey checks into his new dormitory, dreading the new year, new people, and new dangers. The past year was a nightmare, and now he lives in a constant state of unrest, unable to find balance or trust anyone. The building director, Kent Thomas, can feel the vibes pouring off Matthias; they're discordant enough that even he can tell the musician is very troubled. Appointing himself Matthias's protector, Kent tries his best to draw Matthias out of his shell. Despite his initial resistance, Matthias finds himself warming to his new friend. Little does he know that Kent, already in love, will help him weave harmony between the past, the present, and their future.
97 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2009
36 people want to read
About the author
Sonja Spencer
11 books11 followersSonja Spencer has always enjoyed writing as an escape from her professional life. She spends what spare time she has with her family and friends, and she loves long walks on the beach, jumping in puddles, and cuddling puppies. She aspires to be an entertaining writer and a gourmet chef.
You can e-mail Sonja at sonja.j.spencer@gmail.com.
You can e-mail Sonja at sonja.j.spencer@gmail.com.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
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June 5, 2009This is a very sweet novella, a bit heavy in the angst department, but not without hope.
Matthias is a fragile soul. A music student with a full scholarship for an US college, he left his home in Ireland, where maybe he was sheltered and protected, to come to a stranger land. And the first approach was not a good one, since Matthias obviously is not a man that can take care of himself against jocks and similar people. Matthias is as fragile in body and in soul, and after that experience, he ran away back home. But now is another year and lucky for him, another dorm: this time to welcome him there is Kent, a stocky man to the outside, but a gentle soul inside. Probably Kent is used to be judge from his look, and even if he is majoring in sport medicine, he probably passes for a man not so endowed in the brain department as he is in the body. Matthias and Kent are apparently totally mismatched, tall and lanky Matthias, small and tought Kent; skittish and hard to be near to Matthias, friendly and easygoing Kent. But thanks to the fate that put them together in the same door some days before the other students come in, Kent manages to conquer Matthias's trust.
Matthias is not a man who will learn to be independent, he will always remain a fragile being that needs a protector. We haven't to judge him weak, he is only a man who lives on another level, lost in his music and who will never understand that there are nasty things in the outside world. Matthias is a man who would be happy to live in a golden cage, if allowed to play his music. On the other hand Kent, even with his tough exterior, is a gentle man who will never take advantage of Matthias; Kent feels almost privileged that a beautiful human being as Matthias allows him to be near. Matthias is not beautiful in a strictly physical speaking way, his beauty derives by his fragility; and Kent understands that, if he wants to conquer Matthias' trust, he has to give the man the impression that he is not a danger, that he is not forcing the man to take step he is not ready to take. Giving him the feeling that he is taking his own decisions, is the way to hold him forever.
In a little way also Kent is fragile, he fears to be rejected; probably Kent is very self-conscious of his look, and maybe, even if it's not said, he had bad experiences in the past with people presuming he was tough and strong, when maybe Kent is only a very gentle man, and sometime he is the one who needs to be reassured. Yes, Kent assumes the role of protector for Matthias, but at the same time, he finds in Matthias' a soul mate, someone who is gentle and fragile inside as he himself is.
This is only a novella, a maybe it's a bit rushed in the conclusion, but all the first part, when Matthias and Kent get to know each other is very nice and tender. There is sex, but it is always more tender than erotic, more cuddle than anything else.
http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/61...
Matthias is a fragile soul. A music student with a full scholarship for an US college, he left his home in Ireland, where maybe he was sheltered and protected, to come to a stranger land. And the first approach was not a good one, since Matthias obviously is not a man that can take care of himself against jocks and similar people. Matthias is as fragile in body and in soul, and after that experience, he ran away back home. But now is another year and lucky for him, another dorm: this time to welcome him there is Kent, a stocky man to the outside, but a gentle soul inside. Probably Kent is used to be judge from his look, and even if he is majoring in sport medicine, he probably passes for a man not so endowed in the brain department as he is in the body. Matthias and Kent are apparently totally mismatched, tall and lanky Matthias, small and tought Kent; skittish and hard to be near to Matthias, friendly and easygoing Kent. But thanks to the fate that put them together in the same door some days before the other students come in, Kent manages to conquer Matthias's trust.
Matthias is not a man who will learn to be independent, he will always remain a fragile being that needs a protector. We haven't to judge him weak, he is only a man who lives on another level, lost in his music and who will never understand that there are nasty things in the outside world. Matthias is a man who would be happy to live in a golden cage, if allowed to play his music. On the other hand Kent, even with his tough exterior, is a gentle man who will never take advantage of Matthias; Kent feels almost privileged that a beautiful human being as Matthias allows him to be near. Matthias is not beautiful in a strictly physical speaking way, his beauty derives by his fragility; and Kent understands that, if he wants to conquer Matthias' trust, he has to give the man the impression that he is not a danger, that he is not forcing the man to take step he is not ready to take. Giving him the feeling that he is taking his own decisions, is the way to hold him forever.
In a little way also Kent is fragile, he fears to be rejected; probably Kent is very self-conscious of his look, and maybe, even if it's not said, he had bad experiences in the past with people presuming he was tough and strong, when maybe Kent is only a very gentle man, and sometime he is the one who needs to be reassured. Yes, Kent assumes the role of protector for Matthias, but at the same time, he finds in Matthias' a soul mate, someone who is gentle and fragile inside as he himself is.
This is only a novella, a maybe it's a bit rushed in the conclusion, but all the first part, when Matthias and Kent get to know each other is very nice and tender. There is sex, but it is always more tender than erotic, more cuddle than anything else.
http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/61...
August 9, 2009
The Tasting:
Why I bought it:
I love the word dissonance. The way it sounds is so different to it's meaning. I just kept coming back to the word.
Dislike/like (ending on a high note):
Dislike~ I enjoyed Dissonance; however, my biggest problem with it was its length (97 pages). This had nothing to do with how the plot was paced or how well the characters were developed, but everything to do with the fact that I felt the protags, the themes and the storyline had so much potential it was almost a disservice to them it was such a short length. I wanted more back story about Matthias and Kent, more scenes which showed the growing trust and relationship between the two men... just more.
Like~ This is one of the few books I’ve read in this genre to date which I think made a good attempt at conveying what a male victim of abuse goes through. As I indicated above, I would have really liked further exploration of Matthias’ growing trust towards the sensitive and caring Kent, but overall the sense of this did come through in the story.
Dislike~ more, More, MORE. It’s the length thing. I can’t get away from my reaction – sorry! I also realise I may be putting some of you off from getting it. I guess the bottom line for me was I liked the story in this short format, but I think I would have LOVED it as a longer novel.
Like~ At heart, this is a story about trust and love and features two characters with whom I found it very easy to empathise. There may be some who feel it was a little too sugary for their taste, but I enjoyed it for the sweet story it was.
So, what I think:
This is for those who, like me, appreciate a well written, uplifting love story involving two charming characters.
============================================
‘Tasting’ is my version of a mini-review where I talk a (very) little about what I liked and disliked about a book as well as who I think the story will appeal to. Oh, and I’ve added a bit about why I picked up the book in the first place – sometimes this can be interesting to know.
Why I bought it:
I love the word dissonance. The way it sounds is so different to it's meaning. I just kept coming back to the word.
Dislike/like (ending on a high note):
Dislike~ I enjoyed Dissonance; however, my biggest problem with it was its length (97 pages). This had nothing to do with how the plot was paced or how well the characters were developed, but everything to do with the fact that I felt the protags, the themes and the storyline had so much potential it was almost a disservice to them it was such a short length. I wanted more back story about Matthias and Kent, more scenes which showed the growing trust and relationship between the two men... just more.
Like~ This is one of the few books I’ve read in this genre to date which I think made a good attempt at conveying what a male victim of abuse goes through. As I indicated above, I would have really liked further exploration of Matthias’ growing trust towards the sensitive and caring Kent, but overall the sense of this did come through in the story.
Dislike~ more, More, MORE. It’s the length thing. I can’t get away from my reaction – sorry! I also realise I may be putting some of you off from getting it. I guess the bottom line for me was I liked the story in this short format, but I think I would have LOVED it as a longer novel.
Like~ At heart, this is a story about trust and love and features two characters with whom I found it very easy to empathise. There may be some who feel it was a little too sugary for their taste, but I enjoyed it for the sweet story it was.
So, what I think:
This is for those who, like me, appreciate a well written, uplifting love story involving two charming characters.
============================================
‘Tasting’ is my version of a mini-review where I talk a (very) little about what I liked and disliked about a book as well as who I think the story will appeal to. Oh, and I’ve added a bit about why I picked up the book in the first place – sometimes this can be interesting to know.
May 1, 2010
"4.5"
Read this one because I was bored, on my computer, and it happened to be in my 'PDF Ebooks' back up file. I'd thought it might be a good novel but never really got around to reading it because I ran into others that caught my interest more ... now I'm glad I was bored yesterday.
The timidness Matthias shows makes sense - it's not just some character flaw that Sonja Spencer uses to endear him to us. And Kent, without even really knowing what happened, decides on his own to take the time, care enough and be thoughtful enough to befriend him. Although the want to become involved on a more physical level was there, it wasn't Kent's main focus and need. He tells Matthias multiple times that he wants only what Matthias will give - and then his actions back up that claim, time and time again.
My only [extremely mild:] complaint is that Kent gradually became more and more of the timid one. It was cute, the scene where his hid his face underneath the covers to hide his blush while he admitted his personal sexual wants to Matthias, but I couldn't see Kent, the strong and confident and patient man, doing that. Possibly Matthias but then not really him, either. It was more like the author had an idea for an adorable scene and didn't know where to put it, so she tucked it into this novel, and built Kent around it for the last few scenes so it didn't stick out as badly.
Still, a wonderful story I'd enjoy reading again soon.
Read this one because I was bored, on my computer, and it happened to be in my 'PDF Ebooks' back up file. I'd thought it might be a good novel but never really got around to reading it because I ran into others that caught my interest more ... now I'm glad I was bored yesterday.
The timidness Matthias shows makes sense - it's not just some character flaw that Sonja Spencer uses to endear him to us. And Kent, without even really knowing what happened, decides on his own to take the time, care enough and be thoughtful enough to befriend him. Although the want to become involved on a more physical level was there, it wasn't Kent's main focus and need. He tells Matthias multiple times that he wants only what Matthias will give - and then his actions back up that claim, time and time again.
My only [extremely mild:] complaint is that Kent gradually became more and more of the timid one. It was cute, the scene where his hid his face underneath the covers to hide his blush while he admitted his personal sexual wants to Matthias, but I couldn't see Kent, the strong and confident and patient man, doing that. Possibly Matthias but then not really him, either. It was more like the author had an idea for an adorable scene and didn't know where to put it, so she tucked it into this novel, and built Kent around it for the last few scenes so it didn't stick out as badly.
Still, a wonderful story I'd enjoy reading again soon.
November 20, 2011
This short novella just didn't ring real. It was a fiction about Matthias, who was hurt and abused young man. With fast developed plot, Matthias found his music again because of new found love for Kent. It was kind of warm story, but somehow everything developed to fast and unreal.
April 26, 2012
Matthias is broken and hurting and Kent is drawn to him. I love how Kurt even though he is a young man himself can recognize the needs in Matthias and show so much patience and gentleness. This story ends leaving you feeling that the is hope and a future for these young men.
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October 7, 2009DNF
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews