Did not finished, one, because it was boring and I couldn't make it to finished this book. Two, author behave badly.

Thirteen months or so ago I got an ARC. I read it when I was supposed to, but for some reason I didn't review it when I should have. Next thing I knew so much time had passed I couldn't even remember the book properly to review it. All I could say was that I thought the book was okay, and that the sequel would probably be more to my liking. Hardly a review for an ARC, so I decided I would read the book again. There was one problem, though: an okay book is nowhere near a book I'd wish to reread. Needless to say, this procrastinator did what procrastinators do best. Even though I felt terrible for being so late with my review, it took me a year to finally get to the point where I was determined Insight would be my next read. However, before I started the book, something else caught my attention. At first, I had no idea what it was about, but then I read something, and then another thing, and then another, and another, until I couldn't read anymore because all that was making me feel sick to my stomach. Therefore, I will not be reading Insight again nor will I spend time on writing a review. The book was okay. The sequels are most likely better. I'll never know.

We will no longer be reviewing this title..........

Oh I loved this book, it is something different than my usual read, but I loved this story! I think Santino Hassell has created the groundwork for a fantastic new series, I am already excited for more.

Nate's journey is thrilling and full of adventure. He's not your typical psychic, he doesn't embrace his powers and doesn't really like being around people. He knows something terrible happened to his twin brother and even though they were estranged for some time, he follows his instinct to find out just what happened. He meets Trent, who actually gives off a calming feeling for Nate, and the two travel to New York together.

That is where the mystery really begins, who Nate, and his family for that matter, really are, their history and the community. I loved the intrigue of this story, it kept me on my toes and I couldn't put it down. I loved the development between Nate and Trent, their relationship and connection to each other. I'm definitely excited about this series and what happens next for this group!

Insight is the first book in a new paranormal series by Santino Hassell and it gets off to an amazing start. I could not put this book down once I started reading and I'd happily reread it again. In fact, it went straight to my favorites shelf!

Where to even begin! This story took me places I didn't expect to go. Santino Hassell is just so good at that. There were twists and turns and things that made me question everything. Insight is exactly my kind of paranormal story.

Insight

I have mixed feelings about this book. I really enjoy paranormal and urban fantasy stories but I think this was a bit too slow for me.

I think the reason for this is that this is a series and so this book is really the story that sets up the complete series. The book starts by introducing us to Nate and we learn about his unhappy life and mysterious talents. We also learn about his family - his mother, aunt, uncle and brother and the rest of his family of psychics and their problems.

The story really begins when he decides to leave his small home town and he runs into Trent. The two of them are attracted to each other and eventually Nate is able to confide in him. The real drama starts when Nate and Trent arrive in New York and Nate meets the members of the community and he begins to investigate his brother's death.

I thought the story dragged until about 70% through when Nate and Trent become an investigating duo. At this point it is clear that there are many mysteries within the Community and a lot of darkness and shadowy individuals. I think the series shows promise and will gather momentum but this first story was a bit too slow for me.

Copy provided by Riptide Publishing in exchange for an unbiased review.

Post goes live 6 JUL

This is a complicated book for me to review. While I liked the story idea, I just couldn't get INTO the story itself. I liked Nate, but to be honest at times it felt like he just whined to hear himself whine. I did love Trent, but honestly about the halfway point of the book I was wondering why he was putting up with Nate.

I really liked the paranormal aspect of the book - and to be honest that's why I wanted to read it so badly. It was interesting to get to learn about the different types of paranormals and what powers they had. That was really fun.

I have to admit though - I was more drawn to the secondary characters than I was the main characters. I can't wait to read the next book in the series, but I did have to push myself to finish this one.

Overall - this was an okay read for me. I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it. But it did put me onto the series and I can't wait to read more in the future. And that's why it gets a 4 star instead of a 3 star from me.

I have to admit that I've become one of those readers--the ones who don't even have to think about it when they see that an author they enjoy is putting a new book out? Yep, that's me when it comes to Santino Hassell. He's become my own personal Pied Piper and I appear to follow him everywhere he goes, with good reason. Santino Hassell absolutely 100% delivers, every single time. I know that when I pick up one of his novels I am going to get an interesting, well written novel with characters I care about and want to know more about.

Insight took me into a world I'm usually not in--a PNR world--and I found myself constantly wanting to stop and tell Hassell how in awe I was at how he created the characters and their exceptionalities. He made Nate and Holden and C seem so believable that I never really found myself questioning it; as a matter of fact, I found myself actually wondering if what he proposed about psychics could be true! And with more coming from this community of characters I know that I'll be clamoring to get back in this world as quickly as possible.

Insight offers everything I've come to enjoy about Santino Hassell books--great characters and dialogue, perfect pacing, that kinda grimy film of realism, ---and it adds the supernatural and suspense and it all adds up to just the already mad love and respect I have for everything he touches. I'm super excited about this new series and I think many many readers will be too.

Review shared on Goodreads, Amazon, B & N, and V's Reads: https://vsreads.com/2017/05/18/honing-ones-insight-a-review/

Nate Black is a 22 y/o empath trying to make it on his own in a Houston suburb. He's got some family, but they're all crazier than him, and he knows from crazy. Theo, his estranged twin, has more powerful empathic gifts and moved to NYC shortly after high school ended, but Nate's hidden his empath abilities nearly his whole life, like their mother--who went crazy and killed herself--had instructed. Nate wants to fly under the radar, but he's overcome by a vision of Theo being drowned, in a way that's totally sketchy, and he knows his brother is dead. The only way to discover the truth behind it: head to NYC. Only Nate has barely a few hundred dollars to his name, and his big idea--to hitch his way from Texas--isn't the smartest.

Trent is a graduate student living in LA and driving home the southern route so he can visit friends in Houston. This has him crossing paths with Nate twice. The second time, he offers Nate a ride. Along the several days ride, Trent and Nate develop a connection, which is far stronger than Nate has ever experienced. Though Trent has never had sexual relations with a man, he believes himself to be bisexual, and he wants some intimacy with Nate. Nate's attracted to Trent, too, but he's used to walling himself off from everyone to keep their emotions out of his head. So, both are reluctant to make the first move. Not that it doesn't happen, because it does, but this isn't a traditional romance. What happens in New Orleans, though, doesn't stop when the trip ends.

Still, once they reach the bright lights of NYC, Nate goes his own way, promising to keep in touch with Trent. Nate knows he needs to touch base with Theo's closest friends if he wants to learn the truth, and he doesn't want to involve Trent in what might be dangerous. Plus, Trent doesn't know about the empath community and Nate's afraid Trent will balk if he thinks Nate is somehow using his gift to influence Trent into being gay-for-him. Connecting with Theo's pals alerts The Community that Nate's on the scene, however.

The Community is a hidden network of empaths and telepaths in the NYC area. Nate had no idea of the scope, what with his sheltered rural Texas life, but he's appropriately wary of the cadre of folk who want his loyalty and service. The more Nate learns, the more sinister things seem, and he reaches out to Trent for some normalcy, and insight, because Trent is truly the only person he feels he can trust. I really liked the twists and turns of this one. Expect it to morph into a thriller near the end. More empaths have gone missing/dead than just Theo, and Nate's put himself on a path that is far from safe by poking through the hornet's nest of intrigue that is The Community. As a reader, it was hard to know from what corner the danger came, and that's a testament to the fantastic writing here. The romance is not formulaic, and was all the more interesting due to the odd circumstances. Also, it was freaking unbelievably hot when Trent and Nate got it on. Nate's empathic abilities grow, and he's able to experience his and Trent's lust, and turn that back on them--creating a chemistry that is downright combustible.

I'm so looking forward to the next book in the series!! I received a review copy via NetGalley.

Insight is an intriguing story of supernatural powers. The characters are all interesting. I liked the slow build between Trent and Nate.and how the supernatural community was worked into the story. I like a little mystery added in with my romances and this delivered plenty of mystery and some suspense. The surprise at the end had me heading out for the next book.

I'm a big fan of Santino Hassell writing, this book is not exception. I'll try tell you a little of what to expect in Insight without spoiling it, is a paranormal thriller with romance.
Nate, the narrator of the story, is an empath. He can feel other people's emotions and comes from a family of psychics. This story takes us on a road trip, from Texas to New Orleans to New York, and introduces us other characters, most of whom are members of " the Community " which is confirmed for other psychics, an organized group of them. and there is Trent who isn't a psychic but grad student, a regular guy very smart but with no special powers.
Nate is determined to figure out what happened to his twin brother Theo and the true about his death, and take Trent with him in this journey. The connection between Nate and Trent is strong and instantaneous and as hot as can be when you can feel all your partners desires and lust.
There is so much yet to be discovered of those characters and about Trent whom I believed the author purposely didn't revealed to much about,
Santino Hassell is an incredible writer, his way of develop a tale and it's characters is flawless
I'm hooked and can't wait for Book 2!

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah – ☆☆☆☆☆
This book made me remember why I first fell in love with urban fantasy. The concept is fresh. The world building is fascinating. The eclectic mix of characters is wonderful and the murder mystery at the centre of this story is both creepy and thrilling.

Nate is a perfect urban fantasy anti-hero. Gay, poor, and moderately psychically gifted, he is a socially awkward introvert with a taste for obscure music. When he leaves Texas for New York, he is initially overwhelmed by the sophisticated psychics in The Community. I loved watching him grow into himself. Many of his perceived weaknesses end up being his strengths. He watches people, he reads people and, unlike his brother, he doesn’t need to be liked. The story is told from his perspective and I really enjoyed him as a narrator.

In the bizarre world that Nate stumbles into, Trent is a tiny piece of ordinary. As a psychic nul, Trent adds realism to the story. His safe and familiar existence only emphasises how sinister and claustrophobic The Community feels. There is some romance and some sex in this story, but it is definitely more of a thriller than a paranormal romance.

As the first story in a series, this book introduces both The Community and the Black family. I really enjoyed the subtlety of the character development. Everyone in this book has layers and angles. Even at the end of the story, most of the characters remain more grey than black or white and allegiances are muddier than they were at the start. Nate’s family history is teased apart in this story, but there are still many secrets left for later books. The Community becomes more complicated with every revelation.

I loved this book. Ultimately, this story sets up the series beautifully and I can’t wait for the next book. It has been a long time since I’ve completely fallen in love with an Urban Fantasy series, but this has the potential to become a new favourite.

I adore Santino Hassell's other series and I was so looking forward to reading Insight, but I struggled. Hard. I couldn't connect with the characters. I found myself skipping ahead. Unfortunately, this just didn't work for me or the three times I tried to pick it back up.

Omfg!! This book was amazing. Really, it was beyond amazing. After Nate receives a vision of his estranged twin brother's death, he decides he needs to visit New York and see if he can discover what really happened to Theo and who murdered him. Since his car was recently stolen, he chooses to use his thumb to get himself across the country. Trent rescues him from the side of the road and offers him a ride. As the two men make their way from Texas to New York City, the attraction they feel for one another builds. The further they get from Texas, the closer they get to one another.


I loved Nate and Trent. From the moment they met their chemistry was electric and when they finally give into the attraction it was explosive and hot. I loved getting to ride along with them from Texas to New Orleans and then on to their destination city, New York.

When they arrive in NYC, the real excitement begins. Hassell weaves an intriguing and entertaining story that was riveting and held me captive from the moment I picked this book up. This story and this couple were just complete perfection. It had mystery, suspense and romance. I absolutely couldn't put it down and can't wait to read Holden's story and see where the mystery will lead us next. I hope to get to see a lot of Nate and Trent in the next story, as well. Highly recommended!!!

*Copy provided to me via NetGalley for my reading pleasure, a review wasn’t a requirement.*

I was really excited about this book because I do enjoy the darker feel to Santino Hassell’s paranormal stories so I wanted to read more. This is the start of a new series and I found the world darkly seductive. We have a family of psychics living in Texas. Our main character, Nate, has been shunned by most of the towns people by either being gay, being weird or a freak (due to his psychic abilities he’s trying to hide) or his strange family that is plagued with mental illness and alcoholics. When he finds out his estranged twin brother supposedly killed himself in New York, he knows there’s more to it than that because of visions he’s having and decides to go on a search to uncover the truth about his brother’s death that takes him to New York and straight to The Community.

There is a cool similarity between The Community and some things about Scientology. It’s even compared in the book and I think that comparison is quite spot on. It was fun to see this entwined with the paranormal, psychic elements of the story. I was invested in the story because of the story. The characters? Well, I liked them individually but I’m not so sure on the romance aspect as much. Yes, there’s chemistry and attraction but I don’t know if it went past infatuation or insta-love for me. I wanted a bit more on that.

The mystery of Nate’s brother’s death is unfolded nicely and kept me turning the pages to find out what happened. Anxious and interested. So that is one thing that will keep me coming back for more of this world. And we have some open ended issues going on with The Community that I can’t wait to find out more about as well. All in all, this is a good first book in the series which captured my attention about this new story but didn’t quite deliver as much as I wanted on the romance end.

I've read a book by Santino Hassell and Megan Erickson, but this is the first book I've read by Santino on his own. Granted, he has a lot of other books - and I need to read them pronto because I really loved Insight. I'm so glad it's only the first in a series. At any rate, Insight is a great book - while there is an M/M romance, that's not the only focus. It's also about psychics and there is mystery and suspense! I loved it all and I was so fascinated by this Community. I definitely didn't trust them, but I wasn't sure how they were involved in the murder of Nate's twin brother.

While there is a second book, Insight works pretty well as a standalone. There are things you'll want to learn and it makes you excited for the sequel, but all in all, it wraps up a lot so you aren't left with a huge cliffhanger. As for the romance, I loved that too! Nate never really felt worthy of someone's attention and it was difficult to get close to someone as an empath, where he could feel everyone's emotions. Things are different with Trent though and they make it work, despite the crazy that unfolds around them. I definitely rooted for these two!

Wow, as impossible as this is, Insight is my first Santino Hassell book. I know right? But, OMG, this was a very good first book. I enjoy paranormal stories and HELLO, special abilities like mind control, how cool is that? If it’s in the right hands, of course.

I am going to start with the end of the book. It was such a thrilling ending. Nate and Trent cuddle and kiss and I love those squishy satisfactory endings. Seeing couples who have had a lot of heart pounding thriller action finally getting to settle down and cuddle just gets me. 🙂 And then Nate gets a phone call. Dun, dun, dun!! Trouble has once again stirred in New York and Nate can’t say no to going back to help. This is obviously a lead in to the next book of this trilogy, and I am seriously pumped and way more than ready to get that installment in my hands.

Insight is really a “Who done it” type story. Yes there are paranormal things going on, and that is definitely a huge aspect of the plot. But at equal level of importance is what happened to Nate’s brother, Theo. Nate is struck suddenly with a vision of his brother drowning in New York, but he knows Theo didn’t commit suicide. Compelled for reasons he can’t explain, Nate heads to New York. As Nate is thumbing his way down the road, Trent (a stranger but someone Nate did interact with at the liquor store where he works) stops to pick him up. Nate doesn’t get any bad empathic vibes from Trent’s car so he gets in. Because of Nate’s empathy abilities, he gets nothing but calm and soothing feelings from Trent, which puts Nate at ease. Do I have to even bother saying they fall for each other?

When Nate gets to New York, he meets up with Theo’s band mates and learns that everything Nate thought he new about special abilities is wrong. Not only is Nate basically a baby psy, but there is a community specifically designed and created to find and help psys of extreme value (defined by how helpful their abilities are).

This is definitely an action packed story and I HATED having to put it down. If you like paranormal and tense plot lines, this is the perfect book. I loved it all, and want time to speed up to get book 2 (and of course book 3). To say too much about the other characters will spoil the mystery. This IS a mystery that Nate is trying to solve and I was guessing and pondering right along with Nate and Trent. I didn’t know who to trust and I have to say, I was a little surprised by the ending, but not completely. I suspected everybody so am I still right when the bad guy turns out to be one of the millions on my list?

For me the first few pages started off slow but don’t let that stop you. Once things take off, they REALLY take off. I know I am leaving out a lot of the plot, but you shouldn’t know too much going in. Just know that things do work out for Nate and Trent.

4.5 stars

If being raised in the intolerant, judgmental suburbs of Houston, Texas hadn’t been difficult enough, Nathaniel Black also had to bear the stigma of his family’s name. Though most of them are “gifted” with varying psychic abilities, they are better known for the resulting mental instability, addiction, and suicide that seem to accompany those talents. Nate would rather just avoid them all as much as possible. But, when the death of his identical twin brother, Theo, is labeled a suicide, Nate will do anything to discover the truth, even if it means embracing the very thing he hates most.

Having read many of this author’s other titles, I’ve been very excited about Insight for quite some time. Not surprisingly, to say that I enjoyed reading it would be an understatement. While I’ve liked many books in the romance and paranormal genres, I simply can’t resist a good suspense or mystery story, and Insight kept me on edge from beginning to end. In fact, there was so much going on in this story, that this review has to be fairly limited in an effort not to ruin it.

One of my favorite things about Insight is that, although there are many layers in the plot, I didn’t feel overwhelmed by a profusion of obvious distractions, which can sometimes be problematic with stories that combine elements of multiple genres. Despite the very “busy” nature of this story, however, every scene appeared to be deliberate, if not economical, in its implementation, while consistently providing enough rich detail and imagery that immersing myself in the narrative was effortless.

While Insight should certainly be categorized as “Suspense” or possibly a “Thriller,” there’s no denying the significance of its romantic elements, as well. I found both Nate and Trent to be equally likable, and thought the complimentary nature of their developing relationship fit the story very nicely. Nate’s journey is one of self-acceptance as much as it is about discovering the truth, and watching him learn that he truly can be loved was a highlight of the novel for me.

Overall, I think Insight is a finely-crafted exploration of a world where truths and monsters dwell beneath the skin. Nate is an intriguing protagonist, and he and Trent each won me over with little effort from the very first chapter. The many twists and turns proved to be consistently riveting, the tension building to the point that I was literally unable to put the book down. So far, I believe this series is off to a wonderful start, and I can’t wait to get my hands on the next one.

DNF so will not be rating or reviewing. Thank you for the opportunity to review this title.

I'm don't read much PNR but I'm a fan of Santino Hassell and was intrigued by the idea of a romance involving psychics, so picking this book was a no-brainer for me. And I'm so glad I did.

This is an intriguing story combining a tender and explosive romance with an interesting suspense/mystery plot. There is a bit of everything - a very dysfunctional family, a murder to solve, a road trip during which to fall in love, a big bad mastermind and their organization to bring down. All the while trying to make a relationship work while keeping both yourself and person you love safe.

That's a lot for Nate to deal with, Nate who is a low-level psychic, angry at his family, unable to use/control his gift fully and basically just a young guy dealing with some pretty hard luck in life.

And then he meets Trent and everything changes, Trent is all warmth and sunshine and happiness and optimism. At least that is what Nate psychic gift tells him. And this is very much true, though Trent is not naive or totally out of touch with reality, he is just a genuinely kind person. We see this practical down to Earth, engineer-major guy accept the existence of psychic power and gradually get involved in some serious conspiracy, behind-the-scene actions, yet he stands by Nate without hesitation or doubt.

We get the story from Nate's perspective and we are privy to his innermost thoughts which give us an invaluable insight into his character. I wish we got the same level of familiarity of Trent but only see him from Nate's perspective. He is defined more in his relation to Nate rather than on his own and that is fine with me. He is an invaluable partner, a lover, best friend, the person everyone needs in their lives, especially during turbulent confusing times.

the story, despite being paranormal, is very emotional and raw, and feels real in the way I have come to expect from Santino Hassell. It read very much like romantic suspense which I greatly enjoyed. Nate (and Trent)'s struggle to figure out who to trust and who is the real danger and how to fight it was one exciting ride.

Overall, Insight is a very well written with intriguing plot and likable characters which made me a very happy reader. And there is still a lot to look forward to in the next two books in the series. I'm excited to see some very interesting characters (Chase, Chase!) get their stories told and ultimately the good winning the fight against evil.