I loved this book! The writing was amazing—descriptive and lyrical, I laughed the whole way through. The narration was superb.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

not going to lie I did not love this one. it took me months to read because I never wanted to pick it up. I finally powered through and honestly its just not for me. I do think its for some people I just wasn't hooked the way I wanted to be. the spice was there but the main character turned me off.

DNF, the narrator wasn't the right fit for the book in my eyes. I will probably give it another go in physical copy.

I am so glad this book has been rerelease and made into an audiobook and will bring new attention to this series again. Sometimes all it takes it the right timing and a whole new world of readers.

This book is different from other written by Alexis Hall and it has so many interesting elements. I so appreciated the way this was told - in Ashes (main character) head mainly, and he’s got a lot going on in his head. I loved the way we saw that thru his bipolar disorder and his jerky self.

The romance is sizzling.
MM romance
Open door.
Pirate
Humor mingled with darkness
A fresh perspective

The narrator Nichols Bolton handles these chat and story with such care and brings them to life expressing all the confusion and sadness the heartache and the love you can thru the narration.

This had some uplifting moments and some raw and open discussions about mental health, but I was surprised by the amount of stereotyping the author engaged in. It dulled some of the humorous moments and made me less invested in the main characters and their romance. There were moments of brilliance in the writing, but these were offset by the other issues.

Glitterland is now being re-released with a brand new cover . What an adorable and lyrical M/M story that captured me from the start. It was emotional and steamy, and I loved that it focused on mental health and themes of self-discovery.

🎧The audio narration was great, and I would definitely recommend this format.

*many thanks to Sourcebooks Casa, Dreamscape Media, and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review.

This book was alright. I enjoyed the emotional work, and I think the writing was lovely. It was hard because the main character was just so unlikeable.

I don’t think Alexis Hall is for me.

I have tried a couple and I just don’t enjoy them. I trudged through this one.

April 2024

How do you write your first real review for a book that you are reading for the fifth time? And how can a book that you have read four times before still feel like such a rollercoaster? The lows are so low and the highs are so high. Which, of course, is apt when reading from the POV of a self-identified bi-polar depressive. It's remarkable how hard this book still hits when it's at its best. Each time I read it, the characterization feels even deeper and I feel like I understand the characters even better than before. The prose is just the right shade of purple for the POV, without going over the top (most of the time). The way the book depicts class and language is still outstanding. This book makes me feel and it makes me think - two things I highly value in a reading experience.

I was expecting it to be more difficult to be at all critical of this book at this point but I the reality is that there are a few things about this book that don't totally work for me and I still noticed them on this read. In fact, it's possible they stood out more in contrast to the things I loved. My biggest beef is the main characters' fatphobia. Here's where I land on that: two things can be true; that this is a believable depiction of the character's feelings AND that those feelings are rooted in personal and systemic fatphobia. It's a shame that it's not included as one of the many content warnings in the book's opening. My other issue comes back to the language, which, as I state above, mostly feels just right and in character. But I don't think I will ever shake the feeling I had the first time I read this book where I wasn't sure if it was simply too pretentious to enjoy. (Obviously, based on my rating and many re-readings, it doesn't cross that line but it's a fine thing in some moments.)

Finally, I want to comment on the bonus materials and the narration (since I received an ARC of the new audiobook.) The new bonus materials are 100% worth picking up a new copy of this book if you haven't read them. Aftermath being included is a great compromise between Hall's most abrupt endings and the type of HEA epilogue that is not generally his style. Shadowland adds more depth to the story and it makes me super eager for Niall's story. The Rik Glass story is quite funny to read. I didn't read the annotations this time (because they are not included in the audio) but I did enjoy reading them on my last read when the new edition came out last year. The narration is excellent. I've listened to Nicholas Boulton's original recording and Ash's delivery felt more subtle than the original recording at first and I wasn't sure if I liked it better but in the end it remained a great listen - he does Darian a great service, giving us the full Essex experience with care.

Ash Winters has crippling anxiety and has largely sequestered himself away in his own home, but for a rare night out for a special occasion. He meets younger, flamboyant Darian on one such night out and what started as a one night stand turns into a surprisingly mutually beneficial relationship.

This is a sweet story about taking chances, letting go of assumptions, and looking past the superficial. Ash and Darian are both flawed, but charming characters. I loved this!

I enjoyed 10 Things That Never Happened by the same author, so I thought I'd like this one too, but I just couldn't get into it. The main character depresses me a lot. I'm not sure if I'd ever care about him, but I'm not interested in sticking around and finding out if I will. What this book nailed, though, is how it represents mental health as well as the many points of ups and downs that come with it. I agree with some of the reviews that the characters are realistic.

Eh... idk I just didn't jive with this as much as I was hoping to! It was ok, but the writing style didn't really work for me and I have a hard time with one-night stands as the beginning point of the relationship. Darien was a gem though and I appreciated the bipolar/depression rep in the story!

I’m so thankful to have received the audiobook arc of this book because it’s the rare kind of book that is infinitely better being read to you than being read by you. The contrast between Ash’s posh accent and Darian’s Essex would never have stood out so starkly on a page. Neither would the deadpan British humor. This book was hilarious, introspective, romantic, and somehow both heartbreaking and wholly unserious. Ash is completely unlikeable but you can’t help but have empathy for him. He’s an asshat with bipolar disorder who thinks he’s hard to love because he’s mentally ill but truly it’s because he’s selfish and rude. But I think reading this really drives home the fact that we’re all a little bit awful sometimes and that still doesn’t mean we’re unlovable. The right person will see the best in you even when you don’t know it’s there.

If somethings is by Alexis Hall, i WILL read! And in this case listen to! I loved the story, I love the shanenigans and the relationship between Darian and Ash <3 I took some time to finish just because I was not used to audiobook format but the narrator did an amazing job and it became a routine before bed to just listen to this story hehe

Alexis Hall's "Glitterland" is a mesmerizing book that captivates readers from start to finish. It is magical and emotionally poignant. Hall tells a sparkling story of love, self-discovery, and atonement with wit and sensitivity in her brilliant words. The characters pop off the page with richness and realism, engrossing readers in their world of glitzy parties and hidden insecurities against the backdrop of London's thriving gay community. "Glitterland" is a moving celebration of resiliency and the transformational power of love, with its skillful portrayal of mental health challenges and the complexities of relationships. Anyone looking for a brilliant voyage through the complexities of the human heart should read this book.

Alexis Hall’s debut romance is getting a whole new look in this rerelease. The first in the Spires Universe, Glitterland introduces readers to Ash Winters, a former literary golden boy struggling with depression, and Darian Taylor, who turns Ash’s world upside down and encourages him to step outside of his comfort zone. This is a revised and expanded reissue that includes a new cover and bonus content such as a letter from the author on the writing process, a recipe, and additional scenes.

This was my first time reading Glitterland and, as a fan of Alexis Hall, I loved seeing the origins of his writing and the elements that have remained vital parts of his work. This is such a great look at a character dealing with the challenges of mental health struggles, and it makes me wish even more romances focused on these issues.

The narrator was fantastic, particularly when it came to Darian's voice. I'm looking forward to reading even more in this series as the revised editions come out!

Glitterland, narrated by the talented Nicholas Boulton, adds depth and emotion to the story of Ash Winters, a once-renowned English writer struggling with clinical depression. His encounter with Darian Taylor, a vivacious character from Essex, introduces a contrast of personalities that Boulton captures brilliantly. The subplot involving the narrator's care for a kitten named Sumo is rendered with tenderness and warmth, highlighting themes of resilience and unexpected relationships. Boulton's skillful interpretation of Alexis Hall's writing brings authenticity to Ash's mental battles and enriches the characters' dialogues. Despite some challenges in pacing and Darian's Essex accent, this audiobook is a compelling portrayal of the complexities of human connections and mental health.

My first Alexis Hall did not disappoint! This was such an emotional and thought provoking read. I listened on audio and it was so fun with all the accents and emphasis on certain moments. I think this added a lot to the story for me!

It was also veryyy sexy and steamy 😮‍💨. These parts were definitely a relief in between the extremely heavy moments. Definitely read the TW for this one. Some of the major themes include depression, talk of suicide and self-inflicted injuries.

Definitely recommend this one overall and please be careful with yourself as you read 🫶🏼

I absolutely could not stop listening to this book! First off, the narrator is absolutely incredible! Second, I love that Ash's anxiety was almost a character in and of itself as I know from personal experience, is exactly what it can be like. You don't live life with anxiety, you live alongside of it almost. I loved how all of the different characters came together at different times to give Ash's the love (albeit sometimes tough love) he needed to get his act together and allow himself to let Darian love him. The groveling was also super hot, so there's that.