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trin's review against another edition
2.0
I really enjoyed the last book in this series, so I was disappointed with the degree to which I did not connect with this one (ha). I know I'm picky about depictions of fandom -- especially male-centric depictions -- but this book managed to make it -- make everything, really -- seem both unrealistic and incredibly mundane. Both MCs came across as incredibly young -- younger even than their actual baby-ages of mid-20s -- and I didn't really like either of them. I appreciate Erickson and Hassell including diverse protagonists, including those that aren't neurotypical, but Ian just comes across as a demanding jerk. Also, the ease of Jesse's "gay now!" transition felt underwritten to me, and though I liked him better than Ian, I still found him to be a fairly dull and generic character.
This series appears to be drifting more and more in the direction of YouTube stars (rather than staying in the neighborhood of soldier gamers, which is where it started out), and while I'm not ruling out future changes in mood, I won't be rushing off to find the fourth book.
This series appears to be drifting more and more in the direction of YouTube stars (rather than staying in the neighborhood of soldier gamers, which is where it started out), and while I'm not ruling out future changes in mood, I won't be rushing off to find the fourth book.
bitchie's review against another edition
I just loved this. It's so wonderful to have a series that gets gamer culture, fandom, and geek culture so perfectly right.
Anyone that's read many of my reviews knows that I'm very picky about how games are portrayed in books. All too often, they have people playing games on the wrong consoles, or playing games in a way that doesn't make sense for the type of game that it is, IE, Final Fantasy with "last lives" and people taking turns, or Mario Bros on a freaking Xbox.
Fortunately, you can tell that these authors just GET gaming. They get the culture, they get the games themselves, they get how streaming and communities work. Even better, they also get fandom, and how important things like fanfiction and fanart has become to younger generations.
As such, I just adore this series. Two books now have had gaming as a very central part of the story, and both times, it was done excellently. I'm a gamer gal myself, and I loved how things are done here. I love that the authors realize that, while close and friendly in it's own way, it has a lot of very toxic parts, particularly towards women and anyone LGBTQ.
I adored the writing and the characters and just the "family" of gamers and geeks, those who accept each other, as well as those who are just pains in the ass no matter what. There's one in every group(at least!).
Anyone that's read many of my reviews knows that I'm very picky about how games are portrayed in books. All too often, they have people playing games on the wrong consoles, or playing games in a way that doesn't make sense for the type of game that it is, IE, Final Fantasy with "last lives" and people taking turns, or Mario Bros on a freaking Xbox.
Fortunately, you can tell that these authors just GET gaming. They get the culture, they get the games themselves, they get how streaming and communities work. Even better, they also get fandom, and how important things like fanfiction and fanart has become to younger generations.
As such, I just adore this series. Two books now have had gaming as a very central part of the story, and both times, it was done excellently. I'm a gamer gal myself, and I loved how things are done here. I love that the authors realize that, while close and friendly in it's own way, it has a lot of very toxic parts, particularly towards women and anyone LGBTQ.
I adored the writing and the characters and just the "family" of gamers and geeks, those who accept each other, as well as those who are just pains in the ass no matter what. There's one in every group(at least!).
a_reader_obsessed's review against another edition
4.0
4 Stars
Suffice it to say, there isn’t much I can add to this already fan favorite. If you loved the first two (and who didn’t), have no worries that this will also satisfy.
Jesse is a sweet, genuine guy who enjoys gaming and moderating Kai's (from [b:Strong Signal|28561501|Strong Signal (Cyberlove, #1)|Megan Erickson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1452874221s/28561501.jpg|48722063]) Twitch gaming channel. Newly out, stymied by irresponsible parents, and hampered sometimes by paralyzing shyness, he’s stuck in a rut he just can’t seem to find the motivation nor the courage to get out of. Jesse’s tired of being boring and unable to follow through on anything that matters to him, until he spies a hot, broody artist at a gamer’s convention. His world has just been turned upside down.
Ian has had a rough life. So rough, that he’s understandably paralyzed, not necessarily by shyness, but by extreme fear and anxiety. He hides behind his artsy persona, as well as his made up moderator personality that he co-runs with Jesse (who has no clue). He uses them as a shield, as empowerment to get him through the tough times, never having to show his true self, never having to show his vulnerabilities. No one knows the real Ian, and he’s totally fine with that… until Jesse.
Growing up is so hard to do and when one has a multitude of issues (some more than others), it makes it doubly complicated and terrifying to step outside one’s comforting, self-made box. So yes, these boys have a shit ton of stuff to work through and though they get off to a rough (but hot) start, they regroup and develop a friendship that slowly grows into something more. Of course, this latest installment is no different than the first two - it’s extremely well written, full of apt angst, and had some very nice smex (tho not near as dirty imo). However, this time around I absolutely loved both characters equally and just wanted to hug them over and over. Erickson and Hassell excel at the emotions without going overboard, the vulnerability pitch perfect here. Overall a great read that ticked my off my romance requirements. I’m already salivating for the next installment!
Suffice it to say, there isn’t much I can add to this already fan favorite. If you loved the first two (and who didn’t), have no worries that this will also satisfy.
Jesse is a sweet, genuine guy who enjoys gaming and moderating Kai's (from [b:Strong Signal|28561501|Strong Signal (Cyberlove, #1)|Megan Erickson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1452874221s/28561501.jpg|48722063]) Twitch gaming channel. Newly out, stymied by irresponsible parents, and hampered sometimes by paralyzing shyness, he’s stuck in a rut he just can’t seem to find the motivation nor the courage to get out of. Jesse’s tired of being boring and unable to follow through on anything that matters to him, until he spies a hot, broody artist at a gamer’s convention. His world has just been turned upside down.
Ian has had a rough life. So rough, that he’s understandably paralyzed, not necessarily by shyness, but by extreme fear and anxiety. He hides behind his artsy persona, as well as his made up moderator personality that he co-runs with Jesse (who has no clue). He uses them as a shield, as empowerment to get him through the tough times, never having to show his true self, never having to show his vulnerabilities. No one knows the real Ian, and he’s totally fine with that… until Jesse.
Growing up is so hard to do and when one has a multitude of issues (some more than others), it makes it doubly complicated and terrifying to step outside one’s comforting, self-made box. So yes, these boys have a shit ton of stuff to work through and though they get off to a rough (but hot) start, they regroup and develop a friendship that slowly grows into something more. Of course, this latest installment is no different than the first two - it’s extremely well written, full of apt angst, and had some very nice smex (tho not near as dirty imo). However, this time around I absolutely loved both characters equally and just wanted to hug them over and over. Erickson and Hassell excel at the emotions without going overboard, the vulnerability pitch perfect here. Overall a great read that ticked my off my romance requirements. I’m already salivating for the next installment!
imme_van_gorp's review against another edition
4.0
|| 4.0 stars ||
This book is such an angsty geek-fest, being very centred around the world of gaming, fanart and just fandoms in general. It created this rather unique vibe compared to a lot of other contemporaries.
One of the main characters, Ian, was also quite different from the norm: he had a lot of baggage and a lot of coping mechanisms, which do not just magically disappear or heal when he meets his love-interest or even at the end of the book. These things are part of him and that's that. They aren't going to go away; at most they could become less prevalent and easier to deal with. I liked this a lot, as it gave his character and storyline a more realistic undertone rather than just being some overly sappy fairy-tale.
The other main character, Jesse, was not very special though: he was just your average sweet yet shy guy. That's not to say I didn't like him, because I did, but I was just generally more interested in Ian and I tended to understand his point of view more than I did Jesse's. I would have preferred it if Jesse had maybe shown a bit more understanding and been slightly less dismissive (even though he wasn't trying to be, because he genuinely had the best intentions).
Long story short, there is a lot of drama going on here, with plenty of angst and an engaging plot. What's mostly missing are some more bonding scenes between Ian and Jesse: why did these two love each other and how did they get to that point?
'Cyberlove' series:
1. Strong Signal - 4.0 stars
2. Fast Connection - 3.5 stars
3. Hard Wired - 4.0 stars
4. Mature Content - 4.5 stars
This book is such an angsty geek-fest, being very centred around the world of gaming, fanart and just fandoms in general. It created this rather unique vibe compared to a lot of other contemporaries.
One of the main characters, Ian, was also quite different from the norm: he had a lot of baggage and a lot of coping mechanisms, which do not just magically disappear or heal when he meets his love-interest or even at the end of the book. These things are part of him and that's that. They aren't going to go away; at most they could become less prevalent and easier to deal with. I liked this a lot, as it gave his character and storyline a more realistic undertone rather than just being some overly sappy fairy-tale.
The other main character, Jesse, was not very special though: he was just your average sweet yet shy guy. That's not to say I didn't like him, because I did, but I was just generally more interested in Ian and I tended to understand his point of view more than I did Jesse's. I would have preferred it if Jesse had maybe shown a bit more understanding and been slightly less dismissive (even though he wasn't trying to be, because he genuinely had the best intentions).
Long story short, there is a lot of drama going on here, with plenty of angst and an engaging plot. What's mostly missing are some more bonding scenes between Ian and Jesse: why did these two love each other and how did they get to that point?
'Cyberlove' series:
1. Strong Signal - 4.0 stars
2. Fast Connection - 3.5 stars
3. Hard Wired - 4.0 stars
4. Mature Content - 4.5 stars
jessicajessica101's review against another edition
3.0
3.5
C'est le tome que j'ai le moins apprécié de la série pour le moment. J'ai énormément Ian et Jesse mis j'ai trouvé que parfois les auteurs avaient de bonnes idées mais ne les exploitaient et surtout ne les expliquaient pas assez, et j'ai vraiment trouvé que les personnages se prenaient parfois bien trop la tête. Cependant, j'ai apprécié l'histoire et je me suis encore une fois laissé entraînée par le duo de personnage.
J'ai également énormément hâte de lire le 4ème tome sur Beau et sur Zane parce que celui ci, je pense qu'il ne pourra être que bon !
C'est le tome que j'ai le moins apprécié de la série pour le moment. J'ai énormément Ian et Jesse mis j'ai trouvé que parfois les auteurs avaient de bonnes idées mais ne les exploitaient et surtout ne les expliquaient pas assez, et j'ai vraiment trouvé que les personnages se prenaient parfois bien trop la tête. Cependant, j'ai apprécié l'histoire et je me suis encore une fois laissé entraînée par le duo de personnage.
J'ai également énormément hâte de lire le 4ème tome sur Beau et sur Zane parce que celui ci, je pense qu'il ne pourra être que bon !
jackiehorne's review against another edition
4.0
Another strong m/m romance from the Erickson/Hassell team, this one, like book #1, set in the online gamer community. Two co-moderators of an online gamer's Twitch account are scheduled to present together at an gamer conference. Trouble is, one of the mods,has adopted a chirpy, happy female persona online ("Cherrycakes"), while in another section of the internet, he's a "slutty fuckboy fan artist named "Cerise." Ian (his real life name) has developed quite a crush on Jesse Garvy, his California surfer-boy heterosexual co-moderator. What is Jesse likely to say when he discovers his co-mod is is a gay man? And one with a shit-load of emotional baggage to boot?
Turns out, though, that Jesse isn't quite as hetero as he had once assumed, and has come to the conference ready to explore his new-found sexual orientation. He's immediately drawn to the sexy artist Cerise, who is exhibiting his work in a booth at the con. Of course, Ian, being Ian, isn't able to bring himself to ruin their time together by telling Jesse he's also "Cherrycakes." And of course Jesse feels totally betrayed after he finds out, especially because the sex and intimacy he and Ian shared are nothing like what he's ever experienced with a girl...
Interesting exploration of the different roles people adopt in cyberspace, and the importance of being able to adopt different roles and keep different aspects of yourself secret, especially when you're a public figure of sorts. And great character development: misanthropic, cranky, quick-to anger Ian and laid-back, kind, and honest Jesse make an unusual, but compelling pair.
Turns out, though, that Jesse isn't quite as hetero as he had once assumed, and has come to the conference ready to explore his new-found sexual orientation. He's immediately drawn to the sexy artist Cerise, who is exhibiting his work in a booth at the con. Of course, Ian, being Ian, isn't able to bring himself to ruin their time together by telling Jesse he's also "Cherrycakes." And of course Jesse feels totally betrayed after he finds out, especially because the sex and intimacy he and Ian shared are nothing like what he's ever experienced with a girl...
Interesting exploration of the different roles people adopt in cyberspace, and the importance of being able to adopt different roles and keep different aspects of yourself secret, especially when you're a public figure of sorts. And great character development: misanthropic, cranky, quick-to anger Ian and laid-back, kind, and honest Jesse make an unusual, but compelling pair.
tinkcourtney's review against another edition
4.0
This was a fantastic addition to the Cyberlove series! The characters in the series feel so authentic, with complex issues and flaws and depth, and Ian and Jesse were no exception. The great thing is that I never felt bogged down in angst - yes, there were insecurities and difficulties communicating sometimes, but they always got past it, and there were lots of sweet, funny, and sexy moments as well.
The side characters were WONDERFUL. I'm really looking forward to the next in the series - I'm crossing my fingers for a certain pairing that I can't wait to see pan out!!
The side characters were WONDERFUL. I'm really looking forward to the next in the series - I'm crossing my fingers for a certain pairing that I can't wait to see pan out!!
caseroo7's review against another edition
4.0
Find this review and more at Ramblings From This Chick
I was so excited for Cherry and Garvy's story and couldn't wait to dive into Hard Wired by Megan Erickson and Santino Hassell. The Cyber Love series is one of my favorites, and Hard Wired was everything I had hoped it would be! While this is the third installment in the Cyber Love series, each book is a standalone with interconnected characters. While you can read this without having read the others, I highly recommend starting at the beginning though as these books are fantastic!
Cherry and Garvy have known each other online for awhile now, but as mod's for Kai's channel, everyone has always assumed that sweet Cherry was a girl. When the two are set to speak at a conference in Kai's place, Garvy is looking forward to meeting Cherry even though he hasn't heard from Cherry when he tried to make contact beforehand. But when he meets the sexy dark artist Cerise, he decides to spend the night exploring his strong attraction to him, now that he has admitted that he is into other guys. But when he shows up for the panel the next morning, he is shocked to realize that Cerise and Cherry are one and the same. After the conference they return home, and soon begin to wonder if everything should go back to the way things were or if there is something there between them worth exploring.
I absolutely loved Cherry and Garvy. I have been fans of them from the beginning, even when Garvy was a bit of a jerk at times and clearly into Kai. But I really enjoyed getting to know these two here and seeing what made them tick. They were great for one another, and I loved how they had things in common but were really different as well. The chemistry between Cherry and Garvy was so hot, and I couldn't get enough of them together. I loved that they were so much more than just physically attracted to one another though, and that their connection was so strong.
The one thing that kept this book from being a five star read for me though, was the fact that there were some issues between them when it came to Cherry's persona Cerise. I felt like while they came to a point they could move forward, that things weren't entirely resolved. It just wasn't fully dealt with and was sort of brushed under the rug. I would have liked for them to have been more on the same page about things there. I really did enjoy this book though, and despite my criticism I think that this book might be my favorite of the series yet. I just loved everything about these two, and I highly recommend it!
**ARC Provided by Alpha Book Club**
I was so excited for Cherry and Garvy's story and couldn't wait to dive into Hard Wired by Megan Erickson and Santino Hassell. The Cyber Love series is one of my favorites, and Hard Wired was everything I had hoped it would be! While this is the third installment in the Cyber Love series, each book is a standalone with interconnected characters. While you can read this without having read the others, I highly recommend starting at the beginning though as these books are fantastic!
Cherry and Garvy have known each other online for awhile now, but as mod's for Kai's channel, everyone has always assumed that sweet Cherry was a girl. When the two are set to speak at a conference in Kai's place, Garvy is looking forward to meeting Cherry even though he hasn't heard from Cherry when he tried to make contact beforehand. But when he meets the sexy dark artist Cerise, he decides to spend the night exploring his strong attraction to him, now that he has admitted that he is into other guys. But when he shows up for the panel the next morning, he is shocked to realize that Cerise and Cherry are one and the same. After the conference they return home, and soon begin to wonder if everything should go back to the way things were or if there is something there between them worth exploring.
I absolutely loved Cherry and Garvy. I have been fans of them from the beginning, even when Garvy was a bit of a jerk at times and clearly into Kai. But I really enjoyed getting to know these two here and seeing what made them tick. They were great for one another, and I loved how they had things in common but were really different as well. The chemistry between Cherry and Garvy was so hot, and I couldn't get enough of them together. I loved that they were so much more than just physically attracted to one another though, and that their connection was so strong.
The one thing that kept this book from being a five star read for me though, was the fact that there were some issues between them when it came to Cherry's persona Cerise. I felt like while they came to a point they could move forward, that things weren't entirely resolved. It just wasn't fully dealt with and was sort of brushed under the rug. I would have liked for them to have been more on the same page about things there. I really did enjoy this book though, and despite my criticism I think that this book might be my favorite of the series yet. I just loved everything about these two, and I highly recommend it!
**ARC Provided by Alpha Book Club**