Kyland (A Sign of Love - Taurus) [Kyland & Tenleigh] by Mia Sheridan

Nope. I wanted to like it, but I think I ruined it after my DNF of "Becoming Calder" - the previous book in the series. I have a feeling if I read it BEFORE or read the books farther apart - then I would have finished it (though I would probably still not rate it very high). There are too many similar themes in the series. The small isolated place, the two young kindred spirits who can't be together or are separated for a few years before they re-meet. Naturally we've all read it all anyhow, but when you read a series that more than half of the books have somehow the same setting it's a bit too much. I LOVED both "Stinger" and  "Archer's Voice" I truly feel these two were excellent on their own and as a part of the series (being more original than the others..) but also, they are true to the genre they represent - both are New Adult towards Contemporary Romance. The rest, especially this one, are more on the Young Adult towards the New Adult which isn't really what I bargained for.. 

So here goes my rumble.. I'm sorry I'm butchering the book (especially after reading only 22% before putting it down..) but I truly feel Mia could have done A LOT better. The writing, the world building and the characters all were excellent but reading "same old, same old" from the author when I KNOW she could do much better put me off. 

First lets start with the "Isolated place" syndrome. Kyland and Tenleigh are living in a dirt poor town, they are SO poor that when Tenleigh sees Kyland taking leftover food she isn't that surprised.. The way the town is described is actually heart breaking and yet, when you think about it, it doesn't make any sense that this town could actually be a real one nowadays, it sounded too much like the cult from "Becoming Calder", yeah, naturally there are differences, but the main idea, the isolation, the feel you can't get out, the out of technology (not even cars, they all walk around everywhere, no television or no phones..) sounded like a relocation of the book. 

Second, "kindred spirits" from a young age separated by circumstance. Kyland and Tenleigh starts their relationship (or rather friendship were I stopped) in the last year of high school. Since both are trying to win a full scholarship for college they know that even though they are forming a bond together they WILL be separated when only one of them wins the scholarship. When you think about "Leo" (and "Leo's Chance") it's the same thing. They grew up together (granted, they WERE younger), they fell in love against all odds and then were separated when Leo got adopted. Thinking about "Becoming Calder" they met when they were little, formed a bond and then somehow got separated, I'm not sure how since I haven't read enough of the book.. ALL these also have another theme which is getting together after a few years being apart and rekindling their love for one another. 

One last detail - the forbidden relationship concept. Since it's obvious Tenleigh and Kyland are "fighting" for the same thing, it doesn't make any sense to be together, so in their mind a relationship between them SHOULDN'T happen. Again, let's think of "Becoming Calder" - Calder and Eden can't be together because he is a worker and she is, mmm, well, a messiah destined to marry the head of the cult (?).. Now think about "Stinger", there is no one telling Carson and Grace not to be together but since he is a male performer and she is on her way to becoming a distinguished lawyer they can't really be together for a lot of reasons. So again, as long as they don't change something in their lives, the relationship is sort of forbidden as well..

So yeah, the writing was excellent as I've already said and I did find a lot of details heart breaking and moving but I couldn't be bothered reading the same themes all over again.. especially not at the same month practically one after the other. I do wish the next one would be TOTALLY different. But unless I read reviews telling me so I won't continue reading the series.. too bad.. :( 

This isn't really a "series" since each book is either a stand alone (like this one) or a 2-parts story (like "Leo" / "Leo's Chance"), each book/s inspired by an astrological sign - this one is by Taurus. You can see all the books under this "series" under the tag "A Sign of Love".

 (DNF 22%)

Additional Details: Kindle Ebook, 264 pages, 22 February 2015 / On GoodReads