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The Anomaly
A tale of Haven and Hades, of watchful Guides and transmigrating Souls, and of the little, green Soul, from the Order of Agitators, who derails them all.
Narrated from both sides of life, The Anomaly presents an alternate reality, a dimension where every Person is a Player, where every Player is a reincarnated Soul, and where every Soul is a patron of either Haven or Hades...except Zia.
Chilkoot Pass, Alaska 1898. From Zia's lies come a disastrous ripple effect; her 10th life ends, the paths of four others skew, and the cord to humanity's future shifts. Haven and Hades ignite into war. Across celestial and physical planes, Hades sends their most ruthless Soul--Triite, Order of Persuaders--to track, target, and coerce Zia. While fighting Hades' plots to claim or destroy her, Haven discovers a paradox within Zia's Soul--a devastating paradox. For Haven to have any chance of regaining the cord in the 21st Century, they must first win another battle--a battle of wits, wisdom, and strategies to redeem the irrepressible prankster, practiced opportunist, artful liar Zia.
Narrated from both sides of life, The Anomaly presents an alternate reality, a dimension where every Person is a Player, where every Player is a reincarnated Soul, and where every Soul is a patron of either Haven or Hades...except Zia.
Chilkoot Pass, Alaska 1898. From Zia's lies come a disastrous ripple effect; her 10th life ends, the paths of four others skew, and the cord to humanity's future shifts. Haven and Hades ignite into war. Across celestial and physical planes, Hades sends their most ruthless Soul--Triite, Order of Persuaders--to track, target, and coerce Zia. While fighting Hades' plots to claim or destroy her, Haven discovers a paradox within Zia's Soul--a devastating paradox. For Haven to have any chance of regaining the cord in the 21st Century, they must first win another battle--a battle of wits, wisdom, and strategies to redeem the irrepressible prankster, practiced opportunist, artful liar Zia.
- GenresFantasy
512 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2012
2 people are currently reading
332 people want to read
About the author
Wendy Joyce
1 book6 followersREADERS, discover THE ANOMALY without risking a dime. CLICK HERE TO READ 14 CHAPTERS NOW!
Wendy Joyce lives with her husband on a lavender farm in the Sierra Nevada foothills. As the owner of a government contracting company, Ms. Joyce has been writing and editing in the technical and legal arena for over 25 years. As a fiction writer, she debuts with The Anomaly.
Wendy Joyce lives with her husband on a lavender farm in the Sierra Nevada foothills. As the owner of a government contracting company, Ms. Joyce has been writing and editing in the technical and legal arena for over 25 years. As a fiction writer, she debuts with The Anomaly.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
November 17, 2013
Thank you to Wendy for the advanced copy of your book. I enjoyed The Anomaly very much! The suspenseful scenes are well-written and most of the character's reactions are realistic and relatable. One quality I find particularly admirable, especially towards the beginning of the novel, is that religion is not promoted, but rather portrayed as a deep facet of life worthy of erudition.
June 18, 2020
Okay.
Years ago when I was really hardcore questioning my life, Life, my purpose in it and Reality (having a mid-life crisis, actually!), I read everything I could get my hands on, from Michael Newton, Ph.D's Journey of Souls: Case Studies of Life Between Lives series, Many Masters, Many Lives by Brian L. Weiss, Raymond Moody's Life After Life: The Investigation of a Phenomenon - Survival of Bodily Death, et al seeking answers to Why and What For (of course, these weren't the only books I read; they are just the most applicable to this novel The Anomaly).
I STILL have the same questions... Why and What For???
~Too many times in my life I've experienced the sensation of déjà vu, having done that, been there, already knowing this person AGAIN. And what is with that???!!!???
~What am I NOT LEARNING here? And Why TF do I have to re-live this again??
This book, The Anomaly by Wendy Joyce, a fictional novel, actually answered my questions. Not personally, of course, but in the general workings of how things operated.
It's not easy to understand at first; deliberately set up as if one is a baby thrown into a reality that is fully functioning and somehow one must fit in (which is why babies cry to be heard and are always demanding to make themselves paid attention to, hello!).
Regardless, I don't do summaries or spoilers, BUT, emphasis on but, this book has many aspects that address life between lives and the purposes of existence, to a point, since every life is individual. And it's not for everyone. ~One can read it as just a story or look at it as a learning tool. I choose the latter.
Serious as it is, there's a LOT of hilarity, sometimes over-the-top, laugh-out-loud moments that makes it a fun read. Still, it will make one think and question and be reassured that there are reasons Why.
Years ago when I was really hardcore questioning my life, Life, my purpose in it and Reality (having a mid-life crisis, actually!), I read everything I could get my hands on, from Michael Newton, Ph.D's Journey of Souls: Case Studies of Life Between Lives series, Many Masters, Many Lives by Brian L. Weiss, Raymond Moody's Life After Life: The Investigation of a Phenomenon - Survival of Bodily Death, et al seeking answers to Why and What For (of course, these weren't the only books I read; they are just the most applicable to this novel The Anomaly).
I STILL have the same questions... Why and What For???
~Too many times in my life I've experienced the sensation of déjà vu, having done that, been there, already knowing this person AGAIN. And what is with that???!!!???
~What am I NOT LEARNING here? And Why TF do I have to re-live this again??
This book, The Anomaly by Wendy Joyce, a fictional novel, actually answered my questions. Not personally, of course, but in the general workings of how things operated.
It's not easy to understand at first; deliberately set up as if one is a baby thrown into a reality that is fully functioning and somehow one must fit in (which is why babies cry to be heard and are always demanding to make themselves paid attention to, hello!).
Regardless, I don't do summaries or spoilers, BUT, emphasis on but, this book has many aspects that address life between lives and the purposes of existence, to a point, since every life is individual. And it's not for everyone. ~One can read it as just a story or look at it as a learning tool. I choose the latter.
Serious as it is, there's a LOT of hilarity, sometimes over-the-top, laugh-out-loud moments that makes it a fun read. Still, it will make one think and question and be reassured that there are reasons Why.
October 20, 2013
This book was a little hard for me to get into at first, but I kept reading and I'm glad I did! I love the way Wendy Joyce writes. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking to read something different with well-developed characters and a fantastic plot!
October 22, 2013
This was a very hard book to read. Once you get past the first 150 pages you can't put the book down. The storyline is so busy in the beginning with all of the orders in Haven and all of the Guides and spirits and then you have all of the differnet lives that affect each other and Zia is the catalyst to eveything. I truly felt like I needed a scorecard to keep up with all the players and how they affected each other even though there were two charts in the book which I did not feel were very helpful. Once you get to Zia's final life and everything seems to fall into place the book is fabulous. I felt like I lost a piece of me when the book ended. I don't think I have had a book affect me like this before. I would highly recommend this book and stick with the difficult parts. It is definitely worth it.
July 29, 2013
Fantastic! The story is full of twists that you'll never see coming...and those twists keep coming and coming, chapter after chapter, right to the 110th. (It's a BIG book, but it's fast paced and tightly written.) I became so attached to the characters, I'm reading it again...and picking out an assortment of clues and foreshadowing that I missed in the first read. The book's backflap description does not do the story justice; but the Clarion Review nailed it. Like Clarion, I also give it five stars.
August 17, 2013
What a fantastic read! Enjoyed every minute of it. Fell in love with Zia, what an adorable and endearing character. It was like watching an mischievous child with a bag full of pranks. A self-absorbed soul with a heart of gold! Zia in her own twisted sense of right and wrong and I could help admire her for her courage and conviction. Hats off Wendy Joyce!
February 22, 2014
Full review - http://sarityahalomi.blogspot.com/201...
The Anomaly s was an excellent book that I couldn't stop reading.
The story flash like a fire crackers show all over the sky. It will sweeps you over like a Tornado which roll and leave nothing on its way. It was so different from anything that I meet in this subject, before and I so love that idea. Wendy Joyce treat all those questions of life, death, after life, good vs. bad, in her unique way:
Apparently, a chink may appear, causing what the powers that be may consider a flaw, an anomaly? as you cause a cluster of particles to a wake to its awareness there is always a chance that it will be something different from other clusters. This particles clusters are souls and they are the ultimate recyclable.
Zia, is a slight, green soul with purple hair from the Order of the Agitators, she has always been different, rebellious, and a little too inquisitive. Zia is a complex and hilariously fun character who bumbles her way admirably through to her destiny. Full of unique concepts and terrific character you will enjoy The Anomaly - I guarantee it.
She breaks all the rules but means well just the same. She just can't seem to fathom what she is doing wrong or why the Guides are cross with her. She just isn't like the other Souls in Haven. She never sent to haven like all the other souls, but to the divisional, and she think it is her guide fault. She also convince herself that it is better like this. She has only one friend Awen Order of messengers, but unfortunately he is a Dyad, which mean that he have a soul mate. Zia don't like his soul mate, Ereo, and she ignore her completely.
Every time she is sent to Earth to be born she messes up and the some in Haven fear she will turn from One (sort of like Good ones) and become one of Niie (basically the evil ones). Romal her former Guide transfer her to Alpha another kind of guide, a Peril Guide. Zia don't understand the meaning of this change - only those who can cause harm and don't have clear preference to go to haven get this kind of Guides. And because Zia caught the Niie 's interest.
The book start with - Chilkoot Pass, Alaska 1898. From Zia's lies come a disastrous ripple effect; her 10th life ends, the paths of four others skew, and the cord to humanity's future shifts.
Haven and Hades ignite into war. Across celestial and physical planes, Hades sends their most ruthless Soul--Triite, Order of Persuaders--to track, target, and coerce Zia. While fighting Hades' plots to claim or destroy her, Haven discovers a paradox within Zia's Soul--a devastating paradox. For Haven to have any chance of regaining the cord in the 21st Century, they must first win another battle--a battle of wits, wisdom, and strategies to redeem the irrepressible prankster, practiced opportunist, artful liar Zia.
Is she the problem in the big scheme of life, or is she the solution? What makes her so different from other souls?
Along Earth decades and in a very complicate waltz of steps and souls - Haven strategy against the Niie plans, is:
To assigned her for a Peril Guide,
To see if she will acknowledge Ereo;
To see if she comes to care for her 'sister' Jen (who is Phoenix from the healers order) to her she assigned as a whisper;
At the same time to convince her to put some order in her soul by get rid from all those fragments that she carry from previews lives ( with the help of Malachi from the Finishers Order)
Every thing have to converge in the Neutral point. With same old/new characters in the play. Now Zia turn out first time as a female and she is the best persona ever. Each side place them carefully in chess like game. What is going to determine the result is the free will of these characters, which is the most sacred thing.
The Anomaly s was an excellent book that I couldn't stop reading.
The story flash like a fire crackers show all over the sky. It will sweeps you over like a Tornado which roll and leave nothing on its way. It was so different from anything that I meet in this subject, before and I so love that idea. Wendy Joyce treat all those questions of life, death, after life, good vs. bad, in her unique way:
Apparently, a chink may appear, causing what the powers that be may consider a flaw, an anomaly? as you cause a cluster of particles to a wake to its awareness there is always a chance that it will be something different from other clusters. This particles clusters are souls and they are the ultimate recyclable.
Zia, is a slight, green soul with purple hair from the Order of the Agitators, she has always been different, rebellious, and a little too inquisitive. Zia is a complex and hilariously fun character who bumbles her way admirably through to her destiny. Full of unique concepts and terrific character you will enjoy The Anomaly - I guarantee it.
She breaks all the rules but means well just the same. She just can't seem to fathom what she is doing wrong or why the Guides are cross with her. She just isn't like the other Souls in Haven. She never sent to haven like all the other souls, but to the divisional, and she think it is her guide fault. She also convince herself that it is better like this. She has only one friend Awen Order of messengers, but unfortunately he is a Dyad, which mean that he have a soul mate. Zia don't like his soul mate, Ereo, and she ignore her completely.
Every time she is sent to Earth to be born she messes up and the some in Haven fear she will turn from One (sort of like Good ones) and become one of Niie (basically the evil ones). Romal her former Guide transfer her to Alpha another kind of guide, a Peril Guide. Zia don't understand the meaning of this change - only those who can cause harm and don't have clear preference to go to haven get this kind of Guides. And because Zia caught the Niie 's interest.
The book start with - Chilkoot Pass, Alaska 1898. From Zia's lies come a disastrous ripple effect; her 10th life ends, the paths of four others skew, and the cord to humanity's future shifts.
Haven and Hades ignite into war. Across celestial and physical planes, Hades sends their most ruthless Soul--Triite, Order of Persuaders--to track, target, and coerce Zia. While fighting Hades' plots to claim or destroy her, Haven discovers a paradox within Zia's Soul--a devastating paradox. For Haven to have any chance of regaining the cord in the 21st Century, they must first win another battle--a battle of wits, wisdom, and strategies to redeem the irrepressible prankster, practiced opportunist, artful liar Zia.
Is she the problem in the big scheme of life, or is she the solution? What makes her so different from other souls?
Along Earth decades and in a very complicate waltz of steps and souls - Haven strategy against the Niie plans, is:
To assigned her for a Peril Guide,
To see if she will acknowledge Ereo;
To see if she comes to care for her 'sister' Jen (who is Phoenix from the healers order) to her she assigned as a whisper;
At the same time to convince her to put some order in her soul by get rid from all those fragments that she carry from previews lives ( with the help of Malachi from the Finishers Order)
Every thing have to converge in the Neutral point. With same old/new characters in the play. Now Zia turn out first time as a female and she is the best persona ever. Each side place them carefully in chess like game. What is going to determine the result is the free will of these characters, which is the most sacred thing.
October 27, 2013
Wouldn't want you to take my word about my own book...so the below review (and star rating) is from...
FOREWORD CLARION REVIEWS: 5 of 5 stars
Everyone wonders what happens when a person dies. The shell decomposes, true, but what about the eternal soul? What further adventures await? Wendy Joyce's The Anomaly throws back the veil that divides the celestial realms of Haven and Hades from Earth and offers her readers an exciting suggestion of what lies out there in the metaphysical realm.
Like the characters in Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell, the souls in The Anomaly are reborn into different genders, eras, and fates. This is no random act, however. Rather like Frank E. Peretti's This Present Darkness, which follows the day-to-day interactions of demons and angels among humans, The Anomaly follows a group of guides from Haven and Hades as they plan their centuries-old strategy to gain control of Earth. Each side chooses their best "Souls" and sends them to Earth, where they change from Energies into Players. On Earth, Players are unaware of their previous existences, so they can only draw from lessons they've added to their essences in order to fulfill that lifetime's goals. The stakes are high; if Hades wins, mankind is doomed. And mistakes can last for generations.
Despite brilliant tactics by Haven's master strategist, Alpha, there's always a hitch. In this case, that hitch is Zia, a rebellious, impish Soul whose sincere efforts to serve Haven tend to backfire and become victories for Hades.
Bursting with childlike observations and innocent ignorance, Zia's character is full of delightful anomalies. She is "aberrant among Energies, but still complete." A third smaller in size than everyone else, she stubbornly clings to her own versions of the truth. Yet often her idiosyncrasies serve to explain her peculiar behavior; for example, being colorblind, she believes that other people are interpreting her colors incorrectly. And even her lies can be true. When each of her lives fails, her surly guide, Alpha, finally realizes that her essence resembles that of a teenager: unreliable and often "inverted." This knowledge enables him to adjust his battle plans for dealing with Zia's dishonesty—and for reclaiming Earth.
Readers will chuckle and sniffle during Zia's very human attempts to discover her full potential. Despite her flaws, she is an unusual, likeable, and memorable character. The supporting players will also stay with readers: Alpha, who needs self-forgiveness; Malachi, whose enormous blue teddy-bear self pushes Zia toward enlightenment; Ereo, who rubs Zia the wrong way. Souls retain their personality across each life, offering readers clues about their identities. Figuring out which Soul becomes which Player is part of the fun of this intriguing, tightly written novel.
But it is not just the quirky characters that make the book worth reading. Joyce's craftsmanship is brilliant; using simple, clear language, she builds unexpected moments and vivid settings. Key phrases planted throughout the text enable the reader to enter a shifting world with multiple meanings. Additionally, each of the eras flows into the next, creating generational suspense that can only culminate in victory if Zia learns to embrace her lifetime lessons.
With laugh-out-loud humor and elements of fantasy, science fiction, and mystery, The Anomaly will appeal to a wide audience, teenagers and adults alike.
Emily Asad
February 1, 2013
ForeWord/Clarion Reviews
FOREWORD CLARION REVIEWS: 5 of 5 stars
Everyone wonders what happens when a person dies. The shell decomposes, true, but what about the eternal soul? What further adventures await? Wendy Joyce's The Anomaly throws back the veil that divides the celestial realms of Haven and Hades from Earth and offers her readers an exciting suggestion of what lies out there in the metaphysical realm.
Like the characters in Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell, the souls in The Anomaly are reborn into different genders, eras, and fates. This is no random act, however. Rather like Frank E. Peretti's This Present Darkness, which follows the day-to-day interactions of demons and angels among humans, The Anomaly follows a group of guides from Haven and Hades as they plan their centuries-old strategy to gain control of Earth. Each side chooses their best "Souls" and sends them to Earth, where they change from Energies into Players. On Earth, Players are unaware of their previous existences, so they can only draw from lessons they've added to their essences in order to fulfill that lifetime's goals. The stakes are high; if Hades wins, mankind is doomed. And mistakes can last for generations.
Despite brilliant tactics by Haven's master strategist, Alpha, there's always a hitch. In this case, that hitch is Zia, a rebellious, impish Soul whose sincere efforts to serve Haven tend to backfire and become victories for Hades.
Bursting with childlike observations and innocent ignorance, Zia's character is full of delightful anomalies. She is "aberrant among Energies, but still complete." A third smaller in size than everyone else, she stubbornly clings to her own versions of the truth. Yet often her idiosyncrasies serve to explain her peculiar behavior; for example, being colorblind, she believes that other people are interpreting her colors incorrectly. And even her lies can be true. When each of her lives fails, her surly guide, Alpha, finally realizes that her essence resembles that of a teenager: unreliable and often "inverted." This knowledge enables him to adjust his battle plans for dealing with Zia's dishonesty—and for reclaiming Earth.
Readers will chuckle and sniffle during Zia's very human attempts to discover her full potential. Despite her flaws, she is an unusual, likeable, and memorable character. The supporting players will also stay with readers: Alpha, who needs self-forgiveness; Malachi, whose enormous blue teddy-bear self pushes Zia toward enlightenment; Ereo, who rubs Zia the wrong way. Souls retain their personality across each life, offering readers clues about their identities. Figuring out which Soul becomes which Player is part of the fun of this intriguing, tightly written novel.
But it is not just the quirky characters that make the book worth reading. Joyce's craftsmanship is brilliant; using simple, clear language, she builds unexpected moments and vivid settings. Key phrases planted throughout the text enable the reader to enter a shifting world with multiple meanings. Additionally, each of the eras flows into the next, creating generational suspense that can only culminate in victory if Zia learns to embrace her lifetime lessons.
With laugh-out-loud humor and elements of fantasy, science fiction, and mystery, The Anomaly will appeal to a wide audience, teenagers and adults alike.
Emily Asad
February 1, 2013
ForeWord/Clarion Reviews
October 27, 2013
A tale of Haven and Hades, of watchful Guides and transmigrating Souls, and of the little, green Soul, from the Order of Agitators, who derails them all.
Narrated from both sides of life, The Anomaly presents an alternate reality, a dimension where every Person is a Player, where every Player is a reincarnated Soul, and where every Soul is a patron of either Haven or Hades... except Zia.
Chilkoot Pass, Alaska 1898. From Zia's lies come a disastrous ripple effect; her 10th life ends, the paths of four others skew, and the cord to humanity's future shifts. Haven and Hades ignite into war. Across celestial and physical planes, Hades sends their most ruthless Soul--Triite, Order of Persuaders--to track, target, and coerce Zia. While fighting Hades' plots to claim or destroy her, Haven discovers a paradox within Zia's Soul--a devastating paradox. For Haven to have any chance of regaining the cord in the 21st Century, they must first win another battle--a battle of wits, wisdom, and strategies to redeem the irrepressible prankster, practiced opportunist, artful liar Zia.
Thank you to Wendy Joyce for a copy of this book from first reads. I enjoyed this book very much. It become kind of hard to follow at times but it did pick up at the end where everything was explained and understood. the characters well developed and I felt like I personally knew several characters very well other characters I felt like could have been developed a little bit more but all in all it was a very good read that I enjoyed thoroughly. I do agree with some of the other readers that the subject matter and topic we're young adult / teenager related but it was written up more of an adult level. But it didnt bother me any because I would rather read something that is more of an adult level with a young adult /teenager topic then to read a teen book that I feel is constantly speaking down to me or dumbing it up just because it's for young reader. I did enjoy this title very much.I'm eagerly awaiting to see what her next book will hold!
Narrated from both sides of life, The Anomaly presents an alternate reality, a dimension where every Person is a Player, where every Player is a reincarnated Soul, and where every Soul is a patron of either Haven or Hades... except Zia.
Chilkoot Pass, Alaska 1898. From Zia's lies come a disastrous ripple effect; her 10th life ends, the paths of four others skew, and the cord to humanity's future shifts. Haven and Hades ignite into war. Across celestial and physical planes, Hades sends their most ruthless Soul--Triite, Order of Persuaders--to track, target, and coerce Zia. While fighting Hades' plots to claim or destroy her, Haven discovers a paradox within Zia's Soul--a devastating paradox. For Haven to have any chance of regaining the cord in the 21st Century, they must first win another battle--a battle of wits, wisdom, and strategies to redeem the irrepressible prankster, practiced opportunist, artful liar Zia.
Thank you to Wendy Joyce for a copy of this book from first reads. I enjoyed this book very much. It become kind of hard to follow at times but it did pick up at the end where everything was explained and understood. the characters well developed and I felt like I personally knew several characters very well other characters I felt like could have been developed a little bit more but all in all it was a very good read that I enjoyed thoroughly. I do agree with some of the other readers that the subject matter and topic we're young adult / teenager related but it was written up more of an adult level. But it didnt bother me any because I would rather read something that is more of an adult level with a young adult /teenager topic then to read a teen book that I feel is constantly speaking down to me or dumbing it up just because it's for young reader. I did enjoy this title very much.I'm eagerly awaiting to see what her next book will hold!
February 12, 2014
Zia is Soul that breaks all the rules but means well just the same. She just can't seem to fathom what she is doing wrong or why the Guides are cross with her. She just isn't like the other Souls in Haven. Every time she is sent to Earth to be born she messes up and the some in Haven fear she will turn from One (sort of like God) and become one of Niie (basically Satan) When Zia is assigned Alpha for a Guide and comes to care for her 'sister' Jen; she finally starts to get the hang of her purpose. Unfortunately when she meets on the Neutral Ground in her next 'life' she must battle balance and keep it from shifting in Niie's favor.
This was an excellent book that I couldn't wait to get back to everyday. Zia is a complex and hilariously fun character who bumbles her way admirably through to her destiny. Full of unique concepts and terrific character you will enjoy The Anomaly - I guarantee it.
This was an excellent book that I couldn't wait to get back to everyday. Zia is a complex and hilariously fun character who bumbles her way admirably through to her destiny. Full of unique concepts and terrific character you will enjoy The Anomaly - I guarantee it.
September 19, 2013
Amazing read!!!!
January 19, 2014
When a human dies, are their souls reborn in another? Apparently, souls are the ultimate recyclable! But through all of their lives, isn’t it plausible that something may go wrong, that a chink may appear, causing what the powers that be may consider a flaw, an anomaly? Could that anomaly be Zia, a slight, green soul from the Order of the Agitators, she has always been different, rebellious, and a little too inquisitive, is she the problem in the big scheme of life, or is she the solution? What makes her so different from other souls?
Pay close attention, hang on to the rails and strap in for a blazing ride through time, space as this tale of “Haven and Hades” unwinds at breakneck speed. The Anomaly by Wendy Joyce is filled with quirks, tension and intrigue as a decision must be made about what to do with Zia and how a lie Zia told became like the butterfly effect beating into a tsunami of change for the lives she affected. The battle between haven and Hades heats up as Hades tries to claim Zia’s soul for their own. Can she escape the clutches of the determined Triite? Will her ability to deceive and connive save her or condemn her?
Forget anything you think you know about souls, reincarnation and fate. The Anomaly plays out like a light show flashing across the universe. Rich in details, one might get lost easily without paying close attention to this often chaotic world. At times, the details came close to overpowering the plot, until that moment when they begin to fall into place, piece by piece like a 5000 piece puzzle. Imagine the world-building to be the borders, the characters come next, built in little clumps that will eventually fit somewhere, and finally, the various scenes and events, the missing pieces that bring it all together.
I have to say, there were times I was frustrated, but these times were short-lived as Zia’s antics and her skewed perceptions were well-explained, if not actually understood by those around her. I imagine, even for an ancient soul, if you have the mindset of a teen, your youthful perspective and ability to rationalize are far different than those of an adult, and often, with Zia, I found this wasn’t always a bad thing. I do think the book tended to go on a bit, but Zia kept things moving along, so if you love details, a fast pace and tales of the chaos that is the universe and life, grab some caffeine and pick up Anomaly. 3.5 Stars
I received this copy from Smith Publicity in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: March 7, 2013
Publisher: CER
ISBN: 9781937338022
Genre: Adult Fiction
Number of Pages: 514
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Pay close attention, hang on to the rails and strap in for a blazing ride through time, space as this tale of “Haven and Hades” unwinds at breakneck speed. The Anomaly by Wendy Joyce is filled with quirks, tension and intrigue as a decision must be made about what to do with Zia and how a lie Zia told became like the butterfly effect beating into a tsunami of change for the lives she affected. The battle between haven and Hades heats up as Hades tries to claim Zia’s soul for their own. Can she escape the clutches of the determined Triite? Will her ability to deceive and connive save her or condemn her?
Forget anything you think you know about souls, reincarnation and fate. The Anomaly plays out like a light show flashing across the universe. Rich in details, one might get lost easily without paying close attention to this often chaotic world. At times, the details came close to overpowering the plot, until that moment when they begin to fall into place, piece by piece like a 5000 piece puzzle. Imagine the world-building to be the borders, the characters come next, built in little clumps that will eventually fit somewhere, and finally, the various scenes and events, the missing pieces that bring it all together.
I have to say, there were times I was frustrated, but these times were short-lived as Zia’s antics and her skewed perceptions were well-explained, if not actually understood by those around her. I imagine, even for an ancient soul, if you have the mindset of a teen, your youthful perspective and ability to rationalize are far different than those of an adult, and often, with Zia, I found this wasn’t always a bad thing. I do think the book tended to go on a bit, but Zia kept things moving along, so if you love details, a fast pace and tales of the chaos that is the universe and life, grab some caffeine and pick up Anomaly. 3.5 Stars
I received this copy from Smith Publicity in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: March 7, 2013
Publisher: CER
ISBN: 9781937338022
Genre: Adult Fiction
Number of Pages: 514
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
July 11, 2014
The Anomaly is such a great read! It apparently just won the Bronze writing award for science fiction book of the year at the Las Vegas IndieFab awards ceremony. It is one of those books that transports you to a place you don’t want to leave, one where you find yourself thinking about and missing the characters whenever you aren’t reading it and hoping you aren’t missing something while you’re away. I hope the author writes more like it, especially with some of the same characters. I can see why they gave it a science fiction award, but I’d describe it more as a mystery-adventure story, one with an inter-dimensional cast of characters as they navigate their lives in and out of their earthbound human counterparts. My wife couldn’t put it down and actually read the whole book in one night. I’m a slower reader but could hardly stop reading once I was a few chapters in and got my head around the universal structure of things from the author's perspective. I loved following the mischievous and often hilarious lead character Zia on her journeys across space and time as she and other souls jumped in and out of characters on Earth while she humorously contemplated her place in the Universe, all the while unknowingly influencing powerful cosmic struggles between good and evil that played out and were even dependent on the outcome of Zia’s hijinks and adventures along the way. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who’d like a thought-provoking and entertaining perspective on our life on Earth as the characters all play out their generation-spanning Earthly and heavenly roles within the comfortable confines of a masterfully crafted murder mystery novel.
October 10, 2013
The Anomaly by Wendy Joyce
The Anomaly by Wendy Joycewas a well written, innovative novel about Zia, a soul that messed up in her lifetime and tried to fix the problems she caused in another life. The characters interaction with each other was informative as well as persuasive. There are some characters in the book (especially Zia) that were very comical and witty. The book keeps the reader engaged in what’s happening with the story.
There were some drawbacks to the book. I thought the beginning of the book felt like you were supposed to already know the back story. There is a lot of information thrown at you in the beginning (even though it is necessary at understanding the story). I thought it also felt like it took too long to get into the story. I think that if this book would be edited and the beginning a bit better explained, it would be a great book ( 4 or more stars).
Another thing I was not fond of was the writing going back and forth between 3rd person and first person. It can confuse the reader as to who the information is coming from.
2.5 Stars
*I won this book through Goodreads First Reads giveaway. In no way has this influenced my rating or opinion of this book.*
The Anomaly by Wendy Joycewas a well written, innovative novel about Zia, a soul that messed up in her lifetime and tried to fix the problems she caused in another life. The characters interaction with each other was informative as well as persuasive. There are some characters in the book (especially Zia) that were very comical and witty. The book keeps the reader engaged in what’s happening with the story.
There were some drawbacks to the book. I thought the beginning of the book felt like you were supposed to already know the back story. There is a lot of information thrown at you in the beginning (even though it is necessary at understanding the story). I thought it also felt like it took too long to get into the story. I think that if this book would be edited and the beginning a bit better explained, it would be a great book ( 4 or more stars).
Another thing I was not fond of was the writing going back and forth between 3rd person and first person. It can confuse the reader as to who the information is coming from.
2.5 Stars
*I won this book through Goodreads First Reads giveaway. In no way has this influenced my rating or opinion of this book.*
December 1, 2014
Well, this is good for a first book by an author. The first part of the book was incredibly confusing and I honestly would have just quit reading if I had not looked at reviews and seen that many said that it gets better after the first part. Not enough detail in the first part - and really - too lacking in detail - I really would have just given up on it if I had not received the book free to review and then read the reviews to see what on earth was going on. That being said - I do understand the purpose of the first part - but it could have been shorter and had more details. The main part of the book deals with Zia in one of her many lifetimes as she deals with issues that have been brewing for all of her lifetimes - thus the confusing beginning which I think could have been done better. However, the main plot had lots of mystery and intrigue which kept me reading to find out who did what and why. That part of the story was quite good. I received this book free to review from Netgalley.
September 9, 2014
Thank you to the author Wendy Joyce for sending me a paperback copy of The Anomaly in exchange for an honest review.
This is a book about souls that get reincarnated into different "players" (humans) in order to decide who has more influence over the universe, "One" (God) or "BeezleNiine" (The Devil). This book seemed like it was meant for teenagers and young adults to be able to relate to. However in my opinion, it read like an adult writing what she thinks teenagers and young adults are like. Admittedly, I had a hard time getting through this book because it was just so long, and there were so many details that in the end seemed inconsequential. It was only towards the last third of the book where everything seemed to fall into place and finally make sense.
To see my full review of this book click here
This is a book about souls that get reincarnated into different "players" (humans) in order to decide who has more influence over the universe, "One" (God) or "BeezleNiine" (The Devil). This book seemed like it was meant for teenagers and young adults to be able to relate to. However in my opinion, it read like an adult writing what she thinks teenagers and young adults are like. Admittedly, I had a hard time getting through this book because it was just so long, and there were so many details that in the end seemed inconsequential. It was only towards the last third of the book where everything seemed to fall into place and finally make sense.
To see my full review of this book click here
February 9, 2014
The opening scene takes place in Alaska, where rescuers are excavating for possible survivors of an avalanche. Guides surround the area, invisible to humans. One of the shells (dead people) contained the soul of Zia, of the order of Agitators. I read this book carefully, going back and skimming through passages, and it just never made sense. A centuries old soul with the temper and attitude of a terrible two year old yells at the angel in charge, his Guide, who has supposedly know him for those entire centuries, has a conversation with him that makes it sound as though they've just met. There's no continuity, no filling out of characters, and I never felt the slightest connection with the characters, or any desire to know them better. The book reads like a very dull acid trip.
October 13, 2013
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. This book was very weird. I feel like these people were written like the author has never spent any time with teenagers. It's an adult's perception of how she thinks teenagers behave but lacks the sort of genuine reality.
October 29, 2013
Very interesting story and characters.
I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
Want to read
May 25, 2023I received a free copy of this book through a goodreads giveaway.
I have not finished the work, but what I have read so far has been interesting. It is a little outside of what I normally would read and I doubt that I would have picked this book up if I were to see it at the bookstore. I would have missed out on an intriguing read!
I have not finished the work, but what I have read so far has been interesting. It is a little outside of what I normally would read and I doubt that I would have picked this book up if I were to see it at the bookstore. I would have missed out on an intriguing read!
October 30, 2013
Won as part of the Goodreads first reads program.
I really liked this book. It was a bit hard to get into because there was so much going on at first, but once you get past all that, it's a definite page turner.
I really liked this book. It was a bit hard to get into because there was so much going on at first, but once you get past all that, it's a definite page turner.
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