What do you think?
Rate this book
Bright Beyond #0.5
Dark Expanse
In a world of military space stations, planetary jumps and alien offensives, Eva Braebel's life has never been easy. She's small. She's female. And she earned the ire of a powerful General at a young age. With hard work and the support of her friends, she achieves more than she ever dreamed possible: A position as flight squadron leader and the man that she loves by her side.
Eva just got everything she's ever wanted, but how long can she keep it?
This is a short story of approximately 10,500 words.
Eva just got everything she's ever wanted, but how long can she keep it?
This is a short story of approximately 10,500 words.
43 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 5, 2014
25 people are currently reading
159 people want to read
About the author
Theresa Kay
25 books445 followersThe only person she knows who had a subscription to Writer's Digest at eleven and was always excited to write research papers, Theresa has been putting words to paper since a young age. Living in the mountains of central Virginia with her husband and two kids, she works as a paralegal by day, binges on Netflix at night and finds bits of time in between reading almost everything she can get her hands on and laundry to craft stories that tend to feature broken characters in sci-fi or paranormal worlds, with a touch of romance thrown in for good measure.
She's constantly lost in one fictional universe or another and is a self-proclaimed “fangirl” who loves being sucked in to new books or TV shows. Theresa originally wanted to write horror novels as an ode to her childhood passion for Stephen King novels, but between her internal Muse’s ramblings and the constant praise for her sci-fi pieces from her writer’s group – The Rebel Writers – she knew she should stick with what was working.
Ok, enough talking about myself in the third person… I love interacting with readers, so if you want to shoot me a line, you can connect with me on Facebook and Tumblr Even if it’s not about my books, I like chatting about my (many) fandoms, books and reading in general, or just about anything really.
She's constantly lost in one fictional universe or another and is a self-proclaimed “fangirl” who loves being sucked in to new books or TV shows. Theresa originally wanted to write horror novels as an ode to her childhood passion for Stephen King novels, but between her internal Muse’s ramblings and the constant praise for her sci-fi pieces from her writer’s group – The Rebel Writers – she knew she should stick with what was working.
Ok, enough talking about myself in the third person… I love interacting with readers, so if you want to shoot me a line, you can connect with me on Facebook and Tumblr Even if it’s not about my books, I like chatting about my (many) fandoms, books and reading in general, or just about anything really.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
July 26, 2015
Oh dear lord, how can such a short novella kill me this much?? And yet, it did.
This novella is told switching between glimpses of the past and the present. I can sometimes find these hard to follow, but Ms. Kay did a fantastic job of making it very clear what was going on in each section and when each section was. It was spaced out really well so that each glimpse into the past added to what was going on in the present. And such great characters -- loved Eva so much. Her nickname of Spitfire was perfect. And the trio of boys....oh man, from the first introduction, I was in love.
Yup, it had humour, action, romance, so many feels, and an epic ending. It's going to be excruciating to wait for the first novel in this series, but I will wait with baited breath. :)
I was given an early copy of this novella from the author, but it was so good I decided I needed my own copy complete with fabulous cover....
This novella is told switching between glimpses of the past and the present. I can sometimes find these hard to follow, but Ms. Kay did a fantastic job of making it very clear what was going on in each section and when each section was. It was spaced out really well so that each glimpse into the past added to what was going on in the present. And such great characters -- loved Eva so much. Her nickname of Spitfire was perfect. And the trio of boys....oh man, from the first introduction, I was in love.
Yup, it had humour, action, romance, so many feels, and an epic ending. It's going to be excruciating to wait for the first novel in this series, but I will wait with baited breath. :)
I was given an early copy of this novella from the author, but it was so good I decided I needed my own copy complete with fabulous cover....
February 7, 2014
Holy.... Wow...
I never thought a short little novella could suck me in as much as this one did.
It's a super quick read - but there is SO much packed into it.
It flashes between present and past, giving us a great (quick) back story of Eva, Thomas, Nathan and Harvey.
Even though this was short - it didn't feel rushed for me. I was able to understand what happened between Eva and Thomas in the past, and felt content with how the author presented it... at the moment, I didn't need more of the past.
The present however... WHAT THE HELL?!?! I mean... I just.... WHAT?!?!
Ugh... I need more. MORE! I just.... sigh... I have no words. It's amazing... I cannot wait for a full novel to come out to continue this story.
I never thought a short little novella could suck me in as much as this one did.
It's a super quick read - but there is SO much packed into it.
It flashes between present and past, giving us a great (quick) back story of Eva, Thomas, Nathan and Harvey.
Even though this was short - it didn't feel rushed for me. I was able to understand what happened between Eva and Thomas in the past, and felt content with how the author presented it... at the moment, I didn't need more of the past.
The present however... WHAT THE HELL?!?! I mean... I just.... WHAT?!?!
Ugh... I need more. MORE! I just.... sigh... I have no words. It's amazing... I cannot wait for a full novel to come out to continue this story.
February 6, 2014
Dark Expanse expertly switches between what's going on in Eva's life right now (earning squadron leader in flight school) and how she got there. It hadn't been easy, and there was a lot of drama, but with the love and support of her three best friends over the years everything was finally falling perfectly into place, which includes being with her true love, Thomas, and having both of them out from under his father, THE General's thumb. But the perfect night quickly turns into her worst nightmare, and she just might lose it all.
Theresa pulls off switching from past to present so smoothly it never feels jarring or pulls you out of the story. Even with such a short story she builds a vivid world, throwing you right in and making you comfortable there. I love Eva's spunk and confidence, she's the perfect heroine and I can't wait to see more of her.
Don't pass this up!
Theresa pulls off switching from past to present so smoothly it never feels jarring or pulls you out of the story. Even with such a short story she builds a vivid world, throwing you right in and making you comfortable there. I love Eva's spunk and confidence, she's the perfect heroine and I can't wait to see more of her.
Don't pass this up!
September 8, 2018
This short story is a very poor advert for the series it precedes, consisting mostly of dull teen soap opera that could take place anywhere and anywhen, with the sci-fi military setting being largely unimportant until it suddenly turns into Invasion Of The Bug-Eyed Stabby Monsters at the end. The characters felt poorly sketched to me (which meant, crucially, that it was hard to feel invested in the romance) and the narrative's hopping around in time seemed unnecessarily fiddly in such a relatively short work. Overall, not utterly awful, but I think it tries to cram too much into a short prequel with the result that it feels bland and rushed.
February 11, 2014
I'm bordering speechless. Sci-fi isn't typically my genre but the world Theresa built is one that you fall into and don't want out of. The characters have immediate depth, making you certain you know them yourself. The story flows with an easy grace that made me forget I was reading "an Indie author" and instead made me think of Ender's game. Even the technical jargon around the military and space life was so natural I didn't question a single word. Now, I just hope there's another one because I'm pissed that I don't have more...
October 13, 2018
Oh my goodness, to think I almost didn't read this!
I misunderstood, and thought this was a zombie story. I'm old and get confused - and zombies freak me out. This is just the prequel, I am starting the 1st book immediately. YES, I highly recommend this book!
I misunderstood, and thought this was a zombie story. I'm old and get confused - and zombies freak me out. This is just the prequel, I am starting the 1st book immediately. YES, I highly recommend this book!
February 14, 2016
Good story but a bit strange and with some inconsistencies and some sentences that just don't flow right. (like her saying she is pregnant, while she clearly says she hasn't seen Thomas in a long time, then time switch and suddenly he is there, they have sex and voila baby (like it is that easy), also are they not taught about condoms and all that?). Also why are they drunk every time they meet? Strange relationship, are they truly in love or is it the alcohol? I know she confessed and liked him while not being intoxicated, but it seems every time they meet they are drunk.
And why are they so often drunk? Don't get me wrong, I don't mind people drinking, but it seems like she is quite often drunk, and she also drinks while clearly being pregnant. Again, do they learn their children nothing there?
Also Thomas is a prick. He leaves her when he confesses he doesn't have a girlfriend and he likes our main girl, and he has sex with her and leaves (and thus leaves her pregnant). How can she stay with him? And marry him? Also he wants to keep their relationship secret every time. Because blah blah superior officer/boss this and blahblah that daddy issues.
And the past/present switch was quite annoying and confusing. Wish it was done in separate chapters and not in the middle of a story. At times I had no clue what time it was.
And that cliffhanger/ending.. Urgh.
I did have 2 characters I absolutely adored, Harvey and Nathan. My, they were wonderful characters and really sweet towards our main lead girl.
All in all, I was planning on reading the first book, but now after this, I am dropping the series.
Review also posted at: http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
And why are they so often drunk? Don't get me wrong, I don't mind people drinking, but it seems like she is quite often drunk, and she also drinks while clearly being pregnant. Again, do they learn their children nothing there?
Also Thomas is a prick. He leaves her when he confesses he doesn't have a girlfriend and he likes our main girl, and he has sex with her and leaves (and thus leaves her pregnant). How can she stay with him? And marry him? Also he wants to keep their relationship secret every time. Because blah blah superior officer/boss this and blahblah that daddy issues.
And the past/present switch was quite annoying and confusing. Wish it was done in separate chapters and not in the middle of a story. At times I had no clue what time it was.
And that cliffhanger/ending.. Urgh.
I did have 2 characters I absolutely adored, Harvey and Nathan. My, they were wonderful characters and really sweet towards our main lead girl.
All in all, I was planning on reading the first book, but now after this, I am dropping the series.
Review also posted at: http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
April 26, 2015
I always like to say "there are no little books, only novellas", and then I think I'm so cleaver. (I'll get over myself.)
I read Kay's Novel, "Broken Skies", first. Though it had a rocky start I was very pleasantly surprised. I decided to take a chance on the novellas. This one was written as a prequel, and one can see a huge difference in skill level from this offering and her first episodes of this series. It is suggested we read the prequel and then on to episode one. I usually delight in watching a hew author find her legs and grow. Unfortunately, it doesn't really work with prequels. After reading this, the first and second episodes were truly painful to read.
It's hard for me to separate this prequel from the previous episodes. This prequel really sets the stage for what promises to be an engaging series. Kay has a difficult time with initial character development that often whispers "silly caricature". In the novel she over-came the clumsy start. Unfortunately for this series.. not so much.
*sigh* Sometimes I wish we could just use an erasure and start again with what came before. I gave THIS prequel 3 stars for what it should have been. I can't be so enthusiastic for what came before...after... whatever.
I read Kay's Novel, "Broken Skies", first. Though it had a rocky start I was very pleasantly surprised. I decided to take a chance on the novellas. This one was written as a prequel, and one can see a huge difference in skill level from this offering and her first episodes of this series. It is suggested we read the prequel and then on to episode one. I usually delight in watching a hew author find her legs and grow. Unfortunately, it doesn't really work with prequels. After reading this, the first and second episodes were truly painful to read.
It's hard for me to separate this prequel from the previous episodes. This prequel really sets the stage for what promises to be an engaging series. Kay has a difficult time with initial character development that often whispers "silly caricature". In the novel she over-came the clumsy start. Unfortunately for this series.. not so much.
*sigh* Sometimes I wish we could just use an erasure and start again with what came before. I gave THIS prequel 3 stars for what it should have been. I can't be so enthusiastic for what came before...after... whatever.
July 5, 2014
3.5 stars
Eva Braebel is a tiny girl but don't let her small size fool you she is a tough cookie.
She deal's with alien's, was in booth camp and lives between space military stations.
I loved the opening sentence: "The first time I met Thomas Markham I punched him in the nose, right between his ice blue eyes." O.k I loved the second sentence to: "In my defense , I'd had a bad day and he acted like a complete asshole."
The writer had me at Hello.
Eva becomes good friend with Thomas and his friends Nathan and Harvey. As the story progresses we learn more about Thomas and Eva's relationship. Nathan and Harvey are the best friends you could ask for, very funny and protective off Eva.
Why the 3.5 star rating? the writing is excellent and the story is action packed but the story and plot felt it was written in a rush. Some sentences didn't flow and some scenes were not making sense or were unclear to me.
Eva Braebel is a tiny girl but don't let her small size fool you she is a tough cookie.
She deal's with alien's, was in booth camp and lives between space military stations.
I loved the opening sentence: "The first time I met Thomas Markham I punched him in the nose, right between his ice blue eyes." O.k I loved the second sentence to: "In my defense , I'd had a bad day and he acted like a complete asshole."
The writer had me at Hello.
Eva becomes good friend with Thomas and his friends Nathan and Harvey. As the story progresses we learn more about Thomas and Eva's relationship. Nathan and Harvey are the best friends you could ask for, very funny and protective off Eva.
Why the 3.5 star rating? the writing is excellent and the story is action packed but the story and plot felt it was written in a rush. Some sentences didn't flow and some scenes were not making sense or were unclear to me.
June 23, 2017
Wow. This was so good. The perfect prequel to draw me in for more. It more than peaked my interest. It has 4 friends, Eva, nathan, Thomas, and Harvey. They go to school together, train together, Eva and Nathan fall in love. Tragedy strikes that had me sitting up yelling. It was an awesome beginning.
November 19, 2014
Quite the story of a girl and her three male companions as they meet and grow together. This is a short prequel that offers valuable information on what I am sure is to come later on in the series. Good character development.
January 3, 2015
Great start to a new a series! I love Theresa's ability to weave a story and develop characters that grab your attention. Now she has to hurry and deliver the next one so I can get my fix!!!
June 26, 2014
im intrigued...
July 27, 2014
Nice Writing
Nice Writing
An essay, enjoyable read. Really curious about the next segment of the story. This was well written, with a fun, flowing dialogue.
Nice Writing
An essay, enjoyable read. Really curious about the next segment of the story. This was well written, with a fun, flowing dialogue.
December 13, 2014
Brilliant..
February 13, 2015
I was just starting to get into this when it was over...didn't realize it was some kind of serialized novella.
November 1, 2015
WHAT. JUST. HAPPENED?!?!?!
April 4, 2017
the prequel--I should have read it before the other entries in the series, but enjoyed it as a catch-up. I do like this series.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews