Anomaly: The Soul Prophecies

by Caitlin Lynagh

After Kyle loses his childhood sweetheart, Alice Lynam, he spends two years trying to bury his past and move on with his life. On his twenty-first birthday, he receives Alice's notebook and discovers that two pages are missing. Kyle is forced to revisit his past and realises that perhaps his life isn’t as coincidental as it seems.

Genres: Fantasy

209 pages, Paperback

Published January 27, 2016

About the author

Author of The Soul Prophecies series - Anomaly, Hidden Variables and Another Path. Lost Frequencies and Quantum Messenger.

Avid reader, book-blogger and science junkie.
UK country life!

Feel free to ask me any questions.

Reviews

[Trisha · Rating 1 out of 5]

This one was odd. It felt dreamy and wistful. The beginning was jarring and I didn't feel drawn in as soon as this started. It seemed to take a minute for the story to take off and then it jumbled along and I wasn't following much. Once we hit the missing pages, I just wasn't pulled in enough to really care either way. I did like the conclusion of how things worked out, even if the end kind of traveling through years fast. I wish I'd like this one more but I think it just wasn't my thing.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

[Ellie Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in the UK, Anomaly follows University student Kyle Hunter and those closest to him as he learns what he really wants from his future. Positive souls from the afterlife will battle against negativity, in order to help guide Kyle in the right direction, determined to unite him with others so they may make an important scientific discovery that will explain the afterlife to the human populace.

Love and loss are central themes, which fuel Kyle to travel from a dark place, into a brighter one where hope flourishes. The message of the story converges around doing what is right for you and your future while showing positivity and kindness throughout. This well-written tale had me hooked from start to finish with characters that I felt a kinship with.

Science, the afterlife, and the realms of possibility show us that it's never too late to follow our dreams.

Rated 5/5 stars.

[Georgia · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Anomaly’ is a paranormal romance novel with a gripping plotline and a wonderfully original idea at its heart. I was instantly taken in by the immense scope of the novel, which deals with topics such as the afterlife, loss and following one’s destiny.

There are so many beautiful things about this book, it’s difficult to know where to start. Everything is so intricately plotted and penned, from Lynagh’s ideas about Positive and Negative energy, the soul and time, to the subtle presence of up-and-coming science, to the intertwining of the different themes. At any one time the novel sensitively discusses grief, love, family and the tension between following your passions or pursuing jobs that promise financial stability.

The novel’s deft handling of these issues helps paint a spectacular picture: a world where souls are visible to certain people (with emotions seen in swirling colours!), where Positive and Negative energy affects all, a world where love dominates. It was the development of these original ideas that really heightened my enjoyment of the novel. I especially liked the idea that every choice we make, be it big or small, is important, and that we should do our best to make Positive decisions. Lyangh’s use of gorgeous imagery and subtle metaphors was very important in this respect, as it helps readers to better understand these themes. I found myself being drawn completely into the world of Kyle, Alice, Sophie and Cameron, and I didn’t ever want to leave.

The characterisation in this novel is also excellent. Lyangh has a gift for creating realistic characters that seem to step right off the page and into the mind of the reader. My favourite was Kyle, who has a grey shroud of grief covering the vibrancy of his soul when we first meet him. Kyle is hard-working, even when he’s doing something he doesn’t enjoy, and always decent and kind. His charming personality was one of the things that I loved most about the book. I loved following him as he strived to overcome life’s challenges and navigate the world of university, a world that was also brilliantly realised by the author. The mix of paranormal elements, student life and flashes of gentle humour are just some of the things that make this book such a delight to read.

Reading ‘Anomaly’ made me feel genuinely happy. There’s an inspirational message at its centre and the rich language, three dimensional characters and stunningly unique ideas help to bring this message to the surface. The novel isn’t, however, a mere study in notions of Positive and Negative energy, relationships or the afterlife. It is a truly enjoyable read, tense in the right places, sad in others, but always warm, and always masterfully written.

I would recommend this book to anyone who would like to try something new and genre-bending. It was the best book I’ve read in a long time.

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can honestly say I've never read anything quite like Anomaly, well, not that I can remember. It combines YA, paranormal romance, sci-fi, and much more.

I have to admit that, at the start, I had a hard time trying to get to grips with all the scientific stuff. It overwhelmed me a little, if I'm honest, and as a result, my interest waned. But that didn't last long.

Once I got on to Kyle and Alice's relationship, and the relationships he has with his best friends, reading became quicker and easier.

Lynagh spins a wonderful web with this story. Everything is connected. One small step on to the web causes movements, and ripples, everywhere.

Anomaly is a cross between A Christmas Carol, and The Butterfly Effect, and when you strip the story right back to the bone, above all else, Lynagh has penned a brilliant, coming-of-age, love story.

I'm looking forward to reading the prequel, Hidden Variables.

[Adrianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, Netgalley!

I would give this one more like 3.5 stars.

I like how different theories in physics get tied together to come up with 1 theory. It's interesting. I also think Kyle is well developed and we really feel his pain. For being young it seemed like he truly loved this girl, Alice, whose future was always uncertain due to her health. We feel his loss and his struggle to move on. Yet there isn't much movement for him in that his character remains emotionally stagnant throughout much of the book. I always wanted to see him to do something or take a step towards accepting what happened. It was very slow until he finally talked with Sophia and then things started happening. It definitely took awhile to get there. I am all about development but this was a little to slow and seemed like it was like this just to prolong the story.

Both Dani and the other roommate (the lawyer) really didn't do much for the story. The other roommate was so insignificant that I can't even remember his name. It makes you question why they even play the part they do in the book. Then there's Cameron- Kyle's best friend. I would have liked to have seen him more involved in the story. I get that Kyle pushed everyone away after Alice passed and Cameron stuck by his side. However, Cameron was supposed to be in on this physics discovery with Kyle and Sophia but it seemed as though Sophia could care less about Cameron. She never did anything but offer him an application at the end. I would think she would at least have a conversation or two with him. This doesn't happen. He's supposed to be one of the people to help with this momentous physics discovery. Instead Sophia's visions are enough to keep mentioning that Cameron plays a role but we never see it. It's so much better to show this than to just tell us and we have to take it at that.

I do NOT like the ending. Not at all!! I do NOT like that Kyle was able to see Alice and have these conversations with her. This was just an easy out. Why would he suddenly be able to see souls and Alice? Who knows- we don't! It was never explained and should have been. I understand this was just a side story to a longer series just about the Leto's. If this is the case, then it needs to be a story that stands on it's own. All books should be. This didn't happen because these things that happen to Kyle aren't explained. I, for one, do not want to go searching/reading through a series to find out if this Kyle thing is ever explained. His being able to see souls and Alice are an easy out. Maybe I could take Kyle catching glimpses of souls but not suddenly being able to see the colors of them. Him seeing Alice just makes it easy for her to explain things to him. There are other ways this could have been accomplished and he wouldn't have to see her. There could have been a few- a very few- signs and he could put them together to get the message. Or things could have been written by Alice before she died that he discovers and puts two and two together.

This all being said, it was a decent read. Like I mentioned, the physics theories being combined into 1 is interesting. The world the author created was good- aliens and all. I actually was interested in learning more about these aliens and then we get their brief history. So that was good. There were a few things which if done differently would have made this book stronger.

[Caron · Rating 3 out of 5]

★||Actual Rating: 3.5 stars||★

I received this book from the publisher on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book focuses more on Alice and Sophia even though the synopsis leads you to believe that it's all about Kyle and him getting over his grief. Kyle is distraught after Alice dies and it tears him up so much inside it's almost impossible for him to seem like anything but a robot programmed to go on with daily life just enough for people to think that he's okay.

All his friends keep trying to get him to at least admit that he's going through a tough time but he swears up and down that he's okay. He meets Sophia who gets him to show an interest in something that's not what his father wants him to do. He doesn't admit to this interest either because...yep, you guest it, it reminds him of Alice.

Seeing that she's getting him to open up, Sophia decides to keep him talking about this topic that seems to light up something within him and before he knows it, he's willingly coming to terms with what happened and not hiding from his feelings anymore.

The synopsis for this story did really intrigue me but as I said, it's slightly misleading because the book is not all about Kyle. There are many other factors that play a part. There are dimensions, different worlds, a universe that is ruled by the belief of Positivity and how if Negativity takes a hold, it'll wear a person down and if they let it...it'll tear down everything in its path. I'm glad I didn't pass up the opportunity because once I allowed myself to get into this story, I found myself quite intrigued and eager to find out more.

Characters: I liked how Sophia was open to everything she was. It's so rare to see a character that seems constantly content, no hate whatsoever. It wasn't like she was positive all the time. I think with her knowing what negativity looked like, she understood the dangers that it posed and knew to stay out of its way.

Kyle was extremely skeptic at first but it was understandable. It was why Sophia and her family kept their abilities to see the negativity around people- see outside of the box almost- a secret. What I did like about the beginning of the story is that it showed how grief can take over and consume you. It wasn't sugar coated and I admired Kyle for how strong he was being because it could have gotten a lot worse.

Likes: I loved the plot as well as the concept of this book. It was fast paced most of the time although it didn't grip my attention from the very beginning. The writing was intriguing and the way the author went about telling the story was really good.

Overall Thoughts: The seemingly rebellious acts made me really hope that things would turn out okay in the end. Sometimes it's good to take charge and decided what you want from life. This book really made me excited for what else this author can come up with. I took Business at school but I've always enjoyed Physics so this book really took me back.

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[Neelam · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a free arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The concept is pretty interesting. The world is divided into Positive and Negative energies, with the dominant energy being dependant on decisions made by certain humans. One family, the Letos, can see the future in their dreams, and use that power to help guide humanity in the right direction. The execution of it just wasn't for me.

We start by seeing things in Sophia Leto's family. They have a 'vision' of a potential future. Then it jumps to Ahrl, another being whose description almost put me off entirely. With his "sapphire blue eyes" and "black hair", I wanted to punch him without knowing anything about his charcater. Not the best way to start. To be honest, It wasn't clear to me for a while exactly what was going on.

It was interesting to see how Kyle deals with his grief. He's completely detached, feeling alone and isolated despite his friends and family all trying to reach out. He's lost interest in the subjects he's passionate about (namely physics) and has resigned himself to doing what his father wants him to do.

The book focuses on how, although we may seem insignificant, any decision or instance can shape the course of the world. Or at least, I think that's supposed to be the point. Everything is just so forced together that, afterwards, thinking about it is just a jumble of events. It's a fantastic idea to shape a book around, but the execution is messy.

At the end, however, it feels complete. The story feels finished. Regardless as to what happened before, it's over. Kyle's story has been told and that's it. Kind of the feeling you get once you've listened to Taylor Swift's 1989 and Clean starts playing. That wash of 'we made it'.

I've got a lot of mixed feelings about this book. Nothing fits together quite right and yet I still finished it feeling that Kyle has fought through and won. There were some good parts, especially when looking at the world and humanity in general. It's just too messy for me to give a higher rating.

[Mellanie Ann Duque · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn’t find the right words to describe such amazing book like this… I’ve been speechless since I finished it yesterday. I’ve been up all night thinking how would I review it. Until now I still suffer from “BOOK HUNGOVER.” All I can say is that, this work is full of amazing stuff.
The plot is well developed, characters were so real when you read it. Kyle and Alice are such wonderful and very influential people Caitlin have created. Even the Leto family have very interesting story.
A very extraordinary story about life and afterlife and if you’ll plunge deeply, you’ll definitely get what the author wants you to see and feel, that every decision we make, every word we utter plays an important role in our life. Not only just for ourselves but also the people around us. This book have taught me so much, taught me to look at things in a positive way.
I highly recommend this to everyone specially those who are in doubt.. this is very inspirational..full of lessons in life, perfect for teens and adults out there seeking for answers in life.
Anomaly: The Soul Prophecies is such amazing beyond amazing. There are so many inspirational words from the author. Which I wrote down and paste on my door.
Alice’s philosophy in life is admirable.. upon reading this you’ll definitely look into life in a different way…better as Kyle’s life have turned out.
One thing that I learned from reading this is that, we humans are bound to commit mistakes and also bound to learn from each we make. Our past plays an important rin our life, we can’t run from it, ignore it nor try to forget about it because without it we are not what we are right now. Do what makes you happy and share the bliss to everyone around you.

– a big thanks to Ms. Caitlin Lynagh and Outlet Publishing for sending me this such great read. I really love it. Until now I can’t believe I’m done reading it. It is such amazing one, good books are mentioned to read for life.

[C.S. Woolley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will happily admit that I normally am not a fan of paranormal fiction. Most is extremely far-fetched and focuses too much on monsters and things that go bump in the night than on the characters and plot of the story. Anomaly is a book that manages to avoid the dangerous trap of the paranormal genre and create a story that is engaging and entertaining, whilst still being more than a little unnerving at times.

One of my favourite lines in the whole book is incredibly self-aware “writing isn’t a sensible career, Stacy, only the lucky ones make it.” not only is it one element of the book that brought a smile to my face, it also gives you an idea about the level of intelligence that Lynagh employs in her writing.

The language used in this book is very English and there are lots of idioms that will make British readers and anglophiles extraordinarily happy, but for those who are unfamiliar with them, it may be difficult to understand what is happening at different times.

On the whole, the book is well-written and enjoyable, it is an excellent first book and I look forward to seeing how Lynagh’s writing style develops as she continues to write.

The characters are tropes that are fleshed out well and feel more than simply words on a page. There are a number of different characters that are focused on at different points, which some readers may find confusing as they go through the book, but by the end of the novel, it is clear as to why it is necessary and the story is brought to a neat conclusion.

The chapters are short enough to be easily digestible whether you sit down to read this book in one sitting or have ten minutes whilst you sit on the bus, it is easy to pick up the story where you have left it. This book is very enjoyable and something that is sure to be enjoyed by fans of the paranormal genre.

[Paula Cadle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anomaly by Caitlyn Lynagh is a first novel that reads like it was written by a much more seasoned writer. The story makes sense, has flow and introduces us to characters that are likable. You root for these characters to win and overcome their issues and get on with saving the world.

Found the book on NetGalley as one of the open reads for the members.

Kyle is a talented physicist finishing up his college degree in Business. He is still mourning the death of his soulmate Alice. In fact, he is so debilitated with pain at any memory of her that he refuses to speak of her at all and has locked a good part of himself away in an effort to forget her and the pain that floods him at the thought of her.

Little does he realize that Alice is with him every day. She is dead but the afterlife is something much different than we imagine. He doesn’t seem to know she is there – which goes against my normal soulmate rule that they always seem to know what is going on with the other.

Themes of love, loss, mourning, parenting, doing the wrong thing for the right reasons, faith and not giving up run thru the story. It’s about our choices every day to be positive or negative. The smallest decisions, and the big ones, have a cascading effect thru the people in our life. It is a positive book.

We follow Kyle thru a period of his life where his choices can make the difference in balance. There are many areas where I was left asking questions and wanting to know more. The author states more stories are to come. Yay!

[Kami · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really confused with this book in the beginning. This is the writer's first book and there are some things that she still needs to learn as her writing matures. "Show, don't tell" is the classic rule of writing. Whether it is the be all, end all for good writing is debateable but the huge info dump at the beginning of this book was just way too much information for me to absorb. I couldn't keep track of the supernatural being's designations and purposes. That said, what I did gather was there are a group of beings who magically monitor people's lives. Kyle's girlfriend died and now her disembodied soul is tied to him. I liked Kyle and Alice's story. I started liking the book once I got through all the strange metaphysical stuff in the beginning. I did like the theoretical physics and theories about alternate time lines and parallel realities. I just feel the ideas should have been integrated differently and more organically into the prose. Somehow, smoothly blending the science and spiritual into the narrative instead of all the expository writing in the beginning. I liked the concept, the ideas and the characters. At times this book reminded me of the movie The Butterfly Effect. My favorite line from this book is: "No one knows what they’re doing really; all we can do is try to be the person we can admire in the future.’ " There were parts of this book that really got me thinking about fate and choice. Random and Purpose. 3 stars.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note: I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Anomaly by Caitlin Lynagh has so much potential. We begin with Kyle, who has lost the love of his young life, and therefore, has also lost all his passion and motivation. Before Alice's death, Kyle was studying physics and was on a path to change the course of humanity. Now, he is barely surviving. The raw emotion of Kyle's dilemma is bitter yet beautiful, and Lynagh's description of souls is imaginative. Unfortunately, the book itself falls flat.

The world Lynagh has built, with the focus of positive and negative energies, rings true, and yet excessive time is wasted trying to make these battling energies seem real or easily explicable. This is not overly difficult to accept, especially when we consider all the insane dystopian worlds we encounter in YA fiction, and yet Lynagh dedicates excessive time to setting up this mostly-realistic world. In addition, the book has too many variables that aren't dealt with, most prominently being the Thirteen and the Letos. I know this is one in a series, but there is too much up in the air when more page-time could be used to connect these elements rather than trying to show the play of positive and negative in the world.

Overall, the book has potential and hopefully Lynagh will hone her skills to create a realistic, yet supernatural world in which the afterlife and current life are interwoven seamlessly. We shall see.

[Immy Waktare · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. Caitlin has created something truly beautiful here.

Anomaly follows Kyle as he navigates life after loosing the one he loves and how he looses himself in the pursuit of doing what others want him to do. It is something many struggle with, especially during the transition from School to Higher Education, a world that Caitlin portrays in an honest and authentic way. Kyle's vulnerability makes him a very likable character, I love the contrast to his sister's strong (colourful?) sense of self.

This book is multidimensional, it transcends the physical, at times even past the thought realm to the vibration of emotions. It taps into those feelings of intuition, that there is more energy around us that we can't see or even understand. I enjoyed the out of body, meditative experience to view things from the perspective of Alice, she is a Positive and pure spirit. This is a mature, delicately guided journey through the trials and tortures of growing up in this modern world.

Can't wait to read more of The Soul Prophecies!

[Joanne Catteral · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished this now and I can relate with the society pressure that the main character Kyle finds himself under so hits a nerve as he handles it better than I have been lately. I wasn't sure if the science was going to be complicated but it wasn't at all, there's not much of it actually, but you know that's Kyle's passion. There's good teasers to books yet to be written in the series. Maybe there could have been more made of the paper trail because that part was the most enjoyable for me and my only disappointment was that there wasn't more. I loved the flashbacks to Kyle's memories of Alice (hope that's not a spoiler) there's nothing slushy, just cute.

I would recommend the book to anyone who enjoys a nerdy paranormal romance, it's different because there's a mature approach to the idea of an afterlife but without the clichés and no mention of angels or God or heaven, it's cleverly approached. Really enjoyed this.

[Hannah Hudson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Been waiting for this book for ages and it doesn't disappoint! The story follows student Kyle Hunter coming to terms with the loss of his childhood sweetheart Alice, and make decisions influenced by family and society but he is unaware of the importance of his decisions. I won't spoiler it but the book is very clever, it uses real science to explain how Alice can influence him. The science is easy to understand so it's not complicated and Kyle's memories are adorable, you know that the bond and love between Alice and Kyle is honest and strong without being over sentimental. It's hard not to love the inner Kyle, the one behind the mask people see. Loved this book so much!

[CrazyCat (Alex) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had some difficulties getting through the metaphysical stuff and the description of all the different supernatural beings and their purposes in the beginning. But once I got over that it got a lot better. I liked the idea of being so in love that the souls stay with their loved ones even after the body died. And I liked the characters, especially Alice and Kyle. Overall a well written and enjoyable book.


****ARC received for my honest opinion****

[Beautifulday4makeup The-book-and-Me · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received the ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This books tell the story of someone who lost the girl dear to him. This caused him to lose the will to live life to the fullest. We follow him on his journey back to a full life. The book is well written,