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Beyond
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One day Stella is walking home after a bad day at school, the next, she wakes up to find herself a prisoner.
For months the CIA keeps her in an abandoned psychiatric hospital where all she thought she knew about herself is pushed to the limits until it shatters before her eyes.
Her suicidal tendencies and the rest of her psychological issues are the least of her problems as she discovers that she has the key to solving a war between aliens and humans which has been going on for decades.
All she wants is to go back to what things were, but that’s impossible and now she must face a choice:
Which side to pick?
The perfect book for readers looking for something merging the lines between science-fiction and romance, with a psychopathic touch.
Trigger warning: this novel contains violence, adult language and content.
One day Stella is walking home after a bad day at school, the next, she wakes up to find herself a prisoner.
For months the CIA keeps her in an abandoned psychiatric hospital where all she thought she knew about herself is pushed to the limits until it shatters before her eyes.
Her suicidal tendencies and the rest of her psychological issues are the least of her problems as she discovers that she has the key to solving a war between aliens and humans which has been going on for decades.
All she wants is to go back to what things were, but that’s impossible and now she must face a choice:
Which side to pick?
The perfect book for readers looking for something merging the lines between science-fiction and romance, with a psychopathic touch.
Trigger warning: this novel contains violence, adult language and content.
- GenresScience Fiction
279 pages, Paperback
First published September 4, 2020
About the author
M.C. Winkkle
2 books37 followersM. C. Winkkle is a best-selling young author who self-published her debut novel and traditionally published her second book. She has been writing since she was a child, and won several micro-literature prizes while she was in high school. She has professional music studies and is currently studying Translation and Interpreting in Spain, since languages are her one other passion aside from writing. When she’s not writing or studying, she enjoys reading, hanging out with her friends, drawing, and all sorts of artistic activities.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
September 5, 2020
This is a sci-fi story set in the future (although one where technology and every-day life is still very similar to ours, including the music they listen to) and takes place after an alien invasion. Humans are trying to figure out a way to defeat the aliens, and the US government is hoping that Stella might be the key to defeating the aliens.
When the story began, I felt like I was just dropped into the middle of the story. I had no clue what was going on, what had happened, and the world building was a bit all over the place. And it's one thing to have an exciting, engaging start - but that wasn't what this was for me. And even though this story is written in 3rd person POV, it still went all around, from Stella, to the people keeping her captive, to other characters. Stella knew names of characters that had never introduced themselves to her?
As the story progresses, there are actually two stories being told here - one is set in the present day with Stella as she fights her way to freedom and answers. The other story is between Abigail and her alien, The Commander that she calls Zac, and we learn their story and how they relate to Stella. I actually enjoyed the chapters between Abigail and the alien most, although things that happened between them still didn't fully make sense for me.
I believe this is set in the year 2044? Honestly, when it comes to sci-fi, I need some world building and some set ground rules. It seemed like sometimes Stella knew stuff, and other times she didn't. It also felt like the events could have been happening now or in 2005. We were told things late into the story that I felt should have been closer to the beginning of the story so we can understand what is going on. There were also flashbacks, although I don't know how much they really contributed to moving the story along.
Finally, although this book does give some content/trigger warnings in the summary, I think they should have been even more specific to include specifically "self-harm and bodily mutilation/torture." I read this thinking it was a YA book based on Stella's age, but apparently it's not. Sometimes the adults felt more immature than Stella, who is 16, and cursing like a sailor. Also, Stella is repeatedly described as "white" - her arms, her legs, her hands. I just think better, varied descriptor words could be used here. (Maybe this book needed a sensitivity read-through for CWs?)
The story ends with a definite opening for a second story, as Stella is still searching for answers and people she can trust. Overall, there is the makings of an interesting sci-fi story here. I just think it needs tighter story-telling.
I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.
When the story began, I felt like I was just dropped into the middle of the story. I had no clue what was going on, what had happened, and the world building was a bit all over the place. And it's one thing to have an exciting, engaging start - but that wasn't what this was for me. And even though this story is written in 3rd person POV, it still went all around, from Stella, to the people keeping her captive, to other characters. Stella knew names of characters that had never introduced themselves to her?
As the story progresses, there are actually two stories being told here - one is set in the present day with Stella as she fights her way to freedom and answers. The other story is between Abigail and her alien, The Commander that she calls Zac, and we learn their story and how they relate to Stella. I actually enjoyed the chapters between Abigail and the alien most, although things that happened between them still didn't fully make sense for me.
I believe this is set in the year 2044? Honestly, when it comes to sci-fi, I need some world building and some set ground rules. It seemed like sometimes Stella knew stuff, and other times she didn't. It also felt like the events could have been happening now or in 2005. We were told things late into the story that I felt should have been closer to the beginning of the story so we can understand what is going on. There were also flashbacks, although I don't know how much they really contributed to moving the story along.
Finally, although this book does give some content/trigger warnings in the summary, I think they should have been even more specific to include specifically "self-harm and bodily mutilation/torture." I read this thinking it was a YA book based on Stella's age, but apparently it's not. Sometimes the adults felt more immature than Stella, who is 16, and cursing like a sailor. Also, Stella is repeatedly described as "white" - her arms, her legs, her hands. I just think better, varied descriptor words could be used here. (Maybe this book needed a sensitivity read-through for CWs?)
The story ends with a definite opening for a second story, as Stella is still searching for answers and people she can trust. Overall, there is the makings of an interesting sci-fi story here. I just think it needs tighter story-telling.
I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.
September 7, 2020
Beyond is the first book in the adult sci-fi series Black Tears, with elements of thriller and a little bit of romance. I really enjoy reading dark and intense novels, and this one was no exception. It is definitely a book with a bit of a psychopathic touch, as the synopsis states. It follows the story of Stella, a girl with special gifts who is abducted by the CIA. The government hopes to use her abilities to win the war against the aliens. They treat her like a prisoner, and she is tested on, restrained and humiliated during her captivity. In this regard, since the synopsis mentions trigger warnings, I think the biggest to point out is Stella’s suicidal attempts. As a girl who already suffered from anxiety, her mental health is stressed to extreme levels.
The story follows two other characters besides Stella: The Commander and Abigail. At first, it would seem there is no connection between these three characters, but the more you continue reading, the more it is clear where the story is going. I love romance, so I enjoyed reading the one between the alien leader and the human he falls in love with. I found it especially interesting reading The Commander’s perspective. We see him slowly learn how to feel like a human and give himself to love, but also struggling with his duty to his people and everything he has ever known.
The author was very good at portraying the characters’ emotions, especially Stella’s anxiety and trauma. I’m looking forward to see how the story continues and to read more from this author!
The story follows two other characters besides Stella: The Commander and Abigail. At first, it would seem there is no connection between these three characters, but the more you continue reading, the more it is clear where the story is going. I love romance, so I enjoyed reading the one between the alien leader and the human he falls in love with. I found it especially interesting reading The Commander’s perspective. We see him slowly learn how to feel like a human and give himself to love, but also struggling with his duty to his people and everything he has ever known.
The author was very good at portraying the characters’ emotions, especially Stella’s anxiety and trauma. I’m looking forward to see how the story continues and to read more from this author!
September 18, 2020
'I don't believe people have flaws, just fireflies.'
In this story, we follow Stella, who is abducted and kept prisoner at a psychiatric hospital.
She is believed to be a weapon that could be used in the ongoing war between humans and aliens.
From the first page, I was intrigued. Stella has no idea why she was taken and as the reader, we only know what she does.
This story is set in the future, where aliens are at war with humans.
I love Stella as a main character. She's strong, quick-witted and unapologetic.
I think we could be great friends since her favourite things in the world are the beach, reading and silence!
Her powers are also super interesting.
We also follow The Commander, an alien, while he is on earth with a human, Abigail. It was really interesting and fun to read from his point of view.
I really enjoyed the descriptive writing style, however some sentences were too long. This slowed my reading pace at times.
I loved how there were chapter titles! I really appreciate this in books and you don't see it so often.
Some parts were a bit scary. It is about aliens arriving to earth in 2020 and slowly taking over the planet. Imagine that!
At the beginning I felt a bit lost. A lot is happening at once, at lot of characters are introduced and we don't get a lot of explanation about the world. Throughout the novel, you get more information and backstory.
There are so many twists and turns to the story which made it surprising and suspenseful.
This book deals with a lot of difficult topics like grieve, war, violence and mental health issues.
I thought it was written so well and not romanticised at all, which I really appreciate.
The anxiety and depression that Stella experiences are written so well. It felt super real.
Overall, this was a really good debut and I can't wait to read the sequel!
In this story, we follow Stella, who is abducted and kept prisoner at a psychiatric hospital.
She is believed to be a weapon that could be used in the ongoing war between humans and aliens.
From the first page, I was intrigued. Stella has no idea why she was taken and as the reader, we only know what she does.
This story is set in the future, where aliens are at war with humans.
I love Stella as a main character. She's strong, quick-witted and unapologetic.
I think we could be great friends since her favourite things in the world are the beach, reading and silence!
Her powers are also super interesting.
We also follow The Commander, an alien, while he is on earth with a human, Abigail. It was really interesting and fun to read from his point of view.
I really enjoyed the descriptive writing style, however some sentences were too long. This slowed my reading pace at times.
I loved how there were chapter titles! I really appreciate this in books and you don't see it so often.
Some parts were a bit scary. It is about aliens arriving to earth in 2020 and slowly taking over the planet. Imagine that!
At the beginning I felt a bit lost. A lot is happening at once, at lot of characters are introduced and we don't get a lot of explanation about the world. Throughout the novel, you get more information and backstory.
There are so many twists and turns to the story which made it surprising and suspenseful.
This book deals with a lot of difficult topics like grieve, war, violence and mental health issues.
I thought it was written so well and not romanticised at all, which I really appreciate.
The anxiety and depression that Stella experiences are written so well. It felt super real.
Overall, this was a really good debut and I can't wait to read the sequel!
September 1, 2020
As a reader of mainly fantasy books, I promised myself to read more sci-fi, so when the author reached out to me to review her book and I figured out it was a science fiction novel, it seemed like the perfect excuse to make good on my promise.
The book immediately starts with an element of suspense and mystery, as you’re trying to figure out where Stella is and why she was abducted. It felt like a very movie-style approach, which I adore reading! The author was very good at portraying Stella’s anger, fear and anxiety because I felt all of it as I read her chapters.
However, what intrigued me the most about the book were the chapters of The Commander and Abigail. Not only was reading an alien’s perspective interesting and refreshing, but there was a surprising element of romance that immediately piqued my curiosity. The romance arc is one of the things I like best in a book, may it be relevant to the plot or on the sidelines, and this one did not disappoint. I drank these chapters like fresh water, and I found myself loving and hurting for the two. I won’t go into too many details to avoid spoilers, but I do hope to see more of them in the next book. I had my suspicions on how these characters would tie in with Stella’s story. Was I right? Was I wrong? You’ll have to read the book to see!
If this book were a movie that I’d catch a glimpse of on TV while switching channels, I’d definitely stop to continue watching. It was intense and full of intrigue, and I recommend it to lovers of sci-fi, stories with shady government organizations and to everyone who, like me, enjoys aliens!
The book immediately starts with an element of suspense and mystery, as you’re trying to figure out where Stella is and why she was abducted. It felt like a very movie-style approach, which I adore reading! The author was very good at portraying Stella’s anger, fear and anxiety because I felt all of it as I read her chapters.
However, what intrigued me the most about the book were the chapters of The Commander and Abigail. Not only was reading an alien’s perspective interesting and refreshing, but there was a surprising element of romance that immediately piqued my curiosity. The romance arc is one of the things I like best in a book, may it be relevant to the plot or on the sidelines, and this one did not disappoint. I drank these chapters like fresh water, and I found myself loving and hurting for the two. I won’t go into too many details to avoid spoilers, but I do hope to see more of them in the next book. I had my suspicions on how these characters would tie in with Stella’s story. Was I right? Was I wrong? You’ll have to read the book to see!
If this book were a movie that I’d catch a glimpse of on TV while switching channels, I’d definitely stop to continue watching. It was intense and full of intrigue, and I recommend it to lovers of sci-fi, stories with shady government organizations and to everyone who, like me, enjoys aliens!
September 15, 2020
Beyond is about a war between Aliens and Humans and stuck in the middle of that war is a girl named Stella, she’s relatively normal and has been bullied at school, before she gets kidnapped by the government, and we learn that she’s actually quite exceptional, this story is written from two points of view with alternating chapters, one from Stella’s and One from an Aliens, I think this really helps the narrative in helping us stay on top of the sci fi element but I definitely found Stella’s POV more interesting at first, it took me quite a while to be engrossed in the story! And I did guess certain plot points but there was also some twists where I was like NO WAY! I found this book to be dark and disturbing at points but I actually thought it was quite creative, the aliens aren’t so out there that you like struggle to follow it but the authors clearly put time into coming up with there own sort of hierarchy, society and general symbols and terms even races and racial injustice so you can definitely tell that this book was throughly thought through and I like that, the effort comes across! It’s not a perfect book and can definitely be triggering in terms of violence, torture, self harm/suicide so DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE SENSITIVE and I’m so mad about where it ended like I NEED THE NEXT ONE NOWWWW! Thank you to the author for giving me an ARC copy and I can’t wait for the next book in your series! 4 ⭐️
August 29, 2020
I kinda have mixed feeling for the book. Like the writing style. And I like the pace of the book. Plot was interesting. I kinda like Stella because she never gives up.
Things I didn't like about the book were events took place in the book, like Stella's character development, it could have been much better. Some of the events in the Book that were not even required. The ending could have been better.
This book was something new to me. If you love sci-fi with bit thrilling elements I would suggest you to try this book out.
*ARC provided by the author in exchange of Honest Review
Things I didn't like about the book were events took place in the book, like Stella's character development, it could have been much better. Some of the events in the Book that were not even required. The ending could have been better.
This book was something new to me. If you love sci-fi with bit thrilling elements I would suggest you to try this book out.
*ARC provided by the author in exchange of Honest Review
September 10, 2020
I was provided with an arc from the author for an honest review.
I’m not an huge fan of sci-fi, I rarely read them but I’d give a try to this one because the writer is a nice and lovely person and I wanted to challenge myself with something new.
So.. for a debut it’s actually a good book. The plot has me captivated and the writing styles it’s not bad and it flows well. Beyond is the first book in the sci-fi series Black Tears.
The story takes place in a near future, where the hearth is at war with the aliens. Stella, the main character, is a girl who’s been abducted by the CIA after she used her powers to save the life of her mother. Little did she know that using her powers would cost her freedom. The CIA takes her to a psychiatric hospital as they believe that she’s the key to win the war. But they have to test her to be sure that she’s the right girl.
The plot kept the reader glued to the pages since the very beginning. I’ve felt instant empathy with Stella and I was really sorry for what she had to endure.
It was a bit difficult for me to read about Stella and her psychological pain, as I have anxiety and everything related to mental illness make me a little uneasy, especially because the writer was so good at portraying Stella problems. It was really realistic and I truly appreciate the effort.
I also like all the thrillers vibes, but as I said before I’m not an huge fan of sci-fi. It was really a challenge for me, but if you like sci-fi with thrillers vibes you have to try this book.
The final chapter was amazing, Stella was so badass and I really felt sorry for her.
And the final, oh my god! It was really good and after this I have to read the next book, because I want to know what’s going to happen in the future.
Overall it was a good book, not my cup of tea but it’s a really nice debut. So you should try to read it, because it’s nice and you may find yourself wrapped in the story.
I’m not an huge fan of sci-fi, I rarely read them but I’d give a try to this one because the writer is a nice and lovely person and I wanted to challenge myself with something new.
So.. for a debut it’s actually a good book. The plot has me captivated and the writing styles it’s not bad and it flows well. Beyond is the first book in the sci-fi series Black Tears.
The story takes place in a near future, where the hearth is at war with the aliens. Stella, the main character, is a girl who’s been abducted by the CIA after she used her powers to save the life of her mother. Little did she know that using her powers would cost her freedom. The CIA takes her to a psychiatric hospital as they believe that she’s the key to win the war. But they have to test her to be sure that she’s the right girl.
The plot kept the reader glued to the pages since the very beginning. I’ve felt instant empathy with Stella and I was really sorry for what she had to endure.
It was a bit difficult for me to read about Stella and her psychological pain, as I have anxiety and everything related to mental illness make me a little uneasy, especially because the writer was so good at portraying Stella problems. It was really realistic and I truly appreciate the effort.
I also like all the thrillers vibes, but as I said before I’m not an huge fan of sci-fi. It was really a challenge for me, but if you like sci-fi with thrillers vibes you have to try this book.
The final chapter was amazing, Stella was so badass and I really felt sorry for her.
And the final, oh my god! It was really good and after this I have to read the next book, because I want to know what’s going to happen in the future.
Overall it was a good book, not my cup of tea but it’s a really nice debut. So you should try to read it, because it’s nice and you may find yourself wrapped in the story.
September 10, 2020
QOTD – Do you believe in aliens?
AOTD – I’m not sure - but I know we aren’t alone in the universe!
Beyond by M C Winkkle is out today and I cannot wait for you all to read it! 😍
It is a combination of sci-fi, a little bit of romance and a whole lot of ALIENS plus a dash of psycho thrown in there for good measure! 🙌🏻
The story is told in third person in several different points of view to follow the story of an alien-visited earth in the not too distant future, a human-alien hybrid and the lengths the government will go to train a super weapon.
The pace was constant and addictive to say the lease. The plot was really well thought out and there were no plot holes that were obvious to me during my read (I always seem to find them – it is a gift).
Stella was a really strong character who really developed throughout the book. The human/alien romance was really intriguing and while it was a bit insta-love I was really invested in it and where it went. The mysterious CIA-esque agency was very interesting and I am fairly certain they need to be wiped off the face of the planet. And Andrew, hahaha, oh just wait.
I cannot wait for book two, because, the ending! Don’t keep us hanging!
I rate this book a solid four stars and I highly recommend for sci fi fans new and old (and even those just curious about the genre)! 💫💫💫💫
.
AOTD – I’m not sure - but I know we aren’t alone in the universe!
Beyond by M C Winkkle is out today and I cannot wait for you all to read it! 😍
It is a combination of sci-fi, a little bit of romance and a whole lot of ALIENS plus a dash of psycho thrown in there for good measure! 🙌🏻
The story is told in third person in several different points of view to follow the story of an alien-visited earth in the not too distant future, a human-alien hybrid and the lengths the government will go to train a super weapon.
The pace was constant and addictive to say the lease. The plot was really well thought out and there were no plot holes that were obvious to me during my read (I always seem to find them – it is a gift).
Stella was a really strong character who really developed throughout the book. The human/alien romance was really intriguing and while it was a bit insta-love I was really invested in it and where it went. The mysterious CIA-esque agency was very interesting and I am fairly certain they need to be wiped off the face of the planet. And Andrew, hahaha, oh just wait.
I cannot wait for book two, because, the ending! Don’t keep us hanging!
I rate this book a solid four stars and I highly recommend for sci fi fans new and old (and even those just curious about the genre)! 💫💫💫💫
.
August 19, 2020
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Beyond
Author: M.C. Winkkle
Book Series: Black Tears Book 1
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: sci-fi, romance, thriller
Publication Date: September 10, 2020
Genre: Sci-Fi
Recommended Age: 17+ (violence, slight gore, language, romance)
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 289
Synopsis: One day Stella is walking home after a bad day at school, the next, she wakes up to find herself a prisoner.
For months the CIA keeps her in an abandoned psychiatric hospital where all she thought she knew about herself is pushed to the limits until it shatters before her eyes.
Her suicidal tendencies and the rest of her psychological issues are the least of her problems as she discovers that she has the key to solving a war between aliens and humans which has been going on for decades.
All she wants is to go back to what things were, but that’s impossible and now she must face a choice:
Which side to pick?
Review: Overall, I thought this was a good book. The story immediately drew me in and the plot kept me interested from beginning to end. The book had some great writing as well overall and the pacing and flow of the book were pretty on point.
However, I couldn't connect to the characters and I didn't really care for any of them. The book also didn't develop the worldbuilding as much as I would have liked to see.
Verdict: It’s good!
Book: Beyond
Author: M.C. Winkkle
Book Series: Black Tears Book 1
Rating: 3/5
Recommended For...: sci-fi, romance, thriller
Publication Date: September 10, 2020
Genre: Sci-Fi
Recommended Age: 17+ (violence, slight gore, language, romance)
Publisher: Indie Published
Pages: 289
Synopsis: One day Stella is walking home after a bad day at school, the next, she wakes up to find herself a prisoner.
For months the CIA keeps her in an abandoned psychiatric hospital where all she thought she knew about herself is pushed to the limits until it shatters before her eyes.
Her suicidal tendencies and the rest of her psychological issues are the least of her problems as she discovers that she has the key to solving a war between aliens and humans which has been going on for decades.
All she wants is to go back to what things were, but that’s impossible and now she must face a choice:
Which side to pick?
Review: Overall, I thought this was a good book. The story immediately drew me in and the plot kept me interested from beginning to end. The book had some great writing as well overall and the pacing and flow of the book were pretty on point.
However, I couldn't connect to the characters and I didn't really care for any of them. The book also didn't develop the worldbuilding as much as I would have liked to see.
Verdict: It’s good!
December 29, 2020
The book is interesting. Each chapter had its own way of surprises. The emotions depicted were feelable. All excited for the second book!
September 18, 2020
𝓑𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀: 𝙱𝚎𝚢𝚘𝚗𝚍 𝚋𝚢 𝙼.𝙲.𝚆𝚒𝚗𝚔𝚔𝚕𝚎 {𝔹𝕝𝕒𝕔𝕜 𝕋𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕤 #𝟙}
.
“𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑦 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑑, 𝑖𝑡 𝑎𝑢𝑡𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑏𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑠 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑡ℎ𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠.”
.
𝖲𝗒𝗇𝗈𝗉𝗌𝗂𝗌:
One day Stella is walking home after a bad day at school, the next, she wakes up to find herself a prisoner. For months the CIA keeps her in an abandoned psychiatric hospital where all she thought she knew about herself is pushed to the limits until it shatters before her eyes when she discovers that she has the key to solving the war between aliens and humans but she must face a choice: Which side to pick?
.
“𝐵𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑦 𝑑𝑒𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑛 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑏𝑜𝑑𝑦 𝑒𝑙𝑠𝑒'𝑠 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑤ℎ𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑜𝑛 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑤𝑎𝑠, 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑡𝑜𝑜 𝑚𝑢𝑐ℎ 𝑡𝑜 ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑙𝑒."
.
𝖱𝖾𝗏𝗂𝖾𝗐:
This book was a very unique YA sci-fi novel which gripped into the suspense and mystery filled pages from start to finish. There were so many twists and turns that kept me on the edge and I look forward to reading the next book in this series by a new talented author.
.
“𝐼𝑡'𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑙 𝑜𝑟𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠, 𝑤𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑑𝑖𝑒, 𝑠𝑜𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑟 𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟."
.
𝖯𝗅𝗈𝗍:
It was quick to get into and was well developed throughout the course of the novel at a nice pace. There were hints of thriller, romance and dystopian genres mixed all in one which only added greatly at keeping my interest. Some events though seemed unnecessary and made the book longer than it had to be. The content warnings were too vague and should’ve included more trigger warnings such as self-harm, bodily mutilation and torture. Also this book did feel like a YA as Stella was very mature for her sixteen year old age while most of the adults were childish. The world-building wasn’t perfect yet perfect in the sense of an introduction. I hope the alien’s lore among other aspects get further developed in the next installment.
.
“𝐼'𝑣𝑒 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑚𝑦 𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑟𝑒 𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐼 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑎 𝑚𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒."
.
𝖶𝗋𝗂𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀:
This was well done being easy to follow and making me feel many emotions. “𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒚 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅, 𝒊𝒕 𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒉𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔." I loved the use of parallel switching chapters being the story of Stella now then the background of her parents and the events before and during the time she was created.
.
“𝐼𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑒𝑟 𝑟𝑜 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑒𝑣𝑒 𝑎 𝑙𝑖𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 𝑡𝑜 𝑒𝑥ℎ𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑎 𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑡ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑚𝑎𝑦 𝑜𝑟 𝑚𝑎𝑦 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑖𝑚𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑣𝑒."
.
𝖢𝗁𝖺𝗋𝖺𝖼𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗌:
The characters were well written yet lacked enough depth which caused me not to connect to them as much as I would’ve liked. “𝑨𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒍𝒍, 𝒘𝒉𝒚 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒔𝒐 𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒔?"
-
𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗮 = she was a strong MC and I appreciated how her anxiety and trauma aspects were written raw and realistically but she needs more character building as she was sometimes hard to decipher.
-
𝗖𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗻 = getting to read an aliens POV was a new and refreshing aspect that I enjoyed and it always kept me interested. “𝑻𝒐 𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒔, 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒙 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒑𝒕."
.
𝖱𝗈𝗆𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾:
A little aspect of romance was involved which made the storyline more interesting but it didn’t feel honest or made me swoon. I really hope to receive a more sincere romance in the further books of this series as that’s what Stella deserves.
.
𝖤𝗇𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀:
Although the ending wasn’t quite satisfying, I did appreciate how it felt like a new beginning for Stella’s story starting.
.
“𝑆ℎ𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑑 𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑦 𝑠𝑐𝑎𝑟𝑠 𝑡𝑜𝑜, 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑤𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑣𝑖𝑠𝑖𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑦 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑤𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑛𝑜𝑡, 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚, 𝑠ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑𝑛'𝑡 𝑏𝑒 ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑓."
.
𝖮𝗏𝖾𝗋𝖺𝗅𝗅:
The perfect book for YA sci-fi readers looking for something intense that is merging the lines between science-fiction and romance, with a psychopathic touch.
.
**𝖳𝗁𝖺𝗇𝗄 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗍𝗈 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖺𝗎𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗋 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝗏𝗂𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖺𝗇 𝖠𝖱𝖢 𝖼𝗈𝗉𝗒 𝗂𝗇 𝖾𝗑𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗇𝗀𝖾 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝖺𝗇 𝗁𝗈𝗇𝖾𝗌𝗍 𝗋𝖾𝗏𝗂𝖾𝗐**
.
𝖱𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀:
★★★★☆
.
𝐁𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐞 ♡
.
“𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑦 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑑, 𝑖𝑡 𝑎𝑢𝑡𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑏𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑠 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑡ℎ𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠.”
.
𝖲𝗒𝗇𝗈𝗉𝗌𝗂𝗌:
One day Stella is walking home after a bad day at school, the next, she wakes up to find herself a prisoner. For months the CIA keeps her in an abandoned psychiatric hospital where all she thought she knew about herself is pushed to the limits until it shatters before her eyes when she discovers that she has the key to solving the war between aliens and humans but she must face a choice: Which side to pick?
.
“𝐵𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑦 𝑑𝑒𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑛 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑏𝑜𝑑𝑦 𝑒𝑙𝑠𝑒'𝑠 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑤ℎ𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑜𝑛 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑤𝑎𝑠, 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑡𝑜𝑜 𝑚𝑢𝑐ℎ 𝑡𝑜 ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑙𝑒."
.
𝖱𝖾𝗏𝗂𝖾𝗐:
This book was a very unique YA sci-fi novel which gripped into the suspense and mystery filled pages from start to finish. There were so many twists and turns that kept me on the edge and I look forward to reading the next book in this series by a new talented author.
.
“𝐼𝑡'𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑙 𝑜𝑟𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠, 𝑤𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑑𝑖𝑒, 𝑠𝑜𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑟 𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟."
.
𝖯𝗅𝗈𝗍:
It was quick to get into and was well developed throughout the course of the novel at a nice pace. There were hints of thriller, romance and dystopian genres mixed all in one which only added greatly at keeping my interest. Some events though seemed unnecessary and made the book longer than it had to be. The content warnings were too vague and should’ve included more trigger warnings such as self-harm, bodily mutilation and torture. Also this book did feel like a YA as Stella was very mature for her sixteen year old age while most of the adults were childish. The world-building wasn’t perfect yet perfect in the sense of an introduction. I hope the alien’s lore among other aspects get further developed in the next installment.
.
“𝐼'𝑣𝑒 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑚𝑦 𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑟𝑒 𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐼 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑎 𝑚𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒."
.
𝖶𝗋𝗂𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀:
This was well done being easy to follow and making me feel many emotions. “𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒚 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅, 𝒊𝒕 𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒉𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔." I loved the use of parallel switching chapters being the story of Stella now then the background of her parents and the events before and during the time she was created.
.
“𝐼𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑒𝑟 𝑟𝑜 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑒𝑣𝑒 𝑎 𝑙𝑖𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 𝑡𝑜 𝑒𝑥ℎ𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑎 𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑡ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑚𝑎𝑦 𝑜𝑟 𝑚𝑎𝑦 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑖𝑚𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑣𝑒."
.
𝖢𝗁𝖺𝗋𝖺𝖼𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗌:
The characters were well written yet lacked enough depth which caused me not to connect to them as much as I would’ve liked. “𝑨𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒍𝒍, 𝒘𝒉𝒚 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒔𝒐 𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒔?"
-
𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗮 = she was a strong MC and I appreciated how her anxiety and trauma aspects were written raw and realistically but she needs more character building as she was sometimes hard to decipher.
-
𝗖𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗻 = getting to read an aliens POV was a new and refreshing aspect that I enjoyed and it always kept me interested. “𝑻𝒐 𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒔, 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒙 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒑𝒕."
.
𝖱𝗈𝗆𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾:
A little aspect of romance was involved which made the storyline more interesting but it didn’t feel honest or made me swoon. I really hope to receive a more sincere romance in the further books of this series as that’s what Stella deserves.
.
𝖤𝗇𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀:
Although the ending wasn’t quite satisfying, I did appreciate how it felt like a new beginning for Stella’s story starting.
.
“𝑆ℎ𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑑 𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑦 𝑠𝑐𝑎𝑟𝑠 𝑡𝑜𝑜, 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑤𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑣𝑖𝑠𝑖𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑦 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑤𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑛𝑜𝑡, 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚, 𝑠ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑𝑛'𝑡 𝑏𝑒 ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑓."
.
𝖮𝗏𝖾𝗋𝖺𝗅𝗅:
The perfect book for YA sci-fi readers looking for something intense that is merging the lines between science-fiction and romance, with a psychopathic touch.
.
**𝖳𝗁𝖺𝗇𝗄 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗍𝗈 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖺𝗎𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗋 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝗏𝗂𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖺𝗇 𝖠𝖱𝖢 𝖼𝗈𝗉𝗒 𝗂𝗇 𝖾𝗑𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗇𝗀𝖾 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝖺𝗇 𝗁𝗈𝗇𝖾𝗌𝗍 𝗋𝖾𝗏𝗂𝖾𝗐**
.
𝖱𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀:
★★★★☆
.
𝐁𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐞 ♡
September 5, 2020
Okay so the author of this book contacted me because she wanted an honest review in exchange for a copy of her novel. I've created my Goodreads account with the sole purpose of giving my opinion on this particular work, so I apologize in advanced for my inexperience in this platform.
When M. C. Winkkle sent me the blurb of her book I was instantly intrigued, science fiction and romance are some of my favorite genres, and the way she presented her ideas looked intriguing and original, so I said yes right away. And original is just what I got. I won't lie, this book is different. I'd never before read something quite like this, and I'm not sure I can even pinpoint the exact reason why this is. Perhaps it's the approach to the story, the mix of genres, the POV (third person omniscient, which is rare to come across these days but I still love) or just the premise. Either way it is indeed a book I won't forget.
Although the main character is sixteen years old, I do not think this is a young adult book. The story is mainly focused on adult characters and Stella herself is a pretty mature girl. She's strong and independent but she's not perfect--a far cry from it, actually. I felt like she was one of the best things of the story, in fact. She was a rounded character with plenty of flaws and a defined arc. So yeah, maybe in the end of the book she does something that may not agree with everybody (I'm a person who doesn't much care for violence or the other things mentioned in the trigger warning so I was pretty okay with it), but she is not the same person she was at the beginning of the story. And at least for me, that counts a lot more.
Overall, I think that this book was something else. It mingled a psychological journey into a world of aliens and war and many other fictional elements that revolve around a character who is just like any one of us.
So, were there things I didn't like? Yes, of course. I didn't particularly enjoy the character of Abigail for instance. But I'm of the view that all books have things that we don't like as much as others or that we would do different. In my opinion what counts in the end is whether a book made you feel something, whether it touched something deep within you and whether you'll be able to forget. For me, Beyond meets all of the above, and so it was a 5 star read.
When M. C. Winkkle sent me the blurb of her book I was instantly intrigued, science fiction and romance are some of my favorite genres, and the way she presented her ideas looked intriguing and original, so I said yes right away. And original is just what I got. I won't lie, this book is different. I'd never before read something quite like this, and I'm not sure I can even pinpoint the exact reason why this is. Perhaps it's the approach to the story, the mix of genres, the POV (third person omniscient, which is rare to come across these days but I still love) or just the premise. Either way it is indeed a book I won't forget.
Although the main character is sixteen years old, I do not think this is a young adult book. The story is mainly focused on adult characters and Stella herself is a pretty mature girl. She's strong and independent but she's not perfect--a far cry from it, actually. I felt like she was one of the best things of the story, in fact. She was a rounded character with plenty of flaws and a defined arc. So yeah, maybe in the end of the book she does something that may not agree with everybody (I'm a person who doesn't much care for violence or the other things mentioned in the trigger warning so I was pretty okay with it), but she is not the same person she was at the beginning of the story. And at least for me, that counts a lot more.
Overall, I think that this book was something else. It mingled a psychological journey into a world of aliens and war and many other fictional elements that revolve around a character who is just like any one of us.
So, were there things I didn't like? Yes, of course. I didn't particularly enjoy the character of Abigail for instance. But I'm of the view that all books have things that we don't like as much as others or that we would do different. In my opinion what counts in the end is whether a book made you feel something, whether it touched something deep within you and whether you'll be able to forget. For me, Beyond meets all of the above, and so it was a 5 star read.
September 5, 2020
Beyond Review
I’ve never been a huge reader of Sci-Fi books, so I am incredibly glad the author reached out to me as reading this book has made me want to look further into the world of Science Fiction.
Beyond is set in the future and has so many different elements for the reader to explore, just a couple of examples-aliens, abduction and the perspectives of a strong but frightened girl-Stella, whose emotions are described and portrayed well and as a reader you can very easily connect with how Stella feels and thinks.
This book holds so much excitement and you never can tell what is just around the corner! One of the parts I found particularly interesting was the inclusion of an Aliens mindset and outlook which really added to the Sci-Fi genre of this book.
The plot is full of twists and turns and in addition to the main genre of Science Fiction there are definite hints of Thriller, Romance and Dystopian genres mixed in which only adds to keeping the reader’s interest.
As this is the author’s first book the only improvement I would give is to perhaps develop things in greater detail. I feel in regards to Stella in particular there could have been a bit more character building but from her present perspectives in the book she is a really good character to connect with!
In conclusion, I would recommend this to readers who are starting their journey in the Sci-Fi reading world as it’s rather easy to follow if you’re not already super familiar with the genre. It’s a good taster as to what the Science Fiction genre has to offer and just an enjoyable read overall.
Thankyou again to the author for giving the opportunity to read and review this book! I’m excited to see what the rest of the series has to offer.
I’ve never been a huge reader of Sci-Fi books, so I am incredibly glad the author reached out to me as reading this book has made me want to look further into the world of Science Fiction.
Beyond is set in the future and has so many different elements for the reader to explore, just a couple of examples-aliens, abduction and the perspectives of a strong but frightened girl-Stella, whose emotions are described and portrayed well and as a reader you can very easily connect with how Stella feels and thinks.
This book holds so much excitement and you never can tell what is just around the corner! One of the parts I found particularly interesting was the inclusion of an Aliens mindset and outlook which really added to the Sci-Fi genre of this book.
The plot is full of twists and turns and in addition to the main genre of Science Fiction there are definite hints of Thriller, Romance and Dystopian genres mixed in which only adds to keeping the reader’s interest.
As this is the author’s first book the only improvement I would give is to perhaps develop things in greater detail. I feel in regards to Stella in particular there could have been a bit more character building but from her present perspectives in the book she is a really good character to connect with!
In conclusion, I would recommend this to readers who are starting their journey in the Sci-Fi reading world as it’s rather easy to follow if you’re not already super familiar with the genre. It’s a good taster as to what the Science Fiction genre has to offer and just an enjoyable read overall.
Thankyou again to the author for giving the opportunity to read and review this book! I’m excited to see what the rest of the series has to offer.
August 31, 2020
This story is set in near future where the aliens have invaded the earth and there is war going on between aliens and humans. The US govt is trying everything possible to stop the aliens.
Stella, a 15-year old girl is assumed to be involved with the aliens due to her super powers and is kept in a psychiatric hospital by the CIA for months. She somehow escapes from there and later learns about her true identity and about the relationship between her and aliens.
She realizes she has the key to stop the war between aliens and humans but now she has to decide which side to take.
The plot and the pace of the story is really good. I liked the character of Stella. She is a strong headed girl who never gives up her struggle. The narration of the story is easy to grasp and very interesting. The story has romance and suspense and thrill factor which kept me hooked till the end and I actually enjoyed reading it.
The only dissapointment for me is the lack of explanation of the alien traditions as a whole, just a little here and there and Stella's character development but since it's a first book of the series I am hoping it's intentional to keep the readers interested for the upcoming series.
Can't wait to read the sequel. I loved this book and I recommend this if you like to read sci-fi along with some romance and thrill.
Overall it was a good book.
Disclaimer : I received ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Stella, a 15-year old girl is assumed to be involved with the aliens due to her super powers and is kept in a psychiatric hospital by the CIA for months. She somehow escapes from there and later learns about her true identity and about the relationship between her and aliens.
She realizes she has the key to stop the war between aliens and humans but now she has to decide which side to take.
The plot and the pace of the story is really good. I liked the character of Stella. She is a strong headed girl who never gives up her struggle. The narration of the story is easy to grasp and very interesting. The story has romance and suspense and thrill factor which kept me hooked till the end and I actually enjoyed reading it.
The only dissapointment for me is the lack of explanation of the alien traditions as a whole, just a little here and there and Stella's character development but since it's a first book of the series I am hoping it's intentional to keep the readers interested for the upcoming series.
Can't wait to read the sequel. I loved this book and I recommend this if you like to read sci-fi along with some romance and thrill.
Overall it was a good book.
Disclaimer : I received ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 12, 2020
Stella was walking home after a bad day at school, and just after, she found herself a prisoner. For months the CIA keeps her in an abandoned psychiatric hospital where all she thought she knew about herself is pushed to the limits.
Just like other teenagers, she also had some psychological issues she thought were the biggest problem of her life,until she get to know that she has the key to solve a war between aliens and humans which has been going on for decades.
All she wants is to go back to what things were, and escapes from the CIA. But soon,
She realises only she can stop the war between aliens and humans,And now she has to decide which side to take.
The character Stella is filled with life, She never gives up. She is going to be one of the strong female personality in SciFi sectors. The plot is interesting as well as the pace is stable. The narration is in 3rd person format.
The story telling is easy to grasp and very involving. Romance, Suspense and Thrilling factors kept me hooked till the end.
Normally SciFi Thrillers don't have Romance, but in this book, this has been described beautifully !
The book is going to be published in series. And the first book is very much engaging to keep the readers awaited for the sequels. Though the description of Alien Sides were slightly less, I think the author has saved it for the next books.
Can't wait to read the sequel ! I really wish I could have a signed copy of this.
Just like other teenagers, she also had some psychological issues she thought were the biggest problem of her life,until she get to know that she has the key to solve a war between aliens and humans which has been going on for decades.
All she wants is to go back to what things were, and escapes from the CIA. But soon,
She realises only she can stop the war between aliens and humans,And now she has to decide which side to take.
The character Stella is filled with life, She never gives up. She is going to be one of the strong female personality in SciFi sectors. The plot is interesting as well as the pace is stable. The narration is in 3rd person format.
The story telling is easy to grasp and very involving. Romance, Suspense and Thrilling factors kept me hooked till the end.
Normally SciFi Thrillers don't have Romance, but in this book, this has been described beautifully !
The book is going to be published in series. And the first book is very much engaging to keep the readers awaited for the sequels. Though the description of Alien Sides were slightly less, I think the author has saved it for the next books.
Can't wait to read the sequel ! I really wish I could have a signed copy of this.
September 7, 2020
This is the first book I have ever been asked to review, and I was provided with an ARC for this purpose, I was very intrigued by the plot and I was not at all dissapointed!
Beyond is the first book in the Black Tears series, and is a self published book! It follows two main storylines, Stella, and The Commander (Zac) and Abigail.
I really enjoyed reading this, the start was a little slow and I didn't immediately connect to the main character Stella, but about half way through I found myself unable to put it down and read for 2 and a half hours straight until I was finished!
The writing style is really good and flows well, the first few chapters did include alot of exposition which could have been withheld for a more dramatic reveal, but I did not see the big reveal coming at all!
I loved the story of Zac and Abigail, I found Zacs character so sweet, him experiencing things he had never experienced before was very sweet! Stella's character really developed over the book and she became such a strong character in the second half of the book. The ending was absolutely brilliant and I can't wait for the next book!
Overall I really enjoyed this book and I would recommend it to anyone who is a fan of Sci-fi!
Beyond is the first book in the Black Tears series, and is a self published book! It follows two main storylines, Stella, and The Commander (Zac) and Abigail.
I really enjoyed reading this, the start was a little slow and I didn't immediately connect to the main character Stella, but about half way through I found myself unable to put it down and read for 2 and a half hours straight until I was finished!
The writing style is really good and flows well, the first few chapters did include alot of exposition which could have been withheld for a more dramatic reveal, but I did not see the big reveal coming at all!
I loved the story of Zac and Abigail, I found Zacs character so sweet, him experiencing things he had never experienced before was very sweet! Stella's character really developed over the book and she became such a strong character in the second half of the book. The ending was absolutely brilliant and I can't wait for the next book!
Overall I really enjoyed this book and I would recommend it to anyone who is a fan of Sci-fi!
September 16, 2020
I recently read Beyond and I truly enjoyed it. One day Stella is walking home after a bad day at school, the next, she wakes up to find herself a prisoner.
Reading the blurb made me think it's a hardcore psychotic thriller, but that's not it, the book is a multigenre read with a blend of thrill, drama, suspense, romance with a dominance of sci-fi. I really really loved the concept of the story, a teenager character is brought so well in way which will definitely fascinate all kind of readers especially who are into light romance with a blend of sci-fi to it. I was intrigued from the very first page, I admit it took me a bit more time to actually get immersed in the story but the moment I was into it, I just couldn't stop reading. The way author brings a self built, strong female character makes it truly worthy, the story is filled with many twists and turns.
.
.
When Stella is supposed to choose between two sides, what will she choose? I think her character was well developed, yet many new things might follow in the second book in the series but Beyond is a book which should not be missed. Even if you are not into sci-fi, yoy will enjoy it too, as it light and enjoyable.
.
Rating: 4🌟
September 5, 2020
Beyond
(Black Tears #1)
by M.C. Winkkle
4/5⭐️
⠀
Let me start with that fantasy and paranormal with a touch of romance hasn’t really been my jam.Until now.
This book grabbed my attention from the first chapter and held it to the last sentence.
⠀
The story takes place in the future, approximately in 2044,and the earth is at war with aliens.
Our main character,Stella is kept in an abandoned psychiatric hospital by the CIA after she stopped a car from smashing the house of her mother.She saved her mother but from that day,everything changed.
⠀
Winkkle does a great job writing the story in a parallel way, the story about Stella and the background of her parents, this without loosing the red thread.While reading I also got some allegorical similarities, political but also the ugliest qualities of us humans.
⠀
”𝘈𝘱𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺, 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘺𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 2043, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘥𝘥𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘛𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘳. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘥𝘶𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘢𝘴 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘯𝘵’𝘴, 𝘖𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘢 𝘚𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘩.”
Yes,I really hope he doesn’t get re-elect in November.
⠀
On occasion I did however feel that some events weren’t necessary, not that the story got repetitive but it made the book longer than necessary.
Overall I really enjoy it and I’m looking forward to read the next book in the series.
⠀* I received an arc from the author in exchange for an honest review *
(Black Tears #1)
by M.C. Winkkle
4/5⭐️
⠀
Let me start with that fantasy and paranormal with a touch of romance hasn’t really been my jam.Until now.
This book grabbed my attention from the first chapter and held it to the last sentence.
⠀
The story takes place in the future, approximately in 2044,and the earth is at war with aliens.
Our main character,Stella is kept in an abandoned psychiatric hospital by the CIA after she stopped a car from smashing the house of her mother.She saved her mother but from that day,everything changed.
⠀
Winkkle does a great job writing the story in a parallel way, the story about Stella and the background of her parents, this without loosing the red thread.While reading I also got some allegorical similarities, political but also the ugliest qualities of us humans.
⠀
”𝘈𝘱𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺, 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘺𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 2043, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘥𝘥𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘛𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘳. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘥𝘶𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘢𝘴 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘯𝘵’𝘴, 𝘖𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘢 𝘚𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘩.”
Yes,I really hope he doesn’t get re-elect in November.
⠀
On occasion I did however feel that some events weren’t necessary, not that the story got repetitive but it made the book longer than necessary.
Overall I really enjoy it and I’m looking forward to read the next book in the series.
⠀* I received an arc from the author in exchange for an honest review *
March 11, 2021
To begin with I love, love, love the book's front cover. Without reading the synopsis I knew I had to read it. (Another proof that cover matters )
I really liked the introduction and the way Stella, the protagonist is portrayed. It kind of reminded me Hannah Baker from 13 Reasons Why, in the beginning.
So Stella, due to her weirdness as she says, is a deadly weapon to the hands of the wrong... spieces. She is committed to a "psychiatric clinic" where she's destined to be used by the humans in a different kind of war, for the sake of mankind.
The idea and execution of it made an spectacular fantasy story in a dystopian world where humans fight against aliens.
I love it when there is a character in a book that manages to give me a very strong emotion - any kind. In this case that was Christina. I f*** hate her. In every appearance of her in a scene I was like KILL HER, STELLA NOWWW!!
What I didn't like:
Well, not so much of a negative as this is personal taste to each and everyone,
I just felt sometimes that it was too analytical ao after a page or so I felt reallyy tired. Fortunately, however, the story was too engaging to let go!
I really liked the introduction and the way Stella, the protagonist is portrayed. It kind of reminded me Hannah Baker from 13 Reasons Why, in the beginning.
So Stella, due to her weirdness as she says, is a deadly weapon to the hands of the wrong... spieces. She is committed to a "psychiatric clinic" where she's destined to be used by the humans in a different kind of war, for the sake of mankind.
The idea and execution of it made an spectacular fantasy story in a dystopian world where humans fight against aliens.
I love it when there is a character in a book that manages to give me a very strong emotion - any kind. In this case that was Christina. I f*** hate her. In every appearance of her in a scene I was like KILL HER, STELLA NOWWW!!
What I didn't like:
Well, not so much of a negative as this is personal taste to each and everyone,
I just felt sometimes that it was too analytical ao after a page or so I felt reallyy tired. Fortunately, however, the story was too engaging to let go!
September 8, 2020
Beyond is an Adult Sci-Fi about a young girl, Stella, trying to find her place in the world. This is the first book in the Black Tears series by M. C. Winnkle and a great debute novel. It takes place in the slight but near future after the world is introduced to an alien species and a war has begun between the human race and those who wish to take over their world.
Is this a perfect book? No, but the story is engaging, the world intriguing and the characters interesting. I wished Stella was a little older personally but I liked her and thought she was a great protagonist for this story. She is flawed and unsure, I hope in the books to follow she will grow and develop into a more confident individual.
The story that I was almost more intrigued with was that of Abigail and The Commander; I was always excited to read what happened next and discover more about who they were and their importance to the story being told. I enjoyed the back and forth between the two story lines and how they eventually wove together.
Overall, I really enjoy this book and look forward to the next in the series. I was given an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Is this a perfect book? No, but the story is engaging, the world intriguing and the characters interesting. I wished Stella was a little older personally but I liked her and thought she was a great protagonist for this story. She is flawed and unsure, I hope in the books to follow she will grow and develop into a more confident individual.
The story that I was almost more intrigued with was that of Abigail and The Commander; I was always excited to read what happened next and discover more about who they were and their importance to the story being told. I enjoyed the back and forth between the two story lines and how they eventually wove together.
Overall, I really enjoy this book and look forward to the next in the series. I was given an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
August 25, 2020
Note: I received an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was a nice read. It drew me in immediately and kept me interested all through the story. The writing is good and the pacing smart.
What I liked the most was the main character, Stella, who I found relatable and quite enjoyed reading about.
If there was something negative I had to point out, it would be the scarce explanations regarding the alien lore as a whole. However, I take it that this was pretty much intentional since this book is the first of a series and I trust the author will develop this more in future books. To me it seems like a strategy to leave you wanting more--and it honestly does the trick.
Overall, it was a good presentation volume that I would recommend to sci-fi fans with a thriller streak and who don't mind a bit of romance.
This was a nice read. It drew me in immediately and kept me interested all through the story. The writing is good and the pacing smart.
What I liked the most was the main character, Stella, who I found relatable and quite enjoyed reading about.
If there was something negative I had to point out, it would be the scarce explanations regarding the alien lore as a whole. However, I take it that this was pretty much intentional since this book is the first of a series and I trust the author will develop this more in future books. To me it seems like a strategy to leave you wanting more--and it honestly does the trick.
Overall, it was a good presentation volume that I would recommend to sci-fi fans with a thriller streak and who don't mind a bit of romance.
September 10, 2020
Beyond it's the first book of the Sci-fi series Black Tears. So I am not a huge fan of Sci-fi book but I enjoyed this book.
The book follows the story of Stella, a young girl, captured by the CIA because of her "power". They think that she can win the war between humans and aliens.. this part of the book is really focused on her feelings, her thoughts and desperation, psychological perspective is really good and well written.
The other part of the book, follows the romance story between an alien Commander and a human, Abigail..Honestly I was glad to find a love story and I liked this part so much!!the alien Commander thoughts about feelings and how to handle them was really interesting..
The ending of the book makes us understand that there is more to read and more to discover, so keep an eye on it if you like Sci-fi books!!!
The book follows the story of Stella, a young girl, captured by the CIA because of her "power". They think that she can win the war between humans and aliens.. this part of the book is really focused on her feelings, her thoughts and desperation, psychological perspective is really good and well written.
The other part of the book, follows the romance story between an alien Commander and a human, Abigail..Honestly I was glad to find a love story and I liked this part so much!!the alien Commander thoughts about feelings and how to handle them was really interesting..
The ending of the book makes us understand that there is more to read and more to discover, so keep an eye on it if you like Sci-fi books!!!
September 10, 2020
This sci-fi novel drops us in on our MC, Stella, waking up in a strange room with no idea where she is or how she got there. From there, we are propelled into this futuristic story that takes place after aliens have invaded Earth. For reasons unknown to Stella, the CIA thinks she may be the key to saving the planet.
This is an enjoyable story with a lot of promise, but I found the story needed more world-building and character development to be truly engaging for me. I was confused at times about what was happening, and Stella seemed older than 16 to me. At first I thought this was a YA book, but I think it reads more for adults.
Overall, if you're a fan of sci-fi, aliens, and don't mind the TW's (they are there for good reason!), give this book a shot. You may find a new series to enjoy.
*ARC provided by the author. All opinions are my own.
This is an enjoyable story with a lot of promise, but I found the story needed more world-building and character development to be truly engaging for me. I was confused at times about what was happening, and Stella seemed older than 16 to me. At first I thought this was a YA book, but I think it reads more for adults.
Overall, if you're a fan of sci-fi, aliens, and don't mind the TW's (they are there for good reason!), give this book a shot. You may find a new series to enjoy.
*ARC provided by the author. All opinions are my own.
September 11, 2020
Beyond was one of the most unexpected books I've read this year. Starting out in a psychiatric ward, I was not prepared for this story to be so immediately suspenseful!
The story telling was good, and I was definitely interested in finding out what happened next. The characters were interesting, but I found myself more interested in The Commander and Abigail. Stella's character was perfectly fine, but the chapters focused on The Commander and Abigail were much more enthralling.
My biggest issue with this book was the world building. I didn't ever feel completely immersed and was looking for more history, background, and detail from each character. I wanted to know more about the Alien's world and life system and more about the current state of earth.
Overall I think this was a solid 3 stars and a good first novel for the author.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
The story telling was good, and I was definitely interested in finding out what happened next. The characters were interesting, but I found myself more interested in The Commander and Abigail. Stella's character was perfectly fine, but the chapters focused on The Commander and Abigail were much more enthralling.
My biggest issue with this book was the world building. I didn't ever feel completely immersed and was looking for more history, background, and detail from each character. I wanted to know more about the Alien's world and life system and more about the current state of earth.
Overall I think this was a solid 3 stars and a good first novel for the author.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
September 17, 2020
💌This is a story which is set in near future where there is a war going on between aliens and humans and the US govt is trying to stop the aliens.
💌The story talks about Stella, a 15-year old girl who is assumed to be involved with the aliens due to her super powers. One day Stella is walking home after a bad day at school, the next, she wakes up to find herself a prisoner.
For months the CIA keeps her in an abandoned psychiatric hospital but she somehow escape from there and later she gets to know about her true identity and her relationship with the aliens.
💌She realises she has the key to stop the war between aliens and humans. But she have to make a choice for that, she have to decide - Which side she should pick??
💌The plot building and imagination of the Author is fantastic. I really liked the character of Stella. She is well described as a brave and strong girl who never give up.
💌Overall its a perfect book for readers looking for a great combination of science-fiction and romance. I am really excited for the next book in this series.
💌The story talks about Stella, a 15-year old girl who is assumed to be involved with the aliens due to her super powers. One day Stella is walking home after a bad day at school, the next, she wakes up to find herself a prisoner.
For months the CIA keeps her in an abandoned psychiatric hospital but she somehow escape from there and later she gets to know about her true identity and her relationship with the aliens.
💌She realises she has the key to stop the war between aliens and humans. But she have to make a choice for that, she have to decide - Which side she should pick??
💌The plot building and imagination of the Author is fantastic. I really liked the character of Stella. She is well described as a brave and strong girl who never give up.
💌Overall its a perfect book for readers looking for a great combination of science-fiction and romance. I am really excited for the next book in this series.
September 9, 2020
I did not see this coming.
Thriller, with little bit of suspense and romance is such a good mix.
It was such a treat to read the first book in the series. And I really enjoyed it. I cannot wait to read the second book in the series. Twists and turn in the book kept me hooked with the book.
Stella found herself in major turmoil between choosing one side in the war. Everything is falling apart in front of her eyes. And she is trying, trying her level best to do what is good. She has no clue what awaits her. I did not see the end coming.
Some parts were kinda predictable, nonetheless I enjoyed this book. And I would like to thank the author for giving me an ealry arc for the book and believing in me.
Thriller, with little bit of suspense and romance is such a good mix.
It was such a treat to read the first book in the series. And I really enjoyed it. I cannot wait to read the second book in the series. Twists and turn in the book kept me hooked with the book.
Stella found herself in major turmoil between choosing one side in the war. Everything is falling apart in front of her eyes. And she is trying, trying her level best to do what is good. She has no clue what awaits her. I did not see the end coming.
Some parts were kinda predictable, nonetheless I enjoyed this book. And I would like to thank the author for giving me an ealry arc for the book and believing in me.
August 24, 2020
Disclaimer: I received this as an ARC and in ebook format.
This was an okay read because I was not able to become fully immersed with the novel.
The characters personalities were hard to decipher and inconsistent. Unfortunately, this had made it less enjoyable to read. Furthermore, some of the reactions of the characters and overall outcomes of events seemed forced and somewhat not fitting. In terms of the writing style, the world building was not explicit which made it hard for me to imagine what was going on in the novel.
Overall, it was an interesting experience to read this novel as I rarely read sci-fi. However, it didn't satisfy me as much as I would have liked it to.
This was an okay read because I was not able to become fully immersed with the novel.
The characters personalities were hard to decipher and inconsistent. Unfortunately, this had made it less enjoyable to read. Furthermore, some of the reactions of the characters and overall outcomes of events seemed forced and somewhat not fitting. In terms of the writing style, the world building was not explicit which made it hard for me to imagine what was going on in the novel.
Overall, it was an interesting experience to read this novel as I rarely read sci-fi. However, it didn't satisfy me as much as I would have liked it to.
September 3, 2020
*ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
I found this book intriguing and enjoyed the way that it immediately launched into the story. The writing was good and the pacing worked well for the story.
I personally enjoy stories with a strong female lead and Stella fits the bill nicely as she never gives up despite what happens to her.
I wished that there was some more world-building but I assume that it will come within the next instalment.
I recommend this to those who enjoy sci-fi books🛸
I found this book intriguing and enjoyed the way that it immediately launched into the story. The writing was good and the pacing worked well for the story.
I personally enjoy stories with a strong female lead and Stella fits the bill nicely as she never gives up despite what happens to her.
I wished that there was some more world-building but I assume that it will come within the next instalment.
I recommend this to those who enjoy sci-fi books🛸
September 10, 2020
This is a great book! Sci fi is not my normal genre but this made it want to be. This read like a movie. If someone made this into a movie I would definitely watch it, more than once. It hooks you right from the start and you don’t want to put it down. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to fans of sci fi or those wanting to expand their reading. Thank you to the author for giving me a free advanced copy of this book. This in no way influenced my opinion or review of this book.
October 7, 2020
Wow I did not see this coming!
Although I had never expected so, it might have become one of my favorites in the Sci-Fi/fantasy genre.
The story is fast-paced and descriptive in just the right times. The plot is full of twists and turns and the characters are deep and three-dimensional, especially Stella, who is pretty relatable despite her exceptional... gifts.
I was surprised since I didn't expect this from a debut author. And oh THE ENDING.
I need the prequel RIGHT NOW.
Although I had never expected so, it might have become one of my favorites in the Sci-Fi/fantasy genre.
The story is fast-paced and descriptive in just the right times. The plot is full of twists and turns and the characters are deep and three-dimensional, especially Stella, who is pretty relatable despite her exceptional... gifts.
I was surprised since I didn't expect this from a debut author. And oh THE ENDING.
I need the prequel RIGHT NOW.
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