BEYOND FATE Synopsis:
There are always
two sides to every story . . .
His whole life, Jonah Whitecomb has strove to meet everyone’s expectations of
him: the perfect student, dutiful son, loyal twin, accomplished surfer, and
powerful Magical. But behind his carefully composed façade hides the truth of
how his family has fallen apart, leaving Jonah more often than not feeling
adrift. To complicate matters, he fell in love long ago with a girl in his
dreams, one he’s never told anyone about, including his twin brother.
Just when life seems its bleakest, Jonah discovers that Chloe is real. Wanting
to finally reach out and grab happiness for himself, he embarks on a journey to
track down the girl of his dreams, only to find that happy endings aren’t
always guaranteed, the best laid out plans can go horribly awry, and sometimes,
you have to simply let yourself go along for the ride.
* Beyond Fate is Jonah’s point-of-view of the events of A Matter of Fate, and
is a companion novella.
Review:
I've made it no secret that I LOVE this series. It's also true that I usually hate POV's from another character in the same story. However, as usually, Heather Lyon's rocked it. This was a great novella.
I love Jonah and I'm rooting for him! This was an in depth look at his history and how some situations ended up happening. I learned so much about Jonah and even Callie. The characters are just so rich and vibrant, making me fall in love with them.
Even though this was a short story, I highly recommend it. It is a vital piece of the puzzle. I'm giving this novella five glittery stars for how awesome it was, in my opinion.
Excerpt:
She must sense my disinterest, because she rushes to say,
“And your Connection is nice and strong. You’re very lucky to have been able to
foster that relationship from such an early age.”
“And your Connection is nice and strong. You’re very lucky to have been able to
foster that relationship from such an early age.”
Whoa.
What now? Connection? “Do you mean the one with my brother?”
What now? Connection? “Do you mean the one with my brother?”
I have a
Connection with my brother, thanks to being Magical identical twins and all.
But it’s not like a real Connection, not like the kind my parents had or Joey
and Hannah’s. Not a romantic one, anyway.
Connection with my brother, thanks to being Magical identical twins and all.
But it’s not like a real Connection, not like the kind my parents had or Joey
and Hannah’s. Not a romantic one, anyway.
“Oh,
well, yes, there’s that Connection too.” The Seer nods, biting the end of her
pen. Then she yanks it back out, irrational embarrassment taking over once
more. “I guess I overlooked that one, since I’ve never seen one between
siblings before. No—I meant your Connection.”
well, yes, there’s that Connection too.” The Seer nods, biting the end of her
pen. Then she yanks it back out, irrational embarrassment taking over once
more. “I guess I overlooked that one, since I’ve never seen one between
siblings before. No—I meant your Connection.”
My brain
sort of goes static-y. “I guess I’m confused here. If you’re not referring to
Kellan, then what . . . uh . . . Connection are you talking about?”
sort of goes static-y. “I guess I’m confused here. If you’re not referring to
Kellan, then what . . . uh . . . Connection are you talking about?”
She
looks down at the yellow legal pad, as if it somehow has answers. “Surely you
know about your Connection? I mean, you’ve already been on that road with her,
and have been since you were very young.”
looks down at the yellow legal pad, as if it somehow has answers. “Surely you
know about your Connection? I mean, you’ve already been on that road with her,
and have been since you were very young.”
My heart
starts racing, like it does when I run. But I’m not running. I’m sitting in a
yellow chair in a Seer’s office and I’m dizzy and my heart is racing and I’m
having a tough time catching my breath. “Elaborate,” I squeak. And it goes to
show just how thrown off balance I really am, because I don’t even even care
that I’m squeaking like a twelve-year-old going through puberty to some pretty
girl.
starts racing, like it does when I run. But I’m not running. I’m sitting in a
yellow chair in a Seer’s office and I’m dizzy and my heart is racing and I’m
having a tough time catching my breath. “Elaborate,” I squeak. And it goes to
show just how thrown off balance I really am, because I don’t even even care
that I’m squeaking like a twelve-year-old going through puberty to some pretty
girl.
The
Seer’s eyes widen. “Has no one explained this to you?”
Seer’s eyes widen. “Has no one explained this to you?”
I clear
my throat once, twice. “I know that my brother and I have a Connection, but I
wasn’t aware I had another one. Nobody . . .” I’m forced to clear it a third
time. “Nobody has two Connections.”
my throat once, twice. “I know that my brother and I have a Connection, but I
wasn’t aware I had another one. Nobody . . .” I’m forced to clear it a third
time. “Nobody has two Connections.”
“Well,
uh . . . it’s true that I’m not aware of anyone else having two, but . . .” She
blinks at me, scratches her head. “You do. You’re in love with her already,
right?”
uh . . . it’s true that I’m not aware of anyone else having two, but . . .” She
blinks at me, scratches her head. “You do. You’re in love with her already,
right?”
How could she know that? Can Seers
tell that? Can they actually sense
emotions, like I can? Can they physically tell that someone is in love, simply
by looking at their paths? Because, if that’s the case, this is—
tell that? Can they actually sense
emotions, like I can? Can they physically tell that someone is in love, simply
by looking at their paths? Because, if that’s the case, this is—
“You’ve
known her nearly your whole life,” Sera says, interrupting my internal
high-octane rationalizations. “I’m positive of it. You’ve been in love with
your Connection for a very long time.”
known her nearly your whole life,” Sera says, interrupting my internal
high-octane rationalizations. “I’m positive of it. You’ve been in love with
your Connection for a very long time.”
If
somebody had smashed a brick down on my head during this moment, I wouldn’t
have been more surprised. So I sound like a total idiot when I blurt out, “You
mean she’s real?”
somebody had smashed a brick down on my head during this moment, I wouldn’t
have been more surprised. So I sound like a total idiot when I blurt out, “You
mean she’s real?”
It’s the
first time I’ve ever said anything about the girl I’ve called Chloe out loud,
to anyone. EVER.
first time I’ve ever said anything about the girl I’ve called Chloe out loud,
to anyone. EVER.
“Well,
of course,” the Seer says. And then she has the audacity to laugh. At me.
Because I’m too . . . I don’t know. Slow? Stupid? Naïve? To grasp what she
thinks is basic Magical Info 101. Normally, this would piss me off royally, but
right now, I temper that annoyance down because I’m pretty sure if she doesn’t
answer my questions, I’m going to have a full-fledge meltdown right here in her
office. It’s been weeks—scratch that, MONTHS—since I last saw or heard from the
girl in my dreams. Even if this Seer can give me the smallest bit of info, I’m
completely willing to let her think I’m the biggest idiot on the Human plane.
“No one has a Connection to an imaginary Magical,” she finishes lamely.
of course,” the Seer says. And then she has the audacity to laugh. At me.
Because I’m too . . . I don’t know. Slow? Stupid? Naïve? To grasp what she
thinks is basic Magical Info 101. Normally, this would piss me off royally, but
right now, I temper that annoyance down because I’m pretty sure if she doesn’t
answer my questions, I’m going to have a full-fledge meltdown right here in her
office. It’s been weeks—scratch that, MONTHS—since I last saw or heard from the
girl in my dreams. Even if this Seer can give me the smallest bit of info, I’m
completely willing to let her think I’m the biggest idiot on the Human plane.
“No one has a Connection to an imaginary Magical,” she finishes lamely.
THUD.
Another brick smashes down on my apparently thick skull. My voice drops to a
whisper. “She’s a Magical?”
Another brick smashes down on my apparently thick skull. My voice drops to a
whisper. “She’s a Magical?”
Jesus.
Now I’ve basically turned into a parrot.
Now I’ve basically turned into a parrot.
The Seer
cocks her head to the side. “I don’t understand . . .?”
cocks her head to the side. “I don’t understand . . .?”
And then
everything in me, everything I’ve felt for this girl my whole life floods me,
and it’s too much, way too much, so the dam bursts forth and finally, finally,
the truth comes rushing out. I don’t think I can stop the words even if I
wanted to, and right now, here—I don’t want to. “I’ve . . . I’ve dreamed about
this girl my whole life. I never knew she was real, though. I mean—I hoped she
was, but . . .”
everything in me, everything I’ve felt for this girl my whole life floods me,
and it’s too much, way too much, so the dam bursts forth and finally, finally,
the truth comes rushing out. I don’t think I can stop the words even if I
wanted to, and right now, here—I don’t want to. “I’ve . . . I’ve dreamed about
this girl my whole life. I never knew she was real, though. I mean—I hoped she
was, but . . .”
Sera
gets this dreamy look, and a flash of envy streaks through her. “OH! You’ve got
a doorway! Lucky, lucky! So very rare.” Her smile is the rueful, conspiratorial
one now. “What most Magicals wouldn’t do for one.”
gets this dreamy look, and a flash of envy streaks through her. “OH! You’ve got
a doorway! Lucky, lucky! So very rare.” Her smile is the rueful, conspiratorial
one now. “What most Magicals wouldn’t do for one.”
She
knows about . . . “The doorway?”
knows about . . . “The doorway?”
Kill me now, because there’s more of
the parroting.
the parroting.
The Seer blushes violently now. If I
wasn’t so, oh, I don’t know, BLOWN AWAY, I just might be annoyed or amused at
the fact that she’d just wished she’d had a doorway with me. But I have no time
for these shenanigans. “How do you know about the doorway?”
wasn’t so, oh, I don’t know, BLOWN AWAY, I just might be annoyed or amused at
the fact that she’d just wished she’d had a doorway with me. But I have no time
for these shenanigans. “How do you know about the doorway?”
It’s her turn to clear her throat.
“Um, it’s . . . one of the ways some people with Connections meet? Like I said,
it’s rare, maybe two percent of all Connection cases are like this. So . . .”
She scratches her upper arm. “You’re the first person I’ve met with a doorway,
though. Have you met her in person yet?”
“Um, it’s . . . one of the ways some people with Connections meet? Like I said,
it’s rare, maybe two percent of all Connection cases are like this. So . . .”
She scratches her upper arm. “You’re the first person I’ve met with a doorway,
though. Have you met her in person yet?”
YET?
I go lightheaded right before the ground below
me moves.
me moves.
About Heather Lyons:
Heather Lyons has
always had a thing for words—She’s been writing stories since she was a kid. In
addition to writing, she’s also been an archaeologist and a teacher. Heather is
a rabid music fan, as evidenced by her (mostly) music-centric blog, and she’s
married to an even larger music snob. They’re happily raising three kids who
are mini music fiends who love to read and be read to.
always had a thing for words—She’s been writing stories since she was a kid. In
addition to writing, she’s also been an archaeologist and a teacher. Heather is
a rabid music fan, as evidenced by her (mostly) music-centric blog, and she’s
married to an even larger music snob. They’re happily raising three kids who
are mini music fiends who love to read and be read to.
Links:
Author Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/heatherlyons
BEYOND FATE Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18454992-beyond-fate?from_search=true
Twitter: https://twitter.com/hymheather
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