pbanditp's review
5.0
First, I need to say how much this book affected me. I just kept thinking about it. Thinking about the natural disasters and forgetting they weren’t real. Thinking about these characters and wondering how they got so close to me.
Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, snow in the summer, birds falling from the sky...this world is coming to an end and a few seem to know exactly when it will happen.
Some families are closer than others, from across generations and beyond. Twins Ravynn and Ray have always had a special connection but after Ravynn disappears and is presumed dead their connection continues. Through dreams Ray talks to his sister and is making predictions about disasters that come true. Or is Ray just losing his mind? He can’t be communicating with his missing sister in his head, but the predictions are coming true.
So much is going on in this book that I just don’t want to talk about and give spoilers. I needed everyone to succeed and survive. Tension builds as catastrophe after catastrophe comes true, spiraling toward the end of this world.
Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, snow in the summer, birds falling from the sky...this world is coming to an end and a few seem to know exactly when it will happen.
Some families are closer than others, from across generations and beyond. Twins Ravynn and Ray have always had a special connection but after Ravynn disappears and is presumed dead their connection continues. Through dreams Ray talks to his sister and is making predictions about disasters that come true. Or is Ray just losing his mind? He can’t be communicating with his missing sister in his head, but the predictions are coming true.
So much is going on in this book that I just don’t want to talk about and give spoilers. I needed everyone to succeed and survive. Tension builds as catastrophe after catastrophe comes true, spiraling toward the end of this world.
emmieb_heradventures1's review
4.0
This is a post-apocalyptic book, a genre/ setting I quite enjoy lately. It touches on difficulty subject matters such as loss, grief and what it's like to lose a twin. Which I found really emotive and really felt for Ray. As I can't imagine how hard this must be to deal with. The feeling of the consequences of knowing too much is familiar to how I felt when I read Frankenstein, which is one of my favourite books! And also with the original Flatliners film starring Kevin Bacon and Julia Roberts. Honestly wouldn't be surprised if this got made into a film
mayathebookworm's review
5.0
Check out this review and more on my blog, Maya’s Reviews.
Thank you to D. M. Siciliano for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
//TW: death, alcohol//
~Quick Statistics~
Overall: 5/5 Stars
Plot: 5/5 Stars
Setting: 5/5 Stars
Characters: 5/5 Stars
Writing: 5/5 Stars
Memorability: 5/5 Stars
~Quick Review~
An absolutely amazing, beautiful, horrific, mind blowing, terrifying, and tragic novel; all at the same time and perfectly threaded together to create a masterpiece. With an amazing cast of characters, a chaotic but fantastic story, and an aura of horror, D. M. Siciliano’s Under Another Sun is an original and intricate novel with a post-apocalyptic feel.
~Other Information~
Publisher: Dark Diva Press
Page Count: 330 pages
~Book Description (via Goodreads)~
A crack in time saves 99
But what do those ominous words mean?
Ray is about to find out, whether he’s ready or not. His ‘deceased’ twin sister, Ravynn, is warning him of impending disaster, but Ray can’t seem to convince himself, or his wife, that he’s not crazy.
But Ray isn’t the only one communicating with his sister. Ravynn’s surviving daughter, Amelia, seems to know things that defy reason, in a time when reason is slowly slipping away.
When Ray’s brother-in-law offers evidence of something terrible coming in the form of prophetic journals Ravynn wrote before her death, Ray can’t doubt the truth any longer. The world is falling down.
The family struggles to hold themselves together as the world they once knew and understood begins to collapse all around them, leading up to a cataclysmic end.
Can Ray save his family in time?
~Characters~
Under Another Sun follows the story of a large number of characters. Ray, his wife Elena, his niece Amelia, and his brother-in-law Matt must navigate the craziness that threatens to crash around them day after day. The characters were all well written and all displayed very difficulties within their lives; they were realistically human. Many of the characters have to deal with grief and fear throughout the story, and the author displayed this perfectly. We all deal with things differently, and so did the characters.
~Writing and Setting~
D. M. Siciliano has a way of writing that reaches into your soul and absolutely tears you away from reality. I found myself holding my breath during the chaos, near tears during the grief the characters experienced, and laughing at the silliness the characters found even in the darkest of times.
Under Another Sun takes place during the end of times. No one knows what is happening to the world, except for Amelia, a little girl weirdly in touch with her ‘deceased’ mother. The world is crossing between this reality and another one, and it is “all falling down”.
~Plot~
This novel is a whirlwind of fast-paced chaos and destruction. The way the mystery of the chaos unfolds is perfectly executed but leaves me wanting to know more. I desperately want to know more about the world of Under Another Sun: what becomes of the characters after this novel, what is the place under another sun? There are so many twists and turns within this novel, that I’m probably going to read it again to get a good grasp on the impending chaos that the characters endure.
~Overall Review~
Under Another Sun is by far my favorite ‘the world is ending’ novel. While the circumstances within the novel are tragic and horrific, the novel itself is well-written, throughout, and magnificent. I highly recommend Under Another Sun, even if you aren’t necessarily a fan of novels with tragic endings and events.
Author's Website | Amazon
Thank you to D. M. Siciliano for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
//TW: death, alcohol//
~Quick Statistics~
Overall: 5/5 Stars
Plot: 5/5 Stars
Setting: 5/5 Stars
Characters: 5/5 Stars
Writing: 5/5 Stars
Memorability: 5/5 Stars
~Quick Review~
An absolutely amazing, beautiful, horrific, mind blowing, terrifying, and tragic novel; all at the same time and perfectly threaded together to create a masterpiece. With an amazing cast of characters, a chaotic but fantastic story, and an aura of horror, D. M. Siciliano’s Under Another Sun is an original and intricate novel with a post-apocalyptic feel.
~Other Information~
Publisher: Dark Diva Press
Page Count: 330 pages
~Book Description (via Goodreads)~
A crack in time saves 99
But what do those ominous words mean?
Ray is about to find out, whether he’s ready or not. His ‘deceased’ twin sister, Ravynn, is warning him of impending disaster, but Ray can’t seem to convince himself, or his wife, that he’s not crazy.
But Ray isn’t the only one communicating with his sister. Ravynn’s surviving daughter, Amelia, seems to know things that defy reason, in a time when reason is slowly slipping away.
When Ray’s brother-in-law offers evidence of something terrible coming in the form of prophetic journals Ravynn wrote before her death, Ray can’t doubt the truth any longer. The world is falling down.
The family struggles to hold themselves together as the world they once knew and understood begins to collapse all around them, leading up to a cataclysmic end.
Can Ray save his family in time?
~Characters~
Under Another Sun follows the story of a large number of characters. Ray, his wife Elena, his niece Amelia, and his brother-in-law Matt must navigate the craziness that threatens to crash around them day after day. The characters were all well written and all displayed very difficulties within their lives; they were realistically human. Many of the characters have to deal with grief and fear throughout the story, and the author displayed this perfectly. We all deal with things differently, and so did the characters.
~Writing and Setting~
D. M. Siciliano has a way of writing that reaches into your soul and absolutely tears you away from reality. I found myself holding my breath during the chaos, near tears during the grief the characters experienced, and laughing at the silliness the characters found even in the darkest of times.
Under Another Sun takes place during the end of times. No one knows what is happening to the world, except for Amelia, a little girl weirdly in touch with her ‘deceased’ mother. The world is crossing between this reality and another one, and it is “all falling down”.
~Plot~
This novel is a whirlwind of fast-paced chaos and destruction. The way the mystery of the chaos unfolds is perfectly executed but leaves me wanting to know more. I desperately want to know more about the world of Under Another Sun: what becomes of the characters after this novel, what is the place under another sun? There are so many twists and turns within this novel, that I’m probably going to read it again to get a good grasp on the impending chaos that the characters endure.
~Overall Review~
Under Another Sun is by far my favorite ‘the world is ending’ novel. While the circumstances within the novel are tragic and horrific, the novel itself is well-written, throughout, and magnificent. I highly recommend Under Another Sun, even if you aren’t necessarily a fan of novels with tragic endings and events.
Author's Website | Amazon
cgfrances's review
3.0
"You're running out of time...
A crack in time saves ninety-nine..."
Overall, a solid read/listen. I give it 3.5 stars!
At first, the riddle sounded so cliché and something about it struck me as odd, immediately bringing the jaunt "99 bottles of beer on the wall" to the forefront of my mind every time I heard it. I didn't like it. But as the story progressed... it all made sense. The ending left me reeling with questions, however. It would be very intriguing to see a sequel, maybe a novella, of a thorough epilogue of what actually happened to the Earth and those characters you become invested in.
I love my dystopians, but this is not your typical one. It was filled with a lot of psychological aspects that left me reeling and feeling very emotional. The fact that a book can bring forth such an emotion certainly does say something regarding the story being told.
We are following a family and their struggles with the inevitable end of the world. We don't know how or why it will happen, but oddly enough we know when. We have two main characters, one an adult and the other a child, who have the ability to hear and visualize their sister/mother in water, thus making this book an intriguing blend of thriller-dystopian-fantasy. She speaks a lot in riddles to Ray (her twin brother) and visits her daughter (Amelia) in her dreams. This drove me nuts at first. But I realized after everything was said and done, that she had to speak in such riddles to allow Ray to work on opening his mind and become more aware, something a child doesn't need to do as their minds are already open and accepting, willing to learn and embrace that of which an adult cannot comprehend.
Ray doesn't believe any of it at first, his wife Elena convinced he's going crazy, and she even goes so far as talking to an old ex (also Ray's former boss and best friend). This had me SO MAD. But as I let the book sit with me after it was done, I understood. Elena was seeking comradery and comfort where she could find it because she felt so alone, truly thinking that her husband was off his rocker and everything that was happening with the world was normal. We don't hear much of this ex after the first 60% of the book, but he is an important piece in Elena's development, so I do not discredit him at all!
Once Elena discovers her niece, Amelia, singing the little tune that "her mommy taught her," she slowly begins to believe Ray, and little by little as the story moves forward, things click into place and she becomes a believer even though she doesn't want to be. Elena is logical and rational, struggling to wrap her mind around what is happening with her family, the Earth. But eventually, she hops on board as a believer and the story continues.
I won't give away too much more, but those are really the main aspects I had to stop and think about, to really pull apart and analyze, because a lot of the time I was incredibly annoyed with Elena. It took me some time to think about WHY she was the way she was, but as I said before, she is logical and rational - she believes in science, not phenomena outside of the world she knows without tangible evidence.
The ending of the book really had me sitting and listening, wide eyed. The last few chapters were honestly the most exciting, but also the most heartbreaking and heartwarming, if you can even combine the two. It was... expected, actually. Very predictable. But that did not lessen the shock of what happened. I do truly hope the author decides to add a novella sequel, or even a 'bonus scene' for a true wrap up! I am left here with questions I want answered!
My review of the narrator, it was wonderful. I REALLY enjoyed the narrator she chose. Each character had their own voice, and she was able to get the emotions in each word spot on. It helped with the immersion, certainly! I would highly recommend the audiobook version if you decided to pick this one up!
Thank you to Audiobookworm/author for providing me a free copy of the audiobook for exchange of my honest review.
A crack in time saves ninety-nine..."
Overall, a solid read/listen. I give it 3.5 stars!
At first, the riddle sounded so cliché and something about it struck me as odd, immediately bringing the jaunt "99 bottles of beer on the wall" to the forefront of my mind every time I heard it. I didn't like it. But as the story progressed... it all made sense. The ending left me reeling with questions, however. It would be very intriguing to see a sequel, maybe a novella, of a thorough epilogue of what actually happened to the Earth and those characters you become invested in.
Spoiler
This book was not at all like I expected it to be. I would also not classify it as a 'horror novel' at all. At least for me, it was not scary one bit. Instead it was more thought provoking than anything; but given the circumstances, it could be frightening to someone else!I love my dystopians, but this is not your typical one. It was filled with a lot of psychological aspects that left me reeling and feeling very emotional. The fact that a book can bring forth such an emotion certainly does say something regarding the story being told.
We are following a family and their struggles with the inevitable end of the world. We don't know how or why it will happen, but oddly enough we know when. We have two main characters, one an adult and the other a child, who have the ability to hear and visualize their sister/mother in water, thus making this book an intriguing blend of thriller-dystopian-fantasy. She speaks a lot in riddles to Ray (her twin brother) and visits her daughter (Amelia) in her dreams. This drove me nuts at first. But I realized after everything was said and done, that she had to speak in such riddles to allow Ray to work on opening his mind and become more aware, something a child doesn't need to do as their minds are already open and accepting, willing to learn and embrace that of which an adult cannot comprehend.
Ray doesn't believe any of it at first, his wife Elena convinced he's going crazy, and she even goes so far as talking to an old ex (also Ray's former boss and best friend). This had me SO MAD. But as I let the book sit with me after it was done, I understood. Elena was seeking comradery and comfort where she could find it because she felt so alone, truly thinking that her husband was off his rocker and everything that was happening with the world was normal. We don't hear much of this ex after the first 60% of the book, but he is an important piece in Elena's development, so I do not discredit him at all!
Once Elena discovers her niece, Amelia, singing the little tune that "her mommy taught her," she slowly begins to believe Ray, and little by little as the story moves forward, things click into place and she becomes a believer even though she doesn't want to be. Elena is logical and rational, struggling to wrap her mind around what is happening with her family, the Earth. But eventually, she hops on board as a believer and the story continues.
I won't give away too much more, but those are really the main aspects I had to stop and think about, to really pull apart and analyze, because a lot of the time I was incredibly annoyed with Elena. It took me some time to think about WHY she was the way she was, but as I said before, she is logical and rational - she believes in science, not phenomena outside of the world she knows without tangible evidence.
The ending of the book really had me sitting and listening, wide eyed. The last few chapters were honestly the most exciting, but also the most heartbreaking and heartwarming, if you can even combine the two. It was... expected, actually. Very predictable. But that did not lessen the shock of what happened. I do truly hope the author decides to add a novella sequel, or even a 'bonus scene' for a true wrap up! I am left here with questions I want answered!
My review of the narrator, it was wonderful. I REALLY enjoyed the narrator she chose. Each character had their own voice, and she was able to get the emotions in each word spot on. It helped with the immersion, certainly! I would highly recommend the audiobook version if you decided to pick this one up!
Thank you to Audiobookworm/author for providing me a free copy of the audiobook for exchange of my honest review.
the_coycaterpillar_reads's review
5.0
Dark and Gothic. Under Another Sun is multi-faceted and strips the layers back of the human condition. It examines our ability to decipher the logic behind trauma. Our ability to cope with grief. It is a highly intelligent and fascinating novel on multiple levels. D.M. Siciliano has given us another deeply unsettling horror novel but a winner in its own right from Inside. Horror that is so realistic and palpitatingly dark. Our future is national disasters, it gives us a lightbulb moment and relinquishes the hold that monsters under our bed once held. I had a lot of pleasure unfolding this story and I believe you will too.
Ravynn is such a powerful protagonist in Under Another Sun. She has a hold over the other characters – predominately Ray (her twin brother), Elena (his wife) and little Amelia (Ravynn’s daughter). She is an ethereal force to be reckoned with. She has experienced her fair share of trauma and suffering and knows things she really has no right in knowing. Her journals are a great source of foretelling and anguish for her now ex-husband and something that maintains the strands of her being and her experiences and traumas.
Two timelines come crashing together and it felt like watching the beauty and destructive nature of a supernova. The story had so many layers of tragedy and sublime storytelling that I was unwilling to have my kindle prized out of my greedy little hands! The setting. The protagonists. The horror. It tallied up to an experience. I felt like I was living and experiencing the events. I felt the fear. I felt the worry. Under Another Sun was stealing the show! I don’t think I have the necessary words to describe Siciliano’s powerful way of writing. The drama. The threatening edge. The narrative. It made for a heady mix, and it made me shiver! You can feel the author’s love for this story. You can feels its impact escaping through its pages and reaching out to you.
I really don’t want to give anything away in regard to the storyline but believe me, it’s so worth it. Time had no consequence for me and the chapters flew by. I needed answers, I wanted to delve further into the reasonings to some events. The pace was magnificent, and the last page left me feeling like I had been on rollercoaster.
Under Another Sun is evocative and dreamlike. Don’t be fooled by its beautiful cover Siciliano has created something darker than night. Superbly inventive.
Ravynn is such a powerful protagonist in Under Another Sun. She has a hold over the other characters – predominately Ray (her twin brother), Elena (his wife) and little Amelia (Ravynn’s daughter). She is an ethereal force to be reckoned with. She has experienced her fair share of trauma and suffering and knows things she really has no right in knowing. Her journals are a great source of foretelling and anguish for her now ex-husband and something that maintains the strands of her being and her experiences and traumas.
Two timelines come crashing together and it felt like watching the beauty and destructive nature of a supernova. The story had so many layers of tragedy and sublime storytelling that I was unwilling to have my kindle prized out of my greedy little hands! The setting. The protagonists. The horror. It tallied up to an experience. I felt like I was living and experiencing the events. I felt the fear. I felt the worry. Under Another Sun was stealing the show! I don’t think I have the necessary words to describe Siciliano’s powerful way of writing. The drama. The threatening edge. The narrative. It made for a heady mix, and it made me shiver! You can feel the author’s love for this story. You can feels its impact escaping through its pages and reaching out to you.
I really don’t want to give anything away in regard to the storyline but believe me, it’s so worth it. Time had no consequence for me and the chapters flew by. I needed answers, I wanted to delve further into the reasonings to some events. The pace was magnificent, and the last page left me feeling like I had been on rollercoaster.
Under Another Sun is evocative and dreamlike. Don’t be fooled by its beautiful cover Siciliano has created something darker than night. Superbly inventive.
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