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Alternates
An extinct power. A dangerous plot. A deadly secret.
After witnessing her doppelganger's murder, Mia discovers that she has the power to travel between worlds. Hunted by the emperor of universes for her newfound ability, she's forced to team up with an escaped convict and his associates to find the way back home.
As they each pursue their own agenda, Mia grows closer to the group. Their motivations come to light, and Mia's own goals begin to shift. Soon she discovers that her journey home might not be as simple as she thinks and that the fate of universes may rest on her shoulders.
After witnessing her doppelganger's murder, Mia discovers that she has the power to travel between worlds. Hunted by the emperor of universes for her newfound ability, she's forced to team up with an escaped convict and his associates to find the way back home.
As they each pursue their own agenda, Mia grows closer to the group. Their motivations come to light, and Mia's own goals begin to shift. Soon she discovers that her journey home might not be as simple as she thinks and that the fate of universes may rest on her shoulders.
- GenresFantasyScience Fiction
340 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 9, 2022
13 people are currently reading
79 people want to read
About the author
Veronica Samek
7 books141 followersVeronica Samek enters the literary world with her debut novel Alternates. Having spent much of her childhood life between stacks of books at her parents’ second-hand bookstore, she discovered a love for all things reading at an early age which has translated to a love of writing as an adult.
She lives in Michigan with her husband, three small children, and a golden doodle named Doctor (Who).
She lives in Michigan with her husband, three small children, and a golden doodle named Doctor (Who).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
August 22, 2022
This story was fast-paced! I loved the pacing and it definitely kept my interest. While Mia, the FMC, doesn’t have a ton of depth, in my opinion, I ADORED Davis and his broody moods. The way the entire band comes together throughout the book makes it a fun time.
There were definitely some loose ends within this read that need to be tied up, and I didn’t quite understand how the ending tied back into Mia’s plans or future.
I honestly didn’t see the big plot twist coming, but it was really interesting! I loved the different dimensions and I thought the explanations of how dimension travel occurred were well-developed.
I had a solid, good time reading and the slow burn romance element was *chef’s kiss.*.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
There were definitely some loose ends within this read that need to be tied up, and I didn’t quite understand how the ending tied back into Mia’s plans or future.
I honestly didn’t see the big plot twist coming, but it was really interesting! I loved the different dimensions and I thought the explanations of how dimension travel occurred were well-developed.
I had a solid, good time reading and the slow burn romance element was *chef’s kiss.*.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 4, 2022
A real page turner! If you love sci-fi romance novels, this is the book for you. Highly recommended.
November 13, 2025
This book was so refreshing! There was something new at every turn. There was mystery, laughter, and so much heart. I savored this book and took my time. Enjoyed every second of it!
July 10, 2022
Such a great book, I couldn’t put it down! So many exciting twists and if you love sci-fi, you will love this! This inter dimensional storyline had really great world and character building, and I was rooting for these characters slow burn romance from the start! The only thing I want is more!
November 11, 2022
There are certain events that change the trajectory of your life. These events could be anything from the death of a loved one to receiving a scholarship to a prestigious program to landing a job thought out of reach. Yet no event has quite the same effect as witnessing your own murder. But that's what happens to Mia.
Mia is a twenty-two-year-old woman who works at a diner in the small town of Simplicity while also trying to care for her ailing father, who has cancer. But all of that changes one day. At first, she doesn't realize just how much her life is going to change. Her day begins like any other day, though with a few odd interactions. There's the police officer who tries to give her the schematics she asked for - only Mia didn't ask for any. Then there's the gentleman who asked her why she had changed her hair from when he'd seen her earlier - when her hair had been longer. Finally, there's the odd customer she serves while working at the diner who has a shirt with a very odd design on it.
But none of that really sinks in for Mia, and she continues going about her day. When she's at home later and there's an intruder, she escapes into the cornfield by her home, hoping to make it to the neighbor's home for safety. Unfortunately, she's caught. By several different men. All of whom are wearing shirts with the same design as the odd customer from earlier that day. Mia's brain is just beginning to catch up with what's happening when it happens. She sees another person who looks just like her. And we're not talking about that random stranger that looks so much like you that you could be siblings. Nope. This other woman looked EXACTLY like Mia - the only difference was her hair. And that's when Mia witnesses her own murder. Well, not hers, exactly, since it was the other woman who was murdered - but it was still her, wasn't it? Maybe. Before Mia can figure that out, light begins to emerge from her.
And then her life really does change.
For a book that deals with multiverses, this one was really neat. I don't want to say too much about the overarching plot, because doing so would give away some minor - and some major - spoilers, and I don't want to do that. But I will say that this was definitely a fun read with quite a few twists and turns. While there were some that I could follow, some that I could even predict, there were others that definitely caught me off guard.
Once the plot really starts moving - which happens after Mia sees herself get murdered - things are a bit disjointed and confusing for a bit, but since the story is being told from Mia's point of view, that fits the overall narrative. After all, Mia is suddenly in the middle of something that she has no idea what's going on, and she's trying to figure out what's happening while also trying to catch her proverbial breath.
It doesn't take long before Mia has gathered a few other people around her, and the author does a good job of creating characters who aren't two-dimensional. Given the nature of the multiple universes in this book, her job for that was even tougher in my opinion - no, I can't tell you why; you'll just have to read the book to find out - and she does a great job of it.
While the majority of the book is an adventure story, there is a romance subplot. It wasn't necessarily bad - though it was definitely tropey and predictable - but I did have a little bit of an issue with how quickly it seemed to develop. Yes, it fits with the speed of everything else and the heightened level of emotions that everyone was surely feeling, but I just had trouble with it. That said, that's definitely a me thing and shouldn't be a cause to not read the book. It's definitely a subplot, and the larger plot absolutely makes the book worth reading.
I don't know if Samek intends to write a sequel to this novel or not. The story works well as a standalone if she doesn't, and there isn't a major cliffhanger at the end as all the major plot lines are resolved by the end. But there is certainly room for a sequel, and I certainly wouldn't mind returning to this universe - multiverse - for another story.
Mia is a twenty-two-year-old woman who works at a diner in the small town of Simplicity while also trying to care for her ailing father, who has cancer. But all of that changes one day. At first, she doesn't realize just how much her life is going to change. Her day begins like any other day, though with a few odd interactions. There's the police officer who tries to give her the schematics she asked for - only Mia didn't ask for any. Then there's the gentleman who asked her why she had changed her hair from when he'd seen her earlier - when her hair had been longer. Finally, there's the odd customer she serves while working at the diner who has a shirt with a very odd design on it.
But none of that really sinks in for Mia, and she continues going about her day. When she's at home later and there's an intruder, she escapes into the cornfield by her home, hoping to make it to the neighbor's home for safety. Unfortunately, she's caught. By several different men. All of whom are wearing shirts with the same design as the odd customer from earlier that day. Mia's brain is just beginning to catch up with what's happening when it happens. She sees another person who looks just like her. And we're not talking about that random stranger that looks so much like you that you could be siblings. Nope. This other woman looked EXACTLY like Mia - the only difference was her hair. And that's when Mia witnesses her own murder. Well, not hers, exactly, since it was the other woman who was murdered - but it was still her, wasn't it? Maybe. Before Mia can figure that out, light begins to emerge from her.
And then her life really does change.
For a book that deals with multiverses, this one was really neat. I don't want to say too much about the overarching plot, because doing so would give away some minor - and some major - spoilers, and I don't want to do that. But I will say that this was definitely a fun read with quite a few twists and turns. While there were some that I could follow, some that I could even predict, there were others that definitely caught me off guard.
Once the plot really starts moving - which happens after Mia sees herself get murdered - things are a bit disjointed and confusing for a bit, but since the story is being told from Mia's point of view, that fits the overall narrative. After all, Mia is suddenly in the middle of something that she has no idea what's going on, and she's trying to figure out what's happening while also trying to catch her proverbial breath.
It doesn't take long before Mia has gathered a few other people around her, and the author does a good job of creating characters who aren't two-dimensional. Given the nature of the multiple universes in this book, her job for that was even tougher in my opinion - no, I can't tell you why; you'll just have to read the book to find out - and she does a great job of it.
While the majority of the book is an adventure story, there is a romance subplot. It wasn't necessarily bad - though it was definitely tropey and predictable - but I did have a little bit of an issue with how quickly it seemed to develop. Yes, it fits with the speed of everything else and the heightened level of emotions that everyone was surely feeling, but I just had trouble with it. That said, that's definitely a me thing and shouldn't be a cause to not read the book. It's definitely a subplot, and the larger plot absolutely makes the book worth reading.
I don't know if Samek intends to write a sequel to this novel or not. The story works well as a standalone if she doesn't, and there isn't a major cliffhanger at the end as all the major plot lines are resolved by the end. But there is certainly room for a sequel, and I certainly wouldn't mind returning to this universe - multiverse - for another story.
August 9, 2022
3 1/2 stars rounded up because this book really works when it works. I don't read much sci-fi/fantasy these days, but I am a former sci-fi nerd (A Wrinkle in Time was one of my favorite books as a kid), and this premise sounded interesting. Overall, Alternates was a pretty engaging break from my usual. I would honestly categorize it more as a YA (PG-13) read except for the one "f-bomb" and a sex scene that wasn't graphic, but I wouldn't care to have my 14-year old daughter read it.
I decided to break this review down into what I liked and what didn't quite work so well for me.
Pro's:
--Creative world building. The ideas the author incorporated, with all of the different dimensions the characters shift to, are imaginative and have a fun "steam punk meets Disney Primeval World" vibe.
--Effective blending of sci-fi elements and fantasy (if you're a "Dr. Who" fan, you'll probably enjoy this).
--Good chemistry between the MFC, Mia, and the MMC, Davis.
--Scenes are very fast-paced. The book hooks you immediately and only stumbles toward the end (more on that below).
--Some satisfactorily startling moments, especially in the first half (for example, MIa's alternate dying, the pterodactyls, Mia seeing her dead mom, the plot twist around 65% through).
Something that I thought would be a Con that ended up being a Pro:
--The 1st person limited POV. A lot of books are being written in 1st person these days, and sometimes it seems lazy. I don't usually like limited POV's when you only see the action through one of the MC's eyes. However, as I read, I understood why the book was told from 1st person limited.
Cons:
--Character development takes a backseat to the plot. You get to know Mia, of course, although I do wish she'd been more fleshed out in the beginning. You kind of get to know Davis (he's really too young, immature, and rash to be a former commander, though, I kept thinking). Mia and Davis's reactions are often relegated to smirking and eye-rolling, which became grating. Bruno, who is the brains of the operation, is mostly an enigma. He's an inventor, had to turn traitor, and his wife was killed, but the reader doesn't get to know him as a person. Mrs. Mills is a great character in the making, but she ultimately just blasts bad guys. She speaks her own unique dialect (Southern??) but Bruno and Davis just sound like Mia--that is, a current 20-something year old from Anywhere USA.
--I mentioned the plot is fast-paced, but at times things move too fast, with little time for the reader to catch up. This is why I mentioned that the book stumbles at the end; it becomes a bit too contrived for its own good, hampered by the ins-and-outs of the internal logic the author has created and glossing over details. For example, why don't the authorities check out Mia's identity when she returns home? And I know this is purely academic but it bugged me: how exactly is Mia able to track how long she was gone when skipping through dimensions? Most physicists agree that time is circular, not linear, so wouldn't she have arrived home when she left?
Even the pacing of Mia and Davis's relationship seemed off. The slow-burn romance was working fine, then it moved suddenly to lust, but the physical angle took a complete backseat by the end and some of the chemistry was lost. I'm all for steaminess in books, but I want a sex scene to further a relationship, not just be perfunctory.
--I'm going to be the baddie and mention editing. Punctuation, capitalization, and spelling errors stood out because I was reading carefully, making sure I got the plot.
The bottom line: This is very engaging for about the first 95%, with plenty of interesting ideas and creativity. With tighter editing and a better-paced ending, it would be a solid 4 stars. With better character development it could be a solid 5.
I read an advanced reader copy of this book and this is my voluntary review. Opinions are my own.
I decided to break this review down into what I liked and what didn't quite work so well for me.
Pro's:
--Creative world building. The ideas the author incorporated, with all of the different dimensions the characters shift to, are imaginative and have a fun "steam punk meets Disney Primeval World" vibe.
--Effective blending of sci-fi elements and fantasy (if you're a "Dr. Who" fan, you'll probably enjoy this).
--Good chemistry between the MFC, Mia, and the MMC, Davis.
--Scenes are very fast-paced. The book hooks you immediately and only stumbles toward the end (more on that below).
--Some satisfactorily startling moments, especially in the first half (for example, MIa's alternate dying, the pterodactyls, Mia seeing her dead mom, the plot twist around 65% through).
Something that I thought would be a Con that ended up being a Pro:
--The 1st person limited POV. A lot of books are being written in 1st person these days, and sometimes it seems lazy. I don't usually like limited POV's when you only see the action through one of the MC's eyes. However, as I read, I understood why the book was told from 1st person limited.
Cons:
--Character development takes a backseat to the plot. You get to know Mia, of course, although I do wish she'd been more fleshed out in the beginning. You kind of get to know Davis (he's really too young, immature, and rash to be a former commander, though, I kept thinking). Mia and Davis's reactions are often relegated to smirking and eye-rolling, which became grating. Bruno, who is the brains of the operation, is mostly an enigma. He's an inventor, had to turn traitor, and his wife was killed, but the reader doesn't get to know him as a person. Mrs. Mills is a great character in the making, but she ultimately just blasts bad guys. She speaks her own unique dialect (Southern??) but Bruno and Davis just sound like Mia--that is, a current 20-something year old from Anywhere USA.
--I mentioned the plot is fast-paced, but at times things move too fast, with little time for the reader to catch up. This is why I mentioned that the book stumbles at the end; it becomes a bit too contrived for its own good, hampered by the ins-and-outs of the internal logic the author has created and glossing over details. For example, why don't the authorities check out Mia's identity when she returns home? And I know this is purely academic but it bugged me: how exactly is Mia able to track how long she was gone when skipping through dimensions? Most physicists agree that time is circular, not linear, so wouldn't she have arrived home when she left?
Even the pacing of Mia and Davis's relationship seemed off. The slow-burn romance was working fine, then it moved suddenly to lust, but the physical angle took a complete backseat by the end and some of the chemistry was lost. I'm all for steaminess in books, but I want a sex scene to further a relationship, not just be perfunctory.
--I'm going to be the baddie and mention editing. Punctuation, capitalization, and spelling errors stood out because I was reading carefully, making sure I got the plot.
The bottom line: This is very engaging for about the first 95%, with plenty of interesting ideas and creativity. With tighter editing and a better-paced ending, it would be a solid 4 stars. With better character development it could be a solid 5.
I read an advanced reader copy of this book and this is my voluntary review. Opinions are my own.
August 9, 2022
Alternates by Veronica Samek is the first book I have finished in 5 years. That alone is saying something about this book, cause I only finish a book if I can't put it down. On top of that, it's a massive adventure that is perfectly digestible while also being ambitious and epic in scale. Allow me to elaborate.
This adventure starts in a traditional hero's journey structure. Our lead, Mia, is someone relatable and by all standards "normal" for the reader to latch on to and is swept away in an adventure she was not prepared for while learning along the way that she has special powets. This setup is charming in its familiarity, but also refreshing thanks to the books hook. Mia's first few lines of internal monologue refer to her seeing herself dead. This hooks you to learn more and with the book being entirely first person from Mia's perspectives, you feel you are solving the mystery of "her dearh" and experiencing the terrors of this adventure with her.
As you dive deeper and deeper into this multiversal story, with its twists and turns, multiple reality visitations, multiversal empire, multiversal powers, and the existence of alternate selves, you get a flood of information in the world building but it is spread out in small bits so you don't drown. This is done exceedingly well and you never truly get lost in the massive amount of Lore that Veronica has crafted and crammed into this one book. This is all thanks to the grounded focus of the Mia perspective and the "Scooby Gang" crew Mia amasses in her travels through the multiverse. Mia may be the focus, but the side characters she interacts with most (my favorites being Davis and Bruno), they really steal the show. You become so attached to her traveling companions that you get concerned when anything happens to them.
On top of all I said, Alternates is a blend of the high-fantasy and science fiction genre while also having a romantic anchor point. The use of multiverses allows Veronica to write about anything she wants at any given moment.This keeps the story interesting and I'm sure helped her alot in the writing process. Then there's the romance in here that, again, Is familiar in structure, but it's one of the few romances like this that didn't feel forced or creepy. A lot of stories that try to do this kind of romance fail to make it believable, but not so here. You root for this romance and you see its buildup and you beg for its pay off.
In conclusion, without going into spoilers, I recommend EVERYONE pick up Alternates. With the multiverse craze going wild in pop culture, this a fresh gem should not be ignored. Unlike those big properties, this book is a new original tale that takes you back to stories of old while also being fresh and new at the same time. It is a focused, beautiful, romantic, epic story that you won't want to end, but when it does, you'll BEG for a sequel.
This adventure starts in a traditional hero's journey structure. Our lead, Mia, is someone relatable and by all standards "normal" for the reader to latch on to and is swept away in an adventure she was not prepared for while learning along the way that she has special powets. This setup is charming in its familiarity, but also refreshing thanks to the books hook. Mia's first few lines of internal monologue refer to her seeing herself dead. This hooks you to learn more and with the book being entirely first person from Mia's perspectives, you feel you are solving the mystery of "her dearh" and experiencing the terrors of this adventure with her.
As you dive deeper and deeper into this multiversal story, with its twists and turns, multiple reality visitations, multiversal empire, multiversal powers, and the existence of alternate selves, you get a flood of information in the world building but it is spread out in small bits so you don't drown. This is done exceedingly well and you never truly get lost in the massive amount of Lore that Veronica has crafted and crammed into this one book. This is all thanks to the grounded focus of the Mia perspective and the "Scooby Gang" crew Mia amasses in her travels through the multiverse. Mia may be the focus, but the side characters she interacts with most (my favorites being Davis and Bruno), they really steal the show. You become so attached to her traveling companions that you get concerned when anything happens to them.
On top of all I said, Alternates is a blend of the high-fantasy and science fiction genre while also having a romantic anchor point. The use of multiverses allows Veronica to write about anything she wants at any given moment.This keeps the story interesting and I'm sure helped her alot in the writing process. Then there's the romance in here that, again, Is familiar in structure, but it's one of the few romances like this that didn't feel forced or creepy. A lot of stories that try to do this kind of romance fail to make it believable, but not so here. You root for this romance and you see its buildup and you beg for its pay off.
In conclusion, without going into spoilers, I recommend EVERYONE pick up Alternates. With the multiverse craze going wild in pop culture, this a fresh gem should not be ignored. Unlike those big properties, this book is a new original tale that takes you back to stories of old while also being fresh and new at the same time. It is a focused, beautiful, romantic, epic story that you won't want to end, but when it does, you'll BEG for a sequel.
July 11, 2022
Content: murder, violence
“I couldn’t know at the time that I'd just met my murderer.”- Mia
Alternates by Veronica Samek is a debut standalone novel and gave me The One vibes. After Mia witnessed the death of herself, she’s suddenly gifted with a power to jump Universes. She ended up arrested in an alternate universe and met Davis, a fellow prisoner. After escaping, Mia was with Davis and his people as she tried to get back home while running from the random people trying to kill here. Will she make it back to her universe or will she end up staying with her new friends?
I really liked this story! Between the characters, dialogue, and whoa, what moments, I was hooked. From the very first sentence, I knew this was going to be amazing! It pulled me in so well, all I wanted to do was read more! I loved the idea that there were alternate versions of Mia and she didn’t know. The world building was phenomenal. So many versions of the same place yet they all were detailed enough to get a full feel for each with limited time there.
Just imagine, you are living your life and then people start asking you things, talking to you, and giving you things that you have no idea about. Oh my goodness this was fantastic. A fast paced, on your toes story that had all kinds of twists and surprises throughout. I'm so glad I was introduced to this!
Let’s not forget the love sprinklered in. Mia and Davis were great characters that balanced out the story overall. This could totally be a movie!
I highly recommend this book to lovers of sci-fi with some romance and mystery in the mix. Love stories with multiple universes? This is for you!
I’d love to read more from Veronica! I’ll be on the lookout!
*This was an honest review for a complimentary copy of Alternates from Veronica Samek via Booksprout
“I couldn’t know at the time that I'd just met my murderer.”- Mia
Alternates by Veronica Samek is a debut standalone novel and gave me The One vibes. After Mia witnessed the death of herself, she’s suddenly gifted with a power to jump Universes. She ended up arrested in an alternate universe and met Davis, a fellow prisoner. After escaping, Mia was with Davis and his people as she tried to get back home while running from the random people trying to kill here. Will she make it back to her universe or will she end up staying with her new friends?
I really liked this story! Between the characters, dialogue, and whoa, what moments, I was hooked. From the very first sentence, I knew this was going to be amazing! It pulled me in so well, all I wanted to do was read more! I loved the idea that there were alternate versions of Mia and she didn’t know. The world building was phenomenal. So many versions of the same place yet they all were detailed enough to get a full feel for each with limited time there.
Just imagine, you are living your life and then people start asking you things, talking to you, and giving you things that you have no idea about. Oh my goodness this was fantastic. A fast paced, on your toes story that had all kinds of twists and surprises throughout. I'm so glad I was introduced to this!
Let’s not forget the love sprinklered in. Mia and Davis were great characters that balanced out the story overall. This could totally be a movie!
I highly recommend this book to lovers of sci-fi with some romance and mystery in the mix. Love stories with multiple universes? This is for you!
I’d love to read more from Veronica! I’ll be on the lookout!
*This was an honest review for a complimentary copy of Alternates from Veronica Samek via Booksprout
July 16, 2022
I enjoyed reading this story, though to be honest, sci-fi isn’t really a genre I read a lot in. Don’t get me wrong, I love the concepts of Quantum Physics and this story is more of an exception than the norm for me. It’s definitely worth reading though, and even if sci-fi isn’t usually your thing, you might just like this one anyway, I know I did.
5 ⭐️s= Perfect story, exciting, engrossing, well developed complex characters, solid plot with few to no holes, descriptive environments and place settings, great mystery elements, realistic dialogue, believable reactions and behaviors, loved this story so much I’d buy it.
4 ⭐️s= Great story, highly entertaining and enjoyable, exciting storyline, well developed characters and settings, a few discrepancies but nothing that can’t be overlooked. Believable actions and reactions, realistic dialogue, a book I would consider buying.
3 ⭐️s= Good but not great story, noticeable discrepancies, grammatical and or spelling errors, undeveloped characters or unbelievable behaviors but still readable. Nothing majorly wrong with the story, just not interesting enough for me to continue. Would not buy the book.
2 ⭐️s= Not offended by the story, but not interested enough to finish. Unbelievable characters, poor writing, many mistakes, big holes or discrepancies, many spelling or grammatical errors, characters not believable, unlikeable or TSTL.
1 ⭐️= Offensive, extremely poor writing, horrible characters, victimization, gaslighting, blatant abuse, unnecessary violence, child endangerment, or any other highly objectionable behaviors by Main characters. Would never buy this book, and do not recommend it to anyone.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
5 ⭐️s= Perfect story, exciting, engrossing, well developed complex characters, solid plot with few to no holes, descriptive environments and place settings, great mystery elements, realistic dialogue, believable reactions and behaviors, loved this story so much I’d buy it.
4 ⭐️s= Great story, highly entertaining and enjoyable, exciting storyline, well developed characters and settings, a few discrepancies but nothing that can’t be overlooked. Believable actions and reactions, realistic dialogue, a book I would consider buying.
3 ⭐️s= Good but not great story, noticeable discrepancies, grammatical and or spelling errors, undeveloped characters or unbelievable behaviors but still readable. Nothing majorly wrong with the story, just not interesting enough for me to continue. Would not buy the book.
2 ⭐️s= Not offended by the story, but not interested enough to finish. Unbelievable characters, poor writing, many mistakes, big holes or discrepancies, many spelling or grammatical errors, characters not believable, unlikeable or TSTL.
1 ⭐️= Offensive, extremely poor writing, horrible characters, victimization, gaslighting, blatant abuse, unnecessary violence, child endangerment, or any other highly objectionable behaviors by Main characters. Would never buy this book, and do not recommend it to anyone.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 23, 2023
Very much enjoyed reading this page turner of alternate realities. The protagonist discovers that she has alternate versions of herself and that she is able to walk between worlds - sometimes. This represents some kind of threat and she bands together with other characters who each have their own agenda in order to counter the origin of the threat to her well-being. The lore and structure have been well figured out in this book and the fast paced nature of the writing was really very good. I would have liked a touch more fleshing out of some of the characters though as this is very much a plot driven novel rather than a character development one. Beyond a few typos here and there I would otherwise very much recommend this volume to fans of the genre and can't wait to read what the author writes about next - genuinely excited!
August 9, 2022
This is the first book that I’ve read by this author. I was completely hooked right from the beginning. Character development and world building were phenomenal. I felt like I was right there with Mia.
Mia ends up finding a girl that could pass as her twin. But she’s also witnessed her murder. She also finds out she can travel between worlds, a power long extinct. Now on the run, Mia teams up with Davis, an escaped convict and his team for help to get back to her world. But with this, danger arises, discoveries come to the surface and Mia finds herself questioning many things.
Such a good book where you get a enemies to lovers in this forced proximity, journey, danger, suspense, twists and turns and so much more. Can’t wait to read more from this author.
Mia ends up finding a girl that could pass as her twin. But she’s also witnessed her murder. She also finds out she can travel between worlds, a power long extinct. Now on the run, Mia teams up with Davis, an escaped convict and his team for help to get back to her world. But with this, danger arises, discoveries come to the surface and Mia finds herself questioning many things.
Such a good book where you get a enemies to lovers in this forced proximity, journey, danger, suspense, twists and turns and so much more. Can’t wait to read more from this author.
August 8, 2022
While I wouldn’t say that sci-fi novels are my first choice, fast-paced, action-packed stories with great worldbuilding are. As witness to the murder of someone who could be her identical twin, Mia finds herself universe hopping. She finds herself in trouble when she meets Davis, who slowly starts to befriend her and clue her in on what’s happening.
Full of complex characters, Alternates delivers some of my favorite tropes: found family, forced proximity, and slow burn enemies-to-lovers.
If you’re looking to lose yourself in a wonderful sci-fi romance with delightfully complex characters, give Alternates a read!
Special thanks to the author for the ARC. All thoughts in this review are honest and my own.
Full of complex characters, Alternates delivers some of my favorite tropes: found family, forced proximity, and slow burn enemies-to-lovers.
If you’re looking to lose yourself in a wonderful sci-fi romance with delightfully complex characters, give Alternates a read!
Special thanks to the author for the ARC. All thoughts in this review are honest and my own.
June 27, 2022
This was such a good book! If you like sci-fi mixed with romance and action/adventure, this book is for you. I loved the concept and I’ve never read a book quite like this! There are many twists and turns, different dimensions, slow burn romance, a pretty cool main character.
I rated it 4 stars because I felt it needed just a little bit more explaining in some parts as I was confused, but otherwise it was great!
*I received this book as an ARC for my honest opinions.*
I rated it 4 stars because I felt it needed just a little bit more explaining in some parts as I was confused, but otherwise it was great!
*I received this book as an ARC for my honest opinions.*
June 28, 2022
Veronica Samek has blown my mind with her debut book, Alternates. She had me spellbound within the first chapter and held my attention all the way to the end. This book is filled with action, adventure, romance, and more. Samek has created a world of multidimension and characters that will have you invested into their journey. And you won't believe the ending. It's intense! I highly recommend this book. You will not be disappointed.
July 12, 2022
I absolutely loved this!! The beginning I was expecting one thing and as I kept reading my expectations kept coming up short for what the whole book was. This book did more than what I thought would happen. I would be reading and be like oh this is about to happen and then be surprised by the unexpected turn of events. It was amazing.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 9, 2022
This is the story of a strong woman who find herself swirl in this strange world she can't begin to understand. But, as time progress, she makes friends and start to understand more and more, to finaly realise that she knew nothing at first. A lot of little things are spread throughout the book to put together in the end.
There is a good pace to this read, keeping you in. I really like the ending, I find it fitting and surprising!
Overall, a great read!
There is a good pace to this read, keeping you in. I really like the ending, I find it fitting and surprising!
Overall, a great read!
August 11, 2022
I LOVED this book! It took me less than a week to read, which is a big deal for me. I really enjoyed following Mia on her journey into this world of other dimensions she never knew existed. This was well-written and kept my interest, I often stayed up too late because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. This novel was a fantastic journey from start to finish and was emotional at times as well. I know I want more stories from these dimensions and about these characters.
September 23, 2022
I loved how fast paced the book was and I loved the characters in this story! It felt action packed from the first pages to the very end.
I do feel like there were loose ends and this makes me feel like another book could be added to this which I would love to see.
There was a great plot twist that I didn’t see coming and I loved how the end played out but again I just wanted more and I really hope there can be another book ❤️
I do feel like there were loose ends and this makes me feel like another book could be added to this which I would love to see.
There was a great plot twist that I didn’t see coming and I loved how the end played out but again I just wanted more and I really hope there can be another book ❤️
May 22, 2023
I would like to start by saying that I am an avid reader and usually do not like science fiction
literature . I loved this book! There were so many twists and turns that I did not see coming. I wanted to continue to read to find out what happened. I really enjoyed getting to know the characters and their back stories and especially the plot twist at the end. I highly recommend this book and hope the author considers writing a sequel.
literature . I loved this book! There were so many twists and turns that I did not see coming. I wanted to continue to read to find out what happened. I really enjoyed getting to know the characters and their back stories and especially the plot twist at the end. I highly recommend this book and hope the author considers writing a sequel.
July 21, 2022
Wow, what a journey. This was not at all what I expected, but it was well worth the read. The characters and world building were great. I didn't know what to expect but I was on the edge of my seat for all of it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 12, 2022
This book was outside of my normal reading history , however it turned out to be a pleasing read that took me less than a day to read. There were great characters and amazing world building that I could visualise easily. I am looking forward to maybe more books in a series and more from the author!
June 17, 2022
I really enjoyed this book, the many twisted that I didn't see coming, the multiple universes, the main and supporting characters, the slow burn. It has action, adventure, and even some enemies to lover romance. Would definitely read more book.
July 4, 2022
I received this as an ARC copy and was really excited to read it. But try as I might I just couldn't engage with the story. I am in no way saying it was a bad story. It just wasn't for me. It's more a sci-fi fantasy, which I do read. But this one wasn't for me. I ended up DNFing in chapter 6.
August 6, 2022
Admittedly, fantasy/sci-fi isn’t what I typically read, but this had such an interesting plot and enough twists that appealed to my mystery loving heart. Great character and world building. Can’t wait to read more from Veronica Samek!
August 24, 2022
If you enjoy a sci fi book that has a good romance story line, I think this is something you’d enjoy! Beyond that, the character development and the world building was on point. A truly fantastic debut novel!
November 14, 2022
Was a really good book to read. Blurb caught my eye and is why I read it. Kept me pulled into it. 5 star book. I do think the cover fits the story perfectly. Highly recommend it but unsure which of my friends would read this. But I'm sure I'll figure it out.
July 29, 2022
An adventure through alternate dimensions! Steampunk,romance, Arthurian, cross genre and a great twist.
June 17, 2024
I really good plot and great characters! I loved the time travel and the way it was handled! It did have a few typos and things that were missed but other than that, it was very well written!
July 12, 2022
Mia is the star of this steampunk story. Mia watches as her doppelgänger is killed and after that event she finds out that she can travel between worlds. After all she has been through, now an emperor wants her for her new found power. On the run with another wanted person, she wants to find her way home and escape the evil that is pursuing her. There is some action and suspense in this story. This is a great new world to discover.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 9, 2022
The concept for this book is very original. Amelia finds herself head first in a race to the center of the universe, falling in with rebels and finding a conspiracy along the way. I really enjoyed all the dimension hopping. However, at times the story felt really slow and then at times it was very rushed. Overall it was a good solid 4/5 stars and I will probably re-read it.
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