Hello Friends!
If you enjoy Audiobooks, get ready because this is review is about one.
“Beyond The Moon“, written by Catherine Taylor, is a Historical fiction/time travel. This audiobook was published on December 2020, narrated by Liz May Bryce. It was a duration of 13 hours 18 minute.
I want to thank Rachel, at Rachel’s Random Resources, and Catherine Taylor for the Authors Direct Codes of this audiobook and for allowing me to join in the fun and being a part of the blog tour with my honest review of the book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Synopsis
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A strange twist of fate connects a British soldier fighting in the First World War in 1916 with a young woman living in modern-day England a century later, in this haunting literary time travel novel. In 1916 1st Lieutenant Robert Lovett is a patient at Coldbrook Hall military hospital in Sussex, England. A gifted artist, he’s been wounded fighting in the Great War. Shell shocked and suffering from hysterical blindness he can no longer see his own face, let alone paint, and life seems increasingly hopeless.
A century later in 2017, medical student Louisa Casson has just lost her beloved grandmother – her only family. Heartbroken, she drowns her sorrows in alcohol on the South Downs cliffs – only to fall accidentally part-way down. Doctors fear she may have attempted suicide, and Louisa finds herself involuntarily admitted to Coldbrook Hall – now a psychiatric hospital, an unfriendly and chaotic place.
Then one day, while secretly exploring the old Victorian hospital’s ruined, abandoned wing, Louisa hears a voice calling for help, and stumbles across a dark, old-fashioned hospital room. Inside, lying on the floor, is a mysterious, sightless young man, who tells her he was hurt at the Battle of the Somme, a WW1 battle a century ago. And that his name is Lieutenant Robert Lovett…
Purchase Link: Audible | Author Direct
Content warnings: Contains graphic descriptions of war violence and injuries, as well as profanity and mild sex.
About The Author
Catherine Taylor was born and grew up on the island of Guernsey in the British Channel Islands. She is a former journalist, most recently for Dow Jones News and The Wall Street Journal in London. Beyond The Moon is her first novel. She lives in Ealing, London with her husband and two children.
Social Media Links – Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
About the Narrator
Liz May Brice is an English actress. She is known for roles such as the convicted murderer Pat Kerrigan on ITV1’s Bad Girls, and Agent Johnson in Torchwood: Children of Earth.
My Review
I have read a lot of dual timeline stories, I have read a lot of historicals, but I have only read a couple of time travel stories. I have always been curious about books that have that element, I wonder how it happen and why it happens. But mostly, I wonder how the characters will react.
The fantastic thing about this story is that I didn’t read it, I listen to it. It made the experience interesting and special in a way. When I listen to an audiobook, I always feel a different trip through the story, maybe because I can close my eyes and just picture what the author – through the narrator – is telling.
Since this book was a time traveling story, the connection was bigger. Because it was a double trip in a way. Not only was I, Jess the reader, traveling inside the book, I was going on a time traveling rollercoaster with the characters. Since it’s the first time traveling story I’m listening to, I have to say I loved the experience. It gave a different meaning to audiobooks.
The narrator’s voice was just perfect to me. I could understand her, I could follow the story, I was captivated. Fantastic job.
Now, about the story itself. This book follows Lieutenant Robert Lovett and medical student Louisa Casson. Okay, where is the time traveling, you may ask. Robert is from 1916 and Louisa is from 2017. How did they meet? Coldbrook Hall, an hospital.
It was a setting that gave me chills, the kind that makes me curious to keep reading (in this case, listen) the story, and wondering what will happen next. It also had the elements I love in a historical type of story, with the social aspects, and in this time period we are talking about: War.
It was a strong story, one that broke my heart, but also made it go “AWE” with happiness. In part is was the background of the characters, their stories made me emotional and made me connect with them. On the other hand, it was part fault of the characters themselves. Both Robert and Louisa were amazing. I absolutely loved them and their interactions and how they dealt with the strangeness of the situation their found themselves in.
Overall, I can’t wait to read more books by this author, and also listen to more book by this author. Because honestly, I listened to the audiobook but I know I would have been just as captivated by the plot and characters if I had read. The bonus of being an audiobook is that I can relax in bed when I have a headache and be smooth by the narrator’s voice, while she tells me an amazing story.
Giveway
For a chance to Win one of the 5 x Beyond the Moon Audiobook CLICK HERE.
(Open Internationally)
*Audiobook to be distributed via Authors-Direct. Please check the Authors Direct website to check whether it operates where you are.
*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
Don’t forget to check out all the other bloggers that given their contribute in this Blog Tour with their Reviews.
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I always welcome new books to add to my list and I’m always excited to do reviews and read books. And I’m open to debate and exchange opinions, so let’s talk.
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Love,
Jess
Jess Bookish Life 