Across the Wire

Across the Wire #1

by Stella Telleria

When Mia Mitchell, a hardcore but lonely former Marine, steps into an alley to pull some thugs off an unlucky foreigner, she walks into a fight she expects. What she doesn’t see coming is the foreigner making her a job offer any sane person would refuse. So, she takes it. She thinks she’s headed for some third-world country; instead she’s mysteriously transported to an Earth-like parallel world. That’s a mad left-hook.

Mia discovers a matriarchal dystopia where freedom doesn’t exist and fighting for it means execution. Lethal force bends all to the law; women fear for their families and un-wed men suffer slavery. Mia’s job is to train an underground syndicate of male freedom-fighters for a violent revolution. However, the guys don’t want a pair of X chromosomes showing them the way.

Eben, an escaped slave, is encouraged by Mia to become a leader among the men. But when he turns his quiet determination on her, it spells F.U.B.A.R. for cynical Mia. Their unexpected connection threatens more than her exit strategy; it threatens the power struggle festering with in the syndicate.

Haunted by nightmares and post-traumatic stress, unsure who to trust or how to get home, Mia struggles to stay alive as she realizes all is not what it seems.

Genres: Science Fiction, Dystopia

446 pages, Paperback

First published November 4, 2013

About the author

All my life I’ve dreamed of stories or have had my nose buried in one. I live in Edmonton, Canada with my husband and my weird sense of humor.

I love old war movies, dystopian fiction, and any story with action, a good plot, and characters I'd get into a fight at the pub for. Not that I'm a brawler or anything. Unless you think that out-of-print book or vintage piece at the thrift shop is going home with you instead of me. Then, my friend, the gloves are off.

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review originally published at Michelle Abbott's Blog

I've never read anything like this before, this was a unique concept. The story is set in a parallel universe that is polar opposite to our own. It is ruled by women and men are oppressed. Men are owned by women either by marriage, as a concubine or a servant. The women are tall, muscular and taught to fight. Slim, pretty, boyish men are deemed attractive and are often castrated in order to retain their boyish looks. The author did an amazing job of world building.

The story is told from alternate points of view, Mia and Eben's. I preferred Eben's point of view, I can't put my finger on why, perhaps because there seemed to be more emotion from his point of view.

Mia, an ex marine, has been taken to the parallel universe to train a group of male freedom fighters. She's great at getting the men to band together as a team and overcome some of their submissiveness. Emotionally she's not quite as strong as she appears. She suffers with guilt over things that happened in her past and is afraid to let anyone get too close to her.

Eben has lived his whole life as a mine slave. He's considered unattractive in his world due to his large build and masculine features. For years he's been taking care of his friend, Gavin. Unlike Eben, Gavin has feminine looks and has used his looks to his advantage. The dynamics between Eben and Gavin are interesting, there is some resentment on both sides that is never fully resolved in this book. I hope it will be explored more in future books.

I loved all the characters and I suspect Gabriel and Lance will feature more in later books, I loved those two. Although Mia and Eben are attracted to each other, nothing really happens between them until right at the end of the book. It didn't exactly end on a cliffhanger, but things were left unresolved to be explored in the sequels.

I really enjoyed this and couldn't put it down. I look forward to reading the sequels and recommend this to anyone who enjoys dystopia.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Across the Wire by Stella Telleria is the first book in her Across The Wire series.

First off, what a story line - I've never read anything remotely along the lines of this story. First off - the heroine is a bad ass Iraq War veteran. Mia, we thank you for your service. Second, SHE comes to the rescue of a man being attacked by muggers in San Fransisco. She is brave and courageous AND moral. This man she rescues offers her a job training freedom fighters, leaving out the part about it being on a parallel earth where women rule and men are slaves.

While this genre was outside of my bubble of comfort, it was such a different story I had to read it. The characters are deep and well develeoped but not always likeable. Mia is a hard ass and has been through so much she comes across as quite cold most of the time. But it was a REAL character development that was necessary for the story.

The book ends on a cliff hanger, so beware if those drive you bonzo. All in all, I enjoyed it enough to warrant a 4-Star "really liked it" for originality and creativity.

[Myra (Pieces of Whimsy) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review first published on my blog, Pieces of Whimsy

As is generally the case with books I read, when I finally got 'round to read this book I had completely forgotten what it was supposed to be about. When the sci-fi element came into it (which I had mostly forgotten about but I started to remember when events unfolded) I was a little surprised by how quickly the transition happened, it left me feeling a little genre-confused but that soon gave way to awesomeness. Everything else was fantastic and I loved getting to know the characters.

It took the first few chapters for me to get into the book, it wasn't really until Eben came in that I started connecting with the characters. In the beginning the sci-fi/parallel world part seemed to come on too strong, it clashed with the "normal" world and life shown in the first chapter with Mia, and watching that world all of a sudden become almost the complete opposite to everything we've known kind of threw me. Everything starts to come together when Mia sees the city for the first time and we get to learn more about how everything operates. If the start of this book doesn't grab you then I implore you to read on because it just gets better from there.

Eben is definitely one of my favourite characters (I can't say favourite outright in case some of the other characters get jealous!) and I think some of that has to do with me really getting into the book when his character showed up. Eben, (for some reason I keep wanting to right Elan but I think that's just because I'm tired. If you do see 'Elan' written somewhere you can safely assume that I was actually talking about Eben. :P) Eben is also a wonderful character who is kind, selfless, and clever, even if he doesn't have a great education. He adapts quickly to his new situation with Mia and it's wonderful to see him let his cheeky side show! Mia is also a great character with a lot of demons from her past and you can patch together a rough idea of what she's been through from the first few chapters. It's pretty rough.

The characters and the story is intriguing. I've read/seen a couple of other book where women rule but I really love how this was done, I especially enjoyed reading the part about men being called 'men' because though they shared a lot of traits with women, the wo'men' got two extra letters in their title because they not only have the qualities of men, they have extra, better qualities too! ;) I don't believe anyone is less than anyone else, equality is great, but that part of the book did make me giggle. So if you're looking for a new sci-fi read with a society different from what you're used to, I recommend trying Across the Wire.

[Suzy Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first started reading Across the Wire, I wasn't sure about it, to be honest. I mean, here I was reading about a female marine - something that certainly doesn't normally appeal. But it was the promise of a dystopian tale that piqued my interest. And it didn't take long for Stella to work her magic on me - I was soon hooked!
The idea of a woman being transported to another parallel universe was certainly a unique one that had me intrigued - especially considering she was taken there to assist a group of rather 'feminine' men to fight against the 'regime' over there. It was quite a bizarre reality really, one that I found hard to get my head around. But it was the characters of Eben and Mia that had me so interested. I wanted to know what made them both tick. Why was he such a 'true male' character in such a female world? And why was Mia such a loner? Why would she agree to go to another universe to find her true calling?
Although my answers weren't entirely met (this seems to be the first in a series), I was pretty content with the ending (although it was very sad but I won't give anything away) and curious as to what is going to happen next.
I would certainly recommend this book for those of you that enjoy a good dystopian tale. It's very different from the norm and that's what I particularly enjoyed about it.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had so much fun reading this book! It captured my attention and imagination from the first. Mia is often not very likeable, but she is definitely a force to reckon with. Bold as brass, she takes on a challenge more formidable than she ever imagined and in the process transforms herself and those around her. This is the first book in a planned series so there are questions and subplots left unresolved at the end but in no way was I left unsatisfied. This story arc ended well; without any major hateful cliff-hangers. There is just plenty of room to continue the fantastic world-building in the next adventure and watch the characters continual development as Mia settles into her mentoring role and continues to lead the struggle against an elitist and sexist regime intent on holding on to their brutish culture. Mia is also often at odds with those she is trying to help and must constantly watch her six. With its devilishly clever premise, robust and diverse cast, and flowing storyline, this science fiction tale kept me entertained while nudging me to think about certain social aspects that are normally taken for granted.

This book was given to me by the author in exchange for my honest review.

Reviewed by Laurie-J

[Guia · Rating 5 out of 5]

*A big thanks to the author for providing the ebook in exchange for an honest review*

I am not Sci-Fi/Fantasy’s biggest fan but damn if I didn’t love Stella Telleria’s ACROSS THE WIRE. Now THIS is one book I didn’t expect to love this much. When I signed up to review the book, I was honestly just trying to broaden my reading repertoire. I did not expect to meet one of my favorite reads this year. It’s a promising start to what I feel would be an amazing series!


Rating: 5 out of 5 stars!

Across the Wire is such a breath of fresh air. It’s so different and unique from the kinds of books that I usually read but that doesn’t diminish the fact that it’s awesome in its own sci-fi way. I keep saying how awesome I think it was. What is it about anyway?

Across the Wire tells the story of Mia, an ex-marine who just got back stateside. The problem is, her body might be physically home but war took a huge piece of her and she knows she left that piece behind in the battlefields of Iraq.

Survivor’s guilt. Anxiety attacks. Night terrors. She has it. For Mia, nobody really recovers from the horrors that a soldier sees while on tour. Even the sound of distant fire trucks sends Mia careening into the terrifying memories of her days in Iraq. Physical exertion is the only thing that Mia can do to burn off the pent-up anxiety she’s had ever since she came back.

As she was on her way to her local dojo, she saved a man from being beat-up in a nearby alley. It was an odd encounter. After saving the bizarre man, he offered her a job, a job that needed her combat skills and experience on the battlefield.

She didn’t expect for the job to be in some kind of parallel dimension where women rule and men are the subservient gender.

Mia realizes too late that she’s in over her head with what she just agreed to. With no way to go home, since the device that can send her back home is broken, she has no other choice but to train the ragtag group of men she stumbled upon and help free them from the oppressive women that run their country.

This was one of the most amazing things I’ve found about Across the Wire. A matriarchal parallel dimension? That’s just insane! Even now after finishing the book, I still can’t even wrap my head around the idea of a matriarchal society. It’s pretty cool actually. Across the Wire was like a dominatrix book on steroids. I was intrigued by the premise of the novel. It was the thing that drew me in in the first place. The idea of men being subservient to women took me a bit to get used to. In our reality, this idea is sadly far-fetched and a bit unreal. I am all for the I AM WOMAN, HEAR ME ROAR thing but Across the Wire sheds some a different kind of light on something that we have only ever imagined.

What kept me reading right through the last page (and anticipate the next books) was how well the author built up this extraordinary idea so masterfully. I cannot see any fault in the author’s world-building prowess. She brought Gaia to life. Every painstaking detail with which she described this made-up world only contributed to its complexity. Stella Telleria gave this strange new world dimension and character. And what’s awesome is that she was able to make the readers feel like they’re part of the world. Readers are not mere observers of the lives of the characters they read. I felt myself BELONG to this fictional world. Stella Telleria paints a vivid picture of her story that I just can’t help but feel transported into this world she created with her words. She made it impossible to want to get out.

Aside from the world itself, who can’t help but love a book about men. Oh boy, this book sure has its fair share of incredibly hot fictional book boyfriends. So yeah, before I get carried away, I just wanted to say that I really admired Stella Telleria’s characters in Across the Wire. I am amazed with her apparent ease at bringing words to life. First, the world she established. And now, even the characters are jumping out of the page. Just like with how she presented Gaia, her characters were complex and multidimensional. I really appreciated how each character had their own backstory. This proves how much thought the author put into writing this book. The interesting characters surely added to the appeal of Across the Wire. Of course, Mia is such a riveting character all on her own. But combine it with the the men she meets in Gaia… well, let’s just say that it was one hell of a delicious mix.

I enjoyed the dynamic between the characters. I especially craved for scenes with Mia and her elite fighting force. Okay, as much as I love a good romance, I’m a sucker for some kickass fight scenes. Across the Wire is not short of these badassery. And yes, that’s a word in my world ;). Across the wire definitely made my heart race in more ways than one. The butt-whooping? It was awesome. Add that to the fact the Mia the ex-marine is doing the whooping. She’s just a badass character and I can’t help but admire her and look up to her. At the same time, she fights to keep her vulnerability hidden waaaaay inside. But Eben, one of the slaves they rescued from a mining camp, knows just how to get under her skin.

Eben is no stranger to pain and hardship. After all, he lived most of his adult years suffering through that damned mining camp. He sees the vulnerability behind Mia’s tough exterior. In turn, Mia sees through Eben’s docile façade, the result of years of being a slave. She sees the strong-willed man lurking just beneath and she can’t help but feel drawn to Eben’s quiet strength. I absolutely adored Mia and Eben. It was kind of frustrating that they can’t move along the relationship track fast enough. They’re made for each other and I can’t wait to see more of them under that kind of light.

Across the Wire also packs a surprisingly emotional punch. Stella Telleria just made me love her characters and it was painful every time they go out on a mission. I devour every word, every paragraph, every page… hoping with everything in me that these characters I’ve learned to love will survive to fight another day. Right at the end, Across the Wire guts readers in one of the most unexpected ways. And gutted, I was! Damn that last chapter. You’d have to read it to know what I’m talking about. And trust me on this, YOU WOULD NOT WANT TO MISS OUT ON THIS ONE. Go grab a copy and be mesmerized with Stella Telleria’s Across the Wire. I know MY head is still stuck in Gaia with Mia and Eben.

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[AuroraBlaze · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

And thanks to the author for autographing it!

Technically, this book only gets 4.7 stars because it's divided into 3 books, and the first one only gets a 4, while the other two get a 5. The first book has to set the scene, so it is slower than the rest of the book, and it took me a bit to get really engaged in it. Overall, though, I really enjoyed the book.
I love the author's writing; she tends to use alliteration when possible, she uses metaphors and similes often, and her work has a rhythm to it. I even noticed a few rhymes, like the sentence on page 10: "Nothing was ever going to heal, it was about learning to deal." Another quote I like is "Emptying magazines like I wanted to empty my memories, empty myself." (p. 27)
I really like the concept, that somewhere out there is a parallel world where women are in charge instead of men, because they "...possess the power to give life." (p. 48) She even makes some clever wordplay using the fact that man is shorter than woman, so their philosophy is that man is inferior to woman, a simplified version of woman. That also works with male and female, and he and she. I also like the fact that people on Gaia are more environmentally conscious.
What I didn't like was the fact that there was a lot of swearing. I understand why she swore a lot, but personally I prefer it when people don't swear. That is my only complaint about the book.
Summary of Book One:
Mia Mitchell: Former Marine suffering from PTSD, is having difficulties adjusting to civilian life. Although she no longer needs to carry a gun with her everywhere she goes, the only way she can escape her frequent flashbacks is to keep moving, advice she learned from her mother. And keep moving she does. She takes karate classes, knows multiple forms of martial arts, never draws close to anyone, and willingly enters fights. One night on her way to her karate class, she defends a foreigner from 3 armed men, and, in return, is offered a job. Vuri is very obviously from out of town. He came to San Francisco in "...behalf of a group of people who are unable to enjoy liberty because of their gender." (p. 20) He wants Mia to teach them self-defense, to help them so they don't have to live in fear. Although initially hesitant, Mia has nothing to lose. Maybe she has even been subconsciously hoping for something like to happen, for someone to need her, someone she can actually help. After all, her apartment has nothing but the bare essentials, she has no friends or family to miss her, and her whole life can be packed up into 3 bags. But she doesn't expect what happens next. Instead of catching a plane, boat, or some other conventional type of transportation, they use a wormhole. To travel to a parallel world. Full of disbelief, at first Mia assumes it's a prank and demands proof. But when they arrive at the capital, Elysium, Mia realizes that this reality is all too real. After seeing what life is like on Gaia, Mia has to make a choice. Will she help the men? Or will she abandon them and return to Earth?
Book 2: (5 months later)
Eben is a labourer in the mines. He was sold by his mother at a very young age, and he can remember nothing else. In the mines, it's best if you trust no one, but Eben has formed a wary friendship with Gavin. When Gavin first arrived, Eben saw a vulnerability in him that made him want to protect him. This has caused Eben to be punished often. He dreams of escaping this life of drudgery, but he knows that those who attempt, die. One night, after a particularly vicious beating, people break into the cells and engineer a prison break. To Eben's surprise, they actually succeed. They are all brought to a camp and discover that they have been freed by the MRF (Male Resistance Force) and are given a choice: stay in the camp and help, or be dropped off, along with some supplies, in the nearby town of Hera. To Eben, it's an easy decision. He is in no condition to travel anywhere, and he want to learn more about the mysterious General. On the other hand, Gavin feels they'd be better off on their own in Hera. But Gavin also realizes that Eben needs time to heal, and reluctantly agrees to stay until he is better. In the meantime, Mia has organized a boot camp for those who wish to join the resistance. Eben desperately wants to join but his physical condition does not allow him to pass the physical test. When Gavin realizes how interested Eben is in Mia, he decides to enter the boot camp himself in order to show Eben that Mia is no different than all of the other women.
Book 3:
This book alternates between Mia and Eben's POV. Although Eben failed the physical exam, he decides to make use of his newfound freedom and spend his time with the new recruits, doing what they do. Mia finds this to be an assault to her authority, but can do nothing to stop him, as it goes against what she had been saying. Eben finds it difficult to keep up with them while he is injured, but he does his best and he doesn't quit. Meanwhile, Mia is struggling for control. There are men who dislike her simply because she is a female, and they do not trust her or respect her. She has a feeling that secrets are being kept from her, but she has no idea how to find out what they are. She still wants to go home, but has to stay until the newly born resistance is ready to take care of themselves. Eben is having trouble figuring out his feelings towards Mia, and the way she treats him only confuses him more. And when Gavin starts flirting with her, hoping to get favors, Eben gets jealous and the relationship between the two gets strained. So all Eben has to do is heal quickly, get through boot camp, figure out how to deal with his relationships, and convince Mia that she doesn't have to leave, all the while making sure the men who oppose Mia don't gain more influence over the group.

I noticed one spelling mistake, on page 192, third paragraph down. Instead of saying 'smile,' it says 'smiled.' But everyone's allowed to make mistakes, right?
I cannot wait for the sequel to be released. There are so many things that have been hinted at, that I can't wait to find out what happens next.

[Bob Godden · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book exceeded my expectations. At first it seemed like a standard tale of a disgruntled, flawed loner trying to whip a downtrodden group of people into shape to try to overthrow their oppressors but it ended up being much more than that. The author deals with the subject of PTSD and it was refreshing to see it from a female protagonist's point of view.
I do wish that the author would have spent more time world building because I found the setting pretty fascinating but she delivered a great tale with interesting characters and a plot that I didn't think had any lulls to it.
My biggest complaint is that the sequel has not been published yet! This is Stella Telleria's first book and I look forward to reading whatever she puts out next. She also has a really good YouTube channel where she discusses and reviews books that I think is worth checking out.

[Pili · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got myself this book after taking part in a book blizt for it organized by Xpresso Book Tours. I was very intrigued by the premise and the main character. So when I saw that there was going to be a book tour, I knew I wanted in!

Mia is an ex-Marine, sent back home cause she wasn't deemed fit for active duty. She isn't adapting well to normal life, since she suffers from a clear case of PTSD. She encounters an odd man that asks for her help to train victims of gender oppression, and she finds herself in a parallel universe where men are the oppressed ones and women are the cruel tyrants.

The setting was very much intriguing, even if no details are giving about the way to travel to a parallel universe, aside from the mention of a wormwhole. But the whole absolute matriarchy that reigned in Gaia was a brilliant setting to shake our preconceptions. The way women are abusing their power as men have been and continue to do so (in some places more than others) in our world is a remind for us all, men & women alike, that the solution to our problems is not going to any extreme of the spectrum, since absolute power corrupts absolutely, but to find the happy medium when we all treat each other as equally important and valid human beings.

Stella Telleria builds a world that made me cringe and made me think and ponder, one that felt real and plausible even if extremely unwanted for me. I consider myself a feminist, but I'd never want the tables turned in such a way!

The characters were extremely well crafted and felt so real. Mia, Gavin, Eben and all the rest feel fully fleshed, even the secondary characters that appear only for a moment but that might not be as secondary as you think.

Mia, as war veteran with PSTD felt so real, with her rawness, her numbness as a way to deal with her pain and her flight or fight response... She's a fantastic character that might not seem easy to love, but I was rooting for since page one!

Eben was a different type of survivor, but a fighter nonetheless. After being a slave and barely thinking of surviving each day, he find something to fight for and a purpose in the fight the rebels want to present, and Mia also makes him strive to get over his preconditions and prejudices.

The plot starts in a rather straightforward way, Mia has been brought to train a group of rebels in self-defence and to try and rescue more and more men to give them a choice at freedom, but as the book progresses it comes apparent to Mia and us that there's much that she doesn't know and that her allies/employers/fellow rebels aren't telling her, and that might be much more at stake that she even guessed.

The ending is quite brutal in a way, because war is brutal no matter how good your reasons and intentions are, but it also ends in a note of hope and with a lot of unanswered questions and me hoping that there ARE more books after this one! (Confirmed with the author, she's working on book 2, *phew*!).

Very well deserved 4 to 4.5 stars for this one, tough but brilliant book!

[Wolfie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Writer Person

Seriously, sci-fi is the greatest thing ever. Because that's how you get books like this. The idea of parallel universes and space/time travel has always been intriguing to me. The possibilities are absolutely endless and I love how Stella Telleria totally too advantage of that and came up with this crazy insane alternate reality. I guess the scary part is that it could be real. *shudder*

The other part I found interesting was Mia's military background. She's a former Marine. I'm working on (not really) what I affectionately call my "war story" so I paid attention to this, too. Particularly the way her background was revealed. She's very obviously suffering PTSD, yet she's not completely broken down. And so I admired that, of course. Hated that she was lying to herself, but at least she could take care of herself. It was hard to find her annoying, except when she revealed half of her background and I was thinking, then what?!

Since The Darkest Minds, I've been really careful about synopsis/summaries. So Eben popping up was totally a surprise. Honestly, I was totally confused because for whatever reason I thought he had already been introduced. I was wrong, obviously. But I found that out quickly so that's good. And I loved his perspective. He's quite a character. (Aha. Bad pun.) He's kind of strong in his own way and I loved watching him grow into who he really is. It's really hard not to admire him and try to ship him and Mia. Just saying.

So sci-fi, military background, crazy resistance to female supremacy in a world where females may as well be goddesses for how untouchable (irony) they are. This is a pretty fast-paced book, with quite a bit of action. Sometimes just drama in the camp, other times crazy schemes to free men from labor camps. It was really fun watching this world come together, seeing the parallels and total opposites of what our world is like.

I have to say that I want more. The ending wasn't exactly a cliffhanger, but I totally need to know what happens now. I won't spoil it, because it's a huge spoiler. But I will say that I was crying. So there you go.

Overall, this was amazing. I was hooked by the world building and the characters. I loved how she incorporated sci-fi and questioned our very principles. Not sure if that was intentional, but it was certainly thought-provoking and I do love that.

Recommendation: for those who love sci-fi and liberal/conservative debates (not as boring as that sounds, trust me)

[Marni · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank the author for providing me a copy of her book in exchange for an honest review.

As a veteran female Marine and the mother of a daughter who is getting ready to go in to the USMC, I was surprised and enthralled that the main character of this book is a a veteran female Marine. Not just an Marine either, one who had seen what war does not just to a person, but to families, friendships and loved ones. The author did her research well on the emotional side effects combat does to a person. Does she over reach in some areas, yes, but purely as a way to keep the readers attention.

I found the beginning of the story eye opening, but also a bit dull. The contact Mia first has Vuri gives the reader more of an idea of how Mia ticks but the dialogue between the two doesn't flow well and it takes a little away from the story as it's being read. There doesn't seem like as much of a connection there that the author wants you to feel. Honestly, if I hadn't been reading this for the blog tour, I probably would have put the book down at that point and came back to it later. Thankfully, it does get better and not that much farther from that point.

The alternate world the author presents us reminds me a lot of how women are treated in many third world countries. Bred to be breeders and servants to their husbands, but in this world it's the men that are in these shoes. Sold as slaves, only being taught to read if they are going to be considered as husbands for the upper echelon of women, these men are broken. Mia has been brought in to help liberate the men from such a life, and she really has to overcome a lot to get there. She may be physically ready for battle, but nothing prepared her for something like this.

The story is told through the eyes of Mia and of a male slave, Eben. Together they, along with the other males, train and build up and army to prepare for the ultimate battle. Where will their training take them? What will they lose in return? What will they gain?

This is a particularly good dystopian book, set in an alternate world, that will hold the interest of readers of ages 16+. A strong female roll model that all genders will connect to. I look forward to reading the next book in the series and hope to get some resolution of matters left open at the end of this book. This is not a book of fantasy, but one that parallels a lot of the what is going on in our world right now, but just in a switch of gender.

[Chris Torretta · Rating 5 out of 5]

One word? AMAZING!

What the **bleep**!? You know I really hate to admit it, especially with a book like this one but sometimes I read the synopsis and I say to myself "Hmm.. Christina what do you think of this?" Yes, I ask myself questions and yes I do answer. So, I continued the conversation "Well, not sure if I will LOVE the military aspect of this one but it IS dystopian which IS your favorite genre" ... "Hmmm" I think again. "It really is but I'm just not sure if this will catch my attention, ya know?" and then I answer with "go ahead and try it, what do you have to lose?"

So I tried this one. I was immediately shocked by how amazing the writing is and just how much I got into it and especially the military parts! I mean, my god I wasn't a Marine (I did try but they laughed at me) but I was in the military and I absolutely loved the memories this brought back. I laughed at FUBAR, I cried at all the torture Mia put herself through, and I was shocked by so much of this. I really had tears streaming down my face at 20%! I had to remind myself that this was a dystopian!

Ok, now for the serious stuff... The plot is amazing. I couldn't tear my eyes from the words. The characters were so fantastic that I found myself literally cheering for them and when they got through or didn't get through I felt just as much relief or torture that they felt. Mia was amazing even with all her issues, she hides them well and in the situation she's in she really has to.

And then there's Gavin and Eben. Ohhhh those two! I wanted to smack them both but it was like a sisterly smack because I grew to love them both, although, Gavin made me wonder about him more than once and even at the end I am still curious if his loyalties will change.

This was such a fast read that I want to go back and re-read just so I can slow down. And that's after I thought I would just skim through some of the parts IF I didn't like it. I found that I felt compelled to read every word because I didn't want to miss a thing.

If you're not into military stuff, do not worry, this has enough in it for anyone that likes a really good dystopian. The way Stella Telleria was able to twist this new world was amazing. It did end on a cliff hanger but one where I cannot wait for the next, and I do mean absolutely will be stalking Stella every day until it comes out!!

[Nahomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Check out the Original @ Books & Swoons

I love this book! I was skeptical in the beginning, because I'm normally not into Sci-fi. And I really haven't read any adult sci-fi stories, but alas I fell in love with this one. The story is captivating, heart wrenching, inspiring and action packed. For the first time in a very long time I don't have anything negative to say about a story that I'm reviewing! So, lets get on with the love fest.

The characters:
Mia: The main character is kick ass! She is no damsel in distress. Mia is a former marine with some serious PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). She is a tough as they come but has a really good heart. I love how her character is slowly developed throughout the story.

Eben: The love interest in progress I would say. He is strong and persistent and a little hardheaded at times. Eben is shy and insecure and has had a lot of traumatic experiences in his life because of where he came from. As the story progresses his character develops and he becomes a leader for the other men as well as a more realistic love interest for someone like Mia.

The rest of the characters are great they are multidimensional and add the perfect mix of realism and you've got to be kidding me to the story. Some of my favorites are Gabriel, Iliya and Gavin. Gabriel is just so innocent and has this way of pulling on my heart strings. Iliya is the guy you can count on, the best friend that always has your back. But Gavin on the other had is a bit of a smart ass, but I get where he's coming from. Gavin keeps things interesting.

The story is perfect. The pacing, the writing, the dialogue is all cohesive and pulls you into the story, making it easier for you to read. The plot is interesting and has enough twist that keeps you interested and wanting more. I was on an emotional roller coaster from beginning to end. I totally wasn't expecting what happened at the end, and I was totally heartbroken. There is action and intrigue and the hint of love. Stella Telleria did a wonderful job weaving together all of the elements I love about stories into Across The Wire. This story is a must read!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Girl power!

Society is turned on its head with this offering from Telleria. Where women are top of the social ladder and men are to serve and satisfy women, Gaia is a far cry from Mia’s home city of San Francisco. This is a brilliant and different read and I really enjoyed all that ‘Across the Wire’ had to offer.

The idea of an alternate universe was a little bit unbelievable and what I found to be one of the weakest links in the story. However, Telleria doesn’t turn this into a massive plot feature and once Mia has accepted her new surroundings, readers are offered a different and unique setting. Gaia appears more technologically advanced with hover cars and using green energy sources, but its methods of crime and punishment are quite archaic, with Mia witnessing an execution with her first visit to the city. I would have liked to learn more about the city and how society really works, so I am hoping this features in the next book of this series.

Mia used to be in the United States Marine Corps and this military background shapes the plot and her time on the Ant Hill as she trains men to resist against female supremacy. There is a lot of focus on the training she delivers and readers are given snapshots into her disturbed past. I liked the way that Telleria gave readers small insights into Mia’s past as we are encouraged to piece together why she finds it so difficult to settle down and make friends with her recruits.

The plot switches between Mia and one of her recently rescued recruits, Eben. I found this narrative shift gave the plot more depth, particularly as each character is interpreting the other’s actions. Indeed, there are a lot of suggestions about character motivations on the Ant Hill and I found myself desperate to learn more about such hidden agendas. Unfortunately for me, Telleria did not reveal this in ‘Across the Wire’ which clearly provides more fuel for the next book!

I really enjoyed reading this novel. It is different from anything I have read recently and this I found refreshing. I liked this unusual plot and the excitement and depth that Telleria provides has left me keen to learn what happens next to Mia and Eben. A great read.

This book was provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Pauline Ang · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally posted at Fathomless Reveries


Across the Wire is a novel that just sucked me into the story, and made me feel like I’m always on the go. It felt like I was one of the people that belonged to the matriarchal society they have, which made me feel the danger and pressure always looming over me. There was this great, suspensive feeling in me that wanted to know what’s going to happen next.

At first, reading this novel felt like a chore as I started to get to know their society. I didn’t like Mia at first, and I felt that it was Eben who drove the story. But later on, I learned to appreciate Mia’s character, especially when she’s so strong and kept on moving even though she is chained to her past. She has a lot of nightmares and trauma, but she survived through them all, and it was really admirable of her. Eben is also strong, particularly when he knows what he wants even though the men have practically no freedom in the matriarchal dystopia their society has. The rest of the characters, like Gabriel and Iliya were also amazing.

I really loved the characters and suspense, but I felt that this book was too long to build up the story. They kept on training and preparing for their revolution, but that’s all that happened in the novel. I kept on waiting for something big to happen, but as I continued reading, all I got was more questions that never got really answered in the end. I admit that there’s going to be a sequel to this, and I feel that most of the questions will be answered there, but this book was quite long, and most were still left unanswered. I loved the idea of a matriarchal society though, since it’s my first time reading something like this, and it was refreshing from the books that I usually read.

Overall, Across the Wire is something that just pulls you in and make you keep wanting for more. It ended on a cliffhanger that makes you curious on what’s going to happen next. Can’t wait to continue Mia and Eben’s journey on the sequel!

[Jennifer Ricketts (Donnie Darko Girl) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book for an honest review for my stop on the blog tour at Donnie Darko Girl.

Ever think if women ruled the world it would be one big "Kumbaya?" Across the Wire gives a nightmarish look into one version of what that world could look like while also challenging the concepts of freedom and safety and what they really mean. I had a difficult time getting into the story at first - the beginning was a little slow for me - but once I began to see for myself what society was like in this parallel world, everything came alive vividly.

Mia, a former Marine, rescues a man being beaten in an alley. He is grateful and asks for her help. She thinks she's going to a third world country but instead finds herself in a parallel world where women rule over men as their slaves. She is asked to help train a group of men in self defense so they can begin to liberate men from slavery.

Mia was difficult for me to get to know. She has PTSD from serving in the military during war, which was one of the biggest reasons I wanted to read this book, but she was so closed off I didn't find out much about what she was like before the war. If I could have found out more about her, I think I would have been able to relate to her more.

Once Eben, one of the slaves toiling away in a mine, begins telling the story from his point-of-view, I saw a different side of Mia and was pulled into the story more fully. I got to know Eben and felt for him and his situation. There was something about Eben that brought out a softer side in Mia, and I hoped for Mia to find some peace and healing.

Across the Wire brought up a lot of questions about freedom and safety that had me thinking about those concepts in a new and different way. I love it when a book can do that for me, and these questions make me want to know what's going to happen next.

[Debbie Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book through Goodreads. Awesome book. I was really into it until I got to the part where it took a turn from what could be reality, to some dystopian world....and then I totally was into it again! I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy the rest, but I really was intrigued and thoroughly enjoyed the book. (This isn't usually within the genre of books that I read, but I was open to trying something new and I'm very glad I did.) I loved Mia and enjoyed seeing a female as a 'leader' without being feminist and being a genuine person with real feelings and life experience. Even brought me to tears at the end. I certainly wouldn't have predicted that reaction from myself based on my original thoughts about the story, which for me is a pretty good indicator as to how well it was written. Good book to start with if you have never read from this genre before. I would very much recommend it. Glad I was given the opportunity to experience it.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book I didn't want to put down.

When former Marine Mia was offered a job training the oppressed to defend themselves she thought she would be training a group of women. When Vuri, whom she just met and also the one offering the job whisks her off to parts unknown to her she turns on him in suspicion.
A lot of laughs, some serious bits and a lot of action.

[The Suburban Eclectic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Across the Wire is like GI Jane meets 5th Century Amazonians with a Hunger Games /Too Wong Foo vibe. Full review on The Suburban Eclectic Review.

[Meow · Rating 3 out of 5]

Based on the excerpt, it seems a decent read, fast paced, and brings up some reasonable questions of PTSD and power relations.
Peace,
U.N. Date: Saturday, September 30. 12014 H.E. (Holocene/Human Era)

[Amanda (Good Choice Reading) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review to come, during blog tour.

[Stella Telleria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, I clearly can't be trusted.

[Chiara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just one sentence for you to start imagining: The world upside down...
This is one of those books I wouldn't have put down before finishing!
Five well-deserved stars!