Alterni

Alt-World Chronicles #1

by Sunshine Somerville

It's hard to compete with a ghost...or eight...of yourself.

Ever have a nightmare where you're naked in public? What if everyone else in the room was also naked…and also a version of yourself? That's the reality Esme Kuchis finds herself in, and soon things get even weirder.
She's not in her Kansas City anymore. This alternate world is home to an ancient, secret Order with a king, conjuri magicians, cavali fighters, and dozens of paranormal races. And the purpose of this magical Order? They protect an unsuspecting public from malevolenci, demonic beasts from otherworldly rifts.
As an alterni summoned to this world, Esme must partner with the king and fight using magic only an alterni can wield. Unfortunately, the model-perfect King Owen is broken by grief and guilt, the Order has little faith in her, and the malevolenci are worse than ever.
Eight alt-Esmes preceded her. Eight lost their lives. Can Esme use her unique gifts to master this world's magic? If she can't, the consequences might be more devastating than Owen is willing to say.

223 pages, ebook

First published December 12, 2017

About the author

Sunshine Somerville is a Science Fantasy author who loves blending genres. She has a degree in English Literature and self-published her first book at the ripe old age of nine.  She currently lives on the beachy side of Michigan with her husband, two fur babies, and two human daughters. 
The Kota Series is a Science Fantasy epic based on youthful obsessions with X-Men, Star Wars, The Chronicles of Narnia, Dark Angel, and A Wrinkle in Time.
The Alt-World Chronicles is an Urban Fantasy series inspired by weird recurring dreams, a brainstorming session in the shower, and one ridiculously hot summer lived in Kansas City.
A Fairly Fairy Tale is Sunshine’s first Middle Grade Fantasy book. She got the idea from her family’s crest, which portrays a dragon shooting flames from both ends, and from a niece whose second favorite word is farts.

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Reviews

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I may be a little biased, but this is my favorite book from this author. I’ve recently read a lot of sci-fi/fantasy books that tend to data dump in the beginning. This one does a nice job of blending world and character building while advancing the plot. This book has been one of the most fun that I have read in awhile. Definitely worth a read.

[K.J. Simmill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Esme was trapped, locked in a room with nine very different versions of herself. None of whom seemed to have the faintest idea what was happening. There was but one constant, they were all her, and yet each one was different. When released from her prison she saw something in the eyes of those who gazed upon her, recognition. The Order, the people responsible for bringing her to this alternate reality, have been keeping a secret from the people of their world. A dangerous secret. Beings from another plane called the Malevolenci had discovered a means to open rifts into their world, and had been doing so for eighty generations. They invade, killing thousands, and this world's own conjuri are powerless to close the their tears in the universe. Only an alterni can sense them, and only they can close these rifts. But this is not the first time someone looking to be her has attempted such a thing. Eight came before her to fight beside the king. Will she be just another victim in an endless war, or can she do what those before her had failed to? Find out in Sunshine Somerville's Alterni (The Alt-World Chronicles Book 1)

It is rare for me to be so quickly taken in by a book, but there is just something about Sunshine Somerville's writing style that reels you in. Time flies as you effortless turn page after page learning more about the alternative world, its culture, people, magic, and the threat and hardships it faces. The characters are instantly likeable and are moulded by their own experiences. They are complex, fallible, flawed, and amazing, each in their own right with their own strengths. Alterni (The Alt-World Chronicles Book 1) shows magnificent world building, structure, and storytelling, all of which add to a sense of realism behind the fantasy plot. I rarely recommend books, but this is one book that gets my unquestioning recommendation to anyone looking for a good read. Alterni is filled with suspense, action, intrigue, heartbreak, magic, conflict, mystery and so much more, all while taking you on a thrilling journey of growth and change. There are a lot of subtle touches and unexpected revelations, this is a book that will not leave you wanting. It has definitely made its way into my top personal ten books for this year. I can't wait to see where book two takes us. This is a series I am genuinely excited about. Well done Sunshine Somerville!

[Lynda · Rating 3 out of 5]

** I voluntarily reviewed Alterni after receiving a free copy. This is my complete and honest opinion. **
*** This review will not include any spoilers. ***
Alterni is a 3-star book, maybe even a 3.3-star.
Alterni is the first book in a new fantasy alternate reality series. Set in Kansas City… In an alternate world.
Esme finds herself surrounded by 9 other Esme… No two are exactly alike but all come from Kansas. How is that possible? Anything is possible in this other realm.
This world is home to a secret ancient Order with a king. (But he is by no means, Kingly.) There is magic in this world along with many supernatural races. What is so special about this place? Why do they need Esme? The world is being invaded by malevolenci, demons from another world, determined to over through the king and take over his world.
Esme is not the first alterni to try to save this world, but she is determined to be the last. With gifts only an alterni can will, the help of the king, the Order, the conjure magicians and the cavali fighters can they stop the invasion before it gets out of hand? And can Esme dethrone the ghosts of her other selves?

Oh… what can I say about this book? Like so many books I have read lately, the synopsis is beautifully crafted and pulls me in, until I just HAVE to read the book. But, no… yet another letdown.
The initial part of this book was dry and dull. It is hard to write a review when you really want to like a book but don’t.
Esme was a very well-developed character. I wasn’t sure at first how I would feel about her. She appeared to be a bit of a loner, crybaby. But before those thoughts could fully develop, the spoon happened and I just couldn’t get enough.
I loved Hakim. I found him to like Magnus from the Mortal Instruments… snarky, intelligent, and a comic relief. Owen was not my favorite character, to begin with… I get it he has issues. But shouldn’t his kingdom/world come before his own stupid feelings and issues? But once he got his head out of his bum (about halfway through the book) I grew to love him too.
The world and malevolenci are so awesome. They really pulled the story from a two-star book to a three. I believe that if the details of the malevolenci had been just a bit more and there were a few more action scenes, in the beginning, this Alterni could have been a 5-star book.

[Billy Buttons · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was entered in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:
Title: Alterni (The Alt-World Chronicles Book 1)
Author: Sunshine Somerville

Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 19
Stats
Editing: 9/10
Writing Style: 9/10
Content: 10/10
Cover: 8/10
Of the 19 readers:
19 would read another book by this author.
15 thought the cover was good or excellent.
18 felt it was easy to follow.
19 would recommend this story to another reader to try.
9 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
10 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
17 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
19 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.

Readers’ Comments
‘A little magic, a little mystery, a fab hero to root for. Perfect!’ Male reader. aged 32
‘This story is very much a battle between good and evil. The author is a gifted writer who knows how to grip her readers, offering them a tantalizing plot populated by interesting characters.’ Female reader, aged 52
‘Esme is an excellent character to carry this story. She’s determined, talented and a little bit vulnerable. The plot is well-constructed with plenty of twists. Even the fantasy world is interesting. I would recommend this to readers of fantasy and adventure.’ Male reader, aged 28
‘Took me a little while to get into the story. But I kept going and, suddenly, I was loving it.’ Female reader, aged 47
‘Very relatable characters.’ Male reader, aged 61
‘The premise is clever, the writing style is pacey and the characters, well, you just want to get to know them better. Excellent read.’ Female reader, aged 29

To Sum It Up:
‘A cleverly plotted fantasy adventure. A FINALIST and highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards

[Faizal · Rating 4 out of 5]

*POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD… BEWARE*
*3.5 Stars*

Alterni by Sunshine Somerville is perfect for those readers who enjoy YA novels with a strong female protagonist.

Esme has just been chosen as the Alterni. She and many other Esme’s from other worlds are summoned and Esme stands out the most with her strong personality and her protectiveness of the others when a monster shows up.

We are introduced to a world of magic and monsters. The usual monsters such as vampires, werewolves, trolls, etc. are seen as the good guys. They were summoned years ago and now they have become part of society and they try to protect it.

When I first started this novel, I was very frustrated. New words that I had not been introduced to yet were tossed around willy-nilly. But after reading it more things started to make sense, as they do most of the time. The different classifications of demons were also a bit rushed. I had to bookmark the page and I kept coming back to it because I had no idea what the different demons were.

A personal complaint that I have, which in no way makes this book any less awesome, is the fact that the protagonist has a photogenic memory. I’ve been starting to notice many authors making their main protagonist have that trait, it’s getting annoying. And what is up with the protagonist always landing the insanely hot dude. I feel like I’m reading the same concept over and over again.

To quote Mugatu: “I FEEL LIKE I’M TAKING CRAZY PILLS!”

Besides that the book is great. I usually don’t pick up books with covers such as this, but I’m glad that I have done this time.

*I would like to thank Sunshine Somerville and LibraryThing for giving me a free copy of Alterni.*

[Buddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Literature is full of cool fictional artifacts: the One Ring, the Elder Wand, the Hitchhikers Guide. I think the castorca ranks among them in terms of overall coolness and integration into its fictional world.

The castorca is wielded by Esme, the eponymous Alterni, in order to help her channel her magical abilities in the alternate version of earth to which she has been shanghaied (like many alterni before her) to aid a mysterious order in its quest to prevent invasion by interdimensional demons.

The world Esme finds herself in differs from ours in many strange and interesting ways, and while there were times I wished that as a reader I were discovering the differences by exploring the world with Esme rather than listening while other characters told her how it was different, once her team of werewolves, Jinn, and trolls assemble to protect the world from the terrors beyond the gate, I was invested the world and in their success.

It’s a bold choice to use the “Alt-” prefix in our current political climate, but if Alterni is an indication of the series to follow, Sunshine Somerville’s Alt-World Chronicles may be just the thing to reclaim the term for good.

I received a free copy of this book and chose to leave a review.

[ChaosKay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Esme Kuchis finds herself in a room with other naked versions of herself then things get even weirder.
She not in her Kansas City anymore she’s in an alternate world which is home to a secret order with a King , Conjurors , fighters and lots of supernatural races. The secret order is there to fight the malevolenci which are demonic beasts they make rifts into the world to attack its residents. Esme is an Alerni summoned by the King to fight the beasts with the magic only an Alterni can wield . Esme and the King Owen have a great rapport and although he’s King she doesn’t treat him any different than the others she interacts with she is quite sassy with him which he likes although this around him are shocked at the way she speaks to him. Owen tells Esme that the 8 Alterni before her have all died and he is there to protect the Alterni although Esme sees this differently and says she is there protect the King. I enjoyed listening to this the story was fabulous and the characters were well thought out and entertaining. Although the story ends where all questions were not answered and leaves you wanting more I expect book 2 will be just as good and can’t wait for it to arrive.

[mia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing, the mind bending premise of alternative worlds and fantastic mix of paranormal races was so addictive it caught my attention right from the beginning, I was so disappointed when I finished the book, I just wanted more! I can't wait for the next book this promises to be a wonderful series, the narration by Sommer Hines was very expressive and I hope to here more from her in the future.

[Jaime · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t really know anything about Alterni before I started reading it. Once I started, I could not stop. I read 80% in one sitting, the finished up the next day. The storyline is so unique, and it drew me in. The characters are all amazingly written, and I felt like I was really in the story, experiencing it as Esme was. I can’t wait to read the other books in the series.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun read! The author has created a very well-thought-out world, with likable characters and a readable plot. It’s hard to find original Sci-Fantasy elements, but this seemed fresh to me. Looking forward to finishing the series!

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a different type of fantasy. Imagine eight of yourself, how to cope with that. Loved every part, from beginning to the end.

[Michelle VanDaley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alterni is a fresh and original tale. Overall it is a good read - I had a hard time getting into it but am glad i stuck with it. I would definitely give the second book a try