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The Sphere of Infinity
An Aladdin retelling in space.
Alana's dream is to leave the poverty-stricken, government-controlled planet where she lives with her mother. But that's impossible when she can barely manage enough to eat. Her big chance comes in a well-paid mission to retrieve a golden sphere. The problem: it's in the Ghost Ship, a mysterious alien vessel abandoned for millenia. Nobody has ever set foot on it and come out alive. How will Alana manage it?
Meanwhile, Jasper has come to her planet to oversee the government. His real goal? To see the mysterious dragons—if they are still alive.
Destiny brings them together and thrusts the fate of the Samitri Planet and the Human Universe in their hands.
The Sphere of Infinity is a standalone YA Aladdin retelling novella.
It was part of the box set Kingdom of Sand and Wishes.
Alana's dream is to leave the poverty-stricken, government-controlled planet where she lives with her mother. But that's impossible when she can barely manage enough to eat. Her big chance comes in a well-paid mission to retrieve a golden sphere. The problem: it's in the Ghost Ship, a mysterious alien vessel abandoned for millenia. Nobody has ever set foot on it and come out alive. How will Alana manage it?
Meanwhile, Jasper has come to her planet to oversee the government. His real goal? To see the mysterious dragons—if they are still alive.
Destiny brings them together and thrusts the fate of the Samitri Planet and the Human Universe in their hands.
The Sphere of Infinity is a standalone YA Aladdin retelling novella.
It was part of the box set Kingdom of Sand and Wishes.
154 pages, ebook
Published October 8, 2019
2 people are currently reading
211 people want to read
About the author
Day Leitao
20 books2,000 followers🪄 Magic, 💜 heart, 🗡️ action, and 😆 fun!
Follow the Kickstarter for special editions of A Cursed Son, A Traitor Sister, and A Devious Brother at kickstarter.com/projects/dayleitao/remnants-of-the-fallen-kingdom
You can also follow my socials at dayleitao.carrd.co/
Don't miss any release, giveaway, or news! Sign up for my mailing list at dayleitao.com/sign-up/
Day Leitao believes in the power of stories, the power of characters, and she writes books with heroes (of both genders) finding their own magic and opening their hearts. Of course, there's also the banter and all the shenanigans that happen when personalities collide. 😂
Follow the Kickstarter for special editions of A Cursed Son, A Traitor Sister, and A Devious Brother at kickstarter.com/projects/dayleitao/remnants-of-the-fallen-kingdom
You can also follow my socials at dayleitao.carrd.co/
Don't miss any release, giveaway, or news! Sign up for my mailing list at dayleitao.com/sign-up/
Day Leitao believes in the power of stories, the power of characters, and she writes books with heroes (of both genders) finding their own magic and opening their hearts. Of course, there's also the banter and all the shenanigans that happen when personalities collide. 😂
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
April 3, 2025
The Sphere of Infinity is an Aladin retelling set in space. Unfortunately, I had to DNF this book at 45%. I tried so hard to connect with it and the characters, but I just couldn't get into it. I found parts of the story really dragged and became repetitive, but other parts seemed to speed ahead, which i just couldn't get to grips with. This is an earlier book from the author, and I got it free on Amazon, so I will check out her more recent stories as I've heard great things about her books. But this one sadly wasn't for me.
October 23, 2019
I couldn’t connect with this at all, the writing is a bit off and with more development both writing and plot-wise it probably could be a great read, but as it stands with a slow pace that makes you lose interested and awkward writing style, it just isn’t for me.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
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October 11, 2019DNF at 30%.
I'm sure if this was more polished and expanded, I'd be way more into it. As it stands, the language is just clunky and repetitive. Improper grammar usage and the odd descriptions made reading the book rather slow and somewhat difficult. I'd get hung up on trying to understand what I was reading and pulled out of the story.
I also had no idea what was going on. The plot was moving too slow and yet parts were moving too fast and I was given whiplash at the abrupt changes in POV.
I did like Alana as a character from what I read of her. She reminds me of Jazz from Artemis by Andy Weir. Actually, the novel itself reminded me of that actually.
I would definitely try the novel again if it was polished more!
I'm sure if this was more polished and expanded, I'd be way more into it. As it stands, the language is just clunky and repetitive. Improper grammar usage and the odd descriptions made reading the book rather slow and somewhat difficult. I'd get hung up on trying to understand what I was reading and pulled out of the story.
I also had no idea what was going on. The plot was moving too slow and yet parts were moving too fast and I was given whiplash at the abrupt changes in POV.
I did like Alana as a character from what I read of her. She reminds me of Jazz from Artemis by Andy Weir. Actually, the novel itself reminded me of that actually.
I would definitely try the novel again if it was polished more!
December 30, 2021
I really enjoyed this gender-swapped retelling of Aladdin. The space setting was neat, and the world building was well done even if it wasn't a focus. I also enjoyed the different connection of the Jafar character to the Princess Jasmine character, as it added more nuance to the story.
This was my first encounter with a work by Day Leitao and I will definitely be adding some of her other works to my TBR list for future reading.
And, as I'm a bit of a sucker for HEAs and Disney stories (even if this is a retelling and in no way related to Disney) I will definitely be listening to this one again.
This was my first encounter with a work by Day Leitao and I will definitely be adding some of her other works to my TBR list for future reading.
And, as I'm a bit of a sucker for HEAs and Disney stories (even if this is a retelling and in no way related to Disney) I will definitely be listening to this one again.
January 21, 2020
Just finished a quick 1 day listen of Marlies Dubois' narration of Day Letaio's novella The Sphere of Infinity - a retelling of Aladdin.
-No BIG surprises, but that's ok. When you market something as a retelling of a classic fairy tale, you owe it to the reader to follow it relatively closely. What I liked:
The writing was personal, but descriptive. Definitely aimed at a YA audience, the teen romance elements didn't make it more than just a little cheesy. Being a teen is part and parcel with cheesiness. The main Character, Alana (sp?) was engaging and interesting, but unique enough not to just be a knock off of Disney's knockoff of Aladdin. Making the Aladdin character a girl was a good move to drive to story a little differently. I also enjoyed that the "Jasmin" character had some depth to him. Having the Heroine & Hero be not "cookie cutter" handsome girl & boy was refreshing. As a teen I remember being very annoyed as a fairly scrawny guy with the majority of heros being big, muscular, tall dark & handsome. Jasper is most definitely not dark in the very least. Though the story was relativley short, I could tell that both Alana & Jasper were fully realized characters in the author's head. I also enjoyed that the Genie doesn't just out & out grant wishes, but instead has some kind of larger perception of the universe that allows her to give instructions on how someone can get their "wish" granted - It still takes work and a willingness to trust & follow directions.
On the Narration - Marlies Dubois does a good job with the dialogue & differntiating characters. The in between parts could use some work though. It felt like each sentence was just deposited independent of each other. Also, a longer break between paragraphs would help things not feel run on. It was like the paragraphs were stuck together almost more than the sentences were. Also, in her general narration, almost every sentence had the same cadence. Her reading was good, but it was the story that kept me listening much more than the narration. Also, there was a chapter that had some extra noise at the end, that if that & the timing were fixed, I'd rate it at 4 stars for narration. As it is, I'd do 3 stars. Not bad, but not great either. Would I listen to Ms. Dubois do another narration? Sure. Everybody has room for improvement, and seeing the number of titles under her belt, it looks like she's just getting started in narration. Not bad for a first attempt! In particular, when she was voicing Alana's inner thoughts, I felt she nailed it.
Would I read or listen to another book by Day Letaio? Definitely. 4 and 3/4 stars on the writing. I was a little disappointed at the end of the book that it was done. She crafted the world in such a way that I would love to experience more of it.
One last thought - I loved the cover. It captures the spirit of the book and whoever the artist is did a great job. Everybody judges a book by its cover & this one certainly caught my eye.
-No BIG surprises, but that's ok. When you market something as a retelling of a classic fairy tale, you owe it to the reader to follow it relatively closely. What I liked:
The writing was personal, but descriptive. Definitely aimed at a YA audience, the teen romance elements didn't make it more than just a little cheesy. Being a teen is part and parcel with cheesiness. The main Character, Alana (sp?) was engaging and interesting, but unique enough not to just be a knock off of Disney's knockoff of Aladdin. Making the Aladdin character a girl was a good move to drive to story a little differently. I also enjoyed that the "Jasmin" character had some depth to him. Having the Heroine & Hero be not "cookie cutter" handsome girl & boy was refreshing. As a teen I remember being very annoyed as a fairly scrawny guy with the majority of heros being big, muscular, tall dark & handsome. Jasper is most definitely not dark in the very least. Though the story was relativley short, I could tell that both Alana & Jasper were fully realized characters in the author's head. I also enjoyed that the Genie doesn't just out & out grant wishes, but instead has some kind of larger perception of the universe that allows her to give instructions on how someone can get their "wish" granted - It still takes work and a willingness to trust & follow directions.
On the Narration - Marlies Dubois does a good job with the dialogue & differntiating characters. The in between parts could use some work though. It felt like each sentence was just deposited independent of each other. Also, a longer break between paragraphs would help things not feel run on. It was like the paragraphs were stuck together almost more than the sentences were. Also, in her general narration, almost every sentence had the same cadence. Her reading was good, but it was the story that kept me listening much more than the narration. Also, there was a chapter that had some extra noise at the end, that if that & the timing were fixed, I'd rate it at 4 stars for narration. As it is, I'd do 3 stars. Not bad, but not great either. Would I listen to Ms. Dubois do another narration? Sure. Everybody has room for improvement, and seeing the number of titles under her belt, it looks like she's just getting started in narration. Not bad for a first attempt! In particular, when she was voicing Alana's inner thoughts, I felt she nailed it.
Would I read or listen to another book by Day Letaio? Definitely. 4 and 3/4 stars on the writing. I was a little disappointed at the end of the book that it was done. She crafted the world in such a way that I would love to experience more of it.
One last thought - I loved the cover. It captures the spirit of the book and whoever the artist is did a great job. Everybody judges a book by its cover & this one certainly caught my eye.
July 1, 2020
Gender-swapped Aladian in space works surprisingly well. The story of a desperate child given 3 wishes hits home, no matter where you put it. What really threw me off is the odd middle ground this seems to fall in between being a kid's book or a YA. There's some really dark content, which feels right for a folk tale inspired YA, but the writing is more suited to a children's chapter book. An edited version of this story could easily be a 4 or even 5 star read.
October 11, 2019
The Sphere of Infinity by Day Leitao
"Surrender, trust, relax." This is a lovely PG13 tale to pass an afternoon or evening but does have elements that make it PG13 rather than family-friendly.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
"Surrender, trust, relax." This is a lovely PG13 tale to pass an afternoon or evening but does have elements that make it PG13 rather than family-friendly.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 19, 2021
A gender bend Aladdin retelling! In space!!!??? Give it to me- oh no...... this wasn't what I expected...
I usually like reading novellas or novels on the shorter side between long novels so I don't go into a slump. But due to this being a novella, the story suffered a lot. Everything happened so fast and the whole book was written in a summarized way, even some key events were just skipped through and happened off screen and we're mentioned in two lines to keep the story short. The book feels like it's delivering or telling me information without showing it and leaving the readers to do all the imaginings and filling up the spaces. It's like a dream where you are hurt but of course you can't feel anything but your brain is trying so hard to convince you that you are supposed to feel pain.
Moreover, everything was solved conveniently and "tough" situations were only that in label rather than actually being hard on the characters and writing style wise. Because of that, nothing feels suspenseful and how they defeated the bad guy was honestly the worst part of the book, from how easy, fast and out of nowhere the solution was.
Due to it being summarized, the characters had no personality and depth especially Jasper, I found him to be so fake and paper thin despite the author's effort to make him this very nice person. But I liked what I've seen so far of Alana.
Overall, this had a lot of potential if only it was a novel or at least longer without the need to summarize everything. The world setting was amazing and I was very curious to see how everything ended up the way it is, especially with the main planet where the story takes place as well as the other planets mentioned. There was this whole conspiracy the bad guy was in and I wish it was expanded further and was the focus of the whole book instead of battling this one piece of the whole puzzle and ending the book there.
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with the digital copy for an honest review.
I usually like reading novellas or novels on the shorter side between long novels so I don't go into a slump. But due to this being a novella, the story suffered a lot. Everything happened so fast and the whole book was written in a summarized way, even some key events were just skipped through and happened off screen and we're mentioned in two lines to keep the story short. The book feels like it's delivering or telling me information without showing it and leaving the readers to do all the imaginings and filling up the spaces. It's like a dream where you are hurt but of course you can't feel anything but your brain is trying so hard to convince you that you are supposed to feel pain.
Moreover, everything was solved conveniently and "tough" situations were only that in label rather than actually being hard on the characters and writing style wise. Because of that, nothing feels suspenseful and how they defeated the bad guy was honestly the worst part of the book, from how easy, fast and out of nowhere the solution was.
Due to it being summarized, the characters had no personality and depth especially Jasper, I found him to be so fake and paper thin despite the author's effort to make him this very nice person. But I liked what I've seen so far of Alana.
Overall, this had a lot of potential if only it was a novel or at least longer without the need to summarize everything. The world setting was amazing and I was very curious to see how everything ended up the way it is, especially with the main planet where the story takes place as well as the other planets mentioned. There was this whole conspiracy the bad guy was in and I wish it was expanded further and was the focus of the whole book instead of battling this one piece of the whole puzzle and ending the book there.
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with the digital copy for an honest review.
June 13, 2020
I enjoyed this reverse version of a classic. It was different enough that I almost forgot it was supposed to be. Then the aha moment hit! Characters were great. I like the chemistry between Alana and Jasper, it wouldn’t be a retelling of Aladdin if that was there. I loved the ‘teen’ girl voice the narrator portrayed for Alana, however at the beginning of one of the chapters it almost seemed like the narrator changed and then switched back. This is not my normal genre, but I don’t like the idea of spaceships AND dragons, I think it should be one or the other. Granted it’s a short novella, it could use a bit more detail and character back story, but that just might be what I like in my books. Oh and our darling little ‘genie’ – I wanted more info on her too.
I received a free Audible Review Copy from StoryOrigin.
I received a free Audible Review Copy from StoryOrigin.
May 30, 2020
It was kind of like watching a bad episode of firefly where they met Aladdin and just threw in some dragons and a smidge teenage angst.
Not really my cup of tea but it was entertaining I guess...
Not really my cup of tea but it was entertaining I guess...
September 23, 2020
Alana is a thief. She "works" stealing small objects or information from different places, using her small stature as great advantage. However, Alana never wanted to have this lifestyle. It is her only option to survive, since her mother is in a wheelchair and cannot work.
Alana's dream is to get enough money to be able to leave Samitri, her home planet, with her mother and go to Ringon, where the government is located and "everyone can be what they want" (Zootopia vibes). Also, to be able to do the surgery that will allow her mother to walk again.
Her dream seems impossible until a woman, Mara, offers her an excessively well-paid job to retrieve a golden sphere from a spaceship that has been abandoned in space for years, the Ghost Ship. Alana can't resist, besides, Mara would go with her so there was nothing to fear, right?
Alana manages to find the sphere, but when the ship itself seems to want to prevent her from escaping, Mara abandons her and leaves her to die on the ship. Fortunately, the golden sphere was actually a container for Janet, a creature capable of granting three wishes and that helps Alana to return to Samitri.
Now she can finally change her life, but Mara has not given up the sphere. Things get even more complicated when Alana meets Jasper, a Ringon representative on Samitri, who immediately catches her attention.
I listened to the audiobook of this story and I don't know if it's the audiobooks themselves but again this book reminds me of fairy tales, but modern. Maybe it's Day's style or the fact that this particular one is a new version of a fairy tale 🤷♀️.
I honestly think that if I didn't know that this story is based on Aladdin, it would never have occurred to me. But knowing it, it is impressive how many similarities can be found, without being obvious.
For example, the names of the characters: Alana (Aladdin), a thief to survive, and Jasper, a member of "royalty" who gets along better with animals than humans (Jasmin). And the golden sphere (lamp) where Janet (the Genie) is trapped.
There are many more similarities, but I don't want to mention them for avoiding spoilers.
I know I shouldn't give this book 5 stars, as I had some unanswered questions. Like what about the dragons and what was Janet really, they bring it up but I honestly didn't get it. Another thing that is not clear to me is the scope of the wishes that can be asked to Janet.
But I don't care, I really enjoyed this story and the characters, I especially loved Jasper. Mention aside, the covers of Day Leitao's books are truly wonderful.
Another thing that struck me a lot about the story is Alana's way of thinking about love. Her mother writes romantic stories and does not allow her to read them because she says they are nothing more than garbage, very handsome and chivalrous men, ready to rescue the woman from all her problems. Now, it is true that it's quite unlikely that you are going to be riding your bike and crush with Chris Hemsworth and then you'll get married, but I feel that today's society trashes fairy tales excessively. No matter how powerful you are on your own, there is nothing wrong with having someone by your side who wants to take care of you. It is true, a woman does not need you to rescue her from a tower, she is perfectly capable of making her own ladder, but there is nothing wrong with having someone to hold it for you while you go down.
It also felt good to be near Alana. Tiny as she was, she was fierce but also had fear and vulnerability, reminding him of the tigers in Firis. He’d obviously never mention it to her. He also knew that she wasn’t a wild defenseless cub, and that it would be her choice whether he’d ever be able to care for her. So far she’d been allowing him, though. He could almost believe she liked it, which was a small consolation in his world that had been shattered.
So yeah, I'm giving it 5 stars anyway and I highly recommend it if you want a cute, entertaining and original short story.
And remember... Be careful what you wish for.
For more reviews please visit https://awindowtomysoul.com/
October 17, 2019
The Sphere of Infinity follows two characters: a very small and childlike theif named Alana (who is supposed to be Aladdin), and an albino authority figure who is the heir to the Alliance Police or something named Jasper.
For Alana's chapters, we follow her as she finishes a job (to copy information onto a memory stick from a ship) and is brought to a new client. This new client wants something that can only be found in space on what they call the Ghost Ship, named due to it being stranded in space and no one who goes on/in it comes back. Something unexpected happens and Alana is left stranded on the ship, with no way home other than the potential ally found within the golden sphere. After getting home, Alana meets Jasper and begins a sort of romance with him, while trying to convince her mother to leave with her all the while trying to stay out of trouble.
For Jasper's chapters, we mostly just get him pinning after Alana as he seeks to find out what is going on with the dragons. He also finds himself engaged to a girl who has another lover.
Hoenstly, I felt no connection to these characters. I just did not care about them. I also have no clue how old they are?? Alana is constantly compared to a child, a small kid who can fit in small spaces and she even disguises herself as a young boy (otherwise she wouldn't be able to be the theif that she is). She acts like she is maybe ten? But then the freedom she has of being able to go everywhere she wants, her job, and the cover, make it seem like she has to be at last sixteen. It was honestly very confusing.
The writing itself didnt help much as it was choppy and confusing at times. It did not flow well nor was it engaging enough for me to lose myself in the story. Also, most of the deaths seem unnecessary and I still don't see a point in the romance. They could easily had just been good friends and the results would be the same.
Overall, this is an interesting read as it is an Aladdin retelling in space, however it just wasn't for me.
*Thanks NetGalley for the free ebook in exchange for my honest review.
For Alana's chapters, we follow her as she finishes a job (to copy information onto a memory stick from a ship) and is brought to a new client. This new client wants something that can only be found in space on what they call the Ghost Ship, named due to it being stranded in space and no one who goes on/in it comes back. Something unexpected happens and Alana is left stranded on the ship, with no way home other than the potential ally found within the golden sphere. After getting home, Alana meets Jasper and begins a sort of romance with him, while trying to convince her mother to leave with her all the while trying to stay out of trouble.
For Jasper's chapters, we mostly just get him pinning after Alana as he seeks to find out what is going on with the dragons. He also finds himself engaged to a girl who has another lover.
Hoenstly, I felt no connection to these characters. I just did not care about them. I also have no clue how old they are?? Alana is constantly compared to a child, a small kid who can fit in small spaces and she even disguises herself as a young boy (otherwise she wouldn't be able to be the theif that she is). She acts like she is maybe ten? But then the freedom she has of being able to go everywhere she wants, her job, and the cover, make it seem like she has to be at last sixteen. It was honestly very confusing.
The writing itself didnt help much as it was choppy and confusing at times. It did not flow well nor was it engaging enough for me to lose myself in the story. Also, most of the deaths seem unnecessary and I still don't see a point in the romance. They could easily had just been good friends and the results would be the same.
Overall, this is an interesting read as it is an Aladdin retelling in space, however it just wasn't for me.
*Thanks NetGalley for the free ebook in exchange for my honest review.
October 21, 2019
This retelling was different. I loved that they switch genders and even if I’m not a huge science fiction’s fan, this book is good. It’s not over the top science fiction, just enough like in my opinion the lunar chronicles. The novella format is perfect and I will recommend it
By Dao Leitao
Description
An Aladdin retelling in space.
Alana’s dream is to leave the poverty-stricken, government-controlled planet where she lives with her mother. But that’s impossible when she can barely manage enough to eat. Her big chance comes in a mission to retrieve a golden sphere. The problem: it’s in the Ghost Ship, a mysterious alien spaceship that has been abandoned for millennia. Nobody has ever set foot on it and come out alive. How will Alana manage it?
Meanwhile, Jasper has come to her planet to oversee the government. His real goal? To see the mysterious dragons—if they are still alive.
Destiny brings them together and thrusts the fate of the Samitri Planet and the Human Universe in their hands.
The Sphere of Infinity is a standalone YA Sci-fi/Fantasy novella.
Published Oct 5 2019
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
By Dao Leitao
Description
An Aladdin retelling in space.
Alana’s dream is to leave the poverty-stricken, government-controlled planet where she lives with her mother. But that’s impossible when she can barely manage enough to eat. Her big chance comes in a mission to retrieve a golden sphere. The problem: it’s in the Ghost Ship, a mysterious alien spaceship that has been abandoned for millennia. Nobody has ever set foot on it and come out alive. How will Alana manage it?
Meanwhile, Jasper has come to her planet to oversee the government. His real goal? To see the mysterious dragons—if they are still alive.
Destiny brings them together and thrusts the fate of the Samitri Planet and the Human Universe in their hands.
The Sphere of Infinity is a standalone YA Sci-fi/Fantasy novella.
Published Oct 5 2019
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
October 7, 2019
I really enjoyed this retelling of Aladdin. Alana is a thief, barely scraping a living on her planet Samitri. She’s tiny, so she can take jobs that no one else can. While escaping from a job after an alarm gave her away, she meets Jasper, a kind and handsome boy who helps her escape. Then she takes on a job to find a mysterious golden sphere on a dead ship orbiting near her planet. This goes terribly wrong and she ends up fighting for her life.
I really liked Alana. She is small, but feisty, and she refuses to ever give up. I also liked Jasper. He was very kind to Alana, especially since he’s basically a prince. I loved that he would rescue animals and save their lives. I wasn’t sure what to expect for a sci-fi retelling of Aladdin, but this was very well written and I really enjoyed it!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I really liked Alana. She is small, but feisty, and she refuses to ever give up. I also liked Jasper. He was very kind to Alana, especially since he’s basically a prince. I loved that he would rescue animals and save their lives. I wasn’t sure what to expect for a sci-fi retelling of Aladdin, but this was very well written and I really enjoyed it!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 3, 2019
This book is a great retelling of Aladdin, a story I love to begin with. Alana is a great character along with Jasper (keeping with similar names - love it) and they pull you into this story written for the YA crowd which I once was. There is never a dull moment in this story as it will keep you turning the pages to the end - impossible to put down.
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.
October 28, 2019
This retelling of Aladdin is cute. It has just enough of its own spin to make it interesting and leave you guessing.
This book is also straight too the point no mindless drowning in with pointless details. Tho it could have be more interesting with them. I feel like this would be better suited for younger teens.
This book is also straight too the point no mindless drowning in with pointless details. Tho it could have be more interesting with them. I feel like this would be better suited for younger teens.
dropped
November 13, 2019I couldn’t finish this. I was super drawn in by the cover and premise, but the writing was not for me. It was repetitive and awkward and maybe meant for someone interested in books for a younger YA audience. Bummer!
Want to read
October 16, 2019any fairytale retelling set in space will always have my immediate attention
November 9, 2019
This is a quick, short read. Since it's short the story progresses rather quickly. Nothing super deep. I still enjoyed it and found it fun and unique. Worth the read. :)
November 26, 2019
This was so sweet! Plus, some solid worldbuilding.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 29, 2021
This book was lovely. We enjoyed every moment of it, and the narrator was fantastic.
April 8, 2020
Title: The Sphere of Infinity: Aladdin Retelling Novella
Author: Day Lietao, Narrated by Marlies Dubois
Publisher: Sparkly Wave
ISBN: B0833FV8ZP
Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Sphere-Infinit...
Reviewer: Teresa Fallen Angel
Blurb:
Be careful what you wish for.
Teenage thief Alana finds the opportunity of her lifetime in a mission to collect a precious object. The problem: it's in the Ghost Ship, an abandoned alien vessel from where nobody has come out alive.
Jasper is in a rural planet to oversee the government. His real goal? To find dragons - or at least the reason they vanished.
Destiny brings them together and thrusts the fate of the Human Universe in their hands.
The Sphere of Infinity is a standalone YA Aladdin retelling novella.
Total Score: 5/5
Summary:
This was a fascinating retelling of Aladdin with a Sci-fi twist. Alana worked as a thief dreaming that one day she would take a job that would earn enough money to take care of her and her mother for the rest of their lives. Her chance came across taking her far away from home home into a situation that could end her life. Against all odds Alana finds a gold sphere that could change her life. If given the chance and given three wishes what would you ask for? Alana is determined to have her wishes come true, but rarely do things work out the way you want.
Alana met a handsome young man, Jasper, who seemed to be a fascinated by her as she was of him. Unfortunately, living in different social levels could make it questionable if they could be together. Don’t forget the three wishes and the individual who hired Alana who is determined to get the sphere form Alana at any costs.
Author: Day Lietao, Narrated by Marlies Dubois
Publisher: Sparkly Wave
ISBN: B0833FV8ZP
Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Sphere-Infinit...
Reviewer: Teresa Fallen Angel
Blurb:
Be careful what you wish for.
Teenage thief Alana finds the opportunity of her lifetime in a mission to collect a precious object. The problem: it's in the Ghost Ship, an abandoned alien vessel from where nobody has come out alive.
Jasper is in a rural planet to oversee the government. His real goal? To find dragons - or at least the reason they vanished.
Destiny brings them together and thrusts the fate of the Human Universe in their hands.
The Sphere of Infinity is a standalone YA Aladdin retelling novella.
Total Score: 5/5
Summary:
This was a fascinating retelling of Aladdin with a Sci-fi twist. Alana worked as a thief dreaming that one day she would take a job that would earn enough money to take care of her and her mother for the rest of their lives. Her chance came across taking her far away from home home into a situation that could end her life. Against all odds Alana finds a gold sphere that could change her life. If given the chance and given three wishes what would you ask for? Alana is determined to have her wishes come true, but rarely do things work out the way you want.
Alana met a handsome young man, Jasper, who seemed to be a fascinated by her as she was of him. Unfortunately, living in different social levels could make it questionable if they could be together. Don’t forget the three wishes and the individual who hired Alana who is determined to get the sphere form Alana at any costs.
March 10, 2025
Thank you, NetGalley, for giving me the chance to read and review this book!
This is a gender-bent sci-fi Aladdin retelling. I was immediately intrigued by the premise, as well as curious how the author was going to handle not only the gender swap of the two main characters, but the space setting as well.
This book was a pleasant change from what I've been reading recently. It’s a quick read with a sweet romance; a young, ambitious thief; an intriguing storyline; a prince who begrudges his title and has a complicated relationship with his family; a holographic “genie” named Janet, and a fun story line. If you’re looking for a super deep story, then you won’t find it here, but if you’re looking for a palate cleanser or just a fun, quick read, then you should definitely check out this book!
This is a gender-bent sci-fi Aladdin retelling. I was immediately intrigued by the premise, as well as curious how the author was going to handle not only the gender swap of the two main characters, but the space setting as well.
This book was a pleasant change from what I've been reading recently. It’s a quick read with a sweet romance; a young, ambitious thief; an intriguing storyline; a prince who begrudges his title and has a complicated relationship with his family; a holographic “genie” named Janet, and a fun story line. If you’re looking for a super deep story, then you won’t find it here, but if you’re looking for a palate cleanser or just a fun, quick read, then you should definitely check out this book!
April 17, 2020
The Sphere of Infinity by Day Leitao is a short, yet intriguing Alladin retelling. But this time, readers will be transported to space.
The story follows Alana whose dream is leave the controlled planet with her mother. To do this, she has to accept “missions” to provide their daily needs. There she meets Jasper. The two get to know each other and feel the attraction between them. When a mysterious person approaches her to do a well-paid job that can allow her to fulfill her dream, she accepts it even when it sounds sketchy. Little did Alana know, this mission will have a big impact on the Samitri Planet and the universe as well.
Full Review link: https://levicorpvsblog.wordpress.com/...
The story follows Alana whose dream is leave the controlled planet with her mother. To do this, she has to accept “missions” to provide their daily needs. There she meets Jasper. The two get to know each other and feel the attraction between them. When a mysterious person approaches her to do a well-paid job that can allow her to fulfill her dream, she accepts it even when it sounds sketchy. Little did Alana know, this mission will have a big impact on the Samitri Planet and the universe as well.
Full Review link: https://levicorpvsblog.wordpress.com/...
January 1, 2021
This was a fun, Scifi retelling of Aladdin. The main character was intriguing, and the hint at dragons definitely caught my attention. Overall very entertaining read and a quick listen on audio, but I had wished for more. More detail to the world, more character development, more substance. Albeit, this is a novella so there aren’t necessarily the number of pages that warrant what I was hoping for. Really fun to read a sci-fi retelling of Aladdin, and I look forward to the authors future works.
May 10, 2022
DNF at 51%
I listened to the audio version and just couldn't get into it. The story seemed rushed in important places and drug out in not important places, and the voice actor wasn't any help. I tried to force myself to get further into it to try to get to the real story but barely made it to the first wish.
To sum it up: gender-bent Aladdin sci-fi retelling sounded really cool, but was disappointed. Will try the author again in regular book format instead of audio.
I listened to the audio version and just couldn't get into it. The story seemed rushed in important places and drug out in not important places, and the voice actor wasn't any help. I tried to force myself to get further into it to try to get to the real story but barely made it to the first wish.
To sum it up: gender-bent Aladdin sci-fi retelling sounded really cool, but was disappointed. Will try the author again in regular book format instead of audio.
October 20, 2024
Just never really got into it
Maybe I can put all the blame on it being a space story, but the Aladdin portion really should have outweighed that. It just felt...simplistic. I never got really invested in the characters or their relationship. They felt a little shallow and didn't seem to particularly progress. But I guess it was technically a happy ending even though they both lost their families...
Maybe I can put all the blame on it being a space story, but the Aladdin portion really should have outweighed that. It just felt...simplistic. I never got really invested in the characters or their relationship. They felt a little shallow and didn't seem to particularly progress. But I guess it was technically a happy ending even though they both lost their families...
August 8, 2023
I received a free copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was a real surprise.
It was a great take on Aladdin, brought into the future.
The characters were well developed and the story left me wanting more.
A short novella which took me on an amazing journey through space.
This was a real surprise.
It was a great take on Aladdin, brought into the future.
The characters were well developed and the story left me wanting more.
A short novella which took me on an amazing journey through space.
June 2, 2020
Very much a retelling of Aladdin, with "dragons", and flat characters, and concerning decisions, and bad romance. The smugglers were my favorite characters by far. There were interesting world building hints dropped, but awkwardly. Will not be reading any other books in this series.
December 30, 2022
If you had 3 wishes what would you do? That is the problem Alana had when on a contract she found a sphere with a person enclosed that could do that. But then things got out of control and she just had to stay alive. A good read with an unusual ending.
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