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The Place Beyond Her Dreams
by
“We are most courageous at our weakest; when we believe we have faced what we fear the most and have nothing more to lose.”
Set against the backdrop of two warring towns, Oby Aligwekwe’s Young Adult debut—told from the viewpoint of her main character—is inspired by her West African heritage, fables, and spiritual beliefs. Ona’s journey reveals the power of choice, the true ...more
Set against the backdrop of two warring towns, Oby Aligwekwe’s Young Adult debut—told from the viewpoint of her main character—is inspired by her West African heritage, fables, and spiritual beliefs. Ona’s journey reveals the power of choice, the true ...more
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The Place Beyond Her Dreams
by
Release
date: Mar 16, 2021
Set against the backdrop of two warring towns, Oby Aligwekwe’s Young Adult debut—told from the viewpoint of her main character—is inspired by her West
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Availability: 50 copies available, 299 people requesting
Giveaway dates: Feb 22 - Mar 12, 2021
Countries available: U.S.
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4 dreamy, magical, reminiscent stars!
The Place Beyond Her Dreams is a promising book about a young girl who's family takes in a young house boy and raise him as their own. Along the way, her grandfather dies unexpectedly, they fall in love, and a love triangle surfaces, and amidst it all, she realizes she has powers to travel to a magical realm while she sleeps.
It has all the makings of a book that I like: magical realism, love triangles, fast paced, dream-like story telling. A fantasy set in A ...more
The Place Beyond Her Dreams is a promising book about a young girl who's family takes in a young house boy and raise him as their own. Along the way, her grandfather dies unexpectedly, they fall in love, and a love triangle surfaces, and amidst it all, she realizes she has powers to travel to a magical realm while she sleeps.
It has all the makings of a book that I like: magical realism, love triangles, fast paced, dream-like story telling. A fantasy set in A ...more
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Trigger warning: this book contains some scenes of domestic violence.
The Place Beyond Her Dreams starts with Ona who quickly experiences a great loss in her life. She soon discovers her ability to travel to a dream like world. She knows she will have to sacrifice something to achieve her purpose in life, but her journey to that discovery comes at many ups and downs.
This book is light on the fantasy aspect. I was expectin ...more
Trigger warning: this book contains some scenes of domestic violence.
The Place Beyond Her Dreams starts with Ona who quickly experiences a great loss in her life. She soon discovers her ability to travel to a dream like world. She knows she will have to sacrifice something to achieve her purpose in life, but her journey to that discovery comes at many ups and downs.
This book is light on the fantasy aspect. I was expectin ...more
Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of The Place Beyond Her Dreams in exchange for an honest review.
In theory this book isn't my type, but Aligwekwe's handles it so well that I was surprised to find myself thoroughly invested from beginning to end.
The Place Beyond her Dreams is a high-society romance with fantasy overtones set in Africa with some heavy religious overtones and considering I tend to stay away from high-society dramas and am not religious, I figured I'd picked up a bad b ...more
In theory this book isn't my type, but Aligwekwe's handles it so well that I was surprised to find myself thoroughly invested from beginning to end.
The Place Beyond her Dreams is a high-society romance with fantasy overtones set in Africa with some heavy religious overtones and considering I tend to stay away from high-society dramas and am not religious, I figured I'd picked up a bad b ...more
Netgalley Review #3
- The Place Beyond Her Dreams
"Release Date: March 16th 2021"
When I first read this book I was interested but also at the same time elements had me confused so after giving it some weeks I re-read it and started to understand more.
The story alone is beautiful and very emotional at times but the element of travelling to another time and place gave me goosebumps because of how much I have always wondered if it was possible to do. Makes you think if your dreams are a portal to ano ...more
- The Place Beyond Her Dreams
"Release Date: March 16th 2021"
When I first read this book I was interested but also at the same time elements had me confused so after giving it some weeks I re-read it and started to understand more.
The story alone is beautiful and very emotional at times but the element of travelling to another time and place gave me goosebumps because of how much I have always wondered if it was possible to do. Makes you think if your dreams are a portal to ano ...more
This is a book that shouldn't be judged on the opinion of others.
Dear reader, read it yourself and allow your mind transport YOU to a place beyond your dreams.
O.A. is clearly a versatile author, from Nfudu, Hazel House and now this lovely read. ...more
Dear reader, read it yourself and allow your mind transport YOU to a place beyond your dreams.
O.A. is clearly a versatile author, from Nfudu, Hazel House and now this lovely read. ...more
4 mysterious and ethereal stars
This book is a coming-of-age novel that features a love triangle and a touch of mystery. This book follows Ona, a girl who finds out she is an Eri and can travel to another world. She must learn to find her balance and her place in the world. Torn between choosing a houseboy who she has grown up with and a prince from a neighboring town, Ona must choose wisely who will help her find her purpose and who will cause her to lose herself.
What initially drew me to this b ...more
This book is a coming-of-age novel that features a love triangle and a touch of mystery. This book follows Ona, a girl who finds out she is an Eri and can travel to another world. She must learn to find her balance and her place in the world. Torn between choosing a houseboy who she has grown up with and a prince from a neighboring town, Ona must choose wisely who will help her find her purpose and who will cause her to lose herself.
What initially drew me to this b ...more
A little book full of life lessons. I would have loved a more in dept connection with the characters. A little book with a lot of story.
Amazing work by this author. I hardly read fantasy, but when I heard about a fantasy set in Africa, I went for it. Though it was light on the fantasy and gave more romance, I still enjoyed it and would recommend to my network. The book has lots of religious undertones and reminded me of the Alchemist by Paul Coelho in the way it provides life lessons through a fairy tale. Really liked it but I think it may not be for everybody.
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
RTC
RTC
Kindly provided to me for free by netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Well I don't really want to say too much on this one because it definitely needs to be experienced for yourself.
The story was incredibly refreshing and unique with a dreamlike quality that persisted throughout that perfectly suited the story being told.
This is a story where coming of age meets fantasy and I thought both aspects were beautifully handled. I really enjoyed the characters and relationships in this as well. ...more
Well I don't really want to say too much on this one because it definitely needs to be experienced for yourself.
The story was incredibly refreshing and unique with a dreamlike quality that persisted throughout that perfectly suited the story being told.
This is a story where coming of age meets fantasy and I thought both aspects were beautifully handled. I really enjoyed the characters and relationships in this as well. ...more
Great book. What a good way to start the year.
This author wrote a guide for finding your purpose. Very good read. The fantasy merged well with the real world elements to create something I'd never seen before.
...more
If you are looking for a traditional parable with a strong moral center look no further than Oby Aligwekwe’s The Place Beyond Her Dreams. Set in Africa between two warring towns, this tale of Ona’s coming of age is sure to inspire young adult readers with messages about the consequences of our choices, the difficult journey to find our own power and purpose, and how to find our way back when we go astray. There are plenty of twists and turns along Ona’s journey that will likely surprise and enth
...more
I was provided an e-copy by Netgalley for review.
I could not get through this book, so I didn't think it fair to officially rate it, but my thoughts on it lie around 2/5 stars. I made it around 35-40 percent through before I DNFed.
The writing was my main problem with this novel. It had a relatively immature voice for characters that were supposed to be in college. I think part of the problem with this novel was that it couldn't decide what it wanted to be: the themes and the writing all led to ...more
I could not get through this book, so I didn't think it fair to officially rate it, but my thoughts on it lie around 2/5 stars. I made it around 35-40 percent through before I DNFed.
The writing was my main problem with this novel. It had a relatively immature voice for characters that were supposed to be in college. I think part of the problem with this novel was that it couldn't decide what it wanted to be: the themes and the writing all led to ...more
dnf- 35% - no rating
Not what I was expected. I had to really shift my expectations like 10% into the book because the way this book is marketed is so different from how the story is going.
This book is a lot more grounded in reality, even the little glimpses into this utopia like place called Luenah mirrors real life with the infrastructure and people, only difference is everyone there is at peace all of the time.
The characters were really poorly done in my opinion, I feel nothing majority of t ...more
Not what I was expected. I had to really shift my expectations like 10% into the book because the way this book is marketed is so different from how the story is going.
This book is a lot more grounded in reality, even the little glimpses into this utopia like place called Luenah mirrors real life with the infrastructure and people, only difference is everyone there is at peace all of the time.
The characters were really poorly done in my opinion, I feel nothing majority of t ...more
This was a DNF for me. A great concept, very poorly written and executed.
The start of the novel was rushed and confusing, there seems to be no attempt to develop the characters. The author is relying on telling the story. It feels like a weak first draft, unfortunately.
I received an ARC courtesy of netgalley in return for an honest review.
The start of the novel was rushed and confusing, there seems to be no attempt to develop the characters. The author is relying on telling the story. It feels like a weak first draft, unfortunately.
I received an ARC courtesy of netgalley in return for an honest review.
This is the story of a woman and how she finally fulfills her purpose using advice and guidance from a certain family member who passed to the next plane of life.
A story about finding what we're all here for mixed with a Hamlet like treason plot to the local royal family, a heavy love triangle and a dash of spirituality and a lot of drama. ...more
A story about finding what we're all here for mixed with a Hamlet like treason plot to the local royal family, a heavy love triangle and a dash of spirituality and a lot of drama. ...more
Jan 28, 2021
Reece
added it
ARC from NetGalley
DNF @ 21%
I had to quit at 21% because I just didn't give a single shit about anything or anyone. This is a whimsical book, reads a bit young, needing some edits, but it is an ARC. It isn't a bad book, I just couldn't get invested. I didn't want to know what happened next, and I have a lot of books on my TBR, so I gotta move on. ...more
DNF @ 21%
I had to quit at 21% because I just didn't give a single shit about anything or anyone. This is a whimsical book, reads a bit young, needing some edits, but it is an ARC. It isn't a bad book, I just couldn't get invested. I didn't want to know what happened next, and I have a lot of books on my TBR, so I gotta move on. ...more
The Place Beyond Her Dreams - Oby Aligwekwe - 2.5/5 Stars
TW: domestic abuse, emotional manipulation
A tale of great loss and great gains, great suffering and great love.
In this story, Aligwekwe takes a deep dive into the complex issues of how we find out life's true purpose and the great costs we pay along the way. A romance at its core, the store also weaves in mystery and fantasy elements, making for an interesting read.
The plot of this book was not my favorite. The plot twists were cliche, t ...more
TW: domestic abuse, emotional manipulation
A tale of great loss and great gains, great suffering and great love.
In this story, Aligwekwe takes a deep dive into the complex issues of how we find out life's true purpose and the great costs we pay along the way. A romance at its core, the store also weaves in mystery and fantasy elements, making for an interesting read.
The plot of this book was not my favorite. The plot twists were cliche, t ...more
NetGalley kindly gave me a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I think as a young teenager (early secondary school) you'd like this book due to its love triangle - a winner with teenage girls.
This book had a really interesting idea - being an Eri. However, it's not really a strong enough idea other than a mystical land where you have to give up something (that you don't know about) to keep things in balance - a bit vague. It just didn't have enough oomph to make it a belie ...more
I think as a young teenager (early secondary school) you'd like this book due to its love triangle - a winner with teenage girls.
This book had a really interesting idea - being an Eri. However, it's not really a strong enough idea other than a mystical land where you have to give up something (that you don't know about) to keep things in balance - a bit vague. It just didn't have enough oomph to make it a belie ...more
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!!
TW: this book includes scenes of domestic abuse
The Place Beyond Her Dreams starts with the main character Ona experiencing a tragic loss in her life. Soon after, she discovers her ability to travel to a dream like world, and sets out on a journey to achieve her purpose in life.
I loved the writing style, I found it super enjoyable and easy to read. I especially loved the writing when we visited Lu ...more
TW: this book includes scenes of domestic abuse
The Place Beyond Her Dreams starts with the main character Ona experiencing a tragic loss in her life. Soon after, she discovers her ability to travel to a dream like world, and sets out on a journey to achieve her purpose in life.
I loved the writing style, I found it super enjoyable and easy to read. I especially loved the writing when we visited Lu ...more
Arc provided by netgalley for an honest review.
The Place Beyond Her Dreams begins with Ona, a young girl whose family takes in Okem and they both end up growing close despite her initial hesitations. But early on, Ona who loses her grandfather, someone whom she loved and was very close to. She quickly begins to learn that she has the ability to travel through a dream world.
The writing was beautiful and it was written in a way that made it easy to appeal to an older audience and the frequent me ...more
The Place Beyond Her Dreams begins with Ona, a young girl whose family takes in Okem and they both end up growing close despite her initial hesitations. But early on, Ona who loses her grandfather, someone whom she loved and was very close to. She quickly begins to learn that she has the ability to travel through a dream world.
The writing was beautiful and it was written in a way that made it easy to appeal to an older audience and the frequent me ...more
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
This book, The Place Beyond Her Dreams, is suited for an early high schooler. The writing style isn’t very sophisticated, though some of the topics are.
The story itself was interesting and well thought out. It is a fantasy set in Africa and the reader is very quickly thrown int the deep end. I was quickly able to imagine a very different life and landscape than what I’m used to hearing about in fantasy books and I loved tha ...more
This book, The Place Beyond Her Dreams, is suited for an early high schooler. The writing style isn’t very sophisticated, though some of the topics are.
The story itself was interesting and well thought out. It is a fantasy set in Africa and the reader is very quickly thrown int the deep end. I was quickly able to imagine a very different life and landscape than what I’m used to hearing about in fantasy books and I loved tha ...more
A brilliant and intricate story, very creative and with mature elements such as domestic violence and self-improvement.
The lack of effective characterisation really let this book down for me - I had no reason to like or root for any of the characters. In fact, the narration was thin and I found the main character a little unlikeable.
Having said that, the plot and the twists in this tale along with the alternate world element are very imaginative. The book pushes you to reflect on your faith an ...more
The lack of effective characterisation really let this book down for me - I had no reason to like or root for any of the characters. In fact, the narration was thin and I found the main character a little unlikeable.
Having said that, the plot and the twists in this tale along with the alternate world element are very imaginative. The book pushes you to reflect on your faith an ...more
I struggled with this book, which was super disappointing because I was so excited to read it. I felt as though it read too young, the characters came across a bit too immature, considering the ages they were supposed to be.
Ona was a great character in that she progressed a lot throughout the book. After experiencing awful abuse, she was strong and proud. That being said, I didn't feel particularly attached to her.
The pace of the book was good, although the end came very quickly and almost fel ...more
Ona was a great character in that she progressed a lot throughout the book. After experiencing awful abuse, she was strong and proud. That being said, I didn't feel particularly attached to her.
The pace of the book was good, although the end came very quickly and almost fel ...more
NetGalley:
The story of two warring borders and a girl coming of age. This had a good premise and some promising themes however I really struggled with the pacing and writing style. I wasn’t able to connect with the characters as easily and found the writing lacked the maturity needed to deal with the bigger themes presented. I would recommend this for young high schoolers as the violence is not too graphic (trigger warnings may need to be flagged) and the writing style is better suited to that a ...more
The story of two warring borders and a girl coming of age. This had a good premise and some promising themes however I really struggled with the pacing and writing style. I wasn’t able to connect with the characters as easily and found the writing lacked the maturity needed to deal with the bigger themes presented. I would recommend this for young high schoolers as the violence is not too graphic (trigger warnings may need to be flagged) and the writing style is better suited to that a ...more
rtc.
trigger warnings:
chapter 2/3 - grandparent death
chapter 11 - physical assault, partner violence, gaslighting, domestic abuse
chapter 12 - physical assault, partner violence, domestic abuse, gaslighting
chapter 18 - physical assault, partner violence, domestic abuse, gaslighting
chapter 19 - physical assault, partner violence, domestic abuse, gaslighting, guns, violence, death mention
trigger warnings:
chapter 2/3 - grandparent death
chapter 11 - physical assault, partner violence, gaslighting, domestic abuse
chapter 12 - physical assault, partner violence, domestic abuse, gaslighting
chapter 18 - physical assault, partner violence, domestic abuse, gaslighting
chapter 19 - physical assault, partner violence, domestic abuse, gaslighting, guns, violence, death mention
Jan 27, 2021
Inosh
added it
I really couldn't get into the story! Maybe not my kind of tale cause the pace was too slow! Did not finish
...more
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Oby Aligwekwe is the author of Nfudu and Hazel House. Her Young Adult debut, The Place Beyond Her Dreams, takes readers on a magical journey to discover what matters most. A talented writer, Oby is also an inspirational speaker and a chartered accountant. She lives in Oakville, Ontario, with her family and supports her community through her charity Éclat Beginnings.
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