The Girl Who Looked Beyond the Stars

Sheena Meyer, Book 1

By: L. B. Anne

Narrated by: Alaura Howery

Length: 2 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

This story is a captivating blend of Christian science fiction, fantasy, and mystery. For 11-14-year-old listeners who enjoy books such as A Wrinkle In Time.

"Do you believe in angels?"

Sheena Meyer is the girl that brings an extra sandwich to school each day just in case someone doesn't have lunch. She's also the girl that questions and investigates everything, driving her parents and teachers nuts. She spends most days waiting for some grand event to happen and change her life. But this isn't what she had in mind.

The Murk is coming for her because of a gift she doesn't know she has.

Nine years ago an angel appeared in front of select kids all over the world. In Michigan, it appeared in a willow tree in front of a four-year-old little girl. She's the only child that saw it, the one with the gift. Sheena is now thirteen and has since forgotten what she saw. But things change when her father is in a terrible accident, and she witnesses a supernatural being save him.

"I saw what you did. Come back!"

An elderly man, the arrival of a peculiar new kid at school, and mysterious text messages will change everything Sheena has ever believed in, sweeping her out of a humdrum, teenage existence, and setting in motion what one little girl's destiny can mean to the world.

©2019 L. B. Anne (P)2020 L. B. Anne

Disappointing

I chose to listen to all 4 books before doing a review. Overall, I gave this book a high review because it is written with talent and is very entertaining. However, as a Christian, this book sometimes insulted and appalled me. The biblical characters were lukewarm. They lied often. Over and over, the writer also promotes worldly music. She used scriptures, but she made a mockery of casting out demons in the name of Jesus.

Great middle grade series

Sheena is a special young teen who is coming into her powers as a gleamer. A gleamer sees angels and some, like Sheens, see visions. With the help of her best friends and a kind elderly gentleman, she navigates the confusing water that is her life.

This is a middle-grade series that weaves in religion, faith, and friendships into a fun, interesting story.

Alaura Howery really made this story come alive. I enjoyed the unique voice she lent to each of the characters.

Teen Angst and Angels

I enjoyed this book about a young teen girl whose life is changed by the knowledge that Angels exist. Filled with normal teen angst of school, friends and parents there were definite moments that made me feel all those things all over both from my own life and having raised teens. Not all teens end up with some sort of “gift/calling” that brings both good and evil into their lives in such a tangible way. The author show the insights of living through these “years” in many funny ways. The main character is smart, funny with quirky insecurities that come with adolescence.
This is part of a series and the first book ends with a major cliffhanger. Personally I would have liked a bit more of the loose ends tied up but I appreciate there is a next book. I do look forward to reading it. There is nothing overly preachy either.
The Narrator and her voice work is EXCELLENT. She has the perfect balance of youthful exuberance and differentiates the characters very well.

I really enjoyed this book and look forward to second one.

**I was given a free copy of this book in lieu of an honest review

Easy Listen

You know those books that you read as a kid that become super nostalgic to you when you're an adult? "The Girl Who Looked Beyond the Stars" is one of those books. I wish I could have listen to this when I was 14, but even as an adult I found it enjoyable and charming. Sheena's dad began to miraculously recover after the angel touched him. No one else had seen the angel except the old man in the hall. Mr. Tobias had called her a gleamed. Sheena also began to sense things and could warn people. Me. Tobias had told her this gift came with a price which was the murk who could hurt those closest to her. It's a good mix of light-hearten and thoughtful, and the ending leaves you ready for the next audiobook. It's safe to say that L. B. Anne has a knack for this.  

My only complaint is that it ended!

Really enjoyed this book. Was the perfect story to listen to while commuting. The story was nice and kept me involved. Great teen book but I listened to this as an adult and it was still a good listen.
I look forward to book 2 coming out!

The Girl Who Looked Beyond the Stars

Are you into the paranormal? By paranormal, do you believe in angels? Do you like a good mystery involving the paranormal? If you could see angels, would everyone think you were crazy? All of these concepts are touched lightly with this story. Anne provides her readers with some insight into the realm of angels with this middle-grade story. Those who can see are few and far between, but the ones that have this gift are in extreme danger.

At only a little over one hundred pages, young readers are immersed into a world where only a handful of individuals are capable of seeing angels. Sheena, a thirteen-year-old girl is one of those individuals. When her father gets into a near fatal accident, Sheena sees an angel healing him in the hospital. Unable to come to terms with what she’s seen, an elderly man helps her learn about what she has just experienced. She also meets a new girl at school right around her first sighting who seems to be an obvious character to the reader, but Sheena never catches on to her. At least, not in the first installment anyway. She does learn that she is in danger though. Since she can see these angels, blessed with the gift at the early age of four, she now has to evade the Murk. With the help of her friends, can she overcome such unprecedented obstacles?

The Girl Who Looked Beyond the Stars is the first book in in the Sheena Meyer series. Anne introduces her main characters and gives the reader a thorough description of each. They are well-developed, but there is also a lot of information packed into such a short story. Short stories are very fickle; they can either be a hit or a miss. In this case, there is so much information that the reader is given at such a rapid pace. These stories are often great for a younger audience because they tend to overlook more holes in the story, but not so great for an adult audience. This story could have greatly benefited from a little bit more depth and does leave out several aspects which could have been more embellished on. Maybe if Anne combines some of her installments together or puts more emphasis on the scenes, this will eliminate the feeling of unsatisfactory storytelling. The author definitely has some pull with the cover design for this book. It is bright, alluring, and showcases a girl who may be able to do or see the unforeseen. It is an attraction and sure to catch young reader’s eyes! Howery provides a good narration of the story, really getting into the young female persona, sometimes overtly so. There were a few hiccups, but overall, the vocals were clear and emotionally charged. We wouldn’t recommend this story to a young or mature adult audience; this may not get too much traction since the story feels too rushed. It would be better suited for a middle schooler or teenager who will enjoy this style of writing and narration a little more. If you are a reader of paranormal mysteries, you may enjoy reading this first installment.

The audiobook was provided to Turning Another Page by Audiobookworm Promotions and in no way affects the honesty of this review. We provide a three-star rating for The Girl Who Looked Beyond the Stars by L.B. Anne.