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Strange Attractors Kindle Edition

4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 141 ratings

What happens when you teach chaos theory and life starts to mirror your lessons? The tiniest events transform the most driven woman in this beautifully written lesbian psychological thriller.

Fierce and frosty high achiever Professor Sonja J. Storey is on the verge of seizing power in her department. She has exacting plans to remake her backwoods North Carolina university, just as she has painstakingly remade herself.

Sonja’s perfectly ordered life takes a dramatic turn when she meets laid-back, magnetic junior professor Crystal Byrd.

But then come threatening notes, sinister emails, and shadowy nocturnal figures, and suddenly, Sonja’s controlled world starts to tremble like a butterfly in a storm.

Is someone out to get her? Is it a specter from Sonja’s past? It’s hard not to be suspicious of everyone, even intoxicating Crystal with her temptingly warm presence.

Seeing danger everywhere, Sonja must hunt down the source of the chaos before she loses her brilliant mind, and her chance at the one thing she’s never known—love.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Academic and researcher turned writer Ana K. Wrenn lives and works in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Prior to being a professor and author, she worked various jobs, including housekeeping, horse-stall mucking, fast-food cashiering, and office managing.

Abby Craden works in all aspects of voice-over and can be heard in numerous commercials, animation, video games, and audiobooks. AudioFile magazine has awarded her an Earphones Award as well as named her One of 2012's Best Voices. Abby is an award-winning stage actress and a resident artist with the prestigious theaters A Noise Within and the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum in Los Angeles. She also works in film and can be seen in the Emmy Award-winning documentary Bloody Thursday. Abby hails from the East Coast and currently lives in Los Angeles.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BBM6MJWZ
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Ylva Publishing; 1st edition (August 22, 2022)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 22, 2022
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.7 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 141 ratings

About the author

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Ana K. Wrenn
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Academic and researcher turned writer, Ana K Wrenn lives and works in the Southern Appalachian Mountains.

Prior to being a professor and author, she worked various jobs, including housekeeping, horse-stall mucking, fast-food cashiering, and office managing.

Fly over to the Wrenn's Nest https://anakwrenn.com/

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
141 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers enjoy the psychological thriller with its twists and turns. They praise the well-written story with depth and interesting characters. The book draws them in and keeps their attention throughout.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

8 customers mention "Twists"8 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's twists and turns. They describe it as an engaging psychological thriller that explores trauma-based mental illness. The story unfolds slowly, with genuine friendship and honest love. Readers find the suspenseful plot refreshing.

"...This is an amazing psychological thriller, a deep dive into trauma-based mental illness, with a prickly and warmhearted friendship becoming a love..." Read more

"...Fantastic novel!" Read more

"...This is a nice story with people that genuinely want to help unpack Dr. Storey’s baggage. Quick read!" Read more

"...Those traumas unfold in the story slowly. She is worth getting to know even as she is getting to know herself...." Read more

5 customers mention "Writing quality"5 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the writing quality of the book. They find the story well-written with depth and well-developed characters. The descriptions are enjoyable, making it a powerful read.

"...It is a tremendous story that is well-written with depth and peopled with well-rounded, interesting characters...." Read more

"...The sexy parts were fun and I enjoyed the descriptions. The deep parts were thought-provoking, emotional...." Read more

"...characters to the elements of psychological trauma is impeccably written. Dr Sonja Storey is one of the most impressive characters I’ve ever read...." Read more

"...This book is beautifully written and the characters are very interesting. Congrats on a great debut." Read more

4 customers mention "Character development"4 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the well-developed characters. They find Crystal a delightful character and appreciate the depth of the writing.

"...It is a tremendous story that is well-written with depth and peopled with well-rounded, interesting characters...." Read more

"...She is however a rich character, whose traumas shaped her. Those traumas unfold in the story slowly...." Read more

"...Her character arc is absolutely exquisite. Dr Crystal Byrd is perfect in her role of taming and balancing the ice queen...." Read more

"...This book is beautifully written and the characters are very interesting. Congrats on a great debut." Read more

3 customers mention "Interest"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and satisfying. They describe it as a phenomenal read that keeps their attention.

"...It drew me in and kept my attention and interest all the way through. It is a powerful read; one you'll not want to miss." Read more

"...This is a truly phenomenal book." Read more

"...This book is an amazing ride and I read the entire book in less than 3 days. Only after I finished did I realize this was a debut novel...." Read more

Hits Home
5 out of 5 stars
Hits Home
You don’t need to have knowledge of academia to understand or connect with this storyline. I felt a little of myself in both of the main characters. There are some events in this book that I needed to process since they closely related to how I have acted/reacted to trauma. I feel like I cried my way through it, but that’s because I feel so deeply and I understand why/how people respond based on their previous experiences. The sexy parts were fun and I enjoyed the descriptions. The deep parts were thought-provoking, emotional. Unconditional love has a way of not giving up and just working through the mess. This is a nice story with people that genuinely want to help unpack Dr. Storey’s baggage. Quick read!
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2023
    What happens when you feel you've finally gotten control of your life after a lifetime of trauma both personal and professional and now plan to undertake the challenge of remaking your department and your university but threatening notes, emails, and shadows in the night begin to unravel your thoughts, your plans, and your sense of controlled safety? This is the world the reader comes to have an upfront seat in how Chaos Theory plays out in Professor Story's mind and life in real time. And this is what's happening to Dr. Sonja Story causing her to begin to struggle with what's real and who is out to get her and she's becoming paranoid.

    So, Professor Story has built thick protective walls and become callous in her treatment of others, even her students and those she needs to rely on for assistance in her work. However, Dr. Story and Junior Professor Crystal Byrd meet unexpectedly, and Crystal decides Sonja is going to be her friend. But Professor Story is not having it. Still, Crystal doesn't give up even though Dr. Story rudely pushes her away again and again. Crystal won't take any crap from Sonja but continues to challenge her and becomes a lifeline to hope, sanity, and the possibility of love. It is refreshing to experience real friendship and honest love in this story.

    This is an amazing psychological thriller, a deep dive into trauma-based mental illness, with a prickly and warmhearted friendship becoming a love interest. It is real, raw, painful, humorous, and hopeful. Dr. Sonja's personal story of trauma and abuse unfolds while a mystery unpacks with many twists and turns and an ending that answers your questions and is very satisfying.

    It is a tremendous story that is well-written with depth and peopled with well-rounded, interesting characters. It drew me in and kept my attention and interest all the way through. It is a powerful read; one you'll not want to miss.
    2 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2022
    SAPPHIC BOOK BINGO: newbie author, character with a disability, not a romance, meet-cute, out of your comfort zone, coming-out story; UNICORN: therapy (possibly other categories)

    Sonja Storey was a social science professor with a troubled past. Bad incidents continued in her life, including the loss of a favorite student, all of which turned her into a cold, callous person. Her resistance to seek therapy led to her spiralling out of control after repeated written insults and attacks by unknown assailants became too much for her.

    Crystal Byrd, a new junior professor at the college, had an unusual first time introduction with Sonja, and she decided that they were to be friends. Sonja found her very annoying and continued to avoid her as much as possible. But, Crystal had a way of getting under her skin, as well as call her out on her BS when she retreated or used excuses. She also held Sonja accountable for her selfish and inconsiderate words and actions.

    The story was about how life as a child could set a person on a rocky path, surviving the best way that they knew how, and how the lack of healthy coping mechanisms damaged her in such a bad way that she could have possibly been committed for a mental breakdown. Her self-protection became destructive, and people that tried to help her ended up being treated cruelly. But, they never gave up on her. Through their loyal support and dedication to her, she finally learned to make the positive changes necessary to get her life back on track. Fantastic novel!
    2 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2022
    You don’t need to have knowledge of academia to understand or connect with this storyline. I felt a little of myself in both of the main characters. There are some events in this book that I needed to process since they closely related to how I have acted/reacted to trauma. I feel like I cried my way through it, but that’s because I feel so deeply and I understand why/how people respond based on their previous experiences. The sexy parts were fun and I enjoyed the descriptions. The deep parts were thought-provoking, emotional. Unconditional love has a way of not giving up and just working through the mess. This is a nice story with people that genuinely want to help unpack Dr. Storey’s baggage. Quick read!
    Customer image
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    Hits Home

    Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2022
    You don’t need to have knowledge of academia to understand or connect with this storyline. I felt a little of myself in both of the main characters. There are some events in this book that I needed to process since they closely related to how I have acted/reacted to trauma. I feel like I cried my way through it, but that’s because I feel so deeply and I understand why/how people respond based on their previous experiences. The sexy parts were fun and I enjoyed the descriptions. The deep parts were thought-provoking, emotional. Unconditional love has a way of not giving up and just working through the mess. This is a nice story with people that genuinely want to help unpack Dr. Storey’s baggage. Quick read!
    Images in this review
    Customer image
    2 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on October 18, 2022
    I will admit that it took me a while to get into this story. I was determined to read it even though many reviews railed against the main character. Admittedly, Dr. Sonja Storey is a prickly character and not easy to like. She is however a rich character, whose traumas shaped her. Those traumas unfold in the story slowly. She is worth getting to know even as she is getting to know herself. Though the story begins with her in full porcupine mode, she learns to let her guard down thanks to the mostly patient help of secondary characters who may see her more clearly than she sees herself. Sonja owes her clearer vision of herself to Dr. Crystal Byrd. Crystal is a delightful character of whom I would have loved to see more. Unlike the reviews that still disliked Sonja at the end, I did like her after the view of her demons and then growth.
    3 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2022
    I am so truly impressed by this debut novel by Anna K Wrenn. Everything from the multidimensional characters to the elements of psychological trauma is impeccably written. Dr Sonja Storey is one of the most impressive characters I’ve ever read. Her character arc is absolutely exquisite. Dr Crystal Byrd is perfect in her role of taming and balancing the ice queen. I had a very difficult time putting this book down as I needed to know how it was going to turn out. This is a truly phenomenal book.
    2 people found this helpful
    Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
  • s.w.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Realistically written, great story!
    Reviewed in Germany on November 19, 2022
    I usually don't write reviews, but I loved this book so much! The way the author described the main character's PTSD was really realistic and I also really liked the rest of the story and her writing style. I'm looking forward to her hopefully publishing more books in the future!
  • kizza
    5.0 out of 5 stars Just amazing.
    Reviewed in Australia on August 29, 2022
    As this is apparently a first novel from this writer please say there will be more, whether a continuation or a different theme. To say this is good is a huge understatement, the main character of Sonya was so complex you couldn't help but be
    drawn into her life, feeling bad for her one moment and cringing the next at her statements.
    I can't remember where I saw the recommendation to read this but I'm so thankful that I came across it, I hope many others will follow suit, so well written and described I was disappointed to finish, it was very thought provoking on many levels, I'll be looking out for the next chapter, thank you.
  • Red Dragon
    3.0 out of 5 stars A Dark Read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 26, 2023
    A psychological thriller - the focus is on one of the MC’s and the darkness of her life and how chaos has created it and how ultimately she transcends that with the help of her lover. Sonja is not a particularly likeable character even when you unpick her baggage and she tries to change.
    It wasn’t an easy or comfortable read but it did engage enough to make me want to get to the end of the book.
  • RebeccaF
    4.0 out of 5 stars Keine einfache Lektüre, aber lohnend
    Reviewed in Germany on December 3, 2022
    Dieses Buch ist sicher keine leichte Lektüre und sicher weit entfernt von den Standards lesbischer Romanzen. Vor allem habe ich bisher kaum ein Buch aus diesem Genre gelesen, in dem es so schwierig war, die Protagonistin, Professor Sonja Storey, zu mögen.
    Sie kommt anfangs total arrogant und absolut abweisend daher, verhält sich im Grunde vollkommen unmöglich gegenüber Studierenden und Kollegen. Sie trinkt zu viel Rotwein und nimmt zu viele Tabletten und kauft zu viele teure Klamotten. Aus scheinbar zufälligen Kleinigkeiten spinnt sie ihre eigene Verschwörungstheorie.
    Erst nach und nach wird klar, warum diese Sonja so ist, wie sie ist. Und wären da nicht andere Frauen, die trotz ihrer Art zu ihr halten...
    Am erschreckendsten fand ich allerdings den Umgang von Lehrkräften und Studierenden untereinander und miteinander. Ich weiß nicht, ob es an deutschen Hochschulen inzwischen auch so ruppig zugeht, aber allein die verbalen Entgleisungen und der fehlende Respekt der Studierenden sind erschütternd.
    Alles in allem keine leichte Lektüre, doch wer sich nicht vor PTSD/PTBS und ähnlichem fürchtet und keine Standard lesbische Romanze lesen möchte, wird hier sicher belohnt.
  • ILoveReading
    5.0 out of 5 stars All is not what appears on the surface
    Reviewed in Australia on September 2, 2022
    Wow! This book! I started out thinking Sonja was the Ice Queen I’d love to hate, with the scales tipping towards the latter. Then began the small insights into her childhood and working life. Gulp! I had to admire her tenacity, staying in the face of the indescribable on all counts. Each piece of the puzzle that was her just twisted the knife in your heart.
    There are no graphic love scenes but the love is there, subtly weaving itself around the characters. Don’t want to add spoilers but the little twists at the end were surprising and delightful.
    Although harrowing in parts I’m so glad I read this book.

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