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Another First Chance #1
Another First Chance
They Both Die at the End meets You’ve Reached Sam , in this heart-stopping speculative young adult novel from New York Times bestselling author Robbie Couch that explores all the different ways love can live on after tragedy.
It’s been a year since eighteen-year-old River Lang’s best friend died in a car accident. And every day since, he’s had to pass by the depressing billboard that appeared as a a texting and driving PSA that reduces Dylan to a cautionary tale and River to the best friend of the dead kid at school. Dylan was so much more than a statistic, though, and River hates that everyone in town seems to have forgotten.
When he’s caught improving (a.k.a. vandalizing) Dylan’s billboard, River is blackmailed into joining the Affinity Trials—a research study that’s observing teens who are “struggling socially.” But as soon as he arrives, River’s social struggles only worsen as he’s thrown together with the last person he wants to spend an entire week his ex-best friend and Dylan’s former girlfriend, Mavis, who’s the only one who knows the truth about the night Dylan died.
During the Trials, River finds comfort in talking to Nash, a hot jock from a neighboring camp. Despite never having met Dylan, Nash’s charm, internal battles, and fascination with the universe remind River of his late best friend in the best possible way. As River starts to fall for the all-star athlete, feelings he never let himself explore begin to bubble to the surface. But so do bizarre developments within the Trials that make him wonder what researchers are actually studying while monitoring his every move. And when suspicions lead him to a bombshell discovery, River will have to decide just how far he’s willing to go for another chance at first love.
It’s been a year since eighteen-year-old River Lang’s best friend died in a car accident. And every day since, he’s had to pass by the depressing billboard that appeared as a a texting and driving PSA that reduces Dylan to a cautionary tale and River to the best friend of the dead kid at school. Dylan was so much more than a statistic, though, and River hates that everyone in town seems to have forgotten.
When he’s caught improving (a.k.a. vandalizing) Dylan’s billboard, River is blackmailed into joining the Affinity Trials—a research study that’s observing teens who are “struggling socially.” But as soon as he arrives, River’s social struggles only worsen as he’s thrown together with the last person he wants to spend an entire week his ex-best friend and Dylan’s former girlfriend, Mavis, who’s the only one who knows the truth about the night Dylan died.
During the Trials, River finds comfort in talking to Nash, a hot jock from a neighboring camp. Despite never having met Dylan, Nash’s charm, internal battles, and fascination with the universe remind River of his late best friend in the best possible way. As River starts to fall for the all-star athlete, feelings he never let himself explore begin to bubble to the surface. But so do bizarre developments within the Trials that make him wonder what researchers are actually studying while monitoring his every move. And when suspicions lead him to a bombshell discovery, River will have to decide just how far he’s willing to go for another chance at first love.
363 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 28, 2024
66 people are currently reading
8702 people want to read
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February 9, 2024
rumor has it this book is legit
May 30, 2024
Death isn’t the end but a conclusion to a single chapter within the infinite story of us.
I find it hard to review Robbie Couch’s newest book. I’m a huge fan of his writing, and even though I read this story pretty fast and constantly wanted to know what was going to happen, I didn’t completely feel flooded by it. I’m a sucker for sadder stories and had high hopes for this one. The blurb seemed just up my alley.
For a long time, I was sure I was going to rate this one three stars. I guessed quite a few things from the start, so I wasn’t shocked about the plot twist. But I liked the last part way more than the rest of the book. That last part did flood me. With knots in my throat and tears in my eyes.
So, now I’m doubting. Do I rate this three stars because I didn’t feel emotionally invested enough (for the most part) in this story, or do I rate this four stars because of that ending? At these moments, I wish there were half stars. For now, I decided to round my overall 3.5 star rating up to four. Because I loved Dustin and because that letter at the end knocked the breath out of me, and those tears I was trying to blink away finally started falling. So yeah, four stars. But I could change my mind in the future. For those who love lighter-hearted stories but don’t mind some sadness, too, this one is for you! Be aware, though, that this isn’t a romance.
Thank you so much, Simon and Schuster Children’s and Edelweiss, for allowing me to read this story early!
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I find it hard to review Robbie Couch’s newest book. I’m a huge fan of his writing, and even though I read this story pretty fast and constantly wanted to know what was going to happen, I didn’t completely feel flooded by it. I’m a sucker for sadder stories and had high hopes for this one. The blurb seemed just up my alley.
For a long time, I was sure I was going to rate this one three stars. I guessed quite a few things from the start, so I wasn’t shocked about the plot twist. But I liked the last part way more than the rest of the book. That last part did flood me. With knots in my throat and tears in my eyes.
So, now I’m doubting. Do I rate this three stars because I didn’t feel emotionally invested enough (for the most part) in this story, or do I rate this four stars because of that ending? At these moments, I wish there were half stars. For now, I decided to round my overall 3.5 star rating up to four. Because I loved Dustin and because that letter at the end knocked the breath out of me, and those tears I was trying to blink away finally started falling. So yeah, four stars. But I could change my mind in the future. For those who love lighter-hearted stories but don’t mind some sadness, too, this one is for you! Be aware, though, that this isn’t a romance.
Thank you so much, Simon and Schuster Children’s and Edelweiss, for allowing me to read this story early!
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May 19, 2024
“And marvel at the fact that, of all the pebbles spinning around all the fiery specks, you get to share this pebble with these dots at this exact moment within infinity.”
1 Sentence Summary: A year after River’s best friend, Dylan, died in a car accident, he joins the Affinity Trials—a week-long research study observing teens that are struggling socially—but as the week goes on, strange things start happening, the researchers may not be telling the truth, and worst of all, River has to spend the week with Mavis: his ex-best friend, Dylan’s former girlfriend, and the only one who knows the truth about the night Dylan died.
My Thoughts: I AM SOBBING. That was A LOT OF EMOTIONAL TRAUMA that this book put me through. Once again, Robbie Couch never disappoints. In fact, how is it possible that his books just keep getting better and better with each one he releases?!
This was so well written. And so freaking depressing. You know the writing and character development is good when you feel every emotion the characters are feeling. In this case, I felt everything, and it shattered my heart into a million tiny pieces.
I fell in love with all the characters instantly. They were complex and three dimensional and felt like real people dealing with real problems. And the pov switches between River in the present and Dylan in the past were great, but also heartbreaking. Dylan’s pov was so sad, just knowing that in the present he isn’t alive anymore :’(
Dylan and River absolutely destroyed me. Their relationship was sooo bittersweet, because you know it ends in tragedy. I loved the explorations of grief and friendship and first love and moving on after loss. It was well done and felt very realistic and not at all like a plot device or gimmick to make the story dramatic.
“Death isn't the end but a conclusion to a single chapter within the infinite story of us a cosmic transfer when our essence merges with the skies above. In death, we return to stardust, forever woven into the celestial tapestry of a universe that cannot be anything but immortal.”
There was so much emotion in this book. And extremely well written emotion that shone through the pages. I was so invested in the story; it really felt like it was happening and I was experiencing every emotion along with the characters. Robbie Couch writes emotion SO WELL and his books always have so much heart.
The sci-fi elements were super cool. I always love a good contemporary with a touch of magic or sci-fi. It’s like adding vanilla to your cookie dough—makes it extra good. I can’t say more without spoiling the book, but let’s just say the Affinity Trials might not be what they seem…
Also, LOVED all the space references and the fact that River & Dylan bonded over being space nerds :’) The astrophysicist Dr. Skelemont that they were obsessed with reminded me so much of Neil deGrasse Tyson, who is one of my favorite people ever.
This book was unputdownable (except when I had to put it down to cry). AND THE ENDING—THAT LETTER DESTROYED ME. I’m still recovering from reading this, and will definitely be re-reading it.
While you’re waiting for this book to come out on May 28th, it’s the perfect time to read Robbie couch’s entire backlog because all of his books are amazing!!
Recommend to: Fans of emotional YA books with messy realities and lots of heart.
(Warnings: swearing; death)
***
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review
Bonus—the full Dr. Skelemont quote:
“The catastrophic thought pestering you was born from a series of electrical reactions contained in a three-pound sponge of flesh floating between your ears. That three-pound sponge of flesh floating between your ears lives in your one, singular body.
And your one, singular body is just one tiny dot, surrounded by billions of other tiny dots, all clinging to a pebble spinning through space.
That spinning pebble is circling a bigger, fiery speck that's clustered together with billions of other bigger, fiery specks. And that cluster of bigger, fiery specks is just one of billions of clusters of bigger, fiery specks suspended throughout infinity.
So when that catastrophic thought tries to convince your three-pound sponge of flesh that the fate of the universe rests on your shoulders, remember that you're just that one tiny dot clinging to that one spinning pebble.
And marvel at the fact that, of all the pebbles spinning around all the fiery specks, you get to share this pebble with these dots at this exact moment within infinity.”
June 8, 2024
✰ 3.5 stars ✰
“Death isn’t the end but a conclusion to a single chapter within the infinite story of us—a cosmic transfer when our essence merges with the skies above.
In death, we return to stardust, forever woven into the celestial tapestry of a universe that cannot be anything but immortal.”
River and Dylan were best friends, until the tragic car accident that claimed Dylan's life and left River with an aching sense of loss that in his own hindsight - never really had a chance to take a closer look at. 💮 It's one of those heartbreaking truths of what happens when one hasn't had a chance to process that sense of loss - the anguish of losing a best friend - who did not deserve to die - leaving a collection of emotions that were never received. 'A friend is someone who reminds you who you are when you’ve forgotten.' Whose death stole from you all the memories that could have been made - the conversations left to have shared - the feelings that failed to be exchanged - that it hurts so much that you would do anything for Another First Chance of what you could have had.
“As is usually the case when that happens, the memory is quickly followed by a wave of guilt and sadness, but I try to bury it as fast as I can.”
A few things that stood out for me - Robbie Couch writing it as a dual perspective that alternated between the past through Dylan's eyes on the day of his death, and the present where eighteen-year-old River is coerced into participating in Trials that examine the human mental health and state through various tests that, somehow, while enriching in certain aspects, somehow, arise suspicion in others. It made for a more interactive and engaging dynamic that held my intrigue over what really happened that day. 👍🏻🥺 It is that well-crafted build up of doubt and uncertainty on both aspects - one that revolves around the events on that fateful day between the two, and how River has to cope without Dylan's presence in his life a year since that really pulled me in.River is haunted by the sense of guilt and remorse that he may have been the cause of his death - that if he hadn't been texting while driving he could have been alive. And we get to see glimpses through Dylan's view of his friendship with River - how he was the kind of guy who wouldn't ever hold River accountable or responsible for his death. 😔
“I feel hot tears collecting in the corners of my eyes. And for the first time, I start crying over my dead best friend.”
River is coping with a lot and the Trials do help him through it; they also open up more questions about his friendship with Dylan - one which he hadn't realized or perhaps noticed before. And how it was touched upon was rather heartbreaking; when after death that hits and makes you regret the missed opportunities - the signs that one either chooses to ignore or failed to realize made me empathize with his struggles and feelings a lot. 😟 How he never really got a chance to grieve or even accept his friend's death alone - because there is so much that was left unsaid, which we get to see through those final moments - how it weighs on you and eats away at you - 'it’s been difficult for me to imagine any future for myself without Dylan, let alone one filled with friendship.' It's such a palpable and hurtful feeling - almost self-destructive coping mechanism that the author does explore - in a rather unique, but complicated manner that well, you'll have to read it and experience it. 🥲
But, I liked how it was steadily hinted that something else existed between the two of them - how it wasn't an immediate hit - rather than an onslaught of feelings, one that nicely paralleled Dylan's perspective, which for me, was the most heartbreaking and saddest part of the story - one that broke my heart at how good a person he was and how fate can be so cruel. 😢💔 I mean, you have your whole life ahead of you - you're at this startling crossroad of your life - eager to act upon your hopes and dreams - you have this beautiful girlfriend that you care about - you have this wonderful best friend who means more than you realize - and you don't get that chance to live it out - you don't get to live to see what would happen if you took the next step - in only a different way. ❤️🩹❤️🩹😞
“I’m exhausted by the revelations I just learned, the emotional highs and lows that came with each, and the unanswerable questions about that day and our friend that may never stop haunting me.”
It is that part of the story that hit me harder than the sci-fi speculative adventures that was blossoming on River's side - one where his co-participants were delving into doubt and uncertainty over what they had agreed to be involved with - one where I was curious about how each of them would play a part in the narrative. 🥺 I knew that there had to be an ulterior motive behind the Trials - why they had selected only a certain handful of candidates - why everything was suddenly arousing suspicion and leading to speculation amongst the participants that something was amiss. 'It’s difficult for dark things to fester once they’re thrust into the light.' Honestly, I had to suspend a certain amount of disbelief at the nonchalant and blase attitude of the researchers, and how hard it was to see the students being forced to adhere to their rules. 🙂↔️ 🙍🏻♀️
Perhaps, what irked me the most - was the reveal itself - one that rubbed me the wrong way and left a bitter aftertaste upon its explanation; because in all fairness - whatever reason one would have to prey upon the grief of others for experimentation or testing - is just wrong. 😮💨 I didn't like the reasoning or how swiftly it wasn't explored once it was explained - that I didn't get any closure to it. But, yes, the one good thing that came out of it was the beautiful end scene - a bittersweet farewell that showed what sacrifices one does take for another first chance at life. A chance for River to heal that part of him that was heartbroken and unresolved, that as much as the impossibility of it exists - if even for the slightest of fractions it could help give him that chance to forgive himself - then, why not let him have that shot. 🤧🫶🏻
“And we'll marvel at the fact that, of all the pebbles spinning around all the fiery specks, we got to share this pebble with these dots at this exact moment within infinity.”
And on a final and personal note to the author: I think you're a very talented writer, one that is definitely resonating with Young Adult readers. My only request and wish is that the next book you do write - will be an original concept. Having read all your books, I can't help but notice how each of them is inspired or loosely-based on other media - only just with LGBTQ+ characters. 😕 I know it's very rare that such stories do exist, so it is nice to see them adapted into such; but I look forward to reading a book of yours, where I won't see that this idea has already been done before. Your writing flows - your characters are interesting, you have the potential and talent, and a fan in me, who is keen to read more by you. I really look forward to the day when I can read one of your books that will be a novel one. 🤞🏻📖🤞🏻
“Death isn’t the end but a conclusion to a single chapter within the infinite story of us—a cosmic transfer when our essence merges with the skies above.
In death, we return to stardust, forever woven into the celestial tapestry of a universe that cannot be anything but immortal.”
River and Dylan were best friends, until the tragic car accident that claimed Dylan's life and left River with an aching sense of loss that in his own hindsight - never really had a chance to take a closer look at. 💮 It's one of those heartbreaking truths of what happens when one hasn't had a chance to process that sense of loss - the anguish of losing a best friend - who did not deserve to die - leaving a collection of emotions that were never received. 'A friend is someone who reminds you who you are when you’ve forgotten.' Whose death stole from you all the memories that could have been made - the conversations left to have shared - the feelings that failed to be exchanged - that it hurts so much that you would do anything for Another First Chance of what you could have had.
“As is usually the case when that happens, the memory is quickly followed by a wave of guilt and sadness, but I try to bury it as fast as I can.”
A few things that stood out for me - Robbie Couch writing it as a dual perspective that alternated between the past through Dylan's eyes on the day of his death, and the present where eighteen-year-old River is coerced into participating in Trials that examine the human mental health and state through various tests that, somehow, while enriching in certain aspects, somehow, arise suspicion in others. It made for a more interactive and engaging dynamic that held my intrigue over what really happened that day. 👍🏻🥺 It is that well-crafted build up of doubt and uncertainty on both aspects - one that revolves around the events on that fateful day between the two, and how River has to cope without Dylan's presence in his life a year since that really pulled me in.River is haunted by the sense of guilt and remorse that he may have been the cause of his death - that if he hadn't been texting while driving he could have been alive. And we get to see glimpses through Dylan's view of his friendship with River - how he was the kind of guy who wouldn't ever hold River accountable or responsible for his death. 😔
“I feel hot tears collecting in the corners of my eyes. And for the first time, I start crying over my dead best friend.”
River is coping with a lot and the Trials do help him through it; they also open up more questions about his friendship with Dylan - one which he hadn't realized or perhaps noticed before. And how it was touched upon was rather heartbreaking; when after death that hits and makes you regret the missed opportunities - the signs that one either chooses to ignore or failed to realize made me empathize with his struggles and feelings a lot. 😟 How he never really got a chance to grieve or even accept his friend's death alone - because there is so much that was left unsaid, which we get to see through those final moments - how it weighs on you and eats away at you - 'it’s been difficult for me to imagine any future for myself without Dylan, let alone one filled with friendship.' It's such a palpable and hurtful feeling - almost self-destructive coping mechanism that the author does explore - in a rather unique, but complicated manner that well, you'll have to read it and experience it. 🥲
But, I liked how it was steadily hinted that something else existed between the two of them - how it wasn't an immediate hit - rather than an onslaught of feelings, one that nicely paralleled Dylan's perspective, which for me, was the most heartbreaking and saddest part of the story - one that broke my heart at how good a person he was and how fate can be so cruel. 😢💔 I mean, you have your whole life ahead of you - you're at this startling crossroad of your life - eager to act upon your hopes and dreams - you have this beautiful girlfriend that you care about - you have this wonderful best friend who means more than you realize - and you don't get that chance to live it out - you don't get to live to see what would happen if you took the next step - in only a different way. ❤️🩹❤️🩹😞
“I’m exhausted by the revelations I just learned, the emotional highs and lows that came with each, and the unanswerable questions about that day and our friend that may never stop haunting me.”
It is that part of the story that hit me harder than the sci-fi speculative adventures that was blossoming on River's side - one where his co-participants were delving into doubt and uncertainty over what they had agreed to be involved with - one where I was curious about how each of them would play a part in the narrative. 🥺 I knew that there had to be an ulterior motive behind the Trials - why they had selected only a certain handful of candidates - why everything was suddenly arousing suspicion and leading to speculation amongst the participants that something was amiss. 'It’s difficult for dark things to fester once they’re thrust into the light.' Honestly, I had to suspend a certain amount of disbelief at the nonchalant and blase attitude of the researchers, and how hard it was to see the students being forced to adhere to their rules. 🙂↔️ 🙍🏻♀️
Perhaps, what irked me the most - was the reveal itself - one that rubbed me the wrong way and left a bitter aftertaste upon its explanation; because in all fairness - whatever reason one would have to prey upon the grief of others for experimentation or testing - is just wrong. 😮💨 I didn't like the reasoning or how swiftly it wasn't explored once it was explained - that I didn't get any closure to it. But, yes, the one good thing that came out of it was the beautiful end scene - a bittersweet farewell that showed what sacrifices one does take for another first chance at life. A chance for River to heal that part of him that was heartbroken and unresolved, that as much as the impossibility of it exists - if even for the slightest of fractions it could help give him that chance to forgive himself - then, why not let him have that shot. 🤧🫶🏻
“And we'll marvel at the fact that, of all the pebbles spinning around all the fiery specks, we got to share this pebble with these dots at this exact moment within infinity.”
And on a final and personal note to the author: I think you're a very talented writer, one that is definitely resonating with Young Adult readers. My only request and wish is that the next book you do write - will be an original concept. Having read all your books, I can't help but notice how each of them is inspired or loosely-based on other media - only just with LGBTQ+ characters. 😕 I know it's very rare that such stories do exist, so it is nice to see them adapted into such; but I look forward to reading a book of yours, where I won't see that this idea has already been done before. Your writing flows - your characters are interesting, you have the potential and talent, and a fan in me, who is keen to read more by you. I really look forward to the day when I can read one of your books that will be a novel one. 🤞🏻📖🤞🏻
June 10, 2024
Actual rating — 4.5 / 5 stars.
With each book he releases, Robbie Couch continues to cement himself as one of the greatest voices in YA literature right now.
This is his most ambitious book to date. His last novel, If I See You Again Tomorrow, explored speculative fiction, and he continues that streak here. It’s innovative, it takes risks, and it’s filled to the brim with so much emotion.
At the heart of the book is the concept of grief. What does it look like for different people? How do we cope with it? Do we ever really heal? Another First Chance does an incredible job exploring survivor’s guilt, the chronic "what-if?'s" that accompany grief, and the confusion that ensues in the aftermath of devastating loss.
One of Robbie Couch's strengths is that he focuses on both plot AND characters. It’s not just characters who exist, and have events happen to them. It’s well-developed, lovable characters who have meaningful experiences. River Lang is Robbie’s strongest, most emotionally-complex protagonist yet — and I truly felt his emotions and pain as I read the book.
The first Robbie Couch book with dual POV’s — and he has a natural ability at it. Getting Dylan’s perspective of the story added a whole other layer of substance to the reading experience and now that I’ve finished the book, I see how much different it would’ve been if Dylan’s POV had been excluded.
What I love most is Robbie’s ability to make unlikeable characters redeemable and in the end, likable. Jacob and Goldie were the bane of my existence during the first two-thirds of the book … but I finished the book truly appreciating both of them.
And then — wow. We get a third act that is genuinely tear-jerking and heart-wrenching — a true gut punch. It’s been a while since a YA book has truly made me cry, but Another First Chance took me there. And it’s stuck with me ever since finishing the book a few days ago.
Robbie will always be an auto-buy author. Another First Chance is what happens when he’s at the top of his writing game. So happy I got to read this ahead of release so I can recommend that all my friends add it to their TBR!
Big thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy of the book in exchange for a review!
With each book he releases, Robbie Couch continues to cement himself as one of the greatest voices in YA literature right now.
This is his most ambitious book to date. His last novel, If I See You Again Tomorrow, explored speculative fiction, and he continues that streak here. It’s innovative, it takes risks, and it’s filled to the brim with so much emotion.
At the heart of the book is the concept of grief. What does it look like for different people? How do we cope with it? Do we ever really heal? Another First Chance does an incredible job exploring survivor’s guilt, the chronic "what-if?'s" that accompany grief, and the confusion that ensues in the aftermath of devastating loss.
One of Robbie Couch's strengths is that he focuses on both plot AND characters. It’s not just characters who exist, and have events happen to them. It’s well-developed, lovable characters who have meaningful experiences. River Lang is Robbie’s strongest, most emotionally-complex protagonist yet — and I truly felt his emotions and pain as I read the book.
The first Robbie Couch book with dual POV’s — and he has a natural ability at it. Getting Dylan’s perspective of the story added a whole other layer of substance to the reading experience and now that I’ve finished the book, I see how much different it would’ve been if Dylan’s POV had been excluded.
What I love most is Robbie’s ability to make unlikeable characters redeemable and in the end, likable. Jacob and Goldie were the bane of my existence during the first two-thirds of the book … but I finished the book truly appreciating both of them.
And then — wow. We get a third act that is genuinely tear-jerking and heart-wrenching — a true gut punch. It’s been a while since a YA book has truly made me cry, but Another First Chance took me there. And it’s stuck with me ever since finishing the book a few days ago.
Robbie will always be an auto-buy author. Another First Chance is what happens when he’s at the top of his writing game. So happy I got to read this ahead of release so I can recommend that all my friends add it to their TBR!
Big thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy of the book in exchange for a review!
June 10, 2024
Per my usual metric, if tears are shed because of a book, five stars are immediately rewarded. This one got me. It's simple, it's heartbreaking, it's a perfect summer read. Couch does such a good job providing you with the hearts and minds of River and Dylan. You really feel the emotional rollercoaster of what it could be like if you lose one best friend, and then lose another one for reasons you understand even less. The use of space analogies by the characters fits perfectly with what Couch builds so perfectly to: the titular "first chance." How that is to be interpreted is ultimately up to the reader, even as the acknowledgements page rolls.
To say anything else would be too leading, and we certainly wouldn't want to skew any experiment with that kind of behavior. Needless to say: read this book. It'll make you laugh and cry. Five stars.
***Note: I received an ARC of this novel from Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing and Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.***
To say anything else would be too leading, and we certainly wouldn't want to skew any experiment with that kind of behavior. Needless to say: read this book. It'll make you laugh and cry. Five stars.
***Note: I received an ARC of this novel from Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing and Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.***
October 29, 2024
I really enjoyed this one. It's fairly similar to the author's other book if I see you again tomorrow but in a totally different way even though that makes no sense. It's kind of a sci-fi YA contemporary that doesn't have a romance at the heart of it and is going to tug at your heartstrings. Where the other was about a time loop this one is about advanced science brain stuff that isn't technically sci-fi but does give futuristic vibes.
So this book is about this kid whose best friend died in a car accident a year ago and since then he has really been struggling to grieve and express his grief and any sort of manageable way. He has lost his other friends and isn't functioning very well socially. When an opportunity comes for him to be part of a social experiment he ends up doing it for various reasons. The social experiment has almost no parameter set that are defined for the participants and all they really know is that it's for kids who struggle socially. It turns into this sci-fi brain mapping thing that I cannot describe without spoiling it so I'm leaving it there but I really ended up liking it.
This is a book that you kind of have to just power through because you're going to end up questioning some of the relationships that are happening and wondering if they're really well thought out but everything comes together in the end and it all makes sense in a way that just works.
So this book is about this kid whose best friend died in a car accident a year ago and since then he has really been struggling to grieve and express his grief and any sort of manageable way. He has lost his other friends and isn't functioning very well socially. When an opportunity comes for him to be part of a social experiment he ends up doing it for various reasons. The social experiment has almost no parameter set that are defined for the participants and all they really know is that it's for kids who struggle socially. It turns into this sci-fi brain mapping thing that I cannot describe without spoiling it so I'm leaving it there but I really ended up liking it.
This is a book that you kind of have to just power through because you're going to end up questioning some of the relationships that are happening and wondering if they're really well thought out but everything comes together in the end and it all makes sense in a way that just works.
April 23, 2024
Robbie Couch has never written a single bad book i fear soo glad netgalley and publisher let me have this arc because!!!!!! AAAAAA most enjoyable reading experience i’ve had in a while would give it 5 stars if i weren’t confused for a bit also if nora didn’t kinda sucj a little bit😔 BUT ANYWAY river mavis dylan triangle was insanely sad it broke my heart but also THE SCIENCE THE PATCHES everything about this book is gripping from beginning to end !!! and there’s closure too so there’s that. if you’re in doubt , you needn’t anymore this needs to be in your library!
July 24, 2024
Not me finally finishing a bookclub book before the meeting 🙈
June 19, 2024
Another lackluster read for me following a previous meh read. I was intrigued by the start of this book about a young teen boy who vandalizes the billboard dedicated to his friend who died in a car accident. However, I didn't realize it was a speculative fiction, sort of sci fi story and things took a turn I wasn't expecting when they get sentenced to participate in this weird scientific study. Not for the book for me but I did end up making it all the way to the end. Great queer rep and I did like the misunderstood jock love interest part of the story.
October 8, 2024
I'm actually sobbing. This book broke me, especially the ending. I just feel so sad and heartbroken. I saw the ending coming, but I can't help but feel absolutely devastated. What an incredibly beautifully written book. I can't. Speechless lowkey.
I love you River, and I love you Dylan. Oh how I wish y'all could've gotten the story you deserved instead of this painful one. 😭
I love you River, and I love you Dylan. Oh how I wish y'all could've gotten the story you deserved instead of this painful one. 😭
June 14, 2024
It has been a long time since a book has gotten me this keyed up. I decided to pick this up on a whim in the spirit of pride month, and then subsequently devoured it whole. From the first page I was gripped and dragged, barely able to get a gasp of air before the end.
I loved every single corner of this book, all the intertwining aspects came together to paint the most emotionally twisting tale. I shouted and cried, laughed and clutched my heart. I was shocked constantly, gripping the edge of my seat and simply in awe. What a book! I’ll be buzzing for a few days with it heavy on my mind.
I loved every single corner of this book, all the intertwining aspects came together to paint the most emotionally twisting tale. I shouted and cried, laughed and clutched my heart. I was shocked constantly, gripping the edge of my seat and simply in awe. What a book! I’ll be buzzing for a few days with it heavy on my mind.
May 20, 2024
did I just sit in bed ugly crying over this book for a solid ten minutes???????
yes. yes I did
yes. yes I did
May 20, 2024
[I received a digital arc for an honest review]
Another First Chance is a Queer YA contemporary by author Robbie Couch. This is actually my first time reading the author and I definitely want to read more of his book in the future.
This is the story of a high school senior, whose still hurting from the passing of his best friend a year earlier. After a series of events, he finds himself forced into participating in a psychological study at high school which is supposed to help kids struggling socially. The study makes him confront his feelings towards his late best friend, and he begins to heal from the loss and repair friendships that had broken.
While I devoured this book in one sitting, I was a little underwhelmed for the first half of the story. However , as soon it was obvious that the study wasn't what it seemed and the kids all starting working together to find out , I was invested. The story also delivers by the end in the emotion department,I totally cried like a baby at the end.
Another First Chance is a Queer YA contemporary by author Robbie Couch. This is actually my first time reading the author and I definitely want to read more of his book in the future.
This is the story of a high school senior, whose still hurting from the passing of his best friend a year earlier. After a series of events, he finds himself forced into participating in a psychological study at high school which is supposed to help kids struggling socially. The study makes him confront his feelings towards his late best friend, and he begins to heal from the loss and repair friendships that had broken.
While I devoured this book in one sitting, I was a little underwhelmed for the first half of the story. However , as soon it was obvious that the study wasn't what it seemed and the kids all starting working together to find out , I was invested. The story also delivers by the end in the emotion department,I totally cried like a baby at the end.
July 27, 2024
Really enjoyed it. Loved all the turns and twists, healing, self reflection and it broke my heart a bit.
December 5, 2024
thank you to netgalley and simon & schuster for a copy of this arc in exchange for my honest review
what in the black mirror did i just read?!
another first chance follows river lang, whose best friend - dylan cooper - died a year ago in a car crash while texting and driving. haunted by the idea that his dead best friend is remembered only as a tragedy, he vandalizes the billboard put up in dylan's memory. he is then blackmailed into joining the affinity trials, a shady sounding research study aimed at students who are "struggling socially." during this time, weirder and weirder shit keeps happening, so river and the other participants attempt to get to the bottom of what the trials are *really* about.
this is a story about grief, love, loss, and friendship. the author's ability to make me feel the loss of dylan so deeply was both profoundly impressive and depressing (for me). at points i almost felt like i was in river's head, feeling the impact of dylan's loss on him. i was intrigued by the idea of the affinity trials when i first read the synopsis, and was not disappointed in how royally fucked up and weird shit gets. it made me start to question my own reality (jk, mostly).
i enjoyed the queer aspects of this book, and was quick to notice the subtly placed enby side character. the focus on friendship was a huge winner for me, and could definitely see this story benefitting both teens and young adults (and honestly, older adults too) process a difficult moment in their lives.
what in the black mirror did i just read?!
another first chance follows river lang, whose best friend - dylan cooper - died a year ago in a car crash while texting and driving. haunted by the idea that his dead best friend is remembered only as a tragedy, he vandalizes the billboard put up in dylan's memory. he is then blackmailed into joining the affinity trials, a shady sounding research study aimed at students who are "struggling socially." during this time, weirder and weirder shit keeps happening, so river and the other participants attempt to get to the bottom of what the trials are *really* about.
this is a story about grief, love, loss, and friendship. the author's ability to make me feel the loss of dylan so deeply was both profoundly impressive and depressing (for me). at points i almost felt like i was in river's head, feeling the impact of dylan's loss on him. i was intrigued by the idea of the affinity trials when i first read the synopsis, and was not disappointed in how royally fucked up and weird shit gets. it made me start to question my own reality (jk, mostly).
i enjoyed the queer aspects of this book, and was quick to notice the subtly placed enby side character. the focus on friendship was a huge winner for me, and could definitely see this story benefitting both teens and young adults (and honestly, older adults too) process a difficult moment in their lives.
Want to read
January 23, 2024Ya'll have to STOP SLEEPING on Robbie's books. I have yet to be disappointed by any of them, and they almost always become the books that define each summer.
I can't wait for this one!
I can't wait for this one!
February 1, 2024
This was going to be a solid three stars before that ending. I truly cared more about Dylan’s story for 80% of the book and then that twist took me OUT. I’m questioning my entire existence.
March 4, 2025
In the Acknowledgments section of Another First Chance Robbie Couch admits that this, his fourth novel, was the most demanding to that point in his career. I have no trouble believing it; the story is intricate and the stakes heavy. Eighteen-year-old River Lang is finishing high school. After the death of his friend Dylan Cooper a year ago in a car accident caused by texting, parts of River's life spun out of control. Mavis Meyers—Dylan's girlfriend— severed ties with River despite their own friendship extending back to childhood. River understands her anger—Dylan was texting him when the car crashed—but that doesn't soothe the ache. Now high school is over and River can scoot out of town to college...at least, that was the plan until a program called Affinity Mind & Body asks him to sign up for a weeklong study on socially awkward teens. It sounds awful; why would River consider participating?
Jacob Lewis, by no means a friend of River's, demands he enter the Affinity Trials. Jacob has the dirt on him; he knows River sneaked out at night and painted a mustache on the billboard of Dylan, a government ad against texting while driving. River did it because he feels the billboard reduces Dylan's whole life to one mistake that turned out fatal, a faux pas many others have committed behind the wheel. Jacob will tell the police the mustache was River's handiwork unless he joins the Affinity Trials and forks over half his $2,000 stipend for taking part. A vandalism arrest would get River’s college scholarship revoked, and that's his only way out of small-town Teawood, Michigan. Simmering with anxiety and resentment, he agrees to Jacob's terms.
Affinity's Teawood liaison is Dr. Ridges, a man who resembles a svelte Santa Claus, but Nora Mehta is more central to River’s experience. Hardly out of high school herself, she's sympathetic to his trauma over Dylan’s death. The Affinity Trials will take place at the school, and test subjects aren't permitted to leave the premises. River panics to find out Mavis has been accepted into the Trials; how strained will things get after a year of mutual avoidance? The sixteen teenagers in the Trials are divided into four teams, and River's stomach sinks when he sees Mavis is with him on team Blue. The schedule of group games and individual talk sessions is planned in detail, but enough free time is left for tension to bloom. Mavis's wealthy friend, Goldie Candles, is also in the Trials, as is Jacob. It's as though everyone who has stressed River out over the past year is present, but he’s optimistic he can ram through the week and dislodge Jacob from his back...until the study starts getting weird.
Why is Mavis suddenly speaking to River as though a year of cold silence never occurred? He's happy about it, but isn't sure how to prevent a reversal. Meanwhile, Nora Mehta's brother Nash, a star quarterback at football camp in another part of the school, has to move into River's individual living space. Nash seems cool with the arrangement; in fact, he possesses some of the qualities River loved about Dylan. Yes, River is drifting toward realization that he may have been falling in love with Dylan. River knows he himself is gay, but Dylan had a girlfriend, so no romantic feelings with River could ever develop...right? Interacting with Nash fires up revelations about these difficult matters in River's mind, and he clings to Nash as the Trials turn darker. River's new friends on team Blue agree that Dr. Ridges and Nora are hiding unseemly secrets. They're collecting brainwave data from Disks behind the ear of every teen in the study, but surely they're doing more than harvesting basic biometric markers. It’s urgent that River and his allies break the wasps' nest of lies wide open...or they'll sting him to death.
Nothing eats at the human spirit like grief and regret. When you find your unique group of people who make life joyful, it's agony to have them stolen away. Even those who use humor to prevent emotional cyclones from wreaking havoc in their own mindscape can't dodge the pain of loss forever. The brain plays tricks on itself to cope with bereavement and regain the beautiful thing you had that was snatched away. Affinity Mind & Body is all about this, but subverting grief keeps you from dealing with reality. What wouldn't you sacrifice to reunite with a lost loved one who means more than life? Would you reject a solution because it's unnatural or controversial? River will square off against dilemmas no human has faced, his entire future on the line.
Roughly the first two hundred pages of Another First Chance are a slow burn, but then the pacing turns red hot. The segues between River in the present day and Dylan a year ago on the night of his death are sublime, always shifting at the perfect moment. The emotional climax isn't earth-shattering but is powerful enough, and I easily rate Another First Chance three and a half stars. If this is the best novel of Robbie Couch's career, he is a success, and I thank him for the feeling and insight it provides.
Jacob Lewis, by no means a friend of River's, demands he enter the Affinity Trials. Jacob has the dirt on him; he knows River sneaked out at night and painted a mustache on the billboard of Dylan, a government ad against texting while driving. River did it because he feels the billboard reduces Dylan's whole life to one mistake that turned out fatal, a faux pas many others have committed behind the wheel. Jacob will tell the police the mustache was River's handiwork unless he joins the Affinity Trials and forks over half his $2,000 stipend for taking part. A vandalism arrest would get River’s college scholarship revoked, and that's his only way out of small-town Teawood, Michigan. Simmering with anxiety and resentment, he agrees to Jacob's terms.
Affinity's Teawood liaison is Dr. Ridges, a man who resembles a svelte Santa Claus, but Nora Mehta is more central to River’s experience. Hardly out of high school herself, she's sympathetic to his trauma over Dylan’s death. The Affinity Trials will take place at the school, and test subjects aren't permitted to leave the premises. River panics to find out Mavis has been accepted into the Trials; how strained will things get after a year of mutual avoidance? The sixteen teenagers in the Trials are divided into four teams, and River's stomach sinks when he sees Mavis is with him on team Blue. The schedule of group games and individual talk sessions is planned in detail, but enough free time is left for tension to bloom. Mavis's wealthy friend, Goldie Candles, is also in the Trials, as is Jacob. It's as though everyone who has stressed River out over the past year is present, but he’s optimistic he can ram through the week and dislodge Jacob from his back...until the study starts getting weird.
Why is Mavis suddenly speaking to River as though a year of cold silence never occurred? He's happy about it, but isn't sure how to prevent a reversal. Meanwhile, Nora Mehta's brother Nash, a star quarterback at football camp in another part of the school, has to move into River's individual living space. Nash seems cool with the arrangement; in fact, he possesses some of the qualities River loved about Dylan. Yes, River is drifting toward realization that he may have been falling in love with Dylan. River knows he himself is gay, but Dylan had a girlfriend, so no romantic feelings with River could ever develop...right? Interacting with Nash fires up revelations about these difficult matters in River's mind, and he clings to Nash as the Trials turn darker. River's new friends on team Blue agree that Dr. Ridges and Nora are hiding unseemly secrets. They're collecting brainwave data from Disks behind the ear of every teen in the study, but surely they're doing more than harvesting basic biometric markers. It’s urgent that River and his allies break the wasps' nest of lies wide open...or they'll sting him to death.
Nothing eats at the human spirit like grief and regret. When you find your unique group of people who make life joyful, it's agony to have them stolen away. Even those who use humor to prevent emotional cyclones from wreaking havoc in their own mindscape can't dodge the pain of loss forever. The brain plays tricks on itself to cope with bereavement and regain the beautiful thing you had that was snatched away. Affinity Mind & Body is all about this, but subverting grief keeps you from dealing with reality. What wouldn't you sacrifice to reunite with a lost loved one who means more than life? Would you reject a solution because it's unnatural or controversial? River will square off against dilemmas no human has faced, his entire future on the line.
Roughly the first two hundred pages of Another First Chance are a slow burn, but then the pacing turns red hot. The segues between River in the present day and Dylan a year ago on the night of his death are sublime, always shifting at the perfect moment. The emotional climax isn't earth-shattering but is powerful enough, and I easily rate Another First Chance three and a half stars. If this is the best novel of Robbie Couch's career, he is a success, and I thank him for the feeling and insight it provides.
May 29, 2024
"And We'll marvel at the fact that, of all the pebbles spinning around all the fiery specks, we got to share this pebble with these dots at this exact moment within infinity."
Another First Chance is about River who is still grieving the loss of his best friend Dylan. Dylan died in a car accident a year ago and everyday River passes the billboard the town erected "Don't Drext Like Dylan Did" on his way to school. In his own way of coping, River vandalizes the billboard knowing Dylan would have thought the sign was just as absurd. It is by this action that River now finds himself being blackmailed by another student to join the Affinity Trial- a study that is observing teens who are struggling socially. Join the study and split the stipend with this student OR risk having his college scholarships taken away when everyone learns he has vandalized property... he chooses the former.
From the jump you get an odd sense of the Affinity Trial. Something sketchy is definitely going on here and Robbie has the story play out in such a fun way that it'll keep you guessing as to what is really happening. You'll have just as much fun solving that mystery as you will getting to know this cast of characters. There is such a diverse group, and you will feel a connection to many of them. There is hurt, there is healing, there is sorrow, and there is laughter and joy!
I only wish there had been more moments of River and Dylan's relationship prior to the accident. Put a little more investment into that relationship and ultimately the hurt AND the healing would have felt that much deeper. Even so, this still packs a punch and had me teary eyed in its final pages.
Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
3.5/5 rounded up!
April 13, 2024
5 stars
Robbie Couch has done it again.
Dylan and River share perspectives in this layered YA contemporary, and this is fascinating because only one of these two best friends is alive in the novel's present day.
When readers meet River, he's driving past a horrible billboard featuring his deceased friend's face, some victim blaming, and a bizarre PSA. Losing a best friend, especially at such a young age, seems like a nightmare no matter what, but it's clear immediately that there are details in this scenario that make River's survival and life without Dylan even more horrifying than readers might at first guess.
Once the scene is set, the events move in a new direction that I had some reservations about at first but grew to find totally captivating. River becomes part of a study that is supposed to center on kids with social issues, among other characteristics. There's something fishy about this whole situation from the jump, but because I finished a docuseries about "therapy schools" for kids literally the day before I started this read, I think my impression of kids surrounded by secretive adults may have been even more negative than usual! That noted, there are still too many red flags to ignore. Something strange is afoot, and that reveal? Well. It's exceptional.
I enjoyed this read from cover to cover, but the ending is next level and enhanced my opinion of the book overall. Couch does a great job of unveiling some of the many complications connected to grief, guilt, and uncertainty, and while there's a lot of sadness at the center of this novel, it's not just a sad book. There's a lot of hope and growth here, too.
Every time this author has a new book out, I'm busy requesting it before I even look at the synopsis because I know I'm going to enjoy the writing, messaging, and noteworthy character development. This one really got me, and I can't wait to (1) recommend this to my students and (2) read whatever Couch puts out in the future.
But first, I need to go read that ending a few more times...
*Special thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Robbie Couch has done it again.
Dylan and River share perspectives in this layered YA contemporary, and this is fascinating because only one of these two best friends is alive in the novel's present day.
When readers meet River, he's driving past a horrible billboard featuring his deceased friend's face, some victim blaming, and a bizarre PSA. Losing a best friend, especially at such a young age, seems like a nightmare no matter what, but it's clear immediately that there are details in this scenario that make River's survival and life without Dylan even more horrifying than readers might at first guess.
Once the scene is set, the events move in a new direction that I had some reservations about at first but grew to find totally captivating. River becomes part of a study that is supposed to center on kids with social issues, among other characteristics. There's something fishy about this whole situation from the jump, but because I finished a docuseries about "therapy schools" for kids literally the day before I started this read, I think my impression of kids surrounded by secretive adults may have been even more negative than usual! That noted, there are still too many red flags to ignore. Something strange is afoot, and that reveal? Well. It's exceptional.
I enjoyed this read from cover to cover, but the ending is next level and enhanced my opinion of the book overall. Couch does a great job of unveiling some of the many complications connected to grief, guilt, and uncertainty, and while there's a lot of sadness at the center of this novel, it's not just a sad book. There's a lot of hope and growth here, too.
Every time this author has a new book out, I'm busy requesting it before I even look at the synopsis because I know I'm going to enjoy the writing, messaging, and noteworthy character development. This one really got me, and I can't wait to (1) recommend this to my students and (2) read whatever Couch puts out in the future.
But first, I need to go read that ending a few more times...
*Special thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
August 30, 2024
I am constantly impressed by Robbie Couch. I've enjoyed all of his books so far, but his latest, Another First Chance, takes things to a new level. While there are some romantic elements, it's mainly a story about friendship and grief.
I really liked everything about this novel, including the dual perspectives. It was interesting to see what Dylan's day was like and what led up to his untimely death. I also really liked River and cared a lot about him. I totally get how he felt about people constantly asking him if he was okay and telling him it was okay not to be okay. Just let him grieve in his own way! The premise of the novel was great and I never knew what was going to happen from one moment to the next. So I was constantly surprised. I also got my "What?!?" moment, which I appreciate when I read books or watch shows. I don't want to say anything more as to not spoil the story.
I definitely recommend this novel for readers ages young adult and up. There's a lot to enjoy as an adult too. It's well-told and kept me turning the pages. And if you haven't read Robbie's other novels, get on that! They're all very much different from one another, which is fun.
I don't cast YA novels, but I kept picturing Ritu Arya as Nora because I just saw her in The Umbrella Academy and I felt like she'd fit this part too.
I really liked everything about this novel, including the dual perspectives. It was interesting to see what Dylan's day was like and what led up to his untimely death. I also really liked River and cared a lot about him. I totally get how he felt about people constantly asking him if he was okay and telling him it was okay not to be okay. Just let him grieve in his own way! The premise of the novel was great and I never knew what was going to happen from one moment to the next. So I was constantly surprised. I also got my "What?!?" moment, which I appreciate when I read books or watch shows. I don't want to say anything more as to not spoil the story.
I definitely recommend this novel for readers ages young adult and up. There's a lot to enjoy as an adult too. It's well-told and kept me turning the pages. And if you haven't read Robbie's other novels, get on that! They're all very much different from one another, which is fun.
I don't cast YA novels, but I kept picturing Ritu Arya as Nora because I just saw her in The Umbrella Academy and I felt like she'd fit this part too.
August 22, 2025
FUCK THIS FUCKASS BOOK. I AM SOBBINGGGGGG.
I can’t even put into words how fucking amazing this book was. How emotionally moving, heartbreaking, and breathtaking.
Every element in this book worked so perfectly:
The POVs between past Dylan and present River were perfectly balanced. All the characters were lovely and charming and relatable and they grew on me so much—they were a little found family and they helped each other in many ways without realizing. The relationships felt so so real. River and Dylan’s especially—it’s impressive how the depth of their relationship is felt and realized within the pages without having that many scenes of them together. The mystery behind Affinity provided the perfect ongoing tension to run beneath all the beautiful emotional topics the book was tackling. Details were bread-crumbed effectively and left me wanting more while also making me root for the characters. In that sense, it felt like a weird combination of sci-fi and realistic fiction, which really makes this story stand out—it delivers on its premise, unlike a lot of books. The writing style was easily digestible while still being engaging and impactful. The story ended in a way that was both satisfying and meaningful to both the character’s arcs and the plot.
This book has so much to say about friendship, grief, love, loss, and the parts of ourselves we often hide, and I’m amazed at how well it’s communicated these ideas while also being excellent on a craft level.
This is seriously my favorite books I’ve read in a long time. Straight to my brain-altering tag. Also need to own a copy of this book immediately. UPDATE: I literally just bought it so I was dead serious 😭
I would dedicate my last dying breath to praising this book.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Recommendation: FUCKING READ IT AND BE PREPARED TO WEEP
I can’t even put into words how fucking amazing this book was. How emotionally moving, heartbreaking, and breathtaking.
Every element in this book worked so perfectly:
The POVs between past Dylan and present River were perfectly balanced. All the characters were lovely and charming and relatable and they grew on me so much—they were a little found family and they helped each other in many ways without realizing. The relationships felt so so real. River and Dylan’s especially—it’s impressive how the depth of their relationship is felt and realized within the pages without having that many scenes of them together. The mystery behind Affinity provided the perfect ongoing tension to run beneath all the beautiful emotional topics the book was tackling. Details were bread-crumbed effectively and left me wanting more while also making me root for the characters. In that sense, it felt like a weird combination of sci-fi and realistic fiction, which really makes this story stand out—it delivers on its premise, unlike a lot of books. The writing style was easily digestible while still being engaging and impactful. The story ended in a way that was both satisfying and meaningful to both the character’s arcs and the plot.
This book has so much to say about friendship, grief, love, loss, and the parts of ourselves we often hide, and I’m amazed at how well it’s communicated these ideas while also being excellent on a craft level.
This is seriously my favorite books I’ve read in a long time. Straight to my brain-altering tag. Also need to own a copy of this book immediately. UPDATE: I literally just bought it so I was dead serious 😭
I would dedicate my last dying breath to praising this book.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Recommendation: FUCKING READ IT AND BE PREPARED TO WEEP
June 24, 2025
This book has a different tone than Robbie's previous 3. It is way sadder, with grief seeping every page of it, both in the present and past timeline.
The sci fi angle of the story together with the title had me hoping for a resolution in a totally different direction, and inevitably the end left me with the 1st non-5 star book of the author.
The idea was intriguing, and the execution excellent I dare say, but Robbie always had a different story in mind...
How could I fully enjoy the nerdiness and the charm of River this way? Or read Dylan's chapters and not have a weight pressing all over, knowing how the book starts?
Note to self: start avoiding books who get comped with They Both Die In The End even if they come from favourite authors.
The sci fi angle of the story together with the title had me hoping for a resolution in a totally different direction, and inevitably the end left me with the 1st non-5 star book of the author.
The idea was intriguing, and the execution excellent I dare say, but Robbie always had a different story in mind...
How could I fully enjoy the nerdiness and the charm of River this way? Or read Dylan's chapters and not have a weight pressing all over, knowing how the book starts?
Note to self: start avoiding books who get comped with They Both Die In The End even if they come from favourite authors.
June 5, 2024
This is my first book by Couch and it was a great starting point. The themes of grief and coping with loss were well written and I liked the speculative twist on reality.
This is mostly told in the present from River's point of view, but interspersed are pieces from Dylan's final day. I liked getting to fill in the blanks about what actually happened and got a nice conclusion to the trauma.
The pacing is great and what was really going on with the experiment was an interesting spin. I'll definitely be checking out other works from this author.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the copy.
This is mostly told in the present from River's point of view, but interspersed are pieces from Dylan's final day. I liked getting to fill in the blanks about what actually happened and got a nice conclusion to the trauma.
The pacing is great and what was really going on with the experiment was an interesting spin. I'll definitely be checking out other works from this author.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the copy.
Read
April 30, 2024this book is devastating and gripping and so well-written. the characters are complicated and the heavy topics are handled with sensitivity. you know early on something is amiss with the trials, but it’s not at all obvious how things will shake out (even in the final pages, i was on the edge of my seat). in other words, this book perfectly achieves what it set out to do. i don’t think i’ve ever read anything quite like it. anyway, bye, i have to go now so i can stare at the ceiling introspectively while being utterly heartbroken
September 11, 2024
This book has broken me emotionally so grab your tissues.
I didn’t expect the plot of this book to hit me as much as it did and by the last few chapters, it actually had me tearing up.
The story follows high school student River as he signs up to a week experiment for those who struggle socially after his best friend died in a car accident a year earlier. Then at the same time you get the pov of that best friend a year ago on the day he actually died.
The way both narratives intertwine with each other is perfect and both narratives had me fully invested.
I did start to suspect a twist that was coming but was still surprised when it was revealed along with the other twists the book dropped.
There were so many themes explored in this book and they really pulled at my emotions.
It’s a complete 5 star read and a book that demands to be reread…after recovering from the emotions tho!
I didn’t expect the plot of this book to hit me as much as it did and by the last few chapters, it actually had me tearing up.
The story follows high school student River as he signs up to a week experiment for those who struggle socially after his best friend died in a car accident a year earlier. Then at the same time you get the pov of that best friend a year ago on the day he actually died.
The way both narratives intertwine with each other is perfect and both narratives had me fully invested.
I did start to suspect a twist that was coming but was still surprised when it was revealed along with the other twists the book dropped.
There were so many themes explored in this book and they really pulled at my emotions.
It’s a complete 5 star read and a book that demands to be reread…after recovering from the emotions tho!
August 8, 2024
Actual rating 4.5 stars
I was on the fence of a 3 or 4 star rating about halfway through, but that ending?!?!? This is what I mean when I say we need more books with TWISTS. So bittersweet. Loved it.
I was on the fence of a 3 or 4 star rating about halfway through, but that ending?!?!? This is what I mean when I say we need more books with TWISTS. So bittersweet. Loved it.
September 26, 2024
I love when I start a book by fooling myself into thinking it will be a cute queer romance. And then I get my heart absolutely grinded to a pulp.
July 4, 2024
This moved in circles at a snail’s pace. And the final twist/discovery pissed me off so bad. The convenient note at the end solidified my annoyance. However, I liked River as a character and that’s what helped me get through/finish this.
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