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Me Myself & Him
Perfect for fans of Becky Albertali's
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
and A. S. King's
Still Life with Tornado,
this story of parallel time lines cleverly explores how our choices can change and shape us--as well as the ways in which choices don't change the core of our being at all.
When Chris Schweitzer takes a hit of whippets and passes out face first on the cement, his nose isn't the only thing that changes forever. Instead of staying home with his friends for the last summer after high school, he's shipped off to live with his famous physicist but royal jerk of a father to prove he can "play by the rules" before Dad will pay for college.
Or . . . not.
In an alternate time line, Chris's parents remain blissfully ignorant about the accident, and life at home goes back to normal--until it doesn't. A new spark between his two best (straight) friends quickly turns Chris into a (gay) third wheel, and even worse, the truth about the whippets incident starts to unravel. As his summer explodes into a million messy pieces, Chris wonders how else things might have gone. Is it possible to be jealous of another version of yourself in an alternate reality that doesn't even exist?
With musings on fate, religion, parallel universes, and the best way to eat a cinnamon roll, Me Myself & Him examines how what we consider to be true is really just one part of the much (much) bigger picture.
When Chris Schweitzer takes a hit of whippets and passes out face first on the cement, his nose isn't the only thing that changes forever. Instead of staying home with his friends for the last summer after high school, he's shipped off to live with his famous physicist but royal jerk of a father to prove he can "play by the rules" before Dad will pay for college.
Or . . . not.
In an alternate time line, Chris's parents remain blissfully ignorant about the accident, and life at home goes back to normal--until it doesn't. A new spark between his two best (straight) friends quickly turns Chris into a (gay) third wheel, and even worse, the truth about the whippets incident starts to unravel. As his summer explodes into a million messy pieces, Chris wonders how else things might have gone. Is it possible to be jealous of another version of yourself in an alternate reality that doesn't even exist?
With musings on fate, religion, parallel universes, and the best way to eat a cinnamon roll, Me Myself & Him examines how what we consider to be true is really just one part of the much (much) bigger picture.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published July 9, 2019
23 people are currently reading
1683 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
May 12, 2019
I'm between 4 and 4.5 stars.
The tagline for this book says it best: "One broken nose. Two versions of the same story. Infinite possibilities."
It's the summer before college, before Chris and his two best friends, Wexler and Anna, all go their separate ways to different schools. One night, while doing a hit of whippets outside the restaurant where he works, Chris passes out face-first, breaking his nose. When his estranged father, a famous physicist in California, hears what Chris did, he demands that Chris come and live with him for the summer and work at his lab—or he won't pay for him to go to the college of his choice.
The thought of having to leave his friends during the last few months they'll spend together, and live with a father he still resents for leaving, is utterly unappealing. But Chris doesn't seem to see any alternative—the college he wants to attend has a great film program and it's his ticket out of small-town Ohio. As he begins to sense a newfound chemistry between Wexler and Anna that will leave him behind, he heads to California, unsure of how the summer will go in all aspects.
But in another timeline, Chris hides the truth of what happened from his parents, just telling them he fell. He gets to keep his job and stay home for the summer, but he's not sure how to handle Anna and Wexler suddenly becoming a couple, leaving him and his sparse romantic prospects even more depressing. He knows he'll never find a boyfriend in his small Ohio town, and why bother when he's about to leave? However, little by little the summer starts to fall apart, as the truth about his accident starts to get revealed and his relationship with his friends becomes strained. Chris wonders if there's another version of him somewhere else, living a better life.
The chapters in Me Myself & Him alternate between Chris' "real" story as he spends the summer in California and deals with his father, and the "other" version in which he stays in Ohio and no one is the wiser about what happened (not really). This is a fascinating, poignant, thought-provoking book which meshes familial dysfunction, the fear of growing apart from your friends, and wanting to be loved for who you are with musings on alternate realities, religion, and fate.
I really enjoyed this book and thought Chris Tebbetts did a great job laying out the story and the alternate path Chris' life could have taken. Even though he's a bit misanthropic, I really identified with so many of his feelings, with wanting things to change but also wanting them to stay exactly the same, wanting your friends to be happy but not wanting your relationships to change, and just wanting someone to be with, all while trying to figure out who you are.
I think of this as the gay, not-quite-stoner version of Sliding Doors . It's utterly entertaining and a really enjoyable read.
NetGalley, Random House Children's, and Delacorte Press provided me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!
This book will be published July 9, 2019.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2018 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2018.html.
You can follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
The tagline for this book says it best: "One broken nose. Two versions of the same story. Infinite possibilities."
It's the summer before college, before Chris and his two best friends, Wexler and Anna, all go their separate ways to different schools. One night, while doing a hit of whippets outside the restaurant where he works, Chris passes out face-first, breaking his nose. When his estranged father, a famous physicist in California, hears what Chris did, he demands that Chris come and live with him for the summer and work at his lab—or he won't pay for him to go to the college of his choice.
The thought of having to leave his friends during the last few months they'll spend together, and live with a father he still resents for leaving, is utterly unappealing. But Chris doesn't seem to see any alternative—the college he wants to attend has a great film program and it's his ticket out of small-town Ohio. As he begins to sense a newfound chemistry between Wexler and Anna that will leave him behind, he heads to California, unsure of how the summer will go in all aspects.
But in another timeline, Chris hides the truth of what happened from his parents, just telling them he fell. He gets to keep his job and stay home for the summer, but he's not sure how to handle Anna and Wexler suddenly becoming a couple, leaving him and his sparse romantic prospects even more depressing. He knows he'll never find a boyfriend in his small Ohio town, and why bother when he's about to leave? However, little by little the summer starts to fall apart, as the truth about his accident starts to get revealed and his relationship with his friends becomes strained. Chris wonders if there's another version of him somewhere else, living a better life.
The chapters in Me Myself & Him alternate between Chris' "real" story as he spends the summer in California and deals with his father, and the "other" version in which he stays in Ohio and no one is the wiser about what happened (not really). This is a fascinating, poignant, thought-provoking book which meshes familial dysfunction, the fear of growing apart from your friends, and wanting to be loved for who you are with musings on alternate realities, religion, and fate.
I really enjoyed this book and thought Chris Tebbetts did a great job laying out the story and the alternate path Chris' life could have taken. Even though he's a bit misanthropic, I really identified with so many of his feelings, with wanting things to change but also wanting them to stay exactly the same, wanting your friends to be happy but not wanting your relationships to change, and just wanting someone to be with, all while trying to figure out who you are.
I think of this as the gay, not-quite-stoner version of Sliding Doors . It's utterly entertaining and a really enjoyable read.
NetGalley, Random House Children's, and Delacorte Press provided me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!
This book will be published July 9, 2019.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2018 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2018.html.
You can follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
May 2, 2019
Okay... I really, truly enjoyed this one! This book has single-handedly gotten me out of my reading slump, and I am so, so pleased.
Many thanks go to NetGalley, Delacorte Press/Random House Children’s, and the author for the opportunity to read this ARC.
*Note: The advanced copy I received is an uncorrected proof. Therefore, my review reflects only the unfinished version of a work that has the potential to change in any, some, or no capacity.*
So, this is a story about the multiverse and parallel timelines, but more specifically: that of 18-year-old Chris Schweitzer. In one universe, Chris goes off to live with his father for the Summer before college, and in the other, he stays with his mother and friends, and both after an unfortunate incident involving “whippets”. The chapters alternate for each timeline, obviously, but it took me a second to understand that I was reading a different perspective when it happened, because one timeline is headed as “Chapter 1”, and the other is “Chapter One”. Kinda clever, but also too much work for my brain at 2AM. And it goes on like that for the remainder of the novel. To distinguish the separate accounts further, the fonts for each are different, as well as sized... at least for my e-copy, anyways. These slight distinctions between Chris 1 and Chris One really helped (and, yes, I will be referring to them as Chris 1 and Chris One for the remainder of this review).
I’m absolutely fascinated by the concept of parallel universes branching off from each other endlessly based on the decisions we make. In this book, for instance, a single lie creates a world of different outcomes. Chris 1’s experiences divulge in totally different ways than Chris One’s, and the separate storylines excited me.
I was a little disappointed with the characterization, though. 1/4th of the way into the book, and I had no idea what any of the main character’s physical features were. I like to visualize in my head what’s happening on the page, and I had nothing to go by in terms of details— Chris could’ve been 5’1, blonde and blue-eyed, Wexler could’ve been dark skinned, 5’10 and had a pot belly, Anna could’ve been a stick-thin 6’3 and multi-racial...— I need to know what they look like in some capacity, so I can play it out in my head. Oddly enough, many of the minor characters are described in the most detail. I wanted a bit more depth, is all.
In any case, I was wholly invested in the story! I was pleasantly surprised, because I’ve been in a very cynical mood with the literature I’ve read as of late. The plot progression was just right, the characters talked like normal people their age, and the discussions on science, religion, friendship, family, the what-if’s and what-could-have-been’s... it all worked so well. I hope this book gets the recognition it deserves! I guess my only other complaint would be that I wish there was more resolution to the end. Both timelines wrapped up their main subplots, and the eventual outcome was still the same, but again... I craved a more comprehensive ending— I hate feeling like I missed out on something, so a less rushed conclusion to Chris 1 and Chris One’s stories (before the Epilogue) would’ve made a world of difference to me.
tl;dr - Wonderful and thoroughly surprising story involving parallel timelines, that I wish focused a bit more on characterization and the conclusion.
Many thanks go to NetGalley, Delacorte Press/Random House Children’s, and the author for the opportunity to read this ARC.
*Note: The advanced copy I received is an uncorrected proof. Therefore, my review reflects only the unfinished version of a work that has the potential to change in any, some, or no capacity.*
So, this is a story about the multiverse and parallel timelines, but more specifically: that of 18-year-old Chris Schweitzer. In one universe, Chris goes off to live with his father for the Summer before college, and in the other, he stays with his mother and friends, and both after an unfortunate incident involving “whippets”. The chapters alternate for each timeline, obviously, but it took me a second to understand that I was reading a different perspective when it happened, because one timeline is headed as “Chapter 1”, and the other is “Chapter One”. Kinda clever, but also too much work for my brain at 2AM. And it goes on like that for the remainder of the novel. To distinguish the separate accounts further, the fonts for each are different, as well as sized... at least for my e-copy, anyways. These slight distinctions between Chris 1 and Chris One really helped (and, yes, I will be referring to them as Chris 1 and Chris One for the remainder of this review).
I’m absolutely fascinated by the concept of parallel universes branching off from each other endlessly based on the decisions we make. In this book, for instance, a single lie creates a world of different outcomes. Chris 1’s experiences divulge in totally different ways than Chris One’s, and the separate storylines excited me.
I was a little disappointed with the characterization, though. 1/4th of the way into the book, and I had no idea what any of the main character’s physical features were. I like to visualize in my head what’s happening on the page, and I had nothing to go by in terms of details— Chris could’ve been 5’1, blonde and blue-eyed, Wexler could’ve been dark skinned, 5’10 and had a pot belly, Anna could’ve been a stick-thin 6’3 and multi-racial...— I need to know what they look like in some capacity, so I can play it out in my head. Oddly enough, many of the minor characters are described in the most detail. I wanted a bit more depth, is all.
In any case, I was wholly invested in the story! I was pleasantly surprised, because I’ve been in a very cynical mood with the literature I’ve read as of late. The plot progression was just right, the characters talked like normal people their age, and the discussions on science, religion, friendship, family, the what-if’s and what-could-have-been’s... it all worked so well. I hope this book gets the recognition it deserves! I guess my only other complaint would be that I wish there was more resolution to the end. Both timelines wrapped up their main subplots, and the eventual outcome was still the same, but again... I craved a more comprehensive ending— I hate feeling like I missed out on something, so a less rushed conclusion to Chris 1 and Chris One’s stories (before the Epilogue) would’ve made a world of difference to me.
tl;dr - Wonderful and thoroughly surprising story involving parallel timelines, that I wish focused a bit more on characterization and the conclusion.
May 25, 2019
This novel was the equivalent of a mid-afternoon summer joy ride with a car full of your best friends. A humorous, memorable adventure of identity, friendship, summer-lovin', and of course, the humorous highs and lows of that critical summer between high school and college. I loved this start to finish.
April 30, 2021
4,5*
Dafür, dass das hier ein Jugendbuch ist, war ich echt einige Male verwirrt. Wir haben es hier nämlich mit zwei Erzählsträngen zutun, die wie ein Paralleluniversum aufgebaut wurden. Das habe ich leider erst nach 100 Seiten gecheckt. 😅
Auch das relativ offene Ende hat mich überrascht, ich hätte echt gerne weitergelesen!
Ansonsten war dieses Buch wirklich klasse. Interessante, humorvolle Story und eine tolle Hauptfigur. Chris ist nämlich schlagfertig und selbstironisch, was super unterhaltsam zu lesen war. Auch die Nebencharaktere sind greifbar und liebenswert. Ich hätte nur gern mehr über Mitch erfahren.
Dafür, dass das hier ein Jugendbuch ist, war ich echt einige Male verwirrt. Wir haben es hier nämlich mit zwei Erzählsträngen zutun, die wie ein Paralleluniversum aufgebaut wurden. Das habe ich leider erst nach 100 Seiten gecheckt. 😅
Auch das relativ offene Ende hat mich überrascht, ich hätte echt gerne weitergelesen!
Ansonsten war dieses Buch wirklich klasse. Interessante, humorvolle Story und eine tolle Hauptfigur. Chris ist nämlich schlagfertig und selbstironisch, was super unterhaltsam zu lesen war. Auch die Nebencharaktere sind greifbar und liebenswert. Ich hätte nur gern mehr über Mitch erfahren.
July 24, 2019
This was such an interesting way to tell a story. One event splits into 2 outcomes and from there you have 2 stories. I liked that even though they were separate, they mirrored each other and some things happened the same. Either timeline, Chris had a lot of realizations and grew up over the summer. Things changed for him with his friends, even though he didn't want them to. Chris was pretty likeable, although sometimes he could be a jerk. This was fun and moved along well.
February 10, 2019
Chris passes out after huffing and sets in motion two alternating timelines which are fun and plausible. There’s divorce, friendships, blended families, lgbtq romance, friend drama, and that dreaded feeling of loss during the last summer before going off to college. What will the future hold for Chris in either timeline? So fun!
May 2, 2019
It’s rare when I come across a book that satiates both my love of geekdom and multifaceted characters. It’s been days since closing the last page and I still miss these people. I wish I savored the read, but I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. Tebbett’s pacing and visceral language had me tasting the pavement.
setting-aside-for-now
June 30, 2019Setting this aside.
I'm really not a huge fan of multiverse stories, tbh. If the idea of a Sliding Doors style story with a male main character appeals to you, then definitely check this out!
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
Jen Ryland Reviews
I'm really not a huge fan of multiverse stories, tbh. If the idea of a Sliding Doors style story with a male main character appeals to you, then definitely check this out!
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
Jen Ryland Reviews
June 24, 2019
Please tell me I'm not the only one who didn't make the connection that the MC (Chris Schweitzer) has the same first name as the author (Chris Tebbetts). Please?
I didn't notice until I was a chapter in. Because I'm that smart.
I kind of which I had noticed the same-first-names thing before, though. It probably would have given me a better idea of what I was in for than the cool cover and intriguing blurb did.
Me Myself & Him reaches for some intriguing ideas but is dragged down by flat characters and a fruitlessly unpleasant protagonist. A case of autobiographical fiction gone wrong.
After I finished, I hunted around until I found an interview that addressed the Chris/Chris thing. It comes up quickly in this great interview by the Haunted Wordsmith at HW Book Nook and Cranny, where the author says:
Memoir-fiction blends can be compelling, rawly honest books. In this case, however, I fear the impulse to novelize this episode of his life led Chris Tebbetts astray. This origin story explains one of the book’s essential flaws: it completely fails to make the case for why this story is interesting. (Of course you’d be invested in something that happened to you–it’s your life! It’s important! But that doesn’t mean it’ll be compelling for anyone else.)
The book seems to take it for granted that this character and these events make a good story. It’s hard to ignore the sense that this has everything to do with its autobiographical nature–not to mention the long tradition of the Western canon’s insistence that anything that happens to a young, white everyman is interesting by definition.
Me Myself & Him never stops to show me why I should care about deeply mediocre Chris. This is made worse by the fact that Chris’ mind is a deeply unpleasant place to be. He’s self-absorbed and nasty, and most pages are full of his uncharitable, knee-jerk assumptions about other characters. You can’t say that’s not realistic; he’s a teenager. Lots of teenagers (especially those as privileged as Chris) are self-absorbed and mean.
But realistic doesn’t mean compelling, and it doesn’t mean worth reading. I finished the book frustrated that I never got any payoff for the hours I spent inside Chris’ small mind. It would have been worth it if this character showed me something new, but Chris’ growth is minimal and I never get the sense that the book is pushing back against his flaws. Slice-of-life, average Joe characters work as a vehicle for captivating prose or deeper themes, but Me Myself & Him can’t get past how ~important~ it finds Chris for his own sake. He doesn't need to give me a window into some aspect of humanity--he's fascinating just because he's Chris.
The book’s saving grace might have been a cast of interesting secondary characters that contextualize Chris’ ignorance, but unfortunately, Chris is the only character that is fully drawn. The rest are flat mix-and-matches of stock characterization that only matter as side characters in Chris’ life, not as humans with their own interiority. (It’s unsurprising that this story, with a male-dominated cast, sidelines the female characters most of all.)
In the end, with little character development and no real story to tell, all Me Myself & Him is left with is the speculative framework. The author seems to be relying on the split-timeline structure to make the novel interesting, but that only serves to give the reader two poor contemporaries instead of one.
I do like the idea–it’s what drew me to the book. And there were moments when I could really see what Tebbets was going for. This kid had an idea of what the future would look like, and in one night, poof, that goes away. He’s having a completely different summer (and when you’re that age, a summer matters) than he thought, and he can’t let go of what might have been. The novel explores that directly–okay, then. What if the moment that changed everything went differently? It turns out that Chris’ imagined future still wouldn’t have happened; it just would have turned into something different. But how could he have known?
I can completely identify with that curiosity and longing. It’s a feeling that, for me, sits perfectly in that summer-before-college setting. I had very similar thoughts in my late teens, ruminating over the small choices that led me to people and experiences that meant everything… people and experiences I otherwise would have missed. The book reaches towards some great ideas when it’s a story about what might have been, and those moments kept it from being a one-star read for me.
But I can’t even think about those moments for very long before I start remembering how frustrating they became after a while. Tebbets doesn’t seem to trust his reader to understand what he’s going for, so he has his characters constantly bring up theories of the multiverse. It was clever the first couple times, but by halfway through the book, I couldn’t imagine what reader wouldn’t have gotten the picture by now.
It being June when I write this, I can’t close this review without bringing up the LGBT rep. Chris (the character, though I believe the author as well) is out as gay, and an m/m relationship plays a central role in the second half of the book. I don’t have many thoughts on the rep in this book–it didn’t strike me as particularly good or bad–but I’ll link some OwnVoices reviews if I find any that address it directly.
I received a digital review copy from the publisher via NetGalley in expectation of an honest review. No money changed hands for this review and all opinions are my own.
I didn't notice until I was a chapter in. Because I'm that smart.
I kind of which I had noticed the same-first-names thing before, though. It probably would have given me a better idea of what I was in for than the cool cover and intriguing blurb did.
Me Myself & Him reaches for some intriguing ideas but is dragged down by flat characters and a fruitlessly unpleasant protagonist. A case of autobiographical fiction gone wrong.
After I finished, I hunted around until I found an interview that addressed the Chris/Chris thing. It comes up quickly in this great interview by the Haunted Wordsmith at HW Book Nook and Cranny, where the author says:
“The prologue of this book is autobiographical, about a drug-fueled accident I had at age nineteen, where I broke my nose and got into a lot of trouble with my parents, appropriately enough… [Naming Chris after the author] was a deliberate choice, of course, since this story is in some small part memoir, mixed with a much heavier dose of fiction. Beyond that, the book also draws on a lot of the emotional truths that were part of my experience at that age.”
Memoir-fiction blends can be compelling, rawly honest books. In this case, however, I fear the impulse to novelize this episode of his life led Chris Tebbetts astray. This origin story explains one of the book’s essential flaws: it completely fails to make the case for why this story is interesting. (Of course you’d be invested in something that happened to you–it’s your life! It’s important! But that doesn’t mean it’ll be compelling for anyone else.)
The book seems to take it for granted that this character and these events make a good story. It’s hard to ignore the sense that this has everything to do with its autobiographical nature–
Me Myself & Him never stops to show me why I should care about deeply mediocre Chris. This is made worse by the fact that Chris’ mind is a deeply unpleasant place to be. He’s self-absorbed and nasty, and most pages are full of his uncharitable, knee-jerk assumptions about other characters. You can’t say that’s not realistic; he’s a teenager. Lots of teenagers (especially those as privileged as Chris) are self-absorbed and mean.
But realistic doesn’t mean compelling, and it doesn’t mean worth reading. I finished the book frustrated that I never got any payoff for the hours I spent inside Chris’ small mind. It would have been worth it if this character showed me something new, but Chris’ growth is minimal and I never get the sense that the book is pushing back against his flaws. Slice-of-life, average Joe characters work as a vehicle for captivating prose or deeper themes, but Me Myself & Him can’t get past how ~important~ it finds Chris for his own sake. He doesn't need to give me a window into some aspect of humanity--he's fascinating just because he's Chris.
The book’s saving grace might have been a cast of interesting secondary characters that contextualize Chris’ ignorance, but unfortunately, Chris is the only character that is fully drawn. The rest are flat mix-and-matches of stock characterization that only matter as side characters in Chris’ life, not as humans with their own interiority. (It’s unsurprising that this story, with a male-dominated cast, sidelines the female characters most of all.)
In the end, with little character development and no real story to tell, all Me Myself & Him is left with is the speculative framework. The author seems to be relying on the split-timeline structure to make the novel interesting, but that only serves to give the reader two poor contemporaries instead of one.
I do like the idea–it’s what drew me to the book. And there were moments when I could really see what Tebbets was going for. This kid had an idea of what the future would look like, and in one night, poof, that goes away. He’s having a completely different summer (and when you’re that age, a summer matters) than he thought, and he can’t let go of what might have been. The novel explores that directly–okay, then. What if the moment that changed everything went differently? It turns out that Chris’ imagined future still wouldn’t have happened; it just would have turned into something different. But how could he have known?
I can completely identify with that curiosity and longing. It’s a feeling that, for me, sits perfectly in that summer-before-college setting. I had very similar thoughts in my late teens, ruminating over the small choices that led me to people and experiences that meant everything… people and experiences I otherwise would have missed. The book reaches towards some great ideas when it’s a story about what might have been, and those moments kept it from being a one-star read for me.
But I can’t even think about those moments for very long before I start remembering how frustrating they became after a while. Tebbets doesn’t seem to trust his reader to understand what he’s going for, so he has his characters constantly bring up theories of the multiverse. It was clever the first couple times, but by halfway through the book, I couldn’t imagine what reader wouldn’t have gotten the picture by now.
It being June when I write this, I can’t close this review without bringing up the LGBT rep. Chris (the character, though I believe the author as well) is out as gay, and an m/m relationship plays a central role in the second half of the book. I don’t have many thoughts on the rep in this book–it didn’t strike me as particularly good or bad–but I’ll link some OwnVoices reviews if I find any that address it directly.
I received a digital review copy from the publisher via NetGalley in expectation of an honest review. No money changed hands for this review and all opinions are my own.
September 20, 2019
My nerdy, multi-verse sort of believing self absolutely loved this book! There are three different timelines for the main character, Chris, and they do an excellent job of illustrating how even the smallest things have the potential to change everything. I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a well-written, fun, and thoughtful read.
This unbiased review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
This unbiased review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
July 13, 2019
I confess I was disappointed. This isn't supernatural or science fiction, it's just a story of how life can be different depending on a single fact.
Chris trips on the floor, almost breaking his nose. This is, if his mother finds out he's been tripping on whippets his last summer before college may be completely different. Narrated in alternate chapters we find out how both of his lives were, as he tries to overcome his issues with his estranged father and with his best friends, which may be a love triangle.
I think it's an interesting exercise. Somewhere in the book they do start discussing about the possibility of existing other selves, with different lives. But I'm sorry that it never goes anywhere really, and that's why I don't call this a sci-fi. It'd be the same as calling a book a drama because a character cried, or a romance because someone got married. So don't be me—start the book knowing this is more like one of these visual novel games when you have to make a choice to know what happens in each timeline.
Which is still interesting, to be honest. It wasn't what I wanted and it didn't blow my world, but the situations Chris needs to deal with, the relationships he needs to understand and fix, they're very relatable. This was a great way to get to know Chris himself. All the themes explored were equally food for thought, the author has a way to bring up important topics without sounding preachy.
As for the ending, I confess I'll need a second read to make sure I understood. It sure didn't go boom, so I'll call it lukewarm. Not bad but not really the best. To the last page I expected there to be a reason I had to read two different stories about Chris's summer, and there was none.
To be honest, I prefer playing visual novels; not a book format I fell in love with.
Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.
Chris trips on the floor, almost breaking his nose. This is, if his mother finds out he's been tripping on whippets his last summer before college may be completely different. Narrated in alternate chapters we find out how both of his lives were, as he tries to overcome his issues with his estranged father and with his best friends, which may be a love triangle.
I think it's an interesting exercise. Somewhere in the book they do start discussing about the possibility of existing other selves, with different lives. But I'm sorry that it never goes anywhere really, and that's why I don't call this a sci-fi. It'd be the same as calling a book a drama because a character cried, or a romance because someone got married. So don't be me—start the book knowing this is more like one of these visual novel games when you have to make a choice to know what happens in each timeline.
Which is still interesting, to be honest. It wasn't what I wanted and it didn't blow my world, but the situations Chris needs to deal with, the relationships he needs to understand and fix, they're very relatable. This was a great way to get to know Chris himself. All the themes explored were equally food for thought, the author has a way to bring up important topics without sounding preachy.
As for the ending, I confess I'll need a second read to make sure I understood. It sure didn't go boom, so I'll call it lukewarm. Not bad but not really the best. To the last page I expected there to be a reason I had to read two different stories about Chris's summer, and there was none.
To be honest, I prefer playing visual novels; not a book format I fell in love with.
Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.
July 21, 2020
This whole book felt like a cozy warm afternoon in mid-July and going out with your friends. This was a perfect summer read for me especially since I couldn't do anything because of COVID-19. I loved how it incorporated different timelines of what happened. I think this added something unique and wonderful to the story. I absolutely loved this book.
July 2, 2021
This was for sure a book I read.
The whole like two separate time lines thing was interesting but it definitely felt like one was more planned out then the other. Plus, I didn’t like how “oh lol what if THIS THING happened to you if THIS THING didn’t happen you?” and it was just -conveniently- the thing that just happened.
Plus it just........ended? Just ended.
Ew.
The whole like two separate time lines thing was interesting but it definitely felt like one was more planned out then the other. Plus, I didn’t like how “oh lol what if THIS THING happened to you if THIS THING didn’t happen you?” and it was just -conveniently- the thing that just happened.
Plus it just........ended? Just ended.
Ew.
May 30, 2019
An interesting premise, but it never really pays off.
Who wouldn't be curious about what might have happened if ... ?
I liked the back and forth between the parallel universes, but I kept waiting for something to payoff. For Chris to learn a lesson or something. But the one dimensional love interest and the unresolved issues with his dad just .... well, nothing happens at the end. There's no emotional or drama resolution. The book just ends because Chris has ran out of time. The pacing was way off and felt short. More story could have been added to make this a more complex book. I was hoping for more.
I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Story: 2 stars
Character Development: 3 stars
Writing/Prose: 3 stars
Who wouldn't be curious about what might have happened if ... ?
I liked the back and forth between the parallel universes, but I kept waiting for something to payoff. For Chris to learn a lesson or something. But the one dimensional love interest and the unresolved issues with his dad just .... well, nothing happens at the end. There's no emotional or drama resolution. The book just ends because Chris has ran out of time. The pacing was way off and felt short. More story could have been added to make this a more complex book. I was hoping for more.
I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Story: 2 stars
Character Development: 3 stars
Writing/Prose: 3 stars
July 8, 2019
Me, Myself, & Him is a split timeline tale of how one decision can have dramatically different results.
After Chris does whippets and passes out at work his life could take one of two paths: he lies and stays at home for the last summer before college or he gets found out and shipped off to his father's for the last summer before college.
Each timeline is revealed in alternating chapters which would not be so bad if both storylines were equally engaging and developed, but that is not the case. Both storylines had their faults and neither one feels complete. In the storyline where he went to California for the summer was both the best and worst timeline. Even though the main character is gay, as soon as he gets off the plane and sees his 14-year-old soon-to-be step-sister he comments on her breasts and their size. Um...excuse me? In this timeline, there are more inappropriate, off-the-wall comments regarding the "crush" that she was developing on him at the same time Chris was starting a relationship with a guy in his drug group.
In the other timeline, Chris is found doing more drugs with a coworker and not making the right choices. Strangely enough, this timeline introduced the "reason" for his parents' divorce in the last few chapters and it just opened unresolved questions where there didn't need to be.
I have mixed feelings on this book because on one hand, exploring how one decision could result in different things happening is fun and creative, the story just felt flat and I was investing in the "California" Chris until his breast comment and I just couldn't get behind the "Stay at home" Chris. I can see this story appealing to 16 to 19 year old guys though.
Overall rating is a 3.5 because the book became a slog to read in the middle with the double chapter format. Likability as a 40-year-old mother means it's a 3. Appeal if I were a late-teen guy 4.5. So, take your pick of ratings.
Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Children's for the opportunity to read this advance reader copy.
After Chris does whippets and passes out at work his life could take one of two paths: he lies and stays at home for the last summer before college or he gets found out and shipped off to his father's for the last summer before college.
Each timeline is revealed in alternating chapters which would not be so bad if both storylines were equally engaging and developed, but that is not the case. Both storylines had their faults and neither one feels complete. In the storyline where he went to California for the summer was both the best and worst timeline. Even though the main character is gay, as soon as he gets off the plane and sees his 14-year-old soon-to-be step-sister he comments on her breasts and their size. Um...excuse me? In this timeline, there are more inappropriate, off-the-wall comments regarding the "crush" that she was developing on him at the same time Chris was starting a relationship with a guy in his drug group.
In the other timeline, Chris is found doing more drugs with a coworker and not making the right choices. Strangely enough, this timeline introduced the "reason" for his parents' divorce in the last few chapters and it just opened unresolved questions where there didn't need to be.
I have mixed feelings on this book because on one hand, exploring how one decision could result in different things happening is fun and creative, the story just felt flat and I was investing in the "California" Chris until his breast comment and I just couldn't get behind the "Stay at home" Chris. I can see this story appealing to 16 to 19 year old guys though.
Overall rating is a 3.5 because the book became a slog to read in the middle with the double chapter format. Likability as a 40-year-old mother means it's a 3. Appeal if I were a late-teen guy 4.5. So, take your pick of ratings.
Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Children's for the opportunity to read this advance reader copy.
September 17, 2019
I should begin by saying I am probably NOT the target audience for this Young Adult novel. I am 64 and far removed from the days between high school and college, but I can clearly remember how it felt to be that age, full of the excitement of endless possibilities for my future, and scared about which steps to take for my path forward. I was also at that time the third wheel when my best friend became an item with a close friend of ours, soon after high school graduation, and our three-way relationships changed Big Time. The author capture those situations brilliantly, using dialog and descriptions that are timeless.
Additionally, he throws in a fun twist that brought me many smiles - I have often wondered how my life would have turned out if I'd made a few different choices, some big ones, but some based on something as small as whether my parents discovered that I'd passed out from inhaling whippets (another situation in this story that prompted long ago memories for me - I haven't forgotten how it felt to do them either!). In this book, we are shown how the choices we make can result in big differences in our lives.
I must admit that it took me longer than it should have to notice that each chapter had two versions, with different fonts for each one, but once I caught on, that added to the fun of reading this book. This is a story I won't forget, and I applaud the author for creating a writing format that made us work a little to keep straight which path we were on, with the Chris who stayed home with his friends for the summer or the Chris who was forced to spent the summer with his father in California, while at the same time creating a character who made us root for him no matter which Chris was 'real'. This was not an easy task, but the author did a great job!
Additionally, he throws in a fun twist that brought me many smiles - I have often wondered how my life would have turned out if I'd made a few different choices, some big ones, but some based on something as small as whether my parents discovered that I'd passed out from inhaling whippets (another situation in this story that prompted long ago memories for me - I haven't forgotten how it felt to do them either!). In this book, we are shown how the choices we make can result in big differences in our lives.
I must admit that it took me longer than it should have to notice that each chapter had two versions, with different fonts for each one, but once I caught on, that added to the fun of reading this book. This is a story I won't forget, and I applaud the author for creating a writing format that made us work a little to keep straight which path we were on, with the Chris who stayed home with his friends for the summer or the Chris who was forced to spent the summer with his father in California, while at the same time creating a character who made us root for him no matter which Chris was 'real'. This was not an easy task, but the author did a great job!
June 17, 2019
3.5 Stars
This is definitely a guy read. I love me some female YA authors, but let's face it. Guys sometimes do a better job of writing guy characters. I will most certainly recommend this book to my students - guys and girls.
Chris is probably one of two characters in the book that I liked (Gina is the other one). Chris is authentic - his snarkiness, his anger, lying to his parents - sounds like a character that many teens can relate to. Several times while reading Chris's inner thoughts, I laughed heartily.
"Dad's ego was like this stray animal, and the more you fed it, the more it kept coming around."
That one really got me.
Love the premise of the book - kid passes out after huffing nitrous and deals with the fallout in two alternate timelines. I did not like the execution of said premise - too confusing at times AND I was expecting each storyline to end with REAL consequences.
When I first began reading, Chris and his mishap with whippets reminded me of a modern day After School Special. I was almost giddy! My biggest fear was that the author might wind up sounding too preachy. Um, no. That didn't happen at all. What started out with a strong, controversial topic of drug use, ended with fluffy bunnies and rainbows. Instead of addressing the drug issue (Chris and his friends also used alcohol and marijuana frequently), each timeline focused on Chris's relationship with his crappy friends/new love interest - all one-dimensional.
In fact, most of the characters, including Chris's dad, treated huffing, underage drinking, and smoking pot as seemingly benign drug use (if that's actually a thing), almost condoning this behavior as ordinary. No big deal.
Chris, talking to his dad:
"But if we're being honest, I'm pretty sure I haven't smoked my last weed, and I'm guessing I'll be drunk more than once before freshman year is over."
To which his dad replies,
"I never expected you to abstain from everything under the sun."
Wait . . . what?
The only real consequence of Chris's actions was his face got banged up. The other potentially serious consequences in each timeline Seriously?!
I will still buy this book, put it in my library, and recommend it to my students. But, I will make sure to pair it with a book about the dangers of inhalants. The last thing I want is for one of my students to read this book and think the worst that can happen is your face gets jacked up. Death. That's the worst that can happen.
This is definitely a guy read. I love me some female YA authors, but let's face it. Guys sometimes do a better job of writing guy characters. I will most certainly recommend this book to my students - guys and girls.
Chris is probably one of two characters in the book that I liked (Gina is the other one). Chris is authentic - his snarkiness, his anger, lying to his parents - sounds like a character that many teens can relate to. Several times while reading Chris's inner thoughts, I laughed heartily.
"Dad's ego was like this stray animal, and the more you fed it, the more it kept coming around."
That one really got me.
Love the premise of the book - kid passes out after huffing nitrous and deals with the fallout in two alternate timelines. I did not like the execution of said premise - too confusing at times AND I was expecting each storyline to end with REAL consequences.
When I first began reading, Chris and his mishap with whippets reminded me of a modern day After School Special. I was almost giddy! My biggest fear was that the author might wind up sounding too preachy. Um, no. That didn't happen at all. What started out with a strong, controversial topic of drug use, ended with fluffy bunnies and rainbows. Instead of addressing the drug issue (Chris and his friends also used alcohol and marijuana frequently), each timeline focused on Chris's relationship with his crappy friends/new love interest - all one-dimensional.
In fact, most of the characters, including Chris's dad, treated huffing, underage drinking, and smoking pot as seemingly benign drug use (if that's actually a thing), almost condoning this behavior as ordinary. No big deal.
Chris, talking to his dad:
"But if we're being honest, I'm pretty sure I haven't smoked my last weed, and I'm guessing I'll be drunk more than once before freshman year is over."
To which his dad replies,
"I never expected you to abstain from everything under the sun."
Wait . . . what?
The only real consequence of Chris's actions was his face got banged up. The other potentially serious consequences in each timeline Seriously?!
I will still buy this book, put it in my library, and recommend it to my students. But, I will make sure to pair it with a book about the dangers of inhalants. The last thing I want is for one of my students to read this book and think the worst that can happen is your face gets jacked up. Death. That's the worst that can happen.
August 11, 2019
A huge thank you to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book! All opinions are still very much my own
3.5 stars**
This was an absolute ride and I really enjoyed it.
The idea of bouncing back and forth between two parallel realities after face-planting on concrete while doing whippets is hilarious and oh so fun, and thankfully, really well done. While dual-timeline stories are often quite difficult for me to follow, especially when they contain shared characters, this one was a breeze to read.
I would say this is perfect for fans of Jesse Andrews, Ned Vizzini, and even Andrew Smith. That is, those who like their contemporaries with a little edge, their protagonists with a healthy dose of sarcasm, and are good with a little weird. It's funny, it's compelling, it's got great character development. And MAN that would make a good movie.
My only beef is with the ending, which I found to not have nearly enough closure for my liking and All in all though, really fun, and definitely worth a read.
Trigger and Content Warnings: Recreational drug use by minors, strained parental relationships, abandonment, physical assault, injury (with fairly graphic descriptions of blood and broken bones), vomit
3.5 stars**
This was an absolute ride and I really enjoyed it.
The idea of bouncing back and forth between two parallel realities after face-planting on concrete while doing whippets is hilarious and oh so fun, and thankfully, really well done. While dual-timeline stories are often quite difficult for me to follow, especially when they contain shared characters, this one was a breeze to read.
I would say this is perfect for fans of Jesse Andrews, Ned Vizzini, and even Andrew Smith. That is, those who like their contemporaries with a little edge, their protagonists with a healthy dose of sarcasm, and are good with a little weird. It's funny, it's compelling, it's got great character development. And MAN that would make a good movie.
My only beef is with the ending, which I found to not have nearly enough closure for my liking and All in all though, really fun, and definitely worth a read.
Trigger and Content Warnings: Recreational drug use by minors, strained parental relationships, abandonment, physical assault, injury (with fairly graphic descriptions of blood and broken bones), vomit
June 23, 2019
I received a free copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you net galley!
Truth be told, I did not like this book. I had a very hard time getting into it and I struggled to find the motivation to continue reading. The way the book was set up simply made me very not interested in it. I did not like that each chapter essentially had two chapters in it, one version for each of the two storylines that was being told.
I think the premise behind the book is great, and I love the idea of there being two stories within one book. Especially with the idea of alternate realities. However, I did not like the flip-flop back and forth in this book. If you weren't keeping careful track on which chapter was which, it was easy to forget that the storyline switched back and forth. There were a few times that I got confused as to which version of Chris that I was currently reading.
With that being said, I did very much enjoy the storyline of this book. I liked how one version had Kris in trouble for something that he did it while the other version showed what would happen if he got away with it. I did like that the two storylines merged together at points so that there were specific events that happened in both timelines.
If you like alternate realities and alternate possibilities for stories, then this book is absolutely perfect for you. The storyline and the premise and the characters were fantastic.
Truth be told, I did not like this book. I had a very hard time getting into it and I struggled to find the motivation to continue reading. The way the book was set up simply made me very not interested in it. I did not like that each chapter essentially had two chapters in it, one version for each of the two storylines that was being told.
I think the premise behind the book is great, and I love the idea of there being two stories within one book. Especially with the idea of alternate realities. However, I did not like the flip-flop back and forth in this book. If you weren't keeping careful track on which chapter was which, it was easy to forget that the storyline switched back and forth. There were a few times that I got confused as to which version of Chris that I was currently reading.
With that being said, I did very much enjoy the storyline of this book. I liked how one version had Kris in trouble for something that he did it while the other version showed what would happen if he got away with it. I did like that the two storylines merged together at points so that there were specific events that happened in both timelines.
If you like alternate realities and alternate possibilities for stories, then this book is absolutely perfect for you. The storyline and the premise and the characters were fantastic.
July 6, 2019
Chris Tebbett's Me Myself & Him is a lovely book, all about the time between the end of high school and the beginning of college. When doing whippets with a friend after his summer job, Chris, the main character, passes out and ends up in the ER. He must decide whether to tell the truth about what happened or to lie. By using an alternate timeline, Tebbetts is able to create a wonderful tension between the Chris who stays home in Ohio, lying about how he ended up in the ER, and the Chris who tells the truth and has to go to California to stay with his estranged father, a theoretical physicist. I loved how the two timelines were in conversation with each other. How things that happen in one timeline has echoes in the other. There is a beautiful moment, late in the book, when we see so clearly how one timeline or another has changed things for Chris. I loved this book so much. And I thought it was very true to that time of life when everything is changing, and suddenly you find out that things aren't a simple as you thought they were.
August 18, 2019
"In terms of clothing and personal hygiene, I tend to play along at the basic membership level. I care what I look like, but at the same time, whenever I see one of those stranded-on-an-island movies, part of me thinks, Well, at least I wouldn't have to shower."
SYNOPSIS | Chris Schweitzer takes a hit of whippets outside the back of the restaurant he works at and passes out on the cement smashing his nose (essentially squirting a whipped cream can up his nose hoping for a hit of the trapped nitrous oxide gas inside). The story then splits into two separate alternative timelines. In one, he is truthful about the incident and is sent to live with his dad in California throughout Summer whilst attending a drug rehabilitation programme. In the other, he lies about the incident and spends the Summer at home with his friends but his lies start to unravel.
MY THOUGHTS | I liked what this story was trying to achieve, but I wasn't all that invested in either of the timelines or character development and subsequent relationships. I kept reading because I wanted to know if either of the timelines converged (or had an impact on each other), but the actual story was pretty meh for me.
SYNOPSIS | Chris Schweitzer takes a hit of whippets outside the back of the restaurant he works at and passes out on the cement smashing his nose (essentially squirting a whipped cream can up his nose hoping for a hit of the trapped nitrous oxide gas inside). The story then splits into two separate alternative timelines. In one, he is truthful about the incident and is sent to live with his dad in California throughout Summer whilst attending a drug rehabilitation programme. In the other, he lies about the incident and spends the Summer at home with his friends but his lies start to unravel.
MY THOUGHTS | I liked what this story was trying to achieve, but I wasn't all that invested in either of the timelines or character development and subsequent relationships. I kept reading because I wanted to know if either of the timelines converged (or had an impact on each other), but the actual story was pretty meh for me.
June 2, 2019
This was definitely a new spin I wasn't expecting. The alternate, yet sometimes coincidental timelines made the book interesting, yet it also made the book disconnected for me. I was way more invested in the timeline where Chris goes to live with his dad. I enjoyed the character building in that storyline and felt like it was more developed. I was actually kinda disappointed going to the other timeline. Maybe the romance was just more my style right now.
I enjoyed the read, it was easy-going and entertaining. I was just left feeling like so much was not resolved. I couldn't believe the book was ending when it did. I was left wanting more, especially in a resolution with his parents. It felt rushed from about the 1/2 way point.
I enjoyed the read, it was easy-going and entertaining. I was just left feeling like so much was not resolved. I couldn't believe the book was ending when it did. I was left wanting more, especially in a resolution with his parents. It felt rushed from about the 1/2 way point.
Read
October 16, 2022The premise of this book is so funny. Two universes where a kid does whippets. In one he suffers consequences, in the other he doesn’t. There’s a weird Christian chick in the story and that’s about all I remember.
July 23, 2019
4/5:
Easy easy
Easy easy
March 18, 2019
Sometimes a midlist book just comes for me and surprises me and this one is it for the season. I’m not even sure why I like this as much as I do. But damn it, I really do.
July 20, 2019
Loved this concept, and it totally holds up as the reader follows Chris down two potential paths in a multiverse of possibilities. Having made dumb mistakes as a teen, I could totally relate to Chris and his attempts to lie, cover his ass, and blame his jerky father for his problems. But it's about more than a teen making mistakes. Great romance! Changing friendships! And just the right amount of physics added into the mix! Perfect read for teens undergoing big changes.
May 30, 2019
🌟🌟🌟(3.5)
*Thank you to Netgalley, Random House Children’s, Delacorte Press, and the author for this advanced copy*
This book follows 18 year old Chris down 2 different paths after his accident while doing whippets behind work.
One path follows Chris afternoon after his mom finds out the truth about the accident and gets sent to live with his dad for the summer before college or else he can kiss college goodbye. While living with his dad, he is under strict rules of going to work for his dads lab, and drug counseling meetings every week.
The other path follows Chris after he hides the truth about what happened by the back dumpster. He spends the summer with his 2 best friends, Wexler and Anna, and them trying to spend time together before they all go to different colleges in the fall.
I struggled through this book. At first the 2 different storylines confused me and understanding what happened in one time and not mixing it with the other.
The other thing that was hard for me was that non of the main characters were ever physically described but all the minor background characters did. I had no idea what Chris or his best friends looked like but I knew exactly how the others in his drug counseling did.
May 5, 2019
I’m really torn between a 3 and 4 star rating for this and I could insert a horrible joke about the infinite possibilities that could lead to me changing it but for now I’m just going to stick with the 3.
“Me, Myself and Him” follows Chris down two very different paths following his accident after a whippet gone wrong and in each we see how the very idea of change, be it with his social circle, his fathers upcoming wedding or his very self can be impacted by any number of decisions he encounters.
So I’m not sure which version of this story is supposed to be the one that actually happens but I really enjoyed both for what they brought to the table and how they impacted Chris.
Scenario 1 sees Chris living with his father and navigating their rocky relationship as he harbors resentment over his fathers decision to leave the family and the strict rules he finds himself following in order to go to college in the fall. This portion gives us a lot of insight into his relationship with his family while still touching on the subject of his friends and the struggle we’ve all faced with wanting to hold on to childhood relationships as we enter adulthood while also letting us see him grow up and reach this new found independence now that he doesn’t have the crutch of his friends to make him feel safe.
Scenario 2 finds Chris desperate to keep his social dynamic exactly the same for his final summer before college only to find that someone knows he lied about his accident and this newfound problem might be someone just as lost in the shuffle as Chris and looking for a friend to hold on to.
I’ll be honest as much as I loved scenario 1 for all it gave us in terms of the past and what it could mean for Chris and his father moving forward I really wanted there to be some kind of resolution for scenario 2 Chris and whatever the hell was going on with Mitch. I feel like that portion of the story cuts off too quickly and there was more to that character than what we see and I’d give anything to see some sort of sequel or POV granted to him at some point.
This book is very interesting and a bit confusing at first as the synopsis set up an idea in my head that was nothing like how it actually played out in terms of the two alternating timelines so I’ll admit it was a bit of a struggle at first but it was resolved quickly in order to finish out the story which wasn’t anything stellar but also wasn’t awful so for that I’m grateful.
**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**
“Me, Myself and Him” follows Chris down two very different paths following his accident after a whippet gone wrong and in each we see how the very idea of change, be it with his social circle, his fathers upcoming wedding or his very self can be impacted by any number of decisions he encounters.
So I’m not sure which version of this story is supposed to be the one that actually happens but I really enjoyed both for what they brought to the table and how they impacted Chris.
Scenario 1 sees Chris living with his father and navigating their rocky relationship as he harbors resentment over his fathers decision to leave the family and the strict rules he finds himself following in order to go to college in the fall. This portion gives us a lot of insight into his relationship with his family while still touching on the subject of his friends and the struggle we’ve all faced with wanting to hold on to childhood relationships as we enter adulthood while also letting us see him grow up and reach this new found independence now that he doesn’t have the crutch of his friends to make him feel safe.
Scenario 2 finds Chris desperate to keep his social dynamic exactly the same for his final summer before college only to find that someone knows he lied about his accident and this newfound problem might be someone just as lost in the shuffle as Chris and looking for a friend to hold on to.
I’ll be honest as much as I loved scenario 1 for all it gave us in terms of the past and what it could mean for Chris and his father moving forward I really wanted there to be some kind of resolution for scenario 2 Chris and whatever the hell was going on with Mitch. I feel like that portion of the story cuts off too quickly and there was more to that character than what we see and I’d give anything to see some sort of sequel or POV granted to him at some point.
This book is very interesting and a bit confusing at first as the synopsis set up an idea in my head that was nothing like how it actually played out in terms of the two alternating timelines so I’ll admit it was a bit of a struggle at first but it was resolved quickly in order to finish out the story which wasn’t anything stellar but also wasn’t awful so for that I’m grateful.
**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**
June 8, 2019
Interest Level: YA
Imagine you make a stupid mistake and you have to pay a high consequence for it. Now imagine you make the same stupid mistake and you seem to get away with it. This is what is happening with Chris Schweitzer. The summer after his senior year was supposed to be the best. It was supposed to be him and his two best friends, Wexler and Anna, doing absolutely nothing but hanging out. However, Chris makes the dumb mistake of taking a hit of whippets, he passes out and face-plants into the concrete. He is rushed to the hospital and this is where the book takes a twist. In one scenario his parents find out and he is shipped out to spend the summer with his overbearing jerk of a father. His perfect summer is blown. But... in another scenario his parents thinks think he accidentally tripped and fell. He does get to stay home for the summer, but it turns out not to be a perfect as he imagined. He ends up being a third wheel with his best friends. So which way does the story go and how does it end? Does he go to stay with his father in California for the summer so that he doesn't lose his chance to go to a great college? Or is he home and trying to hide what really happened? How does he handle the situation when things start to unravel because there was a witness to his "crime"? Read this 2019 YA book to find out all of the answers.
Chris Tebbetts did a fantastic job of taking a story and turning it into a Y - he gives two different versions of the same beginning. Also, after he has the story going in two different directions, he finds a way to intertwine them also. I loved the way he maneuvered this story! This book does include LGBTQIA content.
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Imagine you make a stupid mistake and you have to pay a high consequence for it. Now imagine you make the same stupid mistake and you seem to get away with it. This is what is happening with Chris Schweitzer. The summer after his senior year was supposed to be the best. It was supposed to be him and his two best friends, Wexler and Anna, doing absolutely nothing but hanging out. However, Chris makes the dumb mistake of taking a hit of whippets, he passes out and face-plants into the concrete. He is rushed to the hospital and this is where the book takes a twist. In one scenario his parents find out and he is shipped out to spend the summer with his overbearing jerk of a father. His perfect summer is blown. But... in another scenario his parents thinks think he accidentally tripped and fell. He does get to stay home for the summer, but it turns out not to be a perfect as he imagined. He ends up being a third wheel with his best friends. So which way does the story go and how does it end? Does he go to stay with his father in California for the summer so that he doesn't lose his chance to go to a great college? Or is he home and trying to hide what really happened? How does he handle the situation when things start to unravel because there was a witness to his "crime"? Read this 2019 YA book to find out all of the answers.
Chris Tebbetts did a fantastic job of taking a story and turning it into a Y - he gives two different versions of the same beginning. Also, after he has the story going in two different directions, he finds a way to intertwine them also. I loved the way he maneuvered this story! This book does include LGBTQIA content.
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