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3:59

Gretchen McNeil (Goodreads Author)

3.82 · Rating details · 2,424 ratings · 442 reviews

Josie Byrne's life is spiraling out of control. Her parents are divorcing, her boyfriend Nick has grown distant, and her physics teacher has it in for her. When she's betrayed by the two people she trusts most, Josie thinks things can't get worse.

Until she starts having dreams about a girl named Jo. Every night at the same time—3:59 a.m.

Jo's life is everything Josie wants: ...more

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Hardcover, 359 pages

Published September 17th 2013 by Balzer + Bray

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HarperCollins YA 2013 Paranormal/Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror/Thriller books

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· 2,424 ratings · 442 reviews

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Jun 17, 2013 Steph Sinclair rated it did not like it

Recommends it for: People in search of mindless entertainment

Shelves: september, yabc, harpercollins, fantasy, young-adult, why-the-hype, 2013-release, 2013-reads, all-the-wrong-choices, could-have-been-better

Actual rating: 1.5 stars

One of the biggest reasons for me wanting to read 3:59 was because it took place in a location very familiar to me. Like many other readers, when I hear about a book that's set in my state or near my hometown, I feel this incessant need to read it by any means necessary. Unfortunately, 3:59 proved to be one big fat disappointment.

The book follows science wiz Josie Bryne who starts having dreams at 3:59 of a girl who looks just like her. As her own life begins to fall apar ...more

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Feb 15, 2013 Lenore Appelhans added it

Shelves: met-the-author, apocalypsies, parallel-or-divergent-realities

So when I was reading 3:59, this happened:

If a lemur wants to read it, you know it's good :D ...more

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Aug 01, 2013 Giselle rated it liked it

Shelves: arc, own

For an entertaining thriller, 3:59 does a good job. Some of it is overwhelming or far fetched, and specific parts made me cringe, but it's an action packed read that's great for a quick thrill.

With a title like 3:59 you already know that this specific time is important to the story. So from the start, the time stamp shown on every page works to keep us on edge as we know that something is coming - and soon. Then 3:59 hits and something bizarre does happen, but we can't make sense of it quite ye For an entertaining thriller, 3:59 does a good job. Some of it is overwhelming or far fetched, and specific parts made me cringe, but it's an action packed read that's great for a quick thrill.

With a title like 3:59 you already know that this specific time is important to the story. So from the start, the time stamp shown on every page works to keep us on edge as we know that something is coming - and soon. Then 3:59 hits and something bizarre does happen, but we can't make sense of it quite yet. All we know is it's ominous, and it's likely due to her mother's experiments - meaning science, and alternate universes.

This is when Jo starts coming into the story. First via dreams, then through the mirror. Jo and Josie are the same person living completely different lives. And what else can you do but want to live where the grass is greener? As such, they decide to switch places. It's an interesting concept, one that was obviously well researched with scientifically solid ideas - ideas that stretch into sci-fi, naturally. On that note, while I appreciate complex detailing for a realistic world building especially in this genre, the science-filled discussions were quite bewildering. From profuse scientific jargon to age old multiverse theories with black holes and quantum mechanics… I'm a big fan of sci-fi books that touch on space–time continuum, but I stopped trying to wrap my head around the science encircling this one. I'm also wondering how this town bred all these teenage Einsteins. These regular school kids could have put any scientist to shame. So no matter how scientifically logical it may be (though I couldn't tell you if it was), some parts of the book make it hard to suspend disbelief regardless. Having given up on making sense of it all, I treated it more as a mindless entertaining read and was satisfied on that front!

3:59 has a protagonist with familiar issues that many will be able to relate to. A distant mother, parental separation, a cheating boyfriend, a betraying best friend; Josie's in a place in life where everyone and everything seems to be against her. Loneliness has sunk in hard, hence why she jumps at the chance to switch lives and savor what she used to have if only temporarily. Though why she would want to go back to a cheating boyfriend - even if he's the doppelgänger - is beyond me. But she was heartbroken so I'll forgive her. What I don't forgive is the part in the romance where they start making out next to a mutilated body. The scene is meant to be romantic, I think? But the reader and both characters in question are fully aware that not 5 minutes past a person was EATEN by a monstrous beast RIGHT THERE! Then Josie acts all surprised and grossed out when, stretching from "romantic enjoyment", she happens upon a dismembered foot. So not sexy, guys! *shudders* But whatever. Teenage hormones or something. Moving on from the gross.. There is a strong romantic sub plot in this book where Josie and Nick team up against an unraveling conspiracy. Her still being in love with the other "him" from her real life, and him falling in love with the "new" her gives a unique romance that I found interesting, even mind boggling. I both loved and hated how it ended, too. It's bittersweet. Her last conversation with cheating Nick: *fist pump*

The pacing is non stop with a constant give of information and twists that keep our attention from straying. There are also invisible flesh eating flying beasts added in to give a touch of horror to this new world Josie has walked into. I personally found this exciting but I can see some may be less happy about it invading a predominantly scientific plot. With that said, I feel like this book was trying to be larger than it could be, but it's an enjoyable read nonetheless.

--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.

For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

...more

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May 20, 2013 Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies rated it it was ok

Shelves: twins-triplets-clones, mystery, high-school, alternate-universe, sci-fi, parallel-time, mental-illness, ya, romance, siblings

Actual rating: 2.5

I've read my share of books about parallel universes this year. Most of the time, the basis is simple, but then eventually the idea turns into a mess beyond comprehension, both plot-wise and conceptually. This book executes the idea much better than most of the books with a similar premise...but considering those book were mostly utter crap, this book will be elevated by me beyond that, to the glorious category of "unstinky-poo." The plot is also plagued with one gigantic, gapi Actual rating: 2.5

I've read my share of books about parallel universes this year. Most of the time, the basis is simple, but then eventually the idea turns into a mess beyond comprehension, both plot-wise and conceptually. This book executes the idea much better than most of the books with a similar premise...but considering those book were mostly utter crap, this book will be elevated by me beyond that, to the glorious category of "unstinky-poo." The plot is also plagued with one gigantic, gaping, Grand Canyon-sized plot hole crucial to the twist, that I am frankly shocked that it got passed through (no spoilers).

The idea of the parallel universes were well-explained, but the plot and the characters leave much to be desired. Here we have the sci-fi version of The Parent Trap. Josie Byrne is a brilliant student, she's got a wonderful boyfriend and a group of friends whom she largely ignores because her family life is a mess right now (mom is acting like a mad scientist, dad is dating her school's former prom queen-cum personal-trainer, etc). Also, there's been a lot of mysterious deaths in the woods near town. All caused by animals, according to the authorities. Like anyone's going to believe that.

In one Very Bad Afternoon, Josie gets into a quasi-car accident, gets fired from her job, and finds out that her wonderful-awesome-handsome-loving boyfriend Nick has been cheating on her. With her best friend, Madison. Ouch. All this started from that unfortunate car event at 3:59 PM.

From then on, Josie has dreams of someone who looks like her, named Jo. Jo looks like she has the perfect life, because you can absolutely glean all that from glimpses of someone's dreams. Jo drives a sweet BMW. Her boyfriend (also Nick) is loving and wonderful. Jo's got a lovely bedroom.

Josie and Jo come to realize that the mirror in their room is connecting them and their parallel worlds, which is separated by 12 hours. Josie is desperately envious of Jo. Specifically, she is envious of Jo's boyfriend, the cheating son-of-a-bitch Nick, whom she still loves and with whom she still wants a second chance. So Josie made the brilliant idea of switching places with Jo for one day, despite knowing nothing of her besides for one briefly exchanged letter, passed through the mirror, despite knowing nothing at all about her world, all for the sake of having ONE MORE PWECIOUS DAY WITH HER BELOVED NICK TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT.

What?! Why?! It's a parallel universe! It changes nothing in her original world! She could be with Nick for one perfect day, he's still not going to have an idea of what transpired in her world. Josie, you are a brilliant high school student, why are you acting like such a dumb chick?! It makes no sense to me that Josie made that decision. Josie is not stupid. She really, truly is brilliant. From her demonstrated knowledge and discussions of advanced physical theories like the Penrose Interpretation, from her mother's reputation as a brilliant scientist (she's working on some experiment involving deuterium), I really, truly expected more from Josie than the behaviors of a lovesick girl.

Once the two girls do their little switcheroo (the normally frumpy Josie even gets her hair highlighted to match), Josie finds out that Jo's seemingly perfect life is not what it seems. Sure, she gets a sweet car, and she's rich, and popular...but her newfound popularity doesn't feel quite right.

It was kind of like being the world’s most popular leper---the focus of everyone’s attention and no one’s affection---and it made her incredibly uncomfortable. Was that what it was like to be popular? A kind of cold, fearful isolation?

The parallel world is like hers, but with different variations, a darker feel to it.

In house after house, blinds were being drawn, shutters latched, like every household was hunkering down for the night. As Josie tramped along, she got a creeping feeling up the back of her spine. The entire town had an air of hostility.

The people are still the same, but they act differently...or maybe it's because Jo is not who Josie thought she was. Her best friend Madison hates her, the whole school is scared of her, the teachers react in shock when she answers a question in class. Her other friend, Penelope, is absolutely terrified of her.

And what's with this thing called The Grid? What the hell is a Nox?

The plot is interesting, the execution...not so great. The romance is so ridiculous, so utterly forced. It is as if Josie falls into insta-love with Nick, someone she already knew, except...he's different. And thinking about romance in this sort of situation is just plain stupid. The plot is complicated. Josie is trying to get back to her world, where the insidious bitchy Jo has taken over her life. There's the mystery of her disappeared mother, there's strange, mysterious, bloodsucking creatures flying around in the dark. There are government plots. People dying. Constant fear of the dark. It is a shitty, shitty world, a hell of a parallel universe, and yet Josie can't help but want to stay in it...ALL FOR THE SAKE OF NICK.

Screw the Nox. She could stay here, with Nick, forever. No one would know. She leaned her body closer to his, and closed her eyes.
This wasn’t her world. This wasn’t her life. And yet for some reason the idea of leaving here—of leaving him—made Josie instantly sick to her stomach.

Josie realizes the ridiculousness of her feelings...and she clings onto them still. It was so utterly disappointing. I wanted a strong heroine, instead, I got a strong heroine who was weakened; personality and strength and rationality set aside for the sake of romance.

The plot is heavily reliant upon deus ex machina. People just happened to be there at the right time to save someone from a bitter fate. Too many time, it happened. Oh, and this little exchange between Josie and her doppelganger father is just lovely.

“What do you need me to do?” Mr. Byrne said at last.
“We need to use the X-FEL laser. The one up at Fort Meade.”
“When?” Mr. Byrne asked.
“As soon as possible.”
She heard Mr. Byrne let out a slow breath. “All right, princess. Whatever you need. I can probably get them access for a few hours.”

CAN YOU STEAL A HIGHLY DANGEROUS LASER FOR ME, DADDY? OK BABY PRINCESS.

All of the characters were just...average. They didn't have any depth to them, even Josie, who should have been developing in complexity throughout the book. Nope. Josie is pretty much the same lovesick character she was at the end of the book as when she started. She's supposed to have developed strength somewhere along the way, but I really did not see that complexity built throughout the book. The side characters are more interesting than Josie, particularly the parallel-universe version of Madison, but we never got to see more of them than necessary, because Josie has to be the star of the show, and she stays that way to the detriment of the rest of the characters.

I never felt like Nick was anything other than a generic nice guy, and I can see how Josie is attracted to him---but I don't see how she's heads-over-heels in love with him---in both worlds, with both versions. One version of Nick supposed to be superior to the other, but considering the standard Nick was a cheating asshole, it doesn't take much to raise the bar.

A promising book, built on solid scientific theories and a well-executed premise of a parallel universe that was ultimately let down by an absurd plot and no character development. ...more

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Sep 08, 2013 ♥Rachel♥ rated it really liked it

3.5 Stars.

3:59 was a fun action packed read from start to finish. Throw in some romance, mystery and danger and I was a happy girl.

Josie’s life has been less than ideal lately. With her parents separated, her mother consumed with work, and her boyfriend, Nick, distant lately, she feels a little off-kilter. Right off the bat, things go from off-kilter to bad, especially in the romance department, and your heart goes out to poor Josie. After an explosion in her mother’s home workspace, Josie star 3.5 Stars.

3:59 was a fun action packed read from start to finish. Throw in some romance, mystery and danger and I was a happy girl.

Josie’s life has been less than ideal lately. With her parents separated, her mother consumed with work, and her boyfriend, Nick, distant lately, she feels a little off-kilter. Right off the bat, things go from off-kilter to bad, especially in the romance department, and your heart goes out to poor Josie. After an explosion in her mother’s home workspace, Josie starts to see herself, a different version, in the mirror at the same time morning and night at exactly 3:59. The Josie in the mirror, Jo, appears to be the improved, happier version, with parents still together, and Nick still normal. Josie longs for things to return to normal so she switches places with Jo temporarily. Josie learns the hard way that things are not always as they appear.

I picked this up after my last read wasn’t clicking, and was immediately hooked. The pacing was great and fast and I felt for Josie right away after she’s dealt a terrible blow! There are two Nicks in this story, her boyfriend from her world and then the Nick in Jo’s world. Josie develops a relationship with Nick in Jo’s world, but I felt it was a bit rushed and lacked depth. I think this is somewhat inherent in a plot driven novel, and I love reading about a romance that feels real in its connection, so this was a little bit of a disappointment. Still, I did enjoy this book and I was eagerly turning the pages to find out what would happen next.

I liked the concept of parallel existences, but to be honest, some of the plot felt farfetched. I’m no expert on parallel theories or quantum physics so this may be due to my ignorance (probably, lol!) but a lot of it went over my head. All in all it was a fun, fast read and I was surprised when I looked at the page count (368) because it seriously didn’t seem that long at all. I’m wondering if there’s a sequel planned because the ending didn’t seem quite like and end. I’ve looked but I couldn’t tell.

A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Come visit The Readers Den for a chance to win an ARC copy of 3:59. ...more

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Aug 23, 2012 B marked it as to-read

The Parent Trap meets Event Horizon?

...more

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Sep 06, 2013 Michelle rated it it was amazing

Shelves: review-on-blog, favorites

Holy cow! This book was awesome! I have been on such a contemporary kick that I have been neglecting all of the other genres that I used to love. Including fantasy and science fiction. Oh, how foolish I have been. 3:59 reminded me just how much I love these genres. I need to go find other fantasy books to read right away. I haven't experienced a Gretchen McNeil book yet, but I have no idea what I was waiting for. This book is easily the best written, most exciting book I have read all year. 3:59 Holy cow! This book was awesome! I have been on such a contemporary kick that I have been neglecting all of the other genres that I used to love. Including fantasy and science fiction. Oh, how foolish I have been. 3:59 reminded me just how much I love these genres. I need to go find other fantasy books to read right away. I haven't experienced a Gretchen McNeil book yet, but I have no idea what I was waiting for. This book is easily the best written, most exciting book I have read all year. 3:59 is very science heavy, but I never felt lost or confused by the scientific jargon. You could tell that Gretchen clearly did her research and she explained everything we needed to know really well through Josie and Penelope. (the two science-y ones in the story.)

I loved that even though there are two doppelgangers, Josie and Jo in this story it was only told through Josie's point of view. It would have been easy to switch back and forth between her and Jo in the beginning of the book when they were first seeing each other through the mirror, but I was so excited that the point of view never switched. I thought it really added to the story to have Josie put everything together for herself. Josie is such a smart girl- brilliant really, but she is also just a teenage girl that recently got dumped by her boyfriend. So when she looked in the mirror and saw her boyfriend happy with her other self, she saw what she wanted to see. That is what made her go from a good character to a great character in my mind. That sounds silly, doesn't it? but she was so realistic. She isn't perfect, she made some mistakes, but she more than made up for them in the rest of the book.

There are so many twists and turns in 3:59, I couldn't even predict half of them. Which made for such an exciting read! I couldn't put this book down. I was on the edge of my seat for the whole thing. When I had to stop reading to run errands or to do some work, I was actually annoyed that real life was interrupting my reading time. Gretchen McNeil knows how to write creepy. Man, the Nox was something I would have nightmares about. I would hate to live in a world with them. But they were fascinating. Everything in her world was actually. If you are a "world building" fan, you will LOVE 3:59 because the detail and description in this book is grade A. I think 3:59 is a must read book of 2013. Whether you are a fan of fantasy and science fiction or not, you need to read this book. ...more

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Mar 28, 2013 Nicole Wang rated it it was amazing

I don't usually start reviews like this, but...
Oh my fucking God. I am dead. I can not live. Guys. I just. No. My heart. It fails me. GUYS. Oh my fuck. I can not even. But. Just.

Everything hurts.

So I absolutely have to start off with the sci-fi aspect of this. There is a ton of sci-fi in there and Gretchen McNeil obviously did her research. There were so many theories thrown around, not to mention a ton of...oh God, I don't even know what to call them, much less understand! But the sci-fi is ha I don't usually start reviews like this, but...
Oh my fucking God. I am dead. I can not live. Guys. I just. No. My heart. It fails me. GUYS. Oh my fuck. I can not even. But. Just.

Everything hurts.

So I absolutely have to start off with the sci-fi aspect of this. There is a ton of sci-fi in there and Gretchen McNeil obviously did her research. There were so many theories thrown around, not to mention a ton of...oh God, I don't even know what to call them, much less understand! But the sci-fi is hardcore in 3:59, and you just have to love the scientific explanations and...other. I can't guarantee you'll understand, but I can promise that it'll blow your mind away!

And you guys, the plot. I can't even. It was filled with suspense and anticipation (read: me hyperventilating) and I just couldn't put it down! It hooked me in straight away and then proceeded to kill me several times. It was filled with so many twists I hadn't seen a mile away and smacked me in the face, leaving me astonished and shocked. Not to mention, the ending? Oh, it just breaks your heart.

I just loved our characters who were so brilliantly written (much like the rest of the book) and so wonderfully flawed, especially in the parallel world.
Josie is the kind of character you have to love. She's been through a lot and she's easy to relate to. I loved her voice and how she wasn't the perfect character. She had her selfish moments and she had her brave ones. She was smart and a bit nerdy, but wasn't the stereotypical "loser" nerd.
Nick was sweet in our world, but, of course, was a dick later on. But in the parallel world? Oh God, you have to love him! Madison...I couldn't believe her, how she could change personalities so quickly! It was disgusting and I sort of hated her. But she was definitely kickass in the parallel world and I loved seeing the few, but definitely interesting, interactions Josie had with her!

The romance isn't a big part of the book, but you can't help but cheer Nick and Josie on! I can't say much, but I need an epilogue. That is all.

This was my first Gretchen McNeil book, but you can count on it not being my last. With the amazingness that is 3:59, I'm now scrambling to read her other works! While I haven't read Ten (despite having a copy), my friends have read and loved it, so I can only assume that McNeil is as much a genius with all her books.

I absolutely was not expecting to love 3:59 this much. I had high hopes for sure, but...oh God, they were just completely blown away. And that's saying a lot. 3:59 is a gorgeously written sci-fi thriller that literally had my heart pounding from chapter one and wanting to sob an ocean in the last.
I have to recommend to absolutely everyone, sci-fi fans or no, everyone has to read this so they can scream with me. ...more

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Sep 18, 2016 LEAH⇢ rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, listened-on-audio, coming-of-age, read-2016, sci-fi, love-and-stuff, thriller, futuristic-techy, parallels, plus-a-half-star

DETAILS
3.5 STARS
Parallel Dimensions
Creepy Bird-Like Creatures
Teen Drama Thriller
Tween Romance
Futuristic Techy
Narration: Tavia Gilbert

BOOK THEME SONG:
Disturbia

☆3.5/5 STARS☆

MY THOUGHTS

First Impressions: The title and the cover are super awesome…and the synopsis is too. I have a thing for parallel universes…

This didn't exactly live up to my first impressions. While mostly entertaining, you just have to not think too deeply about it all, otherwise, it's sort of unbelievable or just off kilter-ish. ...more

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Apr 05, 2013 Christina rated it it was amazing

Shelves: stand-alone-books, fantasy-sci-fi, arc-galley, 2013-publication, borrowed

**Special Note:** My KP, Stacee from the wonderfully fabulous Adventures of a Book Junkie, let me borrow her ARC of this title. All quotes and opinions will be of this version and not from the published edition.

My full review will have to wait until my closer to the publication date, but you should all know that this was AMAZING!

3:59 was such a unique, well-delivered book-- fantastic characters, engaging and perfectly crafted plot, and surprising twists (OH THE TWISTS!)-- that made for a spe ...more

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Mar 09, 2015 Colette rated it it was amazing

Another action-packed thriller from Gretchen McNeil. Every book I read by McNeil is better than the last. In 3:59 I especially enjoyed the science and technology references; they made the multiple dimensions she created feel even more realistic. Overall 4.5/5 stars; I really hope there is a sequel!

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Feb 13, 2013 Angela marked it as to-read

Shelves: 2013-september, fantasy, books-library-owns, library-does-own-put-on-hold-later, paranormal

This sounds amazing, omg.

And it comes out a few days before my birthday.

I know what I'm buying myself.

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Dec 24, 2018 Jackie rated it liked it

I’ll rate it a 3.59 ;) It’s an alright story. Pace was ok. Not a fan of the characters

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Nov 13, 2015 Joy (joyous reads) rated it really liked it

In My Own Words:

Parallel universe. Teens smarter than the average. Portals. Scientific jargons that, surprisingly enough, I was able to understand. Matter can occupy the same space at the same time; meaning, two versions of one person can be on the same plane of existence. It also features the kind of nocturnal giant birds that I’ve only seen in that movie, Pitch Dark. It has the right mix of high octane action, romance and Sci-Fi that did not make my head spin. In short, this book was worth the In My Own Words:

Parallel universe. Teens smarter than the average. Portals. Scientific jargons that, surprisingly enough, I was able to understand. Matter can occupy the same space at the same time; meaning, two versions of one person can be on the same plane of existence. It also features the kind of nocturnal giant birds that I’ve only seen in that movie, Pitch Dark. It has the right mix of high octane action, romance and Sci-Fi that did not make my head spin. In short, this book was worth the read.

My Thoughts:

This book started out with an unforgivable relationship faux pas: a cheating character. I almost didn’t continue because of it. But I persevere because I was on a mission. I’m trying to pack away as much YA as I can so I can move on from this genre. DNF’ing is not an option. Well, I’m glad I finished this book. I’m glad I stuck with it.

I somehow ended up with a couple of books of the same subject on my current reads last week: parallel universe. The other book being, Relativity by Cristin Bishara. Admittedly, I started the latter first and have read more than half of the book already before I decided to try this one on for size. Relativity, unfortunately, was a little slow for my taste. And I have a premonition that I will not be left with the same dissatisfaction as I now have with this one.

Books with this theme typically bore me. But 3:59 managed to keep my characteristically fleeting attention for the entire day. Yup. I read it in one sitting. The romance – though started on the wrong side of right – got ultimately better. Truthfully, I can’t reconcile the same sets of characters from their different worlds. Aside from Penelope, everyone pretty much took on different personalites. The differences were startling. In effect, the two versions of Nick and Josephine was exactly how you would envision them in a Bizarro World.

Bravo, McNeil for throwing that wrench on what was turning out to be a smooth-sailing plot. On the surface, you’d think that you have it all figured out because the author told the story with a misleading transparency. She tells you who the good and the bad guys were. You’d never anticipate the twist in the end. I know I didn’t.

Josie’s kick-assery multiplies when she starts spouting off theories of relativity, gravity and quantum physics. She didn’t sound pretentious nor did she try so hard to make it seem like she was trying hard. I really like how McNeil used scientific jargons but then she made them sound so pedestrian.

To conclude, 3:59 showed me exactly what it would be like to read an accessible SciFi. I must admit the Romance is a big seller with this book. I’m looking forward to reading the next instalment because the book left off at a sort of, kind of unfinished ending. ...more

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Oct 05, 2013 Abbie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: science-fiction, mystery-suspense, 5-star-ratings, tearjerker, ebooks, young-adult

Why Gretchen McNeil? WHY?!

Beyond a doubt this was a great book. There was action, suspense, mystery and science fantasy. But that ending made me want to pull my hair out. After everything... I just --- I can't get over it. It hurts!!!

I love you non-asshole Nick!!! I ALWAYS WILL!!!

So anyway, let me just give out a short summary. Josie Byrne is an intelligent young science geek. Her mom's a scientist too and is always busy. She becomes an emotional wreck after she finds her beau cheating on her w ...more

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Feb 13, 2013 Rebecca rated it it was ok

Shelves: meh, out-in-2013

When I first saw this book, I was beyond excited. It sounded amazing and there was no question that I would be reading it sometime soon after it came out. The only other novel I've read by this author is Ten, and though I had a few complaints about it, overall I enjoyed the story and thought it was a pretty good mystery. However, I can't say I'm as happy with 3:59. There were bits of it that I liked, but mostly it was an execution fail for me. What's really frustrating is that this could have be ...more

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Jun 17, 2013 Tracy Banghart rated it it was amazing

This is the second book I've read by Gretchen and I have to say, I think she's officially one of my go-to authors now. I LOVED this book. It was super creepy, suspenceful and cleverly written. I was particularly impressed by the extensive science to her fiction...I didn't understand any of it but it sounded super sciency and convincing! :-)

Josie was a great main character - likeable and strong, but REAL too. She makes choices for the wrong reasons, has selfish moments, and doesn't always have th ...more

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Dec 10, 2014 Leah rated it did not like it

So disappointed. I have been looking forward to reading this book for a really long time. The concept sounded so cool, but in reality it just fell face down flat on the pavement.

I really wanted to like Josie, but this chick was just your typical 16-17 year old YA book girl who hates her life and whines about everything. Usually I can push past that because sometimes that's just what YA is.

What really pushed me over the edge was when Josie started dipping over to the parallel universe and these ...more

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Jan 26, 2014 Danielle (is trying to escape reality) rated it really liked it

Great little find here!

I randomly picked this up at the library, and I'm happy I did!!

It's got some different ideas that you don't see a lot: multiverse theory and dopplegangers, mixed with a lot of other things that are science-y but very accessible and understandable the way this author has done it. I don't want to say anymore and spoil it for anyone :)

If you like good YA with a good dash of romance that's fast paced and well written, then grab this one up!

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Oct 03, 2012 Addie R. marked it as to-read

Shelves: released, 2013-release

HOLY SHIT. This sounds so goooood! *o*

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May 19, 2013 Jo rated it really liked it

Shelves: hard-copy-owned, kindle-doc, ya-books-challenge

I am not a science person so a lot of the explanations sailed right by me, but I enjoyed this anyway. It needs a little more mature audience because of the language.

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Jul 20, 2013 pdbkwm rated it it was ok

Sadly, this book had a lot of potential but it got bogged down by a stupid romance and a parallel universe that didn't make much sense.

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Aug 23, 2019 Chloe rated it it was amazing

I was fascinated upon reading the plot. Imagine seeing your doppleganger from a different dimension every 3:59. Then you have a chance to talk to her and to switch place just for one day?

It's cool having those portal from the other dimension and discovering what is with the other world.
This made me read this book. I super love the book, the story and how it goes.
Just that some parts were predictable (my theories were right) I just didn't expect that biggest revelation about Jo's father. That w ...more

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Jun 05, 2013 Sarah Stack rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: Pretty much anyone

Recommended to Sarah by: The author, Gretchen McNeil

After nearly a month of this book sitting in my gift back from the writing convention I went to back in May, I finally dug it out and started reading. It might be fifty-five chapters, but it took me less than 24 hours to read, which was great. Granted there were a few moments that I wasn't a big fan off, but overall I really loved this book!

Pros:
1. The characters. Overall the characters were all well thought out and were developed well. There are a few exceptions to this pro, but mostly it's tru ...more

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Feb 20, 2013 Jaime Arkin rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-in-2013, 2013, ya, stand-alone-books, balzer-bray, on-my-real-shelves

My lovely friend Stacee was wonderful and allowed me to borrow this book from her and I need to send her more baked goods for it.

Josie Byrne isn't happy... her parents are divorcing and her best friend and boyfriend totally betray her. She's stuck in a life where she's unhappy and no one really seems to care one bit about her.

Then something interesting happens.

Every twelve hours at 3:59 she dreams about someone else's life. From what she can see, Jo has everything that she wants. Parents who l ...more

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Aug 19, 2012 Brad Sells rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arc-own, 2013-favorites

3:59 is a spine-tingling, chilling read that shook me to the bone and had me so wrapped up in this world. Gretchen McNeil has created another supernatural masterpiece - one that sets the bar high and can't be topped. I fell in love with this book so hard.

Gretchen McNeil has written some of my favorite books of all time: they're always spooky and haunting, and I just can't get enough of them. 3:59 was no exception to McNeil's incredible storytelling. Everything about 3:59 will send chills down yo 3:59 is a spine-tingling, chilling read that shook me to the bone and had me so wrapped up in this world. Gretchen McNeil has created another supernatural masterpiece - one that sets the bar high and can't be topped. I fell in love with this book so hard.

Gretchen McNeil has written some of my favorite books of all time: they're always spooky and haunting, and I just can't get enough of them. 3:59 was no exception to McNeil's incredible storytelling. Everything about 3:59 will send chills down your spine and have you looking over your shoulder. The best thing about McNeil's novels is how all of them are so original: Possess has demons and exterminating them, Ten is a creeptastic murder mystery that kept me up all night, and 3:59 is parallel worlds and the danger of how looks can be deceiving. Gretchen McNeil's novels are the perfect creepy readers, and I highly recommend them all. 3:59 is so fantastic. I've never seen a novel like this before, and the way that McNeil tied in the worlds and brought in deception was mind-blowing. Chilling and eerie, 3:59 is a read that kept me up late at night, turning pages as fast as I could. Absolutely loved this book.

I love to compare and contrast in books, and 3:59 has some great examples. The balance between Josie and Jo is incredible - they are similar in traits, but at the end of the day, they are far from similar. They each want different things and are willing to use lethal tactics in order to succeed in them. I adored how Gretchen McNeil tied Josie and Jo together but gave them different outlooks on life; everything about these two characters were phenomenal. I love a good world-building structure in a novel, and woah, 3:59 has brilliant world-building. Josie's world is crumbling all around her - sorrow and danger is everywhere she turns. Jo's world is literally crumbling at the seams. The shadowy creatures that eat human flesh in the night scared me and rocked me to my core, and Jo's world is absolutely consuming and reckless. If you love a story that will leave a mark on you long after you turn the final page, then 3:59 is the book for you.

That ending! All the feels! With a Gretchen McNeil novel, I can always count on a shocking ending, and I totally got that with 3:59. There were so many plot twists in 3:59 that I didn't see coming, and one scene in particular made me jump out of my seat. I was always on the edge of my seat during this supernatural masterpiece, and I adored this book so much. Highly, highly recommended!

Overall, 3:59 is an addictive, absorbing novel that shouldn't be missed. Thrilling and masterfully done, 3:59 is a true gem. ...more

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Mar 27, 2013 Jessica (The Psychotic Nerd) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: harper, books-i-own, read-in-2013, summer-2013, arc-copies, stand-alones, hall-of-awesome-4-stars-or-more, read-multiple-book-series-by-author, pov-girl, sci-fi

RUN-DOWN
Josie's life is going downhill.
Her parents just got divorced, her boyfriend cheated on her with her best friend, and her life isn't getting any better.

Then she starts having dreams, always at 3:59 AM. She dreams of a perfect life. Her parents still married, still with her boyfriend, and popular. Until she realizes that the dreams aren't dreams at all, but the life of another girl. And she's Josie, just from a different world.

They decide to switch places, just for a day, and Josie fin ...more

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Feb 11, 2016 Colleen Houck added it

Shelves: death, secrets, another-world, espionage-intrigue, monsters, genius, tech-gadgets, secret-organizations, murder-mystery, parallel-universe

I sped through this read like those crazy flesh eating invisible bat things were chasing me. What a thrill from the opening page! Love the whole idea of the parallel world. Wish I was smart enough to understand all the sciency stuff cause it's super cool. Fell for the hero. Love the title too despite the fact that it doesn't lend itself to hashtagging.

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Aug 19, 2012 Laura's Book Addiction marked it as to-read

Shelves: 2013, 2013-wishlist, balzer-bray

parent trap meets event horizon

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Jan 10, 2014 Jen (LOHF/Book Den) rated it liked it

Shelves: young-adult

Holy plot holes, Batman! 2.5 stars.

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topics	posts	views	last activity
YA Buddy Readers'...: 3:59 by Gretchen McNeil - GBR - Starting March 1st 2020	20	163	Apr 03, 2020 07:06PM
What's the Name o...: SOLVED. Newer YA book about switching places [s]	4	81	May 14, 2014 12:07AM
Crazy for Young A...: 3:59 by Gretchen McNeil → Start Date: October 31, 2013	112	86	Nov 05, 2013 07:33PM
YA Today Book Club: Discussion #22: 3:59 by Gretchen McNeil	1	2	Nov 02, 2013 11:12AM
YA Today Book Club: Selection For October 2013	1	7	Oct 05, 2013 04:46PM

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About Gretchen McNeil

Gretchen McNeil

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Gretchen McNeil is the author of the YA horror/suspense novels POSSESS, 3:59, RELIC, GET EVEN, GET DIRTY, and TEN (a YALSA Top Ten Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, a Romantic Times Top Pick, and a Booklist Top Ten Horror Fiction for Youth) all with Balzer + Bray for HarperCollins. Gretchen’s first YA contemporary I’M NOT YOUR MANIC PIXIE DREAM GIRL, also with Balzer + Bray, hit shelve ...more