Just Like Fate

by Cat Patrick, Suzanne Young

Caroline is at a crossroads. Her grandmother is sick, maybe dying. Like the rest of her family, Caroline's been at Gram's bedside since her stroke. With the pressure building, all Caroline wants to do is escape--both her family and the reality of Gram's failing health. So when Caroline's best friend offers to take her to a party one fateful Friday night, she must choose: stay by Gram's side, or go to the party and live her life.

The consequence of this one decision will split Caroline's fate into two separate paths--and she's about to live them both.

Friendships are tested and family drama hits an all-new high as Caroline attempts to rebuild old relationships, and even make a few new ones. If she stays, her longtime crush, Joel, might finally notice her, but if she goes, Chris, the charming college boy, might prove to be everything she's ever wanted.

Though there are two distinct ways for her fate to unfold, there is only one happy ending...

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Young Adult, Fiction, Teen, Realistic Fiction, Young Adult Contemporary

304 pages, Hardcover

First published August 27, 2013

About the author

Cat Patrick is the author of middle grade books Tornado Brain and Paper Heart, as well as young adult books Forgotten, Revived, The Originals, and, with Suzanne Young, Just Like Fate.

Find her online at www.catpatrick.com.

Reviews

[Alejandro · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think that it was just like fate that I decided to read this book.

I knew about Cat Patrick, one of the authors, but I hadn't the chance to read anything by her yet, so I thought that it was a good option to read her latest novel, and it was amusing when I got the book that I realized that Patrick had co-written the book with Suzanne Young.

So, it was even better, since not only I was able to know the work of one author but two.

Another thing that impulsed me to get the book was the gorgeous cover. Not only a very pretty model (reminds me a lot to Emma Watson) but also the cool design of two faces, one in "normal" position and the other on head back position. And the hair merging both heads. There is a saying that you can't judge a book by its cover, and while it's true, you have to admit that in the nowadays market with so much books out there and that you have to choose which one to buy, hoping that it'd be a good book, the cover design is an important factor. I mean, if it's a famous classic book, you won't put many attention to the cover design or if it's a book that definitely you want to read. However, when you aren't so sure, an attractive cover design can help. I comment this for some new books of recent years with cover designs that they look like the mediocre work of rookie designer made it on Adobe Photoshop. My thinking is if they don't put care/love to design an appealing cover, how much care/love they'd put in the writing? I know that in many case, it's not the case, but again, when you are not so sure about which novel to buy, a gorgeous cover can beat a mediocre cover.

Anyway, too much about covers.

Now, this novel is a romance story of a teenage girl. The key factor that compelled me to get this book was the additional "paranormal" element that you will be reading two parallel stories in the same book.

Caroline Cabot, the main protagonist, is a teenage girl who lives with her grandmother, after her parents decide to divorce. Now, her grandma is in the hospital. A fated night, she must choose between STAY in case she might wake up, or GO to a party to clear her mind from all family tension.

The reader is able to read both choices.

So you have to be careful since from that point you will be reading two parallel existences, the STAY universe and the GO universe.

One important thing to enjoy the whole experience of the book is not getting rush to judge one choice of the other.

Also, not judging so fast the characters, since even the meanest sister can be real helpful in the right moment, and even the coolest brother can make a mess in the wrong moment.

So, keep reading, since both universes will have their highs and lows. That's something that I liked a lot since I think that everybody have several moments on their lives where they regret a decision, they wished to have taken the other path, well, this book can help you a bit to understand that there is not a "right" choice, they are just choices, what you make of them and how you behave after, it's the important thing.

Another factor that I liked a lot about the story were the stuff around the grandmother's illness since I lived a situation similar when my maternal grandma was ill and in a hospital. I didn't have to make a choice like Caroline's but certainly I dealt with a lot of the familiar drama of a situation like that one.

I'm truly glad of having read this book, so I hope in the near future to read more material from both authors.

[Giselle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do you ever wonder where you would have ended up if you'd chosen differently that one time? "What if?" is a question we've all wondered once or twice. How different would our lives be today? This is why I enjoyed Just Like Fate so much; it explores consequences of two sides of a coin, while showing that no matter the road that leads, we end up where we're meant to be. For Caroline, both roads are linked to her decision to go to a party, not knowing it will be during the last of her grandmother's moments. A quick decision, really, and things end up so incredibly different for her. Told via alternating chapters, we see how neither of these roads are easy, each coming with their own set of problems and emotional obstacles. It may not be the next Great American Novel but I thought this book was plenty enjoyable and kept me fully entertained.

Even before it truly begins, the story grabs its hold in an opening filled with grief and heavy emotions. I could genuinely feel Caroline falling apart over her grandmother's passing. At the same time, the family dynamics are introduced; there's a sister rivalry and an adoring brother, as well as a parental separation that didn't go over too well. I have a soft spot for books who do families well, and Just Like Fate has a great family focus with real issues that I thought were handled realistically, and characters involved who are easy to like despite their flaws.

As much as this book has a large familial subject matter, it's ultimately a love story. On one side we have Caroline meeting a very sweet college guy who made me all warm and fuzzy, on the other, she finally gets the boy she's had a crush on since pre-school. While I had a preference for warm and fuzziness (who wouldn't?), it was interesting to see how the relationship with the apparent "love of her life" was turning out... not quite as she expected! In this way, get two very different relationships, though both with a lot of chemistry and emotional consequences. One was a tad quick on the "I love yous", but for once I didn't mind - partly because I felt their relationship was authentic. As the story progressed I was left wondering how the book would end. Was it going to be opposite endings from what we would expect based on the decision? Would it be a real tragedy no matter what she had chosen? In the end I was surprised at how satisfied I was with the conclusion. It was not completely unexpected, but it was simply a really good, even beautiful ending for such a story.

One complaint I have is regarding the numerous references to Electric Freakshow, a band Caroline is obsessed with. It is relevant to the story as it relates to one of their songs, plus it connects both realities, however the constant mention of the band and of their songs which seemed to be playing at all times could have been toned down.

This is a story about love, romance, grief, forgiveness and the importance of family support. It's an easy read with a surprising amount of depth and plenty of entertainment value for your next lazy-day read!

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

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

[Melanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

See more reviews at YA Midnight Reads

Thank you Hardie Grant Egmont Australia for sending me this copy. No compensation was given or taken to alter this review.

What if one small decision could change your life forever? What if you chose the wrong one? And what if, both choices have their own pros and cons? I have really enjoyed Cat Patrick's novels in the past, so when I saw this on pop up on Goodreads, I immediately took up the opportunity to read this, hoping for another fun, sci-fi type contemporary. However that wasn't really the case.

Caroline's grandmother has just been taken to hospital, and the entire family is informed that this could be one of Gram's last days living. Yet when Caroline's best friend, Simone asks her to go to a party, enabling to relieve Caroline from the drama and depression, Caroline has come to a crossroad. Should she stay, with her Gram, if these are Gram's last hours, or should she go, having the time of her life, away from the stressing burden? A decision that may seem tiny, but significant all the same, Cat Patrick and Suzanne Young weave a story about a teenage girl going through both decisions, and then making hers in the end. And hopefully, the right one.

The first issue I had with Just Like Fate was the idea and logic, or lack thereof. Who, honestly, who would leave their dying grandmother (that they are also so closely knit to) in hospital for a party. WHO. WOULD. DO. THAT. Clearly, Caroline thinks maybe it's a valid option to ditch her grieving family and run away to party with some college boys. Just. No. This logic, definitely resulted in more issues, but this was the main one. One that led to more and one that almost made we want to stop reading all together. The logic is irrational, heartless and shocking. People can go to parties any day. But people cannot say goodbye to a dying family member any day.

Caroline's character was the main aspect that was ruined due to the mindless logic. Firstly, and most obviously, she's an idiot. Secondly, and also very obviously, she has no logic. And lastly, and also obviously, she is naive. And snappy. I do get what the authors are attempting to do. They're trying to create a girl who has only been known to run away when things get tough. So then I waited for the character development to kick in, in hopes for her too turn into someone who would stand up to reality. I waited. And waited. And waited. And it did not come until just barely when I had any interest in the book anymore. I was actually enjoying the family dynamics of this, nonetheless that luxury also got blown out when Natalie, Caroline's sister came in, and man I hated her. But her brother, yeah. Love him. He's what a literary brother is meant to be like. As for the other characters, such as the best friend, Simone, I wanted to strangle her. She's one hundred times worse than Caroline. Completely stereotyped and depthless, and wanting everything her way. She was the one who nagged Caroline into going to the party, so what's her problem? Quite the disaster of a best friend, Simone was.

I feel like this book was mainly focussing on the romance. In the 'stay' chapters, we have Joel, Caroline's pre-school crush or something (is it possible to have crushes at that age?) who was actually not what Caroline expected him to be like. i.e.: He's a liar, fake, ass and *insert unintelligent words here* Then in the 'go' chapters, we have Chris; sweet, funny and carefree. MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD TILL END PARAGRAPH: The romance did create a complication in choosing whether to stay or go. If Caroline stays, she gets to say goodbye to her grandmother, and have the less liked love interest, Joel. However if she goes, then she won't be able to say goodbye but will have the better guy.

Overall, I do not think I can recommend this to someone unless they are utterly obsessed with fate and romance. A light read for a lazy day, maybe when your brain is a little illogical so this will not seem as horridly illogical.

[summer · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 Stars

Just Like Fate is the equivalent of eating a tub of ice cream all at once and completely regretting it after.

Right after finishing Just Like Fate, I was ready to write a gushing review on how wonderful of an experience I had while reading this. A few hours later I was mulling over the novel and began to think how completely shallow it felt. So many irrational events occurred in the course of this book that I'm surprised I didn't catch them. It's embarrassing, really, that I had been mindlessly reading this novel without actually thinking of the story-line as a whole.

Sidenote: This goes to show that I will NEVER REVIEW A BOOK RIGHT AFTER I FINISH IT.

There is angsty teen drama, somewhat of a love triangle, and lots of moping around in this book.

What really bothers me is at the core of the plot itself: WHY WOULD SHE LEAVE THE HOSPITAL TO GO TO A PARTY IF HER GRANDMA IS DYING. After I thought about this, the rest of the story just unraveled itself, leading to numerous derivations of these questions:

Why would you go somewhere with a guy you don't know? Why would you date said guy? Why would you be so passive in a relationship and just let yourself do what the guy wants you to do?

SO MUCH LACK OF LOGIC = RAGE. Add in the heavy reliance on cliches, (especially cliches as characters) and you have nothing more than a pile of papers; an utter mess, if you ask me.

It pestered me, a lot, that there was so much emphasis on romantic relationships. What happened to family? In the book's defense it did bring up the protagonist's relationship with her mother, father, and sister, but it wasn't as accentuated as her love life.

The reason I give this 1.5 stars is because while I was entertained while reading it, I get a bad taste in my mouth whenever I think of Just Like Fate. I just want to forget it.

Like I said, this book is like a guilty pleasure. Now, gone is the pleasure and all I feel is guilt/annoyance. Read this if you are half-asleep, tired of thinking because of schoolwork, or all of the above (like me). But be warned, you'll probably regret it later on.

**Sorry for the abundance of caps lock. I had far too much rage bottled up inside.

[Raegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really, really enjoyed this book! It really surprised me because I didn't think I would like it as much as I did. It had good writing and good flow of words. I loved the plot and the meaning in this book. It was easy to relate to the characters and I can't really find one thing I dislike about this book!

- This book should be a movie :/

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This review and others are posted at Inspiring Insomnia.

Pivot Point, by Kasie West, is one of my top reads in 2013 and is a stand-out among books with a parallel lives focus. Just Like Fate is just like Pivot Point's wanna-be little sister.

Caroline's story heads down two paths when her beloved grandmother is near death. Caroline's family is visiting her grandmother in the hospital to say their goodbyes. Caroline's best friend, Simone, encourages Caroline to get out for a while to attend a party. Subsequent chapters are titled "Stay" or "Go." (BTW - thanks to the publisher for including Stay or Go at the bottom of each page, a huge help in a book like this.) "Stay Caroline" declines the invite and is present in the hospital for her grandmother's death, while "Go Caroline" attends the party and therefore misses her grandmother's passing. We're not given any reason why Caroline's life divides into parallel paths. It's certainly tied to the passing of her grandmother, but frankly, she doesn't seem to grieve very long, and she's soon consumed with silly, trivial boy problems.

Stay Caroline quickly gets involved with Joel, a guy she's had a crush on for a long time. He has zero charm, he doesn't treat Caroline well, and it seems that she's the only one who can't see what a douchebag he is. She allows Joel to manipulate her with ease, and when he disrespects or humiliates her, a mild apology and a kiss are all that's needed to get him back in her good graces. It was very hard to root for a doormat like Stay Caroline.

Go Caroline is a bit more likable, but her story isn't any better. Go Caroline meets Chris at the party she attends as her grandmother passes away. She does feel guilt for her decision, but her ridiculously fast-paced romance with Chris washes that all away. To further separate this story from Stay Caroline, Go Caroline makes an impulsive decision to live with her father, despite being estranged from him in the five years since her parents' divorce. It didn't make much sense and seemed like the authors did it just to give the two Carolines something different to do.

There are a few minor side stories: school bullies, the grandmother's lost necklace, and sibling drama, but none of it is of any consequence. Caroline's sole focus in both stories is on two guys - one who's a complete asshole, and the other who is barely memorable aside from his insta-love for Caroline. I'm still wondering what either guy saw in her.

[Jeann (Happy Indulgence) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review has been posted on Happy Indulgence. Check it out for more reviews!

Imagine if you could go back in time and make a different decision. How would your life have turned out if you decided to go down a different path? The whole concept of alternate realities really fascinates me, and that's why I picked up Just Like Fate.

For the most part, Just Like Fate reads like a contemporary romance where Caroline follows two different paths. She chooses whether to stay or go to a party on the night of her grandmother's death. Caroline deals with her grief in different ways, and she must live with the consequences of her decision. I loved the concept of exploring two alternate routes, and how the decision led to differences in Caroline's relationship with her family, the love interest, and where she decides to stay.

I liked how no matter the decision, Caroline isn't better off than the other as she is presented with a different set of problems whether she stays or goes. The Caroline who stayed seems to have a better relationship with her sister and family, but her love life isn't quite what she thought it would be as she starts dating the boy she's had a crush on. The Caroline who chooses to go sabotages her relationship with her best friend and family, but rebuilds her relationship with her father and finds solace in Chris, a new love. The plot interweaves perfectly as Caroline experiences her high points and low points at the same time, as each chapter swaps between Stay or Go Caroline.

Just Like Fate deals with grief and loss over losing her beloved grandmother, and thankfully Caroline wasn't overly angsty or heavy. The romance was the main part of the book, as she pursues a relationship with either Chris, the college boy she meets at a party or Joel, her childhood crush. I liked how the romances weren't perfect and how Caroline experienced a spanner in the works in both instances.

While the crossroads decision was mostly absent during the bulk of the book, the story concludes in a beautiful, touching manner that ties it all together perfectly. Overall, I really enjoyed Just Like Fate and found it to be a light, touching contemporary.

Thanks to Hardie Grant Egmont for sending me this book, in exchange for an honest review.

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Click here for my blog review.

A very moving story that was hard to put down. Powerful enough to make me cry. I absolutely adore stories that show two outcomes of one choice--a Sliding Doors type of book with a great message.

I received an ARC of this book.

[Jessy MelodyofBooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trari trara meine Rezension ist da: https://youtu.be/43BNB1oW-EY

[Debby · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars

In the first half of this year I discovered a sub-genre I'm totally in love with: stories involving alternate/parallel universes. I adore Pivot Point  to pieces and Parallel  was surprisingly endearing and good. Then I made it my goal to read all the books in this sub-genre coming out this year, and Just Like Fate popped up on my radar. I was excited, and I wanted to love it, but it brought nothing new to the table (except maybe eye rolls).

Within 50 pages, warning bells went off for me. It was something I should have realized when I first read the synopsis, but the set up for the alternate timelines definitely didn't work for me. Basically, Caroline's grandmother (who she lives with and takes care of her) has terminal cancer and is dying. She's in the hospice, basically waiting to die, and on the fourth night Caroline is faced with a choice: to stay by her side for the night or to go, on her best friend's insistence, to a party. Thus the two timelines are created but... hold up! In one timeline, she really leaves her grandmother on her death bed and goes to a party?



Admittedly, there's extra justification in that, well, what are the odds that she'd die on that night (spoiler alert: she does), her sister's being a total bitch to her and she can't stand being in the same room as her for a second longer, and after three whole nights of staying by her grandmother's side she deserves a break. ... Ummm...



Yes, I should have realized this from the outset, by reading the synopsis. But honestly, the set up could have been more acceptable if she'd just... you know, been there every night for two weeks, and there still wasn't a sign of an end to come. Just simply changing it by that much would have made the whole "Go" storyline more plausible. Because now, the result is, I'm already rolling my eyes at this contrived plot, thinking it was the "easy way out" in terms of set up, which diminishes my interest to keep reading in the first place, and even when I do push on, I find myself scoffing at the Caroline in the "Go" storyline because I already hate her selfish behavior.



My dislike for Caroline as a main character also spilled over into the "Stay" storyline. I don't know. Possibly due to the bad set up for the timelines, I found it very hard to find a connection with her. Her personality lacked a spark, and I was just bored reading about her. She was so much a typical teenager in terms of jealous behavior, overreactions, parental detachment... I was gleefully happy when she felt guilty about leaving her grandmother and not getting to say goodbye to her because I felt that was righteous justice. Erm, yeah, and when you start thinking that way about the main character, it's pretty much a done deal.

Though there are separate timelines, this is not sci-fi at all, and totally contemporary fiction, with a focus on relationships, be they platonic, familial, or romantic. I do like that focus, and I ended up really liking the development of the relationship between Caroline and her sister, Natalie. In the "Go" storyline, Caroline ends up moving in with her estranged father to have a fresh start, and I really liked that too, as I related to that quite a bit on a personal level. Father-daughter relationships are just very dear to my heart, and I liked how this one was ultimately presented, including the addition of a surprisingly sweet stepmother into the equation.

The romance was... all right, but I barely felt the chemistry. In each timeline, Caroline is met with the interest of a different guy. While Chris, in the "Go" storyline, was definitely more charming and very lovable, I was torn since I was sworn to hate that storyline in the first place. Besides, he was charming as a character, but I didn't really feel the romantic chemistry. Joel, in the "Stay" storyline, was, quite simply, a prat and he angered me. Lots.

At certain points, Just Like Fate was such a walking, talking cliché that I was overwhelmed with eyerolling. From the mean girl who literally says, "I don't need a reason to dislike you," and beats up the main character, to the sister who, at the beginning at least, constantly looks down on everything Caroline does, to Caroline herself being the most juvenile, jealous girlfriend in the world... It was exhausting to read.

All things said and done though, at the end of the book, the message definitely came across. Much like the themes of Pivot Point and Parallel, certain points in life are fixed, but you do have some self-control over the choices you make, and it's the journey towards your "fate" that makes all the difference. I like that message, overall, I do... But since I've already read two books that struck that chord and did it better, I couldn't help but grow annoyed that I sat through 300 pages to get to that point. The journey to that message here? It was just plain boring.

Summing Up:

Annoyance and boredom are the two prevailing emotions I had while reading this book. Though I did like certain aspects (the relationships between the characters and the eventual message of the book), when I look back on this book, the first thing I'll remember is how ridiculous and frustrating the set up of the timelines was. If you are interested in fate-related stories or alternate timelines, let this be your first foray into the sub-genre. If you've read others, like I have, this brings nothing new to the table.

GIF it to me straight!



Recommended To:

Those very interested in the concept of fate.

[Diamond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Pulse for providing me a copy of this ARC; which I won in a giveaway.

I'm not usually one who likes contemporaries; but when I read the blurb (and saw the cover) I was properly intrigued. I haven't read too many of the (what I now know are called) "sliding-doors" books. After reading this book, I will be seeking them out.

We have Caroline who is faced with a choice; just one choice that can totally change her life and split them into two paths. One path is where she stays by her grandmothers side in the hospital. Down the other path she chooses to leave for a party after being by her family's side for days while her grandmother is ill.

Both choices left pros and cons. I found myself wishing she had stayed at first, but then wishing she had left so she could meet Chris. I adore Chris. He's one of my favorite literary boys I've read in awhile. He's unique; I mean he doesn't remind me of any other boys in any YA books-- which is beyond cool. And them together? Their banter had me laughing out loud numerous times. I could feel how good Chris is for her. Their relationship was real; to the point where since I finished reading this book, in other books I'm like, Nope! Their "love" is too fake! So kudos to this book for reminding me that teenage love can be written really well. which I already know but it's good to be reminded

So we also have the go chapters which switch off with the Stay chapters. Yeah, its a little confusing at first but the bottom of the pages are marked. So, if Caroline stayed by her grandmother she would be with her forever-crush, Joel. Joel is a douchebag. Horrible. And it takes awhile, and quite a bit of damage for her to realize that. Also, there's her sister and mother. Caroline doesn't really get along with her sister, at all. It's like they don't understand each other and it only gets worse down that path. I don't want to ruin any of the story; so ill skip to the end. What can I say? The ending was, in one word, perfect. Yes, perfect. 5 f*ckin stars. No joke. Let me try to explain..

See, I was a Philosphy minor in college. I basically spent 6 years of my life discussing, reading and debating the concept of "fate". Does fate exist? What are the implications? Oh golly, these unanswerable questions get my juices flowing. (Ew?) But seriously, I've given this a lot of thought. My most...pleasing answer is, yes; in some form fate does exist. We make our choices, good and bad, and we lead our lives based on our choices. But not entirely. There are some things that end up happening no matter what we choose. It may take us longer to get there (ahem, Caroline); but we get there.
This is exactly the lesson this book gives, in the end. I think more than the excellent writing, deep characters, and funny dialogue; that is why I gave Just Like Fate 5 stars.

What are you waiting for? Go get this book!

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do like the SLIDING DOORS type books. I like to see a turning point and the protagonist takes both paths for the reader's enjoyment. There is a big difference with this book and any other I have read. I can't tell what the difference is because it would be a huge spoiler.

It starts with a fictitious band and particular song that makes no sense to me. Caroline is sitting in class when she is alerted that her grandmother is dying. Five years ago, Caroline tired of her parents' acrimonious divorce and moved in with her grandmother. Enter family dynamics that are very realistic and Caroline finds herself outside her grandmother's hospice room after another childish fight with her older sister and her phone rings. It's her best friend offering to take her out for the evening. Stay or go? That one decision sets different circumstances into motion.

By the end of the book, I still didn't understand all of the song's lyrics but I did understand the underlying message. I liked the ending and I liked the idea that fate is open for mistakes and detours. That when we make mistakes, and we will no matter what path we take, what makes us is how we learn and grow from those mistakes.

[Stephanie White · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an amazing book. It was so real. The characters were so believable and well written. The plot was so intriguing and left me wanting to read on. I loved the relationship between Caroline and Chris, it was one of the best written common relationships I've ever read. Chris was perfect but also so down to Earth and so easy to fall in love with.
This book also left me with a profound opinion on fate and the ending perfectly summed up the entire theme of the book.
Life is messy, life is full of mistakes, but sometimes those mistakes can lead to something bigger- like fate.
If you have read Young Adult (particularly Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver) this book with be perfect for you.

Reread this book almost exactly a year later and still love it!

[Rossy · Rating 2 out of 5]

First, I have to admit I didn't get the book at he beginning. Is it one story? Two? Maybe there are twins? Maybe I need to sleep and read again?
But no! It was one story only, but told from different perspectives, one if Caroline, the main character, chooses to "go" and other if she "stays".
I want her to go,far far away,and stay, away from me! Lol, I seriously hated her, I'm not sorry.
The story was not bad, and I get she's a teenager and makes mistakes as everyone else, BUT come on, what she did the choice she makes at the beginning and which all the plot is builded upon, it's just plain dumb. (Insert a photo of yours truly slapping this kid).
The whole premise was interesting, telling us where one choice can lead us, what differences in our lives can take place.

[Sue (Hollywood News Source) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am speechless. I honestly doesnt have any idea how would I rate it. Just like Fate helped me tremendously in getting over my book slump. A definitely must read. Mini review to come.

[Kyle · Rating 1 out of 5]

(Yes it worked!)

I mean, I should’ve known better. This one is all on me folks. I mean, once you have a history with a writer – a negative one – you should know better than to just pick up another book that they write and hope that it’ll somehow magically change your opinion about the writer and the way that they write.

After giving both Forgotten and Revive by Cat Patrick a 0/5 star rating, I had no expectations from this author. I mean, she’d had more than one chance to impress me, and epically failed on all occasions. I mean, this was kind of ridiculous. And they both failed for the EXACT same reasons – and that same reason applies to a large portion of why I so disliked Just Like Fate.

It’s not that Patrick doesn’t have a great imagination when it comes to imaging up her premises. Revive? One of the best premises I’d ever had pitched to me by the computer screen when I read it on Goodreads. Same goes for Forgotten. However, despite the fact that these seemed more science fiction (the former) and magical realism (the latter), what they really turned out to be were mushy contemporary romances with absolutely no substance and boring, wooden writing and one dimensional characters.

Now, admittedly, the premise of this one doesn’t pretend to be anything except a contemporary romance with a twist, but that twist was what gave me hope that this would be interesting as well as the fact that Patrick wasn’t the only person who wrote this book! Another author could’ve been the saving grace of this book! And who knows, maybe if Patrick had written the whole book this would’ve gotten a 0 star rating instead of a 1 out of 5. Yet that still doesn’t cut it for me, and if anything, just deepened the disappointment.

So first we have our main character, Caroline.

The premise of this book should’ve told me I would hate her with a passion. Cause I did. I mean, maybe we just have different values in life and whatnot. It’s just, to me, if my grandmother were lying in a hospice and could die any day now, I wouldn’t even consider running off to some stupid high school party, no matter how high the chance was that I’d have “stories to tell until the end of the year.” Personally, I felt very little sympathy for her, and thought she was a selfish and spoiled brat, just like her sister Natalie thought she was for the majority of the book. And of course, anybody that doesn’t like Caroline all of a sudden is a jerk and needs to be villianized to death.

The two romantic leads were boring, flat, and I can’t even remember their names as I’m typing this, and I care about this book so little that I’m not sure if I can bring myself to look it up. The romance itself was cheesy, nauseating, and not at all enough to breathe any life into this book. I’m being very serious hear when I stress the fact that if you don’t enjoy the romance in this book, you’re basically screwed, because that is essentially what this book is about, plain and simple, no other way around it.

It was slow, annoying, and very difficult to make myself sit down and flip through pages and pages of this, just wondering when the heck it was going to end. And for me, the end to the romance was so obvious that it wasn’t even funny. What was the point of doing it even? And I’m not a fan of cheating either, so I was already rooting for this romance to come out just so that it didn’t look like the author(s) was advocating that it’s okay to cheat when your doing it for true wuv.

Please, save yourself some time and brain cells and don’t read this unless you just so happen to have loved everything that Cat Patrick and Suzanne Young have published. Maybe if you like their romances and their writing and characters this book will work better for you. And hopefully I’ve finally learned my lesson to stay away from Cat Patrick’s books, once and for all.

[Kim at Divergent Gryffindor · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was given an ARC copy of this book via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This review is a review of the ARC copy, not the final version. For more reviews, visit Divergent Gryffindor.

Actual rating: 2.5 stars

We all make lots of decisions everyday - from small things like what to wear, to big, life-changing decisions. Just Like Fate shows us how making a decision can make an impact on our lives.

I really loved the concept of this book. I definitely took a lot from it, and it was just an amazing experience. With just one decision that didn't seem significant at all, many of Caroline's experiences changed. It shows us that even small decisions can make a big impact on our lives. But the book also showed us how some things are just meant to happen. In some way, whatever choice we make is the right choice, because it made us who we are today. I really loved this quote near the ending of the book:

"He wasn't saying that I'd end up in the same place either way so it didn't matter. He was trying to say that whatever life I lived because of the choice I made is important. And maybe I found my way back to basically the same place - who really knows - but the mistakes I made make me who I am. We may be drawn to our fates like magnets, but whatever we pick up along the way means something. Mistakes mean something."

So why am I only giving it 2.5 stars? The thing is, if it were based solely on the above points, this book would easily be a five-star read. However, there are still a lot to consider - the plot, the writing. As much as I love what I took away from the book, I hated the story. I was literally forcing myself to continue reading since I had to use this book for a challenge.

I was ready to hurl the book across the room after reading the first 30% because ugh, I just hated the story! I hated how stupid and selfish Caroline was and how she was whiny and drowned in self-pity. She knew her mistakes, but she didn't make an effort to do anything about it.

I also didn't like the writing much. There were times when there was no flow in the story. One minute she's talking about something, then the next paragraph she's with her friend Simone. It should have been in a new chapter if that was what's going to happen! Also, the text messages were capitalized, which just made me mad because IT LOOKED LIKE I WAS BEING SHOUTED AT RIGHT AT MY FACE, and there were so many texts.

I seriously hated the reading it right until the last 15%, which made me smile and made my heart soar. I wish the whole novel could have been like the last 15% of the book, but sadly, that's not the case. You know, if I didn't love the lessons I learned from here so much, this book might have been rated just a star.

[Kitkat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book a lot. I loved how the two different choices collide and I just loved the characters. I loved the emotions about someone passing.

Each chapter is the Caroline's choice of staying for grandma's death or leaving to a party. I loved both sides but I thought it was selfish. Yet I can feel about escaping from the emotions of the death of a love one. Okay I'm going over stay because that one was the most relatable for me. She stays deals with her sister but they become close of their grandma's death. Caroline finally gets her crush Joel. Joel just broke up with his ex and he kisses Caroline. Joel wants to keep it a secret for a while which pisses me off. Then how she doesn't like being a relationship with him. Then she meets Chris at the electrical concert and they fall in love. While they were leaving she gets hit by a car.

I loved in how she left. Caroline goes to her dad's house. She feels better there and goes to fall in love with Chris. I loved that he sang Sweet Caroline when she specifically told him not. I cracked up laughing at that. I loved how she gets angry that he cheated on her but she runs off without explanation. They eventually get back together but she ends up in the hospital by a car crash. I loved how Chris in both different decisions he said that they were meant to be like fate. I loved everything!

[Rainy Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I can conclude about this book is that sometimes, in life, the choices we made (good or bad) will lead us to something. Even when we thought we made a good choice, it will still take us toward a long path until we finally meet that something or someone that will stay in our life. And bad choices still do not mean that we finally at bad place either. Mistakes don't define us. Yes, we are human, we make mistakes but sometimes, that "mistakes" lead us to more brighter places after that. I can definitely relate to this book. I just wish I can see how my "choices" impact me onward as easy as this book has portrayed.

[Magan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. I really enjoyed it. Written flawlessly by Cat and Suzanne - I couldn't distinguish between their voices, which I loved. I love the concept of the story - one scenario and two different reactions and outcomes - and seeing how everything played out.

Full review on RATHER BE READING:

One reality: Caroline’s grandmother is dying. No one knows how much time she has left.
Two scenarios: Escape the sadness and family drama to go to a party with her BFF, Simone, or stay with her grandmother.

STAY vs. GO

Have you ever thought about a pivotal moment in your life and realized that if you had gone down another path, absolutely everything might have ended up differently? For me one of those big moments is if I had actually dated my long-term crush/best guy friend in high school. Or maybe the moment when I liked this other guy and he and his dad made a bet about how many phone numbers he could collect while we were at camp. (Let me add: it was church camp.) Thanks to social media, I have been able to keep up with where both of those guys have ended up throughout the years, and let me just say, I’m really glad things have worked out the way they are. (And yes, I do realize I sound stalker-ish.)

Just Like Fate is a beautiful exploration of how Caroline’s choices and decisions in the past have shaped how she moves forward. One particularly excellent portrayal is in regards to her family. Her parents are divorced, and both are remarried. Caroline barely speaks to her father, and her mother’s remarks always seem to be a little underhanded. She remained close with her brother, Teddy, but is somewhat estranged from her older sister, Natalie. Her youngest sister, Juju, is too young to grasp the majority of what’s going on. Natalie and Caroline have a ton of friction between them since Caroline decided to move in with her grandmother during the divorce because she couldn’t handle the change. Natalie feels like Caroline always runs away from problems and never sticks around to solve anything. Caroline sees Natalie as a goody-two-shoes who is judgmental and stuck-up. Teddy is the glue that tries to hold everything together, but as a college student he’s got his own life to live.

When the situation arises with her grandmother in the hospital, Caroline is once again faced with a tough decision. Does she do the hard thing and push through all the family drama to be by her grandmother’s side, or does she go to a party with her best friend, Simone, and forget about about her problems? Both scenarios and outcomes are laid out before the reader in alternating Stay and Go chapters. My reading time was a bit spotty when I first began Just Like Fate, not allowing me a good chunk of time to get into the flow of the story. Once I was finally able to push aside my responsibilities and focus, I felt like I could really connect with Caroline and the flow of the story.

With the two different scenarios comes different obstacles and characters. Joel is the boy that Caroline’s always wanted to date; she’s loved him from afar for quite a long while. Then there’s Chris, the college guy who is incredibly funny and sarcastic. Both seem appealing in their own ways until Caroline is confronted with having to make some decisions. (This seems to be a common theme, doesn’t it?) There are some pretty big ups and downs with Simone as well that felt very realistic; they have to figure their way out of some uncomfortable situations and Caroline has to learn how to talk through things instead of turning inward. While I definitely loved the guy aspect that strung my romantic side along, I couldn’t help but be intrigued by the bigger questions: Was it possible for Caroline to mend the broken relationships with her father and sister? Could she become a stronger woman if she had to confront life instead of always fleeing? Despite how we react to a situation, do we arrive at different conclusions?

Just Like Fate was an engaging, fast-paced read. I’ve very much enjoyed Cat Patrick and Suzanne Young’s individual work in the past, but I certainly hope they’ll consider writing more together in the future. For now, you should definitely be pre-ordering this book so you can gobble it up as soon as possible.

[Sara (sarabara081) · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can find more of my reviews at Forever 17 Books.

The fangirling I did when I saw these two authors had written a collaboration! As a huge fan of Suzanne Young (past reviews here , here , and here ), I already vowed to read all her books but Cat Patrick is another author I adore ( past review ) so I was super excited to see what they could do together!

Caroline is incredibly close with her grandmother, and moved in with her 5 years ago when her parents were going through a messy divorce. To say the situation with her siblings and parents was still messy is an understatement, but as the family rallies around her grandmother as she lies dying in hospice, tension erupts. One night Caroline is faced with the choice to stay, among the awkwardness, tension and fights or take her best friend up on an invite to a party and take a few hours to unwind during the stressful time. Here we follow both paths and see just how much your decisions in life bring you right back on the path to fate.

Stay: I thought this path would be my obvious favorite as I wanted Caroline to stay with her family and her grandmother in what turned out to be her final moments. At first, this really did seem to be the happier choice all around, but the authors couldn't make it that easy for us, right? Caroline's grief somehow brings her closer to Joel, the long-time crush. Sure, he sometimes says and does the right things, only when he needs to, but it never felt sincere or honest. There was all this secrecy and insecurity that led to a lot of anger and misery within herself.

Go: Now obviously this choice was wracked with guilt to go along with her grief. Caroline is shown as more of a runner on this path, running away from her problems. I did like the dynamic it opened up with her father and his wife. But most of all, this choice had Chris, and he is the reason I loved the 'GO' chapters the best. He is so sweet and adorable! He's also funny and considerate, an all around good guy. And he makes Caroline feel wanted and special. Guys, he was even afraid to ruin a special moment with kissing! (That sounds weird to say but you'll totally get it when you read it) And when he calls her his 'sweet Caroline'... *melts* I just loved this guy to pieces! He's one of my new favorite book boyfriends, for sure!

"You're the only girl I want," he says. "I love you." He pulls away to laugh softly, looking surprised at his own words. His eyes are wide and vulnerable, as if a word from me can crush him. "I'm totally in love with you," he murmurs.

Both paths really showed the grief Caroline and her family were going through. It was heartbreaking but also heartwarming to see the moments when they did come together to support one another. I love when a story has a strong family dynamic and it was so important in this story, as it should be, and much appreciated. Of course paths eventually cross and oh how I loved how everything ended! It was all so perfect!

A wonderful story of grief, guilt, family, love and fate - I highly recommend this one!

We may be drawn to our fates like magnets, but whatever we pick up along the way means something. Mistakes mean something.

[Rashika (is tired)]

Choices have the power to change everything

And let me tell you… the choice I made when I decided to read this book… was definitely a bad one, although it did lead me to write my very first DNF review.

I’ve had this book on my to-review list for a while and when I first requested it in the first half of the year, I thought I would like it and maybe if I had continued reading this, it might have gotten better but I cannot do that to myself after having read so many other torturous books.

This is the first book I attempted reading/review in over a week and so I really was hoping to come back with a bang with this one.

But things don’t always turn out the way you want them to. Maybe because I was expecting so much from this one, I couldn’t over look things I might have otherwise but in the end no matter what… this book just plain sucked for me.

This book starts with the main character’s grandmother in her death bed. Her best friend calls to invite her to the party so as to help take her mind off of this tragedy. The timeline then splits into two, Stay and Go, the one where she stayed and the one where she went.

Right from the start I hated the GO timeline. This chic decided to go to a party when her grandma is dying.. oh sure there is a reason but I cannot seem to understand this decision at all. Seeing that the grandma could die at any moment (and did that night) it isn’t so wise to be out partying and meeting cute guys.

The STAY timeline didn’t bother me so much at first because there was some forgiveness going on between siblings but then enter random kissing session with a guy she has had a crush on for a long time.. it was all downhill from there.

The bad relationship with her sister didn’t help matters in the GO timeline and she seemed incredibly selfish in that timeline. I was cheering Natalie on with her criticism of Caroline and was ready to go in there and bitchslap her myself.

Then there was also the stereotypical gorgeous best friend. It shouldn’t bother me as much as it does but this is such a common cliche that it almost seems like there is no other purpose to the best friend. I thought that would be the case here as well but in the little I read, there was this one scene where she tells the main character that she is selfish and always blames everyone and so she may have been redeemed a little.

I didn’t get too far into the book for much of the romantic relationships to develop but the insta vibes were present in both cases. She has an ‘insta connection’ with Chris in the GO timeline and feels the need to run to him after knowing him for only a couple of hours. With Joel in the STAY timeline, while they’ve known each other for a long time, there is the random kissing session while Joel has a girlfriend and they weren’t even close friends to begin with.

In the end the only thing I thought would have been worth sticking around for would be to see the development in her relationship with her sister in the STAY timeline and with her father in the GO timeline.


This review has also been posted on my blog

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my dear God, I can not tell you guys how much I loved this book. I was a bit wary going into it since I'd just broken a book slump, but I loved Suzanne Young's Program, so I thought why not?
And Cat Patrick and Suzanne Young are an absolutely brilliant writing pair--I honestly hope they write more books together. I will officially read anything by them.

"It's just...the point is yeah, we're fated to live a certain life. But it's not like we're being mind controlled or anything."

The thing about this book is that it can be ruined by the smallest thing. Having two stories with the same cast of characters is going to be hard, but I feel like our authors pulled it off beautifully. The story, or stories, are just so wonderful and sad, and they left an ache in my heart. I loved how it all circled back to only one ending and how amazing that ending was. I loved how we got to finally see the two outcomes of one choice, and how just one decision changed the course of her life. And I loved how, in both versions, you still adore the characters, and you still get the meaning of it all.

"There's a little thing called free will."

I feel like the stories would've been stunning on their own, but with both, it just enhances the read and makes everything so much more...hopeful. Beautiful. Amazing. It's a fascinating way to tell a story, to tell a story twice, and I couldn't help buy laugh and cry at certain parts, when one version of the story paralleled with the other, when we meet old characters for the first time again, and when you realize what's finally happening.

"(...) we have freedom to make mistakes. (...) I'm saying that our mistakes--one mistake or many of them--don't define us. They don't derail us."

Just Like Fate is about so many things. It's about coping with loss, it's about running away or facing your mistakes. It's about familial and romantic love, and it's about figuring out which road you should take. But most of all, it's about fate.
The way Caroline interacted with some of the other characters broke my heart and other times, they made me laugh. Her relationship with so many of the characters were so real, despite a few being rushed. They were real characters with real feelings and you couldn't help but love them all, in the end.

"But hopefully having learned something from our stumbles..."

Just Like Fate is one I have to recommend to everyone. It's a story that's both heart wrenching and hopeful, one that's filled with grief and love, and one that will touch you in that rare way only a book can.

"...Having grown into better people because of them."

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're thinking of picking up Just Like Fate, there is one thing you MUST know before you open the book. By chapter three, the chapters go from "Stay" to "Go". Two mildly different stories. Early in the book, the main character, Caroline, has to choose between staying with her dying grandmother or going to a party with her best friend. And that, ladies and gentlemen, I got massively confused. The chapters show the paths that both decisions will take Caroline. If she goes or stays. I didn't know that and I was confused for the first 33% of this book.

Moving on!

Just Like Fate is a surprisingly deep story of how how one decision can change your life in many ways and how, in the end, it will all work out.

The main character, Caroline, is pretty cool. I didn't find her annoying at all and at times I really, really liked her. She was relatable.

I didn't like Joel at all. I didn't really have a reason other then just a feeling at first but then has the book went on, I really didn't like him.

Natalie was so unnecessarily horrible. I feel like the writers made her so evil and mean and just horrible (sometimes I felt like crying because she was so mean)that it made her unbelievable as a character.

Now, one character was... I have no words for how much I loved him. And that character is Chris and I'm telling you right now if I had to pick one book character to spend my life with in real life, I would pick Chris. Thank you Cat Patrick and Suzanne Young for bring Chris Drake into my life.
Okay, but seriously, Chris is really great. He's believable and nice and kind and funny and he's not controlling or brooding. He's great.

And I felt like this book had really believable characters.

When you read Just Like Fate, you'll pick your favorite chapters. I loved the "Go" chapters. And up until the end, I kinda skimmed the "Stay" chapters. I hate Joel and I love Chris so made picking which chapters to read to the fullest really easy.

Overall, I felt like Just Like Fate was a really cool concept, great characters, and exciting. I really enjoyed it.

[Leah (Jane Speare) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hear parallel universes are the new dystopian now, eh? Well count me in because this is my first book in the subject, and I'm a fan already. (Honestly, I think I've seen quite a few parallel universe stories out there the past few years, I just avoid them because I can't stand mirrored covers. But I'm getting past those shallow thoughts...slowly)

Picking this book up to read was a no-brainer since I've been a huge fan of Cat Patrick's from the start, and more recently started fangirling over Suzanne's newest book, The Program. I haven't read many co-authored books...actually at the moment, I can't recall a single one. I definitely recognized Cat Patrick's writing style over Suzanne Young's, but that's probably because I've read more of her books, and I've only read Young's dystopian/futuristic-esque. One thing I'm curious about; how did they write it? I wonder which author wrote which decision?

So as far as the story goes, you have the two different paths, "stay" and "go" which flip each chapter, and I am so glad the choice is written on the bottom of each page because I think I would have gotten confused and mixed the two up. They're obviously different, but the same events happen this way and that, and I had to pause and trace things back from time to time. At first I was rooting for the events of "stay" to be the real one, (or whatever is supposed to happen at the end) but my opinion quickly swayed back to "go" and I liked the story a lot more in those chapters.

From the perspective of a newbie in this branch of sci-fi, it was very cool to see a character's different choices. Like, instead of screaming in frustration for choosing one way or another, I was like, oh, I get my way too. So now I will be on the lookout for more parallel universe books, if anyone has good recs, I'm all ears. Just Like Fate is a light read; I read it in a day. But it did have some good thought provoking aspects for teenagers, and I really liked that. Also, the ending is satisfyingly ambiguous.

[Kari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though there is a simple concept behind this one, the implications and impact of it are astounding. Take a look at where you're at today, and in your mind, think back to all the things that led you to where you're at. Then think, what if one of those times, you went the other way? How drastically different would your life be, or would you maybe still be about where you're at now? That's the main element of this one, and I absolutely love how it was handled. There are two Carolines in this one, a Go Caroline who leaves the night her grandma passes, and the version of her who Stays. The impact of both is profound in different ways, one riddled with grief and sorrow and the other just an unending sense of loss and the feeling of drifting. Having been so close to her grandma, and even having lived with her, both Carolines face some big changes as a result of her grandma's death.

I loved the family element of this one, a touch dysfunctional yet also something so relatable and intriguing. Each path gives different insight into her family, and the impact all this has beyond even Caroline was one of my favorite parts. While things both good and bad happen in both paths, this is one that really challenged me to wonder which was one better for Caroline in the end. The things she goes through, the events that happen on each path, have lasting effects on her, and it's this element that left me thinking about this book long after I finished.

There's a romance in each path, ones which will challenge readers as much as they do Caroline. Christopher is charming and endearing and sweet, the kind of guy who will make readers melt, with the right blend of goofy thrown in there too. I loved basically every scene that involved him, even the painful ones, and think Young and Patrick beautifully captured the kind of emotion and romance that could stem from such a recent less, yet not be defined by it.

With a great voice, the kind of plot and implications that left an impression on me and really made me think, and a sweet romance, this one is the best of mix of my favorite things.

[Sydney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was by far, one of my favourite books of the year (And the Evolution of Mara Dyer). So I have seen the movie Sliding Doors and absolutely adored it. I was looking around for things like that movie for quite some time and never found what I wanted. Then I heard of this book and got really excited. So going into this book, I already expected it to be good.
I really did like Caroline. And I actually liked the story about her going to the party better than the one where she stays with her Grandma. I adored Chris... he was so sweet!
Even in the beginning I didn't like Noel. He was annoying and was a bad influence if you ask me. I thought that this story was truthful and real. It really was different from what I've read before and I really liked it. This book actually reminded me of 'Before I Fall' by Lauren Oliver (and I liked that book, too)! I am now going have to start another hunt for a book like this.
My overall take from this book was that the beginning was good, but maybe a bit slow. But after that, it skyrocketed and I really enjoyed reading it.
I just felt like the end was a bit too much like Sliding Doors.
MAJOR SPOILER: I like how in the end she didn't die, but rather stayed with Chris in both paths and they crossed and stayed the same.
Great story!
Rating: 9/10
Parental Rating: 14+

[Savannah (Books With Bite) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven’t pick up a book that carries a somewhat supernatural plot line. When I read this synopsis, I was immediately intrigued.

Plot: This is a story that showcases two different paths. Though the main character is unaware of it, the reader is. It kind of reminds me of the choose your own adventure stories but only this time you get two stories at once. The chapters switch back and forth. One chapter would be one decision she made and the next chapter is the what if she choose something different. Both authors did a great job in letting each chapter flow well to the next without confusing the reader.

Love: In both paths, Caroline meets two guys. Though one may seem right for her, as I read on I was starting to see that maybe the guy I thought would work for her doesn’t. I strongly believe in fate and the choices we make. I believe all choices leads up to where we are today but I do think that no matter what choices you make, some things are meant to be.

Ending: The ending of the book is precise and clean. I think the way it all came together in the end is well done. I have to say that I’m impressed with the way it was written and how it concluded.

Overall, this is a great book. I like that the reader can see two different paths yet fate does take some control. An inventive yet creative read, Just Like Fate is great!

[Ardis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to admit, I started this book thinking it was just a bit of fluff, but it was much better than I gave it credit for, so shame on me.

Caroline, also known as Coco to her family, please don't call her sweet, is a bit of a runner when it comes to intense emotions. She doesn't do well with stressful situations. When she was twelve her parents had a nasty divorce and Caroline went to live with her grandmother. Her older sister, and to some extent her mother, never forgave her for bailing. This is where I do take exception to the book- a 12 year old should not be held accountable for the decisions she makes.

However, its become a pattern for Caroline and when her grandmother has a stroke and becomes deathly ill, Caroline's best friend suggests she leave the hospital for a bit and go to a party. Caroline has a decision to make- stay or go? This is where the novel takes off- and alternates each chapter as if she'd stayed by her grandmother's bedside, or gone to the party.

The novel is surprisingly affecting and sweet and I enjoyed it. It took me one afternoon to read it.

[Spencer · Rating 4 out of 5]

2020
I really liked this book (at first I did find it a little difficult to keep track of the storylines because it switched back and forth so often, but I still thought it was well done). I also liked how Caroline realizes her mistakes (because she made several in both timelines) and works to fix things with her families in both cases. I like that Caroline realized that just having a crush on someone doesn't necessarily mean that you understand who they are as a real person; and I especially liked the way she ended her relationship because she handled it in a very adult manner that a lot of teenagers are unable to possess.

I struggled a bit with the very very end because it turned a little more mystical than the rest of the novel (I know we were dealing with different timelines, but it seemed to grounded in reality until the very end. Then this very mystical, mysterious type of message ended up just skewing my perception of the rest of the novel).