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Play It Back
27-year-old Carmen Santos thought she had the perfect life until the question “what do you want?” transports her ten years in to the past to relive the worst year of her life.
She must navigate her senior year of high school all over again, complete with bad wardrobe, a dysfunctional Filipino family, and a best friend who’s still in the closet. Yet, the knowledge of the future is on her side, right? But her knowledge isn’t guaranteed to help her get the guy, fix her parent’s marriage, or even save someone’s life.
She must navigate her senior year of high school all over again, complete with bad wardrobe, a dysfunctional Filipino family, and a best friend who’s still in the closet. Yet, the knowledge of the future is on her side, right? But her knowledge isn’t guaranteed to help her get the guy, fix her parent’s marriage, or even save someone’s life.
292 pages, Paperback
Published August 10, 2023
4 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 2, 2024
This book has a promising time travel formula but I honestly just didn't really click with it. The reasoning behind Carmen's journey is not that high stakes, and she does very little in the past other than trying to talk to her future boyfriend and figure out what kind of time travel she's experiencing — which is an interesting concept but feels disconnected from actual consequences. It doesn't help that the book skips a lot through time, making it seem kind of like a summary.
There were also moments in the story where Carmen was very unlikeable, sometimes with how much of a one-track mind she had about Logan, and particularly in the subplot where she outed her gay friend. While the book does talk about how she knew she was wrong, it also suggests that Carmen was technically right about her friend's sexuality, and the "how did you know?" moment left a weird taste in my mouth.
The best part of this book I would say, though, is the representation. The main character is Filipino and it feels very authentic, from the references to food to the family dynamics. There's also ASL in this book, which, as someone who is learning, was great to see.
Other than that, I didn't think this was for me and I think it might've been better suited for a younger audience, since the writing is pretty simple.
There were also moments in the story where Carmen was very unlikeable, sometimes with how much of a one-track mind she had about Logan, and particularly in the subplot where she outed her gay friend. While the book does talk about how she knew she was wrong, it also suggests that Carmen was technically right about her friend's sexuality, and the "how did you know?" moment left a weird taste in my mouth.
The best part of this book I would say, though, is the representation. The main character is Filipino and it feels very authentic, from the references to food to the family dynamics. There's also ASL in this book, which, as someone who is learning, was great to see.
Other than that, I didn't think this was for me and I think it might've been better suited for a younger audience, since the writing is pretty simple.
October 27, 2023
Twenty-seven-year-old Carmen Santos has a charmed life—a career, supportive friends, and the love of a doting boyfriend. Her future is looking pretty bright, right? Unfortunately, fate has other plans when she suffers a head injury and loses consciousness. The question: What do you want infiltrates her thoughts as disoriented Carmen is transported back to 1999—ten years in the past—to relive her senior year of high school.
At first, Carmen is excited about the walk down memory lane; she can spend quality time with her best friends without the adult responsibilities, focus on her art, and try to connect with Logan, the boy that she will date in the future. She maintains all the knowledge from ten years in the future and tries to use this to her advantage. Surely, she could convince her best friend to come out of the closet or prevent a tragedy from happening, couldn’t she? Carmen must have been sent back in time for a reason, but what was it, and will it alter her future?
“Play It Back” by Vanessa Lopez Aziz is an engaging young adult book with a quirky premise. Written from the first-person perspective, the story follows Carmen Santos as she experiences alternate timelines. As an adult, Carmen is (mostly) content with her life but is torn about whether to accept Logan’s proposal, while seventeen-year-old Carmen must navigate dating, friendship drama, and a dysfunctional family all over again, all the while trying to prevent a tragedy from transpiring.
I was intrigued by the prospect of Carmen being transported back to her teen years. Armed with her adult knowledge and being able to draw on her past experiences, I couldn’t wait to see how it turned out. Would she forge a new path? Would she still be bogged down by the plight of being young and inexperienced?
The author did an excellent job of illustrating relevant coming-of-age issues, some of which Carmen improved her second time as a teen, like spending more time with her Lola (grandmother), and some that she unwittingly made worse, like trying to out her best friend before she was ready. Adult Carmen may have had ten more years of insight, but she was out of touch with her former self. The author skillfully taught young readers that mistakes are unavoidable—a rite of passage of being young—and to fully evolve, we cannot skip the hard stuff. We must endure.
I instantly fell in love with the time travel element of “Play It Back.” Imagine having the ability to wake up as your former self and have a do-over; I’ve definitely fantasized about this. Along with the enchanting premise, the author has crafted a relatable protagonist, shone a light on important coming-of-age challenges, and taught readers the importance of living in the moment.
At first, Carmen is excited about the walk down memory lane; she can spend quality time with her best friends without the adult responsibilities, focus on her art, and try to connect with Logan, the boy that she will date in the future. She maintains all the knowledge from ten years in the future and tries to use this to her advantage. Surely, she could convince her best friend to come out of the closet or prevent a tragedy from happening, couldn’t she? Carmen must have been sent back in time for a reason, but what was it, and will it alter her future?
“Play It Back” by Vanessa Lopez Aziz is an engaging young adult book with a quirky premise. Written from the first-person perspective, the story follows Carmen Santos as she experiences alternate timelines. As an adult, Carmen is (mostly) content with her life but is torn about whether to accept Logan’s proposal, while seventeen-year-old Carmen must navigate dating, friendship drama, and a dysfunctional family all over again, all the while trying to prevent a tragedy from transpiring.
I was intrigued by the prospect of Carmen being transported back to her teen years. Armed with her adult knowledge and being able to draw on her past experiences, I couldn’t wait to see how it turned out. Would she forge a new path? Would she still be bogged down by the plight of being young and inexperienced?
The author did an excellent job of illustrating relevant coming-of-age issues, some of which Carmen improved her second time as a teen, like spending more time with her Lola (grandmother), and some that she unwittingly made worse, like trying to out her best friend before she was ready. Adult Carmen may have had ten more years of insight, but she was out of touch with her former self. The author skillfully taught young readers that mistakes are unavoidable—a rite of passage of being young—and to fully evolve, we cannot skip the hard stuff. We must endure.
I instantly fell in love with the time travel element of “Play It Back.” Imagine having the ability to wake up as your former self and have a do-over; I’ve definitely fantasized about this. Along with the enchanting premise, the author has crafted a relatable protagonist, shone a light on important coming-of-age challenges, and taught readers the importance of living in the moment.
October 11, 2023
Play It Back thrives on a simple, but compelling premise – What would happen if you woke up in the body of your younger self? What does it mean? What would you do differently? The novel is an intriguing read from page one, establishing Vanessa Lopez Aziz as an engaging literary voice who deftly blends adult sensibilities with an anxious environment of adolescent uncertainty – and the pressure to navigate (or renavigate) the final year of high school with the promise of college on the horizon. Along the way, Aziz explores the complexities of everyday life – family and friendship, love and loyalty – while seamlessly weaving elements of her own Filipino heritage into a narrative that never strays from its relatable tone. The nostalgic references are a welcome touch for those who remember using printed MapQuest directions instead of GPS systems to drive our teenage friends around to weekend parties.
Rob Kachelriess, Entertainment and Lifestyle Writer (Thrillist, Trivago Magazine, Las Vegas Weekly)
Rob Kachelriess, Entertainment and Lifestyle Writer (Thrillist, Trivago Magazine, Las Vegas Weekly)
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews