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That Thing Formerly Known As My Life

Sally Johnson (Goodreads Author)

3.84 · Rating details · 67 ratings · 46 reviews

A cross-country move wasn’t exactly what McKinley had in mind for her senior trip, but leave it to her parents to up and move to Rhode Island. Her senior year was supposed to be awesome, but when she ticks off popular cheerleader Taylor, it goes from bad to worse.

The only good thing about moving is the mysterious, Camaro-driving, all-around-likeable Nick Phelan. But that m ...more

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Published July 1st 2016

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Jun 23, 2016 Lucinda rated it really liked it

This is a really cute YA story. It goes a little beyond high school problems and McKinley does a lot of growing, even if she does take a while to get there. Nick was adorable, would love to see him again.

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Oct 05, 2016 Tressa (Wishful Endings) rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya, ya-contemporary

13 Reasons to Not Move before Senior Year:
- You lose all your friends and even your best friend starts to pull away.
- You have to start all over with the hierarchy of high school and being at the bottom is not cool.
- That cute guy you were digging and starting to form a relationship with? You haven't got a chance with him now.
- You get to trade in your swanky house in Las Vegas for an old, musty-smelling one your family inherits from grandma.
- You now have an ugly orange front door, which requir 13 Reasons to Not Move before Senior Year:
- You lose all your friends and even your best friend starts to pull away.
- You have to start all over with the hierarchy of high school and being at the bottom is not cool.
- That cute guy you were digging and starting to form a relationship with? You haven't got a chance with him now.
- You get to trade in your swanky house in Las Vegas for an old, musty-smelling one your family inherits from grandma.
- You now have an ugly orange front door, which requires you to paint it.
- Your parents work all the time to build up the new business/job and you never see them (although, that could be a good reason...).
- Due to said parents being gone all the time, you are now a full-time maid and cook.
- Due to the new business being a pizza joint, you can no longer tolerate eating pizza, which is a crying shame. (However, free cookie dough is a great guy magnet.)
- You inadvertently offend the most popular girl in school making you a social pariah and the blunt of all her jokes.
- You end up being the only non-athletic person in P.E. because somehow the only spot they had left was the class with all the jocks and preppy girls.
- Even worse, P.E. is the first class of the day making you either stink for the rest of the day or be forced to take a shower in the mold-infested showers before your second class.
- You only have two friends, at least until the new guy comes, but you're not sure if he's really your friend.
- Instead of being able to just have fun your last year of high school with all your friends that you've known forever, you now have to grow up and face some tough things. On the bright side, that new guy gets you and there might be something there...

Thus is McKinley's life in THAT THING FORMERLY KNOWN AS MY LIFE. It's sweet, complicated, snarky, and laugh-out-loud hilarious. This story delves into the high school setting with some secrets in the background that add a little suspense, a possible romance, some friend and family complexities, and characters that are easy to connect with. Readers who enjoy contemporary YA will find something to like here.

I read this story easily in one sitting. It had such great dialogue with all the sarcasm, inner turmoil, and various challenges that McKinley faces. There were so many moments that made me laugh. I also loved the characters! McKinley does have her moments of immaturity, especially towards the end, which got to me a little. And I'm not sure I loved the twist in the end. I saw it coming but I was hoping that something was less instead of being the three it was (can't say more as it would spoil it, but if you read this, you'll know what I mean). That was the only thing that came off as unauthentic or unrealistic.

In the end, was it what I wished for? Pretty much. There were some great characters and moments in this story making for a very enjoyable read!

Content: Some innuendo and references to drinking, drugs, and partying. Would consider it clean.
Source: Received complementary ebook through ebooksforreview.com, which did not affect my review in any way. ...more

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Oct 01, 2016 Katie W rated it it was amazing

Shelves: schoolroom, young-adult, romance-clean

(4.5 Stars) A move across the country leaves McKinley struggling during her senior year of high school. The queen bee of the school, Taylor, has it out for McKinley, which makes things worse. There's nothing worse than bullies at school and somehow, Taylor always gets away with it. The only thing that makes it all bearable is her new PE partner and friend--Nick. Although she hates PE, he's a saving grace and takes their friendship outside of the track. The mystery and secrets surrounding Nick ar ...more

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Jul 16, 2016 Rebecca Rode rated it really liked it

I love a sweet contemporary romance with a little intrigue, and this one doesn't disappoint. I instantly fell in love with the main character and her predicament. I moved around a lot as a child, and being uprooted from everything you know can feel like the end of the world, but poor McKinley handles it with as much grace as she can. The romance is so cute and fun, and I absolutely adore the love interest. The questions that keep getting presented add an element of mystery that keeps the story m ...more

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Sep 19, 2016 Cathy rated it it was amazing

This was a cute book that I enjoyed reading! I thought that the characters were well-written, the plot was interesting and the ending was really good.

McKinley is a cute character, she's my kind of girl, she hates PE and is on the staff of the newspaper. I kind of felt bad for her, she's the new girl and in her senior year she has all of 2 friends and the way the popular kids, especially Taylor treat her, is not cool. But I loved that Nick showed up and treated her kindly. I liked that the whole ...more

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Aug 04, 2016 iamnotabookworm rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: ebooks, ebooks-for-review

It was like an unanticipated punch in the gut. It momentarily stunned me.

Sally Johnson's That Thing Formerly Known as My Life is set in a high school in Rhode Island. About a girl who is trying to fit in, in a new school, in a new place and far from everything familiar and comfortable to her. Even her parents have become too busy with their pizza business that they have no time for her anymore.

In her first period PE class, McKinley Everest is the only one without a partner. It's because she's t It was like an unanticipated punch in the gut. It momentarily stunned me.

Sally Johnson's That Thing Formerly Known as My Life is set in a high school in Rhode Island. About a girl who is trying to fit in, in a new school, in a new place and far from everything familiar and comfortable to her. Even her parents have become too busy with their pizza business that they have no time for her anymore.

In her first period PE class, McKinley Everest is the only one without a partner. It's because she's the newest girl in school and to everyone else, she does not belong to the popular crowd. Then, one day, all that changed. She is no longer the new kid, a new guy just joined her PE class and has no choice but be her partner. This guy seems to have nothing in common with her. He's good looking and seems to belong to the cool crowd. He seems to be athletic also and he drives a white Camaro. Would this guy become McKinley's friend or he would stop talking to her right after he becomes friends with the jocks and the cheerleaders? What McKinley doesn't know is that Nick has his own secrets.

At first, this seemed like one of those high school nerdy-girl-meets-cool-guy type of stories. It is, until you get to the part where the real identity of Nick is revealed. I am in for a surprise. It was like an unanticipated punch in the gut. It momentarily stunned me. I really thought he was one of the bad guys. It was a nice twist. I did not expect it until it was too obvious. It reminds me of the American Series Faking It. This is one of the subjects that they tackled.

The book explores the life of a teenager dealing with the issues of high school life along with problems with parents and the changes she has to cope with that came with moving to a new place. Add to the fact that she has to make an effort to make new friends which is not easy as 1,2,3 because she is not as cool as the others. A lot of people can relate to this, not just teens but everyone who had gone through high school. High school, the best part of being a teenager but could also be hell.

I relished the part where McKinley was able to prove to everyone, especially to her tormentors, that she can be better. That she can surpass them all without being obvious about it and when they least expect it.

I give the book three stars for the very startling twist at the end of story. If not for it, this book would just be another new-girl-in-high-school story. I would like to read Sally Johnson's other books to get to know more of her writing style. I love books that surprise me. I want to find out if Johnson can keep this up. Keep surprising her readers without them ever suspecting.
...more

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Aug 07, 2016 Jaide rated it really liked it

Shelves: reading-challenge-2016

**I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.**

When I first started reading That Thing Formerly Known as My Life (TTFKAML) by Sally Johnson, a teen/YA-genre oriented 'clean' romance novel, I just knew I would not enjoy it since I am (ahem) a mature reader. However, this charming novel speaks to the young woman still lurking in each female, regardless of age. After your "inner girl" has finished enjoying it, perhaps paying it forward to someone of the younger generation would **I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.**

When I first started reading That Thing Formerly Known as My Life (TTFKAML) by Sally Johnson, a teen/YA-genre oriented 'clean' romance novel, I just knew I would not enjoy it since I am (ahem) a mature reader. However, this charming novel speaks to the young woman still lurking in each female, regardless of age. After your "inner girl" has finished enjoying it, perhaps paying it forward to someone of the younger generation would be helpful.

Johnson's novel is composed of elements perhaps most teen/YA females tend to find interesting in romance novels: a hot guy, mean girl/competition, and female protagonist who considers herself of average beauty (thus the reader can pretend she is THAT girl). TTFKAML is a story about McKinley Everest, whose parents have the audacity to uproot her from her longtime home in Las Vegas and dump them in Rhode Island, just before her senior year in high school! McKinley is then left to fend for herself and to navigate the drama and trauma her final school year, while they work extremely long hours in their new business. Her current life resembles Cinderella's, as she has so many at-home responsibilities, is on the most popular girl's verbal hit list, and is all alone so much of the time. Then confident, but secretive, new guy, Nick Phelan, arrives at school and is assigned to be her PE partner. McKinley is surprised at the things she is learning from and about Nick, but what she really wants to know is will he be her boyfriend (Prince Charming).

That Thing Formerly Known as My Life is an engaging read, as it draws you into the drama of those high school years. While there is suspense surrounding a couple of situations, I correctly figured out who was behind what and Nick's true motive almost from the beginning. I would have liked to see harsher consequences for some behaviors exhibited by certain characters in the story. I will also admit McKinley's almost continual "whining" in her head about Nick was starting to aggravate me.

Johnson brings to light several issues teenagers, young adults, and even parents might encounter in this story. In addition to being a cute, witty romance novel, it gives the reader a different perspective of what some of the youth are dealing with today, as well as what it feels like to feel alone and seek the attention of a hot guy. I enjoyed it!

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Aug 21, 2016 Claire Sayan rated it really liked it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. ARC copy provided by Inspired Kathy in exchange for an honest review.
3.5-4 HEA stars.

McKinley is the new girl at school and hasn't fitted in well. Her parents are spending all their time at their Pizza shop McKinley is home alone more often than not and only talks to two other people at school.

She has PE first period and is the only student without a partner, much to the delight of chief bully and cheerleader Taylor. Until one day Coach introduces the new boy, Nick. Nick and McKinley hit it off ARC copy provided by Inspired Kathy in exchange for an honest review.
3.5-4 HEA stars.

McKinley is the new girl at school and hasn't fitted in well. Her parents are spending all their time at their Pizza shop McKinley is home alone more often than not and only talks to two other people at school.

She has PE first period and is the only student without a partner, much to the delight of chief bully and cheerleader Taylor. Until one day Coach introduces the new boy, Nick. Nick and McKinley hit it off straight away and get on well. As they get to know each other McKinley starts liking him but doesn't want to let on for fear of rejection, she already thinks it strange that Mr Popular would want to talk to her and is baffled as to why he would actually voluntarily spend time with her.

Nick keeps McKinley from getting lonely when her parents are at work but she feels like he's holding somethings back. He dodges questions but says that he will disclose his secrets when the time is right. McKinley finds a wad of money in Nicks kitchen which makes her suspicious of him. One night, McKinley is driving to Nicks to tell him how she feels when she sees Taylor's car on the drive. Rumours are there's a party at Taylor's the same night so McKinley finds out where her rival lives and sets about finding Nick to have it out with him.

When she arrives at Taylor's, McKinley runs into Nick on the driveway who tells her to go away in no uncertain terms to go away. She is too embarrassed by the rejection so drives home passing several police cars on the way.

The next morning news of a drugs bust breaks with Nicks picture amongst others splashed over the newspaper. The rumours going around school on the Monday are not pleasant and McKinley doesn't know what to believe, especially when Nick's cry is missing from his driveway and he is absent from school when all the other arrested kids are back in lessons. Not being able to make contact McKinley decides to drive round in the hope of catching Nick at home. He's home and what he has to tell her is both good and bad news....... ...more

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Sep 30, 2016 Mylissa Demeyere rated it really liked it

This book was a perfect teenage read, not necessarily one I would give to my almost thirteen-year-old, but one I imagine an older teenager would enjoy reading.
McKinley hates her new school, and the place she calls home now. Her parents decided to uproot her in the final month of her junior year, and she has practically no friends and no social life what so ever.
When the new kid in school, who happens to be a very cute guy, and her PE partner, takes an interest in her, she is a little wary of his ...more

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Sep 10, 2016 Beth McGuire rated it it was amazing

I RECEIVED THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW. I REALLY LIKED THIS BOOK. THIS BOOK STARS MCKINLEY WHO JUST RECENTLY MOVED TO A NEW SCHOOL. SHE IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH SOME OF THE POPULAR KIDS, ESPECIALLY A GIRL NAMED TAYLOR. NICK WHO IS BRAND NEW TO THE SCHOOL GETS PARTNERED WITH MCKINLEY IN PE AND AS THEY ARE BECOMING FRIENDS THEY REALIZE THAT THEY HAVE A LOT IN COMMON. MCKINLEY IS AFRAID TO LET NICK KNOW THAT SHE WOULD LIKE TO BE HIS GIRLFRIEND DUE TO HIM ALSO BEING FRIENDS WITH TAYLOR ...more

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Sep 26, 2016 Jenny rated it really liked it

This book is a fun mix of snarky, vulnerable, sincere, and breaking out of one's box. It reminds me a lot of another YA novel I love, but yet has enough uniqueness to stand on it's own feet. I love the friendship between McKinley and Nick. I love how he helps her out in a class she struggles in, and helps her begin to find the confidence she needs to be secure in her independence. I love that McKinley isn't afraid to tackle challenging home improvement jobs that help her improve her surroundings ...more

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Oct 01, 2016 Anita rated it really liked it

Shelves: clean-read, contemporary, coming-of-age

That Thing Formerly Know As My Life is an angsty (don't you love my made up word) coming of age story. McKinley Everest (awesome name by the way) has been moved to a new life her senior year of high school. She is immediately targeted by the "mean girls".Oh mean girls, how I always hoped you would get your comeuppances. Nick has also just moved in and gets to be her PE partner. However, unlike most of the kids, Nick is kind. Nick is also smart, mysterious and oh so interesting.

At first look, thi ...more

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Aug 30, 2016 Nicole rated it liked it · review of another edition

I received a copy of this book in exchange for a review!

I would love to say I loved this book. However, I barely remember anything from it, except the basics. I could have sworn that I finished this book, because I vividly remember finishing it and saying "good, I can now do my review." However, life got in the way, and i didn't get a chance until now.

That being said, I don't remember much. It was a good book. There were parts that made me laugh, and characters that made me visualize everything ...more

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Aug 08, 2016 Heather Green rated it really liked it

I couldn't put this one down. It was a quick, entertaining read. It was clean. I loved that it turned into a mystery. I wondered from the beginning if Nick was all he pretended to be. I really liked their friendship even if Nick was faking it at first. I loved that he called her Everest. I would have given it a 5, but I didn't like that McKinley was the one to always make the moves. I understand that Nick couldn't do anything until she was older, but even when she had graduated, he still didn't ...more

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Aug 19, 2016 Stephanie rated it really liked it

I must say that this was a very refreshing, shorter YA romance. It took about 50 pages for me to really start to enjoy the book, but I found it very well paced. I felt that the characters were a little more mature than their ages, but I was able to appreciate it. This book sort of felt twilight-esqe - it's full of angst and drama. It was a very enjoyable read, but o can't help but feel short changed on the romance aspect.

Get “That Thing Formerly Known As My Life” by Sally Johnson: https://www.a ...more

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Sep 15, 2016 NaDell rated it really liked it

I read this book in a day. It took me right back to high school a little bit! I can remember feeling inadequate and thinking I didn't have friends or family who mattered and comparing to popular kids (even at the tiny school I went to.) I kept thinking the story must change somehow, but I couldn't quite put my finger on what the twist would be, but when the secrets came out, it all made complete sense. I liked the characters, even when she was moody (because what teenage girl isn't moody sometim ...more

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Aug 09, 2016 Lisa rated it liked it

Shelves: books-2016

The beginning of this book was very teenage aimed. I felt like it was a bit of a take off of the 'Twilight' trilogy. This feeling dwindled towards the middle of the book, but there was still that unattainable boy feeling throughout. It was an easy and quite romantic read. The story line was pretty good... not what I expected towards the end. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in a clean, no sexual content, romance easy read with a feel good undertone.
Thank you to goodreads a ...more

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Sep 30, 2016 Donna May rated it it was amazing

I adored this book – it was funny and mysterious with some romance woven in. The author has a great way with writing. I could totally picture the story line. This is a great YA romance novel.

High school is a place that you are supposed to love, but when you are the new girl your junior and senior year, it is the last place you want to be. Girls feel intimidated by new comers. But, boys on the other hand – if they are good looking – are treated like Princes. Everyone wants to date them or be thei ...more

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Aug 03, 2016 Cordelianne rated it really liked it

Shelves: owned

This book hooked me from the first page. I loved the two main characters McKinley and Nick. Their interaction in the book was great. I loved the mystery aspect of the book, but towards the end it became a bit boring. I liked the social aspects of the book, the message that life can always get worse and that you should be happy with what you got. Overall the book was wonderful. I would definetely recommend this book if you like romance with a hint of mystery!

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Sep 04, 2016 Cassie rated it liked it

I recieved this book free in order to review, this did not affect my opinion of the book. A short novel about Mckinley Everest a high school senior who moved from Las Vagas to Rhode Island, a lonely 18 year old girl with only two friends until Nick shows up. He is very handsome and goes with the "popular" kids but still spends time with her. This is a great book with an interesting plot. ...more

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Sep 28, 2016 Melissa Ann rated it really liked it

I thought this book was very interesting even if the plot was a bit predictable. It did make me super hungry though, and I thought that McKinley was a touch whiny for someone her age but that did make for room for character development. So all in all a good read.

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Aug 17, 2016 Gina rated it really liked it

I enjoyed this book. It is a quick, entertaining read with a happy ending. It is very clean, which I really appreciate and would have no problem with one of my teenagers reading it.

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Sep 06, 2016 Scarlet Bushman rated it really liked it

Cute young adult book. Clean. It was a little predictable but it dealt with real life problems and
the main character was charismatic. Fast, easy read.

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Dec 31, 2016 Pascale rated it it was amazing

I guessed Nick's "secret" right from the very beginning as it was fairly obvious. Having said that, this was a really fun story and I so enjoyed it! Squeaky clean, engaging, fast-paced, it looks into the life of a typical high school with the "in" crowd, the nerds, the athletes, the newspaper crew, and a bit of a far-fetched but sweet and romantic relationship on the side. This is a great story for teens and young adults but is also engaging enough for a more mature audience. I would definitely ...more

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Sep 26, 2016 Melissa rated it really liked it

3.5 to 3.75 out of 5 stars

If I were to make a list of books that I thought I did not like but ended up liking, this book is probably on that list. I have a hard time getting in this book at first. The writing style and the storyline are not complicated and it has a very fun air to it. However, I think the first 3 chapters does not help me build a good relationship in a quarter of this book. I really love the plot of this book, hence the rating. But I have some issues with the protagonist. Her dr ...more

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Aug 09, 2016 Ashley D rated it liked it

I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was just ok for me. I would maybe have to read it again now knowing how it ends. There were some really cute parts in it like when Nick calls McKinley, Everest. I know that this was written in the high school scene but there were a lot of parts that seemed really immature for me. I know that because of Nick's job he couldn't pursue McKinley so she was the one doing all the pursuing which I had a hard time with. He did try to give h ...more

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Aug 18, 2016 Deborah Andreasen rated it it was amazing

I started out not loving this book. There were a few times I contemplated putting it down. I'm glad I stuck with it.

McKinley moved to her new school at the beginning of her senior year. She hates everything about it, and she's bitter toward her parents for uprooting her and then leaving her to fend for herself while they run the family business. Not to mention Taylor, the resident mean girl, has it out for her. The one highlight of McKinley's new life is Nick, a kid even newer than her. He's fun ...more

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Aug 09, 2016 Jamie :) rated it really liked it

I received this book in exchange for an honest review:

I thought this book was a throughly enjoyable read. It was just the perfect mix of cheesy with enough intriguing plot twists to keep you interested. I loved how McKinley was so brutally honest and had the guts to say whatever came to her mind. She really was a likable character and you really found yourself rutting for her and Nick until the very end. With unexpected turns and a gossip magazine circling rumors there was always something turn ...more

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Aug 10, 2016 Izzy rated it liked it · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Aug 11, 2016 Laura rated it liked it

I enjoyed this book, but I think it was written for young adult readers. There was too much teenage angst for me to really love it.
McKinley moves just before her senior year and spends the whole book trying to figure out how to enjoy her new home & senior year. All the popular kids dislike her, so life is hard. Enter a new boy at school who has the looks and money to fit in with the cool kids, but seems to like McKinley anyway.
I could relate to McKinley since I went to several schools. Moving a ...more

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