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It's Not You, It's Me
A literally life-changing novel about time travel, soulmates and serial killers that asks a very big question: Can you ever change your fate? This is award-winning YA author Gabrielle Williams' most surprising, ambitious and dexterous book yet.
Holly Fitzgerald has inexplicably woken up inside the body of an LA teenager called Trinity Byrne in 1980 - trapping Trinity in Holly's forty-year-old body back in Melbourne, 2020.
Mind. Officially. Blown.
Holly finds herself navigating a brand-new body, family and cute boy next door - not to mention rock band that might just make it, and potential kidnapper. Meanwhile, lies intersect with truth, hurtling both Holly and Trinity towards a dangerous fate as the connections between them grow deeper and stranger than either could have ever imagined.
Freaky Friday meets Pretty Little Liars - if the Liars were an all-girl punk band from the 1980s - in this highly original soul-swap story from the critically acclaimed author of My Life as a Hashtag.
'An absolute delight. Funny, clever, compelling, and utterly original.' NINA KENWOOD, It Sounded Better in My Head
Holly Fitzgerald has inexplicably woken up inside the body of an LA teenager called Trinity Byrne in 1980 - trapping Trinity in Holly's forty-year-old body back in Melbourne, 2020.
Mind. Officially. Blown.
Holly finds herself navigating a brand-new body, family and cute boy next door - not to mention rock band that might just make it, and potential kidnapper. Meanwhile, lies intersect with truth, hurtling both Holly and Trinity towards a dangerous fate as the connections between them grow deeper and stranger than either could have ever imagined.
Freaky Friday meets Pretty Little Liars - if the Liars were an all-girl punk band from the 1980s - in this highly original soul-swap story from the critically acclaimed author of My Life as a Hashtag.
'An absolute delight. Funny, clever, compelling, and utterly original.' NINA KENWOOD, It Sounded Better in My Head
288 pages, Paperback
First published August 31, 2021
7 people are currently reading
447 people want to read
About the author
Gabrielle Williams
6 books90 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Gabrielle Williams has worked in recording studios, advertising and television. Her first novel for young adults, Beatle Meets Destiny, was shortlisted for two literary awards in 2010.
Gabrielle Williams has worked in recording studios, advertising and television. Her first novel for young adults, Beatle Meets Destiny, was shortlisted for two literary awards in 2010.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
September 26, 2021
This novel was exactly what I needed to read to shift my mind outside my locked-down body.
‘It’s not you, it’s me’ is being sold as ‘Freaky Friday’ meets ‘Pretty Little Liars’ but it is so much more than that - it’s about body swapping AND time traveling that neatly sidesteps the Grandfather Paradox and tips its hat to many-worlds theory; it’s about that idea of whether if you were suddenly young again, would you do it all differently?; it’s about the casual violence against, and objectification of, teen female bodies; it’s about the intensity of teen friendships, regret, 1980s girl bands and consciously living your fullest life, no matter where you are in your own personal story arc.
And it’s creepy and compelling - there aren’t enough novels with self-writing typewriters in them that can communicate across the space-time continuum without tearing the fabric of the universe. There, I’ve said it. Wait till this becomes an actual thing and I will have called it in 2021.
And I will tell this to anyone, and have said this before to anyone who will listen, Gabrielle Williams writes about music like someone who fundamentally, and completely, gets how important it is to human life. It’s an unsung thread through all her insanely stylish and compelling novels - she writes about the effect of music on the psyche like Tim Winton writes about waves.
I loved reading this so much.
‘It’s not you, it’s me’ is being sold as ‘Freaky Friday’ meets ‘Pretty Little Liars’ but it is so much more than that - it’s about body swapping AND time traveling that neatly sidesteps the Grandfather Paradox and tips its hat to many-worlds theory; it’s about that idea of whether if you were suddenly young again, would you do it all differently?; it’s about the casual violence against, and objectification of, teen female bodies; it’s about the intensity of teen friendships, regret, 1980s girl bands and consciously living your fullest life, no matter where you are in your own personal story arc.
And it’s creepy and compelling - there aren’t enough novels with self-writing typewriters in them that can communicate across the space-time continuum without tearing the fabric of the universe. There, I’ve said it. Wait till this becomes an actual thing and I will have called it in 2021.
And I will tell this to anyone, and have said this before to anyone who will listen, Gabrielle Williams writes about music like someone who fundamentally, and completely, gets how important it is to human life. It’s an unsung thread through all her insanely stylish and compelling novels - she writes about the effect of music on the psyche like Tim Winton writes about waves.
I loved reading this so much.
May 28, 2023
I love love love this. I might even have more to say on the topic. I'm off to the future to bring back what I wrote.
"She had a sense that if she thought about it hard and long enough, she just might be able to grasp what she was doing here."
September 17, 2021
Suspend disbelief and enjoy this wonderful soul-swap story. Read this in a few hours and thoroughly enjoyed it.
August 18, 2021
HECK, THIS WAS GOOD! Think Freaky Friday meets Riverdale season 1.
The pacing was phenomenal - Williams got straight into the plot, without any lengthy preamble or set-up. This worked incredibly well, because our main character herself was plopped into this other time and body without warning.
The plot was addictive - I couldn't put the book down, because I desperately needed to know what would happen next.
And I applaud the way Gabrielle Williams blended the personality of Holly, with the instincts and muscle memory of the body she was stuck in. It really added another dimension to the character.
This is my new favourite read of 2021!
Thank you Allen and Unwin for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The pacing was phenomenal - Williams got straight into the plot, without any lengthy preamble or set-up. This worked incredibly well, because our main character herself was plopped into this other time and body without warning.
The plot was addictive - I couldn't put the book down, because I desperately needed to know what would happen next.
And I applaud the way Gabrielle Williams blended the personality of Holly, with the instincts and muscle memory of the body she was stuck in. It really added another dimension to the character.
This is my new favourite read of 2021!
Thank you Allen and Unwin for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 9, 2023
This was a random library find, and I really enjoyed it!
I like time-travel books, and this one was a fun, intriguing, thoughtful, soul-swapping back to the 1980s ride.
It's Not You, It's Me was a unique book that kept my interest, even whilst in a bookrut.
I like time-travel books, and this one was a fun, intriguing, thoughtful, soul-swapping back to the 1980s ride.
It's Not You, It's Me was a unique book that kept my interest, even whilst in a bookrut.
September 30, 2021
This book is absolutely amazing 🤩 I read it so quick! The writing style drew me in immediately and who doesn’t love a body swap time travel story.
I heard the book described as Freaky Friday meets Pretty Little Liars and I 100% ageee
The ending had me in tears 😭 don’t say I didn’t warn you!!!
I heard the book described as Freaky Friday meets Pretty Little Liars and I 100% ageee
The ending had me in tears 😭 don’t say I didn’t warn you!!!
October 16, 2021
This title is a wonderful pun. This was a fun concept that was pretty well executed, I liked how the POV shift was handled - kept it very much a YA. I would have liked a little bit more feeling of place when we were in the 80's but that's nitpicking really.
August 10, 2022
Apart from the cover, the book was pretty good. Was a nice, light read.
September 4, 2021
http://jessjustreads.com
Gabrielle Williams’ latest YA novel It’s Not You, It’s Me is a soul-swap story predominantly set in the 1980s. When forty-year-old Holly — who lives in 2020 — wakes up in the body of 16-year-old Trinity in 1980, she must learn to manage this new identity whilst figuring out why she’s been swapped in the first place. What does she need to do and how can she get back to her own body?
It’s certainly an interesting perspective to focus on for a YA novel — centring the story on the 40-year-old rather than the 16-year-old. But to be fair, when we do come in contact with Trinity it’s clear she’s quite unfriendly and bitter, and I probably would’ve hated reading an entire book about her anyway. It’s nice to see her humble out a bit.
“Holly couldn’t pretend. This wasn’t her life. None of it was. Deep down in her gut, in her soul, she knew this wasn’t who she was. Holly didn’t know how to behave with a dad. She hadn’t grown up with one. What happened when you had a dad? What sort of things did you talk about?”
Focusing on Holly’s perspective allows us to focus on the plot, rather than the character. Holly is wise and intelligent, and her journey is more about finding out why she’s been body-swapped, and what she can do to improve Trinity’s life. Over time, we come to realise how lonely Holly’s childhood was — an absent mother, no father. By stepping into Trinity’s shoes, she gets to experience the love of a family and the comfort of feeling like she belongs. It’s a nice touch.
Another interesting element to the story is how Gabrielle explored muscle memory and unconscious reactions. In many situations, Holly is able to ‘be’ more like Trinity and is able to tap into memories rather suddenly.
The pacing is consistent and appropriate, and tension builds in the second half as Holly’s life nears danger. Whilst Gabrielle probably could’ve increased the presence of the Mariposa Murder in the first half of the novel — the fear and concern — I still really enjoyed Holly’s progression in the novel.
“She strummed the strings, trying to get a feel for the instrument. She was going to make a fool of herself. But as she started tinkering, her fingers took off with a mind, or a memory, all their own. Her body was plucking the strings, listening for tone, adjusting the tuning pegs…”
Admittedly, I would’ve loved a bit more reference to the 1980s — pop culture, fashion, lifestyle. Perhaps these things are light on because the YA readership weren’t alive in the 1980s and so they may not necessarily respond to these elements, but I would’ve loved just a bit more sense of place. Holly waking up in the 1980s lends itself to quite a bit of humour and quirk, and this novel does feel like it has room for a bit more.
The only other element of the novel I struggled with was the initial scenes when Holly wakes up in Trinity’s body. Because the story is written in third person, Holly is referred to as Holly, but Trinity is frequently mentioned, and introspection allows for Holly to talk about Trinity a lot. After the first few chapters you’ve got it, but initially? I was quite confused.
“Holly wasn’t ready for the outside world yet, even if it was only coming in through the phone line…Holly’s instinct was to hang up the phone and deal with the consequences later. But if she didn’t talk to this girl, the mom would know something was up.”
Quirky and original, It’s Not Me It’s You is recommended for a YA audience. Readership skews female, 12+. The ending is particularly enjoyable.
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
Gabrielle Williams’ latest YA novel It’s Not You, It’s Me is a soul-swap story predominantly set in the 1980s. When forty-year-old Holly — who lives in 2020 — wakes up in the body of 16-year-old Trinity in 1980, she must learn to manage this new identity whilst figuring out why she’s been swapped in the first place. What does she need to do and how can she get back to her own body?
It’s certainly an interesting perspective to focus on for a YA novel — centring the story on the 40-year-old rather than the 16-year-old. But to be fair, when we do come in contact with Trinity it’s clear she’s quite unfriendly and bitter, and I probably would’ve hated reading an entire book about her anyway. It’s nice to see her humble out a bit.
“Holly couldn’t pretend. This wasn’t her life. None of it was. Deep down in her gut, in her soul, she knew this wasn’t who she was. Holly didn’t know how to behave with a dad. She hadn’t grown up with one. What happened when you had a dad? What sort of things did you talk about?”
Focusing on Holly’s perspective allows us to focus on the plot, rather than the character. Holly is wise and intelligent, and her journey is more about finding out why she’s been body-swapped, and what she can do to improve Trinity’s life. Over time, we come to realise how lonely Holly’s childhood was — an absent mother, no father. By stepping into Trinity’s shoes, she gets to experience the love of a family and the comfort of feeling like she belongs. It’s a nice touch.
Another interesting element to the story is how Gabrielle explored muscle memory and unconscious reactions. In many situations, Holly is able to ‘be’ more like Trinity and is able to tap into memories rather suddenly.
The pacing is consistent and appropriate, and tension builds in the second half as Holly’s life nears danger. Whilst Gabrielle probably could’ve increased the presence of the Mariposa Murder in the first half of the novel — the fear and concern — I still really enjoyed Holly’s progression in the novel.
“She strummed the strings, trying to get a feel for the instrument. She was going to make a fool of herself. But as she started tinkering, her fingers took off with a mind, or a memory, all their own. Her body was plucking the strings, listening for tone, adjusting the tuning pegs…”
Admittedly, I would’ve loved a bit more reference to the 1980s — pop culture, fashion, lifestyle. Perhaps these things are light on because the YA readership weren’t alive in the 1980s and so they may not necessarily respond to these elements, but I would’ve loved just a bit more sense of place. Holly waking up in the 1980s lends itself to quite a bit of humour and quirk, and this novel does feel like it has room for a bit more.
The only other element of the novel I struggled with was the initial scenes when Holly wakes up in Trinity’s body. Because the story is written in third person, Holly is referred to as Holly, but Trinity is frequently mentioned, and introspection allows for Holly to talk about Trinity a lot. After the first few chapters you’ve got it, but initially? I was quite confused.
“Holly wasn’t ready for the outside world yet, even if it was only coming in through the phone line…Holly’s instinct was to hang up the phone and deal with the consequences later. But if she didn’t talk to this girl, the mom would know something was up.”
Quirky and original, It’s Not Me It’s You is recommended for a YA audience. Readership skews female, 12+. The ending is particularly enjoyable.
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 29, 2021
Thank you to Allen & Unwin for providing me with a copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review!
Holly was celebrating her 40th birthday, in her home of Australia, in early 2020 when she suddenly finds herself laying on the footpath, in America, in 1980. Eve. Worse, she’s not Holly anymore, she’s 16 year old Trinity.
Meanwhile, the real Trinity has been transported into 40 year old Holly’s body and is NOT happy about it.
As Holly tries to navigate school, parents and being stuck with none of the technology she’s now used to, she starts to wonder not only how this has happened, but why. There are some uncanny similarities between Holly and Trinity, but have they been swapped to change an event in one of their lives? And if so, who’s life?
I really loved this one, it was just so much fun! Holly, who we spent almost all of the time with, was such a fantastic character. Watching her try to make sure she acted like a 16 year old would (while secretly loving the family life she never experienced in her own life) was funny and sweet. I am just a couple of years older than Holly so I could relate to a lot of the events and culture of both timelines.
Holly’s friends were also pretty cool side characters that I enjoyed getting to know. This is definitely one to pick up when you don’t want a heavy book, just something super fun to keep you entertained!
Holly was celebrating her 40th birthday, in her home of Australia, in early 2020 when she suddenly finds herself laying on the footpath, in America, in 1980. Eve. Worse, she’s not Holly anymore, she’s 16 year old Trinity.
Meanwhile, the real Trinity has been transported into 40 year old Holly’s body and is NOT happy about it.
As Holly tries to navigate school, parents and being stuck with none of the technology she’s now used to, she starts to wonder not only how this has happened, but why. There are some uncanny similarities between Holly and Trinity, but have they been swapped to change an event in one of their lives? And if so, who’s life?
I really loved this one, it was just so much fun! Holly, who we spent almost all of the time with, was such a fantastic character. Watching her try to make sure she acted like a 16 year old would (while secretly loving the family life she never experienced in her own life) was funny and sweet. I am just a couple of years older than Holly so I could relate to a lot of the events and culture of both timelines.
Holly’s friends were also pretty cool side characters that I enjoyed getting to know. This is definitely one to pick up when you don’t want a heavy book, just something super fun to keep you entertained!
November 4, 2021
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Thank you Allen & Unwin for this book in exchange for an honest review
Loved this modern-day Freaky Friday switch between Holly and Trinity. Holly, currently enjoy her 40th birthday in Australia in 2020 while 16 year old Trinity was enjoying her 1980’s in America.
I love the mash up of two polar opposites that attempt to maintenance the life that the other half have lived, including watching Holly navigating school without all the technology, while Trinity tries her best to embrace the world of tech that 2020 has to offer.
This read was fantastic and entertaining from the opening page! I loved reading these characters reach the highs and lows of another’s life, while filling the gaps of their lives that they missed in their own lives, such as Holly growing up with a complete and loving family.
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Thank you Allen & Unwin for this book in exchange for an honest review
Loved this modern-day Freaky Friday switch between Holly and Trinity. Holly, currently enjoy her 40th birthday in Australia in 2020 while 16 year old Trinity was enjoying her 1980’s in America.
I love the mash up of two polar opposites that attempt to maintenance the life that the other half have lived, including watching Holly navigating school without all the technology, while Trinity tries her best to embrace the world of tech that 2020 has to offer.
This read was fantastic and entertaining from the opening page! I loved reading these characters reach the highs and lows of another’s life, while filling the gaps of their lives that they missed in their own lives, such as Holly growing up with a complete and loving family.
August 30, 2021
It's Not You, It's Me by Gabrielle Williams is a Freaky Friday-esque YA, following Holly and Trinity's body swap (and time travel).
Holly is not particularly thrilled with her life. She has a safe but boring boyfriend, her best friend is dead, her mother didn't seem to love her, or know how to show it if she did, and she never accomplished the things she set out to do. After having lunch and heading home in Melbourne, 2020, she wakes up to find herself in Trinity's body, in Los Angeles, 1980. Confused and uncertain, Holly manages to work out the connection between herself and Trinity, an orange typewriter that they both owned called Brother Orange. Holly is able to communicate to a less than impressed Trinity, who is stuck in Holly's body in 2020. Holly does her best to work out what is keeping her in 1980, and manages to change her future at the same time.
I loved this novel! Gabrielle Williams does a fantastic job of putting the reader back into the 1980s, describing the clothing, cars and lifestyle in detail. The story is fun and engaging, and I definitely laughed very loudly when reading about Trinity's escapades in Holly's body.
My favourite part was that even though Holly was in Trinity's body, Trinity's muscle memory remained, as well as her feelings, memories and instincts. This added such a nice touch to the story, as we got to know who Trinity was even without 'meeting' her until the very end.
I absolutely loved the ending, it made me feel so happy. It wasn't quite what I expected, which made it all the better.
It's Not You, It's Me is a gorgeous YA that grabbed my attention and held it. I finished this book within a day, because I found it so engaging. If you liked Freaky Friday, you will absolutely love this book! To be honest, you'll love this book regardless of whether or not you enjoyed Freaky Friday... I definitely recommend this to all lovers of YA, especially lovers of #LoveOzYa!
A huge thank you Allen and Unwin and Gabrielle Williams for the gorgeous review copy, I loved this book and I highly recommend it.
Holly is not particularly thrilled with her life. She has a safe but boring boyfriend, her best friend is dead, her mother didn't seem to love her, or know how to show it if she did, and she never accomplished the things she set out to do. After having lunch and heading home in Melbourne, 2020, she wakes up to find herself in Trinity's body, in Los Angeles, 1980. Confused and uncertain, Holly manages to work out the connection between herself and Trinity, an orange typewriter that they both owned called Brother Orange. Holly is able to communicate to a less than impressed Trinity, who is stuck in Holly's body in 2020. Holly does her best to work out what is keeping her in 1980, and manages to change her future at the same time.
I loved this novel! Gabrielle Williams does a fantastic job of putting the reader back into the 1980s, describing the clothing, cars and lifestyle in detail. The story is fun and engaging, and I definitely laughed very loudly when reading about Trinity's escapades in Holly's body.
My favourite part was that even though Holly was in Trinity's body, Trinity's muscle memory remained, as well as her feelings, memories and instincts. This added such a nice touch to the story, as we got to know who Trinity was even without 'meeting' her until the very end.
I absolutely loved the ending, it made me feel so happy. It wasn't quite what I expected, which made it all the better.
It's Not You, It's Me is a gorgeous YA that grabbed my attention and held it. I finished this book within a day, because I found it so engaging. If you liked Freaky Friday, you will absolutely love this book! To be honest, you'll love this book regardless of whether or not you enjoyed Freaky Friday... I definitely recommend this to all lovers of YA, especially lovers of #LoveOzYa!
A huge thank you Allen and Unwin and Gabrielle Williams for the gorgeous review copy, I loved this book and I highly recommend it.
March 11, 2024
It’s definitely a YA novel with a fast pace and plenty of fun to be had but there are some occasional plot holes (which honestly don’t really matter to the book plot) but loved it for a character turning 16 on the 29th Feb and being born prematurely.
November 14, 2021
From the premise, this isn't something I'd pick up but decided to do so on a whim. I had so much fun reading this and surprisingly, I loved the speculative elements
January 9, 2022
Go into this as a fun read, not a full heavy detailed novel. It was exactly what I needed, a quick interesting read that kept me hooked
November 6, 2023
This was a great little book. It was a bit nonsensical but I enjoyed it.
October 27, 2021
This would have been 4 stars if not for the odd ending...
August 31, 2021
This was a fantastic read!
I really enjoyed the mashup that was Holly and Trinity. Holly was such a great character that kept me interested in her life the entire way through.
I loved the pacing of this book; it never felt dull and never lacked detail. It was an all round amazing read. So much so that I read this book in a few hours because I couldn't put it down!
Thank you to Allen and Unwin for sending me a copy of this book to review.
I really enjoyed the mashup that was Holly and Trinity. Holly was such a great character that kept me interested in her life the entire way through.
I loved the pacing of this book; it never felt dull and never lacked detail. It was an all round amazing read. So much so that I read this book in a few hours because I couldn't put it down!
Thank you to Allen and Unwin for sending me a copy of this book to review.
September 8, 2021
I couldn't put this down and read it in an afternoon - great characters and premise.
October 22, 2021
First of all, THE COVER. Ohmygosh I love everything about this cover. However, it did make me think this book was going to be more... witchy?
This was a compulsive read and very digestible, with great characters, plenty of angst and eyeliner, and an ending that was so sweet and lovely. The 80s girl punk aesthetic of the book felt real, which was awesome, and the descriptions of being in a body with such strong and joyful muscle memories was a highlight for me.
However, the Australian/American slang that was constantly explained (particularly at the beginning) was a little forced, and I didn't love how often Holly dwelled on the same things over and over - while it might be somewhat realistic, it doesn't make for good reading. It also felt like the book was trying to sell the "danger"/suspense aspect of the kidnapping/serial killer but like.... that was NOT focused on enough for it to have been a selling point. I would've loved more of that. There were also a couple of things (around the switch) that were never really explained - which I won't list because of spoilers - which was a bit disappointing and leaves me without that feeling of closure.
This was a compulsive read and very digestible, with great characters, plenty of angst and eyeliner, and an ending that was so sweet and lovely. The 80s girl punk aesthetic of the book felt real, which was awesome, and the descriptions of being in a body with such strong and joyful muscle memories was a highlight for me.
However, the Australian/American slang that was constantly explained (particularly at the beginning) was a little forced, and I didn't love how often Holly dwelled on the same things over and over - while it might be somewhat realistic, it doesn't make for good reading. It also felt like the book was trying to sell the "danger"/suspense aspect of the kidnapping/serial killer but like.... that was NOT focused on enough for it to have been a selling point. I would've loved more of that. There were also a couple of things (around the switch) that were never really explained - which I won't list because of spoilers - which was a bit disappointing and leaves me without that feeling of closure.
October 2, 2021
It's the 80s, it's a body-swap supernatural - it sounds like my kinda YA! And it was quite good. I would have given it 4 stars if not for the ending which I did not like, and am still annoyed/confused over! I know most other reviews seemed to dig it but I am not a fan!
Up until the ending, I was happy to suspend my belief to read about Holly, a 40 year old from Melbourne 2020 who wakes up in the body of 16 year old Trinity, who lives in a1980 LA. Totally keen for that kind of soul-swap, especially with a retro setting. Add in Brother Orange (if you know, you know), a cute boy next door, a precocious little sister, and some funky friends and you have a winning premise. Mostly. I felt there could have been more about Trinity trapped in 2020 (if not just for the alliterative joy) and a bit more 80s nostalgia. I also found myself wondering at times who was the target audience for this book. I know it's obviously YA, but then 40 year old Holly threw me, and it had moments of being New Adult or even contemporary chick lit. I'd definitely read a more grown up version of the story, it has potential! Maybe the ending was a bit rushed? And it was a bit short but then that fits YA, but also I wanted more about Holly! Overall it was enjoyable, something different and fun.
Up until the ending, I was happy to suspend my belief to read about Holly, a 40 year old from Melbourne 2020 who wakes up in the body of 16 year old Trinity, who lives in a1980 LA. Totally keen for that kind of soul-swap, especially with a retro setting. Add in Brother Orange (if you know, you know), a cute boy next door, a precocious little sister, and some funky friends and you have a winning premise. Mostly. I felt there could have been more about Trinity trapped in 2020 (if not just for the alliterative joy) and a bit more 80s nostalgia. I also found myself wondering at times who was the target audience for this book. I know it's obviously YA, but then 40 year old Holly threw me, and it had moments of being New Adult or even contemporary chick lit. I'd definitely read a more grown up version of the story, it has potential! Maybe the ending was a bit rushed? And it was a bit short but then that fits YA, but also I wanted more about Holly! Overall it was enjoyable, something different and fun.
December 16, 2021
This was a quick read with an interesting premise. I loved the idea that the written word could be used to communicate 'through' time. The plot, however, fell flat for me. Holly seemed more intent on 'hiding' rather than solving the body swap or even reliving her youth.
It also felt like a missed opportunity to not show both Trinity's and Holly's perspectives. Trinity's travel to the future seemed a lot more interesting (she at least seemed to be doing something) and would have been more relatable to a younger audience.
It also felt like a missed opportunity to not show both Trinity's and Holly's perspectives. Trinity's travel to the future seemed a lot more interesting (she at least seemed to be doing something) and would have been more relatable to a younger audience.
October 30, 2021
Really enjoyed it as a fast-paced book that kept me hooked. Then the last chapter just was so unneeded and changed the whole tone of the book. I didn't like how it completely changed the trajectory of the future at that point.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 27, 2023
2.5 stars
This book was given to me as part of a program thing, and it was not that great honestly.
I liked the way the two main characters relationship changed and the characters and plotline weren't half bad but everything was just bland and a bit boring and the ending was so random.
This book was given to me as part of a program thing, and it was not that great honestly.
I liked the way the two main characters relationship changed and the characters and plotline weren't half bad but everything was just bland and a bit boring and the ending was so random.
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March 25, 2022
Trigger & Content Warnings
Sexual assault
Smoking
Kidnapping
Sexual assault
Smoking
Kidnapping
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September 2, 2021This review was first published on the Underground Writers website: http://underground-writers.org/review...
I’ll admit, body swap stories are a guilty pleasure of mine. There’s nothing quite like witnessing the misadventures of a character stumbling their way through someone else’s life while trying to feign normalcy—only to fail miserably but ultimately return to their body as a better person. So when I read the synopsis of Gabrielle Williams’ It’s Not You, It’s Me, you bet I was keen to dive in.
This novel begins as one might expect; 40-year-old Holly has just woken up in the body of Trinity Bryne and can’t quite piece together her disjointed memories now crammed alongside those of the 16-year-old body she now inhabits. But while swapping bodies is one issue, waking up in a different country 40 years in the past is another. As Holly tries to navigate this new life, lies and secrets reveal themselves, and she soon realises that she and Trinity may have more things binding them together than she originally thought. It’s Not You, It’s Me is a funny and quirky read about second chances presenting themselves in the most unlikely of situations.
Williams’ approach to this story is what originally captured my attention. Rather than featuring a young and spry protagonist typical of YA stories, readers are presented with 40-year-old Holly, an art teacher from Melbourne in the midst of a midlife crisis and a pandemic to boot. Yet while her exterior may now be fitting for a story directed towards young readers, the patience and maturity that define her as a character proved to be a welcome change. It’s not often, at least in my line-up of YA reads, to have a more mature protagonist take centre stage. But Williams does a wonderful job of creating a character that is relatable for its intended audience, but with that extra spark of wisdom and insight that comes from experience. Yet, while I appreciate what Holly had to bring, at times I found her character to be a little too adaptable to her surroundings so that the story steered into a more slice-of-life direction. While there’s nothing wrong with this, as a reader who enjoys the conflict that arises from swapping bodies, I was a little disappointed to see that factor used primarily for setting purposes as opposed to being the main source of conflict. This misalignment of expectations took some time to adjust to, but once I came to terms with what this story was really about, it became a much more enjoyable read.
It’s Not You, It’s Me is a fairly quick read, and while there were some areas I wish were developed a bit more, I enjoyed it. Gabrielle Williams takes a well-known trope and explores the question of ‘if you had the opportunity to change your fate and become someone else, would you take it?’ And, honestly, it made me appreciate what I have a little bit more. If you are a lover of body swaps or time travel, I definitely recommend picking this up. There are a lot of great moments that stood out to me, and if you enjoy spending time contemplating the ‘what ifs’ and the boundaries of such tropes, Gabrielle Williams touches on a number of great ideas that I would love to see explored in the future.
I’ll admit, body swap stories are a guilty pleasure of mine. There’s nothing quite like witnessing the misadventures of a character stumbling their way through someone else’s life while trying to feign normalcy—only to fail miserably but ultimately return to their body as a better person. So when I read the synopsis of Gabrielle Williams’ It’s Not You, It’s Me, you bet I was keen to dive in.
This novel begins as one might expect; 40-year-old Holly has just woken up in the body of Trinity Bryne and can’t quite piece together her disjointed memories now crammed alongside those of the 16-year-old body she now inhabits. But while swapping bodies is one issue, waking up in a different country 40 years in the past is another. As Holly tries to navigate this new life, lies and secrets reveal themselves, and she soon realises that she and Trinity may have more things binding them together than she originally thought. It’s Not You, It’s Me is a funny and quirky read about second chances presenting themselves in the most unlikely of situations.
Williams’ approach to this story is what originally captured my attention. Rather than featuring a young and spry protagonist typical of YA stories, readers are presented with 40-year-old Holly, an art teacher from Melbourne in the midst of a midlife crisis and a pandemic to boot. Yet while her exterior may now be fitting for a story directed towards young readers, the patience and maturity that define her as a character proved to be a welcome change. It’s not often, at least in my line-up of YA reads, to have a more mature protagonist take centre stage. But Williams does a wonderful job of creating a character that is relatable for its intended audience, but with that extra spark of wisdom and insight that comes from experience. Yet, while I appreciate what Holly had to bring, at times I found her character to be a little too adaptable to her surroundings so that the story steered into a more slice-of-life direction. While there’s nothing wrong with this, as a reader who enjoys the conflict that arises from swapping bodies, I was a little disappointed to see that factor used primarily for setting purposes as opposed to being the main source of conflict. This misalignment of expectations took some time to adjust to, but once I came to terms with what this story was really about, it became a much more enjoyable read.
It’s Not You, It’s Me is a fairly quick read, and while there were some areas I wish were developed a bit more, I enjoyed it. Gabrielle Williams takes a well-known trope and explores the question of ‘if you had the opportunity to change your fate and become someone else, would you take it?’ And, honestly, it made me appreciate what I have a little bit more. If you are a lover of body swaps or time travel, I definitely recommend picking this up. There are a lot of great moments that stood out to me, and if you enjoy spending time contemplating the ‘what ifs’ and the boundaries of such tropes, Gabrielle Williams touches on a number of great ideas that I would love to see explored in the future.
January 23, 2022
Time travel seems all the rage again in 2022. The nostalgic charm it brings mixed with the fish out of water scenario just makes for some straight up good reading.
Gabrielle Williams smashes the genre out the park with this time bending body swap adventure It's Not You, It's Me.
It's Freaky Friday if we only saw the story from Barbra Harris' (or if you're my vintage Jamie Lee Curtis') perspective. We meet Holly who is unfortunately suffering through the Covid pandemic in Melbourne in 2020 when she finds herself gifted an old school type writer that somehow zaps her back to 1980's California. Trapped in the body of the feisty, guitar jamming Trinity she must find a way to switch back or potentially live out the 80's 90's and today all over again....but did I mention that 2022 isn't such a great year for Holly, perhaps the 80's is where she wants to stay..
The characters pop out of the pages with flair and personality. The aesthetics of the 80's are all there from the loud hair to the music playing on the record player. I really liked this portrayal of America - as someone who's never been there, I can't say how accurate it is. But as someone who's watched a tonne of movies set there, this holds up as a very Hollywood depiction.
The dialogue or should I say type written letters between Holly in the past and Trinity in the future made me laugh out loud. Holly tries her best to help Trinity be a better person while Trinity- stuck in the 30 something body of Holly just detonates her life, ruining relationships, trying to get her fired and pretty much having a teenage breakdown in her skin. It's a pity we really only see glimpses of Trinity causing havoc off the page, I think I would have liked the chapters to alternate between the two women.
For a story about the 80's there is certainly lots of rock and roll but there's no drugs and no sex - I always thought the time travel sex plot from Back to the Future was pretty suss and it certainly doesn't hold up that well today.
At just over 200 pages this was just a fun beach read that I can't recommend enough. In the spirit of Blondie...this was Atomic.
Gabrielle Williams smashes the genre out the park with this time bending body swap adventure It's Not You, It's Me.
It's Freaky Friday if we only saw the story from Barbra Harris' (or if you're my vintage Jamie Lee Curtis') perspective. We meet Holly who is unfortunately suffering through the Covid pandemic in Melbourne in 2020 when she finds herself gifted an old school type writer that somehow zaps her back to 1980's California. Trapped in the body of the feisty, guitar jamming Trinity she must find a way to switch back or potentially live out the 80's 90's and today all over again....but did I mention that 2022 isn't such a great year for Holly, perhaps the 80's is where she wants to stay..
The characters pop out of the pages with flair and personality. The aesthetics of the 80's are all there from the loud hair to the music playing on the record player. I really liked this portrayal of America - as someone who's never been there, I can't say how accurate it is. But as someone who's watched a tonne of movies set there, this holds up as a very Hollywood depiction.
The dialogue or should I say type written letters between Holly in the past and Trinity in the future made me laugh out loud. Holly tries her best to help Trinity be a better person while Trinity- stuck in the 30 something body of Holly just detonates her life, ruining relationships, trying to get her fired and pretty much having a teenage breakdown in her skin. It's a pity we really only see glimpses of Trinity causing havoc off the page, I think I would have liked the chapters to alternate between the two women.
For a story about the 80's there is certainly lots of rock and roll but there's no drugs and no sex - I always thought the time travel sex plot from Back to the Future was pretty suss and it certainly doesn't hold up that well today.
At just over 200 pages this was just a fun beach read that I can't recommend enough. In the spirit of Blondie...this was Atomic.
January 9, 2022
I was busy scrolling through the Libby App as I am now part of Auckland Libraries with their digital membership and it was amazing. With the number of books that you can get and the variety of awesome titles, I was in book heaven. This cover drew me in as I have a thing for typewriters or as they call this one Brother Orange. Other than that, I had no idea what the book was about and went into it blind. I also loved the tagline as the Lindsey Lohan Freaky Friday movie is a favorite of mine and Pretty Little Liars is one of my all-time favorite YA series. The book starts with Holly who is celebrating her 40th birthday in Australia on 29 February 2020 and her best friend Eliza gives her the typewriter. The next thing she knows she wakes up and the date is 29 February 1980 and she is in LA and to make matters worse, she is in the body of a 16-year-old girl named Trinity. The two can only communicate through the typewriter which gave me a Lake House movie vibe as we learn Trinity has landed in Holly's body in LA. Neither is sure why this has happened and it looks like Holly might not have a good life to get back to as Trinity being the 16-year-old brat that she acts like is hellbent on blaming and ruining Holly's life in LA. I have to admit I wasn't keen at all on Trinity as Holly but I loved Holly as Trinity as she took it in strides and we got to see things like Holly's birth. I did love the twist which is where the PLL similarity comes in as back in February 1980 in LA - there is a serial killer on the loose called The Mariposa Murderer, which we see a feature in the story and his connection to both Holly and Trinity and I was like WOAH. If you love time travel, switching places, and communicating through objects then you will love this YA fiction by Gabrielle Williams, and as the age-old saying goes "It's Not You, It's Me".
December 19, 2021
A Young Adult novel with fresh take on a freaky-Friday or sliding doors type story. Holly is a 40 year old teacher living in Melbourne in 2020 right as a pandemic starts to capture the attention of the world. Until she is hurtled back to 1980 and awakes in the body of a stranger: a 16 year old girl, Trinity, who is living in Los Angeles. Able to communicate through an orange Brother typewriter, Holly attempts to work with Trinity to try to figure out why the swap occurred and more importantly, how to switch back. It is soon apparent that there are unique similarities between Holly and Trinity, however the true connection between them remains a mystery to be unearthed as the story unfolds. As Holly spends more days living Trinity's life, she begins to realise just how much is missing from her own life. This leads the reader to question: has Holly been sent to save Trinity, or does Trinity need to save Holly.
It's an easy read and I rather enjoyed the storyline. Perfect if you like to use books to escape and relax. It's perhaps a little slow moving with all the action really taking place in the last 40 pages.
It's an easy read and I rather enjoyed the storyline. Perfect if you like to use books to escape and relax. It's perhaps a little slow moving with all the action really taking place in the last 40 pages.
January 27, 2022
This YA novel is Freaky Friday meets Pretty Little Liars.
Holly lives in Melbourne and after celebrating her 40th birthday (in 2020), wakes up in a teenager's body in 1980 America. This young woman, Trinity, is less than impressed to wake up in an older woman's body, in another country, with a boring boyfriend and a job as a teacher. Meanwhile, Holly (in Trinity's body) is having fun realising that she can play guitar and play softball, has great friends and family, and even has a crush on the boy next door.
But, why did they switch? What's their connection? How do they switch back? All of these issues are worked through, with some misdirection along the way.
The plot follows a fairly formulaic path:
Act 1: confusion and learning each other's lives
Act 2: making of changes to those lives
Act 3: the switch back and the effects of the changes start to be realised.
But it's still an enjoyable read. The time jump to 1980 brings in some fun hairstyles, clothes, cars and music throwbacks. The chosen tool/channel for Holly and Trinity to communicate via is also a quirky choice: a typewriter!
It's an easy read, funny, with a few life lessons thrown in.
Holly lives in Melbourne and after celebrating her 40th birthday (in 2020), wakes up in a teenager's body in 1980 America. This young woman, Trinity, is less than impressed to wake up in an older woman's body, in another country, with a boring boyfriend and a job as a teacher. Meanwhile, Holly (in Trinity's body) is having fun realising that she can play guitar and play softball, has great friends and family, and even has a crush on the boy next door.
But, why did they switch? What's their connection? How do they switch back? All of these issues are worked through, with some misdirection along the way.
The plot follows a fairly formulaic path:
Act 1: confusion and learning each other's lives
Act 2: making of changes to those lives
Act 3: the switch back and the effects of the changes start to be realised.
But it's still an enjoyable read. The time jump to 1980 brings in some fun hairstyles, clothes, cars and music throwbacks. The chosen tool/channel for Holly and Trinity to communicate via is also a quirky choice: a typewriter!
It's an easy read, funny, with a few life lessons thrown in.
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