September 2020 Standalone BOTM - The Space Between Worlds, by Micaiah Johnson

[Alaina]

An outsider who can travel between worlds discovers a secret that threatens her new home and her fragile place in it, in a stunning sci-fi debut that’s both a cross-dimensional adventure and a powerful examination of identity, privilege, and belonging.

Multiverse travel is finally possible, but there’s just one catch: No one can visit a world where their counterpart is still alive. Enter Cara, whose parallel selves happen to be exceptionally good at dying—from disease, turf wars, or vendettas they couldn’t outrun. Cara’s life has been cut short on 372 worlds in total.

On this Earth, however, Cara has survived. Identified as an outlier and therefore a perfect candidate for multiverse travel, Cara is plucked from the dirt of the wastelands. Now she has a nice apartment on the lower levels of the wealthy and walled-off Wiley City. She works—and shamelessly flirts—with her enticing yet aloof handler, Dell, as the two women collect off-world data for the Eldridge Institute. She even occasionally leaves the city to visit her family in the wastes, though she struggles to feel at home in either place. So long as she can keep her head down and avoid trouble, Cara is on a sure path to citizenship and security.

But trouble finds Cara when one of her eight remaining doppelgängers dies under mysterious circumstances, plunging her into a new world with an old secret. What she discovers will connect her past and her future in ways she could have never imagined—and reveal her own role in a plot that endangers not just her world, but the entire multiverse.

[Alaina]

Is anyone super excited to dive into this book? I know I am!

[Kelly]

I am too! This sounds really good and I have the audio ready to go

[Alaina]

Kelly wrote: "I am too! This sounds really good and I have the audio ready to go"

oo yay!

[Kelly]

Starting now!

[Kelly]

Part one: (view spoiler)[First impressions, I love the concept of multiverse and having people able to go somewhere else only if they died on that world. It's interesting but so far it feels very contemporary. I'm excited to see more of Cara and Dell together because so far it wasn't very romantic lol (hide spoiler)]

Part two:
Chapter 6 - (view spoiler)[ Ooh okay this is getting interesting! The whole Nik/Adam/Emperor story and differences has me on edge. All the names are confusing me a bit though. (hide spoiler)]
Chapter 7 - (view spoiler)[Wait, what? I thought it was impossible to go to another world when you other self still lived? (hide spoiler)]
Chapter 10 - (view spoiler)[I didn't think he would die so quickly but now that she left this world I'm wondering what will happen in the next two parts of the book. (hide spoiler)]

Part three: (view spoiler)[This part was a little boring to me except for the moments with Dell. I'm glad she told her the truth and that we learned more about their pasts. I teared up at the end of chapter 16.. (hide spoiler)]

Part four - (view spoiler)[ This was so good! I loved how her plan worked out and she was ready to sacrifice herself even though things had finally gotten good with Dell. I'm so glad Dell saved her life. Loved their romance, btw! So sweet after six years of waiting. I just wish we had more from them but it had a perfect ending. (hide spoiler)]

[Kelly]

I really liked it. I hope you'll enjoy it as well :)

[Alaina]

I am getting this in my BOTM box :) I'm super excited for it.

[☘Misericordia☘]

Oh, wow, this one's getting to (view spoiler)[an underwhelming start. I ttally loved the Brian Greene ref at the beginning: it totally gets the reader in the right mood but then.... the MC and her miserable attitude.... (hide spoiler)]

[☘Misericordia☘]

(view spoiler)[Q: “I’m only missing on a few hundred worlds, and this is just one more. I recommend Earth 83 me. She’s my favorite.” (c) She's either kidding or it doesn't work like parrallel worlds usually do. (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[Too bad they don't really get to visit any really alien worlds. Imagine looking at youself being a spunky dolphic! (hide spoiler)]

[Aly]

I have this as an ARC, so I'm happy to be reading it!

[Aly]

Part 1 (view spoiler)[ How awful to know that other versions of you are constantly dying? It makes you wonder if there's a reason for that, maybe someone wants her gone?
It's cute she likes Dell and weird that she hooks up with other versions of her (hide spoiler)]

[Aly]

Kelly wrote: "Part one: [spoilers removed]

Part two:
Chapter 6 - [spoilers removed]
Chapter 7 - [spoilers removed]
Chapter 10 - [spoilers removed]

Part three: [spoilers removed]

Part four - [spoilers removed]"

Part 1 (view spoiler)[ yeah the multiverses are pretty awesome (hide spoiler)]

[Aly]

Kelly wrote: "Part one: [spoilers removed]

Part two:
Chapter 6 - [spoilers removed]
Chapter 7 - [spoilers removed]
Chapter 10 - [spoilers removed]

Part three: [spoilers removed]

Part four - [spoilers removed]"

ch 6 (view spoiler)[ yeah I agree! In most worlds, Adam dies and Nik is terrible, but it's flipped in this one. Interesting (hide spoiler)]

[Aly]

Kelly wrote: "Part one: [spoilers removed]

Part two:
Chapter 6 - [spoilers removed]
Chapter 7 - [spoilers removed]
Chapter 10 - [spoilers removed]

Part three: [spoilers removed]

Part four - [spoilers removed]"

ch 7 (view spoiler)[ Is she alive on this world? (hide spoiler)]

[Kelly]

Aly wrote: "

(view spoiler)[I thought so when she met another "her" and became sick almost immediately? Or was that another her just from another world. Maybe I'm confusing things ^^ (hide spoiler)]

[Aly]

Part 2 (view spoiler)[ I got confused for a moment but I think I'm back on track. Somehow, Cara survived jumping to a world where another version of her was alive, but her other self died coming back.

And Adra died already, so what now? (hide spoiler)]

[Aly]

Kelly wrote: "Aly wrote: "

[spoilers removed]"

Yeah I think (view spoiler)[ that's why she was so hurt when she first arrived and almost died except that she found help luckily (hide spoiler)]

[Aly]

Did it say why Planet Zero is so different? Like (view spoiler)[ Adam is so different from Adra and Planet Zero is the only one to figure out the mulitverses.
Also, did she say if Nik is alive on this planet? (hide spoiler)]

[Aly]

Kelly wrote: "Part one: [spoilers removed]

Part two:
Chapter 6 - [spoilers removed]
Chapter 7 - [spoilers removed]
Chapter 10 - [spoilers removed]

Part three: [spoilers removed]

Part four - [spoilers removed]"

part three reply (view spoiler)[ Yeah it was slower and mostly gave information. Poor Gene! (hide spoiler)]

[Aly]

Part 3 (view spoiler)[ Adam turned out to be just like Adra on 175, ruthless and doesn't care who he hurts. Maybe Dell can help her stop him? I almost cried when Gene died (hide spoiler)]

[Aly]

Kelly wrote: "Part one: [spoilers removed]

Part two:
Chapter 6 - [spoilers removed]
Chapter 7 - [spoilers removed]
Chapter 10 - [spoilers removed]

Part three: [spoilers removed]

Part four - [spoilers removed]"

reply to part four (view spoiler)[ Yes I'm so happy her plan worked and she lived and got to be with Dell. So cute (hide spoiler)]

[Aly]

finished (view spoiler)[ I like that this ended with Adam reconciling with Nik and becoming a better person, rather than Adam dying (at least right now anyway)
Plus, Cara lived and got her happy ever after with Dell :) (hide spoiler)]

[Bingbong]

Hi!! Just started it!! I am a bit lost and confused but I am sure it will get better!! Hahaha

[☘Misericordia☘]

Some stuff I love and some I hate. Darn, It's probably be a new fav of mine even though some of it is pretty ahem-worthy.

[Bingbong]

I hate it when others are loving the book and I am not!!
I know its me!!! But so far I am just not getting it!!

[Bingbong]

I just finished it!! Its just not for me!!

[☘Misericordia☘]

Adrie wrote: "I hate it when others are loving the book and I am not!!
I know its me!!! But so far I am just not getting it!!"

Adrie wrote: "I just finished it!! Its just not for me!!" Adrie, well, I think it's totally fine that not everybody likes same books.

Basically, I got many peeves about this one as well. No, I got heaps of them! As soon as I get up to writing that RV and jot the BR notes, it's gonna be real clear that some stuff I hated, a lot. And the MC's attitude - I was, like, GIMME A BREAK ANY MOMENT, it's not going to be too soon....

The class issues were totally crappy. I dunno but they were so, SO badly written... (view spoiler)[One needs to be specifically OCD to walk around constantly mearing one's class against everyone else's. (hide spoiler)]

It's just that along with the objectively bad sides (really horrible!) there were some that I sort of enjoyed - like the LGBT romance (!).
And the angst - I do love angst and this one was rather well-written.
The romance was nicely done, even if a bit stalkery. (view spoiler)[.For reals, imagine staking out a person's job building through ~300 worlds (hide spoiler)].:)

[Alaina]

Why am I so behind? :( I will dive into this over the weekend, I feel like I will have more time to read my physicals then.

[☘Misericordia☘]

Ah, now I got to posting my notes:

(view spoiler)[Q:
But secretly, I find the company progress meetings exciting. (c)
Ok, now I'm really scared of Caramenta or whoever she is! (hide spoiler)] Who enjoys that kind of stuff?

[☘Misericordia☘]

(view spoiler)[Q:
Dell doesn’t quite meet my eyes as she readies me, just like everyone looked away from me in the hall. I’m Eldridge’s dead girl walking. (c) Huh. (hide spoiler)]

Did you notice Aria (view spoiler)[ Dell from 319 (hide spoiler)]?

[☘Misericordia☘]

(view spoiler)[Q:
“It’s a new place. That hasn’t happened in a while.”
“They’re all the same place,” (c) (hide spoiler)]They are and then they aren't. Fun concept!

[☘Misericordia☘]

They seem to make a lot of mistakes, don't they? (view spoiler)[Nelline’s not dead. Earth 175 me is alive and well. Eldridge was wrong, just like they were wrong once before. (hide spoiler)]

[☘Misericordia☘]

Adam's(view spoiler)[ such a bitch...

Q: “Bonus?”
“Yes, the bonus.”
“My bonus…for killing you.” (c) (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[ “Take care. I pay close attention to those who carry my secrets.” (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[ “You do so remind me of Ashtown.”
“Don’t kid yourself,” I say. “You never left.” (c)
He definitely didn't. And surprise-suprise about the original Caramenta... Poor kid. (hide spoiler)]

[☘Misericordia☘]

(view spoiler)[Q: “You have no idea what I’ve been putting in your veins...

How long did you intend to live, Caralee?”
Three hundred and seventy-odd deaths in, it’s a stupid question to ask. (c) (hide spoiler)] Now, that's chilling!

[☘Misericordia☘]

The romance bits (view spoiler)[are so great & understated (which's so RARE!:
Q:
she finally understands that all my flirting is just hiding in plain sight, just being so obvious she’d never guess she is the one thing on this world that I know and all I want. (c) (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[Q:It is only one world in infinite universes where this impossible happiness exists, but that is what makes it so valuable.(c)

Still, Dell is a bit too uptight throughout the book, huh? (hide spoiler)]

[☘Misericordia☘]

Alaina wrote: "Why am I so behind? :( I will dive into this over the weekend, I feel like I will have more time to read my physicals then." I hope you'll love it if you decide to go with this one. I actually am planning a reread. :)
In this one, I got a new fav. Even for all the stuff with things off by a mile, the good parts still outweighed the bad!

[☘Misericordia☘]

Is it just me or is editing comments not working?