Release Date: October 2, 2012
Publisher: Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 272
Source: Won from EpicReads - thanks!
Interest: YA Sci-fi / Parallel Worlds; 2013 Time Travel Challenge (well, supposedly)
Buy the Book: IndieBound | Amazon | B&N
Camden Pike has been grief-stricken since his girlfriend, Viv, died. Viv was the last good thing in his life: helping him rebuild his identity after a career-ending football injury, picking up the pieces when his home life shattered, and healing his pain long after the meds wore off. And now, he'd give anything for one more glimpse of her. But when Cam makes a visit to the site of Viv's deadly car accident, he sees some kind of apparition. And it isn't Viv.
The apparition's name is Nina, and she's not a ghost. She's a girl from a parallel world, and in this world, Viv is still alive. Cam can't believe his wildest dreams have come true. All he can focus on is getting his girlfriend back, no matter the cost. But things are different in this other world: Viv and Cam have both made very different choices, things between them have changed in unexpected ways, and Viv isn't the same girl he remembers. Nina is keeping some dangerous secrets, too, and the window between the worlds is shrinking every day. As Cam comes to terms with who this Viv has become and the part Nina played in his parallel story, he's forced to choose—stay with Viv or let her go—before the window closes between them once and for all.
Rating: 3 / 5 Riceballs
Book Review:
Losing someone you love is definitely one of the hardest challenges to overcome in life. When it happens, one usually blames others or themself, and almost totally loses control over their emotions and lives. Of course, if you’re offered a second chance with that special someone, wouldn’t you take it? Through to You tells that story, throwing in a fated high school couple and the creative idea of parallel worlds. However, although there was a fantastic concept and a beautifully written ending, the pace and the angst in the beginning really threw me off. I’m not too sure how I feel about the book overall, but I definitely was fully engrossed in the story’s end.
The main problem, for me, was that there was just so much angst in the beginning. I know some readers might not mind a broody but mysterious male lead, but Cam’s constant moodiness made for a really, really slow beginning. I know it’s realistic that he feels that way considering he lost his loving girlfriend, but I still didn’t quite enjoy reading it :/
If you read the synopsis on the back or cover flap, you also pretty much know the basic storyline of almost half the book – Camden sees another girl named Nina from a parallel world, where Viv is still alive. Sometimes I don’t mind that, but Cam’s ignorance of the whole situation while I was 100% aware of what was going to happen really annoyed me. Again, this went on for almost half the whole book, which really, I think is a little too much :/
However, the last half of the book had much more plot development and excitement, on my part. I liked how the author explored the idea of parallel worlds, and a little of the “butterfly effect”! There are also a few twists that both shocked me and were a bit emotional. You also get to meet Nina, who is just so sweet and has a cute relationship with her little brother Owen, and eventually Cam ^__^
During that half, I also loved seeing Cam’s character grow! As I mentioned, Cam is really moody in the beginning of the book and definitely not the most likable of people – there are scenes where he acts like a complete maniac, although I really felt bad for him (and, erm, the people around him…). By the end of the book, however, Cam makes a lot of sacrifices and forces himself and the people he loves to suffer, for what is truly right. He’s not as angsty, and he learns to move on, forgive, but definitely not forget. Of course, he’s not fully recuperated, but you also have glimmers of hope for him too (:
AND THE ENDING! I completely loved it – it wasn’t too happy, but was open-ended and tinged with slight sadness. It was also satisfying and answered a lot of my questions, but also gave me hope for Camden! The ending just overall tied the book up for me, leaving me content with the book.
Overall, Through to You was pretty slow in the beginning, but had me completely enchanted in the end. If you’re the type of reader who digs angst, or doesn’t mind a slower pace in the beginning, you might enjoy this book. Still, I recommend checking it out in the library or reading a chapter or two before buying the book.
*Thanks to EpicReads for sending me this book!*
The main problem, for me, was that there was just so much angst in the beginning. I know some readers might not mind a broody but mysterious male lead, but Cam’s constant moodiness made for a really, really slow beginning. I know it’s realistic that he feels that way considering he lost his loving girlfriend, but I still didn’t quite enjoy reading it :/
If you read the synopsis on the back or cover flap, you also pretty much know the basic storyline of almost half the book – Camden sees another girl named Nina from a parallel world, where Viv is still alive. Sometimes I don’t mind that, but Cam’s ignorance of the whole situation while I was 100% aware of what was going to happen really annoyed me. Again, this went on for almost half the whole book, which really, I think is a little too much :/
However, the last half of the book had much more plot development and excitement, on my part. I liked how the author explored the idea of parallel worlds, and a little of the “butterfly effect”! There are also a few twists that both shocked me and were a bit emotional. You also get to meet Nina, who is just so sweet and has a cute relationship with her little brother Owen, and eventually Cam ^__^
During that half, I also loved seeing Cam’s character grow! As I mentioned, Cam is really moody in the beginning of the book and definitely not the most likable of people – there are scenes where he acts like a complete maniac, although I really felt bad for him (and, erm, the people around him…). By the end of the book, however, Cam makes a lot of sacrifices and forces himself and the people he loves to suffer, for what is truly right. He’s not as angsty, and he learns to move on, forgive, but definitely not forget. Of course, he’s not fully recuperated, but you also have glimmers of hope for him too (:
AND THE ENDING! I completely loved it – it wasn’t too happy, but was open-ended and tinged with slight sadness. It was also satisfying and answered a lot of my questions, but also gave me hope for Camden! The ending just overall tied the book up for me, leaving me content with the book.
Overall, Through to You was pretty slow in the beginning, but had me completely enchanted in the end. If you’re the type of reader who digs angst, or doesn’t mind a slower pace in the beginning, you might enjoy this book. Still, I recommend checking it out in the library or reading a chapter or two before buying the book.
*Thanks to EpicReads for sending me this book!*
