Author: Jen Brooks


Thursday, April 23, 2015

Review: In A World Just Right by Jen Brooks

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I received this book for free from Simon & Schuster in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: In A World Just Right by Jen BrooksIn A World Just Right by Jen Brooks
Published by Simon & Schuster BfYR on April 28th 2015
Genres: Contemporary, Fantasy, YA
Source: Simon & Schuster
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four-stars

Imagination takes on new meaning for a uniquely talented teen in this debut novel that is a breathtaking blend of contemporary, fantasy, and romance.

Sometimes Jonathan Aubrey wishes he could just disappear. And as luck—or fate—would have it, he can. Ever since coming out of a coma as a kid, he has been able to create alternate worlds. Worlds where he is a superhero, or a ladies’ man, or simply a better version of himself. That’s the world he’s been escaping to most since sophomore year, a world where he has everything he doesn’t have in real life: friends, a place of honor on the track team, passing grades, and most importantly, Kylie Simms as his girlfriend.

But when Jonathan confuses his worlds senior year and tries to kiss the real Kylie Simms, everything unravels. The real Kylie actually notices Jonathan…and begins obsessing over him. The fantasy version of Kylie struggles to love Jonathan as she was created to do, and the consequences are disastrous. As his worlds collide, Jonathan must confront the truth of his power and figure out where he actually belongs—before he loses both Kylies forever.

This book was interesting. I really enjoyed being in Jonathan’s head and trying to figure out his different worlds and the whole “world making” thing. It was a bit confusing at times, but it kept me interested the whole way through. Especially when his worlds start colliding. I can’t say that I really liked the other characters much, but they weren’t horrible. The main thing that kept me engaged was wanting to know what was going on, and how it would all end up. I didn’t have strong character connection, but enough to want a happy ending for this. I wouldn’t say this is quite a parallel universe, but something kind of like it I guess. It was a unique story and I did enjoy it a lot. More than I expected actually.

Jonathan was in a coma for three months following a plane crash in which his family died. He now has the power to create worlds. He can go visit the different worlds that he creates, one of them being a world where Kylie Simms is his girlfriend. His family is still gone, but his life isn’t so bad in that world. In the real world he lives in, the real Kylie Simms doesn’t even acknowledge him. That is until something changes and his worlds start to bleed into each other somehow. Now he needs to find out what is happening, and how to fix it. With the help of another unexpected dream maker he knows what he must do, but it won’t be easy. Things spiral out of control and take unexpected turns.

The romance is really cool in this since in one of his created worlds Kylie is his girlfriend and loves him very much because he created it to be that way, and in the real world Kylie is starting to notice him and want to spend time with him. While in the real world Kylie is starting to notice and like him, in his created world, Kylie is starting to distance herself. They are starting to blend together, and he doesn’t know if his real world Kylie would even feel that way if it weren’t for them getting mixed up somehow. I know, it sounds a bit confusing, but it makes sense when you read it. Either way, I thought that is was sweet, and in a way kind of creepy.

This is one of those books that makes you think. I was sure I knew where things were going, then BAM, another curve ball. Each world was getting wrapped up into another and it came to a point where I wondered if any of it was real or some coma induced delusions. I really did enjoy going though the story and seeing things unravel. I liked Jonathan, and I did like the Kylie’s I guess. I just didn’t really know what to think of her since one was created and the other was taking on her thoughts and feelings. Like I said, hard to know what was real. Either way, this was an enjoyable book to read, and I thought that it was unique and interesting. It was different and I liked that.

four-stars

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