I thought that I liked the premise of this novel, but the multiverse got confusing for me very quickly and made me unable to keep up with what was happening at times. I really disliked the main character's choices and I think that ruined the book for me as well.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers and of course the author for gifting me this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really interesting sci-fi read and I must admit it was the cover that initally drew me to the book!
The story follows two FMC Kara and Pandora who set on a quest to create a better a future in their own parallel universes. It was full of action and adventure and was brilliantly written, definitely left me with questions and a long lasting impression.

Thank you Atmosphere Press, Chris Coward and Netgalley for this free ARC in exchange for a review.

First, what I liked, or to be more accurate rather than polite, what was ok:

At least she questions her [attraction to Ed, since she's married. At least to begin with she does (hide spoiler)].

The basic premise of the story. I tend to find some enjoyment in fiction which incorporates multiple realities.

I'm sorry that there wasn't more I enjoyed. I hope my review is taken as it's meant; only as constructive criticism.


What I didn't like:

Early in the book, there's the following quote -

"On one side, each displayed the galaxy design she'd noted earlier."



What? This is the first time we're hearing about that.

The title of Chapter 5 gives away a main event. It could have easily been called something else.

This book is one of many which lacks style; telling instead of showing. This doesn't make for engaging reading, especially since we know so little about how characters feel and have to guess at their motivations for their actions.

Early in the book, there's an unnecessary summary of events that had recently happened, which is insulting to the readers intelligence.

At times, the protagonist seems un-surprised by what's happening, which is very strange.

I strongly dislike the immorality of [going to another timeline to have an affair - because oh yeah, no matter how they dress it up with nonsense about how it "won't count" if they go back to their original timeline, it's still cheating, because they are still the same people from their original timeline. They still have all of the same memories and personalities (as flimsy as the mc's is). She claims to find it wrong, yet can't control herself to the point where she still wants him, even though she admits she doesn't really know him. She even goes so far as to claim there's no way she could be held accountable because of the time change. Disgusting. This is the part where I stopped reading, @ around 20%.

Her general doormat-ness as regards the husband. Ok, I get that finances are a concern (as they should be because of the girls), yet in that situation I would recognize what the dads behaviour does to those kids, and put them first by finding new work and quitting the place where I was being disrespected, getting past the probationary period, finding a new place and filing for divorce. Especially since one of the few things that seems sort of clear in this book is that she is no longer in love with her husband, plus she is attracted to another man. I'm not saying any of that was easy, but not only doesn't she try, she never even considers it .

That brings me to the thing that irked me most about this story: While it's good that she shared what she's experiencing with someone, she seems to be putting this strange series of experiences with the stones above what her children must go through with the mental / emotional abuse from their father. This makes her even more of an un-relatable so-called protagonist, along with how we know little of her personality and feelings in general. I'm not saying she's evil, yet though this might be intended to make her relatable, it only makes her look weak and selfish.