ARC Review: Through to You

Through to You, Emily Hainsworth

Rating: 4 of 5 Stars

Genre: Science Fiction Thriller, Young Adult

Publication: 10/2/2012, Balzer + Bray

# of Pages: 272 (Hardcover)

Source: I received an advanced reader's copy (ARC) from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis from Goodreads: 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.

My Review:  I'd been waiting for this book's release for a long time so when I got an ARC from the publisher, I couldn't help but tear into it right away. Everything about it, from the gorgeous cover to the intriguing synopsis, screams READ ME. Not to mention that it has two of my favorite elements: a singular male POV and a science fiction twist.

The problem I usually run in to when I've anticipated a book is that it fails to meet my expectations. Through to You is one of those rare exceptions. I really liked it. Cam is a great character. Sympathetic and strong with just enough broken parts to make him believable and relatable. A former popular athlete who suffered a career-ending injury, his world has since revolved around his girlfriend Viv. When she dies in a car accident that Cam believes was his fault, he becomes angry, depressed, and lonely. He visits the site of the accident every day and this is where he meets Nina, a girl from a parallel universe, a universe where Viv is still alive.

In this universe Cam was the star quarterback, overcoming his injury, and beloved by all, including Nina. What I found interesting about this is that Cam got to glimpse another version of himself. A life he could have had if he'd made different choices and I liked that he was often jealous of his other self. It's relatable. Who wouldn't be envious of a you that got all the things you thought were out of your reach.

Through to You is intriguing, thought-provoking, and reads like a contemporary novel that just so happens to include a parallel world, which works for me. The only reason this is not a 5 star review is because I often found the plot to be a tad predictable and because I felt the romance was a little lacking. Not that a book has to have heavy romance for me to enjoy it. It's just that the back of the book promoted it as a romantic sci-fi thriller. I thought I was going to get some gut wrenching romance. You know star-crossed lovers, two different worlds. I don't know, I just didn't feel it and I'd wanted something extraordinary. Something that would break my heart.

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