September 18, 2013

Review: 3:59 by Gretchen McNeil

3:593:59 by Gretchen McNeil
Hardcover, 368 pages
Published September 17th 2013
by Balzer & Bray


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Josie Byrne's life is spiraling out of control. Her parents are divorcing, her boyfriend Nick has grown distant, and her physics teacher has it in for her. When she's betrayed by the two people she trusts most, Josie thinks things can't get worse.

Until she starts having dreams about a girl named Jo. Every night at the same time—3:59 a.m.

Jo's life is everything Josie wants: she's popular, her parents are happily married, and Nick adores her. It all seems real, but they're just dreams, right? Josie thinks so, until she wakes one night to a shadowy image of herself in the bedroom mirror – Jo.

Josie and Jo realize that they are doppelgängers living in parallel universes that overlap every twelve hours at exactly 3:59. Fascinated by Jo's perfect world, Josie jumps at the chance to jump through the portal and switch places for a day.

But Jo’s world is far from perfect. Not only is Nick not Jo's boyfriend, he hates her. Jo's mom is missing, possibly insane. And at night, shadowy creatures feed on human flesh.

By the end of the day, Josie is desperate to return to her own life. But there’s a problem: Jo has sealed the portal, trapping Josie in this dangerous world. Can she figure out a way home before it’s too late?

From master of suspense Gretchen McNeil comes a riveting and deliciously eerie story about the lives we wish we had – and how they just might kill you.



     The concept of parallel worlds doesn't appeal to me. But because the author is Gretchen McNeil, I knew I had to give this book a chance. At first I did have an issue with the writing because this book is written in Third Person. I DO NOT like when books are written in Third Person and usually I always fight myself to keep reading. To me reading books in Third Person feels as if someone is telling me the story as oppose to me reading the book. Usually when I read books, I become a silent character watching by the sidelines. Like a stalker. LOL. I hope I'm making sense.

     Moving on, this book starts off with Josie and her personal dilemmas. Her home life is rocky and now her boyfriend and best friend betrayed her. Then things start to get a little strange. A mirror comes into play and that's when everything hits the fan. "Curiosity killed the cat" came to my mind when reading this book. Cliché I know. But that's what I felt like when reading this book. I felt like I did when watching movies and you yell at the characters for making stupid decisions.

     The reason this mirror is so important is because it opens up a portal to a world exactly like the one Josie is living in. So she crosses worlds hoping that things are different. She meets Jo, her identical in this world. They both agree to swap worlds and this is where things become to unravel and the story gets interesting. Maybe in this world her parents are still together or her boyfriend and her are still together. But in this world things are a lot worse then hers.

     As the story progressed and Josie works at trying to get out of this world back to hers. A lot happens between all the characters where you begin to question, what exactly is going on behind the scenes in both worlds. The book was interesting enough to finish, but it didn't leave me wanting more. The ending did leave of with a bit of a cliffhanger. Will I read the sequel, if there's a sequel? Chances are NO. But I will read spoilers just to get the answer to the cliffhanger. I give "3:59" a 3 stars! I hope you guys enjoy this book a lot more than me.





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19 comments:

  1. I'm really looking forward to this one because I love Gretchen McNeil, and I'm also a huge sci-fi fan. Parallel worlds really intrigue me. I do hope I'll really enjoy this, though I agree with you about the whole third person thing.

    RIcha @ City of Books

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  2. Interesting. I don't have a problem with 3rd person, although stupid choices made by characters also annoy me. The story seems entertaining enough so I'll still give it a try. :)

    -P.E. @ The Sirenic Codex

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  3. I heard so much good things about this book!
    Email- Myv_dream@yahoo.com

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  4. I have yet to read POSSESS, but I dug TEN and totally want to read 3:59. Thanks for the giveaway!

    rachelpatrick93@yahoo.com

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    1. I haven't read "Possess" too. But I own it. I have read "Ten" and enjoyed it too. So we're both in the same page.

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  5. I've seen this book on a lot of blogs recently, and it looks really interesting. I can't wait to read it. Thanks for having the giveaway.

    harnessrose(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  6. I'm sorry this one wasn't as good as expected! I'm still interested in it, though. :)

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  7. I really look forward to this book. It sounds wonderful!
    Angeldolphin01@aol.com

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  8. I've heard so many good things about this book. I don't think I've read a Gretchen McNeil

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  9. I've heard a lot of good things about the book it's too bad it was mediocre for you. I actually haven't read a Gretchen McNeil book yet
    jenbook4(at)gmail(dot)com

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  10. I've been wanting to read a book from this author for a very long time, but for some reason, it never seems to work out. I'll save money to buy one, but then some awesome new release comes out and I kind of forget about her books... I'm so bad ;)

    Thank you for the giveaway and great review :D

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  11. I've been wanting to read one of her books for a very long time. Every time I try to read one, it never works out. I'll save up money to buy one, but then an awesome new release that I've been dying to read comes out and I kind of forget about her books... I'm so bad lol ;)

    Thank you for the giveaway and awesome review! :D

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  12. Great review, very comprehensive:) I have the ebook but haven't had time to read it. You've got me intrigued with the 3.5 stars. I'm a Geek Girl so I'm wondering what I'd give it, lol;)

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  13. Aww, I'm sorry you didn't enjoy this one so much. I'm still interested in seeing what it's all about, but I do hate it when alternate reality stories aren't done well. And a cliffhanger?! Sigh...great review though!

    Vi
    AKA Vi3tBabe
    Deity Island

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  14. If it's not too late to enter to win this, I would love to. My email is centerstagegirly AT yahoo DOT com

    I have been seeing a whole lot of 3 star reviews for this, although I am most definitely still interested in reading it. It sounds like a cool idea for a book, but I know what you mean about a book not leaving you wanting more. I have read plenty of books that were just okay and was not interested in the sequel.

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  15. Think i might have to read this...love Gretchen McNeill...
    Thanks for the review, it realky does help to have another pount of view.

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