Everyone We've Been by Sarah Everett Review

Title: Everyone We've Been
Author: Sarah Everett
Age Group: Teen/Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Series: Standalone
Star Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars

I borrowed this book through my local library and reviewed it.

Everyone We've Been was one of my library's book club picks for August, and I have to say that when I read the synopsis, I was really intrigued. It sounded like a twisty, screwy mystery with many family secrets and an interesting, original premise. Unfortunately, I didn't really like this book; the potential for it was so high, but the characters felt flat, and the format made it kind of confusing to follow. I liked the idea of this book, but unfortunately, the idea of it was better than the actual execution. There were some parts I liked, so it wasn't a complete loss, but this book definitely wasn't my favorite. Hey, you like some, you don't like some. Such is the life of a reader. And hey, it made for a lively book discussion, so it wasn't a total loss!

Addison 'Addie' Sullivan feels like she's losing it; she's seeing a boy that no one else can, and she's got the feeling that she's losing chunks of time. Digging deeper into what her life used to be, she discovers that the boy is named Zach, and she had him erased. But the even bigger question is: why? In her quest for answers, Addie realizes that there is more to the situation than she could've ever imagined, and the answers she needs may end up being the death of her soul.

I was really excited when this book was recommended to me. The blurb sounded interesting and I liked the cover. The main character, Addison, is a person of color and a musician; I was beyond stoked about it. I liked the way that it was a love story. But the pacing was really erratic, and the story became hard to follow. I liked the premise, but I think that it could have done with some more polishing. The characters felt really flat, and it was hard to relate to them. The discussion of mental illness came off as kind of trite, especially with some of the events that are essential to the plot. Nonetheless, it was a solid first try, and I didn't hate it, but I just wasn't feeling it. The bottom line: A solid attempt at a twisty love story, I didn't much like Everyone We've Been. It was a good idea, but it needed more fleshing out. Next on deck: Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh!




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