I was loving this book for the most part, but the execution really threw me off. This novel has a very interesting premise and a strong base of intriguing characters to go off of. I think the "rewind" part of it could have been crafted so much better and more convincingly than whatever this half-baked resolution was.
Zadie was a super interesting character to follow, and I found her family background interesting, especially with the dynamics of her grieving her recently passed away father. I was interested in all her friends and whatever was the side plot there, right up until the ending and I was so annoyed by the way things went for the sake of some drama. When it comes to romance, in hindsight I think there was a lack of chemistry and connection, and that left me unconvinced. As a WOC, I'm not really sure where the author was trying to go with the many references to Zadie's blackness. I get that there were attempts at inclusivity and discussing racism, but i didn't feel they got enough spotlight and attention.
Not much I can say about the plot to justify my low rating, except that until almost the very end, I felt the story was emotionally compelling and I'd have likely given it a 4 star rating, but the general flow of the plot was so bad I have to give it a significantly lower rating. I obviously wouldn't recommend this book, but I won't rule out future reads by the author because I think there's potential in the writing.
Many thanks to NetGalley, G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, and the author for the advanced reviewers copy in exchange for an honest review.
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