Release Day Review: Parallel By: Lauren Miller

Title : Parallel

Author: Lauren Miller

Published : May 14th, 2013

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars!

 Source: E-galley from the publisher

Buy The Book: Amazon/ Barnes andNoble/The Book Depository

Goodreads Summary:

Abby Barnes had a plan. The Plan. She'd go to Northwestern, major in journalism, and land a job at a national newspaper, all before she turned twenty-two. But one tiny choice—taking a drama class her senior year of high school—changed all that. Now, on the eve of her eighteenth birthday, Abby is stuck on a Hollywood movie set, miles from where she wants to be, wishing she could rewind her life. The next morning, she's in a dorm room at Yale, with no memory of how she got there. Overnight, it's as if her past has been rewritten.

With the help of Caitlin, her science-savvy BFF, Abby discovers that this new reality is the result of a cosmic collision of parallel universes that has Abby living an alternate version of her life. And not only that: Abby's life changes every time her parallel self makes a new choice. Meanwhile, her parallel is living out Abby's senior year of high school and falling for someone Abby's never even met.

As she struggles to navigate her ever-shifting existence, forced to live out the consequences of a path she didn't choose, Abby must let go of the Plan and learn to focus on the present, without losing sight of who she is, the boy who might just be her soul mate, and the destiny that's finally within reach.

My Thoughts:

Ok, parallel universes are one of those things that I am completely fascinated with , I love the show Fringe and if you like this kind of science I definitely recommend you check it out. I had only read one book about parallel universes before and I didn't really enjoy it.  But, I have to say that I absolutely loved this one. Miller created a book full of romance and fun but, also added the fascinating bits of science without going over my head or confusing me, it just added a more interesting aspect to the story. I also read in the acknowledgements at the end and Miller talked about how this book was originally pitched as a television show and I remember thinking as I was reading this would be an awesome show,  Miller's debut has  definitely made me excited to reading more books from her because Parallel was just perfect. 

I do have to admit that at first the book was a bit confusing, each chapter switches between Abby's life and her parallel's life, but once I got the hang of it all I could not put it down. The story begins with Abby spending the end of her senior year in LA where she is shooting a movie, who wouldn't want to be acting in a big movie and  become famous, well Abby. She had her plan she wants to be a journalist and go to college at Northwestern but, after getting seen as the lead in the school play a casting director convinced her to audition for the movie. She is regretting how the one choice she made at the beginning of senior year to take drama over astronomy has changed her whole entire life. But, the next morning Abby wakes up at Yale, in a room she has never seen before and a roommate she has never met  and no idea how she got there. With  the help of her best friend Caitlin who doesn't write her off as crazy right away the unravel what is happening in her life and helps her live her life that is changing a bit everyday by her parallel. Each morning when Abby wakes up she doesn't know what her life will be like, her parallel is living a year in her past, still in her senior year of high school, so one decision or situation can change what happens to Abby in the future. 

Abby was a really great main character and throughout the entire book I really enjoyed reading her and getting to know her even better. She handled the whole situation seamlessly and I know that if I was in her place I would not be handling the situation so well. She never gave up despite knowing that each night when she went to bed she may have  woken up with a different life.  But, she also was starting to embrace the idea and she really began to see the world differently and not take for granted one moment of her life.

Caitlin was a great best friend, she was completely supportive and  no matter how  crazy Abby sounded at times and I know without her scientific genius Abby would not have figured out what was going on. She helped her when she asked her about things that happened in their past and she was exactly the kind of friend Abby needed to have along her journey.

The romance was completely adorable, I am not going to give away much about it because it was definitely an interesting aspect to the story. It gave the story such a great twist. I definitely loved it and I will say that there was an interesting love triangle.

Overall, Parallel was everything I was hoping it would be and so much more,  if you are looking for a read about parallel universes that you will enjoy I definitely recommend this one full of romance and intrigue and the  bit of science just adds even more  to the story. Considering this is Lauren Miller's debut I can only imagine where she is going to go next, and I can't wait to find out. 

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