Parallel by Lauren Miller

Parallel by Lauren Miller
Release Date: May 14, 2013
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Publisher (Edelweiss)
Goodreads Stars: 4
Rating: Essential

Buy the Book: Amazon UK

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. - Goodreads

This book distressed me greatly *sobs* Especially the ending

I'm not sure if you know this, but I'm telling you now anyway: I adore parallel universe/multi-verse/time travel stuff. Much like Christina from A Reader of Fictions. It all really intrigues me, and I love thinking that it's a possibility with our own universe and not just in fiction. How cool would it be to discover a parallel universe? Of course, it wouldn't be cool if that universe declared war on us, or if it collides with ours and changes our lives like the parallel universe did in Parallel.

Along with the science-y stuff to do with universes and stars and all that, this book also talks about destiny and fate, and how it's believed that ones path can change, but destiny always remains the same. It was really engrossing stuff, and I loved taking this journey with Abby as she discovered her own destiny.

I loved the plot. I thought it was fast paced, intriguing, and I was completely engrossed in the story. I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen to Abby next as a result of her parallel's actions. It was so much fun!

As a main character, I think Abby was great. She started off as a bit of an annoyance, because she kept whining about how she wanted to be back in LA and that her parallel self (the one who's a year behind her on her timeline) is ruining her life. But come on, if I discovered I had a parallel who was changing events from my past then I'd be pissed too. I'd probably despise her, despite the fact that my parallel would essentially be me. Kinda.

I really liked Josh, who Parallel!Abby meets in astronomy class. I think he was cute and adorable, and a total sweetheart. I did think that he was a little too forgiving, and not all that hot, and those are really the only things that put me off him. I would have liked to have seen more actual scenes between him and Abby so I could have felt their connection more, instead of being told about the memories of both of them.

My absolute favourite thing about the book, aside from the parallel universe business, was the soulmate thing that is addressed. Abby and her best friend Caitlin are considered soulmates, and I thought it was awesome that a platonic friendship could be dealt with in that way. Platonic soulmates are the best! And here comes my regular Supernatural reference: they reminded me of Sam and Dean Winchester, because I consider those two to be soulmates as well.

The most distressing thing about this book was the ending. Bloody hell. The ending made me cry. And yes, I know that I cry over pretty much everything (I like to blame my hormones, but I think I'm just sensitive) but that is not the point. It was all very emotional because, as a reader, I had gone through a hell of a lot with Abby, and then THE ENDING HAPPENED.

Overall I think that Parallel was awesome. It very nearly got an All Time Favourite/5 Star rating. The only things putting me off rating the book like that are Josh, the love interest, who wasn't as AMAZING as he could have been, and the fact that I neeeeeeeeded more at the end. It sounds silly, really.

*grumbles about that bloody ending ruining my life*