Latest Read: All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill

Here are the basics ...
All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill
Publication date: Sept. 3, 2013
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Category: Young Adult - Science Fiction
Source: Received ARC at BEA (Thanks!)

Summary: Imprisoned in the heart of a secret military base, Em has tried everything to prevent the creation of a time machine that will tear the world apart. She holds the proof: a list she has never seen before, written in her own hand. Each failed attempt in the past has led her to the same terrible present—imprisoned and tortured by a sadistic man called the doctor while war rages outside. Marina has always loved her best friend James - a gorgeous, introverted science prodigy from one of America’s most famous families - and he finally seems to be seeing Marina in a new way. But on one disastrous night, James’s life crumbles apart, and with it, Marina’s hopes for their future. Now someone is trying to kill him. Marina will protect James, no matter what. Even if it means opening her eyes to a truth so terrible that she may not survive it. At least not as the girl she once was. (Adapted goodreads.com)

My thoughts…

The good: So.. how I do review this book without actually telling you anything about it? Because really, going in blind will make the the twists and reveals all the more jaw-dropping. But if you need some information, here's what you're allowed to know.

There are two realities. In the first, time travel is possible but a girl named Em is determined to prevent the creation of a time machine because it will save the world and save her from the cruel doctor torturing her. In the other, there's Marina and James - two childhood best friends potentially about to become more. Marina is your popular girl-next-door who has been in love with him forever and James is a shy, science prodigy whose life is about to change drastically. And somehow all their stories are interconnected.

All the main characters are so intriguing and complex. No one is what they seem, nothing is black and white. Everyone is carrying some sort of baggage with them. But these things don't make the characters unlikable. I think this very easily could've happened but instead, the author did a great job of giving us real people faced with difficult choices. People you could feel for and struggle to understand. We see the story unfolding mainly through Em and Marina's eyes and I connected to them both in different ways. Marina appealed my younger self and how I used to hope the boy across the street would notice me. Em is tough but vulnerable, which is my favorite type of heroine (you all should know this by now!). It's probably hard to imagine how or why these two girls find their lives intertwined but wow. Terrill amazingly weaves the details of her story between the two realities and the two point-of-views in such a way that you can't help but feel sucked in. I was ready for a fast-paced, action-packed plot but I was also moved and emotional by the end and I didn't expect that.

(No) reservations: There may be a point when you'll ask yourself - where is this all going? But it comes together!

Do I recommend?: I highly recommend this book. Especially when you hit the last twenty pages or so, you will stop everything you are doing until you reach the end. At least, that's how I felt! And there's going to be more! According to the author's site, this will be a duology and I'm very excited to see what happens next.

Happy reading!