C. C. Hunter

What would you do if your whole life was a lie and learning the truth could cost you your life? From New York Times bestselling author of the Shadow Falls series comes C. C. Hunter’s new YA thriller about a girl who learns that she may have been kidnapped as a child, and must race to uncover the truth about her past before she winds up a victim. Chloe was three years old when she became Chloe Holden, but her adoption didn’t scar her, and she’s had a great life. Now, fourteen years later, her loving parents’ marriage has fallen apart and her mom has moved them to Joyful, Texas. Starting twelfth grade as the new kid at school, everything Chloe loved about her life is gone. And feelings of déjà vu from her early childhood start haunting her. When Chloe meets Cash Colton she feels drawn to him, as though they're kindred spirits. Until Cash tells her the real reason he sought her out: Chloe looks exactly like the daughter his foster parents lost years ago, and he’s determined to figure out the truth. As Chloe and Cash delve deeper into her adoption, the more things don’t add up, and the more strange things start happening. Why is Chloe’s adoption a secret that people would kill for?

A Novel

In Another Life

I liked the way this book unfurled the plotline. I didn't like the way the main character was written though, as she was depicted as emotional every chapter. I could not pick the plotline until it was given to me, which I love.

Mica

Not me llorando a la 1am por culpa de esto.
Ah, sí, mi corazón existía solo para ser destrozado, total no lo necesitaba para nada más.

Megan Leprich

I received a copy of this book from St. Martins Press and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I have never read anything by C.C. Hunter and the synopsis of this book really intrigued me. I love YA mystery books and as soon as I saw that this was about a girl that might have been kidnapped and adopted to a different family I was immediately interested.

This book is about Chloe who is living with her mother that has just overcame breast cancer. After her mother and father divorce, her mom moves them to a new town and Chloe must start at a new school, as a senior no less. She's known her whole life that she is adopted but she's never let it bother her and has never had an interest in finding out who her real parents were. One weekend when her father is driving her back to her moms she meets Cash Colton and is instantly drawn to him. Cash's motives for wanting to get to know her better might have something to do with what happened in Chloe's past, something she has no idea about, something that Cash has been dealing with for the last 3 years with his current foster parents. Chloe and Cash must find out the secrets about Chloe's past before that secret ends up getting them killed.

This was a great book right from the start. You're immediately drawn in when Chloe meets Cash for the first time and trying to figure out what he was talking about when they ran into each other, literally. I loved Cash's backstory and what he went through with his dad and how he overcame that and was trying to make his life right. I also loved how the story progressed with Chloe slowly learning everything about her first 3 years of life with Cash helping her out.

I love when books are told from both main characters point of view instead of the author trying to have one main character explain both sides. It makes the book feel a lot more in depth and you feel like as a reader you're not missing out on any important moments with the other characters.

C.C. Hunter's writing style definitely drew me in and kept my attention. I loved all the drama around Chloe's adoption and the drama between Cash and Chloe's relationship. It was a very enjoyable read and I hope to read other books from the author.

Thank you again to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Jolie

I like reading Young Adult books. I know, how weird is it that a 40 something (hey, not giving my actual age out here!!) woman likes to read about teenagers. But I do. So when the publisher approached me to review In Another Life, I jumped on it.

What attracted me to In Another Life was the cover. It is an eyecatcher. A turquoise blue cover with black writing, it caught my eye. This is a book that I would buy because of the cover.

I felt awful for Chloe in this book. She had to deal with the fallout from a bitter divorce. She also had to deal with her mother’s illness (breast cancer and depression). She had every right to be upset with her father. She also had every right to question Cash when he laid the facts out in front of her. If someone I barely knew came up to me and said: “Guess what, you are the kidnapped daughter of my foster parents.” I would have had the same reaction. I liked her.

I liked Cash but man, did he annoy me at points in the book. Like his obsession with proving that Chloe was Emily. I get why he was doing it. I do. But, during certain parts of the book, I was like “Just drop it, dude“. I did think that his first interactions with Chloe were borderline stalkerish. I also thought that his attitude towards his foster parents sucked. I mean, they wanted to adopt him and he noped out of it. But it did make sense. What he went through as a child scarred him. I didn’t blame him for not attempting to form relationships.

Chloe’s parents disgusted me. Both of them. Her father was so wrapped up in thinking with his “little” head that he almost lost his relationship with his daughter. And her mother. I couldn’t stand her. She was constantly bad mouthing Chloe’s father. Constantly. Every scene that she was in, I could feel the bitterness rolling off the pages. Even when they were at the police station, she couldn’t stop. At that point, I had enough. I wanted to smack her upside the head and say “Helloo, focus on your daughter, you bitter harpy“.

The main plotline was well written. I had no problem following along. Keeping Cash’s section in 3rd person was a smart move. It would have made it harder to read if it was in 1st person like Chloe. There was a slight lag in the middle but the author was able to get the plot back on track.

I did figure out the mystery angle early in the book. With the introduction of Rodney and the not so subtle clues that were dropped, it only made what I suspected even more concrete. But, figuring out the mystery angle did not take away from the enjoyment of reading the book.

I thought that Cash and Chloe’s romance was very sweet. I had a couple of “awww” moments while reading the book. I liked that the author kept the book PG too.

The end of In Another Life was what I expected. Everything (and I mean all the storylines) were wrapped up. I did get a laugh at what Chloe did to Cash. Also, the epilogue was wonderful to read.

I would give In Another Life an Older Teen rating. There are sexual situations (not graphic). There is language. There is violence. There are triggers. They would be adoption, kidnapping, divorce, and child abuse. I would recommend that no one under the age of 16 read this book.

I would reread In Another Life. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author, the publishers, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review In Another Life.

All opinions stated in this review of In Another Life are mine.

Jessica 

Blog | Twitter | Instagram | I was sent an eARC of this novel from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. This does not change my view in any shape or form. Also found here at Booked J. 

There's something eerie in promise about In Another Life which is, admittedly, what drew me into the synopsis to begin with. I had this moment of pause upon reading it and as I let myself process the premise, I knew that this novel was bound to be an experience. And it was. As a fan of The Face on the Milk Carton and, more recently, MTV's Finding Carter, I knew I had to read In Another Life and indulge in some old fashioned teenage angst with mysteries sprinkled in. 

That being said, it was a little different in terms of genre than I expected. Reading the premise, you'll find yourself with expectations: a contemporary, coming-of-age thriller. 

While it shared elements of both, I felt like it was less on the thriller side than the synopsis sells to you. This isn't an issue. In-fact, it surprised me and didn't. I'm not altogether mad about feeling misled, because I wasn't 100% misled and found In Another Life to be quite satisfying. It felt strangely nostalgic, despite the fact that it is an upcoming (or new, depending when you are reading my review) release and I really found this to be the most indulgent part of In Another Life. 

In so many ways, the topics of this novel could have fallen flat or been explored in an inappropriate manner. There were some weaker points of In Another Life, but nothing that will ruin the novel's experience. I thought that Hunter's prose was strong and the characters created, and the story itself, had just enough spark to keep the story moving and develop at a pleasant pace. 

I highly recommend In Another Life to fans of novels like Face on the Milk Carton and Emmy & Oliver, which share a similar headspace with this little gem while still being its own story.

In Another Life A Novel

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