This is a perfect example of how moody my taste is, because when I initially read the copy, I was super excited about this and downloaded it right away, but then when I started reading it, I was very disconcerted and almost stopped right away because the premise weirded me out so much.

This had some great romance, some delightful insights into friendships, and an impressive feat of chemistry. The overarching plot was quite complex (even outside of the premise) and the deus ex machina felt a little strong at times. A lot of suspension of disbelief required, but worth the read. ( )

Ann Aguirre is one of my favorite authors. I have her Sirantha Jax series (space opera), her Razorland series (post-apocalyptic young adult), and her Corine Solomon series (urban fantasy). This is a standalone, I think, and it's one of the best books she's ever written.

It's also hard to describe without spoilers, because the central MacGuffin, the event that tips it from a contemporary YA into a fantasy one, is in and of itself a massive spoiler. (Yes, I know other reviews, and even the book's own jacket copy, have let this slip. I'm not going to join in.) Some people might balk at referring to this as a fantasy, because other than the MacGuffin, it is set firmly in our day. I suppose one could call it "magical realism," of the I Will Believe One Impossible Thing Before Breakfast sort. The One Thing is granted at the beginning of the story, the story goes on from there, and no actual explanation is provided, although a couple of theories are floated. In the end, the One Thing, in a sense, doesn't really matter, because the story isn't about that. It's about friendship; and one best friend living and the other friend dying; and survivors' guilt; and whether we really know the ones we love; and the secrets we hide, even from the people closest to us.

It's also a beautiful, emotional story, with stellar characterization (and a rather adult take on sex, for an ostensibly young-adult novel). There are a couple of thriller-ish plot twists, but the story's focus isn't on that. The focus is on the journey these characters take after the MacGuffin has turned their lives inside out. This is a wonderful book, and dammit, it should be up for awards. ( )

Two best friends are dating brothers. They're all hanging out together, driving around on a hot summer night when things go horribly wrong. Liv wakes in the hospital, but everyone is calling her Morgan. She's hoping things will get cleared up when the bandages come off, but sadly that's not what happens. Liv has become her best friend Morgan. Morgan is a beautiful rich girl who seemed to have the perfect life, but as Liv finds out it's anything but. She uncovers one dark secret after the other until she fulfills Morgan's last request.

This book immediately had me hooked. What is going on?! Liv died but now she's in Morgan's body? And all these secrets Morgan had - wow. This book can serve as a reminder that everyone has their own story, we shouldn't judge or jump to conclusions. I liked the characters. The story was never boring - one thing snowballed into a lot of dirty secrets coming out and Morgan/Liv found strength and courage to keep her head held high. I liked how she no longer took the little things for granted and that she also found out who her true friends were. A compulsive and interesting read for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for a copy of this book. ( )