Review: Through To You by Emily Hainsworth

Through To You by Emily Hainsworth

Publication Date: October 2nd, 2012
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Page Count: 272 pages
Format: eBook
Source: eARC provided for review by Balzer + Bray

Synopsis From Goodreads:

Camden Pike has been grief-stricken since his girlfriend, Viv, died. Viv was the last good thing in his life: helping him rebuild his identity after a career-ending football injury, picking up the pieces when his home life shattered, and healing his pain long after the meds wore off. And now, he’d give anything for one more glimpse of her. But when Cam makes a visit to the site of Viv’s deadly car accident, he sees some kind of apparition. And it isn’t Viv.

The apparition’s name is Nina, and she’s not a ghost. She’s a girl from a parallel world, and in this world, Viv is still alive. Cam can’t believe his wildest dreams have come true. All he can focus on is getting his girlfriend back, no matter the cost. But things are different in this other world: Viv and Cam have both made very different choices, things between them have changed in unexpected ways, and Viv isn’t the same girl he remembers. Nina is keeping some dangerous secrets, too, and the window between the worlds is shrinking every day. As Cam comes to terms with who this Viv has become and the part Nina played in his parallel story, he’s forced to choose—stay with Viv or let her go—before the window closes between them once and for all.

My Thoughts:

I really didn't know what to expect when I first started reading Through To You. I usually read more contemporary stories, but I can handle a bit of paranormal now and then. I thought the plot was original and intriguing, and the writing was good enough to hold my attention throughout.

The protagonist, Camden, really faces a lot of challenges in his life. He is moody and depressed after a string of hardships, the last being the death of his girlfriend, Viv. He is mopey and angst filled for almost the first half of the book. I kept reading because I was certain his disposition would improve as the story went along and he discovers the parallel world and 'his' Viv. I did have a lot of sympathy for Camden, and I could understand his grief up to a point. I also realize that his extreme feelings of loss are of his own doing - after making Viv the center of his universe, he was completely lost without her.

It's not until about halfway through the book that the storyline really picks up. I was very intrigued by the appearance of the portal to the parallel world. I was wondering how it would come about and how it would work. Camden's forays into the portal are very interesting. I won't go into too much detail because I don't want to give away the entire plot. Suffice it to say that Camden realizes that things are not as they seem on the other side. I could definitely understand Cam's interest in the parallel world - in his mind it was his opportunity for a second chance.

The writing is really good, and I love the idea of a parallel world. I really felt the story wasn't as great as it could have been. The Goodreads synopsis spoils the parallel universe, so by the time we get to that part in the book there is no shock or surprise. We already know what is going on, so now what? With the element of surprise taken out of the reader's hands, Through To You failed to deliver the suspense and drama that would have made it really stand out.

I would definitely recommend this book to fans of paranormal books. Even though it's not completely gripping and edge-of-your-seat compelling, it's still very entertaining. It was a fast and easy read, and interesting enough to keep me reading to the end.

eARC provided for review by Balzer + Bray.

My rating: 3 of 5 stars