3:59

by Gretchen McNeil

Josie Byrne's life is spiraling out of control. Her parents are divorcing, her boyfriend Nick has grown distant, and her physics teacher has it in for her. When she's betrayed by the two people she trusts most, Josie thinks things can't get worse.

Until she starts having dreams about a girl named Jo. Every night at the same time—3:59 a.m.

Jo's life is everything Josie wants: she's popular, her parents are happily married, and Nick adores her. It all seems real, but they're just dreams, right? Josie thinks so, until she wakes one night to a shadowy image of herself in the bedroom mirror – Jo.

Josie and Jo realize that they are doppelgängers living in parallel universes that overlap every twelve hours at exactly 3:59. Fascinated by Jo's perfect world, Josie jumps at the chance to jump through the portal and switch places for a day.

But Jo’s world is far from perfect. Not only is Nick not Jo's boyfriend, he hates her. Jo's mom is missing, possibly insane. And at night, shadowy creatures feed on human flesh.

By the end of the day, Josie is desperate to return to her own life. But there’s a problem: Jo has sealed the portal, trapping Josie in this dangerous world. Can she figure out a way home before it’s too late?

From master of suspense Gretchen McNeil comes a riveting and deliciously eerie story about the lives we wish we had – and how they just might kill you.

Genres: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal, Horror, Thriller, Romance

359 pages, Hardcover

First published September 17, 2013

About the author

Gretchen McNeil is the author of the YA horror/suspense novels POSSESS, 3:59, RELIC, GET EVEN, GET DIRTY, and TEN (a YALSA Top Ten Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, a Romantic Times Top Pick, and a Booklist Top Ten Horror Fiction for Youth) all with Balzer + Bray for HarperCollins. Gretchen’s first YA contemporary I’M NOT YOUR MANIC PIXIE DREAM GIRL, also with Balzer + Bray, hit shelves in 2016, and her next novel will be the horror-comedy #MURDERTRENDING for Disney/Freeform in August 2018.

Gretchen’s novels have been published internationally in Chinese, Spanish, Turkish, and Czech. The film adaptation of TEN starring China Anne McClain (Descendants 2, Black Lightning), Rome Flynn (The Bold and the Beautiful), and Callan McAuliffe (Flipped, I Am Number Four), directed by Chris Robert for Rain Maker Films, premiered on Lifetime on September 16, 2017.

Gretchen is repped by Ginger Clark of Curtis Brown, Ltd. You can find Gretchen on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and on her website.

Reviews

[Steph Sinclair · Rating 1 out of 5]

Actual rating: 1.5 stars

One of the biggest reasons for me wanting to read 3:59 was because it took place in a location very familiar to me. Like many other readers, when I hear about a book that's set in my state or near my hometown, I feel this incessant need to read it by any means necessary. Unfortunately, 3:59 proved to be one big fat disappointment.

The book follows science wiz Josie Bryne who starts having dreams at 3:59 of a girl who looks just like her. As her own life begins to fall apart around her (she finds her boyfriend and best friend sleeping together, her parents divorce and she loses her job), she desperately wants the life she catches glimpses of when she sleeps. The girl Jo seems to have everything Josie wants: A perfect boyfriend, happily married parents and a perfect life. But when she finally gets the opportunity to cross over to Jo's world, she learns things are far from perfect.

This sounded like such an interesting concept with it being pitched as Parent Trap meets Event Horizon. I don't even know what Event Horizon is (Okay, so Kat says it's a really scary horror movie. 3:59 is neither of those things.), but Parent Trap (the one with Lindsay Lohan before her life took a decided turn for the worse) is one of my all-time favorite movies. Throw in some sci-fi alternate universe action and I'm totally there. Sadly, 3:59 bares no resemblance to Parent Trap at all and I really need for Harper to stop this whole "Awesome movie/book/concept" meets "Even more Awesome movie/book/concept" thing that they do. Frankly, they are usually so far off and misleading. It's like they're overcompensating for their novels. And let me tell you, there was some serious overcompensating going on for 3:59.

The Writing Style:
So I took 3:59 with me one afternoon while I journeyed on the metro to my favorite children's book store. I read exactly 5 pages and had a sinking suspicion that this book was not going to be my thang. The writing style immediately had a very choppy weird feeling that never felt natural or smooth even as the novel progressed. There were inner monologues from the narrator found in between each section of dialogue, making the exchange seem very long. Someone would say something to Josie and then there'd be a paragraph monologue about what she was thinking or a bit of info-dumping. I couldn't help but to wonder what Josie would be doing in these time spans instead of answering the character's question. Was she staring at them while her brain worked to keep up with her mouth? Perhaps.

Flat Characters:
I don't think there is a single character in this book that I liked or saw growth from. Everyone remained exactly the same from beginning to end. The narrator tells us that Josie had changed, that she was smarter and stronger, but I never got a sense of any of that. Each character had one trait that they encompassed and that's basically what they were for the entire novel.

The Plot:
3:59 relies heavily on science to explain why things are the way they are. It's supposed to be clearly logical. Josie and her friend, Penelope, are supposed to appear smart. And I do appreciate McNeil having intelligent female protagonists solving the mystery. My problem was that since the science behind the book was so very complex, I had an extremely hard time seeing a high school student (or several of them!) knowing that much at such a young age. Is everyone a physics prodigy and able to keep up with all those formulas? Josie just happens to know more physics than her teachers?

But, okay. Maybe I could get behind this idea if all the science jargon didn't create so many opportunities to info dump. Let's be honest, hardly any readers will know what Josie knows. So whenever Josie and Penelope went off of their science talk, there was conveniently another character in the room asking for the For Dummies version. Look, I am not the kind of reader who is easily impressed with an author's ability to recite Big Science Words. So I need to be able to see some type of explanation, and I never really got that. Instead, I got more questions: Where did the mirror in Jo's room come from despite Josie never having one in her room until she moved it there? Why did Josie only start having the dreams recently even though the connection to both worlds had been open for 6 months?

Then we move on to the actual logical fails 3:59 was filled with. There's this part in the book where Josie and Nick go on a tour of Fort Meade (a highly guarded military facility that houses different government divisions like NSA) where they are given a tour by one of the Directors. Somehow, Josie convinces the Director (because he's attracted to her) to give them a tour of a floor they have no business being on. Somehow, conveniently the halls are deserted. That is so inaccurate, I can't even. Then she conveniently leaves her purse on that floor in the bathroom only to later bat her eyelashes at the Director for his access card so she can retrieve it alone. I understand that this is fiction, but Josie was given way too many free passes in this novel. I don't care if she batted her eyelashes so hard that her eyes got stuck in a permanent twitch, there is no way someone is handing over their security badge at the Fort. And there is no way she would make it back up to that same off-limits floor with no one stopping her. You can't just walk around the Fort unescorted. It doesn't happen for security reasons. Where was the research done here?

But I get it. Sometimes you just have to go with it when it comes to some books (hard as that is for me most times). This book was supposed to be built around scientific logic, so I expected basic common sense rules to be applied in other aspects as well. Clearly, I was asking too much because later in the book, Josie just thinks to ask her father (in the alternate universe) to steal a government laser from Fort Meade. The exchange went ridiculously something like this:

"Hey, daddy? Can you steal that government laser for the highly guarded military facility? I need it. I love you so much! xoxoxo!"

"Anything for you, princess! Shall I pick you up some Burger King on the way out the Fort?"

Are you kidding? For Josie to be so smart, I am actually surprised she thought this was legit a possibility even after her real mother specifically told her to trust no one.

Then, right after a character is brutally eaten to death by the nox (creatures that haunt the alternate universe and eat people) right in front of Josie and Nick, these fools start making out right there. Things get hot and heavy, Josie has a moment when she realizes she's in love and she reaches up and grabs the dude's severed ankle.

"OMG, I freakin' love this guy I'm making out with!"

"This is so hot."

"Oh, shit. Is that a foot? Gah! How did this body get here?!"

"Oh, right. He just died."

Gag me, please.

It was there 3:59 and I had a strange turn of events. The book went from giving me a lot of these moments:



To where I could barely suppress a laugh:



Honestly, though, I was still being entertained... just not in the way the author probably intended it.

Insta-Love:
So as if this couldn't get any worse, this happens:

She'd never felt this way with her ex-boyfriend. This was something different. Something deeper. Even though they had only known each other a few days, Nick knew her better than anyone else, and loved her even more because of it. - Quoted from 3:59 ARC, page 348.

Sure, sure. She's in love with this guy even though they've had maybe a handful of conversations (all of them related to the plot and had nothing to do with actually finding out things about each other), one of which was sparked by him pointing a gun at her. Boyfriend of the year!

I never once felt the connection between the two. They were these character stuck in this situation and randomly, romance was thrown in because, hey, every YA book has to have its romance. (Obviously, that was sarcasm.) But in the end, the romance didn't add anything extra to the reading experience and felt contrived and forced.

Predictability:
However, I might have even forgiven all of that if only the entire mystery hadn't been so predictable. I know 3:59 is being pitched as a sci-fi thriller, but I never once felt the urgency because things were so painfully obvious. I knew who the bad guy was, what happened to her parents, who was attacking the humans, etc. Josie is depicted as a really smart protagonist, but again, spouting off science words is not enough if the reader is two steps ahead of your detective. The really sad part is that the mystery wasn't bad at all, but really lacked better foreshadowing and a much tighter plot. If I've already figured out the mystery by 50%, there's really no reason for me to stick around.

Not only was the plot predictable, but the character actions. And this is where I feel good old fashion character growth would have helped. Josie, as trusting and sweet as she was depicted, was, frankly, TSTL. I don't think this was intentional, but when you keep telling the reader how smart your character is, but they continually do really dumb things, it rarely works for me.

To Conclude:
In the end, 3:59 didn't live up to my expectations. Had the plot and mystery been tighter, the characters better developed and the romance cleaned up, I would have probably really loved this one. Would I recommend this? My first reaction is, "Eh, no." But I do think if the above doesn't bother you much in novels, you may enjoy this one. I would, instead, strongly recommend checking out a sample to see if the writing style works for you and then abandoning all sense of logic at page one.

1 star because it's not the worst book I've read

.5 star for somehow keeping me entertained despite my frustrations

 

ARC was received from the publisher via Young Adult Books Central.

More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.

[Lenore Appelhans]

So when I was reading 3:59, this happened:



If a lemur wants to read it, you know it's good :D

[Giselle · Rating 3 out of 5]

For an entertaining thriller, 3:59 does a good job. Some of it is overwhelming or far fetched, and specific parts made me cringe, but it's an action packed read that's great for a quick thrill.

With a title like 3:59 you already know that this specific time is important to the story. So from the start, the time stamp shown on every page works to keep us on edge as we know that something is coming - and soon. Then 3:59 hits and something bizarre does happen, but we can't make sense of it quite yet. All we know is it's ominous, and it's likely due to her mother's experiments - meaning science, and alternate universes.

This is when Jo starts coming into the story. First via dreams, then through the mirror. Jo and Josie are the same person living completely different lives. And what else can you do but want to live where the grass is greener? As such, they decide to switch places. It's an interesting concept, one that was obviously well researched with scientifically solid ideas - ideas that stretch into sci-fi, naturally. On that note, while I appreciate complex detailing for a realistic world building especially in this genre, the science-filled discussions were quite bewildering. From profuse scientific jargon to age old multiverse theories with black holes and quantum mechanics… I'm a big fan of sci-fi books that touch on space–time continuum, but I stopped trying to wrap my head around the science encircling this one. I'm also wondering how this town bred all these teenage Einsteins. These regular school kids could have put any scientist to shame. So no matter how scientifically logical it may be (though I couldn't tell you if it was), some parts of the book make it hard to suspend disbelief regardless. Having given up on making sense of it all, I treated it more as a mindless entertaining read and was satisfied on that front!

3:59 has a protagonist with familiar issues that many will be able to relate to. A distant mother, parental separation, a cheating boyfriend, a betraying best friend; Josie's in a place in life where everyone and everything seems to be against her. Loneliness has sunk in hard, hence why she jumps at the chance to switch lives and savor what she used to have if only temporarily. Though why she would want to go back to a cheating boyfriend - even if he's the doppelgänger - is beyond me. But she was heartbroken so I'll forgive her. What I don't forgive is the part in the romance where they start making out next to a mutilated body. The scene is meant to be romantic, I think? But the reader and both characters in question are fully aware that not 5 minutes past a person was EATEN by a monstrous beast RIGHT THERE! Then Josie acts all surprised and grossed out when, stretching from "romantic enjoyment", she happens upon a dismembered foot. So not sexy, guys! *shudders* But whatever. Teenage hormones or something. Moving on from the gross.. There is a strong romantic sub plot in this book where Josie and Nick team up against an unraveling conspiracy. Her still being in love with the other "him" from her real life, and him falling in love with the "new" her gives a unique romance that I found interesting, even mind boggling. I both loved and hated how it ended, too. It's bittersweet. Her last conversation with cheating Nick: *fist pump*

The pacing is non stop with a constant give of information and twists that keep our attention from straying. There are also invisible flesh eating flying beasts added in to give a touch of horror to this new world Josie has walked into. I personally found this exciting but I can see some may be less happy about it invading a predominantly scientific plot. With that said, I feel like this book was trying to be larger than it could be, but it's an enjoyable read nonetheless.

--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.

For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

[Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies · Rating 2 out of 5]

Actual rating: 2.5

I've read my share of books about parallel universes this year. Most of the time, the basis is simple, but then eventually the idea turns into a mess beyond comprehension, both plot-wise and conceptually. This book executes the idea much better than most of the books with a similar premise...but considering those book were mostly utter crap, this book will be elevated by me beyond that, to the glorious category of "unstinky-poo." The plot is also plagued with one gigantic, gaping, Grand Canyon-sized plot hole crucial to the twist, that I am frankly shocked that it got passed through (no spoilers).

The idea of the parallel universes were well-explained, but the plot and the characters leave much to be desired. Here we have the sci-fi version of The Parent Trap. Josie Byrne is a brilliant student, she's got a wonderful boyfriend and a group of friends whom she largely ignores because her family life is a mess right now (mom is acting like a mad scientist, dad is dating her school's former prom queen-cum personal-trainer, etc). Also, there's been a lot of mysterious deaths in the woods near town. All caused by animals, according to the authorities. Like anyone's going to believe that.

In one Very Bad Afternoon, Josie gets into a quasi-car accident, gets fired from her job, and finds out that her wonderful-awesome-handsome-loving boyfriend Nick has been cheating on her. With her best friend, Madison. Ouch. All this started from that unfortunate car event at 3:59 PM.

From then on, Josie has dreams of someone who looks like her, named Jo. Jo looks like she has the perfect life, because you can absolutely glean all that from glimpses of someone's dreams. Jo drives a sweet BMW. Her boyfriend (also Nick) is loving and wonderful. Jo's got a lovely bedroom.

Josie and Jo come to realize that the mirror in their room is connecting them and their parallel worlds, which is separated by 12 hours. Josie is desperately envious of Jo. Specifically, she is envious of Jo's boyfriend, the cheating son-of-a-bitch Nick, whom she still loves and with whom she still wants a second chance. So Josie made the brilliant idea of switching places with Jo for one day, despite knowing nothing of her besides for one briefly exchanged letter, passed through the mirror, despite knowing nothing at all about her world, all for the sake of having ONE MORE PWECIOUS DAY WITH HER BELOVED NICK TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT.

What?! Why?! It's a parallel universe! It changes nothing in her original world! She could be with Nick for one perfect day, he's still not going to have an idea of what transpired in her world. Josie, you are a brilliant high school student, why are you acting like such a dumb chick?! It makes no sense to me that Josie made that decision. Josie is not stupid. She really, truly is brilliant. From her demonstrated knowledge and discussions of advanced physical theories like the Penrose Interpretation, from her mother's reputation as a brilliant scientist (she's working on some experiment involving deuterium), I really, truly expected more from Josie than the behaviors of a lovesick girl.

Once the two girls do their little switcheroo (the normally frumpy Josie even gets her hair highlighted to match), Josie finds out that Jo's seemingly perfect life is not what it seems. Sure, she gets a sweet car, and she's rich, and popular...but her newfound popularity doesn't feel quite right.

It was kind of like being the world’s most popular leper---the focus of everyone’s attention and no one’s affection---and it made her incredibly uncomfortable. Was that what it was like to be popular? A kind of cold, fearful isolation?

The parallel world is like hers, but with different variations, a darker feel to it.

In house after house, blinds were being drawn, shutters latched, like every household was hunkering down for the night. As Josie tramped along, she got a creeping feeling up the back of her spine. The entire town had an air of hostility.

The people are still the same, but they act differently...or maybe it's because Jo is not who Josie thought she was. Her best friend Madison hates her, the whole school is scared of her, the teachers react in shock when she answers a question in class. Her other friend, Penelope, is absolutely terrified of her.

And what's with this thing called The Grid? What the hell is a Nox?

The plot is interesting, the execution...not so great. The romance is so ridiculous, so utterly forced. It is as if Josie falls into insta-love with Nick, someone she already knew, except...he's different. And thinking about romance in this sort of situation is just plain stupid. The plot is complicated. Josie is trying to get back to her world, where the insidious bitchy Jo has taken over her life. There's the mystery of her disappeared mother, there's strange, mysterious, bloodsucking creatures flying around in the dark. There are government plots. People dying. Constant fear of the dark. It is a shitty, shitty world, a hell of a parallel universe, and yet Josie can't help but want to stay in it...ALL FOR THE SAKE OF NICK.

Screw the Nox. She could stay here, with Nick, forever. No one would know. She leaned her body closer to his, and closed her eyes.
This wasn’t her world. This wasn’t her life. And yet for some reason the idea of leaving here—of leaving him—made Josie instantly sick to her stomach.

Josie realizes the ridiculousness of her feelings...and she clings onto them still. It was so utterly disappointing. I wanted a strong heroine, instead, I got a strong heroine who was weakened; personality and strength and rationality set aside for the sake of romance.

The plot is heavily reliant upon deus ex machina. People just happened to be there at the right time to save someone from a bitter fate. Too many time, it happened. Oh, and this little exchange between Josie and her doppelganger father is just lovely.

“What do you need me to do?” Mr. Byrne said at last.
“We need to use the X-FEL laser. The one up at Fort Meade.”
“When?” Mr. Byrne asked.
“As soon as possible.”
She heard Mr. Byrne let out a slow breath. “All right, princess. Whatever you need. I can probably get them access for a few hours.”

CAN YOU STEAL A HIGHLY DANGEROUS LASER FOR ME, DADDY? OK BABY PRINCESS.

All of the characters were just...average. They didn't have any depth to them, even Josie, who should have been developing in complexity throughout the book. Nope. Josie is pretty much the same lovesick character she was at the end of the book as when she started. She's supposed to have developed strength somewhere along the way, but I really did not see that complexity built throughout the book. The side characters are more interesting than Josie, particularly the parallel-universe version of Madison, but we never got to see more of them than necessary, because Josie has to be the star of the show, and she stays that way to the detriment of the rest of the characters.

I never felt like Nick was anything other than a generic nice guy, and I can see how Josie is attracted to him---but I don't see how she's heads-over-heels in love with him---in both worlds, with both versions. One version of Nick supposed to be superior to the other, but considering the standard Nick was a cheating asshole, it doesn't take much to raise the bar.

A promising book, built on solid scientific theories and a well-executed premise of a parallel universe that was ultimately let down by an absurd plot and no character development.

[♥Rachel♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars.

3:59 was a fun action packed read from start to finish. Throw in some romance, mystery and danger and I was a happy girl.

Josie’s life has been less than ideal lately. With her parents separated, her mother consumed with work, and her boyfriend, Nick, distant lately, she feels a little off-kilter. Right off the bat, things go from off-kilter to bad, especially in the romance department, and your heart goes out to poor Josie. After an explosion in her mother’s home workspace, Josie starts to see herself, a different version, in the mirror at the same time morning and night at exactly 3:59. The Josie in the mirror, Jo, appears to be the improved, happier version, with parents still together, and Nick still normal. Josie longs for things to return to normal so she switches places with Jo temporarily. Josie learns the hard way that things are not always as they appear.

I picked this up after my last read wasn’t clicking, and was immediately hooked. The pacing was great and fast and I felt for Josie right away after she’s dealt a terrible blow! There are two Nicks in this story, her boyfriend from her world and then the Nick in Jo’s world. Josie develops a relationship with Nick in Jo’s world, but I felt it was a bit rushed and lacked depth. I think this is somewhat inherent in a plot driven novel, and I love reading about a romance that feels real in its connection, so this was a little bit of a disappointment. Still, I did enjoy this book and I was eagerly turning the pages to find out what would happen next.

I liked the concept of parallel existences, but to be honest, some of the plot felt farfetched. I’m no expert on parallel theories or quantum physics so this may be due to my ignorance (probably, lol!) but a lot of it went over my head. All in all it was a fun, fast read and I was surprised when I looked at the page count (368) because it seriously didn’t seem that long at all. I’m wondering if there’s a sequel planned because the ending didn’t seem quite like and end. I’ve looked but I couldn’t tell.

A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Come visit The Readers Den for a chance to win an ARC copy of 3:59.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy cow! This book was awesome! I have been on such a contemporary kick that I have been neglecting all of the other genres that I used to love. Including fantasy and science fiction. Oh, how foolish I have been. 3:59 reminded me just how much I love these genres. I need to go find other fantasy books to read right away. I haven't experienced a Gretchen McNeil book yet, but I have no idea what I was waiting for. This book is easily the best written, most exciting book I have read all year. 3:59 is very science heavy, but I never felt lost or confused by the scientific jargon. You could tell that Gretchen clearly did her research and she explained everything we needed to know really well through Josie and Penelope. (the two science-y ones in the story.)


I loved that even though there are two doppelgangers, Josie and Jo in this story it was only told through Josie's point of view. It would have been easy to switch back and forth between her and Jo in the beginning of the book when they were first seeing each other through the mirror, but I was so excited that the point of view never switched. I thought it really added to the story to have Josie put everything together for herself. Josie is such a smart girl- brilliant really, but she is also just a teenage girl that recently got dumped by her boyfriend. So when she looked in the mirror and saw her boyfriend happy with her other self, she saw what she wanted to see. That is what made her go from a good character to a great character in my mind. That sounds silly, doesn't it? but she was so realistic. She isn't perfect, she made some mistakes, but she more than made up for them in the rest of the book.


There are so many twists and turns in 3:59, I couldn't even predict half of them. Which made for such an exciting read! I couldn't put this book down. I was on the edge of my seat for the whole thing. When I had to stop reading to run errands or to do some work, I was actually annoyed that real life was interrupting my reading time. Gretchen McNeil knows how to write creepy. Man, the Nox was something I would have nightmares about. I would hate to live in a world with them. But they were fascinating. Everything in her world was actually. If you are a "world building" fan, you will LOVE 3:59 because the detail and description in this book is grade A. I think 3:59 is a must read book of 2013. Whether you are a fan of fantasy and science fiction or not, you need to read this book.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't usually start reviews like this, but...
Oh my fucking God. I am dead. I can not live. Guys. I just. No. My heart. It fails me. GUYS. Oh my fuck. I can not even. But. Just.

Everything hurts.

So I absolutely have to start off with the sci-fi aspect of this. There is a ton of sci-fi in there and Gretchen McNeil obviously did her research. There were so many theories thrown around, not to mention a ton of...oh God, I don't even know what to call them, much less understand! But the sci-fi is hardcore in 3:59, and you just have to love the scientific explanations and...other. I can't guarantee you'll understand, but I can promise that it'll blow your mind away!

And you guys, the plot. I can't even. It was filled with suspense and anticipation (read: me hyperventilating) and I just couldn't put it down! It hooked me in straight away and then proceeded to kill me several times. It was filled with so many twists I hadn't seen a mile away and smacked me in the face, leaving me astonished and shocked. Not to mention, the ending? Oh, it just breaks your heart.

I just loved our characters who were so brilliantly written (much like the rest of the book) and so wonderfully flawed, especially in the parallel world.
Josie is the kind of character you have to love. She's been through a lot and she's easy to relate to. I loved her voice and how she wasn't the perfect character. She had her selfish moments and she had her brave ones. She was smart and a bit nerdy, but wasn't the stereotypical "loser" nerd.
Nick was sweet in our world, but, of course, was a dick later on. But in the parallel world? Oh God, you have to love him! Madison...I couldn't believe her, how she could change personalities so quickly! It was disgusting and I sort of hated her. But she was definitely kickass in the parallel world and I loved seeing the few, but definitely interesting, interactions Josie had with her!

The romance isn't a big part of the book, but you can't help but cheer Nick and Josie on! I can't say much, but I need an epilogue. That is all.

This was my first Gretchen McNeil book, but you can count on it not being my last. With the amazingness that is 3:59, I'm now scrambling to read her other works! While I haven't read Ten (despite having a copy), my friends have read and loved it, so I can only assume that McNeil is as much a genius with all her books.

I absolutely was not expecting to love 3:59 this much. I had high hopes for sure, but...oh God, they were just completely blown away. And that's saying a lot. 3:59 is a gorgeously written sci-fi thriller that literally had my heart pounding from chapter one and wanting to sob an ocean in the last.
I have to recommend to absolutely everyone, sci-fi fans or no, everyone has to read this so they can scream with me.

[ᒪᗴᗩᕼ · Rating 3 out of 5]

DETAILS
3.5 STARS
Parallel Dimensions
Creepy Bird-Like Creatures
Teen Drama Thriller
Tween Romance
Futuristic Techy
Narration: Tavia Gilbert

BOOK THEME SONG:
Disturbia

☆3.5/5 STARS☆

MY THOUGHTS

First Impressions: The title and the cover are super awesome…and the synopsis is too. I have a thing for parallel universes…

This didn't exactly live up to my first impressions. While mostly entertaining, you just have to not think too deeply about it all, otherwise, it's sort of unbelievable or just off kilter-ish. The science of it wasn't always easy to follow, but I comprehended well enough most of the time. The Nox…those monsters were freaky crazy, maybe too crazy…

The narration wasn't bad it's just narrated by the same girl as The Firebird Trilogy by Claudia Gray and it threw me off because they have similar plot lines.

Sex Factor: While mentioned, there is no actual explicit sex going on.

BREAKDOWN
Plot: 3.5/5
Characters: 3/5
The Feels: 3/5
Addictiveness: 3.5/5
Theme: 4/5
Flow: 3.5/5
Backdrop (World Building): 4/5
Originality: 4/5
Book Cover: 5/5
Narration: 3.5/5
Ending: 4/5 Cliffhanger: Sort of felt like one

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Special Note:** My KP, Stacee from the wonderfully fabulous Adventures of a Book Junkie, let me borrow her ARC of this title. All quotes and opinions will be of this version and not from the published edition.

My full review will have to wait until my closer to the publication date, but you should all know that this was AMAZING!



3:59 was such a unique, well-delivered book-- fantastic characters, engaging and perfectly crafted plot, and surprising twists (OH THE TWISTS!)-- that made for a spectacular read.

I'd give it an actual rating of 4.75 stars, but only technically, and ONLY because I'd love to have an epilogue in the published version. Something more concrete about a possible reunion.(This will make more sense after you've read it, which you absolutely should do.)

[Colette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another action-packed thriller from Gretchen McNeil. Every book I read by McNeil is better than the last. In 3:59 I especially enjoyed the science and technology references; they made the multiple dimensions she created feel even more realistic. Overall 4.5/5 stars; I really hope there is a sequel!

[Angela]

This sounds amazing, omg.

And it comes out a few days before my birthday.

I know what I'm buying myself.

[Marochka · Rating 2 out of 5]

Скучно и глупо.
Я люблю книги\сериалы\фильмы про параллельные вселенные. Тут нет ничего нового, поэтому к сюжету особо претензий и не предъявишь, кроме того, что не особо интересно. Зато к персонажам претензий целый вагон. Герои просто ужасны, они знакомы пару дней, а стоя над трупами друзей, обсуждают свою бесконечно глубокую любовь. Нет-нет, это не образно. Они реально стояли над трупами друзей и говорили о романтических отношениях. Простите, вы вообще нормальные? Весь их диалог я только и думала: у вас под ногами два обглоданных монстрами трупа близких вам людей, ребят, два обглоданных трупа, але! Два трупа!!!
Очень странная любовная линия. И вообще герои отвратительны.

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ll rate it a 3.59 ;) It’s an alright story. Pace was ok. Not a fan of the characters

[Joy (joyous reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

In My Own Words:

Parallel universe. Teens smarter than the average. Portals. Scientific jargons that, surprisingly enough, I was able to understand. Matter can occupy the same space at the same time; meaning, two versions of one person can be on the same plane of existence. It also features the kind of nocturnal giant birds that I’ve only seen in that movie, Pitch Dark. It has the right mix of high octane action, romance and Sci-Fi that did not make my head spin. In short, this book was worth the read.

My Thoughts:

This book started out with an unforgivable relationship faux pas: a cheating character. I almost didn’t continue because of it. But I persevere because I was on a mission. I’m trying to pack away as much YA as I can so I can move on from this genre. DNF’ing is not an option. Well, I’m glad I finished this book. I’m glad I stuck with it.

I somehow ended up with a couple of books of the same subject on my current reads last week: parallel universe. The other book being, Relativity by Cristin Bishara. Admittedly, I started the latter first and have read more than half of the book already before I decided to try this one on for size. Relativity, unfortunately, was a little slow for my taste. And I have a premonition that I will not be left with the same dissatisfaction as I now have with this one.

Books with this theme typically bore me. But 3:59 managed to keep my characteristically fleeting attention for the entire day. Yup. I read it in one sitting. The romance – though started on the wrong side of right – got ultimately better. Truthfully, I can’t reconcile the same sets of characters from their different worlds. Aside from Penelope, everyone pretty much took on different personalites. The differences were startling. In effect, the two versions of Nick and Josephine was exactly how you would envision them in a Bizarro World.

Bravo, McNeil for throwing that wrench on what was turning out to be a smooth-sailing plot. On the surface, you’d think that you have it all figured out because the author told the story with a misleading transparency. She tells you who the good and the bad guys were. You’d never anticipate the twist in the end. I know I didn’t.

Josie’s kick-assery multiplies when she starts spouting off theories of relativity, gravity and quantum physics. She didn’t sound pretentious nor did she try so hard to make it seem like she was trying hard. I really like how McNeil used scientific jargons but then she made them sound so pedestrian.

To conclude, 3:59 showed me exactly what it would be like to read an accessible SciFi. I must admit the Romance is a big seller with this book. I’m looking forward to reading the next instalment because the book left off at a sort of, kind of unfinished ending.

[Catastrophe Queen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why Gretchen McNeil? WHY?!

Beyond a doubt this was a great book. There was action, suspense, mystery and science fantasy. But that ending made me want to pull my hair out. After everything... I just --- I can't get over it. It hurts!!!

I love you non-asshole Nick!!! I ALWAYS WILL!!!

So anyway, let me just give out a short summary. Josie Byrne is an intelligent young science geek. Her mom's a scientist too and is always busy. She becomes an emotional wreck after she finds her beau cheating on her with her bff. Then she starts having dreams about a girl who looks like her but isn't her. Then one morning she wakes up at 3:59 and finds a portal to a parallel universe where evil lurks in the dark, her dad is alive, and her parallel self is one of the most hated people in school. She gets tricked into switching places with her parallel Jo. And the rest of the details you just have to read for yourself.

I loved the book. I just really don't understand why parallel Nick couldn't be with Josie. *Sigh*

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I first saw this book, I was beyond excited. It sounded amazing and there was no question that I would be reading it sometime soon after it came out. The only other novel I've read by this author is Ten, and though I had a few complaints about it, overall I enjoyed the story and thought it was a pretty good mystery. However, I can't say I'm as happy with 3:59. There were bits of it that I liked, but mostly it was an execution fail for me. What's really frustrating is that this could have been a book I loved with lots of tweaking. I was actually thinking of giving it a higher rating than what I settled on, but when I thought back to all the bad stuff that bothered me I just couldn't bring myself to do it. The cover is pretty cool, though. It's definitely something that would get my attention if I was just browsing in the bookstore. That aside, I think this review will be easier to do in list format because it seems easier (and because I love lists).

Things I Liked:

- The concept! There's been a lot of young adult books coming out lately about parallel universes, but this sounded different and intriguing. Whoever wrote the summary did a really good job.

- McNeil is talented with giving her writing kind of a creepy vibe, and though I was never flat out scared in 3:59, I was a little on edge. Because of this, I honestly didn't have much trouble going back to the book, because I was interested enough to find out the ending despite my qualms.

Things I Disliked:

- All the science. I realize that there's going to have to be some kind of scientific explanation to make everything seem realistic. I appreciated somewhat that McNeil decided to include some of this, but most of the time everything went over my head completely. Things are explained on a more basic level because of Madison, so that helped, but still. I had no idea what they were talking about with electrons and tons of other science lingo. Since I was annoyed, I kind of skimmed those sections.

- Josie. Don't get me wrong, there were times when I really felt bad for her. Her boyfriend decides to cheat on her because she's "been distant lately" (her parents are going through a divorce). But after the break up, she just acted way too clingy. She goes to his track practice to spy on him while he's with the girl he cheated with. And much later she contemplates staying in the parallel universe with the second Nick even though there are freaking monsters that will eat you when they wake up at night.

- All of the side characters. None of them really felt fleshed out at all. Madison was the crappy best friend backstabber. Penelope was the science geek. Nick was the dreamy love interest. Those other dudes he was with in the warehouse in the parallel universe were basically there to be there, and so I had a really hard time finding anyone in this book to care about. When the characters were sad or angry I was mostly indifferent, and that is not how I want to be when I'm reading a book.

- The insta-love. I realize that Josie would immediately have an attraction to the second Nick, but after knowing him for a few days, she decides that he's a much better guy for her and she connects with him in a way that she didn't with the first Nick. Well, the first Nick cheated on her. The second Nick had nothing to live up to, seriously.

- After a bunch of crap goes down towards the climax of the book, a man is brutally murdered by the Nox (which is the name of those monsters). His skin has been pecked off and lots of body parts have been detached. Josie and Nick are forced to be in the same room when it happens, because if they move they might be attacked as well. Sounds pretty horrifying, right? But almost immediately after it happens they start making out pretty heavily on the ground, and only stop when Josie accidentally brushes a dead foot. I don't know if the author intended for that scene to be romantic, but all I could picture was all the blood and bone in the same room as them. It was disgusting.

- This is probably what bothered me the most: the sheer convenience of everything. When Josie needs to get some information, she goes with Nick on a tour of the top secret government facility where's being kept under the ruse of Nick looking for a job there. She easily convinces one of the employees to let her up to the fourth floor where she is not supposed to be. She then gets to go back by herself because she "left her purse in the bathroom." If one of the characters needed something, then bam. One of them would just happen to have a friend or relative that made getting it possible. And when Josie has need of a big laser, she asks her fake dad to steal it from his workplace and he basically agrees with no issue even though he could be charged with treason if caught. Josie really should have seen a red flag after that conversation, because it was not realistic at all.

- One of the villains of the story is definitely Dr. Cho, but she is dealt with way too easily after Nick and Josie's final confrontation with the bad guy. She's mentioned, but you'd think after her ominous phone call she'd be a little harder get rid of. I also didn't really understand why Jo was suddenly helping them after Josie pulled her back into her world. I mean, she left everything to be with her mom (which I kind of understand given the fact that he dad was evil). The only reason she'd have to go back would be to get the vial, but I don't she ever did. In fact, I'm not even sure what happened to it.

So even though there were a few redeeming qualities found within 3:59, I don't think I could ever recommend it in good conscience because there were simply too many things I didn't like about it. And that's really a shame because I was looking forward to it so much. Despite my disappointment with this, I'll still pick up McNeil's next book because like I said before, Ten was good.

2 stars

[Serap(Agresif Spoiler Kraliçesi) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boşa giden para ve sokağa terk edilen başka bir kitap...alıp okuyan sevmiştir umarım...

[Tracy Banghart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book I've read by Gretchen and I have to say, I think she's officially one of my go-to authors now. I LOVED this book. It was super creepy, suspenceful and cleverly written. I was particularly impressed by the extensive science to her fiction...I didn't understand any of it but it sounded super sciency and convincing! :-)

Josie was a great main character - likeable and strong, but REAL too. She makes choices for the wrong reasons, has selfish moments, and doesn't always have the best judgment about people. But she's also SUPER smart, caring, and nuanced as a character. I really enjoyed watching her explore the new world she finds herself in. And having the juxtaposition of her doppleganger Jo was really cool.

In general, "cool" is a really good word for this book. There were so many moments when I thought "that's so cool!" or "what a cool twist" or "ooooh....he's cooool." ;-) I loved the mythology/science Gretchen created and the concept of many worlds. As I said, it was all so cool!

So if you like thrillers, scifi, Joss Whedon, stuff that's cool....you should definitely check out 3:59 when it arrives in September!

[Leah · Rating 1 out of 5]

So disappointed. I have been looking forward to reading this book for a really long time. The concept sounded so cool, but in reality it just fell face down flat on the pavement.

I really wanted to like Josie, but this chick was just your typical 16-17 year old YA book girl who hates her life and whines about everything. Usually I can push past that because sometimes that's just what YA is.

What really pushed me over the edge was when Josie started dipping over to the parallel universe and these Nox bird things start showing up... Everything with Nick and her parents, it's just too much. You can see it all coming from a mile away and it is just laid on too thick.

Going to mark this DNF and not waste any more time.

[Danielle Hamilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great little find here!


I randomly picked this up at the library, and I'm happy I did!!

It's got some different ideas that you don't see a lot: multiverse theory and dopplegangers, mixed with a lot of other things that are science-y but very accessible and understandable the way this author has done it. I don't want to say anymore and spoil it for anyone :)

If you like good YA with a good dash of romance that's fast paced and well written, then grab this one up!

[Addie R.]

HOLY SHIT. This sounds so goooood! *o*

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not a science person so a lot of the explanations sailed right by me, but I enjoyed this anyway. It needs a little more mature audience because of the language.

[pdbkwm · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sadly, this book had a lot of potential but it got bogged down by a stupid romance and a parallel universe that didn't make much sense.

[Carol Riggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a fascinating concept/premise. I really liked the alternate world scenario, and the doppelgangers who weren’t quite copies of each other. They had their own personalities—some similar to Josie’s world and some far from it. The physics jargon went over my head, but that tech-speak did lend an air of reality to the novel. I was surprised by the ending, but how it turned out is probably more realistic. The thing that bothered me the most (I’m trying to stay vague and avoid spoilery details here) was the kissing scene near the end that occurred right after a horrific death. I sincerely doubt either of them would’ve been in the mood to kiss after that. It’s like they forgot it even happened, which was far from emotionally realistic. Parts of the novel were extremely gory in description, with the Nox attacks. Overall, an entertaining read.

[meerdazwischen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Das war richtig cool! Perfekte Unterhaltung für zwischendurch und spannungsgeladene, interessante Story. Die Charaktere waren okay (für meinen Geschmack eeeetwas zu stereotypisch), aber die Idee war einfach klasse. Ob der physikalische Aspekt der Geschichte nun Hand und Fuß hatte, lasse ich allerdings mal dahingestellt. 😅

[KB · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was fascinated upon reading the plot. Imagine seeing your doppleganger from a different dimension every 3:59. Then you have a chance to talk to her and to switch place just for one day?

It's cool having those portal from the other dimension and discovering what is with the other world.
This made me read this book. I super love the book, the story and how it goes.
Just that some parts were predictable (my theories were right) I just didn't expect that biggest revelation about Jo's father. That was stunning!

The book had romance part but it didn't focus much on it, which is cool for me. I had nosebleed on the physics term (LOL) but that was this book is all about!

I was moved and very affected on the ending part. It made me sob Lol. Josie and Nick's love story was very touching. One heart in two different worlds. I wish them both love and if there will be book 2 for this. I hope they will survive and will see each other again!

Super recommended book!

[Sarah Stack · Rating 5 out of 5]

After nearly a month of this book sitting in my gift back from the writing convention I went to back in May, I finally dug it out and started reading. It might be fifty-five chapters, but it took me less than 24 hours to read, which was great. Granted there were a few moments that I wasn't a big fan off, but overall I really loved this book!


Pros:
1. The characters. Overall the characters were all well thought out and were developed well. There are a few exceptions to this pro, but mostly it's true.

2. The plot. The storyline was fantastic. Who wouldn't jump at the chance to switch lives with someone who had everything you wanted?

3. The Nox. Holy crap those things scare the shizz out me!

4. The flow. It was a nice and easy read... until they talk all science-y.

5. The ending. I thought the ending was just fine, but bittersweet. I feel as if there should be a sequel, but I'm not sure if there will be.


Cons:
1. The plot twists. I feel like there were four major plot twists (The Moms, The Dad, The Brother, and The Beasts). All of them were predictable, starting on Josie's first day in Jo's world. Some people may disagree with the number, but I think those are the major four.

2. Josie's world. I don't know exactly why, but the characters in this world just bothered me. Some of them just felt wrong, like they should know better. This Nick really bothered me, especially in the end, what had Josie and Madison seen in him?

3. The villains. There were three villains (unless you count Jo) and each were only the villain for a few chapters. All three felt very underused.

4. The ending. Yes, this was on my pros, obviously I'm conflicted! It made me sad, but it was a fairly good way to end it and left it open for a sequel.


Characters:
Josie. She was a strong and relatable lead character. It was refreshing to finally have a main character who I didn't want to slap for being stupid every five pages, although there were a few times.

Jo. Josie's doppelganger is basically the girl that every other girl hates. Even though once I started hating her I never stopped, I was very happy with how McNeil developed Jo. We don't see much of her in the book, but her development was one of the best throughout the book.

Mom. You can't help but feel bad for Josie's mother, but the same can't be said for Jo's. Jo's mother was made out to be a big bad guy and I felt like she became under-used.

Dad. Josie's dad was rarely around so I can't say much about him except that I feel sorry he was just blindsided like that. Jo's dad was jerk and deserved what he got, but he, like his wife, was underused.

Nick. Josie's original Nick is the stereotypical teenage jerk and shows it in almost every scene he is in. However the Nick from Jo's world was pretty close to perfect, but not too perfect, and he is the reason I am conflicted about the ending.

Madison. I hated Josie's Madison, what kind of friend does that and then completely shuns their best friend? Jo's Madison was a slightly different story, but like many characters she was underused when she could have been great.

Penelope. Oh my gosh, Penelope had to be one of my favorite characters and was the only one who I liked both versions of. While Josie's Penelope received no development, the other Penelope had just enough. Her father, although only being mentioned in one scene, was also a great addition.

Dr. Cho. Most underused villain ever! There was only one version of Dr. Cho that we saw and she could have made a great villain, but McNeil really missed the mark with her. There was a nice build up to her being the main problem Josie faced, but she never even showed up in the resolution (although she was briefly mentioned). I am unsure what happened to her and that is disappointing. Did they knock her out? Was she killed by the Nox? Did she just give up? If there is a sequel, I think she would be the best choice to be the main villain.

Overall this was a fantastic book, which I would recommend to anyone who needs something quick and easy to read.

[Jaime Arkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

My lovely friend Stacee was wonderful and allowed me to borrow this book from her and I need to send her more baked goods for it.

Josie Byrne isn't happy... her parents are divorcing and her best friend and boyfriend totally betray her. She's stuck in a life where she's unhappy and no one really seems to care one bit about her.

Then something interesting happens.

Every twelve hours at 3:59 she dreams about someone else's life. From what she can see, Jo has everything that she wants. Parents who love her, a boyfriend who adores her and no money worries. And then she sees something in her mirror one night. Jo. The person looking back out at her is exactly like her... sort of. With a few minor changes they suddenly look identical and decide to switch places for 24 hours. But of course things aren't as perfect as they may seem on the other side of that mirror, and Jo isn't going to leave Josie's world willingly.

I have to be honest, I sat down and read this book in a day... mostly because I had to know what was going to happen. McNeil does suspense incredibly well, and 3:59 is no exception to that statement.

Alternate universe books aren't new by any means, but McNeil gives us readers a different look at it. What if there are universes that run simultaneously with ours... where there are people who look just like us but live completely different lives. I have no idea if this is true, but I imagine that there are scientists out there somewhere examining this very idea. McNeil took this and made me believe it could totally happen.

What I enjoyed the most I think was Josie's growth as a character. She was so woe is me to begin with and I felt like she was such a doormat there when all the stuff in the beginning goes down. Did I feel sorry for her? Of course, but I wanted her to kick some people in the junk for their actions. She matures quite a bit in a matter of days and it was satisfying to see that.

Overall I really enjoyed this suspense filled story. It was filled with twists and turns that I didn't predict and it kept me on the edge of my seat turning pages like a madwoman.

The only thing I'd have liked would have been a bit more closure at the end there - I immediately wondered if we might see a novella or a second book coming to go with this once I turned that last page. I would definitely love to see either. *cough cough*

Thank you Stacee - you're the awesomest ever for sharing with me.

Definitely add this one to your to be read list if you're looking for a new and different twist on the multiple universe story. This one was written with a fresh voice and characters that you will both love and hate!

This review can be found on my blog, Fic Fare:

[Brad Sells · Rating 5 out of 5]

3:59 is a spine-tingling, chilling read that shook me to the bone and had me so wrapped up in this world. Gretchen McNeil has created another supernatural masterpiece - one that sets the bar high and can't be topped. I fell in love with this book so hard.

Gretchen McNeil has written some of my favorite books of all time: they're always spooky and haunting, and I just can't get enough of them. 3:59 was no exception to McNeil's incredible storytelling. Everything about 3:59 will send chills down your spine and have you looking over your shoulder. The best thing about McNeil's novels is how all of them are so original: Possess has demons and exterminating them, Ten is a creeptastic murder mystery that kept me up all night, and 3:59 is parallel worlds and the danger of how looks can be deceiving. Gretchen McNeil's novels are the perfect creepy readers, and I highly recommend them all. 3:59 is so fantastic. I've never seen a novel like this before, and the way that McNeil tied in the worlds and brought in deception was mind-blowing. Chilling and eerie, 3:59 is a read that kept me up late at night, turning pages as fast as I could. Absolutely loved this book.

I love to compare and contrast in books, and 3:59 has some great examples. The balance between Josie and Jo is incredible - they are similar in traits, but at the end of the day, they are far from similar. They each want different things and are willing to use lethal tactics in order to succeed in them. I adored how Gretchen McNeil tied Josie and Jo together but gave them different outlooks on life; everything about these two characters were phenomenal. I love a good world-building structure in a novel, and woah, 3:59 has brilliant world-building. Josie's world is crumbling all around her - sorrow and danger is everywhere she turns. Jo's world is literally crumbling at the seams. The shadowy creatures that eat human flesh in the night scared me and rocked me to my core, and Jo's world is absolutely consuming and reckless. If you love a story that will leave a mark on you long after you turn the final page, then 3:59 is the book for you.

That ending! All the feels! With a Gretchen McNeil novel, I can always count on a shocking ending, and I totally got that with 3:59. There were so many plot twists in 3:59 that I didn't see coming, and one scene in particular made me jump out of my seat. I was always on the edge of my seat during this supernatural masterpiece, and I adored this book so much. Highly, highly recommended!

Overall, 3:59 is an addictive, absorbing novel that shouldn't be missed. Thrilling and masterfully done, 3:59 is a true gem.

[Jessica (Goldenfurpro) · Rating 5 out of 5]

RUN-DOWN
Josie's life is going downhill.
Her parents just got divorced, her boyfriend cheated on her with her best friend, and her life isn't getting any better.

Then she starts having dreams, always at 3:59 AM. She dreams of a perfect life. Her parents still married, still with her boyfriend, and popular. Until she realizes that the dreams aren't dreams at all, but the life of another girl. And she's Josie, just from a different world.

They decide to switch places, just for a day, and Josie finds out that the other girl's life isn't as perfect as it seemed...

But Josie can't go back home.

MY THOUGHTS
This is my first book by Gretchen McNeil, and I definitely want to read more!
I LOVED this book!
I absolutely love the idea of parallel worlds, and that was just what this book was about!

The book starts out slow at first. You have to actually see how Josie's life is spiraling down. But once the parallel world sets in the pace picks up!

But I most definitely recommend this book!!