Collide

by Michelle Madow

• ISBN10: 1540489272
• ISBN13: 9781540489272
• Publish Date: 28 November 2016
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 312
• Language: English

Reviews

[bookishzelda]

I’ve read groundhog day-esque books before but there is something unique about Collide. It has an element of murder mystery, as Anna tries to figure out who shot her at the dance. Also the characters are much more aware than you normally see.

Anna is brave, strong and dedicated to her studies. She desperately loves her best friend turned boyfriend Jake and is still haunted by her mother's death. When she is tossed into an alternate universe of her life where her mother is still alive. It throws her off kilter. The person Anna is today was greatly influenced by her mother’s death and now she is seeing what her life would have been like had it not happened. Annabelle is more carefree and finds happiness in different things and different friends.

I hate to say it but I liked Eric more than I liked Jake.I’m like stop chasing the boyfriend from the other universe!! Eric is great! He was so supportive of Annabelle through the whole thing from the minute when she told him what had happened. He is also more trustworthy and more willing to fight for her. I just felt like Jake might have been great in Anna’s world but in Annabelle’s, he seemed kind of like a dud. Ugh I just didn’t like him.

I loved how Anna is able to explore why her friendships fell apart in her world and why others stayed together. The differences between Claire and Marissa are obvious. I just thought that part was really interesting.

The book is fast paced. I read it in a day because I felt like how could you not. I needed to know what was going to happen! Plus that ending. Whhaaaattt! I’m still reeling. I really enjoyed the story though.

[jesstheaudiobookworm]

4.5★ Audiobook⎮ I started Collide late last night and spent all of today listening to it. I was surprised at how easy it was to follow the story, especially considering the plot revolves around alternate universe (AU) theory. This wasn't my first AU story, but it was definitely the simplest to grasp. Collide blurs genre lines, blending science fiction with murder mystery and romance.

Despite the plot hinging on an AU theme, the mystery and romance elements shined through the strongest. Collide's mystery plot impressed me the most. Despite practically being pulled from a real life news story, the resolution still shocked me. Just before the culminating point, I could've sworn my heart was going to beat out of my chest. Madow built enough suspense to execute that scene perfectly, without dragging it out too long.

I think Collide would be a great starting point for those interested in AU theory. It explains how alternate realities can be spun around a small decision (i.e. a coin toss), but have massive collateral effects. Madow presented this on a minor scale and in a simplistic manner which the reader is likely to understand. This isn't a hard-core science fiction novel, after all. But there's enough scifi present to whet your appetite before moving on to more complex works.

In true YA fashion, Collide boasts a love triangle. But hold on, before you write it off, I should say that Collide's overall storyline benefited from the triangle. If ever a story necessitated (or justified) having a love triangle, it's one with split realities. In Collide, the triangle just worked, you know? It had a very Gone with the Wind feel to it, in that it served the overall plot. Although, admittedly, I was rooting for the other guy to be chosen. But such is my luck...

I definitely recommend Collide to YA fans looking for a romantic thriller with science fiction-y underpinnings. At around 7.5 hours, it's a quick, fun, and easy listen. Not to mention thought-provoking. It's fast-paced, but easy-to-follow. The ending provides a rush of adrenaline comparable to a soap opera 'whodunit'!

Narration review: This was my second audiobook narrated by Caitlin Kelly. Kelly is becoming my go-to YA narrator. She has the ability to voice young characters without coming across as annoying. Her stellar characterizations skills made listening to this audiobook a seamless and breezy experience. I have no doubt that Kelly's narration aided my inability to stop listening to Collide. Caitlin Kelly has a number of YA titles under her belt and several of them have just been promoted to hire standing on my TBR list. ♣︎

➜ This audiobook was graciously gifted to me by its narrator, Caitlin Kelly, in exchange for a review containing my honest thoughts and opinions. Thanks, Caitlin!