Book Review: One Past Midnight by Jessica Shirvington

One Past Midnight
Author: Jessica Shirvington
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Released: July 22, 2014
Review Source: Bloomsbury USA Childrens | Netgalley

Above all else, though I try not to think about it, I know which life I prefer. And every night when I Cinderella myself from one life to the next a very small, but definite, piece of me dies. The hardest part is that nothing about my situation has ever changed. There is no loophole.

Until now, that is...

For as long as she can remember, Sabine has lived two lives. Every 24 hours she Shifts to her ′other′ life - a life where she is exactly the same, but absolutely everything else is different: different family, different friends, different social expectations. In one life she has a sister, in the other she does not. In one life she′s a straight-A student with the perfect boyfriend, in the other she′s considered a reckless delinquent. Nothing about her situation has ever changed, until the day when she discovers a glitch: the arm she breaks in one life is perfectly fine in the other.

With this new knowledge, Sabine begins a series of increasingly risky experiments which bring her dangerously close to the life she′s always wanted... But just what - and who - is she really risking?

**Name of overseas edition of Between The Lives.

Sabine has been living two lives. Switching in between every day at 12:00 a.m. She lives the same day twice, each in her different, and completely opposite, lives. She's got the "picture perfect" life in Wellesley. Financially stable, perfect boyfriend who couldn't adore her more, and always peppy friends. In Roxbury, her life is the total opposite. This has always taken a toll on Sabine, so when something unexpected happens she finally gets the hope that she can choose which one and only life she wants. That is until a boy steps in and messes up that entire scheme of hers.

My initial reaction as soon as I finished the book (which by the way I finished in a few hours) was that I LOVED it! And, I did! But, once I started thinking about it more I saw the few flaws it did have. Don't get me wrong, this is definitely still a book I'd 100% recommend. But, my main problem is that I need more! I would have loved to know why Sabine has two lives. How did it come about? Are there more like her? Technical stuff such as that, is what I lack to know and want. Minor details, minor details!

Let's talk about characters. I didn't necessarily relate to Sabine, but I did like her and felt for her. I didn't however understand why she was choosing the life she was choosing. It made no sense to me. Also, throughout the entire book I always felt she was more herself in Roxbury. That felt like Sabine. It seemed like when she was in Wellesley she was putting on an act the entire time, while in Roxbury it didn't feel that way at all. And, then Ethan! Oh, Ethan! I loved him and his shaggy hair. I definitely liked his character more than Sabine's. He was so sweet and loveable! Ethan and Sabine's love story was very enjoyable to read. But, (sorry about all my 'buts') they sort of just fell in love with no rhyme or reason which is a problem most YA novels have. I'm used to that by this point so I tend to overlook it and just go with the flow.

Overall I enjoyed this book enough to give it four trees. I laughed, I cried, I gasped, and I cried some more. I truly recommend it for a light read. The ending ties it up so nicely! If there's any chance for a sequel I will have my hands on it in a heartbeat!