Monday, September 17, 2007

Choices by Deborah Lynn Jacobs

Kathleen has lost her older brother Nick in a car accident. He was on his way to pick her up from a party that her best friend convinced her to go to. The guilty person in the accident is named Mark, and he walks away with no injuries. At Nick’s funeral, Kathleen meets a mysterious boy named Luke. As Kathleen tries to cope with the loss of her brother, Luke tries to comfort her and also warns her of a so called “shift of universes.” Nick knows of these shifts because he is a fellow shifter, and has been for years. As Kathleen “shifts” through four different universes, usually changing during the night, she is trying to find her real self, and her brother. Through all this, she runs into many obstacles that change her life drastically. Kathleen also has many questions, with answers that no one can give her; she has to find them on her own. Perhaps the biggest questions are: Who is Luke? Whatever happened to Mark? And will the “shifts” help Kathleen find Nick?


I loved Kathleen. She is a perfect example of someone who has fallen on her behind only to get back up again. I tried to put myself in her position of losing one of my siblings, and could not even imagine it. This book helps me appreciate each one of my siblings so much more. Kathleen is a very strong character and I admire her so much. And then there is Luke. I really like Luke, too. He started off a friendship with a lie, but only to protect the other person. He knew how to take control of his problems, and always tried his best to fix them. I did not like Kathleen’s friend Jen—she was rude, very judgmental, and did not give Kathleen’s other friends a chance—however, she was an essential part in understanding Kathleen’s “shifts.” All in all, the book is very good. The author’s choice of writing style may make it difficult for some to keep track of all the characters, but for advanced readers, it is definitely well worth reading.

Stdent reviewer state: Ohio