This was an interesting melding of high concept thriller and speculative fiction, and I always enjoy books that can successfully merge the two because even if they end up exploring ideas we've seen in genre fiction before, there's more room for fresh new twists on what mysteries anchored in more mundane reality can deliver. But a cool science fiction twist wouldn't be enough on its own--it's the author's writing and characterization of heroine Kelly that helps this novel stand out among similar genre hybrids, and makes it such a fun read! I'm glad to see it comes out in August, since it has that immersive, don't-want-to-put-it-down quality that's perfect for a beach/pool/plane book, and would make it a good choice to take on an end-of-summer vacation this year.

On her twenty-ninth birthday, Kelly walks through a door and finds herself in an alternative life, having never pursued her art career and somehow now married to a boy from high school she barely knew. As she tries to piece together this situation, memories from her past life blur together with her new reality, and something isn't quite right about her husband Eric. She then learns of an ambitious tech app trying to make time travel possible, and Eric might have played a far greater role in the app and how this timeline came to be than she first realized.

The Other Me was very easy to dive into. It delivers the hook almost instantly and has very engaging, often beautiful writing, but sometimes the way that Kelly recalls things from her "new" life is confusing and requires a second read. Any author tackling time travel or alternate realities includes their own rules, and catching up with this one's took some time initially. There is also a lot of "middle" in this plot - Kelly takes a long time to discover what's going on, and the resolution and rising action almost happen too quickly to leave a real impact on the reader. Other than Kelly and Eric, the other characters also felt very flat, and I wasn't invested in them.

Overall, a quick and interesting read!

Definitely not your average ‘woman wakes up from coma in a different life’ story. This story was strange and unpredictable.

There were a couple of places I got a little bored with it, but pushed on and am glad I did.

I know we’d all like to go back in time a little ways and redo life a little, but the implications - the butterfly effect - is a good enough reason not to mess with the universe.

I think it is best to walk into this book as blind as possible-- without reading reviews, or even looking to the right side of the Goodreads screen (STOP! Don't do it!!)

An artist walks through a door the evening of an event, only to reappear somewhere completely different. With a different life. And a husband. Imagine how disconcerting Sliding Doors would have felt if the character had been conscious of the two different worlds. WHY are they happening? And which one is better...?

As someone who does not typically read thrillers, I went into this book with an open mind and ended up being completely surprised, and truly blown away. Sarah Zachrich Jeng's writing is gorgeous and engaging. Like her heroine, Kelly, Zeng is an artists who uses words to slowly and deliberately build the lives of her characters until I could easily believe they were real people. And those lives become incredibly important as Kelly realizes that she has inexplicably stepped into an alternate reality and her world is upside down. The mystery is built up slowly, but with careful precision that makes even you, as the reader, question whether the strange blips in Kelly's life are truly happening or just coincidence. This book is all at once literary, cerebral, and thrilling, with a climax that had my heart racing and a twist that took my breath away. Kelly is a fantastic character to root for, smart, strong-willed, and courageous as she navigates this strange alternate life. Along Kelly's journey, the author compels the reader to imagine what small, mundane moments in our lives might have had an enormous effect on the course of our future, and whether or not we would risk it all to go back and change them. This book is a psychological thriller, yes, and with sci fi elements that elevate if far beyond the typical. But I think what will stick with me most about is the humanity at its core, and the moral questions proposed that will continue to niggle at my mind for long after I've closed it. THE OTHER ME is an exceptional read, and hopefully the first of many from Sarah Zachrich Jeng!

3.5
A birthday party, a time lapse, a door opening into another life.

One minute Kelly is partying in Chicago and the next she is in Michigan. She had only stepped from one room into another. Her head is pounding, her memories fuzzy, her emotions disconnected. She begins to question what is real. Her memories aren't matching up with reality.

I would have enjoyed more of the Sci-Fi angle with more focus on the tech company (Genie) and some of its world building aspects. This part intrigued me. It also could have filled in a few open plot holes.

This was still an intriguing, slow-burn mystery. A house of mirrors. Speculative fiction with some sliding door vibes.

An interesting suspense novel that dips into Sci-Fi, but keeps it to the outer edges for the most part. It's really more of a story of Kelly and how her life suddenly turns upside down. She has memories of another life, but also fully remembers the one she's currently in. Does she talk to her husband about this? Will he think she's crazy? Is he part of the problem?

There's a lot of going back in time with her memories and flashbacks on what she might have done better/different, but the writing is smooth and doesn't stagger in spots, as it easily could with this type of novel.

Altogether, an enjoyable read.

This story is a bit strange, albeit is unique and compelling. The reader is given clues to unravel, but they don't always end up with the anticipated outcome. Kelly and Eric are complex characters, though the rest of the cast wasn't as well defined. The pace is just right to keep the reader actively engaged (though the initial buildup was a bit slow). I haven't read many thrillers with a sci-fi angle, so that added to the originality of the story.

I thought I knew what THE OTHER ME was going into it, and I was totally off the mark (happily so!)

Kelly's life isn't perfect, but it's the life she chose, or at least that's what she thought before she was transported into another life full of other choices. Is she a struggling independent artist in the city or a suburban homemaker, and why does she have memories of living both lives?

Every time I think I've got it figured out, something changes and shakes my - and Kelly's - understanding of what's going on. With each twist I'm drawn in a little more. There are so many layers to the story, just like there are so many layers to the choices people make, and the consequences of those choices. This mind-bending thriller will keep you guessing until the spectacular conclusion!

This is one of those books you'll want to read more than once, and you'll need to convince all your friends to get it too so you can talk about it with them!!!

Kelly is having a good night at her friend's art gallery showing until she walks into a bathroom - and steps out into a new life. Suddenly she's not a single struggling artist in Chicago, she's a graphic designer in a Detroit suburb, married to her high school boyfriend. As she struggles to put together two sets of memories - one where she dated Eric, fell in love, and gave up an art scholarship to stay together and stay home, and another where they were casual friends and she left town as soon as she could - she starts noticing more strange events and behaviors. Her tattoos appear and disappear, her dog forgets who she is, Eric is clearly hiding something, and everyone is talking about a new tech startup that might be able to harness time travel.

(spoilery review)
This was an intriguing take on the multiverse concept, mostly because it focused more on personal relationships than the science. The technology is a vehicle to explore how your choices effect your personality and your development - for good and for bad. The pacing is a bit off - the mystery is a slow burn and then a bit rushed at the end - but overall very enjoyable!

Wholly original, and IMMEDIATELY intriguing and captivating!


Chicago Kelly is a single Artist in Chicago-living her life long dream of becoming an Artist. She lives a Vegetarian lifestyle, has an arm full of tattoos, two roommates and a cat named Meeks.🐱

On the night of her 29th birthday, she attends her best friend’s art show, enters the bathroom and suddenly becomes...

Michigan Kelly, a married woman who gave up her dreams of becoming an Artist, to marry Eric, a guy she barely knew in high school, who now works for a start up tech company named GNNI, (Genie)-Your Wish Is Our Command.

There isn’t a tattoo or a painting in sight-but they have a smart house with a fridge that tells her when her water filters need changing and her mustard has expired, and they enjoy huge grilled steaks on the weekend while their dog Bear, 🐶runs around the yard...

Ah! Life is good!!
According to Eric...

But, Kelly remembers her Chicago life.
And, sometimes sees a flash of her tattoos in the mirror...

How did she get here? More importantly, how can she get back there??

This book reads like a CONTEMPORARY story of a couple who each wanted something different from life.
Told over 12 DAYS and 12 YEARS.

I wondered if Kelly was real or AI.
Was this a parallel universe, time travel, or something else entirely?

In a year where I have struggled to find books to capture my attention from page one and hold it through the final reveals, I am thrilled that this book made it to me!

And no animals were harmed in the making of this book!

I cannot wait to see what DEBUT AUTHOR Sarah Zachrich Jeng dreams up for us next!

Thank You to Elisha at Berkley for sending me a widget for this book, which I probably would’ve missed out on if she hadn’t!

I received a gifted copy through NetGalley and it was my pleasure to offer a candid review!
Available August 10, 2021

I have never read anything like this before. The premise of the book is very original. Filled with so many unexpected twists. The ending was a bit unsatisfying, I felt it was a bit rushed.

Warning. Do not try and read while dealing with massive brain fog from a recent panic attack. I am going to have to give this another try sometime, but for now, I am just going to say, my brain is even more fried.

This book is a cunning little number. It’s one of those slow burning, subtle drips of information story that takes you from one direction into another.

The story is strange. I will straight up admit it. But it’s also intriguing enough that you have to keep reading. Even when you think you know what’s coming as the layers start unfolding, it gets weirder. I found myself questioning what I just read.

The Other Me is definitely a very unique story that is an extremely compelling read. You keep trying to unravel the knots and you just find yourself wound up even tighter. Sometimes it is hard to know what is today and what is yesterday; what is truth and what is fiction.

I’m not going to spoil it by telling you what the story ultimately becomes, but let’s just say it could be a true story someday. You just never know! Jeng’s imagination is wild and crazy but yet quite intriguing!

This may not be a 5 star book for everyone but I absolutely loved it. I have always been a fan of time travel/ alternate reality stuff and this book was right up the alley.

Kelly’s life changes in a day. One moment she is an artist in Chicago , next moment she is in Michigan, married to a high school life. She has memories from both her life . What happened ? Which is real ? Sarah Zachrich Jeng, keeps us guessing all through the book . There are enough clues , enough tension, creepiness scattered throughout the book to keep us engaged. It may feel like a slow burn but
I loved the characters, especially Kelly , so I couldn’t put the book down.

The ending was predictable in some ways, but I liked how it all came together. Did the book explain everything? Probably not . But I think that was okay . It was still enjoyable.

I recommend this book for anyone who likes sci fi/time travel with a mystery.

Absolutely compelling. This book kept me on my toes the whole time. I loved the complexity of the characters, and how this book explores the complicated dynamics between love, power, and choice in a fresh and original way.

I loved this completely unique thriller about a woman who walks through a door one night and finds herself in a disorienting new life. I loved how nuanced it was -- Kelly, the MC, has complicated feelings about the way her life is different from her old. One of my favorite parts was the way the book dives deep into the choices an artist makes to center their work vs family and social life, and how it's both empowering and lonely. The story's tension and suspense ramp up steadily as Kelly starts to put the pieces together about what happened to her and why, and who was involved and why. Without giving away any spoilers, it has a very Fringe feel to me (I loved Fringe). Highly recommend!

What’s better than a good ole fashioned thriller? A thriller with a sci-fi angle! Whoa! This is a absolute fun and twisted read. A great addition to your thriller collection!

Thank you to #NetGalley, the publishers and talented mind bending author for providing an electronic ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

The Other Me by Sarah Zachrich Jeng is hard to categorize. It’s marketed as a suspense thriller – and it is both suspenseful and thrilling–but there’s more to it.

Let me start by saying I should NEVER review suspense novels– or mysteries –because I am notoriously bad at avoiding spoilers. I’ve been known to say to someone, you know that book where the butler killed all those people? What’s the name of it? Oh, you haven’t read it? Whoops.

That’s how bad I am. So, I will not give you a plot summation because I will ruin the book for you. What I will say, is that this book is as adeptly plotted and paced as you’d want in a suspense. There is a super freaky twist in it, and I’ve never heard of anything like it out there.

But what really sets this book apart for me, is that it is also an exploration of the choices we as women face at various junctures in our lives. The (spoiler free) summation of the book is that the main character opens a door on her thirtieth birthday and walks into a completely different life. One where she made wildly different life choices – from the college she attended, to the decision to marry, to the tenor of the relationship she has with her parents.
How many of us think about what life would have been like had we veered left instead of right?

Zachrich Jeng explores some of these questions and examines the dynamic of a marriage within the context of these questions with remarkable skill. Because the main character is unsure of why or how she has stumbled into an alternate version of her life, she has no one in whom she can confide. This leads to a great deal of introspection and it’s here that Zachrich Jeng really shines. With a less talented author, the pace of the novel might drag with the amount of internal dialogue. Instead, she brings us along on the MC’s twisted road leading to the answer to why she walked through that door and whether the life on the other side was what she’d been looking for all along. Highly recommended for those who want a little bit more from their suspense than simply chills, The Other Me is an unforgettable read.

I have a love-hate relationship with this book. Love it, because it was so very, very good. Hate it, because I was in a state of anxiety the entire time I read it! One evening Kelly walks through a doorway and passes into a totally different life, one she could have had if she'd made a different choice twelve years ago. This book is fascinating but somewhat terrifying look at how a single decision could change everything. Only in Kelly's case, that decision... well, it's not that simple. All the clues and twists will keep you in knots until the reveal, and even then there are more to come. Let's just say that Kelly handled the situation way better than I would have.

I also loved that the scope of this was so broad. Yes, it's Kelly's life, but what happened didn't just affect her. The changes had an impact on her family and friends as well, for the better and the worse, so no matter how the ending played out, there were consequences to more people than just herself.

This book is impossible to put down. Need sleep? No, you don't. You need to figure out what's going on.