this book has a very interesting plot and characters. It just wasn't for me as it references pop culture such as ET throughout the whole book which is a pet peeve of mine. I want to be immersed in a new world and it really takes me out of a story when there's references like this (I'm talking to you J.L. Armentrout👀😂)
However, if the references don't bother you then I would give this book a read!

I enjoyed this book but honestly, can't say that I loved it. I liked the concept of connected souls and how it brought Sosh and Evan together. It just didn't grab my attention and left me wanting more. More connection, more depth. I also was not really satisfied with the open ending, but it worked within the confines of the story.

I can’t get over the first/third person switch between character points of view. Also, the tone seems like it’s trying to be more mature than it really is. It’s ok for YA books to sound like teenagers without making deep philosophicals to show their underlying emotions.

Sadly it will be a DNF for me. The overall story line was interesting. I am definitely not the right target audience for this and therefore do not have anything negative to say. I did not read much, but what I did read was a very unique and interesting story, it just wasn't the story for me. Thank you for the arc.

Initially, I was drawn in by the beautiful cover art and the promise of a sweeping love story from the synopsis.

While I feel like I did get that out of the story...it also felt like a chore. The story as a whole is an incredibly slow-paced journey to get to a rather lack-luster ending. I have more questions than answers and I think if I'd gotten more out of the end, I wouldn't have felt like the pacing wasn't so monotonous.

I can appreciate the poetic, complex story-telling and how the character's individual stories were woven together. I absolutely adored getting to know Evan, his family's dynamic, and his friendship with Ali.

Overall, I found I Loved You in Another Life beautiful-written and deeply heart-felt. The characters were easy to fall in love with and intriguing. I just wish it wasn't such a chore to fully enjoy.


Thank you PenguinTeen for the e-ARC to read and honestly review.

4.5
Wow this book was so beautifully done. I was slightly confused in the beginning, but the book quickly grasped me in. And it was intense, so definitely check CW/TW. I was so captured by these characters, and Evan and Shosh both had such interesting and unique perspectives. This book was sad for sure, but also full of little lighthearted moments that made it really worthwhile. I especially loved Will and his relationship with Evan as well as lovd for E. T. I think this story dealt with grief, healing and trauma so well and there were definitely times I was getting emotional. I didn't fully know what to expect going in, but this story fully hooked me. I loved that music was a constant, and I loved all the interwoven love stories. It was just such a great idea and it was done exceptionally well. Huge thank you to Penguin Teen for the e-ARC to read and review!

Some books are strange and weird and hard to define.

Some books leave you feeling emotional, as though you’ve just gone on this incredible journey with these characters.

The best, most life-changing books manage to do both, and I think this one does.

What I Loved:
- Evan and Will's relationship. Brother banter and brother love will always reign superior. These two were honestly kind of the backbone of this novel for me. Will is so important to Evan, and I love that we got so many interactions between them.
- The way grief is depicted. Nothing makes me angry like badly portrayed grief. Arnold was very honest in his portrayal of grief, though. It was raw, vulnerable, and actually really healing to read. I was nervous that Shosh's addiction would overshadow her grief, but it didn't--it was handled beautifully and very sensitively.
- The vignettes. I didn't think I'd love these as much as I did, but they were incredible. I know that some people disliked these parts, but I think they added that necessary layer to the story and helped make everything feel bigger than just one life.

What I Didn't Love:
- The LGBT themes. I wasn't surprised by them because this is 2023 and inclusivity is important, but I would've liked to know ahead of time, so this is just a little note for those who want to know before diving in that there are LGBT side characters and intimacy.
- The strong cursing and swearing. I don't mind swearing, but I think some of it felt a little unnecessary. Like, the author was trying to prove how young adult these young adults are by having them swear and take the Lord's name in vein so frequently.
- The pacing. As much as I want to ignore this part, I can't. There's merit to everyone's concerns about how long it takes Evan and Shosh to get together, as well as the lack of on-page time we get to spend with them once they are together. This is probably because of the vignettes and the fact that the story spans such a long time (it jumps seasons a lot), but it did make it harder to actually feel emotional when the climactic moments happened.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It's not something I would usually read (I mean, it totally is, but it also isn't), but it was a really fun and intriguing ride. There are so many memorable and beautiful quotes on every page, and I may just have to buy a copy solely so I can annotate it and hold it.

This is a good book for readers who enjoy the "I would love you in every universe" trope, soulmates, honest depictions of grief and addiction, unbreakable sibling relationships, and immersive worldbuilding.

*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*

Content warnings: Alcohol, alcoholism, cancer, car accident, cursing, grief, panic attacks/disorders, sexual content, and vomit. There are also some LGBT side characters and F/F kissing.

Thank you Netgalley for the early copy. This started off strong but at about 15% the story and characters became confusing and unfortunately I DNF.

I found this book to be very difficult to review. In parts I absolutely loved it, it was an epic love story with wonderful characters. In other parts I found myself drifting and not super engaged, it did not hold my attention and I felt it lost its direction.
There were some beautiful prose and very lyrical parts but I found some of that to be a little over the top and that it retracted from the story.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I can read a book in one day if I love it--2 or 3 days max if I like it and only read it in the evenings before bed. I LOVED YOU IN ANOTHER LIFE took me the better part of a week because I couldn't get engaged with the story, as much as I would have liked to. I liked *all* of the characters and appreciated how Arnold addressed grief, anxiety, and therapy in particular--takes an anxious person to know one--but I wish the romance between Evan and Shosh--and just them, not their past lives--would have played a more significant role in the story. That's just me and my own bias, I know, but they didn't even really get involved with each other directly until 60% into the story. It would have been nice to have less John Greenish whimsy where teenagers don't really talk like teenagers and more Dracula-esque "I've crossed oceans of time to find you" eternal romance since that seems to be the overall theme.

I Loved You in Another Life if the perfect blend of sci-fi and contemporary, which is where David Arnold succeeds. A really fun twist on time travel with a lot of poignant moments.

Honestly, this book was really hard for me to get into. I think a lot of it had to do with the writing style and it just kind of being all over the place for me. I don’t feel like the characters were all that interesting and then it taking so long for the initial meet up just made things worse. It’s like the plot just drug on forever even though we knew they were going to meet. I think the story line was great but it had the opportunity to be so much better. These are of course my own opinions and no else’s.

Thank you NetGalley, the publishers, and David Arnold for the ARC.

The premise of this book immediately hooked me. Having a bird song connect lovers across lifetimes is something that is hauntingly beautiful. I found this novel to be lushly written and magical. I love how the different love stories were woven together to create a portrait of longing and love.

3.5 stars

Evan has plans for the future. Take a gap year in Alaska, take care of his mom and little brother, and continue to process the fact that his dad left. However, all that changes after his mom’s diagnosis. And he starts to hear a song no one else can hear.

Shosh had dreams before her sister died after being hit by a drunk driver. Originally, she was going to head to a performing arts college in LA. Now all that remains is a mysterious song that no one else seems to hear. Pulling together love stories from across time, Evan and Shosh might be destined to meet. But how will that affect their future?

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for an advanced copy of I Loved You in Another Life by David Arnold to review! David Arnold is one of those authors where you never really know what to expect with his books. They’re a little abstract, and that’s what I like about them. They are open to interpretation!

The concept of this book is so interesting. A song that basically connects soulmates across time, and we get to see it play out in a teen couple in the present. As characters, Evan and Shosh work so well, both grieving but in different ways about different things. In a way, they both need each other, and it’s this mysterious song that brings them together.

As much as I enjoyed each of their stories individually, I do wish we got to see more of their relationship progress overall. This is billed as a romance, so I wanted to see that romance play out more on the page. They have such a great connection, and we only get to see a glimpse of it, really. I wanted more!

While I enjoyed the little snippets of other romances throughout, I think some of them could have been taken out to help further Evan and Shosh’s relationship. It makes the book seem more poetic in a way, and though that’s not a bad thing, I’m not sure it was entirely successful.

All in all, if you’re looking for a romance that’s a bit more existential, this might be the book for you!

The concept of the story of two souls finding each other throughout time is one that is a personal favorite of mine. I love the idea that souls are tied to each other and are fated to meet again. Unfortunately, this book didn't exactly land the execution of that concept for me. There are moments where the pacing felt off, and the scenes where we get to see the characters' past lives felt forced to bring some sort of chemistry to the characters.

I found myself grappling with the uneven pacing. The narrative's rhythm seemed to stumble in places, making it challenging to fully immerse myself in the journey of the protagonists. Additionally, the attempts to forge a connection through glimpses of their past lives sometimes felt strained. The plot, though intriguing, suffered from moments of confusion that detracted from the overall experience. The complexity of the storyline occasionally veered into unnecessary convolution.
While this book didn't fully resonate with me, readers who are passionate about transcendent love stories and don't mind a touch of narrative complexity might enjoy this.

Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I found this novel to be magical, mesmerizing, deeply moving. I loved how Arnold wove all of these different stories and paths together while telling the current story of Shosh and Evan. What a beautiful story of true love and of souls finding one another time and time again. 💖

Thank you for the arch, however I had to DNF at 30%.

I wanted to love this book so badly, ever since I saw an advertisement for it on Facebook, however the story was so slow and the characters felt so flat. The few moments of flashback to previous lives felt disjointed and forced.

It's an interesting book hard to follow but I liked the aspect of two POV regarding two different gender going through life in high school and moving towards college. It shows that everyone goes through things in life and that everyone has a story to tell.

This one just didn't work for me. I was confused and I tried to finish but I just didn't get swept away by the story.

I Loved You in Another Life by David Arnold is a poignant love story that explores the powerful connection between two teenagers whose souls intertwine throughout different eras. This heartbreakingly beautiful tale delves into the realm of speculative love, captivating readers with its timeless themes and emotional depth.