4.5 (but dare i say this could be a 5 star)?? - I LOVED this. The concept was so cool and made me want to go learn everything I can about the multiverse and quantum physics. It felt like such a warm hug and comforted me about my role in the universe and how each person affects the events of the world and everyone surrounding us. Just such a wonderful wonderful book, such a cool scifi concept and I loved the story and characters so much 😭 THIS is the type of YA books I love, that really explore broader themes and make you think about life and your existence and purpose, even at an older age.

Sixteen Minutes is about Nell, Stevie B and Cole. Nell and Cole are in a long time relationship and all three of them have been best friends forever. When a new girl shows up in town, Cole starts acting weird. They discover that he is planning to travel to another dimension through a time warp in their world, to try and save his little sister before she dies from an incurable disease. Nell has to grapple with whether the universe is larger than she ever imagines and her role in saving those she loves.

The book explores so many fascinating concepts. The ability to travel to the future and see how things play out, and how each action we take in one timeline has a direct effect on everyone in other universes. The concept of the multiverse and quantum physics is SO interesting to me and the author did a really fantastic job pulling in that information and making me want to learn more!! The romance was super cute, but above all I loved the focus on family, friends, and loving those in your life. The sacrifices and selfishness of these teens was so wonderful to witness. This book was fast paced and just beautiful, and I loved every second of it!!

Thank you to Penguin Teen for my free advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!!

I was not expecting to get so sucked into a book. All the characters were so well developed I was surprised by what the actual plot was about. Once I learned about the mysterious connection between two characters I could not put the book down. I’ll be honest and say that I thought it would a more simple premise. i thought it was just a good old fashioned love story and nothing more. But this had fates and science all twisted in that I was thoroughly intrigued to figure out how the story ended. It was a wild ride and I would definitely suggest everyone check it out.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

Sixteen Minutes by K.J. Reilly is a phenomenal YA time-travel romance.
Wow! I was sucked completely into this story
I loved this book. It was well written and had great characters.

Penguin Young Readers Group | Nancy Paulsen Books

Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | Nancy Paulsen Books and NetGalley for an electronic advanced readers copy of this book, An honest review follows.

Nell, a high schooler, is certain she will stay in her hometown of Clawson for her whole life because that's what everyone does. She is dating her high school sweetheart Cole and they hang out with their best friend Stevie B. But then a mysterious girl shows up, and Cole seems to know her. Nell and Stevie B are instantly suspicious and find out that she's not what she seems - she says she's from the future.

Sixteen Minutes by K.J. Reilly is a fun and entertaining fast read about destiny, love and family. I enjoyed it, it was a quick read. I don't want to go into more details due to spoilers but I thought it was worth the read.

Title: A Rollercoaster of Emotions and Flavors

Review:

“Sixteen Minutes” by K.J. Reilly is a book that tastes like marshmallow, spun sugar, and bitter melon. It’s a rollercoaster of tastes and feelings, capturing all the flavors and emotions in one compelling narrative. Reilly stitches together sentences with the magic of an orb weaver, creating a tapestry of words that is both intricate and enchanting.

Trying to convince someone to read a book without actually telling them what the story is about is a feat, so I’m going with the feelings as to why you should read this book. When I finished “Sixteen Minutes,” it was like waking up from a dream and trying to capture the softness before it evaporates. It’s soft, precious, and filled with anguish all in one.

Reilly’s ability to evoke such a wide range of emotions is truly remarkable. The story leaves you with a sense of wonder and introspection, making you ponder the infinite possibilities of life and the choices we make. This book is a must-read for anyone who loves a blend of mystery, romance, and speculative fiction, all wrapped up in a beautifully written package.

This was a quick read for me..The way the author articulated the characters with a great spin. I love the chemistry. Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for this arc.

Wow. What a raw and emotional read. Nell is 17 years old and feels trapped (as most teenagers do which I did relate to) havving never been out of her small town. Her and Cole, her best friend in the whole universe and boyfriend. They have a pack to give Cole's younger sister each a lung, but when Charlotte shows up things take a turn and now they must tackle things headon and hope for the best to protect the person they love the most.

This type of sci-fi feels believable, adventurous, and heartening.
The story is written from a teenager's perspective but covers many serious topics, and the character development is amazing.

The sci-fi concepts were well-researched, and a little fiction was thrown in, making this a majorly enjoyable read. Definitely recommend!

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Teen for a copy of this book. It is out on October 15th!

A time-travel romance in which a young couple will go to extreme lengths to save the life of a little girl who will have a huge impact on the world if she is given the chance to live in it.

Nell and Cole have a love that can never be broken, despite their youth. That is, until a mysterious girl by the name of Charlotte appears and draws Cole's attention away from Nell. With Cole distracted, Nell turns to her best friend Stevie B to try to discover the many secrets that Nell is hiding. After some investigating, the pair learn that Charlotte is from the future and she has convinced Cole to accompany her back to her timeline in order to steal a cure that might just save Cole's terminally ill younger sister. With someone they love life on the line, Nell is forced to accept that the universe is bigger than she ever thought possible and that love might be the strongest force contained within it.

I went into this one thinking that it was about two people from different time periods who fall in love with each other. Boy was I wrong. In actuality, it is a story about how even the smallest choices can have the biggest impact, the bonds that we have for our friends and family defy all limits, and the risks we are willing to take in order to help those we love. I was quite touched by all the messages in this one, despite the often slower pace of the story line.

I think my favorite type of sci-fi has to be stories with time travel and multiverses. These stories tend to really hit on how chance encounters and small acts of kindness can truly change the world for the better. Much of the science elements flew right over my head in this one, but I felt the reason that Cole and Nell took the risk of traveling through time was way less selfless than the usual reasons that people leave their time period. The way that they had to travel through time was also very unique. I had my doubts about it upon its first mention, but I came to find it really interesting as the story progressed.

Another thing I found fascinating about how time travel is approached in this one is that Nell, the narrator wasn't the one to initially travel in time. Much of the book is spent with Nell and Stevie B trying to come to terms with Cole's risky decision and hope that he makes it back alive. I just thought that this was a neat perspective to explore and sets it apart from the usual time travel experience. In the end, we do get some action with Nell getting to jump herself, which gave this book the dosage of high intensity action that it needed.

I found Cole and Nell's relationship to be really complicated, but super sweet. Nell often babysits Cole's little sister and Cole's mother practically treats Nell as her own daughter. Cole and Nell have been dating for awhile, even though they are still in high school. This is one of those couples you can't help but hope works out forever, and this feeling only intensifies as the story progresses. The banter that these two have and their little inside jokes were quite fun to follow along with, and my heart goes out to Nell with for all the anxiety she felt on Cole's part. I didn't love the fact that Nell was also attracted to Stevie B throughout the course of this story, but I can understand how this would come to be when your longtime boyfriend jumps through time and may never return. It would be hard not to have your doubts about his homecoming and turn to your best friend for support in this time of strife.

The fact that Cole's sister has a chronic lung condition and Nell's mother is a severe drug addict really adds to the intensity of this story. The stakes are high with both of these issues, which sets a sort of deadline that keeps the intensity level raised throughout the majority of the book. Towards the end, I'm not sure I could have drawn myself away from it, due to how worried I was that everything was going to turn out okay in the end.

I just wanted to shout out some of the repeating motifs in this book. I love the importance of the sixteen minutes, both in time traveling and for the urgency factor at the end of the book. The segment "Feet first. Heart bursting. Head, a distant third," was one of my favorite in the entire story. I love its double meaning with its physical connotations as well as its emotional ones. The sweet little phrases that Nell and Cole share with each other such as their forever bit which evolves into "beyond forever" really melted my heart, as did their "normal pretend stuff" game. These two seriously had some of the sweetest conversations.

Overall, I am quite pleased to report that "Sixteen Minutes" is a speculative fiction book that really hit for me. I connected to the characters, enjoyed the urgency of the plot, and adored the romantic elements. I'm glad that I was given the chance to read this one before its publication date. It is truly a sweet read that is also quite intense. It delivers some great themes and leaves the reader with the reminder that everyone is important, even when one doesn't feel that they are.

This was an interesting book. It starts out with high school characters that you think are going to end up in a love triangle. However, that's not what this is about. What ends up happening involves time travel, and the lengths they would go to for the people they care about and love. It was nice that this did not follow that love triangle trope, and instead went a different direction entirely, as that was what I found interesting.

Thank you to NetGalley, PRH Audio and Penguin Young Readers Group
for providing me with an advanced copy of this book and audiobook for free in exchange for my review! @prhaudio #PRHAudio #PRHAudioInfluencer
All opinions are my own.

I thought this was a very fantastical book. I am a little older than the target audience for this book, but I was drawn in by the time travel and the romance elements. I enjoyed the main characters, Nell, Cole, Stevie B and Charlotte. I thought they were a dynamic group of friends and really interesting protagonists. I also enjoyed that this book had short chapters, and at the end I was left satisfied, yet wanting more at the same time.

On the audiobook end, I don't believe I had listened to Phoebe Strole narrate anything before, but she was a fantastic narrator and I plan to definitely look for more audiobooks narrated by her in the future. I thought she did a fantastic job giving each character a unique voice.

Don't miss out on this book if you enjoy YA Romance, with a dash of sci-fi and fantasy!


Many Thanks again to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest review.

********

Charlotte is from a small town in NY. A town where no one ever really leaves. Charlotte knows she will never leave and neither will her boyfriend, Cole, or her best friend, Stevie B. But things go into a spiral when a new girl shows up at their school. Charlotte becomes jealous seeing her boyfriend having secret meet ups and conversations with the new girl.now, she is finding out the new girl is from the future and has a wild story for them all. Will they be able to save the future?

I wasn't sure what to expect going into this read. But I enjoyed this story so much! I thought the concept was unique and interesting. I found myself at the end wishing for more of the story. The world building was also interesting and the characters were likeable. I was entranced by the mystery of what was happening. I was even holding my own breath during a few scenes. This was a really fantastic book and great for any YA fiction fan. 4 stars out of 5. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

What an adventure!! I absolutely loved getting to know the characters of Sixteen Minutes and following their adventure into the future to save Finn while also tying it back to a previous time traveling adventure. I do feel like the ending was a little bit rushed, I wish that it had been more spread out, and the writing style just did not vibe with me but I also understand that I am older than the target age range so that portion of my review is understandable.

**Initial Reaction**: 9
**Characters:** 9
**Setting:** 8
**Plot:** 8
**Pace:** 9
**Style:** 6
**Ending:** 10
**Enjoyment:** 9
68 / 16 = 4.25

Publication: October 15th, 2024

rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Seventeen-year-old Nell is certain of two things: she will never escape her rural, dead-end hometown of Clawson, NY, and her best friend Stevie B and longtime boyfriend Cole will always be by her side. However, the arrival of Charlotte, a new student, disrupts their unbalanced friend triangle. Nell and Stevie B suspect Charlotte is not who she claims to be, while she utterly enchants Cole. Secret calls and meetings ensue, and Nell senses Cole is hiding something significant from her, leading her to fear losing him for the first time.

The confrontation between Nell, Stevie B, Cole, and Charlotte reveals the unbelievable: Charlotte hails from the future, and, for reasons beyond their wildest imaginations, she needs Cole to accompany her back, leaving Nell in the past. Despite the risks and recklessness, Charlotte persuades them that it's their only option. With the revelation of time travel, the trio faces a future once thought predetermined. Now, with a multitude of possible lives ahead, they must decide who will take the leap into the unknown and who will remain.

this is still a really good book, and I enjoy it for what it is, I enjoy all the friendships throughout the book.

Thank You Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Ok....., I am going to take a deep breath because this book took me on a thrilling ride 😁. As usual, I didn't read the blurb before going in, but after reading the prologue, I had to go back to actually read the blurb, and I will be honest, the blurb of this book did no justice to the information contained in this book 🤯🤯.

This book is actually tempting me to do a deep dive on all things multiverses, luminal spaces, time travel, and parallel universes because what is all this madness 🤯. It is really amazing what the author did with this book, like this is a YA novel that focuses on these themes, and there are also some heavy ones like death and drug abuse, and the author still manages to find a way to introduce a love interest 😍

Honestly, I am just going to say, yes, you are going to find the book hard to get into at first, but it gets better. This story is going to stick with me for a long time because I'm still thinking about the feelings and chills that this book gave me. Stevie B, you deserve your own love story😍.

I found this YA book a quick and enjoyable story. I do feel like the characters seemed a little younger than their stated age of 17 and that my middle school students would really like this book with a few tweaks. (swearing and drug use that wasn’t super relevant to the story) I could definitely see a second book or series come from this story. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced reader’s copy.

The hunt for a cozy clean YA magical realism science fiction with a sprinkle of romance ends here! Everybody say THANKYOU K.J. REILLY <3

Thankyou netgalley and penguin group readers for the arc. All opinions are my own!

#SixteenMinutes #Netgalley

I really loved this book! It was fast-paced and full of twists I didn’t expect, especially when the time travel element kicked in. e story follows Nell, Cole, and Stevie B, whose close-knit trio is shaken when Charlotte, a mysterious new girl, arrives in their small town. The way she turns their world upside down—revealing she’s from the future—hooked me immediately.

Nell’s fear of losing Cole felt so real. I could really relate to her emotions, especially as she starts to question everything she thought was secure. The friendship between her, Cole, and Stevie B was written so well, and I loved how they had to navigate these new, life-altering choices together. I was rooting for all of them in different ways.

Charlotte was such an interesting character. I loved the mystery surrounding her and how she introduces the idea of the multiverse. The concept that one choice can create completely different outcomes in alternate realities really made me think about life and all the "what ifs." It added depth to the story, which I wasn’t expecting from a YA novel.

The time travel and multiverse aspects were explained in a way that made sense without getting too technical. It had just the right mix of science and magic, keeping me immersed without pulling me out of the emotional journey.

This book was such an engaging read, and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who loves YA with a time travel twist. It’s full of heart and adventure!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Sixteen Minutes is a great book. It's a safe read for high school students. No profanity or sex.
The story of great. It is part romance, part science fiction, a dash of the future, some relativity, and life lessons. This book begins with the end as a tease, and that kept me on tenterhooks throughout.

I recommend this book for your own reading and for your class.

Thanks to Netgalley.com for the ARC. The opinions are my own.

3.5 stars rounded up 4 stars.

The first bit of the book didn't really resonate with me very well. Nell, the main character, seemed to be too focused on everything that had gone wrong in her life instead of anything good at all, and I honestly was sitting thinking, "I thought this was going to have something to do with time travel. Where the heck is that part of the story going to come in?" However, once it did, and Nell became more proactive in her life instead of stagnant, I feel like the book hit its stronger part.

Honestly, the best part for me was the research that went into the time travel aspect. Was some of it a little stretched or a little far-fetched? Yes, but I would argue it was within the bounds of the theories and science that Reilly explored in order to develop the story. I definitely raced through the last hundred or so pages more than the first almost 150 pages because of the attention to those details.

Be forewarned: the characters do have quite the colorful language throughout the book. Definitely not a huge fan of the swearing myself, but after my many interactions with teens, I also know that a lot of them tend to talk that way any more.