I loved this! It straddles reality perfectly in the sense of "is she actually loosing her mind" or "is everyone unfairly treating her like she's crazy"! Fantastic look at misogyny and a woman's expectations in society.

(Rounded up from 3.5⭐️)

This book has such an interesting and unique premise that I really liked. It’s part psychological thriller, part sci-fi, and I found the plot twists to be genuinely surprising and weird in the best way. Unfortunately the pacing was a little off for me, and the ending left the story feeling unfinished.

The Once And Future Me was a challenging read, in that it didn't live up to its own hype. I love supporting female authors, and I definitely love stories that deviate from the usual stuff publishers THINK readers want to consume, but, in some ways, I felt lied to about this book.

The plot was a wonderful idea, but I don't think Melissa Pace was able to fully bring it to fruition. There are a lot of ideas that really don't support or complement one another, and the story just kinds of suffers and veers towards being something other than what the summary told readers to expect.

Just not for me.

The Once and Future Me
By Melissa Page

This book felt like an albatross around my neck until I finished ✔️?. Dorothy, MC?, I hardly know thee. The muddle here is huge to get over and wade through. We start in 1954 and go from there. I would say half of the book or more is a version of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and “Girl, Interrupted” trauma. It sort of pays off and ends on a cliffhanger. Maybe these characters will be explained or not. Don’t think I am up for the next. It could have been all one book, imo. The author has a quite the convoluted imagination which feels eerily possible is my reason for 3 stars rather than 2 and I might have to know how this ends. Thank you to the publisher, Henry Holt and Company, New York and NetGalley for a digital copy.

I absolutely loved this book -- inventive and propulsive and really well-written. It took me a few chapters to really get hooked but once I was, I raced through it.

The synopsis for The Once and Future Me really pulled me in, but unfortunately that’s as far as it went for me. The premise had a lot of potential, but the execution didn’t live up to the excitement I felt going in. While there were some interesting ideas, the story overall just didn’t capture me the way I had hoped.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

ook Review: The Once and Future Me by Melissa Pace (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
Melissa Pace’s debut novel is a genre-bending mix of psychological thriller, feminist historical fiction, and time-travel sci-fi. It begins in a chilling 1950s psychiatric hospital and unravels into a futuristic dystopia, following a woman caught between timelines—known both as Dorothy and Bix—as she fights to rewrite history and prevent a pandemic.
Pace excels at atmosphere and character depth, especially in exposing how women were mistreated in mid-century mental institutions. The story’s second half brings high-stakes action and emotional punch, with a fierce, unforgettable protagonist at its center.
The pacing can be uneven, and the time-travel elements sometimes muddy the plot. The ending also leans too heavily on setting up a sequel rather than offering true closure. Still, this is a smart, gripping read that sticks with you—and marks Melissa Pace as a writer to watch

This was such a cool idea for a story. It combines some of my favorite "tropes", too. The book hits the ground running with that opening scene, which is exactly what I want from a thriller. That pacing really keeps steady until around the 70% mark, mostly because the reader is really pulled along by the question we all want to know the answer to: is she really a time-traveller from the future, or is she just a 1950s housewife who has been locked within an asylum? I've seen a few reviews make similar remarks, but unfortunately I feel the same: once we get the answer to the major question of the story, it just loses its pull. It becomes very expository and rushed.
Did I like this? Honestly, for most of the book I was really enjoying it. The last 30-40% left me feeling pretty deflated, but on average I did enjoy this. I also think this will appeal to a wide audience, which is another plus for this story. This world was interesting, too, and I would pick up another story in this world or in this series.

There’s a lot to love in this gripping sci-fi thriller—including the absolute BANGER of an opening scene. Pace starts this book in exactly the right place, dropping the reader into a truly stressful environment and having us navigate the story world in “real time” alongside the main character. I found it thrilling, and for the first 50-60% of this book, the only time I put it down was to alert my husband as to my latest suspicions of whether our heroine was actually a time-traveler from the future on a mission to save humanity, or—perhaps scarier—a 1950s housewife locked in an asylum that seemed grossly ill-equipped to treat her horrifying and violent delusions.

Unfortunately, once this question is answered, the tension that kept me so invested in turning pages loosened dramatically—and there was little else to cinch it tight again. The world building began to feel rushed, with most exposition happening via lengthy dialogue. As a result, characters’ motivations became unclear and they started to morph into 2D variations of their formerly rich selves. Rather than delivering an ending that felt tied up and complete, things felt a bit... unraveled. Like when you get home from a fun night out and find your hem is undone. It doesn’t ruin your evening or anything, but it leaves you feeling a little deflated.

That said, I would be interested in returning to this world if there were a sequel. Pace has set the foundation for a *very* fun narrative playground; I think it just needs a bit more development to fully realize its potential.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Henry Holt and Co. for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The premise of this book is so fascinating and the story is captivating as we're trying to figure out what exactly is going on as we follow "Dorothy", our incredibly unreliable narrator. What's true? What's not? Is everything that's happening a manifestation of her mental illness?

Until we get to the 70% mark. The story finally starts to give us answers. It's... laughable. It's at this point that the writing immediately deteriorated .

The writing feels like you were writing a paper for a class that's due tomorrow. You're really in the zone. Absolutely crushing it. Then, something happens. Computer crashes. When you finally get back to your document, the last 30% is gone. It's 6am and the paper is due at 8. You cobble together something as you're running on fumes solely sustained by Red Bull and Doritos. That's what the book feels like. The book had taken a turn. And that turn sent me directly to the dumpster.

After the exposition-to-inform-what's-actually-happening finishes, we're trust back into the part of the story that was compelling. Unfortunately, what would have been an enjoyable finish is totally derailed by the absurdity. Lastly, the open-endedness of the ending is irritating, but honestly at that point I just wanted the book to be done.

Thanks to Henry Holt & Co. and NetGalley for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you enjoy books that are essentially two genres in one, this is a good one for you! Maybe-Dorothy finds herself on a bus emptying out at Hanover mental hospital, but no one will acknowledge the woman who bears a passing resemblance to her who stole her purse and then pushed her out into the parking lot, escaping in the now-empty bus. Confounding her frustration is her husband (but is he? She has a core memory of him that makes her feel grounded, safe) confirming that she is, indeed, Dorothy, a woman with a history of schizophrenic episodes. What, then, to do with her inner voice, who thinks she's called Bix and is on a mission from the future? Bix clearly has some issues (she wants to kill everybody who causes her even minor problems) but her instincts feel right. Dorothy embarks on a path in the mental hospital wherein she tries to square her "mission" with the business of GTFO of that horrible place, back home to Paul, her husband. That path includes heavy drugs and EST, while other patients are subjected to lobotomy. Can Dorothy fulfill her mission as Bix, or can she at least get out of Hanover with a remade personality intact?

This is a great concept that suffers a bit in execution: the initial parts in which Dorothy is in Hanover are a bit repetitive, and it takes a while for the sci-fi angle to get going. It cracks along nicely for a good while, during which time it was a fast, exciting read. Towards the end it switches into high gear dystopia, and it feels like an entirely different book - not bad, just a big change. The ending is a bit unsatisfying and feels a bit rushed, and the open-endedness of the ending frustrated me. There are also some elements that felt like the author wanted to cover a lot of bases: historical fiction depicting a mental facility in the '50s and its attendant sexism; dystopian pandemic story; romance; she crams a lot in there that maybe shouldn't have been. Some more in-depth character study wouldn't have gone amiss, either.

Still, it's an impressive debut and overall quite enjoyable. Bix/Dorothy is smart and determined, and you root for her even though she's very rough around the edges and you probably wouldn't want to hang out with her IRL. I'll be interested to see what Pace does next.

3.5 stars rounded up

Dark Matter meets Girl, Interrupted is 100% accurate. This one of the most page turning things I've read in years, and Pace is an author to watch out for.

This really didn't land for me. I wanted to love it. This is the kind of book I would normally love. Pace made some rules and then kept breaking them. I am here for your book and your version of time travel. Don't make it so complicated that you can't explain it.

I pride myself on my ability to dissect a plot well before it’s made obvious—𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘯𝘰 𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘦 𝘸𝘵𝘧 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦. At times I had hunches, sure. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘶𝘯𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦, 𝘴𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘵. That’s the nature of the novel, unrelenting uncertainty with a HEAVY cover of unease. The more you read the deeper it sets in that 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰𝘰 are being played.

If you’ve followed my reviews for a bit, ya know the more technical facets of reviewing aren’t my forte—I’m here for a good time, not a long time. Here for the vibes. Whatever ya wanna call it, “𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘧𝘵” typically goes right over my head.
𝘔𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘔𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘢 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘦. Bc I was able to notice & appreciate the use of pacing to her advantage, weaponizing our tendency to read faster the more tensions rise. The content blew me away, but Pace’s cognizance of the reader’s experience left me awestruck.

You’ll notice I’ve yet to mention a key theme, mental illness. Based on my experiences & education, Melissa nails it. The slew of potential diagnosis & ways they manifest, the treatment of women in psych facilities (again I’d add “historically” here, but I’d be lying), the rampant abuse in positions of power—typically by men, the dangerous & impunitive dynamic that can develop between a woman even perceived (ᴋᴇʏᴡᴏʀᴅ: ᴘᴇʀᴄᴇɪᴠᴇᴅ) as mentally ill & their keeper...I mean husband.

The top complaint I’ve seen is the tail end didn’t work, but it sure worked for me. I’d argue that the reasons cited most often are some of the same reasons 𝙏𝙊&𝙁𝙈 would prove so accurate should we gain access to time machines.

I know this won’t be for everyone, & idc. It’s for me & I’m in luv 🥰😂

P.S. ofc a special S/O to @aardvarkbookclub & NetGalley for the advanced copies 😘

Thank you NetGalley for the advance digital copy of The Once and Future Me.
Psychosis vs time travel? Hallucinations vs memory vs gas lighting? This story kept me so engaged, I alternated between feeling grateful for the protagonist’s willingness to maintain her agency and frustration when she gave in to the “cure”.

I kept thinking about a book I read in 1981, Woman on the Edge of Time by Marge Piercy. This book challenged me to think about utopia vs dystopia from a woman’s perspective as well as about how prevalent it was for women to be labeled “insane” and medicated to keep them pliable.

Thank you Netgalley, Henry Holt &Co, and Melissa Pace for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. I absolutely had no idea what I was getting into as I like to go into books with no knowledge of what is gonna happen. I did wait for the audio to be available and purchased that. Which I am happy I did as the narrator Xe Sands did an excellent job. "Dark Matter meets Girl, interrupted" Is very appropriate. I enjoyed the whole ride and was on the edge of my seat wanting to know the ending.

I may have just read my new favorite book from my new favorite debut author of 2025! The Once and Future Me by Melissa Pace is the book I’ve always wanted to read. It’s the perfect time travel thriller, and I can’t wait to read it again.

It’s 1954, and Dorothy wakes up dazed and bleeding in the back of a transport bus where she's just arrived at mental hospital. She has no memory of who she is, but she does know she's not Dorothy and she’s not crazy. What follows is just the most terrifying account of the way women were treated in the mental health system in the 1950s and is also a spy thriller with time travel?!

I can’t get over this book. I don’t have a single critique, just yes please and thank you! I will not stop telling everyone I know about The Once and Future Me. And I can’t wait to see what Melissa Pace gets up to next!

Thank you SO MUCH to Net Galley and Henry Holt & Co for this absolute treat of an ARC. All opinions are my own!

4⭐️ What a crazy twisty sci-fi thriller! Could not put it down, fast paced and totally absorbing.

In 1952, Dorothy “Dee” is on a bus headed for a psychiatric hospital. But she believes she’s “Bix” from 2034 on a mission. One problem, she’s lost her memory.

What follows is a twisty thriller that leaves you guessing and doubting just who is Dee/Bix? Is she a hopelessly mentally ill patient or a time traveler on a mission to save humanity?

I loved the back and forth of the two timelines and the slow revelation of just who was Bix and how deep did the conspiracy run! Great ending too!

Thank you NetGalley and Henry Holt publishers for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Wow! This was my first book to read by this author but definitely not my last! This book will leave you wanting for more and the characters and storyline stick with you long after you finish it. Do yourself a favor and pick up this page-turner!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

A young woman awakens in a transport vehicle on her way to a psychiatric hospital. She has no recollection of who she is or what’s happened. Only that she’s Dorothy Frasier, and she’s a paranoid schizophrenic with delusions of a future, dystopian world. As the story progresses we’re not sure if her delusions are real or part of her mental illness.

This was an intriguing premise, but I felt the book had some pacing issues and flat characterizations. The first half of the book where Dorothy is in the psychiatric hospital dragged for quite a while. The feeling of the helplessness that Dorothy felt was suffocating at times. I think Ms. Pace did a good job of setting the stage when it came to the lack of agency women had in the 1950’s and how easy it was for them to be dismissed by healthcare workers. The gaslighting that Dorothy experienced was truly haunting.

The second half of the book does pick up and becomes much more engaging as Dorothy begins to remember and learn more about her past. I did feel let down that the book ended in a cliffhanger, especially after the emotional rollercoaster the book takes you on. Overall, I would say that while the second half of the book does pick up, it was an unsatisfying conclusion.