My teenage self would have likely enjoyed this book more. Back then, I was more poetic and overly sophisticated. Unfortunately, it didn’t resonate with me as much now.

It was lovely to learn that the story honors the author’s grandmother.

Thank you to Netgalley for this arc. This is a really short read. It was still really enjoyable. In one life she's a teenager, in another life she's an adult. She is definitely not like everyone else, but that's what makes this story so good.

An emotional reflection on a woman's struggle with mental health. I found it jarring at times with the narrative style however the author executed the stream-of-consciousness really well.

This one is for those of you who love weird girl lit.

At just 88 pages, The Other Lives of Altagracia Sanches took me on a journey. The story weaves forward and backward in time, offering glimpses into Altagracia’s life in its various states of being. She experiences visions, lives with an unidentified chronic illness, and struggles with OCD, all of which cause her to lose track of time and space.

Some parts of the book feel like a hallucinatory fever dream, while others offer raw, detailed depictions of agoraphobia and OCD. It’s a lyrical and ambitious short story which may not be for everyone, but for those who appreciate this kind of fragmented, immersive storytelling, it packs a punch.

I couldn't read past chapter 1 because of how messy the story flowed for me. As far I've read, the protagonist is having multiple flashbacks/viewpoints at once, which makes it confusing and convoluted to keep track of what's actually happening in the present. The rich language made up for it though.

I might give this story another read in the future, but for now, it's a no-go for me.

2.5 ⭐

This short story follows Altagracia, who is struggling with grasping reality.

I found myself rereading several parts of the story because I was confused. I don't know if that was the intention or if I did not fully understand. I don't think I'm the target audience.

This left me with many unanswered questions about Altagracia's condition. It seemed like she was trying to grasp parts of her identity that were escaping her. Overall, it was an interesting read.

Thanks to Querencia Press and NetGalley for the e-arc!!

2.5 stars

The Other Lives of Altagracia Aanchez is a time-jumping, at times disorienting, tale about a woman struggling with mental health and a feeling of being haunted. I love stream-of-consciousness narrative and I think the author nailed that style. There were several moments where the prose knocked the wind out of me and my rating doesn’t reflect the talent of this author.

I think this book is too ambitious for the limited number of pages. There simply isn’t enough to time to build a layered character like Altagracia, set up a convincing mystery and wrap up in a satisfying way in the amount of time it takes to read this book. I think what was lost by shoving everything else in is the reflection that allows me to relate to characters like this book offers. For that reason I think I would’ve enjoyed this concept more as a full length novel. My other big issue was that it took me 3 sittings to finish a book with less than 100 pages. This story failed to grip me and I probably wouldn’t recommend it.

The front cover is beautiful. The story flowed but there were definitely times when I felt lost of what was happening. Whether that is because of how i interpreted it or whether it was meant to be written that way. Overall it brought forth my emotions.

I thought this book was good but was a bit confusing at times. I did like the authors writing and I would give her other books a chance. It wasn’t exactly a book for me, however, I do think other people would really enjoy it.

This book was unexpectedly poetic and much deeper than I thought it would be but in a good way! It reflects on mental health and wellbeing in a way that’s unconventional and enjoyable to read. It also explores familial relationships and connection.

I couldn’t understand a word of this - it was utter nonsense. Sorry, the premise sounded great but I don’t know what happened here

Thank you Felicia Martínez, Querencia Press and Netgalley for this free ARC in exchange for a review.

Unfortunately, this novella was far too confusing to follow along, so I didn't finish it. Some of the prose is nice, but it's far too abstract to enjoy.

I liked the book. At first when I was reading the book, I did not understand the story but I trudged on and it all came together towards the end. I have to say that I fell in love with the name, Altagracia. Beautiful name!! Good fast read and you won't be disappointed.

I received a free copy of the book and is voluntarily writing a review

I am not sure I truly appreciated this book. Very interesting writing and I wanted to love it. I just didn’t quite get it. Thank you to the author. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

Altagracia has visions, or dreams- maybe both. She has nightmares and a version of her brother that is a figment of her imagination. She has some OCD tendencies; she has an unnamed diagnosis that she’s not taking her medication for. And she hides parts of herself because she never quite fits in. Even with her own family.

The book reads like “stream of consciousness” with an almost trippy, reflection-of-life feeling. The flow is very poetic/musical (the word “curly” keeps coming to mind but I’m not sure that’s a descriptor); it’s not linear like the usual plot of a story. While I was reading it I felt like Altagracia might be seeing flashes of her life in the seconds before death (that’s not what was happening). It felt almost like magical realism even though there technically isn’t a magical element. It was like a dream! And you do see some dream-like memories from Altagracia. Referencing the title- different times or ages of your life can feel like completely different lives. I know I’ve felt that way, and gotten lost on the “what if’s” of different pivotal moments in life.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

As short stories go, I feel this one was too short. I like the progression that was shown but the writing style took a long time to adapt to and then it was over.

The cover art also doesn't really go with the story at all. Altagracia has OCD at a minimum, sleep paralysis for certain, and potentially schizophrenia. This story is her life in pieces and parts through the lens of mental illness. The cover doesn't evoke that. I also wish there was a better way to tell when she's "slipping" out of the present.

I thought the writing for this was beautiful, however I struggled with understanding the plot. I read in the authors note that the editor cut down the manuscript, so I'm wondering if it was left, that I would have understood it better.

The prose was beautifully and lyrically written, but the overall story was difficult for me to follow (likely because of the story's inherently fast pace). I found myself wishing that the story was longer, as I connected more with Altagracia in the lasts few chapters.

I'm definitely intrigued enough to purchase this title on release day and revisit the story again in the near future!

Thanks to NetGalley and Querencia Press for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This short story feels like a non-coherent fever dream, poetry and a composition of music all rolled into one. And after finishing it, I think that’s most likely the author’s intended point.

It took some effort to get used to the style and rhythm of Martinez’s writing, as it shifts between different point of views and settings from one line to the next throughout the course of the story. I think this is probably a story I’ll revisit and re-read at some point in the future, as there is a lot to take in all at once on the first read.

I will most likely purchase this at release, as the cover is gorgeous and would love to have it adorning my bookshelf.

This review is now live on Goodreads.

Thank you to NetGallery and Querencia Press for providing me with a free copy for my honest review.