Honestly probably one of the saddest but most realistic books touching on grief that I’ve read.

Putting all the science fiction stuff aside for a moment (I’ll come back to this) watching how everyone grieves is so heartbreaking. Grief is an unexplainable emotion we experience as humans and there is no right or wrong way to feel it. But we as a society think others should grieve in specific ways and time frames. Watching River not only process his best friend’s death while grieving the loss of a love he can’t have and navigating the only friendship he had after Dylan’s death is incredibly sad to read.

Now let’s look at the science fiction part of this book. THE! TWIST! Truly amazing watching the layers of the Affinity project unfold and what I was expecting the reveal to be was so off base. The final kicker was watching River almost cause himself brain damage to see “his Dylan” one last time.

This book was FANTASTIC and I think everyone has to check this one out!

🌟🌟🌟🌟 Another First Chance by Robbie Chance
What to expect: Gay rep (own voices), Death.
River Lang is still grieving his best friend Dylan Cooper’s death. He recently defaced a texting and driving PSA billboard featuring Dylan, who died in a car crash. A classmate blackmails him into joining the Affinity Trials by threatening to reveal him as the vandal and put his college scholarship in jeopardy. The Affinity Trials are a weeklong social study observing “socially struggling” teens. Mavis, River’s ex-best friend who knows the truth about Dylan’s last day, is also participating in the Trials. River begins to connect with Nash a football star participating in a camp on the same property as the Trials. The Trials begin to get more bizarre and mysterious prompting River to wonder what the researchers are actually studying. The novel also includes flashbacks from Dylan’s point of view that balance out the current events in River’s point of view.
I really connect with Dylan because I too was an overachiever and felt pressured to constantly be doing more and be perfect. This book was very emotional as you would imagine when it deals with a best friend’s death. The letter at the ending was really intense and emotional. I also like that there were queer characters but their identity wasn’t a huge focus of the book. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in an emotional read that also has speculative fiction aspects.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another First Chance is about River who is still grieving the loss of his best friend Dylan. Dylan died in a car accident a year ago and everyday River passes the billboard the town erected "Don't Drext Like Dylan Did" on his way to school. In his own way of coping, River vandalizes the billboard knowing Dylan would have thought the sign was just as absurd. It is by this action that River now finds himself being blackmailed by another student to join the Affinity Trial- a study that is observing teens who are struggling socially. Join the study and split the stipend with this student OR risk having his college scholarships taken away from him when everyone learns he has vandalized property... he chooses the former.

From the jump you get an odd sense of the Affinity Trial. Something sketchy is definitely going on here and Robbie has the story play out in such a fun way that it'll keep you guessing as to what is really happening. You'll have just as much fun solving that mystery as you will just getting to know this cast of characters. There is such a diverse group of characters, and you will feel a connection to many of them. There is hurt, there is healing, there is sorrow, and there is laughter and joy!

I only wish there had been more moments of River and Dylan's relationship prior to the accident. Put a little more investment into that relationship and ultimately the hurt AND the healing would have felt that much deeper. Even so, this still packs a punch and had me teary eyed in its final pages.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

A year has passed since River Lang's closest friend, Dylan, died in a car accident. Dylan was a star athlete and popular student at their school. Since the accident, though, the complicated and multi-dimensional person that River knew has been reduced to a lesson about texting while driving. River is looking forward to finally leaving town for good. But before he can go, he is forced to participate in a secretive research study being conducted at his school. While at first unsure of the study and its methods, River meets Nash, a charming athlete, the first night. Soon, the two grow close. But as their relationship develops, so does River and his fellow participants' suspicions about the study and whether they can believe what they are being told by those conducting it, until a startling revelation shakes River to his core.

This was a powerful and perceptive story about experiencing loss and its aftermath. Well written and with strong characters, this is a story you will not soon forget.

Highly recommended.

This is a story about facing your past to find your future. One year ago, River’s best friend, Dylan, died in a car accident while texting. Since then, Dylan has become a symbol for not texting and driving, with all that made him special forgotten by most — but not River. To make matters worse, the town has put up a billboard with Dylan’s picture as part of a public service campaign for safe driving that River must regularly drive by.

One of River classmates figures out that River defaced the billboard and blackmails him to participate in the “Affinity Trials,” a mysterious research project studying high school students who are struggling socially. At the study, things only get worse for River when he is placed in a group with Mavis, Dylan’s girlfriend and his former close friend who has not spoken to River for a year — and is the only other person who knows the full truth of what happened the night Dylan died.

During the Trials, River inadvertently meets Nash, a quarterback who is participating in a football camp at the same site as the study. River soon finds himself befriending Nash, and then developing feelings for him. But as the Trials go on, and his feelings for Nash deepen, River begins to question what the Trials is really studying … and what it means for his future with Nash, Mavis, and every other part of his life.

This book was terrific. I was a huge fan of the author’s previous novels, so I was excited to dive into this one — and it exceeded my high expectations. The author creates a moving and thought-provoking story about first love, friendship, and grief, within a series of interesting mysteries, including what Dylan was texting the night he died and what is really going on with the Trials. I appreciated the way the author uses astronomy as a way for the characters to connect with each other and their own feelings. I also appreciated the book’s exploration of the way the same type of loss can impact people so differently.

Strongly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

I requested this book because the cover is stunning, and the comparison to You've Reached Sam, which I really enjoyed. However, I must not have read the full summary because I totally missed that the majority of this story takes place over a 1 week social experiment called "The Affinity Trials", which is meant to be research about teens who are having trouble socially.

A year ago River Lang's best friend, Dylan, dies in a car accident. Since then Dylan's face has become the poster child (quite literally on a massive billboard) reminding people not to drive and text or "drext". River has grown weary of seeing his best friend's face reduced down to a warning sign, instead of remembering him for everything he was -- an athletic basketball player, a super smart space nerd, an aspiring piano player (on the downlow), and a great friend.

When River arrives to school that June 3rd on the "deathiversary" of his best friend, he sees an interesting table for a group doing "The Affinity Trials" to help teens who are maybe having a hard time with social dynamics. River thinks it's odd but puts it out of mind, until another young man at school essentially blackmails River saying he must get into the trials and give him half of the stipend money, or he'll tell everyone that River defamed his best friend's billboard with a spray-painted mustache.

River gets into the trials which have a strong neurological slant and befriends a young man, Nash, who is one of the researcher's brothers and perhaps River's newest crush. Also, River gets put on the same team as Mavis, his estranged best friend since 3rd grade and Dylan's girlfriend, well, ex, since Dylan passed away.

This book is unique and definitely wasn't what I was expecting going in. I enjoyed the dual perspectives of River today and flashbacks to Dylan on his last day on Earth. I also really liked the sentiment about space and playing with how large things can feel even when in reality we are so infinitesimally small. I thought Couch did a nice job of talking about grief and bereavement, especially for 17 and 18 year olds. Overall I enjoyed this book, though there were a few times I found it hard for me to focus on the story (probably because the format forced me to read on my phone instead of my e-reader and that was not ideal for me). I also liked the side characters of Brady, Biggs, and Goldie, feeling they were well developed and unique in their own ways of dealing with grief. I thought there was going to be a bit more "speculative" to the "speculative fiction" part of this book, but I'd actually categorize it as light sci-fi more than speculative.

If you're looking for a different type of summer reading than the traditional beachy rom-com or mystery/thriller, I'd recommend this book.

Note - many other reviews I read mentioned this is a tear-jerker, but I personally did not have that reaction. I could see where it could lead to that though, so if you're not in the mood for tears, maybe hold off on reading until you are.

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing, and Robbie Couch for an eARC of Another First Chance in exchange for an honest review. 

This novel follows recent high school graduate River Lang through the Affinity Trials - a research study for “socially struggling” teens. His best friend, Dylan, had died in a car crash the year prior and River hadn’t made many friends since then.

In the trials, River is grouped with his former best friend and Dylan’s former girlfriend, Mavis, who was with Dylan the night of the crash. River and Mavis haven’t spoken to each other since the night of the crash.

During the trials, River begins to have feelings for Nash, a quarterback at a football camp held where the Affinity Trials are. As peculiar things begin to happen during the trials, River and his new friends team up to figure out what the Affinity Trials is truly studying.

This book is exactly what I expect from a YA queer romance novel! The characters were very realistic and relatable. The dialogue flowed well and felt like teenage dialogue.

The concept and storylines were interesting and I enjoyed going through the discovery of the Affinity Trials’ true intentions with the characters.

4/5 stars!

Oh my goodness, this book was incredible! Robbie Couch takes on the very difficult topic of grief and loss, with spectacular results. This is a cannot miss book, and will appeal to readers of all ages!

What I loved most about this story was the emotional depth to it. We had a story with two perspectives, a year apart, that were both interesting and complementary. The side characters were nuanced and grew with the story. Some of the mystery aspects I figured out ahead of time, but it took nothing away from the reveal. This is a beautiful story about grief, friendship, expectations, assumptions, and learning to let go. I absolutely loved it.

ANOTHER FIRST CHANCE is another excellent young adult contemporary novel by Robbie Couch. The premise is original and intriguing, and the trajectory of the plot is gripping and compelling. The characters are well-drawn, both fun and complex. While mostly about complicated friendships, the story is also a little bit romantic and a little bit mysterious. The first half is a bit on the slow side pacing-wise, and the transition into the deeper mysterious and speculative elements of the second half is a little clunky. The second half drives forward compellingly and finishes with an emotional gut-punch that's extremely well done and ties the story together beautifully.

I read this ARC via Netgalley Shelf.

River's best friend Dylan died texting while driving a year ago, and things still haven't gone back to normal, especially not with his former best friend and Dylan's girlfriend Mavis. But River's decision to graffiti a mustache on Dylan's face on an anti-texting-while-driving billboard leads to another student blackmailing him into participating in an experiment with a company called Affinity, which is how River ends up trapped in the school after the end of the year with Mavis. At first the experiment isn't bad, but then River starts seeing Dylan everywhere...

While the setup for this story was a bit complex, once the study got rolling I was hooked. Even though it was clear early on that there was a sci-fi element to the experiment, the psychological elements with the group dynamics were really at the heart of the story. The flashbacks to Dylan's last day gave the reader information that River didn't have. Despite this being about heavier topics with a bittersweet ending, the tone didn't feel heavy. I'd recommend this to fans of They Both Die at the End.

Another First Chance is a Queer YA contemporary by author Robbie Couch. This is actually my first time reading the author and I definitely want to read more of his book in the future.

This is the story of a high school senior, whose still hurting from the passing of his best friend a year earlier. After a series of events, he finds himself forced into participating in a psychological study at high school which is supposed to help kids struggling socially. The study makes him confront his feelings towards his late best friend, and he begins to heal from the loss and repair friendships that had broken.

While I devoured this book in one sitting, I was a little underwhelmed for the first half of the story. However , as soon it was obvious that the study wasn't what it seemed and the kids all starting working together to find out , I was invested. The story also delivers by the end in the emotion department,I totally cried like a baby at the end.

I loved the multiple perspectives of all the characters involved in the main tragedy… This was a great way to tell the story of the night that changed their life and how things have changed over the year since. I was able to follow the timeline well (something I struggle with when books go between present and past) & felt very immersed in the plot.
I also loved the themes of science and psychology and technological advances. As a brain and psych nerd, a solid story that involves things I’m very intrigued by had me SUCKED IN!
I very much recommend.

1 Sentence Summary: A year after River’s best friend, Dylan, died in a car accident, he joins the Affinity Trials—a week-long research study observing teens that are struggling socially—but as the week goes on, strange things start happening, the researchers may not be telling the truth, and worst of all, River has to spend the week with Mavis: his ex-best friend, Dylan’s former girlfriend, and the only one who knows the truth about the night Dylan died.

My Thoughts: I AM SOBBING. That was A LOT OF EMOTIONAL TRAUMA that this book put me through. Once again, Robbie Couch never disappoints. In fact, how is it possible that his books just keep getting better and better with each one he releases?!

This was so well written. And so freaking depressing. You know the writing and character development is good when you feel every emotion the characters are feeling. In this case, I felt everything, and it shattered my heart into a million tiny pieces.

I fell in love with all the characters instantly. They were complex and three dimensional and felt like real people dealing with real problems. And the pov switches between River in the present and Dylan in the past were great, but also heartbreaking. Dylan’s pov was so sad, just knowing that in the present he isn’t alive anymore :’(

Dylan and River absolutely destroyed me. Their relationship was sooo bittersweet, because you know it ends in tragedy. I loved the explorations of grief and friendship and first love and moving on after loss. It was well done and felt very realistic and not at all like a plot device or gimmick to make the story dramatic.

There was so much emotion in this book. And extremely well written emotion that shone through the pages. I was so invested in the story; it really felt like it was happening and I was experiencing every emotion along with the characters. Robbie Couch writes emotion SO WELL and his books always have so much heart.

The sci-fi elements were super cool. I always love a good contemporary with a touch of magic or sci-fi. It’s like adding vanilla to your cookie dough—makes it extra good. I can’t say more without spoiling the book, but let’s just say the Affinity Trials might not be what they seem…

Also, LOVED all the space references and the fact that River & Dylan bonded over being space nerds :’) The astrophysicist Dr. Skelemont that they were obsessed with reminded me so much of Neil deGrasse Tyson, who is one of my favorite people ever.

This book was unputdownable (except when I had to put it down to cry). AND THE ENDING—THAT LETTER DESTROYED ME. I’m still recovering from reading this, and will definitely be re-reading it.

While you’re waiting for this book to come out on May 28th, it’s the perfect time to read Robbie couch’s entire backlog because all of his books are amazing!!

Recommend to: Fans of emotional YA books with messy realities and lots of heart.

(Warnings: swearing; death)

This was a good ride. I felt at times it tried to be a bit too ambitious, but overall it was a fun and unexpected book.

There isn't much I feel like I can say without completely spoiling the book, but it does take several big swings that I didn't see coming. I wasn't too thrilled with one of them, but it wasn't enough to ruin the book for me.

It's beautifully written, funny, endearing, and ultimately hopeful book about loss and grief. It gets heavy, but not oppressively so. If you're up for some heartache and a few twists and turns, then this book is for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an early copy of this book! I will be honest, I was pleasantly surprised by the book and really enjoyed it. I have the negative trait to not finish a book if it does not catch my attention early on… and I was feeling that way about this book for a little. However, I stuck with the book and I am so glad that I did. I am not a huge fan of dystopian or science fiction and normally stick with contemporary. This book, however, was a perfect mix of contemporary and science fiction! The idea of the trial and the mystery surrounding it was really intriguing to me. It truly felt like a mix of They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera and Goodbye Days by Jeff Zenter, all of which deal with similar themes.

The writing was beautiful and flowed very nicely. The story starts sort of slowly, but it definitely picks up! I think the only negative is that things felt a little rushed towards the end. It seemed like the climax happens suddenly and then boom, the book is over. I think the story would actually benefit from being longer! The friendships, the relationship building, and even the events of the trial happen a little quickly… I would have actually preferred for them to be more drawn out. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed this book and would recommend it to other people!

4.5 stars


YA is super hit or miss for me nowadays, and this novel absolutely devastated me in the best way possible. I really enjoyed the spec fic elements (super subtle & made you second-guess yourself through the entire story), & the way grief and love were described made my heart hurt and feel so seen all at once.

I absolutely adored this book, and I very much plan to pre-order for myself and request an order for my library.

5 out of 5 stars

Rep: Gay main character, South Asian side characters, Korean side character, Black side character, nonbinary side character

Content warnings: Past death of a teenager in a car accident, grief, graphic vomiting, overbearing parents, blackmail, friendship breakups, mentions of marijuana, brief mentions of homophobia

This is easily the best book I've read so far this year. From the fantastic characters to the humor (I love that a story about grief also includes so many genuinely funny quips) to the emotion, it pulled me in so quickly that I read it in one sitting.

I went in expecting just a romance, and while there IS some, it ended up being more about platonic affection, with some mystery thrown in. And I liked that even better! "Friendship stories are just as, if not more, important than love stories" is a hill on which I will gladly die. The love the main cast grows to feel for each other makes me so soft and I want to give all of them the biggest hugs. Especially River -- it's been quite some time since I've adored a YA protagonist this much.

Books about death are tricky for me because of my own mental illnesses, so I was a tad worried it would overwhelm me. But Robbie Couch blew me away! It wasn't heavy (at least to me) while still being poignant. I imagine it takes a lot of talent to write a story that's just the right amount of emotional, particularly when you attempt to infuse hope and humor in it too. This was my first Robbie Couch, but certainly won't be my last. As soon as I publish this review, I'll be preordering a physical copy of this masterpiece.

TL;DR: It made me, a Scorpio who's famously out of touch with my emotions, cry a lot. And if that's not a glowing recommendation in itself, I don't know what is.

**HUGE thank you to Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for granting me an eARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!**

Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel.

I wanted to love this book. And there are wonderful moments in it, it is accessible, and the writing is generally good. Unfortunately there are significant plot points I just couldn't really get past. The stakes that set up the key plot mechanism that brings all the students together makes no real sense, unfortunately, and the "twist" at the end felt both too predictable and too far fetched for the emotional outcome to feel earned. While I largely love where the characters ended up, and give 2.5 (rounded up to 3) stars largely on that basis, the road getting there often took difficult detours for me

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this book ahead of time in exchange for a review. It didn't disappoint! Must read!!