A huge thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books for my advanced copy of The Choice by Gillian McAllister.

I don't know why this has been sitting on my kindle shelf for so long! Like well over a year you guys.

I'm going to keep this review short and sweet. I really enjoyed this book. I absolutely recommend it to readers who enjoy a good mystery / fictional crime novel. I wouldn't necessarily classify this as a thriller. The very beginning before and during the actual crime are suspenseful but this book doesn't continually keep you on the edge of your seat.

Why this book is not 5 Stars-

I really loved the concept and the execution of this story. The two timelines were amazing and very thought provoking. After hitting the half way mark I found myself gradually less and less invested. I wasn't flat out bored. I kept going and I did finish the book.

Overall- really glad I finally got around to this one. I will definitely give this author another try.

I am sorry for not reviewing fully but I don’t have the time to read this at the moment. I believe that it wouldn't benefit you as a publisher or your book if I only skimmed it and wrote a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for not fully reviewing!

What makes someone good, or a "proper person?" Are you allowed to love yourself if you've done something bad? Who would stick by you if they knew what you were capable of?

I was totally surprised by how much I loved this book. The reveal/conceal concept could've been corny, but it was great. Right up there with Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Run Lola Run, Slumdog Millionaire, and other meditations on fate and decisions.

JoAnna beats herself up for "only being" a librarian after graduating from Oxford, and never really following through with anything or owning her decisions. This all comes to a head as she accidentally commits a crime and can't decide what to do about it. The chapters split to compare the outcomes depending on what decision she makes.

This book is so much more than a typical thriller! I was on the edge of my seat as JoAnna became more and more paranoid, and was enthralled by the narrative of her relationships with her husband, friend Laura, coworker Ed, and brother, and how they're affected by what she decides to do on either path. I was in tears at many parts, especially the conceal chapters.

Reading this book felt like I was reading 2 books in one and I really enjoyed it. It follows Joanna who pushes a man after a night out and she has to decide what to do...call the police or flee the scene. The chapters alternate between what would have happened if she had called the police and what would have happened if she didn't. It was full of suspense and shows that no choice is perfect.

Imagine walking home in the dark after having drinks with a girlfriend, you hear the sound of footsteps coming up behind you, you stop the footsteps stop. You hear the blood pounding in your ears. You starting picking up the pace you turn around give the person a shove. This is the situation are main character Joanna finds herself in. The unknown assailant is at the bottom of the stairs not moving. She believes it’s the man that was aggressive at the bar after she ignored him, but it’s not. The man is unconscious laying in an awkward position. Should she do the right thing and call an ambulance, explain why she shoved him?, or should she run from the scene? This is where the book takes off the author gives us two different scenarios like sliding doors, going back in forth where if Joanna ‘reveals’ where she reports herself and calls an ambulance and the other where she ‘conceal’ where she hides what she has done and lives with the guilt of being discovered. It’s gives the reader an inside look of having to live with one mistake for the rest of your life a fight or flight with only seconds with having to live with the choice you make. You face morals and the judgement of others even from your own partner and friends. I read this book quickly and I could relate with Joanna at times. I give this book four stars!

Well, I've learned that I have an avoidance disorder. 😆 Because Joanna is my carbon copy. At least in the beginning. She was one of the most relatable characters I've ever read. Massive potential early in life unrealized, totally disorganized, people pleaser, conflict avoider, procrastinator etc. etc. etc. And this totally insecure person, then commits an unspeakable MISTAKE. Ugh.

Joanna is out with a friend when a totally slimy guy basically assaults her. Then, leaving the bar - by herself - she hears footsteps behind her! One gut reaction. And then - two choices. What will she do?

This book was un-put-down-able. It had me hooked from the start! Joanna is stuck between a rock and a hard place. And no matter what her life will take a turn from this point on. This book explores the two choices she could make and their ramifications. Gillian McAllister is one I will look out for from now on - she was one of those authors with that brilliantly British feeling and I loved the realistic quality of her characters!!

MY RATING:
Story: 3-3.5
Characters: 5
Overall: 4 stars

I'm always game when McAllister publishes a new book and was excited to get a chance to read The Choice. It is intriguing from the start, and thought slightly slower paced than I expected, the characters and plot are engaging and there were twists that kept me on my toes. Recommended!

This one definitely made me squirm! Written in alternating stories, we follow Joanna, as she is faced with two morally different choices and how each choice will have its consequences on her life, love, and future. I loved the fast paced plot and the way the author handled the "reveal" or "conceal" alternating timelines. I also really liked a twist in one of the story lines with her husband Reuben.

Alternatively, this was one of those books that gets really hard to read about half way through because you begin to dislike pretty much everything about the main character. Joanna made me cringe. I felt she was incredibly self-centered and did not show the remorse I was looking for in either story-line. I also found another supporting characters concealment (I don't want to give potential spoilers so I"ll not name them) of knowledge later in one of the alternating story lines a bit hard to believe. I found myself asking why would this character care enough to do what they did? It didn't seem they had that strong of a relationship with Joanna to support their actions.

All that said, I still highly recommend this one! It will have you asking yourself - what choice would you make?

Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book in return for an honest review.

How could a fun Friday night out with a best friend turn out so wrong?

"What do you do, [Joanna] finds herself thinking, when you think somebody is following you down a deserted strip of canal? When you could become a statistic, a news piece, a tragedy?" Joanna is not known for doing the right thing; she often ends up in messes and is a terrible procrastinator. Unfortunately, in only moments a decision has to be made. And she makes it.

In this novel, however, the narrative is unusual in that it is a parallel story line. In one of them, Joanna chooses to REVEAL (to call 999) and in the alternate reality, she decides to CONCEAL (to run away like nothing happened). Of course there are consequences in both and her life changes in that very instant in ways she could never have predicted. NO SPOILERS.

The less you know about this going in, the better. It reminded me of the "Choose Your Own Adventure" books that were popular with kids when I was a grade school librarian. In this novel, however, the author has chosen both paths for Joanna and the reader follows along as Joanna deals with the aftermath of each choice. I would have probably liked this more if I had liked Joanna. I simply could not stand her from even the beginning. She's the antithesis of me and nothing she did made any sense nor could I wrap my head around her life. I don't know if it's my age or what, but Joanna, her husband, her friends, etc. all seemed so immature and utterly ridiculous. Vapid. Banal. I was quite disappointed the further into it I got and found it very disconcerting to be flipping back and forth between the two pathways as I feel the whole story would have flowed better in a linear manner with a Part I and and Part II. But that's me, and others whose opinions I respect have rated this much higher, so the style must have worked for them. It was really annoying to get to the end and not actually find out which decision or choice she made on the steps.

I've read other books by this author and will definitely be up for her next outing despite my feelings about this one. Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam/G.P. Putnam's Sons for this e-book ARC to read and review.

Actual rating: 3.5/3.75 stars

So, the concept of this book is GENUIS. Made me feel like I was a young girl again, reading one of RL Stine's "Choose your own adventure books." which were my all-time favorite. I loved that the chapters were written in parallel storylines - REVEAL / CONCEAL - and the reader was able to join along with both.

But ... halfway through, I got incredibly bored and became totally detached from the characters. I wasn't fighting for an outcome one way or another and forced myself to keep pushing through. Utlimately, the ending was tied up nicely, but the book as a whole just didnt do it for me.

I really enjoyed her writing style and the very clever plot idea - I think with a bit more finessing of the characters, I would have been more drawn in.

I featured this book in a june roundup and will provide the details directly to the publisher in the next round of this review process.

I was really looking forward to this novel and eagerly dove into it yesterday. Unfortunately, and unlike most other reviewers, this just didn't work for me. I loved the overall premise of the story and although I typically like novels with dual timelines this back and forth between the reveal and conceal just frustrated me. But my main issue was with Joanna herself. She just seemed like a whiny child from beginning to end (although I did a lot of skimming to get through this). I never really saw any growth from her or any redeeming qualities. I wasn't even halfway through when I decided that I didn't care what she did or what happened to her.

This has a lot of great reviews, so decide for yourself. But for me, this was tedious and exhausting.

*thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Many thanks to NetGalley, GP Putnam's Sons, and Gillian McAllister for the opportunity to read this fantastic book - 5 stars for such a creatively-written story that I could not put down.

Joanna is with her best friend, Laura, for a night out at a local pub. They're having a good time but there's that guy who just won't leave Joanna alone and it turns from annoying to scary. The friends decide to leave and head different directions out of the pub. Still shaken, Joanna hears footsteps following her and they keep following her. She looks down behind her and sees the man wearing the same shoes as the guy from the pub - as he gets next to her, she pushes him, and he falls down a flight of stairs. And she has to make The Choice. Does she leave and pretend it didn't happen? Or does she call for help? From that decision point, the book is then divided into two chapters with completely different storylines - Reveal and Conceal.

I just loved the way this book was written and how easily I was able to slip into each life version stemming from The Choice. Shows how one split second decision can affect our entire lives and of all those around us. Highly recommended! Can't wait to read her next book!

Stay or go. Fight or flight. Truth or dare.
Which is it to be?

This line perfectly sums up Gillian McAllister's new release, The Choice. Joanna Oliva is out for a girls night, just another Friday night. Walking home after an altercation at the bar with a man who wouldn't leave her alone, she feels like she is being followed, and what happens next launches the subsequent choice that Joanna could make. Told in alternating chapters of reveal and conceal, Joanna either does what most would consider the "right thing" by calling EMS and waiting for them to arrive, or she walks away, pretending she was never there and trying to hide the evidence from her friends and family.

I absolutely loved the unique concept of this book. The alternating chapter format takes the reader into the realistic decision of stay or go. fight or flight. Who hasn't been in a situation like that, where they're forced to quickly make a decision where they know there is a morally responsible thing to do, but there's also the very real fear of punishment or shame for doing the right thing? This book explores the ramifications of both paths, and I absolutely flew through it, needing to know the conclusions of both decisions, and the ending certainly did not let me down. This is another Gillian McAllister must read!!

Once I finally got into this book I really couldn’t put it down. It was so engaging and I never wanted it to end and because of how real it felt but it also like I just wanted to end because of how real and attached I felt to Joanna and her story. On the other hand, I didn’t like how there was no good option with the two choices that Joanna could have made that night. I feel like we need to be more realistic with how we portray women’s emotions and in the moment reactions with these type of harassment stories. We need to realize how women are affected by the scary thoughts that go through our minds of just a guy that could be following you. I do like how McAllister is bringing such situations to light to everyone, but I felt that there should have been ONE good option instead of two bad, in all cases (relationship, mental health, law). I gave this a 4 because I was really invested in Joannas story, but didn’t love the two bad choices.

2018 UK Anything You Do Say

One quick decision made from fear while being pursued

Look back to before -
what if I made a different decision
Cannot go back

1 choice turns a good, loving, person into an enemy, a killer

Reveal -- Conceal

One second indecisive decision

Joanna and her best friend are out for a girl's night. A night where they should be able to relax and have fun, not have to worry about unwanted attention, especially when the man won't get the hint. When Joanna leaves, she knows she is being followed. Fearing for her safety, she takes matters into her own hands and pushes her would-be assailant. What follows is a story of choices. What would happen if Joanna called 999? What would happen if she just walked away?

The premise of this one is really intriguing and makes me think what would I do in that situation but overall, this was just an ok read for me. I found Joanna to be tedious and just couldn't wait for the story to end. I had issues with some spoilery plot points so if you pick this one up, let me know what you think!

Claustrophobic and utterly compelling. A recommended first purchase for all adult fiction collections. Will be extremely popular with bookclubs that favor darker reads.

What would you do? That’s the question posed in this book about a woman who makes a split section to deal with the man who has been harassing her. Joanna is being followed after she leaves a bar, followed, she’s sure, by the man who kept after her at the bar. Fed up and afraid, she turns and pushes him; he falls down an embankment and doesn’t get back up. Does she help him or leave him to his fate? A compelling and thought provoking story for all women who have had enough