Stevie is new in Millbrook, pretty and a talented musician. Her father moves them around a lot because he’s an NFL coach. Shane and Drew, best friends since childhood, fall for her immediately. They settle who gets to ask her out the way they always have, so they don’t get into a fight: they flip a coin. Where It All Lands tells what would happen if the coin landed one way or the other. In the first part, the coin lands in favor of Drew. The second part covers what would happen if Shane won. And the last part is told in alternating chapters between the two universes. Told from the points of view of Drew, Shane, and Stevie, this book tells a couple different love stories and the story of friendship and loyalty.

I grew to like the characters over time, especially Shane. Stevie annoyed me, and so did Drew. Both of them show such disregard for personal property, particularly when it comes to phones. When Stevie is with Drew, wearing his hoodie, his phone goes off and she reads the message, blatantly without apology. When Shane gets a text from Stevie, Drew grabs his phone and reads the whole conversation. No one says a word against this and it really rubbed me the wrong way. I do like how respectful Drew and Shane were of each other, even as the other dated or attempted to date Stevie. Neither of them made a move on her while the other was interested. Their relationship, having been friends for ten years, really shines and I would have liked to see more from their perspectives regarding each other. I think it would have really illuminated their relationship and their pasts and given a better foundation to the story.

The two timelines were markedly different and I didn’t get bored. Some things were rehashed but most things were entirely different. Even Stevie’s relationship with her father was different. Her father didn’t like Drew because he made Stevie come home late literally once (way too strict and judgmental towards a daughter he hardly sees). With Shane, her father was much less strict, even when it came to a concert in New York City. It was just so weird that Stevie’s father was almost entirely absent from the story during Shane’s part because he wasn’t contentious with Shane.

At first, I wasn’t sold on this story. The similarities between the three characters felt too perfect; they all have dad issues and all are great musicians. Shane is a drummer, Stevie plays the saxophone, and Drew is a singer, though he also plays the trumpet, albeit badly. In each part, Stevie becomes good friends with Shane as helps her practice for the All-State band. But in the second part, in which Shane wins, Drew kind of falls by the wayside. Stevie has interactions with him but a majority of the focus is on Shane and Stevie. It felt clear which timeline the author preferred. One timeline was better written than the other and had a better outcome overall, for everybody. It had more feeling and showed more of the main characters as people. The message is to just live life and enjoy it, don’t focus on the what ifs. But with one timeline having a better outcome, the message isn’t as impactful as it could have been.

Overall, I enjoyed the characters by the end. They had a lot of issues and compelling reasons to like them, even though they weren’t as explored as I would have liked. I wanted more character development and less romance. I liked the talk of music and bands, and Stevie’s relationship with her family and how that developed. The romance was okay, but I think all of them would make better friends than romantic interests. Even though it seems like I disliked a lot of things, I did eagerly finish this book. The last quarter absolutely flew by. So even though i’m nitpicking on a few things I disliked, the book was compelling enough for me to keep reading. I think fans of E. Lockhart would like this book, as would fans of Nicola Yoon and Rachel Lynn Solomon.

Fantastic concept and storyline for this one. I really loved the alternate storylines! It was done so well and really added to the story. I really appreciated the Jewish rep in this too!

This is a book for people who have wondered - "what if?"

It's hard to get my thoughts about this book into one review, because the book's two timelines are so separate in my head. There are obviously connections and similarities, but there are so many differences that going through the same few months two times doesn't feel repetitive at all. Some of the things that bothered me in the first timeline went totally differently in the second, and some things that I wished could have happened in the second happened in the first.

But the structure that makes it so difficult for me to write a review is what makes the book so compelling. Think of Community's Remedial Chaos Theory episode, where drastically different events happen based on the roll of a die - except here, it's a coin flip, with much more time to explore each timeline. The same conflicts play out in different ways, and you get new perspectives on them. It's fascinating, emotional, and very well-constructed.

I also want to mention that Stevie, one of the main characters, is Jewish! This element of her identity doesn't play a huge part in the book, but I really appreciated the moments where it was brought up, and the chance to read an ARC of this as a Jewish reviewer.

CW: major character death (car crash), past parental death (illness), bad parenting, bullying, antisemitism

This book really took me by surprise. Love triangles usually give me automatic stress because I am terrible in awkward situations but I really loved the concept of this book! It was so intriguing and held my attention. I think what I like most about this book is the realistic characterizations--these characters deal with and have dealt with very real scenarios that give depth to this story and the things that unfold. The pacing for me wasn't the best--it drug at certain points but it quickly recovered. I would absolutely have this in my classroom for kids to use as an independent reading choice!

I absolutely adored this book! At first it started off as a slow read and I wasn’t totally invested. But once I got to Part 2 I couldn’t put the book down. I cared way more about the Part 2 story line and the ending just broke my heart into a thousand pieces. Really loved it

3.75 stars rounded up!

I’m always intrigued by the ‘sliding doors’ concept, but it’s been several years since I read a book with the premise. So when I won a giveaway for an advanced copy of Where It All Lands, I was excited to pick it up. I had no idea from the synopsis that an important part of this young adult novel focuses on music and the three main characters are members of their high school band. If you’re a follower of my blog, you’ll know that music and books is just about my favorite combination ever.

As a former band nerd (who also married a fellow band nerd), I couldn’t help but be excited when the book opens with summer band practice—something I experienced (endured) four summers in a row.

So all signs were pointing to this book being an enjoying read for me, and while I did enjoy it—speeding through it in one day—it wasn’t perfect. But I was impressed with this debut, and it’s definitely a book ripe for discussion.

Maybe some very mild spoilers here, but it’s hard to discuss the book without mentioning the whole premise: I’ve seen other reviewers say they had issues with the fact that two boys toss a coin to decide who gets to ask out the girl. I didn’t have a problem with it once I saw how the author handled it. Drew and Shane have been best friends and neighbors for years, and they’ve used coin tosses to settle many arguments. So when they both want to ask out new girl Stevie, they toss a coin in the spur of the moment. They discuss afterward how it’s really just about their friendship and the fact is Stevie may not be interested in either one of them anyway. One of the boys is decidedly against the coin toss, but does go along with it. The negatives and positives of this moment that creates both timelines is thoroughly explored throughout the book.

In the beginning, I was a bit annoyed by Stevie. She can come across as self-centered when it comes to her family, but it ended up being a significant issue in one of the timelines, so I was okay with it by the end.

All three teens are dealing with some kind of daddy issues, and most of their mothers are not big role players in the novel. I would have liked to see a little bit more of those relationships fleshed out.

I loved all the musical references, and immediately started keeping track of each one so I could build a playlist. BUT I did start noticing almost all the music was older. LIKE from my own teen years in the ’90s. Which I loved but felt a little unbelievable for teens in the current time. Maybe I could buy teens who were obsessed with Pearl Jam—but teenagers who listened to Sting?? I’m pretty sure all three of my teens have never listened to a single song by Sting unless they overheard me playing it. I kept wondering why the author didn’t just set this story in the 1990s.

But—this wasn’t a major issue since I did love all the music these teens were listening to.

Typical for most young adult novels, the story did get somewhat overly dramatic at times, but not so much that I wanted to stop reading.

I also typically have a strong preference for one love interest over another when there is a triangle involved—even though this isn’t your typical triangle storyline. And I did find myself preferring Drew in the beginning but now I’m wondering if that was only because his storyline was first.

AND I might have a thing for the more troubled love interest. Thank you Will Herondale.

I couldn’t help being pulled in by Shane, who is kind and selfless, but there was also a very large part of me that just wanted an ending where Stevie chooses no one but herself. Don’t worry, no spoilers here!

While this debut had some issues, the writing was solid and I couldn’t put it down, so I would happily pick up this author’s next novel.

This was definitely an interesting way to tell a story. The dual timelines was super interesting and well done. I liked the main characters and found the story easy to follow along with.

Heads or Tails... the answer could change your fate….

Drew and Shane are best friends, despite their differences. And as best friends, they flip coins to settle debates so that they never get into fights. When they meet Stevie on the first day of band practice, both boys feel a connection and express a desire to ask her out. So naturally, they flip a coin to decide who gets to. But little do they know that one toss of a coin will decide so much more than a first date…

The beginning of this book really sucked me in. It was so strikingly written, giving us the end of the story first, that I couldn’t help but dive right in to discover how the characters would get here. On the whole, I loved the way that the story paralleled, which I felt was different than other parallel story plots. Wexler paid such close attention to detail that I could the exact small moments where the stories lined up, and where they diverged. The characters were still the same people, making similar decisions, but just on slightly altered paths. I was so intrigued by the plot and the way it was constructed that I can almost see past the fact that I felt I was missing a bit of connection with the love story between the three main characters.

And while the middle felt a little slow before the “twist”, once the story started to move at the end, well, all I can say is wow. It was beautifully crafted and beautifully written, and yet it was ambiguous. The reader is left to make their own conclusions. Normally, I don’t like an ambiguous ending, but I think that Jennie Wexler did it so well that I just really felt what she was trying to portray.

This book made me so SWOONY! told in two timelines showing how one moment can change everything, we watch Stevie fall in love not once, but twice. the family drama and trauma explored was real and raw. the relationships seemed very accurate to high school students and each character showed real development throughout both story lines.

I will definitely be recommending this book to YA readers!!

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Could a coin toss change the course of destiny?

* Pro: I loved the format of this book. It was told in three parts with parallel timelines - heads, tails, and part three alternated between the two. Wexler used these timelines so well. They played out in a way that maximized the buildup and the emotional intensity.
* Pro: My emotions! As if the first two parts of the book didn't land a gut-punch, part 3 left me a veritable puddle.
* Pro: Wexler explored so many different things, yet the book never felt like there was too much going on. Some themes that I embraced were related to friendship, second chances, first love, taking chances, and the consequence of the choices one makes. I was definitely left with lots to reflect on.
* Pro: I liked all the characters so much. I would never have been able to shed that many tears unless I was fully invested in the outcome and the fate of these characters.
* Pro: I wasn't sure how I would feel about this one, because, UGH! love triangles with best friends involved, but Wexler took an interesting approach. For me the focus wasn't necessarily the love triangle or the romance, per se, but the idea of treasuring each moment we have and not letting fear keep us from pursuing great things.
* Pro: Usually, I want a nice and tidy ending, but I made an exception for this book. Part three was split into heads and tails with each side of the coin having a different outcome. I wasn't sure how I felt about that at first, but then the more it sunk in, the more I appreciate what Wexler had done.

Overall: An emotional story that had me thinking about all the what-ifs.

This book made me absolutely lose my mind. I will never look at a coin the same ever again.

Where It All Lands follows three main characters: Stevie, Drew, and Shane. Stevie is the new girl in town, and Drew and Shane have been best friends for years. After Drew and Shane meet Stevie, both guys want to ask her out. So, the boys do what they've done for the past ten years when they've had a disagreement: flip a coin. If the coin lands on heads, Drew gets to ask Stevie out. If the coin lands on tails, Shane does.

This book is told in dual timelines via three parts: part 1 is what would've happened if Drew won the coin toss, part 2 is what would've happened if Shane won, and part 3 alternates between the two timelines. As someone who loves a good dual timeline story, this form of storytelling absolutely fascinated me. Although the two timelines happened over the same period of time (August to December), the story wasn't repetitive at all. There were some events that occurred during both timelines, but there was a large degree of change between them. Seeing what changed and what stayed the same between each timeline was really interesting; this one coin toss changed so many things in the course of these people's lives, but there were also some things that stayed the same no matter what.

This story absolutely wrecked me. I'm not going to say much because it's definitely best to go in unknowing, but this entire story threw me for a loop. It was a rollercoaster from beginning to end, and there was so much happening that I just needed to keep on reading to find out what was going to happen next. I think I experienced at least three existential crises while reading this book.

Stevie, Drew, and Shane were all very complex characters, and I found it super interesting to see how their narratives changed based on that one single event that launched this story into existence. I loved the juxtaposition between Drew and Shane, and I also really liked how much their friendship bond was emphasized. Their stories were raw and messy and not at all perfect, but I genuinely loved all three main characters. All three characters are also in band (marching band romance heheh), so I enjoyed how big of a role music played in this story.

I would like to add that even though there was a love triangle, I absolutely ate it up.

Above all, this book plays into chance and the chain of cause and effect. Its message is three-fold: some things happen for a reason, other things happen without one and their happening couldn't have been changed, and the most important thing to cherish is the journey and living in the moment, not the destination (yeah yeah cheesy but it's true).

Anyway, everyone go read this book when it comes out!! Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Note: Stevie is Jewish, but it's not my place to evaluate how good the Jewish representation in this book is. If anyone is a Jewish reviewer and has an issue with the rep, please do let me know.

TW: mentions of anti-Semitic experiences, death of loved one (off-page), grief, bullying, divorce/parental abandonment (due to infidelity), <spoiler>car accident</spoiler>, vomit, choking, insomnia

Where It All Lands is a love triangle (sort of!) / dual timeline novel about Stevie Rosenstein, the forever new girl in town, and two best friends, Drew and Shane. Stevie is always the new girl, thanks to her father’s job taking them to different cities, her family never fully unpacks and she never makes too many friends. Drew and Shane have been through a lot together: Shane’s father passing away and the deterioration of Drew’s relationship and his parent’s relationship. This book is also deep with musical references, as our three main characters are musicians who meet because of their love of music.

What I absolutely loved about this book was that the parallel timelines were not repetitive at all. Each timeline had its own rich story with unique situations, all working toward the ending. Every decision and action made has its own consequence and reaction. I loved that it kept me guessing and I didn’t actually know what would happen. I also had “Teardrops on My Guitar” by Taylor Swift in my head for about half the book and I feel like I can’t be the only one, right?!

Overall, I really enjoyed it and loved the characters. I simultaneously read and listened to the book over the course of a few days. I especially loved the audiobook and narrators. I loved that they used three narrators and I got to have a special glimpse into their worlds and their hearts.

I was really excited for the premise of Where It All Lands, but struggled to connect with this story. I'm not sure if it's the writing style, or if it's the characters, or if it's just me! I also really don't love insta-love as a trope, so I think that was part of my lack of enjoyment. Nonetheless, I feel like a lot of other people will enjoy this book, and would likely recommend it to some friends!

I did not end up reading this because the reviews dropped too low on Goodreads before I started it. I’ll give it 3 stars so my uninformed opinion is neutral.

Wow this book! So completely different than anything I’ve read in awhile. It hits the nail on the head for what if’s. How one decision and one opportunity can change the course of your life. Man oh man did it get me thinking and feeling all the feels.

The duel timeline threw me off a bit. In the end I loved it though. I loved seeing the side of both stories and feel like it’s what made the book so unique. Wexler’s writing surprised me so much being her debut, but she sure hit it out of the park!

Two high school boys toss a coin to decide which of them will get a chance to ask out a new girl, to whom they are both attracted. The book is all about what happens after that coin toss. Or is it?

This book is not quite what I expected, based on the publisher’s description. Rather than “dual timelines” which to me evokes a novel that takes place in two different time periods, Wexler has written two different stories with the same people and the same starting point. I was quite confused when, in the middle of the book, everything was sort of repeated, but in a different way with different outcomes. Once I figured out what the author was doing, I thought it was an interesting concept. The final part of the book flips back and forth between the two versions of the story.

The author poses the question - Does one random thing lead to another and another? Or is it many small decisions and twists and turns that lead us to where we are?

I enjoyed the New Jersey setting. But utimately I didn’t “get” the big deal being made over the coin toss. Stevie could’ve said yes or no to any boy who asked her out. I don’t know why Shane was so obsessed with telling her about it.

Warnings: death, divorce, drugs and alcohol use.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

OH MY GOD. THIS BOOK. TEARS WERE OVERFLOWING FOR ME. I love the concept of dual stories, showing what would have happened if that coin flipped either way. OH MY GOD. MY HEART. It definitely broke. That ending for the heads narrative... I STARTED TO REALLY CRY. LET ME JUST SAY, I was always TEAM SHANE. From the start, I always loved Shane. Drew was one of those people who always irritated me, because he was obviously one of those guys who always got what he wanted, but Shane... man, he is best friend goals, AND BOYFRIEND GOALS. I'll admit though, Shane and Drew are best friend goals :) I love how they are always there for each other no matter what. I love the character development of Stevie too. Literally though, Shane was the best character. He taught a lot of lessons to his readers, about never taking any moment for granted, and to live in the present, because you'll never know what will happen next. Life is a rocky roller coaster, and there is no way to map out what will happen next. The message that Wexler writes at the very end is a very strong and effective message: GO READ THIS BOOK PEOPLE.

Stevie’s dads job is constantly moving them from place to place and she has never felt like she had her own place. When she moves to New Jersey and meets Shane and Drew, she finally feels like things are falling into place. When the two guys flip a coin to decide which one can ask Stevie out, things get a little out of control.

This was an adorable ya novel about 3 teens whose lives all intersect. I really loved the friendship between Shane and Drew and how they were always there for each other and didn’t want to allow someone to come between that friendship. I also really enjoyed the parallel timelines, though at first it felt a bit repetitive. Overall I enjoyed this read, but I do wish it ended a bit differently.

I enjoyed the book and its premise, but there were parts that pulled me out of it.
What I liked: the "sliding doors" concept, Shane, alternating POVs, and the opportunity to talk about what is truly "fate".
What I didn't like so much: Stevie's view of the coin flip as a "bet" (which I acknowledge was necessary for the way the plot needed to move forward), the way they didn't sound like teenagers at times (especially when Stevie chews her dad out early in the book), and the music snobbery (though if you love Pearl Jam, this book will probably speak to you in ways it didn't for me).
This was an easy YA book to blast through, but it is full of daddy issues, friendship insecurities, and injury/death (not a spoiler - the opening of the book is literally a flash forward to a funeral), so if that isn't your cup of tea/ is hard for you, this might be a good one to avoid. I really did like seeing the "what if?" aspect play out (I love that convention) and for the most part liked Stevie and Drew (Shane is perfect, no notes), but they did have some annoying character moments (primarily when they didn't seem like teenagers or got caught up in their own bad thinking/thought process).
3.5 Stars.

What if a single coin flip could change someone's life? When new girl Stevie shows up on the first day, best friends Drew and Shane fall hard. But they're determined that this won't ruin their friendship, so they decide to flip a coin to see who gets to ask her out.

If you've ever wondered what would have happened if you had made a different choice, this is the book for you. Wexler takes us through both outcomes, one of which brings life and death consequences for someone within their circle. This has a perfect rhythm, as we flip back and forth from Shane, Drew and Stevie's point of view. I loved how Wexler had the same events repeat in both timelines with very different consequences.

The characters are memorable and fun. Stevie's more than just the new girl, she's someone looking for affection from a distracted football coach dad and struggling with the impact of his decision to move for his job every few years. She's a talented saxophone player who dreams of music school. Drew's a football player who loves sci-fi and looks out for his geeky best friend. And Shane's a geek with a heart of gold who wants a chance to break out of the friend zone with the girl of his dreams.

I fell in love with this story that intertwined chance, fate and teenage angst into one beautiful package.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance review copy of this book.