I had a hard time reading this one in the beginning. But once I figured it out I was okay. Not as great as I hoped it to be but creative and unique nonetheless.

Meet Me at the Crossroads by Megan Giddings in theory was a great concept, but the execution fell flat for me. The writing was disjointed, meandering, and in the style of running stream of consciousness which I am not necessarily a fan of. The character development was pretty shallow and not overly complex. In addition, the writing style was often superfluous, using more words than necessary. I wish more time was spent on character and plot development as well as on the origins/purpose of the doors.

Thank you Amistad and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Rating: 2 Stars
Pub Date: Jun 03 2025

#Amistad
#MeetMeattheCrossroads
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I was a part of the tour for this book. I ended up DNF'ing the book. While the concept was interesting, I didn't enjoy the parts I've read. With that said... I can see this book having an audience. I just don't think I was the targeted audience.

I thought the writing style was too pretentious. The author gives too little space to the interesting idea of the doors and the discussion around religion they bring and spends far too much time on the FMC's endless internal monologues. Too much of the book focuses on the main character's thoughts and feelings instead of focusing on the existence of the doors which was what attracted me to the book in the first place.

The characters are completely paper thin. There's just not much to latch on to. I would recommend this to literary fiction readers who are interested in exploring the themes of grief, faith, and philosophy within a light science fiction framework. But I think many science fiction readers will be disappointed, as I was.

Thank you Netgalley, author, and publisher for the ARC.

This wasn't really the fantastical novel about portals I was hoping for. It was more of a grief-filled slice of life literary story about problematic teens becoming problematic adults. Very Catcher and the Rye, but less interesting. To say I was bored and underwhelmed is a massive understatement. After not liking this and DNFing Lakewood, it's safe to say Giddings' work just isn't for me.

I was really excited to read this one as I am becoming a speculative fan, however this one fell flat for me. From what I red about 35% in -I wanted more of the twin relationship and sisters on the page together. As a twin myself I am drawn to twin stories, but this one did not resonate at all. Sorry couldn't finish, but may revisit if ever a book club pick. The writing was well done however, just not the story for me.

The first part of the book is about these mysterious doors that have appeared on Earth. I found this section of the book to be really interesting and well-written. I was engaged. Then, the book became about twin sisters, Ayanna and Olivia, and the disappearance of Olivia through one of the doors. The story then becomes part coming of age for Ayanna and part ghost story. I struggled to get through this section of the book. I kept putting the book down and reading something else. I just didn’t connect with characters or their story, which was disappointing. I kept wanting to read more about the doors and this book was mostly about grief and guilt. If that sounds like something you’d be interested in, you can give this book a try. It does have beautiful prose, and I have enjoyed Giddings’s writing in the past. This one just did not work for me.

I featured Meet Me at the Crossroads in my June 2025 new releases video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6q31xhbo1tE, and though I have not read it yet, I am so excited to and expect 5 stars! I will update here when I post a follow up review or vlog.

Seven doors appear randomly around the world. If one opens for you, would you enter?

Meet Me at the Crossroads ask this and so much more. It’s a story centered around family and faith through themes of grief, guilt, and growth.

Told in three parts, we see the bond of twin sisters Ayanna and Olivia tested. When the doors arrive everyone is curious, but over time there are those who have faith in the doors and others who consider them pointless. It’s intricate and powerful to see the way that Ayanna and Olivia fall on different sides of this spectrum and navigate their own sisterhood, as well as that of their differing and divorced parents.

Tension is only heightened when Olivia, a non believer, is the one to go missing after an exploration of the doors. Ayanna finds herself more alone than ever left to grieve her twin while watching her family unravel around her. A majority of the story is the inner monologue, reflection, and journey of Ayanna as the surviving twin.

This is a highly emotional and lyrical read. The initial concept is one that will hook many readers. Though I would recommend this for fans of literary fiction. The pacing is intentionally slow and begging to be read with care. There are so many readers who will connect to Ayanna and revel in the world of curiosity and connection that Giddings has built

Meet Me at the Crossroads is a haunting, lyrical exploration of choice, grief, and identity. Megan Giddings weaves speculative elements with emotional depth, creating a story that lingers long after the final page. Powerful, thought-provoking, and utterly original.

Twins Ayanna and Olivia couldn’t be more different. Raised apart after their parents’ divorce, their bond isn’t what you’d expect from twins. After a heartbreaking tragedy, Ayanna and her family are left to navigate grief, each in their own way. Over time, while her birth family falls apart, Ayanna builds a new one that gives her strength and belonging. Eventually, she decides not to let grief define her, and that choice leads her to the closure she truly needs.

I really enjoyed this book, it was a quick, engaging read. I love a story that involves a found family, one of my favorite themes.

Although ultimately not what I was expecting, or wanting really, this did feel like it did what it set out to do. I was thinking this would be much more focused on the “doors” to other worlds and the speculative nature surrounding these. This plays a small part in the beginning, with the majority of the story taking place after an accident that our MC blames herself for. The story is about her journey with grief, shame, and self-imposed blame as well as external. It is about her trying to find the beauty in her life as is and accepting that she is deserving of happiness.

Although slow and a bit meandering through the middle, I did appreciate her journey. There were some lovely meditations on life and humanity and faith throughout. I like Giddings’s writing and will continue to pick up their work, but I need to remember to not expect something specific going in.

I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Special thanks to the author, @amistadbooks, & @hearourvoicestours for my gifted copy‼️

Delivering a mind-bending speculative fiction novel that ventures into faith, religion, love, loss, and grief. Giddings presents readers with a rare premise that’s both intriguing and thought provoking but feels just a little bit off.

The heart of the novel surrounds the appearance of seven mysterious doors that lead to other worlds. These dimensions appear welcoming with its unique beauty and magical resources but what truly lies beyond the unknown is danger. Twin sisters Ayanna and Olivia would soon find out what’s on the other side of those doors. Leaving one sister lost forever and the other drowning in grief.

Olivia and Ayanna were very different to be twins. With each of them growing up in different households their complex traits and upbringing make it hard for them to connect. Olivia was only present briefly and of the twins she seemed the most normal. Ayanna’s upbringing resulted in her having this weird mysterious personality just think of Carrie. And with her being a central figure in the plot the book has this strange uncanny feeling the entire time.

But the book posed two questions for me: Why was there a culture of door worshippers? What causes people to be so drawn to the unknown?

Once Olivia disappears Ayanna is driven by faith that her sister will return yet she struggles the entire time holding on to that belief. It’s also evident that them entering the portal attached something spiritually to Ayanna when she returned. The relationship with her parents is practically nonexistent. It’s evident in her mother’s behavior that she wished it was her instead.

Overall, the book was like nothing I’ve ever read before. Giddings has a unique writing style that’s very detailed but also leaves something to ponder on if that makes sense. Delving deep into the fate of family, the consequences of curiosity, the struggle to find meaning, human nature, accepting faith, and self-identity if you’re a fan of Megan Giddings prior work you’ll enjoy this book‼️

First, let me say that I am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion of this fascinating book.

When the book began, the idea grabbed me. A supernatural phenomenon occurs, and a group of people decide to build a religion around it - cool. Then, tragedy strikes, and the world of our MFC, Ayanna, comes crashing down. From there, it becomes a series of experiences that bear some resemblance to the movie The Sixth Sense.

It was dark, full of heartbreak and sadness, but well written. The pacing for me was rough, so I found myself taking longer to read it because I would often fall asleep. However, the resolution at the end was, in my opinion, satisfying. I'm glad I didn't give up on it.

Thank you to Netgalley, Amistad, and Megan Giddings for the advance reader's copy of "Meet Me at the Crossroads".

3Stars – A Fascinating Premise That Lost Me a Bit

Meet Me at the Crossroads has a premise that immediately drew me in, magical portal doors, twin sisters, and the idea that each door is interpreted differently by each person. It’s such an imaginative concept, and I loved how it explored themes of choice, fate, and personal perception through that lens.
However, the book wasn’t quite the right fit for me. I went into it expecting more fantasy elements, and while there are definitely fantastical aspects, they often felt flat. At times, I found myself confused about who I was following in the narrative. The shifting perspectives and fragmented structure made it difficult to stay grounded in the story, and I struggled to fully connect with the characters because of it.
That said, Megan Giddings has crafted something bold and ambitious here. The twisted, sometimes disorienting tone might really work for readers who enjoy speculative fiction. It just didn’t hit the notes I was hoping for, though I absolutely respect the creativity behind it.

3.75 stars rounded up. Overall, the book was gorgeously written and thought-provoking, with the book’s greatest strength is its atmospheric, dreamlike setting. The premise, a sudden appearance of mysterious doors to another world, was unique and interesting, coupled with the coming of age story that explored family dynamics and cultural dynamics around race, religion, and education.

However, the novel falls short slightly in its structure and focus. The narrative tends to wander, shifting between themes and threads in ways that can feel disjointed. I acknowledge that this may appeal to readers with different styles, but wasn’t for me personally!

For fans of speculative fiction, literary, portal fantasy, and contemporary, I definitely recommend picking it up.

Thank you NetGalley and Amistad for an advance copy. It’s out now - opinions are my own!

On a summer morning, seven doors pop up across the world. When they open, they show different worlds. Ayanna and Olivia are twin sisters who have differing views about what these other worlds are. Ayanna sides with her dad, who is a prominent member of a religion surrounding the doors. Olivia is more wary of the doors and the worlds they lead to, siding with her mom. Since their parents split up, Ayanna lives with their dad and Olivia with their mom. The teens come together at a pivotal point in Ayanna's life, but one of them won't be there after. Will the remaining twin succeed on her own and find out what happened to the missing twin?

The synopsis is what sold me on Megan Gidding’s new novel, Meet me at the Crossroads. I mean: portal fantasy with an air of family drama involving twin sisters (one of them missing).

While I liked this book in the end (enough to give it a high rating on goodreads), I think the synopsis gave me the wrong impression, which initially clouded how I viewed the story. Let me explain.

Meet me at the Crossroads was portal fantasy, but it also wasn’t at the same time. The portal aspect had a presence in the story but much smaller than I assumed it would be. And that’s on me for assuming. The portals (the mysterious doors) inhabited an almost metaphorical role. While, if I look at the story from a more literary fiction angle, then the way it handles its subject and theming makes more sense to me.

Meet Me at the Crossroad was, essentially, a study of characters, grief, and depression—or the study of grief and complicated relationships through the novel’s characters. It was also kind of a haunting as well as a story about the aftermath of tragedy (how it can destroy a life and tear apart a family; and it did go to some dark places).

And, I don’t mean that as a criticism, though. I think the book did well with those aspects, especially since I was, by the end, far more interested in the characters and the resolution of the interpersonal relationships than I was about the doors specifically.

In terms of the doors, by the end, they were fine. They were a subject often not just discussed between the characters but also researched/theorized throughout the story. But, it was also an experience that impacted them in a myriad of ways, whether good or bad—creating extraordinary circumstances or some of the worst tragedies (and sometimes the lines blurred so much it often felt like a combination of the two).

While I had a somewhat rocky start, the complexity of Ayanna’s story was something I loved!

Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (Amistad) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you!

Seven mysterious doors suddenly appear that may lead to another world. Ayanna and Olive, twin sisters have different ideas of what the doors might be due to growing up being raised by divorced parents. Olive goes missing after an exploration at the doors and Ayanna is left to deal with the fallout in her own life.

Megan Giddings is such a talented author and this was a very ambitious book. It is a beautiful and unique story about love, family and faith. We follow Ayanna through her life attempting to deal with the grief of losing her sister and mother in very different ways. I look forward to doing an audio reread of this book soon. Megan is an auto buy author for me and I can't wait to see what she does next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amistad for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Not sure how I even feel about this. At times I was all about it and loved what I was reading, then two pages later I'd be ready to DNF. Back and forth like this for the whole thing.

The writing was lovely and melancholy, but there were too many times I wanted to stop to rate this much higher.