This is the first "sliding doors" book I've ever read. I have to admit that I was intrigued by the idea of seeing both sides of the same story. What choices would Caroline face, and what would she choose to do about them? When the dilemma was finally presented, I had to take a step back. It seemed so obvious, at least to me, what Caroline should do. Since there was no back story as to why she would want to do anything else, I started this book with a raised eyebrow.

It's true that once the book actually pushed forward, I ended up more invested. It turns out that, despite how weak the beginning felt to me, Caroline's two lives actually do play out fairly differently. Each reality had its own positives and negatives. Each one brought about its own set of problems. In fact, that's what I really enjoyed about Just Like Fate. It shows that life isn't cut and dry. One choice doesn't lead to pure happiness and the other to utter despair. Instead, they each have a bit of both.

Still, this book doesn't exactly dive as deeply as I felt it could have into the characters and their stories. I didn't learn much about Caroline overall, and I felt like things ended up predictable after a time. The romance here was cute, although not entirely believable. It was a love triangle, but then again not. In other words there were two different Carolines, but the same two guys in each. She never has to actually make a choice between them persay, yet it still feels oddly like a love triangle. I feel that if I had gotten to know them better, and maybe known Caroline better, I might have enjoyed the romance more.

Apologies if this review is all over the place, but that's how my thoughts on this book truly are. I liked the premise of Just Like Fate, adored the concept of seeing how choices affect the future, but I just couldn't get behind the execution. I did finish this book and, honestly, enjoyed the ending a lot. So I still recommend that you give it a shot! I feel it's the type of book you'll either love, or fail to click with, but it's definitely worth the journey to find out. ( )

Caroline has a difficult decision to make. Her beloved grandmother is dying and after days spent waiting by her bedside, Caroline just wants an escape from the grief and family drama. So, when her best friend suggests a night off to attend a party, Caroline is torn. Stay with Gram for what could be her final hours or go to the party and live a little? And what, exactly, would the consequences be? A future of mistakes and regrets, or resolution and acceptance? Can one decision really change the course of a life?
Co-authors Cat Patrick and Suzanne Young have given readers an interesting premise to think on--they allow Caroline to make both choices. In alternating chapters titled “Stay” and “Go”, the aftermath of each decision unfolds. Relationships with family and friends are broken and resolved. Caroline’s long-time high school crush finally notices her, but so does a new and charming college boy. Whether Caroline remains or leaves determines which parent she’ll live with, whether her best friend stays her best friend, and even how far she’ll go with the boy she loves.
What’s most revealing here is that good and bad things happen to Caroline regardless of the path she takes, and readers will have to ultimately decide for themselves which decision may have been the best one. ( )

This book just didn't appeal, although at the start I liked the split STAY and GO story lines once Caroline was visiting her dying Grandmother in the hospital. However, I didn't like either Caroline, although the GO character was slightly better and her story more interesting. For me, Chris (the GO love interest) was the most likeable character in the book. He was sweet, charming and funny, and slightly goofy. Joel, on the other hand, was horrible and I hated how Caroline behaved when she was around him. Overall, a disappointing read. ( )

Caroline is at a crossroads. Her grandmother is sick, maybe dying. Like the rest of her family, Caroline's been at Gram's bedside since her stroke. With the pressure building, all Caroline wants to do is escape--both her family and the reality of Gram's failing health. So when Caroline's best friend offers to take her to a party one fateful Friday night, she must choose: stay by Gram's side, or go to the party and live her life.

The consequence of this one decision will split Caroline's fate into two separate paths--and she's about to live them both.

Friendships are tested and family drama hits an all-new high as Caroline attempts to rebuild old relationships, and even make a few new ones. If she stays, her longtime crush, Joel, might finally notice her, but if she goes, Chris, the charming college boy, might prove to be everything she's ever wanted.

Though there are two distinct ways for her fate to unfold, there is only one happy ending...

This was the last of the titles on my 'to be read' list for Children's Book Day. Another that I'm glad I was 'made' to read.
It isn't an original or new concept - Sliding Doors did the same sort of thing - but it has enough of an original take to mean that it doesn't suffer for the comparison.
I read it quickly because other staff need to read it before the meeting, but that was all to the good. This book needs to be read quickly. The chapters alternate between the path Caroline follows having stayed on that fateful night, and what happens if she chose to go to the party. While they are clearly marked so you which storyline you are following, a disjointed read might make it difficult to keep the two threads straight.

Whether bereaved or not, many teenage girls will identify with Caroline and her problems, not to mention some of her bad choices and actions along the way. She is flawed, she is human, she is real. ( )

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Pulse for providing me a copy of this ARC; which I won in a giveaway.

I'm not usually one who likes contemporaries; but when I read the blurb (and saw the cover) I was properly intrigued. I haven't read too many of the (what I now know are called) "sliding-doors" books. After reading this book, I will be seeking them out.

We have Caroline who is faced with a choice; just one choice that can totally change her life and split them into two paths. One path is where she stays by her grandmothers side in the hospital. Down the other path she chooses to leave for a party after being by her family's side for days while her grandmother is ill.

Both choices left pros and cons. I found myself wishing she had stayed at first, but then wishing she had left so she could meet Chris. I adore Chris. He's one of my favorite literary boys I've read in awhile. He's unique; I mean he doesn't remind me of any other boys in any YA books-- which is beyond cool. And them together? Their banter had me laughing out loud numerous times. I could feel how good Chris is for her. Their relationship was real; to the point where since I finished reading this book, in other books I'm like, Nope! Their "love" is too fake! So kudos to this book for reminding me that teenage love can be written really well. which I already know but it's good to be reminded

So we also have the go chapters which switch off with the Stay chapters. Yeah, its a little confusing at first but the bottom of the pages are marked. So, if Caroline stayed by her grandmother she would be with her forever-crush, Joel. Joel is a douchebag. Horrible. And it takes awhile, and quite a bit of damage for her to realize that. Also, there's her sister and mother. Caroline doesn't really get along with her sister, at all. It's like they don't understand each other and it only gets worse down that path. I don't want to ruin any of the story; so ill skip to the end. What can I say? The ending was, in one word, perfect. Yes, perfect. 5 f*ckin stars. No joke. Let me try to explain..

See, I was a Philosphy minor in college. I basically spent 6 years of my life discussing, reading and debating the concept of "fate". Does fate exist? What are the implications? Oh golly, these unanswerable questions get my juices flowing. (Ew?) But seriously, I've given this a lot of thought. My most...pleasing answer is, yes; in some form fate does exist. We make our choices, good and bad, and we lead our lives based on our choices. But not entirely. There are some things that end up happening no matter what we choose. It may take us longer to get there (ahem, Caroline); but we get there.
This is exactly the lesson this book gives, in the end. I think more than the excellent writing, deep characters, and funny dialogue; that is why I gave Just Like Fate 5 stars.

What are you waiting for? Go get this book! ( )