Review: If You, Then Me by Yvonne Woon
If You, Then Me
by Yvonne Woon
Huge thanks to the author for this gifted book!
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publish Date: July 6, 2021
Hardcover
416 Pages
Standalone
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
What would you ask your future self? First question: What does it feel like to kiss someone?
Xia is stuck in a lonely, boring loop. Her only escapes are Wiser, an artificial intelligence app she designed to answer questions like her future self, and a mysterious online crush she knows only as ObjectPermanence.
And then one day Xia enrolls at the Foundry, an app incubator for tech prodigies in Silicon Valley.
Suddenly, anything is possible. Flirting with Mast, a classmate also working on AI, leads to a date. Speaking up generates a vindictive nemesis intent on publicly humiliating her. And running into Mitzy Erst, Foundry alumna and Xia’s idol, could give Xia all the answers.
And then Xia receives a shocking message from ObjectPermanence: He is at the Foundry, too. Xia is torn between Mast and ObjectPermanence—just as Mitzy pushes her towards a shiny new future. Xia doesn’t have to ask Wiser to know: The right choice could transform her into the future self of her dreams, but the wrong one could destroy her.
My Review:
I absolutely LOVED this story! Cue up an Asian girl named Xia who makes it into a very elite school called the Foundry. She has an on-line boyfriend she can tell anything to, an app she made called Wiser whom she speaks to on the reg and always feels a bit out of place.... So yes, in her naivety, she starts to make some questionable decisions.
I was happy to see that while the synopsis suggests some weird love triangle between Xia, an IRL boy and her online love... that it also was a whole lot more! It's Xia coming to terms with herself. This comes not only in gaining some confidence but also in succeeding within herself. There were so many times I wanted to shake some sense into her but I feel the experiences she went through were very realistic and very, very human. Now... the only thing I side eyed a bit was the excessive use of alcohol and slight drug usage ... especially in instances of adults providing or taking advantage because of it. Don't get me wrong, I remember what it's like to be 16 and certainly wasn't an angel but some parts of this didn't fell 100% authentic. BUT, I wouldn't be surprised in this day and age either. Ok, now I'm rambling.
I truly came to love and admire Xia throughout this read. A few things I definitely saw coming but one particular little thing I was surprised by and I love it. Was a little too neatly wrapped up? Possibly... but it absolutely worked for me.
Wiser, how do I get people to read this book? 😉 Seriously, readers and friends, this is an adorable story and would highly recommend.
★★★★
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