Reviews

Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister

bdunks's review

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

dnd007's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Actually loved it 🥺

plindq's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious relaxing

3.5

recon read.
liked this way more than i thought i would. wish i could remember the twist but i think i liked it.

nemssr's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

rinkun94's review against another edition

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4.0

A Unique Time-Travel Premise:
The story follows a mother who time-travels to the past to uncover the reasons behind her son’s crime. Along the way, she discovers surprising truths about her family, particularly her husband of 18 years.

A) What I liked
- Innovative Time Travel: The protagonist doesn't just return to the past; she jumps to specific dates that provide context, allowing her to gain insights and focus on things she missed before. The contrast between past and present is poignant, especially since Jen knows the future of those she encounters. Her character is relatable. The author allows her time to learn what to take notice, allow her to admit that there are things that she doesn't remember anymore, and now she gets to live it again, full of nostalgia.
- Motherhood Reflections: The book thoughtfully explores the challenges of balancing career and family, highlighting the tough choices mothers often face.
- Partnership and Trust: It delves into the complexities of relationships, showing how lies can snowball into greater consequences when the truth finally emerges.
- Unpredictable twists: I do know the trajectory that the story will lead to, but oh boy i did not see those twists coming with Kelly, Todd, Clio and... Jen's father. We also know that the time loop and hysterical strength will continue, oh wow, how sinister!
- Butterfly effect & Scientific explanation: I'm not good with science, so I am Ok with the explanation at the end and Jen's discussion with Aldy at the beginning. Though the scientific explanation and relationship (a colleague who happens to have a-time-loop-expert friend) may seem convenient, it works within the story. I appreciated that Jen’s actions didn’t trigger a butterfly effect rightaway, giving her the freedom to make bold choices without worrying about altering the future. Jen had chosen to rescue her dad on the day he was supposed to be found dead, but on the Eve-Rescue-Day, she decided not to inform him to have health check that could lead to him being alive in the future. Her decisions, particularly regarding her father, reflect her sense of justice and determination to protect the innocent.
"(From CHATGPT) The novel's exploration of themes like motherhood, fate, and second chances adds depth to the story, making it more than just a typical thriller?"

B) What I disliked
- Repetitiveness: The book felt a bit lengthy and repetitive at times. Certain things were repeated three times, which seemed redundant and, frankly, a bit humorous.

At 30% and 50%, I struggled to stay engaged, but I’m glad I persevered. The slow pace and lengthy comparisons between the past and 2022, along with Jen's internal monologue about her relationships, paid off with the twists.

Recommendation: A worthwhile first read. While it’s not a thriller, it’s definitely a compelling mystery fiction.

sophievansaghi's review

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

jp1920's review

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adventurous mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

books_under_blankets's review

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emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

bigdaddystout's review

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mysterious reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

What an interesting story idea and execution of it. Every revelation took me by surprises. There’s so many twists and turns it’s hard to put down. It was very British with a whole lot of phrases and references I as an American didn’t recognize but it wasn’t too hard to follow. 

hayleydolbow's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75