Everything All At Once by Katrina Leno

Everything All at Once by Katrina Leno
Published by HarperTeen on July 25th 2017
Genres: Contemporary, Fantasy, Young Adult
Goodreads

A soaring novel by the critically acclaimed author of The Half Life of Molly Pierce and The Lost & Found, perfect for fans of Jennifer Niven and Rainbow Rowell.

Part mysterious adventure, part love letter to the power of books, this is a brilliantly woven novel about loving, reading, writing, grieving, and finding the strength to take a leap.

Lottie Reaves is not a risk taker. But she’s about to take a leap into the unknown…

When Lottie's beloved Aunt Helen dies of cancer, it upends her careful, quiet life.

Aunt Helen wasn’t a typical aunt. She was the world-famous author of the bestselling Alvin Hatter series. She knew a thing or two about the magic of writing, and how words have the power to make you see things differently.

In her will, Aunt Helen leaves Lottie a series of letters—each containing mysterious instructions. As Lottie sets about following them, she realizes they’re meant to make her take a risk, and, for once in her life, really live. But when the letters reveal an extraordinary secret about her aunt’s past—and the inspiration for the Alvin Hatter series—Lottie finds herself faced with an impossible choice, one that will force her to confront her greatest fears once and for all

I received a copy of this novel for review from the publisher. This does not influence my thoughts or this review.

I loved the author’s past novel, The Half Life of Molly Pierce, so when I saw so many positive reviews for this one, I knew I had to read it. Everything All at Once really explores grief, anxiety and surprisingly, immortality.  The premise is entirely unique, despite some of the heavy topics.

Lottie’s really missing her aunt, but so is the entire world. Her aunt was the bestselling author of the Alvin books and she was beloved by the entire world (think J.K. Rowling) but she was also one of Lottie’s closest family members. In her will, Aunt Helen leaves Lottie a long list of letters. In the letters are dares and set of instructions that Lottie must follow. What follows is a unique journey filled with a little bit of magic and a lot of adventure.

I also really loved the premise. It was entirely unique and definitely something I’ve never thought of. I also really connected with Lottie’s journey, as her anxiety was something that I really related to. I also really loved the side characters and everyone in Lottie’s life. Lottie’s world was diverse which made it far more realistic than a lot of other YA I’ve read.

Overall, Everything All At Once was a unique novel that I really enjoyed. I’d definitely recommend it for fans of contemporary YA.