3:59 by Gretchen McNeil. HarperCollins Publishers, September 2013. ARC received for review.

This book falls under the category of science fiction. It’s about a girl named Josie Byrne, a scientific genius with a not-so perfect life. Recently, her parents divorced, she lost her job, and she broke up with her boyfriend. To make things even worse, Josie is immersed in finding a way to prove the Penrose Interpretation. On top of all of that, there are many sudden reports of mysterious murders in the area.

One night, Josie has a dream of another girl, Jo. Jo’s life seems to be perfect: She’s popular, she has the most fabulous closet, and she has the perfect boyfriend. Josie keeps on having these dreams at exactly the same time: 3:59. So when Josie looks through a mirror in her bedroom at that exact time, she sees a girl that looks just like her, looking back at her. Only it isn’t Josie’s reflection; it’s Jo.

Josie and Jo make an agreement to switch places for a day. But Josie soon realizes that Jo’s life is the exact opposite of perfect. It’s a nightmare.

I’m going to just come right out and say it: I really liked this book. There were so many times where I’d literally be on the edge of my seat, eyes glued on the book. 3:59 is a great, thrilling novel that is perfect for science fiction people like me. McNeil ties mystery, science, and suspense into one good book. The plot is fantastic.

My only problem was that maybe McNeil incorporated a little too many “science-y” things. Some parts were a little confusing only because it seemed like the characters were talking in another language. Another thing that sort of bothers me is the characters. I’m not so sure how each character changes over the course of the book. It might say that Josie changed over time, but it wasn’t very clear how she changed.

All in all, I would strongly recommend this book to someone who likes science-fiction and a good thriller. I rate it a 4 out of 5 stars!