ARC Book Review: In Another Universe by Jyuu Anna

I received an ARC of In Another Universe by Jyuu Anna from the author in exchange for an honest review. And if you’ve been around The Reading Lane for a while, you already know I always keep my reviews honest, whether I absolutely adore a book or it simply isn’t for me.

That said, this book wasn’t quite the right fit for me. This was… an okay read.

This is one of those books that feels very much written for today’s generation. It explores relationships, emotions, social media, texting, and the way many teenagers and people in their early twenties navigate friendships, love, and complicated feelings. In that sense, the book captures a very current way of communicating and living, and I can see how younger readers might connect with it more than I did.

One thing I struggled with was the formatting. Many paragraphs felt very long, with hardly any breaks, and after a while everything started blending together. I found myself wishing for more white space on the pages. (My eyes were begging for tiny little paragraphs.)

Another aspect that didn’t work for me was that nearly 40% of the book is told through text messages, emails, Instagram interactions, and other digital conversations. While I understand why the author chose this style, it does reflect how people communicate today, it isn’t the kind of storytelling I personally enjoy. I prefer narratives where the emotions unfold through scenes rather than screens, so this format made it difficult for me to fully immerse myself in the story.

Overall, In Another Universe was an okay read. While the writing style and format didn’t match my reading preferences, I appreciate what the author was trying to achieve. If you enjoy books that heavily incorporate chats, social media interactions, and a contemporary YA voice, this might be worth picking up. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t my universe.

Would I recommend it? If you’re a fan of chat-based storytelling and contemporary coming-of-age fiction, yes, you can give it a try. As for me, this one lands at 2 out of 5 stars.

With love and lots of stories,
The Reading Lane

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