Some Other Now, written by Sarah Everett, reviewed by Bethany Bratney

Summary:  Told in sections past and present, titled “Then” and “Now”, Some Other Now is the story of Jessi. In the past, she is best friends with neighbor Rowan Cohen, whose mother, Mel, is her role model and whose older brother, Luke, is Jessi’s first crush. Jessi has been dealing with her own mother’s debilitating depression, but time spent with the Cohen’s is always the perfect distraction. Until Jessi is diagnosed with cancer and everything changes. In the present, Jessi is separated from Rowan, estranged from Luke, and is too ashamed of some choices to talk to Mel. But as Mel gets sicker, Luke returns from school and unexpectedly approaches Jessi about a fake-dating arrangement that is sure to bring joy to Mel in her last days. The mystery of this story is in the middle as readers wonder about what has happened to all of Jessi’s relationships that have brought her to this point, and how they might end up as Mel’s health increasingly worsens.

Straight Talk for Librarians:  Some Other Now was an incredibly moving story about family love, relationship drama, and the difficulties of moving from childhood to adulthood. Jessi’s relationship with each of the Cohens is in perpetual motion, which kept me thoroughly engaged and excited to see what would happen next. The different stages of romance with Luke were dramatic and fraught with emotion in a very satisfying way, though some steamy scenes probably make this most appropriate for high school readers. I was drawn in by the complexity of Jessi’s relationship with her own parents. Her mother is absent from her life for large periods of time while she struggles with her depression, but seeing her as she is seeking treatment in the present is an eye-opening look into a critical perspective on mental health. This book was an incredible page-turner and will be an easy and popular choice for any students looking for serious realistic fiction with a heavy dose of romance.