In Some Other Life

It’s the fall of senior year, and Kennedy Rhodes has some regrets: blowing a college interview, trusting her boyfriend and best friend together, and—most profoundly—not enrolling in a prestigious private school when she had the chance. Then, while visiting the campus of the esteemed Windsor Academy, she falls and injures her head. When she regains consciousness, everything’s different. Kennedy is no longer the student editor of the Southwest Star at Southwest High. Instead, she’s the top-ranked student at Windsor, with no spare time to start up a school paper or go on dates. In a clever novel with a Sliding Doors–style setup, Brody (A Week of Mondays) examines “grass is greener” attitudes and the rippling ramifications of one’s choices. Through Kennedy’s eyes, readers see how the pressure to stay on top takes a toll on Kennedy and her family, despite her glamorous surroundings in this parallel universe. With realistically flawed characters, plenty of humor, and much to say about the perils of wish fulfillment, Brody’s novel will appeal to anyone longing for a second chance at success. Ages 12–up. Agent: Jim McCarthy, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. (Aug.)