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The Girl I Was
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“If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.�
Alexis Spencer will use any inspirational quote to rationalize her failures and shortcomings. Her closest friends are a distant memory, and her college debt is still as high as the day she left—but that’s all fine and dandy, because “whatever will be, will be.� However, when Alexis loses her job and her relationship on the same day, there’s no quote strong enough to help her cope. In typical fashion, she blames the world for her problems, including her younger self, who should have tried harder. Feeling sorry for herself, Alexis finds a bottle of vodka from her college days and goes on a bender, blacking out in the process. Only this time she doesn’t wake up at home—or even in the right city. In fact, she isn’t even in the right year.
Alexis Spencer will use any inspirational quote to rationalize her failures and shortcomings. Her closest friends are a distant memory, and her college debt is still as high as the day she left—but that’s all fine and dandy, because “whatever will be, will be.� However, when Alexis loses her job and her relationship on the same day, there’s no quote strong enough to help her cope. In typical fashion, she blames the world for her problems, including her younger self, who should have tried harder. Feeling sorry for herself, Alexis finds a bottle of vodka from her college days and goes on a bender, blacking out in the process. Only this time she doesn’t wake up at home—or even in the right city. In fact, she isn’t even in the right year.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published November 16, 2021
1,999 people are currently reading
69.2k people want to read
About the author
Jeneva Rose
17books30.3kfollowersJeneva Rose is the New York Times bestselling author of several novels, including the multi-million copy bestseller, The Perfect Marriage. Her work has been translated into more than two dozen languages and optioned for film/tv. Originally from Wisconsin, she currently lives in Chicago with her husband, Drew, and her English bulldogs, Winston and Phyllis Vance.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,467 reviews
January 13, 2024
4.5 ⭐️
� Here’s to you, you dumb b****. I wish I could fix you, that I could go back in time and fix every mistake I ever made. I wish you had a freaking clue. I wish I could take back every stupid thing you every did�
What would you say to your 18 year old self, if you had the chance to go back in time? 👀I would first slap my younger self across the face, than pull out a laundry list of things I need myself to know. You know that saying- “if I knew what I know now…� or “the youth is wasted on the young�
⭐️The rating is strictly out of enjoyment. I had so much fun reading this book. ⭐️
The Plot-
Alexis is a 30 something year old who lives her life as a “free spirt�. She thinks life problems can be solved with alcohol and inspirational quotes. One day Alexis hits rock bottom. The love of her life breaks-up with her. She gets fired and she has no real friends anymore.. Distraught with her life, she decides to do what she know best, get drunk and try to forget about her problems. On this particular night, while getting mindlessly drunk she wishes she can go back in time and fix her college self.
The next morning, Alexis wakes up all discombobulated in a frat house. No shoes, mascara running down her face and realizes she is in the year 2002, at her old college campus. On top of all of this, she runs into her 18 year old rambunctious self that goes by the name “Lexi�. She needs to convince Lexi that she is from the future and she is here to make sure Lexi makes the right choices so her life doesn’t end up the way it is.
� Its odd that when we look back, the big moments are the little ones, an the little one are actually the big ones�
Writing and Pace- Told in Alexis POV. This was such a quick read. The pace in this book was steady. I didn’t feel bored at all while reading this book. You can find a lot of “inspirational quotes� in this story. Which had me laughing but also feeling nostalgic. I remember a time when everyone would post an inspiration quote for everything. Mad at your man?! Posting a quote about it. Mad at your friends? Posting a quote. Mad at your mom? Post a quote lol. There is a lot of pop culture references, which normally I would not like. But I think it was needed in this book so that you could really transport back to 2002 and capture the vibe and also see the difference between todays world. The first half is definitely a different vibe than the last half of the book. The second half really ended up getting “heavy�.
“Pop culture in the early 2000s really messed me up- probably all women for that matter. Thank god for the body positivity movement�
🗣️TW- Eating Disorder. I do want to mentioned that when Alexis time travels back to 2000s the writing is a product of that time. There’s a lot of references about body image and how Lexi is upset she is no longer 100lbs while looking at her future self. Lexi does “fat shame� her friends and her 30 year old self. I remember growing up in that time and seeing magazines and entertainment shows,calling pop stars “fat� and you had to be a certain weight to be consider attractive. And this is far from the truth. You can be whatever make you comfortable. I want to let y’all know you are beautiful 😍 eat the cake, eat the pasta, or don’t. do whatever makes you happy. please don’t let social media ruin you mental health and tell you how you need to look or what makes you beautiful. 💖
“The hardest things to admit are the thing we have to admit to ourselves. I known that I’am the problem, but I also know i’am the solution. There’s still time for me to change, still time for me to make things better�
My Thoughts- I LOVE everything about this book. I wasn’t expecting that at all. This book has been sitting on my shelf forever. I was feeling slumpy and just randomly started reading this book and it was exactly what I needed! I could not put this book down. I laughed out loud so many times. I cried (was not expecting that either). I had closure. I really was rooting for Alexis. This plot really makes you think and reflect on your own life. Let’s be serious we all wish we could go back in time and change at least one thing.
👏Would I recommend this book? Absolutely. This obviously is not a groundbreaking novel. It’s a fun read. I think millennials would really enjoy this book. But I also think anyone, any age would love this book and could relate to it in someway.
“Everything is okay in the end, and if it’s not okay, then it’s not the end.�
Playlist-
🎶Good News- Mac Miller
🎶Say Don’t Go- Taylor Swift
🎶Angels Like You- Miley Cyrus
🎶Used To Be Young- Miley Cyrus
🎶Dirty- Christina Aguilera
🎶Shots- LMFAO
🎶Complicated- Arvil Lavigne
🎶What was I made for- Billie Ellish
🎶Truth Hurts- Lizzo
🎶What A Girl Wants- Christina Aguilera
🎶Dont Let Me Get Me- Pink
🎶Bye, Bye, Bye- NYSNC
🎶Slim Shady- Eminem
🎶Ride Wit Me-Nelly
🎶A Thousand Miles- Vanessa Carlton.
🎶Get Busy- Sean Paul
🎶Lose yourself - Eminem
🎶Without me- Eminem
🎶Work it- Missy Elliot
🎶I’ll stand by you- The Pretenders
🎶Gimmie the light- Sean Paul
🎶Get The Party Started- Pink
🎶As Long As You Love Me- Backstreet Boys
🎶Dog Days Are Over- Florence + The Machine
”my guess is he thought I was a diamond in the rough that needed time to develop. Turns out, I was actually just a dirty rock� 😭😂
� Here’s to you, you dumb b****. I wish I could fix you, that I could go back in time and fix every mistake I ever made. I wish you had a freaking clue. I wish I could take back every stupid thing you every did�
What would you say to your 18 year old self, if you had the chance to go back in time? 👀I would first slap my younger self across the face, than pull out a laundry list of things I need myself to know. You know that saying- “if I knew what I know now…� or “the youth is wasted on the young�
⭐️The rating is strictly out of enjoyment. I had so much fun reading this book. ⭐️
The Plot-
Alexis is a 30 something year old who lives her life as a “free spirt�. She thinks life problems can be solved with alcohol and inspirational quotes. One day Alexis hits rock bottom. The love of her life breaks-up with her. She gets fired and she has no real friends anymore.. Distraught with her life, she decides to do what she know best, get drunk and try to forget about her problems. On this particular night, while getting mindlessly drunk she wishes she can go back in time and fix her college self.
The next morning, Alexis wakes up all discombobulated in a frat house. No shoes, mascara running down her face and realizes she is in the year 2002, at her old college campus. On top of all of this, she runs into her 18 year old rambunctious self that goes by the name “Lexi�. She needs to convince Lexi that she is from the future and she is here to make sure Lexi makes the right choices so her life doesn’t end up the way it is.
� Its odd that when we look back, the big moments are the little ones, an the little one are actually the big ones�
Writing and Pace- Told in Alexis POV. This was such a quick read. The pace in this book was steady. I didn’t feel bored at all while reading this book. You can find a lot of “inspirational quotes� in this story. Which had me laughing but also feeling nostalgic. I remember a time when everyone would post an inspiration quote for everything. Mad at your man?! Posting a quote about it. Mad at your friends? Posting a quote. Mad at your mom? Post a quote lol. There is a lot of pop culture references, which normally I would not like. But I think it was needed in this book so that you could really transport back to 2002 and capture the vibe and also see the difference between todays world. The first half is definitely a different vibe than the last half of the book. The second half really ended up getting “heavy�.
“Pop culture in the early 2000s really messed me up- probably all women for that matter. Thank god for the body positivity movement�
🗣️TW- Eating Disorder. I do want to mentioned that when Alexis time travels back to 2000s the writing is a product of that time. There’s a lot of references about body image and how Lexi is upset she is no longer 100lbs while looking at her future self. Lexi does “fat shame� her friends and her 30 year old self. I remember growing up in that time and seeing magazines and entertainment shows,calling pop stars “fat� and you had to be a certain weight to be consider attractive. And this is far from the truth. You can be whatever make you comfortable. I want to let y’all know you are beautiful 😍 eat the cake, eat the pasta, or don’t. do whatever makes you happy. please don’t let social media ruin you mental health and tell you how you need to look or what makes you beautiful. 💖
“The hardest things to admit are the thing we have to admit to ourselves. I known that I’am the problem, but I also know i’am the solution. There’s still time for me to change, still time for me to make things better�
My Thoughts- I LOVE everything about this book. I wasn’t expecting that at all. This book has been sitting on my shelf forever. I was feeling slumpy and just randomly started reading this book and it was exactly what I needed! I could not put this book down. I laughed out loud so many times. I cried (was not expecting that either). I had closure. I really was rooting for Alexis. This plot really makes you think and reflect on your own life. Let’s be serious we all wish we could go back in time and change at least one thing.
👏Would I recommend this book? Absolutely. This obviously is not a groundbreaking novel. It’s a fun read. I think millennials would really enjoy this book. But I also think anyone, any age would love this book and could relate to it in someway.
“Everything is okay in the end, and if it’s not okay, then it’s not the end.�
Playlist-
🎶Good News- Mac Miller
🎶Say Don’t Go- Taylor Swift
🎶Angels Like You- Miley Cyrus
🎶Used To Be Young- Miley Cyrus
🎶Dirty- Christina Aguilera
🎶Shots- LMFAO
🎶Complicated- Arvil Lavigne
🎶What was I made for- Billie Ellish
🎶Truth Hurts- Lizzo
🎶What A Girl Wants- Christina Aguilera
🎶Dont Let Me Get Me- Pink
🎶Bye, Bye, Bye- NYSNC
🎶Slim Shady- Eminem
🎶Ride Wit Me-Nelly
🎶A Thousand Miles- Vanessa Carlton.
🎶Get Busy- Sean Paul
🎶Lose yourself - Eminem
🎶Without me- Eminem
🎶Work it- Missy Elliot
🎶I’ll stand by you- The Pretenders
🎶Gimmie the light- Sean Paul
🎶Get The Party Started- Pink
🎶As Long As You Love Me- Backstreet Boys
🎶Dog Days Are Over- Florence + The Machine
”my guess is he thought I was a diamond in the rough that needed time to develop. Turns out, I was actually just a dirty rock� 😭😂
January 8, 2023
Oh my heart !!❤️ - I LOVED this book!! ❤️ I read my first @jenevaroseauthor book last month� and it made my top 10 of 2022!! This very well is going to be a favorite read as well for this year!! 🥳🥳
Why did I love it SO much?! I connected at every level to this book!! It gave me ALL the feels!! It was FUN…emotional.. and unique!! Okay listen to this�
Let’s jump back to 2002! 😎 Who is with me!! 🙋♀� Let’s go back armed with our current information and “fix� our younger selves!! That is exactly what happened to Alexis� she time hopped back to her college days� when she was known as Lexi. 🥳 📚🥂🍷🍹🥃🍺🍻
CONFESSION TIME� I literally could be Lexi..😂🤫 I too was a party girl…🥂� I also made terrible choices..🙄…There is ALOT my adult boring self would change. 🙄
The timeline in 2002 was soo damn FUN!! I must have laughed a million times!! 😂I wanted to scream SAME GIRL 🙌🙌 Okay so let’s say you aren’t someone that made mistakes� first of all� who are you?! 😂 However � I dare you not to love when Lexi goes home� OMG my heart…❤️� I can say no more� 🤫🤐 As if I didn’t love the book before that� well that definitely sealed the deal!! 🥰
I flew through this book!! It’s a super fast read and I couldn’t put it down. The characters are so well developed that I felt I knew them all!! You MUST read the author’s note� again� my heart…❤� Obviously @jenevaroseauthor has shot straight to the top of my favorite author list! ⬆️ Having read two 5 star ⭐️ books in a row!! Her writing resonates with me.. I can't recommend it enough.
Why did I love it SO much?! I connected at every level to this book!! It gave me ALL the feels!! It was FUN…emotional.. and unique!! Okay listen to this�
Let’s jump back to 2002! 😎 Who is with me!! 🙋♀� Let’s go back armed with our current information and “fix� our younger selves!! That is exactly what happened to Alexis� she time hopped back to her college days� when she was known as Lexi. 🥳 📚🥂🍷🍹🥃🍺🍻
CONFESSION TIME� I literally could be Lexi..😂🤫 I too was a party girl…🥂� I also made terrible choices..🙄…There is ALOT my adult boring self would change. 🙄
The timeline in 2002 was soo damn FUN!! I must have laughed a million times!! 😂I wanted to scream SAME GIRL 🙌🙌 Okay so let’s say you aren’t someone that made mistakes� first of all� who are you?! 😂 However � I dare you not to love when Lexi goes home� OMG my heart…❤️� I can say no more� 🤫🤐 As if I didn’t love the book before that� well that definitely sealed the deal!! 🥰
I flew through this book!! It’s a super fast read and I couldn’t put it down. The characters are so well developed that I felt I knew them all!! You MUST read the author’s note� again� my heart…❤� Obviously @jenevaroseauthor has shot straight to the top of my favorite author list! ⬆️ Having read two 5 star ⭐️ books in a row!! Her writing resonates with me.. I can't recommend it enough.
January 17, 2024
Wow. I LOVED this book.. 💞
“The plant and I have a lot in common, both a little rough around the edges with the inability to properly care for ourselves.�
Brief Summary
When Alexis hit rock bottom, she turns to drinking and she ends up blacking out after a bender. She finds herself transported back to 2002, back in her college days. Where she must learn how to live with and love her unruly 18 year old self.
"What’s a Kardashian?� Wow, a world where no one knows what a Kardashian is. How refreshing.�
Worth Mentioning
🌻 TW- Grief/Death of a parent
🌻TW-Diet Culture in the early 2000's
🌻Millennial Core
🌻Chick- Lit
🌻Coming of Age
🌻Women-Self realization
👍To me, this book meant something to me and I haven't quite put my finger on it yet. It surprised me how deeply I enjoyed it. I really didn’t expect much from this book, even rolled my eyes a few times in the beginning but it turned out to be a really heartwarming and uplifting story..The experiences in our lives make us who we are and Alexis was able to see those from a different perspective and age by visiting her past and making better decisions and/or appreciating the decisions she did make. This was a very fun read and encourage everyone who like to feel nostalgic and wonders "what if" to give this one a try. This was magical and poignant love story about learning to love ourselves.
Alright so meagan justforced convinced me to read this. Saying it got her out of a slumpy mood. If this doesn’t work 🤺🤺🤺🤺🤺🤺🤺
“The plant and I have a lot in common, both a little rough around the edges with the inability to properly care for ourselves.�
Brief Summary
When Alexis hit rock bottom, she turns to drinking and she ends up blacking out after a bender. She finds herself transported back to 2002, back in her college days. Where she must learn how to live with and love her unruly 18 year old self.
"What’s a Kardashian?� Wow, a world where no one knows what a Kardashian is. How refreshing.�
Worth Mentioning
🌻 TW- Grief/Death of a parent
🌻TW-Diet Culture in the early 2000's
🌻Millennial Core
🌻Chick- Lit
🌻Coming of Age
🌻Women-Self realization
👍To me, this book meant something to me and I haven't quite put my finger on it yet. It surprised me how deeply I enjoyed it. I really didn’t expect much from this book, even rolled my eyes a few times in the beginning but it turned out to be a really heartwarming and uplifting story..The experiences in our lives make us who we are and Alexis was able to see those from a different perspective and age by visiting her past and making better decisions and/or appreciating the decisions she did make. This was a very fun read and encourage everyone who like to feel nostalgic and wonders "what if" to give this one a try. This was magical and poignant love story about learning to love ourselves.
Alright so meagan just
Read
September 18, 2024Dnf. What a horrible main character and the writing isn’t better
April 10, 2023
this was a quick book that will resonate with a ton of people, especially women. TW: grief, loss
i wish the first half was more like the second half as i found that plot/focus to be so much more powerful. this plot really makes you think and reflect on your own life. wish i had it as an 18 year old 🖤
full review to come by pub day! thank you to Jeneva for the gifted copy.
i wish the first half was more like the second half as i found that plot/focus to be so much more powerful. this plot really makes you think and reflect on your own life. wish i had it as an 18 year old 🖤
full review to come by pub day! thank you to Jeneva for the gifted copy.
July 29, 2022
Wow I loved this book so much
Read
September 13, 2024DNF @ 20%. No connection to storyline�.
November 21, 2023
this was so painful and wholesome 🤧💗❤️�
November 29, 2021
This was a painful 2 stars for me. I suffered through this mostly because I wanted it to be different than I was experiencing but it just wasn’t for me. I hated the main character, both of them.
I’m absolutely sure I couldn’t be friends with this type of person and I was really interested in how she would find herself. Many people loved this so I’m just going to say again that it’s me not the writing.
I listened to this and thought the narrator was really good.
Thanks Dreamscape Media via Netgalley.
I’m absolutely sure I couldn’t be friends with this type of person and I was really interested in how she would find herself. Many people loved this so I’m just going to say again that it’s me not the writing.
I listened to this and thought the narrator was really good.
Thanks Dreamscape Media via Netgalley.
January 25, 2022
Full review to come!
4 ⭐️.
4 ⭐️.
November 13, 2021
I’m convinced Jeneva Rose doesn’t know how to write a bad book. I’m a thriller lover and rarely do I read women’s fiction, but because Jeneva wrote it I had to, and I loved every word of it!
This gave me all the 13 Going on 30 vibes and I felt like I was a fly on the wall throughout the entire novel. I was rooting for both Lexi and Alexis and wanted them to each find their way and figure things out.
I think my favorite part of the book was when the two girls went home for Thanksgiving—it was an emotional rollercoaster� laughter, joy, sadness, closure.
I couldn’t put down this book and I highly recommend it if you’re looking for a feel-good story.
Bravo to Jeneva for hitting it out of the park yet again. Can’t wait to start reading her new thriller, One of Us is Dead now!
This gave me all the 13 Going on 30 vibes and I felt like I was a fly on the wall throughout the entire novel. I was rooting for both Lexi and Alexis and wanted them to each find their way and figure things out.
I think my favorite part of the book was when the two girls went home for Thanksgiving—it was an emotional rollercoaster� laughter, joy, sadness, closure.
I couldn’t put down this book and I highly recommend it if you’re looking for a feel-good story.
Bravo to Jeneva for hitting it out of the park yet again. Can’t wait to start reading her new thriller, One of Us is Dead now!
November 27, 2021
I really wanted to love this book. I really enjoyed The Perfect Marriage by this author, but this one missed the mark for me. I made it a little over 50% but couldn’t find the interest to finish it. My biggest complaints were how often the characters talked about being fat and unattractive. I understand it was part of building the character, but I found it really unhelpful and triggering. The banter between the two characters just got to be annoying. Two stars because though this book was not for me, I know a lot of people would really enjoy it. Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
January 15, 2025
IF you could go back in time and steer your young self in the right direction, would you?
November 16, 2021
Thank you Jeneva for gifting me an ebook of your fabulous debut women’s fiction novel!
—�
I was one of the lucky winners of the author’s giveaway of this book. While I am yet to read any of Jeneva’s thrillers which I plan on remedying soon, I know she’s an Instagram and Tiktok sensation. So I absolutely had to read this one by pub day and let me assure you, this book does not disappoint one bit. Kudos to Jeneva and any author who takes substantial risks deviating from their usual genre.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗶𝗿𝗹 𝗜 𝗪𝗮𝘀 follows Alexis who basically has ruined her life by losing all the opportunities that was presented to her during her lifetime, including her ideal guy who proposed to her. One night she’s alone pretty much wasting away with a “special� drink, reminiscing pictures of her 18 year old self with friends.
Suddenly she wakes up and she’s in 2002, to fix her 18 year old self. Except she still 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 like herself in her 30s while, Lexi, her younger self, is a separate person she has to deal with. This creates for a lot of hilarious and awkward moments with friends and family who are all very familiar to older Alexis but she isn’t familiar to them yet. Alexis and Lexi also have to grapple with the completely different versions of themselves. Read the book to find out how they change either of themselves and the life lessons Alexis learns…certainly worth it!
This book will make you laugh, cringe (in a good way), angry and teary. Be prepared to also be transported to YOUR time in 2002 especially if you’re born in the eighties like me! I miss a lot of the stuff from that time but I do like my iPhone and Instagram now! Now is absolutely the right time to grab this book as a lot of the story happens during Thanksgiving! 5⭐️!
—�
I was one of the lucky winners of the author’s giveaway of this book. While I am yet to read any of Jeneva’s thrillers which I plan on remedying soon, I know she’s an Instagram and Tiktok sensation. So I absolutely had to read this one by pub day and let me assure you, this book does not disappoint one bit. Kudos to Jeneva and any author who takes substantial risks deviating from their usual genre.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗶𝗿𝗹 𝗜 𝗪𝗮𝘀 follows Alexis who basically has ruined her life by losing all the opportunities that was presented to her during her lifetime, including her ideal guy who proposed to her. One night she’s alone pretty much wasting away with a “special� drink, reminiscing pictures of her 18 year old self with friends.
Suddenly she wakes up and she’s in 2002, to fix her 18 year old self. Except she still 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 like herself in her 30s while, Lexi, her younger self, is a separate person she has to deal with. This creates for a lot of hilarious and awkward moments with friends and family who are all very familiar to older Alexis but she isn’t familiar to them yet. Alexis and Lexi also have to grapple with the completely different versions of themselves. Read the book to find out how they change either of themselves and the life lessons Alexis learns…certainly worth it!
This book will make you laugh, cringe (in a good way), angry and teary. Be prepared to also be transported to YOUR time in 2002 especially if you’re born in the eighties like me! I miss a lot of the stuff from that time but I do like my iPhone and Instagram now! Now is absolutely the right time to grab this book as a lot of the story happens during Thanksgiving! 5⭐️!
December 3, 2021
What a great book from such a fun author! If you are looking for a fast paced read that is witty and charming, this one is for you!
We go back in time to the year of 2002 and I loved the nostalgia of so many references! I was in college in 2002 and I wish I could go back to 2002 and kick my younger self in the ass 😅!
Thank you #NetGalley #dreamscapemedia for the gifted copy in exchange for my honest review!
Narrator Hillary Huber was phenomenal and I will be looking for more books she has narrated!
We go back in time to the year of 2002 and I loved the nostalgia of so many references! I was in college in 2002 and I wish I could go back to 2002 and kick my younger self in the ass 😅!
Thank you #NetGalley #dreamscapemedia for the gifted copy in exchange for my honest review!
Narrator Hillary Huber was phenomenal and I will be looking for more books she has narrated!
November 10, 2022
4½�
Ɱ◎◎ĐႽ�
� Contemporary/Women's Fiction � Magical Realism/Time Travel � Sweet & Touching� If I could turn back time�
If you’ve been looking for a good time travel story that has the potential to touch your heart in more ways than one, then look no further. Our MC isn’t the most likable character but this is a story about her growth as a person and it showcases that quite favorably. I really liked this…it actually seriously surprised me how much it affected me. If only we could really have a do-over�
� Narrated by: 🎙️Hillary Huber 📣 I believe this could have been better with a different narrator…don’t get me wrong, I really like Hillary Huber…I just don’t think she was the right narrator for this story.
Total Score 8.57/10 | Opening-7.5 | Characters-7.5 | Plot-8.5 | Atmosphere-8.5 | Writing Style-8.5 | Ending-10 | Overall Enjoyment- 9.5
Ɱ◎◎ĐႽ�
� Contemporary/Women's Fiction � Magical Realism/Time Travel � Sweet & Touching� If I could turn back time�
If you’ve been looking for a good time travel story that has the potential to touch your heart in more ways than one, then look no further. Our MC isn’t the most likable character but this is a story about her growth as a person and it showcases that quite favorably. I really liked this…it actually seriously surprised me how much it affected me. If only we could really have a do-over�
� Narrated by: 🎙️Hillary Huber 📣 I believe this could have been better with a different narrator…don’t get me wrong, I really like Hillary Huber…I just don’t think she was the right narrator for this story.
Total Score 8.57/10 | Opening-7.5 | Characters-7.5 | Plot-8.5 | Atmosphere-8.5 | Writing Style-8.5 | Ending-10 | Overall Enjoyment- 9.5
November 6, 2021
Have you ever wanted to travel back in time & change your younger self or a situation that you found yourself in? I definitely have! I expected this book to take me on a trip down memory lane, and while it did, it also took a hold of my heart & didn’t let go.
I loved this one so much. It goes through each stage of our “adult� lives perfectly, from the times that we thought we knew it all & were untouchable, to the hardest times we’ve ever been through, and everything in between. It’s a beautiful tribute & love letter to our younger selves. I went through every single emotion during this book; laughing hysterically at the nostalgia & ugly crying at the parts that broke my heart. Jeneva Rose is easily becoming one of my favorite authors & I will definitely be adding this one to my favorites of the year list. 5 ⭐️s
I loved this one so much. It goes through each stage of our “adult� lives perfectly, from the times that we thought we knew it all & were untouchable, to the hardest times we’ve ever been through, and everything in between. It’s a beautiful tribute & love letter to our younger selves. I went through every single emotion during this book; laughing hysterically at the nostalgia & ugly crying at the parts that broke my heart. Jeneva Rose is easily becoming one of my favorite authors & I will definitely be adding this one to my favorites of the year list. 5 ⭐️s
January 8, 2022
3.5 ⭐️
September 3, 2023
That second half.. YES. if the whole book was like that.. then it would’ve been better! Cute read but wanted more.
January 8, 2022
The Girl I Was by Jeneva Rose. Thanks to the author for the gifted e-Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
After fighting with her boyfriend and losing her job, Alexis finds herself back in 2002 at her college. Why is she back and more importantly� how does fix her life and get home?
This was an amazing read� definitely one of my favorites this year. It was so much fun going back to college in 2002 with the characters. I was a junior in college then and this really brought back the memories: Juicy Couture, trucker hats, low rise jeans, even my old go-to favorite drink Sparks was featured! Even if these aren’t memories of yours, you’ll still enjoy the story. It was meaningful and sentimental, but still so fun. Grief within the story felt so authentic, and reading the author’s note at the end made it even more meaningful. I highly recommend this read!
**1/7/22: Edited to add that this was my favorite read of 2021 out of 367 books. I highly recommend it!
“It’s odd that when we look back, the big moments are the little ones and the little moments are actually the big ones.�
The Girl I Was comes out 11/16.
After fighting with her boyfriend and losing her job, Alexis finds herself back in 2002 at her college. Why is she back and more importantly� how does fix her life and get home?
This was an amazing read� definitely one of my favorites this year. It was so much fun going back to college in 2002 with the characters. I was a junior in college then and this really brought back the memories: Juicy Couture, trucker hats, low rise jeans, even my old go-to favorite drink Sparks was featured! Even if these aren’t memories of yours, you’ll still enjoy the story. It was meaningful and sentimental, but still so fun. Grief within the story felt so authentic, and reading the author’s note at the end made it even more meaningful. I highly recommend this read!
**1/7/22: Edited to add that this was my favorite read of 2021 out of 367 books. I highly recommend it!
“It’s odd that when we look back, the big moments are the little ones and the little moments are actually the big ones.�
The Girl I Was comes out 11/16.
November 17, 2021
I generally listen to books while I’m at work and I wasn’t expecting the range of emotions I felt with this one.
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Alexis loses her job and boyfriend on the same day and blames her past self for setting her up for the disaster her life has become. Since she’s leaning into her bad decision making, she drinks a bottle of vodka that was tucked into her college memory box and wakes up in 2002.
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Oh boy. The cringe. So many cringeworthy moments. I was also a ton of fun in college and would be HORRIFIED if I woke up back then too so I felt it all in my soul.
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But this also ran the other way and I had an actual headache from not crying at my desk during a scene when she went home for the holidays.
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Get the book. Read it. Forgive your college aged self for being a mess.
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Pub date: 11/16/2021
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Thank you to Netgalley, Jeneva Rose, and Dreamscape Media for the audiobook copy. My opinions are my own.
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Alexis loses her job and boyfriend on the same day and blames her past self for setting her up for the disaster her life has become. Since she’s leaning into her bad decision making, she drinks a bottle of vodka that was tucked into her college memory box and wakes up in 2002.
⠶⠶⠶⠶⠶⠶⠶⠶⠶
Oh boy. The cringe. So many cringeworthy moments. I was also a ton of fun in college and would be HORRIFIED if I woke up back then too so I felt it all in my soul.
⠶⠶⠶⠶⠶⠶⠶⠶⠶
But this also ran the other way and I had an actual headache from not crying at my desk during a scene when she went home for the holidays.
⠶⠶⠶⠶⠶⠶⠶⠶⠶
Get the book. Read it. Forgive your college aged self for being a mess.
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Pub date: 11/16/2021
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Thank you to Netgalley, Jeneva Rose, and Dreamscape Media for the audiobook copy. My opinions are my own.
November 23, 2021
The Girl I Was by Jeneva Rose was SO much fun to listen to. Oh, boy! What an interesting premise! The main character, Alexis Spencer goes back in time, meets her past self, and tries to change a few of her life choices, hoping that it will improve her future. I don’t know about you, but I made a lot of dumb decisions when I was in my late teens/early twenties. I put myself in some questionable, embarrassing, and even dangerous situations. Would I like the opportunity to go back in time, and steer my younger self in a different direction? That’s a tough one. If I still met my husband, and we had our same two kids, then yeah, maybe. This book will really make you think about your past, present, and future self. Not only is it thought-provoking, it’s also humorous, and very entertaining. If you’re in a book slump, The Girl I Was will definitely get you out of it. Be prepared to laugh, cry, and 100% relate! Trust me. 4/5 stars for this new release!
February 12, 2025
The Girl I Was (audio) 4⭐️
If you are looking for a lazy weekend time travel coming of age style book, this is it. This early Jeneva Rose book has a different feel/style than her more recent books, but it was a fun palate cleanser. I appreciate Jeneva’s books that take place in Wisconsin and reference places that are near and dear to me (Delavan, Oshkosh, Lake Geneva). Fun fact: I applied and was accepted to UW Oshkosh!
This is a quirky silly book. I mean, it has time travel� so don’t expect everything to make perfect sense. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the fun ride of Alexis battling with her younger self in 2002.
If you are looking for a lazy weekend time travel coming of age style book, this is it. This early Jeneva Rose book has a different feel/style than her more recent books, but it was a fun palate cleanser. I appreciate Jeneva’s books that take place in Wisconsin and reference places that are near and dear to me (Delavan, Oshkosh, Lake Geneva). Fun fact: I applied and was accepted to UW Oshkosh!
This is a quirky silly book. I mean, it has time travel� so don’t expect everything to make perfect sense. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the fun ride of Alexis battling with her younger self in 2002.
August 23, 2024
dnf. Had I read the book description I wouldn’t have picked this one. Not a fan of time travel and fantasy is a struggle. It’s a me problem. Will I read more from Jeneva Rose? You bet!
(Later) Looking up…yeah, I wrote that. I know, I know…smh. I came back, tho. I have a weird relationship with Jeneva Rose. From now on I will just finish the book, even if I want to rage quit. I’m sure to love it. sigh. eye roll. 4 stars teetering toward 5, but oomph, nope, stays at 4. Heading towards the next one…👀
(Later) Looking up…yeah, I wrote that. I know, I know…smh. I came back, tho. I have a weird relationship with Jeneva Rose. From now on I will just finish the book, even if I want to rage quit. I’m sure to love it. sigh. eye roll. 4 stars teetering toward 5, but oomph, nope, stays at 4. Heading towards the next one…👀
November 15, 2021
This was just an okay read. I didn't love it or hate it. Alexis gets dumped and then ends up going back in time to reunite with her college self. The two versions of Alexis work to get her back to her present timeline while also spending the Thanksgiving holiday with their family. Lots of holiday family traditions and much more of a women's fiction, story of self-realization than a romance. I enjoyed this on audio thanks to NetGalley for my ALC but it won't be a story that sticks in my mind.
November 16, 2021
This book will make you feel EVERYTHING. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and then you’ll go hug your mom. And if you're like me, maybe you'll also drink some wine and wonder what you would do if you could go back in time. The Girl I Was has convinced me that Jeneva Rose can write anything and will be the next Colleen Hoover (which is the greatest compliment I can give). Do yourself a favor and add it to your shelf!
January 19, 2023
An absolutely beautiful story! This is a perfect beginning of the year read. Lexi wakes up one day back in 2002 and meets her 18 year-old self. A gentle reminder that the past is the past, but you write your own destiny and can change the future. A must-read for anyone in need of something about self-love.
February 13, 2023
I don’t get it. Alexis is terrible.
January 23, 2024
This was too cute.
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(I’m behind on my reviews)
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(I’m behind on my reviews)
February 9, 2024
Loved her thrillers but ones like this are even better imo. Loved this one
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