The Other Me

By: Sarah Zachrich Jeng

Narrated by: Nicol Zanzarella

“Who hasn't wondered what alternate versions of their lives might look like? ... As relatable as it is suspenseful cleverly exploring adulthood, identity, and shifting realities.” (Margarita Montimore, USA Today best-selling author of Oona Out of Order)

An inventive pause-resister about the choices we make and the ones made for us.

One minute, Kelly’s a free-spirited artist in Chicago going to her best friend’s art show. The next, she opens a door and mysteriously emerges in her Michigan hometown. Suddenly her life is unrecognizable: She's got 12 years of the wrong memories in her head and she's married to Eric, a man she barely knew in high school.

Racing to get back to her old life, Kelly's search leads only to more questions. In this life, she loves Eric and wants to trust him, but everything she discovers about him - including a connection to a mysterious tech start-up - tells her she shouldn't. And strange things keep happening. The tattoos she had when she was an artist briefly reappear on her skin, she remembers fights with Eric that he says never happened, and her relationships with loved ones both new and familiar seem to change without warning.

But the closer Kelly gets to putting the pieces together, the more her reality seems to shift. And if she can't figure out what happened on her birthday, the next change could cost her everything...

©2021 Sarah Zachrich Jeng (P)2021 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“Mind bending and emotional, The Other Me takes you on a journey of second chances and do-overs. Zachrich Jeng dishes up a taut psychological thriller with a twisted question at its core: Would you be willing to lose a life you love in order to gain something you thought was lost forever?” (Julie Clark, New York Times best-selling author of The Last Flight)

"The definition of unputdownable.... This is one of the most innovative thrillers I've read in a long, long time." (Samantha Downing, USA Today best-selling author of My Lovely Wife)

“Like both Black Mirror and Russian Doll, Sarah Zachrich Jeng's The Other Me resists categorization, blending the impossible with the probable with the downright plausible.” (NPR)

Really good!

I don’t have any real complaints about this book. Really enjoyed it. I thought the main character was a bit naive so I was yelling at her the entire book lol but this isn’t a flaw I don’t think. Would definitely recommend. There’s some darkness in this book but it’s not a heavy read at all. One thing I noticed, though, is that I couldn’t tell what year this book was set in. It seemed to be a setting where society has really advanced in terms of technology but it wasn’t exactly clear. I think maybe the author could’ve done a better job with the setting. Doesn’t take away from the story though.

Interesting story

It does start strong, gets a little bit slow in the middle, but corrects it's trajectory by the ending. Well performed and satisfying ending. A unique book, will probably stand out in my memory for awhile thinking about it.

Great book

I found this book to be one of the best time travel books I ever listened to. One of the reasons I found it so enjoyable was there was not a lot of scientific garble in the book. It was just a great story without going into a lot of science. I wish I could read it again for the first time.

Definitely not my taste

It's not a Sci-Fi book (i know it's involving time travel, and yet...) and in my opinion its worse than the average romance book, so I'm definitely not advising to read this book.
the narrator was good, but it didn't helped.

I can see the movie

Strong protagonist, story had very few holes. I enjoyed it. Sorry for so few words, I am tired.

Wait for it!

Starts out slow. was about to stop listening and it got better and better. Was a good read!

Excellent Story!

Very original story! I loved where the author went with this story. Great narration, as well.

Unique

Very much enjoyed this book. What could have been a typical trope turned out to be thoughtful and completely enjoyable. Great narration as well.

A thriller in the mold of Dark Matter & Recursion

What would you do if you were out celebrating your birthday and in the course of the evening you use the bathroom but when you come out you are in a different bar that you recognize because its in your home town, somewhere you do not live, and on top of that you have a spouse that did not exist when you went into the bathroom.

The 22 Murders of Madison May came out last month and it was in that mold as well. it looks like this might be a trend that will continue and I could not be happier.

in this a woman goes to the bathroom in a bar and comes out to a completely different life. she now lives in her home town with a husband she did not have when she walked into the bar. memories of this alternate life start appearing and she questions which one is real.

I do not want to spoil the book, that's in the opening, but it's a wild ride. I listened to this in a single day and was enthralled throughout.

Wow!… moist eyes at the end.

I usually don’t go for sci-if but this is very very different. Clever, witty well paced abs my favorite narrator made this a fun and touching listen.
Peggy Sue Got Married is one of my favorite movies because of the message. This hit me a little like that without Nicolas cage’s bad acting.
For me it was even better than Outlander series. If you like time travel with some romance in a some day in the future possible way… you’ll enjoy this.
I found it to be original considering it’s a well worn subject. As always ms. Zanzarella delivered a great performance.
Language and a couple of sex scenes.