Razor Bill, an imprint of Penguin Random House, released Beth Revis’s new reality-bending novel A World Without You on July 19. The story which could have easily been dark and destructive, instead leaves the reader feeling uplifted and happy for the experience.

Bo is a 17-year-old boy who believes he can travel through time. His parents have sent him to a school for troubled youth, which he believes houses students with superpowers. When everyone else is convinced his girlfriend committed suicide, Bo believes he left her in the past and is desperate to get back to save her. The story follows his attempts and life in the school, as well as his sister’s life at home without him. In the end we wonder, what is really truth and what’s illusion?

I expected this book to break my heart and it came close. Near the end, it looked like it was going to be cataclysmic. However, a choice is made and Bo ends up truly happy which makes the conclusion feel more like a hug. The writing was spectacular. Bo and Phoebe, as well as the secondary characters, all feel real. Seeing the world through Bo’s eyes was magical. The story was written as if it was a paranormal novel, and the ending leaves us wondering if it truly was.

I highly recommend this novel to people of all ages who enjoy emotional young adult reads. Whether you’re a fan of contemporary or fantasy, this book should satisfy. Beth Revis has proven herself to be a master storyteller and I plan on seeking out her other novels.

I received this book in the July Literary YA Box by Quarterly Co. See my review of the box here.