The Opposite of Here by Tara Altebrando

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

When I saw this book takes place on a cruise ship, I knew it would make for a fantastic summer read. The Opposite of Here by Tara Altebrando follows Natalie, who has embarked on a cruise with some close friends and family for her seventeenth birthday "Sail-A-Bration".

Natalie has been having a hard time, as her boyfriend has recently passed away, and her friends and family hope that this cruise is just the thing she needs to let loose. On the first day of the cruise, Natalie meets a charismatic boy who might be just the person to help her move on. But when he mysteriously disappears and there are rumors of someone going overboard, Natalie becomes obsessed with finding out what happened to him.

This book was quite the ride! There were so many twists along the way, and it was virtually impossible to predict anything. Even when there were reveals, they were so outlandish it was hard to get on board (get it...cruise story-on board??) with them even though they were true. The best word to describe this book would definitely be surprising. It's definitely not a scary thriller, more of a psychological, twisty one.

I loved Natalie as a character, but really disliked her friends. They were rude, judgmental, and really pushy, not seeming to care that Natalie was still deeply impacted by the tragedy she experienced. There are a ton of Hitchcock references, which I quite enjoyed, especially as they paralleled the story itself so well. This story is also interspersed with cruise newsletters and documents to let the reader know what is happening on board each day. While not really necessary, I thought it was a nice touch that made you feel more immersed in the atmosphere of the book. Having been on multiple cruises myself, I can say that the overall cruise setting was very authentically written.

As much as I really enjoyed this read, and do appreciate its entertainment value, I have to take a star off for being extremely unrealistic in the plot department.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Thanks so much to Bloomsbury for an advanced copy of this mysterious summer read! The Opposite of Here by Tara Altebrando releases TODAY, June 7th, so be sure to pick up a copy!