Sometimes, life throws you for a loop; other times, it feels like you’re being hit by full-on plot twists, like a sudden death or an unexpected pregnancy. It can feel like stepping sideways into your own life, as things shift around you that you never saw coming.
For Vin, the main character of Side Life, by Steve Tougonghi, it’s worse than that… he flat out doesn’t remember some of the loops (a cat?), and would swear the plot twists were exactly the opposite (why doesn’t his best friend’s phone number work?). It all started when he was forced out of the software company he founded, and his father referred him to a house sitting opportunity. The house, and the opportunity, don’t seem quite… right.
Vin does what any bored genius would do… he obsesses about the issue. With nothing else holding his attention, he delves into the mystery of the house and it’s owner, Nerdean. To his credit, he doesn’t climb into one of the caskets he finds in the secret basement immediately; he waits until he can log into the computers and get some information about the caskets. When he does experiment with the casket’s basic settings, his reality shifts and confusion reigns as he tries to understand what’s happening to him.
I can’t say much more without getting into spoilers. Suffice to say, I recommend this book; it will be released on May 8th. This book will keep you guessing, including deciding whether you like the main character or despise him.