A review by dairyqueen84
Gimme a Call by Sarah Mlynowski

4.0

What would you do differently if you could go back in time? Don’t we all have something we’d like to change? Some decision? Some incident? Mlynowski takes an unbelievable premise and makes it plausible and funny to boot. Devi Banks and her boyfriend Bryan have broken up after dating since 9th grade and right before the prom. The book opens with Devi staring at an advertisement for a spa urging her to “Go back in time.” And Devi begins to think about how all of her problems would be solved if she could go back and tell herself a thing or two to avoid like not letting Karin cut her bangs in third grade. And not throwing out her retainer in sophomore year. And…definitely not falling for Bryan her freshman year. Then her cell phone falls into the mall fountain. When she fishes it out, it doesn’t work except when she presses send, it comes to life and she has no idea who she is calling until someone answers who sounds vaguely familiar. Hilarity ensues as senior Devi tries to figure out who she has called and then convinces her freshman self that it’s her, three years later. Preposterous? Sure, but somehow it works. This funny, light novel explores the path taken and what would happen if another avenue were chosen instead. Instead of Devi losing all her best friends because she was with Bryan, freshman Devi turns Bryan down and the course of her high school career, including where she gets into college, is altered.