All This and More: A Novel BY Peng Shepherd

In Peng Shepherd's inventive novel "All This and More," Marsh, a meek and disillusioned woman at forty-five, finds herself at a crossroads where every mistake and missed opportunity weighs heavily on her. Her career is stagnant, her marriage has crumbled, and her relationship with her daughter is strained. Feeling like she's missed her chance at happiness, Marsh is desperate for a second chance.

Her fortunes change dramatically when she's chosen to participate in the groundbreaking reality show, All This and More. Utilizing quantum technology, the show allows contestants to rewrite their pasts and shape their present lives. Marsh sees this as her opportunity to finally achieve her dreams: to excel in her career, reunite with her high school sweetheart, and experience the adventures she's always longed for.

As Marsh navigates the tantalizing possibilities offered by the show—becoming a successful lawyer, rekindling old romances, and traveling the world—she begins to question the true nature of the technology and its consequences. Despite the apparent wonders of All This and More, doubts creep in about whether the changes are sustainable and if the happiness she seeks can be truly manufactured.

"All This and More" blends the allure of speculative technology with deep reflections on personal fulfillment and the choices that shape our lives. Comparable to works like Matt Haig's "The Midnight Library" and Kate Atkinson's "Life After Life," Peng Shepherd crafts a thought-provoking narrative that places the reader in control of Marsh's fate. It's a poignant exploration of second chances, the pursuit of happiness, and the complexities of rewriting one's life story.

Readers are invited on a journey where each decision Marsh makes carries weight, challenging them to contemplate the true cost of altering one's destiny and what it means to find genuine fulfillment.