Between (1)

An absolutely wonderful YA fantasy, Between was a fantastic read. With entertaining wit, sweet romance, intriguing magic, and a few surprises along the way, this book was great and I totally loved it!

Charlie was a lovely heroine. She was strong and fiercely loyal to those she cared about. Even in a totally new world where she constantly faced danger, she held her own. However, she did have a habit of being frustratingly reckless, often giving the impression that she was more concerned with breaking rules on principle rather than her own safety. It made me want to shake some sense into her more than once (if someplace is forbidden, there is obviously a reason for it, my dear). But, overall, I thought she was a great character that was easy to like.

Seth was wonderful. Like Charlie, he was very loyal to the people he cared about and would do anything to keep them safe (even though a certain someone didn't appreciate his efforts to curb her recklessness). He was sweet and adorable and I absolutely loved him.

I want to mention the setting, because it was really well done. The descriptions were vivid and brought me fully into the world of the book. It was all beautifully described and, without a doubt, one of my favorite parts of the book.

The romance was great. Charlie and Seth were perfect for each other, both loyal and matching each other, wit for wit. I thought they were a lovely couple.

The plot was fast paced and I was hooked the entire way through. There were plenty of unexpected twists along the way, secrets that I never saw coming, and it all kept me totally drawn in. I loved the story and the ending was wonderful.

Between was a brilliant YA fantasy read. It had twists, secrets, and a very enjoyable story. From the magic, to to lush setting, and the lovely romance, this book was fantastic. YA lovers, this is a book you won't want to miss.

*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

After reading Between, I came up with a simple tagline: A coming of age story with a little bit of magic, comedy, romance and well, it's just full of sheet. (Readers will get the joke.)

The beginning of the book introduces us to our protagonist Charlie, as well as a whole lot of stuff that happens really, really quickly. This isn't a bad thing: the story is told from the perspective of the characters. In the beginning when all of these things are happening quickly it's because this is how Charlie perceived it. It's one of the things that I really admire about Megan's writing style. Her characters quickly come to life as they are introduced, each with a very specific feel and comfortable fit in the world created. When a new scene is introduced, it's introduced through the eyes of the character the story is being told through, rather than to set the scene and spend time stating how the character reacts to it.

Personally, I judge the books I've read by their ability to provide the imagery needed to really deliver a scene. This is definitely in wheelhouse for Between, which consistently delivers vivid worlds as well as the aforementioned well-developed characters.

For a first offering this doesn't read like one, nor does it feel like one. The story flows very well and left me excited to read the next installment.

Whether you are an enthusiast for fantasy, YA or just reading in general, Between is a great read. Excellent work, Megan!

Between delivered! This book had it all – a compelling story, intriguing characters, heroes, snark, and magic.

I’ve had this one on my To Read list for over a year, and that always makes me a bit nervous, but this book didn’t disappoint. Between was a page burner. It grabbed your attention right from the beginning, and gave you just enough info to hook you – and want to know what was really going on.

I love Charlie. In so many YA novels, the female protagonist starts the story as weak, or clumsy, or in some other way “less than” the people around her. Charlie is not that girl. Throughout the novel she actually has enough confidence to think with her own mind. She questions the world she’s seeing, and she’s not afraid to go against popular opinion. It was so refreshing to have that kind of confidence and independence on display in a novel – I want more!

There were several great characters in this book, and some “known” characters with a bit of a twist (I definitely want to be a pixie instead of a fairy now – great dinner menu). I love Seth with the fury of 10,000 suns. The uniqueness of their relationship was beautifully crafted. I also enjoyed the ancillary characters and the color they added to the landscape of Ellauria.

A thoroughly enjoyable read, by the talented Megan Whitmer. If you don’t already follow her on twitter, I can’t recommend it strongly enough. She makes me laugh every day – follow her @MeganWhitmer

I love Megan. This isn't news. Now, however, I love Megan AND her book.

Okay, so I don't read much fantasy, however, this book truly captivated me and I read it in under 2 days. It has all of the modern snark, wit, and swoony-ness that I know and love from Contemp and ALSO all of the awesome world-building and totally engaging and immersive storytelling that makes good fantasy good.

Megan's characters are amazing and funny and flawed in the best ways, and I found myself genuinely invested in what was happening to them and among them.

It really is awesome. It's so, so fantastic.

It's awestastic.

I can't WAIT for the next installment.

Between is at once exactly the kind of book I love to read and unlike anything I've read before. As other reviews have stated, the setting and characters are amazing, but what really set Ms. Whitmer's work apart for me was the lack of booming-tone, capital-letter Narrator Voice. The entire story reads as if you're in Charlie's mind, there's never an awkward moment when the narrative has to step back and teeter-totter between first and third person. You see everything through Charlie's eyes and hear about it in her own words. And, I have to say, that's a great way to see the world.

It's the kind of quick and lovely read that doesn't just make you want to read the next book in the series, but leaves you wanting to wander the world yourself, continuing to be a part of the characters' lives. I loved it completely.

Why you should read it: This is fantasy YA at its best, and I loved traveling through Ellauria and in the ins and outs of the Fellowship. Megan has created a complete world full of magic, creatures, power growing in Charlie. Charlie is also one of my favorite heroines, she's so strong and full of life. Her evolution isn't from weak girl to strong woman, but strong girl into a powerful woman. I also loved the descriptions of the creatures. Readers are in for a treat (if you are of the magically inclined). Now let's talk about Seth … Seth is great. His back-and-forth with Charlie had me laughing and loving their relationship growth. I simply cannot wait for the sequel!

To see what Megan has to say about her heroine and what she's working on now head over to the HEA blog!!

I love this book, I just finished it for the second time. PLEASEEEEEEEE tell me you are publishing a continuation of this story.

I love when you get to the end of a book and think, holy crap, I just read a whole book. That, my friend, is quality. BETWEEN is full of big imagination, has an oh-so-swoon-worthy romance, and is built on an incredible world Whittmer has put A LOT of thought into. I really hope there's another book coming, because I'm definitely not ready to leave Ellauria and the Between behind.

Loved this book and can't wait for what Megan W. writes next!!!

Hilarity, magic, adventure, BRUTALLY TORTUOUS near kisses, and every mystical creature you could ever imagine. This debut will appeal to fantasy lovers who like a splash of real world and romance in the mix. Charlie also only swears with hysterical made-up curses (motherfluffers!) so this book, though classified as YA, will be great for the tween crowd as well. A fun debut!