Between - Book Review (repost)

This trilogy is amazing. If you haven't read this series yet: what are you waiting for?

Here's my original review and notes on rereading.

 

Between (The Between #1)

by Kerry Schafer

What is it about:

A dragon is running amok in the town of Krebston, and only one woman can stop it...

If Dr. Vivian Maylor could have just one wish, it would be a normal life. Instead, her dreams – and not necessarily the good ones – are spilling over into her waking hours.

A badly burned teenager spontaneously combusts in the emergency room after raving about a dragon. Her mentally unstable mother vanishes without a trace. A strange woman with supernatural powers breaks into Vivian’s apartment looking for the Key to the Forever.

And when a bookstore-owning artist named Zee, who Vivian knows from her dreams as a sword-wielding warrior, delivers a message from her deceased grandfather, Vivian finally acknowledges the truth: she is the last living Dreamshifter, responsible for guarding the doors between dreaming and waking.

Aided by Zee and an improbable dream penguin, Vivian ventures into the Between – a treacherous maze that lies between dreaming and waking – on a quest that will bring her face-to-face not only with her worst nightmares, but also the darkest parts of her self.

What did I think of it:

This is a beautiful read.

I will confess I had expected this to be a cool Urban Fantasy read. What I didn't expect was to be taken on a roller coaster ride of emotions. This story frustrated me, made me feel worry, anger and hope. Vivian is a very likable heroine and I couldn't help cheering her on and screaming at her in total frustration at times. The things that happen to her are new and scary for her and I think Schafer did a wonderful job in showing how this affects Vivian.

It might not surprise anyone when I tell you I fell in love with Poe, the penguin Vivian encounters in the Dreamworld. He's a great character and brought a lot of emotion to the story without even being able to speak.

The story itself is really beautiful and intricate. There are lots of things going on that Vivian has to figure out and I was curious to find out where it all would lead. The ending leaves a lot open for the sequel, but not in a frustrating way. instead I was left feeling satisfied for now while looking forward to read book two as soon as it releases.

Notes on rereading:

I really love how Vivian struggles with what's happening, it makes her so relatable. So often the heroine just rolls with all the weirdness that's happening as if it's normal. I really appreciate seeing a heroine who stumbles, and makes mistakes, because all this is weird, scary, and new. 

I didn't mention it in my original review, but next to Vivian there are a couple of other viewpoint character of which Zee was my favorite. You bet I'll pick up book two for a reread soon!  

Why should you read it:

It's a beautiful and emotional Urban Fantasy read.

Buy Between here