Why yes, this is the second review of a book by Bethany Meyer this year, and yes, I had the opportunity to read an Advance Reader Copy of this one too. (Here’s the required disclaimer that even though I received the book for free for review, all opinions expressed henceforth are entirely my own.) And yes, this one is as good as DragonFire and Other Nonsense.

What is And Everything in Between about?

Wick and Archer have collected Heather Stones and battled dragons—but even amid the clamor of survival, quiet conflict finds its way in.

Brothers struggle to form a bond under the thumb of their controlling father.

A failed play forces two young leshy to face their uncertain futures and the expectations that await them there.

Trapped in his hometown, Archer encounters an odd, generous girl that he just can’t ignore—but what does she want with him?

From Wick’s first taste of cinnamon to Archer’s first fall, Everything In Between is a collection of moments, of memories and dreams, of the everyday aches and triumphs of becoming.

Review

Collections tend to be hard for me to organize reviews for, so I’ve decided in this case to simply discuss the stories that most stood out to me and some overall impressions of the collection as a whole. It works out for me and how I remember things, and leaves details for you to discover on your own when you pick up the book (as you definitely should)!

Kicking off this collection with Twill was a great choice, in my opinion, because Twill was already my favorite side character and I was thrilled to see a story that gave her the spotlight. That first story added to the relationship between Twill and Wick that’s already well-established in the main Scorch trilogy, and that I love so much, so it also works well to introduce the collection with something familiar.

The first story focused on Fowler is one I’ve read three times now, and it has definitely gotten stronger through iterations (and it was already pretty strong to begin with!) The imagery is perfect, the seeds of Archer and Fowl’s later relationship are so clear, and I just love the dynamics between the brothers in this story and getting a peek at how Fowl really sees things, since Archer’s perspective in the trilogy is so strongly biased (as it should be).

Eland’s story was another favorite! Eland didn’t stick out to me incredibly strongly in the main trilogy, but this story adds so much to his character and definitely bumped him upward in my estimation. It was also a fun opportunity to see more of the world and its workings, as that element of the series really shines in this story!

Watching Wick discover unpleasant flavors–whether due to Archer’s prodding or his own curiosity–is pitiable but hilarious, and a great focal point given certain details established in Robbing Centaurs and Other Bad Ideas.

Now, if there is any singular reason I believe you should definitely check out And Everything in Between, it is because to skip it is to deprive yourself of Spring, and that would be a true tragedy, believe me. She was a tragic omission from the main storyline (though understandably so) and a character–lending relational dynamics with certain other characters–that I didn’t know I was missing but now feel I was unfairly deprived of because she’s my new favorite character. Read And Everything in Between, so that I might gain accomplices in petitioning for more Spring content.

Overall, this was a delightful collection that any reader of the Scorch trilogy is sure to enjoy, and if you enjoy cozy fantasy and short stories you’ll enjoy it even if you haven’t read the Scorch trilogy (but then, what are you doing with your reading time? Go read the Scorch trilogy!) All in all, And Everything in Between gets 5 solid gold stars.

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