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The Space Between
A dark, supernaturally-tinged YA thriller based on the Thriller Award-winning short story.
Sixteen-year old Anna Sullivan is having terrible dreams of a massacre at her high school. Anna's father is a mentally unstable veteran, her mother disappeared when Anna was five, and Anna might have been able to chalk the dreams up to a reflection of her crazy waking life — except that Tyler Marsh, the most popular guy at the school and Anna's secret crush, is having the exact same dreams.
Despite the gulf between them in social status, Anna and Tyler connect, first in the dream and then in reality. As the dreams reveal more, with clues from the school social structure, quantum physics, probability, and Anna's own past, Anna becomes convinced that they are being shown the future so they can prevent the shooting...
If they can survive the shooter — and the dream.
Based on the short story "The Edge of Seventeen," winner of the ITW Thriller award.
Sixteen-year old Anna Sullivan is having terrible dreams of a massacre at her high school. Anna's father is a mentally unstable veteran, her mother disappeared when Anna was five, and Anna might have been able to chalk the dreams up to a reflection of her crazy waking life — except that Tyler Marsh, the most popular guy at the school and Anna's secret crush, is having the exact same dreams.
Despite the gulf between them in social status, Anna and Tyler connect, first in the dream and then in reality. As the dreams reveal more, with clues from the school social structure, quantum physics, probability, and Anna's own past, Anna becomes convinced that they are being shown the future so they can prevent the shooting...
If they can survive the shooter — and the dream.
Based on the short story "The Edge of Seventeen," winner of the ITW Thriller award.
153 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 29, 2011
73 people are currently reading
272 people want to read
About the author
Alexandra Sokoloff
37 books988 followersI'm the Thriller Award-winning and Bram Stoker and Anthony Award-nominated author of the bestselling and very feminist HUNTRESS MOON thrillers: Huntress Moon, Blood Moon, Cold Moon. Bitter Moon, Hunger Moon, Shadow Moon and the supernatural thrillers The Harrowing, The Price, Book of Shadows, The Unseen, The Space Between. The New York Times Book Review has called me "a daughter of Mary Shelley" and my novels "some of the most original and freshly unnerving work in the genre."
I'm a California native and a graduate of U.C. Berkeley, where I majored in theater and minored in everything that Berkeley has a reputation for. After college I moved to Los Angeles, where I made an interesting living doing novel adaptations and selling original thriller scripts to various Hollywood studios.
Now I (mostly!) live in Scotland with my Scottish crime-writing husband, Craig Robertson. We've just written a new mystery/thriller series together — and we're still married and haven't killed each other! LOST HIGHWAY will be out in 2026.
My HUNTRESS MOON series follows a haunted FBI agent on the hunt for a female serial killer, which means I can smash hated genre cliches and kill a lot of men who need to be killed.
In my paranormal and supernatural thrillers, I like to cross the possibility of the supernatural with very real life explanations for any strangeness going on, and base the action squarely in fact. THE UNSEEN is based on real paranormal research conducted at the Duke University parapsychology lab, and BOOK OF SHADOWS teams a Boston homicide detective and a practicing Salem witch in a race to solve what may be a Satanic killing. THE SPACE BETWEEN is an edgy supernatural YA about a troubled high school girl who is having dreams of a terrible massacre at her school, and becomes convinced that she can prevent the shooting if she can unravel the dream.
My non-fiction workbooks SCREENWRITING TRICKS FOR AUTHORS and WRITING LOVE, based on my internationally acclaimed workshops and blog, have helped writers of all levels all over the world finish their books and find agents and book deals. https://alexandrasokoloff.substack.com/
When I'm not writing I travel and I dance: jazz, ballet, salsa, Lindy, swing - I do it all, every chance I get.
Join the mailing list (and receive a FREE short story from the SHATTERING GLASS anthology!):
https://authoralexandrasokoloff.subst... -
Connect with me:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alexandra.so...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexandraso...
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/alexsokoloff...
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@alexandrasok...
Substack: https://alexandrasokoloff.substack.com -
Read more about the books! http://alexandrasokoloff.com
I'm a California native and a graduate of U.C. Berkeley, where I majored in theater and minored in everything that Berkeley has a reputation for. After college I moved to Los Angeles, where I made an interesting living doing novel adaptations and selling original thriller scripts to various Hollywood studios.
Now I (mostly!) live in Scotland with my Scottish crime-writing husband, Craig Robertson. We've just written a new mystery/thriller series together — and we're still married and haven't killed each other! LOST HIGHWAY will be out in 2026.
My HUNTRESS MOON series follows a haunted FBI agent on the hunt for a female serial killer, which means I can smash hated genre cliches and kill a lot of men who need to be killed.
In my paranormal and supernatural thrillers, I like to cross the possibility of the supernatural with very real life explanations for any strangeness going on, and base the action squarely in fact. THE UNSEEN is based on real paranormal research conducted at the Duke University parapsychology lab, and BOOK OF SHADOWS teams a Boston homicide detective and a practicing Salem witch in a race to solve what may be a Satanic killing. THE SPACE BETWEEN is an edgy supernatural YA about a troubled high school girl who is having dreams of a terrible massacre at her school, and becomes convinced that she can prevent the shooting if she can unravel the dream.
My non-fiction workbooks SCREENWRITING TRICKS FOR AUTHORS and WRITING LOVE, based on my internationally acclaimed workshops and blog, have helped writers of all levels all over the world finish their books and find agents and book deals. https://alexandrasokoloff.substack.com/
When I'm not writing I travel and I dance: jazz, ballet, salsa, Lindy, swing - I do it all, every chance I get.
Join the mailing list (and receive a FREE short story from the SHATTERING GLASS anthology!):
https://authoralexandrasokoloff.subst... -
Connect with me:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alexandra.so...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexandraso...
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/alexsokoloff...
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@alexandrasok...
Substack: https://alexandrasokoloff.substack.com -
Read more about the books! http://alexandrasokoloff.com
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
June 28, 2012
The idea behind this story is very original. It had creepy elements and a few surprises along the way, but I have mixed feelings about The Space Between. It was a quick read and kept me turning the pages, but there were many things I found lacking.
First of all, the plot moved way too quickly. It felt under-developed for a novel. There were so many questions that were left unanswered. For instance, what happens to Darren? Why were other kids in Anna’s dream? There was no closure. The ending was too open and that bugged me.
Also, the characters felt flat. I never had much insight into any of them. There was a lot of potential with Anna, Tyler, and Anna’s father, but we never got any hints about what makes them tick. That was really disappointing. If there was more character development, I think the story would be much better. I would love to know what happened to Anna’s mom, what Tyler’s home life was like. There are many hints about his father, but nothing is clear. I think knowing those key elements would make Tyler’s character (and the plot) stronger.
If you want a spooky read that doesn’t take a lot of time, then you should read The Space Between. Be prepared though. It reads more like a longer short story than a novel… and there will be many questions when you finish.
November 7, 2017
Interesting build up, but the ending is very weak. I’m not sure if there are more books after this one, but so much is left unanswered and even the ending is a WTF moment. What is the two headed beast? Was there some sort of message the reader is supposed to infer to understand the ending? If so, it was completely lost on me. I actually liked the book until the ending, even if the whole Tyler scenario was improbable. I overlooked that (it is fiction after all), but the bizarre ending left me annoyed that I wasted my time reading this book when I have so many others in my queue waiting to be read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 29, 2018
Very well written, but I hated the ending.
September 16, 2011
This book held my attention from start to finish. Thank you to the lovely author who requested my thoughts on her novel.
Alexandra Sokoloff has a brilliant way with words. I could relate to so much that she was saying. I loved all the polysyndeton (repetition of conjunctions) for effect. The suspense was excruciating.
Imagine going to bed every night and knowing you will dream about your school being shot up. You know the shooter. You have to tell someone.
Your crush, Tyler, is on the stairs in your dream, staring straight at you. When you wake up, the usual panic and sweat registering with your conscious mind, you realize he called your name.
Then at school, you can read each other's minds. He was there. He saw you in the dream. He had the same dream you had.
Craziness that I love! The big questions: how do you stop it and who do you tell? That's what Anna and Tyler must face in The Space Between.
The other reviews I've read say this book has a lot of science in math. Even though I'm an English nut, I really got into the equations and logic. Ms. Sokoloff has a very analytical mind. I loved watching Anna put together all the pieces. The equations helped her figure out the mystery. And there is an added mystery of her mother and why she left when Anna was little. Every time a lightbulb went off in Anna's head, the pieces clicked for me as well (maybe a little sooner once or twice, but this book kept me guessing).
There was some noticable repetition, a lot of people crouching behind desks or in corners, many mentions of nails or fingers digging into skin, and waves of ________ (nausea, shock, sensation, students, panic). But overall, I had a feeling of urgency as I read. The syntax helped with that, lots of commas and conjunctions to emphasize immediacy: "He leans in to her, and his lips touch hers, and the wind surrounds them like a blanket, and she lets herself not think."
I was surprised at how quickly the romantic plotline developed. However, I guess if you share something with a person that is so particulary unique, you kind of feel they get you. I liked Tyler and the fact that he had shoulder length hair. It was so cool that sometimes they talked only with their minds to each other; Anna never knew what thoughts he was listening to. I liked that he was in the "in" crowd but didn't always participate in their student bashing. I was worried at first when he didn't seem to stick up for or talk to Anna around his friends, but he redeemed himself later.
I also liked the end. Oh, and there's a little person in the novel who is constantly teased, but she's very well described. I definitely felt sympathy for her, but Sokoloff's writing reads true to how high schoolers would act.
There's also Anna's veteran father who is an alcoholic and is really messed up as a result of the Gulf War. That's originally what drew me to the story since I have many family members in the military.
Final verdict:
A suspenseful read with unexpected plot twists, Sokoloff mixes mathematics, science, fantasy, and romance with beautifully flowing prose.
Alexandra Sokoloff has a brilliant way with words. I could relate to so much that she was saying. I loved all the polysyndeton (repetition of conjunctions) for effect. The suspense was excruciating.
Imagine going to bed every night and knowing you will dream about your school being shot up. You know the shooter. You have to tell someone.
Your crush, Tyler, is on the stairs in your dream, staring straight at you. When you wake up, the usual panic and sweat registering with your conscious mind, you realize he called your name.
Then at school, you can read each other's minds. He was there. He saw you in the dream. He had the same dream you had.
Craziness that I love! The big questions: how do you stop it and who do you tell? That's what Anna and Tyler must face in The Space Between.
The other reviews I've read say this book has a lot of science in math. Even though I'm an English nut, I really got into the equations and logic. Ms. Sokoloff has a very analytical mind. I loved watching Anna put together all the pieces. The equations helped her figure out the mystery. And there is an added mystery of her mother and why she left when Anna was little. Every time a lightbulb went off in Anna's head, the pieces clicked for me as well (maybe a little sooner once or twice, but this book kept me guessing).
There was some noticable repetition, a lot of people crouching behind desks or in corners, many mentions of nails or fingers digging into skin, and waves of ________ (nausea, shock, sensation, students, panic). But overall, I had a feeling of urgency as I read. The syntax helped with that, lots of commas and conjunctions to emphasize immediacy: "He leans in to her, and his lips touch hers, and the wind surrounds them like a blanket, and she lets herself not think."
I was surprised at how quickly the romantic plotline developed. However, I guess if you share something with a person that is so particulary unique, you kind of feel they get you. I liked Tyler and the fact that he had shoulder length hair. It was so cool that sometimes they talked only with their minds to each other; Anna never knew what thoughts he was listening to. I liked that he was in the "in" crowd but didn't always participate in their student bashing. I was worried at first when he didn't seem to stick up for or talk to Anna around his friends, but he redeemed himself later.
I also liked the end. Oh, and there's a little person in the novel who is constantly teased, but she's very well described. I definitely felt sympathy for her, but Sokoloff's writing reads true to how high schoolers would act.
There's also Anna's veteran father who is an alcoholic and is really messed up as a result of the Gulf War. That's originally what drew me to the story since I have many family members in the military.
Final verdict:
A suspenseful read with unexpected plot twists, Sokoloff mixes mathematics, science, fantasy, and romance with beautifully flowing prose.
September 11, 2011
When I started this book I was quite taken aback with the way it was written- I personally feel that the writing was quite choppy and awkward, almost to the point of sounding robotic (ie. "There is not a class on her schedule this semester that she likes. Next up, second period Chem which she understands not at all." pg. 10)- as such, I had a very difficult time connecting to everything that was occurring within it.
Furthermore, I feel that the book was unnecessarily convoluted- there were countless times while reading the book that I set it down so that I could process everything that was going on (and after every time I did this I was still no closer to understanding the book) and there were countless times while reading the book that I had to pull up the dictionary feature on my Kindle so that I could understand what exactly the author was trying to say- it almost felt like the author used a thesaurus to change every couple of words in the story to make it sound more intelligent (ie. "The dark second-floor chem lab is soporific as always, Litwack spacing out behind his desk, mug of coffee well-laced with vodka. As the class practices titration Anna can see more than the assignment bubbling at the back table: Darren and a couple other football guys are huddling too industriously over a beaker." pg. 10).
If anything the book reads more like a screenplay than an actual book, which I suppose makes sense as the author "made an interesting living writing novel adaptations and original suspense and horror scripts for numerous Hollywood studios (Sony, Fox, Disney, Miramax), for producers such as Michael Bay, David Heyman, Laura Ziskin and Neal Moritz" (http://www.alexandrasokoloff.com/alex...). After reading the book I am left feeling similar to how I did after watching films such as "Inception" and "Shutter Island"- basically I am confused beyond belief, but know that what I just experienced is very likely a work of genius.
All in all, I think that this is one of the rare cases where, if this book were to be made into a film, the film would actually be better than the book. While I personally did not enjoy the book as much as I had hoped to, I can see fans of thrillers eating it up and asking for seconds.
Rating: 2.5/5
Furthermore, I feel that the book was unnecessarily convoluted- there were countless times while reading the book that I set it down so that I could process everything that was going on (and after every time I did this I was still no closer to understanding the book) and there were countless times while reading the book that I had to pull up the dictionary feature on my Kindle so that I could understand what exactly the author was trying to say- it almost felt like the author used a thesaurus to change every couple of words in the story to make it sound more intelligent (ie. "The dark second-floor chem lab is soporific as always, Litwack spacing out behind his desk, mug of coffee well-laced with vodka. As the class practices titration Anna can see more than the assignment bubbling at the back table: Darren and a couple other football guys are huddling too industriously over a beaker." pg. 10).
If anything the book reads more like a screenplay than an actual book, which I suppose makes sense as the author "made an interesting living writing novel adaptations and original suspense and horror scripts for numerous Hollywood studios (Sony, Fox, Disney, Miramax), for producers such as Michael Bay, David Heyman, Laura Ziskin and Neal Moritz" (http://www.alexandrasokoloff.com/alex...). After reading the book I am left feeling similar to how I did after watching films such as "Inception" and "Shutter Island"- basically I am confused beyond belief, but know that what I just experienced is very likely a work of genius.
All in all, I think that this is one of the rare cases where, if this book were to be made into a film, the film would actually be better than the book. While I personally did not enjoy the book as much as I had hoped to, I can see fans of thrillers eating it up and asking for seconds.
Rating: 2.5/5
July 24, 2011
Sixteen-year old Anna Sullivan is an outsider at her high school. Quiet and shy, as well as cursed with a tortuous family past, she can’t hope to attract the attention of popular Tyler Marsh, for whom she has a crush. How could a girl like her, a girl with a low social status, an alcoholic father and a mother who abandoned her, dare hope anything at all in life?
Then the nightmares begin... nightmares of a horrible massacre at school...
What do these dreams mean? Is Anna somehow having a glimpse of the future?
Things get more confusing when she realizes Tyler is having the same dreams. In fact, he seems to be sharing the same dreams with her, at the same time. Thus begins Anna and Tyler’s dark relationship as together they try to decipher the meaning of the nightmares and in doing so discover their connection to quantum physics and multiple parallel dimensions.
I’m a huge fan of Sokoloff and have read all of her books. I was thrilled to read this her first young adult novel, which, in my opinion, is her darkest work to date. Sokoloff has a gift of pulling readers immediately into her stories. Her writing style, though simple and succinct, is exquisite. She knows how to combine long sentences with sudden short ones, thus creating a sensuous cadence and rhythm. The novel is also filled with vivid images, mystery and a strong atmosphere of danger. I also like the way she interlaces psychological elements into the plot, thus adding depth to the story.
One of the aspects of this novel I enjoyed the most was how Sokoloff incorporated quantum physics and the idea of multiple dimensions and parallel universes into her storyline. This definitely adds something different and original from other teen horror novels in the market today. It also stimulates readers’ minds. The story crosses genres; it’s a thriller with a bit of horror and a dash of the supernatural.
I highly recommend The Space Between to fans of dark YA thrillers as well as to those readers who like a sprinkle of science in their books.
Then the nightmares begin... nightmares of a horrible massacre at school...
What do these dreams mean? Is Anna somehow having a glimpse of the future?
Things get more confusing when she realizes Tyler is having the same dreams. In fact, he seems to be sharing the same dreams with her, at the same time. Thus begins Anna and Tyler’s dark relationship as together they try to decipher the meaning of the nightmares and in doing so discover their connection to quantum physics and multiple parallel dimensions.
I’m a huge fan of Sokoloff and have read all of her books. I was thrilled to read this her first young adult novel, which, in my opinion, is her darkest work to date. Sokoloff has a gift of pulling readers immediately into her stories. Her writing style, though simple and succinct, is exquisite. She knows how to combine long sentences with sudden short ones, thus creating a sensuous cadence and rhythm. The novel is also filled with vivid images, mystery and a strong atmosphere of danger. I also like the way she interlaces psychological elements into the plot, thus adding depth to the story.
One of the aspects of this novel I enjoyed the most was how Sokoloff incorporated quantum physics and the idea of multiple dimensions and parallel universes into her storyline. This definitely adds something different and original from other teen horror novels in the market today. It also stimulates readers’ minds. The story crosses genres; it’s a thriller with a bit of horror and a dash of the supernatural.
I highly recommend The Space Between to fans of dark YA thrillers as well as to those readers who like a sprinkle of science in their books.
August 11, 2011
Sixteen-year-old Anna Sullivan has never really fit in, or tried to. When she was five her mom vanished and since then she's been charged with taking care of her war-traumatized, alcoholic father.
Once Anna goes to sleep, horrible dreams seem to seek her out. They're terrible. In them she sees classmates and teachers die horrible, bloody deaths at the hands of a crazed killer. Classmate, and Anna's out-of-her-league crush, Tyler appears in these dreams too... and he always dies.
When Tyler seeks Anna out and confides that he knows what she's dreaming and he's a part of it somehow, Anna becomes convinced they're being shown the future so they can stop it... but that's not exactly the case. The truth is much deeper and mind-blowing than she could ever have imagined. Alternate universes are what they're dealing with.
This book is a work of awesome. I devoured it in less than 5 hours. Alexandra Sokoloff wove an intricate story line with threads of horror and science fiction. There were even points I laughed because her characters are so real and easy to relate to. Also, the detail in which the story is described is concise, yet absolutely amazing without all the sparkly, superfluous words of description. You are right there with Anna choking on the smoke, feeling the fear that drives her, experiencing the Santa Ana winds at your back.
I cannot stress how much i enjoyed experiencing this book. Buy it, the alternate universe you probably already has... ;p
---Angela
Once Anna goes to sleep, horrible dreams seem to seek her out. They're terrible. In them she sees classmates and teachers die horrible, bloody deaths at the hands of a crazed killer. Classmate, and Anna's out-of-her-league crush, Tyler appears in these dreams too... and he always dies.
When Tyler seeks Anna out and confides that he knows what she's dreaming and he's a part of it somehow, Anna becomes convinced they're being shown the future so they can stop it... but that's not exactly the case. The truth is much deeper and mind-blowing than she could ever have imagined. Alternate universes are what they're dealing with.
This book is a work of awesome. I devoured it in less than 5 hours. Alexandra Sokoloff wove an intricate story line with threads of horror and science fiction. There were even points I laughed because her characters are so real and easy to relate to. Also, the detail in which the story is described is concise, yet absolutely amazing without all the sparkly, superfluous words of description. You are right there with Anna choking on the smoke, feeling the fear that drives her, experiencing the Santa Ana winds at your back.
I cannot stress how much i enjoyed experiencing this book. Buy it, the alternate universe you probably already has... ;p
---Angela
September 4, 2011
Anna Sullivan’s mom disappeared when she was five. Anna is being raised by her father who is suffering from Gulf War Syndrome and alcoholism. Anna is suddenly being plagued by very vivid dreams of violence taking place at her high school. The day after the first dream, the school has a fire just like the one she dreamed of the night before. More dreams, more violence, and in all of them Anna’s crush, Tyler dies. Anna is determined to figure out how to prevent the violence looming on the horizon.
This was a very dark read! I loved how Sokoloff incorporated Quantum Physics into the story in a way that was very easy for this layman to understand, which made the story richer. Multiple possibilities of many parallel universes reminded me of my favorite TV show, “Fringe”.
Sokoloff is able to suck the reader right into the story in a way that I could almost smell the smoke of the fire, and the fear of being discovered in my hiding spot. I felt Anna’s reluctance to get involved in all the weirdness, but her need to do the right thing and prevent tragedy.
The only reason I didn’t give this 5 stars is because there were too many loose ends and open ended questions. I’m not a fan of endings that are left open to my interpretation…I always wonder if maybe I missed something. I hate when I am left hanging like that. I would LOVE to see a sequel to this story where everything is resolved and all loose ends are tied up.
This was a very dark read! I loved how Sokoloff incorporated Quantum Physics into the story in a way that was very easy for this layman to understand, which made the story richer. Multiple possibilities of many parallel universes reminded me of my favorite TV show, “Fringe”.
Sokoloff is able to suck the reader right into the story in a way that I could almost smell the smoke of the fire, and the fear of being discovered in my hiding spot. I felt Anna’s reluctance to get involved in all the weirdness, but her need to do the right thing and prevent tragedy.
The only reason I didn’t give this 5 stars is because there were too many loose ends and open ended questions. I’m not a fan of endings that are left open to my interpretation…I always wonder if maybe I missed something. I hate when I am left hanging like that. I would LOVE to see a sequel to this story where everything is resolved and all loose ends are tied up.
October 23, 2011
I must say that I really enjoyed this book. I thought the voice it was written in was so different. I like that it was written as Anna's thoughts for the most part. There wasn't a lot of dialog between characters and I was okay with that. Anna's thoughts were realistic and believable. I think that way sometimes so I could relate to her. I did however have a hard time relating to Tyler. There was just too much mystery surrounding him and I didn't get to know him as must as I was hoping to. Overall the relationship between Anna and Tyler worked for me.
The subject of the book is a dark one. Dealing with the possibility of a school massacre is a tough subject that may hit close to home for some. There was a lot of violence in this book though it is portrayed through a dream state. I liked that math and science were brought into the mix in order to add more mystery and to make a puzzle out of everything. It kept me guessing as to what would happen next.
The biggest downfall for me with this book was the ending. It ended suddenly and left me wondering what just happened. I needed more of an ending and some closure. I guess I will have to imagine my own ending.
The subject of the book is a dark one. Dealing with the possibility of a school massacre is a tough subject that may hit close to home for some. There was a lot of violence in this book though it is portrayed through a dream state. I liked that math and science were brought into the mix in order to add more mystery and to make a puzzle out of everything. It kept me guessing as to what would happen next.
The biggest downfall for me with this book was the ending. It ended suddenly and left me wondering what just happened. I needed more of an ending and some closure. I guess I will have to imagine my own ending.
January 13, 2012
This is the story of Anna. She begins to dream about a Columbine type disaster at her High School. Before too long she realizes that others in her school are having the same dream. She also realizes she can influence the dreams. If she can influence the dreams can she stop the disaster from happening?
This is billed as a YA story but I enjoyed it despite the fact that I am far older than that! I loved the idea of lucid dreaming and the paranormal spin on the whole thing. Anna was a strong heroine, suddenly finding herself having to deal with far more than the usual teenage angst. It can't be easy having the fate of so many people on your shoulders! Her supporting cast were believable and real. The story had a good pace to it, never flagging. The twist at the end blew me away. It wasd a clever way to end the story and I certainly never saw it coming!
A great paranormal thriller for young adults and upwards. I urge you to give it a try.
I received a complimentary of this book in order to review.
This is billed as a YA story but I enjoyed it despite the fact that I am far older than that! I loved the idea of lucid dreaming and the paranormal spin on the whole thing. Anna was a strong heroine, suddenly finding herself having to deal with far more than the usual teenage angst. It can't be easy having the fate of so many people on your shoulders! Her supporting cast were believable and real. The story had a good pace to it, never flagging. The twist at the end blew me away. It wasd a clever way to end the story and I certainly never saw it coming!
A great paranormal thriller for young adults and upwards. I urge you to give it a try.
I received a complimentary of this book in order to review.
December 27, 2011
This is a really good book. It is on a very dark subject and i think that instead of tip-toeing around the subject that Alexandra Sokoloff did a great job with just putting it out there with all its gore-y details. I think she did an excellent job on Anna's character. I felt everything that she felt and was a little surprised by her character, because most of us are used to strong, brave characters and not the innocent, terrified character and Anna was. Her being this way wasn't bad though, it made it feel that much more real, because that is real emotion for this situation. It did get confusing at times though, which kind of had me lost for awhile, but in the end i was shocked by the ending and satisfied with the story. I did like this book, but its subject/genre is not the first thing i would turn to look at when looking for a new book. I do recommend you read it, because it is a very different YA novel and i think everyone should get a bit of dark reality in their minds sometimes.
Rating: 3.5/5
Rating: 3.5/5
November 21, 2011
The Space Between is a provocative reading of American high school culture that stands shoulder to shoulder with Stephen King's Carrie. Though listed as being a YA, this work easily crosses over that perceived boundary as it incorporates quantum physics into the psychic undercurrents and dream sequences of the narrative. Disturbingly suggestive scenes of child exploitation and abuse are handled sensitively so as not to be exploitative or titillating in themselves. All of which adds to the sense of mounting horror and inevitability that leads to a conclusion that is in marked contrast to the reader's expectations. This is an adolescent nightmare tale, a shadowplay of people cast as characters who are not sure as to who, what or why they are. The age group this work is targeted act reflects that time of life most poignantly in that it raises far more questions about life and existence than most grown adults can adequately and comfortably answer. Recommended alongwith the original short story - The Edge of Seventeen.
November 10, 2011
This is a very dark book. It is also really good and it keeps you on your toes from the first to last page. This book is the first paranormal thriller that I´ve read and I loved it. you get sucked in the story and you just want to know more. There is also love or maybe it is rather attraction we a re talking about here, between Anna and Tyler. My only wish, is for the story to be longer, I did not want it to end so quickly. I really like Anna´s character. She is such a lovely girl. An outcast yes but with a very strong mind. And she does continue to be more and more sure about herself through out the book . She takes the step and stands up for herself and I love that. It was a really thrilling end so I am glad that the Author is planning on a squeal! If you want to read a thrilling story then this is the book for you, it really was great!
August 17, 2011
Dark. That's the first word that pops into my head about this book. The open ending didn't make me feel a heck of a lot better, either. I thought it was extremely well written and the author was able to make me see all the images vividly - like a movie in my head. I could feel Anna's angst and longing. I cheered her strength and determination. (Not sure what it says about me that the teens having unprotected sex bothered me more than the bullying and violence.) I raced through this book, not because I didn't like it, but because I couldn't wait to see how it ended. I received this for free in exchange for a review. Needless to say, I'll be looking for a sequel--and will gladly pay full price for it.
February 23, 2013
I had this on my kindle for months but for some reason, I thought I'd already read it (Mostly because this author's books don't tend to languish in my TBR pile.)
Her best book, IMO, will probably always be The Harrowing, but this was pretty good. Lots of creepy stuff happening to sympathetic characters. The ending left some questions open, but that works well with what's basically horror because it lets your mind play with things even after you've finished the book. Looking back on the story, there's a clue placed in plane sight early in the book, but I didn't fit it into place until the end. I love when a book is crafted like that. It makes me what to re-read it because I know the entire story will look differently now that I know that there's another way to see the event.
Her best book, IMO, will probably always be The Harrowing, but this was pretty good. Lots of creepy stuff happening to sympathetic characters. The ending left some questions open, but that works well with what's basically horror because it lets your mind play with things even after you've finished the book. Looking back on the story, there's a clue placed in plane sight early in the book, but I didn't fit it into place until the end. I love when a book is crafted like that. It makes me what to re-read it because I know the entire story will look differently now that I know that there's another way to see the event.
October 12, 2011
I enjoyed The Space Between, it had an interesting mix of math and scientific elements. The characters were perfect in the story they were all written so well that I was pissed off at the jocks and popular people for making fun of Anna and the characters Anna felt were maybe a little of the crazy side I felt the same way towards them. I liked how Alexandra explained how Anna got her gift. I am still interested in where the other probabilities are. Can Anna go to those other parallel universes like on Fringe? I hope Alexandra writes more stories in The Space Between world because I need to know more about the probabilities and parallels universes.
June 14, 2012
I am a big fan of Alexandra's blog and so wanted to read her books. I loved this book up until the end. I was so surprised she left every thread hanging and all the build-up plot lines unfinished. I know this was adapted from a short story, but I don't understand why nothing was explained or resolved at the end, and I very much felt like there were about three chapters missing so that the whole mystery of the visions the character had been having would be explained and played out in a big climax, which didn't come. otherwise, really love her writing and scenes, and I'm reading The harrowing now and enjoy her character depth so much!
November 1, 2011
This was one of those books that really sucks you in from the first paragraph. I couldn't imagine how it would end and I'm rather good at guessing unexpected endings. The story is a unique mix of the supernatural and a disturbing fear that grips us all, either as parents, students, or citizens of the modern world - school shootings. Throw in a little physics and what you have is something very original and highly compelling. A truly haunting read.
August 6, 2011
This is very smart, very dark suspense. Plus, you have quantum physics dressed up in a scary story. The thrills and chills aren't just of the unseen plane. Much drama and suspense still comes from the social "minefield" that is high school. Adults can enjoy this book, too.
October 18, 2011
This was a good read. It was a bit confusing at first with the whole dream thing 'cause it would seem like someone would know the dream, but you just really didn't know. Above all though once the confusion passed it was pretty good.
April 3, 2016
OMG!
I love the ending.. Other than the scientific part I think there is symbolism in Mandy..Scott..the two headed monster..the latter referring to mental illness..maybe bipolar disorder where death is sometimes better than life!
I love the ending.. Other than the scientific part I think there is symbolism in Mandy..Scott..the two headed monster..the latter referring to mental illness..maybe bipolar disorder where death is sometimes better than life!
August 22, 2011
Interesting idea for a story but way too many loose ends that were never explained and no real resolution at the end of the book
March 26, 2012
Even though it's listed as YA fiction, people who like fantasy will enjoy reading The Space Between.
June 13, 2012
this was a contritr, cliche piece that would better serve as a bumper sticker. And a better title would have been "Sample Space".
May 9, 2013
Alexandra Sokoloff understands how thrillers are written, and she puts that knowledge to good use in this book. The story eerily evokes memories of Columbine High School.
July 17, 2015
A little dark for my taste, but I liked it a lot. It begs for a sequel.
June 20, 2017
It kept me reading to find out what would happen but it was a bit out there and too steeped in discussions on mathematical probability for my liking. Also I didn't love the characters.
March 16, 2012
Review is forthcoming...
April 17, 2017
Anna keeps dreaming about a shooting at her high school. Why is she dreaming this? Can she figure out who the shooter is? Is there a way to stop it happening? And why does Tyler, a boy Anna crushes on from a distance, appear to be having the same dreams?
This sounded like a fascinating premise but the book was a bit of disappointment. The sci-fi/fantasy part of it was fine, but, look I know it is YA but the continuous, "Anna couldn't breathe when Tyler was near" or "Anna couldn't think of anything else when looking into his eyes" got a little tedious after the first dozen times. It was also fairly obvious who the shooter would turn out to be too. A missed opportunity. Rating: 2 stars.
This sounded like a fascinating premise but the book was a bit of disappointment. The sci-fi/fantasy part of it was fine, but, look I know it is YA but the continuous, "Anna couldn't breathe when Tyler was near" or "Anna couldn't think of anything else when looking into his eyes" got a little tedious after the first dozen times. It was also fairly obvious who the shooter would turn out to be too. A missed opportunity. Rating: 2 stars.
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