The Space Between Us

by Jessica Martinez

From the author of Virtuosity, a novel about two sisters and the secrets they tell, the secrets they keep, and the secret that could tear them apart.

Amelia is used to being upstaged by her charismatic younger sister, Charly. She doesn't mind, mostly, that it always falls to her to cover for Charly's crazy, impulsive antics. But one night, Charly's thoughtlessness goes way too far, and she lands both sisters in serious trouble.

Amelia's not sure she can forgive Charly this time, and not sure she wants to, but forgiveness is beside the point. Because Charly is also hiding a terrible secret, and the truth just might tear them apart forever.

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Mystery, Family

416 pages, Paperback

First published October 16, 2012

Reviews

[Maja (The Nocturnal Library) · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars
I bought my copy of The Space Between Us right on the release date, October 16th 2012, and then spent almost three months staring at it longingly, too much of a coward to actually read it. I’d been almost afraid of it. Well, not almost, I was honestly scared– considering how much I loved Virtuosity, Martinez’s debut novel, my expectations were pretty high, and I knew there was much room for disappointment.
It’s possible that I’m being vastly unfair by comparing the Space Between Us with Virtuosity, but in my own defense, Martinez was the one who set the bar so high. I don’t read contemporary that often, not if I can avoid it (which I usually can), and there aren’t many contemporary titles that left a lasting mark on me, but Virtuosity is one of them. The honesty of it all, the psychological insight, convinced me that Martinez is a skilled storyteller. Alas, I was headed straight for disappointment.

Teen pregnancy is never easy, but when your father is a pastor and you end up being severely punished for it even though you’re not the one who’s actually pregnant… well, hard doesn’t even begin to describe it. That’s Amelia’s life in a nutshell. She is a high school senior, captain of the female hockey team, responsible, serious and very restrained. Or at least she was, until her younger sister Charly, a party person and an attention-seeker, got pregnant. Instead of finishing her senior year and going to Columbia as she’d planned, Amelia ends up moving to Canada for six months to help cover up her sister’s shameful secret. Her achievements mean nothing – what Charly needs, Charly always gets, and this time she needs Amelia to sacrifice everything that matters to her.

I wish I were one of those people who can like a book even though they don’t like any of the characters. I am not. Being in Amelia’s head was, quite frankly, a horrifying experience. If there was ever a more unlikable character, I must have blocked it out of my memory because I simply can’t remember it now. But here are a few facts about our narrator: she is utterly incapable of standing up for herself when it matters and she’s painfully aware of it, so to compensate, she takes her issues out on everyone else, especially people who are actually nice to her. She thinks she’s better/ smarter/ more deserving than anyone around her, and it’s not an opinion she ever keeps for herself. She is suspicious, rude to nice people and always ready to lash out at the slightest provocation… or even without one. I have yet to stumble upon a more close-minded, judgmental character. I would have preferred a true anti-heroine instead of this accomplished, yet utterly unlikable protagonist.

Keeping all of it in mind, it stands to reason that she’s too self-absorbed to fall in love, at least in a way that would convince the readers and have them rooting for her romance. And again the comparison is inevitable; Ezra is a decent love interest, nicely fleshed-out, but Jeremy King he is not. And while I’m being unfair, Jeremy and Carmen had so much chemistry between them that’s simply not there between Amelia and Ezra, although they had a few lovely moments. Again, Amelia is too self-centered to every truly be in a relationship and as hard as Martinez tried to redeem her (or have her redeem herself) towards the end, in my opinion, it was too little, too late.

I do think that contemporary fans might find something more in Jessica Martinez’s sophomore novel. It is not my genre of choice and doubt it ever will be, so please take my opinion with a grain of salt.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amelia has always lived in the shadow of her beautiful, lively and daring younger sister, Charlotte - or Charly as everyone but her grandmother calls her. Amelia is the straight-laced sister, the one who abides by the rules and who has spent years working hard towards her goal of being accepted to Columbia University. She had a nice three-year-long relationship with Will which she ended when she realised he'd fallen in love with Charly; guileless, loveable, popular Charly who was completely blind to it and seems to have no particular interest in any of her many followers and admirers.

Since the sisters' mother died when Amelia was two and Charly just a baby, they've lived with their grandmother in Florida. Their father is a local Methodist pastor, a nice man and a good father but one who spends more time working on his sermons and with the church than noticing what his children are up to - it's this distance that Amelia secretly resents. She has her hands full trying to rein Charly in, and keep her from getting in serious trouble - or that trouble getting back to their father and grandmother.

Everything changes between the sisters, once so close, when Charly doesn't return from a party in the next town. For the first time ever, Amelia skips school the next day, forfeiting her right to play in the field hockey match later that day. Charly had just got her driver's licence and taken the sisters' car, and Amelia has visions of a horrific accident. So when she arrives home to find that Charly is back and looking extremely hungover, with no apology to offer, she loses it. Their grandmother grounds them both.

That is just the beginning, but from there a gulf opens up between the sisters. Amelia resents Charly as she never has before, seeing her as little more than selfish, and barely noticing that Charly isn't the same. After several months of barely speaking to each other, Charly finally comes to Amelia and tells her the truth: she's pregnant.

For the sisters, abortion is equal to murder, and so there is only one path left open to them: to tell their grandmother. Tears they were expecting, and recrimination, but instead grandmother takes charge, quickly devising a plan that will ensure their father never finds out or loses his exemplary position in the community, and that will protect Charly from people's judgement, too. She will go to their mother's family in Alberta after Christmas, have the baby in Canada, and then return after the adoption, ready to start a new school year with none the wiser. Amelia can see the merits in the plan, but is angered and upset when her grandmother then tells her she must go too.

As the sisters head to their young aunt's place in Banff, a sky resort town in the Rocky Mountains an hour west of Calgary, Amelia's resentment of Charly only grows. It feels like her life has been ruined, uprooted all for Charly's stupid mistake. In the freezing mountain air of Banff, can the hostility between the sisters thaw? Will they ever get their close bond back, and will Charly ever have the strength to tell her disapproving sister the truth of what happened that night she went missing?

When I started reading this, I had no idea where it was going because of how vague the blurb was, and at one point, early on, I thought I was reading a work of Christian fiction. When Charly got pregnant, I worried that it was going to be one of those abstinence-lecturing moral sermons or something equally repugnant, but The Space Between Us is nothing of the sort. I didn't want to be as vague as the blurb, in this review, because the novel is so much more interesting than it lets on, and doesn't descend into the kind of melodrama that too often comes with the subject of teen pregnancy. And also because there's so much more to this story than just teen pregnancy.

Amelia narrates, and it's her perspective that colours everything, and her voice that sounds in your ears. She's a strong character, but for as clear as her thoughts and emotions are, Martinez has skilfully created space around the words for us to see Amelia from the outside, too, creating a kind of three-dimensional perspective where otherwise there might have been a more narrow scope. Amelia is such an "every day" character, someone who is safe and familiar but easily overlooked. She's a reliable character, but not a reliable witness - she's too emotionally involved for that. But it's easy to relate to her, and to sympathise with her. The interesting thing, as a reader, was how I could sympathise with her and feel annoyed with her at the same time.

This story is about Amelia growing up, really. In the background, it's also about Charly growing up, but that's not the focus, it just has to happen simultaneously. At first, their shared secret about Charly's pregnancy unites them. It also forces Amelia to rethink her assumptions, her judgements, though it takes much longer for her to really shake them off.

Right and wrong were so much clearer from a distance, or in a sermon, or in somebody else's life. But this was so muddy and real, I couldn't even see Charly in it, and she was right in front of me.

I used to know exactly what kind of girl got pregnant, and exactly what kind of girl got an abortion, and Charly wasn't either. Except Charly was pregnant. So either I didn't know who she was at all, or she was an exception to the rule - accidentally shuffled into the teenage slut category. [p.74]

Certainly the story doesn't glamorise teen pregnancy, but it doesn't overdo it in the other direction either. Truth is, every woman has a completely different experience, every pregnancy is different - there's no universal "truth" about pregnancy. Charly has a rough time of it in her first trimester:

"You have no idea how much my feet hurt," she moaned.
"Your fourteen-week-old fetus is how big - half a pound?"
"What's your point?"
"Just checking."
"It's not about how big it is. It's everything. My skin itches, my back hurts, my nose is plugged up, I feel like I'm going to puke, my joints kill, I have heartburn and the hiccups, and when I stand too long my vision starts to look carbonated around the edges. I think even my blood hurts. My body is being taken over by aliens."
"Congratulations. You've convinced me never to have children." [pp.106-7]

That's Amelia's voice, right there: sarcastic, caustic, sometimes abrasive, and increasingly sullen. It would probably get annoying but it's skilfully balanced against a great supporting cast and tempered by the fact that it's so easy to understand why Amelia feels this way (though her sarcasm was always present). Her reasoning, most of the time, is clear and simple, and it has emotional strength in that clarity. She sees herself as Charly's "collateral damage" (p.90), and that she's being punished for Charly's mistakes. Banished, to Canada. Though in reality, she's using it as an excuse not to have to deal with her own life: the fact that she didn't get into Columbia and has no back-up plan, that she lost her captaincy on the hockey team, that her feelings for Will are unrequited, that she wishes she could have more of her father's attention. Amelia is a "glass half empty" kind of person, and her resentment only grows and grows. She is resistant to her aunt's friendliness, and sullen about living in Banff. But we start to get a clearer idea of Amelia through how she observes things and people:

"What's your aunt like?"
"I don't know. We've only talked for a couple of minutes so far." That was both true and false. We had only talked for a couple of minutes, but I was pretty sure I knew what she was like: She was a bartender with at least one tattoo and several piercings, she sang in a band and had screwed around in high school and lived in an apartment owned by a boyfriend who wanted her to quit nursing school. Oh, and she was trying way too hard. "Charly loves her." [p.145]

Amelia is quick to judge and assume things about others, having picked up the trait from her small town - a place she acknowledges is judgemental. If everyone in Tremonton is like Amelia, you can see why you'd want to get Charly away from there before people learn that she's pregnant. But it also saves Amelia too, rescues her from herself in a way. Towards the end, one of the minor characters - the school counsellor - points out that Amelia is a perfectionist who holds others up to her own unreasonably high standards, and that was a very apt description. She also has a pretty negative self-image, mostly because she's always compared herself to Charly, who takes after their mother; as such, we don't get a genuine idea of what Amelia looks like, only glimpses of her true self through Ezra's eyes.

In many ways, it is Ezra who saves the book from being too narrowly focused on the sisters and their problems with trust and communication. Ezra is a local, a young man who works at the library and volunteers for the ski patrol. He's very smart but resisted everyone's efforts to make him go to uni because his mother has a mental illness and his older brother is a drug addict who comes around from time to time, to beg, borrow or steal. Amelia judges him, too, against her exact standards, and finds him failing, but by getting to know him learns that there's a lot more to him than she had first assumed. She's prickly, though. It's what makes their romance all the more enjoyable to watch (we're all voyeurs when it comes to romance!) - and it's a relief when Amelia gets something of her own, especially considering he's impervious to Charly.

Ezra is also the voice of reason that I felt most comfortable with - whether he said it aloud or not, you could tell he's thinking what we're thinking: that Amelia is too anxious about what people think, and her shame at her sister's "condition" is misguided, unfair and harsh. That she should be more supportive than condemning. That she should shake off her prejudices. But he doesn't say these things, only hints at them in words or expression so that we see more than Amelia does. He's too tactful, too smart and too genuinely interested in Amelia to get her back up by bluntly saying something (and in my experience, Canadians are very good at not saying things). I felt comfortable with Ezra because of his perspective, his reasoning; because he wasn't religious like Amelia, though he wasn't close-minded to possibilities; and because he grounded Amelia, made her rethink her emotional childishness, not by saying or doing anything, but by being Ezra, and because when we say such thoughts aloud we can hear how petty and stupid they sound. Ezra was Amelia's sounding board, in that sense.

"I'm not bitter," I said, not looking at him, but knowing he wasn't looking at me. "I just miss my life. My friends and my house and Charly, or the old Charly. And then a couple of weeks ago I found out I didn't get into Columbia, and that was my big plan, you know? My way out of Tremonton." Why was I telling him this? It was like the words were forcing their way out, like rising bubbles. "Instead I'm chained to my screwed up sister so everyone doesn't figure out how screwed up she really is."
Ezra opened his mouth, then closed it again, and in the silence of his hesitation I heard myself. I sounded girly. And stupid and needy. Blood rushed to my face, completing my humiliation. Blushing. I might as well have been naked.
"Who's everyone?"
"What?"
"You said so everyone doesn't figure out. What does it matter what people think?"
I paused. "I guess..." He had no idea what it was like being the pastor's daughter, being Charly's sister, being constantly scrutinized. "It's less about what people think, more about her. I can't just abandon her."
"I get it."
Probably not.
"You don't think I do," he said, "but I do. She's your lost cause. You can't let her go." [pp.213-4]

Probably I was most angry at Amelia when, after finding out the truth of Charly's pregnancy, she becomes supportive: I was angry because of what it took to get her to be supportive, and communicative, and remorseful. In that scene, I never felt more keenly aware - and sympathetic - for what Charly had been going through, and how alone she'd been all this time, when what she'd really needed was Amelia's support. I wished she could've been a better sister, and Amelia wished it too. Like most lessons learned in life, that are worth learning, she learns too late for this instance, though it will stay with her forever.

I loved the setting. I was a bit wary at first, as a Canadian, but Martinez had gentle fun with the stereotypes and you can see that she loves her home province still, even though she lives in Florida (she says she's allergic to the cold, and while I don't quite know what that looks like, I can sympathise - the cold is awful, though so is the humidity in summer). I've never been to the Rockies, and I don't think I'm going to get the chance to either, before I return to Australia next year. But life in Banff, as described, felt somewhat familiar - perhaps because everywhere in Canada that gets this kind of winter feels the same!

Amelia learns a tough lesson over the course of the story, including that she's not the anchor for her sister that she always thought she was - a position she resented, and yet without it she feels set adrift. The point of the story is for Amelia to learn to live her life for her own sake, not other people's. It is a wonderfully written look at sibling conflict and growing up with a realistically flawed protagonist. It also gently nudged at the way people often do things that they think is best for other people without really asking or understanding the issue at hand - both Amelia and her grandmother are adept at this - and how good intentions can still be damaging. It is a story of many layers and more than one theme, not least of which is the stereotypes surrounding teen pregnancy, how blindly trusting young people can be, and how dangerous that is. Thought-provoking and engaging, The Space Between Us is well worth reading.

My thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book.

[tarawrawr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review originally posted on my blog http://hobbitsies.net/2012/10/the-spa...

Guys, I loved The Space Between Us by Jessica Martinez. I thought her debut, Virtuosity, was amazing, so I was super stoked for The Space Between Us – and I wasn’t let down.

Virtuosity dealt with some very interesting issues in a super non-preachy, relatable way and The Space Between Us did the same thing with teen pregnancy and religion and what not.

I seriously applaud Jessica Martinez for how she portrayed religion in The Space Between Us. It can be tricky because it’s always interpreted the wrong way by someone, but religion in The Space Between Us was more a part of the characters, their upbringing, their lives – and that does play a huge role, but we also see them as they struggled with what that meant for them now. It was never pushy one way or another.

And I loved the characters in The Space Between Us. Amelia and Charly are so different and they totally don’t get along at times but I loved them both. They both go through some serious (and necessary) character growth throughout The Space Between Us and I really enjoyed reading along as they figured out, in their own way, how to deal with this crazy situation. Because both Amelia and Charly are super selfish at first, but it’s so easy to see both sides.

I thought the setting was awesome. I really related to Amelia and Charly because I have never seen snow so it was so fun to see them go to Canada for the first time and see all the snow and freeze to death, etc. Jessica Martinez really made the setting pop for me, as well as all the characters that came with it, like Ezra and their aunt.

And, of course, there is romance in The Space Between Us. I loved Ezra and Amelia together. That is all.

Also, major bonus points because Tallahassee is mentioned like a billion times and I felt really cool (because I live there, hah).

I definitely recommend The Space Between Us by Jessica Martinez. Despite the length, I was totally sucked in and managed to read it in about two and a half hours. The Space Between Us managed to portray current issues today, but also tell an entertaining story that kept me engaged.

[Lilysbookblog · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amelia Mercer has always lived in the shadow of her younger sister Charly, she’s used to it by now. Amelia is the girl who is always two steps ahead, a senior in high school she is still heartbroken over the end of her one and a half year relationship with Will and has high hopes of making it Columbia University in the fall.
Amelia and Charly have always been close. With Charly being a cardboard copy their late mother. The girls live with their dad the local pastor in Florida with their grandmother who also happens to be very religious. Amelia is secretly always angry that her father’s job keeps him from actively being involved in his daughter’s lives and finds herself having looking out for wild Charly.
One night when Charly goes to a party and asks Amelia to cover for her and doesn’t return that very night and the next morning Amelia starts worrying something serouis may have happened to Charly. Amelia skips school and calls their grandma telling her she lied about Charly’s whereabouts and is meanwhile picturing Charly (with her newly given license) dead somewhere in a ditch. When Amelia arrives home though she finds Charly, who has no apology to offer Amelia and looks hung over Amelia gets angry, very very angry.
From then on the girls relationship is strained and when a couple of nights later Charly reveals she is pregnant everything goes downhill from there. The girls tell their grandma who is so worried about what people may think with their father being the pastor and all ships them off to Canada to live with their aunt who they have never met.
The blurb of this book is so vague as to what happens in the book that when I picked it up I had no idea both religion and teen pregnancy weighed so heavily in this book. As I started reading I feared The Space Between Us would be one of those boring lecturer books about the bad things about teen pregnancy and what not but I was so wrong.
The book is told from Amelia’s POV and offers an insight as to how it is to be the older sister of a pregnant teenager. The book is manly about how Amelia deals with the sand slipping beneath her feet. Her little sister is pregnant. She is forced to move to Canada against her will. Her dreams at Columbia are shattered. Amelia does a lot of growing up in this book and learns what it means to put others need before her own. It is extremely easy, especially during the beginning of the book where it is easy to feel annoyed at Amelia for her quick judgment throughout the book but there were times where I also sympathized for her.
Early on I caught on to one of the twists in the book and when I was proven right it only made me more annoyed at Amelia. I kept thinking: How did she not notice? Why was she so quick to judge? Amelia freezes Charly out in a way I would never think of to do to my own sister. Martinez creates a character that makes the reader both angry and annoyed but touches our hearts too. Martinez also highlights what it’s like to be pregnant. Not in any way does she glamorize teen pregnancy but she does make it so the reader understands exactly what Charly is going through even if her older stubborn sister doesn’t.
The book is mainly about Amelia and her struggles with her sisters pregnancy but it also features a wide set of characters from their sweet and funny aunt Bree to the cute library boy Ezra. In many ways I felt the most enjoyable parts of the book were the scenes between Amelia and Ezra. Bree is also seen as the cool fun aunt but Amelia is also quick to judge her for dating a man twenty years her senior, even though she is letting them stay at her apartment.
The Space Between Us also features a wide set of Canadian references and living in Canada I found it pretty funny to read how Amelia, (born and raised in Florida) reacted to the cold winters up here. I being born in Florida myself (I left when I was four years old though so I have no recollection of the place) and now living in Canada found that if perhaps I had left when I around my age now I would have probably reacted the same way Amelia had.
The Space between Us is a book about learning to grow up and stand on your own two feet. To not be jostled by someone else. Amelia does a lot of growing up in this book and learns that she is her sister anchor and that is it okay to be our own person. Amelia also learns she shouldn’t be too quick to judge and learn all the facts first before making any assumptions about anything. All in all I really enjoyed The Space between us it is both thought provoking and not a typical teen pregnancy read. The Space Between us is well worth reading.
This review is also on my blog www.lilysbookblog.com

[Isamlq · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75/5

I liked The space Between Us... even more than I did Virtuosity. It’s the people in it you see. Amelia, specifically, is written in so convincing a manner that I sympathized with her, was on her side almost one hundred percent of the time even when objectively speaking she’s as whiny and all woe is me as the next teenage angsty-girl. So much so that I liked her then disliked her and then found myself liking her again.

I was with her early on and her assessing things: the whole needing to be mad and sad at the same time, even with her being religious, as it was never really the focus, was not even that big a deal. Basically, the girl is who she is and does what she does, so I enjoyed her story. Though enjoy is not quite apt. The girl thinks herself the anchor is a bit deluded in valuing her own self importance. That said, I got it when she’d be angry-bitter, but helpless in wanting to be there for her sister. And I was feeling her feeling angry ~Oh boy, was this girl angry!~ about getting the short end of things. Because objectively, she is a bit of brat, sometimes the mean girl/pretty girl who likes things going a certain way and holding people up to a standard that’s almost impossible. She was all those, and still I liked her.

Her sister’s part in this was a revelation, too. What’s done, was at first, a tad melodramatic. But you see, what it allowed to happen, what happened later on showed a couple of extremes: the growing distance between the girls based on feeling let down as well as burdened, then those other moments on account to the friction between the two in not wanting to be in each other’s space? All of it so true. And as a little bonus Charly also proves that she’s more than the little sister to take care of, more than the flighty one who doesn’t give a fig about what others have to say and want. She proves that not everybody has to be certain way all the time….

So there’s a little bit of angry, then more and more of then angry, then this growing indifference of not wanting things to be how they turned out. Plus all that want/ need of one of them to feel needed, well… at least acknowledged. All of it’ was true. True. True. Making already complicated relationships more so! Because it’s not all bad, given there having been a genuine closeness. Only they trip themselves up, no she trips herself up (Amelia, that is) on petty (OK not-so-petty) jealousies and insecurities. You jumble all that up and their relationship, we see is not exactly quirky-unique, it’s more believable instead.

All of them, Amelia, Charly, Bree and even the new guy… added a bit more to the drama level without making it to soap opera-esque. Because with the guy especially, a lot of her truths are laid out so that eventually where things went: it all made sense. Right now, I’m a happy camper as I’ve finally, finally, FINALLY got my hands on a decent YA contemporary read. This one’s full of people who act like assholes and do mean things, but are trying so darned hard just to get by instead of being dragged down by little issues they have with others and with themselves.

It turns out this is my kind of book!
3.75/5

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Books that deal with the relationships between girls are my favorite. I mean sisters, girlfriends, best friends, room mates, all of it. It's one of the reasons Jessica Warman's one of my favorites, because when an author gets certain aspects right, it feels really good. I got a feeling really close to that with Jessica Martinez, which surprised me.

The book starts off really slow, and in fact I'm not so sure it started in the right place. Amelia's world is bright with promise and friends, though she always feels like she's in the shadow of her younger sister. She believes she's the less attractive, the less charismatic, the less boy-friendly of the two. Their interactions in the start of the book do make me wonder why she would think this -- Amelia had so many friends, and once had a steady, happy boyfriend she was crazy about. To me, it sounded much like she had quite the perfect life.

This all changes when Charly disappears one night, comes back in awful shape, and later reveals that she's pregnant. Immediately, it falls on Amelia to shove her life to the side and comfort her sister, and when they grow the courage to go to their ultra-religious grandmother for guidance, the lady lays down the law. The girls are being sent to Canada to live with their aunt. Not just Charly, the pregnant one, but Amelia as well. This is the point where things started to get interesting, and Amelia's ugly side peaks out. Because, really, who wouldn't be absolutely infuriated that they were ultimately transported back to a time when girls had to be shipped off to live with family for being pregnant? These girls live in a small town, which also comes equipped with the grandmother who is more concerned about the family image than keeping a close eye on her grand daughter.

While I say this is where things started to get interesting, what I really mean is that this is where I almost stopped reading. I didn't know I was about to be put through some super religious "slutty slutty sluts and their slutty slut ways" thing when I picked up the book. What got me back on board was their arrival in Canada, and the way the country is presented. They're Florida girls, after all, totally not used to the super dry world that is Banff. Intrigued? You betcha.

Martinez weaves some awesome imagery, and wonderful descriptions of Canada. I'm stationed in sunny Arizona, missing my snowy NY homeland daily, and this was like a breath of frosty cold air in my lungs. The images are so crisp and memorable that it made me want to put on some long johns and hop the train to Calgary, all the while pining for Timbits and an iced cap. It doesn't just stop on their arrival, though. It stays a constant part of Amelia's world, and I completely appreciated it. Because when you live in a place where the weather can get incredibly severe and last for a while, it doesn't just go away. The care you take becomes a part of your daily routine, and I loved seeing that as a part of Amelia's. It reminded me in a way of Colleen Clayton's What Happens Next, and how the cold Rust Belt winter is portrayed. It's not over-the-top, but it's there.

So really, Canada saved this book for me. I decided to bite my tongue and get past the ultra-religious, misogynist crap coming from Amelia. After all, it is something that has been a part of her life for a long time. She's not just that way because society's like that, but because her community, and family, are all very judgmental as well. Amelia mentions at least once that her sisters deserves to be called a slut, which just completely shocked me. I understood that she was angry at her, but to be so filled with hatred at her sister? We have a really angry girl on our hands, don't we?

Luckily, Amelia kind of gets what's coming to her. I cheered internally at the scene in which the ex girlfriend of her love interest (I'll get to him in a minute) blows through and calls Amelia the kinds of things she called her sister. Unfortunately, this doesn't get through to Amelia. She's upset because she was called those things, and how afraid she is that it's a reflection of her real behavior. It makes her mopey and upset, and keep her distance from this guy, Ezra. He's a wonderful love interest with a family history that seems more suited for his own novel rather than being a side character in this one -- but it does a good job of keeping Amelia on her toes. It also serves as a reminder for her that other people out there are dealing with much more difficult things than "my sister is pregnant." Bringing that perspective to her is what I really liked about Ezra, more than their cutesy scenes, or how he warms her up (literally, with hot water bottles under her armpits and many coffee drinks).

I do think that the summary of this book is a little misleading. There is a secret (that you may or may not get before it's even brought up), and it is a big one that will change their relationship. But it's not the secret that could have torn them apart, it's Amelia's attitude. She only really comes around to showing respect for her sister when she learns the truth, and even then, I got the sense that she still felt more incensed about not being told immediately than anything else. For all the talk of the importance of family and family values in that specific culture, that didn't play a very strong role. The biting, hate-fueled relationship between Amelia and Charly played a bigger role, and even in the end, I don't know that it was resolved. The ending comes so swift that you might even feel empty at the lack of resolution for anyone.

While it was tough to deal with the misogyny in the book, and Amelia was definitely not a character I liked, I did ultimately enjoy reading it. I got a lot more out of the romance between Amelia and Ezra than anything else, and I think that a lot of other readers would feel the same. It's filled with little moments that keep things interesting, and it's Ezra's anchor to Amelia's hot air that makes the book special.

[Magdelanye · Rating 3 out of 5]

Right and wrong were so much clearer from a distance. p74

Amelia has always been the sister designated to coddle and cover for her younger sister, the Beauty.
This well articulated story goes much deeper into the complexities of taking responsibility for ones actions and the effect we have on others.

Regret and guilt don't feel that much different. p336

Not quite a 4 so 3.75 out of 5
In my rating system 5/7

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Space Between Us is an amazing book that I read quickly because I couldn't put it down. I became invested in the story from the first page, falling in the love with both the story and the characters. This book is also so emotional, and I loved that about it. So, my advice to you is read this book!

POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD

Amelia is a great main character, though she has her flaws. She clearly cares about Charly, despite being mad at her for a good portion of the book. Her main flaw is that she is judgmental. When she finds out Charly is pregnant, she immediately makes assumptions. She says many mean and horrible things to Charly throughout the book. Despite what I'm saying, I still did like her as a main character. I could see why she was mad at Charly, even if I did sometimes want her to be more supportive.

Charly is a great character. She's sweet and loveable, but she's also hiding a huge secret. One of the most emotional scenes in the book is when Charly finally tells Amelia her secret. The relationship between the sisters is showcased so well in that scene. It's obvious that Amelia really cares about her sister then, and feels guilty for the bad things she's said. Charly's and Amelia's characters both grow throughout the course of the book.

Ezra is also a great character. The relationship between Amelia and him doesn't start off too great. He comes to pick up Amelia and Charly from the airport in Canada, and Amelia is pretty mean to him. As the story progresses, Amelia and Ezra become friends, and she feels like they could maybe be more than friends. Their relationship is so sweet and develops slowly and realistically. He has his secrets about his family, but he's a great guy. He helps Amelia to grow as a character.

If you like emotional contemporary YA, read this book.

[Jessie Lan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really amazing. I had guessed at Charly's secret but wasn't really sure if I would be right until the final reveal. Proud to say that I figured it out right :) *Spoilers* I do wish that Jessica Martinez had elaborated on Charly's leaving and how Amelia felt as she dealt with that and her and Ezra's relationship, but it was still a really great read. I got hold of an advanced reader's copy so when it comes out I will definitely be reading the final version, but I'm sure there won't be any major changes.

[Veronica245 · Rating 2 out of 5]

I stopped reading this at 25%, it's a very well written book, and I felt like it's one of those books you need to read and like, but I was so put off by the actions of adults in this book that I just didn't want to continue with it, the way that main character is treated was abominable. And her sisters behavior just terrible. I refused to be a part of it.

[Kyire M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing book about a teenage love story, two battling teenage sisters, and teenage pregnancy. i feel in love with this book and you will too. i really suggest to read this book.

[Danya · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Note: I've hidden the most major spoilery bits, but there are some general mild spoilers in this review.

Characters:

Amelia: I had trouble liking Amelia at some points because of her dismissive, condescending attitude towards Charly. While she does change her attitude partway through — and I have to respect her for trying to be more positive and treat her sister better — I feel like it shouldn't have taken knowledge of a certain fact to get Amelia to realize she'd been treating Charly badly ( the fact that Charly was date-raped changes Amelia's perspective, but I feel like she shouldn't have had the attitude she did towards Charly even if it had all played out the way Amelia had initially thought, without any instance of date rape ). Amelia's behaviour towards Charly wasn't helping anything — not Charly, and not Amelia's mental/emotional health either. All it was doing was creating a negative environment and relationship between the two girls.

However, Amelia actually acknowledges that she'd gotten into the pattern of nasty behaviour towards Charly and that it was difficult to get out of the habit of making fun of her. I thought this was quite realistic — perhaps not something a lot of people would recognize or admit, but something that's very true of human behaviour (old habits die hard and all that). Also, I enjoyed Amelia's sarcastic attitude in some ways. Yes, she's pretty bitter about everything at the beginning, and she slowly mellows out (Ezra helps with that), but it was fun to hear her take on things. I kind of had to admire her for being so self-contained and self-reliant; she wasn't afraid to tell people what she thought, and she ate lunch by herself in the library and didn't care.

Charly: Even though Amelia was far from perfect, I preferred her to Charly. Charly just didn't seem like the kind of person I'd like very much — she's pretty self-centered (although really, Amelia is too) and shallow. We don't get to know her that well, though, and our perspective is admittedly biased since Amelia is the narrator, and so we see Charly through a negative lens through most of the book. I wish we'd been shown more of their relationship both before the book starts (i.e. through flashbacks) as well as once it gets patched up ( there's one scene where they basically make amends, and then we really don't see much more of them together. It just seemed like a "quick fix" sort of resolution. ) The full explanation for Charly's situation makes it easier for us to feel sorry for her, yes, but I never felt that bad for her because she seemed rather annoying through most of the book.

Ezra: he was pretty awesome. He's got a good sense of humor and he's funny — he gets a lot of great lines — but he cares about Amelia too, and the way he tries to win her over is sweet. He presents an interesting mix of geekiness and self-confidence (two attributes you don't see being paired together that often!) Ezra is not without his own issues and flaws, though; he's somewhat guarded, and doesn't like to share information about himself, which really irritates Amelia. It seemed like his family had a lot of issues, but that these issues were being used as more of a plot device, or perhaps a device to explain his character, rather than existing in and of themselves. I feel like we should have seen more of his mother or brother, instead of hearing about them offhand as part of an explanation for Ezra's behaviour.

The romance reminded me of Anna and the French Kiss in style — enjoyable banter between the characters, a sweet progression of the relationship, and a few dollops of drama.

Premise/plot:

The Space Between Us takes a cliched and generic premise (pastor's daughter gets pregnant) and then makes it significantly better with one simple change — the fact that Amelia and Charly go to Canada. All right, I'm Canadian, so I'm a little biased, but let's face it: Canada gets short shrift in the YA department. We're just north of the U.S. but for some reason it's oh so much more glamorous to set a novel in New York or California than Toronto or B.C.

But lo and behold, Amelia and Charly pack their bags and head for...Banff, of all places! I say "of all places" because it's not the first location in Canada I would have imagined choosing to stay for an indeterminate period of time. Banff is a tourist hot spot for the skiing, but not much else. And as the sisters soon find out, it's cold there. (Um, it's Alberta. In the mountains. Of course it's cold.)

So basically, the funny comments and jokes alluding to all things Canadiana (food, customs, weather, etc.) were fantastic. Seeing it from an American perspective was quite amusing at times (Amelia hates some aspects of Canada!) And happily, it was clear that the author understands the cross-border dialogue that occurs. Jessica Martinez has lived in both Canada and the U.S. and obviously gets both sides of the coin.

Moreover, I'm very happy to see Canada getting featured in a book published in the mainstream North American market. Usually we're lucky to even get one or two mentions in a story — generally something along the lines of, "He's escaping to Canada" or "that frozen wasteland to the north" — so it was really cool that almost all of The Space Between Us was set in Canada. I would love to see this more often in YA, where I get a lot of the references and it feels like it means something more to me because it's set in my country.

The teen pregnancy plotline didn't do much for me, and doesn't stand out amongst all the similar stories out there. The storyline involving the date rape wasn't explored enough in my opinion. However, Martinez does touch on the important point of women who are date-raped thinking they are at fault, and feeling buried with guilt and shame even though logically they know that's not the case. I wish we'd seen more of Charly herself, coming into her own. But Amelia's romance with Ezra is cute — I adored the scene where Amelia gets mild hypothermia and heads into the library where, of course, Ezra is working — and I liked how the book ended for the two of them. We're given a glimpse into the near future for Amelia and Ezra and it looks promising.

There's also a small subplot involving a guy back home (Will) that never really gets resolved; the whole thing seemed complicated and unnecessary. Amelia could have had enough sister envy issues on her plate without dragging Will into it. Either that or something more should have happened back in Florida to bring in the characters (like Savannah and Will) that we saw at the beginning, rather than having them just stay on the sidelines.

Writing style:

The writing style is a little bland, but quite relatable and realistic. Martinez has a good ear for dialogue between teens; her characters can have emotional conversations with each other and still remain authentic.

Final verdict: 3.5 shooting stars. While the central premise is hardly fresh, Jessica Martinez skilfully capitalizes on her knowledge of Canada-U.S. differences to provide a good dose of humor, and also demonstrates some astute perceptiveness of human emotions and reactions through Amelia's and Charly's characters and situations.

Disclaimer: I received this as an ARC for review from the author.

This book counts towards my goals for the Just Contemporary reading challenge and the Sophomore reading challenge .

[Julie (Let's Read Good Books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 - 4.5 stars

Another angsty, impossible to put down book from Jessica Martinez. She was just added to my auto-buy list.

Review -

Oh. My. GOD! That is the only way I know how to express myself after reading The Space Between Us. The book was not what I was expecting. At all. From the first page, I couldn’t put it down. I kept hoping the puppies would go to sleep so I could read without all of their little distractions (like trying to chew on my rugs, dragging boots around the house, and wrestling over the millions of toys they have to play with!). This is an emotional read, and the drama is built up entirely around Amelia’s feelings for her youngest sister Charly. There were plenty of times when I didn’t like Amelia, but I always understood her. She is enraged that Charly has completely derailed her carefully planned out life, and she can’t find it in herself to forgive her. But even as she can’t forgive her, she wishes that life would go back to normal, that she and Charly could once again share that easy relationship that they once had. Her resentment keeps getting in the way, though, and just keeps pushing them further apart.

Amelia has one goal in life – to go to Columbia. Her entire school life so far has been dedicated to this goal. She has exceled in her classes, studied her heart out, and always been the good girl. Charly, on the other hand, is her exact opposite. Fun loving, bubbly, outgoing, Charly thinks that life’s a game to be played all out. Everyone loves her, and though she gets into a ton of trouble, her antics have been harmless. Amelia is resigned that she will be bailing her out of one scrape after another, but with Charly’s unpredictable streak, at least life is never boring. Until she starts hanging out with a bunch of losers, and she winds up pregnant.

Now, not being overly religious and not living in a small town, I didn’t sympathize with Amelia and her grandmother’s reaction to Charly’s condition. Not even having a pastor father, who is a distracted and distant caregiver at best, could excuse their behavior and how they treated Charly like a tramp. She’s pregnant, not a criminal! She’s scared, suddenly alienated from her own family, and has no one to confide in. The girls’ stern grandmother has decided that they will keep Charly’s pregnancy a secret from everyone, including their father. They will both be shipped of to their aunt’s house in Canada, where Charly will take online courses for the rest of the year, and Amelia will be enrolled in the local high school. Really?! Sending them off to a relative they don’t know and have only met once, at their mother’s funeral when they were babies, is the answer to Charly’s problem? I hated their grandmother, I hated their clueless father, and I even hated Amelia for part of the book. Everyone in her immediate family turned their back on her when Charly needed them the most, and I had a hard time forgiving them.

Amelia is infuriated that she is being shipped off to the frozen north. She wants nothing more than to finish out her senior year at her Florida high school, and then she’ll be free! It’s off to Columbia for her! Freedom from Charly and her shenanigans, freedom from gossip, freedom from always having to be the good girl. Argh! Amelia does not make a good impression on anyone once she gets to her aunt’s house, and she sees nothing wrong with her rotten behavior. She takes her rage out on everyone. I could understand how devastated she felt after her dreams shattered one by one, but come on! You are supposed to be the mature one! There were times that I was so frustrated with her that I did not like her. But even then, I could still sympathize with her. It is so hard to have your entire life shaken up like snow globe, so while I didn’t condone her actions, at least I understood them.

There is a lot of emotion packed into this book. While it’s told from Amelia’s POV, Charly’s terror and unhappiness are painfully evident. She’s a sixteen year old kid who, after one careless decision, ends up ostracized by her family. The only caring adult in her life is the aunt she doesn’t even know. Bree immediately tries to make both girls feel at home, but Amelia is so resentful and suspicious of her motives that she can only give her a hard time. Ugh! I kept waiting for her to attain some measure of maturity, and it was a long time in coming. Almost too late, really. Amelia made me so angry! I haven’t been this worked up reading a book in a long time!

When forgiveness does finally come, there is still an awkward strain between the sisters. Amelia has fallen into a pattern of thinking that constantly blames her sister for everything, and dismisses her unfairly. I think my only disappointment with the story is that I felt that some of the issues that had pushed them so far apart weren’t settled enough for my satisfaction. That space that developed between Amelia and Charly, and even between Amelia and her father and grandmother, had grown so great that I am not convinced it could ever be bridged.

Grade: B+

[Michelle (FabBookReviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading and enjoying Virtuosity, I knew I was going to have to keep an eye out for Jessica Martinez's next novel. Like her debut novel, The Space Between Us is another solidly written, emotionally engaging contemporary YA title.

The Space Between Us is such an involving read- one of those that you may just keep reading late into the night because you have to finish the novel (as I did). When we are introduced to Amelia (who narrates) and Charly, we learn a few things: that Charly is the gorgeous vivacious sister who pretty much gets away with everything, leaving Amelia to clean up her messes; and that they live in a very small, ecclesiastical town in Florida, with a devout grandmother and widowed father. With their father stuck in his own quiet world and the church where he preaches, the girls are pretty much raised by their very strict grandmother. Charly has, for the most part, been able to get away with being a bit of a boy-crazy, trouble-making party girl. Until one night out at a party.

Not long after the party, their grandmother finds out that Charly has become pregnant. Panicked by the thought of their family reputation being forever tarnished, their grandmother decides to send both of the sisters to live with an unknown maternal relative in Calgary, Alberta, for the duration of Charly's pregnancy. Amelia's contempt for her sister grows and explodes when she finds out she is being banished with her sister to Calgary. Once in Canada, the sisters grow further and further apart: Charly turning into a muted version of her former vibrant self, pregnancy symptoms growing by the month; and Amelia, festering her resentment of Charly, verbally scorning her, while fighting feelings for a young man she has just met.

I think the novel is delicately and beautifully written. I could not help but be pulled in to the emotions of the story, the major characters, and Martinez's fluid writing. There were some aspects of the story, though, that I had a slightly difficult time with. I personally found it hard to buy the utter blindness of the girls' father about everything, and the fact that he so easily bought the fake story of why the girls were traveling to Calgary. And secondly, it is revealed very, very close to the end of the novel that Charly, was in fact, raped at the party where she became pregnant. After the surprise of this horrifying reveal wore off a bit, I couldn't help but have two minds about this. On the one hand, it did serve to draw Charly and Amelia closer together, while creating this ravaging guilt that Amelia felt for having treated her sister with disdain for months. On the other hand, was this a necessary plot turn? I do wonder why the author chose this course of action. What if Charly had simply just decided to have sex and then accidentally became pregnant? Would Amelia (and her family) have always treated Charly with contempt? How would the story have played out in that scenario?

Those qualms aside, I found The Space Between Us a strong and engaging novel. I think this novel will appeal to fans of realistic YA, along the lines of Sara Zarr, Sarah Dessen, Nina Lacour, Jessica Warman and Morgan Matson. If you read and enjoyed Virtuosity, then I would recommend giving this novel a try.

[Gabrielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about 2 sisters who have to go to Canada because one of them ends up getting pregnant and so the other one blames her for ruining her life but she never really listens to her until probably the very end of this book and I don't know how I feel about that.

I really don't know what to say about this book. Amelia the older sister was mad and the world for all kind of different things. She was mad at her sister Charly for getting pregnant and not really doing anything. Sh's mad at her grandmother for sending her off to Canada because her sister was pregnant and didn't want the town to know and judge her. I feel like Amelia didn't know who to blame so she blamed everyone in her town. Which isn't really right but ok. The end of this book had to be my favorite because Amelia finally listened to Charly and got the whole truth instead of thinking that she got "knocked up." That saying was used so many times in the book. I mean I know that she didn't know what happened but I think there are so many times when Charly tried so hard but Amelia just shut her out with out really trying. I think the rape was the biggest thing because I never thought about that. Ezra and Bree. Those are both interesting characters.

I don't know how to put into words how Bree was. Bree was just Bree. I mean she wasn't anything special in the story except their aunt and the one taking care of them but other than that I don't know what I was going to expect of her. I did see how she was a better sister to Charly than her own sister was. Which that would probably hurt to see but it was true. I have no opinions about her.

Ezra was a very deep character I think. He was Amelia's love interest even though she didn't admit that until the very end. By that time I was screaming and the book begging her to just admit it. They had so many ups and downs in just a little while and they didn't truely know each other. He was kind of a closed book because he had a lot of stuff go on in his life too. Amelia I sometimes felt like that she thought she was the only one with problems but when she finally found out Ezra's she really had to reflect in herself. Ezra had a lot of deep problem's that I would've never guessed if the book never said them. When Amelia kept pushing him to talk about himself maybe he really didn't want to talk about them and when he finalyl did he got bitter. I could see why but then she got kind of mad which wasn't right because she was the one who pushed him. I think him and Taylor were an odd couple.

Taylor was totally wrong to say that stuff to Amelia when she didn't even know her and plus she was already broken up with Ezra so what did it matter. She seemed off when she was first introduced to the book. It just seemed like something was to come of her and in the middle she went off on a huge yelling spree because her EX-boyfriend was with another girl. Notice EX. He was an ex not a current. I just dont know about her character but I can say she was very off base with Amelia.

In the end of this whole review I can safely say that Amelia proabaly wasn't my most favorite main character and I kind of wish we could've followed Charlie just to see what went on in her head when she did the things she did.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, initially I wanted to give this 4 stars as I was really enjoying it but towards the end, I just did not feel it so hence the 3 stars meh rating.

Amelia and Charlotte are two sisters who are polar opposites, Charly is rebellious and has a wild streak and Amelia dreams of going to Columbia and cleans up Charly's messes occasionally.

But one mess becomes too much and they are sent to Canada as their little town of Tremonton is Southern as they come, people will talk and reputations wil be ruined. Especially if the one being talked about is the pastor's daughter who got knocked up. The girls are unprepared for Canada, its so cold its painful. They are unprepared for their aunt Bree as well who is not what Amelia expected. She thinks her life is ruined and does all she can to make sure Charly knows that.

From the moment Amelia found out she was going to Canada she got mad, through the better half of the book she blames Charly and feels she is being punished for her sisters mistakes. She also has this negativity and shuts everyone out. I felt that although Amelia was the good sister, it was not very mature to make it all about her. She did not make an effort with anyone but Ezra, Bree's friend. Her anger has alot to do with her father ad well. She feels he does not care for her much and is in his own world. She had some growing up to do.

As for Charly, this book was more on Amelia than her. Charly is what? 16? and she has the bomb dropped on her. Her presence was not felt so much but the reality of what she is experiencing is heavy. She has a problem talking to her sister and there is a fault of both sides, agreed. I like how she stood up for herself toward the end. For most of the book, the reader will see her asking Amelia to help her tell important things and do little stuff for her that she could do. She seemed not that independent. I wanted her to grow out of that.

The issue of rape came later. I was a little shocked but it changed the entire thing. I felt so sad for Charly as it was the most traumatic thing to go through along with her pregnancy. I feel an injustice here as girls are so afraid to tell someone with the fear that others will not believe them! They already went through this and how did this not believing even became so real? I guess its the embarassment first, shame and humiliation and fear at opening up to someone. This subject is actually quite prevalent in YA books. It gives a reality check and makes you think about consequences of risky behavoir. Books provide a good platform to show both rides of a story and they make readers aware of things that are hard to talk about in real life.

This book had great lessons on forgiveness and consequences. It had a strong message of letting go on Amelia's part as well. But its an alright book as the ending was a little disappointing.

[Joséphine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book came with a lot of surprises. I had no idea what to expect. All I was building upon was that it’s about two sisters who are very close until an incident tears them apart. That was pretty much based on the synopsis that accompanies it. As it is, this story offers so much more and I am glad that the pink overload on the cover did not turn me off. Firstly, I liked that the foundation of the book was the relationship between sisters. Most of the time I end up reading books about friends, and if siblings are featured, they’re not necessarily central to the story that unfolds. Here, their lives are so closely intertwined, it becomes too close for comfort for both Amelia and Charly. What came a bit as a surprise to me was that their father turned out to be a pastor. While religion is largely peripheral to the story, it offers a fair bit of reasons and explanations as to the choices that are made. In that sense then, the setting up of the background and history of the family is very solid and lends to the believability, if you will, of the entire story.

As the elder sibling, Amelia is the serious one. She is highly driven and ambitious, setting her sights on Columbia University. A straight-A student with a wider range of extracurriculars sets her in huge contrast to her younger sister, Charly, who is much more concerned with playing around. Charly does have one passion though and that the stage. She loves to sing and to act, although her grandmother does not support her at all in that area. The contrast between these two makes their relationship all the more interesting because nobody knows what to expect next. Charly especially does the craziest things, to the point that I would cringe or just burst out laughing to myself. Despite being larger than life, I could totally imagine Charly as a person in real life. Both Amelia and Charly are relatable which definitely helps to draw in the reader and also made me care about their plights.

I think The Space Between Us is a refreshingly balanced read that deals with tough issues surrounding teenage pregnancy. In it reader recognize that life doesn’t stop and decisions must be made. Options are clearly laid out with their implications explored as well. Antagonizing emotions are brought to the page and dealt with as well. When it comes to the revelation of Charly’s secret though, perhaps more weight could have been given to it. Had that been done, this novel would have become an indisputable favourite of mine.

Fuller review here.

[Nicci · Rating 3 out of 5]

I completely adored Jessica Martinez’s debut, Virtuosity, so I was highly anticipating her follow-up release. Unfortunately, The Space Between Us never quite lived up to my high expectations. While, I did find parts of it enjoyable, it never had the emotional intensity that Virtuosity had, and I had a hard time connecting to the characters.

The biggest issue I had with this book was Amelia, which is significant since she is the main character. I just could not stand her for the first 3/4 of the book. Yes, Charly did some crappy things and made some bad choices, but I felt Amelia’s reactions to them to be very immature and petty. She also treated her aunt, who was going out of her way to let the girls stay with her, pretty terribly. The only time I liked Amelia was when she was with Ezra. He was easily my favorite part of the book. He had a well-developed back story, and was really a pretty good guy. Amelia’s relationship with him made her a much more likable character. Charly was also a pretty decent character. She may have been set-up as Amelia’s antagonist, but, ironically, I liked her much more throughout the story. She definitely made some poor choices, but I felt like she ended up dealing with things in a much more mature way than Amelia.

The story did keep me interested, even when the characters did not. I kept reading because I wanted to find out what had happened and how everything would be resolved. One plot point that did bother me though was Charly and Amelia’s grandmother’s reaction to Charly’s predicament. It may have seem rather old-fashioned, but I’m sure that there are still people like that today. I debated for a time about whether or not I found it to be believable, but in the end I think I do. Plus, it is necessary to drive the story forward, and once the girls travel to Canada, the story picks up its pace, and I found it to be more enjoyable.

Overall, I was disappointed in The Space Between Us. Personally, I could not find a solid connection with the main character, and I thought that the story dragged at points. However, I did enjoy many of the supporting characters, and I loved the relationship between Amelia and Ezra. As for a recommendation, I would probably suggest Virtuosity before this as I liked it much more, but I am still looking forward to what Jessica Martinez will write next.

[Z. · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

Review copied from http://omgitsfishy.blogspot.com/2013/...

From the very beginning, it seemed that The Space Between Us would turn out to be unlike any book I've ever read, and I'm so glad to say that this was indeed the case.

For once, the two main characters are not a protagonist and his/her love interest. No, this novel follows two young women whose lives have been tied together for as long as they can remember. Narrator Amelia Mercer, a senior in high school, has always served as an anchor for her sixteen-year-old sister Charly. In a lot of ways, Amelia and Charly are as thick as thieves, but one life-changing mistake by Charly pushes Amelia to the edge of her limits. As a result, the sisters are left to either slowly but surely rebuild their relationship, or leave it in tatters without looking back.

While the big issue mentioned in the synopsis was fairly predictable, the events following that revelation actually took me by surprise. I liked that The Space Between Us didn't waste too much time leading up to the announcement of Charly's latest--and greatest--blunder and instead focused on analyzing Amelia and Charly's relationship thereafter. I also appreciated the fact that the book is a standalone, something that is become increasingly rare in the YA market.

Romance fans, have no fear. Though love takes a back seat in this novel, it is not entirely absent. A bit-of-a-broken-soul-but-nonetheless-amazing guy named Ezra shows his face during Amelia's darkest hours, and it isn't much of stretch to say they are each other's saving grace. Sure, their relationship was nowhere remotely close to perfect, but that's what made it beautiful to read. A number of secondary characters also helped to add dynamic to the story, including but not limited to Grandma Mercer and Aunt Bree. Both had very quirky and unique personalities that often made me either laugh out loud or want to break something, or sometimes both at the same time. That's how you know that these characters are extremely multi-dimensional and well constructed.

I truly enjoyed The Space Between Us and am definitely considering looking into Jessica Martinez's other works. if you're ever in the mood for a more serious but still riveting novel, I'd highly recommend this one.

[Emily Benoit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Concept/Ideas: 5/5
Storyline/Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Writing Style: 5/5

The Space Between Us by Jessica Martinez was a great read! It had such an original idea to it as well. I loved that it wasn't your typical teenage pregnancy type of novel, but instead it incorperated so much more to it.

The storyline was fast-paced and an easy read, despite the heaviness of the subject. You were really kept in the dark about a lot of things, until surprising revelations were revealed later on. Ones that I never expected. This book really threw you in for some unexpected surprises. I found the storyline to be unpredictable, which was definitely a nice change.

The setting! Ah!
I loved that Martinez threw such a big change up in the scenary, and made the girls move from Florida to Alberta for 6 months. It definitely made for an interesting setting and read overall because of it, and added to the novel. Since I live in Ontario, Canada, it was so interesting to see all the landmarks that us Canadians have and see what it was like for the girls to struggle and adapt from their climate to ours. All the discovery and mayhem the snow caused was definitely interesting to see.

The characters were not the most likable of characters, although for some weird reason, I still liked them. Amelia was stubborn, snotty, negative, and downright mean to her sister Charly. Charly on the other hand, was whiny and immature. Although I feel that both girl's characters and maturity as well as outlook really improved and grew by the end of the novel. They both found strength that they didn't know they both had, and became better people because of it, standing up for what they believed in and supporting each other. This was definitely a nice coming of age novel and it goes to show just how important family is, and that you always need to be there for them, no matter what they're going through, and no matter how it may affect your own life.
Family is family, no matter what.

Jessica Martinez made for a great novel, and I recently purchased her other book, Virtuosity, which I'm eager to start. An author on the rise in my eyes.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

UGHHHH! I am reviewing this book months after finishing it, but I still think about it, and I still want to throw it. The main character goes from decent to completely unsympathetic, not to mention that I saw the 'twist' coming by page 50. What could have been an interesting book about the relationship between sisters was... crap. also, there were Several Wicked: the musical references, but the author didn't bother to get the character who sings Defying Gravity correct (hint: not Glenda).

***

Update 10/28/13: I first read this book a year ago, and I'm only leaving my "thoughts" above for contrasts sake.

I've been thinking a lot lately about unlikeable narraters. Unfortunately, this book, though not my first experience with an unsympathetic narrater, was definitely a standout. i'd like to say this review was written directly after finishing this book, which would slightly color my objectivity, but it wasn't. In fact, I think the only thing that really holds up in that enraged paragraph is the complaint over the musical references.

I reread this book over the weekend, and once I got over my dislike for the narrater, I found that I enjoyed certain aspects a lot more. I still hated the slut shaming (though that was the point), and I wished that we had more closure in the far too abrupt ending. But this wasn't Charlie's story, as much as I think I always wanted it to be. So, while this is by no means my favorite book, I'm glad I took the opportunity to reread. Moreover, I'm glad the author chose to tell the story in this way, and i'm sorry it took me so long to appreciate it.

[Shanda]

I didn't rate this book in stars because the writing is good and the book was interesting enough that I finished it in about 24 hours (plus I needed to get it back to the library) but it was an example of why sometimes YA just isn't my thing.

The main issue of the book is relevant and a serious topic that is in the news nearly every day. Unfortunately, there are way too many girls in the world who can relate to what happened to Charly in this book.

Where this book fell flat for me was that I didn't like, relate to, or even really care about any of the characters in the book. The only reason I kept reading was because I was curious about Ezra and if he would fulfill his this-character-could-be-interesting potential. I was mostly disappointed in that hope. Bree was somewhat redeeming and by far the nicest character who made the most effort toward Charly and Amelia, but everyone else was just...mean. All of them. Especially Amelia. So mean that I just couldn't make myself care about her, or her eventual reformation after Charly's revelation (which I saw coming from the very beginning). I felt very little when that moment came.

The ending felt rushed and ended in, what I felt, was an unnatural place/way and while I can see what the book was trying to do, it just didn't quite do it for *me.* A lot of people really enjoyed it, so be sure to go read their reviews and judge for yourself. Like I said, the writing itself is good, and I will read other books by the author to see how they compare to this one, it's simply that *this* book wasn't quite my thing. And that's okay.

[Katie G · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've seen a ton of books about younger sisters who are tired of being overlooked due to the older sibling, but this is the first book I've read that had that reversed. Amelia might be older, but everyone knows and loves her younger sister, Charly, and Amelia's always stuck looking out for her.

This book does a great job of looking at sibling relationships, at how you can love someone at the same time that you hate them for ruining your life. How you can want to leave them to figure things out on their own but also want to protect them from harm.

Amelia and Charly have a complicated relationship, and I loved watching Amelia figure things out. A lot of reviewers seem to not like her, but I think if you realy put yourself in her position, you would probably act the same way. She's not as outwardly friendly as Charly is, and she's not as good with people, but she has a reason to be angry and distrustful.

There are two reasons this book didn't get a 5 star rating. The first is that the ending was a bit too abrupt. Had this book been 50-100 pages longer, I feel it could have gotten the ending it deserved.

The second reason (that sort of relates to the first reason) is that it skipped a lot of the scenes I was waiting for. Most of the scenes that would probably be really emotional were either skipped over or summarized from someone else's point of view. I was hoping for more.

That said, this was still a good book, and I'm glad I read it. I just wish it had been a little bit longer.

[Carissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a perfect Saturday read for me. I am slightly fascinated with sister relationships and that part of the book was very interesting. The romance was pretty well done and I liked that it wasn't the whole focus of the story. The main character even went a few weeks without thinking that much about her love interest due to other things going on in her life. Although there was one part that really bothered me about the romantic relationship. I actually didn't want Ezra and Amelia to get back together after their fight. The points that both of them made were valid. I whole heartedly agreed when Amelia thought, But it was true-- he pulled further into himself the more time we spent together and it felt like rejection. That made us wrong for each other. A relationship shouldn't take that much work. Especially in the beginning. This issue was never resolved to my satisfaction.

However, the part of this book that I really didn't enjoy was how often the main character came off as a selfish jerk. While I appreciated that there was growth in her character by the end of the story, it almost happened too late. I spent the first half of the book mostly hating her.

Despite those flaws, I enjoyed this story and finished it quickly.

3.5 stars.

[Sherri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Senior Amelia Mercer is tired of bailing her younger sister, Charly, out of trouble. Amelia’s always been focused on good grades and getting into Columbia University, while it seems like Charly just wants to have fun. Growing up without their mother and having an emotionally absent preacher father has been difficult, but at least they can rely on their strict, religious grandma who lives with them. When Charly’s poor choices leave her pregnant, the sisters fear that this news will mentally break their fragile father. They reluctantly agree to live in Banff, Canada with their mother’s younger sister for the next six months so that no one from their small, conservative Florida town will find out. Due to her anger and resentment at missing out on the last half of her senior year, Amelia’s relationship with Charly becomes colder than the minus-degree temperatures outside. If she’s going to survive her banishment, Amelia must make peace with her sister and her new life, which isn’t easy when you’ve been cut off from everything you love. Teen girls will enjoy this riveting character-driven story that’s full of romance, drama and sibling rivalry and be disappointed that it’s not part of a series.

[Gabriella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good story! I enjoyed reading it immensely. Amelia and Charly were both interesting characters and I found myself falling in love with both of them. They both had their faults, however. Amelia was very inconsiderate and rude while Charly could be a bit self-centered.
Still, I loved both of them and practically cried when the story finished. They both grew up so much!
I'm not going to spoil anything but the one thing I truly loved is how much they both grew up. In the beginning, Charly was a wild, adventorous girl who needed her sister for everything. By the end, she was her own person, and stopped being so wild simply for the sake of doing something different.
I think Amelia realized that she couldn't have everything. She had everything planned out perfectly, and when she didn't get what she wanted, it sort of drove her crazy. I think by the end she was happy with what she had and started working on becoming a nicer person and a better sister.
I loved the two sisters so much! This is a wonderful story about loss and love and growing up.

[Liza Wiemer]

I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning to finish this book, and I admit, I needed my sleep. :D But I just couldn't stop reading. Love Jessica's writing style. I found the story of two sisters (Amelia and Charly) and the secrets and lies between them compelling. I absolutely loved Ezra, a boy who befriends Amelia in Canada. I could definitely relate to the the sisters and their relationship to their grandmother. I, too, had a very close relationship with my grandmother while I was growing up and into adulthood. In Jessica's book, the grandma is definitely the one who is raising these girls. She's a strict, religious woman who has very high moral standards. It's a good thing, but when these girls get in trouble, watch out.
If you enjoy a book with strong character development and a deep, compelling story, then I highly recommend THE SPACE BETWEEN US. You'll definitely want to find out what kind of trouble and problems these two girls share. Powerful, emotional, intense.

[Areeba]

After reading this author's debut Virtuosity and being WOWED by it this is how excited I am for this book:



Not even kidding, guys.

[Cass]

Two words: Jessica Martinez.

The end.

And dude, when is this book coming out in the UK?

[Lu · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Loved Canada. I have really enjoyed both books by this author.