Somewhere Between Life and DeathThe celebration isn't supposed to end in tragedy. But the lives of sisters Amy and Erin come crashing down when Amy takes the car and has a horrible accident.Time to Let GoLanding the lead in the senior musical opposite David Devlin doesn't give Erin much pleasure. Erin knows that her headaches started just after the death of her younger sister. What is it about David that triggers Erin's violent reaction?This companion volume explores the complexities not only of accepting unexpected loss, but also the need to move on.
Lurlene McDaniel (born c. 1948) is an author who has written over 50 young adult books. She is well known for writing about characters struggling with chronic and terminal illnesses, such as cancer, diabetes, and organ failure.
There are two novels in this one book but both are related. The first deals with Erin losing her sister in a car accident. It deals with the emotions of two sisters very different and yet very close and the struggle of letting go of a comatose sister. The second is a year after and the struggles that still exist especially with Erin who is suffering from debilitating headaches. Her counselor is convinced it is because Erin cannot let go of the anger and guilt. But the family is falling apart too making getting over the death of a sister that much harder. She wants to go to school away from home after High school graduation but her mother wont let go of her. She has a play (West Side Story) in which she is lead (Maria) with a guy who is crazy about her and she can't stand.
McDaniel is truly the most talented writer when it comes to this sort of special genre. This is a page turner from the very beginning and never lets up. She can make you feel the pain and joy of the characters who blossom on each page. But although her endings are always great she works no miracles but shows life in world of sickness just the way it is with all the suffering and pain and death. She captures the inner feelings in such a way you truly feel a part of the characters and story. She shows how people, especially young people are able to contend with these issues and become a better person when they emerge on the other side. The are very inspirational and help all her readers whether they have gone through such a situation or not. Her books are really good and for everyone.
In the book The End of Forever by Lurlene McDaniel, sisters Erin and Amy are having an amazing time at their drama group’s cast party. When they start to run low on food, Amy decides to go to get more, and that’s when disaster strikes. Amy now lies somewhere between life and death. She was in a terrible accident and Erin and her family has to face the fact that her life-support systems won’t bring her back. Can Amy’s death still have something good to it? Can she still save someone else’s life? Not even the doctors can figure out what is causing Erin’s terrible headaches. She knows she needs help, the pain is too intense. They started right after her sister’s death. She thought the grieving was over though. Even after landing the lead role in her senior play, she still can’t feel better. Erin just can’t figure out what it is about David Devlin that triggers her intense headaches. Erin Bennett is definitely the main character of this book. She had to overcome so many obstacles to get back to happiness. She is also the protagonist, he antagonist being death. Death took her sister. Her baby sister. Now everything is all screwed up. She can’t think straight with the massive headaches. Another main character is Amy Bennett. Even after the crash, she still plays an extremely important role in the story. Erin just can’t come to grips with her sister’s death, and when she does, she suffers from more than just emotional pain. She knows she shouldn’t have let her little sister go. She shouldn’t have let her drive that night, it was late. She shouldn’t have taken her off life-support. She blames herself, even though it’s not her fault. Erin loves Amy, more than anything in the universe. She’d do anything to take that night back. I have this book 4 out of five stars because, even though it was an amazing book, certain chapters just couldn’t keep my interest. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes dramatic books. It will definitely make you cry at points but it’ll make up for it with laughter. It really is a great book and I hope whoever reads it enjoys it as much as I did.
There are two books, one story. The first one is Somewhere Between Life and Death and its...Not great. It's good, but there's not that much to it. The story is very one dimensional. It's done well, I suppose, but most of the time it just didn't make you feel much, despite the heavy subject matter. It felt like the whole book you were just sitting around in that hospital. Still, nothing about it particularly annoyed me, so I guess I would still recommend it.
Far better was Time to Let Go. I don't know why, but I always seem to like it in books when the main character has a problem, like they always get headaches. I know that's a weird thing to like, but I always find it intriguing. This book had a lot more to it: grief, therapy, and even a love interest. And West Side Story! Kinda. I love David and Erin's relationship in this book and how there's a lot more progression in this one than the last one.
Bottom line: it doesn't take long to read these two books, so if the idea of them intrigues you, go ahead. It's not the best book that I've ever read, and I probably won't read it again, however I have already read it twice, so you never know.
On a trip to Sanibel Island, my family stopped at the island's bookstore. I was able to pick out one book for the plane trip home. I read the back of so many books to see which one I should get, and I chose the end of forever. I still think that I picked the best book in the whole store!!! I read the book and I read the book! I just couldn't set it down! The whole plot was very exciting. When Amy goes to get the soda right after getting her driving license the drama starts. After a very long time to go to the store to get soda Erin (Amy's sister) starts to get worried. When Erin finds out that Amy got in a car crash and went into a comma she starts to worry that Amy won't survive. Erin keeps trying to tell the doctors and her parents not to take Amy of the machines, because she might wake up from the comma. When Erinn's parents finally talk common sense into Erin, they stop the machines and Amy's organs are donated to someone who nneded them more then Amy did. This book is a "goodread". Read it now!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
"The End of Forever" written by Lurlene McDaniel is in two novels: "Somewhere between life and death" and "Time to Let Go". As a whole, I really enjoyed this book. It is a very breathtaking story about two sisters, Erin and Amy, who don't particularily like each other veyr much until they realize how much they miss each other when one of them is gone. Later, while Erin tries to cope with her thoughts and feelings about her sister, she tries to overcome barriers of her own. The novel takes you through a very heart-felt journey that will keep you reading.
I recommend this book to everybody who likes emotional novels. This novel will definitely make you cry because of its touching storyline.
To people who aren't interested in these emotional subjects, then this book should not be the top of your book list.
In general, a wonderful novel. An amazing story that will touch your heart.
It was really good and deffinetly a tear jerker at times. The boys in this book make you wish you had someone in your life like him. Its a great book to read as long as your in for a roloer coaster of emaotions at times :)
I bought this book when I was 20 and enduring severe headaches, so I knew what Erin was going through. Everyone should at least read one Lurlene McDaniel book.
THE END OF FOREVER by Lurlene McDaniel. This book consists of two novels,SOMEWHERE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH and TIME TO LET GO. It takes place in the past,day and night,at various homes and public places. I found this book as I was scanning the different titles in the library. Of course THE END OF FOREVER as the title completely stood out. Amy just turned sixteen. She just got her drivers license and her parent have decided her and her older sister Erin can share the car. A week later the dance team ran out of sodas so Amy volunteered to go get more. Erin wants to but Amy argues shes only had her license for a week and has barely got to drive. Amy is naturally late however,after her boyfriend comes to pick her up and shes still not back, Erin and Travis begin to worry. A short while later a close family friend knocks on the door and Erin gets the news that Amy has been in a terrible accident. Travis,Erin,and the family friend rush to the hospital. A few days later the get the tragic news that Amy has been declared brain dead. Erin is faced with the decision on whether or not Amy can save other lives by donating her functioning organs which caused alot of confusion and agony. After the funeral Erin finally feels peace. A while later she has these extremely painful migraines and she finds herself taking headache pills everyday. The doctors can't figure out what's wrong with her though. Will her family have to go through more pain and agony or is it just something in the air? My favorite part of the book is when Amy twitches and it gives Erin complete reassuring faith. Her parents think she's just in denial but its always good to have faith even when it doesnt go through. My personal opinion is that this book is very detailed, interesting, and it gives you an insight on life and feelings. Even though some may not have went through tragic events as this its still good to kind of an idea on how people are feeling.
This is a 2-in-1 novel. In book 1 (Somewhere Between Life and Death), we meet two sisters, Erin and Amy. Erin and Amy are opposites in every way — one is an uptight dancer, and the other is an easy going actor. In the hours following their school recital, Erin is tasked with going to get more soda’s for their party, but her younger sister Amy persuades Erin to let her drive to get them instead, even though it’s raining and she’s not an experienced driver since she just turned 16. This leads to Amy getting in a car accident so severe that it soon leaves her brain dead. In book 2 (Time to Let Go), we witness the aftermath of Amy’s death and how Erin deals with grief, going to therapy, and a sudden onset of chronic migraines.
These are quick reads though I would have liked a bit more development.
I grew up devouring Lurlene McDaniel's writing. I had not read this one before, and really enjoyed it.
As always, and mention of mental health and stigma gets a good approval in my mind. Watching Erin wrestle with what to tell friends was painful to read because of my own experiences in the same situation.
All the feels with this book. The sister emotions, the losing a loved one, the feeling that it is your fault. My heart was twisted. This is Teen to YA and us very real life type of emotions and feelings. The heart aches and the body reacts. I still really love this writing style and all it makes me feel.
Best book ive ever read in my life it started my love for reading in 6th grade. I have read this book every year since 6th grade because each year I learn something new from it. it captures grief in such a beautiful way and has the purest romance ever. Most perfect writing and I will forever re-read and love this book with all my heart.
This book is quite old in some of the terminology, but I do like that the author specifically made books that have hard topics in them with teenage main characters so that kids who have to go through similar situations don't feel alone.
The idea wasn't at all original, and it was hard to sympathize with the protagonista so deeply in denial. Part/book 2 was much better; David was great, not special but not awful.
In the book I’ve read The End Of Forever is by Lurlene McDaniel. It is a fictionist novel. The central idea in The End Of Forever is a teenage sister learning to deal with her sisters death. In the novel The End Of Forever the main character is Erin. She is a very high standard girl who does wicked good in school, and is always on top of things. On the other hand, her sister Amy, is very disorganized and careless. Amy is very irresponsible, and whenever something happens she always counts on Erin to be there and just fill in for her. Of course, Erin’s always there to say yes because Amy is the type of girl you just “cant say no” to. Amy and Erin have always been there for each other. Amy goes out with this boy Travis, and Erin is secretly jealous and keeps her feelings for Travis buried inside. Both of the girls go to a rich school and dance in recitals and things. On the night of the recital the girls did there dance and then after there was a little party for the girls who performed. Amy asked Erin to cover for her so she could go out with Travis at 11. Things went all wrong when ms. Thornton asked Erin to go to the store to get another case of drinks and Amy begged if she could take the car and do it. Of course Erin couldn’t say no so she let her and Amy got into a mean wreck while driving in the terrible storm. Amy was in a coma and after a while of never loosing hope in Amy they finally found out that if they don’t take her off the machines she will just vegetate forever. So they cut the cord and Erin lost her sister. She never been so devastated. She never actually moved on but the memory of her sister Amy is with her in her everyday life as a student and dancer. I thought The End Of Forever was an outstanding book. In the beginning of the story I thought it was boring and I never expected it to be that interesting. This book teaches us a lesson about death and to let go. My favorite quote in the book is “ to everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die…” - Ecclesiastes I think that it means that everyone was put on this earth for a certain amount of time. They were put here to accomplish something, and when that time is over then you die. There’s a purpose for everything. I think any type of teenager can read The End Of Forever but I think anyone could read it especially if there dealing with a loss. If you liked The End Of Forever (somewhere between life and death) read the second half (time to let go).
Somewhere Between Life and Death Amy and Erin are sisters by a difference of about a year. Erin has her license and when Amy gets her license she is ecstatic. After about a week after Amy gets her license her and Erin have a dance recital. Erin is an amazing dancer, and Amy is really good at reciting things. After the two sisters put of an outstanding performance there is an afterparty. Erin's dance teacher asks her to get more sodas, but Amy volunteers to go so she can drive the car.
After some time passes Erin starts to worry for her sister driving on a dark and rainy night. So, she goes out and looks for her, but she doesn't find any signs of Amy. When Erin gets back she sees a worker from her moms boutique, who brings the news that Amy has been in a terrible accident. Erin rushes over to the hospital to see Amy is critical condition. All that Erin can think about as she waits for Amy to get better is that it is all her fault, and what will happen to Amy in the future.
Time to Let Go Time has passed after Amy's accident when Erin starts to get severe migraines. She thought the pain was over after Amy, but it is actually just starting again. Soon, her grades start to drop, she stays home from school a lot, and she has to see a doctor although she doesn't want to. Erin knows that her headaches are bad, but she doesn't do do anything about them. Once she starts to see another therapist Erin starts to see the therapist she doesn't want to open up to him. But, later they discover Erin's violent headaches get even more severe when she is around the lead male role in a play.
Overall these books were really good, but they weren't worthy of 5 stars. These novels kept me interested, but after a while I started to get bored when there wasn't anything exciting going on. The author needed to add more action to the book during certain times or not put all of the exciting events into one part of the book. The novels were very realistic and you can tell Lurlene McDaniel wasn't just writing about something. She was passionate about it.
Erin and Amy Bennett go to a prestigious fine arts school. Erin is older and in the dance program. Amy wants to be an actor. Erin is older and more settled. Amy is flighty, forgetful and full of fun. After their final performance of West Side Story, they have the cast party. They run out of sodas, so the teacher asks Erin to run to the store down the street. Amy, who just passed her driving test, begs Erin to let her go, so she does. Amy has an accident and winds up in the hospital. Her mother blames Erin for letting her drive. Erin feels so guilty about the whole thing.
In the 2nd book, Time To Let Go, we now have the family coping with Amy's passing. Erin has massive migraine headaches now with no known cause. When Erin hangs out with David, the headaches get stronger. She doesn't know what triggers them, she only knows that she has to get her medication down quick. She hopes that with therapy, she can get to the cause, and get past them.
I really like the continuation of this family's story. Losing a child in such a tragic way is one of the worst things that can happen. Seeing how the family handles it was really good.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
The End of Forever (Somewhere Between Life and Death, book #1) by Lurlene McDaniel is a really, really, really good book. The author mixes the emotions of suspense, being scared, those little laughs, and the feeling that you can relate relate to what the character is feeling. McDaniel paints a picture in your head while you read because of all the details she has included. I can really relate to Erin, the older sister because I am also the oldest sister. Also, Erin has to go through the grief of her sister being in the hospital because a major car crash. Erin will not let the idea of her sister about to die go. Soon, she realizes that in the real world, her sister is dead. This book is so great and I recomend this book 100%.
Time to Let Go (Book #2) Erin, the main character, still has a hole in her heart. Now, with many ups and downs, and ins and outs, Erin is learning to cope with these problems. She is expirencing some tough life issues and how to control her feelings. This is a very emotional book. 100% recommended.
This was an extremely emotional book. The first half left me bawling and the second half had me crying rivers. The sense of love and family is extremely realistic. The relationships developed between the main protagonists were fully developed. It portrayed the hardships of losing a loved one extremely well compared to others I have read. The book was filled with themes and messages that left me thinking about my own life and relationships. The ending was beautiful and revealed the Erin (the main characters) transformation from beginning to end. The endless guilt, love, and kindness that Erin carries after the death of her sister allows us to sympathize with her. It was a great great novel that had me crying along but smiling at the end. This is one of those books that you read and never forget.
Yes, I realize this book was written in 1990 (at least, according to the copyright date), but that's no excuse for such elementary writing unless the author's original audience was middle school-age readers. Even then, oh how far we've come in the last two decades...
The writing was flat, the storyline predictable. So much more could have been done with the story; it felt like the writer just jotted down some ideas, added a bit of fluff, and called it done. Writing like this wouldn't fly with most literary agents or readers today. Would I recommend this book? To a fifth grader, yes, maybe even someone in middle school. To a high schooler? I'd rather hand them A Catcher In The Rye or even, God help me, Twilight.
Fairly good. A lot better than I had expected it to be. The plot and story are just really normal though. Nothing too interesting to make me jump up and down, but a fun read if you're bored and want to read something light and simple. I was a little annoyed by Erin at first, but I slowly understand her character more by the end. David is just the sweetest guy ever. (SPOILER ALERT....!) I'm glad they ended up together. He was always by her side and I'm glad she softened up to him by the end. Overall, a pretty good read. Not FLAWLESS or anything close, but good enough to keep you intrigued in the book.
This duology was overall very...whiny. Like putting a Lifetime movie and a WB teen drama in a blender. Erin got on my nerves almost instantly with her wangsty stewing in jealousy over how cute and loveable her sister was, her mother was a stereotypical OMG SO STRICT pain in the ass, it was a textbook example of cliched sibling rivalry including a thoughtless mother who flat-out says "Erin is the responsible one and Amy is the precious baby", and the romance in the second book was nothing to write home about. It was just overall a boring, whiny read. The only characters I actually liked were Amy, Beth and Mr. Bennet.
I read these books at a perfect time in my life. So many of my relatives died in a scarily short time period after I spent time with them.
This tragic teen novel takes place under the spring time sun by a salty bay. An over-the-top, overachiever has a younger sister, Amy, who is quite different from her older sister. There are two novels in the End of Forever, Something worth Waiting For and Time to Let Go. This tragic yet strongly detailed book is filled with tears and laughs, and even some clowning around.