The Garden of Before

The Between #2

by Ryan Leslie

“That's what happens here, Paul. Every power has its price. It always gets worse.”


For Paul Prentice things have gotten much worse. His house was destroyed in the battle with the Koŝmaro. He's on thin ice at his job, where instead of working he loses himself in the Between's computer game, trying in vain to find explanations. His best friend Jay has transformed into a shadowy killer. Corinne and Supriya have vanished. And it appears his wife, Julie, has finally had enough and left him.


Alone and near ruin, Paul receives a familiar visitor with a dire they are all back in the Between. Hunted, captured, doomed. For Paul, still wearing the serĉilo's artifact on his wrist, escape was never an option. The game must be played until the end.


In the harrowing conclusion to The Between, Leslie once again invites readers into a mind-twisting world where the most terrifying monsters are the ones let loose inside of us.

Genres: Horror, Science Fiction

353 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 23, 2025

Reviews

[Queralt✨]

I was checking NetGalley when the cover of The Garden of Before popped up and I thought, "awww, it looks like The Between." Then I read the author’s name and instantly clicked Request. I enjoyed the first book so much. It’s the perfect blend of horror meets RPG nerds in a way I hadn’t experienced before.

The Garden of Beforewas a satisfying sequel (and honestly, a satisfying conclusion if this ends up being the final book in the series). I thought the pacing and writing were stronger than in the first book, but I think I still liked The Between a bit more, mostly because of the wow factor of discovering it was a game, and learning about the roles and structure behind it all.

If I have to offer any criticism,which is very subjective, it’s that the book felt a bit dense. There was so much going on that I had to read slowly, and even then I sometimes felt like I wasn’t keeping up. But that’s definitely more of a “me” thing. I also felt a bit lost in the first chapter, since it follows two new characters in the past, and it’s not until the end of it that you really understand why Zee and Lark are being introduced.

The two highlights of this book for me were getting to learn more about the game, and getting to spend more time with the characters. I loved Supriya, the one-legged Valkyrie, in the first book, and I was really excited to keep following her story as the gardistaro as she shifts between herself and her role. I also really liked following Corinne and Julie. That twist with what Julie becomes? I did not see it coming, and it was so fun to read and figure out how it tied into her role in The Between. The girls-support-girls moment when Julie commands Supriya/the gardistaro to return Corinne to her world was also really sweet.

That being said, I still struggle with Jay. He reminds me of Mat from The Wheel of Time and how the dagger corrupts him to the point where you can’t trust him. Sooo I’m always suspicious of Jay. I find Paul a little boring. There, I said it.

I love how Leslie writes. This story is so creative and I’m completely in love with the world. I also really enjoyed learning more about the malespero and what she does. And I appreciate that Leslie gives depth to the characters by including difficult topics, but does so in a way that never feels distasteful (like Corinne’s anorexia or the time Julie forced Paul).

I still have questions about the other worlds/areas the Between leads to, but I’m very happy with how things ended for the characters.

[Josh]

Ryan Leslie’s follow up to The Between raises stark questions about love and death and sacrifice, plunging us into the minds of characters that are broken but still hopeful, scarred but still determined, beaten but still willing to fight for themselves and for their friends. The Garden of Before is a surreal journey back into an ever-evolving array of alternate worlds, fast paced, endlessly inventive, and furiously entertaining.

[Milt Theo]

"The Garden of Before" is the direct sequel to "The Between". That novel was about a guy discovering, right in his backyard, the entry to a realm where a multiverse game is played (that realm is the titular 'Between'); hiding it from his wife, he brings his best friend along, they go through the gate, meet new people already playing, adopt certain roles in the game by picking up certain artifacts, get chased by a variety of entities, visit new, otherwordly places, draw one of the guy's neighbors into the game - all the while trying to escape the gameworlds and go back home. The first book ended with the two friends finally coming back, radically changed, and the guy's house completely destroyed after facing down the worst threat the game had to offer. The guy's wife finds a mysterious artifact amidst the ruins of their house - and takes it with her.

"The Garden of Before" picks up right after this point: once a couple of new people are introduced into the story, destined to play crucial roles later in the plot, the book focuses on the wife - who, because of the artifact she found, unwittingly becomes a very strong player herself. The guy is forced to go back to the Between to save her. What follows is a labyrinthine, tightly plotted, exciting adventure, diving deeply into the Between's origins and future fate. The stakes get almost immediately very high, as the game turns into a messy contest of wills among all the players and the god revealed to rule the place. Past crimes committed while playing come back to haunt the guy and his friend, revealing that at least one of the new people introduced in this book weren't all that new after all; the Janus face of the godly entity bring in issues of balance and succession; and the many questions regarding the existential significance of the game are finally resolved.

"The Garden of Before" has double the action, double the cast, and triple the complexity of "The Between"! Indeed, the novel is incredibly complex; I have no idea how the author managed to keep so much complexity in his mind! New players are almost continually introduced, in addition to the godly figures responsible for the current form of the Between as a multiplayer game; new roles are revealed to exist, as more and more people are getting involved in the division of power in the Between; and long-term plans are uncovered, revolving specifically around the guy and his friends. It's impossible to summarize the (too many) plot twists, the amazing action scenes, and the many themes the story touches upon: greed, second chances, loyalty, love, redemption, and friendship.

Anyone who enjoyed the first book will love this one as well. The one weakness of a complex story of this magnitude remains the lack of proper characterization: although the book begins with a deeply immersive description of one of the characters' past life and reasons for despair and regret, it soon becomes a non-stop chronicle of the game.That said, there's so much excitement and intensity in this second book, it reads like a fever dream of wild invention and power game intrigue! Highly recommended for fans of gaming, dark fantasy settings, and radical plot twists!

[Roberta R. (Offbeat YA)]

Excerpt from my review - originally published at Offbeat YA.

Pros: Imaginative, engaging and visually stunning. Rich in worldbuilding and character development/dynamics.
Cons: The main characters' unusual inner strength requires a little suspension of disbelief.
WARNING! Horror and gore, fires, death of a sibling, dismemberment/decapitation, run-over, violence, depression, miscarriage (off-page).
Will appeal to: Everyone who loves game-like structures and larger-than-life scenarios/adventures in their books.

First off...DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary eARC from the author, since I had already enjoyed and reviewed Book 1 in the series, The Between, in 2021, and his second novel, Colossus, in 2024. That didn't affect my opinion and rating in any way.

Also, to help you get your bearings, a small recap of Book 1, for those of you who haven't picked it up yet, but might be tempted to after reading my review for the sequel...

While landscaping his backyard, Paul discovers an iron door buried in the soil. His childhood friend Jay pushes them to explore what's beneath. When the door slams shut above them, Paul and Jay are trapped in a between-worlds place of Escher-like rooms and horror story monsters, all with a mysterious connection to a command-line, dungeon explorer computer game from the early '80s called The Between. Paul and Jay, along with new and old acquaintances, find themselves filling mind-warping roles in a story that seems to play out over and over again...

CHARACTERS SHAKEUP

Now this is how you write a sequel/end of series.
If The Between was an exciting, rich and well-written foray into a terrifying multiverse nexus that you can never really escape even if you manage to get out - not if one of the roles it entails gets a hold of you - The Garden of Before ups the stakes, not only because the main characters are trying to save themselves and/or their loved ones (and in some cases, even to dismantle the place), but also because all their strengths and weaknesses, lights and shadows, come into sharp focus, raising questions about loyalty, revenge, love, sacrifice, and ultimately, what it means to be human. On one hand, Leslie introduces new characters (or, in some cases, not really...I'm not going to spoil the surprise 😉), and even manages to bring back old ones with a clever, poignant stratagem; on the other, he expands the roles of a few protagonists and secondary characters from Book 1, and creates fresh, powerful dynamics. Julie, Supriya and Corinne (along with two "new" female characters, if to a smaller extent because of their limited screen time) steal the scene in this one, which is a welcome change after the abundance of "dude talk" in Book 1 (I have to admit that I wish Jay would have been toned down a bit back then); and all the protagonists, despite being damaged in different ways - or precisely because of that - elicit empathy and/or a fierce attachment on the reader's part. [...]

Whole review here.

[Adell Lashawn]

I skipped the first book to test this as a standalone. It worked. The twins opener is a great hook, and the book gives just enough context as you go so you are never lost.

This is liminal folk horror built on rules. Cross into the Between, follow the rules, and pay the price when you do not. That structure powers the dread, and the atmosphere (thresholds, bargains, lingering images) is the payoff. The ending respects the logic the book teaches you. Very satisfying.

For me, the escalation lands, the visual world building stays vivid, and the endgame is twisty in the right way. At times the realism feels thin and a few survival beats read like plot armor. Content notes: violence and gore, death, miscarriage off page.

Worked for me:
• Rules as horror with clean escalation
• Strong mood over jump scares
• A clear theme about what you would pay to get something back
• Bingeable pacing

Consider: a couple side characters feel functional; the ritual cadence may read repetitive for some readers.

Read if you like: rule driven portals, modern folk tale logic, quiet dread over splatter.

ARC provided via NetGalley; this is my honest review.

[Craig]

[ARC review -- many thanks to the author]

It's being marketed as a "sequel," but this book takes everything you might have liked about The Between (fast-paced adventure, gaming-turned-reality, weird horror, difficult characters) and sharpens that, deepens it, and turns what was really suggestive of a wider world in the first book into a complete experience. I had a lot of fun with the first book. In what feels like the real half of the story, I was invested.

That's not to say that I dislike The Between, not at all. And part of the reason this novel can do so much more is because Leslie was able to do more world building and character introduction there that he can actually use for storytelling here. Luckily, the oddities of the world he creates are so numerous that we get even more here (definitely more lore to learn and Esperanto to mispronounce). But if The Between was a great adventure of uncanny stress, here Leslie can write a true novel where the characters' choices and their effects are the focus. Every part of it is more fleshed out and tangible, also perhaps because Leslie is simply a more experienced writer of long fiction now.

What works is Leslie's ability to play an intricate balancing game between the weirdness of the world of the Between itself and his complex but relatable characters who end up having to face versions of their own personal hells within the nonsensical Between. He still gives those with a taste for the weird plenty to enjoy (from the Between's various Esperanto-named "roles" that slowly turn characters into types, its Looking-Glass World refusal to follow normal logic – although it is not without its own logic – and the giant death-and-nothingness threats, both material and existential, that lurk in monsters, statues, and the sound of a bell). But ultimately, "horror" is probably a more useful genre tag than "weird" for Leslie's approach because the surreal aspects are never for their own sake but can be put to use. The "genre" and "gaming" aspects aren't played with a heavy allegorical hand or anything (there's no "didacticism" in the myth of the Between that I could put together), but instead it's clear that the instability of the world represented by the Between ends up becoming a stage for the characters' own insecurities and worries to play out and be magnified. As un-human as the Between is, this is still a very human story.

At the same time, "weird" is still a useful category for the book, at least in the sense Michael Cisco gives the weird in his "Weird Fiction: A Genre Study":

A weird tale is not weird because it describes events that may or may not fit into some category of the supernatural; they are events that weirdly fail to belong to any category.

Michael Cisco, Weird Fiction: A Genre Study (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2015)

The opposite would be Fantasy where we know what is magic what isn't, what rules it works by, etc., and all that is "magic" is safely put in its own category to follow its own unique logic. Then science fiction would show us that what we thought was magic was really reducible to our common shared rules of existence, fully natural and real. I keep mentioning the "weird" because I think it's important to stress that part of the reason these books work is that the weird aspects remain weird, even when they are "explained." (And let's be honest, the reason the titles work so well is that they don't follow rules. THE Between isn't something we can recognize because we want to know "Between WHAT?" And technically "the garden of before" can't be said because a preposition (before) can't be the object of a preposition (of) with nothing else. In other words, you're signing up for a weird experience, not for a neat puzzle.)

Leslie also pulls off something that may or may not make his readers happy, judging by some of the less glowing reviews of The Between who complained that they got lost in the world building. First, I can tell you that by the end of the story, you do get answers. Leslie hasn't given us an inscrutable LOST without a guiding hand or end point in mind. At the same time, he doesn't wrap everything up in a way where you can safely categorize all the weirdness that happens. Is this magic or sf? Well...it's difficult to say, and that's why the "weird" remains such a powerful framework for understanding these books.

There's a comparison to be made here with another duology, Gene Wolfe's The Wizard Knight, in which each book is technically its own story, but the "duology" is really one longer novel broken into two separately digestible reading experiences. (And I also prefer the latter "Wizard" to the earlier "Knight" in that pairing as well.) The second book there really is "the story" because it gets to the heart of the world and what the author wants to do with it. (The other comparison with Wolfe here is Leslie's ability to both answer questions about the nature of the world while also… NOT answering questions. To me, that is an ABSOLUTE compliment, while I know there will be plenty of social media trolls going "But he didn't spell out every single question I have in a glossary where it's all organized and completely boring and uninteresting!" If that's your reaction, what you really want to read is an RPG source book, not a novel.)

I mention Wolfe, too, because Leslie certainly demands more of his readers than a casual jaunt (and he provides a glossary and an online summary of the first book if it's been awhile). That's more than Wolfe usually did, but the Wolfe comparison is also important because you need to know what to expect to really enjoy the book. Even though we learn that the Between is ultimately based on a computer game, this is no Ready Player One (nor does that revelation really explain anything at all). Leslie can certainly write page-flipping action scenes, but there's a lot to remember here as you go along (names, roles, characters, versions of characters) that does require some attention.

The other thing I expect to see some debate about in these comments is whether the end is "satisfying." Yes, you'll get some answers to the "big" questions here like where the Between comes from, etc. But whether or not you're satisfied with those answers is another question. Without spoiling anything, I'll just say that for me, Leslie pulls this off incredibly well and in a way that satisfies both the itch to understand and the itch to stay wondering and enchanted.

So if you've read The Between, this "sequel" is a must-read because this book is the real story of that world. Even if you read the first book and felt like more needed to be said, you won't be disappointed. The Garden of Before intensifies and expands everything in the first book, and it makes me wonder what might happen if the already idea-laden novel Colossus gets a "sequel" as well.

(And speaking of that book, don't forget that a rather important character named Esteban exists in that book's world. You may find him here, too, as well as some descriptions similar to the effects of the drug Dying Wish...as for why he's here, I'd bet there's a story to be told there…)

[Full disclosure: I've known and worked with Leslie before, narrating the audiobook for Colossus. And if it helps my credibility, I'd just add that I still personally like Colossus a bit more. Heh heh...]

[Jason Reichenberg]

Lots of fun. This book is a sequel to The Between, his debut novel.

I read Colossus (his second book, unrelated to the first) and enjoyed it, so when I heard Mr Leslie had released a sequel to The Between I picked it up.

TGoB is technically a sequel but it really felt like an extension of the last book. I was surprised because the first book felt like it's own 'conclusion' (some cliffhangers but stands by itself very well) In fact, as I finished TGoB , I had a feeling that the first book was really just setting up the second book. And TGoB comes to a logical conclusion.

I appreciated that he added some new characters ('roles') to the mix, to make the world feel 'larger' than just the story.

This second book felt more action-based. the first book was more like exploring a new world/video game then the second book was playing it.

Great book, I enjoyed it. Can't wait to see what Mr Leslie's brain can concoct next.

[Chukwudiebube Ebe]

Review, The garden of before.

Horrifying, Thrilling and heartbreaking.

I can't believe it's the end. It hadn't been a long one, but damn that was awesome. If you are just reading this, without taking a look at The between you're in the wrong place. The garden of before is the direct sequel to the between- possibly the final installment of the story. It kicks off with a story on a different tangent from our characters to set the stage for something truly extraordinary.

The Between has more than a few players. There's Paul Prentice, a thirty-one year old man still reeling from the turn out from the last installment, suddenly interested in the old computer game called "the Between". His wife Julie is battling with something else. Without telling him, she drives over to their house ( or what is left of it) and ends up finding something she knew she shouldn't have. A ring that happens to fit nicely in her finger and cause her whole world to go…

crazy. She desperately tries to take it off, but nothing works. In the end, she isn't Julie for long. She is the Kosmaro.

Then there is Supriya, who willingly goes back to the between along with her love and Paul's best friend ( kinda) Jay who almost killed him last time. This time, though, Jay and Supriya take on their roles and search for another exit from the Between.

Oh and did I forget Corrine? Who never took a role herself and yet the between continue to haunt her and pull her closer. She tries, but she concludes that she doesn't belong in that world. And against all sane judgement, she goes back to the Between as the Skull girl.

The story hits harder, introducing the rest of the roles. It ends up being even better than the former. Simply put; the story is amazing and If you've read the between I really recommend it.

However, there are always some parts that… aren't a hundred percent. The story doesn't do well to explore all the other levels of the between- which makes sense since this is the probably last installment for the story and there's no point cramming in so much. But it still feels as though more could be explored within this world, but it just wasn't. And the ending wasn't too great. There were deaths that though felt meaningful and realistic, ended up wrapping up the story in an unfortunate way.

Nonetheless, it was a great ride to the end; thank you, Ryan!

[I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.]

[Carrie (brightbeautifulthings)]

I wasn’t sure I wanted to read a sequel, but much like for the characters, The Between had a way of drawing me back in. If you liked the first, you should definitely read this one, and if you haven’t read the first, you should give it a try if it at all sounds like a vibe– and especially if you’re feeling a little burned out on major publishers churning out the same old things. I like these books for the same reason I usually like recommendations from Roberta at Offbeat YA: because they’re almost guaranteed to be unlike anything else I’ve ever read.

My favorite thing about this duology is the world-building. (Shock and awe, right? I’m usually not a world-building person.) Leslie has created something really cool and unique with the many layers of The Between. I love its vintage video game flavor that makes it feel both familiar and nostalgic, while still managing to be something entirely new. I loved learning about the different sub-worlds, and I especially love the roles that players can take on and how they eclipse or shape those characters. It’s so fresh and original, and I had half a mind to change my gaming handle to gardistaro just for giggles.

I enjoyed being back in this weird world with these characters, and my sense that Julie would carry a novel better than Paul was absolutely right. She’s a powerhouse, and I really enjoyed her perspective. I also unexpectedly loved getting more of Skull Girl’s point of view. She’s strong in a different way from Julie, and her ability to resist the lure of the game’s roles and create her own persona really sets her apart. Jay is still an idiot, and I would have liked to see more of Supriya, my favorite character from the first book, but it is what it is. The new characters add another interesting layer to things, but unfortunately I think the overall villains manage to be the least compelling of the bunch.

Plot- and pacing-wise, there are ups and downs. I enjoyed the set-up and easing back into this world. However, things seemed to flounder a bit in the middle, as if the story wasn’t quite sure of where it was going or how to get there. I enjoyed the way it all came together though, and it’s a satisfying ending for these characters (while still leaving a thread or two open, should Leslie ever decide to revisit this world). Also, how great are those covers? I received a free e-ARC through NetGalley from the publicists at BooksGoSocial.

I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.

[Alison Faichney]

A worthy sequel? Yes, please! The Garden of Before adds further dimension to this nexus of worlds and goes fairly hard with the horror. While The Between would probably fall into the low fantasy category, The Garden of Before introduces further lore and the story is firmly rooted in this fantastical setting of The Between brimming with creations influenced by various theologies. So if mid to high fantasy makes your eyes glaze over then this book probably won’t hit that horror sweet spot for you. I absolutely vibed with it, but occasionally would have to circle back to remember what role a character fulfilled.

The Garden of Before takes place in the months following Jay and Paul’s time in The Between. The gang from the first book (+ some new faces) are thrust back into The Between in an effort to extricate their futures from being intertwined with The Between. Leslie goes fairly hard in this one, so I don’t recommend choosing any favorites. It’s always fascinating to get to read about these neutral characters being turned, either by environment or supernatural force. There aren’t any inherently evil characters but some are pushed into these horrific roles to balance chaos and order.

If you liked The Between and want to explore the game/world further I’d absolutely recommend picking up the sequel. Again, the fantasy elements are more pronounced in this one so bear that in mind if books a la The Dark Tower series aren’t something you’d typically pick up. Great read and while there’s always an opening for a third, this book feels like the story is complete.

[Rachael Hamilton]

When I requested this book, I did not realize it was the second in the series, so I immediately picked up the first one so I could fully understand what was going on. I do think it's important to read the first one to understand this one.

Where the first book does a fantastic job of worldbuilding, this one seemed to have better pacing since the foundation has already been established, We were able to dive straight into the action. As with the first one, this has a lot going on and if you don't follow along carefully, you might miss something. I may go back and get the audiobook to see how it plays out in that media. It feels like the type of story which translates better to audio since there is so much action going on.

I feel as though Paul is a bit boring compared to the other characters. Supriya is still fantastic, and Corinne and Julia are also back in the Between. For as much as these people seem to kind of hate the Between, they seem to find their way back as they re also a bit obsessed with it as well. There are some difficult topics which helps the characters feel more dynamic and real. They are complex and flawed in some really great ways. We get new locations, a couple new characters, and lots of great tension.

Great follow-up to the first and I like the author's writing style as well. If this is the end, then we ended on a great note, but I still feel we have so much more to explore if the author wants. Though I give this book about 4.5* I am going to round it up so more people have the opportunity to find this world.

[Anna]

I received an advance review copy from BookSirens for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book is quite memorable. It’s a second book in a duology. I diligently read the first book first, before reading the sequel as an ARC.

I think the two books really need to be read together. As the story is incomplete otherwise.

The tone, the vibe, the writing style remain the same throughout the series so my review is basically for both books.

I found the story to be very immersive. It begins quickly and we get to know the characters as they are already trapped in a mystical place full of extremely disturbing things.

Most of the time is spent in this fantastical dimension which really pushes the character development. There are multiple POVs so it doesn’t get boring. The magical world is so captivating and interesting and also feels like it could be a physical manifestation of some sort of hell.

Lots of very human issues are explored in the book. Things like love, hate, rage, grief, guilt, addiction only get turned up to the max in the parallel world. The characters really have to a) get to know themselves b) find a way to live with knowing who they are. It’s like a really intense self-discovery quest while trying to survive and keep others alive.

I really had lots of theories as I was reading and I was satisfied how the story ended. This is the kind of book you really feel you take something out of it.

[Sam]

"I don't understand any of this," Zee said in a whisper. Neither do I, Lark thought. While her sister's mind was full of unanswered questions, Lark's mind had too many answers— answers that seemed to come from the memories of others. Just then, a thunderous boom echoed through the room, sending ripples through the syrupy blood on the ground. It sounded like a giant church bell. Whatever the noise was, it triggered memories of fear in Lark's mind. "We have to leave before it gets here," Lark said…

Ryan Leslie picks back up right where he left us at the end of The Between. Paul, Julie and Corinne are living out of a rundown motel after a horrific figure from the otherworld - the Koŝmaro - followed them out and destroyed Paul and Julie’s home.

Paul is haunted by The Between, playing the game Min-woo introduced him to while barely present at work and slowly losing his grasp on reality. In the Between, Jay is growing more powerful and violent through his role of the assassin stelisto. Supriya is there too, serving as the portal-opening gardistaro.

Of course Paul can’t stay away. Especially not after Julie disappears, brought to the Between by the artifact we saw her pick up at the end of the first novel. Somehow, it will be even more dangerous than last time as a mysterious young woman serving the role of the warlord malespero closes her grip on the group.

I enjoyed The Garden of Before. We get to see more of the world and characters in a way that deepened my appreciation of almost all of them. From Paul and Julie’s experiences (oof with the pregnant minotaur sculpture) to Corinne’s anorexia, it all feels real and deeply human. Just generally, I appreciate the maturity of the characters. Paul’s reflections on his feelings for Corinne - on if we ask the word love to hold too much - felt true to him and to life. The ending also worked for me. I can see Min-woo as a fan favorite character in a well-cast adaptation and imagine the audience reaction when we get that final scene.

With that said, this book’s direction also surprised me. Whereas The Between felt almost Murakami-like at times, its sequel plunges us far more fully into the world of The Between, focusing its external conflicts on a god’s intention for a successor and the malespero’s need for revenge. Between the odd denizens of the world and the increased role of gods, it all feels a lot more like portal fantasy than the first one did, and not necessarily in the best way. I also felt some things were left hanging or were underutilized. From book one, there’s still that odd line about Paul wondering if everything can be forgiven that feels a lot more like it’s referencing a secret between Jay and Paul. And our first impression of Julie in the bar flashback suggests a more controlling or at least directive personality that I thought was setting up a different direction of her character.

Personally, I think the story would have been stronger if Lark and Zee were somehow victimized by Jay, as witnessed by Paul, when they were all around the same age in the real world. Having Zee’s anger come from the group’s mostly innocent actions when first experiencing The Between felt a little cheap.

All told though, it’s decent. And if you liked The Between and want to see where it goes, it’s worth your time.

4/5.

[Jensen McCorkel]

Quick very high level summary.
Paul has been playing the In Between computer game obsessively, Corinne and Supriya are missing, Jay is still wandering the real In Between and now his wife Julie is gone. Then Paul receives a message that they are all back in the In Between.

My Take.
I enjoyed this book more then the first. This book starts off running and does not let up. I liked the first book do not get me wrong but this book was so much more interesting to me. It gave us more information about the ideas behind the worlds and provided more world development and “world history” or “background” information. We learned more about the characters and watched their development as they traveled the In Between. I found myself much more invested in this installment then I was in the first. Over well an exciting fast paced read.

[Vflygirl]

I’ve been looking forward to this sequel ever since finishing The Between, and it did not disappoint! Fans of the first book will be pleasantly surprised at how this sequel begins. With the worldbuilding out of the way, the author gets a chance to focus on the complex relationships between the characters, exploring love, friendship, loyalty, and loss. The ending is EVERYTHING. I can't say more though. You'll have to read it for yourself!

As with the previous book, Leslie’s writing style flows effortlessly, turning the seemingly complex and indescribable into something concrete and easy to grasp by the reader. I highly recommend this sequel, and if you haven’t read the first book already, what are you waiting for!

I'm so happy to have discovered this author, and I'll be anxiously waiting for another novel!

[icantcomeimbooked]

The Garden of Before (The Between) by Ryan Leslie

This book was haunting, emotional, and beautifully written. It has that quiet, eerie feeling that slowly pulls you in until you’re completely lost in its world. Ryan Leslie’s writing is stunning — dark, poetic, and full of atmosphere. Every page feels heavy with emotion and meaning.

The story itself hit me harder than I expected. It’s about grief, memory, and what it means to hold on or let go, wrapped up in this haunting, otherworldly setting. It’s the kind of book that sneaks up on you — soft and sad, but also hopeful in its own strange way.

If you love atmospheric, character-driven stories that blur the line between beauty and sorrow, this one will definitely stay with you.

[Joanna Chojnowska]

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of the book.
This was a sequel (face palm). I would encourage you to first read “The Between” to better understand the finale of the duology. I also recommend reading the book’s trigger warnings before you dive in. The book had a lot of information but it painted a picture as you read it. I enjoyed it, but now I must go back to the beginning.

[Mon]

The Between is one of my favourite books - it has such a great premise and world building with just the right amount of humour - but I didn't enjoy this sequel. It felt like it was written by a completely different author.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

[B]

I enjoyed this sequel/prequel to the Between. It really went into a lot of the Betweens backstory and tied it all together, it also explored the characters a lot more. I really enjoyed it . Thanks for ARC from Netgalley and Ryan Leslie.

[Alexis]

I wasn’t totally sure where this would go since I really enjoyed the first in the duo, The Between. I thought it was a well-done sequel to the first, a great mix of horror and some of the RPG elements. Thoroughly enjoyed, will recommend this to friends.

[Lindsay Leslie]

The perfect sequel that's as good if not better than The Between. Is that even possible? Yes. Yes, it is. Mind-bending, gut-wrenching, and hopeful.

[Luka Jae]

Surprisingly good!

Most sequels are a bit of a let down.

The Garden Of Before is probably the best cyberpunk/ Sci fi/ Horror I’ve read this year.

[BLACKBIRD]

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an honest review.

The Garden of Before is a beautifully written story that lingers after the final page. Leslie’s prose is atmospheric and blurs the line between memory, grief, and the uncanny. I hadn’t read the first book in the series, but this worked well as a standalone, and I was given enough info in the beginning to buy into the story. I’m now eager to go back and read the beginning to see what I missed.

The world building is intense and requires a lot of unpacking. At times, I felt a bit overwhelmed, but once I settled into the rhythm, the haunting imagery and emotional depth completely drew me in.

[Melissa]

Whoa. I feel like I need to reread through both these books to find all the pieces of the puzzle. So fascinating and kept me on the edge of my seat.

[Hela Bergstrom]

Better than most sequels! Answered enough questions without taking away from the mystery entirely. A little too tidy of an ending for my taste, but fine. Fangblossom is a queen

[Patrick]

A disappointing sequel that seems to be more interested in the intricacies of a complex world than an actual story.

[Jake Goin]

Disappointing

[Alex]

I want to start with: The Between is one of my favorite books and I read it every year. The world building is phenomenal and I have been so excited to see the other floors and roles.

I'm so confused about what happened to this book. It's like the author got bored of the world he created and didn't feel like continuing it. There is minimal exploration of the deeper floors and roles, and the focus is more on personal drama and relationships than the game itself.

I was really excited when the author initially said there will be a trilogy, so I was thinking book 2 would be floors 4-6 and 3 would be 7-9. So you can imagine my disappointment when I heard this book is the end of the series, and it focused entirely on floors 2 and 4. Then the roles just had a fight to the death and broke the game. Why couldn't they make it to floor 9 and then break the game? Why couldn't we at least see more of the floors?

I also feel like a lot of time was wasted switching between the perspectives of 6+ different characters, half of which were new.