In Between Days

by Camryn Garrett

A stunning and uplifting contemporary YA about a young teen who explores her queerness and navigates her grief through an unlikely friendship with her deceased father’s boyfriend.

When her mother refuses entry to a stranger named Richard at her father’s funeral, 17-year-old Mira Howard doesn’t understand why. But snooping through her father’s things reveals that Richard was her father’s boyfriend—a boyfriend she never knew about. In fact, Mira never even knew for sure that her dad was gay. Hoping to feel more connected to her late father, Mira reaches out to Richard without telling her mom, who is still angry from the divorce. As Mira and Richard become closer, Mira gains more and more insight into the side of her father that she never got to see.

Grieving that she never got to connect with her dad about their shared queerness, Mira asks that Richard teach her “how to be queer” while she navigates a new crush on her co-worker, which brings her out of her diary and into the real world.

But as Mira grows more confident in herself, she finds it hard to keep her relationship with Richard a secret, questioning why her family never talked about her father’s sexuality in the first place. Soon Mira has to decide if she wants to keep the peace or honor her father’s memory by being her truest self.

An epistolary novel told through diary entries, text messages, and book reviews, IN BETWEEN DAYS is a story about queerness, grief, and families—both ones we are born into and ones we create.

Genres: Young Adult, Queer, LGBT, Romance, Fiction, Lesbian, Contemporary

Unknown Binding

First published May 12, 2026

About the author

Camryn Garrett was born and raised in New York. In 2019, she was named one of Teen Vogue’s 21 Under 21 and a Glamour College Woman of the Year. Her first novel, Full Disclosure, received rave reviews from outlets such as Entertainment Weekly, the Today Show, and The Guardian, which called a “warm, funny and thoughtfully sex-positive, an impressive debut from a writer still in her teens.” Her second novel, Off the Record received three starred reviews. Her third novel, Friday I’m in Love, was an IndieNext Pick and received a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly. Camryn is also interested in film and recently graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. You can find her on Twitter @dancingofpens, tweeting from a laptop named Stevie.

Reviews

[gracie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw the author promoting this on twitter the day after it's release and even though I had originally skipped this on Libby because of the YA tag, I decided to read it anyway. I'm glad I did because this was a really good exploration of grief for younger audiences without unnecessary dumbing down or censorship of certain concepts and emotions. Read this at 2 am on a Monday morning and ugh I'm ready for the week!

[annes_mesmerizing_books · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Between Days is a short epistolary novel about a seventeen-year-old girl who loses her dad and then finds out he had a boyfriend.

Let’s start with the cover because that alone deserves five glorious stars. So, so beautiful.

I liked the rawness and messiness of this story. Mira is grieving, but also trying to keep on living after her dad passes away. Told over the course of just one month, those in between days, this story explores what grief does to you even when you just want to move on because otherwise…

Richard, Mira’s dad’s boyfriend, was such a great character. I understood so well where he came from and he was incredibly sweet, even when Mira was pretty bitchy at times. She was not the only one grieving. He was too, but she did not really see that. And that fits a YA story about a grieving teen, including the egotistical parts.

Even though I really loved the story, there were also a few things I liked a little less. The timeframe was short and things happened fast, and for me that did not always work well. I could have done without the relationship stuff with Ginny for example. Or cover a bit more time than just a few weeks.

The other thing I was not a fan of were the constant HP references, even if they were on the negative side.

I doubted about my rating, and if I’m being honest I’m still going back and forth. In the end, I’m going to round my 3.5 star rating down to three. I might round it up in the future, I just don’t know.

Thank you Disney Hyperion and NetGalley, for this ARC.

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[Miranda Summerset · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 STARS! Okay, I have many thoughts. First off, I was so excited to read this arc. We need more poc lgbtqn representation in young adult fiction. This book has an emotional premise and is about grief & family & sexuality being a part of your identity. I loved the format being journal entries; it made for an easy & fast read. BUT, as much as I thought the idea of this was 4 or 5 stars, I did have some issues with it. My biggest issue was the lack of connection I felt to any of the characters like, at all. They were copy & paste. I also hated the random pop culture references like the HP stuff. Third, the romance really was unnecessary. Fourth, I don’t think authors know how to write nonbinary characters without being corny about it. Idk, I wanted to love this, but ended up just liking it. I still think it’s a solid read though.

[sofia]

appreciated this exploration of sometimes unhinged grief over loss of a loved one. really enjoyed the character of Richard. Mira as a teenage protagonist felt realistic in her egotism at times. received DRC.

[Elena_19_02 · Rating 2 out of 5]

È sempre molto triste dare voti bassi a libri con premesse bellissime, non solo per la delusione ma per la diversità che queste premesse possono dare, per un’originalità che però,,,,, non è garantita necessariamente solo per le tematiche sociali :/


In questa forma diaristica, la 17enne Mira narra che poche settimane dalla morte per attacco cardiaco, il giorno del funerale si presenta Richard, un uomo che la ragazza non ha mai visto e che sua madre caccia via di casa persino impedendo l’ultimo saluto al suo corpo. Da lì, è già troppo frettoloso il modo in cui Mira capisce che potrebbe essere stato l’amante di suo padre, perché improvvisamente si ricorda di quando… ascoltava gli album di Renée Rapp, le voleva parlare di Heartstopper e aveva l’app di Grindr sul telefono. Okay grazie per aver ammazzato la tensione dopo pochi paragrafi💀
Ne parla con suo fratello Jackson, che ignora tutto ciò, e decide quindi di incontrare Richard senza dirlo a sua madre. Mira riflette su quanto avrebbe avuto bisogno di una “guida gay adulta”, essendo lesbica lei stessa, e non sapere questo lato di suo padre la distrugge.

E fin qui okay, se non fosse che… non si va oltre questo pensiero. Il libro è estremamente ripetitivo e didascalico, appena c’è una frase nei dialoghi viene commentata UGUALE nei pensieri di lei, e guarda caso Mira e Richard parlano praticamente uguali💀. Prova a connettersi con lui chiedendogli cosa significa essere queer per lui, come affrontare le relazioni e che impatto ha avuto la relazione con il padre, ma lui si limita a prestarle libri di autori queer e neri— che però anziché essere analizzata come un suo modo per sviare, nell’insicurezza di non conoscere una ragazza giovane e così legata al suo amato, viene solo commentata da lei con “uff non voglio tutti questi libri depressi😒”. MADONNA mi sembra di sentire le lamentele che parlano sempre e solo di queer joy con il bollino sopra senza nessuna sfumatura in mezzo. Sono CLASSICI di anni fa e non solo non sono tutti depressi ma, anche fosse, sono uno specchio del periodo storico e te li sta dando per connetterti sul piano queer come dici tu. Non devi mettere la spunta sulla carta queer solo perché hai la crush per una tipa😭andiamo vai oltre la tua prospettiva per favore😭💀

Mira infatti ha cominciato a lavorare in una libreria per bambini e si è presa la tipica cotta adolescenziale per una ragazza, senza sapere nemmeno cosa le piace di lei. Però certo, lamentati con un uomo gay adulto di libri culturali importanti🤡. Cioè non è che debbano piacere per forza, ma non ha senso come linea di trama allora, mi sembrava che la scrittrice volesse forzatamente far superare i lati tristi per arrivare a quelli felici.


Avrei voluto almeno un po’ di ironia e leggerezza tipica dello young adult, e invece non ho più sorriso dopo quest’interazione nei primi capitoli:

“But what I did instead was freak out a nice lady trying to buy a book. She said, “That’s so horrible. You’re so young. I’m so sorry.”
And then I wanted to cry because it felt so genuine and so nice. But I said, “Thanks. Your total is twelve fifty,” instead. Because I don’t know how to be a human being.”

Ecco, molto teenager core, ma fine del mio interesse


Mira continua a parlare con Richard e scopre così che lui era tornato con Will negli ultimi 3 anni, da quando lui e la madre di Mira avevano divorziato, ma che Richard aveva confessato di amarlo anni prima, durante una vacanza con anche la madre e altri amici. Questo sentimento complesso viene commentato da Mira nel modo più woke e letterale possibile: “eh beh capisco che mamma abbia reagito così, c’è una differenza nel parlare di amare qualcuno che è già impegnato”. GIRL WHAT😭😭😭non puoi leggere queste cose con l’ottica banale normale del tradimento, CHIARAMENTE la madre ha avuto una reazione scioccata ma questo non è un buon motivo per eliminarlo dalle loro vite. Sembra la spunta su ciò che è una red flag e ciò che non lo è, che è una cosa che odio soprattutto su certi temi perché non è facile come si crede. A questo punto avrei preferito il tradimento fisso negli anni💀



Non sappiamo più di questo e Richard parla praticamente per aforismi. Ho apprezzato la frase “«Unfortunately, I don’t think “ending up in the right place” is how adulthood works. It’s something you’re always trying to do…the idea of a “right place” doesn’t always stay the same.»”, quando Mira gli ripete che vorrebbe che lui fosse la sua persona adulta come guida ora che il padre non c’è….

Ma non si connettono su NIENTE. Solo a oltre metà libro lui le mostra un album di foto con suo padre, che in realtà conosceva da quando erano al liceo, accenna al fatto che era più difficile essere queer nei decenni precedenti (il commento di Mira? “Non riesco neanche immaginare quanto sia stata brutta la situazione con l’AIDS”. Circa così. FINE, OK, ENOUGH EMPATHY FOR TODAY!🤡). Ma non c’è niente di personale, nessun racconto di un momento specifico, di cosa lui amava di Will, della dinamica famigliare. Non si capisce nemmeno cosa l’abbia portato a stare con una donna e fare dei figli— in generale era closeted, okay, ma interagiva con la cultura queer quando stava con Richard, quindi come ha conosciuto la madre di Mira? Come ha cambiato idea? Visto che ha iniziato ufficialmente la relazione con Richard dopo il divorzio, questi sentimenti avrebbero potuto influenzarlo, e invece Mira dice che le cose andavano male da anni prima MA SENZA DIRCI COSA. Non era il suo orientamento e allora cosa?? Come ha vissuto un uomo closeted in un matrimonio??? Come ha ripreso i contatti con un amico ormai allontanato dalla moglie?? NIENTEEEEE manco un conflitto


E non lo mostra neanche Mira, che non reagisce in nessun modo che ti aspetteresti da un’adolescente in lutto e confusa. Avrei voluto vedere un cambio d’umore netto, un urlo, un risentimento per i segreti di Richard, l’imbarazzo anche da parte di lui di essere visto come il rifornitore di ricordi di Will perché Mira vuole assolutamente quelli, magari senza considerare la sensibilità di lui in quanto singolo, tutte le mille ipotetiche sfumature interne per il vivere in lutto in posizioni diverse, una da interna alla famiglia e l’altra da esterna. E invece con lui a momenti ci prende tè e biscottini e lo alterna con dispiacere per la segretezza del padre— niente che non si sapesse da prima😀


Il colmo arriva in una delle ultime scene, quando è in macchina con la collega Ginny per andare a una festa, si dicono di piacersi cominciano a limonare— ma un poliziotto gli dice che stanno disturbando il pubblico e devono chiamare un adulto. Che grande pathos eh?
Mira chiama Richard, che però chiama anche sua madre (perché??? Mica era un reato oddio 😭) e le dice che non possono più incontrarsi, che ha già fatto il segreto di qualcuno e non vuole ripeterlo (interessante, ma sono cose diverse e non c’è alcuna complessità in questa famiglia💀).
Mira poi parla con sua madre, che le rivela il suo pentimento per aver allontanato Richard, che in questi anni ha sempre taciuto o sminuito l’essere queer di sua figlia perché temeva che si sarebbe allontanata da lei per stare solo con suo padre. Pensiero estremamente tossico e da etero privilegiata ma okay, scriviamolo in due righe con subito le scuse e “no no tranquilla sto andando da una terapeuta anche io, ho le mie cose da sistemare”. Okay! Premio mamma perfetta, cosa che in un libro sul lutto e con un divorzio precedente non dovrebbe esserci né tantomeno in modo così semplice🤡


Convenientemente, anziché avere una conversazione con Ginny sulla difficoltà del lutto, le dà tutto il diario che è il libro appena scritto— per niente cheesy e prevedibile🤪. E ancora peggio, Ginny aggiunge le sue pagine “cose che mi piacciono di Mira Howard” con un elenco puntato UGUALE a quello che ha fatto lei per Ginny, Richard e suo padre. Altro esempio massimo di scrittura vuota e didascalica, un personaggio fa o dice una cosa e nell’elenco lei scriveva “mi piace che fa questa cosa” MA LO HAI APPENA DETTOOOO😭
Su suo padre scriveva “cose che so di mio padre: è gay, amava Richard, amava X e y cosa ma non so quanto della cultura queer” e così via, roba ripetuta solo in modo più generico.
Bah veramente




Nell’ultimo capitolo Mira, la sua amica Zee e la sua nuova ragazza Ginny vanno al Pride insieme a Richard, con altri dialoghi inutili tipo Ginny che si scoccia perché lui non scende subito e dice “saremmo dovute andare alla dyke march con *collega 1 e 2 inutili” (E ANDATECI MA CHE VOLETE, ma a sto livello stiamo?), oppure Zee che accusa l’uomo di essere “barely dressed up” perché ha solo una maglietta bianca con le spille arcobaleno🤣🤣. OH MA TI FAI I CAZZI TUOI, oddioooo classica Gen Z insopportabile che pensa di sapere più delle persone adulte (sono Gen Z anche io eh, figuriamoci) in merito a questi temi/identità. Certo, prendi in giro l’uomo gay 47enne perché ha solo qualcosa di arcobaleno mentre tu fai la figona non binary colorata super cool, sicuramente è utile prima di andare al Pride🤡🤡. Commento così stupido al posto di lui avrei fatto il classico adulto insopportabile che dice “eh ma ai miei tempi”, ma in questo caso ci sarebbe stato LOL.
So much for la connessione tra generazioni queer diverse💀


Richard addirittura si scusa perché lui ha 47 anni e Mira 17 e avrebbe dovuto capirlo da, ma oooooo meno amo, okay la maturità adulta ma anche lei è stupida per pensare che tu sia al suo servizio, come amichetto e non come canale per il padre😭


Sempre convenientemente, gli ultimi testi sono la lettera di Mira a suo padre, in cui ripete le stesse cose ovvero che un po’ lo odia e un po’ le manca (l’odio è un’emozione ragionevole per il lutto, non contraddittoria come ci dicono sempre, ma se non spieghi perché… il segreto di un amante non è abbastanza considerando che era così green flag da non aver intralciato il matrimonio, mi spiace💀). E poi c’è l’eulogia di Richard, che fa una lista di complimenti a Will che non solo si potevano fare prima, ma non dicono assolutamente nulla visto che il funerale è passato— Mira gli aveva detto che avrebbe potuto scrivere per sé stesso, ma magari come sfogo e condivisione con lei, non la pagina buttata così che potrebbe essere anche letta da Mira in una scena dal suo punto di vista, sembra solo un riassunto romantico del libro💀💀


Nei Ringraziamenti l’autrice dice che aveva cominciato questa scrittura come idea per una sceneggiatura, e onestamente sarebbe stato meglio. Il libro è troppo breve, avrebbe reso molto di più in un film che avrebbe almeno compensato con la recitazione e più dialoghi, che per quanto semplici, almeno sarebbero stati il fulcro, anziché una ripetizione con quel poco di monologo interiore che diceva le stesse cose delle frasi parlate🤡. Non direi tutto, perché la scena in macchina era comunque ridicola, ma sarebbe stato più sostenibile.
Il tema delle persone segretamente queer in nuclei famigliari già formati è complesso, soprattutto per un’ambientazione contemporanea, perché in media era una cosa più frequente decenni/secoli fa, quando c’era meno libertà per la comunità LGBT, eppure non si può pensare che non esistono ancora oggi; ma se le scelte e le difficoltà interne non vengono analizzate, se l’omofobia sembra una scia e non un vero ostacolo, se non si sviscerano ricordi e idee di quella che sarebbe ormai un’altra persona e una famiglia allargata, non serve a niente😭👋

[Karis · Rating 3 out of 5]

~~Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide for the ARC!~~

3.5/5 stars rounded down!

This was good! A couple things held it back, but I would still feel happy if I saw someone reading this out and about.

The biggest thing that this book sets out to do, exploring themes of grief over death and the secrets loved ones never tell, are done wonderfully. You really feel for Mira throughout the whole thing. Not only does her dad die suddenly and tragically via heart attack, but then learning said dad was queer and kept it hidden from you out of shame is so rough. The teen's feelings are rightfully all over the place, and her couple spells of her mistaking strangers for her dad was so heartbreaking.

Her relationship with Richard, though awkward at times, provided some warmth and needed connection she needed. Richard himself is a very interesting character, because his past with Mira's dad and mom puts into perspective why things were hidden from Mira for so long. You also feel for him because he's also grieving his boyfriend but was barred from all the grieving rituals with Mira's family. Him becoming Mira's number one support was so sweet, and I loved that he genuinely tried to be a guide to queerness despite not having it all together himself.

Despite my praises, I felt some other things were either lacking, too short, and not needed.

Lacking: The exploration of Mira's other relationships. Mira has, like, three other significant people in her life before Richard. Her mom, her brother, and her best friend Zee. The brother barely accounts for much because he's pretty much a non factor. Mira compares herself to him because he's more put together than she is, but it doesn't feel that significant to the overall story. They only have one real conversation at the end of the book and that was it. Taking him out wouldn't change much. Zee is almost as absent but has more of a presence. They were unavailable because of school or something, but I wish they were somewhat more physically there and be more than the best friend character to Mira, because they struggled with nothing. The most disappointing was the mom. I know she's avoidant, reflecting Mira's dad in a way, but everything she revealed about her feelings in the end could've been sprinkled over time rather than all at once. Like I said, her past with the dad and Richard make her interesting, and I wish we got to see more of that.

Too short: The period which the story takes place is about a month. I really feel like the story could've gone on until the end of summer at most, but everything happening in the span of weeks feels so rushed. This book could really use the extra time to flesh out relationships and characters.

Not needed: The romance. Mira getting into a relationship, her first ever, so soon after her dad dying doesn't sit right with me. Don't get me wrong, Mira and Ginny have some cute moments, but it kinda took away from the things I wanted more, primarily the grief exploration with her family and Richard.

All in all, this is a good book, but it's a couple big things that hold it back from being great.

[Anne (eggcatsreads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A novel, told through journal entries, of a young teen coming to terms with the death of her father and the reality of the secrets he kept from her.

I really enjoyed this book and how it explored grief, loss, and the reality that no one is perfect and everyone can have secrets. When Mira discovers that her father apparently was dating a man she’d never met at his funeral, suddenly she realizes that there were sides to him that she never got to see that he’d never shared with her - no matter how much she’d wished him to. Deciding to contact this man, she writes all her thoughts and experiences in her journal entries as she learns more about the secrets her father kept from her, and her grief about his loss.

I liked the writing voice in this book, as you could really feel the voice of 17 year old Mira coming through. It really felt like reading the journal of a real teenager as she comes to terms with the death of her father and the decisions her parents had made but never told her about. There were multiple points where I found myself crying as I experienced her grief alongside her.

Something else I really liked about this book was the decision to have the adults in Mira’s life make mistakes and choose what would objectively be the “wrong” decision - but this book doesn’t have any villains within it. People make mistakes and this book doesn’t shy away from the negative impact those mistakes cause - but also understands that these things are part of being human.

This book was a heartfelt snapshot into the confusing feelings caused when we experience an unexpected loss, and how we move on and accept it despite them leaving behind unanswered questions.

A huge thank you to the author, Netgalley, and Disney Hyperion for providing me this ARC.

[Megan Manzano · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Received at BookCon*

This was a short powerful book about grief and the author does an incredible job of wrestling with those feelings, especially about losing a parent. Mira's feelings were raw and I understood the desperate connection to learn about her father after discovering a big part of his life that she didn't know about. Her connection to Richard was awkward, but sweet and I liked seeing them grow and learn more about each other over time. He was the only connection to her father and the only person talking about him so openly. However, I do feel the timeline in the book was really short for all of the things that happened and I wish there were other relationships explored outside of Richard and Mira's crush. I would have liked to see more healing with her mom and brother. I would have liked to see her best friend witness a change in Mira in person instead of through texts. At some points, it did feel that Mira only existed within Richard and her job.

So, overall this gets about a 3.5 for me rounded up.

[TheNextGenLibrarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

“At some point, you've got to break the ties of your old memories; otherwise you might miss the chance to make new ones."
✍🏾

After her father’s funeral, seventeen-year-old Mira discovers a hidden part of his life: he had a boyfriend named Richard, something Mira never knew about and never got the chance to discuss with her father as a queer teen herself. As Mira secretly builds a friendship with Richard, she begins learning more about her dad, her own identity, and what it means to embrace queerness openly. Told through diary entries, texts, and book reviews, this epistolary YA novel explores grief, family secrets, and the importance of chosen family.
📚
I really liked the rawness and messiness of this story. Mira is grieving while trying to keep living, and the short timeframe captures how disorienting loss can feel. Richard was a standout character for me: kind, patient, and grieving too. I did wish the timeline had been a bit longer since some relationships developed very quickly, but overall the emotional honesty really worked for me.

CW: parental death, grief, homophobia

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Between Days by Camryn Garrett is a moving story of a queer teenager named Mira. The story opens after the death of her father and is largely told in a series of journal entries by Mira in the following month or so.

The death of Mira’s father is the catalyst for this story. Her parents divorced a few years prior, and although Mira maintained a relationship with him, Mira learns more about her fathers life upon his death and is tormented with thoughts of what could have been if only her father was able to be more open about his life with his children.

I have 30 years of life experience on Mira, so some of her choices confounded me but I reminded myself that this is a YA book and I’m just visiting this world.

I won this ARC via Goodreads. My thanks to them and to the publisher, Disney Hyperion.

[Manon the Malicious · Rating 5 out of 5]

*4.5 Stars*

I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really really liked this book. It was pretty different from my usual YA reads. I really like that it was journal entries and the way it spoke about grief and first crushes and so so much more. It felt new and familiar all at once and I was truly captivated. I also liked the job part of this and the relationship between the characters, especially the main character with her family and with Richard. It was all so complex and layered and just so interesting. I was a little less into the crush storyline but I still ended up rooting for those two. It was just a very good book. I felt so much from start to finish. I will be reading more books by Camryn Garrett and I cannot wait.

[Chantal · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 out of 5 Read in audio: I love that this book is told through Mira's journal to process grief, depression, and life without her dad. Trying to find parts of her dad that she didn't get to know or see of her dad's life. Also exploring history and her identity, especially through literature and discussing it with Richard.

I loved the found family feel of the bookstore and the way each employee wanted to work with and loved books. I loved Ginny's passion for children's literature and wanting to write children's books. I loved the focus on Mental Health and the patience we move through grief at our own pace. That parent's are humans and have flaws. I also love seeing the growth with Mira's mom and The eulogy Richard wrote for Mira's dad.

[Katy Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Between Days is about a girl named Mira whose father dies after a heart attack and, at his funeral, she discovers that he is also queer, like her. She tries to discover more about him and his life she knew nothing about. When her father's partner, Richard, is turned away by Mira's mother at the funeral, Mira decides that Richard is the key to learning more about her father--but she learns more than she expected. Throughout the summer, Mira learns about her sexuality, her father's sexuality, navigating grief, and navigating complex family dynamics. This would be a good addition for any library seeking more LGBTQ representation, stories about grief, or coming-of-age stories. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

[RedReviews4You Susan-Dara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book hit harder than I expected it to — and in ways I didn’t anticipate being touched. Garrett handles a sensitive topic with finesse and care, giving the story exactly the length it needs while still offering enough emotional insight to keep me up long past my bedtime.

When Mira loses her father, she’s forced to reconcile who he was as both a man and a parent. In the process, she discovers he was hiding a secret named Richard — and learning about him becomes part of learning about her father. As Mira pieces together this hidden part of his life, she also has to decide what it means for her own grief, identity, and understanding of the man she thought she knew.

3.5 Stars rounded up to 4

Thank you to the publisher for sharing an ARC of this book with me via a Goodread Win

[Caitie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25/5 stars.

While this is an important story, I feel like it lacked depth because everything happened so fast. I've liked Camryn Garrett's previous books, but there was something about this that didn't fully work for me. I the first two chapters it repeats that the dad dies frequently....and I get that it's important for teens to know that they're parents aren't perfect, but I didn't feel invested enough. There was something missing, maybe some backstory, or maybe because this took place over a month instead of a longer period of time. If it took place over a longer period, maybe I would've felt differently about the lack of depth.

[Jasmine Shouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

My dad died from a heart attack, so I was already on edge starting this book. But then my mom called to say she's not going to make it past this year. So this was a hard read for me emotionally. 

It's written in journal entries which makes for a fast read. Mira was an interesting character to read. She's relatable in a lot of ways and absolutely wild in others. This is a solid story for young queers dealing with grief. 

Note: The day we quit putting HP references in queer books can't come soon enough. 

Thank you to Disney Hyperion for the opportunity to read and review. 

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an Uncorrected Advance Proof of this book through Disney-Hyperion.

This is a poignant tale of coming of age while experiencing loss. It tackles secrets and struggles and embraces what it means to be queer today, and what it has meant in the past. This is a YA novel that has the feels. It is relatable, relevant, and a solid read. It is stories this that make us feel for the characters of various generations and see their struggles through fresh eyes.

I enjoyed the format of the story, with the journal entries you really got to understand Mira’s experience.

[Michael Be Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

At her father's funeral, seventeen-year-old Mira is confused when her mom refuses entry to a man named Richard, who Mira has never seen before. A few days later she finds out that Richard was her dad's secret boyfriend. Because Mira is also queer, she secretly reaches out to Richard to learn more about the side of her dad she never knew. Richard helps Mira navigate a new job at a bookstore where she also develops a crush on a coworker. As she starts to feel more confident in who she is, it gets harder and harder to keep their friendship a secret from her angry mother. Soon, Mira must choose between keeping the family peace or living openly and honoring her father's true identity.

This is my second Camryn Garrett book, and I liked this one even more! She brilliantly explores challenging topics, such as loss, grief, and identity, with an appropriate level of seriousness balanced with enough levity to appeal to the YA audience that needs this book. Mira is at a crossroads in her life that many teenagers and young adults will likely be able to relate to. I especially loved the way that Garrett explored the complicated feelings of anger and sadness that one can experience after the death of a loved one, and how there are internal and external ways to process that grief. I really connected with Mira's love of books and her reflection through journaling. If I was still an English teacher, I would make this book part of my curriculum. A fantastic read that is criminally underrated.

[Aiden Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A raw, beautiful story about surviving the impossible and learning how to move forward, In Between Days is unflinchingly honest, heartbreakingly soft, and full of quiet strength. For anyone who’s ever felt stuck between one chapter of life and the next, Camryn Garrett’s novel is a powerful reminder that healing doesn’t always look the way you expect — and that starting over is still a form of hope.

[Dr. Julie Wasmund Hoffman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of In Between Days at NCTE in Denver. I love it and will be promoting it in my presentations about queer representation in YA fiction. Camryn Garrett wrote a page turner with great characters. A+ for all of the allusions to other books written for kids and young adults!

The book will be available for purchase in May of 2026.

[kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

(4.5)

really good!! got me out of my (honestly) year-long reading slump a little bit so maybe i'm finally free. i do think that it took a little too long for shit to hit the fan, and then it was like ahhh holy shit everything is happening at once but i still really loved this book overall. adding it to the contemporary ya stack that i guess i'm building up this year!

[The Page Ladies Book Club · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Between Days by Camryn Garrett took a more emotional approach, exploring grief, identity, family secrets, and self-discovery. Mira's journey to better understand her late father while navigating her own identity felt heartfelt, authentic, and deeply moving. It was a story that balanced difficult conversations with hope and growth.

[Viktor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This epistolary novel about a closeted teen who befriends the boyfriend of her father who recently passed away will charm your socks off as it tucks you into bed after a violent bout of tears and profound hope for found family, grief, and the day when queerness is finally not a widespread social condemnation but a celebration.

[rachel x]

"A stunning and uplifting contemporary YA about a young teen who explores her queerness and navigates her grief through an unlikely friendship with her deceased father’s boyfriend."

this sounds phenomenal

[Danielle Worthington · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is truly a gift for young readers (and adult readers, alike). The themes of grief and queerness are intertwined with hope and forgiveness and is written with such a lovely tenderness that feels so warm and so comforting.

I’m so glad this book exists.

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I may not be the target audience for this book, being a straight white adult with living parents, but I still found it moving and heartfelt, and I absolutely remember not being able to put a coherent sentence together in the presence of my crush. We've all been there, Mira.

[Leah Mayns · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! Loved the ways it made me laugh and how it captured timeless coming of age nostalgia within a more modern context. It was quick, cute, and clever.

Laughed out loud a few times.

[Molly Huie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 🌟 Interesting choice using the style of journal writing to delve into grief, coming of age, sexuality and general angst of teen years. I liked the story, but feel it could have been edited better.

[Meredith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't read a YA book in about a decade, but this was wonderful to pick up. A queer teenager's wrestle with grief and coming-of-age in New York City.

[Lauren Cooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Got me crying on the elliptical