Between Families

by Karin Mitchell

12-year-old Seffra knows that her drug-addicted mother isn't perfect, but they're family and love each other. Sometimes love isn't enough, though, and when Seffra moves into an institution, a center with kids from all kinds of backgrounds, she gets a reality check and struggles to accept the control the institution exerts over her every decision.

This realistic account examines institutionalization, shame, sexual abuse, family, and identity and calls attention to the struggles that children of parents with addictions face.

Genres: Young Adult, Fostering, Abuse, Womens, Teen, Sexuality

250 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 28, 2014

About the author

Originally from the Midwest, Karin Mitchell now lives, writes and skis in the Colorado Rockies with her husband and two boys. She spends her time teaching, writing, and skiing. Karin holds a Master's of Arts in Writing from Regis University and an Bachelor’s in Education from St. Louis University. Karin loves learning and school and kids and fun.

That’s the formal version.

The real me? I am afraid of changing light bulbs. I HATE feet. I hate condiments. I check behind the shower curtain of people's houses because I'm the kind of person who would hide there to scare someone. When I was six I went to school with my coat and no shirt on and made it all day without anyone finding out. When I was ten I didn't brush my hair for four months.

My favorite errand is going to the library. I will pull things out of the trash to recycle them. I love to have conversations about all the things you’re not supposed to talk about. I hate country music and jam bands. I have great aim when throwing things like rocks or ping pong balls, but I can't play an upper body sport to save my life. I get competitive about weird stuff like who can spit a watermelon seed farthest. I love life. Writing and skiing are my sanity.

I have a master’s degree in writing. I love going to school. I graduated with almost 200 credit hours when 120 were required. I speak Swedish and can lick my own elbow. I’m kinda weird.

Reviews

[Karin Mitchell]

Between Families is a fast, solid read. You can order a print copy or read it on your phone. It's an easy-enough read to lend itself well to either format. There's a fair amount of swearing in it. The content is of the most serious type but there are a few laughs to break it up. The characters are as real as they come. My favorite character was Boogie, the proselytizing homeless man who gives sermons in rhymes from atop an overturned milk crate. I cried when I finished the book this last time around. It is a very real story to me.

Well, it's my book, so I kind of have to give it 5 stars so it starts off strong in the ratings. You goodreads folks will mercilessly grade it down as discriminating critical thinkers are mandated to do (and I'm glad to be one of those readers.) But with an eye toward the future, I hope you'll give it a shot.

The truth is, if I read it as the critical reader, I'd probably give it 4 stars, which is still well-worth the read. I just think five stars is reserved for the truly great works. This is (to my knowledge,) the only book of its kind. It tells the story of Seffra Morgan, 12, who is removed from a life where she has no guidelines, and placed in residential treatment (institutional living.) This story was important to me which is why I wrote it. But I also wrote it because I wanted to be an author. I worked hard in graduate school on making sure this book was worth releasing. I did a Kickstarter to raise the money to have quality cover design and editing prior to release.

[Michael]

Navigating the system of social services is a daunting and overwhelming thing. For a twelve year old girl who is only trying to be reunited with her unstable drug-addicted mother, it is nearly impossible. The obstacles facing Seffra, the character who is at the center of Between Families, are volatile and unknown, and Seffra must hit them head-on in order to survive. Her life is marked by the unexpected, from her mother's tenderness and adoration that turns in an instant into verbal and physical abuse, to the moments at school when Seffra is trying to grab ahold of something resembling her identity, to the drug runs that her mother makes without Seffra's complete understanding. A bag of McDonald's may lead to several nights on her own. A gift from the art museum may be all that remains of the affection of her mother. Seffra handles it all with an intuition and a self-awareness that comes with so much upheaval. She makes it through the difficulties because she has to, and a young girl in such a situation would only have the wisdom of experience as her guide. She acts instinctively and realistically in Karin Mitchell's portrayal, one that is formed from Mitchell's own experience in serving abused and neglected children. The author does not get in the way of the story, and that is Mitchell's brilliance. Seffra is flesh and blood, a character who is a composite of so many children who have suffered at the hands of survival. We resonate with her humanity, even as we may not have experienced all that she has endured. The human spirit is what we are connecting with here, and it is what pulls us in to the story. We feel Seffra's confusion through the first half of the story. We wander with her from place to place, both in the physical setting, which Mitchell describes in full enough detail for us to feel the shag carpeting and see the glow of the dust in the sunlight from the window, and in the places within Seffra as she tries to grasp whatever sense she can make of the situations of her childhood. As the story professes, Seffra grows into adolescence, and into the darkness of realization. We feel the full gravity of each episode. Mitchell's dialogue is tight and gritty, an aspect that exposes the rawness of Seffra's pain. The episodes where Seffra is undergoing counseling are especially poignant in their depictions. The reader is in the sessions with her, feeling Seffra's conflicting emotions and owning her desperation and anger. For survivors of abuse and for survivors of the system, there is a comforting familiarity in the pages of Between Families. Reading the book, they will discover that there are people who understand, who know what it's like. For those who have been spared the shame of abuse, Between Families serves as a necessary story that gives victims a voice. It is an important book, and the voice of Seffra resonates loudly, echoing in the readers heart long after the last page is turned. Bravo to Mitchell for having the courage and the skill to tell the story so powerfully and realistically.

[Amber Brummer]

Great story and definitely a page turner! It is a fast read, perfect on a road trip, vacation or work travel. I took it the gym and read it on a bike. Either way you're not going to want to put it down, and when you do, you'll be left thinking about Seffra, the protagonist, and what will become of her. You just want to dive in and bring Seffra home with you. Now that I've finished the book, I still find myself thinking about her, that constitutes 5 stars, doesn't it?

[Danielle Lima]

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I know a few people growing up like Seffra. I kept reading to see what became of her. I would read a follow up book to continue to read about her life.

[Tom Bromley]

I received a free copy of this book through Goodreads.

This was a thought provoking book. I found it very interesting and enjoyed the characters very much. I will look for other books by this author !

[Emily]

How can I possibly put into words what this book spoke to me? There were so many times I just wanted to reach into Seffra's life and pull her out. To hold her and tell her everything would be ok. To stand up to the "adults" in her life (when little Seffra was more mature than any of them). It made me sad to read this book, but it also made me cheer for an amazingly strong little girl who I want to believe will turn out "okay."
It's hard to recommend a book that I know will leave just about anyone feeling like there's so much wrong in the world - but what I believe we need is just that, so we will be willing to make a change.

I received a copy of this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

[Elizabeth Swaggerty]

I read this book in two days - not because it is super short, but because I had to see what happened to Seffra, the girl who experiences way too many "hard knocks" in her twelve years. As an educator (former elem and middle school teacher), I am familiar with the terrible things that can happen to families and, in particular, children. Seffra is a reminder that kids are at the mercy of the adults who are charged with their care. This is a well-written, engaging, smart, (very funny at times, too) first novel by this author, who also happens to be my cousin. I wanted to give it 5 stars, but was afraid reviewers might think I gave it 5 stars simply because the author is my cousin. :-)

[Veda Stamps]

A dark and troubling realistic world

Karin Mitchell's Between Families will haunt me for years to come. It's not a book for everyone. The book touches on themes of domestic violence, self-mutilation, addiction, bullying, and mental illness. Mitchell does a fantastic job realistically portraying all the characters especially Seffra, who I felt great sympathy. This year I have read three books with mothers who are troubled, selfish and masochist. Needless to say I'm looking for old Brady Bunch clips on YouTube after this one.

Between Families is well written and will appeal to readers who are looking for truth and not fluff.

[Angela]

Had many late night reading this book because I wanted to read "a few more pages" about the little girl and see where life took her next. The story is sad, but real for too many kids. The author did a great job giving this little girl a voice and keeping us engaged in the story. I almost feel bad giving it 5 stars because, the topic is brutal, sad, heartbreaking but it is also real for too many kids. This fictional story did a great job bringing it too life. I really hope there is a follow up book that continues the journey that Seffra is on.

[Emma]

I was fortunate enough to win a copy of this book from Goodreads Giveaways.

Between Families is a beautifully written, heart breaking work of art. It made me feel a whirlwind of emotions and faced harsh realities of the real world that we are so often to scared to confront.

As a reader who has lived a happy life, this book terrified and fascinated, all the while making me count my own blessings and realize how much I take for granted.

Between Families is a truly life-changing novel that I would highly recommend.

[Kurt]

This is a powerful book that takes the reader on a journey through a life that, though fictional, is the reality for many children out there. I found myself constantly wondering what Seffra would do next, because even though she is strong for her age, her reactions can be unpredictable, and you're always hoping for the best. I can see how this work will be incredibly helpful to people who have experienced a childhood like Seffra, and give them the power to persevere. I look forward to a follow up to see where her life goes from here!

[Gretchen]

There’s something passionate in this book that a good editor and multiple revisions could bring out. As it stands, the narration is all over the place. Although written in first person, most of the time the narrator is a young child but every once in awhile she says something that shows she’s writing this as an adult. Yet, we never get her adult perspective on things. This reads like a rough first draft and I would be excited to see what a consistent narrator and some inspired editing could do for this spunky attempt.

[Judith]

Between Families, is a beautiful debut novel, by Karin Mitchell. It's smart and well-written and eats at your mind in a few dark places. (Yes, you, order your copy now). Seffra's inner dialogue, anger and confusion, poke at your heart in different notes, sometimes staccato, sometimes legato. I loved the plant imagery woven through the text, paralleling Seffra's growth. I liked that Mitchell didn't wrap everything up neatly at the end, because this is the between.

[Alicia Huxtable]

Very Interesting

This book was a very interesting read. I want sure about it at first but once I started reading, I felt horrible for everything that Seffra went through. But it was also good reading her overcoming these trials as well

[Sheila Brimmer]

This book had me on the first page. I truly enjoyed it! It is a must read for everyone. I can't wait to see what the author has planned next!

[Mimi Davis Hopkins]

Lost And All Alone

This is a very well written story which pulls at your heart. The characters will draw you into their lives making you feel some sort of connection. Great Read

[Aimee Awbrey]

I was a little bored through out this book. But it still kept my attention long enough to continue.

[Karin Mitchell]

KIRKUS REVIEW

Kirkus Review

Mitchell’s debut novel follows a young girl through abuse and abandonment, and eventually to a residential treatment center, where the act of confronting herself may be her most difficult challenge yet.

Seffra Morgan loves her glamorous, charismatic, and fun mother, Linda, despite the fact that she’s a criminally negligent, violently abusive addict, sometimes leaving Seffra alone for days without food. Hunger is one of the most poignant themes of the book, haunting Seffra as she thinks, “The chance of having to sleep on a dirty hotel room floor was totally worth my mom’s attention and some good food.” After Linda permanently leaves Seffra on her own, the 12-year-old begins making desperate choices. After she survives a horrendous attack, she ends up in Castlerock, a residential treatment center that readers soon realize houses only the most traumatized and debilitated children. Mitchell articulates the details of child welfare services very well, depicting a realistic, well-meaning system of teachers, social workers, nurses, and law enforcement officials. The Castlerock treatment center offers the author an opportunity to introduce other children into the narrative, providing context for Seffra’s behavior and emphasizing the scope of child abuse. However, the novel’s biggest accomplishment is how it assumes Seffra’s point of view as she internalizes her trauma. She’s an exceptionally complex character who seeks her mother’s love while simultaneously expressing destructive anger. The two impulses are entwined at one point when she thinks, “My anger pushed away for a few moments and I felt the rush of my mother’s smell, and how much I loved her and I was sad with need and longing.” Mitchell subtly allows the character to develop and readers’ empathy will grow as they accompany her out of childhood and into adolescence.

A heartbreaking story that gives voice to often overlooked children.

[Gina]

If I had to describe Karin Mitchell's debut novel in three words, I'd choose: gritty, necessary, gripping. Set in 1990s St. Louis, the story follows 12yo Seffra Morgan as she copes with a dysfunctional home situation, the threat of a sexual predator, being bullied at school, and a heartrending relationship with her mother. Readers are warned about the graphic descriptions of abuse and invited to share their own stories. The novel begins with a bang and doesn't let up until the last page. It was reminiscent of Push by Sapphire. I saw myself and many people close to me in the believable characters.

My only gripe with Mitchell's novel is that it ended too soon--I can't wait to learn more about Seffra and what her future holds! Brava!

[Deanna Balestra]

I cannot say enough good things about this author's work - and I really could not believe it was her first! The story is effortlessly told although very difficult to read as you grow more and more attached to 12-year-old Seffra who goes through more hardships in 12 years than most people come across in their whole lives. What I loved, besides Seffra's amazing determination that often only children have, is the way the story is told - not to romanticize abuse but to paint a real portrait of what being adrift in the foster care system is like for a child. I cannot wait to read the next book!

[Bri Snow]

Gripping, gritty and honest - this book is a fast read that takes you on the journey of a 12 year old girl that has been through entirely too much. This book is eye-opening and makes you better understand that you never truly know what a person has been through - or is going through. Tough subject - great book!

[Dick Whittington]

Depressing story of teen age daughter of mom who is heavy into drugs and drink. Daughter has strong survival instincts in spite of everything she faces and a never say die love and belief in her Mom. Short, quick read.