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Betwixt #1
The Space Between Heartbeats
Nicole Tepper has it all—beauty, popularity, and the perfect boyfriend. But after a party she can’t remember, she wakes up in a ghostly state, trapped between life and death. Nicole’s injured body is lying in a wooded area, but she has no idea where—or how long she has left to live.
Only one person can hear her now: Dale Finnegan, a loner classmate that Nicole has relentlessly bullied. Dale’s the last person in school who would want to help her, but he sets their tangled history aside to try to save her life. As they dig into what happened at the party, they discover her boyfriend isn’t as perfect as he seems—and neither are her friends. With the clock ticking down and her life slipping away, Nicole must face a hard truth: Was what happened to her a terrible accident? Or does someone want her dead?
This is a new edition of the previously self-published novel Betwixt.
Only one person can hear her now: Dale Finnegan, a loner classmate that Nicole has relentlessly bullied. Dale’s the last person in school who would want to help her, but he sets their tangled history aside to try to save her life. As they dig into what happened at the party, they discover her boyfriend isn’t as perfect as he seems—and neither are her friends. With the clock ticking down and her life slipping away, Nicole must face a hard truth: Was what happened to her a terrible accident? Or does someone want her dead?
This is a new edition of the previously self-published novel Betwixt.
286 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 31, 2012
126 people are currently reading
3218 people want to read
About the author
Melissa Pearl
71 books853 followersMelissa Pearl was born in Auckland, New Zealand, but has spent much of her life abroad, living in countries such as Jordan, Cyprus and Pakistan... not to mention a nine month road trip around North America with her husband. "Best. Year. Ever!!" She is a trained elementary teacher, but writing is her passion. Since becoming a full time mother she has had the opportunity to pursue this dream and her debut novel hit the internet in November 2011. Since then she has continued to produce a steady stream of books, ranging in genres from Fantasy to Romantic Suspense to Contemporary Romance. She loves the variety.
"I am passionate about writing. It stirs a fire in my soul that I never knew I had. I want to be the best writer I can possibly be and transport my readers into another world where they can laugh, cry and fall in love."
Melissa Pearl is a Forever Love Publishing author. If you'd like to download their Starter Library (3 books for FREE), then you can copy and paste this link into your Internet browser: http://bit.ly/FLP_Library
"I am passionate about writing. It stirs a fire in my soul that I never knew I had. I want to be the best writer I can possibly be and transport my readers into another world where they can laugh, cry and fall in love."
Melissa Pearl is a Forever Love Publishing author. If you'd like to download their Starter Library (3 books for FREE), then you can copy and paste this link into your Internet browser: http://bit.ly/FLP_Library
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 291 reviews
September 23, 2015
This book is kind of like The Lovely Bones if:
1. The main character is an irritating twit
Ok, maybe it's not so much like The Lovely Bones after all.
1. The main character is an irritating twit
“Oh, yeah.” I hold the card next to my face and flash a wicked grin at my phone camera. I post the photo to Instagram and show Amber.2. If her family/friends gave two fucks about her death/disappearance
Watch out, LA, I’m on my way. #retailtherapy #thanksdad
Trent doesn’t bite. “She’s probably just run away to LA for the day.”3. If there was a clichéd paranormal romance between the popular (and dead!) main character and the school Bad Boy
“He’s right, you know,” Lauren chimes in, a little too brightly. “We all saw her Instagram pic. She’s probably walking Rodeo Drive as we speak.”
Amber’s expression darkens. “She was supposed to take me.” I can hear her thinking, Bitch.
I wave a hand in her face. “I didn’t not take you, Amber. I’m dying, not shopping on Rodeo Drive.”
I glance at Lauren, who’s back to studying her nails. “Whatever,” she says. “You know Nicole. Anything to get attention.”
My heart sinks.4. If there was a wtf moment of Christian sanctimoniousness
It’s Dale Finnigan.
Of all the people to finally hear me, it has to be the one person least likely to want to help me. If that’s not irony, I don’t know what is.
“Maybe I do. Maybe this is why God kept me alive in that car . . . for this situation right here.” His voice shakes with the force of his conviction.
“I don’t believe in God,” I mutter.
Dale’s gaze softens. “It doesn’t matter, because He believes in you.”
Ok, maybe it's not so much like The Lovely Bones after all.
October 11, 2014
*3 Stars*
A decent read, but didn't work for me quite as much as I'd hoped. Although its concept was intriguing enough — A desperate spirit in a state of limbo battling time to find her "killer" as her physical body teeters on the brink of death — I found that I never fully connected or committed to this story.
Nicole goes to a party one night and wakes up the next morning to find she's dead. Well, not really...
But almost.
Her gravely injured body lies dying in an obscure forest, but she has no recollection of how she got there, where she is, or who's responsible for putting her there. As her spirit floats in and out of physical form, she becomes aware that she needs help — and quick — if she wants to save herself. But no one can see or hear her pleas ... except for Dale: The boy she so heartlessly crushed with her cold and cutting words not days ago.
I enjoyed that this story didn't waste any time getting to the heart of the plot and steadily moved at a quick and energetic pace. The main characters had a decent amount of depth, each harboring their own struggles and misfortune, although the secondary characters were a lot less layered. The overall idea was original, and I appreciated the figurative and literal theme of a lost soul finding her way back home.
What I didn't particularly care for was the actual execution. I get that this is a young adult novel, so I fully expected it to read as one, but I couldn't get past the unnatural feel of the dialogue. Everything felt a little too planned and plotted and rehearsed; taking away that "genuine" feel I search for in fiction. I also felt the story became slightly predictable at times, never delivering the shock-factor I had initially anticipated. I found it hard to stay focused on, and even more difficult to embrace.
That said, this book securely held my curiosity straight to its somewhat race-to-the-finish ending, and I can definitely see why many have enjoyed this read.
Book Stats:
▪ Genre/Category: Paranormal/YA
▪ Steam Caliber: Clean
▪ Romance: Slow building. Young and sweet.
▪ Characters: Broken and complex.
▪ Plot: Intriguing and energetic. Slightly predictable. Youthful.
▪ Writing: Simple and clean. Fluid.
▪ POV: 1st Person: Heroine
▪ Cliffhanger: None/Standalone
▪ HEA?
A decent read, but didn't work for me quite as much as I'd hoped. Although its concept was intriguing enough — A desperate spirit in a state of limbo battling time to find her "killer" as her physical body teeters on the brink of death — I found that I never fully connected or committed to this story.
Nicole goes to a party one night and wakes up the next morning to find she's dead. Well, not really...
But almost.
Her gravely injured body lies dying in an obscure forest, but she has no recollection of how she got there, where she is, or who's responsible for putting her there. As her spirit floats in and out of physical form, she becomes aware that she needs help — and quick — if she wants to save herself. But no one can see or hear her pleas ... except for Dale: The boy she so heartlessly crushed with her cold and cutting words not days ago.
I enjoyed that this story didn't waste any time getting to the heart of the plot and steadily moved at a quick and energetic pace. The main characters had a decent amount of depth, each harboring their own struggles and misfortune, although the secondary characters were a lot less layered. The overall idea was original, and I appreciated the figurative and literal theme of a lost soul finding her way back home.
What I didn't particularly care for was the actual execution. I get that this is a young adult novel, so I fully expected it to read as one, but I couldn't get past the unnatural feel of the dialogue. Everything felt a little too planned and plotted and rehearsed; taking away that "genuine" feel I search for in fiction. I also felt the story became slightly predictable at times, never delivering the shock-factor I had initially anticipated. I found it hard to stay focused on, and even more difficult to embrace.
That said, this book securely held my curiosity straight to its somewhat race-to-the-finish ending, and I can definitely see why many have enjoyed this read.
Book Stats:
▪ Genre/Category: Paranormal/YA
▪ Steam Caliber: Clean
▪ Romance: Slow building. Young and sweet.
▪ Characters: Broken and complex.
▪ Plot: Intriguing and energetic. Slightly predictable. Youthful.
▪ Writing: Simple and clean. Fluid.
▪ POV: 1st Person: Heroine
▪ Cliffhanger: None/Standalone
▪ HEA?
August 25, 2022
It's here. It's finally here!
I feel so privileged to share this book with everybody. It's been an amazing project to work on and it feels SO good to have it out in the world.
My aim for writing this book was to pull a few heart strings, make my readers laugh a little, cry a little and hopefully catch a glimpse of what unconditional love looks like.
I hope you all enjoy Betwixt :)
I feel so privileged to share this book with everybody. It's been an amazing project to work on and it feels SO good to have it out in the world.
My aim for writing this book was to pull a few heart strings, make my readers laugh a little, cry a little and hopefully catch a glimpse of what unconditional love looks like.
I hope you all enjoy Betwixt :)
February 19, 2020
Wow. Increíble. Una vez que empecé a leer este libro no pude parar. A pesar de que la historia es algo trágica y triste también es entretenida y fácil de leer.
En Betwixt nos encontramos con la historia de Nicole, la típica chica popular. Tiene un novio y un grupo de amigas que siempre están con ella. Una noche va a la fiesta de Matt y tras pelear con Trent, su novio, Nicole decide caminar por la carretera hasta su casa, hasta que un auto la atropella abandonándola en el bosque. Ella piensa que muere, siente el dolor y sabe que nadie va a ayudarla. Pero a la mañana siguiente vé que todo está como siempre estuvo, está en su cama, en su casa y puede escuchar a su madre. Pero su madre no la escucha ni le responde, lo que ella parece tomar como algo normal ya que su madre hace el llamado "tratamiento de silencio" cada vez que pelean. Pero algo va mal cuando llega a la escuela y ella se da cuenta que está en la línea de la vida y la muerte. Nadie puede escucharla ni verla, salvo Dale Finnigan, el chico que ella humilló delante de todos sus amigos. Dale es capaz de escucharla y sentirla, pero después de todas las cosas malas que Nicole le hizo, quiere ignorarla. No tienen mucho tiempo antes que ella realmente muera o aquel que la atropelló la encuentre y termine lo que empezó.¿Dale estará dispuesto a ayudarla a pesar de todo?
La historia está narrada en 1º por nuestra protagonista Nicole ,lo que logra que sepamos todo lo que ella siente y piensa en cada momento. A pesar de que al principio odié como era con Dale y con el resto de las personas, al final terminé sintiendo lástima por ella. Ella sabe que está quebrada, que algo está roto en ella y supone que siendo mala persona puede borrar cómo era antes. Piensa que todo lo que le sucede se lo merece.
La gente dentro de su círculo popular le da la espalda completamente, nadie se pregunta dónde esta o qué le pasó y eso es simplemente muy triste.
Nadie se preguntó porqué no aparecía Nicole,ni siquiera sus padres,excepto Dale.
Dale,wow,sin dudas me enamoré de él. A pesar de cómo Nicole cuenta su apariencia física puedo decir que, aún con todas las imperfecciones, era alguien que valía la pena. Y más cuando Dale nos cuenta porqué tiene esa cicatriz en su cara. Sin dudas él es el personaje con más fuerza en esta historia. Es el encargado de mantener tranquila a Nicole y darle la fuerza que ella pensó que nunca le daría. Las cosas que hace, las búsquedas y las palabras que le dice...me dieron escalofríos.
"Sometimes we just have to accept the fact we can't explain everything. Life happens, whether we want it to or not and we don't always have a reason why. Our job is to try and make some good come out of it".
Betwixt es un libro que recomiendo sin dudas. A pesar de que a veces te dejaba con el ceño fruncido por culpa de la preocupación y las injusticias que tuvieron que pasar Dale y Nicole también te deja con un sentimiento extraño. Te hace cuestionar muchas cosas.Te enseña que no siempre deberías dejarte llevar por lo que dicen o hacen los demás. Y sobre todo no juzgar a las personas antes de conocerlas. Lo amé.
December 4, 2012
Betwixt is one of those stories that tares at your heart. Man I have to say I laughed and I cried. In this day and age their is so much bullying going on in schools it is scary. If you are not part of the popular group then you are treated like you don't exist. You are picked on and tormented by the kids who have more and that is just not right. In this case we meet a girl who has it all. She is beautiful,smart, and has the best jock boyfriend a girl could ask for. Her friends are just as cruel as her and she loves the attention they get as a group.
One night changes everything for for Nicole Tepper. She is the popular girl you love to hate and boy oh boy can she be mean. At first I had trouble having any sympathy for her but when she is struck by a car and left for dead I started to feel for her. No one deserves to be treated like that. No matter what they have done. Nicole is left for dead and the only person who can hear her is the one person she dogged out and branded him a freak. Dale Finnigan may have a scar on his face but his heart is made of gold.
Nicole starts to haunt Dale and he wants nothing to do with her because of the pain and humiliation she caused him. But Nicole realizes that he is the only one that can save her so she will stop at nothing to get Dale to help her. Dale is the only other person who can help her besides the person who hit her and wants to finish the job off.
What will Dale do? Will he rescue his tormentor? Will he leave her to die like she should because she is so dam mean? Boy oh boy I loved me some SWOON worthy Dale and how the story ends will surprise you!
One night changes everything for for Nicole Tepper. She is the popular girl you love to hate and boy oh boy can she be mean. At first I had trouble having any sympathy for her but when she is struck by a car and left for dead I started to feel for her. No one deserves to be treated like that. No matter what they have done. Nicole is left for dead and the only person who can hear her is the one person she dogged out and branded him a freak. Dale Finnigan may have a scar on his face but his heart is made of gold.
Nicole starts to haunt Dale and he wants nothing to do with her because of the pain and humiliation she caused him. But Nicole realizes that he is the only one that can save her so she will stop at nothing to get Dale to help her. Dale is the only other person who can help her besides the person who hit her and wants to finish the job off.
What will Dale do? Will he rescue his tormentor? Will he leave her to die like she should because she is so dam mean? Boy oh boy I loved me some SWOON worthy Dale and how the story ends will surprise you!
December 3, 2012
Betwixt is a quick engaging read about a girl named Nicole who was stranded by her boyfriend in the middle of no where and gets hit by a car, leaving her for dead.
Nicole is in between living and dying. While her body is on the forest floor, her mind wanders to her usual life of home and school. But no one can hear her, that is, no one but Dale Finnigan, the guy she humiliated by calling him scarface, a nickname that rapidly spread throughout the entire school. A guy that was suppose to hate her, ends up being the one that can hear Nicole and the only guy that can help. Together they have to quickly find Nicole's body before someone else does and before it's to late.
Color me impressed! I really just loved this book! It's spiritually inspiring, surprisingly touching and beautifully told. I'm always a little skeptical of short reads. I always feel like I need more after finishing the story, but it wasn't like that for this book. It has everything it needs for it to be a fulfilling experience. I honestly can't think of a single element I didn't enjoy.
Nicole Tepper gets the wake-up call of her life. She's the kind of girl that's beautiful and rich and popular. Girls want to be her and guys want to date her. She's your average wild child and brat. Gets what she wants and doesn't care who she hurts in the process. Normally I don't usually find this kind of character likable, but there is more to Nicole, something deeper that makes the reader want to hold on to her just a little bit longer. And when we find out the reason why she is the way she is, it'll change your entire outlook and break your heart at the same time.
But I think it was Dale who owned me. He is instantly easy to like and connect with. He is such good people with such a brilliant heart. He has his own hard past to deal with, but unlike Nicole he chose a positive path instead of the destructive road he was already on. I love his personality, quick wit and determination. The way he goes out of his way to find Nicole was fierce and so dame sweet it hurt. He makes it easy to smile when ever he was in a scene and gave Nicole and the reader the encouragement and hope when the situation felt it's most messy or emotional.
I loved those moments when it was just Nicole and Dale. Their chemistry felt natural even though it should have been complicated. Their banter and fire made me laugh. It added perfectly to the charm and ease of their growing friendship.
Melissa Pearl's writing is simply wonderful. It was easy to get sucked into the story line with it's to-the-point start right up to it's tearful conclusion. While this particular concept isn't anything new, I still adore what Pearl brought into this book. I was constantly curious how things would play out, completely invested with these characters and was fascinated by the entire story line. There was one moment in the very end that had me in tears, it was just so beautifully done and touching. Sincerely a wonderful touch making this experience even greater.
All in all, I thought this was a really great great book and very much worth the read. It's a beautiful thought provoking story balancing the lines of life and living, death and dying, second chances and in the end, finally being able to do it right.
Instant favorite!
This review and more can be seen at; WinterHaven Books!
Nicole is in between living and dying. While her body is on the forest floor, her mind wanders to her usual life of home and school. But no one can hear her, that is, no one but Dale Finnigan, the guy she humiliated by calling him scarface, a nickname that rapidly spread throughout the entire school. A guy that was suppose to hate her, ends up being the one that can hear Nicole and the only guy that can help. Together they have to quickly find Nicole's body before someone else does and before it's to late.
Color me impressed! I really just loved this book! It's spiritually inspiring, surprisingly touching and beautifully told. I'm always a little skeptical of short reads. I always feel like I need more after finishing the story, but it wasn't like that for this book. It has everything it needs for it to be a fulfilling experience. I honestly can't think of a single element I didn't enjoy.
Nicole Tepper gets the wake-up call of her life. She's the kind of girl that's beautiful and rich and popular. Girls want to be her and guys want to date her. She's your average wild child and brat. Gets what she wants and doesn't care who she hurts in the process. Normally I don't usually find this kind of character likable, but there is more to Nicole, something deeper that makes the reader want to hold on to her just a little bit longer. And when we find out the reason why she is the way she is, it'll change your entire outlook and break your heart at the same time.
But I think it was Dale who owned me. He is instantly easy to like and connect with. He is such good people with such a brilliant heart. He has his own hard past to deal with, but unlike Nicole he chose a positive path instead of the destructive road he was already on. I love his personality, quick wit and determination. The way he goes out of his way to find Nicole was fierce and so dame sweet it hurt. He makes it easy to smile when ever he was in a scene and gave Nicole and the reader the encouragement and hope when the situation felt it's most messy or emotional.
I loved those moments when it was just Nicole and Dale. Their chemistry felt natural even though it should have been complicated. Their banter and fire made me laugh. It added perfectly to the charm and ease of their growing friendship.
Melissa Pearl's writing is simply wonderful. It was easy to get sucked into the story line with it's to-the-point start right up to it's tearful conclusion. While this particular concept isn't anything new, I still adore what Pearl brought into this book. I was constantly curious how things would play out, completely invested with these characters and was fascinated by the entire story line. There was one moment in the very end that had me in tears, it was just so beautifully done and touching. Sincerely a wonderful touch making this experience even greater.
All in all, I thought this was a really great great book and very much worth the read. It's a beautiful thought provoking story balancing the lines of life and living, death and dying, second chances and in the end, finally being able to do it right.
Instant favorite!
This review and more can be seen at; WinterHaven Books!
December 10, 2013
I really enjoyed Betwixt! With realistic, flawed characters and a super cool plot, the book will definitely enthrall reader's and keep them up past their bedtime.
Nicole is in a little bit of a tough spot. Her body is in the middle of nowhere, seriously injured. Thankfully, Nicole’s spirit is free to roam around and get help. Easy, right? Nope. Dale is the only person that can hear her, and the two of them have a bit of unpleasant history. Dale was an intriguing character. He seemed to have his priorities straight, unlike Nicole, and had some cool backstory. I really wanted to slap Nicole for, at first, acting so terrible around him.
Watching Nicole grow was one of the best parts of the book. No better time to reflect on your life than when it is in danger of ending! Experiencing her revelations about Dale and her lousy choices was awesome. Lastly, Nicole’s voice was perfect, I loved reading with her narrating.
Also, I should mention the mystery involving the hit-and-run driver who nearly killed Nicole. This was a very interesting part of the story!!! Also, all the action that unfold after finding the culprit are some of my favorite scenes. In the end, I am not sure if the villain got what he deserves, but, never fear, my complaint is fixed in the nest novella!
Overall, Betwixt was a very, very addicting read! The mystery, characters, and development were splendid.
Nicole is in a little bit of a tough spot. Her body is in the middle of nowhere, seriously injured. Thankfully, Nicole’s spirit is free to roam around and get help. Easy, right? Nope. Dale is the only person that can hear her, and the two of them have a bit of unpleasant history. Dale was an intriguing character. He seemed to have his priorities straight, unlike Nicole, and had some cool backstory. I really wanted to slap Nicole for, at first, acting so terrible around him.
Watching Nicole grow was one of the best parts of the book. No better time to reflect on your life than when it is in danger of ending! Experiencing her revelations about Dale and her lousy choices was awesome. Lastly, Nicole’s voice was perfect, I loved reading with her narrating.
Also, I should mention the mystery involving the hit-and-run driver who nearly killed Nicole. This was a very interesting part of the story!!! Also, all the action that unfold after finding the culprit are some of my favorite scenes. In the end, I am not sure if the villain got what he deserves, but, never fear, my complaint is fixed in the nest novella!
Overall, Betwixt was a very, very addicting read! The mystery, characters, and development were splendid.
February 23, 2017
*Received via Netgalley
Really good premise that falls a little short unfortunately. The saving grace is some great writing but with irritating characters and some disjointed plot lines, it just wasn't for me.
Would encourage you to give it a try for yourself because it does have some wonderful reviews.
Really good premise that falls a little short unfortunately. The saving grace is some great writing but with irritating characters and some disjointed plot lines, it just wasn't for me.
Would encourage you to give it a try for yourself because it does have some wonderful reviews.
November 11, 2012
Wow, this was brilliant! The story kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time and even moved me to tears. What a pleasant surprise! :)
February 10, 2017
Awwwwww lo amé, me gustó mucho
Dale tiene pase drecto a mi lista de chicos favoritisimos <3
Dale tiene pase drecto a mi lista de chicos favoritisimos <3
December 7, 2012
Giveaway! http://somelikeitparanormall.blogspot...
Nicole's boyfriend was getting too frisky so she gets out of the car and starts to walk home, on a dark desolate road. She gets hit by a car and falls into a ditch. No one knows where she is and they think maybe she ran away. Nicole leaves her body in a ghost like state and no one can see or hear her but Dale hears her. The one boy who was nice to her and she called him Scarface. Now it is up to him to figure out what happened to her and where her body lays before it is too late.
Nicole starts off as a typical snooty mean girl. She is popular and hangs outwith all the wrong people. She does it mostly to protect herself from pain. A tragic past that she is trying to escape. Nicole didn't realize just how bad her friends were until she was able to spy on her friends while walking around as a ghost. They are laughing and not even worried about where she is, and her boyfriend, is cheating on her. Her boyfriend that knows she got out of the car, walked home by herself, and is now missing! Yet he wouldn't tell anyone what happened.
Dale has a large scar on his face and is mostly ignored and picked on at school. The scar has a tragic back story so he is able to bond with and understand Nicole like no one else. Even though he gets ridiculed he is a strong character and stands up for himself. Dale argues with Nicole and tells her the truth but also shows her how she is worth more. He has learned his lesson about what is important and helps Nicole learn the same lesson. He works really hard to save Nicole. Although one thing that kind of bothered me was that he wouldn't skip school. If I knew someone was out dying somewhere, I would skip a couple days to search for them. I think the circumstances call for it!
Nicole can't remember what happened before she woke up in her ghost like state so she has to put the pieces together. It isn't really a big mystery as most clues are unfolded quickly. But there is a lot of intense build up and worry. The whole time I'm like please find her already! It was upsetting that everyone wrote her off and just assumed she ran away without looking for her. Her family was very broken and they lacked communication. Dealing with loss, grief, and getting back to where you were before tragedy were big parts of the story. The accident was one that Nicole and her family learned from not to mention she met Dale, someone who truly cares about her.
---
"I think that's another reason why I was so annoyed this morning. All the people you choose to hang out with have no idea who you really are. They're spending too much time bringing out the worst in you to discover how awesome you can be."
Dale's there in a second, gently catching me against him. His arm around my waist holds me tightly to his side.
"I want to catch you when you fall." He grins.
I roll my eyes.
"That's the cheesiest thing I've ever heard."
---
* I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review*
Nicole's boyfriend was getting too frisky so she gets out of the car and starts to walk home, on a dark desolate road. She gets hit by a car and falls into a ditch. No one knows where she is and they think maybe she ran away. Nicole leaves her body in a ghost like state and no one can see or hear her but Dale hears her. The one boy who was nice to her and she called him Scarface. Now it is up to him to figure out what happened to her and where her body lays before it is too late.
Nicole starts off as a typical snooty mean girl. She is popular and hangs outwith all the wrong people. She does it mostly to protect herself from pain. A tragic past that she is trying to escape. Nicole didn't realize just how bad her friends were until she was able to spy on her friends while walking around as a ghost. They are laughing and not even worried about where she is, and her boyfriend, is cheating on her. Her boyfriend that knows she got out of the car, walked home by herself, and is now missing! Yet he wouldn't tell anyone what happened.
Dale has a large scar on his face and is mostly ignored and picked on at school. The scar has a tragic back story so he is able to bond with and understand Nicole like no one else. Even though he gets ridiculed he is a strong character and stands up for himself. Dale argues with Nicole and tells her the truth but also shows her how she is worth more. He has learned his lesson about what is important and helps Nicole learn the same lesson. He works really hard to save Nicole. Although one thing that kind of bothered me was that he wouldn't skip school. If I knew someone was out dying somewhere, I would skip a couple days to search for them. I think the circumstances call for it!
Nicole can't remember what happened before she woke up in her ghost like state so she has to put the pieces together. It isn't really a big mystery as most clues are unfolded quickly. But there is a lot of intense build up and worry. The whole time I'm like please find her already! It was upsetting that everyone wrote her off and just assumed she ran away without looking for her. Her family was very broken and they lacked communication. Dealing with loss, grief, and getting back to where you were before tragedy were big parts of the story. The accident was one that Nicole and her family learned from not to mention she met Dale, someone who truly cares about her.
---
"I think that's another reason why I was so annoyed this morning. All the people you choose to hang out with have no idea who you really are. They're spending too much time bringing out the worst in you to discover how awesome you can be."
Dale's there in a second, gently catching me against him. His arm around my waist holds me tightly to his side.
"I want to catch you when you fall." He grins.
I roll my eyes.
"That's the cheesiest thing I've ever heard."
---
* I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review*
April 1, 2013
Mean girl Nicole’s body is lost in the woods, hovering between life and death. But somehow her consciousness or soul finds Dale, the “weirdo” loner she dubbed Scar Face (on account of the huge jagged scar running across his face). For better or worse, he’s her only hope at a second chance in life.
As she travels back and forth, in and out of consciousness, she discovers who her true friends are, what led her on such a destructive mean girl path, and what she may truly want in life, if given a second chance. Dale & Nicky work together to find her body before time runs out and she’s gone for good.
I liked how the story started and progressed, although I’d have to say the overall message was borderline preachy. I liked that Nicole faced her past and found the will to fight; also, I appreciated the whole “everything happens for a reason” cliché, but I was a bit perturbed with the religious undertones.
I did enjoy the story, but I felt extremely uncomfortable at times with Dale. Maybe it’s just me but I felt he was a bit self-righteous at times. Or maybe I was just in shock because usually, it’s the “goody good” girls saving the bad boys. Instead, in this story, the “bad boy turned extra good” saves the “troubled, messed up mean girl living an empty, rotten life.” Also, I was kind of embarrassed when he told Nicky that he wanted to hold off on making love until he found his wife. Normally, I’d be supportive of guys with such strong resolve, morals, & respect for women. Yet somehow when it came from Dale, it just sounded condescending? Maybe it was because he was SO judgmental of all the “cool” kids?
**Still, this could just be me being overly sensitive, because he was justified in his judgments. Nicky’s friends AKA the Cool Kids were messed up.
Nicky’s friends and horrible EX bf were such cardboard characters. They were so disgustingly clichéd and I couldn’t help but feel the author sloppily and lazily put these characters together; no spark, no individuality, no dimension – just flat or overly exaggerated. I found their reactions and behaviors to be truly despicable and too coldhearted. It was hard for me to believe these kids were even human!
But in the end, it doesn’t really matter because the plot really revolved around Nicky’s redemption, or second chance in life, and somewhat sweet romance w/ Dale. And because the overall message was so uplifting and positive, I wouldn’t rate this any lower than a 3/5. An entertaining clean read with a positive message.
As she travels back and forth, in and out of consciousness, she discovers who her true friends are, what led her on such a destructive mean girl path, and what she may truly want in life, if given a second chance. Dale & Nicky work together to find her body before time runs out and she’s gone for good.
I liked how the story started and progressed, although I’d have to say the overall message was borderline preachy. I liked that Nicole faced her past and found the will to fight; also, I appreciated the whole “everything happens for a reason” cliché, but I was a bit perturbed with the religious undertones.
I did enjoy the story, but I felt extremely uncomfortable at times with Dale. Maybe it’s just me but I felt he was a bit self-righteous at times. Or maybe I was just in shock because usually, it’s the “goody good” girls saving the bad boys. Instead, in this story, the “bad boy turned extra good” saves the “troubled, messed up mean girl living an empty, rotten life.” Also, I was kind of embarrassed when he told Nicky that he wanted to hold off on making love until he found his wife. Normally, I’d be supportive of guys with such strong resolve, morals, & respect for women. Yet somehow when it came from Dale, it just sounded condescending? Maybe it was because he was SO judgmental of all the “cool” kids?
**Still, this could just be me being overly sensitive, because he was justified in his judgments. Nicky’s friends AKA the Cool Kids were messed up.
Nicky’s friends and horrible EX bf were such cardboard characters. They were so disgustingly clichéd and I couldn’t help but feel the author sloppily and lazily put these characters together; no spark, no individuality, no dimension – just flat or overly exaggerated. I found their reactions and behaviors to be truly despicable and too coldhearted. It was hard for me to believe these kids were even human!
But in the end, it doesn’t really matter because the plot really revolved around Nicky’s redemption, or second chance in life, and somewhat sweet romance w/ Dale. And because the overall message was so uplifting and positive, I wouldn’t rate this any lower than a 3/5. An entertaining clean read with a positive message.
November 6, 2012
What a book! I read “Betwixt” in one sitting. When Nicole, the main character, leaves her body after she had been hit by a car, she becomes the proverbial fly on the wall. Not only does she discover some upsetting truths about her cool, wild friends, but she also realizes that things in her own home are not at all what she thought them to be. Dale Finnigan, whom she had nastily labeled Scarface, appears to be the only one who can hear and possibly help her; a fact that forces her to reconsider her attitudes, friendships, and ultimately her very right to be alive.
From the realistically crafted characters and their extremely touching stories, to the nail-biting suspense towards the end, “Betwixt” is most definitely one of the best and most beautiful books I have ever read. Not only is it a great story, but also a tale of forgiveness and second chances. The delicate spiritual touch gives incredible depth to the book and the gentle, sweet romance will touch the heart of any reader. I must put a "Kleenex" warning in this review as I most certainly needed some on several occasions during this story. That said, this book definitely has its humorous moments when Jester, the Labrador, bounces onto the scene and becomes quite the hero.
For a truly profound and utterly realistic reading experience, I recommend “Betwixt” as an absolute must-read deserving far more than five stars. I hope that this highly gifted author will hurry up and give the world many more such worthwhile books! (Ellen Fritz)
From the realistically crafted characters and their extremely touching stories, to the nail-biting suspense towards the end, “Betwixt” is most definitely one of the best and most beautiful books I have ever read. Not only is it a great story, but also a tale of forgiveness and second chances. The delicate spiritual touch gives incredible depth to the book and the gentle, sweet romance will touch the heart of any reader. I must put a "Kleenex" warning in this review as I most certainly needed some on several occasions during this story. That said, this book definitely has its humorous moments when Jester, the Labrador, bounces onto the scene and becomes quite the hero.
For a truly profound and utterly realistic reading experience, I recommend “Betwixt” as an absolute must-read deserving far more than five stars. I hope that this highly gifted author will hurry up and give the world many more such worthwhile books! (Ellen Fritz)
May 21, 2019
I received a copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Actual Rating: 3.5
This was an enjoyable read. The storyline was great. I was not that intrigued by Nicole in the beginning, but then I started to understand her more as the story went on. I thought her friends were stupid, though. Dale was my favourite character. He was really sweet. I love him. The ending was great. I wonder how the story is going to turn out, and the prequel story about Dale will be interesting. Overall, a great read. The book has been renamed "Betwixt."
Actual Rating: 3.5
This was an enjoyable read. The storyline was great. I was not that intrigued by Nicole in the beginning, but then I started to understand her more as the story went on. I thought her friends were stupid, though. Dale was my favourite character. He was really sweet. I love him. The ending was great. I wonder how the story is going to turn out, and the prequel story about Dale will be interesting. Overall, a great read. The book has been renamed "Betwixt."
December 5, 2012
"I don't believe in God" (Nicole Tepper)
"But He believes in you" (Dale Finnigan)
Just imagine, in one moment you're a very populer girl with very populer friends and a hot boy friend. But then you're hitting by a car, you're "betwixt", you're not dead but you're soul outside your body, looking for help, and the only one who can hear you is the guy that you publicly humiliated.
Nicole Tepper adalah cewek cantik dan populer dengan "click" yang super populer juga. Nicole hanya mengencani cowok-cowok "hot" dan merasa berhak "berakting" bitchy dengan siapapun yang tidak dia atau teman-teman click nya sukai. Termasuk dalam hal ini cowok dengan bekas luka di wajahnya, Dale Finnigan. Dale Finnigan adalah murid pindahan dengan masa lalu yang digosipkan "kelam". Cowok seperti Dale tidak akan pernah masuk hitungan bagi Nicole dan teman-temannya.
Suatu hari Dale mengembalikan ipod Nicole yang tertinggal di kelas dan ternyata mereka menggemari rock band yang sama dan Dale memberikan CD dan kalung rantai dengan "dog tags" yang merupakan aksesori asli dari group band tersebut. Kegembiraan Nicole langsung berubah menjadi rengutan dan pura-pura sebal dengan kehadiran Dale begitu clicknya, Amber dan Penny mendekati mereka. Dan ketika Dale mencoba mengajak Nicole untuk hang out, dengan kejam Nicole menjawab, "Whatever, Scarface." Setelah itu julukan scarface melekat pada Dale. Sesungguhnya, di dalam hatinya Nicole menyesali apa yang diucapkannya dan ingin meminta maaf. Tapi kata maaf itu tidak pernah berhasil keluar dari mulut Nicole.
Nicole tetap Nicole seperti biasanya, party dengan click nya, memacari cowok-cowok populer bahkan mencuri kartu kredit ayahnya. Dia seperti berusaha membuat dirinya se bitchy mungkin dan orang tuanya seperti membiarkan Nicole seperti itu. Di malam itu, seperti biasa Nicole pergi "belajar bersama" dengan clicknya dan pacarnya, Trent. Hal terakhir yang dia ingat, dia berjalan sendirian di malam yang gelap dan kemudian ada cahaya yang sepertinya berasal dari lampu mobil dan dia tertabrak dengan keras dan terjatuh melewati pagar pembatas jalanan.
Keesokan harinya Nicole terbangun di tempat tidurnya di rumah, tidak kurang apapun juga, tapi masih berpakaian sama seperti hari sebelumnya. Nicole terburu-buru bangun, takut terlambat ke sekolah. Nicole meminta tumpangan dengan Ibunya, tapi Ibunya seperti tidak mengacuhkannya. Nicole fikir Ibu nya marah padanya. Sampai di sekolah, Nicole berhasil menyelinap ke kelasnya. Di kelas, bff Nicole, Amber and Penny tidak mengacuhkannya, bahkan tidak mau melihat ke arahnya. Kesal, Nicole akhirnya keluar kelas dan malah menemukan pacarnya, Trent berciuman dengan cewek lain. Murka, Nicole bermaksud memukul Trent, tapi ternyata cuma udara kosong yang dipukulnya, pukulannya menembus badan Trent. Dengan penuh kengerian Nicole menyadari bahwa ternyata memang tidak ada yang bisa melihat dia. Panik, Nicole tiba-tiba tersadar dalam kesakitan yang amat sangat. Rohnya kembali ke badannya. Tubuhnya tidak bisa digerakkan dan sepertinya tangan dan kakinya patah, kepalanya berdarah. Yang Nicole lihat hanya pepohonan di sekitarnya, tapi dia tidak mengetahui di mana dia berada, dia bahkan tidak ingat apa yang terjadi.
Ketika rasa sakit yg amat sangat kembali menyerangnya, roh Nicole kembali keluar dari badannya. Ingin mencari tahu apa yang sebenarnya terjadi, Nicole berusaha berada di sekitar teman-temannya yang sepertinya sama sekali tidak perduli dengan tidak munculnya Nicole. Mereka malah beranggapan Nicole kabur. Ketika Nicole berteriak kesal, Dale Finnigan tiba-tiba menatap ke arah dirinya, seakan-akan mendengar suaranya. Mulailah Nicole "menghantui" Dale. Dale yang awalnya seakan-akan bersikap tidak mendengar, luluh juga ketika Nicole meminta maaf dan bersedia membantu Nicole. Such a sweet Dale.
Dale kemudian menanyai Trent yang mengaku tidak tahu menahu tentang Nicole dan bahwa dia menurunkan Nicole di rumahnya malam tadi. Tidak percaya, secara diam-diam mereka menggeledah mobil Trent dan menemukan iphone Nicole di dalamnya. Nicole kemudian ingat kalau malam sebelumnya dia menolak ketika Trent mengajaknya having sex dan dia diturunkan di tepi jalan. So touched ketika Dale bilang,"The only person who should be touching you like that is someone who loves you and that dickhead doesn't" yang di jawab Nicole dengan pahit,"If that's the criteria, no one would ever touch me."
Ketika kembali ke badannya kembali, dengan rasa sakit yang semakin menggerogoti, perlahan Nicole ingat bahwa dia ditabrak oleh mobil yang pengemudinya sepertinya mabuk dan dia terlempar melewati pagar pembatas jalan dan terjatuh di tepian sungai di antara pohon-pohon yang menutupinya. Tapi Nicole tidak bisa mengingat di mana tempatnya. Amber dan Penny, yang "katanya" teman-teman Nicole, tidak melakukan apa-apa selain mengejek Nicole di belakangnya.
Dari sahabatnya yang murid teladan dan juga teman masa kecil Nicole, Adam Hutton, Dale mengetahui kalau Nicole dulunya adalah anak yang sangat baik. Segalanya berubah setelah kematian adik Nicole, Jody yang terjatuh dari pohon di depan rumahnya. Sweet Nicole berubah menjadi bitchy Nicole. Nicole sengaja berteman dengan orang-orang yang "shallow", yang tidak akan pernah melihat langsung ke dalam dirinya, seperti Dale. Nicole menolak membicarakan Jody dengan Dale.
Dale dan Nicole mencoba menyusuri sepanjang jalan yang mereka perkirakan di lewati Nicole malam itu, tp tidak membuahkan hasil. Nicole mengikuti Dale ke rumahnya, ke kamarnya tepatnya *grin*. Keuntungan menjadi invinsible, Nicole bisa "mengamati" Dale berganti baju tanpa ketahuan *bad girl,Nicole*, dan ternyata Dale has a hot body dan bekas luka di wajahnya justru membuat Dale semakin seksi (Ouch!! I can imagine that *big grin*). Anjing kesayangan Dale, Jester ternyata bisa "merasakan" Nicole dan sepertinya sangat menyukai Nicole. Melihat keakraban keluarga Dale, Nicole merasa tertampar, ingat dengan keluarganya sendiri sebelum kematian Jody.
Pulang ke rumahnya, Nicole menyaksikan ibunya menangis kehilangannya dan bertengkar dengan ayahnya. Ayahnya mencoba meminta bantuan sheriff Hutton, ayahnya Adam. Tetapi sheriff sepertinya tidak menanggapi dengan serius. Kembali ke badannya, Nicole merasa badannya semakin sulit untuk digerakkan. Kemudian Nicole seperti mendengar suara, langkah kaki dan ringtone telepon genggam. Nicole ingin berteriak, tetapi tiba-tiba merasa takut. Bagaimana kalau ternyata orang itu adalah orang yang menabraknya dan sekarang benar-benar ingin menghabisinya? Yang dia inginkan adalah kembali kepada Dale.
Nicole mengikuti Dale ke sekolah dan ketika Dale mencoba bertanya kepada Amber dan Penny, mereka malah menghina Dale. Jadi seperti itulah dia dulu juga memperlakukan Dale. Kemudian Trent tiba-tiba mendatangi Dale dan memukul Dale karena masih mencari-cari Nicole. Nicole kesal karena Dale tidak membalas Trent. Mereka malah bertengkar hebat. Ucapan Dale berhasil menyakiti Nicole dan berakhir dengan Nicole meninggalkan Dale. Kembali ke rumahnya, Nicole kembali teringat dengan Jody dan teriakan adiknya memanggil dirinya ketika dia terjatuh.
Nicole sangat terkejut ketika tiba-tiba Dale datang ke rumahnya. Dale berusaha menjelaskan kepada orang tua Nicole untuk mencari bantuan dengan serius atas hilangnya Nicole. Dan ketika Nicole berbisik "thank you" di telinga Dale, Dale langsung buru-buru meminta maaf karena telah menyakiti perasaan Nicole. Nicole akhirnya menceritakan betapa terpukulnya dia dengan kematian Jody dan Dale juga menceritakan asal luka di wajahnya. Dale ternyata dulunya adalah anak berandalan, tetapi suatu kecelakaan di mana dirinya adalah satu-satunya yang selamat merubah semuanya. Dale telah berjanji kepada Tuhan, apabila dia mendapatkan kesempatan kedua maka dia akan memanfaatkannya untuk kebaikan.
Ketika Nicole kembali ke tubuhnya, dia kembali mendengar langkah kaki yang kali ini diikuti dengan pembicaraan dua orang yang intinya mereka harus menemukan Nicole hidup atau mati dan "membereskannya". Kembali kepada Dale, Nicole menceritakan pembicaraan dua orang tersebut dan adanya petunjuk cat biru yang tertinggal di pagar pembatas jalanan akibat tabrakan tersebut. Sekarang mereka harus menemukan mobil berwarna biru dengan cat yang tergores. Nicole selama ini mencurigai Adam Hutton, anak sang sheriff yang juga sahabat Dale karena sejak kejadian itu mobil Adam tidak pernah terlihat lagi di sekolah. Tapi Dale berkeras bahwa Adam tidak mungkin bertindak seperti itu, lebih mungkin Trent yang melakukannya.
Dale dan Nicole akhirnya berhasil memperoleh daftar siapa saja yang mempunyai mobil berwarna biru. Tapi suatu kejadian menyebabkan Dale akhirnya tertangkap oleh Sheriff Hutton dan dijebloskan ke penjara. Keadaan semakin genting, karena waktu semakin sempit bagi Nicole dan Dale. Terutama Nicole, mampukah Nicole bertahan sedikit lebih lama lagi sampai Dale menemukannya? Atau justru orang yang menabraknya yang akan menemukannya lebih dulu? Dan siapakah sebenarnya yang menabrak Nicole? Trent atau Adam? Dan bagaimanakah caranya Nicole dapat membebaskan Dale dari penjara?
Betwixt is such a good book. A quick read and a great story. Mengingatkan kita bahwa setiap orang berhak untuk mendapatkan kesempatan kedua. Mengingatkan kita juga, betapa pentingnya to believe in God, to have faith. It doesn't matter what religion we believe in to, as long as we believe in God, we'll never loose our way.
I do love our boy here, Dale Finnigan. Walaupun bekas luka di wajahnya menjadikan dia an "outcast" dan sering dicemooh, tapi dia tetap berkeras untuk mempertahankannya dan tidak berniat untuk menghilangkannya sebagai pengingat seperti apa dirinya dulu. Sedangkan Nicole adalah a lost girl, seorang gadis yang dulunya so sweet and a book freak tapi berubah menjadi such an irritating and bitcy girl untuk menutupi rasa bersalah dan rasa sedihnya karena meninggalnya sang adik, Jody. Tapi akhirnya takdir mempertemukan mereka berdua dalam situasi yang sungguh tidak terduga.
As usual, I like to put a themesong to a book that I reviewed. And for this book, I choose one of my favorite song from Switchfoot, Only Hope. Mungkin kebanyakan lebih tahu lagu ini karena dinyanyikan oleh Mandy Moore sebagai Ost A Walk to Remember, but I love the original one ;)
"But He believes in you" (Dale Finnigan)
Just imagine, in one moment you're a very populer girl with very populer friends and a hot boy friend. But then you're hitting by a car, you're "betwixt", you're not dead but you're soul outside your body, looking for help, and the only one who can hear you is the guy that you publicly humiliated.
Nicole Tepper adalah cewek cantik dan populer dengan "click" yang super populer juga. Nicole hanya mengencani cowok-cowok "hot" dan merasa berhak "berakting" bitchy dengan siapapun yang tidak dia atau teman-teman click nya sukai. Termasuk dalam hal ini cowok dengan bekas luka di wajahnya, Dale Finnigan. Dale Finnigan adalah murid pindahan dengan masa lalu yang digosipkan "kelam". Cowok seperti Dale tidak akan pernah masuk hitungan bagi Nicole dan teman-temannya.
Suatu hari Dale mengembalikan ipod Nicole yang tertinggal di kelas dan ternyata mereka menggemari rock band yang sama dan Dale memberikan CD dan kalung rantai dengan "dog tags" yang merupakan aksesori asli dari group band tersebut. Kegembiraan Nicole langsung berubah menjadi rengutan dan pura-pura sebal dengan kehadiran Dale begitu clicknya, Amber dan Penny mendekati mereka. Dan ketika Dale mencoba mengajak Nicole untuk hang out, dengan kejam Nicole menjawab, "Whatever, Scarface." Setelah itu julukan scarface melekat pada Dale. Sesungguhnya, di dalam hatinya Nicole menyesali apa yang diucapkannya dan ingin meminta maaf. Tapi kata maaf itu tidak pernah berhasil keluar dari mulut Nicole.
Nicole tetap Nicole seperti biasanya, party dengan click nya, memacari cowok-cowok populer bahkan mencuri kartu kredit ayahnya. Dia seperti berusaha membuat dirinya se bitchy mungkin dan orang tuanya seperti membiarkan Nicole seperti itu. Di malam itu, seperti biasa Nicole pergi "belajar bersama" dengan clicknya dan pacarnya, Trent. Hal terakhir yang dia ingat, dia berjalan sendirian di malam yang gelap dan kemudian ada cahaya yang sepertinya berasal dari lampu mobil dan dia tertabrak dengan keras dan terjatuh melewati pagar pembatas jalanan.
Keesokan harinya Nicole terbangun di tempat tidurnya di rumah, tidak kurang apapun juga, tapi masih berpakaian sama seperti hari sebelumnya. Nicole terburu-buru bangun, takut terlambat ke sekolah. Nicole meminta tumpangan dengan Ibunya, tapi Ibunya seperti tidak mengacuhkannya. Nicole fikir Ibu nya marah padanya. Sampai di sekolah, Nicole berhasil menyelinap ke kelasnya. Di kelas, bff Nicole, Amber and Penny tidak mengacuhkannya, bahkan tidak mau melihat ke arahnya. Kesal, Nicole akhirnya keluar kelas dan malah menemukan pacarnya, Trent berciuman dengan cewek lain. Murka, Nicole bermaksud memukul Trent, tapi ternyata cuma udara kosong yang dipukulnya, pukulannya menembus badan Trent. Dengan penuh kengerian Nicole menyadari bahwa ternyata memang tidak ada yang bisa melihat dia. Panik, Nicole tiba-tiba tersadar dalam kesakitan yang amat sangat. Rohnya kembali ke badannya. Tubuhnya tidak bisa digerakkan dan sepertinya tangan dan kakinya patah, kepalanya berdarah. Yang Nicole lihat hanya pepohonan di sekitarnya, tapi dia tidak mengetahui di mana dia berada, dia bahkan tidak ingat apa yang terjadi.
Ketika rasa sakit yg amat sangat kembali menyerangnya, roh Nicole kembali keluar dari badannya. Ingin mencari tahu apa yang sebenarnya terjadi, Nicole berusaha berada di sekitar teman-temannya yang sepertinya sama sekali tidak perduli dengan tidak munculnya Nicole. Mereka malah beranggapan Nicole kabur. Ketika Nicole berteriak kesal, Dale Finnigan tiba-tiba menatap ke arah dirinya, seakan-akan mendengar suaranya. Mulailah Nicole "menghantui" Dale. Dale yang awalnya seakan-akan bersikap tidak mendengar, luluh juga ketika Nicole meminta maaf dan bersedia membantu Nicole. Such a sweet Dale.
Dale kemudian menanyai Trent yang mengaku tidak tahu menahu tentang Nicole dan bahwa dia menurunkan Nicole di rumahnya malam tadi. Tidak percaya, secara diam-diam mereka menggeledah mobil Trent dan menemukan iphone Nicole di dalamnya. Nicole kemudian ingat kalau malam sebelumnya dia menolak ketika Trent mengajaknya having sex dan dia diturunkan di tepi jalan. So touched ketika Dale bilang,"The only person who should be touching you like that is someone who loves you and that dickhead doesn't" yang di jawab Nicole dengan pahit,"If that's the criteria, no one would ever touch me."
Ketika kembali ke badannya kembali, dengan rasa sakit yang semakin menggerogoti, perlahan Nicole ingat bahwa dia ditabrak oleh mobil yang pengemudinya sepertinya mabuk dan dia terlempar melewati pagar pembatas jalan dan terjatuh di tepian sungai di antara pohon-pohon yang menutupinya. Tapi Nicole tidak bisa mengingat di mana tempatnya. Amber dan Penny, yang "katanya" teman-teman Nicole, tidak melakukan apa-apa selain mengejek Nicole di belakangnya.
Dari sahabatnya yang murid teladan dan juga teman masa kecil Nicole, Adam Hutton, Dale mengetahui kalau Nicole dulunya adalah anak yang sangat baik. Segalanya berubah setelah kematian adik Nicole, Jody yang terjatuh dari pohon di depan rumahnya. Sweet Nicole berubah menjadi bitchy Nicole. Nicole sengaja berteman dengan orang-orang yang "shallow", yang tidak akan pernah melihat langsung ke dalam dirinya, seperti Dale. Nicole menolak membicarakan Jody dengan Dale.
Dale dan Nicole mencoba menyusuri sepanjang jalan yang mereka perkirakan di lewati Nicole malam itu, tp tidak membuahkan hasil. Nicole mengikuti Dale ke rumahnya, ke kamarnya tepatnya *grin*. Keuntungan menjadi invinsible, Nicole bisa "mengamati" Dale berganti baju tanpa ketahuan *bad girl,Nicole*, dan ternyata Dale has a hot body dan bekas luka di wajahnya justru membuat Dale semakin seksi (Ouch!! I can imagine that *big grin*). Anjing kesayangan Dale, Jester ternyata bisa "merasakan" Nicole dan sepertinya sangat menyukai Nicole. Melihat keakraban keluarga Dale, Nicole merasa tertampar, ingat dengan keluarganya sendiri sebelum kematian Jody.
Pulang ke rumahnya, Nicole menyaksikan ibunya menangis kehilangannya dan bertengkar dengan ayahnya. Ayahnya mencoba meminta bantuan sheriff Hutton, ayahnya Adam. Tetapi sheriff sepertinya tidak menanggapi dengan serius. Kembali ke badannya, Nicole merasa badannya semakin sulit untuk digerakkan. Kemudian Nicole seperti mendengar suara, langkah kaki dan ringtone telepon genggam. Nicole ingin berteriak, tetapi tiba-tiba merasa takut. Bagaimana kalau ternyata orang itu adalah orang yang menabraknya dan sekarang benar-benar ingin menghabisinya? Yang dia inginkan adalah kembali kepada Dale.
Nicole mengikuti Dale ke sekolah dan ketika Dale mencoba bertanya kepada Amber dan Penny, mereka malah menghina Dale. Jadi seperti itulah dia dulu juga memperlakukan Dale. Kemudian Trent tiba-tiba mendatangi Dale dan memukul Dale karena masih mencari-cari Nicole. Nicole kesal karena Dale tidak membalas Trent. Mereka malah bertengkar hebat. Ucapan Dale berhasil menyakiti Nicole dan berakhir dengan Nicole meninggalkan Dale. Kembali ke rumahnya, Nicole kembali teringat dengan Jody dan teriakan adiknya memanggil dirinya ketika dia terjatuh.
Nicole sangat terkejut ketika tiba-tiba Dale datang ke rumahnya. Dale berusaha menjelaskan kepada orang tua Nicole untuk mencari bantuan dengan serius atas hilangnya Nicole. Dan ketika Nicole berbisik "thank you" di telinga Dale, Dale langsung buru-buru meminta maaf karena telah menyakiti perasaan Nicole. Nicole akhirnya menceritakan betapa terpukulnya dia dengan kematian Jody dan Dale juga menceritakan asal luka di wajahnya. Dale ternyata dulunya adalah anak berandalan, tetapi suatu kecelakaan di mana dirinya adalah satu-satunya yang selamat merubah semuanya. Dale telah berjanji kepada Tuhan, apabila dia mendapatkan kesempatan kedua maka dia akan memanfaatkannya untuk kebaikan.
Ketika Nicole kembali ke tubuhnya, dia kembali mendengar langkah kaki yang kali ini diikuti dengan pembicaraan dua orang yang intinya mereka harus menemukan Nicole hidup atau mati dan "membereskannya". Kembali kepada Dale, Nicole menceritakan pembicaraan dua orang tersebut dan adanya petunjuk cat biru yang tertinggal di pagar pembatas jalanan akibat tabrakan tersebut. Sekarang mereka harus menemukan mobil berwarna biru dengan cat yang tergores. Nicole selama ini mencurigai Adam Hutton, anak sang sheriff yang juga sahabat Dale karena sejak kejadian itu mobil Adam tidak pernah terlihat lagi di sekolah. Tapi Dale berkeras bahwa Adam tidak mungkin bertindak seperti itu, lebih mungkin Trent yang melakukannya.
Dale dan Nicole akhirnya berhasil memperoleh daftar siapa saja yang mempunyai mobil berwarna biru. Tapi suatu kejadian menyebabkan Dale akhirnya tertangkap oleh Sheriff Hutton dan dijebloskan ke penjara. Keadaan semakin genting, karena waktu semakin sempit bagi Nicole dan Dale. Terutama Nicole, mampukah Nicole bertahan sedikit lebih lama lagi sampai Dale menemukannya? Atau justru orang yang menabraknya yang akan menemukannya lebih dulu? Dan siapakah sebenarnya yang menabrak Nicole? Trent atau Adam? Dan bagaimanakah caranya Nicole dapat membebaskan Dale dari penjara?
Betwixt is such a good book. A quick read and a great story. Mengingatkan kita bahwa setiap orang berhak untuk mendapatkan kesempatan kedua. Mengingatkan kita juga, betapa pentingnya to believe in God, to have faith. It doesn't matter what religion we believe in to, as long as we believe in God, we'll never loose our way.
I do love our boy here, Dale Finnigan. Walaupun bekas luka di wajahnya menjadikan dia an "outcast" dan sering dicemooh, tapi dia tetap berkeras untuk mempertahankannya dan tidak berniat untuk menghilangkannya sebagai pengingat seperti apa dirinya dulu. Sedangkan Nicole adalah a lost girl, seorang gadis yang dulunya so sweet and a book freak tapi berubah menjadi such an irritating and bitcy girl untuk menutupi rasa bersalah dan rasa sedihnya karena meninggalnya sang adik, Jody. Tapi akhirnya takdir mempertemukan mereka berdua dalam situasi yang sungguh tidak terduga.
As usual, I like to put a themesong to a book that I reviewed. And for this book, I choose one of my favorite song from Switchfoot, Only Hope. Mungkin kebanyakan lebih tahu lagu ini karena dinyanyikan oleh Mandy Moore sebagai Ost A Walk to Remember, but I love the original one ;)
August 21, 2022
I received a free copy from the author and voluntarily reviewed it.
I enjoy this author's books and was excited for the chance to read this newly edited version of her earlier book that I hadn't gotten the chance to read yet. The Space Between Heartbeats is a beautiful novel about forgiveness, finding yourself and change. I liked the unique premise and the plot line as well as the character development and seeing what the main character learns along the way.
The story is told from the point of view of Nicole, she's a popular girl at school and seems to have it all, but actually isn't happy. After a party from which she barely remembers anything she wakes up in a ghostly state. She knows she's still alive and her body lies in a forest somewhere badly injured In her ghostly state no one can hear or see her, except for the kind boy with the scar whom she bullied. I liked the unique set up with her being a ghost and trying to find out what happened, as well as how she had to team up with the boy she bullied and with whom she slowly falls in love.
I thought this book was well written and the story kept my attention. The plot has this suspenseful undertone as you know something happened to Nicole, but not what and the race to figure it out and have them find her body before she dies was intense. Then there is a great character development arc. I loved seeing Nicole realize how she mean she had been to Dale and realizing she wanted to do better. She sees how little her friends and boyfriend care about her disappearance. There are plenty of sad and emotional moments along the way. The way Nicole was a ghost and could see how others reacted to her disappearance was interesting. I especially liked the forgiveness and change type of plot and the romance. I thought the ending was fitting, but I also would've liked to see a bit more of what comes next. Luckily there's a novella set after this book, so I hope it gives that glimpse in the future.
Nicole is not a likable character at first, but I think that's what makes her transformation all the more wonderful. When she realized how low her chances of being found are and how she realizes she wants to live life differently. When she finally falls in love. And when she realizes she doesn't need her current friends who don't care about her. Her path was great to follow and I liked seeing her open up about her past and figure out who she wants to be going forward. I liked following her journey.
The romance was very sweet. Dale is just such a kind character who hardly hesitates to help Nicole despite how mean she was to him. There's more to him then you realize at first as his past comes to light later on in the story and it becomes clear what he has been through. I liked the way he interacts with Nicole and believes in her and is determined to find her body.
To summarize: The Space Between Heartbeats is a beautiful story with a strong theme of forgiveness and finding yourself. Nicole is not a nice person, but when she's left for dead in the woods and she can't remember what happened she has to turn to the only person who can hear her ghost-like self: the guy she bullied. Seeing Nicole figure out who she wanted to be and slowly fall in love with Dale was amazing to see. The theme of forgiving yourself and others was strong and I liked seeing Nicole's character development. The romance was very sweet and Dale was such a kind a great character, I liked seeing how he treated Nicole and how determined he was to find her body.
I enjoy this author's books and was excited for the chance to read this newly edited version of her earlier book that I hadn't gotten the chance to read yet. The Space Between Heartbeats is a beautiful novel about forgiveness, finding yourself and change. I liked the unique premise and the plot line as well as the character development and seeing what the main character learns along the way.
The story is told from the point of view of Nicole, she's a popular girl at school and seems to have it all, but actually isn't happy. After a party from which she barely remembers anything she wakes up in a ghostly state. She knows she's still alive and her body lies in a forest somewhere badly injured In her ghostly state no one can hear or see her, except for the kind boy with the scar whom she bullied. I liked the unique set up with her being a ghost and trying to find out what happened, as well as how she had to team up with the boy she bullied and with whom she slowly falls in love.
I thought this book was well written and the story kept my attention. The plot has this suspenseful undertone as you know something happened to Nicole, but not what and the race to figure it out and have them find her body before she dies was intense. Then there is a great character development arc. I loved seeing Nicole realize how she mean she had been to Dale and realizing she wanted to do better. She sees how little her friends and boyfriend care about her disappearance. There are plenty of sad and emotional moments along the way. The way Nicole was a ghost and could see how others reacted to her disappearance was interesting. I especially liked the forgiveness and change type of plot and the romance. I thought the ending was fitting, but I also would've liked to see a bit more of what comes next. Luckily there's a novella set after this book, so I hope it gives that glimpse in the future.
Nicole is not a likable character at first, but I think that's what makes her transformation all the more wonderful. When she realized how low her chances of being found are and how she realizes she wants to live life differently. When she finally falls in love. And when she realizes she doesn't need her current friends who don't care about her. Her path was great to follow and I liked seeing her open up about her past and figure out who she wants to be going forward. I liked following her journey.
The romance was very sweet. Dale is just such a kind character who hardly hesitates to help Nicole despite how mean she was to him. There's more to him then you realize at first as his past comes to light later on in the story and it becomes clear what he has been through. I liked the way he interacts with Nicole and believes in her and is determined to find her body.
To summarize: The Space Between Heartbeats is a beautiful story with a strong theme of forgiveness and finding yourself. Nicole is not a nice person, but when she's left for dead in the woods and she can't remember what happened she has to turn to the only person who can hear her ghost-like self: the guy she bullied. Seeing Nicole figure out who she wanted to be and slowly fall in love with Dale was amazing to see. The theme of forgiving yourself and others was strong and I liked seeing Nicole's character development. The romance was very sweet and Dale was such a kind a great character, I liked seeing how he treated Nicole and how determined he was to find her body.
October 27, 2014
Even though Betwixt is little over 200 pages long, it managed to stir up a range of emotions inside me. The story begins when Nicole was out partying as usual but then things turned from bad to worse when her boyfriend Trent leaves her stranded in the middle of nowhere. More annoyed than frightened, she starts walking down the road cursing, gets hit by a car and wakes up invisible to everyone but Dale Finnegan. With no memory of what happened last night, Nicole really thinks she is doomed.
On the surface, Nicole seems like the run of the mill popular, mean girl in high school who spend her days partying and staying out late at nights. She has almost convinced herself of the persona she adopted ever since Jody. The tree that Nicole tried to avoid looking at in order to forget the pain of what happened. To be mean and rude so people end up hating her which is so much easier than letting them see the damage in her.
There are little revelations along the way, as the discovery for Nicole's body continues with Dale's help. Being invisible to everyone except Dale, Nicole gets to see the true face of all the people in her life. When the initial shock wears off and search efforts go futile, Nicole gets the overwhelming feeling of deserving to die. To never be found. But it's more about the journey of getting to her body than the destination. Especially when she drifts inside her body from time to time and the unbearable pain makes her realize the grave situation she is. She might just die if no one finds her in time.
Dale is a unique character in the book, he has an easygoing aura around him and the fact that it's difficult for something to get to him. He might just have a scar running down one side of his face but he feels more proud of it than ashamed. No one know how he got it. He attempted to talk to Nicole before but she more than harsh with her and he finally had to let go. So when he comes across Nicole's voice in school, despite being wary of her he decides to help her.
For all the time Nicole spends with Dale, she actually likes it but is afraid to admit so. Saddened by her parents initial reaction of her running away, Nicole goes through strong emotions when her parents consider the graveness of the situation as days pass. Dale and Nicole try to locate her body and find themselves more times at a standstill than they'd have preferred. However, when Nicole catches two people trying to find her body to bury her, things starts looking up.
The time Nicole and Dale spend together, confiding in each other and just being together is stirring. When Nicole gets to look at her life from the outside, she realizes how empty it really has been. And she knows why. It's heartbreaking and gut-wrenching when her parents finally realizes that Nicole is worse off then they'd believe. What pulled them apart is part of the mystery and same goes for Dale and his headfirst approach towards life.
Betwixt is an engaging story of the time Nicole spends in between the state of living and dead. Will she survive and whether she would amend her falling out with her parents is an engrossing discovery. Betwixt is a thought-provoking book which jolts the reader's mind to question the existence and why do we choose what we choose. Melissa Pearl has written a beautiful story of not just surviving life but living it. Yet for all that Betwixt offers, it's a forgettable story because of its genericity.
On the surface, Nicole seems like the run of the mill popular, mean girl in high school who spend her days partying and staying out late at nights. She has almost convinced herself of the persona she adopted ever since Jody. The tree that Nicole tried to avoid looking at in order to forget the pain of what happened. To be mean and rude so people end up hating her which is so much easier than letting them see the damage in her.
There are little revelations along the way, as the discovery for Nicole's body continues with Dale's help. Being invisible to everyone except Dale, Nicole gets to see the true face of all the people in her life. When the initial shock wears off and search efforts go futile, Nicole gets the overwhelming feeling of deserving to die. To never be found. But it's more about the journey of getting to her body than the destination. Especially when she drifts inside her body from time to time and the unbearable pain makes her realize the grave situation she is. She might just die if no one finds her in time.
Dale is a unique character in the book, he has an easygoing aura around him and the fact that it's difficult for something to get to him. He might just have a scar running down one side of his face but he feels more proud of it than ashamed. No one know how he got it. He attempted to talk to Nicole before but she more than harsh with her and he finally had to let go. So when he comes across Nicole's voice in school, despite being wary of her he decides to help her.
For all the time Nicole spends with Dale, she actually likes it but is afraid to admit so. Saddened by her parents initial reaction of her running away, Nicole goes through strong emotions when her parents consider the graveness of the situation as days pass. Dale and Nicole try to locate her body and find themselves more times at a standstill than they'd have preferred. However, when Nicole catches two people trying to find her body to bury her, things starts looking up.
The time Nicole and Dale spend together, confiding in each other and just being together is stirring. When Nicole gets to look at her life from the outside, she realizes how empty it really has been. And she knows why. It's heartbreaking and gut-wrenching when her parents finally realizes that Nicole is worse off then they'd believe. What pulled them apart is part of the mystery and same goes for Dale and his headfirst approach towards life.
Betwixt is an engaging story of the time Nicole spends in between the state of living and dead. Will she survive and whether she would amend her falling out with her parents is an engrossing discovery. Betwixt is a thought-provoking book which jolts the reader's mind to question the existence and why do we choose what we choose. Melissa Pearl has written a beautiful story of not just surviving life but living it. Yet for all that Betwixt offers, it's a forgettable story because of its genericity.
December 3, 2012
Melissa Pearl is an author that I have read a few books from now, and I am happy to say that I think I like each one of her books more and more. If you have not read anything from her yet, you need to check her out because she is an awesome writer. I absolutely loved Betwixt. I wish it was a series or that we would get a little novella to check in on the characters because I wasn't ready to leave them when I finished the book. I had already fallen in love with them by that point.
I think my secret to really enjoying a book is not knowing exactly what is going on. I read the summary for Betwixt months and months ago when I was signing up for the blog tour, but I didn't re-read the summary when I went to pick up this book last week to read it. So I didn't remember what it was about really. It made the whole book seem more mysterious to me, and I was glad that I didn't read the summary right before picking it up because well, it does summarize the book pretty well. (that sounds silly, doesn't it? ok...moving on)
Nicole keeps a buffer between herself and almost everyone else. Even though only Dale could hear her, I loved that throughout the book we really got to know Nicole through everyone's eyes. I loved the journey that she went on. And man, oh man did I love Dale. He was just beyond cute. I want to read more about him. We got explanations and peeks inside of his past, but the book was more focused on Nicole, which made total sense.
Melissa Pearl has this incredible ability to suck you right into the story and make you so absorbed in it that you just cannot put the book down. I think I have read ALL of her books in one sitting. I couldn't put Betwixt down and I didn't want it to end. I love Melissa's writing, it brings everything to life. Melissa just made my shortlist of favorite YA authors. She consistently turns out quality books that I always love, what more could I ask for? Betwixt was one of my favorites of 2012.
I think my secret to really enjoying a book is not knowing exactly what is going on. I read the summary for Betwixt months and months ago when I was signing up for the blog tour, but I didn't re-read the summary when I went to pick up this book last week to read it. So I didn't remember what it was about really. It made the whole book seem more mysterious to me, and I was glad that I didn't read the summary right before picking it up because well, it does summarize the book pretty well. (that sounds silly, doesn't it? ok...moving on)
Nicole keeps a buffer between herself and almost everyone else. Even though only Dale could hear her, I loved that throughout the book we really got to know Nicole through everyone's eyes. I loved the journey that she went on. And man, oh man did I love Dale. He was just beyond cute. I want to read more about him. We got explanations and peeks inside of his past, but the book was more focused on Nicole, which made total sense.
Melissa Pearl has this incredible ability to suck you right into the story and make you so absorbed in it that you just cannot put the book down. I think I have read ALL of her books in one sitting. I couldn't put Betwixt down and I didn't want it to end. I love Melissa's writing, it brings everything to life. Melissa just made my shortlist of favorite YA authors. She consistently turns out quality books that I always love, what more could I ask for? Betwixt was one of my favorites of 2012.
November 14, 2012
Betwixt is a fantastic, sweet and endearing tale of mean girls, friendship and a family ripped apart by heartache. It’s about overcoming what you think you deserve and making changes to become the person deserving.
The synopsis says more than I can, it will get you just as curious as I was to get some answers. The book was a lovely read and had me clinging to the edge of my chair with one hand and my kindle with the other. I needed to know if they would make it in time. I needed to know if Nicole would survive the hit and run that placed her between the living and the dead, and I needed to know the secret she felt so strongly about that turned her life and lifestyle around 360’ into a rebellious party girl that cared about no-one and felt she deserved the same.
Nicole and Dale’s friendship was both really wonderful and really painful to watch. We learnt so much about each of them and what made them who they are today. Their journey took them the long way around, but it’s what was needed to break down all the barriers.
I thoroughly adored this story and think everyone should have a copy. It made me cry my eyes out and other times grinning like a fool. It’s a must read. Get your copy today or add it to your to-read list and bump it to the top.
“Sometimes we just have to accept the fact we can’t explain everything. Life happens, whether we want it to or not and we don’t always have a reason why. Our job is to try and make some good come out of it.”
Kudos to you Ms Pearl. It was wonderful...
The synopsis says more than I can, it will get you just as curious as I was to get some answers. The book was a lovely read and had me clinging to the edge of my chair with one hand and my kindle with the other. I needed to know if they would make it in time. I needed to know if Nicole would survive the hit and run that placed her between the living and the dead, and I needed to know the secret she felt so strongly about that turned her life and lifestyle around 360’ into a rebellious party girl that cared about no-one and felt she deserved the same.
Nicole and Dale’s friendship was both really wonderful and really painful to watch. We learnt so much about each of them and what made them who they are today. Their journey took them the long way around, but it’s what was needed to break down all the barriers.
I thoroughly adored this story and think everyone should have a copy. It made me cry my eyes out and other times grinning like a fool. It’s a must read. Get your copy today or add it to your to-read list and bump it to the top.
“Sometimes we just have to accept the fact we can’t explain everything. Life happens, whether we want it to or not and we don’t always have a reason why. Our job is to try and make some good come out of it.”
Kudos to you Ms Pearl. It was wonderful...
November 21, 2012
Every once in a while I come across a book that affects me personally. Betwixt is one of those books. I didn't have the time to just sit and consume this book, I had to feed on it with small bites over nearly two weeks, and I found that I was thinking about it all the time. I wanted to get back to it to read more, and my mind worked overtime even while I was reading it. I found myself not liking Nicole, and then liking her oh so much. I found myself obsessed with her problems and worried for her well being. I felt for her parents. I cared about her relationship with Dale and admired how he dealt with his own problems and cared about a person who treated him poorly. I wondered what it would be like to be Nicole and what people would be saying about me...how I would feel if I were in her shoes...how much I disliked her friends...how much I rooted for her parents. There was so much to think about and enjoy from this book that I'm compelled to recommend it to readers of any age. I'm grateful to Melissa Pearl for giving me an awesome reading experience. I'll be reading more of her books--that's for sure.
November 7, 2016
Kinda like Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver kinda not. And that's why when I first started reading it, i was so sure I will hate it. I was wrong. I just wish the story wasn't so predictable though. And her friends, that was a superficial situation where people wouldn't atleast be concerned for the sake of just knowing. No one assumes stuff just like that over something that major irl especially when they have no idea what happened. That and Sheriff stuff sounded fake, but overall this book survived. Just like Nic.
March 28, 2013
Simply brilliant!
Melissa Pearl's Betwixt is an intensely emotional ride. This is a book that will stay on my shelves to be read over and over again.
I loved Nicole, in both her darkness and her joy. And Dale? Oh my...Dale was poor Nicole's saving grace through and through.
Melissa Pearl's Betwixt is an intensely emotional ride. This is a book that will stay on my shelves to be read over and over again.
I loved Nicole, in both her darkness and her joy. And Dale? Oh my...Dale was poor Nicole's saving grace through and through.
November 19, 2017
*Swoooooooon*
I’m still in cloud nine, people! So beware because this review might not be what you expect.
Okay, I’m just kidding. But I thought I should mention that reviewing after just finishing a book isn’t always a good idea, because like I just said I’m still flying with it. It was freaking awesome, and I’m trying to contain myself.
Nicole Tepper is the popular girl. The girl everyone likes, the girl every guy wants to “date.” Nicole is a mean girl. In blood and flesh. And she acts her role like a pro. But as you might have guessed, it’s a mask to hide her real self. To hide herself from her problems. To hide the guilt swimming inside of her.
Like the mean girl that she is, Nicole doesn’t forgive anyone. Dale is no exception. To keep the pretenses in front of her friends she acts like an asshole with him, when he was only being completely sweet and adorable.
On one of her usual Tuesday group studies with her friends (aka party Tuesdays), things don’t go as planned. Leaving with her boyfriend of the moment, Trent, doesn’t seem like a good idea when it’s clear he only wants one thing. One thing Nicole is not in the mood for. So obviously he has to leave her in the middle of nowhere, alone and without her phone. Asshole, much? Yup.
On her walk back home, or the way that she thought home might be, Nicole gets hit by a car. But instead of helping her, the driver flees the scene.
Alone in the dark and in immense pain, Nicole blacks out, only to wake up in her bed on the next morning with no recollection of what happened the night before. Only…
Only no one seems to see her, either everyone is ignoring her, or she just turned invisible. It can’t be possible, right? It looks like it can. As Nicole realizes she can actually pass through things (and people!), and that no one can see or hear her, she panics. She needs help; she needs someone to find her body before it’s too late.
Can it be fate messing with her, when the person she humiliated not so long ago is the only person that can hear her? Maybe it is, but she’s got to take what she can get. Dale might be her only chance at surviving this, that is, if someone doesn’t beat him to the punch.
Nicole was really mean at the beginning. So much I actually kind of hated her. But she grew on me. She was clearly troubled, with a family that seemingly didn’t give a rat’s ass about her, or what she did.
Dale Finnigan is the weird guy at school, with a big scar that runs the side of his face. He doesn’t have many friends, but the ones he has, he cherishes. Dale is a good guy, sweet and caring. Totally won me over from minute one.
He’s just the right person to make Nicole see that everyone deserves a second chance.
Betwixt was a really great book. I would have given it a full on five stars, if it weren’t for a few things that made the story not too believable. Considering we’re in a scenario where a girl’s soul leaves her body, and she gets to communicate with one guy who will help her find her body before it’s too late, of course. They were small things, that either annoyed me or made me snort, but otherwise Betwixt was pretty amazing.
It was hard not to feel for both Nicole and Dale on their quest to put the clues together and find her on time. It was harder not to be heartbroken as the stories behind both of them unfolded. And harder still, not to scream in desperation as Dale did everything in his power to save her. I swear, seeing him in pain and desperately trying to save Nicole, broke my heart completely. I might have cried a little, but you know… let’s not linger on that.
Betwixt was heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. It was sweet and lovely. It had me holding my breath and praying everything would be okay. There’s suspense and romance, and to hell with it, I think it’s going to my favorites!
For more reviews, please visit My Life Through a Book
I’m still in cloud nine, people! So beware because this review might not be what you expect.
Okay, I’m just kidding. But I thought I should mention that reviewing after just finishing a book isn’t always a good idea, because like I just said I’m still flying with it. It was freaking awesome, and I’m trying to contain myself.
Nicole Tepper is the popular girl. The girl everyone likes, the girl every guy wants to “date.” Nicole is a mean girl. In blood and flesh. And she acts her role like a pro. But as you might have guessed, it’s a mask to hide her real self. To hide herself from her problems. To hide the guilt swimming inside of her.
Like the mean girl that she is, Nicole doesn’t forgive anyone. Dale is no exception. To keep the pretenses in front of her friends she acts like an asshole with him, when he was only being completely sweet and adorable.
On one of her usual Tuesday group studies with her friends (aka party Tuesdays), things don’t go as planned. Leaving with her boyfriend of the moment, Trent, doesn’t seem like a good idea when it’s clear he only wants one thing. One thing Nicole is not in the mood for. So obviously he has to leave her in the middle of nowhere, alone and without her phone. Asshole, much? Yup.
On her walk back home, or the way that she thought home might be, Nicole gets hit by a car. But instead of helping her, the driver flees the scene.
Alone in the dark and in immense pain, Nicole blacks out, only to wake up in her bed on the next morning with no recollection of what happened the night before. Only…
Only no one seems to see her, either everyone is ignoring her, or she just turned invisible. It can’t be possible, right? It looks like it can. As Nicole realizes she can actually pass through things (and people!), and that no one can see or hear her, she panics. She needs help; she needs someone to find her body before it’s too late.
Can it be fate messing with her, when the person she humiliated not so long ago is the only person that can hear her? Maybe it is, but she’s got to take what she can get. Dale might be her only chance at surviving this, that is, if someone doesn’t beat him to the punch.
Nicole was really mean at the beginning. So much I actually kind of hated her. But she grew on me. She was clearly troubled, with a family that seemingly didn’t give a rat’s ass about her, or what she did.
Dale Finnigan is the weird guy at school, with a big scar that runs the side of his face. He doesn’t have many friends, but the ones he has, he cherishes. Dale is a good guy, sweet and caring. Totally won me over from minute one.
He’s just the right person to make Nicole see that everyone deserves a second chance.
Betwixt was a really great book. I would have given it a full on five stars, if it weren’t for a few things that made the story not too believable. Considering we’re in a scenario where a girl’s soul leaves her body, and she gets to communicate with one guy who will help her find her body before it’s too late, of course. They were small things, that either annoyed me or made me snort, but otherwise Betwixt was pretty amazing.
It was hard not to feel for both Nicole and Dale on their quest to put the clues together and find her on time. It was harder not to be heartbroken as the stories behind both of them unfolded. And harder still, not to scream in desperation as Dale did everything in his power to save her. I swear, seeing him in pain and desperately trying to save Nicole, broke my heart completely. I might have cried a little, but you know… let’s not linger on that.
Betwixt was heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. It was sweet and lovely. It had me holding my breath and praying everything would be okay. There’s suspense and romance, and to hell with it, I think it’s going to my favorites!
"And I want to kiss you every day, but not just because I'm saying goodbye."
For more reviews, please visit My Life Through a Book
October 28, 2015
I snagged a copy of this title from Netgalley when it was available as a 'Read it Now'.
This was a bit of coverlust and a lovely title that caught my eye about this book. I read the synopsis on Netgalley and think I passed on it initially, then went back a week later or so and figured I would give it a chance.
Unfortunately, I didn't like this one much at all. The plot showed some form of promise, and at least by the end the main character did show something that resembled some smidgen of character growth. However, Nicole was such an obnoxious brat it was hard to garner any sympathy for her whatsoever.
The initial ideas of the plot were a fairly good one - Nicole is a spoiled popular girl with a hot boyfriend, absentee parents and all the right friends. Something happens at a party and Nicole wakes up in a ghostly state somewhere between life and death and discovers some harsh truths about what her friends really think of her and what her boyfriend has really been doing behind her back. And to top it off, the only person who can hear her in this new ghostly state is the one boy she has been really horrible to, the school weirdo, Dale.
For me it was a case of good idea, poor execution. The writing was also very simple. The characters were flat and uninteresting and the parts that were supposed to be emotional were sappy and ridiculous. The dialogue in some of the scenes was appalling and sounded like a made for TV movie.
There's one scene were Nicole stands in her kitchen while her parents are discussing her disappearance (they can't see her) and they're weeping and wailing about what horrible parents they are and how they never even noticed Nicole's acting out and struggling (this after her mother finds and reads her diary). We learn that Nicole had a Terrible Thing happen a few years ago and this changed her personality and her family completely.
I found Nicole so impossible to relate to or like in the slightest, in regards to this Terrible Tragedy that shaped her current personality, and her family into the state it's in, I felt nothing for her. The scene with the parents discussing how they behaved badly after the incident and not noticing how it effected Nicole was supposed to be a moving one. As I already mentioned, the dialogue was so over the top along the lines of oh noes, we're terrible people and if only we hadn't been so absorbed in our own pain we didn't even see how hard this was for our poor Nicole! It was so sappy it was more gag worthy than anything.
Nicole, it turns out as she and Dale start investigating what happened to her, used to be friends with Dale and a whole bunch of different people before she started high school and became Miss Popularity. She was nice and fun and likeable. The Terrible Tragedy changed her. Nicole doesn't like to talk about it. Understandable. But she also can't accept it when she hears her friends talking and what they really think of her. She also doesn't like the fact that Dale, who the popular kids make fun of can hear her, she argues with him, she whines. This is the only person who can help her and she fights with him!
The were a few utterly ridiculous plot twists towards the end as Nicole finally finds out what really happened. She does warm towards Dale and finally gets it in her head that maybe being really popular isn't worth it with the type of people her so-called cool friends turn out to be. There are a few more gag worthy sappy scenes as Nicole struggles to choose between life and death. But then there's the ending. The ending was totally unbelievable, after everything Nicole goes through, every twist and turn when the truth is finally revealed her actions in dealing with it left me utterly baffled. Urg. It was awful. I think she was trying to take the moral high ground, but it was...stupid. At least to me.
In the end, I really didn't like this book at all.
This was a bit of coverlust and a lovely title that caught my eye about this book. I read the synopsis on Netgalley and think I passed on it initially, then went back a week later or so and figured I would give it a chance.
Unfortunately, I didn't like this one much at all. The plot showed some form of promise, and at least by the end the main character did show something that resembled some smidgen of character growth. However, Nicole was such an obnoxious brat it was hard to garner any sympathy for her whatsoever.
The initial ideas of the plot were a fairly good one - Nicole is a spoiled popular girl with a hot boyfriend, absentee parents and all the right friends. Something happens at a party and Nicole wakes up in a ghostly state somewhere between life and death and discovers some harsh truths about what her friends really think of her and what her boyfriend has really been doing behind her back. And to top it off, the only person who can hear her in this new ghostly state is the one boy she has been really horrible to, the school weirdo, Dale.
For me it was a case of good idea, poor execution. The writing was also very simple. The characters were flat and uninteresting and the parts that were supposed to be emotional were sappy and ridiculous. The dialogue in some of the scenes was appalling and sounded like a made for TV movie.
There's one scene were Nicole stands in her kitchen while her parents are discussing her disappearance (they can't see her) and they're weeping and wailing about what horrible parents they are and how they never even noticed Nicole's acting out and struggling (this after her mother finds and reads her diary). We learn that Nicole had a Terrible Thing happen a few years ago and this changed her personality and her family completely.
I found Nicole so impossible to relate to or like in the slightest, in regards to this Terrible Tragedy that shaped her current personality, and her family into the state it's in, I felt nothing for her. The scene with the parents discussing how they behaved badly after the incident and not noticing how it effected Nicole was supposed to be a moving one. As I already mentioned, the dialogue was so over the top along the lines of oh noes, we're terrible people and if only we hadn't been so absorbed in our own pain we didn't even see how hard this was for our poor Nicole! It was so sappy it was more gag worthy than anything.
Nicole, it turns out as she and Dale start investigating what happened to her, used to be friends with Dale and a whole bunch of different people before she started high school and became Miss Popularity. She was nice and fun and likeable. The Terrible Tragedy changed her. Nicole doesn't like to talk about it. Understandable. But she also can't accept it when she hears her friends talking and what they really think of her. She also doesn't like the fact that Dale, who the popular kids make fun of can hear her, she argues with him, she whines. This is the only person who can help her and she fights with him!
The were a few utterly ridiculous plot twists towards the end as Nicole finally finds out what really happened. She does warm towards Dale and finally gets it in her head that maybe being really popular isn't worth it with the type of people her so-called cool friends turn out to be. There are a few more gag worthy sappy scenes as Nicole struggles to choose between life and death. But then there's the ending. The ending was totally unbelievable, after everything Nicole goes through, every twist and turn when the truth is finally revealed her actions in dealing with it left me utterly baffled. Urg. It was awful. I think she was trying to take the moral high ground, but it was...stupid. At least to me.
In the end, I really didn't like this book at all.
April 9, 2016
Originally posted on the blog: What the Cat Read
After having read the synopsis for this book, I knew I had to read it. There were so many elements to it that piqued my interest, I just knew this would be a great read. And it was, on so many levels, murr! =^.^=
Believe it or not, I actually found it difficult to write this review. Even now I’m looking at it and wishing I could rewrite parts of it. Why? Because I don’t like coming across as a crazy fan-cat talking non-stop about how wonderful the story was. But if I’m to be honest, this book deserves some serious purrs. Not only does Pearl do an amazing job of building the relationship between Nicole and Dale, but she takes the reader on an emotional roller coaster along the way. I laughed, cried, hissed, and purred throughout the reading of this book, and I loved every minute of it. And I do apologize if this review sounds more raving and less critical, but what can I say, I’m still riding the high of satisfaction that comes from a great read!
When we first meet Nicole, she comes across as the typical mean-spirited, popular girl. She’s the type of character I normally wouldn’t like, but as I continued to read my feelings towards her changed dramatically, and by the end I loved her. There are reasons for why she acts the way she does, and all I will say is that some of those reasons will pull at your heartstrings. Dale also is an amazing character. Like Nicole, he has his secrets and he’s faced his own struggles. He’s a total sweetheart and I loved him the very moment he showed up in the book. Both of them together are an amazing couple. You wouldn’t think at first that they could ever manage to get along, but little by little they start to gain an understanding of each other, and eventually you start to wonder how these two were never an item to begin with.
I loved the emotions Pearl conveys in this book. Some of the scenes between Nicole and Dale are just hysterical. One that comes to mind was a scene in the computer lab between Nicole, Dale, and a girl named Sophie. I won’t go into detail about what happens during this scene, but I will say that I couldn’t stop laughing the entire time. I actually rather felt a bit sorry for Dale at the end of it because Nicole does put him in a bit of a difficult spot, but it was still funny. And the scene where Dale’s dog, Jester, bursts in had me grinning like crazy. There are also some truly heartbreaking scenes, like when Dale learns about what happened to Nicole’s family, or the scenes where Nicole starts to learn the truth about her so-called “friends.” And don’t even get me started on the suspense! I couldn’t put this book down because of it. I had to find out if Dale would find Nicole in time and whether she would live or not. There were a couple of moments where I actually wanted to scream at Dale to hurry up already, that’s how caught up in the story I was.
And then there’s the mystery in the book. Who hit Nicole and why? The answer will surprise you. I actually couldn’t believe it myself when I found out. And when I learned what that person wanted to do to Nicole upon finding out she was still alive…yeah, talk about messed up.
I definitely recommend this book to any one who loves to read. The lessons this book teaches can be applied to any age, the story will keep you reading long into the night, the characters will both delight you and drive you crazy, and the writing is just wonderful. For my first introduction to Pearl’s books, I don’t think I could have chosen a better novel, and I definitely plan on checking out her Time Spirit Trilogy at some point! Do yourself a favor and give this book a try. I promise, you won’t regret it. =^.^=
After having read the synopsis for this book, I knew I had to read it. There were so many elements to it that piqued my interest, I just knew this would be a great read. And it was, on so many levels, murr! =^.^=
Believe it or not, I actually found it difficult to write this review. Even now I’m looking at it and wishing I could rewrite parts of it. Why? Because I don’t like coming across as a crazy fan-cat talking non-stop about how wonderful the story was. But if I’m to be honest, this book deserves some serious purrs. Not only does Pearl do an amazing job of building the relationship between Nicole and Dale, but she takes the reader on an emotional roller coaster along the way. I laughed, cried, hissed, and purred throughout the reading of this book, and I loved every minute of it. And I do apologize if this review sounds more raving and less critical, but what can I say, I’m still riding the high of satisfaction that comes from a great read!
When we first meet Nicole, she comes across as the typical mean-spirited, popular girl. She’s the type of character I normally wouldn’t like, but as I continued to read my feelings towards her changed dramatically, and by the end I loved her. There are reasons for why she acts the way she does, and all I will say is that some of those reasons will pull at your heartstrings. Dale also is an amazing character. Like Nicole, he has his secrets and he’s faced his own struggles. He’s a total sweetheart and I loved him the very moment he showed up in the book. Both of them together are an amazing couple. You wouldn’t think at first that they could ever manage to get along, but little by little they start to gain an understanding of each other, and eventually you start to wonder how these two were never an item to begin with.
I loved the emotions Pearl conveys in this book. Some of the scenes between Nicole and Dale are just hysterical. One that comes to mind was a scene in the computer lab between Nicole, Dale, and a girl named Sophie. I won’t go into detail about what happens during this scene, but I will say that I couldn’t stop laughing the entire time. I actually rather felt a bit sorry for Dale at the end of it because Nicole does put him in a bit of a difficult spot, but it was still funny. And the scene where Dale’s dog, Jester, bursts in had me grinning like crazy. There are also some truly heartbreaking scenes, like when Dale learns about what happened to Nicole’s family, or the scenes where Nicole starts to learn the truth about her so-called “friends.” And don’t even get me started on the suspense! I couldn’t put this book down because of it. I had to find out if Dale would find Nicole in time and whether she would live or not. There were a couple of moments where I actually wanted to scream at Dale to hurry up already, that’s how caught up in the story I was.
And then there’s the mystery in the book. Who hit Nicole and why? The answer will surprise you. I actually couldn’t believe it myself when I found out. And when I learned what that person wanted to do to Nicole upon finding out she was still alive…yeah, talk about messed up.
I definitely recommend this book to any one who loves to read. The lessons this book teaches can be applied to any age, the story will keep you reading long into the night, the characters will both delight you and drive you crazy, and the writing is just wonderful. For my first introduction to Pearl’s books, I don’t think I could have chosen a better novel, and I definitely plan on checking out her Time Spirit Trilogy at some point! Do yourself a favor and give this book a try. I promise, you won’t regret it. =^.^=
December 16, 2012
There are a lot of things that I loved about this book. It made me cry quite a few times. It's a book about second chances, how sometimes when things are at the lowest possible point, we are given a chance to change things, to make a decision, to make it all better. I am an optimist and I love such stories. So it made me happy.
The characters are very well developed. Even the secondary characters have depth and I so love it when an author puts effort into the characters. That's one thing that can make or break a book or me.
Nicki's boyfriend abandoned her on an isolated road when she refused to have sex with him (what a jerk, right?). Later she gets hit by a car and is lying injured and alone in a dark place. Her soul (I think) is free from her body (though she is not dead, yet) and hovers around but nobody can see or hear her. She sees how broken her parents are, how her friends don't really care about her and they all assumes that she has run away. No one is looking for her. But this guy Dale, with whom she was nothing but mean, can actually hear her and he wants to help her. So they start a search to find Nicki's body and find out what happened to her(because Nicki can't remember it very well)
Nicki is an incredibly likeable character. Yes, she was mean to people, she partied, slept around and didn't let anyone in before the accident but she wasn't always like that. Things happened that changed her. She had reasons and I could understand her. This was her way of coping. It pained my heart that she thought she didn't deserve to live. She is not whiny (even though she has every right to be), she made me smile and was just so strong that it was impressive.
Dale is amazing. I freakin' love him. He was just so sweet and nice and loyal and I can just go on and on. I am totally swooning over him. He is genuinely a really nice guy. Dale is one of those characters that make a book better just by being there. He never gave up on Nicki and saw the good in her.
It did bother me a little that he accepted that he could hear Nicki so easily. I would have run in opposite direction shouting, if I were in his situation but maybe Dale is just that good a guy and would help anyone who asked.
"I want to catch you when you fall." He grins.
"And I want to kiss you every day, but not just because I'm saying goodbye."
The plot isn't really new. It's been explored in some movies and books already. But the characters are real and you can empathize with them. Even the boy who caused the accident, you feel pity for him. It's actually applause worthy that every character is so distinct from others. The romance is sweet and progresses well. It has a pretty good pace and you will be rooting for Nicki and Dale to end up together and for Nicki's survival. It's emotional, it's well written. What else can I say? Go and read it.
Also, for every copy of Betwixt sold $1 will be donated to Love146, it gives children, who are caught up difficult situation, a second chance. Now that is just plain awesome.
"I don't know what you think you've done to have the right to talk like that, but whether you like it or not, I'm finding you."
"Sometimes we just have to accept the fact we can't explain everything. Life happens, whether we want it to or not and we don't always have a reason why. Our job is to try and make some good come out of it."
The characters are very well developed. Even the secondary characters have depth and I so love it when an author puts effort into the characters. That's one thing that can make or break a book or me.
Nicki's boyfriend abandoned her on an isolated road when she refused to have sex with him (what a jerk, right?). Later she gets hit by a car and is lying injured and alone in a dark place. Her soul (I think) is free from her body (though she is not dead, yet) and hovers around but nobody can see or hear her. She sees how broken her parents are, how her friends don't really care about her and they all assumes that she has run away. No one is looking for her. But this guy Dale, with whom she was nothing but mean, can actually hear her and he wants to help her. So they start a search to find Nicki's body and find out what happened to her(because Nicki can't remember it very well)
Nicki is an incredibly likeable character. Yes, she was mean to people, she partied, slept around and didn't let anyone in before the accident but she wasn't always like that. Things happened that changed her. She had reasons and I could understand her. This was her way of coping. It pained my heart that she thought she didn't deserve to live. She is not whiny (even though she has every right to be), she made me smile and was just so strong that it was impressive.
Dale is amazing. I freakin' love him. He was just so sweet and nice and loyal and I can just go on and on. I am totally swooning over him. He is genuinely a really nice guy. Dale is one of those characters that make a book better just by being there. He never gave up on Nicki and saw the good in her.
It did bother me a little that he accepted that he could hear Nicki so easily. I would have run in opposite direction shouting, if I were in his situation but maybe Dale is just that good a guy and would help anyone who asked.
"I want to catch you when you fall." He grins.
"And I want to kiss you every day, but not just because I'm saying goodbye."
The plot isn't really new. It's been explored in some movies and books already. But the characters are real and you can empathize with them. Even the boy who caused the accident, you feel pity for him. It's actually applause worthy that every character is so distinct from others. The romance is sweet and progresses well. It has a pretty good pace and you will be rooting for Nicki and Dale to end up together and for Nicki's survival. It's emotional, it's well written. What else can I say? Go and read it.
Also, for every copy of Betwixt sold $1 will be donated to Love146, it gives children, who are caught up difficult situation, a second chance. Now that is just plain awesome.
"I don't know what you think you've done to have the right to talk like that, but whether you like it or not, I'm finding you."
"Sometimes we just have to accept the fact we can't explain everything. Life happens, whether we want it to or not and we don't always have a reason why. Our job is to try and make some good come out of it."
November 7, 2012
Dual Review from Derinda & Jodie
This book was so sensitive and so beautiful at the same time. Jodie and I wanted to offer you a
review together.
Against bullies. This is what first enter my mind! I fully think this should be in the hands of everyone. We totally agree that Melissa Pearl is simply brilliant and creative.The compassion and emotion
shows through her writing throughout this entire book!
Derinda, I personally think Betwixt is a fantastic, sweet and endearing tale of mean girls, friendship
and a family ripped apart by heartache. It’s about overcoming what you think you deserve and making changes to become the person deserving.I thoroughly adored this story and think everyone should
have a copy. It made me cry my eyes out and other times grinning like a fool. It is sad to see how being bullied can actually leave so many emotional scars!
I agree Jodie, Melissa gave us a book as soon as you start reading it, you learn that Nicole and her friends
are the worst bullies! Poor Dale, everyone is so busy being mean to him. Not too mention calling him scarface.
You are slammed with a tragic accident. Nicole, is struck by a car. She leaves her body, and finds herself walking
around alone and not being able to communicate with anyone. Watching all of her so called friends degrade her and say
she ran away. Her family thinking the same. She has to find her body before it is too late! She has no one! UNTIL she
runs into Scareface. Yes, the one person she bullied is the only person to help her. The things that Nicole learns
she has a hard time believing it. But what was most hurtful for her, was her parents.
Derinda, was you surprise to see who was the one who hit her. I was like what the ****. And then did you see what the
person wanted to do. I could not believe it. I was also devastated to learn the facts on what changed her, to be the girl she
had become. How freakin sad. Did it make you cry. Mercy I was sobbing like my son, when I take his candy away. This book
is not only a great read, it is also a great lesson. This book was a lovely read and had me clinging to the edge of my
chair with one hand and my kindle with the other. I needed to know if they would make it in time. I needed to know if
Nicole would survive the hit and run that placed her between the living and the dead, and I needed to know the secret
she felt so strongly about that turned her life and lifestyle around 360’ into a rebellious party girl that cared about
no-one and felt she deserved the same.
Wait Wait Jodie, was you happy about the connection??? I don't want to blurt it out, because everyone needs to read it.
But I was happy what ended up for Dale....what about you!
Yes, Derinda I was so thrilled by that. This book is fantastic and I agree Derinda, everyone should read it!!!!
I urge you to read this. You will want to buy one of these books and send it to ever bully in the world.That it will
not be on the top 5 of amazon!!!
“Sometimes we just have to accept the fact we can’t explain everything. Life happens,
whether we want it to or not and we don’t always have a reason why. Our job is to try
and make some good come out of it.”
Kudos to you Ms Pearl. It was amazing
This book was so sensitive and so beautiful at the same time. Jodie and I wanted to offer you a
review together.
Against bullies. This is what first enter my mind! I fully think this should be in the hands of everyone. We totally agree that Melissa Pearl is simply brilliant and creative.The compassion and emotion
shows through her writing throughout this entire book!
Derinda, I personally think Betwixt is a fantastic, sweet and endearing tale of mean girls, friendship
and a family ripped apart by heartache. It’s about overcoming what you think you deserve and making changes to become the person deserving.I thoroughly adored this story and think everyone should
have a copy. It made me cry my eyes out and other times grinning like a fool. It is sad to see how being bullied can actually leave so many emotional scars!
I agree Jodie, Melissa gave us a book as soon as you start reading it, you learn that Nicole and her friends
are the worst bullies! Poor Dale, everyone is so busy being mean to him. Not too mention calling him scarface.
You are slammed with a tragic accident. Nicole, is struck by a car. She leaves her body, and finds herself walking
around alone and not being able to communicate with anyone. Watching all of her so called friends degrade her and say
she ran away. Her family thinking the same. She has to find her body before it is too late! She has no one! UNTIL she
runs into Scareface. Yes, the one person she bullied is the only person to help her. The things that Nicole learns
she has a hard time believing it. But what was most hurtful for her, was her parents.
Derinda, was you surprise to see who was the one who hit her. I was like what the ****. And then did you see what the
person wanted to do. I could not believe it. I was also devastated to learn the facts on what changed her, to be the girl she
had become. How freakin sad. Did it make you cry. Mercy I was sobbing like my son, when I take his candy away. This book
is not only a great read, it is also a great lesson. This book was a lovely read and had me clinging to the edge of my
chair with one hand and my kindle with the other. I needed to know if they would make it in time. I needed to know if
Nicole would survive the hit and run that placed her between the living and the dead, and I needed to know the secret
she felt so strongly about that turned her life and lifestyle around 360’ into a rebellious party girl that cared about
no-one and felt she deserved the same.
Wait Wait Jodie, was you happy about the connection??? I don't want to blurt it out, because everyone needs to read it.
But I was happy what ended up for Dale....what about you!
Yes, Derinda I was so thrilled by that. This book is fantastic and I agree Derinda, everyone should read it!!!!
I urge you to read this. You will want to buy one of these books and send it to ever bully in the world.That it will
not be on the top 5 of amazon!!!
“Sometimes we just have to accept the fact we can’t explain everything. Life happens,
whether we want it to or not and we don’t always have a reason why. Our job is to try
and make some good come out of it.”
Kudos to you Ms Pearl. It was amazing
December 13, 2013
BETWIXT is a perfect combination of supernatural young adult and straight up incredible 5 star read.
Nicole has spent the last few years surrounding herself with people too shallow to bother getting to know the real her. This is just how she wants it and all she can handle after a tragedy turned her life upside down and made her hate the real her. What starts as a typical Tuesday night quickly turns south when she isn’t in the mood to pretend with her boyfriend and finds herself abandoned far from home. What’s worse, while trying to get home she gets hit by a car and left for dead.
Nicole wakes up back in her bed and can’t remember any of the events from the night before. But when she realizes no one can see or hear her, she knows she’s lost more than just one night’s memories. She soon discovers there IS one person who can hear her, but isn’t too pleased to find out it’s the loner she ridiculed in front of the whole school and dubbed Scarface, a nickname that unfortunately stuck.
I loved the interaction between Nicole and Dale as they try to figure out what happened to her and where to find her body before it’s too late. They were funny, tender, and most importantly, believable. I was biting my nails worried they wouldn’t find her in time (especially given all the time they had to spend in school instead of out searching) and rooting for their relationship to evolve into something more. Having already read BEFORE, a BETWIXT novella and prequel, I knew Dale’s history which only added to his character.
I think I should mention that when I read BEFORE, I rated it 4 stars—but with the understanding that I didn’t really have enough information to determine if the series would go up or down from there. It really could have gone either way and I wasn’t so attached that I was desperate to read the next book. But, wow, am I glad I did. It far exceeded my expectations. I’m also glad I read the books in the correct order even though BETWIXT can be read as a stand-alone. I can pretty much guarantee once you’ve read BETWIXT, you’ll want to go back and read Dale’s backstory if you didn’t already.
BETWIXT is a solid, fantastic young adult romance and I’d recommend it to ANY readers who enjoy young adult or the supernatural—you won’t be disappointed!
I also think it’s pretty incredible and should be noted that for every copy of BETWIXT sold, Melissa Pearl will donate $1 to Love146, a charity that works toward the abolition of child sex trafficking and exploitation through advocacy, prevention, and aftercare. What an amazing and generous contribution.
**Copy provided by the author/publisher for an honest review.
**Reviewed by preppea on I ♥ Bookie Nookie Reviews.
Nicole has spent the last few years surrounding herself with people too shallow to bother getting to know the real her. This is just how she wants it and all she can handle after a tragedy turned her life upside down and made her hate the real her. What starts as a typical Tuesday night quickly turns south when she isn’t in the mood to pretend with her boyfriend and finds herself abandoned far from home. What’s worse, while trying to get home she gets hit by a car and left for dead.
Nicole wakes up back in her bed and can’t remember any of the events from the night before. But when she realizes no one can see or hear her, she knows she’s lost more than just one night’s memories. She soon discovers there IS one person who can hear her, but isn’t too pleased to find out it’s the loner she ridiculed in front of the whole school and dubbed Scarface, a nickname that unfortunately stuck.
I loved the interaction between Nicole and Dale as they try to figure out what happened to her and where to find her body before it’s too late. They were funny, tender, and most importantly, believable. I was biting my nails worried they wouldn’t find her in time (especially given all the time they had to spend in school instead of out searching) and rooting for their relationship to evolve into something more. Having already read BEFORE, a BETWIXT novella and prequel, I knew Dale’s history which only added to his character.
I think I should mention that when I read BEFORE, I rated it 4 stars—but with the understanding that I didn’t really have enough information to determine if the series would go up or down from there. It really could have gone either way and I wasn’t so attached that I was desperate to read the next book. But, wow, am I glad I did. It far exceeded my expectations. I’m also glad I read the books in the correct order even though BETWIXT can be read as a stand-alone. I can pretty much guarantee once you’ve read BETWIXT, you’ll want to go back and read Dale’s backstory if you didn’t already.
BETWIXT is a solid, fantastic young adult romance and I’d recommend it to ANY readers who enjoy young adult or the supernatural—you won’t be disappointed!
I also think it’s pretty incredible and should be noted that for every copy of BETWIXT sold, Melissa Pearl will donate $1 to Love146, a charity that works toward the abolition of child sex trafficking and exploitation through advocacy, prevention, and aftercare. What an amazing and generous contribution.
**Copy provided by the author/publisher for an honest review.
**Reviewed by preppea on I ♥ Bookie Nookie Reviews.
January 19, 2023
*I received this book from the author for an honest review*
Starting this book I have to be honest didn't know where it was going. I mean, I didn't like many things about our heroine. Then continued reading and realized this was more complex than I first thought.
Coming the finish I had the full picture of what the book was all about.
It is about second chances and redemption and absolution.
It is about coming around and forgiving yourself, about changing your way of thinking and believing in a better you.
As I saw it is the case with every book Melissa writes, we also have many good life advises here. Things that young minds can relate to, good things, good principles for a better life. A clean living, a happy living.
So we see how bad it can get if we let things slide downwards and don't do anything about it, and we also see that we can recover, change our life around and don't waste our only chance at living.
I liked this book so much I pre-ordered the sequel.
Starting this book I have to be honest didn't know where it was going. I mean, I didn't like many things about our heroine. Then continued reading and realized this was more complex than I first thought.
Coming the finish I had the full picture of what the book was all about.
It is about second chances and redemption and absolution.
It is about coming around and forgiving yourself, about changing your way of thinking and believing in a better you.
As I saw it is the case with every book Melissa writes, we also have many good life advises here. Things that young minds can relate to, good things, good principles for a better life. A clean living, a happy living.
So we see how bad it can get if we let things slide downwards and don't do anything about it, and we also see that we can recover, change our life around and don't waste our only chance at living.
I liked this book so much I pre-ordered the sequel.
November 5, 2012
More of my reviews @ www.obsessionwithbooks.blogspot.com
Meaning of Betwixt (between), neither the one nor the other; in a middle or unresolved position
Betwixt by Melissa Pearl was kindly provided to me by the author in exchange for my honest review.
16 year-old Nicole Tepper seems to be on a downward spiral, partying too much, drinking and mixing with the wrong crowd until one fateful night she is hit by a car and left for dead. Upon waking the next morning she realizes she is lurking between life and death, her body is where it remains in a forest and her spirit able to wander but the only person able to hear her is Dale Finnigan, a boy who Nicole publicly humiliated for her own popularity purposes.
Nicole was a difficult character to like initially, she was self-absorbed, insensitive and unfeeling; she treated herself and those around her with no respect at all and her sharp-tongue was plain nasty. Ms. Pearl wrote her in such a way that you actually feel sorry rather than remain disengaged from her which I thought was well done. Her families loss was the reason behind her behavior but her new lifestyle was causing her self-destruction, I think her having Dale help her was the best thing for her, he was good to her and didn’t put up with her rubbish.
I think Dale and his wonderful personality actually made this book for me, he was an absolute sweetheart with a secret past of his own, he went through his own personal nightmare but came through it with a better outlook on life and really changed his ways; which as the story progressed seemed to rub off on Nicole.
I really enjoyed Ms Pearl’s writing and the engrossing story she has written, the plot was not only about Dale and Nicole trying to locate where her body was but also whether there was someone who had deliberately hit her, left her for dead and was out to finish the job; the mystery surrounding what had happened was really entertaining and kept me riveted.
What had me stumped though was the lack of punishment given to the person who had committed the crime, I was mortified and wanted more; it was too easy a resolution for them.
I enjoyed each of the characters interactions, and with Nicole being invisible she was able to find out what her friends (who were extremely superficial) and others really thought of her which would have devastated anyone; it also bought home how her actions & her families loss were affecting their lives together; I appreciated this aspect and the fact they realized things needed to change.
All in all, I really enjoyed Betwixt and the wonderful story Ms Pearl has written. I will definitely read more books written by this author.
Thank-you to Melissa Pearl for providing me with a copy of Betwixt.
For every copy of Betwixt sold, Melissa Pearl is going to donate $1 towards charity - Love146. The more copies sold the more money that can be passed onto this wonderful organization.
Meaning of Betwixt (between), neither the one nor the other; in a middle or unresolved position
Betwixt by Melissa Pearl was kindly provided to me by the author in exchange for my honest review.
16 year-old Nicole Tepper seems to be on a downward spiral, partying too much, drinking and mixing with the wrong crowd until one fateful night she is hit by a car and left for dead. Upon waking the next morning she realizes she is lurking between life and death, her body is where it remains in a forest and her spirit able to wander but the only person able to hear her is Dale Finnigan, a boy who Nicole publicly humiliated for her own popularity purposes.
Nicole was a difficult character to like initially, she was self-absorbed, insensitive and unfeeling; she treated herself and those around her with no respect at all and her sharp-tongue was plain nasty. Ms. Pearl wrote her in such a way that you actually feel sorry rather than remain disengaged from her which I thought was well done. Her families loss was the reason behind her behavior but her new lifestyle was causing her self-destruction, I think her having Dale help her was the best thing for her, he was good to her and didn’t put up with her rubbish.
I think Dale and his wonderful personality actually made this book for me, he was an absolute sweetheart with a secret past of his own, he went through his own personal nightmare but came through it with a better outlook on life and really changed his ways; which as the story progressed seemed to rub off on Nicole.
I really enjoyed Ms Pearl’s writing and the engrossing story she has written, the plot was not only about Dale and Nicole trying to locate where her body was but also whether there was someone who had deliberately hit her, left her for dead and was out to finish the job; the mystery surrounding what had happened was really entertaining and kept me riveted.
What had me stumped though was the lack of punishment given to the person who had committed the crime, I was mortified and wanted more; it was too easy a resolution for them.
I enjoyed each of the characters interactions, and with Nicole being invisible she was able to find out what her friends (who were extremely superficial) and others really thought of her which would have devastated anyone; it also bought home how her actions & her families loss were affecting their lives together; I appreciated this aspect and the fact they realized things needed to change.
All in all, I really enjoyed Betwixt and the wonderful story Ms Pearl has written. I will definitely read more books written by this author.
Thank-you to Melissa Pearl for providing me with a copy of Betwixt.
For every copy of Betwixt sold, Melissa Pearl is going to donate $1 towards charity - Love146. The more copies sold the more money that can be passed onto this wonderful organization.
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