Into the Between

by Anna Webb

Allyra has an affinity for the past – memories, echoes or some combination of both. Her ability means she has never accepted the official story involving her father’s death, and searching for answers, she follows an echo into the Between, a dark and dangerous world she never knew existed, where only the Gifted can enter.

Barely surviving her first encounter with Revenants – the shadow creatures dwelling in the Between – Allyra is saved by the enigmatic Alex. She is forced to confront the fact that she is Gifted, something those closest to her had kept carefully hidden. As she begins to question whether her life has been a beautifully constructed lie, Alex becomes the one person she can trust, or can she?

The Gifted are rare, but Allyra is rare amongst them – an Elemental who can control not just one, but all four elements. Returning from the Between, she realizes her survival is tied to winning the deadly Elemental Trials, against Gifted opponents who will do anything to win. Even as she fights for her survival, Allyra struggles to learn whom she can trust in this new and lethal reality. She begins to understand that she is joining a game that started a long time ago, whose end might just lie with her affinity for the past.

Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult

283 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 2, 2016

About the author

Anna Webb has always had a passion for literature, consuming it at a vociferous rate. Over the years, she’s read everything from romance to thrillers, science fiction to mysteries, but fantasy literature holds a special place in her heart.

She is a full time chemical engineer and part time aspiring writer.

With a PhD in chemical engineering, her days are filled with chemical formulas and mathematical models. But every spare moment is spent reading, with every book providing a doorway into a magical new world.

Into the Between is her first foray into the world of writing.

Reviews

[Virginia Ronan ♥ Herondale ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

** I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much for sending me your book, Anna! I wanted to read it for ages and your offer truly made my day! I’m sorry it took me so long to get to it, but once I did, I really enjoyed it so there’s that! ;-)**

”I feel like I’ve been asleep for a really long time, and suddenly I’ve woken up, and the world is a whole different place. Everything has changed, and I can’t just pretend it hasn’t. I wish I could, but I’m not the same person anymore.”

First of all: I have no idea why almost no one is talking about this book and how it managed to be under the radar for so long! Like seriously! This was so damn good and I can’t believe that there are only 27 ratings and 20 reviews! I mean the cover alone is already so gorgeous and should have attracted the attention of plenty of readers, plus when you start to read the book you’ll realize that it fits perfectly to the story inside! XD

And the tale that unfolds inside is definitely something new. The funny thing is that it actually uses some of the typical fantasy tropes we all know but that for some reason Anna managed to make something entirely new out of it. We have Allyra as a strong heroine, we have two love interests and at the ending of the book we have the “Elemental Trials” which kind of reminded me of the Hunger Games but ultimately went in a completely different direction. I know, I’m a little bit vague here but if you decide to read the book I want you to discover it the same way I did. ;-) Fresh and with almost no info about the plot. *lol*

”You always have a choice, Jason,” Allyra said softly. “I believe that. I believe that we have a choice at every point in life, even though there are times the choices we make have consequences we might not like. It’s our responsibility to walk through life and tread gently, causing as few ripples as possible.”

Still, I can say that much: “Into the Between” is split into two big parts. The first part, which consists of about 50% of the book, plays in the Between and deals with Allyra’s journey back into the “normal” world and the other 50% consist of the “Elemental Trials” and her fight to win them in order to stay alive and remain free. Both parts of the book had their own appeal and I’ve to admit that I was very intrigued by Allyra’s journey through the Between. Especially because of the dangers she had to face and of course because of Alex.

”But something held her back. Maybe it was the secrets they’d withheld from her. Or perhaps secrets were like weeds – once they took root, it was almost impossible to ever eliminate them completely. So she lied.”

I swear, for me the best part of this book were the many secrets and lies! *lol* As a reader you get as much info as the characters in the book and this constantly kept me guessing and wondering along with Allyra. There are so many things I need answers to and just to think about it makes me go crazy. XD If I’d start to write a list of all my questions we’d probably sit here until tomorrow morning! So suffice it to say that my head is one big question mark and that I’m in dire need of answers!! GAH! I need book two! It’s actually kind of maddening! *lol* Anna, what did you do? >_<

”Conversations consisted of the two of them dancing around the edges of truth, constantly maneuvering – trying to learn as much about the other while holding on to as many of their own secrets as possible.”

I want to know everything about Alex! EVERYTHING!!! I need answers about Jason and his motives, I HAVE to know if the Jamie and Allyra ship is going to sink or continue to sail. I demand more info about the Revenants and who the freaking hell is Marcus!!??? What’s the deal with Eva? And is there going to be a love triangle? Quartet even? And what about Mandla and his words??!!! AHHHHH!!!!

Erm well… yeah. *clears throat* I guess you can see the kind of state in which this book left me. XD I didn’t feel that curious for quite a while and the longer I think about it the more questions seem to appear. Thankfully I just discovered that I can buy the second book on Amazon and hopefully this will help to keep my sanity intact. ;-P (At least for a while because if there’s going to be a third book I’ll probably die due to the - no doubt - long wait. No pressure, Anna. Just saying. *bites fingernails*)

Conclusion:

“Into the Between” was quite a surprise and I didn’t expect to become so engrossed in it. From the moment I read the first page and up to the last sentence I couldn’t help but be intrigued by it though. Everything about its world was fascinating and the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to read on. The countless lies, intrigues and secrets kept me going and fuelled my greedy and curious reader heart and before I even knew it, I was already in Anna’s “web(b)”. ;-P (Nomen est omen. *lol*)
All told, this was a great debut and I can’t wait to read book two. (I swear I didn’t mean to rhyme again. It just happens. XD)

___________________

Sometimes it actually happens that an author offers you a book that has been on your TBR for about two years and honestly, who would say no to such a chance? XD

I wanted to read this for ages and when Anna Webb asked me if I wanted to give her book a shot I was like: HELL YES! It’s been on my TBR for half an eternity. *lol*

So I’m very happy now and I’m totally ready to start this journey! =))
I’m convinced this is going to be good!

[Sophia Triad · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all the book has a very nice bookcover and it is the first thing that piqued my curiosity for this story. It is the first time I actually learned the existence of baobab trees which apparently they are very common in Africa.

The baobab was nearly as wide as it was tall—its trunk alone stood wider than five people placed side by side. It had shed its leaves during the arid winter, making its alien-like branches barren and a mirror image of its roots. It appeared as though some unknown giant had uprooted it and flipped it on its head.

Loved the description! So, basically the starting point of everything is this tree. It is a portal. It is a jump to the unknown. It is the road that led Allyra leaving her body behind and letting her conscience, her soul, her true self being lost in the Between.

Did she open that door? Obviously there are a lot of things that she doesn't know about herself and many secrets that Jamie never told her. Jamie represented safety and comfort for her for the last 5 years. But who is really Jamie and who is really Allyra? Her father's death made her look for answers.

When Allyra arrives at the Between, the enigmatic Alex will save her and share with her few of the secrets of a strange, dangerous world that involves the Gifted, the Revenants, the Elementals and the Elemental Trials for which she needs to be prepared.

Overall I liked the story. Mainly the part where Allyra stays in the Between and reinvents herself with the help of Alex and his friend Mandla.

But I thought that the events of her returning on Earth dimension were a bit messy. Allyra is thrown into the deadly Elemental Trials without much explanation. She tries to hide the fact that she is Gifted without even completely understanding what being Gifted means.
Also I couldn't understand why she didn’t confront Jamie right away. Why did he hind who he is and who she is? She should have a big fight with him.

The Elemental Trials were interesting and they had the right amount of angst.

Finally, when I finished the book, I was really wondering that since Alex is still stuck in the Between, where is his body? And who looks after him and hide him on Earth?

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

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though I spent the first few chapters wondering what the hell was going on, the characters and the premise were intriguing enough to hold my attention. I don't regret my decision to keep reading and patiently wait for more world-building related information because this book got better with each page.

Admittedly, I found Allyra's chapters in the first half of the book too slow-paced and it made me feel a bit lethargic. It's not as if nothing exciting happened; there were action-packed scenes that I enjoyed. I think it's partly because the writing was really atmospheric. The Between was not exactly a tourist spot - it was a desolate and dangerous place. Combine that with the fact that I, like Allyra, was struggling to understand what the hell was going on because we didn't have enough facts...Of course we both got frustrated.

As for the other POV character, I really liked Jaime from the start. Charming, cunning, and caring, he was very easy to love. He was my preferred narrator during the first half of this novel because I found his chapters more engaging and I didn't feel confused while reading them.

While reading the first half, there's another reason that I enjoyed Jamie's chapters more. Even though I had so much respect for Allyra because of her determination, it was really hard for me to warm up to broody, oh-so-mysterious, and angsty Alex. To be clear, it's not that I disliked him. I did find him interesting as a character. I even understood why he was Mr. Serious Shouty-Pants while he was training Allyra. He knew so much more about the dire situation than we readers did. What I'm saying is that at this point, I don't love him as a character yet. Too. Much. Angst. I also didn't like the appearance of a trope that made me roll my eyes: Where did that sudden romance between Alex and Allyra come from? It struck me as romance for the sake of romance. I might change my mind about that when I see a believable backstory and development for that certain relationship in the next book.

I was thrilled that the book got a lot more exciting when the training for the Trials got more serious. Fine, the Trials did remind me a great deal of The Hunger Games, Divergent, and other dystopians, but I can't deny that I felt so absorbed in the story while reading those scenes. Allyra showed her cool-headed strategist side, which made me cheer! It was during that time that the tides turned and Allyra became my preferred narrator. I think it's awesome that she's a logical heroine - that even though there were times that she let her emotions sway her, she's still mature and level-headed. Allyra's a great combination of intelligence, courage, and kindness. She's the type of MC I would love to point out to impressionable young readers and say: "Now THAT's a heroine worth admiring."

The world-building had a shaky start, but once it was established, I started to appreciate it. The magic system reminded me a little of Avatar: The Last Airbender and even Flame of Recca, but I still enjoyed them. The idea of living weapons is so badass that I don't mind seeing that idea recycled in fiction as long as it's written well. In this novel, it was definitely written well.

Thank goodness I now have a copy of book 2. I have a strong feeling - and I also heard from my soul sister Uma - that it would be so much better! Thanks for recommending this series to me, sis!

[Kyra Davies · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to the author of this book, Anna Webb, for this generous opportunity 😚

☆☆☆☆ ☆~ 5/5

This book was sooo incredibly good. I absolutely loved the story. It was original, thoughtful, action packed and kept me wanting more. As noted in an update of my progress earlier in the book, I did have a couple of issues.

First being that the story felt like it was rushed. There was a lot of information that was introduced in such a short amount of time. I would have liked to see more details and descriptions of things that seem to have been breezed over. This is more pointed toward the first half of the book. The second half was slower with a lot more explained.
The second is I don't think the characters were explored enough. I think they lacked backstory, emotion and descriptions and because of this, I was unable to form connections with them. Besides the main character, Allyra, as well as Alex, who was meant to be a bit mysterious. There's been a lot of thought put into him, I believe.

Another thing, and this is really down to personal preference, is I really was not digging Jamie's point of view. I was struggling a bit reading through his chapters. I can understand why it was done the way it was but I just didn't like it. Maybe it was down to his character, I never really felt a connection with him and his thinking bored me a bit.

All those points aside though, I really did enjoy this book. I'm so excited for the next in the series and hopefully seeing more of Alex because at this point, he is probably one of my favourite characters along with Allyra and Jason. 😊😊

[Sharon Mariampillai · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy from the author, in exchange for an honest review.

Actual Rating: 4.3

Thank you Anna Webb for the opportunity to read your book. This was an enjoyable read. The premise really intrigued my interests. The story itself was interesting and had a slight similarity to The Hunger Games, the characters have to fight and survive in order to win their freedom in the Trials. The story in the beginning starts off slow, but then it picked up the pace and started to get interesting. I was not expecting this book to be this good.

The characters were all well-written. I really liked Allyra. She was a bit irritating at first, but then she turned into this bad-ass character and I started to like her more. Alex was a great character. I do wish there were more scenes between him and Allyra because I really liked their friendship. Jamie was too good to be true. He seems too nice to me. I think there is something off about him. Also, the secondary characters were great as well.

My favourite part of this book was the Trials as this is the fight for survival and freedom. I thought it was really well-written. Majority of the story is told in dual POV from Allyra and Jamie's perspectives. However, the ending was different as it was told from a different perspective: Alex. I really liked how it showed how he feel and it makes me curious how the second book would turn out. I can't wait to read more Anna Webb books in the future. Overall, a great read.

[Karen Barber · Rating 4 out of 5]

A huge thank you to the author for allowing me to read this in exchange for my honest thoughts.
This was a curious read. In some ways I could sense elements of other hit YA novels, but there was some very different stuff too.
Allyra is haunted by the death of her father. She has always been able to sense the past, but doesn't know what she is. In this first in the series we get to learn of Allyra's skills and what impact they might have on events.
When she crosses to the Between awful things are set in motion. There's a slow feel to this as we slowly learn more about the history of the world and the characters involved. With regard to this element I think the novel sets things up well.
The obvious similarity comes with the trial element,but I think the focus on Allyra prevents it seeming too copycat. Some violence, and lots of interesting relationship dynamics.
A good test is whether you feel like going on to read the rest of the series. I certainly do.

[Uma | Books.Bags.Burgers · Rating 5 out of 5]

(I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.)

BLURB

Allyra has an affinity for the past – memories, echoes or some combination of both. Her ability means she has never accepted the official story involving her father’s death, and searching for answers, she follows an echo into the Between, a dark and dangerous world she never knew existed, where only the Gifted can enter.

Barely surviving her first encounter with Revenants – the shadow creatures dwelling in the Between – Allyra is saved by the enigmatic Alex. She is forced to confront the fact that she is Gifted, something those closest to her had kept carefully hidden. As she begins to question whether her life has been a beautifully constructed lie, Alex becomes the one person she can trust, or can she?

The Gifted are rare, but Allyra is rare amongst them – an Elemental who can control not just one, but all four elements. Returning from the Between, she realizes her survival is tied to winning the deadly Elemental Trials, against Gifted opponents who will do anything to win. Even as she fights for her survival, Allyra struggles to learn whom she can trust in this new and lethal reality. She begins to understand that she is joining a game that started a long time ago, whose end might just lie with her affinity for the past.

CHARACTERS

Confession! Loved every single character. The protagonists as well as the antagonists. I suppose that's because Anna Webb has created the PERFECT, THREE-DIMENSIONAL characters i always look for in books. I finished the book in one sitting because I got emotionally connected to Allyra, Alex and Jamie.

Allyra... great protagonist. She makes for a great role model. She is determined, stubborn (in a good way!) and she doesn't take shit from anyone. Also she is not 'perfect'. She is real, makes mistakes, feels all emotions and develops beautifully as the story progresses.

Alex! God I love Alex. He is hot.He is a complex, hotand interesting character. He is hot. HE IS HOT. He is the one in the book that made me ask the most questions and go through a plethora of emotions.

Jamie. He is one of the sweetest people I've ever met in a book! Sure he's made his mistakes but one can't help but adore him!

PLOT

Into the between had me at the blurb. I love element related plot and Into the between rocked the history of elemental novels. Admitted that at places the story reminded me of other novels I've read but no, Into the between is not cliched. Its not just different in how the plot is brought forward to the readers but also how the characters develop through the plot. Here the characters ARE the plot. Human characters play such a huge role in how the plot grows and thickens around you.

WRITING

The writing was engaging and I personally loved it. I loved the Chemistry references! lol! From now on am gonna try reciting the periodic table when i get angry. I think it'll work much better than counting to 10. I loved how the switching 'third person subjective POV' in no way disturbed my reading. As a matter of fact, it made sure that i was linking the stories of each character together into a tapestry.

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THE BOOK

-All the characters (Literally everyone)
-Writing style
-Elemental based plot!

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE ABOUT THE BOOK

-NOTHING. Nothing at all!

Loved every minute!

CONCLUSION

Its my new favorite book and am dying for the sequel!

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Note: I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. A huge thanks to Anna Webb for the opportunity.

Going into this, I wasn't really sure what to expect. The premise sounded interesting, and the cover was great but I had no prior knowledge of the book or the author and really had no idea what I was getting myself into, or even if I'd enjoy the novel. I'm happy to say that I had a great time and really enjoyed it c:

From the get-go the narration style got me; I loved that we were straight into the thick of things from the very first chapter, with the main character becoming trapped in "The Between"; a kind of void that exists between our own world and the next. The gift of the main character was well described from the beginning without it feeling like you were being given an overload of unwanted or unneeded information.

I definitely spent a good portion of the book confused after the initial chapter, but once I got towards the end some of it started to make sense, though clearly this is not a book you read as a once-off - you'll need to read further into the series in order to understand the subtleties of this novel. We've got conspiracy theories abound and no-one seems to be who they say they are :P

The range of characters were brilliant, and I love how everyone seemed to have hidden motivations behind everything; nothing was really clear-cut at any point and it really kept you guessing. The training in the beginning of the novel reminded me a bit of a cross between Eragon and Karate Kid, there were moments reminiscent of Harry Potter, trials reminiscent of Hunger Games or Red Rising...

Overall, I had a great time reading this and I'll probably continue with the next in the series at some point. Really enjoyable read c:

I have so many questions that need answering :P

[Kit Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was provided a free copy of this book for review purposes.

To be honest, it took me a while to get into this book. The beginning moves pretty slow, and it's hard to connect with Allyra. There's also a lot of punctuation errors, which would throw me out of the story at the beginning since I was having trouble with it anyway.

The good news is that you stick with it, the story pulls you in and refuses to let go. It took me about two weeks to get through the first third of the story, and then I read the remaining two thirds in three days.

There are some moments that give off a very Hunger Games-y feeling, but I think that's more from the permeation of the Hunger Games in current culture and not from an intent from the author.

The book does a good job of setting up interesting questions that you'd like to see answered, and I would have happily picked up the sequel were it available.

So, in summation, if you can get through the beginning, you'll have an interesting story waiting for you.

[areeba · Rating 4 out of 5]

** I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honestly review**

Ok honestly this is the best book to binge read when you literally have no time to read at all. The plot was amazing, the characters were mostly on point (and Alex I mean he was the one). Jamie, however, I thought was the typical ideal guy who's girlfriend has fallen for another guy. I feel like the book dragged on at some parts, and was a little too fact paced at others. I definitely wouldn't crave for the next book, but no doubt the book has several amazing aspects to it that would keep the readers on the look out for the second book.

Also, I wished there were more scenes with Alex and Allyra, I feel like their friendship-developing-into-something-more relationship was a little too rushed.

[Tura Hathaway · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I enjoyed the challenges and felt bad when all Allrya's friends die during their challenges. I liked that Alex never gave up on her and that they both knew that they would see each other again. I received this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Amanda Setasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3.5 stars
I was given a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Allyra and Alex were my favorite characters. I really enjoyed Allyra's character as a whole. Alex is still a mystery character and that draws my attention. I'm not a fan of Jamie though sadly. He's a good character, but he didn't hold my attention.

The start of the book was slow. It didn't hook me. As I got further into it though, I wanted to keep reading. The plot building was decent about halfway through.

[Amberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

***I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review***

Allyra - She started out as a character that I didn't like. Her dogged persistence to find out what happened to her father was admirable. But her approach to Alex and being in the Between was irksome to say the least. But she is a good example of a character that experiences growth and change through the journey of the book. By the time she emerges from the Between, she is a much stronger character. By the end of the Trials, she is far more sure of herself. Of course, she still has some growth to experience, but further books should provide ample opportunity for this.

Jamie - I am not sure how to feel about Jamie. His total and complete devotion to Allyra sounds initially like something every girl would want, but I can't help but withhold judgement on that. If he was that devoted to her, even though his family had made a promise to her father, being Gifted is one heck of a secret to withhold from the woman he claims to want to be with for the rest of their lives.

Alex - Wow, what a mystery. Strong, secretive, and demanding of Allyra, I was really intrigued by him. We aren't given a whole lot of information, which has me jonesing for more in future books. Mandla's warning to Allyra has me questioning Alex's motives but I'm also rooting for him to be a good guy!

This book was a phenomenally good read. It hooked from the first chapter, which is rare for me. Usually I need more time to fall into a book. But we start in with action, major feels for Allyra's sadness over her father's death, and a huge mystery as to what is going on. All that combined ot keep me reading to get answers. Although I had trouble liking Allyra during the beginning of her journey through the Between, by the time Alex finished training her I felt she was far more likeable and far less whiny.

The Elemental Trials were an interesting way to test Allyra. I found myself questioning Marcus's motives regarding Allyra and her participation in the Trials. Her suspicion that he is a Revenant explains so much, but we don't yet know if this is the truth! Reading as Allyra battles her way through while hiding her true Gift was a nice touch. How long can she keep her secret?

Normally I don't point out grammar and spelling unless they really detract from the story. And while they weren't major distractions, there were quite a few and I couldn't help but notice them considering how well the book was written. I was also bothered by the overuse of commas throughout the book. It was a little offputting. I felt that a little less use of adjectives would have reduced the use of commas.

[Subiksha · Rating 5 out of 5]

original review @http://www.covertocover.info/

4.8 stars

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

The plot drew me to this book!! The BETWEEN sounded interesting and creepy at the same time ( I love creepy stuff:p). The cover looks haunting and beautiful!!!. I actually finished this book in one session (YAYYYY!!!!).

Now let’s move on to the review.

The book is about Allyra who has an ability to sense the past – memories, echoes or some combination of both. She has never accepted her father’s death and has kept searching for answers, so every year on the twenty-first of September she takes a hike up the rocky plateau to the Baobab tree where her father died. She tries hard to sense some echoes or memories of how he actually died (she wasn’t present when he died). The book starts with Allyra hiking to the Baobab tree and before leaving, she follows an echo into the Between.

In the between, she has an encounter with the Revenants (shadow creatures) and is saved by Alex. She later comes to know that is she is Gifted and rare among them as she has the ability to control not one but all four elements. After her return from the Between, she is forced to face the Elemental trials as her life depends on it. The later half of the book covers the trials

Now for the characters,

Allyra- At first, after she entered the Between I felt that she was a little whiny but as she starts training with Alex I really liked the way she becomes confident and bad-ass elemental. The author has done a great job in showing the growth of her character through the journey of the book.

Jamie- Allyra’s best friend. He is the sweetest guy!!!! He loves Allyra but hasn’t confessed his feelings to her. Jamie is devoted and would do anything for Allyra.

Alex- Most intriguing character in this book. He has this whole mystery surrounding him and after finishing the book, you just can’t help but want more of Alex.

There is a love square going on in this book between Allyra-Jamie-Alex-Jason. The surprising part was that I liked all the three guys with their different personalities ( I might change my mind later..who knows:p). There is no major twists or turns in this book but the mystery build up was good. I did feel that the trials went at a fast pace but I didn’t have a problem with it. Awesome book and I’m eagerly waiting for the sequel!!!!

OVERALL

You guys need to read this book. It has magic, romance, mystery and is a PAGE-TURNER!!!.I loved this book soo much and I’m dying for the sequel!!!!:):) I don’t think I can wait a year for it ( I WANT IT LIKE RIGHT NOWW!!!!!)

[Ayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

(I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.) Thank you to the author for sharing.

Allyra Is a very uncommon name. as far as I can find out its popular in Australia. I liked her character though she could be more fleshed out. The story kind of jumped into the gifted without any introduction, but after a few pages you start to get the jist of it. The concept of the Baobab tree as a portal to the in between was very cool, especially because Baobab trees are very cool looking to begin with. I had the usual problem with e books that a more careful editing would have helped like the missing "to" and incorrect word ending like walked instead of walking, but I have seen worse. The story pulled me in , but there are so many details that are missing , I suppose that will be addressed in further stories, like exactly how did Jaime's Parents die? What's the story with Jason?etc.. If Alex is in the between where is his body?
I thought the concept of the living weapons to be unique and magickal. And I liked the concept of using the elements and their essence. The love triangle of Jaime, Alex, and Allyra further heightened the sexual tension in the story. I would defiantly read the next version, and the prequel on the authors page is helping to fill in how what happened before Sam died..

[Zsofi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good start of a new fantasy series.
Although I found Allyra quite annoying at the beginning, after she emerged from the Between, she was a different person that I liked more. I love when the characters develop in a story, so I guess it was good to be annoyed by Allyra afterall :). Alex is great! His motives are questionable, but I think that he will turn out to be a good character. Jamie is too much of the good guy I think, but this is just my opinion. The other characters are also well described, even the antagonists. I also liked that changing POVs. It was good to see inside the heads if Jamie and Allyra.
The story is fast-paced, and even though there are not many twists in it, it is still hard to put is down. The Between is a good idea, but otherwise, this novel reminds me a lot of other books that I have read (Divergent, Hunger Games). Some sentences felt a little forced, it was like the author knew what she wanted to say, she just couldn't express herself. Maybe it was just the excessive use of commas that someone else also mentioned, I don't know. Regardless, I still think that this is a nice start of a new fantasy series. I am definitely looking frward to see what happens next!

*I have recieved this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.*

[Jade Diamond · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy at no cost from the publisher/author. All opinions in my review are my own.

To be honest, it took me a while to get into this book. The beginning is pretty slow, and found it hard to connect with the main character Allyra. The book is about Allyra who has an ability to sense the past – memories, echoes or some combination of both. The world-building had a shaky start, but once it was established, I started to appreciate it more.

The idea of living weapons is so cool that I don’t mind seeing that idea recycled in fiction as long as it’s written well. In this novel, it was written well. There was a lot of information that was introduced in such a short amount of time. I don’t think the characters were explored enough. I think they lacked backstory, emotion and descriptions and because of this, I was unable to form connections with them. Overall, it was an alright book but I enjoyed the concept more than the actual book itself.

[Beyond the Pages with Eva K · Rating 5 out of 5]

First Thoughts: Wow! That was... Give me more!!! Now, please.

Quick Summary: Into the Between was one of the best series intro books I've read in a long while. It was fresh, action-packed, intriguing and downright good. The characters were layered and complex. The worlds were a curious mix of past, present and future. Every angle had an angle. That kept me engaged the whole time, I tell you. The more I learned, the more I wanted to learn. The Gifted, the Elementals, the Trials, the Revenants, the Between, darkness, light, good, evil, love, betrayal, loyalty --- that's good eating for a reader with a voracious appetite. Thank you! May I have more?

Source: R2R from We Love ❤️YA Books!

[Yessica Gray · Rating 3 out of 5]

The 3 stars are given, not because It was a bad book, but because of the formal language that was present. It struck me as a YA adult but it didn't always read as one. But the characters and trials were definetly interesting as Jamie was one of the characters that fascinated me most because of his willingness
All in all, sold start to a series and or trilogy

[Heather Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am SOOO glad I found this author!! I can't wait to read more from her! Given time, she might even rank up with Mercedes Lackey and Madeline L'Engle for me, which is high praise in my mind!