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Edie in Between
A modern-day Practical Magic about love, loss, and embracing the mystical.
It’s been one year since Edie’s mother died. But her ghost has never left.
According to her GG, it’s tradition that the dead of the Mitchell family linger with the living. It’s just as much a part of a Mitchell’s life as brewing cordials or talking to plants. But Edie, whose pain over losing her mother is still fresh, has no interest in her family’s legacy as local “witches.”
When her mother’s teenage journal tumbles into her life, her family’s mystical inheritance becomes once and for all too hard to ignore. It takes Edie on a scavenger hunt to find objects that once belonged to her mother, each one imbued with a different memory. Every time she touches one of these talismans, it whisks her to another entry inside the journal—where she watches her teenage mom mourn, love, and hope just as Edie herself is now doing. Maybe, just maybe, Edie hopes, if she finds every one of these objects, she can finally make peace with her loss and put the past to rest for good. But this journey to stake her independence from her family may actually show Edie who she truly is…and the beautiful gifts that come with being just a little different.
It’s been one year since Edie’s mother died. But her ghost has never left.
According to her GG, it’s tradition that the dead of the Mitchell family linger with the living. It’s just as much a part of a Mitchell’s life as brewing cordials or talking to plants. But Edie, whose pain over losing her mother is still fresh, has no interest in her family’s legacy as local “witches.”
When her mother’s teenage journal tumbles into her life, her family’s mystical inheritance becomes once and for all too hard to ignore. It takes Edie on a scavenger hunt to find objects that once belonged to her mother, each one imbued with a different memory. Every time she touches one of these talismans, it whisks her to another entry inside the journal—where she watches her teenage mom mourn, love, and hope just as Edie herself is now doing. Maybe, just maybe, Edie hopes, if she finds every one of these objects, she can finally make peace with her loss and put the past to rest for good. But this journey to stake her independence from her family may actually show Edie who she truly is…and the beautiful gifts that come with being just a little different.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published August 24, 2021
27 people are currently reading
6311 people want to read
About the author
Laura Sibson
2 books115 followersLaura Sibson worked for years as a career counselor for undergraduates before getting her MFA from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. When she’s not writing, counseling, or drinking impossibly strong coffee, you can find her running miles around her home in Philadelphia, walking her dog, or ingesting pop culture (along with great takeout) with her family. She is the author of the young adult novels The Art of Breaking Things and Edie In Between, both from Viking.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews
September 8, 2021
4/5 stars, a really fun summer story about magic, family, and the love that comes with it
Thank you Penguin Teen for the arc through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
The summer vibes with this book were immaculate! Reading this and reflecting upon it, at times this felt like a middle grade, but it always went that extra step to talk about important topics. The story follows Edie after the death of her mother as she moves with her grandmother back to their family town. She wants nothing to do with the witchcraft that is a part of her family's bloodline, despite her grandmother's insistence on it as a tool. But when Edie discovers dark magic that's been locked away for years, embracing her witch bloodline and her family might be the only way to banish it.
The setting of this book was the big summer vibe, it takes place in a small seaside town during actual summer lol. Edie and her grandmother live in a boathouse, which is actually really cute and an interesting little addition. There was also a hidden away beach, an ice cream shop that Edie worked at, a spirituality shop, and the magic forest. All of these combining together really made a whimsical and fun setting for this witchy story, especially one during summer.
This book centered heavily around themes of friendship, grief, and family. It expanded on these themes as the story went on and it was very nice to see the characters work through things. The family aspect was the most important and impactful for me, I really enjoyed it. It talked a lot about family trees, and connecting with your family history, and this is what I enjoy doing! The grief aspect was also crazy important to the story and is handled delicately but directly. The friendship with Edie and her friends was equal parts heartwarming and sometimes challenging, in the idea that they are able to challenge each other to be better. I really loved these aspects of the story.
Edie was a really nice main character, she had a big character arc in this book and it was so enjoyable to see her grow. She started out being a bit self-centered and completely uninterested in anything to do with her powers and witchcraft. She was still trying to handle her grief by pushing away everything, especially the things that reminded her of her mother. As she settled into the town and grew more adventurous in what she wanted to experience, Edie really opened up. With some amazing friends and a great grandma by her side, she opened herself up. She realized being your true authentic self is the most important thing you can do.
Overall, a very cute and fun witch story that's perfect for summer. It presents themes such as grief, friendship, authenticity, and family that are so important to young readers. The atmosphere was great and so were each and every one of the characters. At times it feels like it's meant for the younger side of young adult but there was nothing wrong with that!
[TW: grief, death of a parent, teen pregnancy, dark thoughts, generational trauma]
Thank you Penguin Teen for the arc through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
The summer vibes with this book were immaculate! Reading this and reflecting upon it, at times this felt like a middle grade, but it always went that extra step to talk about important topics. The story follows Edie after the death of her mother as she moves with her grandmother back to their family town. She wants nothing to do with the witchcraft that is a part of her family's bloodline, despite her grandmother's insistence on it as a tool. But when Edie discovers dark magic that's been locked away for years, embracing her witch bloodline and her family might be the only way to banish it.
The setting of this book was the big summer vibe, it takes place in a small seaside town during actual summer lol. Edie and her grandmother live in a boathouse, which is actually really cute and an interesting little addition. There was also a hidden away beach, an ice cream shop that Edie worked at, a spirituality shop, and the magic forest. All of these combining together really made a whimsical and fun setting for this witchy story, especially one during summer.
This book centered heavily around themes of friendship, grief, and family. It expanded on these themes as the story went on and it was very nice to see the characters work through things. The family aspect was the most important and impactful for me, I really enjoyed it. It talked a lot about family trees, and connecting with your family history, and this is what I enjoy doing! The grief aspect was also crazy important to the story and is handled delicately but directly. The friendship with Edie and her friends was equal parts heartwarming and sometimes challenging, in the idea that they are able to challenge each other to be better. I really loved these aspects of the story.
Edie was a really nice main character, she had a big character arc in this book and it was so enjoyable to see her grow. She started out being a bit self-centered and completely uninterested in anything to do with her powers and witchcraft. She was still trying to handle her grief by pushing away everything, especially the things that reminded her of her mother. As she settled into the town and grew more adventurous in what she wanted to experience, Edie really opened up. With some amazing friends and a great grandma by her side, she opened herself up. She realized being your true authentic self is the most important thing you can do.
Overall, a very cute and fun witch story that's perfect for summer. It presents themes such as grief, friendship, authenticity, and family that are so important to young readers. The atmosphere was great and so were each and every one of the characters. At times it feels like it's meant for the younger side of young adult but there was nothing wrong with that!
[TW: grief, death of a parent, teen pregnancy, dark thoughts, generational trauma]
January 17, 2022
So excited by the cover so disappointed by the content. It takes 200 pages to even get to the plot of the book. The main character gave me major “I’m not like other girls” vibes. Her one friend and her love interest each had one personality trait(boy crazy and into the mystical respectively) and came off much younger than their age is supposed to be. The grandma was the only enjoyable thing about this book.
August 4, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley and PenguinTeen for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I need more queer witches!
Edie in Between is a YA contemporary about grief, magic, and first love. This book was so sweetly charming, I didn't expect to love it as much as I did. But this combination of magic, mystery and all sorts of love was exactly what I needed at the moment. BRB while I go read Sibson's debut The Art of Breaking Things.
It's been a year since Edie's mother died, but her ghost has never left. Then her mother's teenage journal falls into Edie's hands. Along with that, a mysterious darkness haunts the old family cabin and it's gotten its claws into Edie. If she doesn't find the items her mother imbued with magic, the darkness could destroy her.
This was such a good story. Reading about Edie's grief at her mother's death was hard. But seeing her get to continue to celebrate her mom and rekindle her own connection to magic was amazing. This book surprised me so many times and I absolutely loved it.
Rep: Sapphic (possibly aspec) MC, Black sapphic love interest whose grandmother has dementia.
CWs: Alcohol consumption (underage), death, death of parent/grandparent, fire/fire injury, grief, violence, abandonment, pregnancy, dementia.
I need more queer witches!
Edie in Between is a YA contemporary about grief, magic, and first love. This book was so sweetly charming, I didn't expect to love it as much as I did. But this combination of magic, mystery and all sorts of love was exactly what I needed at the moment. BRB while I go read Sibson's debut The Art of Breaking Things.
It's been a year since Edie's mother died, but her ghost has never left. Then her mother's teenage journal falls into Edie's hands. Along with that, a mysterious darkness haunts the old family cabin and it's gotten its claws into Edie. If she doesn't find the items her mother imbued with magic, the darkness could destroy her.
This was such a good story. Reading about Edie's grief at her mother's death was hard. But seeing her get to continue to celebrate her mom and rekindle her own connection to magic was amazing. This book surprised me so many times and I absolutely loved it.
Rep: Sapphic (possibly aspec) MC, Black sapphic love interest whose grandmother has dementia.
CWs: Alcohol consumption (underage), death, death of parent/grandparent, fire/fire injury, grief, violence, abandonment, pregnancy, dementia.
August 7, 2021
I received an ARC from Edelweiss
TW: mentioned Alzheimer's, fatal crash, death of a parent
3.3
Edie decided three years ago that magic wasn't for her, even if it's meant to be her family's legacy. But that was before her mother died, and she was sent to live with her grandmother. And that was before she interfered where she shouldn't have, and found herself infected with corrupted magic. Her mother's old journal, complete with charms specially added for Edie, and the help of two friends, are all she has to end whatever is happening to her and her family's old home. Embracing her magic may be the only thing that can save her now, but can she do it?
This is a fairly cute combination of Practical Magic and Sabrina the Teenage Witch, with family magic and reconnection, as well as hokey teenage dialogue, first crushes, and paternal mysteries.
There's a lot to have fun with here, if you're looking for a lighter story. The heavy quality of this book never quite overtakes the larger vibe of teenagers doing magic and making friends. One of the primary staples of this story is basically a magical scavenger hunt, as well as flirting via magic lessons.
The journal portion was my favorite part of this book. I think this is where the heavy and light get married perfectly. The way Sibson writes the mother's voice is excellent, and drew me in immediately. I love the idea of the journal and hidden charm spells, and I also love the way the grief in their house was explained and explored through her entries.
The way the memories and grief are shown I found really interesting. The metaphors for letting grief take over and blind you was well done, and the inclusion of the memories and their effect on Edie is excellent.
I also just really love the idea of black feathers pouring out of her grandmother's mouth when she was in mourning, stopping her from speaking or coming out of her grief. What a great image, and a great metaphor.
While this book hit some marks for me, as a whole this story felt a bit flimsy. The characters have stereotypical dialogue that's not elevated at all by trying to make it meta by pointing out how cliched it is, and while you can sometimes see them struggling to have deeper personalities they generally don't. The only character I feel like I actually know is actually Edie's mother.
Because the characters feel so flat, I couldn't love the romance. I wanted to- it's cute, and when it gets set up it seems like it'll be the selling point for the novel- but the romance arc is a strange mix between completely lowkey and soap opera levels dramatic, with little middle ground.
I didn't really have expectations for this book- I requested an ARC because I'd seen it talked about by others, and because I love the cover artist- so I'm not at all disappointed by this story. I think a lot of people will enjoy it, and I like a lot of what Sibson came up with. It just didn't feel like a fully expanded story to me.
TW: mentioned Alzheimer's, fatal crash, death of a parent
3.3
Edie decided three years ago that magic wasn't for her, even if it's meant to be her family's legacy. But that was before her mother died, and she was sent to live with her grandmother. And that was before she interfered where she shouldn't have, and found herself infected with corrupted magic. Her mother's old journal, complete with charms specially added for Edie, and the help of two friends, are all she has to end whatever is happening to her and her family's old home. Embracing her magic may be the only thing that can save her now, but can she do it?
This is a fairly cute combination of Practical Magic and Sabrina the Teenage Witch, with family magic and reconnection, as well as hokey teenage dialogue, first crushes, and paternal mysteries.
There's a lot to have fun with here, if you're looking for a lighter story. The heavy quality of this book never quite overtakes the larger vibe of teenagers doing magic and making friends. One of the primary staples of this story is basically a magical scavenger hunt, as well as flirting via magic lessons.
The journal portion was my favorite part of this book. I think this is where the heavy and light get married perfectly. The way Sibson writes the mother's voice is excellent, and drew me in immediately. I love the idea of the journal and hidden charm spells, and I also love the way the grief in their house was explained and explored through her entries.
The way the memories and grief are shown I found really interesting. The metaphors for letting grief take over and blind you was well done, and the inclusion of the memories and their effect on Edie is excellent.
I also just really love the idea of black feathers pouring out of her grandmother's mouth when she was in mourning, stopping her from speaking or coming out of her grief. What a great image, and a great metaphor.
While this book hit some marks for me, as a whole this story felt a bit flimsy. The characters have stereotypical dialogue that's not elevated at all by trying to make it meta by pointing out how cliched it is, and while you can sometimes see them struggling to have deeper personalities they generally don't. The only character I feel like I actually know is actually Edie's mother.
Because the characters feel so flat, I couldn't love the romance. I wanted to- it's cute, and when it gets set up it seems like it'll be the selling point for the novel- but the romance arc is a strange mix between completely lowkey and soap opera levels dramatic, with little middle ground.
I didn't really have expectations for this book- I requested an ARC because I'd seen it talked about by others, and because I love the cover artist- so I'm not at all disappointed by this story. I think a lot of people will enjoy it, and I like a lot of what Sibson came up with. It just didn't feel like a fully expanded story to me.
Want to read
September 24, 2021THE TAROT CARD COVER ZHSJSJJSJSKS
August 14, 2023
A meandering exquisite corpse of a mess that barely has anything to do with the plot described on the dust jacket. Or anything, for that matter.
October 25, 2021
I overall found this book to be severely lackluster. First of all the characters, setting, and plot are all pretty boring.
Second, it’s a huge pet peeve of mine when a story’s plot hinges on withheld information. There was absolutely no realistic reason why Edie’s grandma would be so cryptic and withhold so much crucial info even when their freaking LIVES are at stake. Like what the actual f. (And why did GG seem so unconcerned about the fact that her granddaughter’s life was literally in danger? It just made no sense). I also find it extremely unrealistic that Edie wouldn’t read her mom’s entire journal all in one go, instead of piece-by-piece which was clearly done to pace the plot. Withholding info is just such a lazy writing technique IMO and I don’t think I’ve ever seen it done in a way that didn’t feel forced and cheap (note that I’m not talking about when an MC legitimately has no realistic way of finding out said info in the plot. I mean when the necessary info is there for the taking but the author finds a contrived reason to not share it with the audience or MC).
Third, the quest to find the hidden artifacts felt way too horcruxy to me, except it was like a discount-version of horcruxes. It just wasn’t appealing or interesting and it seemed like the characters found the objects waaay too easily.
Finally, I found some parts of this book to be really cheesy (particularly the dad subplot) and it made it hard for me to take it seriously.
On a positive note, I thought the romance was handled pretty well and I like that it was present in the story without taking over the plot or being insta-lovey. However there was one part where the love interest gets angry at Edie and irrationally accuses her of something and even physically pushes her hard enough that Edie falls onto the ground which I found icky and stank of domestic violence. Those actions felt extremely out of character for the love interest and I wish her anger had been illustrated in a different way (why did the author think the pushing was necessary? She could have just gotten the point across by yelling). Her moment of violence is later written off has “oh, such-and-such happened so I was just having a bad day.” Sorry but having a bad day is NEVER an excuse to push someone to the ground.
Second, it’s a huge pet peeve of mine when a story’s plot hinges on withheld information. There was absolutely no realistic reason why Edie’s grandma would be so cryptic and withhold so much crucial info even when their freaking LIVES are at stake. Like what the actual f. (And why did GG seem so unconcerned about the fact that her granddaughter’s life was literally in danger? It just made no sense). I also find it extremely unrealistic that Edie wouldn’t read her mom’s entire journal all in one go, instead of piece-by-piece which was clearly done to pace the plot. Withholding info is just such a lazy writing technique IMO and I don’t think I’ve ever seen it done in a way that didn’t feel forced and cheap (note that I’m not talking about when an MC legitimately has no realistic way of finding out said info in the plot. I mean when the necessary info is there for the taking but the author finds a contrived reason to not share it with the audience or MC).
Third, the quest to find the hidden artifacts felt way too horcruxy to me, except it was like a discount-version of horcruxes. It just wasn’t appealing or interesting and it seemed like the characters found the objects waaay too easily.
Finally, I found some parts of this book to be really cheesy (particularly the dad subplot) and it made it hard for me to take it seriously.
On a positive note, I thought the romance was handled pretty well and I like that it was present in the story without taking over the plot or being insta-lovey. However there was one part where the love interest gets angry at Edie and irrationally accuses her of something and even physically pushes her hard enough that Edie falls onto the ground which I found icky and stank of domestic violence. Those actions felt extremely out of character for the love interest and I wish her anger had been illustrated in a different way (why did the author think the pushing was necessary? She could have just gotten the point across by yelling). Her moment of violence is later written off has “oh, such-and-such happened so I was just having a bad day.” Sorry but having a bad day is NEVER an excuse to push someone to the ground.
March 30, 2022
I liked parts of this book, but the majority did not work for me. I did not really care for the characters, I have questions when it comes to the world building and in general the entire novel felt low key unfinished to me. I liked the strong focus on grief and how easily our protagonist discovered her sexuality. The magic / ghost / place stuff did not really make sense to me, but overall enjoyable?
3-ish stars max
3-ish stars max
June 20, 2021
Really enjoyed this YA fantasy about grief, family, and love.
Edie is a teenager grieving the loss of her mother, and author Laura Sibson writes with an authentic voice as she tackles such a hard subject. I love the memories that Edie gets to explore- as she begins to see her mother as a real person with her own feelings, instead of just a mom. We all get to that realization as we get older, and Edie being able to explore that in a magical way was really special.
While I don't understand Edie's reluctance around her family's magic, I mean who wouldn't want to be magic???, I understand the idea of struggling with expectations that come from being a part of a family. And yay for Edie's romance with Rhia! Super cute, and love the queer rep.
Recommend this magical coming of age story!
Trigger warnings for loss of a parent.
Thank you Netgalley for this ebook arc to review.
Edie is a teenager grieving the loss of her mother, and author Laura Sibson writes with an authentic voice as she tackles such a hard subject. I love the memories that Edie gets to explore- as she begins to see her mother as a real person with her own feelings, instead of just a mom. We all get to that realization as we get older, and Edie being able to explore that in a magical way was really special.
While I don't understand Edie's reluctance around her family's magic, I mean who wouldn't want to be magic???, I understand the idea of struggling with expectations that come from being a part of a family. And yay for Edie's romance with Rhia! Super cute, and love the queer rep.
Recommend this magical coming of age story!
Trigger warnings for loss of a parent.
Thank you Netgalley for this ebook arc to review.
October 5, 2023
this wasn't bad by any means; it just felt a little flat to me overall. i wish the world-building was a little stronger and that the characters were more developed. the cover and concept really slay though, so there's something in that. i think this would make a really cute fall movie!
August 24, 2021
I loved this very summery book and absolutely adored the themes of grief, family, and friendship. Edie has such a great character arc, driven by her grief and need to find herself without magic. Her amazing friendships drive her to develop a sense of true self as well as acceptance of who she is. I also loved the queer rep with the development of a relationship with Rhia!
July 27, 2022
3.5 stars
December 25, 2021
Rep: sapphic mc, Black sapphic li
CWs: death of a parent
CWs: death of a parent
August 24, 2021
"As it is above, so below"
Edie in Between written by Laura Sibson is such a fantastic witchy read! I adore all of the witchy elements in this book including: tarot, crystals, spells, rituals, magic and finding magical items!
One thing I really loved was the lgbtqia+ representation in this book, I felt like it was very well done! So if you love sapphic reads, Edie in Between is definitely for you! The relationship built in this story I felt was really well developed!
I also love the way that grief is handled in this story, the fact that is is not something you just get over, but it stays with you always.Sometimes as Edie learned that grief can be a reminder of love, which is in itself is a powerful form of magic. I think the way that it was handled sensitively through the plot was really well done.
I also loved the language used in this story, especially when it came to the magic. It also helped to make the story more immersive which I really liked. I think my only issue was the pacing at times was either a little slow or a little fast but it did not make the story any less enjoyable. I also wished we got to learn about other Witch families as they must be more, so I wished there was a bit more world building.
However, one thing i really loved was how well crafted the ending was as it was, as I felt that the story's ending was very fitting and also really beautiful too.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading Edie in Between and I recommend this to anyone who wants a really good read. Thank you so much to tbr and beyond tours for choosing me for this tour and for Netgalley for the chance to read it. My rating for this story is a well deserved 4 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Edie in Between written by Laura Sibson is such a fantastic witchy read! I adore all of the witchy elements in this book including: tarot, crystals, spells, rituals, magic and finding magical items!
One thing I really loved was the lgbtqia+ representation in this book, I felt like it was very well done! So if you love sapphic reads, Edie in Between is definitely for you! The relationship built in this story I felt was really well developed!
I also love the way that grief is handled in this story, the fact that is is not something you just get over, but it stays with you always.Sometimes as Edie learned that grief can be a reminder of love, which is in itself is a powerful form of magic. I think the way that it was handled sensitively through the plot was really well done.
I also loved the language used in this story, especially when it came to the magic. It also helped to make the story more immersive which I really liked. I think my only issue was the pacing at times was either a little slow or a little fast but it did not make the story any less enjoyable. I also wished we got to learn about other Witch families as they must be more, so I wished there was a bit more world building.
However, one thing i really loved was how well crafted the ending was as it was, as I felt that the story's ending was very fitting and also really beautiful too.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading Edie in Between and I recommend this to anyone who wants a really good read. Thank you so much to tbr and beyond tours for choosing me for this tour and for Netgalley for the chance to read it. My rating for this story is a well deserved 4 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
September 12, 2021
A modern day Practical Magic about love, loss, and embracing the mystical.
It’s been one year since Edie’s mother died. But her ghost has never left. According to her GG, it’s tradition that the dead of the Mitchell family linger with the living. It’s just as much a part of a Mitchell’s life as brewing cordials or talking to plants. But Edie, whose pain over losing her mother is still fresh, has no interest in her family’s legacy as local “witches.”
When her mother’s teenage journal tumbles into her life, her family’s mystical inheritance becomes once and for all too hard to ign
ore. It takes Edie on a scavenger hunt to find objects that once belonged to her mother, each one imbued with a different memory. Every time she touches one of these talismans, it whisks her to another entry inside the journal where she watches her teenage mom mourn, love, and hope just as Edie herself is now doing. Maybe, just maybe, Edie hopes, if she
finds every one of these objects, she can finally make peace with her loss and put the past to rest for good. But this journey to stake her independence from her family may actually show Edie who she truly is...and the beautiful gifts that come with being just a little different.
Tinged with a sweet romance with Rhia, who works at the local occult shop , Edie in Between
delivers all the cozy magic a budding young witch finding her way in the world needs.
I really enjoyed reading this book that is a mix of magic, love, friendship, and teenage drama. As Edie embarks on her path of self discovery, you get to learn a lot about life. If you like a good YA Contemporary book with a little bit of sorcery and magic, do read it. 💕
It’s been one year since Edie’s mother died. But her ghost has never left. According to her GG, it’s tradition that the dead of the Mitchell family linger with the living. It’s just as much a part of a Mitchell’s life as brewing cordials or talking to plants. But Edie, whose pain over losing her mother is still fresh, has no interest in her family’s legacy as local “witches.”
When her mother’s teenage journal tumbles into her life, her family’s mystical inheritance becomes once and for all too hard to ign
ore. It takes Edie on a scavenger hunt to find objects that once belonged to her mother, each one imbued with a different memory. Every time she touches one of these talismans, it whisks her to another entry inside the journal where she watches her teenage mom mourn, love, and hope just as Edie herself is now doing. Maybe, just maybe, Edie hopes, if she
finds every one of these objects, she can finally make peace with her loss and put the past to rest for good. But this journey to stake her independence from her family may actually show Edie who she truly is...and the beautiful gifts that come with being just a little different.
Tinged with a sweet romance with Rhia, who works at the local occult shop , Edie in Between
delivers all the cozy magic a budding young witch finding her way in the world needs.
I really enjoyed reading this book that is a mix of magic, love, friendship, and teenage drama. As Edie embarks on her path of self discovery, you get to learn a lot about life. If you like a good YA Contemporary book with a little bit of sorcery and magic, do read it. 💕
September 1, 2021
« Edie in Between » has been an amazing ride. It’s full of emotions. Fear, Anger, Sadness, Happiness, Love,… I seriously can’t complain about this. It has been an emotional rollercoaster because Edie definitely didn’t have it easy. At least in my opinion.
I loved the fact that one of the main themes about this book is friendship. « Edie in Between » also had a great way of showing how to deal with grief. I had to deal with grief last year because of the death of my grandmother. Which is why I think that it’s very important what the author did there. It’s always helpful if you can be guided during these times.
I found it very interesting to read the parts about Edie’s mother when she was younger and to see the parallels between mother and daughter. It also helped to get to know the mother and to learn more about her and how she acted when she had about Edies age. I also love it when there are multiple P.O.Vs in a book. It’s always exciting when there are several characters.
I kind of had my troubles with the pacing of the story because I simply prefer fast-paced ones but I think that the pacing for this book did work just fine. There isn’t always the need for fast paced stories.
The writing style was perfect. I loved it how I could imagine myself on the houseboat with Edie and GG and being a spectator in the book.
« Edie in Between » is a great story about a young witch and I suppose that we can all relate to her at one moment in our lives. I can highly recommend this book. If you love witchy reads then this one might be your next favorite.
I loved the fact that one of the main themes about this book is friendship. « Edie in Between » also had a great way of showing how to deal with grief. I had to deal with grief last year because of the death of my grandmother. Which is why I think that it’s very important what the author did there. It’s always helpful if you can be guided during these times.
I found it very interesting to read the parts about Edie’s mother when she was younger and to see the parallels between mother and daughter. It also helped to get to know the mother and to learn more about her and how she acted when she had about Edies age. I also love it when there are multiple P.O.Vs in a book. It’s always exciting when there are several characters.
I kind of had my troubles with the pacing of the story because I simply prefer fast-paced ones but I think that the pacing for this book did work just fine. There isn’t always the need for fast paced stories.
The writing style was perfect. I loved it how I could imagine myself on the houseboat with Edie and GG and being a spectator in the book.
« Edie in Between » is a great story about a young witch and I suppose that we can all relate to her at one moment in our lives. I can highly recommend this book. If you love witchy reads then this one might be your next favorite.
September 25, 2023
Die Idee ist total schön und einzelne Passagen haben mir gut gefallen, vor allem die Kapitel aus Mauras Sicht. Die Formulierung der Tagebucheinträge hat mir schöne Bilder in den Kopf gepflanzt. Insgesamt überzeugt mich der Schreibstil allerdings nicht und ich habe erstaunlich viele Fehler im Text gefunden. Edies Charakter und Selbstreflexion sind irgendwie langweilig und unglaubwürdig. Sie tritt überhaupt nicht so auf wie sie denkt, aber die Diskrepanz zwischen Realität und ihrer Wahrnehmung wirkt nicht absichtlich, sondern einfach als hätte die Autorin gar keine Ahnung wie es ist ein Teenager zu sein und nutzt nur Klischees wie „Oh nein ich bin ja soo awkward“, dabei verhält sich der Charakter komplett smooth?! Generell bleiben die Charaktere eher oberflächlich, ich habe nur das Gefühl Maura gut zu kennen.
Insgesamt eine schöne Geschichte, die eine neue Sichtweise auf Trauer und Verlust erlaubt. In der Ausführung fehlt es jedoch, sowohl der Plotline, als auch den Charakteren an Tiefe.
Insgesamt eine schöne Geschichte, die eine neue Sichtweise auf Trauer und Verlust erlaubt. In der Ausführung fehlt es jedoch, sowohl der Plotline, als auch den Charakteren an Tiefe.
October 22, 2024
I liked the book. The characters and setting of the book were my favorite parts. Feeling like I could be walking down Main Street of a small town and greeting the locals, always wins in a book for me. As I write this from my downtown highrise with the sounds of the city coming in through my window…..
I will say that I figured out the whole plot not even halfway through. I felt like the clues were pretty obvious, though still enjoyable to read. I did kind of wish there was a twist that would have given some reason to the feeling of dramatic irony I was getting, but no it wrapped up how I thought it would. Which was more like a favorite blanket instead of an annoying feeling, which is why I still rate it 4 stars.
I definitely needed a cup of tea many times during the book though. A cozy witchy tea-filled story for an afternoon you don’t want an intense read ☺️
I will say that I figured out the whole plot not even halfway through. I felt like the clues were pretty obvious, though still enjoyable to read. I did kind of wish there was a twist that would have given some reason to the feeling of dramatic irony I was getting, but no it wrapped up how I thought it would. Which was more like a favorite blanket instead of an annoying feeling, which is why I still rate it 4 stars.
I definitely needed a cup of tea many times during the book though. A cozy witchy tea-filled story for an afternoon you don’t want an intense read ☺️
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October 6, 2021I read half of the book without really coming to a definitive plotline. I needed more depth from the characters.
August 6, 2024
This one was a 3.5. It was super fun, and an easy enjoyable read. The plot just missed the mark for me - it was almost good but just not quite there. I did enjoy spending time with the characters and loved the witchy setting. Just a shame that the twists were a little flat and the action never really took off.
August 16, 2022
This was a sweet, fun book. A nice summer read that was quick to get through. I feel like it glossed over a few things a little fast, but overall I really liked it. I enjoyed the journal entries of Edie's mother in between the other chapters, it was fun to discover things alongside the main character as the reader.
December 20, 2022
"you can't live in the past, but the past lives in you."
this was so cute! :)
title: edie in between
author: laura sibson
genre: ya fantasy/magical realism
age recommendation: 13+, there's definitely some sexual descriptions in here.
when i saw that this book had a double timeline + sapphic witches + a scavenger hunt for magic talismans + a summery small-town, i added it immediately to my tbr. it was a fun read but didn't quite live up to my expectations.
i think the characters were one of the stronger elements of this book. i liked edie's inner conflicts and relatable awkwardness, rhia's sweet curiosity and kindness, and tess's humor and quirks. it was a joy to watch the three girls grow closer as they hunted for magic items, ate pizza, and explored haunted cabins together. they were all likable, even if they weren't super complex.
one thing that was less strong was definitely the writing style. it was kind of stilted and had a bit of an issue with telling instead of showing. often i felt like things were over-explained, which distanced me from truly connecting with the story, because i felt like it was trying to preach a message first and foremost, a message which was clear enough without direct explanation.
although the delivery wasn't great, the messages themselves were powerful. i loved the themes of memory, grief, family, and the emotional and physical strength of women throughout generations.
the emphasis on the multigenerational plot/timeline definitely made this book interesting, helping it stand out against other witchy books. the plot at times confused me, and i still have some questions, but overall i think it worked pretty well.
one of the reasons i was excited for this book was the sapphic romance. i liked edie and rhia's relationship and enjoyed seeing it blossom, but it did feel a little insta-lovey, with edie feeling an immediate connection and the two girls constantly having little "moments" where they touched and felt chemistry, but i'm asexual, so it's probably just a me thing.
the setting of cedar branch was so much fun! i loved the small-town traditions, river imagery, and just the general idea of living on a houseboat. unique for sure.
if you liked this book, i recommend B*WITCH -- it has a group of teenage girls who are witches and their strong bonds of friendship (and more...).
"grief is a red silk ribbon tied to love."
this was so cute! :)
title: edie in between
author: laura sibson
genre: ya fantasy/magical realism
age recommendation: 13+, there's definitely some sexual descriptions in here.
when i saw that this book had a double timeline + sapphic witches + a scavenger hunt for magic talismans + a summery small-town, i added it immediately to my tbr. it was a fun read but didn't quite live up to my expectations.
i think the characters were one of the stronger elements of this book. i liked edie's inner conflicts and relatable awkwardness, rhia's sweet curiosity and kindness, and tess's humor and quirks. it was a joy to watch the three girls grow closer as they hunted for magic items, ate pizza, and explored haunted cabins together. they were all likable, even if they weren't super complex.
one thing that was less strong was definitely the writing style. it was kind of stilted and had a bit of an issue with telling instead of showing. often i felt like things were over-explained, which distanced me from truly connecting with the story, because i felt like it was trying to preach a message first and foremost, a message which was clear enough without direct explanation.
although the delivery wasn't great, the messages themselves were powerful. i loved the themes of memory, grief, family, and the emotional and physical strength of women throughout generations.
the emphasis on the multigenerational plot/timeline definitely made this book interesting, helping it stand out against other witchy books. the plot at times confused me, and i still have some questions, but overall i think it worked pretty well.
one of the reasons i was excited for this book was the sapphic romance. i liked edie and rhia's relationship and enjoyed seeing it blossom, but it did feel a little insta-lovey, with edie feeling an immediate connection and the two girls constantly having little "moments" where they touched and felt chemistry, but i'm asexual, so it's probably just a me thing.
the setting of cedar branch was so much fun! i loved the small-town traditions, river imagery, and just the general idea of living on a houseboat. unique for sure.
if you liked this book, i recommend B*WITCH -- it has a group of teenage girls who are witches and their strong bonds of friendship (and more...).
"grief is a red silk ribbon tied to love."
October 4, 2021
Strong Practical Magic (the movie) vibes, a nice queer romance, and a family history mystery combine with the woefully predictable trope of family-member-refuses-to-disclose-information-that-ends-up-causing-a-ton-of-trouble-for-another-family-member. This time, though, it wasn't just the teen being secretive: Grandma was also playing games of silence and intrigue. So much would have been better if both Edie and GG would have just been completely straight with each other.
But leaving the secrecy aside, I enjoyed the magic and realism, the friendship and family discovery. And of course, the weird twists and turns of grief are widely applicable.
But leaving the secrecy aside, I enjoyed the magic and realism, the friendship and family discovery. And of course, the weird twists and turns of grief are widely applicable.
January 2, 2024
3.5✨
𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: 𝐀𝐩𝐫. 𝟏𝟒𝐭𝐡 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑
Oh this was adorable!
A cute witchy book full of elemental magic and a lovely little houseboat. It has a lovely sapphic romance sprinkled in the pages but otherwise is a fun, quick YA novel with some fun witches and also a bit of an exploration in grief and passing of a loved one.
𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: 𝐀𝐩𝐫. 𝟏𝟒𝐭𝐡 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑
Oh this was adorable!
A cute witchy book full of elemental magic and a lovely little houseboat. It has a lovely sapphic romance sprinkled in the pages but otherwise is a fun, quick YA novel with some fun witches and also a bit of an exploration in grief and passing of a loved one.
August 20, 2021
didn't love this one as much as I'd hoped (and that Practical Magic comparison really got my hopes up). Overall this was...just ok. But not likely so memorable it will stay with me.
August 29, 2021
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Of feathers, shadows, and talismans, you will read
and you will fall in love with “Edie in Between.”
I honestly love books that deal with crystal balls, tarot cards, and anything that falls in that spectrum. I thought the author did a lovely job in telling the tale because it felt fresh and new. Everything about the story, from Edie finding the journal entries to Maura’s flashbacks, was terrific. The story takes off once Edie starts going to the shadowed land. I thought some of the best moments were her reactions when she comes across the items. Some of the scenes are haunting and beautiful, like Edie trying to adjust her feelings for Rhia. Some scenes were also terrifying, like when feathers protrude from a character’s mouth, and shadows twist their body. But the story was just incredible through and through. I also adored the supporting characters like Tess and GG.
Similarly, the author also wrote both the characters wonderfully! Edie and Maura are distinct in their way, and I loved what each of them brought to the story. Maura is fascinating, and I loved the nuances as she deals with losing her father and her emotions for Jamie. Similarly, Edie shines in the story as she tries to learn more about her mother. I also enjoyed how the author toggles between Maura and Edie’s storyline. There are quite a few twists and turns that I did not expect, which made the story memorable. Moreover, I also liked how the author creatively wrote the story. For instance, I found the instructions on using the crystal for the ritual very creative.
Overall, “Edie in Between” surprised me and turned out to be a magical story.
August 24, 2021
I follow Laura on Instagram, so I’d been hearing about Edie in Between and was eager to read it. When I saw this tour opportunity, I jumped at the chance! Now, we know that Edie’s mom has passed from the synopsis and that she’d be dealing with her grief, but what I wasn’t quite expecting was the darkness that was within these pages. And I mean that in a good way! There is a serious creep factor to this book that shocked me but that I loved.
Edie has closed herself off to the part of her heritage that includes being a witch, and her mom understood that she wasn’t ready yet to learn more about it. But then her mom is unexpectedly killed in an accident, and Edie has to go live with her grandmother, GG, who is not so understanding about Edie’s reluctance. (Side note: we called our grandmother, my mom’s mom, GG, so my eyes did tear up at that; I’ve never met anyone else who called their grandmother that!) When GG gives Edie her mother’s journal and Edie discovers the old property where her mother grew up, she realizes something is definitely amiss and she’ll have to learn to master the witch inside of herself to fix it. With the help of her new friends Tess and Rhia, she embarks on a quest to undo some dark magic, encountering some nasty shadows and spirits along the way.
I loved Edie’s exploration of grief - both her own at the loss of her mother, and her mother’s at the loss of her father around the same age - and how deeply it can impact us. But does it have to be so dark? Are grief and love two sides of the same coin? Does Edie deserve to maybe find happiness, even first love, with Rhia (this one made my heart swoon)? All of these questions and more will be answered. I’ve never read Practical Magic, so I cannot speak to that comparison in the book’s synopsis, but I definitely loved this witchy tale. My favorite part was the personification of grief and the emphasis on the importance of memories. If you love a good witchy, spooky tale, I cannot recommend this one highly enough!
Rating: 5 stars!
**Disclosure: I received an early e-copy of this book for purposes of this blog tour. This review is voluntary on my part and reflects my honest rating and review of the book.
Edie has closed herself off to the part of her heritage that includes being a witch, and her mom understood that she wasn’t ready yet to learn more about it. But then her mom is unexpectedly killed in an accident, and Edie has to go live with her grandmother, GG, who is not so understanding about Edie’s reluctance. (Side note: we called our grandmother, my mom’s mom, GG, so my eyes did tear up at that; I’ve never met anyone else who called their grandmother that!) When GG gives Edie her mother’s journal and Edie discovers the old property where her mother grew up, she realizes something is definitely amiss and she’ll have to learn to master the witch inside of herself to fix it. With the help of her new friends Tess and Rhia, she embarks on a quest to undo some dark magic, encountering some nasty shadows and spirits along the way.
I loved Edie’s exploration of grief - both her own at the loss of her mother, and her mother’s at the loss of her father around the same age - and how deeply it can impact us. But does it have to be so dark? Are grief and love two sides of the same coin? Does Edie deserve to maybe find happiness, even first love, with Rhia (this one made my heart swoon)? All of these questions and more will be answered. I’ve never read Practical Magic, so I cannot speak to that comparison in the book’s synopsis, but I definitely loved this witchy tale. My favorite part was the personification of grief and the emphasis on the importance of memories. If you love a good witchy, spooky tale, I cannot recommend this one highly enough!
Rating: 5 stars!
**Disclosure: I received an early e-copy of this book for purposes of this blog tour. This review is voluntary on my part and reflects my honest rating and review of the book.
August 17, 2021
4.5 out of 5 stars
Edie in Between is such a beautiful story about loss, living with and through grief, friendships, first loves, and accepting yourself as you are. This story actually took me by surprise and got me all up in my feels.
Edie has just lost her mom, she’s never known her dad, she’s made to leave her life in Baltimore and join her grandmother on her houseboat on the river. Edie is a witch, but she’s always just wanted to be normal and not follow her mom or her grandmothers path. It’s been ten months since her mother’s death, and Edie goes through the motions of living, keeping mostly to herself with the exception of two friends she’s made, Tess and Rhia. But life takes you down paths you never thought you’d walk down, and when Edie becomes infected with corrupt magic she takes a risk and tells her new friends she’s a witch who doesn’t know magic, and is now in danger. With the help of her new friends, and her grandmother trying to teach Edie about magic- Edie learns what it is to love and live through grief, and how to come to terms with who you are, to accept yourself so that you can grow.
This story is a steady medium-paced story told from Edie’s present day point of view as well as her mother’s past through journal entries from the year before Edie was born. And I absolutely loved the way this was done. There is so much emotion woven into this story, and it shines through the writing.
I also really loved the imagery used throughout of Edie taking on corrupt magic and visiting the perpetual woods, and anytime magic was used really. It was so well written that visualizing the story was like watching it on a screen. I was so drawn in and captivated, that when the story ended I immediately wanted to be drawn back into Edie’s world.
I wasn’t immediately captivated by this story, but after getting past the first few chapters, I was all in. And by the end of it, I was in tears. Happy tears, emotional tears, feel-good, a weight lifted off of my shoulder tears. This book surprised me in the best way- it was a story I didn’t know I needed and one I definitely love!
Edie in Between is such a beautiful story about loss, living with and through grief, friendships, first loves, and accepting yourself as you are. This story actually took me by surprise and got me all up in my feels.
Edie has just lost her mom, she’s never known her dad, she’s made to leave her life in Baltimore and join her grandmother on her houseboat on the river. Edie is a witch, but she’s always just wanted to be normal and not follow her mom or her grandmothers path. It’s been ten months since her mother’s death, and Edie goes through the motions of living, keeping mostly to herself with the exception of two friends she’s made, Tess and Rhia. But life takes you down paths you never thought you’d walk down, and when Edie becomes infected with corrupt magic she takes a risk and tells her new friends she’s a witch who doesn’t know magic, and is now in danger. With the help of her new friends, and her grandmother trying to teach Edie about magic- Edie learns what it is to love and live through grief, and how to come to terms with who you are, to accept yourself so that you can grow.
This story is a steady medium-paced story told from Edie’s present day point of view as well as her mother’s past through journal entries from the year before Edie was born. And I absolutely loved the way this was done. There is so much emotion woven into this story, and it shines through the writing.
I also really loved the imagery used throughout of Edie taking on corrupt magic and visiting the perpetual woods, and anytime magic was used really. It was so well written that visualizing the story was like watching it on a screen. I was so drawn in and captivated, that when the story ended I immediately wanted to be drawn back into Edie’s world.
I wasn’t immediately captivated by this story, but after getting past the first few chapters, I was all in. And by the end of it, I was in tears. Happy tears, emotional tears, feel-good, a weight lifted off of my shoulder tears. This book surprised me in the best way- it was a story I didn’t know I needed and one I definitely love!
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