Sometimes life doesn’t turn out how you thought, but you can still find your place. Alicia is a single mother to her eight-year-old son, Kenny. Being a single mother is hard enough, but her son’s principal seems convinced that she is unfit because she is on the autism spectrum. The school keeps accusing her son of the weirdest things, such as making the school garden grow and disappearing in the middle of class. Uncertain if the school is being delusional or if more is going on, Alicia decides to track down her son’s father. Except that she only saw him one night, a night she has tried hard to forget. Now Alicia has a man following her and claiming that her son is the heir to the elvish throne. All Alicia wants to do is keep her son safe, but to do that, she has to give up everything she has ever known and go to a place that follows its own set of rules. In-Between is full of magic, motherly love, and found family. It has a positive own-voice autism rep, Aromantic/Asexual rep, and a M/M romance.
MJ James is a science-fiction and fantasy author for queer and neurodiverse readers. As an own-voice author for autistic, ADHD, non-binary, trans-masc, aromantic, and asexual representation, MJ writes for readers who want to see themselves on the page. MJ discovered a love of books at a young age, finding them a source of comfort and the one thing in the world that made sense. Diagnosed as autistic at 24, MJ embraced their journey of self-discovery, earning a BA in Psychology and an MS in Developmental Psychology. They are also a proud parent of three incredible children. Their work features autistic and trans characters who navigate extraordinary conflicts, from protecting their child from their own magical powers to conquering virtual worlds in the fight against injustice. With themes of found family, aromantic and asexual representation, and a focus on belonging, MJ hopes their stories can provide companionship for their readers along with a sense of validation, understanding, and being seen.
This was my first book with an autistic rep and I am so glad I took the chance. The main character, Alicia, is an aromantic asexual autistic mother of an eight year old boy. She is tough as she deals with everything thrown at her by life and is always there for her son. There are queer supporting characters and mlm romance. The concept of the in-between is well thought and executed. I liked the world building and character developments. I loved how the characters fight the inevitable while keeping close to each other in the midst of misunderstandings and revelations. It has such a sweet ending. Again, this story is one of hope, that too of different kinds. Definitely recommended.
A couple of continuity issues not withstanding, this is a quick and easy read featuring some great autistic representation. The magical child trope is in full swing here, and we get to journey with Alicia and Kenny has they discover the reasons behind Kenny's uncanny powers and explore the elven world. Kenny is adorable and wise beyond his years, while Alicia emanates a front of fierce mother while desperately trying to keep herself together behind her mask. One aspect of Alicia's character I particularly loved was her strong sense of justice and that she absolutely refused to let characters off the hook for their past behaviour.
*However*, I had some reservations about the ending. With out giving away spoliers: one character is forced into a situation and robbed of something they desperately want for the sake of another character's selfish (by their own admission no less) wants. The solution that was reached didn't sit right with me, no matter how convienient it was. The lack of backlash from the characters affected was glossed over and the story concluded in a way that felt a little too neatly wrapped up/all is forgiven—so much so, I can't help but wonder if this is actually setting up a conflict for a sequel.
Nonetheless, if you love the magical child trope, fierce mother bears, parrallel worlds with a heap of magic thrown in, this one's a fun page turner.
I started reading this book because of the cover, which is perfect by the way 😊. And I discovered a new world that seduced me with its magic, with its characters beautifully created and in a continuous development. I really liked the pace of the action and the way it made me want to read another chapter and another and another...
Starting now, Alicia is my all time favorite character. She succeeded to manage each and every situation life threw at her. Kenny is extremly mature for his young age and an angel. The mother - son relationship they have is an ideal one.
As for Sadar and Rehta, they are perfect for each other. 💜
MJ James delivers a compelling urban fantasy that succeeds primarily through its authentic portrayal of neurodivergent experience and the complex dynamics of motherhood under extraordinary circumstances. In-Between follows Alicia, a mother on the autism spectrum, as she navigates the discovery of her son Kenny's mysterious magical abilities and the elven world that threatens to upend their carefully constructed life.
Character Development and Representation The heart of this novel lies in Alicia's beautifully rendered character. James crafts an autistic protagonist who feels genuine rather than stereotypical, showing both her fierce protective instincts as a mother and her internal struggle to maintain composure behind what she calls her "mask." This duality creates a protagonist who is simultaneously vulnerable and formidable—a mother desperately trying to hold herself together while projecting strength for her child's sake. Alicia's unwavering sense of justice stands out as one of her most compelling traits. James wisely avoids the trap of easy forgiveness, instead allowing Alicia to hold characters accountable for their past actions regardless of their current circumstances. This moral consistency adds depth to her character and reflects the black-and-white thinking that many autistic individuals experience, presented here not as a flaw but as a strength.
Young Kenny serves as an effective foil to his mother's intensity. His precociousness never feels forced, and his "magical child" status drives the plot forward while allowing readers to explore this fantastical world through innocent eyes. The mother-son dynamic anchors the more fantastical elements and provides emotional weight to the magical revelations.
World-Building and Plot The elven world James creates provides an intriguing backdrop, though the magical elements sometimes feel secondary to the character development. The mystery surrounding Kenny's powers unfolds at a steady pace, making this genuinely the "quick and easy read" promised. While there are some continuity issues that occasionally pull readers out of the narrative, they don't significantly detract from the overall experience.
The urban fantasy elements blend well with the contemporary challenges of parenting a special needs child while being neurodivergent yourself. James handles this intersection thoughtfully, never using either the magical or neurological elements as simple plot devices.
Content Considerations Prospective readers should be aware that the novel deals with serious themes including attempted child murder, off-scene sexual violence, and systemic poverty. James handles these heavy topics with appropriate gravity while maintaining the story's overall accessibility.
Final Thoughts In-Between succeeds most notably in its representation of autism in adult women—a perspective rarely explored in fantasy literature. Alicia's character alone makes this worth reading for anyone interested in diverse, authentic neurodivergent representation. While the fantasy elements provide an entertaining framework, it's the very human story of a mother's love and determination that gives this novel its emotional resonance.
Despite minor structural issues, James has created a story that validates both the struggles and strengths of neurodivergent individuals while delivering an engaging fantasy adventure. For readers seeking authentic autistic representation wrapped in accessible urban fantasy, In-Between delivers exactly what it promises.
I discovered indie author Mj James and their debut novel, In-Between, on Bookstagram, and I am excited to share my first review of a book I found through social media! :-)
Alicia is an autistic, aromantic, and asexual single mother to 8-year-old Kenny. The road for Alicia and Kenny has been a rough one, and it doesn't help that Kenny's school insists that there is something wrong with him. After losing yet another job, Alicia goes to look for Kenny's father to see if she can find answers about her son's quirks that cause him trouble in school. Little did Alicia know, that this action would cause their world to crumble and they would soon be on the run from elves that live in the In-Between, a magical illusionary world much like the human world, but then again, not. In the end, Alicia and Kenny discover more about themselves than they thought possible and realize they are stronger than they ever imagined.
I really enjoyed this story! Part real-life & part fantasy, this book highlights the struggles Alicia had in life due to misunderstandings about her autism and being a single parent to a child with extraordinary abilities. I loved the idea of the In-Between world where magic & elves exist. There were quite a few characters that I grew to love and I can't wait to read more about them if another book is written about this world!
There were a few times that I wished there was more in the way of in-depth character and world-building. I also struggled a bit with the written conversation between characters, but only because there was a lack of common contractions that made the dialogue stumble a bit at times. This is a personal preference and in no way reflects upon the writing (which was great!).
Overall, I have to say that I was highly impressed with this DEBUT SELF-PUBLISHED novel by Mj James. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in a fantasy story about love, family, magic, and adventure that includes autistic, aromantic, asexual rep with a side M/M love story and written by an actually autistic, nonbinary ace/aro author!
Alicia is a single mother to her eight-year-old son, Kenny. Lately, between the school accusing him of ridiculous shenanigans, like making a large pile of rocks, or disappearing in the middle of class, and her son’s principal is seemingly unconvinced she’s a fit mother because she’s on the autism spectrum.
Not sure entirely what’s going on with Kenny, Alicia tries to track down his father, but that’s easier said than done, she only saw him one night, nearly nine years ago, and it’s a night she’d rather forget. But now, Alicia has a man following her and claiming her son is the heir to an elvish throne. After a break in at their apartment, Alicia, Kenny, and the mysterious man go on the run. Alicia just wants to keep her son safe, but on their new adventure, she discovers they have to give up everything they’ve ever known to help a world they knew nothing about.
I liked that the author showed Alicia’s struggles, not only as an autistic parent, but also as a aromantic and asexual individual. Her conversations and reasoning were always thought out and I really respected Alicia’s character for being the badass that she was. Even with everything life is throwing at her, she would take it by the horns and throw everything she could into it. The author even wrote her coping mechanisms when she was overwhelmed and you don’t see that much in novels right now.
Overall, I enjoyed this self published fantasy novel filled with adventure in a new world, the In-Between. This is also a good read filled with representation of characters with all types of identity types and disorders.
*Thank You MJ James and The StoryGraph for a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
Ensconced in the unsettling, the world is not a comfortable place for the main character of In-Between. From the first page, we find a woman surround on (almost) all sides by intimidation, bullying tactics, and a noted lack of empathy or understanding. This woman, however, bravely faces her adversaries and her own anxieties, not for herself, but for her son. A child who was never meant to be, and yet is the most important aspect of the protagonist’s life.
In-Between is a story of magic, motherly-love, and finding the place, not only where you belong, but where you thrive. In these pages, there is a lesson in self-awareness, an acknowledging of imperfection and the empowerment of creating a space for one’s self that is neither apologetic nor belligerent.
While the plot is fiction, there is a subtlety to the introduced horrors and misconceptions of real-world issues that I appreciated. There is a tendency to exaggerate violence or overemphasize divergence to ensure the reader “gets” what is important. This narrative finds a nice balance, allowing for complete comprehension without tedious or intolerable repetition.
Though this may now seem like a “heavy” read, let me assure you that these observations in no way detracted from the fantastical world(s) of In-Between. Instead, these added depths notably enhanced my experience and enjoyment. The journey we embark on with MJ James is absolutely a worthwhile adventure.
I really liked this story. It could have easily been a 2-part series or even a trilogy if the author stretched out parts of the plot. But I like that this is an epic standalone. In-Between is a unique urban fantasy about a single mom with autism. Alicia is raising her son, Kenny, all on her own when she begins to receive various complaints from her son’s school about his strange behavior. From random disappearing acts to making a garden grow in an instant.
These behaviors turn out to be magical powers he inherited from his unknown father, an elven king. The king is a cruel man who attacked Alicia while she was at a club with her college roommates. She never understood why no one helped her and why there were no witnesses when there were people all around her as she was dragged out to an alleyway. Now she must trust the king’s righthand man to help her son.
The plot was well structured and flowed nicely. Even though I like this book as a standalone, I do wish we got to know more about the characters. I was very much interested in Alicia and wanted to know more about her struggles living in a society that doesn’t understand the way she thinks. How she conquered autism and was able to raise a son she didn’t plan on having and how she did it alone. I also felt like the conclusion happened a little too quickly. Even still, I was not disappointed.
I devoured this book. It is from a unique perspective and describes very difficult aspects of the real world, from the struggles of the autistic main character (Alicia) to abuse to starvation and political tyranny, without flinching or sugarcoating. At the same time, it is a heartwarming story — in every place, from beginning to end, Alicia does what is best for her child, even when it is hard for her, and I admire her bravery and strength. Her perspective is vivid, so vivid that I could almost walk in her shoes, and I understood what she was saying certain things and why she was saying them. Alongside that, this book didn’t lack in the fantasy: the concept of the In-Between is fascinating and original, and the elven magic ideas complemented it. Excellent work.
I subtract half a star (though it’s rounded up to five online) for a few things that bothered me: some inconsistencies in how Kenny, Alicia’s son, and others were depicted, and an ending that felt a little rushed. At the same time, these characters did captivate me, and the ending felt both satisfying and real.
All in all, a book I definitely recommend, including to those who haven’t read ones with an ace and autistic rep and a M/M romance. This book is a great place to start expanding one’s viewpoint. I will be reading more from this author.
I kindly received a copy of the book from MJ, which I must admit I've been dying to, and gladly accepted to proofread. I'm not sure if they expected me to write a review, but here I declare I do not possess the self control not to write my thoughts on it.
This is the debut novel from the author and at the same time I was wary because debuts can go only one way or another, I was amazed from what I read.
Alicia is a single mom who struggles in so many ways I felt immensely empathy towards her life. Due to some very unfortunate situation, she ended up getting pregnant and giving birth to the reason of her life. Eight years go by, fighting a whole tragic system that really is of no support for her or the strangeness surrounding her son. Then this strange man appears and redirects, teaches and changes their lives in an unimaginable and magical way.
I took my time to read it and enjoyed the way the writer made me get personal with the characters, how the story was being built and above all, the immense imaginative quality I felt from reading.
It was a pleasure and I honestly recommend people to give it a shot. Surely I'm going to keep an eye out for what comes next.
I really enjoyed this book. Good world building and a storyline I was quickly hooked into. I loved Alicia- an autistic, aromantic, asexual single mom trying to give her eight-year-old son the best life he can half. But with the school constantly calling her with complaints of things he did (that aren't even possible for him to do), or about losing him, only for them to find him right where he should be when she arrives. Leaving work early to deal with this finally cost her her job and she was fed up with the school trying to put the blame on her son, or her autism. I loved her sense of justice and she was a perfect mama bear when needed. Little Kenny was sweet and very mature for his age... and had abilities she could never have imagined.
I liked the supernatural weaved into this world/story and it turned into quite the adventure with magic and elves. I will definitely check out more from this author.
I listened to this narrated by Skye Alley and thought she did a great job bringing these characters to life.
The characters were interesting, well rounded and pretty likeable. Alicia (FMC) having autism and also being aroace was great because it was a different view to what I've seen in a lot of things. It marks her as different and even though people around her don't get it or look down at her due to her autism, she proves to be a very capable single mother. Especially when it turns out her son's father was an elf which is a night she'd rather forget.
I actually liked all the characters, and the things that happened to them all made sense to the story which is great. Especially when Kenny (her son) is trying to understand his magic and it's going a bit haywire.
I liked the world building in this. The idea that the elves don't live in some magical forest somewhere and instead it's a lot closer to how we live, just with magic, was something I don't think I see enough of.
I enjoyed this as a standalone story but I wouldn't be against a sequel if there was one. I'm interested in checking more work from the author as it drew me in and I didn't want to put it down.
This book knows exactly where it wants to go, and it prefers readers to infer what is going on and what may happen next. While this is often wonderful, occasionally in this story I found myself wondering what just happened, or what exactly a passage meant. Some conversations in this story are too abrupt, going from deeply emotional to aloof and purely logical in a heartbeat. I wanted more imagery, as well, that would make the body language feel more real. Essentially, I felt many characters acted in ways that were almost realistic, but not quite.
Otherwise, I enjoyed this jaunt quite a lot! It's so wonderful to read from the perspective of an autistic main character, and even better to have them be asexual and aromantic as well. I thought the relationship between the main character and her young son was really nice and also pretty realistic! The side characters were less fleshed out than the main two, but I still like them a lot.
In between is such an intriguing book. So this follows the odyssey of Alicia who is a single mom and she is on the autism spectrum and Kenny, Alicia’s eight years old son.
Alicia was trying to give her son a normal life but the school kept accusing her son for doing weird things. After losing her job innumerable times, she has to take a decision but suddenly a man appears and he claims her son to be heir of the elvish throne. Though Alicia and Kenny don’t know what destiny has in attic for them. Kenny is oblivion to his identity and for Alicia it’s all labyrinth, will Kenny discover his true identity? Is he really the heir of Elvish Throne? Is Alicia harbouring any secret or is she saving Kenny from dangers ahead? In the midst of magic and reality, will they find their way out of conspiracies and labyrinth?
Wow, I was so impressed by this book. I don't often resonate with stories where being a parent is such a central part of the plot, but the main character, Alicia, was so relatable and loveable that I was completely sucked into the story. And Kenny was a pretty adorable and smart kid!
It was fantastic having an autistic asexual main character. We need more of this representation and I think she was portrayed as a strong and resilient hero.
My only gripe is that the final resolution came about too easily. I would have liked a bit more of a challenge. I also didn't like how Alicia forced Sadar into marriage and thought it was out of her character to do so. I think he would have agreed without being forced and the trick didn't add to the story.
However, I still enjoyed the book and it left me with good vibes. I would recommend this read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Audiobook - really pleasant narration. Having the POV character referring almost constantly to Kenny as "my son" got a bit grating, I could have skipped over it in eye reading, but that doesn't work in audio. Story - excellent portrayal of the POV character, with representations of autism, anxiety, aromanticism, and asexuality. However, the choices she made were sometimes really confusing. I particularly didn't like the marriage towards the end, why take that option away from those characters involved? That part spoiled the end for me. Otherwise, interesting world building and magic use, I liked the idea of overlapping worlds, and there was a lot of potential for a better life for many.
In-Between is a story filled with magical realism, motherly love and hope. An autistic mother searches for her son’s father who she only saw once , to determine why her son is exhibiting profoundly disturbing behavior which has given him supernatural powers. Alicia and her son Kenny are transported to another world as they face terrible danger. They finally are safe and find comfort in the in-between with their new family.
I received this Kindle Ebook from Goodreads in exchange for an honest review. It is a feel good story which I really enjoyed.
A well-crafted and fast-paced story that kept me invested and turning the pages. This debut novel while showing the newness in the author is full of engaging characters worthy of rooting for to the end. The world of the In-Between was a fresh take on fantasy—and fascinating.
I adored Kenny right from the start. Though mom played the hero for her son, the son often became the wise one. Their relationship was real and precious.
One of the worst books I've read this year. It's selfmasturbating. The world building is terrible. That idea of the world that is there but if you're not focused you go back is unstable and full of flaws. The gay relationship is too forced, like the author wanted a queer book and didn't work on it, simply put it in. The main character never learns, she runs away like five or six times in this book and in between she trusts the "kidnapper" until she snaps and run away again. Terrible book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
The story was really interesting. A unique world where a magic world exists sort of parallel to the ordinary. It’s well written and with an unusual perspective. I was however a bit disappointed by part of the ending. It was really unnecessary to force a political marriage when there also was a love story that didn’t get the happy ending it deserved.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I've read a few books by this author, and enjoyed all. Each is imaginative and unique. The author always explores difficult subjects, but in a respectful, yet direct way, not minimizing their effects. This novel revolves around a woman and her son, and their journey to take power, nit for themselves, but to help others.
I received a free copy of this audiobook and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I like the world that author MJ James built. I feel like the world could have even been expanded upon- I was honestly expecting this to be the start of a series the more I read. There were some grammatical errors that made me have to stop and figure out what was actually supposed to be written, but overall it was a good story that kept my interest!
Very neat worldbuilding (sort of urban fantasy), and I loved the neurodiverse character representation! It's also refreshing to see a healthy relationship between a parent and child in a fantasy story like this one, plus not relying on a romance plot in the background (love the ace rep, too). The pacing felt a little slow sometimes, but I really enjoyed the read overall.
I won this in a Goodreads Giveaway. I did not enjoy this book. There were so many typos and grammatical errors that made reading very frustrating. The story was meh and the ending anticlimactic.
Alicia' son Kenny is constantly being accused of impossible things and pulling her away from her job to the point where she gets fired because of it. While in between jobs she decides to track down her son's father to see if he knows what's happening, even though Kenny is a product of SA she would do anything to protect him including confronting the man who hurt her. Her hunt has some unexpected side effects though.... I really like how strong Alicia is and how she protects Kenny while letting him decide his own fate despite his young age. I've been avoiding this one because of the child in the story(not a fan of kids in stories) but I wound up enjoying this.
Stars: 4 FMC: Alicia MMC(s): none Tropes: Own voice autism rep, motherly love, found family, aromantic/asexual rep, queer romance > Reviewer add: Perspective: Third, mostly from Alicia’s perspective Plot or character driven: Both Spicy scenes breakdown: > Present? No. Burn speed: No romance burn. Can this be read as a stand-alone: Yes Re-Readability: High. Content/Trigger Warnings/Enticements: Peril, people being ableist, classism, s. Assault (past, referenced).
I received an advanced listener copy of this book, and this is my voluntary, honest review.
Weird things are happening around Alicia’s son, Kenny. They found out that his dad was an elf, with magic, and Kenny has inherited magical abilities. Meanwhile, his donor is up to nefarious deeds.
This was a really cute, non-spicy story. It’s full of motherly love, and you can tell that Alicia has been discriminated against even in a school environment, and she is not about to let that happen to her son. I am not sure if it’s true in the book, but in the audio version the narrator doesn’t really use contractions on spoken words by the characters which lends for an odd formality.
I really liked this, and I’m curious to read more about this world.
“The world is changing. Wouldn’t you want to be a part of that any way that you could?”
⚜️ This book focuses on Alicia who is a single mom to eight year old Kenny. As if being a single mom wasn’t difficult enough, strange things keep happening around Kenny. As Alicia and Kenny try to learn more about these magical occurrences the two of them end up discovering way more than they had bargained for. Not only are there tense and fun magical mysteries, there is also amazing representation in this book! Alicia is aroace and autistic, and there are queer supporting characters as well. All in a fantasy setting! ⚜️
I feel like to tell you much more about this story would be to delve into spoilers, so I’ll just say you should read it! Also, I would literally die for Rehta 💕
I love this cover but sadly I am not as in love with the content inside it.
The book offers an interesting premise (local mom realizing her son is magic and heir to a throne) yet it quickly dissolves into a predictable mess and odd choices. I was immediately caught off guard by how some of the side characters talked, it read uncreatively evil and untrue as to how people usually express disdain? I don't mean the judgment on single motherhood or autistic parenting but how there wasn't even an attempt to fudge over their disinterest or veneers of a polite conversation. And then Alicia made a lot of bizarre choices. From suddenly trying/not trying to find the bio father, to trusting/not trusting the strange elf in her house, to running/not running away. There wasn't rhyme or reason to her changes and I did not feel there was an attempt to make this interesting. She has such a lovely relationship with her child Kenny yet it's not used to explore tension (since he would like to learn magic) or sadness (since he doesn't know about how he was conceived) or just any other interesting dynamic. It doesn't get better once we enter the fae realm. Kenny's abilites are just too much! And all their problems just all kind of falls into line in a way that made me wonder why we are meant to care about the story when the book itself feels like it want's to be done with it to get to the next part. (There is no next part.) The m/m romance was underdeveloped and could have been utilized so much better based on the ongoing plot. But I appreciated throughout all of this that Alicia is not questioning her aroace identity - she is not interesting in compromising and sure of her feelings on that matter.
Overall, the story is told in such a straightforward manner that the 3-act-structure is more like a little bumb than a proper rise and fall.