Review: A new and unique journey through a captivating world. Perfect for Paranormal & Urban Fantasy fans, like myself. :)
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 16, 2014
First Urban Fantasy/Paranormal genre book, I had read in ages. In fact, first book in that genre that has completely blown me away in ages!Anybody who knows what books I love to read, knows I have a huge soft spot for anything outside of the norm and ordinary. I love to get lost in a world, that is far removed from our own. Where, were made to question other possibilities and existences. Ever since I started reading Paranormal and later Urban Fantasy, I find myself constantly searching for something new, different and exciting. Between, was certainly all that and much more.Rose is trying to get through life, just one day at a time. After surviving an accident, that left her in hospital for quite some time. She has been left with some nasty and strange side effects. Following the accident and recovery, she found herself back at the same hospital, as a porter. Her way of working but avoiding people, she gets to go about her job without the fuss. Unless she is asked to go up to the intensive care ward. That is still too raw.She also finds herself needing a new place to live and an advert pops up at the hospital. It seems perfect for her, maybe too perfect?After checking the place out, and meeting the people she would be sharing with. Quirky and vibrant Lizzie, serious and studious Grace, and dark, brooding and seriously hot Alek. She decides to give the place a go.Although Rose has recovered physically from the horrific accident that also took her best friend. She is still struggling with a lot of things. She also discovers some rather debilitating after effects of the crash. Not knowing why these episodes are happening to her, she feels frightened, and is questioning whether this sort of thing happens to other survivors of accidents.With these new and unpredictable episodes, comes another new face in her life. Finn, a male nurse at the hospital, who seems to keep showing up to make Rose feel even more confused and uncomfortable. His very presence brings about a very odd reaction in Rose.Through meeting all these new people, Rose discovers some very strange and scary things about herself. Her connection to Alek and Finn also throw Rose completely. From good to bad and back again. Making her head hurt in more ways than one.I had read the Soul Ties series by Lisa Swallow, her other Urban Fantasy series last year and loved it. It was a completely different twist, on one of my favourite subjects within fantasy/paranormal genre. It took something that was used quite frequently within the genre and put a fresh twist on it. In Between, it's a subject I've not personally read much about before, so already this is something new and exciting and I couldn't wait to crack on with it. Lisa, had come up with a subject for Between, broke it down, and built it back up fresh. I absolutely love the detail that has gone in to this. The lore behind this story has been fully covered from every angle. With refreshing possibilities and enthralling characters adding to the mix.Rose, who is frightened about the unknown regarding herself, yet still manages to keep a feisty and funny attitude to lighten things up. Her personality bounces off the arrogant and confident Alek, who walks around exuding sex appeal with his gruff, dark, 'you know you want me' attitude. She tells it like it is, and that just happens to be hilariously funny and refreshing. Then there is Finn, also not missing the sexy gene, but a totally different sort of guy. He has a cold, and somewhat dangerous edge to him, yet he also seems like he is carrying a lot of guilt, and is trying to make amends for something or put something right? Put the three together in the same room, and oh my god there is such an atmosphere, you can practically feel the electricity bouncing around the room, In the big testosterone face off!Although those are the three main characters, the rest all add to the story perfectly. Between just wouldn't be the same without Tom Jones, the all knowing, geeky guy working down by the morgue. He is quite endearing in his classically clueless about life way. Yet he does seem to also be the guy everyone goes to, if they want to know something.'Tom leans over and pulls a notepad out of his rucksack. He flicks through it and comes to a list of names. I crane my head."Why have you got my name in your book?""Your story was in the news; the girl who died for half an hour, and then came back to life. Nobody can die for half an hour and then live. You were all over the internet.""Because of the sex tape?"His eyes widen. "What?""I'm joking, Tom! Why the hell am I on the internet?"'This book will undoubtedly entertain and captivate the reader, right from the start. It is packed with so much action and intrigue my head felt like it was going to burst. (In a good way) If you love a story that takes a different path from the norm and overused. Then Between is perfect. It will open your eyes to something exciting, your never too sure of the outcome, so your always kept guessing. The style of writing ultimately, always makes everything so much more smoother and addictive a read. Something that can't be put down, and Lisa's writing will always be flawless to me. I never have to worry about that, when I start a new book by this author, her trademark style is always entangled within the new stories and addictive characters she creates. This book is a perfect example of that for me. A fresh, new tale within an alternate world with gripping characters, all tangled up together, Lisa Swallow style.5 foggy stars! :)