The Space Between Us

Dec 05, 2012 Isamlq rated it 4 of 5 stars

3.75/5

I liked The space Between Us... even more than I did Virtuosity. It’s the people in it you see. Amelia, specifically, is written in so convincing a manner that I sympathized with her, was on her side almost one hundred percent of the time even when objectively speaking she’s as whiny and all woe is me as the next teenage angsty-girl. So much so that I liked her then disliked her and then found myself liking her again.

I was with her early on and her assessing things: the whole needing to b...more 3.75/5

I liked The space Between Us... even more than I did Virtuosity. It’s the people in it you see. Amelia, specifically, is written in so convincing a manner that I sympathized with her, was on her side almost one hundred percent of the time even when objectively speaking she’s as whiny and all woe is me as the next teenage angsty-girl. So much so that I liked her then disliked her and then found myself liking her again.

I was with her early on and her assessing things: the whole needing to be mad and sad at the same time, even with her being religious, as it was never really the focus, was not even that big a deal. Basically, the girl is who she is and does what she does, so I enjoyed her story. Though enjoy is not quite apt. The girl thinks herself the anchor is a bit deluded in valuing her own self importance. That said, I got it when she’d be angry-bitter, but helpless in wanting to be there for her sister. And I was feeling her feeling angry ~Oh boy, was this girl angry!~ about getting the short end of things. Because objectively, she is a bit of brat, sometimes the mean girl/pretty girl who likes things going a certain way and holding people up to a standard that’s almost impossible. She was all those, and still I liked her.

Her sister’s part in this was a revelation, too. What’s done, was at first, a tad melodramatic. But you see, what it allowed to happen, what happened later on showed a couple of extremes: the growing distance between the girls based on feeling let down as well as burdened, then those other moments on account to the friction between the two in not wanting to be in each other’s space? All of it so true. And as a little bonus Charly also proves that she’s more than the little sister to take care of, more than the flighty one who doesn’t give a fig about what others have to say and want. She proves that not everybody has to be certain way all the time….

So there’s a little bit of angry, then more and more of then angry, then this growing indifference of not wanting things to be how they turned out. Plus all that want/ need of one of them to feel needed, well… at least acknowledged. All of it’ was true. True. True. Making already complicated relationships more so! Because it’s not all bad, given there having been a genuine closeness. Only they trip themselves up, no she trips herself up (Amelia, that is) on petty (OK not-so-petty) jealousies and insecurities. You jumble all that up and their relationship, we see is not exactly quirky-unique, it’s more believable instead.

All of them, Amelia, Charly, Bree and even the new guy… added a bit more to the drama level without making it to soap opera-esque. Because with the guy especially, a lot of her truths are laid out so that eventually where things went: it all made sense. Right now, I’m a happy camper as I’ve finally, finally, FINALLY got my hands on a decent YA contemporary read. This one’s full of people who act like assholes and do mean things, but are trying so darned hard just to get by instead of being dragged down by little issues they have with others and with themselves.

It turns out this is my kind of book!
3.75/5
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Oct 28, 2012 Tara rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: own-arc, released-wishlist, challenge-ccc2012, challenge-src2012

Review originally posted on my blog http://hobbitsies.net/2012/10/the-spa...

Guys, I loved The Space Between Us by Jessica Martinez. I thought her debut, Virtuosity, was amazing, so I was super stoked for The Space Between Us – and I wasn’t let down.

Virtuosity dealt with some very interesting issues in a super non-preachy, relatable way and The Space Between Us did the same thing with teen pregnancy and religion and what not.

I seriously applaud Jessica Martinez for how she portrayed religion in T...more Review originally posted on my blog http://hobbitsies.net/2012/10/the-spa...

Guys, I loved The Space Between Us by Jessica Martinez. I thought her debut, Virtuosity, was amazing, so I was super stoked for The Space Between Us – and I wasn’t let down.

Virtuosity dealt with some very interesting issues in a super non-preachy, relatable way and The Space Between Us did the same thing with teen pregnancy and religion and what not.

I seriously applaud Jessica Martinez for how she portrayed religion in The Space Between Us. It can be tricky because it’s always interpreted the wrong way by someone, but religion in The Space Between Us was more a part of the characters, their upbringing, their lives – and that does play a huge role, but we also see them as they struggled with what that meant for them now. It was never pushy one way or another.

And I loved the characters in The Space Between Us. Amelia and Charly are so different and they totally don’t get along at times but I loved them both. They both go through some serious (and necessary) character growth throughout The Space Between Us and I really enjoyed reading along as they figured out, in their own way, how to deal with this crazy situation. Because both Amelia and Charly are super selfish at first, but it’s so easy to see both sides.

I thought the setting was awesome. I really related to Amelia and Charly because I have never seen snow so it was so fun to see them go to Canada for the first time and see all the snow and freeze to death, etc. Jessica Martinez really made the setting pop for me, as well as all the characters that came with it, like Ezra and their aunt.

And, of course, there is romance in The Space Between Us. I loved Ezra and Amelia together. That is all.

Also, major bonus points because Tallahassee is mentioned like a billion times and I felt really cool (because I live there, hah).

I definitely recommend The Space Between Us by Jessica Martinez. Despite the length, I was totally sucked in and managed to read it in about two and a half hours. The Space Between Us managed to portray current issues today, but also tell an entertaining story that kept me engaged.(less)

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Oct 14, 2012 Lilysbookblog rated it 3 of 5 stars

Amelia Mercer has always lived in the shadow of her younger sister Charly, she’s used to it by now. Amelia is the girl who is always two steps ahead, a senior in high school she is still heartbroken over the end of her one and a half year relationship with Will and has high hopes of making it Columbia University in the fall.
Amelia and Charly have always been close. With Charly being a cardboard copy their late mother. The girls live with their dad the local pastor in Florida with their grandmot...more Amelia Mercer has always lived in the shadow of her younger sister Charly, she’s used to it by now. Amelia is the girl who is always two steps ahead, a senior in high school she is still heartbroken over the end of her one and a half year relationship with Will and has high hopes of making it Columbia University in the fall.
Amelia and Charly have always been close. With Charly being a cardboard copy their late mother. The girls live with their dad the local pastor in Florida with their grandmother who also happens to be very religious. Amelia is secretly always angry that her father’s job keeps him from actively being involved in his daughter’s lives and finds herself having looking out for wild Charly.
One night when Charly goes to a party and asks Amelia to cover for her and doesn’t return that very night and the next morning Amelia starts worrying something serouis may have happened to Charly. Amelia skips school and calls their grandma telling her she lied about Charly’s whereabouts and is meanwhile picturing Charly (with her newly given license) dead somewhere in a ditch. When Amelia arrives home though she finds Charly, who has no apology to offer Amelia and looks hung over Amelia gets angry, very very angry.
From then on the girls relationship is strained and when a couple of nights later Charly reveals she is pregnant everything goes downhill from there. The girls tell their grandma who is so worried about what people may think with their father being the pastor and all ships them off to Canada to live with their aunt who they have never met.
The blurb of this book is so vague as to what happens in the book that when I picked it up I had no idea both religion and teen pregnancy weighed so heavily in this book. As I started reading I feared The Space Between Us would be one of those boring lecturer books about the bad things about teen pregnancy and what not but I was so wrong.
The book is told from Amelia’s POV and offers an insight as to how it is to be the older sister of a pregnant teenager. The book is manly about how Amelia deals with the sand slipping beneath her feet. Her little sister is pregnant. She is forced to move to Canada against her will. Her dreams at Columbia are shattered. Amelia does a lot of growing up in this book and learns what it means to put others need before her own. It is extremely easy, especially during the beginning of the book where it is easy to feel annoyed at Amelia for her quick judgment throughout the book but there were times where I also sympathized for her.
Early on I caught on to one of the twists in the book and when I was proven right it only made me more annoyed at Amelia. I kept thinking: How did she not notice? Why was she so quick to judge? Amelia freezes Charly out in a way I would never think of to do to my own sister. Martinez creates a character that makes the reader both angry and annoyed but touches our hearts too. Martinez also highlights what it’s like to be pregnant. Not in any way does she glamorize teen pregnancy but she does make it so the reader understands exactly what Charly is going through even if her older stubborn sister doesn’t.
The book is mainly about Amelia and her struggles with her sisters pregnancy but it also features a wide set of characters from their sweet and funny aunt Bree to the cute library boy Ezra. In many ways I felt the most enjoyable parts of the book were the scenes between Amelia and Ezra. Bree is also seen as the cool fun aunt but Amelia is also quick to judge her for dating a man twenty years her senior, even though she is letting them stay at her apartment.
The Space Between Us also features a wide set of Canadian references and living in Canada I found it pretty funny to read how Amelia, (born and raised in Florida) reacted to the cold winters up here. I being born in Florida myself (I left when I was four years old though so I have no recollection of the place) and now living in Canada found that if perhaps I had left when I around my age now I would have probably reacted the same way Amelia had.
The Space between Us is a book about learning to grow up and stand on your own two feet. To not be jostled by someone else. Amelia does a lot of growing up in this book and learns that she is her sister anchor and that is it okay to be our own person. Amelia also learns she shouldn’t be too quick to judge and learn all the facts first before making any assumptions about anything. All in all I really enjoyed The Space between us it is both thought provoking and not a typical teen pregnancy read. The Space Between us is well worth reading.
This review is also on my blog www.lilysbookblog.com (less)

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Jan 20, 2013 Emily rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: done

This book is about 2 sisters who have to go to Canada because one of them ends up getting pregnant and so the other one blames her for ruining her life but she never really listens to her until probably the very end of this book and I don't know how I feel about that.

I really don't know what to say about this book. Amelia the older sister was mad and the world for all kind of different things. She was mad at her sister Charly for getting pregnant and not really doing anything. Sh's mad at her g...more This book is about 2 sisters who have to go to Canada because one of them ends up getting pregnant and so the other one blames her for ruining her life but she never really listens to her until probably the very end of this book and I don't know how I feel about that.

I really don't know what to say about this book. Amelia the older sister was mad and the world for all kind of different things. She was mad at her sister Charly for getting pregnant and not really doing anything. Sh's mad at her grandmother for sending her off to Canada because her sister was pregnant and didn't want the town to know and judge her. I feel like Amelia didn't know who to blame so she blamed everyone in her town. Which isn't really right but ok. The end of this book had to be my favorite because Amelia finally listened to Charly and got the whole truth instead of thinking that she got "knocked up." That saying was used so many times in the book. I mean I know that she didn't know what happened but I think there are so many times when Charly tried so hard but Amelia just shut her out with out really trying. I think the rape was the biggest thing because I never thought about that. Ezra and Bree. Those are both interesting characters.

I don't know how to put into words how Bree was. Bree was just Bree. I mean she wasn't anything special in the story except their aunt and the one taking care of them but other than that I don't know what I was going to expect of her. I did see how she was a better sister to Charly than her own sister was. Which that would probably hurt to see but it was true. I have no opinions about her.

Ezra was a very deep character I think. He was Amelia's love interest even though she didn't admit that until the very end. By that time I was screaming and the book begging her to just admit it. They had so many ups and downs in just a little while and they didn't truely know each other. He was kind of a closed book because he had a lot of stuff go on in his life too. Amelia I sometimes felt like that she thought she was the only one with problems but when she finally found out Ezra's she really had to reflect in herself. Ezra had a lot of deep problem's that I would've never guessed if the book never said them. When Amelia kept pushing him to talk about himself maybe he really didn't want to talk about them and when he finalyl did he got bitter. I could see why but then she got kind of mad which wasn't right because she was the one who pushed him. I think him and Taylor were an odd couple.

Taylor was totally wrong to say that stuff to Amelia when she didn't even know her and plus she was already broken up with Ezra so what did it matter. She seemed off when she was first introduced to the book. It just seemed like something was to come of her and in the middle she went off on a huge yelling spree because her EX-boyfriend was with another girl. Notice EX. He was an ex not a current. I just dont know about her character but I can say she was very off base with Amelia.

In the end of this whole review I can safely say that Amelia proabaly wasn't my most favorite main character and I kind of wish we could've followed Charlie just to see what went on in her head when she did the things she did.

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Oct 15, 2012 Kristilyn (Reading In Winter & Winter Distractions) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: raks-won-gifts, arcs, read-in-2012, physical-book

This is a book I won on Twitter from Simon & Schuster Canada. I admit that I had absolutely NO idea what the book was about, but saw that it was to be released in October and figured I should start reading it.

I really enjoyed this book, but a LOT of things bothered me – a lot of it was MEANT to bother me (like the annoying attitude of the main character), but then some of it had my Canadian-ness come out in full force. But I’ll get to that in a minute.

I loved the story that Martinez had to t...more

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Mar 05, 2013 Chantele Sedgwick added it

I don't read a lot of books with "issues", so I was hesitant to pick this up. I'm surprised how much I really loved it. Even though I wanted to slap the main character a couple of times, she was real. Her emotions, her reactions to her sister and everything she put her through. They were true to her character and I thought the author did a wonderful job.

Even though I'd never ever treat my sister the way Amelia treated Charly, I understand where she was coming from. It was amazing to watch her g...more

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Sep 22, 2012 Shannon (Giraffe Days) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: review-copy, fiction, ya, 2012, angst

Amelia has always lived in the shadow of her beautiful, lively and daring younger sister, Charlotte - or Charly as everyone but her grandmother calls her. Amelia is the straight-laced sister, the one who abides by the rules and who has spent years working hard towards her goal of being accepted to Columbia University. She had a nice three-year-long relationship with Will which she ended when she realised he'd fallen in love with Charly; guileless, loveable, popular Charly who was completely blin...more

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Feb 04, 2013 Cass - Words on Paper marked it as top-wishlist · review of another edition

Shelves: want-paperback, 2012-release, author-love, to-preorder

Two words: Jessica Martinez.

The end.

And dude, when is this book coming out in the UK?

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Mar 01, 2013 Emily Brown (TheBrownReviews) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reads-of-2012

Concept/Ideas: 5/5
Storyline/Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Writing Style: 5/5

The Space Between Us by Jessica Martinez was a great read! It had such an original idea to it as well. I loved that it wasn't your typical teenage pregnancy type of novel, but instead it incorperated so much more to it.

The storyline was fast-paced and an easy read, despite the heaviness of the subject. You were really kept in the dark about a lot of things, until surprising revelations were revealed later on. Ones that I neve...more Concept/Ideas: 5/5
Storyline/Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Writing Style: 5/5

The Space Between Us by Jessica Martinez was a great read! It had such an original idea to it as well. I loved that it wasn't your typical teenage pregnancy type of novel, but instead it incorperated so much more to it.

The storyline was fast-paced and an easy read, despite the heaviness of the subject. You were really kept in the dark about a lot of things, until surprising revelations were revealed later on. Ones that I never expected. This book really threw you in for some unexpected surprises. I found the storyline to be unpredictable, which was definitely a nice change.

The setting! Ah!
I loved that Martinez threw such a big change up in the scenary, and made the girls move from Florida to Alberta for 6 months. It definitely made for an interesting setting and read overall because of it, and added to the novel. Since I live in Ontario, Canada, it was so interesting to see all the landmarks that us Canadians have and see what it was like for the girls to struggle and adapt from their climate to ours. All the discovery and mayhem the snow caused was definitely interesting to see.

The characters were not the most likable of characters, although for some weird reason, I still liked them. Amelia was stubborn, snotty, negative, and downright mean to her sister Charly. Charly on the other hand, was whiny and immature. Although I feel that both girl's characters and maturity as well as outlook really improved and grew by the end of the novel. They both found strength that they didn't know they both had, and became better people because of it, standing up for what they believed in and supporting each other. This was definitely a nice coming of age novel and it goes to show just how important family is, and that you always need to be there for them, no matter what they're going through, and no matter how it may affect your own life.
Family is family, no matter what.

Jessica Martinez made for a great novel, and I recently purchased her other book, Virtuosity, which I'm eager to start. An author on the rise in my eyes. (less)

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Sep 22, 2012 Jessie Lan rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was really amazing. I had guessed at Charly's secret but wasn't really sure if I would be right until the final reveal. Proud to say that I figured it out right :) *Spoilers* I do wish that Jessica Martinez had elaborated on Charly's leaving and how Amelia felt as she dealt with that and her and Ezra's relationship, but it was still a really great read. I got hold of an advanced reader's copy so when it comes out I will definitely be reading the final version, but I'm sure there won't be an...more

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Jan 24, 2013 Julie (Manga Maniac Cafe) rated it 5 of 5 stars

4 - 4.5 stars

Another angsty, impossible to put down book from Jessica Martinez. She was just added to my auto-buy list.

Review -

Oh. My. GOD! That is the only way I know how to express myself after reading The Space Between Us. The book was not what I was expecting. At all. From the first page, I couldn’t put it down. I kept hoping the puppies would go to sleep so I could read without all of their little distractions (like trying to chew on my rugs, dragging boots around the house, and wrestling o...more 4 - 4.5 stars

Another angsty, impossible to put down book from Jessica Martinez. She was just added to my auto-buy list.

Review -

Oh. My. GOD! That is the only way I know how to express myself after reading The Space Between Us. The book was not what I was expecting. At all. From the first page, I couldn’t put it down. I kept hoping the puppies would go to sleep so I could read without all of their little distractions (like trying to chew on my rugs, dragging boots around the house, and wrestling over the millions of toys they have to play with!). This is an emotional read, and the drama is built up entirely around Amelia’s feelings for her youngest sister Charly. There were plenty of times when I didn’t like Amelia, but I always understood her. She is enraged that Charly has completely derailed her carefully planned out life, and she can’t find it in herself to forgive her. But even as she can’t forgive her, she wishes that life would go back to normal, that she and Charly could once again share that easy relationship that they once had. Her resentment keeps getting in the way, though, and just keeps pushing them further apart.

Amelia has one goal in life – to go to Columbia. Her entire school life so far has been dedicated to this goal. She has exceled in her classes, studied her heart out, and always been the good girl. Charly, on the other hand, is her exact opposite. Fun loving, bubbly, outgoing, Charly thinks that life’s a game to be played all out. Everyone loves her, and though she gets into a ton of trouble, her antics have been harmless. Amelia is resigned that she will be bailing her out of one scrape after another, but with Charly’s unpredictable streak, at least life is never boring. Until she starts hanging out with a bunch of losers, and she winds up pregnant.

Now, not being overly religious and not living in a small town, I didn’t sympathize with Amelia and her grandmother’s reaction to Charly’s condition. Not even having a pastor father, who is a distracted and distant caregiver at best, could excuse their behavior and how they treated Charly like a tramp. She’s pregnant, not a criminal! She’s scared, suddenly alienated from her own family, and has no one to confide in. The girls’ stern grandmother has decided that they will keep Charly’s pregnancy a secret from everyone, including their father. They will both be shipped of to their aunt’s house in Canada, where Charly will take online courses for the rest of the year, and Amelia will be enrolled in the local high school. Really?! Sending them off to a relative they don’t know and have only met once, at their mother’s funeral when they were babies, is the answer to Charly’s problem? I hated their grandmother, I hated their clueless father, and I even hated Amelia for part of the book. Everyone in her immediate family turned their back on her when Charly needed them the most, and I had a hard time forgiving them.

Amelia is infuriated that she is being shipped off to the frozen north. She wants nothing more than to finish out her senior year at her Florida high school, and then she’ll be free! It’s off to Columbia for her! Freedom from Charly and her shenanigans, freedom from gossip, freedom from always having to be the good girl. Argh! Amelia does not make a good impression on anyone once she gets to her aunt’s house, and she sees nothing wrong with her rotten behavior. She takes her rage out on everyone. I could understand how devastated she felt after her dreams shattered one by one, but come on! You are supposed to be the mature one! There were times that I was so frustrated with her that I did not like her. But even then, I could still sympathize with her. It is so hard to have your entire life shaken up like snow globe, so while I didn’t condone her actions, at least I understood them.

There is a lot of emotion packed into this book. While it’s told from Amelia’s POV, Charly’s terror and unhappiness are painfully evident. She’s a sixteen year old kid who, after one careless decision, ends up ostracized by her family. The only caring adult in her life is the aunt she doesn’t even know. Bree immediately tries to make both girls feel at home, but Amelia is so resentful and suspicious of her motives that she can only give her a hard time. Ugh! I kept waiting for her to attain some measure of maturity, and it was a long time in coming. Almost too late, really. Amelia made me so angry! I haven’t been this worked up reading a book in a long time!

When forgiveness does finally come, there is still an awkward strain between the sisters. Amelia has fallen into a pattern of thinking that constantly blames her sister for everything, and dismisses her unfairly. I think my only disappointment with the story is that I felt that some of the issues that had pushed them so far apart weren’t settled enough for my satisfaction. That space that developed between Amelia and Charly, and even between Amelia and her father and grandmother, had grown so great that I am not convinced it could ever be bridged.

Grade: B+(less)

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Oct 22, 2012 Katie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 1st-person-female, contemporary, read-in-2012, books-i-ve-recommended-to-my-dad

The Space Between Us is an amazing book that I read quickly because I couldn't put it down. I became invested in the story from the first page, falling in the love with both the story and the characters. This book is also so emotional, and I loved that about it. So, my advice to you is read this book!

POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD

Amelia is a great main character, though she has her flaws. She clearly cares about Charly, despite being mad at her for a good portion of the book. Her main flaw is that she...more

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Dec 21, 2012 Meagan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, ya-slut-shaming, ya-siblings, ya-sex, ya-pregnancy, ya-family

Books that deal with the relationships between girls are my favorite. I mean sisters, girlfriends, best friends, room mates, all of it. It's one of the reasons Jessica Warman's one of my favorites, because when an author gets certain aspects right, it feels really good. I got a feeling really close to that with Jessica Martinez, which surprised me.

The book starts off really slow, and in fact I'm not so sure it started in the right place. Amelia's world is bright with promise and friends, though...more Books that deal with the relationships between girls are my favorite. I mean sisters, girlfriends, best friends, room mates, all of it. It's one of the reasons Jessica Warman's one of my favorites, because when an author gets certain aspects right, it feels really good. I got a feeling really close to that with Jessica Martinez, which surprised me.

The book starts off really slow, and in fact I'm not so sure it started in the right place. Amelia's world is bright with promise and friends, though she always feels like she's in the shadow of her younger sister. She believes she's the less attractive, the less charismatic, the less boy-friendly of the two. Their interactions in the start of the book do make me wonder why she would think this -- Amelia had so many friends, and once had a steady, happy boyfriend she was crazy about. To me, it sounded much like she had quite the perfect life.

This all changes when Charly disappears one night, comes back in awful shape, and later reveals that she's pregnant. Immediately, it falls on Amelia to shove her life to the side and comfort her sister, and when they grow the courage to go to their ultra-religious grandmother for guidance, the lady lays down the law. The girls are being sent to Canada to live with their aunt. Not just Charly, the pregnant one, but Amelia as well. This is the point where things started to get interesting, and Amelia's ugly side peaks out. Because, really, who wouldn't be absolutely infuriated that they were ultimately transported back to a time when girls had to be shipped off to live with family for being pregnant? These girls live in a small town, which also comes equipped with the grandmother who is more concerned about the family image than keeping a close eye on her grand daughter.

While I say this is where things started to get interesting, what I really mean is that this is where I almost stopped reading. I didn't know I was about to be put through some super religious "slutty slutty sluts and their slutty slut ways" thing when I picked up the book. What got me back on board was their arrival in Canada, and the way the country is presented. They're Florida girls, after all, totally not used to the super dry world that is Banff. Intrigued? You betcha.

Martinez weaves some awesome imagery, and wonderful descriptions of Canada. I'm stationed in sunny Arizona, missing my snowy NY homeland daily, and this was like a breath of frosty cold air in my lungs. The images are so crisp and memorable that it made me want to put on some long johns and hop the train to Calgary, all the while pining for Timbits and an iced cap. It doesn't just stop on their arrival, though. It stays a constant part of Amelia's world, and I completely appreciated it. Because when you live in a place where the weather can get incredibly severe and last for a while, it doesn't just go away. The care you take becomes a part of your daily routine, and I loved seeing that as a part of Amelia's. It reminded me in a way of Colleen Clayton's What Happens Next, and how the cold Rust Belt winter is portrayed. It's not over-the-top, but it's there.

So really, Canada saved this book for me. I decided to bite my tongue and get past the ultra-religious, misogynist crap coming from Amelia. After all, it is something that has been a part of her life for a long time. She's not just that way because society's like that, but because her community, and family, are all very judgmental as well. Amelia mentions at least once that her sisters deserves to be called a slut, which just completely shocked me. I understood that she was angry at her, but to be so filled with hatred at her sister? We have a really angry girl on our hands, don't we?

Luckily, Amelia kind of gets what's coming to her. I cheered internally at the scene in which the ex girlfriend of her love interest (I'll get to him in a minute) blows through and calls Amelia the kinds of things she called her sister. Unfortunately, this doesn't get through to Amelia. She's upset because she was called those things, and how afraid she is that it's a reflection of her real behavior. It makes her mopey and upset, and keep her distance from this guy, Ezra. He's a wonderful love interest with a family history that seems more suited for his own novel rather than being a side character in this one -- but it does a good job of keeping Amelia on her toes. It also serves as a reminder for her that other people out there are dealing with much more difficult things than "my sister is pregnant." Bringing that perspective to her is what I really liked about Ezra, more than their cutesy scenes, or how he warms her up (literally, with hot water bottles under her armpits and many coffee drinks).

I do think that the summary of this book is a little misleading. There is a secret (that you may or may not get before it's even brought up), and it is a big one that will change their relationship. But it's not the secret that could have torn them apart, it's Amelia's attitude. She only really comes around to showing respect for her sister when she learns the truth, and even then, I got the sense that she still felt more incensed about not being told immediately than anything else. For all the talk of the importance of family and family values in that specific culture, that didn't play a very strong role. The biting, hate-fueled relationship between Amelia and Charly played a bigger role, and even in the end, I don't know that it was resolved. The ending comes so swift that you might even feel empty at the lack of resolution for anyone.

While it was tough to deal with the misogyny in the book, and Amelia was definitely not a character I liked, I did ultimately enjoy reading it. I got a lot more out of the romance between Amelia and Ezra than anything else, and I think that a lot of other readers would feel the same. It's filled with little moments that keep things interesting, and it's Ezra's anchor to Amelia's hot air that makes the book special.(less)

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Feb 03, 2013 Maja rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: annoying-love-triangle, contemporary-fiction, failed-to-impress, huge-disappointment, moments-of-great-frustration, totally-saw-that-coming, ya, reviewed-in-2013

2.5 stars
I bought my copy of The Space Between Us right on the release date, October 16th 2012, and then spent almost three months staring at it longingly, too much of a coward to actually read it. I’d been almost afraid of it. Well, not almost, I was honestly scared– considering how much I loved Virtuosity, Martinez’s debut novel, my expectations were pretty high, and I knew there was much room for disappointment.
It’s possible that I’m being vastly unfair by comparing the Space Between Us with...more 2.5 stars
I bought my copy of The Space Between Us right on the release date, October 16th 2012, and then spent almost three months staring at it longingly, too much of a coward to actually read it. I’d been almost afraid of it. Well, not almost, I was honestly scared– considering how much I loved Virtuosity, Martinez’s debut novel, my expectations were pretty high, and I knew there was much room for disappointment.
It’s possible that I’m being vastly unfair by comparing the Space Between Us with Virtuosity, but in my own defense, Martinez was the one who set the bar so high. I don’t read contemporary that often, not if I can avoid it (which I usually can), and there aren’t many contemporary titles that left a lasting mark on me, but Virtuosity is one of them. The honesty of it all, the psychological insight, convinced me that Martinez is a skilled storyteller. Alas, I was headed straight for disappointment.

Teen pregnancy is never easy, but when your father is a pastor and you end up being severely punished for it even though you’re not the one who’s actually pregnant… well, hard doesn’t even begin to describe it. That’s Amelia’s life in a nutshell. She is a high school senior, captain of the female hockey team, responsible, serious and very restrained. Or at least she was, until her younger sister Charly, a party person and an attention-seeker, got pregnant. Instead of finishing her senior year and going to Columbia as she’d planned, Amelia ends up moving to Canada for six months to help cover up her sister’s shameful secret. Her achievements mean nothing – what Charly needs, Charly always gets, and this time she needs Amelia to sacrifice everything that matters to her.

I wish I were one of those people who can like a book even though they don’t like any of the characters. I am not. Being in Amelia’s head was, quite frankly, a horrifying experience. If there was ever a more unlikable character, I must have blocked it out of my memory because I simply can’t remember it now. But here are a few facts about our narrator: she is utterly incapable of standing up for herself when it matters and she’s painfully aware of it, so to compensate, she takes her issues out on everyone else, especially people who are actually nice to her. She thinks she’s better/ smarter/ more deserving than anyone around her, and it’s not an opinion she ever keeps for herself. She is suspicious, rude to nice people and always ready to lash out at the slightest provocation… or even without one. I have yet to stumble upon a more close-minded, judgmental character. I would have preferred a true anti-heroine instead of this accomplished, yet utterly unlikable protagonist.

Keeping all of it in mind, it stands to reason that she’s too self-absorbed to fall in love, at least in a way that would convince the readers and have them rooting for her romance. And again the comparison is inevitable; Ezra is a decent love interest, nicely fleshed-out, but Jeremy King he is not. And while I’m being unfair, Jeremy and Carmen had so much chemistry between them that’s simply not there between Amelia and Ezra, although they had a few lovely moments. Again, Amelia is too self-centered to every truly be in a relationship and as hard as Martinez tried to redeem her (or have her redeem herself) towards the end, in my opinion, it was too little, too late.

I do think that contemporary fans might find something more in Jessica Martinez’s sophomore novel. It is not my genre of choice and doubt it ever will be, so please take my opinion with a grain of salt.

(less)

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Jan 30, 2013 Nicci rated it 3 of 5 stars

I completely adored Jessica Martinez’s debut, Virtuosity, so I was highly anticipating her follow-up release. Unfortunately, The Space Between Us never quite lived up to my high expectations. While, I did find parts of it enjoyable, it never had the emotional intensity that Virtuosity had, and I had a hard time connecting to the characters.

The biggest issue I had with this book was Amelia, which is significant since she is the main character. I just could not stand her for the first 3/4 of the b...more I completely adored Jessica Martinez’s debut, Virtuosity, so I was highly anticipating her follow-up release. Unfortunately, The Space Between Us never quite lived up to my high expectations. While, I did find parts of it enjoyable, it never had the emotional intensity that Virtuosity had, and I had a hard time connecting to the characters.

The biggest issue I had with this book was Amelia, which is significant since she is the main character. I just could not stand her for the first 3/4 of the book. Yes, Charly did some crappy things and made some bad choices, but I felt Amelia’s reactions to them to be very immature and petty. She also treated her aunt, who was going out of her way to let the girls stay with her, pretty terribly. The only time I liked Amelia was when she was with Ezra. He was easily my favorite part of the book. He had a well-developed back story, and was really a pretty good guy. Amelia’s relationship with him made her a much more likable character. Charly was also a pretty decent character. She may have been set-up as Amelia’s antagonist, but, ironically, I liked her much more throughout the story. She definitely made some poor choices, but I felt like she ended up dealing with things in a much more mature way than Amelia.

The story did keep me interested, even when the characters did not. I kept reading because I wanted to find out what had happened and how everything would be resolved. One plot point that did bother me though was Charly and Amelia’s grandmother’s reaction to Charly’s predicament. It may have seem rather old-fashioned, but I’m sure that there are still people like that today. I debated for a time about whether or not I found it to be believable, but in the end I think I do. Plus, it is necessary to drive the story forward, and once the girls travel to Canada, the story picks up its pace, and I found it to be more enjoyable.

Overall, I was disappointed in The Space Between Us. Personally, I could not find a solid connection with the main character, and I thought that the story dragged at points. However, I did enjoy many of the supporting characters, and I loved the relationship between Amelia and Ezra. As for a recommendation, I would probably suggest Virtuosity before this as I liked it much more, but I am still looking forward to what Jessica Martinez will write next.(less)

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Dec 20, 2012 Michelle (FabbityFabBookReviews) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-young-adult

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
After reading and enjoying Virtuosity, I knew I was going to have to keep an eye out for Jessica Martinez's next novel. Like her debut novel, The Space Between Us is another solidly written, emotionally engaging contemporary YA title.

The Space Between Us is such an involving read- one of those that you may just keep reading late into the night because you have to finish the novel (as I did). When we are introduced to Amelia (who narrates) and Charly, we learn a few things: that Charly is the gor...more
After reading and enjoying Virtuosity, I knew I was going to have to keep an eye out for Jessica Martinez's next novel. Like her debut novel, The Space Between Us is another solidly written, emotionally engaging contemporary YA title.

The Space Between Us is such an involving read- one of those that you may just keep reading late into the night because you have to finish the novel (as I did). When we are introduced to Amelia (who narrates) and Charly, we learn a few things: that Charly is the gorgeous vivacious sister who pretty much gets away with everything, leaving Amelia to clean up her messes; and that they live in a very small, ecclesiastical town in Florida, with a devout grandmother and widowed father. With their father stuck in his own quiet world and the church where he preaches, the girls are pretty much raised by their very strict grandmother. Charly has, for the most part, been able to get away with being a bit of a boy-crazy, trouble-making party girl. Until one night out at a party.

Not long after the party, their grandmother finds out that Charly has become pregnant. Panicked by the thought of their family reputation being forever tarnished, their grandmother decides to send both of the sisters to live with an unknown maternal relative in Calgary, Alberta, for the duration of Charly's pregnancy. Amelia's contempt for her sister grows and explodes when she finds out she is being banished with her sister to Calgary. Once in Canada, the sisters grow further and further apart: Charly turning into a muted version of her former vibrant self, pregnancy symptoms growing by the month; and Amelia, festering her resentment of Charly, verbally scorning her, while fighting feelings for a young man she has just met.

I think the novel is delicately and beautifully written. I could not help but be pulled in to the emotions of the story, the major characters, and Martinez's fluid writing. There were some aspects of the story, though, that I had a slightly difficult time with. I personally found it hard to buy the utter blindness of the girls' father about everything, and the fact that he so easily bought the fake story of why the girls were traveling to Calgary. And secondly, it is revealed very, very close to the end of the novel that Charly, was in fact, raped at the party where she became pregnant. After the surprise of this horrifying reveal wore off a bit, I couldn't help but have two minds about this. On the one hand, it did serve to draw Charly and Amelia closer together, while creating this ravaging guilt that Amelia felt for having treated her sister with disdain for months. On the other hand, was this a necessary plot turn? I do wonder why the author chose this course of action. What if Charly had simply just decided to have sex and then accidentally became pregnant? Would Amelia (and her family) have always treated Charly with contempt? How would the story have played out in that scenario?

Those qualms aside, I found The Space Between Us a strong and engaging novel. I think this novel will appeal to fans of realistic YA, along the lines of Sara Zarr, Sarah Dessen, Nina Lacour, Jessica Warman and Morgan Matson. If you read and enjoyed Virtuosity, then I would recommend giving this novel a try. (less)

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Nov 14, 2012 Danya rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-sophomore-challenge, just-contemporary-challenge, books-i-own

*Note: I've hidden the most major spoilery bits, but there are some general mild spoilers in this review.

Characters:

Amelia: I had trouble liking Amelia at some points because of her dismissive, condescending attitude towards Charly. While she does change her attitude partway through — and I have to respect her for trying to be more positive and treat her sister better — I feel like it shouldn't have taken knowledge of a certain fact to get Amelia to realize she'd been treating Charly badly ((vie ...more

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Mar 21, 2013 Liza Wiemer added it

I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning to finish this book, and I admit, I needed my sleep. :D But I just couldn't stop reading. Love Jessica's writing style. I found the story of two sisters (Amelia and Charly) and the secrets and lies between them compelling. I absolutely loved Ezra, a boy who befriends Amelia in Canada. I could definitely relate to the the sisters and their relationship to their grandmother. I, too, had a very close relationship with my grandmother while I was growing...more

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Feb 27, 2013 Lauren added it

Shelves: ya-middle-grade, nonplused

UGHHHH! I am reviewing this book months after finishing it, but I still think about it, and I still want to throw it. The main character goes from decent to completely unsympathetic, not to mention that I saw the 'twist' coming by page 50. What could have been an interesting book about the relationship between sisters was... crap. also, there were Several Wicked: the musical references, but the author didn't bother to get the character who sings Defying Gravity correct (hint: not Glenda).

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Feb 07, 2013 Briana rated it 1 of 5 stars

It was a page turner yes but mostly the whole book pissed me off. religious superiority complexes, one sister who is always supposed to pick up the pieces when the other sister screws up because real discipline was never done and she's never allowed to get angry about it. I suppose its a decent coming of age story. but its a coming of age plot line that could easily have been avoided with better parenting. perhaps thats why it irritated me, i have no patience for bad parenting.

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Jan 17, 2013 Brianna rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was not at all what I was expecting when I picked the book up. The pregnancy was a shocker, but I think that was the point. I liked the Canadian parts of the book, and it makes me want to go up there even more, just to see some of those places for myself. I thought Amelia was a good character, but she was always so mean to Charly. I mean, sometimes I think she deserved it, but other times the meanness was not justified. I really would have liked to see things from both sisters points of vie...more

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Feb 01, 2013 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was not what I expected. No, I wasn't surprised by the basic plot, that was pretty easy to spot, but the characters weren't quite what I thought they would be. I enjoyed them. I love an author who can take a predictible sort of story and turn it into something unique and this one did that for me. This was a thoughtful book. I liked it.

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Mar 24, 2013 Eli rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is a US book but it doesn't talk down to the reader. As an adult, I was able to connect with the characters and each one felt real. They reacted like real human beings, emotional and flawed.
If I had any gripes it would be that it wrapped up a little suddenly. But the ending was satisfying and the writing was stellar.

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Feb 13, 2013 Sarah Henson rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book nails the complex relationship between two sisters. The main character is struggling, and at times you want to smack her, but you feel for her and root for her at the same time. It takes and excellent writer to craft such a dynamic.

I was thoroughly impressed and can't wait to read more from Martinez!

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Dec 19, 2012 Vanessa rated it 3 of 5 stars

I would actually give this book like 3 1/2 stars. It was a good book with a good story, but I feel like it could've been a great book if certain things were done in a different order and if the story really concentrated more on Amelia & Charlie's relationship.
The end also felt too rushed...but overall it was a good book.

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Feb 29, 2012 Aleeeeeza marked it as to-read

Shelves: want-want-wanttt, 2012-release

After reading this author's debut Virtuosity and being WOWED by it this is how excited I am for this book:

Not even kidding, guys.

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Dec 21, 2012 Liana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Intriguing read. I liked how the main character was hard to like at times but she really comes through at the end. Good read. I really liked the theme of becoming your own person. I wish charly had her own chapters

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Apr 02, 2013 Stephanie rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was an OK read. The beginning was lame, the middle was great and the ending was whatever. It had some potential and just didn't live up to it.

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Apr 06, 2013 Zoey Ambrose rated it 5 of 5 stars

Very good book!! I love it but sometimes I did not like it when Amelia would be so mean to her sister and aunt.

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Jan 18, 2012 Roshini marked it as to-read

Shelves: dying-to-read

After Virtuosity (which was one of my favourite books last year), I am definitely going to read this!

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