Between (The Between, #1)

Feb 13, 2013 Mara added it · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy, fantasy

Between is a truly unique Fantasy, set mostly in a world between the dreams and reality. The author does a wonderful job in creating both the dream land and the in between. I read she is a mental health counsellor and I can totally believe it.

Did I like the book? Here comes the difficulty. I realize this is really good and probably deserves the 5 glowing stars that ATUF has given. Unfortunately I couldn't find any real pleasure in reading it.

Partly because it's really set in dreamland and you f...more

6 likes · like · see review

Jan 29, 2013 Maja rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: alternating-povs, arc-2013, failed-to-impress, fantasy, huge-disappointment, i-have-superpowers, magic, urban-fantasy

Objectively,his book really deserves more than 2 stars, but two stars means it was ok, and that's all it was for me. I like my urban fantasy a bit more straightforward and Between is more fantasy than anything else. Unfortunately, it just wasn't for me.
Full review to come.

3 likes · like · see review

Feb 27, 2013 Jen (Red Hot Books) rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book was a hot mess. I hate to be so unkind, but it's just the truth. The premise sounded great. Hell, there's a dragon on the cover. I love dragons. But it was just a disaster.

OK. The book started out as advertised. We're even introduced to a sexy potential love interest. Not only does Vivian recognize Zee from her dreams, the enigmatic bookstore owner recognizes her the same way. In fact, he's been painting her image for years. There's a mysterious, villainous woman who is trying to steal...more This book was a hot mess. I hate to be so unkind, but it's just the truth. The premise sounded great. Hell, there's a dragon on the cover. I love dragons. But it was just a disaster.

OK. The book started out as advertised. We're even introduced to a sexy potential love interest. Not only does Vivian recognize Zee from her dreams, the enigmatic bookstore owner recognizes her the same way. In fact, he's been painting her image for years. There's a mysterious, villainous woman who is trying to steal objects that are part of Vivian's birthright. All this, as Vivian begins to get clues to the mysteries of her past and her family heritage.

But it all starts to go really wonky when Vivian starts passing between worlds. There is a dreaming world, a waking world and a between (which apparently is where all the bad stuff happens.) In addition, there are two versions of multiple people --a dream version and an awake version, I guess. This all got so confusing. We follow Vivian as she passes between worlds and meets other versions of Zee and her smarmy ex-boyfriend Jared. Zee is still named Zee, but Jared is named Gareth. Why, I don't know. Both men have dreamed of her. But if you dream in the dream world, are your dreams the awake world? Is there another version of Vivian? Or is she the same Vivian when she dreams? Are the two Zee's different versions of the same man? What about Jared/ Gareth?

How real is the between? There is this ongoing thing about Vivian knowing whether she was awake or asleep by seeing if she is wearing her necklace. But it really didn't help me understand. People are injured and killed in the real world by what happens in the between. Vivian is worn out by her exertions there, but that makes me question --if you are made exhausted by your sleep, how do you rest? Are we back to dreaming in the dream world? It makes my head hurt.

And then, there's the rape. I honestly don't know if that happened in the dream world or the between. If it was "real" or not. But the physical trauma followed Vivian out of the "dream." So who raped her? Was it Jared? A dream Jared? One different from Gareth? Is he responsible? All of this just sort of gets swept away, and barely acknowledged. But the main character was raped. Wasn't she? It doesn't seem like a small question.

None of this even touches on the larger story surrounding the Queen and her endgame. She was so one dimensional in her evil plan. And the ending? No romantic HEA, though I don't entirely understand why. It seems like the door is open for more story, but no way am I going to touch a book two.

Rating: D

*ARC Provided by Ace(less)

3 likes · like · see review

Feb 19, 2013 All Things Urban Fantasy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-january-hotp, reviewed-by-julia, earc

Dreams can be a tricky sort of magic. So much of their power is comes from the disorientation and internal logic of the dreamer, reading any sort of narrative built on top of that fluid and arbitrary base can be alienating. Kerry Schafer, however, takes the best of the mystery and humor of a dream-state to enrich the mechanics of magic in her world. I laughed, my heart raced, and I finished BETWEEN more than a little bit in love with Schafer, Vivian, and a penguin named Poe.

I spent awhile lookin...more Dreams can be a tricky sort of magic. So much of their power is comes from the disorientation and internal logic of the dreamer, reading any sort of narrative built on top of that fluid and arbitrary base can be alienating. Kerry Schafer, however, takes the best of the mystery and humor of a dream-state to enrich the mechanics of magic in her world. I laughed, my heart raced, and I finished BETWEEN more than a little bit in love with Schafer, Vivian, and a penguin named Poe.

I spent awhile looking for Schafer’s other pen names or prior books, because it’s hard to believe BETWEEN is a debut effort. This story is rock solid. Action flows beautifully, characters are introduced and grow in believable ways. Vivian and Zee are wonderfully believable as they try to reconcile their “real life” with the influences that seep in from their dreams. There were several surprises for me as the story progressed, as hints of past events and dreams were matched with present day characters, and all of these revelations felt well structured and natural. Vivian’s ex-boyfriend, Jared, is the violent bogey man that haunts her dreamscape, and my only caution would be to readers who are sensitive to sexual violence. I didn’t like Jared. I looked forward to his defeat or comeuppance or demise, but my dislike for him didn’t dominate the narrative or overwhelm my affection for other parts of the story.

Urban Fantasy fans will be able to pick out several familiar plot points in BETWEEN. The main character discovers a hidden heritage, there’s a beautiful man who has loved her long before they met, she has a preternaturally smart pet, a crazy mother and mysterious grandfather. None of these elements on their own are entirely new, but the elegance and magic with which Schafer writes them is a welcome surprise. And nothing in this story is included “just because”, each piece is tied together mindfully and specifically. Take Poe, Vivian’s penguin side-kick. While he certainly brought most of the comic relief, he was also integral to bringing those splashes of dreaming disorientation to a fantasy plot. Schafer is a comedic genius to realize that nothing says “This is a weird dream,” like having a silent, deadpan penguin standing in the corner.

I never expect a series to sweep me off my feet in the first book, which makes it all the sweeter when it happens. BETWEEN is the best of what Urban Fantasy can offer, rife with adventure, danger, and our familiar world threaded with dreams. For the magic and romance (and unlikely penguins), BETWEEN has already found it’s way to my favorites shelf. I can’t wait to read what Schafer comes up with next.

Sexual Content: Violent sexual assault and rape.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Apr 22, 2013 Dark Faerie Tales rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-by-angelica

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: Vivian knows dreams have no place in the Wakeworld, and when people start showing up dead Vivian is forced to step into a world she was once confident didn’t even exist.

Opening Sentence: Later, she will remember him so: impatient with the waiting, restless feet carrying him back and forth in the grassy place in front of the fountain.

The Review:

Chaos and confusion. Those are the two feelings that totally dominated me the entire time I read...more

like · see review

Apr 04, 2013 Noelle Pierce rated it 4 of 5 stars

I think I was one of three Book Country members who didn't read Kerry Schafer's debut book on the site, before Penguin picked it up. My loss, truly. Fantasy isn't my usual genre, so there were some parts of the world where I stumbled (I also have a harder time with abstract concepts, such as dreams versus reality), but I kept reading. And reading. While the book was open, I was compelled to turn the pages as though Jehenna herself commanded it. I will certainly see the image of green eyes and gi...more

like · see review

Mar 22, 2013 Sherie Davis rated it 3 of 5 stars

I am inclined to say I liked this book but I agree with some of the complaints other reviewers mentioned. (ie. the two versions of people and sleeping when you're in the dreamworld.) I liked the fantasy feel of it and I liked the main characters, but I found that I had issues with the whole grand scheme thing her grandfather put into place. It really had too many variables in it that could have gone wrong. And I can't help thinking he was a really bad father to Isobel. I mean besides making her...more

like · see review

Mar 11, 2013 OpenBookSociety.com rated it 3 of 5 stars

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Dawn

*Beware of Spoilers*

Between is a complicated book. You have to pay careful attention to navigate your way through it.

Vivian is a doctor and she’s very practical. Nothing fantastical touches her reality based life because she won’t let it. She refuses to allow it, until it smacks her upside the head.

Viv’s mother Isobel is just sad. I felt such sympathy for her difficult life. She and Vivian are both Dream-shifters. Because Viv won’t face that she doesn’t know en...more Brought to you by OBS reviewer Dawn

*Beware of Spoilers*

Between is a complicated book. You have to pay careful attention to navigate your way through it.

Vivian is a doctor and she’s very practical. Nothing fantastical touches her reality based life because she won’t let it. She refuses to allow it, until it smacks her upside the head.

Viv’s mother Isobel is just sad. I felt such sympathy for her difficult life. She and Vivian are both Dream-shifters. Because Viv won’t face that she doesn’t know enough about it to handle the situation. Due to her obstinate view, she gets a trial by fire.

In a new town, Vivian meets Zee (Ezekiel) as she peruses the town’s shops. Zee has been painting the future for years. He’s very talented and a large part of Vivian’s past and future. I had difficulty with their developing feelings for one another. I don’t feel there was enough relationship development to warrant how deeply they automatically cared for one another. Later on in the story, I realized how it happened but it didn’t seem realistic. The explanation was not sufficient.

Vivian, after a while of horrific dreams, finally admits she needs to do something. She ends up stuck in a dream state in Surmise. Most of the people in Surmise made a choice to be there but different versions of it exist with different versions of the characters through-out the story. If you’re not careful, it can be confusing.

Jehenna is a Dream-shifter as well but she wants to harm Viv. There is one helluva wallop of a plot twist relating to Jehenna. I liked how that played out.

The rape really disturbed me in the way it was handled by Schafer. I don’t believe you’d be meh about getting raped no matter who did it.

I don’t know who to recommend the book to – I never quite connected with Vivian. It’s not a bad book by any means, but nor is it outstanding. I found it to be confusing at times, less than realistic with the relationships and I never came to care for the characters other than Isobel and Poe the penguin.

http://openbooksociety.com/article/be...(less)

like · see review

Jan 28, 2013 Ara rated it 5 of 5 stars

Complete Review on blog: http://www.arathewriter.com/2013/01/b...

Kerry Schafer's debut fantasy novel, Between has the potential to bridge the non-fantasy reader to this genre.

Fantasy readers know exactly what they're getting into: a vivid world, full of imagination, creativity and a whirlwind of action, romance and betrayals.

Non-fantasy readers are okay with all of that, but the common complaint goes something like this: "Fantasy novels are long and start slow. I need a map to follow the story....more

2 likes · like · see review

Jan 25, 2013 Julia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, fantasy, urban, arcs

Dreams can be a tricky sort of magic. So much of their power is plugged directly into the disorientation and internal logic of the dreamer, reading any sort of narrative built on top of that fluid and arbitrary base can be alienating. Kerry Schafer, however, takes the best of the mystery and humor of a dream state to enrich the mechanics of magic in her world. I laughed, my heart raced, and I finished BETWEEN more than a little bit in love with Schafer, Vivian, and a penguin named Poe.

I spent aw...more Dreams can be a tricky sort of magic. So much of their power is plugged directly into the disorientation and internal logic of the dreamer, reading any sort of narrative built on top of that fluid and arbitrary base can be alienating. Kerry Schafer, however, takes the best of the mystery and humor of a dream state to enrich the mechanics of magic in her world. I laughed, my heart raced, and I finished BETWEEN more than a little bit in love with Schafer, Vivian, and a penguin named Poe.

I spent awhile looking for Schafer's other pen names or prior books, it's hard to believe BETWEEN is a debut effort. This story is rock solid. Action flows beautifully, characters are introduced and grow in believable ways. Vivian and Zee are wonderfully believable as they try to reconcile their "real life" with the influences that seep in from their dreams. There were several surprises for me as the story progressed, as hints of past events and dreams were matched with present day characters, and all of these revelations felt well structured and natural.

And it is that natural flow that was the most impressive element of BETWEEN. This is a familiar Urban Fantasy structure. The main character discovers a hidden heritage, there's a beautiful man who has loved long before they met, she has a preternaturally smart pet, a crazy mother and mysterious grandfather. None of these elements on their own are entirely new, but the elegance and magic with which Schafer writes them is a welcome surprise. And nothing in this story is included "just because", each piece is tied together mindfully and specifically. Take Poe, Vivian's penguin side-kick. While he certainly brought most of the comic relief, he was also integral to bringing those splashes of dreaming disorientation to a fantasy plot. Schafer is a comedic genius to realize that nothing says "This is a weird dream" like having a silent, deadpan penguin overseeing a scene.

I never expect a series to sweep me off my feet in the first book, which makes it all the sweeter when it happens. BETWEEN is the best of what Urban Fantasy can offer. Adventure, danger, and our familiar world threaded with dreams, magic, and unlikely penguins. BETWEEN has already found it's way to my favorites shelf, with room for anything else Schafer has to offer.

Full review to follow.

Sexual Content: Violent sexual assault and rape.(less)

3 likes · like · see review

Jan 21, 2013 Paranormal Haven rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviews-by-beth-guest-reviewer

Vivian is working at a hospital when some strange stuff starts to happen. Her dreams are getting more intense and then she meets a book shop owner who happens to be someone she dreams about. On top of that he loans her books, and one of them has her on the cover. Right after this she finds out her kind of estranged grandfather has passed away, and that he was much more than he seemed. His legacy is passed down to her, but with it comes an evil sorceress who will stop at nothing to get her hands...more Vivian is working at a hospital when some strange stuff starts to happen. Her dreams are getting more intense and then she meets a book shop owner who happens to be someone she dreams about. On top of that he loans her books, and one of them has her on the cover. Right after this she finds out her kind of estranged grandfather has passed away, and that he was much more than he seemed. His legacy is passed down to her, but with it comes an evil sorceress who will stop at nothing to get her hands on a ‘key.’

Between is the debut novel of author Kerry Schafer.

The story takes place in three places. The first is ‘Wakeworld,’ our world. Vivian doesn’t spend much time in Wakeworld, but Zee, the man she dreams about does. Then there is ‘Dreamworld.’ Dreamworld is the world of dreams. Vivian inherits little crystal balls, each one a dream. With the tiny crystal balls, she doesn’t have to open any doors to get into dreams, all she has to do is look into them. Then there is ‘Between,’ where most of the novel takes place. Between is the line between awake and asleep. In the Between is a kingdom where the sorceress happens to live. The worlds and how they are put together are what makes Between unique.

Vivian’s story kicks off when she learns of her grandfather’s death and is given a quest, to destroy the key. She has no idea what the key in this case may be, but she does know she must travel to Between. Vivian is medical professional, something parent throughout the novel, but lacks common sense. Before she is given her quest she is given a book that fills in so many of her future questions, but it takes her almost the whole book to figure it out. This made her, for me, seem dense. She doesn’t pick up on clues even though a part of her purpose is to put things together. I also felt as if she picks and chooses when to be courageous. One moment she running into certain death and destruction, in the next she is frozen in fear.

A part from Vivian I deeply enjoyed all the other characters. The sorceress is wonderfully bad! Zee is not your average hero, and was a taste of something different. My favorite character by far is Poe, the penguin that hangs out with Vivian. He adds some giggles into the pages.

Despite my drawbacks with Vivian, the story keeps its pace, and is made for page flipping. It seems set up to be an urban fantasy, but really most of the novel is set in a kingdom with dragons. It’s one of those where characters are put into another world. The other world in Between is where it’s set a part. The story quickly grows intense.

I was a little disappointed with the ending for two reasons. The first was lack of description for how an end was obtained, and Vivian not asking the right questions. She seems to ignore huge facts that bugged me. Luckily this is the first novel, and I look forward to seeing where Schafer will take the characters from this point.
- Beth(less)

1 like · like · see review

Dec 07, 2012 Susan Spann rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-by-friends, sci-fi-fantasy

Kerry Schafer's BETWEEN offers a new and exciting take on fantasy fiction, with an intricate plot and rapid pacing that keeps the pages turning from start to finish. From the moment a teenager shows up in a small-town E.R. with dragon-inflicted burns to the exciting (and literally world-shattering) final scenes, BETWEEN combines humor, action, and an unusual take on fantasy themes.

One issue I've had with a lot of modern fantasy is the tendency to re-work traditional themes in expected ways. Kerr...more

6 likes · like · see review

May 04, 2013 Amanda rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: own

Title: Between
Author: Kerry Schafer
Released: Jan 29, 2013
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Synopsis: Vivian’s life is finally on track. She has a job she loves as an ER doctor and has just met – literally – the man of her dreams. But when her eccentric grandfather is murdered and designates her as his next of kin, she discovers that she is the last of a race of beings known as dreamshifters. It is her task to guard the doorways between waking and dreaming, which have already begun to unravel, spilling dangero...more Title: Between
Author: Kerry Schafer
Released: Jan 29, 2013
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Synopsis: Vivian’s life is finally on track. She has a job she loves as an ER doctor and has just met – literally – the man of her dreams. But when her eccentric grandfather is murdered and designates her as his next of kin, she discovers that she is the last of a race of beings known as dreamshifters. It is her task to guard the doorways between waking and dreaming, which have already begun to unravel, spilling dangerous creatures from dream into the waking world. When she sets out to close the open doors and protect her town and the people she loves, Vivian confronts dragons, intrigue, and the dark secrets of her own family history. In the end, she comes face to face with a sorceress seeking eternal life and ultimate power. Vivian must find a way to stop her, or reality will be forever altered.”--Ace Books http://www.kerryschafer.com/books/

I absolutely adore Urban Fantasy. I read the back of this book, and was glad to find a rare original premise in the Urban Fantasy genre. Between had a lot of potential as a series, and of being a good read. Because the premise is creative or at least I haven't seen its like before. But it has some flaws so I rate it a three. It read a little slow for me, and I spent much time rereading paragraphs just to figure out the plot or what was going on that chapter.
Now things that were cons for me in the book was the transition, the heroine and sexual violence. The transition from wake-world (reality), dreamworld and the between was confusing and chaotic even the character had trouble telling them apart. There was really enough explanation, for me, about them. I had issues with Vivian, the heroine. She was flat, and not a strong heroine I was expecting a BA character and received a weak go with the flow one. Vivian is an ER doctor but didn't act like any ER docs I have seen or worked with. She is slow on the uptake and doesn't act fast in a critical situation. She just drifts through each problem that arises. In the middle of the book is a sexual assault It has no purpose, and Vivian doesn't grow from it. She just lets it happen, and has no emotional reaction. She had a reaction to physical abuse but not the sexual abuse.
I did like how Vivian made mistakes, and was realistic at being scared of having a destiny throw at her. My favorite character was Poe the sidekick penguin. Poe was Vivian's totem or spirit animal. He was a normal penguin, no talking but he was smart and help Vivian out of tight spots. He also helped her notice things. Wake-world Zee was a bit neurotic about helping Vivian even though they had just met other then dreams. But I believe he needs more air time to develop.
Overall It was good and the series could develop to be better. But is was slow pace for me, and a bit disappointing I might read the next one just to see what happens. Also it had dragons that were actually threatening and scary instead all docile. So I give this book 3 out of 5 penguins.(less)

like · see review

Apr 22, 2013 Jenny rated it 2 of 5 stars

***Spoiler Alert!!!***

Between had so much potential, Vivian and Zee seemed like strong and independent characters that knew how to take care of themselves even though everything was falling apart around them. In the beginning Vivian is a doctor who basically raised herself from the age of 7 when her mother was incapable of it and then left her uptight ex-boyfriend to strike out on her own. The beginning of the book gave me hope for the rest of the book and I found myself tearing through the firs...more

like · see review

Jan 28, 2013 Van rated it 3 of 5 stars

Vivian recently broke up with her boyfriend and decided to move to another state to work at Krebston Memorial Hospital. This enables her to start over independently away from her ex and ailing mother. During one of her shift, a young man comes in with an extremely high fever ranting about dragons. The next she know he’s burning from the inside out, Vivian thought she was hallucinating due to the lack of sleep but no, it’s really happening when she’s wide awake. Things get stranger when she meets...more Vivian recently broke up with her boyfriend and decided to move to another state to work at Krebston Memorial Hospital. This enables her to start over independently away from her ex and ailing mother. During one of her shift, a young man comes in with an extremely high fever ranting about dragons. The next she know he’s burning from the inside out, Vivian thought she was hallucinating due to the lack of sleep but no, it’s really happening when she’s wide awake. Things get stranger when she meets Zee a bookstore owner, whom she never met before but in her dreams. He gives her a book which turns out to be from her deceased grandfather, and a message instructing her to find a ‘key’. She eventually find out she’s the last of the dreamshifter, someone who is capable of walking through all three world; Wakeworld, Dreamworld, and the Between.

Between is a blend of urban fantasy and pure/high fantasy and Schafer takes the concepts of dreams and spins it into a story of her own. The story has three worlds; Wakeworld (our world/reality), Dreamworld (everyone’s dream), and Between (the exact time/space between the time the person is about to fall asleep or about to wake…conscious/unconscious). This is a really original idea that makes the book standout all on its own, with a very complex world-building with some characters taking on multiple roles (Wakeworld Vs. Between). While I love a book with complex world-building, there were times I couldn’t differentiate which world Vivian was in because she jumped from Wakeworld to Dreamworld and finally to Between where she resided for the majority of the book. In between these jumps there were also flashback scenes from different characters, which added another layer of confusion for me. About halfway through the book I figured out how I could tell which world Vivian was in, when she was in Dreamworld she didn’t have her protection necklace but when she was in Between she would have it (Wakeworld didn’t really matter because she was barely there).

Vivian was a realistic character, when thrust into this so-called Density she acted like any normal person would act…scared and confused. As the story went on she slowly started to accept her fate and while not the kick-butt heroine we usually get in UF novels she went from being meek to standing up for herself. Joining on Vivian’s trip through Dreamworld and Between was Poe the penguin, I honestly don’t know where he came from but I kind of get why he’s there. Vivian's totem animal is a penguin and he’s helping her find the key (I think lol). My favorite character was Zee a.k.a Warlord. He isn’t the typical hero…more like the antihero, and though he doesn’t really know-know Vivian (only from his dreams) he is willing to break the law and fight a giant bear/dragon to protect her.

Overall a good read, I like Schafer’s unique urban fantasy and can see this series going far with the endless possibilities using dreams and the three connected worlds. This is a good debut novel, but with some minor flaws. I understand this is just the first book in the series but I hope that with the foundation already set in Between that the world-building in the next book will be more clear and organized. Then there was a rape scene in the book concerning the heroine, it wasn’t described in detail but I didn’t see the purpose of it. Then a couple of chapters later again, the same character attempts to rape the heroine again but this time she defended herself before it happened. I wasn’t keen on the rape/violence afflicted upon the heroine; it just made me so uncomfortable...it didn’t make a difference to the heroine or the story (hence why I took stars off).

The book tied up nicely, Vivian accomplished the task given to her but there were some questions that were left unanswered (well, questions at least I didn’t know the answer to). For examples, the key that Vivian had to find unlocks the ‘foverever’, which was never explained nor why it was important to Jehenna’s master plan, why is Zee known as the Warlord and Jared as Chancellor in Between, but Vivian and Jehenna were the same in both worlds (Wakeworld & Between)? Finally, where did Poe the penguin come from?! Regardless of the flaws I mentioned, I am curious to see what happens to Vivian and Zee in the next book. Between is labeled as an urban fantasy but I think it leans more towards the fantasy side. Bottom line this was good book with a few imperfections. I suggest checking out the excerpt or sample chapters before buying it to see if you’re interested.
(less)

like · see review

Feb 04, 2013 Cori Moore rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: couldn-t-finish

I really tried to like this book, but the truth is- it just went off on a tangent that I couldn't follow. It had a beginning that I was on board with: a character who seemed to be strong.

She seemed self-sufficient [spoiler alert] ... she had become a doctor, had basically raised herself from the age of 7 when it was obvious her single mother could manage the job, and left an overbearing boyfriend to strike it on her own. The shifts of reality versus dreamscapes seemed haunting and fantastic, an...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jan 13, 2013 Vanessa theJeepDiva rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, fantasy, request

If Alice fell down the rabbit hole, Vivian dreamed her way into the dragon world. As a doctor Vivian is someone who relies on science and the tangible. Vivian begins to witness the impossible in the emergency room while she is wide awake. She witness things straight out of nightmares. Soon the impossible takes her away from the conformity she has known and trusted and thrusts her into an entirely different world filled with the unknown.

The unknown world Vivian is thrown into is a dark and scary...more

1 like · like · see review

Feb 10, 2013 Mary rated it 3 of 5 stars

First off, I must say I want a penguin and I'll name him Poe and he'll be super-smart and completely awesome. Secondly, while this book can be quite confusing at times, forcing me to slow down and actually read and absorb every word so I wouldn't get lost (this is definitely not a book to speed-read), it's worth the time and effort. Our intrepid heroine, Vivian, is given a quest by her grandfather and must plunge head-first into a world (worlds, really) that drove her mother insane and killed he...more

like · see review

Jan 24, 2013 Tori [Book Faery] rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2013, reviewed

See this review in it's entirety at:
http://www.book-faery.blogspot.com

Ever read a book that's left you scratching your head, wondering what you just read? BETWEEN is all that, and so much more. I feel like my review is going to sound confused at best. If it does, that is because this book left me so bewildered I still don't understand half of what I read one week later.

It started off well enough. There was an interesting heroine, an interesting back story, and the pacing was nice and even. Then...more See this review in it's entirety at:
http://www.book-faery.blogspot.com

Ever read a book that's left you scratching your head, wondering what you just read? BETWEEN is all that, and so much more. I feel like my review is going to sound confused at best. If it does, that is because this book left me so bewildered I still don't understand half of what I read one week later.

It started off well enough. There was an interesting heroine, an interesting back story, and the pacing was nice and even. Then we meet the hero(?) of the book, and things started to get a little trippy. Instant attraction, whispers of a past together, even though the two never met in that reality. Why wouldn't they have met in the same reality? Well, apparently, there are three different realms in this world: dreaming, waking, and the between. Interesting concept, right?

I remember thinking to myself: wow, this is so unique, what an awesome book! But then we shift. When Vivian comes to understand that she is some sort of Dreamshifter (I think that's what she was called), instead of becoming a badass heroine who takes her powers and destiny into her own hands, she seems to just drift. Vivian is wishy-washy at best. There is nothing about her personality that stood out, and I found myself growing more and more frustrated as things grew more and more confusing.

My biggest issue, however, despite the poor explanations of the different realms and where Vivian was traveling next, was the rape. I'm not sure which realm Vivian was raped in. It wasn't even that descriptive (I would have DNFed if it was), but it did not further the plot in any way. It sort of just happened, and she enters another realm 3/4 of the way into it, feels sore, and that's the end of it. No emotional reaction, no evolution of her as a character.

I am not okay with this, and I cannot figure out why authors think it is okay incorporating such a delicate subject in such tasteless ways that do not further the plot.

To make things worse, when Vivian meets the man who raped her in one world in the Between, he is dominating and arrogant, and you pretty much get the vibe that he will try to rape her again in this world. And how does Vivian react? Well... she doesn't. She just continues drifting, lets him manhandle her, and that's it.

Adding to the confusion of what realm Vivian is in is the addition of the same character, but as different characters. You have the real world versions, then in the Between, you have the "dreaming" versions of these characters. Vivian is confused, and that confusion was amplified for me as I struggled to understand just what was happening.

It's not often that I rate a book with 1 star. Even less that I have such an intense dislike for something I've read. If the rape was not included in this story, it would not have been memorable for me; since it was, I can't help but feel a little angry every time I recall this story.

Final verdict? Avoid this one unless you want to torture yourself trying to figure everything out. And watch out for the rapey scenes.(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Mar 11, 2013 Kristin (MyBookishWays Reviews) rated it 4 of 5 stars

You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2013/03/...

Vivian Maylor is a doctor at Krebston Memorial, a small town hospital, and she’s been happy in her small apartment, away from her mother Isobel and her ex-boyfriend, Jared, who still pursues her. When a young man is brought in with a steadily rising temperature, it’s not immediately clear what’s going on, but when he actually spontaneously combusts, Vivian is stumped. After her shift, weary and confused, but unable to slee...more You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2013/03/...

Vivian Maylor is a doctor at Krebston Memorial, a small town hospital, and she’s been happy in her small apartment, away from her mother Isobel and her ex-boyfriend, Jared, who still pursues her. When a young man is brought in with a steadily rising temperature, it’s not immediately clear what’s going on, but when he actually spontaneously combusts, Vivian is stumped. After her shift, weary and confused, but unable to sleep, Vivian makes her way to the local bookstore that she’s always meant to visit since she moved to Krebston. A to Zee Books is a cozy little place and Vivian instantly feels at home, but when she meets the store’s proprietor, Zee, she’s instantly intrigued. It turns out that Vivian and Zee are connectedin ways Vivian would think impossible, but if she thought spontaneous combustion was odd, Vivian’s life is about to get even stranger.

All her life, Vivian has had the strangest dreams, and sometimes, she even dreams of things before they happen. Her mother, Isobel, is in a care home and is thought to be schizophrenic, but there’s more to her story. Eventually, Vivian learns that the Dreamworld is very real, and so is the Between, the world, appropriately, between the Dreamworld and the Wakeworld (what most people consider reality.) It’s the place that you go to when you’re not really awake and not really asleep. The Dreamworld is firmly in the realm of fantasy, with castles, fierce warriors,a tattered prince, and dragons. Lots of dragons. Dragons are revered, and if a human harms a dragon, even in self-defense, they face death as punishment. When Vivian’s grandfather dies, leaving her clues to her legacy, she travels into the Dreamworld, to a place called Surmise, to face down an evil queen, Jehenna, who may hold the key to Vivian’s past and her future.

When I started Between, I had no idea there would be such strong fantasy elements since the cover is pretty indicative of urban fantasy. That’s ok, though, because while it was unexpected, I rather enjoyed the time that Vivian spent in Surmise. Also, unlike most urban fantasy, Vivian isn’t particularly skilled in fighting, but she can wield a wicked stiletto if need be, and what she lacks in physicality, she makes up for in moxie. When she meets Zee in the beginning, we’re given the impression that romance is almost a certainty, since Zee has dreamed of Vivian all his life, and is already in love with her when they actually meet. However, we only get brief scenes with Zee while Vivian is in Dreamworld. There is a man in Dreamworld that looks like a scarred version of Wakeworld Zee and other characters seem to mirror people in Wakeworld, such as her ex-boyfriend, Jared. Jehenna is a convincingly nasty villain, but strangely enough, I would have liked to have gotten to know her a bit better. Then there are the dragons. Vivian is very closely entwined with the dragons, but the author leaves this revelation until the very end, although she does drop clues throughout the book. Easily, though, one of my favorite parts of this book is Poe, a penguin that accompanies Vivian on her adventure. He’s her dream totem and even though he never speaks, he’s delightful. I didn’t connect with Vivian as much as I would have hoped, and as a reader, felt a bit at arms length amidst the set up of Dreamworld and the dragon mythos. I really do like the concept of this series, however, and will look forward to seeing where the author takes it. All in all, Between is a fun debut, with a unique premise, and leaves plenty of material to mine for future installments. I sense that this series has wonderful potential, if not simply because so much can be done with the worlds that Schafer has begun to build in Between. The writing is very assured for a first novel, and I also get the sense that Kerry Schafer has much more up her sleeve. If you like your urban fantasy shot through with a healthy dose of pure fantasy, give Vivian and Poe (and the dreamworlds within) a shot!(less)

like · see review

Mar 12, 2013 Silver James rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: everyone, but especially fantasy fans

Recommended to Silver by: B.E. Sanderson

Shelves: 2013-books-read, keeper

Between I did not want to start this book. Why? Because I knew once I started reading I would not be able to put it down until I turned the last page. I was sick. I needed sleep, not getting lost in a magical world of dragons, dreamers, and a penguin. As predicted, I was up until dawn reading. Kerry Schafer is a talented writer whose debut novel is original, imaginative, and an utter delight to read. Harrowing at times, translucent in it's beauty at others, this book is a must read for anyone wh...more

like · see review

Feb 25, 2013 Jason rated it 4 of 5 stars

Everything small town ER doc Vivian Maylor believes about what is real and what is only a dream is about to be turned inside out. It all begins with a patient, wounded and burning with an inexplicably fever, babbling about dragons.

Begins? Ah, there's the trouble: Vivian has lived with troubling secrets for a very long time: dreams that seem more solid than the waking world, a mother whose mind has snapped, strange words from her grandfather long ago.

She's about to learn that dreams and what li...more

like · see review

Jan 13, 2013 Amy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Between by Kerry Schafer was my first dip into urban/contemporary fantasy! It was a fast-paced read, an intricate yet understandable story for this newbie. The writing is great, the characters come to life, and the fantasy elements of penguins, dragons, and world in, outside of, and between dreams was fascinating. I loved the real world scenes because they anchored me--it's what I"m used to. They allowed me to get to know the characters and then really care about their adventures, dangers (of wh...more

like · see review

Feb 09, 2013 Barbara rated it 3 of 5 stars

I have mixed feelings about this book. It was unique, almost a fairytale quality about it, but there were times I got lost and would have to backtrack and read to follow whether our heroine was in the between, wakeworld, or dreamworld. Of course, maybe that was intentional, since the line between dreams and waking is kind of like that. The romance was weak, at best, but if it is going to be a series, then that could be to give us time for the relationship to build. It seems like Vivian has alrea...more

like · see review

Jan 30, 2013 Michelle Leah Olson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: pub-arc, literal-addiction-books, reviewed

Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Pack Alpha - Michelle L. Olson:
*ARC received from the Pub in exchange for an honest review

THE BETWEEN is a brand new Urban Fantasy series unlike anything I've read before, & one I will be returning to as soon as I can...

Between is the debut novel of this new series about dream shifter, Vivian, who was kept in the dark about her origins and her past and who has trouble reconciling things because she's a doctor and puts her stock in science and what she can s...more

like · see review

Jan 18, 2013 Kt from A Book Obsession.. rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: received-for-review, hardcopy

Review originally posted on my blog: A Book Obsession..

Going without sleep isn't the smartest choice for an ER doctor, but closing her eyes isn't an option for Vivian Maylor. Whenever she sleeps, the dreaming world starts to seep into her waking one, making horrific things a reality. She's terrified that she's following her insane mother's footsteps. But all of that changes when a patient starts screaming about Dragons and then literally turns to ash before her eyes. She realizes that her dreams...more Review originally posted on my blog: A Book Obsession..

Going without sleep isn't the smartest choice for an ER doctor, but closing her eyes isn't an option for Vivian Maylor. Whenever she sleeps, the dreaming world starts to seep into her waking one, making horrific things a reality. She's terrified that she's following her insane mother's footsteps. But all of that changes when a patient starts screaming about Dragons and then literally turns to ash before her eyes. She realizes that her dreams may actually be a reality, one she may not be able to escape from.

Getting to my style issues that didn't quite jive with BETWEEN: I'm a huge fan of Urban Fantasy, but not so much of pure fantasy. I like a bit of fantasy and paranormal mixed with a modern world in my books rather than a completely made up world. The reasoning behind that is that Urban Fantasies tend to have a good mix of normal and paranormal, whereas in High Fantasy, the world behind the story, and all of its "rules" can become overwhelming. I have to admit that there were several times while reading BETWEEN where I found myself lost in the descriptions or explanations, especially as I started to skim over the lengthy ones. I realize that the description does talk about the Dreamworlds, but I honestly wasn't expecting the very large majority of the book to take place in one of those worlds. I had thought there would have been more of a mix, or some traveling back and forth, rather than Vivian pretty much staying put once she got to this other world. So, I have to admit that I was pretty disappointed once I realize what pattern the book would follow.

Unfortunately, I just couldn't seem to connect with the characters in BETWEEN. Perhaps it's because I was already stumbling over the complicated world, but I just couldn't seem to really get into anything that was happening with the characters. Even worse, there were confusing elements of duplicate characters. Even after finishing this book, I'm still not sure what was going on there as it wasn't really explained at all. In fact, despite my stating about the lengthy descriptions, I still don't have much of a clue about what is really going on with the characters or the world, especially Vivian. She was thrown into this world like a fish out of water. It was sink or swim, and despite the ending I'm honestly not sure which one she did.

This was a very difficult review for me to write, as my issues with the book were more due to a stylistic preference rather than any real fault with the book. These situations are very frustrating for me as I don't want to give a book a poor rating just because it wasn't in my preferred style range, but I also cannot give it a higher rating because that wouldn't be honest. Unfortunately, I was frustrated more than not while reading this book, which just didn't make the book very enjoyable for me, and leaves me with no choice but to give a lower rating. While BETWEEN didn't really work for me, I think there still is a really good framework there, and Fantasy fans should be more than pleased with this new series.
(less)

3 likes · like · see review

Feb 13, 2013 Kelly rated it 2 of 5 stars

I hate to give a DNF review to Between by Kerry Schafer. I love finding new authors to read, the cover art is pretty (check out the subtle scales on her shoulder!), and the premise sounded great. Unfortunately, I only got about halfway through the book before setting it aside.

Schafer’s heroine, Vivian, has always had strange dreams, and now those dreams are affecting reality, for her and everyone around her. She’s an ER doctor, and one of her patients dies after an attack by dragons — dragons th...more I hate to give a DNF review to Between by Kerry Schafer. I love finding new authors to read, the cover art is pretty (check out the subtle scales on her shoulder!), and the premise sounded great. Unfortunately, I only got about halfway through the book before setting it aside.

Schafer’s heroine, Vivian, has always had strange dreams, and now those dreams are affecting reality, for her and everyone around her. She’s an ER doctor, and one of her patients dies after an attack by dragons — dragons that come from the Between, which is the realm that lies between the waking world and the dreaming one.

Meanwhile, her mother (who lost her grip on sanity because she slipped too easily between the worlds) has gone missing from the institution in which she lives, and her grandfather has died and left her some strange objects and cryptic information. And the handsome man she just met seems to know her… from his dreams…

I liked Vivian when she was doing her job at the hospital, but after that I found that she didn’t grab me as a character. Schafer weighs the character down with trauma: she had to raise herself from an early age because of her mother’s mental illness; she has an abusive ex-boyfriend; she is gratuitously raped partway through the book; even the dent in her apartment door is from a previous tenant’s domestic abuse. Everything in Vivian’s life is sad, and this evokes sympathy but can be a bit overwhelming. And it doesn’t make up for other issues with her character; she seems to be pushed along by the plot rather than driving it.

The romance is also lackluster. We are given hints that Vivian and the male lead, Zee, have a romantic relationship in the dream world that will eventually be echoed in the real world too. I felt it was told more than shown, however, and their connection doesn’t really come through the page, especially since they don’t actually spend much “screen time” together. Zee’s chemistry with the villainess, Jehenna, is livelier.

The third and biggest issue is the plot itself. I typed and deleted several attempts to summarize the plot in this review, and I had a great deal of trouble trying to distill it down to a synopsis. It’s meandering and often confusing. Halfway through the book, I don’t feel like I have a grasp yet of the plot’s direction or what Vivian’s and Zee’s eventual goals will be. There’s a lot of chasing and a lot of shifting between worlds, and multiple keys and spheres to keep track of. It’s actually a pretty good approximation of dream logic, so I have to say Schafer did a good job of making the book feel like one of the most surreal dreams you’ve ever had.

However, as a structure for a novel, it didn’t really work for me. I was often confused by, or uninterested in, some of the plotlines and scenes. Finally I lost interest in the novel as a whole, and realized I didn’t want to read any more of Between. That said, the book might click better with a different reader. Kerry Schafer’s prose is well written and her imagination is vast, and I would definitely try anything else she chooses to write.

www.fantasyliterature.com (less)

4 likes · like · see review

Mar 30, 2013 Jenni Ebba rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is a different kind of story. It reminds me a bit of Shiloh Walker's Veil series- a cross between that and Anne Bishop's Ephemera series. Vivian Maylor has grown up rejecting her mother's words as ramblings of a mad woman. That is until the truth of Dreamworld reaches her in the emergency room she works in.
I had to read parts of this story twice, but that's nothing negative on the author. She wrote a convincing and wonderful story. There's some romance thrown in, but I'd rate the novel as...more

like · see review

Jan 30, 2013 Francesca the Fierce ~Eyelet Ecstasy~ rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-2013

This review was posted at Under the Covers

“Oh my! Look at the pretty cover!” Yes, I have the attention span of a kitten sometimes and it takes something like this beautiful cover to catch my eye. And although I think it’s beautiful and eye catching, I think it may be just a tad misleading. First because I thought this was a young adult book (that’s what the cover looks like) and it’s not. Then I’ve seen this book classified as urban fantasy, which technically is, and it really didn’t get there f...more This review was posted at Under the Covers

“Oh my! Look at the pretty cover!” Yes, I have the attention span of a kitten sometimes and it takes something like this beautiful cover to catch my eye. And although I think it’s beautiful and eye catching, I think it may be just a tad misleading. First because I thought this was a young adult book (that’s what the cover looks like) and it’s not. Then I’ve seen this book classified as urban fantasy, which technically is, and it really didn’t get there for me either. So I’m putting this on my Fantasy shelf because it read mostly like a fantasy story.

The premise of this book is extremely interesting. There’s a dreamworld, a wakeworld and the Between. Vivian, our heroine, doesn’t know anything about it or that she has the ability to move between those worlds by having a sphere. And she might be a bit more than that. But all of this doesn’t come into her life until her grandfather dies, leaves her clues as to what she is and what she needs to protect and is chased by a bad guy….errrr girl.

In what most people consider an urban fantasy series, I usually expect to find a strong heroine lead character. One of the things that disappointed me about this story was Vivian. She’s a doctor, so you think she should be smart. But she is the less kick butt heroine I’ve read in a while. She went through this book letting this happen to her (and there were some quite uncomfortable at that). I was hoping that by the middle of the book she would get the hang of things and start understanding what was happening and fighting back, but that really didn’t come until the end.

I guess I shouldn’t ask so much of her. I was quite a bit confused myself by the world jumping we had in the book. The transitions between Dreamworld, Between and Wakeworld were a bit vague and I found it hard to keep up on which world we were in until a little while in. I hate having to re-read paragraphs to figure out what just happened.

Two characters I really loved were Zee (the hero) and Poe (the penguin sidekick). Although I liked Wakeworld Zee the most, and we don’t get to see a lot of him, even his “other” self was a strong hero, willing to die to help Vivian out of the situations she found herself in. And Poe was just funny and cute. I can even give an honorable mention to Jehena, yes the bad girl of the story was pretty kick ass and I might’ve been rooting for her at times.

Another thing I liked about the story was that there are dragons in this world, and they’re not necessarily the hot, good guys. They were mostly trying to eat Vivian. Great twist on a character we often read about in books as the opposite.

That being said, although I think this series has a lot of untouched potential because all the key elements are there and the originality of the story was amazing, I was overall a bit disappointed. This being Kerry’s debut novel, I will probably continue to read the series to see how the author settles into her writing style and develops what could be an interesting series.

*ARC provided by publisher(less)

3 likes · like · see review

Jan 20, 2013 Candace rated it 4 of 5 stars

I will post a full review soon. But I can tell you I really enjoyed this book! While its urban fantasy it has some high fantasy elements (which is my favorite genre). It's a very creative idea, and unlike anything I have read before. While this could have been very confusing strangely enough it wasn't really. I was surprised how well I was able to follow the story even though at one point there was a duplicate of a character. It just worked.
This book definitely has some mature themes and I reco...more

like · see review

title link	preview: Between
avg rating	preview: Between Goodreads rating: 3.38 (120 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15808380-between?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1348243902l/15808380.jpg[/img][/url] [url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15808380-between?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Between by Kerry Schafer[/url]

Between (The Between #1)

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (2)

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About Between

Between (The Between #1)

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topicDiscuss This Book

combineOther Editions (2)

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About Between

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (2)