Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Betwixt

by Melissa Pearl (Goodreads Author)

4.13 of 5 stars 4.13 · rating details · 265 ratings · 96 reviews

Beautiful, wild-child Nicole Tepper is hit by a car and left for dead. But when she wakes the next morning, Nicole finds herself in bed without a scratch. Perhaps she was more intoxicated than usual, as her mother is giving her the silent treatment and her friends are ignoring her as well.

Things take a turn for the weird when Nicole soon discovers she is actually hovering...more

Paperback, 203 pages

Published November 5th 2012 by Createspace

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Best Young Adult Fiction

106th out of 1,449 books — 3,868 voters

YA Paranormal Romance

23rd out of 495 books — 1,002 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 2,281)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Nov 28, 2012 Melissa Pearl rated it 5 of 5 stars · (Review from the author)

It's here. It's finally here!

I feel so privileged to share this book with everybody. It's been an amazing project to work on and it feels SO good to have it out in the world.

My aim for writing this book was to pull a few heart strings, make my readers laugh a little, cry a little and hopefully catch a glimpse of what unconditional love looks like.

I hope you all enjoy Betwixt :)

11 likes · like · see review

Feb 12, 2013 Mary rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Review On Blog: Tumbling In Books

Nicole Tepper is popular, self obsessed and does what it takes to maintain her social status. But she also has a big problem, she's been hit by a car and the impact had thrown her down a hill. When she wakes up, no one can see her nor hear her except for one. It's Dale Finnigan, a guy she humiliated by calling him scarface, a nickname that rapidly spread throughout the entire school! Dale, the one that suppose to hate her ends up being the only one that can hear...more

2 likes · like · see review

Mar 28, 2013 T.G. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Simply brilliant!
Melissa Pearl's Betwixt is an intensely emotional ride. This is a book that will stay on my shelves to be read over and over again.
I loved Nicole, in both her darkness and her joy. And Dale? Oh my...Dale was poor Nicole's saving grace through and through.

4 likes · like · see review

Dec 15, 2012 J.C. Hart rated it 5 of 5 stars

4.5 stars. this book was fabulous, and that's coming from someone who isn't a huge YA fan!! I am, however, a pretty big fan of ghost type stories, of which I think this classifies. There is a lot to love about this one.

Nicole is a truly flawed character, she's self obsessed, she is popular and does what it takes to maintain her social status, the thing is, that doesn't really mesh with what would make her truly happy. And she knows it. I love this internal conflict as I think it's one that just...more

2 likes · like · see review

Dec 03, 2012 ~Tina~ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, for-review, fantasy, e-book, read-2012, young-adult, favorites, to-own-copy

Betwixt is a quick engaging read about a girl named Nicole who was stranded by her boyfriend in the middle of no where and gets hit by a car, leaving her for dead.
Nicole is in between living and dying. While her body is on the forest floor, her mind wanders to her usual life of home and school. But no one can hear her, that is, no one but Dale Finnigan, the guy she humiliated by calling him scarface, a nickname that rapidly spread throughout the entire school. A guy that was suppose to hate her,...more Betwixt is a quick engaging read about a girl named Nicole who was stranded by her boyfriend in the middle of no where and gets hit by a car, leaving her for dead.
Nicole is in between living and dying. While her body is on the forest floor, her mind wanders to her usual life of home and school. But no one can hear her, that is, no one but Dale Finnigan, the guy she humiliated by calling him scarface, a nickname that rapidly spread throughout the entire school. A guy that was suppose to hate her, ends up being the one that can hear Nicole and the only guy that can help. Together they have to quickly find Nicole's body before someone else does and before it's to late.

Color me impressed! I really just loved this book! It's spiritually inspiring, surprisingly touching and beautifully told. I'm always a little skeptical of short reads. I always feel like I need more after finishing the story, but it wasn't like that for this book. It has everything it needs for it to be a fulfilling experience. I honestly can't think of a single element I didn't enjoy.

Nicole Tepper gets the wake-up call of her life. She's the kind of girl that's beautiful and rich and popular. Girls want to be her and guys want to date her. She's your average wild child and brat. Gets what she wants and doesn't care who she hurts in the process. Normally I don't usually find this kind of character likable, but there is more to Nicole, something deeper that makes the reader want to hold on to her just a little bit longer. And when we find out the reason why she is the way she is, it'll change your entire outlook and break your heart at the same time.
But I think it was Dale who owned me. He is instantly easy to like and connect with. He is such good people with such a brilliant heart. He has his own hard past to deal with, but unlike Nicole he chose a positive path instead of the destructive road he was already on. I love his personality, quick wit and determination. The way he goes out of his way to find Nicole was fierce and so dame sweet it hurt. He makes it easy to smile when ever he was in a scene and gave Nicole and the reader the encouragement and hope when the situation felt it's most messy or emotional.
I loved those moments when it was just Nicole and Dale. Their chemistry felt natural even though it should have been complicated. Their banter and fire made me laugh. It added perfectly to the charm and ease of their growing friendship.

Melissa Pearl's writing is simply wonderful. It was easy to get sucked into the story line with it's to-the-point start right up to it's tearful conclusion. While this particular concept isn't anything new, I still adore what Pearl brought into this book. I was constantly curious how things would play out, completely invested with these characters and was fascinated by the entire story line. There was one moment in the very end that had me in tears, it was just so beautifully done and touching. Sincerely a wonderful touch making this experience even greater.

All in all, I thought this was a really great great book and very much worth the read. It's a beautiful thought provoking story balancing the lines of life and living, death and dying, second chances and in the end, finally being able to do it right.

Instant favorite!

This review and more can be seen at; WinterHaven Books!

(less)

4 likes · like · see review

Dec 14, 2012 Juhina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook, review-books

Betwixt is another fantastic novel by Melissa Pearl. I think Melissa Pearl has tackled this sub-genre marvelously. In Betwixt, Nicole was on the receiving end of a hit and run and is thrown down the hill from the impact of the car. When she wakes up she finds out that no one can hear or see her, except for Dale. Dale, the neighbor who she always liked as a friend but couldn't really hang out with because she is at the top of the social ladder and being associated with him is like social suicide....more Betwixt is another fantastic novel by Melissa Pearl. I think Melissa Pearl has tackled this sub-genre marvelously. In Betwixt, Nicole was on the receiving end of a hit and run and is thrown down the hill from the impact of the car. When she wakes up she finds out that no one can hear or see her, except for Dale. Dale, the neighbor who she always liked as a friend but couldn't really hang out with because she is at the top of the social ladder and being associated with him is like social suicide. Therefore Nicole has to battle between having someone hear her and find her and basically her body surviving the crash and her immobility in the middle of nowhere.

This novel was so refreshing. I loved how Melissa Pearl kept this novel as realistically as possible for such a plot. The ending wasn't absurd or out of no where and the mystery of who hit her was actually really well thought out and written. At the beginning I did not like Nicole. She was a typical mean girl who lived by the book of bullies. I did not pity her or care much for her. She was spoilt, careless, an airhead, mean, and just downright infuriating. She thought the whole world loved her but got a reality check when she heard what people were saying about her behind her back. The only person who I liked from the beginning was Dale. Dale is the guy who has always tried to be nice to her but was rewarded the nickname scarface when her friends caught her chatting with him and *gasp* actually enjoying herself.

However bit by bit Nicole finally sees herself for who she truly was and that caused her to re-evaluate her whole life. I love it when characters develop and you actually see it happening and believing in it because a character you hated at the beginning of the story ends up being your favorite towards the end. I really enjoy Melissa Pearl's novels. Every single one that I have read I delved into its world with its characters and plot. Betwixt was no exception. Melissa Pearl is a gifted storyteller and I urge all YA readers to check out Betwixt or any of her other novels!(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Dec 03, 2012 Pyxi rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: amazing-indie-read, books-i-devour

My Review for: Betwixt by Melissa Pearl
My rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Shanna Roberson

*I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. I adored it! But I will be honest with you, it did take me a little while to get into it but once I was in, I never wanted to come back out!

Nicole Tepper is your run of the mill mean girl. You know the type; she’s the girl with the hot jock boyfriend and the group of snide female followers, partying every night. She’s arrogant and entitled;...more My Review for: Betwixt by Melissa Pearl
My rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Shanna Roberson

*I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. I adored it! But I will be honest with you, it did take me a little while to get into it but once I was in, I never wanted to come back out!

Nicole Tepper is your run of the mill mean girl. You know the type; she’s the girl with the hot jock boyfriend and the group of snide female followers, partying every night. She’s arrogant and entitled; feeling her world is perfect. Well, that is until the night someone hit her with their car and left her to die alone in the woods.

Dale Finnigan is not what you would expect. He is quiet and reserved. And with an awful scar marring his handsome face, he isn’t part of Nicky’s crowd. Not even close. The one time he reached out to Nicole, she branded him with a horrible nickname to save face in front of her group of self-absorbed snotty friends. Even though, he sees something in Nicole that is redeemable; he refuses to put his self back out there for her.

That was until tragedy brought them together again. With her life slowly slipping away, she haunts the only person that can hear her spirit, Dale. Will she have enough time to convince this boy she is worth saving before she is gone forever? Will she finally look past the scar and see the amazing person that is Dale? Or will her would-be murderer finish her off before she is found?

Like I said before, it took me a bit to get into Nicole’s story. It was hard to feel sympathy for such a cruel and shallow person. But as the story unfolds, she grew on me. There is a decent person under all the ‘mean girl’ bravado. And the swoon-worthy Dale opens her eyes to the fact her life and friends might not be so perfect after all.

Betwixt is beautifully written and thought provoking in an age where bullying is spreading like an epidemic. Melissa Pearl tells a tale of human nature, cruelty and redemption. I love it. She had me smiling and crying throughout Nicole’s journey. If you haven’t read Betwixt yet, you are missing out on a wonderful YA paranormal. It's brilliant!
(less)

1 like · like · see review

Dec 16, 2012 Atmika rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, 2012, amazing-cover, contemporary, deals-with-death, kindle, romance-love, swoon-worthy-hero, wish-he-was-real, yes-i-cried, young-adult

There are a lot of things that I loved about this book. It made me cry quite a few times. It's a book about second chances, how sometimes when things are at the lowest possible point, we are given a chance to change things, to make a decision, to make it all better. I am an optimist and I love such stories. So it made me happy.

The characters are very well developed. Even the secondary characters have depth and I so love it when an author puts effort into the characters. That's one thing that can...more There are a lot of things that I loved about this book. It made me cry quite a few times. It's a book about second chances, how sometimes when things are at the lowest possible point, we are given a chance to change things, to make a decision, to make it all better. I am an optimist and I love such stories. So it made me happy.

The characters are very well developed. Even the secondary characters have depth and I so love it when an author puts effort into the characters. That's one thing that can make or break a book or me.

Nicki's boyfriend abandoned her on an isolated road when she refused to have sex with him (what a jerk, right?). Later she gets hit by a car and is lying injured and alone in a dark place. Her soul (I think) is free from her body (though she is not dead, yet) and hovers around but nobody can see or hear her. She sees how broken her parents are, how her friends don't really care about her and they all assumes that she has run away. No one is looking for her. But this guy Dale, with whom she was nothing but mean, can actually hear her and he wants to help her. So they start a search to find Nicki's body and find out what happened to her(because Nicki can't remember it very well)

Nicki is an incredibly likeable character. Yes, she was mean to people, she partied, slept around and didn't let anyone in before the accident but she wasn't always like that. Things happened that changed her. She had reasons and I could understand her. This was her way of coping. It pained my heart that she thought she didn't deserve to live. She is not whiny (even though she has every right to be), she made me smile and was just so strong that it was impressive.

Dale is amazing. I freakin' love him. He was just so sweet and nice and loyal and I can just go on and on. I am totally swooning over him. He is genuinely a really nice guy. Dale is one of those characters that make a book better just by being there. He never gave up on Nicki and saw the good in her.
It did bother me a little that he accepted that he could hear Nicki so easily. I would have run in opposite direction shouting, if I were in his situation but maybe Dale is just that good a guy and would help anyone who asked.

"I want to catch you when you fall." He grins.

"And I want to kiss you every day, but not just because I'm saying goodbye."

The plot isn't really new. It's been explored in some movies and books already. But the characters are real and you can empathize with them. Even the boy who caused the accident, you feel pity for him. It's actually applause worthy that every character is so distinct from others. The romance is sweet and progresses well. It has a pretty good pace and you will be rooting for Nicki and Dale to end up together and for Nicki's survival. It's emotional, it's well written. What else can I say? Go and read it.
Also, for every copy of Betwixt sold $1 will be donated to Love146, it gives children, who are caught up difficult situation, a second chance. Now that is just plain awesome.

"I don't know what you think you've done to have the right to talk like that, but whether you like it or not, I'm finding you."

"Sometimes we just have to accept the fact we can't explain everything. Life happens, whether we want it to or not and we don't always have a reason why. Our job is to try and make some good come out of it."(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Nov 13, 2012 Jodie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: love-love-love

Betwixt is a fantastic, sweet and endearing tale of mean girls, friendship and a family ripped apart by heartache. It’s about overcoming what you think you deserve and making changes to become the person deserving.

The synopsis says more than I can, it will get you just as curious as I was to get some answers. The book was a lovely read and had me clinging to the edge of my chair with one hand and my kindle with the other. I needed to know if they would make it in time. I needed to know if Nicole...more

2 likes · like · see review

Dec 08, 2012 Wanda (Good Choice Reading) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, ebook, read-in-2012, reviewed

The concept behind betwixt is very intriguing. I love the idea of having an outter body experience. And even better when the only person that can hear you is the guy that you hurt. But Nicole was very lucky that Dale care for her. Because he was her only hope. I expected Betwixt to be good and that's exactly what it was. Betwixt didn't fail me. As soon as I read the blurb, I knew I had to read it. What's not interesting about a girl who is on the verge of dying and her spirit goes off to find h...more

1 like · like · see review

May 05, 2013 Daniela Restrepo rated it 5 of 5 stars

it was just a very beautiful book.
At first i wasn´t really sure about this book but it kept growing on me, the characters weren´t perfect and i felt like i could relate to them.
I loved how we saw Nicole´s relashionship with Jody, even when it wasn´t much i feel like we got enough to see how deeply she cared abut her and how much it afected her dying. And Dale was just so cute, i really liked that Nicole had noticed him before everything happened and that he wasn´t so perfect either.

1 like · like · see review

Mar 26, 2013 Krystal Marlein rated it 5 of 5 stars

Well what do I say about this story? It's fantastic. It's emotional and touching. It's written so well and flows flawlessly. You can't help but get sucked in and feel every single emotion. If you read this book and don't shed a single tear by the end there is something wrong with you.

1 like · like · see review

Mar 31, 2013 ♥ Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-na, pnr

Mean girl Nicole’s body is lost in the woods, hovering between life and death. But somehow her consciousness or soul finds Dale, the “weirdo” loner she dubbed Scar Face (on account of the huge jagged scar running across his face). For better or worse, he’s her only hope at a second chance in life.

As she travels back and forth, in and out of consciousness, she discovers who her true friends are, what led her on such a destructive mean girl path, and what she may truly want in life, if given a se...more Mean girl Nicole’s body is lost in the woods, hovering between life and death. But somehow her consciousness or soul finds Dale, the “weirdo” loner she dubbed Scar Face (on account of the huge jagged scar running across his face). For better or worse, he’s her only hope at a second chance in life.

As she travels back and forth, in and out of consciousness, she discovers who her true friends are, what led her on such a destructive mean girl path, and what she may truly want in life, if given a second chance. Dale & Nicky work together to find her body before time runs out and she’s gone for good.

I liked how the story started and progressed, although I’d have to say the overall message was borderline preachy. I liked that Nicole faced her past and found the will to fight; also, I appreciated the whole “everything happens for a reason” cliché, but I was a bit perturbed with the religious undertones.

I did enjoy the story, but I felt extremely uncomfortable at times with Dale. Maybe it’s just me but I felt he was a bit self-righteous at times. Or maybe I was just in shock because usually, it’s the “goody good” girls saving the bad boys. Instead, in this story, the “bad boy turned extra good” saves the “troubled, messed up mean girl living an empty, rotten life.” Also, I was kind of embarrassed when he told Nicky that he wanted to hold off on making love until he found his wife. Normally, I’d be supportive of guys with such strong resolve, morals, & respect for women. Yet somehow when it came from Dale, it just sounded condescending? Maybe it was because he was SO judgmental of all the “cool” kids?
**Still, this could just be me being overly sensitive, because he was justified in his judgments. Nicky’s friends AKA the Cool Kids were messed up.

Nicky’s friends and horrible EX bf were such cardboard characters. They were so disgustingly clichéd and I couldn’t help but feel the author sloppily and lazily put these characters together; no spark, no individuality, no dimension – just flat or overly exaggerated. I found their reactions and behaviors to be truly despicable and too coldhearted. It was hard for me to believe these kids were even human!

But in the end, it doesn’t really matter because the plot really revolved around Nicky’s redemption, or second chance in life, and somewhat sweet romance w/ Dale. And because the overall message was so uplifting and positive, I wouldn’t rate this any lower than a 3/5. An entertaining clean read with a positive message. (less)

4 likes · like · see review

Mar 22, 2013 zapkode.marie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read4review, ebooks

{my thoughts} - This book is about a teenage girl named Nicole {Nicky} Tepper. She’s a lost girl just trying to find her way in the real world. She has been through a lot and she has made herself numb to everything around her.

She spends a night out with her friends, she parties and leaves with her boyfriend Trent – they get into a fight over him wanting what she doesn’t want to give. She gets out of his car and he drives off. She is left there on the side of the road walking.

This is when everyth...more

1 like · like · see review

Dec 30, 2012 Preet rated it 4 of 5 stars

Why did I not read this book sooner? This book just had a lot of things I love. I don't even know where to really start...

The main thing I really took note of was how flawed Pearl's characters were. I think that's what really helped connect with them for me. I liked that I went from totally hating someone like Nicole, to really understanding her. Then there's Dale. He's the complete opposite of Nicole in ways, but I love how they made this sort of connection. Both of their backstories were just....more

1 like · like · see review

Dec 17, 2012 Arthistorychick rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Nicky has a few serious problems: she is betwixt this world and the next; the only person who can hear her, one Dale Finnigan, pretty much hates her; her physical body is in a significant amount of pain and fading and; she has no idea where her physical body is actually located. Yeah, this is gonna be easy.

Melissa Pearl delivers a good read and a strong plot filled with likeable and completely unlikeable characters in this quickly-paced young adult novel. Pearl doesn’t waste any time getting the...more Nicky has a few serious problems: she is betwixt this world and the next; the only person who can hear her, one Dale Finnigan, pretty much hates her; her physical body is in a significant amount of pain and fading and; she has no idea where her physical body is actually located. Yeah, this is gonna be easy.

Melissa Pearl delivers a good read and a strong plot filled with likeable and completely unlikeable characters in this quickly-paced young adult novel. Pearl doesn’t waste any time getting the plot moving and within the first chapter Nicky finds herself on a dark country road trying to make her way back home from an unhappy date. While this predicament sucks, it is immeasurably better than what comes next that is, being plowed by a swerving vehicle which sends her flying over a guardrail and into a ditch where no one can see her. The next morning Nicky wakes in her bed with funky hair, dressed in her date clothes, and little to no memory of how she got home the night before. Typical.

Unfortunately, Nicky is a bit dense and it takes her making it through nearly half of the school day before she finally figures out her “friends” and parents aren’t ignoring her, they just can’t see her newly incorporeal from. Let the full-on freak out begin. As Nicky is wandering through the school she catches her tool of a boyfriend making out with another girl and finds her loser friends taking bets and posting Twitter polls about her status as either dead or a runaway. Nicky eventually makes her way to the library where she sees Dale Finnigan, a boy she once thought for sure she could really like if he were only cool enough for her friends to accept. Since that was never going to happen, Nicky turned on Dale and made sure he never put himself in her line of fire again. As they say, karma is a b*tch and it turns out Dale is the only person on earth who can hear Nicky.

For three days Dale does everything possible to help Nicky not only remain calm but find her location so her physical body can be rescued before she actually dies. These three days are some of the most revealing and turbulent of Nicky and Dale’s young lives as they have to learn to trust one another in order to achieve their goal. For Dale this means telling Nicky his secret and for Nicky it means learning to accept that even she, as wretched as she has been for the past two years, deserves a second chance. Depending on her mood, Nicky is either completely worthless or wildly determined – the former is rather tiring and the latter is rather humorous from time to time.

As if Nicky and Dale’s task weren’t already daunting enough let’s add to it the fact that someone else is looking for her body and willing to bury it, dead or alive in order to protect the driver of the car that hit her. Oh balls, really? Really! As Nicky and Dale put all the pieces together the clock on Nicky’s life is winding down and neither is willing to give up on the other. The last several chapters of Betwixt are nerve-wracking and dramatic but so worth the wait. For Nicky and Dale all of their dirty little secrets have been revealed and all that remains is for the two of them to find their way to one another in the real world as they have while Nicky was betwixt and between. For Dale this means allowing Nicky to find the courage to forgive herself and come to him and for Nicky this means confronting those who helped get her into her horrid mess in the first place. Nicky’s moment in the hospital when she goes off on her “friends” is by far one of the most satisfying of the novel.

The bottom line: While I wasn’t blown away by Betwixt I did enjoy the read. I like the development of the characters and seeing two somewhat troubled and lonely kids come to grips with their respective pasts in order to find true friendship with one another. The plot moves quickly with no major issues or questions left unresolved at the end. I can absolutely see this story appealing to a young adult audience but it may fall a bit flat for older audiences.
(less)

1 like · like · see review

Dec 13, 2012 Erin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-favorites

Oh this was such an addicting, suspense-filled read!! I picked up Betwixt because I needed a quick change of pace for my reading this week, and this was the perfect choice!
***************4.5 stars!!****************
Betwixt is part psychological suspense and part YA romance, with a little ghost action thrown in the mix! Nicole is a girl broken by the guilt from a traumatic event in her past, and lives her life avoiding emotions and attachments as much as possible. Surrounded by friends who deep d...more Oh this was such an addicting, suspense-filled read!! I picked up Betwixt because I needed a quick change of pace for my reading this week, and this was the perfect choice!
***************4.5 stars!!****************
Betwixt is part psychological suspense and part YA romance, with a little ghost action thrown in the mix! Nicole is a girl broken by the guilt from a traumatic event in her past, and lives her life avoiding emotions and attachments as much as possible. Surrounded by friends who deep down couldn't care less about her, it's no surprise when her boyfriend drives off and leaves her in the middle of nowhere after an argument. Scared and lost, Nicole isn't prepared when a vehicle runs off the road and sends her careening down an embankment. But when she suddenly finds herself back at home with no memory of the night before, and no one can see or hear her, she realizes she never made it home that night. She's stuck between life and death, her body lost somewhere in the wilderness with little time to survive. Fate has a sense of humor, though, because it turns out the one person that can hear her is none other than Dale Finnigan, the boy who she showed the extent of her cruelty to not long ago. It's up to Dale whether or not Nicole's body is found, and I loved that she has to eat crow to convince him to help her!!

Nicole was not a lovable character for the first part of this story, in fact at times I found her entirely self-absorbed and lacking any empathy whatsoever. I cringed at some of the comments she made to Dale, who's scarred face has become the joke of their high school thanks to her calling him Scarface. But thankfully he takes it all in stride and is a bigger person, and it makes Nicole realize how truly awful she'd been. I gave her some leeway because of her past, because she did experience something awful (though the situation had resulted because of her selfishness). Her cold and thoughtless demeanor were her way of dealing with it, and when Dale started to open her eyes to what a waste her life was I was cheering him on!! He truly was just what she needed, and the feelings that grow between them as he helps her sort out what happened to her and how they will save her were really sweet.

There was a lot of suspense leading up to the end, and I was at the edge of my seat as it all played out. Dale and Nicole are down to the wire and danger closes in, and I was holding my breath waiting to see if they'd make it through and what would happen to their relationship if they did. I love the way everything wrapped up, though, and it was the perfect ending! Melissa Pearl definitely impressed me with this story, and I look forward to getting my hands on more of her work in the future!!(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Dec 03, 2012 Michelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: review-on-blog, kindle, favorites

Melissa Pearl is an author that I have read a few books from now, and I am happy to say that I think I like each one of her books more and more. If you have not read anything from her yet, you need to check her out because she is an awesome writer. I absolutely loved Betwixt. I wish it was a series or that we would get a little novella to check in on the characters because I wasn't ready to leave them when I finished the book. I had already fallen in love with them by that point.

I think my secr...more

2 likes · like · see review

Dec 02, 2012 Tammi rated it 4 of 5 stars

How would you react if the only person who could help you was someone who you publicly shamed? That is what happened to Nicole. She is one of the popular girls at school who is dating Trent, another popular person. Trent, Nicole and some of her friends were having a “study group” and afterwards, Trent and she left. It ended up with Nicole walking home on an unfamiliar road when all of a sudden she is hit by a car and left for dead. Trent, Nicole and some of her friends were having a “study group...more How would you react if the only person who could help you was someone who you publicly shamed? That is what happened to Nicole. She is one of the popular girls at school who is dating Trent, another popular person. Trent, Nicole and some of her friends were having a “study group” and afterwards, Trent and she left. It ended up with Nicole walking home on an unfamiliar road when all of a sudden she is hit by a car and left for dead. Trent, Nicole and some of her friends were having a “study group” and afterwards, Trent and she left. It ended up with Nicole walking home on an unfamiliar road when all of a sudden she is hit by a car and left for dead.

Nicole had been drinking before all of this happened, so when she woke up the next morning in her bed without a memory of the night before; she didn’t think too much of it; that is until everyone started ignoring her. She eventually figures out that they cannot see her after flashing between her body lying in the ditch and her “spirit” in the school. Nicole realizes that she is still alive and needs someone to help find her body before she dies. The only problem, nobody can see or hear her…except Dale Finnigan, the one guy who hates her because she called him a name that everyone would soon know him by.

On top of all this, the person who hit her with the car is searching for her body to cover up their crime. Will Nicole find her body and be rescued? Is Dale going to help her after the shame that she put him through? Who is the person that hit her with the car?

When I first started reading this book, I wasn’t that interested. Nicole sounded like a whiny teenager who liked to get into trouble and do things her way. Yes, she had some traumatic events happened that caused her to be that way, but still. After reading about the accident and the things that transpired afterward, I became involved in this story. I had to figure out what was going to happen to Nicole and see if this experience would change her. I like YA books that make you think and this one did just that. I highly recommend this book.
(less)

1 like · like · see review

Nov 25, 2012 Julie added it

Ebook: Betwixt

Author: Melissa Pearl

Fiction, Paranormal,

This review may contain spoilers

I was given this ARC by the author for an honest review

Summary: Beautiful, wild-chid Nicole Tepper is hit by a car and left for dead. But when she wakes the next
morning, Nicole finds herself in bed without a scratch. Perhaps she was more intoxicated than usual, as her mother is giving her the silent treatment and her friends are ignoring her as well.
Things take a turn for the weird when Nicole soon discovers...more Ebook: Betwixt

Author: Melissa Pearl

Fiction, Paranormal,

This review may contain spoilers

I was given this ARC by the author for an honest review

Summary: Beautiful, wild-chid Nicole Tepper is hit by a car and left for dead. But when she wakes the next
morning, Nicole finds herself in bed without a scratch. Perhaps she was more intoxicated than usual, as her mother is giving her the silent treatment and her friends are ignoring her as well.
Things take a turn for the weird when Nicole soon discovers she is actually hovering between life and death. Her body is lying in the forest while her spirit is searching for anyone who can hear her. Unfortunately the only person who can is Dale Finnigan, the guy she publicly humiliated with a sharp-tongued insult that has left him branded.
Desperate, Nicole has no choice but to haunt Dale and convince the freaked-out senior to help her. Will he find her body before it's too late? Or will the guy who tried to kill her with his car, beat him there and finish her off before anyone finds out?

The Review
Wow, I am in awe of Melissa Pearl right now, this story is beyond words, it has got to be my favourite read of 2012, I was so engrossed in the book, I literally never put it down, I really don’t do ghosty stories but hell I loved this storyline, it was different, unusual, I have never come across a storyline like it before, The fact that Nicole could only be heard by Dale was just perfect, he has had troubles of his own, so for him to do something good was brilliant and a perfect way to prove himself to anyone else in the town, especially the sheriff, for her to be between death & life and Dale is the only one who can hear her is just brilliant especially as she was mean to him earlier, he still really liked her, because he knows that isn’t the real Nicole, she isn’t really that nasty, something made her that way and it’s lucky that he does think that, I adored that Nicole gets to meet her sister again, even if it was just a brief meeting, at least she got to say Sorry, I hope we all get that chance to apologise to someone we did wrong to in the afterlife, I laughed and I cried, I love that in a book, I am glad that Nicole sees the error of her ways, I felt Sorry for Adam, can’t say anymore as it would give too much away, I can’t wait for this book to come out in print, I will be getting myself a copy as I have a fave shelf which houses my favourite reads and this is definitely going on it, I can only give 5/5 even though I really wanted to give it more, highly recommend to everyone.
(less)

1 like · like · see review

Nov 21, 2012 Jeff LaFerney rated it 5 of 5 stars

Every once in a while I come across a book that affects me personally. Betwixt is one of those books. I didn't have the time to just sit and consume this book, I had to feed on it with small bites over nearly two weeks, and I found that I was thinking about it all the time. I wanted to get back to it to read more, and my mind worked overtime even while I was reading it. I found myself not liking Nicole, and then liking her oh so much. I found myself obsessed with her problems and worried for her...more

3 likes · like · see review

Nov 20, 2012 Elle (Ligia) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, favorites, own-ebook, oh-my-heart, read-in-2012, reviewed, romance, stand-alone, ghosts, fantasy

*Swoooooooon*
I’m still in cloud nine, people! So beware because this review might not be what to expect.

Okay, I’m just kidding. But I thought I should mention that reviewing after just finishing a book isn’t always a good idea, because like I just said I’m still flying with it. It was freaking awesome, and I’m trying to contain myself.

Nicole Tepper is the popular girl. The girl everyone likes, the girl every guy wants to “date.” Nicole is a mean girl. In blood and flesh. And she acts her role li...more

2 likes · like · see review

Nov 06, 2012 Books rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

What a book! I read “Betwixt” in one sitting. When Nicole, the main character, leaves her body after she had been hit by a car, she becomes the proverbial fly on the wall. Not only does she discover some upsetting truths about her cool, wild friends, but she also realizes that things in her own home are not at all what she thought them to be. Dale Finnigan, whom she had nastily labeled Scarface, appears to be the only one who can hear and possibly help her; a fact that forces her to reconsider h...more

2 likes · like · see review

Nov 30, 2012 Jacek rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: best-hero, favorites

4.5 stars.
One of the best contemporary books I've read this year. The plot is original and different, will keep you interested and flipping the page. And Dale's AMAZING. Really, he's definitely a book boyfriend, caring (but not overly sweet) and charming.

1 like · like · see review

Apr 18, 2013 Jayde (Jayde's Book Reviews) rated it 5 of 5 stars

5 stars.
Really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone. i was surprised by who it was and loved the ending. was glad Nicole didn't go back to her "friends". look forward to reading other books by Melissa Pearl.

1 like · like · see review

Dec 07, 2012 Sana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012, sarc-2012

Even though Betwixt is little over 200 pages long, it managed to stir up some very intense emotions inside me. The story begins when Nicole was out partying as usual but then things turned from bad to worse when her boyfriend Trent leaves her stranded in the middle of nowhere. More annoyed than frightened, she starts walking down the road cursing, gets hit by a car and wakes up invisible to everyone but Dale Finnegan. With no memory of what happened last night, Nicole really thinks she is doomed...more Even though Betwixt is little over 200 pages long, it managed to stir up some very intense emotions inside me. The story begins when Nicole was out partying as usual but then things turned from bad to worse when her boyfriend Trent leaves her stranded in the middle of nowhere. More annoyed than frightened, she starts walking down the road cursing, gets hit by a car and wakes up invisible to everyone but Dale Finnegan. With no memory of what happened last night, Nicole really thinks she is doomed.

On the surface, Nicole seems like the run of the mill popular, mean girl in high school who spend her days partying and staying out late at nights. She has almost convinced herself of the persona she adopted ever since Jody. The tree that Nicole tried to avoid looking at in order to forget the pain of what happened. To be mean and rude so people end up hating her which is so much easier than letting them see the damage in her.

There are little revelations along the way, as the discovery for Nicole's body continues with Dale's help. Being invisible to everyone except Dale, Nicole gets to see the true face of all the people in her life. When the initial shock wears off and search efforts go futile, Nicole gets the overwhelming feeling of deserving to die. To never be found. But it's more about the journey of getting to her body than the destination. Especially when she drifts inside her body from time to time and the unbearable pain makes her realize the grave situation she is. She might just die if no one finds her in time.

Dale is a unique character in the book, he has an easygoing aura around him and the fact that it's difficult for something to get to him. He might just have a scar running down one side of his face but he feels more proud of it than ashamed. No one know how he got it. He attempted to talk to Nicole before but she more than harsh with her and he finally had to let go. So when he comes across Nicole's voice in school, despite being wary of her he decides to help her.

For all the time Nicole spends with Dale, she actually likes it but is afraid to admit so. Saddened by her parents initial reaction of her running away, Nicole goes through strong emotions when her parents consider the graveness of the situation as days pass. Dale and Nicole try to locate her body and find themselves more times at a standstill than they'd have preferred. However, when Nicole catches two people trying to find her body to bury her, things starts looking up.

The time Nicole and Dale spend together, confiding in each other and just being together is beautiful. When Nicole gets to look at her life from the outside, she realizes how empty it really has been. And she knows why. It's heartbreaking and gut-wrenching when her parents finally realizes that Nicole is worse off then they'd believe. What pulled them apart is part of the mystery and same goes for Dale and his headfirst approach towards life.

Betwixt is an engaging story of the time Nicole spends in between the state of living and dead. Will she survive and whether she would amend her falling out with her parents is an engrossing discovery. Betwixt is a thought-provoking book which jolts the reader's mind to question the existence and why do we choose what we choose. As the book neared its end, I wanted Nicole to have the power to survive and come out a stronger and better person than ever. Melissa Pearl has written a beautiful story of not just surviving life but living it to the fullest.(less)

3 likes · like · see review

Nov 30, 2012 Carrie Ardoin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, tour

3.5 STARS

Nicole has been hanging out with the wrong crowd for the past couple of years, giving herself a bad reputation. One night she is walking home when she is struck my a car and left on the side of the road to die. Unfortunately, because of who she is and the things she had done before, her friends and family think she has just run away for good.

While Nicole's body lies in the forest, her consciousness can still move around, ghostlike. The only person that can hear her pleas for help is Dal...more 3.5 STARS

Nicole has been hanging out with the wrong crowd for the past couple of years, giving herself a bad reputation. One night she is walking home when she is struck my a car and left on the side of the road to die. Unfortunately, because of who she is and the things she had done before, her friends and family think she has just run away for good.

While Nicole's body lies in the forest, her consciousness can still move around, ghostlike. The only person that can hear her pleas for help is Dale Finnigan, the scarred boy she makes fun of. But she has to take help where she can get it, and so Dale begins to investigate just what happened to Nicole so he can try to find her. By working together, they discover that the ideas they had about each other before, couldn't be further from the truth.

Almost as soon as I started reading this book, I noticed the plot was very similar to a movie that came out several years ago, The Invisible. But, that's OK, right, since nothing is ever completely original anymore. Nevertheless, I tried to enjoy the story but had some problems with it.

Nicole has been on a self destructive path ever since the loss of her sister. She goes out, gets drunk, hooks up with guys, and hangs out with friends who really couldn't care less about her. She's also very mean and snarky to anyone who is not in her circle. So even though she knows Dale is a super sweet guy and they have a lot in common, she still insults him in front of her friends. I really didn't like her too much, at least in the beginning.

Dale is really awesome and way more forgiving towards Nicole than I would have been. They both have had to deal with their share of grief, one thing that bonds them together strongly. Needless to say, it's still rather awkward when the one guy that can save Nicole's life is the one who she's been vicious towards.

Now, I know this is a book, and I've never had to be in this unlikely situation. But if I were Nicole, I would be bothering Dale DAY AND NIGHT until he found me. No way in HELL I would have been sitting around watching him write his novel and eat dinner with his parents and such while I was slowly dying! I think it took 2 days and 2 days of her laying in the cold forest until she was found? Good thing the story is set in California..anywhere else and she'd have died, quickly.

Anyway, the things I really did like about this book were the family dynamics. Nicole's relationship with her mom and dad was forever changed by her sister's death, and so was her parents' marriage, for that matter. After Nicole is missing too, the whole family realizes the way they've been living and the need to change.

I believe a major theme of the novel is second chances...both giving them to others, and realizing you may need to give yourself one, as well. (less)

1 like · like · see review

Nov 20, 2012 Asteropê rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, romance-romantica, scarred-tortured-disability-etc, supernatural-paranormal-urbanfan, young-adult, ghost-afterlife-spirit-medium

The premise made me think of the movie The Invisible -- left for dead, in limbo, needing to get to body, shitty relationship with family, parties, only one person can communicate with (and only by hearing), etc. For more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Invi...

That being said, this book was better than the movie and while I saw those similarities, they are quite different. I enjoyed the book and read it in one setting. I really liked Dale and the message of the story was a good one. Second Chan...more

1 like · like · see review

Nov 06, 2012 D. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: absolutely-love

Dual Review from Derinda & Jodie

This book was so sensitive and so beautiful at the same time. Jodie and I wanted to offer you a
review together.

Against bullies. This is what first enter my mind! I fully think this should be in the hands of everyone. We totally agree that Melissa Pearl is simply brilliant and creative.The compassion and emotion
shows through her writing throughout this entire book!

Derinda, I personally think Betwixt is a fantastic, sweet and endearing tale of mean girls, fr...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 22, 2013 Karen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Melissa Pearl is truly proving herself to be a wonderful young adult writer. Having recently read Black Blood, and working my way through Pure Blood, I wondered what her other stories would be like. And they are not the same.

Betwixt is really a story about forgiveness. Forgiving yourself and forgiving others. Sometimes it isn’t easy to do.

Nicole is one of the popular girls, but she has a secret, something tragic happened to her sister, and she witnessed it. It is something that she hides within...more

1 like · like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 76 77 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend it | Stats | Recent status updates

combine
Other Editions (1)

Videos About This Book

Add a comment

Genres

Young Adult

30 users

Fantasy > Paranormal

14 users

Fantasy

14 users

Romance

12 users

Contemporary

10 users

Paranormal > Ghosts

8 users

Death

4 users

Romance > Paranormal Romance

3 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

Reaping Me Softly
by Kate Evangelista
The Assembly Room
by Bryony Allen
Tokyo Hearts
by Renae Lucas-Hall
My Beautiful Failure
by Janet Ruth Young
Awaken
by Sarah M. Ross

About Melissa Pearl

Melissa Pearl was born in Auckland, New Zealand, but has spent much of her life abroad, living in countries such as Jordan, Cyprus and Pakistan... not to mention a nine month road trip around North America with her husband. "Best. Year. Ever!!" She now lives in China with her husband and two sons. She is a trained elementary teacher, but writing is her passion. Since becoming a full time mother sh...more

More about Melissa Pearl...

Books by Melissa Pearl

A Taste Test: YA Paranormal and Contemporary Romance Sampler 2012

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Betwixt

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

Quotes from Betwixt

“Sometimes we just have to accept the fact we can't explain everything. Life happens, whether we want it to or not and we don't always have a reason why. Our job is to try and make some good come out of it.” — 9 people liked it

“And I want to kiss you every day, but not just because I'm saying goodbye.” — 6 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: Betwixt
avg rating	preview: Betwixt Goodreads rating: 4.13 (265 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15840340-betwixt?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1357650579l/15840340.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15840340-betwixt?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Betwixt by Melissa Pearl[/url]

Betwixt

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website