Review: The Beautiful Between

The Beautiful Between by Alyssa B. Sheinmel

Summary: If high school were a fairy-tale kingdom, Connelly Sternin would be Rapunzel, locked not in a tower by a wicked witch but in a high-rise apartment building by the SATs and college applications—and by the secrets she keeps. Connelly’s few friends think that her parents are divorced—but they’re not. Connelly’s father died when she was two, and she doesn’t know how.

If Connelly is the Rapunzel of her school, Jeremy Cole is the crown prince, son of a great and rich New York City family. So when he sits down next to her at lunch one day, Connelly couldn’t be more surprised. But Jeremy has a tragic secret of his own, and Connelly is the only one he can turn to for help. Together they form a council of two, helping each other with their homework and sharing secrets. As the pair’s friendship grows, Connelly learns that it’s the truth, not the secrets, that one must guard and protect. And that between friends, the truth, however harsh, is also beautiful.

This lovely and memorable debut by Alyssa B. Sheinmel contains many of the hallmark themes found in young adult literature—friendship, coming of age, finding a place to belong, and overcoming the death of a loved one. Emotionally moving from start to finish, The Beautiful Between introduces a strong new voice to the genre, a voice with a long future ahead of it

My Thoughts: What a great book! It’s not one of the best I’ve read recently, but it’s high on the list. My absolute FAVORITE thing about this book was the ongoing metaphor of the fairy-tale kingdom. LOVE how that was used. And, best of all, it’s maintained throughout the story! I thought that was pretty cool, as many times those metaphors are not so well incorporated into an entire book. Plus, I suspect that I’m somewhat like Connelly in that I was a big daydreamer when I was her age. And, really, she’s so right about how things work in high school compared to how they work in a fairy-tale kingdom. At least, it meshes with my experiences.

So, why not five stars? It didn’t shock my socks off. It was good – good enough that I was able to read it in less than 24 hours (with brakes for things like sleeping, eating, caring for my children, etc.). Plus, the “big secret” was somewhat predictable.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and was glad to get to read it. I would recommend this to someone wanting a light, easy, quick read. And I would probably read this again, if given the chance.

My Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Source: Received through Around The World Tours for review.

Read It: Get your own copy HERE. (This is an Amazon link, and purchase through this link will result in my receiving a small commission. Your support is appreciated!)

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FTC Disclosure: All items reviewed were either obtained by me for my own enjoyment or sent (from the author, publisher, publicist, via tour sites, etc.) in exchange for an honest review. I receive no monetary compensation for my posts. All opinions expressed are my own.

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