Series: Between the Lines #1
Author: Jodi Picoult & Samantha Van Leer
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: June 26, 2012
Source: Gifted. Thank you!
Delilah is a bit of a loner who prefers spending her time in the school library with her head in a book—one book in particular. Between the Lines may be a fairy tale, but it feels real. Prince Oliver is brave, adventurous, and loving. He really speaks to Delilah.
And then one day Oliver actually speaks to her. Turns out, Oliver is more than a one-dimensional storybook prince. He’s a restless teen who feels trapped by his literary existence and hates that his entire life is predetermined. He’s sure there’s more for him out there in the real world, and Delilah might just be his key to freedom.
A romantic and charming story, this companion novel to Off the Page will make every reader believe in the fantastical power of fairy tales.
Find Between the Lines online
You guys, it took me years to read this book. Well, not actually but it felt like it. I've been reading this book since the beginning of the year, at the very least. I don't know why it took me so long to finish it honestly. I mean, it wasn't a bad book. Not my favorite but I still loved the concept and the overall feel of the book. But this was just sort of . . . meh for me.
I really wanted to love this book. The concept is ever book lovers dream. A beloved character turns out to be real and you help them to escape the book to live with you? Uh, yes, please, sign me up for that. However, I found the story came off kind of flat for me. Maybe it was the plot or the characters, but I found I couldn't sink into the story and world like I wanted to.
Delilah was an okay character but I found her lacking at times. She didn't feel fully developed. I really can't tell you much about her except that she loves reading and is a loner. And if that doesn't describe 70% of all YA heroines, well . . .
Oliver was similar, unfortunately. Though he had a bit more depth, I found myself annoyed with his insta-love with Delilah. Like, I get it's a great and unusual situation but I just wish there had been more development in their relationship. It seemed like they talked one time and then Oliver was professing his love and talking about all these characteristics of Delilah he adored that we never really experienced as a reader.
Like their relationship, the ending also felt rushed. Everything wrapped up in about two pages. It was kind of frustrating and not very satisfying, especially since I'd taken a while to read the book. I was hoping for something more concrete. I would have loved an extra ten or so pages to kind of see how everything resolved. Of course, there's a second book (which I own and plan to read) but still.
Between the Lines was a book with a lot of promise but one that ultimately fell flat for me. There were so many amazing sounding elements to it but I couldn't sink into the story like I wanted to. That's not to say that there weren't some enjoyable parts. I do plan to read the second book but I think I'll take a break before diving into it.
“The act of reading is a partnership. The author builds a house, but the reader makes it a home.”
Three Teapots
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