Soul Searching: Inbetween

Inbetween by Tara Fuller
Entangled Teen, 2012

*Copy provided by publisher via NetGalley*

Ever since she was in a car crash two years ago that resulted in the death of her father, Emma has been a magnet for accidents, each of which come closer and closer to claiming her life. But Finn, a reaper who has been sent to collect her soul not once but twice, refuses to collect this time and devotes himself to keeping her alive. The two of them falling in love isn't just against the rules, but Finn is willing to do whatever it takes to keep Emma alive, battling the evil he accidentally unleashed on her life and willing to sacrifice the only thing he has left - his soul.

I've always been interested in books that explore 'what happens after we die' questions, so naturally this book was right up my alley. At first I found myself a bit frustrated - Fuller takes her time letting readers in onto the intricacies of what exactly Finn and Emma's situations are and how the business of souls, life, and death all work. I'm a reader who likes knowing more of the basics earlier on so I can then build off of that. However, as I kept going with the story, I can absolutely see why Fuller keeps you in the dark. For one piece of information in particular, it just makes its reveal that much more powerful.

Emma and Finn are both interesting characters facing unimaginable circumstances. Fuller did a really great job thinking about each of them in multiple dimensions, and her transitions between the chapters told from Finn's perspective and Emma's are seamless, allowing for you to see how each of them are dealing with this battle that goes beyond the usual stakes. I would have liked to see equal depth given to the secondary characters, but hopefully that will come with the next installment of the series.

Overall, I thought the story was okay. It was a quick read with an interesting premise, and I see this series as having potential. I wasn't blown away, but I could also see myself checking into book two eventually after it comes out and seeing what happens to Emma and Finn next.

Comments welcome, and, as always, happy reading.

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