Inbetween

By Tara Fuller

Since the car crash that took her father’s life three years ago, Emma’s life has been a freaky—and unending—lesson in caution. Surviving “accidents” has taken priority over being a normal seventeen-year-old, so Emma spends her days taking pictures of life instead of living it. Falling in love with a boy was never part of the plan. Falling for a reaper who makes her chest ache and her head spin? Not an option.

It’s not easy being dead, especially for a reaper in love with a girl fate has put on his list not once, but twice. Finn’s fellow reapers give him hell about spending time with Emma, but Finn couldn’t let her die before, and he’s not about to let her die now. He will protect the girl he loves from the evil he accidentally unleashed, even if it means sacrificing the only thing he has left…his soul.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Publishers
• Release date: Aug 28, 2012
• ISBN: 9781620610848

Book preview

For Heather Howland, who makes dreams come true.

This book would not be without you.

Prologue

Finn

Two Years Earlier

Tell me again. How did you miss the mark? I shoved my hands in my pockets and pressed my lips together to keep from grinning. I swear, Anaya, this is the last time I follow one of you Heaven reapers anywhere.

Anaya and I walked down a two-lane strip of asphalt that glistened with puddles of leftover rain. Somewhere in the distance, a second round of clouds let out a hungry rumble. Anaya silently kept pace beside me, the gold band around her biceps glinting with each feather-soft footstep.

She turned her nose up into the air. I never miss a mark.

Then would you mind explaining why I’m walking up a mountain to get to our reap? We could’ve just flashed there.

She squinted at her surroundings, hesitating. I knew we were close, but it was way too fun messing with her to let this one go. It’s okay to admit you’re losing your touch, I said. I’d be happy to take the lead on this one.

Anaya held up her hand, ignoring me. Do you hear that?

I stopped, listening to the mangled wail of a horn in the distance. As if pulled in by the sound, a black blur, like a cloud of ink, whipped past us before disappearing around the bend.

Shadows. Scavengers from the outskirts of Hell. Souls that weren’t chosen to start again, had escaped their reaper, or hadn’t earned their way into Heaven, so they’d been left to decay and rot. They were soulless beings that craved the scent of death. The taste of a soul.

I hated them. But I hated the memories they brought back even more.

Every shadow that blurred across my vision was a cold reminder of Allison, the love of my afterlife. What I’d done to her. What I’d almost let her become. Her name tumbling around in my skull made my chest ache.

But I couldn’t change it. I’d never be able to change it. I’d pushed her into a world where we’d never be together again and nearly gotten myself banished to Hell in the process. The shadows would never let me forget it. After fifteen years of penance, Balthazar wasn’t likely to let me forget it either. A sick feeling started to brew in my gut, so I shook it off and watched another black blur zip past us. At least they always led us to our targets.

See. Anaya smiled and skipped ahead. We’re here.

Sure enough, around the last bend, a candy-apple-red Camaro lay upside down, crumpled like a discarded Coke can at the tree line. The horn blared, the sound careering off the rock wall and slamming back into the cliffside forest where it splintered into a thousand echoes between the branches. If I had to guess, the car had taken a similar journey. A ringlet of white smoke seeped from under the ruined hood and twirled up into the air.

Looks like we have a winner. Anaya pulled her pearl-handled scythe from the leather belt she wore around her white dress, and twirled it in her hand. The twelve-inch blade, with its efficient, palm-sized handle, gleamed like it had never been used.

I glanced down at my sad excuse for a scythe with its plain iron handle and dingy blade. Heaven’s reapers got all the perks. I may have been a slave to the Inbetween, but I was still a reaper, for God’s sake. We were supposed to be the stuff of nightmare and legend. You’d think they’d at least give me a decent scythe. Hey, what do you think the chances are of me scoring one of those?

Keep dreaming, Finn.

I stopped, leaving a few feet of distance between the car and me. Whoever was in there wasn’t ready for me. Not yet. A slow warmth, an ache, spread through my chest, and drove sparks through my veins. Not the impatient icy burn I would have expected from a reap at all.

That…was different.

Anaya strolled past me, the shimmery brown plaits that hung down to her waist swaying behind her. Look at the bright side, she said. At least they did away with those awful cloaks.

She gripped the scythe and looked to the heavens. Her lips moved around the words to a prayer, one she’d never let me hear. Then, with a graceful sweeping motion, the blade of her scythe sliced through the car. She tugged once, twice, and yanked her glittery prize from the wreckage. Anaya shoved her scythe back into the leather belt at her hip and pulled the man to his feet. The shadows were on him in an instant, hissing and swirling like smoke around his legs and waist, just waiting for us to make a mistake. They were desperate. Hungry. Of course, their reaction wasn’t really a surprise. Balthazar had loaded the territories with reapers, cutting off their food supply—souls rarely slipped through the cracks anymore.

Anaya turned around, tucking the soul behind her, and swung out her scythe. The shadows shrank back before dissolving into an oily spot on the pavement. She scowled and shoved her scythe back in its holster. Vermin.

Vermin. I’d almost doomed Allison to be vermin. I couldn’t look away from the dark spot on the pavement.

Emma? The soul babbled, rubbing his head. His eyes swam dizzily in his skull as he tried to regain his bearings. Emma. You have to help Emma. Have you called an ambulance?

I closed my eyes, trying to block him out. I didn’t want to know her name.

It’s going to be fine, sir. She’s going to a very…nice place. Don’t worry. Anaya looked up at me, her odd golden eyes begging me to back up her lie.

I couldn’t give him what he needed. What he needed was to hear that his daughter was going to live a long, happy life. All I offered was death. I wouldn’t lie to him. The fact that I was about to take his little girl to the Inbetween was bad enough.

If she ever decided she was ready, that is. I glanced back at the car, waiting for the icy pull to kick in. Something still didn’t feel right about this.

Dad! a girl’s broken voice cried from the inside the crumpled car.

Help her! the man cried, trying to scrabble toward the car. Anaya easily held his shimmering form back. For the love of God, she’s only fifteen years old. You should have helped her first.

Now the pull kicked in. Except, this pull was dizzying and familiar in an unfamiliar way. And getting stronger by the second. My head spun with the force of it. Something was wrong here. Nothing about this felt like a standard reap. But I’d swear I felt this before. Once…

Memories pulsed through my mind in blinding flashes as I inched toward the vehicle. Soft-as-satin lips, warm whispers against my neck, smiles like the sun… The pull intensified, like a pounding in my chest, and my knees buckled. I knelt down to the broken window. Something like hope surged through me, followed by a cold rush of fear. I could only think of one other time that it had felt like this. Back when I’d peeled the soul from a frail, bloody body, packed in snow. The day that had changed me forever.

No. It couldn’t be her. Not again, and not like this. Blond hair lay matted with blood against the girl’s cheek. I reached through the window and traced the path of a tear that had fallen from her closed eyelids, my fingers scattering like mist. Her skin was petal-soft, deadly cold. A warm spot pooled in my hand where we touched, then traveled up my arm, down my neck where the heat exploded in my chest. Connection throbbed beneath my ribs. Certainty pounded in my temples.

Allison…

I jerked my hand back and scrambled away from the car. It was her. After all these years…it was her.

What’s wrong with you? Anaya sounded annoyed.

Dad? the girl whimpered again, weaker this time. Or maybe that was the gray, gauzy feeling that was suffocating me. Fifteen years. Fifteen years of wondering if I’d done the right thing, and this is what I find? A girl halfway to death, clutching a bloody backpack? No. No. No! I shut my eyes and focused, touching my scythe to be certain. It wasn’t there. No burning pull. No clawing need to take her soul. She could still be okay. Unless—

Finn? Anaya crouched down in front of me. I don’t know what is going on with you, but if you are incapable of handling this, I will.

I blinked until Anaya’s blurry face slowly came into focus. I bolted upright. Is she yours? Are you here for both of them? Because it’s not me. A cold, throbbing panic took up residency in my chest. When she just stared at me, confused, I snapped. Answer the damn question, Anaya!

Realization slowly replaced the confusion in her eyes. Anaya shook her head and stared up through the spiky treetops where a crow swam across the turbulent lavender sky. It’s her.

It wasn’t even a question. I couldn’t hide this. Couldn’t shove the secret into the dark safety of my pocket and walk away. Anaya knew.

She glanced back at the car, and then her gaze settled on me. Walk away, she said, her voice just a whisper of breath. If you have any sense left in you, you’ll walk away from this and forget it happened, Finn. Don’t screw this up. You’ve worked too hard to go back now.

I still had some sense. I must have, because part of me knew she was right. That I should walk away right now before this went any further. I blinked at the car, trying so hard to ignore the pull tugging me to her, warm and urgent like the need to breathe. The pull telling me I was here for a reason, even if that reason wasn’t to take her soul. I didn’t admit that to Anaya, though. Instead, I nodded, not trusting the words tumbling around in my mouth.

Anaya wrapped her fingers around her charge’s hand and smiled at him. The air behind her rippled like a silk curtain, then erupted with light. His eyes went wide as he glanced at Anaya, then to me.

I’m…I’m… He stopped when Anaya patted the back of his hand, the word dead hanging among us.

Yes, she said.

And my daughter? His shimmer dimmed as he watched the car teeter ineptly on the cliff’s sharp drop-off.

I’ll take care of her, I said. I swear.

I swallowed, realizing I meant it. What were the odds that I’d find her again like this? What were the odds that out of all of the places in the world she could have been reborn, she’d end up in California? I’d reaped this territory for years, and she’d been right under my nose. There had to be a reason.

Anaya shot me a sharp look, but didn’t get a chance to follow through with her usual rant. Glittery tendrils of light reached out and wrapped around her and the soul in tow. A gust of balmy air exploded from the porthole, blowing Anaya’s braids in every direction. It fluffed her white skirt until she looked like she was floating on a cotton mushroom top, then spun them around until they were just a swirl of blinding color.

When they were gone, the wind died, and the light dimmed and dissolved into the murky blue twilight.

Something cracked.

The tree that held the wreckage in place swayed. I looked up. A brilliant flash of red bounced on a branch, as if begging it to snap.

Maeve.

The soul whose second chance I’d stolen fifteen years ago when I pushed Allison through the portal in her place.

And all at once, I realized what fate wanted me to do.

Don’t! I scrambled for the car. It wobbled on the one tire that hadn’t gone flat, threatening to go over any second and take the girl inside with it.

I knew following you around would eventually pay off. Her voice echoed through the treetops, followed by a mocking laugh. I realize this is bittersweet, so I’ll let you say a quick good-bye before I kill her and ruin your sad excuse for an existence.

I wriggled through the window, closed my eyes, and gave into gravity. Cells connected. The air sizzled. I flexed my fingers, only a breath away from being fully corporeal.

No.

I stopped myself, fighting the urge to slip my arms around Allison’s limp frame, and pictured Balthazar, the second in command to the Almighty, ruler of reapers. He’d feel me go corporeal and would know I’d found her again. I punched the ceiling and let my skin scatter like sparks against the gray felt. I couldn’t afford that kind of hell right now.

She groaned and something like relief flooded me. Yes, definitely still alive. But not for long. The tree swayed again, this time allowing a little of the car to slip through its hold. I glanced out the window and watched a few rocks spring loose from the cliff and roll to the bottom.

Finn, come out of there, Maeve sang. She bounced again, rocking the car. Just give in to this and we’ll call it a day. She was going to die anyway. You’d just be doing your job.

She was not going to die. I wouldn’t let her.

Come on, Allison. I leaned in close and watched her eyelids twitch, then crack open one at a time. Thank God. I know you’re scared, but I need you to trust me.

Her eyes darted back and forth, wide and afraid, before settling on me. Who are you? Where’s my dad?

When she leaned up to try to see in the front seat I moved in front of her to block her view. He’s fine. Don’t worry about him right now, I said, softly. I need you to get up. See that window? I pointed to the upside down broken window and she nodded.

The car lurched again.

You need to crawl through there. And you need to do it fast.

She tried to sit up, then winced and fell back. I can’t. It hurts.

I plastered a smile on my face and had to force myself not to touch her, to brush the hair out of her face, to grab her arm and pull her the hell out of there. Yes, you can. You’re tough. I can tell.

She shook her head. No, I’m not. Really. I didn’t even make it through one week of softball before I sprained my ankle.

I laughed in spite of myself. I have a feeling you’re a lot tougher than you give yourself credit for. Now come on. The car rocked and I tensed. Get out of the car.

She looked into my eyes for a long moment, then pushed herself up and inched toward the window. I crawled out first, coaxing her to follow.

The car shifted. Groaned. I heard more rocks break loose from the cliff to tumble over the edge.

You’re making this unbearably complicated, Finn. Really, why not just pull her out of the car and get it over with? Maeve taunted, a smile behind her words. You’re already dead—what else could Balthazar possibly do? Oh…well I guess there is Hell. But other than that?

Pushing Maeve’s laughter out of my head, I focused on Allison. Come on, pretty girl, I said, fear thrumming in my chest. "You can do this. You have to do this."

The gash bleeding through her blue jeans snagged on the broken window and she sobbed.

Don’t stop. I know it hurts. But you can’t stop. We were so close. Another few feet and she’d be free. I kept my eyes on her, trying to figure out a way to distract her from the pain. You know, one time I broke my leg, I blurted out.

She sniffled and looked up at me.

I’d climbed this big tree on my dad’s farm. I didn’t tell anyone where I was going, so when the branch broke, I knew I was in trouble. I had to walk all the way home on that leg just to get there before it got dark.

Why didn’t you wait for somebody to look for you?

Coyotes. All I could think about was how I used to hear them howling at night. Our neighbor used to find his cattle torn to shreds.

She scooted a little farther out. Didn’t it hurt?

The car groaned and tilted underneath us. Allison gripped the seat, her eyes wide.

It hurt like hell, but it was a lot better than ending up like the cattle.

She squeezed her eyes shut and wiggled the rest of the way through the window, into the pine needles and dirt on the side of the road. She crawled forward a few more feet and collapsed. Her cheek pressed against the wet pavement as she fought to catch her breath.

A loud crack split the silence, and the car lurched forward, its weight breaking the tall bone of a tree. Within seconds, it rolled off the side and into the chasm below, a chewed-up red spot swallowed by the dark.

Maeve’s scream ripped through the mist that had started to fall, and in it, I heard her cry for revenge. I’d worry about that later. For now, I looked down at Allison.

I watched her breaths make foggy shapes as they puffed erratically into the night. Her lashes blinked away the tears that were running across her cheeks. No. This wasn’t Allison anymore.

Emma, I whispered as a beam of headlights curled around the bend in the road. You need to flag down the car that’s coming around the corner. You’re going to have to get up.

My leg… She looked up, tears in her eyes. Why can’t you do it? Why aren’t you helping me?

Guilt tied my insides into knots, making it hard to look at the girl reaching up for my help. I couldn’t give it to her no matter how badly I wanted to. Balthazar and his damned rules!

I can’t. I’m so sorry. I took a few steps back until she lowered her hand. But you can do this. You’re tough. Remember?

Her gaze swung to the lights glistening on the pavement and she pushed herself to her knees. I took my chance. I let myself fade. Dissolve into the mist around me that was calling me home.

I watched Emma wave her arms at the slowing car. She was safe. Alive. I closed my eyes, laughing with relief. I’d done it. I’d saved her. Except…

I looked up at the broken tree where Maeve had balanced only minutes ago. There was no way I could walk away now. Not when I’d led Maeve to her.

Damn it. This was bad on so many levels. I watched Emma collapse against the man from the car as he wrapped a jacket around her shivering shoulders. Warmth spread through my chest. Yeah…bad wasn’t a strong enough word. Disaster was more like it. And I didn’t care. She was worth it.

I’ll keep you safe. I swear it. I repeated the promise I’d made to her father, then closed my eyes and let the wind catch me and toss me into the night.

Chapter 1

Finn

Sometimes Emma made me feel so alive, I almost forgot I was dead.

Almost.

I sat on the floor across from her bed listening to her slow, steady breaths. I should have been more alert. I was supposed to be on watch. But it was so hard to concentrate on anything but her when I knew she was remembering.

Emma rolled over, pressing her face into the pillow. Finn…

I shut my eyes, trying to hold on to it. I wasn’t stupid enough to think she’d remember this when she woke up, but damn it if hearing my name slip through her lips didn’t sweep through me like wildfire. Scorching the places where blood used to run. Melting the hollow space where my heart used to beat.

I took a deep, unneeded breath and let the back of my head thump against her overstuffed bookcase. This was never going to get easier. Two years of watching her through the invisible barrier of Balthazar’s rules was really starting to suck. Especially when every time I blinked, another piece of Allison was breaking through the surface.

In the pale light of her lamp, I could see the neat row of cookbooks, nestled together like a family, holding all of the secrets Emma created in the kitchen. They smelled like flour and sugar and home. The next orderly row was packed with the worn-out novels she loved, and a new photography book her mom bought her last year. The last shelf belonged to the books her father had written, held in place by gold-framed pictures of him smiling and alive. Emma had so many words inside her. I was surprised they didn’t fall out while she was sleeping. Thousands of words about mysteries and romance and life. Things I didn’t know anything about.

Things that Allison had known everything about.

She whimpered from under the covers and I looked up. What was she remembering this time? What piece of the Inbetween and her time with me was she fighting? There was so much I didn’t want her to remember. So much I needed her to remember. But that didn’t matter. I was here to protect her. That’s where it had to end.

I closed my eyes, trying to swallow my own crap lie. She mumbled something in her sleep and began to thrash under the sheets. I groaned and pushed myself up from my safe spot on the carpet, unable to sit there listening to her suffer anymore. I stopped a foot from the bed and knelt down.

Shh… I touched the edge of the mattress, forcing myself not to go any closer. It’s going to be okay. She was only a few inches away, but it felt like miles. Miles that left me wanting in so many ways that I ached. Hopefully my presence would be enough. There were times I swore she could feel me.

What do you think you’re doing? a gravelly voice chided.

I looked up from the edge of Emma’s bed just as Easton melted up from the polished hardwood floor beneath the window. Like an oil slick coming to life, he unfolded his long, shadowy legs until he was just an inkblot in front of the splash of lamplight on her wall. His violet eyes pinned me like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

Which I kind of was.

Nothing, I lied.

Yeah, looked like nothing. He strolled across the room accompanied by a wave of sulfur and smoke, the black serpent tattoo on his neck glinting.

Jesus, Easton. I scrunched up my nose and climbed to my feet. "Don’t they have a shower somewhere between here and the

Reviews for Inbetween

[forsakenfates · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I received this book from Entangled Teen in return for a honest review.
This is one of those boy meets girl, falls in love, they are separated, and then the meet again books. This has a twist though, Finn is a soul whose job is to bring souls to the inbetween.

Emma by all conventions is a girl traumatized by an accident that left her fatherless. To everyone else she is imagining the people following her, the weird messages, plus she is having strange dreams. But what is happening to her is real. There is a vengeful soul, Maeve, who is out to get her.

While this story contains the same plot as a typical YA fantasy book, there are many aspects that where different and enjoyable. I really appreciated the way Emma reacted to Finn first revealing himself to her. She became paranoid and did not immediately believe him. I think a lot of books have this instant trust and connection between characters that is hard to believe. Fuller shies away from this by still having that connection but also have a layer of distrust to it.

I also really appreciate Cash. He is a loyal friend to Emma and does not see her perceived “illness” as an issue. He is always there for Emma and constantly getting her to open up to him and not bottle everything up.

The ended was happy as I expected it, but still with a twist. Overall, a pretty solid book.

[melrailey-412132 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was a fun and cute little book. It was a little reminiscent of some of the other reaper stories out there but it was just super cute. Finn was a terrific hero. I thought Emma could have used a little more help in the heroine department but overall I enjoyed the book a lot. It made for a great afternoon escape.

[bookishthings · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

3.5

I love a good reaper book. A lot of the time, they are given a bad rep. Not all reapers are evil. Especially Finn, he's got a good heart.

We're kind of thrown into the story. We know Finn is protecting Emma, but we don't know why. As I said before, he has a good heart. He just tends to think with it, and not about consequences. He has his own demons he hast to get past, and you have to wonder if he'll have the strength to keep Emma alive. Emma seems kind of annoying at first, but she's strong and independent. She's had a rough life since the accident with her father. She looks for answers instead of letting things happen to her. The other awesome character is Cash, Emma's best friend. They've been through a lot together, and you can tell just how strong their bond is.

Inbetween has a little bit of action around every corner. Emma is constantly having to watch her back against something she can't even see. The way the characters interact with each other flows really well, and they are believable. I'm excited to learn more about this world. Especially one event toward the end. I must know the reasoning behind it.

[vanyadrum · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

NOTE: I received the arc of this book from Netgalley.

I was very very excited about Inbetween because I'd heard some awesome things about it. And when I actually got it from Netgalley, I was super joyful!

The beginning was a bit slow to my taste, but once the story picked up pace, it became enthralling to the point where I couldn't put the book down until I was done with it. Unfortunately the end came way too fast. I breezed through Inbetween as if it were a 200 page book!!! Yes, it was really good! And boy, what a cliffhanger!

The story was well thought out, the world was well built with rules and regulations and restrictions that had unforgivable consequences if breached. It was pretty unique as a story, though the concept of impossible love was the same as most other YA books. The descriptions of Heaven, Hell and the Inbetween sounded quite realistic to me.

The characters:
*Emma was your average girl, who had no idea who she really was. Nor did she have any idea that her life was at stake because of a 17 year old feud. She didn't even suspect that she had a protector who's ready to give his very existence over to Hell to see her live her life. Yet, she suspects all those things, because she may be blind, but she's not stupid. And the loss of her father has scarred her heart forever. Now the wound is open again as her mom is trying to begin living again.

*Finn was one gorgeous reaper. He was devoted to Emma, and not even his own condemnation could stop him from watching over her. His love for her was so strong and pure, that it overshadowed everything else. Nothing and no one were important. Only Emma.

*Cash was Emma's best friend, who was also a playboy with a hurt soul. I would really love to see him turn from the hardcore player he was, into a lovesick boy. Besides all that, he was a caring, devoted friend.

*Anaya, Easton and Scout were Finn's reaper friends who'd get mad at him for his constant breaking of all sorts of rules in his desire to save Emma from yet another attack. In the end though, even they couldn't stand before love with closed eyes.

Inbetween was a very nice paranormal YA story that I recommend to lovers of this genre.

[beckymmoe_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I think this book must have gone on sale somewhere along the way...or maybe I read about it somewhere, but forgot..I'm not sure. All I know is I got the chance to read book two in the series, Blurred, and when I was about halfway through with it realized that I also had this one already on my Kindle. Bonus! Naturally I had to read it as soon as I was finished with #2. It absolutely did not disappoint. I read it in less than 24 hours total, and only told my daughter about ten times during that 24 hours that she HAD to read it. But not until I was done, of course.So far, this is definitely the best reaper/death and human romance series I've read, and for paranormal/fantasy YA series, it's right up there with my faves. This series is definitely going to go on my classroom library shelves--I must share. I'm really enjoying the world that Tara Fuller has created here, with characters who have been "Kissed by Death". I loved both Finn (WWII pilot! What's not to love?) and Emma (she bakes! Made me want to throw together some cookies, but then I would have had to stop reading), I just didn't love them *quite* as much as I loved Anaya and Cash from book two ;) I think I might have actually appreciated their story more, though, knowing how they'd be adapting to its aftermath in Blurred.I'm really, really hoping Ms. Fuller is giving us Easton's story next. I'm seriously loving that guy.

[darkfaerietales_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.Quick & Dirty: A reaper falls in love, causing a ripple of events that throw the balance of the underworld.Opening Sentence: “Tell me again.”The Review:Tara Fuller’s Inbetween brings a different spin on paranormal. Death and reapers are mixed within a contemporary world. Inbetween has elements of forbidden love, and brings forth heavy paranormal details. I haven’t read a story based on reapers in a while, so it was refreshing to see this was on my list to read!Emma has not had an easy life. Three years ago, she survived a crash, but lost her father. Since then, her days have been filled with haunted images, coincidental accidents, and hallucinations. Emma was sent away to return her sanity, but lately she is scared that it could all be happening again. Finn is a reaper. He continues his afterlife in between Heaven and Hell. The souls are kept in between these places, awaiting their placements with a chance to return to the living. Finn has made mistakes, mistakes that he will never atone to. Finn’s choices have affected Emma’s life. Now Emma’s life is in danger and Finn has to protect her, at whatever cost.It was a little difficult for me to connect to the characters and the story. Inbetween has a deceivingly simple plot. In the general theme, Inbetween is about forbidden love. Fuller added paranormal elements and created her own world of reapers, death bringers, and gate keepers. But there was a lot going on, enough so that I couldn’t fully appreciate the story.Emma is a troubled girl, feeling she has hallucinations real enough to endanger her life. Despite being a teenager, she had even more problems than normal. I couldn’t understand where she was coming from, at least not completely. I understood the dilemmas of going insane, but atop everything going on, it didn’t seem realistic. Maybe there was a lot of detail, too much which prevented me from fully making that bond with her.Finn wasn’t my perfect guy, but he was someone to adore. He did the wrong thing for the right reasons. It wasn’t instant love, but he warmed up eventually. He was dependable and a constant to the insanity of their reality. He followed his heart, even if it wasn’t always the right thing to do. As the details revealed themselves, I understood him more and it was nice in the end.The pacing of Inbetween was a little slow, only due to the amount of information and detail being told. There was a culture of the afterlife, the history of Emma, and the story of Finn. It felt like so many components trying to compete for attention rather than complimenting each other to make the perfect story. The dual point of view was nice, which I normally do not prefer. I think it added to the story and revealed all the right tidbits of information at the right time.Inbetween is a unique love story of love and life. Some of my preferences may have prevented me from completely loving this story, but I don’t think that will happen to you. You’ll come for the different paranormal story of reapers and death and stay for the love between two people who were never meant to be.Notable Scene:That wouldn’t happen to this kid. He’d move on. He’d be saved for something better. Once I swallowed the lie, I took him by the arm and stepped into the twilight that swirled in front of us. I needed to get this over with. This kid, his words, they started fires inside me I didn’t know how to put out.I was so damn tired of burning.“Hey man,” he said, panicked. “You didn’t answer me. Where are we going? Heaven? Hell?”I didn’t know what to say. So I just said, “Somewhere in between.”FTC Advisory: Entangled Teen provided me with a copy of Inbetween. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[eomalley_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Inbetween by Tara Fuller starts with an interesting premise – what if a reaper fell in love with one of the souls he reaped? And what if that soul loved him back, but then they were separated by circumstance? How far would they go to be together? There are lots of juicy possibilities with this scenario, so I was really looking forward to checking out this new series by Fuller entitled “Kissed By Death.” Unfortunately, it wasn’t quite the epic romance I was hoping for.

I did enjoy the set-up: Finn is a young reaper who was recruited after his death in World War II to work in the Inbetween, a way-station for souls who haven’t quite fulfilled – or wasted – their potential and aren’t ready for either Heaven or Hell (kind of cool). One of these souls is a girl named Allison, who becomes the love of Finn’s existence. But when he attempts to protect her soul from being lost forever, he sets events in motion that threaten the new life she has been given as a girl named Emma – and makes her the target of a dark soul bent on revenge.

Tara Fuller has a simple, straight-forward writing style that helps the story move swiftly. The first-person narrative switches between the two leads, with chapter headers indicating if Emma or Finn is narrating. While I enjoyed this relatively light story, I wasn’t exactly thrilled with either lead. They do have a decent chemistry together, but there wasn’t really anything about either of them that jumped out and grabbed me. Emma and Finn are fairly well-developed characters, but there’s nothing new or original about them.

The first time I read Inbetween I was so caught up in what was happening, I didn’t notice too many problems. When I went back and re-read some sections, though, I began to feel an uncomfortable familiarity. I really, REALLY, don’t want to say this (because I think this comparison is grossly overused), but Twilight kept popping into my head. Finn and Emma have some Edward and Bella vibes happening, especially when he starts telling her how his world was dark before but once he met her it was like the sun rising – it was Midnight Sun all over again (my favorite Twilight story, BTW). There were other moments as well where Finn’s tortured thoughts just screamed Edward, and Emma was just a little too much the damsel in distress (though I think Bella handled herself a lot better than Emma does here). Thankfully, the secondary characters are very different from those in Stephenie Meyer’s world so they helped dampen the “Twilight effect” and increased my enjoyment of the story.

Maeve is the designated villain of this novel, and she does a fine job with it. Crazed and plenty angry, she is a soul on the verge of “going dark” who is determined to make Emma pay for Finn’s past actions. Yet, I found myself slightly sympathetic to her situation. She is definitely violent (her attacks on Emma are pretty horrific), but Finn did mess up her fate so I can see where she is coming from. There is no fury like a teenage girl wronged, and Maeve’s fury is massive.

Finn has some interesting associates, and Easton – a reaper for Hell – makes the biggest impression. He is sarcastic and surly, with no sympathy for Finn’s dilemma. But his lack of sympathy has more to do with worrying about his best friend getting punished for his actions, and he does everything he can to get Finn to recognize the line he is very close to crossing when it comes to Emma. Partnering with Easton and Finn is a reaper for Heaven named Anaya. She is not as developed as the other characters, but she is pleasant and provides pivotal information to Emma when needed. I hope to see her character more developed in the future, since there are hints that she may be fascinated with someone forbidden to her.

Hands down, my favorite character was Emma’s best friend Cash. Smart, gorgeous, funny, and broken inside, this ladies’ man is one of the most supportive friends a girl could ask for. He clearly leans on Emma for support as well, and is terrified of losing her. I found myself feeling very protective of Cash, so when the actions of Emma and Finn later in the book left him hurt and confused I lost some of my sympathy for their situation. Their actions also emphasized how unhealthy their relationship might be; their love has overcome many obstacles, but it is riding a very fine line between romance and obsession.

Inbetween is a quick, light read with plenty of romance and some wonderful secondary characters. It ends up faltering, however, due to a lack of originality with the two lead characters and some questionable choices they make that leave Emma’s best friend hurt and confused. This first book in Tara Fuller’s “Kissed By Death” series is in its own Inbetween – a solid start that hasn’t quite met its full potential.

[amberfib · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Inbetween is a cute and sweet YA paranormal romance. This book is a lighthearted and quick read, and fans of the genre will devour it in one sitting. The characters are likable and the plot is quick moving. However, there is no mystery to the book whatsoever. Everything was spelled out clearly from the beginning, and that lack of suspense made me have lukewarm feelings for this book. That being said, this is an enjoyable read, and I'll definitely read the next book in the series.The POV for this novel is first person, and it alternates between Emma and Finn. Emma is a likable, albeit boring character. I couldn't help but want the best for her, but she never did anything exciting. She didn't make any grand sacrifice, and she didn't really fight for much. Overall, she was a rather boring heroine. Finn is also likable, but he at least stands up for what he wants. He's a bit self-deprecating and a little angsty, but it isn't too overwhelming. He, too, doesn't have any grand ideas about anything, and he pretty much just focuses on his love/obsession for Emma and nothing else. Like I said, this is a lighthearted romance. No thinking is required to enjoy this book.The secondary characters are interesting, and I would have loved the chance to get to know Easton, Anaya, and Cash better. They seemed much more interesting than Emma and Finn, and I hope that in the next installment, we get more of their stories.The plot is fast moving, and even though it revolves around Emma and Finn's love, I was never bored. The bad guy is apparent from the beginning, but you never knew when tragedy would strike. I didn't have a feeling of suspense because I always knew who was doing the attacking. This caused me to get complacent and not really care when Emma was being attacked. A bit of mystery would have done this book some good. The ending ties everything up nicely, but leaves room for a sequel, either with Emma and Finn, or with other characters. I kind of hope that the next book focuses on some of the secondary characters because they were more interesting.Overall, I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants a light YA paranormal romance read. This book would be perfect to read on vacation when you're trying to relax.

[angelafristoe · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

What originally drew me to Inbetween was that it wasn't another angel book. I don't mind angel books, but I wanted something that was new. Inbetween, thankfully, gave a new twist to a romance between the living and the dead. Being protected/stalked by a reaper is definitely less appealing than an angel, but Fuller manages to pull it off.This was a really sweet romance. Finn is absolutely dedicate to Emma and protecting her from an evil spirit. Emma, though she only remembers small pieces of her time with Finn, immediately connects to him, and while she's cautious in trusting her sanity, she feels a connection with him. There are a few steamy scenes, although nothing to risky.The characters were nicely developed, although I felt sometimes things were glossed over. Emma had been institutionalized for supposedly being a paranoid schizophrenic, but there was very little depth to this part of her. She mentions it in passing, uses it as a motivation to not discuss Finn with anyone, but we don't know anything about what she experienced there. Same with Finn. There were mentions of fire and his brother, but until the end of the book, we don't really know anything in depth about it.There was also the problem of Emma not really being able to do anything to help herself. She tries, but there's nothing she can do to stop the spirit, and she has to rely on Finn to protect her from the paranormal aspects, while her best friend Cash protects her in the living realm.Cash was my favorite character. I actually wanted her to end up with him. He obviously had some issues, considering his binge drinking and multiple references to needing to stay out of his father way (which was never really explained). He was an amazing friend, willing to die for Emma, and I really felt that he and Emma would have been perfect for each other. But at the end of the book, it's pretty obvious that he will be featured as one side of another Kissed by Death romance. I think I'm going to enjoy his story a bit more than Inbetween.

[alwaysyaatheart · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Finn is in love with Emma, head over heals in love with Emma. There is just one problem, Finn is dead. In fact, Finn is a reaper. He is assigned not to Heaven or Hell, but to the Inbetween. That place where souls go until it can be determined where they will end up. Some are consumed and turned into shadows of darkness, and some are given a second chance and are sent back to be reborn. It's been 15 years since he saw her, since he'd seen Allison, but he immediately knew it was her. He knew that he'd found her, and now, she was Emma. Here's where things get tricky, Finn is dead, but Emma is very much alive, and unfortunately he's led Maeve, who is a very evil soul, right to her. Maeve is out for revenge, and her target at Emma. It is now 2 years later, and Finn has spent every free moment he has watching over Emma, protecting her, longing for her, wanting nothing more than to talk to her and touch her, but there are rules. He has already broken the rules in the past and has been warned not to break them again, because this time, he would face Hell. Emma is having dreams, dreams about Finn. Strange things are happening and she thinks she is losing her mind. As Maeve's threats and actions begin to escalate, Finn must decide whether to break the rules again, and if he does, what will the consequences be not only for him, but for Emma.I really enjoyed this book. The characters were great. Of course I loved Emma and Finn, but I loved the other characters to. Chase is Emma's best friend, and he's really hot. He lives next door, sneaks in and out of her window, and sleeps in her bed, just like when they were 6 years old. They have the whole Dawson's Creek thing going on. Easton and Anaya are Finn's "friends." Easton is a reaper for Hell and Anaya takes souls to heaven. Maeve is still caught inbetween and is on the verge of turning into one of the dark shadows. Finn's situation kind of reminded me of that old song "Stuck in the Middle With You." Finn has Easton and Hell on the left of him and Anaya and Heaven on the right, and he's just sort of stuck in the middle dealing with Maeve. The plot and pace of the story is interesting and keeps your attention. It is told from both Finn's and Emma's point of view. Books about reapers are not typically my thing, but this book is totally not what you would expect. I couldn't help but fall in love with Finn, he is so swoon-worthy, and his cohorts are pretty cool to. I loved the interaction between them. Inbetween has the perfect balance of romance, humor, and intensity. The ending of this book is really great. I can't say more than that without spoiling it for you, other than to say that it ends really well, and I am looking forward to the next book in the Kissed by Death series. If you enjoy paranormal romance, then this is one book you will definitely want to check out.

[jennrenae · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Inbetween by Tara FullerArc received by: Entangled Teen via NetgalleyRelease Date: 8-28-2012Reviewed by: Middle Sis JennThe Sisters Say: Romantic and ResplendentIf you were to ask most people where they want to go when they die, their answer would, I assume, be Heaven. However, if that someone has read about Tara Fuller’s oh so yummy reaper, then they might just answer, the Inbetween! Inbetween is charming and fun-- a love story that shows you just might be life after death.While this is not the first story I’ve read about reapers, I still say we need more! I really enjoy these paranormal characters—I love that they can be good or evil, or toe the line between both. I love that each story can invent a new aspect of them, so it’s never old. And I fall head over heels for the ones that just won’t give up on the idea of love—even when they’re dead.This story follows Emma as Finn, a reaper who loves her, tries to protect her from the evil soul, Maeve. I will admit, at first I was frustrated because Finn can’t touch Emma! I was sure the romance was going to be lacking and I was going to want to put it aside for something with a little more….corporealness? Is that a word? Um…I’m going to declare that the International Council for Words just said that “corporealness” is a word. Anywho, I was pleasantly surprised. While I still wish there could have been more steam, I found the romance to be sweet and intoxicating. Emma is an interesting main character, and while I was not blown away by her, I still felt a small connection to her. She has been plagued by “accidents” all her life, not knowing these accidents were caused by Maeve. However, she doesn’t let the constant threat of death hang over her like a dark, ominous cloud. Instead, she decides that she is going to try and take charge. I liked that confidence while it lasted. Unfortunately it fizzled out, and she became the innocent victim once again. While I like the fact that Finn or her best friend Cash has to play knight in shining armor, I still wish she would have had a bit more attitude and strength as a main character.One of my favorite characters is Cash, Emma’s best friend. He is portrayed as both a good and a bad guy. What do I mean? He’s the boy your mother warned you about—you know the one. The player. The partyer. But, with Emma, he’s caring and different. He doesn’t treat her as some girl to kiss and toss. His relationship with her is lasting, and it really gives insight into his brokenness. I won’t say anything else because I don’t want to spoil it, but I can assure you we will see much more of him in the next book.And finally…we have Finn. I like Finn, but again, I was not blown away by him. He’s charming and head over heels for Emma, but at times, he seems a bit whiny. He wants to take charge, but as a reaper, there are rules that keep him in the shadows. I loved with Finn was willing to break those rules, but then it seemed like he began to cower. I wanted to see a strong, confident, in your face guy willing to fight back—even if the odds were completely stacked against him. But, I understand why he couldn’t be like this. I mean, he’s a reaper, not an angel—so it’s not like he has all these powers at his disposal. I think he will be a definite new book boyfriend for many girls, but I tend to lack my guys a little on the bad side Like Easton…but we won’t go there, you have to read it!My favorite part of the story (of course) was the evil Maeve. I can’t help it, I’m a villains girl. She’s dark and twisted, and she is set on revenge. I loved waiting to see what she was going to do next! And let me tell you, she does not disappoint. I will say, that I wish there would have been more of her—to show how much she has disrupted Emma’s life.The only warning on content I have is the teenage drinking.Overall, Inbetween was a flirty and fun read, and I will definitely be checking out book 2 in the future. The romance was sweet and the story was well written. Tara brings the Inbetween to life in the few snippets we get of the past, and she definitely brings hell to life with the quick looks of torture that realm can bring! Tara Fuller brings new meaning to the term star-crossed lovers. Thrust apart by death, separated by life and death, will Emma and Finn ever get the happily ever after they deserve? Read and find out! You won’t be disappointed.

[pollywannabook · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Review courtesy of All Things Urban FantasyReincarnation romances aren’t usually my favorites. I find that they end up skipping over all the good stuff like initial attraction, blossoming affection, and first love. In INBETWEEN, yes, there is a reincarnated romance, but Fuller doesn’t use the past between Finn and Emma/Allison as an excuse to bypass all the fun, early relationship stuff. Nor does the story focus on trying to make Emma remember her previous life. Instead, it’s what motivates Finn to want to get to know the new person who has the soul he loves. He never tries to make her become someone else. They get an entirely new romance full of all those sweet, messy firsts.As much as I liked Finn and Emma together, I was secretly rooting for Emma’s best friend to end up with her. Cash has a not so pleasant home life situation which has him sneaking into Emma’s bedroom most nights. He’s a a bit of a womanizer, but not with Emma. There was a real sweetness between the two of them that I completely fell for….I’m really hopping that Cash will get the girl–even if it’s not Emma–in the next Kissed By Death book.The pacing in INBETWEEN is also excellent. The story never drags once and the dialog constantly advances the plot. There are more than a few predictable twists, and the threat to Finn was a lot of bark without the bite. Every time he broke a rule, he was supposed to earn a first class ticket to Hell, but his punishments ended up being pretty mild. Even at the end when Finn broke all the rules for Emma, he ends up getting a reward instead of a reprimand. And while I like HEAs, it was a little too easy in this case. There was also the brief commentary on the military that irked me. Finn was a soldier when he died, and we’re told that he earned a place in hell because of his military duty which involved combat. We aren’t told that he ever unjustly killed anyone or in any way acted without honor. Apparently all soldiers go to hell. It was just a small aside, but it did hurt my enjoyment of the book.Overall, INBETWEEN was a fun romance with great pacing, the best kind of heartbreak, and a reincarnation plot that didn’t skip over any of the good stuff. I wish the consequences for Finn had been more severe if only to make his love for Emma worth all the more, but it was Emma’s BFF who stole the story for me and I’m already looking forward to reading more about him.Sexual Content:Kissing.

[rmboland · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This book had some unique and fun elements, the idea of "reaping" is not one I've come across before, and I think Tara did a interesting job of creating a new world for her characters, and her readers, to venture into. The "InBetween," where souls wander until they earn a second chance at life-there wasn't much in terms of descriptive scenery, but instead a sense of the characters surroundings, an endless field of impatience. Tara also references both Heaven and Hell, where her descriptions are a lot more generous. I found this both odd and disappointing, considering the title of the book IS "InBetween"- although she may have intended that to be an adjective, as opposed to the place.Now on to the reason for only 2 stars, the main characters: Finn and Emma. I feel as though Tara might have been heavily encouraged by ideas, and characters, from both Twilight and the genius that was Ghost (starring Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore). Emma is written as a very frail and dependent girl, a loner of sorts, never one to keep many friends or attend local parties with schoolmates. Finn is dead. very dead, and has BEEN so for many years. His attachment to Emma/Allison is immediate and binding, and his need to protect her is borders the line between genuine care..and obsession (sounding familiar yet?). I won't go into much more detail on that note, but I began to distance myself from their "connection" very early on in the book-I wasn't a fan of Twilight, and their pairing just rang too similiar to the whole Bella/Edward ordeal. Oh, and then there was this:"Finn finally turned around to face me, his outline shimmering with a silvery dust. It was like he was wrapped in the Milky Way, cloaked in a translucent blanket of stars"A little too reminiscent of another sparkly boy.I did, however, absolutely adore the secondary characters, Easton and Cash. Their dialogue was witty and fresh, and served as a much needed break between the longing and "heart thudding" going on with the main characters. I can't wait to see if either of these characters get a book of their own.In conclusion, this book brought something slightly new to the table, and if you were a Twilight fan (and don't mind the lack of vampires), you are definitely in for a treat. I can appreciate a good Para-Romance book as much as the next guy..or uh..girl, this one just wasn't for me.