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The Edge of In Between
A spellbinding, twisty, magical retelling of The Secret Garden that takes readers on a journey through what separates the living and the dead.Lottie lives in Vivelle, a vibrant city where life exists in brilliant technicolor and nearly everyone is born with magic, including Lottie. But when tragedy strikes, color is stripped from Lottie’s heart and from the world around her. Taken in by her reclusive uncle, Lottie moves into Forsaken, a vast manor located in the gray wasteland between the Land of the Living and the Land of the Dead.There, Lottie discovers more secrets and mysteries than she ever dreamed possible. Even so, she is filled with nothing but despair. But when splintered magic threatens to consume everyone and everything she still holds dear, Lottie must find a way to thaw both the world and the hearts of those around her—before time runs out.In this stunning portrait of love, loss, magic, and hope, one girl finds the strength to overcome tragedy—and finds a way to embrace the gifts that make life worth living.Praise for The Edge of In “A lyrical, graceful conjuring of the landscape of grief [that] doesn't just reimagine a children's classic, but does it with great love.”—Jacqueline West, author of The Books of Elsewhere series and Long Lost“Brilliant and empowering…a book that belongs in the hands of every middle-grade reader.� —Lindsay Currie, author of What Lives in the Woods "Richly layered with emotional truths, The Edge of In Between embraces all the fragile elements of grief and sorrow, hope and love—as well as the strength (so very much like magic) that resides inside us all." —Heather Kassner, author of The Plentiful Darkness
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 19, 2022
25 people are currently reading
1,832 people want to read
About the author
Lorelei Savaryn
3books128followersLorelei Savaryn (loreleisavaryn.com) is an author of creepy, magical stories for children. She holds a BA in creative writing and is a former elementary teacher and instructional coach. When she isn’t writing, she spends her time amidst the beautiful chaos of life with her husband and four children outside of Chicago.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews
November 18, 2021
Dear Reader,
I hope you enjoy Lottie's story, and that you find a tale both comfortingly familiar and delightfully new inside these pages. THE EDGE OF IN BETWEEN is my reimagining the much-beloved The Secret Garden, and I put my whole heart into weaving a story that explores what it means to learn to live and love and hope again after experiencing earth-shattering sorrow, and how the magic inside us is worth the fight to keep, even when all seems nearly lost.
As I write at the end of the acknowledgements: To all who have loved and lost, I hope that this story has helped grow the garden in you.
-Lorelei
I hope you enjoy Lottie's story, and that you find a tale both comfortingly familiar and delightfully new inside these pages. THE EDGE OF IN BETWEEN is my reimagining the much-beloved The Secret Garden, and I put my whole heart into weaving a story that explores what it means to learn to live and love and hope again after experiencing earth-shattering sorrow, and how the magic inside us is worth the fight to keep, even when all seems nearly lost.
As I write at the end of the acknowledgements: To all who have loved and lost, I hope that this story has helped grow the garden in you.
-Lorelei
October 9, 2021
With a beautiful, heartfelt message, THE EDGE OF IN BETWEEN pains a picture of healing from great loss, of choosing hope from a place of deep pain.
Reading this story felt like meeting an old friend. Since this book borrows veins from THE SECRET GARDEN—one of my childhood favorites—the whole aesthetic was very nostalgic and gently beautiful to me. I love how the author was able to weave a heartfelt theme into this book without dumbing it down, making it a book readers of all ages can enjoy.
While there were a couple of discrepancies that jarred me, as a writer, out of the story—the pacing felt stilted at times, a few characters weren't extremely relatable, and some twists seemed a bit out of the blue, among others—the reader part of me was so happy with the aesthetic of this book and the lovely writing style.
In all, I'd recommend this book for readers looking to escape into a short, magical middle-grade read.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. Special thanks to the author and publisher!
Reading this story felt like meeting an old friend. Since this book borrows veins from THE SECRET GARDEN—one of my childhood favorites—the whole aesthetic was very nostalgic and gently beautiful to me. I love how the author was able to weave a heartfelt theme into this book without dumbing it down, making it a book readers of all ages can enjoy.
While there were a couple of discrepancies that jarred me, as a writer, out of the story—the pacing felt stilted at times, a few characters weren't extremely relatable, and some twists seemed a bit out of the blue, among others—the reader part of me was so happy with the aesthetic of this book and the lovely writing style.
In all, I'd recommend this book for readers looking to escape into a short, magical middle-grade read.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. Special thanks to the author and publisher!
March 15, 2025
A solid, easy to follow read. The cover definitely drew me in. I especially enjoyed the writing style.
August 22, 2024
This book healed a part of me 🤍 I won’t even attempt to describe it. It was EXCELLENT! The grief representation was a guided map to an alternate perspective 🤍
This is the first book I’ve annotated 💕
This is the first book I’ve annotated 💕
June 15, 2022
I had high hopes for this, The Secret Garden being one of my favorite stories, the elements of color and ghosts as well, plus that stunning cover. Some things didn’t really work for me - the writing could use some work, as well as clarifying the world building. The religious allegory didn’t do it for me, but I’m sure others would love it. The loss of color seemed like a metaphor for too many things at different points - depression, loss of faith/innocence/hope/loved ones, etc. There were a lot of moments where it’d be in the middle of action, but Lottie would be pondering things, having repetitive realizations that were fairly obvious ahead of time. It was also confusing for a while how things were supposed to work - what colors Lottie could and couldn’t see and why, where the Forsaken estate originated, etc. I figured them out in the end but they didn’t seem like mysteries withheld on purpose. The description here on goodreads calls it magical realism, but I don’t think that’s accurate at all. It’s another world entirely where everything works differently than here. Definitely more like fantasy, though it doesn’t seem like the jacket copy on the actual book calls it magical realism.
April 15, 2022
The Edge of In Between is a middle grade magical realism retelling of The Secret Garden. Lottie, the main character, is plunged into the story (and into the depths of despair) when her parents die simultaneously, in one fell evening.
Throughout the course of the novel, Lottie learns how to grieve and how to love. The garden-y themes throughout the book and hints of The Secret Garden will delight any fan of that classic.
My few qualms with this book mostly involve the extremely simplistic writing style and lack of pacing. However, as I am not a member of this book's target audience, these two facts are largely dismissible.
Many thanks to Viking Books for Young Readers (Penguin House) and Lorelei Savaryn for the free ARC!
Throughout the course of the novel, Lottie learns how to grieve and how to love. The garden-y themes throughout the book and hints of The Secret Garden will delight any fan of that classic.
My few qualms with this book mostly involve the extremely simplistic writing style and lack of pacing. However, as I am not a member of this book's target audience, these two facts are largely dismissible.
Many thanks to Viking Books for Young Readers (Penguin House) and Lorelei Savaryn for the free ARC!
April 20, 2022
How lucky we are to have the gift of a new story from Lorelie Savaryn! While The Edge of In Between is both inspired by, and a very clever reimagining of, The Secret Garden, it's a wholly new, lushly imagined, and exciting world.
Lottie has suffered a devastating loss and it bleeds all the color from her world. Yet, even as she's consumed by grief she never loses her spark, a hint of the magic that once warmed her from the inside out. Resourceful, curious, kind, and yes, ever hopeful, she, along with her cousin and another child fight to restore the magic they all once knew.
The Edge of In Between is infused with a beautiful and deeply spiritual kind of magic, powerful enough to heal all who enter this lush and loving world.
Lottie has suffered a devastating loss and it bleeds all the color from her world. Yet, even as she's consumed by grief she never loses her spark, a hint of the magic that once warmed her from the inside out. Resourceful, curious, kind, and yes, ever hopeful, she, along with her cousin and another child fight to restore the magic they all once knew.
The Edge of In Between is infused with a beautiful and deeply spiritual kind of magic, powerful enough to heal all who enter this lush and loving world.
May 4, 2024
I’ve never been more emotionally attached to a book in all my life. The grief I feel on the daily was displayed beautifully in this book, and it made me feel all the feelings.
Oh, how I adore this book. 🫶🏻�
Oh, how I adore this book. 🫶🏻�
December 28, 2021
The Edge of In Between is a lushly imagined, spooky, magical retelling of one of my favorite all-time children's classics, The Secret Garden. The main character, Lottie, lives in Vivelle-- a land populated both by those whose magic glows brightly in their chests (in a whole rainbow of colors) and those who have lost touch with their magic and turned colorless (the Living Gray).
After Lottie tragically loses both parents at the beginning of the story, she suddenly turns into one of the Living Gray. A reclusive uncle sends for Lottie and she moves to the creepy estate of Forsaken in the In Between, the realm between Vivelle and the Ever After. The In Between is populated with ghosts who haven't yet decided to move to the Ever After, so it's the perfect place for Lottie's uncle, who's obsessed with finding the spirit of his wife. Lottie is lured to stay in Forsaken with the hope of finding her parents, even as ghosts. She spends her days looking out over the barren wasteland of the In Between, scanning the ghosts' faces, until one day, a cardinal lures her away and she discovers a hidden, frozen garden.
Along with Clement (her sorrowful cousin, who lost his mom and is largely ignored by his dad --Lottie's uncle), Lottie begins visiting the garden daily. As the children discover/rediscover their magic, they begin to revive the garden and in the process start to un-gray. However, as you might imagine, none of this is as simple as it first appears and something quite sinister works to prevent the children's healing and tries to keep them trapped in Forsaken forever!
While you don't need to have read the original to enjoy this book, it did add a fun, additional layer for me, as I saw how each character and element were transformed into this immersive, new-yet-familiar world. I especially loved the meaning of the cardinal, whose significance in the story ended up being much more than just a bright splash of color in a colorless landscape. I also relished the garden descriptions of lovely and fanciful flowers and creatures seen only in this world, such as Tickles, friendly little, fuzzy, bee-like insects, and Dragon Flowers that actually roared and breathed fire!
This beautifully written novel worked on multiple levels for me-- the kid in me loved the fantasy world the author created, while the adult me could appreciate the deeper levels of meaning about love, loss and moving on after experiencing grief. I'll be left thinking for quite some time about the stunning main metaphor -- pondering how we can live brave lives full of color and creativity no matter what challenges life sends our way.
After Lottie tragically loses both parents at the beginning of the story, she suddenly turns into one of the Living Gray. A reclusive uncle sends for Lottie and she moves to the creepy estate of Forsaken in the In Between, the realm between Vivelle and the Ever After. The In Between is populated with ghosts who haven't yet decided to move to the Ever After, so it's the perfect place for Lottie's uncle, who's obsessed with finding the spirit of his wife. Lottie is lured to stay in Forsaken with the hope of finding her parents, even as ghosts. She spends her days looking out over the barren wasteland of the In Between, scanning the ghosts' faces, until one day, a cardinal lures her away and she discovers a hidden, frozen garden.
Along with Clement (her sorrowful cousin, who lost his mom and is largely ignored by his dad --Lottie's uncle), Lottie begins visiting the garden daily. As the children discover/rediscover their magic, they begin to revive the garden and in the process start to un-gray. However, as you might imagine, none of this is as simple as it first appears and something quite sinister works to prevent the children's healing and tries to keep them trapped in Forsaken forever!
While you don't need to have read the original to enjoy this book, it did add a fun, additional layer for me, as I saw how each character and element were transformed into this immersive, new-yet-familiar world. I especially loved the meaning of the cardinal, whose significance in the story ended up being much more than just a bright splash of color in a colorless landscape. I also relished the garden descriptions of lovely and fanciful flowers and creatures seen only in this world, such as Tickles, friendly little, fuzzy, bee-like insects, and Dragon Flowers that actually roared and breathed fire!
This beautifully written novel worked on multiple levels for me-- the kid in me loved the fantasy world the author created, while the adult me could appreciate the deeper levels of meaning about love, loss and moving on after experiencing grief. I'll be left thinking for quite some time about the stunning main metaphor -- pondering how we can live brave lives full of color and creativity no matter what challenges life sends our way.
January 15, 2022
A beautifully told allegory on grief and the afterlife for middle-grade readers. Young readers need tools for processing difficult realities, and story can help provide them. Lorelei Savaryn's tale explores the impact of grief on a preteen who feels helpless to do anything but follow the lead of the only adults around to care for her after the sudden death of her parents. The deeply intuitive Lottie recognizes that something is wrong when she's asked to accept a life in In Between, the stage of the afterlife that precedes Ever After (heaven) - because as a living being, she does not belong there. But all she wants is to be reunited with her deceased parents. She discovers others in the same position, and ultimately is called upon to stand against what she knows is wrong and make a life-giving choice, even when that means she will have to defer her own desires.
While the author notes that the book is a nod to "The Secret Garden" by Frances Hodgson Burnett, I also saw some elements that reminded me of Oscar Wilde's "The Selfish Giant." (Netgalley review)
While the author notes that the book is a nod to "The Secret Garden" by Frances Hodgson Burnett, I also saw some elements that reminded me of Oscar Wilde's "The Selfish Giant." (Netgalley review)
April 8, 2025
Incredible. I think Secret Garden might be my favorite book of all time and this retelling not only did it justice but made it shine in a whole unique way. It was so incredibly magical and beautifully and well told. I normally don't love stories dealing with grief. But this was done in the most lovely way. PLEASE READ THIS BOOK!
May 23, 2022
A beautiful, lyrically written book about love, loss and hope. I loved the nod to The Secret Garden, while still being its own story.
Highly recommend this for any MG reader or library.
Highly recommend this for any MG reader or library.
July 9, 2023
Such a cute book! The story of loss, grieving and hope really tugged at my heart.
April 23, 2022
I thought this book was written, richly imagined with magic in a creepy house, stunning portrait of love and loss, magic and hope; a true celebration of the strength we all possess to transcend tragedy and the gifts that make life worth living!! People say this is a retelling of Secret Garden, but I haven’t read the original to confirm. Readers of all ages will enjoy this book!
Thank you Viking books / Penguin Young Readers for the readers copy!
Thank you Viking books / Penguin Young Readers for the readers copy!
March 20, 2024
*I read this book, & wrote this review last March. So it hadn’t even been a year since losing my pup. This book came at the perfect time in my life, & brought some hope back into it.💜*
I absolutely LOVED the authors 1st book, but she kicked everything up a notch with this book, & I loved this even more than the 1st because of it. This just might be my favorite Secret Garden reimagining. I'd have to look through the ones l've read to be sure, but WOW! I LOVED how the author kept the core parts of the story very similar to the classic, & wove her own story around that to make it her own. I loved the idea of the magic of this world showing in a color inside you, & also in everything you see in the world. Also, when something happens like a tremendous tragedy & the grief that brings, that it rips the magic/color from you, as well as all the color you used to see..everything becomes gray. What honest, relatable imagery of grief this paints. Because magic or no, it feels like all the color is torn from the world & inside you when you’re grieving. Having lost my dad, & now my pup I felt so seen with this book, & so emotional, & it felt like a part of my path to my own healing(that I'm hopeful will come) reading this. Also, the important messages of healing-that it IS possible, & all the important messages that go with that alone, like the guilt you feel at 1st for even thinking of being happy again. The imagery painted with the authors words with the healing process was also so honest & a beautiful representation. What she did with the garden, "the crying boy", the maid, the gardener, & the garden(all core parts of the original that she made her own)were SUPERB! Every detail about the garden, especially that miraculous tree is so magical & breathtaking. The backstory & details of the characters mentioned were sooooo well done. I wasn't left overly comparing anything to the classic:like it wasn't close enough to the original, or it was too close so you then compare it to death....NO! None of that. Brilliantly done. The bird is 1 thing I left out. Because it's 1 of the most beautiful aspects. What the author does with the cardinal of her story, what it represents..took my breath away, & I'm getting teary-eyed now just thinking about it. Beautiful. I don't want to give anything away, so all I'lI say about this next thing is, there's 1 character who you don't know if they're good or bad or what..but what they end up representing is yet ANOTHER honest heartbreakingly beautiful in a way image representation of what they are. This has beautiful, vivid, detailed, imaginative writing that is magical in its own right. It has incredible relatable characters. Honest, relatable themes of grief, loss, trust, courage, family, friendship, & healing. So atmospheric. All the details of some of the town Lottie originally lives in, & then especially in Forsaken & the house there itself, the garden & more, plus the glimpse of in Between & Ever After we see. I absolutely LOVED the ending. Every single part came together beautifully, & was such a satisfying conclusion. I cannot wait for the authors next book, whatever it may be l'll be there if it's MG. Thank you to the author for writing such an honest book that will help so many on their path to healing. HIGHLY recommend (duh lol). STUNNING cover by Tracy J. Lee too.💜
I absolutely LOVED the authors 1st book, but she kicked everything up a notch with this book, & I loved this even more than the 1st because of it. This just might be my favorite Secret Garden reimagining. I'd have to look through the ones l've read to be sure, but WOW! I LOVED how the author kept the core parts of the story very similar to the classic, & wove her own story around that to make it her own. I loved the idea of the magic of this world showing in a color inside you, & also in everything you see in the world. Also, when something happens like a tremendous tragedy & the grief that brings, that it rips the magic/color from you, as well as all the color you used to see..everything becomes gray. What honest, relatable imagery of grief this paints. Because magic or no, it feels like all the color is torn from the world & inside you when you’re grieving. Having lost my dad, & now my pup I felt so seen with this book, & so emotional, & it felt like a part of my path to my own healing(that I'm hopeful will come) reading this. Also, the important messages of healing-that it IS possible, & all the important messages that go with that alone, like the guilt you feel at 1st for even thinking of being happy again. The imagery painted with the authors words with the healing process was also so honest & a beautiful representation. What she did with the garden, "the crying boy", the maid, the gardener, & the garden(all core parts of the original that she made her own)were SUPERB! Every detail about the garden, especially that miraculous tree is so magical & breathtaking. The backstory & details of the characters mentioned were sooooo well done. I wasn't left overly comparing anything to the classic:like it wasn't close enough to the original, or it was too close so you then compare it to death....NO! None of that. Brilliantly done. The bird is 1 thing I left out. Because it's 1 of the most beautiful aspects. What the author does with the cardinal of her story, what it represents..took my breath away, & I'm getting teary-eyed now just thinking about it. Beautiful. I don't want to give anything away, so all I'lI say about this next thing is, there's 1 character who you don't know if they're good or bad or what..but what they end up representing is yet ANOTHER honest heartbreakingly beautiful in a way image representation of what they are. This has beautiful, vivid, detailed, imaginative writing that is magical in its own right. It has incredible relatable characters. Honest, relatable themes of grief, loss, trust, courage, family, friendship, & healing. So atmospheric. All the details of some of the town Lottie originally lives in, & then especially in Forsaken & the house there itself, the garden & more, plus the glimpse of in Between & Ever After we see. I absolutely LOVED the ending. Every single part came together beautifully, & was such a satisfying conclusion. I cannot wait for the authors next book, whatever it may be l'll be there if it's MG. Thank you to the author for writing such an honest book that will help so many on their path to healing. HIGHLY recommend (duh lol). STUNNING cover by Tracy J. Lee too.💜
January 24, 2022
This book is why I love reading middle grade fantasy. The world building is superb and so lush that the setting pulsed with life as a main character. The characters--from Lottie, the POV character, to her found family and friends--felt like my own family and friends, so real they popped from the pages. The use of color imagery and the magical system gave me hope for healing in times of great loss; the message that everyone has the power to find his or her own healing in the right time for each person is so comforting to me. I had a difficult time putting down this novel and couldn't wait to dive back in. The writing style felt as if I was listening to and watching a movie with the use of so many sensory details--from sights, sounds, physical sensations, tastes, and smells--that I was immersed inside this world completely. Bravo to the author for adding so much heart to this unforgettable novel.
May 2, 2024
*Reread in April/May 2024, and I loved it just as my as the first time I read it and still agree with my original 4-star rating. This book is truly a beautiful Secret Garden retelling and picture of grief and hope. My review below still stands!
🌷This was a beautiful retelling/reimagining of the Secret Garden! I think if that’s a classic you enjoy then you should definitely consider giving this one a try.
🎨 I loved the way grief was explored here and seeing how it affected people through color/graying!
💕 The cover is really what drew me into this one initially, but the beautiful writing kept me hooked!
💛 I enjoyed being able to bring the lessons in this story back to my faith. I’m not sure if it was intentional or not, but I felt like there were some great Christian messages that could be pulled from this story and I loved that!
🌪 I thought I had everything figured out, but I sure didn’t see that twist coming! I loved it!
🌷This was a beautiful retelling/reimagining of the Secret Garden! I think if that’s a classic you enjoy then you should definitely consider giving this one a try.
🎨 I loved the way grief was explored here and seeing how it affected people through color/graying!
💕 The cover is really what drew me into this one initially, but the beautiful writing kept me hooked!
💛 I enjoyed being able to bring the lessons in this story back to my faith. I’m not sure if it was intentional or not, but I felt like there were some great Christian messages that could be pulled from this story and I loved that!
🌪 I thought I had everything figured out, but I sure didn’t see that twist coming! I loved it!
May 1, 2022
a blatant allegory for the catholic faith is not exactly what i wanted in a secret garden retelling that was supposed to be about grief. this story tried to pull of the little girl healing from the loss of her family through found family plot of the original but honestly made it more little girl healing through the power of g-d and finding out the heaven is real. the character's just fell flat, having very shallow relationships that are somehow supposed to be the pillars lottie is building her hope on to heal from grief. it just wasn't believable for me.
October 13, 2021
A Truly Exceptional Find!!!! Every now and then I pick up a book and something magical happens. I hope for it with every new book I open. I find it on glorious occasions when I meet characters and encounter writing that transport me to another world. The Edge of In Between delivered what I hoped for and then some.
If you love a story where scenes spring into existence in such vividness you can feel, see, smell and taste what the characters are experiencing, you'll adore this book as much as I do.
Each person who holds this beautiful tale in their hands can find themselves in one or more of the characters. It invited me on a journey both outside and inside of myself.
I took part in Lottie's brave quest and I visited deep places in my own heart where I've wondered how I was going to find my courage in the midst of an unforeseen storm.
I found myself rooting for Lottie instantly. Lorelei Savaryn's portrayal of Lottie and every other character brought them to life in a way that takes exceptional talent and heart. It's those qualities in a writer that keeps readers coming back for more.
The surprising ways the tale is revealed are nothing short of delightful and enchanting. How this author was able to tap into feelings I have trouble putting into words is beyond me. But she did.
It's most frequently in motion pictures that I find myself wanting to cheer over a character's triumph or cry over their sorrow. I'm so thankful to have met these characters and this author! Savaryn expertly creates "bigger than life" emotions typically reserved for the movies and she artfully transports them onto the pages of her novel.
I absolutely loved getting lost in The Edge of In Between with all its nuances. If you've ever faced something sorrowful and wondered how to navigate it, pick up this book and embark on a brave quest as Lottie tries to find the ones she fears she's lost forever.
I can't say enough good things about this story; the second of what I am certain will be many amazing novels by Savaryn. I recommend this story for kids in middle school on up to adults.
Penguin Random House hit a home run with this writer and this tale. I absolutely can't wait to lose myself and find myself in the next world Lorelei Savaryn creates.
If you love a story where scenes spring into existence in such vividness you can feel, see, smell and taste what the characters are experiencing, you'll adore this book as much as I do.
Each person who holds this beautiful tale in their hands can find themselves in one or more of the characters. It invited me on a journey both outside and inside of myself.
I took part in Lottie's brave quest and I visited deep places in my own heart where I've wondered how I was going to find my courage in the midst of an unforeseen storm.
I found myself rooting for Lottie instantly. Lorelei Savaryn's portrayal of Lottie and every other character brought them to life in a way that takes exceptional talent and heart. It's those qualities in a writer that keeps readers coming back for more.
The surprising ways the tale is revealed are nothing short of delightful and enchanting. How this author was able to tap into feelings I have trouble putting into words is beyond me. But she did.
It's most frequently in motion pictures that I find myself wanting to cheer over a character's triumph or cry over their sorrow. I'm so thankful to have met these characters and this author! Savaryn expertly creates "bigger than life" emotions typically reserved for the movies and she artfully transports them onto the pages of her novel.
I absolutely loved getting lost in The Edge of In Between with all its nuances. If you've ever faced something sorrowful and wondered how to navigate it, pick up this book and embark on a brave quest as Lottie tries to find the ones she fears she's lost forever.
I can't say enough good things about this story; the second of what I am certain will be many amazing novels by Savaryn. I recommend this story for kids in middle school on up to adults.
Penguin Random House hit a home run with this writer and this tale. I absolutely can't wait to lose myself and find myself in the next world Lorelei Savaryn creates.
July 1, 2022
This upper middle-grade book is about a grieving girl unable to accept the sudden loss of her parents. It has vibes, and plays with colours in a way that reminds me of .
Our 12-year-old heroine belong to this special group who sees the world in colours. She loves her world of colours and loves to capture this wonderful world in paint. She lives alongside the Living Gray, people who, with time, age and experience, have lost their colours. They are monochrome in appearance and also see they world in shades of grey. When she receives news of her parents' accident, the shock turns her into a Living Gray. After much searching for a guardian, someone came forward and promised to reunite her with her ghost parents, who will be in the In-Between. Needless to say, she agreed to go with this stranger.
The writing is ethereal, full of imagery. I love the concepts in this book, linking colours with the innocence of childhood, as well as the mental wellbeing of a person. I also love how the author took us through the stages of grieving. This is a book with a big heart, imbued with magic yet carries a strong message of hope and comfort for readers who have experienced loss.
Opening Line: The fall fires burned in all the parks across Vivelle, dotting the city with pockets of glow.
Our 12-year-old heroine belong to this special group who sees the world in colours. She loves her world of colours and loves to capture this wonderful world in paint. She lives alongside the Living Gray, people who, with time, age and experience, have lost their colours. They are monochrome in appearance and also see they world in shades of grey. When she receives news of her parents' accident, the shock turns her into a Living Gray. After much searching for a guardian, someone came forward and promised to reunite her with her ghost parents, who will be in the In-Between. Needless to say, she agreed to go with this stranger.
The writing is ethereal, full of imagery. I love the concepts in this book, linking colours with the innocence of childhood, as well as the mental wellbeing of a person. I also love how the author took us through the stages of grieving. This is a book with a big heart, imbued with magic yet carries a strong message of hope and comfort for readers who have experienced loss.
Opening Line: The fall fires burned in all the parks across Vivelle, dotting the city with pockets of glow.
October 13, 2021
This book is a treasure! Everyone can relate to losing someone. Lorelei Savaryn expresses the countless feelings of grief and loss in ways I've never seen before.
At times I felt like my own story was being told through Lottie's loss and her feelings. Her discoveries reminded me that there can be deep value in the hard things we go through in life. It reminded me of the importance of realizing we can suffer great loss and still have a deeply meaningful, good and happy life.
The story winds its way into hope and healing in the most beautiful and creative ways. I never stopped being surprised.
If you know someone who needs hope after a loss this is a beautiful gift you can give. If you have known loss or hardship yourself, I highly recommend this beautiful story. It honors sorrow while helping the reader to change the lenses through which it is seen.
I have to thank Lorelei Savaryn for this beautiful depiction of what it feels like to deeply grieve and to also find new meaning in life beyond that loss. This is a book that will remain forever on my shelf of favorites and forever in my heart.
I look forward to more novels by this wonderfully talented author.
At times I felt like my own story was being told through Lottie's loss and her feelings. Her discoveries reminded me that there can be deep value in the hard things we go through in life. It reminded me of the importance of realizing we can suffer great loss and still have a deeply meaningful, good and happy life.
The story winds its way into hope and healing in the most beautiful and creative ways. I never stopped being surprised.
If you know someone who needs hope after a loss this is a beautiful gift you can give. If you have known loss or hardship yourself, I highly recommend this beautiful story. It honors sorrow while helping the reader to change the lenses through which it is seen.
I have to thank Lorelei Savaryn for this beautiful depiction of what it feels like to deeply grieve and to also find new meaning in life beyond that loss. This is a book that will remain forever on my shelf of favorites and forever in my heart.
I look forward to more novels by this wonderfully talented author.
February 15, 2022
Is the best part of The Edge of In Between that gorgeous cover? Or is it in the beautiful Secret Garden retelling about the magic of color and grief and loss?
It's a toss up, but I loved it all. Lorelei Savaryn's follow up to her wonderful Circus of Stolen Dreams will certainly capture your middle grade heart and you'll be instantly transported to Lottie's world. The worst part of this book is when it had to end. The young reader world has been blessed lately with books that help children navigate grief and this book is another lovely entry that I'd highly recommend.
Thank you so much to Penguin Young Readers for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC through NetGalley.
It's a toss up, but I loved it all. Lorelei Savaryn's follow up to her wonderful Circus of Stolen Dreams will certainly capture your middle grade heart and you'll be instantly transported to Lottie's world. The worst part of this book is when it had to end. The young reader world has been blessed lately with books that help children navigate grief and this book is another lovely entry that I'd highly recommend.
Thank you so much to Penguin Young Readers for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC through NetGalley.
January 11, 2025
This book was beautiful. If you are grieving, I highly highly recommend this book. This is a children’s book about a girl who loses her parents, and she goes on an adventure trying to find them again.
October 13, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The story was told with beautiful imagery and eloquence, and took me on an emotional journey that started with a simmer and ended with a boil! I appreciated the deeper themes of the story and fully recommend reading this book to anyone, young and older alike.
July 1, 2022
3.5 stars
This was my second book by this author and an audiobook with Jayne Entwistle which i switched half way and i did enjoyed it. Not believing in the core subject of this book, i was not sure about the topic but writing is wonderful. This book as previous one has same subject finding someone after death and little hint from the secret garden. But i will definitely read more books from this author.
This was my second book by this author and an audiobook with Jayne Entwistle which i switched half way and i did enjoyed it. Not believing in the core subject of this book, i was not sure about the topic but writing is wonderful. This book as previous one has same subject finding someone after death and little hint from the secret garden. But i will definitely read more books from this author.
July 7, 2022
4.5 rounded up to 5
March 11, 2023
Super awesome!! It’s an amazing book and I totally recommend for people that like magic and color :]
May 18, 2022
This book was beautiful and I could not put it down. It also made me cry. The Edge of In Between is a beautiful book about dealing with grief and I genuinely believe everyone should read this book.
January 15, 2022
The Edge of In Between is a spooky, magical retelling of The Secret Garden. Although fans of Frances Hodgson Burnett's novel will be entranced with the sprinkling of details from the original, one needn't be familiar with The Secret Garden to enjoy this retelling, because this gorgeous, lyrical middle grade novel possesses a magic all its own. When young Lottie is faced with crippling grief, all the color drains from her—literally—and she becomes one of the Living Grey. Sent to the land of In-Between to live with her uncle, Lottie's one hope is to find her loved ones and bring them back to the land of the living. This is a story of learning to live with the pain of loss while still finding joy and beauty in the world.
March 22, 2023
This was a good book! It wasn’t my style but I enjoyed the throwbacks to the original story of the secret garden. The cousin, the long lost family, but it wasn’t written for me. The language was for someone who middle grade so I wasn’t the target but I still enjoyed it.
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