Between the Lines

By: Jodi Picoult, Samantha Van Leer

Narrated by: Robert Ian MacKenzie, Suzy Myers Jackson, Nick Cordero

For her first-ever YA novel, #1 New York Times best-selling author Jodi Picoult collaborates with her teenage daughter Samantha van Leer on an exhilarating work of cross-generational appeal.

A story of romance, adventure, and humor, Between the Lines features high-schooler and social outsider Delilah, who discovers a charming fairy tale in the school library and can’t resist turning to it again and again. But one day she finds the book has hidden depths—and that the story’s handsome prince has somehow stepped from the page into her very own world.

©2012 Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer (P)2012 Recorded Books

Critic reviews

"A compulsively readable charmer. The teen dialogue and interior monologues feel authentic, while Picoult’s practiced hand balances humor with larger issues such as abandonment, hope, and existential quandaries related to fate and human nature. Both silhouette and pencil drawings abound; characters climb in and around the text to excellent effect. Younger readers and their parents will appreciate the gentle, wholesome romance, with nary a shred of paranormal action. The tender, positive tone and effective pacing that builds to a satisfying finish will inspire readers to pass the book to a friend—or reread it themselves." (Booklist)

"A clever YA romance about the magical relationship between a loner and her fictional “Prince Charming.” Elements from Picoult’s other novels—alternating character viewpoints with distinguishing fonts, snappy chapter endings—are present, and the story is peppered with pop culture references to The Hunger Games, the Kindle Fire, and the X-Men, as well as comic relief in the form of characters like a talking horse that thinks it has a weight problem. Readers...will be swept up by the romantic premise." (Publishers Weekly)

There may be a new author in the making

When I first bought this book; I thought it would be a normal Picoult book. A bit of a surprise when I heard that she co-wrote this with her daughter and for a young adult group. So, I adjusted my level of thinking with this book. The storyline was very clever. It kept me thinking throughout the book as to how she would manage to get the Prince out of the book. Or would the girl learn a rough lesson. For a young author, I think she has the potential to be as good as her mother.

Great escape!

Loved it. Made laugh and look my life a little differently. Hopeful, we all struggle sometimes.

Was almost an DNF

I picked this up because it was co-authored by Jodi Picoult (along with her daughter) and I was curious as I adore Jodi and her stories.

When I started to listen, I was not too far in to chapter 1 when I really felt like giving up. But, I kept listening hoping it would pick up and get better, reminding myself that this is a YA audience book.

The characters started to develop and I am glad I stuck it out. This turned out to be a different, fun, cute story and I truly did enjoy it.

Movie!

This book would make a marvelous movie for young adults and tweens! I love it! Jodi and Samantha did a fantastic job creating a truly novel fairy tale. ❤️

Fun book for readers of any age

What a great story from a fantastic storyteller! (and her daughter)
Prince Oliver is the hero in the children's fairy tale, Between the Lines. He's bored, he doesn't really love the princess he marries on Forever After Beach every time the book is opened. But he IS in love with the reader, Delilah. She thinks she's gone mad when a character from her library book reaches out to her; based on her behavior, her mother and best friend thinks so too.
(BEST MERMAID DESCRIPTION EVER!!!)
Jodi Picoult is my favorite author and this YA fairy tale did not disappoint. My 14yo granddaughter and I have our own book club and this was the book we chose for February. She loved it too.
SO EXCITED this will be a Broadway musical, for those of you that live on the east coast, it would be amazing to see how this book will transform to the stage. (Wish I lived closer!!!)
My own personal rating system is based on the following:
POV-told from Prince Oliver and Delilah only, perfect. The readers did a great job and it was very obvious who's head you're in.
Predicability- LOVED the ending and didn't really see the happily ever after coming together but it totally did.
Realistic dialogue - for a teenager talking to a book character the dialogue flowed and was fun. It was realistic even thought was completely a fairy tale.