"We're always closest to death when we're asleep."

Tananarive Due, y'all. OMG! How have I not read any of her work until now? I am so glad to begin with The Between - as it was a hauntingly poignant story full of grief, loss, death, marriage, family, race, anger, mental health, acceptance, and more. The book covers real-life horror of people - the fact that it was written in the mid-90s and so much resonates and rings true to this day is horror enough. The Between also has a supernatural element that we mostly see in dream sequences and "whispers between the paragraphs."

Reading this book was effortless in the way that Due chose her words and told her story. Conversely, reading this book was heart-wrenching and gave me anxiety at times due to the subject matter. Watching Hilton and his psychological breakdown over the course of the book tore me up.

This book is an easy 5 stars. EASY 5 STARS! I am sooooo ready to just devour all of Due's other works now. Her style is compelling, engaging, and beautiful. It made me feel ALL the emotions. Highly recommended to all readers!