I’ve got to say, this book seemed to go on forever and it still wasn’t enough! Let’s get the negatives out of the way first. I try very hard not to DNF books and the censored cursing was almost enough to annoy me but it grew on me and it was charming in its own way. The book is long and for the first quarter, it’s pretty boring, but there was just something about it that I just wanted to read more. I do agree it could be probably 250 pages less. I’m not sure if this book is large or has fine print but I read this on the Kindle and it felt like I was scrolling a million times before I got to the next page. I mean the chapters took 20-40 minutes to complete and I’m a fairly fast reader! And after 700+ pages I’m not really sure what the Crossing is or the purpose of a Dreamer. 

All those things aside, this book was unbelievably charming and witty and just funny! The slowest of burns when it comes to the plot and the romance (in this case, no romance just two people who clearly better fall in love meeting). It is a lot to ask your readers to basically read 700+ pages and it just be a set up for the actual plot and action in the next book (lord please just be a duology). But it was the dialogue that kept me intrigued and laughing. I probably screenshoted half the dialogue in this book to show my friend just to shake my head and laugh. It has kind of a “The Wizard, the Witch, and the Two Girls from Jersey” vibe to it that I really like. It has this lightness to it that you forget that really serious things are going down. It’s dorky, charming, funny, and just a bit refreshing. 

Sasha Pierce is a 30 year old substitute teacher with a serious case of wanderlust, has bad luck with love, and who mysteriously hasn’t had a dream since she was 5. She arrives to Old Middletown (in Wisconsin maybe? One of those states) in the middle of nowhere and no cell reception (and no one has WiFi? Immediately no). In tow, she has her childhood best friend Lyla, an orphan trust fund redhead-turned-blonde PhD student. Lyla is taking a break from her psych degree and tags along with Sasha (but she definitely complains along the way). Lyla is immediately suspicious of the town and states she wouldn’t be surprised if it was filled with supernatural or murderous beings. Lyla is used to Sasha’s wandering heart and is happy (well maybe not happy happy) to follow her all over the country. Sasha’s parents are also travelers and a currently out of the country. Sasha has a lot of other friends, whereas Lyla just has Sasha. Sasha’s more rational and quick to come up with reasonable explanations for the weird happenings (aka denial) since their arrival. Lyla, on the other hand, has read every fairytale and murder mystery out there and is suspicious of everyone and everything.  

Then, surprise surprise, it turns out the town is filled with witches. It sits upon an ancient site that is a Portal from our world to the Otherworld. The magic of the land draws more than it’s fair share of witches and some stick around and protect the gateway between the magical and non magical realms. Another weird thing about this town? There’s no men. And Earth has no wizards. However, it seems that Sasha is able to travel to the land between Earth and the rest of Otherworld, and this land (which happens to be sentient) is named (appropriately so) Between. It’s the first time in 25 years Sasha is able to dream and it turns out she astroprojects herself into a magical realm. It’s in one of these dreams where she meets the dashing, burned out Shadow King of Between (a True King) named Lorn. Also happens to be a super powerful sorcerer and has the tragic backstory of being an orphan raised in the Dark lands of Otherworld. 

Now Between is far from the picturesque, romanticized version of a fairytale. It is a land of wild magic and all of its citizens are drunken criminals (think just a land of a bunch of Pirates of the Caribbean pirates) but also contains Otherworld’a best thieves, spies, and assassins. Unfortunately for Sasha, she unwittingly (and impossibly) becomes a True Queen of Between (a rarity). This means she’s betrothed to Lorn now (through it’ll be a strictly business union *wink wink nudge nudge*) and she must leave Earth and live in Between or risk the destruction of her world. Oh and the High King of Otherworld is up to some nefarious schemes and it seems not everyone is happy that Between has chosen a Queen for itself and Lorn. 

The first half of the book is told from Sasha’s point-of-view and the second half is told from Lorn’s but the events in the second half happen in tandem with the events of the first half of the book. It was entertaining to watch two women so far out of their element trying to handle magic, witches, knights, elves, wizards, imps, drunken unicorns, betrothals, and kidnapping attempts. It was equally hilarious and heartwarming to see Lorn rule Between while ignoring the blossoming feelings he’s developing for Sasha. And I have to say it again, it is genuinely funny. The banter and sarcasm and just the absurdity of Between is absolutely entertaining and hilarious. So much of this book is highlighted and I want to buy the physical copy! 

I’ve read plenty of long boring books that have minimal reprieve (*cough* LotR) and I have to say this book though long and tedious with some 30% of it being boring, had enough zingers and one-liners to make it worth it. I love sarcasm and if you do too, this is your book. If you just want to sit back and just read a book with events as they’re happening and has a leisurely pace, this is it. The book like slowed down my brain and just felt like a breezy, relaxing, lazy ride. 

I’m patiently (but not really) waiting for book two.