Review Detail

“Abby in Between: Ready or Not” by Megan E. Bryant will keep readers engaged and flying through the pages to learn what happens to main character Abby.

While Abby is happy with her life, it’s about to throw a wrench into the works. Her best friend and cousin, Zoe, is moving to California while Abby is staying in North Carolina with her family. It seems like the universe is working against them. They can’t imagine what their lives will be like without having each other so close by.

When Zoe moves, Abby feels lost. Her parents sign her up for a running club, but she doesn’t want any part of it. She’s also dealing with new feelings and physical changes, brought about by puberty, and she worries about how this is affecting her and her relationships with others. Making it harder yet is that Zoe doesn’t seem to want to talk about it with her, and Abby can’t figure out what that means. She feels like Zoe is drifting away, but she’s not ready to let her go yet, despite the physical distance between them.

Abby pours herself into school and trying to spend time with her dad to avoid the running club, but she soon discovers that the parts of her life she has most been trying to shut out may just be the parts that are going to help her move forward.

There are moments of sadness mixed in with moments of pure happiness and sunshine—what every young kid, and adult for that matter, most wants. Abby’s life, while not perfect, shows how a child’s life can change quickly, and how friends, parents, and others can often help keep them grounded. Readers will walk away from this book feeling excited to see where Abby will go next.