NOW A MOTION PICTURE STARRING JOEY KING This heartbreaking story—perfect for fans of If I Stay and Five Feet Apart —follows a girl swept up in the magic of her first love, until it all comes to a tragic end that might lead her into the afterlife itself. After bouncing around in foster homes for most of her childhood, seventeen-year-old Tessa Jacobs doesn’t believe she deserves love—not from her adoptive parents, and certainly not from anyone at school. But everything changes when she has a chance encounter with Skylar, a senior from a neighboring town who’s a true romantic. Their budding relationship quickly leads to the kind of passion you only see in the movies. As her heart begins to open, Tessa's beliefs about love begin to change. When tragedy strikes, Tessa wakes up alone in a hospital room with no memory of how she got there. And then she learns the horrifying news: Skylar is dead. As Tessa searches for answers, Skylar’s spirit reaches out to her from the other side. Desperate to see him one last time, Tessa must race against the clock to uncover the shocking truth of their relationship—a truth that might just lead to the afterlife itself. "This story and Marc had such a big impact on me. Somehow my heart breaks and swells all at the same time while reading this. A powerful telling of love and loss.” —Joey King, star and producer of  The In Between Gr 8 Up-Seventeen-year-old Tessa, a photography aficionado, lives with her foster parents Vickie and Mel just outside of Atlantic City. Her less-than-perfect childhood has left her with the desire to remain "invisible" until she meets Skylar, who turns her world upside down. The two spend a magical summer together but argue when Tessa thinks Sky, in his efforts to convince her of her artistic worth, is overstepping the boundaries she has set. The night she tries to mend fences, the duo is involved in a car accident, resulting in Sky's death and Tessa's brush with the afterlife. In his debut novel, the basis for an upcoming film, Klein tells the couple's story, alternating between before and after the accident. The "before" chapters explain Tessa's background, her resulting fears, and the development of her relationship with Sky; the "after" chapters document her attempts to make contact with Sky's spirit through ADCs (after-death communications) and suggest the direction her life finally takes. The plot is well paced and the dialogue, peppered with cultural references and some cursing, is true-to-form for modern teens without overdoing its attempt to be relevant. Although the after-death concepts may not appeal to all, fans of films such as Ghost will be thrilled by the protagonists' pre- and post-death romance. Tessa and Sky's ethnicities aren't stated. VERDICT An original take on the personal nature of grief and a strong choice where YA romances are popular.-Nancy Menaldi-Scanlan, formerly at LaSalle Academy, Providenceα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. “A radiant, swoon-worthy ghost story, combined with an empowering story of a young woman finding her creative voice. I absolutely loved this book.” ― Kirsten “Kiwi” Smith, author of Trinkets and screenwriter of 10 Things I Hate About You and Legally Blonde “An original take on the personal nature of grief and a strong choice where YA romances are popular.” ― SLJ Marc Klein has written many well-known screenplays including the romantic comedy classic Serendipity, as well as Mirror, Mirror , a reimagining of the Snow White fairy tale. The In Between is his debut novel and the basis for the upcoming film from Paramount Pictures. Klein resides in Los Angeles.