Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Book Review ~ Off the Page (Between the Lines #2) by Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer



Off the Page
(Between the Lines #2)
by Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer
Illustrations by Yvonne Gilbert


From #1 New York Times bestselling authors Jodi Picoult and her daughter and co-writer, Samantha van Leer, comes OFF THE PAGE, a tender and appealing romantic YA novel filled with humor, adventure, and magical relationships.

Sixteen-year-old Delilah is finally united with Oliver—a prince literally taken from the pages of a fairy tale. There are, however, complications now that Oliver has been able to enter the real world. To exist in Delilah’s world, Oliver must take the place of a regular boy. Enter Edgar, who agrees to take Oliver’s role in Delilah’s favorite book. In this multilayered universe, the line between what is on the page and what is possible is blurred, but all must be resolved for the characters to live happily ever after. Includes twelve full-color illustrations, and black-and-white decorations throughout.

Full of humor and witty commentary about life, OFF THE PAGE is a stand-alone novel as well as a companion to the authors’ bestseller Between the Lines, and is perfect for readers looking for a fairytale ending. Fans of Sarah Dessen and Meg Cabot are sure to appreciate this novel about love, romance, and relationships.

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Once upon a time, there was a girl named Deliah and a prince named Oliver and they fell madly in love and lived happily-ever-after.  The End.

Oh wait…..I need to let you know what I thought of this cute story!!!

Off the Page is an enchanting and delightful read that I enjoyed reading a lot!  When I first picked it up and noticed that it was a companion novel to Between the Lines, I was a bit leery since I had not read Between the Lines and thought I would not know what was going on.  I couldn’t have been more wrong.  The authors did such a wonderful job; I really didn’t need to read the first book to know what happened.

So apparently in Between the Lines, Deliah falls in love with a prince in a fairy tale that she has been reading.  But this was no ordinary fairy tale, oh no.  See, the characters in this book are actually alive within the story and when the book is opened by the reader, they begin their story telling skills.  When the book is closed, the characters live their lives within the confines of the book.  The prince in this story is Oliver, and he and Deliah fall madly in love.  There is just that one problem though of Oliver being a two-dimensional character.   After careful planning and a lot of trial and error, Oliver is finally out of the book living in the real world. 

Off the Page continues this story and what an entertaining story it was!  Living in a fairy tale is nothing like the real world, and Oliver has a lot of learning to do in order to look and sound normal.  It was enjoyable to read about him trying to figure out high school and meet new friends.  Thankfully, he has Deliah by his side helping him navigate his new world. 

For the most part, this was a happy story, but toward the end, there are some depressing and sad parts – somewhat like real life I suppose.  We have to take the good with the bad and the characters in this book and the story itself demonstrated this lesson very well. 

As I started reading this story, I was immediately hooked, not only with the wonderful writing, but with the beautiful illustrations that were included throughout.  It was full of funny moments and witty dialogue that made the story that more enjoyable.  This was an amazing story and the mother/daughter author team did a spectacular job in writing it.  This is the perfect novel for any young adult, but really, anyone looking to read a light-hearted story with a unique and delightful story line will enjoy Off the Page.

4 stars


Jodi Picoult is the author of twenty-two novels, including the #1 New York Times bestsellers The Storyteller, Lone Wolf, Between the Lines, Sing You Home, House Rules, Handle with Care, Change of Heart, Nineteen Minutes, and My Sister’s Keeper. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband and three children.



Samantha van Leer is a junior in high school. She conceived the idea for Between the Lines and pitched it to her mom, Jodi Picoult, who was in the middle of a book tour. In her spare time, Samantha can be found playing softball, doing contemporary dance, acting and singing in musicals, and cuddling on the ground with her two dogs, Dudley and Oliver—for whom the prince in this fairy tale was named.






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