Series Review: Between the Lines and Off The Page by Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer

Today I’m reviewing Between the Lines and its’ companion novel, Off The Page.  Both are meant to be read separately or in any order you want, though I read them in order, Between the Lines being first. 

Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer

Published: 2012

Genres: Contemporary
                                                     

Format: Paperback
                                                                

Amazon • Goodreads

Off The Page by Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer

Published: 2015

Genres: Contemporary
                                                     

Format: Hardcover
                                                                

Amazon • Goodreads

What is Between The Lines about?

Delilah is a bit of a loner who prefers spending her time in the school library with her head in a book—one book in particular. Between the Lines may be a fairy tale, but it feels real. Prince Oliver is brave, adventurous, and loving. He really speaks to Delilah.
And then one day Oliver actually speaks to her. Turns out, Oliver is more than a one-dimensional storybook prince. He’s a restless teen who feels trapped by his literary existence and hates that his entire life is predetermined. He’s sure there’s more for him out there in the real world, and Delilah might just be his key to freedom.

A romantic and charming story, this companion novel to Off the Page will make every reader believe in the fantastical power of fairy tales.

What is Off The Page about?

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. 

Thoughts:

I pretty much just picked these books up on a whim.  I had known about the first book, Between The Lines and had wanted to read it for quite some time.  And recently, I had been seeing some good reviews for Off The Page and both sounded just like something I would enjoy.   I am definitely glad I picked these up and gave this series a try!

The premise of these books is super cute.  It’s about Delilah, who falls in love with this prince named Oliver.  The only problem – Olivier is a character in a book.  I loved the uniqueness of this story.  The way that it was explained how the characters basically put on a play every time a person read the book.  But then, in the time when someone’s not reading, the characters are different and can come and go as they please.  The “villain” in the story isn’t really mean at all.  I liked those little touches and how things were explained. 

I found Delilah to be a pretty relatable character, because as a bookworm myself, I know what it’s like to fall in love with a book.  I know what it’s like to read a book so many times that the characters become real to you.  Except, in Delilah’s case, they really were real. 

In the Between the Lines, I enjoyed getting to see Delilah and Oliver’s relationship grow.   It was super fun getting to see all of the crazy things they tried to get Oliver out of the book. 

I also really enjoyed the wide cast of character in Oliver’s book.   From Queen Maureen, to Pyro the dragon, to Captain Crabbe the pirate who really just wants to be a dentist, every character in this story was super fun.  The characters in Oliver’s book were a family, and they were always accepting and ready to help Oliver with whatever he needed. 

In Off The Page, I LOVED getting to finally see Oliver in the real world.  Imagine Oliver, who’s only ever known life in a fairytale, trying to navigate high school in the 21^st century.  It was so adorable to finally see Delilah and Oliver together in the real world.  Watching Oliver make friends and get to do normal teenager stuff was great. 

I also liked how much character development went on, especially in the second book for Seraphima.  She became more open minded and someone fun to be around.  She because her own person, not just the princess that was always waiting around for Oliver.  I also liked Jules (Delilah’s friend), and Edgar.  They also went through a lot of character development in the second book.  I really grew to like Edgar.  He is such a sweet guy, who was willing to help Delilah and Oliver out when they needed him. 

If anything, I would say that I felt a little bit unsure of where it was heading or what the actual plot was at times.  Sometimes it just felt like it was just a constant stream of trying to always get Oliver out of the book, or to put him back in, then to switch. 

Rating:

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I really enjoyed this series.  I like the message of no matter what someone looks like on the outside or their situation, it's really what's on the inside that counts. Delilah didn't look at him any different that she did any other person, even though he was a character stuck in a book and not in the real world.  Delilah and Oliver both came from different worlds, and that's what really made their story special. I really loved these books and would definitely recommend them to anyone who is a fan of fairytales, contemporaries, or just love stories in general.  

Olivia

Have you read Between the Lines or Off the Page?  What were your thoughts?