A Walk Between Raindrops by Amalie John is an emotional and touching story about two estranged sisters, Elise and Wylla, who embark on a journey of healing during an all-expense paid trip to ten amusement parks. Despite their strained relationship, Elise hopes that the confined space and shared experiences will provide an opportunity for them to reconnect. However, both sisters are carrying their own burdens, and their journey becomes a test of their resilience and their bond.

One of the strengths of the book is its ability to capture the complex emotions of the characters, balancing teenage angst with the more mature feelings of loss and isolation. Elise's struggles with trauma and her feelings of inadequacy are portrayed with authenticity, allowing readers to empathize with her journey of self-discovery. The exploration of grief, friendship, and forgiveness adds depth to the story and creates a resonant emotional experience.

The author's writing style is engaging and well-crafted, making the book a fast and compelling read. The romance between Elise and Seamus is delicately woven into the narrative, complementing the main themes without overpowering them. The surprise ending adds an additional layer of intrigue and leaves a lasting impression.

While the story succeeds in delivering an emotional and heartfelt tale, there are some minor editing issues that could have been addressed. Additionally, more attention to world-building could have enhanced the overall experience.

In conclusion, A Walk Between Raindrops is a poignant and well-written novel that explores the complexities of sisterhood, grief, and forgiveness. With its relatable characters and compelling storyline, it captures the essence of teenage struggles while resonating with readers of all ages. Despite some minor editing issues, the book succeeds in delivering an emotional and satisfying reading experience, leaving a lasting impression on its readers.
4.7/5 rounded up to 5/5.

A Walk Between Raindrops is a story about two estranged sisters, told through the perspective of a seventeen-year-old Elise, who decides to join her younger sister Wylla on a two-week scavenger-hunt competition across some of the top amusement parks in the country, in hopes that they’ll be able to rekindle their relationship.

“When I look into her eyes, I see every fight we’ve ever had. Every misunderstanding. Every difference between us – magnified by a hundred – wedging us apart.”

Elise knows she needs to tell the truth about what happened between her and Logan last fall if she wants to make things right with her sister. That’s easier said than done, as Elise is still coping with anxiety, panic attacks, and PTSD due to a recent car accident. Then again, there’s Seamus – the only person who seems to be able to take all of Elise’s troubles away.

“We stand together for a few more seconds soaking each other in. There’s something grounding about being physically tethered to another person when everything going on around you is out of control.”

This is a touching story about grief, friendship, and forgiveness. It’s well-written and addresses sensitive topics such as mental health and grief with grace and empathy. I especially liked how the gentle romance between Elise and Seamus perfectly complements the main themes, without ever overshadowing the primary focus of the story, which is Elise and Wylla's relationship.

“We’ve wandered outside into a courtyard. The brittle corpses of spring blossoms need deadheading – the harsh summer sun and near drought conditions exacerbating their shriveled remains. Weeds and thistles have taken over the once flourishing flower beds, and instead of a place of serenity, the garden is now a depressing reminder of what used to be.”

The ending of the story took me completely by surprise. Then again, looking back, there were many subtle clues leading to it. It’s a clever twist and it made me want to read it again, this time from a completely different perspective, with the ending in mind.

I think that more attention to world-building could have further enriched this already beautiful story, which is my only criticism.

Thank you, NetGalley, the publisher Bermlord, and author Amalie Jahn for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review! My review is based on an uncorrected text. A Walk Between Raindrops by Amalie Jahn is due to be released on July 27, 2023.

I liked the family reconnection between the siblings. I am not close with some of my siblings and this really gave me the feels to want to reach out and reconnect. This is well written and has a good flow as we travel to different places throughout the story.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

This book was incredibly written. It really showcases how much of a loving bond some siblings may have, regardless if they have talked to each other in a while or not, or were frustrated with each other. I loved the dynamic between Elise and Wylla until the very end. Glad to see that Elise, even though it may not have been an entirely happy ending, still had those around her who loved and appreciated her for who she was. A great read!

#netgalletarc This was such a great read. I didn’t see the twist coming but it was written and handled so well. I’m loving all these books that handle different aspects and types of mental health issues and do it in such an eloquent way.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reading copy of a walk between raindrops by Amalie jahn. This was a nice cozy story about two sisters with differences getting tossed together on a vacation to tour the countries roller coasters together and reconnecting although with their differences.

Thank you NetGalley, BooksGoSocial, and Amalie Jahn for sending me an arc of this book. All opinions here are mine.

This book is incredible, very well written, the story goes by in the blink of an eye, the narrative conquers us quickly. Wylla and Elise are very well built characters, they manage to convey a lot of feeling to the reader, that's incredible. I really like books with this premise, it's interesting to see the teen dramas, how all this affects their personality and how the family relationship can be troubled. I like traveling a lot too, I think that's why I liked their trip and everything they experienced with adventures in the parks they went to.

It is a simple book, with depth, the author managed to convey to the readers all the dilemmas and fears of the two main characters, which is difficult. Also, I really liked the cover and title of the book!

What a sweet book! I loved the mental health representation and the way the author really developed these characters and their relationships! It was such a delight

This was a fabulous story. From start to finish. I had such a wonderful time reading this one. Highly recommend.

Review in progress and to come.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

Absolutely outstanding book from start to finish! It should be on everyone’s to read list! Truly amazing

I loved the title, cover, and synopsis of this book. The story is engaging, involving roller coasters and a quirky group of teens. It has heart, in that the main character wants nothing more than to reconnect with her sister and make things right between them. Toward the end there is a large twist that floods the story with a new light. Trauma, love, and forgiveness are core themes, as well as mental illness. Highly recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. #AWALKBETWEENRAINDROPS #NetGalley

Seventeen year old Elise and her fourteen year old sister Wylla, have not spoken in over six months. But Elise believes there might be a solution. How about an all expensive paid trip on the US's top ten amusement parks!'

Nine strangers get in the back of a van, for two weeks. Gives the sister's an opportunity to heal their relationship.
The girl's struggle to reconnect with each other, as they 'haven't willingly hung out together since middle school'. Elise claims that her sister is 'better than me at everythinng'.

Picked as a 'lucky pass holders 'in the running to win an all expenses paid trip around the US to ride some of the fastest, tallest coasters the country has to offer'.

'Wylla never crys' but she finally reaches out to her big sister. There is 'a lot I don't know my sister anymore. 'A bunch of amusement parks will make her few better' her sister proclaims going on to state how her sister has 'always been lucky in love. He'll she's always been lucky in everything'. Wants to get out of town 'but mom says I have to have supervision'.

Elise job is less than glamorous but collage is not going to pay for itself 'and besides,  I'm not sure how thrilled my manager would be about me leaving for two weeks' works at flo-yo shop. On the other hand  her sister loves teaching swimming. But she but 'needs to get away for a bit'
Still 'some deeper, darker reason for wanting to get away'. Might be the 'last chance to fix everything that's gone wrong between us'.

Elise has PTSD from accident a car crash, and is ment to take medication for it, as she has panic attacks.
Logan BFF lives next door is more her type but she has had a falling out with him as well, but we're not told why, at first.

Ernie is their chauffeur for two weeks. 'Glance at my traversing copanions: Chloe the only other girl, Mikal, Dustin, Travis,  Ernie and Seamus'. They are all great individuals characters that add to they story.

While on the bumper car's in an amusement park Elise PTSD is triggerd, she is thrown back to the day of her car crash its overwhelming her.

The ending of this book takes a really unexpected turn. That I would never have guessed. But it is very carefully done. It makes you stop and makes think back over the whole novel, it's really clever. It makes me want to read it again!
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Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me a complementary digital copy of this ebook in exchange for a full, frank and honest review. All opinions expressed are completely my own.

I received this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Minor spoilers included.

Elise and Wylla are sisters who no longer speak, following an off-page betrayal. We join the girls as they attempt to win places on a trip across the country to visit theme parks and then, when they’re successful, we travel across the states with them and their fellow winners.

Elise tries to use the trip to work out her complicated feelings toward Wylla and their history and the story flips between past recollections and the present.

The copy has some minor editing issues that will hopefully get picked up before release. Those aside, I flew through this. Jahn straddles the line of teen angst and very real, adult feelings of loss and isolation perfectly and while at times it feels like Elise maybe needs to have a quiet word with herself about her insecurities, this perfectly fits those quintessential adolescent feelings of never feeling like you’re enough.

The reveal stopped me in my tracks. I did not see it coming, I hadn’t guessed it. Maybe it was complacency on my part, maybe I was just really enjoying the ride (pun intended), but I didn’t see it coming and when it hit me.. Wow. The signs were laid throughout and like Elise, I was blissfully ignorant.

A minor suspension of belief is required to buy into the whole thing, but I think this book has the potential to be a huge hit.

A Walk Between Raindrops is a heartfelt book I was unable to put down, so it became one of the rare books I dropped everything in my life to read in one sitting. Set against a backdrop of thrilling roller coaster rides with an adventurous group of teens, Elise has two weeks and a road trip to ten amusement parks to make things right with her sister. They haven’t spoken in months, but now they’re together constantly, so it’s the perfect excuse to reconnect.

The author handles family dynamics and mental health with grace and heart. The story is well written and flows so well you feel like you’re a part of it. Highly recommended for teens, adults, and anyone who loves feeling something when they read.

This one's a hard review to write. Until the last 30 pages when the twist was unveiled, I was absolutely loving this story. I flew through it, and I think the author is very talented. There are two sides to every story, the grass isn't always greener, and speaking your worries avoids misunderstandings. There were points where Elise's inner monologue and interactions with others were a bit over the top, but it was meant to be that way because of her anxiety/depression, she wasn't taking her Zoloft, and she wasn't self-aware enough of her mental state to consider how her thoughts were affecting her self-esteem and how her behavior was affecting others. There were many times when Wylla said or did something that made me think "Woah, that's a little uncalled for," but when you take the twist into account it makes sense because Wylla's possible reactions were embellished in Elise's mind.

**SPOILERS AHEAD**

I didn't like the twist. It didn't fit. I think Jahn did a phenomenal job making it work--when you think about Wylla's interactions with others, she only ever directly talked to Elise. Here's my thing, though: Nia and her mother would have noticed Elise was seeing someone who wasn't there in the last 3 months, teachers would have noticed, her therapist, and any of the group during the two-week trip, especially Seamus. And, there's no way her mother would have let her go on a two-week trip with strangers when she's hallucinating every day, all day. Jahn left it a little ambiguous at the end... was it a mental barrier for protection post-trauma, or was it a ghost? I would have accepted it more if it was a ghost from the beginning and Elise knew what she was seeing.

Even with the twist in mind, I still highly recommend this book. It was fun to read the entire way through, I understand why the author made a lot of choices she did, and many people would enjoy the twist instead of being turned off by it. I can definitely see myself reading another book by this author in the future.