The Space Between by Michelle L. Teichman

Harper Isabelle is the leader of the grade nine cool crowd as soon as she walks into her first day of high school, thanks to her older sister Bronte. Bronte is the Queen Bee of the entire school and she has been molding Harper in her likeness for years. As a shy artist, inclined to keep to herself, Sarah has never been good at socializing. Kids often bully her in school, especially cruel about her stutter and her alternative style, despite her popular twin brother, Tyler. It doesn’t help that she’s a pastor’s kid, with all of the extra restrictions Evangelical girls have put upon them. Harper is rounding a corner on her way to class when she crashes into Sarah. The moment the two girls come face to face, their worlds collide and a chain reaction is set off. From friendship to confusing feelings, there is no going back and no denying the feelings developing between them, even as Harper dates Tyler. The Space Between is well worth a read, and is especially important to give to queer kids you know in religious homes so they can experience the validation of seeing themselves. That representation is what takes The Space Between from a great book to an important book and I look forward to see what comes next from Michelle L. Teichman. Read my full joint review with Brooklyn: http://www.thelesbianreview.com/space-michelle-l-teichman/