On Sale Date: October 6th 2016
Pages: 384
Age Range: Young Adult
Jasmine de los Santos is a teen girl who works really hard to be the best student and cheerleader she can be. This results for her in winning a National Scholarship as she is just the most outstanding student in her high school. The prize includes a trip to Washington D.C. where she will meet the president. But when she tells her parents the great news, they react anything but happy. They confess to her that there is a problem. A very big problem which has influence on the whole family; Jasmine and her family are from the Philippines. Their work visa's have expired years ago and now this is causing trouble. Her entire family is illegal in the USA, and it results that she her mom is losing her job as a hospital nurse and Jasmine can't accept the scholarship, can't go to college and the family is facing possible deportation back to the Philippines.
When her mom still worked at the hospital, Jasmine would go with her sometimes to talk with patients to document their life stories, where she met a very special lady named Millie, who she sadly also had to say farewell too. And, it is where she met cute guy Royce Blakely, and they start texting. All goes well, untill Jasmine finds out that Royce is the son of a congressman who is anti-immigrants and is constantly in the media with this topic, and Jasmine tries to hide her family situation from him until it's no longer possible to hide. The situation for her family becomes more serious after the court hearing when their attorney isn't very helfpul and their case is rejected. Jasmine feels helpless and out of place. She isn't American which she assumed she was since she was born, but she isn't a real Fillipina also because she has never been to the Philippines. She feel like s he doesn't belong anywhere. The situation get's so out of hand that the family almost loses their house, but then help from a very unexpected direction arrives..
I have wanted to read this book since I saw the cover somewhere. I hadn't read the synopis that much, but I am glad I didn't after I have read it now. The book is so different then I expected it to be, and I mean that as a compliment, because this story is so beautiful and amazing, I was just completely blown away by it!! Many of my high school friends, where immigrants. Altough in my country the situation is different than in the USA, I never expected the immigrant status to be so complex. That someone maybe has to wait 30 years to become a legal USA citizen. The author used her own experiences for the character and story of Jasmine, which she explaines in the afterword you can find in the book.
I really liked Jasmine, she stayed positive altough the hardships, difficulties and uncertain future her family is facing. What also was amazing that she met Royce, and how she opened up about it to him, as Royce was just so nice, understanding, and totally different then the political opinion of his father. He only want's to be there for Jasmine and help her in every way he can, even when his bad brother Mason almost destroys it for him and his family. Royce is just the picture perfect boyfriend for Jasmine, he really has a heart if gold at the right place. And it is because of him that the story of Jasmine has the most amazing ending where everything falls to place and they face sunny future at Stanford together.
Something in Between is a beautifully written book, it really touches a serious topic that is harsh reality for many immigrants. Altough Jasmine's family has good intentions and all work very hard, it was really hard for them to get help for their case. This book paints a very realistic picture how this can influence the live of a teen immigrant. It's another outstanding book by author Melissa De La Cruz who also touches this topic in her book Fresh Off The Boat, also about a Fillipino family in the USA. I highly recommend reading this outstanding and moving YA book!!!
