The Line Between – Tosca Lee

“Conventional wisdom dictates that there’s an insurmountable divide- an entire eternity of time and space-between Heaven and Hell…I can tell you it’s closer to a foot and a half. The distance of a single step. Give or take an inch.”

 

Wynter Roth is bereft. She’s been cast out of the doomsday cult she’s grown up in, saved from an unwanted assigned marriage but convinced that she is now damned. Leaving behind her sister and four year old niece in The Enclave is painful, but there’s no help for it. She is tormented by fears that cult leader Magnus Theisen was right, that the end of the world is coming, and that she has forfeited her chance at what might be the only safe place available. The news isn’t helping. The reports just keep getting crazier,  and Wynter soon finds out that a deadly disease has escaped and is ravaging the US. Through a series of events, she finds that she must save the bacon to save the world.

Most fiction that I have seen that deals with religious cults uses them as proof that God does not exist. In contrast, The Line Between examines messy, raw faith and how hard it can be to achieve after an experience with spiritual abuse. In the beginning of the book, as Wynter leaves the cult, she has convinced herself that she no longer believes, but she struggles throughout the book to find out what and who she has faith in.

 

This fast moving narrative was engrossing (I read it in two days!) and was filled with fascinating characters. My favorite side character was Kestral, Magnus’ wife. I’d tell you more, but it would be a spoiler. I did occasionally have trouble following the flashback-heavy narrative, but it was still engaging and didn’t get in the way too much. The only thing that I really disliked was the fade to black scene (see Heat, below).

 

Heat: there is a minor romantic subplot, and there is a fade to black scene that involves the main character. I’m going to assume, because of the rest of the book is spiritually oriented, that this is just kissing, but it could be much more. At the time, neither of the characters identifies as Christian, although I suspect that will change as the trilogy progresses. There are some major adult themes in this book, including reports that rape and sexual assault have happened or might happen.

 

Profanity: none.

 

Violence: there is violence, but not by the main character, and there is nothing gory. Most of the violence happens off-page.

 

Genre: Dystopian mystery/thriller. it would be at home in both the Christian and general markets.

 

Age recommendation: 18+, due to the adult themes.

 

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book with a request for an honest review.

 

Available on Amazon.