3.5 stars

I was quite excited for this one but I am sad to say it did not meet my expectations. There were things I absolutely loved - getting Kodiak's POV, the sheep !, Ambrose and Kodiak meeting in a different setting and still being perfect for each other, Yarrow, and the fate of the little family Ambrose and Kodiak had built. Yet I strongly disliked Owl and overall the ending left me extremely dissatisfied.

As a fan of Book 1, I was so excited to get this ARC! It was an amazing follow-up and I am so pleased with the sequel. Beautiful storytelling and gorgeous depiction of queer love with unique science fiction elements!

Thank you to HarperCollins and Netgalley for this arc!

The Darkness Outside Us is one of my favorite books, so I was both excited and nervous when the sequel was announced. TDOU is a book that, in my opinion, very much stood on its own, so I was worried a sequel might undermine the original book and my feelings toward it. It wouldn't be the first time an unnecessary sequel ruined one of my favorite books. With that being said, I can confidently say TBBU enhanced the original story and made me love TDOU even more.

As both a prequel and a sequel, we got more insight into how the original Ambrose and Kodiak felt when they learned the true nature of their mission, as well as how 30,000 years in the future the clones of Ambrose and Kodiak, as well as their children, are faring on Minerva.

In the past, Ambrose and Kodiak are understandably struggling. Ambrose with his mother's betrayal and with accepting, once again, his sister's death. Kodiak with the knowledge that the mission he trained for his entire life isn't what he thought it was. For both of them, with the knowledge of the suffering their clones will endure in the future all for the sake of saving humankind. Kodiak is able to find some peace with it, but Ambrose spirals out, ultimately making a choice that will affect everyone on Earth, as well as a version of himself and his family 30,000 years in the future.

In the present, their daughter Owl is eager to explore their new home to better prepare for possible disasters in the future while their son Yarrow yearns to learn more about where they came from, all of which Ambrose and Kodiak are hesitant to indulge in after everything they've lost. Unbeknownst to all of them, major threats are on the horizon, threatening to destroy them and everything they've built.

Though I wouldn't say TBBU kept me on the edge of my seat quite as much as TDOU did, the switching between past and present definitely kept me hooked and I ended up finishing the book in about 2 days. With that being said, the dual storytelling is ultimately what also made me knock off a star from my overall rating.

I think the "prequel" and the "sequel" portions of this book very easily could have been made into their own full length, separate books. There was so much going on in each portion that combining them and confining each story into roughly 200 pages just wasn't enough in my opinion. The bones of each story was amazing, and I think it deserved more exploration and fleshing out. The fast paced storytelling of each timeline made everything feel a bit too rushed for my liking.

In the past, Ambrose's feelings of betrayal led him to make a rash decision that would ultimately turn the people against both governments at a time where they were already on the brink of war. Considering his mental state at the time, it's understandable that he would go down such a path, but in the months long time skip between his POV and Kodiak's, I wish we could have seen more of how he felt about his choices once the initial anger faded, as well as how much actual impact the reveal to the public had on the war. I especially wish we had gotten more insight into how he felt once he realized his actions allowed Devon to sabotage the zygotes that were supposed to be the future of humanity. It would have been really interesting to see more of Ambrose and Kodiak's reaction to this reveal, and wrestle with the question of whether colonizing another planet after destroying their own was morally right. As for Kodiak, when we finally get to his POV, he's a relatively different person than who we met in TDOU after months of coming to terms with the true mission reveal. Again, I wish we could have seen more of how he got from point A to point B, and how that character development led to the decisions he made once meeting Ambrose.

In the present, I would have loved to have gotten more of Ambrose and Kodiak in general. We got bits and pieces through the eyes of their children, but I wanted so much more. I wish we had gotten to see more of how they had changed since we last saw them, how they felt about being parents, about how losing multiple children affected them, how they struggled to decide if it was better to tell their children humanity's past mistakes in hopes of a different, better future or to give them a clean slate. I wish we could have seen more of how Owl felt about being the clone of Minerva, as well as the knowledge that she would never have a partner the way her parents do. I wish we could have seen the virus take slower control of Yarrow's mind. I wish we could have seen more of how they all felt about the impending comet, as well as the knowledge they had been sabotaged from the beginning. Just like with the "prequel" portion, I just wanted more.

As I said, the bones of each story was perfect, and that's why I ultimately wanted more of each. Regardless, I still think this continuation gave even more depth to the original story, and I am overall glad it was written even if I wish a few things had been done differently.

The Darkness Outside Us is, hands down, one of my all time favorite books, and one that I recommend to the most to people. So I was super excited to learn that there would be a sequel because what would that even look like? Crash landing on a new planet with just yourself and the love of your life, two star-crossed clones waking up with memories of their OG selves, and tasked to not only start a human colony on the edge of the universe, but also raise a bunch of babies? Wild. The Brightness Between Us explores all of that and more, getting into the POV of Owl, Ambrose and Kodiak's teen daughter. She's grown up with the heroic stories of her dads, but her day to day life is dull and she craves adventure. Then adventure arrives in startling new ways and the story takes off! And just as I was getting to the "oh no! what is going to happen??" point, the narrative takes us way back in time to the original Ambrose and Kodiak, and the days before the launch of their ship. Getting to know their original selves felt like meeting the characters all over again, especially seeing how they react to the push and pull of their obligations, upbringing, and personal morals. Their story is every bit as exciting and harrowing as that of their future clones. Throughout it all, at both ends of time and existence, they are brave, determined, resourceful, and capable of so much love. I binge read this in a day and highly recommend it!!

This was such a wonderful story and I really enjoyed it!! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

Wow - I didn't know how Eliot Schrefer could build on or surpass what he did in The Darkness Outside Us, but he sure did deliver. Without getting too deep into the actual mechanics of the story - like TDOU, I think it's better to go in pretty blind for the experience - this book takes us back to the characters we've grown to love in two separate timelines and the book is dually full of turmoil and peace, juxtaposing both to show the beauty in the fragile vulnerability of humanity. Anyway, I laughed, I cried, I loved!

If you have not read The Darkness Outside Us, please turn back now and read it immediately, I’m begging you! Also, know that this review contains spoilers for Darkness, the first book of this duet. If you have read it, I’m sure you are dying to know what the future holds for our young travelers. Just like Darkness was full of heartbreak and hope, The Brightness Between Us will give you very similar feelings. Eliot masterfully connected the disastrous, faraway past to the fragile and promising future. Once again, he created an enchanting tale of survival and love.

Our young Ambrose and Kodiak clones are 17 years older and working hard on settling on their new planet and raising their little family. Life on Minerva is not easy at all and that’s before things get bizarre and dangerous without explanation. Eliot was able to create a suspenseful storyline playing out in real time while giving us glimpses into the life of the original Ambrose and Kodiak. If you were anything like me, you would be dying to know whether the two original space travelers (tricked into cloning) have ever met. Here is your chance to read their story and I assure you it is as adventurous as their clones’ lives. If it was possible, I loved Ambrose and Kodiak even more as I was finally able to learn about their origin and past. And as I was watching 'clone' Ambrose and Kodiak making the most of their hard lives, navigating their relationship and parenthood, caring for their family with all they got ... my adoration for them grew. Just as with the first book of the duet, I had a hard time putting it down and was getting teary-eyed time and time again. It speaks of the genius plotline that the young couple and their original human counterparts, separated by over 30 thousand years still had such a strong connection and I'm so happy I was able to read their story.

Hurt/Comfort
Sci-Fi
Young MCs
Family Dynamics

Please inquire about sensitive content/triggers!!!
I was fortunate to have received a copy of this book from the author via Harper Collins/Netgalley, and this is my honest review.

This sequel is a worthy addition to the Darkness Between Us universe. The scope is somehow larger and the stakes even higher. Thanks to the author for giving us a continuation of the story of Ambrose and Kodiak. Their fates were truly written in the stars and they’ll stay with me for a long time.

🚀🌌🚀BOOK REVIEW - THE BRIGHTNESS BETWEEN US by Eliot Schrefer🚀🌌🚀

🌟🌟🌟🌟

Thank you, NetGalley and HarperCollins, for the eARC!

Schrefer knows how to get us all in our feels, and The Brightness Between Us is no exception. Following Ambrose and Kodiak's story, this sequel delivers just as much emotional depth, tension, and mind-bending sci-fi twists as the first book. Watching them navigate family life on a distant exoplanet 17 years after the crash is both heartwarming and heart-wrenching, with plenty of tears along the way (yes, I’m looking at you, Yarrow!).

Though I didn’t love this as much as The Darkness Outside Us, it was still a brilliant continuation of their story. The dual timelines weave together beautifully, though I wish the second half had a bit more space to breathe. Still, it’s perfect for fans of complex, philosophical sci-fi with emotional stakes—and, of course, if you’re here for Ambrose and Kodiak, you won’t be disappointed!

Despite the fact that I am still recovering from the emotional devastation and lingering trauma from reading The Darkness Outside Us, was I at all hesitant to read the follow-up? No, in fact I ran head first into in with no regard for anything else. I needed to know how Ambrose and Kodiak's story continued.
Am I now also emotionally wrecked from reading The Brightness Between Us? Yes. Do I regret any part of my decision to read this book? Absolutely not.
Like its predecessor, this work was also a work of art when it can to usage of time and perspective to tell a story.
I spent a lot of the last 2 parts crying and again left this universe feeling content and also like I want to throw eggs at Eliot Schrefer's house.

Elliot I know youre reading this, and I would pay good money to dig into your mind and figure out HOW you came up with some of these ideas

This was CRAZY. There were a lot of twists I expected and a lot of twists I didnt. I didnt like this book as much as the first one, but that does NOT mean i didnt like it!! I loved seeing them as adults versus seeing them back on earth. Yarrow was WILD and I was terrified at first, but everything was INTRIGUING. I loved seeing more of earth as it was in the 2400s and getting to know Devon Mujaba! I have theories for book 3 and I am incredibly excited to see it!

Character (5/5)
Plot & Pacing (5/5)
Setting & Surroundings (5/5)
Dialogue & Diction (5/5)
Craft & Voice (5/5)
Reading Experience (5/5)

Final Rating:
5/5

Comments:
I find myself occasionally writing in reviews that an author just didn’t know what kind of book they wanted to write, that they just threw a bunch of genres against the wall and left them all in the same book. This story, to an even greater degree than its predecessor, is a real genre-hopping odyssey, but the difference here, compared to those other books I mentioned, is that Eliot Schrefer knew exactly what he was doing. There’s no random experimentation to see what works. It ALL works. This almost felt like multiple books, an anthology of sorts, organized in a way that tells an irresistibly compelling narrative and, inexplicably, gets its readers all in their feels over a damn sheep at the end of the world. Schrefer packs action, urgency, political intrigue, emotional vulnerability, tenderness, family drama, the cosmic unknown, and sci-fi awesomeness into just a few hundred pages. I savored this story in a way I don’t usually get to experience sci-fi. These two books together are a collective masterpiece of emotional, smart, nuanced, and brilliant prose. I don’t like to use the word “transcendent” often, for fear of wading into trite cliches. But, truly, this was a transcendent reading experience. This is the kind of book that makes me less afraid of things like death and the unknown. Bravo!

Wow. This was one hell of a book!! When I read the first book (The Darkness Outside Us) earlier this year, it tore me apart and put me back together. I loved it and wanted to know more. But as far as I knew, there was no second book. Then I found out about The Brightness Between Us and immediately requested an ARC.

It’s so hard to give a spoiler-free review, but y’all know we’re spoiler free here. I absolutely LOVED seeing into the past and how it affected the present. The pacing, writing, the *tension* were all so delightful. This writer KNOWS how to make you feel all the feels, and you’ll thank him for it. I was on the edge of my seat, barely breathing or putting the book down, to know what happened next.

The sci-fi elements are so well thought out, which I know fans will appreciate and enjoy!

The Brightness Between Us is about creating a new life/path for yourself, found family, hope, doing what’s right, and so much more.

Highly recommend you read the first book before diving into this one– you won’t regret it.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for this eARC! Thank you to Eliot Schrefer for giving us more time with Ambrose and Kodiak, and to Moe for being my buddy read; I’m so glad I had you to keyboard smash about this book with🩵

I had mixed feelings going into this one.
This book failed in comparison to the first book. I think with the amount I enjoyed the first book this one seemed so unnecessary.

5 stars!

*NOTE: Some spoilers in this review for the FIRST BOOK only*

The Brightness Between Us is the sequel to the The Darkness Outside Us and it takes us both forward and backward in time where we catch up with the Ambrose and Kodiak clones and we meet their originals on earth. The clones are trying to raise some offspring, the originals are just finding out the truth about the rescue mission and they are reeling.

This had feeling ALL the emotions! SO well done. It's philosophical, but also suspenseful, it's sweet and romantic, but also a bit horrifying. At times I threw down the book in anger (metaphorically, because I was reading this on my computer) because of the pain that this author is willing to put us through as readers. But, in the end, it paid off. Loved it.

I enjoyed this but I just found myself missing the original timeline from the original book. I liked the idea of this, but I almost think that the story needed more time. The timelines wove together well but the second half could have used a bit more room to flourish. Overall, definitely a good sequel but I just didn't love it quite as much as the first book. I have to say I do love Ambrose and Kodiak, so I would really pick up anything with them in it, haha.

Summary: "Seventeen years have gone by since the Coordinated Endeavor crashed on a distant exoplanet. Ambrose Cusk and Kodiak Celius are now the devoted parents of two teenage children, Owl and Yarrow, in a hardscrabble frontier home. Though life on Minerva is full of danger, the family’s bond is enough to make it all worth it—until they learn that the biggest threat to their survival might come from within."

I was really looking forward to this sequel, and truth be told I did not love how the book was set up. I much preferred the "original Ambrose & Kodiak" timeline. But it was both enjoyable and stressful (in a good way) to see how they got to the "present".

While I did not love this book as much as the first, I did love getting more background and time with Ambrose and Kodiak.

Thank you NetGalley for my copy :) #TheBrightnessBetweenUs #NetGalley

Great follow up to The Darkness Outside Us! I loved Ambrose & Kodiak (now Father & Dad), but I wasn't quite sure what to expect going into the sequel. I think this was a good mix of the new family unit they have created and flashbacks of the original Ambrose & Kodiak. The two timelines tie together nicely, but I do wish the story was a little longer. I felt like the second half was a little rushed, but still enjoyable.

Overall, I think Eliot Schrefer has a talent for writing characters exploring their relationships, identity and morality while beautifully blending them into a technology advanced futuristic dystopian world.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Reading a sequel to a book I loved is always a risk, but I was so excited to continue reading about Ambrose and Kodiak. Did I love this book as much as the first? No. Did I enjoy it and continue thinking about it after putting it down? Totally. In this dual timeline, the plot of the original Ambrose and Kodiak shined. I enjoyed seeing them deal with the immediate aftermath of learning that clones of themselves would be sent to colonize a new planet. I liked seeing Ambrose in his casual fling stage and seeing how Kodiak would react to Ambrose under very different circumstances than their fake mission confinement. They did not disappoint. We get to see less of the clones Ambrose and Kodiak since the other timeline is told by their two children, but it makes my heart happy to know that this pair is still together 18 years after crash landing on Minerva. Their children Owl and Yarrow don’t get a lot of character development or plot as their problems on Minerva link back to events in the original Earth timeline and lead us back to Ambrose and Kodiak. But let’s be real, I’m here for that ship over and over again, so I still enjoyed this book a lot.

4.5/5
Eliot Schrefer has done it again and had me scared for my life reading another book. I even told myself: "listen... the first book remember how it completely shocked you and then malfunctioned your brain??" I said yes I do remember and I will be ready for it this time. Diary, I was not ready.

I am writing this review very carefully. Because the first book has one of the most perfect and shocking..discoveries that I don't want to accidentally spoil any of that in here. This will be a spoiler free review (*stares sadly at the quotes I highlighted*).

We are back in the world of Ambrose and Kodiak except some years have passed (I fell to my knees when I saw the cover look at that glow up *cry emoji*). Their love has blossomed beautifully and it was incredible seeing how they have both grown with their relationship and with their own selves. Also we get a Kodiak POV!!! Which if you have read the first you know it was all in Ambrose's POV so it had me fan-girling to finally be in Kodiak's head and yes the dna test is back: he really does think about how pretty Ambrose is all the time.

Because of how things ended with their mission at the end of the first book we got a first glance into how they are surviving now. Eliot pulls you in with the dark reality of starting anew, the epitome of loneliness. Right when you have your footing in where the story could be going you are then thrust into a story taking place many years back. Humanity is cruel and emotions are high in here as you discover how Ambrose and Kodiak's lives were before the space mission to Titan.

The dominos suddenly are falling into place as you make connections from the first book. Wait. The dominos have a gun!!! And they are pointing it at you?! What is going on? Boom. Bam. You thought. (real ones will know the gun reference).

Listen I'm doing jumping jacks. I'm doing the macarena. Please read the first book, report back to me we will scream together and then read this one.

Release date is TOMORROW! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"We of all people should be disillusioned with humans."
"Yes, but I guess I've discovered that I'm not."

At this point I will read anything Eliot Schrefer writes. Fantastic give me 14 of them.