Book Review: The In-Between: Unforgettable Encounters During Life's Final Moments

Author: Hadley Vlahos, RN

Title: The In-Between: Unforgettable Encounters During Life's Final Moments

Genre: Non-fiction, Memoir

Number of Pages: 288

Setting: Destin, FL

Time Period: Present 

"While I still don't have all the answers, the one thing I can tell you for certain is that there are things that defy medical explanation, and that in between here and whatever comes next, there is something powerful and peaceful" 

Plot Summary: Hadley Vlahos rose to TikTok for sharing her experiences as a hospice nurse and advocating for end-of-life care. Vlahos was raised in a strict religious household but began questioning her beliefs in high school when she suddenly lost one of her friends. Everything changed when she went to college and ended up pregnant at nineteen. She enrolled herself in nursing school as a way to be able to support herself and her son once he was born. Her journey as a nurse soon became more than a way to support herself when she started working in hospice care - it became her life's purpose. 

In her memoir, Vlahos shares some of her most impactful experiences with people that she has worked with over the years while interweaving her own journey. Her memoir also highlights how we overwork our healthcare workers and how terrible our insurance/Medicaid system is to navigate. 

My verdict: a heartbreaking and incredible memoir worth reading for those who are curious about hospice care and those who have been through this with a loved one. 

Subject Headings: 

Hospice Nurses 

Hospice Care

Nurse and Patient 

Palliative Treatment

Death 

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