Here (On the Otherside #1)

Apr 10, 2012 Giselle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, arc, paranormal

Here starts off as a sort of light contemporary romance with a glimpse of possible paranormal elements to come. I wasn't very impressed at first, I felt it was all very cliché, thus I was foreseeing another "same old" predictable paranormal romance. However, at the turn of a page, I was completely baffled by a sudden change of events which essentially transforms it into a rather dystopian/sci-fi novel. This was a very welcome change as, up to this point, I wasn't really feeling it with this book...more Here starts off as a sort of light contemporary romance with a glimpse of possible paranormal elements to come. I wasn't very impressed at first, I felt it was all very cliché, thus I was foreseeing another "same old" predictable paranormal romance. However, at the turn of a page, I was completely baffled by a sudden change of events which essentially transforms it into a rather dystopian/sci-fi novel. This was a very welcome change as, up to this point, I wasn't really feeling it with this book. But boy was it interesting! I can't say very much else without spoilers, but I can tell you that the plot becomes action packed, highly fascinating, and undoubtedly original.

After Julia's accident - the one where her best friend died - things have been a bit off. She can now draw, she has no memory of the accident, and she's suddenly caught the attention of the school hottie. Even though the plot at first didn't completely captivate me, I did find a liking to Julia from the start. I liked her voice and being in her head. It's emotional; her guilt over killing her best friend is tangible, her mindset is realistic and I understood her. This connection to her easily made the seemingly ordinary plot more engaging. Once you hit about half way, though, nothing about the plot is ordinary!

With a fair amount of romance in the story, we do have a pretty big love triangle in the mists. I wasn't particularly fond of it as it felt as if Julia was taking advantage of the situation at one point, but I did like the characters involved. The boys are full of charm and wit; they are definitely a great part of the cast. I think we could have easily done without the current triangle's appearance. The situation is VERY peculiar, though; I do admit that it's thought-provoking, if nothing else.

This being the start of a series, there is more discovering and digesting, than actual world building. We could have gone deeper now that I think about it, but I was so enticed by what we were uncovering that questions only arose afterwards - which is fine since there's more to come. I'm particularly curious about the alternate school from the first part. It sounded very ominous, but nothing came of it. I also hope we get to go back and learn what all happened once Julia's world collapsed.

A complete and fantastic surprise, Here turned out to be extremely different than what I initially expected. We get a story that is exciting, authentic, as well as mind boggling; it makes you contemplate the ramifications of what has happened. I especially recommend it for fans of dystopians who like a deviation from the norm.

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Dec 05, 2011 Ashelynn rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review also appears on Gypsy Book Reviews.

HERE is a story of loses and aching and romance. It’s such a gorgeous book, from the cover to the words inside, that all I really want to do is stare at the cover. (Somebody has said she’s hovering OVER the water, but I think she’s standing on top of the water. What do you think?)

Julia is broken in the beginning of this book. It’s been six months of the car accident that killed her best friend Monica, and I’m glad Denise didn’t start the story right...more This review also appears on Gypsy Book Reviews.

HERE is a story of loses and aching and romance. It’s such a gorgeous book, from the cover to the words inside, that all I really want to do is stare at the cover. (Somebody has said she’s hovering OVER the water, but I think she’s standing on top of the water. What do you think?)

Julia is broken in the beginning of this book. It’s been six months of the car accident that killed her best friend Monica, and I’m glad Denise didn’t start the story right before the accident happened because it would have made it be less of a mystery. For one, Julia doesn’t think she caused the accident, but the police do. But there’s no proof that Julia caused the accident. It just… happened.

And because Denise started the story where she did, readers get to know the new Julia, not the old Julia that everybody wants back. And I think that gives the readers an easier time for connecting with Julia and what she’s going through.

Evan. Oh, sweet Evan. And Reece. Can’t forget Reece. I don’t even know what to say about these boys except GIRD YOUR LOINS. Both are equally hot, equally sweet, and I am dying to know which one Julia chooses so I can have the other! (But I’m voting for Evan. I like Evans.)

There is a prologue—but I think it’s so freaking necessary. For one, it starts with cold war and the Cuban Missile Crisis. It’s important because the sci-fi part of this book is there’s an alternate universe… and in that alternate universe, Monica is alive and Julia is dead. I love the alternate universe. It’s horrible and damaged because there the Cuban Missile Crisis did happen. The government trends on the dystopian type (overruling and in control, so the citizens have no freedom.) I just love how Denise builds the world. Nothing gets me faster than fantastic worldbuilding. *_*

The book is fantastic. It grabbed me right away and didn’t let me go—even after I flipped the last page. It ends on a cliffhanger (GAH!), and although I knew the ending was coming, I flipped the page to continue reading!

It’s so brilliantly written and amazing. The characters grow, especially Julia, and I’m dying to find out what happens in THERE, the sequel! (less)

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Jan 14, 2012 Dani rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: dystopia, sci-fi, indie

Plagued by guilt for her role in her best friend Monica's death, Julia Phillip's life is falling apart at the seams. Her family is disintegrating right before her eyes, buckling under the strain of her reaction to the tragedy. She's shut everyone out, doesn't participate at school and is dangerously close to failing all of her classes. Julia has hit rock bottom, all without her best friend to help her through... the best friend she killed. As if her life couldn't get any worse or more weird, she...more Plagued by guilt for her role in her best friend Monica's death, Julia Phillip's life is falling apart at the seams. Her family is disintegrating right before her eyes, buckling under the strain of her reaction to the tragedy. She's shut everyone out, doesn't participate at school and is dangerously close to failing all of her classes. Julia has hit rock bottom, all without her best friend to help her through... the best friend she killed. As if her life couldn't get any worse or more weird, she wakes up from the car crash to find a strange bracelet she's never seen before clasped around her wrist, an inexplicable, new artistic talent, and eerie, unsettling dreams about the accident.

Frustrated by Julia's continued course of self-destructive behavior, her high school guidance counselor threatens to send her to alternative school if Julia doesn't turn herself and her grades around. Toward this end, Julia is assigned a couple of tutors to get her back up to speed in her classwork. When Mr. Popularity himself, Evan Whittaker, volunteers as one of her tutors, Julia is curious, especially in light of the attention he's given her recently. To her surprise, Evan is kind, friendly, and genuinely seems to want to help her, but he's strangely cryptic about his own personal life. With Evan, Julia finally begins to feel the heavy weight she's been shouldering lighten, and yet there's something about Evan's continual evasiveness that sends up a mental red flag. She thinks she may be losing her heart to this sympathetic, mysterious boy, but can she really trust him? After going to school together for years, why after all this time is Evan suddenly interested in her - the homicidal queen of social suicide? And what about the mysterious loner, Reece, who despite his rough edges, seems to have a soft spot for her? Why is Reece able to make her feel more alive and why does he feel so strangely familiar?

There are many reasons why I love Here, but the character of Julia tops the list. Julia's development throughout the book is the most dramatic, her character undergoing the most personal development in the novel. Though this book has strong romantic elements, to me, this book is ultimately a novel about Julia. When Julia is first introduced, she is a a very broken person, wracked with guilt, emotionally checked out and barely functioning. Her depression over killing Monica is crippling, and like many who lose loved ones in a tragic event, she doesn't believe she can be happy again or that she deserves to be. Swank does a fantastic job of connecting the reader to Julia's mental state and her grief. Told in first person by Julia, her voice is candid and real. It's easy to understand what she's feeling and why as she begins to honestly face the deeper underlying issues that she's managed to avoid for months. Both Julia's transition back to the land of the living and her healing process are well done and feel very natural. She doesn't do an immediate 180°, but the unbelievable circumstances she suddenly finds herself in help jar her out of her internally-focused existence, and help her appreciate that life may just be worth living.

As Julia begins to climb out of her months-long hibernation from life, there are two people who reach out in an effort to help her: Evan and Reece. I don't want to say too much about the romance, because it'll reveal too much about the twists the plot begins to make, but I will say, YES. I LOVE it! Yes, there is a love triangle in Here, but it's one that, in my opinion, is very well done. It's tragically complicated, it's heartbreaking and it's passionate. I really sympathize with everyone involved, though there's definitely one guy I love above the other for a myriad of reasons that would spoil things. But I will stay silent on my #team and list-of-whys for now so that I don't sway your perception, Dear Reader, when you're nose-deep in Here. However, you’re more than welcome to email me if you just have to know.

In regard to the story itself, what I found extremely interesting is that the book starts out very much like a contemporary novel, though not completely of course. There are definitely strange goings-on that remind you that there's something out of the ordinary a brewing, leaving my mind to puzzle and theorize. However the first half of the novel mostly focuses on Julia, her depression and her journey. Then... all of the sudden, the story radically changes and I am falling down the rabbit hole into something akin to a really good episode of Fringe. Everything starts coming together and the behind-the-scenes strangeness of the first half of the novel suddenly starts clicking together -- all the loose ends tying together nicely into a well done, cohesive plot. It's fascinating, and Swank's switch in gears is done very smoothly and is well-developed. The twists and turns and Swank's seemingly effortless navigation of them are some of the reasons I love this book so much.

Overall, with a fantastic, sympathetic heroine, two swoon-worthy leading men, and a plot whose twists and turns left me breathlessly wanting more, Here by Denise Grover Swank is a beautifully complicated, wonderfully bittersweet paranormal romance that totally hit the mark for me on all fronts. (less)

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Dec 20, 2011 Patty Blount rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I bought and downloaded HERE yesterday, so I could read something while pedaling the elliptical in the gym. I'd heard incredible things about this story and adored Twenty-Eight and Half Wishes, so figured this was a good bet.

Damn it, I was right. I shouldn't have done it! I have revisions on my own novel to finish by January! I have another manuscript to finish by deadline! I don't have time to read good books!

I am sooooo glad I did.

I started Here during my lunch hour and finished it last nig...more

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Nov 20, 2011 Lucy Swing rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed, ya

I absolutely love the cover!!!!

When she sent me the blurb a few weeks ago I instantly told her I just had to read it! I was so hooked by only the blurb it was no surprise when I couldn't put the book down.

BLURB:

Here – YA Science Fiction On the Otherside series Book One

"Sixteen year old Julia Phillips buries herself in guilt after killing her best friend Monica in a car accident. Julia awoke in the hospital with a broken leg, a new talent for drawing and false memories of the accident, in which...more

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Jun 03, 2012 Marie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sounds-good, worth-a-look

Definitely worth reading. The book was so emotionally touching and really struck a heart string.
Imagine being so guilt ridden you were unable to function correctly.
Well that's what Julia's like. Shes neck buried in guild- guilt over 'killing' her best friend monica and making her family dysfunctional.
Then the most popular boy in school begins to notice her and everything changes. Her life takes a turn for the better.
She keeps having 'dreams' about the accident things that don't make sense.
A...more

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Nov 12, 2011 erica rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: loves

WOW.

Such a GRIPPING and INTENSE story full of mystery and action. I LITERALLY could not put it down. Swank has taken me on a journey, a journey I won't soon forget. I don't want to give anything away, but the story behind what Julia perceives to be real is something I couldn't have predicted. I tore through the last half of the book, wide eyes, wondering what the hell was going to happen next. Wondering what choices Julia was going to make and who it would affect.

This story is haunting.

This s...more

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Dec 11, 2012 Yuko86 marked it as eb · review of another edition

Today it is free on Amazon! 06-08-2012

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Feb 01, 2012 Nikki rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: hidden-identity, ya-novel, au-fun

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I wanted to like this novel, but felt like it was trying to do too much and b e too many things. I found this novel to be full of cliches, both in plot and characters. The overall idea of the plot was good, but it just didn't work for me. At the half-way mark, the story finally picked up. But then, it went way too fast. Leaving little room for actual plot development. Instead, we got a love triangle between two boys in love with a girl whose died and the girl whose died alternate universe's coun...more

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Apr 19, 2012 fooloveratook rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: book-review, own-ebooks, young-adult

Rating: Guilty Pleasure
Source: Blog Tour

my thoughts in a few sentences: Despite the summary, I honestly didn't know what to expect with Here. The cover led me to believe that I'd be reading something horror or paranormal with ghosts and murder mysteries. The story I got instead was a surprise and, if I'm honest despite my crushed hopes, the unexpected turned out to be much more entertaining, fascinating, and likable. Death, strange and mysterious boys, and a sucker punch of a plot, Here by Denis...more

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Dec 31, 2012 Rachel rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I enjoyed this story immensely; it was a different spin from what I've seen before. However, I had some pretty major issues with the book.

1. The pacing is way off. The first half (maybe even more) is very slow, with very little happening. Then, once the pacing picks up, everything happens so quickly that I had a hard time keeping up with what was going on.

2. The relationships . . . I'm trying not to give away any spoilers, but the MC goes from, "I don't know if I trust - or even LIKE - this boy...more

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Dec 04, 2012 C.L. Bevill rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Okay, this is YA, with all the YA angst. Julia is a sixteen year old suffering from surviver's guilt months after being in a car wreck that killed her BFF. Then things start to get freaky. A hunky classmate named Evan starts paying lots of attention to her and throwing out clues galore. Julia is happy, then not happy, then happy. Then we have the huge, game-changing, veer to the left of the book and the book becomes...teen fantasy or teen paranormal. I don't want to give it away.

I liked the auth...more

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Oct 12, 2012 Jennifer rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I didn't realize this was YA fiction when I started reading it (not that I am complaining about that). Overall, I liked the story. It takes a while to really get going but then it is very suspenseful and interesting. I had a few complaints: there was a prologue that was bizarre because it never really CONNECTED to anything in the novel. There was one brief mention of the character from the prologue later in the book, and then I suppose it is relevant to the second part of the novel but not speci...more

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Jul 23, 2012 Terri Rochenski rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Rockin' cover, but that's besides the point. This one convinced me of what I didn't think possible - I'm a YA fan. Yup. Me.

I've read a handful, but this book got to me. The emotions of Ms. Swank's writing nabbed my attention & empathy from the get-go & didn't release me till near the end. That's where my less than 5 star review occured.

But, on to the usuals & you'll learn why.

Yummies: Empathy. Emotions. Hooked. I had no idea a sci-fi element existed till it occurred. A good book su...more

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Jun 09, 2012 Kelly rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I just finished reading Here ( On The Otherside) and all in all, I am glad I did. I have a few complaints which I will share in a moment, however first I want to make it abundantly clear that all in all this book leans toward the positive side of the scale. I liked it enough that I will probably snag the sequel when it comes out.

What I disliked: I found several ( atleast four or five) typos - little things like two periods, backwards quotation marks, etc as well as a few inconsistent issues - ag...more I just finished reading Here ( On The Otherside) and all in all, I am glad I did. I have a few complaints which I will share in a moment, however first I want to make it abundantly clear that all in all this book leans toward the positive side of the scale. I liked it enough that I will probably snag the sequel when it comes out.

What I disliked: I found several ( atleast four or five) typos - little things like two periods, backwards quotation marks, etc as well as a few inconsistent issues - again small things. One of our characters was described in memory as having laughed at our main character, clinging onto the sidelines wanting to be a part of things - i didn't really feel like her best friend would have said that. At another point she tells a teacher she will stop by and see the school counselor, while internally saying she has no intentions of going. Suddenly the next morning she goes immediately to the counselors office? A good round of editing honestly should have caught these mistakes, but they were small enough that while they distracted me enough to be annoyed, I could keep going and ultimately i was glad that I did.

Speaking only to the first half of the book I felt that plot points that were dropped often felt forced and didn't flow as well as they could have. She freaks out that Evan is actually looking at her, but by everything that had been described so far shes a bit of a spectacle at the school so while I understood where and why the author was going with the tidbit, it didn't feel natural. I think it would have made more sense if he'd been looking at her in a way that suggested he wanted to talk to her, which understandably would have confused her.

What I did like: Everything else not listed above. The second half of the book was a giant improvement over the first half as far as plot went. Where before it had felt forced here it felt just right. The pacing overall was great, the first half set us up to know and like the characters and want to see them succeed, and i did. The second half was a whirlwind of a good ride. The author definitely nailed the art of pacing a good story and making us want to continue reading dead on. At no point did I want to give up on the book, even though during the first half I really wasn't entirely loving it.

I also need to touch on the cover. While i love the breathtaking cover I am not sure that it totally fits the book. If i could have, I would have given this book 3 1/2 stars. With a solid edit and a bit of tightening up the first half to be as well written and as captivating as the second half it could easily be 4 1/2.

In conclusion, pick up this book, keep with it through the first half and enjoy the rest of the ride.(less)

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Jun 07, 2012 Tonileg rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, ya-reads, historical, kindle, seriously-damaged-h-h, romance

Survior's guilt is an interesting subject for fiction.
How does one live when loved ones/family/friend/strangers have died instead of you?
How does one go on with the guilt that you wake up to another day and they have nothing more. You have to live with the empty hole that is left from the dead.
Julia Phillips finds herself in this situation after her best friend Monica dies in a car accident that she may or may not have be the cause of. Julia can't remember what happened exactly and she keeps ha...more

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Apr 13, 2012 Laurie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2012

My review appears on: http://www.readergirlsblog.com/2012/0...

The creepy cover immediately drew me in and I knew Here was a book I wanted to read. I was immediately drawn into Julia's story by her voice. At first she comes across as very sad and I feel her pain as the truth about what happened to her friend Monica is revealed. After a crying jag in the cemetery something happens to her, which she can't remember, but the after effects linger within her, pieces of it infusing her with the girl she...more

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Apr 10, 2012 Michelle rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: blog-tour, favorites, kindle, review-on-blog

This is such an awesome book! I could not put it down! Here is mysterious and the characters are enthralling. I spent the first 30% of the book trying to figure Evan out along with Julia.

Speaking of Julia, I immediately connected with her. I felt so bad for her and all she has had to go through. But when she starts to get her "spark" back is when she really got to me. I think everyone will be able to relate to Julia, and that is one of the beautiful things about Denise's writing.

There are two...more

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Apr 08, 2012 Tammi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

How would it make you feel knowing that you were driving the car that killed your best friend? That is what happened to Julia Phillips. Her best friend, Monica, was in the car when they got into an accident and she died. Julia doesn’t remember what happened in the accident. She has doubts as to who caused it. This has haunted Julia, not allowing her to do things. Her reaction to Monica dying has caused her to shut everything out. This causes a major rift in her family and makes things difficult...more

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Mar 05, 2012 Just My Opinion rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'll be honest....it was the book cover that drew me in to this read at first-it represents so many emotions just in the art work I knew the book must as well. I thought it would take a while, however, within a few pages Ms. Swank had me enthralled. I was determined to figure it all out as soon as I possibly could. At times, it feels like a romance. Other times, a sci-fi/Fringe type feel. Yet others, it's a true suspense. All this before I even speak about the characters!

These characters, every...more

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Feb 13, 2012 Mariah rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, feb-12

This book was not what I expected. From reading the first chapter/prologue I was unsure what to expect, but once I got into the meat of the book I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would.

Here is a science fiction book. But it also seemed to lean into the paranormal feel. After the accident Julia has new abilities and she has memories that did not actually happen, that combined with the popular boy suddenly paying more attention to her made me think that it was a paranormal book all the way...more

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Jan 12, 2012 Book Whales rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Originally posted @ Book Whales

Would you sacrifice your entire World just to find your love again?

This book is engaging, I was hypnotized by Denise Swank. The story is one of a kind, I was easily absorbed in Julia's world. I can't describe the setting since it contains clues/spoilers about the story. I was literally at the edge of my sit while reading this book. I was eager to know more about Evan. This guy is so mysterious! I was putting him in some kind of supernatural categories. Is he a vam...more

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Jan 07, 2012 Suike rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

After surviving an accident that took the life of her best friend, strange things start happening to sixteen year old, Julia. She can't explain the strange bracelet she has never seen before, yet was found wearing at the scene of the accident, and the swirling doodles that seem to simply flow from the end of her pencil. Now the most popular boy in the school is taking an interest in her. But there is something different about Evan, and Julia finds herself wanting to know more, yet afraid of what...more

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Dec 19, 2011 BookHookup rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I like Julia Phillips. From the very beginning, I wanted to help her deal with the tragedy of a lost friend, the heartache of believing it was her fault and the confusion of remembering things that may not have happened. I wanted to help her feel less afraid and less alone. But what really got me was that Julia didn’t actually need my help…she got stronger as the book progressed. She learned to deal with her situation, the strange circumstances and mysteries surrounding her, and the people who m...more I like Julia Phillips. From the very beginning, I wanted to help her deal with the tragedy of a lost friend, the heartache of believing it was her fault and the confusion of remembering things that may not have happened. I wanted to help her feel less afraid and less alone. But what really got me was that Julia didn’t actually need my help…she got stronger as the book progressed. She learned to deal with her situation, the strange circumstances and mysteries surrounding her, and the people who may not want what’s best for her.

In short, this book had me intrigued from page 1. Immediately I liked the characters, their intelligent interactions, and the descriptive way the book was written. But, the best was yet to come. The second half of the book had a twist and when it was revealed, I had to buckle up because I knew it was going to be quite a ride!

The premise of this story is unique and, at times, there was lots to wrap your head around. Who was who and how did this all happen…and could this be happening in the real world around you right now? Ms. Swank does a great job of building her alternate world, describing it in such a way that it puts you right in the middle of it all, even when you’re not sure you understand what’s going on.

All the characters in this book are well-developed and necessary to the story. Evan, our second main character, is a mystery from the very beginning. A boy who had no interest in Julia just a few days before and is all of a sudden very interested and involved in her life. He is intense and Julia feels an unexplainable connection to him immediately. He seems to know something that we’re not privy to and, at first, I wasn’t quite sure if I should trust him with Julia. Ahhhh…but there’s more. His name is Reece. He’s got a connection to Julia as well. He’s less mysterious than Evan but he’s the kind of guy you know can break your heart. Undoubtedly he will play a much bigger role in coming books. And I’m very glad…since I’ve already decided which team I’m on! Yes, I know that a love triangle is par for the course in today’s YA and can become tedious. However, I think that it works in this book because it’s actually not the main plot line. Julia has other things to deal with, and some important decisions to make, and the boys are not her only concern.

Ms. Swank does a wonderful job of taking you inside Julia’s head and heart and keeps you engaged until the last page. She builds a world where there are more questions than answers. She creates characters you’d like to know and that you feel a connection with. And she leaves you wanting more. What else can you ask for? Go read this book!

(less)

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Dec 04, 2011 Avery rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

While I was a bit disappointed with the change of pace in Denise's "Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes" (I felt that the novel was going in one direction and during the last bit I felt that it went in an entirely different direction,) I LOVED that that happened in this book. Don't get me wrong, the first half of the book was great, really sweet and cute, but the second half of the book was so engaging, fast-paced and unique (it literally kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading i...more While I was a bit disappointed with the change of pace in Denise's "Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes" (I felt that the novel was going in one direction and during the last bit I felt that it went in an entirely different direction,) I LOVED that that happened in this book. Don't get me wrong, the first half of the book was great, really sweet and cute, but the second half of the book was so engaging, fast-paced and unique (it literally kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading it). Now this might sound a bit strange because these books have little in common, but I think that if "Spellbound" by Cara Lynn Shultz, "Across the Universe" by Beth Revis, Imogen Rose's "Portal" series, and "Delirium" by Lauren Oliver were to have a baby- this book would be the end result.

Why this book is so successful is because of the characters- each and every one of them is so well-developed, complex, and frankly likeable. From Julia, a girl who is able to pull herself out of the darkness surrounding her, becoming stronger and stronger with each passing day, to Evan, the boy not afraid to show his emotions and perhaps one of the most hopeless romantics I have ever had the pleasure of reading about before, to Reece, the "bad-boy" of the two, who we cannot help but be drawn to despite the fact that he throws off "playerish" vibes and despite the fact that we know that he is very capable of being breaking our hearts.

Another reason why this book is successful us because it (dare I say it?) has a successful love triangle (which I can assure you is NOT an oxymoron). In my opinion a successful love triangle is one in which the reader cannot choose which character they would like the main character to end up with (as opposed from an unsuccessful love triangle where there isn't any real competition- it is obvious from the get-go who the lead will choose, ie. Clary choosing Jace over Simon) . Both Evan and Reese have such amazing qualities to them and both make Julia a stronger person in their own way that I literally cannot choose between the two of them.

All in all, I have no complaints about this book. Whatsoever. It completely blew away any expectations that I had by tenfold. Therefore I obviously highly recommend it. In my opinion the traditionally published books I mentioned earlier (ie. "Delirium", "Across the Universe", and "Spellbound") have nothing on this book! In fact, I think that I like it just as much, if not more, than the three of them. Combined.(less)

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Dec 26, 2012 Marie Segares rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: coming-of-age, fantasy, speculative-fiction

I'm not exactly sure why I purchased this book back in January, but I can only imagine that it was some combination of being a very excited new owner of a Kindle Fire, the 4 star reviews on Amazon, and the fact that I could once again own a book for under $3. I finally got started on it a few days ago since I had some extra time off from work.

I was immediately struck by the awkwardness of the writing. It seemed like there were many, many adjectives used to describe everything. Nonetheless, I dec...more I'm not exactly sure why I purchased this book back in January, but I can only imagine that it was some combination of being a very excited new owner of a Kindle Fire, the 4 star reviews on Amazon, and the fact that I could once again own a book for under $3. I finally got started on it a few days ago since I had some extra time off from work.

I was immediately struck by the awkwardness of the writing. It seemed like there were many, many adjectives used to describe everything. Nonetheless, I decided to plow through the first few chapters because I was convinced there would be something amazing awaiting me, deep inside this book. Once the story began to unfold, I pushed myself to finish it because I remained hopeful that my inner sci fi nerd would be appeased. As a fan of speculative fiction and coming-of-age novels, I thought for sure that I would fall in love with Here. In reality: not so much.

SPOILER ALERT
The story follows 16 year old Julia, who blames herself for the death of her best friend in a car accident 6 months ago. She has no memory of the incident but is haunted by dreams where she dies and her friend lives. Suddenly, the super cute/football star/popular kid, Evan, shows an interest in her. Oh, and wait, so too does Reece, the mysterious bad boy who is chock full of one liners. Now her life is suddenly going great (who wouldn't want to juggle two possible boyfriends at that age -- I guess?) but then everything starts going downhill when her dad leaves the family, she gets sent to an alternative school, etc.

NOW, to the speculative fiction part. Turns out that there's an alternate universe where everyone is exactly the same (you know, your parents are married to each other, your best friend is your best friend, you live in the same town, etc.) but yet it is totally different! Because in the alternate universe, the Cuban Missile Crisis wasn't averted and the 75% of the world's population was destroyed by nuclear war. The folks that lived all continued on as brilliant scientists who spend much of their time avoiding harmful sunlight (since the ozone layer is depleted). In that world, Julia died in the accident (which seems to have happened at the same moment and same location - some kind of universe overlap - which is why "our Julia" remembers nothing about it) and her friend lived. But you can't stop young love, so Evan crosses over to our side to hook up with Julia.

Along the way, he kidnaps the Evan of our world and holds him hostage for about 2 weeks because how else would get to take over his life and meet up with Julia? Oh, and later he shoots a general in his world after he (along with Reece) kills several other people. But don't worry, everything Evan does that is slightly unpleasant is totally glossed over because he's an awesome kisser!

Conceptually, I'm ok with the idea of Here and the alternate universes, but it just isn't well done. The book seems like it was written by a teenager, and not in a good way - more in the way that your high school English teacher told you to use a certain number of sentences in each paragraph. I was also disturbed by how the book barely acknowledges the violent acts committed by the teenagers, because, ya know, young love makes everything ok!

One thing the author does well is create suspense. That's how I was able to finish this book - because I kept hoping something better was coming along later. I would recommend avoiding Here, unless you enjoy awkwardly written, teen romances of the Bonnie and Clyde sort. (less)

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Jun 26, 2012 Lori rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

WOW...what a book. Thanks for the recommend Rhiannon. This book is about a girl grieving her best friends death. She has lost the will to live and goes through life like a zombie until the popular boy agrees to tutor her. She starts to love again and this feels like a happy go lucky teen love story. Then half way through...BOOM. Awesome dystopia with nefarious villians and everything. Complete awesomesauce.
Denise Grover Swank wrote a real page turner. Even before it suddenly jumped into my secon...more

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Jun 19, 2012 Holly rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Absolutely fascinating concept for a novel but poorly executed. I won't spoil the concept since it is not officially revealed until halfway through the book, although for some readers it will be easy to spot right from the beginning. I was intrigued when I started this book, excited to see how the story would unfold as it's central theme is something I have contemplated countless times before. I felt as though the first quarter did a great job of setting the scene, introducing you to the main ch...more

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Apr 17, 2012 Brandy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Upon finishing this book I felt like I had been bitch slapped!

I was left holding my face with my mouth hanging open.
I am shocked: Oh, no you didn't!
I am pissed: What in the hell was that for?
I am amused: LOL! You've got some balls!
I am in awe: Wow!
I am surprised: I can't believe you did that!

I never saw the ending coming.
It's a rare thing to feel as though you've been sucker punched by an inanimate object!

Ingredients
1/2 standard cliche' YA love triangle
1/2 alternate dimension dystopian awesome...more

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Jan 22, 2012 Shannon Murphy rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a different take on the paranormal, which I enjoyed.

Julia feels guilty for killing her best friend Monica in a car accident, she has a new skill of drawing and weird dreams about the accident. She has become a shell of her former self and has pushed everyone way and is failing school. Suddenly, the popular Evan starts taking an interest in Julia. Julia's guidance counselor suggests she have some tutoring to catch up in her classes in order to pass so she accepts...her tutor is....Evan....more

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Book Giveaways: Win an ecopy of HERE by Denise Grover Swank (INTL)	1	4	Apr 10, 2012 06:05am
Book Giveaways: Win an ecopy of HERE by Denise Grover Swank (INTL)	1	6	Apr 10, 2012 06:05am

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avg rating	preview: Here Goodreads rating: 3.77 (1443 ratings)
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