Arise

Jun 02, 2012 Mundie Moms & Mundie Kids rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-release, arcs-i-own, mundie-moms-reviews, signed-books-arcs, 2012-100-book-challenge

I'm so excited, I'm quoted on the back of the ARC!

4.5 stars

This is another fabulous, must read sequel. I loved what Tara did in HEREAFTER, and really enjoyed the direction the story went in ARISE. The stakes are higher in this book, and I felt like Amelia's story took on a more serious tone. It's more emotional, a little darker and has this amazing historical setting in New Orleans, which was the perfect stage for some of the things that happen in this book. I've not been to New Orleans, but I f...more I'm so excited, I'm quoted on the back of the ARC!

4.5 stars

This is another fabulous, must read sequel. I loved what Tara did in HEREAFTER, and really enjoyed the direction the story went in ARISE. The stakes are higher in this book, and I felt like Amelia's story took on a more serious tone. It's more emotional, a little darker and has this amazing historical setting in New Orleans, which was the perfect stage for some of the things that happen in this book. I've not been to New Orleans, but I felt like I got to see it first hand through Tara's vivid descriptions of this vibrant city. I loved how New Orleans's rich history played a huge part in Amelia's story and her quest for answers.

Amelia's journey is full of heartbreak and some startling twists. I didn't except to feel so torn and emotionally invested the way I did with this sequel. Tara did a fabulous job in allowing me to understand the motives behind Amelia's decisions. She's battling the ever dark forces that are trying to claim her, her stained relationship is taking a toll on her, and no matter how hard she tries to fight between her ghost life and the human life she yearns for, things never work out the way she hopes. After all, she's fighting against a force that makes it nearly impossible for Joshua and her to be together, she's a ghost and he's human. That's also what makes Amelia such an interesting character. No matter how hard it is, Amelia does everything she can to make it work, and she'll do whatever she can to protect those she loves. I love that strength about her.

Not to out do Amelia, Joshua is just a fabulous as he was in HEREAFTER. I admire his devotion and love for Amelia regardless of the things that go against their being together. The romance is great! Tara rewards fans with some great swoon worthy moments between these two. This story's excitement picks up with the introduction of a few new characters to this series, as well as leads into the more sinister plot line that is uncovered. One of my favorite new characters is Gaby. She becomes that friend and voice of reason that Amelia needs, as she struggles with the two lives she's trying to live. Gaby is one of those all around fabulous friends we all want to have. She's there to offer support, guidance and just be there for Amelia. I love how her back story ties into this story!

The setting is awesome! It's mysterious, alluring, dark and enchanting. I loved the diverse, rich, intriguing world that Tara created in New Orleans for this story. This city was the perfect place for Amelia's journey and the things she uncovers here. The way the history of New Orleans and the "older" residents there were a perfect fit for ARISE. Aside from the story itself, check out this cover! I seriously love it! It's such a perfect fit for this story. If you're looking for a haunting, sizzling summer read I highly recommend picking this one up! (less)

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Mar 27, 2012 Hayden Casey rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: hurry-up-and-get-published, arc

The Hereafter trilogy is my favorite ghost story!

Flash back to 2011: I was a freshman in high school, shopping at Target, and the gorgeous, illustrated cover of Hereafter caught my eye in the book section. The back cover featured a gorgeous illustration of rippling water. I was hooked. Hereafter proved to be one of my favorite ghost stories of 2011.

Flash forward to now: Arise shows up on my doorstep, with a gorgeous photograph of a girl standing in a cemetery in a gorgeous white dress with flowi...more

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Aug 16, 2012 Mandee rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ghosts, hc-au, i-have-a-copy, june2012release, ya-lit, for-review, paranormal, review-on-the-blog

Arise by Tara Hudson is book two in the Hereafter series; I reviewed book one last week and found I enjoyed the sequel just as much. This review won’t contain spoilers for Hereafter or Arise.

Arise picks up a couple of months after the events of Hereafter. Amelia and Joshua are still dating while his sister, Jillian, refuses to acknowledge that she too can see and hear Amelia. Since the showdown on High Bridge, Amelia’s lost control over when and where she materialises to, often disappearing whe...more

Arise by Tara Hudson is book two in the Hereafter series; I reviewed book one last week and found I enjoyed the sequel just as much. This review won’t contain spoilers for Hereafter or Arise.

Arise picks up a couple of months after the events of Hereafter. Amelia and Joshua are still dating while his sister, Jillian, refuses to acknowledge that she too can see and hear Amelia. Since the showdown on High Bridge, Amelia’s lost control over when and where she materialises to, often disappearing when she and Joshua are making out and ending up in odd places. Amelia spends her days watching her mum as she goes to work and sitting by the river trying to figure out how to get into the netherworld so she can find her dad and free him. She’s also worried about Joshua, he’s been spending less time with his friends. She feels like she should leave him and let him lead a normal life with a human girl rather than a ghost. And Ruth, Joshua’s ghost-huntin’ grandma, left Oklahoma and is living with family in New Orleans. Joshua, Amelia and his family are going to visit them over Christmas. While in New Orleans Amelia meets Joshua’s cousins, also seers, a friend of theirs, Alex, as well as Gabrielle Callioux and a bunch of ghosts who have managed to evade being banished.

Amelia and Joshua are happy together but there are issues they’re avoiding, like the fact that Joshua is going to age while Amelia remains an eighteen-year old ghost-girl. I could understand Amelia’s need to leave him but running off wasn’t the answer, even if it did lead to some interesting events!

The best thing about Arise was the introduction of new characters, I was worried about only spending time with Amelia and Joshua again but the background characters and subsequent plot lines made this book really interesting and kept me guessing. By far the best character was Gabrielle, her interactions with Amelia were a lot of fun to read about and both girls could use a friend, and they found that in each other. I found myself suspicious of Alex and the ghosts of New Orleans and was annoyed by Jillian, she’s not the worst character ever, but she is immature and causes trouble with her attention-seeking ways.

I was also pleased with Amelia’s reaction to Kaylen and the way she flirted with Joshua. Instead of hating her or calling her names, Amelia understands that Kaylen is doing nothing wrong because as far as she knows, Joshua is single. Instead Amelia is sad as it’s another sign that she cannot be with Joshua because she’s a ghost and I think she’d definitely matured and responded well to this situation.

My main issue with Hereafter was the repetition of certain words and phrases and while this did happen in Arise, again with some of the same words, I didn't feel like it happened as often and that was a big improvement.

Arise is an intriguing, ghost-filled follow up to Hereafter, with a sweet paranormal love story and plenty of surprises, too!

Thanks to the fantastic people at Harper Collins Australia for my review copy.(less)

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Mar 04, 2013 Oceana Fern {Assorted Insanity} marked it as maybe-read · review of another edition

Edit: Monday, April 23

Well, darlings, I just received a mail from Ms. Hudson clarifying that there is no love triangle.

Ah, fantastic. Thank you, Ms. Hudson.

Previously:

Shit.
Gabrielle? Gaby?
Another damn love triangle?

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Nov 15, 2011 Nicole Renee marked it as to-read · review of another edition

I WANT THIS BOOK NOW NOW NOW NOW NOWWWW!!!!!
NOT IN 2012!!!
crazy stupid cliffhanger:

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update: OMG THE COVER IS SOO GORGEOUS. I THOUGHT THE LAST ONE WAS, thank you miss hudson for showing the world not all book covers need to be crappy:)

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Mar 30, 2012 Katy rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Disappointingly, I felt this book had too much of the same storyline as the first one. The only difference is Amelia did not really know about herself in the first book, and in this one, she's a little more "alive" I guess. You still had the same darkness coming after her, the too obvious villan that she has never trusted, the same threat against Jillian and the similar end.

And as with the first book, I thought a lot of the story development came way too easy. There's a convenient way for Amelia...more

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Feb 05, 2012 Mesa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Warning: this review might contain spoilers for those of you who have not read the first book.

I read Hereafter last year when it first came out, and I loved it. It was an amazing paranormal book. After reading the first book, I knew I just have to get Arise, and I’m happy I didn’t have to wait till June (thanks to Kristina @ Ladybug Storytime). Arise starts without any filler, and kept getting better and better as I turned the pages. This book was fantastic! I didn’t think it was possible for me...more Warning: this review might contain spoilers for those of you who have not read the first book.

I read Hereafter last year when it first came out, and I loved it. It was an amazing paranormal book. After reading the first book, I knew I just have to get Arise, and I’m happy I didn’t have to wait till June (thanks to Kristina @ Ladybug Storytime). Arise starts without any filler, and kept getting better and better as I turned the pages. This book was fantastic! I didn’t think it was possible for me to love this more than Hereafter, but I did. It was just brilliant. The storyline was more original, more suspenseful and more than I expected after loving Hereafter.

The more Amelia kept fighting for her relationship with Joshua, the more things seem to go the opposite way. While visiting Joshua’s relative at New Orleans, both Amelia and Joshua try to find answers for Amelia’s dreams/nightmares. It led them to a girl, Gabriella, and left them with more questions than answers. When things go wrong with Gaby’s help, it left Amelia to choose between staying (for love) and leaving (for the safety of her loved ones).

After I read a few pages I was hooked (again) back to the world of Amelia and Joshua. I loved Amelia’s sense of humor and sarcasm in this book. I felt for both Amelia and Joshua. Their relationship is so fragile, real, and romantic. Absolutely amazing. I <3 Joshua and Amelia! The unique story was filled with new romance and action, making it difficult to guess what might happen next.

Arise is a suspenseful, poignant, heartwarming and beautiful book that will keep you on the edge. This is a book you'll never want to put down, and it will leave you wanting more from Amelia and Joshua. Arise is about love, friendship and sacrifice—it left me craving for more; I WANT the third book now. I’m trying really hard not to think about the fact that I have to wait almost two years for the third book to come out.

All in all, the pacing was good, the characters were good, the romantic tension was great, and the plot had some nice twists. Arise is a great read.

More of my book reviews @ The Sagacity Quest (less)

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May 30, 2012 ♥Rachel♥ rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to ♥Rachel♥ by: Read-along with Laura

Shelves: cover-love, edelweiss, arc

Arise is the follow-up novel to Hereafter. Joshua and Amelia's story captured my heart in the first novel and this story was no exception. I was sucked right back in with Joshua's first wolfish grin!

We pick up with Joshua and Amelia a few months after their showdown with the evil ghost Eli. With that dilemma out of the way, Amelia and Joshua just have each other to focus on with no worries, right? Wrong. With this huge problem out of the way, (or so we hope) the underlying issues of their probl...more
Arise is the follow-up novel to Hereafter. Joshua and Amelia's story captured my heart in the first novel and this story was no exception. I was sucked right back in with Joshua's first wolfish grin!

We pick up with Joshua and Amelia a few months after their showdown with the evil ghost Eli. With that dilemma out of the way, Amelia and Joshua just have each other to focus on with no worries, right? Wrong. With this huge problem out of the way, (or so we hope) the underlying issues of their problematic relationship come to the fore. How can such a relationship survive when Amelia will always be a ghost and Joshua will graduate high-school, go to college and eventually want to start a family? Joshua has a positive outlook, but Amelia is not buying it. She starts to think that taking herself out of his life, even though it would be heart-breaking, is the best thing for him. Also, more problems are becoming apparent with Amelia now experiencing frightening nightmares and uncontrollable materializations. Every time their kissing starts becoming more intense and less chaste, Amelia is swept away and materializes somewhere else. The nightmares are becoming more frequent and feel incredibly real to Amelia, she doesn't know what to make of them or if they have a deeper meaning to her "life." All these issues are put on the back burner when the Mayhews' take a family trip to visit their grandmother Ruth in New Orleans for Christmas. This will be a big Mayhew family gathering with a large group of Seers staying. Any ghost would be nervous, as Seers have the ability to exorcise ghosts and send them away from the living world forever. We get to meet some new additional characters that add interest to this evolving story. I personally loved Gabrielle. Not saying anything more about her!

This story felt like an unfolding mystery and I was on the edge of my seat trying to figure things out. Some of the revelations were a little predictable but others took me by surprise. The pace of the story never felt slow to me. Another positive was Ms. Hudson's vivid scene descriptions. From the French Quarter in New Orleans to the ominous netherworld, they were just enough to make you feel like you were there without bogging the story down and slowing the plot. After reading this I felt a serious need for beignets, they sound delicious!

Even though I'm always a little apprehensive about a ghost-human romance, I thoroughly enjoyed this story! I was swooning over Joshua's midnight-blue eyes and boyish grin. As if that wasn't enough, Joshua has a heart of gold. He's so protective of Amelia and is always trying to make her feel welcome and part of the living as best he can. He really wants things to work out. There may have been a heart-pumping, knee-melting kissing scene or two but I'm not telling. I loved little fearless and caring Amelia, too. She's willing to brave a broken heart and loneliness to protect Joshua and his family, and so Joshua can go on and lead a normal life. Because of this, Amelia holds Joshua at arm's length for a good part of the story, keeping things from him, which was a bit frustrating for me.

I thought this was a wonderful second book in the Hereafter series. In my opinion, it didn't suffer from the dreaded "second-book syndrome" in which there is no real progression in the story, only filler. I felt there were several discoveries and plot movement. I like where things are headed. Another plus, even though things are not fully resolved, there's NO horrible cliffhanger. There is one change that I'm not happy about at all; hopefully something can be done about it. As a side note, don't you just love this cover? I do and it fits perfectly in with the story. No case of "cover fraud" here.

Thank you to Edelweiss and Harper Collins for allowing me to read this story.

This review and more can be found on The Readers Den
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Jun 02, 2012 Blythe rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: to-review, netgalley-edelweiss-arc, kindle, 2012-reads, didn-t-see-that-coming, i-totally-saw-that-coming, judge-a-book-by-the-cover, 2-stars, surprised-i-didn-t-hate-it

First, I must explain my two star rating. It might confuse you, because it even confuses me, and I’m the one who rated it.

For most of the book, I just really didn’t like it. It got better at around 60%, and stayed that way until the end, but it’s just… I just wanted this to be over. Putting aside the fact that I had, in fact, enjoyed the ending, I was just desperate for this book to end. It’s just not a one star book, because it was vastly better than Hereafter and I gave that one star, and it’...more

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Nov 14, 2011 Rianne~ marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: must-own

Hereafter had to be one of the best books Ive ever read. It had the most realistic, down to earth characters (haha) and if arise comes anything close to being as good as hereafter was, it will be amazing.
:0 THE COVER IS SO PRETTY!!!!!

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May 11, 2012 Sam rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-release, obsessed, must-read-no-matter-what, amazing-covers, e-book, e-galley

Wow. WWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!

Look
At
This
~~Gorgeous~~
~~Stunning~~
~~Beautiful~~
THIS SO FRICKINUNBELEIVABLE COVER!!!!

AHHHHHHHHRRRRRR CANT WAIT!!!! <3

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Aug 31, 2012 fяσzєη rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: covergasm, pretty-dress-on-the-cover, ghosts, boooooring, cheese, cant-believe-i-finished, dont-understand-why-its-hyped, hot-mess, insta-love, where-art-thou-originality

This review is also available over at my blog.

_______________________

Actual rating is 1.5 stars.

How I was the whole time I read this book:

The Hereafter series is probably my least favorite ghost series that I've read. Not because it's painfully horrible. Just because it doesn't excite me in any way. I ended up skimming through half of this book because it just dragged so much, and to be completely honest, I barely cared about the characters anymore.

The plot was a mess. In the beginning we have A...more

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Aug 04, 2012 Saniya(Will Herondale is mine) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Surprise, surprise!
I weirdly liked it. O_O
Because after reading Hereafter, my expectations from this book?
The usual.
What I always got by reading:
Crescendo (Hush, Hush, #2)
Torment (Fallen, #2)
The Iron Daughter (The Iron Fey, #2)
Early to Death, Early to Rise (Madison Avery, #2)
Wolfsbane (Nightshade, #2)

What took my by surprise was that this book was really different from the other second books in a series I have ever read.

1- No freaking love triangles. Yeah you heard me. I was so happy since eve...more

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Jan 11, 2013 Khanh rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is a lot more exciting than its predecessor. This is the sequel to Hereafter, and it is much faster-paced, now that Amelia actually knows who she is, and instead of moping about, she can actually try to do something about her state of being (or unbeing). This is not a standalone book, you will be forever confused if you do not read Hereafter first.

Amelia is frustrated at her lack of a future with Joshua, since she is unable to touch him, and she is aware that while she remains an 18-ye...more This book is a lot more exciting than its predecessor. This is the sequel to Hereafter, and it is much faster-paced, now that Amelia actually knows who she is, and instead of moping about, she can actually try to do something about her state of being (or unbeing). This is not a standalone book, you will be forever confused if you do not read Hereafter first.

Amelia is frustrated at her lack of a future with Joshua, since she is unable to touch him, and she is aware that while she remains an 18-year old ghost, he will age and grow without her. Amelia is also concerned about Joshua's withdrawal from the world, for her sake, because there's not much socializing you can do with your own peers when you're dating a dead girl.

Joshua's family goes to New Orleans to spend Christmas with their extended family, and Amelia tags along. In New Orleans, she meets a group of Joshua's cousins and their friends, all of whom can hear her and detect her presence. Meanwhile, there are demons after Amelia, threatening to destroy her loved ones. Over Christmas, she has to figure out what to do in order to keep the people she loves safe, and she is willing to do whatever it takes, including disappearing from their lives for good. She's not alone, she is aided by a new character named Gabrielle, who is not who she seems.

I liked this book a lot better than Hereafter. Hereafter seemed to move too slowly, whereas the plot moves along a lot faster in Arise. The plot can be confusing at times, and I felt the mysterious beings are not entirely wrapped up or explained, but overall, it was an enjoyable read. I found Joshua's character rather annoying here; he is so freaking mopey, clingy, and weak. I have a mental impression of him with huge anime-style eyes with tears dripping out. Amelia is much stronger, more sure of herself, more willing to take risks and actions. It's not the most complex of books, or the most amazing characterization, but I enjoyed it as a quick read and as a sequel to a book I enjoyed.(less)

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Nov 07, 2012 Annabell rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Returning to the world of ghosts and love in the second installment in the Hereafter Series, Arise, was done so with low expectations and a bit of reluctance, mostly sheer curiosity spurred me onward since I wasn’t too fond of the first book in the series, Hereafter. I can’t say the sequel proved my low expectations wrong but it did turn out somewhat better than it’s predecessor.

Amelia, our angst-ridden and transparent heroine, has finally gotten the chance to be together with her one true love,...more Returning to the world of ghosts and love in the second installment in the Hereafter Series, Arise, was done so with low expectations and a bit of reluctance, mostly sheer curiosity spurred me onward since I wasn’t too fond of the first book in the series, Hereafter. I can’t say the sequel proved my low expectations wrong but it did turn out somewhat better than it’s predecessor.

Amelia, our angst-ridden and transparent heroine, has finally gotten the chance to be together with her one true love, Joshua, the boy she helped save from drowning (and who almost got killed by a crazy ghost with power hungry, homicidal tendencies afterward). But happily ever after will have to wait since trouble comes knocking on the door, fugitively speaking, when Ruth (Joshua’s grandmother who’s a Seer) decides to jump ship and head to New Orleans, none too happy Joshua has chosen to date a ghost (who could blame her, really?). Jillian, Joshua’s sister, joins Ruth in her animosity toward Amelia and attempts to make Joshua’s life miserable in the hopes he will see the light and start dating a girl with an actual pulse and who isn’t so see-through. Joshua decides he’s sticking with his invisible girlfriend and has gradually broken away from his friends and his life as the popular jock in order to do so. But a family trip to New Orleans for a big family reunion changes all that. Amelia starts having whacky nightmares, Eli returns to give her a cryptic, eerie warning, and there’s someone in the Mayhew Seer camp that proves he’s much deadlier than they realized.

Let us begin with the characters because there are a whole lot of them in Arise! I did enjoy the Mayhew clan of Seers. They were entertaining bunch from the moment they are introduced. Alex was the main focus from the Seer clan and he plays a big role in the book but more subtly than in your face, until closer toward the end. Amelia is too gullible, too wishy-washy, too melo-dramatic for me to be able to take her as a serious contender for the role of heroine. Even at the end, Gaby is the one who makes the bigger sacrifice and throughout the book she proves to be a better fighter, even as a ghost than Amelia. Joshua is still the sweet, oh-so-wonderfully supportive boyfriend which bordered on nauseating a bit but not nearly as bad as in Hereafter. Felix, Gaby’s brother, was a crack up and I liked the mixture of his character being rough around the edges but with a good heart. I also liked how close he is with Gaby. Jillian didn’t play too much of a role in this book until closer toward the end and thank God for that! She was probably the most annoying character in the book and incredibly ungrateful. I was hoping she wouldn’t have made it through but alas, my wishes didn’t come true.

I was grateful the story didn’t focus so much on the romance between Amelia and Joshua instead following Amelia, with the aid of Joshua and Annabelle, Joshua’s cousin, to a voodoo shop in the hopes they find help to end Amelia’s nightmares since they’re always making her disappear. They meet Gabrielle, or Gaby, who offers her assistance and performs one insane and equally nightmare inducing ceremony that doesn’t go exactly the way she planned. Amelia is now undead, well sorta. She can become visible to the living, touch objects, change her clothes and can even hear a faux heartbeat, the only drawback, she can’t touch Joshua anymore. But the ceremony was only the beginning to both Gaby and Amelia’s problems with the dark side.

There were some good moments of suspense and build-up. I also liked that the story changed locations and took place in New Orleans, adding a much darker and haunting feel to the background of the plot.

But the book was so dragged out! Amelia spends so much time repeatedly whinnying about needing to leave Joshua in order to protect him but not wanting to hurt him but knowing it’s the right thing. When she wasn’t having crazy nightmares (even though she doesn’t sleep therefore can’t possibly dream but that’s an aspect to the story that is never explained), she’s complaining about breaking up with Joshua then makes stupid mistakes in the process. The nightmares added a bit of suspense and foreshadowing but after a few times of them happening, enough was enough already. The character that ended up being the villain wasn’t at all surprising. From the first moment he is introduced, I’m pretty sure every reader will figure it out (it’s just too obvious). The ending, although both heartbreaking and interesting in certain ways, was also too nicely wrapped up. Joshua was too understanding and accepting. I wanted to see him actually have an argument with Amelia before they made up which would have been more realistic. Amelia, as usual, is not very much help in actually saving people. Gaby’s sacrifice was predictable but I still felt for her. I liked her character.

I wouldn’t say I am a fan of the Hereafter Series nor am I anywhere near in love with this series as others have become, but the sequel offered in actual ghost story that turned out to be better than I expected which was a nice surprise.

http://www.nerdalien.com/2012/11/book...(less)

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Nov 04, 2012 Heather rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, romance-relationship, ya

Amelia and Joshua are finally together but they have a whole new set of circumstances to weather in this sequel to Hereafter. Ruth has left the family home and moved to New Orleans in an attempt to escape her grandson's ghostly girlfriend. Jillian wants nothing to do with Amelia and makes Joshua's life as difficult as possible in the process. In the meantime, Joshua has withdrawn from all of his friends in order to spend time with Amelia even though she doesn't want that for him.

A family trip t...more

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Sep 27, 2012 CC rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Aug 15, 2012 Dark Faerie Tales rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed-by-emmy

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: While dealing with the problems of a paranormal relationship, Arise has higher stakes than Hereafter did and uses Amelia’s nature to build more acute tension.

Opening Sentence: The entire world had gone dark, and I had no idea why.

The Review:

I don’t want to call the person who wrote the synopsis a liar…but I’m about to. Everything the synopsis describes happens, but totally not the way they’re making it sound. I don’t know why, either, since...more

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Jul 05, 2012 Carla rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Amelia Ashley and Joshua Mayhew's love story from Hereafter continues in Arise. With the netherworld looking for Amelia, demons having been set forth to claim her, and bring her into their sect - With her father trapped and warnings from Eli -Amelia now finds herself at a crossroad of doing what is best for everyone involved. Run, she has been told, for the demons will go to extreme lengths including devouring all she loves.

On a trip with Josh to visit the rest of the Mayhew clan to New Orleans...more

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Jun 28, 2012 Hylary Locsin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Originally posted on my blog: http://libraryladyhylary.blogspot.com ! Check it out for more reviews!

Now that Eli has been banished to the dark netherworld, Amelia has eternity, or however long her afterlife lasts, to spend with her boyfriend, Joshua Mayhew. But what kind of life can she offer Joshua; she is invisible to everyone but Joshua’s sister, Jillian, she can’t touch Joshua for more than a few minutes without materializing somewhere else, and she will be eighteen forever, forced to watch...more Originally posted on my blog: http://libraryladyhylary.blogspot.com ! Check it out for more reviews!

Now that Eli has been banished to the dark netherworld, Amelia has eternity, or however long her afterlife lasts, to spend with her boyfriend, Joshua Mayhew. But what kind of life can she offer Joshua; she is invisible to everyone but Joshua’s sister, Jillian, she can’t touch Joshua for more than a few minutes without materializing somewhere else, and she will be eighteen forever, forced to watch Joshua grow older. To make matters worse, Amelia has also become plagued by terrible nightmares of a strange place with a mysterious woman who warns her that she is in danger. When Amelia travels with Joshua and his family to spend Christmas in New Orleans, she hopes that the change of scenery will keep her, and the people she loves, safe from whatever is hunting her. But when she and Joshua meet a beautiful girl in a voodoo shop who promises that she can help solve their problems, Amelia inadvertently agrees to take part in a powerful ceremony that will change her afterlife forever.

This highly-anticipated follow-up to Tara Hudson’s bestselling novel, Hereafter, proves to be a bit of departure from the original book, but one that manages to take the story in an unlikely direction. The events in the first novel are very, very different from the sequel. Gone is Amelia’s quest to learn who she is, how she died, etc., replaced instead by her desire to ensure that her boyfriend, Joshua, is able to live a safe and normal life. This is somewhat odd considering that, in Hereafter, they met when Joshua nearly drowned and proceeded to battle a rogue spirit, but Arise explores this concept quite a bit regardless. The setting also changes drastically, from Oklahoma to the French Quarter. The voodoo element also makes for a new addition to the overall feel of the book, as does the result of the ritual that Amelia takes part in. The events of the story make for an effective platform from which the third and final novel in the trilogy can continue on, but, overall, the tone of Arise is different enough from the book that it makes the reader wonder what exactly to expect in the last installment. To say that the sequel is unsuccessful or not as good as the first book in the series wouldn’t be accurate, but fans of Hereafter should be warned that they are in for something very different in almost every way possible. The third novel, Elegy, is set to be released in 2013.

I was a huge, huge fan of Hereafter, and so I was eagerly anticipating this sequel for quite some time. After reading it, however, I’m not quite sure what to think. Everything I really liked about Hereafter was gone: Amelia learning who or what she is, her saving Joshua from drowning, their falling in love, her battling Eli. I understand that the author had to change up the story, but I don’t think I’ve read another sequel that is so starkly different from the first novel. Overall, I would say that Arise is a good book, but I wish that somehow the tone or feel of the novel would have felt at least slightly familiar. Either way, I plan to read the third novel when it’s released next year and would still highly recommend this series for tween and teen readers. (less)

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Jun 21, 2012 Chelsey rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The whole idea of a ghost story is fascinating because it is something that I, at least, do not read often. Amelia Ashley is a ghost, and she is a ghost that is in love with a Seer and a mortal. A Seer is someone who works to exorcise ghosts. Joshua is very much in love with Amelia even if every time he touches her she is magically transported somewhere out of his reach. Amelia is trying to cope with her feelings about this and she is constantly considering how much better off Joshua would be wi...more The whole idea of a ghost story is fascinating because it is something that I, at least, do not read often. Amelia Ashley is a ghost, and she is a ghost that is in love with a Seer and a mortal. A Seer is someone who works to exorcise ghosts. Joshua is very much in love with Amelia even if every time he touches her she is magically transported somewhere out of his reach. Amelia is trying to cope with her feelings about this and she is constantly considering how much better off Joshua would be without her. Their love story was enough to keep me reading for more.

The first chapter immediately catches the reader’s attention. I was instantly transported to Amelia’s life and at times it is a sad and miserable one. She is caught between a rock and a hard place when it comes to her life with Joshua and her destiny as a ghost and her future as one. I knew immediately that her situation was too good to be true. She could not forever stay attached to Josh and follow him everywhere that he went throughout his day. It is nice to think about but I knew that it would never last as peacefully as it started out to be.

My favorite part of this book was when Amelia accompanied Josh’s family to New Orleans for a mini vacation to celebrate something like a family reunion. It was very interesting to meet Josh’s family and to find out how interested they were in Amelia. Not to mention, I love New Orleans!! There is so much history and culture that is gathered there and it is the perfect place to write a ghost story. I did not know what to expect when meeting Josh’s family especially knowing that many of them are in fact Seers. Each character had a unique spin and I loved seeing them all react in their own individual way to Josh’s lover being a ghost.

As a ghost and a character, Amelia is fantastic. She is sweet and has a truly genuine spirit. She really has a heart for everyone and tries her best to do what she feels is necessary and best for everyone around her. Plus she takes the whole being dead thing pretty well, not that she has a choice. I really do love her affection for Josh and the true concern that she has for his future. Tara Hudson’s Arise is one that no one should miss. It changes the typical supernatural world for a bit and gives readers a story that is unique when compared to any other.
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Jun 21, 2012 Radiant rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Amelia is coping up with her afterlife after the fight with demons..
All she want is a normal(as normal can a afterlife be) with Joshua and a little romance...but without manifesting herself when things get a bit far..

Now she has these weird dreams,warnings from an old nemesis and much more..it seems like the decision which amelia has always avoided is to be done now.. a little time with josh is all she want before she makes it..but things go far more worse...new seers,new friends n ghosts,old de...more

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May 31, 2012 Nancy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Hudson released Hereafter last year and I have been DYING to find out where it can go. Okay, not really dying because then I'd be in a bad spot, like Amelia.

Last time we met Amelia, she banished her demons, remembered who she was and realized she'd been stuck for a decade. She'd also saved a few lives and fallen in love with Joshua who is alive. Amelia is dead and has been for the past decade. Turns out that Joshua is from a family of seers who awakens their gift upon a near death experience.

T...more

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Apr 01, 2012 Becky rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I won a competition on the author's site and got a proof copy of this book. I was so excited when I found out, I absolutely LOVED book 1 and couldn't wait to read this one. When this arrived I screamed and jumped about, and to make it even better Tara had signed it!!!! :O
I sat down yesterday afternoon to start reading whilst I was waiting for my dinner, turns out I got completely hooked and ending up eating as quickly as possible before picking up the book again.
I had to put it down when I was...more I won a competition on the author's site and got a proof copy of this book. I was so excited when I found out, I absolutely LOVED book 1 and couldn't wait to read this one. When this arrived I screamed and jumped about, and to make it even better Tara had signed it!!!! :O
I sat down yesterday afternoon to start reading whilst I was waiting for my dinner, turns out I got completely hooked and ending up eating as quickly as possible before picking up the book again.
I had to put it down when I was about half way through and I was desperate to finish it.
I sat down this morning and dived straight back in, thought I would only be able to read a little bit more but I managed to finish the whole thing (did mean I was late going out in the afternoon but never mind!)
It has been a while since I read book 1 and I was worried I wouldn't remember enough of the story, but my fears were unnecessary, I was immediately pulled back into Amelia's world. I had no trouble remembering who the characters were and I was straight back into that world.
Amelia and Joshua are still together, but in a way that can't last, Amelia is still a ghost and can only be seen by Joshua and his sister Jillian (who seems to hate her). Joshua is starting to become very isolated, spending all his time with Amelia, but she realises she is hurting his life and tries to fix it, but their problems get much worse when Amelia finds out the Demons are after her again and this time, nothing is going to stop them.
There are new characters in this book, a lot of Seers which is quite cool, I liked to see the different ways they could interact with Amelia. Some old favourites were back - Grandma Ruth, although a shadow of her former self, she was still creepy.
I also loved the introduction of Gaby, she was weird and creepy, but cool and funky. Really cool character. I liked her a lot. She takes the story down a whole new road and I did not expect it, but it is just like WOAH! amazing.
This book is what I would call an easy read, the sort of story that just sweeps you up and carries you through, a great plot and story, well set out and brilliantly paced, makes reading it almost effortless. This is a fairly average sized book at 405 pages, not too long, not too short, just right. But what those pages contain is just awesome.
Tara Hudson has really impressed me with her writing, it just seems to flow so well and spin such fantastic stories and I want more of it.
I can't believe how long I have to wait now for the next part, this one isn't even officially released for another 3 months. But I am so glad i got an advanced copy. You are all in for a treat!(less)

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Jun 10, 2012 Brittany Rehage rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I had a couple problems with Hereafter when I first read it. It was good, but the writing felt a little new and I wasn't completely on board with Amelia and Joshua's relationship. Both of these issues weren't even a thought as I read Arise, the only thing going through my head was how amazing this book is.

Arise had a different feel to it. Maybe it was the story taking place in New Orleans, allegedly one of the most haunted cities in the United States. Maybe it was the introduction of new "types"...more

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May 12, 2013 Taylor Fenner rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Amelia and Joshua are back in "Arise" the beautiful sequel to "Hereafter". It's three months after their initial meeting and Amelia notices that Joshua is pulling away from his old, more normal life. Meanwhile Amelia spends hours a day trying to break into the netherworld to free her father.

One day as she tries to reenter the netherworld Eli breaks free and comes to warn her that the demons are coming for her, and they'll hurt anyone she loves to get to her. Fearing for Joshua's safety Amelia de...more Amelia and Joshua are back in "Arise" the beautiful sequel to "Hereafter". It's three months after their initial meeting and Amelia notices that Joshua is pulling away from his old, more normal life. Meanwhile Amelia spends hours a day trying to break into the netherworld to free her father.

One day as she tries to reenter the netherworld Eli breaks free and comes to warn her that the demons are coming for her, and they'll hurt anyone she loves to get to her. Fearing for Joshua's safety Amelia decides to break-up with Joshua when they travel to New Orleans to visit Josh's family for Christmas.

When they arrive in New Orleans Amelia is introduced to Joshua's cousins Annabel and Drew, Drew's girlfriend Hayley, and the mysterious Alex. Amelia immediately feels uneasy around Alex and doesn't trust him, even though he claims he wants to help her.

Joshua is determined to help Amelia figure out the mysterious dreams she's been having so they enlist the help of Gabrielle, a beautiful girl they meet at the Conjure Room, a voodoo shop Annabel recommends to Joshua. They agree to meet Gabrielle at midnight in St. Louis Number One Cemetery to perform a ritual. When the ritual seemingly goes wrong Amelia breaks up with Joshua for his own protection.

But the ritual did work, in unexpected ways; giving Amelia the ability to eat, sleep, and do other normal things but has taken away her ability to touch the living. She wakes up to find herself in the company of Gabrielle and her twin brother Felix. There she finds out she is not dead or alive, she is Risen . And so is Gaby. They form a tentative friendship as Amelia gets used to her new abilities.

The demons are closing in on them at the same time that Alex's sinister plot is revealed. Once again it's up to Amelia to save everyone she loves from the netherworld... before it's too late.

I really loved this book, even more than I loved the first one. I can't wait to see what happens in Elegy, the third and final book, coming out in June. (less)

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Jun 12, 2012 Lorretta rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I received this through the GoodReads Giveaway.

I have not read the first book so this was read as a stand alone. I found it easy to pick up the thread and move right into the story.

Amelia and Joshua are exploring the bounds of their relationship and growing frustrated that they cannot proceed beyond a certain physical point before Amelia dissolves. Add this to the fact that her nemesis has come to warn her that her really bad enemies are on their way to get her and will destroy everything and e...more

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Nov 07, 2012 Natalie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The second book in the Hereafter series. The story was full of mystery with new friends and foes. Amelia is put in a position where she has to choose to help the demons take souls or risk loosing the people she loves.

Trying to find a way to stay with Joshua and avoid the demons is a challenge. When Joshua has a suprise gift for Amelia to visit Gaby a voodoo priestest, Amelia's life is turned on it's head once again.

The book was easy to read and flowed flawlessly. I personally felt the story coul...more

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May 31, 2012 Darkfallen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, not-released-yet, read-n-reviewed

This book was soooooo good! It was sweet, and epic, and eerie...it was everything I wanted it to be. Dare I say this is a YA Paranormal book that should be labeled perfection? Yes, yes I think I can say that. *winks*

Amelia and Joshua aren't your normal couple. First of all Amelia is very much a ghost. Has been for the last decade, but ever since Joshua's near death experience and his subsequent awakening of his Seer abilities he hasn't been able to stray away from Amelia. After having battled th...more This book was soooooo good! It was sweet, and epic, and eerie...it was everything I wanted it to be. Dare I say this is a YA Paranormal book that should be labeled perfection? Yes, yes I think I can say that. *winks*

Amelia and Joshua aren't your normal couple. First of all Amelia is very much a ghost. Has been for the last decade, but ever since Joshua's near death experience and his subsequent awakening of his Seer abilities he hasn't been able to stray away from Amelia. After having battled the demons on the netherworld they thought the worst was behind them. They were wrong...very wrong. Now Amelia is harboring secrets she doesn't want to keep, and has to decide between being with Josh, and keeping him safe. While she knows what she has to do it doesn't make it any easier. Can Amelia walk away from Josh to save him from the demons? Or will she be so consumed by their love that she can't say goodbye before it's too late?

First I have to say that I was a little worried when I started this book because I hadn't read the first one in the series yet. I was afraid I would be lost, or worse yet that the author would do a huge info dump in the first 50 pages to catch me up, but that would only end up boring me...I couldn't have been more wrong! Tara Hudson did a perfect job of filling in all the blanks that I missed from the first book in a way that just flowed with the current story. I was never once lost or ever felt bored. There are no huge info dumps that bogged the story down. Everything just flowed effortlessly. That combined with Tara's writing style made this book perfect for me. I loved the way it flowed from page to page, making it a fast read that I couldn't tear my eyes from. When I wasn't reading this book I was plotting when I would be able to pick it back up again.

Enough about the writing, what about the characters? Amelia is a hard one not to love. Within the first 25 pages I felt my heart aching for her. I wanted her to have a happily ever after in the most desperate of ways. She not what you would expect from a heroin that has spent the last ten years as a ghost alone. She's not all whinny and Woe is me. She's strong, funny, compassionate, and always thinking of others. Especially of Joshua. When it comes to him she is completely selfless, but not in a way that makes you think she doesn't really care about him. You can feel how much it tears her up inside to do the right thing, but she does it anyways. And don't even get me started on Joshua. He is one of those guys that makes you swoon and squee at ever turn. You just want to squeeze him and your heart breaks for him and Amelia over and over again.

Overall I loved this book. I love the way it has the ability to pull you into the story so deep you feel like your there, living it with them. This is a must read!(less)

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May 10, 2013 Fred rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Well, I'm surprised.

This book and series is SO good. I love the characters, except that there is TOO much insta-love. But the characters have so much depth, and I really enjoy reading about them. They really had a lot to deal with in this one, which was great. There were a lot of moments in this book where I was kind of wondering whenever the action would pick up a bit, and it did in the end of it all. I just really enjoyed the characters a lot.

The plot of this book is a little... CRAZY. I lov...more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
what does kill/frak/marry mean???	7	31	Mar 11, 2013 08:43pm
Any one else love this book??	1	3	Mar 11, 2013 08:41pm
Eli?	2	9	Mar 11, 2013 08:37pm

title link	preview: Arise
avg rating	preview: Arise Goodreads rating: 3.95 (1846 ratings)
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Arise (Hereafter #2)

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