Hereafter

Hereafter #1

by Tara Hudson

Can there truly be love after death?

Drifting in the dark waters of a mysterious river, the only thing Amelia knows for sure is that she's dead. With no recollection of her past life—or her actual death—she's trapped alone in a nightmarish existence. All of this changes when she tries to rescue a boy, Joshua, from drowning in her river. As a ghost, she can do nothing but will him to live. Yet in an unforgettable moment of connection, she helps him survive.

Amelia and Joshua grow ever closer as they begin to uncover the strange circumstances of her death and the secrets of the dark river that held her captive for so long. But even while they struggle to keep their bond hidden from the living world, a frightening spirit named Eli is doing everything in his power to destroy their newfound happiness and drag Amelia back into the ghost world . . . forever.

Thrilling and evocative, with moments of pure pleasure, Hereafter is a sensation you won't want to miss.

Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy, Ghosts, Romance, Paranormal Romance, Supernatural

404 pages, Hardcover

First published June 7, 2011

About the author

Born and raised in Oklahoma, Tara Hudson graduated with a degree in law, mostly because she believed all the horror stories about English majors and their careers in the food-service industry. Luckily, she soon remembered how much she loved telling ghost stories, particularly to her girlfriends who liked visiting abandoned cemeteries as much as she did. Tara currently lives in Oklahoma with her husband, son, and a menagerie of ill-behaved pets.

Reviews

[Vinaya · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh boy, am I sick of the insta-love trope in YA romances! Do all these YA PNR authors shop at the same shelf in Writers R Us? I really should have known better than to read any book Becca Fitzpatrick has called a "tender and poignant love story". Hereafter, I shall never read another book recommended by Fitzpatrick. Hereafter, I shall know better than to judge a book by its blurb. Hereafter, I shall not fall for pretty covers.

Amelia (and it took me a minute to recall her name!) is a ghost who has been drifting through the afterlife for several years with no memory of her previous life save her first name and her age. She is suddenly lifted from this foggy existence when she saves a boy from drowning and discovers that he can see her. While choking out half the river, he manages to let her know his name, and she falls for his handsome, striking face. They meet up again soon after, he accepts without surprise that she is a ghost and proceeds to promptly fall in love with her as well. But Amelia is being stalked by another ghost, one who is eeevillll and wants her to become his dark minion; Joshua's grandmother is a Seer who wants to banish Amelia; oh noes! how will these two passionate-yet-chaste teen lovers escape the doom that is inevitably descending upon them?!

This book is bo-ring! Nothing happens for eighty percent of the book, except a whole lot of heart-attack inducing cheese about how much Amelia and Joshua love each other. I kid you not. She rescues him and is immediately drawn to him. He gets out of the hospital and starts looking for her desperately. Having found her, he makes an assignation to meet her at a park. They have a really boring conversation where she reveals she's dead and he is completely accepting and still wants to hold her hand and cuddle. Then they go to calculus, the one class where Joshua is no good, and guess what? He gets pulled up to give an answer while he is distracted by Amelia. At which point she oh-so-conveniently has a flash of recollection and suddenly knows the exact right answer (because, of course, she is a math genius. No good being an English genius when Joshua needs help in Calculus, now is there?) which she conveys loudly to Joshua, since the rest of the class can't see or hear her! Yes, this is the limp lettuce we are served for the first hundred-odd pages of the book. Then there is more slow-moving dialogue and crawling plotline, before we are mercifully delivered in the last quarter of the book.

Amelia is one of the drippiest heroines I've ever met, and I'm not just saying that because she drowned. She has all the personality of a limp noodle. She's so boring, I've forgotten most of the book despite the fact that I read it last night. Joshua's not much better. I'll say this much for them, there is no abusive behaviour masquerading as true love, they are both boring but not ridiculously stupid, and there is no love triangle. However, there is a nauseating amount of 'sweet lovin' in this book, the usual spend-the-night-without-having-sex trope makes its weekly appearance, and I could not help comparing Amelia's passive, submissive personality with the sparkling fire of Alona Dare from The Ghost and the Goth.

There was one scene with vacuous, hair flipping blonde cheerleaders that really set my blood boiling. There was absolutely no reason to insert that scene there. The cheerleaders barely make an appearance before or after that scene. The entire point of it was to demonstrate how these vapid, bimbo-esque sluts are going after AMELIA'S MAN! Why the cheerleaders every. single. time? Would it kill these authors to try for a measure of originality?

The book picks up the pace and actually becomes somewhat interesting towards the last hundred pages or so. Amelia discovers/remembers more about her death. Eli, the only interesting character in this novel, becomes more fleshed out and his role becomes more prominent. Joshua and Amelia's relationship is discovered and threatened by both Eli and Ruth, Joshua's grandmother and they must find a way to face all these threats.

However, not even the faster pace could rescue this book from a lot of its inherent stupidity. For example, Eli finds out that Amelia has fallen for Joshua and threatens to harm him. After an argument, she tricks Joshua into staying behind and goes to "talk" to Eli, who is obsessed, maniacal and infinitely more powerful than she is. They have an argument, she fails to be swayed by logic, he assaults her and she accidentally bumps her head and loses consciousness. He DOES NOTHING to her and just walks off. Ri-ight. She spends most of the book just talking at people as if that will make all the answers clear. Too much of this book uses deus ex machina as a plot device. She is fortuitously able to touch Joshua, even though she can touch no other physical object; she is fortuitously able to remember differential equations just in time to help Joshua; she fortuitously finds the door to her old home open, allowing her to explore; she fortuitously remembers how she died just before someone else's death is planned in a similar manner; she fortuitously discovers a hitherto unknown power that helps her save the day. I'm surprised she didn't find a way to become alive again, but I suppose that torture is waiting for us in the subsequent books; along with the ghost of her poor father, whom she has forgotten in the midst of her kiss-and-cuddle fest with Joshua.

One other thing that really disturbed me about the book was the whole 'no-one else can see the ghost' thing. Because God knows, the two of them make out in some of the most public places available. I couldn't enjoy any of the 'tender' moments because I was too worried that someone might come into the library or the gazebo or Amelia's old house, and see Joshua puckering up for thin air.

The concept could have been interesting if it had been explored properly, but at the book stands, it is a very boring romance with a little bit of mystery/adventure in the end. I would recommend that you pick up The Ghost and The Goth instead, which starts off on a similar concept, but turns into a much more interesting read!

Please note: This ARC was provided to me by the publishers via Net Galley. This review is not influenced by any monetary or other considerations.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Posted on: http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.com/

Hereafter is the first book by debut author Tara Hudson, and its everything I could of wanted from a book. A forbidden romance, mystery & excitement.
I said this last week with Die for Me by Amy Plum but let me say it again - "this is one of the BEST ghost stories I have ever read"

Amelia is a ghost, who doesn't remember anything about herself, other than her name and parts of her death. She doesn't know when she died, who she was before or how she ended up in the river that night. She believes her afterlife has no purpose, that's until she saves Joshua, a stunning and handsome boy from drowning in the river after his car accidentally drives over the bridge.

After saving Joshua, Amelia and him become fast friends and their relationship takes a fast turn. When they decide to try and find out who Amelia really was, they see things are not as they once seemed. They run into a few obstacles along the way, lending Joshua finding out what his destiny is and they realise their relationship is a forbidden one.

I absolutely loved this book. I loved the story line, the romance, the characters, everything! Mostly I loved Amelia's journey and how we only found out bits about her at a time, keeping me on the edge of my seat through out. As her story unfolds, she goes through emotions that she never thought she would feel again and its really beautiful to read about. Not only does the author write beautifully but you can't help being sucked into their world and hope these two characters stay together.

Joshua's story is one that completely shocked me. To be honest, I never saw it coming and I think it really fits well within the story. I'm hoping we get get to see more of that in the future as it will be interesting to read about.

And lastly, I'm so glad there wasn't any major cliffhangers at the end. Yes, there is a small one and few unanswered questions but I'm glad that it was nicely finished up and it made me enjoy the story that much more.

Overall, this is a fantastic start to a new series. One, I am eager to continue reading about. Lets hope the next released date comes around fast.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for giving me the opportunity to reading and reviewing this book.

[Krystle · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm sorry I didn't finish you. Okay, maybe I'm not.

This book is really boring. There is no tension in the pace, no urgency in the writing, and absolutely no chemistry between the two leads. The writing is rough, unpolished, and suffering from a lot of repetition. There is nothing that makes the female character, Amelia, stand out. She's just so blah. Oh wait, she somehow MIRACULOUSLY is ace at Calculus, just when our guy needs it. Uh huh, right.

After she saves him the BOTH of the fall so fast and hard for each other, it makes me roll my eyes and gag. I find it so STRANGE how the guy has no life or friends outside of his connection with Amelia and his family. Really now? Really? Oh, and Amelia is the special chosen assistant by this other guy who's supposed to be bad and evil but I don't see HOW she gets chosen. There isn't any distinguishing characteristics about her. Not to mention, this Eli guy, if acting mysterious and ladling out vague truths are considered evil, then well... I'd hate to see what a baby munching, deer killer would be.

There was something else that bothers me. Why does everyone in this book have to be good looking? Amelia? She's the most beautiful woman Joshua has ever seen. Eli is good looking and sexy in an evil way. Joshua is just hot. Uh huh. Right. Tired of this!

I'm done.

[Mar · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

“See you soon,” I whispered. I bit my lip; and, in a moment of sheer abandon, I added, “I think I might . . . you know . . . love you, by the way.”

“Too,” Joshua whispered back groggily. “Love.”

———-

I’m really proud of myself that regardless if I’m on a trip right now, I am being able to read and enjoy my time here at the same time! I’ve learned that reading on the train is one of the best feelings ever, gosh is living in the first world can be great sometimes.

Now, moving on for a review along with a little summary.

Amelia is dead. All she remembers is suddenly waking up and emerging from a lake, the place where she drowned. No one can see her, or even feel her. And neither can she, she can’t touch objects or others. That is, until one day, she saves a guy named Joshua from drowning.

And when she least expects it, the next day, the guy comes back looking for her. And that is when they both find out that… they can actually interact with each other. But not everything is as happy as it seems. Amelia still doesn’t know anything about her death, about what she’s capable of, and most importantly, about who is looking for her and what he wants to do with her.

The plot was super fast-paced and I’m not saying this in a bad way, it was actually a really really easy read, something nice to pass the time! As a classic YA, it was sorta predictable so I didn’t have any hype when starting to read it because guess what, I immediately knew what was going to happen since the very beginning. I do got to admit that, for it to be a sort of fantasy type of book mixed with paranormal, it didn’t confuse me at all and everything was pretty well explained! Props to that, cause there’s times where I don’t get the plot because of not understanding a single thing, but this was the complete opposite.

As for the content of the plot itself, I’d say it was alright. Nothing very interesting but nothing awfully bad either. The human and the ghost dynamic hasn’t always been my favorite (CoughCoughAnnaDressedInBloodCoughCough), but Amelia and Noah formed a very cute couple and share a really cute story, both dealing with each other’s backgrounds, willing to help the other no matter what and of course, the protection between each was wonderful.

There’s this villain, who… was not my piece of cake, though. I’m just gonna summarize everything by saying he’s a complete dick, and this might make me sound like a snowflake but he had a horrible mindset and there were these… misogynistic shit he’d say, that would get on my nerves every time, and he did something so… disgusting as well to the main character (it’s nothing sexual, but still it was non-consensual). The author wanted him to be seen as another love interest but… girl, no. Not for me.

As for the characters, I enjoyed both Amelia and Joshua fairly enough. They each had their own personality, to where Joshua is some sort of golden retriever and Amelia is this hamster type of person, but I don’t complain at all, I liked them enough. And I’m so glad I did cause boy have I struggled to find main characters that I like.

Although, I would have wished for more characters to be in the book in general, you know? give my girl some friends… but it was great how the author managed to create a story within only 3 characters, and keep you somehow entertained with it.

What I didn’t enjoy was… well, yeah, the “villain”/antagonist. And also some… questionable decisions that some of the characters made… but hey.

no stupid decisions = no drama

I’d recommend this to someone who’s looking to read some nice romance book mixed with a paranormal touch without having to give too much thought to the book itself. :)

[The Bookologist · Rating 5 out of 5]

Haunting and eerie, Hereafter is a touching love story with supernatural mystery. It’s engrossing from the very beginning and Hudson captivates readers with its vibrant characters, remarkable writing, and heart-rending drama.

Hudson’s writing is beautiful with her well-described tales and picturesque descriptions. Her prose is alluring and breathtaking. The way Hudson was able to portray emotions along with action was very remarkable. Her interpretation with afterlife came to be so creative and original.

Amelia doesn’t know much about herself. She doesn’t remember anything from her life and she’s living outside the light because there’s no one there to help her remember anything about her. Amelia is entertaining at times but she is also protective and brave. Joshua is the likeable, handsome type of guy. He didn’t need to lift a finger to be liked. He’s an extremely down to earth person and was very caring when it came to family.

The relationship between Amelia and Joshua is so enthralling and heartbreaking. A ghost and a handsome ‘human’ in a relationship is so unique and Hudson was able to pull it off. It was very realistic and believable. It wasn’t too quick and was perfectly paced, but when their love kept growing, it wasn’t tacky nor had those cliché representations. Although, as the story unravels, it’s not just a romance; it’s an adventure to discovering more about each other and themselves.

Hereafter is a brilliant start to a series. Readers will be engaged from start to end with Amelia and Joshua’s relationship, the actions, the drama, and most importantly, the interpretation of afterlife. Definitely a must read for all fans of paranormal!

Merged review:

Haunting and eerie, Hereafter is a touching love story with supernatural mystery. It’s engrossing from the very beginning and Hudson captivates readers with its vibrant characters, remarkable writing, and heart-rending drama.

Hudson’s writing is beautiful with her well-described tales and picturesque descriptions. Her prose is alluring and breathtaking. The way Hudson was able to portray emotions along with action was very remarkable. Her interpretation with afterlife came to be so creative and original.

Amelia doesn’t know much about herself. She doesn’t remember anything from her life and she’s living outside the light because there’s no one there to help her remember anything about her. Amelia is entertaining at times but she is also protective and brave. Joshua is the likeable, handsome type of guy. He didn’t need to lift a finger to be liked. He’s an extremely down to earth person and was very caring when it came to family.

The relationship between Amelia and Joshua is so enthralling and heartbreaking. A ghost and a handsome ‘human’ in a relationship is so unique and Hudson was able to pull it off. It was very realistic and believable. It wasn’t too quick and was perfectly paced, but when their love kept growing, it wasn’t tacky nor had those cliché representations. Although, as the story unravels, it’s not just a romance; it’s an adventure to discovering more about each other and themselves.

Hereafter is a brilliant start to a series. Readers will be engaged from start to end with Amelia and Joshua’s relationship, the actions, the drama, and most importantly, the interpretation of afterlife. Definitely a must read for all fans of paranormal!

[Krystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amelia sure pants a lot for a ghost.

A romantic love story between a dead girl and an alive boy. Awww. So sweet.

I mock, but it wasn't too bad for what it was, to be honest.

Amelia is definitely not curious enough for me - she's been wandering for an indiscriminate amount of time but wakes up when she sees a boy drowning in the same river she drowned in. This forges an unusual connection between the two, and she's more interested in getting to know him than herself. PFFT.

I wanted to know EVERYTHING about this mystery girl, so I'm glad Josh took the initiative. I was insatiably curious about her history and who she was in life, and it kept me reading compulsively. It helps that the text is big and well-spaced so it was easy to devour on a readathon weekend.

There is of course a ghostly villain, but Eli was a bit pathetic. He's loathsome but seems kinda harmless? So I never felt threatened by him and didn't understand why Amelia did.

You really can't think too much about this one, because dead+alive romance makes ZERO SENSE but aside from that it was a cute lil romance. Still a better love story than Twilight.

Pace is decent, and the language is easy enough. This is a homely lil paranormal romance that questions all the same things the reader does. The characters are easy to like (Except Eli, but that's kind of the point, I guess) and there's enough balance between the soft romance and the paranormal action to keep everyone happy.

Not one that'll leave a mark, but sweet enough that I enjoyed the read.

[Ruth · Rating 2 out of 5]

p. 24, "A boy climbed out of the driver's side of the car... From his profile I could see he had full lips and a fine nose with just the slightest curve in it, as though it had been broken once but set well. He had almost black hair and large, dark eyes."

p. 29, "As I suspected, his eyes were very dark, but not brown. They were a strange deep blue- an almost midnight sky color. I was certain I'd never seen eyes that color before..."

p. 56, "His profile- square jaw, high cheekbones, and full lips- made me shiver..."

p. 60, "With his strange blue eyes locked onto mine, I felt the little ache ignite again in my chest."

p. 63, "His eyes were lovely, and serious; they reminded me of the night sky."

p. 70, "His midnight blue-colored eyes were wide and a little stunned."

p. 103, "But looking into his midnight blue eyes..."

p. 141, "His hair was a mess, dark circles ringed his eyes, and he could have used a good shave. But when those midnight blue eyes caught mine..."

p. 197, "... and I could feel the heat of his midnight blue eyes on every inch of my body."

p. 217, "A quick scan of black hair and midnight blue eyes...."

OKAY. I GET IT. THIS GUY HAS MIDNIGHT BLUE EYES.

I'm not sure if the author was trying to make a statement or something, but do I seriously care what color his eyes are?!?!?

It bugged me so much, it got in the way of me actually enjoying the book. I was counting for "midnight blue eyes" to appear on every page, and the more times it did so, the more I got annoyed.

At least the writing wasn't so bad, right?

WRONG.

I hated all the characters. None of them were likeable. And the author kept adding more, and more, and more characters. It was a giant plethora of unwanted brain work for me.

The plot was.... messy. What do you get when you mix cake batter and socks together? I don't know. Probably similar to the plot of the book.

And... I just don't get how Amelia and... the guy who had midnight blue eyes' relationship is gonna work. She's DEAD. And why won't she move on???

Tara Hudson, your book is unlogical and makes me wanna chuck it at the wall.

[A Canadian Girl · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ve been vacillating back and forth between how I feel about Hereafter, the debut novel of Tara Hudson, and I still can’t seem to make up my mind. So, I figured it was time to do another pros and cons list rather than a formal review.

Pros:
- The first chapter manages to ensnare the reader into the story and convey just how terrifying Amelia’s “nightmares” are.
- The writing flows nicely and I enjoyed reading Hereafter.
- The secondary characters are or seem pretty interesting.
- I could feel the chemistry between Amelia and Joshua.
- Amelia is a likeable protagonist, and even though I feel like I don’t know much about Joshua, he was a decent romantic lead.

Cons:
- While I liked reading Hereafter, I almost feel like there was more of an emphasis on the romance between Amelia and Joshua and less on the mystery around Amelia's death. I think that’s why I’ve forgotten most of the novel even though I read it only two days ago.
- In terms of the major secondary characters, although Eli seems to be well-developed, I feel like I barely know Ruth and Jillian.
- Joshua adjusts way too easily to things. Soon after almost dying, he’s looking for Amelia, accepts that she’s a ghost and falls in love with her. Yes, once again, there’s a case of love at first sight.
- Some of Amelia’s powers could have been better explained by Hudson. For example, how does a ghost start crying real tears?

[Jennie Damron · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a sucker for a good ghost story and this was wonderful. There was a slight Gothic feel through the atmosphere of the story which I appreciated. I loved Amelia's character. She wakes up realizing she is dead, but not how or why she died. She only knows her first name, nothing else. Along comes Joshua who revitalizes something within her and he wants to help her remember. I loved this book and am glad I sank in to enjoy its' pages.

[Zeynep · Rating 4 out of 5]

Araf benim çok ama çok merak ettiğim bir kitaptı. Okuyan arkadaşlarım hem beğenmiş hem de orijinal bulmuştu. O yüzden büyük bir beklentiyle okumaya başlamama rağmen Araf beni hiç pişman etmedi ve beklentilerimi de karşıladı.

Amelia sürekli Yüksek Köprü'nün altındaki nehirde boğulduğu kabuslar görmekte ve uyandığında kendini hep aynı yerde, mezar taşının dibinde bulmaktadır. Bir gece nehirdeyken boğulmak üzere olan Joshua'nın hayatını kurtardıktan sonra ikisinin de hayatında çok şey değişmiştir. Amelia ile Joshua arasındaki bu hayalet-fani ilişkisi yavaş yavaş aşka dönüşürken karşılarına bir sürü engel çıkmakta ve işler giderek zorlaşmaktadır.

Amelia hem ölümü ardındaki sırların peşinden gitmekte hem de onu Joshua'dan ve fanilerin dünyasından ayırıp hayaletler dünyasına sonsuza dek hapsetmek isteyen Eli adlı pislik hayaletten kurtulmaya çalışmaktadır. Ben kitabı hem sıradışı hem de anlatımı açısından akıcı buldum. Okurken hiç sıkılmadım. Hayaletli, kahinli, sıradışı bir aşkı barındıran güzel bir hikaye okumak isterseniz tavsiye ederim :')

[Gökçe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Uzun bir sürenin ardından ilk kez hayaletli bir kitap okudum ve beğendim. Kendi okutturan ve merak uyandıran bir kitaptı. Devamını okurum diye düşünüyorum.
Ama karakterlere pek ısınamadım gibi. Biraz yapaylık hissettim. Belki de ilk kitap olduğu için. Alışmam gerek karakterlere.

Not: İlk önce 4 puan vermiştim ama üzerinden biraz süre geçince 3.5 ile değiştirdim.

[Melissa Marr]

In the piles of paranormal books & the flurry of hype, it's hard to find books that are memorable. This one was. It captured my attention enough to read cover-to-cover AND to remember well after finishing. My vote: Worth Reading.

[shady boots · Rating 2 out of 5]

This review is also available over at my blog.

___________________________

You know guys, I think the actual rating might be 2.5 stars.

My expectations for this book were low from the start. But really, I don't think it was horrifyingly bad or anything. Just plain bleh. It's neither bad nor good, and it wasn't really memorable either. The kind of book where you finish it and you just go, "Next."

I love ghost stories and the different twists that some authors usually put when writing ghost-themed books, but the supernatural aspect in this book didn't really make sense to me. There's these . . . creatures under the lake (?) where Amelia was killed and they steal souls? I have no idea, probably because this book barely kept my attention. Seriously, most of the time when I was reading it, my mind was elsewhere. One time I was having a concert in my head, and it took me a while to realize that I was reading.

I didn't like the characters. Amelia was boring, but that's probably mostly because she doesn't remember anything from when she was alive. Yet in one scene she was able to find the order of a differential equation. But yeah, she wasn't TSTL or anything, she was just plain and boring. Joshua, the love interest, was . . . eh. The romance between them was mediocre insta-love, but I expected no less.

The villain, Eli, is like your typical YA villain. Dark, smoldering, cocky, all that crap. He was way too Disney Villain for my taste. Like the kind of villain who would go "MUAHAHAHAHA" all the time. I had no idea what this guy's motivation was. He says he wants Amelia to be all his because her eyes are similar to the eyes of a girl he once loved.

Yeah. Seems legit.

Not much really happens in this book. I'll admit there were some parts I liked, but mostly this book just bored me to tears. Especially during scenes where all Amelia and Joshua do is make out. Ugh.

Oh, and instead of the infamous "electric current" touches, in this book they feel fire when they touch. Flame.



Well anyways, yeah, overall this book was just boring and generic, albeit there were tiny bits that I liked, enough to give it one and a half more stars. If you're looking for a good YA ghost story, this wouldn't be one of my recommendations.

[Kristi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hereafter was just okay for me. I enjoyed reading the story.... but nothing about it really grabbed me. I think that I needed to know a little bit more about the world that Amelia was in. What was the Hereafter? Why didn't Amelia go to heaven? What were those menacing black blobs!? I think that I was a little distracted by all my questions at times.

I didn't particularly care for any of the characters either. I mean I liked them, they were nice, funny at times, but nothing about them really touched my heart. I wish the mystery of who Amelia was, would have been more prominent and not so easily solved. Did that seem easy to anyone else? I mean they solved it in one study hall period! I think perhaps I would have felt more of a connection with Amelia had we known a little more about her, I enjoyed watching her regain some of her memories, and only wished we would have gotten even more insight!

I did like the romance aspect. Joshua and Amelia had a very cute love story going on for them.... but I needed something more them, and I can't put my finger on it.

I think I was expecting the story to be a little bit more creepy, being a ghost story and all! But honestly I liked the non-creepy factor! It's nice to be surprised like that!

Overall... even though this one didn't completely 'wow' me, I'd love to revisit these characters and this story again, and perhaps have a few of my questions answered!

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE FAERYS VIEW

Hereafter is a haunting yet romantic tale of Amelia and Joshua. Amelia remembers nothing except that she is dead and she deduces she jumped from the bridge. She doesn’t sleep yet she has what she calls nightmares recalling her drowning, when she wakes up, it’s in the usual places, generally the same cemetery. When she meet’s Joshua he’s experiencing a near death experience and just for a moment he sees her and that’s all it takes to start this beautiful love story.

It isn’t all love and happily ever after, though. Something extremely evil lurks and Joshua’s family has strange abilities. There are many forces trying to tear them apart but will true love prevail? Is it strong enough to fight the evil force of the dead among so many other things? Will Amelia regain her memory? Will she and Joshua find a way to be together? So many others are in danger, etc…Oh so many questions!!! READ THE BOOK, THE FAERY SAYS!

Ms. Hudson writes a fantastic debut novel of forbidden love that is not only intriguing in that aspect but add in the thrills, chills and things that go bump in the night and it becomes a page turner that is difficult to put down. Her character and situational descriptions are incredibly relatable and sharp; I found myself crying at some parts of the book, trying not to skim paragraphs so that I could hurry up and find out what was going to happen-yes, it was that thrilling in some parts and rooting for Amelia and Joshua throughout the whole book. Don’t mistake me, Ms. Hudson found time to put some humor in there that had me snickering pretty loudly! I would and have, highly recommend this book to all my friends.

[Lissa]

Hereafter was a very pleasant experience with the 'monster' of the young adult paranormal couple being the girl for a change - and a dead girl at that!

I'm not really sure what to say about it. I got about halfway and then picked up another book, finishing that before I finished Hereafter. Some parts of it are very slow, and you have to remember that this is a romance so Amelia spends an awful lot of time with the boy over only a few days developing that.

Apart from the romance I found the concept of Hudson's ghosts fascinating, and the villain completely believable and not at all overdrawn or caricaturisation. He wasn't just inserted at the end for some friction either. He was a legitimate threat.

I suppose the most enjoyable aspect of this book is the mystery of how Amelia died - what happened to lead to her wandering the hereafter. I don't really remember the climax very well although I only finished it a few days ago - I think it was very unspectacular and mostly involved the villain's comeuppance that he brought upon himself. His obsession with Amelia was more believable than a lot of other YA books with boys mooning over unspectacular/boring girls as well, so well done Hudson.

I'm not eager for the sequel. As far as I'm concerned I'll get to it eventually but it's not a priority. There's nothing wrong with the book and the originality is totally awesome, but the pacing was a little hard to get through sometimes.

If you're a fan of PNR with monstrous girls instead of monstrous boys, you'll love this.

Also...

NO LOVE TRIANGLE!!!!

[Amy Plum]

I just read this book by my fellow Dark Days of Summer author, Tara Hudson. And completely lost myself in her tale. Amelia's story is so touching, and Tara doles it out little by little—letting the reader discover her protagonist's mysterious past as she does. I love boys who are unwavering and Joshua is a prize. And Eli's sexy repulsiveness really did its work on me. *shudders* Bravo to Tara for writing a chilling ghost story set convincingly in a contemporary world.

[Mehsi · Rating 3 out of 5]

A dead girl and a living boy, can they be together… or not?


So I finally had a chance to read this one, I believe I have had it on my shelves for a couple of years, and maybe I tried it as the first part of the book seemed familiar. Yesterday (October 3rd) I decided to start it, and then I couldn’t sleep so I decided to finish it. 4 hours after I started I was done and it was a ride. I am just sad that I am not going to know how it will end. I mean, the book was good given that I flew through it, but I had plenty of issues as well and I cannot rate it higher than a 3.5 star. Which means.. the book is good, but also that this book is going on the bye bye stack and that I am not that interested in buying the next books for the full price. My libraries don’t have any Tara Hudson books, so unless I find it elsewhere in physical form, I guess for now I will just have to think they reached their happy ending.

I am going to do a good/not so good review, as I am just completely tired because even after I finished I just couldn’t sleep well.

Good:
-I loved Amelia and I loved walking along with her as she discovered who she was, who her family was, and what happened to her on that fatal night. She is quite a strong character and I loved how she stood her ground with Eli and all the horror that surrounds him.
-While I am not a fan of the instant love, I did grow to love Amelia and Joshua together. While I still wish that things were better written in regards to their love, they still made a cute couple and I loved seeing them explore things. Find out how things worked for each other.
-Joshua. He was just such a good guy. I loved how much he tried to do for Amelia, listening to her, holding her hand, being there for her.
-The way the story was written, while I had issues, this book also read fast and I couldn’t stop. I had to know more and more about what was going on.
-I like the idea of Seekers, though I don’t agree with what they are doing.
-The cover is just gorgeous, though given the description of the dress I wonder why they choose what you can see on the cover. Oh well, still a pretty dress.
-The ending was even faster paced and there were lots of creepy things happening. That dang bridge should just stay destroyed. I do hope no one rebuilds it.
-I had such a laugh when Amelia went to school with Joshua and helped him out with math/calculus. Oh man, I would have loved a ghost to help me out with that as well. Maths are just not my strongest suit and I am glad I am done with high school.
-The revelations were well done and well paced. Not all in one go as some books do, but as the story went on we found out more and more about what is going on at the bridge, how long it has been going on, but also all the details about Amelia, about Eli.
-I loved seeing Joshua react during that first date they had together in the park. Poor guy finds a cute girl… and finds out she is quite dead. Oh boy. 😛

Not so good:
-Given that our villain is Eli… I have to say that he wasn’t even the worst character in the book. That honour goes to the bitch named Ruth. Also known as Joshua’s grandmother. Holy, hell that woman is terrible. She believes that any ghost that wanders the earth is unclaimed and thus evil. Yep. And that means she needs to exorcise them despite clearly seeing that Amelia is a good and sweet girl and that her grandson loves her. That they have something sweet going on. There is not a drop of evil in Amelia, but no matter what she tries, or what Joshua tries, grandmother stays in bitch mode throughout the entire book and at times I just wanted to exorcise her. It reminds me of Harry Potter in which I always thought Umbridge was worse than Voldemort, who was the actual villain. I kind of hope that this old hag gets karma. And maybe learns some valuable lessons, if that is still possible in her limited brain.
-Eli. He was a good villain, well written as I just never could like him and he just made the book a tad harder to read. We keep finding out new revelations about him and what he knows about Amelia and my blood just boiled all the time. Then there is what he did at the graveyard near the end and that just settled it for me, he went in the not so good bracket of my review.
-Jillian. The sister. I am guessing that thanks to horrible grandmother Jillian is brainwashed about what ghosts/dead people are. Even despite the ending, what Amelia did, she acts like this. Bah. Girl, you should be freaking grateful. I do worry that maybe later she will be part of the Seekers and do all those exorcisms that shouldn’t happen.
-The instalove. GOOD LORD the instalove. People who know me, know that if there is one thing I hate in a book it is Instalove (oh and love triangles). And that was pretty fucking instalove. She is in the river, she sees him land in the water, is instantly attracted to him, instantly stays with him. And falls in love not long after that. WOW. JUST WOW.
-The whole thing that happened after Joshua flew over the bridge. Amelia has been wandering the earth for quite some years, but then magically there is Joshua, and now she can feel. Now she has smell. Now she can do all those things that she normally never could. OMG, what a miracle. rolls her eyes And all the time she discovered new things it was, of course, not due to herself but due to Joshua. Good grief girl.
-She isn’t just your average dead girl, she is super dead girl. I won’t spoil it further, but good lord that just was cringe.

So as you can see a mixed bag. The good things overpowered the not so good things so that is why I am rating it a 3.5 star. Plus, the story was written in a great pace and I just couldn’t stop reading. That also counts in my book as a big plus point. I am happy I had the chance to read it.

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/

[Heidi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two and a half stars: A paranormal romance between a ghost and a boy..

Dark, crushing water pushes her down, choking gasping...the nightmare, again. Amelia is a ghost, constantly reliving the nightmarish drowning that killed her. She remains trapped in stasis. Stuck in our world with no knowledge of her previous life or the circumstances surrounding her demise. She constantly finds herself plunged back into the river at the moment of her death, only to wake sometime later in the graveyard. She has no idea how much time has passed since her death. She is alone and afraid and unable to communicate with anyone. Until the night the boy falls into the river. Desperately, she tries to save him from suffering the same fate. Down, down his body falls into the murky depths, while her ghostly hands are useless. She can't grab him, or stop him from drowning. Echoing loudly in her ears is the sputtering beats of his dying heart. Just when all hope seems lost, his eyes pop open; he sees her. Amelia wills him to swim to the surface. At last he drags himself to shore and then he is hauled to safety. A few days later, he returns and finds her at the bridge. He not only can see her, but when he touches her hand, electricity blooms up her arm, and he can feel her. Suddenly, everything is different. Amelia finds herself falling in love with this beautiful boy. Her memories slowly come back and suddenly she is forced to unravel the mystery surrounding her death. Is there something sinister behind her death?

What I Liked:
*My favorite aspect of this book was the mystery surrounding Amelia and her death. I loved the way the author keeps you in the dark about everything regarding Amelia. I was dying to know what happened to her. Little by little the details come out; it definitely kept me turning the pages.
*I liked Eli. He is the dark villainous figure and he is pursuing Amelia for his own twisted reasons. When he first appears on scene he is scary and evil and all that, but as the story progresses and more information on him is revealed, I actually found myself becoming sympathetic toward him and his plight. I like books where the supposed bad guy catches me off guard.
*I couldn't help but like Josh. He is sweet and charming and just an all around good guy. He is sympathetic and caring and has a big, easy going grin almost always plastered across his face.

And The Not So Much:
*My problems with this book revolve around the insta romance that blooms between the ghost and the boy. First, it is just hard to believe that a boy would instantly fall in love with a ghost. Second, even when you suspend rational belief, the whole idea fails because a relationship with a ghost is literally a dead end (pun intended). Nothing positive can come from a romantic relationship between the two and there are no happy endings, unless both parties are dead. Finally, so much of the book focuses on this budding relationship that it overshadows everything else.
*There are a few plot holes and glossing over of details. I found it extremely frustrating that there was never a thorough explanation of the Hereafter. The reader is led to believe that the afterlife involves the strange limbo state that Amelia is caught in, or the alternative that Eli presents which is dark and scary. There are hints that there is something more but it is never revealed. I also was wanting more details on ghosts and their abilities and all of that.
*Josh's Grandma Ruth is a seer and belongs to a coven of witches that exorcise ghosts. There is very little discussion on the coven, their powers and what they do. This was an important part of the book that is just glossed over.
*The end felt rather chaotic and I finished without a complete understanding of who the entities were and why they were controlling the bridge.
*As much as I wanted to like the book and root for the pair, I just couldn't. The entire concept seemed a bit silly. A teenage boy suddenly falling in love with a ghost is just a little hard to swallow.

Hereafter is a book that features a cute romance, although it isn't realistic or believable.
Even though the romance wasn't for me, it might be right for you. If you like a charming boy with an easy smile, you will love Josh. The one good thing about this book is the mystery presented regarding the demise of Amelia and the uncovering of her former life and her death. The mystery is what kept me turning the pages. This is a good book, but just not a good fit for me. If you are in the mood for a ghostly romance give this a try.
Favorite Quotations:
"The boy dropped his hands and smiled fully at me. And, with that, the little ache exploded in my chest like a bomb, warming every limb. Warmth, I felt warmth."
"Hours can pass like years when you wait impatiently for something, especially something you crave and dread in equal measure."
"Anyway, it doesn't matter where we go, because I just want to be wherever you are."
"With the slightest turn of his wrist, Joshua wove his fingers between mine and clasped my hand. I let my fingers glide down to clasp back."
"The heat of the little kiss spread across my lips, turning them into two smoldering coals."”
Orginally posted @ http://rainydayramblings.typepad.com/

[Zey · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Joshua?"
"Evet?"
"Sana nasıl görünüyorum?"
"Güzel. Öyle güzelsin ki insanların seni o gece fark etmemesi garip."
-
Yaa çok beğendim... Son sayfaları başları kadar sevemesem de (4 ile 5 puan arasında gidip geldim bu yüzden :s) Joshua ile Amelia'yı okumak benim çok hoşuma gitti:) Suratımda aptal bir gülümsemeyle okudum ikisini nedense :p Konusu ve kurgusu da gayet iyiydi. Bir hayaletin hikayesi ancak böyle kurgulanıp aktarılabilirdi sanırım.

[Annabelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

FINAL RATING: 2.25 STARS

CATCHALL
Hereafter was a lovely, if bland, book. For the most part enjoyable and exciting, it was a read with action and romance. The blurb grabbed me from the beginning, and the cover is absolutely gorgeous. I had to have it. I should've known better than to fall for a cover after Fallen.

This review will contain minor spoilers.

THE HEROINE
Sadly, I did not like Amelia. I really wanted to. However, she was so annoying and selfish that I realized early on that nothing would ever make me like her. So I tolerated her and her annoying decisions. So she can't remember anything from before her death-fine. Then stop bringing it up every twenty seconds. She did have her good points, but mostly I couldn't stand her. She has such an empty feel to her (no pun intended) and even after this long book, I still can't picture her. Or hear her voice.

THE LOVE INTEREST
Joshua was not the best male lead I've ever read of. From from it, in fact. He sort of gives me the creeps, actually. Reading about him actually made me yawn. Of course he has perfect-boy good looks, of course he's popular, and of course he is oh-so-special. Seriously, what am I supposed to like about him? The description of him never goes beyond the superficial. I'd love to hear something deep about Joshua, and then maybe I'll rethink him. But for now, he's so shallow if he was a pool I'd let my newborn cousin swim in him. And I love my cousin like you would not believe.

THE VILLAIN
Eli was the only interesting character is this freaking book. He actually has depth, and a background story. My heart ached for him, and yet Amelia remained so cold. This I did not find realistic. Hating someone without knowing them, and then continuing to hate them even as you get to know them better even when they have legit reasons for the things they do, always comes across as unrealistic to me. He is, in reality, less of a villain than a character who kept me from throwing this book across the room. He's also very hot, but I'm not being biased. Eli had a sob story, but that's not why he told it. He wasn't really evil. More like thrown off the right path when he died. But wouldn't dying do that to anyone? Imagine dying, and then being offered immense power. Would you really turn it down?

THE ROMANCE
Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce a spectacle of the YA phenomenon I like to call… insta-love!!!!!!! What exactly do Amelia and Joshua like about each other? Is it their eyes, maybe? Or maybe their lips? Seriously, the only thing they know about each other are each other's age. They never actually get to know each other and the romance that occurs between them seems so false. I just didn't get it. There was no love; just lust. There's absolutely zero chemistry. Frankly, I hated this romance, and I usually live for romance. and just when you thought it could be any more cliché, its forbidden.

THE PLOT
Where was the plot of this book? Sure, Amelia was supposed to avoid being exorcised, but I was sort of hoping that would happen. It would've improved the book by many degrees. However, all joking aside, it was always obvious that wasn't going to happen. So, then, again I ask, what was the plot? The closest I've come to perceiving a plot is the fact that Amelia is trying to regain her memories of her life and death. Nothing actually happens. She wanders around town with Josh. Then she discovers she can touch things only at heightened stages of emotion, which I found ridiculous. She can either touch things or she can't. Either way, please make up your mind.

THE WRITING
Told from Amelia’s point of view, Hudson's writing was not my favorite. It was bland and impersonal. It was very rarely enjoyable and usually just plain insipid. Amelia's voice is empty and irritating. As it was a debut novel, I'm willing to cut some slack, but there still need to be improvements made in order for the writing to be more enjoyable to me. Her voice is so annoying naïve and frankly, hard to listen to without screaming. She sounds like she's either four or forty. It's absolutely ridiculous.

THE ENDING
The ending was anticlimactic and boring. Nothing of interest happens, and there's no real signs of future activity. Amelia and Joshua basically have a pointless romantic scene. I may read Arise, but I may not.

FINE.

Read more of my reviews on Sparkles and Lightning!

[Christina (A Reader of Fictions) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Amelia's dead which kind of sucks, but it mostly consists of walking around feeling nothing and nightmares. Her ghostly existence vastly improves when a hottie, Joshua, nearly drowns in the same place she drowned. It's love at first sight for both of them. But can a boy and a ghost really make it work?

Oh my god. This book. I just. Aaaaaaahhhh! To begin and explain simply, this book is definitely capitalizing off of the Twilight school of YA popularity. The writing and the plot are ridiculous. Even more ridiculous is the insta-love (just add water! - Get it?) between the main characters. In my last top ten list about the most obnoxious YA heroines, I mentioned Bianca from Evernight for the trait of immediate obsessive, ridiculously gooey love, but definitely would steal this crown from her without a contest.

Ghosts are tricky heroines. For one thing, they're insubstantial, so what they can do is a bit limited. Of course, with any other paranormal thing, there are ways to play with the legend and make them a bit more interesting. Hudson has devised her own, rather inconsistent ghost lore. Amelia mostly can't do anything. She can't open doors or move things or go through them. Apparently though, she can cry and bleed and breathe and have a racing heartbeat. Well, I lied. She does get to touch one thing (well, a couple others too, but pretty much only in conjunction with this one): super smexy Joshua, whose life she saved. Yeah, they can touch all they want and he can see her because of his ghost-seeing and exorcism powers. Convenient that.

Joshua couldn't actually see ghosts until he died just a lil bit in the water that night. He sees Amelia and thinks she's the prettiest thing in the world and goes back to the scene of the accident to ask her to meet with him the next day. Amelia hesitates but "stunningly, impossibly" agrees to go (32). She worries he will not like her when she learns she's a ghost, because, well, she's dead and no one else can see her. Instead, when he learns, he's like "Sweet! Let's make out!" No one should react to this news so happily. Getting over it would be one thing, but thinking it's the best? No freakin' way.

Although I have to say that imagining Joshua out on a date with her was about the only thing I enjoyed in the book. I mean, even though she's invisible to pretty much everyone else, he talks to her in public, he holds hands with her in public, kisses her in public. He must look so incredibly cray cray. Just picture it. Oh, also, the second and third things he does after she tells him about being a ghost: invite her to calculus class with him and to dinner with his family. Lol, whut? Oh, and apparently, ghosts smell like peaches, or nectarines.

The plot, with its number of villains, none of which I cared too much about, was not interesting whatsoever. However, what really makes this book so incredibly awful for any but Twilight fans is the writing, especially the writing about any scene that features Joshua and Amelia. Here's a sampling of quotes to illustrate what reading Hereafter is like:

"The moment his skin brushed mine, a current shot through my entire body, from my scalp to the tips of my fingers. The current made the ache in my chest, and the tingles that races along my spine each time he looked at me, seem like low-burning cinders. My heart, my brain, my skin—all of it was momentarily engulfed in flame, a flame lit only by the spark on my cheek." (51)

"The kiss sent a jolt through my entire body. The sensation was more intense than any I'd felt until now—a pure shock wave rushing along my spine and down each of my limbs. I gasped from the strength of it, dragging in a near-shriek of air." (115)

"I simply nodded, too befuddled by his proximity to say anything even remotely clever." (140)

"The heat of the little kiss spread across my lips, turning them into two smoldering coals." (155)

So, if you like these quotes, you'll love Hereafter. If not, leave it to that first set of folks. This a story for people who believe that love can overcome any obstacle, even death and the fact that one of the beings involved will never age.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy of this book from 'NetGalley' in exchange for an honest review. It was an 'uncorrected e-proof'. As i don't have an e-reader it came with a free download of 'Adobe Digital Editions' so I could read it on my computer.
Amelia knows she is dead and that she drowned and she knows her first name but that is all she knows, she can't remember what lead to her death or what she was like in life. Left alone in despair and replaying the moments of her death in horrible nightmares, Amelia wonders if this is all death is. Until one day a car accident lands Joshua in the River with her, his heartbeat is stopping and Amelia desperately wants to save him, but can't. By some miracle, he survives and can now see her, the pair become close, but dark powers are after Amelia stopping her from having her happily ever after.
I was fascinated by the blurb of this book and the cover was very striking, I love how she's see through but still there. When I received the message saying I had been given a copy to read and review I was so pleased and couldn't wait to get stuck in. I had to do it in two goes as my eyes don't read off a screen very well, it gives me headache after a while, but saying that I would sit there with it open in front of me and say to myself I'll just read one more chapter, or I'll just read until I get to page..., then would not be able to pull myself away, I was so drawn into the story I had to know what would happen next, I was totally hooked.
Amelia is a very likeable character although you don't know much about her, the story is written so that she finds out about herself the same time we as a reader does, it's a very different way of doing things and I really liked it, it was like I was there by her side as she discovered everything, made me feel a part of her life (well, death!)
Joshua is a sweetheart and the sort of boy all us girls wish we could find, loyal and caring with a great sense of humour and a strong desire to do the right thing.
I really felt like I knew the characters and was eager throughout to know more about them.
Eli is another ghost and was written very well, he is like the perfect villain - dark, creepy and quite terrifying but with redeeming moments that draw you in and make you feel safe before BAM he turns on you again. He was written so well I could almost see him staring at me through the screen.
This is Tara Hudson's first novel and she has done spectacularly well with it. Some first time novels can feel clumsy and uncertain, but this one has great rhythm and pace and the writing flows off the pages.
I am hoping there will be more from Hudson, either completely different or a follow on from 'Hereafter' - would like more as there are some questions left unanswered in this book, things I would like to see tied up.
I will definitely be buying a copy of this book when it is officially released, I want to see it on my bookshelves all pretty and nice.

I would give this book 9.5/10. A captivating read that takes you on a journey of self-discovery, life, death and love. Some things are made to last and this book will be one of them.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a thing for ghosts! Who knew? You would think I would, but no. I cannot believe I didn’t see it. Not until Tara Hudson’s Hereafter enchanted me with such a sweet, fun, heartfelt story.

Amelia is dead, but it doesn’t seem to stop her from meeting super adorable boys! Lost, alone, and wandering in her afterlife with very little idea of where she is or memories of her life, Joshua drops in to her world changing everything. His near death experience begins to awaken Amelia’s past, shakes away the numbness, and stirs up an overwhelming passion, mystery, and adventure that begins to change both of their hearts and lives.

I adored Amelia and Joshua’s story! They are the cutest couple in print since Sam and Grace! I know—big words. But Joshua had me at page 14, people! :D To see this boy open up and share his life with Amelia made me smile and my heart “awww”all over the place—introducing her to his music, his family, friends, and day. So charming, funny, sweet, protective, and adorable! The way Joshua’s confidence could turn to such blushing shyness with one look or question from Amelia just stole my heart. And when they touched—forget about it! Heat and passion just flew off the page! Their romance was, in my opinion, the star of the show—which sometimes can annoy me with certain books. If I pick up a horror or ghost story, I want the chills and chase, but with Joshua and Amelia I really just got so swept up in their romance and blossoming relationship. They took my breath away. The rest was just gravy! :)

Well…I wouldn’t call Eli gravy. What to say about Eli? I have to give huge love here to Ms. Hudson for Eli Rowland. I LOVE a “bad” guy that leaves me feeling torn at times. A pang in my heart and soul for the supposed big bad always makes me happy. I don’t think good vs. evil should ever be just black and white—emotions get in the way and they should. Eli was so cocky, spiteful, funny, slimy, evil, sad, and pathetic. But oh, could he make me smile at times:

“Stop, he commanded.
Or what? I asked, trying to sound brave.
Eli gave me another grin. Or else, obviously.”

One of my favorite parts of a ghost story though is the “I-can-see-you-but-you-can’t-see-me” aspect. It’s like having the biggest secret ever! Makes me giggle just thinking about it! Joshua and Amelia have some fun with it as well—math class would have been a whole different ballgame for me with a ghost buddy to play with! :D But I for one would never be able to keep a straight face! Hehe…

This book was such a pleasant surprise for me! I have to give a big shout out and thank you to Sam for the push and the wonderful review that inspired me to finally pick this one up! This book would have most likely withered away in my piles. It makes me shudder to think how many books would pass me by without goodreads.

I can’t wait for more!

[Novel Novice · Rating 4 out of 5]

With the market for paranormal YA romance so over-saturated these days, I find myself getting pickier and pickier about the books I’ll heap praise on — and the series I’ll commit to following through into additional books. After all, there are SO many multi-books series popping up these days, and not all of them feel worthy of the multi-book treatment.

But I can say with absolute certainty that Tara Hudson’s Hereafter is one new paranormal YA series that I will see through to the next book.

The book follows Amelia — a ghost wandering the banks of the river where she drowned. She’s not exactly sure how she drowned, or who she was before she died (those memories are hazy), but she knows she’s dead and she knows none of the living can see/hear/touch/feel her. Until one day she sees a boy drowning and someone manages to make a connection. When he survives, she discovers that Joshua can see her; can hear her. He can touch her. As they begin to explore their unique bond, parts of Amelia’s past start to unravel — all the while outside forces (both living and from beyond) threaten to tear them apart.

What first struck me about Hereafter was the lovely writing. Each passage is simply beautiful — and since Amelia starts off her story in a solitary existence, Hudson is given ample opportunity to show off her skills as a writer. My enchantment with the book only grew as I got to know the characters. Amelia and Joshua are interesting individuals, but they’re even more compelling together and when juxtaposed with the other characters in the book. A romantic couple alone do not make an interesting read; it’s the characters around them who make their story worth reading.

It’s also nice to see Amelia come into her strengths as she discovers exactly what she is and isn’t capable of as a ghost.

And while Amelia and Joshua’s romance seems doomed to fail, they never seem to give up hope — and their fortitude is contagious; it’s easy to get swept up in the urgency of their love and the challenges facing them. And while Hudson wraps up the main conflict of the story, she leaves even loose threads open to keep me lingering in this world and ready for more. This is an example of a multi-book series that works, because I want to keep reading. I want the rest of this trilogy — and I look forward to seeing more plot points addressed and resolved.

Hereafter is a ghost story unlike any other. And much like Amelia haunts the river where she drowned, her story will haunt you beyond the very last page.

[Kristine Leigh Marbella · Rating 5 out of 5]

for more reviews: http://sybillinebooks.tumblr.com or http://hypnosomnus-leighmarbella.blog...

I finished Hereafter by Tara Hudson a few days ago and I must say that I loved this as much as I loved the last few books that I’ve read this past few weeks. I was actually a bit hesitant at first since this book had mixed reviews on Goodreads. The story’s protagonists are Amelia and Joshua.



To start with, the story is really good. The concept is refreshing for me as this is only my second Ghost YA book. To be honest, I thought I was getting bored within the first few pages and I didn’t even realize that I was already half way done after a few hours. It’s the type of book that would seem boring at first but as I got deeper into the story I found myself immersed in it completely. First of all, I loved Amelia from the very first page. I think she is one of those very well written characters. Though I did find her character a little bit “dry” at first but Ms. Hudson developed her well as the story progressed. There were moments when I wanted to give her a hug since almost everyone around her seems to have a hidden agenda or something. I actually liked the fact that she decided to fight for what she believes is right in the end. Anyhoo, she’s one of those heroines that would hopefully turn for the better and not the worst like most heroines in some YA novels.

Then there’s Joshua. I don’t know what it is with dark haired boys and their blue eyes. haha. I love Joshua. The fact that he’s not a jerk even if he is one of those “IT BOYS” in school is something that I definitely liked about his character. I love the fact that he loves Amelia even though their love seems to be doomed in the end since everyone seems to be against their relationship. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see, right?

Overall, I loved this book and I can’t wait to read Arise. I’d definitely recommend this to those who are into sappy tragic romance stories. But I am warning you this is not a scary ghost story per se. The pacing was okay for me. I can’t really explain it but it seems slow at the beginning but as the story builds up I found myself completely captivated by it. I’m giving this a 4.5/5 rating.

[Melanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

See more reviews at http://theyabooklover.blogspot.com.au/
1.5 stars For the last half, I skimmed the pages
Scrap 'it was okay' this book was drop dead gorgeously ghastly.

Normally I give my own synopsis of the book, but I can't bring myself to write it. Yes, it was that BAD.

I'm not a big fan of giving out low ratings but lets be honest here, WHERE IS THE PLOT?! Sure, their were a few complications here and there but there wasn't anything I could classify under 'plot'. The closest I'll go for plot making was the end. It was fast paced and my favourite part of the book.

Amelia, our protagonist is weak for a girl who's supposed to be brave, she cried twice within 20 pages and both issues very unnecessary. I found Amelia really hard to relate to, not because she's a ghost but because she is unrealistic and pretty hysterical. Joshua is better, apart from his love for Amelia, Josh is the typical, 'perfect boy' at school, I find those sort of people hard to relate to but Tara did pretty well.

I'm not sure if I've made myself clear in some other reviews, INSTANT LOVE IS ONE OF MY BIGGEST PET PEEVES!
Amelia: Oh no! A hot guy drowning, I must save him! Seriously, I don't get her. Then a couple of days later, they meet and are instant soul mates for life.

All in all, I found Hereafter really plain and plot less, I was expecting more and was disappointed. But if you already have this on your TBR, go for it, because there are so many mixed reviews on this.

*Gasps* There's a sequel? Well...I'll see about that

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful! I'm usually a "true love" fan, but Hudson does it so well! I never felt like the romance was pushed on me--I fell in love along with the main character. Plus, the mystery behind the ghostly world? SO exciting! I had to keep turning pages to learn more about Amelia's past!

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Caution: Cheesy 90s movie references ahead



I really argued with myself about this rating because I did really like the book. Joshua was charming, and the pacing was great. But what kept me from giving it four stars was my lack of interest in ghost stories. I just couldn't connect with the plot, and there were so many bits about Amelia's ghost life that didn't make sense that I couldn't get over.

Paranormal romance gets a lock of criticism about being the same. That there's a formula for every single book, and that none of them are original. And while I did see a lot of the familiar elements in Hereafter, I liked that it was the heroine that was paranormal. Also, there is no mysterious, brooding hero here. He's just a normal guy who happens to drive off a bridge and meet a ghost girl. Now, if that's a little weird for you, don't worry - it gets weirder.

Not only is Amelia a ghost, but she can also only be seen by Joshua since he died for a second in the river that she died in. He can talk to her, hear her, and feel her (and vice versa). But nobody else knows she exists. She can't interact with the physical world except through him. So that means no opening doors or books.

Amelia follows Joshua around like a lost puppy, even going with him to school, where she and we both discover at the same time that she's a math genius. She and Joshua talk in the car, and nobody thinks it's weird. He opens his car door for her, but no one can see her, so...what do people think he's doing? Hudson gave him an excuse sometimes, but I just had a hard time believing that no one would see him interracting with her. And if she can't feel anything, how can she sit in a chair? Hudson says Amelia feels a "pressure" against things, but then there's a sort of forcefield around people so she can't approach them. Why? How are they any different than other material things?

Really, it was all very "Susie Q." You know, the movie from the 90s, where the girl and her boyfriend died in a car accident in the 50s and how a teenage boy is the only one who can see her because he finds her bracelet? Yeah, I was getting serious flashbacks.



But while "Susie Q" had an innocent vibe about the entire story, Hereafter has a definite bad guy: Eli. He was a bit of a caricature to me, not worthy of bad guy-status. Even though Hudson gave us glimpses into his backstory, I wasn't intrigued by him or really thought he was much of a threat. The same goes for his "employers" who have convinced him to trap souls in the creepy shadow spiritworld. They weren't frightening like they should have been.

Despite my flashbacks to a cheesy 90s movie and lack of interest in the villains, I did enjoy the story because I really liked Joshua. He was sweet and charming, and I could totally see him as a regular teen guy. And I loved that he was kinda flirty. I'm a sucker for any book boy that's actually nice and shows his obvious interest in the heroine instead of insulting, ignoring, and/or trying to kill said heroine. To see a hero that has no brooding or angsty qualities was so refreshing that he made the book for me.

I was never very connected to Amelia's character. She was just sort of there for me, a vessel to push the story along. And while I don't feel invested in the characters, I would like to read the next book in the series, as Hudson has a promising debut here. The romance was sweet, and though it was quick, it never felt rushed. A solid paranormal, though I wish it would have a bit more depth.

[Zuleeza · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review is also available on my blog, Qwerty

*Sigh* I really hate it when I have to read a book in many sittings. I can't be sure if the book was indeed not that good or the gap between the sittings made me losing my interest. The book started so well, I think the first four chapters were the best starter I've read so far. It was sharp, well-paced and deep with emotions.

After Chapter 4, it was...well...okay for me. Some of the scenes truly entertained me such as the differential equations incident. Some of the other scenes, for instance when Amelia went to Joshua's bedroom was more like a fanservice for me. I bet most of the readers squealing in their sit while reading that part *wink2*

Up until the climax, the author effortlessly offered adequate explanation for Amelia's nature and ability that I can read this with a peace of mind. But when it got to the climax, all hell broke loose. I was like what?


You know when a character is simmering, it's not a good sign! (except Clara from Unearthly...mind my biasness) *cough* Edward *cough*

Amelia was a cute, innocent character, I think. She can be stupid sometimes. But I guess she had the right personality to be a ghost from 1999. Joshua? He could be nosebleeding-inducing guy sometimes. Some of his lines, like

"See? Good vocabulary. 'Patronizing' has four syllables"

"Just because I can't do differential equations, it doesn't mean I'm totally useless"

were very witty. But other that that, he was not that special of a character.

I'm a bit confused with Eli. Probably the author tried to conjure Eli as a complex character, evil but the readers would feel for him as they got to know him further. For me, while the events in this book were influenced heavily by his doing some way or another, I didn't find him as a believable character. The reason behind his evilness was somewhat laughable. He couldn't be THAT immature right? He should be a sicko, you see. A stalker...obsessed for Amelia. But I seriously feel like he was just an outdated rock star who like to prank people! He was really not at all scary.

The whole Amelia-is-a-beautiful-girl was very cheesy as well.

The truth is, I really think this book is better as a stand-alone book. I found the idea of Seer as very messy. It reminds me a lot of Beautiful Creatures series. I don't know...contrary to the plethora of vampire, werewolf, witch and angel, I feel that the relationship between the living and the dead should be the simplest, purest love, where the only way for them to be together is death. I secretly wish Joshua to sacrificed himself in the epilogue so that he can be together with Amelia. Hate me people! I know I'm not the most optimist person in the universe!