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After

Amy Efaw

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By Patricia · 1 post · 91 views

last updated Jan 12, 2012 05:53AM

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Mar 07, 2016 Paula Phillips rated it it was amazing

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. After by Amy Efaw - A Heartwrenching Teen Fiction "Highly Recommend to ALL"

In the book "After" by Amy Efaw - (2009) , that is the case in this book . We meet 15yr old Devon Sky Davenport , a champion soccer player and going places , hoping not to end up like her mother -pregnant as a teen , working two jobs and going nowhere. Unfortunatley , one Summer when Devon is babysitting she meets a Cute guy , Connor who they hit it off with. After an unplanned night of Passion, Devon ends up pregnant. Bu ...more

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Jun 24, 2010 Patricia (Patricia's Particularity) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, ya-saves

Devon is a star soccer player, with hopes and even a chance to make it to the Olympics. Devon has over a 4.0 GPA. She follows the rules and never breaks them. She is known to be the perfect student and teenager. That is until one morning her world is shattered and turned upside down when two cops knock on her door. They have found a newborn baby dying in a trash can behind her apartment complex. She has no idea why they are knocking on her door... Why would she have any knowledge about a dying b Devon is a star soccer player, with hopes and even a chance to make it to the Olympics. Devon has over a 4.0 GPA. She follows the rules and never breaks them. She is known to be the perfect student and teenager. That is until one morning her world is shattered and turned upside down when two cops knock on her door. They have found a newborn baby dying in a trash can behind her apartment complex. She has no idea why they are knocking on her door... Why would she have any knowledge about a dying baby? Even though Devon has no knowledge about this, she is arrested and sent to a Juvenile Detention Center. There she waits until the courts can decide whether to charge her as an adult or a child for Attempted Murder, Child Abandonment, and Assault.

While this story is about the epidemic of mothers dumping their babies in the trash, Amy Efaw's book is more about a girl's journey in finding out the truth of what she really did, and thus who she really is. There is no doubt in anyone's mind that Devon committed this crime. The question is, did she know what she was doing while doing it... Even more so, why; understanding the reasons behind her actions.

Most of the story takes place within the Juvenile Detention Center, where Devon meets many different teenage girls, there for many different reasons. By learning a bit more about these girls, Devon finds a little bit more about herself. During her time, you are also given glimpses into Devon's past to find the events of what really happened: the father of the baby, when she started to feel the symptoms of pregnancy, how she alienated her friends, how she was in denial, and most importantly the morning of the event. Amy Efaw bluntly pushes the question of whether Devon is a good character or a bad character, and what will happen to her, in your face. This book is raw in detail and by focusing on a real issue that occurs today, you are left affected in many different ways.

I personally enjoyed this book - it had all the right qualities and aspects of a Teen-Social-Issue book (as I call them). I felt for Devon throughout the entire book, while at the same time, knowing she committed such a atrocious crime. I also felt uncomfortable as Amy Efaw describes details of gruesome but real events. I loved how Amy Efaw pushed this issue into my face and never backed down. A must read!!
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Jun 27, 2011 Courtney Rene rated it really liked it

Very interesting read. Compeling and emotion invoking. What kind of person throws their baby away like a piece of garbage? Who could do such a thing? This is a story that tries to answer that very question.

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May 21, 2012 Mechele rated it it was amazing

Shelves: mecheles-reviews

Read my review at readforyourfuture.blogspot.com :)

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Feb 24, 2012 Elena rated it liked it

I was really excited to read this because the summary seemed so good. I just feel like it was drawn out way too long. The story could have been cut in half.

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