Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Review: Hereafter by Tara Hudson

Title: Hereafter
Author: Tara Hudson
Publisher: HarperCollins
Age Group: Young Adult
Category: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 404 (Hardcover)
Rating: 5 out of 5
Source: Won









Goodreads Summary:
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.

My Thoughts:
I'm in love.  Tara Hudson explains the tragic and terrifying death of a eighteen year old girl named Amelia.  The only thing she knows about is her name, the way she died, and the fact that no one else can see her.  Until Joshua.  The night she finds his body in the river is the night that begins to unfold all of the mysteries behind her own past life, death, and afterlife.

Joshua is a sweetheart.  He desperately tries to find Amelia after he's released from the hospital and soon comes to realize that they share a unique connection.  Strangely, every time they touch a current of electricity shoots through their bodies.  The beginning of their relationship also happens to trigger a series of flashbacks from Amelia's life.  After all of the years she's wandered High Bridge looking for the truth, Joshua seems to be the one that releases the answers.

And then there's Eli, the 70's rocker dude that's been stalking her for years, leaving all of her questions unanswered.  What part does he play in her life- er- death?  He seriously gives me the creeps.  Eli shows her the netherworld she'd be trapped in if it weren't for him, letting fear wash over her until she understands what he wants to do with her.  She does exactly the opposite and helps others from repeating the horrible accident that ended her life.

I wanted to zoom through this book but I forced myself to take my time.  I didn't want it to end and I'm glad it doesn't have to!  Needless to say, I'm quite excited for the next books in the series.  The way Hudson writes about drowning makes your own breath catch in your lungs until you're forced to gasp for air.  Luckily, unlike Amelia, you don't get a mouth full of water.   Did I mention how much I adore this cover?  It's even more gorgeous in person.  Thank you, Tara, for sending me this amazing book!

                                                         Hereafter deserves a 5 out of 5

Thanks for stopping by!  Have you read this book yet?  What are your thoughts?  Did you like it as much as I did?  Leave a comment, link your reviews, whatever you want!

5 comments:

  1. Great review! I haven't gotten around to reading this one yet. I'll definitely have to pick up a copy soon though :)

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  2. I really loved this book too. I'm dying for the sequel now. And I totally agree with you the cover is amazing. I loved Tara's writing, it was smooth and kept me hooked all along. You're right Hereafter deserves a 5 out of 5 :D

    Great review!

    Lilie

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  3. Ah! Another amazing review that's making me itch to read this book!

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  4. Hi Chey! I'm Jade and I won an ARC of Hereafter the same time you won your copy. It has been quite long since the winners were announced, but I still haven't received the ARC yet. May I know when you received this book?

    Thanks(: Great review, I can't wait to read this!

    Jade

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  5. I read this. I believe I had the complete opposite reaction as you. But great review! If you want to check mine out at all, you can find it here.

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