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    Hereafter
    Hereafter
    Hereafter
    Audiobook9 hours

    Hereafter

    Written by Tara Hudson

    Narrated by Emily Eiden

    3.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    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.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateJun 7, 2011
    ISBN9780062078421
    Author

    Tara Hudson

    Tara Hudson lives in Oklahoma with her husband, son, and a menagerie of ill-behaved pets. After receiving her law degree, she began writing to entertain her girlfriends. They read her story about a ghost girl who awakes in a cemetery and wanted to know more. This short piece inspired the Hereafter trilogy, which culminates in Elegy.

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    Reviews for Hereafter

    3.5/5

    231 ratings61 reviews

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    • 3/5
      My 7-year-old and I enjoyed the first Jake Ransom book and sowere looking forward to James Rollins' follow up. The books are very similar...the plot line continues in "Howling Sphinx" from where "Skull King's Shadow" left off more or less.The book is full of fantasy, dinosaurs and magic...plenty to ignite the imagination of young boys. I did, however, find the story a bit meandering and hard to follow in places and felt that I had to summarize and recap certain events for my son so he understood thoroughly. This book hits on so many positives for the young male reader that the convoluted plot lines are easily overcome. I'd definitely recommend this for 4th-6th graders, with 2nd and 3rd graders being read to by a parent.I received "Jake Ransom and the Howling Sphinx" as part of the Goodreads First Reads program.
    • 5/5
      This second installment is as captivating as the first, if not even more captivating! Absolutely love this series and cannot wait for the third one to come out. I hope he continues to write many many more of these books. Love Jake! This is almost like the Hardy boys and Nancy Drew except it's an adventure and archaeology! A must read.
    • 5/5
      Walk like an Egyptian?James Rollins is a natural-born storyteller, of that there can be no doubt. As a long-time fan of his adult novels, I have absolutely no problem embracing a whiz-bang of a YA page-turner, and this one?s a doozy! The story began in Rollins? YA debut, Jake Ransom and the Skull King?s Shadow. Mr. Rollins helpfully recaps the highlights of the first book, but I really think you?re going to want to read these books in order. As you may have gathered, Jake Ransom and his sister Kady are back. This book picks up their story just three months after the events of the first. The VVV (Vaguely Voldemortian Villain) that they defeated in the first novel is still gunning for them. In fact, a brief prologue set in Egypt?s Valley of the Kings involves the discovery of an ancient artifact and ends with these ominous words: ?With this, I will make Jake Ransom suffer.?Meanwhile, after barely escaping the lost world of Calypsos with their lives, both Jake and Kady have taken a sudden interest in self-defense. Jake studies tae kwon do, and when not cheerleading, Kady fences. The last book ended with a small clue to the fate of their missing archeologist parents. But suddenly others want to get their hands on the clue that Jake and Kady found. Something is definitely up. And the two have a strong suspicion that it has to do with an Egyptian exhibit that?s about to open in New York. They?re correct, as an artifact in the exhibit turns out to be the lock that fits their key?and abruptly they?re transported? Not back to Calypsos. They?ve landed in a scorching hot desert, in a land very much like Egypt?if Egypt had velociraptors!I don?t want to tell much more. The fun is in the twists and turns, the thrills and chills. And, believe me, there are plenty! The pace of the novel gallops along breathlessly (much like a kid running from a dinosaur). Rollins introduced such terrific characters in the first novel, you?ll be happy to hear that even though the setting has changed, many of those characters are back. And there?s something so sweet about the relationships and interactions of these young protagonists, most of who are still at the hand-holding stage of life. Despite their youth, however, this is an impressive group. The adult characters don?t talk down to them. In addition to the returning friends, several new characters are introduced in this book, but none is more endearing than the wisling. I?m in love!Always the most important relationship, and the catalyst for these stories, is Jake and Kady?s search for their parents. There are more questions, but also more answers in this latest installment. It ends with plenty of foreshadowing for the next novel and beyond. (?A great war is coming, spreading across time.?) I believe I heard there will be seven books in this series. Who knows where Jake, Kady, and I will be in our lives before it?s all over? One thing I do know is that I?ll be along for the duration of this wild, time-traveling ride!
    • 5/5
      Fun and interesting story, with likeable characters. I found it an enjoyable read, that will be shared with my children.
    • 5/5
      Read more reviews at theawesomemagicattic.blogspot.com"Thrilling and evocative, with moments of pure pleasure, Hereafter is a sensation you won't want to miss." (as quoted from Goodreads summary). I definitely agree. I was a little hesitant to read this at first. I mean, romance between a mortal boy and a ghost girl? But Tara Hudson managed to pull it off, making the story - no matter how impossible it might sound - seem so realistic. The words flowed, and the story never felt forced or abrupt. We start of meeting Amelia, a lonely ghost roaming the area around High River Bridge with no idea about who she was, or how she died. When she saves Joshua from drowning, bits and pieces of her life begin coming back to her. They become friends (and eventually fall in love), and work together to piece together Amelia's memories and uncover the mystery surrounding her life. Things get complicated when Eli shows up, and when Joshua's grandmother plans on sending Amelia to the spirit world where Joshua's grandmother thinks she belongs, Amelia knows she - and Joshua - are running out of time. It has a lot of mystery to it, and an equal amount of paranormal and romance. Ms. Hudson delivers a breathtaking story unlike any other you've read. While the descriptions were vivid, it didn't tell you too much, and left most for you to figure out. The characters were well developed, and their unique personalities and different trains of thought were fun to get to know, and read about. Her storyline was interesting, and captured my attention. To sum it all up, this book was amazing, and a highly recommended read. There's a little something for everyone in Tara Hudson's Hereafter. Whether you're a ghost lover, helpless romantic, or even just someone out in search of a new book, this is definitely the book for you. Set to be published June 7th, this is a book you wouldn't want to miss.
    • 4/5

      This was an action-packed young adult adventure story that got the action starting immediately.? The premise was truly intriguing and I enjoyed listening to it.? However, I'm going to say something I don't say often:? You really must read this series in order.? There were a lot of references to events that happened in book one that this plot relies heavily on.? However, even missing chunks of information (because I started with book 2, of course), I still enjoyed everything that happened and will definitely go back to book 1.? This is definitely going on my recommendation list for my students.? My boys, especially, will love it!

    • 5/5
      sad but yet beautiful and I loved it. very exciting and I would love more of this.
    • 5/5
      Amelia is a spirit, lost in the mortal world. Destined to relive the night of her death over and over. Not exactly the most pleasant existence. That is, until the night that she happens to rescue Joshua.

      I know that there are plenty of paranormal romance stories out there, but I'd be lying if I said that this one doesn't stand out. Amelia's character is so perfect. She's sweet and lost, but downright fierce when she needs to be. I loved watching her wake up from the fog and become more aware of herself as the story progressed. Amelia's story has the perfect balance between being utterly heartbreaking, and yet full of hope at the same time. It will tug at your heartstrings, that's for sure!

      Then there is Joshua. Wonderful and persistent Joshua. Want a guy who manages to be adorable without even trying? Here's your man. Dead set on being a part of Amelia's afterlife, apparently whether she wants it or not, he holds his own. The banter between these two and the stolen moments of closeness were too sweet for words. There were times when it was just so honest. Sure, they may be from two different planes of existence, but that doesn't stop them from being a perfect match for one another. Be warned, swoon worthy moments ensue.

      Lest you think that Hereafter is just a book filled with romance though, let me sate your need for action! As Amelia remembers more about her past, the book really picks up pace. Ghosts who are "unclaimed" are apparently a no-no in Tara Hudson's ghostly afterlife. This allows her to weave a wonderful romance that pits two very different worlds against one another. Amelia's life becomes a tug of war between the living, and the dead. I cannot say enough how much this added to the overall story! Love is great, but love that is fated to fail? Even more delicious.

      Let's be honest, I could go on about Hereafter for hours. However I'll wrap it up with the fact that while this may not be a new concept, Tara Hudson takes a story that has been done before and still manages to put her own gorgeous twist on it. Amelia and Joshua will make your heart soar, and then have you rooting for their continued existence together. Couple that with some all out action, and you have a book that is well worth your time.
    • 2/5
      Deus ex machina powers, activate!
    • 4/5
      Romance between a ghost girl and a living boy.
      Interesting and different. Now I need to find the other two.
      See what happens between these too.

      I don't understand what's going to happen when Joshua grows up and the ghost dosen't.
    • 4/5
      Fast paced and easy to get into. I liked the ghostly love story though I think a little more could have been added to the finale.
    • 4/5
      Ahhh!!! What can I say about this book? I've got to say I am a fan of paranormal romance whether its adult, young adult, whatever. This book does not disappoint.Amelia is a young ghost caught in a memory fog. One night she saves Joshua from drowning and her world is changed for the better. With him, she begins to remember her life.She also meets Eli, a reaper of sorts. Will their love survive? Read and find out!
    • 5/5
      Oh man, it’s been a while since I’ve devoured a book like this. I fell in love so quickly, hooked so fast, and read half of it in one sitting. Would have read to whole thing, but it was three in the morning and I couldn’t keep my eyes open. The writing is beautiful, the scenery is gorgeous, we finally have a girl falling for the boy who treats her right and shunning the “bad boy” who only wants to control her. I love the suspense that’s kept throughout the entire book, and although I disliked Eli and his role in the beginning, it all worked in the end.

      I love the voice. We follow Amelia, a girl who drowned in a river, as she wanders around and tries to figure out who she was before she died. She falls in love with a boy in the living world, and they try to make things work despite Eli getting in the way. Joshua, the one she falls in love with, is absolutely adorable. She rescues him from the same fate she suffered, and after that, they’re pretty much inseparable. He’s an absolute sweetheart and it’s so refreshing to see a love story that shows a healthy relationship. Even if this relationship is a bit…abnormal.

      I would have been completely happy with this just being a story about how Joshua helped Amelia figure out who she was and left it at that. But the author went beyond that and added a little supernatural flair. The final showdown was a bit anti climactic, I’ll admit, but considering how wonderful the rest of the book was, I really wasn’t bothered by it. I absolutely recommend this book to anyone looking for a beautiful, although unusual, love story. And that’s coming from someone who would rather stay away from romance.
    • 2/5
      Not earth-shattering, but a good story from a new perspective. Very YA, with plenty of young love angst. Judging this book by its cover, though, I would have been disappointed. The story doesn't live up to that gorgeous cover.
    • 5/5
      I devoured this book.It left me without air till the last page.Tara Hudson really hit the target here. This impossible love story is amazing and the protagonist's discovery of her old and new self it's made in the right time and moment. written very well, can't wait to read the next of the series.
    • 3/5
      Hereafter has an atmospheric, hypnotic quality and an intriguing premise. There is a living/dead couple, a ghost with a memory problem, evil spirits, and high stakes mysteries to solve. The premise is strong, the writing is descriptive and lovely, and the cover is gorgeous. On the flip side though, the pace is a bit slow for my taste. A little more action sprinkled throughout the book would have kicked it to the next level.

      Amelia has tragically died. As a ghost, she drifts alone at the site of her death with no memory of her life. Suddenly she awakens from her fog when she finds Joshua drowning in the same river where she died. Joshua’s brush with death triggers his ability to see Amelia. When Amelia saves Joshua, it’s love at first sight for the unlikely pair. To further complicate matters, Joshua grandmother is a Seer, someone who can see and banish ghosts. Joshua has picked up this seer talent, and his grandmother wants Amelia gone now. An evil spirit named Eli lurks around Amelia. He wants to recruit her to the dark side, but he seems to have some of the answers Amelia seeks about her death.

      Amelia leads a sad and lonely afterlife and is scared of everything around her. When she latches on to Joshua, that’s when she begins to wake up, so to speak. She starts to remember bits of her past but is frightened of what she might find out. She does eventually discover that she has some cool powers as a ghost, even though she can’t walk through doors by herself. Joshua is a nice guy and committed to their forbidden romance despite the many obstacles they have to overcome.

      Since this is the first book of a trilogy, there are many questions that linger. I would like for the sequel to address Joshua’s family history of Seers. It would be interesting to learn more about Amelia’s powers, and about Eli and the netherworld.

      The book did not stand out to me overall due to the pacing and the lack of character depth. It is an entertaining read but not as memorable as other Paranormals on the shelves.

      Although this book was not my favorite, fans of YA Paranormals such as Hush Hush or Fallen should give it a try. The book overall has a moody and dreamlike quality, and a love story that should appeal to many YA fans. The next book in the series is called Arise.
    • 3/5
      Here’s another one that I was really excited for. Luckily, this time, my hope wasn’t in vain. I truly enjoyed this book. It felt so original to me, and brought freshness to the paranormal romance genre. I’ve read a ton (probably literally) of YA paranormal, and I don’t ever recall anything like this. Woo for being fresh!

      I liked that the action started right at the beginning. At first, we don’t really know about Amelia or what she is. It’s pretty ambiguous, but we’re let in on the secret quickly. I like that it wasn’t a long, drawn out process of getting to THE REVEAL. Sometimes a book can go on and on and on forever, you know? It gets old. So I liked being let in on it quickly.

      And I liked Amelia. She wasn’t the typical ‘wait for the man to rush in and save the day’ kind of heroine that we frequently see. She does take matters into her own hands and discovers her abilities in her own way and in her own time. Nothing is completely thrust on her.

      I thought Joshua was a credible love interest. His ability to see/feel Amelia didn’t seem at all hokey to me once it was explained. It made sense that he’d be able to see her after having a death experience, especially with his family history.

      I liked the story, liked the way things flowed, and liked the way that Amelia gradually remembered more from her past as time went on. She had to grow, and I feel like as a reader, I was able to go on that journey with her with the way the story was written. I didn’t feel like I was being asked to swallow a load of garbage all at once.

      I’d recommend this to any fans of YA paranormal, and especially fans of ghost stories. I know I’ll be continuing on with this series. I’m giving this a ‘Drool Worthy’ rating.
    • 3/5
      This was a good read for someone who likes all things paranormal, such as myself. It was a little hard to get into, but once I did, it was just as hard to put down. It is the first book in a series, so if you cant get enough of Hereafter,dont worry, there is more to the story!
    • 3/5
      (From an ARC received from netGalley) Amelia Ashley has spent ten years being dead. The victim of a drowning, she isn't actually sure for most of that ten years that she is dead, but she has frequent nightmare-like sequences where she relives the horror of drowning over and over and cannot seem to get anyone else to acknowledge her existance. She drifts around in what is later referred to as "the fog", a kind of non-existance. All that comes to an end, however, when she witnesses the near drowning of a boy in the same spot where she herself died. Somehow Amelia manages to make Josh see her and encourages him to escape his watery fate. From that point on, they start a relationship of sorts, in which Amelia struggles to discover who she is now and what she can do and Josh tries to help her figure out who she was, all while trying to avoid Eli, the sinister ghost who seems to have evil plans for Amelia, and Ruth, Josh's seer grandmother who believes Amelia herself is evil and must be exorcised. Throughout it all, the more time she spends with Josh, the more Amelia finds herself able to feel and experience--even though as a ghost she's not supposed to feel anything at all. What does it all mean?

      I wanted to like this book more than I actually did. The premise is interesting, though the rules of Amelia's plane of existance got a bit confusing at times. It's never made exactly clear why she can start to feel things and why as the book progresses she's able to be more affected by various things--tripping, for example, and being grabbed by Eli--perhaps this will become clear in a sequel? My biggest issues were that Amelia seemed awfully ineffective as a heroine (even for a ghost) and that Josh was just pretty...clueless. How is it possible that he didn't know from the beginning that something wasn't normal about the girl he saw by the river? Near drowning aside, it just made him seem dense. Amelia spends a lot of time running around trying to find out things without actually managing to discover much of anything at all. Neither really inspired me to care too terribly much about what happened to them. I kept waiting at the big climactic scene for Ruth and her clan to at least show up if not make a difference, but they didn't. It just all felt a bit unfinished at the end. I'll probably read the next book, if there is one, in the hopes that the author will flesh out her characters more and succeed in making us care about them more. There is definite promise here, it just wasn't fulfilled in this novel.
    • 1/5
      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.
    • 4/5
      Hereafter was a fun YA ghost story with the right amounts of darkness and romance. The end was a little sudden, and I am not sure how this will work as part of a larger series, as I thought it was a good standalone. I am curious, though, now knowing there is more to the story.
    • 4/5
      I'm just going to say it, the cover is so freaking gorgeous. I admit that is the reason I bought this book. It's much like the cover of Die For Me, which I also bought due to the cover and LOVED!I really liked this book. The first 3/4ths more than the ending, which dragged. I loved Amelia, I adored Joshua and I even liked Eli.I do feel some characters could use some fleshing out: Ruth, Jillian, Eli, hell Joshua and Amelia for that matter. So I guess all the characters could. I am not saying they were all flat but most lacked motivation that I (a reader) could sympathize or relate to. I'm sure they had it. I'm sure they felt strongly about it but why? Why did Ruth hate Amelia? I know seer/ghost but why so passionately? Prejudice? Why was Jillian a huge bitch?At the end I also felt the author just made Eli do crazy bad shit so we didn't like him? Because the entire time I am sure we all felt like he was kinda annoying but if we just understood why he was like that. Why he was obsessed, besides lonely, he could be likable. We didn't know why Amelia was dead(teehee no pun intended) set against even attempting to befriend him so at the end the author had Eli go bat shit Cray Cray without us fully getting his motivation but only so we wouldn't care what happened to him? I am hoping book 2 gives us more and goes deeper. I recommend this book
    • 3/5
      Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: While the stakes were high enough to create a satisfying climax, I loved the characters so much it didn’t bother me. Opening Sentence: It was the same as always, but different from the first time.The Review: Amelia doesn’t haunt people. She doesn’t haunt places, either — at least not on purpose. She can’t help it if her nightmares drag her back to High Bridge and drown her again and again in the dark water there. She lives in a fog. She knows she drowned in the river beneath that horrible bridge, but she can’t remember it. She barely remembers her own name. Until the night Joshua drives his car off the bridge. Suddenly, who she is and how she came to wander the world doesn’t matter. Saving him matters. When she can hear his heartbeat counting down his last breaths, she thinks she’s lost him. But in those last few moments of death, he hears her. He sees her. Something so impossible Amelia can hardly believe it. Except that he speaks to her. He doesn’t drown. Which in the end creates a whole new spectrum of problems for Amelia. He’s the first person to see her in years (or at least, what she assumes were years) and though she doesn’t want to lose that, he deserves to know the truth. The truth turns complicated as Amelia realizes Joshua’s family is more than meets the eye. As their feelings for each other grow, they begin to search out who Amelia really is. Enter Eli, the only other ghost Amelia’s ever known. He reigns over the netherworld under High Bridge. He wants Amelia to rule it with him. Joshua is probably my favorite character in Hereafter. He is so sincere when Amelia meets him, I couldn’t help but love him. They didn’t share an insta-love, but it’s obvious from the beginning that they’re both attracted. The novel follows the progression of their relationship first and foremost, with the Eli-plot coming in second. Because of this, the reader spends a lot of time learning about Amelia and Joshua and the world Hudson’s built around their romance. Didn’t get me wrong, I devoured it, but if I didn’t absolutely love Joshua it would’ve made for a looong read. My biggest problem with the plot of Hereafter was that nothing really felt like it was at risk until the very, very end. It wasn’t tension that kept me turning pages, but the idea that there had to be more to this book than their romance. Eventually, it got there. The build-up eventually pays off, especially in the sequel. The writing of Hereafter is easy, Amelia’s narrative was easy to fall into and fun to read. She’s dead, but she isn’t mopey about it — instead Amelia’s funny. Her references to the 90s made me laugh out loud. Hereafter’s focus is the characters. Since Hudson builds such incredible love-able ones, the book flew by in a flurry of turned pages. Notable Scene: “Joshua?” she asked, her tone strained. “Who is that with—“ She didn’t finish the question but instead leaned forward to peer at the space beside Joshua. The space in which I currently stood. At that moment I froze, too. I had the instant, disconcerting notion that Joshua?s grandmother was about to ask him who was standing beside him. But that was impossible. Only Joshua and Eli could see me. I’d proved it today in Joshua’s classroom. Nonetheless, I itched with the impulse to run; and before I could give it any rational thought, I whispered, “Joshua, maybe I should come by some other—“ The entire sentence hadn’t left my mouth when Ruth jerked upright, rigid-straight again. Her eyes riveted on mine. Her right hand, which had previously clutched the mail, dropped to her side, scattering paper in noisy flutters across the kitchen floor. Still facing me, she drew in one sharp breath. And with that breath, she told me all I needed to know.FTC Advisory: HarperTeen provided me with a copy of Hereafter. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
    • 3/5
      I can’t really decide how I feel about this book. Did I enjoy it? For the most part, yes. Did I like the characters? Yes. Did I like the plotline? Yup. So why do I have so much hesitation? I don’t know. I just felt like something was missing but I can’t put my finger on it.This was a traditional good versus evil story with a few twists and turns along the way. Josh and Amelia were both good characters. Amelia is a lost soul who’s been wandering in nonexistence for years, until she meets Josh. She doesn’t remember anything about her life before death and she doesn’t want to. (She does, she’s just scared of what she’ll find). One of the things I really liked about Amelia was that she wouldn’t let anyone else tell her who she was supposed to be. When Josh’s grandma says that she is evil or when Eli tells her that she is fated to become his apprentice and help him drag souls into the underworld Amelia doesn’t listen. She knows deep down that she is not evil like everyone else says she is. She doesn’t want to hurt anyone and she fights till the end to prove that she is different than they say she is. That she is good.Josh is the only one who can see Amelia (besides his spirit-fighting grandma). Josh would try to ignore Amelia while they were in public, whisper to her or write her notes. But he slipped up a lot. So when he would talk to Amelia at school or kiss her in the middle of the park I couldn’t help but think about the fact that he must have looked insane to anyone normal, but Josh never seemed to think about that.If you like the whole love at first sight thing you’ll like Amelia and Josh’s relationship. It develops almost instantaneously and progresses at the speed of light. This is a huge downfall in my eyes. I find relationships like this one to be shallow and unbelievable. I like it when an author really takes the time to slowly develop a relationship.I knew this book was paranormal so I wasn’t really expecting a mystery as well but that it is. Amelia doesn’t remember who she is or even how she died. Did she jump of High Bridge, or did she fall? We slowly find out the answers to these questions along with Amelia. This was probably one of my favorite aspects of the book.I’m not sure if there is going to be a sequel to this or not. I think I’ve heard rumors of one. I also don’t know if I would bother reading it.
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed this book. I was skeptical of how well the storyline could flow from the POV of a ghost. Yet, it worked out nicely! The relationshp between Amelia and Joshua. Some of the storyline became a bit predicatable but was still very enjoyable! I was hoping for a final ending but of course, in YA fashion, there will be a sequel or two... This one is a different take on YA paranormal romance and it works! It was a fresh change from vampires and angels etc... I would definitely recommend this book if you like YA paranormal and romance. Well written characters, a good (but a bit predicatable) plot, and a twist on the usual puts this book high on my list. I am a big fan of ghosts and found this book to be very much to my liking. A great read and looking forward to see what happens next!
    • 2/5
      Hereafter is a love story. It is your typical boy meets girl and then boy and girl fall head over heels in love with each other kind of story, only difference is, the girl is dead. The book tells us about Amelia, a wandering spirit who cannot remember who she is or the circumstances under which she died, except for the knowledge that she inexplicably drowned in a river. She wanders aimlessly within the realm of the living without being able to touch or affect anything, or anyone, around her. Her life, or rather, the lack thereof, takes a complete turn when she encounters a boy drowning in the same river where she drowned. As the boy himself drowns, and momentarily joins her in the afterlife where Amelia wanders, they have an instant connection that forces the boy, Joshua, to come back to life and is from that moment on able to see, hear, and even touch, Amelia.This is an okay story, with endearing moments and sometimes even surprising twists. You feel for the main characters, because all the while you are reading you are either thinking a miracle or a tragedy has to happen for them to be able to make it work, and in the YA fiction world, that's saying something. This is the type of story that is enjoyable to read, but won't keep you up late trying to read "just one more page."Hereafter" is currently slated for a trilogy. There are some unresolved plot points I would love to see addressed in the next book, such as what happened to Amelia's father, or to Eli, etc, so I am looking forward to the next installment. If you are looking for a scary ghost tale, this is not the book fo you, but if you are looking for a sweet love story that transcends even death, this book is right up your alley.
    • 5/5
      This book was really quite good. I was interested in the premise from the start. Amelia is a dead girl who keeps reliving her death by drowning, and one day she meets a young man named Joshua who's drowning. She saves him. They fall in love. Sounds really simple, right?Yes and no.Their relationship is pretty rushed and they have the immediate love connection that is prevalent in TONS of YA lately. It's kind of the order of the day. I've started to get horribly bored with it, but this book does it much better. The two actually get to know one another, focusing on being friends. They don't even kiss until like 250 pages in, which was a good thing. The world of the ghosts was unique, and I loved it. Joshua's grandmother Ruth, the Seer who, obviously, sees ghosts, is also filled with (the holy spirit) and the desire to rid the world of ghosts. For her, Amelia is no different than the evil Eli, who wee meet early on but doesn't play a large part until the last 75-ish pages. She's a headstrong lady, and I liked her even though she was a kind of antagonist.The only real complaint I had about this book was the length. Sometimes it moved VERY slowly, like molasses in January. Thank goodness it only lasts for a few pages when it happened. If there had been more I wouldn't have finished the book. So overall, this book is amazing and I'd recommend it to many fans of YA. It's a great spin on a ghost story and I can't wait for the sequel.
    • 3/5
      Synopsis: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. Review:This book has been on my TBR pile for ages. Finally, I wanted to read something different, and what could be more different than a ghost story with a twist.Sadly I was left a little bit underwhelmed. I liked the premise of the story, a girl ghost saves a boy from drowning and thanks to his Seer skills he's now able to see and feel her.The story is a narrative and deals with all sorts of complications. Amelia can't remember her last name, how she died, where she lives etc. But most pointedly how did she die? And how can she and Joshua begin their relationship, complications notwithstanding.I felt the flow of the story too slow in places. A few repeated emphasis' that could have been left out and a whole lot of extra filler which made the book stagnant. I actually wanted to reach the end just so that I could finish it. The story itself started well and had me gripped to find out what was going on but by the middle of the book I got the impression that there wasn't much more story to tell. The evil bad ghost was even a little too - lame? And the ending was tied up nicely but not with a ghostly haunted feel to it, more of a fizzled out firecracker.This isn't meant harshly in any way towards the book. It IS a sweet love story which I found refreshing and unique to the YA genre. I just wanted a little more action.
    • 5/5
      The concept of Hereafter had me interested from the very first time that I read a synopsis and Tara Hudson's perfect execution of this book is what makes it such a good read! I love ghost stories, so the whole ghost-human-romance thing is so up my ally and one of the many reason why I really enjoyed this book!One thing that I did notice about this book was that it didn't have as big of a cast of characters as a lot of other books (in fact, I would probably say that it had a rather small cast of characters). But it's quality over quantity, right? And I can definitely say that I really enjoyed reading about pretty much all of the characters in Hereafter. Our main character Amelia has a pretty lonely life (or death, if you will) at the beginning of the book, but that all changes of course when she meet Joshua. One of the main things that I found interesting about Amelia was the fact that she didn't remember how she died and I really loved discovering just exactly what happened to her when she died and what her life was like while she was still alive. I also felt like Amelia was an easy character for me to connect with, which is something that I'm always looking for in a book. I think that she made similar decisions to the ones that I would have made, although I must say that I don't think we would have chosen the same boy!Both of the love interests in Hereafter were swoon worthy, yet very different from one another. On one hand we have Joshua who is pretty much the golden boy. He's such a sweetheart; so kind, caring, gentle and loving. He is really accepting of all of the impossible things going on in his life (such as falling for a ghost girl) and he is also willing to fight for and protect the girl he loves. Now, on the other hand we have Eli, who is our rockstar/ghost bad boy. He carries with him an air of menace and danger, but I feel like he uses that as a cover to hide his loneliness. What I liked about Eli was that he had more depth to him then first meets the eye. Did I mention that he's a bad boy? Call me biased, but the bad boy is always my number one pick!The plot of Hereafter was great! As I said before, I was really interested in this book from the first time I read the summary. There is just something about the idea of this book that I find very intriguing! From the very beginning I couldn't put this book down and I zoomed through it so fast, always wanting to flip the page and read more! The fact that Tara Hudson's writing was awesome; smooth and easy to read, probably contributed to my fast reading of this book as well!All in all, this book was great! Fabulous story and plot, interesting characters, hot boys and awesome writing. I would definitely recommend picking this one up if you haven't already! I can't wait to read the sequel and see where Amelia's story goes. I really look forward to reading more from Tara Hudson in the future!
    • 5/5
      I find it hard to review books I love. The only thing I can think of when I’m about to write a review is repeating “I love this book so much” until the end of the review. Hereafter is one of those books that I loved so much I have a hard time writing the review.I love this book from the first page to last word. It’s a great supernatural romance read that I’m planning to reread. Absolutely amazing.When I first heard about this book, I thought, “typical story about a ghost and a boy falling in love.” I wasn’t planning to read it, but when I found it at the library and read the first couple of pages … I was hooked. The unique story was filled with romance and action, making it difficult to guess what might happen next. Hereafter is a book you'll never want to put down, and will leave you craving more. Joshua and Amelia are very likeable character.Amelia is an amazing character. She didn’t know a lot about who she was before and didn’t seem eager to want to figure it out until Joshua. With the help of Joshua, she started to put the pieces of her past together to figure out what happened to her and who she really is. Joshua was an average guy with a family—well, one of his family members—who wants to destroy ghosts. The promising romance between Amelia and Joshua slowly turns in to something more as they battle the fact that she is a ghost.Hereafter is a charming, easy, and sweet story with a nice twists. And I can’t wait to read the sequel. Hereafter is a 2011 debut and I thought Tara Hudson did an amazing job with this book. Fantastic.