Title:Hereafter
Author: Tara Hudson
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publication Date: June 7, 2011
Classification: YA Novel
Challenges: Outdo Yourself, A-Z Challenge
Summary from Goodreads:
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.
My Thoughts:
Amelia’s life is forever changed the night that she died in the river. She doesn’t remember anything about who she is or the night of her death, all she remembers is her first name. She is a ghost that is stuck here on Earth and it is not until she meets Joshua that she will start to slowly remember her life. When she saves Joshua from the same fate she had when she died she is forever drawn to him. He is the only human being who can actually see her so together they will piece together Amelia’s past while slowly falling in love with each other.
I really did enjoy the beginning of this story, it is haunting yet a great story in the beginning. I really did enjoy Joshua’s character because he is sort of like the boy next door. He easily accepts the fact that he can in-fact talk with a dead girl when no one else can see her. However, he shortly finds out how much work it is being the only one who can see Amelia until his grandmother starts to cast spells to keep Amelia’s ghost out of the house. Turns out Joshua is from a family of Seers who can see ghost and possess magic that can get rid of them.
Overall I don’t want to giveaway too much of the story but it does get a little repetitive each time Amelia has issues with the river she died in. The story is good in the beginning but towards the end the story is wrapped up a little too quickly. All of the problems just get tied up in a nice little bow to finish of the story quickly. The story is mostly finished but the author leaves it so that there can be more books to Hereafter if she wants. I really did like the romance between Amelia and Joshua but I hope the second story (if there is one) picks up a little bit more with the action. I give this story 4 stars.
