HEREAFTER by Tara Hudson

Plot Summary

For Amelia, time has all but slowed to a stop as her spirit remains stranded alone in the dark waters of a mysterious river. She knows she's died, but with no recollection of her past life - or her actual death - she's trapped in one long, continuous nightmare, in which she cannot feel anything or interact with anyone.

All of this changes when she tries to rescue a teenage boy, Joshua, from drowning in her river. As a ghost, she can do nothing but will him to live. Yet in a moment of connection, he looks in her eyes and becomes the first person in the world to see that she still exists.

When he touches her, Joshua sparks strange and wonderful sensory feelings in Amelia - at first just momentary flashes, then pulses that become ever stronger as he leads her out of the river and into his life.

As Amelia and Joshua uncover who she was and the strange circumstances of her death, new problems arise: somehow, Joshua's grandmother seems to know exactly what is going on between them, and Eli, a ghost enforcer, is hell-bent on destroying their happiness and dragging Amelia back into the spirit world.

With every touch and the growing feelings that come with them, Amelia and Joshua begin to wonder if there's something special not only about Joshua, but also the dark river that held her captive for so long. Can there truly be love after death?

The Afterglow

This book is one of those that hooks you from the first paragraph and never lets go! I sat up late many nights, turning page after page, wanting it to last but unable to stop reading. A wonderful story with excellent writing!

Honestly, I connected so easily with Amelia. She was a 3-D character, with weaknesses and flaws, even in death. And the concept of the afterlife presented in this book was fascinating.

Kind of funny; one of my favorite things about Amelia is the way she's always trying to fix her hair or her dress, even though they can't be changed. It shows her humanity and her personality. I also loved the concept of "Seers" like Joshua's grandmother: people who can see spirits and try to exorcise them. Terrifying!

HEREAFTER will be released June 7, 2011. That's only a couple weeks away! Hooray!

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