Hereafter by Tara Hudson

Reading Level: Young Adult

Hardcover: 416 Pages

Publisher: HarperTeen

ISBN: 978-0-06-202677-4

Release Date: June 7th, 2011

My Rating: 5/5

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 to 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.

'Hereafter' by Tara Hudson is one of my favorite books so far this year. It's incredibly powerful and completely riveting. I could have devoured the entire book in one sitting! I had other things going on so it took me a little longer to read it but when I wasn't able to read it, I was thinking about it. I love ghost stories and Tara Hudson has created an amazing one.

The story is told by Amelia, a young girl who knows only that she's dead. She relives her death over and over and it's a terrifying one. She meets Joshua who, esentially, rescues her. They develop a love through a friendship. Their story is inspiring. As usual, I won't give away much because it's an ARC.

Hudson is an amazing author who created a beautiful story! I could picture everything as I read, which is always a plus. Amelia is an extremely loyal and lovable character and Joshua is just as incredible. I can't wait to read more about Amelia and Joshua. I hate having to wait but this is a the first book in a series (I noticed on goodreads!) and I'm anxiously awaiting book #2. I have to recommend that everyone buy, pre-order, or borrow Hereafter from the library! It's an amazing story!