The Everafter by Amy Huntley

Amazon.com:

Madison Stanton doesn’t know where she is or how she got there. But she does know this — she is dead. And alone, in a vast, dark space. The only company she has in this place are luminescent objects that turn out to be all the things Maddy lost while she was alive. And soon she discovers that with these artifacts, she can re-experience — and sometimes even change — moments from her life.

Her first kiss.

A trip to Disney World.

Her sister’s wedding.

A disastrous sleepover.

In reliving these moments, Maddy learns illuminating and sometimes frightening truths about her life — and death.

This is a haunting and ultimately hopeful novel about the beauty of even the most insignificant moments — and the strength of true love even beyond death.

The Everafter was like a puzzle that got put together page by page. I loved the author's view of what happens when someone dies and how it's so so so personalized to someone's own life and existence. It reminded me a little of The Lovely Bones in the sense that this is what I wish the Lovely Bones was like, I did not like that book one bit, but this one, this one was amazing!

The book opens in a place that Madison calls Is, she doesn't know where she is or how she got there but she sees all these objects that she had in her life. They allow her to go back and re-experience certain times in her life as a participant or as an observer. Through this we get a glimpse into Madison's life and all the people and things that were important to her. And Madison finds out what has happened to her that brings her to this strange in between place.

The secondary characters were great, from Gabe, Madison's boyfriend, to her best friend Sandra to her her sister and all the other people that come in and out of her life to make it what it is. They all brought out different sides of Madison to make her a really 3-D and believable character. From her jealously of Gabe's ex-girlfriend to consoling Sharon over her crazy mother, or trying to hide her illness at her sister's wedding, we really get to know Madison.

I loved the mystery aspect of the book, how did Madison die? Which of the strange things in her life added up to her death, or was it a freak accident? I definitely was surprised when I found out the answer!

I thought The Everafter shares great imagination, passion, mystery, and one glimpse of what the end really looks like. What a great story!

The Everafter will be released on September 29th!
Genre: Young Adult
4.5/5 Stars
ARC provided by publisher