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After Obsession
Although they've only just met, Aimee and Alan have a history together. They've been in each other's dreams. They're bound by something they can't quite name. Something that rattles the windows, haunts the waters . . . and threatens to tear them apart before they get a chance to find out what their connection means.
The bestselling author of the Need series teams up with newcomer Steven E. Wedel to bring you your newest obsession.
The bestselling author of the Need series teams up with newcomer Steven E. Wedel to bring you your newest obsession.
336 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2011
73 people are currently reading
9642 people want to read
About the author
Carrie Jones
85 books4,098 followers***SO MANY APOLOGIES***
I had been unable to get into my Goodreads account for years. If you have friended me, I have just friended you back (July 2021). If you have messaged me, I'm going to be working through those in the upcoming weeks.
Thank you all for reaching out and I'm so sorry.
Now onto the regularly scheduled bio:
Carrie Jones likes Skinny Cow fudgsicles and potatoes. She does not know how to spell fudgsicles. This has not prevented her from writing books. She lives with her cute family in Maine, but she grew up in Bedford, NH where she once had a séance with cool uber-comedian Sarah Silverman.
The Meyers brothers are from Bedford, too, so you’d think it would make Carrie funnier, coming from Bedford N.H. Obviously, something didn’t work.
Carrie has always liked cowboy hats but has never owned one. This is a very wrong thing. She graduated from Vermont College’s MFA program for writing. She has edited newspapers and poetry journals and has recently won awards from the Maine Press Association and also been awarded the Martin Dibner Fellowship as well as a Maine Literary Award.
Here’s the lowdown about Carrie…
1. Carrie can not drink coffee. It makes her insane. Do not give her caffeine.
2. Carrie is very responsive to loving strokes on the hair, kind of like a puppy. However, do not do this without asking first unless you are a ridiculously handsome man or an editor who is about to offer her a trillion dollars for the first draft of her novel.
3. Carrie is secretly really, really shy even though she’s pathetically outgoing in person. She has a very hard time calling people. So, if you want to talk to her, make the first move. And, if you’re her in-Maine female best friend, Jennifer, do NOT get mad at her because she is so bad at returning emails.
4. Carrie sometimes wears mismatched socks, if you do not think this is cool, do not tell her. You will hurt her feelings.
5. Carrie really, really wants you to like her books. Please like her books. PLEEEAASSSEEEE. She’ll be your best friend forever. That is, if you want a friend who is shy about calling and emailing and who wears mismatched socks and can’t drink caffeine and likes being pet on the head. Hhmmm….
6. Carrie is not above begging.
7. Carrie, like Belle in TIPS ON HAVING A GAY (ex) BOYFRIEND drinks Postum. It’s for the same reason, too.
8. Carrie loves Great Pyrenees dogs. They are huge and white, and furry and it looks like they have white eyeliner and mascara on, which is way too cute. Do you have one? Send a picture!
9. Carrie lives in Maine. She has a hard time with this in the winter. It is bleak in Maine in the winter. Imagine everything shades of gray and brown and no green anywhere except for in people’s noses. This is Maine in Winter. Maine in summer is the best place in the world, so it’s a trade-off. Feel free to invite Carrie to your house in the winter, but not if it’s in Greenland, Canada, or anywhere north of Florida.
10. Forget that. She’d still probably come.
I had been unable to get into my Goodreads account for years. If you have friended me, I have just friended you back (July 2021). If you have messaged me, I'm going to be working through those in the upcoming weeks.
Thank you all for reaching out and I'm so sorry.
Now onto the regularly scheduled bio:
Carrie Jones likes Skinny Cow fudgsicles and potatoes. She does not know how to spell fudgsicles. This has not prevented her from writing books. She lives with her cute family in Maine, but she grew up in Bedford, NH where she once had a séance with cool uber-comedian Sarah Silverman.
The Meyers brothers are from Bedford, too, so you’d think it would make Carrie funnier, coming from Bedford N.H. Obviously, something didn’t work.
Carrie has always liked cowboy hats but has never owned one. This is a very wrong thing. She graduated from Vermont College’s MFA program for writing. She has edited newspapers and poetry journals and has recently won awards from the Maine Press Association and also been awarded the Martin Dibner Fellowship as well as a Maine Literary Award.
Here’s the lowdown about Carrie…
1. Carrie can not drink coffee. It makes her insane. Do not give her caffeine.
2. Carrie is very responsive to loving strokes on the hair, kind of like a puppy. However, do not do this without asking first unless you are a ridiculously handsome man or an editor who is about to offer her a trillion dollars for the first draft of her novel.
3. Carrie is secretly really, really shy even though she’s pathetically outgoing in person. She has a very hard time calling people. So, if you want to talk to her, make the first move. And, if you’re her in-Maine female best friend, Jennifer, do NOT get mad at her because she is so bad at returning emails.
4. Carrie sometimes wears mismatched socks, if you do not think this is cool, do not tell her. You will hurt her feelings.
5. Carrie really, really wants you to like her books. Please like her books. PLEEEAASSSEEEE. She’ll be your best friend forever. That is, if you want a friend who is shy about calling and emailing and who wears mismatched socks and can’t drink caffeine and likes being pet on the head. Hhmmm….
6. Carrie is not above begging.
7. Carrie, like Belle in TIPS ON HAVING A GAY (ex) BOYFRIEND drinks Postum. It’s for the same reason, too.
8. Carrie loves Great Pyrenees dogs. They are huge and white, and furry and it looks like they have white eyeliner and mascara on, which is way too cute. Do you have one? Send a picture!
9. Carrie lives in Maine. She has a hard time with this in the winter. It is bleak in Maine in the winter. Imagine everything shades of gray and brown and no green anywhere except for in people’s noses. This is Maine in Winter. Maine in summer is the best place in the world, so it’s a trade-off. Feel free to invite Carrie to your house in the winter, but not if it’s in Greenland, Canada, or anywhere north of Florida.
10. Forget that. She’d still probably come.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 519 reviews
October 16, 2011
**spoilers near end of review**
Oh Carrie Jones, Carrie Jones. You've done it again. I don't know why I'm such a glutton for punishment; I wish she would just stop writing books because for some dark reason I am continually inclined to read them.
This book was so, so stupid. I can't even believe it. In a quick sum-up, this is a book about a girl named Aimee, who for whatever reason can dream the future and heal people by touching them. She also meets a hunky guy named Alan (who conveniently just moved to town) and both of them need to save her friend Courtney from a demon otherwise known as, 'The River Man.'
Aimee is the classic teenage character who has lost the fun, relatable parent who has all the answers to her various uncommon dilemmas, and has been stuck with a cold, I'm-all-business-all-the-time parent who just doesn't understand her. In this novel, it's the dad that's constantly out of the loop and he wants nothing to do with her dreams and healing mumbo-jumbo! Lets just talk about clichés here! I'm so sick of stiff parental characters whose children are always smarter than them.
Hunky Alan never knew his dad unfortunately. All he knows about him is the fact that he was a Navajo Indian. He spends a lot of the book exploring his Indian heritage and connecting with his pagan god, 'Onawa.' This god shows up to him in his mind Mufasa-style and helps him defeat The River Man at the end of the book; but don't ask me why. Not because I don't want to get into it, I really just don't know why. Carrie Jones doesn't explain anything.
Since we're on the topic of supernatural weirdness in this book, lets just blanket the entire theme with this statement: Nothing adds up and nothing makes sense. What is The River Man? Why did Aimee's mother 'invite' him in? What does he want? Why couldn't the Averys have just moved away to get away from him? And why is he called The River Man when you don't really have to go anywhere near the river to encounter him?
Why does Aimee have healing powers? And why does no one seem very shocked when she uses them? Courtney, her dad, Alan and Alan's mom, none of them seem very surprised when Aimee heals them through touch. They're basically like, Wow! Thanks! No questions asked. On page 280, Aimee thinks this to herself, "I focus all my thoughts on healing, on surrounding Courtney with the white light. My body shakes from the strain. I know I can't last long, but I know I have to. It'll help Alan. It'll help Courtney. It has to. But it costs. Magic? Power? It doesn't come cheap." What does it cost?? Why can't you last long??
I'd mention how stupid it is that Alan and Aimee are madly in love after about two weeks, but it's not even worth the time.
Ugh.
If you're twelve years old and your parents don't monitor what you read, this book is perfect for you.
Oh Carrie Jones, Carrie Jones. You've done it again. I don't know why I'm such a glutton for punishment; I wish she would just stop writing books because for some dark reason I am continually inclined to read them.
This book was so, so stupid. I can't even believe it. In a quick sum-up, this is a book about a girl named Aimee, who for whatever reason can dream the future and heal people by touching them. She also meets a hunky guy named Alan (who conveniently just moved to town) and both of them need to save her friend Courtney from a demon otherwise known as, 'The River Man.'
Aimee is the classic teenage character who has lost the fun, relatable parent who has all the answers to her various uncommon dilemmas, and has been stuck with a cold, I'm-all-business-all-the-time parent who just doesn't understand her. In this novel, it's the dad that's constantly out of the loop and he wants nothing to do with her dreams and healing mumbo-jumbo! Lets just talk about clichés here! I'm so sick of stiff parental characters whose children are always smarter than them.
Hunky Alan never knew his dad unfortunately. All he knows about him is the fact that he was a Navajo Indian. He spends a lot of the book exploring his Indian heritage and connecting with his pagan god, 'Onawa.' This god shows up to him in his mind Mufasa-style and helps him defeat The River Man at the end of the book; but don't ask me why. Not because I don't want to get into it, I really just don't know why. Carrie Jones doesn't explain anything.
Since we're on the topic of supernatural weirdness in this book, lets just blanket the entire theme with this statement: Nothing adds up and nothing makes sense. What is The River Man? Why did Aimee's mother 'invite' him in? What does he want? Why couldn't the Averys have just moved away to get away from him? And why is he called The River Man when you don't really have to go anywhere near the river to encounter him?
Why does Aimee have healing powers? And why does no one seem very shocked when she uses them? Courtney, her dad, Alan and Alan's mom, none of them seem very surprised when Aimee heals them through touch. They're basically like, Wow! Thanks! No questions asked. On page 280, Aimee thinks this to herself, "I focus all my thoughts on healing, on surrounding Courtney with the white light. My body shakes from the strain. I know I can't last long, but I know I have to. It'll help Alan. It'll help Courtney. It has to. But it costs. Magic? Power? It doesn't come cheap." What does it cost?? Why can't you last long??
I'd mention how stupid it is that Alan and Aimee are madly in love after about two weeks, but it's not even worth the time.
Ugh.
If you're twelve years old and your parents don't monitor what you read, this book is perfect for you.
October 6, 2019
Dit was zo'n tof verhaal! Super spannend ook, ideaal om te lezen in oktober!
Het enige jammere vond ik de instalove, ik had liever een sterke vriendschap ontwikkeld zien worden tussen Amy en Alan in plaats van liefde.
Het enige jammere vond ik de instalove, ik had liever een sterke vriendschap ontwikkeld zien worden tussen Amy en Alan in plaats van liefde.
July 17, 2014
After Obsession
Cool name.
Unfortunately, I have no idea why it's the name of this book.
Um, after what obsession? Can someone explain it to me? I didn't notice anyone with an unnatural obsession in this book.
At all.
Really. I'm not being snarky. Feel free to leave a comment if you 'get it'...'cause I sure didn't.
*EDIT*
Several of you have responded to let me know what the hell After Obsession meant.
Thank you!
Evidently I missed it, but one of the stages of possession is referred to as Obsession.
Ok. Now that that's settled, let's get on with the review.
I didn't find the fact that it was written by two authors distracting, but I also didn't find their voices to be very different from each other, either. Sorry, but Alan sounded like he was written by a woman.
I'm just assuming that Steve Wedel was writing Alan, and Carrie Jones was doing Aimee's chapters. Maybe I'm wrong. Probably not.
It's one of those books that entertains you while you are reading it, but after you're done, you realize that it's kind of blah. Lots of plot holes, insta-love, and little bit of unexplained supernatural baddies. Typical YA stuff.
Eh.
I like Jones' Need series, so I was hoping this would be...better. It wasn't.
Yeah, it wasn't great. Luckily, I'm not a very discriminating reader, and (to me) being entertained counts for more than actual substance. The fact that I didn't notice the flaws until it was over, pushed this one up from 2.5 stars (that it probably deserves) to a solid 3 stars.
And that is why no one should ever pay attention to my reviews.
Cool name.
Unfortunately, I have no idea why it's the name of this book.
Um, after what obsession? Can someone explain it to me? I didn't notice anyone with an unnatural obsession in this book.
At all.
Really. I'm not being snarky. Feel free to leave a comment if you 'get it'...'cause I sure didn't.
*EDIT*
Several of you have responded to let me know what the hell After Obsession meant.
Thank you!
Evidently I missed it, but one of the stages of possession is referred to as Obsession.
Ok. Now that that's settled, let's get on with the review.
I didn't find the fact that it was written by two authors distracting, but I also didn't find their voices to be very different from each other, either. Sorry, but Alan sounded like he was written by a woman.
I'm just assuming that Steve Wedel was writing Alan, and Carrie Jones was doing Aimee's chapters. Maybe I'm wrong. Probably not.
It's one of those books that entertains you while you are reading it, but after you're done, you realize that it's kind of blah. Lots of plot holes, insta-love, and little bit of unexplained supernatural baddies. Typical YA stuff.
Eh.
I like Jones' Need series, so I was hoping this would be...better. It wasn't.
Yeah, it wasn't great. Luckily, I'm not a very discriminating reader, and (to me) being entertained counts for more than actual substance. The fact that I didn't notice the flaws until it was over, pushed this one up from 2.5 stars (that it probably deserves) to a solid 3 stars.
And that is why no one should ever pay attention to my reviews.
September 22, 2011
I’ll admit, I hadn’t heard much about this book until it arrived from Bloomsbury to review. Firstly, I was drawn to the cover of the book, its beautiful right? Then secondly, the blurb sounded interesting enough and thirdly, I heard there was an awesome romance story involved too. So what’s not to like?
After Obsession is told from Aimee and Alan’s point of view, alternating between the two characters. The story centres on Alan’s cousin being possessed by an evil spirit known as The River Man. The River Man is responsible for many deaths over the years including Aimee’s own mother. Alan & Aimee have no other choice but to try and stop The River Man before he hurts anyone else in there town.
I have to say, this was a freshing read because it’s not your typical ghost story. With it being about Possession there isn’t really many avenue’s to take but Carrie Jones & S.E Wedel put their own twists on the story. Both Alan and Aimee have something to offer that could help them defeat The River Man. Aimee has inherited her mother’s psychic ability and Alan being part Navajo, has his own spiritual ritual’s that can help. I have to say, I was more interested in Alan, mainly because I haven’t read that many books that deal with Navajo customs and traditions. I was intrigued to read more and I think the author’s did a fantastic job showing us another culture. I really enjoyed both of our main characters, who I think made a great couple.
The story was easy to follow and kept me interested throughout. I did rate the story three out of five and even though I did enjoy the story, I just felt there was something missing but I just can’t put my finger on it. The last 10 chapters or so was where the real action started and the story comes together very nicely. The ending of the book left me satisfied and overall, I was generally happy with everything.
I definitely think this is a book to be tried in 2011, I think it will be a massive hit in the paranormal romance genre and I think Carrie and S.E did a good job.
Thank you to Bloomsbury UK for giving me the opportunity to review this book.
After Obsession is told from Aimee and Alan’s point of view, alternating between the two characters. The story centres on Alan’s cousin being possessed by an evil spirit known as The River Man. The River Man is responsible for many deaths over the years including Aimee’s own mother. Alan & Aimee have no other choice but to try and stop The River Man before he hurts anyone else in there town.
I have to say, this was a freshing read because it’s not your typical ghost story. With it being about Possession there isn’t really many avenue’s to take but Carrie Jones & S.E Wedel put their own twists on the story. Both Alan and Aimee have something to offer that could help them defeat The River Man. Aimee has inherited her mother’s psychic ability and Alan being part Navajo, has his own spiritual ritual’s that can help. I have to say, I was more interested in Alan, mainly because I haven’t read that many books that deal with Navajo customs and traditions. I was intrigued to read more and I think the author’s did a fantastic job showing us another culture. I really enjoyed both of our main characters, who I think made a great couple.
The story was easy to follow and kept me interested throughout. I did rate the story three out of five and even though I did enjoy the story, I just felt there was something missing but I just can’t put my finger on it. The last 10 chapters or so was where the real action started and the story comes together very nicely. The ending of the book left me satisfied and overall, I was generally happy with everything.
I definitely think this is a book to be tried in 2011, I think it will be a massive hit in the paranormal romance genre and I think Carrie and S.E did a good job.
Thank you to Bloomsbury UK for giving me the opportunity to review this book.
October 4, 2011
THE FAERIES VIEW
I had really mixed feelings about reading After Obsession. I won't hide the fact that I'm haven't been big Carrie Jones fan in the past---her Need series started with a BANG and went out with a whimper---a major disappointment to me, to say the least! BUT---That is not why I'm here!
Aimees best friend, Courtney is acting strangely and with the help of Alan, Courtneys cousin, who moves in to Courtneys house with his mother, he and Aimee come to the conclusion that she just might be possessed by the Riverman. A legend in the town they live in, The evil Riverman is blamed for more than a few deaths in the local river, Aimee's mother being one of them. The river does have quite the history, mysterious happenings, sightings and deaths that just don't make sense. With Alans Native American heritage and Aimee's powers they race to save Courtney from the grasp of the evil entity but is that what they're really fighting?
After Obsession is thrilling and haunting told in beautiful detail in a stunning setting; the action starts quickly and keeps on going making this a page turner that's hard to put down.
Carrie Jones wrote the character of Aimee while Steve Wedel wrote the character of Alan. I think they worked beautifully together and created a story that was very good with a creep factor of +5! Something about possession always gets to me. I still cannot watch The Exorcist after the first time I watched it, let's just say I had nightmares for weeks and my older brothers were in BIG trouble for letting me watch it! :o]
Carrie has redeemed herself, in my eyes. After Obsession rocked my world as only the The Three Stooges can do, it has really given me something great to talk about! The two authors worked to form strong characters with actual voices that were easy to relate to. Each chapter flowed beautifully and I can't help but admire the cohesive effect that Ms. Jones and Mr. Wedel employed to make this book a fantastic read. I hope they get the chance to collaborate again!
THE FAERIE SAYS-READ THIS BOOK!
I had really mixed feelings about reading After Obsession. I won't hide the fact that I'm haven't been big Carrie Jones fan in the past---her Need series started with a BANG and went out with a whimper---a major disappointment to me, to say the least! BUT---That is not why I'm here!
Aimees best friend, Courtney is acting strangely and with the help of Alan, Courtneys cousin, who moves in to Courtneys house with his mother, he and Aimee come to the conclusion that she just might be possessed by the Riverman. A legend in the town they live in, The evil Riverman is blamed for more than a few deaths in the local river, Aimee's mother being one of them. The river does have quite the history, mysterious happenings, sightings and deaths that just don't make sense. With Alans Native American heritage and Aimee's powers they race to save Courtney from the grasp of the evil entity but is that what they're really fighting?
After Obsession is thrilling and haunting told in beautiful detail in a stunning setting; the action starts quickly and keeps on going making this a page turner that's hard to put down.
Carrie Jones wrote the character of Aimee while Steve Wedel wrote the character of Alan. I think they worked beautifully together and created a story that was very good with a creep factor of +5! Something about possession always gets to me. I still cannot watch The Exorcist after the first time I watched it, let's just say I had nightmares for weeks and my older brothers were in BIG trouble for letting me watch it! :o]
Carrie has redeemed herself, in my eyes. After Obsession rocked my world as only the The Three Stooges can do, it has really given me something great to talk about! The two authors worked to form strong characters with actual voices that were easy to relate to. Each chapter flowed beautifully and I can't help but admire the cohesive effect that Ms. Jones and Mr. Wedel employed to make this book a fantastic read. I hope they get the chance to collaborate again!
THE FAERIE SAYS-READ THIS BOOK!
May 19, 2011
This was a really interesting book. It was a really good storyline, but I wish that there was some way to explain the background of Alan more. I want to know about his dad!
April 8, 2012
I picked this book up at Barnes & Noble I think in January and sadly it was sitting on the shelf until now. I had read the first chapter and got distracted with another book so this one got left behind. Now the other day I was just sitting on the couch thinking what am I going to read next and made myself pick it up and start reading. I'm happy to say I did it. This book ended up being one of my favorites! The story line is amazing and nothing like what I've read before. It's about possession but it also has some humor hidden in there.
I'm a huge fan of the Need series by Carrie Jones so that's what attracted me to this book. Why it took me so long to read is anybody's question...why did it. Because this books plot and story is flawless. I believe Carrie wrote for Aimee and Steven for Alan. Which is pretty neat. They go back and fourth for every chapter...kinda cool right....
It starts out really kinda weird, Aimee has these dreams about people she knows and she sees them dying, and you later find out she has the gift to heal. Her only problem is shes scared to admit to herself that she has these powers, all because her mother had them and was killed in the river behind her house. Aimee is a weak character at first, shes not confident, shes just kinda there in this town. She also has this boyfriend named Blake whom slowly becomes this jerk and you know what happens then...
A new kid named Alan moves into town(to help his cousin and aunt keep their house), he sounds hunky and hes tall and half Navajo. He's really close to his Indian side and you find out that he has a Spirit Guide (I think that's what their called). So he has dreams of important things and finds out Aimee is a part of something.
I have to say this because I don't know if I can stop myself from putting in any spoilers, so Read At Your Own Risk :)
Him and Aimee get really close but not the whole omg kiss I kiss can't kiss live kiss without kiss you, kind of thing, since they never really become a "couple" they just know they like each other and know its not the time or place to start a relationship. They both notice the town is in chaos and every one's anger is on the edge. Also something weird is up with her best friend/ his cousin Courtney. Shes been acting the weirdest and is lashing out for no reason and acting in ways she never would. They come to realize shes being possessed by something they call The River Man. They both know that they have something to do with trying to get rid of this demon but they are confused and don't know how.
Now realize I'm only giving you clues, if it sounds good so far then you should read it. Because I can't describe this book in only a few paragraphs, there's so much depth in it and so much of a story. Most books don't give you a lot of back story but this one did. You pretty much knew everything about these characters and all their flaws. I felt very connected to both of them, there are other people like Aimee's pap, brother and father. You become familiar with her father but its not till like the end, and Alan's mom...I don't really like her because she seems to hate the fact that hes Navajo, So the connection is mostly between Aimee and Alan, but yea anyways...
Read this book I give it 5 out of 5 stars. Its kinda short but for a short book it carries a lot of story, there's not a dead moment is in this book. Always something is happening and this book will forever be one of my favorites. It had just enough humor, romance, creepiness, suspense, and thrill to keep you going. I hope that there will eventually be book 2,and I can't wait to hear more about Aimee and Alan.
I'm a huge fan of the Need series by Carrie Jones so that's what attracted me to this book. Why it took me so long to read is anybody's question...why did it. Because this books plot and story is flawless. I believe Carrie wrote for Aimee and Steven for Alan. Which is pretty neat. They go back and fourth for every chapter...kinda cool right....
It starts out really kinda weird, Aimee has these dreams about people she knows and she sees them dying, and you later find out she has the gift to heal. Her only problem is shes scared to admit to herself that she has these powers, all because her mother had them and was killed in the river behind her house. Aimee is a weak character at first, shes not confident, shes just kinda there in this town. She also has this boyfriend named Blake whom slowly becomes this jerk and you know what happens then...
A new kid named Alan moves into town(to help his cousin and aunt keep their house), he sounds hunky and hes tall and half Navajo. He's really close to his Indian side and you find out that he has a Spirit Guide (I think that's what their called). So he has dreams of important things and finds out Aimee is a part of something.
I have to say this because I don't know if I can stop myself from putting in any spoilers, so Read At Your Own Risk :)
Him and Aimee get really close but not the whole omg kiss I kiss can't kiss live kiss without kiss you, kind of thing, since they never really become a "couple" they just know they like each other and know its not the time or place to start a relationship. They both notice the town is in chaos and every one's anger is on the edge. Also something weird is up with her best friend/ his cousin Courtney. Shes been acting the weirdest and is lashing out for no reason and acting in ways she never would. They come to realize shes being possessed by something they call The River Man. They both know that they have something to do with trying to get rid of this demon but they are confused and don't know how.
Now realize I'm only giving you clues, if it sounds good so far then you should read it. Because I can't describe this book in only a few paragraphs, there's so much depth in it and so much of a story. Most books don't give you a lot of back story but this one did. You pretty much knew everything about these characters and all their flaws. I felt very connected to both of them, there are other people like Aimee's pap, brother and father. You become familiar with her father but its not till like the end, and Alan's mom...I don't really like her because she seems to hate the fact that hes Navajo, So the connection is mostly between Aimee and Alan, but yea anyways...
Read this book I give it 5 out of 5 stars. Its kinda short but for a short book it carries a lot of story, there's not a dead moment is in this book. Always something is happening and this book will forever be one of my favorites. It had just enough humor, romance, creepiness, suspense, and thrill to keep you going. I hope that there will eventually be book 2,and I can't wait to hear more about Aimee and Alan.
August 15, 2011
http://inkscratchers.blogspot.com/
I fell in love with this cover the first time I saw it, read the blurb which totally had me gagging to read it, but later made the connection that one of the authors, Carrie Jones was the same author that wrote the Need series, which I totally didn't connect with, so I had very mixed expectations about this one.
This book came as a total shock to me. It was totally original, fast paced, exciting and had just the right amount of totally cute romance to seal the deal. The plot was so unique, we see a lot of books about demons around, but mainly these have a demon main character, or the love interest as a demon, this one is dealing with demonic possession, which gives a pretty creepy vibe throughout this book. (Not overly creepy as in "can't sleep at night", creepy as in "I'm really absorbed into this book and the suspense is killing me!" which was perfect creep level for me).
The characters are amazing. I think maybe because they were written by different authors the voices were different, so you could really tell when Aimee was narrating and when Alan was. While both author character's voices were strong, I think that Wedel really did stand out to me, Alan's voice was so charismatic and instantly likeable whereas I thought that Aimee's voice was unique and likeable but I didn't warm to her as much as I did Alan. I loved the way their relationship developed though, slowly with attraction but not lust, it was cute romance, not a really passionate one.
I didn't have many issues with this book, my main issue was that I wish that we'd found out more about how the demon possessed Courtney, I think this would have covered any plot holes and completed the book for me.
Overall, After Obsession was a fast paced, chilling and thrilling read that has completely changed my opinion of Carrie Jones. I would also like to point out that Steven E. Wedel is definatley one to watch out for.
Overall Rating: A-
I fell in love with this cover the first time I saw it, read the blurb which totally had me gagging to read it, but later made the connection that one of the authors, Carrie Jones was the same author that wrote the Need series, which I totally didn't connect with, so I had very mixed expectations about this one.
This book came as a total shock to me. It was totally original, fast paced, exciting and had just the right amount of totally cute romance to seal the deal. The plot was so unique, we see a lot of books about demons around, but mainly these have a demon main character, or the love interest as a demon, this one is dealing with demonic possession, which gives a pretty creepy vibe throughout this book. (Not overly creepy as in "can't sleep at night", creepy as in "I'm really absorbed into this book and the suspense is killing me!" which was perfect creep level for me).
The characters are amazing. I think maybe because they were written by different authors the voices were different, so you could really tell when Aimee was narrating and when Alan was. While both author character's voices were strong, I think that Wedel really did stand out to me, Alan's voice was so charismatic and instantly likeable whereas I thought that Aimee's voice was unique and likeable but I didn't warm to her as much as I did Alan. I loved the way their relationship developed though, slowly with attraction but not lust, it was cute romance, not a really passionate one.
I didn't have many issues with this book, my main issue was that I wish that we'd found out more about how the demon possessed Courtney, I think this would have covered any plot holes and completed the book for me.
Overall, After Obsession was a fast paced, chilling and thrilling read that has completely changed my opinion of Carrie Jones. I would also like to point out that Steven E. Wedel is definatley one to watch out for.
Overall Rating: A-
October 2, 2019
Jaren geleden zou ik dit boek nooit opgepakt hebben. Ik zou al veel te bang zijn geworden van de achterflap. Als er iets is (naast menselijke seriemoordenaars) waar ik ongelooflijk de kriebels van kreeg en nachten van wakker kon liggen, dan waren het geesten. Maar mijn emotionele weerstand is een stuk beter geworden de laatste jaren en dus durfde ik dit boek met een gerust hart op te pakken.
En gelukkig maar, want ik had dit boek voor geen goud willen missen. Vanaf de allereerste bladzijde is het boek spannend en deze spanning neemt alleen maar toe naar mate we dichter en dichter bij de ontknoping komen. De spanning is overal voelbaar en elk karakter, de hele sfeer en alle gebeurtenissen zijn er volledig van doordrongen. Heerlijk!
Daarnaast was dit mijn eerste echte kennismaking met de mythologie van Native Americans. En ik had me geen betere introductie kunnen wensen. Het boek staat met één been in de voor mij meer bekende wereld en met één been in de wereld van de Native Americans. Op die manier wordt de mythologie heel begrijpelijk en toegankelijk en dit boek smaakt naar meer. Ik wil er echt meer over lezen!
Maar, een goed boek zou geen goed boek zijn zonder toffe personages en ook dat deel is goed gelukt. De personages zijn herkenbaar en het is niet moeilijk om snel een band met ze te voelen en dus ook met ze mee te leven. Hoewel ik de liefde nog niet helemaal voelde tussen de twee hoofdrolspelers, drukte dat geen dusdanig zware stempel op het verhaal dat ik me eraan stoorde. Het was ook ondergeschikt aan het algehele plot.
Ten slotte is het boek ook nog eens heerlijk geschreven. Het leest ongelooflijk lekker weg en ik vloog er echt als een razende doorheen. En dat was wel fijn, want ik wilde zo snel mogelijk weten wat er aan de hand was en wat de hoofdrolspelers daaraan gingen doen. En de ontknoping was meer dan het wachten waard!
En gelukkig maar, want ik had dit boek voor geen goud willen missen. Vanaf de allereerste bladzijde is het boek spannend en deze spanning neemt alleen maar toe naar mate we dichter en dichter bij de ontknoping komen. De spanning is overal voelbaar en elk karakter, de hele sfeer en alle gebeurtenissen zijn er volledig van doordrongen. Heerlijk!
Daarnaast was dit mijn eerste echte kennismaking met de mythologie van Native Americans. En ik had me geen betere introductie kunnen wensen. Het boek staat met één been in de voor mij meer bekende wereld en met één been in de wereld van de Native Americans. Op die manier wordt de mythologie heel begrijpelijk en toegankelijk en dit boek smaakt naar meer. Ik wil er echt meer over lezen!
Maar, een goed boek zou geen goed boek zijn zonder toffe personages en ook dat deel is goed gelukt. De personages zijn herkenbaar en het is niet moeilijk om snel een band met ze te voelen en dus ook met ze mee te leven. Hoewel ik de liefde nog niet helemaal voelde tussen de twee hoofdrolspelers, drukte dat geen dusdanig zware stempel op het verhaal dat ik me eraan stoorde. Het was ook ondergeschikt aan het algehele plot.
Ten slotte is het boek ook nog eens heerlijk geschreven. Het leest ongelooflijk lekker weg en ik vloog er echt als een razende doorheen. En dat was wel fijn, want ik wilde zo snel mogelijk weten wat er aan de hand was en wat de hoofdrolspelers daaraan gingen doen. En de ontknoping was meer dan het wachten waard!
January 3, 2012
This was actually pretty good. It surprised me. The characters were actually likable, mostly because they were proactive and decisive, not standing around with their thumbs up their asses trying to figure out what, if anything, to do next. Aimee was a breath of fresh air because she wasn't the typical flaky teen heroine and Alan, Mr. Half Navajo/Half German football god? Swoon. And I generally dislike both guys with long hair and football players;)
There's romance, mystery, humor and horror, and the supporting characters are all pretty cool, as well. This is a rare find in YA fiction; a book that managed to keep me hooked and not once piss me off.
There's romance, mystery, humor and horror, and the supporting characters are all pretty cool, as well. This is a rare find in YA fiction; a book that managed to keep me hooked and not once piss me off.
February 3, 2012
Alrighty, sounds spine tingling right? This was a day one book, at the BEA, first thing in the morning I ran across it and thought- Exorcism of Emily Rose!! I'm In!! So later that afternoon during the speed dating with YA and middle shool authors, when Carrie came to our table and talked about how her and Steven wrote this book in a month via email and had SO MUCH FUN, I was even more sold.
Now I tell you what an idiot I am. Seriously. Somehow I didn't realise that the Carrie Jones I met, and who's book I was excited about was the Carrie Jones who wrote Need. Then I picked After Obsession off the shelf last week and started thumbing through it, and couldn't figure out what all the "Praise for Need and Captivate" was all about inside the cover (my ARC does not say Bestselling Author of Need, obviously). Honestly, it took me a good ten minutes to put two and two together, apparently it had been a long day.
Since I was very luke warm about Need, when I read it last year, and could never be bothered to continue the series after hearing it held the status quo, I likely never would have read or picked up After Obsession if I hadn't been oddly confused or forgetful about who Carrie Jones was. But it was in my hands, and I had lugged it home from NYC so I was going to give her one more chance.
Unfortunately, all the problems I had with Need, I had with After Obsession but more so. Oh god, I really disliked it. A lot. As in it was torturous to finish, and this is a little book! I almost couldn't make myself and there was much, much groaning out loud. If you're a Carrie Jones fan, turn away now, I'm warning you.
Problem number one- Alan and Aimee have one of the most preposterous love affairs I've read in awhile. They fall all over each other almost instantly, know nothing about each other before they're proclaiming love and take courting to all new levels of stupid by officially meeting each others parents over a meal while in the middle of being pursued by a demon! TWICE!! I mean seriously, you meet a hot guy but a demons trying to kill you both, are you really going to plan a night where he comes by for dinner and meets the fam? Then when you find a dead guy are you really going to head over to the hotties house to meet his mom a few hours later?
Problem number two- You can't take a caring single mom, who you're supposed to like, and then have her say hateful things about her son to his face and still like her, let alone buy she'd say it in the first place. Alan is half native and there is a lot of talk about how his mom doesn't "like" the traditions he's tryed to adopt to understand that half of his culture. She goes so far to say he's "playing at being native" when she finds him meditating, burning incense and listening to Ojibwa chanting. Unless Carrie and Steven want to give me a reason why his mom would take issue with him embracing Native customs, IE: some sort of bad previous experience, it doesn't fit with the rest of her persona.
Problem number three- Exorcism should not be easy. Come on people, with books and movies like the Exorcist and the Exorcism of Emily Rose you know the bar has been set pretty high for demons, exorcisms and scary. So why try a fluffy version where its neatly wrapped up in a few chapters, there's no real damage outside of some furniture, and every one is A OK, 5 minutes later? I wanted to read some seriously creepy words on the page to make up for all the sickening sweety lovey doveyness, and I was not rewarded.
There were two characters I loved, Gramps and Aimees brother Benji, they were sweet, funny and had a wonderful side story going about a Marilyn Monroe shaped Cheeto they were selling on ebay. Though I thought it was unnecessary for there to be a "You know who Marilyn Monroe was right?" preface every time one of the teenagers talked about it. Anywho, they missed their opportunity for a great and funny story when they decided that Gramps, Benji and the Cheeto should be a secondary side story. I'm just saying.
Now I tell you what an idiot I am. Seriously. Somehow I didn't realise that the Carrie Jones I met, and who's book I was excited about was the Carrie Jones who wrote Need. Then I picked After Obsession off the shelf last week and started thumbing through it, and couldn't figure out what all the "Praise for Need and Captivate" was all about inside the cover (my ARC does not say Bestselling Author of Need, obviously). Honestly, it took me a good ten minutes to put two and two together, apparently it had been a long day.
Since I was very luke warm about Need, when I read it last year, and could never be bothered to continue the series after hearing it held the status quo, I likely never would have read or picked up After Obsession if I hadn't been oddly confused or forgetful about who Carrie Jones was. But it was in my hands, and I had lugged it home from NYC so I was going to give her one more chance.
Unfortunately, all the problems I had with Need, I had with After Obsession but more so. Oh god, I really disliked it. A lot. As in it was torturous to finish, and this is a little book! I almost couldn't make myself and there was much, much groaning out loud. If you're a Carrie Jones fan, turn away now, I'm warning you.
Problem number one- Alan and Aimee have one of the most preposterous love affairs I've read in awhile. They fall all over each other almost instantly, know nothing about each other before they're proclaiming love and take courting to all new levels of stupid by officially meeting each others parents over a meal while in the middle of being pursued by a demon! TWICE!! I mean seriously, you meet a hot guy but a demons trying to kill you both, are you really going to plan a night where he comes by for dinner and meets the fam? Then when you find a dead guy are you really going to head over to the hotties house to meet his mom a few hours later?
Problem number two- You can't take a caring single mom, who you're supposed to like, and then have her say hateful things about her son to his face and still like her, let alone buy she'd say it in the first place. Alan is half native and there is a lot of talk about how his mom doesn't "like" the traditions he's tryed to adopt to understand that half of his culture. She goes so far to say he's "playing at being native" when she finds him meditating, burning incense and listening to Ojibwa chanting. Unless Carrie and Steven want to give me a reason why his mom would take issue with him embracing Native customs, IE: some sort of bad previous experience, it doesn't fit with the rest of her persona.
Problem number three- Exorcism should not be easy. Come on people, with books and movies like the Exorcist and the Exorcism of Emily Rose you know the bar has been set pretty high for demons, exorcisms and scary. So why try a fluffy version where its neatly wrapped up in a few chapters, there's no real damage outside of some furniture, and every one is A OK, 5 minutes later? I wanted to read some seriously creepy words on the page to make up for all the sickening sweety lovey doveyness, and I was not rewarded.
There were two characters I loved, Gramps and Aimees brother Benji, they were sweet, funny and had a wonderful side story going about a Marilyn Monroe shaped Cheeto they were selling on ebay. Though I thought it was unnecessary for there to be a "You know who Marilyn Monroe was right?" preface every time one of the teenagers talked about it. Anywho, they missed their opportunity for a great and funny story when they decided that Gramps, Benji and the Cheeto should be a secondary side story. I'm just saying.
December 28, 2011
After Obsession reminds me a lot of Cryer's Cross -- same kind of deal -- the town is haunted by some mysterious being that possesses individuals and drives them insane. The only difference is After Obsession is double the length and takes twice as long to get into. I will admit that by the time I was halfway done I would have rather gouged my eyes out with a cafeteria spork that continue reading, but I pulled through, and I am way glad I did because after the shaky and slow beginning, I really began getting close to the characters, and -- hallelujah -- the action started to pick up.
The subject matter, and how it has to do with missing people and dead people shrouded in
mystery, is one of my favorites. Not knowing how the book will turn out is something I really love, and with the story being so mysterious, it allows for plot holes, which I am not going to point out.
Alan is one of my least favorite names in the world -- it sounds so '50s -- but his character was really awesome. Aimee was also awesome, and a redhead. Alan kept calling her Red (which doesn't compare to Carrots, from Cynthia Hand's Unearthly books, but still made me go D'awwwwww). Their relationship was one of my favorite aspects of the book. I am pretty sure it's a standalone, but I'm going to bite my tongue. You can never be too sure (*cough cough* The Pledge *cough*).
The summary of the book inside the flap is very vague, and that's good, because I read the Goodreads summary which told a lot more (it was kind of spoilery) after I finished it, and if I would have read that before the book it would have ruined the book completely for me. So, guys, don't read the goodreads summary if you plan on reading this!
One thing that didn't quite click until I had read the book was the title. After Obsession? What did that mean? If you look at the back of the hardcover edition of the book, it has an explanation of what that title means. Basically, there are four stages of possession. Obsession is the third and possession is the fourth. Therefore, if you look at the one that is AFTER OBSESSION, you get possession, which I think the book should've been called.
After Obsession is an action packed book, but beware the first half! Don't lose yourself in the boringness. I promise it'll be worth it.
The subject matter, and how it has to do with missing people and dead people shrouded in
mystery, is one of my favorites. Not knowing how the book will turn out is something I really love, and with the story being so mysterious, it allows for plot holes, which I am not going to point out.
Alan is one of my least favorite names in the world -- it sounds so '50s -- but his character was really awesome. Aimee was also awesome, and a redhead. Alan kept calling her Red (which doesn't compare to Carrots, from Cynthia Hand's Unearthly books, but still made me go D'awwwwww). Their relationship was one of my favorite aspects of the book. I am pretty sure it's a standalone, but I'm going to bite my tongue. You can never be too sure (*cough cough* The Pledge *cough*).
The summary of the book inside the flap is very vague, and that's good, because I read the Goodreads summary which told a lot more (it was kind of spoilery) after I finished it, and if I would have read that before the book it would have ruined the book completely for me. So, guys, don't read the goodreads summary if you plan on reading this!
One thing that didn't quite click until I had read the book was the title. After Obsession? What did that mean? If you look at the back of the hardcover edition of the book, it has an explanation of what that title means. Basically, there are four stages of possession. Obsession is the third and possession is the fourth. Therefore, if you look at the one that is AFTER OBSESSION, you get possession, which I think the book should've been called.
After Obsession is an action packed book, but beware the first half! Don't lose yourself in the boringness. I promise it'll be worth it.
September 16, 2011
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
Paranormal YA veteran Carrie Jones brings her romantic sensibilities and supernatural flare to a joint writing effort with horror scribe Steven E. Wedel in the standalone novel AFTER OBSESSION, a sort of teen version of Paranormal Activity meets interracial love story.
Two authors means twice the talent and double the fun, right? Sadly not in this case. Carrie and Steven each created a character and took turns telling chapters from their POV. Carrie’s Aimee is a rather innocuous teenager whose most distinguishing characteristic is that she has red hair. Steven’s Alan is slightly more interesting as a part Native American forced to relocate during his Junior year of high school. Courtney is the link between these two. She’s Aimee’s best friend and Alan’s cousin who we learn is in the process of being possessed by a demon.
I can’t really think of a less appropriate time to strike up a romance than when your friend/cousin is well on her way to vomiting green soup (or in this case oozing acne). Aimee and Alan don’t share my reticence and are sneaking away and sharing smoldering glances whenever they can. Meanwhile most of the student body is erupting into fights and hurling vile insults. Putrid odors permeate their houses, they see a shadowy man lurking in windows, and new information comes to light about the death of Aimee’s mother.
Alan has his spirit cougar to guide him and Aimee has ghostly messages from her mother. There are also cryptic references to Spirit Warriors and Aimee’s unexplained ability to heal by touching. Unfortunately, nothing really works in AFTER OBSESSION. The writing is expressive and the character of Alan had potential, but the story dragged and there were numerous plot holes. The romance felt rushed and completely inappropriate given what they were dealing with. I wanted so much to enjoy this book since I’m a fan of Carrie’s Need series, but I can’t recommend this one.
Sexual Content:
Kissing
Paranormal YA veteran Carrie Jones brings her romantic sensibilities and supernatural flare to a joint writing effort with horror scribe Steven E. Wedel in the standalone novel AFTER OBSESSION, a sort of teen version of Paranormal Activity meets interracial love story.
Two authors means twice the talent and double the fun, right? Sadly not in this case. Carrie and Steven each created a character and took turns telling chapters from their POV. Carrie’s Aimee is a rather innocuous teenager whose most distinguishing characteristic is that she has red hair. Steven’s Alan is slightly more interesting as a part Native American forced to relocate during his Junior year of high school. Courtney is the link between these two. She’s Aimee’s best friend and Alan’s cousin who we learn is in the process of being possessed by a demon.
I can’t really think of a less appropriate time to strike up a romance than when your friend/cousin is well on her way to vomiting green soup (or in this case oozing acne). Aimee and Alan don’t share my reticence and are sneaking away and sharing smoldering glances whenever they can. Meanwhile most of the student body is erupting into fights and hurling vile insults. Putrid odors permeate their houses, they see a shadowy man lurking in windows, and new information comes to light about the death of Aimee’s mother.
Alan has his spirit cougar to guide him and Aimee has ghostly messages from her mother. There are also cryptic references to Spirit Warriors and Aimee’s unexplained ability to heal by touching. Unfortunately, nothing really works in AFTER OBSESSION. The writing is expressive and the character of Alan had potential, but the story dragged and there were numerous plot holes. The romance felt rushed and completely inappropriate given what they were dealing with. I wanted so much to enjoy this book since I’m a fan of Carrie’s Need series, but I can’t recommend this one.
Sexual Content:
Kissing
January 25, 2012
I’ve been trying to think of a polite way to write this, but I think the best thing would be to be honest. This book was terrible.
The amount of clichés in these pages, not only in the characterizations but in the writing itself is astounding. The characters are less than one dimensional, with mood swings that baffle the reader. Some of their actions (like Aimee dropping the boyfriend she’s had for years after meeting a new, “hotter” guy in a day) make no logical sense whatsoever. Neither Aimee with her melodramatic exclamations and her incessant crying, nor Alan with his ridiculous, superficial knowledge of what the Native American culture is all about, create any other feeling in the reader than the need to stop reading.
The plot is a thin, loosely held mess that has gaping holes. It makes me wonder who read through this and thought it was ready for publication. This story needed at least two or three good rewrites. The writing itself is mediocre at best, tending towards the very bad most of the time. Alan’s chapters are a bit better than Aimee’s but not by much.
As you can tell, I cannot recommend this book. At all. Unless you are very lenient with everything including common sense, I’d stay away from this one. There are better things to read.
The amount of clichés in these pages, not only in the characterizations but in the writing itself is astounding. The characters are less than one dimensional, with mood swings that baffle the reader. Some of their actions (like Aimee dropping the boyfriend she’s had for years after meeting a new, “hotter” guy in a day) make no logical sense whatsoever. Neither Aimee with her melodramatic exclamations and her incessant crying, nor Alan with his ridiculous, superficial knowledge of what the Native American culture is all about, create any other feeling in the reader than the need to stop reading.
The plot is a thin, loosely held mess that has gaping holes. It makes me wonder who read through this and thought it was ready for publication. This story needed at least two or three good rewrites. The writing itself is mediocre at best, tending towards the very bad most of the time. Alan’s chapters are a bit better than Aimee’s but not by much.
As you can tell, I cannot recommend this book. At all. Unless you are very lenient with everything including common sense, I’d stay away from this one. There are better things to read.
July 7, 2011
After Obsession is maybe the only story about possession that I have read, liked and not been too scared to close my eyes and go to sleep. Kudos! I really enjoy Jones' writing style especially in her Need series; I think that she and new-comer and debut author Wedel pull off the dual alternating perspectives well here, a hard feat by my estimation. I will say that I found it doubtful that Aimee would have dumped Brandon, whom she's been dating forever, get over it and start dating Alan in less than 24 hours. However skeptical I am about how they get there, I think Aimee and Alan are are a balanced and effective pairing here. Anything new in YA is refreshing to me at this point, and the inclusion of the Native American perspective on the supernatural was a welcome breath of fresh air as far as I'm concerned. Even the supporting characters are really interesting; I would love to see more of their stories. The writing has these glorious moments of descriptions so entirely sensual that you feel like you can see the River Man, touch the mud, feel the whip of the wind. While it's not there yet, the descriptive style reminds me a bit of F. Scott Fitzgerald. I will certainly be on the lookout for more from Steve Wedel, he's clearly bringing some good stuff to YA.
Overall: A-
Overall: A-
June 7, 2011
I love Carrie Jones, and was insanely happy that I got to meet her at BEA, where I picked up a copy of this book.
I enjoyed it immensely. I loved how it hopped between the two characters perspectives. Sometimes this is done poorly, but I don't think it was at all. The characters ere well drawn. I did not want to put it down. I stuck it over to my friends house and when she wasn't looking I would sneak peeks at it, trying to finish it as soon as possible. And I must say, the knife scene was insane. I'm pretty sure I got goosebumps. I will be waving this in my friend's faces and making them read it.
Although: I did have one thing against the book, that had nothing to do with the actual story. My friend picked it up and read the back (something I had not done) and couldn't believe I was reading. So I read the back. Not impressed. If I knew nothing about Carrie Jones and had read the back I probably would not have read it. The line about "Good-bye Boyfriend!" (paraphrasing) did not match with the tone of the book. I hope they can change this when they put out the true book. I think it will be off-putting to some people who would truly enjoy it.
I enjoyed it immensely. I loved how it hopped between the two characters perspectives. Sometimes this is done poorly, but I don't think it was at all. The characters ere well drawn. I did not want to put it down. I stuck it over to my friends house and when she wasn't looking I would sneak peeks at it, trying to finish it as soon as possible. And I must say, the knife scene was insane. I'm pretty sure I got goosebumps. I will be waving this in my friend's faces and making them read it.
Although: I did have one thing against the book, that had nothing to do with the actual story. My friend picked it up and read the back (something I had not done) and couldn't believe I was reading. So I read the back. Not impressed. If I knew nothing about Carrie Jones and had read the back I probably would not have read it. The line about "Good-bye Boyfriend!" (paraphrasing) did not match with the tone of the book. I hope they can change this when they put out the true book. I think it will be off-putting to some people who would truly enjoy it.
January 7, 2018
Schön geschrieben aber leider total öde und langweilig , null Spannung .
Schade
Schade
October 24, 2011
Originally posted at Read Me Bookmark Me Love Me
After Obsession is a creepy supernatural read with some truly chilling moments - don't read it at night! If you're looking for a nice blend of romance and supernatural thriller, this is the book for you! Aimee Avery and Alan Parson alternate as narrators as they both deal with the consequences of a suspicious drowning. Courtney, Aimee's best friend and Alan's cousin, has summoned a ruthless demon in her attempts to bring back her dead father. Will she make it out alive? Why is this demon so focused on Maine?
As Courtney begins displaying the symptoms of possession, the people in her life begin to behave strangely. Take Aimee's usually sweet boyfriend, Blake, for example. He becomes jealous, cruel and violent after the arrival of Native American, Alan, going to frightening lengths to keep her in his life. Everyone around Courtney has elevated levels of sadness and aggression, and it's not long before the whole town is poisoned by the demon's presence. I really enjoyed seeing Aimee and Alan work together to solve the mystery of the demon! We discover that it's been around for a while and has been involved in many other deaths….all very alarming stuff! The demon taunts, terrorises and plays with our minds, and we're constantly thrown for a loop as the unexpected keeps occurring. Both Aimee and Alan have their own unique supernatural abilities so anything is possible!
While After Obsession has its creepy moments, it has its fair share of sweet and funny ones too! Aimee's always witty and Alan's the cheeky type, so we've got endless entertainment. Their relationship blossoms slowly as they go from acquaintances, to friends and finally to lovers. Although I liked seeing how their relationship grew, I didn't find their romance mind-blowing. This was probably due to my difficulty of connecting with the characters on a personal level. I followed their lives but didn't get sucked in and emotionally invested like I usually do, which is a shame! I think the character development was sacrificed a little for the plot, but the novel is still enjoyable. There are precious moments between the main characters, their friends, siblings, parents and other family members which are sweet and should put a smile on your face!
If you're in for something a little different, definitely give this book a try! We're able to explore ancient myths, American Indian history and more. Alan brings something unique to the story with his background and I think you'll enjoy it! I didn't realise that two authors co-wrote this book until the acknowledgements page (I know, I'm SO observant) but they worked so well together, I didn't notice the switches at all! After Obsession is sure to please thriller/supernatural fans.
After Obsession is a creepy supernatural read with some truly chilling moments - don't read it at night! If you're looking for a nice blend of romance and supernatural thriller, this is the book for you! Aimee Avery and Alan Parson alternate as narrators as they both deal with the consequences of a suspicious drowning. Courtney, Aimee's best friend and Alan's cousin, has summoned a ruthless demon in her attempts to bring back her dead father. Will she make it out alive? Why is this demon so focused on Maine?
As Courtney begins displaying the symptoms of possession, the people in her life begin to behave strangely. Take Aimee's usually sweet boyfriend, Blake, for example. He becomes jealous, cruel and violent after the arrival of Native American, Alan, going to frightening lengths to keep her in his life. Everyone around Courtney has elevated levels of sadness and aggression, and it's not long before the whole town is poisoned by the demon's presence. I really enjoyed seeing Aimee and Alan work together to solve the mystery of the demon! We discover that it's been around for a while and has been involved in many other deaths….all very alarming stuff! The demon taunts, terrorises and plays with our minds, and we're constantly thrown for a loop as the unexpected keeps occurring. Both Aimee and Alan have their own unique supernatural abilities so anything is possible!
While After Obsession has its creepy moments, it has its fair share of sweet and funny ones too! Aimee's always witty and Alan's the cheeky type, so we've got endless entertainment. Their relationship blossoms slowly as they go from acquaintances, to friends and finally to lovers. Although I liked seeing how their relationship grew, I didn't find their romance mind-blowing. This was probably due to my difficulty of connecting with the characters on a personal level. I followed their lives but didn't get sucked in and emotionally invested like I usually do, which is a shame! I think the character development was sacrificed a little for the plot, but the novel is still enjoyable. There are precious moments between the main characters, their friends, siblings, parents and other family members which are sweet and should put a smile on your face!
If you're in for something a little different, definitely give this book a try! We're able to explore ancient myths, American Indian history and more. Alan brings something unique to the story with his background and I think you'll enjoy it! I didn't realise that two authors co-wrote this book until the acknowledgements page (I know, I'm SO observant) but they worked so well together, I didn't notice the switches at all! After Obsession is sure to please thriller/supernatural fans.
August 29, 2015
Das Fantasy Jugendbuch "Spirit - Du gehörst mir" aus der gemeinsamen Feder von Carrie Jones und Steven E. Wedel ist düster, magisch und absolut anders.
Ausschlaggebend das Buch zu lesen war für mich das wunderschöne Cover. Allerdings hätte ich hinter diesem Jugendbuch niemals eine solche düstere Handlung erwartet, aufgrunddessen ist im Nachhinein betrachtet, das Cover sogar recht gruselig, aber absolut passend zum Inhalt gewählt.
Als die Protagonistin Aimee von ihrem absoluten Lieblingsort, dem Fluss hinter dem Haus ihrer Familie, zurück kehrt um ihre beste Freundin Courtney zu besuchen, stellt sie schnell fest, dass mit dieser irgendetwas nicht stimmt. Courtney ist nach dem Verschwinden des Bootes ihres Vaters auf hoher See, in ein tiefes Loch aus Trauer und Unglaube gefallen, und will den Tod ihres Vaters nicht akzeptieren. Diese Trauer zieht etwas dämonisches, gefährliches Böses an, dass von Courtney Besitz ergreift. Durch den Verlust ihres Mannes kann Courtneys Mutter das Haus alleine nicht mehr halten, sodass ihre Schwester und deren Sohn Alan herziehen. Als Alan und Aimee das erste Mal auf einander treffen, wissen sie gleich, dass sie mehr verbindet als nur ihre Beziehung zu Courtney. Gemeinsam kämpfen sie gegen das immer stärker werdende Böse an, dass mittlerweile in der gesamten Stadt für Unfrieden sorgt.
Das Autoren-Duo Jones und Wedel hat eine Storyidee geschaffen, die ich in dieser Art und Weise noch nicht kannte und die mich sehr von sich überzeugen konnte. Träume, Visionen, mysteriöse, mystische Vorfälle und etwas sehr Böses prägt den Alltag der beiden Jugendlichen Aimee und Alan. Die Magie und den Glauben der indianischen Vorfahren von Alan zu nutzen, um das "Böse" aus der Stadt zu vertreiben gefällt mir sehr gut. Diese alten Riten und Bräuche sind wahnsinnig spannend und interessant und vorallem gut gepaart mit der Magie der Träume und Visionen, die Aimee umgeben. Aimee und Alan sind ein gutes Team im Kampf gegen das Böse und konnten mich als Leser voll und ganz mitreißen.
Der Schreibstil hat an manchen Stellen leider etwas zu wünschen übrig gelassen. Manche Übergänge oder auch Dialoge sind etwas holprig und nicht ganz so flüssig, locker flockig zu lesen. Wahrscheinlich liegt dies an der Tatsache, dass das Buch von zwei Personen geschrieben worde, leider wirkt sich diese Teamarbeit bei Büchern von Autorenduos oft auf den Schreibstil aus. Sehr gut gefallen haben mir allerdings die Charakter Perspektivenwechsel. Jedes neue Kapitel beginnt mit einem Wechsel zwischen den beiden Protagonisten Alan und Aimee. Natürlich haben Wedel und Jones diese Sprünge perfekt genutzt um Spannung auf zu bauen und haben an den spannensten Stellen ein neues Kapitel aus der Sicht des jeweils anderen Charakters gestartet.
Ausschlaggebend das Buch zu lesen war für mich das wunderschöne Cover. Allerdings hätte ich hinter diesem Jugendbuch niemals eine solche düstere Handlung erwartet, aufgrunddessen ist im Nachhinein betrachtet, das Cover sogar recht gruselig, aber absolut passend zum Inhalt gewählt.
Als die Protagonistin Aimee von ihrem absoluten Lieblingsort, dem Fluss hinter dem Haus ihrer Familie, zurück kehrt um ihre beste Freundin Courtney zu besuchen, stellt sie schnell fest, dass mit dieser irgendetwas nicht stimmt. Courtney ist nach dem Verschwinden des Bootes ihres Vaters auf hoher See, in ein tiefes Loch aus Trauer und Unglaube gefallen, und will den Tod ihres Vaters nicht akzeptieren. Diese Trauer zieht etwas dämonisches, gefährliches Böses an, dass von Courtney Besitz ergreift. Durch den Verlust ihres Mannes kann Courtneys Mutter das Haus alleine nicht mehr halten, sodass ihre Schwester und deren Sohn Alan herziehen. Als Alan und Aimee das erste Mal auf einander treffen, wissen sie gleich, dass sie mehr verbindet als nur ihre Beziehung zu Courtney. Gemeinsam kämpfen sie gegen das immer stärker werdende Böse an, dass mittlerweile in der gesamten Stadt für Unfrieden sorgt.
Das Autoren-Duo Jones und Wedel hat eine Storyidee geschaffen, die ich in dieser Art und Weise noch nicht kannte und die mich sehr von sich überzeugen konnte. Träume, Visionen, mysteriöse, mystische Vorfälle und etwas sehr Böses prägt den Alltag der beiden Jugendlichen Aimee und Alan. Die Magie und den Glauben der indianischen Vorfahren von Alan zu nutzen, um das "Böse" aus der Stadt zu vertreiben gefällt mir sehr gut. Diese alten Riten und Bräuche sind wahnsinnig spannend und interessant und vorallem gut gepaart mit der Magie der Träume und Visionen, die Aimee umgeben. Aimee und Alan sind ein gutes Team im Kampf gegen das Böse und konnten mich als Leser voll und ganz mitreißen.
Der Schreibstil hat an manchen Stellen leider etwas zu wünschen übrig gelassen. Manche Übergänge oder auch Dialoge sind etwas holprig und nicht ganz so flüssig, locker flockig zu lesen. Wahrscheinlich liegt dies an der Tatsache, dass das Buch von zwei Personen geschrieben worde, leider wirkt sich diese Teamarbeit bei Büchern von Autorenduos oft auf den Schreibstil aus. Sehr gut gefallen haben mir allerdings die Charakter Perspektivenwechsel. Jedes neue Kapitel beginnt mit einem Wechsel zwischen den beiden Protagonisten Alan und Aimee. Natürlich haben Wedel und Jones diese Sprünge perfekt genutzt um Spannung auf zu bauen und haben an den spannensten Stellen ein neues Kapitel aus der Sicht des jeweils anderen Charakters gestartet.
September 25, 2011
Okay let's get straight to the point. Overall this book was good. However there was a lot I liked about this book and a few parts that I didn't. I like the whole possession part of the story. I can see how someone would think of sacrificing their soul in a desperate attempt to save a loved one. What I don't really like is that this book was written as a young adult. I feel that I would have taken it more seriously if it were written as an adult book. I feel teenagers don't have the experience needed to help in a possession situation. What I do like, their take charge attitude. Yeah I'm weird. Got to admire someone who doesn't give up even when people say to do so.
Letting go of a loved one is hard, but letting go of a beloved parent is even harder. I know. Been there still there. That's really where this story start. Courtney's dad went missing in the river. And she has a hard time believing that he isn't coming back. Even after weeks has been missing, she can't wrap her head around the fact that he's gone.
That's when Aimee (her bff) starts seeing changes in Courtney. Her random mood swings and sudden outbursts are something that's not common with Courtney. And that concerns Aimee, even her boyfriend is acting weird. People around school are more volatile and aggressive. Something's up! And she has to get to the bottom of it.
Having to deal with the loss of her husband and now raising a teen daughter on her own. Courtney's mom asks her sister and her nephew Alan to come live with her through their hard times. Basically she's looking for company, a helping hand and some kind words. But Courtney's now changing for the worst. And her cousin is noticing exactly what is happening. Now it's up to him and Aimee to help her because their isn't a medical doctor in the world that can help Courtney with her dilemma. Possession.
I liked this book. It was well written. The authors didn't drag the possession along or slowed it down. It was well paced. Being that this is a paranormal YA, some characters have a special gift. And you'll notice them throughout the story. Now with a possession in hand Alan figured out what he had to do to help the situation. Now here is where my issue lies. I feel that as a teenager you are not mature enough to handle a possession especially without experience. Maybe if they had an adult helping them, the story would have been better in my eyes. However, given Alan's native Indian background, maybe it's in his blood to deal with this kinds of situations. Overall this was a good story. I enjoyed it and would recommend it to those that is interested in a paranormal YA. I give this book a 3.5 stars.
Letting go of a loved one is hard, but letting go of a beloved parent is even harder. I know. Been there still there. That's really where this story start. Courtney's dad went missing in the river. And she has a hard time believing that he isn't coming back. Even after weeks has been missing, she can't wrap her head around the fact that he's gone.
That's when Aimee (her bff) starts seeing changes in Courtney. Her random mood swings and sudden outbursts are something that's not common with Courtney. And that concerns Aimee, even her boyfriend is acting weird. People around school are more volatile and aggressive. Something's up! And she has to get to the bottom of it.
Having to deal with the loss of her husband and now raising a teen daughter on her own. Courtney's mom asks her sister and her nephew Alan to come live with her through their hard times. Basically she's looking for company, a helping hand and some kind words. But Courtney's now changing for the worst. And her cousin is noticing exactly what is happening. Now it's up to him and Aimee to help her because their isn't a medical doctor in the world that can help Courtney with her dilemma. Possession.
I liked this book. It was well written. The authors didn't drag the possession along or slowed it down. It was well paced. Being that this is a paranormal YA, some characters have a special gift. And you'll notice them throughout the story. Now with a possession in hand Alan figured out what he had to do to help the situation. Now here is where my issue lies. I feel that as a teenager you are not mature enough to handle a possession especially without experience. Maybe if they had an adult helping them, the story would have been better in my eyes. However, given Alan's native Indian background, maybe it's in his blood to deal with this kinds of situations. Overall this was a good story. I enjoyed it and would recommend it to those that is interested in a paranormal YA. I give this book a 3.5 stars.
November 4, 2011
I decided to read this book cause i have been reading dytopian/utopian books lately and my system just craves for a YA Fantasy novel. The cover art really caught my attention , i mean come on. ain't the cover just so beautiful? really captivating if you ask me
so what to say about the book? I think the book is kinda good the first couple of pages was tolerable, the first part of the book was kinda all over the place the plot was not that concrete and so does the characters. We are intoduce to a two main character in the book (Aimee and Alan) their characters for me is kinda poorly constructed (Sorry sorry sorry) It's just that there so no definite kind of trait or personality. I really don't know what to make out of Aimee's character sure she is not a "Damsel in Distress" (Stated by her) sure she is smart but her mind just works differently ahmm. in the first part of the book she said that Blake and her are like a couple meant for each other but she broke up with him cause he made fun of the new guy. (aint that shallow or what?) Alan reminds me of Jacob Black the way he is describe, but his thoughts were just filled on how much he fancy Aimee he even said that her Jaw looks sexy while chewing *Rolls Eyes* PUH-LEASE! i think it is safe to say that this book is filled with raging teen hormones.
The romance between the two teens are kinda fast for my taste. Aimee just broke up with her boyfriend and damn she is hanging out with ALAN? LOL. Her boyfriend is missing and ooohhh! she just kissed ALAN? haha! DAMN GIRL ain't you feisty or what?
the plot is not that great also, well it has it's moments due to the concept of possession it was kinda scary to be honest. I give credit on how the book stated "the possession", the plot is good but as you read on it kinda gets bad I really don't know what to make out of the possession mystery surrounding their town. MEH :/
Overall: i did not enjoy reading this one. This is actually a stand alone book. so yeah i won't even read the next one even if this is a series.
so what to say about the book? I think the book is kinda good the first couple of pages was tolerable, the first part of the book was kinda all over the place the plot was not that concrete and so does the characters. We are intoduce to a two main character in the book (Aimee and Alan) their characters for me is kinda poorly constructed (Sorry sorry sorry) It's just that there so no definite kind of trait or personality. I really don't know what to make out of Aimee's character sure she is not a "Damsel in Distress" (Stated by her) sure she is smart but her mind just works differently ahmm. in the first part of the book she said that Blake and her are like a couple meant for each other but she broke up with him cause he made fun of the new guy. (aint that shallow or what?) Alan reminds me of Jacob Black the way he is describe, but his thoughts were just filled on how much he fancy Aimee he even said that her Jaw looks sexy while chewing *Rolls Eyes* PUH-LEASE! i think it is safe to say that this book is filled with raging teen hormones.
The romance between the two teens are kinda fast for my taste. Aimee just broke up with her boyfriend and damn she is hanging out with ALAN? LOL. Her boyfriend is missing and ooohhh! she just kissed ALAN? haha! DAMN GIRL ain't you feisty or what?
the plot is not that great also, well it has it's moments due to the concept of possession it was kinda scary to be honest. I give credit on how the book stated "the possession", the plot is good but as you read on it kinda gets bad I really don't know what to make out of the possession mystery surrounding their town. MEH :/
Overall: i did not enjoy reading this one. This is actually a stand alone book. so yeah i won't even read the next one even if this is a series.
December 17, 2011
This book was absolutely amazing. Carrie Jones became one of my favorite YA authors last year when I happened across Need and quickly bought the series. After Obsession was another happy find. I hadn't realized it was coming and I jumped on it when I saw it released. I read it in two days, struggling to savor every gorgeous, intriguing, breath taking word as I raced from scene to scene, chapter to chapter dying to know what would happen next. Carrie crafts the best YA MCs, strong and good, flawed like the rest of us, but ultimately conquering their fears, reaching their goals. They face obstacles head on and do it selflessly. The chemistry in this book was off the chart, never really coming to the full on make out you crave, but leaving you with enough to know there is love there. That beyond the final page, more is unfolding in their lives.
After Obsession was the first YA thriller I've read. I'm not positive thriller is exactly the right word, but I know my heart raced and the hair on my arms stood at attention for most of the book. The evil is right there, touching their lives, tainting the pages, not drifting somewhere beyond like in many stories. I loved the tension. I worried for the characters, in many cases rightfully so. This was a very real book where stakes were high and bad bad things happened. They weren't' alluded to. She told you straight out, and it was creepy bad.
If you like YA, you will love this book. The characters are great. The story is intriguing and creeptastic and wonderful.
Read it. Read it. Read it.
After Obsession was the first YA thriller I've read. I'm not positive thriller is exactly the right word, but I know my heart raced and the hair on my arms stood at attention for most of the book. The evil is right there, touching their lives, tainting the pages, not drifting somewhere beyond like in many stories. I loved the tension. I worried for the characters, in many cases rightfully so. This was a very real book where stakes were high and bad bad things happened. They weren't' alluded to. She told you straight out, and it was creepy bad.
If you like YA, you will love this book. The characters are great. The story is intriguing and creeptastic and wonderful.
Read it. Read it. Read it.
June 6, 2011
I knew that I wanted to read this (I really enjoyed the first two of Carrie Jones' Need trilogy---I haven't read the third yet) but I took the title to mean some sort of stalker-y goodness. I was wrong.
There are four stages of demonic possession. Obsession is the third. After obsession? Full blown possession.
Yes. This book deals with possession. AWESOME. As you (probably?) know, I am a huge, huge fan of scary movies and the ones that always creep me out the most? Possession ones.
And this one? Yes. So, so scary. So deliciously creepy. So unsettling and, yes, so at odds with the fact that I read it in broad daylight. (This should be read at night, next to the only light on in the house.)
In case you need a plot synopsis, this is told by Aimee and Alan. Her best friend/his cousin Courtney hasn't been acting like her usual sunshine-y self. They've each had weird dreams and are under some sort of attack, but Courtney's the real target. We're at stage three and so they only have a limited amount of time to save her before it's too late. But what can two teenagers do, especially when their parents don't believe them at all?
If you like scary books (and this one seriously creeped me out---there were goosebumps and everything), this is for you. Recommended.
There are four stages of demonic possession. Obsession is the third. After obsession? Full blown possession.
Yes. This book deals with possession. AWESOME. As you (probably?) know, I am a huge, huge fan of scary movies and the ones that always creep me out the most? Possession ones.
And this one? Yes. So, so scary. So deliciously creepy. So unsettling and, yes, so at odds with the fact that I read it in broad daylight. (This should be read at night, next to the only light on in the house.)
In case you need a plot synopsis, this is told by Aimee and Alan. Her best friend/his cousin Courtney hasn't been acting like her usual sunshine-y self. They've each had weird dreams and are under some sort of attack, but Courtney's the real target. We're at stage three and so they only have a limited amount of time to save her before it's too late. But what can two teenagers do, especially when their parents don't believe them at all?
If you like scary books (and this one seriously creeped me out---there were goosebumps and everything), this is for you. Recommended.
September 19, 2011
I’ve been really excited to finally read a Carrie Jones novel, but after reading After Obsession, I can’t say I’m too impressed.
The whole idea of possession and cool powers is a good idea, but I don’t think the authors executed it really well. I wish there would’ve been more intake on Aimee and Alan’s powers as well as more history on them.
This story alternates point of views with Aimee and Alan which I liked. The relationship between Alan and Aimee seemed real and I liked how they didn’t love each other in the first three chapters. I didn’t like how Aimee broke up with her boyfriend Blake just because he said something a little racist. Sometimes, when I’m mad I can say bad stuff about people and it didn’t seem rational for her to end her relationship with him based on that.
Another thing I didn’t like was the writing style. I think that the authors made the characters voices seem a little too young. Also, there were a lot of unnecessary things said in their thoughts like “I can’t be a girlfriend to a racist” or “I beat him fair and square”.
Overall, I got through the whole book and I think that things really started getting exciting at the end. I wish that the hype hadn’t sounded too high because I expected some really good story after hearing good things about Carrie Jones’ Need series.
The whole idea of possession and cool powers is a good idea, but I don’t think the authors executed it really well. I wish there would’ve been more intake on Aimee and Alan’s powers as well as more history on them.
This story alternates point of views with Aimee and Alan which I liked. The relationship between Alan and Aimee seemed real and I liked how they didn’t love each other in the first three chapters. I didn’t like how Aimee broke up with her boyfriend Blake just because he said something a little racist. Sometimes, when I’m mad I can say bad stuff about people and it didn’t seem rational for her to end her relationship with him based on that.
Another thing I didn’t like was the writing style. I think that the authors made the characters voices seem a little too young. Also, there were a lot of unnecessary things said in their thoughts like “I can’t be a girlfriend to a racist” or “I beat him fair and square”.
Overall, I got through the whole book and I think that things really started getting exciting at the end. I wish that the hype hadn’t sounded too high because I expected some really good story after hearing good things about Carrie Jones’ Need series.
February 5, 2022
Reread in Sept.2021
This book is such a nostalgic one for me.
This was one of my favourites read back when I was in high school and I’m happy to say this is just as AMAZING as I remembered. Definitely the perfect read for the Halloween/fall season.
The storyline is thrilling and haunting. I just love the creepy vibe this book entails. One of the best depictions and storyline about demonic possession. This was a definite page turner filled with action and humour. And I just love the two main characters. Aimee and Alan are so unique and relatable. I love how their lives interconnect. Their romance is definitely one of the reasons to read this book. And can I just give some praise to the Native American heritage in this <3
1st Review
I read this book so fast.
I didn't expect to love it that much. The mystery gave me chills and the added romance to it was perfection. I loved both of the main characters, they were so unique. Highly recommend it. Highly enjoyed it.
This book is such a nostalgic one for me.
This was one of my favourites read back when I was in high school and I’m happy to say this is just as AMAZING as I remembered. Definitely the perfect read for the Halloween/fall season.
The storyline is thrilling and haunting. I just love the creepy vibe this book entails. One of the best depictions and storyline about demonic possession. This was a definite page turner filled with action and humour. And I just love the two main characters. Aimee and Alan are so unique and relatable. I love how their lives interconnect. Their romance is definitely one of the reasons to read this book. And can I just give some praise to the Native American heritage in this <3
1st Review
I read this book so fast.
I didn't expect to love it that much. The mystery gave me chills and the added romance to it was perfection. I loved both of the main characters, they were so unique. Highly recommend it. Highly enjoyed it.
January 30, 2013
Hey, kids! It's a YA paranormal done right!
A fun and different story (certainly not what I was expecting), told in alternating point of views, which kept the voices nicely distinct. I also loved that the guy was half Navajo, and used Native American rituals and magic to fight the curse. I'm sad that there's not a sequel (at least thus far), because I would really like to see the further adventures of Aimee and Alan!
A fun and different story (certainly not what I was expecting), told in alternating point of views, which kept the voices nicely distinct. I also loved that the guy was half Navajo, and used Native American rituals and magic to fight the curse. I'm sad that there's not a sequel (at least thus far), because I would really like to see the further adventures of Aimee and Alan!
April 17, 2012
I don't normally give out 1 star ratings. I have to really, really hate a book for me to give it the lowest rating, and the thing is, I don't really hate this book. It was just bad. It was boring and painful to read and I have no idea how I managed to make it to the end. The idea behind the book is good, I just think it was badly executed.
January 2, 2020
De geest in de rivier kon mij ondanks zijn veelbelovend concept niet bekoren. Zowel qua plot- als personageontwikkeling liet het jammer genoeg de wensen over. De cover springt erg in het oog en is erg geslaagd, maar van de inhoud ben ik geen fan.
Een uitgebreide recensie vind je terug op www.celinezoalszeis.be
Een uitgebreide recensie vind je terug op www.celinezoalszeis.be
September 19, 2011
Originally reviewed on The Book Smugglers
Aimee has always been a little different. Beautiful but withdrawn, Aimee has the ability to heal with her touch, and has frightening premonitions when she dreams. Though her gifts run strong, Aimee hides and pushes away her abilities for fear of ending up like her mother, who had similar powers but was consumed by madness, drowning herself in the river. While the loss of her mother leaves a huge hole in her family, Aimee struggles to maintain the balance of normalcy with her younger brother and grandfather while her father works longer and longer hours. Things are even worse when her best friend Courtney's father is lost at sea, and certainly dead. Courtney is devastated by the loss and hasn't been acting the same ever since...but Aimee chalks up her strange behavior to grief and does her best to be there for her best friend.
The loss of Courtney's father throws another pair of lives into a tailspin. Along with his mother, Alan leaves Oklahoma (and a likely athletic scholarship) behind to live with his aunt and cousin Courtney. Frustrated by his new school and its lack of a football team, Alan finds it hard to fit in - especially considering that in this insular New England town, his large frame and strong Navajo features stick out like a sore thumb. Then, Alan begins to notice that something is off about his cousin Courtney and her mood swings - he has his own supernatural gifts, inherited through his Navajo father and ancestors, and he knows that something much more sinister is at hand.
Something is wrong in Goffstown; an ancient evil stirs beneath the glassy surface of its cold river. It is up to Aimee and Alan, with their supernatural abilities, to figure out what is the source of Courtney's sickness, and how to stop it before it destroys her.
I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I started this book - the title, cover, and my experience with Carrie Jones's pixie books suggest paranormal romancey YA. In fact, After Obsession is a good old fashioned small town horror story - complete with requisite creepy Maine township setting, an ancient evil that pervades into said creepy town's hush-hush history, and even a nasty case of demonic possession (complete with exorcism, naturally). Narrated in alternating chapters following Aimee and Alan's viewpoints (I'm assuming that Carrie Jones wrote Aimee's chapters, while Steven Wedel handled Alan's), After Obsession is executed smoothly, blending both narrative voices nicely while the story builds to its climactic supernatural showdown. I loved the idea of the novel and certain parts of it were effective, spine-tingly fun, including a maleficent spirit hovering by Courtney's room, physical infestation (Courtney undergoes the usual possession signs of speaking in tongues, displaying supernatural strength, physical deterioration, all that jazz). The ominous figure of the "River Man" is a good a bogeyman as any, and as he situates his insidious agenda on the town, causing people to become violent and cruel, the tension grows.
There was, unfortunately, a level of hokiness to the writing that jars one's reading experience - especially considering the novel is trying to build an atmosphere of terror and foreboding. Also questionable is how quickly Aimee and Alan reveal their deepest secrets (of their supernatural abilities), and how easily the both of them jump to the "Oh, well it MUST be demonic possession!" conclusion without any real investigation or discussion (i.e. Alan diagnoses Courtney's demonic affliction after a detailed study of interwebs). I was also not so impressed with how quickly our two protagonists fall in love, or that there was a romance subplot in the first place. It's so...predictable, isn't it? Beyond the triteness of our hero and heroine getting all insta-connected and goo-goo eyed at each other, their romance is strangely devoid of any spark. There's a lot of buildup to a single kiss and for much of the novel Alan is kissing the top of Aimee's head (which strikes me as familial, not so sexy-timey).
Far more interesting, at least to me, was how these characters were developed individually. While Aimee's powers are somewhat undefined (other than she can kinda see/dream about future things, and she gets a tingly sensation when she shakes hands and can effectively heal people), I loved her inner turmoil with her mother's memory. Since her mother shared the same abilities, Aimee fears that if she uses her gifts, she, too, will become "crazy" and suicidal. Through gradually revealed memories and as she learns more about the evil that plagues Courtney, however, Aimee learns that her mother may not have been crazy and suicidal after all. While Aimee is a strong protagonist, it is Alan that steals the show - I loved his struggle to carve out his own cultural and spiritual identity, even though he faces dismissive comments from his (white) mother and jibes from his (also white) classmates. Mr. Wedel, a newcomer to YA fiction, does a fantastic job of nailing Alan's feelings of anger and alienation, and I appreciated that the novel isn't afraid to show some of the uglier, more racist elements present (especially in small town, predominantly whitebread America). Never having known his father, Alan still tries to connect with his Navajo father's heritage, reading books, searching online for information, even performing his own vision quest and receiving a spirit guide. The blend of Alan's powers with Aimee's is a well-crafted balance, and I love the inclusion of Navajo myth and legend in After Obsession (especially considering that most possession stories are usually of the white Catholic bend).
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed After Obsession and look forward to more from the Jones-Wedel writing team - because there's gotta be a sequel, right? Recommended.
Aimee has always been a little different. Beautiful but withdrawn, Aimee has the ability to heal with her touch, and has frightening premonitions when she dreams. Though her gifts run strong, Aimee hides and pushes away her abilities for fear of ending up like her mother, who had similar powers but was consumed by madness, drowning herself in the river. While the loss of her mother leaves a huge hole in her family, Aimee struggles to maintain the balance of normalcy with her younger brother and grandfather while her father works longer and longer hours. Things are even worse when her best friend Courtney's father is lost at sea, and certainly dead. Courtney is devastated by the loss and hasn't been acting the same ever since...but Aimee chalks up her strange behavior to grief and does her best to be there for her best friend.
The loss of Courtney's father throws another pair of lives into a tailspin. Along with his mother, Alan leaves Oklahoma (and a likely athletic scholarship) behind to live with his aunt and cousin Courtney. Frustrated by his new school and its lack of a football team, Alan finds it hard to fit in - especially considering that in this insular New England town, his large frame and strong Navajo features stick out like a sore thumb. Then, Alan begins to notice that something is off about his cousin Courtney and her mood swings - he has his own supernatural gifts, inherited through his Navajo father and ancestors, and he knows that something much more sinister is at hand.
Something is wrong in Goffstown; an ancient evil stirs beneath the glassy surface of its cold river. It is up to Aimee and Alan, with their supernatural abilities, to figure out what is the source of Courtney's sickness, and how to stop it before it destroys her.
I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I started this book - the title, cover, and my experience with Carrie Jones's pixie books suggest paranormal romancey YA. In fact, After Obsession is a good old fashioned small town horror story - complete with requisite creepy Maine township setting, an ancient evil that pervades into said creepy town's hush-hush history, and even a nasty case of demonic possession (complete with exorcism, naturally). Narrated in alternating chapters following Aimee and Alan's viewpoints (I'm assuming that Carrie Jones wrote Aimee's chapters, while Steven Wedel handled Alan's), After Obsession is executed smoothly, blending both narrative voices nicely while the story builds to its climactic supernatural showdown. I loved the idea of the novel and certain parts of it were effective, spine-tingly fun, including a maleficent spirit hovering by Courtney's room, physical infestation (Courtney undergoes the usual possession signs of speaking in tongues, displaying supernatural strength, physical deterioration, all that jazz). The ominous figure of the "River Man" is a good a bogeyman as any, and as he situates his insidious agenda on the town, causing people to become violent and cruel, the tension grows.
There was, unfortunately, a level of hokiness to the writing that jars one's reading experience - especially considering the novel is trying to build an atmosphere of terror and foreboding. Also questionable is how quickly Aimee and Alan reveal their deepest secrets (of their supernatural abilities), and how easily the both of them jump to the "Oh, well it MUST be demonic possession!" conclusion without any real investigation or discussion (i.e. Alan diagnoses Courtney's demonic affliction after a detailed study of interwebs). I was also not so impressed with how quickly our two protagonists fall in love, or that there was a romance subplot in the first place. It's so...predictable, isn't it? Beyond the triteness of our hero and heroine getting all insta-connected and goo-goo eyed at each other, their romance is strangely devoid of any spark. There's a lot of buildup to a single kiss and for much of the novel Alan is kissing the top of Aimee's head (which strikes me as familial, not so sexy-timey).
Far more interesting, at least to me, was how these characters were developed individually. While Aimee's powers are somewhat undefined (other than she can kinda see/dream about future things, and she gets a tingly sensation when she shakes hands and can effectively heal people), I loved her inner turmoil with her mother's memory. Since her mother shared the same abilities, Aimee fears that if she uses her gifts, she, too, will become "crazy" and suicidal. Through gradually revealed memories and as she learns more about the evil that plagues Courtney, however, Aimee learns that her mother may not have been crazy and suicidal after all. While Aimee is a strong protagonist, it is Alan that steals the show - I loved his struggle to carve out his own cultural and spiritual identity, even though he faces dismissive comments from his (white) mother and jibes from his (also white) classmates. Mr. Wedel, a newcomer to YA fiction, does a fantastic job of nailing Alan's feelings of anger and alienation, and I appreciated that the novel isn't afraid to show some of the uglier, more racist elements present (especially in small town, predominantly whitebread America). Never having known his father, Alan still tries to connect with his Navajo father's heritage, reading books, searching online for information, even performing his own vision quest and receiving a spirit guide. The blend of Alan's powers with Aimee's is a well-crafted balance, and I love the inclusion of Navajo myth and legend in After Obsession (especially considering that most possession stories are usually of the white Catholic bend).
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed After Obsession and look forward to more from the Jones-Wedel writing team - because there's gotta be a sequel, right? Recommended.
June 17, 2020
needed a break from all the sexy books i had been reading, wish i hadn't bothered! this was terrible. dull, dull, dull, a knife spinning on its own, yawn. why didn't they leave the haunted house? and then she brought someone back from the dead? really? i paid 50p for this, and it really wasn't worth it.
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