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Afterparty
Emma is tired of being good. Always the dutiful daughter to an overprotective father, she is the antithesis of her mother -- whose name her dad won't even say out loud. That's why meeting Siobhan is the best thing that ever happened to her...and the most dangerous. Because Siobhan is fun and alluring and experienced and lives on the edge. In other words, she's everything Emma is not.
And it may be more than Emma can handle.
Because as intoxicating as her secret life may be, when Emma begins to make her own decisions, Siobhan starts to unravel. It's more than just Dylan, the boy who comes between them. Their high-stakes pacts are spinning out of control. Elaborate lies become second nature. Loyalties and boundaries are blurred. And it all comes to a head at the infamous Afterparty, where debauchery rages and an intense, inescapable confrontation ends in a plummet from the rooftop.
This follow-up to Ann Redisch Stampler's Where It Began, reveals how those who know us best can hurt us most.
And it may be more than Emma can handle.
Because as intoxicating as her secret life may be, when Emma begins to make her own decisions, Siobhan starts to unravel. It's more than just Dylan, the boy who comes between them. Their high-stakes pacts are spinning out of control. Elaborate lies become second nature. Loyalties and boundaries are blurred. And it all comes to a head at the infamous Afterparty, where debauchery rages and an intense, inescapable confrontation ends in a plummet from the rooftop.
This follow-up to Ann Redisch Stampler's Where It Began, reveals how those who know us best can hurt us most.
416 pages, Hardcover
First published December 31, 2013
57 people are currently reading
7431 people want to read
About the author
Ann Redisch Stampler
9 books232 followersAnn Redisch Stampler is the author of the young adult novels Afterparty and Where It Began as well as half a dozen picture books. Her work has garnered an Aesop accolade, the National Jewish Book Award, Sydney Taylor honors, the Middle East Book Award, and Bank Street Best Books of the Year mentions. How to Disappear (Simon Pulse, 2016), her first young adult thriller, will be released in June. Ann lives in Los Angeles, California, with her husband Rick.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 238 reviews
February 28, 2014
DNF page 112.
I really really tried with this one. I noticed fairly early on that the writing was not my favorite but I still kept going another 100 pages, and I just can't get into it. The writing style keeps me too detached and distracted. I found a lot of sentences were unnecessarily long, filled with parenthetical expressions and/or endless rambles that made it exhausting to read. Few examples:
"The skin on my fingers wrinkles in exact inverse proportion to the unfolding of the furrows in my brain where all the sludge has lodged, until my mind is a blank plane that stretches like that fat blue California sky, all the way to the almost invisible horizon.
I read this 3 times and I still can't figure out what's wrong with these wrinkles but I'm fairly sure she should get medication. O_O
"Just as she’s telling me how welcome I’d be in levels of the temple higher than the basement where the food bank is, say in youth group, where I could be part of my own little community, my dad — who volunteers himself every couple of weeks, partly to help heal the world and partly to check up on me — bundles me into the car and starts making cracks about the place. "
"A hostess in white linen leads us to wicker club chairs on the deck next to Dr. Karp, the head of the Albert Whitbread Institute board of directors, and his wife, who are mounting a campaign to convince my dad that Los Angeles, far from being Sin City, is actually a lot like Heaven. "
"My dad grabs the backpack he has filled with brightly colored plastic school supplies, well suited to the carefree twelve-year-old I never was, and we wind down to Sunset, past the flower beds on the median strip at Sunset Plaza, past the Viper Room and the Roxy, back into the hills toward Latimer."
"Also in the good column, all the way on top, I cart sacks of brown rice around and teach eager eighty-year-olds (and kids who only know how to operate, say, late-model Macs) how to log in donations on the world’s oldest, slowest computer at the food bank where I volunteer — the place that my dad, in a giant breach of good-father decorum, slips up and calls Temple Beth Boob Job."
"My dad thinks malls are playgrounds of sick, unfettered materialism, thus eliminating any possibility that he’ll stumble on me teetering around in these sandals and small dresses while Siobhan screams at men who leer at her (This is the rule: They have to leer first) in languages other than English."
"He would appear to have spent the better part of the summer in resorts on the Mediterranean with Arif, who does a lot of waterskiing on an unidentified European lake, Dylan (literally) in tow, and eating dinner with twenty-seven other people somewhere that houses have extremely large dining rooms. "
"I curl up on the floor of my closet, waiting for some kind of epiphany to propel me to a higher plane of consciousness, or at least for some state of being in which I don’t feel like total crap, but it’s hard to achieve spiritual enlightenment between a pile of unwashed leotards and the hems of vintage skirts."
It's like the narrator is the kind of girl who rambles on and on without ever taking a breath. And now we're in her head!
Aside from the writing I found the story had a lot of potential but the characters were just too much. Think of the most overbearing, strict father ever. Then think of the worst case of a "bad influence best friend", and here we are. And they do random things like steal a horse. I just wasn't convinced by these personalities.
Anyways, this may just be an "it's not you it's me" situation, I don't know, but this writing is not for me.
--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
I really really tried with this one. I noticed fairly early on that the writing was not my favorite but I still kept going another 100 pages, and I just can't get into it. The writing style keeps me too detached and distracted. I found a lot of sentences were unnecessarily long, filled with parenthetical expressions and/or endless rambles that made it exhausting to read. Few examples:
"The skin on my fingers wrinkles in exact inverse proportion to the unfolding of the furrows in my brain where all the sludge has lodged, until my mind is a blank plane that stretches like that fat blue California sky, all the way to the almost invisible horizon.
I read this 3 times and I still can't figure out what's wrong with these wrinkles but I'm fairly sure she should get medication. O_O
"Just as she’s telling me how welcome I’d be in levels of the temple higher than the basement where the food bank is, say in youth group, where I could be part of my own little community, my dad — who volunteers himself every couple of weeks, partly to help heal the world and partly to check up on me — bundles me into the car and starts making cracks about the place. "
"A hostess in white linen leads us to wicker club chairs on the deck next to Dr. Karp, the head of the Albert Whitbread Institute board of directors, and his wife, who are mounting a campaign to convince my dad that Los Angeles, far from being Sin City, is actually a lot like Heaven. "
"My dad grabs the backpack he has filled with brightly colored plastic school supplies, well suited to the carefree twelve-year-old I never was, and we wind down to Sunset, past the flower beds on the median strip at Sunset Plaza, past the Viper Room and the Roxy, back into the hills toward Latimer."
"Also in the good column, all the way on top, I cart sacks of brown rice around and teach eager eighty-year-olds (and kids who only know how to operate, say, late-model Macs) how to log in donations on the world’s oldest, slowest computer at the food bank where I volunteer — the place that my dad, in a giant breach of good-father decorum, slips up and calls Temple Beth Boob Job."
"My dad thinks malls are playgrounds of sick, unfettered materialism, thus eliminating any possibility that he’ll stumble on me teetering around in these sandals and small dresses while Siobhan screams at men who leer at her (This is the rule: They have to leer first) in languages other than English."
"He would appear to have spent the better part of the summer in resorts on the Mediterranean with Arif, who does a lot of waterskiing on an unidentified European lake, Dylan (literally) in tow, and eating dinner with twenty-seven other people somewhere that houses have extremely large dining rooms. "
"I curl up on the floor of my closet, waiting for some kind of epiphany to propel me to a higher plane of consciousness, or at least for some state of being in which I don’t feel like total crap, but it’s hard to achieve spiritual enlightenment between a pile of unwashed leotards and the hems of vintage skirts."
It's like the narrator is the kind of girl who rambles on and on without ever taking a breath. And now we're in her head!
Aside from the writing I found the story had a lot of potential but the characters were just too much. Think of the most overbearing, strict father ever. Then think of the worst case of a "bad influence best friend", and here we are. And they do random things like steal a horse. I just wasn't convinced by these personalities.
Anyways, this may just be an "it's not you it's me" situation, I don't know, but this writing is not for me.
--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
October 21, 2013
Whoop! So I'm excited that Ann asked me to review her book and so glad I said yes! This book was sooooo good. Ann is a kick-ass writer.
So in Afterparty we follow this chick Emma who is coming from Canada to California. She is a pretty cool girl once we really get to know her. So far she has been know as a goody good girl. The kind that can't watch a movie unless she is the right age for it. Dresses her age, doesn't break rules, doesn't kiss boys, doesn't sneak out, etc. Well we shall see if that lasts through the whole book.
Being a new girl isn't easy, but when your the new girl in California, it's a big deal. Everyone there isn't so welcoming. California you either fit in or you fight with the popular/rich kids. Like trying to knock them to the ground in gym. Riding some chick's horse and having them in trouble for not taking care of it afterward. At least that isn't different, girls will always go after another no matter where. Huh, are girls like this everywhere?
Siobhan and Emma become friends. They are pretty good together, and the whole rules thing aren't really followed. Siobhan skypes a guy, and Emma has told her dad a lie. Emma ends up liking Dylan and talks to him too. These things shouldn't bother anyone, but it does.
Emma's dad has even gone and appointed her a best friend!!! Who DOES THAT! I think he is way to controlling. I can't stand it, plus the girl he appoints for Emma, he becomes friends with the girl's mom. The mom also happens to be crazy controlling! Can't have soft drinks, the bubbles in drinks are bad. Chewing gum is bad. Talking to certain people is bad. Most foods are bad. They claim everything to be bad, with soooo many medical reasons behind it. OMG being in the medical field should not mean you know everything about everything. The parents in the book, I hate them so much. If I had a controlling mom, I would have moved in with someone else. The way I am, I could never ever have someone who is controlling near me. Emma is too strong, but I love her for that. She would be with her mom, but since she is an addict, so her dad deemed her bad.
Okay jumping into the book again before I make this review all about controlling. Now the name Afterparty fits with the end of school year party, you know THE party that no one can miss. It's important to the girls since they made a plan about it, if their lives aren't better after that, they can jump off a tall building. A good pact or bad? Well I can tell you it doesn't go as planned. Got you wondering don't I? Well the end is so fast, that you can gobble it up in no time. The whole book was amazing, but the middle to the end was my favorite part. Just the beginning was a little slow start for me, but that's just because this book is YA and contemporary. I haven't read a ton of those so I have remind myself its okay if there is no paranormal in a book.
Okay so, go out there are pre-order a copy right now! The book comes out in January, so it would be a great read for those of you who would be on winter break. I give this book 5 stars and will have to be reading more books by Ann.
So in Afterparty we follow this chick Emma who is coming from Canada to California. She is a pretty cool girl once we really get to know her. So far she has been know as a goody good girl. The kind that can't watch a movie unless she is the right age for it. Dresses her age, doesn't break rules, doesn't kiss boys, doesn't sneak out, etc. Well we shall see if that lasts through the whole book.
Being a new girl isn't easy, but when your the new girl in California, it's a big deal. Everyone there isn't so welcoming. California you either fit in or you fight with the popular/rich kids. Like trying to knock them to the ground in gym. Riding some chick's horse and having them in trouble for not taking care of it afterward. At least that isn't different, girls will always go after another no matter where. Huh, are girls like this everywhere?
Siobhan and Emma become friends. They are pretty good together, and the whole rules thing aren't really followed. Siobhan skypes a guy, and Emma has told her dad a lie. Emma ends up liking Dylan and talks to him too. These things shouldn't bother anyone, but it does.
Emma's dad has even gone and appointed her a best friend!!! Who DOES THAT! I think he is way to controlling. I can't stand it, plus the girl he appoints for Emma, he becomes friends with the girl's mom. The mom also happens to be crazy controlling! Can't have soft drinks, the bubbles in drinks are bad. Chewing gum is bad. Talking to certain people is bad. Most foods are bad. They claim everything to be bad, with soooo many medical reasons behind it. OMG being in the medical field should not mean you know everything about everything. The parents in the book, I hate them so much. If I had a controlling mom, I would have moved in with someone else. The way I am, I could never ever have someone who is controlling near me. Emma is too strong, but I love her for that. She would be with her mom, but since she is an addict, so her dad deemed her bad.
Okay jumping into the book again before I make this review all about controlling. Now the name Afterparty fits with the end of school year party, you know THE party that no one can miss. It's important to the girls since they made a plan about it, if their lives aren't better after that, they can jump off a tall building. A good pact or bad? Well I can tell you it doesn't go as planned. Got you wondering don't I? Well the end is so fast, that you can gobble it up in no time. The whole book was amazing, but the middle to the end was my favorite part. Just the beginning was a little slow start for me, but that's just because this book is YA and contemporary. I haven't read a ton of those so I have remind myself its okay if there is no paranormal in a book.
Okay so, go out there are pre-order a copy right now! The book comes out in January, so it would be a great read for those of you who would be on winter break. I give this book 5 stars and will have to be reading more books by Ann.
January 13, 2016
I read this book lightning fast – couldn’t get through it fast enough! It’s a great, fast read. By great I mean well-written, interesting, and captivating. It’s like a train wreck – you know it’s not going to end well, but you just can’t look away. You have to see what happens.
Characters … they were interesting. I liked Emma, most of the time. Didn’t like Siobhan much at all, especially not as the story progresses. It’s clear this girl is unstable, at best. My guess? Bipolar. Read the book and you’ll see. What amazed me was just how much Emma put up with. How blind she was to Siobhan’s manipulation and lies. I felt bad for Emma while also wanting to smack sense into her occasionally! LOL Dylan is clearly into Emma from the start, but she’s obviously too insecure to see that. Which is pretty normal for girls her age. When they finally come around, I was rooting for them the whole time, despite everything. And, while a bit more of a minor character, I really liked Megan. She was a great contrast to Siobhan’s crazy.
The lies got old fast, and it was annoying when opportunities to come clean were ignored. I get hiding things from the parents – what kids/teens don’t do that? But, the flat-out lies about pretty much everything in Emma’s life … it was hard to watch things unfold. And what’s with Siobhan and pacts? That was a bit, um, odd? I dunno.
Afterparty by Ann Redisch Stampler is a compelling, crazy story about a lonely girl who finds one friend in her new prep school. Yes, part of what pushes Emma and Siobhan together is a mutual enemy: Chelsea. So, I can see Emma clinging to that friendship. It was a refuge as she learned her way around her new home and school. What unfolds is crazy, wild, and in some ways heartbreaking. Stampler tells a powerful story, and I would highly recommend this to fans of contemporary, realistic YA.
Characters … they were interesting. I liked Emma, most of the time. Didn’t like Siobhan much at all, especially not as the story progresses. It’s clear this girl is unstable, at best. My guess? Bipolar. Read the book and you’ll see. What amazed me was just how much Emma put up with. How blind she was to Siobhan’s manipulation and lies. I felt bad for Emma while also wanting to smack sense into her occasionally! LOL Dylan is clearly into Emma from the start, but she’s obviously too insecure to see that. Which is pretty normal for girls her age. When they finally come around, I was rooting for them the whole time, despite everything. And, while a bit more of a minor character, I really liked Megan. She was a great contrast to Siobhan’s crazy.
The lies got old fast, and it was annoying when opportunities to come clean were ignored. I get hiding things from the parents – what kids/teens don’t do that? But, the flat-out lies about pretty much everything in Emma’s life … it was hard to watch things unfold. And what’s with Siobhan and pacts? That was a bit, um, odd? I dunno.
Afterparty by Ann Redisch Stampler is a compelling, crazy story about a lonely girl who finds one friend in her new prep school. Yes, part of what pushes Emma and Siobhan together is a mutual enemy: Chelsea. So, I can see Emma clinging to that friendship. It was a refuge as she learned her way around her new home and school. What unfolds is crazy, wild, and in some ways heartbreaking. Stampler tells a powerful story, and I would highly recommend this to fans of contemporary, realistic YA.
June 20, 2015
In her signature style, Ann Redisch Stampler does it again! She writes with such honesty, beauty and conviction, it is practically impossible to put this book down. Is it as good as her debut, Where It Began? Yes! Perhaps even a little better! Even more captivating, suspenseful and filled with so many feelings, you'll be mesmerized and addicted, and turning the pages like a Stampler junkie.
Emma's mother was a drug addict and she died from overdose. Her death affected Emma's life in more than just one way. Now, Em's overprotective dad won't let his precious daughter out of his sight. His borderline obsessive protectiveness is too much for Emma to take. She doesn't want to be the good Emma anymore. She doesn't want to be the perfect daughter and flawless student. She wants something different and more exciting for herself, and she is determined to get it. When Emma meets Siobhan - a dangerous, rebellious, unstoppable free spirit - their friendship seems fated. They make a pact that Emma will, over the course of her junior year, do all the things she never did before, including sneaking out of the house, attending hot parties, having sex, drinking alcohol and more. But what starts off as an exciting and intoxicating new friendship, quickly spirals out of control when Siobhan shows her other, much more sinister side...
In 2012, I gobbled down Where It Began. I instantly fell in love with Ann Stampler's vivid, powerful and emotionally loaded writing style. Afterparty sports a similar kind of liveliness and the same type of addicting narrative. Perhaps Emma is even more expressive and wordy than Gabby (Gabby's narrative tone was more sarcastic and biting, whereas Emma's is more poetic and contemplative), but I still had no trouble connecting with her (even if some of her musings were mind-blowingly abstract). If wordy prose isn't your cup of tea, you will probably shy away from this book, but if, like me, you enjoy getting to know your characters well and finding out how and what they think, you will have plenty of fun reading it.
Emma was a very interesting, complex character. Seeing her break out of her protective shell and run wild was fascinating, even though from the sinister opening line of the book you are kind of expecting the worst to happen. I admired Emma for trying hard to stay in control of her own life. Both her father and her new best friend tried to mold her into someone she was not, but for the most part Emma stayed true to herself. She had a strong personality and she only grew stronger toward the end of the story.
Afterparty is a compulsively readable contemporary fiction that blends high-intensity drama with romance and elements of thriller, creating an explosive, addictive and thoroughly captivating story. It's not perfect, it has its shortcomings, and not everyone will find the writing style to their liking for sure, but if you enjoyed Where It Began, I am sure you will love Afterparty just as much, if not more. Personally, I am a huge fan of Stampler's writing style. I can't get enough of it. And I really can't wait for her next book!
Emma's mother was a drug addict and she died from overdose. Her death affected Emma's life in more than just one way. Now, Em's overprotective dad won't let his precious daughter out of his sight. His borderline obsessive protectiveness is too much for Emma to take. She doesn't want to be the good Emma anymore. She doesn't want to be the perfect daughter and flawless student. She wants something different and more exciting for herself, and she is determined to get it. When Emma meets Siobhan - a dangerous, rebellious, unstoppable free spirit - their friendship seems fated. They make a pact that Emma will, over the course of her junior year, do all the things she never did before, including sneaking out of the house, attending hot parties, having sex, drinking alcohol and more. But what starts off as an exciting and intoxicating new friendship, quickly spirals out of control when Siobhan shows her other, much more sinister side...
In 2012, I gobbled down Where It Began. I instantly fell in love with Ann Stampler's vivid, powerful and emotionally loaded writing style. Afterparty sports a similar kind of liveliness and the same type of addicting narrative. Perhaps Emma is even more expressive and wordy than Gabby (Gabby's narrative tone was more sarcastic and biting, whereas Emma's is more poetic and contemplative), but I still had no trouble connecting with her (even if some of her musings were mind-blowingly abstract). If wordy prose isn't your cup of tea, you will probably shy away from this book, but if, like me, you enjoy getting to know your characters well and finding out how and what they think, you will have plenty of fun reading it.
Emma was a very interesting, complex character. Seeing her break out of her protective shell and run wild was fascinating, even though from the sinister opening line of the book you are kind of expecting the worst to happen. I admired Emma for trying hard to stay in control of her own life. Both her father and her new best friend tried to mold her into someone she was not, but for the most part Emma stayed true to herself. She had a strong personality and she only grew stronger toward the end of the story.
Afterparty is a compulsively readable contemporary fiction that blends high-intensity drama with romance and elements of thriller, creating an explosive, addictive and thoroughly captivating story. It's not perfect, it has its shortcomings, and not everyone will find the writing style to their liking for sure, but if you enjoyed Where It Began, I am sure you will love Afterparty just as much, if not more. Personally, I am a huge fan of Stampler's writing style. I can't get enough of it. And I really can't wait for her next book!
February 5, 2014
Afterparty was a read which was an uphill sort of struggle read, there were aspects which were fantastic and I found myself really caught up in the lives of these characters and concerned about what could happen to them. But then there were parts which left me with a bewildered look on my face or parts which were just put in which seemed to me for no reason. But the mind funks and slower series in the end were worth it, as Afterparty was a really dark and gritty read than I was expecting it to be.
Emma’s the new girl at school she quickly makes friends in Siobhan and Dylan, but feels as if she’s missing out on a lot because her social life is really limited to her dad’s restrictions. Once you read further into the story, you kind of begin to understand the way he is, but at first you kind of find yourself rooting for Emma to go out and have a good time. And that she does. It was interesting seeing the inner struggles that Emma has in her head about what she’s doing and what she shouldn’t be. And only because Siobhan is the only person who wants to hang with her, she agrees to everything she says.
Emma was really a good friend to Siobhan, probably too much of a good friend, early on it did seem that both girls were investing a lot into their friendship. Siobhan was helping Emma come out of her shell more and Emma was there for Siobhan when her life at home wasn’t too great or when she was missing friends. But at points I did get frustrated with Emma’s character for not being straight up with Siobhan, it could have saved her a lot of heartache. But this frustration does not compare to what Siobhan put me through, she kind of had me and Emma fooled for most of the book. This girl was seriously a piece of work, the devious plans she came up with just made me rage. But despite relentless damage inflicted upon Emma’s relationship with her boyfriend Dylan by Siobhan, Emma would still try to look out for Siobhan. I know she was totally losing it as the book progressed, but I just wanted Emma to let her go.
And then there was Emma’s relationship with Dylan, from the beginning I knew they would make a great couple. Yes there was a particular person who tried to ruin this several times and of course, both Dylan and Emma had kept their own secrets from one another. This was actually something I didn’t like. We’re told of all the things Emma is keeping from Dylan, but of course Emma just can’t bring herself to tell him the truth *rage* and of course everything later blows up *sigh*. But Dylan isn’t an innocent party either; some of his secrets were hugely surprising too. But I always appreciate when a couple who were both put through their fair amount of crap, still find themselves there for each other no matter what. And of course Dylan did provide some really dreamy scenes.
Afterparty is a great read, once you are able to get through the initial sluggish start and get used to the different narrative. The narrative sometimes still didn’t flow well with me in later parts, but Stampler provided a really dark novel in Afterparty which dealt with a lot of issues really well. That I was able to overlook some of the earlier issues I had and find a decent read in this book.
Emma’s the new girl at school she quickly makes friends in Siobhan and Dylan, but feels as if she’s missing out on a lot because her social life is really limited to her dad’s restrictions. Once you read further into the story, you kind of begin to understand the way he is, but at first you kind of find yourself rooting for Emma to go out and have a good time. And that she does. It was interesting seeing the inner struggles that Emma has in her head about what she’s doing and what she shouldn’t be. And only because Siobhan is the only person who wants to hang with her, she agrees to everything she says.
Emma was really a good friend to Siobhan, probably too much of a good friend, early on it did seem that both girls were investing a lot into their friendship. Siobhan was helping Emma come out of her shell more and Emma was there for Siobhan when her life at home wasn’t too great or when she was missing friends. But at points I did get frustrated with Emma’s character for not being straight up with Siobhan, it could have saved her a lot of heartache. But this frustration does not compare to what Siobhan put me through, she kind of had me and Emma fooled for most of the book. This girl was seriously a piece of work, the devious plans she came up with just made me rage. But despite relentless damage inflicted upon Emma’s relationship with her boyfriend Dylan by Siobhan, Emma would still try to look out for Siobhan. I know she was totally losing it as the book progressed, but I just wanted Emma to let her go.
And then there was Emma’s relationship with Dylan, from the beginning I knew they would make a great couple. Yes there was a particular person who tried to ruin this several times and of course, both Dylan and Emma had kept their own secrets from one another. This was actually something I didn’t like. We’re told of all the things Emma is keeping from Dylan, but of course Emma just can’t bring herself to tell him the truth *rage* and of course everything later blows up *sigh*. But Dylan isn’t an innocent party either; some of his secrets were hugely surprising too. But I always appreciate when a couple who were both put through their fair amount of crap, still find themselves there for each other no matter what. And of course Dylan did provide some really dreamy scenes.
Afterparty is a great read, once you are able to get through the initial sluggish start and get used to the different narrative. The narrative sometimes still didn’t flow well with me in later parts, but Stampler provided a really dark novel in Afterparty which dealt with a lot of issues really well. That I was able to overlook some of the earlier issues I had and find a decent read in this book.
December 24, 2013
So. Much. Awesome.
What? You can't just trust me an read it? You want details? Fine.
First of all, it was such a relief to read a contemporary YA. I've been stuck in the land of dystopia for so long, and I just wanted out. This is Gossip Girl meets... well, L.A., I guess, and one of the girls actually starts out pretty innocent. Other than that, it's very Gossip Girl-esque.
Emma is tired of being good. She convinces her dad to take a job in Los Angeles so she can try and experience some normal teen life. She falls in with Siobhan, a girl who also doesn't fit in at their private school, who seems to live life on the edge. Unfortunately, she's a little more wild than Emma bargained for.
I loved this parasitic, totally unhealthy friendship. There's also a boy. Okay, more than one boy, but one main one. The boys often go after both of the friends. It's horrid and confusing and exactly like I remember relationships in high school. Also, there's a suicide pact. And in spite of all that, I actually laughed out loud at several points. This book will take you all over the emotional map, and I loved it.
What? You can't just trust me an read it? You want details? Fine.
First of all, it was such a relief to read a contemporary YA. I've been stuck in the land of dystopia for so long, and I just wanted out. This is Gossip Girl meets... well, L.A., I guess, and one of the girls actually starts out pretty innocent. Other than that, it's very Gossip Girl-esque.
Emma is tired of being good. She convinces her dad to take a job in Los Angeles so she can try and experience some normal teen life. She falls in with Siobhan, a girl who also doesn't fit in at their private school, who seems to live life on the edge. Unfortunately, she's a little more wild than Emma bargained for.
I loved this parasitic, totally unhealthy friendship. There's also a boy. Okay, more than one boy, but one main one. The boys often go after both of the friends. It's horrid and confusing and exactly like I remember relationships in high school. Also, there's a suicide pact. And in spite of all that, I actually laughed out loud at several points. This book will take you all over the emotional map, and I loved it.
November 10, 2013
Really Good. Cant say much without spoiling it :)
December 12, 2013
You can also find this review at http://girlinthewoodsreviews.blogspot...
Detailed Review: I was pretty much wasted after I finished Afterparty. I just felt like it had worn me out: a feeling I always seldom get from a book unless it was a) so bad that I felt it was a waste of time reading it or b) so good that I couldn't stop reading at all. But the whole process of reading just got better and better, and I found it harder to stop when I reached the halfway point; the further I got, the more intense it became. You simply can't stop your heart frorm beating too fast.
I am on the verge of spoiling the whole book for you. Even the way it was written prompts you to read on, especially the way it was structured. The book started with a page that showed a tidbit of what happened in the end. And then it jumped right into the beginning of the story. This is where you curiosity overtakes and you just have to start reading even though the ending has just been given to you. Nice.
But the ending in that first page was not the ending at all. So imagine how I felt when I read the actual ending. Imagine how my mouth fell open with shock.
I'm just ranting and raving about how good the book was and I haven't reached the fun part yet! THE CHARACTERS.
Siobhan was a whirlwind of a character. She was the one who stood out the most with her wild and unexpected ways. She represented the spirit of the book, wild and intense. I felt like she was actually the person controlling the story, not Emma. Try adding a boy to the equation. Emma's been having a crush on him, and it's something that could potentially damage Siobhan and Emma's fragile friendship in unimaginable ways.
The main character wasn't bad either. The beginning started with Emma the Good. Then everything changed when she met Siobhan. She started pushing the limits and breaking rules for one thing. Afterparty. She changes throughout the book and it seems almost beautiful to me how she was evolving with every step she took and rule she broke.
Afterparty felt so real to me. Remind me to never make pacts with best friends. I do NOT want to fall down from a building on purpose. (Oops, a small spoiler)
And since you had enough patience to read through the whole review (I know it's long), here's a treat for you!
If you don't know, the FIRST THREE CHAPTERS OF AFTERPARTY ARE UP ON SCRIBD. So if you want to know why I love this book so much, go on and read it. Here's the link:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/183272047/A...
Brief Review: Ann gives you no time breathe at all; she expects you to experience this book all in one breath. It was a near-death experience; but it was worth it. If you want a hangover from reading a book, Afterparty's the one you're looking for. Deeply provocative and compelling, Afterparty is a story of a friendship gone wrong and the consequences of it: losing control and most of all, losing yourself.
Final Rating: 5/5 'Totally Amazing!'
Detailed Review: I was pretty much wasted after I finished Afterparty. I just felt like it had worn me out: a feeling I always seldom get from a book unless it was a) so bad that I felt it was a waste of time reading it or b) so good that I couldn't stop reading at all. But the whole process of reading just got better and better, and I found it harder to stop when I reached the halfway point; the further I got, the more intense it became. You simply can't stop your heart frorm beating too fast.
I am on the verge of spoiling the whole book for you. Even the way it was written prompts you to read on, especially the way it was structured. The book started with a page that showed a tidbit of what happened in the end. And then it jumped right into the beginning of the story. This is where you curiosity overtakes and you just have to start reading even though the ending has just been given to you. Nice.
But the ending in that first page was not the ending at all. So imagine how I felt when I read the actual ending. Imagine how my mouth fell open with shock.
I'm just ranting and raving about how good the book was and I haven't reached the fun part yet! THE CHARACTERS.
Siobhan was a whirlwind of a character. She was the one who stood out the most with her wild and unexpected ways. She represented the spirit of the book, wild and intense. I felt like she was actually the person controlling the story, not Emma. Try adding a boy to the equation. Emma's been having a crush on him, and it's something that could potentially damage Siobhan and Emma's fragile friendship in unimaginable ways.
The main character wasn't bad either. The beginning started with Emma the Good. Then everything changed when she met Siobhan. She started pushing the limits and breaking rules for one thing. Afterparty. She changes throughout the book and it seems almost beautiful to me how she was evolving with every step she took and rule she broke.
Afterparty felt so real to me. Remind me to never make pacts with best friends. I do NOT want to fall down from a building on purpose. (Oops, a small spoiler)
And since you had enough patience to read through the whole review (I know it's long), here's a treat for you!
If you don't know, the FIRST THREE CHAPTERS OF AFTERPARTY ARE UP ON SCRIBD. So if you want to know why I love this book so much, go on and read it. Here's the link:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/183272047/A...
Brief Review: Ann gives you no time breathe at all; she expects you to experience this book all in one breath. It was a near-death experience; but it was worth it. If you want a hangover from reading a book, Afterparty's the one you're looking for. Deeply provocative and compelling, Afterparty is a story of a friendship gone wrong and the consequences of it: losing control and most of all, losing yourself.
Final Rating: 5/5 'Totally Amazing!'
January 4, 2014
Afterparty reads like a cross-over of genres into psychological thriller territory - a sort of YA Gone Girl.
The writing is smart and perceptive and I am sure there are many out there who will be able to relate to much of what occurs in this book, be they YAs with the experiences still current or adults looking back on past experiences.
Redisch Stampler does that thing I like; she does not over-explain things. A lot is left unsaid and it is up to the reader to think about the text (and context) and fill in the blanks. A simple example being the part about Emma taking notes in class for Dylan (clearly he did not need them).
The author also demonstrates in this novel the way individuals perceive themselves differently from the way others do. Emma is convinced that she is bad (that her moral compass is warped), but as much as she tried to convince me of this, I have to disagree. It seemed to me her behaviour was the result of (1) her father who (ironically is a psychiatrist) not dealing with his own 'issues' and projecting them on his daughter, and (2) reacting to her emotionally screwed-up friend, to whom she becomes devoted. That said, Emma is responsible for her bad choices and has to deal with the consequences of those choices. Speaking of which, I can guarantee that you will become annoyed and frustrated with the key characters as they are human and at times behave in ways that make you want to shout at them. In most cases, however, their behaviour is completely understandable, if not justified. I say most cases because I did struggle to understand why a smart guy like Dylan allows himself to be manipulated not once but twice.
For reasons mentioned above, I believe this one will be like Marmite (readers will either love it or will take issue with it since, a lot of the time, characters are either being nasty or they are victims of nasty behaviour.) It certainly does not portray the environment of the elite private school, or the rich people and their children who attend them, in a positive light. It got me thinking about the disparity between wealth and happiness.
I found it to be a pager-turner of a novel and I stayed up until the early hours reading it (I simply could not put it down).
(As you probably deduced), I also found it thought-provoking. I found myself drawing parallels with Catcher in the Rye and also Where'd You Go, Bernadette - both favourites of mine. All of these novels examine the high end of social class and wealth in a similar way. Also, they are all told from the point of view of teenagers but with writing sophisticated enough to target teenage and adult readers alike.
Perhaps it is too early for me to call Afterparty one of my favourites for 2014, but if I am to read many more as good as this what an excellent year for reading it will be.
The writing is smart and perceptive and I am sure there are many out there who will be able to relate to much of what occurs in this book, be they YAs with the experiences still current or adults looking back on past experiences.
Redisch Stampler does that thing I like; she does not over-explain things. A lot is left unsaid and it is up to the reader to think about the text (and context) and fill in the blanks. A simple example being the part about Emma taking notes in class for Dylan (clearly he did not need them).
The author also demonstrates in this novel the way individuals perceive themselves differently from the way others do. Emma is convinced that she is bad (that her moral compass is warped), but as much as she tried to convince me of this, I have to disagree. It seemed to me her behaviour was the result of (1) her father who (ironically is a psychiatrist) not dealing with his own 'issues' and projecting them on his daughter, and (2) reacting to her emotionally screwed-up friend, to whom she becomes devoted. That said, Emma is responsible for her bad choices and has to deal with the consequences of those choices. Speaking of which, I can guarantee that you will become annoyed and frustrated with the key characters as they are human and at times behave in ways that make you want to shout at them. In most cases, however, their behaviour is completely understandable, if not justified. I say most cases because I did struggle to understand why a smart guy like Dylan allows himself to be manipulated not once but twice.
For reasons mentioned above, I believe this one will be like Marmite (readers will either love it or will take issue with it since, a lot of the time, characters are either being nasty or they are victims of nasty behaviour.) It certainly does not portray the environment of the elite private school, or the rich people and their children who attend them, in a positive light. It got me thinking about the disparity between wealth and happiness.
I found it to be a pager-turner of a novel and I stayed up until the early hours reading it (I simply could not put it down).
(As you probably deduced), I also found it thought-provoking. I found myself drawing parallels with Catcher in the Rye and also Where'd You Go, Bernadette - both favourites of mine. All of these novels examine the high end of social class and wealth in a similar way. Also, they are all told from the point of view of teenagers but with writing sophisticated enough to target teenage and adult readers alike.
Perhaps it is too early for me to call Afterparty one of my favourites for 2014, but if I am to read many more as good as this what an excellent year for reading it will be.
October 28, 2013
Well what can I say about Afterparty but what a ride. This one was for sure a take me back to high school kind of read and one that touched on some topics that I know for sure would be great for the high school fans.
The story follows two main characters, Siobhan and
Emma. These two girls are poplar opposites in ever way but in this crazy journey of two girls trying to function in the world of High school issues you will you will get a book full. Theses two girls meet in the start of the school year Siobhan being a girl whom is shy and never really trying to draw attrition to her self. Then you have Emma she is well nothing like Siobhan and has done everything.
After becoming very close and forming a pact that if they don’t have better life’s by the time the huge Afterparty at the end of the year they will jump off a building together. This pact will take you on the ups and downs of what two high school girls will go through and how some times friends can be more harmful then not. The story is most defiantly intense and different I don’t think I have read a story like this one before.
Stampler did a great job keeping you hooked, and always wondering what are these girls going to do next. I am not sure I had a favorite character I think I enjoyed them all. I do think that each and everyone fit and only made the story that much more enjoyable. I know this will be a GREAT read for all my NON-paranormal readers they will enjoy the fact Stampler really has you feeling like part of the group in this one.
I hope read this one I think it really opens your eyes to what might be going on with girls in school and some of the pressure they deal with. I know I have a 10th grader and I was glad to read this one and might just pass along to her so she can see that all girls struggle in high school!
The story follows two main characters, Siobhan and
Emma. These two girls are poplar opposites in ever way but in this crazy journey of two girls trying to function in the world of High school issues you will you will get a book full. Theses two girls meet in the start of the school year Siobhan being a girl whom is shy and never really trying to draw attrition to her self. Then you have Emma she is well nothing like Siobhan and has done everything.
After becoming very close and forming a pact that if they don’t have better life’s by the time the huge Afterparty at the end of the year they will jump off a building together. This pact will take you on the ups and downs of what two high school girls will go through and how some times friends can be more harmful then not. The story is most defiantly intense and different I don’t think I have read a story like this one before.
Stampler did a great job keeping you hooked, and always wondering what are these girls going to do next. I am not sure I had a favorite character I think I enjoyed them all. I do think that each and everyone fit and only made the story that much more enjoyable. I know this will be a GREAT read for all my NON-paranormal readers they will enjoy the fact Stampler really has you feeling like part of the group in this one.
I hope read this one I think it really opens your eyes to what might be going on with girls in school and some of the pressure they deal with. I know I have a 10th grader and I was glad to read this one and might just pass along to her so she can see that all girls struggle in high school!
December 23, 2013
A snippet of the full review, below. Full review here: http://prettylittlememoirs.blogspot.c...
I was intrigued right from the first page. I mean, when on the first page when it starts with an ending one-liner as enthralling as that, I think everyone is going to turn that page and keep going.
The book opens and introduces Emma and her father to us. They're moving from Canada to California and right away the difference in lifestyle is a big change for both of them, but people tell them that they'll love California, so they keep that in mind. Emma is and has always been the "good girl" stereotype that she prides herself on being, and knows that if she gets good grades and follows the rules, life will work out great for her. She's started quite a lot of new schools before, and knows the drill and the motions like it's second nature.
Within a short time of starting her new school, Emma meets a girl called Siobhan, who is noticeably the opposite of everything Emma prides herself on; she doesn't follow all the rules, and does what she wants, when she wants to. But to Emma, this doesn't matter at first, and they become really fast friends, quite close right away.
Afterparty was a huge hit for me. I can't even put into words how much I loved it or even pin-point the amazing parts, because it was literally the whole thing. Before you've had a chance to take in one surprise, another comes in and takes your breath. It was gripping, one-of-a-kind and incomparable. A must for everyone's book shelf.
I was intrigued right from the first page. I mean, when on the first page when it starts with an ending one-liner as enthralling as that, I think everyone is going to turn that page and keep going.
The book opens and introduces Emma and her father to us. They're moving from Canada to California and right away the difference in lifestyle is a big change for both of them, but people tell them that they'll love California, so they keep that in mind. Emma is and has always been the "good girl" stereotype that she prides herself on being, and knows that if she gets good grades and follows the rules, life will work out great for her. She's started quite a lot of new schools before, and knows the drill and the motions like it's second nature.
Within a short time of starting her new school, Emma meets a girl called Siobhan, who is noticeably the opposite of everything Emma prides herself on; she doesn't follow all the rules, and does what she wants, when she wants to. But to Emma, this doesn't matter at first, and they become really fast friends, quite close right away.
Afterparty was a huge hit for me. I can't even put into words how much I loved it or even pin-point the amazing parts, because it was literally the whole thing. Before you've had a chance to take in one surprise, another comes in and takes your breath. It was gripping, one-of-a-kind and incomparable. A must for everyone's book shelf.
December 31, 2013
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON INKBITTEN.COM
Characters make the story, for me. I can read any genre, and truly enjoy any genre, as long as I like the characters. Thankfully, one of use strongest points of Afterparty is the characterization. Take Emma, the main character. If you're like me, you spend your Saturday nights at home, in sweat pants, writing stupid biology papers and cursing the class under your breath. While I might not want to be out there breaking the rules, taking risks, etc. etc. I certainly wouldn't mind reading about people who do. Emma is more than just an excuse to live vicariously through a character, she's..... Real. You understand her actions and thoughts and feelings. While you may not agree with them, they make sense. You root for her, no matter what she's doing, you want her to win.
Siobhan, on the other hand, is ethereal. Almost too crazy and brazen that you can't believe she's a person and not he personification of a thunder storm. Her wild pacts and plans not only draw Emma from her shell and closer to the brink of no return, but drag the reader through a whirlwind plot with no one able to guess where the story will go next. Even through all this, though, Siobhan's personality and erratic behavior tie everything together so the surprise ending is nowhere near absurd and out of left field.
And love? The all-important quality in every YA book these days? It has the glory and ups and downs of high school. Anyone who knows what heartbreak and hope of your first love will understand Dylan and Emma. And cheer for them despite all the odds. Because, admittedly, most relationships (hopefully) don't have a toxic best friend attempting to sabotage them.
One of the bonus features of this book I absolutely adored was Emma’s relationship with her dad. No matter how frustrated she is with his rules or how disappointed he is in her actions, it's very obvious how much they love each other. It's not a relationship you get to see in too many books. You get the humor and devotion and unconditional support hopefully everyone has the fortune to know in his or her life.
Beautiful crafted with magically realistic characters and a plot that twists and turns, the book is like watching a car crash; you know what will happen on some level, but you just can't believe it. Or tear your eyes away. This is one of those worlds that grabs you and won't let you go. Or let you put the book down. Make sure to get your hands on it as soon as possible and then make sure to reserve a block of time to do nothing but read.
Characters make the story, for me. I can read any genre, and truly enjoy any genre, as long as I like the characters. Thankfully, one of use strongest points of Afterparty is the characterization. Take Emma, the main character. If you're like me, you spend your Saturday nights at home, in sweat pants, writing stupid biology papers and cursing the class under your breath. While I might not want to be out there breaking the rules, taking risks, etc. etc. I certainly wouldn't mind reading about people who do. Emma is more than just an excuse to live vicariously through a character, she's..... Real. You understand her actions and thoughts and feelings. While you may not agree with them, they make sense. You root for her, no matter what she's doing, you want her to win.
Siobhan, on the other hand, is ethereal. Almost too crazy and brazen that you can't believe she's a person and not he personification of a thunder storm. Her wild pacts and plans not only draw Emma from her shell and closer to the brink of no return, but drag the reader through a whirlwind plot with no one able to guess where the story will go next. Even through all this, though, Siobhan's personality and erratic behavior tie everything together so the surprise ending is nowhere near absurd and out of left field.
And love? The all-important quality in every YA book these days? It has the glory and ups and downs of high school. Anyone who knows what heartbreak and hope of your first love will understand Dylan and Emma. And cheer for them despite all the odds. Because, admittedly, most relationships (hopefully) don't have a toxic best friend attempting to sabotage them.
One of the bonus features of this book I absolutely adored was Emma’s relationship with her dad. No matter how frustrated she is with his rules or how disappointed he is in her actions, it's very obvious how much they love each other. It's not a relationship you get to see in too many books. You get the humor and devotion and unconditional support hopefully everyone has the fortune to know in his or her life.
Beautiful crafted with magically realistic characters and a plot that twists and turns, the book is like watching a car crash; you know what will happen on some level, but you just can't believe it. Or tear your eyes away. This is one of those worlds that grabs you and won't let you go. Or let you put the book down. Make sure to get your hands on it as soon as possible and then make sure to reserve a block of time to do nothing but read.
October 10, 2013
I would definitely not recommend this book to anyone under the age of High School (I know that wasn't numerical; I couldn't decide on a good age).
Afterparty takes place in Los Angeles, California and revolves mainly around two main characters: Siobhan & Emma. Emma is a good girl from Canada who turns bad with the help of her newly found friend Siobhan. Siobhan is a wild child who has done pretty much everything you can think of.
Afterparty is the name of the big party that happens each year at the end of the school season. Emma and Siobhan form a pact leading up to Afterparty that if their lives aren't better by then, they will jump off a tall building. This building is where the story opens hooking you in to see what happens. (Brilliant idea!) While trying to make their lives better Siobhan creates a checklist of things to do for Emma.
But things can change (including a pact you once thought was a good idea)..
I can't tell you more since I will give away too many spoilers. What I can tell you is that Afterparty has it all: Sex, drugs, partying, rich kids, teenage love, good girl gone bad.. you name it, it's in here. The story is very California-ish and such a good read that you can't wait to see what happens next.
Afterparty takes place in Los Angeles, California and revolves mainly around two main characters: Siobhan & Emma. Emma is a good girl from Canada who turns bad with the help of her newly found friend Siobhan. Siobhan is a wild child who has done pretty much everything you can think of.
Afterparty is the name of the big party that happens each year at the end of the school season. Emma and Siobhan form a pact leading up to Afterparty that if their lives aren't better by then, they will jump off a tall building. This building is where the story opens hooking you in to see what happens. (Brilliant idea!) While trying to make their lives better Siobhan creates a checklist of things to do for Emma.
But things can change (including a pact you once thought was a good idea)..
I can't tell you more since I will give away too many spoilers. What I can tell you is that Afterparty has it all: Sex, drugs, partying, rich kids, teenage love, good girl gone bad.. you name it, it's in here. The story is very California-ish and such a good read that you can't wait to see what happens next.
October 9, 2013
I received this as a review copy and I'm so glad I did!
The story follows Emma as she moves from Canada to California with her father. Her mother dies earlier in her life and her father has raised Emma on his own. The move proves to be a huge culture shock for both of them. Emma has always been a "good girl". She prides herself on following the rules and doing her best in any way she can.
She begins her first few days at her new school and meets a new and exciting friend, Siobhan. Siobhan is basically the total opposite of Emma. She is a free spirit that takes no prisoners and does what she wants to do when she wants to do it. The two become fast friends and soon become inseparable. Sounds good right? We soon begin to question whether the friendship is a good idea after all. Is Siobhan a true friend? Or is she trying to lead Emma down a path of self destruction?
I thought the story itself was very interesting. This was one of those books that I couldn't stop reading. I just had to find out what was going to happen. I think the author did an excellent job of representing teenage life in an honest and fearless way. I appreciate that quality. There are so many YA authors that like to pretend that teenage life is easy and trouble free. This novel confronts many of the big teenage issues: drugs, alcohol, and sex. Not to mention the relational issues between friends and family.
The characters impressed me the most. I have never read a character in a YA novel that struck a chord with me like Siobhan did. I loved to hate her. The things she did to Emma evoked a guttural reaction with me. And I thought that Emma was very relatable character for many young girls, and even young women. She constantly struggles between trying to make good decisions and also wanting to rebel and express herself at the same time. I think that is a very common dilemma for young women, and I think those girls could really use this novel to learn something about what friendship truly is, and how to judge what is right and wrong.
This is a excellent contemporary novel that demonstrates how good YA novels can be if they are done well.
I'd highly recommend it, and I will read any future work from this author :)
The story follows Emma as she moves from Canada to California with her father. Her mother dies earlier in her life and her father has raised Emma on his own. The move proves to be a huge culture shock for both of them. Emma has always been a "good girl". She prides herself on following the rules and doing her best in any way she can.
She begins her first few days at her new school and meets a new and exciting friend, Siobhan. Siobhan is basically the total opposite of Emma. She is a free spirit that takes no prisoners and does what she wants to do when she wants to do it. The two become fast friends and soon become inseparable. Sounds good right? We soon begin to question whether the friendship is a good idea after all. Is Siobhan a true friend? Or is she trying to lead Emma down a path of self destruction?
I thought the story itself was very interesting. This was one of those books that I couldn't stop reading. I just had to find out what was going to happen. I think the author did an excellent job of representing teenage life in an honest and fearless way. I appreciate that quality. There are so many YA authors that like to pretend that teenage life is easy and trouble free. This novel confronts many of the big teenage issues: drugs, alcohol, and sex. Not to mention the relational issues between friends and family.
The characters impressed me the most. I have never read a character in a YA novel that struck a chord with me like Siobhan did. I loved to hate her. The things she did to Emma evoked a guttural reaction with me. And I thought that Emma was very relatable character for many young girls, and even young women. She constantly struggles between trying to make good decisions and also wanting to rebel and express herself at the same time. I think that is a very common dilemma for young women, and I think those girls could really use this novel to learn something about what friendship truly is, and how to judge what is right and wrong.
This is a excellent contemporary novel that demonstrates how good YA novels can be if they are done well.
I'd highly recommend it, and I will read any future work from this author :)
January 7, 2014
Full review on Reader's Dialogue: http://readersdialogue.blogspot.com/2...
I already knew that I love Ann Redisch Stampler's style from her book Where It Began. With Afterparty, the narrator's voice, Emma's voice, is so clear and so sharp. In fact, that sharpness becomes so important in the pivotal scene where Emma is drunk and high and who knows what else, and her voice actually loses some of that sharpness. To me, it highlighted the way that even as Emma categorized herself as "Bad Emma" throughout the book, she didn't even realize how not-bad she was being. Yes, she was sneaking out and disobeying her father, she was going to wild parties (kinda), she had a (gasp!) boyfriend, she lied and lied and lied - but those asides from her "conscience" and "compass" telling her that everything she was doing was so bad, all ignored the way she barely did anything really wrong or bad. Every time she sets out to do something crazy, she either backs out or does a modified version of it. That loss of sharpness is so jarring precisely because she hasn't been in a position to lose it throughout the whole book up until that point. She thinks she's wild, but if you count up and catalog her infractions, she's not that bad.
Of course, that's the point. She is no judge of what's beyond normal, what's crazy sh*t and what's only requiring secrecy because of her overprotective father. Now her father is brilliantly portrayed. He's not evil, she doesn't hate him. Actually, their relationship is pretty good and I'm kinda in love with their conversations toward the end of the book. But because she hasn't had normal experiences growing up, because she felt she had something to prove because of who her mother was, she has a totally skewed idea of normal. So first of all, when any casual observer could see that Siobhan is over the top out of control, Emma doesn't know the difference and thinks this is just normal teenager behavior. And then there's the voice telling her she's bad bad bad, which I know from experience does nothing to make you a better person and actually usually does the opposite.
All the relationships in the book, with the partial exception of Emma's father, are craaaazy. It seems like no one knows what normal even looks like. Siobhan's family, Dylan's family, Dylan himself - I'm sorry, I do like Dylan, but he is just as messed up as Siobhan and Emma in his own way. He's dark and mysterious, he seems to be holding it together, mature and aloof - and when his own crap blows up, he falls to pieces and makes every wrong decision he possibly could. It doesn't help any of this that just about every teenager is lying to at least one person about one thing at any given point.
Basically, this tells the story of repression, bad judgement, damaging friendships, and the true meaning of loyalty and trust. In a non-preachy, thoroughly enjoyable way. A great great book.
I already knew that I love Ann Redisch Stampler's style from her book Where It Began. With Afterparty, the narrator's voice, Emma's voice, is so clear and so sharp. In fact, that sharpness becomes so important in the pivotal scene where Emma is drunk and high and who knows what else, and her voice actually loses some of that sharpness. To me, it highlighted the way that even as Emma categorized herself as "Bad Emma" throughout the book, she didn't even realize how not-bad she was being. Yes, she was sneaking out and disobeying her father, she was going to wild parties (kinda), she had a (gasp!) boyfriend, she lied and lied and lied - but those asides from her "conscience" and "compass" telling her that everything she was doing was so bad, all ignored the way she barely did anything really wrong or bad. Every time she sets out to do something crazy, she either backs out or does a modified version of it. That loss of sharpness is so jarring precisely because she hasn't been in a position to lose it throughout the whole book up until that point. She thinks she's wild, but if you count up and catalog her infractions, she's not that bad.
Of course, that's the point. She is no judge of what's beyond normal, what's crazy sh*t and what's only requiring secrecy because of her overprotective father. Now her father is brilliantly portrayed. He's not evil, she doesn't hate him. Actually, their relationship is pretty good and I'm kinda in love with their conversations toward the end of the book. But because she hasn't had normal experiences growing up, because she felt she had something to prove because of who her mother was, she has a totally skewed idea of normal. So first of all, when any casual observer could see that Siobhan is over the top out of control, Emma doesn't know the difference and thinks this is just normal teenager behavior. And then there's the voice telling her she's bad bad bad, which I know from experience does nothing to make you a better person and actually usually does the opposite.
All the relationships in the book, with the partial exception of Emma's father, are craaaazy. It seems like no one knows what normal even looks like. Siobhan's family, Dylan's family, Dylan himself - I'm sorry, I do like Dylan, but he is just as messed up as Siobhan and Emma in his own way. He's dark and mysterious, he seems to be holding it together, mature and aloof - and when his own crap blows up, he falls to pieces and makes every wrong decision he possibly could. It doesn't help any of this that just about every teenager is lying to at least one person about one thing at any given point.
Basically, this tells the story of repression, bad judgement, damaging friendships, and the true meaning of loyalty and trust. In a non-preachy, thoroughly enjoyable way. A great great book.
December 30, 2013
Loved this story. But what I loved most was the author's writing style. There was just something so appealing to me in the author's voice throughout.
While I couldn't wholly relate to Emma's oppressive/restrictive father I could totally understand how and why she did what she did and why she remained friends with Siobhan. The story was interesting and sad and beautifully written and throughout, until the end, the pacing was perfect.
But I felt that right at the end before the epilogue the pacing was a bit rushed and I would have liked a little more time with the story, more time to exist with the fallout after that major thing that happened.
If I had the time it would have been a one-sit-read for me. It was interesting and engaging and I got totally swept up by the drama that was Emma's existence.
Ann Redisch Stampler is definitely an amazing writer and I plan to read anything and everything she authors.
While I couldn't wholly relate to Emma's oppressive/restrictive father I could totally understand how and why she did what she did and why she remained friends with Siobhan. The story was interesting and sad and beautifully written and throughout, until the end, the pacing was perfect.
But I felt that right at the end before the epilogue the pacing was a bit rushed and I would have liked a little more time with the story, more time to exist with the fallout after that major thing that happened.
If I had the time it would have been a one-sit-read for me. It was interesting and engaging and I got totally swept up by the drama that was Emma's existence.
Ann Redisch Stampler is definitely an amazing writer and I plan to read anything and everything she authors.
June 21, 2015
Very cool. Going into this, I read a review that said a YA version on Gone Girl. I loved Gone Girl, so I was like was like "Sure, why not!" Honestly, if we're comparing to anything it was a Mean Girls all the way through to the end. So, besides being sorta let down in a way, I still really enjoyed this book.
Definitely recommend it if you don't mind severely angsty high school drama with lots of family money and bored kids.
Definitely recommend it if you don't mind severely angsty high school drama with lots of family money and bored kids.
dnf
July 12, 2023Really struggled to get through this one. Made it 100 pages & decided to DNF. The teenage drama felt too forced & fake for me, but I’m also probably no longer the target audience.
February 11, 2014
Originally posted at City of Books
I'll start this off by saying I wanted to like this book. I really did. It seemed intriguing and thrilling, but unfortunately it was nothing like that for me. The characters fell flat, and I pretty much hated most of them... In fact the only reason I finished this book is because I wanted to know what happens at the end. That disappointed me, too! Afterparty has a cool concept, and I feel like it could have been carried out a lot better.
Emma is used to moving city constantly with her dad, and going to several new schools. But when she gets to California, she knows she wants to stay. She's always been a good girl, and her father is really overprotective. Frankly, he smothers her. When Emma meets Siobhan, she finds someone she can aspire to be like. Emma can finally stop being the good girl, and Siobhan can help her do that. But Emma soon realizes Siobhan isn't what she expected, and things start to go really wrong in their friendship, leading to a huge climax at the Afterparty.
I'll admit, I skimmed this novel for the most part. Why? Because the beginning was okay, but the pace got even slower and I found myself getting bored. Which doesn't usually happen to me while reading. I contemplated not finishing it, but I've rarely ever done that and I really try not to. Though the writing was good, it was too descriptive at times. Plus, a major part of the novel seemed unnecessary to me as it wasn't helping the plot in any way and seemed like a filler.
I can't help that this review is negative, because it's honestly hard for me to find anything positive about my reading of this book. The characters were largely unlikeable. Emma got on my nerves so much. I can't believe a girl like her becomes best friends with Siobhan and ignores all her scary craziness until it's too late. Also, Emma is too much of a pushover. She'll do anything Siobhan tells her no matter how ridiculous it is.
Don't even get me started on Siobhan. I honestly hated her with a passion. And that's the deepest emotion I have for any character in the book. Siobhan is honestly really screwed up, and her bipolar tendencies didn't help me understand her at all. One second she'd be mellow, and the next she'd start yelling and getting mad at Emma for no good reason. She acted like a little child most of the time. And the other times, she portrayed herself as the worst influence anyone could possibly be. She makes a list of things she wants Emma to do - the Afterparty prep list. Which Siobhan says Emma has to do before Afterparty. And what does that include? Doing drugs (Ecstasy and LSD), having a threesome (what even), flashing someone... I could go on, but you get the point.
I thought Dylan was okay, at least compared to the other two. What I didn't like is that he jumps to conclusions way too fast, gets jealous, and basically is kind of immoral. But like I said, he's tolerable compared to the others. I really liked his best friend, Arif. He was funny and sweet and basically the only normal character in the book.
Spoiler alert - In the end, Siobhan doesn't even die. She ends up living, and then she and Emma have a huge fight in her hospital room and then never talk to each other again. Which is good, of course, but I think it defeated the purpose. The book does get a bit better in the last quarter, though in my opinion it's a little too late for a reader to start liking a book. Not to mention that the end kinda threw me off.
The climax was done really well though, and the scene of the Afterparty is definitely quite intriguing. You're left on the edge of your seat wondering what's going to happen. There are also a couple of twists I never saw coming, and that made the book a little more interesting. But unfortunately not enough for me to enjoy it. The pettiness, the crazy drama, the jealousy and betrayal... this book definitely wasn't for me. I know a lot of people have enjoyed it, but I'd say only people who read and love YA contemporary should give this a try.
*Thank you to Simon Pulse for providing me with an eARC for review*
I'll start this off by saying I wanted to like this book. I really did. It seemed intriguing and thrilling, but unfortunately it was nothing like that for me. The characters fell flat, and I pretty much hated most of them... In fact the only reason I finished this book is because I wanted to know what happens at the end. That disappointed me, too! Afterparty has a cool concept, and I feel like it could have been carried out a lot better.
Emma is used to moving city constantly with her dad, and going to several new schools. But when she gets to California, she knows she wants to stay. She's always been a good girl, and her father is really overprotective. Frankly, he smothers her. When Emma meets Siobhan, she finds someone she can aspire to be like. Emma can finally stop being the good girl, and Siobhan can help her do that. But Emma soon realizes Siobhan isn't what she expected, and things start to go really wrong in their friendship, leading to a huge climax at the Afterparty.
I'll admit, I skimmed this novel for the most part. Why? Because the beginning was okay, but the pace got even slower and I found myself getting bored. Which doesn't usually happen to me while reading. I contemplated not finishing it, but I've rarely ever done that and I really try not to. Though the writing was good, it was too descriptive at times. Plus, a major part of the novel seemed unnecessary to me as it wasn't helping the plot in any way and seemed like a filler.
I can't help that this review is negative, because it's honestly hard for me to find anything positive about my reading of this book. The characters were largely unlikeable. Emma got on my nerves so much. I can't believe a girl like her becomes best friends with Siobhan and ignores all her scary craziness until it's too late. Also, Emma is too much of a pushover. She'll do anything Siobhan tells her no matter how ridiculous it is.
Don't even get me started on Siobhan. I honestly hated her with a passion. And that's the deepest emotion I have for any character in the book. Siobhan is honestly really screwed up, and her bipolar tendencies didn't help me understand her at all. One second she'd be mellow, and the next she'd start yelling and getting mad at Emma for no good reason. She acted like a little child most of the time. And the other times, she portrayed herself as the worst influence anyone could possibly be. She makes a list of things she wants Emma to do - the Afterparty prep list. Which Siobhan says Emma has to do before Afterparty. And what does that include? Doing drugs (Ecstasy and LSD), having a threesome (what even), flashing someone... I could go on, but you get the point.
I thought Dylan was okay, at least compared to the other two. What I didn't like is that he jumps to conclusions way too fast, gets jealous, and basically is kind of immoral. But like I said, he's tolerable compared to the others. I really liked his best friend, Arif. He was funny and sweet and basically the only normal character in the book.
Spoiler alert - In the end, Siobhan doesn't even die. She ends up living, and then she and Emma have a huge fight in her hospital room and then never talk to each other again. Which is good, of course, but I think it defeated the purpose. The book does get a bit better in the last quarter, though in my opinion it's a little too late for a reader to start liking a book. Not to mention that the end kinda threw me off.
The climax was done really well though, and the scene of the Afterparty is definitely quite intriguing. You're left on the edge of your seat wondering what's going to happen. There are also a couple of twists I never saw coming, and that made the book a little more interesting. But unfortunately not enough for me to enjoy it. The pettiness, the crazy drama, the jealousy and betrayal... this book definitely wasn't for me. I know a lot of people have enjoyed it, but I'd say only people who read and love YA contemporary should give this a try.
*Thank you to Simon Pulse for providing me with an eARC for review*
January 2, 2014
Afterparty ended up being one of those books that I thought was one thing, but turned out to be something else, entirely. The writing and dialogue in this book charmed me, and while I know it won’t be for everyone, I thought that Emma’s inner dialogue and sense of humor brought a lot to the story. I liked Emma, and I could relate to her, so I guess I was drawn in by her obvious need to get out from her her father’s watchful eye and her strong inner conscience that with which she is always at war. Her move to LA is ushered in with a kiss from a stranger at a beach club, which seemed strange at the time, but really set the tone for what Emma would experience in her new home. The income level and lifestyle of the teens at Emma’s new school is not one that many of the readers will have first hand experience with, but I thought the book did a good job of showing how the wealth and privilege most certainly did not buy happiness for anyone. Another standout for me was the presence of a single parent that did not just disappear. So often in YA it seems that the single parent dynamic is used an an excuse to eliminate all adult oversight, but Emma’s father, while perhaps a bit naive at times, did not fade into the background, and I appreciated that because I think it really gave me a good idea of Emma’s character and the inner conflict she was experiencing.
Afterparty was dramatic, and there was a certain guilty pleasure aspect to the story, but this book was also about Emma struggle with who she is. It wasn’t just the usual, I am a teen and must test boundaries stuff, although there was a bit of that, but it was also about Emma’s whole family history. Her mother’s addiction, and her father’s unwillingness to discuss it, weighs heavily on Emma’s identity and her friendships and romances are all colored by the voice in the back of Emma’s head that constantly wonders if she will turn into the woman that has essentially haunted her small family unit all these years. Her friend Siobhan, who will strike fear and sympathy into the heart of any parent reading this book, was a great catalyst for a lot of the drama. On one hand, she was the defense against the mean girls at school, but on the other hand, she was as self-destructive as they come and some of her escapades truly made me cringe. Dylan, who in many ways was the male equivalent of Siobhan, was an interesting romantic interest for both girls.
In the end, Afterparty was a book that combined indulgent fun with a story that had a very strong moral compass. Without being preachy in any way, it showed the snapshot of a journey that contained a lot of conflict, doubt, and ultimately a resolution that balanced entertaining with satisfying. It was a book that artfully combined a thoughtful story with pure entertainment.
Afterparty was dramatic, and there was a certain guilty pleasure aspect to the story, but this book was also about Emma struggle with who she is. It wasn’t just the usual, I am a teen and must test boundaries stuff, although there was a bit of that, but it was also about Emma’s whole family history. Her mother’s addiction, and her father’s unwillingness to discuss it, weighs heavily on Emma’s identity and her friendships and romances are all colored by the voice in the back of Emma’s head that constantly wonders if she will turn into the woman that has essentially haunted her small family unit all these years. Her friend Siobhan, who will strike fear and sympathy into the heart of any parent reading this book, was a great catalyst for a lot of the drama. On one hand, she was the defense against the mean girls at school, but on the other hand, she was as self-destructive as they come and some of her escapades truly made me cringe. Dylan, who in many ways was the male equivalent of Siobhan, was an interesting romantic interest for both girls.
In the end, Afterparty was a book that combined indulgent fun with a story that had a very strong moral compass. Without being preachy in any way, it showed the snapshot of a journey that contained a lot of conflict, doubt, and ultimately a resolution that balanced entertaining with satisfying. It was a book that artfully combined a thoughtful story with pure entertainment.
February 27, 2017
Don't read it unless you are mature enough to know to not do the stuff she does in the book. lol jk.
January 22, 2014
I really enjoyed After Party. In fact I read it in a single sitting, well lying down since I started reading Emma's adventure with Siobahn just before going to bed. By the time I finsihed, the sun was coming up and I'd forgotten to go to sleep.
Ann Stampler is a wonderfully funny writer andthat comes through in Emma's voice and the many laugh out loud assides about the West LA private school set and its excesses. In addition, there's a very compelling plot with the blonde boy magnet, Siobahn, as a strangely charismatic monster who threatens to take Emma down with her.
IT's fun-fast- and memorable. What else could you want from YA?
Ann Stampler is a wonderfully funny writer andthat comes through in Emma's voice and the many laugh out loud assides about the West LA private school set and its excesses. In addition, there's a very compelling plot with the blonde boy magnet, Siobahn, as a strangely charismatic monster who threatens to take Emma down with her.
IT's fun-fast- and memorable. What else could you want from YA?
September 13, 2014
Can I just? It's really good. It's my second time reading it (read most of the ARC then the finished copy cover to cover). I already know some will object (Drinking! Drugs! Sex & questionable music!) but I love Emma, may she be Good, Bad, or Somewhere in Between.
I'm not kidding, someone slap some awards on this baby.
Full review at http://www.readnowsleeplater.com/2014...
I'm not kidding, someone slap some awards on this baby.
Full review at http://www.readnowsleeplater.com/2014...
July 26, 2016
The intensity and tension in this book is incredible. It's a breathless read that nevertheless feels startlingly real as you rush through the pages. Don't start reading this late at night, because you won't be getting a lot of sleep. Every time I started to put the book down, I ended up picking it back up again. And I'm still thinking about the characters days later. My favorite kind of read!
November 23, 2013
Nose Graze — Young Adult book reviews
Afterparty has one hell of an opening paragraph! It starts with the end (near the end of the school year) and then backtracks back to the beginning of the school year. That REALLY pulled me in. See for yourself:
HOLY SHIT, right??? I wanted to consume this awesomeness NOW.
After the explosive beginning, Afterparty slowly winded down for me. On the one hand, the tension was slowly building, but on the other hand, my interest was slowly waning.
However, I do think that Emma's downward spiral could have been more gradual. In many ways, Afterparty reminded me of the movie Thirteen. In Thirteen, Tracy's downward spiral is gradual. She steals money, she shoplifts, she gets a tattoo, she has sex, she starts doing drugs, she starts doing HARDCORE drugs, etc. It just gets worse and worse and worse. But in Afterparty , Emma was reluctant to do most of the things she did for like 75% of the book. It didn't really feel like she was going downhill that much for the simple reason that she wasn't sure she even wanted to go to a certain party, and then when she did, she never did more than just drink a little. That same thing happened that same way several times. But then, at the end when she goes to Afterparty,
Also Emma wasn't always the most likable character.. although I guess that's part of the point. As the reader, I knew that she was making bad choices and I was yelling at her for them. But she still made them. And that's the whole point of the book, but it also made it hard to really connect to Emma.
Going back to Dylan... I kind of hated him. Siobhan was portrayed really well. She was the best friend who Emma WANTED to really like, but Siobhan clearly had some serious, intense issues. She was a bit crazy and manipulative. It's clear that her relationship with Siobhan is toxic and Siobhan is trying to take Emma down with her.
But Dylan... Dylan was portrayed as the 'perfect' guy, even though he also had a ton of problems.. but his problems were just ignored.
First of all, I just didn't like Dylan. I didn't like his personality and I thought he acted REALLY immature. He skipped all of his classes all the time (not even joking), he used Emma for her notes because she did attend class, he'd go out and get totally stoned, and he never let Emma talk to him. Literally there are like 5 times in the book where their conversation goes like this:
She'd yell, "I need to talk to you NOW!" and he'd just ignore her or change the subject.
I thought he was kind of an ass.
For the first part of the book, I was hoping Dylan would be another life lesson, much like Siobhan turned out to be. Siobhan was the one who taught Emma that some friendships are toxic and there are some lines you don't cross (and partying isn't what it's cracked up to be). I thought Dylan would be another lesson, like: the guy you think is perfect is actually an ass. But nope. Dylan's problems seem to be ignored by Emma and the author throughout the book. Except when they fight a few times, Emma never stops looking at Dylan as "the perfect guy".
Then the book dropped off at the end
The climax (what we're told at the beginning) was INTENSE! That was crazy. But what happened after the climax was a bit disappointing. I felt like the story just... died a little. It dropped off. It seems like things were magically resolved, but as a reader I didn't FEEL like they actually were resolved. For some reason it wasn't satisfying. I almost can't explain it, but I did have a big sense of, "That was it?"
Afterparty wasn't a perfect book, but it was fascinating
Just like I was morbidly curious about the movie Thirteen, I was morbidly curious about Afterparty . It's the kind of book that's really fascinating because you can see the characters spiraling downwards. You want to yell at them to STOP but obviously they don't listen. It's like watching an accident happen in slow motion. It's scary, it's definitely a cautionary tale, but it's an interesting (and slightly addictive) read. You just HAVE to know what happens!
I'd say that Afterparty was a little rough around the edges, but was still enjoyable. Some parts of it were really addicting just because I was desperate to see how things played out. I particularly recommend it if you've seen and liked Thirteen!
Afterparty has one hell of an opening paragraph! It starts with the end (near the end of the school year) and then backtracks back to the beginning of the school year. That REALLY pulled me in. See for yourself:
Good girls don't usually kill their best friend.
HOLY SHIT, right??? I wanted to consume this awesomeness NOW.
After the explosive beginning, Afterparty slowly winded down for me. On the one hand, the tension was slowly building, but on the other hand, my interest was slowly waning.
I think large portions of the book just felt like the same thing being rehashed over and over again. Emma struggles with her moral compass. She's not sure if she should just be a good girl, or if she should break away from her dad's overbearing rules and go a bit wild. She and Siobhan fight over this, then make up, then they fight, then they make up. And when she's not busy stressing over that, she's drooling over Dylan. These same problems kept popping up over and over again, manifesting in slightly different ways. After a while it did start to feel like the story was a bit on repeat.
But it was interesting to watch both Siobhan and Emma spiral downwards. Siobhan was always a bit crazy and manipulative, but you really start to see her get truly EVIL towards the end. And Emma.. well you definitely start seeing her branch out and get check marks off her list of "bad girl things to do". I also like how she slowly started to detest Siobhan.
"I am not clinically depressed or suicidal or insane. I just want to kill Siobhan, is all."
However, I do think that Emma's downward spiral could have been more gradual. In many ways, Afterparty reminded me of the movie Thirteen. In Thirteen, Tracy's downward spiral is gradual. She steals money, she shoplifts, she gets a tattoo, she has sex, she starts doing drugs, she starts doing HARDCORE drugs, etc. It just gets worse and worse and worse. But in Afterparty , Emma was reluctant to do most of the things she did for like 75% of the book. It didn't really feel like she was going downhill that much for the simple reason that she wasn't sure she even wanted to go to a certain party, and then when she did, she never did more than just drink a little. That same thing happened that same way several times. But then, at the end when she goes to Afterparty,
Also Emma wasn't always the most likable character.. although I guess that's part of the point. As the reader, I knew that she was making bad choices and I was yelling at her for them. But she still made them. And that's the whole point of the book, but it also made it hard to really connect to Emma.
Going back to Dylan... I kind of hated him. Siobhan was portrayed really well. She was the best friend who Emma WANTED to really like, but Siobhan clearly had some serious, intense issues. She was a bit crazy and manipulative. It's clear that her relationship with Siobhan is toxic and Siobhan is trying to take Emma down with her.
"I made you and I could undo you in three minutes. Two online."
Siobhan
"You won't survive five minutes in the real world without me. You'd be fucked if I didn't have your back, and you don't even get it!
Siobhan
But Dylan... Dylan was portrayed as the 'perfect' guy, even though he also had a ton of problems.. but his problems were just ignored.
First of all, I just didn't like Dylan. I didn't like his personality and I thought he acted REALLY immature. He skipped all of his classes all the time (not even joking), he used Emma for her notes because she did attend class, he'd go out and get totally stoned, and he never let Emma talk to him. Literally there are like 5 times in the book where their conversation goes like this:
"Let's leave. Dylan! Could we please go? I really need to talk to you."
"First we find them," he says. "THen we leave."
[..]
I say, "Could we please talk somewhere? Like now!"
She'd yell, "I need to talk to you NOW!" and he'd just ignore her or change the subject.
I thought he was kind of an ass.
For the first part of the book, I was hoping Dylan would be another life lesson, much like Siobhan turned out to be. Siobhan was the one who taught Emma that some friendships are toxic and there are some lines you don't cross (and partying isn't what it's cracked up to be). I thought Dylan would be another lesson, like: the guy you think is perfect is actually an ass. But nope. Dylan's problems seem to be ignored by Emma and the author throughout the book. Except when they fight a few times, Emma never stops looking at Dylan as "the perfect guy".
Then the book dropped off at the end
The climax (what we're told at the beginning) was INTENSE! That was crazy. But what happened after the climax was a bit disappointing. I felt like the story just... died a little. It dropped off. It seems like things were magically resolved, but as a reader I didn't FEEL like they actually were resolved. For some reason it wasn't satisfying. I almost can't explain it, but I did have a big sense of, "That was it?"
Afterparty wasn't a perfect book, but it was fascinating
Just like I was morbidly curious about the movie Thirteen, I was morbidly curious about Afterparty . It's the kind of book that's really fascinating because you can see the characters spiraling downwards. You want to yell at them to STOP but obviously they don't listen. It's like watching an accident happen in slow motion. It's scary, it's definitely a cautionary tale, but it's an interesting (and slightly addictive) read. You just HAVE to know what happens!
I'd say that Afterparty was a little rough around the edges, but was still enjoyable. Some parts of it were really addicting just because I was desperate to see how things played out. I particularly recommend it if you've seen and liked Thirteen!
Read
January 26, 2018DNF at page 72. It was just a painful waste of time. Didnt care about the characters and the plot... so, adios~
December 27, 2013
Afterparty is a really wonderful novel with an incredible opening paragraph that I’m sure will grab anyone’s attention. I often found myself giggling whilst reading this novel, as Ann Stampler’s writing is really funny and I loved how our main protagonist had a ‘moral compass’, which was always trying to point her in the correct direction. I did find myself confused on many different occasions throughout Afterparty. It seemed like it would go off track completely for a few paragraphs and then be suddenly back. I also felt like the sentences just kept rambling on about pretty much nothing, and as much as it seemed like Ann was trying to make a point – she just didn’t seem to get there. The majority of the time this happened when Emma was talking – maybe it’s just a quirky feature in her personality? I don’t know, but don’t get me wrong, if you can put aside these certain problems, Afterparty really is a fantastic book with a wonderful plot – and luckily for me, I managed to do so because I was so engrossed in the story.
Emma is our main protagonist and I really liked reading about her. She has an over-bearing dad with strict rules and is struggling with the decision to continue to be a good-girl, like she’s been her whole life – or try something new and break some of the rules her dad has set. I thought Emma was an incredibly good friend, I know I wouldn’t have put up with all the crap that Siobhan, her new best friend, did to her at all. She was also a very patient, kind, caring and overall a lovely character. I really loved how Emma slowly started to hate Siobhan, and I found it incredibly funny to see the process. At first, Emma bent over backward to please Siobhan, and did pretty much everything she said – but as the novel progressed you really got to see how much Emma started to resent Siobhan and see her true colours. Of course I felt bad for Emma – but to be honest, I don’t know why Emma didn’t dump her sooner!
Siobhan is Emma’s best friend, and from the first moment they meet – they suddenly become inseparable. I started off not minding Siobhan’s character, and I thought she was really upbeat and interesting with a quirky personality, but as the novel progressed, I started to really dislike her (I’m pretty sure you’re meant too!) Siobhan becomes more and more controlling the further you get into Afterparty, she’s also gets very moody and becomes very unpleasant and downright evil. What I found slightly annoying, was the repetitiveness of Emma and Siobhan’s arguments and fall outs. She and Siobhan fight, then make up, then fight again and make up once more! It was also always the same argument; about how Emma finds it difficult to break the rules because of her dad. Although in the end I didn’t like Siobhan’s character, it was quite interesting seeing her slowly go crazy and become so obsessive.
Dylan is the love-interest in Afterparty, and to be honest – I had really mixed feelings about him. One minute I really loved his character, the next I was wondering why the hell Emma was pining over him so much. I suppose Dylan did have his good points, he was sweet, funny and really did seem to care about her – but I questioned a lot of his decisions. I also found it really irritating that he’d just straight out believe everything Siobhan said to him about Emma, even if things weren’t perfect with him and Emma at the time. I also really didn’t like the fact that Dylan was portrayed as such a perfect character – when all he’d ever do was skip class and get stoned, then borrow Emma’s notes because she attended class. It was totally obvious that Emma liked him, and even though he said he’d liked her too at the time – he did some really jack-ass things.
Over though, I really did enjoy reading Afterparty – and sped through it really quickly! Ann Redisch Stampler’s writing is really different from what I’ve read before, but really engaging, fun and quirky all the same. For example; it took me quite a while to get used to reading sentences like ‘I am sorry’ instead of ‘I’m sorry’ – this is definitely not a criticism, as there’s absolutely nothing wrong with it. It was just a surprise to read the writing with such a traditional format. I do however, believe that Afterparty well and truly deserved the 4/5 star rating, it was really fantastic and page-turning book that kept me in suspense until the very end! I’d recommend this book to any contemporary reader, especially someone who loves some good old girl drama. I really believe Ann Redisch Stampler is definitely an author to keep an eye on!
Emma is our main protagonist and I really liked reading about her. She has an over-bearing dad with strict rules and is struggling with the decision to continue to be a good-girl, like she’s been her whole life – or try something new and break some of the rules her dad has set. I thought Emma was an incredibly good friend, I know I wouldn’t have put up with all the crap that Siobhan, her new best friend, did to her at all. She was also a very patient, kind, caring and overall a lovely character. I really loved how Emma slowly started to hate Siobhan, and I found it incredibly funny to see the process. At first, Emma bent over backward to please Siobhan, and did pretty much everything she said – but as the novel progressed you really got to see how much Emma started to resent Siobhan and see her true colours. Of course I felt bad for Emma – but to be honest, I don’t know why Emma didn’t dump her sooner!
Siobhan is Emma’s best friend, and from the first moment they meet – they suddenly become inseparable. I started off not minding Siobhan’s character, and I thought she was really upbeat and interesting with a quirky personality, but as the novel progressed, I started to really dislike her (I’m pretty sure you’re meant too!) Siobhan becomes more and more controlling the further you get into Afterparty, she’s also gets very moody and becomes very unpleasant and downright evil. What I found slightly annoying, was the repetitiveness of Emma and Siobhan’s arguments and fall outs. She and Siobhan fight, then make up, then fight again and make up once more! It was also always the same argument; about how Emma finds it difficult to break the rules because of her dad. Although in the end I didn’t like Siobhan’s character, it was quite interesting seeing her slowly go crazy and become so obsessive.
Dylan is the love-interest in Afterparty, and to be honest – I had really mixed feelings about him. One minute I really loved his character, the next I was wondering why the hell Emma was pining over him so much. I suppose Dylan did have his good points, he was sweet, funny and really did seem to care about her – but I questioned a lot of his decisions. I also found it really irritating that he’d just straight out believe everything Siobhan said to him about Emma, even if things weren’t perfect with him and Emma at the time. I also really didn’t like the fact that Dylan was portrayed as such a perfect character – when all he’d ever do was skip class and get stoned, then borrow Emma’s notes because she attended class. It was totally obvious that Emma liked him, and even though he said he’d liked her too at the time – he did some really jack-ass things.
Over though, I really did enjoy reading Afterparty – and sped through it really quickly! Ann Redisch Stampler’s writing is really different from what I’ve read before, but really engaging, fun and quirky all the same. For example; it took me quite a while to get used to reading sentences like ‘I am sorry’ instead of ‘I’m sorry’ – this is definitely not a criticism, as there’s absolutely nothing wrong with it. It was just a surprise to read the writing with such a traditional format. I do however, believe that Afterparty well and truly deserved the 4/5 star rating, it was really fantastic and page-turning book that kept me in suspense until the very end! I’d recommend this book to any contemporary reader, especially someone who loves some good old girl drama. I really believe Ann Redisch Stampler is definitely an author to keep an eye on!
January 7, 2014
Ann Redisch Stampler has written a wonderfully engaging and equally compelling follow up novel to her shining debut,
Where It Began
.
Afterparty
is an explosive young adult book full of tragedy, betrayal, and complicated romance.
It was incredibly easy for me to get sucked into this story right away, because the Stampler's writing style just flowed really well and I found myself enjoying the book quite a bit, although there were moments where I cringed a bit at a couple of things that were happening. I found myself enjoying how beautifully written the story was, how the sadness tinged the pages and somehow began to wake up my feels, and how it reminded me of what it was like growing up around other's who experienced some of the things Emma, Siobahn, and other's did. Stampler does a brilliant job of telling a story of self-growth and discovery, mingled with complicated lies, betrayal, friendship, and loyalty.
I was drawn in completely by Emma the Good versus Emma the Conflicted. The flaws were real and her constant struggle with reconciling the always dutiful good girl her father expected her to be and the Emma breaking free and becoming reckless, was approached in such a way that it was easy to relate to her character and inner struggles, even if you weren't ever truly faced with that situation before. Readers will appreciate the realism written between the pages and how it brings the characters to life in many ways, lending so much more depth and interesting facets to them. There's a wild and intense fervor hidden beneath the pages of this complicated lesson in morality and realism. that's an inherent part of who Siobhan really is underneath the cover of her nasty disguise.
The twists and turns with the story Afterparty has to tell, will keep readers on the edge of their seats waiting to see what happens next. It's full of intense emotion and suspense, written in such a way that it's a fast paced enjoyable read, that isn't too extremely heavy but hits home with all of the necessary elements it needs to make its message clear. One of the most appreciative things about this book, is the way in which Stampler deals with peer pressure among friends and non-friends. If you're looking for a book that reads like some sappy after-school special, then this isn't the book I would suggest to you. If you are looking for a book that deals with everyday struggles that a teen goes through from peer pressure, to dealing with betrayal in friendships, among other things then this is the book that I would suggest picking up.
Afterparty , might just surprise readers with how well written and relatable it is.
It was incredibly easy for me to get sucked into this story right away, because the Stampler's writing style just flowed really well and I found myself enjoying the book quite a bit, although there were moments where I cringed a bit at a couple of things that were happening. I found myself enjoying how beautifully written the story was, how the sadness tinged the pages and somehow began to wake up my feels, and how it reminded me of what it was like growing up around other's who experienced some of the things Emma, Siobahn, and other's did. Stampler does a brilliant job of telling a story of self-growth and discovery, mingled with complicated lies, betrayal, friendship, and loyalty.
I was drawn in completely by Emma the Good versus Emma the Conflicted. The flaws were real and her constant struggle with reconciling the always dutiful good girl her father expected her to be and the Emma breaking free and becoming reckless, was approached in such a way that it was easy to relate to her character and inner struggles, even if you weren't ever truly faced with that situation before. Readers will appreciate the realism written between the pages and how it brings the characters to life in many ways, lending so much more depth and interesting facets to them. There's a wild and intense fervor hidden beneath the pages of this complicated lesson in morality and realism. that's an inherent part of who Siobhan really is underneath the cover of her nasty disguise.
The twists and turns with the story Afterparty has to tell, will keep readers on the edge of their seats waiting to see what happens next. It's full of intense emotion and suspense, written in such a way that it's a fast paced enjoyable read, that isn't too extremely heavy but hits home with all of the necessary elements it needs to make its message clear. One of the most appreciative things about this book, is the way in which Stampler deals with peer pressure among friends and non-friends. If you're looking for a book that reads like some sappy after-school special, then this isn't the book I would suggest to you. If you are looking for a book that deals with everyday struggles that a teen goes through from peer pressure, to dealing with betrayal in friendships, among other things then this is the book that I would suggest picking up.
Afterparty , might just surprise readers with how well written and relatable it is.
December 6, 2014
Review originally posted on www.fictitiousdelicious.com on 01/08/14:
When I read the synopsis of Afterparty, I just knew it had to be mine. I've become quite the fan of all things contemporary and I love reading stories about difficult relationships, which this one has plenty of. As a matter of fact, the relationship between Emma & her BFF Siobhan skyrockets outside of the realm of difficult into OMG slash WTF territory.
I wouldn't say I was expecting a light, fluffy read when I picked up Afterparty, but I WILL say that this book is heavier than you might be expecting. Heavy and TRUE. I've never attended a private school in Los Angeles, but I imagine that it would be exactly as portrayed here. There are lots of mean girls, lots of crazy parties and a good dose of broken families. While it would have been easy to be frustrated with some of the behavior you'll see from Emma, Siobhan and Dylan, I actually understood where they were coming from. Having had a BFF that I loved/hated in high school, I was able to understand why Emma remained friends with Siobhan through all the crazy. And there is lots of crazy, guys. You'll think things can't get messed up any more than they are, when BAM! They do.
The first 60ish or so pages of this book made me feel like I might not be smart enough to read it. I found myself reading a few paragraphs multiple times and felt confused by the story when first starting it. HOWEVER. I checked my ego at the door and ended up really enjoying this one. The page count of the finished copy is quite a bit lower than the ARC which leads me to believe additional editing was done. While I feel fortunate to have had a chance to read this ARC, I'm considering a reread of the finished copy to see what changed. I liked this story enough to do that, which is saying a lot.
You should probably pick this one up when you have a good amount of reading time available in your schedule. There will come a point when you won't be able to put the book down until you find out just how the heck everything turns out, because you'll learn from page one (literally!) that things go very, very badly for the characters in AFTERPARTY.
When I read the synopsis of Afterparty, I just knew it had to be mine. I've become quite the fan of all things contemporary and I love reading stories about difficult relationships, which this one has plenty of. As a matter of fact, the relationship between Emma & her BFF Siobhan skyrockets outside of the realm of difficult into OMG slash WTF territory.
I wouldn't say I was expecting a light, fluffy read when I picked up Afterparty, but I WILL say that this book is heavier than you might be expecting. Heavy and TRUE. I've never attended a private school in Los Angeles, but I imagine that it would be exactly as portrayed here. There are lots of mean girls, lots of crazy parties and a good dose of broken families. While it would have been easy to be frustrated with some of the behavior you'll see from Emma, Siobhan and Dylan, I actually understood where they were coming from. Having had a BFF that I loved/hated in high school, I was able to understand why Emma remained friends with Siobhan through all the crazy. And there is lots of crazy, guys. You'll think things can't get messed up any more than they are, when BAM! They do.
The first 60ish or so pages of this book made me feel like I might not be smart enough to read it. I found myself reading a few paragraphs multiple times and felt confused by the story when first starting it. HOWEVER. I checked my ego at the door and ended up really enjoying this one. The page count of the finished copy is quite a bit lower than the ARC which leads me to believe additional editing was done. While I feel fortunate to have had a chance to read this ARC, I'm considering a reread of the finished copy to see what changed. I liked this story enough to do that, which is saying a lot.
You should probably pick this one up when you have a good amount of reading time available in your schedule. There will come a point when you won't be able to put the book down until you find out just how the heck everything turns out, because you'll learn from page one (literally!) that things go very, very badly for the characters in AFTERPARTY.
January 13, 2014
Emma the good versus Emma the not so good. Afterparty follows the story of a girl, Emma, who's on a journey to break her typical good girl role with the help of a new found friend, Siobhan. It's a crazy journey. Emma's dad is insanely over protective. Not even exaggerating. They have just moved to California, a place where Emma sees potential in breaking free of her good girl tendencies. Meeting Siobhan is exciting for Emma. She has a crazy personality and it's exactly what Emma is looking for. Or is she?
Siobhan claims to know exactly how to "help" Emma. But the more Emma gets to know Siobhan the more she realizes that this isn't how friends are meant to treat each other. Backstabbing? Lying? Those aren't exactly traits of a BFF. And then there's an Afterparty going on. How will it end? Find out by picking up your own copy!
First things first, the Title of this book totally had me. I don't know why "Afterparty" just sounds completely intriguing to me. So, that ladies and gents is why I wanted to read this book. I have to say, I was not disappointed. Honestly, I don't think I've ever read something like it. The main character, Emma, is easy to like. I just wanted to take her under my wing and say "a little teenage rebellion never hurt." And, that's kind of what Siobhan did. Only, it did end up hurting...more than one person.
I really, really loved the writing style of this book. It was refreshing to read something different. Actually, everything was different than the usual YA books I read. The friendship was different, the love interest, the parent involvement. So, I'm glad I got the chance to read Afterparty. Although I will admit Siobhan frustrated me so much at times. And, Emma's dad was so irritating because he was totally, beyond over protective. I almost couldn't believe how tough Emma had it. But, hey characters making you mad? It happens. The best books make you have feels! Dylan, the love interest, is definitely a guy I'd have a crush on. I mean, I'm already crushing!
I don't want to spoil anything about Afterparty, but you should definitely pick up a copy and devour it in one day, as I did!
Siobhan claims to know exactly how to "help" Emma. But the more Emma gets to know Siobhan the more she realizes that this isn't how friends are meant to treat each other. Backstabbing? Lying? Those aren't exactly traits of a BFF. And then there's an Afterparty going on. How will it end? Find out by picking up your own copy!
First things first, the Title of this book totally had me. I don't know why "Afterparty" just sounds completely intriguing to me. So, that ladies and gents is why I wanted to read this book. I have to say, I was not disappointed. Honestly, I don't think I've ever read something like it. The main character, Emma, is easy to like. I just wanted to take her under my wing and say "a little teenage rebellion never hurt." And, that's kind of what Siobhan did. Only, it did end up hurting...more than one person.
I really, really loved the writing style of this book. It was refreshing to read something different. Actually, everything was different than the usual YA books I read. The friendship was different, the love interest, the parent involvement. So, I'm glad I got the chance to read Afterparty. Although I will admit Siobhan frustrated me so much at times. And, Emma's dad was so irritating because he was totally, beyond over protective. I almost couldn't believe how tough Emma had it. But, hey characters making you mad? It happens. The best books make you have feels! Dylan, the love interest, is definitely a guy I'd have a crush on. I mean, I'm already crushing!
I don't want to spoil anything about Afterparty, but you should definitely pick up a copy and devour it in one day, as I did!
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