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Shadowlands #2
Hereafter
Rory Miller thought her life was over when a notorious serial killer set his sights on her, forcing her family into witness protection. But her new home, a remote island with azure blue skies and white-sand beaches, seems like heaven on earth . . . at least at first.
Juniper Landing isn't like other islands. And the truth about the swirling fog that rolls in each morning is even more terrifying than being hunted by Steven Nell. Now that Rory knows about the real Juniper Landing, she must face the most painful truth of all: she can never go home again.
From the best-selling author of the Private and Privilege series comes the second novel in a gripping trilogy about a girl who must leave behind the only life she's known without ever looking back.
Juniper Landing isn't like other islands. And the truth about the swirling fog that rolls in each morning is even more terrifying than being hunted by Steven Nell. Now that Rory knows about the real Juniper Landing, she must face the most painful truth of all: she can never go home again.
From the best-selling author of the Private and Privilege series comes the second novel in a gripping trilogy about a girl who must leave behind the only life she's known without ever looking back.
336 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2013
54 people are currently reading
2358 people want to read
About the author
Kate Brian
87 books2,311 followersKate Brian is the author of the SHADOWLANDS TRILOGY (SHADOWLANDS, HEREAFTER & ENDLESS), as well as the New York Times bestselling PRIVATE and PRIVILEGE series, and the wildly popular MEGAN MEADE'S GUIDE TO THE MCGOWAN BOYS. She also writes teen fiction under the name Kieran Scott.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 252 reviews
March 27, 2020
Rating: 4.0/5.0
Genre:
Fantasy + Young Adult
The first book ended with a cliffhanger. I liked its mysterious atmosphere and all the secrets that kept unfolding. This one is not much different except that the fantasy elements become very strong after the main reveal in the first book. It is very difficult to review this book without spoiling the first one. That is why I will not talk much about the synopsis.
In Hereafter, Rory understands why she and her family are in this new place (Juniper Landing). She understands her purpose and what she needs to do. But what she does not understand is that if the whole system that has been in place for a long time is reliable and can be trusted. She gets to know about the other characters and their roles in this system.
The biggest challenge for her will be when the fate of her family will be in her own hands! She will have to show her father and sister Darcy the way! But what if the way she will show them is not the right path for them? Can she trust this system? Can she have faith in this new community?
To be honest, though I am giving this book 4 stars like the first one too, I have enjoyed reading this one a little more than the first. The first was definitely a slow burn. This one everything unfolds interestingly and at a faster pace. Like the first, this one also ends with a cliffhanger! And I am definitely reading the next book!
July 29, 2016
Spoilers
-What's what: Rory found out she and her family were actually dead, and that her new home was some sort of in between place where all dead people go before moving on properly.
Naturally, Rory was told she was a speshul snowflake and that her and her new sexy teen friends were all 'Lifers' — immortal dead people that usher other dead people to either the Light or the Shadowland. Also, lame romance, silly secrets, and nonsensical worldbuilding.
-Better than the first book (which was awful). The whole purgatory thing actually seemed more plausible than the serial killer/FBI/witness protection nonsense in the first book.
-Rory was the typical bland, predictable, clumsy YA heroine. I was hoping she might have improved from the first book but she didn't. I hated how useless she was — she had to be constantly saved by her love interest (Tristan) whenever she did something idiotic. And when she wasn't being an idiot, she spent her time either moaning or banging on about Tristan's looks and sexiness. The way she went on about him, you'd think she'd never seen an attractive person before.
She was meant to be reasonably intelligent but all she did was act dumb — she jumped to conclusions, ignored the obvious, and generally acted like a right thicko. If a heroine is supposed to be clever then why make her such an idiot?!
Also, Rory hardly spent any time with her sister or dad. She was more interested in her pathetic love life. Because nothing should matter more than guys. Ugh.
-Tristan was boring. He had no chemistry with Rory whatsoever, they were so dull together. And since when has keeping secrets, being evasive, and acting mysterious equalled a personality?
I did quite like the 'twist' with him being the bad guy but its pretty obvious it'll all turn out to be a misunderstanding and he'll end up being the good guy that was trying to save everyone. Ugh.
I really hope Tristan/Rory don't end up together, they're so cheesy and blah. Also, it's clear that Tristan's true love was Jessica - it seemed like they had an epic-one-of-a-kind-sort-of-romance, whereas Tristan/Rory have nothing close to that. Rory would just be second best and what's romantic about being second best?
-Why did so many of the 'Lifers' believe that Rory was responsible for 1. The weird changes that were happening on the island and 2. All the people that were getting sent to the Shadowlands instead of the Light? She'd only been a 'Lifer' for a couple of weeks yet everyone was convinced she was some kind of mastermind/expert on the afterlife. It was dumb that they thought that someone so clueless and new to the afterlife could manipulate everything there.
-I rolled my eyes at the jealous evul girl (Nadia) that wanted Tristan - she was the typical mean girl that hated the heroine, dressed in skimpy clothing, and tried to get the heroine in trouble. Ugh.
-Krista or Nadia will probably end up being the bad guy. I'm sure Tristan will reveal that he was trying to stop Krista/Nadia by himself and that's why he had all those coins and whatnot.
All in all, Hereafter was utterly predictable and unoriginal.
-What's what: Rory found out she and her family were actually dead, and that her new home was some sort of in between place where all dead people go before moving on properly.
Naturally, Rory was told she was a speshul snowflake and that her and her new sexy teen friends were all 'Lifers' — immortal dead people that usher other dead people to either the Light or the Shadowland. Also, lame romance, silly secrets, and nonsensical worldbuilding.
-Better than the first book (which was awful). The whole purgatory thing actually seemed more plausible than the serial killer/FBI/witness protection nonsense in the first book.
-Rory was the typical bland, predictable, clumsy YA heroine. I was hoping she might have improved from the first book but she didn't. I hated how useless she was — she had to be constantly saved by her love interest (Tristan) whenever she did something idiotic. And when she wasn't being an idiot, she spent her time either moaning or banging on about Tristan's looks and sexiness. The way she went on about him, you'd think she'd never seen an attractive person before.
She was meant to be reasonably intelligent but all she did was act dumb — she jumped to conclusions, ignored the obvious, and generally acted like a right thicko. If a heroine is supposed to be clever then why make her such an idiot?!
Also, Rory hardly spent any time with her sister or dad. She was more interested in her pathetic love life. Because nothing should matter more than guys. Ugh.
-Tristan was boring. He had no chemistry with Rory whatsoever, they were so dull together. And since when has keeping secrets, being evasive, and acting mysterious equalled a personality?
I did quite like the 'twist' with him being the bad guy but its pretty obvious it'll all turn out to be a misunderstanding and he'll end up being the good guy that was trying to save everyone. Ugh.
I really hope Tristan/Rory don't end up together, they're so cheesy and blah. Also, it's clear that Tristan's true love was Jessica - it seemed like they had an epic-one-of-a-kind-sort-of-romance, whereas Tristan/Rory have nothing close to that. Rory would just be second best and what's romantic about being second best?
-Why did so many of the 'Lifers' believe that Rory was responsible for 1. The weird changes that were happening on the island and 2. All the people that were getting sent to the Shadowlands instead of the Light? She'd only been a 'Lifer' for a couple of weeks yet everyone was convinced she was some kind of mastermind/expert on the afterlife. It was dumb that they thought that someone so clueless and new to the afterlife could manipulate everything there.
-I rolled my eyes at the jealous evul girl (Nadia) that wanted Tristan - she was the typical mean girl that hated the heroine, dressed in skimpy clothing, and tried to get the heroine in trouble. Ugh.
-Krista or Nadia will probably end up being the bad guy. I'm sure Tristan will reveal that he was trying to stop Krista/Nadia by himself and that's why he had all those coins and whatnot.
All in all, Hereafter was utterly predictable and unoriginal.
May 4, 2015
This book was so Freakin Good!! I am a bit devastated about what happened in the end...although I felt it was coming. I cannot wait to start the final book and see what happens. *damn cliffhangers*
April 5, 2017
DAMN. This one was infinitely better than the first one. I need the last book asap!!
December 17, 2013
Wow! That was such a suck-you-in-and-make-you-finish-it-before-you-know-it-yet-super-duper-compelling kind of book! I've kinda had a weakness for Joaquin the Jerk since book one, so everything that happened was totally okay with me x)
Review to come! :)
Review to come! :)
February 29, 2016
To be completely real, I only read this book because I was an idiot and bought it before finishing the first. And I refuse to not read something I wasted my money on. I had so much hope in the first that I could have sworn the whole series would be great. But the lesson here is definitely not to buy the second book, third book, fourth book, etc. until you finish the first book and know that you indeed want to read the second.
Now if you really want to know my review, here it is..I hated it. It got to the point where it was obvious the plot was going no where and I literally just skimmed the rest of the way to make sure nothing would happen. And I was right. Unfortunately. Just to get my point across I'll go ahead and say: this is the first time I've ever just not been able to finish a book because I was so bored reading it.
Obviously after hating the twist in the first book, I should have never picked up this book. So if the twist made you all happy inside and somehow you think there's something left to the plot, then the book could be for you!
Needless to say, I won't be buying or reading the third and final book of this series.
Now if you really want to know my review, here it is..I hated it. It got to the point where it was obvious the plot was going no where and I literally just skimmed the rest of the way to make sure nothing would happen. And I was right. Unfortunately. Just to get my point across I'll go ahead and say: this is the first time I've ever just not been able to finish a book because I was so bored reading it.
Obviously after hating the twist in the first book, I should have never picked up this book. So if the twist made you all happy inside and somehow you think there's something left to the plot, then the book could be for you!
Needless to say, I won't be buying or reading the third and final book of this series.
September 14, 2014
wow
a surprised and explosive book 2. I can't believe all the information that is revealed, and what a full out sprint this book is to get to each new chapter.
The hints of chapters inbetween Rory's really do set this book on a fast pace.
I loved it. I can't wait for book 3.
a surprised and explosive book 2. I can't believe all the information that is revealed, and what a full out sprint this book is to get to each new chapter.
The hints of chapters inbetween Rory's really do set this book on a fast pace.
I loved it. I can't wait for book 3.
October 29, 2014
I didn't see that coming and I was way off with my predictions! I have to read book 3 ASAP! I love this series!
May 21, 2023
2023
2020
2018
I thought the whole Tristan thing was maybe a little obvious.
I really wish Darcy would work on herself a little bit. Like, not just with Rory wanting Darcy to do her selfless act and all (which would be nice), but I wish Darcy would just stop caring so much about boys. Or at least not letting them affect her entire mood. And her entire attitude toward her sister. I am so tired of her just drama queening it up around Rory just because some cute guy smiled at Rory and not at her.
2020
2018
I thought the whole Tristan thing was maybe a little obvious.
I really wish Darcy would work on herself a little bit. Like, not just with Rory wanting Darcy to do her selfless act and all (which would be nice), but I wish Darcy would just stop caring so much about boys. Or at least not letting them affect her entire mood. And her entire attitude toward her sister. I am so tired of her just drama queening it up around Rory just because some cute guy smiled at Rory and not at her.
September 24, 2014
I want to thank Disney Hyperion for providing me with an ARC of this book at BEA to read and give an honest review. It was so great to see Kate Brian once again and chat with her a bit about things. Receiving this book for free has in no easy influenced my opinion or review.
Blurb from Goodreads:
Rory Miller thought her life was over when a serial killer set his sights on her and forced her into witness protection. But a fresh start on Juniper Landing Island was exactly what she and her family needed. For the first time in years she and her sister hang out at the beach, gossip about boys, and party together. She's also made friends with a local clique--including a magnetic and mysterious boy named Tristan.
But Rory's world is about to change again. Picturesque Juniper Landing isn't what it seems. The truth about the swirling fog that rolls in each morning, the bridge that leads to nowhere, and those beautiful locals who seem to watch Rory's every move is more terrifying than being hunted by Steven Nell. And all Rory ever wanted was the truth. Even if it means learning that she can never go home again. From the best-selling author of the Private and Privilege series comes the second novel in a heart-stopping trilogy about a girl who must pick up the pieces after the only life she's ever known ends.
If you haven't read the first book in this series, you might want to stop before moving on as there will be spoilers for the first book. And, since the first book lands a huge cliff hanger, then you might be totally disappointed when I tell you what happened!
This book picked up immediately where the last book left off. At the end we are given the shocking conclusion that everyone on Juniper Landing is dead. That Juniper landing is not the vacation island Rory and her family thought it to be.
Once again I am in love with the cover of a Disney book. It's just utterly beautiful with the colors and the girls on the front. It's simple and yet conveys an important message with the birds flying around.
Rory continues to be her inquisitive self as she was in the first book. Her mind is always working, always trying to find the truth. So once she finds out that the island is a place where the dead come, she needs to find out the truth of why she and her family are there and what their purpose is. Once Rory is told that she's a Lifer, things come more into focus. But she's having a hard time accepting the reality that she may soon be separated from her family for good. And she wants to try and do everything she can to stop this from happening. But the evil that lurks on the island is changing things for the Lifers and things are slowly starting to deteriorate. When Rory realizes things are not right, she has a hard time getting people to listen, especially Tristan, who she has felt a connection with since landing on the island. Rory continues to be quite a fearless and kick butt character, but you do see her emotions come through quite a bit in this book.
Tristan himself is quite mysterious. He certainly seems like he's attracted to Rory, but when things start to heat up he backs off and throws her into total confusion. Slowly we learn that Tristan has been on the island for a long time, and that most if not all the Lifers listen to what he has to say because he has the most experience. I have to say that I would have liked to see more character development with Tristan. He's a bit flat. I do understand the reasoning behind us not getting too deep into his mind, but it bothered me a bit.
We do get a bit more of Juoquin in this book; more of a look into who he is and why he is the way he is. And Brian fleshes out some of the other minor characters as well. We don't get much more from Rory's father or sister, which is a bit annoying. They are just kind of in the background. And we also meet some new characters, one of whom seems to have huge chip on her shoulder for Rory from the very beginning. It's a bit annoying not understanding the reasoning for this until closer to the end of the book.
And interesting twist is the unknown POV that Brain includes in the book. It's not often that we see it, just a few chapters, but it's a look into the evil that lurks on the island. I tried my hardest to figure out who it was throughout the boo, but I couldn't. And even in the end, when things are "revealed" I still don't think it's who it appears to be. The voice creates a feeling of mystery and suspense and definitely left me with an unsettled feeling in my stomach!
Brian has amazing pacing, as she did in the first book. I finished this in one sitting. There's action and adventure and mystery and it keeps you wanting to read from chapter to chapter. The book definitely leaves you with a heart pounding that propels you to want to know what will happen next. It's intense for sure. And Brian's writing is spot on. It's easy to follow and flows well. I also loved how Brian built more of the world, showed us more of the island and all it's intricacies, although there still seems to be a bit of mystery that I hope is cleared in the next book. And the romance does not overpower the book too much. Sure, Rory does some pining, but what average teenage girl doesn't. And there's just a hint of a love triangle given, although it's not fleshed out and I wonder if it will go anywhere in the next book.
Overall I truly enjoyed this book as much as the first. I love the story telling and the premise. It's totally different from anything else I've ever read. And, while the ending is wrapped up enough not to leave you with your jaw hanging, you still want the next book yesterday so you can see where things end up!
Blurb from Goodreads:
Rory Miller thought her life was over when a serial killer set his sights on her and forced her into witness protection. But a fresh start on Juniper Landing Island was exactly what she and her family needed. For the first time in years she and her sister hang out at the beach, gossip about boys, and party together. She's also made friends with a local clique--including a magnetic and mysterious boy named Tristan.
But Rory's world is about to change again. Picturesque Juniper Landing isn't what it seems. The truth about the swirling fog that rolls in each morning, the bridge that leads to nowhere, and those beautiful locals who seem to watch Rory's every move is more terrifying than being hunted by Steven Nell. And all Rory ever wanted was the truth. Even if it means learning that she can never go home again. From the best-selling author of the Private and Privilege series comes the second novel in a heart-stopping trilogy about a girl who must pick up the pieces after the only life she's ever known ends.
If you haven't read the first book in this series, you might want to stop before moving on as there will be spoilers for the first book. And, since the first book lands a huge cliff hanger, then you might be totally disappointed when I tell you what happened!
This book picked up immediately where the last book left off. At the end we are given the shocking conclusion that everyone on Juniper Landing is dead. That Juniper landing is not the vacation island Rory and her family thought it to be.
Once again I am in love with the cover of a Disney book. It's just utterly beautiful with the colors and the girls on the front. It's simple and yet conveys an important message with the birds flying around.
Rory continues to be her inquisitive self as she was in the first book. Her mind is always working, always trying to find the truth. So once she finds out that the island is a place where the dead come, she needs to find out the truth of why she and her family are there and what their purpose is. Once Rory is told that she's a Lifer, things come more into focus. But she's having a hard time accepting the reality that she may soon be separated from her family for good. And she wants to try and do everything she can to stop this from happening. But the evil that lurks on the island is changing things for the Lifers and things are slowly starting to deteriorate. When Rory realizes things are not right, she has a hard time getting people to listen, especially Tristan, who she has felt a connection with since landing on the island. Rory continues to be quite a fearless and kick butt character, but you do see her emotions come through quite a bit in this book.
Tristan himself is quite mysterious. He certainly seems like he's attracted to Rory, but when things start to heat up he backs off and throws her into total confusion. Slowly we learn that Tristan has been on the island for a long time, and that most if not all the Lifers listen to what he has to say because he has the most experience. I have to say that I would have liked to see more character development with Tristan. He's a bit flat. I do understand the reasoning behind us not getting too deep into his mind, but it bothered me a bit.
We do get a bit more of Juoquin in this book; more of a look into who he is and why he is the way he is. And Brian fleshes out some of the other minor characters as well. We don't get much more from Rory's father or sister, which is a bit annoying. They are just kind of in the background. And we also meet some new characters, one of whom seems to have huge chip on her shoulder for Rory from the very beginning. It's a bit annoying not understanding the reasoning for this until closer to the end of the book.
And interesting twist is the unknown POV that Brain includes in the book. It's not often that we see it, just a few chapters, but it's a look into the evil that lurks on the island. I tried my hardest to figure out who it was throughout the boo, but I couldn't. And even in the end, when things are "revealed" I still don't think it's who it appears to be. The voice creates a feeling of mystery and suspense and definitely left me with an unsettled feeling in my stomach!
Brian has amazing pacing, as she did in the first book. I finished this in one sitting. There's action and adventure and mystery and it keeps you wanting to read from chapter to chapter. The book definitely leaves you with a heart pounding that propels you to want to know what will happen next. It's intense for sure. And Brian's writing is spot on. It's easy to follow and flows well. I also loved how Brian built more of the world, showed us more of the island and all it's intricacies, although there still seems to be a bit of mystery that I hope is cleared in the next book. And the romance does not overpower the book too much. Sure, Rory does some pining, but what average teenage girl doesn't. And there's just a hint of a love triangle given, although it's not fleshed out and I wonder if it will go anywhere in the next book.
Overall I truly enjoyed this book as much as the first. I love the story telling and the premise. It's totally different from anything else I've ever read. And, while the ending is wrapped up enough not to leave you with your jaw hanging, you still want the next book yesterday so you can see where things end up!
April 20, 2025
3⭐️⭐️⭐️
I really think this book doesn’t deserve 3 stars, but the first one was so good, so I’ll give it some mercy. Tristian is unbelievable, I’m so mad at him right now lol. Let’s just say Here After is not my favorite.
I really think this book doesn’t deserve 3 stars, but the first one was so good, so I’ll give it some mercy. Tristian is unbelievable, I’m so mad at him right now lol. Let’s just say Here After is not my favorite.
May 25, 2017
Great continuation to the series. I feel like what we learnt in the end cant really be true though. It just cannot! I need to get my hands on the third one but can seem to find a copy anywhere...
October 2, 2013
**Some Spoilers if you have NOT read Shadowlands**
Rory is getting used to her new reality on Juniper Landing. She's getting to know the clique of "Lifers" and figuring out how things actually work behind the scenes, while also grappling with what her situation means for Darcy and her dad. Meanwhile things are happening on the island that are not normal. Plants are dying, crows and insects have shown up, and people are going into the fog and not ending up where they should. It's hard for the locals not to blame Rory, since it did start happening with her arrival... but Rory doesn't even understand half of what is going on, let alone being able to cause it intentionally. With so many secrets, it's hard for Rory to fix anything... and it doesn't help when Tristan is being secretive and Joaquin is the only one she can lean on.
My Thoughts:
The SECOND BOOK!!!! I was SO excited to read this one! I've been pining away for it ever since I read the last page of Shadowlands. And let me tell you, that last page certainly was a mindf*ck. It ended with a twist that I NEVER saw coming and wasn't sure I even liked. But after further reflection, I realized that I did like it, I just wasn't prepared for it at the time.
Anyway on to this book. If you loved Shadowlands, you won't be disappointed with Hereafter. With Steven Nell out of the way, another baddie reveals him/herself. And this person is doing things that are causing the entire island to go haywire. Poor Rory doesn't even have time to adjust to her new role (or even get all the info) before the ominous stuff starts happening. She has no idea how to fix it, but she somehow becomes the center of all the speculation. It seemed like everyone was keeping secrets from her and she was already in the dark about most things as it was!! Could someone fill a girl in??
If you were hoping that book 2 would let you off a little easier than book 1.... well I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I still wanted to punch myself in the face when it was over. Mostly because I have to wait who knows how long to find out what's next.
There were only a few drawbacks. One was that it felt a little short. It's 320 pages, so clearly it's not that short, but it just felt that way. I wanted MORE. More info about how everything worked, where everybody came from and how they got to be where they are. I think this book suffers a little from middle book syndrome in that it is transitioning from book 1 to book 3 and not giving major bulk. That was ok for me because I loved the creepy fog, the new direction it started to head, and the fact that I was able to read it super fast. Another thing was Rory didn't seem to grasp the idea of forever. If she's going to be on this island for eternity, then I don't think she needed to be so dramatic about Tristan not being sure about wifing her up on the first day. Take a breath girl, you guys have FOREVER.
OVERALL: For book 2 of a series, I give it an A. It held it's own and transitioned the story nicely. I loved the creepy setting and the fact that there is ANOTHER twist. Even though I expected the cliffhanger this time, I'm still dying over here because of it!!
My Blog:
Rory is getting used to her new reality on Juniper Landing. She's getting to know the clique of "Lifers" and figuring out how things actually work behind the scenes, while also grappling with what her situation means for Darcy and her dad. Meanwhile things are happening on the island that are not normal. Plants are dying, crows and insects have shown up, and people are going into the fog and not ending up where they should. It's hard for the locals not to blame Rory, since it did start happening with her arrival... but Rory doesn't even understand half of what is going on, let alone being able to cause it intentionally. With so many secrets, it's hard for Rory to fix anything... and it doesn't help when Tristan is being secretive and Joaquin is the only one she can lean on.
My Thoughts:
The SECOND BOOK!!!! I was SO excited to read this one! I've been pining away for it ever since I read the last page of Shadowlands. And let me tell you, that last page certainly was a mindf*ck. It ended with a twist that I NEVER saw coming and wasn't sure I even liked. But after further reflection, I realized that I did like it, I just wasn't prepared for it at the time.
Anyway on to this book. If you loved Shadowlands, you won't be disappointed with Hereafter. With Steven Nell out of the way, another baddie reveals him/herself. And this person is doing things that are causing the entire island to go haywire. Poor Rory doesn't even have time to adjust to her new role (or even get all the info) before the ominous stuff starts happening. She has no idea how to fix it, but she somehow becomes the center of all the speculation. It seemed like everyone was keeping secrets from her and she was already in the dark about most things as it was!! Could someone fill a girl in??
If you were hoping that book 2 would let you off a little easier than book 1.... well I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I still wanted to punch myself in the face when it was over. Mostly because I have to wait who knows how long to find out what's next.
There were only a few drawbacks. One was that it felt a little short. It's 320 pages, so clearly it's not that short, but it just felt that way. I wanted MORE. More info about how everything worked, where everybody came from and how they got to be where they are. I think this book suffers a little from middle book syndrome in that it is transitioning from book 1 to book 3 and not giving major bulk. That was ok for me because I loved the creepy fog, the new direction it started to head, and the fact that I was able to read it super fast. Another thing was Rory didn't seem to grasp the idea of forever. If she's going to be on this island for eternity, then I don't think she needed to be so dramatic about Tristan not being sure about wifing her up on the first day. Take a breath girl, you guys have FOREVER.
OVERALL: For book 2 of a series, I give it an A. It held it's own and transitioned the story nicely. I loved the creepy setting and the fact that there is ANOTHER twist. Even though I expected the cliffhanger this time, I'm still dying over here because of it!!
My Blog:
August 13, 2013
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I really had no idea what to expect from Hereafter, considering that I loved Shadowlands so much. Shadowlands ended on one of the most painful and most surprising cliffhangers that I've ever read. Sadly, Hereafter never fully commits to the unexpected turn of events that occurred at the end of Shadowlands. Hereafter relies way too heavily on Shadowlands' cliffhanger to move the plot ahead which led to an extremely slow-paced plot.
Hereafter continues just where Shadowlands left off and the plot is simple, but entertaining. Kate Brian introduces a bunch of paranormal concepts, but they felt like takeoffs of Greek mythology. It seemed like Brian just stuck on a new name and rebranded these Greek concepts as her own. Calling a creature a "lifer" doesn't really excuse the fact that she is borrowing the entire concept of Charon (the ferryman in the Underworld). I would have been fine with this borrowing if Brian had expanded these ideas, but Brian seemed to take the easy route with the lifers.
I had a lot of fun reading Shadowlands, but Hereafter wasn't nearly as entertaining. Hereafter has a bit of a darker tone than Shadowlands and something seemed to be missing from Hereafter. The romance is nothing special at all and is extremely formulaic. I read Hereafter in less than a day, but I felt like I had to force myself to continue reading it. It lacked the addictive, page-turner quality that Shadowlands seemed to possess. I also really felt like barely anything occurred in this entire novel; I could probably summarize this whole book in two sentences and cover almost the book's entire plotline.
I didn't mind Rory in book #1, but she definitely annoyed me while reading Hereafter. It seemed that she was so oblivious to the looming danger that was quite obvious. She also seemed a bit selfish in my opinion because she didn't want her father and sister to move on without her. Rory easily could have averted all of the danger if she wasn't so concerned with Tristan and falling in love with him. Maybe I'm being a bit too harsh because I'm annoyed with her lack of action! Instead of complaining how everything was going wrong, she could have tried to do something more than whine.
Hereafter suffers from "Middle-Book syndrome" for sure and it lacks almost everything I loved about Shadowlands. Shadowlands was an intense thriller, but Hereafter feels like a simple lackluster paranormal romance. Hereafter is nothing like what I expect and I'm beginning to think that maybe my expectations were too high. I am extremely disappointed by Hereafter and I can only hope that book 3 redeems this series.
I really had no idea what to expect from Hereafter, considering that I loved Shadowlands so much. Shadowlands ended on one of the most painful and most surprising cliffhangers that I've ever read. Sadly, Hereafter never fully commits to the unexpected turn of events that occurred at the end of Shadowlands. Hereafter relies way too heavily on Shadowlands' cliffhanger to move the plot ahead which led to an extremely slow-paced plot.
Hereafter continues just where Shadowlands left off and the plot is simple, but entertaining. Kate Brian introduces a bunch of paranormal concepts, but they felt like takeoffs of Greek mythology. It seemed like Brian just stuck on a new name and rebranded these Greek concepts as her own. Calling a creature a "lifer" doesn't really excuse the fact that she is borrowing the entire concept of Charon (the ferryman in the Underworld). I would have been fine with this borrowing if Brian had expanded these ideas, but Brian seemed to take the easy route with the lifers.
I had a lot of fun reading Shadowlands, but Hereafter wasn't nearly as entertaining. Hereafter has a bit of a darker tone than Shadowlands and something seemed to be missing from Hereafter. The romance is nothing special at all and is extremely formulaic. I read Hereafter in less than a day, but I felt like I had to force myself to continue reading it. It lacked the addictive, page-turner quality that Shadowlands seemed to possess. I also really felt like barely anything occurred in this entire novel; I could probably summarize this whole book in two sentences and cover almost the book's entire plotline.
I didn't mind Rory in book #1, but she definitely annoyed me while reading Hereafter. It seemed that she was so oblivious to the looming danger that was quite obvious. She also seemed a bit selfish in my opinion because she didn't want her father and sister to move on without her. Rory easily could have averted all of the danger if she wasn't so concerned with Tristan and falling in love with him. Maybe I'm being a bit too harsh because I'm annoyed with her lack of action! Instead of complaining how everything was going wrong, she could have tried to do something more than whine.
Hereafter suffers from "Middle-Book syndrome" for sure and it lacks almost everything I loved about Shadowlands. Shadowlands was an intense thriller, but Hereafter feels like a simple lackluster paranormal romance. Hereafter is nothing like what I expect and I'm beginning to think that maybe my expectations were too high. I am extremely disappointed by Hereafter and I can only hope that book 3 redeems this series.
October 3, 2013
I really love this series and this book. Kate Brian has always been one of my top 5 favorite authors since her Private series. Her books got me back in to reading in 2006 when I was walking around Borders (that is how long ago this was) and I was the amazing cover to Private and had to read it. After that every time one of her books has been released it is on my kindle and ready to go.
The Shadowlands series is very different then other books but her and I love it. It is hard to review without giving away the huge ending to book 1. But I may have liked this installment for than the first. Because now I know what I know from book 1 book 2 was learning how everything works and finding out a mystery all at once. It was brilliant.
Can't wait til the next!!!!!
Since I am not sure when the next book is out below is my spoiler to read before I read it.
The Shadowlands series is very different then other books but her and I love it. It is hard to review without giving away the huge ending to book 1. But I may have liked this installment for than the first. Because now I know what I know from book 1 book 2 was learning how everything works and finding out a mystery all at once. It was brilliant.
Can't wait til the next!!!!!
Since I am not sure when the next book is out below is my spoiler to read before I read it.
October 19, 2013
The ending of Shadowlands left me questioning whether I would like this series or not. I can say after reading Hereafter, I do like this series.
I found Hereafter a bit more predictable than Shadowlands. If you read the first book, you understand what I’m saying because that ending came out of nowhere. Do not expect that same since of shock and surprise from Hereafter. There is nothing really surprising in this book. I saw the ending coming from the beginning.
The setting is still great. The sleepy little island community of Juniper Landing is starting to be shaken. Things like hornets and dead animals and flowers are creeping in to the island paradise. It may seem like nothing for a typical Florida beach community, but it is not common in Juniper Landing. The cause of these mysteries is the focus of the entire book. In simplest form, something is amiss.
Not only can you see what’s obviously going wrong in the community, but Rory and the other Lifers can sense it. Souls are going astray, and no one knows why.
The creep factor is a bit higher in this one because we meet new characters. The new characters are dark and mysterious. It’s hard to say what role they will ultimately have in the series, but for now it’s not looking too good.
I have to say, though, what really sold me on Hereafter is Joaquin. He never made much of an impression on me in the first book, but he shines in Hereafter. I adore him. Rory is in a tough spot, so I don’t know how things will turn out in that area. I’m very anxious to see where that subplot will take us.
Kate Brian has definitely written a mystery that I’m curious about. This is typically my least favorite genre, but there was just enough of a hint of mythology (Charon and the golden coins) to suck me in. I will be waiting patiently for Endless to arrive.
I found Hereafter a bit more predictable than Shadowlands. If you read the first book, you understand what I’m saying because that ending came out of nowhere. Do not expect that same since of shock and surprise from Hereafter. There is nothing really surprising in this book. I saw the ending coming from the beginning.
The setting is still great. The sleepy little island community of Juniper Landing is starting to be shaken. Things like hornets and dead animals and flowers are creeping in to the island paradise. It may seem like nothing for a typical Florida beach community, but it is not common in Juniper Landing. The cause of these mysteries is the focus of the entire book. In simplest form, something is amiss.
Not only can you see what’s obviously going wrong in the community, but Rory and the other Lifers can sense it. Souls are going astray, and no one knows why.
The creep factor is a bit higher in this one because we meet new characters. The new characters are dark and mysterious. It’s hard to say what role they will ultimately have in the series, but for now it’s not looking too good.
I have to say, though, what really sold me on Hereafter is Joaquin. He never made much of an impression on me in the first book, but he shines in Hereafter. I adore him. Rory is in a tough spot, so I don’t know how things will turn out in that area. I’m very anxious to see where that subplot will take us.
Kate Brian has definitely written a mystery that I’m curious about. This is typically my least favorite genre, but there was just enough of a hint of mythology (Charon and the golden coins) to suck me in. I will be waiting patiently for Endless to arrive.
January 13, 2014
Okay so maybe this one got bumped to a 3.5 for two reasons.. 1.)The ending was kind of predictable, (even after being spoiled on the ending, thanks synopsis)all fingers just pointed to that direction and the villain might as well have said "Oh hey guys Im right here", but then again the author may just want you to think that...which for once I hope isn't the case. 2.)The insta-love. I really strongly disliked Tristan and Rory's "romance", I mean love declarations after ten days... come on! I don't know if it's just because tristans character was a snoozer to me or what but Im just not feeling it.
HOWEVER, I was totally not expecting to love Joaquin's character. I wrote him off in the first one as a self obsessed jerk, but actually he's pretty cool. There was definitely more than meets the eye and his story just broke my heart. I love that when no one else would, he stood by Rory and was there for her when she needed someone. I got all giddy during his and Rory's interactions and am seriously hoping they somehow end up together after all this, not sure if it will actually happen but a girl can dream right?
All in all, I still did like the plot, just not the insta love and predictable "AHA" moment. But I did love that we got to learn more about the other characters and try to figure out what the heck is going on in this town. Still a good read and now can't wait till the third one comes out.
HOWEVER, I was totally not expecting to love Joaquin's character. I wrote him off in the first one as a self obsessed jerk, but actually he's pretty cool. There was definitely more than meets the eye and his story just broke my heart. I love that when no one else would, he stood by Rory and was there for her when she needed someone. I got all giddy during his and Rory's interactions and am seriously hoping they somehow end up together after all this, not sure if it will actually happen but a girl can dream right?
All in all, I still did like the plot, just not the insta love and predictable "AHA" moment. But I did love that we got to learn more about the other characters and try to figure out what the heck is going on in this town. Still a good read and now can't wait till the third one comes out.
June 16, 2013
Rory and her family were on their way to a Witness Protection Safe House in Book#1 Shadowlands when on the highway they were killed. Unsure if it was real or not , Rory and her family went off happily to Juniper's Landing - a nice coastal town in the middle of nowhere . However strange things started happening and people were disappearing and not remembering others, yet Rory could remember them as clear as day. In Book #2 it turns out that Juniper's Landing is a town for those in Limbo and everyone in Juniper's Landing is in fact DEAD. However, with death there are those who are chosen to become guides to either the Shadowlands or the Light - the good or the bad depending how you spent your time on earth. These people are called Lifers and it turns out that Rory fits into that category. What happens though when strange things start occurring and the balance of good and evil is compromised ? Has someone from the "Lifers" team discovered how to kill themselves ? Worse is that they are trying to frame Rory for it. Can Rory with the help of her newfound friends - fellow "Lifers" help restore balance or will Rory be pushed too far when her best friend Aaron and Dad are thrown to the Shadowlands instead of the Light ?
A wonderful book and a series that I hope Kate continues with as I can't wait to see what will happen with Darcy and Tristan ?
A wonderful book and a series that I hope Kate continues with as I can't wait to see what will happen with Darcy and Tristan ?
November 12, 2013
I'm going to get to a point where I won't be able to read any of Kate Brian's books until the entire series is out. I went through this with the Private series and again with the Privilege series so really it shouldn't surprise me that I'd get sucked into the whirlpool of incredible storylines, swoonworthy guy characters and girls who KNOW how to kick butt. But I did. I did it with the first.....and I've done it again with Hereafter.
I loved that the *dark* theme continued in this book, I was a little worried that Brian would cool the series down but nope, she delivered! I mean, I don't know why I expected anything less, the main character has been murdered after all.
I really enjoyed reading about the other characters backgrounds in Hereafter, a can of worms that obviously weren't opened in the first - because holy cliffhanger!
I'd like to read a bit more of the other characters first coming to Juniper Bay, especially Tristan (did I mention swoonworthy?)
Overall, another utterly brilliant novel by Kate Brian!
I loved that the *dark* theme continued in this book, I was a little worried that Brian would cool the series down but nope, she delivered! I mean, I don't know why I expected anything less, the main character has been murdered after all.
I really enjoyed reading about the other characters backgrounds in Hereafter, a can of worms that obviously weren't opened in the first - because holy cliffhanger!
I'd like to read a bit more of the other characters first coming to Juniper Bay, especially Tristan (did I mention swoonworthy?)
Overall, another utterly brilliant novel by Kate Brian!
February 29, 2020
"You used your last seconds of life to rid the world of a sadistic killer. Evan as you took your last breaths, you managed to make the world a better place".
Hereafter (Shadowlands, #2)
by Kate Brian
I'm sorry. I am. I do not give a one rating all that much and I happen to be a huge fan of Kate Brian. So what happened with this?
I read the first book in this series and while I did not love it I was impressed with the writing and the twist. But this book..I found it to be really unpleasant and I did get through it by skimming but it was difficult.
SPOILERS:
I just did not like the whole premise. The wrong people are being sent to Hell? Or wherever it is they go? And the romance..the triangle..did not work for me either. I actually think the first book could have been a stand alone. Not everything needs to be a trilogy. In any event, this one left me with a bad taste in my mouth and I can't really recommend it much as I love this author.
Hereafter (Shadowlands, #2)
by Kate Brian
I'm sorry. I am. I do not give a one rating all that much and I happen to be a huge fan of Kate Brian. So what happened with this?
I read the first book in this series and while I did not love it I was impressed with the writing and the twist. But this book..I found it to be really unpleasant and I did get through it by skimming but it was difficult.
SPOILERS:
I just did not like the whole premise. The wrong people are being sent to Hell? Or wherever it is they go? And the romance..the triangle..did not work for me either. I actually think the first book could have been a stand alone. Not everything needs to be a trilogy. In any event, this one left me with a bad taste in my mouth and I can't really recommend it much as I love this author.
October 2, 2013
I believe my direct quote upon finishing was, "Mother fucking, what the mother fuck?!?!?!" That ending...that's it?!? Where is the final book? I need it NOW!
See full review at...
See full review at...
June 21, 2013
I enjoyed this installment though it suffered a bit from the middle book syndrome for sure. It was fun to read about the Lifers and ushering souls to Shadowlands or Heaven. I wished the ending wasn't so abrupt and unsatisfying though...
Want to read
May 6, 2014To-reading this one because that's my friend modelling the cover!
Awesomesauce.
Awesomesauce.
April 5, 2017
Hereafter continued Rory's story with a new threat. A threat that was trying to blame her for all that was going wrong on the island. There was a continuation of the eye roll worthy "romance" and Rory playing the hero. This was disappointingly not as exciting as the first book. Rory and Tristan together is written horribly. I don't understand how I just finished the story when I feel like there is so much more to know. I do want to know what happens in the end so I may read the final book. Hopefully Rory and Tristan together don't ruin it.
October 13, 2021
I liked this book but shadowlands is my all time favorite!!
September 28, 2013
Actual rating is 2.5
After the shocking finish of Kate Brian’s Shadowlands last year, Hereafter became one of my most anticipated titles of this year. I mean that cliffhanger completely blindsided me and left me pining for more. Unfortunately, due to the way that the previous book ended there is no way that I can make this review spoiler free for the series. So if you haven’t read the first book and do plan to you probably should just stop reading this review now. Ok, now that we have that sorted here goes:
Looking back I think that what I loved about Shadowlands was that it really felt like a contemporary story with a good dose of mystery mixed in, which is just a great blend any day of the week. At the tail end of that novel we got a very shocking paranormal twist when we found out that everyone on Juniper Landing was in fact dead. Hereafter is a full out paranormal story and I have to say that it just didn’t have the same appeal to me that Shadowlands did. We are quickly thrown back into the story and find out that Juniper Landing is a bridge from real life into the afterlife. Everyone who dies goes there and is then ushered either into the Light (where people who have led a good life go) or into the Shadowlands (where people who are bad go.) The group of kids who wear the leather bands are revealed to be Lifers, people who stay on the island and usher the other souls into the afterlife.
Once again we are treated to the story from Rory’s perspective. She finds out that she is meant to be a Lifer on the island and that her sister and father are not. So when we catch back up with her she is dealing with a lot: Steven Nell has just been ushered into the Shadowlands, she’s facing losing her only remaining family, she’s trying to find out what being a lifer entails and dealing with her feelings for Tristan. Rory is still a very strong headed girl, once she realizes that souls are being wrongly sent into the Shadowlands she is persistent in figuring out exactly what is going on. Since she is dealing with this mystery and trying to settle into her new life as a Lifer I felt that the family dynamic ended up taking a back seat in this one. I remember really liking the relationships that she had with her sister (even though I didn’t actually like her sister) and her father in the first book, but it seems like the relationships were really underdeveloped in this one all around. The romance didn’t have me swooning or anything since for much of the novel Tristan just really isn’t giving Rory the time of day romantically and by the time he did I felt it was too strained between them and just didn’t care.
The air of mystery is maintained in this instalment but it was a mystery that was far too easy to piece together before the end of the novel. With Shadowlands I never felt like I actually knew what was going on, but with this one I spent most of the novel just trying to get to the end because I knew exactly how it was going to pan out. I think if more of the secondary characters were fleshed out I would have at least been kept much more interested in the story but instead we get random tidbits about them here and there but are never really given enough to feel like we know them at all. Even Rory’s sister, Darcy, became someone who was simply in scenes here and there but never really felt like someone who was instrumental to the story at all.
In the end this was a paranormal story with an interesting premise but it really lacked in character building. I feel it was a pretty big disappointment after having loved Shadowlands so much and really wish that the characters had grown more in this one and that the relationships had become ones that I truly cared about. As a followup to a novel that packed such a punch and was incredibly unique, Hereafter feels incredibly formulaic and isn’t one that I will be recommending.
An Advanced Reader's Copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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You can read all of my reviews at Alluring Reads.
After the shocking finish of Kate Brian’s Shadowlands last year, Hereafter became one of my most anticipated titles of this year. I mean that cliffhanger completely blindsided me and left me pining for more. Unfortunately, due to the way that the previous book ended there is no way that I can make this review spoiler free for the series. So if you haven’t read the first book and do plan to you probably should just stop reading this review now. Ok, now that we have that sorted here goes:
Looking back I think that what I loved about Shadowlands was that it really felt like a contemporary story with a good dose of mystery mixed in, which is just a great blend any day of the week. At the tail end of that novel we got a very shocking paranormal twist when we found out that everyone on Juniper Landing was in fact dead. Hereafter is a full out paranormal story and I have to say that it just didn’t have the same appeal to me that Shadowlands did. We are quickly thrown back into the story and find out that Juniper Landing is a bridge from real life into the afterlife. Everyone who dies goes there and is then ushered either into the Light (where people who have led a good life go) or into the Shadowlands (where people who are bad go.) The group of kids who wear the leather bands are revealed to be Lifers, people who stay on the island and usher the other souls into the afterlife.
Once again we are treated to the story from Rory’s perspective. She finds out that she is meant to be a Lifer on the island and that her sister and father are not. So when we catch back up with her she is dealing with a lot: Steven Nell has just been ushered into the Shadowlands, she’s facing losing her only remaining family, she’s trying to find out what being a lifer entails and dealing with her feelings for Tristan. Rory is still a very strong headed girl, once she realizes that souls are being wrongly sent into the Shadowlands she is persistent in figuring out exactly what is going on. Since she is dealing with this mystery and trying to settle into her new life as a Lifer I felt that the family dynamic ended up taking a back seat in this one. I remember really liking the relationships that she had with her sister (even though I didn’t actually like her sister) and her father in the first book, but it seems like the relationships were really underdeveloped in this one all around. The romance didn’t have me swooning or anything since for much of the novel Tristan just really isn’t giving Rory the time of day romantically and by the time he did I felt it was too strained between them and just didn’t care.
The air of mystery is maintained in this instalment but it was a mystery that was far too easy to piece together before the end of the novel. With Shadowlands I never felt like I actually knew what was going on, but with this one I spent most of the novel just trying to get to the end because I knew exactly how it was going to pan out. I think if more of the secondary characters were fleshed out I would have at least been kept much more interested in the story but instead we get random tidbits about them here and there but are never really given enough to feel like we know them at all. Even Rory’s sister, Darcy, became someone who was simply in scenes here and there but never really felt like someone who was instrumental to the story at all.
In the end this was a paranormal story with an interesting premise but it really lacked in character building. I feel it was a pretty big disappointment after having loved Shadowlands so much and really wish that the characters had grown more in this one and that the relationships had become ones that I truly cared about. As a followup to a novel that packed such a punch and was incredibly unique, Hereafter feels incredibly formulaic and isn’t one that I will be recommending.
An Advanced Reader's Copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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You can read all of my reviews at Alluring Reads.
October 3, 2015
So, I know a lot of people didn't enjoy the first novel in this series as much as I did. But I read purely for joy and happily overlook plot holes and other things if the novel entertains me. Most of the time, this is easy. Not as easy in this novel. ****If you haven't read the first novel, there will be spoilers from that novel***. So, who is the bad guy or what do you do with your characters when you kill off the bad guy in the first book? Well, you have to come up with something even more sinister, and it is. It's a good idea.
This novel is once again told from Rory's point of view with the exception of several one page interruptions of someone writing from their own point of view. This person doesn't reveal their identity. It is creepy and you'd almost believe Steven Nell was alive if you hadn't seen him killed in the last novel. But the author leads you heavily along as to who it is. And at the end of the novel - What? Oh no, not him! Of course, with such heavy pointing towards him being the bad guy, I'm sure in the next novel we will come to find out he is not the bad guy. However, it does make me wonder who the villain is???
Rory is herself as she was in the last novel. She knows a huge secret about her life as well as that of everyone else's on the island but if she tells it will harm them all, including herself. So yeah, that's kind of heavy. But she is also tip toeing around the boy she likes, Tristan, because he's very mysterious. (blech) Darcy, Rory's sister, is still an insecure, jealous child. She sees Rory with the guy Darcy liked and the one she likes currently and automatically Rory is trying to steal both. What? Do they really hate each other so much? And Darcy is described as the beautiful one. If it weren't for where she'd go I'd say kick her off the island.
As I read through this time, I did some serious eye rolling. The love declaration after ten days. One. The mean girl plotting against Rory. Two. A secret society that Rory can be a member of which only makes her sister even more jealous. Three. Mysterious things happening only after Rory appeared on the island. Four. And the final one was for who the obvious bad guy was. We are led by the nose to him throughout the novel with glaring clues. He screams "It's me!" without actually saying it.The final eye roll.
But despite the eye rolling, I read it in a couple of hours and while it wasn't as good as the first one to me, I do still want to find out what is going on. So yes, I will read the last book. And I think it could be very interesting depending on what Kate Brian decides to write. She left things precarious at this point. Rory is in a very bad state right now and when I say that, I mean she is taking no prisoners as she beats her way to the answers. THAT could be fun. I like ticked off Rory. She does something very symbolic at the end that leads me to believe, whether he did it or not, the guy we all think did it better look out because I don't think Rory is going to stop for explanations!
If you've already started the series, I'd say read this one because the first one could very well have been a stand alone. This one could be a companion novel where you already know the characters and how the island seemingly works. This one gives you the instruction manual and lets you know the defects. The next novel should be, if written really well, like a hurricane sweeping over the island, taking all the bad with it, and waking up to a freshly washed over island that can be rebuilt from the ground up like it was intended.
I say give it a try if you've started the series. Be prepared for some obvious things in the novel. Don't let it derail you. See if you can find out what's really going on, who the real bad guy is. If I'm wrong, if it is really him, then I'll be really disappointed. But we won't know for awhile, will we?
Thanks to the publisher Disney-Hyperion for an e-ARC supplied through NetGalley for review. The opinions expressed are my own.
This novel is once again told from Rory's point of view with the exception of several one page interruptions of someone writing from their own point of view. This person doesn't reveal their identity. It is creepy and you'd almost believe Steven Nell was alive if you hadn't seen him killed in the last novel. But the author leads you heavily along as to who it is. And at the end of the novel - What? Oh no, not him! Of course, with such heavy pointing towards him being the bad guy, I'm sure in the next novel we will come to find out he is not the bad guy. However, it does make me wonder who the villain is???
Rory is herself as she was in the last novel. She knows a huge secret about her life as well as that of everyone else's on the island but if she tells it will harm them all, including herself. So yeah, that's kind of heavy. But she is also tip toeing around the boy she likes, Tristan, because he's very mysterious. (blech) Darcy, Rory's sister, is still an insecure, jealous child. She sees Rory with the guy Darcy liked and the one she likes currently and automatically Rory is trying to steal both. What? Do they really hate each other so much? And Darcy is described as the beautiful one. If it weren't for where she'd go I'd say kick her off the island.
As I read through this time, I did some serious eye rolling. The love declaration after ten days. One. The mean girl plotting against Rory. Two. A secret society that Rory can be a member of which only makes her sister even more jealous. Three. Mysterious things happening only after Rory appeared on the island. Four. And the final one was for who the obvious bad guy was. We are led by the nose to him throughout the novel with glaring clues. He screams "It's me!" without actually saying it.The final eye roll.
But despite the eye rolling, I read it in a couple of hours and while it wasn't as good as the first one to me, I do still want to find out what is going on. So yes, I will read the last book. And I think it could be very interesting depending on what Kate Brian decides to write. She left things precarious at this point. Rory is in a very bad state right now and when I say that, I mean she is taking no prisoners as she beats her way to the answers. THAT could be fun. I like ticked off Rory. She does something very symbolic at the end that leads me to believe, whether he did it or not, the guy we all think did it better look out because I don't think Rory is going to stop for explanations!
If you've already started the series, I'd say read this one because the first one could very well have been a stand alone. This one could be a companion novel where you already know the characters and how the island seemingly works. This one gives you the instruction manual and lets you know the defects. The next novel should be, if written really well, like a hurricane sweeping over the island, taking all the bad with it, and waking up to a freshly washed over island that can be rebuilt from the ground up like it was intended.
I say give it a try if you've started the series. Be prepared for some obvious things in the novel. Don't let it derail you. See if you can find out what's really going on, who the real bad guy is. If I'm wrong, if it is really him, then I'll be really disappointed. But we won't know for awhile, will we?
Thanks to the publisher Disney-Hyperion for an e-ARC supplied through NetGalley for review. The opinions expressed are my own.
October 21, 2013
*Genre* Young Adult
*Rating* 3.5-4
*My Thoughts*
"Forever isn't all it's cracked up to be."
After learning that her family actually died in Shadowlands, 16-year old Rory Miller learns yet another secret, she is what's called a Lifer, and it is her job to help people in limbo cross over into either the light, or Shadowlands. Being a Lifer comes with some disadvantages as well as advantages. It basically means that she is stuck on Jupiter Landing for eternity and it is possible that her family will move on without her and there's not much she can do about it. The advantages are that she can never die, or become ill.
Rory is also at the center of a major crap storm which coincided with her arrival on Juniper Landing. The main issue is that those whose time has come to move on, are going into the fog but not ending up where they should be. Is this a mistake, or does one of the Lifer's have his/her own agenda? There is also the fact that the weather, insects, and plant life, are showing a remarkable change for the worst.
Rory's character is a bit on the emotional side at times when she needs to take a step back and look around and see what is actually happening around her. She's also a bit too trusting, especially when it comes to Tristan, when she should be looking out for her family and her future. When Rory starts her own form of investigation, someone close to her is taken away and Rory scrambles around for answers before it is too late to change things.
Overall, Hereafter was a pretty interesting story for me. There was a dark undertow to the story almost from the very beginning and the mystery of who is really responsible for things going badly on the island isn't all that clear. (Until you read the synopsis for the next book!) I liked the fact that Rory wasn't the only story teller. I like that the mystery villain was also allowed to give a hint at what his intentions really were. I really hope that Endless keeps up the steam and blows me away with the final installment.
There is a entire cast of characters including Tristan, Bea, Kevin, Lauren, Joaquin, Krista, Pete, Fisher, Nadia, Aaron, and Cori, as well as the mayor, and Officer Dorn, who play various roles throughout Hereafter and could have been responsible for sending people into the Shadowlands instead of into the light.
Endless, book # 3 in the trilogy, will release July 22nd 2014 by Disney-Hyperion and apparently the publisher may have rushed to release the synopsis and cover and therefore spoiled who the antagonist ends up being in Hereafter.
An Advanced Reader's Copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
*Recvd 06/14/2013* Expected publication: October 1st 2013 by Hyperion Books
*Rating* 3.5-4
*My Thoughts*
"Forever isn't all it's cracked up to be."
After learning that her family actually died in Shadowlands, 16-year old Rory Miller learns yet another secret, she is what's called a Lifer, and it is her job to help people in limbo cross over into either the light, or Shadowlands. Being a Lifer comes with some disadvantages as well as advantages. It basically means that she is stuck on Jupiter Landing for eternity and it is possible that her family will move on without her and there's not much she can do about it. The advantages are that she can never die, or become ill.
Rory is also at the center of a major crap storm which coincided with her arrival on Juniper Landing. The main issue is that those whose time has come to move on, are going into the fog but not ending up where they should be. Is this a mistake, or does one of the Lifer's have his/her own agenda? There is also the fact that the weather, insects, and plant life, are showing a remarkable change for the worst.
Rory's character is a bit on the emotional side at times when she needs to take a step back and look around and see what is actually happening around her. She's also a bit too trusting, especially when it comes to Tristan, when she should be looking out for her family and her future. When Rory starts her own form of investigation, someone close to her is taken away and Rory scrambles around for answers before it is too late to change things.
Overall, Hereafter was a pretty interesting story for me. There was a dark undertow to the story almost from the very beginning and the mystery of who is really responsible for things going badly on the island isn't all that clear. (Until you read the synopsis for the next book!) I liked the fact that Rory wasn't the only story teller. I like that the mystery villain was also allowed to give a hint at what his intentions really were. I really hope that Endless keeps up the steam and blows me away with the final installment.
There is a entire cast of characters including Tristan, Bea, Kevin, Lauren, Joaquin, Krista, Pete, Fisher, Nadia, Aaron, and Cori, as well as the mayor, and Officer Dorn, who play various roles throughout Hereafter and could have been responsible for sending people into the Shadowlands instead of into the light.
Endless, book # 3 in the trilogy, will release July 22nd 2014 by Disney-Hyperion and apparently the publisher may have rushed to release the synopsis and cover and therefore spoiled who the antagonist ends up being in Hereafter.
An Advanced Reader's Copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
*Recvd 06/14/2013* Expected publication: October 1st 2013 by Hyperion Books
December 27, 2013
Hereafter by Kate Brian
Print Length: 321 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1423164849
Publisher: Disney Hyperion (October 1, 2013)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
My Review~
I received this Arc from the publisher in exchange for a honest unbiased review!
I can't wait for the third book!!!!! This series is killing me!! At the end, you are questioning if you truly know the characters or are they a facade?! I would like to point out in this book that on the bad guy chapters it is generic so after reading who Rory thinks the person is might not be the actual person sending the good ones to the Shadowlands. I still have hope that it isn't Tristan. The mayor is on my bad list. There is something too suspicious about her, especially leaving at all the opportune moments. There are three suspects at the top of my list after reading this: the mayor, Nadia, and of course Tristan. But there are some other characters I can see it being. Do we really know them that well? This author done an amazing job on making all the characters have some type of suspicion around them. I love this book even better than Shadowlands. It is full of more mystery, suspense, and everything that made you fall in love with Shadowlands. This author has become one of my favorites due to this series. I will definitely have to read her other novels. I love the creepy stalker element in this series. The author done a good job continuing it. I absolutely can't wait to find out who is the person trying to go back to the real world!
Amazon Book Description~
Rory Miller thought her life was over when a serial killer set his sights on her and forced her into witness protection. But a fresh start on Juniper Landing Island was exactly what she and her family needed. For the first time in years she and her sister hang out at the beach, gossip about boys, and party together. She's also made friends with a local clique—including a magnetic and mysterious boy named Tristan. But Rory's world is about to change again. Picturesque Juniper Landing isn't what it seems. The truth about the swirling fog that rolls in each morning, the bridge that leads to nowhere, and those beautiful locals who seem to watch Rory's every move is more terrifying than being hunted by Steven Nell. And all Rory ever wanted was the truth. Even if it means learning that she can never go home again. From the best-selling author of the Private and Privilege series comes the second novel in a heart-stopping trilogy about a girl who must pick up the pieces after the only life she's ever known ends.
Print Length: 321 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1423164849
Publisher: Disney Hyperion (October 1, 2013)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
My Review~
I received this Arc from the publisher in exchange for a honest unbiased review!
I can't wait for the third book!!!!! This series is killing me!! At the end, you are questioning if you truly know the characters or are they a facade?! I would like to point out in this book that on the bad guy chapters it is generic so after reading who Rory thinks the person is might not be the actual person sending the good ones to the Shadowlands. I still have hope that it isn't Tristan. The mayor is on my bad list. There is something too suspicious about her, especially leaving at all the opportune moments. There are three suspects at the top of my list after reading this: the mayor, Nadia, and of course Tristan. But there are some other characters I can see it being. Do we really know them that well? This author done an amazing job on making all the characters have some type of suspicion around them. I love this book even better than Shadowlands. It is full of more mystery, suspense, and everything that made you fall in love with Shadowlands. This author has become one of my favorites due to this series. I will definitely have to read her other novels. I love the creepy stalker element in this series. The author done a good job continuing it. I absolutely can't wait to find out who is the person trying to go back to the real world!
Amazon Book Description~
Rory Miller thought her life was over when a serial killer set his sights on her and forced her into witness protection. But a fresh start on Juniper Landing Island was exactly what she and her family needed. For the first time in years she and her sister hang out at the beach, gossip about boys, and party together. She's also made friends with a local clique—including a magnetic and mysterious boy named Tristan. But Rory's world is about to change again. Picturesque Juniper Landing isn't what it seems. The truth about the swirling fog that rolls in each morning, the bridge that leads to nowhere, and those beautiful locals who seem to watch Rory's every move is more terrifying than being hunted by Steven Nell. And all Rory ever wanted was the truth. Even if it means learning that she can never go home again. From the best-selling author of the Private and Privilege series comes the second novel in a heart-stopping trilogy about a girl who must pick up the pieces after the only life she's ever known ends.
October 7, 2013
I need to start out by saying I haven't read the first book in this series but after reading this one I need to go back and read it. I loved the premise of this book and it was such a cool tale. I loved the town of Juniper Landing because it seemed like such a quaint little seaside town but Rory soon finds out it is way more than that. I have to say that I liked the character of Rory. She would do anything to keep her family safe and let's face it a girl that faces off and takes down her serial killer is pretty bad ass. I loved that she was so strong and questioned things. She didn't take anything at just face value like a lot of people would. Rory quickly learns what she will be spending the rest of her life doing but you will have to read the book to find out because it's too much of a spoiler.
Rory gets to spend more time with Tristan and I have to say that I wasn't completely sold on their relationship as I felt he was hiding a few things from her. I liked that Rory got to meet some new friends in this book and she also picked up a few enemies too. I liked that the group banded together to try to figure out what was going on in the town and the mystery that surrounded it all. It made for a great suspense filled tale. I liked seeing Rory get a chance at romance too and some of those scenes were so sweet. The relationship that Rory had with her dad and sister was really nice too. They had a lot of pieces to put back together and sort through after all they went through.
Overall this was a nice read and one that made me add the first one to my list to read because I need more back story on Rory. There are a few moments and especially towards the end of the book that broke my heart and had me feeling so sad for Rory. I know that her being who she is she will figure it out and power through it all though. I would really recommend this one to readers that love a good mystery with some romance mixed in.
Rory gets to spend more time with Tristan and I have to say that I wasn't completely sold on their relationship as I felt he was hiding a few things from her. I liked that Rory got to meet some new friends in this book and she also picked up a few enemies too. I liked that the group banded together to try to figure out what was going on in the town and the mystery that surrounded it all. It made for a great suspense filled tale. I liked seeing Rory get a chance at romance too and some of those scenes were so sweet. The relationship that Rory had with her dad and sister was really nice too. They had a lot of pieces to put back together and sort through after all they went through.
Overall this was a nice read and one that made me add the first one to my list to read because I need more back story on Rory. There are a few moments and especially towards the end of the book that broke my heart and had me feeling so sad for Rory. I know that her being who she is she will figure it out and power through it all though. I would really recommend this one to readers that love a good mystery with some romance mixed in.
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