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Unfinished #1
After Me
After she’s murdered by a sexual predator, 18-year-old Jada Gayle must stay among the living until she finds and stops the Internet stalker who killed her. When the Afterlife Admissions Office assigns the now “transdead” Jada to a foster home back among the living, she assumes the identity of a newly-dead homeless teen and is expected to simply fit in as she hunts down her killer.
Complicating things even more, Jada discovers that an addendum to her termination agreement was inadvertently left out of her paperwork and means she now must learn to deal with normal human emotions. How can a dead girl be expected to feel anything when life had left her so empty? Then she meets Lew Stanton—captain of the chess team and computer whiz who makes her dead heart beat phantom rhythms in her chest. As if it’s not bad enough to have the hots for a nerd, Jada’s new friend Annalee likes him too.
While Jada deals with all this unwanted teenaged angst, the man who murdered her is closing in on more foolish girls. Jada thinks she has plenty of time to handle her predicament until the night she gets a terrifying message: I HAVE YOUR FRIEND.
Complicating things even more, Jada discovers that an addendum to her termination agreement was inadvertently left out of her paperwork and means she now must learn to deal with normal human emotions. How can a dead girl be expected to feel anything when life had left her so empty? Then she meets Lew Stanton—captain of the chess team and computer whiz who makes her dead heart beat phantom rhythms in her chest. As if it’s not bad enough to have the hots for a nerd, Jada’s new friend Annalee likes him too.
While Jada deals with all this unwanted teenaged angst, the man who murdered her is closing in on more foolish girls. Jada thinks she has plenty of time to handle her predicament until the night she gets a terrifying message: I HAVE YOUR FRIEND.
- GenresYoung Adult
237 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 4, 2014
6 people are currently reading
62 people want to read
About the author
Joyce Sterling Scarbrough
21 books44 followersJoyce is an intelligent Southern woman weary of seeing herself and her peers portrayed in books and movies as either post-antebellum debutantes or barefoot hillbillies á la Daisy Duke, so all her heroines are smart, unpretentious women who refuse to be anyone but themselves. In addition to her novels, she has short stories featured in several anthologies.
Joyce has lived all her life in southern Alabama, she's the mother of three gifted children, and she's been married for over 30 years to her husband Tony—a public school teacher, coach extraordinaire, and the love of her life.
Joyce has lived all her life in southern Alabama, she's the mother of three gifted children, and she's been married for over 30 years to her husband Tony—a public school teacher, coach extraordinaire, and the love of her life.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
April 5, 2019
I am an avid reader of YA fiction, and I will say upfront...Amazon needs a 10 star option right now!
In a society where online predators run rampant on computers worldwide, what would you do if you were murdered by one...and you had the chance to come back and face him? That is exactly the predicament teenager Jada Gayle is faced with when she's sent back to Earth as a Transdead after being murdered by the king of the online scumbags!
This story has all the elements that would be expected from a premise dealing with this subject matter: tension, angst, revulsion, and sheer terror. But it also embraces deeper subjects: true friendship, forgiveness, learning to love not only a young man Jada never would've given a second glance in her first lifetime, but learning to love someone she least expected...herself.
I have read every book this author has written, and will continue to do so. Ms. Scarbrough is a gifted storyteller, and her grasp of characterization is beyond measure. Her characters don't just live in pages, they live in your heart. Well done, Joyce!
In a society where online predators run rampant on computers worldwide, what would you do if you were murdered by one...and you had the chance to come back and face him? That is exactly the predicament teenager Jada Gayle is faced with when she's sent back to Earth as a Transdead after being murdered by the king of the online scumbags!
This story has all the elements that would be expected from a premise dealing with this subject matter: tension, angst, revulsion, and sheer terror. But it also embraces deeper subjects: true friendship, forgiveness, learning to love not only a young man Jada never would've given a second glance in her first lifetime, but learning to love someone she least expected...herself.
I have read every book this author has written, and will continue to do so. Ms. Scarbrough is a gifted storyteller, and her grasp of characterization is beyond measure. Her characters don't just live in pages, they live in your heart. Well done, Joyce!
September 21, 2015
this book made me remember why I love reading. I couldn't put it down till I finished, and yet at the same time I never wanted it to end. First off, let me bow down to the author: YES, THIS IS HOW TEENAGERS TALK!!! it was so refreshing to see teenagers acting, speaking, and flirting realistically. So many YA novels can't seem to accomplish this feat so kudos for that. There is one cliche that had me rolling my eyes (her love interest magically ends up being her chemistry lab partner), but their relationship is written so well that I didn't mind.
The book starts off with the main character, Jada, getting murdered by a guy she met in an online chat room. The 'after-life office' tells her she must go back and track down the person who killed her and get justice. And so begins the awesome tale of Jada taking on the identity of Gwen: runaway teen who is turning her life around. Although initially described as the typical blonde popular rich girl, Jada purposely breaks down stereotypes in her new life as Gwen. She befriends the computer/nerd group at her new school and makes it her sole purpose to take down all the sleazy guys she comes across (and there are quite a few). This is a girl-power book and I loved every minute of it.
My only criticism is that the ending was rushed. That is not to say there's a cliffhanger- the plot does finish and leave ample opening for a sequel (if the author chooses to write one in the future, which I hope she does). But it just seemed like the ending could have been more detailed and flushed out. Instead I was a little taken aback at how quickly everything went down. Other than that, word of warning- there are a few chapters where we read from the POV of the serial rapist/killer so possible trigger alert.
The book starts off with the main character, Jada, getting murdered by a guy she met in an online chat room. The 'after-life office' tells her she must go back and track down the person who killed her and get justice. And so begins the awesome tale of Jada taking on the identity of Gwen: runaway teen who is turning her life around. Although initially described as the typical blonde popular rich girl, Jada purposely breaks down stereotypes in her new life as Gwen. She befriends the computer/nerd group at her new school and makes it her sole purpose to take down all the sleazy guys she comes across (and there are quite a few). This is a girl-power book and I loved every minute of it.
My only criticism is that the ending was rushed. That is not to say there's a cliffhanger- the plot does finish and leave ample opening for a sequel (if the author chooses to write one in the future, which I hope she does). But it just seemed like the ending could have been more detailed and flushed out. Instead I was a little taken aback at how quickly everything went down. Other than that, word of warning- there are a few chapters where we read from the POV of the serial rapist/killer so possible trigger alert.
December 18, 2014
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
This was a really fun, original story. Aside from the horrific way Jada died that is. But her death is important to the story because now she's being sent back to the living to find out who is killing these children. This was a very quick read for me. I literally did not want to pit it down, it was so good. Obviously, it's part mystery but there's even a romance thrown in there. Jada falls in love. Unfortunately, her new friend likes him too. I thought Jada was a perfect heroine. You wanted to see her succeed in her "mission". But I really wanted her to be allowed to live a happy life also. I haven't read anything by Joyce Scarbrough before but definitely hope to read more by her. I definitely recommend reading this one!
This was a really fun, original story. Aside from the horrific way Jada died that is. But her death is important to the story because now she's being sent back to the living to find out who is killing these children. This was a very quick read for me. I literally did not want to pit it down, it was so good. Obviously, it's part mystery but there's even a romance thrown in there. Jada falls in love. Unfortunately, her new friend likes him too. I thought Jada was a perfect heroine. You wanted to see her succeed in her "mission". But I really wanted her to be allowed to live a happy life also. I haven't read anything by Joyce Scarbrough before but definitely hope to read more by her. I definitely recommend reading this one!
November 14, 2014
I really enjoyed reading this book. It got my attention and kept it. I didn't want to put it down till I finished it. I hope there is a book 2, starting where this one left off.
September 27, 2014
I've read several Young Adult books. Twilight Saga, Immortals series, Hold Me Closer, Necromancer, as well as many others.
This is one of the most original and fun reads I've had the pleasure of experiencing. Ms. Scarbrough is a very talented author and grips you from the first chapter. After that, there is little you can do except plow through the story with its excellent characters and plot.
The ending is satisfying and yet makes you crave more. As this is "Unfinished 1", I am really hopeful that there will be another in the series to find out more about this awesome world.
I know anybody that picks up this book will thoroughly enjoy it.
5/5 Stars.
This is one of the most original and fun reads I've had the pleasure of experiencing. Ms. Scarbrough is a very talented author and grips you from the first chapter. After that, there is little you can do except plow through the story with its excellent characters and plot.
The ending is satisfying and yet makes you crave more. As this is "Unfinished 1", I am really hopeful that there will be another in the series to find out more about this awesome world.
I know anybody that picks up this book will thoroughly enjoy it.
5/5 Stars.
June 26, 2016
I was instantly intrigued by this book, the main character dies before the book begins? All right, I'm hooked. And I stayed hooked the entire time. Jada as Jada is not someone I'd be friends with. But Jada as Gayle, Zombie Girl, is definitely someone I'd want on my side. I really enjoyed watching her grow as a person. The back stories of all the main characters tugged at your heart strings. And there were a couple character cameos that I really enjoyed. *waves at Jaycee and Wade, hi guys!*
The ending was absolutely perfect.
The ending was absolutely perfect.
February 20, 2015
Loved the protagonist's spunky voice and her refusal to back down. At the same time we follow her into tender moments of first friendship and love. The plot is original with interesting twists and turns. Despite the serious setup the author manages to maintain a humorous edge. I particularly liked some of the side characters, nerdy Lew and Flo, the humorless/super correct afterlife secretary. Entertaining read!
March 5, 2021
Funny and involving story about a young girl who is killed by a sexual predator and comes back after her death with instructions from a heavenly weigh station on how to have her revenge on the killer. She learns a lot along the way, including experiencing feelings she didn't have when she was alive.
I would definitely read future books in this series.
Recommended to readers of teenage paranormal (which I normally am not) and to readers who like an author with a cutting sense of humor.
I would definitely read future books in this series.
Recommended to readers of teenage paranormal (which I normally am not) and to readers who like an author with a cutting sense of humor.
September 2, 2014
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down until it was done. There was enough suspense to get my heart racing a few times and I haven't actually read many books that can do that.
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June 28, 2016I sometimes participate in Weekend Writing Warriors, a challenge in which authors post 8-10 sentences of a writing project. I enjoy reading what others are writing in my genre, currently YA fantasy.
Imagine my delight when I read this excerpt from Joyce Scarborough’s After Me.
Context background:
When last we left Jada, our dead heroine, her Afterlife Advisor had just explained that the Afterlife Admissions department was reserved for people who had no sense of humor when they were alive. Flo was just about to check Jada’s account in the LIFESCORE 6.2® program. We pick up as she discovers an unfortunate snafu.
And the excerpt:
“Okay, so what’s my assignment, scrubbing floors for being a slob while I was alive?”
Flo looked at her monitor and said, “No, I’m afraid you won’t be staying with us at all, because there’s an administrative hold on your account.”
“A hold—who put it there?”
One of her eyebrows went up and she said, “It’s an administrative hold, so do you really need an answer to that question?”
“Okay, fine,” I said, “so what does it mean exactly?”
“It means, Miss Gayle, that in order to clear your account, you’ll have to serve time as a Transdead Trustee back on Earth.” She typed something else then said, “I’ll print out your instructions and answer any questions you may have before you’re sent back.”
“Sent back?” I sat up in my chair and leaned forward to say, “You mean I get to stay alive?”
“Not exactly, you’ll be among the living and will appear to be one of them, but you won’t be alive, per se.”
That snippet was enough to hook me. I immediately bought the Kindle eBook and began reading. It is definitely one of the funniest and most original stories I’ve read in a long time. Also one of the darkest.
SPOILER ALERT: if you do not want additional plot points revealed, scroll down to the last two paragraphs.
Jada was killed by a sexual predator who lured her on the internet. Her afterlife assignment is to go back to earth under a new identity, find her murderer, and take him out. She is also permitted to do the same to any other predators she comes across.
After Me makes an excellent case against girls bantering sexually online. It scores high points with me for that reason, but I wish it went one step further.
Jada died a virgin, and never had a boyfriend in real life. As Transdead Trustee Gwen, her new identity is a formerly homeless prostitute, taken in by new foster parents. She attends high school and has a crush on Lew that gets serious very fast, and she wants to consummate it. She doesn’t, only because Lew draws back, thinking Gwen is reluctant. Afterward, Gwen tells herself it would be wrong to sleep with Lew, because when she completes her mission she will enter the Afterlife, leaving him with the pain of wondering why she abandoned him. That’s a good reason.
But as a Christian, I wish at least one of the characters had declined because they weren’t married.
I also have a problem with the vigilantism, although a case could be made that the killings were self-defense.
That said, I definitely recommend After Me. It’s a highly entertaining cautionary tale told with humor and imagination.
Imagine my delight when I read this excerpt from Joyce Scarborough’s After Me.
Context background:
When last we left Jada, our dead heroine, her Afterlife Advisor had just explained that the Afterlife Admissions department was reserved for people who had no sense of humor when they were alive. Flo was just about to check Jada’s account in the LIFESCORE 6.2® program. We pick up as she discovers an unfortunate snafu.
And the excerpt:
“Okay, so what’s my assignment, scrubbing floors for being a slob while I was alive?”
Flo looked at her monitor and said, “No, I’m afraid you won’t be staying with us at all, because there’s an administrative hold on your account.”
“A hold—who put it there?”
One of her eyebrows went up and she said, “It’s an administrative hold, so do you really need an answer to that question?”
“Okay, fine,” I said, “so what does it mean exactly?”
“It means, Miss Gayle, that in order to clear your account, you’ll have to serve time as a Transdead Trustee back on Earth.” She typed something else then said, “I’ll print out your instructions and answer any questions you may have before you’re sent back.”
“Sent back?” I sat up in my chair and leaned forward to say, “You mean I get to stay alive?”
“Not exactly, you’ll be among the living and will appear to be one of them, but you won’t be alive, per se.”
That snippet was enough to hook me. I immediately bought the Kindle eBook and began reading. It is definitely one of the funniest and most original stories I’ve read in a long time. Also one of the darkest.
SPOILER ALERT: if you do not want additional plot points revealed, scroll down to the last two paragraphs.
Jada was killed by a sexual predator who lured her on the internet. Her afterlife assignment is to go back to earth under a new identity, find her murderer, and take him out. She is also permitted to do the same to any other predators she comes across.
After Me makes an excellent case against girls bantering sexually online. It scores high points with me for that reason, but I wish it went one step further.
Jada died a virgin, and never had a boyfriend in real life. As Transdead Trustee Gwen, her new identity is a formerly homeless prostitute, taken in by new foster parents. She attends high school and has a crush on Lew that gets serious very fast, and she wants to consummate it. She doesn’t, only because Lew draws back, thinking Gwen is reluctant. Afterward, Gwen tells herself it would be wrong to sleep with Lew, because when she completes her mission she will enter the Afterlife, leaving him with the pain of wondering why she abandoned him. That’s a good reason.
But as a Christian, I wish at least one of the characters had declined because they weren’t married.
I also have a problem with the vigilantism, although a case could be made that the killings were self-defense.
That said, I definitely recommend After Me. It’s a highly entertaining cautionary tale told with humor and imagination.
January 19, 2016
I received a signed copy of this book, free from a raffle at an event. The author Joyce is an amazing woman and an even better storyteller.
Jada was a feisty, believable heroine with a strong voice, motivation, and backstory. No cardboard characters here! Even the secondary characters are hilarious (even if a few are stereotypes) and everyone serves a purpose.
The romance between Jada and Lew was very well developed, even though I find it a little disappointing that it turned out
I also loved her friendship with Annalee. That girl is the sweetest thing on the planet. She's like an adorable little mouse, but she is a strong character in her own right, as well as the best friend any one could ever have. (BTW, I'm really glad there is such a strong female friendship in a YA novel. In a lot of other books I've read, the romance just takes over and other females other than the heroine are shrugged of as vapid. The friendship coexists with the romance and all the female characters are excellent, except Lew's mother, but, you know. She's horrible).
The villain in our story is a serial killer/pedophile rapist, and has some scenes written in his POV. They are very disturbing. HE is very disturbing. He makes an excellent villain in this regard, but seriously, this is very dark for YA.
All in all, I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone who loves a good paranormal, a good gritty YA, a good romance, a good girl power tale, or just a good story in general!
Jada was a feisty, believable heroine with a strong voice, motivation, and backstory. No cardboard characters here! Even the secondary characters are hilarious (even if a few are stereotypes) and everyone serves a purpose.
The romance between Jada and Lew was very well developed, even though I find it a little disappointing that it turned out
I also loved her friendship with Annalee. That girl is the sweetest thing on the planet. She's like an adorable little mouse, but she is a strong character in her own right, as well as the best friend any one could ever have. (BTW, I'm really glad there is such a strong female friendship in a YA novel. In a lot of other books I've read, the romance just takes over and other females other than the heroine are shrugged of as vapid. The friendship coexists with the romance and all the female characters are excellent, except Lew's mother, but, you know. She's horrible).
The villain in our story is a serial killer/pedophile rapist, and has some scenes written in his POV. They are very disturbing. HE is very disturbing. He makes an excellent villain in this regard, but seriously, this is very dark for YA.
All in all, I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone who loves a good paranormal, a good gritty YA, a good romance, a good girl power tale, or just a good story in general!
February 28, 2017
This was an interesting idea. Jada is a mix of zombie and ghost. She is "transdead." Not living, but in a body that is not decomposing. She is sent back on a mission to take down the man who killed her and stop other perverts and preditors along the way. She is also equipted with emotions, something she failed to experience in her life. Once she finds and stops her killer, she will move on to the afterlife. The problem is, she actually really likes her new life and doesn't want to leave it. For the first time in a long time, she has a real friend. She even has a blossoming relationship with a nice boy. She hates that she has to lie to him about her true identity, and she hates that she'll hurt him when she disappears. She keeps avoiding her mission until her mission smacks her in the face. Her killer finds her and takes her best friend as a hostage to get to her. This was a fun book. I enjoyed watching Jada/Gwen learn to trust and make friends. She finally looks inside herself and sees the kind of person she wishes she had been in her actual life. She is blessed with a second chance most don't receive and she makes the most of it. I really enjoyed the characters and I liked how Gwen had the opportunity to see life from a different perspective. She was raised in a family of priviledge and gets to see what life is like for those without. Overall I enjoyed this story, mostly for the characters rather than the mission. I'm curious about book 2. This book came out 2.5 years ago and I don't see mention of a publication date for book 2 yet.
February 1, 2017
I really loved this book!! After reading the blurb I though it would be quite thriller, dark and on the edge of your seat kind of book but it wasn't! It was actually a fairly light read; in saying that I still had trouble putting down.
There is a romance, Jada's sass, kick ass fighting, BFF goals, justice and the fact that she is a transdead. It was funny, sweet and sad. I couldn't really ask for much more, it was just what I was looking for. And Jada's sass? It was amazing, probably wouldn't of loved it as much without it. Imagine me -being a huge Arrow and Agents of Shield fan- when she decided to become a small time vigilante, I got really excited.
The occasional POV change was interesting but worked well, I was disgusted with the "villain" of the story but it's true. Luring girls over the Internet, rape and murder, are things that happen in this world and its good to be educated on them. Rape is something that I'm very scared of and is NOT OKAY!
There is the fact that Jada is transdead which means she's like she is half dead half alive which some perks, this carries on throughout almost the entire book so if your not a fan of the concept I don't think you would like it.
This was a great book, I definitely enjoyed it. It wasn't perfect and could've been better (not sure how) but If you're looking for a light, kick ass YA I'd recommend this. Just as long as your ok with some mature themes, I'd say not for 12 and under.
Tiana
There is a romance, Jada's sass, kick ass fighting, BFF goals, justice and the fact that she is a transdead. It was funny, sweet and sad. I couldn't really ask for much more, it was just what I was looking for. And Jada's sass? It was amazing, probably wouldn't of loved it as much without it. Imagine me -being a huge Arrow and Agents of Shield fan- when she decided to become a small time vigilante, I got really excited.
The occasional POV change was interesting but worked well, I was disgusted with the "villain" of the story but it's true. Luring girls over the Internet, rape and murder, are things that happen in this world and its good to be educated on them. Rape is something that I'm very scared of and is NOT OKAY!
There is the fact that Jada is transdead which means she's like she is half dead half alive which some perks, this carries on throughout almost the entire book so if your not a fan of the concept I don't think you would like it.
This was a great book, I definitely enjoyed it. It wasn't perfect and could've been better (not sure how) but If you're looking for a light, kick ass YA I'd recommend this. Just as long as your ok with some mature themes, I'd say not for 12 and under.
Tiana
February 8, 2017
I really really enjoyed this book. At 30+ years old (shhh!) I'm not big on YA Fiction anymore, so often the author focuses on completely unrelatable situations for anyone older than...well...young adult. Scarbrough breaks through this barrier with all the power of an undead superhero!! She makes the threat seem real and believable even when the solution is out of this world. Nothing like a bit of Girl-Power to brighten up a heavily male-centric reading list :) Anyone who has ever found themselves powerless against someone else can appreciate the theme of this story. Overall a very entertaining read, particularly in its writing style. I look forward to digging around for more of Joyce Scarbrough's writing.
February 17, 2018
It's funny, I thought the first few pages of this was absolutely dreadful... I hated Jada, and I was convinced I was going to DNF it at like 2%! Haha. Luckily I kept on because once she died and we got to the point (like, four pages later), it was actually super awesome. I loved "Gwen" (new!Jada) and Lew and Annalee and all the other nerds and I just didn't want to stop reading!
September 15, 2014
A well told tale by a top tier writer, Joyce Scarbrough, who has made a difficult subject redemptive and readable. I am not normally a reader of this genera of fiction, but once I started I had to finish, I had to know the resolution. I was mesmerized by the way the story flowed and unfolded and not disappointed by it's conclusion. This is the first installment of the Unfinished series and I am looking forward to number two.
December 17, 2014
I received this book in exchange for an honest review (Lovers of Paranormal) and I am so happy I got the opportunity to read it. I couldn't give this book less than five stars, my emotions ran high with this one. I felt like I was right there feeling every thing she was feeling and that's the type of book I look for! I loved it. I'm looking forward to reading more work from Joyce Scarbrough! Will be recommending this to friends.
August 9, 2014
This book is a hilariously dark look into the afterlife of a privileged teen who had a less than ideal home and personal life. Jada is given a chance to avenge her death by taking on a new identity and I laughed and rooted for her during her adventures in the world of the transdead living among us. Snarky and fun read with depth and emotions.
February 5, 2017
The writing was flawless, the characters were personable. I could not put this book down until I finished reading it in its entirety.
Jada become Gwen and is tasked with finding her murderer when she is sent back to earth.
I loved this book!
Jada become Gwen and is tasked with finding her murderer when she is sent back to earth.
I loved this book!
February 5, 2017
*Review copy received from publisher*
While the characters are young adults and the writing juvenile some of the content is more adult.
While the characters are young adults and the writing juvenile some of the content is more adult.
December 2, 2016
Wow! This book was brilliant. At times heartfelt and gritty with a ribbon of dark humor. Read it.
February 1, 2017
http://literary-lion.tumblr.com/
Disclaimer: A free copy of this book was received through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
When Jada dies she’s shocked to find out that the afterlife isn’t a myth. Even more surprised to find out that she’s in debt and has to return to earth to hunt down her killer as payment. While she’s looking for the scum that killed her Jada also has a chance to discover friendship and true love, something she’d have never dreamed about before her untimely death.
The plot for this book sounds thrilling, but less than 30% of the book actually focuses on hunting down perverts. Most of it is just your standard young adult romance. There’s some punishment but mostly our hero just lucks out and happens upon them rather than actually focusing on her task.
The biggest bone I have to pick is with the character of Jada/Gwen. She’s insufferable. She’s better than prissy girly girls, better than nerds and just all around “special” and “different”. This isn’t helped by the fact that she’s given super powers by heaven some of which are just entirely useless to her mission. Speedreading, excellent knowledge of chemistry - she doesn’t need these for any real reason in the plot they just make her look cool. If there is one trope I LOATHE it’s the “not like other girls” girl who’s just a snarky jerk to everyone outside her special friend group. Oh and let’s not forget she’s super-duper attractive.
That being said her friend group and foster family are lovely, too lovely. Everyone is perfect, and innocent and kid. Lew is an absolute dreamboat. Handsome, strong, smart and wealthy? He doesn’t have any real flaws. Nor do any of the other people Gwen likes. The villain is comical. His whole life revolves around rape and weird kinks and he thinks of literally nothing but murder and rape. It’s far too black and white. Not to mention the other rapists who are all practically oozing evil so profusely that anyone who didn’t look at them once and know they were sex offenders would have to be an idiot.
Rapists are bad. Readers know that, but it doesn’t give you an excuse to not at least try and write a complex character and society around them. Predators are seen as clearly evil, not people girls might trust before something happens which is more often the case. The way the book sets up rapists and the society around them feels like a bad after-school special rather than real life.
As well, and for now I am in the minority, the ending was a joke. The book built up to the ending just to exclaim “JUST KIDDING” and end on an entirely disappointing note. It wasn’t a strong writing choice. It took a book which at the very least could have been a powerful bittersweet ending and turned it into something that’s boring at best.
The premise could have been great, and some of the characters and story lines are salvageable (looking at you Lew and Matt) but overall it feels like a cheap coat of paint over a standard romance with cardboard cutout villains.
Disclaimer: A free copy of this book was received through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
When Jada dies she’s shocked to find out that the afterlife isn’t a myth. Even more surprised to find out that she’s in debt and has to return to earth to hunt down her killer as payment. While she’s looking for the scum that killed her Jada also has a chance to discover friendship and true love, something she’d have never dreamed about before her untimely death.
The plot for this book sounds thrilling, but less than 30% of the book actually focuses on hunting down perverts. Most of it is just your standard young adult romance. There’s some punishment but mostly our hero just lucks out and happens upon them rather than actually focusing on her task.
The biggest bone I have to pick is with the character of Jada/Gwen. She’s insufferable. She’s better than prissy girly girls, better than nerds and just all around “special” and “different”. This isn’t helped by the fact that she’s given super powers by heaven some of which are just entirely useless to her mission. Speedreading, excellent knowledge of chemistry - she doesn’t need these for any real reason in the plot they just make her look cool. If there is one trope I LOATHE it’s the “not like other girls” girl who’s just a snarky jerk to everyone outside her special friend group. Oh and let’s not forget she’s super-duper attractive.
That being said her friend group and foster family are lovely, too lovely. Everyone is perfect, and innocent and kid. Lew is an absolute dreamboat. Handsome, strong, smart and wealthy? He doesn’t have any real flaws. Nor do any of the other people Gwen likes. The villain is comical. His whole life revolves around rape and weird kinks and he thinks of literally nothing but murder and rape. It’s far too black and white. Not to mention the other rapists who are all practically oozing evil so profusely that anyone who didn’t look at them once and know they were sex offenders would have to be an idiot.
Rapists are bad. Readers know that, but it doesn’t give you an excuse to not at least try and write a complex character and society around them. Predators are seen as clearly evil, not people girls might trust before something happens which is more often the case. The way the book sets up rapists and the society around them feels like a bad after-school special rather than real life.
As well, and for now I am in the minority, the ending was a joke. The book built up to the ending just to exclaim “JUST KIDDING” and end on an entirely disappointing note. It wasn’t a strong writing choice. It took a book which at the very least could have been a powerful bittersweet ending and turned it into something that’s boring at best.
The premise could have been great, and some of the characters and story lines are salvageable (looking at you Lew and Matt) but overall it feels like a cheap coat of paint over a standard romance with cardboard cutout villains.
March 16, 2017
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Netgalley!
This book was written from a young adult perspective, which I usually don't mind, but I found myself a bit frustrated with the immaturity of the main character. My teenage daughter would appreciate the relationships much more than I did, as well as ZombieGirl's personality, but I would be reluctant to suggest this book to her because of the graphic language and predatory behavior addressed. The concept of a Transdead Agency was intriguing, but would have been moreso if we had encountered other such agents.
Overall, I think this book would be most appropriate for older teens, but I'm not sure the story is redeeming enough for me to recommend it.
This book was written from a young adult perspective, which I usually don't mind, but I found myself a bit frustrated with the immaturity of the main character. My teenage daughter would appreciate the relationships much more than I did, as well as ZombieGirl's personality, but I would be reluctant to suggest this book to her because of the graphic language and predatory behavior addressed. The concept of a Transdead Agency was intriguing, but would have been moreso if we had encountered other such agents.
Overall, I think this book would be most appropriate for older teens, but I'm not sure the story is redeeming enough for me to recommend it.
January 25, 2017
I liked the idea that Jada didn't die in vain, that there was something she could do to get justice for her and other kids like her. And I understand that Jada wanted to take down as many internet predators as possible, I'm with her all the way. But I had some difficulties with the language. Maybe times have changed since I was in school, but we did not speak like that. Other than that it was a great, thrilling read. I couldn't put the book down and wanted to know if and how everything would play out. Since this is the first book in this series, I can't wait to read the next book.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley and Backlit PR!
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley and Backlit PR!
September 20, 2015
2015 Reading Challenge: A book set in high school
March 29, 2017
Not gonna lie, the ending felt rushed; but overall AMAZING!!!! Is this a series?
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