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My Life Hereafter
They have made a huge mistake. She should be on the other side.
Everything looks the same, as it was when Sunel was still only a human being. Everything is exactly the same, as before that day, which she can now only vaguely remember. The day her school bus ran over the cliff. The day she and most of her fellow students ended up here. The twins, Mark and David, were also on the bus, but David did not come here with them. David was sent across the valley to the other side. Mark convinces Sunel to help him find his brother, no matter what the dangers might be.
Young Adult / Teen Christian Supernatural Romance
Try it now.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Chapter One
It is oddly weird.
The one moment I am clutching to the railing of the bus seat in front of me, hanging sideways and upside down simultaneously, with my hair falling over my eyes and then in the blink of an eye I am standing here in this brilliant white hall.
I look around me at the unbelievably high ceiling, the white glimmering tiles all around, stretching into the sky as far as my eyes can see. It looks like an enormous and very clean industrial bathroom. The whiteness of it all hurts my eyes.
Unexpectedly Charlene knocks into me, and whispers reverently, “Is this heaven?”
“I doubt it. Surely, we would see a pearly gate, with hills rolling away into the distance. This looks like a giant railway station.”
“But, we did…”
Lionel joins us. “Wow,” he says, looking around him amazed. “Do you believe this?”
I look away from him to a girl I barely know, she is crying softly. Giant tears are running down her cheeks and her eyes are puffy and red. The rest of her face has gone pallid white, so now her eyes look as if they are bleeding.
As a hush falls over the crowd milling around me, I raise my eyebrows at Lionel, silently telling him not to sound so excited.
Every kid on that bus with me, all sixty of us stop talking abruptly, all at the exact same time, and then we turn to face the large stage in the front of this colossal hall.
I see him up on the stage. How can I miss him? He has biceps the size of me. He stands erect, and he lifts his hand to sweep his hair across his brow. His eyes are so blue, I can see the colour all the way at the back here, where I stand.
In a loud booming voice, he says, while my heart skips a beat at the sudden sound, “Welcome. You will form groups of six.”
He stops talking and I assume it is a direct order.
I grab onto Charlene’s arm before someone drags her away from me. Charlene and I have been friends since pre-school and I am not going to go through this hallucination without her.
Lionel inches himself closer to me, and then I lean forward not wanting my legs to move. I tap the sobbing girl on the shoulder. She looks so alone, and my heart goes out to her when I see no-one grabbing onto her.
She looks at me through dew-dropped Bambi lashes.
I suggest, “Join our group. If you want to.”
She smiles shyly as she inches closer to us while keeping her eyes averted. I recognize her, and I think she was in one or two of my classes, but regretfully I cannot really remember her name.
“Okay, that makes four. Quickly get two more kids, before we get split up into other unfinished groups.”
I see Mark sauntering toward us. My heart jumps and I nudge Charlene in the ribs. Charlene has a serious crush on him, and I must admit he is dangerously handsome. He is not the most popular boy in school, but to Charlene he is an Adonis.
Everything looks the same, as it was when Sunel was still only a human being. Everything is exactly the same, as before that day, which she can now only vaguely remember. The day her school bus ran over the cliff. The day she and most of her fellow students ended up here. The twins, Mark and David, were also on the bus, but David did not come here with them. David was sent across the valley to the other side. Mark convinces Sunel to help him find his brother, no matter what the dangers might be.
Young Adult / Teen Christian Supernatural Romance
Try it now.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Chapter One
It is oddly weird.
The one moment I am clutching to the railing of the bus seat in front of me, hanging sideways and upside down simultaneously, with my hair falling over my eyes and then in the blink of an eye I am standing here in this brilliant white hall.
I look around me at the unbelievably high ceiling, the white glimmering tiles all around, stretching into the sky as far as my eyes can see. It looks like an enormous and very clean industrial bathroom. The whiteness of it all hurts my eyes.
Unexpectedly Charlene knocks into me, and whispers reverently, “Is this heaven?”
“I doubt it. Surely, we would see a pearly gate, with hills rolling away into the distance. This looks like a giant railway station.”
“But, we did…”
Lionel joins us. “Wow,” he says, looking around him amazed. “Do you believe this?”
I look away from him to a girl I barely know, she is crying softly. Giant tears are running down her cheeks and her eyes are puffy and red. The rest of her face has gone pallid white, so now her eyes look as if they are bleeding.
As a hush falls over the crowd milling around me, I raise my eyebrows at Lionel, silently telling him not to sound so excited.
Every kid on that bus with me, all sixty of us stop talking abruptly, all at the exact same time, and then we turn to face the large stage in the front of this colossal hall.
I see him up on the stage. How can I miss him? He has biceps the size of me. He stands erect, and he lifts his hand to sweep his hair across his brow. His eyes are so blue, I can see the colour all the way at the back here, where I stand.
In a loud booming voice, he says, while my heart skips a beat at the sudden sound, “Welcome. You will form groups of six.”
He stops talking and I assume it is a direct order.
I grab onto Charlene’s arm before someone drags her away from me. Charlene and I have been friends since pre-school and I am not going to go through this hallucination without her.
Lionel inches himself closer to me, and then I lean forward not wanting my legs to move. I tap the sobbing girl on the shoulder. She looks so alone, and my heart goes out to her when I see no-one grabbing onto her.
She looks at me through dew-dropped Bambi lashes.
I suggest, “Join our group. If you want to.”
She smiles shyly as she inches closer to us while keeping her eyes averted. I recognize her, and I think she was in one or two of my classes, but regretfully I cannot really remember her name.
“Okay, that makes four. Quickly get two more kids, before we get split up into other unfinished groups.”
I see Mark sauntering toward us. My heart jumps and I nudge Charlene in the ribs. Charlene has a serious crush on him, and I must admit he is dangerously handsome. He is not the most popular boy in school, but to Charlene he is an Adonis.
- GenresParanormal
242 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2015
2 people are currently reading
29 people want to read
About the author
Lynette Ferreira
60 books103 followersLynette Ferreira writes sweet YA romances that feel like a warm hug. Her stories follow teens experiencing first love, friendship, heartbreak, and all the soft, messy feelings in between — often wrapped in cozy vibes.
She loves crafting emotional, comforting reads that remind you of who you were, who you loved, and who you wanted to become.
She loves crafting emotional, comforting reads that remind you of who you were, who you loved, and who you wanted to become.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
November 10, 2016
This is an original, highly readable examination of life and death, with excellent pacing, and twists which keep the story vital until the very end. The story's protagonist, Sunel, pulls a prank one day on the school bus which plunges herself, and her classmates, into the hereafter, and, subsequently, a journey of self-discovery and realisation. It is a story which makes the reader consider life and its inherent frailty, and is written with great style and thought by the author.
April 29, 2017
Great story for YA readers! The story starts off with an air of mystery, then slowly reveals layers deeper into the story. I found it an imaginative take on the afterlife and the romance was cute as well. Recommended for young readers with an interest in the afterlife, love and redemption.
April 23, 2017
Uniquely enlightening...
I believe the intended audience for this book is young adults and although I am well past that classification, I found this author very appealing. As I had never read this author before, I was quite skeptical that this read would grasp my attention. Not only was I pleasantly surprised by the ease in which I became engrossed in this book, but I found myself eagerly anticipating what would be revealed in forthcoming chapters. Very interesting take on the hereafter and made me envision the future just a little bit more candidly. Good read Ms. Ferreira, well done.
I believe the intended audience for this book is young adults and although I am well past that classification, I found this author very appealing. As I had never read this author before, I was quite skeptical that this read would grasp my attention. Not only was I pleasantly surprised by the ease in which I became engrossed in this book, but I found myself eagerly anticipating what would be revealed in forthcoming chapters. Very interesting take on the hereafter and made me envision the future just a little bit more candidly. Good read Ms. Ferreira, well done.
April 26, 2017
Take me to the other side.
This story that in many ways is a tragedy, but you see a lot of good come from it. It is about a terrible bus crash and the fates of the kids aboard. It really isn't a religious book. More a book about second chances. And learning from mistakes
This story that in many ways is a tragedy, but you see a lot of good come from it. It is about a terrible bus crash and the fates of the kids aboard. It really isn't a religious book. More a book about second chances. And learning from mistakes
February 2, 2017
novel that imagines a possible scenario of just what is waiting for us in the afterlife.
When young teenager Sunel finds herself and sixty of her former classmates have died, she is initially in a state of shock.
To make matters worse, she is the reason the bus crashed. This means she is the reason everyone is dead.
As the shock wears off she finds herself in a world that is very similar and yet very different from the one she left behind.
My favorite scene is when the teens are led into the Hall of Judgment and are told they will be called in one at at a time. Upon entering the testing room Sunel sees three doors.
“The first door says Recycle. Next to Recycle, there is Rehabilitation. And next to Rehabilitation, there is Rapture.” I thought this was very clever.
This book touches on many interesting and important topics. It is not often that you find a YA book that openly discusses the afterlife. It seems to be a topic that Young Adult authors do not embrace for some reason, and the few authors who do write about the topic choose ghost story-type tales.
Kudos to Author Lynette Ferreira for tackling such a controversial topic.
This book also has elements of other issues important to today’s youth such as bullying and peer pressure as well as taking responsibility for one’s actions.
With the variety of characters, readers should be able to find at least one that they identify with. I think that young teens and middle grade readers will enjoy this book and hopefully it will open up dialogue about the issues detailed in it’s pages.
*Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book.
To read more of my reviews visit my blog at AmiesBookReviews.wordpress.com
When young teenager Sunel finds herself and sixty of her former classmates have died, she is initially in a state of shock.
To make matters worse, she is the reason the bus crashed. This means she is the reason everyone is dead.
As the shock wears off she finds herself in a world that is very similar and yet very different from the one she left behind.
My favorite scene is when the teens are led into the Hall of Judgment and are told they will be called in one at at a time. Upon entering the testing room Sunel sees three doors.
“The first door says Recycle. Next to Recycle, there is Rehabilitation. And next to Rehabilitation, there is Rapture.” I thought this was very clever.
This book touches on many interesting and important topics. It is not often that you find a YA book that openly discusses the afterlife. It seems to be a topic that Young Adult authors do not embrace for some reason, and the few authors who do write about the topic choose ghost story-type tales.
Kudos to Author Lynette Ferreira for tackling such a controversial topic.
This book also has elements of other issues important to today’s youth such as bullying and peer pressure as well as taking responsibility for one’s actions.
With the variety of characters, readers should be able to find at least one that they identify with. I think that young teens and middle grade readers will enjoy this book and hopefully it will open up dialogue about the issues detailed in it’s pages.
*Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book.
To read more of my reviews visit my blog at AmiesBookReviews.wordpress.com
May 18, 2016
She only wanted to play a small prank. She never imagined what the consequences of her actions would be. Sunel is an average teenager that desperately seeks the attention of others. When a seemingly harmless prank goes awry, a school bus driving Sunel and her classmates dives off a cliff. Sunel wakes to a confusing afterlife where she and her classmates must learn not only to forgive each other, but to forgive themselves.
Opinion:
This book started off quickly and gained my attention immediately. The plot stayed fast-paced throughout the entirety of the read and I rarely got bored. The main character, Sunel, was a likable and believable character. The majority of teenage girls will be able to relate to the emotions Sunel felt throughout the book.
The romantic relationship in this book could have been enhanced a little more because it felt rushed and unbelievable. I wish it was developed more in order to establish a well-rounded relationship between the characters. Fleshing this out part of the plot would have made the romance more authentic.
Overall, this story is a great read for anyone who likes life-after-death stories with relatable characters and a swift plot.
Reviewed by a LitPick student book reviewer Age:17
Opinion:
This book started off quickly and gained my attention immediately. The plot stayed fast-paced throughout the entirety of the read and I rarely got bored. The main character, Sunel, was a likable and believable character. The majority of teenage girls will be able to relate to the emotions Sunel felt throughout the book.
The romantic relationship in this book could have been enhanced a little more because it felt rushed and unbelievable. I wish it was developed more in order to establish a well-rounded relationship between the characters. Fleshing this out part of the plot would have made the romance more authentic.
Overall, this story is a great read for anyone who likes life-after-death stories with relatable characters and a swift plot.
Reviewed by a LitPick student book reviewer Age:17
May 21, 2016
There were some very nice descriptions in this book that evoke a mood and various settings. Here is an example I thought was particularly visual.
“Giant tears are running down her cheeks and her eyes are puffy and red. The rest of her face has gone pallid white, so now her eyes looks as if they are bleeding.”
This book has some serious themes and ideas following on an opening tragedy. Despite that, the tone is somewhat cool and quiet. I owe that to the authors descriptions of the setting and environment the young people first find themselves in. The characters are varied and I think that teens will find someone to identify with.
The ending is one that I believe will surprise some, but others may see it coming. I’d say it will hit 50/50. I think this is a book that young adults will enjoy and find creative enough to mention to their friends.
I was provided this book free of charge in order to read it and write my honest review of the novel.
“Giant tears are running down her cheeks and her eyes are puffy and red. The rest of her face has gone pallid white, so now her eyes looks as if they are bleeding.”
This book has some serious themes and ideas following on an opening tragedy. Despite that, the tone is somewhat cool and quiet. I owe that to the authors descriptions of the setting and environment the young people first find themselves in. The characters are varied and I think that teens will find someone to identify with.
The ending is one that I believe will surprise some, but others may see it coming. I’d say it will hit 50/50. I think this is a book that young adults will enjoy and find creative enough to mention to their friends.
I was provided this book free of charge in order to read it and write my honest review of the novel.
December 1, 2015
An interesting and engaging story! In my opinion, a great book will "take you there" and make you feel like you're part of the story. You become emotionally invested and root for the characters and for the desired outcome. Most importantly, you definitely want to keep reading because you just have to know what happens next! This book did all of those things for me and I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end. The author has given us an interesting look at the consequences and possibilities of the 'hereafter'. Written from the perspective of the primary character Sunel, we learn that she unwittingly made a grave mistake and must come to terms with the results of her actions. The end caught me completely by surprise but I was thrilled with the outcome. I would highly recommend this book to all lovers of fiction novels!
December 4, 2015
This book captured my imagination from the very first sentence. The characters are all together, but they don't know where. The main character Sunel, reveals the story from her perspective. She as the story moves ahead, is quite frankly not a very likeable character. I won't give away any clues, but once it is revealed what she did and why everyone is where they are - it is difficult as a reader to forgive her. However, as Sunel continues on her journey other sides of her personality are revealed and through the love of her friends and inner strength she is able to find redemption. This book also touches on some aspects of bullying, consequences for actions on both sides. Highly recommended!
May 26, 2016
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The first few pages had me gripped and I finished it in record time.
Sunel and her classmates are on a school outing when the bus they were travelling plummets from a bridge into a river.
All the kids realise they are now in heaven. The author's description of everywhere was intriguing. I wanted to read more all the time, so it was difficult to put down.
There was also a lot of thought here and the seven deadly sings were all spelt out as the kids were sent into groups.
Highly recommended if you want an entertaining read that will leave you thinking.
Sunel and her classmates are on a school outing when the bus they were travelling plummets from a bridge into a river.
All the kids realise they are now in heaven. The author's description of everywhere was intriguing. I wanted to read more all the time, so it was difficult to put down.
There was also a lot of thought here and the seven deadly sings were all spelt out as the kids were sent into groups.
Highly recommended if you want an entertaining read that will leave you thinking.
July 7, 2017
Beautiful story
What can I say about my life hereafter is a beautiful story from start to finish. Lynette pulled me into her world and I felt as if I was with Sunel the entire way through. I imagine laughed, and cried and truly enjoyed reading it. A recommendation from me.
What can I say about my life hereafter is a beautiful story from start to finish. Lynette pulled me into her world and I felt as if I was with Sunel the entire way through. I imagine laughed, and cried and truly enjoyed reading it. A recommendation from me.
October 12, 2017
Extraordinarily suspenseful, My Life Hereafter captures the struggle between defying our wants and satisfying our needs. This is a love story with consequences.
May 21, 2019
This is a hard book to review. It is chock full of Christian ideas, which I did expect with a title like Hereafter. Some of the ideas were rather corny and cartoonish, like the devil on her shoulder, which just felt like a cheap excuse to blame someone outside of herself for her bad decisions (It felt cartoony in that it was a being on her shoulder actually talking to her rather than just an internalized thing). Even the angel school was very clichéd, and I had to roll my eyes as soon as we set foot inside, though thankfully not much time is spent there. I was foreseeing yet another clichéd school book, which seem to be in fashion right now. It just feels rather Christian structured that there has to be white rooms and judgement and set things that happen once you die. I had been hoping for a bit more freedom of imagination from the author. The imagination does come in during the journey to the shadowed place which was fascinating, and what they found there, and even all the soul searching done and re-evaluating their relationships in the past with their parents and friends and how they thought of themselves. All of the teenagers ring true as they struggle to fit in in their school, within their families, and how they feel about themselves. It’s a good coming-of-age story, re-evaluating what is important, and who they are as people, with a dash of romance, quite a bit of adventure into the unknown and battling their own demons.
October 17, 2022
this was a beautifully done supernatural fantasy, I was invested and wanting the characters to succeed. It did what it set out to do and did it really well. I really enjoyed the way Rosaline Saul wrote this and was what I wanted to happen.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 24, 2020
Good book.
I really enjoyed this book. It was unusual and thought provoking. It challenged my thoughts on Heaven and our life purpose. I liked the characters. It's a fast read and one I recommend..
I really enjoyed this book. It was unusual and thought provoking. It challenged my thoughts on Heaven and our life purpose. I liked the characters. It's a fast read and one I recommend..
May 21, 2019
This is a hard book to review. It is chock full of Christian ideas, which I did expect with a title like Hereafter. Some of the ideas were rather corny and cartoonish, like the devil on her shoulder, which just felt like a cheap excuse to blame someone outside of herself for her bad decisions (It felt cartoony in that it was a being on her shoulder actually talking to her rather than just an internalized thing). Even the angel school was very clichéd, and I had to roll my eyes as soon as we set foot inside, though thankfully not much time is spent there. I was foreseeing yet another clichéd school book, which seem to be in fashion right now. It just feels rather Christian structured that there has to be white rooms and judgement and set things that happen once you die. I had been hoping for a bit more freedom of imagination from the author. The imagination does come in during the journey to the shadowed place which was fascinating, and what they found there, and even all the soul searching done and re-evaluating their relationships in the past with their parents and friends and how they thought of themselves. All of the teenagers ring true as they struggle to fit in in their school, within their families, and how they feel about themselves. It’s a good coming-of-age story, re-evaluating what is important, and who they are as people, with a dash of romance, quite a bit of adventure into the unknown and battling their own demons.
April 20, 2017
I found this to be a very unique depiction of the afterlife, not just heaven and hell, but multiple options in between. This was a good way to set up the themes of the complexity of good and evil, and how a person isn’t necessarily one or the other. I really enjoyed Sunel, and found her struggle relatable and believable. She considers herself a good person, but with a dark side who manifests as a little man on her shoulder whispering in her ear. Throughout the story, she faces her demons and seeks redemption.
My only problem was I wanted more of the G.A. Academy. I love the idea of it. I feel like this could be a whole other book, about someone going to school there and what their afterlife is like once they graduate. I was a little disappointed not to have more of this, but then again, perhaps it will be (or already is?) a future book. That said, I did enjoy the direction this book went in, and the journey of the friends to the other side.
My only problem was I wanted more of the G.A. Academy. I love the idea of it. I feel like this could be a whole other book, about someone going to school there and what their afterlife is like once they graduate. I was a little disappointed not to have more of this, but then again, perhaps it will be (or already is?) a future book. That said, I did enjoy the direction this book went in, and the journey of the friends to the other side.
April 30, 2017
Life on the other side
What an exceptional view of the other side, very enjoyable and unique with strong emotional ties to family and friends.
I relate to the man on the shoulder as i had an imaginary friend as a child,
As always this author delivers a story that holds you to the end and due to my own beliefs of the after life i found this enthralling and very believable
What an exceptional view of the other side, very enjoyable and unique with strong emotional ties to family and friends.
I relate to the man on the shoulder as i had an imaginary friend as a child,
As always this author delivers a story that holds you to the end and due to my own beliefs of the after life i found this enthralling and very believable
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews