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When They Fade
In the tradition of The Lovely Bones comes a haunting tale of two girls—one dead, one alive.
TATUM is the only person at school who knew the truth about the affair her best friend, Claudette, has been having with Mr. Paracini, their married teacher. And at the time, confiding in an adult seemed like the right thing to do. But now, everyone in town has turned against Tatum, painting her as a liar and a rat. As the bullying from her classmates escalates, it seems that nowhere is safe for her anymore.
MOLLY, a hitchhiker, was brutally murdered in the early 1970s, but there is no afterlife for her. Instead, she has found herself marooned with a crowd of other people who have also died tragically. Molly is able to fade back to earth for a few fleeting moments, and when she fades, she finds herself hitchhiking once again, and telling the unsuspecting drivers who stop for her things about their future that only she can see.
One foggy night, Tatum sneaks out for a drive. The teenage hitchhiker she picks up doesn’t talk much, until she suddenly turns to Tatum and “You’re going to die. It will hurt and you’ll be alone. And no one will help you.”
And then she disappears. As the two girls’ stories converge, Tatum and Molly will discover that they must first figure out how to help the other in order to save themselves.
TATUM is the only person at school who knew the truth about the affair her best friend, Claudette, has been having with Mr. Paracini, their married teacher. And at the time, confiding in an adult seemed like the right thing to do. But now, everyone in town has turned against Tatum, painting her as a liar and a rat. As the bullying from her classmates escalates, it seems that nowhere is safe for her anymore.
MOLLY, a hitchhiker, was brutally murdered in the early 1970s, but there is no afterlife for her. Instead, she has found herself marooned with a crowd of other people who have also died tragically. Molly is able to fade back to earth for a few fleeting moments, and when she fades, she finds herself hitchhiking once again, and telling the unsuspecting drivers who stop for her things about their future that only she can see.
One foggy night, Tatum sneaks out for a drive. The teenage hitchhiker she picks up doesn’t talk much, until she suddenly turns to Tatum and “You’re going to die. It will hurt and you’ll be alone. And no one will help you.”
And then she disappears. As the two girls’ stories converge, Tatum and Molly will discover that they must first figure out how to help the other in order to save themselves.
354 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 13, 2016
13 people are currently reading
1270 people want to read
About the author
Jeyn Roberts
11 books711 followersJeyn Roberts (pronounced Jen - the Y is silent)grew up in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and started writing at an early age, having her first story published when she was 16 in a middle-grade anthology called LET ME TELL YOU.
When she was 21, she moved to Vancouver with dreams of being a rock star, graduating from the University of British Columbia with a degree in Writing and Psychology. For the next few years she played in an alternative/punk band called Missing Mile before moving to England where she received her MA from the prestigious Creative Writing graduate course at Bath Spa University. Jeyn is a former singer, songwriter, actress, bicycle courier and tree planter.
An avid traveler, she’s been around the world, most recently, teaching high school in South Korea.
A lover of animals, Jeyn volunteers regularly with helping abandoned and abused animals, especially cats.
When she was 21, she moved to Vancouver with dreams of being a rock star, graduating from the University of British Columbia with a degree in Writing and Psychology. For the next few years she played in an alternative/punk band called Missing Mile before moving to England where she received her MA from the prestigious Creative Writing graduate course at Bath Spa University. Jeyn is a former singer, songwriter, actress, bicycle courier and tree planter.
An avid traveler, she’s been around the world, most recently, teaching high school in South Korea.
A lover of animals, Jeyn volunteers regularly with helping abandoned and abused animals, especially cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
September 20, 2016
When They Fade is the story of two girls -- one alive, one dead -- whose lives are about to intersect.
What sets this book apart is how the author pays tribute to the little details that bring a story to life by evoking the senses, like the squelching of mud or the way fog coils around one's ankles:
As he killed me, the last thing I smelled was the wildflowers. The meadow was full of them. Millions. Seeds stuck in my hair. Flattened beneath my back, tickling my bare arms and legs, as my blood dripped down to nourish their roots. They'd be dead now. Wilted away as winter sucked the warmth from their stems.
I used to stand right in the shallow water and wiggle my toes until they were covered. The moist sand was grainy and cushy against my skin. It made a wet sucking noise when I freed myself. Perfect for a hot day.
This book is gripping from page one and remains thoroughly entertaining all the way to the final page. The tension is subtle but consistent throughout. Occasionally the book hits the creepy factor quite nicely. And the stakes are always high. This compelling read is highly recommended.
What sets this book apart is how the author pays tribute to the little details that bring a story to life by evoking the senses, like the squelching of mud or the way fog coils around one's ankles:
As he killed me, the last thing I smelled was the wildflowers. The meadow was full of them. Millions. Seeds stuck in my hair. Flattened beneath my back, tickling my bare arms and legs, as my blood dripped down to nourish their roots. They'd be dead now. Wilted away as winter sucked the warmth from their stems.
I used to stand right in the shallow water and wiggle my toes until they were covered. The moist sand was grainy and cushy against my skin. It made a wet sucking noise when I freed myself. Perfect for a hot day.
This book is gripping from page one and remains thoroughly entertaining all the way to the final page. The tension is subtle but consistent throughout. Occasionally the book hits the creepy factor quite nicely. And the stakes are always high. This compelling read is highly recommended.
July 6, 2016
Part ghost story, part real life horrors young people face throughout time. Oh man, do the non-supernatural horrors in this book send chills up the spine!
This book is sharp, thrilling and with enough ghastly moments (both in humanity and the beyond) to keep you turning the pages. Great addition to the YA Horror Genre that has seen a steady audience, and continues to draw in teen readers. Definitely something I will recommend to fans of this genre.
This book is sharp, thrilling and with enough ghastly moments (both in humanity and the beyond) to keep you turning the pages. Great addition to the YA Horror Genre that has seen a steady audience, and continues to draw in teen readers. Definitely something I will recommend to fans of this genre.
April 20, 2017
I couldn't get into the story. All the characters were forgettable, and I found myself unattached to all of them.
Things were unbelievable, like the damage done to Tatum's car in the school parking lot, and not one person saw or heard anything. She kept shrugging off Mollys warning too. Not a bit concerned that these kids she grew up with may in fact physically hurt her. I'm still confused why Levi is the one who stabbed her.
Mollys world was boring. I didn't get attached to her either. I was expecting some sort of answer to why her and others Fade, and why they're stuck in that afterlife.
Things were unbelievable, like the damage done to Tatum's car in the school parking lot, and not one person saw or heard anything. She kept shrugging off Mollys warning too. Not a bit concerned that these kids she grew up with may in fact physically hurt her. I'm still confused why Levi is the one who stabbed her.
Mollys world was boring. I didn't get attached to her either. I was expecting some sort of answer to why her and others Fade, and why they're stuck in that afterlife.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 7, 2017
This was an interesting story. It takes a little time to get used to the idea of this afterlife.
Molly is no longer living, but she does get very infrequent times when she "fades" and visits as a hitchhiker. She can touch someone living and secrets are revealed to her. She tries to help those that she comes in to contact with. She believes she does.
But then she bumps into Tatum. She touches Tatum's hand and gets a very different secret from her.
Tatum is in danger.
Tatum's POV, on the other hand, is very much alive. But full of a pretty miserable life. Claudette, an old best friend, has made it her mission to bully Tatum and make her life as awful as possible in as many ways as possible.
Both stories for each girl slowly unfold and we learn more of what they each went through as we spiral closer to the final showdown. It definitely a different kind of story.
Molly is no longer living, but she does get very infrequent times when she "fades" and visits as a hitchhiker. She can touch someone living and secrets are revealed to her. She tries to help those that she comes in to contact with. She believes she does.
But then she bumps into Tatum. She touches Tatum's hand and gets a very different secret from her.
Tatum is in danger.
Tatum's POV, on the other hand, is very much alive. But full of a pretty miserable life. Claudette, an old best friend, has made it her mission to bully Tatum and make her life as awful as possible in as many ways as possible.
Both stories for each girl slowly unfold and we learn more of what they each went through as we spiral closer to the final showdown. It definitely a different kind of story.
October 17, 2016
Mean girls and serial killers? Quite a combination!
January 30, 2021
I picked this up loving the concept but expect it to be terribly executed and probably spend to much time on some yearny romance. I was plesently surprised. I found the story engaging and really enjoyed reading it, even if aspects were somewhat contrived and unrealistic. The enjoyability factor as well as how much the story exceeded my expectations earned it four stars.
January 14, 2018
2.5* I think the author tried to do too much with this story, and the plot just didn’t mesh well for me. I liked the ending though, however so 2.5 stars for me.
March 17, 2017
Great book! Molly and Tatum were both such appealing characters, who quickly drew me right into the story. The supporting cast were also well-rounded and complex individuals who only enhanced the central tales.
Molly is a dead flower-child, who exists in maybe-purgatory and was murdered at 16. She introduces us to a world of similarly trapped souls, all of whom died in similarly horrible circumstances. It's a pretty grim place, and none of them really know how it works, just the obvious facts. Nothing really changes; Molly breaks a paper lantern and seconds later it's back on the string and whole. No-one needs to eat, sleep, or breathe, and other than occasional Fades to haunt the living (involuntary), everyone essentially just sits around.
Tatum, by contrast, is living in a hell of her best friend's creation. To avoid spoilers: Claudette, the best friend, had secrets which Tatum revealed in an attempt to help. This was turned back on her, and both her school peers and entire rest of the town have now turned on her. It was a bit of a stretch there for me, simply just because of the level of vitriol directed her way without even a single supporter to say "Hey, maybe slashing a 16-year-old's tyres and throwing flaming bottles through her window is going too far". However, the author avoided going the route of the perfect but persecuted super-angel, giving Tatum her own set of flaws that kept this end of the tale heart-breakingly raw and otherwise realistic.
All in all a great read that had me glued to the pages right up until we reached that breakneck ending.
Molly is a dead flower-child, who exists in maybe-purgatory and was murdered at 16. She introduces us to a world of similarly trapped souls, all of whom died in similarly horrible circumstances. It's a pretty grim place, and none of them really know how it works, just the obvious facts. Nothing really changes; Molly breaks a paper lantern and seconds later it's back on the string and whole. No-one needs to eat, sleep, or breathe, and other than occasional Fades to haunt the living (involuntary), everyone essentially just sits around.
Tatum, by contrast, is living in a hell of her best friend's creation. To avoid spoilers: Claudette, the best friend, had secrets which Tatum revealed in an attempt to help. This was turned back on her, and both her school peers and entire rest of the town have now turned on her. It was a bit of a stretch there for me, simply just because of the level of vitriol directed her way without even a single supporter to say "Hey, maybe slashing a 16-year-old's tyres and throwing flaming bottles through her window is going too far". However, the author avoided going the route of the perfect but persecuted super-angel, giving Tatum her own set of flaws that kept this end of the tale heart-breakingly raw and otherwise realistic.
All in all a great read that had me glued to the pages right up until we reached that breakneck ending.
September 25, 2016
How to tell the story of 21st century bullying in a way that doesn't seem preachy? Weave it with a paralleling story of 20th century cult life. That's what Roberts does so right here - identifying cultural markers in common in generations that are often painted in opposing colors.
I have a few sort of small things that bugged me, though, especially in light of her work mentioned above: (1) in the afterlife, Molly befriends 2 of the Whitest souls, while telling the reader how diverse it is there. Diversity chatter felt like an afterthought. (2) Tatum? Claudette? Juniper? Graham? These sound like names I gave my Barbies because I had access to a baby name book and thought it was cool. Or maybe this is how it goes in WA? (3) It's sweet that Molly thinks she can just talk Tatum's bullies into sense - I hope this is just her naive flower-child-ness and not some genuine practice for the character who, frankly, should know more than anyone that you can't talk down crazy.
Other than that, Roberts' story and writing are satisfying. I didn't feel the need to correct grammar or language, and the narrative follows a nice path with a decent resolution.
Highlight: I love that's Roberts tackles the afterlife. Her theory of haunting is a fun break from so many paranormal tropes. It gets a little blurry when the main characters become cross-dimensional friends, but it's a creative and thoughtful imagining of a mostly ridiculous science.
I have a few sort of small things that bugged me, though, especially in light of her work mentioned above: (1) in the afterlife, Molly befriends 2 of the Whitest souls, while telling the reader how diverse it is there. Diversity chatter felt like an afterthought. (2) Tatum? Claudette? Juniper? Graham? These sound like names I gave my Barbies because I had access to a baby name book and thought it was cool. Or maybe this is how it goes in WA? (3) It's sweet that Molly thinks she can just talk Tatum's bullies into sense - I hope this is just her naive flower-child-ness and not some genuine practice for the character who, frankly, should know more than anyone that you can't talk down crazy.
Other than that, Roberts' story and writing are satisfying. I didn't feel the need to correct grammar or language, and the narrative follows a nice path with a decent resolution.
Highlight: I love that's Roberts tackles the afterlife. Her theory of haunting is a fun break from so many paranormal tropes. It gets a little blurry when the main characters become cross-dimensional friends, but it's a creative and thoughtful imagining of a mostly ridiculous science.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 5, 2016
This novel explores both murder and the extremes that bullying unchecked can lead to, drawing an interesting parallel between the two. While I found Molly to be the more sympathetic of the protagonists, Roberts also made me understand why Tatum was the way she was. Haunting and beautiful in its way, this should make us think about the thin line between bullying and something worse.
December 26, 2016
A sob catches in my throat as the words leave my lips. "What do you mean?" She says to me?
But I can't answer. I'm fading away into the gray upholstery. I see her face. Eyes wide and terrified. Curious. She can't believe what's happening. Reality just won't allow her to believe. Later she'll find ways to convince herself that she made the whole thing up. I pray with all my heart that she doesn't.
Molly Bellinger, only fifteen in the early sixties, back when her peasant blouse, sandals and whimsical naive innocents still fluttered around her. Back when she had a family, before fleeing form them, sneaking away to hide out with the boy Jullian and his newly adopted family, a family of travelers, who she first encountered with her best friend Andrea at Woodstock. Packing her bags, she leaves With Jullian, leaving without ever speaking to her father or brother Marcus again, still believing in her heart she'll hear from them again, until Walter, the fatherly figure of the group with roaming eyes, brutally kidnaps her, brutally torturing her with knives within the old barn hidden away, while feeding lies to her fiance Jullian and his wife Olivia. As her wrists are bled raw again and again, she realizes all too soon, that escape is impossible, especially with a sadistic death agreed upon her. Molly's death, is the reason she meets Parker, a boy murdered in the 1900s, and Mary, still strapped to her corset, remembering the way her killer slashed her to ribbons, returning to haunt the living that so carelessly forgotten about her horrific end. During the Fade, they return to places significant before their death's, and for Molly, hitchhiking on Frog Road and spilling the truth about what's happening behind people's backs, is exactly what save sixteen year old Tatum's life.
Tatum has lived in constant harassment and abuse, feeling the torment from fellow students after her best friend since Kindergarten, Claudia begins having an affair with their teacher, falling in love as madness begins pooling in the girl's heart. Claudia allows Tatum to take the fall once she can't hold the secrets from Claudia any more, before turning everyone against her. From harassment over Facebook, to constant midnight texts and phone calls, pain seemed to be clearly etched into Tatum's life, until Molly makes an appearance, doing everything in her power, even risking her soul to save her. Scott, as he begins slipping into love with Tatum, lives through the tortures of befriending her, having his own tires slash before him and Tatum are jumped on the side of the road, him knocked unconscious with a bat while Claudia tries to murder Tatum, in front of the entire school. Molly and Parker do everything they can do to fight the Remnants, those put into p[lace to stop the Ghosts from returning to the living, before Levi, one of Claudia's loyal followers, drives a knife into Tatum's stomach, leaving Molly alone and left to tell the dying girl her last request: the way Molly died. After seeing Molly one more time, Molly finds herself within the place of the middle, as the ghosts around her build up a new life, one not centered around anguish of remembering the memories that haunt them, but free to experience everything it once meant to be alive.
But I can't answer. I'm fading away into the gray upholstery. I see her face. Eyes wide and terrified. Curious. She can't believe what's happening. Reality just won't allow her to believe. Later she'll find ways to convince herself that she made the whole thing up. I pray with all my heart that she doesn't.
Molly Bellinger, only fifteen in the early sixties, back when her peasant blouse, sandals and whimsical naive innocents still fluttered around her. Back when she had a family, before fleeing form them, sneaking away to hide out with the boy Jullian and his newly adopted family, a family of travelers, who she first encountered with her best friend Andrea at Woodstock. Packing her bags, she leaves With Jullian, leaving without ever speaking to her father or brother Marcus again, still believing in her heart she'll hear from them again, until Walter, the fatherly figure of the group with roaming eyes, brutally kidnaps her, brutally torturing her with knives within the old barn hidden away, while feeding lies to her fiance Jullian and his wife Olivia. As her wrists are bled raw again and again, she realizes all too soon, that escape is impossible, especially with a sadistic death agreed upon her. Molly's death, is the reason she meets Parker, a boy murdered in the 1900s, and Mary, still strapped to her corset, remembering the way her killer slashed her to ribbons, returning to haunt the living that so carelessly forgotten about her horrific end. During the Fade, they return to places significant before their death's, and for Molly, hitchhiking on Frog Road and spilling the truth about what's happening behind people's backs, is exactly what save sixteen year old Tatum's life.
Tatum has lived in constant harassment and abuse, feeling the torment from fellow students after her best friend since Kindergarten, Claudia begins having an affair with their teacher, falling in love as madness begins pooling in the girl's heart. Claudia allows Tatum to take the fall once she can't hold the secrets from Claudia any more, before turning everyone against her. From harassment over Facebook, to constant midnight texts and phone calls, pain seemed to be clearly etched into Tatum's life, until Molly makes an appearance, doing everything in her power, even risking her soul to save her. Scott, as he begins slipping into love with Tatum, lives through the tortures of befriending her, having his own tires slash before him and Tatum are jumped on the side of the road, him knocked unconscious with a bat while Claudia tries to murder Tatum, in front of the entire school. Molly and Parker do everything they can do to fight the Remnants, those put into p[lace to stop the Ghosts from returning to the living, before Levi, one of Claudia's loyal followers, drives a knife into Tatum's stomach, leaving Molly alone and left to tell the dying girl her last request: the way Molly died. After seeing Molly one more time, Molly finds herself within the place of the middle, as the ghosts around her build up a new life, one not centered around anguish of remembering the memories that haunt them, but free to experience everything it once meant to be alive.
November 2, 2016
Tortured and murdered savagely in 1970, sixteen-year-old Molly is able to communicate with drivers who pass by the section of the road where she and others like her hang out. She can foretell the future for those whose lives she touches briefly, but in the case of Tatum who picks her up one night, she sees a terrible end for the teenager. Tatum has become the object of ever-increasing bullying, prompted by her former best friend Claudette. It all starts simply enough. Claudette confesses her romantic entanglements with Mr. Paracini, a married teacher at their school, Hamilton High, and enlists Tatum's help in covering for her. Tatum does so until it's clear that she can no longer keep the secret, and things get out of hand. To save her friend who seems to be in over her head, she goes to the school principal. The two guilty parties deny everything, and Claudette even sets things up so that it looks as though Tatum is the one crushing on the teacher, and making things up in retaliation for his rejection. But that isn't all of it. Claudette is not someone who lets any slights go. She systematically builds a face-to-face and online campaign against Tatum, now labeled a snitch, and keeps fanning the flames of annoyance toward Tatum harder and harder. Molly is able to see how all these incidents of harassment and bullying will end, and she warns Tatum that she will die alone and in great pain. Despite her fears about the systematic campaign against her as it grows worse ever day, Tatum becomes convinced that she must somehow figure out how to help Molly pass over to her final resting place and investigates her death. I enjoyed the appearance of both girls, and the juxtaposition of supernatural horror against the horrors of a cruel, revengeful popular girl who destroys others in order to save herself. The passages concerning Claudette are vividly written and chilling in their sheer normality. I could totally see something like this easily happening.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 24, 2018
When I finished the Dark Inside series, I told myself that I was going to read all the books written by Jeyn Roberts. So far, this is my least favorite. This deal with quite a heavy subject.
Molly is a young teenager that died in 1970. She is stuck in between two worlds. One in a while, she “fade” to the living world and haunt on the road where she dies. She can also see glimpse of memories or premonitions of the future when she touches someone.
Tatum is still very much alive, but is living hell ever since she told the world her best friend was having an affair with a married older teacher and no one believe her. She is now being bullied at school.
Trying to clear her mind, she picks up hitchhiker Molly on the road, only to be warn by her that she will die alone and no one will help her.
Molly and her ghost friend Parker will do everything to prevent this tragedy. Even if this will take a lot of time because Tatum is oblivious and cannot believe that her best friend would hurt her.
Claudette, the “ex” best friend was such a bitch! I hate her with a passion. When she first talks about her secret she said: “if we get caught, I can always tell that he forces me into it, it all about the game”. Way to go girl, how to ruin someone life & career. Not long after she said that if Barry left her she will kill herself because he is her whole life. Drama queen much… She kept using Molly as a backup to cover-up the affair and was so self-absorb. Then she because psycho crazy and threaten to kill her.
All that story about the secret relationship didn’t make sense, nobody investigates in this town, try to find proofs? Like the whole town is against Tatum because Molly said she was the stalker/crazy teenager in love with a teacher? Nope, not buying it at all.
Molly is a young teenager that died in 1970. She is stuck in between two worlds. One in a while, she “fade” to the living world and haunt on the road where she dies. She can also see glimpse of memories or premonitions of the future when she touches someone.
Tatum is still very much alive, but is living hell ever since she told the world her best friend was having an affair with a married older teacher and no one believe her. She is now being bullied at school.
Trying to clear her mind, she picks up hitchhiker Molly on the road, only to be warn by her that she will die alone and no one will help her.
Molly and her ghost friend Parker will do everything to prevent this tragedy. Even if this will take a lot of time because Tatum is oblivious and cannot believe that her best friend would hurt her.
Claudette, the “ex” best friend was such a bitch! I hate her with a passion. When she first talks about her secret she said: “if we get caught, I can always tell that he forces me into it, it all about the game”. Way to go girl, how to ruin someone life & career. Not long after she said that if Barry left her she will kill herself because he is her whole life. Drama queen much… She kept using Molly as a backup to cover-up the affair and was so self-absorb. Then she because psycho crazy and threaten to kill her.
All that story about the secret relationship didn’t make sense, nobody investigates in this town, try to find proofs? Like the whole town is against Tatum because Molly said she was the stalker/crazy teenager in love with a teacher? Nope, not buying it at all.
April 15, 2024
As is Jeyn Roberts style, "When They Fade" is contemporary fiction with a twist of horror. Tatum is targeted by classmates after exposing an affair between a teacher and student. Worst of all, NO ONE believes her, including her parents. She is threatened, ignored, has her car vandalized, and there is even an attempt to burn down the family's home.
Over 40 years in the past, Molly was killed by someone she thought was a friend; now she frequently appears as a hitchhiking ghost. She's stranded with a group of ghosts who also suffered violent deaths. Sometimes they fade away to be ghosts on earth, as Molly does. Molly can tell though, after touching someone, events in their future or solve mysteries. When Molly meets Tatum and touches her, she warns her that she is going to be viciously killed. Tatum doesn't believe her, instead thinking the reason they have met is to help Molly in some way.
The ghost and the girl, working a bit at cross purposes, still come together to help one another. Recommended for fans of Roberts and young adults who enjoy a good paranormal suspense book.
Over 40 years in the past, Molly was killed by someone she thought was a friend; now she frequently appears as a hitchhiking ghost. She's stranded with a group of ghosts who also suffered violent deaths. Sometimes they fade away to be ghosts on earth, as Molly does. Molly can tell though, after touching someone, events in their future or solve mysteries. When Molly meets Tatum and touches her, she warns her that she is going to be viciously killed. Tatum doesn't believe her, instead thinking the reason they have met is to help Molly in some way.
The ghost and the girl, working a bit at cross purposes, still come together to help one another. Recommended for fans of Roberts and young adults who enjoy a good paranormal suspense book.
July 5, 2019
this book was very interesting! i really enjoyed it. enough to read the whole book in one day! i picked this up in the library thinking it will be a weird and fun book to read since i normally pick up the basic romance novels. the description sounded like it was going to be interesting. some things that i REALLY liked about this book is the element of two people’s side of perspectives! it went from tatum in one scene to the molly in the other scene and it ran so smoothly. this book was one of the best book i have read this year. it is a real page turner! the whole concept of tatum being bullied was a little extreme. the whole bully item was the whole school basically mad & wanting to kill Tatum for “writing notes to the teacher that was hot and thinking of him & wanting him naked & stalking him” but to found out that it was all a lie. the kids at the school were willing to kill leading to the end when there are 40-50 kids there. overall I loved this book!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 14, 2019
It’s a story between two girls, one alive and one dead. The alive one, Tatum, was having a problem with her best friend and ended up being bullied. And the dead one, Molly, was murdered by a serial killer and there was no afterlife for her. They met each other one night when Tatum was driving and Molly is hitchhiking.
So, the whole story idea was amazing tho! The ghost that has an ability to see people’s future by touching them, and a young girl with bullying issues. With their different world, turns out that actually they met to save each other. This book also explores about bullying, serial killer, and about student-and-teacher affairs. I love that these two girls have interest for each other stories as I can feel the unspoken connection between them.
This book is gripping for me from the start. I can feel connected with the girls, too. The ending was not strong enough, but it’s very okay though.
So, the whole story idea was amazing tho! The ghost that has an ability to see people’s future by touching them, and a young girl with bullying issues. With their different world, turns out that actually they met to save each other. This book also explores about bullying, serial killer, and about student-and-teacher affairs. I love that these two girls have interest for each other stories as I can feel the unspoken connection between them.
This book is gripping for me from the start. I can feel connected with the girls, too. The ending was not strong enough, but it’s very okay though.
June 17, 2022
**spoiler alert** this book was very interesting! i really enjoyed it. enough to read the whole book in one day! i picked this up in the library thinking it will be a weird and fun book to read since i normally pick up the basic romance novels. the description sounded like it was going to be interesting. some things that i REALLY liked about this book is the element of two people’s side of perspectives! it went from tatum in one scene to the molly in the other scene and it ran so smoothly. this book was one of the best book i have read this year. it is a real page turner! the whole concept of tatum being bullied was a little extreme. the whole bully item was the whole school basically mad & wanting to kill Tatum for “writing notes to the teacher that was hot and thinking of him & wanting him naked & stalking him” but to found out that it was all a lie. the kids at the school were willing to kill leading to the end when there are 40-50 kids there. overall I loved this book!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2023
I finished this in a day, in one complete sitting. I do like the story and how it takes different turns. And although this book does contain it's own plot holes, I found myself kind of entranced with the story. I'm giving it three stars mainly because none of the questions about the remnants really ever get answered. Aren't they ghosts themselves? Like who are they? where did they come from? How did they start? And more importantly why do they have to be a reminder for the ghosts not to interact with the living and why do they hate the ghosts so damn much? And for that last question if they really are a reminder not to interact with the living then why do the ghosts really fade.
All in all I liked how it was kind of murder mystery mixed with a telling of young love if that makes sense. More of one coming to find friendship despite her small town hatred for her and one other girl learning to live on in the afterlife.
All in all I liked how it was kind of murder mystery mixed with a telling of young love if that makes sense. More of one coming to find friendship despite her small town hatred for her and one other girl learning to live on in the afterlife.
May 28, 2017
I feel like this should've been two books--a ghost story and a contemporary one about bullying. Mixing the two together seemed a little bit strange, separately they would've been good books. (Maybe, neither seemed to be fleshed out enough.)
Another part of the problem I had with this book was how Tatum was treated by those around her. Like her parents, it really didn't seem like they believed her story. And the school wouldn't have acted the way they did. I get that this book took place in a small town but come on! The school would've taken it seriously, any accusations like that are taken seriously....it's weird that the school automatically assumed that Tatum was lying.
I don't know, this book didn't make a whole lot of sense. Oh well, it was just too bad because I do like a good ghost story.
Another part of the problem I had with this book was how Tatum was treated by those around her. Like her parents, it really didn't seem like they believed her story. And the school wouldn't have acted the way they did. I get that this book took place in a small town but come on! The school would've taken it seriously, any accusations like that are taken seriously....it's weird that the school automatically assumed that Tatum was lying.
I don't know, this book didn't make a whole lot of sense. Oh well, it was just too bad because I do like a good ghost story.
August 8, 2019
I really enjoyed this book. I loved the way the author went about taking the two separate characters and then making them meet. I really liked how each of the girls played a more important part in the other’s life. They ended up being the change each of them needed.
The only reason I don’t give this book a 5/5 is because I thought that Levi stabbing Tatum was random. And the fact that Graham ended up helping Tatum? He was originally supposed to help kill her.
Aside from that the ending was very satisfying, especially when the truth finally came out. And especially for all the people in the afterlife, when they realized maybe it wasn’t that bad after all.
The only reason I don’t give this book a 5/5 is because I thought that Levi stabbing Tatum was random. And the fact that Graham ended up helping Tatum? He was originally supposed to help kill her.
Aside from that the ending was very satisfying, especially when the truth finally came out. And especially for all the people in the afterlife, when they realized maybe it wasn’t that bad after all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 21, 2018
I don't think I've read a book quite like this before, it was riveting. It somehow makes you look at things differently. Tatum, she was so unaware of what her "ex-friends" were capable of. They were so cruel to her, but having Scott helped. Molly, reading in her point of view made me paranoid, but it was also exciting and thrilling. They helped each other out so much. I was glad this book had a good ending, for the both of them. All in all this author, Jeyn Roberts always leaves me satisfied in reading her books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 17, 2017
THIS BOOK THOUGH. Honestly I've been in such a reading slump lately and this was exactly the way to get me out of it! I love love loved the way that Roberts played around with your "typical" ghost mythology, and I felt such a connection to Molly the whole book! Some of the secondary characters could have been fleshed out a bit more, but that's typical for a YA book of this size (especially a standalone). I couldn't put this one down.
July 3, 2017
I'm not sure what I expected when I started this book. But when I finished, it definitely was a game changer.
It had many ups and downs, and some may finish it thinking the story line was very predictable and unrealistic, but I say otherwise.
The bullying Tatum endured was very real in my eyes, and the pain Molly went through in the moments before her death were also horrific.
The ending dragged on a tiny bit, but overall I enjoyed this immensely.
It had many ups and downs, and some may finish it thinking the story line was very predictable and unrealistic, but I say otherwise.
The bullying Tatum endured was very real in my eyes, and the pain Molly went through in the moments before her death were also horrific.
The ending dragged on a tiny bit, but overall I enjoyed this immensely.
March 6, 2019
The book so far is okay considering some personal views. It intertwines the living and the dead. It's a very spiritual book. The main characters are Tatum, Claudette, and Molly. It's basically about a group of spirits in a realm that goes are somehow forced to go back and their job is to help people and tell them their future so they can fix it. The book is creative but just it's a little hard to get into for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 22, 2017
I really liked this story told from two very different perspectives. The afterlife that Molly describes is very different from what I expected. The story has some very dark elements- grisly murders described with great detail and severe bullying- but despite the darkness- there was a message of hope.
June 26, 2021
No book I have ever had has made me feel so many emotions. Particularly anger, fear, and frustration. It was so well written! Also very original. I wasn’t expected much when I started it but I was very surprised and enjoyed When They Fade despite being really scared while reading it. I really just want more Tatum and Scott content to be honest, they’re so cute.
September 23, 2021
This book was about 2 girls, one who is dead and one who is alive and I absolutely adored it. The way the author talks about their lives and explains everything in detail was amazing. I definitely loved this book and would recommend to anyone who wants to get sucked into a book and never wanting to stop reading.
November 26, 2017
Super suspenseful horror story with a winning recipe of a great setting, high school angst, and paranormal twists. Some moments of the story remind me of the TV show Criminal Minds, and also some Stephen King stories.
June 16, 2018
Great book over all. Gets 4 stars because I wish it were longer. Everything seemed a little rushed at the end. But great development on characters and the afterlife world. Just wish there were more on Claudette because she wayyyyyyy over reacted. And I wanted a little bit more of her.
October 26, 2021
If you want a messed up book with a happy ending this is the book for you. It starts off heavy. Its written really well and makes you want to keep reading to figure out what happens at the end. Will for sure be reading more of this authors books in the feature!
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