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Emma After
The good news: there's life after death. The bad news: it kinda sucks.
Eighteen-year-old Emma Crothers spent her whole life waiting to escape from her boring small town. Unfortunately, after drowning in a pool, that's no longer an option.
Emerging as a ghost from her watery grave, Emma finds her hometown anything but dull. In fact, when a horde of soul-swallowing Hollows hunts her through the fog-shrouded streets, she finds it absolutely terrifying.
Fleeing to the Fountaindale Grand Manor, a safe-haven for spirits, Emma meets a colourful community of the deceased, led by the alluring caretaker, Jack. However, just when she starts to adapt to the afterlife, a family of living Breathers invades the Manor, throwing everything into chaos.
Emma must help evict the Breathers in order to save her new family from the ravenous Hollows outside. Which is why it's less than ideal when she begins to fall for her unreasonably attractive haunting target, Andrew.
Torn between two worlds, Emma never expected being a ghost would be so complicated.
'Emma After is both thrilling and so very surprising that 'original' would be an understatement. It is a rollercoaster ride no one will want to miss.'
Isobelle Carmody (The Obernewtyn Chronicles, Greylands)
'Endlessly imaginative and full of heart, Emma After is an absorbing, exciting read I never wanted to put down. In short, it's utterly dazzling!'
Devin Madson (Author We Ride the Storm, Vengeance Trilogy)
Eighteen-year-old Emma Crothers spent her whole life waiting to escape from her boring small town. Unfortunately, after drowning in a pool, that's no longer an option.
Emerging as a ghost from her watery grave, Emma finds her hometown anything but dull. In fact, when a horde of soul-swallowing Hollows hunts her through the fog-shrouded streets, she finds it absolutely terrifying.
Fleeing to the Fountaindale Grand Manor, a safe-haven for spirits, Emma meets a colourful community of the deceased, led by the alluring caretaker, Jack. However, just when she starts to adapt to the afterlife, a family of living Breathers invades the Manor, throwing everything into chaos.
Emma must help evict the Breathers in order to save her new family from the ravenous Hollows outside. Which is why it's less than ideal when she begins to fall for her unreasonably attractive haunting target, Andrew.
Torn between two worlds, Emma never expected being a ghost would be so complicated.
'Emma After is both thrilling and so very surprising that 'original' would be an understatement. It is a rollercoaster ride no one will want to miss.'
Isobelle Carmody (The Obernewtyn Chronicles, Greylands)
'Endlessly imaginative and full of heart, Emma After is an absorbing, exciting read I never wanted to put down. In short, it's utterly dazzling!'
Devin Madson (Author We Ride the Storm, Vengeance Trilogy)
- GenresYoung Adult
390 pages, Paperback
Published October 31, 2022
About the author
Anthony O'Connor
2 books36 followersAnthony O’Connor is a writer, reviewer, teacher and journalist. He has written original screenplays for the indie Aussie romcom, Angst, and the blood-soaked, allegorical office horror, Redd Inc. (aka Inhuman Resources in the US/UK).
O’Connor’s first novel was the cult hit Straya, a rip-snorting adventure set in the post-apocalyptic ruins of New Sydney, starring an affable mutant who is bad at violence but quite good at amateur theatre. It was described by Blunt Mag as “the most Aussie sci-fi epic ever” and is currently being developed into an animated series.
His latest book is Emma After, a YA ghost story set in a haunted hotel in rural Australia featuring a colourful cast of the dearly departed and the wretched living “Breathers” they must haunt away. Combining action, adventure, suspense, romance and comedy, Emma After has been described by author Isobelle Carmody as “both thrilling and so very surprising that ‘original’ would be an understatement” and “a rollercoaster ride no one will want to miss.”
O’Connor bangs on about film, TV and video games for numerous outlets and, occasionally, to disinterested cats. O’Connor regularly contributes dialogue, story beats and additional writing for film and TV projects.
O’Connor’s first novel was the cult hit Straya, a rip-snorting adventure set in the post-apocalyptic ruins of New Sydney, starring an affable mutant who is bad at violence but quite good at amateur theatre. It was described by Blunt Mag as “the most Aussie sci-fi epic ever” and is currently being developed into an animated series.
His latest book is Emma After, a YA ghost story set in a haunted hotel in rural Australia featuring a colourful cast of the dearly departed and the wretched living “Breathers” they must haunt away. Combining action, adventure, suspense, romance and comedy, Emma After has been described by author Isobelle Carmody as “both thrilling and so very surprising that ‘original’ would be an understatement” and “a rollercoaster ride no one will want to miss.”
O’Connor bangs on about film, TV and video games for numerous outlets and, occasionally, to disinterested cats. O’Connor regularly contributes dialogue, story beats and additional writing for film and TV projects.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
February 8, 2023
What a brilliant, heart-warming, creepy story! And from an Australian author too! Cannot recommend this one enough. They say that Aussies don't get enough credit for quirky, scary, or dramatic tales, and this book has it all. Loved it.
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January 25, 2023A unique and imaginative YA ghost story about teenager Emma Crothers. Emma lives in the tiny rural town of Herbertson and, after a series of unexpected and difficult events change her life forever, Emma suddenly dies in a tragic accident. She then reappears in a version of Herbertson that is very different from the one she knows, and finds her way to the old Fountaindale Grand Manor, a derelict hotel on the hill that has been abandoned (and considered haunted) for many years.
Emma After is a heady mixture of genres, including horror, coming of age, drama and occasional romance, with big doses of humour thrown in as Emma learns to cope with the strange and often very difficult things that happen to her. O’Connor has had a lot of fun with the story, including long and very funny sequences of the Fountaindale’s ghostly staff finding new and creative ways to haunt the family of ‘breathers’ they are trying to expel. This is then balanced against some very real depictions of mental health issues, which are explored creatively and with nuance as Emma learns more about Andrew and his family.
Read my full review here: https://www.artshub.com.au/news/revie...
Emma After is a heady mixture of genres, including horror, coming of age, drama and occasional romance, with big doses of humour thrown in as Emma learns to cope with the strange and often very difficult things that happen to her. O’Connor has had a lot of fun with the story, including long and very funny sequences of the Fountaindale’s ghostly staff finding new and creative ways to haunt the family of ‘breathers’ they are trying to expel. This is then balanced against some very real depictions of mental health issues, which are explored creatively and with nuance as Emma learns more about Andrew and his family.
Read my full review here: https://www.artshub.com.au/news/revie...
April 9, 2023
MY FAVOURITE BOOK I’VE READ THIS YEAR SO FAR. IT’S A BIT OF EVERYTHING (FANTASY, THRILLER, ROMANCE)AND WRITTEN BY AN AUSSIE WHICH IS COOL!
WRITTEN REALLY WELL, EASY TO READ AND QUICK TO GET INTO! A LITTLE CORNY AT THE END BUT NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT HAHA
WRITTEN REALLY WELL, EASY TO READ AND QUICK TO GET INTO! A LITTLE CORNY AT THE END BUT NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT HAHA
October 24, 2022
Haunting, seductive, dark and at times eye wateringly funny, Emma After is an original YA novel that explores the intricacies of the afterlife, the unexpected complications of being a Ghost, and how, even after death, you can't shuffle off the mortal coil that is love.
You couldn't get more Australian than the 'Big Spud', 'Herbo Servo' and small town atmosphere in the first part of the novel, before we enter the eloquent and grandiose 'Fountaindale Grand Manor', a hotel populated with generations of Ghosts. We meet the charming caretaker Jack and soon after, when troubled American boy next door Andrew moves in with his family of Breathers - an inevitable love triangle forms with Emma. An Edward or Jacob 'Twilight' moment but circa 2022 Aussie Afterlife.
So for anyone looking for a playful, romantic and captivating read, what are you doing already!? Go read Emma After!
You couldn't get more Australian than the 'Big Spud', 'Herbo Servo' and small town atmosphere in the first part of the novel, before we enter the eloquent and grandiose 'Fountaindale Grand Manor', a hotel populated with generations of Ghosts. We meet the charming caretaker Jack and soon after, when troubled American boy next door Andrew moves in with his family of Breathers - an inevitable love triangle forms with Emma. An Edward or Jacob 'Twilight' moment but circa 2022 Aussie Afterlife.
So for anyone looking for a playful, romantic and captivating read, what are you doing already!? Go read Emma After!
February 2, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. I immediately bonded with Emma and her life (or lack thereof) in small-town Australia and eagerly followed her journey into the afterlife.
A little romance, a little adventure, part mystery and some terrifying creatures (called ‘Hollows’) made for a throughly enjoyable romp.
I had a lot of theories about the direction the book would take and each time I was surprised.
A little romance, a little adventure, part mystery and some terrifying creatures (called ‘Hollows’) made for a throughly enjoyable romp.
I had a lot of theories about the direction the book would take and each time I was surprised.
November 7, 2022
In Anthony O'Connor's second novel, he proves he's no one-trick pony. While still maintaining the uniquely Australian sensibilities of his previous novel, Straya, O'Connor takes us on a very different journey. Instead of the blasted landscape of a mutated capitalist apocalypse, we have a contemporary tale of loss, haunting, and family. This story is told with wit and sensitivity, while maintaining a cracking pace and engaging characters.
O'Connor's command of linguistic quirks is on full display, to wonderful effect, without falling into parody. Instead we have fully realised people who speak naturally and feel like folks with whom Australians (at the very least) will be familiar.
Filled with surprises and a lot of heart, this book is highly recommended to anyone who enjoys Derek Landy's Skulduggery Pleasant novels, early Tim Burton, or stories about spooky kids doing spooky stuff.
O'Connor's command of linguistic quirks is on full display, to wonderful effect, without falling into parody. Instead we have fully realised people who speak naturally and feel like folks with whom Australians (at the very least) will be familiar.
Filled with surprises and a lot of heart, this book is highly recommended to anyone who enjoys Derek Landy's Skulduggery Pleasant novels, early Tim Burton, or stories about spooky kids doing spooky stuff.
April 7, 2023
“Emma After” is one of those books that sits firmly in the middle of the road: it has both strengths and weaknesses, but isn’t either good or bad. It’s just somewhere in-between, readable but not very memorable.
Eighteen year old Emma Crothers lives in a very small town, and like most people raised in small towns, can’t wait to get away. Unfortunately, after she drowns, it seems like she’s stuck in her hometown for eternity. More specifically, she’s stuck in the run down Fountaindale Grand Manor.
Emma begins to adjust with remarkable resilience, but just as she starts to find her feet again, living people move into the Manor and throw the ghostly residents into chaos. And despite her attraction to the ghost caretaker, Jack, Emma starts to fall in love with the living son of the new owners. However, the two worlds cannot survive so close together, and the ghosts determine that they must drive the living residents out.
One of my primary problems with “Emma After” is the poor world building. Too many questions are glossed over with “we don’t know”, with the result that the world doesn’t feel particularly real. Some unanswered questions are fine, but there are so many here that it feels like the author had a good idea but didn’t bother to work it out fully before putting it on the page.
I also felt that Emma is a little underdeveloped. Some aspects of her personality are well developed, such as her resilence, her empathy, and her intelligence. But other dimensions of her are all but ignored: she doesn’t seem to give a second thought to her parents for most of her “death”, and she never stops to consider what she has missed out on by dying so young. I think few people could accept that without at least thinking about it with some initial regret.
I was not surprised to read in the Afterword that this started as a more adult story before being rewritten to target young adults. While reading the story I had thought that it seemed balanced uneasily between adult and young adult audiences. It lacks the challenge and emotional depth that many adults prefer, but Emma does not feel enough like a teenager to truly appeal to a younger audience.
However, the action in the story is well portrayed, and the setting is vivid. I recognised Robertson easily – I think anyone who’s ever seen the big potato would! The overall message of positivity is welcome, and keeps the story from turning too dark.
The concept is original, and although not well enough worked out, it will intrigue many readers. The writing style is readable and easy to digest. Some readers will find that very appealing; it means that scenes such as Emma’s death are not very confronting.
In the end this didn’t really work for me; I wanted more depth in the characters and the world building. However, it’s a pretty straight forward story told in a straight forward way, and that will appeal to some readers.
If you enjoyed this review, please visit www.otherdreamsotherlives.home.blog to read more.
An edited version of this review first appeared on www.beautyandlace.net as part of their bookclub.
Eighteen year old Emma Crothers lives in a very small town, and like most people raised in small towns, can’t wait to get away. Unfortunately, after she drowns, it seems like she’s stuck in her hometown for eternity. More specifically, she’s stuck in the run down Fountaindale Grand Manor.
Emma begins to adjust with remarkable resilience, but just as she starts to find her feet again, living people move into the Manor and throw the ghostly residents into chaos. And despite her attraction to the ghost caretaker, Jack, Emma starts to fall in love with the living son of the new owners. However, the two worlds cannot survive so close together, and the ghosts determine that they must drive the living residents out.
One of my primary problems with “Emma After” is the poor world building. Too many questions are glossed over with “we don’t know”, with the result that the world doesn’t feel particularly real. Some unanswered questions are fine, but there are so many here that it feels like the author had a good idea but didn’t bother to work it out fully before putting it on the page.
I also felt that Emma is a little underdeveloped. Some aspects of her personality are well developed, such as her resilence, her empathy, and her intelligence. But other dimensions of her are all but ignored: she doesn’t seem to give a second thought to her parents for most of her “death”, and she never stops to consider what she has missed out on by dying so young. I think few people could accept that without at least thinking about it with some initial regret.
I was not surprised to read in the Afterword that this started as a more adult story before being rewritten to target young adults. While reading the story I had thought that it seemed balanced uneasily between adult and young adult audiences. It lacks the challenge and emotional depth that many adults prefer, but Emma does not feel enough like a teenager to truly appeal to a younger audience.
However, the action in the story is well portrayed, and the setting is vivid. I recognised Robertson easily – I think anyone who’s ever seen the big potato would! The overall message of positivity is welcome, and keeps the story from turning too dark.
The concept is original, and although not well enough worked out, it will intrigue many readers. The writing style is readable and easy to digest. Some readers will find that very appealing; it means that scenes such as Emma’s death are not very confronting.
In the end this didn’t really work for me; I wanted more depth in the characters and the world building. However, it’s a pretty straight forward story told in a straight forward way, and that will appeal to some readers.
If you enjoyed this review, please visit www.otherdreamsotherlives.home.blog to read more.
An edited version of this review first appeared on www.beautyandlace.net as part of their bookclub.
January 9, 2024
“The good news: there's life after death. The bad news: it kinda sucks.”
18 year old Emma is left paralysed after a sequence of events that ends in tragedy - 6 months later another sequence of events ends in her drowning in her family’s motel’s pool. Scared and confused, Emma discovers a spirit safe haven that was hiding in her small town all along.
Emma adapts to her new way of being until a family moves into the ghosts’ manor and she has to learn the cost of staying safe after death. Emma is torn between the living and the dead, all while tackling her own regrets for wishing her life away.
I’m really into any books about the afterlife and this was a unique take I haven’t come across before. It started off a bit slow but it really found its pace in the second half. The strongest thing Emma After has going fit it is a colourful cast, each character plays an important role and no one feels wasted. I also loved the ending! All the warm and fuzzies. 🥰
Did I mention it’s written by an Australian author? I don’t read as many Aussie authors as I’d like and it was fun to see all the Aussie-isms. 🇦🇺
Unfortunately there was a couple of pain points for me. The little romance in the book felt forced and a bit uncomfortable. But most importantly there’s one RIDICULOUS scene where the characters essentially beat evil by being exhibitionists and it had me 😶😶
It may have been a 4⭐️ rating if it weren’t for that 🤣
18 year old Emma is left paralysed after a sequence of events that ends in tragedy - 6 months later another sequence of events ends in her drowning in her family’s motel’s pool. Scared and confused, Emma discovers a spirit safe haven that was hiding in her small town all along.
Emma adapts to her new way of being until a family moves into the ghosts’ manor and she has to learn the cost of staying safe after death. Emma is torn between the living and the dead, all while tackling her own regrets for wishing her life away.
I’m really into any books about the afterlife and this was a unique take I haven’t come across before. It started off a bit slow but it really found its pace in the second half. The strongest thing Emma After has going fit it is a colourful cast, each character plays an important role and no one feels wasted. I also loved the ending! All the warm and fuzzies. 🥰
Did I mention it’s written by an Australian author? I don’t read as many Aussie authors as I’d like and it was fun to see all the Aussie-isms. 🇦🇺
Unfortunately there was a couple of pain points for me. The little romance in the book felt forced and a bit uncomfortable. But most importantly there’s one RIDICULOUS scene where the characters essentially beat evil by being exhibitionists and it had me 😶😶
It may have been a 4⭐️ rating if it weren’t for that 🤣
November 1, 2022
I devoured this book in three days. Seriously, Emma After is sleep-threateningly captivating and has glue on every page.
Emma After crosses the binaries of life and death, hope and fear, thriller and comedy, weaving contradictory worlds together to create a fresh and thought-provoking YA formula that maintains the traditional emotion, dramatic plot lines and character development we are all drawn to.
Not long ago, I distinctly remember questioning the secret rooms of Hogwarts, wondering about Jack's psychological downfall in the Overlook Hotel, and theorising how the previous winners of the Quarter Quells had won. Emma After's safe-haven for spirits, the Fountaindale Grand Manor, has re-activated my imagination, and hooked me into the bounds of an afterlife that is so much more than either 'paradise' or 'hell'.
Upon recommendation from a friend, this book sucked me out of my reading slump and I have not stopped theorising prequel and sequel ideas ever since. I know we are in good hands.
Highly recommend giving it a read!
Emma After crosses the binaries of life and death, hope and fear, thriller and comedy, weaving contradictory worlds together to create a fresh and thought-provoking YA formula that maintains the traditional emotion, dramatic plot lines and character development we are all drawn to.
Not long ago, I distinctly remember questioning the secret rooms of Hogwarts, wondering about Jack's psychological downfall in the Overlook Hotel, and theorising how the previous winners of the Quarter Quells had won. Emma After's safe-haven for spirits, the Fountaindale Grand Manor, has re-activated my imagination, and hooked me into the bounds of an afterlife that is so much more than either 'paradise' or 'hell'.
Upon recommendation from a friend, this book sucked me out of my reading slump and I have not stopped theorising prequel and sequel ideas ever since. I know we are in good hands.
Highly recommend giving it a read!
October 28, 2022
I was in a book slump before reading this, but right from the first page I was hooked. Although the book focuses on dark themes like mental health issues and struggling with disabilities, it casts an uplifting message of hope that there’s still more to discover and do, both in life and in death. My faveourite part of the book would have to be its exploration of Emma coming to terms with her disability. I’ve never read character’s POV before of what day-to-day life is like while in a wheelchair and it’s definitely given me a new perspective on life. Emma After is also the first YA book that’s set in Australia that I’ve read since reading Tomorrow When the War began in year 7, so it definitely sparked my interest in that aspect and made Emma’s character more relatable. I also loved that it had Indigenous representation which I’ve never found in a book before. Overall, Emma After has definitely been one of my favourite reads of the year and I hope other Aussie YA lovers discover it.
March 10, 2023
I didn't realise this was a YA book until after I started reading. Somehow it also sits between a ghost story, vampire(ish) and horror, but never quite commits, so you get flashes of all three. Which, as you read, is sort of ok, it just romps along and is easy to follow. I figured out I was going to read about Emma's death, which was sad and awful but thankfully not too graphic, compared to the horrors of the Hollows. As Emma discovers a whole new world, post death, there are some funny moments (when she goes all vengeful ghost on some losers from her past life), and some tender moments, when she starts to fall for someone. I loved the house, the Fountaindale Grand Manor, and how is seems almost never-ending with rooms and such. The basement was a bit freaky, though. And I did wonder what would happen if the lights failed... All in all an entertaining read with an unusual ending.
Thanks to Beauty & Lace and Green Light Productions for the review copy.
Thanks to Beauty & Lace and Green Light Productions for the review copy.
October 28, 2022
I’m not normally a voracious reader of fiction and the pile of novels unfinished by me is a testament to that, however this book caught my imagination and kept me hooked until the very end. I think it’s because the ghostly realm that Emma inhabits, which is fresh, exciting and a little scary at times, is interposed so cleanly with a highly engaging plot and intriguing teen characters discovering a cross-mortality-divide romance. The use of dreams and the connection that brings between characters is surprising and delightful. The damaged natures of the main characters is absorbing and richly satisfying. I loved it!
October 29, 2022
Emma takes us on a ride through small town Australia, teenage dating, a fateful car crash, and dancing in a wheelchair. And that’s just the beginning. We follow Emma to the afterlife, to a battle for light in the darkness. Emma after grapples with a lot of questions and themes, probably the most interesting to me is what would follow you to the afterlife? Would you manifest your phone? Would there be wifi?
All of this is centred in a really warm personable story with likeable characters. I’m keen to see where the after life takes Emma next
All of this is centred in a really warm personable story with likeable characters. I’m keen to see where the after life takes Emma next
March 20, 2023
What an absolutely engaging and delightful book Anthony O'Connor's Emma After is! I really enjoyed the colourful characters and small town Aussie vibe, with a goodly dose of quirkiness, spookiness and, somewhat surprisingly for a ghost story, humour thrown in. Endlessly creative and refreshing, it is highly recommended. Put it on your TBR now!
Thanks to Beauty and Lace and Green Light Productions for the opportunity to read and review Anthony O'Connor's Emma After.
Thanks to Beauty and Lace and Green Light Productions for the opportunity to read and review Anthony O'Connor's Emma After.
October 26, 2022
Really loved this one.
With a fantastic setup, I knew unique angles were going to be explored surrounding disability, love and mortality - and I was not disappointed.
Reading this, I tore through it, barely even realising how quickly I finished it, and it left me satisfied.
Definitely keeping an eye out for what is to come next...
With a fantastic setup, I knew unique angles were going to be explored surrounding disability, love and mortality - and I was not disappointed.
Reading this, I tore through it, barely even realising how quickly I finished it, and it left me satisfied.
Definitely keeping an eye out for what is to come next...
November 1, 2022
Fantastic new book by a talented Australian author
Loved the world and characters, entertaining story, a real page-turner!
Perfect for teenagers and young-at-heart adults, would be a great Christmas gift or stocking stuffer
Looking forward to more books and characters in the series --- it will be a classic in the fantasy/spooky genre, for sure
Loved the world and characters, entertaining story, a real page-turner!
Perfect for teenagers and young-at-heart adults, would be a great Christmas gift or stocking stuffer
Looking forward to more books and characters in the series --- it will be a classic in the fantasy/spooky genre, for sure
March 25, 2023
I love ghost stories and this one got me both because of the cover, it's so gorgeous, and the premise of Emma Crothers who dies and then finds out there is an afterlife. It's a great spooky read that has everything: coming of age, real life angst and pain, a fantasy element of the afterlife, a love triangle, colourful characters and gorgeous romance. Really loved this book.
November 22, 2022
An incredibly fun and surprisingly smart book. It was super easy to read and yet had some very real depth. A perfect balance of YA voice with mature reflection of really interesting topics. Definitely worth reading, especially since you’ll fly through it.
December 13, 2022
A delightful journey of a young dead woman. Anthony captures the struggles of the protagonist beautifully and without pretence. The book is funny, touching and delightfully dark (without being coarse). A must for the young adult reader, or that weird goth kid who wants to feel less alone.
December 14, 2022
This is a tough one to place genre-wise and wasn’t what I was expecting. Think The Shining, but for older teens and written with a lightly humorous style, and romance between humans and ghosts. 3.5 stars.
February 27, 2023
Thank you to Beauty and Lace and Green Light Productions for my copy.
This is the Australian author Anthony O’Connor’s second novel, “Straya” being his first which I haven’t read but kind of want to now after enjoying this book so much!
This is a YA book and primarily a ghost story, but also a love story and an adventure.
I really enjoyed reading about eighteen year old Emma Crothers who lives in the small country town Herbertson, in the hotel owned and run by her parents. Herbertson is a fictionalised version of the real town of Robertson in rural NSW.
The story features beings of the afterlife being Hollows who are dead, dark and creepy. Ghosts are the nice beings of the afterlife and all stuck in the era they died in. The third characters are Breathers who are the living.
An American family also come into the story and move in unknowingly with over a hundred ghosts into a rundown manor.
I loved the quirkiness of this book, plus it’s different to anything I’ve read in quite a while making it refreshing and exciting. It has a few scary parts as well and I was surprised that I enjoyed a YA book so much!
The cover art is stunning and clever, I never noticed the ghosts in Emma’s hair until halfway through the book.
Highly recommended.
This is the Australian author Anthony O’Connor’s second novel, “Straya” being his first which I haven’t read but kind of want to now after enjoying this book so much!
This is a YA book and primarily a ghost story, but also a love story and an adventure.
I really enjoyed reading about eighteen year old Emma Crothers who lives in the small country town Herbertson, in the hotel owned and run by her parents. Herbertson is a fictionalised version of the real town of Robertson in rural NSW.
The story features beings of the afterlife being Hollows who are dead, dark and creepy. Ghosts are the nice beings of the afterlife and all stuck in the era they died in. The third characters are Breathers who are the living.
An American family also come into the story and move in unknowingly with over a hundred ghosts into a rundown manor.
I loved the quirkiness of this book, plus it’s different to anything I’ve read in quite a while making it refreshing and exciting. It has a few scary parts as well and I was surprised that I enjoyed a YA book so much!
The cover art is stunning and clever, I never noticed the ghosts in Emma’s hair until halfway through the book.
Highly recommended.
September 26, 2023
An enjoyable, entertaining and original story. Loved the setting and the characters. The tone was perfect with both a spooky and comic tone, mixed between dark and depressing moments (which were handled well).
October 23, 2022
Thoroughly enjoyed this imaginative YA read. Humour, action, ghosts, and a hint of romance. A must-have addition to any YA bookshelf.
October 26, 2022
Absolutely loved this book. I couldn't put it down.
Read
October 26, 2022This book is going straight to the top of my "to buy" list for all the YA readers in my life. Thrilling and unexpected twists and turns. Emma is a delight.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 27, 2022
Enchanting and endearing - a wonderful read for YA lovers.
November 10, 2022
A captivating and clever consideration into the lives of ghosts... not something us mortals often consider! O'Connor's writing is fresh and engaging – Emma After is not one to miss.
October 21, 2022
Absolutely loved this book - smart, funny and just a little spooky.
October 24, 2022
As an avid YA reader, Emma After was a breath of fresh air that kept me turning every page to find out more. I loved every moment following Emma’s journey!
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews