I remember reading this book and reviewing it. I guess I never posted the review. Will have to reread this and see.

Unfortunately I didn't finish this book, as I couldn't get into it - nothing against the author or book, just not to my personal taste. Thank you for the opportunity to read it.

Meeeeh. I wasn't really overly interested in the characters or the plot line. At first I was really intrigued about the whole thing but then it just kind of dragged on.

I honestly really liked this book, though at times I did feel like it dragged on a little too bit, but overall I liked how the book shows that you really don't know what is waiting for you in the afterlife. I grew up my whole life learning about different types and forms of the afterlife that wait for us after we die, therefore I've always been very curious about it and all the variety of different beliefs that people have for what awaits us someday. I also believe that when it's your time to go, it's your time to go, if not then it's not. I had to accept that at a young age when I lost my cousin who was basically my best friend.

In the book "The Hereafter" you meet Nin and it's pretty obvious pretty quick that she's dead but has no idea how she died or why she can't find her father who took his own life while she was still alive or find anyone for that matter. She just "lives" day after day alone on a beach wondering what's wrong and why she can't seem to find another dead person anywhere, that is, until she finally spots a boy who's "just like her". It takes awhile and also a lot of unnecessary stalling nothingness until things pick back up and first Nin finds out the boy is named Dylan and he's also just like her as far as confused as to where he is, how he got there, and what exactly "there" is.

It takes a a few days of Dylan and Nin sitting next to each other in the beach without talking for the most part and they go their separate ways for the night only to repeat the becoming ritual they have of meeting at the beach until nightfall then going their own ways. Eventually (thank goodness), they finally start having small and vague swap of words that slowly but surely become more sentences, and finally full out conversations. Nin realizes quickly that there are some subjects she needs to avoid with Dylan otherwise he simply shuts down and her out.

After day after day of the beach they finally decide to see if they could travel around the world for the sake of sightseeing and something other than the beach to stare at every single day since it becomes clear fast that Nin and Dylan are the only ones stuck wherever they're stuck. As they do this they start to become very close and open up more and more to each other, but they also start getting bits and pieces of memory from their living life too which they hide for the most part from each other.

Eventually everything starts to spiral out of control and with the memories of how they died finally coming to life (got to love puns even if I mean my pun quite literally) Nin and Dylan start to become distant and obsessed on finding the truth about how they died and why they're stuck in this place that clearly isn't the "normal afterlife" with the lack of another spirit anywhere in sight. As the pieces start to fall together they both know that they need to make some very serious and risky decisions, some that they even hide from each other. Nin and Dylan are in love and scared of losing each other, but when one of them makes a life altering decision.. even changes, drastically.

I definitely think anyone who's interested in the afterlife or just has an open mind will enjoy this book as well as people who have ever lost a loved ones, whether in death or by that person (living) who just seems to fade from your life to the point you don't even know when it all started to happen or why. Definitely enjoyed this book!

overall rating: 3.6/5
characters: 4.5
relationships: 3.5
plot: 3.5
writing: 3

i found the hereafter on netgalley, and the cover immediately caught my attention! i then read the synopsis, and i totally love stories about the afterlife, or the hereafter, in this case, so i was pretty excited about the premise.

i really like that the main characters are both pretty well developed! the story switches between the past and present, and we learn a lot about nin and dylan through their memories. for me, it’s a bit too much that they both have tragic backstories, but i still liked their characters. as for the relationships, i wouldn’t say it’s exactly instalove, and their relationship doesn’t move too quickly. however, there are some aspects of the romance that i don’t love, but i’m not really sure what. i guess i kinda feel like they keep going back and forth, and the same problems keep showing up. the family dynamics are pretty interesting though, and i really wish i got to see more of dylan’s family.

the plot is okay and kept my attention, but the middle feels somewhat slow. i felt like i was just waiting for something to happen, and some things felt a bit repetitive to me. the pacing is okay overall, maybe a bit rushed at the end, but i really like the ending! even though the way everything wraps up seems somewhat unrealistic, i definitely enjoyed the plot twist and the resolution.

the writing is also okay. it doesn’t really stand out to me in any way, but it’s not bad at all.

overall, the hereafter is an enjoyable read with an interesting premise that’s executed well through interesting characters!

The Hereafter was fairly enjoyable, although I didn't find as many good things in it as I expected. For starters, it took me a while to get into it, and I found Nin's parts boring at first. For quite a while, Nin and Dylan just seemed to be skirting around each other and nothing was moving the plot forward. I mean, they didn't introduce themselves until 15%! The characterisation was good, once I'd gotten past the initial boredom, and while I grew to like Nin, I preferred Dylan. I loved their flashbacks, but I preferred the current story over them. The plot was quite slow throughout, and didn't really wow me. I expected each event to happen so wasn't surprised when they did. Overall, a decent book, but kinda slow.

5 stars! The Hereafter is a book filled with lyrical prose. I was left breathless from the start till the end.

Soudainement, j’ai été incapable de lâcher The hereafter car l’intrigue a pris un tour inattendu. C’était haletant. Quand elle se calme, on réalise à quel point l’auteure a réussi l’imprévisible. Passé, présent et futur se sont rapprochés si bien que la fin devant laquelle je me suis trouvée était bonnement parfaite. Parce que j’aime ce genre de surprises.

This book had an awesome plot and really good imagery.

What happens when we die? Who is waiting for us on the other side? If we're dead, how do we spend our days? Can we change the past? The Hereafter opens on a beach with 18 year old Evangeline(Nin) who realizes that she's dead. She just cannot remember what events led to this happening. It is on this same beach that she meets Dylan, also newly arrived on the afterlife beach. Nin and Dylan spend their days seeking adventure and travelling to all the places they always wanted to go. Ultimately the pair needs to know -why are they on this beach together? As their memories return, illustrated in the "before " sections of the text, Nin and Dylan will need to figure out if it is worth knowing the truth.

Honestly I was a little bit on the fence when I started the story, but Jessica Bucher's writing in its flowing rhythm kept me turning the pages. The story reminded me of the Sandra Bullock/Keanu Reeves film "The Lake House". Both stories ask the audience to follow characters on a life changing journey. They also beg of us to "think outside the box " or suspend our cynicism. Apparently, I am one of the people that drank the Kool-aid. Because I really fell into the story even though I could tell how it was going to play out. However, it was all worth it because this is an endearing debut novel.

This book is a hard one to rate. It pulls the heart strings and yet leaves a subtly bitter taste at the same time. Please note that this review may contain some spoilers

On the plus side, this book really gets you thinking: if I was dead what would I do with my infinite days? Where would I go? Could I bear to look in on my loved ones? Could I stand to watch my death? I absolutely love books that make me question things like this. Our main characters, Nin and Dylan, are alone in "The Hereafter" together and at first they are content with their own routines and spaces. Eventually they meet and begin to recover memories from their lives and discover that their lives--and deaths--actually have something in common. I also loved the phoenix that Dylan carves for Nin and how she really lives up to that in the end. By saving him, it is Nin who sparks a near rebirth for both of them. And of course we have a happily ever after for everyone in the end.

On the down side of the story, the book deals with some tough topics and to me, I didn't always like how they were dealt with. For example, Nin's abusive relationship with her boyfriend who is involved in (what is hinted at as) drug and trafficking rings. There are some books out there that deal with topics like this (other tough topics in this book include parental depression, drug use, abuse, and suicide; poor self-image) that resolve in very solid and positive ways and I find myself recommending them to my teenage students or even sometimes my colleagues or peers. I found these aspects to be mostly necessary plot points, but not relatable.

Soundtrack: "Bird of the Summer" ~ A Fine Frenzy

I wasn't too sure about this book at first, and the criticisms I have are ones that continued from the beginning - I found the pacing off in places and there were aspects of the story that I would have wanted to be mentioned before they became important.
However, I really enjoyed this book. I read most of it in one day. It's an easy read with some beautiful imagery. Nin and Dylan are incredibly relatable characters with how they deal with their grief and their abuses and how their worlds have shaped them. I loved the idea of these two people being connected so entirely at such an important moment that shaped everything. The way that Bucher writes memories and plays with the idea of whether they can be trusted is very well done.
The Hereafter is a very sweet, well written, character driven love story that made me feel all warm inside by the end. I'm a sucker for those kinds of happy endings! This is just Bucher's debut book and it's already a great read, I'm sure that each book that follows will allow Bucher to improve in leaps and bounds!