I haven't read a Gayle Forman book in a long time, but it was easy to sink back into her writing style and character's voices after all this time. I thought this book, overall, was so, so lovely. I enjoyed the short chapters and characters, and the themes of dying/death/living/grief. It was a very moving book. I didn't quite love everything plot wise (things felt a little too easy at the end), thus the 4 stars and not 5. But this felt like an old school 2010's YA book and I appreciated the heck out of it.

Gayle Forman is one of the first YA authors that I began to follow many years ago. Her books are unique and heart wrenching. In this book Amber a seventeen-year-old girl is killed while riding her bike home from school. The story begins 7 years after the incident when she walks into her home not realizing that she is dead. Don't be fooled though because this is not your typical ghost story. Her mother, sister, and father all react differently when they see her, and she is shocked at the brokenness of those that she left behind. The puzzle pieces of what happened to her are threaded through the story as it is told through a variety of POV's. This is a story about loving, loss, and hope. I couldn't put it down and highly recommend it for readers of all ages.

I knew the name of this author sounded familiar. She wrote IF I STAY, a YA book which I know was very popular and spawned at least one sequel and I definitely read the first one, though I don’t remember much about it.

So, here, one spring day Amber, a seventeen year old arrives home from school on her bike. Her mother sees her and screams.

Because Amber died seven years ago, hit by a car while riding that bicycle.

Amber remembers nothing, but seven years have passed for everyone else, her parents, sister, boyfriend, friends….

There’s a lot to unpack here, and you have to keep in mind this is YA, so while Amber doesn’t eat or go to the bathroom or anything, no one is too concerned about this, and she basically acts like a typical seventeen year old and is all about her high school boyfriend, which, of course, is nuts, but, hey, teens!

Melissa, the sister to end all sisters is probably the only smart person in this book. It’s definitely YA for YAs, but it’s an interesting concept, and it kept me reading, so the rating is more for a YA reader, not for an adult read. For an adult reader, three stars.

I thought "After Life" would be interesting, but didn't realize how compelling and heart-wrenching it would be. Through multiple timelines and POVs, Forman pulls the reader through the sharp edges and intimacies of loving and letting go of a loved one. Highly recommended. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.
Pub Date: Jan 14, 2025

#After Life
#NetGalley

Foreman takes grief and the way loss ripples around us in a way that remains true to the YA emotions and reality. I really enjoyed the mystery of Amber and swore I wouldn't cry. I made it about 95% before trying to read the ending through a flood of tears. Hands down, my favorite kind of ending.

Forman is a master storyteller, and I adore her books. The After Life was no exception. A fantastic story about family, sisters, parents, and more. I devoured it. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Five stars.

This book appears to be a quick read, but it’s also one of the most compelling reads, especially for grieving people who might imagine seeing their loved ones come back to life as if they had never gone. It’s heart-wrenching and thought-provoking, moving between different timelines to show different perspectives and emphasize that death affects not only the one who passed away but also the people left behind to deal with longing and grief.

Throughout the journey, readers pick up the puzzle pieces and position them to get the full picture. Amber, a 17-year-old valedictorian with a bright future ahead of her, big dreams, a lovely family, a devoted boyfriend, and close friends, dies in a hit-and-run accident while riding her bike. Seven years later, she returns to her house on the same bike as if she’s stuck at the moment she left. She’s still 17, trying to adjust to the changes and understand how drastically things have moved on, and how her loved ones have been torn apart by her absence.

Her mother barely looks at her face, rejecting her existence, while her dad is over the moon with happiness, declaring her return a miracle and starting to believe in a higher power even though he’s an atheist. Her nerdy sister Melissa is now her age and might be the only one approaching Amber’s comeback in a more mature way than their parents.

But what about her boyfriend Calvin? Why did he drop out of school and let guilt consume him? Why is her estranged friend Dina the only one supporting her, while her so-called best friend Casey is nowhere to be seen?

Why has Amber returned? Will her stay be permanent, or is she home to complete unfinished business? Can she fix things for her loved ones who are truly struggling with her loss? Can she correct her mistakes and find closure for herself?

Overall, this is a heartfelt concept discussing grief and moving on with your life after irreplaceable losses. It’s a strong tearjerker, and I highly recommend keeping a roll of napkins nearby while reading.

Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for sharing this powerful YA fantasy novel’s digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This book reminds me of the TV show Cruel Summer. Like it's just got a similar vibe I can't fully explain. Constantly going between different time periods, all coming together to tell a singular story.

This was a hard read. Not because it was difficult to read, I actually flew through it. But because it's a hard concept to deal with. Like what would you do if a person who died 7 years ago showed back up in your life? How could you explain the damage from their death? How could the person that died even understand it fully? It's an interesting concept because this isn't a coma patient waking up 7 years later. This isn't a person that went missing or was kidnapped showing up 7 years later. This is someone that actually died. No doubt. Gayle Forman has always done a really good job of writing from a place of grief. I loved If I Stay and Where She Went.

So I think this is a well written view of the aftermath of grief and how we all wish we could somehow fix it, even years later. And because death doesn't impact one person, it makes a difference on everyone, with no real way to tell or understand why people cope the way they do. I think what she's done here is really unique and a story worth reading.