Review: Arise by Tara Hudson

Arise

(Hereafter # 1)

By: Tara Hudson

Pub. Date: June 5, 2012

Publisher: Harper Teen

Pages: 404

Source: ARC from ALA

Amelia—still caught between life and death—must fight for every moment of her relationship with the human boy Joshua. They can hardly even kiss without Amelia accidentally dematerializing. Looking for answers, they go to visit some of Joshua’s Seer relatives in New Orleans. But even in a city so famously steeped in the supernatural, Amelia ends up with more questions than answers…and becomes increasingly convinced that she and Joshua can never have a future together. Wandering through the French Quarter, Amelia meets other in-between ghosts, and begins to seriously consider joining them. And then she meets Gabrielle. Somehow, against impossible odds, Gaby has found a way to live a sort of half-life...a half-life for which Amelia would pay any price. Torn between two worlds, Amelia must choose carefully, before the evil spirits of the netherworld choose for her.

Arise, the second book in the Hereafter series is even better then the first book! Set a few months after the events of Hereafter, we find Amelia and Joshua still happily in love, but a whole new set of problems threaten to tear these two apart. Arise is a lot more darker and serious then the first book, and I loved every minute of it!

One of my favorite things about this series is the forbidden love between the ghost, Amelia, and the human boy Joshua. The two of them are so cute together. Despite everything that they have faced, and everything that they continue to face, they still love each unconditionally.

When Arise starts, the two of them are desperately trying to find a way to stop Amelia's nightmares. When visiting Joshua's family in New Orleans, they think they finally have found the answers they have been looking for. Voodoo, ghosts, and secrets are what wait for them in New Orleans, and it couldn't have been more exciting!

Amelia is one of my favorite ghosts in YA literature. She has a great sense of humor, despite everything that has happened to her. She loves Joshua so much, and puts him first before her own happiness. Also, the fact that she still wanted to protect his family, even though his sister can be bitchy towards her, and his grandmother wanted her exorcised, she still wants to protect them and will do anything for them. Her inner monologues in Arise got to be a little too much for me to handle at times, but besides that, I think she is a story, brave and a kick ass character!

I also enjoyed the new characters, Gaby and Felix. They were an interesting duo, and I liked how for the first time in a long time, Amelia had a real friend in Gaby.

New Orleans is one of my favorite places in the US, and I automatically love all books that take place here, especially ghost stories. The setting was absolutely perfect and Hudson did a great job capturing the beauty of New Orleans.

Arise is a fast paced read that will keep you captivated till the very end. I thought the ending was beautifully written and I can't wait to see what happens next!

Books in the Series: