2011 Debut Novel - Hereafter

Christina Lee had this great idea of reviewing 2011 debut YA authors and I was lucky to be in the right spot at the right time, so I was able to review a book for today.

Due to my bad habit of procrastination, the book I originally picked, was unavailable at my book store. Which turned out to be good, because  I came across Hereafter by Tara Hudson and decided to give it a try. I have to admit it is the first paranormal book I've read, so I didn't know what to expect, but this book didn't disappoint.

Here's a run down of what the book is about:

Drifting in the dark waters of a mysterious river, the only thing Amelia knows for sure is that she’s dead. With no recollection of her past life—or her actual death—she’s trapped alone in a nightmarish existence. All of this changes when she tries to rescue a boy, Joshua, from drowning in her river. As a ghost, she can do nothing but will him to live. Yet in an unforgettable moment of connection, she helps him survive.

Amelia and Joshua grow ever closer as they begin to uncover the strange circumstances of her death and the secrets of the dark river that held her captive for so long. But even while they struggle to keep their bond hidden from the living world, a frightening spirit named Eli is doing everything in his power to destroy their newfound happiness and drag Amelia back into the ghost world . . . forever.


So not only is it a paranormal, but it's also a romance, and I'm a sucker for a good romance. And between a ghost and a living boy. What a great concept. Her descriptions of the afterlife is eerie and haunting (not a place I'd like to go). Since I haven't read any other paranormal books, I'd say this was a great one to get me interested in the genre.


So here's my question: Have you read any great paranormal books lately?