Afterlife by Claudia Gray

Book: Afterlife (Evernight #4) by Claudia Gray

Published by: HarperTeen, March 8, 2011

Genre: Young Adult

Format/pages: Hardcover 368 pages

Format read/Source: ARC courtesy of NetGalley

Date read: October 11 2010

Rating: 4 / 5 Stars

Synopsis from the author’s website (includes spoilers for books 1-3)

Bianca and Lucas have always believed they could endure anything to be together. When a twist of fate not only transforms Bianca into a ghostly wraith, but also turns Lucas into a vampire—the very creature he spent his life hunting—they are left reeling.

Haunted by his powerful need to kill, Lucas can turn to only one place for help… Evernight Academy. Bianca is determined to remain with him. But with the vampire leader of Evernight waging a war against wraiths, her former home has become the most dangerous place she could be, despite the new powers her transformation has given her.

A battle between wraiths and vampires looms, and Bianca and Lucas face a terrifying new reality. They’ve overcome every obstacle life has thrown at them, but is their love strong enough to survive the challenges after life?

My Thoughts:

The Evernight series has always set itself apart in the world of YA vampire books. From the first book on there have been many surprises in this series that have kept it interesting. Keeping the series at four books feels right for the story. I don’t feel short-changed or that the series has been dragged out for too long. The author certainly does not shy away from controversial plot twists and has kept the suspense going strong. The last book HOURGLASS was a rollercoaster ride for her characters, as Bianca and Lucas found themselves becoming their own worst nightmare. AFTERLIFE is an exciting finale to the series, with the usual twists and turns. The conclusion provides answers and ties up all the loose ends. The ending is satisfying overall and in keeping with the series.

Appropriately the final book returns back to the series’ roots and back to Evernight Academy. Lucas needs some help adjusting to being a vampire and Evernight is just the place for him. In addition to supporting Lucas, Bianca also has her own path to follow. Bianca is adjusting to her new existence and her new wraith superpowers that make her the hope and envy of all the wraiths. She is also trying to maintain her relationship with Lucas now that he is a vampire. She hopes her parents will welcome her back even though she is now a wraith. Old favorites such as Balthazar, Vic and Ranulf are also at Evernight to provide their usual support and humor.  Mrs. Bethany is up to her old tricks, and we find out some of her history that provides some insight into her behavior.

This book is evenly paced and kept my interest throughout. It builds nicely on the tension from the last book and kept me on the edge of my seat trying to guess the outcome for our favorite characters. The action builds to an exciting, yet bittersweet conclusion. I recommend this series for fans of YA paranormal series set in boarding schools. It is a fast-paced series full of surprises with plenty of action and romance. You can read the first book, EVERNIGHT, for free for a limited time here courtesy of HarperTeen.

It softens the blow to know that a spin-off book will follow featuring none other than Balthazar. BALTHAZAR is due to be released in March 2012. While you are waiting for Balthazar, the author also has a standalone book coming out about werewolves on the Titanic titled FATEFUL, due in September 2011.

For More Information:

Amazon | Goodreads | Author’s website

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2 thoughts on “Afterlife by Claudia Gray

  1. Beth says:

    Great review. What is the first book in this series?
    bethfred.com

    1. Thanks! The first book is called Evernight, and there are four books in the series.

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