Book Review (& Giveaway): After Obesession by Carrie Jones and Steven E. Wedel

After Obsession by Carrie Jones & Steven E. Wedel


Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens (September 13, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1599906813
ISBN-13: 978-1599906812
Series: No
Source: ARC provided by the publisher
Cover: This is just an insanely beautiful cover and really does portray possession well. I love the black dress turning into the mist and the font for the title is gorgeous. Cover is stunning!
First Sentence: "You are mine. You all will be mine."


Mini-Review: After Obsession is one heck of a paranormal thriller that will have you obsessed!


Summary:

Aimee and Alan have secrets. Both teens have unusual pasts and abilities they prefer to keep hidden. But when they meet each other, in a cold Maine town, they can't stop their secrets from spilling out. Strange things have been happening lately, and they both feel that something-or someone- is haunting them. They're wrong. Despite their unusual history and powers, it's neither Aimee nor Alan who is truly haunted. It's Alan's cousin Courtney who, in a desperate plea to find her missing father, has invited a demon into her life-and into her body. Only together can Aimee and Alan exorcise the ghost. And they have to move quickly, before it devours not just Courtney but everything around her. 

Filled with heart-pounding romance, paranormal activity, and rich teen characters to love-and introducing an exciting new YA voice, Steven Wedel-this novel is exactly what Carrie Jones fans have been waiting for. Meet your next obsession.

Book Review:

Told in alternating view points from Aimee and Alan, After Obsession is one heck of a paranormal thriller that will have you obsessed. An exciting blend of Indian mythology and demonic possession, this is a fast paced read that guarantees a couple of chills as the plot barrels on to a satisfying ending. 

The alternating point of views made this novel special, especially since they were written by two separate people but jived so well together. I liked how powerful Aimee was and how she had a few things to battle on her own before she could really start to help. Jones chose to focus on family with Aimee and did an amazing job crafting a caring character. I expected good things from her after loving her Need series. This is why I was surprised to find that I preferred Alan's chapters. Please don't read into this thinking I didn't enjoy Aimee's chapters because I most certainly did, but I liked getting into Alan's character. Being part Indian, I was interested in how strongly he felt connected to that half of him since he didn't know his father. I wanted to know all about his spirit guide and the rituals he practiced even if he only learned how to do them on the internet. Together, Aimee and Alan made a great pair and you could just feel the excitement flowing off the page as each chapter was handed off to the next character.

I was interested in Wedel so I looked him up and found out he was a horror author prior to writing this novel. This worked so well for the paranormal aspects. The scratching and dark shapes in Alan's chapters really amplified the terror of the demon that Aimee and Alan were facing. Not to be outdone, Jones' chapters were equally as terrifying with their dust storms, knives and possessed best friends. Both authors did an amazing job creating the tone and creepy atmosphere. What was also refreshing was that the demonic possession part wasn't too complicated. There were steps the characters had to take but it wasn't tangled up in a lot of convoluted rituals and magic. Everything about the force they fought was pretty simplified and there wasn't really a need to over-explain.

That being said, I did feel like a bit more explanation was needed in some parts. I would have liked to know a little bit more about where Aimee and her mother developed their powers and possibly a little bit more about Alan's father, even if it was just things Alan surmised or his spirit guide revealed. Sometimes the plot would speed up and things would just be glossed over without much explanation. This might have just been because I'd had an ARC. Overall, I really liked how well both of the author's voice complimented their characters and each other. Aimee and Alan's pull to each other was undeniable.

Benefiting from it's mixed mythology and simplicity, After Obsession really is a hit. Alan and Aimee were a pleasure getting to know, both author;s excitement leaked from the page and there was just the right amount of creep factor to keep pulling the reader in. The tagline for this book says it best, watch out because After Obsession really will be your newest obsession!

Rating: 

Giveaway Time!

Bloomsbury was nice enough to offer up a copy of After Obsession for me to giveaway away on the blog! Thanks so much to them for the generous offer and providing me a copy to review. Check out the rules before you enter!

Rules:

• Must be 13 years or older
• This is a US giveaway only
• Must fill out form below
• This contest is open until September 20, 2011.