Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld

Title: Afterworlds
Author: Scott Westerfeld
Length: 608 pages
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Classification: Young Adult, Contemporary, Paranormal
Release Date: September 23, 2014
Source: e-galley via Edelweiss (Thank you Simon Pulse!)
Read: September 2014

Darcy Patel has put college and everything else on hold to publish her teen novel, Afterworlds. Arriving in New York with no apartment or friends she wonders whether she's made the right decision until she falls in with a crowd of other seasoned and fledgling writers who take her under their wings… Told in alternating chapters is Darcy's novel, a suspenseful thriller about Lizzie, a teen who slips into the 'Afterworld' to survive a terrorist attack. But the Afterworld is a place between the living and the dead and as Lizzie drifts between our world and that of the Afterworld, she discovers that many unsolved - and terrifying - stories need to be reconciled. And when a new threat resurfaces, Lizzie learns her special gifts may not be enough to protect those she loves and cares about most. 

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***I received an e-galley of this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review*** 


I decided I HAD to read this book because I really loved reading Westerfeld's first three Uglies books (no, I haven't read the last one yet). And so I was really excited when I was approved via Edelweisss to read and review his newest book, Afterworlds.

This was an interesting read. It is very unique since the author combines two stories into one book!

I had a hard time getting into the story at first. In fact, I almost gave up on reading it, but decided to keep on and see if the story started to pick up for me. It wasn't because I thought the story was boring. I had a hard time because of the alternating between Darcy's life and the chapters of the book she has written. I got a bit frustrated with the alternating chapters. Don't get me wrong, I think it was a very unique way to write the book. But I would get into the storyline in the chapter and become interested in what was happening, then it would be over and onto the other part of the story. I like that each chapter left me wanting more. But at first this back and forth really frustrated me.

But about half-way in, I started to be more interested in both sides of the book. And the back and forth didn't bother me as much anymore.

Darcy's Life:
I really enjoyed reading about the life of a young writer and how crazy it can be. I think it is a good insight into a writer's life. The difficulties and frustrations that an author can face, but also the happiness and the wonderful feeling of being published can bring.
I think what I liked most about Darcy's life is her relationships with others.
I really love her relationship with her sister. It feels real to me and I enjoyed the sibling banter between the two. But at the same time, you can tell that they really care about one another. I also liked the parts with her parents and her friends from high school. I liked how she found a way to balance her new life with her old life.
And I especially liked the relationship between her and Imogene. I like that it has the ups and downs and cuteness of a first relationship. It was easy to connect with those feelings of the characters. And I wanted to know what would happen.

The "Afterworlds" Story:
This is the story that Darcy wrote in one month. The first chapter is amazing. It really pulled me in and grabbed my attention with ease. I felt my heart beating and wanting to know what would happen to the main character, Lizzie.
Overall, I liked this storyline.
I found it to be fascinating and unique.
I liked the characters and relationships in this plot also.
Both Lizzie and her mother have been through so much. And I enjoyed watching them bond. And I think that Lizzie's character had a lot of development and growth throughout the story.

My Recommendation:

I am glad that I decided to not give up reading this book. I don't regret reading it at all. I was able to enjoy both of the storylines and found the story to be entertaining. But it is not a story that I plan to reread in the future. I do think that readers will enjoy reading this story. So I say, give it a read.

My Rating: