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Book Review of After

After
After
Author: Kristin Harmel
Genres: Children's Books, Teen & Young Adult
Book Type: Hardcover
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Reviewed by Angela S. for TeensReadToo.com

Sixteen-year-old Lacey had her life turned upside down one Saturday morning, when a routine trip for breakfast with her dad and two brothers turned tragic. Just minutes from their house, Lacey's father was killed and Lacey was seriously hurt in a car accident that no one could have predicted.

Lacey has spent the last year of her life blaming herself and trying to hold her family together. She tells herself that if only she hadn't taken as long getting ready or didn't spend time deliberately teasing her brothers, then maybe her father would be alive today.

When a new boy named Sam arrives at school, the last thing Lacey wants is for him to tell her he understands. No one really knows unless they've lost a parent. So how can this new boy act like he understands her when she knows he doesn't?

Despite what she's telling herself, Lacey really likes Sam and wants to give him the benefit of the doubt. But juggling her own grief and a relationship is a lot harder than she thought. Especially when she's asked to comfort fellow student Kelsi, who just lost her mom.

Then one day, Lacey comes up with the idea to start a club for all of the other kids in school who have lost a parent. They don't need to discuss death; all they need to do is get together and have some fun. Lacey wants to create a place where they don't feel so different from everyone else. A place where everyone actually does understand what it's like to lose a parent.

As the club grows and Lacey falls for Sam, will she be able to put her father's death behind her and trust that the future will be okay?

A heart-wrenching story full of wonderfully crafted characters, AFTER is a book that readers will enjoy until the very last page.