Series: In the After # 1
Published by HarperTeen on June 25, 2013
Genres: Dystopia, Post-Apocalyptic, Science Fiction
Pages: 455
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Goodreads

They hear the most silent of footsteps.
They are faster than anything you've ever seen.
And They won't stop chasing you...until you are dead.
Amy is watching TV when it happens, when the world is attacked by Them. These vile creatures are rapidly devouring mankind. Most of the population is overtaken, but Amy manages to escape—and even rescue “Baby,” a toddler left behind in the chaos. Marooned in Amy’s house, the girls do everything they can to survive—and avoid Them at all costs.
After years of hiding, they are miraculously rescued and taken to New Hope, a colony of survivors living in a former government research compound. While at first the colony seems like a dream with plenty of food, safety, and shelter, New Hope slowly reveals that it is far from ideal. And Amy soon realizes that unless things change, she’ll lose Baby—and much more.
Rebellious, courageous, and tender, this unforgettable duo will have you on the edge of your seat as you tear through the pulse-pounding narrow escapes and horrifying twists of fate in this thrilling debut from author Demitria Lunetta.
I could have happily followed Amy and Baby’s survivalist struggles for the remainder of the book. Instead, a drastic change of scenery occurs when the pair are rescued and brought to a secure compound populated with other survivors. For Baby, especially, who has no memories before the invasion, the transition is difficult. Amy adjusts to this new life a bit more readily, but she quickly realizes that not everyone in New Hope can be trusted.
The use of flashbacks works beautifully in In the After. Sometimes this technique can seem gimmicky, and in the worst cases, it causes unnecessary confusion. Here, the time line is straightforward until Amy and Baby are rescued and brought to New Hope. Soon after, the chapters alternate between time periods, as present-day Amy struggles to fill in mysterious gaps in her memory. Flashbacks are presented to us at the same time that Amy recalls them, very effectively keeping the reader immersed in Amy’s trauma.
There were a few twists, but none of them were very surprising. In particular, the “big” one was telegraphed early on when Amy made a very astute observation about the aliens. This was something that had not occurred to me until she mentioned it, but as soon as she did, the twist became obvious. Sure, I would have preferred the element of surprise, but it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of this book.
Note – I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Review posted at Goodreads.
The Readdicts
This sounds like a very good book and your review has me interested in knowing more Baby especially. Glad you enjoyed and awesome review!
Sarika @ The Readdicts
Jodie Gore
wow I can’t wait to read this book sounds great.
Jodie @ Aussie Bookworm
Kristen Williams
I loved, loved this book. The first part was just done perfectly to me. I’m glad you liked it Stephanie! The second section was still wonderful but I’m with you and could have stayed with Baby and Amy in survival mode.
Lectus Read
I’m totally reading it!
Jenn Renee
great review. I am glad to see the flashbacks work. Sometimes those get confusing in books. Can’t wait to read this book.