Review: Aftermath by Kelley Armstrong

I was both so excited and nervous before starting this book. Because I wanted so badly to love it, yet was worried I would not. Thankfully, I very much enjoyed this book. I even stayed up past three am because I had to finish it. Four stars for this, as it was almost perfect. Hoping Kelley will write more YA thrillers.

There is so so much to say about this book, yet I know I will not write down very much about it. Because this book just have to be read and be loved. I enjoyed the writing a lot, which I am happy about. Had no problem connecting to the main girl and the story. And gosh, this story. It was all kinds of heartbreaking and rude.

This book tells the story of sixteen year old Skye. Three years ago, her brother was one of three who shot and killed teenagers at their school. He did not kill anyone, but he had a gun, and he was shot and killed by the police. Days after, Skye and her mom moved away, because they could not live there any longer with how everyone was blaming them and wishing them dead as well. Skye has gotten a bunch of ugly messages and been bullied so much these past three years. It broke my heart the very most. She has not had it easy. With her brother being one of the shooters, her not able to remember him without having to hate him too. With her mother being very depressed. With her Gran having strokes. And then she have to move back to her home town.

Before the shooting three years ago, Skye had become best friends with Jesse. They had been hanging out for six months, and they were such awesome friends. And just beginning to become something more. Then the shooting happened. Skye lost her brother. Jesse's brother was one of those killed. Then Skye left. And they have not spoken together since then. There are a few small scenes remembering back to those times, when they were thirteen, and it was so good and sad to read about. Loved it so. My heart.

This book tells the story of when Skye returned to her home town to live with her aunt. And back to high school. Where everyone knows her, knows what her brother did. And just about everyone hates her too. Reading about how mean some of the kids could be was pretty heartbreaking. Skye did not deserve any of their hate. She did not have anything to do with the shooting, and she had no idea that it was going to happen either. Yet they all hate her. And it broke my heart. A few talk to her, and I so loved them for that.

Then she meets Jesse again, in school. He was not behaving nicely towards her at all. Which broke my heart even more. Ugh. There are a few chapters from his point of view, so we understand his feelings about things, and I loved that so. He is hurt. And he feels abandoned by Skye all those years ago. And so he is rude to her now. Which was not okay. But he do get better, thankfully. They have both changed so much in the past three years. Yet they are still the same too. And gosh, how I loved getting to know them.

Skye was such an amazing girl. Broken, yet strong. Getting to read about her past was awesome, she was such a fun girl. Though she is more broken now, she is still the same deep down, and I loved that. This girl deserves the best. And Jesse was amazing too. I so loved getting to know him. His complicated relationship with his dead brother. His relationship with his parents. Also, gosh, how I adored them. They were the very best. Yesss. Skye's aunt was kind of the worst, but she got so much better, and I loved that.

There is a lot going on in this book. Skye and Jesse meeting up again, slowly beginning to talk to each other. Getting to know each other again. And falling for each other all over again. Eee. It was the very cutest thing. Best small romance. I loved it tons. They are the cutest. This book is also a thriller, though. Skye is getting strange messages in her locker. Getting videos of the shooting sent to her phone. She is being bullied. Someone is telling her to look into the shooting. It was exciting and a bit scary too. Loved it.

The reason for why I'm giving this book four stars is because I sometimes had a few small issues with the writing. The very few Jesse chapters were written in a different way, which was a little annoying. Still good writing, but different, and easy to notice. Hmph. I also did not completely love everything about the book. Wouldn't have minded if the thriller part had been a bit more. But despite that, I very very much liked and enjoyed this book. It was so good. And I am so glad that I read it. And all of you should too. It is worth it.

Aftermath is a story about friendship and family and heartbreaking and tragedy. It is also a thriller. And about finding out the truth. It is about first loves. And I enjoyed every moment of this book. It was sweet and sad and exciting. And just so so very good. It is also a very real book. About school shootings. Which is happening all the time in the US lately. Which is all kinds of heartbreaking. This book is about a school shooting. And how lives are changed after that. It is a pretty sad story, but also very much worth reading.

Goodreads - The Book Depository - Amazon