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Afterlove
THE LESBIAN LOVE STORY YOU'VE BEEN DYING TO READ.
Ash Persaud is about to become a reaper in the afterlife, but she is determined to see her first love Poppy Morgan again, the only thing that separates them is death.
Car headlights.
The last thing Ash hears is the snap of breaking glass as the windscreen hits her and breaks into a million pieces like stars.
But she made it, she's still here. Or is she?
This New Year's Eve, Ash gets an RSVP from the afterlife she can't decline: to join a clan of fierce girl reapers who take the souls of the city's dead to await their fate.
But Ash can't forget her first love, Poppy, and she will do anything to see her again... even if it means they only get a few more days together. Dead or alive...
NOT EVEN DEATH CAN TEAR THEM APART.
Ash Persaud is about to become a reaper in the afterlife, but she is determined to see her first love Poppy Morgan again, the only thing that separates them is death.
Car headlights.
The last thing Ash hears is the snap of breaking glass as the windscreen hits her and breaks into a million pieces like stars.
But she made it, she's still here. Or is she?
This New Year's Eve, Ash gets an RSVP from the afterlife she can't decline: to join a clan of fierce girl reapers who take the souls of the city's dead to await their fate.
But Ash can't forget her first love, Poppy, and she will do anything to see her again... even if it means they only get a few more days together. Dead or alive...
NOT EVEN DEATH CAN TEAR THEM APART.
389 pages, Paperback
First published July 22, 2021
About the author
Tanya Byrne
8 books536 followersTanya Byrne is an award-winning young adult author.
She was born in London where she spent forty years before moving to Brighton in 2017 with her dog, Frida. After eight years at BBC Radio, she left to write her debut novel, HEART-SHAPED BRUISE, which was published by Headline in May 2012 and earned her a nomination for New Writer of the Year at the National Book Awards.
Since then, she has written three young adult novels, including FLOORED, a unique collaborative novel with six other bestselling and award-winning authors: Sara Barnard, Holly Bourne, Non Pratt, Melinda Salisbury, Lisa Williamson and Eleanor Wood.
She has also contributed to several short story anthologies including A CHANGE IS GONNA COME, which was named Sunday Times Children's Book of the Week and was honoured with a Special Achievement Award by the YA Book Prize.
As a brown, queer, working class author, she is determined not to pull the ladder up after her so she is passionate about encouraging authors from marginalised backgrounds to tell their own stories and making publishing more open to everyone.
Her next novel, AFTERLOVE, is published by Hachette Children's Group in August.
She was born in London where she spent forty years before moving to Brighton in 2017 with her dog, Frida. After eight years at BBC Radio, she left to write her debut novel, HEART-SHAPED BRUISE, which was published by Headline in May 2012 and earned her a nomination for New Writer of the Year at the National Book Awards.
Since then, she has written three young adult novels, including FLOORED, a unique collaborative novel with six other bestselling and award-winning authors: Sara Barnard, Holly Bourne, Non Pratt, Melinda Salisbury, Lisa Williamson and Eleanor Wood.
She has also contributed to several short story anthologies including A CHANGE IS GONNA COME, which was named Sunday Times Children's Book of the Week and was honoured with a Special Achievement Award by the YA Book Prize.
As a brown, queer, working class author, she is determined not to pull the ladder up after her so she is passionate about encouraging authors from marginalised backgrounds to tell their own stories and making publishing more open to everyone.
Her next novel, AFTERLOVE, is published by Hachette Children's Group in August.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,703 reviews
Shelved as 'maybe'
July 3, 2020“the lesbian love story you’ve been dying to read” ...oh? 👁👁
April 29, 2024
"Stop killing lesbians" she yelled at the computer after finishing Bly Manor, then proceeded to pick up a book she knew was about dead lesbians.
She sighed.
She sighed.
August 4, 2021
I got 50 pages into this book and I KNEW it was going to be one of my new favourites. I am telling you it is THAT powerful.
July 20, 2021
Let’s just start this off by saying that the tagline “the lesbian love story you’ve been dying to read” is not wrong. Far from it. I adored Afterlove from the very first page and only fell deeper as I was introduced to the love interest and romance and reapers.
The strength of this book definitely lay in its romance. I fell hard for Ash and Poppy almost immediately and adored getting to read about their relationship throughout the first half of this book, from a not so cute meet cute to their first date to future plans. I think some readers may find their relationship to be a bit too insta love for their preference but I loved it. It felt natural for two teenagers, especially as we already know that Ash is a romantic who falls hard and fast. Ash and Poppy definitely fit the U-Haul lesbian stereotype and this made the book all the more heartbreaking as you watched them discussing and dreaming about the long life they would have together while knowing that it would be impossible, with tragedy looming on the horizon. I not only adored Poppy and Ash’s romance but them as individuals. Their personalities complimented each other so well, from Ash’s spunk to Poppy’s clever, sunshine demeanor.
The separation of the book into two parts – love and after – was really effective as it allowed the readers time to fall in love with Poppy and Ash and their relationship, making Ash’s death and the resulting grief all the more heartbreaking. I also really enjoyed the lore surrounding the reapers and felt that Byrne did a really good job of explaining everything you needed to know about this world without overwhelming the reader. I won’t go into too much detail on the next point but I will say that the ending fits the book perfectly.
My only criticism is that I’d have liked to see more of Ash’s grief for her family and best friend after her death. There is an initial moment of grief but it’s almost forgotten and considering how much time we spent with Ash’s family in the first part of the book, it felt a bit abrupt for them to barely cross Ash’s mind again.
Afterlove is above all a love story. A story about the power of love and human connection and its ability to transcend all, even death. A story of two girls whose love only shines brighter for all the darkness it faces. I cannot recommend this book enough if you fancy a hint of paranormal tragedy in your romance or even a sapphic They Both Die at the End.
I also talk about books here: youtube | instagram | twitter
*Thank you BKMRK for an advanced copy. This has not affected my review.*
The strength of this book definitely lay in its romance. I fell hard for Ash and Poppy almost immediately and adored getting to read about their relationship throughout the first half of this book, from a not so cute meet cute to their first date to future plans. I think some readers may find their relationship to be a bit too insta love for their preference but I loved it. It felt natural for two teenagers, especially as we already know that Ash is a romantic who falls hard and fast. Ash and Poppy definitely fit the U-Haul lesbian stereotype and this made the book all the more heartbreaking as you watched them discussing and dreaming about the long life they would have together while knowing that it would be impossible, with tragedy looming on the horizon. I not only adored Poppy and Ash’s romance but them as individuals. Their personalities complimented each other so well, from Ash’s spunk to Poppy’s clever, sunshine demeanor.
The separation of the book into two parts – love and after – was really effective as it allowed the readers time to fall in love with Poppy and Ash and their relationship, making Ash’s death and the resulting grief all the more heartbreaking. I also really enjoyed the lore surrounding the reapers and felt that Byrne did a really good job of explaining everything you needed to know about this world without overwhelming the reader. I won’t go into too much detail on the next point but I will say that the ending fits the book perfectly.
My only criticism is that I’d have liked to see more of Ash’s grief for her family and best friend after her death. There is an initial moment of grief but it’s almost forgotten and considering how much time we spent with Ash’s family in the first part of the book, it felt a bit abrupt for them to barely cross Ash’s mind again.
Afterlove is above all a love story. A story about the power of love and human connection and its ability to transcend all, even death. A story of two girls whose love only shines brighter for all the darkness it faces. I cannot recommend this book enough if you fancy a hint of paranormal tragedy in your romance or even a sapphic They Both Die at the End.
I also talk about books here: youtube | instagram | twitter
*Thank you BKMRK for an advanced copy. This has not affected my review.*
November 6, 2022
Not what I was expecting. I wanted something emotional and it gave me none.
The prologue was the best part of it, it made me so excited, but the rest was boring. And it turned out the prologue is actually a full chapter in the book towards the middle/end, and while I loved it as a prologue, it did not fit in with the rest of the story. I felt like it was the first thing the author wrote and made it perfect, than copy-pasted it into her first draft, but not the writing style, nor the mc's emotions fit in well with the previous chapter.
The end was alright, but the book itself lacked of emotions, and I failed to care about any of the characters.
The prologue was the best part of it, it made me so excited, but the rest was boring. And it turned out the prologue is actually a full chapter in the book towards the middle/end, and while I loved it as a prologue, it did not fit in with the rest of the story. I felt like it was the first thing the author wrote and made it perfect, than copy-pasted it into her first draft, but not the writing style, nor the mc's emotions fit in well with the previous chapter.
The end was alright, but the book itself lacked of emotions, and I failed to care about any of the characters.
September 24, 2021
Beautiful pink sprayed edges from Fairyloot. We got two books in our box. But, it wasn’t for me so it’s going in the trade in box for someone else.
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
October 24, 2022
To było tak urocze i tak smutne 🥹
October 14, 2022
miałam wahania gwiazdkowe, ale no cóż KIERUJĘ SIĘ SERCEM OKEJ
książka była cudowna od samego początku aż do końca! w pociągu musiałam walczyć żeby nie leciały mi łzy.
cudne postaci, MEGA FABUŁA i naprawdę świetnie połączona fantastyka z realizmem💘 [10.2021]
UPDATE [10.2022]
Mija równo rok, ja po raz trzeci skończyłam Afterlove, a moje serce wciąż bije dla tej książki tak samo mocno…
Kocham Ją.
książka była cudowna od samego początku aż do końca! w pociągu musiałam walczyć żeby nie leciały mi łzy.
cudne postaci, MEGA FABUŁA i naprawdę świetnie połączona fantastyka z realizmem💘 [10.2021]
UPDATE [10.2022]
Mija równo rok, ja po raz trzeci skończyłam Afterlove, a moje serce wciąż bije dla tej książki tak samo mocno…
Kocham Ją.
September 5, 2021
WHY DID NO ONE WARN ME OF HOW SAD THIS BOOK IS?!?!?!?
THIS BOOK. THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD IM ACTUALLY CRYING LIKE WHAT I AM SUPPOSED TO DO NOW???I WILL NEVER KNOW PEACE
The plot is so unique and fast paced I couldn’t stop reading!! AND THE CHARACTERS. I LOVE THEM SO MUCH😭😭😭
Please everyone READ THIS BOOK I don’t know how to cope with anything rn
THIS BOOK. THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD IM ACTUALLY CRYING LIKE WHAT I AM SUPPOSED TO DO NOW???I WILL NEVER KNOW PEACE
The plot is so unique and fast paced I couldn’t stop reading!! AND THE CHARACTERS. I LOVE THEM SO MUCH😭😭😭
Please everyone READ THIS BOOK I don’t know how to cope with anything rn
October 12, 2020
…when she looks at me, smiling at me in that same slow way she did when she asked me if I wanted to jump, it’s as though she’s struck a match and set me alight.
Actual rating 3.5
On my blog.
Rep: British Indo-Guyanese lesbian mc, lesbian li, Turkish side character, British Indian side character, hijabi side character, Indo-Guyanese side characters
CWs: death, mentions of suicides & overdoses
Galley provided by publisher
Afterlove is a gorgeously-written paranormal(ish) romance(is) YA novel. I say “ish” because it’s sort of both of these things but also not. It blends aspects of each very successfully to come up with something wholly in its own class.
In the book, we follow Ash as she meets and falls in love with Poppy. But then the unthinkable happens and Ash wakes up, neither quite dead nor quite alive, but in between. A reaper, tasked with escorting the souls of the dead to the afterlife.
The first thing I noticed about this book was how brilliant the writing was. It’s that kind of writing that can rip you apart with only a few words, so obviously I was predisposed to love it. And that writing made it very easy just to slip into the story and wait for it to break my heart.
Which it duly did! Not quite as early on as I thought, admittedly, though I guess it’s a hard one to balance. You want to have your readers believe in the relationship between Ash and Poppy, which means you need to develop it. But the crux of the story is in Ash’s death and her subsequent desire to see Poppy again one last time.
It made the pacing a little odd, to be honest. It felt like it was going pretty slowly up until Ash���s death, but at the same time Ash and Poppy’s relationship was developing very rapidly. The contrast between the two is what made the pacing seem strange to me. Maybe though, I was more atuned to that because I was expecting the book to almost open with Ash’s death, and not for it to be the halfway mark or so. (Also at one point, I was surprised that the book had only progressed by two weeks, when it felt like a lot longer. But I think, like I said, the pacing was a product of the story.)
But that didn’t affect my liking of the story so much, thankfully. I was still fully invested throughout and desperately hoping that the foretold ending would actually somehow be subverted.
And I maybe sort of teared up a bit at the end.
(Seriously, can we get like a short story sequel thing? I just wanna know how they’re doing!)
August 25, 2023
They didn't lie : it IS the lesbian love story you've been dying to read. New favorite unlocked
September 24, 2021
The way this exceeded every one of my expectations 😭
July 20, 2021
Like? The first half of the book had me hooked and I was straight (not really) up sobbing with some of the passages about Ash and Poppy’s relationship. It was twee, adorable— and then the grim reaper plot just kind of. Happened. That’s the only way I can describe how it unfolded. It just happened.
All of a sudden, this quirky adorable romance becomes a rushed attempt at exploring our relationship with, well, life and it’s fragility. Here one minute, could be gone the next— all very They Both Die At The End but make it British Lesbians.
However, the story is just a bit blunt. In need of a big polish, more plot development— the holes in this one are big enough to drive a whole truck through, like seriously what is the system of grim reapers? Are they all girls? What is with the ‘oh we didn’t tell you at the start but after a year you can leave!’ shoehorned in to round up some hurried ending? I’ll talk about the ending more but if you’re going to play around with a semblance of a paranormal system in your book, I personally prefer it when it’s a bit more thought through with some solid concepts and a bit more— sadly, unique.
I mean, when I originally saw this I was like ‘oh dope a lesbian romance Dead Like Me! perfect!’ But I didn’t realise that most of the nuances of the reapers are just taken directly from my favourite Bryan Fuller series… Like, the ‘transition’ the reapers go through so people don’t recognise them in public? Literally almost exactly the same. Oh, the reapers get their deaths on a little post-it with the name? Yep. And all of the reapers are quirky (which I did love) and say the darnedest twee bits like ‘oh! I’m from the kiddie cancer department!’ with no holding back to drive home on just quirky they are? You guessed it. They even throw a party in a dead persons house, like how the reapers in dead like me sleep in dead people’s apartments, etc. It’s just frustrating especially when the show is such a little hidden gem. This could be a total coincidence but like, it annoys me so I have to mention it in case anyone else likes this show and is intrigued by this book for the same reason.
The actual characters themselves, too? Eh. I loved Ash, loved her family, and her relationship with Poppy. Loved Poppy, loved her relationship with the world and how they spoke with one another. It felt very real, all the dialogue was fun and reminds me of how I spoke at 16. Super tasty and validating for that reason. But, the reapers? Forgettable. I got most of them mixed up with one another. Also, in the second half of the book Poppy became an absolute manic pixie dream girl (they can exist in wlw books, and they DO), and all her dialogue became so insufferable. I really struggled with the mini golf scene so bad.
I think all my investment in these characters completely dissipated by the time the book winded down. When the actual ending happened I didn’t cry, despite the author’s best attempts to make that a thing. It was written like a tear jerker, but kept constantly backtracking it’s messages and metaphors to a point where I got exhausted reading it. Ash makes a point for two pages on how important it is to tell people we love them, enjoy our interests and take risks! But then refuses to go for a night swim with Poppy because she’s scared (I know she was scared FOR Poppy, but it didn’t read this way until the author literally wrote that in).
Representation is important, especially with the lesbophobic culture of booktok/booktube often reading white cis mlm books but actively refusing to read wlw, too. AND, not all representation has to be the greatest book on earth to earn its spot ✨ on the grand high council of lgbt+ books. I would actively recommend this to readers perhaps a little younger (and less jaded). It’s good representation, has a diverse cast of characters and explores messages and culture in a mostly appropriate manner (despite the crass kiddie cancer thing).
It’s not a /bad/ book. It’s not a great book, either. It sits on the middle. It either should have been another 500 pages, to properly invest us in the reapers, adequately show us their system-thing, and come up with an ending that doesn’t feel horribly cliche. Or, it should have been about 300, and axed that fucking golf scene as well as every time Ash has the exact same conversation over and over with the reapers AND every time Poppy drinks an oat milk latte. We get it, she’s vegan and gay— we all drink oat milk lattes but like drink some water for a change.
Overall, I think two stars for a personal vibe on the book is fair. It’s just not for me. It’s a tad repetitive. If you like to switch your brain off and have a nice, wholesome romance (which is nice to see for a wlw teen book!) yeah go for it, you’ll probably enjoy it. I definitely would appreciate this book more if I read it after something quite heavy. But, I am cynical and need my girl gang grim reapers with a bit of spice and grit instead of the industry plant disney original ‘punk’ aesthetic than they were sporting in here.
It deserves a lot of love and I’m sad I couldn’t give it more despite having had this book on pre-order since the start of May. Definitely, give it a try and support the author! We need more diverse wlw stories, where the homophobia isn’t the main aspect of the story— and this is how we make that happen.
So, if u don’t mind, I’m going to rewatch dead like me, swap out my milk alternatives and hastily pass on this book to someone who is going to appreciate it.
All of a sudden, this quirky adorable romance becomes a rushed attempt at exploring our relationship with, well, life and it’s fragility. Here one minute, could be gone the next— all very They Both Die At The End but make it British Lesbians.
However, the story is just a bit blunt. In need of a big polish, more plot development— the holes in this one are big enough to drive a whole truck through, like seriously what is the system of grim reapers? Are they all girls? What is with the ‘oh we didn’t tell you at the start but after a year you can leave!’ shoehorned in to round up some hurried ending? I’ll talk about the ending more but if you’re going to play around with a semblance of a paranormal system in your book, I personally prefer it when it’s a bit more thought through with some solid concepts and a bit more— sadly, unique.
I mean, when I originally saw this I was like ‘oh dope a lesbian romance Dead Like Me! perfect!’ But I didn’t realise that most of the nuances of the reapers are just taken directly from my favourite Bryan Fuller series… Like, the ‘transition’ the reapers go through so people don’t recognise them in public? Literally almost exactly the same. Oh, the reapers get their deaths on a little post-it with the name? Yep. And all of the reapers are quirky (which I did love) and say the darnedest twee bits like ‘oh! I’m from the kiddie cancer department!’ with no holding back to drive home on just quirky they are? You guessed it. They even throw a party in a dead persons house, like how the reapers in dead like me sleep in dead people’s apartments, etc. It’s just frustrating especially when the show is such a little hidden gem. This could be a total coincidence but like, it annoys me so I have to mention it in case anyone else likes this show and is intrigued by this book for the same reason.
The actual characters themselves, too? Eh. I loved Ash, loved her family, and her relationship with Poppy. Loved Poppy, loved her relationship with the world and how they spoke with one another. It felt very real, all the dialogue was fun and reminds me of how I spoke at 16. Super tasty and validating for that reason. But, the reapers? Forgettable. I got most of them mixed up with one another. Also, in the second half of the book Poppy became an absolute manic pixie dream girl (they can exist in wlw books, and they DO), and all her dialogue became so insufferable. I really struggled with the mini golf scene so bad.
I think all my investment in these characters completely dissipated by the time the book winded down. When the actual ending happened I didn’t cry, despite the author’s best attempts to make that a thing. It was written like a tear jerker, but kept constantly backtracking it’s messages and metaphors to a point where I got exhausted reading it. Ash makes a point for two pages on how important it is to tell people we love them, enjoy our interests and take risks! But then refuses to go for a night swim with Poppy because she’s scared (I know she was scared FOR Poppy, but it didn’t read this way until the author literally wrote that in).
Representation is important, especially with the lesbophobic culture of booktok/booktube often reading white cis mlm books but actively refusing to read wlw, too. AND, not all representation has to be the greatest book on earth to earn its spot ✨ on the grand high council of lgbt+ books. I would actively recommend this to readers perhaps a little younger (and less jaded). It’s good representation, has a diverse cast of characters and explores messages and culture in a mostly appropriate manner (despite the crass kiddie cancer thing).
It’s not a /bad/ book. It’s not a great book, either. It sits on the middle. It either should have been another 500 pages, to properly invest us in the reapers, adequately show us their system-thing, and come up with an ending that doesn’t feel horribly cliche. Or, it should have been about 300, and axed that fucking golf scene as well as every time Ash has the exact same conversation over and over with the reapers AND every time Poppy drinks an oat milk latte. We get it, she’s vegan and gay— we all drink oat milk lattes but like drink some water for a change.
Overall, I think two stars for a personal vibe on the book is fair. It’s just not for me. It’s a tad repetitive. If you like to switch your brain off and have a nice, wholesome romance (which is nice to see for a wlw teen book!) yeah go for it, you’ll probably enjoy it. I definitely would appreciate this book more if I read it after something quite heavy. But, I am cynical and need my girl gang grim reapers with a bit of spice and grit instead of the industry plant disney original ‘punk’ aesthetic than they were sporting in here.
It deserves a lot of love and I’m sad I couldn’t give it more despite having had this book on pre-order since the start of May. Definitely, give it a try and support the author! We need more diverse wlw stories, where the homophobia isn’t the main aspect of the story— and this is how we make that happen.
So, if u don’t mind, I’m going to rewatch dead like me, swap out my milk alternatives and hastily pass on this book to someone who is going to appreciate it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 27, 2022
Play You and I by PVRIS
Playlist: poppy + ash.
"I’ve always felt off to the side, like I’m watching on. An extra in everyone else’s story. But here I am and here she is and I finally get the lead role and while I don’t know how this story ends, this is how it starts: outside the station, commuters bustling past in their effort to catch the 17:58, her hand in mine”
This is a book about loss, about life and death, about grief and principally about love.
Ash's story is the most unique, beautiful, and heartbreaking. She needs to deal with grief, she needs to deal with the loss of her one and only love and the loss of her own life, she died at sixteen, she had all of her life ahead and she lost it.
But when she loses, she learns how life is small and you need to be you, without fear and without strings attached. a little late? maybe.
The book's message about loving, being loved, and living a full life is one of the purest and most well-written things i’ve ever read.
"I am not to be loved. Not out loud anyway”
And then, the love story, i don’t have words, Poppy was ash’s first love, the person who really saw Ash and want to know her in every way possible, poppy love her out loud. Not even death separated them.
” When I say that I love you, Ash, I don’t meant that I love in the way that I love Basquiat or oat milk lattes, I mean that I love you. All that you are and all that you will be and I can’t wait to find out who that person is.”
Ash and Poppy are made for each other. They made me happy and break my heart, an emotional ride. Not even death can tear them apart, like really.
”We’ve found each other again. Of all the people, her.
THE WRITTEN!!!!! I never really pay attention to writing (only if it's really bad cough cough) but omg the author knows how to write, knows how to touch you and make you cry!!! knows how to show what the characters are feeling in the best possible way. it's poetical, even the monologues!!!! they are not boring!!!
”You found each other in life and you found each other in death and you’ll find each other in whatever’s beyond the sea.”
Playlist: poppy + ash.
"I’ve always felt off to the side, like I’m watching on. An extra in everyone else’s story. But here I am and here she is and I finally get the lead role and while I don’t know how this story ends, this is how it starts: outside the station, commuters bustling past in their effort to catch the 17:58, her hand in mine”
This is a book about loss, about life and death, about grief and principally about love.
Ash's story is the most unique, beautiful, and heartbreaking. She needs to deal with grief, she needs to deal with the loss of her one and only love and the loss of her own life, she died at sixteen, she had all of her life ahead and she lost it.
But when she loses, she learns how life is small and you need to be you, without fear and without strings attached. a little late? maybe.
The book's message about loving, being loved, and living a full life is one of the purest and most well-written things i’ve ever read.
"I am not to be loved. Not out loud anyway”
And then, the love story, i don’t have words, Poppy was ash’s first love, the person who really saw Ash and want to know her in every way possible, poppy love her out loud. Not even death separated them.
” When I say that I love you, Ash, I don’t meant that I love in the way that I love Basquiat or oat milk lattes, I mean that I love you. All that you are and all that you will be and I can’t wait to find out who that person is.”
Ash and Poppy are made for each other. They made me happy and break my heart, an emotional ride. Not even death can tear them apart, like really.
”We’ve found each other again. Of all the people, her.
THE WRITTEN!!!!! I never really pay attention to writing (only if it's really bad cough cough) but omg the author knows how to write, knows how to touch you and make you cry!!! knows how to show what the characters are feeling in the best possible way. it's poetical, even the monologues!!!! they are not boring!!!
”You found each other in life and you found each other in death and you’ll find each other in whatever’s beyond the sea.”
July 15, 2021
This was equal parts delightful and heart-breaking. Afterlove is an emotional ride and a unique tale of love and loss. I found myself quickly enthralled and couldn’t put this book down. Tanya Byrne’s writing is really lovely, and I thoroughly enjoyed every second of reading it. And the way the atmosphere is captured through the writing is pure excellence. This is not one to miss!
Rating: 5 Stars.
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Thank you so much to Hodder children's books for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
Rating: 5 Stars.
---
Thank you so much to Hodder children's books for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
April 13, 2023
3 ⭐️ Ah, I wasn't overwhelmed or underwhelmed, I'm just whelmed. The characters are really nice, but the love story seems a little forced. Also, there is a huge amount of soul searching, which has been a little much at times?
I found some aspects, such as mentioning the damn DM's every two minutes, a bit much? I think this book could've been so much more than it was.
I found some aspects, such as mentioning the damn DM's every two minutes, a bit much? I think this book could've been so much more than it was.
March 7, 2022
I think the main character may wear DMs?? Not sure though, don't think it was mentioned enough
December 7, 2022
Ogarnęłam, że nie oceniłam tej książki. Polecam bardzo, świetny tytuł ❤️
March 25, 2022
Super cute and quick, but I wish that there was a little bit more going on in the story itself.
January 5, 2022
1 star | tagged on the StoryGraph as emotional, character-driven, and diverse
The only reason I finished this book is because I was looking forward to writing this bad review before I was even halfway done with it. First issue, the author exclusively referred to Ash’s shoes as "DMs" and mentioned them more than necessary. Never shoes nor boots, not even Doc Marten's, just "DMs." I get it, she's a lesbian, talk about something else please, I'm begging. Second, the very little plot that did exist is horribly paced. You're nearly halfway through before Ash dies even though the summary tells you that's what the book is about, so it should have happened a lot earlier so the plot could get moving. Instead you get too many pages about Ash and Poppy's instalove relationship as well as interactions with Ash's family and best friend Adara (who barely get a mention in the second half of the book). Then Ash spends the rest of the book obsessing over Poppy even though they only knew each other for three months. She's more upset about losing Poppy than her family, even though it's made clear that they have a great relationship, or Adara, her best friend of ten years. The worldbuilding is surface-level, and word on the street is that it completely ripped off the TV show Dead Like Me (I have not seen the show, but multiple other reviews mention this). Also, there were a handful of arguably transphobic comments from multiple characters. Finally, I noticed multiple editing mistakes, and I wasn't even reading that closely because I just wanted to be done. I was really excited for this read because the summary sounded interesting and the average rating was high, but it completely missed the mark. Congrats on being my first 1 star review.
The only reason I finished this book is because I was looking forward to writing this bad review before I was even halfway done with it. First issue, the author exclusively referred to Ash’s shoes as "DMs" and mentioned them more than necessary. Never shoes nor boots, not even Doc Marten's, just "DMs." I get it, she's a lesbian, talk about something else please, I'm begging. Second, the very little plot that did exist is horribly paced. You're nearly halfway through before Ash dies even though the summary tells you that's what the book is about, so it should have happened a lot earlier so the plot could get moving. Instead you get too many pages about Ash and Poppy's instalove relationship as well as interactions with Ash's family and best friend Adara (who barely get a mention in the second half of the book). Then Ash spends the rest of the book obsessing over Poppy even though they only knew each other for three months. She's more upset about losing Poppy than her family, even though it's made clear that they have a great relationship, or Adara, her best friend of ten years. The worldbuilding is surface-level, and word on the street is that it completely ripped off the TV show Dead Like Me (I have not seen the show, but multiple other reviews mention this). Also, there were a handful of arguably transphobic comments from multiple characters. Finally, I noticed multiple editing mistakes, and I wasn't even reading that closely because I just wanted to be done. I was really excited for this read because the summary sounded interesting and the average rating was high, but it completely missed the mark. Congrats on being my first 1 star review.
October 4, 2021
Feeling a little conflicted about this one. Overall, it was a good read, and it was very well written. I even reread some passages because they were so beautifully written! On the other hand, I enjoyed the "before" part of the book significantly more. Maybe my hopes for the "after" part were simply too high, but I didn't feel as emotionally invested as I wanted to be.
February 7, 2023
błyskotliwa, chwytająca za serce, po prostu piękna
October 5, 2021
3.5 stars. Cute and bittersweet. I had no idea what to expect from this book and even without expectations I still had the feeling that this was not what I expected. The YA and paranormal aspects drew me in, but it was heavier than I thought, which, unfortunately, did take away some of my enjoyment of the book even though I thought it was written very well.
This book starts (well, after the first chapter, which is set in the future) with the cutest YA romance. Ash is a 16-yo teenager with indo-Guyana roots living in Brighton with her parents and younger sister that she adores. Ash just wants to fall in love, to be loved, and not to be used as an experiment and all her dreams come true when she finally meets Poppy. They are so cute together, and it was so good to read, but then there was this nagging thought in the back of my head……Ash is going to die. Because that’s what the book’s about. Ash dies and becomes a reaper of the dead, but she can’t forget about Poppy.
So, there is this incredibly sweet start of their romance until it abruptly comes to an end and this signals the second part of the book. The tone of the narration changes, it’s angry, sad and lonely and yes there are also some good moments in this second half of the book, but the best way I can describe the feeling is bittersweet. When I read the acknowledgments I understood it better, I knew where the feeling that I got was coming from, as the author describes the loss of a loved one that left her grieving and lonely and unable to write for a very long time. She explains that life divides itself in a before and after period, which is how the book is divided as well.
Afterlove is written in first person from the POV of Ash and this strengthened the emotions in this book even further, as you’re constantly in Ash’s headspace, which is not always the easiest place to be. But it’s not all gloom and doom, as Ash settles into her reaper life she discovers things about herself and about life in general and the book ends on a lighter note.
Based on the writing I would rate this book higher, but as I mentioned, this was hard to read at times and left me feeling unsettled. It’s a book I will remember though and it kept me curious until the end, so I have mixed feelings about it. I don’t think it will be for everybody, but it’s a good book if you don’t mind the theme and accompanying emotions.
This book starts (well, after the first chapter, which is set in the future) with the cutest YA romance. Ash is a 16-yo teenager with indo-Guyana roots living in Brighton with her parents and younger sister that she adores. Ash just wants to fall in love, to be loved, and not to be used as an experiment and all her dreams come true when she finally meets Poppy. They are so cute together, and it was so good to read, but then there was this nagging thought in the back of my head……Ash is going to die. Because that’s what the book’s about. Ash dies and becomes a reaper of the dead, but she can’t forget about Poppy.
So, there is this incredibly sweet start of their romance until it abruptly comes to an end and this signals the second part of the book. The tone of the narration changes, it’s angry, sad and lonely and yes there are also some good moments in this second half of the book, but the best way I can describe the feeling is bittersweet. When I read the acknowledgments I understood it better, I knew where the feeling that I got was coming from, as the author describes the loss of a loved one that left her grieving and lonely and unable to write for a very long time. She explains that life divides itself in a before and after period, which is how the book is divided as well.
Afterlove is written in first person from the POV of Ash and this strengthened the emotions in this book even further, as you’re constantly in Ash’s headspace, which is not always the easiest place to be. But it’s not all gloom and doom, as Ash settles into her reaper life she discovers things about herself and about life in general and the book ends on a lighter note.
Based on the writing I would rate this book higher, but as I mentioned, this was hard to read at times and left me feeling unsettled. It’s a book I will remember though and it kept me curious until the end, so I have mixed feelings about it. I don’t think it will be for everybody, but it’s a good book if you don’t mind the theme and accompanying emotions.
April 15, 2024
Live(die) laugh lesbian
Ooof this gutted me a little. Its like a lesbian they both die at the end but better. I thought the characters were really fleshed out and their relationship was really well done. I hurt for them. I also really liked the side characters and the magic system. Id be interested to read another book in this universe fr. 4.25 stars :')
Ooof this gutted me a little. Its like a lesbian they both die at the end but better. I thought the characters were really fleshed out and their relationship was really well done. I hurt for them. I also really liked the side characters and the magic system. Id be interested to read another book in this universe fr. 4.25 stars :')
February 19, 2021
This book is such a fun and unique read! It was pitched as 'the lesbian love story you've been waiting for' AND IT TRULY WAS!!!! This book gives you two lesbians who unexpectedly meet and we get to see their messy, fun and heartwarming journey as they fall in love, up until one of them suddenly dies. Ash is so confused and in denial when she wakes up after the accident to 3 strangers in a place she's never been before; and it doesn't help when they try to explain to her that she's now a grim reaper, because they don't exist, right!? Well, actually they do, and what ensues is a mix between Ash being in disbelief that she's died, and us slowly getting to know the other reapers, who slowly but surely form a family and help Ash deal with her grief. Ash is heartbroken, and completely lost, only then does she learn that trying to connect with her loved ones like she had planned will result in their early death. So Ash begins her new life as a reaper, until one day, her girlfriend sees her. Actually sees her, and recognises her!!
This is such a fun (and very raw and emotional at times) love story and book in general. I adored the group of reapers and also almost all of the character we got to meet? Although this was a 350 page book, it seemed so short and I flew through it. I wish we had gotten a bit more of Ash when she were alive before she met her girlfriend so we got to see her personality shine through, but overall, I really enjoyed this book!!
This is such a fun (and very raw and emotional at times) love story and book in general. I adored the group of reapers and also almost all of the character we got to meet? Although this was a 350 page book, it seemed so short and I flew through it. I wish we had gotten a bit more of Ash when she were alive before she met her girlfriend so we got to see her personality shine through, but overall, I really enjoyed this book!!
October 2, 2021
When I started this, I was convinced it would be a 5 star read. I liked the style and narration, and I really enjoyed the dynamics in Ash's family, they were so genuine and sweet. Things went downhill after Ash's death. The pacing didn't work for me, nothing really happens. I don't know, something was just off. There's not a lot of reaping involved either and it just turns predictable after Poppy meets Ash.
I really wanted to love this, but it just didn't work for me. :(
Rep: Guyanese-British lesbian main character, lesbian love interest, Guyanese-British side character, poc side characters
I really wanted to love this, but it just didn't work for me. :(
Rep: Guyanese-British lesbian main character, lesbian love interest, Guyanese-British side character, poc side characters
November 17, 2021
I was hoping to love this one, but, sadly, I found it problematic, toxic and transphobic. Plus, I didn't feel like the paranormal elements were completely developed.
November 5, 2022
This was much sadder than I thought it would be!
March 19, 2021
Thank you NetGalley and Hodder Children’s Books for this wonderful ARC. My favourite LGBT YA book of the past two years. The Henna Wars meet Scythe!
When I started reading this book I wasn’t completely sure I was going to like it because the story is about two sixteen year-olds experiencing their first love, which for me is an experience long in the past. However, I was completely wrong! This book by Tanya Byrne is written with absolute honesty and I saw myself immediately immersed in this story, devouring the book in barely a week, something that hadn’t happened in a long time.
In spite of what the synopsis says, I believe this book isn’t mostly about Ash becoming a reaper. For me this book is about how life and death are only some of the stops in a long journey. And most of all, love is what drives this book. This youthful drama will show you the streets of Brighton through Ash Persaud’s eyes, experiencing life, death and the first love with her. Also learning that death really happens the moment you stop remembering all the love you have in your life.
There are many remarkable things about this book. Like I mentioned, the author speaks from her truth and in spite of the characters youthful age, their actions and conversations are completely believable and sincere. The author has been able to perfectly reflect the sincerity of her words in the pages of this fiction novel, and that is one of the reasons I couldn’t stop reading from the very first moment I laid eyes on Byrne’s words.
On the other hand, this book is comprised of a cast of diverse characters. Not only Ash, who is part of a strict Indo-Guyanese family, but also many other characters from different religious backgrounds and races, which makes this portrait of Brighton feel even more real and closer to the reality of the city. The secondary characters are well constructed and placed inside this story, making Ash and Poppy’s relationship stand out as the central piece of this novel.
My favourite character is Esen, one of the reapers who accompany Ash. Despite of the author not giving us as many details about this girl, I felt like I knew her from the very first moment she appears. She’s a tough, funny and sarcastic girl, who tries to lead her new life by pushing away all memories of her old life. Her development is something worth mentioning too, because in just a few pages, this character who in the beginning was perceived as annoying by both the reader and Ash, later on becomes an essential part of the story. Esen watches Ash’s love story from afar, but she also intervenes when she’s needed, a truly reliable and loyal friend. She’s the only one of the reapers who makes us understand more clearly the tough reality these girls are living when they have to leave everything behind and still wander through the places they used to call home but now being complete strangers; not the normal girls they used to be but reapers
leading souls to Charon’s boat.
Another thing I loved about this book is how Ash’s sexuality is portrayed. It was one the things that kept me hooked to this book, the sixteen year-old version of me that still exists somewhere within, felt understood and represented in these words. As I mentioned before, the author speaks from her undeniable truth, making this book feel real and honest. Ash is a queer sixteen year-old girl who lives in one of the most inclusive cities in the UK: Brighton. However, the reality is that when you’re a queer teenager, finding a date, no matter where that is, it is still a nightmare. And when you finally have one, most of the times it doesn’t go as expected. We can see through Ash’s thoughts how her heart has been broken many times in spite of her age and how she thinks she will never find love. It is never easy to admit who you are and accept yourself as you are but it is even harder if you’re not what society expects you to be. Regardless of all that, Ash finds Poppy Morgan, the person that takes her breath away and makes her heart beat faster. The one who shows her that despite of all the obstacles she has found in her path, in the end she can be happy next to the person she loves.
The only things that I didn’t love about this book were the rhythm and the structure. There are too many interesting details in the second half of the book that don’t get enough attention. Charon’s appearance, how the reapers become different people and the consequences they would have to face if someone recognized them, are only some of them. Everything related to being a reaper is like a sweet that you savour for too short a time. I do think these ideas are properly explained and developed, but I would have liked to know even more about them. And about the secondary characters like Esen, Dev and Deborah. I would have really liked to learn more about their previous lives as well.
I can’t help but think that if I had read this book as a teenager, when my problems seemed never-ending, perhaps my life would have been different. The representation of a healthy relationship between two teenage girls is something that I missed, but I’m glad that many other teenagers will now be able to read this story and feel heard. They will be able to hold onto this book when things are difficult for them. This is the main reason I have felt this book so close to my heart and why I would recommend it to everyone who has experienced growing up as a queer teenager.
We all deserve stories that make us feel seen and understood. Tanya Byrne’s story makes us think about the meaning of life and she does that with a queer couple and a diverse character ensemble as the voices of this story. What else could we ask for? This book with make you forget the outside world for just a few hours and you won’t be able to stop smiling at this beautiful and endless love story.
When I started reading this book I wasn’t completely sure I was going to like it because the story is about two sixteen year-olds experiencing their first love, which for me is an experience long in the past. However, I was completely wrong! This book by Tanya Byrne is written with absolute honesty and I saw myself immediately immersed in this story, devouring the book in barely a week, something that hadn’t happened in a long time.
In spite of what the synopsis says, I believe this book isn’t mostly about Ash becoming a reaper. For me this book is about how life and death are only some of the stops in a long journey. And most of all, love is what drives this book. This youthful drama will show you the streets of Brighton through Ash Persaud’s eyes, experiencing life, death and the first love with her. Also learning that death really happens the moment you stop remembering all the love you have in your life.
There are many remarkable things about this book. Like I mentioned, the author speaks from her truth and in spite of the characters youthful age, their actions and conversations are completely believable and sincere. The author has been able to perfectly reflect the sincerity of her words in the pages of this fiction novel, and that is one of the reasons I couldn’t stop reading from the very first moment I laid eyes on Byrne’s words.
On the other hand, this book is comprised of a cast of diverse characters. Not only Ash, who is part of a strict Indo-Guyanese family, but also many other characters from different religious backgrounds and races, which makes this portrait of Brighton feel even more real and closer to the reality of the city. The secondary characters are well constructed and placed inside this story, making Ash and Poppy’s relationship stand out as the central piece of this novel.
My favourite character is Esen, one of the reapers who accompany Ash. Despite of the author not giving us as many details about this girl, I felt like I knew her from the very first moment she appears. She’s a tough, funny and sarcastic girl, who tries to lead her new life by pushing away all memories of her old life. Her development is something worth mentioning too, because in just a few pages, this character who in the beginning was perceived as annoying by both the reader and Ash, later on becomes an essential part of the story. Esen watches Ash’s love story from afar, but she also intervenes when she’s needed, a truly reliable and loyal friend. She’s the only one of the reapers who makes us understand more clearly the tough reality these girls are living when they have to leave everything behind and still wander through the places they used to call home but now being complete strangers; not the normal girls they used to be but reapers
leading souls to Charon’s boat.
Another thing I loved about this book is how Ash’s sexuality is portrayed. It was one the things that kept me hooked to this book, the sixteen year-old version of me that still exists somewhere within, felt understood and represented in these words. As I mentioned before, the author speaks from her undeniable truth, making this book feel real and honest. Ash is a queer sixteen year-old girl who lives in one of the most inclusive cities in the UK: Brighton. However, the reality is that when you’re a queer teenager, finding a date, no matter where that is, it is still a nightmare. And when you finally have one, most of the times it doesn’t go as expected. We can see through Ash’s thoughts how her heart has been broken many times in spite of her age and how she thinks she will never find love. It is never easy to admit who you are and accept yourself as you are but it is even harder if you’re not what society expects you to be. Regardless of all that, Ash finds Poppy Morgan, the person that takes her breath away and makes her heart beat faster. The one who shows her that despite of all the obstacles she has found in her path, in the end she can be happy next to the person she loves.
The only things that I didn’t love about this book were the rhythm and the structure. There are too many interesting details in the second half of the book that don’t get enough attention. Charon’s appearance, how the reapers become different people and the consequences they would have to face if someone recognized them, are only some of them. Everything related to being a reaper is like a sweet that you savour for too short a time. I do think these ideas are properly explained and developed, but I would have liked to know even more about them. And about the secondary characters like Esen, Dev and Deborah. I would have really liked to learn more about their previous lives as well.
I can’t help but think that if I had read this book as a teenager, when my problems seemed never-ending, perhaps my life would have been different. The representation of a healthy relationship between two teenage girls is something that I missed, but I’m glad that many other teenagers will now be able to read this story and feel heard. They will be able to hold onto this book when things are difficult for them. This is the main reason I have felt this book so close to my heart and why I would recommend it to everyone who has experienced growing up as a queer teenager.
We all deserve stories that make us feel seen and understood. Tanya Byrne’s story makes us think about the meaning of life and she does that with a queer couple and a diverse character ensemble as the voices of this story. What else could we ask for? This book with make you forget the outside world for just a few hours and you won’t be able to stop smiling at this beautiful and endless love story.
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