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    In the After
    In the After
    In the After
    Ebook342 pages5 hours

    In the After

    By Demitria Lunetta

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    In debut author Demitria Lunetta's heart-pounding thriller, one girl must fight for her survival in a world overrun by violent, deadly creatures. Perfect for fans of New York Times bestsellers like The 5th Wave and Across the Universe.

    Amy Harris's life changed forever when They took over. Her parents—vanished. The government—obsolete. Societal structure—nonexistent. No one knows where They came from, but these vicious creatures have been rapidly devouring mankind since They appeared. With fierce survivor instincts, Amy manages to stay alive—and even rescues "Baby," a toddler who was left behind. After years of hiding, they are miraculously rescued and taken to New Hope. On the surface, it appears to be a safe haven for survivors. But there are dark and twisted secrets lurking beneath that could have Amy and Baby paying with not only their freedom . . . but also their lives.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperTeen
    Release dateJun 25, 2013
    ISBN9780062105479
    In the After
    Author

    Demitria Lunetta

    Chicago native Demitria Lunetta is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and a faithful follower of all things YA on her blog www.demitrialunetta.blogspot.com. She holds a BA in Human Ecology and has spent countless hours studying the many ways in which people are capable of bringing about their own destruction. In case the end is near, she always carries a good book and a chocolate bar—the two items essential for postapocalyptic survival.

    Read more from Demitria Lunetta

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    Reviews for In the After

    4/5

    181 ratings37 reviews

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    • 4/5
      I received this book for review from the publisher via Edelweiss.

      I feel like I’m repeating myself over and over again, but In the After was another book that I heard about on Epic Reads’ tea time. Seriously, it’s a great source for book talk and to discover new books. When I saw In the After available on Edelweiss, I requested it, even though it was out of my normal genre.

      In the After is definitely an interesting story, and I wasn’t really sure what to expect. I mean, creatures that are referred to as “They/Them” and eat humans? They could pretty much be anything: demons, zombies, monsters. We are told very early on what they are suspected to be, but honestly, the description wasn’t really important, as they are constantly referred to as Them, and they’re all the more creepy for it.

      In the After is broken into 3 parts. The first part focuses on Amy and Baby’s life in the outside world. She refers to the time before the creatures came as Before, and since they came as the After, hence the title of the book. This was a really interesting part of the book because we got to learn a little more about the creatures and see how Amy and Baby manage to survive around Them, especially considering how many people have died at Their hands. Every time Amy left her house in this part of the book, my heart was in my throat, wondering what would happen and whether They would find her. These were some of the creepiest scenes in the book. Part 1 ends when Amy and Baby are rescued and brought to New Hope.

      Part 2 is where I thought In the After really got interesting, in my opinion, because the writing style changes a bit. We fast forward 4 months, and Amy is in the Ward, with no recollection of why or how she got there. As she starts to remember bits and pieces of the past few months, we learn what is going on, and we find that things are not all as they seem in New Hope. Certain events take place and are covered up, and the leader doesn’t necessarily want people to question how and why things work. Also, there are some specific rules about how the citizens of New Hope must live, promises they must fulfill, that Amy doesn’t necessarily agree with.

      I felt like In the After ended on just the right note. The events of the book are wrapped up nicely, but we also know that there has to be more to the story. We’ve learned a lot more about Them and New Hope, and we know that something needs to be done about the state of the world. I really enjoyed In the After and look forward to reading the next book in the series.

      In the After comes out on Tuesday, so if you like creepy creatures and dystopian societies, make sure you grab your copy!

      You can also read this and other reviews on my blog, Mommy's Reading Break
    • 5/5
      I AM FREAKING OUT RIGHT NOW!!!Why did I wait so long to read this book? This is be best book I have read in a LOOOOONG time. I am seriously obsessed with this book and need book two! Right now! I need to know what happens next! Also, Can I just say, I never wanted to put this book down. I literally started this book to be a "read in between books", little did I know, it made me put down every other book I was reading, it drew me in so well.I thought In The After was written brilliantly! I can't say I loved all the characters, but I love how each and every one was written. You connect to every single one of them... even if you really wish you didn't. Lol The setting was so freaking realistic as well. So the story didn't just draw you in, it transported you there and YOU are Amy. There are a few times I thought I would pass out from hyperventilating or something but I literally could NOT put this book down. That ending killed me. It used my heart as a freaking chew toy, spat it out, and stomped on the remains. I couldn't deal!!! (would this mean I would be sent to the Ward? *shudders in fear*)I demand to know what happens next!!! I'll go nuts if I don't find out soon. I hope justice prevails! *Few Characters*Amy; I thought she was very mature for her age. I admit when she first comes onto the scene, she seemed like one of those snobby uppty people that make you want to go "Mean girls" on em. But once the world goes to crap, she really steps up and blows you away.Baby; She is such a mystery. Even by the end of the book, I'm left wanting to know more about her. I am so attached, I think I would squall my eyes out if anything happened to her.Rice; Can't stand his name and up till the last chapter, I couldn't stand him. Even now, I am honestly still a bit wary of him. I am not sure why, I just feel like he might not can be trusted fully.Amber; I don't think I have ever wanted to punch someone so hard in my life. She got off way to freaking easy. Yes, I read the book, I know her outcome, I still think she got off to easy. Heck! I even think letting her be Florae bait/chow would be to easy for her. I really hate her. I know it's the end of the world, but there are just lines you do NOT cross, especially when a baby is involved. She is just plain trashy!Kay; Omg, be my friend. Please. Train me! She is so freaking awesome and kick butt! How could you NOT like her!?Amy's mother; I am so conflicted. I hated her through the whole book up until literally the last part of the book with the last conversation Amy and her have. Then I understand why she did some of the things she did. Still ticks me off though so I guess I can say, I don't hate her, but I don't like her either. Also I guess you could say, if she was eaten, "ehhhhh that sucks, moving on!" would probably be my only remark. Unless she redeems herself in book two.Dr Reynolds; Could you be any more sadistic, you pansy!? There is absolutely nothing to like about this scumbag! What could possibly drive a person to be so cruel and twisted? I mean really! Though I am sure if the real world ended, there would be tons of Dr Reynolds.... It's depressing. Any who. He is on the same level as Amber in my opinion. I can't stand either of them. All in all, In The After blew me away and rocked my socks! Lol Would defiantly highly recommend.
    • 5/5
      Amy is home alone when the world turns to chaos. Alien type creatures that are attracted to all noise attack and decimate the population. Luckily her parents built a great house with fencing that they can not get through. As time goes on she adapts to the new world she lives in, rescues a toddler that she found in a grocery store and learns to live in silence and isolation. CRAZY!! There was so many twists, turns, danger, and action that I don't know where to start. I got so into IN THE AFTER that I found myself not talking and trying to be silent. If only my kids would have gotten on board with that. Amy makes the book. Her character is fierce and adaptable. She plows through issues and makes sure all decisions made are the right ones. Although she is only 17 her experiences have hardened her and she is unforgiving. I can not think of any point in the book that I did not agree with the way she handled something. Without Baby the toddler she found in a grocery store she would be alone. She teachers her, raises her and looks after her like she were her own family and they have a really close bond. There are a lot of dark and down right freaky moments in IN THE AFTER. Situations are so well described that you feel like you are right smack dab in the middle of them. The book is long but I still read it at a nice fast pace that left little room to do anything like clean, or feed the kids, or sleep.... Oh they are still alive don't worry they have learned to feed themselves ;)I will leave you with my final thoughts. I loved it from the moment I picked it up until the moment it ended.
    • 4/5
      “This is how I think of time: the past is Before, and the present is the After. Before was reality; the After, a nightmare.”In The After was one of my most anticipated releases for 2013. So of course when I was given the chance to read it early I couldn't resist. Thankfully In The After not only met but actually exceeded my expectations!Amy and Baby haven't spoken in years. To speak is to die.The only noise comes from Them, the zombie like creatures who've taken over the planet. Amy and Baby have survived due in part to Amy's father being Eco-Friendly. If it wasn't for the solar panels powering Amy's electric fence Amy and Baby might very well be dead. After coming across another survivor, Amy and Baby are betrayed. Now reunited with people for the first time in years, Amy and Baby must adapt to a new world order run under the thumb of someone from Before and a Doctor whose intentions aren't as genuine as they appear.While I love this book it is the incredible characters who sell the story. Amy is 14 years old when the "Aliens" arrive. She's a typical teenager who grows up hard and fast. Amy is left all alone in The After until the day she stumbles upon Baby in an abandoned store eating spoiled grapes. She knows taking the toddler with her is dangerous but decides to save her anyway. Much to Amy's surprise the toddler knows how to keep quiet, knows that noise attracts Them. I love that Amy is resourceful enough to know that Toddlers will pick up things quickly so naturally sign language becomes the safest way they can communicate. Don't worry though it is quite easy to follow whom is "speaking" in the scene. While the first half of the book focuses mostly on Amy and Baby's survival in The After, the second half has Amy and Baby arriving in a survivor city called, New Hope. After living almost 4 years in total silence the noise is almost deafening. Every instinct Amy and Baby have is to be quiet, be safe but here people talk, they laugh. It's loud, like Before. However, New Hope is filled with people, with life and that is hard to resist even for two battle hardened survivors like Amy and Baby.Now I realize this book needed a twist and we definitely get one with the introduction of New Hope, however I was a bit bummed how predictable corrupt New Hope actually ended up being. All I could think about was how closely it resembled the fictional town Woodbury from the series The Walking Dead. Just slap an eye patch on Dr. Reynold's and call him the Governor already. I did however like that the citizens weren't entirely clueless. However, like most other books none were willing to rock the boat out of fear.My only other disappointment with In The After was the introduction of The Ward. I really thought maybe it would end up being that Amy was in an institution all along and while the Doctors thought she was crazy she was actually prophesying The After. Sadly nope it just ended up being a place where bad citizens go to be "treated". I didn't like how the story jumped from one to the other. It did sort of kill the flow of the story and was one of the only real low points of the whole book. Thankfully by the end the pacing had picked right back up and I was certainly left excited for the next book whenever it's released. In The After might not be the most unique book I've ever read but once you throw in two very strong mc's, a swoonworthy guy and actually scary monsters you have what I'm calling one of the best Science Fiction books of the year. I highly suggest picking up In The After and giving it a go. If you only buy one Science Fiction book this year make it this one! With that being said, I will be rating In The After by Demitria Lunetta ★★★★.
    • 4/5
      The set-up is so creepy, I cannot imagine these aliens, Them. They are so strong, but Amy luckily finds their weaknesses and even though her parents don't survive, their eccentricities from life helps her to survive in this almost post-apocalyptic setting. At first Amy thinks she is alone, the last person alive, but then she finds Baby, and runs into people slowly. I loved the sisterly relationship between Amy and Baby, it kept me emotionally invested in the story while the encounters with Them, and the challenges of staying alive kept me involved with action and plot. I was eager to find out more about this strong alien, why they are there, and how they got there. How others besides Amy survived, and where this mysterious group of other survivors mentioned in the synopsis would come into play. Demitria Lunetta gives those answers little pieces at a time, and keeps me reading with her great world building and attention to detail. Its intense, a little gritty, and the pacing is great throughout. I enjoyed Amy's character, she is smart, snarky and resourceful. While she does what she has to in order to survive, she has a heart that is big and beautiful. She rescues Baby, and she takes in others. She still cares for others despite what she went through. The jumps in time starting around 30% confused me though. I know that was the point because we are in Amy's head and she obviously doesn't know what is going on either. When I started getting suspicions of why she was drugged and confused I didn't like it but I knew that it was all part of the storyline, and like a sucker punch to the gut. I didn't have it all right, but there were a few things I was right about and then other twists that caught me completely by surprise. There was a hint of romance, and I hope that the next book advances it a little more, but I am okay with that. It was kind of refreshing for that not to be a driving factor in the book. The ending is crazy, and all that it should have been for the book except that it was a bit of a cliffie but it left me yearning for the next book which I will definitely be reading. Bottom Line: Chilling story of survival
    • 3/5
      I love post apocalyptic and zombie books because I enjoy reading about how people can adapt and survive even the most unthinkable circumstances. In the After was a little post-apocalyptic thriller, a little zombie-ish, a little sci-fi alien invasion and a little bit dystopian. So many of the elements I enjoy wrapped up in one book, it's easy to see why I was so excited to read this and maybe why I had such high expectations for it.

      I absolutely enjoyed the beginning of the book. The world building in the opening scenes painted a vivid picture of how quickly the world became a terrifying and dangerous place inhabited by creatures drawn to light and sound. I was fascinated by the way Amy and Baby had created a non-verbal way of communicating that was based on sign language but was adapted to work in their specific circumstances. I thought that the author did a great job creating a feeling of resignation and hopelessness in the characters but still that spirit to survive and persevere.

      Where In the After fell short for me was in the second half, after Amy & Baby's "rescue". I spent most of the book feeling alternately confused and annoyed with the direction that the story seemed to be taking. The dystopic society that was created didn't seem entirely plausible and just felt loosely constructed. The interactions between the characters felt awkward and artificial, the romance wasn't believable, and most of the relationships felt forced. This was a bit of a disappointment since I had so enjoyed the world building in the beginning.

      Ultimately, In the After was an okay read. I don't know if I will continue with the series since I didn't really like the direction the story went. However, I would still recommend it to fans of zombie, post apoc, sci fi, and dystopic themed books.
    • 5/5
      They hear everything, they are faster than anything you've ever seen and they won't stop until your dead. Amy has an ordinary teenage life and is a normal teenage girl until the one day they world is attacked by Them. These fast creatures our devouring and eating everyone on the planet and can't be stopped. Most of the world's population has dropped but Amy and Baby manage to survive and even rescue a toddler she named "Baby". The girls do everything they can to not get caught by Them. After years and years of hiding from the creatures they finally get rescued and taken to a new place, New Hope. At first the colony seems like a dream come true with plenty of food, safety, shelter, New Hope slowly becomes something far from ideal. If things don't change for Amy, she'll loose Baby and everyone else she cares about. This book definitly kept me reading for hours! It was very thrilling at points but also sad and surprsing. I think they should make a sequel to In The After! Great book
    • 5/5
      Loved it. You couldn't ask for a more exciting read. It reminded me of when I first read Hunger Games and The Forest of Hands an Teeth. There was the rush of reading a really enjoyable book, followed by the letdown and impatience of having to wait for the next book.
    • 3/5
      Amy is living in a silent world in order to keep the alien creatures that invaded earth from devouring her whole. Her only company a toddler she named Baby.This book is exactly what I want in a futuristic, Earth has gone to shit scenario; fast paced, awesome characters, and top notch world building. I connected with Amy very quickly. The way the author presents her and her thoughts just made it so easy. I found myself empathizing with her and her plight within the first chapter. It is rare that I connect with a character so quickly.The pacing was practically perfect. Filled with edge of your seat action. Even the parts that focus on Amy hiding out in her home kept me frantically wanting to know what was to come next.(Minor complaints)I felt the novel lost some of its momentum in the middle, but thankfully it picked back up quickly. The love interest. Was. Not. Feeling. It. Hoping he'll grow on me as the series continues.(End of minor complaints)In the After is a novel that is both engaging and entertaining. I thoroughly enjoyed this series start and can't wait for more!
    • 4/5
      In The After is a book about a girl named Amy who is in the middle of an alien invasion. Later now Amy finds a baby that she calls baby. Next Amy and Baby start seeing ship that Amy and baby believe belong to the creatures. Soon Amy and Baby find a girl named Amber that got Amy and Baby's shelter taken away form a group of boys.After that one of the ships catch Amy and Baby to Amy's surprise was filled with people. The ship took Amy and Baby to a protected place from the creatures called new hope. New hope has a strict set of rules that Amy wants to avoid by becoming a guardian.Soon after a group of creatures now called Floreas Breaks in and almost destroys new hope.Later Amy is sent to the ward which is basically a prison. Later Amy's friends help break her out of the ward. Lastly Amy leaves new hope and baby to not be put in the ward again and Amy starts her new goal to go to a place called Fort Black.
    • 5/5
      This book was excellent. I started reading it one night, after the power went out. I lost track of time, as I sat there, reading by candlelight. Hours ticked by, and finally, the power came back on. I was about 2/3 through this book, when I went back to whatever I was doing before the power went out. But, I couldn't shake this book. So, I went back to it, and finished it that night. I just couldn't put it down.

      It's the story of an alien invasion. A young girl named Amy is stranded, after her parents were killed. She bunkers down in her house, which was quite fortified, because her parents were crazy hippy survivalist nuts. The house even had an electric fence that surrounded it, which actually help keep the aliens out.

      She watches as the invaders tear through town, feasting on sweet human flesh. She stays quiet, because she learns that the aliens have extra sensitive hearing. She finds a girl in a supermarket who is only a couple years old, but somehow she had survived the attack. The toddler tries to talk, but Amy keeps her quiet, and even teaches her sign language, from a book her parents had in their library.

      While I was getting near the end of this book, I was worried. I kept thinking of ways the author could screw up the ending. But I was pleasantly surprised. The ending was just as good as the rest of the book, if not better. It was just fucking amazing.
    • 4/5
      “After They came, I did not leave my house for three weeks. The broadcasts stopped after the first few days, but they were not helpful anyway. They kept repeating the same things. Aliens had landed, they were not friendly, half of the planet was dead.They were horrifyingly fast, traveling across the globe at an alarming pace. They didn’t destroy buildings or attack our resources, like in so many crappy Hollywood movies. They wanted us. They hungered for us” (9). A large, unexplained object lands, hosting thousands of hungry, predatory “Them” that rapidly kill, eat, and take over every continent and city. Amy is alone at home when it happens, and barricades herself inside, thanks to her father’s foresight. When all becomes quiet, too quiet, Amy ventures outside the safe boundaries of her house to scavenge and find survivors. She ends up rescuing a toddler, whom she calls “Baby,” and they live three years in silence, as “Them” are attracted to noise.Eventually, Amy and Baby are rescued by an elite, organized force that resides in New Hope, a highly-regulated society of survivors. Amy’s mother is the director and assures her daughter that the confining rules of New Hope are for the betterment of future mankind. When Amy stumbles upon experiments involving the fearsome Them, she begins to realize her mother is not telling her everything.In The After is a 2015 Lone Star-awarded book, and for good reason – the writing is smoothly-paced, the action has peaks and valleys, and the subject matter of the book is fascinating, albeit in a morbid way. Those in the lower grades, like sixth and seventh, might not be the best audience for this gruesome subject matter and grotesque descriptions of Them eating people: “The creatures pounced, not bothering to kill their prey before feeding. They ripped skin and flash from their victims, who screeched in agony” (14) and “They feed for a long time, eating every bit of their dead, their sharp teeth chewing through skin, muscle, and bone. Their feeding noises sicken me, slurps with the occasional crunch” (68). So, gird your iron stomach and go ahead and read this, but don't say I didn't warn you.
    • 4/5
      The world has been attacked by Florae and Amy thinks she is the only survivor. Any noises attract the aliens.Amy had nothing and no one until she met Baby. Baby was only a little girl when Amy met her,but she grows up. Amy and Baby have a secret sign language so they can communicate in silence..Amy has and Baby are taken to the New Hope to live without the Florae. Baby fits right in,but Amy is put in a gifted group and starts making friends. Amy decides she wants to hunt the Florae, but finds out that her mom she found in the New Hope, knows how the Florae came about. Amy wants to hunt the Florae and kill them, but she finds out that Vivian her new friend was turned into one. The Florae was a scientific breakout, and Amy’s mom was part of it.Demetria Lunetta had an idea that developed into something so much more.This is story about survival and making the impossible possible. She has created an unforgettable story that shows what love really is and how to make the best of the worst. Ms. Lunetta has written an extraordinary sci-fi story. Just when you think all is well, the world is shaken up.
    • 1/5
      In the book the protagonist, Amy watches on the news as the so called 'them' land in a major city. The time and location of the event is not told. 'They' are identified by news crews as aliens. The aliens hunger for human flesh constantly and can run as fast as cars. Amy survives by bieng extremely quiet and hididng in her house which has an electric fence, because her mother was a government official. Amy presumes her parents are dead and lives a life of solitude, she has a decent rooftop garden which sustains her. The solar pannels on her house power the electric fence day and night. When amy becomes particulary hungry one night she travels to a supermarket and finds a toddler who she names baby. The toddler has obviously been very quiet so amy takes her home. While living with baby a helicopter comes down one day and captures Amy and baby. They are taken to a survivor city called new hope. The scientists there are very secritive and amy's curious nature gets in her in to mild trouble. One day she finds out that her mother is at new hope and wanders into a lab where they are testing 'them' with suringes. Amy discovers that 'they' where all originaly people and the infection started when a researcher broke his test tube of the toxin and became a monster. The plague rapidly spread after that. Amy escapes new hope and hopes that her mother is ok.
    • 5/5
      This book was amazing. I couldn't put it down. I'm pretty sure it just became one of my favorites.
    • 2/5
      One of the things that bothers me most in reading is the poorly executed, embarrassingly bad book that has received high praise elsewhere. One example is Mira Grant's Feed, whose awards I found frustrating and misplaced. But that's another topic. In the After is not in that category, but the rejoinder is that it hasn't won awards. I will give no spoilers, but the book reads like something written by an eager but inexperienced high school student. What appears intended as foreshadowing is actually telegraphing. There are few surprises. The book cannot rest on our interest in the protagonist, because she is insufficiently fleshed out to make up for the missteps that made me cringe. Read at your own risk.
    • 5/5
      This book is about a 16-year old girl named Amy. Amy lived in a good World until one day. Amy was watching TV and her family were all gone. Her Mother works in a scietific Lab and her dad was a
    • 4/5
      This is a great YA dystopian novel. The action is fast, leaving you on the edge of your seat. I held my breath when Amy found Baby. I cherished their relationship as it grew and deepened. My heart was in my throat when Amy and Baby were taken to New Hope; as they discovered what had truly happened and realized what was going to happen next. I can't tell if I'm eagerly awaiting the next installment or am dreading it because I don't want to see what happens in case its not how I would have liked it to be. So many dystopian YA's have gut wrenching endings I don't know if I can stand another!
    • 5/5
      Amy and Baby survived Them for years. They hid away in Amy's house behind the protection of a barbed wire fence and an abundance of solar power energy. They run out and get food at night when They are asleep. Amy and Baby are some of the last humans left. Or so they think. When Amy and Baby are forced to leave their home, they are found by a ship, that when on board, contains other survivors. They are taken to New Hope, where everything is great. There is plenty of food and safety from Them. Everything is fine until Amy realizes something that changes everything... In the After is an amazing book. It is scary, suspenseful, unexpected, and above all amazing. I loved this book for its unexpected ending and for all the things you never would expect, which takes up half the book. The author, Demitria Lunetta, spends her days studying how humans can bring upon their own doom, which definitely shows up in the book. Throughout the book you believe something big, but at the end, you realize its not true. This book is fantasy, but is so terrifically written you think its real. This book scares you half to death, makes you so happy you could cry, and makes you so sad you can barley breathe. This book is truly a work of art.
    • 4/5
      In the After by Demitria Lunetta is a post-apocalyptic tale of survival.One day Amy is watching TV while her mom is at work and her dad is at the market when the news gets disturbing. Finally focusing, Amy realizes that aliens have landed and they are hungry. In hours most people are dead. Amy survives by not leaving her house and studying the aliens, which she call Them. Thankfully, her mom was security conscience and there is an electric fence around her house that They cannot penetrate. Amy figures out how to avoid being eaten by these creatures who really aren't smart, just lethal. On one foraging trip, Amy finds Baby and takes her home. Baby is a survivor; she can be still and she hears amazingly well. They have each other.Of course in all post-apocalyptic tales, you have the good and the bad, which can be debated. Amy meets some of the bad elements left over but, mostly, she and Baby are alone. The novel takes a turn about half-way through when we learn about other survivors and how they have lived. It's a tense, thrilling novel. Would you survive?
    • 5/5
      Say one day you get home and sit down and watch TV. Then you flip to a news channel and you read the headlines " THEY HAVE CAME FROM OUTER SPACE" then the news newsreporter is eaten and the cameraman too. You see out of the fallen camera a small fast green creature with razor sharp teeth and sharp claws. This is how Amy starts in the alien apocalypse. She tries to get a holed of her hippie dad and her scientist mom . When she can't get reach her parents Amy learns how to adapt to the after. By being quiet and fast. She runs to get food supplies everything is normal in the after till she finds a baby she names this baby "baby". Baby has a mysterious mark on the back of her neck and she been bitten by one of these aliens. One day while a florae almost eats Amy but Baby and Amy are saved by a helicopter. They are taken to a place called New Hope where she finds her mother. After being there a while she finds out that the aliens are human and its a bacteria that transforms then in the end Amy escapes New Hope to leave to Fort black since New Hope is not safe for her Amy is a silent fast girl trying to survive in the after. Baby is a three year old who somehow survived pretty long in the after. Baby has the hearing of a dog and she knows how to speak in sign language with Amy. These floraes are really fast and have the ears of a dog. There green and have razor sharp claws. That would be cool to have. I like how they make it real cause when she goes out to get food she picks the cans cause everything else is spoiled like the apples and oranges. When they get to new hope the categorize all the children and few brave people make it into the guardians which are elite florae killers the kinda like seal team just without the cool weapons.
    • 3/5
      Amy was watching TV the first time she saw Them. They are vile creatures that are wiping out the human race very quickly. Amy, safe behind her house’s electric fence, survives the initial onslaught that They brought upon the world. After overcoming the shock that all her friends and family were probably dead she starts to take care of herself. She starts to raid grocery stores’ and other peoples house during the night making no noise as if she was a shadow. She is on one of her raids when she finds a little baby girl in a grocery store eating old grapes without making a single sound. She takes the girl home and is amazed by her skills of stealth and her amazing hearing. Amy names the girl baby and they develop their own version of sign language to communicate. After three years of Amy and Baby surviving together they meet a girl who is barely surviving on one of their raids. They decide to take the girl home and find out her name is Amber. Soon Amber betrays them to a gang and they have too flee from their safe haven and try to survive in the dangerous city. They start to notice black shapes appear in the sky and just hover in the air for a few hours before flying away. One day while Amy and Baby are walking they get captured by one of these ships and get taken to a place called New Hope. New Hope is a human safe-haven that was established after the invasion. Amy finds out that her mother is in fact alive and well in New Hope. She learns many things including that she has a baby brother and that They are actually called Florae. However things take a turn for the worse when the Florae attack New Hope and kill many of its citizens. Amy finds out that the Florae are not aliens, they are people that were infected by a lab-made disease and turned into these creatures. In her efforts too expose the truth she becomes an outlaw and has too run away without Baby to Fort Black in Houston where she can maybe find a way to stop the virus. This book I would have to say, was OK. IT wasn’t the best book ever because there were many gaps in the story and the chronology of it was very confusing. I think the idea is great, a teenager adapting to a harsh world overrun by vicious creatures. I lost interest in the story by the time they went to New Hope. Now I didn’t completely hate the book, the characters were very interesting to learn about and I would want to know more. I thought the way the author wrote every gruesome, gritty detail about Amy’s world was very good. The climax of the story I would have to say was either when Amy arrived at New Hope or when she found out the Floraes were human. I can’t wait to read the sequel to see what happens to Amy, Baby and the world itself.
    • 3/5
      Amy was watching TV when she first learned of them. They hear the most silent of footsteps. They are faster than anything you've ever seen and they won't stop chasing you until your dead. As far as Amy knows she is the only human left in the after. She was safe behind her electric fence that her scientist mom had put up to protect her top-secret work. When Amy is getting food one night she discovers a little girl silently eating grapes making no noise what so ever. Amy can’t just leave her there so she takes her home with her and names her baby. They form a modified type of sign language, which they use to communicate. After a few years they find amber and baby fall instantly in love with her. It turn out amber was using them to find a place for her gang to live safely. Baby and Amy are forced to leave and live outside. One day the notice black objects in the sky that is taking the creatures away. A few days later they are captured and taken away to New Hope. There she discovers her mother is still alive and she now has a baby brother. Amy finds out that the creatures are called flora and are people that have been infected not aliens, because of her knowledge Amy must escape new hope and go to fort black leaving baby behind. In The After was not the best book. It was very confusing in the third part. one minute you where reading about her in the ward the next she wasn't in the ward. I did enjoy the first and second part of the book. Those two parts where very interesting. There is a second book that i would like to read that will hopefully help me understand this book.
    • 4/5
      Amy is in her living room when it happens , when ''them'' come. They attack her world leaving her alone. Amy quickly has to adapt to living in a silent but deadly world. Behind the safety of her house she survives. When she finds baby in an abandoned supermarket, a toddler that managed to survive, she posed as a threat. Amy and Baby though soon build a strong relationship. Soon they figure out they were not the only ones that survived and quickly flee their protective home. When all seems lost they are rescued , and taken to New Hope. New Hope though slowly In the After, By Demitria Lunetta is about a girl named Amy. In my opinion I don't think Amy's character was given much development when the book started out. Though through out the book she was given a bit more character. Other then that this book was great! I Liked the fact that the book was scary and kept you in suspense but not scary enough to keep someone up to the point where they can't sleep. The ending is what frustrated me , it was a cliff-hanger and I didn't like that. Overall I enjoyed this book. I would recommend it for young adult readers , rather than kids. I gave this book a 4 star rating because it was written quite well , but some parts of the story were confusing and it seems that some characters and events weren't needed. I enjoyed this book though and highly recommend it to those who like a good scare.
    • 4/5
      How well would you cope if one day your dad was at the store, your mom is also away from the house and the world is turned upside down in a heartbeat. Them appear and in a very short time, civilization crumbles as these flesh-eating, super quick creatures start killing everyone. Amy is lucky because her dad set their house up to be as close to self-sufficient as possible. She has solar power, water and an electric fence that repels the creatures when they come near. It doesn't take long for her to go from an average teen, worrying about peers and guys, to being able to outwit, and if necessary, kill the scary predators that are now a huge part of her reality.One scavenging trip garners her a completely unexpected prize in Baby. The toddler is hiding in a store when Amy goes there to scavenge canned goods. She takes Baby home with her and for several years, they survive, bond and even create their own sign language. When Amy makes the mistake of rescuing Amber and taking her in, the new girl brings her friends to the safe compound and Amy and Baby must flee. Their journey through the scary world that remains, eventually lands them at New Hope, a colony of survivors hoping to start over and find a way to destroy Them.However, all isn't as it seems in New Hope. Amy makes several startling discoveries as her curiosity forces her to investigate things that don't make sense in the new place. She pays a painful price for her knowledge, both physically and emotionally. In the end, she's faced with a decision that is a neat lead into the next book which I'll be reading and reviewing shortly.This isn't for younger teens or anyone squeamish because of the flesh devouring Them and the violence accompanying their behavior, but fans of really overwhelming dystopia will like this one a lot.
    • 5/5
      I really love this book!! It is one of my favorites. I got really uncomfortable when Amy met Jake. I honestly, was glad that he died becuase, he was creepy and a pedo!! Amy was really smart!! She taught Baby sign language! That is pretty impresive! Summary: One day, Amy is watching TV when the president intrudes her broadcast. He explains the invasion of the unknown species. When those creatures invade, they kill half of the planet! This monsters don't like darkness or thunder and rain. Amy's dad is gone and her mom is working at her job in the government. Amy survives in her house for a couple weeks then she runs out of food and goes out at night to scavenge. She goes to a store and meets a 3 or 4 year old child and names her Baby. They survive together for 3 years so far!! And they continue their quest, for survival...
    • 5/5
      What's better than aliens? Zombies! And what's better than that? Zombie aliens!

      I love post-apocalyptic novels, especially zombie ones. This book has good characterization, great setting descriptions, and a wonderful emotional appeal.

      I would like to think that I could be one of the last survivors, but unfortunately (or fortunately depending on how you look at it) I would probably be one of the first to die. Maybe if I read enough of these novels I can learn some extra survival skills to make it through the first days of the end of the world.
    • 5/5
      This had a twist I did not see coming! It was a well written YA post apocalyptic story but not what I expected. Since I read A LOT of this genre that is saying something. Well done!
    • 5/5
      Amy is home alone when it happens. "They" have come. They are the floreas, green discusting monsters that eat humans. The human race is wiped out except for Amy. Amy now lives in silence, alone. The only thing keeping Amy safe is and electric fence that perimeters her house. Amy was surviving off of her fathers vegetable garden which limited her diet to tomatoes. The plants were dying and Amy needed food to survive. Amy bravely leaves her house and raids the shelfs of canned food in a grocery store. In that grocery store Amy finds a 3 year old shovleing her face with grapes. Amy takes the girl and protects her, and names the girl Baby. Amy and Baby make up their own form of sign language and survive in peace for years. About three years pass when Amy and Baby found a teenager standing nervously in front of a grocery store. Baby convinces Amy to take the girl home to live with them. The girls name is Amber, and Amber soon betrays Amy and Baby retreating to a gang lead by her brother. Amy and Baby are more careful than ever now that there are more humans alive that will do anything to survive. Soon after the depart of Amber, Baby and Amy notice black hovering objects in the sky. At first, Amy thought they could me ships from the floraes, until she and Baby were captured by one. The hovering ships had humans in them, taking other humans in the After to a place called New Hope. After being taken from the After, Amy discovers that new hope is run by her mother who turns out to be alive. This book was probably the best book i have ever read. It was a little confusing here and there but i still enjoyed it. It was a quick read and a real page turner, as the reviews from famous people say. The book had a lot of action and a little drama, considering that many close people to Amy died. I also liked the fact that there was no boring dramatic, romance parts. I would definitely suggest this book to people who like action stories.
    • 5/5
      The world is ending. Before, life was normal. Everything was going great. Until "they" came. They are floraes, which cant be seen normally. They hunt in the night, moving at almost the speed of light, devouring us, people. Amy is home alone when the out-break happens. She is watching a T.V. show and it is cut off by an important government broadcast. The broadcast says they are attracted to light, sound, heat, and movement. She waits, thinking it is fake. Her parents never show up. Her mom works for the government. So there house is very protective, with electric fences. She hears screams and she looks out the window to see a person getting devoured by a florae. She doesn't leave the house until she runs out of food. When she finally leaves the house, she finds a supermarket a couple of blocks away. She finds a baby, who is not making a single sound, who is in a stroller. Amy takes the baby, which she calls her baby, to her house. Baby has super sonic hearing and can hear the floraes coming. SheWhen she cant find anymore food in the stores, she starts to scavenge from other houses. One time when she was scavenging, she was caught, and almost killed, She and baby manages to escape. As they are bathing in a lake, they get picked up by these people, who apart of this organization called "New Hope". Once they get there, Amy finds her mom. As happy as she is, she wants to leave. She finds out they want to perform surgery on baby to find out why she has super sonic hearing. Also there is this group who is trying to sabotage the outside of new hope and take over them. So Amy also feels unprotected and tries to escape, and the trainers help her. But she leaves baby with them to protect her and not let the do surgery on her. Once amy leaves, she starts to run to Fort black, another colony farther north. I though the book was suspenseful. The reason why is because when they explained when they got caught by floraes, it was freaky. I also thought is was almost apocalyptic. Reason why is because it was almost like civilization was coming to an end, and they couldn't do anything.

    Book preview

    In the After - Demitria Lunetta

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