After (Volume 1) (The After Series) Paperback – 4 April 2019

I wish I knew where to start, apart from what I read in the blurb I knew nothing about this story. Then I mentioned After in a tweet and suddenly I’m being told that what I’m reading glorifies abuse, features rape and is based around One Direction.Panic set in, how can I do this, it goes against everything I’ve ever read, seriously I’m about to read a book about One Direction!Now let’s get this out there, I am not a One Direction fan, my knowledge stretches to knowing that the curly haired one dated Caroline Flack.The truth is I don’t care who the characters were originally based around, because this book is a work of FICTION.I feel I need to address the rape and abuse allegations that flit around social media regarding this book.Within the pages of After you are pulled into a story of love, now this isn’t the Disney love story we grew up believing in but then again we also don’t have genies living in lamps.What Anna Todd has created is a story of love that’s so consuming the characters can’t control their emotions, BOTH characters use things against each other and in some cases their love and hate divide walks a very fine line.There is no glorifying of abuse or rape within the pages of After,Todd has captured the emotions and thoughts of Tessa Young our main protagonist in ways that allow us to see the inner turmoil she at times experiences.Tessa is about to embark on a new life at college. leaving behind her mother and boyfriend Noah,But college doesn’t introduce Tessa to like minded people, instead she meets roommate Steph, a tattooed party lover who has a whole crowd of friends she is willing to share.One of these being Hardin, a guy who manages to get under Tessa’s skin.I’m torn on how to describe the characters because I didn’t particularly like Hardin or Tessa. At times they both annoyed me and there are moments where I hated Hardin and everything he did.That being said there is a great mix of characters throughout this story, from the manic Molly to the loveable Landon and let’s not forget nice Noah.But despite my lack of love for the characters I could not put this book down, it was the emotion that drove this book for me and it’s that which has left me desperate to read more.There are elements of this book that shocked me, facts that disgusted me but hand on heart I loved it.With its short chapters this 592 page story is definitely a quick read, there was life before this book and then there was everything AFTER!

I genuinely don't know how to review this book! I have just finished reading it and already have a massive book hangover! I have never written a review before but feel compelled to do so! I found this book on the shelves in a bookstore and was intrigued, so downloaded the same day!It is one of those books that has you gripped from very early on! It appears to be a simple story of a very very innocent young girl starting uni, but the characters develop so well! I admit I thought Tessa was very boring and very sheltered, but I did not expect the story to b so engrossing!Hardin (strange name I know) is just one of those characters that you just really despise, but you really want to love him! He's angry, bitter and so so cruel! I guess it's his character that has compelled me to review! I was totally engrossed and was not at all prepared for the twist!!Read this book and you will not regret it! Cannot imagine what book 2 holds but cannot wait!!

I loved this book every single chapter, I was never one to read I was trying to find what I enjoyed best but turns out it was confront of me the whole time. I need to continue their journey. I love the characters and how it all links, it made me fall in love with the fray! Just so many elements of this book that will open people's eyes.

Good book. Great characters, reasonable plot. You do get frustrated with Tessa and wish to God she would kick Hardin to the line. Hardin, yeah he has daddy issues but he is a prick and when the truth came out in the end I found I couldn't stand him. I actually don't want these two to be together, I want Tess to go off and meet a great guy who will love her and show her off not someone spineless like Hardin who plays childish games. Not sure how I feel about reading the second book because I'm not sure I want these two to have their happy-ever-after.

Lovely books 📚

This book deserves 5 stars 🌟After watching the film the book is better by far! The way the author describes their love story is gripping and I couldn’t stop reading.Although it is clearly a toxic love, it keeps you engrossed.

Good

I decided to read the After series after I had watched the film on Netflix as my obsessive personality needed to know what happened next for Hardin & Tessa!I am so glad i read the books as they are a 100000% better than the film, there is so much more detail in the book and i could feel both characters torn emotions. I felt harder for them when i lost myself in their story!I was also surprised to see how they had made the film much more PG to what the book was, i was more impressed with the original storyline as it played on your heartstrings way stronger than the PG version.This first book just left me even more excited to know what happens next and what path Tessa decides to take.