Book Review: After by Anna Todd - #HESSA

After
After #1
Author: Anna Todd
Reading Level: New Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance | College
Released: October 21st 2014
Review Source: Gallery Books

Now newly revised and expanded, Anna Todd’s After fanfiction racked up 1 billion reads online and captivated readers across the globe. Experience the Internet’s most talked-about book for yourself!

There was the time before Tessa met Hardin, and then there’s everything AFTER... Life will never be the same. #Hessa

Tessa is a good girl with a sweet, reliable boyfriend back home. She’s got direction, ambition, and a mother who’s intent on keeping her that way.

But she’s barely moved into her freshman dorm when she runs into Hardin. With his tousled brown hair, cocky British accent, tattoos, and lip ring, Hardin is cute and different from what she’s used to.

But he’s also rude—to the point of cruelty, even. For all his attitude, Tessa should hate Hardin. And she does—until she finds herself alone with him in his room. Something about his dark mood grabs her, and when they kiss it ignites within her a passion she’s never known before.

He’ll call her beautiful, then insist he isn’t the one for her and disappear again and again. Despite the reckless way he treats her, Tessa is compelled to dig deeper and find the real Hardin beneath all his lies. He pushes her away again and again, yet every time she pushes back, he only pulls her in deeper.

Tessa already has the perfect boyfriend. So why is she trying so hard to overcome her own hurt pride and Hardin’s prejudice about nice girls like her?

Unless…could this be love?

Yes that is my rating. Instead of 5 trees, I give it an exploding tree rating. Why? You might ask. Let me just tell you that this story will make you explode from start to finish for many different reasons. Let me explain myself better, so as I sit here writing this review, my chest is still constricted from the crazy explosive emotions that I felt as I read the book and after I finished it (will talk about the ending later). It has stuck with me to the point that I can't think of anything else at the moment. The next book I begin to read after this one, should be afraid of my rejection. This book will give you all the feels but you won't require tissues, no, not even close, more like a Xanax and a support group. 

Like all my reviews I am super honest. So when I say that I almost quit this book about 20+ chapters in, I'm not exaggerating. I was struggling somewhat with the beginning and the fact that I was burnt out on contemporaries and Hardin was just UGH, annoying that I just wasn't connecting with him. I felt like OK, nerdy girl meets tattooed rebel, I've read this many many times before, so what is going to stand out. Then I did give the book a rest for 2 days, I didn't read anything at all for 2 days (I know, how did I survive that) to just clear out my mind of all 200+ books Ive read this year alone, I needed a clean slate. So when I pick After back up on Sunday night, I was already thinking this will probably be the last chance that I'll give it. Cue 6 hours later, it's now 4am and I had to force myself to put the book down. I had to be up in 2 hours and knew I would be exhausted at wake up time. Then I did something I haven't done in a long long time, I had the book at my desk and kept sneaking a chapter here and there every moment I could. I was almost at the point like when Twilight, that I just stop everything and my sole focus was reading the book. I was almost there but being a Monday, my workload was crazy and I just couldn't check out. So throughout the day I read and read until finally I was down to the last chapter, then panic set in. I realized, crap, I am going to NEED book 2 like I need oxygen when I done. 

Little did I know, that that last chapter was going to wreck me completely, it wasn't that I just needed book 2 now, it was like I couldn't breathe from the shock of that ending and then knowing I was left with that ending till god knows when because I did not have book 2. Seriously if Anna Todd would have been standing in front of me when I finished After, I can't say if I would have kissed her or punched her. It could have been both, Todd girl, you are a genius!!! 

Now I can imagine the majority have heard of this story and its beginnings now. I for one did not have a clue that this story existed until Gallery Books sent the press release that they would be printing this Wattpad sensation. I am very familiar with fanfic, since I was a loyal follower of many now published books that began as Twilight fanfics such as Fifty Shades of Grey, Beautiful Bastard, Sempre, Wallbanger, ext... So I know how loyal the original followers can be when it comes to getting the word out about this story and its characters. I'll also admit, I really don't follow One Direction like most do. My heart still lies with the original boy band New Kids on the Block (someone write me a fanfic about them please). So when I read this book, I wasn't picturing the band members of 1D, I didn't even look them up to put names with faces since in the published edited book, the names have been changed. I'm sure those billions of reads probably had a 90% 1D fan-base but I'm happy to tell you, I didn't pick this book up because of 1D, so to have fallen as hard for it as I did and not having to do at all because of 1D, ya know this book is Epic!

Yes I know I'm rambling, that just shows you how effected I am by After. Seriously this will be the 2nd reviewed posted on OUaT for After, and if your not convinced after reading both of our reviews, then I have no other idea how else to convince you to read After. Maybe posting a 1D picture or even a NKOTB picture will do it, lol. Bribery is a good thing. 

Did that work? LOL! Well in case you still need a little more of a push, After is definitely not your typical contemporary as far as the romance and relationships involved. Even when it comes to Tessa and Hardin, you would never put those two together in any scenario but when they come together in After, explosions of a high degree happen that can range from toxic to out of this world. You will have a love-hate relationship with Hardin and at times want to slap Tessa so she can wake up. Then when they are on the same level, you will forget to breathe with their passion and words. I prefer Out-of-the-box then cookie cutter romances, and Todd delivers what I love flawlessly. That's it folks that is all your getting from me on After, I will not spill any more beans, you'll just have to read it for yourself (ASAP). 

Oh wait one last thing, remember I mentioned the ending. Yea, let's just say YOU WONT KNOW WHAT HIT YA!! Hardin is lucky he is a fictional character because if not, humph. Yea, can't say anymore but Hardin, you are a bad bad bad boy! 

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Here are the next 2 installments in the After series:

 

After Ever Happy (After #4 - no cover yet - 2/10/15)

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Post by Anna Todd Books.