Arise by Tara Hudson

I felt okay about the first book in this trilogy, Hereafter by Tara Hudson, but I wasn't blown away enough to know if I'd bother continuing. Now that all three books are released, and I want to finish up some unfinished series in 2014, I decided to give book two a shot. So what did I think of Arise by Tara Hudson?

Well, things are far from paradise for Amelia and Josh, as they can't even kiss too long without Amelia vanishing, and Josh has basically ditched all his friends so they don't think he's crazy for making out with empty space. Dating a ghost sucks. It isn't long before there is more drama thrown into the mix, as it turns out the underworld doesn't just "give up" and they want Amelia-- along with anyone she cares about who happens to get in the way. Amelia travels with Josh to New Orleans for one last Christmas together before she knows she has to leave him forever, but of course, once there, things do not go as planned. 

I found Arise pretty easy and enjoyable to read. It took a little chunk for me to really get engaged in it, but once I did I had a fun time reading it. This isn't a book to change your life or to reread again and again, but it had some interesting twists and it definitely kept my attention. Neither Amelia or Josh are the most interesting characters, but I did like Amelia a lot more in this book, even if she was still a bit whiny in this book. I also thought the tension between Josh and Amelia in Arise was well done, and played off the interesting dynamic of the human/ghost relationship. 

There were a bunch of new characters introduced in Arise and one in particular, Gaby, I really enjoyed. Gaby, along with the easy writing, is enough incentive for me to finish this trilogy up with the final book, Elegy, sometime in the next couple months. Overall I'd say this is a fun, decent read if you're looking for a paranormal romance and although Arise isn't groundbreaking for me, Hudson provides enough suspense and an action-packed second half of the book to keep me hooked. 

Release Date: June 5th 2012  Pages: 407  Format: Egalley
Source: Netgalley  Publisher: Harper   Buy It: Book Depository