Scan barcode
heartsdesire's review against another edition
2.0
I cannot stand Holly fr so I walk to the exit door :(
libraryofdreaming's review against another edition
4.0
The Afterlife of Holly Chase was a well-written and enjoyable book. This is not a straight up adaption of A Christmas Carol but instead a clever reimagining filled with entertaining nods to the original. There are a few fantasy elements, but it is mostly a coming of age book with some romance. Holly was such a fun narrator. Unsurprisingly, Cynthia Hand gives her a fabulously expressive voice. It was a pleasure to get in her head and follow her journey.
I predicted the ending fairly easily, but it was still well done. If anything, I wish that there had been a bigger "oomph" moment in the last quarter of the book. It felt like it was missing something. I was quite surprised by one twist though. I appreciated that the focus remained squarely on Holly and her personal development rather than being subsumed by the romance or her love interest's needs.
Overall, it was an engaging book. As a fan of both Dickens and Cynthia Hand, it did not let me down.
I predicted the ending fairly easily, but it was still well done. If anything, I wish that there had been a bigger "oomph" moment in the last quarter of the book. It felt like it was missing something. I was quite surprised by one twist though. I appreciated that the focus remained squarely on Holly and her personal development rather than being subsumed by the romance or her love interest's needs.
Overall, it was an engaging book. As a fan of both Dickens and Cynthia Hand, it did not let me down.
trumanshow's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I really loved it. But the ending, I have mixed feelings about it honestly. It's the best for both characters but it's bittersweet in a way because of their relationship throughout the book.
hellobookbird's review against another edition
4.0
"Everyone started sniffling at that point. Everyone, that is, except me. I never did the crying thing. It would have ruined my makeup."
On Christmas Eve, Holly was visited by three ghosts who showed her how selfish and spoiled she'd become. They tried to convince her to mend her ways. She didn't and continued on being a horrible person. So she died and woke up in her own personal version of hell: working for Project Scrooge as their newest Ghost of Christmas Past.
Five years later, she's still there. Still seventeen. Still her own selfish self. Then the latest Scrooge is picked—a hot, teenage guy who Holly discovers she has a lot in common with—and things start to change.
4.5 stars! This was an impulse buy for me because the cover was so simplistically well-designed. I'm aesthetically driven and I happened to go to school for commercial graphics so I have an appreciation of such things.
I definitely didn't expect to like this book as much as I did! I went into this thinking it would be just another Scrooge story: learning the error of your ways and becoming a better person. The concept is great but I'm actually not that much of a fan of [b: A Christmas Carol|5326|A Christmas Carol|Charles Dickens|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1406512317s/5326.jpg|3097440]. However, the excerpt on the back cover made me hope it would be sufficiently snarky to get through it.
Holly was definitely sufficiently snarky for me. She starts out as a truly horrible person—the kind that you love to hate. After she dies and joins Project Scrooge, she's a little better (after all, she isn't able to indulge in her materialistic impulses and must work for her board), but she's still the same unrepentant selfish Holly of before. And she's hilarious.
He was playing tennis, wearing black gym shorts that hit him about six inches above the knee and a simple polo, and he was sweating a little.
Thank you, universe.
I also truly loved Project Scrooge itself. It has a Monsters, Inc. feel when it comes to sifting for memories, it connects to the classic story in a super modern and unique way, and it has the barest hint of the paranormal to make it all work.
And finally, the romance itself was light, the banter was good, it wasn't over-the-top, and it didn't consume the story.
"Because I'm like the opposite of Cinderella. My ball only starts after midnight."
He looked down at my flip-flops. "I don't see any glass slippers."
"Glass slippers are so last season."
"So you're expecting me to be Prince Charming?" he asked.
I put a finger to my chin like I was thinking. "Are you a prince?"
"No."
"Are you charming?"
"You tell me."
While the ending was a bit bittersweet for me, it was perfect. I'll definitely be looking for other Cynthia Hand books in future!
Recommended for readers that want a light, silly, humorous read. No holidays required!
marion's review against another edition
4.0
« but love doesn't always have to be about the happy ending. love can be about beginnings, too. »
ok i enjoyed reading this story so much and the end wasn't what i expected AT ALL. there's only a few things that bother me but, overall, this was very great and i loved the concept !
ok i enjoyed reading this story so much and the end wasn't what i expected AT ALL. there's only a few things that bother me but, overall, this was very great and i loved the concept !
rubytrev's review against another edition
4.0
This was a pretty good read. The first half dragged a little for me, but I really enjoyed the second half. The ending was good although I’d be lying if I said I was okay with Ethan being so much younger. It was definitely unique and fun.
thechanelmuse's review against another edition
4.0
I was expecting a contemporary retelling of the classic ol' tale, A Christmas Carol. This, instead, takes an unpredictable turn. Great holiday read.
lyakimov's review against another edition
3.0
3.75 stars.
this took me sooo damn long to finish because of college starting. this book was honestly pretty compelling. it was a really weird premise and it actually worked. the ending was unexpected and i actually enjoyed it!
holly was such an interesting protagonist because she is narcissistic, selfish, etc. weirdly enough, i actually did end up liking her, through all of her flaws. i think the author did very well about holly’s characterization.
I do like how the love interests do not end up together. Even though they don’t end up together, the ending was a very happy ending and I really liked it. Also, I wasn’t obsessed with the romance; I didn’t love it, but I still was not opposed. I was just kind of neutral.
still enjoyed it though!!!
this took me sooo damn long to finish because of college starting. this book was honestly pretty compelling. it was a really weird premise and it actually worked. the ending was unexpected and i actually enjoyed it!
holly was such an interesting protagonist because she is narcissistic, selfish, etc. weirdly enough, i actually did end up liking her, through all of her flaws. i think the author did very well about holly’s characterization.
I do like how the love interests do not end up together. Even though they don’t end up together, the ending was a very happy ending and I really liked it. Also, I wasn’t obsessed with the romance; I didn’t love it, but I still was not opposed. I was just kind of neutral.
still enjoyed it though!!!
thebooksuccubus's review against another edition
5.0
A very interesting twist on the classic Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. I this is the first modern Christmas/Holiday book I have read. I truly enjoyed this story. Their was secrets, love, holiday spirit and of course the classic lesson of being kind to one another. This one truly resonated with me. I also lost my mother when I was due to cancel and I can truly see how life events can send people down different paths that could be changed with a few acts of kinds. It is all about the butterfly effect. Loved this book is a definitely a recommended read.