Barbara Stewart (5) (1970–)

For most death seems to be a long distant friend that will not come knocking until the later stages of adulthood. For others it is a close friend that has left them with the living for an unmentioned time. Those that come back from the dead offer many unique versions of their death. What most do not hear about are the years that come after a near death experience. The loneliness, anger, and frustration that comes from having to leave heaven and re-enter a living hell. Although most near death experiences are described by adults, there are many young people that have traveled this path. This book is about one such teenager named Elanor Moss. She is a girl who flirted with death by her own hands and later came back to realize the importance of her existence. Elanor is a typical teenager in many ways. She struggles with peer pressure and low self- esteem issues, while balancing a heavy load of school work. Trying to find herself in the madness of life, she quickly succumbs to self -doubt and attempts to take her own life. Unsuccessful at her attempt, her mother and father whisk her away to a new city. There her parents hope she will find a new reason to live and can start afresh with her new environment. On the way to the new city her family is involved in a car wreck that kills her father and herself. Once again Elanor comes back from the dead, but this time someone new has come back with her. Suddenly Elanor finds she is not alone and is being haunted by a presence that wants to consume her. Will she be able to find peace in her new town? Will this presence leave her alone and let her soul heal?

This book was an interesting read for me and I found myself being absorbed in the story rather quickly. I found the main character to be fascinating and enjoyed how the author chose to write about an outcast girl. I get tired of the typical popular/pretty girl getting all of the attention and I thought this story was refreshing. All of us have felt like an outsider at one time and this book was a wonderful example of that. It demonstrated the power of self-healing and self-loathing. Sometimes a person is their own worst enemy and they have to choose whether they want to live or die in self-pity. I really enjoyed this book and I have to recommend it hands down. Great job author!… (mais)

This is a strange and dark story with a narrator that I am not sure if I could trust since she was in a car accident and was seriously injured and had a history of depression.
I feel like I have read something similar to this before but I still had a good time reading it. I had a lot of questions and as things changed more and more, I was still wondering what was going on even more. I had several ideas, but they were somewhat discredited as it continued. I was back and forth a lot on if it was paranormal or contemporary while reading because of all that was being put into question
I think that Ellie's depression was realistic, I have felt similar things in my battle with it. But I think that hers was a more unstable and severe form of mental illness, and I didn't know what it was, but there was obviously something coming from. Thought it dealt with so much that was emotional, I feel like I didn't connect with her on that level that I really wanted to. I wanted to feel her pain, desperation and confusion rather than feel like it was 2nd hand.
Madeline was just as mysterious, but I appreciated the acceptance that Ellie felt with her. Their friendship felt really fast and deep, but I know that is the nature of things with teens, intense and deep all happening quickly.
The pace is somewhat slow because it is a psychological build up and character driven.
The ending didn't really answer all of the questions that I wanted to, but it pieced it together as well as could be I guess. I just wanted more healing, or hope. But I guess if you look at it sideways, that will be what's brings her peace. She did realize a lot about herself, and I think she was on that road to realizing that she needs to take steps for healing and her mental health.

Bottom Line: Dark book that had me questioning everything I read.… (mais)