Review, Author Interview: After by Anna Todd

After
by: Anna Todd
Publisher: Gallery Books (previously published on Wattpad)
Now Available!!!
Source: Finished copy provided by Publisher
Warning: This title contains explicit content, and is recommended for readers 18+
Add After to your Goodreads list here.
Cover image and synopsis courtesy of Goodreads:
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, Tessashould 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?

Purchase your copy! Amazon | Chapters/Indigo 

Check out the buzz After is receiving!

Click here to watch a short (2-minute) video from CBC News

My Thoughts:

The perfect blend of angst and intensity fans of A Beautiful Disaster and 50 Shades of Grey  are sure to devour!

I am OBSESSED with this series, seriously, I have been sucked into the addictive world of Hardin and Tessa, and I never want to leave!

After is a character driven, new adult romance that is told completely from Tessa's first person point of view, and coming in at almost 600 pages, it's sure to keep readers engaged way into the wee hours of the night :).

As I stated before, the relationship between Tessa and Hardin reminded me quite a bit of the  relationship Abby and Travis shared in A Beautiful Disaster, in the sense that the chemistry is sizzling but at the same time, I constantly felt that these two were completely toxic for each other with their constant love/hate relationship (so you can see why I've labelled this one a roller coaster ride :) haha.) These two definitely need to work on themselves a bit, their youth definitely came through in some of their rash relationship decisions.

Tessa is a smart but often, naive college freshman. She's lived a very sheltered and closed off life on account of her overbearing mother and often overprotective boyfriend Noah. While I constantly wanted to smack her and yell "Grow some back-bone woman!" she is a genuinely good but flawed character. However, I am not a fan of her treatment of Noah, I feel like this man truly got the lousy end of the stick, undeservingly (even if he is a bit of a tattle tell at times- not sure if I spelt that right haha).

Hardin is the domineering, secretive bad boy that I would be warning my daughter against (well if I had a daughter haha). He's infuriating, very "experienced", pushy and down-right irresistible to Tessa (and the reader) of course, his British accent doesn't hurt matters. He's constantly hot and cold (I kept humming that Katie Perry song while reading) but you know he cares deeply for Tessa, but at the same time, he seems to be constantly hiding something from Tessa, something that could completely shatter the world they've built.

After is full of great supporting characters, I especially like Steph, but it is definitely the romance between Tessa and Hardin that drives the plot of Todd's debut, but trust me the drama these two bring to the pages will definitely keep your interest for its complete 500+ pages.

If you're a romance junky like me, you have to read this new sensation, however, if romance isn't your preferred genre you might want to pass on this one.

Happy Reading!!!

Anna Todd Signing

A couple weeks ago, the Indigo at the Eaton's Centre hosted a signing of Anna Todd's debut novel and Wattpad sensation, After. Many fans showed up early to get in line for a chance to meet the talented Todd:

There were many smiling faces and excited fans.

I had the amazing opportunity to do a meet and greet with Anna in the Indigo Green Room, where she answered a few of my burning questions about Tessa and Hardin

Once again, my terrible photography skills have been put on display

Here are some of the questions Anna was able to answer for me (I have to admit that I am paraphrasing as I didn't think to use my recorder so I was scrambling to write down notes haha)

Sum up After in three words

Steamy, heartbreaking, passionate

Who's your favourite character?

Hardin and his transformation (need to read entire series to completely see this)

Would you take Hardin back?

If I was 18-year-old Tessa, yes I would continue to take him back.

Will we see any spin-offs?

Landon will probably be getting his own story.

What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

Try to build an audience. Just put it out there, don't be scared. If you're scared, you should write it.

If you could recast some characters, who would they be?

Photo taken from pintrest.com

Douglas Booth for Hardin because he is dangerous looking.

Photo taken from thefaultinourstars.wikia.com

 Ansel Elgort for Landon

A few notes from Anna on After

-Hardin's irresistible because there's nothing like a bad boy who only wants to be good for you

-She wants her readers to get mad at her characters, she wants them to recognize that they are flawed

It was so nice to meet Anna, and talk celebrity gossip and book boyfriends and of course, all things After and I was very excited to get my copy signed

Huge thanks to the Indigo team, Anna and Simon and Schuster Canada for the opportunity to meet and greet with Anna!