Adored this gorgeous exploration of death, friendship and love. Wonderful to read a novel with lesbian relationships featured so strongly.

DNF’d at 52%
Kept getting taken out of the story by the setting - not the books fault more of a personal preference.
Very much enjoyed the writing style and the characters but I just cannot get back into it.

I really loved this book! Delightful concept and setting, loveable characters. I really felt like I was in Brighton with the characters, and the love story felt incredibly real.

oh. my. god. this book is amazing! it's everything i ever wanted and more. it was so wholesome, it made me cry, it made me laugh. hands down a book i wish i could read for the first time again

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year and it was really good!

I loved the fantasy elements and the lesbian & mixed race rep was great! Ash’s relationship with her family was beautiful to read :)

I did find it a little young for me at times, but I know I’m not the target age, so if I were reading this aged 14 I probably would have given it the full 5 stars!

My biggest bug bear was all the HP references which for a book published in 2021 was unnecessary and quite hurtful.

I wish the book had been longer and more in depth as I felt it was rushed at times, but it was a really enjoyable read anyway and I’m so glad I read it!

Review coming to @rosies.book.shelf on Instagram soon :)

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publishers at Hodder for gifting me an E-ARC of the book

This book follows the story of Ash, a hopeless romantic, who falls in love with Poppy while they're on a school trip. They start dating and are having the best time of their lives until a tragic accident happened. Ash wakes up in surrounded by three strangers who happened to be reapers.

There were so many things that I loved about this book! I loved the diverse cast of characters, the writing, and the concept. I was completely drawn into Ash and Poppy and their relationship! They're definitely on my top favorite f/f couple. It's a bit of an insta-love but I was totally fine with it. Their romance is adorable and sweet. The minor characters are interesting as well but I wished we learned more about them, especially the reapers. My first experience with Tanya Byrne's writing was in 2019 when I read her short story called "Almost Certain" in PROUD by Juno Dawson. Her writing is brilliant and just perfect.

I wish there were more scenes with Ash and her family after she died. I thought her family and bestfriend too are really amazing and I would have loved to read more about them. I also wished we got to see more of Ash being a reaper. Overall, this was a unique read. It's emotional and heartbreaking but full of love and hope at the same time.

*eARC from NetGalley. This did not affect my overall opinion of the book.*

Afterlove is a sweet tale with good LGBT rep and an interesting fantasy element.

The novel had some really poignant moments and pondered some interesting ideas. However, I think it would've been better suited as a duology. The romance was far too insta-love-y for me which meant I didn't have the time to bond with the love interest. Some of the plot was also a little too convenient for me though that is often the case with YA.

For me, the most interesting part of the book was the family dynamic between the MC and her parents/sister. I really wish there was more in the story about those relationships as they seemed to be completely ignored after the first 150 pages or so.

Unmissable. Heartbreaking. Beautiful.

What happens after until death do us part? Ash's love life is finally looking up and life with her new girl friend Poppy is everything she'd always dreamed of. But when tragedy strikes on New Year's Eve and Ash is enlisted as a grim reaper, it looks like the end of her relationship. Can love endure, even in the afterlife?

This novel is incredible. So incredible I'm really struggling to write a review even remotely worthy of it. Even if you don't usually read YA, read this book!

There was a point part way through when I thought this novel might be too upsetting and I considered stopping, but I loved the premise and the writing so much that I kept going and I'm so pleased I did. At its heart is a wonderful love story it's impossible not to root for, but Afterlove is also a touching and heart-wrenching depiction of grief and a celebration of what it means to be alive.

I loved everything about it - from the moments of heightened tension in the first half of the novel (it's impossible not to keep asking if this is it *the* moment), the wonderful depiction of Ash's home life, to the twists in the second half. Afterlove is one of my favourite YA reads of the year and I'll be recommending it to everyone I know.

Thanks to Netgalley, Hachette Children's Group, Hodder Children's Books and Tanya Byrne for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Afterlove is the story of Ashana Persaud and her undying (pun intended) love for Poppy Morgan - and the lengths she will go to ensure that they can be together, forever.

It took less than a page to get me completely hooked on this story. Not only was the flash-forward incredibly well written, as is the case with the entirety of this book, it intrigued me. Ash is an incredibly complicated yet relatable character. Every tidbit I learned about her, her life, her friends, and her family, made me fall more in love with her.

I got attached real quick and was hooked to every word on the page, both scared and excited to move on to the next. I knew what would happen, and both longed for it, and feared it.

This book did not disappoint. Every time I had to put the book away, I wish I didn't have to.

It is a beautiful story and will definitely end up on my favourites of 2021 list.

I. Love. This. Book!

Beautifully written, enough to being you tears while also making you laugh in places.

Gorgeous.

I enjoyed this read! It was so refreshing to see on-page lesbian rep where both the protagonist and her love interest identify as lesbians! I liked that the before section was so long as it gave me a chance get to know Ash and Poppy and their romance, so it gave me something to root for. I did think some key emotional moments were a bit underwhelming and the characters acclimatised to some Hella big situations a bit too easily. But overall a good sapphic read!

Oh this beautiful book! It is romantic and heartbreaking in equal measure, and rips you apart in the most delicious way. The voice is strong and emotional, and never underestimates the intelligence of the reader. Afterlove was my first Tanya Byrne book, but has definitely made her an author I will automatically read.

Car headlights and the smashing of glass turn a disappointing New Years Eve into a deadly one for Ash. But though she’s dead, she’s not gone. Taken in by a group of reapers, she becomes one of them, guiding the dead to the afterlife. But as she moves around her home city, picking up the dead, she can’t help thinking of Poppy, her first love, her secret girlfriend, the girl who no one knows about so no one can tell her that she’s dead. As she adjusts to her new ‘life’ she glimpses Poppy around town and becomes desperate for just a little bit more time with her. But when one is dead and one is alive, Ash must risk everything for Poppy.

I knew from just the very first few pages of Afterlove that it was going to be a favourite of mine. The writing was gorgeous, yes, but there was something else about this book too. Something very special that’s hard to put a name on.

For me, though, the characters are what makes this book so amazing. Ash and Poppy are both so vibrant and alive, and so in love with each other from the get go that it’s hard for me, as the reader, not to fall in love too. I was so caught up in their love story that for a minute, I forgot the premise of the book. I forgot about the crushing blow that was to come. This was a rollercoaster of emotions that I couldn’t get off, but it was glorious. In some ways their relationship could be classed as ‘instalove’ which I’m not a fan of. But the way their interactions and Ash’s feelings for Poppy were written makes it more than this. It felt real, and deep, and so very true.

The secondary characters in this book are great too, especially Ash’s reaper friends who are both blunt and welcoming to her as she adjusts. Ash and Poppy included, each character holds up on their own, outside of the relationships they’re in.

Even though this book is marketed as ‘After’ love and the blurb straight up tells you Ash is going to die, the first part of the book is ‘before’. Except this book calls it ‘Love.’ And we get a whole section of the book dedicated to Ash and Poppy getting to know each other and falling for each other. Which in a way is awful because you know what’s coming. I think this is why their relationship is so heartwrenching – because in every plan they make and hope they talk about, you know it won’t happen.

This is where the book really hit me. We see Ash try and go back to her family home, and watch Poppy from afar because she knows Poppy won’t know she’s dead. Ash’s grief was so strong and it really came through in the writing. I would have liked to see her focus a little more on her friends and family, than just Poppy. But it was still a beautiful portrayal of grief.

I adored this book. I loved it so much from the very first page, and knew it would be an instant 5 star read for me. It seems Tanya Byrne has been writing for a while, but I hadn’t heard of her before. I’ll definitely be checking out her other books.

This was incredible read, very gripping had me laughing and wanting to highlight so many lines that I would like to go back to read again. This book got me out of a reading hangover, the characters ARC were perfect and natural.
The plot was gripping and had a flow that worked and kept you within its pages

When Ash Persaud is the last person to die on New Year’s Eve she becomes a grim reaper, responsible for guiding the souls of the dead to wherever they are going next. But then she learns that her girlfriend, Poppy, is due to die, and she is determined to prevent it despite the potentially dreadful consequences. This is a real tear-jerker, with beautiful writing that captures both the dizziness of first love and the pain of loss. But ultimately it is life-affirming, and is about making the most of the time you have with people. It is written by a queer UK author with Indo-Guyanese heritage, a cultural background that is shared by the main character and evoked beautifully in the novel.

This is honestly so perfect. It really is the lesbian story to die for. Afterlove introduces us to two beautiful protagonists, Ash and Poppy. Ash is tired of just kissing girls in the dark or having casual relationships where girls are too afraid to be out in the open. She wants a real relationship but she’s also tired of putting her heart on the line and getting it broken. Enter Poppy, this free spirit who takes Ash on the ride of her life. I absolutely stan Ash and Poppy. They both make such an adorable couple and I absolutely couldn’t stop reading about them. I had a huge smile on my face as I watched the two of them fall in love in the most wholesome love story ever. It was so refreshing to see two lesbians having a happy love story and I loved every bit of it.

I also really loved Ash’s family and how desi it was. The family dynamics felt extremely relatable and homely and I especially loved reading about Ash’s little sister who always has her head buried in the book. I was so absorbed in the book I almost forgot what the plot was. Halfway through the book we embark on Ash’s journey as a grim reaper and it’s absolutely devastating and heartbreaking and good lord I cried buckets of tears over this book.

But at the same time we get some really quirky and well-written side characters like Esen and Dev who are there to guide Ash through this journey. But of course Ash refuses to let go of Poppy and it’s really interesting to see how the two struggle to stay together. I just find this book to be very beautifully written. It’s about hope, love, family and grief and so much more.

5 Word Review: Love, family, friendship, tragedy, death.

Grab the tissues, you will need them. And a blanket to combat the chills that this love story will give you.

I am struggling to review this, because I loved it so much. Basically: Good book. Book booked good. Read book.

I listened to the audiobook of Afterlove, and I think Aysha Kala did a wonderful job bringing the story to life and filling it with even more emotion.

Ash and Poppy are just... They're my OTP now, the one ship I will go down with. I loved their love, the way that even though their situations in life are so different it doesn't matter to them. Their hearts are full of love. And when Ash becomes a reaper, I have to be honest - it broke me.

Afterlove doesn't shy away from difficult topics - whether its homophobia, or racism, or class disparity, or religious beliefs in the face of your family. It was empathetically done, carefully done, and wasn't afraid to be ugly when it had to be.

This book gently plays with the paranormal, and if I'm honest I barely realised it for what it was. I loved the lore behind it, and I thought it was very clever in the way it was executed.

The story is split into before and after and I think that was a clever way to play with the concepts of the words. It's not just Ash's death, but herself and how she experiences the world, her new role.

That ending though? Excuse me, I need more. I loved the ending, but it left me gasping. It wraps up beautifully but I'm aching for more. Afterlove is the romantic tragedy Romeo and Juliet want to be.

Afterlove is a gloriously beautiful story that will fill your heart to bursting and then break it into a million pieces. You will never be ready, and you will never get over it, but you need to read this book.

Full review to come. This book is exactly what I wish I got out of every YA contemporary. While I understand I am 22 and out of the YA age range, especially for contemporary this was just gorgeous. A beautiful lesbian romance surrounded by death and yearning and for once the main conflict wasn't just stupid school drama. I enjoyed this so much and even shed a few tears. Also the cover is one of sapphic dreams for young lesbians.
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‘The lesbian love story you’ve been dying to read’, and oh if I don’t completely agree. Thanks to @hachettekids and @netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for a late, but all be it honest review. What can I say about this book, except it really is just gorgeous and touching and emotional. Lately YA contemporary has been a genre I’ve found myself falling out with, probably because at 22 I can’t find myself caring for and relating to the daily dramas of teens with school and petty relationships. Afterlove provided so much more than that though, the conflict dealt with death itself.

Ash Persaud is a 16 year old lesbian who loves her best friend and her family and is sick of being let down by girls who just want to embarras her, she meets Poppy Morgan and their romance begins. It’s quick and sweet and they really are a huge lesbian stereotype for falling so suddenly but in the best representation of a stereotype. But like the tagline says, not even death can tear them apart and on New Years Eve, Ash sees car headlights, and then herself lying on the ground dead because as the last person to die in a year she becomes a grim reaper.

This book was breathtaking the way it dealt with death and what comes after. The what comes after was my favourite part, it didn’t tie you to any religion or belief it allowed you, the reader to imagine for yourself. As long as you believe in something, you’ll end up there. Also the paranormal aspect was just perfectly executed, not feeling contrived.

Ash and Poppy’s relationship was honestly one of the best YA romances I’ve read and is ridiculously, even somewhat annoyingly realistic. The way they forgot about everything but each other, wanted to spend all their time together and how they fell so fast is so characteristic of the first love you see forever with. I wish we got to see more from Poppy’s perspective though, especially as the whole book was in Ash’s first person POV. Luckily this worked as Ash was so easy to become invested in, however the book is full of intriguing characters and I almost wish this was a duology with Ash’s death being the split point because there is so much I want to know from before and after.

Yes there were things that bothered me, like wishing Ash had of put a little but more thought into her family after her death, how impulsively stupid she was in moments and how fast everything seemed to move (Once again; this would have been a perfect duology). Afterlove though is a gorgeous, emotional tale of first love and first loss and what happens between those two things with a stunning cover to make any sapphic person, young or old feel warm inside.

This was very unique and I loved the twist on a teen romance. It makes you think about each moment you have and making the most of the time you have with those you love. I want to know more about the world, but liked the romance it focused on.

unfortunately i could not download this title. i am unsure why but it did not allow me to access it. from what i’ve heard from other reviewers it was a very good read but i am intending to buy a copy once it comes out