Review: In the After by Demitria Lunetta

In the After (In the After #1) by Demitria Lunetta

They hear the most silent of footsteps.
They are faster than anything you've ever seen.
And They won't stop chasing you...until you are dead.
Amy is watching TV when it happens, when the world is attacked by Them. These vile creatures are rapidly devouring mankind. Most of the population is overtaken, but Amy manages to escape—and even rescue “Baby,” a toddler left behind in the chaos. Marooned in Amy’s house, the girls do everything they can to survive—and avoid Them at all costs.
After years of hiding, they are miraculously rescued and taken to New Hope, a colony of survivors living in a former government research compound. While at first the colony seems like a dream with plenty of food, safety, and shelter, New Hope slowly reveals that it is far from ideal. And Amy soon realizes that unless things change, she’ll lose Baby—and much more.
Rebellious, courageous, and tender, this unforgettable duo will have you on the edge of your seat as you tear through the pulse-pounding narrow escapes and horrifying twists of fate in this thrilling debut from author Demitria Lunetta.

Publishes in US: June 25th 2013 by Harper Teen
Genre: Ya science fiction
Source: Harperteen via Netgalley
Series? Yes, The 1st in In the After series. The 2nd The End releases summer 2014.

Buy it: Amazon and Barnes & Noble

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   The set-up is so creepy, I cannot imagine these aliens, Them. They are so strong, but Amy luckily finds their weaknesses and even though her parents don't survive, their eccentricities from life helps her to survive in this almost post-apocalyptic setting. At first Amy thinks she is alone, the last person alive, but then she finds Baby, and runs into people slowly. 

    I loved the sisterly relationship between Amy and Baby, it kept me emotionally invested in the story while the encounters with Them, and the challenges of staying alive kept me involved with action and plot. 

    I was eager to find out more about this strong alien, why they are there, and how they got there. How others besides Amy survived, and where this mysterious group of other survivors mentioned in the synopsis would come into play. Demitria Lunetta gives those answers little pieces at a time, and keeps me reading with her great world building and attention to detail. Its intense, a little gritty, and the pacing is great throughout. 

   I enjoyed Amy's character, she is smart, snarky and resourceful. While she does what she has to in order to survive, she has a heart that is big and beautiful. She rescues Baby, and she takes in others. She still cares for others despite what she went through. 

   The jumps in time starting around 30% confused me though. I know that was the point because we are in Amy's head and she obviously doesn't know what is going on either. When I started getting suspicions of why she was drugged and confused I didn't like it but I knew that it was all part of the storyline, and like a sucker punch to the gut. 

    I didn't have it all right, but there were a few things I was right about and then other twists that caught me completely by surprise. 

    There was a hint of romance, and I hope that the next book advances it a little more, but I am okay with that. It was kind of refreshing for that not to be a driving factor in the book. 

    The ending is crazy, and all that it should have been for the book except that it was a bit of a cliffie but it left me yearning for the next book which I will definitely be reading. 

Bottom Line: Chilling story of survival

Books similar to In The After: (links go to my review) Doomed by Tracy Deebs, Wasteland by Susan Kim and Laurence Klavan

My question to you, my lovely readers:

What would you do if unfriendly aliens invaded?