BOOK TOUR REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Aftermath by Clara Kensie

Posted by Carrie

Aftermath

by Clara Kensie

Contemporary YA

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Book Description

Charlotte survived four long years as a prisoner in the attic of her kidnapper, sustained only by dreams of her loving family. The chance to escape suddenly arrives, and Charlotte fights her way to freedom. But an answered prayer turns into heartbreak. Losing her has torn her family apart. Her parents have divorced: Dad’s a glutton for fame, Mom drinks too much, and Charlotte’s twin is a zoned-out druggie. Her father wants Charlotte write a book and go on a lecture tour, and her mom wants to keep her safe, a virtual prisoner in her own home. But Charlotte is obsessed with the other girl who was kidnapped, who never got a second chance at life–the girl who nobody but Charlotte believes really existed. Until she can get justice for that girl, even if she has to do it on her own, whatever the danger, Charlotte will never be free.

4fleur

MY THOUGHTS: 4 OUT OF 5 FLEURS DE LIS

Aftermath by Clara Kensie

There are always, and have been recently, stories of those who have been abducted getting rescued. We watch with rapt attention as we are shown the details of who took them, how long they were kept, and the deplorable conditions in which they were forced to live. But how often do we think about what becomes of their lives when they try to get them back to normal?

Aftermath is the story of 16 year old Charlotte Weatherstone, whose 4 year ordeal ended when she was rescued from a cage in an attic. Her family, which was the only thing that let her allow a glimmer of hope while she was imprisoned, has fallen apart in several ways. Her twin sister is not the girl she imagined she would be. And though Charlotte is free from her captor, she still feels his hands around her neck all too often.

The story gripped me instantly, opening with Charlotte’s rescue, and though this terrible part of her life is over, there’s much left to experience. I felt her raw fear as she had flashback after flashback. I was heartbroken along with her when she learned about what was going on with her parents and sister. I grieved when she finally broke down and told the stories about what exactly had happened to her while she was being held. This was in some ways, a very cathartic book.

There were some moments that seemed trite to me, such as Charlotte’s twin sister Alexa deciding she wanted her new last name to be Enola (yes, the backwards spelling of ALONE). This may be because I am an older reader and this book is targeted to young adults. But for the most part, I could relate to Charlotte and the fantastic characterization allowed me to feel close to her. I would recommend this book without hesitation.

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About the Author

Clara Kensie grew up near Chicago, reading every book she could find and using her diary to write stories about a girl with psychic powers who solved mysteries. She purposely did not hide her diary, hoping someone would read it and assume she was writing about herself. Since then, she’s swapped her diary for a computer and admits her characters are fictional, but otherwise she hasn’t changed one bit.

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