Even After This is the first book in Deborah Clack’s Shelter and Sky series. Oh wow, what a surprise. Clack’s style of writing feels as though you are right there with the characters. Their dialogue is natural and plausible and sometimes just as silly and embarrassing as real conversations can be. A couple of the scenes are just hilarious and it feels as though you could walk in on just such a situation. In the interest of preserving the surprise of the story, let’s just say, “I’m not supposed to talk to famous people” has a few elements of truth.

This book was an unexpected mix of humor and deep emotional grief. The author doesn’t try to soften the blows either. She just lays it all out there for readers to absorb and experience–everything from soul-wrenching anguish to laugh out loud moments, this story has it all. It is honest and raw and a great read. Now, if you are an especially emotional person, you might want to be careful about where you read the book, but it is worth the read.

One part of the main character of Meredith Harper that is especially appealing is the honest way her feelings are expressed. The plot is not designed as a meet someone, fall for them, and immediately cut to the happily ever after. Meredith has to work through a lot of issues and the book does a great job of having her take a few steps forward, fall back a bit, and have to rebuild. Amidst all of this, various aspects of her personality begin to emerge as she starts to crack open her shell of grief and live again.

Review of a Digital Advance Reader’s Copy Provided by the Publisher

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language: None

Violence/Gore: A person thinks about wanting to hit someone with an object or punch the person.

Sex/Nudity: A character thinks something might be like foreplay, no details nor is it truly sexual; a person mentions a movie had a sex scene.

Mature Subject Matter:

Death of immediate family members.

Drug/Alcohol Use:

People drink wine at a party; a couple of times a character is asked if she is drunk.