William J. Barry

In this, the final installment of the Sebastian and the Afterlife trilogy by author William J Barry, Claude, the present reaper, is ready to move on and his successor has already been selected. The transitioning ceremony will be happening very soon. Thing is, Gerald, this successor, is in league with the pirates and has some pretty diabolical plans not only for the spirit realm but for the mortal world as well. Joey Charles has learned of this betrayal but, before he can warn others, he is imprisoned by the pirates and then he is kidnapped and held for ransom in an attempt to force Axis Red to release an even greater evil upon the afterlife.

Forever Awakening is a fun ending to this trilogy aimed at middle graders. Onyx and Sebastian, along with most of their pals, are back and are as likable as ever and there are a few new characters to either cheer for or against. There’s plenty of action, lots of intrigue and even just a hint of romance. Although not all characters survive, the deaths are not bloody or particularly scary but I’m not sure I would recommend this for a child younger than eight.… (more)

This review contains spoilers for books one and two.
Delightful ending to the Sebastian and the Afterlife trilogy!
Starting and ending with action sequences, now full Agents of the Reaper Onyx and Sebastian are still fighting Soul Pirate Axis Red and his gang. Axis Red has a scheme to take over the afterlife along with the Grim Reaper to-be, Headmaster Gerard. The once-pirate Joey Charles is the only one who knows of this plot and has been kidnapped. Will the Agents be able to find Joey Charles in time to stop Axis Red's plan?

Jam packed with action, the final installment of Sebastian and the Afterlife is a wonderful ending to the Trilogy. Sebastian and Onyx grow even more as characters and we get to find out Onyx's soul purpose! The plot twists in Axis Red's conspiracy along with the well-paced action sequences keep this book fast-paced and exiting. Overall, the Sebastian and the Afterlife is a good trilogy for YA readers of middle-school age that are looking for something different.

Sebastian and the Afterlife series was provided as an Advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.… (more)

Note: This review contains spoilers for book one

"This isn't life Onyx...that's over."

Sebastian and Onyx training to be Agents of the Reaper in the spirit realm. After helping to defeat two dangerous Soul Pirates and free the Grim Reaper, Sebastian and Onyx are training to be full agents and protect the spirit realm. The dangerous pirate that they have put in Darhkendin prison has escaped and is planning another ominous mission to take over the realm that involves Sebastian, a beloved teacher Sid and the headmaster of Sapientia. Meanwhile, Sebastian is still a little too tied to the mortal world, worrying about his sister, Kristen and the current Grim Reaper has announced his retirement.

Agents of the Reaper is a wonderful sequel that flowed well from the first book. I was glad to see more character development, especially in Onyx; she is a powerful female character that has her afterlife in control. It was also interesting to get to see more of Jack's journey to fulfilling his soul's mission. This book had a lot more action scenes and intrigue and left us on a cliffhanger that will make you want to start Forever Awakening immediately after.

Sebastian and the Afterlife series was provided as an Advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.… (more)

"I can't be dead...that's ridiculous."

Sebastian finds himself standing in front of an imposing archway surrounded by forest in the afterlife...well, sort of.

Seventeen year old Sebastian's soul has decided that he still has a purpose to fulfill and leads him to away from the archway to the afterlife and into Sapentia school, a high school for other souls still trying to finish their business. While at the school Sebastian and his new found spirit friends, Jack, Onyx and Patricia are guided by spirit teachers who help them find their purpose by using special compasses that will guide them back and forth between the mortal realm and spirit realm. The teachers and Special Agents of the Grim Reaper also keep keep the students away from the outer edges of the spirit realm where 'pirates' roam, trying to steal spirit student's energy.

Sebastian must navigate his new spirit world, try to finish his business in the mortal world and deal with the encroaching threat of a new pirate scheme.

This series is aimed at the YA crowd and is written from a highschooler's point of view which gives us a fresh perspective on death and the afterlife. Sebastian's character is interesting and very true to a seventeen year old male. The adventure aspect of the story adds fun and intrigue. Sebastian is quite the unlikely hero, but those are the best.

The Sebastian and the Afterlife series will be on blog tour at stephaniesbookreviews.weebly.com from Jan. 13-31. Check it out!
Sebastian and the Afterlife was provided as an Advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.… (more)