Ascenders by C.L. Gaber – Review by Carrie Reed

High School for the Recently Departed by C.L. Gaber
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ascenders by C.L. Gaber is PERFECT!!!! I love d everything about this book. I could not put it down and when I finally got to the end, I was so mad and needed the second book ASAP!

Walker is a 17 year old high school girl who has just passed away. After dying she is in this sort of middle world. This new place isn’t heaven or hell, it is sort of a waiting place for teenagers and kids alike. They haven’t grown completely, so they all must attend school while living in this new “realm”. There are coffee shops, a movie theater, a supermarket and all kinds of places that make this space look like a normal everyday town you would find anywhere. The best thing about this new place is that she no longer feels pain. Internal pain, as in matters of the heart, yes, she can feel this but not physical pain. She also can’t die, because she’s already dead. In one class Walker meets Daniel and she immediately falls for him but he comes off as a jerk.

Daniel has been in the afterlife for a couple of years by now. He lives in a house with his 2 younger sisters and his brother. There is only one problem in Daniel’s life and it is the fact that his youngest brother Bobby is not with them. He is stuck the real world as a ghost like person, waiting for his big brother Danny to take him to their new home. The only problem is Daniel doesn’t know how to reach the portal to reach Bobby. Adding another distraction to his life is the beautiful Walker. He has no time for her, but is as drawn to her as she is to him. When she pushes her way in on the plan to retrieve his brother, he can’t do anything to stop her, but he will try to protect her at all costs. 

The only important rule at Academy High School is to never try to go back to the real world, and to just forget everything about your past life. Will these two teenagers be able to cross the portal and get back safely? Will they be thrown into ITT, a school for teenage murderers and rapists? Will all survive?

I want to basically spell out every single thing that happens in this book, but I won’t so that I don’t ruin it for anyone. I loved this book so much. The story was something I haven’t read before, and the concept was awesome! The characters were so nicely developed and watching the relationships between all of the characters build was fantastic. I loved how each of the main characters, we got a back story on how they died and why they were now at the Academy High School. I have nothing but good things to say about this book and can not wait to read the second installment. This book is complete 5 stars from me!

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