A horrific explosion levels part of the city and Camryn Kingfisher is the sole survivor.

Amidst controversy, conspiracy theories, and threats from government officials, Camryn longs for the truth. But the only person who she can turn to is a transparent boy in a lab coat named Quint. Unsure whether he’s a hallucination or a ghost, Camryn has no choice but to trust him as they become embroiled in a plot that is bigger than either of them realize.

In a race where the fabric of time and space is at stake, they must figure out who caused the explosion before the culprit comes back to finish Camryn―and her city―off for good.

Afterimage is a book that is going to stay with me for sure!  The night I finished it, I actually had dreams that related to some of the elements in the story (which I’m not going to detail because spoilers). I was hooked right from the start because Hughes wastes no time getting right into the story and the beginnings of the issues that Camryn has to deal with.

While dealing with losses from the explosion, Camryn now has to deal with grief on top of her own Panic Disorder, which I thought was portrayed well throughout the story. And then to top it all off, she’s now seeing the ghost of a young scientist who might have something to do with the explosion, though he can’t remember.

Then of course, that young scientist, known as Quint, is all around adorable as he helps Camryn in her journey and tries to remember who he was, what exactly is going on, and what will eventually happen to him. I found myself being more attached to him than anyone else, though I was attached to the other characters as well. But Quint was just so adorable that I want one of my own.

I should let you all know, or remind you if I’ve mentioned this before, I’m not usually one for science fiction stories. So for me to even pick up a book that’s sci-fi, that’s something, but to be fully invested in the book and come out loving it? That’s a whole other level.

So if you’re looking for a good science fiction book, you should definitely check out Afterimage!

Rating: 4.5/5 stars