After Hello

by Lisa Mangum

When Sam and Sara's paths cross, neither one of them is prepared for what they will find out about each other--and about themselves when they form an unlikely partnership in search of an elusive work of art, and especially when they have only one day to do it.

• ISBN10: 1609070100
• ISBN13: 9781609070106
• Publish Date: 4 September 2012
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 30 June 2021
• Imprint: Shadow Mountain
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 272
• Language: English

Reviews

[jeannamichel]

Sara is spending the day in New York City, by herself (waiting for her father to get out of his stupid meeting so he can spend some time with her). Sam lives in New York City and is on a mission to find something that is truly desired by one of his “clients.” Sara and Sam meet unexpectedly and they are brought together from the journey they share that will change them both forever.

Right off the start, I was ready for heartbreak. “What happens After Hello?” The inevitable goodbye. It promoted such a thing on the back cover so I was ready for the book to go down this road that might make me cry or even that I might not enjoy. None of those things happened. After Hello grabbed my heart and squeezed but let it go very gently when the time came to say goodbye.

Let’s talk about the cover before I get into things: I love covers that sort of follow the book. I hate covers that have nothing to do with the book. This book cover is just so pretty on its own but after reading the story, it takes on a whole new meaning. As much as the cover is not exactly described as it is in the plot, I still enjoy looking at the cover.

Lisa Mangum knows how to write a clever story. Clever because Mangum has Sara mention this calm, sort of peaceful feeling in the book and at the end, Mangum gets her readers to feel exactly as described. That realization that I was relating to a character in such a way gave me chills. I felt connected to the story much more than if I were just reading.

There is such a variety of cast members that it is almost too hard to choose a favorite. They all have a certain story that Mangum tells, and every story adds on to the main plotline. I, however, wanted to know more. I couldn’t get enough of Sam and Sara and I wish I had more than a day to spend with the two. Sara’s photography really inspired me. Next time I take a trip to the city, I am going to view things with an artist’s eyes. Her way of seeing things was so different than the norm which is what made her such a unique character.

The plot seems very simple. A day trip to the city. A girl. A boy. They meet. Spend the day together. The end. Well, it was definitely more than that boring cliché there. And the best part is, the characters, after their journey, take something away from their experience. I love seeing transformation in characters from the beginning to end of the book and to read about the change is always a sign of a great book. Plus, not only does Mangum bring on awesome changing characters, but she mentions this awesome trading game that involves a sugar packet. The game is so original and seemed to circle around the main plot. The game is also a great interactive tool to get you involved in the novel. Go to www.trackthepacket.com to participate.

After Hello was so good that I didn’t want it to end. It was hard to say goodbye, after finishing the book, but that’s what is bound to happen after someone says hello.

[sstaley]

I was so thrilled to have Author Lisa Mangum give me an ARC (Advanced Reading Copy) of her new book called, After Hello. This is her first book after she finished writing her very successful trilogy, The Hourglass Door.


After Hello, a stand alone book, takes place all in one day in New York City.

I first heard of this book, early Spring, at the Authorpalooza event at Barnes and Noble. I asked Lisa what she had been working on. She began to tell me about this great story of two teens, who meet for the first and last time. I was intrigued from the get-go about how this story would play out.I tried to imagine what these two teens, strangers, would do all day long. Well, After Hello, is so much more than it sounds. There is a great storyline that keeps things moving, from the time they first meet outside a book store, until the minute they say good-bye. Without giving too much away, let's just say you will meet some fun and very eccentric characters in this novel. Maybe this is how New York City really is, full of very interesting people.

Another very unique thing about this novel is all of the trading that goes on amongst the characters. Trading you say? Yes, trading something you have for something that someone else needs. Main character Sam is a master at trading and this is how Sam and Sara meet at he beginning.


Author Lisa Mangum is doing something really fun with this new book. Lisa is doing a real-life trading campaign. There is a website that will allow people to trade items all across the nation and literally track what is being traded, with whom, and where. There are grand prizes for the best trades after the contest is complete. You can learn more at trackthepacket.com. It all started on June 1.You need to go there and see what trading is happening.

Overall, if you love other books written by Lisa Mangum, you will love After Hello; filled with rich and complicated characters, a captivating storyline and a premise that will make it stand out among other YA Contemporary novels.

You can pre-order After Hello at Amazon.com.