Pretty much everyone thinks that Aimee Avery is crazy. Her mom died under mysterious circumstances, and many other people who live near the river have, too. Aimee has visions and nightmares about the deaths of those around her, and she struggles to escape the stigma of her mother's mental illness. To make matters worse, everyone seems to be more aggressive, less patient, more unlike themselves lately...as if something is turning them toward an inexplicable evil. Now she's having boyfriend troubles and finding herself enchanted by her best friend's cousin, a young man she seems to recognize even though they just met. Will Aimee overcome the accusations that she is losing her mind and escape the mysterious malevolence that lurks all around her?

Alan Parson is the son of a caring mother and the Navajo father he never knew. When his uncle dies in Maine, Alan and his mother move there to help his aunt and cousin pay the bills and keep the house over their heads. This means giving up everything for family, including Alan's dreams of being a football star at his favorite university, as the school he transfers to doesn't even have a football team. Alan struggles with fitting in, and makes no friends when he shows himself to be a natural at cross-country running. He is oddly drawn to Aimee, a pretty red-headed girl who already seems to know him. Can Alan harness the power of his Indian heritage to protect those he loves when danger threatens?

After Obsession is an amazingly crafted paranormal feast for the senses. Told in the voices of Aimee and Alan, authors Carrie Jones and Steven E. Wedel tell a tale of growing up in a small town, battling an unknown evil and breaking out of the stereotypes and labels people place upon you. I found myself drawn into this story almost from page one, and nearly devouring it until its climactic conclusion. The pacing here was simply brilliant. Aimee and Alan each have their own demons to overcome, namely mental illness and racism, even as they must fight the paranormal element that threatens to consume them and those they love. Another facet of this story that I enjoyed was the excellent balance of individual character growth and story advancement. Five Angels and a Recommended Read for After Obsession.

Reviewed by: Michelle B.