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. ( )

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. ( )