Once Dead, Twice Shy by Kim Harrison

Once Dead, Twice Shy by Kim Harrison
"Madison's prom was killer—literally. For some reason she's been targeted by a dark reaper—yeah, that kind of reaper—intent on getting rid of her, body and soul. But before the reaper could finish the job, Madison was able to snag his strange, glowing amulet and get away.

Now she's stuck on Earth—dead but not gone. Somehow the amulet gives her the illusion of a body, allowing her to toe the line between life and death. She still doesn't know why the dark reaper is after her, but she's not about to just sit around and let fate take its course.

With a little ingenuity, some light-bending, and the help of a light reaper (one of the good guys! Maybe . . . ), her cute crush, and oh yeah, her guardian angel, Madison's ready to take control of her own destiny once and for all, before it takes control of her.

Well, if she believed in that stuff."- summary from Amazon

Eep! This posted without my knowledge, so here is a quick review so that people can know my thoughts on this book.

I actually really liked this, which is good because in reading reviews last year, there was some mixed viewpoints out there and I wondered if it would be good or a waste of time. Luckily, it was good.

I loved Madison's voice because it was so sarcastic and similar to my own. The concept in this book (which originated in Kim's short story in the anthology Prom Nights From Hell, which has recently been re-released) is interesting and I think Harrison handles it well, explaining things and setting up the world for this series. Things do get a bit confusing throughout the book, but not as much as they could be, and hopefully in the next book (out May 25) it will explain everything.

I went through the book quickly though it can be a bit slow at times. But the humor, paranormal aspects, and romance more than make up for the slowness. I think that if you enjoyed Kim's short story, you'll love this continuation. If you're a bit hesitant, library or paperback would be your best option.

FTC: ARC received from publisher. Amazon link is an Associate link; any profit made goes toward funding contests.


Also, side note- Susan of Waste Paper Prose has posted her hilarious recap of Maggie Stiefvater's signing on March 13 in Charlottesville, so go check it out here! There's even a contest for a signed and drawn in Ballad- it's international too!