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Deadly Darkness Trilogy #1
Deadly Kisses
Aiden Grant has a killer kiss. Literally. And it’s not every reaper who gets to work with the Sixteenth President. Sure, Honest Abe likes to throw out history lessons with reaping assignments, but when you’re favored by the ancients, grim reaper life is pretty sweet for a newly dead seventeen-year-old.
Then things get messy.
Aiden is assigned to reap the soul of Bee, the only girl he has ever loved. When Aiden’s kiss of death fails, intertwining their souls, she is still very much alive and they are both in trouble. The ancients want Bee, who has special powers of her own, and they’ll do anything to get her.
Some rules are meant to be broken, even if that means Aiden must bargain with his own soul to save Bee. Who knew the afterlife could get so complicated?
Then things get messy.
Aiden is assigned to reap the soul of Bee, the only girl he has ever loved. When Aiden’s kiss of death fails, intertwining their souls, she is still very much alive and they are both in trouble. The ancients want Bee, who has special powers of her own, and they’ll do anything to get her.
Some rules are meant to be broken, even if that means Aiden must bargain with his own soul to save Bee. Who knew the afterlife could get so complicated?
265 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 13, 2013
13 people are currently reading
792 people want to read
About the author
Kerri Cuevas
8 books31 followersKerri Cuevas was born in Rhode Island, but now resides in New Hampshire, where the country air has sparked her imagination. She is the author of the Deadly Darkness Trilogy. When she’s not writing she’s enjoying hiking, fishing, canoeing, music, watching horror flicks, or doing crafts with her kids. You can visit her website at www.kerricuevasbooks.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
June 16, 2013
This copy was given to me for review/ blog tour purposes, the tour stops by at my blog YA Midnight Reads on April 3rd 2013! Get ready for giveaways, reviews and much more!
Told in the point of view of the male lead character, Aiden Grant, Cuevas takes readers into a world of gruesome Grim Reapers and what really becomes of someone's afterlife. Deadly Kisses promises a beautifully written story with action, cute romance and some unthinkable sacrifices.
The creation of this review required much thought and mind rattling frustration. I really liked Deadly Kisses, notwithstanding, each time I retreated, as I remembered the flaws in the plot, character development and world building. Thankfully, the flaws were not glaring like other books but I just somewhat felt the holes peeping through the more I thought about each aspect.
After his death, Aiden has been roaming around, killing people with his kiss. He is a Grim Reaper, who's job is to take the lives of people. Pretty nasty, huh? Well when Aiden finds out that is next assignment is to kill the girl he loved when he was still alive, he finds that he's making more scarifies than ever before.
I haven't read books with male protagonists in a long time (even though my top 2 series have male protagonists) so this was nice for a change. Aiden was really hilarious at the beginning, he is in the middle of his killing assignment, cracking jokes in hismmind. Already, I decided I liked him as he was laid back, cogent and humorous. However, as the story went deeper, he lost this aspect of him a bit. In fact, all the character's personalities turned monotonous and rather plain. Everything was too calculated.
The plot took much time to wrap my head around. Cuevas' plot line had great potential. Yes, it was star crossed love but it seemed to be more complex and original. Yet Cuevas didn't meet the standards when establishing her plot ideas into a blob of a story. I found myself constantly stopping to work out what one world was going on. Sadly, the plot sometimes made no logical sense.
On the other hand, the romance was one of the best aspects. Light and cute yet really dark and complicated as the story goes on. Aiden and Bee's connection seemed more realistic and touching than other small published books.
Deadly Kisses is a refreshing read that I enjoyed. While there were flaws, I still admire Cuevas' writing skills as they were shown perfectly here. I do believe there is a book 2 (I hope there is) and cannot wait!! People looking for something quick and light but still quite twisted, I totally recommend this!
Told in the point of view of the male lead character, Aiden Grant, Cuevas takes readers into a world of gruesome Grim Reapers and what really becomes of someone's afterlife. Deadly Kisses promises a beautifully written story with action, cute romance and some unthinkable sacrifices.
The creation of this review required much thought and mind rattling frustration. I really liked Deadly Kisses, notwithstanding, each time I retreated, as I remembered the flaws in the plot, character development and world building. Thankfully, the flaws were not glaring like other books but I just somewhat felt the holes peeping through the more I thought about each aspect.
After his death, Aiden has been roaming around, killing people with his kiss. He is a Grim Reaper, who's job is to take the lives of people. Pretty nasty, huh? Well when Aiden finds out that is next assignment is to kill the girl he loved when he was still alive, he finds that he's making more scarifies than ever before.
I haven't read books with male protagonists in a long time (even though my top 2 series have male protagonists) so this was nice for a change. Aiden was really hilarious at the beginning, he is in the middle of his killing assignment, cracking jokes in hismmind. Already, I decided I liked him as he was laid back, cogent and humorous. However, as the story went deeper, he lost this aspect of him a bit. In fact, all the character's personalities turned monotonous and rather plain. Everything was too calculated.
The plot took much time to wrap my head around. Cuevas' plot line had great potential. Yes, it was star crossed love but it seemed to be more complex and original. Yet Cuevas didn't meet the standards when establishing her plot ideas into a blob of a story. I found myself constantly stopping to work out what one world was going on. Sadly, the plot sometimes made no logical sense.
On the other hand, the romance was one of the best aspects. Light and cute yet really dark and complicated as the story goes on. Aiden and Bee's connection seemed more realistic and touching than other small published books.
Deadly Kisses is a refreshing read that I enjoyed. While there were flaws, I still admire Cuevas' writing skills as they were shown perfectly here. I do believe there is a book 2 (I hope there is) and cannot wait!! People looking for something quick and light but still quite twisted, I totally recommend this!
March 27, 2013
Big thanks to Kerri Cuevas for the book. :)
Aiden Grant is a grim reaper. He welcomes the newly dead folks and he's damn good at what he does. But when his boss, Abraham Lincoln, gives him his next assignment, Aiden gets stuck fighting his emotions. His assignment: the only girl he's ever loved. Bee. After his kiss of death goes wrong he's stuck fighting to find a way to unravel their intertwined souls.
This book was amazing. I really didn't know what to expect with this. I honestly don't know where to start so I guess I'll start with characters.
Aiden is your typical guy that every girl wants. He's the rocker. Need I say more??
Bee. (Beatrice) is a tough girl. She looks innocent and...girly? But she has a side that no one knows about. She's the chick that loves motorcycles and rock music. She has a dark side. She's sweet and caring, but piss her off and she'll punch the shit out of you.
Jaleb was a good guy too. He's a wonderful brother to Bee and he worries way too much, but don't big brothers worry like that, anyway?
Honest Abe was very amusing. He was always giving Aiden a history lesson. Which was hilarious. And god forbid Aiden break a rule.
I really didn't like Reina at all. She was always trying to kiss Aiden even though it was clear he wasn't interested. It amused the hell out of me when Bee tackled her. I'm hoping she doesn't live.
All I can really say is that I really enjoyed this book was amazing. I loved it. Kerri did an excellent job writing this. If you haven't read this you really need to. Go pick it up at a book store on your way home or something, this book is great.
You guys enjoy! :)
Aiden Grant is a grim reaper. He welcomes the newly dead folks and he's damn good at what he does. But when his boss, Abraham Lincoln, gives him his next assignment, Aiden gets stuck fighting his emotions. His assignment: the only girl he's ever loved. Bee. After his kiss of death goes wrong he's stuck fighting to find a way to unravel their intertwined souls.
This book was amazing. I really didn't know what to expect with this. I honestly don't know where to start so I guess I'll start with characters.
Aiden is your typical guy that every girl wants. He's the rocker. Need I say more??
Bee. (Beatrice) is a tough girl. She looks innocent and...girly? But she has a side that no one knows about. She's the chick that loves motorcycles and rock music. She has a dark side. She's sweet and caring, but piss her off and she'll punch the shit out of you.
Jaleb was a good guy too. He's a wonderful brother to Bee and he worries way too much, but don't big brothers worry like that, anyway?
Honest Abe was very amusing. He was always giving Aiden a history lesson. Which was hilarious. And god forbid Aiden break a rule.
I really didn't like Reina at all. She was always trying to kiss Aiden even though it was clear he wasn't interested. It amused the hell out of me when Bee tackled her. I'm hoping she doesn't live.
All I can really say is that I really enjoyed this book was amazing. I loved it. Kerri did an excellent job writing this. If you haven't read this you really need to. Go pick it up at a book store on your way home or something, this book is great.
You guys enjoy! :)
April 3, 2013
Deadly Kisses was a great story. I just love paranormal stories with grim reapers. I have only read two other grim reaper stories and I loved them. This one took me by surprise with the twists and turns in it. Kerri can write a story like no one's business and how she unfolded the story had me at the edge of my seat.
Aiden Grant has a killer kiss. Yes you read right Aiden can kill anyone with his kiss. See he is a grim reaper and he reaps souls. He is dead as dead can get and he loves his job. The only thing missing is his secret crush who is so not dead but alive. Then Aiden gets the job of a lifetime until he finds out who he has to reap. When he is asked by his boss President Abe Lincoln to reap an important soul Aiden is excited until Abe tells him it is his secret crush Bee. Oh lord Aiden is like no way he can do it but he has to reap her soul because she is important to the higher ups and they want her soul.
When Aiden kisses Bee something happens and he and Bee are intertwined together and Aiden freaks out. Now Aiden has to figure out how to untwine their souls and he has seven days to do so. But the only thing is Bee has powers of her own and when she fought back she and Aiden became one and she is not so sure what she wants from Aiden. Bee is not sure about her powers either so they are kinda stuck in a rock and a hard place and together they have to figure out what to do. Should they stay together or should they try and separate? Will Aiden give it all up to be with the one he loves? What would you do if you were Aiden?
Aiden Grant has a killer kiss. Yes you read right Aiden can kill anyone with his kiss. See he is a grim reaper and he reaps souls. He is dead as dead can get and he loves his job. The only thing missing is his secret crush who is so not dead but alive. Then Aiden gets the job of a lifetime until he finds out who he has to reap. When he is asked by his boss President Abe Lincoln to reap an important soul Aiden is excited until Abe tells him it is his secret crush Bee. Oh lord Aiden is like no way he can do it but he has to reap her soul because she is important to the higher ups and they want her soul.
When Aiden kisses Bee something happens and he and Bee are intertwined together and Aiden freaks out. Now Aiden has to figure out how to untwine their souls and he has seven days to do so. But the only thing is Bee has powers of her own and when she fought back she and Aiden became one and she is not so sure what she wants from Aiden. Bee is not sure about her powers either so they are kinda stuck in a rock and a hard place and together they have to figure out what to do. Should they stay together or should they try and separate? Will Aiden give it all up to be with the one he loves? What would you do if you were Aiden?
April 2, 2013
This review also appears on my blog at http://www.thegoldenruleof666.blogspo...
A sweet YA romance. Deadly Kisses was a great read that was a mix of cute romance and thrilling magic.
I liked the characters in this book. However, I had one issue with them. I got frustrated with them occasionally because their actions didn't feel realistic. And they felt flat, not like dynamic people.
Nonetheless, I still liked them, though I wish the character development had been deeper.
Aiden was a great hero. He feels responsible for protecting his loved ones and feels deeply if he fails. This is what lead him to become a reaper and what got him into the conflict of the book. I liked him. He was very sweet and I thought it was adorable how he still loved Bee after being dead for so long.
Bee was just as lovely. She was a very strong character, though it wasn't always to her benefit. I liked that she was able to accept her reality instead of hiding in denial. She was very likable.
The romance in this book was central to the development of the plot. I liked how it went. Aiden and Bee were very sweet together and the romance never felt rushed. They were a delightful couple.
The plot was fast paced and there were several surprises in store. The thrills of the constant, literally life or death situations kept me hooked. And the ending had me very curious to find out what happens next.
A sweet YA romance. Deadly Kisses was a great read that was a mix of cute romance and thrilling magic.
I liked the characters in this book. However, I had one issue with them. I got frustrated with them occasionally because their actions didn't feel realistic. And they felt flat, not like dynamic people.
Nonetheless, I still liked them, though I wish the character development had been deeper.
Aiden was a great hero. He feels responsible for protecting his loved ones and feels deeply if he fails. This is what lead him to become a reaper and what got him into the conflict of the book. I liked him. He was very sweet and I thought it was adorable how he still loved Bee after being dead for so long.
Bee was just as lovely. She was a very strong character, though it wasn't always to her benefit. I liked that she was able to accept her reality instead of hiding in denial. She was very likable.
The romance in this book was central to the development of the plot. I liked how it went. Aiden and Bee were very sweet together and the romance never felt rushed. They were a delightful couple.
The plot was fast paced and there were several surprises in store. The thrills of the constant, literally life or death situations kept me hooked. And the ending had me very curious to find out what happens next.
February 14, 2013
Summary: Aiden Grant is your typical teenage guy: loves music, not a big fan of taking orders, and has a crush he has no plans of discussing. There’s just one problem: Aiden’s dead. Not glittery, vampire undead, but dead-dead, a decaying reaper of souls, black cloak, scythe, and gondola to boot. The life he left and the eternity he’s fated with collide as his boss, none other than past-president Abraham Lincoln, tests Aiden by ordering him to take the soul of Bee, his aforementioned secret crush. But things don’t go as planned. Not only can she see him, but she also fights back, leaving their souls, and their lives, in a twist. They only have seven days to figure out how – and who – will survive.
My favorite aspect was main character Aiden Grant: he has depth without being morose, and even though he’s no longer living, he pays tribute to his memories in a way that feels natural and not overdone. Deadly Kisses has the feel of a Cassandra Clare read, but set to an upbeat tempo – with a guitar solo somewhere in the mix. Cuevas weaves a tale as grounded as it is fantastic, with an ending that entices the reader to stand side by side with Aiden and his allies – both living and dead alike.
A solid 4.5 stars!!
My favorite aspect was main character Aiden Grant: he has depth without being morose, and even though he’s no longer living, he pays tribute to his memories in a way that feels natural and not overdone. Deadly Kisses has the feel of a Cassandra Clare read, but set to an upbeat tempo – with a guitar solo somewhere in the mix. Cuevas weaves a tale as grounded as it is fantastic, with an ending that entices the reader to stand side by side with Aiden and his allies – both living and dead alike.
A solid 4.5 stars!!
March 4, 2013
As a paranormal YA book, Deadly Kisses was refreshing, full of surprises, poignant, and at times laugh-out-loud funny. Kerri Cuevas has created strong and fascinating characters, and her narrative style is captivating. As I read,I was reminded of the television show, Dead Like Me, but the attention to detail and deep understanding of human nature made this novel much more engaging. This book has the right balance of love story and action, making it a killer combination.
I give this book five stars!
I give this book five stars!
March 28, 2013
Excellent!! Not my usual genre but I am already looking forward the the sequel!
April 12, 2021
4.5 really
I would give this book a 4.5 star rating, but I’m rounding up because it’s still a very cute and sweet story and I do feel the main characters were well written and understandable once you learn their past. In the beginning it was hard to like them, but once you learn more of their history together it starts making more sense and you can begin to like them. Aiden was especially hard to like at first but his reasoning behind his initial actions makes it all completely justified.
That fact as well as the feeling that some events that happened served no real purpose other than to ass suspense or strain/intensity to Aiden and Bee’s relationship were the reasons I would take off a half star.
I would give this book a 4.5 star rating, but I’m rounding up because it’s still a very cute and sweet story and I do feel the main characters were well written and understandable once you learn their past. In the beginning it was hard to like them, but once you learn more of their history together it starts making more sense and you can begin to like them. Aiden was especially hard to like at first but his reasoning behind his initial actions makes it all completely justified.
That fact as well as the feeling that some events that happened served no real purpose other than to ass suspense or strain/intensity to Aiden and Bee’s relationship were the reasons I would take off a half star.
April 3, 2013
As I start writing this review, I suddenly had this funny thought:
There is already a book where the protagonist has a lethal touch and it’s one of those best-selling stories and now I get to read another story where the protagonist has another lethal power – a lethal kiss.
What’s next? Lethal hug? Lethal pinch? Lethal sneeze? Lethal belch or stuff like that? : D Just trying to lighten the mood a little. Now on to the review…
Regrets are expected for us humans.
We regret a thing that we have done and that’s how someone becomes a Grim Reaper by holding on entirely to those regrets.
Aiden Grant was happy being a Grim Reaper for the past two years. He did what he wanted, had a boss that texted him the job that he needed at the same time liked to do. Until the major reaping test pave its way to him.
To reap the soul of the only girl he has ever loved.
Would it all go smoothly as the other reaping that he did or would it all go down hill? Especially when one kiss from him could kill her and that very same girl sees Grim Reapers like him.
"Loving you has been a dangerous game when one kiss could kill."
Deadly Kisses presented to us a world where Grim Reapers pretty much roam our world. I love the way the author presents to us a world where it’s so unrealistic yet so fun to read - the Grim Reapers with their gondolas, cell phones, bosses, repearlings and other extra curricular activities such as clubbing. The world of the Grim Reapers easily swallowed me in.
Aiden Grant - does his name sound so cool and handsome? ;) He's a great voice to the story - he has this quirky, smart-ass and sarcastic attitude. Despite being dead and being a Grim Reaper he's seems to be just another ordinary boy.
The best thing about reading this is the balance between the story itself, the love story plus the thrilling action that waits to you all. There is the mystery, a bit of romance, action, and surprises. The way those are combined is great.
But despite the good things I was just a bit confused because I noticed that there are times that some dialogues seemed to be cut off. Each chapter transition leaves me confused because I'm used to them continuing how the other chapter ended but here after a chapter ended the next one seemed to jump off somewhere else which I really find weird. There are also instances that I do get confused with who is speaking some dialogues for there is not enough distinction as to who is really speaking. Some stuff weren’t just really clear which leads me to epic confusion as to what really happened!
The ending - there would be a sequel! You know how a lot of people hate cliffhangers but I'm telling you here that there is a definite ending for this book though I know there should be more to look forward too on the next installment to this series.
Honestly, I started reading this with a slacked off attitude so I'm really out of tuned as I read the first few pages then it went okay then some lag time and then the interesting parts starts to come and I can't stop my grip till the end.. Thinking back, I think I did enjoy reading it for it was a fun, engaging and fast paced read. You would surely enjoy the Grim Reaper world created here.
*Copy kindly provided for review*
*Blog Tour deets posted at Reads and Thoughts.
There is already a book where the protagonist has a lethal touch and it’s one of those best-selling stories and now I get to read another story where the protagonist has another lethal power – a lethal kiss.
What’s next? Lethal hug? Lethal pinch? Lethal sneeze? Lethal belch or stuff like that? : D Just trying to lighten the mood a little. Now on to the review…
Regrets are expected for us humans.
We regret a thing that we have done and that’s how someone becomes a Grim Reaper by holding on entirely to those regrets.
Aiden Grant was happy being a Grim Reaper for the past two years. He did what he wanted, had a boss that texted him the job that he needed at the same time liked to do. Until the major reaping test pave its way to him.
To reap the soul of the only girl he has ever loved.
Would it all go smoothly as the other reaping that he did or would it all go down hill? Especially when one kiss from him could kill her and that very same girl sees Grim Reapers like him.
"Loving you has been a dangerous game when one kiss could kill."
Deadly Kisses presented to us a world where Grim Reapers pretty much roam our world. I love the way the author presents to us a world where it’s so unrealistic yet so fun to read - the Grim Reapers with their gondolas, cell phones, bosses, repearlings and other extra curricular activities such as clubbing. The world of the Grim Reapers easily swallowed me in.
Aiden Grant - does his name sound so cool and handsome? ;) He's a great voice to the story - he has this quirky, smart-ass and sarcastic attitude. Despite being dead and being a Grim Reaper he's seems to be just another ordinary boy.
The best thing about reading this is the balance between the story itself, the love story plus the thrilling action that waits to you all. There is the mystery, a bit of romance, action, and surprises. The way those are combined is great.
But despite the good things I was just a bit confused because I noticed that there are times that some dialogues seemed to be cut off. Each chapter transition leaves me confused because I'm used to them continuing how the other chapter ended but here after a chapter ended the next one seemed to jump off somewhere else which I really find weird. There are also instances that I do get confused with who is speaking some dialogues for there is not enough distinction as to who is really speaking. Some stuff weren’t just really clear which leads me to epic confusion as to what really happened!
The ending - there would be a sequel! You know how a lot of people hate cliffhangers but I'm telling you here that there is a definite ending for this book though I know there should be more to look forward too on the next installment to this series.
Honestly, I started reading this with a slacked off attitude so I'm really out of tuned as I read the first few pages then it went okay then some lag time and then the interesting parts starts to come and I can't stop my grip till the end.. Thinking back, I think I did enjoy reading it for it was a fun, engaging and fast paced read. You would surely enjoy the Grim Reaper world created here.
*Copy kindly provided for review*
*Blog Tour deets posted at Reads and Thoughts.
April 6, 2013
“I believe we have a date with death”
For book like this one I will love and I always read Young Adult genre.
Deadly Kisses entwines in a beautiful and harmonious way the innocence, love, family love, despair, resignation, hope and power to take hard decisions.
Since the beginning I liked Aiden for how he communicates with those he must reap. He’s funny and yet he uses a warm and empathic tone. I was also very curious to know how he looks. You receive apparently contradictory bits of information that will stir your curiosity.
“Brown and reddish ligaments wrapped around bones and a rotted meat smell seeped into my nose.”
Because if he’s too "bony" how it will end the romance you expect? Fortunately, all explanations and solutions given by the author are very pertinent and possible in this context, which makes the reading to be a pleasure even greater.
The love story takes place at the boundary between our World and beyond. The Underworld receives a social structure and, similar to what often happens in "ours", the thirst for power and own desires will spoil the normal „You’d be surprised the dirty politics that go on down here.”
From here arise all Aiden and Bee’s problems, but also will come the unique and small chance of success, but nobody know if Aiden and Bee will be able to take advantage. Because of what kind of success we can talk about when your kiss brings death or when the refusal to perform the task will mean eternal damnation for you nor would save the loved one or for selling your soul you’ll become a slave of an impressive evil forces?
“I couldn’t bring myself to smash remains of other fallen Grim Reapers anymore. What if that was me in there someday?”
“Just looking at the facts and the fact is, we’re all going to lose.”
I liked the way the author gives color and life to the underworld characters. The atmosphere is similar to a Nightmare before Christmas and / or Corpse Bride. The reader receives equally the grotesque and humor, both peppered with some terror. The gently humor is smart used and generally comes from the characters’ “clever” lines. Grotesque is kept in a reasonable amount and helps to underscore the tragedy experienced by the main characters and the secondary ones. Because you're wrong if you think that what's important here is just Bee's life. The stakes are changing and growing at every step. The curse that started it all seems to demand ever more victims, and the story takes "apocalyptic" dimensions.
We want what we want. The heart has its own agenda.
The action has rhythm. There is always tension and a note of unpredictability. Every time the plans are turned upside down and the next step or consequences are hidden.
It’s funny how life takes twists and turns and goes to places you never would have dreamed of.
I liked also Aiden’s mentor / boss. The author was inspired when she chose him, because manages to convey all real and literary meanings that this name bear. In addition it proves to be a good way to draw attention to some contemporary issues:
“I get it. The English language has become foreign since I died.”
I would like the author to find a way to continue the story. I will certainly read it. Until then, I recommend you to read Deadly Kisses.
It's a story as delicate and sweet as your lover kiss.
September 14, 2013
“Funny how a dead person wanted to be alive, but when I was alive I felt half-dead.”–-Aiden Grant
Life–-er, after-life-–is good for Aiden Grant (aka Ad); as a grim reaper, he gets to walk the earth and help souls reach their final destination. That’s right, Aiden is an actual grim reaper, the kind that you envision when you think nightmares–-a hooded and skeletal creature who ferries souls in his gondola over a river filled with living skeletons reaching up from their watery prison. Oh, did I mention this was a romance? Don’t worry, you don’t have to read about gross corpse-like romantic scenes. Let’s just say with our heroine Beatrice (aka Bee), you can save a boatload (gondola-load?) of cash on preservatives. Unfortunately, Ad’s latest assignment is to kill Bee even though the girl that he’s always loved has never made him feel more alive.
I really enjoyed this story, because I hadn’t come across this premise before so it felt really fresh. Not only is it a romance story with a grim reaper, there’s the little fact that they kill by giving kisses. So, as you can imagine, that makes a romance a wee bit tricky. Good news! It’s a young adult romance so the emotional angst was good enough to make it a romance! I also liked the fact that since Bee herself has powers that accidentally linked their souls, they had something to work with instead of Ad feeling guilt for the rest of his undead life for killing Bee without at least trying to save her. After all, he already has guilt for something else weighing down his soul.
Ad is snarky and at first he tries to ignore his feelings for Bee, so I wasn’t a fan of him at the start. Bee is feisty and down-to-earth so I liked her immediately. There are a few side characters that are fun, like his boss Lincoln–as in the actual president–but he didn’t feel presidential and should have been a generic wise mentor so to not tie up the presidential imagery. I liked Bee’s brother–-brash but protective–-and Ad’s grim reaper friend Reina seems random, and I couldn’t really get a feel for if she loves Ad or is just really bored. The bad guys are pretty one-dimensional and stock.
There’s also a mystery that they’re trying to solve, which was interesting as we learned more about Bee’s family. I do wish there was more explanation about the magic rules since I was confused at some points. I’d like to understand exactly what is Bee’s power and why sometimes what she does is permanent, while other times it isn’t. I also wish we knew more about Grim Reaper rules, especially about being invisible yet still tangible and stuff like that. We got hints, for example, the older grim reapers are more decayed, but I would have loved to learn more!
One thing I should point out is that this is the first book in a trilogy! I hadn’t realized that until the end where it seemed to be leading into another story. There is some resolution so it can be considered standalone, but there are way to many loose ends and unanswered questions to not want to keep reading some more! Overall, this was an entertaining story, and I recommend it to YA fans and those that love paranormal stories! This is a 4 out of 5 for me!
(Originally published on my blog; I received a review copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
Life–-er, after-life-–is good for Aiden Grant (aka Ad); as a grim reaper, he gets to walk the earth and help souls reach their final destination. That’s right, Aiden is an actual grim reaper, the kind that you envision when you think nightmares–-a hooded and skeletal creature who ferries souls in his gondola over a river filled with living skeletons reaching up from their watery prison. Oh, did I mention this was a romance? Don’t worry, you don’t have to read about gross corpse-like romantic scenes. Let’s just say with our heroine Beatrice (aka Bee), you can save a boatload (gondola-load?) of cash on preservatives. Unfortunately, Ad’s latest assignment is to kill Bee even though the girl that he’s always loved has never made him feel more alive.
I really enjoyed this story, because I hadn’t come across this premise before so it felt really fresh. Not only is it a romance story with a grim reaper, there’s the little fact that they kill by giving kisses. So, as you can imagine, that makes a romance a wee bit tricky. Good news! It’s a young adult romance so the emotional angst was good enough to make it a romance! I also liked the fact that since Bee herself has powers that accidentally linked their souls, they had something to work with instead of Ad feeling guilt for the rest of his undead life for killing Bee without at least trying to save her. After all, he already has guilt for something else weighing down his soul.
Ad is snarky and at first he tries to ignore his feelings for Bee, so I wasn’t a fan of him at the start. Bee is feisty and down-to-earth so I liked her immediately. There are a few side characters that are fun, like his boss Lincoln–as in the actual president–but he didn’t feel presidential and should have been a generic wise mentor so to not tie up the presidential imagery. I liked Bee’s brother–-brash but protective–-and Ad’s grim reaper friend Reina seems random, and I couldn’t really get a feel for if she loves Ad or is just really bored. The bad guys are pretty one-dimensional and stock.
There’s also a mystery that they’re trying to solve, which was interesting as we learned more about Bee’s family. I do wish there was more explanation about the magic rules since I was confused at some points. I’d like to understand exactly what is Bee’s power and why sometimes what she does is permanent, while other times it isn’t. I also wish we knew more about Grim Reaper rules, especially about being invisible yet still tangible and stuff like that. We got hints, for example, the older grim reapers are more decayed, but I would have loved to learn more!
One thing I should point out is that this is the first book in a trilogy! I hadn’t realized that until the end where it seemed to be leading into another story. There is some resolution so it can be considered standalone, but there are way to many loose ends and unanswered questions to not want to keep reading some more! Overall, this was an entertaining story, and I recommend it to YA fans and those that love paranormal stories! This is a 4 out of 5 for me!
(Originally published on my blog; I received a review copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
April 24, 2013
I got a copy for review in exchange for an honest review.
This is one of those books that starts pretty good, but then halfway through i just lost interest. Also i think the cover doesn't really fit the story. I just think I expected something different and while I was pleasantl surprised by the beginning it just fell flat for me around halfway through.
The story starts off immediately capturing my attention. There were some original twists to the whole reaper idea, like the fact that some reapers have gondola's, I mean how awesome is that? I also liked that we got an introduction about a normal reaping and only afterwards the main problem was introduced. And until around halfway the story i realy liked it, I read the first half in one sitting and then gradually I just started liking it less. there were some evil guys introduced, which I didn't really get their purpose and some plot twists just seemed a bit strange. Also i felt like I missing a bit of the background and kept waiting till it all was explained, only to have it not explained.
The characters mostly fell flat to me, characters are only one part of the story so if the rest is good I usually don't mind it. The main character Ad is likeable, but I had difficulties understand his motives most of the time. also the romance was just done strange, these two character apparently have a past, but I didn't really feel it. And then they fall in love quickly and there is someone else and it all is just a bit confusing. I didn't really care about the characters and they didn't seem to care about themself much either, it felt like they sometimes just wanted to kill themselves. they made some stupid mistakes and in my opinion they think a bit too lightly about death. Accepting it is one thing, but practically trying to kill yourself is something different.
The world building was interesting, but lacked depth. The idea why reapers exist is explained pretty early on and I liked the originality of this idea. I also liked the fact that they could kill with their kiss. But there just isn't enough world building to make the world come alive. There are bit and pieces of world building here and there, but it just wasn't enough for me. I wanted to know what the reapers did in their free time, how they lived, why those evil guys still roamed the earth, why nobody else figured some things out earlier. And for example it is mentioned that reapers can still eat, but then we never see any of them eat. Really if I was a reaper I would stuff myself with cake, cookies and chocolate the whole day.
I am now just starting to realize maybe I am not that into the reaper genre. I just have some difficulties with the whole hell and heaven concept and how reapers know who to kill and such.
To conclude: the story was pretty interesting and was actually the best part of this book. It was a quick read and I read the first half in one sitting. The character just fell flat to me and I couldn't understand their motives and thought they acted a bit stupid at times. The world building was interesting, but there just wasn't enough to make the world come alive.
This is one of those books that starts pretty good, but then halfway through i just lost interest. Also i think the cover doesn't really fit the story. I just think I expected something different and while I was pleasantl surprised by the beginning it just fell flat for me around halfway through.
The story starts off immediately capturing my attention. There were some original twists to the whole reaper idea, like the fact that some reapers have gondola's, I mean how awesome is that? I also liked that we got an introduction about a normal reaping and only afterwards the main problem was introduced. And until around halfway the story i realy liked it, I read the first half in one sitting and then gradually I just started liking it less. there were some evil guys introduced, which I didn't really get their purpose and some plot twists just seemed a bit strange. Also i felt like I missing a bit of the background and kept waiting till it all was explained, only to have it not explained.
The characters mostly fell flat to me, characters are only one part of the story so if the rest is good I usually don't mind it. The main character Ad is likeable, but I had difficulties understand his motives most of the time. also the romance was just done strange, these two character apparently have a past, but I didn't really feel it. And then they fall in love quickly and there is someone else and it all is just a bit confusing. I didn't really care about the characters and they didn't seem to care about themself much either, it felt like they sometimes just wanted to kill themselves. they made some stupid mistakes and in my opinion they think a bit too lightly about death. Accepting it is one thing, but practically trying to kill yourself is something different.
The world building was interesting, but lacked depth. The idea why reapers exist is explained pretty early on and I liked the originality of this idea. I also liked the fact that they could kill with their kiss. But there just isn't enough world building to make the world come alive. There are bit and pieces of world building here and there, but it just wasn't enough for me. I wanted to know what the reapers did in their free time, how they lived, why those evil guys still roamed the earth, why nobody else figured some things out earlier. And for example it is mentioned that reapers can still eat, but then we never see any of them eat. Really if I was a reaper I would stuff myself with cake, cookies and chocolate the whole day.
I am now just starting to realize maybe I am not that into the reaper genre. I just have some difficulties with the whole hell and heaven concept and how reapers know who to kill and such.
To conclude: the story was pretty interesting and was actually the best part of this book. It was a quick read and I read the first half in one sitting. The character just fell flat to me and I couldn't understand their motives and thought they acted a bit stupid at times. The world building was interesting, but there just wasn't enough to make the world come alive.
April 5, 2013
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
I wanted to read this because I liked the premise. It sounded a) seriously cool and b) seriously swoon-worthy. So I jumped into this book ready to SWOON. I expected it to be fun and funny and I'd be a happy camper. And now that I've read it, I admit that I am definitely a happy camper. This was a fun book to read. BUT it didn't live up to alllll of my expectations. Darn well close, though.
First of all, I LOVELOVELOVE the Abe Lincoln thing. I kid you not, good ole Honest Abe is a character in this book. It was funny and entertaining and Lincoln is my absolute favorite president so I squealed once or twice while reading this. I also liked how this particular aspect of the book worked into the world building. Ahhh, it was nice!
Character Rundown:
Aiden: At first, he reminded me a lot of a watered-down Dante Walker. Which is certainly not a bad thing--we all know how I adore that boy. But it also felt weak compared to the real thing. BUT, around the fourth chapter, Aiden started to branch out and become himself, and I REALLY liked the guy he became, so yay! Ahhh, he was cute. I really, really liked him. I even loved him at some parts.
Bee: As usual, I feel somewhat meh about her character. She's not a BAD character, but I wasn't blown away, either. She didn't bring the book down in any way, but I guess I expected more from her than I did. She was kind of awesome during some parts, though! I cannot tell you which ones, because I shall not spoil, but Bee had her moments.
Jaleb: I'm not going in depth with his character, I just had to mention him because HE IS MY BOY AND I HEART HIM TO DEATH. Yeah. So there's that. ;)
Plot. Soooo, the plot. There were a couple of little turns that this story took that I was like "whoa" about, but other than that, I wasn't much surprised. I WAS satisfied, though. This book is still good, trust me. Also, there were some parts where the dialogue seemed unatural. Now, these times were more toward the beginning, when some dialogue was used to let us as the readers know things--to teach us what's up in the story. World building. All that jazz. It wasn't ALWAYS like this, it was actually very effective a majority of the time, but sometimes it just didn't feel right.
Relationships. Well, we have Aiden + Bee, and those two were so cute. They just completely WORKED and I liked it. I happy dance for this couple. Sometimes. When nobody is watching... AND THEN there is Jaleb and Bee. The Jaleb and Bee thing isn't in a love triangle or anything, though, so don't you worry--Jaleb's her brother! And I highly enjoyed their interactions. He is a fantastic brother and I heart him completely for it. Oh, that boy. <3
The ending. I APPROVE. I approve of all of this.
Overall, Deadly Kisses is a cute paranormal love story that isn't perfect, but is definitely worthy of reading. It's cute, it's fun, and you will love AT LEAST one of these sweet, sweet characters.
You can find more from me on my blog: Just a Booklover
I wanted to read this because I liked the premise. It sounded a) seriously cool and b) seriously swoon-worthy. So I jumped into this book ready to SWOON. I expected it to be fun and funny and I'd be a happy camper. And now that I've read it, I admit that I am definitely a happy camper. This was a fun book to read. BUT it didn't live up to alllll of my expectations. Darn well close, though.
First of all, I LOVELOVELOVE the Abe Lincoln thing. I kid you not, good ole Honest Abe is a character in this book. It was funny and entertaining and Lincoln is my absolute favorite president so I squealed once or twice while reading this. I also liked how this particular aspect of the book worked into the world building. Ahhh, it was nice!
Character Rundown:
Aiden: At first, he reminded me a lot of a watered-down Dante Walker. Which is certainly not a bad thing--we all know how I adore that boy. But it also felt weak compared to the real thing. BUT, around the fourth chapter, Aiden started to branch out and become himself, and I REALLY liked the guy he became, so yay! Ahhh, he was cute. I really, really liked him. I even loved him at some parts.
Bee: As usual, I feel somewhat meh about her character. She's not a BAD character, but I wasn't blown away, either. She didn't bring the book down in any way, but I guess I expected more from her than I did. She was kind of awesome during some parts, though! I cannot tell you which ones, because I shall not spoil, but Bee had her moments.
Jaleb: I'm not going in depth with his character, I just had to mention him because HE IS MY BOY AND I HEART HIM TO DEATH. Yeah. So there's that. ;)
Plot. Soooo, the plot. There were a couple of little turns that this story took that I was like "whoa" about, but other than that, I wasn't much surprised. I WAS satisfied, though. This book is still good, trust me. Also, there were some parts where the dialogue seemed unatural. Now, these times were more toward the beginning, when some dialogue was used to let us as the readers know things--to teach us what's up in the story. World building. All that jazz. It wasn't ALWAYS like this, it was actually very effective a majority of the time, but sometimes it just didn't feel right.
Relationships. Well, we have Aiden + Bee, and those two were so cute. They just completely WORKED and I liked it. I happy dance for this couple. Sometimes. When nobody is watching... AND THEN there is Jaleb and Bee. The Jaleb and Bee thing isn't in a love triangle or anything, though, so don't you worry--Jaleb's her brother! And I highly enjoyed their interactions. He is a fantastic brother and I heart him completely for it. Oh, that boy. <3
The ending. I APPROVE. I approve of all of this.
Overall, Deadly Kisses is a cute paranormal love story that isn't perfect, but is definitely worthy of reading. It's cute, it's fun, and you will love AT LEAST one of these sweet, sweet characters.
You can find more from me on my blog: Just a Booklover
April 30, 2013
She's Got Books on Her Mind
Aiden Grant is dead. But, he still walks the earth. He's able to walk the earth still because when he died he held on to his regret which made him a grim reaper. He brags that he's a pretty good one too. Then he gets his next assignment from his "mentor" Abraham Lincoln, and it's Bee. Bee, the girl he once looked at with eyes full of love. Now he has to take her soul. He's resolved to do his job but when he tries to take her soul away she flat out surprises him by fighting him off. She actually speaks to him because for some reason she can see him. It's a race to discover how she's able to see grim reapers and what her other powers have to do with her history. This needs to be done by the seven day time limit when Aiden has to take her soul away. If not Aiden gets in some trouble ... well some big trouble. He would get sent to hell if he messes this up.
The story gets a little more complicated than just the regret and wanting he has for the life he had and the life he could have had with Bee. Ancient grim reapers start to get involved and wreak havoc but before that it's just Aiden and Bee. The thing is that Bee doesn't know Aiden is her grim reaper because he keeps himself covered up. So there's this whole drama with that. Aiden has to act like someone who doesn't care about what he has to do. He puts on a false voice so Bee won't know who he is. Everything gets complicated when things get too personal. Of course nothing can get more personal than taking the soul away from the one you love.
With Aiden you can tell he's a nice guy who really cares about Bee and her family. His regret has to do with her and her family. The way he died has to do with a lot about her family particularly Bee's cousin who was his best friend. You do feel some of his emotions about his death. Sometimes I felt the story could be a little dramatic at points but other times I did feel truly sorry for what Aiden had to go through. I got a little bit emotional for him because when you really think about it Aiden died so young. He was robbed of his life. The book is even partly inspired by the "If I Die Young" song so no wonder this book got me a little emotional.
Bee was just awesome. She was really strong. I particularly liked her entrance to the story which started with a bang. I didn't expect her to be so different. I didn't expect her to be able to heal him the way she did. I guess it makes sense she would be unique. I kind of really wished she was normal. There are some times I didn't want this complicated part of her to be in the story. I just wanted to feel like I could connect with their situation a little more. Only in that it didn't really need that extra bit of paranormal for me to like this story. Saying that I did really enjoy the story. The characters were great. I loved that it was about grim reapers too. I think a lot of people will like that this book deals with death and grim reapers because it's such a big thing in YA. The addition of the ancients I thought was unnecessary though. Other than those couple of things I pointed out this was a nice, fun read.
Aiden Grant is dead. But, he still walks the earth. He's able to walk the earth still because when he died he held on to his regret which made him a grim reaper. He brags that he's a pretty good one too. Then he gets his next assignment from his "mentor" Abraham Lincoln, and it's Bee. Bee, the girl he once looked at with eyes full of love. Now he has to take her soul. He's resolved to do his job but when he tries to take her soul away she flat out surprises him by fighting him off. She actually speaks to him because for some reason she can see him. It's a race to discover how she's able to see grim reapers and what her other powers have to do with her history. This needs to be done by the seven day time limit when Aiden has to take her soul away. If not Aiden gets in some trouble ... well some big trouble. He would get sent to hell if he messes this up.
The story gets a little more complicated than just the regret and wanting he has for the life he had and the life he could have had with Bee. Ancient grim reapers start to get involved and wreak havoc but before that it's just Aiden and Bee. The thing is that Bee doesn't know Aiden is her grim reaper because he keeps himself covered up. So there's this whole drama with that. Aiden has to act like someone who doesn't care about what he has to do. He puts on a false voice so Bee won't know who he is. Everything gets complicated when things get too personal. Of course nothing can get more personal than taking the soul away from the one you love.
With Aiden you can tell he's a nice guy who really cares about Bee and her family. His regret has to do with her and her family. The way he died has to do with a lot about her family particularly Bee's cousin who was his best friend. You do feel some of his emotions about his death. Sometimes I felt the story could be a little dramatic at points but other times I did feel truly sorry for what Aiden had to go through. I got a little bit emotional for him because when you really think about it Aiden died so young. He was robbed of his life. The book is even partly inspired by the "If I Die Young" song so no wonder this book got me a little emotional.
Bee was just awesome. She was really strong. I particularly liked her entrance to the story which started with a bang. I didn't expect her to be so different. I didn't expect her to be able to heal him the way she did. I guess it makes sense she would be unique. I kind of really wished she was normal. There are some times I didn't want this complicated part of her to be in the story. I just wanted to feel like I could connect with their situation a little more. Only in that it didn't really need that extra bit of paranormal for me to like this story. Saying that I did really enjoy the story. The characters were great. I loved that it was about grim reapers too. I think a lot of people will like that this book deals with death and grim reapers because it's such a big thing in YA. The addition of the ancients I thought was unnecessary though. Other than those couple of things I pointed out this was a nice, fun read.
April 16, 2014
Small press and self-published books are not usually books I work with. There has been a lot of drama in the blogging community with small press/self-pubbed authors, and I try to avoid it. But I couldn’t pass up on Deadly Kisses after reading the synopsis. Poor President Lincoln has been used and abused a LOT in recent titles, but in this instance it was a lot of fun without being disrespectful. I was also a big fan of the overall quirkiness of the plot and world Cuevas built, so as soon as the book arrived in the mail, I started reading.
There were a lot of things I liked about Deadly Kisses, and I want to get to those before I get to the negative portion of this review. First and foremost, I loved the world that Cuevas created. I loved the Grim Reaper lifestyle – the gondolas and the river of souls, the Grim Reaper night clubs (I mean, they even have drugs that stop the decomposition process), the fact that they use CELL PHONES to communicate. I loved the idea of bargaining with demons and possibly losing your soul because of it. And even with that part – the part about Hell, and trying to outsmart the Devil himself – this book never got too dark or lost its upbeat voice.
And I did love Ad’s voice. He was sarcastic and smart-assed and had a self-deprecating sense of humor. He was so typically a teenaged boy, even if he was a Grim Reaper. I loved that even though he was obviously attractive, he never let it get to his head and he never acted like he was better than anyone else. And when it came to Bee, he never thought she was stupid and naive (even when she was being stupid and naive.)
The parts where the book fell flat for me were in the writing. Oftentimes, the author would use the wrong words (for instance, “sock draw” instead of “sock drawer.”) There was a lot of confusion, especially in the beginning, where I felt like I was missing sentences, and I never knew who was talking until halfway through the conversation. And speaking of dialog – a lot of it was choppy, and just weird.
Or
A lot of the dialog between Bee and her family members just came off as really cheesy and even a bit on the 7th Heaven side.
I really liked the ending, though. I love that you can tell there could be a sequel coming, but it doesn’t feel cut off. There is character growth in all the characters (even Ad’s and Abe’s relationship grows stronger). There is a definite resolution, which is refreshing because so many times it seems like the author and editor just picked an arbitrary spot in the manuscript and decided they were done for the day.
In all, this was a quick fun read. There were some problems with the writing, which did kind of jar me out of the story a lot. But I did enjoy the mythology and world-building, and the plot was fast-paced and engaging. Definitely a recommended read for lovers of clean urban fantasy.
There were a lot of things I liked about Deadly Kisses, and I want to get to those before I get to the negative portion of this review. First and foremost, I loved the world that Cuevas created. I loved the Grim Reaper lifestyle – the gondolas and the river of souls, the Grim Reaper night clubs (I mean, they even have drugs that stop the decomposition process), the fact that they use CELL PHONES to communicate. I loved the idea of bargaining with demons and possibly losing your soul because of it. And even with that part – the part about Hell, and trying to outsmart the Devil himself – this book never got too dark or lost its upbeat voice.
And I did love Ad’s voice. He was sarcastic and smart-assed and had a self-deprecating sense of humor. He was so typically a teenaged boy, even if he was a Grim Reaper. I loved that even though he was obviously attractive, he never let it get to his head and he never acted like he was better than anyone else. And when it came to Bee, he never thought she was stupid and naive (even when she was being stupid and naive.)
The parts where the book fell flat for me were in the writing. Oftentimes, the author would use the wrong words (for instance, “sock draw” instead of “sock drawer.”) There was a lot of confusion, especially in the beginning, where I felt like I was missing sentences, and I never knew who was talking until halfway through the conversation. And speaking of dialog – a lot of it was choppy, and just weird.
Just like my song that Mad Dogs played ‘The Truth Will Set You Free’.
Or
Just because you’re smart as a whip and home schooled doesn’t mean you can’t do the work.
A lot of the dialog between Bee and her family members just came off as really cheesy and even a bit on the 7th Heaven side.
I really liked the ending, though. I love that you can tell there could be a sequel coming, but it doesn’t feel cut off. There is character growth in all the characters (even Ad’s and Abe’s relationship grows stronger). There is a definite resolution, which is refreshing because so many times it seems like the author and editor just picked an arbitrary spot in the manuscript and decided they were done for the day.
In all, this was a quick fun read. There were some problems with the writing, which did kind of jar me out of the story a lot. But I did enjoy the mythology and world-building, and the plot was fast-paced and engaging. Definitely a recommended read for lovers of clean urban fantasy.
April 26, 2013
Full Review on The Book Cafe
This is a really cute take on a subject that is either hit or miss. Grim Reapers. It can be too overdone, or too dark and just not interesting. I have to say Ms. Cuevas did it right. She had the perfect combination of light and dark. And for a YA Paranormal it hit the mark perfectly!
Aiden is a 17 year old newly dead (2 years) grim reaper. He is good at what he does making the kiss of death and the transition to the Golden Gates painless. He's still a relative newbie so his mentor, none other than Abraham Lincoln himself, is constantly testing him. His new test? To reap the soul of Bee the younger cousin of his best friend and his love. He's been in love for with Bee for as long as he could remember, but never acted on it mainly due to their two year age difference and the fact that he was so close with her older brother and older cousin. But when he gets this assignment he doesn't know what to do. And that's how things get screwy. He wants to do his job, so he attempts to give her the kiss of death, which of course with his feelings being involved turns into a semi-real kiss, resulting in something that rarely, if ever, happens. Instead of Aiden taking her soul, they actually exchange parts of each others creating a tangled mess. And to make things worse, Bee can actually see him. Unbeknownst to him, she's had the gift of "sight" all of her life and has always been able to see Grim Reapers. But he wants this to stay as uncomplicated as possible, so he hides his face with his big ole black hood and says his name is "Ade".
So this is where the funny and dark kind of intersect. Funny because Bee is a no holds barred kind of character. She has no problem staring a Grim Reaper down, daring him to try to take her soul. She isn't the weepy "woe is me" kind of girl. Even without knowing who exactly he is she challenges him and isn't really afraid of him. She short and feisty making her a kindred spirit. And then when she does find out (which, I mean of course she has to) the love story develops. And it's sweet and innocent and makes me smile a little. But as with any story revolving around the undead soul stealing characters of the afterlife it can't be all puppies and roses, because Aiden has 6 days to transport her soul to the Golden Gates or he will fail his test and possibly end up in a tortured existence. Oh and of course Bee's not an easy kind of soul. Besides being able to actually see Grim Reapers she has an ability that EVERYONE in Aiden's world wants a piece of and he can't let that happen. So he, Bee and Bee's older brother Jaleb try to trace back the lineage causing Bee and her family's special abilities, unraveling a mystery hundreds of years old. And Aiden tries everything in his power to protect the girl he loves, no matter the consequences.
This book has rock stars, gondolas, evil Russian Ancients, Abe Lincoln and psychic, quirky chicks named Marlin. Oh, and the author's from RI. So what's not to love about this book?
This is a really cute take on a subject that is either hit or miss. Grim Reapers. It can be too overdone, or too dark and just not interesting. I have to say Ms. Cuevas did it right. She had the perfect combination of light and dark. And for a YA Paranormal it hit the mark perfectly!
Aiden is a 17 year old newly dead (2 years) grim reaper. He is good at what he does making the kiss of death and the transition to the Golden Gates painless. He's still a relative newbie so his mentor, none other than Abraham Lincoln himself, is constantly testing him. His new test? To reap the soul of Bee the younger cousin of his best friend and his love. He's been in love for with Bee for as long as he could remember, but never acted on it mainly due to their two year age difference and the fact that he was so close with her older brother and older cousin. But when he gets this assignment he doesn't know what to do. And that's how things get screwy. He wants to do his job, so he attempts to give her the kiss of death, which of course with his feelings being involved turns into a semi-real kiss, resulting in something that rarely, if ever, happens. Instead of Aiden taking her soul, they actually exchange parts of each others creating a tangled mess. And to make things worse, Bee can actually see him. Unbeknownst to him, she's had the gift of "sight" all of her life and has always been able to see Grim Reapers. But he wants this to stay as uncomplicated as possible, so he hides his face with his big ole black hood and says his name is "Ade".
So this is where the funny and dark kind of intersect. Funny because Bee is a no holds barred kind of character. She has no problem staring a Grim Reaper down, daring him to try to take her soul. She isn't the weepy "woe is me" kind of girl. Even without knowing who exactly he is she challenges him and isn't really afraid of him. She short and feisty making her a kindred spirit. And then when she does find out (which, I mean of course she has to) the love story develops. And it's sweet and innocent and makes me smile a little. But as with any story revolving around the undead soul stealing characters of the afterlife it can't be all puppies and roses, because Aiden has 6 days to transport her soul to the Golden Gates or he will fail his test and possibly end up in a tortured existence. Oh and of course Bee's not an easy kind of soul. Besides being able to actually see Grim Reapers she has an ability that EVERYONE in Aiden's world wants a piece of and he can't let that happen. So he, Bee and Bee's older brother Jaleb try to trace back the lineage causing Bee and her family's special abilities, unraveling a mystery hundreds of years old. And Aiden tries everything in his power to protect the girl he loves, no matter the consequences.
This book has rock stars, gondolas, evil Russian Ancients, Abe Lincoln and psychic, quirky chicks named Marlin. Oh, and the author's from RI. So what's not to love about this book?
April 5, 2013
I definitely love reaper books. They have a certain appeal to them, and, combined with a male POV, Deadly Kisses was such a cute book!
Aiden is a reaper for Abe Lincoln. No seriously. That Abe. After dying 2 years ago, he was granted the kiss of death, and he’s pretty darn good at it. That is, until he receives an assignment to kill his childhood love, Bee. Bee is the only girl he’s ever loved, and he’s the only girl he’d give up his existence for. Turns out that this assignment is much harder than he ever expected since his kiss of death fails. There seems to be something special about Bee, and the Ancient Grim Reapers want her for their own agenda. Can Aiden save Bee from dying, and will he have to sacrifice himself to do so?
I really like Aiden. He had a horrible childhood, but he definitely was a trooper. He carried much guilt from the night he died, and I just really wanted to hug him all the time. He is super protective, which is just about the best trait you can find in a guy. I liked his sense of humor and his ability to lighten any dark situation.
Bee was such a kind person. I really can’t say anything bad about her. She would give up everything to save her family. I felt so bad for her, and her sweetness did not warrant everything that was handed to her. In the face of adversity, she was very brave.
Jaleb, Bee’s brother, was such an adorable brother. I loved that he was so caring and defensive towards Aiden since he did not want Bee hurt. Abe was such a cool boss. If I was a teenage boy who died and became a reaper, I would want Abraham Lincoln as my mentor. I mean, that would be so dang cool. Reina, a fellow reaper, was pretty annoying at the beginning, but I liked her at the end.
The plot was pretty much non-stop action. There was always something happening, and I was always racing to keep kept up. I loved that the book was in Aiden’s POV. It’s always definitely special reading from a males perspective. I just wish the romance was developed a bit more. Sometimes I couldn’t figure out how their relationship got from point A to point B. I also wish we could have gotten more insight into both of their feelings before he died. In spite of this, they had some super cute moments together, and the ending was just about perfect!
The ending wrapped up wonderfully, and I was sad to see Aiden and Bee go. Reaper books are always pretty amazing, especially with Honest Abe!
Favorite Swoon-worthy Quote: My brain went to static as her lips devoured mine. I parted them, bringing my tongue deep inside her mouth—vanilla. The delicious taste sent me to probe and explore. Her fingers twisted, clutching the collar of my cloak. Her heart raced, pulsating through my veins. I pulled her into me until I could feel her body against mine. Hip to hip—soul to soul. We were chocolate slowly warming, melting into sweet goo.
Rating: 3.5/5 Tar Heels!
See more reviews at www.tarheelbibliobabe.blogspot.com! :)
Aiden is a reaper for Abe Lincoln. No seriously. That Abe. After dying 2 years ago, he was granted the kiss of death, and he’s pretty darn good at it. That is, until he receives an assignment to kill his childhood love, Bee. Bee is the only girl he’s ever loved, and he’s the only girl he’d give up his existence for. Turns out that this assignment is much harder than he ever expected since his kiss of death fails. There seems to be something special about Bee, and the Ancient Grim Reapers want her for their own agenda. Can Aiden save Bee from dying, and will he have to sacrifice himself to do so?
I really like Aiden. He had a horrible childhood, but he definitely was a trooper. He carried much guilt from the night he died, and I just really wanted to hug him all the time. He is super protective, which is just about the best trait you can find in a guy. I liked his sense of humor and his ability to lighten any dark situation.
Bee was such a kind person. I really can’t say anything bad about her. She would give up everything to save her family. I felt so bad for her, and her sweetness did not warrant everything that was handed to her. In the face of adversity, she was very brave.
Jaleb, Bee’s brother, was such an adorable brother. I loved that he was so caring and defensive towards Aiden since he did not want Bee hurt. Abe was such a cool boss. If I was a teenage boy who died and became a reaper, I would want Abraham Lincoln as my mentor. I mean, that would be so dang cool. Reina, a fellow reaper, was pretty annoying at the beginning, but I liked her at the end.
The plot was pretty much non-stop action. There was always something happening, and I was always racing to keep kept up. I loved that the book was in Aiden’s POV. It’s always definitely special reading from a males perspective. I just wish the romance was developed a bit more. Sometimes I couldn’t figure out how their relationship got from point A to point B. I also wish we could have gotten more insight into both of their feelings before he died. In spite of this, they had some super cute moments together, and the ending was just about perfect!
The ending wrapped up wonderfully, and I was sad to see Aiden and Bee go. Reaper books are always pretty amazing, especially with Honest Abe!
Favorite Swoon-worthy Quote: My brain went to static as her lips devoured mine. I parted them, bringing my tongue deep inside her mouth—vanilla. The delicious taste sent me to probe and explore. Her fingers twisted, clutching the collar of my cloak. Her heart raced, pulsating through my veins. I pulled her into me until I could feel her body against mine. Hip to hip—soul to soul. We were chocolate slowly warming, melting into sweet goo.
Rating: 3.5/5 Tar Heels!
See more reviews at www.tarheelbibliobabe.blogspot.com! :)
April 4, 2013
BOOK REVIEW by Michelle 4TH APRIL 2013:
Gondolas , Grim Reapers and Abe Lincoln, yes that is right , Abraham Lincoln the 16th President, Aiden, Bee ( as in the insect ) and of course some Ancient villains make up some of the character’s in Kerri’s tale.
Seventeen year old Grim Reaper Aiden Grant, guitar player, is bonded through death to one of the biggest names in American History, Abe Lincoln aka Top Hat.
Aiden gets a text message from his boss that will change his ..errrr....undead life.
Bee , the girl he loves is next on his list. He must take her soul and send her down the River of Lost Souls in his well looked after Gondola.
But things aren’t as simple as they usually are when he is collecting his next soul. Aiden prides himself on not waiting out the seven days to collect the soul, he efficiently gets onto it straight away......NEXT!
Aiden and his trusty scythe must see through Bee’s reaping, the reapers that don’t fulfil the name on their list wind up as skeletons in the River of Lost Souls.
Aiden was killed in a bridge collapse accident with his best friend, Sabrina. She had no regrets so she moved onto Heaven. Aiden had regret so he became a Grim Reaper, immortal but not in a youthful beautiful package... in a decayed body.
Not a good look. Even with the black cloak and hood down to his nose.
I was nothing but a loner, a person who had loved his guitar more than people. Now I was a dead sack of bones.
Bee can see Grim Reapers, always could. Jaleb, her brother has not got the sight of death. Bee becomes a hot commodity and Aiden must keep her safe. Bee has something that the villains want and they will use Jaleb to get it.
I was becoming the patron Reaper of good deeds.
Things are about to change and the Ancient Ones, Ivar the Boneless, Erik and Leif have their own dark, evil agenda.
Aiden and Bee are pulling a Nancy Drew and trying to find who in the Flynt family made a deal with The Dark Lord.
Marlin is a great quirky character. She pulls off weird, very well.
Reina, I grew to like her. It isn’t easy being a Grim Reaper, no matter how much she tries to act like it is a piece of cake, clubbing drinking firewater.
The villains are great, Ivar with his viking hat thingy and his rule breaking brought more interest for me. He was a real threat to Aiden, Bee and Jaleb.
I enjoyed this story but I would have liked more character depth and I felt at times that the dots could have been joined better in the story line. I wanted to connect more with Aiden and Bee. I felt like I needed more convincing of these two as an eventual couple. I think that would come with character depth, for me personally.
A good start for this debut author
Gondolas , Grim Reapers and Abe Lincoln, yes that is right , Abraham Lincoln the 16th President, Aiden, Bee ( as in the insect ) and of course some Ancient villains make up some of the character’s in Kerri’s tale.
Seventeen year old Grim Reaper Aiden Grant, guitar player, is bonded through death to one of the biggest names in American History, Abe Lincoln aka Top Hat.
Aiden gets a text message from his boss that will change his ..errrr....undead life.
Bee , the girl he loves is next on his list. He must take her soul and send her down the River of Lost Souls in his well looked after Gondola.
But things aren’t as simple as they usually are when he is collecting his next soul. Aiden prides himself on not waiting out the seven days to collect the soul, he efficiently gets onto it straight away......NEXT!
Aiden and his trusty scythe must see through Bee’s reaping, the reapers that don’t fulfil the name on their list wind up as skeletons in the River of Lost Souls.
Aiden was killed in a bridge collapse accident with his best friend, Sabrina. She had no regrets so she moved onto Heaven. Aiden had regret so he became a Grim Reaper, immortal but not in a youthful beautiful package... in a decayed body.
Not a good look. Even with the black cloak and hood down to his nose.
I was nothing but a loner, a person who had loved his guitar more than people. Now I was a dead sack of bones.
Bee can see Grim Reapers, always could. Jaleb, her brother has not got the sight of death. Bee becomes a hot commodity and Aiden must keep her safe. Bee has something that the villains want and they will use Jaleb to get it.
I was becoming the patron Reaper of good deeds.
Things are about to change and the Ancient Ones, Ivar the Boneless, Erik and Leif have their own dark, evil agenda.
Aiden and Bee are pulling a Nancy Drew and trying to find who in the Flynt family made a deal with The Dark Lord.
Marlin is a great quirky character. She pulls off weird, very well.
Reina, I grew to like her. It isn’t easy being a Grim Reaper, no matter how much she tries to act like it is a piece of cake, clubbing drinking firewater.
The villains are great, Ivar with his viking hat thingy and his rule breaking brought more interest for me. He was a real threat to Aiden, Bee and Jaleb.
I enjoyed this story but I would have liked more character depth and I felt at times that the dots could have been joined better in the story line. I wanted to connect more with Aiden and Bee. I felt like I needed more convincing of these two as an eventual couple. I think that would come with character depth, for me personally.
A good start for this debut author
April 4, 2013
BOOK REVIEW by Michelle 4TH APRIL 2013:
Gondolas , Grim Reapers and Abe Lincoln, yes that is right , Abraham Lincoln the 16th President, Aiden, Bee ( as in the insect ) and of course some Ancient villains make up some of the character’s in Kerri’s tale.
Seventeen year old Grim Reaper Aiden Grant, guitar player, is bonded through death to one of the biggest names in American History, Abe Lincoln aka Top Hat.
Aiden gets a text message from his boss that will change his ..errrr....undead life.
Bee , the girl he loves is next on his list. He must take her soul and send her down the River of Lost Souls in his well looked after Gondola.
But things aren’t as simple as they usually are when he is collecting his next soul. Aiden prides himself on not waiting out the seven days to collect the soul, he efficiently gets onto it straight away......NEXT!
Aiden and his trusty scythe must see through Bee’s reaping, the reapers that don’t fulfil the name on their list wind up as skeletons in the River of Lost Souls.
Aiden was killed in a bridge collapse accident with his best friend, Sabrina. She had no regrets so she moved onto Heaven. Aiden had regret so he became a Grim Reaper, immortal but not in a youthful beautiful package... in a decayed body.
Not a good look. Even with the black cloak and hood down to his nose.
I was nothing but a loner, a person who had loved his guitar more than people. Now I was a dead sack of bones.
Bee can see Grim Reapers, always could. Jaleb, her brother has not got the sight of death. Bee becomes a hot commodity and Aiden must keep her safe. Bee has something that the villains want and they will use Jaleb to get it.
I was becoming the patron Reaper of good deeds.
Things are about to change and the Ancient Ones, Ivar the Boneless, Erik and Leif have their own dark, evil agenda.
Aiden and Bee are pulling a Nancy Drew and trying to find who in the Flynt family made a deal with The Dark Lord.
Marlin is a great quirky character. She pulls off weird, very well.
Reina, I grew to like her. It isn’t easy being a Grim Reaper, no matter how much she tries to act like it is a piece of cake, clubbing drinking firewater.
The villains are great, Ivar with his viking hat thingy and his rule breaking brought more interest for me. He was a real threat to Aiden, Bee and Jaleb.
I enjoyed this story but I would have liked more character depth and I felt at times that the dots could have been joined better in the story line. I wanted to connect more with Aiden and Bee. I felt like I needed more convincing of these two as an eventual couple. I think that would come with character depth, for me personally.
A good start for this debut author
Gondolas , Grim Reapers and Abe Lincoln, yes that is right , Abraham Lincoln the 16th President, Aiden, Bee ( as in the insect ) and of course some Ancient villains make up some of the character’s in Kerri’s tale.
Seventeen year old Grim Reaper Aiden Grant, guitar player, is bonded through death to one of the biggest names in American History, Abe Lincoln aka Top Hat.
Aiden gets a text message from his boss that will change his ..errrr....undead life.
Bee , the girl he loves is next on his list. He must take her soul and send her down the River of Lost Souls in his well looked after Gondola.
But things aren’t as simple as they usually are when he is collecting his next soul. Aiden prides himself on not waiting out the seven days to collect the soul, he efficiently gets onto it straight away......NEXT!
Aiden and his trusty scythe must see through Bee’s reaping, the reapers that don’t fulfil the name on their list wind up as skeletons in the River of Lost Souls.
Aiden was killed in a bridge collapse accident with his best friend, Sabrina. She had no regrets so she moved onto Heaven. Aiden had regret so he became a Grim Reaper, immortal but not in a youthful beautiful package... in a decayed body.
Not a good look. Even with the black cloak and hood down to his nose.
I was nothing but a loner, a person who had loved his guitar more than people. Now I was a dead sack of bones.
Bee can see Grim Reapers, always could. Jaleb, her brother has not got the sight of death. Bee becomes a hot commodity and Aiden must keep her safe. Bee has something that the villains want and they will use Jaleb to get it.
I was becoming the patron Reaper of good deeds.
Things are about to change and the Ancient Ones, Ivar the Boneless, Erik and Leif have their own dark, evil agenda.
Aiden and Bee are pulling a Nancy Drew and trying to find who in the Flynt family made a deal with The Dark Lord.
Marlin is a great quirky character. She pulls off weird, very well.
Reina, I grew to like her. It isn’t easy being a Grim Reaper, no matter how much she tries to act like it is a piece of cake, clubbing drinking firewater.
The villains are great, Ivar with his viking hat thingy and his rule breaking brought more interest for me. He was a real threat to Aiden, Bee and Jaleb.
I enjoyed this story but I would have liked more character depth and I felt at times that the dots could have been joined better in the story line. I wanted to connect more with Aiden and Bee. I felt like I needed more convincing of these two as an eventual couple. I think that would come with character depth, for me personally.
A good start for this debut author
April 3, 2013
“Deadly Kisses” appealed to me because it was a story told from not only a male POV, but from a Grim Reaper male POV. Aiden is an 17 year old teen boy who died tragically in a car wreck with his best gal friend Sabrina. Regrets from life kept Aiden here as a Grim Reaper & Sabrina went to Heaven. When I found out Abe Lincoln was Aiden’s “boss”, top hat and all, I was pretty jazzed. Abe adds comedic relief to the story and I couldn’t help but to love his personality. A little salty, grumpy, stern, but caring. Especially for his young reaperling Aiden. I thought “Kerri Cuevas” was pretty cool and creative for adding such a familiar and historic character to the story.
Now we meet Bee: the other main character of the story. Bee isn’t what I would call an character that leaps off the pages at you. Her and her family have supernatural ties due to an ancestors “bargain with the devil”. That link to the supernatural is what makes her important to the story and Aiden. She is fiercely protective of her family and has no fear in the face of death. Her strength is commendable. Her willingness to sacrifice for loved ones is sweet and at times foolish. I liked Bee, she just was missing that “spark” that would of made her a character hard to forget long after the story ends.
Kerri Cuevas added a new and modern twist to the Grim Reaper lore. We get an inside look at the Reapers, what they do for fun, their mode of operation and transportation, we learn a bit about their rules and their government. Sadly the quest for power and corruption carries on in the afterlife too. I wish I got a more in depth look and feel for this underworld and the different characters that inhabit it. The world building was missing a few bit parts. I wanted to be more immersed in Aiden’s world. There was so much going on that I felt lost when all wasn’t laid out for me. I also felt a huge disconnect to Bee’s family. I met her brother who played a major role for a few big scenes.
The story was highly entertaining and fun. There was plenty of action and just enough supernatural darkness to thrill and chill. The romance between our two main’s was sweet and all encompassing without being too Bella and Edward-ish. I feel I was left in the dark because book 2 will be coming soon and it will answer many of my questions. I hate being left in the dark. My impatience can wait for “Dark Kisses” (book 2) because this story and the investment I have in the characters are more than worth it.
April 2, 2013
** 3 1/2 Stars **
I'm a sucker for grim reaper stories so I was immediately drawn to Deadly Kisses. It's a unique perspective on reapers and was full of dark humor, both of which I enjoyed. I'm assuming Deadly Kisses is the first in a series and Ms. Cuevas did a fine job of setting it up and creating an interesting cast of characters. It did get off to a shaky start for me, but picked up steam eventually.
Aiden Grant, "Ad", is a grim reaper. He died at 19 and has several regrets about his life, keeping him on the mortal plane. He's good at his job and enjoys his afterlife for the most part, as a Reaperling working for our 16th president...that's Abraham Lincoln, folks! :) However, Ad has just received an assignment that is his worst nightmare. He's been tasked with reaping the soul of the girl he loves.
Beatrice Flynt, "Bee", has always had the gift of "sight". So seeing a grim reaper doesn't scare her - she knows why he's there. But Bee has other special gifts too and when Ad delivers his kiss of death, something goes wrong. Problem is, this error brings Bee all sorts of the wrong kind of attention. And once she realizes who her reaper is, she and Ad join together to unravel the mysteries that have surrounded her family for generations. Oh, and try to save Bee's soul before her time runs out.
They'll have help in their quest to find the answers and fight off the Ancients, who hunger for Bee's soul; Old Abe for one as well as Reina, a reaper friend of Ad's, and Jaleb, Bee's brother. These supporting characters are all likeable, although I would have liked more character development - especially with Mr. Lincoln. ;) I do look forward to learning more about them as the series progresses!
I did feel that the writing was stilted in places. There were points in the dialog that seemed disjointed and kept the story from really flowing. There were also a few instances where the author relied on images having been painted to aid in the action or dialog but those images weren't there. It seemed like Ms. Cuevas hit her stride around the midpoint of the novel and from there the story really flowed.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read. I liked the mystery surrounding Bee's family and that Aiden was able to release one of his regrets. I also liked the grim reaper mythos and imagery Ms. Cuevas created. I look forward to the next in the series and/or more from her.
**I received this book from Xpresso Book Tours as part of the blog tour in exchange for an honest review
I'm a sucker for grim reaper stories so I was immediately drawn to Deadly Kisses. It's a unique perspective on reapers and was full of dark humor, both of which I enjoyed. I'm assuming Deadly Kisses is the first in a series and Ms. Cuevas did a fine job of setting it up and creating an interesting cast of characters. It did get off to a shaky start for me, but picked up steam eventually.
Aiden Grant, "Ad", is a grim reaper. He died at 19 and has several regrets about his life, keeping him on the mortal plane. He's good at his job and enjoys his afterlife for the most part, as a Reaperling working for our 16th president...that's Abraham Lincoln, folks! :) However, Ad has just received an assignment that is his worst nightmare. He's been tasked with reaping the soul of the girl he loves.
Beatrice Flynt, "Bee", has always had the gift of "sight". So seeing a grim reaper doesn't scare her - she knows why he's there. But Bee has other special gifts too and when Ad delivers his kiss of death, something goes wrong. Problem is, this error brings Bee all sorts of the wrong kind of attention. And once she realizes who her reaper is, she and Ad join together to unravel the mysteries that have surrounded her family for generations. Oh, and try to save Bee's soul before her time runs out.
They'll have help in their quest to find the answers and fight off the Ancients, who hunger for Bee's soul; Old Abe for one as well as Reina, a reaper friend of Ad's, and Jaleb, Bee's brother. These supporting characters are all likeable, although I would have liked more character development - especially with Mr. Lincoln. ;) I do look forward to learning more about them as the series progresses!
I did feel that the writing was stilted in places. There were points in the dialog that seemed disjointed and kept the story from really flowing. There were also a few instances where the author relied on images having been painted to aid in the action or dialog but those images weren't there. It seemed like Ms. Cuevas hit her stride around the midpoint of the novel and from there the story really flowed.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read. I liked the mystery surrounding Bee's family and that Aiden was able to release one of his regrets. I also liked the grim reaper mythos and imagery Ms. Cuevas created. I look forward to the next in the series and/or more from her.
**I received this book from Xpresso Book Tours as part of the blog tour in exchange for an honest review
April 28, 2013
Rating:3.5/5.
When Aiden Grant is asked to reap the soul of the girl he loves he doesn't refuse.Between killing her and remain a Grim Reaper or ascend in Heaven ,Aidan ends up doing exactly the one things he didn't expect.
Reading about Grim reapers and how everything works for them isn't exactly something surprising..Maybe i'm not used to this kind of book.Yes,i read before about this subject..Once or twice..It really doesn't matter how many times,but i saw movies about Grim Reapers and that's why i'm not surprised.Yikes!
This story was good.I liked Aidan and Bee.They were the only characters i liked.Don't ask why..
For me it was interesting because of how everything happened. What was odd was how Bee reacted and the fact that she wasn't afraid of death.I think if i was in her place i would have screamed like a little girl and run like hell..but ,well,i'm not in her place.
What i expected was something more complicated and hard.Yes,it was a little complicated because of the Ancients and Bee's family secret.
Maybe i'm too harsh,but the fact that Bee accepted so easy that she had 6 days to leave until Aidan had to reap her soul was the one thing i didn't like at all.
But how things changed from there..Well,i guess i can say that the beginning was really good and that was all.From there it kind of spinned out of control.It wasn't really bad and i enjoyed reading about how Bee and Aiden acted when they were together.How they tried so hard to discover the truth about why Bee could see Grim Reapers.I admired Aidan for his sacrifice.But that's all.
Once again i mention the fact that the book was good,the characters were almost perfect.But now is the time for me to mention the fact that i'm not a big fan of Grimm Reapers and death,but this time i will try to forget just a little about that and focus on the story.
The end of the book surprised me a little.I wondered what could happen and i was thinking that may both Bee and her brother will die..but that's what i get for thinking what i shouldn't.Yikes again..
When i think about Grimm Reaper and Death i imagined something complicated and scary..In my opinion in this book things were a little complicated and scary but not enough to make me want to read it again.
But..I'm not ignorant..and i love how everything changes when is about love.That's what made me read the whole book- the fact that Aiden loved Bee enough to want to be with her and trying to save her life by sacrificing hes soul. Not good for you?For me it was.
When Aiden Grant is asked to reap the soul of the girl he loves he doesn't refuse.Between killing her and remain a Grim Reaper or ascend in Heaven ,Aidan ends up doing exactly the one things he didn't expect.
Reading about Grim reapers and how everything works for them isn't exactly something surprising..Maybe i'm not used to this kind of book.Yes,i read before about this subject..Once or twice..It really doesn't matter how many times,but i saw movies about Grim Reapers and that's why i'm not surprised.Yikes!
This story was good.I liked Aidan and Bee.They were the only characters i liked.Don't ask why..
For me it was interesting because of how everything happened. What was odd was how Bee reacted and the fact that she wasn't afraid of death.I think if i was in her place i would have screamed like a little girl and run like hell..but ,well,i'm not in her place.
What i expected was something more complicated and hard.Yes,it was a little complicated because of the Ancients and Bee's family secret.
Maybe i'm too harsh,but the fact that Bee accepted so easy that she had 6 days to leave until Aidan had to reap her soul was the one thing i didn't like at all.
But how things changed from there..Well,i guess i can say that the beginning was really good and that was all.From there it kind of spinned out of control.It wasn't really bad and i enjoyed reading about how Bee and Aiden acted when they were together.How they tried so hard to discover the truth about why Bee could see Grim Reapers.I admired Aidan for his sacrifice.But that's all.
Once again i mention the fact that the book was good,the characters were almost perfect.But now is the time for me to mention the fact that i'm not a big fan of Grimm Reapers and death,but this time i will try to forget just a little about that and focus on the story.
The end of the book surprised me a little.I wondered what could happen and i was thinking that may both Bee and her brother will die..but that's what i get for thinking what i shouldn't.Yikes again..
When i think about Grimm Reaper and Death i imagined something complicated and scary..In my opinion in this book things were a little complicated and scary but not enough to make me want to read it again.
But..I'm not ignorant..and i love how everything changes when is about love.That's what made me read the whole book- the fact that Aiden loved Bee enough to want to be with her and trying to save her life by sacrificing hes soul. Not good for you?For me it was.
April 1, 2013
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed @ Enticed by Books
Deadly Kisses was my first Grim Reaper experience and I really liked it. Though I was a little confused in the beginning not knowing anything about the reapers but Kerri Cuevas did a great job explaining their roles without being overly descriptive. One of my concerns throughout the story was that it wasn't very addicting, there was nothing in it forcing me to finish the book right that second, and I just wanted to put it aside. I don't know why I felt that way because there were new discoveries and revelation in every chapter, but still something was clearly missing.
Ad is a fairly new reaper who has been working under Abrahim Lincoln (my favorite part!) for the past two years and his new assignment is to collect the soul of his past crush/friend, Bee. The story is told from Ad's POV and I loved getting to know his thoughts. He loved Bee when he was alive and him being her reaper was tough for him. He wanted to get his job done as quickly as possible but in between the process, somehow their souls got entangled and for me, the story became much more interesting. I don't want to spoil anything but I'll just say that Bee was my favorite character. She was a surprise package, her reaction towards Ad being a reaper was unbelievable for me but it made sense later on in the story when her secret was revealed. It's obvious that I'm in love with her and what she did in the end was fan-fucking-tastic. I'm not sure if there will be a sequel but I'm definitely rooting for one.
Overall, Deadly Kisses is a very enjoyable read about a guy and the choices he is given where he can either kill the girl he loves or save her which might end up killing him from the inside. I loved that Ad & Bee's romance was portrayed as starcrossed in a way that he couldn't kiss her without killing her and they couldn't have a happily ever after, but somehow the author pulled off an ending that was perfect for every character and the reader. I really liked that part. Deadly Kisses is indeed recommended to fans of Grim Reaper tales and starcrossed romances. This was my first time with a reaper story and I can safely say that I want more!
A Copy was provided by Xpresso Book Tour for an honest review, as a part of blog tour.
Reviewed @ Enticed by Books
Deadly Kisses was my first Grim Reaper experience and I really liked it. Though I was a little confused in the beginning not knowing anything about the reapers but Kerri Cuevas did a great job explaining their roles without being overly descriptive. One of my concerns throughout the story was that it wasn't very addicting, there was nothing in it forcing me to finish the book right that second, and I just wanted to put it aside. I don't know why I felt that way because there were new discoveries and revelation in every chapter, but still something was clearly missing.
Ad is a fairly new reaper who has been working under Abrahim Lincoln (my favorite part!) for the past two years and his new assignment is to collect the soul of his past crush/friend, Bee. The story is told from Ad's POV and I loved getting to know his thoughts. He loved Bee when he was alive and him being her reaper was tough for him. He wanted to get his job done as quickly as possible but in between the process, somehow their souls got entangled and for me, the story became much more interesting. I don't want to spoil anything but I'll just say that Bee was my favorite character. She was a surprise package, her reaction towards Ad being a reaper was unbelievable for me but it made sense later on in the story when her secret was revealed. It's obvious that I'm in love with her and what she did in the end was fan-fucking-tastic. I'm not sure if there will be a sequel but I'm definitely rooting for one.
Overall, Deadly Kisses is a very enjoyable read about a guy and the choices he is given where he can either kill the girl he loves or save her which might end up killing him from the inside. I loved that Ad & Bee's romance was portrayed as starcrossed in a way that he couldn't kiss her without killing her and they couldn't have a happily ever after, but somehow the author pulled off an ending that was perfect for every character and the reader. I really liked that part. Deadly Kisses is indeed recommended to fans of Grim Reaper tales and starcrossed romances. This was my first time with a reaper story and I can safely say that I want more!
A Copy was provided by Xpresso Book Tour for an honest review, as a part of blog tour.
April 4, 2013
Deadly Kisses is a book about reapers. I still remember a time last year when I hadn't read a single reaper book at all. Now I have read a handful of them and I can honestly say that I like them but that there isn't too much variation between each of them. What I really liked about Deadly Kisses was that Kerri Cuevas actually didn't try to make reapers super attractive. This book is told from a guy's point of view, and she didn't make him traditionally good looking, which was really refreshing actually. He didn't like his own looks and Bee even described him as bony and gross at the start. So right away, I knew this was going to be a slightly different take on reapers.
Like I just said, this book was told from a guys point of view, and I have such a soft spot for this. I just love the sneak peak into their heads. I can't help it. I liked Aiden a lot. I loved how internally emotional he was. He really seemed torn about his decisions and I could tell that he really thought about things. I loved seeing his thought process throughout.
Bee was a spit fire, that's for sure. She is so fiesty and I loved that about her but I loved even more that Aiden liked that about her. Even when she was being difficult, he liked it. I liked the two of them together, but it just seemed like there were so many circumstances outside of their control rooting against them. I felt kind of bad for them, but I still really enjoyed the progression of Aiden and Bee throughout the story.
Kerri Cuevas is great at building anticipation and she never rushed anything in the plot. I really appreciated that. I have to say that there was one thing I just couldn't get past. I couldn't stand that the grim reaper boss was Abraham Lincoln. It just bugged me. I was a history major and I actually studied Lincoln a lot. (I wrote my history thesis on him) so it just really rubbed me the wrong way that he was boss of grim reapers, but that is the only major critique I have. The book overall was enjoyable and a nice story. I liked getting to know the characters and I thought there were a few good surprises places throughout. (nope, I won't be telling you what they are. You will just have to read it for yourself.) If you like reaper books, paranormal romances and/or books from a guys point of view, you should check out Deadly Kisses!
Like I just said, this book was told from a guys point of view, and I have such a soft spot for this. I just love the sneak peak into their heads. I can't help it. I liked Aiden a lot. I loved how internally emotional he was. He really seemed torn about his decisions and I could tell that he really thought about things. I loved seeing his thought process throughout.
Bee was a spit fire, that's for sure. She is so fiesty and I loved that about her but I loved even more that Aiden liked that about her. Even when she was being difficult, he liked it. I liked the two of them together, but it just seemed like there were so many circumstances outside of their control rooting against them. I felt kind of bad for them, but I still really enjoyed the progression of Aiden and Bee throughout the story.
Kerri Cuevas is great at building anticipation and she never rushed anything in the plot. I really appreciated that. I have to say that there was one thing I just couldn't get past. I couldn't stand that the grim reaper boss was Abraham Lincoln. It just bugged me. I was a history major and I actually studied Lincoln a lot. (I wrote my history thesis on him) so it just really rubbed me the wrong way that he was boss of grim reapers, but that is the only major critique I have. The book overall was enjoyable and a nice story. I liked getting to know the characters and I thought there were a few good surprises places throughout. (nope, I won't be telling you what they are. You will just have to read it for yourself.) If you like reaper books, paranormal romances and/or books from a guys point of view, you should check out Deadly Kisses!
April 5, 2013
You can’t escape death. Well, for long, anyway. Aiden Grant knows that better than most. And although I like him during the first half of the book, in the second half he turns into this complete love-sick puppy who kinds of whines a lot. I found myself skipping most of the romantic parts because of this reason. Kerri Cuevas could have toned the emotion and love Aiden feels for Bee down by a lot. But, not a bad read. A cool idea that is well developed and a dark read.
Deadly Kisses has a hard time setting the moods properly. It seems like every time something sad happens someone would say or do something funny right away. Instead of playing the sad part out a little longer, it keeps changing and making it harder for me to sympathize any of the characters. I also did not like the humour, it’s very forced sarcasm that didn't make me laugh once. I get the jokes, they’re just not funny. And I don’t understand why authors feel the need to repeat the same facts over and over again every two pages. Almost on every page, Ad is either saying/thinking, “I really love Bee”, “I have to reap Bee but I don’t want to,” or “I need to protect Bee from everything.” Of course I'm just paraphrasing it but you get the point (hopefully). Sadly, the whole book is mostly predictable and I knew the ending before I read it.
What I do like about this novel is the world building. I love the night clubs and how all of the other Grim Reapers mingle together and become a community sort of like the living do except they drink anti-rotting drinks and own gondolas. Ad’s flashbacks of his death is the reason why he hasn't ascended yet and this has to be my favourite part of the book. As readers, we see Ad breaking down his well constructed walls and becoming very vulnerable. Kerri Cuevas does a beautiful job explaining Ad’s regret in such a manner that it touched my heart. It makes you realize just how hard it is to let the ones you love go without blaming yourself for letting them die.
Overall, Deadly Kisses is an okay read that hopefully gets better as the series goes on (I think it’s a series). It’s not perfect, nor does it start off on a great note, but I did enjoy it. I recommend it for fantasy lovers who love the afterlife setting and Grim Reapers.
Deadly Kisses has a hard time setting the moods properly. It seems like every time something sad happens someone would say or do something funny right away. Instead of playing the sad part out a little longer, it keeps changing and making it harder for me to sympathize any of the characters. I also did not like the humour, it’s very forced sarcasm that didn't make me laugh once. I get the jokes, they’re just not funny. And I don’t understand why authors feel the need to repeat the same facts over and over again every two pages. Almost on every page, Ad is either saying/thinking, “I really love Bee”, “I have to reap Bee but I don’t want to,” or “I need to protect Bee from everything.” Of course I'm just paraphrasing it but you get the point (hopefully). Sadly, the whole book is mostly predictable and I knew the ending before I read it.
What I do like about this novel is the world building. I love the night clubs and how all of the other Grim Reapers mingle together and become a community sort of like the living do except they drink anti-rotting drinks and own gondolas. Ad’s flashbacks of his death is the reason why he hasn't ascended yet and this has to be my favourite part of the book. As readers, we see Ad breaking down his well constructed walls and becoming very vulnerable. Kerri Cuevas does a beautiful job explaining Ad’s regret in such a manner that it touched my heart. It makes you realize just how hard it is to let the ones you love go without blaming yourself for letting them die.
Overall, Deadly Kisses is an okay read that hopefully gets better as the series goes on (I think it’s a series). It’s not perfect, nor does it start off on a great note, but I did enjoy it. I recommend it for fantasy lovers who love the afterlife setting and Grim Reapers.
April 5, 2013
(rating:3.5) Within a six-month long stretch I have read a handful of books featuring reapers. Most have made their versions humorous and light. Deadly Kisses is the second reaper book featuring a male chracter's pov which is always a welcomed change. Aiden Grant is a good guy with a strong voice. He reaps by kissing the person he is there to claim and sucks their soul out. Though some of the 'reaper-ology' was similar to that of other tales, author Kerri Cuevas added this 'deathly kiss' and then increased the tension by adding a touching conflict for Aiden to make her novel stand out. When Aiden goes to claim the life of Bree, the girl he loves, his kiss fails.
Hmm, what's a reaper to do when he can't reap? Aiden's boss is none other than President Abraham Lincoln and believe me when I say I did I a double take when I saw his name. I wasn't thrilled to see this choice in boss but it wasn't a reason to stop reading the book. I liked Aiden and enjoyed watching his dilemma with Bree. She's instantly likable with her feisty self. When her reaction to Aiden is one of dislike I applauded the author for giving us a different take with this couple. No insta-love here, thank goodness.
The author has a nice style of writing and I connected quickly with her two main characters. There were occasions when the dialogue sounded unrealistic and the pacing slowed but Aiden's strong narrating really kept me invested in his story. Having a guy tell the story only enriched my enjoyment by learning from his insightful perspective. He definitely had his hands full dealing with Bree, with the other reapers who wanted her while trying to figure out why the Ancients wanted her. Besides all of this, he's dealing with being good at his job but still having regret over the life he lived. Could he work out his problems, solve the mysteries and get the girl too?
I'm not telling! What I will instead is recommend Deadly Kisses to readers who enjoy paranormal stories. I'm making room on my list of likable supernatural characters and reapers are joining this group now grabbing a spot right there along with vampires, werewolves and the fey. (http://www.readergirlsblog.com/2013/0...)
Hmm, what's a reaper to do when he can't reap? Aiden's boss is none other than President Abraham Lincoln and believe me when I say I did I a double take when I saw his name. I wasn't thrilled to see this choice in boss but it wasn't a reason to stop reading the book. I liked Aiden and enjoyed watching his dilemma with Bree. She's instantly likable with her feisty self. When her reaction to Aiden is one of dislike I applauded the author for giving us a different take with this couple. No insta-love here, thank goodness.
The author has a nice style of writing and I connected quickly with her two main characters. There were occasions when the dialogue sounded unrealistic and the pacing slowed but Aiden's strong narrating really kept me invested in his story. Having a guy tell the story only enriched my enjoyment by learning from his insightful perspective. He definitely had his hands full dealing with Bree, with the other reapers who wanted her while trying to figure out why the Ancients wanted her. Besides all of this, he's dealing with being good at his job but still having regret over the life he lived. Could he work out his problems, solve the mysteries and get the girl too?
I'm not telling! What I will instead is recommend Deadly Kisses to readers who enjoy paranormal stories. I'm making room on my list of likable supernatural characters and reapers are joining this group now grabbing a spot right there along with vampires, werewolves and the fey. (http://www.readergirlsblog.com/2013/0...)
May 14, 2013
Ad is a grim reaper, and a darn good one if he doesn't say so himself, but when he's given a new soul to reap things begin to go crazy, and it's not just that she can see grim reapers, or the fact that the kiss of death causes both of their souls to intertwine, it's the fact that Bee is the only girl Ad has ever loved, both in life and in death. When the ancient grim reapers set their eyes on claiming Bee's soul for their own purposes, what will Ad do to protect the one he love?
Kerri Cuevas has created a thrilling YA paranormal romance told from a male perspective. Ad (or Aiden) was a believable and likable character. He regretted what had happened to him and Bee's cousin the night that he died and he was very protective towards Bee, even though he was there to literally kill her. With his conflicting emotions it made him an interesting character to follow through the story. Then we get to Bee. Bee was protective, yet she had a spunky and wild side. The one part of her personality that I did not fully believe (or understand) was her acceptance of her death. She can to that acceptance (that she was going to die within 6 days) way too readily and I did not understand why she would. The subtle romance between the two was played well, especially since Ad had an inability to kiss Bree unless he wanted to kill her, that actually kept a lot of tension in the story.
The plot moved quickly with lots of twists and turns that will keep the reader wanting to turn the page. One thing I would have liked to have seen more was the world of the Grim reapers. It was briefly shown and it seems very well thought through, but there were only slight glances at how the reapers lived. Overall, this book has the right amount of tension and suspense to keep the reader wanting to find out what's going to happen next, and throw in a forbidden romance and a mystery that spans generations makes it a thrilling read. I recommend Deadly Kisses to anyone who loves the paranormal romance genre or paranormal fantasies. I look forward to seeing where Ad and Bee's story goes next.
Kerri Cuevas has created a thrilling YA paranormal romance told from a male perspective. Ad (or Aiden) was a believable and likable character. He regretted what had happened to him and Bee's cousin the night that he died and he was very protective towards Bee, even though he was there to literally kill her. With his conflicting emotions it made him an interesting character to follow through the story. Then we get to Bee. Bee was protective, yet she had a spunky and wild side. The one part of her personality that I did not fully believe (or understand) was her acceptance of her death. She can to that acceptance (that she was going to die within 6 days) way too readily and I did not understand why she would. The subtle romance between the two was played well, especially since Ad had an inability to kiss Bree unless he wanted to kill her, that actually kept a lot of tension in the story.
The plot moved quickly with lots of twists and turns that will keep the reader wanting to turn the page. One thing I would have liked to have seen more was the world of the Grim reapers. It was briefly shown and it seems very well thought through, but there were only slight glances at how the reapers lived. Overall, this book has the right amount of tension and suspense to keep the reader wanting to find out what's going to happen next, and throw in a forbidden romance and a mystery that spans generations makes it a thrilling read. I recommend Deadly Kisses to anyone who loves the paranormal romance genre or paranormal fantasies. I look forward to seeing where Ad and Bee's story goes next.
April 2, 2013
Aiden died with regrets and now he’s a grim reaper. Bee has a few secrets of her own but she’s alive and well…for now anyway. Unfortunately, she’s Aiden’s next job. He’s got to prove himself as a reaper and that means reaping Bee’s soul. The problem? She’s the only girl he’s ever loved and he doesn’t know how he’ll be able to make himself take her life.
So, what does this mean for the reader? Well, it means you need to be prepared for some emotion. Aiden is torn between doing his job which, coincidentally, he’s quite good at, and saving the girl he loved while he was alive. Add to that the complication that Bee is wanted by other reapers and he’s got quite a challenge on his hands. I really enjoyed Aiden’s character. He’s battling his own demons and regrets yet he’s willing to do whatever is necessary to save Bee because, even though he never told her how he felt while he was alive, his love for her is strong. He has a strong voice and he’s a smart character. At first, I wasn’t sure about Bee but she definitely grew on me. She turned out to be a sassy, strong girl who knows what she wants and is good with “wierd”…after all, figuring out that Aiden is a grim reaper hardly has her batting an eyelash. The secondary characters, Bee’s brother and Abe Lincoln (who happens to be Aiden’s boss) were also fun characters.
The world that the author built was intriguing. Learning about how someone became a reaper and understanding how they lived was fascinating. As a matter of fact, I would have loved to learn more about this world. It would have been really interesting to spend some additional time in their world. Overall this was a fun, quick read with characters you’ll enjoy and a world that’s different from those I’ve seen recently. My assumption is that there will be a second book in the series where we’ll learn even more about this world and get to explore Aiden and Bee’s relationship further and I look forward to that.
So, what does this mean for the reader? Well, it means you need to be prepared for some emotion. Aiden is torn between doing his job which, coincidentally, he’s quite good at, and saving the girl he loved while he was alive. Add to that the complication that Bee is wanted by other reapers and he’s got quite a challenge on his hands. I really enjoyed Aiden’s character. He’s battling his own demons and regrets yet he’s willing to do whatever is necessary to save Bee because, even though he never told her how he felt while he was alive, his love for her is strong. He has a strong voice and he’s a smart character. At first, I wasn’t sure about Bee but she definitely grew on me. She turned out to be a sassy, strong girl who knows what she wants and is good with “wierd”…after all, figuring out that Aiden is a grim reaper hardly has her batting an eyelash. The secondary characters, Bee’s brother and Abe Lincoln (who happens to be Aiden’s boss) were also fun characters.
The world that the author built was intriguing. Learning about how someone became a reaper and understanding how they lived was fascinating. As a matter of fact, I would have loved to learn more about this world. It would have been really interesting to spend some additional time in their world. Overall this was a fun, quick read with characters you’ll enjoy and a world that’s different from those I’ve seen recently. My assumption is that there will be a second book in the series where we’ll learn even more about this world and get to explore Aiden and Bee’s relationship further and I look forward to that.
April 2, 2013
Aiden died with regrets and now he’s a grim reaper. Bee has a few secrets of her own but she’s alive and well…for now anyway. Unfortunately, she’s Aiden’s next job. He’s got to prove himself as a reaper and that means reaping Bee’s soul. The problem? She’s the only girl he’s ever loved and he doesn’t know how he’ll be able to make himself take her life.
So, what does this mean for the reader? Well, it means you need to be prepared for some emotion. Aiden is torn between doing his job which, coincidentally, he’s quite good at, and saving the girl he loved while he was alive. Add to that the complication that Bee is wanted by other reapers and he’s got quite a challenge on his hands. I really enjoyed Aiden’s character. He’s battling his own demons and regrets yet he’s willing to do whatever is necessary to save Bee because, even though he never told her how he felt while he was alive, his love for her is strong. He has a strong voice and he’s a smart character. At first, I wasn’t sure about Bee but she definitely grew on me. She turned out to be a sassy, strong girl who knows what she wants and is good with “wierd”…after all, figuring out that Aiden is a grim reaper hardly has her batting an eyelash. The secondary characters, Bee’s brother and Abe Lincoln (who happens to be Aiden’s boss) were also fun characters.
The world that the author built was intriguing. Learning about how someone became a reaper and understanding how they lived was fascinating. As a matter of fact, I would have loved to learn more about this world. It would have been really interesting to spend some additional time in their world. Overall this was a fun, quick read with characters you’ll enjoy and a world that’s different from those I’ve seen recently. My assumption is that there will be a second book in the series where we’ll learn even more about this world and get to explore Aiden and Bee’s relationship further and I look forward to that.
So, what does this mean for the reader? Well, it means you need to be prepared for some emotion. Aiden is torn between doing his job which, coincidentally, he’s quite good at, and saving the girl he loved while he was alive. Add to that the complication that Bee is wanted by other reapers and he’s got quite a challenge on his hands. I really enjoyed Aiden’s character. He’s battling his own demons and regrets yet he’s willing to do whatever is necessary to save Bee because, even though he never told her how he felt while he was alive, his love for her is strong. He has a strong voice and he’s a smart character. At first, I wasn’t sure about Bee but she definitely grew on me. She turned out to be a sassy, strong girl who knows what she wants and is good with “wierd”…after all, figuring out that Aiden is a grim reaper hardly has her batting an eyelash. The secondary characters, Bee’s brother and Abe Lincoln (who happens to be Aiden’s boss) were also fun characters.
The world that the author built was intriguing. Learning about how someone became a reaper and understanding how they lived was fascinating. As a matter of fact, I would have loved to learn more about this world. It would have been really interesting to spend some additional time in their world. Overall this was a fun, quick read with characters you’ll enjoy and a world that’s different from those I’ve seen recently. My assumption is that there will be a second book in the series where we’ll learn even more about this world and get to explore Aiden and Bee’s relationship further and I look forward to that.
December 17, 2014
Deadly Kisses sure was something different! Male POV? Check. No insta-love? Check. No love triangle? Check. Dead president reapers? Check! The story follows Aiden, a relatively new Grim Reaper as he works on his most recent assignment. It’s his toughest reaping yet, since he happens to know the girl, Bee. Bee also happens to be able to see the Grim Reapers. Why? Aiden and his boss have no idea. Then the reaping goes all wrong, getting their souls entangled in each other’s bodies. Now Aiden and Bee must dive into her family history to figure out what went wrong and set it straight. And they only have a week to do it.
One thing that did bother me while reading Deadly Kisses was how long it took to know the relationship between Bee, Aiden, and Sabrina. Ad kept mentioning how Bee was the only girl he ever loved, but were they dating? Were they just friends? Had he been admiring her from afar? And how was Sabrina related to either of them? It all gets settled about a quarter in, but I was pretty confused early on.
The plot moves along at a nice pace. It’s not action packed, but there’s plenty of creepy elements tossed in. The reapers themselves and quite grotesque, which was an interesting change from the typical human-like reapers. I really loved learning about the reapers’ abilities and how their job works. It’s all laid out very clearly. Bee’s family curse was also an interesting twist. It doesn’t get resolved, so I’m assuming this is going to be a series.
In the end, I did enjoy Deadly Kisses. It was a bit on the mushy side with the romance. Bee and Aiden are sweet enough to give you a toothache! I do wish it had been a bit more tense and engaging, but I still liked it. The ending is very open, so I certainly hope that there’s a sequel!
Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.
One thing that did bother me while reading Deadly Kisses was how long it took to know the relationship between Bee, Aiden, and Sabrina. Ad kept mentioning how Bee was the only girl he ever loved, but were they dating? Were they just friends? Had he been admiring her from afar? And how was Sabrina related to either of them? It all gets settled about a quarter in, but I was pretty confused early on.
The plot moves along at a nice pace. It’s not action packed, but there’s plenty of creepy elements tossed in. The reapers themselves and quite grotesque, which was an interesting change from the typical human-like reapers. I really loved learning about the reapers’ abilities and how their job works. It’s all laid out very clearly. Bee’s family curse was also an interesting twist. It doesn’t get resolved, so I’m assuming this is going to be a series.
In the end, I did enjoy Deadly Kisses. It was a bit on the mushy side with the romance. Bee and Aiden are sweet enough to give you a toothache! I do wish it had been a bit more tense and engaging, but I still liked it. The ending is very open, so I certainly hope that there’s a sequel!
Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.
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