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Afterlife Incorporated #1
Only Mostly Dead
No one tells you how much paperwork there is after you die.
I expected to wake up on a cloud where angels played harps and fed me grapes. Instead, I’m a ghost stuck in suburban Toronto. The only ones who can see me are a part-time psychic and an unemployed grim reaper.
Turns out the business of dying is a train wreck. But if there was ever a girl boss who could get it back on track, it’s me. All I need is a little help from my new roommates, whether they want to be involved or not.
Nothing at Afterlife Incorporated moves quickly and if I don’t find a way out soon there won’t be anything left of me to cross over. They say death can be easy, but being only mostly dead sucks.
Only Mostly Dead is the first installment in the Afterlife Incorporated urban fantasy trilogy. It features a slow—so slow—burn romance that may take several books to resolve. Be patient. Death is coming…eventually.
I expected to wake up on a cloud where angels played harps and fed me grapes. Instead, I’m a ghost stuck in suburban Toronto. The only ones who can see me are a part-time psychic and an unemployed grim reaper.
Turns out the business of dying is a train wreck. But if there was ever a girl boss who could get it back on track, it’s me. All I need is a little help from my new roommates, whether they want to be involved or not.
Nothing at Afterlife Incorporated moves quickly and if I don’t find a way out soon there won’t be anything left of me to cross over. They say death can be easy, but being only mostly dead sucks.
Only Mostly Dead is the first installment in the Afterlife Incorporated urban fantasy trilogy. It features a slow—so slow—burn romance that may take several books to resolve. Be patient. Death is coming…eventually.
314 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 21, 2024
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752 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
February 2, 2025
I was discussing zombies with one of my friends the other day, as one does, and I told her about this audiobook I was listening to, and how it was simultaneously funny and terrifying.
The plot: Before she died, Ember, 32, was an influencer turned successful and respected life coach. After she dies, though, the answer isn’t as clear… A glitch in the Afterlife system means no reaper is ready for her despite her assisted death being scheduled and therefore easily predictable (the book is set in Toronto, Canada, where medical assistance in dying is legal). A reluctant ghost, she tries to convince reaper after reaper to bring her to the other side. As all her efforts fail, she endeavours to haunt one of them until they surrender. Kelly, the aforementioned hauntee, reveals themselves to be highly stubborn, grim—they’re a reaper, after all—and dismissive of their human roommate, a young medium named Jupiter. Over the course of the story—which is the first one in Alli Temple‘s new series—Ember realises that the world, and especially the afterlife, is a lot more complex than she thought, filled with legendary creatures that actually exist. Adventures ensue and twists abound.
Joyfully Jay describes Only Mostly Dead as “sort of a dark comedy/urban fantasy mashup”, which is perfect. Knowing myself, the humour, the banter, Kelly’s sarcastic persona are what I’ll remember most, along with Ember’s wilful bravery, Jupiter’s kindness (and her sweet boyfriend), and Carrot Stick the cat. I love Kelly’s gender fluidity, the reminder that gender is a social construct—even more so for shapeshifters who don’t care about pronouns. And the chemistry between them and Ember is tangible, in what will probably be the slowest of slow burns.
This book, however, is not just a fun read. Some of my favourite moments are about grief, hope, end of life. I’ve come to realise that Allison Temple’s books are rarely as lighthearted as they seem. She excels at inserting gravity and realness in between bursts of laughter. Check the content warnings on the author’s website before diving in.
I listened to the audiobook and Emily Lawrence does a wonderful job of capturing the layered personalities of each character, big or small (even if some of the accents are a bit random). I’d never heard her before, but I hope she keeps narrating this series. The next instalment, Hate to Haunt You, should be released this year. I can’t wait to read/hear it and the next books in the Afterlife Incorporated universe. 4.5⭐️
Video review: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFYF-j...
I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Read all my reviews on my website (and please get your books from the affiliation links!): Jude in the Stars
April 11, 2025
This first book in the Afterlife Incorporated series is a blend of humor, urban fantasy, and supernatural intrigue. If you are fans of Christopher Moore's work, especially his Grim Reaper books, you might enjoy this series. Ember Munro was a Toronot life coach, now dead...or almost. Her life was terminated through a medically-assisted death because of termnial metastisized cancer. However, a bureaucratic error took her six months early and finds herself in that liminal space between life and death as a ghost unable to pass on into the afterlife. She bounces from one reaper to another seeking help but no one seems to be able to help her until she latches on to a fired reaper and medium. She hopes that they can help her pass over because if she can't her soul might deteriorate and she will become a wraith, supernatural creatures who feed on the recently deceased. However, she soon finds that the afterlife is not all it's crack up to be.
Only Mostly Dead is a an enjoyable read for fans of paranormal satire who are looking for something that feels fresh yet familiar. I found the protagonist to be quirky but resilient as she interacts with the denizens of life, afterlife, and the in-between. One of the author's most creative skill is developing a paranormal world with its own bureaucratic rules reminding me of Beetlejuice's similarly structured purgatory. The humor offsets the more dramatic moments indicating another skill of the author. The next book in the series won't be released until July. I will just have to wait until then to get my hands on it.
Only Mostly Dead is a an enjoyable read for fans of paranormal satire who are looking for something that feels fresh yet familiar. I found the protagonist to be quirky but resilient as she interacts with the denizens of life, afterlife, and the in-between. One of the author's most creative skill is developing a paranormal world with its own bureaucratic rules reminding me of Beetlejuice's similarly structured purgatory. The humor offsets the more dramatic moments indicating another skill of the author. The next book in the series won't be released until July. I will just have to wait until then to get my hands on it.
December 28, 2024
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.5 stars
Only Mostly Dead is the first book in the Afterlife Incorporated series by Alli Temple and, wow, did I enjoy this one! I’d describe this as sort of a dark comedy/urban fantasy mashup, featuring a newly dead soul who just can’t quite make it to the afterlife. Temple really shines here with the world building, which is rich and creative and so detailed. Rather than the fluffy white clouded heaven and fiery brimstone hell, this afterlife is a corporate nightmare of understaffing and incompetence.
I found this one really drew me in right from the beginning and it is just such a clever and fun story. Temple brings some humor and quirkiness to the book, along with really detailed and interesting world building. I was very caught up in Ember’s journey and I am looking forward to see what is to come in the next installment.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
4.5 stars
Only Mostly Dead is the first book in the Afterlife Incorporated series by Alli Temple and, wow, did I enjoy this one! I’d describe this as sort of a dark comedy/urban fantasy mashup, featuring a newly dead soul who just can’t quite make it to the afterlife. Temple really shines here with the world building, which is rich and creative and so detailed. Rather than the fluffy white clouded heaven and fiery brimstone hell, this afterlife is a corporate nightmare of understaffing and incompetence.
I found this one really drew me in right from the beginning and it is just such a clever and fun story. Temple brings some humor and quirkiness to the book, along with really detailed and interesting world building. I was very caught up in Ember’s journey and I am looking forward to see what is to come in the next installment.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
August 7, 2025
This is a fun story about a woman named Ember with terminal cancer who dies from MAID. But the afterlife is nothing like what she expected. It's an unorganized corporation of overworked reapers who are trying to keep up with all the dead people, but end up leaving too many souls behind. Then there's the wraith problem. Ember tries to take control of her own post-death destiny, but ends up needing help from a medium and a retired reaper. But there are still many unexpected twists and turns. I really enjoyed this story, and it was an extra bonus that it was set in Toronto and area as well as other Canadian cities. I look forward to reading more by Alli Temple, especially the next book in the Afterlife Incorporated series!
November 10, 2024
ᥫ᭡☠️🩵☠️ᥫ᭡
╔.✩. .═══════╗
✨✨𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬✨✨
╚═══════. .✩.╝
🩵𝘖𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘔𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘈𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘛𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦
───────✨☆✨───────
📚📝✨𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊•𝐃𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐒✨📝📚
🩵𝙱𝙾𝙾𝙺 𝟷 𝙸𝙽 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙰𝙵𝚃𝙴𝚁𝙻𝙸𝙵𝙴 𝙸𝙽𝙲𝙾𝚁𝙿𝙾𝚁𝙰𝚃𝙴𝙳 𝚂𝙴𝚁𝙸𝙴𝚂
☠️𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐑𝐄: 𝚄𝚁𝙱𝙰𝙽 𝙵𝙰𝙽𝚃𝙰𝚂𝚈/𝙻𝙶𝙱𝚃𝚀+
🩵𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄: 𝙾𝙲𝚃𝙾𝙱𝙴𝚁 𝟸𝟷𝚂𝚃 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟺
☠️𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐃𝐘 𝐕𝐈𝐁𝐄𝐒: 𝙵𝚄𝙽𝙽𝚈; 𝙼𝚈𝚂𝚃𝙴𝚁𝙸𝙾𝚄𝚂; 𝙰𝙳𝚅𝙴𝙽𝚃𝚄𝚁𝙾𝚄𝚂; 𝙻𝙸𝙶𝙷𝚃𝙷𝙴𝙰𝚁𝚃𝙴𝙳; 𝙴𝙼𝙾𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝙰𝙻
🩵𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐍𝐔𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑: 𝟹𝟸𝟸 𝙿𝙰𝙶𝙴𝚂
☠️𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐄𝐂𝐓 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄: 𝚄𝚁𝙱𝙰𝙽 𝙵𝙰𝙽𝚃𝙰𝚂𝚈; 𝙶𝙷𝙾𝚂𝚃 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝚁𝙴𝙰𝙿𝙴𝚁; 𝙾𝙳𝙳 𝙲𝙾𝚄𝙿𝙻𝙴; 𝚂𝙻𝙾𝚆 𝙱𝚄𝚁𝙽 𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴; 𝚂𝙰𝙿𝙿𝙷𝙸𝙲 𝙵𝙰𝙽𝚃𝙰𝚂𝚈
🩵𝐘𝐄𝐒/𝐍𝐎/𝐌𝐀𝐘𝐁𝐄: 𝚈𝙴𝚂!
☠️𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ || 𝟻
───────✨☆✨───────
𝑀𝑦 𝑇ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑠💭🧐
Thank you so much to @allisontemplebooks & @rrbooktours for my gifted review copy of 𝓞𝓷𝓵𝔂 𝓜𝓸𝓼𝓽𝓵𝔂 𝓓𝓮𝓪𝓭! This review is comprised entirely of my own thoughts & opinions, & is based on the copy I received.
Only Mostly Dead was such a quirky and fun read and I really enjoyed it! Ember, our FMC, finds herself in the Afterlife mix up from hell, stuck with a grim reaper who is not being very helpful. One of the scenes that came to my mind when I was reading this book was the scene in Beetlejuice when they were in the Netherworld Waiting Room - that’s kind of how I imagined Afterlife Inc., except it is more modern in my mind.
This was such a unique read that was really perfect for this time of year! I loved the characters, especially Ember, and thought they were all really well developed. Kelly, our shape-shifting reaper, was such a great character and I loved that they were super reluctant at first to help Ember, but then ended up coming around as their feelings developed. Their journey in this book was amazing to see! And what fantastic representation for gender fluidity! Absolutely amazing!
One of my favorite things about this book was that while it was on the lighter side during some parts, I think that Allison Temple did a really amazing job of touching on some heavier topics such as death, terminal illness, and grieving. The balance between light and dark in this book was perfect and I loved that while I laughed, I also had a lot of introspective moments that made me emotional. Definitely check the trigger warnings for this one!
I thought the plot flowed very well and the story kept me really intrigued. There were twists and turns I didn’t see coming I love it when urban fantasy is done right and this one was perfect! The world building was easy to comprehend, and overall it was just a really solid read. Definitely going to be continuing the series as the books come out, can’t wait for the next one!
📋𝐓𝐋𝐃𝐑: Amazing read! So good with lovable characters, great representation, and spooky season vibes!
───────✨☆✨───────
╔.✩. .═══════╗
✨✨𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬✨✨
╚═══════. .✩.╝
🩵𝘖𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘔𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘈𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘛𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦
───────✨☆✨───────
📚📝✨𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊•𝐃𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐒✨📝📚
🩵𝙱𝙾𝙾𝙺 𝟷 𝙸𝙽 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙰𝙵𝚃𝙴𝚁𝙻𝙸𝙵𝙴 𝙸𝙽𝙲𝙾𝚁𝙿𝙾𝚁𝙰𝚃𝙴𝙳 𝚂𝙴𝚁𝙸𝙴𝚂
☠️𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐑𝐄: 𝚄𝚁𝙱𝙰𝙽 𝙵𝙰𝙽𝚃𝙰𝚂𝚈/𝙻𝙶𝙱𝚃𝚀+
🩵𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄: 𝙾𝙲𝚃𝙾𝙱𝙴𝚁 𝟸𝟷𝚂𝚃 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟺
☠️𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐃𝐘 𝐕𝐈𝐁𝐄𝐒: 𝙵𝚄𝙽𝙽𝚈; 𝙼𝚈𝚂𝚃𝙴𝚁𝙸𝙾𝚄𝚂; 𝙰𝙳𝚅𝙴𝙽𝚃𝚄𝚁𝙾𝚄𝚂; 𝙻𝙸𝙶𝙷𝚃𝙷𝙴𝙰𝚁𝚃𝙴𝙳; 𝙴𝙼𝙾𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝙰𝙻
🩵𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐍𝐔𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑: 𝟹𝟸𝟸 𝙿𝙰𝙶𝙴𝚂
☠️𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐄𝐂𝐓 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄: 𝚄𝚁𝙱𝙰𝙽 𝙵𝙰𝙽𝚃𝙰𝚂𝚈; 𝙶𝙷𝙾𝚂𝚃 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝚁𝙴𝙰𝙿𝙴𝚁; 𝙾𝙳𝙳 𝙲𝙾𝚄𝙿𝙻𝙴; 𝚂𝙻𝙾𝚆 𝙱𝚄𝚁𝙽 𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴; 𝚂𝙰𝙿𝙿𝙷𝙸𝙲 𝙵𝙰𝙽𝚃𝙰𝚂𝚈
🩵𝐘𝐄𝐒/𝐍𝐎/𝐌𝐀𝐘𝐁𝐄: 𝚈𝙴𝚂!
☠️𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ || 𝟻
───────✨☆✨───────
𝑀𝑦 𝑇ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑠💭🧐
Thank you so much to @allisontemplebooks & @rrbooktours for my gifted review copy of 𝓞𝓷𝓵𝔂 𝓜𝓸𝓼𝓽𝓵𝔂 𝓓𝓮𝓪𝓭! This review is comprised entirely of my own thoughts & opinions, & is based on the copy I received.
Only Mostly Dead was such a quirky and fun read and I really enjoyed it! Ember, our FMC, finds herself in the Afterlife mix up from hell, stuck with a grim reaper who is not being very helpful. One of the scenes that came to my mind when I was reading this book was the scene in Beetlejuice when they were in the Netherworld Waiting Room - that’s kind of how I imagined Afterlife Inc., except it is more modern in my mind.
This was such a unique read that was really perfect for this time of year! I loved the characters, especially Ember, and thought they were all really well developed. Kelly, our shape-shifting reaper, was such a great character and I loved that they were super reluctant at first to help Ember, but then ended up coming around as their feelings developed. Their journey in this book was amazing to see! And what fantastic representation for gender fluidity! Absolutely amazing!
One of my favorite things about this book was that while it was on the lighter side during some parts, I think that Allison Temple did a really amazing job of touching on some heavier topics such as death, terminal illness, and grieving. The balance between light and dark in this book was perfect and I loved that while I laughed, I also had a lot of introspective moments that made me emotional. Definitely check the trigger warnings for this one!
I thought the plot flowed very well and the story kept me really intrigued. There were twists and turns I didn’t see coming I love it when urban fantasy is done right and this one was perfect! The world building was easy to comprehend, and overall it was just a really solid read. Definitely going to be continuing the series as the books come out, can’t wait for the next one!
📋𝐓𝐋𝐃𝐑: Amazing read! So good with lovable characters, great representation, and spooky season vibes!
───────✨☆✨───────
February 27, 2025
Loved the local Toronto references and the After Life world the author creates. Emily Lawrence does a superb job of narrating the many characters, ghosts and hard working reapers. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
October 30, 2024
Ember Munro has incurable bone cancer and has chosen assisted euthanasia. But something goes wrong and instead of ending up in Heaven Ember becomes a ghost, still on Earth. Not much seems to be in order at Afterlife Incorporated and she's in jeopardy of becoming a monster who feeds on souls if she doesn't cross over in time. Ember decides to take matters in her own hands, but she needs help from the only ones who can see her: Jupiter, a psychic, and Kelly, an unemployed grim reaper.
A funny urban fantasy that I found very entertaining! Ember is quite solution oriented and does everything she can to solve her situation. The problem is that it doesn't always go as planned.
"Dear Sparks, being dead really sucks."
I'm a bit bothered by her lack of learning from her mistakes, she just keeps going to the next idea. Since she doesn't have much time it's understandable, and she does improve on the way. We are also in Ember's head the whole time and get to know what she thinks.
"Afterlife has literally one job, and the reapers suck at it in a way that would make a vacuum cleaner weep."
Another thing I like about the book is its diversity. Ember is gay and Kelly thinks that gender is a non-issue.
“Gender is a ridiculous human construct,” Kelly says, sounding like the sage on the mount as he (she? They? Maybe it’s safer to go back to they?) munch on their chips. “Nothing about my identity requires me to fit myself into your irrelevant classifications. If you feel the need to pick one or another term to make yourself comfortable in your world view, that’s on you.”
I'm really looking forward to continue this trilogy eventually!
* I received an ARC through BookSirens and I'm giving my honest review. *
A funny urban fantasy that I found very entertaining! Ember is quite solution oriented and does everything she can to solve her situation. The problem is that it doesn't always go as planned.
"Dear Sparks, being dead really sucks."
I'm a bit bothered by her lack of learning from her mistakes, she just keeps going to the next idea. Since she doesn't have much time it's understandable, and she does improve on the way. We are also in Ember's head the whole time and get to know what she thinks.
"Afterlife has literally one job, and the reapers suck at it in a way that would make a vacuum cleaner weep."
Another thing I like about the book is its diversity. Ember is gay and Kelly thinks that gender is a non-issue.
“Gender is a ridiculous human construct,” Kelly says, sounding like the sage on the mount as he (she? They? Maybe it’s safer to go back to they?) munch on their chips. “Nothing about my identity requires me to fit myself into your irrelevant classifications. If you feel the need to pick one or another term to make yourself comfortable in your world view, that’s on you.”
I'm really looking forward to continue this trilogy eventually!
* I received an ARC through BookSirens and I'm giving my honest review. *
September 19, 2024
This was a difficult book to rate because I loved it, so, 5 stars, but I absolutely hate the author's idea of the afterlife. We want to think good things will happen after we die, and I'm not going to give the book a lower rating just because the afterlife in this book was horrible.
However, the absolute biggest trigger warning ⚠️ here.If you are grieving or sick, do not read this, at least not until you are in a good head space. This book does not show a happy view of death at all. Triggers, especially for assisted suicide, cancer, and child death.
I was expecting a light-hearted story about a woman who had some issues after she died due to paperwork or something like that. There is that, yes, but it is so much more. I don't want my review to seem like the book is horrible or depressing or anything. It is amazing and wonderful, as long as you don't sit and ponder too hard about whether or not the afterlife is going to be as horrible as the author portrays it (I would not suggest that).
Even with all of the problems going on, there are new friends, including a Grim Reaper (who was fired or quit, depending on who you ask), and a cat named Carrot Stick.
However, the absolute biggest trigger warning ⚠️ here.If you are grieving or sick, do not read this, at least not until you are in a good head space. This book does not show a happy view of death at all. Triggers, especially for assisted suicide, cancer, and child death.
I was expecting a light-hearted story about a woman who had some issues after she died due to paperwork or something like that. There is that, yes, but it is so much more. I don't want my review to seem like the book is horrible or depressing or anything. It is amazing and wonderful, as long as you don't sit and ponder too hard about whether or not the afterlife is going to be as horrible as the author portrays it (I would not suggest that).
Even with all of the problems going on, there are new friends, including a Grim Reaper (who was fired or quit, depending on who you ask), and a cat named Carrot Stick.
October 9, 2024
ARC Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - absolutely a five star read!
I don't even know what to say about this book other than "I loved it." Simply put, read it. I absolutely recommend this book. It is incredibly well done, every character is relatable or likeable - except the ones you're really not meant to like.
I went into it with some expectation of a ghost getting stuck in a corporate mix-up after death and having to figure it out. I expected something in the realm of "slice of life" with the characters Ember interacts with in Toronto. What I didn't expect? Spoilers ahead.
•Shape-shifting reapers
•Fast-paced, ticking-time-bomb mystery
•Sometimes close to zombie horror
The growth of the relationship between Kelly and Ember was probably my favorite part. Seeing them actually getting closer, evolving as individuals as well as together. Some of the ending was expected, but some of it was also surprising to me, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Excellent story!
Also, 🐱!!!!
I loved this book, and I can't wait for book 2, Hate to Haunt You.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - absolutely a five star read!
I don't even know what to say about this book other than "I loved it." Simply put, read it. I absolutely recommend this book. It is incredibly well done, every character is relatable or likeable - except the ones you're really not meant to like.
I went into it with some expectation of a ghost getting stuck in a corporate mix-up after death and having to figure it out. I expected something in the realm of "slice of life" with the characters Ember interacts with in Toronto. What I didn't expect? Spoilers ahead.
•Shape-shifting reapers
•Fast-paced, ticking-time-bomb mystery
•Sometimes close to zombie horror
The growth of the relationship between Kelly and Ember was probably my favorite part. Seeing them actually getting closer, evolving as individuals as well as together. Some of the ending was expected, but some of it was also surprising to me, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Excellent story!
Also, 🐱!!!!
I loved this book, and I can't wait for book 2, Hate to Haunt You.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 24, 2024
Y'all this has to be one of the cutest, funniest, slow burn romances I've read. Imagine finding yourself dead, except there was a snag in the paperwork, leaving you stuck. My heart really went out to Ember, after she chose to end her suffering, she was stuck in a kind of limbo. Not purgatory, just a ghost trapped on earth waiting for the chance to move on. Honestly, there was something both absurdly funny and depressing about how corporate the afterlife feels in this book. (Kind of reminded me of certain parts of heaven in Supernatural. That said, this book isn't all fun. There are some moments that were a little depressing, and the romance is a very slow burn one, but it felt natural in a way. The story itself had good pacing, and the characters are all believable. I can't wait to find out what else Afterlife Incorporated has in store in future books!
June 25, 2025
The world building was pretty good, but the main character was super annoying. Like I was forgetting this woman was a 30 or old. She sounded like she was a teenager for most of the book
July 31, 2025
3,5 stars
April 12, 2025
DNF - the only thing worse than a life coach who’s alive, is one who’s dead.
The hell is going on in this book?! I thought it had an intriguing premise but found by chapter 5 I was lost and the plot was going nowhere. We follow some Karen into the afterlife and her attitude makes it seems distinctly unmagical. Maybe life after death is dull as dish water… but I don’t want to read it that way?! I don’t care what colour a person’s hair is or if they blink slowly or if they’re a they (even though that’s quite difficult to read in the concept of the English language) but it generally makes for a character who’s just banal and uninteresting. I’ve seen some people call it satire, but the problem with that is that you actually have to observe something interesting first to then understand and adapt it into satire- which this book doesn’t seem to be doing. I’ll give it a second chance and will update my review if my mind changes but I might have to leave this one to whatever crowd it was written for…
The hell is going on in this book?! I thought it had an intriguing premise but found by chapter 5 I was lost and the plot was going nowhere. We follow some Karen into the afterlife and her attitude makes it seems distinctly unmagical. Maybe life after death is dull as dish water… but I don’t want to read it that way?! I don’t care what colour a person’s hair is or if they blink slowly or if they’re a they (even though that’s quite difficult to read in the concept of the English language) but it generally makes for a character who’s just banal and uninteresting. I’ve seen some people call it satire, but the problem with that is that you actually have to observe something interesting first to then understand and adapt it into satire- which this book doesn’t seem to be doing. I’ll give it a second chance and will update my review if my mind changes but I might have to leave this one to whatever crowd it was written for…
December 12, 2024
Picked this one up off the library new books. Canadian Ember dies from terminal cancer—only to find that there's no one there to take her ghost to the afterlife. However, Ember is not the sort of person to take this lying down, and she's determined to figure out what's so broken in the Reaper bureaucracy, with the reluctant help of a psychic and an ex-Reaper named Kelly.
Overall, this is a light and fun urban fantasy with some rather dark underpinnings. Urban fantasy books succeed or fail on the strength of the character voices, and Temple nails that element. When Ember was alive, she was a lifestyle coach on youtube (deep sigh) and it's fun to see how that impacts her worldview. Her bulldog determination and perkiness is nicely leavened by Kelly's bitterness and general air of being deeply burned out. The worldbuilding here is the classic Big Sky Bureaucracy, although it's refreshingly free of the usual Christian mythological angels, devils, or gods. Although the replacement mythology Temple gives us is rather depressing. Personally, I find it's most interesting when authors leave death as an unexplained black box. Temple's setup of souls being packed away in boxes, unless they're one of the increasing number of ghosts who slip through the cracks and go evil, is not very engaging.
One thing I didn't especially like was how love interest Kelly's gender is handled. Ember treats it as this huge mystery, omigosh WHAT is Kelly's gender, so mysterious and confusing. Cmon. It's very easy, reapers are supernatural shapeshifters who don't really have a gender, and you he/him Kelly when he's a man and she/her Kelly when she's a woman. However, I will give Temple points for a genderfluid character, which is unfortunately still a bit of a rarity.
Recommended if you're looking for a light urban fantasy about the afterlife.
Overall, this is a light and fun urban fantasy with some rather dark underpinnings. Urban fantasy books succeed or fail on the strength of the character voices, and Temple nails that element. When Ember was alive, she was a lifestyle coach on youtube (deep sigh) and it's fun to see how that impacts her worldview. Her bulldog determination and perkiness is nicely leavened by Kelly's bitterness and general air of being deeply burned out. The worldbuilding here is the classic Big Sky Bureaucracy, although it's refreshingly free of the usual Christian mythological angels, devils, or gods. Although the replacement mythology Temple gives us is rather depressing. Personally, I find it's most interesting when authors leave death as an unexplained black box. Temple's setup of souls being packed away in boxes, unless they're one of the increasing number of ghosts who slip through the cracks and go evil, is not very engaging.
One thing I didn't especially like was how love interest Kelly's gender is handled. Ember treats it as this huge mystery, omigosh WHAT is Kelly's gender, so mysterious and confusing. Cmon. It's very easy, reapers are supernatural shapeshifters who don't really have a gender, and you he/him Kelly when he's a man and she/her Kelly when she's a woman. However, I will give Temple points for a genderfluid character, which is unfortunately still a bit of a rarity.
Recommended if you're looking for a light urban fantasy about the afterlife.
October 21, 2024
Only Mostly Dead is a fun, quirky, and refreshingly original urban fantasy that had me hooked from the first page. The concept of the afterlife being run like a corporate entity, with grim reapers operating as bureaucrats, is not only hilarious but also cleverly executed. Alli Temple has created a world where death is filled with paperwork, and it’s impossible not to be entertained by the chaos that ensues.
Ember, our main character, is a former life coach turned ghost who’s stuck in the most frustrating afterlife imaginable—suburban Toronto. She’s determined and resourceful, which makes her an engaging protagonist who moves the plot forward with a lot of grit and humor. I loved how her personality and past life experiences played into her current predicament, making her a character you can root for.
However, it’s Kelly, the shape-shifting reaper, who truly steals the show for me. Their ability to shift between more masculine and feminine presentations depending on the day was such an intriguing and refreshing take on gender identity. The way queerness is seamlessly woven into the story is beautifully done, and Kelly’s complexity adds so much depth to the narrative. They’re layered, fascinating, and bring a unique perspective to this afterlife adventure.
The plot itself is a fun mystery with plenty of twists and turns, keeping things exciting throughout. The story wraps up nicely but leaves plenty of room for the next installment, and I can already see the direction the romance is headed. Be warned, though—this is a very slow-burn romance, but that just makes me even more eager for what’s to come in future books.
The writing is easy to follow and strikes a nice balance between descriptive and straightforward, perfect for urban fantasy fans who want to be immersed in the world without getting bogged down in overly flowery language.
Final Thoughts: Only Mostly Dead is an excellent start to what promises to be an entertaining and unique urban fantasy trilogy. With its clever world-building, strong characters, and plenty of humor, it’s a delightful read that I highly recommend. If you enjoy slow-burn romance, quirky mysteries, and reapers with a corporate twist, this one’s for you. I can’t wait to see where Ember and Kelly’s journey takes them next!
Thank you to the author and R&R Book Tours for providing me with an ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Ember, our main character, is a former life coach turned ghost who’s stuck in the most frustrating afterlife imaginable—suburban Toronto. She’s determined and resourceful, which makes her an engaging protagonist who moves the plot forward with a lot of grit and humor. I loved how her personality and past life experiences played into her current predicament, making her a character you can root for.
However, it’s Kelly, the shape-shifting reaper, who truly steals the show for me. Their ability to shift between more masculine and feminine presentations depending on the day was such an intriguing and refreshing take on gender identity. The way queerness is seamlessly woven into the story is beautifully done, and Kelly’s complexity adds so much depth to the narrative. They’re layered, fascinating, and bring a unique perspective to this afterlife adventure.
The plot itself is a fun mystery with plenty of twists and turns, keeping things exciting throughout. The story wraps up nicely but leaves plenty of room for the next installment, and I can already see the direction the romance is headed. Be warned, though—this is a very slow-burn romance, but that just makes me even more eager for what’s to come in future books.
The writing is easy to follow and strikes a nice balance between descriptive and straightforward, perfect for urban fantasy fans who want to be immersed in the world without getting bogged down in overly flowery language.
Final Thoughts: Only Mostly Dead is an excellent start to what promises to be an entertaining and unique urban fantasy trilogy. With its clever world-building, strong characters, and plenty of humor, it’s a delightful read that I highly recommend. If you enjoy slow-burn romance, quirky mysteries, and reapers with a corporate twist, this one’s for you. I can’t wait to see where Ember and Kelly’s journey takes them next!
Thank you to the author and R&R Book Tours for providing me with an ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
January 24, 2025
I think I did this book a bit of a disservice by deciding to read it after a high fantasy book. It was very contemporary leaning with a bunch of slang and a modern world so it was hard to just turn my brain off and enjoy this style of writing. I keep going back and forth on a rating so I might change it later if I think about it longer.
This book was a lot of fun and morbidly honest. I’m someone who is very apathetic when it comes to death, I would even say I’m fascinated by it in a way, so I knew this book would be right up my alley. Only Mostly Dead takes place in an urban fantasy world with all things death personified; the afterlife, hell, the grim reaper, reincarnation, ghosts, etc. The main character plans her own medically assisted death, only to find out her death date has been postponed so she is stuck as a ghost until she can get to the afterlife. She is constantly badgering a grumpy grim reaper to take her to the afterlife, and their dynamic was so fun to watch unfold. This book is unserious and hilarious at times, but with some hard hitting themes so please read the content warnings before reading.
This book was a lot of fun and morbidly honest. I’m someone who is very apathetic when it comes to death, I would even say I’m fascinated by it in a way, so I knew this book would be right up my alley. Only Mostly Dead takes place in an urban fantasy world with all things death personified; the afterlife, hell, the grim reaper, reincarnation, ghosts, etc. The main character plans her own medically assisted death, only to find out her death date has been postponed so she is stuck as a ghost until she can get to the afterlife. She is constantly badgering a grumpy grim reaper to take her to the afterlife, and their dynamic was so fun to watch unfold. This book is unserious and hilarious at times, but with some hard hitting themes so please read the content warnings before reading.
April 27, 2025
Can we all agree the best part of bookstagram is the recommendations? One day I’m scrolling and I see these bright, beautiful covers that @codielizabeth posted. I read the description and by golly, I *have to* read the first one, Only Mostly Dead. I finished it last night and it’s so good. I can’t wait for the next one, Hate to Haunt You.
Ember Munro, a cancer-riddled, successful life coach decides to end her life with medical assistance. She’s in Canada, so this is legal. Everything goes according to her highly-organized plan until she’s dead. She’s just there- in the hospital. She goes in search of answers and finds a man taking the spirit of an elderly woman away. She tries to get him to take her too, but he’s busy. He tells her to wait and another reaper will be along to get her. Well, you’ll soon learn Ember ain’t about that “do as you’re told” life.
She ends up following someone home. She thinks the woman can see her, but she doesn’t acknowledge Ember until they’re off the subway. The woman, Jupiter, brings Ember into her home and Ember immediately feels better. Jupiter is a medium and can hear Ember, but not see her. She has runes carved into her house and she makes these candles that help center Ember.
She also has a roommate named Kelly. Kelly, as it turns out, is a former grim reaper. They walked away from the job when there was a power struggle over the best direction to take Afterlife which is run like a business. The CEO, if you will, took a sabbatical four centuries ago leaving Kelly and Minerva as the most senior staff. The CEO was also the only one who knew how to create more reapers, so they’re understaffed and more people are dying than ever. Afterlife has neither the capacity to store these souls nor the reapers to lead them there.
Kelly finally agrees to help Ember get into the Afterlife before her soul decays into that of a wraith. And that’s proving to be complicated. There are standard operating procedures to follow and forms to be filled and oh yeah, they don’t work there anymore.
There’s just the teensiest side of romance as Ember and grumpy Kelly trade barbs and get to know each other.
Recommended! I very much enjoyed this wild ride and there’s so much more to it than I could even get into here. If you’re into this concept at all, please add it to your list.
#lgbtqia+ #lgbtqia+books #lgbtqia+fantasy #contemporaryfantasy #hoopla #libraries #tadl #onlymostlydead #allitemple #bookrecs #bookreview #bookstagram
Ember Munro, a cancer-riddled, successful life coach decides to end her life with medical assistance. She’s in Canada, so this is legal. Everything goes according to her highly-organized plan until she’s dead. She’s just there- in the hospital. She goes in search of answers and finds a man taking the spirit of an elderly woman away. She tries to get him to take her too, but he’s busy. He tells her to wait and another reaper will be along to get her. Well, you’ll soon learn Ember ain’t about that “do as you’re told” life.
She ends up following someone home. She thinks the woman can see her, but she doesn’t acknowledge Ember until they’re off the subway. The woman, Jupiter, brings Ember into her home and Ember immediately feels better. Jupiter is a medium and can hear Ember, but not see her. She has runes carved into her house and she makes these candles that help center Ember.
She also has a roommate named Kelly. Kelly, as it turns out, is a former grim reaper. They walked away from the job when there was a power struggle over the best direction to take Afterlife which is run like a business. The CEO, if you will, took a sabbatical four centuries ago leaving Kelly and Minerva as the most senior staff. The CEO was also the only one who knew how to create more reapers, so they’re understaffed and more people are dying than ever. Afterlife has neither the capacity to store these souls nor the reapers to lead them there.
Kelly finally agrees to help Ember get into the Afterlife before her soul decays into that of a wraith. And that’s proving to be complicated. There are standard operating procedures to follow and forms to be filled and oh yeah, they don’t work there anymore.
There’s just the teensiest side of romance as Ember and grumpy Kelly trade barbs and get to know each other.
Recommended! I very much enjoyed this wild ride and there’s so much more to it than I could even get into here. If you’re into this concept at all, please add it to your list.
#lgbtqia+ #lgbtqia+books #lgbtqia+fantasy #contemporaryfantasy #hoopla #libraries #tadl #onlymostlydead #allitemple #bookrecs #bookreview #bookstagram
October 22, 2024
👻 Only Mostly Dead is the quirky afterlife romp I didn’t know I needed! 🎉
When Ember, our former life coach extraordinaire, dies from cancer, she expects peaceful clouds and harps—nope!
Instead, she’s stuck in a chaotic afterlife in suburban Toronto, ghosting around while a part-time psychic and an unemployed grim reaper bicker over pizza.🍕💀
From the moment Ember enters the afterlife, her sass is next-level: “Yeah, about that. I am deeply unhappy with the service I have received since my death. I've essentially been on hold for twenty-four hours and I'm out of f*cks. So who or whatever you are, tell me which way to the complaints department before I ask to speak to your manager."😂
Enter Afterlife, Inc.—the corporate nightmare of the dead, where paperwork piles up and reapers are bored.
But Ember’s not one to sit still—she’s ready to take the afterlife by storm, girl-boss style.
With the help of her unlikely (and VERY grumpy) new roommate, Kelly—a shape-shifting reaper who’s so over it—she’s determined to fix the whole system. If she doesn’t find her way out soon, she might fade away for good!😱
And let me tell you, the banter is top-tier: “I’m dead, not stupid.” “Give it time,” Kelly shot back.🙃💀
Expect:
🔹 Ghosts & reapers 🖤 🔹 SUPER slow burn romance 🔥 🔹 Found family feels (and a sassy cat 🐱) 🔹 Mismatched roommates who argue over literally everything (including death)
Kelly steals the show for me—this shape-shifting reaper gives “gender fluid” a whole new vibe. “It’s not like death has rules,” Kelly says, shrugging as they switch forms again, “Why would the rest of it?”
The slow burn tension between Kelly and Ember is SO worth the wait. 👀❤️
The humor? I died laughing.
Ember’s sass is endless: “So you’re telling me I’m stuck in a never-ending bureaucratic nightmare?” “Yep,” Kelly sighed. “Welcome to eternity.” 😂
The world-building is super unique—Afterlife, Inc. is like The Office meets Beetlejuice, with all the paperwork drama you didn’t ask for but are thrilled to get. 📄💼
⚠️ TW: Illness, cancer, death, etc. So check in before diving in. But if you're ready to laugh, cry, and shake your fist at bureaucratic death shenanigans, this one's for you!
I’m already counting down the days until Book 2—Hate to Haunt You, bring it on!! 😈
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Total undead vibes!
When Ember, our former life coach extraordinaire, dies from cancer, she expects peaceful clouds and harps—nope!
Instead, she’s stuck in a chaotic afterlife in suburban Toronto, ghosting around while a part-time psychic and an unemployed grim reaper bicker over pizza.🍕💀
From the moment Ember enters the afterlife, her sass is next-level: “Yeah, about that. I am deeply unhappy with the service I have received since my death. I've essentially been on hold for twenty-four hours and I'm out of f*cks. So who or whatever you are, tell me which way to the complaints department before I ask to speak to your manager."😂
Enter Afterlife, Inc.—the corporate nightmare of the dead, where paperwork piles up and reapers are bored.
But Ember’s not one to sit still—she’s ready to take the afterlife by storm, girl-boss style.
With the help of her unlikely (and VERY grumpy) new roommate, Kelly—a shape-shifting reaper who’s so over it—she’s determined to fix the whole system. If she doesn’t find her way out soon, she might fade away for good!😱
And let me tell you, the banter is top-tier: “I’m dead, not stupid.” “Give it time,” Kelly shot back.🙃💀
Expect:
🔹 Ghosts & reapers 🖤 🔹 SUPER slow burn romance 🔥 🔹 Found family feels (and a sassy cat 🐱) 🔹 Mismatched roommates who argue over literally everything (including death)
Kelly steals the show for me—this shape-shifting reaper gives “gender fluid” a whole new vibe. “It’s not like death has rules,” Kelly says, shrugging as they switch forms again, “Why would the rest of it?”
The slow burn tension between Kelly and Ember is SO worth the wait. 👀❤️
The humor? I died laughing.
Ember’s sass is endless: “So you’re telling me I’m stuck in a never-ending bureaucratic nightmare?” “Yep,” Kelly sighed. “Welcome to eternity.” 😂
The world-building is super unique—Afterlife, Inc. is like The Office meets Beetlejuice, with all the paperwork drama you didn’t ask for but are thrilled to get. 📄💼
⚠️ TW: Illness, cancer, death, etc. So check in before diving in. But if you're ready to laugh, cry, and shake your fist at bureaucratic death shenanigans, this one's for you!
I’m already counting down the days until Book 2—Hate to Haunt You, bring it on!! 😈
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Total undead vibes!
December 15, 2024
Amazing Story & Narration🎧Fascinating & Enjoyable!
Only Mostly Dead
Afterlife Incorporated
By: Alli Temple
Narrated by: Emily Lawrence
“Only Mostly Dead” is a unique urban fantasy novel that is entertaining with storylines that are interesting and original. The story is fast moving, and it draws in immediately, grabbing your attention and holding it captive the entire time. Ember’s battle with cancer was over and she was expecting her heavenly forever after, except that is not what happens, and she is stuck on earth in a ghostly form, all because of an error on their part, the administration running the afterlife, the bureaucracy. After mishaps, screw-ups and not getting any answers, she runs into someone who can hear her and Ember follows her and goes to her home, though her roommate, Kelly, is not very welcoming. Turns out Kelly does not just hear her, they see her too, because Kelly is a grim reaper, just what Ember needs to get to where she wants to go, except Kelly is an unemployed reaper and not very helpful. There is never a dull moment in this book and has a fabulous lineup of interesting characters, a perfect balance of drama, humor via witty dialogue, mystery and intrigue, some twists, thrilling and suspenseful moments and heartfelt emotions, too. The writing, plot and world building are fantastic, as are the character growth and development. Alli Temple, thank you for this amazing story and the wild ride.
🎧📚🎧 Emily Lawrence does a fantastic job bringing these characters to life and does so with a complete understanding of who she is portraying. Her talent and versatility truly shines in her character voices, covering all the roles she gives each their own distinct voice, making it easy to follow and tell who is who and is believable in every role. She is a natural in Ember’s roles, showcases all aspects of her personality perfectly and does the same for every character. You could hear how much heart she puts into her work as she captures all the characters’ emotions and has your feeling each one. She sets the perfect tone for the story, handles the witty dialogue and back-an-forth banter with ease and never misses a beat. Emily Lawrence is an entertaining storyteller and her performance elevates the story to another level. Thanks for the amazing listen.
Only Mostly Dead
Afterlife Incorporated
By: Alli Temple
Narrated by: Emily Lawrence
“Only Mostly Dead” is a unique urban fantasy novel that is entertaining with storylines that are interesting and original. The story is fast moving, and it draws in immediately, grabbing your attention and holding it captive the entire time. Ember’s battle with cancer was over and she was expecting her heavenly forever after, except that is not what happens, and she is stuck on earth in a ghostly form, all because of an error on their part, the administration running the afterlife, the bureaucracy. After mishaps, screw-ups and not getting any answers, she runs into someone who can hear her and Ember follows her and goes to her home, though her roommate, Kelly, is not very welcoming. Turns out Kelly does not just hear her, they see her too, because Kelly is a grim reaper, just what Ember needs to get to where she wants to go, except Kelly is an unemployed reaper and not very helpful. There is never a dull moment in this book and has a fabulous lineup of interesting characters, a perfect balance of drama, humor via witty dialogue, mystery and intrigue, some twists, thrilling and suspenseful moments and heartfelt emotions, too. The writing, plot and world building are fantastic, as are the character growth and development. Alli Temple, thank you for this amazing story and the wild ride.
🎧📚🎧 Emily Lawrence does a fantastic job bringing these characters to life and does so with a complete understanding of who she is portraying. Her talent and versatility truly shines in her character voices, covering all the roles she gives each their own distinct voice, making it easy to follow and tell who is who and is believable in every role. She is a natural in Ember’s roles, showcases all aspects of her personality perfectly and does the same for every character. You could hear how much heart she puts into her work as she captures all the characters’ emotions and has your feeling each one. She sets the perfect tone for the story, handles the witty dialogue and back-an-forth banter with ease and never misses a beat. Emily Lawrence is an entertaining storyteller and her performance elevates the story to another level. Thanks for the amazing listen.
October 25, 2024
𝘖𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘔𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘥 -𝘈𝘭𝘭𝘪 𝘛𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦
ᴼᵛᵉʳᵃˡˡ ᴿᵃᵗⁱⁿᵍ: 5⭐/5
ˢᵖⁱᶜᵉ ᴸᵉᵛᵉˡ: 1🌶 /5
ᵀᴿᴼᴾᴱˢ:
🌆 Urban Fantasy
👻Ghost and Reaper
🧑🤝🧑 Odd Couple
🔥 Slow Burn
🚨 ᴄʜᴇᴄᴋ ᴛʀɪɢɢᴇʀ ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢs 🚨
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Hey, Alli! Rachael here, and let me just say—being on your hype team is an honor, but the real honor? Getting to dive into your latest book! This story isn’t just another ghost-and-afterlife plot. It’s an all-consuming journey that hooks you right from the start, filled with slow-burn tension and laugh-out-loud moments.
Let’s talk characters—Kelly might just be my forever head canon. Seriously, I need to know EVERYTHING about them! What’s their full name? Backstory? Every little detail! Kelly brings a depth to this tale that I wasn’t expecting, making me want to re-read and dissect every interaction.
And let’s give a round of applause to Carrot Stick, the orange cat sidekick! Any book that has a cat gets an extra star from me, but an orange cat? Pure gold. Carrot Stick’s presence added just the right touch of humor and warmth, balancing the mystery perfectly.
As for the romance, it’s slow-burn with a capital S. There’s no “spice” here, but there’s an undeniable, delicious tension that builds at just the right pace. It’s all-consuming, leaving me aching for what’s to come.
One of my absolute favorite parts, though? The humor! The way the afterlife characters have no clue about human phrases had me laughing out loud. This book was such a joy, and I already need the next one. I’m not ready to say goodbye—so bring on the sequel, Alli!
‼️ 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘍𝘢𝘵𝘦 - 𝘓𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘩 𝘓𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 now available
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📚✨ Disclaimer: This is just my opinion based on my personal rating scale. Don’t come at me! 😉
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#BookReview #ParanormalRomance #SlowBurnRomance #BookLover #GhostStory #BookCommunity #FictionLovers #MustRead #BookishHumor #CurrentlyReading #Bookworm #CatsInBooks #PageTurner #NeedTheSequel #ReadingTime #rrbooktours #rrbtOnlyMostlyDead #spookyseason #grimreaper #ghoststory #urbanfantasy #lgbtqbooks #sapphicfantasy #onlymostlydead #afterlifeincorporated
ᴼᵛᵉʳᵃˡˡ ᴿᵃᵗⁱⁿᵍ: 5⭐/5
ˢᵖⁱᶜᵉ ᴸᵉᵛᵉˡ: 1🌶 /5
ᵀᴿᴼᴾᴱˢ:
🌆 Urban Fantasy
👻Ghost and Reaper
🧑🤝🧑 Odd Couple
🔥 Slow Burn
🚨 ᴄʜᴇᴄᴋ ᴛʀɪɢɢᴇʀ ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢs 🚨
•
•
Hey, Alli! Rachael here, and let me just say—being on your hype team is an honor, but the real honor? Getting to dive into your latest book! This story isn’t just another ghost-and-afterlife plot. It’s an all-consuming journey that hooks you right from the start, filled with slow-burn tension and laugh-out-loud moments.
Let’s talk characters—Kelly might just be my forever head canon. Seriously, I need to know EVERYTHING about them! What’s their full name? Backstory? Every little detail! Kelly brings a depth to this tale that I wasn’t expecting, making me want to re-read and dissect every interaction.
And let’s give a round of applause to Carrot Stick, the orange cat sidekick! Any book that has a cat gets an extra star from me, but an orange cat? Pure gold. Carrot Stick’s presence added just the right touch of humor and warmth, balancing the mystery perfectly.
As for the romance, it’s slow-burn with a capital S. There’s no “spice” here, but there’s an undeniable, delicious tension that builds at just the right pace. It’s all-consuming, leaving me aching for what’s to come.
One of my absolute favorite parts, though? The humor! The way the afterlife characters have no clue about human phrases had me laughing out loud. This book was such a joy, and I already need the next one. I’m not ready to say goodbye—so bring on the sequel, Alli!
‼️ 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘍𝘢𝘵𝘦 - 𝘓𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘩 𝘓𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 now available
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📚✨ Disclaimer: This is just my opinion based on my personal rating scale. Don’t come at me! 😉
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#BookReview #ParanormalRomance #SlowBurnRomance #BookLover #GhostStory #BookCommunity #FictionLovers #MustRead #BookishHumor #CurrentlyReading #Bookworm #CatsInBooks #PageTurner #NeedTheSequel #ReadingTime #rrbooktours #rrbtOnlyMostlyDead #spookyseason #grimreaper #ghoststory #urbanfantasy #lgbtqbooks #sapphicfantasy #onlymostlydead #afterlifeincorporated
October 21, 2024
⭐️ 4.25 ⭐️
I don't think I'm spoiling anything by telling you that the main character dies- that's basically the entire premise of the story and it says it right there in the title lol.
Our former life coach FMC finds herself in the most frustrating afterlife ever. Scheduling her own death due to a chronic illness, she expects to be peacefully transitioned into the afterlife. However, she gets stuck in suburban Toronto in a bureaucratic nightmare with an unemployed grim reaper that is less than helpful. All she wants to do is pass on but is hindered by some clerical mix up at Afterlife Incorporated. Perhaps with her experience as a life coach, she can help the dead by helping to reform the reaping process.
This urban fantasy is so quirky and creative! The characters are well developed and and likeable. I thought it was humorous and fast-paced with straightforward world building. The writing was done in a way that provided enough description to give you a clear picture, but not be overwhelmed with details. The plot flowed nicely and it had some interesting twists and turns. The ending was wrapped up well but definitely left for a smooth transition into the next in the series. Afterlife Incorporated is definitely a series I'm going to keep my eye out for. I really thought this was such a fun read!
Although I found this book fun and interesting, it's important to check the trigger warnings. It does address things like cancer, illness, death of a child, and other things you need to consider.
Urban fantasy
Ghost & reaper
Odd couple
Sloooooooow burn
Quirky & fun
LGBT+ Rep
I don't think I'm spoiling anything by telling you that the main character dies- that's basically the entire premise of the story and it says it right there in the title lol.
Our former life coach FMC finds herself in the most frustrating afterlife ever. Scheduling her own death due to a chronic illness, she expects to be peacefully transitioned into the afterlife. However, she gets stuck in suburban Toronto in a bureaucratic nightmare with an unemployed grim reaper that is less than helpful. All she wants to do is pass on but is hindered by some clerical mix up at Afterlife Incorporated. Perhaps with her experience as a life coach, she can help the dead by helping to reform the reaping process.
This urban fantasy is so quirky and creative! The characters are well developed and and likeable. I thought it was humorous and fast-paced with straightforward world building. The writing was done in a way that provided enough description to give you a clear picture, but not be overwhelmed with details. The plot flowed nicely and it had some interesting twists and turns. The ending was wrapped up well but definitely left for a smooth transition into the next in the series. Afterlife Incorporated is definitely a series I'm going to keep my eye out for. I really thought this was such a fun read!
Although I found this book fun and interesting, it's important to check the trigger warnings. It does address things like cancer, illness, death of a child, and other things you need to consider.
Urban fantasy
Ghost & reaper
Odd couple
Sloooooooow burn
Quirky & fun
LGBT+ Rep
September 28, 2025
What a refreshing take on paranormal urban fantasy with beautiful LGBTQIA2S+ characters who tackle something not commonly seen in urban fantasy.
Thank you, Alli Temple for an ALC.
Ember's story and emotions threatened to rip me apart at times and I loved how it was contrasted by the warmth of the found family and humor most can relate to. Ember, Kelly and their housemates, both human and fur baby, were all very three-dimensional characters. While some seemed a bit flat at first, I loved how we learned more and the side characters really came into their own as the story went on. As someone who lived in Toronto for over a decade, I loved how Alli highlighted and educated the reader all about the melting pot city and it's different neighborhoods. If you are looking for a read that will make you consider what happens when we close our eyes one last time while also giving you the warm and fuzzies of a super slow burn opposites attract romance, you have found it!
Emily Lawrence gave a performance I won't be forgetting any time soon. Her voices for all the characters were super distinct and easy to recognize who was talking, and her emotions shined through giving perfect emotion like you were a ghost watching the scenes within this audiobook. Great work and glad to see she is back for book #2!
👻LGBTQIA2S+ Rep
⚰️Found Family
👻Super Slow Burn
⚰️Paranormal Urban Fantasy
👻Ghosts
⚰️Reapers
👻Pet Cat
🖤🖤🖤🖤
If you only want to see books I rate 4-stars or higher, get book recommendations or just connect and talk books follow me on Instagram
🖤🖤🖤🖤
Thank you, Alli Temple for an ALC.
Ember's story and emotions threatened to rip me apart at times and I loved how it was contrasted by the warmth of the found family and humor most can relate to. Ember, Kelly and their housemates, both human and fur baby, were all very three-dimensional characters. While some seemed a bit flat at first, I loved how we learned more and the side characters really came into their own as the story went on. As someone who lived in Toronto for over a decade, I loved how Alli highlighted and educated the reader all about the melting pot city and it's different neighborhoods. If you are looking for a read that will make you consider what happens when we close our eyes one last time while also giving you the warm and fuzzies of a super slow burn opposites attract romance, you have found it!
Emily Lawrence gave a performance I won't be forgetting any time soon. Her voices for all the characters were super distinct and easy to recognize who was talking, and her emotions shined through giving perfect emotion like you were a ghost watching the scenes within this audiobook. Great work and glad to see she is back for book #2!
👻LGBTQIA2S+ Rep
⚰️Found Family
👻Super Slow Burn
⚰️Paranormal Urban Fantasy
👻Ghosts
⚰️Reapers
👻Pet Cat
🖤🖤🖤🖤
If you only want to see books I rate 4-stars or higher, get book recommendations or just connect and talk books follow me on Instagram
🖤🖤🖤🖤
October 6, 2025
This audiobook is a bit of a difficult one to review. There were aspects that I highly enjoyed while also having aspects I was considering DNFing over.
The feel of this book is light, even when darker things are happening within the story, there is humor and a feeling of friendship. The world is interesting and I enjoyed the overall plot and concept.
I had a few big issues with the book though.
My biggest issue is with the characters. The main POV character, Ember, is the most annoying. Y’all she is a spoiled and entitled “Karen.” That person who thinks they know best when they really don’t and won’t take “no” for an answer. She also has an underlying issue that is borderline if not totally transphobic. She goes on constantly about what pronouns to use for the other main character, Kelly. Mentioning it at first is understandable, mentioning it multiple times with adding how confusing it is, is too much.
Kelly has their own issues. They are selfish, rude, mean and a user who takes advantage of their roommate. Other characters enable them, but that is still no excuse for their behavior.
Many of the other characters are one dimensional and immature. They are beings that are supposed to be really old but they act like spoiled teenagers.
This is also marketed as a “Romance” so far there isn’t any romance. It’s slow burn, but at most this book is enemies to begrudging friends. No thoughts of romance at all, yet.
The narration was fairly good. Emily Lawrence is easy to listen to and brought the world to life.
I received a copy of this audiobook and this is my honest opinion.
The feel of this book is light, even when darker things are happening within the story, there is humor and a feeling of friendship. The world is interesting and I enjoyed the overall plot and concept.
I had a few big issues with the book though.
My biggest issue is with the characters. The main POV character, Ember, is the most annoying. Y’all she is a spoiled and entitled “Karen.” That person who thinks they know best when they really don’t and won’t take “no” for an answer. She also has an underlying issue that is borderline if not totally transphobic. She goes on constantly about what pronouns to use for the other main character, Kelly. Mentioning it at first is understandable, mentioning it multiple times with adding how confusing it is, is too much.
Kelly has their own issues. They are selfish, rude, mean and a user who takes advantage of their roommate. Other characters enable them, but that is still no excuse for their behavior.
Many of the other characters are one dimensional and immature. They are beings that are supposed to be really old but they act like spoiled teenagers.
This is also marketed as a “Romance” so far there isn’t any romance. It’s slow burn, but at most this book is enemies to begrudging friends. No thoughts of romance at all, yet.
The narration was fairly good. Emily Lawrence is easy to listen to and brought the world to life.
I received a copy of this audiobook and this is my honest opinion.
October 4, 2025
Had me laughing out loud
Books that explore what happens to characters in the afterlife always fascinate me. This topic is a perfect information void that invites so much imagination. It isn’t exactly like anyone can prove these fictional worlds wrong. 😉 This leaves the door open to do so many fun things.
The main character in this story is a life coach who has scheduled the end of her fight with terminal cancer. Everything goes perfectly according to plan until the reapers make an error in her paperwork. This results in her roaming the land of the living as a ghost in a dogged pursuit of her own admittance into the afterlife.
The writing is absolutely hilarious. One of the main themes may be death, but this is a comedy through and through. The reapers had me constantly cracking up. As beings on a different level from the humans they work with, reapers fight a constant battle with human slang and figures of speech. This had me laughing out loud on more than one occasion.
The love interest in this book is a currently unemployed reaper who has an exceptionally hard time relating to humans. This causes them to clash with the main character on a regular basis. Speaking of romance, the main couple is a lesbian/non-binary pairing. They didn’t get very far in this first volume, so they still have a long way to go for the other books.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and added the next volume to my TBR as soon as I finished the final chapter.
Books that explore what happens to characters in the afterlife always fascinate me. This topic is a perfect information void that invites so much imagination. It isn’t exactly like anyone can prove these fictional worlds wrong. 😉 This leaves the door open to do so many fun things.
The main character in this story is a life coach who has scheduled the end of her fight with terminal cancer. Everything goes perfectly according to plan until the reapers make an error in her paperwork. This results in her roaming the land of the living as a ghost in a dogged pursuit of her own admittance into the afterlife.
The writing is absolutely hilarious. One of the main themes may be death, but this is a comedy through and through. The reapers had me constantly cracking up. As beings on a different level from the humans they work with, reapers fight a constant battle with human slang and figures of speech. This had me laughing out loud on more than one occasion.
The love interest in this book is a currently unemployed reaper who has an exceptionally hard time relating to humans. This causes them to clash with the main character on a regular basis. Speaking of romance, the main couple is a lesbian/non-binary pairing. They didn’t get very far in this first volume, so they still have a long way to go for the other books.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and added the next volume to my TBR as soon as I finished the final chapter.
October 6, 2024
Only Mostly Dead turned out quite different than I expected - in an amazing way.
When Ember dies, she hopes to end up in a peaceful afterlife. What she didn't expect was the bureaucraty of reapers and being forgotten. A mix-up with her death-date. Can happen, right? But it's only the first of many problems.
The slow unraveling of why the problems at hand arise, why there's so much chaos in Afterlife, and what led to Kelly no longer working for Afterlife, takes a wonderful pace. Combined with the perfect amount of descriptions to visualize everything, but not feel overcrowded, Only Mostly Dead is an easy read. The mismatched idioms surely help with that as well.
The whole book is a mix of humor, tension and action in exactly the right combination. There's Kelly, a (very literal grim) reaper, whose character growth was incredibly interesting to read about throughout the book.
Ember, who went from only wanting peace and her deserved afterlife, caring about the (still living) people close to her.
And of course Jupiter, who's just too sweet (and definitely should stand up to Kelly and not be their maid all the time).
Thanks to Booksirens for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
When Ember dies, she hopes to end up in a peaceful afterlife. What she didn't expect was the bureaucraty of reapers and being forgotten. A mix-up with her death-date. Can happen, right? But it's only the first of many problems.
The slow unraveling of why the problems at hand arise, why there's so much chaos in Afterlife, and what led to Kelly no longer working for Afterlife, takes a wonderful pace. Combined with the perfect amount of descriptions to visualize everything, but not feel overcrowded, Only Mostly Dead is an easy read. The mismatched idioms surely help with that as well.
The whole book is a mix of humor, tension and action in exactly the right combination. There's Kelly, a (very literal grim) reaper, whose character growth was incredibly interesting to read about throughout the book.
Ember, who went from only wanting peace and her deserved afterlife, caring about the (still living) people close to her.
And of course Jupiter, who's just too sweet (and definitely should stand up to Kelly and not be their maid all the time).
Thanks to Booksirens for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 9, 2024
I have to confess that I chose to review Only Mostly Dead by Alli Temple because the title is one of my favorite lines from one of my favorite movies. And the book lived up to the title in capturing some of the zaniness of the movie. The Afterlife world is unbelievably complex and confusing with no clear guide path to the other side, whatever that might be. Ember is an excellent main character who views what transpires through the lens of having been a life coach literally right up to her chosen end. The people/entitles she meets after she dies are an interesting group of helpful or threatening characters. There were several plot twists throughout the book, but I wondered how the author would wrap up at least a few of the many subplot lines in the book. I can honestly say I did not see the ending coming (not a big spoiler). And the book is set in Toronto, one of my favorite cities. It was fun to see the Afterlife overlaid on the city. If you’ve read the book’s synopsis you know this is the first of a trilogy. I can’t wait for the next book and I hope there will be spinoffs in this fantastic world the author has created. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 22, 2024
"How to Train Your Reaper. Step one: Hide their stuff. Step two: Success!"
I REALLY enjoyed this book.
Ember is a life coach who was expecting to enjoy "the" afterlife with angels and light when she passed, but when that isn't what happens. There was a mix-up on when she was suppose to be "picked up" by a reaper because of a m/d/y vs d/m/y issue. So she finds herself wondering around as a ghost following a medium home (Jupiter) where she meets Kelly, a (very grim) unemployed reaper and Jupiter's roommate. Kelly was previously employed at Afterlife, Inc. which is having its own issues come up because of cutting back/understaffing/capitalism.
From there you get banter, laughter, mystery, battles with wraiths, a lot of character growth and the ending had me wide eyed and excited.
What else you will find is LGBTIA+ representation and acceptance, cats, pizza, candles and death.
I cannot wait for book 2
another favorite quote:
"Yeah, about that. I am deeply unhappy with the service I have received since my death. I've essentially been on hold for twenty-four hours and I'm out of f*cks. So who or whatever you are, tell me which way to the complaints department before I ask to speak to your manager."
I REALLY enjoyed this book.
Ember is a life coach who was expecting to enjoy "the" afterlife with angels and light when she passed, but when that isn't what happens. There was a mix-up on when she was suppose to be "picked up" by a reaper because of a m/d/y vs d/m/y issue. So she finds herself wondering around as a ghost following a medium home (Jupiter) where she meets Kelly, a (very grim) unemployed reaper and Jupiter's roommate. Kelly was previously employed at Afterlife, Inc. which is having its own issues come up because of cutting back/understaffing/capitalism.
From there you get banter, laughter, mystery, battles with wraiths, a lot of character growth and the ending had me wide eyed and excited.
What else you will find is LGBTIA+ representation and acceptance, cats, pizza, candles and death.
I cannot wait for book 2
another favorite quote:
"Yeah, about that. I am deeply unhappy with the service I have received since my death. I've essentially been on hold for twenty-four hours and I'm out of f*cks. So who or whatever you are, tell me which way to the complaints department before I ask to speak to your manager."
October 23, 2024
"I think my cat might be... God?"⠀
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Alli Temple, Only Mostly Dead ⠀
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Only Mostly Dead by Alli Temple is a funny, heartfelt, fantasy with spooky romcom vibes and a fantastic cast of characters. ⠀
Ember Munro is a new ghost but her afterlife gets off to a bumpy start and soon she's embroiled in a chaotic friendship with a medium (and her frisky feline) and a reaper whose half-hearted attempts at helping her end up uncovering a coup! Ember is spunky as much in death as she was in life and I enjoyed her Spark tips that were sprinkled throughout the story.⠀
Kelly is moody and aloof at first but you can tell that Ember intrigues them. As a retired reaper they are reluctant to assist our protagonist but you can see their personality brighten with each chapter's shenanigans.⠀
Jupiter was my favorite character. She's so curious and positive and I think her relationship with Kelly is sweet. I also loved her cat, Carrot Stick, and had to immortalize him in my picture by including my sweet tabby, Orion.⠀
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Only Mostly Dead was so much fun to read and I'll definitely be following the author for the next one in the Afterlife Incorporated series. If you enjoy light-hearted yet spooky fantasy this book is perfect for you!⠀
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Alli Temple, Only Mostly Dead ⠀
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⠀
Only Mostly Dead by Alli Temple is a funny, heartfelt, fantasy with spooky romcom vibes and a fantastic cast of characters. ⠀
Ember Munro is a new ghost but her afterlife gets off to a bumpy start and soon she's embroiled in a chaotic friendship with a medium (and her frisky feline) and a reaper whose half-hearted attempts at helping her end up uncovering a coup! Ember is spunky as much in death as she was in life and I enjoyed her Spark tips that were sprinkled throughout the story.⠀
Kelly is moody and aloof at first but you can tell that Ember intrigues them. As a retired reaper they are reluctant to assist our protagonist but you can see their personality brighten with each chapter's shenanigans.⠀
Jupiter was my favorite character. She's so curious and positive and I think her relationship with Kelly is sweet. I also loved her cat, Carrot Stick, and had to immortalize him in my picture by including my sweet tabby, Orion.⠀
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Only Mostly Dead was so much fun to read and I'll definitely be following the author for the next one in the Afterlife Incorporated series. If you enjoy light-hearted yet spooky fantasy this book is perfect for you!⠀
October 26, 2024
Only Mostly Dead is a light, fluffy contemporary fantasy that’s perfect for a spooky season read. It’s moderately funny and easy to get through, with an interesting concept that keeps you engaged. The story delivers some heartwarming, feel-good moments, and its unique take on how death is discussed and dealt with is a standout feature.
However, the writing style left something to be desired. One of the more distracting elements was the author's constant focus on the pronouns of Kelly, which felt unnecessary to bring up so frequently. While the book is marketed as LGBTQ+ fantasy, the representation beyond the pronoun discussions seemed limited, which may leave some readers wanting more.
Though the book had the pacing of a slow-burn romance, it ultimately didn’t deliver any romantic development, which felt like a missed opportunity. Additionally, while enjoyable, the writing lacked the depth that could have elevated this story from just a good read to something truly extraordinary.
In the end I was left feeling a bit disappointed, I hit pause on one of the other books I was reading to read Only Mostly Dead, because the blurb had me hooked. It turned out to be an easygoing, read with some fresh ideas, but it didn't quite reach its full potential.
However, the writing style left something to be desired. One of the more distracting elements was the author's constant focus on the pronouns of Kelly, which felt unnecessary to bring up so frequently. While the book is marketed as LGBTQ+ fantasy, the representation beyond the pronoun discussions seemed limited, which may leave some readers wanting more.
Though the book had the pacing of a slow-burn romance, it ultimately didn’t deliver any romantic development, which felt like a missed opportunity. Additionally, while enjoyable, the writing lacked the depth that could have elevated this story from just a good read to something truly extraordinary.
In the end I was left feeling a bit disappointed, I hit pause on one of the other books I was reading to read Only Mostly Dead, because the blurb had me hooked. It turned out to be an easygoing, read with some fresh ideas, but it didn't quite reach its full potential.
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