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Serrated
Librarian's Note: This is an alternate cover edition for ASIN: B00HMTMGGS
When terminally-ill Rick Sera took his own life, he thought he was ready to leave everything behind, including his loving girlfriend Sam. But the afterlife isn’t exactly the peaceful place he’s imagined -- not with an eccentric grim reaper, Sephtimus, at the helm. Septhimus is one of the rare Avalerion Angels: an unearthly race of half-human, half-bird beings tasked with the cold deportation of overstaying spirits from the human realm.
Now, Rick finds himself reincarnated into the body of a raven and tasked with the homeschooling of Septhimus, who has fallen in love with a mortal. The denizens of Inferno know the Avalerion’s secret, and everything including the mortal realm is about to be turned topsy-turvy at this abhorrent sign of weakness. With an insurgent group of demons at his gates, Death will attempt to bare his soul to the girl.
Celestina Conti is a modern-day Beatrice: a fashion model who’s seen too much of life to believe in romance. Machester Imagay is her Dante: a geeky coffee barista who needs courage to match the depth of his feelings.
The lives of all four lovers will be drawn into a strange twist of fate and by the scheming of a monster plotter.
“Serrated” offers a fresh view of Tyrant Grim. It shows the human side of death and proves that love survives in the afterlife. It’s a love story and fantasy, with elements of human drama and the supernatural. It combines all the ingredients of an enduring story: noble love, loyal friendship, and hope against all logic.
When terminally-ill Rick Sera took his own life, he thought he was ready to leave everything behind, including his loving girlfriend Sam. But the afterlife isn’t exactly the peaceful place he’s imagined -- not with an eccentric grim reaper, Sephtimus, at the helm. Septhimus is one of the rare Avalerion Angels: an unearthly race of half-human, half-bird beings tasked with the cold deportation of overstaying spirits from the human realm.
Now, Rick finds himself reincarnated into the body of a raven and tasked with the homeschooling of Septhimus, who has fallen in love with a mortal. The denizens of Inferno know the Avalerion’s secret, and everything including the mortal realm is about to be turned topsy-turvy at this abhorrent sign of weakness. With an insurgent group of demons at his gates, Death will attempt to bare his soul to the girl.
Celestina Conti is a modern-day Beatrice: a fashion model who’s seen too much of life to believe in romance. Machester Imagay is her Dante: a geeky coffee barista who needs courage to match the depth of his feelings.
The lives of all four lovers will be drawn into a strange twist of fate and by the scheming of a monster plotter.
“Serrated” offers a fresh view of Tyrant Grim. It shows the human side of death and proves that love survives in the afterlife. It’s a love story and fantasy, with elements of human drama and the supernatural. It combines all the ingredients of an enduring story: noble love, loyal friendship, and hope against all logic.
Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2014
3 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
About the author
Mon D. Rea
9 books17 followersFor a long time Mon D Rea has taught English as a foreign language, but his one true love has always been writing stories. He never stopped scribbling – between classes at uni, in between part-time work, on napkins, on the back of receipts, on the bus, and inside his dreams.
His friends say he’s a grammar Nazi with a hyperactive imagination, and these two personalities of him are constantly at each other’s throats. He used to be a Neanderthal but now almost tech-savvy. He likes superhero movies.
His friends say he’s a grammar Nazi with a hyperactive imagination, and these two personalities of him are constantly at each other’s throats. He used to be a Neanderthal but now almost tech-savvy. He likes superhero movies.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 29, 2017
I give this book 4.5/5 crows.
I got this book from Goodreads. I joined a book club for all Filipinos and the author is a member of the same book club. He was giving away paperback copies of his two books in exchange for review. I signed up to review this book and he included the other one which is just to my liking.
This is my first time to read a book by the author. I did not know what to expect but if the blurb were any basis, I was in for a trip to the underworld.
The story is about Nate Cuervo who suffered from depression and committed suicide. Morbid and creepy, right? But like everything else, regret is always after the fact. Nate regretted what he did. He missed his girlfriend, Samantha. Just when he thought he is going to undergo endless torment as punishment for what he did, he was given an assignment by the Grim Reaper, Septhemus Rex. But it's not all that, Septhemus has a secret and he wanted Nate to help him.
The story reminds me a lot about the Greek mythology. The description of the underworld complete with the creatures that were in the Greek mythology like Kharon, the ferryman of the River Styx and Kerberos, the three-headed dog. It was nice, feeling a familiarity with a few characters of this story. And, I love mythology so this book just hit my weak spot. The story is very detailed and descriptive. I can easily picture out how the underworld looks like through Nate's eyes. If you are faint-hearted, better be careful because the vivid descriptions are gory and unpleasant. Make sure that you are not eating while reading this because I am pretty sure you will lose your appetite or you will likely puke. That's how disgusting yet appropriate the descriptions are. The story started with dark and sad thoughts which brought our character into the underworld. But it turns out, even in hell, there is a sliver of light or hope, if you prefer. It was not that grim for Nate, apparently.
The Grim Reaper falling in love with a mortal girl is not a very new idea. This same idea is even in a Korean tv novella. But what I liked about this is that Septhemus does not know how and what it is. Why it torments him and why he has this indescribable and illogical need to talk to the girl. So, Nate Cuervo to the rescue and gives Septhemus lessons in "how to court a girl 101". This amused me. I can imagine the Grim Reaper's face trying to figure out this alien feeling he is experiencing. This also reminds me how it was like falling in love for the first time. This feeling of being in love makes the Grim Reaper a little bit human. It's cute and at the same time, I feel sorry for him having to make sense of it all. Like it was beyond his comprehension and like an incurable disease that he wants to be rid of.
The revelation of Nate's history and birth, how he ended up in the orphanage and how different he is from all the other kids was a very brilliant background story. It was so incredible. Very creative yet not so outlandish. I really like the author's interpretation of the storks and the crows. It does make sense. It somehow fits nicely into the whole story.
I also like the ending. Redemption. And the message that LOVE is really a force to be reckoned with, even those purported to be heartless or those who have no feeling at all, are not even immune to it. No one escapes the power of love, even the Grim Reaper was helpless to it. Yes, though this story started out grim, dark, and sad, it ended beautifully.
I give this book 4.5/5 crows. I did enjoy it, though it was a bit dark for my taste. The ending did make up for it. I keep saying that this is dark, because it honestly and truthfully laid out how depression could envelop a person and drive one to desperation. In a way, I can relate to Nate. I can feel what he is feeling and I understand how he ended up making that horrible choice. I know some people would wonder why a person would try to end his/her own life. You won't know what goes through inside a person's head. You can't judge that person just by the act. A lot of reasons could spur anyone. And admit it, each of us are not made the same way. Some of us are just not as strong as we try to make everyone believe. Sometimes, death is just the easiest way out. I am not advocating death as the answer to end everything. I am just trying to point out that depression is a serious concern. If you know someone who seems to be going through this, help him/her. And don't judge. Be thankful you are not going through a mid-life crisis, a major self-esteem breakdown or a severe case of being lost--loss of direction, inspiration and motivation. Some of us are just more broken than others and sometimes, it takes so much more to get all the pieces back together. Some just thought they don't have anything to live for. It's unfortunate that some can't seem to find the basic strength to even wake up each morning. It's a sad fact and the least we can do is be sensitive and to always be kind. You never know what the other persons is going through and how you treat him/her might actually just make a whole lot of difference.
Once in your life you'll find the perfect love and it'll be everything you imagined, whether or not you stayed a believer. You'll find it at the most unexpected time and in the most unassuming place. It masquerades as something commonplace, neither remarkable nor memorable. It just happens.
- Mon D. Rea, Soul City -
Thank you, Mon D. Rea, for the paperback copy.
I got this book from Goodreads. I joined a book club for all Filipinos and the author is a member of the same book club. He was giving away paperback copies of his two books in exchange for review. I signed up to review this book and he included the other one which is just to my liking.
This is my first time to read a book by the author. I did not know what to expect but if the blurb were any basis, I was in for a trip to the underworld.
The story is about Nate Cuervo who suffered from depression and committed suicide. Morbid and creepy, right? But like everything else, regret is always after the fact. Nate regretted what he did. He missed his girlfriend, Samantha. Just when he thought he is going to undergo endless torment as punishment for what he did, he was given an assignment by the Grim Reaper, Septhemus Rex. But it's not all that, Septhemus has a secret and he wanted Nate to help him.
The story reminds me a lot about the Greek mythology. The description of the underworld complete with the creatures that were in the Greek mythology like Kharon, the ferryman of the River Styx and Kerberos, the three-headed dog. It was nice, feeling a familiarity with a few characters of this story. And, I love mythology so this book just hit my weak spot. The story is very detailed and descriptive. I can easily picture out how the underworld looks like through Nate's eyes. If you are faint-hearted, better be careful because the vivid descriptions are gory and unpleasant. Make sure that you are not eating while reading this because I am pretty sure you will lose your appetite or you will likely puke. That's how disgusting yet appropriate the descriptions are. The story started with dark and sad thoughts which brought our character into the underworld. But it turns out, even in hell, there is a sliver of light or hope, if you prefer. It was not that grim for Nate, apparently.
The Grim Reaper falling in love with a mortal girl is not a very new idea. This same idea is even in a Korean tv novella. But what I liked about this is that Septhemus does not know how and what it is. Why it torments him and why he has this indescribable and illogical need to talk to the girl. So, Nate Cuervo to the rescue and gives Septhemus lessons in "how to court a girl 101". This amused me. I can imagine the Grim Reaper's face trying to figure out this alien feeling he is experiencing. This also reminds me how it was like falling in love for the first time. This feeling of being in love makes the Grim Reaper a little bit human. It's cute and at the same time, I feel sorry for him having to make sense of it all. Like it was beyond his comprehension and like an incurable disease that he wants to be rid of.
The revelation of Nate's history and birth, how he ended up in the orphanage and how different he is from all the other kids was a very brilliant background story. It was so incredible. Very creative yet not so outlandish. I really like the author's interpretation of the storks and the crows. It does make sense. It somehow fits nicely into the whole story.
I also like the ending. Redemption. And the message that LOVE is really a force to be reckoned with, even those purported to be heartless or those who have no feeling at all, are not even immune to it. No one escapes the power of love, even the Grim Reaper was helpless to it. Yes, though this story started out grim, dark, and sad, it ended beautifully.
I give this book 4.5/5 crows. I did enjoy it, though it was a bit dark for my taste. The ending did make up for it. I keep saying that this is dark, because it honestly and truthfully laid out how depression could envelop a person and drive one to desperation. In a way, I can relate to Nate. I can feel what he is feeling and I understand how he ended up making that horrible choice. I know some people would wonder why a person would try to end his/her own life. You won't know what goes through inside a person's head. You can't judge that person just by the act. A lot of reasons could spur anyone. And admit it, each of us are not made the same way. Some of us are just not as strong as we try to make everyone believe. Sometimes, death is just the easiest way out. I am not advocating death as the answer to end everything. I am just trying to point out that depression is a serious concern. If you know someone who seems to be going through this, help him/her. And don't judge. Be thankful you are not going through a mid-life crisis, a major self-esteem breakdown or a severe case of being lost--loss of direction, inspiration and motivation. Some of us are just more broken than others and sometimes, it takes so much more to get all the pieces back together. Some just thought they don't have anything to live for. It's unfortunate that some can't seem to find the basic strength to even wake up each morning. It's a sad fact and the least we can do is be sensitive and to always be kind. You never know what the other persons is going through and how you treat him/her might actually just make a whole lot of difference.
Once in your life you'll find the perfect love and it'll be everything you imagined, whether or not you stayed a believer. You'll find it at the most unexpected time and in the most unassuming place. It masquerades as something commonplace, neither remarkable nor memorable. It just happens.
- Mon D. Rea, Soul City -
Thank you, Mon D. Rea, for the paperback copy.
May 5, 2018
"Soul City is a love story in the most unlikely place. The book has a nice pace and you can actually finish it in one or two sittings. It’s a good read if you’re curious about the supernatural. " Continue reading our review here.
Please note: We don't use ratings but for this purpose, we tag books with three stars by default.
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Please note: We don't use ratings but for this purpose, we tag books with three stars by default.
Would like to be a reviewer/contributor to Bookbed? Sign up here!
We also accept review requests. More info here.
October 17, 2017
ACTUAL RATING: 2.75/5
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review sooo thanks to tha author!
*WARNING: This may be a little bit spoilery BUT I’ll warn you if ever*
Okay. I’d like to say that I have very mixed feelings about this book. This one is about this guy who dies and went to Soul City (basically underworld/hell) and then there he met death who apparently, has fallen in love with a mortal and now they have this some kind of quest blah blah blah. Well, I’m too bad at explaining things so you guys better just check the synopsis if you are interested lol. Anyway, this is kind of like a supernatural romance which has bits of Greek mythology so if you’re up for something like that, you might have a good time with this book.
As I have said, I have very mixed feelings for this book. There are some aspects that I really liked, and some that I didn’t. Now let’s talk about the negative aspects first. Reading this book, I felt like I didn’t really care much about the characters. I didn’t care about the relationships (Nate and Sam, Death and This Mortal.) I wasn’t really that much into the romance and there were even some parts in the Nate-and-Sam thing which I thought were really cringey and too cheesy for me. Next, it was sooooo confusing. Don’t get me wrong. I think the incorporation of Greek mythology in this book was really interesting but…I don’t know. I think, I just didn’t really understand the things that are going on and I was reading it like “Oh. Yes. This is happening. That is happening.” But then after I’ve read it I was like “So what’s the point?” *UHMM THIS IS WHERE IT GETS SPOILERY I AM WARNING YOU* *END OF SPOILERY PART*
WOOOH that hurts. Anyway, now onto the positive aspects. As I have said earlier, I thought that the incorporation of Greek myth was really interesting (I’ve always been fascinated by stuffs of this kind.) I also liked how it tackled heavier topics like love, grief, and depression. Lastly, I really think that the author has talent AND YOW I AM ALL FOR SUPPORTING FILIPINO AUTHORS. I might not have enjoyed this particular work if his too much but I am still definitely looking forward to reading his other works since I am curious as to what this author could offer. So y’all! Definitely check him out.
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review sooo thanks to tha author!
*WARNING: This may be a little bit spoilery BUT I’ll warn you if ever*
Okay. I’d like to say that I have very mixed feelings about this book. This one is about this guy who dies and went to Soul City (basically underworld/hell) and then there he met death who apparently, has fallen in love with a mortal and now they have this some kind of quest blah blah blah. Well, I’m too bad at explaining things so you guys better just check the synopsis if you are interested lol. Anyway, this is kind of like a supernatural romance which has bits of Greek mythology so if you’re up for something like that, you might have a good time with this book.
As I have said, I have very mixed feelings for this book. There are some aspects that I really liked, and some that I didn’t. Now let’s talk about the negative aspects first. Reading this book, I felt like I didn’t really care much about the characters. I didn’t care about the relationships (Nate and Sam, Death and This Mortal.) I wasn’t really that much into the romance and there were even some parts in the Nate-and-Sam thing which I thought were really cringey and too cheesy for me. Next, it was sooooo confusing. Don’t get me wrong. I think the incorporation of Greek mythology in this book was really interesting but…I don’t know. I think, I just didn’t really understand the things that are going on and I was reading it like “Oh. Yes. This is happening. That is happening.” But then after I’ve read it I was like “So what’s the point?” *UHMM THIS IS WHERE IT GETS SPOILERY I AM WARNING YOU* *END OF SPOILERY PART*
WOOOH that hurts. Anyway, now onto the positive aspects. As I have said earlier, I thought that the incorporation of Greek myth was really interesting (I’ve always been fascinated by stuffs of this kind.) I also liked how it tackled heavier topics like love, grief, and depression. Lastly, I really think that the author has talent AND YOW I AM ALL FOR SUPPORTING FILIPINO AUTHORS. I might not have enjoyed this particular work if his too much but I am still definitely looking forward to reading his other works since I am curious as to what this author could offer. So y’all! Definitely check him out.
October 24, 2017
The author: Kudos to him for his perseverance in promoting his works. I don't know him personally but I based on his work, you can really tell that he's well read, knowledgable, and has a great imagination.
Now about the book... (*some spoilers*)
Likes: I like how the author incorporated mythology in Philippine setting. I like howhewas able to correlate the stories about the storks delivering babies and the science of giving birth to babies. (That was really cool!!!!) I like how he was able to show the reality that depression is a serious thing and that we need to really be sensitive about the actions of the people around us before it's too late. I like how he showed that humans are really vulnerable when it comes to love. And I like the fact that there are many revelations in the end. The last few chapters really made me go "woah!". I also like how this book made me crave for more details. It made me want to know more about the characters.
Points for Improvement:
1. It wasn't an easy read for me, honestly. I had to check the dictionary from time to time. I came across a lot of new words but it's also a good way for me to widen my vocabulary.
2. There's a lot going on. From Nate's to Sephtimus' to the ongoing war between realms. It could've been better if it's separated into a trilogy so we can focus on one story at a time. There could've been more adventures and more details regarding the backstory. Once you really appreciate the story, it would make you ask for more.
3. It was a disappointing way to end a story. It was cut short. I felt like there's more that the author wanted to tell.
Overall: Give this book a chance. It's an old idea but with a twist.
Now about the book... (*some spoilers*)
Likes: I like how the author incorporated mythology in Philippine setting. I like howhewas able to correlate the stories about the storks delivering babies and the science of giving birth to babies. (That was really cool!!!!) I like how he was able to show the reality that depression is a serious thing and that we need to really be sensitive about the actions of the people around us before it's too late. I like how he showed that humans are really vulnerable when it comes to love. And I like the fact that there are many revelations in the end. The last few chapters really made me go "woah!". I also like how this book made me crave for more details. It made me want to know more about the characters.
Points for Improvement:
1. It wasn't an easy read for me, honestly. I had to check the dictionary from time to time. I came across a lot of new words but it's also a good way for me to widen my vocabulary.
2. There's a lot going on. From Nate's to Sephtimus' to the ongoing war between realms. It could've been better if it's separated into a trilogy so we can focus on one story at a time. There could've been more adventures and more details regarding the backstory. Once you really appreciate the story, it would make you ask for more.
3. It was a disappointing way to end a story. It was cut short. I felt like there's more that the author wanted to tell.
Overall: Give this book a chance. It's an old idea but with a twist.
May 26, 2018
Definitely different, well written, if a little disjointed. Pace seemed to be a problem at the beginning but came together at the end.
December 9, 2020
Soul City gave ideas about what will happen to us after death. I am quite thankful that I was able to cross faith with this book that took the courage to mash-up different afterlife beliefs, with the author's (I am quite sure) personal views about living one's life. One might find it a little bit fractured and at the same time fascinating as to how he created his own unique infernal dimensions. It was worth the read nonetheless.
April 1, 2014
Review to come later.
Read
August 10, 2018I did not enjoy this at all and couldn't continue reading. It just is not for me.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews