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Kiss Me Dead
One curse…
Christian, a nineteen-year-old reaper-human hybrid enslaved to the Other World to harvest souls, earns his freedom by making a bargain with the Goddess of Death. As part of the bargain, he’s been cursed with the kiss of death.
One kiss…
The only way Christian can break his curse is for an angel to kiss him. Willingly. He finds Brooke, an nineteen-year-old descendant of a Naphil whose destiny is to hunt rogue reapers. But she’s hiding, suffocating in a semi-agoraphobic cocoon since witnessing a reaper steal her brother’s soul.
Two destinies…
Christian has found the angel who can break his curse, and the seduction begins. To break her phobia’s hold, Brooke embraces her angelic role and makes it her mission to kill rogue reapers, trying to avenge her brother’s murder. Christian can break his curse by kissing Brooke dead ... but will she figure out his game and kill him first?
Christian, a nineteen-year-old reaper-human hybrid enslaved to the Other World to harvest souls, earns his freedom by making a bargain with the Goddess of Death. As part of the bargain, he’s been cursed with the kiss of death.
One kiss…
The only way Christian can break his curse is for an angel to kiss him. Willingly. He finds Brooke, an nineteen-year-old descendant of a Naphil whose destiny is to hunt rogue reapers. But she’s hiding, suffocating in a semi-agoraphobic cocoon since witnessing a reaper steal her brother’s soul.
Two destinies…
Christian has found the angel who can break his curse, and the seduction begins. To break her phobia’s hold, Brooke embraces her angelic role and makes it her mission to kill rogue reapers, trying to avenge her brother’s murder. Christian can break his curse by kissing Brooke dead ... but will she figure out his game and kill him first?
247 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 28, 2014
About the author
Dale Ibitz
10 books120 followersDale Ibitz was born in Oxford, Connecticut, grew up in the state of Washington, and then re-located back to Connecticut as an adult. Always a lover of books, she spent much of her childhood reading, visiting the library (her best friend’s mother was a librarian…how convenient), and writing. She majored in English at Central Connecticut State University, and while Dale holds a full-time day job where she’s immersed in the dry life of writing contracts, she’s been writing young adult fantasy and mid-grade contemporary for seventeen years (on the side, of course).
Dale’s a fan of hiking and the outdoors, seriously good writing, and she never, ever starts the day without chocolate and coffee (preferably together). Music inspires her, and she likes to listen to alternative metal. When she listens to lyrics, she finds herself imagining stories behind the words…it’s a great writing exercise.
Dale is, by nature, a klutz and has years of funny tidbits of real-life comical events which she (ahem) constantly seems to stumble in to. These tidbits have a habit of finding their way on to the pages of the books she writes, injecting a little humor to her writing.
If you were to visit Dale’s house, you'd meet her husband, 2 kids, their dog Lea (most people simply refer to her as The Beast...and for good reason), their kitten Luna (affectionately known as Loony Luna), a gaggle of ducks, and a flock of hens ruled by a tyrannical rooster they call The Stump, or Stumpy. How he got his name is a long story...maybe she’ll tell you sometime.
Dale’s a fan of hiking and the outdoors, seriously good writing, and she never, ever starts the day without chocolate and coffee (preferably together). Music inspires her, and she likes to listen to alternative metal. When she listens to lyrics, she finds herself imagining stories behind the words…it’s a great writing exercise.
Dale is, by nature, a klutz and has years of funny tidbits of real-life comical events which she (ahem) constantly seems to stumble in to. These tidbits have a habit of finding their way on to the pages of the books she writes, injecting a little humor to her writing.
If you were to visit Dale’s house, you'd meet her husband, 2 kids, their dog Lea (most people simply refer to her as The Beast...and for good reason), their kitten Luna (affectionately known as Loony Luna), a gaggle of ducks, and a flock of hens ruled by a tyrannical rooster they call The Stump, or Stumpy. How he got his name is a long story...maybe she’ll tell you sometime.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
November 13, 2014
**Thanks so much to the author for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review!**
Rating: 5 Stars
My Opinion Of This Book: AMAZING.
_______________________________________________
Woah, Kiss Me Dead is the first book I've read in less than a day since -don't even know anymore- let's go with forever. It's also my first 5 star read of the month. I'm also pretty sure this just got me out of my reading slump. To say the least, this book is basically flawless.
THE GOOD.
●The Plot/Storyline:
REAPERS, NEPHILIM, LOVE, DEATH, CURSE.
This book was so intriguing from the start to the finish. There were times when I cried, laughed, and smiled - this book just hit me right in the feels.
Although there's plenty of books on angels and all those things, Kiss Me Dead was so original and unique.
●Brooke: Brooke is our protagonist in this book and you're darn right she's one of the best, best as in she's up there with Celaena from Throne of Glass , no kidding.
Brooke grew so much by the end of this book. In the beginning of the book, she was slightly naive, caved in, and was frightened by a lot, but by the end, she was one kick-ass girl. Even in the beginning though, she didn't do anything too stupid and she didn't annoy me much. Brooke was such a relateable teenager as well. I loved that she was smart, nice, genuine, and hilarious - all great qualities that make up for an awesome protagonist.
●Christian: Christian is the love interest in Kiss Me Dead .
How can you not help but fall head over hells for him?
I love his charm, his flirty-ness, his smart-mouth, and behind all that, he's a really sweet, caring guy. His character developed so much as well. In the end, he was so nice and he realized everything he'd done wrong and fixed it. Gosh, he's so sweet! I love him so much.
●William I loved William's character as well. He also had major character development. He was so hilarious, at least, I found him funny.
●Abby Abby is Brooke's best friend. And also the complete opposite of Brooke. Abby is so out-going. I liked her character, she was pretty great!
●The Writing: The writing was beyond phenomenal. Seriously, it had one of the best writings ever, in my opinion. The writing was so descriptive, I could picture the whole world that Dale Ibitz created in my head just like that. There were no choppy sentences, the sentence structure was great. The conversations between the characters weren't weird or strange, it all flowed greatly. Also, I loved how the author managed to do chapters set in the present and past so well.
Yeah, so, basically, the writing was perfection.
●The Romance:There was no love triangle or insta-love (for once)! There was attraction at first, but that's normal and realistic.
The romance was really great in this novel. The pacing was perfect, it was one of those slow-burning romances, and I absolutely loved it. I mean, Brooke and Christian are like the closest thing to perfection. They are seriously so adorable!
●The Ending The ending was just amazing! Everything was wrapped up and good. :)
OVERALL.
I really thought this book was amazing (if you couldn't already tell) XD and I am so excited to read more of this author!
I definitely recommend Kiss Me Dead; it's a powerful novel from beginning to end!
Rating: 5 Stars
My Opinion Of This Book: AMAZING.
_______________________________________________
Woah, Kiss Me Dead is the first book I've read in less than a day since -don't even know anymore- let's go with forever. It's also my first 5 star read of the month. I'm also pretty sure this just got me out of my reading slump. To say the least, this book is basically flawless.
THE GOOD.
●The Plot/Storyline:
REAPERS, NEPHILIM, LOVE, DEATH, CURSE.
William said Christian wanted to kill her.
Christian wanted to kiss her.
Which one was the player?
This book was so intriguing from the start to the finish. There were times when I cried, laughed, and smiled - this book just hit me right in the feels.
Although there's plenty of books on angels and all those things, Kiss Me Dead was so original and unique.
●Brooke: Brooke is our protagonist in this book and you're darn right she's one of the best, best as in she's up there with Celaena from Throne of Glass , no kidding.
Brooke grew so much by the end of this book. In the beginning of the book, she was slightly naive, caved in, and was frightened by a lot, but by the end, she was one kick-ass girl. Even in the beginning though, she didn't do anything too stupid and she didn't annoy me much. Brooke was such a relateable teenager as well. I loved that she was smart, nice, genuine, and hilarious - all great qualities that make up for an awesome protagonist.
●Christian: Christian is the love interest in Kiss Me Dead .
How can you not help but fall head over hells for him?
I love his charm, his flirty-ness, his smart-mouth, and behind all that, he's a really sweet, caring guy. His character developed so much as well. In the end, he was so nice and he realized everything he'd done wrong and fixed it. Gosh, he's so sweet! I love him so much.
●William I loved William's character as well. He also had major character development. He was so hilarious, at least, I found him funny.
●Abby Abby is Brooke's best friend. And also the complete opposite of Brooke. Abby is so out-going. I liked her character, she was pretty great!
●The Writing: The writing was beyond phenomenal. Seriously, it had one of the best writings ever, in my opinion. The writing was so descriptive, I could picture the whole world that Dale Ibitz created in my head just like that. There were no choppy sentences, the sentence structure was great. The conversations between the characters weren't weird or strange, it all flowed greatly. Also, I loved how the author managed to do chapters set in the present and past so well.
Yeah, so, basically, the writing was perfection.
●The Romance:There was no love triangle or insta-love (for once)! There was attraction at first, but that's normal and realistic.
The romance was really great in this novel. The pacing was perfect, it was one of those slow-burning romances, and I absolutely loved it. I mean, Brooke and Christian are like the closest thing to perfection. They are seriously so adorable!
●The Ending The ending was just amazing! Everything was wrapped up and good. :)
OVERALL.
I really thought this book was amazing (if you couldn't already tell) XD and I am so excited to read more of this author!
I definitely recommend Kiss Me Dead; it's a powerful novel from beginning to end!
August 29, 2014
This is a well written and entirely unique novel that had me coming back for more. It is exciting, imaginative, and emotional. Ibitz develops more than just her story and her characters. She develops the entire world around them until you can’t help but picture it. I found myself dreaming about this wildly captivating and extremely vivid world. By flipping between the past and the present Ibitz presents a rather complex yet very enjoyable read to her audience. Seeing the two parts of the story come together was very enlightening and a little chilling.
I found the history of watchers to be very intriguing. It not only added an element of mythology to the tale, but also helped to explain the scenarios that the main character had to deal with. Watching her try and balance what she sees, feels, and believes really lets you get to know her. Watching her come into her own and accept who she is was even more powerful.
This story was enchanting. I could barely put it down. I’d recommend it to those who enjoy something different in the world of fantasy, that’s fun for all ages.
Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this work in exchange for an honest review.
I found the history of watchers to be very intriguing. It not only added an element of mythology to the tale, but also helped to explain the scenarios that the main character had to deal with. Watching her try and balance what she sees, feels, and believes really lets you get to know her. Watching her come into her own and accept who she is was even more powerful.
This story was enchanting. I could barely put it down. I’d recommend it to those who enjoy something different in the world of fantasy, that’s fun for all ages.
Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this work in exchange for an honest review.
October 23, 2014
Kiss Me Dead was one of those books I was really excited about, but not overly satisfied with. This story actually reminded me of Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick, the cursed boy needs a naive girl to break his curse. However, I do think the writing in Kiss Me Dead is MUCH BETTER! Brooke isn't that bad of a heroine for a YA book, I can actually see her as a teenager. She's not overly experienced or smart, but she's got a good head on her shoulders. As for the hero, I wasn't very thrilled about him. He kinda irked me, but I can't put my finger on what it is about him that does it. As for the supporting cast, there was an interesting mix of good and bad guys. The story also plays with flashbacks intertwined throughout the story, so you get the present and the past. It definitely helps fill out the story and give you a better idea of the hows and whys.
I think if you like books like Hush Hush, Twilight, The Immortal and those types of young adult books this is definitely up your alley. It is a cute story, and it's well written.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review via LoP on Goodreads.com
I think if you like books like Hush Hush, Twilight, The Immortal and those types of young adult books this is definitely up your alley. It is a cute story, and it's well written.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review via LoP on Goodreads.com
October 12, 2014
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review (LOP or lovers of paranormal)
Kiss me Dead is a very addictive read. I absolutely love how the chapters alternate between the past and present. The two stories build to a crescendo until they crash together! The world building was solid - I had great visuals while reading and felt a genuine excitement as the story progressed.
Christian is half human, half reaper. The past story is set in 1938, and Christian is nineteen years old, having been a reaper for five years. He hates what he is, and after falling in love with a human girl, he makes a deal with the goddess of death. Christian is a lonely, tortured soul who makes a mistake that haunts him for decades.
Brooke is a nineteen year old who witnesses her brother die by the hands of a rogue reaper. She is a watcher with the ability to kill reapers - but she's not aware of it! When she meets Christian and his uncle, William, she is instantly on guard and doesn't know what to believe. She learns more about what she is and about Christian's curse, while feeling a strong, fast connection with him.
Honestly, the ONLY reason I gave this book four stars is because of the insta-love. This would have been a solid five stars for me if Brooke and Christians relationship was more thoroughly developed.
Apart from that, I was ecstatic while reading this book. The intertwining stories made the suspense unbearable! It was painful when I had to put it down. I will highly recommend this book to lovers of fantasy and romance. I am currently salivating for more, so I will be keeping my fingers crossed in hopes that this is a series!
Fantastic writing and fantastic story!
Kiss me Dead is a very addictive read. I absolutely love how the chapters alternate between the past and present. The two stories build to a crescendo until they crash together! The world building was solid - I had great visuals while reading and felt a genuine excitement as the story progressed.
Christian is half human, half reaper. The past story is set in 1938, and Christian is nineteen years old, having been a reaper for five years. He hates what he is, and after falling in love with a human girl, he makes a deal with the goddess of death. Christian is a lonely, tortured soul who makes a mistake that haunts him for decades.
Brooke is a nineteen year old who witnesses her brother die by the hands of a rogue reaper. She is a watcher with the ability to kill reapers - but she's not aware of it! When she meets Christian and his uncle, William, she is instantly on guard and doesn't know what to believe. She learns more about what she is and about Christian's curse, while feeling a strong, fast connection with him.
Honestly, the ONLY reason I gave this book four stars is because of the insta-love. This would have been a solid five stars for me if Brooke and Christians relationship was more thoroughly developed.
Apart from that, I was ecstatic while reading this book. The intertwining stories made the suspense unbearable! It was painful when I had to put it down. I will highly recommend this book to lovers of fantasy and romance. I am currently salivating for more, so I will be keeping my fingers crossed in hopes that this is a series!
Fantastic writing and fantastic story!
September 8, 2014
Thank you to the author and Goodreads group David Estes Fans and YA Book Lovers Unite! for providing a copy of this ebook for review. The views in this review are mine and are in no way affected by receiving a copy of the book.
Kiss Me Dead by Dale Ibitz follows two stories that merge into one towards the end of the book about Brooke and Christian. In 1938, Christian Graves is in love with a human, something that is forbidden for his kind. You see he is a reaper for Giltine, meaning he ushers souls to judgment. He wants to break this curse and be free to live as a human, but Giltine has other plans. In the present, Brooke thinks she has gone crazy because she sees reapers. She watched them kill her older brother. Now she confines herself to home, rarely leaving. Until one day she meets a reaper and he warns her that someone is planning to kill her. Can she trust him?
The Characters
Okay I'll be completely honest, I didn't care for the main characters too much. Brooke is supposedly 19 years old, still living at home and still grieving over the death of her brother a few years earlier. She's agoraphobic (afraid to leave her house) and she sees reapers. By all accounts, she believes that she is crazy. I felt no connection with this character. Brooke was immature in my opinion and ventured out of her house to see her friend at Panera Bread. If you are agoraphobic and truly scared of the world around you, why would you meet your best friend at a busy restaurant?
Christian is immortal as he is half-reaper, half-human. He was doomed to a life of servitude to Giltine by his father when he made a deal with her to live a human life. The majority of his story occurs in 1938, but he also is in the present with Brooke as well. In 1938 he falls in love with a human and wishes to make a deal with Giltine. However, he hopes to outsmart her and not giveaway his future child. I found Christian a bit arrogant and selfish. He sees his job as a reaper as detestable and thinks that he is stealing souls. In actuality he helps them, but he only sees the bad, especially when the soul is young. He is also obsessed with the fact that he is a slave. He wants to be free and spends the majority of the book trying to be so.
The Plot
The story alternates POV between Brooke in the present and Christian in 1938 and as I stated earlier with two story lines that merge into one about 70% into the book. The storyline of 1938 follows Christian as he falls in love with a human and then attempts to make a deal with Giltine. I really liked this storyline. Christian is likable and relatable. It isn't until towards the end of this part of the plot that his character becomes bitter and hard to like or trust. In the present, Brooke is haunted by reapers no one else can see. Then she is warned by an almost-reaper that someone is going to kill her. As she begins to learn what she is, she accepts it and decides to help Christian break his curse.
Personally I thought Brooke's character was not very well written. If truly agoraphobic, I believe that Brooke would not have been so trusting of the almost-reaper or have accepted her fate so easily. I felt that it was unbelievable.
My Conclusions
Overall this story kept my attention. I enjoy books with alternating points of view because it gives the reader a glimpse of what each character is thinking. However this story the alternating POVs are at different points of time as well, making it a bit hard to follow as the stories do not relate or run parallel to one another. Also, call me a prude if you like, the author's use of profanity felt off. Many times the author would just write "f-bomb" instead of the actual word when other times the word would be written out. In my opinion, either use it or don't. I felt that the slang depreciated the novel. Also descriptions like this:
Kiss Me Dead by Dale Ibitz follows two stories that merge into one towards the end of the book about Brooke and Christian. In 1938, Christian Graves is in love with a human, something that is forbidden for his kind. You see he is a reaper for Giltine, meaning he ushers souls to judgment. He wants to break this curse and be free to live as a human, but Giltine has other plans. In the present, Brooke thinks she has gone crazy because she sees reapers. She watched them kill her older brother. Now she confines herself to home, rarely leaving. Until one day she meets a reaper and he warns her that someone is planning to kill her. Can she trust him?
The Characters
Okay I'll be completely honest, I didn't care for the main characters too much. Brooke is supposedly 19 years old, still living at home and still grieving over the death of her brother a few years earlier. She's agoraphobic (afraid to leave her house) and she sees reapers. By all accounts, she believes that she is crazy. I felt no connection with this character. Brooke was immature in my opinion and ventured out of her house to see her friend at Panera Bread. If you are agoraphobic and truly scared of the world around you, why would you meet your best friend at a busy restaurant?
Christian is immortal as he is half-reaper, half-human. He was doomed to a life of servitude to Giltine by his father when he made a deal with her to live a human life. The majority of his story occurs in 1938, but he also is in the present with Brooke as well. In 1938 he falls in love with a human and wishes to make a deal with Giltine. However, he hopes to outsmart her and not giveaway his future child. I found Christian a bit arrogant and selfish. He sees his job as a reaper as detestable and thinks that he is stealing souls. In actuality he helps them, but he only sees the bad, especially when the soul is young. He is also obsessed with the fact that he is a slave. He wants to be free and spends the majority of the book trying to be so.
The Plot
The story alternates POV between Brooke in the present and Christian in 1938 and as I stated earlier with two story lines that merge into one about 70% into the book. The storyline of 1938 follows Christian as he falls in love with a human and then attempts to make a deal with Giltine. I really liked this storyline. Christian is likable and relatable. It isn't until towards the end of this part of the plot that his character becomes bitter and hard to like or trust. In the present, Brooke is haunted by reapers no one else can see. Then she is warned by an almost-reaper that someone is going to kill her. As she begins to learn what she is, she accepts it and decides to help Christian break his curse.
Personally I thought Brooke's character was not very well written. If truly agoraphobic, I believe that Brooke would not have been so trusting of the almost-reaper or have accepted her fate so easily. I felt that it was unbelievable.
My Conclusions
Overall this story kept my attention. I enjoy books with alternating points of view because it gives the reader a glimpse of what each character is thinking. However this story the alternating POVs are at different points of time as well, making it a bit hard to follow as the stories do not relate or run parallel to one another. Also, call me a prude if you like, the author's use of profanity felt off. Many times the author would just write "f-bomb" instead of the actual word when other times the word would be written out. In my opinion, either use it or don't. I felt that the slang depreciated the novel. Also descriptions like this:
Eyes widening, she hovered over the endless depths of air that crept up her spine. Clutching at his sleeve with both hands, her nails dug through the cloth. Her bladder clenched then loosened, a sharp taste of metal stinging her dry tongue.Um.....I have no words for that. The descriptions were either over the top or not enough. The saving grace of this story was when the story lines converged. The plot felt a bit rushed at that point but the action and suspense and eventual ending to this book made it a decent read. If you enjoy demon mythology and paranormal romance, you may enjoy this one as well.
October 20, 2014
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review (Lovers of Paranormal).
So. When I started this book I didn't know what to expect exactly, but maybe I had too great expectations. The beginning was a little slow and confusing, especially cause it kept going back and forth in time too often. But then, at some point, I started to get into the story and kinda got used to the flashbacks.
The story was good and a little different from other stories I read. I liked Brooke. She wasn't one of those super amazing heroines, but that's one of the things I liked about her. She was mostly a normal girl, with fears, weaknesses and a good heart. She also got balls. I liked how she defended Christian from that reaper. SO. COOL!
I also liked Christian - most of the time. The rest of the time I wanted to slap him. But I still found him irresistible.
Some moments between Christian and Brooke were kinda hot and heart-pounding and just wow! I felt like needing some cool water to calm my hormones a little. Even though they didn't kiss it was just as hot and passionate when he tempted her. Hmmm...
William was a little creepy and kinda crazy. Abby was a little stupid in my opinion.
I felt sorry for Elizabeth. Renkin was super creepy and evil.
I'd like to read a sequel with Brooke and Christian working together and kicking rougues asses. And even William trying to behave and maybe fall in love with Abby. THAT I'd love to see. And I'd laugh at him.
An enjoyable read.
3 stars and a half.
So. When I started this book I didn't know what to expect exactly, but maybe I had too great expectations. The beginning was a little slow and confusing, especially cause it kept going back and forth in time too often. But then, at some point, I started to get into the story and kinda got used to the flashbacks.
The story was good and a little different from other stories I read. I liked Brooke. She wasn't one of those super amazing heroines, but that's one of the things I liked about her. She was mostly a normal girl, with fears, weaknesses and a good heart. She also got balls. I liked how she defended Christian from that reaper. SO. COOL!
I also liked Christian - most of the time. The rest of the time I wanted to slap him. But I still found him irresistible.
Some moments between Christian and Brooke were kinda hot and heart-pounding and just wow! I felt like needing some cool water to calm my hormones a little. Even though they didn't kiss it was just as hot and passionate when he tempted her. Hmmm...
William was a little creepy and kinda crazy. Abby was a little stupid in my opinion.
I felt sorry for Elizabeth. Renkin was super creepy and evil.
I'd like to read a sequel with Brooke and Christian working together and kicking rougues asses. And even William trying to behave and maybe fall in love with Abby. THAT I'd love to see. And I'd laugh at him.
An enjoyable read.
3 stars and a half.
October 22, 2014
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review (Lovers of paranormal).
Kiss me Dead is a unique read. The book starts off a little slow but quickly picks up steam, taking the reader along with it. The author blurs the lines of good and evil, showing that not everything is black and white. The main character Brooke and Christian both struggle with this concept.
I really hope that there is a second book continuing the story, as I think that Ibitz has developed a wonderful world/characters that readers are/will become invested in.
The only complaint that I do have regarding the book is how many time the female character mentions almost peeing her pants. Other than that, all good.
Kiss me Dead is a unique read. The book starts off a little slow but quickly picks up steam, taking the reader along with it. The author blurs the lines of good and evil, showing that not everything is black and white. The main character Brooke and Christian both struggle with this concept.
I really hope that there is a second book continuing the story, as I think that Ibitz has developed a wonderful world/characters that readers are/will become invested in.
The only complaint that I do have regarding the book is how many time the female character mentions almost peeing her pants. Other than that, all good.
November 17, 2014
Reapers, watchers, mortals and immortals abound in this interesting book. Brooke is a watcher, a descend of the angels and Christian is a reaper. Christian makes a deal for his freedom but the problem is he has to find an angel to kiss him willingly. Brooke is on a mission to kill all the rogue reapers she can to avenge the death of her brother. I could see Brooke as a heroine, she's not a bad ass, just your typical teenager but I didn't like Christian, don't know why but he irked me. This is a well written YA book and it jumps back and forth from the past and the present and keeps you on your toes. I enjoyed it and will look for more from this author.
August 19, 2014
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
When I started this book, I had no idea how it was going to play out. I am so glad I asked for a copy! I loved this book! It had everything that you could possibly want...even ogres! I won't say too much about it because I don't want to give anything away, but you need to give this book a shot. Fabulous!
When I started this book, I had no idea how it was going to play out. I am so glad I asked for a copy! I loved this book! It had everything that you could possibly want...even ogres! I won't say too much about it because I don't want to give anything away, but you need to give this book a shot. Fabulous!
November 22, 2014
Kiss Me Dead is a great book that tells the stories of two characters-- a reaper and a girl who can see reapers. While, in some respects, it follows the paranormal formula, the beautiful writing really sets it apart. The stories are told in parallel, and intertwine in the present-day thread of the story, where the reaper enters the life of the girl. Romance and numerous questions follow. Can the guy be trusted? The answer is "probably not", which makes for an interesting tale as the two characters navigate through this strange relationship.
Dale Ibitz has a definite gift for description. As a person who appreciates writing for *writing*, I was just *wowed* by the beautiful use of language and fresh, interesting way she has of putting things across. From my perspective, that was the most awesome thing about this book. There are a lot of teen paranormal books out there, and only a few of them with writing anything like this.
Things that held me back (note that these are personal opinion):
I just didn't *feel* the characters, especially the girl. She was kind of "meh" to me. I'm honestly not quite sure why I felt this way, because the character is fairly well-developed. I think maybe it was because she was kind of in-your-face, but then she didn't *do* much about it. And then she was also described as angelic, but I didn't see that shine through in her actions. I liked the reaper character better-- he was tragic and I *love* tragic characters.
The other thing that bothered me was the insta-love. I personally need more from characters than a couple of meetings before they declare undying love. But then, I'm not a teenager, either. I don't imagine that the book's target audience will have a problem with this. So yeah, both of these things are just opinions and I doubt they would hold true for a lot of readers.
Things that rocked:
The writing. I can't say this enough. Beautiful writing.
The portrait of Giltine, goddess of death. She was awesome. Actually, the whole otherworld was awesome, but especially Giltine. Ibitz created this amazing visual of the goddess. I was frightened and intrigued. I wanted more of her, but she scared the hell out of me.
This is related to the previous comment, but there was a freshness about some of this story that was great. Even some of the expected elements had a fresh take on them. Ibitz took the paranormal reaper thing and gave it her own spin so it is not just another paranormal book by any stretch.
Tension-- sexual and otherwise. There are a lot of what-ifs and OMGs in this story. The characters obviously want to be together, but it looks like a really bad idea. And then you never know if the reaper is good or bad. For that matter, one of the supporting characters is also deliciously indiscernible. Bad guy? OK guy? Hell, even the goddess of death leaves you wondering. I definitely enjoyed that about the characters. Also, there are a lot of high stakes in the storyline. So yeah, tension. Tons of it.
Overall, I thought this was a great book. I think that the problems I had with the story are mostly a product of me not being the target audience. And despite those hang-ups, I truly enjoyed reading this book. I was absorbed in it and found myself wanting to keep reading. I would definitely recommend this book. I think the writing was absolutely as good as any book published traditionally. Awesome read!
Dale Ibitz has a definite gift for description. As a person who appreciates writing for *writing*, I was just *wowed* by the beautiful use of language and fresh, interesting way she has of putting things across. From my perspective, that was the most awesome thing about this book. There are a lot of teen paranormal books out there, and only a few of them with writing anything like this.
Things that held me back (note that these are personal opinion):
I just didn't *feel* the characters, especially the girl. She was kind of "meh" to me. I'm honestly not quite sure why I felt this way, because the character is fairly well-developed. I think maybe it was because she was kind of in-your-face, but then she didn't *do* much about it. And then she was also described as angelic, but I didn't see that shine through in her actions. I liked the reaper character better-- he was tragic and I *love* tragic characters.
The other thing that bothered me was the insta-love. I personally need more from characters than a couple of meetings before they declare undying love. But then, I'm not a teenager, either. I don't imagine that the book's target audience will have a problem with this. So yeah, both of these things are just opinions and I doubt they would hold true for a lot of readers.
Things that rocked:
The writing. I can't say this enough. Beautiful writing.
The portrait of Giltine, goddess of death. She was awesome. Actually, the whole otherworld was awesome, but especially Giltine. Ibitz created this amazing visual of the goddess. I was frightened and intrigued. I wanted more of her, but she scared the hell out of me.
This is related to the previous comment, but there was a freshness about some of this story that was great. Even some of the expected elements had a fresh take on them. Ibitz took the paranormal reaper thing and gave it her own spin so it is not just another paranormal book by any stretch.
Tension-- sexual and otherwise. There are a lot of what-ifs and OMGs in this story. The characters obviously want to be together, but it looks like a really bad idea. And then you never know if the reaper is good or bad. For that matter, one of the supporting characters is also deliciously indiscernible. Bad guy? OK guy? Hell, even the goddess of death leaves you wondering. I definitely enjoyed that about the characters. Also, there are a lot of high stakes in the storyline. So yeah, tension. Tons of it.
Overall, I thought this was a great book. I think that the problems I had with the story are mostly a product of me not being the target audience. And despite those hang-ups, I truly enjoyed reading this book. I was absorbed in it and found myself wanting to keep reading. I would definitely recommend this book. I think the writing was absolutely as good as any book published traditionally. Awesome read!
January 8, 2015
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review).
(This review may contain spoilers).
I would, ideally, give this book 3.5 stars. The plot was really intriguing... and I really adored the front cover. It's really nicely designed. And although reapers and angels aren't unique concepts in fiction, I felt that the use of Giltine was really interesting, as was the whole history surrounding the reapers. I would have liked some more detail about their origins, though.
The switching between past and present wasn't as confusing as I would have thought it would be. I couldn't really believe in the romance/s, though. There wasn't enough interaction between the characters to make me believe in the love they had for each other.
I did like both Christian and Brooke as characters. Their interactions were good, but because there was so much going on in the rest of the book, I didn't think that there was enough about how their relationship worked together. It just seemed based on what they looked like, since they didn't actually seem to spend any time getting to know each other beforehand.
I did think William was an interesting character and I'd like to see more of him and Abby. I wasn't as keen on Abby as a character and I did wonder about the fact that her boss seemed completely non-existent, considering how bad her customer service skills were.
I did find Giltine a really intriguing character as well. Although she was technically the bad guy, I could see some parts of her that were more well-rounded and it would have been nice to see more of her personality and history explored.
I'm not sure I'd read a sequel to this book. I'd like more time spent on developing the romance, rather than it just happening like that. It was entertaining and quick to read, though.
(This review may contain spoilers).
I would, ideally, give this book 3.5 stars. The plot was really intriguing... and I really adored the front cover. It's really nicely designed. And although reapers and angels aren't unique concepts in fiction, I felt that the use of Giltine was really interesting, as was the whole history surrounding the reapers. I would have liked some more detail about their origins, though.
The switching between past and present wasn't as confusing as I would have thought it would be. I couldn't really believe in the romance/s, though. There wasn't enough interaction between the characters to make me believe in the love they had for each other.
I did like both Christian and Brooke as characters. Their interactions were good, but because there was so much going on in the rest of the book, I didn't think that there was enough about how their relationship worked together. It just seemed based on what they looked like, since they didn't actually seem to spend any time getting to know each other beforehand.
I did think William was an interesting character and I'd like to see more of him and Abby. I wasn't as keen on Abby as a character and I did wonder about the fact that her boss seemed completely non-existent, considering how bad her customer service skills were.
I did find Giltine a really intriguing character as well. Although she was technically the bad guy, I could see some parts of her that were more well-rounded and it would have been nice to see more of her personality and history explored.
I'm not sure I'd read a sequel to this book. I'd like more time spent on developing the romance, rather than it just happening like that. It was entertaining and quick to read, though.
April 24, 2015
I love reapers, so I was delighted to find a book all about them and watchers, which I haven't found appearing in my many books. This was a good read, though the story was a little heavier on the romance angle than I usually like. Christian and William made for interesting characters, but they could have been a little more distinct personality wise. Sometimes they sounded too much like each other. I like Brooke, she's tough and determined to protect the people she loves, but still has enough faults to keep her feeling like a real person.
One of the plotlines was, throughout the entire book, building up to an intense scene where what really happened to a certain character was going to be revealed. But when the moment of revelation came, instead of letting us see the scene for ourselves, the author had one character tell another about it. I found this to be something of a letdown, as it dampened the moment and robbed it of the emotional impact it might otherwise have had.
If you like reapers and paranormal romance, you might want to give this one a try. It has a decent storyline and lots of detail without going overboard.
One of the plotlines was, throughout the entire book, building up to an intense scene where what really happened to a certain character was going to be revealed. But when the moment of revelation came, instead of letting us see the scene for ourselves, the author had one character tell another about it. I found this to be something of a letdown, as it dampened the moment and robbed it of the emotional impact it might otherwise have had.
If you like reapers and paranormal romance, you might want to give this one a try. It has a decent storyline and lots of detail without going overboard.
December 26, 2014
You can find more reviews Mademoisellesnow Blog
Kiss me Dead was one of those books that I was really looking forward to read, but when I did I wasn’t overly satisfied with the results. All through the book I felt that there was something missing, that I wanted more from this. For the most part I enjoyed the uniqueness of the story and the main characters were interesting in their own rights. I loved Christian for some of the book but mostly I just wanted to slap him silly with the things that he was doing. But he was hot! I found that I couldn’t quite relate to Brooke all that much really, but she was a decent character.
The beginning of the book was a little slow to start but I did get quite into the story in the end. I felt that the switching between the present and the past was great for the story telling. But it really stopped the flow of the concentration for me switching from past and present for me to get into the book.
Kiss me Dead was one of those books that I was really looking forward to read, but when I did I wasn’t overly satisfied with the results. All through the book I felt that there was something missing, that I wanted more from this. For the most part I enjoyed the uniqueness of the story and the main characters were interesting in their own rights. I loved Christian for some of the book but mostly I just wanted to slap him silly with the things that he was doing. But he was hot! I found that I couldn’t quite relate to Brooke all that much really, but she was a decent character.
The beginning of the book was a little slow to start but I did get quite into the story in the end. I felt that the switching between the present and the past was great for the story telling. But it really stopped the flow of the concentration for me switching from past and present for me to get into the book.
March 1, 2015
A new spin on the reaper theme, “Kiss Me Dead” is an excellent YA read with interesting characters that exhibit every shade of black, white, and grey.
Read full review in the 2015 March issue of InD’tale Magazine.
Read full review in the 2015 March issue of InD’tale Magazine.
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