Grim Tidings

Aisling Grimlock #1

by Amanda M. Lee

Grim(ace) while you work ... Aisling Grimlock is having a bad week. Well, actually, she’s having a bad life -- not that she's complaining. Okay, she's totally complaining. After being laid off from her secretarial position, she has no choice but to join the family business, and now she’s a full-time grim reaper. That’s right. She collects and transfers souls to the hereafter. Cool, huh? Not quite. On the second day of her new job, Aisling (literally!) stumbles over a dead body that’s not on her list and the stakes are suddenly raised because, when a name isn’t on the list, that means someone stole it (and that's never a good thing). Aisling’s family, which consists of a tempestuous father and four overbearing older brothers, are hot on the case – but the answers they’re coming up with aren’t exactly soothing. It seems a contingent of wraiths have descended on the area, and they’re not just dangerous for unsuspecting souls and the general populace. The Grimlock family is at risk, too. If that weren’t bad enough, Aisling finds herself inexplicably drawn to Detective Griffin Taylor – the police officer who considers her a murder suspect. Oh, and she's a wraith-magnet -- although, truth be told, she's more interested in Detective Taylor. Aisling is determined to prove that she has what it takes to be a great reaper – even if it means risking her life and proving her father and brothers wrong when it comes to her competence level. When things finally become clear, will Aisling survive long enough to make things right? Or, will she fall prey to the wraiths and the individual controlling them?

Genres: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Mystery, Fantasy, Cozy Mystery, Romance, Magic

234 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 22, 2014

About the author

When I was a kid, I was torn between whether or not I was going to grow up and be the Incredible Hulk or Wonder Woman. I flirted with being a Jedi Knight for awhile, but I wasn't up for the intense travel associated with the gig. In my teens, I settled on being a writer -- although I had no idea the effort that would entail.
Not only am I a writer now, but I'm a writer in several different mediums. I'm a longtime newspaper reporter, an avid reader and a voracious science fiction fanatic.

Reviews

[Danielle (Danniegurl) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

This wasn't a bad book not at all. But it wasn't an equally deep book either. Aisling is an interesting character, but not completely well fleshed out. She has a personality but she's big on feminism it seems except she gets overly hung up and picking fights over things that are seriously minor. Like her big brothers protecting her, I get what they are doing, but it's not because they see her as a girl, but because she is their sister. IDK I didn't like the overly talked about feminism over minor issues. If the guy was being an asshole, sure I could get behind her but most of her issues stem from her family. Anywho, I also didn't like how this investigation worked. Her brothers and father had an idea about what was going on, but didn't share them with Aisling. Is she part of the business yet or not?

The premise is that souls are being collected without them being on the list and it's up to Aisling to figure it out. Ha ha just kidding it's Aislings job to get in the way. And not be told things. IDK if it's her job to solve it but it certainly becomes her job. SMH.

Then the romance or love interest is flat. The love interest is a detective. and we know he's hot for Aisling, but the emotional impact is NOT shining through. I don't feel a huge emotional connection between them. My heart didn't squeeze while reading their interactions. They were pretty basic really. And it only seems like he wants to get into her pants. Which btw he does, but it's off page, so if you're looking for a book with sexy time, this isn't it.

I did enjoy the book, the snark and sarcasm is nice. The family dynamic is weird. I'm not sure I like her family. I'm not even sure if I like Aisling tbh. But I was intrigued enough to finish. Still it could have been longer to be a bit more fleshed out.

I may continue with the series, I'm not sure yet. Oh and Griffin, the love interest, he kinda sorta reminds me of Donovan from Gin's books, Spider Assassin. Lets just hope he doesn't turn out to be a disappointment like Donovan.

[BookLoversLife · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hadn't heard of this before prior to seeing it come up for review, but I loved the sound of it and eagerly started. Well, i'm so happy to say that this was fantastic. Such a fun yet addictive read!

The plot was fast paced and gripping. It centers around a family of reapers who collect the souls on their list. Aisling is the only girl in the family of boys and she never intended to be part of the "family business", yet when she loses her job she has no other choice. She is only on the job a few days when souls that aren't on the lists are being taken, not only that, but some of her souls are been taken! She realises that somw wraiths have entered their territory and are stealing souls. She needs to find out who their master is and stop them before it's too late. During this time, she becomes a suspect in "murders" that keep happening around her. Detective Taylor is intent on finding the culprit but keeps coming back to Aisling Grimlock, how is she involved?

The characters were fantastic!!! I loved every single one of them. Aisling was funny, strong, independent and did I mention funny!!! Jerry is Aislings gay roommate who has the hots for her brother, I adored Jerry!! So fun yet a rock for Aisling. The Grimlock brothers were all amazing too, each of them were so protective of Aisling and would do anything for each other. The enigmatic Detective Taylor was a surprise love interest for Aisling, yet it works well. I loved the dynamics between them and look forward to seeing where their relationship goes.

Anyway, this was such a fun and snarky book. I found myself giggling and snickering a lot and ended up listening to it within 2 days. I couldn't get enough of this family and their business!! I can not wait for the next installment of this witty and addicting series.

Karen Krause did a great job with the voices. I never had a problem following who was talking. She gave each character their own personalities and I really enjoyed her narration.

*I received a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.*

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

read for cover challenge:a silhouette

Aisling is entering the family business of being a grim reaper. The story was fine, I just didn't care for the FMC.

[Ian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sʌmˈtaɪmz wen aɪ get bɔːd, aɪ staːt raɪˈtɪŋ senˈtænsez juːˈzɪŋ
fəʊˈnetɪk ˈkæræktɜːz.
Bʌt aɪ hæv tuː bɪː rɪːˈlɪː bɔːd.



Sometimes when I get bored, I start writing sentences using phonetic characters. But I have to be really bored.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book ranged from 4 to 4.5 Stars for me... The first half of the book sucked me in with it's completely dysfunctional but absolutely lovable family of characters and their snarky humor; the heroine of the story was sassy, smart, and independent (Which is how I love for my female leads in books to be!) coupled with a somewhat standoffish but protective alpha male hero that matched the heroine wit for wit... The paranormal element of the story was intriguing as well with the concept of a Grim Reaper family, the presence of soul sucking wraiths, and a sub story loaded with family history and magical mysticism... My one struggle with the story is when, at times, the humor/romance would override the paranormal elements; I would like to see a bit more balance in that aspect, but overall I enjoyed this read immensely and plan to continue with the series:)

[Laura LJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really enjoyed this story. Very interesting plot. I enjoyed most of the characters. Although the Aisling seemed a bit off, almost childish to me. The narrator was not good. I see how she tried with the different characters voices. But she was almost robotic like. I will definitely continue with this series, I do have the next three in audio but I also have them all on my kindle so I may just read the next one.

[Lulu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its not the best book out there but I liked it. I love reapers stories. Aisling a newbie under training but she has the worst luck when completing her jobs. She has her scary father and four protective brothers. The book is funny at times even though its dealing with death.
the writing isn't great, loved the story enough to continue reading the series.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am currently wondering how long I have to wait for the next audiobook in the series. I really enjoyed this and would prefer to listen rather than pick up the ebooks that are already out.
The characters here are engaging and witty! I loved the whole family and her BFF Jerry. The romance angle with detective Taylor was cute, especially the playful banter. All those other brothers and her dad were a trip! It was just such fun reading those scenes when they were all together.
The whole story is from Aisling’s POV, which limits you to what she knows and feels. I kind of wish we had the other side of the romance in the narrative too. It is typical cozy, only letting you see through the main character.
Karen Krause does an excellent job of bringing the story to life. I loved the snark and sass she instilled in her voice to match the attitude of the book. While she has a nice steady pace, I like t a touch faster. Most of the male voices blended together for me, which wasn’t a huge issue but not optimal listening either. In the end she is the right choice for the book because her energy helps move the action of the story.
I didn’t really feel the whole mystery angle, it was light on the investigative elements you would expect. I am hoping that changes as the series progresses. I hope those audio are on their way soon!

[Jenica · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know what this is so highly rated.

Pros:
- Easy & light read
- Amusing family interactions

Cons
-The main character is annoying and more of a hindrance than a help in furthering the story
- Constant 'I'm-a-girl-so-you-treat-me-different-it's-not-fair' whining
- Out-of-nowhere romance progress
- EXTRA THIN plot
- Hastily wrapped up ending

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paranormal light fun reading, insta-love, tropes, everyone is beautiful. If that grates on you, don’t do Amanda M. Lee. I’m continuing with the series.

Thusfar Moonstone Bay is my favorite of her series for an enjoyable read. Looking like this Grim series will come in second with Witches of the Mid-west coming in last as the family bickering in that series became tiresome.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome start to series...4.5*

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun book. I enjoyed reading about this reaper family and their adventures with wraiths and the souls they collect. I love how their job isn't always easy. Sometimes the souls put up a fight. The Grimlock family is an interesting bunch. I am definitely interested to see where this series goes.

[Jenette · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book started out well enough, a seemingly strong female character surrounded by a nice big family with potential for complex development and growth. It just never managed to execute that growth. Aisling was witty enough when she wanted to be but for all potential this book still made her into the girl pining over the guy and that turned it from a silly book with potential into every other cheesy chick lit book I've read.

The other thing that annoyed me about this book was that it tried just a little too hard to show it was happy to throw in some LGBT representation. By trying to hard, all we got was shoved in the face with a bunch of clichés and no character development, like the fact that her roommate was gay and her brother meant the author didn't have to bother building them as their own separate characters. Though, I suppose, given that Aisling herself never developed more than a bruise the entire book that the lack of complexity there too was expected.

If you take this book as a spoof on genre then you might like it more than if you went in taking it seriously.

[Briearna · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 STARS

I will start this review off with some positive points.
- It was a pretty quick book to read!

Although I have quite a few things that I didn’t really enjoy about it;

First off there was absolutely little to no chemistry between Aisling and Griffin. Dude literally wanted to get into her pants from DAY DOT. I actually despise Griffin the more I write this review.

IF GRIFFIN WAS A REAL DUDE ID BE CONCERNED FOR MY HEALTH AND WELLBEING. LIKE WHY WAS BRO SHOWING UP AT HER HOUSE OR THE HOSPITAL OR LITERALLY EVERYWHERE SHE WAS?!?! STALKER STALKER IM SCARED. I WOULD BE CALLING THE POLICE ASAP. except he is a police officer so that would indeed be quite the story….

Aisling also annoys me! Like why are you whining so much! There is so much complaining about the way her brothers treat her and how she doesn’t feel equal yet she does something so stupid to really prove the point on why she is treated that way!

[Diane ~Firefly~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aisling joins the family business of collecting souls and runs into some trouble.

What I enjoyed:
* I love the Grimlock family. They are kooky and obviously love each other.
* I like Griffin and he could be the source of reason going forward
* The thoughts on religion and how it determines were you end up were interesting

What could have been better:
* Aisling has a major TSTL moment (and even acknowledges it and does it anyway)

[Dena · Rating 3 out of 5]

The best things about this book were Aiden and Jerry. After awhile I needed a little less banter as it started to become more irritating than funny. My biggest peeve was the constant "I'm being treated differently because I'm a woman" complaints when actually Aisling just had lots of TSTL moments.

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the first three books of this series together in a collection. The series is on Kindle Unlimited. It's a paranormal mystery/romance/urban fantasy with tons of snarky banter among the 8 main characters, 6 of which make up a family. (50+ yr old dad, 4 brothers and 1 sister, all 20-somethings - mom died 10 years ago) plus the sister's long-time best friend since kindergarten (who might as well be family) plus her new boyfriend. The family all work as grim reapers, transporting souls to the afterlife. They are all human with a bit of extra supernatural-ness that allows them to see and interact with the souls of the departed. The bad guys are wraiths (like the guards of Azkaban - they eat souls) and ghouls (witches that prolong their life by eating souls.)

Overall, the series is very funny because of the boisterous interactions among the siblings.

In the first book, there are extra wraiths in town, and a bad ghoul controlling them.

Second book shouldn't have so many wraiths, but there are still a ton around. Turns out there's another plot afoot.

Third book reveals a family enemy, a great big lie about the mom, and yet more wraiths in the picture, plus some gargoyles.

As the series progresses, little things about why the sister is being targeted by so many groups are slowly revealed.

[Jen]

I had to DNF this at chapter 26 right after the unnecessary family outing to the golf course where the MC's father said something about them all acting like a bunch of children and Aisling responded with "what do you think we are?" Clearly both she and the author forgot the part where Aisling and her siblings were all introduced as being in their late 20s. If you wanted to write YA, write YA. But these 20-somethings acting like annoying children was, well, annoying. I could not stand how Aisling acted half the time and it made no sense that another grown adult might even show any interest in her with her whiny attitude.
The original plot about reapers, which is what drew me in, often took a backseat to this family drama bullsh*t and was not enough to keep me going. I was also extemely put off by the brothers and father being all gung-ho about protecting Aisling from men (but only when it was because the men were hitting on her or making sexual advances) but were too much babies to even discuss boobs around her. Also her father made a comment about her driving skills with "you drive fine but you're still a woman you can't help it" or something like that BUT WTF DOES THAT MEAN AND WHY DIDNT SHE GET ANGRY ABOUT THAT MYSOGINISTIC BULLSH*T?
And don't get me started on the cringe that came with the gays. If you're going to try to include LGBTQ+ rep, do better. This was just...painful.
Oh and the romance. Eh. Not much there except when I was told it was there by the author.

[Cheyyleigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book, it was cute but to be honest I think the best thing about it was the family dynamic. I laughed out loud at their banter and jokes and it made this book. spoilers.

I wish the romance wasn't an after thought, and if I'm honest it really wasn't needed in this book. nothing happens between them really, we don't have this huge spark and lining we barely get conversation. Take out the fade to black sex scenes and we couldve just skipped it all together.

I also wish the big bad was better? maybe some closer attachment than a random old witch? maybe the chick they hate? that we somehow realize has been lying and it's her, idk something with a little more depth but if you don't want any depth and want a quick read this is for you.

[Eden · Rating 4 out of 5]

2023 bk 100. This is not a deeply sophisticated read with a complicated plot - what it is is: a fun read at the end of a long day. The characters are whiny, but rather stunned when hit in the face with different points of view. The main character is the youngest child and only girl in the family with brothers (and father) who are very protective of them. After years of trying other jobs, she ends up in the family business of reaping souls. However, stumbling over the body of a man not on her list - not in her plans. Even less in her plans is being in the sightlines of a hunky police officer. This book is about the joys of siblinghood and family secrets. A fun read - but not one set out to solve the world's problems. I am ordering the second.

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who knew reapers could be so much fun? I was rooting for Aisling from the get go. She’s smart and snarky and holds her own with four brothers who alternate between making a joke of her and being so overprotective it must be hard for her to breathe.

Jerry, her bestie and roommate, is a live wire, constantly blurting out the most embarrassing observations in front of her brothers, as well as the hot detective who’s taking far more interest in her than the job requires.

This is a fun romp in the paranormal, fast-moving and action-packed. I couldn’t put it down and can’t wait to pick up the next episode in the series.

[Sarah Leenart · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading Amanda M Lee's Witches of the Midwest Mysteries series I was not willing to let go of this author and leaped straight into another series of hers. I picked the Aisling Grimlock books as it featured another family setting and was keen to discover more of that dynamic that is so magical. I was most certainly not disappointed! Aisling is definitely not a wilting flower, being the only girl amongst a house full of men. Whilst the characters were all different from the Winchesters, the magic is still very much there. I loved this intriguing world of reapers and the everyday. Griffin was a very welcome addition to the cast and I fell for him as fast as Aisling did. If you like your mystery full of snark, fun and good feelings with a large dose of the weird, then this is the series for you.

[Mary Rowe · Rating 3 out of 5]

diverting

Short but entertaining. The only girl in a family of Reapers, finally joins the family business of soul-harvesting, running afoul of a hot police detective and soul-stealing wraiths.

[Emmalynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Don’t go in expecting great literature, this is just a fun, snarky, quick book.

[Jo Lutkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice easy read good for the brain fog days

[Jeri · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so much fun to read and lose myself in. I will definitely be reading more in the series!

[J.S. Hawley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rich world building

I’m always intrigued when I find a new reincarnation on a paranormal theme. In this story we meet a family of grim reapers and they are the enemy of they big skeletal wraiths in black cloaks carrying scythes. These are people who ‘UPS’ souls to their final destination. It was a very different take on the theme and it was done well.

[Tracy Brant]

Cute story

Cute story but waaaay too chatty for me. There was too much dialog for me, too many side chats and off topic character rants. Usually those help understand a character or where he or she is coming from, but it was too much for me. I found myself skimming a lot. Also, there was a bit of sexual tension but no passion or romance in the developing relationship. It was a very sweet and caring family story but too juvenile for me. Would I recommend it? Sure, to young adults.. I won't be continuing the series though. Just not MY cuppa.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book made me want to weep. I was hoping for a supernatural Stephanie Plum, but no. The family business of being a Grim is just a fabulous and original idea but the actual plot and writing let this concept down so badly. I suspect that the narrator did not help, she made Aisling sound so thick (and she complains that her brothers don't treat her like an equal and then she immediately does something stupid) and one of the gay characters so very camp (oh, did we not know there were gay characters, don't worry, the author reminds us every second page and throws in every gay stereotype she possibly can).
The first chapter, fine, then if you took out the repetitive family discussions, then the actual plot is very thin, possibly could be done in 3 chapters (there is a whole chapter on a family golf game! does this contribute to the storyline - nope). The couple of times she does her job and last chapter when something actually happened were the only saving graces.
I hate writing negative reviews but I was so disappointed in the wasted potential of this story...

[JadeShea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aisling has joined the family business with her brothers, and father. She isn't sure this is really what she wants to do, but she felt she didn't have any other option. Now, when she stumbles over a dead body, and meets a cop things get interesting. Especially when some strange things are going around taking souls before she and her brothers get the chance, and not only that she has a strange attraction to this cop, but isn't sure how to continue.

This book was a great start to this series. Amanda M. Lee has done it again, by creating characters with great dialogue and a great relationship between them.

I really enjoyed this one a whole lot, and it sort of just surprised me. I didn't even know this author wrote this series until I stumbled upon it by accident. I thought it was great, and I can't wait to read more. The characters were great, and had awesome banter between each other, and I look forward to more in this series.