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Dying for a Living #1-3
Dying for a Living Boxset: Books 1-3
Read the series with 700 five-star reviews!
This boxset includes the first three novels in the Jesse Sullivan series: award-winning novel, Dying for a Living, Amazon bestseller, Dying by the Hour, and their companion novel, Dying for Her.
Called "smart, imaginative, and insanely addictive" by New York Times bestseller Darynda Jones, this urban fantasy will thrill even the most diehard urban fantasy fans.
On the morning before her 67th death, it is business as usual for agent Jesse Sullivan: meet with the mortician, counsel soon-to-be-dead clients, and have coffee while reading the latest regeneration theory. Jesse dies for a living, literally. Because of a neurological disorder, she is one of the population's rare 2% who can serve as a death surrogate, dying so others don't have to.
Although each death replacement is different, the result is the same: a life is saved, and Jesse resurrects days later with sore muscles, new scars, and another hole in her memory. But when Jesse is murdered and becomes the sole suspect in a federal investigation, more than her freedom and sanity are at stake. She must catch the killer herself--or die trying.
And that was only the beginning…
This boxset includes the first three novels in the Jesse Sullivan series: award-winning novel, Dying for a Living, Amazon bestseller, Dying by the Hour, and their companion novel, Dying for Her.
Called "smart, imaginative, and insanely addictive" by New York Times bestseller Darynda Jones, this urban fantasy will thrill even the most diehard urban fantasy fans.
On the morning before her 67th death, it is business as usual for agent Jesse Sullivan: meet with the mortician, counsel soon-to-be-dead clients, and have coffee while reading the latest regeneration theory. Jesse dies for a living, literally. Because of a neurological disorder, she is one of the population's rare 2% who can serve as a death surrogate, dying so others don't have to.
Although each death replacement is different, the result is the same: a life is saved, and Jesse resurrects days later with sore muscles, new scars, and another hole in her memory. But when Jesse is murdered and becomes the sole suspect in a federal investigation, more than her freedom and sanity are at stake. She must catch the killer herself--or die trying.
And that was only the beginning…
553 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 12, 2015
727 people are currently reading
702 people want to read
About the author
Kory M. Shrum
53 books647 followersUSA TODAY bestselling author Kory M. Shrum has published more than thirty books, including the bestselling Shadows in the Water series.
She hosts two podcasts—Who Killed My Mother?, a true-crime podcast about her mother’s tragic death, and A Well Cared For Human, focused on practical strategies for wellbeing and personal transformation.
She also publishes poetry under the name K.B. Marie.
When not writing, speaking, or pursuing one of her 300 hobbies, she can usually be found under thick blankets with snacks. The kettle is almost always on.
She lives in Michigan with her equally bookish wife, Kim, and their rescue dog, Max.
She hosts two podcasts—Who Killed My Mother?, a true-crime podcast about her mother’s tragic death, and A Well Cared For Human, focused on practical strategies for wellbeing and personal transformation.
She also publishes poetry under the name K.B. Marie.
When not writing, speaking, or pursuing one of her 300 hobbies, she can usually be found under thick blankets with snacks. The kettle is almost always on.
She lives in Michigan with her equally bookish wife, Kim, and their rescue dog, Max.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
February 23, 2021
Dying for a Living Boxset: Books 1-3 of Dying for a Living Series
By: Kory M. Shrum
Narrated by: Hollie Jackson
Wow, this is such an incredible premise for a story! Death replacement agents! Someone who dies in the persons place. First, A person pays a special psychic and they do a study of the person they are paid to check on. Then the psychic determines how that person will die and when. They then hire a rare Death Replacement Agent and they follow them all day until the time they need to step in. All the technical issues are described in the book. This world is not quite like ours but still has the prejudices and it comes in play against anyone with this gift.
In book 1, Jesse is the main character, and she is one of these agents. She is almost killed for good when someone sets her up. The rest of the book not only gives the reader a clue about society and the Church's view about bringing back the dead but the threats against the people with the gift. The book also lets us know what it's like from the agents point of view. The characters are introduced, they are all very well developed and interesting. Book 1 looks for who is behind Jesse's murder attempt. 5 star book!
Book 2, many agents go missing and some of the people the agents have saved also are missing. Jesse and friends try to find out what is going on since they are on the list to disappear. More information about the characters and Jesse's background is exposed to the reader too. So many great characters in here and the interactions are emotional and engaging. The powers Jesse and her other friend that's an agent is growing. 5 star book!
Book 3, this book is more about Brinkley who is Jesse's boss. He is the one who got her into the field of being a replacement agent. It bounces back and forth from present to his past memories and back. The reason is that he knows he is going to die. It's a touching book and painful due to what he saw and experienced. 4 star book!
The books are incredibly, a unique take on dead coming back to life, prejudices, a fun and heartwarming fantasy, lots of suspense and scary situations, friendships, and what to do with your life.
The narration was good! I never once thought about the narration. When the narrator makes a mistake, it's obvious so no narrator wants you to remember its not real people. To me, I really got into it and they seemed like real people! 5 stars for the narrator!
By: Kory M. Shrum
Narrated by: Hollie Jackson
Wow, this is such an incredible premise for a story! Death replacement agents! Someone who dies in the persons place. First, A person pays a special psychic and they do a study of the person they are paid to check on. Then the psychic determines how that person will die and when. They then hire a rare Death Replacement Agent and they follow them all day until the time they need to step in. All the technical issues are described in the book. This world is not quite like ours but still has the prejudices and it comes in play against anyone with this gift.
In book 1, Jesse is the main character, and she is one of these agents. She is almost killed for good when someone sets her up. The rest of the book not only gives the reader a clue about society and the Church's view about bringing back the dead but the threats against the people with the gift. The book also lets us know what it's like from the agents point of view. The characters are introduced, they are all very well developed and interesting. Book 1 looks for who is behind Jesse's murder attempt. 5 star book!
Book 2, many agents go missing and some of the people the agents have saved also are missing. Jesse and friends try to find out what is going on since they are on the list to disappear. More information about the characters and Jesse's background is exposed to the reader too. So many great characters in here and the interactions are emotional and engaging. The powers Jesse and her other friend that's an agent is growing. 5 star book!
Book 3, this book is more about Brinkley who is Jesse's boss. He is the one who got her into the field of being a replacement agent. It bounces back and forth from present to his past memories and back. The reason is that he knows he is going to die. It's a touching book and painful due to what he saw and experienced. 4 star book!
The books are incredibly, a unique take on dead coming back to life, prejudices, a fun and heartwarming fantasy, lots of suspense and scary situations, friendships, and what to do with your life.
The narration was good! I never once thought about the narration. When the narrator makes a mistake, it's obvious so no narrator wants you to remember its not real people. To me, I really got into it and they seemed like real people! 5 stars for the narrator!
July 10, 2016
As I said when I reviewed the first novel in the Jesse Sullivan series, I was “hooked from the first few words of the blurb”, immersing myself in the light-hearted style the author used. The opening novel portrays a quirky heroine, a young woman that dies for a living, a ‘necronite’. who can be sarcastic in the face of death.
I liked Jesse and warmed to her, her kooky habits, like wearing shoes that didn’t match, and to her best friend, lover, and sidekick, Ally Gallagher. Their relationship is complicated not only by Lane, Jesse’s comic-store running boyfriend, but also by the attempts to kill her for good. Yes, ‘necronites’ can die in certain circumstances, so I was never able to relax and think that Jesse would always survive.
The tone of the first novel might have been light-hearted, with great humour, but it had darker moments especially towards the end as we discover who is opposed to the ‘necronites’. Reviewing a boxset tempts the spoilers to appear, so |I’ll have to avoid those.
Book 2 builds on all the elements, with Jesse and her friends in mounting danger. Without spoilers, I can say that everything I enjoyed about Book 1 is there as we learn more about the dangers they face.
I found the writing swept me along with its mix of humour and mounting threat. Jesse’s relationships complicate events, and this area of personal conflict – told from her first person perspective and from Ally’s 1st POV – worked well. The sexual dilemmas felt realistic, even if the lesbian emotions and thoughts were outside my experience. However, unsurprisingly when you read her bio, Kory M. Shrum captures this with taste and style.
The third novel departs from the first two Books, in being told from the perspective of Jesse’s boss Brinkley. In many ways this darker Book is backstory to the events in the opening two volumes, and yet it closes at the same point as Book 2. As I read the revelations, I was even more engrossed in the characters. Gradually, I began to realise that there was a whole side to events that neither Jesse nor Ally were aware of. After reading Book 2, I was ready to take a break from the series, but now that I have learned so much more, I want more.
One niggling problem is the antagonist, whose abilities reminded me as the Books progressed of a successful TV show that aired from 2006 to 2010. That will stop me re-reading the three Books, although not from tackling the next one. Maybe the protagonist will change in ways that I can’t envisage.
I liked Jesse and warmed to her, her kooky habits, like wearing shoes that didn’t match, and to her best friend, lover, and sidekick, Ally Gallagher. Their relationship is complicated not only by Lane, Jesse’s comic-store running boyfriend, but also by the attempts to kill her for good. Yes, ‘necronites’ can die in certain circumstances, so I was never able to relax and think that Jesse would always survive.
The tone of the first novel might have been light-hearted, with great humour, but it had darker moments especially towards the end as we discover who is opposed to the ‘necronites’. Reviewing a boxset tempts the spoilers to appear, so |I’ll have to avoid those.
Book 2 builds on all the elements, with Jesse and her friends in mounting danger. Without spoilers, I can say that everything I enjoyed about Book 1 is there as we learn more about the dangers they face.
I found the writing swept me along with its mix of humour and mounting threat. Jesse’s relationships complicate events, and this area of personal conflict – told from her first person perspective and from Ally’s 1st POV – worked well. The sexual dilemmas felt realistic, even if the lesbian emotions and thoughts were outside my experience. However, unsurprisingly when you read her bio, Kory M. Shrum captures this with taste and style.
The third novel departs from the first two Books, in being told from the perspective of Jesse’s boss Brinkley. In many ways this darker Book is backstory to the events in the opening two volumes, and yet it closes at the same point as Book 2. As I read the revelations, I was even more engrossed in the characters. Gradually, I began to realise that there was a whole side to events that neither Jesse nor Ally were aware of. After reading Book 2, I was ready to take a break from the series, but now that I have learned so much more, I want more.
One niggling problem is the antagonist, whose abilities reminded me as the Books progressed of a successful TV show that aired from 2006 to 2010. That will stop me re-reading the three Books, although not from tackling the next one. Maybe the protagonist will change in ways that I can’t envisage.
July 30, 2017
Awesome
This is one of those ones that I couldn't put down until I was done with it. Read this book!!!!
This is one of those ones that I couldn't put down until I was done with it. Read this book!!!!
August 15, 2017
Good book, great characters and dynamic.
September 12, 2024
3.5 Stars
Dying for a Living Boxset #1 contains the first three books in the Dying for a Living series by Kory M. Shrum. It is a very original ‘zombie’ story- an urban fantasy with plenty of action, adventure, mystery, agendas, a quest of sorts, danger, family, friendship, high stakes, suspense, tension, secrets, deception, politics, religion, intrigue, drama, kidnapping, a game of cat and mouse, time running out, gripping developments, gritty/raw scenes, and much more.
I developed an addiction to Ms. Shrum’s stories when I stumbled onto her Shadows in the Water series -> where one book led to two, which then led to me devouring the whole series, back-to-back (11 books) in a matter of days. As there’s a wait for the twelfth book in that series to be released, I needed a ‘fix’ of more of her storytelling, so I went searching for more, discovering a wealth of stories to choose from, and ultimately choosing this series to dive into, before I go on to more.
I really enjoyed this series, but I think if I had not read Shadows in the Water first, my rating would be a bit higher, as the Shadows series has set the bar extremely high. So, if you are interested in Ms. Shrum’s work, I suggest starting here with the Dying for a Living series, before you embark on any other of her work/s.
Jesse Sullivan has Necronitic Regenerative Disorder, a neurological disorder which means that a person can die, but won’t stay dead. But don’t call her a Zombie, because that’s considered rude. The term zombie brings images of mindless, rotting, animated corpses- which is anything but what Jesse and the other NRD positive people are/look like. They look like ‘normal’ humans, just with the ability to ‘come back to life’. Discovering she had this ability had its own trauma, but ultimately led Jesse into the death replacement industry, where she gets paid to die for her clients- ensuring their life is not cut short – so when the story starts, Jesse has already ‘died’ dozens of times. Things take an interesting twist, which I won’t go into here, as I really don’t want to spoil it for you- suffice to say that there was a lot of intense, action-packed developments that made for an engrossing read.
Each book in this series follows on from the previous one, picking up where the other left off- building a much bigger picture as they go- so they really need to be read in the correct sequence, to fully appreciate the books/series- and prevent any kind of confusion. The books are available individually if you wish, as well as in Boxed Sets- which is great value for money.
The Series consists of:
-Dying for a Living (Book #1)
-Dying by the Hour (Book #2)
-Dying for Her (Book #3)
-Dying Light (Book #4)
-Worth Dying For (Book #5)
-Dying Breath (Book #6)
-Dying Day (Book #7)
So, if you are after a highly original urban fantasy series to sink your teeth into, this might just be what you are looking for!
Happy Reading…
Thank you, Kory M. Shrum!
Dying for a Living Boxset #1 contains the first three books in the Dying for a Living series by Kory M. Shrum. It is a very original ‘zombie’ story- an urban fantasy with plenty of action, adventure, mystery, agendas, a quest of sorts, danger, family, friendship, high stakes, suspense, tension, secrets, deception, politics, religion, intrigue, drama, kidnapping, a game of cat and mouse, time running out, gripping developments, gritty/raw scenes, and much more.
I developed an addiction to Ms. Shrum’s stories when I stumbled onto her Shadows in the Water series -> where one book led to two, which then led to me devouring the whole series, back-to-back (11 books) in a matter of days. As there’s a wait for the twelfth book in that series to be released, I needed a ‘fix’ of more of her storytelling, so I went searching for more, discovering a wealth of stories to choose from, and ultimately choosing this series to dive into, before I go on to more.
I really enjoyed this series, but I think if I had not read Shadows in the Water first, my rating would be a bit higher, as the Shadows series has set the bar extremely high. So, if you are interested in Ms. Shrum’s work, I suggest starting here with the Dying for a Living series, before you embark on any other of her work/s.
Jesse Sullivan has Necronitic Regenerative Disorder, a neurological disorder which means that a person can die, but won’t stay dead. But don’t call her a Zombie, because that’s considered rude. The term zombie brings images of mindless, rotting, animated corpses- which is anything but what Jesse and the other NRD positive people are/look like. They look like ‘normal’ humans, just with the ability to ‘come back to life’. Discovering she had this ability had its own trauma, but ultimately led Jesse into the death replacement industry, where she gets paid to die for her clients- ensuring their life is not cut short – so when the story starts, Jesse has already ‘died’ dozens of times. Things take an interesting twist, which I won’t go into here, as I really don’t want to spoil it for you- suffice to say that there was a lot of intense, action-packed developments that made for an engrossing read.
Each book in this series follows on from the previous one, picking up where the other left off- building a much bigger picture as they go- so they really need to be read in the correct sequence, to fully appreciate the books/series- and prevent any kind of confusion. The books are available individually if you wish, as well as in Boxed Sets- which is great value for money.
The Series consists of:
-Dying for a Living (Book #1)
-Dying by the Hour (Book #2)
-Dying for Her (Book #3)
-Dying Light (Book #4)
-Worth Dying For (Book #5)
-Dying Breath (Book #6)
-Dying Day (Book #7)
So, if you are after a highly original urban fantasy series to sink your teeth into, this might just be what you are looking for!
Happy Reading…
Thank you, Kory M. Shrum!
July 10, 2019
Book 1: Dying for a Living
Jesse Sullivan is a necronite; she dies so that her clients don't have to. She has a girlfriend/assistant named Ally and a boyfriend named Lane. The story is set mostly in Nashville. Things start to change when one of Jesse's clients tries to decapitate her, permanently ending her life. She soon discovers that other death-replacement agents like herself have been murdered recently; she needs to find out who is responsible. The rest of the story is a mystery-thriller as Jesse and her friends investigate the plot and villains behind the murders. I felt that the prose and plot could have been better crafted and, although the ending came to a satisfactory conclusion, it could have been arrived at more organically. Finally, I wish that the paranormal/magic aspects had been explained and exposed more fully. I kept asking myself "why?" too often when encountering these elements.
Book 2: Dying by the Hour
Jesse and her friends are alert for moves against them by their enemies although they've seen no signs in the last year. Jesse also believes her father (Eric/Caldwell) may still be in u alive and is looking for clues about his mysterious disappearance. There is an additional POV in this book, Jesse's friend and assistant Ally who is featured in a parallel storyline.
I wish that the characterization in this novel, particularly of the secondary and tertiary characters, was more fully fleshed out. The descriptive prose and character interactions are much improved from the first book and the paranormal or magical elements are better explained. We are also presented with more of the moral and ethical dilemmas of regeneration including that related to the religious aspects of the story. The plot is a marked improvement from the previous book and the storylines are more interesting.
Book 3: Dying for Her
This novel is written from the POV of James Brinkley, an investigator for the agency that oversees necronites. In the previous two books he is a close confident of Jesse. This book is partially a prequel where Brinkley is searching for a missing necronite named Eric Sullivan, recently released from an internment camp. Brinkley is a military veteran and suffers from PTSD.
The single POV (Brinkley) works pretty well here. The time jumps between the current and the past were confusing to me. There were also too many - fewer would have been better. Why does a book this length need 76 chapters? I think the story could have been organized differently, and perhaps better. The ending seems quite abrupt and I'm not sure how I feel about that right now.
Jesse Sullivan is a necronite; she dies so that her clients don't have to. She has a girlfriend/assistant named Ally and a boyfriend named Lane. The story is set mostly in Nashville. Things start to change when one of Jesse's clients tries to decapitate her, permanently ending her life. She soon discovers that other death-replacement agents like herself have been murdered recently; she needs to find out who is responsible. The rest of the story is a mystery-thriller as Jesse and her friends investigate the plot and villains behind the murders. I felt that the prose and plot could have been better crafted and, although the ending came to a satisfactory conclusion, it could have been arrived at more organically. Finally, I wish that the paranormal/magic aspects had been explained and exposed more fully. I kept asking myself "why?" too often when encountering these elements.
Book 2: Dying by the Hour
Jesse and her friends are alert for moves against them by their enemies although they've seen no signs in the last year. Jesse also believes her father (Eric/Caldwell) may still be in u alive and is looking for clues about his mysterious disappearance. There is an additional POV in this book, Jesse's friend and assistant Ally who is featured in a parallel storyline.
I wish that the characterization in this novel, particularly of the secondary and tertiary characters, was more fully fleshed out. The descriptive prose and character interactions are much improved from the first book and the paranormal or magical elements are better explained. We are also presented with more of the moral and ethical dilemmas of regeneration including that related to the religious aspects of the story. The plot is a marked improvement from the previous book and the storylines are more interesting.
Book 3: Dying for Her
This novel is written from the POV of James Brinkley, an investigator for the agency that oversees necronites. In the previous two books he is a close confident of Jesse. This book is partially a prequel where Brinkley is searching for a missing necronite named Eric Sullivan, recently released from an internment camp. Brinkley is a military veteran and suffers from PTSD.
The single POV (Brinkley) works pretty well here. The time jumps between the current and the past were confusing to me. There were also too many - fewer would have been better. Why does a book this length need 76 chapters? I think the story could have been organized differently, and perhaps better. The ending seems quite abrupt and I'm not sure how I feel about that right now.
November 15, 2019
I'm writing this review for the first 3 Books after finishing Book 7. I'm very glad I got the Series Bundle, because the story gets even more interesting and twisted as it progresses to the Apocalyptic ending in Book 7 (as in "an unveiling or unfolding of things not previously known and which could not be known apart from the unveiling".
Jesse died in a barn fire she set to kill her abusive stepfather and herself. When she awoke two days later, Brinkley was there to recruit her for a job in the Federal Bureau of Regenerative Death (FBRD). That is where all the lucky people with NRD work as death-replacement agents (the unlucky ones are persecuted). Now Jesse's job is "dying for a living" to revive dead people (before their soul leaves their body) and to die in their place. After a time, she comes back to life, suffering rigor mortis and other side-effects of her death. Why would anyone object to such a valuable skill, especially in conjunction with the Analysts of necro-Magnetic Phenomenon (AMPs) who can predict someone's death to a 24-hour period? That is, besides the military, the government, the Church, the FBRD and people fearful of zombies?
Dying for a Living Book 2, Dying by the Hour, sees the return of the characters from Book 1: Jesse, Ally, Brinkley, Lane, Gloria, Rachel and Gabriel. This book sees the characters suffer painfully from repeated attacks by Caldwell and his minions. Why is Caldwell trying to kill them? New information is revealed, but much still remains unknown. Who can be trusted? What are the various agendas of the many players?
Dying for a Living Book 3, Dying for Her, starts about a year before the big showdown in Book 2 and two months after the episode in the Church cellar in Book 1, but flashbacks to 2003 when Brinkley first starts investigating some strange cases. This book fills in a lot of the history and background of Brinkley, Jackson and Eric Sullivan/Timothy Caldwell. This is Brinkley's first-person viewpoint after he talks with Gloria Jackson and gets his death day prediction. Then a lonely Thanksgiving as he thinks about his impending death. Flashback to working in 2003 when he first heard about Eric Sullivan and his daughter Jesse. As he investigates, we get more and more background on him and his guilt, and about Eric, Danica and Jesse Sullivan. Brinkley counts down the weeks to his death later in 2013 between flashbacks to 2003. He is mercilessly taunted by Caldwell, who will be the agent of his death in the near future. The book ends at the moment of Brinkley's death as he "dies for her".
Jesse died in a barn fire she set to kill her abusive stepfather and herself. When she awoke two days later, Brinkley was there to recruit her for a job in the Federal Bureau of Regenerative Death (FBRD). That is where all the lucky people with NRD work as death-replacement agents (the unlucky ones are persecuted). Now Jesse's job is "dying for a living" to revive dead people (before their soul leaves their body) and to die in their place. After a time, she comes back to life, suffering rigor mortis and other side-effects of her death. Why would anyone object to such a valuable skill, especially in conjunction with the Analysts of necro-Magnetic Phenomenon (AMPs) who can predict someone's death to a 24-hour period? That is, besides the military, the government, the Church, the FBRD and people fearful of zombies?
Dying for a Living Book 2, Dying by the Hour, sees the return of the characters from Book 1: Jesse, Ally, Brinkley, Lane, Gloria, Rachel and Gabriel. This book sees the characters suffer painfully from repeated attacks by Caldwell and his minions. Why is Caldwell trying to kill them? New information is revealed, but much still remains unknown. Who can be trusted? What are the various agendas of the many players?
Dying for a Living Book 3, Dying for Her, starts about a year before the big showdown in Book 2 and two months after the episode in the Church cellar in Book 1, but flashbacks to 2003 when Brinkley first starts investigating some strange cases. This book fills in a lot of the history and background of Brinkley, Jackson and Eric Sullivan/Timothy Caldwell. This is Brinkley's first-person viewpoint after he talks with Gloria Jackson and gets his death day prediction. Then a lonely Thanksgiving as he thinks about his impending death. Flashback to working in 2003 when he first heard about Eric Sullivan and his daughter Jesse. As he investigates, we get more and more background on him and his guilt, and about Eric, Danica and Jesse Sullivan. Brinkley counts down the weeks to his death later in 2013 between flashbacks to 2003. He is mercilessly taunted by Caldwell, who will be the agent of his death in the near future. The book ends at the moment of Brinkley's death as he "dies for her".
February 3, 2019
Dying For a Living: Good story-line, definitely different, I enjoyed the characters. Could have benefited from additional proofreading, but I only noticed it at the beginning because I got so caught up in the story that if there were more they weren't serious enough to pull me out of the story. I love Jesse's sarcastic attitude; there isn't so much that it overwhelms, but enough to add a bit of humor.
Dying By the Hour: I love this series and the concept behind it; Ms. Shrum is a truly excellent writer. In Dying by the Hour we learn more about Jesse and Ally as the POV is split between them. We learn a lot more about Jesse’s abilities and the kind of world they live in. Although there is some excellent character building, I don’t feel like Lane is one of them. I got that his relationship with Jesse adds more tension to the story, but feel he is a very weak character and don’t really see the attraction Jesse has for him. I like Brinkley,
Dying for her: Not a lot of surprises here as we know how it will end since it follows the events in the second book in the series, Dying By the Hour. However, that does not make the story any less suspenseful. Ms. Shrum has woven a brilliant account of Brinkley’s life, we know what makes him tick and why he acts and thinks like he does. The story jumps back and froth from 2003 to the present time, but each chapter leads with you knowing what timeline you are in. Brinkley will be sorely missed in the coming books.
Dying By the Hour: I love this series and the concept behind it; Ms. Shrum is a truly excellent writer. In Dying by the Hour we learn more about Jesse and Ally as the POV is split between them. We learn a lot more about Jesse’s abilities and the kind of world they live in. Although there is some excellent character building, I don’t feel like Lane is one of them. I got that his relationship with Jesse adds more tension to the story, but feel he is a very weak character and don’t really see the attraction Jesse has for him. I like Brinkley,
Dying for her: Not a lot of surprises here as we know how it will end since it follows the events in the second book in the series, Dying By the Hour. However, that does not make the story any less suspenseful. Ms. Shrum has woven a brilliant account of Brinkley’s life, we know what makes him tick and why he acts and thinks like he does. The story jumps back and froth from 2003 to the present time, but each chapter leads with you knowing what timeline you are in. Brinkley will be sorely missed in the coming books.
July 12, 2017
5/12/2017 4* (read before getting the boxset)
Dying for a Living...
Took a short break during the reading of "Limbo City Lights"*, I didn't know if anything in Kory M Shrum's short story in the volume would've had spoilers.
Such a different story. As an avid Zombies genre enthusiast I'm pleasantly please. I can honestly say I loved how this book took the genre and flipped it on its ear. Very original.
I will certainly be diving in with both feet on the rest of the series. Thanks to author *Angela Roquet for the "introduction" to KMS's writing. Back to AR's compilation.
7/2/2017 4*
Dying by the Hour
*WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT: Chapter 33, depictions of molestation/rape*
If you're not a fan of cliff hangers I'd advise against getting into this, it is one in a series. Why wouldn't a writer want to entice you to return by leaving you with questions unanswered?
More than a few errors in regards to typos and formatting.
We pick up Jesse's story about a year after the first book ended. We meet some new characters and say goodbye to others.
7/6/2017 4*
Dying for Her
*WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT: Chapter 27, depictions of rape and violence*
Good companion novella to the series. As told by Brinkley, it goes backwards and forwards in time. Giving some background on himself and others.
Dying for a Living...
Took a short break during the reading of "Limbo City Lights"*, I didn't know if anything in Kory M Shrum's short story in the volume would've had spoilers.
Such a different story. As an avid Zombies genre enthusiast I'm pleasantly please. I can honestly say I loved how this book took the genre and flipped it on its ear. Very original.
I will certainly be diving in with both feet on the rest of the series. Thanks to author *Angela Roquet for the "introduction" to KMS's writing. Back to AR's compilation.
7/2/2017 4*
Dying by the Hour
*WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT: Chapter 33, depictions of molestation/rape*
If you're not a fan of cliff hangers I'd advise against getting into this, it is one in a series. Why wouldn't a writer want to entice you to return by leaving you with questions unanswered?
More than a few errors in regards to typos and formatting.
We pick up Jesse's story about a year after the first book ended. We meet some new characters and say goodbye to others.
7/6/2017 4*
Dying for Her
*WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT: Chapter 27, depictions of rape and violence*
Good companion novella to the series. As told by Brinkley, it goes backwards and forwards in time. Giving some background on himself and others.
March 16, 2018
I had read Books 1 and 2, and I re-read them in this set just for the fun of it. The series on Jesse Sullivan is so good. After discovering that there are people who not only come back from the dead (no, they are not zombies) but can also die for another person, the world has changed. The NRDs have to deal with the stresses of their job, extreme prejudice and a government that would love to find a way to control and experiment on these people. In the midst of all this, a powerful organization rises that seems to be committed to killing the NRDs and the people who have been replaced. The first two books deal with this theme, the third book which is from the viewpoint of Jesse Sullivan's handler, covers a lot of the background and is equally fascinating. Well written, full of action, and conflict; wonderful characters - these books are so much fun to read.
June 30, 2018
1.5 stars.
I got the book set in the author's "start your library" promotion, at her site.
I really don't know how I managed to finish this book set. I think I kept reading just to know which of her two friends/ lovers will Jesse will choose.
The books start well, but somewhere in the middle they become slow, even a bit boring. I felt the different point of view sometimes add more text then content to the story, and only drug the book longer.
Out of the three the third one, which is kind of a side book half prequel half anther point of view on book two events, was the better one.
When I got close to the end of the series I learned that the first book was the author first, and that explained to me a lot of the things I found problematic in the books, but it still didn't change the way I fill.
I got the book set in the author's "start your library" promotion, at her site.
I really don't know how I managed to finish this book set. I think I kept reading just to know which of her two friends/ lovers will Jesse will choose.
The books start well, but somewhere in the middle they become slow, even a bit boring. I felt the different point of view sometimes add more text then content to the story, and only drug the book longer.
Out of the three the third one, which is kind of a side book half prequel half anther point of view on book two events, was the better one.
When I got close to the end of the series I learned that the first book was the author first, and that explained to me a lot of the things I found problematic in the books, but it still didn't change the way I fill.
July 6, 2017
I almost didn't get this box set, but decided to take a moment to read the first few lines. So glad I did, I was hooked instantly! Jesse dies for a living, literally.
Loved Jesse right away, with her quirky habit of saying what she wants, the wearing mismatched shoes because one never seemed to make it to the morgue with her body. The love triangle between her, Lane and Ally. It reminded me of Lost Girl (a TV series here), where you can love two people at once. Her handler is rough and gruff, but very protective of his charge. Great characters.
Don't pass this up! Kory M. Shrum has a great career ahead of her, and I plan to read them all.
Loved Jesse right away, with her quirky habit of saying what she wants, the wearing mismatched shoes because one never seemed to make it to the morgue with her body. The love triangle between her, Lane and Ally. It reminded me of Lost Girl (a TV series here), where you can love two people at once. Her handler is rough and gruff, but very protective of his charge. Great characters.
Don't pass this up! Kory M. Shrum has a great career ahead of her, and I plan to read them all.
July 11, 2017
This box set of three Jesse Sullivan stories was a captivating and compelling read, one that this reader had trouble putting down long enough to do mundane things like eat or sleep. Overlook the few grammar, punctuation and spelling errors and simply fall into Shrum's world and enjoy this delicious take on zombies, er... pardon me, I meant Necronites. My bad. *grins* I highly recommend this series simply based on this box set; Shrum shows she is a storyteller extraordinaire with a distinct and inviting voice that yanks a reader right into her world.
The box set is still free on Amazon as of this date, do yourself a favor and grab it while you can.
The box set is still free on Amazon as of this date, do yourself a favor and grab it while you can.
January 17, 2018
Dying For A Living Boxset - a review by Rosemary Kenny
This excellent boxset gives the reader three times the excitement for a less than three times the price of the individual books!
Amazing author Kory M Shrum gives fans of supernatural fantasy romances a wham-bam-thank-you-mam rollercoaster of a ride through the first three chapters in Jesse the Necronite's story that will thrill you, make you gasp in fear - and ecstasy - and take you on the ride of a lifetime into the Death Replacement fantasy world that Jesse and her friends inhabit, in a threesome of terrific tales that will keep you going til the end of the last page - get your boxset now!!
This excellent boxset gives the reader three times the excitement for a less than three times the price of the individual books!
Amazing author Kory M Shrum gives fans of supernatural fantasy romances a wham-bam-thank-you-mam rollercoaster of a ride through the first three chapters in Jesse the Necronite's story that will thrill you, make you gasp in fear - and ecstasy - and take you on the ride of a lifetime into the Death Replacement fantasy world that Jesse and her friends inhabit, in a threesome of terrific tales that will keep you going til the end of the last page - get your boxset now!!
April 30, 2021
I'm going to start writing reviews here. Not for others, but for my own memory. Please skip.
I enjoyed these books.
One of the few Kindle Lost Books I remember. (Kindle Lost Books is my shelf for Books in my Kindle history I didn't finish or don't remember. Some are from the time I had Kindle Unlimited and would take out free books and not read them before they were returned.)
Anyways I love this tale. A girl who becomes a grim reaper. Or is this the girl that experiences death for others. I remember being on a dark kick for awhile. Maybe I should skim over these and figure out which they were.
I enjoyed these books.
One of the few Kindle Lost Books I remember. (Kindle Lost Books is my shelf for Books in my Kindle history I didn't finish or don't remember. Some are from the time I had Kindle Unlimited and would take out free books and not read them before they were returned.)
Anyways I love this tale. A girl who becomes a grim reaper. Or is this the girl that experiences death for others. I remember being on a dark kick for awhile. Maybe I should skim over these and figure out which they were.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 24, 2017
I loved the first two. In fact, years ago I read the first book and fell in love with the book. When I found this box set, I was thrilled. Normally it's difficult for me to re-read a book that I have already read, I tend to skim over or space out. I was thinking I may end up doing that with this one, but I didn't. I loved it all over again. The second book was just as good as the first, if not better.
Now, the third book. It took such a sharp turn, it just couldn't keep my interest..
Now, the third book. It took such a sharp turn, it just couldn't keep my interest..
December 20, 2019
I loved the characters and the storyline is powerful
I really enjoyed this set of the first three books of the series. I think Kory came up with some very strange super powered characters, some of them did not work well with others. I never saw any of the action coming and was constantly surprised by the story. I will be reading the rest of the series so I will see how it pans out.
I really enjoyed this set of the first three books of the series. I think Kory came up with some very strange super powered characters, some of them did not work well with others. I never saw any of the action coming and was constantly surprised by the story. I will be reading the rest of the series so I will see how it pans out.
October 27, 2017
DNF at 67%, i.e. after the end of book 2.
Just another book full of predictable characters, an unlikeable protagonist, and a storyline hinged almost entirely on people causing problems for themselves. The actual concept--taking someone's death into oneself--was interesting, but it wasn't enough to hold up by itself.
Just another book full of predictable characters, an unlikeable protagonist, and a storyline hinged almost entirely on people causing problems for themselves. The actual concept--taking someone's death into oneself--was interesting, but it wasn't enough to hold up by itself.
November 21, 2018
I thought wrong
I didn't have much expectation of quality in these books. And so I was surprised to find them absorbing; the premises interesting; the people clearly delineated, multifaceted, and emotionally involving. This series is not great literature, but it is a great read for those with slightly off-beat tastes, & sometimes that is just what I need.
I didn't have much expectation of quality in these books. And so I was surprised to find them absorbing; the premises interesting; the people clearly delineated, multifaceted, and emotionally involving. This series is not great literature, but it is a great read for those with slightly off-beat tastes, & sometimes that is just what I need.
August 19, 2018
Wow, what an imaginative author. Impressive work.
So not my regular genre, but I'm glad I took the opportunity to read the box set.
If you let your rational mind take a back-seat, you will be rewarded with fast (non-stop), quirky, action-filled entertainment and a set of great likeable characters. And the need for more...
So not my regular genre, but I'm glad I took the opportunity to read the box set.
If you let your rational mind take a back-seat, you will be rewarded with fast (non-stop), quirky, action-filled entertainment and a set of great likeable characters. And the need for more...
January 13, 2022
An interesting and inventive story. I enjoyed the creative and unusual take on "Zombies", which I'm glad to say wasn't used in the book description as that would have discouraged me from reading the trilogy. I was also intrigued by the way the third book tells the story from a different perspective, and look forward to reading the rest of the series.
November 1, 2016
Very much impressed! Great characters, thoughtful story development. Detailed world-building and steadfast prose style throughout. I will admit it was an impulse purchase on my part, but it gave me hours of entertainment.
August 21, 2017
Urban fantasy with a twist
This book was a freebie, and I had never heard of the author before. It fits in the sort of chick lit urban fantasy subgenre but does have a unique concept instead of the familiar and perhaps overused mythological beasties.
This book was a freebie, and I had never heard of the author before. It fits in the sort of chick lit urban fantasy subgenre but does have a unique concept instead of the familiar and perhaps overused mythological beasties.
February 2, 2018
After reading books 1 and 2 for free, I believed so much in the series that I bought the boxed set, despite it being cheaper to simply buy book 3. If that doesn’t tell you how great the series is, I don’t know what will.
April 3, 2018
Liked the first book. Went onto the second and it was ok. The third was very confusing and doubled up a lot on what I had already read in the first two. I am not interested in continuing on as I have so many other books I can't wait to get into.
February 19, 2019
Once you start it's hard to stop.
Great read. Each book builds to an ending that your brain will scream more. On to the next book, you're engaged with the characters and then you are at the end. You want more, so you start the next book. I can't wait to get the next set.
Great read. Each book builds to an ending that your brain will scream more. On to the next book, you're engaged with the characters and then you are at the end. You want more, so you start the next book. I can't wait to get the next set.
March 4, 2019
Not too bad.
A bit strange to start off with and I really really wish authors would get their books proofread because some of the mistakes are just silly, other than that not bad once you get into it although the last chapter, for me, was a bit strange
A bit strange to start off with and I really really wish authors would get their books proofread because some of the mistakes are just silly, other than that not bad once you get into it although the last chapter, for me, was a bit strange
September 29, 2019
Worth the read
I definitely recommend checking this series out. I love the concept and creativity behind the story. Only reason I could not give it 5 stars was I am not a fan of changing perspectives. Can't wait to find out what happens next!!
I definitely recommend checking this series out. I love the concept and creativity behind the story. Only reason I could not give it 5 stars was I am not a fan of changing perspectives. Can't wait to find out what happens next!!
July 18, 2020
One book for each character
I appreciate how Kory changed the voice of each book to a different character while continuing to move the storyline forward. I think Book 3 was my favorite but it was easy to read them all as one book.
I appreciate how Kory changed the voice of each book to a different character while continuing to move the storyline forward. I think Book 3 was my favorite but it was easy to read them all as one book.
July 29, 2017
Interesting first books
These books grab you after a while and you want more. The storyline is almost believable in some sections and may be possible in some of its facts.
These books grab you after a while and you want more. The storyline is almost believable in some sections and may be possible in some of its facts.
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