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Living the Good Death
Wearing nothing but psych ward pajamas and fluffy slippers, the odd girl wasn’t really dressed to kill. Being the Grim Reaper, however, she felt confident she could make it work.
Have you ever had one of those days? You know, the kind of day when things just don’t go your way. Like when your botched suicide attempt and claims of supernatural powers get you hauled to the emergency room, placed under observation, then transferred to a locked-down psych facility.
The girl who thought she was Death had failed miserably in her efforts to shed the troublesome human body in which she was trapped. The result? Finding herself surrounded by nutjobs, locked in a mental ward ruled by a humorless doctor with a Napoleon complex and a penchant for sleight of hand. Sure, she did technically bring it on herself, but how was she to know that trying to off herself in public and using her outside voice to proclaim she was Death incarnate would result in a psych ward lockdown?
With that problematic little blunder behind her, the concerns now vexing her were pressing. Escape, both from the mental hospital, as well as from this plane of existence, was vital, but equally so was addressing the other issue haunting her. The big one. The one that could end the world. The issue that with Death missing, people would rather inconveniently no longer die like they were supposed to. Eventually, things would hit critical mass. She just didn’t know when.
The situation was, well, grim, to say the very least. An irony not lost on the girl claiming to be the Death.
Have you ever had one of those days? You know, the kind of day when things just don’t go your way. Like when your botched suicide attempt and claims of supernatural powers get you hauled to the emergency room, placed under observation, then transferred to a locked-down psych facility.
The girl who thought she was Death had failed miserably in her efforts to shed the troublesome human body in which she was trapped. The result? Finding herself surrounded by nutjobs, locked in a mental ward ruled by a humorless doctor with a Napoleon complex and a penchant for sleight of hand. Sure, she did technically bring it on herself, but how was she to know that trying to off herself in public and using her outside voice to proclaim she was Death incarnate would result in a psych ward lockdown?
With that problematic little blunder behind her, the concerns now vexing her were pressing. Escape, both from the mental hospital, as well as from this plane of existence, was vital, but equally so was addressing the other issue haunting her. The big one. The one that could end the world. The issue that with Death missing, people would rather inconveniently no longer die like they were supposed to. Eventually, things would hit critical mass. She just didn’t know when.
The situation was, well, grim, to say the very least. An irony not lost on the girl claiming to be the Death.
339 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 20, 2017
157 people are currently reading
2479 people want to read
About the author
Scott Baron
55 books291 followersScott Baron is an American author with a penchant for oddball stories with O. Henry-esque twists.
Born in Hollywood, Baron credits growing up in Los Angeles with skewing his humor towards the offbeat and absurd. He studied abroad in Italy during his college years, returning to Los Angeles to work in the film industry as an on-set medic. In addition to writing shorts and novels, Baron is also a screenwriter of both feature and television scripts.
Born in Hollywood, Baron credits growing up in Los Angeles with skewing his humor towards the offbeat and absurd. He studied abroad in Italy during his college years, returning to Los Angeles to work in the film industry as an on-set medic. In addition to writing shorts and novels, Baron is also a screenwriter of both feature and television scripts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
July 22, 2018
Living The Good Death is a romantic dark comedy, which is right up my alley, complete with she-death, meet-cutes, some pretty big-wig mythological name drops, and enough mystery to keep the reader guessing.
I confess, I came close to DNF'ing this at about 10% because I just couldn't get into it and wasn't sure where it was heading. About 15% in, it picked up, and I'm glad I didn't give up on it. It's funny (if you're into dark humor) and has a wonderful ending/moral.
Thanks to the author and Edelweiss for a copy of this. (Although, I also apparently purchased it at some point, because I don't know what I'm doing anymore?)
Thoughts:
- Death being female was a nice touch, and I enjoyed seeing her struggle to cope with being human. I mean, trust me, it's a drag. I laughed quite a few times as she discovered things that we take for granted, and I thought this was done well.
- Her meeting with Randy is adorable in its realistic awkwardness. I mean, obviously they're going to be a couple because this is a romantic comedy, but this meet-cute doesn't go quite as planned, and I actually really enjoyed that.
- The cast of characters is interesting and entertaining and made me laugh more times than I can count. The banter was great. I especially loved when Curtis, Randy, and Dorothy/Death were together and the way they exchanged quips. Stein was quite funny, too, though I don't envy the poor guy.
- The drops of supernatural and mystery in the book were well done, I thought, and I liked that there was enough plausibility to really make the reader question what's going on. Is the main character really Death? Or is she Dorothy, the delusional mental ward patient? Who knows? I loved the duality of the book in that way, where everything that happened had two explanations and it could definitely go either way.
- The ending was lovely, and even though I guessed where it was heading, it was still satisfying.
Sticking Points:
- The villain felt very villainy and one-dimensional. There's a backstory to him that was alluded to but not really explored, and even that just adds to his role as a Bad Guy™. 90% of the crap he did was extremely illegal, yet no one called him on his BS. No one reported him. Everybody hated him, and some feared him, but yet nobody actually acted against him ... why? It's not really said. Especially in this day and age with cell phones, I'm not buying that he's getting away with any of this crap.
- The ending fight was anticlimactic ... and not really actually a fight? There's been this big built up between the antagonist and protagonist and mind games and one-upmanship and trying to break each other, and finally, FINALLY, we hit this moment where they're going toe-to-toe ... and then it's over. Just like that. That easily. I understand why and how, but it really left me feeling cheated after all the build-up.
- There are a lot of places where you have to suspend your disbelief (beyond the obvious fantasy aspect), and mine was often stretched past the breaking point. There were aspects of it that were great in its fantasyish-ness, and for the most part, it danced between the real world and the created fantasy world nicely. But there were too many times I felt like I'm just not buying it anymore.
I confess, I came close to DNF'ing this at about 10% because I just couldn't get into it and wasn't sure where it was heading. About 15% in, it picked up, and I'm glad I didn't give up on it. It's funny (if you're into dark humor) and has a wonderful ending/moral.
Thanks to the author and Edelweiss for a copy of this. (Although, I also apparently purchased it at some point, because I don't know what I'm doing anymore?)
Thoughts:
- Death being female was a nice touch, and I enjoyed seeing her struggle to cope with being human. I mean, trust me, it's a drag. I laughed quite a few times as she discovered things that we take for granted, and I thought this was done well.
- Her meeting with Randy is adorable in its realistic awkwardness. I mean, obviously they're going to be a couple because this is a romantic comedy, but this meet-cute doesn't go quite as planned, and I actually really enjoyed that.
- The cast of characters is interesting and entertaining and made me laugh more times than I can count. The banter was great. I especially loved when Curtis, Randy, and Dorothy/Death were together and the way they exchanged quips. Stein was quite funny, too, though I don't envy the poor guy.
- The drops of supernatural and mystery in the book were well done, I thought, and I liked that there was enough plausibility to really make the reader question what's going on. Is the main character really Death? Or is she Dorothy, the delusional mental ward patient? Who knows? I loved the duality of the book in that way, where everything that happened had two explanations and it could definitely go either way.
- The ending was lovely, and even though I guessed where it was heading, it was still satisfying.
Sticking Points:
- The villain felt very villainy and one-dimensional. There's a backstory to him that was alluded to but not really explored, and even that just adds to his role as a Bad Guy™. 90% of the crap he did was extremely illegal, yet no one called him on his BS. No one reported him. Everybody hated him, and some feared him, but yet nobody actually acted against him ... why? It's not really said. Especially in this day and age with cell phones, I'm not buying that he's getting away with any of this crap.
- The ending fight was anticlimactic ... and not really actually a fight? There's been this big built up between the antagonist and protagonist and mind games and one-upmanship and trying to break each other, and finally, FINALLY, we hit this moment where they're going toe-to-toe ... and then it's over. Just like that. That easily. I understand why and how, but it really left me feeling cheated after all the build-up.
- There are a lot of places where you have to suspend your disbelief (beyond the obvious fantasy aspect), and mine was often stretched past the breaking point. There were aspects of it that were great in its fantasyish-ness, and for the most part, it danced between the real world and the created fantasy world nicely. But there were too many times I felt like I'm just not buying it anymore.
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November 21, 2017Request an ARC here: [closed - other review opportunities found here]
January 5, 2018
I was completely unprepared for how much I enjoyed this novel: with a synopsis that just screamed out to be read and themes that mix lighthearted humor, self-discovery, a ‘Cuckoo’s Nest’ like mental hospital and plenty of revelations. Death appears to be a mid-twenties young woman, pale, pretty and very much dedicated to her job. She has a purpose, and thinking further than that isn’t really necessary. Until she tries to use her ‘power’ to take another soul, and wakes face down on the carpet in a flop-house next to a failed suicide.
Far from being a simple ‘how she got back’ story, the road for Death to regain her place in her own realm is not a smooth or easy one. With sense and feeling that reminded me of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’, there is a series of lessons that she must learn about herself, her purpose and the ultimate preciousness that is the gift of life. While she starts her story believing that her purpose is simply that and emotion and regret are wasted – her purpose is clear and anything more isn’t necessary. From her introduction (and acceptance) by a few kindly people (Angela, Randy and Curtis) the frustration in trying to find answers from Pestilence (also a patient in the hospital) and the clear protagonist in Dr. Vaughn, the man who is determined to ‘break her’, she learns to function in the society presented to her, manipulations, escapes and deceptions (all new) as she has opportunities to grab for joy and fun along the way.
With an interesting twist at the end as she learns the purpose of her ‘time as human’ and some truly sweet moments that give proof to the ‘life is a gift’ premise – the story is clever, easy to read and fully engaging. Baron’s writing style is smooth and descriptive, while some of the more emotional components are a bit stilted (much like Death’s itself) as the story progresses they become more tangible. I’ll admit that I was concerned with Baron’s screenwriting history as my experience with books from screenwriters have been problematic and often over-worked, Baron has the ability to convey description, emotion and action without overstep – giving the reader cues to visualize rather than directing the scenes. Want something different and quirky? This is the book for that, leaving you with plenty of unexpected and unforeseen smiles.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via Edelweiss for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Review first appeared at I am, Indeed
Far from being a simple ‘how she got back’ story, the road for Death to regain her place in her own realm is not a smooth or easy one. With sense and feeling that reminded me of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’, there is a series of lessons that she must learn about herself, her purpose and the ultimate preciousness that is the gift of life. While she starts her story believing that her purpose is simply that and emotion and regret are wasted – her purpose is clear and anything more isn’t necessary. From her introduction (and acceptance) by a few kindly people (Angela, Randy and Curtis) the frustration in trying to find answers from Pestilence (also a patient in the hospital) and the clear protagonist in Dr. Vaughn, the man who is determined to ‘break her’, she learns to function in the society presented to her, manipulations, escapes and deceptions (all new) as she has opportunities to grab for joy and fun along the way.
With an interesting twist at the end as she learns the purpose of her ‘time as human’ and some truly sweet moments that give proof to the ‘life is a gift’ premise – the story is clever, easy to read and fully engaging. Baron’s writing style is smooth and descriptive, while some of the more emotional components are a bit stilted (much like Death’s itself) as the story progresses they become more tangible. I’ll admit that I was concerned with Baron’s screenwriting history as my experience with books from screenwriters have been problematic and often over-worked, Baron has the ability to convey description, emotion and action without overstep – giving the reader cues to visualize rather than directing the scenes. Want something different and quirky? This is the book for that, leaving you with plenty of unexpected and unforeseen smiles.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via Edelweiss for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Review first appeared at I am, Indeed
November 13, 2017
This review originally appeared on the book review blog: Just One More Pa(i)ge.
“You know, for a long time I thought every human life was just a clock waiting to run out. No matter what they did, it made no difference. At the end of their time, no one was special, no one was unique, and no matter who they were or what they’d accomplished, they’d all die, just like any other.”
I had never heard of this novel, or author, until a few weeks ago when he emailed to say that he enjoyed my reviews and would I be interested in reading/reviewing a copy of his soon-to-be-published novel about a girl who thinks she is Death. Well, that just sounded a little too intriguing to pass up. Plus, as a still fairly nascent book blogger, I was super flattered regarding the compliments to my reviewing style. (I won’t lie.) So, here we are.
This was definitely an entertaining read. The slightly off-color sense of humor and snarky tone, set before you even start reading by the cover design (which, I have to say, I really enjoy), is consistent throughout the novel. Although at times the writing itself is a little juvenile and forced, at times I did get a little annoyed by the simplicity and didacticism of the internal monologue and the use/repetition of many stock phrases, I think the general feel of the writing stayed on point and created a mood/atmosphere that I definitely liked. The dialogue was inconsistent in its delivery – at times awkward and stilted but at others really natural and on point. Relatedly, I think there are points where the plot flows smoothly and realistically and other times that things happen just a little too conveniently (though after I read the ending, it’s possible that some of that can be explained away…a little). All in all, there was never a point where I got too frustrated to keep reading, I was definitely into the story and the characters, I just think a little more focus on consistency in style and working to ease up on abruptness of transitions/connections would really help.
Regardless of some of those shortcomings, I LOVED that for the entirety of the book, pretty much until the last few pages, it remained unclear whether our protagonist was truly Death or if she really was just a messed-up girl named Dorothy. Like, I cannot say enough good things about how well the author managed to balance the two possibilities. Occasionally we’d be thrown little things like her speaking a phrase of Russian out of the blue or knowing the story of how someone died before she was told, and you’d be like ‘O, ok, she could actually be Death and is just missing her powers.’ And then at other times, all the normal/mundane details would overwhelm those small moments and you’d be back to thinking that they were some kind of fluke or that she got lucky, and she really is just a confused, crazy young Dorothy. The role(s) played by some of the supporting characters, like Curtis, really help prolong this back and forth. This is just such an awesome concept and was executed smoothly and competently, stringing me along (making me want to read faster and faster so I could finally find out) all the way until the end. I also really like that the “lesson” of the story, if you will, is the same no matter which version is true (whether our heroine is actually Death or ‘just’ Dorothy) and that you “learn” it before the final reveal. In line with all that, I think the ending is spot on. I was worried, considering how long the build-up was, that when we finally learned the truth it would be a bit anticlimactic. Well, definitely not the case – it was creative and unexpected and really nicely pulled things together without any of it getting too…mushy/cliched/obvious. Very satisfying.
In the interest of honesty, I also want to say that my least favorite part is the many lofty pronouncements made by the author, about everything from “those damn hipsters” to “trigger happy cops” to “money grubbing board executives” to “youth speaking their slang.” It made it seem like the book was written by a grumpy old man who cannot decide what side of the political spectrum he is on, but handles it by criticizing everyone and everything because nothing is like it used to be anymore. I think the reason it bugged me it’s not like these opinions were all held by one character and that’s just who they were, but instead were attributed widely among the characters and even sometimes were just background details/descriptions. It was just a bit overdone and unrealistic – even if that’s what each character really thought, there is no way they would all express it that straightforwardly and with so much acceptance of the opinions…
Overall, I enjoyed this novel. I was super impressed with the premise and the way it was pulled off – handily accomplished. There were some aspects of the writing itself that I was not as impressed with, but those are much easier to fix (and overlook) than conceptual problems. Definitely a fun read and, if you have a bit of an off kilter humorous side, this story will keep you amused.
I received an ARC of this book from the author, in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for the opportunity!
“You know, for a long time I thought every human life was just a clock waiting to run out. No matter what they did, it made no difference. At the end of their time, no one was special, no one was unique, and no matter who they were or what they’d accomplished, they’d all die, just like any other.”
I had never heard of this novel, or author, until a few weeks ago when he emailed to say that he enjoyed my reviews and would I be interested in reading/reviewing a copy of his soon-to-be-published novel about a girl who thinks she is Death. Well, that just sounded a little too intriguing to pass up. Plus, as a still fairly nascent book blogger, I was super flattered regarding the compliments to my reviewing style. (I won’t lie.) So, here we are.
This was definitely an entertaining read. The slightly off-color sense of humor and snarky tone, set before you even start reading by the cover design (which, I have to say, I really enjoy), is consistent throughout the novel. Although at times the writing itself is a little juvenile and forced, at times I did get a little annoyed by the simplicity and didacticism of the internal monologue and the use/repetition of many stock phrases, I think the general feel of the writing stayed on point and created a mood/atmosphere that I definitely liked. The dialogue was inconsistent in its delivery – at times awkward and stilted but at others really natural and on point. Relatedly, I think there are points where the plot flows smoothly and realistically and other times that things happen just a little too conveniently (though after I read the ending, it’s possible that some of that can be explained away…a little). All in all, there was never a point where I got too frustrated to keep reading, I was definitely into the story and the characters, I just think a little more focus on consistency in style and working to ease up on abruptness of transitions/connections would really help.
Regardless of some of those shortcomings, I LOVED that for the entirety of the book, pretty much until the last few pages, it remained unclear whether our protagonist was truly Death or if she really was just a messed-up girl named Dorothy. Like, I cannot say enough good things about how well the author managed to balance the two possibilities. Occasionally we’d be thrown little things like her speaking a phrase of Russian out of the blue or knowing the story of how someone died before she was told, and you’d be like ‘O, ok, she could actually be Death and is just missing her powers.’ And then at other times, all the normal/mundane details would overwhelm those small moments and you’d be back to thinking that they were some kind of fluke or that she got lucky, and she really is just a confused, crazy young Dorothy. The role(s) played by some of the supporting characters, like Curtis, really help prolong this back and forth. This is just such an awesome concept and was executed smoothly and competently, stringing me along (making me want to read faster and faster so I could finally find out) all the way until the end. I also really like that the “lesson” of the story, if you will, is the same no matter which version is true (whether our heroine is actually Death or ‘just’ Dorothy) and that you “learn” it before the final reveal. In line with all that, I think the ending is spot on. I was worried, considering how long the build-up was, that when we finally learned the truth it would be a bit anticlimactic. Well, definitely not the case – it was creative and unexpected and really nicely pulled things together without any of it getting too…mushy/cliched/obvious. Very satisfying.
In the interest of honesty, I also want to say that my least favorite part is the many lofty pronouncements made by the author, about everything from “those damn hipsters” to “trigger happy cops” to “money grubbing board executives” to “youth speaking their slang.” It made it seem like the book was written by a grumpy old man who cannot decide what side of the political spectrum he is on, but handles it by criticizing everyone and everything because nothing is like it used to be anymore. I think the reason it bugged me it’s not like these opinions were all held by one character and that’s just who they were, but instead were attributed widely among the characters and even sometimes were just background details/descriptions. It was just a bit overdone and unrealistic – even if that’s what each character really thought, there is no way they would all express it that straightforwardly and with so much acceptance of the opinions…
Overall, I enjoyed this novel. I was super impressed with the premise and the way it was pulled off – handily accomplished. There were some aspects of the writing itself that I was not as impressed with, but those are much easier to fix (and overlook) than conceptual problems. Definitely a fun read and, if you have a bit of an off kilter humorous side, this story will keep you amused.
I received an ARC of this book from the author, in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for the opportunity!
September 1, 2023
Look me in the eyes and tell me you wouldn’t have bought this book at Half Priced Books after seeing the Grim Reaper taking a selfie as the cover. You can’t.
In the beginning, I really didn’t think I liked it. It’s a streak of consciousness book with a very wild premise, but after you let yourself succumb to the strange ways of Living The Good Death , it’s a really good book. While I sat there reading, I would sigh and say “this is a really strange book.”, hoping my mother would ask, “why”, but only after me repeating this phrase thrice did she bite. However, after she asked why was it strange, I couldn’t really come up with a coherent answer that didn’t make the book sound like garbage. All of this is to say that it’s a weird book, but it’s good. Like really intriguing. Like I enjoyed it thoroughly even if I was a bit baffled whilst reading.
P.S
I’m not recommending this because some people don’t share my love for strange and weird books.
In the beginning, I really didn’t think I liked it. It’s a streak of consciousness book with a very wild premise, but after you let yourself succumb to the strange ways of Living The Good Death , it’s a really good book. While I sat there reading, I would sigh and say “this is a really strange book.”, hoping my mother would ask, “why”, but only after me repeating this phrase thrice did she bite. However, after she asked why was it strange, I couldn’t really come up with a coherent answer that didn’t make the book sound like garbage. All of this is to say that it’s a weird book, but it’s good. Like really intriguing. Like I enjoyed it thoroughly even if I was a bit baffled whilst reading.
P.S
I’m not recommending this because some people don’t share my love for strange and weird books.
October 13, 2017
This book needs to be a movie! It's perfect! It just sucks you in and you can't help but get mad when Dorothy is wronged, or feel happy/understanding when she discovers coffee!! It's soooo much more than that. Loved it. Love love loved it. It will be one of few books in my collection I will reread over and over.
November 11, 2017
I received an e-ARC from Xpresso Book Tours (http://xpressobooktours.com/) That does not affect my review in any way.
An indication that a reader likes a book is usually shown when this reader exhibits some kind of big emotion while reading that book. For me, it may be clapping in glee or just plain wonder; or laughing loudly or being so scared that I don’t sleep well (I get scared easily).
However, the best books I’ve ever read are those that make me cry (although that’s very weird) Usually, these books are those written with a bit of purple prose here and there. So, it came as a great shock to me that this book with its plain prose could make me feel so much.
The book begins with Death taking a soul. It’s something she has done many times and it’s normal to her. However, this time, while taking the man’s soul from his body, she gets distracted by a man’s pocket watch and in that instant, the soul that had nearly been removed, snaps back.
Death wakes up later in a hotel room dazed, disoriented and sick. She soon realises that her powers are gone. While walking on the street, she visits a “psychic”, informs her that she’s Death and is immediately thrown out. Later, she sees a television screen showing a reporter describing a fatal accident from which no one was severely hurt.
“He even dialed down his smile from full-toothed and gleaming, to the slightly reserved one saved for tragedies and politics, which were often one and the same.”
While staying in an alleyway, she encounters a waitress, Angela who feeds her and takes care of her. However, she leaves and tries to kill herself in order to return to the land of the Dead. This doesn’t work and she’s rescued by Angela again. However, she tries again to kill herself and this time, in the hospital, she stupidly informs the doctor that she’s Death (I can’t blame her; she didn’t understand how Earth works but damn…I was angry at her here. She acted so stupidly)
Anyway, she’s taken to a psychiatric hospital and there, she learns about life and starts to understand what living means.
~ ~ ~ ~
I liked this book a lot. It was a grave book about a girl living in a psychiatric hospital under the scrutiny of a controlling, mad doctor called Doctor Vaughn. And it could be shocking or sad at times. It could also be very funny and sometimes romantic (Death or Dorothy as she was called found a guy)
Curtis is one of the main characters and he’s an occupant of the mental hospital. He also became Dorothy’s best friend and confidant. However, nothing was mentioned about his condition. There was no information about why he was in that hospital.
Randy is another main character who falls in love with Dorothy despite thinking she has mental issues. He’s also tied to her problem in a way. I liked their relationship a lot. There was no insta-love at all. It was a slow burn relationship I really liked.
Death, as Dorothy learns about friendship, hate, abuse and love.
However, there were quite a few unanswered questions. For example, why did the book keep on saying, “the girl who though she was Death.” She actually was Death. Also, the mechanics of the Land of the Dead was never explained. When she was in the mental hospital, she met someone who called himself Pestilence who said,
“It’s YOU! You can’t be here—what if the apocalypse comes? The horsemen can’t ride without YOU!”
There are so many questions about this; who are the horsemen? How did he know her? She didn’t know him. Why didn’t she know him? Don’t they meet in the Dead Land? Isn’t there a contingency plan if Death can’t function? If there was a contingency plan, why didn’t they use it? Did God stop them? Was there a god?
Also, in the quote below, which “others”? How does the reaping soul thing work?
“And if the others were helping reap souls while she was away, just how much time did she have before things got really bad.”
I cried sadly and then, happily at the end. No book has made me cry since I read Tower of Dawn nearly two months ago.
On an unrelated note, the person who made the cover should be fired. It has nothing to do with the plot and doesn’t grasp the seriousness of the book at all. Dorothy didn’t even know how to operate a phone through most of this book. This book needs a new cover. Badly.
~~~I’m however not sure if the people suffering from mental illnesses were represented well. If you have a review about that, please inform me so I can link it here.~~~
Despite the plot holes, I recommend this book with all my heart. I really liked it.
Read more of my reviews at www.stuffedshelvesite.wordpress.com
An indication that a reader likes a book is usually shown when this reader exhibits some kind of big emotion while reading that book. For me, it may be clapping in glee or just plain wonder; or laughing loudly or being so scared that I don’t sleep well (I get scared easily).
However, the best books I’ve ever read are those that make me cry (although that’s very weird) Usually, these books are those written with a bit of purple prose here and there. So, it came as a great shock to me that this book with its plain prose could make me feel so much.
The book begins with Death taking a soul. It’s something she has done many times and it’s normal to her. However, this time, while taking the man’s soul from his body, she gets distracted by a man’s pocket watch and in that instant, the soul that had nearly been removed, snaps back.
Death wakes up later in a hotel room dazed, disoriented and sick. She soon realises that her powers are gone. While walking on the street, she visits a “psychic”, informs her that she’s Death and is immediately thrown out. Later, she sees a television screen showing a reporter describing a fatal accident from which no one was severely hurt.
“He even dialed down his smile from full-toothed and gleaming, to the slightly reserved one saved for tragedies and politics, which were often one and the same.”
While staying in an alleyway, she encounters a waitress, Angela who feeds her and takes care of her. However, she leaves and tries to kill herself in order to return to the land of the Dead. This doesn’t work and she’s rescued by Angela again. However, she tries again to kill herself and this time, in the hospital, she stupidly informs the doctor that she’s Death (I can’t blame her; she didn’t understand how Earth works but damn…I was angry at her here. She acted so stupidly)
Anyway, she’s taken to a psychiatric hospital and there, she learns about life and starts to understand what living means.
~ ~ ~ ~
I liked this book a lot. It was a grave book about a girl living in a psychiatric hospital under the scrutiny of a controlling, mad doctor called Doctor Vaughn. And it could be shocking or sad at times. It could also be very funny and sometimes romantic (Death or Dorothy as she was called found a guy)
Curtis is one of the main characters and he’s an occupant of the mental hospital. He also became Dorothy’s best friend and confidant. However, nothing was mentioned about his condition. There was no information about why he was in that hospital.
Randy is another main character who falls in love with Dorothy despite thinking she has mental issues. He’s also tied to her problem in a way. I liked their relationship a lot. There was no insta-love at all. It was a slow burn relationship I really liked.
Death, as Dorothy learns about friendship, hate, abuse and love.
However, there were quite a few unanswered questions. For example, why did the book keep on saying, “the girl who though she was Death.” She actually was Death. Also, the mechanics of the Land of the Dead was never explained. When she was in the mental hospital, she met someone who called himself Pestilence who said,
“It’s YOU! You can’t be here—what if the apocalypse comes? The horsemen can’t ride without YOU!”
There are so many questions about this; who are the horsemen? How did he know her? She didn’t know him. Why didn’t she know him? Don’t they meet in the Dead Land? Isn’t there a contingency plan if Death can’t function? If there was a contingency plan, why didn’t they use it? Did God stop them? Was there a god?
Also, in the quote below, which “others”? How does the reaping soul thing work?
“And if the others were helping reap souls while she was away, just how much time did she have before things got really bad.”
I cried sadly and then, happily at the end. No book has made me cry since I read Tower of Dawn nearly two months ago.
On an unrelated note, the person who made the cover should be fired. It has nothing to do with the plot and doesn’t grasp the seriousness of the book at all. Dorothy didn’t even know how to operate a phone through most of this book. This book needs a new cover. Badly.
~~~I’m however not sure if the people suffering from mental illnesses were represented well. If you have a review about that, please inform me so I can link it here.~~~
Despite the plot holes, I recommend this book with all my heart. I really liked it.
Read more of my reviews at www.stuffedshelvesite.wordpress.com
November 20, 2017
Living the good death by Scott Baron a five-star read that will make you glad to be alive and reading. This is my first read by this author and I am so glad I took a chance and read it, it’s been on my kindle for a little while and I kept putting it off as I was wondering if the book would be as good as the blurb and cover. It was so much better, if the paperback was cheaper I would be buying everyone it for Christmas presents as I know loads of people would ignore the book as it’s a fantasy genre and they don’t read that genre and Its so much better than a simple genre. This is my favourite book in this genre, I am going to be banging on about this author to everyone I know!!
This story was so unexpected, there were parts that touched your soul one minute and then a minute later you would be laughing so loud you ran the risk of leaking, you may also eak from other body parts but that’s a different matter. If you read one book this year make it this one!! Please, it’s got something for everyone.
This story was so unexpected, there were parts that touched your soul one minute and then a minute later you would be laughing so loud you ran the risk of leaking, you may also eak from other body parts but that’s a different matter. If you read one book this year make it this one!! Please, it’s got something for everyone.
December 5, 2017
I enjoyed reading this story about death. There have been several books published recently about the grim reaper being a woman and this is a nice addition to that list. It was a little darker than I anticipated from reading the blurb I thought it would be a little more humorous. I liked the adding a few mythological creature throughout the story. Much of the story is set in a psych ward of a hospital and it is a little depressing with touches of suicide and attempted rape. A good fantasy comes to life on the pages of Scott Baron's book. Never read him before and this was a pretty good introduction.
February 20, 2018
I received this book in exchange for my honest review:
I did not care for this book at all. For one, it seemed confusing and rather dragging. The second was there should be some kind of trigger warning or something as there are ( SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALART ) multiple suicide attempts, which I didn't like either. The premise seemed good, but for me the writing seemed rushed and it just wasn't very cohesive for me.
I did not care for this book at all. For one, it seemed confusing and rather dragging. The second was there should be some kind of trigger warning or something as there are ( SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALART ) multiple suicide attempts, which I didn't like either. The premise seemed good, but for me the writing seemed rushed and it just wasn't very cohesive for me.
October 10, 2025
3.75 rounded up to 4.
Not gonna lie, this really surprised me. The first chapter was kind of rough but I was glad I really pushed through! The story evolved and developed really nicely. I love every adventure that Dorothy and Curtis went on. It did get romance-centric in the middle and it felt whirlwind but also what do we expect from the girl who thinks she's Death (man, I love this line so much). This was such a fun and cozy read. Definitely recommend!
Not gonna lie, this really surprised me. The first chapter was kind of rough but I was glad I really pushed through! The story evolved and developed really nicely. I love every adventure that Dorothy and Curtis went on. It did get romance-centric in the middle and it felt whirlwind but also what do we expect from the girl who thinks she's Death (man, I love this line so much). This was such a fun and cozy read. Definitely recommend!
November 10, 2017
Scott Baron is a master storyteller.
Never a dull moment. He has re-kindled my love of literature.
Living the Good Death, by Scott Baron is a fantasy novel unlike any other. Imagine being Death, but having been robbed of your supernatural abilities. The girl who thinks she is death (AKA Dorothy) finds herself stranded in the world of the living with no power, money, and no way to return to the realm of the dead. There’s only one thing for it- she must die!
I found myself drawn in from the start with the idea of this young, waif like girl being Death, reaper of souls. I didn’t know how to feel at first: part of me wanted to laugh at the irony and another part felt terrified for this poor, lost girl. Without a real name for a good half of the book, our heroine was lent an air of mystery tat I found most intriguing.
At first, our protagonist appeared rather rude and hasty in her interactions with others, but this soon calmed as she spent more time in the company of others. After several failed suicide attempts, young Death / Dorothy, or however you would like to refer to her, begins to form some unique human attachments. We see her blossom into a determined and somewhat unlikely hero as she helps to shape the world into a better place.
What I loved most about the book is the relationship that formed between Dorothy, Randy (an art dealer), and Curtis (an eccentric mental patient.) All three interacted like old friends and formed a bond stronger than most I’ve seen in real life. Their witty banter and acceptance of each-other uplifted me, restoring some of my faith in humanity.
The only thing I found myself disliking came in the form of Doctor Vaughan, lead psychiatrist at Camview Mental Hospital, where Dorothy first meets Curtis. Vaughan’s sadistic methods of discipline and ridiculous obsession with magic make him an interesting, yet despicable villain.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Living the Good Death. It was well written, with an elegant style that held my attention. The author articulates his thoughts well and surprises us on multiple occasions with bursts of action and suspense.
Best book I’ve read this season!
Easily 5 stars.
Recommended for lovers of young adult and fantasy books.
Never a dull moment. He has re-kindled my love of literature.
Living the Good Death, by Scott Baron is a fantasy novel unlike any other. Imagine being Death, but having been robbed of your supernatural abilities. The girl who thinks she is death (AKA Dorothy) finds herself stranded in the world of the living with no power, money, and no way to return to the realm of the dead. There’s only one thing for it- she must die!
I found myself drawn in from the start with the idea of this young, waif like girl being Death, reaper of souls. I didn’t know how to feel at first: part of me wanted to laugh at the irony and another part felt terrified for this poor, lost girl. Without a real name for a good half of the book, our heroine was lent an air of mystery tat I found most intriguing.
At first, our protagonist appeared rather rude and hasty in her interactions with others, but this soon calmed as she spent more time in the company of others. After several failed suicide attempts, young Death / Dorothy, or however you would like to refer to her, begins to form some unique human attachments. We see her blossom into a determined and somewhat unlikely hero as she helps to shape the world into a better place.
What I loved most about the book is the relationship that formed between Dorothy, Randy (an art dealer), and Curtis (an eccentric mental patient.) All three interacted like old friends and formed a bond stronger than most I’ve seen in real life. Their witty banter and acceptance of each-other uplifted me, restoring some of my faith in humanity.
The only thing I found myself disliking came in the form of Doctor Vaughan, lead psychiatrist at Camview Mental Hospital, where Dorothy first meets Curtis. Vaughan’s sadistic methods of discipline and ridiculous obsession with magic make him an interesting, yet despicable villain.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Living the Good Death. It was well written, with an elegant style that held my attention. The author articulates his thoughts well and surprises us on multiple occasions with bursts of action and suspense.
Best book I’ve read this season!
Easily 5 stars.
Recommended for lovers of young adult and fantasy books.
October 16, 2017
What a fun weekend read. I ignored all my chores so that I could find out: is she a madwoman or is she Death? Well balanced writing kept me going back and forth between the two. Not all the plotting was perfect, but I didn't care. I laughed, I cried. I love the cover; if you like the cover as well, you'll probably like the book.
October 27, 2017
Received in a Goodreads giveaway.
Wow. At first, it wasn't what I expected at all. I loved the mythical creatures sprinkled throughout the book. Especially the three greek ladies. The ending had to be my favorite. You'd think it'd be one of those depressing endings where he kills himself and leaves his little girl all alone but nope! Everything tied together great.
Wow. At first, it wasn't what I expected at all. I loved the mythical creatures sprinkled throughout the book. Especially the three greek ladies. The ending had to be my favorite. You'd think it'd be one of those depressing endings where he kills himself and leaves his little girl all alone but nope! Everything tied together great.
January 21, 2018
(
I voluntarily received a ARC of this book
)
Living the Good Death by Scott Baron was an okay read, that for me could have been more exciting if the pacing was faster and the filler cut short.
Not my favourite-est read of the year, in truth I was disappoint. The opening was spot on, it was solid and it really draws you in. It was going good until Death found herself in the psych ward. Things slowed down, and it for me, dragged on. There was too many mundane things going on, to many day-to-day filler scenes that clogged the flow of the story. It was made apparent at the first of the story when death lost her powers that, is was a hug crisis. Okay, I got that, so when you have a plot set-up like that, you need it to move at a certain pace, to keep that sense of urgency up. So when the story started to slow, so did that urgency and well, for me, the middle of the book was boring. It wasn't until towards the end that things starting to pick up again, and really sucked me back in.
I did like the back and forth, the unsureness if the Death was in fact that; the reaper of souls, or a mentally disturbed girl named Dorothy. The inns and outs of that really made this story unique and kept you on your toes. Unfortunately, because of the pacing, and filler, I wasn't as shock with the ending as I should have been. Drawing it out, put to many clues and well, you could say this story shots it's self in the foot.
Now overall this is a very good story. The writing was professional, clean and the tone did match the plot. There are some really good things going on here, and it's just a shame that it got pushed aside for, I'll say it again, filler. Filler will kill a good book, this applies for TV shows, and Movies as well. If you ever watch anime, then you know about filler and how it can destroy something amazing.
I believe another round of editing will make this okay story, into something magical.
Now just because I didn't quite get into this book, doesn't mean I don't want you to check it out. Like I said the writing is beautiful, and there are no plots holes, then ending is tied up nicely and you are left with some good feels. So yes I do recommend you give this book a read. This review is strictly my person opinion, so what I don't like you might love.
Happy Reading
-E.A. Walsh
Living the Good Death by Scott Baron was an okay read, that for me could have been more exciting if the pacing was faster and the filler cut short.
Not my favourite-est read of the year, in truth I was disappoint. The opening was spot on, it was solid and it really draws you in. It was going good until Death found herself in the psych ward. Things slowed down, and it for me, dragged on. There was too many mundane things going on, to many day-to-day filler scenes that clogged the flow of the story. It was made apparent at the first of the story when death lost her powers that, is was a hug crisis. Okay, I got that, so when you have a plot set-up like that, you need it to move at a certain pace, to keep that sense of urgency up. So when the story started to slow, so did that urgency and well, for me, the middle of the book was boring. It wasn't until towards the end that things starting to pick up again, and really sucked me back in.
I did like the back and forth, the unsureness if the Death was in fact that; the reaper of souls, or a mentally disturbed girl named Dorothy. The inns and outs of that really made this story unique and kept you on your toes. Unfortunately, because of the pacing, and filler, I wasn't as shock with the ending as I should have been. Drawing it out, put to many clues and well, you could say this story shots it's self in the foot.
Now overall this is a very good story. The writing was professional, clean and the tone did match the plot. There are some really good things going on here, and it's just a shame that it got pushed aside for, I'll say it again, filler. Filler will kill a good book, this applies for TV shows, and Movies as well. If you ever watch anime, then you know about filler and how it can destroy something amazing.
I believe another round of editing will make this okay story, into something magical.
Now just because I didn't quite get into this book, doesn't mean I don't want you to check it out. Like I said the writing is beautiful, and there are no plots holes, then ending is tied up nicely and you are left with some good feels. So yes I do recommend you give this book a read. This review is strictly my person opinion, so what I don't like you might love.
Happy Reading
-E.A. Walsh
November 10, 2018
Living the Good Death by Scott Baron
The girl who thought she was Death is having a very bad time. She has no idea if she has done something wrong to be banished to a human form when she awakens on a dirty carpet in a low rent motel with a foggy memory. She has tried to off herself in different ways and fails miserably each time to die. Her last attempt was the most horrific and landed her in a not so modern psych facility that needs patients to maintain their bottom line. It often frustrated Doctor Vaughan, head of the institution, to work inside certain reputable guidelines. He assigns the girl who thought she was Death the name of Dorothy who is an escapee from a facility out west.
The cast of quirky characters inside and outside of the institution are well developed and diverse. The story is unique, mostly entertaining, and a bit dark. There are a few times non-vital information was repeated, which made the story quite wordy. I felt like Randy and Andrea were cheated by being used as pawns in the story. And who the hell was Curtis? Was he a pawn as well, being used by a higher power to teach a lesson to Death? As you can probably feel by now I was a little disappointed in the way the story played out in the end. But that doesn’t mean it’s a bad story. This is just my opinion.
FYI: There are a few F-bombs. **Originally written for "BigAl’s Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy.** Friday, October 26, 2018
Format/Typo Issues: A small number of proofing issues.
The girl who thought she was Death is having a very bad time. She has no idea if she has done something wrong to be banished to a human form when she awakens on a dirty carpet in a low rent motel with a foggy memory. She has tried to off herself in different ways and fails miserably each time to die. Her last attempt was the most horrific and landed her in a not so modern psych facility that needs patients to maintain their bottom line. It often frustrated Doctor Vaughan, head of the institution, to work inside certain reputable guidelines. He assigns the girl who thought she was Death the name of Dorothy who is an escapee from a facility out west.
The cast of quirky characters inside and outside of the institution are well developed and diverse. The story is unique, mostly entertaining, and a bit dark. There are a few times non-vital information was repeated, which made the story quite wordy. I felt like Randy and Andrea were cheated by being used as pawns in the story. And who the hell was Curtis? Was he a pawn as well, being used by a higher power to teach a lesson to Death? As you can probably feel by now I was a little disappointed in the way the story played out in the end. But that doesn’t mean it’s a bad story. This is just my opinion.
FYI: There are a few F-bombs. **Originally written for "BigAl’s Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy.** Friday, October 26, 2018
Format/Typo Issues: A small number of proofing issues.
January 10, 2019
Disclaimer: I was given this book for free by the author as part of the Library Thing Member Giveaway (LTMG) program for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book. It is a much slower pace than what I usually read, but I was captivated the whole way through due to great character development and a good story that left me wondering is Death who she really claims to be or is it all in her head. I found that I really liked Death aka Dorothy, Curtis, Angela and Randy. As can be expected, I did not like Doctor Vaughan or Stan. The author did a great job with making you feel empathy for the characters in the mental hospital while hoping that the less than ethical medical staff would get caught in the act. I think the most enjoyable part is the second half of the book and this is where I couldn't put it down and had to finish it. Death aka Dorothy really came in to her own and you finally get to see who she really is. I enjoyed the side character Curtis and loved that he was always looking out for Dorothy. I also like that the story had happy and sad moments in it and I loved how the story finally ended.
I really enjoyed this book. It is a much slower pace than what I usually read, but I was captivated the whole way through due to great character development and a good story that left me wondering is Death who she really claims to be or is it all in her head. I found that I really liked Death aka Dorothy, Curtis, Angela and Randy. As can be expected, I did not like Doctor Vaughan or Stan. The author did a great job with making you feel empathy for the characters in the mental hospital while hoping that the less than ethical medical staff would get caught in the act. I think the most enjoyable part is the second half of the book and this is where I couldn't put it down and had to finish it. Death aka Dorothy really came in to her own and you finally get to see who she really is. I enjoyed the side character Curtis and loved that he was always looking out for Dorothy. I also like that the story had happy and sad moments in it and I loved how the story finally ended.
September 25, 2017
*** Transparency alert - I did receive this as an ARC. But that has zero impact on how absolutely great this book is ***
Honestly, this is going to be a hard review to write while also avoiding spoilers. I'll try, but if I fail I'll warn you.
This book is a silly, but also deep, emotional but fun roller coaster. I was laughing so much through the entire thing, and then that twist came in and... let it be known, Scott is a king of twists that you would never suspect. And this one was even more unexpected than the others!
The characters are well thought out and lovely, the setting feels real a lot of the time, and the entire plot is just interesting. I mean, how many other books in this world focus on a girl who thinks she's Death? It's such an interesting situation, and an absolute joy to travel through.
If there's anything I can pick on, the ending was a bit rushed. But that might just be me going "wait... it's over??" and not being ready for it to end.
Basically, if it sounds interesting to you, you should read it. It's a great book.
Honestly, this is going to be a hard review to write while also avoiding spoilers. I'll try, but if I fail I'll warn you.
This book is a silly, but also deep, emotional but fun roller coaster. I was laughing so much through the entire thing, and then that twist came in and... let it be known, Scott is a king of twists that you would never suspect. And this one was even more unexpected than the others!
The characters are well thought out and lovely, the setting feels real a lot of the time, and the entire plot is just interesting. I mean, how many other books in this world focus on a girl who thinks she's Death? It's such an interesting situation, and an absolute joy to travel through.
If there's anything I can pick on, the ending was a bit rushed. But that might just be me going "wait... it's over??" and not being ready for it to end.
Basically, if it sounds interesting to you, you should read it. It's a great book.
September 18, 2017
Well, knock me sideways and call me Mary...
I was not expecting that!
I've never read anything by this author but I can assure you, if the rest of his work is this good then I'm going to be his new biggest fan!
Initially I was sucked in by the cover (go ahead and judge me, I don't care!) Then I read the blurb. After having read some pretty blah books lately, Living The Good Death sounded like it would be a nice easy read to get me back in the swing of things.
Boy! Right from the get go I was swinging like Miley Cyrus on that wrecking ball of hers!
I was immediately pulled into the world of the girl who thought she was death and her long list of companions. Everything about this book had me smiling. Until the end and I am not afraid to admit that my eyes started leaking a little bit.
There is a bit of everything in this book to keep fans of all genres happy. A thoroughly well written and immensely entertaining read!
I was not expecting that!
I've never read anything by this author but I can assure you, if the rest of his work is this good then I'm going to be his new biggest fan!
Initially I was sucked in by the cover (go ahead and judge me, I don't care!) Then I read the blurb. After having read some pretty blah books lately, Living The Good Death sounded like it would be a nice easy read to get me back in the swing of things.
Boy! Right from the get go I was swinging like Miley Cyrus on that wrecking ball of hers!
I was immediately pulled into the world of the girl who thought she was death and her long list of companions. Everything about this book had me smiling. Until the end and I am not afraid to admit that my eyes started leaking a little bit.
There is a bit of everything in this book to keep fans of all genres happy. A thoroughly well written and immensely entertaining read!
November 24, 2017
*ARC was given by the author in exchange for an honest review.*
SPOILER REVIEW
Forever is today, but forever.
I had high hopes and a different expectation for this book. I got disappointed because it wasn't what I expected, and other factors too.
What I expected:
1. It would be humorous and colorful
2. The setting will be in different locations
What actually happened:
1. It was quite dark
2. Yeah the story took her to different locations but it's mostly based in the Psych Ward and I don't know why but those places give me the creeps.
3. The story was too long. It took me a while to finish this book because there are just so many events happening. I understand it's part of her adventure but the story could have worked without the unnecessary scenes.
4. The book ended without properly explaining what lesson the main character had to learn.
It's not the worst read in my 2017 reading list but it could come in second.
SPOILER REVIEW
Forever is today, but forever.
I had high hopes and a different expectation for this book. I got disappointed because it wasn't what I expected, and other factors too.
What I expected:
1. It would be humorous and colorful
2. The setting will be in different locations
What actually happened:
1. It was quite dark
2. Yeah the story took her to different locations but it's mostly based in the Psych Ward and I don't know why but those places give me the creeps.
3. The story was too long. It took me a while to finish this book because there are just so many events happening. I understand it's part of her adventure but the story could have worked without the unnecessary scenes.
4. The book ended without properly explaining what lesson the main character had to learn.
It's not the worst read in my 2017 reading list but it could come in second.
October 8, 2017
I have never read anything by this author but the synopsis really caught my interest.
A girl who thinks she’s death finds herself human and in a psychiatric ward.
The story was unique and interesting. The characters are well developed and likeable. The writing style is engaging and well paced.
Parts of the story felt very real and touching, especially some of the psych ward scenes but some had me laughing out loud, like the cotton candy scene with Curtis (you’ll know it when you get there).
Well worth a read and I would definitely read more from this author. If you are looking for something a little bit different I would recommend giving this a go!
The author kindly provided a copy in exchange for an honest review.
A girl who thinks she’s death finds herself human and in a psychiatric ward.
The story was unique and interesting. The characters are well developed and likeable. The writing style is engaging and well paced.
Parts of the story felt very real and touching, especially some of the psych ward scenes but some had me laughing out loud, like the cotton candy scene with Curtis (you’ll know it when you get there).
Well worth a read and I would definitely read more from this author. If you are looking for something a little bit different I would recommend giving this a go!
The author kindly provided a copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 29, 2017
Totally AMAZING!!!
This book is absolutley fantastic! This is a "must read book"!! It has a really great story. I tried the hole book to figure out how it would end, during the time I went on all emotions I think. This book is funny, exciting, sad, funny, makes you hate some characters and laugh out load at some.
The story has an unusal storyline witch I liked. I cant put it in one genre because it moves over a lot of genres. Sometimes it is so real that you feel like you read a memoair. That means, what ever genre you preferd you will love the book.
It's a story that would be a great movie and with Christmas coming closer, it is a perfect Christmas present that you can buy to everyone over 15.
This book is absolutley fantastic! This is a "must read book"!! It has a really great story. I tried the hole book to figure out how it would end, during the time I went on all emotions I think. This book is funny, exciting, sad, funny, makes you hate some characters and laugh out load at some.
The story has an unusal storyline witch I liked. I cant put it in one genre because it moves over a lot of genres. Sometimes it is so real that you feel like you read a memoair. That means, what ever genre you preferd you will love the book.
It's a story that would be a great movie and with Christmas coming closer, it is a perfect Christmas present that you can buy to everyone over 15.
October 6, 2017
"I did receive an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review"
I can happily say that this book was amazing! The Synopsis for the book just makes it seem very much more complicated then it is. I was dragged into the book in the first 50 pages, and even if the book had a slow pace it never became really boring. Sure I may have jumped over some sentences some times but that always happens when a book is 900+ pages long right? The book deals with mental illness in an deep but still funny way. It left me thinking about death for the left of the night again. Even the mentally ill characters where amazingly done and you could not help but to like them, a lot.
Full review on my blog:http://bookhacker.weebly.com
I can happily say that this book was amazing! The Synopsis for the book just makes it seem very much more complicated then it is. I was dragged into the book in the first 50 pages, and even if the book had a slow pace it never became really boring. Sure I may have jumped over some sentences some times but that always happens when a book is 900+ pages long right? The book deals with mental illness in an deep but still funny way. It left me thinking about death for the left of the night again. Even the mentally ill characters where amazingly done and you could not help but to like them, a lot.
Full review on my blog:http://bookhacker.weebly.com
April 20, 2018
I won this book from the Goodreads giveaways. I finally won a book! Hooray!
I loved the first few chapters of this book and was really excited about the story since it seemed like a very unique story. However, I didn't find many of the characters very likable, so I had a hard time getting through the book. The story is centered on the nameless "girl who thought she was death" (a.k.a. the Grim Reaper), who ends up in a psych ward. I liked that the book had the reader questioning who the girl really was, but the phrase "the girl who thought she was death" was used over 40 times in the book and it started to really grate on my nerves. Many of the plot points seemed completely unrealistic to me. I don't usually mind when books aren't totally realistic, but the events in this book were very unbelievable, which made me not really care about the story or the characters.
As I said above, the book had a really unique plot and I think it could have been much more fun to read, but the unrealistic characters and the strange ending left me wanting a lot more.
I loved the first few chapters of this book and was really excited about the story since it seemed like a very unique story. However, I didn't find many of the characters very likable, so I had a hard time getting through the book. The story is centered on the nameless "girl who thought she was death" (a.k.a. the Grim Reaper), who ends up in a psych ward. I liked that the book had the reader questioning who the girl really was, but the phrase "the girl who thought she was death" was used over 40 times in the book and it started to really grate on my nerves. Many of the plot points seemed completely unrealistic to me. I don't usually mind when books aren't totally realistic, but the events in this book were very unbelievable, which made me not really care about the story or the characters.
As I said above, the book had a really unique plot and I think it could have been much more fun to read, but the unrealistic characters and the strange ending left me wanting a lot more.
September 15, 2017
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I was expecting the typical goofiness that I have previously read from this author. Honestly, it was a silly story, but a really well told and intriguing one. A little whimsy, fantasy, and love. I found it hard to put down once I started. I really wanted to know why Death was the way she was. The ending was perfect and not rushed. Really, a great story!
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I was expecting the typical goofiness that I have previously read from this author. Honestly, it was a silly story, but a really well told and intriguing one. A little whimsy, fantasy, and love. I found it hard to put down once I started. I really wanted to know why Death was the way she was. The ending was perfect and not rushed. Really, a great story!
November 9, 2017
Thank you GoodReads for this copy of Living the Good Death, a fun win in one of your book giveaways.
I'd give the book 3 1/2 stars - concept of the book was interesting, the grim reaper in the form of a snarky millennial who just might or might not be an escaped mental patient. The story itself flowed well, and I enjoyed the read, though the writing itself at times faltered. I am not sure if it was the over descriptive prose at the beginning or the commentary asides the writer threw in that threw the pace off somewhat. All in all I liked the story, I liked the characters, I liked the message at the end.
I'd give the book 3 1/2 stars - concept of the book was interesting, the grim reaper in the form of a snarky millennial who just might or might not be an escaped mental patient. The story itself flowed well, and I enjoyed the read, though the writing itself at times faltered. I am not sure if it was the over descriptive prose at the beginning or the commentary asides the writer threw in that threw the pace off somewhat. All in all I liked the story, I liked the characters, I liked the message at the end.
November 25, 2017
Loved it!
Utterly original story of Death catching a bad break (or is it?) and becoming mortal. Sure enough psychiatric hospital is not the best setting for Death to regain her powers and a psychopath doctor in charge makes things totally miserable especially when romantic feelings get involved....
Utterly original story of Death catching a bad break (or is it?) and becoming mortal. Sure enough psychiatric hospital is not the best setting for Death to regain her powers and a psychopath doctor in charge makes things totally miserable especially when romantic feelings get involved....
June 4, 2019
Not what I was expecting.
Fresh from the Bad Luck Charlie stories I was expecting more quirk. Great story, truly hateful baddies, and the good guys are fun loving nice people who are trying to do the right things. I really like Death, her quirky (insane?) friends, but I sort of fell apart over the ending.
Fresh from the Bad Luck Charlie stories I was expecting more quirk. Great story, truly hateful baddies, and the good guys are fun loving nice people who are trying to do the right things. I really like Death, her quirky (insane?) friends, but I sort of fell apart over the ending.
July 13, 2022
This is a super fun story about a young woman who believes she is Death incarnate. I love how Baron leaves the mystery hanging until the end of the book, when he wraps everything into a nice bow for the reader. If you're looking for a nice, light read, something easy and entertaining, this is the perfect book.
August 17, 2025
Simply delightful with an inspiring message.
I could easily see this book being adapted into a film. Curtis was definitely an interesting side character. Also enjoyed the subtle uses of Greek mythology intermixed with references to characters from the book of Revelations.
Solid writing. The ending really brought it all together.
I could easily see this book being adapted into a film. Curtis was definitely an interesting side character. Also enjoyed the subtle uses of Greek mythology intermixed with references to characters from the book of Revelations.
Solid writing. The ending really brought it all together.
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