A Demon's Guide to the Afterlife - The Complete Series

A Demon's Guide to the Afterlife #1-3

by Kel Carpenter, Aurelia Jane, Eva Wolf

Don't get me wrong, waking up to discover my ex-husband finally killed me wasn't fun. Finding out I had to get a job and pay Afterlife taxes about ten minutes later?
Let's just say, this wasn't exactly the eternal reward I was hoping for. But beggars can't be choosers, and being a demon sure as hell beats my last occupation.
I’m well on my way to retirement behind the pearly gates when the impossible happens. The Risk Witches have a vision.

A savage shifter that can't control his wolf.
An ancient fae lord that's forgotten what it means to feel.
A playboy vampire king with a secret.

Three alpha's will inherit unspeakable power. Each of them scarred. Too broken to be tamed . . .
Upper Management sent their best to 'fix' them. Angels. Poltergeists. Nothing worked.

So now it's my turn, whether I like it or not.
But unfortunately for me, failure is not an option with these guys.

Combined, they have enough power to end the world—and they will.
Unless I find a way to stop them first.

Breaking people is my job. But this time...my job might break me.

Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Audiobook, Reverse Harem, Shapeshifters, Romantasy

937 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 18, 2023

About the author

Kel Carpenter is a master of werdz. When she’s not reading or writing, she’s traveling the world, lovingly pestering her co-author, and spending time with her family. She is always on the search for good tacos and the best pizza. She resides in Maryland and desperately tries to avoid the traffic.

For subrights or media and film inquiries, please reach out to kel@kelcarpenter.com.

Reviews

[Sadie Forsythe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh, this was OK. I picked the first one up as an Amazon freebie and, on finishing it, bought the compilation in order to finish the series. The thing is, I bought the series because book one had potential, not necessarily because it was especially good. Unfortunately, the potential never developed.

The series isn't bad; I never wanted to DNF it. But it never got good, either. I was never excited to pick it back up or missing it if I was away. It just coasts along at mediocre, always just barely good enough to keep you reading. But no better.

I liked that Fury had a backbone and a sense of justice. I liked a lot of the characters. However, from very early on, it was evident that Fury had a serious case of being too powerful and, therefore, too arrogant, and nothing provided a believable challenge for her. That only got worse as the series progressed, and she got progressively more powerful.

I also felt like all of the men were just caricatures. I never felt that I got to know them beyond the surface and the villain even less. The whole thing was also just unbelievably predictable.

All in all, as I said, this was an OK read. I don't regret it. But I'm glad to be finished, too.

[Jo Barnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I though this series was really good. I needed something light and this was perfect!
Fury is a bad ass demon who ends up in the upper world trying to avoid the end of the world by 3 supernaturals. When she meets them, it turns out she is all 3 of their mates - I am not usually into this kind of story, but with all the banter and other exciting plot twists it worked and I really enjoyed it.
I feel like the ending was a bit flat, but maybe I just wanted the story to carry on.
The narrators on this were brilliant as always.

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook version and I highly recommend it as both the narrators were so good at this that I actually looked them up to find new reads.

This is actually a trilogy and when listened to together you wouldn't know it. The authors did a great job of pulling the entire thing together.

The only caveat for me was not getting more development in a relationships. We got to know them a little bit by the end of the series but not in a way that made you feel satiated with the story. I'd love to have an offshoot of another challenge just to see how the interaction between the male mates goes.

10 out of 10 banter though, and highly recommend this for a spicy entertaining read. and a lot of laugh out loud moments especially in the third book

[Lena · Rating 3 out of 5]

🌟 ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘: about an even 3

🤔 𝕀𝕞𝕡𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕤𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕤: I'm reviewing this series as a whole instead of each individual book. I really liked this trilogy. It wasn't groundbreaking, but not everything has to be. It was written well, I got a lot of laughs, and it didn't take itself too seriously, which definitely helped it go down easy. They were quick reads and the story was pretty compelling. I won't say it wasn't predictable; there were times I could see what was about to happen, but there were also enough surprises to keep it light and interesting. The one thing that stood out to me was that we didn't get a lot of character development for Ezra or Roman. Dorian seemed to be the MMC moreso than the other two, and honestly he was my least favorite. Ezra and Roman both had backstories that would explain their current personalities, and as a reader, you want to watch them and Fury fall in love and heal their hearts. Dorian's backstory was also tragic, but it didn't seem to make as much of a difference for him for some reason. I enjoyed seeing the world through Fury's eyes, though she was the epitome of "overpowered." If she'd been a videogame boss, I'd have quit twenty minutes in. There were a lot of characters to keep track of and that got a little messy, but I enjoyed their dynamics.

🎧 𝔸𝕦𝕕𝕚𝕠𝕓𝕠𝕠𝕜: Savannah Gilmore and Adam Gold. My first listen for both of these narrators and they were both really, really great. I could easily differentiate their characters and 99% of the time, they did a great job matching their voices to each character. The ONE exception was Hades. Adam did a much lighter, sassier Hades than Savannah did and that was a little weird. (I preferred Adam's Hades, personally.)

🌶️ 𝕊𝕡𝕚𝕔𝕖: Pretty good. Not phenomenal. If you started a smutty bingo drinking game and added the phrases "my lips parted" or "...at the apex of my thighs" you might die of alcohol poisoning, though.

🧠 𝔸𝕝𝕝 𝕀𝕟 𝔸𝕝𝕝: Again, didn't take itself seriously and that was appreciated. Whether or not that was the authors' intention, I don't know. But it made for a fun ride and the world building of their afterlife was very interesting.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Death, Demons, and Disappointment in the Spice Cabinet

So apparently you can die, go to the Afterlife, and still get slapped with a full-time job and taxes. Welcome to literal Hell — and honestly? I was cackling.

Fury, our main girl, wakes up dead and is immediately drafted into demon HR. Her job? Crushing broken souls into submission. But not only does she crush them — she rebuilds them. She’s got the highest rate of non-reoffenders in the Afterlife and is basically a legend in demonic rehab. She's sarcastic, driven, and one job away from demon retirement when Upper Management drops the ultimate prophecy bomb on her.

Enter:
🩸 A playboy vampire king with baggage
🐺 A savage shifter whose wolf is always one snarl from snapping
🧚‍♂️ A fae lord so emotionally frozen he makes icebergs look warm

Together, they’re prophesied to destroy the world unless Fury can “fix” them. What could go wrong?

The writing? Hilarious. The world? Wild and addictive. The mission? Pure chaos.
But let’s talk about the spicy elephant in the room...

This is supposed to be a why-choose romance, but y’all… the spice level was baby mild. Like, “blinking at each other from across the room with vague tension” mild. No group scenes. Barely any sizzle. I wanted smoke, fire, and maybe even a scorch mark or two. Instead, I got...a gentle flicker and a polite fade to black. My inner chaos goblin was underfed.

That said — the audiobook slayed:

Adam Gold deserves awards. He gave each alpha a distinct voice and vibe. Dorian, Roman, Ezra — all sounded like separate, hot messes with their own flair. 10/10 performance.

Savannah Gilmore is Fury. Fierce, confident, zero patience for nonsense. Her delivery of sarcasm and strength was perfection.

This book is packed with demon work drama, dark humor, and an afterlife unlike any I’ve read before. If you're here for the action, angst, and exceptionally competent demon HR? You’ll love it.
If you're here for the steam? Light your own fire. 🔥

[ESME RALDA · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audio version of this book. What initially caught my attention was the 'sample' narration and that led me to read the blurb which seemed interesting. I ended up purchasing the audiobook and intially after the first few chapters, I felt it was going to be one of those stereotypical 'shifter romances' or something about the 'magical mate bond' thing which is very common in the fantasy genre. But, surprisingly this book did have something unexpected in addition to all the boring stereotypical shifter- mate bond- and possessive mates (yes you heard it right....it's a reverse harem....so the FM has multiple mates) stuff.

I really liked the badass character of the FM and I also liked her vampire mate Ezra, although her other mates seemed like typical assholes. I somehow didn't enjoy the romance portion or the relationship part of the story. I really liked Fury's badass character, although mid-way through, that also seemed to dwindle, but that just goes to showing us how even the best of us can get overwhelmed if a situation is beyond our control. I loved the characters of Hades (the crow) *wink *wink and Jules (the poltergeist)---yes, damn right, there's one in this book. I also enjoyed reading about the real issue in this book and how it finally gets resolved.

So, yes....This is good for a one time read, so go right ahead and pick it up...

[TenshiMari · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had the most fun with the first book in the series, Fury is a badass with a great sense of humor and a snarky personality and she's such a fun time, I loved the banter, and having a heroine who can't die is very refreshing. The second book definitely suffers from second book syndrome, in which not much is really happening and Fury goes from being a total badass to being coddled and protected by her mates like a small child being tossed around between her divorced parents. The fact that Fury is ✨mortal✨ and therefore needs to be protected at all cost (according to her mates anyway) made this book a boring read. The third book really delivers in terms of tension/suspense and plot, and I loved everything we found out about the world and it's magic, and the lore behind heaven/hell etc. Really cool. The stakes were high and it was a truly exciting read. Where the book falls really flat is the romance, throughout all three books I never really felt the connection between Fury and her mates. Sure, there's attraction, and a lot of fucking, but actual love and devotion? I'm not seeing it. The book really tries to make us believe this ✨true love✨ she has with her mates, but nah, I wasn't sold on it. It felt incredibly forced. So if you're reading this series for the romance, you'll probably end up disappointed.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was fun however, I wanted it to be so much better.

The concept was delightful, I loved the interpretation of the Afterlife etc. However, I felt like the authors neglected so many characters. For example, both authors mostly ignored Roman the entire book, and just relied on typical shifter lore and plot armor. Same thing with Ezra, just focused on him just being this ~sexy vampire~ and that was the extent of his character build. Their only character I felt they cared about in the MMCs was Dorian and even then I felt like he was rushed half way through book two to make up for his underdevelopment in the first half of the series.

The MMCs personalities seemed different and I was excited to see Fury uniquely fall in love with them, but it felt rather forced. I think I saw another reviewer say it a little more elegantly somewhere about the flow of their relationship feeling rushed.

I love a good overpowered lead character because it can be such a fun romp where they overcome challenges with their bonds and flaws, but here it felt very much like a plot device with Fury's alcoholism and not wielded in a way that made sense.

Overall it did end up being a fun quick read if rather shallow - therefore, 2 stars.

[Zara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Demon's Guide to the Afterlife
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
🌶️🌶️.5/5

This series was EVERYTHING. I DEVOURED IT!

I haven’t read something like this in years - gave off Heart Hassle series vibes (in terms of how it made me feel). Even if it wasn’t as spicy as my normal reads, the plot was phenomenal and kept me engaged throughout the whole series. I loved the fact that even when I tried to predict something it kind of happened but with a HUGE twist I never saw coming. I loved the FMC and how unapologetic she was in some situations. However, I think her addiction should have been taken care of earlier. As for the MMCs I liked them all but didn’t appreciate how cold Dorian was at first nor how pushy Roman was. I loved the dynamic between Fury and Ezra the most - they were so cute. Another thing that really appealed to me was the fact that there was no inner betrayal between the characters and their trusted ones. At first, I was sure Hades would be some spy or not one of the good ones. Boy, was I wrong. He was the best sidekick I’ve read about in a while - his comments were hilarious. I can’t wait for his book.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not sure what to even start with… I was disappointed with this trilogy. It held such promise from the blurb. Fury is infuriatingly obsessive over insignificant things. She’s constantly pushing her mates away then sad because of that. She’s toxic with good intentions?… We never get much character development for anyone besides her and Dorian. The pages seem endless at some points and the last book rushes into a grand finale. Idk, I feel like this could have been so much better. It had so much potential to live up to the hype it was given. It was crushed by missed opportunities and long winded thoughts. Let us not get lost in the throat f’g either…. 🙄 I have the physical copy which states “Click Here” for the additional scene with the 3 MMC’s… maybe just type the link out, add a QR code, or idk take that out all together? I’m sadly underwhelmed. I purchased another series by Kel Carpenter but after this… 🤷🏼‍♀️ lessons learned I suppose.

[N. Wolf · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was drawn to A Demon's Guide to the Afterlife by its intriguing premise and the promise of a richly imagined afterlife. The world-building showcased immense potential, offering a unique take on the supernatural realm. The plot twists were engaging and added layers of complexity that kept me invested in the story.

However, I found myself a bit underwhelmed as the narrative progressed. The pacing felt uneven at times, causing the momentum to stall in certain sections. While the main character was well-developed, I wished for more depth in her and supporting cast to fully immerse me in their journeys. The conclusion was also somewhat ambigous. What is the result now that she's changed. What do the characters think, how do they feel, what does this mean for them and the world?

They are all leaders with strong personalities having to share a mate. I felt like there wasn't enough push-back at all.

[❀ Crystal ✿ - PEACE ☮ LOVE ♥ BOOKS · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first two books flew by in a single day. Both had me riveted and engrossed yet the third took me over a month to finish. Overall this was a good series but I can certainly admit to becoming distracted and easily coerced away from the third book. It’s a little sad to admit because I really loved the heroine Fury. Not only is she brave in the face of any danger, this is a woman who wants to be on the frontlines every time. Gaining mates doesn’t throw her too much off her game especially since she has a reputation to protect. There is a good amount of both plot and development between the characters, obviously most spent on Fury and her mates. They’re all tasked with saving the world and each have a part to play even if they have their doubts. I mean no pressure, the fate of the entire world only balances on their shoulders!!

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, well....

It's not everyday you get smacked in the face with a not so normal demon administering circus torture, what a great opening!
The story was different, with twists and turns and not your typical tropes. I really enjoyed the way she had separate relationships with each guy, and I can't tell you more than that or it'll ruin it.

And excuse me HADES? Sir?! So if I start having fantasies about crows ya'll will know where it came from. Once you meet him, you will also drool over him. Going to need his story really soon please=)

It was a fun, wild and sarcastic ride and I loved every second.

And the ending, was perfect because of what it meant<3 *no I'm not telling*

[Kimber Gillespie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid

Loved this story start to finish. It wasn't an over the top smut read, but had some steamy romance with deep connections
There were a few editing errors, but they were easily overlooked.
I loved the idea that they all worked as a team with their own roles. Having to trust each individual to succeed separately rather than being all codependent was a nice concept.
Great setup to the story, I only got confused once towards the end when I forgot who Duke was after dealing with the Dukes of the afterlife. Great read

[Barbra Forth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was reluctant to read this series due to the summary. Bought it on sale Multiple mates etc. not my normal have to read. I fell in love with the flawed bad ass heroine. Many twist and unexpected turns. Real wolrd issues addressed ptsd, drinking issues ...the summary did not truly explain the ride you're in for. We all are ideviduals we all deal with the hand we are dealt, some just turn and rise above. What I expected heaven, hell , reverse haram normal done many times. Open your mind and jump in for the journey.

[Brittney · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐

I think I'm a little speechless. I just really enjoyed this whole story. I loved the connections between the characters, and how things could be serious but they could also be really funny. And I loved how unique the take on everything was. I don't usually care for stories that deal with the afterlife. It's not usually my jam. And with the title, it's not like I didn't know what I was in for, but I actually really liked this. It was just a great time all around.

[Han Spillane · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG, this book had me in tears from laughing, from frustration and from anger - what a rollercoaster!

The sidekick throughout is called Hades, a crow and he pretty much stole the entire four books for me.

A kick ass FMC, who has survived, surpassed and regressed a little into her life trauma but manmaged to overcome and get such a HEA I felt it in my bones!

[Erin Duffey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strong female lead & 3 gorgeous mates, loved it!!!

This was such an incredible series! Such a strong female lead character & 3 gorgeous, strong males as her mates mixed with vivid scene settings and plots made every page come to life! I loved the sexy bits as much as the action & adventure!!! I highly recommend this series to everyone over age 18!!!

[Alana Lowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved the twists & turns

I absolutely couldn’t put this down/ stop listening to it. The storyline was epic. I really wish it had been more of a sharing reverse haram than all her mates never really getting that bond like most stories do. So it was refreshing in a sense that it didn’t do that. But also bummed we didn’t get to see her with more than one mate

[Brianna McComber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall I enjoyed it! Had some twists I didn't expect and were creative! Others were kind of an *eye roll* really??
More character development and natural progression/deeping in the relationships would have been nice instead it going from strangers to love bombs.

Knowing what I know now, I'd still tell myself to read it if I hadn't. It's an easy read and enjoyable with a Fck ya kinda ending!

[MaD · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this action/adventure/paranormal/reverse harem series. There was excitement, EXCITEMENT, and so many laugh out loud segments that left me flipping to just one more page and not getting to sleep until 3am! Interesting, fun characters that made you care about their outcome and root for that HEA. It was also great that it was the complete 3 book series in one so I didn't have to wait.

[Jennifer McFayden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun Read.

It drags in some places and there are the occasional word errors or speech pattern. But all in all its a fun sexy read. And Fury has a mouth on her like a Sailor so I laughed my A$$ off!
Will definitely be looking for more books by Carpenter and Jane both together and separately.

[Chrissy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unique And Intense

I loved every page of this book. The story got better with each book. There was an extreme amount of surprise twists that kept it intense and a bit crazy. It was GREAT!!!

[Amanda M · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of those books I didn’t want to put down. If you like: Bad ass females, mult POV and sexy mates, a great story line with many twist and turns, dark topics and extra spicy then you must read.

[Dana aka ♥Belladonna♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

[Antoinette Zugel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun and interesting well paced story

Very flawed and intriguing characters. A completely different view of all of life’s deities. Well written with amazing characters you can root for but no one is close to perfect.

[Payton Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super fun read. Lighthearted but also heavy topics, which somehow worked. Way better than I anticipated. Reverse harem, fated mates, monsters, fae, demons and angels, darkish romance with a little bit of kink but also funny. The author really dipped her toe into all of it 😂

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very very different series. Unlike anything I have ever read. It did keep my attention. Loved the raven with his sense of humor Liked the Mfc. A little overboard on the steam and triple love interest. Overall good paranormal series with twists and turns.

[Feeme Fatale · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved this series

First book by these authors won’t be my last . I loved it so much! Kinda want to know what happens to other characters in the story like Pria or Jules. Definitely one of the most interesting books I’ve read this year

[WASSAMATTAYOU BOOKSLOOT · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listen, I am a sucker for a paranormal romance. I love they mates. I especially love inner species, faded mates, and crossing boundaries. And this series these three books were the epitome of what I love to read. It was entertaining, it was spicy, it was hilarious, and I just loved it.