+Giveaway
Urban Fantasy - Novel
TBR reviewer: B.H.
TBR reviewer: B.H.
Blurb
Even Grim Reapers have bad days on the job.
Mal has managed to stay out of the afterlife for 31 years, despite having been dead for
the last three. He's a Grim Reaper, and while he may not be the most enthusiastic, he enjoys his "life" too much to give it up to death. But he's got a problem. A troubled young woman's soul becomes bonded to his, and a vicious demon is hired to retrieve it.
If Mal can't get her soul free in a hurry, he's doomed to share her destination, whether it be heaven or hell.
Mal has managed to stay out of the afterlife for 31 years, despite having been dead for
the last three. He's a Grim Reaper, and while he may not be the most enthusiastic, he enjoys his "life" too much to give it up to death. But he's got a problem. A troubled young woman's soul becomes bonded to his, and a vicious demon is hired to retrieve it.
If Mal can't get her soul free in a hurry, he's doomed to share her destination, whether it be heaven or hell.
Review
This is what I’m talking about! The last book I read by Mr. Slade, Strand, needed less telling and it frustrated me because he was so close to greatness. I think this time he’s reached even closer to that mark. There was still telling and a lack of emotion in the characters but, and this is a big but, it’s a lot less.
Now, there’s a great story unfolding.
The world of demons, Grim Reapers and alcoholic poltergeists was well described. Mal is a grim reaper who gets his soul stuck with an undecided. That’s a person that has been equally good and bad. There's a court to decide if Amy, the undecided, is going to hell or heaven.
There’s an excellent pace to the story, information and action blended nicely. I couldn’t stop reading, Mal’s character really grew on me. He meets Amy who falls down the steps and breaks here neck. After that Mr. Slade seemed to revert back to the telling issue.
The story unfolds we get these short passages in first point of view. Having no assigned characters it was a bit confusing at first. There’s a lot of grin worthy moment, twists, and action plus a little romance. This is all hindered of course by the telling. I was wondering what exactly Mal looked like naked, lol. I couldn’t help it, he was a very well written character! Zach is a great addition as well. I hope to read more on both these characters.
I am not giving up on Mr. Slade yet for a five star review one day. I hope his writing only grows because his plots are worth the read.
Now, there’s a great story unfolding.
The world of demons, Grim Reapers and alcoholic poltergeists was well described. Mal is a grim reaper who gets his soul stuck with an undecided. That’s a person that has been equally good and bad. There's a court to decide if Amy, the undecided, is going to hell or heaven.
There’s an excellent pace to the story, information and action blended nicely. I couldn’t stop reading, Mal’s character really grew on me. He meets Amy who falls down the steps and breaks here neck. After that Mr. Slade seemed to revert back to the telling issue.
The story unfolds we get these short passages in first point of view. Having no assigned characters it was a bit confusing at first. There’s a lot of grin worthy moment, twists, and action plus a little romance. This is all hindered of course by the telling. I was wondering what exactly Mal looked like naked, lol. I couldn’t help it, he was a very well written character! Zach is a great addition as well. I hope to read more on both these characters.
I am not giving up on Mr. Slade yet for a five star review one day. I hope his writing only grows because his plots are worth the read.
Excerpt
He was facing the wrong way, watching a group of people on the other side of the road. Ducking behind a hedge, Mal waited, heart in mouth, until he heard footsteps pass the gate and continue down the street. Relieved, he stood, only to find himself a foot from the demon’s grinning face. “Crap.”
“You’re a hard man to find,” the demon said, placing his hands on the garden wall between
them.
“Don’t know why,” Mal replied, trying to remain nonchalant, despite opening the conversation with ‘crap.’ “I was moving slowly, and went to rather predictable places. Frankly, a half-eaten onion sandwich could have found me before you did.”
The demon’s smile disappeared, replaced by a snarl with far too many teeth. "Now why did you have to go and say that?”
Before the demon had chance to grab him, Mal was in flight. He dodged left and leapt over a low fence into next door’s garden then bolted through the open gate. A roar sounded behind him and he turned to see the demon in hot pursuit.
“You think you can out run him?”
“As long as he stays in his human form, I stand a chance.”
“And if he doesn’t?”
“He won’t reveal his true form in broad daylight. Demons have a code.”
Mal hoped he was right and kept running. He rounded the corner and spotted a familiar street sign. Only half a mile from the bar. He put his head down and thudded on, wincing at the jolts of pain coming from his leg, and risking the odd glance back. His pursuer was the faster, but the slight head start and Mal’s knowledge of the area’s twisty alleys kept him in the lead. As he neared the bar, he found himself back on the main road and had to hope that
the lead he had built up in the back streets would hold. Dodging and weaving around pedestrians, and jumping the occasional dog, he neared his target. He could hear the demon’s heavy footsteps as he dove through the door to the ramshackle bar front. He grabbed the beer pump and yelled for Earl, who appeared moments later. Mal grabbed Earl’s outstretched hand and felt something slash at the back of his shirt just before everything went black.
“You’re a hard man to find,” the demon said, placing his hands on the garden wall between
them.
“Don’t know why,” Mal replied, trying to remain nonchalant, despite opening the conversation with ‘crap.’ “I was moving slowly, and went to rather predictable places. Frankly, a half-eaten onion sandwich could have found me before you did.”
The demon’s smile disappeared, replaced by a snarl with far too many teeth. "Now why did you have to go and say that?”
Before the demon had chance to grab him, Mal was in flight. He dodged left and leapt over a low fence into next door’s garden then bolted through the open gate. A roar sounded behind him and he turned to see the demon in hot pursuit.
“You think you can out run him?”
“As long as he stays in his human form, I stand a chance.”
“And if he doesn’t?”
“He won’t reveal his true form in broad daylight. Demons have a code.”
Mal hoped he was right and kept running. He rounded the corner and spotted a familiar street sign. Only half a mile from the bar. He put his head down and thudded on, wincing at the jolts of pain coming from his leg, and risking the odd glance back. His pursuer was the faster, but the slight head start and Mal’s knowledge of the area’s twisty alleys kept him in the lead. As he neared the bar, he found himself back on the main road and had to hope that
the lead he had built up in the back streets would hold. Dodging and weaving around pedestrians, and jumping the occasional dog, he neared his target. He could hear the demon’s heavy footsteps as he dove through the door to the ramshackle bar front. He grabbed the beer pump and yelled for Earl, who appeared moments later. Mal grabbed Earl’s outstretched hand and felt something slash at the back of his shirt just before everything went black.
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Contest
Mr. Slade is also giving away an ecopy to one lucky winner! Comment below to enter. Contest ends November 18th.
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