Friday, April 24, 2015

The Reaper's Daughter by K.M. Randall Review


"I’ve always felt like an average girl ... except for my strange relationship with death. You could say I like to court it. Whether I’m soaring through the air as a flyer for Specter University’s cheer squad, or speeding down the steepest mountain with only grace and balance keeping me from an icy end, I’ve always needed to feel a rush. But now Death is courting me―in more ways than one. First, there’s Rishi, a rogue death deity who has a penchant for annoying me nearly to my grave and whose intense gaze has the power to see right through me. Then there’s Hades, who I’d rather had stayed just a myth. Now that he knows I exist, he’s not going to leave me alone until I meet the same end as my mother.

Oh yeah, did I forget to mention her? I spent my whole life thinking she had died when I was a baby, but now I’ve found out she’s much more than dead. Fifty years ago, Hades banished my mother from the underworld and took away her ability to cross over souls―souls that have wandered lost through the world ever since. Now she wants me to clean up the mess. You may have​ heard of her before ... 

They call her the Grim Reaper."

NetGalley. Thanks for the copy.

YA Paranormal, The Reaper's Daughter is the first of a potential series (I haven't found out the exact details). The synopsis is definitely interesting, and I find myself drawn to the book. I can't pinpoint the exact feeling and reaction to this book, but let's go digging. Maybe I can find what I think about this book.

Blake, our narrator (who remains nameless in the synopsis), is our heroine. She is thrown into the "Grim Reaper" madness and business when her mother (along with Rishi, who acts like a complete stalker) comes for her on her eighteenth birthday. (Happy birthday, Blake!) Blake is completely shocked the second she realizes she is the daughter of the Grim Reaper. From there, things go into a downward spiral. Her newfound powers tick me off, because she hasn't really learned the skill. It is all mostly innate (mostly). 

There is a "sort of" love triangle here. This is simply a warning to those who don't like love triangles. But let me tell you that this isn't a typical love triangle. That is all. That is all I will say. But I do have to point out that Rishi and Blake doesn't have much chemistry. Which is a shame, because they could had been an awesome couple. They have some great pieces of dialogue.

The Reaper's Daughter is a quest for a legendary scepter. It is an interesting quest, but there are some problems with the pacing. It is off, and it starts off slowly, which I honestly didn't mind at first until it starts annoying me towards the halfway point of the book. Some of the plot holes irritate me, and I find myself asking questions instead of rolling with it. (I probably should had, because the story is definitely more like "No questions, just read.") 

The plot is slow, as I said before. It does flow smoothly, so the ride isn't that bad. I think the best part of the storyline is when Blake gets into the Underworld and meets Hades. There are some great moments in The Reaper's Daughter, but a rewrite would definitely make it legendary. 

The ending leaves room for a sequel, and I find the ending to be very satisfying despite the loose ends. It is great. The ending is strong and well-written despite its disappointing and long beginning. 

Overall, The Reaper's Daughter has some great potential that is diminished by the slow beginning and annoying plot holes. However, it is an incredibly interesting read that keeps me reading from start to finish. I'll only recommend this to those who like reading about death. 

Rating: Two out of Five

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