Tag Archives: Die For Me

If I Should Die (Revenant #3) by Amy Plum-a review

Posted on by
16

IF I SHOULD DIE (Revenants #3) by Amy Plum-a review

If I Should Die

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk Barnes and Noble / KOBO / The Book Depository

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 7, 2013

I will not lose another person I love. I will not let history repeat itself.

Vincent waited lifetimes to find me, but in an instant our future together was shattered. He was betrayed by someone we both called a friend, and I lost him. Now our enemy is determined to rule over France’s immortals, and willing to wage a war to get what they want.

It shouldn’t be possible, none of it should be, but this is my reality. I know Vincent is somewhere out there, I know he’s not completely gone, and I will do anything to save him.

After what we’ve already fought to achieve, a life without Vincent is unimaginable. He once swore to avoid dying—to go against his nature and forsake sacrificing himself for others—so that we could be together. How can I not risk everything to bring my love back to me?

Revenant Series

REVIEW: IF I SHOULD DIE is the third installment in Amy Plum’s Young Adult Revenant-Die For Me series.

A bit of background into the storyline: Revenants are immortal, re-animated humans who feel the need to continuously sacrifice themselves to save humans. As part of their immortality, the Revenants must enter a once-monthly hibernation where their spirit becomes Volant and they have the ability to separate mind from body, and communicate with other Revenants while not in corporeal form. And in these cases-their bodies are protected from harm by family and friends.

If you have not read the first two storylines, this review may be a bit spoilerish as the events of this particular book focus on re-animating a Revenant whose body has been destroyed by their enemy. Believing he is the Champion who would have saved the Revenants from certain destruction, his powers were to be used in the war between good and evil-stolen by a one time Revenant who had plans to usurp control of former kindred and friends. But this particular Revenant is not the Champion and his Volant spirit is continuously pulled towards his final death. When the true Champion is discovered, the aura will be a beacon for others to follow.

As the Paris House of Revenants prepares to go to war with the Numa, they struggle with their feelings and emotions. Once again unrequited love will force two of their household members to make decisions that will affect the lives of the others, while another will sacrifice himself to save a friend. In the end, the Paris Revenants numbers will dwindle as two will face the final death and another must come to a decision regarding who and what it is he wants.

Amy Plum has written a storyline that has brought some finality to this particular ARC of the series but has also opened up several potential avenues for a spin-off series for a couple of former Paris Revenants. Amy has taken the world of Revenant’s and Volant’s and, written a storyline for the young and the young at heart. As a YA storyline, Amy (thankfully) avoided the messy love triangle although there was a definite possibility for a heartbreaking end. The love between Vincent and Kate is strong enough to withstand death and it would have withstood competition from one of their own.

The world of the Paris Revenants is awash in French history and the sights and sounds of Paris at night: and more of the history of the Revenants and the Volant is revealed when the search for a way to save one of their own requires a history lesson that dates back hundreds of years if not more. Amy reunites the characters from her previous storylines in a final struggle against a common foe and along the way, reintroduces the readers to a Revenant who has struggled to find his place among his kind.

The storyline is fast paced. There is rarely any down time to consider what has happened as the plot pushes forward with the impending war between the Revenants and the Numa. The central characters are likeable and the reader is able to relate to and empathize with their sorrow and pain. 

Overall, IF I SHOULD DIE is a fitting conclusion to this particular series. There is nothing overwhelming or philosophical in its presentation but in the grand scheme of love and ever lasting life-what would you sacrifice to save your one and only?

Reading Order
1. Die For Me
2. Until I Die
2.5 Die For Her
3. If I Should Die

Reviewed by Sandy

Share

Die For Me (A Novel of the Valentine Killer) by Cynthia Eden-a review

Posted on by
10

DIE FOR ME (A Novel of the Valentine Killer) by Cynthia Eden

Die For Me

Amazon / Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 2013

She thought her fiancé was the perfect man—until he turned out to be the perfect killer…

Katherine Cole is running for her life, desperate to escape the Valentine Killer—so-called because he stabs his victims through the heart and leaves them holding a telltale single red rose. Still he tracks her to New Orleans and begins carving a bloody path to her door. But this time, Katherine refuses to run any farther. This time, she’ll do anything to stop the madman she once loved, even trust the sexy cop promising to keep her safe…

Detective Dane Black never lets his emotions interfere with his job, even as the Valentine Killer surfaces in New Orleans to stalk his prey. But when Dane agrees to protect the killer’s ex-fiancée, Katherine Cole, he can’t ignore the passion kindling between them. After a single unforgettable night binds them body and soul, Dane knows he won’t rest until Katherine is safe in his arms—and the Valentine Killer is dead.

************

REVIEW: DIE FOR ME is a contemporary suspense storyline of murder and love. And the sociopathic mind that cannot separate the two.

Cynthia takes the reader on a journey of twists and turns, revelations and obsessions-a serial killer with a need to protect one woman at all costs; and a homicide detective with the same mission-but with a completely different set of morals and obligations. Love comes at a cost.

We follow Katherine as she endeavors to start a new life but the ritualistic murder of a television reporter hits too close to home and Katherine knows that the Valentine Killer has found her again. But going to the police brought more complications when she became their number one suspect. There was only one detective who knew that Katherine Cole was no murderer.

Cynthia intertwines the lives of many of the NOPD detectives, investigators, medical examiners, family and friends-and each will be affected and come into contact with a killer-but is there a copycat doing the work of the Valentine Killer. As the number of murder victims increase, so too, do the accusations, personal vendettas and plots of revenge. And each new victim is somehow linked to Katherine. Is the killer trying to send a message or set Katherine up for the fall?

The attraction between Dane and Katherine was immediate, but Dane knew that sleeping with a potential witness and possible suspect adds a whole other dimension to the investigation. But the pull between Dane and Katherine was obvious to everyone and even the killer kept his eye on Katherine at all times.

DIE FOR ME is a well-written and amazing storyline that you think you have figured out from the start. Although there were certain aspects of the storyline that were easily guessed there are a couple of twists –the question is not so much as whom but how? There is a strong family of secondary characters who play an integral part throughout the storyline. The characters were well developed and you knew that at some point each will have a story to tell.

Copy supplied by Netgalley.

Reviewed by Sandy

Share

DIE FOR ME (YA) Revenant #1 by Amy Plum

Posted on by
7

DIE FOR ME (YA) Revenant #1 by Amy Plum

DIE FOR ME (YA) by Amy Plum

DIE FOR ME is the first book in Amy Plum’s YA Revenant Trilogy. With the May 2012 release of Until I Die, I had the chance to read the premiere story. Set against the backdrop of modern day Paris, France, Die For Me can easily cross several genres including paranormal and urban fantasy.

Following the death of their parents, Kate and Georgia Mercier made the decision to return to their father’s birthplace in Paris France. Every summer the girls had vacationed at their grandparents home in Europe so the lifestyle and ambiance would be relatively familiar and easily accepted. But Kate’s depression worsened as the summer wore on and with the new school year approaching, something or someone would have to change.

Vincent is a revenant-an immortal who was once human. Revenants are re-animated humans who feel the need to sacrifice themselves continuously to save the lives of others. In his nearly 90 years, Vincent has only loved once, but he is drawn to Kate like a moth to fire. She is young, beautiful and alone. And on the occasions he has had the chance to talk, he has made a fool of himself. But there is something about Kate that he needs, he wants and he knows that falling in love with a human would place everyone in danger.

We are introduced to Vincent’s fellow revenant’s-the twins Charlotte and Charles, Ambrose, Jules, Jean-Baptiste and Gaspard. As part of their re-animation, the revenants must go into a once monthly ‘hibernation’ to refuel, but it is during this down time that their bodies are susceptible to attack and death-their mind and body will separate and the spirit becomes Volant-with the ability to leave and communicate with the others.And each time they ‘die’, their body must be recovered before medical science and the authorities take possession. As the relationship between Vincent and Kate develops, so does their ability to communicate during Vincent’s times of dormancy. Seemingly rare between a human and a revenant, so too is their ability to share one body, but Kate and Vincent are connected at a higher level than most.

Like every paranormal storyline, there is always the dark side. The numa-are a species of revenant who have chosen the bad side of life while human and now face eternity fighting a war against the good. But it will be Kate and her sister Georgia that will become pawns in the numa’s hunt to discover the current location of the revenant household and take out the lives of everyone close.

Die for Me is an interesting storyline. The characters make light of their re-animation, liking themselves to zombies without the grotesque bodies, but the premise of a self-sacrificing being who feels the need to die over and over to save others has its’ moments. Like all YA storylines, there is denial about love and need, as well as the risk of hurting someone you love, but I must give kudos to Plum, for she writes a story that shows respect for the adults as well as the young. Look for my review of UNTIL I DIE in May.

AMAZON Kindle: $2.05 Die For Me
KOBO: $1.99 Die For Me
B&N NOOK: $1.99 Die For Me

Reviewed by Sandy

Share