YA Book #Review: Rogue (Croak 3) by Gina Damico .@ginadamico

Book Title: Rogue (Croak 3)
Author:  Gina Damico |Website| Twitter| Facebook| Instagram

Publisher:  Graphia
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal, Mature YA
Series/Standalone: Book 3
Format: ebook, Trade Paperback

Cost: $9.99

Pages: 326

How I got it: Purchased 

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Publication Date: Sept 10, 2013
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Synopsis:

Lex is a teenage Grim Reaper with the power to Damn souls, and it’s getting out of control. She’s a fugitive, on the run from the maniacal new mayor of Croak and the townspeople who want to see her pay the price for her misdeeds. Uncle Mort rounds up the Junior Grims to flee Croak once again, but this time they’re joined by Grotton, the most powerful Grim of all time. Their new mission is clear: Fix his mistakes, or the Afterlife will cease to exist, along with all the souls in it.

The gang heads for Necropolis, the labyrinth-like capital city of the Grimsphere. There, they discover that the Grimsphere needs a reboot. To do that, the portals to the Afterlife must be destroyed…but even that may not be enough to fix the damage. Things go from bad to worse, and when at last the fate of the Afterlife and all the souls of the Damned hang in the balance, it falls to Lex and her friends to make one final, impossible choice.

Once again let's start with the amaze-balls covers, when they are all lined up together they are so pretty!!!  This has taken me several years to finish as I have placed it on like every TBR pile through the years. It's not because it wasn't engaging it's because I didn't want it to end and as much as I love it and can go back and re-read; there's nothing like reading the ending and finding the twists for the first time. I procrastinated reading this because I didn't want the series to end, I didn't want to let go of the amazing characters and I was scared she wouldn't do it justice. Man I'm an idiot!!

I have loved this group of ragtag Grim Reapers from the first and didn't want to part with them. Lex has been one of my favorite characters to read in a long time. As I have said a few times before she reminded me of Toilet seat Girl in Dead Like Me.

Lex is an angry sixteen-year-old, unfortunately, she has plenty of reason to be, so much has gone down since she came to Croak and it all seems to be going from bad to worse. In the last book, we were left with some heartbreaking news and given the choices she has to make I can understand why she's still so angry. Betrayed, angry, heartbroken Lex is on the run and keeping secrets. Her town of Croak was damaged when they went to war and now the Juniors and Uncle Mort are on the run trying to right the wrong done generations ago. While trying to stay one step ahead of the mob hellbent on making them pay for their transgressions.

Running, Crashing and Reaping as they go the Juniors are doing their best to undo the damage being done to the Grimsphere. Except they don't have the help they should because their enemies are moving faster than they are and have better PR. This is the book that holds the most amount of adventure, growth, and development for the Juniors. They each get their moment to shine and show that even with Lex as their leader they are fearless as well. They back her plans and she and Uncle Mort begin to rebuild their relationship. Even as they face the dangers of their mission they wouldn't be them without Fergus cracking a joke or Pip being dramatic. There are some sweet reunion moments for Lex and heartbreaking goodbyes as well.

I will say I started to cry when we go to the last few chapters as betrayals happened to the team, as each member began to step up and make a difference for the ultimate mission. As their enemies get savior and take the fight to another level, Lex, Uncle Mort, and the Juniors try to find a way to bring the townspeople around to their side.  As the battles continue, there are prices to pay and so many paid them, each taking a piece of Lex as it happened. Knowing that the Afterlife is in danger if they don't win the team keeps going even with the loses. New powers come into play, old enemies come back to *surprisingly* help when they realize they too will lose if the Grimsphere doesn't get the help it needs.

This is the darkest the books have gotten. And it's been the best adventure as well. I didn't see the ending coming and sobbed when I realized how far each town had to go to help right the wrongs. When you realize this is bigger than Lex and her quest for vengeance. When we learn all about Uncle Mort's past & some seriously surprising secrets about the history of Croak and the Grimsphere.  When the end comes it's bittersweet, heartbreaking and at the same time so perfect. When the Last does their job and then lays down their Scythe?? I just fell apart.

A fantastic end to a great series. I highly recommend it my loves, be ready for an adventure, for young love, for a great found family and be prepared for the loses that come with war.

 ★★★★★

Books In Series

• Croak (Book 1)
• Scorch (Book 2) 

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Shows: Dead Like Me 
• Books: (Adult Grim Reaper) First Grave on the Right;  Second Grave on the Left by Darynda Jones
• Song: Don't Fear the Reaper by Blue Oyster Cult

Happy Reaping Reading my loves, 

Book #Review: The Summoner

Book Title: Summoner
Author:  S.D. Grimm|Website| Twitter| Facebook|

Publisher: Entangled Teen
Genre: Paranormal YA, Mystery
Series/Standalone: 
Format: ebook 

Cost: $2.99

Pages: 330

How I got it: Purchased

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Publication Date: Sept 04, 2017
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Synopsis:

When Allie’s best friend dares their group to play a game in a cemetery—something she calls “witching”—Allie never expects what it might mean for her. When she plays, she doesn’t just find bodies, she summons their souls. But one soul wants more than Allie is willing to give.

And the boy next door could be the key to saving her.

Cody Burkhart. Straight from Montana, cowboy hat wearing, and smoking hot, he’s just the thing to help Allie become “normal” again after the death of her mother. And as her newly appointed Guardian, he’s also just the thing to help Allie ward off the vengeful spirit who’s after her soul. Except Cody has his own demons to slay that keep him closed off. But as the full moon approaches, so does their only chance to break the curse, and Cody will have to make the biggest sacrifice of all.

I went into this one kind of blind, I pre-ordered based on watching a fellow booktuber's highly anticipated book-list and this was on there.  I ordered and when it came out I dived right in.  I figured this would be perfect for the season and I was right. This was a young adult to mature YA read about a young woman learning to cope with a recent tragedy in her life. She's trying to reconnect to her friends after such a huge change and she doesn't want them to treat her differently, so despite her fear she goes on a dare with them to the local cemetery and from there a whole new world opens up for her.

This unfolded slowly at first then once the world got established it just flew by, I found myself trying to find ways to sneak and read it when I was supposed to be paying attention to other things.  I really enjoyed the voice of the character as she shared this journey she was on.  This was very well written. I enjoyed the exploration of grief they were both feeling while learning to move on at this crucial time in their lives. 

While the novel explores the mystery of how she's able to summon, they also go on a journey to learn to move beyond their grief while trying to explore their attraction to each other. One of my favorite moments between them is the horseback riding scene where they just got to be a couple learning about each other without the world or their pasts intruding.  As the novel progressed and the mystery unfolded we learn more about what it means to be a summoner, how the 'gift' is bestowed and watch as Allie struggles to accept what it now means.  I loved her girlfriends in this tale, they were so supportive and at times pushed her to accept things about her new circumstances that she was hesitant to accept or to even see  I enjoyed how it was a paranormal tale and yet you felt like it could almost take place in this town as well. 

I did enjoy the story especially because of the minor twists and smaller mysteries that were being dealt with.  I loved the development of the characters and how the situations came about.  There is a love story within, and yet it never takes over the main focus of the story, it's a part of how she grows as a character and how she confronts changes.  I especially loved that it as slow build up to mystery and the love story.. Another bonus of the novel was the presence as well as the great relationships the characters had with their parents. From Allie with her Dad to Cody with his parents, the family units within the novel worked well together. Cody even had extended family he was close to that Allie got to meet and hang out with.  I enjoyed that the adults were adults who were present while still maintaining enough distance that their teens could explore without being watched all the time. 

I did however have a bone to pick with the author, now I have mentioned before that the healthcare field is my wheelhouse, this is my career, while I may not work in the field of prosthetic/robotics, I do have patients who have them and I can tell you they are built way better than the author made it appear in this novel.  Even on the cheapest end of the spectrum the prosthetic for hands are built in such a way that they won't just fall off because someone hit you, they are generally built with some suction capabilities to help it remain on.  I wasn't a fan of that part as it isn't an accurate depiction, considering there are prosthesis that appear almost life like that is now available. 

Other than that one con I really enjoyed this novel and the fact that it's a stand alone made me love it more.  I recommend if you want an interesting new take on ghosts.

 ★★★★1/2☆

If you have any ghost stories you think I should check out can you please share in the comments down below?? Thank you my loves and as always
Happy Reading