Death's Rulebook - TMandIK

Summary: "You cannot change fate. But maybe, you can edit it just a little."

If there is one thing Violet Ellis has learned in her five years as a Grim Reaper, it's that a) reaping souls and sending them off to the afterlife is the worst job in existence, b) her superior and de-facto boss Kevin is the most terrifying creature ever put on this earth and c) the Ledger is never wrong.

Without exception, every person whose name appears in the mysterious Death Ledger is fated to die, and no force in the world is powerful enough to change that.

But, much like every other rule, even cardinal ones are meant to be broken.

After one of her routine reaps takes an unexpected turn, thanks to Violet's colleague and sometimes friend Mason, she finds herself in a dangerous and unfamiliar situation. One which involves a pair of unforgettable, electric blue eyes, whose owner has managed to do the impossible. Cheat Death.

And though Violet can't help feeling a little glad that Mr. Logan Perfect Winslow didn't die, she is well aware that altering someone's fate is never a good thing.

Death is not to be messed with. And the consequences of stopping the inevitable might just end up destroying Violet's whole world.

Initial reaction:

This is honestly perfect especially since October 31st is right around the corner! The narrative is fascinating, it starts with a second "you" point of view and then the readers go into "first point of view." The readers are thrown into the story like the main character; the world-building begins and we meet the boss of the Grim Reaper Department. The supernatural andmystery element keeps the readers wanting to know what's going to happen next. Then the readers learn about the main character, V, along with her colleagues. It's so epic and great!

Strengths:

1.     Dialogue: This element can reveal a lot to the readers and it's a great way to "showing" the readers. We witness what the characters say because whatever a character says, it shows their heart and value. Even if, the attitude or tone is sarcastic, the dialogue displays characterization. Also, I really enjoy the whole bickering and teasing between Mason and V (Violet). And the dialogue reveals the past about V and death; their past life when they were alive; for example in chapter two, " 'Okay, what's in it for me?' I gave him my best sour glare, 'hmm, I don't know, I finally stop hating your guts for the pawnshop thing?' " Then we go "oooo, what happened?" It's great!

2.     Details/Descriptions: The world-building is amazing! With a fantasy/supernatural element, the readers have to learn the "rules" of the story. What are reapers? Who's in control of people's death? Death? With the details, "showing" the readers get to imagine the characters and the whole setting. There's one particular scene that highlights this strength really well (there were so many to choose from), a quote from chapter four, "She winked at me, her cocoa eyes a stark contrast to her porcelain complexion." "Her delicate ivory skin looks hydrated and fresh, while her short curls were bouncy perfection any girl would kill to have." The readers get to know Lillian more and also V's perspective of her friend/colleague. It's a positive attitude and tone and also it shows Lillian's characterization more. So good!

3.     Pace: Each chapter focuses on that structure, however there's a single thread that continues on to the next chapter. The pacing keeps the readers engaged with the plot and characters. There's a sense of rush/intense, but not so much that the readers feel overwhelmed. Actually, I feel like I wanted more information, which is great because this means the story engrosses me. The mystery element is super fascinating!

Recommendation:

One recommendation would be focused on the structure element. This is a small suggestion because I believe the parenthesis to depict internal thoughts, V's ideas. The parenthesis gives the reader a closer looker with the main character. Sometimes, it can take away the readers from what's happening right now with the character; for example, in chapter four: "I'd pretty much screamed and tuned out when he started talking about how he'd helped one of his reaps do a Peeping TomTom on one of his neighbors (ugh, teenage boys. Aren't they just a barrel of laughs?), only to come back when Lillian ..."

I love hearing V's tone and mood. Sometimes though the thoughts break the sentence and readers might be a little confused. Perhaps, have the internal thought afterward the sentence or before. Or maybe shortened the sentence, there are multiple options to help create flow with the structure and there'll be less confusion.

This is a suggestion and few options.

I hope this helps! Thank you so much for your patience and support. I love to hear feedback on the feedback. Thank you!

~ Fallon Elizabeth ~