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How to Save an Undead Life by Hailey EdwardsThe Beginner's Guide to Necromancy #1
Published by Self-Published on August 19, 2017
Age Group & Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal
Format: eBook
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Grier Woolworth spends her nights weaving spooky tales of lost souls and tragedies for tourists on the streets of downtown Savannah. Hoop skirt and parasol aside, it’s not a bad gig. The pay is crap, but the tips keep the lights on in her personal haunted mansion and her pantry stocked with ramen.
Life is about as normal as it gets for an ex-necromancer hiding among humans. Until the society that excommunicated Grier offers her a second chance at being more than ordinary. Too bad no one warned her the trouble with being extraordinary is it can get you killed.
Warning: This book contains one ex-con/ex-heiress with a pet zombie parakeet who lives next door to her ex-army/ex-crush. Brace yourself, we’re talking more exes than a pirate treasure map here.
How to Save an Undead Life is actually kind of fun to read.
How to Save an Undead Life screamed, “Pick me! You’ll enjoy this!”
The book’s not wrong. I had a bit of fun reading the first book in The Beginner’s Guide to Necromancy series. There’s an ex-heiress, a zombie parakeet, and a haunted house, but I’m sometimes simple and I got sold at “a zombie parakeet.” (I’m sorry I’m simple.)
The book is chock full of creative descriptions
I think this may have been why I finished How to Save an Undead Life. There’s a long build-up where Grier doesn’t really remember what happens because she spent years drugged up in a prison before being released to when she finds out what happens. At the time of release, she’s a young adult, missing out on her later teen years. She’s trying to get her life together by working as a tour guide in her town and she surrounds with a support system.
Not much truly happens other than Grier trying to get her life together, fending(?) off an (ex)-crush while getting pursued by a top vampire clan heir, and a haunted house that talks (occasionally it throws people around for poops and giggles). But we get a glimpse into how the paranormal side of the world works, along with the occasional tease into Grier’s past until it’s revealed.
Funny, but sometimes misses the mark.
I love the antics of Wooly and the constant roasting between Boaz and Grier. But sometimes the roasting goes a little too far for my taste; the scene will start funny, continue to be funny and then something happens that ruins it. Other times, the writing tries too hard and completely misses the mark, but this is more than likely a personal preference in regards to humor.
I still enjoyed How to Save an Undead Life, though! This is my first book from Hailey Edwards, and I love the way she creatively writes metaphors and descriptions. Personally, I wouldn’t recommend reading this if you’re looking for something that makes you think about all the layers and analyze them. It’s more for if you’re looking for a fun read that focuses on building the world and being engaging without needing to think much about it.
Sophia started blogging in February 2012 for the hell of it and is surprisingly still around. She has a GIF for nearly everything, probably listens to too much K-Pop and is generally in an existential crisis of sorts (she's trying her best). More of her bookish reviews and K-Pop Roundups can be found at The Arts STL.
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