Title: WAKING THE DEAD (Book 2 of The Dead Series)
Author: Kerry Blaisdell
Genre: Urban Fantasy / Paranormal Romance
Book Blurb:
Hyacinth always assumed dying would simplify her life. But when her new boss, Archangel Michael, sends her on her first official mission—to retrieve a powerful rock from a collector in Germany—things go downhill fast. For one thing, the Dead keep popping up, expecting her to guide them to the Afterlife. For another, her part-demon nephew Geordi's powers are starting to leak out, at age seven. What if Michael finds out about him? Worse, what if Satan does?
Then there's her love life-after-death. Rooming with a dead French cop no one else can see is complicated enough. But when Jason, Geordi's lying Dioguardi Demon cousin, resurrects himself—so to speak—all Hell breaks loose. Literally. Can Hyacinth get Michael's rock back before Satan steals its powers and breaks free of his prison? Or will her single-minded pursuit put those she loves—and the rest of the world—in the path of Satan's fury?
My Review:
Hyacinth Finch wants nothing more than to be left alone, especially when it comes to the Dead, but her boss, Archangel Michael, has other ideas. He needs her help to not only retrieve one of his rocks from a collector in Germany, but he tasks her to be an afterlife sorter. The only problem: Hyacinth has trouble telling who’s alive and who’s dead. Good thing she has her dead French cop friend/lover Eric to help her.
Things go from bad to mega bad when she, her nephew Geordi and Eric meet with the German collector and his overly friendly wife, Rachel. It’s a scene out of a Grimm fairy tale where nothing is as it appears. Strange occurrences take place and the more Hyacinth unravels, the deeper she risks the life of her nephew, Geordi, and even her own undead existence. On top of everything else, Jason, Geordi’s uncle, is back and so is the love triangle. Can Hyacinth get Michael’s rock back in time to avert an apocalypse the world has never seen? More importantly, can she figure out this crazy love triangle she finds herself in?
I’ve been waiting a year for this sequel to the RITA Finalist, Debriefing the Dead, and oh boy, it was worth it. From the first page, I was riveted to the story. Hyacinth gets to experience the darker part of being dead and working for Michael. There’s a definite darker feel to this book and I loved it. Mythology, demon worshipping, demon prejudice and romance all play a part in Waking the Dead. There’s a certain sub-plot that not only rang true historically but scared the crap out of me. I had to continue telling myself it was only a story, not real. Because if it was, damn, I’m heading for the hills.
The romantic elements were the classic trope of a love triangle but with a twist. One’s a demon and the other’s a ghost. While it helps the heroine is dead, I honestly don’t know which one I’m rooting for her to choose. Both have redeeming qualities and both tie Hyacinth to the present but which man is better for her will have to be up to the author, Kerry Blaisdell.
Note: there is a cliff-hanger but I get why the author had to do it. I told her to write faster. Lol!
An intensely dark paranormal romance/urban fantasy which I highly recommend!
Disclaimer: I received a copy from the publisher via Netgalley in the hopes I’d review it.
My Rating: 5+ stars
Buy it Now:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2XiNMVp
Google Play Books: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Kerry_Blaisdell_Waking_the_Dead?id=bmiZDwAAQBAJ
Walmart: http://bit.ly/KBWalmart
Author Biography:
Kerry Blaisdell is the award-winning author of The Dead Series, including RITA®-nominated DEBRIEFING THE DEAD and WAKING THE DEAD. She also writes Romantic Suspense and Historical Mysteries — see links below for more information.
Kerry was born in British Columbia, Canada, and has since lived all over the West Coast of North America, including California, Oregon, Washington and Alaska—everywhere except Mexico! She’s a “computer industry” brat, not a military one, but moving so frequently meant she spent a lot of time reading, and later writing, (hopefully!) great books. She has a degree in Comparative Literature (French and Middle English) from U.C. Berkeley, and a Master’s in Teaching English and Advanced Mathematics from the University of Portland.
She currently lives in the gorgeous Pacific Northwest with her husband, two “kids” in early adulthood, assorted cats and dogs, and more hot pepper plants than anyone could reasonably consume. Connect with Kerry online at http://kerryblaisdell.com, or subscribe to her Very Occasional Mailing List at http://bit.ly/KerrysVOML (to be the first to learn about discounts, sales, or giveaways, or to see exclusive cover reveals and hear about upcoming releases).
Social Media Links:
Reviewed by: Mrs. N