One thing I love about being a reviewer is that I have the chance to discover unexpected gems before the rest of the world. And today's read hits that category. (YAY!)
When the author approached me, I loved the blurb and hoped it would be as entertaining as it seemed. A teen, who accidentally dies, ends up working ten years in the afterlife pushing paperwork only to be suddenly placed on a task force to chase down one of the most dangerous demons...and that with the main skill of being good at frisbee during his high school years. Sound fun and original?
Let's just say that this one is going on to my possible favorites for 2022 (although it doesn't appear until the very first day of 2023).
Well, I'm not saying anything else because it's time to take a look.
I FAIL AT THE AFTERLIFE
The Afterlife Trilogy, Book 1
by Anni Sezate
Chicken Taco Publishing
Young Adult Paranormal
355 pages
COMING...
JANUARY 1st, 2023!!!
When you die and become an angel you don't expect there to be so much paperwork.
At age seventeen, David Garcia fell to his death and has spent the past ten years filing papers for dead people. His uneventful afterlife is thrown into chaos when he’s attacked by a pernicious demon called Malum. Frozen in terror, David does absolutely nothing to prevent the demon’s escape. Blaming himself, he joins a group of demon hunters intent on recapturing Malum before he destroys the world. Armed with ten years of receptionist training, mediocre fighting skills, and non-stop self-deprecating sarcasm, David soon learns he is in way over his head.
At age seventeen, David Garcia fell to his death and has spent the past ten years filing papers for dead people. His uneventful afterlife is thrown into chaos when he’s attacked by a pernicious demon called Malum. Frozen in terror, David does absolutely nothing to prevent the demon’s escape. Blaming himself, he joins a group of demon hunters intent on recapturing Malum before he destroys the world. Armed with ten years of receptionist training, mediocre fighting skills, and non-stop self-deprecating sarcasm, David soon learns he is in way over his head.
MY TIDBITS
Natural flowing humor with characters to love mixes with the dangers of demons and mundane tasks of the afterlife to create a read to enjoy.
David didn't mean to die at seventeen, and if he could go back and find a different way to pass over into the afterlife, he'd take the chance immediately. With that embarrassing part of his existence/non-existence in the past, he adds as much spice to his job in eternity as possible...even if it's mostly paperwork. But when an escaped demon uses him as a passing snack, David's had enough of not living up to his own expectations and does something almost as ridiculous as his initial death—he fills out an application form to join the task force, which will hunt the demon down. With absolutely no meaningful skills or experience, he doesn't believe he'll really be chosen...until he is.
This tale holds some of the most natural characters I've run across in young adult fiction in quite awhile. David is very hard not to like from the first page on. While the opening scene borders on ridiculous, it soon notches in perfectly with his character and attitude. But then, every character in the afterlife comes across with sparkling personalities, making them so comfortable to meet that the wish they were real grows. They are a wonderful bunch. (The good ones, of course) They have their problems, quirks, and are simply humans, who are now in the after life. This creates a very easy read, which (except for a couple bumps) speeds by smoothly from beginning to end.
While there are some tense moments, and David definitely is in over his head, this read (even in its darkest scenes) holds a deliciously, light undertone, mixed with action, darker moments, and even touching heartache. The demon hunting is also not a joke, and David is sarcastic and funny and uncomfortable in his own skin. There are woven secrets, turns I never saw coming, and twists, which flip in original and surprising ways. Still, it stays light-hearted and natural...and that's quite the feat.
I do recommend this one to anyone, who is ready for a new twist into the realm of the afterlife and a character to enjoy because it's definitely worth taking a peek at.
And here she is...
Anni Sezate is an elementary school teacher from Gilbert, Arizona. She received her education degree from Arizona State University, though she spent a semester living out her acting dreams as a musical theater major. Anni is your typical right-brained lefty who spends most of her time reading, writing, drawing, and singing way too loudly to Broadway soundtracks. Anni is a proud daughter, sister, aunt, and Ravenclaw
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