Mythology lovers unite! Welcome to my stop on the Death is but a Dream tour, organized by Xpresso Book Tours. Check out my review and the other tour stops. Don't forget to enter the giveaway for copies of Death is but a Dream and a Kindle Fire!
Published September 29, 2013
Publisher: CreateSpace
Format: e-galley, provided by the author and Xpresso Book Tours
Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
Rating: 3.5 STARS
(From Goodreads) Homicide detective Callie Saunders knows that death isn’t all pearly gates and angels. After being hit by a bus, she finds that it's the ancient gods and goddesses of Greek mythology who are in charge of everything.
So when Hades offers her a deal, she accepts. If she wants to be brought back to life, she’ll have to figure out who is trying to kill his son. But if she fails, both her soul and the world will be destroyed.
With the odds mounting against her, it’ll take everything she has within her to wake up from death. But the rules are constantly changing. And someone wants her to stay dead.
I was drawn to Death is but a Dream for two reasons. First, the mythology. And, second, the overall concept is brilliant. I wasn't always thrilled with the execution, but I fell in love with the story idea and sometimes, that's enough to suck you in.
Callie is a good cop who dies saving someone's life. In the underworld, she's approached by Hades with a job. He tasks her with protecting his son, Plutus from a would-be assassin. In return, he will restore her to life. The job is a dangerous one that puts Callie's life and afterlife at risk on a daily basis. That makes her job protecting Plutus extra hard, and when her feelings for him start to get in the way, it becomes damn near impossible.
I love Greek mythology. Always have. Any book that features mythological characters is a must-read in my book. And, in Death is but a Dream, we see many familiar faces from the Greek stories of myth - Hades, Apollo, Aphrodite, Dionysus, Ares, Charon. I always love seeing how different authors put their own modern spin on the myths. In this case, the underworld is run like a business. There is a large office building, in which, Hades, as CEO has an office. The underworld has everything you could need - shops, restaurants and even an indoor firing range.
The concept was awesome. The world building was great. I truly loved the underworld and what Hayes did to modernize it. And, I loved the mystery to be solved. Mysteries are always fun, especially when the answer isn't always immediately obvious or available.
Callie never quite did it for me. She was almost there, but some of the things she did didn't fit what we knew of her. Callie was a workaholic. Someone who believed her job was the most important thing in her life. She was in a two-year relationship that she ended with little remorse. I don't believe that she would fall in love with Plutus in mere weeks. It just didn't make sense.
The pacing of the story was a little choppy. It stalled for awhile in the middle when the story shifted from the Underworld to the mortal world. Plutus and Callie take a cross-country road trip, and there was so much potential for action and mayhem. Yet, almost nothing happened. Callie was constantly getting stabbed with one thing or another, and by the end, it was almost a little funny. Poor girl just could stop getting impaled with things.
The mystery, although it started out as one of my favorite parts, fell flat too. It was solved pretty quickly. Halfway through the book, we knew who was trying to kill Plutus, who the peons were and what the motive was. Although the final battle was pretty cool, I would've liked to have been surprised by who the bad guy was.
The happily-ever-after in Death is but a Dream isn't a traditional one. There is one, of sorts, but being a reader who likes my HEAs tied up in a nice bow, I felt a little unsettled at the end. I wish things had happened a little differently. But, all-in-all, it wasn't bad. If you like Greek mythology and crime dramas, you should definitely give Death is but a Dream a go.
About the Author
Learn more about Erin Hayes --> Website / Twitter / Goodreads
Giveaway
Enter to win 2 signed copies (US/CAN), 3 ebook copies (INTL), or 1 Kindle Fire (INTL)
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Great review! I especially love that it has greek myth and even more how unique it sounds. I'm intrigued about this modernized underworld! Regardless of the pacing and not connecting with the MC as much as you'd hoped it sounds like a fun read! :)
ReplyDeleteSounds very interesting - not the usual type of book I would choose, but your review leaves me intrigued.
ReplyDeleteSounds great,thanks!!
ReplyDelete(Karla Sceviour)