Review: As Lie the Dead

Reviewed by Jen
 

It may be a new book, but Kelly Meding makes the transition so smooth from the last installment to this one, that it feels like continuation of the same story.  Mere minutes have passed and the characters are still so firmly in the moment, that it's virtually seamless.  If you haven't read Three Days to Dead, read it now before you go any further.

The story picks up in the aftermath of Evy's defeat of the villain who orchestrated her death.  She still has so much to contemplate.  Remember, it's only been three days since she woke up in the body of Chalice, a complete stranger.  She has to come to terms with who she is now that Chalice's memories and emotions have merged with her own. She must figure out whether her old employer (which runs a group of supernatural bounty hunters) constitutes friend or foe.  And she needs to figure out her feelings for Wyatt, the man who was willing to sacrifice everything to bring her back from the dead.

Unfortunately, all that must take a backseat with the arrival of Phin.  He's one of the last surviving Owlkin, a group of shifters made nearly extinct as the humans tried to smoke out Evy before her death.  Phin asks her for protection for him and the other two survivors, as one waits to give birth.  Evy agrees, but at the same time, finds out that shifter community wants vengeance for the death of Phin's people and they want it in the form of Evy's co-worker, Rufus.

Evy's got to work against the clock to find the men truly responsible for the attack before the supernatural community takes Rufus. And she meets one obstacle after another, from a difficult reminder of Chalice's old life... to longtime prejudices across all the species... to yet another string of attempts on her life.  But through it all, Evy is also on a journey of self-discovery and enlightenment.  She questions her own assumptions and struggles to do the right thing.

I enjoyed the book. Since it tied in so well to the last one, there was this great familiarity.  The story never felt like a rehash, but more like a continuing progression of a journey.  I liked that Evy is finally coming to terms with her angst about her new body and her new life.  There were times, though, where she frustrated me with her waffling over Wyatt.  One minute she revels in his touch and comfort, the next she is put out by the fact that he loves her. Over and over, she blames him for bringing her back to life, which baffles me because she actually does want to live.  So, I don't get that.  But I did enjoy the tender moments the two of them shared.

The plot was unpredictable, but when it all came together, everything made perfect sense.  I really liked the addition of Phin to the story and I hope he sticks around for future books.  And I like how we're building toward big changes in the world that these characters live in.  I just hope Evy can continue moving forward emotionally.  I know she's young and she's been through a lot, but her mood swings and her knee jerk reactions drive me nuts.

Rating: B

Click to purchase: Amazon

  As Lie the Dead

by Kelly Meding

Release Date: July 27, 2010

Publisher: Dell