If I Should Die

December 1, 2013

Gr 9 Up-Surfaced secrets and life-changing discoveries abound in this fast-paced supernatural tale as it barrels toward its exciting, bittersweet conclusion. Bent on stealing powers that evil Violette believes Vincent possesses, she destroys his body, leaving him a drifting spirit. But Vincent is still able to contact his mortal love, Kate, and his revenant kindred (undead beings who spend their immortality sacrificing themselves for others). Kate refuses to lose Vincent forever, so she enlists help from her family, friends, and a supernatural healer. Her quest to find a ritual that could return him to physical form takes her from Paris to a secret antiquity collection in New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. Meanwhile, Violette, in her quest for power, continues to hunt for the Champion, the revenants' savior. While some readers might figure out the identity of the true Champion before the protagonist does, this doesn't detract from the overall enjoyment of the story. Backstory fills in the gaps and encourages readers who are new to the trilogy to seek out the first two titles. Tension, danger, and romantic yearning are palpable. Despite fantastical elements, the romance reads realistically. There is some sexual content, but it is not gratuitous. The world-building is solid and unique. Recommend to teens who enjoyed Cassandra Clare's "The Mortal Instruments" series (S & S).-Danielle Serra, Cliffside Park Public Library, NJ

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2013
The Die for Me series about an American teenager involved with undead revenants in Paris concludes. Courageous, loyal Kate mourns not the death, which is a normal occurrence for revenants, but the cremation of her undead boyfriend, Vincent, at the hands of Violette, leader of the evil numa. Vincent can't come back to life if his body no longer exists. Luckily, Kate and Bran, the revenants' healer assistant, unearth a ceremony that might restore him but only if they also can find the ancient, lost equipment necessary. With or without Vincent, the book continues with preparation for battle, then actual battle, with plenty of well-paced tension. Appropriately spaced romantic interludes provide variety. The major plot point is the identity of a prophesied champion, destined to win the battle between good and evil, at least in Paris, for now, and of course, the heroine faces the usual insurmountable odds. Fortunately, this series doesn't take itself completely seriously. Plum includes fairly frequent tongue-in-cheek humor lampooning her own plot--"my safety was at risk because of an evil undead medieval teenager"--which helps lift the book above standard undead fare. Yes, it's the usual mishmash of romance and the supernatural, but the author keeps the narrative moving along at a sprightly pace and handles the suspense well. Formulaic but fun, which makes all the difference. (Paranormal romance. 12 & up)

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May 15, 2013
Grades 8-11 Plum's Revenant trilogy comes to an end, but not without suspense, bloodshed, a horrific zombie war, death, reanimation, and romance. Kate sheds her high-school facade to concentrate on her relationship with the bardia and their war against the numa. But first she must help find a way to rescue Vincent's spirit from the evil Violette, who has tricked him, killed him, and burned his body. Her challenge is to find the funeral urn called a thymiaterion, interpret its seven symbols, and thus unlock the ancient secret to his reembodiment all before Violette absorbs his power permanently. Can she do it? Find out in this swash-buckling final episode with plot twists and unexpected revelations.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2013
Picking up where Until I Die ended, Kate continues her work with Paris's revenants (the undead) to prevent violence and chaos from over-running the city. The apparent demise of her beloved Vincent is resolved with a clearly signaled twist; the discovery of the mysterious Champion leads to a triumphant ending too derivative of Twilight but perfect for fans of dramatic supernatural romance.

(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)