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Top Tier (4 to 5 stars)

Miss you when you’re gone [On Behalf of Death #7], by E.G. Stone

5 out of 5 stars. Yolanda is back, but there’s a grim awakening on her heels.

5 stars

I might have mentioned that I became a fan of this series a while back, and while Cal is one of the most funny anti-heroes I know, he’s not the only character from the book I’m rooting for. Since I’ve first met her, Yolanda has been one of my favorites, and the last books really had a lack of Yolanda in it.

Yolanda is back in town!
Or at her tribe, to be more precise.

No more! We just had Christmas, and one of my wishes this season has been granted – Cal with a heavy side of Yolanda, because this time there’s a lot of stuff involving rock trolls. And it turns out that Cal is not the only on capable of snark, no sir. Yolanda is at her best here!

“Are you dead?” I asked Yolanda.
“I don’t feel dead,” she answered, just as cooly.
“Very well then.”

That dialogue totally makes sense if you know the context. Trust me!

But Cal is also evolving. He’s getting more and more powerful in his newfound identity (marketing manager to Death, goofer to Life, and Grim Reaper). Which makes his life even more complicated than being an ordinary human has been.

Q: Should I fear the grim reaper?
A: Maybe. Do you have coffee?

This time around, there’s much drama woven in-between the humour. It’s almost like one of Yolanda’s favourite soap operas! Accusations, trials, schemes – and a griffin. Well, Bonsai griffin, really. Just imagine a playful kitten, but with razor sharp claws (and a beak to match) and the ability to fly. It’s probably good there are no Christmas trees around here. They wouldn’t stand the onslaught of Tempest.

A full grown griffin. Not a miniature one. Imagine it at the size of a cat.

There are also no Christmas wonders, far from it. We get to implore a lot more about Elsewhere (the mortal world is a no show this time around), but that world is about to change – alongside Cal, who fully comes into his powers only to discover that there are worse fates than dying, fates that could even befall a soulless immortal …

I’m rating this the full scale and I simply can’t wait to see what happens next!

Disclaimer: I’ve received a free Advanced Reader’s Copy and am leaving this review voluntarily.

By Stefan

father of two, not enough time to read everything I want to read

2 replies on “Miss you when you’re gone [On Behalf of Death #7], by E.G. Stone”

You knocked another one out of the ballpark with this review, Stefan! I love witty, snappy dialogue. Too bad I’m not into trolls! Glad for you that Yolanda came back and you are no longer pining for her purple self. For some reason, Yolanda’s return reminded me of the song: The cat came back, the very next day…

The Muppets show version is hilarious too:

Happy Holidays, Stefan!

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