A Review of The Life and Death Parade
Ever since her mother died, Kitty has felt like a guest with her foster family, the wealthy Bramleys that live in the castle on the hill. Luckily she has her long-term best friend Nikki by her side. But when Nikki, his brother and Kitty go to a party and meet a psychic who tells Nikki he's going to die, the world turns upside down. As Kitty pieces together what is going on, she begins learning about a mysterious organization, the Life and Death Parade.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley. The name of the book really drew me in, if you'd ever watched Gilmore Girls, you know why. The plot also had a hint of magic to it, but I couldn't figure out what was real or what wasn't. Those are some of my favorite stories, so I was excited to get the chance to read this book.
The book takes places in the countryside not far from London, but it oddly vauge in its descriptions. The castle the family lives in seems unbelievable. At first, I felt that it added to the eery tone of the book, but eventually it felt unbelievable. It also didn't help that I didn't know exactly where I was. It felt like it could have been any old small country town with a castle. I would have loved to feel a bit more grounded in this world, especially when nearly all of the book takes place in that one location.
The characters in this book were very complex and had incredible chemistry. Kitty at first is a bit mopey and unlikable, but I enjoyed seeing her interactions with Nikki, who is almost her exact opposite. The other members of the family are all eccentric and strange in their own way and definitely add to the story. The most mysterious character, Roan, is deep and creepy in a way that was a realy joy to read.
The plot really took me by surprise in this book. I had a definite expectation of where this story would go and what would happen based on similiar books I'd read, but almost immediately, the book took a sharp left turn and left me spinning. There were many twists along the way and the ending definitely took me by surprise in the best way possible.
The Life and Death Parade is a fast-paced and fun read. It definitely has some dark elements to it, so I don't recommend it to those who are looking something romantic although it does have some sweet moments. This book would be great for those who enjoy thrillers with some supernatural elements.