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Reaper #1
Lost Reaper
For twenty-five year old Tyler Morgan, being murdered was easy. Easy in comparison with working for the Grim Reaper.
Jonathon Grimm may have brought her back from the dead in exchange for working as a reaper for her hometown, Easton, but she has to find his lost reaper before she can enjoy her second chance at life.
Only … the lost reaper isn’t actually lost. He has a new body and a new life and no intention of turning himself in, even if it means giving Tyler her life back.
Tyler begins the grisly task of reaping the souls of Easton’s dead while searching for the reaper. He could be anyone – the intriguing detective, Sam Lockwood; the handsome, wealthy Chris Bradbury; or the serial killer stalking the women of Easton. Women who bear an uncanny resemblance to Tyler.
But what is the ancient secret, hidden from mankind, that has motivated Grimm to choose Tyler for the morbid task?
As the killer closes in and Grimm’s deadline draws closer, Tyler discovers she is fighting a much bigger threat than the Grim Reaper and time is running out for everyone.
Jonathon Grimm may have brought her back from the dead in exchange for working as a reaper for her hometown, Easton, but she has to find his lost reaper before she can enjoy her second chance at life.
Only … the lost reaper isn’t actually lost. He has a new body and a new life and no intention of turning himself in, even if it means giving Tyler her life back.
Tyler begins the grisly task of reaping the souls of Easton’s dead while searching for the reaper. He could be anyone – the intriguing detective, Sam Lockwood; the handsome, wealthy Chris Bradbury; or the serial killer stalking the women of Easton. Women who bear an uncanny resemblance to Tyler.
But what is the ancient secret, hidden from mankind, that has motivated Grimm to choose Tyler for the morbid task?
As the killer closes in and Grimm’s deadline draws closer, Tyler discovers she is fighting a much bigger threat than the Grim Reaper and time is running out for everyone.
475 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 23, 2015
About the author
Shelley Russell Nolan
29 books64 followersShelley Russell Nolan is an avid reader who began writing her own stories at sixteen. Her first completed manuscript featured brain eating aliens and a butt kicking teenage heroine. Since then she has spent her time creating fantasy worlds where death is only the beginning and even freaks can fall in love.
The first two books in her debut adult urban fantasy series, Lost Reaper and Winged Reaper, were published by Atlas Productions in 2016, with Silver Reaper published in 2017 to complete the series. 2018 saw the release of her Arcane Awakenings Novella Series, and Odyssey Books will be publishing the first book in a new post-apocalyptic series in 2019.
Born in New Zealand, moving to Australia with her family when she was seven, Shelley currently lives in Central Queensland, Australia, with her husband and two young children. They share their home with two wrecking ball kitties, a deformed budgerigar and one pipsqueak of a dog that is fairly normal as dogs go.
Shelley loves to hear from her readers so feel free to contact her on Facebook or leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads or on her website - shelleyrussellnolan.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
August 10, 2016
All Tyler Morgan wanted was to make a quick stop and pick up her favorite candy. What she ended up with was walking into her worst nightmare where she gets stabbed but instead of dying Tyler makes a deal with the Grim Reaper where she herself will collect souls and chase down his lost reaper who could be anyone. Now with Tyler reaping souls she finds herself being questioned by police when she keeps turning up near the bodies of women being murdered.
Reading the synopsis of Lost Reaper it reminded me a bit of a television show I'd watched at one point that I'm now forgetting the name of but it got me interested in what this book would contain. What I found was an interesting mix going on in the story. You not only have the fantasy element of reapers but a murder mystery and a bit of romance, although there is a bit of a triangle going for those that don't enjoy those. Another interesting part to this is it brings in astral projection to it too.
I really enjoyed this one, there were a few little instances here and there that perhaps could have been done a bit better but overall it was an interesting read. From the ending to this one I believe this is going to be a series and would definitely continue on with the next book.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
Reading the synopsis of Lost Reaper it reminded me a bit of a television show I'd watched at one point that I'm now forgetting the name of but it got me interested in what this book would contain. What I found was an interesting mix going on in the story. You not only have the fantasy element of reapers but a murder mystery and a bit of romance, although there is a bit of a triangle going for those that don't enjoy those. Another interesting part to this is it brings in astral projection to it too.
I really enjoyed this one, there were a few little instances here and there that perhaps could have been done a bit better but overall it was an interesting read. From the ending to this one I believe this is going to be a series and would definitely continue on with the next book.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
August 20, 2016
3.5 Stars
Twenty-five year old Tyler Morgan's craving for mints costs her her life, twice. Attacked by a undead madman and left lying in a puddle of her own blood, the end of her all too short life is looking like a given. That is until the Grim Reaper shows up and makes her an offer she can't refuse. Hunt down a runaway reaper and get to live another day. Alas, things are not as straightforward as Grim has lead her to believe...
"Regardless of who killed them or why, the dying had the right to be treated with respect. I had agreed to act as reaper for Easton. I had a job to do, and it was time to stop whining and get over it."
This one took me a bit to get into. I found the writing to be a little "off" at the beginning. I really can't pinpoint why, just a feeling I had. That said, it seemed to improve greatly and I was swiftly caught up in the ongoing story. The plot kept me interested and I didn't find it dragging at any point. The characters were well written. The World building interesting. It had a few twists and turns that I didn't see coming. Where it lost a star for me was the "love triangle" I got tired of the back and forth between Sam and Chris and Tyler. Throw in the asshole ex and the BFF that cheated on Tyler, and I found it a bit distracting.
Overall though I really enjoyed this one and will definitely be keeping an eye out for book two in this series.
Twenty-five year old Tyler Morgan's craving for mints costs her her life, twice. Attacked by a undead madman and left lying in a puddle of her own blood, the end of her all too short life is looking like a given. That is until the Grim Reaper shows up and makes her an offer she can't refuse. Hunt down a runaway reaper and get to live another day. Alas, things are not as straightforward as Grim has lead her to believe...
"Regardless of who killed them or why, the dying had the right to be treated with respect. I had agreed to act as reaper for Easton. I had a job to do, and it was time to stop whining and get over it."
This one took me a bit to get into. I found the writing to be a little "off" at the beginning. I really can't pinpoint why, just a feeling I had. That said, it seemed to improve greatly and I was swiftly caught up in the ongoing story. The plot kept me interested and I didn't find it dragging at any point. The characters were well written. The World building interesting. It had a few twists and turns that I didn't see coming. Where it lost a star for me was the "love triangle" I got tired of the back and forth between Sam and Chris and Tyler. Throw in the asshole ex and the BFF that cheated on Tyler, and I found it a bit distracting.
Overall though I really enjoyed this one and will definitely be keeping an eye out for book two in this series.
February 18, 2017
Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars
Ive been wary of urban fantasy lately because Ive just read so much of it that its become a bit too predictable. However I took a chance with this book because I just couldnt get it out of my mind after I read the summary on Netgalley. I never read anything about the Grim Reaper and the premise sounded interesting. The drama and the murder mystery pulled me in right away. I also thought the writing had a nice flow to it and the characters were captivating.
The main character Tyler stops at her usual gas station to buy her favorite study snack when she suddenly gets murdered. Faced with her own death she accepts a deal from the Grim Reaper to track down the old Reaper of her town who suddenly decided to quit and have a life of his own. Now tricked into a debt for 2000 souls to the Grim Reaper Tylers determined to find a way out of their arrangement and still remain alive.
I loved Tylers narration. For the most part her inner dialogue and comebacks felt very relatable, which made me start liking her right away. Although it was kind of stupid to return to the scene of the crime. Thankfully shes a good liar. The dysfunctional family dynamics were entertaining but her Dads and brother Connor are really misogynistic, which drove me crazy. I liked her brother Andrew. He was intriguing and I always felt like there was more going on with him.
After Tylers breaks up with her self centered ex she ends up in a love triangle. Chris was way too in love with himself. Theres confident and then theres arrogant. Womanizing men with big egos are not my type at all. I didnt mind the detective Sam as much but I still thought he was a little too bossy. None of the guys in this book had any appeal to me which was kind of disapointing. We need better representation of men in litterature.
I love zombies and was pleasantly surprised to find some in the story. I was able to predict somethings but there was also a lot of unexpected twists. Who can she trusts? Whos lying? Whos telling the truth? Its all very mysterious and I was invested in discovering the truth which made the story just fly by. At some points in the story I was so immersed that I had a difficult time putting it down. This book reminded me how much I love a good mystery.
*Received Review Copy Via Netgalley*
Ive been wary of urban fantasy lately because Ive just read so much of it that its become a bit too predictable. However I took a chance with this book because I just couldnt get it out of my mind after I read the summary on Netgalley. I never read anything about the Grim Reaper and the premise sounded interesting. The drama and the murder mystery pulled me in right away. I also thought the writing had a nice flow to it and the characters were captivating.
The main character Tyler stops at her usual gas station to buy her favorite study snack when she suddenly gets murdered. Faced with her own death she accepts a deal from the Grim Reaper to track down the old Reaper of her town who suddenly decided to quit and have a life of his own. Now tricked into a debt for 2000 souls to the Grim Reaper Tylers determined to find a way out of their arrangement and still remain alive.
I loved Tylers narration. For the most part her inner dialogue and comebacks felt very relatable, which made me start liking her right away. Although it was kind of stupid to return to the scene of the crime. Thankfully shes a good liar. The dysfunctional family dynamics were entertaining but her Dads and brother Connor are really misogynistic, which drove me crazy. I liked her brother Andrew. He was intriguing and I always felt like there was more going on with him.
After Tylers breaks up with her self centered ex she ends up in a love triangle. Chris was way too in love with himself. Theres confident and then theres arrogant. Womanizing men with big egos are not my type at all. I didnt mind the detective Sam as much but I still thought he was a little too bossy. None of the guys in this book had any appeal to me which was kind of disapointing. We need better representation of men in litterature.
I love zombies and was pleasantly surprised to find some in the story. I was able to predict somethings but there was also a lot of unexpected twists. Who can she trusts? Whos lying? Whos telling the truth? Its all very mysterious and I was invested in discovering the truth which made the story just fly by. At some points in the story I was so immersed that I had a difficult time putting it down. This book reminded me how much I love a good mystery.
*Received Review Copy Via Netgalley*
August 10, 2016
The book begins with a lot of force, presenting us with Tyler Morgan, minutes before she is killed by a zombie like man and being ressucited by the Grimm Reaper. In exchange, she will have to reap two thousand souls and the one of a reaper who reincarnated on a human host.
The story held a lot of promise, but I just couldn't simpathyse with any of the characters at all, as everyone seemed to orbitrate around Tyler in one capacity or another. Also, the identity of the killer who is beating and easing off a certain type of girls is also fairly easy to detect.
I don't know if I will be following this story in the upcoming books, tbh.
The story held a lot of promise, but I just couldn't simpathyse with any of the characters at all, as everyone seemed to orbitrate around Tyler in one capacity or another. Also, the identity of the killer who is beating and easing off a certain type of girls is also fairly easy to detect.
I don't know if I will be following this story in the upcoming books, tbh.
October 13, 2016
Words can not express how much I loved this book. I started reading this book about twelve hours ago. That's right started the book at 12:30 am and finished it at 12:28 am. Well that is almost twelve hours. I really could not put this book down no matter how much sleep wanted to come. I struggled to keep my eyes open, and it was completely worth it. I am sure a nap will be in order soon enough. I am also pretty sure I will dream about this one.
This book was creepy, action packed, and one heck of a thriller. While reapers are the main part of the story this book brings more than that to the plate, which I will not be putting in my review, because I don't want to spoil the book for anyone else. However I can tell you that the book kept me guessing, and on the edge of well my bed. I would describe this book as paranormal, mystery, thriller, with a tad of romance thrown in.
This book had me up all night, because it was so good, and this book wasn't just hard to put down; it feel under the category of who cares what else needs to be done I am not even going to put this book down! So I didn't put it down. I enjoyed every last page and chapter of the book in one sitting. I can definitely say that I can not wait for the second book in the series.
I recommend this book to readers 17+ because of graphic violence.
This book was creepy, action packed, and one heck of a thriller. While reapers are the main part of the story this book brings more than that to the plate, which I will not be putting in my review, because I don't want to spoil the book for anyone else. However I can tell you that the book kept me guessing, and on the edge of well my bed. I would describe this book as paranormal, mystery, thriller, with a tad of romance thrown in.
This book had me up all night, because it was so good, and this book wasn't just hard to put down; it feel under the category of who cares what else needs to be done I am not even going to put this book down! So I didn't put it down. I enjoyed every last page and chapter of the book in one sitting. I can definitely say that I can not wait for the second book in the series.
I recommend this book to readers 17+ because of graphic violence.
August 16, 2016
Confliction cannot even begin to describe how this book made me feel. On one hand I was reading chapter after chapter, just waiting to find out who the heck the killer was, but on the other hand I was also heavily sighing and rolling my eyes at the cheesy love triangle.
Okay let me break it down for you, Tyler (the main character /heroine of the story) gets killed by some zombie like abomination at the beginning of the first chapter. However, she conveniently gets another chance at life thanks to Grimm, AKA the Grimm Reaper. Of course this comes at a price, and Tyler has to reap a couple of thousand souls and find one wayward reaper named Ash, as a result. Long story short, Tyler has to find Ash before time runs out, while also trying to find who the real killer is and trying to figure out her feelings for both detective Sam Lockwood and the rich and handsome Chris Bradbury.
The story got off to a great, if slightly bloody start. The fact that Tyler dies at the start just grabbed my attention. I mean it's not everyday that you read a story where the main character dies so early on. I was also interested in this book due to the whole reaping thing because of a book series I'd read before called the Soul Screamers that also touched on reapers. There were so many questions, that I had as a reader, that I felt the author did a good job at answering. The suspense also wasn't lacking in this story. You wouldn't believe who the killer is. But, it also had some flaws.Like that love triangle. Tyler is such a cock tease. She goes all weak at the knees when she sees Chris Bradbury, but at the same time she's all doe eyed for detective Sam Lockwood. I didn't like Sam at the beginning but I came to realize that he's a whole lot less of a freak than Chris is. All Chris ever seems to be thinking about is making out and sex. A fact that Killian sums up very perfectly later on in the book. It seems like the only thing that drives him is getting into Tyler's pants. Any slight chance he gets he kisses her, and Tyler does very little to discourage him. She gives off this whole no, but I secretly mean yes vibe whenever she's with him. Sam just keeps getting strung along. The love triangle just pissed me off so much. It put me off so much, my only source of comfort came from other supporting characters who offered comic relief when I least expected it.
I would've thought that Chris might have had more interesting things to do with his second chance but even I have to agree with Killian, that he was wasting himself. I hope that the next book in will be better than this one and Tyler can redeem herself and her terrible taste in men.
So despite of the few the few things here and there, I'd give it 3.5 stars
*** Special thanks to Netgalley and Patchwork Press -Cooperative for giving me an electronic copy of this book ***
Okay let me break it down for you, Tyler (the main character /heroine of the story) gets killed by some zombie like abomination at the beginning of the first chapter. However, she conveniently gets another chance at life thanks to Grimm, AKA the Grimm Reaper. Of course this comes at a price, and Tyler has to reap a couple of thousand souls and find one wayward reaper named Ash, as a result. Long story short, Tyler has to find Ash before time runs out, while also trying to find who the real killer is and trying to figure out her feelings for both detective Sam Lockwood and the rich and handsome Chris Bradbury.
The story got off to a great, if slightly bloody start. The fact that Tyler dies at the start just grabbed my attention. I mean it's not everyday that you read a story where the main character dies so early on. I was also interested in this book due to the whole reaping thing because of a book series I'd read before called the Soul Screamers that also touched on reapers. There were so many questions, that I had as a reader, that I felt the author did a good job at answering. The suspense also wasn't lacking in this story. You wouldn't believe who the killer is. But, it also had some flaws.Like that love triangle. Tyler is such a cock tease. She goes all weak at the knees when she sees Chris Bradbury, but at the same time she's all doe eyed for detective Sam Lockwood. I didn't like Sam at the beginning but I came to realize that he's a whole lot less of a freak than Chris is. All Chris ever seems to be thinking about is making out and sex. A fact that Killian sums up very perfectly later on in the book. It seems like the only thing that drives him is getting into Tyler's pants. Any slight chance he gets he kisses her, and Tyler does very little to discourage him. She gives off this whole no, but I secretly mean yes vibe whenever she's with him. Sam just keeps getting strung along. The love triangle just pissed me off so much. It put me off so much, my only source of comfort came from other supporting characters who offered comic relief when I least expected it.
I would've thought that Chris might have had more interesting things to do with his second chance but even I have to agree with Killian, that he was wasting himself. I hope that the next book in will be better than this one and Tyler can redeem herself and her terrible taste in men.
So despite of the few the few things here and there, I'd give it 3.5 stars
*** Special thanks to Netgalley and Patchwork Press -Cooperative for giving me an electronic copy of this book ***
July 31, 2016
Oh boy. This story took me a little while to get into, but it was well worth the wait! I’m a huge fan of a really well-known Reaper series, so it’s kind of hard for me to test the waters out with someone else doing some reapin’ business. I kind of felt like I was cheating on my girl, Charley Davidson, but I have to admit that Tyler is a kick-ass main character in her own right. She evolves from this sad and depressed teenager, into a boss-mode heroine. She may just tie for spot three, when it comes to my book-crushes.
That's saying something.
Tyler Morgan died, twice actually, but accepted the role of a Reaper from Grim. In doing so, she has to find the lost reaper--and collect the souls the thousand of souls he is owed. Well. Things get a little more crazy, when the souls she continues to reap are of women who look a lot like her, in their own way.
Not to throw up any spoilers, but the story is so original and complete; with beautifully detailed characters and descriptions. I must admit I was NOT expecting what was going on. I thought the story was going to be generic, but was overwhelmingly surprised at how wrong I was.
This is a banging debut novel by the author, Shelly Russell Nolan; and I cannot wait to read more of the author's work. I will be reading the next one, most definitely. I mean, when you end a book as this did (again, no spoilers), you’re gonna be slamming your fists into something and cursing! So ready for the next book, like now…
Also: I’m with Team Sam, just for classification. Ahem.
--I would personally like to thank the publishers, and NetGalley, for offering me a copy of this book for my 100% honest and unbiased review. With that being said, they may have started a new book series addiction for me. Oh boy.
That's saying something.
Tyler Morgan died, twice actually, but accepted the role of a Reaper from Grim. In doing so, she has to find the lost reaper--and collect the souls the thousand of souls he is owed. Well. Things get a little more crazy, when the souls she continues to reap are of women who look a lot like her, in their own way.
Not to throw up any spoilers, but the story is so original and complete; with beautifully detailed characters and descriptions. I must admit I was NOT expecting what was going on. I thought the story was going to be generic, but was overwhelmingly surprised at how wrong I was.
This is a banging debut novel by the author, Shelly Russell Nolan; and I cannot wait to read more of the author's work. I will be reading the next one, most definitely. I mean, when you end a book as this did (again, no spoilers), you’re gonna be slamming your fists into something and cursing! So ready for the next book, like now…
Also: I’m with Team Sam, just for classification. Ahem.
--I would personally like to thank the publishers, and NetGalley, for offering me a copy of this book for my 100% honest and unbiased review. With that being said, they may have started a new book series addiction for me. Oh boy.
October 22, 2016
This is one of those reads that I decided upon because a friend had read and enjoyed it. I trust what my friends have to say about books, and due to this I was more than happy to give this one a read. In fact, I was rather eager as the whole notion of the book piqued my interested. Unfortunately, I couldn’t bring myself to love it as much as I’d been hoping to.
The book starts with a bang, pulling us straight into the storyline. Within pages, our main character dies and comes face-to-face with the Grim Reaper. Without going into too much detail, our main character ends up working for him – thus, she becomes a reaper. From there, however, things did not go as I’d anticipated. I expected a lot of action, a lot of supernatural elements; instead, it became a rather annoying romance story.
Our main character suffered a terrible breakup due to her boyfriend being a cheat. I could have dealt with this, had it not become such a main focus of the rest of the story. It seemed to me, as soon as the boyfriend was out of the picture our main character became a beacon for cliché male characters. You know how far too many romance novels contain the super-rich or police officers – well, this is another of those stories. In fact, it contains both. We have a cop and a man of money going after our main character. If you add in a solider and a cowboy, we would have had the top four types of men found in erotica stories. Hell, I kept expecting it to take a sudden turn down that route. Part of me thinks it would have been slightly more enjoyable had such a thing happened instead of all the meaningless drama that pulled away from the supernatural element of the story.
Okay, I feel as though I’m ranting, and for that I’m sorry. I simply feel as though this book fell short of the potential. This is due to the way the focus pulled away from what I was interested about on so many occasions. It wasn’t that the supernatural element completely disappeared – it was always there in the background – it simply seemed to take a backseat. I feel almost cheated, that I would have been happier had this been labelled as a romance rather than an urban fantasy read.
When it came to the rest of the story, I also felt a bit let down. I wanted more detail throughout, with things developing rather than everything being thrown in at the end. I felt as though there was too much information given in too short a time period. It seemed as though everything was thrown in at once. Whilst I accept many complicated aspects to any given story, I feel as though they weren’t given in the right way. It left it feeling forced, I felt as though it was too much for one story. Had this information been spread out I’m sure I would have enjoyed it a lot more than I did.
Then there is the mystery aspect. If you can call it a ‘mystery’. As a big fan of crime fiction, I never expect the endless twists and turns I see in crime fiction books to appear in fantasy books that merely have the crime as a smaller aspect of the story. Despite this, I couldn’t help but grow annoyed at the characters. Things were far too obvious. I know it was supposed to build up suspense with the incorrect information, with all the suspects, yet it bugged me. From pretty much the start, you knew who was to blame.
Despite this, it was interesting enough. There is potential for the rest of the series to go in many directions, and if done correctly it will make up for this book. It could have pulled me in, it simply didn’t go about telling the story in the right way for me to become addicted in the way I had hoped to be.
Overall, it wasn’t quite what I had hoped for. As it stands, I’m unsure as to whether I’ll give the second book a read. Only time will tell, I guess.
As a final note, I’d like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this.
The book starts with a bang, pulling us straight into the storyline. Within pages, our main character dies and comes face-to-face with the Grim Reaper. Without going into too much detail, our main character ends up working for him – thus, she becomes a reaper. From there, however, things did not go as I’d anticipated. I expected a lot of action, a lot of supernatural elements; instead, it became a rather annoying romance story.
Our main character suffered a terrible breakup due to her boyfriend being a cheat. I could have dealt with this, had it not become such a main focus of the rest of the story. It seemed to me, as soon as the boyfriend was out of the picture our main character became a beacon for cliché male characters. You know how far too many romance novels contain the super-rich or police officers – well, this is another of those stories. In fact, it contains both. We have a cop and a man of money going after our main character. If you add in a solider and a cowboy, we would have had the top four types of men found in erotica stories. Hell, I kept expecting it to take a sudden turn down that route. Part of me thinks it would have been slightly more enjoyable had such a thing happened instead of all the meaningless drama that pulled away from the supernatural element of the story.
Okay, I feel as though I’m ranting, and for that I’m sorry. I simply feel as though this book fell short of the potential. This is due to the way the focus pulled away from what I was interested about on so many occasions. It wasn’t that the supernatural element completely disappeared – it was always there in the background – it simply seemed to take a backseat. I feel almost cheated, that I would have been happier had this been labelled as a romance rather than an urban fantasy read.
When it came to the rest of the story, I also felt a bit let down. I wanted more detail throughout, with things developing rather than everything being thrown in at the end. I felt as though there was too much information given in too short a time period. It seemed as though everything was thrown in at once. Whilst I accept many complicated aspects to any given story, I feel as though they weren’t given in the right way. It left it feeling forced, I felt as though it was too much for one story. Had this information been spread out I’m sure I would have enjoyed it a lot more than I did.
Then there is the mystery aspect. If you can call it a ‘mystery’. As a big fan of crime fiction, I never expect the endless twists and turns I see in crime fiction books to appear in fantasy books that merely have the crime as a smaller aspect of the story. Despite this, I couldn’t help but grow annoyed at the characters. Things were far too obvious. I know it was supposed to build up suspense with the incorrect information, with all the suspects, yet it bugged me. From pretty much the start, you knew who was to blame.
Despite this, it was interesting enough. There is potential for the rest of the series to go in many directions, and if done correctly it will make up for this book. It could have pulled me in, it simply didn’t go about telling the story in the right way for me to become addicted in the way I had hoped to be.
Overall, it wasn’t quite what I had hoped for. As it stands, I’m unsure as to whether I’ll give the second book a read. Only time will tell, I guess.
As a final note, I’d like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this.
May 20, 2019
An intriguing murder mystery with a metaphysical twist
Tyler's death is only the beginning of her problems. Allowed to return to life only if she helps the Grimm reaper, she finds herself juggling two jobs (one in the etheric realm), solving a series of murders, trying to right ancient wrongs and dealing with the romantic attention of two gorgeous guys. Life can be complicated when you've died.
Tyler's death is only the beginning of her problems. Allowed to return to life only if she helps the Grimm reaper, she finds herself juggling two jobs (one in the etheric realm), solving a series of murders, trying to right ancient wrongs and dealing with the romantic attention of two gorgeous guys. Life can be complicated when you've died.
September 12, 2016
Tyler Morgan is in the wrong place, at the wrong time and is killed in what looks like a gas station robbery attempt. Before she can move on to her final rest, the Grim Reaper has a deal for her: find his missing reaper Ash and be a reaper, and Tyler can continue living. Tyler takes the offer, but she soon realizes that things are what they seem with any situation: finding and returning Ash is proving difficult as he doesn’t want to return, there is a serial killer targeting women who look like Tyler, and she learns that the Grim Reaper, Jonathon Grimm, has an agenda of his own besides doing his job. What she does uncover is that the fate of the world at large is at stake in how things get resolved. Will Tyler learn everything she needs to before she dies for the final time?
This book is the first book by this author, and I was quite impressed. It was well-written, the characters were interesting, and the plot was excellent, if not new. There are going to be comparisons to the more well-known series about a reaper, but I hope that isn’t really the case. There was only one place where I had a small disconnect: when we find out what the Grim Reaper is really after. The information seemed to come out of left field, and I was left with “where did that come from?” However, it was only a minor blip in an otherwise great book. I do have to say I did figure out who the serial killer was fairly quickly, but I have to give kudos to the author that it really wasn’t easy to figure out. If you like light urban fantasy, especially about Grim Reapers, you need this book. Highly recommend!
Thanks to NetGalley and Atlas Productions/Patchwork Press - Cooperative for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review. This same review will be posted on both Goodreads and Amazon.
This book is the first book by this author, and I was quite impressed. It was well-written, the characters were interesting, and the plot was excellent, if not new. There are going to be comparisons to the more well-known series about a reaper, but I hope that isn’t really the case. There was only one place where I had a small disconnect: when we find out what the Grim Reaper is really after. The information seemed to come out of left field, and I was left with “where did that come from?” However, it was only a minor blip in an otherwise great book. I do have to say I did figure out who the serial killer was fairly quickly, but I have to give kudos to the author that it really wasn’t easy to figure out. If you like light urban fantasy, especially about Grim Reapers, you need this book. Highly recommend!
Thanks to NetGalley and Atlas Productions/Patchwork Press - Cooperative for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review. This same review will be posted on both Goodreads and Amazon.
December 20, 2015
I loved this story. I won't give away major plot points, but it is about a young woman who is given a chance to be a Reaper. She reaps a bunch of female souls who have been murdered. Shelley managed to keep you guessing about the killer's identity until the final pages, along with how the heroine was connected to all of it. The pace was tight and suspenseful, making me turn the page and wanting to know what happened next. Also thought the love triangle was written well (I prefer Sam!).
November 3, 2015
Great debut novel - well done to Shelley Russell Nolan. Original storyline, romance, mystery and the Grimm Reaper thrown in - what more could you want! Loved it :-)
November 26, 2015
I really enjoyed this book.The main character Tyler was well rounded Can't wait for the next book to find out how the relationship develops between Sam and Tyler.
August 9, 2016
via netgalley
interesting read, I liked it.
interesting read, I liked it.
December 15, 2020
4.5 stars
Starts of with a bang - a violent encounter leaving Tyler making a deal with the Grim Reaper in an original story line. If that wasn’t enough for a night her world continues to be turned upside down and it doesn’t stop turning.
You feel fo Tyler as she deals with Grim, her very dysfunctional and misogynistic family, and reaping. On top of that there is a love triangle.
There’s death, murder, betrayal, emotional upheavals, all woven in well and making the story flow. The world building is fascinating and I’m looking forward to continuing Tyler’s story in book two.
Thoroughly enjoyed reading this different take on reapers.
Disclaimer: While I know the author personally, this doesn’t affect the star rating.
Starts of with a bang - a violent encounter leaving Tyler making a deal with the Grim Reaper in an original story line. If that wasn’t enough for a night her world continues to be turned upside down and it doesn’t stop turning.
You feel fo Tyler as she deals with Grim, her very dysfunctional and misogynistic family, and reaping. On top of that there is a love triangle.
There’s death, murder, betrayal, emotional upheavals, all woven in well and making the story flow. The world building is fascinating and I’m looking forward to continuing Tyler’s story in book two.
Thoroughly enjoyed reading this different take on reapers.
Disclaimer: While I know the author personally, this doesn’t affect the star rating.
March 6, 2017
The Lost Reaper is a well-orchestrated paranormal suspense with a tad of romance thrown in. I enjoyed the authors’ style of developing the story slowly. I had so many questions and jumped to my own conclusions; some were right but most were wrong, due to the intelligence of the storyline. There were some great surprises and some shocking revelations. I couldn’t ask for more in a story. There is more to come and the ending is not a “hang by the nails” cliffhanger so I feel good waiting to see what happens. The romance was not the plot moving portion of the story, which I like. There is a bit of a triangle but not anything that had me turning away from the characters. As a matter of fact, I’m torn on whom I think the main character should end up with! Definitely a plus in my opinion. The author sent me a copy of this story and this is my honest review. ***Review has been done in conjunction with Nerd Girl Official. For more information regarding our reviews please visit our Fan Site: www.facebook.com/NerdGirl.NG***
May 29, 2018
I Really Enjoyed This Book!
This was my introduction to Shelley Russell Nolan, and what an introduction it was! This book was really good. The story flowed and moved at a steady pace from start to finish. I can't wait to read the next book in this series!
This was my introduction to Shelley Russell Nolan, and what an introduction it was! This book was really good. The story flowed and moved at a steady pace from start to finish. I can't wait to read the next book in this series!
May 22, 2018
Lost Reaper was awesome!! I completely loved this book, could not put it down. There was so much anticipation and I was so anxious. I couldn't decide if I wanted Tyler to choose Chris or Sam. I loved them both. I was so happy that she dumped Logan, and I never forgave Sarah even if Tyler did. I just can't imagine why Tyler's family was so cruel to her. I still haven't figured that out. I mean, someone in the family had to care about her, or at least they should. It's crazy. The book had so much going on I just couldn't stand not to know what came next. I had a feeling about who the serial killer was pretty early, but I did question it a couple of times. But the depth of his crazy was totally unreal. I loved it!!
May 22, 2018
I had jury duty today and sat in the jury pool room for 8 hours DEVOURING this book. THEN at 93% complete, my Kindle battery died and I almost wept.
I read this book as part of "Quirky Blind Date With A Book" and had no idea what it would be about. I didn't know if LOST REAPER was a metaphor or literal so I went in with ZERO expectations.
This is a book that held me from the first line. It has a fantastic pace to it, the characters are quickly developed and the mystery is spot on. I don't want to give any spoilers so I won't say what was going on.
I would recommend to my elderly mother's book club and young cousins as it's full of drama and intrigue with no vulgarity.
I read this book as part of "Quirky Blind Date With A Book" and had no idea what it would be about. I didn't know if LOST REAPER was a metaphor or literal so I went in with ZERO expectations.
This is a book that held me from the first line. It has a fantastic pace to it, the characters are quickly developed and the mystery is spot on. I don't want to give any spoilers so I won't say what was going on.
I would recommend to my elderly mother's book club and young cousins as it's full of drama and intrigue with no vulgarity.
May 27, 2018
Wow, this story really sucked me in. I couldn't put it down. I voluntarily reviewed a copy via QBDB.
February 5, 2017
Lost Reaper is an interesting and refreshing read. The plot as well as the characters are thought out and well written. When you death and love triangles you can’t go wrong!
The main character Tyler finds herself in a very sticky situation leading to her ultimately agreeing to undefined terms given by none other than the Grim Reaper. She finds out that her best friend isn’t really that greatest of a best friends. Her boyfriend is a pig…no better way to put it. And she draws the interest of two men, who she repeatedly states she needs to stay away from. Did I mention that these two men have ‘issues’ of their own? One is a detective that is getting a little too cozy to a possible victim of a serial killer and the other is a rich boy that goes through girls like it’s nothing.
The secondary characters are well placed throughout the novel. They have a purpose and each has a defined personality that adds to the suspense, heartache, love, and mystery within the pages. It makes you wonder till the very end as small clues are slowly solved within the novel, but the action stays until the very end. The little twists and turns keep you on your toes. The romance aspect did seemed a little rushed or just weird at times. The attraction between the detective especially seemed a little misplaced, like he only liked her because another man –that he hated in a way- was making moves on her. Then there is the whole twistedness of the serial killer…no spoilers!
The plot is original and the subplot of a serial killer adds in a positive way. All the little things are revealed linking things together, which is something I just love within stories. You read through scenes and once everything is reveals you see how things fit together that you didn’t even realize. The only thing that did get me to disconnect a little bit was the very beginning. We are introduced to the main character Tyler when her character in comes to her end. It would have been nice to read a little more about her until the unthinkable happens, but as the story progressed it didn’t hinder relating to her character thankfully.
There are slow parts, but there are great action scenes as well. The ending left you waiting for more since there is the threat of an impending attack on her and other characters, but yet it gives you a happy ending…for now. I recommend giving Lost Reaper a chance if you love the supernatural, the afterlife and the underworld. And especially if you love reapers!
The main character Tyler finds herself in a very sticky situation leading to her ultimately agreeing to undefined terms given by none other than the Grim Reaper. She finds out that her best friend isn’t really that greatest of a best friends. Her boyfriend is a pig…no better way to put it. And she draws the interest of two men, who she repeatedly states she needs to stay away from. Did I mention that these two men have ‘issues’ of their own? One is a detective that is getting a little too cozy to a possible victim of a serial killer and the other is a rich boy that goes through girls like it’s nothing.
The secondary characters are well placed throughout the novel. They have a purpose and each has a defined personality that adds to the suspense, heartache, love, and mystery within the pages. It makes you wonder till the very end as small clues are slowly solved within the novel, but the action stays until the very end. The little twists and turns keep you on your toes. The romance aspect did seemed a little rushed or just weird at times. The attraction between the detective especially seemed a little misplaced, like he only liked her because another man –that he hated in a way- was making moves on her. Then there is the whole twistedness of the serial killer…no spoilers!
The plot is original and the subplot of a serial killer adds in a positive way. All the little things are revealed linking things together, which is something I just love within stories. You read through scenes and once everything is reveals you see how things fit together that you didn’t even realize. The only thing that did get me to disconnect a little bit was the very beginning. We are introduced to the main character Tyler when her character in comes to her end. It would have been nice to read a little more about her until the unthinkable happens, but as the story progressed it didn’t hinder relating to her character thankfully.
There are slow parts, but there are great action scenes as well. The ending left you waiting for more since there is the threat of an impending attack on her and other characters, but yet it gives you a happy ending…for now. I recommend giving Lost Reaper a chance if you love the supernatural, the afterlife and the underworld. And especially if you love reapers!
May 21, 2018
This book will grip you right from the start and simply not let go. Powerful writing, intriguing characters and a storyline that is packed with mystery, drama and action ensure that the reader is not left disappointed. Can’t wait to see how this story develops in the next book.
November 13, 2015
Wow! I loved this story. I'm a huge fan of Reaper stories and this one really sucks you in and has you racing until the end. Tyler is killed, and the Grim Reaper shows up to make her a proposition. She can resume her life on earth if she finds a missing reaper and reaps 1000 souls. He's a creepy, slimy jerk who doesn't explain the details or consequences of things. Tyler agrees, arrives home after her resurrections (two of them; perhaps she should have just stayed dead). to find her boyfriend sleeping with her life-long best friend/roommate. Talk about a horrible day. It's a great mix of mystery and romance. Detective Sam is super yummy. But there's another person that Tyler is drawn to. And as the neighborhood girls who all resemble Tyler start to die, you begin suspecting EVERYONE because they all look guity. Don't spend a lot of energy trying to figure out who the killer is because the end will surprise you. I really hope this is going to be a series because I'd love to see more.
I received a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.
I received a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.
August 14, 2016
The plot is good, interesting and the flow is fluid.
I've appreciated my time with Tyler even if some parts of the story were a little too repetitive.
Would have loved more actions between Chris and Sam and not this back and forth dance.
Even if I understand that the reader needs to wait for the sequel to receive more answers.
An easy read to spend a nice evening. Just wish we will not have to wait until the end in the next opus to have all the adventures and actions.
Lucie
http://newbooksonmyselves.blogspot.fr...
I've appreciated my time with Tyler even if some parts of the story were a little too repetitive.
Would have loved more actions between Chris and Sam and not this back and forth dance.
Even if I understand that the reader needs to wait for the sequel to receive more answers.
An easy read to spend a nice evening. Just wish we will not have to wait until the end in the next opus to have all the adventures and actions.
Lucie
http://newbooksonmyselves.blogspot.fr...
October 9, 2020
Chilling, freaky and just a really well written book!
What happens when you're in the wrong place at the wrong time? What happens when you die there? Well, for Tyler she makes a deal with the Grim Reaper himself. She has to come back from the dead and find the lost Reaper and return him.
Sounds easy enough...uh no! Tyler is off for an adventure of a lifetime, or two and although there are some chilling moments, most of the time you're on the edge of your seat waiting for the next scene.
What happens when you're in the wrong place at the wrong time? What happens when you die there? Well, for Tyler she makes a deal with the Grim Reaper himself. She has to come back from the dead and find the lost Reaper and return him.
Sounds easy enough...uh no! Tyler is off for an adventure of a lifetime, or two and although there are some chilling moments, most of the time you're on the edge of your seat waiting for the next scene.
February 17, 2017
Twenty five year old Tyler Morgan is given a second chance at life when she meets the grim reaper moments after being murdered. In exchange for her second chance Tyler is charged with looking for a missing reaper alongside collecting two thousand souls.
Read more here: http://www.bookerworm.com/reviews/85-...
Read more here: http://www.bookerworm.com/reviews/85-...
November 19, 2016
Shelley Russell Nolan's dark urban fantasy Lost Reaper is a fast-paced, page-turner. It starts with a bang, as Tyler Morgan stops off to pick up her favourite sweets from a petrol (gas) station and encounters a zombie-like wraith. She is killed, twice, and - for the chance to get back her life - she accepts the Grim Reaper's offer of a job as a reaper and is tasked to find Grim's missing reaper, Ash, or die again in a week . But her troubles are just starting and Grim (the Grim Reaper) hasn't told her everything. Then Tyler discovers that a serial killer is loose in the small town of Easton - killing women who look like her.
I enjoyed Nolan's strong, sparse style and can empathesie with Tyler as her life goes from bad to worse to crazy. She has strong and understandable emotions, is caring, courageous - and takes action when pushed. A lot of gruesome murders happen in this book - not least because Tyler is called to reap the souls who die in violent and tragic situations - but it is the characters and motivations and the emotional impact that are the main focus. With the notable exception of Sam, the men in her life are all creeps (some to the point of caricature). I did find the love triangle a tad annoying at times (just because the handsome, suave Chris was so obviously not a good choice & Sam is so upstanding, while Tyler tends to fall into the arms of whichever is nearest) and I pegged the killer long before the dramatic finale - but there were other elements driving the plot - not least the motives of Grim and his allies and the origin of Tyler's strange necklace - I was hooked from start to a satisfying finish and started reading the sequel almost immediately.
I'd like to thank the author for a free copy of Lost Reaper.
I enjoyed Nolan's strong, sparse style and can empathesie with Tyler as her life goes from bad to worse to crazy. She has strong and understandable emotions, is caring, courageous - and takes action when pushed. A lot of gruesome murders happen in this book - not least because Tyler is called to reap the souls who die in violent and tragic situations - but it is the characters and motivations and the emotional impact that are the main focus. With the notable exception of Sam, the men in her life are all creeps (some to the point of caricature). I did find the love triangle a tad annoying at times (just because the handsome, suave Chris was so obviously not a good choice & Sam is so upstanding, while Tyler tends to fall into the arms of whichever is nearest) and I pegged the killer long before the dramatic finale - but there were other elements driving the plot - not least the motives of Grim and his allies and the origin of Tyler's strange necklace - I was hooked from start to a satisfying finish and started reading the sequel almost immediately.
I'd like to thank the author for a free copy of Lost Reaper.
December 26, 2018
I loved this. Lost Reaper (Ms Nolan’s debut novel) is a paranormal romance / mystery that will keep you guessing whether it’s figuring out the murderer’s identity, the heroine’s connections to the men in her life or the real reason the Grim Reaper chose to give Tyler ‘a second chance’ at life. Heartbreak abounds in this story, but along with it comes a fierce determination for Tyler to succeed and save not only her soul, but also the lives of those around her. Tyler evolves into a woman of strength and conviction as the story unfolds, yet the writer allows the reader to see the heroine’s doubts and vulnerabilities.
I cheered for her, I became teary in parts, and I rallied in her ability to rebuild herself each time fate dealt her an unfair hand. Then there’s the climatic ending, which is where I may have uttered a swear word or two because now I have to wait for the second book to know what happens next for the surviving characters. Stalking authors for release dates is a thing, right?
I cheered for her, I became teary in parts, and I rallied in her ability to rebuild herself each time fate dealt her an unfair hand. Then there’s the climatic ending, which is where I may have uttered a swear word or two because now I have to wait for the second book to know what happens next for the surviving characters. Stalking authors for release dates is a thing, right?
May 16, 2018
Real rating 3.5
I've read a few books on reapers.. OK a lot of books on reapers. However this one felt a little fresh.. I enjoyed the characters and the trials she faces.
I've read a few books on reapers.. OK a lot of books on reapers. However this one felt a little fresh.. I enjoyed the characters and the trials she faces.
February 28, 2017
OK to read once but unsure if I want to read it again.
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