Once Dead, Twice Shy

Madison Avery, Book 1

By: Kim Harrison

Narrated by: Mandy Siegfried

"My name is Madison Avery, and I'm here to tell you that there's more out there than you can see, hear, or touch. Because I'm there. Seeing it. Touching it. Living it."

Madison's prom was killer - literally. For some reason she's been targeted by a dark reaper - yeah, that kind of reaper - intent on getting rid of her, body and soul. But before the reaper could finish the job, Madison was able to snag his strange, glowing amulet and get away. Now she's stuck on Earth - dead but not gone.

Somehow the amulet gives her the illusion of a body, allowing her to toe the line between life and death. She still doesn't know why the dark reaper is after her, but she's not about to just sit around and let fate take its course.

With a little ingenuity, some light-bending, and the help of a light reaper (one of the good guys! Maybe . . . ), her cute crush, and oh yeah, her guardian angel, Madison's ready to take control of her own destiny once and for all, before it takes control of her.... Well, if she believed in that stuff.

©2009 Kim Harrison (P)2009 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"For ardent fans of the good-looking undead, this has plenty of verve, an enjoyable role reversal (Madison is constantly rescuing the good-guy hunk), and is quite fun when the supernatural characters are placed within a regular high-school milieu. Like it or not, a sequel is rising from the underworld as we speak." ( Booklist)

OK

Definitely written for teens. Interesting world building, light/dark, angels/seraphim, free will/fare, timeless concepts.

a must read book

I enjoyed this book very much. kept me wanting more. I suggest this book to others.

Good book for high school/college aged listeners

Where does Once Dead, Twice Shy rank among all the audiobooks you???ve listened to so far?

It was entertaining, but easy to put down. The teenage angst is too long ago for me. ;-)

Have you listened to any of Mandy Siegfried???s other performances before? How does this one compare?

The narrator did a great job.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me giggle out loud more than once. Pretty funny, I'm just not the right demographic for this one.

If you read her other series this set not for you.

Would you try another book from Kim Harrison and/or Mandy Siegfried?

I have enjoyed the other series by Kim Harrison and assumed this was going to be similar and it is, if you are 13. This series is sweet but definitely a bore for adults. I think there should have been a symbol for series written with teens in mind. You don't get it from the brief sample and I was expecting more of the 'Hollows'. The cover art also indicated this was for an older audience. So I am listening but not really captivated.

Has Once Dead, Twice Shy turned you off from other books in this genre?

No, but again I would like to be able to really tell if a series is meant for adults or kids.

Which character – as performed by Mandy Siegfried – was your favorite?

Characters are nice, predictable and will appeal to the correct audience.

Any additional comments?

I happen to like the narrator for this series and the one who reads her other audio novels. The right voice really makes a difference. This one is a good match.

A teen to hook the next generation.

Kim has created a teen version of her wild and sometimes crazy world to hook the new generation in. Those of us young-at-hearts will still appreciate the spunk and twisted story lines even if we can't remember what it was like to be in high school. I shared this one with my teen and he lived it. now we have a series that we can share as he grows old enough to enjoy more of Kim's tales.
This book makes you remember what it was like to be a teen. The decisions you made today didn't seem fair or just, but you had to go along with them because you weren't in charge of everything. Then fate steps in and makes a decision for you. How do you deal with it. How do you impart your will over fate? What is it really like to be a teen, and yet you are actually something more?

THIS BOOK WAS JUST OK KIND OF BORING

I JUST FINISHED LISTENING TO THE WHOLE TRILOGY AND IT WASNT AS GOOD AS I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE. THE CHARACTERS WERE FINE BUT THE NARRATOR WASNT. I FEEL THAT HER VOICE IS BETTER SUITED FOR TEENS. OTHE THAN THAT, THE BOOKS WERE PRETTY BORING AND SHORT. THE ONLY BOOK I ENJOYED WAS THE 3rd BOOK.

Amazing!

Once Dead, Twice shy is something completely new and totally unseen before! Never before have you heard of being killed because you were too good. Or seeing a reversal view in good and evil. It is brilliant and captures you from the very first words that are spoken. This book is worth your time, and deserves more stars then just 5!

Witty humor and deep soul searching

What did you love best about Once Dead, Twice Shy?

The concept of how Madison Avery was both living and unliving at the same time. Oh and her angel companion who bugs her through out the story to be a 'good' person.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Once Dead, Twice Shy?

Near the start of the story where Madison and her 'guardian' angel get on a boat to save the soul of an innocent from being unfairly reaped.

What about Mandy Siegfried’s performance did you like?

She really brings Madison Avery and other characters to life with distinct personalities and moods.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes!

Easily drew me into the story

Would you consider the audio edition of Once Dead, Twice Shy to be better than the print version?

no idea I can not read that well

What did you like best about this story?

I could see and imagine the thoughts of the characters

Which character – as performed by Mandy Siegfried – was your favorite?

The main girl name eludes me

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I would love to read it in one sitting if I could stay awake that long

Any additional comments?

Easy to be drawn into the book

Once Dead,Twice Shy

The story line was interesting, but I feel that it was for teen age readers.