Meet Lexington Bartleby :



(Black Hoodie? Of course Avril popped into my mind-I think she looks like a reaper too. :D)


“You bit him?” Lex’s father said.

“He called me a wannabe vampire,” she said. “What was I supposed to do?”

“Oh, I don’t know—maybe not bite him?”

Lately she's been feeling angry, very very angry :(

Lexington Bartleby, age sixteen, had spent the last two years transforming her squeaky-clean, straight-A life into that of a hooligan. A delinquent. A naughty little rapscallion, as it wer More...

See more of my reviews on The YA Kitten! My copy was an ARC I received from the publisher via NetGalley.

Enough is enough. Lex Bartleby's parents can't take anymore of her bad attitude and the multitude of fights she gets into at school. With no other options left, they send her to stay with Uncle Mort for the summer, hoping some time artificially inseminating cows and cleaning up manure will help her clean up her act. Then it turns out she won't be doing farmwork after all because she will learn More...

Absolutely 5 SHINY (like this cover) STARS! Sometimes I think I read so many books that finding an original and captivating gem in the bunch gets harder by the day, but Croak reminds me why I love to read. It's knee-slappingly fun but still dark at the same time!

As a huge Soul Screamers fan, I already have a weakness for reapers but Gina Damico still brings something new to the table! These reapers carry actual scythes and only have the job of carting souls off to the Afterlife, where quirky gh More...

Expected Publication Date: March 20th 2012

Croak was kindly provided to me by Netgalley for Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Interested in more of my reviews? Visit my blog!

When sixteen year-old Lex starts to become a problem child, her parents decide to send her away for the Summer in hopes that her behavior will be changed while spending time with her Uncle Mort on his farm.

"I know it's a rather odd decision, but we think that a few months of fresh air could do you some good. You can get in touch with More...

I knew it! I knew this book will be awesome! You hear me evil guy who lives in my head and makes me choose shitty books?? DO-YOU-HEAR-ME???

Instead of behaving like a brainless fangirl and squeal my ass off with useless words/sounds like ZOMG BFRRRR AAAA GAAAHHHH and ZIIING I chose to make a list of things that I loved about Croak. Fair enough? I’m trying my best here so cut me some slack.

Ok so, let’s begin.

But no, first I have to mention that the order has no special meaning. So you can stop psy More...

It's weird that for a book that is about Reapers and death, I found myself laughing my head off throughout the novel.

Croak is one of those books that can completely deceive you with its cover and synopsis. My first impression of the novel was it would be kind of scary and somewhat disturbing. Well, yes, some of the parts are kind of disturbing or weird, depending on how you look at it (view spoiler)[a man choked on a hamster (hide spoiler)]. But that didnt stop me from reading it.

Lex is rude, violent and downright scary for More...

actual rating: 3.5 stars

blogged at Chronicles of a Book Evangelist

Despite some recent trilogy burnout, I must admit that I often like a series as much as or more than a stand-alone novel. I especially like book series where each book has its own story arc and can be read as a stand-alone, but still fit in to the overall series story arc. If you can find such a series, it is like literacy promoting gold. Get a kid hooked with one, and they will keep coming back for the others. (My little brother More...

Recenzia aj na http://kniho-lienka.blogspot.sk/2012/07/v-skratke-croak.html


Všetko to začala týmto trailerom

Už dlho som bola v takej zvláštnej agresívnej nálade a potrebovala som niečo nesladké, drzé a iné. A presne to som v Croak objavila.

Z Lex sa za veľmi krátku dobu stala delikventka. Mláti každého, kto jej príde pod ruku, nadáva ako dláždič, porušuje pravidlá a robí každému naokolo seba zo života peklo. Možno s výnimkou svojej sestry – dvojčaťa. A tak sa jej rodičia jedného dňa rozhodnú pre More...

3.5
Are you keen on grim reapers? Do you secretly wish that Death on Supernatural would get his own spinoff? Ever watch the TV series Dead Like Me? Did you have a crying jag because of its cancellation? Well dear Goodreaders, cry no more, for Croaked is your godsend. This book is similar to the aformentioned TV series and encapsulates Death and all his grim-reaping glory. (Remember when Dean subbed as Death for an episode? It's kinda like that episode in a way.) Anyhow, I would classify this nove More...

For anyone who found Hogwarts a little too cloying for the adult palette, the tiny town of Croak will be much more to your liking. Croak has no drinking age, a thriving cottage industry of cheating tourists, and the adults more likely to pick their nose and berate all teenagers than to provide wisdom or mentoring.

Despite the rough edges, this is the perfect place for our heroine. Though I'm usually not a fan of an angry protagonist, the sassy and funny Lexington Bartleby is filled to the brim w More...

I had some issues with the terms, and I couldn't remember what was this, that or the other, but the story is very refreshing, and the author opened her scope to keep from making American history the Center of the World.

Edit 11/3/12: A book based on death, reapers, and betrayal? I'm all in. Croak happily spits in the face of the typical YA novel and takes a daring chance on delivering something on the edge of a dark comedy and an investigation on raw justice and the balance of life. Thankfully, t More...

Five stars for the first half and three for the second half. This book started out really great. The writing was very bizarre but clever, and the dialogue was hilarious. Whereas some characters with an attitude are written to be irritating, I found myself loving Lex's spunk. She was a hoot, and I found myself laughing out loud on a number of occasions. Here's a sampler of the person Lex is.
(view spoiler)[To her credit, Lex really had tried. She had actually managed to converse with someone her own age for an e (hide spoiler)] More...

This was an interesting premise. 16 year-old Lex Bartelby is sent to her uncle for the summer after her deliquent behavior has caused her parents too much worry. Her uncle is a Grim (a Grim Reaper)and wants to train Lex to be the same. Lex is now in the town of Croak, a town populated entirely by Reapers. There are two types: Killers or Grims who kill with single-touch, releasing their souls. And Cullers who collect the souls and bring them back to Croak to release them into the afterlife. Each More...

Weird, wacky and whimsical worldbuilding, Batman!

OR

Silly, stupid and senseless.

Depends on your outlook, and sense of humour.

This book is all about the worldbuilding. Forget about the plot, there isn't much of one and it isn't introduced until quite late into the book.

Croak is a town filled with places and characters with names linked to death e.g. Kilda, Mort, Corpp's (pub), Dead Weight (gym) etc, etc. Every single inhabitant, 82 including our MC, is an oddball and a former delinquent just lik More...

::: Also posted on: http://jana-thebookgoddess.blogspot.com/

Let's have a look at that gorgeous cover for a sec. The girl's pose, that thing she's holding, what she's wearing, the bold font - everything just screams WHAT AN AMAZING AND PROMISING BOOK THIS WILL BE. But don't be mislead by the cover (just as I was) because I must tell you, this is a book that I did not finish (and won't consider continuing or reading the two sequels).

The concept was interesting, in lack of better word. I devoured t More...

funny, yes but that's about it.
oh yes, and the uncle was hilarious! I wish I had an uncle like that, lol.
Wasn't very impressed with the characters.
review;
http://booknookgirl.blogspot.com/2012...

Fun, whimsy with a dark side. Kindly provide by netgalley. Will definitely be recommending this book to my 7th and 8th graders as a good read. Already ready for the sequel.

Lex is out of control and she knows it. She is suddenly and uncontrollably angry. So much so that her parents end up having to tie her to a chair to talk to her. She doesn't know what to do. Neither do her parents or her twin sister. So she is sent to Uncle Mort's house in the country for the summer. Her parents tell her she'll help out on the farm and maybe things will get back under control. But Uncle Mort isn't a farmer and Croak is not your typical farming town. Lex has a lot to learn about More...

Clever and enticing.

What a funny and interesting book. Truly, I'm still mesmerized by what I just finished reading. It was quirky and funny and very very different. There really isn't another way to describe it. The characters with their strange names were extremely interesting as was the town of Croak and its inhabitants. Honestly, the whole thing was written very well and detailed, but with just enough sass to make an otherwise depressing topic fun.

Wild and violent behavior is what leads Lex' More...

Lex and her twin sister Cordy Bartleby seem to have the best of lives. They have loving parents and a stable home. Both do well in school and are surrounded by friends. That is what makes the drastic chnges that start to come about in Lex so much stranger. Her grades plummet. She becomes a loner, and she has no trouble picking fights ... the kind that even include punches. As a result, the decision is made to send her to live with her Uncle Mort at his form in Croak in upstate New York. The hope More...

I've read very few books with reapers in them, so I wasn't sure what to expect, but I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. I immediately fell in love with the town of Croak. The unusual street and building names added a quirky element, and the witty retorts of the characters kept the pages turning.

Lex is a difficult teen who can't seem stay out of trouble. Her short fuse is easily ignited and she's prone to fighting and swearing. Having exhausted all efforts, her parents ship her off to More...

This book was okay. The plot was interesting, and I knew from the summarization on the back that Lex would have anger issues, but I definitely didn't expect her to be the way she was.
The worst thing about Croak was the main character. Gina obviously thought that it would be cool to have a sexy, bad girl. Especially to fit the uncle's reaping buisness. But when her parents have to tie her up to avoid being hurt by her unpredictable, tumultous behavior- that is not funny. It's absolutely ridicul More...

At Polaris, I decided I would pick one book on sale there to support small time authors. Unfortunately, I am not lush with the cash, so I could not support them all. The book I selected was Croak by Gina Damico. I walked up to a table where someone was selling about 5-10 different books. The author wasn't there herself. I got there, saw the title, showed interest and the woman at the counter just about exploded with excitement over how funny and original the story was. Before I knew it, her enth More...

This book had me reading till 4am in the morning despite the face that I knew good and well that I had to get up at 7am but with a book this good it is damn well worth it.

The book starts light and seriously funny. I love Lex, her I hate everyone attitude makes her very endearing to me. Probably because it reminds me or me and Digger, well damn I have never felt such contained sexual attraction before.

Admittedly the book gets slower around the middle of the book but it is so damn hooking and myst More...

This review also appears at www.thetwinsread.blogspot.com

I picked this book up based on the interesting summary alone. I mean, having an uncle who's a Grim Reaper and finding out you're one too? Mystery deaths and unknown killers? Scythes?! This sounded way too fun to pass up, and I was right.

The story is told in Lex's point of view, she's a pretty humorous and witty girl, despite being self-destructive, violent, and impertinent - an anti-heroine in every sense of the word. She's gotten into nu More...

Two things today. First: When someone refers to a fantasy book’s heroine as grumpy and hilarious, I automatically put it on my ‘must buy’ list. Second: When books are priced under three dollars in Kindle format, I can’t keep my grabby little hands off them. This is the tale of how I ended up in possession of an ebook copy of Croak by Gina Damico. It was listed for $1.99 in August, and leila of bookshelves of doom convinced me to read it. I’m not sorry, because it was fun.

Lex is a sarcastic girl More...

I read this YA book with my son over the past month or so. Several aspects of it made it stand out to me: the character resisted cliche and instead was unusual and a bit unexpected; the narrative itself, though some of the story elements were a bit too contrived at times, kept the reader's interest engaged; and the writing style was interesting. My son was intrigued by the plot -- the story of a girl who is whisked away by her uncle to become a grim reaper -- though I was slightly put off by the More...

Imagine yourself in an environment filled with enemies, no friends, and loving parents who are so scared of you they tie you up before they talk to you about your behavior. Yes that would be horrible, but Lex Bartelby does have some behavioral issues. Her nickname at school is Tyrannosaurus Lex. To remedy her situation and to keep Lex from being kicked out of school her parents decide to send her to see Uncle Mort. She hasn't seen him in years and that's not the worst part, he lives on a farm. W More...

Originally posted on my blog: http://libraryladyhylary.blogspot.com ! Check it out for more reviews!

For the past two years, sixteen-year-old Lexington “Lex” Bartleby has made it her personal mission to punch, bite, scratch or generally injure her classmates. She used to be a straight-A student and have more friends than just her twin sister, Cordy, but for some reason she has been overcome by an inexplicable rage that makes her lash out at everyone, even her loving parents. Fed up with her bad a More...