Once Dead, Twice Shy (Madison Avery, #1)

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Once Dead, Twice Shy (Madison Avery Trilogy #1)

by Kim Harrison (Goodreads Author)

3.51 of 5 stars 3.51 · rating details · 6,468 ratings · 653 reviews

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, Madi...more

Hardcover, 232 pages

Published May 26th 2009 by HarperCollins (first published May 22nd 2009)

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Dec 13, 2012 Monique rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is one of the worst books I have read in a long, long time. And that is really saying something.

Possibly Harrison's biggest faux pas is assuming anyone who picks this book up has automatically read the short story she wrote for Prom Nights From Hell. Even though I have, it was a long time ago and the book just threw me in the deep end. It reads like the third book in a series instead of the first. Not fun.

Also, Harrison really, really sucks at teen-speak. What American teenage boy refers to...more

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Mar 25, 2012 Daniela rated it 4 of 5 stars

What a great read:

There once was a girl, Madison was her name,
After she got scythed back she came.
To change the world; and reapers and keepers of time
And blurr the lines between good and evil and sublime...

Still finding her way and how to do what's right
She's not succeded yet, but trying with all her might...

Imagine you wake up in a morgue and know you have died and you are only around as a solid, non breathing being (albeit without heartbeat) thanks to having stolen an amulet from the guy who s...more

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Jan 27, 2009 Jackie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: vamps-and-other-paranormal-pleasure, ya

Kim Harrison's starting a young adult series! This first one comes out in May.

My review:

Kim Harrison is the author of the very popular adult paranormal fiction series known as "The Hollows" (it starts with "Dead Witch Walking" and the most recent addition is "The Outlaw Demon Wails") She's trying her funny charm and fiendish imagination on the teenage crowd now, still dealing with what I at least would call paranormal beings--angels. It's a very complex world full of Time Keepers (humans who can...more

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Feb 25, 2011 Rain Misoa rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Younger teens and people wanting a short read

Recommended to Rain by: Library

I really hate to do this to Kim Harrison's book because I am not one to give out one star ratings that much. But this book was just terrible. It took me a few days to finish because I was just not feeling this book. It was very hard to get into and a bit confusing since I didn't read Harrion's short story that's in Prom Nights from Hell. I don't know if it would have made a difference or not but seeing as how this book was written, I doubt that.

The writing was very juvenile. Harrison wrote this...more I really hate to do this to Kim Harrison's book because I am not one to give out one star ratings that much. But this book was just terrible. It took me a few days to finish because I was just not feeling this book. It was very hard to get into and a bit confusing since I didn't read Harrion's short story that's in Prom Nights from Hell. I don't know if it would have made a difference or not but seeing as how this book was written, I doubt that.

The writing was very juvenile. Harrison wrote this book as if she had very little talent which I know is not true seeing as how her adult series are widely popular. It was as if she felt that since it's a YA novel, she could dumb it down for the audience to "better understand" what's going on when in actuality is just comes off as poor writing. Her descriptions of things were mediocre at best and not much difference when it came to word choice. I was very disappointed when it came to the writing in this book.

The characters really had no personalities whatsoever. They were boring and there was nothing that was in-depth about them. Most of them being very shallow. Madison, the female lead, was a cliché "goth girl" that kept mentioning her purple-tipped hair in ever other sentence along with her skull earrings as if to say "Oh look at me! I'm different and unique!" That really annoyed me. Barnabas, one of the male leads, was just annoying. To tell you the truth... I have no idea why he was in the story to begin with since he did abosolutely nothing except to complain. Josh, Madison's crush, was a bit better but in the "Yeah... I like you and I want us both to be safe but I am kinda useless" sort of way. Kairos, villian, was SO cliché that you just want to slam your head against the wall! He was like one of those villians out of a comic book. The characters in this book... were just... annoying.

I was actually looking forward to this book so it really makes me upset to see how badly it was written. I'll admit that I like the concept of the reapers and the stones... but the way it was portrayed just fell flat to me. I couldn't put myself for long hours to read this book like I normally do. I had to stop on countless occasions just to finish it. *Shakes head* Very disappointed read. But hey, you might like it for yourself. Just because it didn't work for me, doesn't mean it won't for you. Try it out. It's not the absolute worse I have ever read. That's saying something, isn't it?(less)

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Jan 21, 2011 Jenni rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: book-series, all-kind-of-angels, paranormal, ghosts

Firstly, I didn't knew what I will expect from this book, because I've never heard of the author before. I decided to read it because it was a fairly good cover and the plot sounded interesting, what with all the light/dark reapers.
It was a bit boring at the beginning, the story just stuck at the time when Madison is discovering how all the threads are connected to eachother and what she have to to do with the amulet that she has stolen from the dark lightkeeper. She want her "normal life" back,...more

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Feb 26, 2012 Debbie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 3-star

Read and completely unsure what star rating to give the book. I think I would star higher than it deserved because I know it's the setup book for a new series; and, that I'd do lower than deserved because Kim Harrison such a favorite author I had unfairly high expectations. Book was a quick read and moved well enough; characters obviously had more to come and no doubt that will happen in rest of series; Ms. Harrison can write; not full of teenage angst (although could have stood a few less descr...more

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Oct 04, 2009 Wdebo5487 rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to Wdebo5487 by: Isa

When I got this book from my friend, she told me that it was a pretty ok book. So, when I started it, I kept thinking...this book is ok, not the best not the worse...But I read more and more and got more and more engrossed in it...it became this pretty good book. At the end I was dying to read the second book (well, not exactly dying...but I wouldn't mind reading the second one of course :D )

The thing I found most annoying about this book was how it zoomed through scenes that were VERY important...more

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Sep 15, 2009 Heather rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009, ya

Sadly the best thing about this book was the cover. I’ll admit, my expectations for this book were rather high, I was greatly anticipating this book release; however, I imagine I would have been thoroughly disappointed even if I had none. This book was completely and utterly juvenile. Why it is classified as YA is beyond me, it shouldn’t have even made it to print! Once Dead Twice Shy was chalk full of nonsense, the plot was entirely underdeveloped, as were the characters, and was often hard to...more Sadly the best thing about this book was the cover. I’ll admit, my expectations for this book were rather high, I was greatly anticipating this book release; however, I imagine I would have been thoroughly disappointed even if I had none. This book was completely and utterly juvenile. Why it is classified as YA is beyond me, it shouldn’t have even made it to print! Once Dead Twice Shy was chalk full of nonsense, the plot was entirely underdeveloped, as were the characters, and was often hard to follow. Furthermore, the dialog was ridiculous, littered with phrases like “Son of a dead puppy” which is not only bizarre, but incredibly childish to boot. Newsflash Kim Harrison, teens curse, especially the kind that dye their hair purple, wear skull and crossbones accessories and sneak out of the house in the middle of the night. But I digress.

Once Dead Twice Shy tells the story of Madison Avery. Scathed on her prom night, she is now dead, but tethered to this world via an amulet which she stole from the dark reaper who scathed her. The amulet gives her the semblance of a body and with the guidance of her light reaper friend, Madison is attempting to harness her newly acquired amulet’s powers. She hasn’t had much success and after a run in with another dark reaper, she learns why. Apparently the dark reaper who scathed her wasn’t a dark reaper at all, but a dark timekeeper. If that sounds like hokey plot device, I assure you are not delusional, it is that crazy. Continuing on, Madison is quickly assigned a guardian angel, who is very grating, obnoxious at best, to protect her while her light reaper friend and the light timekeeper Ron petition the scathes to allow Madison to keep her amulet. If that sounds like a sad attempt to get these two characters out of the way, that’s because it is. What follows is a truly pathetic story. It is entirely unbelievable, not because of the supernatural plot line, that was fairly inventive, but for the sickly sweet characters and their unbelievable reactions. If it’s possible to obtain a cavity from reading, this book would be the one to do it. There is no way I will be continuing on with this series as I refuse to be bested by Kim Harrison again.
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May 12, 2011 Jessica rated it 3 of 5 stars

I STARTED READING THIS BOOK THURSDAY, 05/05/11, AND I AM ON THE 4TH CHAPTER. RIGHT NOW I AM JUST GETTING TO KNOW THE CHARACTERS. BOTH MADISON AND BARNABAS SEEM A BIT WHINNEY, TO ME. I REALLY WANTED TO SIT DOWN AND REALLY READ THIS WEEKEND, BUT IT BEING MOTHERS DAY AND GOING OUT OF TOWN, I WAS BUSY. SO FAR, THE AUTHOR IS KEEPING TRUE TO HER WAY OF WRITTING.

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Mar 29, 2011 Angela rated it 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this story. In general we have have certain expectations of "good and evil". A light reaper and dark reaper would fall into their respective categories right? Wrong...as the story unfolds you find that not everything is as it appears at first glance. Just like in real life, there are shades of gray that the characters have to wrestle with when choosing which side their allegiance falls.

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Jan 25, 2012 VampireNovelFan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, urban-fantasy

The premise is interesting, but I just couldn't get into it. The writing isn't quite as captivating. Granted, it could be due to the fact that this is YA with YA topics (ie: high school, coming of age, etc.)and day by day I inch further away from being a YA myself. Even still, based on my experience with the Rachel Morgan series, if I based my love for that series on the first book, it wouldn't rank very high. I had to sort of force myself to read the first book, and then Book 2 got way better;...more

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Mar 06, 2009 46milestogo rated it 1 of 5 stars

By page two, it's clear the author would rather mutter/complain/protest than use the word said.

"Don't be so scared of said," I exclaimed at that point, and then closed the book.

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Apr 07, 2013 Rhayna rated it 2 of 5 stars

At the beginning when i first saw this book I thought it was going to be very interesting and mysterious because I judge a book by its cover. This is a book about a girl named Madison. At first i thought that she would be a normal girl but the big twist hit me and she was dead all along. She stood alive because she took an amulet from a timekeeper and that's how it seems that she is alive. She was a good person once but she gained lots of power and doesn't always use them for good. She has a gua...more

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Nov 03, 2012 Heather Boustead rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: action-adventure, audiobook, urban-fantasy, young-adult, fantasy

Once Dead, Twice Shy
Madison Avery Trilogy Book One
By Kim Harrison

On the night Madison was attending her prom, she hooked up with a guy who was not her date, left with him, and then he killed her. It turns out the guy was a reaper, and before he could take her soul she snatched his amulet which has allowed her to appear normal, well as normal as a girl with purple hair and skull earrings can be. Now she is determined to get her body back and put an end to her curse once and for all.

I picked up th...more

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Aug 17, 2012 Tintenelfe rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Madison Avery ist tot, jedoch irgendwie auch wieder nicht, denn sie kann mithilfe eines Amulettes, das sie dem Todesengel, der sie getötet hat, abgenommen hat, ihren Körper projizieren und ihr Weiterleben vortäuschen. Einfach hat sie es dabei jedoch nicht, denn sie muss sich zunächst in einer Welt aus Todesengeln, Zeitwächtern und Schattenflügeln zurecht finden und dabei immerzu darauf achten, dass der Todesengel Kairos sie nicht zu fassen bekommt, um ihr das Amulett wieder abzunehmen. Dummerwei...more

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Jun 17, 2012 Alicia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

I have heard a lot of good things about this author, so I was excited to start reading this book. Unfortunately, the best word I can come up with to describe this is ‘okay’. It wasn’t bad, there wasn’t anything particularly annoying about the book, but it wasn’t great either.

I spent a lot of the book wishing that the story had started earlier, ideally back when Madison first moved in with her dad, because without all of that it felt like we just jumped straight into the action and I didn’t reall...more

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May 04, 2012 Jaime rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, audio, paranormal, young_adult

This is Kim Harrison’s first series since her Rachel Morgan series, and being such a huge fan of that one I had to give this a shot. This is a young adult series, so I expected the tone and writing style to be different. It was, but the things that make Harrison’s writing so good were still there – color characters, interesting sidekicks, and a compelling new world.

At first glance, Madison’s world is just like ours. Except, she’s dead. Now, she’s trying to keep from the clutches of the dark reap...more

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Apr 27, 2012 OpenBookSociety.com rated it 5 of 5 stars

Review brought to you by OBS staff member Annabell Cadiz

Beware of spoilers!

Madison Avery was dealt a very harsh breath: she was killed on her seventeenth birthday on her way to prom by a time keeper, a human who is immortal and works for Heaven. Madison is still living in the human world but not exactly alive. She exists in a make shift version of her body thanks to a special amulet she was able to steal from the time keeper when she managed to escape from the morgue where she woke up. Madison i...more Review brought to you by OBS staff member Annabell Cadiz

Beware of spoilers!

Madison Avery was dealt a very harsh breath: she was killed on her seventeenth birthday on her way to prom by a time keeper, a human who is immortal and works for Heaven. Madison is still living in the human world but not exactly alive. She exists in a make shift version of her body thanks to a special amulet she was able to steal from the time keeper when she managed to escape from the morgue where she woke up. Madison is now attempting to learn how to use her new powers as a light reaper. Light reapers protect people from being scythed (having their souls taken from their bodies) and dark reapers are the ones who do the scything (in order to save the soul before it’s lost from the bad decisions people make). Light reapers believe in free will where dark reapers believe in fate. Madison is being trained through Barnabas, a dark reaper angel who decided to go rogue. As Madison tries to find a way to fit in at school but is failing miserably and learning how to master her new gifts, the dark time keeper who had tried to kill her in the first place is after her again. This time around, he not only wants her dead and his amulet back, but is going after Madison’s new crush slash potential boyfriend—that is if she can keep him alive long enough to see where their potential romance can go!

I absolutely LOVED this book!! I had originally read the third one first, not knowing it was the third novel in a series, so it was rather strange to read the first one second but I still had a lot of fun with the story. The characters are very well developed; the plot is suspenseful and full of awesome action, and the humor is spot on!

Madison is a great heroine. She is full of laugh out loud sarcasm, kick butt attitude, and very strong willed. I also loved that Madison had flaws. She follows her emotions sometimes more than logic which gets her in tons of trouble. She also has a tendency to be hard headed. I also really liked that she had moments of vulnerability and fear. She was a heroine who was painted to be perfect or stale. Barnabus is one of my new crushes! He is stop-breathing-clutch-your-heart-stutter-incohernetly-drop-dead-gorgeous! He is wise and caring. But Barnabus is also struggling to understand where he fits in the big scheme of things and whether or not his decision to go against Heaven’s wishes was right. Josh was so handsome and cute in a boy-next-door type of way. He is respectful and sweet as well as funny. Nakita is fierce, beautiful, and tough as steel. I love that the female characters were portrayed with such strength and power! Grace, the guardian angel assigned to Madison, was so funny! I love how she rhymes to make fun of when Madison messes up.

I really had fun reading from Madison’s point of view. She is open with her fears and insecurities. She is also extremely funny! I also like the swords the reapers use. They each have a different colored one based on the color of the amulet. I wish I could have one! I really loved how the book ventured into the subject of fate versus choice. The novel was a new and refreshing way to look at the theme.

The only thing that did seem out of place was the romance between Josh and Madison. Josh seemed to accepting too quickly of what Madison was and the existence of both light and dark reapers. They also seemed to move too quickly into their romance.

But other than that, the book was awesome! The dialogue fits each character’s personality. The pacing fits the action and the scenes flow nicely one into the next. The plot is packed with tons of action and a good amount of romance. The humor was one of the best parts of the book.

If you have yet to become a fan of Madison Avery and her world, you are missing out! A DEFINITE MUST READ!!

http://openbooksociety.com/article/on...(less)

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Feb 11, 2012 Nenia Campbell rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: urbane-fantasies, ya-baby-ya, boo-a-ghost, angels, x-2009s, x-series-bk-1, reviewed, specialsnowflakes

This book doesn't make much sense unless you've read the teaser prologue "Madison Avery and the Dim Reaper" in Prom Nights from Hell. Ms. Harrison does her best to allude to what happened, but alluding isn't the same as reading it for yourself.

Basically, Madison Avery was "scythed" by the angel of death - but she managed to steal his amulet before her soul departed, thus making her a "material girl" in the literal sense. The death angel is pissed because without his amulet, he's not immortal any...more This book doesn't make much sense unless you've read the teaser prologue "Madison Avery and the Dim Reaper" in Prom Nights from Hell. Ms. Harrison does her best to allude to what happened, but alluding isn't the same as reading it for yourself.

Basically, Madison Avery was "scythed" by the angel of death - but she managed to steal his amulet before her soul departed, thus making her a "material girl" in the literal sense. The death angel is pissed because without his amulet, he's not immortal anymore. That's why Barnabas, a light reaper, is protecting Madison; the dark reapers reap, and the light reapers try to stop them.

The amulet can do a lot more than stop death, as Madison soon learns. But these newfound abilities come at a cost: they attract the darkwings - crow-like creatures that act similar to Stephen King's Langoliers; they devour souls and history.

With an unlikely team of supporters - including Barnabas, and a guardian angel named Grace who has a penchant for narrating everything in limerick form - Madison is on a quest to get back her body from the angel who attacked her and figure out the secret behind her amulet - and why everyone fears her because of it.

Once Dead stands out as unique in a backdrop of Twiclones, particularly because of the emphasis on action and not romance. But it is not perfect and has many glaring flaws. I didn't like how much Ms. Harrison stressed that Madison was gothic! Or that people made fun of her for wearing things with skulls. I know that emos and goths like to think that they're so misunderstood and unappreciated but come on. Do you really think Hot Topic would be making as much money as they do if it wasn't cool to shop there? Yeah, exactly. Unless you're in the snootier areas of the O.C. or New England, people probably aren't going to be poking fun at you for being edgy.

I also felt that the world was undeveloped. Apart from the missing prologue, things moved too fast and were very confusing. The rules of reaper magic were hard to understand. I liked how the amulets and swords were "tied" to the wielders and reality, and how severing those threads allowed you to dissociate from them. That was really cool. Very metaphysical. But I don't think high school students are going to be able to understand that very well. Hell, I'm a college grad and even I was scratching my head wondering, "Where is she going with this?"

It's a fun, short venture into the scapes of heaven and hell. If you've ever wondered, "Is there life after death?" Ms. Harrison provides a quirky answer. Despite the flaws, I enjoyed this book. I just hope that the author finds her footing in the later books. Given that this is a trilogy, it's not reassuring that the first book tanks at setting the stage for the next two.(less)

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Oct 23, 2011 Suzy rated it 3 of 5 stars

I read ONCE DEAD, TWICE SHY by Kim Harrison. It is about a dead girl who lives on Earth and is trying to find her place in the world of Angels and Demons. She is more or less a ghost who has a body because she stole the person who killed her's amulet. The amulets give an appearance of a body but you don't really have a soul. Which doesn't really make much sense because the girl is still the same person. They don't call them demons in the book but there is a dark side. She originally thinks she h...more

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Aug 04, 2011 Amanda rated it 3 of 5 stars

Kim Harrison, best known for her Rachel Morgan fantasy series, jumps into the growing paranormal teen genre with Once Dead, Twice Shy, her first entry in her new Madison Avery series.

Just after bad-girl Madison Avery was killed in a car accident following her junior prom, she was able to snatch an amulet from one of the infamous "dark reapers" who was attempting to kill her and take her soul. Thanks to the power of the amulet, Madison didn't die -- well, not exactly. Madison becomes stuck betwee...more Kim Harrison, best known for her Rachel Morgan fantasy series, jumps into the growing paranormal teen genre with Once Dead, Twice Shy, her first entry in her new Madison Avery series.

Just after bad-girl Madison Avery was killed in a car accident following her junior prom, she was able to snatch an amulet from one of the infamous "dark reapers" who was attempting to kill her and take her soul. Thanks to the power of the amulet, Madison didn't die -- well, not exactly. Madison becomes stuck between life and death and must become one of the deadly reapers. She soon discovers that this is more of a curse than a blessing when she is thrown into an age-old war between good and evil. Just as Madison is learning to balance her new responsibilities as a reaper with light reaper Barnabas, the reaper whose amulet she stole comes to claim it. Madison must then team up with Barnabas to learn the ropes of her strange new profession, fight off the evil dark reapers after her amulet, and unravel the mysteries behind her unprecedented abilities and connections to the powerful talisman.

Though Harrison has a popular following in the adult paranormal romance arena thanks to her best-selling Hallows series, she seems have a little trouble moving into the teen/YA universe. This book is just about as confusing as it sounds. While the concept is very interesting and original, it simply is not presented very well. Even though Once Dead, Twice Shy is the first book in a series, it feels like the reader is expected to immediately understand the mechanics and vocabulary of the world. There were so many times that I found myself staring at the pages and wondering what on earth was happening. This book is actually my first exposure to Kim Harrison, and I found it to be somewhat disappointing.

Despite these shortcomings, the book wasn't a complete waste. The characters are fun, particularly the rebellious Madison, who has a strong edge and feisty personality. The world is very unique and filled with potential for great story. Even though this novel is short, at times it feels likes it takes forever to get anywhere and it lacks an adequate foundation to figure out just what is going on. Once I just gave up on that and just went along with the story, it became much more enjoyable. If readers stick with the book long enough, they are treated to an intense, compelling ending that points to even better stories in future installments.

While Once Dead, Twice Shy has its issues, it has a fascinating, unique urban world that has great potential for future stories. This novel is perfect for young girls (generally around age 14) who enjoy paranormal-style novels and spunky heroines, but some older audiences, particularly the target audience for the Rachel Morgan series, may have problems with it.(less)

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Aug 01, 2011 Madame X rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-urban-fantasy, ya-or-teen-protagonist

I adore Kim Harrison's adult paranormal Hollows series, and I like YA paranormals, so I was really looking forward to ONCE DEAD, TWICE SHY. I wasn't disappointed...but it didn't meet my expectations either.

ONCE DEAD TWICE SHY has an interesting premise, with protagonist Madison Avery swept up in a heavenly battle between the divine guardians of fate, and the divine guardians of free will. While the guardians of fate seem to be the bad guys, because they assassinate innocents who are fated to co...more

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Jun 12, 2011 LL rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy

The only reason I'm even giving this book a 2-star rating is the fact that I'm a big fan of Kim Harrison's UF, the Hollows, series. I knew this was her debut in the YA area, and while I didn't have very high expectations for it, it still felt quite disappointing in most aspects.

It took me excruciatingly long to get into the book. I think it took me two nights to read through one-third of it. It just didn't grab my attention like the other books that I read by KH. (view spoiler)...more The only reason I'm even giving this book a 2-star rating is the fact that I'm a big fan of Kim Harrison's UF, the Hollows, series. I knew this was her debut in the YA area, and while I didn't have very high expectations for it, it still felt quite disappointing in most aspects.

It took me excruciatingly long to get into the book. I think it took me two nights to read through one-third of it. It just didn't grab my attention like the other books that I read by KH. (view spoiler)

Sorry KH, I still love you as an author, but I think I'd stick with your adults UF series only, because I wasn't thrilled with this particular installment. I think there may be a #2 coming out for this, and I may pick it up if I come across it at the library, just to see if things improve at all. However, I have many books on my to-read list and this will fall to the bottom of it for sure.(less)

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Jun 07, 2011 Krista Basilio rated it 3 of 5 stars

I just got this book and read over half of it in four hours. It grabs hold and takes you for a ride that much. Since the first book Madison has been struggling the the blurred lines of her new job as time keeper of the dark reapers. Instead killing people to save their souls or assigning a guardian angel Madison Avery wants a third choice of getting the mark to choice a new path in life. She has already done it once by accident and want to do it again to prove to the higher ups that her idea was...more

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Mar 13, 2011 M rated it 2 of 5 stars

I give this novel two stars, with indulgence. Contrary to all the good I've heard about Harrison's fiction, this attempt just doesn't quite rise to the task. The narrative is confusing and lacking in any sort of pacing, the characters aren't very engaging and the moral of the story is too convoluted to be interesting.

Madison, who died in a scene that is only referred to but never actually depicted, is the stereotypical, clueless heroine whose biggest concern is in balancing an unwanted angelic...more I give this novel two stars, with indulgence. Contrary to all the good I've heard about Harrison's fiction, this attempt just doesn't quite rise to the task. The narrative is confusing and lacking in any sort of pacing, the characters aren't very engaging and the moral of the story is too convoluted to be interesting.

Madison, who died in a scene that is only referred to but never actually depicted, is the stereotypical, clueless heroine whose biggest concern is in balancing an unwanted angelic burden with the demands of her cookie-cutter teenage life. She is a misfit, yes, but only in reference to wardrobe choices. One can't help feel the author tried too hard to make her friendless and stopped at surface-deep details such as earrings and purple hair. By contrast, the well-adjusted individuals are viewed with suspicion or derision, something I found rather disappointing and unnecessary. (Indeed, for those who've read the novel, how necessary were Amy and co to the plot, other than to make Josh look like the 'good kind' of popular kid?)

Madison's story isn't terribly compelling, either. Having been on the wrong end of an angel's sword, she is now caught in between this life and the next, apparently happily alive... save for her ability to see and communicate with both good and bad angels. Her minder is seemingly able to appear as an (attractive) young man and her almost ex-boyfriend is soon to enter the arena of trouble teenage romance. There is quite a lot of dithering on that subject and a lot of interludes during which nothing of particular relevance seems to be happening. On occasion, Harrison repeats the same plot points three or four times in separate inter-character conversations, as if to make sure the reader understands what's going on--to little avail.

It could be that I'm not the intended audience for this novel, seeing as I'm neither a Christian, nor a follower of Ms Harrison's work. Where I do think the novel has some merit is in avoiding the tired dichotomy between angels (good) and reapers (bad). A shame the 'choice versus fate' aspect was relegated to the last thirty pages. It's small comfort to have made my way through the story only to emerge reassured that the premise isn't propelled by religious dogma.(less)

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Jan 31, 2011 Mandy rated it 4 of 5 stars

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Dec 05, 2010 Librarysteph rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy, angels

I was having mixed feelings about running Angel Month for Teen Tuesdays after I read Hush, Hush but Harrison’s novel has me enthused again.

Free will vs. Fate is the big debate this book will spark, and I love a good debate or any book that makes you think about big picture concepts.

What I found most interesting about Once Dead, Twice Shy is the angel mythology that is either new or different from what I am familiar with. That reapers are a kind of angels, and there are different classes of angel...more

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Oct 27, 2010 Renee Rearden rated it 4 of 5 stars

I love the premise of this story: No individual is inherently bad. Choices in life can be influenced for good or evil.

Now bring in our heroine, Madison Avery. After being killed on her seventeenth birthday, she's now a dead version of being alive. How is this possible? Her soul still exists because of a special amulet she stole from her killer. Now, she's trying to learn to use her powers as a light reaper and protect people from being scythed. Light reapers protect humanity's right to free will...more I love the premise of this story: No individual is inherently bad. Choices in life can be influenced for good or evil.

Now bring in our heroine, Madison Avery. After being killed on her seventeenth birthday, she's now a dead version of being alive. How is this possible? Her soul still exists because of a special amulet she stole from her killer. Now, she's trying to learn to use her powers as a light reaper and protect people from being scythed. Light reapers protect humanity's right to free will. To choose. The dark reapers try to protect humanity through fate. The dark reapers romove (kill) those people who will make bad choices and endanger or harm others.

During this light reaper learning period, Madison must also battle the usual issues of not fitting in at school, as well as trying to keep a low profile because her killer wants his amulet back...and he'll stop at nothing to get it. Madison struggles through her new circumstances, making a couple of friends. Ultimately, she wants things back to normal. That is to say, she wants her body back, and then the light and dark reapers can go about their business of dealing with souls, leaving her out of it.

Fate had decreed otherwise. Madison discovers she is actually the dark timekeeper, a tool of the seraphs. The instrument of death for those people that will make choices harmful to others in the future. Unfortunately for the seraphs, Madison doesn't believe in fate. Though she must ultimately make the choice to be the dark timekeeper, fate has brought her to the point of choice.

Madison realizes she must accept the position in order to get her body back...but has decided to run things her way. She can't stop the angel of death from taking the lives of people who choose to do horrible things, but she will talk to those people meant to be scythed before they're killed. If she can change their mind, fate might give them another chance at life.

This series has amazing possibilities, and I can't wait to read the next book and talk about it with my teenage daughters!(less)

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Oct 09, 2010 lyn straine rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy

I burned through this book like lightning (though it's also pretty short--less than 300 pgs) and actually really enjoyed it; it's my favorite so far of the mountain of teen girl meets the paranormal that I've been sifting through lately. Which is sad, because I LOVE teen girls meeting the paranormal, but most of them just take too many pages from Twilight, unfortunately, whereas this one does not. The protagonist actually has a personality: she's fun and flawed, her actions have consequences, an...more

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Jul 25, 2010 Jennifer Jensen (Literally Jen) rated it 3 of 5 stars

I absolutely adore Kim Harrison's urban fantasy series set in the fictional Hollows and starring witch Rachel Morgan, living vampire Ivy, and pixie Jenks. So when I found out Kim was going to start a brand new series for the YA crowd, I was thrilled. I've been reading her books since the very beginning (the high fantasy series written under the name Dawn Cook) and she has never failed to delight and amuse me.

I'm not sure why I wasn't as enamored with "Once Dead, Twice Shy", which is the first no...more I absolutely adore Kim Harrison's urban fantasy series set in the fictional Hollows and starring witch Rachel Morgan, living vampire Ivy, and pixie Jenks. So when I found out Kim was going to start a brand new series for the YA crowd, I was thrilled. I've been reading her books since the very beginning (the high fantasy series written under the name Dawn Cook) and she has never failed to delight and amuse me.

I'm not sure why I wasn't as enamored with "Once Dead, Twice Shy", which is the first novel in her YA series. Like other reviewers, I did feel that this novel started in the middle of a story already in progress. Unlike those other reviewers, however, I felt she filled in Madison's back story enough so that I could just jump right into the action. Kim is skillful at recapping, but she sneaks it in throughout the whole of the novel and so you have to really pay attention to know what is going on.

Madison Avery is dead, although she looks very much alive. Her physical body was taken by a dark reaper the night of her 17th birthday after she was in a deadly car accident. Madison appears alive because she stole an amulet from the reaper that causes her to appear as real as we are. The memories of her parents and those that were near her during the crash had to be altered. When Josh confesses to her that he has been having strange dreams about the night of their prom, Madison decides to come clean and tells him that his dreams were real. Now Josh is in grave danger from a dark reaper named Nakita, and it is up to Madison, her guardian angel, and light reaper Barnabas to keep him alive.

"Once Dead, Twice Shy" is a quick read, but if you stop to really think about all the words you've just absorbed you should be able to see what Kim is doing. There are deeper themes to the story as Madison and her friends have to decide who are really the bad guys: the light reapers or the dark reapers. Which is better: Choice or Fate?

There were a few things that I disliked about this novel, but it was mostly a positive reading experience for me. Kim likes to write fun little expressions, but "son of a dead puppy" was just really obnoxious to me, and I can't picture anyone saying it. Likewise, Grace, Madison's guardian angel, is not nearly as hilarious as Jenks from the Rachel Morgan series. Some of the dialogue between the teenagers didn't flow very well, and I think it's pretty unlikely that a 17-year-old boy would call another boy "weenis"; I would more expect this from a 10-year-old.

As Kim gets into the groove of writing for a younger audience, I hope that her voice takes a more mature tone. I think this was a nice start, but could have used a bit more guidance from an editor or a critique partner. I really hate saying all of this because she is my favorite writer, but she is much better when writing for an adult audience.
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About Kim Harrison

Kim Harrison, dark urban fantasy author of the New York Times bestselling The Outlaw Demon Wails, was born and raised in the upper Midwest. After gaining her bachelors in the sciences, she moved to South Carolina, where she has remained since. She is currently developing a new young adult series between working on the Hollows books, and is a member of The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of Ame...more

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Every Which Way But Dead (The Hollows, #3)

The Good, the Bad, and the Undead (The Hollows, #2)

The Outlaw Demon Wails (The Hollows, #6)

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“God, if you ever loved me, open my eyes for me when I'm being this stupid! (Ron)” — 74 people liked it

“Breaking rules isn't bad when what you're doing is more important than the rule itself” — 34 people liked it

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Once Dead, Twice Shy (Madison Avery Trilogy #1)

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