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61st out of 69 books
—
74 voters
The Death Catchers
by
Jennifer Anne Kogler (Goodreads Author)
On her fourteenth Halloween, Lizzy Mortimer sees her first death-specter.
Confused at first, Lizzy soon learns from her grandmother Bizzy that as Death Catchers, they must prevent fate from taking its course when an unjust death is planned-a mission that has been passed down from their ancestor, Morgan le Fay. Only, Lizzy doesn't expect one of her first cases to land her in...more
Confused at first, Lizzy soon learns from her grandmother Bizzy that as Death Catchers, they must prevent fate from taking its course when an unjust death is planned-a mission that has been passed down from their ancestor, Morgan le Fay. Only, Lizzy doesn't expect one of her first cases to land her in...more
Hardcover, 352 pages
Published
August 16th 2011
by Walker Childrens
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Please please please let this not be the start of a series - it's so enjoyable just the way it is! Whoda thunk that using all those terms one learns in English class (trope, allegory, metaphor, aphorism, etc.) could be strung together to make for an interesting Arthurian story? Sometimes it's a slightly strained use of the term, and sometimes the chapter veers a little further from the description than it should, but more often the device succeeds than fails.
In short, on her 14th Hallowe'en, Liz...more
In short, on her 14th Hallowe'en, Liz...more
My thoughts...The Death Catchers was an unexpected surprise for me for several reasons. First, I did not read the summary prior to reading, so I did not know this was a tale based on an old story. Secondly, I really enjoyed the characters. Lizzy, the heroine finds herself in a few precarious situations and her emotions felt very real. I understood what she was feeling and sympathized with her often. Bizzy, her grandmother, had great character and added a hint of humor the the story. This memorab...more
A few things felt odd. The setting was one of them. The author put a lot of effort into describing the setting, but to me it just presented too many difficulties. Most of those would have gone away had the setting been New England instead of northern California.
Example: there are very old tombstones in the local cemetery, ones which locals assume were from the 17th century, early in the town's existence. That's great, but there are NO towns in California which are that old. Really. The Spaniard...more
Example: there are very old tombstones in the local cemetery, ones which locals assume were from the 17th century, early in the town's existence. That's great, but there are NO towns in California which are that old. Really. The Spaniard...more
In a letter to her English teacher explaining why she didn't turn in her project in time, Lizzy Mortimer tells a Arthurian-age old secret about herself and her grandmother. They are death catchers, a unique talent that only descendants of Morgan le Faye, a legendary sister of Avalon, have. Lizzy can see someone's death before it happens, and it's up to her to make sure they don't die. Before she can develop her skills, or learn much about her talents, she is caught in a feud between two Avalon...more
This was a cute mix of modern girl finds she has paranormal powers and Arthurian legend. Kind of like Practical Magic and King Arthur had a baby, except with less Keira Knightley and less tequila. There's still a slightly bonkers family member or two though, so I'm gonna stick with that analogy.
I really liked the way the story was told - as a letter to her English teacher on why she didn't hand in her final assignment but should still get a passing grade. It had an authentic sounding 14 year ol...more
I really liked the way the story was told - as a letter to her English teacher on why she didn't hand in her final assignment but should still get a passing grade. It had an authentic sounding 14 year ol...more
This book was a lot better than I had expected. The book was merely "okay" or "kinda interesting" at first. Then, when Drake's part got bigger my eyes became glued to the page. I gotta admit, for me romance + a great plot = an awesome, very entertaining book. That is, if the writing is good, too. And don't worry, it was.
There were a few things I liked about this book that are also fairly unique. First of all, I enjoyed all the "pearls of wisdom." In fact, most of Bizzy's made me crack up. While...more
There were a few things I liked about this book that are also fairly unique. First of all, I enjoyed all the "pearls of wisdom." In fact, most of Bizzy's made me crack up. While...more
Recommended Age:
12+
Overall Review:
The Death Catchers is part small-town tale, part rollicking fantasy adventure, part Arthurian legend, and one hundred percent fun. I was drawn in by the book's conversational tone and unusual format—written as a letter to the protaganist's English teacher to explain why she didn't turn in her final project on time—and quickly grew to love the characters and setting. Lizzy's voice is engaging and entertaining. There was almost nothing I didn't love about this bo...more
12+
Overall Review:
The Death Catchers is part small-town tale, part rollicking fantasy adventure, part Arthurian legend, and one hundred percent fun. I was drawn in by the book's conversational tone and unusual format—written as a letter to the protaganist's English teacher to explain why she didn't turn in her final project on time—and quickly grew to love the characters and setting. Lizzy's voice is engaging and entertaining. There was almost nothing I didn't love about this bo...more
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Jennifer Anne Kogler is a really great author - her books have life! I've read a few books of hers, now, and I think I'm officially her fan now. This book is what convinced me, I think - more so than her Otherworldlies book.
A quick summary of the book itself: Everything changes on Halloween for Lizzie, when she sees a message about her best friend’s death magically appear in the newspaper. Later, her grandmother explains to her to truth - she is descended from Morgan le Faye, one of the sisters...more
A quick summary of the book itself: Everything changes on Halloween for Lizzie, when she sees a message about her best friend’s death magically appear in the newspaper. Later, her grandmother explains to her to truth - she is descended from Morgan le Faye, one of the sisters...more
I loved the Arthurian legend that was weaved into this supernatural tale. Lizzy has the power to know if those close to her are in danger of dying and while she might want to shy away from the duties that come with that knowledge, she never actually walks away. Instead she enlists the help of her best friend, even if she isn’t totally honest about what the help is for. Even though the main character is deceiving her friend, family, and those in danger, it never comes off as a bad thing. She’s qu...more
Jennifer Anne Kogler has written a really great book. It is very exciting as Lizzy discovers her power, but even better how she learns to use it and control it. She has this amazing ability, but she struggles with normal stuff too, like a regular person. Jodi was a fun character too. I think everyone has a friend like Jodi (but I kind of identified with her as well.) I also really like the King Arthur legend. I haven't seen a take on it before like this. I like that her book is set in California...more
Lizzy Mortimer discovers on her fourteenth Halloween that she is descended from a long line of "hands of fate." It seems Morgan le Faye, of Arthurian legend, is her great great great (etc.) grandmother. All the women in the family line are receptors for the death-spectre, a chilling revelation that foretells the untimely death of someone they care about. In exchange, they can forestall the death by clever outwitting. Not only is Lizzy a hand of fate, but, as it turns out, the protector of King A...more
Lizzy Mortimer lives in Crabapple, a relatively normal coastal town, well she thinks it is until the letters of the newspaper she's reading shift around and spell out the death of her best friend. Turns out, Lizzy is the descendant of one of the legendary Ladies of the Lake and as such, can see and percent death.
After seeing Jodi's death in the paper, Lizzy is determined to stop it and with the help of her grandmother, another Hand of Fate, they do. Being caught in the middle of a centuries old...more
After seeing Jodi's death in the paper, Lizzy is determined to stop it and with the help of her grandmother, another Hand of Fate, they do. Being caught in the middle of a centuries old...more
Lizzy has a vision of her friends death Halloween morning of her 14th birthday. Her grandmother Bizzy tells her that this is normal in her family and that these are special powers that can be seen as a curse or as a blessing. Upon further research it is discovered they are the descendants of Morgan Le Fey and they are caught in a feud between her and Vivienne.
So I loved the unique take on the Arthur myth. It was creative and unexpected and I am curious as to how the other parts of the myth will...more
So I loved the unique take on the Arthur myth. It was creative and unexpected and I am curious as to how the other parts of the myth will...more
Dec 01, 2011
Kaci
added it
If you are looking for an action-packed fantasy adventure story where every chapter leaves you in suspense, this is the book for you. The book mixes a modern setting with Arthurian legend in an intriguing way. Kizzy, whose gift of being a death catcher allows her the opportunity to stop people's accidental deaths, is charged as the keeper of Drake Westfall, the popular guy in school who is also destined to save the world. Intertwined in the narrative are language arts terminology, so consider re...more
Oh my gosh, I don't know if I can say just how much I loved this book! The story was really good, but besides that, with it being my first year teaching 7th grade English, specifically about plots and narrative writing, I loved the titles of the chapters, and how the protagonist or main character explained what they meant and how she was doing that with that part of the story. I could totally see using this with my class some year when I'm teaching this in the future.
Check out the full review o...more
Check out the full review o...more
The Death Catchers is a book about a girl, Lizzy, who is named a Hand of Fate. She is able to predict death, and the story follows her as she attempts to save people after their thread's are cut, while being named part of a prophecy. I LOVED the plot. I thought it was very creative and when Jennifer described everything to me better I could understand the book even more, and overall found what the book was about to be intriguing and different. The only con is how it was written. I think it was d...more
The Death Catchers by Jennifer Anne Kogler was a surprise find that I stumbled across when I was forced to walk down a different isle because of a mother and her crying demon offspring at the library. Thanks demon offspring! Then I discovered it had Arthurian legend as its basis and counted it as a double win. It also has grim reapers, magical sisters, and one very confused teenager. You can’t lose with that team!
I loved this book. I disliked this book. I am of two minds about this book. First o...more
I loved this book. I disliked this book. I am of two minds about this book. First o...more
First Look: Arthurian legend? I'm all in. Not many YA/MG books feature it, so I was curious to see how this turned out.
Setting: There wasn't anything particularly memorable about it. I got a good sense of the small-town feeling the author was trying to convey. Other than that, the setting doesn't play a huge role in the story, and it's a bit generic.
Characters: Lizzy was likable enough. Maybe a bit on the generic side, again, but I still cheered for her. She had the typical unnoticed-girl-from-t...more
Setting: There wasn't anything particularly memorable about it. I got a good sense of the small-town feeling the author was trying to convey. Other than that, the setting doesn't play a huge role in the story, and it's a bit generic.
Characters: Lizzy was likable enough. Maybe a bit on the generic side, again, but I still cheered for her. She had the typical unnoticed-girl-from-t...more
in a sentence or so: after Lizzie has an omen of her best friend's death, her grandma (better known as Bizzie) tells her she's part of the Hands of Fate. which means that for the rest of her life, Lizzie will have death-specters and her goal is to try and stop Vivienne le Mort from ending any lives before their time.
Lizzie and her best friend Jodi know their little town of Crabapple isn't usual. they realize that the guardian of the cemetery is a little off her rocker. they're even well aware th...more
Lizzie and her best friend Jodi know their little town of Crabapple isn't usual. they realize that the guardian of the cemetery is a little off her rocker. they're even well aware th...more
The first good thing I have to say about this book concerns the setting. Small towns are nearly a cliche in paranormal YA, but I think Crabapple stood out. Sitting on the edge of the gloomy Pacific, it was an eeire and quaint little town, almost a little European in some ways.
Even though Lizzy, the protagonist, admits that she's "not reading's biggest fan", there's a literary building block discussed at the beginning of each chapter, since the book is a letter Lizzy wrote to her English teacher...more
Even though Lizzy, the protagonist, admits that she's "not reading's biggest fan", there's a literary building block discussed at the beginning of each chapter, since the book is a letter Lizzy wrote to her English teacher...more
Lizzy Mortimer's life is about to be turned upside down. She sees news about her best friends death...in the future. Before she has time to panic though, her grandmother sweeps in to impart some wisdom. She informs Lizzy that they are descendants of Morgan le Faye and see death specters that help them stop people they love from going with death too soon. Weirder thing keep happening though and the stress of all that is placed into Lizzy's lap may be too much. There's an evil sorceress trying to...more
Dec 01, 2011
Kara Cardwell
added it
I was attracted to this book initially just because of it’s name. Death Catchers is an intriguing title. And the description made it sound even better. Unfortunately it wasn’t as good as I’d hoped it would be.
The plot had a very obvious direction, which is fine in general if there are other aspects of the story that makes it stand out. I thought the fact that it included Arthurian history would have made it stand out, because besides Greek mythology and road trips, I’m a sucker for anything rela...more
The plot had a very obvious direction, which is fine in general if there are other aspects of the story that makes it stand out. I thought the fact that it included Arthurian history would have made it stand out, because besides Greek mythology and road trips, I’m a sucker for anything rela...more
Do you ever read a book and think, " My English teacher would have loved this!"? Well, Death Catchers was one of those books for me. It combined the mythology of the fates with Arthurian legend. Fourteen year old Lizzie Mortimer sees death specters for people who are set to die before their time. Her Grandmother has the same gift and helps Lizzie, as together they battle fate.
I really enjoyed the creative way in which Death Catchers was told. It was written as a letter to Lizzy's English teache...more
I really enjoyed the creative way in which Death Catchers was told. It was written as a letter to Lizzy's English teache...more
Although I liked the mixture of the Arthurian legend in the story, there were too many parts left ignored for my taste. I would have liked to have read more about how the Ladies of the Lake ended up in California rather than about the long drawn out plot to save Drake. Of course the ending leaves us wide open for a sequel, but I don't feel invested enough in the characters to seek it out. And if the descendants all lived in Crabapple for generations then why does Bizzy have a southern accent? Sh...more
Not the worst YA book ever, funny, heartfelt, but more like fanfic than a real novel/series. I might be getting jaded on YA fiction however, I almost feel like recommending this book as an "earlier reader" or what my local library so adorably categorizes as "Chapter Books" Also, I absolutely, completely hated "Mists of Avalon" so the author gushing about it as a great book and hyping it in this book turned my stomach. Go have real sex, with real men, not your brother!!!!FFS!!!! ( not that there...more
Aside from the death specters angle, this story is really a contempory retelling of the King Arthur saga. But not as good as Meg Cabot's Avalon High. The characters felt more like one-sided stereotypes than real people and the author didn't hook me into caring about what happens. Also, I found the grandmother's southern dialect talkin' annoying.
Not crazy about the characters in the books. Seems a bit flat to me, only touching on the surface. But I did like the fact that it pique my interest on the Avalon sisters. I'm always on the hunt for new spin off from legends, makes me want to dig out more to read the history. Overall, an average read with an interesting take on the Arthurian legend.
A student writes a letter to her English teacher to explain why she did not turn in her final English project. Steeped in Arthurian legend and using a different literary device for each chapter, this could be lots of fun for a language arts class.
I liked this book. It made me want to read more Arthurian novels. It was a good original story. Loved her grandma and her pearls of wisdom. I am not sure if she plans on carrying on with a sequel, but I will probably read it just to see.
This book was suprizingly good. It had a new spin on the legend of King Arthur that I found fun. The grandmother of the heroine was a great charater; almost larger than life, but you can just picture her with her fire engine red walker.
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Jennifer Anne Kogler lives in California, where she was born and raised. She graduated with a degree in English literature from Princeton University in 2003. Her first novel, RUBY TUESDAY began as her senior thesis in college. Her most recent novel, THE OTHERWORLDLIES, is a 2011 Truman Award Nominee. Jennie has two books coming out in 2011: a sequel to The Otherworldlies, THE SIREN’S CRY (due in J...more
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