Book Review for Drop Dead by Danielle Bird
I received this book for free. This does not impact my review in any shape or form.
Drop Dead, by Danielle Bird, is a paranormal romance that asks the difference between love and obedience. Ethan Jimenez is a hunter driven by revenge after a vampire killed his family when he was young. Although talented, he slips up and becomes a servitor for a newly turned vampire who has no clue what’s going on. Despite the confusion, Ethan must find a way to brave the situation without compromising his dignity or humanity. Simon is a newborn vampire who struggles to understand his place in the world. After accidentally turning a vampire hunter into his “minion”, Simon must come to grips with what it means to be human, even if it means confronting past mistakes.
I love that though Ethan and Simon care for one another, they aren’t defined by the romance. They don’t let it rule over their lives and instead try to find ways to better themselves and each other. I treasure how close Ethan and Bill are and how protective they are of one another. Ethan is constantly worried about Bill’s well-being, and even though a lot of his interactions with other hunters aren’t that favorable, he is still a valued member of their community. Despite hunters usually working by themselves, he isn’t isolated. It’s the same with Simon; I love how he took his relationship with Mason and turned it into a learning lesson. There’s clearly love there, but Simon knows it’s different with Ethan. He doesn’t make it into this convoluted love triangle, nor does he trip over himself trying to get back with Mason. He doesn’t guilt himself with his dying morality either. Even when he’s a vampire, you get a sense that he’s still going through life, still learning, still open to new opportunities.
Moreover, I like how we get a progression of Simon’s and Ethan’s character development. I’m sure I’ve said this before, but I’ll say this again; addiction is an isolating disease. Simon had gone from being alone and sentenced to die to someone who has a loving partner and (hopefully) a wonderfully strict mother. True, there are romantic elements to their relationship, but for them to be together, they first had to get out of their own ways. Ethan’s internal struggle with Simon’s vampirism was definitely enjoyable to read, and Simon’s anxiety was adorable, however bad that sounds.
As such, I would give this book a 5 out of 5 stars.
