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Touch of Death #2
Stalked by Death
Jodi knows that any slip-ups made by the Ophi--a special group of necromancers born under the 13th sign of the zodiac--will fall on her shoulders... and that Hades is just waiting for them to screw up so he can wipe out the Ophi line.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 13, 2013
10 people are currently reading
1368 people want to read
About the author
Kelly Hashway
128 books486 followersKelly Hashway fully admits to being one of the most accident-prone people on the planet, but that didn’t stop her from jumping out of an airplane at ten thousand feet one Halloween. Maybe it was growing up reading R.L. Stine’s Fear Street books that instilled a love of all things scary and a desire to live in a world filled with supernatural creatures, but she spends her days writing speculative fiction for young adults, middle graders, and young children. Kelly is also USA Today bestselling romance author Ashelyn Drake. When she’s not writing, Kelly works as an editor and also as Mom, which she believes is a job title that deserves to be capitalized.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
July 10, 2013
So, I've been waiting for this book since the moment I put Touch of Death down. The only drawback with getting ARCs of these fantastic books is that I have to wait that much longer for the next book to be available. But I finally got my greedy hands on a copy of Stalked By Death and was instantly sucked back into the world of Jodi and the Ophi.
If you haven't already read Touch of Death, I urge you to do so. You can read my review of it here.
I am always wary of sequel books because I always wonder if they can live up to the expectations that the preceding book sets down. But have no fear, Kelly Hashway knows how to write a sequel. In all honesty, maybe this is the better book of the two, if only because there's more action and it's more scary. Bearing that in mind, I'm not sure I even want to hazard a guess at what's to come in the final book of the trilogy, Face of Death. Jodi was really put through the wringer in book 1, that got even worse in book 2, so what does that say for book 3?
Jodi is the leader of the Ophi at the school and she must train them in how to raise souls and release them. With Alex by her side, she thinks things are going okay and that she will be able to keep the promise she made to Hades. They train together and eat together as a group, they have a pretty normal daily routine, or what classes as normal when you're a necromancer.
Enter Chase [stage right] - little does Jodi know it but Chase is about to push her to the very limits of her abilities.
When Chase was brought in, I thought 'uh-oh, another love triangle' and for people that know me know that I can't bear love triangles. I am a firm believer that your heart, your emotions, cannot be split between two men. Well, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it wasn't going to be your typical love triangle.
Chase has more power than the other Ophi. He tries time and time again to convince Jodi that combining their powers could be wondrous.
Something feels off about Chase. Jodi can't deny that she feels something for him. When he locks gazes with her, it's hard to look away. When he holds her hand, it's even harder to put distance between them. Everything in her wants to consume Chase. She knows she wants Alex, cares deeply for him, but even that is not enough to break the connection between her and Chase. His blood is more powerful than that of the typical Ophi and so is Jodi's - it's his blood that sings to her like a Siren to a sailor. It's so irresistible and all-consuming. But she must keep her distance. She's caught between caring about Alex and hating Chase, yet being unable to do anything except heed the call of his blood, his power.
What Jodi doesn't know is that Chase isn't all he seems. His power isn't all he makes it out to be.
[no spoilers here!]
Usually Jodi calls to her blood to mix when she raises the dead, but when she starts having troubles with her blood mixing of it's own accord she consults Medusa. It seems that her emotions are fuelling the mixing of her blood and it doesn't stop there. Jodi raises the dead without meaning to and without even knowing about it until she's stood face to face with a corpse who, when asked, says that she is the one who raised them.
If Jodi doesn't get all this under control fast, Hades will be furious, thinking she is trying to raise an army against him. If this happens, that means she's broken their agreement and because of that, he can claim the souls of all the Ophi.
It's up to Jodi to resolve the issue before all Hell breaks loose and Hades is upon her. But someone else has other ideas....
I absolutely LOVED this book. It was action-packed, fast-paced and chock full of emotion. Hashway totally put Jodi through the wringer. At first I wasn't sure how she could do this to her main character, but it soon became clear that Hashway wasn't doing it for kicks. There really was a purpose behind it. That purpose? Pick up a copy of SBD and find out for yourself!
This story really had it all. I mean the 'total package'. It was such fun. I am pretty sure my neighbours must have heard me through the adjoining wall laughing my head off. But it was also heart-wrenching and it felt at one point that I had been soccer-punched in the gut. There was plenty of action, lots of things going on, with twists and turns that you don't expect. Then there were the moments when I really wanted to cry, scream, punch someone (Chase) or strangle someone (Jodi).
In one word, this book was incredible. I am really in awe of Kelly Hashway as an author. I love the fact that she is confident and shows no weakness. She writes her books her way and though she puts her characters through Hell, you can always see it's for a reason. As an Indie Author myself, I can say one thing; Kelly Hashway is an author I aspire to be like. Her writing style has a fluidity to it that is really elegant. She has a knack of turning things around but without making things confusing for the reader. Her stories are entertaining and I don't think it matters what age you are, you should enjoy her unique stories.
July 21, 2013
"That which has the power to save, has the power to destroy."
This book was so much better than the first one! I loved the first one, but I felt like this one was easier for me to follow and I couldn't put it down! It normally takes me a while to read a paperback and I read this one in two days! I also don't normally like reading books on mythology, but this series is completely changing my opinion on reading these kind of books! The plot of Stalked by Death was continued on from the last book and it was brilliantly done! It just kept getting better and better and I was drawn right in! The plot was continued on perfectly and it thoroughly impressed me! I was blown away by it! I did get slightly confused at some bits, but after I re-read them I was able to figure out what was going on! The characters were even better in this book as well! Jodi was still the main character and she was quite scared in this book! There was a lot going on and she was under a lot of strain! I felt so sorry for her! She was still a strong character and she was determined to do right by the Ophi race! I thought that Jodi did have to make some tough decisions in this book, but she made them to the best of her ability! Alex in this book broke my heart! His and Jodi's relationship was put to a test and I honestly didn't know if it was going to survive! I won't ruin it for you and tell you though lol! Alex was still hot and extremely protective of Jodi which I loved! I saw a different side to Alex in this book and I'll admit that I loved the new side of him! I also loved that a few of the characters from the last book were back in this book and then some new characters were introduced as well! They all added so much to the story! There was sort of a love triangle in this book! I'm not sure if it was more about power or if one of the love interests did actually have feelings for Jodi! The love triangle was between Jodi, Alex and Chase! I was Team Alex! I always will be! I couldn't stand Chase! Chase and Alex were polar opposites to each other! I thought that Chase was hot to start with until he showed his true colours! I'm dying to read the next book in this series! The ending of Stalked by Death was epic! It left me blown away and desperate to get my hands on book three! It was so unexpected as well! The cover is also stunning! I love that it's the same model on the front of the first book! Big thank you to Spencer Hill Press for giving the UK ARC Share Group ARCs of Stalked by Death!
This book was so much better than the first one! I loved the first one, but I felt like this one was easier for me to follow and I couldn't put it down! It normally takes me a while to read a paperback and I read this one in two days! I also don't normally like reading books on mythology, but this series is completely changing my opinion on reading these kind of books! The plot of Stalked by Death was continued on from the last book and it was brilliantly done! It just kept getting better and better and I was drawn right in! The plot was continued on perfectly and it thoroughly impressed me! I was blown away by it! I did get slightly confused at some bits, but after I re-read them I was able to figure out what was going on! The characters were even better in this book as well! Jodi was still the main character and she was quite scared in this book! There was a lot going on and she was under a lot of strain! I felt so sorry for her! She was still a strong character and she was determined to do right by the Ophi race! I thought that Jodi did have to make some tough decisions in this book, but she made them to the best of her ability! Alex in this book broke my heart! His and Jodi's relationship was put to a test and I honestly didn't know if it was going to survive! I won't ruin it for you and tell you though lol! Alex was still hot and extremely protective of Jodi which I loved! I saw a different side to Alex in this book and I'll admit that I loved the new side of him! I also loved that a few of the characters from the last book were back in this book and then some new characters were introduced as well! They all added so much to the story! There was sort of a love triangle in this book! I'm not sure if it was more about power or if one of the love interests did actually have feelings for Jodi! The love triangle was between Jodi, Alex and Chase! I was Team Alex! I always will be! I couldn't stand Chase! Chase and Alex were polar opposites to each other! I thought that Chase was hot to start with until he showed his true colours! I'm dying to read the next book in this series! The ending of Stalked by Death was epic! It left me blown away and desperate to get my hands on book three! It was so unexpected as well! The cover is also stunning! I love that it's the same model on the front of the first book! Big thank you to Spencer Hill Press for giving the UK ARC Share Group ARCs of Stalked by Death!
April 19, 2015
review to come
August 19, 2013
It’s not often a series does a complete 360 on you as far as likability goes. Sadly, Stalked by Death fit the bill rather perfectly this time around. It was a total shame, too, because I really liked Touch of Death and had such high hopes for this series. While I could forgive the actions and mannerisms of some of the characters in the first book, this time around I felt like they were all magnified and the new characters were ever more aggravating. I was literally shaking my head and going “WTH?!” the whole time I read this book. The level of immaturity and pettiness that each character had was enough to send me over the edge. Also, everything felt incredibly rushed, nothing was fully explained, and the author kept jumping back and forth from one issue to another. All that and more contributed to my not liking this one bit.
I thought I liked Jodi in the first book, but in this one, she just completely annoyed the hell out of me. For someone who is supposed to be the leader of a group of necromancers, she sure doesn’t know how to lead. Yes, she’s still young, learning her powers, and adapting to her surroundings and the pressure from Hades, but too much of the story was wrapped up in the love triangle, I didn’t see any growth or development from Jodi as a female protagonist at all. And I know the connection to Chase was what drove a lot of her actions, it still doesn’t make up for the way she handled everything. One minute you’re curling up to your boyfriend, the next, you’re enjoying a weird foot massage from the creepy stranger who wants to steal you away (showing no respect for you or your significant other, or no concept of boundaries, for that matter). No thank you! Also, that girl could not stand up for herself to save her life! All I will say is Jodi falls into the category of girls I want to smack.
Don’t even get me started on the boys. Like I said, I can forgive Alex for his Book 1 stalkerish mannerisms, especially given how he redeemed himself throughout the book. But in this book?! Wow, he just went off the charts with his jealousy (for good reason, I’ll give him that, but still), pettiness, and immaturity. He should’ve just pissed all over Jodi for how much he wanted everyone, especially Chase, to know that she belonged to him! I’m all for being assertive and exerting a little bit of the “alpha male” thing, but Alex, yet again, went over the top with it and not in an attractive way. I get that he loves Jodi and things get complicated with Chase, but the way he acted was just crazy and annoying. Even the times when he cared for Jodi and was there for her, I still didn’t feel a thing for him. And Chase?! Wow! Talk about CREEPER! I didn’t like him from the minute he showed up. His character was seriously disturbed and even if I could see the reason behind it, it didn’t make up for all the things he did.
The rest of the characters were ridiculous and really pissed me off most of the time. Sure, they’re all learning how to use their powers, but damn, you would think we were dealing with 5 year old kids with all the drama and level of maturity going around in that house. It was just weird that the only people I saw really using and developing their powers was Jodi and Chase. The others were just along for the ride.
Even though the VERY end was somewhat interesting and I liked the turn of events, that alone couldn’t keep this book afloat for me. If you know me, I am a character person, just a bit more so than a plot person. When there isn’t a single character that I like, even just a little, that pretty much means the book is done for me. While Hashway has great imagination and created a somewhat unique plot, this book really turned me away from the series as a whole. I’m sad to say, I will not be reading Book 3.
I thought I liked Jodi in the first book, but in this one, she just completely annoyed the hell out of me. For someone who is supposed to be the leader of a group of necromancers, she sure doesn’t know how to lead. Yes, she’s still young, learning her powers, and adapting to her surroundings and the pressure from Hades, but too much of the story was wrapped up in the love triangle, I didn’t see any growth or development from Jodi as a female protagonist at all. And I know the connection to Chase was what drove a lot of her actions, it still doesn’t make up for the way she handled everything. One minute you’re curling up to your boyfriend, the next, you’re enjoying a weird foot massage from the creepy stranger who wants to steal you away (showing no respect for you or your significant other, or no concept of boundaries, for that matter). No thank you! Also, that girl could not stand up for herself to save her life! All I will say is Jodi falls into the category of girls I want to smack.
Don’t even get me started on the boys. Like I said, I can forgive Alex for his Book 1 stalkerish mannerisms, especially given how he redeemed himself throughout the book. But in this book?! Wow, he just went off the charts with his jealousy (for good reason, I’ll give him that, but still), pettiness, and immaturity. He should’ve just pissed all over Jodi for how much he wanted everyone, especially Chase, to know that she belonged to him! I’m all for being assertive and exerting a little bit of the “alpha male” thing, but Alex, yet again, went over the top with it and not in an attractive way. I get that he loves Jodi and things get complicated with Chase, but the way he acted was just crazy and annoying. Even the times when he cared for Jodi and was there for her, I still didn’t feel a thing for him. And Chase?! Wow! Talk about CREEPER! I didn’t like him from the minute he showed up. His character was seriously disturbed and even if I could see the reason behind it, it didn’t make up for all the things he did.
The rest of the characters were ridiculous and really pissed me off most of the time. Sure, they’re all learning how to use their powers, but damn, you would think we were dealing with 5 year old kids with all the drama and level of maturity going around in that house. It was just weird that the only people I saw really using and developing their powers was Jodi and Chase. The others were just along for the ride.
Even though the VERY end was somewhat interesting and I liked the turn of events, that alone couldn’t keep this book afloat for me. If you know me, I am a character person, just a bit more so than a plot person. When there isn’t a single character that I like, even just a little, that pretty much means the book is done for me. While Hashway has great imagination and created a somewhat unique plot, this book really turned me away from the series as a whole. I’m sad to say, I will not be reading Book 3.
August 14, 2013
The 411
Things haven’t been easy for Jodi since her run in with Hades. She has a lot of tough decisions to make and when a new Ophi joins the team he might just threaten to take away the one person closest to her. Being in charge is more difficult than she ever imagined. She has to find a way to keep everyone safe, make Medusa proud, and most importantly, stay true to herself.
What We Loved:
We have been on the edge of our seats waiting for this one since the second we closed Touch of Death. When we talked to Kelly Hashway at BEA we told her how scared (and excited) we were to read Stalked by Death. When she told us that the ending of this one was going to have us even antsier for the next book, she was so right. SbD is fast-paced, full of action, and absolutely filled to the brim with emotion. Every character, the ones we’ve known and loved and the new additions, are put through the ringer. All the things we couldn’t get enough of in Touched are still there. The Mythology, Alex, romance, full of twists, and did we mention Alex? We love Hashway’s words, especially when they give us such strong quotes like this:
Um...Not So Much:
There was a lot to love about this one, but there were also a couple of things that we could have done without. At the top of our list is Chase. UGH! We get the purpose of his arc, we can see how he move the story forward, but that doesn’t mean we won’t stop wishing he didn’t exist.
As much as we love Jodi, and we do, there were times that we found ourselves annoyed with her too. There are MANY reasons for this, and some of our “issues” were even justified within the circumstances of the story. We’re going to leave this one up to you!
Lastly, there’s the ending. YOU GUYS! This ending….. that’s all we’ll say.
The Boys:
We’ll start with Chase. We are actually shocked at just how much we loathe him. From the second he entered, we knew something was off. We just had that feeling. Like every time he would touch her or look at her we wanted to reach through the pages and smack him. We can appreciate just how good looking he is, but for us that’s where his good qualities end.
Then there’s Alex. We cannot get enough of this boy. The way he supports, loves, and defends Jodi is beyond swoony. He’s still the cocky, flirty, and lovable guy we met in ToD, but he’s continued to grow. Plus, he says things like this that have us giggling out loud:
We love him.
Our only complaint? There were a few times when we just wanted to be able to cuddle him and tell him that he deserved better. Even if we didn’t really mean it.
Check out the rest of the review on Swoony Boys Podcast by clicking here .
Things haven’t been easy for Jodi since her run in with Hades. She has a lot of tough decisions to make and when a new Ophi joins the team he might just threaten to take away the one person closest to her. Being in charge is more difficult than she ever imagined. She has to find a way to keep everyone safe, make Medusa proud, and most importantly, stay true to herself.
What We Loved:
We have been on the edge of our seats waiting for this one since the second we closed Touch of Death. When we talked to Kelly Hashway at BEA we told her how scared (and excited) we were to read Stalked by Death. When she told us that the ending of this one was going to have us even antsier for the next book, she was so right. SbD is fast-paced, full of action, and absolutely filled to the brim with emotion. Every character, the ones we’ve known and loved and the new additions, are put through the ringer. All the things we couldn’t get enough of in Touched are still there. The Mythology, Alex, romance, full of twists, and did we mention Alex? We love Hashway’s words, especially when they give us such strong quotes like this:
“That which has the power to save, has the power to destroy.”
Um...Not So Much:
There was a lot to love about this one, but there were also a couple of things that we could have done without. At the top of our list is Chase. UGH! We get the purpose of his arc, we can see how he move the story forward, but that doesn’t mean we won’t stop wishing he didn’t exist.
As much as we love Jodi, and we do, there were times that we found ourselves annoyed with her too. There are MANY reasons for this, and some of our “issues” were even justified within the circumstances of the story. We’re going to leave this one up to you!
Lastly, there’s the ending. YOU GUYS! This ending….. that’s all we’ll say.
The Boys:
We’ll start with Chase. We are actually shocked at just how much we loathe him. From the second he entered, we knew something was off. We just had that feeling. Like every time he would touch her or look at her we wanted to reach through the pages and smack him. We can appreciate just how good looking he is, but for us that’s where his good qualities end.
Then there’s Alex. We cannot get enough of this boy. The way he supports, loves, and defends Jodi is beyond swoony. He’s still the cocky, flirty, and lovable guy we met in ToD, but he’s continued to grow. Plus, he says things like this that have us giggling out loud:
“Yeah, but what can I say– once a stalker, always a stalker.”
We love him.
Our only complaint? There were a few times when we just wanted to be able to cuddle him and tell him that he deserved better. Even if we didn’t really mean it.
Check out the rest of the review on Swoony Boys Podcast by clicking here .
July 31, 2013
See more reviews on my blog! http://sparetimebookblog.blogspot.com/
Stalked by Death picks up where book one left off. Jodi is in charge of the Ophi school now. This is a huge thing for her. She has to do her job in order to keep Hades from coming after her. It is proving to be a harder task then she thought. Getting other Ophi groups to join her is nearly impossible. She does manage to get a new member to come though. His name is Chase. Strange things start happening when Jodi is around Chase. Specifically when he touches her. Her emotions are going crazy and so are her powers. The dead are rising when Jodi is sleeping, showing up in her room! Not to mention her relationship problems with Alex. Chase has kind of thrown a wrench into their relationship. Will Jodi's new power with Chase prove to be helpful or harmful? Who will Jodi choose? With all these crazy risings will Hades keep his word and come after Jodi?
Jodi grew somewhat in this book as a character. She learned how to deal with the stress of her new responsibilities pretty well. considering she's a teenager! I felt bad for her throughout the book, she had so much going on. I think she came out a stronger person though. There are a few new characters introduced too, who are great!
A book wouldn't be good without some boy drama! Which this one has! Sometimes a little to much. I was to the point where I thought Jodi should just be alone for a while to get her head on straight. Jodi definitely has some feelings for Chase. There's no denying it. But, how do you choose between the one you love and the guy who increases your power with just a touch. Lets not forget that Chase is also insanely good looking and flirty. This was the fist time I thought a relationship might be doomed. I am still Team Alex however. I hope there is no permanent damage between Jodi and Alex but, I honestly don't know. I felt like during parts of the book the guy drama was kind of overpowering but, at the end it alllll made sense.
The end of this book was crazy! I was like WHAT JUST HAPPENED!?!? I have to know what is going to happen. I was so hooked that I didn't even realize I was at the end when I turned the last page. I am looking forward to Face of Death which will be out in January of 2014!
Stalked by Death picks up where book one left off. Jodi is in charge of the Ophi school now. This is a huge thing for her. She has to do her job in order to keep Hades from coming after her. It is proving to be a harder task then she thought. Getting other Ophi groups to join her is nearly impossible. She does manage to get a new member to come though. His name is Chase. Strange things start happening when Jodi is around Chase. Specifically when he touches her. Her emotions are going crazy and so are her powers. The dead are rising when Jodi is sleeping, showing up in her room! Not to mention her relationship problems with Alex. Chase has kind of thrown a wrench into their relationship. Will Jodi's new power with Chase prove to be helpful or harmful? Who will Jodi choose? With all these crazy risings will Hades keep his word and come after Jodi?
Jodi grew somewhat in this book as a character. She learned how to deal with the stress of her new responsibilities pretty well. considering she's a teenager! I felt bad for her throughout the book, she had so much going on. I think she came out a stronger person though. There are a few new characters introduced too, who are great!
A book wouldn't be good without some boy drama! Which this one has! Sometimes a little to much. I was to the point where I thought Jodi should just be alone for a while to get her head on straight. Jodi definitely has some feelings for Chase. There's no denying it. But, how do you choose between the one you love and the guy who increases your power with just a touch. Lets not forget that Chase is also insanely good looking and flirty. This was the fist time I thought a relationship might be doomed. I am still Team Alex however. I hope there is no permanent damage between Jodi and Alex but, I honestly don't know. I felt like during parts of the book the guy drama was kind of overpowering but, at the end it alllll made sense.
The end of this book was crazy! I was like WHAT JUST HAPPENED!?!? I have to know what is going to happen. I was so hooked that I didn't even realize I was at the end when I turned the last page. I am looking forward to Face of Death which will be out in January of 2014!
August 28, 2013
I absolutely love the spin on mythology that Hashway created in this series. I have always loved Medusa and the fact that she isn't the villain in this series but rather a hero and a victim is just fantastic and completely draws you into the story line.
I really enjoyed the first book but after the ending I was really curious and maybe even a little nervous about where the story would go from there. I really shouldn't have been worried because Hashway took this series, the mythology, the story line and the characters to a whole new level. This definitely didn't suffer from the dreaded middle book syndrome so many series are prone to, in fact it made me love this series that much more. There was a lot more depth to Jodi and Alex, not only in their relationship with one another but with their characters as a whole as well. Things don't come as easy to Jodi as they did in the first book and she really struggles with her powers. She is trying to understand them, learn how to use them as well as train the other Ophi and hopefully avoid an all out war with the Hades all while still being a girl and trying to form friendships with the other Ophi and earn their trust and respect.
I wouldn't say Jodi comes into her own in this as much as I would say that she learns from her mistakes and is constantly growing from them. She is learning who she can trust and that it is okay to ask for help when it is needed.
I loved where Hashway carried the story line and my only real complaint is that I didn't get more of the story and that this felt like it went way too fast. It will be very interesting to see where Hashway takes this series in the next book considering how all that happened and where she ended up but, I am convinced if anyone can pull it off, it is Hashway and I look forward to reading it.
I really enjoyed the first book but after the ending I was really curious and maybe even a little nervous about where the story would go from there. I really shouldn't have been worried because Hashway took this series, the mythology, the story line and the characters to a whole new level. This definitely didn't suffer from the dreaded middle book syndrome so many series are prone to, in fact it made me love this series that much more. There was a lot more depth to Jodi and Alex, not only in their relationship with one another but with their characters as a whole as well. Things don't come as easy to Jodi as they did in the first book and she really struggles with her powers. She is trying to understand them, learn how to use them as well as train the other Ophi and hopefully avoid an all out war with the Hades all while still being a girl and trying to form friendships with the other Ophi and earn their trust and respect.
I wouldn't say Jodi comes into her own in this as much as I would say that she learns from her mistakes and is constantly growing from them. She is learning who she can trust and that it is okay to ask for help when it is needed.
I loved where Hashway carried the story line and my only real complaint is that I didn't get more of the story and that this felt like it went way too fast. It will be very interesting to see where Hashway takes this series in the next book considering how all that happened and where she ended up but, I am convinced if anyone can pull it off, it is Hashway and I look forward to reading it.
August 16, 2013
Jodi is busy with her new role and the leader of the Ophi School and trying to teach the remaining students how to raise and release souls. While trying to earn the their trust she notices her powers are a bit off. Off, as in, she starts raising the dead in her sleep, or after kissing her boyfriend, Alex. Yeah, she’s in trouble.
As if she didn’t have enough on her plate, a new recruit has come to the school named Chase. For some reason she finds herself uncontrollably drawn to him. Something as innocent as his hand brushing against her hand makes her crave more and happens to have deadly consequences. Suddenly everything is in jeopardy, her relationship with Alex, the deal with Hades and the entire Ophi race is at stake.
Stalked by Death is a perfect sequel to Touch of Death. Jodi has matured and grown up, and with that comes grown up problems. Hashway has a way with drawing you in and you find yourself having non-fictional feelings for fictional characters. Yes, she’s that good. My only complaint is the cliffhanger. Why, Kelly, why?? Honestly, the cliffhanger is perfect. You’ll be shocked, mad, excited and sad…but mostly sad, because Face of Death doesn’t come out until January.
As if she didn’t have enough on her plate, a new recruit has come to the school named Chase. For some reason she finds herself uncontrollably drawn to him. Something as innocent as his hand brushing against her hand makes her crave more and happens to have deadly consequences. Suddenly everything is in jeopardy, her relationship with Alex, the deal with Hades and the entire Ophi race is at stake.
Stalked by Death is a perfect sequel to Touch of Death. Jodi has matured and grown up, and with that comes grown up problems. Hashway has a way with drawing you in and you find yourself having non-fictional feelings for fictional characters. Yes, she’s that good. My only complaint is the cliffhanger. Why, Kelly, why?? Honestly, the cliffhanger is perfect. You’ll be shocked, mad, excited and sad…but mostly sad, because Face of Death doesn’t come out until January.
August 16, 2013
I LOVED the first book in this series. I'm a big fan of mythologies (especially Greek) and so this book was right up my alley. So often second books are sort of a let down, a lull between awesome events. Not so with this one. It was literally one of those book s you just can't put down. Exciting and surprising and just the right about of romance. I loved it. I will say that the author struck a great balance between giving you enough info from the first book so you don't feel confused and didn't give you so much back story that it got stale. All in all a great read and one you are going to want to re-read before book 3 comes out because DANG there is a helluva cliff hanger at the end.
Can't wait to read the next in this series!
I'd suggest this for older teens, 15-18 (and those of us a little older who still love a good YA!) and rate it PG13 for violence and sexual situations (though mild).
Can't wait to read the next in this series!
I'd suggest this for older teens, 15-18 (and those of us a little older who still love a good YA!) and rate it PG13 for violence and sexual situations (though mild).
Read
August 27, 2013DNF at page 108
Jodi is just not the same girl I knew and loved in the first book. The other characters were annoying, especially Leticia. I loved Alex, but the way he was around Jodi because of Chase was making me dislike him. He just went out of his way to stake a claim on Jodi, even making her kiss him right in front of Chase to prove his point. And Chase was a horrible. I didn't like him and the way he kept hitting on Jodi. He was creepy and disgusting and has no boundries. And I hated the love triangle that was happening in this book. I hated that Jodi loved Alex but was drawn to Chase. She was totally contradicting everything she was saying and feeling and it was frustrating me to no end. Every character was unlikable and the love triangle outweighed the actual real issue of Jodi and the impending war. I just don't think I like where the direction of this book is going. I wasn't enjoying it and I don't think I can keep going.
No rating.
Jodi is just not the same girl I knew and loved in the first book. The other characters were annoying, especially Leticia. I loved Alex, but the way he was around Jodi because of Chase was making me dislike him. He just went out of his way to stake a claim on Jodi, even making her kiss him right in front of Chase to prove his point. And Chase was a horrible. I didn't like him and the way he kept hitting on Jodi. He was creepy and disgusting and has no boundries. And I hated the love triangle that was happening in this book. I hated that Jodi loved Alex but was drawn to Chase. She was totally contradicting everything she was saying and feeling and it was frustrating me to no end. Every character was unlikable and the love triangle outweighed the actual real issue of Jodi and the impending war. I just don't think I like where the direction of this book is going. I wasn't enjoying it and I don't think I can keep going.
No rating.
May 21, 2015
*1st read July 2013
*2nd time Feb 2014
2013 Review
I loved Stalked by death however there was something about it made me give it a 4* rather than 5* but I cant just put my finger on it. The introduction of another male lead made for an interesting read however I will always root for couples I love and I love Alex and Jodi together so for Chase to come in and change the dynamics as the bad boy who Jodi falls for was never going to go well with me and I wasnt going to like him for this reason. I think this is what put me of a little. When I started reading Stalked by Death I was welling to maybe give him a chance but after reading the book I can say I dont like him he didnt redeem himself enough. Alex all the way. The story was really interesting loads of twists and turns. I am excited to read the last book if that last sentence in Stalked by death doesnt make you want to I dont know what else could make you!!
*2nd time Feb 2014
2013 Review
I loved Stalked by death however there was something about it made me give it a 4* rather than 5* but I cant just put my finger on it. The introduction of another male lead made for an interesting read however I will always root for couples I love and I love Alex and Jodi together so for Chase to come in and change the dynamics as the bad boy who Jodi falls for was never going to go well with me and I wasnt going to like him for this reason. I think this is what put me of a little. When I started reading Stalked by Death I was welling to maybe give him a chance but after reading the book I can say I dont like him he didnt redeem himself enough. Alex all the way. The story was really interesting loads of twists and turns. I am excited to read the last book if that last sentence in Stalked by death doesnt make you want to I dont know what else could make you!!
June 25, 2013
This book is an easy summer read. I enjoyed the mythology and the fast pace of the story. I did feel that the love triangle was a little overly dramatic, though I did like the characters overall. The book was heavy on the romance and a little lighter on the story. That being said, I do look forward to seeing where the author will take us in the next installment.
August 12, 2013
Finally finished! I feel like I deserve a cookie for getting through this.
August 23, 2013
Ahhhhhh... that ending! Do we seriously have to wait until 2014 for the next book??!! Longer review to come.
October 30, 2022
A deathly read!
Death is stalking her at every turn...
I'm going back and forward regarding the rating between 3 and 4 stars so I'll leave it at 4 for now (still really conflicted).
This was such a disappointment. I loved the heroine in the first book and thought she would continue to develop but I was proven wrong. I don't know whether to scream or cry or both.
The first book was such a huge hit for me but the sequel is just not as good as the first - the only thing saving this book was the cliffhanger.
Full of blood, zombies, necromancers, Gorgons, poison, life, souls, prophecies and love.
Perfect for readers of fantasy/paranormal romances and Greek mythology.
Death is stalking her at every turn...
I'm going back and forward regarding the rating between 3 and 4 stars so I'll leave it at 4 for now (still really conflicted).
This was such a disappointment. I loved the heroine in the first book and thought she would continue to develop but I was proven wrong. I don't know whether to scream or cry or both.
The first book was such a huge hit for me but the sequel is just not as good as the first - the only thing saving this book was the cliffhanger.
Full of blood, zombies, necromancers, Gorgons, poison, life, souls, prophecies and love.
Perfect for readers of fantasy/paranormal romances and Greek mythology.
April 1, 2019
Ok so I stayed up until 2:30 am to finish this book. Yes. It was one of those! Could NOT put it down!!!!
October 9, 2020
A human fate
Be not scared of it
Be not scared of it
February 27, 2022
Stalked by Death Review on K-Books
I don’t really know what to say in regards to this book. I read the first book in this series as an ARC almost a decade ago… and I loved it. It had everything I loved at the time, greek mythology, action and romance. And honestly… I still love all of those things. I really went into Stalked by Death expecting to love it just as much as the first one. But unfortunately, this one really fell flat for me. I was left just so deflated after reading it.
I don’t know whether my reading tastes have changed drastically and that’s why I didn’t like this as much as the first one or whether it was the book, but I really struggled to get through this one. I really struggled to want to continue reading. Honestly, I probably would have DNF’d this one but I kept remembering my love for the first book and I think that’s what kept me going.
Stalked by Death continues the story of Jodi as she tries to bring all the necromancers together. It had such a brilliant premise and I just don’t know what happened. All the characters that I absolutely loved in the first book I just ended up disliking in this one. The characters had completely changed. Jodi became this super annoying character who was more bothered about boys than the literal zombies walking around. Alex, this amazing confident guy who went around saving the day became irritating jealous and insecure. I just ended up really hating him. There was the typical YA love triangle… and I ended up hating everyone involved. I just didn’t care about what was going to happen to them.
I really wish I had loved this one but it just didn’t work for me. A part of me is sad that I read it as it’s soured my feelings towards the first book a little. I wish it was just a standalone and I could have kept my love for these characters alive. I will not be picking up the final book in this series. I am so super sad, and I feel so deflated after reading it. This one I wish I had missed.
I don’t really know what to say in regards to this book. I read the first book in this series as an ARC almost a decade ago… and I loved it. It had everything I loved at the time, greek mythology, action and romance. And honestly… I still love all of those things. I really went into Stalked by Death expecting to love it just as much as the first one. But unfortunately, this one really fell flat for me. I was left just so deflated after reading it.
I don’t know whether my reading tastes have changed drastically and that’s why I didn’t like this as much as the first one or whether it was the book, but I really struggled to get through this one. I really struggled to want to continue reading. Honestly, I probably would have DNF’d this one but I kept remembering my love for the first book and I think that’s what kept me going.
Stalked by Death continues the story of Jodi as she tries to bring all the necromancers together. It had such a brilliant premise and I just don’t know what happened. All the characters that I absolutely loved in the first book I just ended up disliking in this one. The characters had completely changed. Jodi became this super annoying character who was more bothered about boys than the literal zombies walking around. Alex, this amazing confident guy who went around saving the day became irritating jealous and insecure. I just ended up really hating him. There was the typical YA love triangle… and I ended up hating everyone involved. I just didn’t care about what was going to happen to them.
I really wish I had loved this one but it just didn’t work for me. A part of me is sad that I read it as it’s soured my feelings towards the first book a little. I wish it was just a standalone and I could have kept my love for these characters alive. I will not be picking up the final book in this series. I am so super sad, and I feel so deflated after reading it. This one I wish I had missed.
August 21, 2013
I want to thank Spencer Hill Press for providing me with a copy of this book to read and give an honest review. Receiving this book for free has in now way altered my opinion or review.
STOP! If you have not read the first book in this series, there may be spoilers in this review. So turn around and go back and read the first book if you haven't already!
Blurb from Goodreads:
Jodi knows that any slip-ups made by the Ophi--a special group of necromancers born under the 13th sign of the zodiac--will fall on her shoulders... and that Hades is just waiting for them to screw up so he can wipe out the Ophi line.
Unfortunately, Jodi has only convinced one Ophi to join her school: A hot guy named Chase who jeopardizes her relationship with Alex. Jodi loves Alex, but Chase can enhance her powers with just a touch—making her stronger than any Ophi has ever been.
Her mixed emotions send her powers surging out of control, and the dead start rising without her conscious summoning—exactly what Hades doesn't want! If she chooses Alex over Chase, she may lose the battle to Hades, leading the Ophi race to extinction. If she chooses Chase, she might be able to stop Hades for good… but lose everything else.
Jodi needs to figure things out fast--because death is stalking her at every turn.
Who could resist zombies? And what I definitely consider a type of magic? And Medusa and Hades? Really, I don't think anyone could!
This book picks up right where the first book left off. Jodi is not head of the Ophi and they are training for their lives. She's busy in this new role and I can tell she's a bit overwhelmed, as well. It seems she's not quite sure where she fits in as far as leadership is concerned. She's not sure about leading all the Ophi, especially the ones who are older and more well informed than she seems to be. Her goal is to get all the Ophi together and train so they can fight Hades and make sure they survive. She is with Alex but a new guy, Chase, threatens to possibly destroy this relationship. She must decide what she wants and how she's going to go about getting it.
And of course there's a mystery. Who is bad, who is not? Who is on the Ophi's side, who might betray them? This is something you will wonder throughout the entire book. And it's not until the end that you find out, and it was surprising to me as I really wasn't sure until that point if my thoughts were right.
The plot is certainly full of twists and turns. And Jodi is torn the entire time trying to be a leader, but also fighting her own battles of relationships and power struggles. The story tugs you along and makes you want to know what is going to happen as you turn every page.
I do have to say that I was surprised by the insta-love that was apparent in this story. While I understood there was this immediate connection for a reason, I just didn't feel that connection or understand it until it was explained to me. There's a constant tug of war in Alex and Jodi's relationship, to the point that it's a little outdone and I was ready for something to just give. Finally it did, and I was happy!
This book was action packed and fun. A great sequel to the first. I'm looking forward to the conclusion of the series when Face of Death comes out!
STOP! If you have not read the first book in this series, there may be spoilers in this review. So turn around and go back and read the first book if you haven't already!
Blurb from Goodreads:
Jodi knows that any slip-ups made by the Ophi--a special group of necromancers born under the 13th sign of the zodiac--will fall on her shoulders... and that Hades is just waiting for them to screw up so he can wipe out the Ophi line.
Unfortunately, Jodi has only convinced one Ophi to join her school: A hot guy named Chase who jeopardizes her relationship with Alex. Jodi loves Alex, but Chase can enhance her powers with just a touch—making her stronger than any Ophi has ever been.
Her mixed emotions send her powers surging out of control, and the dead start rising without her conscious summoning—exactly what Hades doesn't want! If she chooses Alex over Chase, she may lose the battle to Hades, leading the Ophi race to extinction. If she chooses Chase, she might be able to stop Hades for good… but lose everything else.
Jodi needs to figure things out fast--because death is stalking her at every turn.
Who could resist zombies? And what I definitely consider a type of magic? And Medusa and Hades? Really, I don't think anyone could!
This book picks up right where the first book left off. Jodi is not head of the Ophi and they are training for their lives. She's busy in this new role and I can tell she's a bit overwhelmed, as well. It seems she's not quite sure where she fits in as far as leadership is concerned. She's not sure about leading all the Ophi, especially the ones who are older and more well informed than she seems to be. Her goal is to get all the Ophi together and train so they can fight Hades and make sure they survive. She is with Alex but a new guy, Chase, threatens to possibly destroy this relationship. She must decide what she wants and how she's going to go about getting it.
And of course there's a mystery. Who is bad, who is not? Who is on the Ophi's side, who might betray them? This is something you will wonder throughout the entire book. And it's not until the end that you find out, and it was surprising to me as I really wasn't sure until that point if my thoughts were right.
The plot is certainly full of twists and turns. And Jodi is torn the entire time trying to be a leader, but also fighting her own battles of relationships and power struggles. The story tugs you along and makes you want to know what is going to happen as you turn every page.
I do have to say that I was surprised by the insta-love that was apparent in this story. While I understood there was this immediate connection for a reason, I just didn't feel that connection or understand it until it was explained to me. There's a constant tug of war in Alex and Jodi's relationship, to the point that it's a little outdone and I was ready for something to just give. Finally it did, and I was happy!
This book was action packed and fun. A great sequel to the first. I'm looking forward to the conclusion of the series when Face of Death comes out!
August 28, 2013
3.5 stars
Stalked by Death is the second installment in the Touch of Death Series and picks up where Touch of Death leaves off. The mythology aspect that Kelly Hashway has created in this series is really interesting, with zombies, necromancers/Ophi, Medusa, and Hades, and then you have Jodi, the main character, who has the power to both heal and poison in her blood. Jodi, is an Ophi, and because of a deal she made with Hades to save them, now finds herself the leader of the Ophi and is also responsible for them, which proves to be quite the challenge. Alex, her boyfriend from book one is in the story, as well as a new player, Chase, who is also an Ophi and whose powers not only enhance Jodi's, but also cause her to do things she otherwise wouldn't do.
As you can gather from the synopsis, there is a love triangle, which was one of the prominent features of this installment in the series, and while love triangles work in some books, I wasn't crazy about this one, and at times, found it to be a little frustrating. That is just my opinion, however, and I am sure that there will be plenty of readers who will enjoy this. Chase was hot, but I didn't like him at all, though he did have some dark secrets that you find out more toward the latter portion of the book. Alex, I really liked in book one, and I still do in book two, just not as much as I did in book one. He was really jealous acting in this book, which is understandable. Despite this, I am still team Alex. Then Jodi, bless her heart, didn't know what she wanted, torn between love and power, resulting in constant drama between these three, which was magnified by her responsibilities as leader of the Ophi . It could be just me, but the love triangle angle is something I have grown weary with in many books, and with such a great concept and plot, I would have loved to have seen more emphasis placed on the story line itself, which I really did like.
While I liked Jodi a lot in book one, she changed quite a bit in book two and wasn't quite the same person, though she did experience some growth, and by the end, started to redeem herself somewhat. That brings us to the ending, which was the best part of the book. It was like having a "deer in the headlights" moment where I'm trying to figure out what the heck just happened, but in a good way, though it has left me very curious to see where the author was going to take the story from here. That's really all I can say about that without spoiling it. Overall, I didn't like Stalked by Death nearly as much as Touch of Death, though it did have its interesting aspects. I am curious and will be interested to see where Kelly Hashway takes this story in Face of Death, the third book in the series.
Stalked by Death is the second installment in the Touch of Death Series and picks up where Touch of Death leaves off. The mythology aspect that Kelly Hashway has created in this series is really interesting, with zombies, necromancers/Ophi, Medusa, and Hades, and then you have Jodi, the main character, who has the power to both heal and poison in her blood. Jodi, is an Ophi, and because of a deal she made with Hades to save them, now finds herself the leader of the Ophi and is also responsible for them, which proves to be quite the challenge. Alex, her boyfriend from book one is in the story, as well as a new player, Chase, who is also an Ophi and whose powers not only enhance Jodi's, but also cause her to do things she otherwise wouldn't do.
As you can gather from the synopsis, there is a love triangle, which was one of the prominent features of this installment in the series, and while love triangles work in some books, I wasn't crazy about this one, and at times, found it to be a little frustrating. That is just my opinion, however, and I am sure that there will be plenty of readers who will enjoy this. Chase was hot, but I didn't like him at all, though he did have some dark secrets that you find out more toward the latter portion of the book. Alex, I really liked in book one, and I still do in book two, just not as much as I did in book one. He was really jealous acting in this book, which is understandable. Despite this, I am still team Alex. Then Jodi, bless her heart, didn't know what she wanted, torn between love and power, resulting in constant drama between these three, which was magnified by her responsibilities as leader of the Ophi . It could be just me, but the love triangle angle is something I have grown weary with in many books, and with such a great concept and plot, I would have loved to have seen more emphasis placed on the story line itself, which I really did like.
While I liked Jodi a lot in book one, she changed quite a bit in book two and wasn't quite the same person, though she did experience some growth, and by the end, started to redeem herself somewhat. That brings us to the ending, which was the best part of the book. It was like having a "deer in the headlights" moment where I'm trying to figure out what the heck just happened, but in a good way, though it has left me very curious to see where the author was going to take the story from here. That's really all I can say about that without spoiling it. Overall, I didn't like Stalked by Death nearly as much as Touch of Death, though it did have its interesting aspects. I am curious and will be interested to see where Kelly Hashway takes this story in Face of Death, the third book in the series.
August 11, 2013
*Genre* YA Paranormal
*Rating* 3-3.5
*My Thoughts*
Jodi Meadows is an Ophi or a member of a group of necromancers who were born under the Thirteenth Zodiac Sign Ophiuchus (November 29 – December 17). She’s also a direct descendant to Medusa, the goddess with snakes for hair and the ability to turn someone to stone with a glare. Jodi is a bit different from other Ophi. She’s got the ability to combine powers with her left side of her body that’s filled with poison with the right side which can heal a person which comes in handy many times over the course of Stalked by Death.
Jodi has a tremendous responsibility now that she’s in charge of the Ophi after agreeing to Hades terms in Touch of Death in lieu of him killing each and every single Ophi in existence. Yeah, Hades isn’t too impressed with those who are able to rip souls right out his grasp in Tartarus and honestly, he’s Hades, can you really expect anything less but evil and destruction from him? Jodi’s responsibility is to gather any and all Ophi and train them before Hades comes back and kills them all off or takes them into Tartarus with one fell swoop.
I actually found myself liking most of the story except the part where a certain lying piece of work and relationship destroyer named Chase shows up and made me lose my stuff. I absolutely lost my marbles and my enjoyment of the book as well. See, I could tell right away that Hashway intended to thrown Jodi under the bus and test her relationship with her former stalker Alex.
I knew that Chase had a few dark secrets that I could not tell you otherwise it would absolutely spoil the story and leave me feeling guilty for doing so. I knew that this would end up being a love triangle of epic proportions and since I hate triangles and insta-lusts, I felt the need to skip over all the touchy feely parts of Chase and Jodi. Certain readers will probably love the 3 way love triangle that ends up being a major part of this story.
I can tell you that things get extremely ugly over the course of this story since Hades is in the background just plotting his ultimate revenge against the Ophi while Chase seems to be pushing Jodi into doing something she has no control over. The ending leaves far reaching implications and questions for the remaining story as well as the remaining Ophi who somehow managed to survive.
Face of Death releases in January of 2014 and I’m interesting to see how Hashway ties up Jodi’s story.
Expected publication: August 13th 2013 by Spencer Hill Press
*Rating* 3-3.5
*My Thoughts*
Jodi Meadows is an Ophi or a member of a group of necromancers who were born under the Thirteenth Zodiac Sign Ophiuchus (November 29 – December 17). She’s also a direct descendant to Medusa, the goddess with snakes for hair and the ability to turn someone to stone with a glare. Jodi is a bit different from other Ophi. She’s got the ability to combine powers with her left side of her body that’s filled with poison with the right side which can heal a person which comes in handy many times over the course of Stalked by Death.
Jodi has a tremendous responsibility now that she’s in charge of the Ophi after agreeing to Hades terms in Touch of Death in lieu of him killing each and every single Ophi in existence. Yeah, Hades isn’t too impressed with those who are able to rip souls right out his grasp in Tartarus and honestly, he’s Hades, can you really expect anything less but evil and destruction from him? Jodi’s responsibility is to gather any and all Ophi and train them before Hades comes back and kills them all off or takes them into Tartarus with one fell swoop.
I actually found myself liking most of the story except the part where a certain lying piece of work and relationship destroyer named Chase shows up and made me lose my stuff. I absolutely lost my marbles and my enjoyment of the book as well. See, I could tell right away that Hashway intended to thrown Jodi under the bus and test her relationship with her former stalker Alex.
I knew that Chase had a few dark secrets that I could not tell you otherwise it would absolutely spoil the story and leave me feeling guilty for doing so. I knew that this would end up being a love triangle of epic proportions and since I hate triangles and insta-lusts, I felt the need to skip over all the touchy feely parts of Chase and Jodi. Certain readers will probably love the 3 way love triangle that ends up being a major part of this story.
I can tell you that things get extremely ugly over the course of this story since Hades is in the background just plotting his ultimate revenge against the Ophi while Chase seems to be pushing Jodi into doing something she has no control over. The ending leaves far reaching implications and questions for the remaining story as well as the remaining Ophi who somehow managed to survive.
Face of Death releases in January of 2014 and I’m interesting to see how Hashway ties up Jodi’s story.
Expected publication: August 13th 2013 by Spencer Hill Press
August 31, 2013
This book was originally reviewed on The Book Hookup.
**I received an ARC of this title from the publisher,but that did not affect the review**
First Thoughts: I loved the plot, but the execution fell a little short for me. I was hoping to connect with the characters in this installment, but it was just shy of being out of reach.
Plot and Pacing: The story continued from book 1…Jodi realized exactly how powerful her Gorgon blood was, and decided the best way to keep Hades away was to train other Ophis like her. Chase, one of the Ophi students, (who also happened to be a totally hot guy with eyes hot eyes for Jodi) turned out to be quite powerful too, and maybe not in a good way. Pretty soon I felt like the story stalled and repeated; Jodi had a boyfriend, Chase hit on Jodi and pulled her in, Alex saw and got mad, Jodi apologized and they made out in the cemetery. The next day the same thing would happen.
The MCs: I thought Jodi and Alex would grow in this installment, but honestly, Jodi never grew up. She is so young and thought she had to solve everything. She made mistakes all over the place, yet would never ask for help. She also threw a hissy fit when Alex kept secrets from her, but she was the one keeping all the secrets. I guess her hypocritical ways just didn’t win me over.
Alex was kind of wimpy. I know Jodi kept saying he was cocky, but I NEVER saw that. Ever. He was insecure the whole book. It’s not that I didn’t like him, he just didn’t come across as described.
Romance /Chemistry: None. I still am rooting for Hades and Jodi to get together!!! Now that is a relationship I could sing about! There’s sparks and chemistry that are off the charts with those two.
Title/Cover: The title is perfect, as it fits the story exactly. The cover again has someone older and more mature than I would picture Jodi….it sure is pretty though.
Ending: The ending surprised me and it’s going to be hell (lol).
Gripes/suggestions: I didn’t like the MC, no romance, and I never connected with the story. However, this could all change by book 3 so I’m holding out hope this installment was a “scene setter”.
Final Thoughts/Rec It? It’s a neat take on mythology, and while I didn’t love this, I will still read book 3, Face of Death, because I think it will have more Hades in it, and he is the best part of the whole story.
**I received an ARC of this title from the publisher,but that did not affect the review**
First Thoughts: I loved the plot, but the execution fell a little short for me. I was hoping to connect with the characters in this installment, but it was just shy of being out of reach.
Plot and Pacing: The story continued from book 1…Jodi realized exactly how powerful her Gorgon blood was, and decided the best way to keep Hades away was to train other Ophis like her. Chase, one of the Ophi students, (who also happened to be a totally hot guy with eyes hot eyes for Jodi) turned out to be quite powerful too, and maybe not in a good way. Pretty soon I felt like the story stalled and repeated; Jodi had a boyfriend, Chase hit on Jodi and pulled her in, Alex saw and got mad, Jodi apologized and they made out in the cemetery. The next day the same thing would happen.
The MCs: I thought Jodi and Alex would grow in this installment, but honestly, Jodi never grew up. She is so young and thought she had to solve everything. She made mistakes all over the place, yet would never ask for help. She also threw a hissy fit when Alex kept secrets from her, but she was the one keeping all the secrets. I guess her hypocritical ways just didn’t win me over.
Alex was kind of wimpy. I know Jodi kept saying he was cocky, but I NEVER saw that. Ever. He was insecure the whole book. It’s not that I didn’t like him, he just didn’t come across as described.
Romance /Chemistry: None. I still am rooting for Hades and Jodi to get together!!! Now that is a relationship I could sing about! There’s sparks and chemistry that are off the charts with those two.
Title/Cover: The title is perfect, as it fits the story exactly. The cover again has someone older and more mature than I would picture Jodi….it sure is pretty though.
Ending: The ending surprised me and it’s going to be hell (lol).
Gripes/suggestions: I didn’t like the MC, no romance, and I never connected with the story. However, this could all change by book 3 so I’m holding out hope this installment was a “scene setter”.
Final Thoughts/Rec It? It’s a neat take on mythology, and while I didn’t love this, I will still read book 3, Face of Death, because I think it will have more Hades in it, and he is the best part of the whole story.
August 31, 2013
This book was originally reviewed on The Book Hookup.
**I received an ARC of this title from the publisher,but that did not affect the review**
First Thoughts: I loved the plot, but the execution fell a little short for me. I was hoping to connect with the characters in this installment, but it was just shy of being out of reach.
Plot and Pacing: The story continued from book 1…Jodi realized exactly how powerful her Gorgon blood was, and decided the best way to keep Hades away was to train other Ophis like her. Chase, one of the Ophi students, (who also happened to be a totally hot guy with eyes hot eyes for Jodi) turned out to be quite powerful too, and maybe not in a good way. Pretty soon I felt like the story stalled and repeated; Jodi had a boyfriend, Chase hit on Jodi and pulled her in, Alex saw and got mad, Jodi apologized and they made out in the cemetery. The next day the same thing would happen.
The MCs: I thought Jodi and Alex would grow in this installment, but honestly, Jodi never grew up. She is so young and thought she had to solve everything. She made mistakes all over the place, yet would never ask for help. She also threw a hissy fit when Alex kept secrets from her, but she was the one keeping all the secrets. I guess her hypocritical ways just didn’t win me over.
Alex was kind of wimpy. I know Jodi kept saying he was cocky, but I NEVER saw that. Ever. He was insecure the whole book. It’s not that I didn’t like him, he just didn’t come across as described.
Romance /Chemistry: None. I still am rooting for Hades and Jodi to get together!!! Now that is a relationship I could sing about! There’s sparks and chemistry that are off the charts with those two.
Title/Cover: The title is perfect, as it fits the story exactly. The cover again has someone older and more mature than I would picture Jodi….it sure is pretty though.
Ending: The ending surprised me and it’s going to be hell (lol).
Gripes/suggestions: I didn’t like the MC, no romance, and I never connected with the story. However, this could all change by book 3 so I’m holding out hope this installment was a “scene setter”.
Final Thoughts/Rec It? It’s a neat take on mythology, and while I didn’t love this, I will still read book 3, Face of Death, because I think it will have more Hades in it, and he is the best part of the whole story.
**I received an ARC of this title from the publisher,but that did not affect the review**
First Thoughts: I loved the plot, but the execution fell a little short for me. I was hoping to connect with the characters in this installment, but it was just shy of being out of reach.
Plot and Pacing: The story continued from book 1…Jodi realized exactly how powerful her Gorgon blood was, and decided the best way to keep Hades away was to train other Ophis like her. Chase, one of the Ophi students, (who also happened to be a totally hot guy with eyes hot eyes for Jodi) turned out to be quite powerful too, and maybe not in a good way. Pretty soon I felt like the story stalled and repeated; Jodi had a boyfriend, Chase hit on Jodi and pulled her in, Alex saw and got mad, Jodi apologized and they made out in the cemetery. The next day the same thing would happen.
The MCs: I thought Jodi and Alex would grow in this installment, but honestly, Jodi never grew up. She is so young and thought she had to solve everything. She made mistakes all over the place, yet would never ask for help. She also threw a hissy fit when Alex kept secrets from her, but she was the one keeping all the secrets. I guess her hypocritical ways just didn’t win me over.
Alex was kind of wimpy. I know Jodi kept saying he was cocky, but I NEVER saw that. Ever. He was insecure the whole book. It’s not that I didn’t like him, he just didn’t come across as described.
Romance /Chemistry: None. I still am rooting for Hades and Jodi to get together!!! Now that is a relationship I could sing about! There’s sparks and chemistry that are off the charts with those two.
Title/Cover: The title is perfect, as it fits the story exactly. The cover again has someone older and more mature than I would picture Jodi….it sure is pretty though.
Ending: The ending surprised me and it’s going to be hell (lol).
Gripes/suggestions: I didn’t like the MC, no romance, and I never connected with the story. However, this could all change by book 3 so I’m holding out hope this installment was a “scene setter”.
Final Thoughts/Rec It? It’s a neat take on mythology, and while I didn’t love this, I will still read book 3, Face of Death, because I think it will have more Hades in it, and he is the best part of the whole story.
July 19, 2014
More Reviews Here: Readers Live A Thousand Lives
I really enjoyed the first book in this series, Touch of Death, so I had really high hopes for Stalked By Death. Sadly, I was a tad disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed the book, but I didn’t enjoy it as much as the first. For me it suffered from middle book syndrome a bit.
Jodi was tough for me in this book. She is supposed to be this super strong leader, but sometimes she makes really bad decisions. Also she doesn’t see things that are staring her in the face. I try not to judge characters actions but some of Jodi’s choices made me shake my head.
Then there was Alex. He continues to be my favorite character in the series. I love him and I love how much crap he puts up with from Jodi. I really admired his loyalty. I really don’t know how he put on as much of a brave face as he did.
We then had the new guy Chase. We all know how I get with love triangles. Not going to lie, I wasn’t feeling this one. I couldn’t stand Chase and his actions made me crazy. I can honestly say I actually hated him. This is why I got so aggravated. I couldn’t understand Jodi liking him at all. It didn’t make any sense to me.
As I said previously, I felt as if Stalked By Death suffered a bit from middle book syndrome. Some of the typical middle book plot points happened, such as instability between Alex and Jodi. Also, Jodi is the new leader of the Ophi and had a lot on her plate. So why did it seem like her most pressing issue dealt with Alex and Chase. I think there were more important things for her to focus on. Although I will say that her focusing so heavily on the Alex and Chase drama did come back to bite her in the butt. And speaking of drama. Oh my the drama llama was running rampant in this book.
With all of that being said, I did truly enjoy Stalked By Death. I do like this twist on mythology and I do like the whole necromancy aspect. I like how easy it is to get lost in the story. I also like how it is a truly quick and simply fun read. Plus after that ending I am dying to get my hands on the final book. I’m also hoping the drama llama has run away and won’t be as prominent in the next book. I think there are some really crazy things to come.
All in all, Stalked By Death is a quick and fun read. It is great for fans of mythology!
I really enjoyed the first book in this series, Touch of Death, so I had really high hopes for Stalked By Death. Sadly, I was a tad disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed the book, but I didn’t enjoy it as much as the first. For me it suffered from middle book syndrome a bit.
Jodi was tough for me in this book. She is supposed to be this super strong leader, but sometimes she makes really bad decisions. Also she doesn’t see things that are staring her in the face. I try not to judge characters actions but some of Jodi’s choices made me shake my head.
Then there was Alex. He continues to be my favorite character in the series. I love him and I love how much crap he puts up with from Jodi. I really admired his loyalty. I really don’t know how he put on as much of a brave face as he did.
We then had the new guy Chase. We all know how I get with love triangles. Not going to lie, I wasn’t feeling this one. I couldn’t stand Chase and his actions made me crazy. I can honestly say I actually hated him. This is why I got so aggravated. I couldn’t understand Jodi liking him at all. It didn’t make any sense to me.
As I said previously, I felt as if Stalked By Death suffered a bit from middle book syndrome. Some of the typical middle book plot points happened, such as instability between Alex and Jodi. Also, Jodi is the new leader of the Ophi and had a lot on her plate. So why did it seem like her most pressing issue dealt with Alex and Chase. I think there were more important things for her to focus on. Although I will say that her focusing so heavily on the Alex and Chase drama did come back to bite her in the butt. And speaking of drama. Oh my the drama llama was running rampant in this book.
With all of that being said, I did truly enjoy Stalked By Death. I do like this twist on mythology and I do like the whole necromancy aspect. I like how easy it is to get lost in the story. I also like how it is a truly quick and simply fun read. Plus after that ending I am dying to get my hands on the final book. I’m also hoping the drama llama has run away and won’t be as prominent in the next book. I think there are some really crazy things to come.
All in all, Stalked By Death is a quick and fun read. It is great for fans of mythology!
May 20, 2014
If you read my review on the first book in this series, Touch of Death, (my review: http://www.littleredsreviews.blogspot...) then you know I did not really like Touch of Death. I did enjoy Stalked by Death more than Touch of Death, but this series will never be one of my favorites. I would rate Stalked by Death 3.5 stars out of 5 (a half a star better than Touch of Death). I have decided to continue reading the series and I am currently reading Face of Death (the third novel in the series). I am not making this a spoiler review because I do not think too many people have read this series but here is what I liked and disliked in Stalked by Death.
What I liked about Stalked by Death:
The plot twists were less predictable.
It had a cliffhanger ending.
It had a strong and interesting plot.
What I disliked about Stalked by Death:
The pacing was too fast. It needed to be delivered slower and broken up.
The romance/love triangle was unnecessary and confusing. I could not figure out who she was dating/liked because it flipped back and forth so fast. Also, I have a problem when characters/people in real life say "I love you" after only knowing each other for a matter of weeks or months.
Lack of detail in both of the books. The characters physical appearance is not described therefore, I had to make up their appearances in my head.
The one thing this series really has going for itself is that it has an interesting plot. I would not recommend it for any other purpose, I probably would not even recommend this series with its plot. The author, Kelly Hashway, is super sweet and she does have talent but with this being her first series, it is going to have its flaws. Even New York Times bestselling authors have written books with flaws. So, I am going to give the rest of this series a try and possibly her other works. I am not saying you have to look into her book, but I say at least give them a try. Or look into other reviews on her books, I am not everyone's thoughts, we all have very different opinions. You do not know what you like until you try it.
What I liked about Stalked by Death:
The plot twists were less predictable.
It had a cliffhanger ending.
It had a strong and interesting plot.
What I disliked about Stalked by Death:
The pacing was too fast. It needed to be delivered slower and broken up.
The romance/love triangle was unnecessary and confusing. I could not figure out who she was dating/liked because it flipped back and forth so fast. Also, I have a problem when characters/people in real life say "I love you" after only knowing each other for a matter of weeks or months.
Lack of detail in both of the books. The characters physical appearance is not described therefore, I had to make up their appearances in my head.
The one thing this series really has going for itself is that it has an interesting plot. I would not recommend it for any other purpose, I probably would not even recommend this series with its plot. The author, Kelly Hashway, is super sweet and she does have talent but with this being her first series, it is going to have its flaws. Even New York Times bestselling authors have written books with flaws. So, I am going to give the rest of this series a try and possibly her other works. I am not saying you have to look into her book, but I say at least give them a try. Or look into other reviews on her books, I am not everyone's thoughts, we all have very different opinions. You do not know what you like until you try it.
August 26, 2013
Jodi has lost her human soul, is now full Gorgon, and is tasked with preventing a war with Hades. Oh, and she's dating Alex. Enter Chase, whose attraction to Jodi comes out of nowhere and triggers Alex's jealous side, thus revealing how emotionally stunted the characters in this book are. Their behavior towards each other is typical pubescent teen and is what you would expect if you walk up to some strangers on the street having a fight. However, readers have gotten to know some of the characters and expect some emotional depth rather than superficial cockadoodle dooing. All this competitive attention is upsetting Jodi, but she's no better. She has no handle over her emotions or actions, and her logic defies logic: Jodi leaves a friend stranded without purse or cell phone since the friend was going to be angry with her anyway, so what difference would it make? Accelerator, brake, what's the difference? WTF? Her stupidity and inability to master her emotions gets people killed. Again, it is very typical teen behavior, but it is not what I want to see out of a potential heroine. Granted, Jodi does realize she's in over her head, but making her unlikeable ensures that I don't care if she gets hurt...I spent most of the book waiting for her to implode.
I think the main problem is that Chase has an ulterior motive but there is no clue to what that might be for the reader. We are as in the dark about it as Jodi, so we are only left with the surface appearances of teen jealousy. What this does is remove all the suspense. Instead, we see Jodi repeating the same mistakes over and over again. And given her previous behavior, it doesn't seem that out of character for her so, again, no suspense. It would have served the book better to let the reader see Chase's motivations, even if the other characters couldn't. Also, Jodi is so afraid of being killed by Chase's special "powers" yet she has the very same set of skills but never thinks to use them. So, again, I say WTF?!?!
I think the main problem is that Chase has an ulterior motive but there is no clue to what that might be for the reader. We are as in the dark about it as Jodi, so we are only left with the surface appearances of teen jealousy. What this does is remove all the suspense. Instead, we see Jodi repeating the same mistakes over and over again. And given her previous behavior, it doesn't seem that out of character for her so, again, no suspense. It would have served the book better to let the reader see Chase's motivations, even if the other characters couldn't. Also, Jodi is so afraid of being killed by Chase's special "powers" yet she has the very same set of skills but never thinks to use them. So, again, I say WTF?!?!
August 13, 2013
Read FULL Review At: The Y.A. Bookworm Blogger
Jodi is now in charge of an Ophi school to train Ophi and is working hard to keep her end of the deal she made with Hades. Any mistake will mean an end to the Ophi line, and with no one joining her school but one gorgeous boy, Jodi is struggling to keep Hades happy as she starts to loose control of her powers. However, this gorgeous boy named Chase is stronger than any Ophi Jodi has met before, and being with him might just mean creating an army strong enough to take on Hades.
When I read the synopsis for Stalked by Death, I have to say I was a little disappointed to find out there was a love triangle. I mean, it wasn't a huge surprise seeing this is a pattern with most YA trilogies but I still find myself crossing my fingers, hoping that maybe just maybe I won't have to go through the torture of another one. Mind you, the love triangle in Stalked By Death is different from many of the love triangles I've read in the past but it was equally as frustrating. Love triangles can frequently change my opinions on the main character, and although for the first half of the book I was beyond annoyed with Jodi's back and forth behavior as more and more secrets were revealed I was able to forgive her.
Read more about Chase, Alex and Jodi by reading the full review here!
Jodi is now in charge of an Ophi school to train Ophi and is working hard to keep her end of the deal she made with Hades. Any mistake will mean an end to the Ophi line, and with no one joining her school but one gorgeous boy, Jodi is struggling to keep Hades happy as she starts to loose control of her powers. However, this gorgeous boy named Chase is stronger than any Ophi Jodi has met before, and being with him might just mean creating an army strong enough to take on Hades.
When I read the synopsis for Stalked by Death, I have to say I was a little disappointed to find out there was a love triangle. I mean, it wasn't a huge surprise seeing this is a pattern with most YA trilogies but I still find myself crossing my fingers, hoping that maybe just maybe I won't have to go through the torture of another one. Mind you, the love triangle in Stalked By Death is different from many of the love triangles I've read in the past but it was equally as frustrating. Love triangles can frequently change my opinions on the main character, and although for the first half of the book I was beyond annoyed with Jodi's back and forth behavior as more and more secrets were revealed I was able to forgive her.
Read more about Chase, Alex and Jodi by reading the full review here!
July 15, 2014
you can read the review on: www.thereadingpileblog.wordpress.com
*Warning, spoilers below for Touch of Death*
So I was desperate to get my hands on Stalked by Death the moment I finished Touch of Death. After Hades showed up and accepted Jodi’s deal, I couldn’t wait to find out where it would go from there, after all it wasn’t going to be smooth sailing.
So Jodi, the new Ophi leader, had to find a way to teach all the Ophi in a way that wouldn’t break her deal with Hades – ultimately killing all the Ophi. Who would want to go up against a very angry God? I sure wouldn’t!
Alex and Jodi’s relationship appears to be blossoming Stalked by Death, that is until Chase joins the school and starts causing issues for them both. I’m not a fan, I just don’t like Chase. I love Mr Green Eyes, and I am not okay with Chase interrupting them. Just go away Chase! I don’t want you here… Yes, I got way too involved with this book…
Anyway! I really did enjoy Stalked by Death, It was a great read – even though it angered me, I really don’t like Chase… haha. It was addicting, Hashway’s imagination and writing style hasn’t stopped amazing me, I cannot fault it. It, for me, was one of those books where you just need to know what happens next.
And this is why I’m looking forward to the next installment. I’m sure it’s going to be just as amazing. After all, sequels are rarely as good as the first book *they sometimes let the first book down* but not in this case! Given the cliff hanger at the ending, I’m convinced the next one will be great also.
Rating: 5/5
*Warning, spoilers below for Touch of Death*
So I was desperate to get my hands on Stalked by Death the moment I finished Touch of Death. After Hades showed up and accepted Jodi’s deal, I couldn’t wait to find out where it would go from there, after all it wasn’t going to be smooth sailing.
So Jodi, the new Ophi leader, had to find a way to teach all the Ophi in a way that wouldn’t break her deal with Hades – ultimately killing all the Ophi. Who would want to go up against a very angry God? I sure wouldn’t!
Alex and Jodi’s relationship appears to be blossoming Stalked by Death, that is until Chase joins the school and starts causing issues for them both. I’m not a fan, I just don’t like Chase. I love Mr Green Eyes, and I am not okay with Chase interrupting them. Just go away Chase! I don’t want you here… Yes, I got way too involved with this book…
Anyway! I really did enjoy Stalked by Death, It was a great read – even though it angered me, I really don’t like Chase… haha. It was addicting, Hashway’s imagination and writing style hasn’t stopped amazing me, I cannot fault it. It, for me, was one of those books where you just need to know what happens next.
And this is why I’m looking forward to the next installment. I’m sure it’s going to be just as amazing. After all, sequels are rarely as good as the first book *they sometimes let the first book down* but not in this case! Given the cliff hanger at the ending, I’m convinced the next one will be great also.
Rating: 5/5
November 20, 2013
after the trade with Hades to release every undead that Victoria had summoned, Jodi had to start an Ophi school, for every necromancers born under the 13th sign of the zodiac. with Hades watching her closely, she couldn't afford any slip ups for him to own every Ophi. having trouble to convince other Ophi to join her school, Jodi had to fight to contain her power, especially since the appearance of Chase, a hot guy who joined her school and tried to jeopardize her relationship with Alex. every time Chase touched her, she felt her power being boosted. but at the same time, also caused her power to surge out of control, raising the dead unconsciously.
second book into the series, the progress wasn't predictable but having 2 guys fighting over a girl could really ruin the goth part of it. as mesmerizing as being a necromancer and descendent of Medusa be, Jodi remained a less likable main character. the cocky boyfriend that seemed like a bad guy in the first book turned out to be a victim in the second book, while another cockier guy became the new challenge, where both were equally distasteful characters. to make matter worse, Jodi wanted both of the guys, unwilling to decide which one she wanted more. as tiring as it was to go through the repetitive fights between Alex and Chase, with Jodi fuming and calling bunch of undead from the cemetery, the intensity of how Jodi's power went crazy was engaging enough to pull me through the book.
my review: here
second book into the series, the progress wasn't predictable but having 2 guys fighting over a girl could really ruin the goth part of it. as mesmerizing as being a necromancer and descendent of Medusa be, Jodi remained a less likable main character. the cocky boyfriend that seemed like a bad guy in the first book turned out to be a victim in the second book, while another cockier guy became the new challenge, where both were equally distasteful characters. to make matter worse, Jodi wanted both of the guys, unwilling to decide which one she wanted more. as tiring as it was to go through the repetitive fights between Alex and Chase, with Jodi fuming and calling bunch of undead from the cemetery, the intensity of how Jodi's power went crazy was engaging enough to pull me through the book.
my review: here
September 16, 2013
Ehh!! the series just got worse. The first book was pretty good - great concept about Ophis however, main girl, Jodi seems to have been cheating on Alex with Chase. Chase is not who he seems to be as he has his own agenda. Here comes Hades ready to get rid of all the Ophis. Trouble brews as the ending comes to surprising turn of events where Jodi and her band of Ophi's are brought down into hell by Hades, where their punishment will begin. The enemies that Jodi got rid of from the first book are going to come back after them as they were assigned the tasked to torture and punish those who come end up in their domain.
Another reason this series didn't work for me was that the characters were very immature and I didn't like how the language in the novel was used - very childish. Also, everything seems to revolve around Jodi and they way Jodi is handling things is bad. Yea she is young and all but she is such a weak character that relies on everyone else. I want to see a stronger heroine that knows what she is doing.
Another reason this series didn't work for me was that the characters were very immature and I didn't like how the language in the novel was used - very childish. Also, everything seems to revolve around Jodi and they way Jodi is handling things is bad. Yea she is young and all but she is such a weak character that relies on everyone else. I want to see a stronger heroine that knows what she is doing.
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