Death by Laura Thalassa

Dates Read: June 20, 2022 – July 16, 2022
Publication Date: November 9, 2021
Source: Owned paperback

Goodreads — Amazon

Oof. Ok. So this one took me a hot minute to read.

I feel like the book didn’t really “start” until part two. I don’t know, man. The first half was just about our heroine, Lazarus, running from Death, even though she immediately wants to jump his bones.

So, Lazarus. Lazarus is an orphaned girl who had a loving and happy family until Death came through her town and killed them all. She, alone, survived. Lazarus, it seems, cannot die. Well, I mean, she can but she always comes back to life. Death’s power is no exception to this. So, when she confronts him on the road coming from a city where he thought he had just killed everyone, Death is intrigued. Naturally.

“You have an exceptional heart, Lazarus,” he finally says. “You shouldn’t apologize for it.”

I think that’s the thing that gets me about this one. The two of them have a thing for each other immediately. It’s revealed from the very beginning that Death knows she is his “kismet” or “fate set before him by God”. But she just thinks he’s really pretty and is attracted to him. Hardly a “feeling of fate” from her.

He doesn’t move any closer to me, but it feels like there’s no distance between us and no air to breathe in. It doesn’t help that he still hasn’t found his shirt, and his glowing tattoos are making him look particularly unearthly.

Regardless, she runs because Death means to keep her. She does not wish to be kept.

That’s part one of the book. Right there. See? Not very riveting, huh?

Before I can answer, Death’s expression turns serious, his eyes intense. “Nothing in this world could part me from you for long.”

Part two is where it starts to get “good”.

So not only is the fate of her heart set on this guy and what he chooses to ultimately do but so is the fate of his brothers and their now wives and children. If he ends the world, he ends them too.

Now his expression is downright wicked. “You and I are immortal. Even if it takes centuries, even if you and I are the last creatures in existence, I vow to you this: I will get you to love me – mind, body, and heart.

I’ll tell ya one thing, I think of all the books, this one has the most “adventure” in it. This book isn’t just us following one couple and their story. This book is us following Death who is chasing Lazarus who is running from Death who is also planning to hunt Famine and finish what they started in Famine’s book. There’s a whole lot going on and a whole lot of little tidbits throughout.

I have to say, though, I did enjoy reading this one. I enjoyed them all and I’ve really enjoyed this series. If you’re not too queasy and enjoy a good raw, unfiltered, gory paranormal romance, this series might be for you.

I really thought this one was going to go a different direction but it kept me on the edge of my seat right up to the very end. I mean, I knew what was ultimately going to happen, at least I felt like I did, but still. The author wrote four unique books that followed the same basic idea but went in four different directions and that is something I can really appreciate.

And I must say, that ending was quite beautiful.