Today's read... I Fail at the Afterlife by Anni Sezate

One thing I love about being a reviewer is that I have the chance to discover unexpected gems before the rest of the world. And today's read hits that category. (YAY!)

When the author approached me, I loved the blurb and hoped it would be as entertaining as it seemed. A teen, who accidentally dies, ends up working ten years in the afterlife pushing paperwork only to be suddenly placed on a task force to chase down one of the most dangerous demons...and that with the main skill of being good at frisbee during his high school years. Sound fun and original?

Let's just say that this one is going on to my possible favorites for 2022 (although it doesn't appear until the very first day of 2023).

Well, I'm not saying anything else because it's time to take a look.

I FAIL AT THE AFTERLIFE

The Afterlife Trilogy, Book 1

by Anni Sezate

Chicken Taco Publishing

Young Adult Paranormal

355 pages

COMING...

JANUARY 1st, 2023!!!

When you die and become an angel you don't expect there to be so much paperwork.

At age seventeen, David Garcia fell to his death and has spent the past ten years filing papers for dead people. His uneventful afterlife is thrown into chaos when he’s attacked by a pernicious demon called Malum. Frozen in terror, David does absolutely nothing to prevent the demon’s escape. Blaming himself, he joins a group of demon hunters intent on recapturing Malum before he destroys the world. Armed with ten years of receptionist training, mediocre fighting skills, and non-stop self-deprecating sarcasm, David soon learns he is in way over his head.

GOODREADS   /    AMAZON

MY TIDBITS

Natural flowing humor with characters to love mixes with the dangers of demons and mundane tasks of the afterlife to create a read to enjoy.

David didn't mean to die at seventeen, and if he could go back and find a different way to pass over into the afterlife, he'd take the chance immediately. With that embarrassing part of his existence/non-existence in the past, he adds as much spice to his job in eternity as possible...even if it's mostly paperwork. But when an escaped demon uses him as a passing snack, David's had enough of not living up to his own expectations and does something almost as ridiculous as his initial death—he fills out an application form to join the task force, which will hunt the demon down. With absolutely no meaningful skills or experience, he doesn't believe he'll really be chosen...until he is.

This tale holds some of the most natural characters I've run across in young adult fiction in quite awhile. David is very hard not to like from the first page on. While the opening scene borders on ridiculous, it soon notches in perfectly with his character and attitude. But then, every character in the afterlife comes across with sparkling personalities, making them so comfortable to meet that the wish they were real grows. They are a wonderful bunch. (The good ones, of course) They have their problems, quirks, and are simply humans, who are now in the after life. This creates a very easy read, which (except for a couple bumps) speeds by smoothly from beginning to end.

While there are some tense moments, and David definitely is in over his head, this read (even in its darkest scenes) holds a deliciously, light undertone, mixed with action, darker moments, and even touching heartache. The demon hunting is also not a joke, and David is sarcastic and funny and uncomfortable in his own skin. There are woven secrets, turns I never saw coming, and twists, which flip in original and surprising ways. Still, it stays light-hearted and natural...and that's quite the feat.

I do recommend this one to anyone, who is ready for a new twist into the realm of the afterlife and a character to enjoy because it's definitely worth taking a peek at.

And here she is...

Anni Sezate is an elementary school teacher from Gilbert, Arizona. She received her education degree from Arizona State University, though she spent a semester living out her acting dreams as a musical theater major. Anni is your typical right-brained lefty who spends most of her time reading, writing, drawing, and singing way too loudly to Broadway soundtracks. Anni is a proud daughter, sister, aunt, and Ravenclaw

Review: Aurella the Demon by Anni Sezate

AURELLA THE DEMON

The Aurella Trilogy, Book 3

by Anni Sezate

YA Fantasy

543 pages

After years of running to safety, it is now time to stand and fight. After a year of helping King Morton rid Dovice of anti-witch attacks, Aurella and Mavic’s troubles escalate to a full-fledged war. Danger and darkness plague them at every turn. No matter the horrors they’ve faced in the past, nothing will prepare them for the physical, emotional, and mental anguish of this final battle of manipulators and humans. No one will survive the fight unscathed and many will not survive at all.

   

MY TIDBITS

I've followed this series from the beginning and have enjoyed every step of Aurella's adventure. This time isn't any different.

Aurella and her friends have not only helped King Morton to his crown and assisted him in ridding Dovice of the attacks on witches, but now, he requests them to aide in a trade agreement. Or that's what it was suppose to be. Instead, Aurella finds a fleet of naval ships about to attack the kingdom. Somehow, she needs to save the kingdom, but it's going to be the toughest thing she's ever faced.

I adore this series, especially since it's young adult and just right for the younger end...including tweens and even upper middle graders. Aurella is amazing. She's powerful, has been through a lot, proven herself more than could ever be expected, and yet, she's not arrogant. Nor does she ever flaunt her powers or even put herself in a position to benefit from them. She's simply a heroine, who's easy to root for and comes across like a pretty, natural teen.

The adventure starts on page one and doesn't let up until the very end. The author doesn't spend much time on descriptions, but rather lets the plot plow forward and keeps the entire thing at a pretty fast pace. While the characters are fairly sorted as good and evil, there are enough surprises to keep the reader at the edge of their seat. Aurella is up against very tough situations, and this keeps the tension high. The fact that she doesn't go it alone makes the read that much more fun and offers many characters to cheer for...or dislike.

This is a great read for fantasy friends, especially ages 12 to 16, who enjoy magic and other realms, but also enjoy characters, who don't feel as if they came from the middle ages or an overly literary world. It's simply a fun, adventurous read.

Review: Aurella the Witch by Annie Sezate

AURELLA THE WITCH

Book One

by Anni Sezate

Middle Grade Fantasy

356 pages

Aurella found out she’s a witch… just in time to start a witch hunt.

Twelve years ago, the kingdom of Dovice was purged of magic. All the witches were killed in a massive witch hunt, and evidence of their existence was erased from history. So when Aurella discovers she’s a witch, she’s both confused and frightened. Despite the risk of revealing herself, Aurella uses her powers to protect her only friend from a dangerous situation and accidentally sets in motion another witch hunt, making her the key target.

With few allies and an entire country against her, Aurella flees north in hopes of finding Rashtica, the alleged kingdom where her kind live in peace. But Aurella can’t run forever, and if she doesn’t learn to embrace her power, the witch hunt she brought about could be her bitter end. 

MY TIDBITS

Magic, fantasy and friendship make this an adventure to get lost in and hold on to even after it the last page ends.

In a land where magic has been completely wiped-out and destroyed, the last thing Aurella hates to be called is  a witch. But when she accidentally casts a spell, bullying is the last thing she's concerned about. Forced to hide her true nature, Aurella embarks on a journey to find the one place where she might survive in peace, Rashtica. But her hopes of reaching it quickly unravel, and she's in more danger than she ever imagined she could be.

There is so much to love about this magical world. The author does a terrific job of creating a place which is familiar enough to feel a bit like home, while staying fantastical enough to allow dreams to take flight. There are enough details to bring everything to life without bogging down the pace. It's a great introduction to a world, which can easily support the adventures of an entire series.

Aurella is a lovely character. She's a bit too mature for a twelve-year-old but, that aside, the age enables other facets of the story to unfold nicely. She's kind and daring but not quite perfect, making her easy to cheer for the whole way through. Her age allows the beautiful friendship with a slightly older Mavic to form without a wave of drama, which probably would have happened had she been older. The friendship between the two was my favorite part of the story. They are opposites in many ways, and it's exactly this that creates the perfect balance. The dialogue and interaction between the two keeps the story moving along and makes both very sympathetic.

A vast variety of characters is introduced as the plot unfolds, each one adding a new facet and layer. It was a treat to meet each one and watch how the story thickened with each new personality. The side characters aren't simply thrown in, but have their own small histories and importance. It's a fun adventure, but never overly simple. And the magical aspects add a nice twist.

I can't wait to see where the adventure goes from here.



And here she is. . .


Debut author Anni Sezate is an elementary school teacher from Gilbert, Arizona. She received her education degree from Arizona State University, though she spent a semester living out her acting dreams as a musical theater major. Anni is your typical right-brained lefty who spends most of her time reading, writing, drawing, and singing way too loudly to Broadway soundtracks. Anni is a proud daughter, sister, aunt, and Ravenclaw (Thunderbird, if we’re being technical).

https://annisezate.com/