[Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway] Recalled by Cambria Hebert (Death Escorts #1)

 

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Title: Recalled (Death Escorts #1)

Author: Cambria Hebert
Release Date: February 15, 2013
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Love or Death? A simple question really. The choice seems obvious. But. What if you never knew love, what if your life was spent just trying to survive? What if you knew your fate before you were fully grown?

And then you died.

And you were given another chance. A better chance.

This new life depended upon one thing: your job. And so you agreed. You thought it would be simple. You thought it would be cut and dry.

It never is.

And now you are left holding the fate of someone else in the palm of your hand and you have to make the ultimate choice.

Love or Death?

THOUGHTS:

I don't think I've read many novels about grim reapers and death escorts (though I know that there must be plenty out there) and that's why I gave this novel a shot. Moreover, I'm positive that this is the first novel about death escorts that falls under the general umbrella of New Adult, and being the fan of NA that I am, I just had to read it! The premise in itself is intriguing, and I honest to goodness loved how the blurb was worded - there was no mention of the characters whatsoever, and everything was as if hypothetical in nature. I was actually questioning myself after reading the blurb - would I make the same decision the main character did? I don't think I stopped mulling thoughts around while reading this novel.

The MC, known to us as Dex, didn't have an easy life. He has resorted to a life of crime in order to provide for himself, and one fateful night, everything ends in the blink of an eye. After robbing a waitress named Piper, he proceeds to push her out of the way of an out-of-control bus, and this action results to an almost instantaneous death. Dex then wakes up in front of a guy who offers him a job as a death escort - simply put, he kills pinpointed targets - in exchange for all the money and luxury he could ever want. Dex agrees, and his first target is laid out in front of him - Piper, the very waitress whose life he saved.

Off the bat, I liked Dex. The first few chapters made it rather difficult not to like him and not to sympathize with him, even though he pretty much admitted that he was no-good scumbag. My heart pretty much broke for him - I can't even begin to imagine what it would have been like to live the way he did, and I really can't blame him for choosing to become a death escort and dabbling at a life wherein he was positively reeling with material possessions. His POV showed just how much he wanted a normal life - a life wherein he needn't steal to actually live, but that chance slipped from his fingers at his untimely death - and he was given a chance at that, so he took it. Furthermore, I loved the way Hembert portrayed Dex and his indecisiveness of whether or not he should take Piper's life - I truly felt Dex's confusion, unwarranted despair and hopelessness throughout the novel.

I understand Dex and Piper's obvious fascination and attraction with each other given their first meeting, but I couldn't help but feel that the romance between them didn't enrich the novel in a huge manner. I don't think their supposed love was fleshed out enough, and I never thought that what they felt for each other was believable and real. Nevertheless, I did understand why it was so important for this romance to be an integral part of the novel, as made obvious during the climax and the ending.

I didn't expect the way this novel ended in any way. To say that I was surprised is an understatement - truly! Hebert did a bang-up job in writing about the moments wherein Dex was finally sure of what he wanted to do, as well as this novel's final few pages. (I don't want to elaborate and risk spoiling you guys!) The ending was beautiful, and it made me both want to cry and smile.

I initially thought that Recalled would have a sequel, but I just found out that it's a stand-alone. The other books in the series, while still about Death Escorts, would not focus on Dex and Piper, and I'm actually a bit sad at that. I usually let out a silent cheer when I find out that a certain book is a stand-alone, but that isn't really the case this time. I found myself really connecting with Dex's character, and I can't help but wish that I can read more about him. (Cambria, if you're reading this... Throw this girl a bone? Ha!) I'll definitely make sure to read the other books about this series though!

Rating: 4 Stars

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