TITLE: If I Should Die
SERIES: Revenants #3
AUTHOR: Amy Plum
PUBLICATION DATE: May 7, 2013
PUBLISHER: Harper TEEN
PAGES: 405 pages
FORMAT: Ebook
SOURCE: Borrowed
RATING: 3 stars
Picking up right where Until I Die left off, we follow a grief stricken Kate on her determined journey to save Vincent, who was killed and then had his body destroyed by Violette. Now he is just a wondering spirit and the idea of spending eternity never being able to really be together is too much for Kate to take. Soon enough, they have the spark of an idea of how to help Vince and lead an epic battle to destroy Violette and the numa once and for all.
Before I say anything else, I just want to express my utter disappointment with this novel.
I waited with baited breathe for this sequel since Until I Die left off with such a dreadful cliffhanger and I was dying to know how Amy would successfully wrap this story up. The answer? She doesn’t, really. I mean, yes the main plot and story all come to a close on a relatively happy note, but I don’t think it was wrapped up well. It just felt rushed and thoroughly predictable. ****SPOILER***I saw it all coming, from Jules disappointing lack of resolution to them finding the reimbodiment ceremony and Violette pulling Vincent back at the exact moment they were attempting the ritual. Even the little detail about Kate’s necklace with Vincent’s hair being the key to make the ceremony work. To Kate being the champion and leading the Paris kindred into war with Violette.****END SPOILER**** I feel supremely cheated and unsatisfied because I adored book 1 and enjoyed book 2 right up until the cliffhanger that pissed me off and now, this final book just didn’t do it for me.
I think mostly, besides the fact that it’s utterly predictable, I hate the way not everyone got a happy ending. Yes, Kate and Vincent do live happily ever after (as do Ambrose and Charlotte), but one character dies ****SPOILER****Jean Baptist****END SPOILER**** leaving his lover to live in despair for the rest of eternity and Jules gets a non-ending. I realize that they are in a war and there will be casualties, but I just didn’t like it. Not to mention the death, which occurs at the very end in the battle, was beyond unnecessary. Yes, this person jumping in front of Vince to save him was fine, though a little cliché, but he/she was a revenant therefore the death would have been fine, but nope, his/her body was destroyed before it could be recovered and it just felt….well, wrong is only word coming to mind. Jules is basically pushed to the side after the middle of the novel and I hate that. He’s one of my favorite characters and even though I love Vincent and Kate together, a tiny part of me was rooting for him.
It’s worth a read, if only to finish the series, but don’t get your hopes too high up. I don’t think it lives up to the first book and that’s just depressing.
Bows & Bullets Reviews 