[Blog Tour] Book Review: Reaping Me Softly

Reaping Me Softly
by Kate Evangelista
Paperback, 220 pages
Published October 30th 2012 by Omnific Publishing
Source: Publicist for (AToMR) blog tour
Buy the book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Book Description:

Ever since a near-death-experience on the operating table, seventeen-year-old Arianne Wilson can see dead people. Just as she’s learned to accept her new-found talents, she discovers that the boy she’s had a crush on since freshman year, Niko Clark, is a Reaper.

At last they have something in common, but that doesn’t mean life is getting any easier. All while facing merciless bullying from the most powerful girl in school, Arianne’s world is turned upside down after Niko accidentally reaps the soul of someone she loves. This sends them both into a spiral that threatens to end Arianne’s life. But will Niko break his own Reaper’s code to save her? And what would the consequences be if he did?

Review:

Grim reapers, you say? I don’t think I’ve ever read a YA about grim reapers, so when the opportunity to read Reaping Me Softly came knocking at my door, I quickly welcomed it with both arms wide open. Plus, that cover! Who can resist a cover that gorgeous?

Ari is a sixteen year old highschool student who has the ability to see the dead. As much as this makes her feel different from other kids her age, she still thrives to live like a normal teenager and survive highschool while trying to avoid the school's queen bee, Darla, who makes her highschool life a living hell. One of the few things that encourages her to go to school is the fact that her longtime crush, Niko, goes to the same school and seeing him immediately lifts up her spirits.

Ari is that type of person who's not easily noticed by people. She's quiet and only opens up to her sister and bestfriend. She gushes alot about Niko to her sister Carrie, who's sick and is confined to the hospital. I love their relationship as siblings. Carrie is a fun character and I wished there was more of her in the book. Niko is the reaper who's in charge of the deaths in Georgia, who's also the guy Ari has been vying for. He disguises as a highschool student and was paired with Ari on a lab experiment. Ben is also a notable character that you'll have to meet. He is Ari's bestfriend and has a thing for Carrie.

I rarely read books with less than 300 pages because I couldn't finish/didn't end up liking majority of such that I've read in the past. Those types of books tend to have plots that are too rushed which make them seem unrealistic. However, in Reaping Me Softly's case, while there were certain aspects that felt too quick to develop, the events didn't seem forced but rather they flowed naturally and spontaneously that makes this for a fast and unique read.

Disclosure: This book was received from the publicist as part of the Reaping Me Softly blog tour (hosted by AToMR Tours), for free in exchange for an honest review. 

Rating: 3/5 stars

About the Author

When Kate Evangelista was told she had a knack for writing stories, she did the next best thing: entered medical school. After realizing she wasn't going to be the next Doogie Howser, M.D., Kate wandered into the Literature department of her university and never looked back. Today, she is in possession of a piece of paper that says to the world she owns a Literature degree. To make matters worse, she took Master's courses in creative writing. In the end, she realized to be a writer, none of what she had mattered. What really mattered? Writing. Plain and simple, honest to God, sitting in front of her computer, writing.

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