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fictionalkate's review against another edition
4.0
Kate Mercer is devastated after her parents are killed in a car accident. Her sister (and now technically her guardian) decides that the best thing for the two of them is to relocate from New York to their grandparents’ house in Paris. Still reeling from the tragedy to strike her family, Kate becomes a shadow of her former self. Then she meets Vincent – strange and mysterious yet chivalrous Vincent. Feeling like she should hold her heart back from the odd gorgeous boy but not being able to resist his charm, Kate falls for Vincent only to find out she might not be able to handle his special kind of supernatural abilities.
I love books that are set in a far off distant land and the city is well and truly a part of the story. I recently read a book apparently set in Italy and it could have been set anywhere. But in Die For Me, Paris is almost a character itself. One of those books where after I read about the places Kate goes and the vibe of the city and it makes me want to go to Europe.
I loved the pace of this novel. I know, it might sound a little weird for the pace to be the first thing that comes to mind for me but some first in the series books can be a bit of an info dump – too much too soon with too many details that I keep feeling the need to flick back and re-read those sections all the time. But I really liked learning about Vincent and the others along with Kate and their specific supernaturalness. The secondary characters are brilliant – I thought the way they got to tell their stories and the way they interact with each other was fantastic to read. I loved seeing Kate evolve as a character but seeing the others flourish around her (like Georgia and Jules) was amazing.
Fun characters, interesting and fantastic zombies (and coming from a zombie hater that’s something) and not too much of that teen angst that some YA novels seem to be bursting to the brim with. It’s probably not surprising to hear that as soon as I finished Die For Me (at 1am) I instantly jumped online to buy a copy of the second book in the series, Until I Die.
I love books that are set in a far off distant land and the city is well and truly a part of the story. I recently read a book apparently set in Italy and it could have been set anywhere. But in Die For Me, Paris is almost a character itself. One of those books where after I read about the places Kate goes and the vibe of the city and it makes me want to go to Europe.
I loved the pace of this novel. I know, it might sound a little weird for the pace to be the first thing that comes to mind for me but some first in the series books can be a bit of an info dump – too much too soon with too many details that I keep feeling the need to flick back and re-read those sections all the time. But I really liked learning about Vincent and the others along with Kate and their specific supernaturalness. The secondary characters are brilliant – I thought the way they got to tell their stories and the way they interact with each other was fantastic to read. I loved seeing Kate evolve as a character but seeing the others flourish around her (like Georgia and Jules) was amazing.
Fun characters, interesting and fantastic zombies (and coming from a zombie hater that’s something) and not too much of that teen angst that some YA novels seem to be bursting to the brim with. It’s probably not surprising to hear that as soon as I finished Die For Me (at 1am) I instantly jumped online to buy a copy of the second book in the series, Until I Die.
sophilozophy's review against another edition
4.0
After the death of their parents, Kate and her sister, Georgia move to Paris to live with their grandparents. Their both dealing with everything in very different ways. Georgia chooses to keep herself busy, going out and surrounding herself with people while Kate, an introvert cuts herself off from the world and has her head in books. Georgia convinces her to get out and she sits in a café to read her favourite classic novel. Then she notices a gorgeous guy staring at her from across the café. After months of just existing, with Vincent's help, she finally starts to live again, but isn't sure if she's ready to risk her heart.
The majority of the books I read are paranormal, so I can't express enough how refreshing it is to read about something other than the usual creatures. Revenants, which is a French word and literally means "one who comes back" are spirits that returns from the dead. The word seems to be popping up everywhere now, but I'd never heard of them before this book and love that Amy Plum created her own mythology for them.
Another big plus is that it's set in Paris. Apart from the obvious reasons (it's Paris), it's a nice change from the usual American setting.
Kate is easily lovable and very smart. Although she feels a connection to Vincent, she isn't blinded by it. She stops and thinks about the reality of a relationship with him instead of that instant love we've come to know, which makes it more realistic.
Vincent is a Revenants. That doesn't sound like much of a description, but when you find out what kind of person you'd have to be to become one, is explanation enough apart from he's French (enough said), a gentleman and gorgeous.
I don't just adore Kate and Vincent, but have a fondness for all the characters, which doesn't happen as often as I'd like. If I ever met Jules, I'd probably giggle like a girl with her first crush after one wink.
I love this book! The story is captivating, well-written and beautifully depicted. The ending left me satisfied and anticipating how it will continue in the next book.
The majority of the books I read are paranormal, so I can't express enough how refreshing it is to read about something other than the usual creatures. Revenants, which is a French word and literally means "one who comes back" are spirits that returns from the dead. The word seems to be popping up everywhere now, but I'd never heard of them before this book and love that Amy Plum created her own mythology for them.
Another big plus is that it's set in Paris. Apart from the obvious reasons (it's Paris), it's a nice change from the usual American setting.
Kate is easily lovable and very smart. Although she feels a connection to Vincent, she isn't blinded by it. She stops and thinks about the reality of a relationship with him instead of that instant love we've come to know, which makes it more realistic.
Vincent is a Revenants. That doesn't sound like much of a description, but when you find out what kind of person you'd have to be to become one, is explanation enough apart from he's French (enough said), a gentleman and gorgeous.
I don't just adore Kate and Vincent, but have a fondness for all the characters, which doesn't happen as often as I'd like. If I ever met Jules, I'd probably giggle like a girl with her first crush after one wink.
I love this book! The story is captivating, well-written and beautifully depicted. The ending left me satisfied and anticipating how it will continue in the next book.
caszriel's review against another edition
3.0
EDIT: yes I lowered the rating and here's why. The book haunted my thoughts and while yes, the enjoyment factor on this book was extremely high I'm beginning to see that three stars isn't necessarily a negative rating (so maybe I'll be using it more in 2019). I wanna get this straight: I loved reading this book! However, there are a few things I couldn't ignore after getting over the initial high of reading it and finishing it. One; I'm sorry but Kate was such a boring character and I kinda said this below but still. She is always saying she's not pretty like her sister and everyone (like literally, everyone) tells her otherwise but she doesn't believe them. Two; what's the appeal of Vincent? A younger me within me absolutely loved him of course but I realised that Kate and Vincent don't really do much except meet with dramatic 'looks across street, feels recognition' and then that's it. I thought Jules and also Ambrose were much more interesting and had substance, as did Charlotte. I shall end here before I get too much into spoilers, but those are just some of my thoughts on this book.
Initial thoughts:
A whole lot better than I expected for sure; the synopsis drew me in, but a younger self. I really liked the story, especially the further through it I got, however I wasn’t the greatest fan of little miss insecure Kate but I grew to respect her. Maybe it’s just me but I thought Jules was cooler than Vincent ;)) Die For Me didn’t meet my expectations in a good way, choosing to defy some stereotypes of ya paranormal romance even as it used a signature ‘parents just died’ move, but I liked how Mamie and Papy were still part of the story even as they gave their granddaughters a LOT of freedom. The Paris setting was really cool but I would’ve loved more immersion of French culture in the book which sounded very American at heart. Will definitely be reading book two!
Initial thoughts:
A whole lot better than I expected for sure; the synopsis drew me in, but a younger self. I really liked the story, especially the further through it I got, however I wasn’t the greatest fan of little miss insecure Kate but I grew to respect her. Maybe it’s just me but I thought Jules was cooler than Vincent ;)) Die For Me didn’t meet my expectations in a good way, choosing to defy some stereotypes of ya paranormal romance even as it used a signature ‘parents just died’ move, but I liked how Mamie and Papy were still part of the story even as they gave their granddaughters a LOT of freedom. The Paris setting was really cool but I would’ve loved more immersion of French culture in the book which sounded very American at heart. Will definitely be reading book two!
becs_l's review against another edition
3.0
Also available on: www.areadersdevotion.blogspot.co.uk
I loved the beginning. I thought it was a great start. It suckered me in. I wanted to carry on and see what journey Die For Me would take me. Unfortunately, when it got to discovering the truth about Vincent, it all went a little downhill.
‘I had the strangest feeling that I knew the guy. I’d felt that way with strangers before. Where it seemed like I’d spend hours, weeks, even years with the person. But in my experience, it had always been a one-way phenomenon: The other person didn’t notice me. This was not the case now. I could swear he felt the same.’
We meet Vincent and we find out what he is and ‘all that jazz’. However I didn’t really know what the story was. Katie seems to spend most of her time falling into situations. It didn’t feel like it was going anywhere. What was their purpose in the story? The book didn’t seem to flow. It felt a bit disjointed. I got fed up of ‘let’s change the subject.’
Things didn’t really pick up until about half way. This is when a story actually seemed to take shape after all the explaining of what the Revenants are. While it was being established it still felt like not a lot was going on.
There is an antagonist in the story but it didn’t seem like much of a threat. There was no threat, or tension. It was a story following a girl around Paris with her gentile boyfriend; not quite what I expected. All the threat was generated by words. We find out by Vincent sitting Katie down and telling her. I feel it would have been more exciting with a few more action scenes personally. It definitely would have enabled me to become more engaged.
Oh Vincent. You are a charmer. That is one thing you get if you’re dating an ‘old soul’, the perfect gentleman. He knows how to impress a lady. His looks help as well. They are frequently commented on. I think my favourite part of the whole book was Vincent.
While I understood Vincent as a person, I did not fully connect with his and Kate’s relationship. It started off great and I found myself routing for them. However it seemed to go off the rails a bit. Things started rushing. I understood the novel took place over several months but it felt like the romance was deepening and I wasn’t being told about it on the page. By the end, I wasn’t sold on the idea they would be together forever. The ‘Honeymoon period’ seems to have them very much in its grasp.
While this review may seem a little negative, I did like the book somewhat. I like the premise of the Revenants and what stories can occur around them. I believe it has potential and I want to see where the series goes. I hope Until I Die is an improvement on the first book.
I loved the beginning. I thought it was a great start. It suckered me in. I wanted to carry on and see what journey Die For Me would take me. Unfortunately, when it got to discovering the truth about Vincent, it all went a little downhill.
‘I had the strangest feeling that I knew the guy. I’d felt that way with strangers before. Where it seemed like I’d spend hours, weeks, even years with the person. But in my experience, it had always been a one-way phenomenon: The other person didn’t notice me. This was not the case now. I could swear he felt the same.’
We meet Vincent and we find out what he is and ‘all that jazz’. However I didn’t really know what the story was. Katie seems to spend most of her time falling into situations. It didn’t feel like it was going anywhere. What was their purpose in the story? The book didn’t seem to flow. It felt a bit disjointed. I got fed up of ‘let’s change the subject.’
Things didn’t really pick up until about half way. This is when a story actually seemed to take shape after all the explaining of what the Revenants are. While it was being established it still felt like not a lot was going on.
There is an antagonist in the story but it didn’t seem like much of a threat. There was no threat, or tension. It was a story following a girl around Paris with her gentile boyfriend; not quite what I expected. All the threat was generated by words. We find out by Vincent sitting Katie down and telling her. I feel it would have been more exciting with a few more action scenes personally. It definitely would have enabled me to become more engaged.
Oh Vincent. You are a charmer. That is one thing you get if you’re dating an ‘old soul’, the perfect gentleman. He knows how to impress a lady. His looks help as well. They are frequently commented on. I think my favourite part of the whole book was Vincent.
While I understood Vincent as a person, I did not fully connect with his and Kate’s relationship. It started off great and I found myself routing for them. However it seemed to go off the rails a bit. Things started rushing. I understood the novel took place over several months but it felt like the romance was deepening and I wasn’t being told about it on the page. By the end, I wasn’t sold on the idea they would be together forever. The ‘Honeymoon period’ seems to have them very much in its grasp.
While this review may seem a little negative, I did like the book somewhat. I like the premise of the Revenants and what stories can occur around them. I believe it has potential and I want to see where the series goes. I hope Until I Die is an improvement on the first book.
jennifervu's review against another edition
4.0
I would've given this a five stars, but yesterday's book, Dead Beautiful, was exceptional and was far better than this one (they're both about the Undead). However, I really liked this book- its plot, characters, and Amy Plum's writing style. I'll definitely read the sequel.
madlee's review against another edition
3.0
Die for Me was just like any other book I read. Some parts captured my attention, but the other parts were too cliche and has been done many times before.
Rating: 3 stars.
Rating: 3 stars.
bibblanmadde's review against another edition
3.0
Jag köpte hem Die for Me och [b:Until I Die|12908877|Until I Die (Revenants, #2)|Amy Plum|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1335240840l/12908877._SY75_.jpg|14612013] i min senaste Amazon beställning mest för jag tyckte omslagen var så ruskigt fina. Jag brukar oftast inte läsa vad boken handlar om när jag beställer hem boken utan går mest på magkänslan eller om en bokbloggare har talat bra om boken. Men den här gången läste jag faktiskt vad boken handlade om och den verkade ju jätte bra så varför inte beställa hem nästa bok också. Gud så dum man kan vara. Jag blev så besviken över boken och så arg över mig själv att jag beställde hem fortsättningen när jag kunde ha köpt en annan så mycket bättre bok.
Jag säger inte att den här boken är dålig, men jag säger också att den är inte så bra heller för den delen. Det första jag störde mig på är instakärleken mellan Kate och Vincent. Jag tror till och med det var kärlek vid första ögonkastet och jag verkligen avskyr det. Kate ser Vincent på ett café, de knappt pratar med varandra och hon älskar honom redan. Verklighetstroget in my ass? Bara för det satt jag och avskydde boken kanske lite mer än vad jag skulle behövt. Men jag tycker det är så irriterande att så fort huvudpersonen är kär så gör hon allt för sin kärlek, det är typ som jorden går runt honom.
Något som också gjorde att jag inte tyckte om boken var att den var väldigt seg. Det var inte fören i slutet det började hända saker och det höll inte på så länge då heller. Om hela boken skulle innehålla den spänningen som slutet hade skulle den vara så mycket bättre. För de första 250 sidorna var verkligen SÅ sega.
Om jag inte hade nästa bok i serien skulle jag nog inte läsa den på ett bra tag. Men nu när jag satsar på att avsluta serier så får jag nog allt ta tag i den ändå. Den kan ju inte bli sämre precis.
Jag säger inte att den här boken är dålig, men jag säger också att den är inte så bra heller för den delen. Det första jag störde mig på är instakärleken mellan Kate och Vincent. Jag tror till och med det var kärlek vid första ögonkastet och jag verkligen avskyr det. Kate ser Vincent på ett café, de knappt pratar med varandra och hon älskar honom redan. Verklighetstroget in my ass? Bara för det satt jag och avskydde boken kanske lite mer än vad jag skulle behövt. Men jag tycker det är så irriterande att så fort huvudpersonen är kär så gör hon allt för sin kärlek, det är typ som jorden går runt honom.
Något som också gjorde att jag inte tyckte om boken var att den var väldigt seg. Det var inte fören i slutet det började hända saker och det höll inte på så länge då heller. Om hela boken skulle innehålla den spänningen som slutet hade skulle den vara så mycket bättre. För de första 250 sidorna var verkligen SÅ sega.
Om jag inte hade nästa bok i serien skulle jag nog inte läsa den på ett bra tag. Men nu när jag satsar på att avsluta serier så får jag nog allt ta tag i den ändå. Den kan ju inte bli sämre precis.
bungleboo's review against another edition
5.0
WOW!! WOW!! WOW!!
I was very much looking forward to this book and Plum does not disappoint!!
Set in the most beautiful, romantic, artistic city of the world, Paris finds itself home to newly orphans, Georgia and Kate. After their parents die in a tragic accident the sisters find themselves living in the French captial with their grandparents.
Both deal with the loss of their parents in their own way, Georgia spends her nights clubbing while Kate stays in her room, until the intervention of her Mamie and sister that is.
An intervention that will change her life forever! Kate soon finds herself spending time in art galleries, museums and coffee shops, which is where she first sets eyes on Vincent and her world is turned upside-down. Again.
When Kate falls for the gorgeous and mysterious Vincent she soon learns that Paris is not the safest place on earth.
For Vincent is a 'revenant'. Kate finds herself caught up in his world which sees him risk his life everyday. And as if that wasn't enough Vincent has immortal enemies, one that wish to destroy him and the rest of his kind.
When I pulled this book form the envelope I was more than a little excited, the front cover alone made me want to read it. And after reading the back of the book I knew it was for me.
I more than enjoyed this story, and yes, I read well into the early hours of the morning! I just couldn't put it down! I hated that I had to go to work, I actually found myself thinking of the characters and what was happening to them.
In her debut novel Plum had created a world that readers will become utterly engrossed with. Her attention to detail is truely amazing, which only adds to the romance of her story. I was so engrossed I actually felt like I was in Pairs watching Kate and Vincent's story play out before my eyes.
Plum has found just the right balance of charm, love, tenderness and wit.
Her main characters are strong, with their own sense of being and we are given enough information about the secondary characters that I found myself drawn to them just as much as I was to Vincent and Kate.
I know the author herself stated that the idea behind DIE FOR ME came after she had read Twilight and I know readers will compare the two. But I urge you not to!! They are two very different stories.
DIE FOR ME is a beautiful, haunting, loving story, that is rich in detail and will stay with you long after you have read the last page.
I look forward to reading the second instalment.
5/5 Stars - Why? Because not only is the story unique, Plum's writing is truely magical
I was very much looking forward to this book and Plum does not disappoint!!
Set in the most beautiful, romantic, artistic city of the world, Paris finds itself home to newly orphans, Georgia and Kate. After their parents die in a tragic accident the sisters find themselves living in the French captial with their grandparents.
Both deal with the loss of their parents in their own way, Georgia spends her nights clubbing while Kate stays in her room, until the intervention of her Mamie and sister that is.
An intervention that will change her life forever! Kate soon finds herself spending time in art galleries, museums and coffee shops, which is where she first sets eyes on Vincent and her world is turned upside-down. Again.
When Kate falls for the gorgeous and mysterious Vincent she soon learns that Paris is not the safest place on earth.
For Vincent is a 'revenant'. Kate finds herself caught up in his world which sees him risk his life everyday. And as if that wasn't enough Vincent has immortal enemies, one that wish to destroy him and the rest of his kind.
When I pulled this book form the envelope I was more than a little excited, the front cover alone made me want to read it. And after reading the back of the book I knew it was for me.
I more than enjoyed this story, and yes, I read well into the early hours of the morning! I just couldn't put it down! I hated that I had to go to work, I actually found myself thinking of the characters and what was happening to them.
In her debut novel Plum had created a world that readers will become utterly engrossed with. Her attention to detail is truely amazing, which only adds to the romance of her story. I was so engrossed I actually felt like I was in Pairs watching Kate and Vincent's story play out before my eyes.
Plum has found just the right balance of charm, love, tenderness and wit.
Her main characters are strong, with their own sense of being and we are given enough information about the secondary characters that I found myself drawn to them just as much as I was to Vincent and Kate.
I know the author herself stated that the idea behind DIE FOR ME came after she had read Twilight and I know readers will compare the two. But I urge you not to!! They are two very different stories.
DIE FOR ME is a beautiful, haunting, loving story, that is rich in detail and will stay with you long after you have read the last page.
I look forward to reading the second instalment.
5/5 Stars - Why? Because not only is the story unique, Plum's writing is truely magical
paradoxically's review against another edition
1.0
Basically? Your typical melodramatic, generic, supernatural romance book. Only set in Paris. You know how other reviews say this is basically a carbon copy of Twilight? Well, they're right. And it's just horrible all over again. You have your main character who is insecure about her looks (though other people disagree with her, sigh), a bad boy who consumes her thoughts (of...course), and general highly annoying incidences that make me want to strangle someone. Preferably the characters in the book.
Seeing as the main character, Kate, has only met the main character a couple of times and this is their first, real, outing, I don't see where she gets the idea that she should follow him around just because she's curious. If it was me and I catch someone I barely know spying on what I do, I'd drop them so fast their head would spin. I like curiosity, but I hate intrusive nosiness. Then again, the boy isn't any better, in that he knows where she lives because he followed her around. Pair of stalkers, meet your match.
And, oh my god, one of the most cliche lines ever. "Things aren't always as they appear, Kate." No, really? The book tries so hard to be serious, but I just sort of shake my head and sigh. I can't take it seriously at all. The way Vincent consumes Kate's thoughts isn't healthy (not that these types of books depict healthy relationships, but one could hope) and, more importantly, it's boring.
I want to slap the main character. Dear main character, you find out that things aren't what they seem, you're locked up in a room to await explanations, you think your crush is dead, and you sit there and be jealous over a girl who lives in the same house as the others. This just. What. I don't even. What. It's like you have no thought in your head other than Vincent. Terrible, shallow, and it gets really old, really fast.
The fact that revenants have kept their secret all of these years is baffling. You'd think that someone dead and coming back to life is, you know, a cause for concern. Seeing as there aren't that many around in the first place, keeping watch over all of the dead is pretty difficult, one would think.
All in all? Really terrible. Kate's entire person revolves around Vincent and it's more than a little old. Be your own person and fall in love. Is that so much to ask for? Apparently it is. She's also rather, well, useless. And it's boring. 1 star.
Seeing as the main character, Kate, has only met the main character a couple of times and this is their first, real, outing, I don't see where she gets the idea that she should follow him around just because she's curious. If it was me and I catch someone I barely know spying on what I do, I'd drop them so fast their head would spin. I like curiosity, but I hate intrusive nosiness. Then again, the boy isn't any better, in that he knows where she lives because he followed her around. Pair of stalkers, meet your match.
And, oh my god, one of the most cliche lines ever. "Things aren't always as they appear, Kate." No, really? The book tries so hard to be serious, but I just sort of shake my head and sigh. I can't take it seriously at all. The way Vincent consumes Kate's thoughts isn't healthy (not that these types of books depict healthy relationships, but one could hope) and, more importantly, it's boring.
I want to slap the main character. Dear main character, you find out that things aren't what they seem, you're locked up in a room to await explanations, you think your crush is dead, and you sit there and be jealous over a girl who lives in the same house as the others. This just. What. I don't even. What. It's like you have no thought in your head other than Vincent. Terrible, shallow, and it gets really old, really fast.
The fact that revenants have kept their secret all of these years is baffling. You'd think that someone dead and coming back to life is, you know, a cause for concern. Seeing as there aren't that many around in the first place, keeping watch over all of the dead is pretty difficult, one would think.
All in all? Really terrible. Kate's entire person revolves around Vincent and it's more than a little old. Be your own person and fall in love. Is that so much to ask for? Apparently it is. She's also rather, well, useless. And it's boring. 1 star.