Croak (Croak (Quality))

Croak started off pretty slow, but I found myself really enjoying it by then end. At first everything seemed really predictable. I just thought the story would end up being about Lex's adventures as a Grim over the summer but it ended up being a lot more exciting than that.

This book is definitely an acquired taste. If you're not a fan of sardonic characters then you should probably resolve to never read Croak since it's chock-full of them. I find these types of characters to usually only be okay, but everyone really grew on me as I read, especially the side characters. Lex was good and all, but I really like Uncle Mort, Driggs, and the rest of the lot. Maybe I just admire the way they were able to put up with Lex's crappy attitude :P

And let me just warn all you spider-haters out there (myself included) there is one chapter that will have you wanting to run in your room, stuff all the cracks and crevices, and hide under your covers. Even touching the book gave me the willies after reading that part!

I really liked all the eccentricities that made up croak and working in the death business. It was unique and, though morbid at times, enjoyable to read about.

The Nutshell: If you're a fan of dark humor you'll probably really enjoy Croak. There's a bit of mystery thrown in so it's not just all about how Lex spent her summer as a Grim, and of course, there's a little romance as well. Though I wasn't able to connect with Lex I found all the side characters rather enjoyable and complete. I'm looking forward to the sequel!

The good: overall, the story is engaging, funny with a massive dark streak. of course, when you deal with death, you have to expect some darkness. Great world building and a mystery that kept me in the dark until it was revealed.

The bad: What an unlikable heroine. And about a third of the supporting characters. When adults strike you as having earned quadruples of annoying teenage angst, you know someone is Trying Too Hard to have wit. Our heroine Lex, well, she's queen of that and the urge for someone less annoying to be the eyes we see the story through does pop up. The romance side (& explanation) feels de facto, even rushed & bizarre.
The book is still an enjoyable read and a great introduction to the series.

I was pretty happily sucked into this book. I started off expecting Lex to just be a teenager I did not want to spend 200 plus pages with. She is actually a pretty fun character. She has anger issues, and she knows it, and I think pretty well gets into how frustrating that anger can be for the person having it.

Her parents having run out of options after two years of her crazy behaviour decide to send her off to live with her uncle for the summer. Mort is the mayor of Croak. A small town in New York. Wha Lex doesn't know until she arrives is that it is a town dedicated to the reaping of souls from dead bodies. She has the proclivity to be a reaper and so Mort pushes her into training.

Lex finds herself actually enjoying the work and being around friends again (something her rage issues at home had made impossible). However she and her new friends find themselves caught up in a mystery. Deaths are happening for no apparent reason and the only suspect that have is the idea of a rogue reaper--something which is a little frightening.

It makes me think a little bit of Kim Harrison's young adult seriesOnce Dead, Twice Shy (Madison Avery, Book 1). Same self depricating humor and afterlife problems. It ends pretty sadly and I can only hope there is some happiness in the future of the series.

Lex Bartley is a nasty teenager. She is constantly fighting, pulling nasty pranks, and being a general pain in the butt. When her parents and twin sister feel they can't control her any longer, they decide to send her to Croak to work through her problems on Uncle Mort's farm.

What she finds is that Croak is a portal between this world and the next and that Croak is populated by Grim Reapers whose job it is to get souls from this world to the next. Now that Lex is there, she is a Reaper too, and a powerful one at that. But she starts enjoying her new job a little too much.

Then people start dying when they are not supposed to. Lex is the only one with the ability to stop what is happening. But the question is will she stop the killer when he targets the scum of the earth that should be stopped.

I really liked this story. It has a completely new twist on what is out there today. The only thing I was not impressed with was Lex's behavior at the beginning of the story. Something about it didn't feel right. It was almost forced. Beyond that, I really liked the story. I can't wait to see what happens in the next book.

Shawn Kovacich
Author and Creator of numerous books and DVD's.

Firstly, I want to thank Gina Damico for coming up with something so fun and hilarious as Croak. I had such a great time reading this book and once you read it, you will know why!
This world that Ms Damico has created, is truly amazing.

Lexington was a good kid, who has just turned a bit sour. At least that's what her twin sister Concord believes. Now she is being shipped away to stay with her Uncle Mort, and what ensues is a fantastic adventure.

There is nothing I didn't like about this book! The character names are so unique, I loved them all! Croak was such an amazing little town, I devoured all the descriptions, envisioning them for such a long time, until I realised I wanted to actually read the book! The Grim's and their world - the Ether, Lair and best of all, the Afterlife - were so excited, I found myself wishing that it was all real.

I figured out who the killer was fairly early on, but even when they all found out, it was still a shocking and amazing all at once!

Get your hands on this book, and enter the world of Croak!

Upon opening this book, I soon learned there would be special powers, twins, a kick-butt main girl character, upstate New York (where I went to college!), and so many just plain awesome things that I knew it would be hard for me not to like it. I don't think it has the most appealing cover, and the more I read the book, the more the cover made sense, but still...It's not a cover that will draw you in immediately at the book store, which is sad because I really feel like this book should get more attention that it does.

It's about Lex, a girl famous in her school for being sent to the principle's office, or I guess even more famous for hitting people. She's gotten into a lot of fights at school, is disrespectful to just about everyone, and for some reason she just doesn't know why. She used to be normal, and then one day she just cracked and broke away from everything that was normal to wear black hoodies, beat people up, and sarcastically comment on everything. And this is different. Normally a person who's not crazy, can at least guess as to why they act the way they do. And if they don't, they can lie to themselves or make excuses for why they do certain things. Lex has no clue and never really lies to herself, or even makes excuses for herself. She just acts awful, and well plain doesn't know why.

Her twin sister and her mother and father love her to pieces, and really try to help her, but it's decided in the beginning of the book that Lex needs to spend the summer with her Uncle Mort, in upstate New York, where hopefully a more rural lifestyle can work to turn her around. Lex hates this plan. And so does her twin. While her twin gets that something is wrong with Lex, she's also the only one who doesn't seem to be so bothered by her.

When Lex get to her uncle's it soon becomes painstakingly clear that Croak is no ordinary town; it's actually run completely by reapers. At first, Lex thinks her uncle is crazy, but then she comes to love the guy. She loves learning that there is a reason for her sudden change in attitude. And she comes to realize that she's really good at reaping, better than almost everyone. She also makes a lot of friends in Croak and fits in with other teens who all do what she does. The only difference is all the other teens don't have loving families. Croak is sort of their rescue and Lex stands out a little because she has a family who expects her to return to them after summer ends.

Also living with her uncle, is the adorable Driggs. Driggs is her partner. In reaper teams, there's the killer and there's the culler. The killer touches an already dead body and releases its soul. Cullers collect the souls and bring them back to Croak or other reaper towns where they are then released into the afterlife. Lex is so clearly the killer. The only issue is that Lex feels pain with each kill and no other reaper does. She also has a strong urge to go after the bad people she sees on her missions to release souls. Why should she let murders get away? She also seems to be more talented than anyone else. She's stronger and she soon realizes she can also set things on fire...

With special reaper abilities that no one else seems to have, the important job of releasing souls, a cute reaping partner, drinking, new friendships, jellyfish, giant spiders, family drama, and then all of the action packed mystery of a reaper serial killer, Lex's summer is anything but boring.

I loved the strangeness/quirkiness of this book. Damico has such a unique voice. The writing style of this book reminded me a lot of the writing style of the movie "Juno." The humor and sarcasm are unique. The strange inventions, jellyfish, crazy dead people in the afterlife, and all of the weird fun stuff used to build such a different world, were amazing! The town was kind of like Stars Hollow in Gilmore Girls, but with a dark, supernatural twist. And really, I don't think I could compliment the town of Croak any more. Everything from the small characters like bartenders to the drinks with magical qualities to them, to the scythes was just so creative and so well planned out.

I'm not going to lie though; it took me a little while to get used to what I'm calling the book's quirkiness. At first I wasn't sure I liked it. It originally kind of felt like the author was trying too hard to sound different. But eventually, I just got so caught up in the story that I can't imagine the author having any other voice. I put a post-it on this scene:

"Well," their mother said after a moment, "I think that's wonderful. You seem to be doing marvelously, you haven't gotten into any trouble, and you made friends with a chicken!" She beamed at her daughter. "What a wonderful opportunity you've had, Lex"(223).

And I guess out of context that might be a weird passage to highlight, but it was just timed so perfectly. I could just imagine in her mother's high-pitched, over-the-top enthusiasm for something her daughter completely just made up on the spot.

I give this one a 10/10. It was just so creative. The writing was excellent. The characters were amazing. I'm looking forward to book 2.

When sixteen year-old Lex starts to become a problem child, her parents decide to send her away for the Summer in hopes that her behavior will be changed while spending time with her Uncle Mort on his farm.

"I know it's a rather odd decision, but we think that a few months of fresh air could do you some good. You can get in touch with nature, lend a hand on Uncle Mort's farm, maybe even learn something! You could milk a cow!"
Cordy let out a snort. "She'd probably punch the cow."

So Lex is sent to Croak, which turns out to be a bit more than just your typical small town (and her Uncle Mort doesn't live on a farm). Croak is actually a portal between this world and the next and all its inhabitants, otherwise known as Grims (including Lex now) are in charge of helping souls after death get to that other world. Lex ends up enjoying her new responsibilities far more than she had anticipated, and her Uncle Mort and new partner Driggs are both shocked at how strong her abilities are.

I loved the intricacies of their world: Killers, Cullers, Crashers, deathflash, the ether, the Ether Traffic Controllers (the Etceteras), Gamma Removal and Immigration Managers (Grims) the jellyfish, the Terms of Execution.... it was all very fun and extremely well done. I loved the originality of the whole world Gina Damico built. To me, Lex was a snarkier version of George from the Showtime show 'Dead Like Me' and I was all on board for that. 'Dead Like Me' is one of my favorite shows ever.

With an incredibly fun storyline and a great build-up (and not even a cliff-hanger OR a love triangle! Yay!) I'm really looking forward to how this series continues to progress.

This is a very unique book about grim reapers. Lex is a character that I could see many people not liking much, especially in the beginning, but I thought she was a great girl! She's rough, short with people, and brutally honest. Not your typical YA heroine, but she was fun in my opinion. As one reader said in a review--Lex is an antiheroine and I thought the perfect personality for the story!

The development of the story was thorough and kept me turning page after page. I liked seeing Lex figure things out and learn more about Uncle Mort and the world he lived in. Speaking of Uncle Mort....I loved him. He's ability to get through to Lex when very few others could made their connection special. The fact that he did it through sarcasm, humor, and respect made me like him a little more than some other characters.

CROAK has some quirky names and descriptions that add just the right amount of subtle humor such as Slain Lane and a population sign that changes with each person that enters or leaves the town. It's a quick read and fresh perspective. Now get to reading!

I'm 37 and found this book very entertaining. It's a cute young adult book. The narrator was pretty spot on. The reason that I'm not giving it 5 stars is because the "who did it" was VERY predictable. Also, the surprising death at the end should have been more tragic. The main character should have been more upset about it. Be advised that the story doesn't end. You have to purchase book 2. I've already started book 2 and am about to finish it. It looks like 2 will also be like 1, and require a purchase of book 3 to get any closure.
So, if you purchase this book, be prepared to spend more money to get the ending. (I always like to be warned that the story will end up costing more to get to the actual ending.)

Lex is the teen daughter many parents dream about, correction-have nightmares about. She fights, she swears, she maims and injures her classmates. Her twin, Cordy, is a good girl-never in trouble, gets good grades-like Lex was before she changed. After being threatened with suspension from school (again) for fighting, Lex's parents decide to send her to upstate (WAY upstate) New York to spend the summer with her Uncle Mort, mayor of the small town of Croak.

Mort knows why Lex acts the way she does-she's a Killer, someone who releases souls from their bodies after death. Her Culler partner, Driggs, who collects the souls, also lives with Mort. Lex show great aptitude for the work of 'killing' and this causes problems with the other junior Grims. There is a series of unnatural deaths (they weren't supposed to die at that time) that forms a mystery plotline in the book-who is killing these people, and how are they killed? The perpetrator's motive is unexpected, and believable.

Lex's growth from a wild, vicious teen to a calmer, less violent person is well written and entirely plausible-she doesn't change overnight, nor does she become a goody-goody, she learns to control her anger, but still has difficulties at times. The writing is smooth and flows well, and the author does well with the descriptions of the town, Lex, her feelings, and the other residents and their quirks and foibles. I am looking forward to the next book by this author.

I would recommend Croak for early teens-some of the topic matter could be difficult for younger children. There is some swearing, and references to a relationship between two of the other junior Grims (Ayjay and Kloo) that some parents may object to.

When I first started reading this I kept rolling my eyes at the writing and story line... a 16 year old girl who makes the entire hockey team cry? Tyrannosaurs Lex? I mean come on?? The parents tying her up with jump ropes just to talk to her? I wasn't sure how this book would turn out. When she gets to Croak however Lex and the writing change. She's no longer beating on people, there are real secrets to discover, and souls to reap.

I loved the middle section with the juniors getting into the mystery of why certain souls had an 'unknown' cause of death (practically unheard of!) and how Lex fits in with Driggs and the others. By the end of the book though I was hooked. I adore darkness and violence and the end has it in spades. The Uncle is hiding something, Lex suffers an unbearable loss, and the bad guy isn't who you think it'll be. More and more Grims die, Lex sometimes agrees with the murderer (the murderer started out only killing those who were pedophiles, rapists, etc.) and at the end... wow blew my mind. So yea the beginning kind of sucks, the middle can be slow but interesting, but I will say I am definitely picking up the second book, because if it picks up where Croak left off it's going to be amazing.

Slight warning, if you are sensitive about death then I would not read this book. It deals with the Grims laughing about the different types of deaths, commenting on how dumb people can be, and about the after life... which isn't what you think and isn't Heaven. If this upsets you just put the book away because that's what Croak is at it's basis. As Driggs says 'Life is unfair, why should death be any different?'

Croak
By: Gina Damico

Lex has punched her last classmate. Her parents are sending her to live with her Uncle Mort, hoping he will straighten her out. Little does Lex know she is in for the enlightenment of her life!

Wow! What a great book! I totally loved it!

This has to be one of the cleverest books that I have read in a long time! From the names of the streets in the town of Croak, to the plot, this is a great read. It's a suspenseful mystery with some funny dialogue, wisecracks and the best characters that I have come to love.

The characters are likeable funny and relatable.

The plot is unique, addictive and just oh so inventive. There is a mystery to solve, so it isn't all fun and games. I totally enjoyed every bit of it. I loved the sense of family both through friendships and biology.

This is a fun read but by the ending I had tears in my eyes and I just can not wait until the sequel!
I really have only the best things to say about this book! Definitely will be in my top five for the year!
Scorch, (the sequel) will be out in the Fall of 2012!

This book is such a unique interpretation of the Afterlife! I love reading things such as this, but if you are a firm believer in Heaven and Hell and everything of the sort, this is not a read for you. This is an entirely different Afterlife where John Wilkes Booth arm-wrestles Abraham Lincoln on a daily basis while Edgar Allen Poe and Teddy Roosevelt are in a constant battle of pranks that ends when Quoth the bird poops on Teddy's face. Yeah, this is a pretty awesome Afterlife, but one where all the baddies and goodies get sent to together to decide what to make of the rest of eternity.

Lex used to be a straight-A student. She was ideal and perfect, but she's done a complete 360 in the last two years. Now, she's full of an uncontrollable rage that causes her to punch, kick, and maim everyone on campus, even the football players. Her mouth is foul and everyone knows to run away from the girl in the black sweatshirt. But the Summer before her Senior year, her parents send her off to Uncle Mort's farm to get her attitude in check. What they didn't know is that Croak is actually a small town full of brilliant Grim Reapers, and Lex is one of the best they've ever seen. But Lex starts struggling with her job, knowing that she can't stop the bad guys who hurt her innocent victims. When a reaper begins crashing and killing individuals that should not be dying yet that have committed heinous crimes, all fingers point to her and though Lex agrees with whoever is doing this, she knows it's up to her to stop them before too many innocent people and Grims are killed.

Can I just say that this was an amazing and hilarious read? It was full of such imaginative destinations and Damico's writing style is brilliant. I easily immersed myself in Croak and I hated the thought of leaving it. I fell in love with pretty much every character that we came across in Croak besides a select few like Heloise, Zara, and Norwood! Zara is jealous of Lex's natural ability and Heloise and Norwood are just mean people, but, hey, you can't love everyone! The entire crew in Croak is lovable, especially Driggs, who is certainly an awesome love interest. He's just as infuriating as Lex is, so they make a good match, though their romance is barely existent in the book. (My fingers are crossed that it is more prevalent in the sequel that comes out in September!)

I had trouble getting into the book in the beginning, before we got to Croak. Lex's outbursts were completely uncalled for and I had trouble liking her, but as I began to understand the reason for such outbreaks and I learned more about her as a person, they were easily forgotten. Still, a mother having to restrain her 5 foot daughter with a jump-rope is a bit silly, don't you think?

Either way, I am anxiously awaiting the sequel to this 4 star novel. This interpretation of death, the afterlife, and what happens to a soul is both fascinating and attention-grabbing. I do recommend this to any fantasy lover that likes a decent mystery with a whole ton of hilarious jokes thrown into the book (most at the expense of Ferbus who is always the one that ends up with a lampshade on his head.)

Loved the writing style, was different than most of what I have read. The narrative was like a storyteller, you could hear someone telling the story to you. The characters were great, with their witty sarcasm, the romance was good, and plot was and the whole idea of the Grims had a different take to it which I welcomed. I would have liked if they had explained some more about the scything since everyone was always saying how Lex was the fastest scyther and Killer, but they never really got into HOW it was supposed to be for everyone else, so you didn't really get to appreciate how good she actually is. Can't wait to read more from Gina!

Croak is about a juvenile delinquent who gets sent to her uncle's farm for the summer only to discover that he's really a grim reaper and she's inherited his talent. I absolutely loved this book. It was hilarious and entertaining with just enough emotion to keep it grounded and keep you attached to the characters. The narration was fresh and fun with heavy doses of witty (and sometimes over the top) sarcasm that was refreshing and so much more enjoyable than the usual snarky/bitchy sarcasm we get so often in YA. There were several scenes that made me laugh out loud and a few that tug at the heart at the end. The pacing was spot on, the writing was crisp, and it was funny hell.

A loved this book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This book is perfect!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A really loved the way this book perfectly portrayed Lex and her feelings and experiences. A lot of reviews said they thought the writing was bad but I think the writing was a very important part of why it was sooooooooooooo good. I really loved it's awesome quirkiness, I'll some times spend a really long time looking for books like this: quirky, funny, full of plot twists, and just a tad of romance. That brings us to the issue of Lex and Driggs, I loved how they first hated each other and Diggs' decorating skills, drumming, and love of Titanic. I thought there relationship was fun to read about and very sweet, it also kind of reminded me of Maximum Ride, Awkward but funny for readers. I disagree with the age recommendation though, I'm not 12 but this book definitely makes my favorites list. So if you are looking for a super good one of a kind book than this is your book!!

A well written book about Lex. The characters are well developed and easy to follow. It's not an average mythical creature book about vampires or werewolves, which are over written about and over rated. Lex is an angry teen who learns how to Kill souls, taking them out of the dead body, which helps solve her anger problems. Everyone else in the town of Croak have gone through there own anger spurts before learning how to Kill or Cull. This is the first book that I've read about Grim Reapers or Grims. Very good book

From straight-A's to sarcastic snotty teen. Lex's parents think it's time for an intervention, so they send her off to Uncle Mort. She thinks she's going to be doing farm work. The crop she's harvesting isn't quite what she thought. Oh yeah, she's going to reap all right--Grimly, as a matter of fact. Yes, Lex is collecting souls.

If you're looking for 320 pages of pure snarky fun and you don't mind it being on the dark side, I really recommend "Croak."

Rebecca Kyle, March 2012

I grabbed this book from the library after reading the back and thought it sounded interesting! I was completely right, this book was a really good read!! Very entertaining, funny and unique idea! I was very glad I saw this book and read it!! I really recommend this to anyone wanting something fun to read! Great debut book from Gina Damico, can't wait for the 2nd book that is due out in Fall of 2012 according to her website!!

This was a fantastic story. What a though cookie Lex is. The world of the Grim was very well developed and I felt like I was there. Loved Uncle Mort! Felt sorry for Lex at the end. Can't wait to read book 2!

***3.5 stars - originally posted on my blog TickettoAnywhere (dot) net ***

To say that Lex has an attitude problem is an understatement and at the start of the book she is under threat of expulsion form her school. So her parents do what any parents would, they send her off to her Uncle who supposedly lives on a farm in Upstate New York. Only things aren't what they seem with Uncle Mort and Lex quickly figures out that there is a reason for her mood swings and that she might just have a greater purpose in life...or...um...maybe death would be the right word? Because as it turns out, Lex is an ideal candidate to be a Grim Reaper in Training.

The set up of this book reminded me a lot of the show Dead Like Me but it lacks some of the snark and sass that the tv show had. I think that, based on comments on the book itself, that I was expecting much more humor than I got. Yes there were some humorous moments and even lots of snark...but many times it came across as forced and never left me chuckling a loud as some other books have. There is also a slightly sinister tone to this story and that too also takes away from something that is supposed to be funny.

Don't get me wrong...I really enjoyed the sinister...I liked the mystery to this book and that things weren't always what they seemed. I enjoyed the eclectic mix of characters that inhabit the town of Grim. And I really enjoyed scenes between Lex and Driggs. But there was just something missing and I can't quite put my finger on it. Maybe it was the odd narration style. Croak is told in the third person, which I've read lot of, but there was just something distant and formal about it and as such I really found it hard to connect with Lex. Even though she was always the main focal point of the narration. I think that this one might have been better served if it had been told in first person from Lex's POV.

Croak is a quick read and I am a bit excited to learn that that sequel, Scorch, will be out later on this year. Because even though I didn't find this book to be ZOMG amazing I did like it and I am curious about where things might be going after that ending. If you are looking for a book that is different from other YA Paranormals out there then be sure to check this one out.

***3.5 stars - originally posted on my blog TickettoAnywhere (dot) net ***

Exciting. Great concept. Fantastic characters. A can't stop reading plot. Croak was given all the right ingredients for an amazing book and I can only hope that the sequel will be just as good. I love the hate to love relationship of Driggs and Lex. Reapers have always been one of my favorite paranormal ideas and this book reminded me why. This is definitely a book I am glad I stumbled upon. If only there were more books like this.

This book was really good. I found myself laughing aloud very frequently because of the similarities between myself and the main character Lex. This book keeps you feeling happy and interested, I couldn't put it down. I hope Gina Damico writes a sequel because it ends with much more to be write. I looooved this book :D two thumbs up.

PLOT: Lexington Bartleby's violent behavior has her parents sending her off to live with her Uncle Mort for the summer. She arrives in Croak to find out her uncle doesn't run a farm. He's a Grim Reaper. And everyone in the town of Croak is in the business of death. A series of unnatural murders begin to crop up and cause alarm. No one is safe. Not even the population of Croak.

PROS: It's an interesting premise. It's a quick read.

CON: I can't say that I ever liked Lex. Nor did I develop any fondness for any of the other cartoon characters that all seem to have the same personality.

I generally like sarcasm. This is overload. It's a string of one-liners that become tiresome.

The "shocking" end death wasn't really a surprise and didn't bring the expected tears. All it did was annoy me. Her father letting Lex, his 16 year old daughter, pursue the murderer seemed highly unlikely. He didn't ask questions or even suggest calling the police.

There are all these secrets that no one will tell Lex until she's asked at least twice. Why they can't tell her the first time seems to be solely to keep the reader invested.

The story has many similarities to Harry Potter. A teen is taken off by a weird guy on a bicycle only to find that they are not like everyone else. Lex is then given an unusual education in Killing. Her main enemy is a jealous student with pale hair. Even among all these other unusual people, Lex still stands out as unique.

And lest we not forget the open ending so that a sequel might be possible. If your first book is good enough, I will buy the second. You don't need a cliff hanger.

I cannot believe this book is recommended for ages 12 and up. It's gruesome in the description of the deaths. The language is inappropriate. I admit I heard worse when I rode the bus to school at that age. There's under aged drinking that leads to drunken behavior. It's supposed to be OK though since it's not actually alcohol and doesn't cause hangovers. I also found that calling it "Killing" instead of reaping was creepy, disturbing and even irresponsible. There's no detail given, but it is implied that Lex and her partner Driggs have sex. It's statutory rape. He's 18 and she's 16. At one point, it is mentioned that they wanted to tear each other's clothes off. I found it weird since the two had not shared so much as a kiss when this comes up. I would have preferred if they had lots of kissing than this unsettling image. The town uses stealing to replenish their supplies. The students are also employed to commit these crimes. And unless in the next book it is revealed that they have a school that doesn't involve Killing people at Croak, Lex seems to be dropping out of school.

2.5 STARS: I'm not the target audience for this book, but I wouldn't recommend it for 12 year olds. I will admit that not all children will pick up on all of the behaviors I just listed. They will no doubt find it funny and much of this may fly right over their heads. As a parent, I wouldn't give it to a child younger than 16.

This book is such a unique interpretation of the Afterlife! I love reading things such as this, but if you are a firm believer in Heaven and Hell and everything of the sort, this is not a read for you. This is an entirely different Afterlife where John Wilkes Booth arm-wrestles Abraham Lincoln on a daily basis while Edgar Allen Poe and Teddy Roosevelt are in a constant battle of pranks that ends when Quoth the bird poops on Teddy's face. Yeah, this is a pretty awesome Afterlife, but one where all the baddies and goodies get sent to together to decide what to make of the rest of eternity.

Lex used to be a straight-A student. She was ideal and perfect, but she's done a complete 360 in the last two years. Now, she's full of an uncontrollable rage that causes her to punch, kick, and maim everyone on campus, even the football players. Her mouth is foul and everyone knows to run away from the girl in the black sweatshirt. But the Summer before her Senior year, her parents send her off to Uncle Mort's farm to get her attitude in check. What they didn't know is that Croak is actually a small town full of brilliant Grim Reapers, and Lex is one of the best they've ever seen. But Lex starts struggling with her job, knowing that she can't stop the bad guys who hurt her innocent victims. When a reaper begins crashing and killing individuals that should not be dying yet that have committed heinous crimes, all fingers point to her and though Lex agrees with whoever is doing this, she knows it's up to her to stop them before too many innocent people and Grims are killed.

Can I just say that this was an amazing and hilarious read? It was full of such imaginative destinations and Damico's writing style is brilliant. I easily immersed myself in Croak and I hated the thought of leaving it. I fell in love with pretty much every character that we came across in Croak besides a select few like Heloise, Zara, and Norwood! Zara is jealous of Lex's natural ability and Heloise and Norwood are just mean people, but, hey, you can't love everyone! The entire crew in Croak is lovable, especially Driggs, who is certainly an awesome love interest. He's just as infuriating as Lex is, so they make a good match, though their romance is barely existent in the book. (My fingers are crossed that it is more prevalent in the sequel that comes out in September!)

I had trouble getting into the book in the beginning, before we got to Croak. Lex's outbursts were completely uncalled for and I had trouble liking her, but as I began to understand the reason for such outbreaks and I learned more about her as a person, they were easily forgotten. Still, a mother having to restrain her 5 foot daughter with a jump-rope is a bit silly, don't you think?

Either way, I am anxiously awaiting the sequel to this 4 star novel. This interpretation of death, the afterlife, and what happens to a soul is both fascinating and attention-grabbing. I do recommend this to any fantasy lover that likes a decent mystery with a whole ton of hilarious jokes thrown into the book (most at the expense of Ferbus who is always the one that ends up with a lampshade on his head.)

Gina Damico writes with a whimsical style, her world is one that begs for animation, maybe specifically claymation. Her first entry into the world of YA lit, she jumps in strong, nailing a unique voice that is equal parts funny, annoyed and enraged. Would like to hear more from Damico's brain.

Where do I even begin? With Croak's sheer awesomeness? With the witty dialogue, and no holds barred heroine? With a quaint town full of junior and senior soul reaping grims???? I will say this once, and once only. Buy it. You will love it.

Croak is one of those stories that will have you loudly proclaiming your newfound love for an author, and telling anyone in the ultimate vicinity how great it is while they stare blankly and subtly shift away from the crazy person waving a book in their face. It starts off with Lex, a teen who went from straight A's to straight insanity. Her overnight mood swing, fighting (and need I say how hilarious it was to find out she considered everyone fair game), swearing, and back talking finally forced her loving parents to send her away for the summer with her Uncle Mort. Needless to say the new town she found herself in wasn't quite the ordinary "farm" she thought it'd be. Instead of milking cows and having the mundane task of collecting eggs from frantic hens, Lex finds herself in a town that harvests souls. And she's the new rookie. Her mood swings were apparently a big sign that she was made for "killing," which in reaping terms, means she sucks the soul out with a touch, while a partner "culls" the soul or basically stores it to bring to the afterlife. Lex settle's into her new life with an ease she hasn't felt in a while, and for once doesn't feel the horrible urge to break someone's nose...unless it happens to be her really steamy partner and roommate Driggs. But her happy soul reaping summer takes on a dark outlook as a series of mysterious deaths start occurring. White eyes, no visible sign of a struggle or wound all makes for a very perplexing death. And Lex and Driggs are the first to take stock. Something is definitely going on, and Lex is making it her mission in life to find out what...even if it means getting the stink eye from her Uncle, and a yelling match with Driggs. But as the murders get closer to home, Lex knows she has to find out who the crazy psychopath is, and stop them before they hurt anyone else she's come to care about.

Croak has, by far, the most sarcastic dialogue and witty quips I've come across. And I loved every flippin' minute of it! It was literally crazy fun, with a fast moving plot, a slew of totally interesting characters, and a heroine that will kick your butt if you look at her too long. There was just enough action, romance, crazy drunk kids (nothing bad for those people with currently raised eyebrows), and tension that takes Croak to a whole new level of fun! I highly recommend this book, and cannot frickin' wait to see what happens next!