It's a Wonderful Death
Release Date: 10/2015
Sky Pony Press
320 pages
Summary from Goodreads
Seventeen-year-old RJ always gets what she wants. So when her soul is
accidentally collected by a distracted Grim Reaper, somebody in the afterlife
better figure out a way to send her back from the dead or heads will roll. But
in her quest for mortality, she becomes a pawn in a power struggle between an
overzealous archangel and Death Himself. The tribunal presents her with two
options: she can remain in the lobby, where souls wait to be processed, until
her original lifeline expires, or she can replay three moments in her life in
an effort to make choices that will result in a future deemed worthy of being
saved. It sounds like a no-brainer. She’ll take a walk down memory lane. How
hard can changing her future be?
But with each changing moment, RJ’s life begins to unravel, until this
self-proclaimed queen bee is a social pariah. She begins to wonder if walking
among the living is worth it if she has to spend the next sixty years as an
outcast. Too quickly, RJ finds herself back in limbo, her time on Earth once
again up for debate.
RJ is a snarky, unapologetic, almost unredeemable, very real girl. Her story is
funny and moving, and teens will easily connect with her plight. Prepare to
meet the Grim Reaper, who’s cuter than you’d expect; Hawaiian shirt–wearing
Death Himself; Saint Peter (who likes to play Cornhole); and Al, the handler
for the three-headed hound that guards the gates of Hell. This cast of
characters accompanies RJ through her time in the afterlife and will do their
best to gently shove her in the right direction.
Early Praise for
It's A Wonderful Death
"Fun, Funny and Full of Life" - Kirkus Review
"A snarky joyride of a book with a deep moral core; long after
you've finished laughing, you'll still be thinking about RJ's journey and
perhaps asking yourself: What defines a life well lived?" - Mike Mullin,
author of Ashfall
"It's a Wonderful Death is a wonderful gem. Both
snarky and uplifting, it sneaks inside you and makes you smile and cry at the
same time."
-Sarah Beth Durst, award-winning author of Vessel and Drink, Slay, Love
-Sarah Beth Durst, award-winning author of Vessel and Drink, Slay, Love
"It's A Wonderful Death is a great mix of mirth, myth
and metaphysics; I enjoyed it greatly and I'm certain that YA readers will as
well."
- Daniel Waters, author of Generation Dead
"Mean Girls meets A Christmas Carol! Smart, sassy, and humorously original with clever world-building and a host of interesting characters, It's a Wonderful Death will have you laughing out loud and rooting for RJ from the first page!"
- Amalie Howard, best-selling author of Bloodspell
- Daniel Waters, author of Generation Dead
"Mean Girls meets A Christmas Carol! Smart, sassy, and humorously original with clever world-building and a host of interesting characters, It's a Wonderful Death will have you laughing out loud and rooting for RJ from the first page!"
- Amalie Howard, best-selling author of Bloodspell
"Just the kind of story I love -- full of snark, heart, and
contemplation about the meaning of life! It's a Wonderful Death will
get you thinking about what you want to leave behind and how you want to live
until then."
- Kristen Lippert-Martin, author of Tabula Rasa
"RJ's witty narrative had me both laughing out loud and weeping into
the pages. It's a Wonderful Death is a delightful read that questions the
butterfly effect of choices made...and unmade."
- Danielle L. Jensen, author of Stolen Songbird
“You know a story’s going to be good when Death shows up as a surfer! I
loved every bit of this funny and heartwarming tale of second chances.”
-Lisa Maxwell, author of Sweet Unrest
Sarah J. Schmitt
is a K-8 school librarian and Youth Service Professional for Teens at a public
library who, in addition to planning a variety of events, enjoys opening up the
world of books to reluctant readers. She runs a teen writing program that
combines Skype visits from well-known authors and screenwriters and critique
group style feedback.
Prior to immersing herself in the world of the written word, Sarah earned her
Masters of Science in Higher Education Administration and Student Affairs from
Indiana University where she worked with first year college students as they
acclimated to college life. Sarah lives outside of Indianapolis with her
husband, two kidlets and a cat who might actually be a secret agent. She is an
active member of SCBWI, ALA and the Indiana Library Federation and is a regular
participant at the Midwest Writer's Workshop. Her debut novel, IT'S A WONDERFUL
DEATH, comes out Fall 2015 from Sky Pony Press.
Author Links:
GIVEAWAY
love the book cover! <3
ReplyDeleteI love YA books. I'm interested!
ReplyDelete