ARC Review: Dead Is Not An Option

Author: Marlene Perez
Genre: YA, Paranormal
Release: May, 2011
Source: Netgalley
Rating: 4.5/5

Description: It’s springtime of senior year, and psychic sleuth Daisy Giordano is preparing to say goodbye to Nightshade High. But no college acceptance letters have arrived yet, and she’s beginning to worry about where she’ll end up come fall—and if it will be anywhere near her boyfriend, Ryan. But that’s not the only uncertainty Daisy’s dealing with. There’s a vamps-versus-shifters war going on in Nightshade, and things are so tense that there is talk of canceling the prom. The conflict is carrying over to the Giordano home, since Rose and Daisy are both dating werewolves and Poppy’s new boyfriend is a vampire.

Can the paranormal community in Nightshade finally find peace? And will Daisy and her friends survive graduation? All of these questions and more are answered in the latest explosive installment in the Dead Is series.

Review: I must say that I've loved this series. Dead is Not An Option is book #5 and the final book in this series featuring amatuer sleuth, Daisy Giordano. This is Daisy's final leg of high school and she still hasn't received a college acceptance letter. To make matters worse, her boyfriend, Ryan, may end up going away college. While dealing with normal Senior stuff, not getting her acceptance letter, and the possibility of having to part with Ryan, a new mystery comes up that Daisy can't resist. Add to that the fact that she's trying to release her friends from a spell and you've got a very interesting and enjoyable read.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE

• This is the last book in the series featuring Daisy. *sad face* I really liked this series.
• One of the characters dies. Not going to say who (you've got to read it to find out). The character wasn't a huge player in the story, but was important nonetheless. The death was sad.

WHAT I LIKED

• I loved Daisy. She was strong, determined, likeable...a well-rounded character. She didn't seem too perfect. And I loved her voice. She experienced major growth throughout the 5 books.
• All loose ends from the whole series were tied up by the end of Dead Is Not An Option. I wasn't left hanging.
• Daisy's family. They were a good support system for her. Because I was raised in a close-knit family, I always love reading books with close-knit families and Daisy's was no exception.
• I like that Daisy was able to handle Senior year, mystery of who's trying to kill off all of Nightshade's paranormals, mystery of what college she's going to, the possibility of not being with her boyfriend in the fall, and trying to release her friends from a powerful spell without going crazy.

Dead Is Not An Option is a light, enjoyable paranormal read and I definitely recommend the whole series! According to Ms. Perez's website, the Dead Is series will not end, just Daisy's reign as the main character. She (Ms. Perez) has two more Dead Is book coming out so far, Dead Is A Battelfield and Dead Is a Killer Tune, featuring a new character. I look forward to reading them.