Twice Dead grabbed my attention by that dark cover, the title and the fact that it has necromancy in it. Necromancy is something that very much interests me. Unfortunately this didn’t book quite managed to sell me over.

The book focuses on Naya who is murdered when she is on her way to a meeting in a foreign city. Only to then wake up as the one thing she has always hated. An Undead. A Wraith. As this abomination she tries to find a way to still be useful to her country (who abhor the death). But do they still deserve her loyalty?

Doesn’t that sound delicious? The inner struggle on herself. What is she really? What does a wraith make her now? And then the struggle on where she finds in and all that. Yeah, that was barely in this book. It is there somewhat but so much more could and should have been done with that. It would have in the process deepened out the world building as well. The world building as it stands now is there but it is quite honestly a bit shaky. We get the bare bones on necromancy and the world. A lot of what we see is focused on 3-4 people Naya meets. But that doesn’t make a city or a country come alive. It doesn’t help to show the underlying problems that there might be that would have done the plot a world of good.

And I think deepening is the thing that can be carried towards every other aspect of this book. We are absent or get a summarization of the rising of the dead. Bits and pieces. It is hard to understand Naya’s loyalty to her father, who only took her in when her mother died, when we get so little background on them. We saw them in two scenes and maybe one summarized memory. Naya is a wraith but sometimes I feel like she just has a body like a living person and sometimes it feels like the author forgets this, like with the kiss.

Even so I think the writing in itself is good. The ideas are there but the execution just lacks a lot.
Naya isn’t unlikeable but I did find her frustrating at moments. The only character I truly liked was Corten, another wraith. He was just a very nice, gentle soul who gets dragged into something just because he cares about Naya, cares about his own people. I could root for a character like that.

I literally tried everything to get into this book. Maybe necro isn't for me as this is the second Necro book I've had to DNF but I'm not *quite ready to give up on the genre*. I will probably try one more but choose it really really carefully considering this one had a completely different plot premise to the first one.

I feel guilty about have to DNF an ARC I received in fairness for a review but know that I even tried to put this down (it was one of the first ARCs I received) and went to read another book entirely, reviewed that book and came back to to this book),

I couldn't connect to the main character (which had nothing to do with her being killed and turned into a wraith in the first chapter- that was a given in the summary of the book- and something that intrigued me about it- that and her being wrapped in political subterfuge. I almost read this as a book being Mission Impossible if Ethan Hunt went Necro. It didn't quite turn out that way to the point I had reached.

And I am also not a romance person but am ok with it as a subplot- like I love Six of Crows-- like love to the point that Kaz is the licence plate of my car so I had no issue with that being part of the plot. I'm more taken by the idea of the political maneuvering, spying, ghosts and intrigue. But that all just fell flat.

I felt ... I think cheated is the right word-- like these big moments were built up to but then the big moment never happened and I was just left there like.. wait... shouldn't there have been a climatic point(s)?

The relationship (even if I'm not a romance kind of person should have connected with me more- it involved the political espionage and intrigue... it had all the elements (of what might have been - I don't know because I couldn't drag myself that far into the book- but would've been awesome if maybe it was a double cross of some kind). ... again thinking Mission Impossible does Necro.

But to the point I read because those big breath taking, gut punching moments never happened I couldn't grab on to the characters and beg for them, live for them, make them apart of me the way you need a thriller like this to hold onto you for deal life. Plus the setting/mood itself (especially with wraiths and and mood so integral to the plot) should be well developed into a character and that was disappointing and missing.

Think of Caleb Carr's Alieniest/Angel of Darkness or the book that just came out by Claudia Dey- Heartbreakers-- In the former he makes NYC in the 1800s as much a character as any other character and in the latter she makes "the territory" a character, as well.

Sorry for the DNF. Since I Started it is only my second between NetGalley and Edelweiss.

Thank you and I hope I can give you better /public feedback in the future (I don't publicize DNFs- I don't think it is fair to the author who is still working on editing in the galley part of the process and we all hope this helps with that process. If there are any major changes with the final cut that you would like me to reread and review again, I would be happy to do so. - Susan Crosby @crosbysusana@gmail.com

2.5 Stars

The concept is interesting and the magic system is original and well described but the characters and the world building lack depth.

Sometimes I feel guilty about not finishing a book. Other times, not so much.
And what's so disappointing is that I felt this book had real potential. Necromancy and spying and a touch of romance. But everything felt too forced. Forced to the point you could literally guess the main characters's next move without any sort of trouble.

Naya was a flat, flat, so flat main character. As a bastard child, I expected her to be more likable. But she wasn't. Instead of being a mistreated character we could all root for, she was a completely spoiled brat. She expected people to treat her as their better, and her spying abilities were abysmal. The girl never listened and was just plain stupid. Why choose the worst girl ever as a spy?

Oh, and the way the politics was presented was classically dull. Everything about this world was talked about as some sort of monologue. BORING. I found myself skimming the discussions of kings, and wars, and armies, and who is against who and why we're spying on these people.
And the spying, so dull and tedious and OBVIOUS. Just one look at Naya and a kid could have guessed she was a spy. It was too unbelievable.

So, overall this is a tale of an almost cool plot idea, a special snowflake character, the most tedious dialogue, and predictability. Not recommended reading, at all.

Great start to a series with a very intriguing premise! I loved the world building and rune magic. I hadn’t read a book with runes since Cassandra Clare’s series (although this book takes them in a completely different direction.) I liked Naya and she grew as a character throughout the book but I feel like I still didn’t quite know her well enough. Perhaps this will change in book 2? I really liked Corten. He actually was my favorite character and there’s promise of a romance there which I hope will pick up in the second book. Overall I enjoyed the story but It started to drag a little for me at about 75% and I got anxious to finish it. But it does end with a nice set up for the second book. I’m interested to see what happens.

Overall I enjoyed it (despite any minor annoyances I had) and it has a lot of potential which may be better realized as the series continues. I hope so anyway....Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had a very hard time relating to these characters. I usually really enjoy all forms of YA books, this one just wasn’t for me. The world building seemed slow and I never felt any urgency in the storyline.

Thanks to NetGalley and publishers for an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed Twice Dead! It was imaginative and original and I will definitely checkout the sequels in this series. Naya was raised in a place that strongly believes that necromancy is wrong and evil and so was upset to find out that she was brought back as a wraith.
I definitely enjoyed the magic system and the development of right vs. wrong. The romance was also cute and sweet and enjoyable. This would be a fun and exciting read for a younger age group than I initially thought it would be. So as a Young Adult novel, I did have some issues with it (primarily plot development/world building and character depth. I just felt as though it fell a little short of what I was expecting)… I think it would be a really strong book for the Juvenile Fiction / Middle Grade age group!! Definitely something I would have enjoyed at a younger age and could see my younger relatives really liking!!

Rating: 3.5

This book is only just over 300 pages, which I thought was a good length. I am glad that it wasn't longer because then it definitely would have dragged!

I loved the romance in this book, it was really well done and Corten is my absolute FAVE! It was not super rushed, though I wouldn't call it slow burn either. It found a good middle ground which I thought was really good!

Naya was a character I grew to love more as the book progressed. At the start of the book I was dubious, but having finished I really like her now!

None of the plot really blew my mind. It did feel like a typical YA fantasy. But I was still entertained, so that's something!

The world idea was very clever, but not introduced super well. I had trouble following at the beginning. But it was such a good concept!! If only it'd been executed better!

But I still really enjoyed the writing and the story.

Plus, Corten made the book well worth reading!!

I want to thank NetGalley and Charlesbridge Teen for the digital ARC which was given to me in exchange for my honest review.

In the past year I have read a few books that deal with necromancy, The Bone Witch being the first that comes to mind. It is a relatively new concept in my typical fantasy reads and Twice Dead had some twists to it that I have not yet seen so that was interesting enough to keep me reading and wanting more. There is a lot of plot and world building in the very first part of the book and it hooked me right away.

There was a good mix of political tension, love interest, betrayals, moral disagreements, discussion of sexuality, and other currently common themes that balanced out the more unique concept of necromancy. Some parts of the novel are quite predictable, which isn’t necessarily a negative for me. I often find that predictable storylines with unique world-building can be even more enjoyable than big twists and turns that sometimes feel contrived just for the sake of shock value.

The characters are fairly well-developed. I would like for Naya to be a little stronger of a lead as a female character. However, there is something also to be said for her uncertainty because that is actually a more relatable trait to most readers than a fully confident and self-assured bad*** heroine.

I would recommend this book to lovers of paranormal fiction and fantasy.

I received an eARC of this book from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, this does not influence my thoughts on the book.

I admit, I love anything mysterious and fantastical and spooky, and I felt like this book was going to satisfy those cravings, I mean, within the first chapter our protagonist is killed and then remade into a wraith, like, how wicked is that? I felt like this story had a lot of potential, but throughout as I was reading it, like, I was waiting for something to happen and the constant build up didn't really lead to anything.

Although, in saying that, I was thinking where would the title significance come in? When it did I felt utterly chilled, like WOAH, and I did not see that twist coming! Again, after that, I felt like things would get more exciting and intense but it didn't happen!

In terms of characterization I felt like everyone read as the same? Although I will admit that Naya was the most interesting and did have the most page time, from girl to wraith to everything in between, I felt like she didn't develop that much? And Celia was noble, although I found her grouchy at first. I wish she would have had more page time too, and Corton, well he was sweet but I felt like he was just there.

Whilst I think this was an intriguing premise, I'm not sure that I'll be continuing the series, more detail would have been good, and more action! Throughout, it just felt like a constant build up that left me underwhelmed for most part, though I do wonder how the author will expand out the universe into a series.

Happy reading,

Brooklyn.

The premise of this book sounded intriguing. The cover was beautiful. Everything seemed to be saying this was my type of book. And I was getting into the story at the beginning, but soon I noticed myself getting bored with the storyline. My problem was that whatever was happening in the book didn’t keep me interested enough to keep reading. The main heroine was a bit too boring for my taste. I wasn’t interested in her Tory anymore, even though the wraith mythology had seemed interesting in the beginning. I needed more fun, more adventures, more things going on. I wanted to love this book, I really, really tried to keep reading, but there came a time when I had to stop and move on to something more engaging.
Big thanks for the ARC.
Good luck to the author.

Eh... this book looked so Good in The description and premise That was put in it. But it failed me miserably.
I gave 3 stars as There were things That I liked in The end: using necromancers and wraiths, adding intriguing politic, That characters were not from The nobility and premise That made me so excited to read it...
Unfortunately, this book had not kept my interest as much as I Would Love it. I Don't know if I will grab book 2, but That will be a matter of future.

Title: Twice Dead (The Necromancer’s Song #1)
Author: Caitlin Seal
Pages: 336

Released: September 18, 2018
Publisher: Charlesbridge Teen
Format: Hardcover

Genre: Fantasy
Goodreads Rating: 3.22 (of 82 ratings)

What a cover! What a summary! The moment I saw Seal’s novel floating around NetGalley, I jumped at the chance for an ARC copy. I’m a fanatic for books with magic and fantastic new worlds, and on this Twice Dead did not disappoint.

As the summary states, Naya is murdered and becomes a wraith. Since the reader knows this going into the book, not a lot of time is spent on exploring not-undead Naya. Very quickly she enters the world of necromancy and wraiths and “aether,” the energy-like substance that wraiths live on. Seal is clear in her explanations on the workings of necromancy and does a good job of showing the way magic works in this society, instead of always telling the reader with dragging paragraphs. I was satisfied with her unique construction of Ceramor and the Powers, the necromancy-hating Talmir and the deep history to the last war. My only issue was how many new names/cities were introduced — I wouldn’t have minded a glossary, because I did confuse terms sometimes.

From the beginning Naya is wrapped up in a political plot that is slowly revealed to be full of traitors and liars. I enjoyed the story but for one thing: at times I didn’t know where the story was headed. About fifty percent into the book, I actually thought everything was concluded, and was entirely confused about why there was more to the book. I had no problem continuing on, because I liked Naya’s character, but the plot could drag sometimes. Otherwise, the entire political plot is really well crafted and had me scratching my head trying to see what could be coming up next.

Naya is a fun to read along with. I wouldn’t classify her as one of my favourity badass heroines, but she still kicks butt. I will say I had no interest in the (very minor) identity struggle she had near the end of the book, though. Just because it’s focused on “who am I, the Naya who was alive or the Naya who is undead???” But as a reader I never knew her as alive so… The struggle lacked real power to me. But undead Naya really knows how to play the game! Naya kept things interesting throughout the book, moving pieces together and honestly saving the entire city. Because what can’t girls do.

However, I’m said to say a biiiig down moment for me in the book was the romance. I was nooooot vibing, I’m sorry to say. For me, it was like two platonic friends were kissing from time to time and I was supposed to be cheering and feeling feels? Which is a bummer because I can tell the romance plays a key role in book two. The love interest read like a two dimensional character to me, offering no real interesting qualities or additions to the book.

The book wraps up really well, with a clear set-up for book two. No deadly cliffhangers if you’re not into those!

Three and a half stars for this read, and I would recommend for any fantasy/magic fans. This book loses rating points because the romance fell flat and the love interest even as a character was not interesting. Also, the plot had slower moments that made it just too easy to put the book down … which I did, several times, and I usually finish books in one sitting. But the romance does not make this book, so if you’re still down for an original fantasy read (I l-o-o-o-ve how Seal develped necromancy in this world!) I highly suggest.

Review to be posted on Goodreads Sept. 10 2018 (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/82147023-sha)
Review to be posted on blog Sept. 13 2018 (https://bookprincessreviews.wordpress.com/)

-- I received a free e-review copy of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions are my own. --

Sent into a strange city on an errand, Naya wakes up, unexpectedly resurrected. She had never expected to die, and even less to be returning as a wraith. The story tells of a prospective war, complicated romance, and her coming to terms with her new life and existence, against everything she had believed.
I really enjoyed reading this complex tale, despite it falling into known YA-tropes and being predicable at times. While there is a clear 'right' and 'wrong' side in this story, pretty much all of the characters have their detours into morally gray and conflicted territory, which makes for a great read. I am very much looking forward to reading the next book in this series and finding out how the story goes on.

Twice Dead is Caitlin Seal’s debut novel and is a luscious and delightful fantasy novel perfect for fans of Susan Dennard and Maria V. Snyder!

The daughter of a sea merchant trader, Naya is undertaking her first solo mission in the necromancer friendly country of Ceramor near her homeland when she is struck down on her way to meet an associate. Murdered in an alleyway, death is not the end for Naya as she awakens a wraith--a ghostly creature bound by runes carved into the bones of her former corpse. Brought back by a necromancer, Naya is recruited to be a spy for her native country and assumes the identity of a servant in order to discover political secrets. Becoming involved in kidnapping and murder isn’t what she signed on for and neither is betraying the young man she’s become to care about. Naya is soon struggling to see out with her mission, but with things not what they seem, the danger to those in Ceramor may be bigger than she ever anticipated…..

I was really impressed with Twice Dead, the first novel in what will be The Necromancer’s Song series by Caitlin Seal. Twice Dead was beautifully written and well-paced, introducing readers to a fantastic paranormal fantasy world of magic and resurrection. The world within the novel was well constructed and the concept of necromancy and the way people were resurrected and tied to their bones through runes and bonds were intriguing. It was fresh concept on Seal’s part and I think it was implemented wonderfully.

The heroine of Twice Dead, Naya, comes from a land that considers the undead monsters and those that resurrect them messing with what the Creator intended. It was intriguing to follow her through her transition from an ordinary girl who wakes up as something she has always thought an abomination to being comfortable in who she now is. Loyal to her country to a fault and a product of the society she was raised in, Ceramor and its inhabitants open Naya’s eyes to the true nature of the undead; making for a lot of confliction and inner turmoil as Naya wages a battle against herself and what she has been taught to be believe.

Personally I liked Naya and thought she was easy to follow. Naya wants to do the right thing and make her father proud, however as the novel progresses she learns a lot and begins to question what she has always known. It’s the growth in Naya that I really appreciated. She shows a lot of promise as the protagonist as she begins to master her abilities as a wraith and embrace who she is.

Naya’s lifeline to her new reality as a wraith comes in the form of Corten, a former necromancer and fellow wraith who helps Naya learn how to harness her abilities and how to survive her needs. Corten becomes a friend to Naya and of course romance blossoms between the two. Honestly, I thought Corten and Naya were really sweet as a couple. They connected well and there was as innocence and sweetness to their relationship.

Twice Dead comes to a heartbreaking ending with hard choices made and developments pushing forward the course of the story. I for one cannot wait to see what Caitlin Seal does next and will be eagerly awaiting the release of the next novel to see how Naya helps those she loves!

Seal has a knack for description and the ability to move the plot along at a decent pace. At times, it seemed that the book offered more questions than answers, and spent too much time answering questions that I didn't really care to have answers to in the first place. There is some decent world building in this first book, but I wonder if the lack of coherence is due to it being part of a series of if the lack is just a fault of the author. I think I will read the second book to see if things improve. Overall, a decent start to a series with an interesting premise.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for the electronic ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I’m so upset. This book had so much potential from the cover and synopsis alone but it just failed to deliver so I had to DNF it 🙈 which makes me feel horrible but I have so many books on my TBR that I don’t have time to finish a book that is not enjoyable to me. I can see a lot of YA Fantasy lovers probably liking this but I just couldn’t get into it unfortunately. I need gripping books.

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Gosh why did I wait so long to read this? It's sat on my shelf for a while now and I NEEEEEEEED the next book. It reminds me a lot of Sarah J Maas - similar style, slightly dark, very twisty, and you just get lost in the characters they're so vivid. I genuinely loved this book, and while I found the ending frustrating (I need some closure, so I need the next book) my heart wrenched over C, I hated her father as much as she did, and I empathized so much with the split personality she was developing between her two aliases. I can't find one bad thing to say about this book it was that good. More please.

I picked up this book because of the promise of the undead in a scenario other than the zombie apocalypse. Naya, the main character, becomes a wraith by chapter 2. I mean, it's not every day you're pulled into the head of the undead! The first pages were good and the world-building was interesting and original, but the farther I got into the book, the more I found myself having to push myself to read it. The political intrigue that had the potential to make it epic really felt more like talking heads on a political newscast. It will be the right book for some folks, but unfortunately not for me.

Twice Dead is a great debut YA fantasy novel set in a world where necromancy is commonplace and political intrigue abounds! This was a very enjoyable read that is appropriate for younger teens and gives some thought to death and the morality of bringing people back. Naya has grown up in a country that vehemently opposes the use of necromancy, viewing the undead as evil monstrosities. When she embarks on her first mission in Ceramor (where the undead are an integral part of society) she is unexpectedly killed and brought back as a wraith. She is asked to become a spy, but the world of intrigue may be more than she bargained for.

I really enjoyed the development of the magic system in this world. We learn quite a bit about the different kinds of undead and the ways they can use aether. The twists of the plot were pretty easy to figure out, but I'm also not sure they were supposed to be surprising in the first place. It seems more about Naya's arc of growth as a character, and her discovery of these twists. There is also a very sweet friendship turned romance in the story. Overall I thought this was a solid 4-star read in the YA fantasy genre and a strong debut. I would be interested in continuing on with the series! Thank you to the publisher for sending me an unsolicited early copy of this book.