The Embodiment of Death, The Grim Reaper & The Ghostly Dead

I've been so looking forward to this post for quite some time now. With all the statistics and analytics MS Exel (where I keep my reading diary) and GoodReads provide I have noticed that lately I have enjoyed a lot of books that center around a personified Death, the Grim Reaper and/or the Ghostly Dead.
Growing up a stone throw away from the world's largest inner-city park graveyard probably has something to do with this. But also most of the novels I read in this genre so far have kick-ass heroines: strong yet vulnerable, eccentric yet highly likeable and always cloaked in a bit of mystery. And that's exactly the kind of person I'd like to be.

Also, things that are hard to explain and just out of reach do hold a special fascination for me (and many others, I guess) and that includes not only death but also sleep and nightmares, all sorts of mind games and the occasional unsteadiness of heart.
I don't know if this is or is turning into a new trend in YA lit but I sure noticed the spike in my reading habits. In no way do I intend to banalise or romanticise death, loss or grief - those are serious topics that have to be handled with utter care, and if you like you can visit my friend Alison @ Alison Can Read for a discussion about this, but the personified death, the grim reaper and the ghostly dead as fictional characters have a long standing tradition in literature and to me they have lost nothing of the fascination, rather have they received a fresh breath of life ;)

So I'd like to present a "small" overview of the books I have recently come across, some published yet, some will be in the near future. This list is by no means conclusive or exclusive, just what caught my eye recently. Feel free to add or argue any of these books/series!
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Everneath Trilogy by Brodi Ashton
"Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever. She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists."

This one I haven't read yet. I'm peculiar about covers and I've been waiting for the right edition to come along... But it is very high on my wish list! Book 2 in the trilogy is called Everbound while the 3rd one is still untitled.

Abandon Trilogy by Meg Cabot

"Last year, Pierce died - just for a moment. And when she was in the space between life and death, she met John: tall dark and terrifying, it’s his job to usher souls from one realm to the next.
There’s a fierce attraction between them, but Pierce knows that if she allows herself to fall for John she will be doomed to a life of shadows and loneliness in the underworld. But now things are getting dangerous for her, and her only hope is to do exactly what John says . . ."

I read the first book in this series and I really enjoyed it! As I tried to explain above, I love the allure of the other side (mind you I'm NOT planning to cross over any time soon) and in John this allure finds a perfect embodiment! I can totally understand why Pierce feels drawn towards him!

Cabot is a great writer, I read many of her books and although I'm not too happy with the edition I chose to read, the UK covers are much prettier, I'm really enjoying this series! Awaken, the 3rd and final installment, is expected in 2013.

The Dead Girls Detective Agency by Suzy Cox

"When Charlotte comes to after being pushed onto the subway tracks, she is informed by a group of teenage girls that she is dead…they all are. Meet the Dead Girls Detective Agency. With the support of these dynamic girls—including fashionable Lorna, who can’t wait to find out if the devil actually wears Prada, and nerdy Nancy, who insists on staying in limbo to help out other girls—Charlotte follows leads and tracks down clues to solve her own murder. With plenty of juicy mysteries and some pretty cute guys, readers are sure to fall in love with this fun and suspenseful page-turner!"

This one is coming out in September 2012 and I have no idea yet if it is a stand-alone or a series, but it sure sounds like a lot of fun! And who wouldn't want to know their murderer if they had been murdered? I sure would!

Charley Davidson Series by Darynda Jones

"Private investigator Charlotte Davidson was born with three things: looks; a healthy respect for the male anatomy; and the rather odd job title of grim reaper. Since the age of five, she has been helping the departed solve the mysteries of their deaths so they can cross over. [...] In the meantime, Charley's dealing with a being more powerful - and definitely sexier - than any spectre she's ever come across before. With the help of a pain-in-the-ass skip tracer, a dead pubescent gangbanger named Angel, and a lifetime supply of sarcasm, Charley sets out to solve the highest profile case of the year and discovers that dodging bullets isn't nearly as dangerous as falling in love."

This series I totally love! Charley Davidson is some kick-ass heroine and Reyes sure is something to behold, too! Charley's PI cases provide nice, conclusive frames for the over-all story arc that is her being the grim reaper, her relationship with Reyes and the end of the world as we know it. Seriously, read it!

There is also a novella called For I Have Sinned and the 4th book Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet is coming out in October 2012.

Darklight Series by Darynda Jones

"Ten years ago, Lorelei's parents disappeared without a trace. Raised by her grandparents and leaning on the support of her best friends, Lorelei is finally beginning to accept the fact that her parents are never coming home. For Lorelei, life goes on.
High school is not quite as painful as she thinks it will be, and things are as normal as they can be. Until the day the school's designated loner, Cameron Lusk, begins to stalk her, turning up where she least expects it, standing outside her house in the dark, night after night. Things get even more complicated when a new guy—terrifying, tough, sexy Jared Kovach—comes to school. Cameron and Jared instantly despise each other and Lorelei seems to be the reason for their animosity. What does Jared know about her parents? Why does Cameron tell Jared he can't have Lorelei? And what will any of them do when Death comes knocking for real?"

This is Darynda Jones' YA series and the expected publication date for the first book is October 2012. Currently she has signed for three books and the titles are "Death And The Girl Next Door", "Death, Doom, And Detention" and "Death And Other Distractions". Since I am enjoying Charley Davidson so much I have high expectations for this series, too - although with a lot less sex!

His Fair Assassin Trilogy by Robin LaFevers
"Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?
Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others."

I read the first book in the series and it has blown me away - a total reminder of why high fantasy is called HIGH! No, but really, this trilogy is off to a great start, Ismae is a great heroine and the ones to come are too! I loved the insights Ismae gained at the end of the first book and the portrayal of death as a god. I am most curious to see how Sybella and Annith will fare in their books, Dark Triumph and Dark Hope, and how they will interlock with each other.

Graveminder by Melissa Marr

"Three sips to mind the dead . . .
Rebekkah Barrow never forgot the attention her grandmother Maylene bestowed upon the dead of Claysville, the small town where Bek spent her adolescence. There wasn't a funeral that Maylene didn't attend, and at each one Rebekkah watched as Maylene performed the same unusual ritual: She took three sips from a silver flask and spoke the words "Sleep well, and stay where I put you.""

Melissa Marr is one of my favourite authors and this book is absolutely great! It's a stand-alone (only one book to buy if you want to try this *phew*) and the world Marr has created for it is stunning! 

Small Blue Thing Trilogy by Sue Ransom

"Celebrating the end of exams with best friend Grace, 17 year-old Alex rescues a swan caught on a wire in the Thames mud and finds an extraordinary bracelet. Through its disturbing and compelling powers, she finds Callum, a soul locked in a half-life of sadness and mystery following a terrible accident, and his persuasive and sinister sister, Catherine. As Alex and Callum grow closer despite the enormous obstacles to their love, the dangers mount until Alex must risk everything to save Grace and Callum must risk everything to save Alex."

This series is heart-breakingly beautiful and sigh-worthy. It is aimed at slightly younger teens and rather chaste, but then the story is compelling and I'm still hoping for a happy ending for all sides. I've just finished the second book and if you speak German you should come back on Thursday to read my review for it! All three books are out in the UK! In Germany book 2 was recently publishing and book three is set to come out in October!

The Graveyard Queen Series by Amanda Stevens

"My name is Amelia Gray. I’m a cemetery restorer who sees ghosts. In order to protect myself from the parasitic nature of the dead, I’ve always held fast to the rules passed down from my father. But now a haunted police detective has entered my world and everything is changing, including the rules that have always kept me safe. "

I have started reading this series when it first popped up on netGalley and I have been hooked ever since! I have read all three books as ARCs and they are unputdownable! This series is totally creepy, I had an actual nightmare from a scene in book two. Stevens is a fantastic writer and I can't wait to read the next book/books. She has just signed for the next three books in this series and she also signed a contract for a YA trilogy recently. There has been a 1-sentence synopsis on twitter but not much else, so stay tuned on this!

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Disclaimer: All pictures and synopses have been taken from GoodReads!