It's a Wonderful Death

October 5, 2015
Seventeen-year-old Rowena Joy Jones is a victim of "accidental collection" by a grim reaper named Gideon, resulting in her untimely death, decades ahead of schedule. Not long after arriving in the afterlife, R.J. meets everyone from Buddha and Saint Peter (who looks "like Ryan Reynolds's doppelganger") to Cerberus and Death Himself, who debut author Schmitt casts as a Hawaiian shirtâwearing surfer. Intent on returning to the world of the living, R.J. meets with the Tribunal, a jury of three angels who will decide her fate, and a reluctant deal is struck: R.J. must fix three key moments in her life to prove her worth, or she risks remaining in limbo until the time when she should have died. Schmitt's smart, funny novel will keep readers entertained as they follow R.J. on her redemptive path from "self-absorbed princess" to someone more capable of kindness, while perhaps contemplating their own actions and choices. R.J.'s sarcastic sense of humor sharply counterbalances touching moments as she learns how to live more generously. Ages 12âup. Agent: Liza Fleissig, Liza Royce Agency.

September 1, 2015
Rowena Joy Jones isn't supposed to be dead. When a Grim Reaper named Gideon mistakenly collects 17-year-old RJ's soul, RJ demands he send her back; however, returning to the land of the living isn't as simple as hopping on the next Soul Mover. First, the beautiful, popular, and cruel RJ must face a Tribunal of angels who will decide her fate. As sending RJ back means rewinding time and altering the chain of events leading up to her accidental death, RJ needs to prove she can change her ways, becoming worthy of returning to Earth to live out her remaining days. If she fails the tasks set forth by the Tribunal, she'll be forced to hang around the Afterlife until her official death date, at which time she can be "processed," face Judgment, and move on to Heaven...or that other place. The Afterlife is a fully realized world comprising a mix of Judeo-Christian belief and Greek mythology, and it is populated by a colorful host of characters: sarcastic Guardian Angels, a hunky St. Peter, a soul-gobbling, three-headed dog, and even Death Himself. RJ's first-person narration is alternately facetious and reverent. The novel's only weakness lies in not giving readers enough of RJ's mean-girl background to contrast with the effort she puts into redeeming herself. Fun, funny, and full of life. (Fantasy. 12-18)

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November 1, 2015

Gr 9 Up-Rowena "RJ" Jones never expected to die. Indeed, a sly gypsy at a carnival pushes her into the Grim Reaper's path unexpectedly. RJ soon learns that dying is a very bureaucratic process, fraught with paperwork and waiting. How does one appeal death? As RJ attempts to undo her ultimate sentence, she is aided by two guardian angels who substantiate her claims. She is granted a reprieve if she can prove to a higher authority that reliving her life will lead to a positive change in the world. How the heck is she supposed to do that? The novel presents the afterlife as a mainly Judeo-Christian concept, which isn't ultimately saved by mentioning the Buddha in a single line of dialogue. RJ can be an infuriating main character. Supporting characters tend to be zany and unpredictable. RJ never knows who is truly friend or foe whenever she meets anyone new. Things are further complicated when Death Himself becomes her advocate yet seems to have an ulterior motive that isn't entirely clear. Death is more concerned with surfing waves than collecting guilty souls, just one example of the quirky behavior many of the secondary characters exhibit. RJ's journey is an interesting adventure-particularly when she revisits and changes pivotal moments from her past. VERDICT A good supplemental addition to large young adult collectionsin need of unusual supernatural titles.-Ryan P. Donovan, Southborough Public Library, MA

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