Dead is So Last Year

There is one big negative to Marlene Perez's "Dead Is" series. The fact that the books are so darn short! The books catch you with the wonderful, vibrant and oddball characters...(my favorites include the Skull, Slim the invisible man, and the jukebox that plays clues). The mysteries are sort of easy to figure out...I usually know what is up before the leading lady Daisy does. Yet getting to the reveal is just so much fun. This is a series that will hook you. The town of Nightshade is brimming with things that go bump in the night...yet the teens are still just like teenagers you'd find anywhere. Shopping, going to movies and football games, and in the next breath, struggling to find out who is infecting the football team and turning show more them into werewolves. I don't like the fact that Daisy, Poppy and Rose's mom is so frequently gone. If feels like an obvious ruse that allows the girls to do whatever they want without having anyone to face up to. Other than that and the fact the books are short, I would absolutely have to recommend teens (and adults who love YA literature) to pick up this series. It is certainly worth the quick read. show less

I have to admit I really enjoy this series! Marlene Perez has created such a cute, campy series that is appropriate for even young, young adults and still manages to be fun and entertaining for the oldest of us young adults. One reason that I like this series so much is because it makes me laugh, and I just love Daisy and her sisters. Daisy's reaction to seeing Ryan after she's been gone all summer is hilarious. Dead Is Just a Rumor is coming out in a few days and I'm really looking forward to seeing what troubles hit Daisy this time. If you haven't started reading this series yet, you should! It's a good time.

Daisy is at it again. She's gotten a job and is taking care of herself this summer. Still dating the adorable Ryan and still friends with Sam and Sean. But she's noticing that the freshman football team is bulking up and liking their steaks and burgers very very rare. A lot like Ryan does.

She also spots her father lurking around time. But she can't seem to imagine it's really him. No contact for so long and he just suddenly stops in to town, leering at every female near him and eating all the sugary things within his grasp.

She soon learns a town secret that sends her reeling and knowing she needs to step in and help. I liked that the plot had more to it and seemed to include the whole town council as they pieced together what was going show more on. But it's still super light and silly. show less

As with the previous book, character development seems to be one of Perez's strong suits, along with snappy dialogue. I quite enjoyed this installment.

http://readwhatyouknow.wordpress.com/2009/06/14/dead-is-so-last-year/

Daisy Giordano is back for a third installment in the “Dead Is” series and the supernatural is once again creeping around the town of Nightshade. Werewolves in puberty, sugar-craving community members, and a brand-new job are more than enough to keep Daisy busy…until Daisy starts seeing her father wandering around again, years after he mysteriously disappeared. Can Daisy, her sisters, and her boyfriend manage to find out about the new threat plaguing Nightshade before it’s too late?

First of all, I have to say that I really love most of these characters, particularly the supporting characters in Daisy’s life. Flo and Slim, co-workers of Daisy’s, are my two show more favorites and they lighten every scene that they’re in. That being said, Daisy is still my least favorite character; insecure and under-developed. Two more books are already under contract and on their way and I can only hope that Daisy will start to grow with these next few books.

Perez’s writing style is clean and witty, the mystery is quick and clues are available for those that are looking for them (I figured out the new supernaturals before the reveal). While “Dead is So Last Year” is not the best book in the series, it’s still a worthwhile read. I’m looking forward to the next book especially after the cliff-hanger ending of this one. Unfortunately, it’s a long wait. The next book in the series won’t be out until the fall of 2010.

The cover works well and this will be an easy sell for teen girls looking for a light supernatural read. show less

3rd in the series. This one has the mom being in Italy and the girls have just returned to the states. This one has a couple of different plot lines going. The first it seems like the town is home to a bunch of new werewolves. And the second involves doppelganger. The doppelganger are actually part magic and part sience experiments. Whereas the new werewolves are thanks to a Wolfgang, the young werewolf, who we met in the previous book. Fun addition to the series. But the start had me thinking it was going to be a take on the Twilight series.

Another light teen read in this series. There is enough suspense within the story to leave the ending unknown and make me want to finish the book. The series still lacks on character development, even in book 3, I wish I felt more or cared more about any of the characters, particularly Daisy, whom we follow throughout the series. There isn’t enough of an emotional connection to her as I would like.

The sugar-high doppelgangers of Nightshade are an interesting twist to the usual paranormal stories, but there isn’t enough of an explanation as to “why” once we are clued into what’s going on. A new character is introduced in this book and it’s hard to understand why we are just finding out about him now, as he’s been part of show more Nightshade for quite some time, it tends to cheapen the experience, finding an easy way out of the storyline, which was a disappointment. It’s a quick, easy, read, so I wasn’t too upset with my time invested in it. show less