Kelly Hashway
Synopsis:Jodi knows that any slip-ups made by the Ophi--a special group of necromancers born under the 13th sign of the zodiac--will fall on her shoulders... and that Hades is just waiting for them to screw up so he can wipe out the Ophi line.
Unfortunately, Jodi has only convinced one Ophi to join her school: A hot guy named Chase who jeopardizes her relationship with Alex. Jodi loves Alex, but Chase can enhance her powers with just a touch—making her stronger than any Ophi has ever been.
Her mixed emotions send her powers surging out of control, and the dead start rising without her conscious summoning—exactly what Hades doesn't want! If she chooses Alex over Chase, she may lose the battle to Hades, leading the Ophi race to extinction. If she chooses Chase, she might be able to stop Hades for good… but lose everything else.
Jodi needs to figure things out fast--because death is stalking her at every turn.
My thoughts on the book:
Stalked by Death is a huge improvement over the first installment. While I enjoyed the premise of Touched by Death, there were quite a few problems with the book. However, because of the unique concept, I gave this series another chance, and I'm so glad I did! The characters are better developed and actually grow as the novel progresses this time. The plot is much stronger, and Hashway's writing is also improved. After reading this book, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this series to anyone!
Jodi is a much more likable character in this novel. She still does some dumb things, but she's not half as ignorant about what's going on. I actually enjoyed reading things from her perspective and was able to sympathize with her quite a bit. Alex got on my nerves for the first 3/4 of the book, though. He is so childish and temperamental that I wanted to hit him. Maybe if he'd acted differently then things wouldn't have gone to crap... maybe not, though because Jodi has a lot going against her and her relationship with Alex. I hated Chase from the beginning. He just seemed slimy. My opinion of him did not improve as the novel progressed. I enjoyed getting to know more about the secondary characters, and I came to especially like Tony. I hope we get to see more of him in the next installment.
The plot is pretty solid and extremely intriguing. I figured out what was going on, to an extent, pretty early on, but Hashway still managed to surprise me quite a bit. I really did not see the ending coming, and I have no idea what Jodi and company are going to do now. The ending is a bit of a cliffhanger, which as you guys know, I don't like, but it did resolve a lot of the problems from this novel, so I'm not too angry about it. The ending definitely left me wishing book three would hurry and come out, though!
Overall, I'd recommend this series to anyone who enjoys mythology inspired literature but is tired of the same retellings of the Hades and Persephone myth. The Touched by Death series focuses mainly on Medusa and her lineage, and it's quite interesting. If you enjoyed the first book, you will absolutely adore Stalked by Death. Give this series a try. You won't be sorry.
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Amber: I absolutely love that your novels are a unique spin on Greek mythology. What made you choose Medusa as the main mythological character?
Kelly: I'm terrified of snakes, so Medusa scared me a first. But then I found a lesser-known myth about her and I thought maybe she got a bad reputation and was wrongfully cursed. So I looked into it more and decided I wanted to show a very different Medusa in my books.
Amber: For those who haven't read your books yet, can you describe this series in five words or less?
Kelly: Necromancers, zombies, Medusa, and Hades
Amber: Can you name a few of your favorite books and/or authors?
Kelly: I love Rick Riordan and his Percy Jackson series. The man is a genius with words. I also fell really hard for Patch in Becca Fitzpatrick's Hush, Hush series.
Amber: If you could have dinner with any of your characters, who would you choose and why?
Kelly: Alex. Wow, I didn't even have to think about that one. ;) I'd like to share a bowl of mac and cheese with him because while he's really tough, he has another side to him that's almost broken. I'd comfort him in a heartbeat. (Sorry, Jodi!)
Amber: What song makes you think of Alex and Jodi?
Kelly: "Just Tonight" by The Pretty Reckless and "Dance with the Devil" by Breaking Benjamin. Jodi and Alex go through so much together so the emotions are always on high.
Amber: Where is your favorite place to write?
Kelly: I almost always write at my dining room table, but I can write just about anywhere.
Amber: We all know Alex loves mac and cheese, but what's Jodi's favorite food?
Kelly: Filet mignon. Because her mom never had a lot of money, Jodi didn't get to eat filet mignon often but she loves it.
Amber: Is Hades really as bad as he seems?
Kelly: Well, he is the god of the underworld, so what do you think? ;)
Amber: What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Kelly: Read great books. It's the best form of research. And then take that inspiration to write as much as you can.
Amber: Thank you, Kelly, for taking the time to answer these questions!
Thank you for being part of the blog tour, Amber. I'm really glad you enjoyed the book. :)
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