Kim Harrison

Something Deadly this Way Comes

Madison Avery, Book #3

Review brought to you by OBS staff member Annabell Cadiz

Synopsis: When Madison died the night after her prom, she knew her life would never be the same. Now she has a powerful amulet, a team of rogue angels by her side, and the ability to flash forward into the future to see the shape of destiny. And of course, now she’s finally with Josh–a perfect boyfriend who doesn’t even mind that she’s dead.

But being dead has its disadvantages, too. Madison feels caught between the light and the dark, and between her real life and her timekeeper status. When Madison has the opportunity to get her body back–to be alive again–she faces her most difficult decision yet. If she claims it, she could return to being a normal girl–and have a chance at a real relationship with Josh. But would having the one thing she wants most in the world also mean giving up everything she’s worked so hard for?

Review: Upon reading the blurb to this book, I had been instantly intrigued and very curious to know what this story would be like. I did not, however, pay attention to the fact that Something Deadly This Way Comes is the third installment in Kim Harrison’s Madison Avery series so when I received the advance copy of the novel I had wondered if I would actually even enjoy the book because I hadn’t read the first two. Not only did I ABSOLUTELY love this book, I had trouble putting it down!

The cast of characters were terrific! Madison Avery is one of the best female characters I have read in a long time. She is determined and courageous. Even when she’s afraid she still marches on, knowing she has to listen to her heart, even if it means taking on some of the most powerful beings in Heaven. She is also wonderfully funny and cute. Madison ends up feeling like your best friend. Nakita is totally awesome! She is spunky, loyal, and heartwarming. She had once believed, like Barnabas, in the way the angels of Heaven did things: kill a human and save their soul instead of placing a guardian angel on them and hope the human manages to learn to live again to revitalize the soul. Nakita had only ever believed in fate, not in free will but when she met Madison and had ended up saving Madison from the black wings–they eat away people’s memories until there’s nothing left of them–she had been imprinted with a piece of Madison and now know what it’s like to feel fear. She feels like she is growing a soul and her perspective has changed.

Barnabas, the rogue light time keeper angel, was deliciously marvelous! He is a mix of terrifying power and tragic beauty. Choosing to fall from Heaven in order to protect a human girl he had been sent to kill, Barnabas went rogue not knowing what to believe anymore. He had wanted to change Heaven’s rules but did not know how. When he met Madison all of that changed. Barnabas is gorgeous and brooding but is never obvious or arrogant about it. He is an angel so his hotness can’t be helped *hehe*. Paul, who is the light time keeper in training, (they stop dark time keeper angels from getting human souls and place a guardian angel on the human–only if the human doesn’t manage to learn to overcome their depression and learn to live again, the black wings can eat away the human’s memories), wasn’t in the book very much but from what I gathered he was in the other two before. He is just as beautiful as Barnabas but also has a nerd like quality to him. Josh is probably the one character that I didn’t get a very good feel for. He’s your typical hot jock but is very sweet and charming. I just couldn’t connect to well to his relationship with Madison because I hadn’t read the first two books.

I also didn’t understand how Madison could have a body but not be alive or how she could be dating Josh who is alive *scratches head confused* Seems vampireish to me minus all the blood sucking nonsense. Madison could still faintly feel certain emotions but she didn’t have a heartbeat or need to eat or sleep so I didn’t get how she could just be living with her dad and going to school without anyone noticing she was dead.

I also didn’t understand fully the stories with Barnabas and Nakita since I hadn’t read the first two yet. In the third novel Madison and crew talk a few times of events that took place in the first two novels so I felt out of the loop sometimes.

Other than that though, Something Deadly This Way Comes was a delightful read! I have found new literary friends in Madison and her crew of rogue angels. I cannot wait to read the next one to find out what happens next since the ending was great and was left open for another book.

First thing first, definitely go read the first two:  Once Dead, Twice Shy and Early to Death, Early to Rise BEFORE you read Something Deadly This Way Comes. That way you won’t wind up as confused as me about certain parts in the plot and character stories.

*scurries off to buy the first two books*

For more information on Madison and crew or on the author, Kim Harrison, check out the author’s site here