Source: Goodreads

Book Review: Not Quite Dead Yet

In Not Quite Dead Yet, we follow a main character who is, well… not quite dead yet. After a near-death experience, she is determined to find out who did it to her, and yet she only has several days before the injury kills her. She must solve her own murder before she is dead.

The premise of this book is honestly good. That was what pulled me in immediately. The idea of someone surviving murder and then having to solve it has so much potential. And to be fair, there are moments where the book delivers. Some parts made me reflect on life and how fragile it is. There are interesting conversations about fear, regret, and second chances. The mystery element also keeps the story moving, and I was curious enough to keep turning the pages.

But here’s the thing that really put me off: the main character keeps joking about dying. Every five minutes there’s another joke about her almost dying or about death in general. I understand that humor can be a coping mechanism, and maybe that’s what the author was going for. But after a while, it just felt repetitive. But I am impressed by how many jokes one can make about dying, tho.

Because of that, I struggled to fully connect with her. I wanted to feel the weight of her situation. Instead, the constant jokes kind of created a wall between me and the character. It didn’t ruin the book, but it definitely lessened the impact.

Overall, I’d rate this one a solid read, but not amazing. The premise is strong and full of potential, and there are definitely good moments throughout. But the execution, especially with the main character’s constant joking about dying, didn’t fully work for me.

3/5