JCPL Teens

This book is about Lex, a 16 year old who only recently began to acting out in violent ways against anyone who crosses her.  Even Lex herself has no reason why she does the things she does. After she almost gets expelled for the fourth time, her parents decide to send her to stay with her Uncle Mort for the summer. Mort lives in a town called Croak and Lex finds out that her behavior stems from the family gift of Killing. Killing is not what you think, rather it is safely removing someone's soul from their body after they die and sending them to the Afterlife peacefully. So in essence, Lex becomes a Grim Reaper for lack of a better word.

Damico does a really nice job of creating a believable town that caters to the people who do the kind of work needed for reaping. She is really inventive in coming up with cool ways that the town operates, like what the town uses Jellyfish for. (I'll let you read it and see.) Lex is a character you want to root for. The book is funny and serious when it needs to be. There is, of course, a likable and dreamy love interest. Along the way Lex discovers murders that no one can figure out the cause of death for and so becomes the mystery that needs to be solved. This is the first in a series so there is a cliffhanger ending.  I can't wait for Book 2!