I loved the idea of this book and was really excited to get to read it. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I was able to but the story just didn't move me.

The Good: In a genre chock full of vampires and werewolves finding a book without either yet still smack dab in the middle of all things supernatural is so very hard to accomplish. This book fulfills the need for the woowoo which is pretty awesome. The interactions between the characters were great and watching David teach Adam how to be a reaper was interesting. I thought the chemistry between David and Sarah was good and their ultimate I Love Yous fell right into place. Also Lori's writing is easy to read. I got lost in her words which made for a more enjoyable reading pace for me.

The Bad: Unfortunately even with an interesting premise this book just didn't move me. At times I found myself bored with what was going on. There were also some holes left unanswered for me which sucked the fun outta the book a bit. Even though the training of Adam was interesting to watch it made it feel more like Adam's book rather than David's. Also David's boss, Raphael, was a douche with no real reason or background to support it. The whole point of Raphael's input in the book was lost on me too other than to create the possibilities of having two villains. I couldn't figure out the hierarchy of reaping and if Raphael was a boss who did he report to? The Fates were mentioned also which confused me even more as to where this book fell in terms of religion or mythology. It never really committed to either one as the commandments were heavily influenced when it came to those being chosen for reaping yet Fate was an actual pissy being throwing temper tantrums when she didn't get her way (we never actually met her by the way).

In a Nutshell: An average book with a cool idea supporting it. I'm going to read the next one in hopes they get better with more published books under the author's belt. ( )

Really 3.75 Stars

Reviewed at http://scorchingbookreviews.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/a-nix-pnr-review-grave-intent...

I was so excited by the premise of this book that it was on the wish list long before I requested it from NetGalley. In some ways it completely delivered (I loved the world-building and the side characters....I’m guessing Dmitry’s book will be fab!) but on the other hand I knew what the twist was going to be from the end of the first chapter and I had also guessed the resolution. The predictability made it a little bit of a slow-burner but ultimately I will be getting the next in this series and would guess you needed to read this one first.

There is too much work one for reaper in this reality so there is a group of them that are paying for their crimes by harvesting souls. They are governed by one big boss man (who I want to see fall in love...what is WRONG with me?) and are given the list of souls on a weekly basis. I thought the job itself sounded horrific and didn’t know how reapers could remain sane. Knowing that they were going to crime scenes or horrific accidents, some involving children, to watch someone die so they could harvest the soul quickly must have been a pretty horrible reality. I’d be pretty happy if all these characters found their HEA because their realities sucked ass.

I liked the premise of David more than the reality. A man so jaded by all he seen, he should have more interesting than he was. I loved him when paired with either Adam or Sarah, but alone he just didn’t interest me. Sarah was a more interesting character for me and I enjoyed her fierce personality. Was there chemistry between them? Hell yes. I loved them together; whether it was between the sheets or just being together at the end of a spectacularly bad day, I thought they complemented each other perfectly. David needed someone to return him to reality and Sarah was just the lady.

Overall, this was an intriguing start to a series that I will give another shot to. I loved the premise, but this one failed to hit the mark completely. I have high hopes for book two as its Ruby’s book.... ( )

Read for Review (NetGalley)
Overall Rating: 3.75
Story Rating: 3.50
Character Rating: 4.00

First Thoughts When Finished: What a great premise for a series and a solid story to start it rolling!

Story Thoughts: Grim Reapers are starting to become some of my favorite paranormal characters. They are sexy, mysterious, and there are tons of stories that you can create around their jobs. Grave Intentions was a solid story about one particular grim reaper and his job. I felt that the pacing of the story was really good and that the story kept me interested from beginning to end. I really think there is a lot of ways Lori can go in the series and I can't wait to see what she does.

Character Thoughts: I loved Lori's characters. I thought they were strong, capable, and intriguing. Can I say how much I loved that Lori let Sarah see David at his job and that she accepted it. I always love when a character accepts what they see with their own eyes. The questions after are always more fun and intriguing. Sarah and David were a great couple and I loved meeting the other Reapers. I am curious as to what is so special about the newbie but I think we are going to have to wait a few books for that!

Final Thoughts: I will be continuing this series and can't wait for the next one!

GRAVE INTENTIONS is a the beginnings of a paranormal romance series featuring grim reapers. It's a cute book with likeable characters. There's absolutely nothing wrong with it but it didn't work its way onto my love list because it's a fairly standard paranormal romance.

In Lori Sjoberg's world, dead folks become reapers when they have a debt to repay. David has been reaping since the Korean War and he's lost most of the joy in his life, going through life fairly mechanically. He chafes at the rules he has to live by but dutifully does his job, reaping souls and overseeing a small group of reapers. Sarah is his next door neighbour, a scientist with an unpleasant work situation thanks to a harassing boss. They meet cute and begin a sweet romance that faces one main obstacle: David's "career".

I thought the two main characters were decent leads. They were very pleasant and compatible. I didn't feel serious sparks between them but I think that was because they were both very vanilla. David's very gentlemanly and honorable, Sarah is very smart and sweet, and they work well together but their romance didn't leap off the page for me. It didn't seem incredibly passionate or moving. And that is something of a problem for me in a paranormal romance. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't put off by it and I did like the book but I just didn't have any strong feelings about it at the end. And I really want to feel something at the end of a story because it means I've been engaged by the characters, setting, and/or plot.

For me, GRAVE INTENTIONS is a definite library book. I don't think I'll read it again. My recommendation would be to check out the excerpt below and see if GRAVE INTENTIONS is a book for you. It's a light and conventional paranormal romance that has all of the usual components and is a good choice if you're looking for something light and fluffy to while away some time.

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Read from January 11 to 24, 2013

Read for Review (NetGalley)
Overall Rating: 3.75
Story Rating: 3.50
Character Rating: 4.00

First Thoughts When Finished: What a great premise for a series and a solid story to start it rolling!

Story Thoughts: Grim Reapers are starting to become some of my favorite paranormal characters. They are sexy, mysterious, and there are tons of stories that you can create around their jobs. Grave Intentions was a solid story about one particular grim reaper and his job. I felt that the pacing of the story was really good and that the story kept me interested from beginning to end. I really think there is a lot of ways Lori can go in the series and I can't wait to see what she does.

Character Thoughts: I loved Lori's characters. I thought they were strong, capable, and intriguing. Can I say how much I loved that Lori let Sarah see David at his job and that she accepted it. I always love when a character accepts what they see with their own eyes. The questions after are always more fun and intriguing. Sarah and David were a great couple and I loved meeting the other Reapers. I am curious as to what is so special about the newbie but I think we are going to have to wait a few books for that!

Final Thoughts: I will be continuing this series and can't wait for the next one! ( )