The Reading Date

With so many paranormal choices on the shelves, it's not easy to find one that has that special unique quality. Die For Me satisfied my paranormal craving by introducing the revenant concept and featuring a picturesque Paris setting. The first book in the Revenants trilogy sets up the mythology, characters and romance and left me wanting more.Kate Mercier and her older sister Georgia have recently moved from the States to Paris to live with their grandparents after the death of their parents. Georgia deals with her grief by going out every night, while Kate keeps a lower profile. She's a bookish girl with a fondness for museums, and she finally ventures out of her room to soak up the atmosphere. She quickly meets and becomes enamored with Vincent, a gorgeous and charming local, with a secret to hide. Vincent is a revenant, which is an undead zombie-type being. He and his band of fellow revenants don't terrorize the people of Paris by hunting flesh though; they sacrifice their lives over and over to save others. They also have to look out for the evil revenants called numa who don't have the kind intentions of Vincent's group. Kate must decide if a relationship with the undead Vincent is worth the challenges that come with it.I was enticed to pick up this book because of the Paris setting and the idea of the revenants. The premise did not seem entirely original, but the combination of romance, Paris, and this revenant element worked for me. The first book sets up a lot of options to explore in the sequel, and I'm intrigued to continue the series. The writing and even pace kept my interest along with the mix of romance, mythology and action.Kate as a character is sensible and cautious, and this relationship with Vincent takes her out of her comfort zone. She's understandably having a tough time dealing with the death of her parents, and not sure if she can handle Vincent's unique situation. Vincent is protective, sweet and generous to Kate and wants to find a way to make her comfortable with him as a revenant. Their love story doesn't move too quickly, and they have many romantic moments as they explore Paris together. We are introduced to Vincent's friends and they liven up the story with tales of their history and challenges with the undead life. I especially liked Jules and Charlotte and their friendship that develops with Kate.Regarding the listening experience of the audiobook, reader Julia Whelan does an impeccable job handling the character voices and French words used throughout the book. Her narration is perfect for Kate, but she also does a stellar job with the other voices such as Vincent and his friends, Kate's grandparents, and her sister Georgia with her occasional Southern accent. One of the reasons I chose the audiobook version of Die For Me was to hear the French words and pronunciation spoken correctly since my French language skills are lacking. Julia Whelan handles the language well. Though there is not too much French spoken in the book because Kate speaks to Vincent in English because he doesn't usually get to speak it. Die For Me is one of my favorite audiobook experiences so far this year.I would describe this book as a paranormal romance, and while there is an element of action and danger, it felt like more of a love story. The revenant story is compelling and I'm so curious to see what will happen next. Happily, Die For Me does not end with a big cliffhanger, but there are hints of things to come that have me intrigued. The sequel is called Until I Die (that sounds ominous) and should be out around May 2012.