Only Mostly Dead

Afterlife Incorporated, Book 1

De: Alli Temple

Narrado por: Emily Lawrence

After a painful battle with cancer, Ember is ready to call it quits. The problem is, Death didn’t get her memo. Now only mostly dead, Ember must come up with her own exit strategy.

Recently let go from middle management at Afterlife Inc., grim reaper Kelly is done seeing dead people and ready for some downtime. Unfortunately, a clingy ghost who can’t cross over is interfering with Kelly’s busy schedule of snacks and video games.

Ember wants out and Kelly wants to be left alone, but their plans for a peaceful life—or afterlife—have gone off the rails. If they can’t get the business of dying back on track, the ghost and the reaper will be stuck together forever.

Only Mostly Dead is the first installment in the Afterlife Incorporated urban fantasy trilogy. It features a slow—so slow—burn romance that may take several books to resolve. Be patient. Death is coming…eventually.

©2024 Alli Temple (P)2024 Alli Temple

An easy listen

I listened to this over two days time! I’m not one for fiction but this book got me hooked!

Funny and modern urban fantasy

What a refreshing take on paranormal urban fantasy with beautiful LGBTQIA2S+ characters who tackle something not commonly seen in urban fantasy.

Ember's story and emotions threatened to rip me apart at times and I loved how it was contrasted by the warmth of the found family and humor most can relate to. Ember, Kelly and their housemates, both human and fur baby, were all very three-dimensional characters. While some seemed a bit flat at first, I loved how we learned more and the side characters really came into their own as the story went on. As someone who lived in Toronto for over a decade, I loved how Alli highlighted and educated the reader all about the melting pot city and it's different neighborhoods. If you are looking for a read that will make you consider what happens when we close our eyes one last time while also giving you the warm and fuzzies of a super slow burn opposites attract romance, you have found it!

Emily Lawrence gave a performance I won't be forgetting any time soon. Her voices for all the characters were super distinct and easy to recognize who was talking, and her emotions shined through giving perfect emotion like you were a ghost watching the scenes within this audiobook. Great work and glad to see she is back for book #2!

👻LGBTQIA2S+ Rep
⚰️Found Family
👻Super Slow Burn
⚰️Paranormal Urban Fantasy
👻Ghosts
⚰️Reapers
👻Pet Cat

Clever and realistic dialogue, a likable heroine, an awesome story!

You won’t regret it. Totally worth the purchase, I’m about to go grab a physical copy.

What an amazing audiobook!

Emily Lawrence is The Best. I loved her narration, all the the different accents and personalities she brings to each character is impeccable! The story is funny, dramatic, exciting, heartbreaking at times, heartwarming at others, and she really brings it to life. Or death. 😆 This really is an entertaining audiobook!

If you’re looking for a fun, hilarious, spooky read this autumn, can’t recommend this book enough!! I still can’t get over the fact that is all narrated by one person, because it really felt like an ensemble cast reading!

Narration was good, Characters, not so much.

This audiobook is a bit of a difficult one to review. There were aspects that I highly enjoyed while also having aspects I was considering DNFing over.

The feel of this book is light, even when darker things are happening within the story, there is humor and a feeling of friendship. The world is interesting and I enjoyed the overall plot and concept.

I had a few big issues with the book though.
My biggest issue is with the characters. The main POV character, Ember, is the most annoying. Y’all she is a spoiled and entitled “Karen.” That person who thinks they know best when they really don’t and won’t take “no” for an answer. She also has an underlying issue that is borderline if not totally transphobic. She goes on constantly about what pronouns to use for the other main character, Kelly. Mentioning it at first is understandable, mentioning it multiple times with adding how confusing it is, is too much.

Kelly has their own issues. They are selfish, rude, mean and a user who takes advantage of their roommate. Other characters enable them, but that is still no excuse for their behavior.

Many of the other characters are one dimensional and immature. They are beings that are supposed to be really old but they act like spoiled teenagers.

This is also marketed as a “Romance” so far there isn’t any romance. It’s slow burn, but at most this book is enemies to begrudging friends. No thoughts of romance at all, yet.

The narration was fairly good. Emily Lawrence is easy to listen to and brought the world to life.

I received a copy of this audiobook and this is my honest opinion.