"Fun, funny, and full of life." —Kirkus
"Schmitt's smart, funny novel will keep readers entertained as they follow R.J. on her redemptive path from 'self-absorbed princess' to someone more capable of kindness, while perhaps contemplating their own actions and choices. R.J.'s sarcastic sense of humor sharply counterbalances touching moments as she learns how to live more generously." —Publishers Weekly
"Told in RJ’s snarky voice, this delightful debut encompasses elements of A Christmas Carol, It’s a Wonderful Life, and Gayle Foreman’s If I Stay (2009), while still being unique. . . . The message of standing up to opposition—whether for yourself or for others—is an important life lesson that readers learn alongside RJ. Her story compellingly demonstrates that significance comes from the quality (not quantity) of one’s life." —Booklist
"Full of snark and morality, RJ is a teen girl that many readers will relate to and enjoy getting to know. It is a story of the ultimate takedown of a popular mean girl, but it is then incredibly encouraging. Readers will love RJ’s sarcasm and will laugh out loud at some of the depictions of the afterworld. (Who knew Death Himself would be kind of cute?) A book that could have easily become preachy gives just the right amount of redemption. Even though most readers will be dissatisfied with the ending, it is a great addition to any library serving teens." —VOYA
"A snarky joyride of a book with a deep moral core; long after you've finished laughing, you'll still be thinking about RJ's journey and perhaps asking yourself: What defines a life well lived?" —Mike Mullin, author of the Ashfall trilogy
"A great mix of mirth, myth and metaphysics." —Daniel Waters, author of Generation Dead
"Just the kind of story I love—full of snark, heart, and contemplation about the meaning of life! It's a Wonderful Death will get you thinking about what you want to leave behind and how you want to live until then." —Kristen Lippert-Martin, author of Tabula Rasa
"A wonderful gem. Both snarky and uplifting, it sneaks inside you and makes you smile and cry at the same time." —Sarah Beth Durst, author of Vessel and Drink, Slay, Love
"Smart, sassy, and humorously original with clever world-building and a host of interesting characters, It's a Wonderful Death will have you laughing out loud and rooting for RJ from the first page!" —Amalie Howard, best-selling author of Bloodspell and Alpha Goddess
"RJ's witty narrative had me both laughing out loud and weeping into the pages. It's a Wonderful Death is a delightful read that questions the butterfly effect of choices made...and unmade." —Danielle L. Jensen, author of Stolen Songbird
“You know a story’s going to be good when Death shows up as a surfer! I loved every bit of this funny and heartwarming tale of second chances.” —Lisa Maxwell, author of Sweet Unrest
"For everyone who’s wished for a do-over, for the chance to take back a mean word or an unkind deed, you’ll be rooting for sassy RJ to succeed in this satisfying tale of redemption." —Yvonne Ventresca, award-winning author of Pandemic
"Fun, funny, and full of life." —Kirkus
"Schmitt's smart, funny novel will keep readers entertained as they follow R.J. on her redemptive path from 'self-absorbed princess' to someone more capable of kindness, while perhaps contemplating their own actions and choices. R.J.'s sarcastic sense of humor sharply counterbalances touching moments as she learns how to live more generously." —Publishers Weekly
"Told in RJ’s snarky voice, this delightful debut encompasses elements of A Christmas Carol, It’s a Wonderful Life, and Gayle Foreman’s If I Stay (2009), while still being unique. . . . The message of standing up to opposition—whether for yourself or for others—is an important life lesson that readers learn alongside RJ. Her story compellingly demonstrates that significance comes from the quality (not quantity) of one’s life." —Booklist
"Full of snark and morality, RJ is a teen girl that many readers will relate to and enjoy getting to know. It is a story of the ultimate takedown of a popular mean girl, but it is then incredibly encouraging. Readers will love RJ’s sarcasm and will laugh out loud at some of the depictions of the afterworld. (Who knew Death Himself would be kind of cute?) A book that could have easily become preachy gives just the right amount of redemption. Even though most readers will be dissatisfied with the ending, it is a great addition to any library serving teens." —VOYA
"A snarky joyride of a book with a deep moral core; long after you've finished laughing, you'll still be thinking about RJ's journey and perhaps asking yourself: What defines a life well lived?" —Mike Mullin, author of the Ashfall trilogy
"A great mix of mirth, myth and metaphysics." —Daniel Waters, author of Generation Dead
"Just the kind of story I love—full of snark, heart, and contemplation about the meaning of life! It's a Wonderful Death will get you thinking about what you want to leave behind and how you want to live until then." —Kristen Lippert-Martin, author of Tabula Rasa
"A wonderful gem. Both snarky and uplifting, it sneaks inside you and makes you smile and cry at the same time." —Sarah Beth Durst, author of Vessel and Drink, Slay, Love
"Smart, sassy, and humorously original with clever world-building and a host of interesting characters, It's a Wonderful Death will have you laughing out loud and rooting for RJ from the first page!" —Amalie Howard, best-selling author of Bloodspell and Alpha Goddess
"RJ's witty narrative had me both laughing out loud and weeping into the pages. It's a Wonderful Death is a delightful read that questions the butterfly effect of choices made...and unmade." —Danielle L. Jensen, author of Stolen Songbird
“You know a story’s going to be good when Death shows up as a surfer! I loved every bit of this funny and heartwarming tale of second chances.” —Lisa Maxwell, author of Sweet Unrest
"For everyone who’s wished for a do-over, for the chance to take back a mean word or an unkind deed, you’ll be rooting for sassy RJ to succeed in this satisfying tale of redemption." —Yvonne Ventresca, award-winning author of Pandemic
11/01/2015
Gr 9 Up—Rowena "RJ" Jones never expected to die. Indeed, a sly gypsy at a carnival pushes her into the Grim Reaper's path unexpectedly. RJ soon learns that dying is a very bureaucratic process, fraught with paperwork and waiting. How does one appeal death? As RJ attempts to undo her ultimate sentence, she is aided by two guardian angels who substantiate her claims. She is granted a reprieve if she can prove to a higher authority that reliving her life will lead to a positive change in the world. How the heck is she supposed to do that? The novel presents the afterlife as a mainly Judeo-Christian concept, which isn't ultimately saved by mentioning the Buddha in a single line of dialogue. RJ can be an infuriating main character. Supporting characters tend to be zany and unpredictable. RJ never knows who is truly friend or foe whenever she meets anyone new. Things are further complicated when Death Himself becomes her advocate yet seems to have an ulterior motive that isn't entirely clear. Death is more concerned with surfing waves than collecting guilty souls, just one example of the quirky behavior many of the secondary characters exhibit. RJ's journey is an interesting adventure—particularly when she revisits and changes pivotal moments from her past. VERDICT A good supplemental addition to large young adult collectionsin need of unusual supernatural titles.—Ryan P. Donovan, Southborough Public Library, MA
2015-07-22
Rowena Joy Jones isn't supposed to be dead. When a Grim Reaper named Gideon mistakenly collects 17-year-old RJ's soul, RJ demands he send her back; however, returning to the land of the living isn't as simple as hopping on the next Soul Mover. First, the beautiful, popular, and cruel RJ must face a Tribunal of angels who will decide her fate. As sending RJ back means rewinding time and altering the chain of events leading up to her accidental death, RJ needs to prove she can change her ways, becoming worthy of returning to Earth to live out her remaining days. If she fails the tasks set forth by the Tribunal, she'll be forced to hang around the Afterlife until her official death date, at which time she can be "processed," face Judgment, and move on to Heaven…or that other place. The Afterlife is a fully realized world comprising a mix of Judeo-Christian belief and Greek mythology, and it is populated by a colorful host of characters: sarcastic Guardian Angels, a hunky St. Peter, a soul-gobbling, three-headed dog, and even Death Himself. RJ's first-person narration is alternately facetious and reverent. The novel's only weakness lies in not giving readers enough of RJ's mean-girl background to contrast with the effort she puts into redeeming herself. Fun, funny, and full of life. (Fantasy. 12-18)
