Sid is a you adopted Korean girl trying to survive in a small city where people still ask her where she's from, her ex best friend started dating the guy she likes (hence her being an ex bff) and she doesn't really know where she fits in life, except with her brother Matty. Just yesterday that may have seemed like the worst of her worries, until a guardian died. Guardians protect the world from magic and without them it is running rampant, bringing zombies to life and imbuing those around with special powers. Sid's brother is missing, a man with what seems like an entire commando crew behind him is attacking her city and Sid isn't sure who she can trust in her search to find her brother and try to save the city from losing any more guardians than they already have.
I was lucky enough to received an arc of the audiobook of Dead Things are Closer Than They Appear from Netgalley and Simon Teen. Huge thanks because I have been eyeing this book and was going to purchase it anyway but I got to enjoy it in a different format first. Right off the bat the narrator isn't working for me. She sounds just a little too old for the character she is portraying, but I promise you, by the end of the book you can't imagine Sid's voice any other way. I think it had more to do with the slow pacing in the beginning (hello we have to know where we are and who the relevant characters are before the killing can start!) and not really a fault of the narrator. Eunice Wong did great!
The beginning like in any other fantasy took a minute to get going because we really needed to learn who Sid is as a person before we were able to connect with her and care about her survival. I really enjoyed all the pop culture references throughout the book, especially the ones about K-pop and K-dramas (Goblin is #1 ). Robin Wasley's writing is so palpable there were parts that gave me the creeps, I had literal chills going down my arms.
The action sequences are very well written making it easy to stay in the moment and visualize what is happening. I love a strong female character and Sid is that but she's also more. She is still trying to figure out life while wondering if she will have a life left to live when all is said and done. While the beginning may have been a bit more subdued you can expect an all out adventure once the action begins and characters start dying (yes, people die, so be sure to not get too attached!)
This is probably the most thrilling book I have read since Shatter Me and it makes sense because Dead Things are Closer Than They Appear is basically Shatter Me meets I Am Number 4 but better. My only complaint at this point is that I wish this book was the first in a series and not a stand alone, but Robin and I talked it out and Im just glad it exists and I got the chance to read it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars for this fantastic read. I totally recommend this to anyone who was trying to figure out what Fourth Wing was missing. You will find it here. You can grab your own copy by clicking the link to the right or snatch up the audiobook when it's out on the 27th.
Psst! Just so you know, some of the links sprinkled here are affiliate links. If you decide to click and treat yourself, I might get a little high-five in the form of a commission at no additional cost to you. Cheers to good vibes and a happy reading!