4 out of 5 stars
Share This Review
Jake Silver, a financial advisor, wakes up in the hospital. The last thing that Jake can remember, is proposing a toast in celebration of selling his financial planning company for millions when he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his head, after that, he cannot remember anything. The next morning a nurse informs him that he had a stroke. That night he gets annoyed with his hospital roommate keeping him awake with constant grunting and coughing. Out of frustration and lack of sleep he points his finger at his roommate and whispers “Just Die”, a thing his mother taught him to do instead of giving the finger. All havoc breaks loose as the nurses try to resuscitate his roommate but with no success. Shocked with what happened Jake wondered if he really was the cause of the roommate's death, but he quickly changed his mind thinking that maybe the guy’s stroke was more severe than his own.
As the story unfolds Jake quickly realizes that the incident in the hospital was indeed his fault. Whenever he points a finger at a human or an animal and whispers "Just Die", that is what happens. He decides to only entrust this secret to his fiancée and a friend he met in hospital. He knew that in the wrong hands his powers can be used as total destruction. It’s in this small circle that he’s given the opportunity to help his country. What will Jake’s choice be?
Just Die, by E. Alan Fleischauer is a paranormal thriller that keeps you intrigued from the word go. The plot is unique and unlike other paranormal books I’ve read. The characters of Jake, Beth Ann, Omar and DC are very well developed and although each character has a different background they all reflect hidden tragedies. The author touches on topics such as sexual, drug and alcohol abuse and the heartache and struggles that come along with it. It’s this aspect that complements the narrative.
One thing I liked about the book is that it has an easy flow. Although the narrative jumps between the present and the past it's done in such a way that you don't get confused about what's happening. The author also manages to evoke various emotions from being furious with some of the characters to having sympathy for others. I found no grammar or spelling errors which leads me to believe that the book was professionally edited.
I did not find a specific negative; however, since I'm an avid reader of paranormal novels, I was disappointed that the plot did not take an unexpected twist. That ‘wow’ factor so to speak. It could have been deliberately done by the author to stand out from the rest. If this is the case, I would say it was a success. I found a substantial amount of profanity that some readers might not appreciate but it didn’t hinder my read.
With consideration of both the positive and negative aspects I mentioned, my rating for this book is 4 out of 5 stars. I truly did enjoy the uniqueness of the plot as it was refreshing to say the least. The author has written several other award-winning novels which I’ll be reading soon.
My recommendation for this novel will be for older teens, young adults and readers that enjoy the unexpected happenings of the paranormal. I would not recommend this book for readers under 16 or for those who find profanity offensive.
******
Just Die
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
