Once Dead, Twice Shy: Madison Avery, Book 1 (by Kim Harrison)

Author Kim Harrison has a talent for keeping the action flying along without resorting to the kind of grim and gruesome violence typical of teen urban fantasies. She does this with a light touch, original ideas, a complex plot with an even more complex back story, and nearly nonstop action and suspense. In between readers will find a delightfully snarky Guardian Angel, a mix of high school and afterlife politics, and some interesting ideas about the nature of life, death, and reality.

This is another example of a book betrayed by its cover. The picture shows a heavily made-up platinum blonde girl, with an ornate title on a pink background. Take the paper cover off and you find a pink wing embossed on the hardcover. It practically screams, "This book is just for girls!" But the story itself would be enjoyable for anyone who likes a light and exciting fantasy, with plenty of humor and action. It's a shame that probably only half of its potential audience will ever open it up to see what's inside.