Cheat the Grave: The Fifth Sign of the Zodiac
Cheat the Grave: The Fifth Sign of the Zodiacby Vicki PetterssonFor those of you unfamiliar with this series, as the title suggests, this is the fifth book and if you are curious about starting the series, I'd suggest you not read further lest I spoil things for you. At the bottom of the post are links to the other books in the series so you might want to start there. ;)Due to a lot of things last year, this book didn't end up on my reading pile. Part of me was excited for it and part of me was under the impression that I didn't really want to read it because I was tired of the series. Thing is, although the fourth book wasn't my all time favourite, this here fifth book took the series to another level and I truly enjoyed it.Because of the long gap between finishing City of Souls and starting Cheat the Grave, I had forgotten some things - the main one being that Joanna was now just a regular ol' mortal girl. With how confused I was during the fourth book it wasn't a shock that I didn't remember a lot of things to be honest.Because Jo gave up her powers and yet still knows about the Light and Shadows, everyone is trying to kill her. The Tulpa wants her dead, Sleepy Mac from Midheaven has been sent to kill her by someone there, her (former) troop leader wants her dead... so she does what any self-respecting woman would do in this situation - she goes to a bachelorette party!One thing I like about Joanna having to live life as her murdered sister Olivia is that I truly enjoy her relationship with Olivia's best friend Cher and her mother Suzanne. There was quite a bit of Cher and Suzanne in this story as it was Suzanne who was getting married. When she was herself, Jo never appreciated her sister's life or her friends and having to live this double life has given her a bit of a boost to her character. Cher and Suzanne make me laugh and I think they represent the true "Light" in Jo's life.While trying to help organize and attend a wedding and trying to not get killed, Joanna discovers a new group of superhero types who she didn't think existed. Turns out Warren, former leader and all around asshat, has been keeping a whole lot of information from the troupe. Not only are there more than just one or two rogues in the city, there's almost an entire troupe and they are neither Shadow or Light but call themselves Grey.Jo finds out some more pretty interesting and shocking things about herself and the underground world she'd only recently discovered as well and it all makes for one really exciting and entertaining read. I was so happy when I realized I was enjoying the book because when I first started I wasn't so sure.I picked this one up when I noticed the latest and last book in the series on the shelves. Of course I had to buy them both. I felt that I needed closure to this series which was one of the first I started writing about on this here book blog. Through it I got to know the author via email earlier on in her fame and discovered that authors can be great people to get to know and are approachable. Then I sort of realized that all my authors knew each other and that made me so happy. This was way before twitter and facebook were as popular as they are now. Back then there were online forums and blogs and author web pages, it was so long ago yet not all that long ago. Funny how technology changes everything so fast!I read a different book once I finished this one before I started on the sixth sign, but once all these reviews are written up (because I am so behind) I will be starting on Neon Graveyard and I am both excited and sad that the series is coming to an end.Zodiac Series