Sarcastic--sometimes devastatingly so--repartee connects readers to the band of surly teenage grim reapers risking everything on their mission to save the Afterlife. Uncle Mort's plan to save the Afterlife by enlisting Junior Grims to help destroy the portals that access it is full of risks, loopholes and secrets--and fiery-tempered, impulsive Lex is the plan's unstable lynchpin. Combined, these elements set the stage for Damico (Croak, 2012; Scorch, 2013) to dispatch favorite characters to their untimely demises (a difficult but admirable choice that maintains the integrity of a novel about grim reapers). In spite of the necessary tragedies, Damico avoids complete bleakness by infusing characters' responses to nearly overwhelming odds with irreverent, brash humor (as Mort remarks, "If you can't have fun at the end of the damn world, when can you?"). The banter reminds readers of the resiliency of the human spirit and its astounding ability to create moments of normalcy (even joy) in the most trying of times. Yes, it's a novel about violence, hate and vengeance, but it's also about love, redemption and triumph. A quick refresher of the first two novels will help decrease confusion, as detailed reminders of events and characters from previous novels are scarce. A gut-wrenching, laugh-out-loud, gritty, honest and brave ending to an appealing trilogy. (Fantasy. 14 & up)

Gr 8 Up-The final installment of Damico's morbid and humorous "Croak" trilogy finds the Croakers (teenaged grim reapers with the ability to Damn souls) being tracked by townspeople angry over the trail of souls left by Lexi (and by Zara who had acquired Lexi's dark ability). The Afterlife is eroding because of the evils done by the infamous reaper, Grotton. To seal off any further damage, the group decides to openly rebel against the Grimsphere government by destroying the portals. Lexi has begun to feel the guilt of condemning so many souls to eternal, unbearable pain and for her twin sister's death. Conversations between her and Driggs-now part human/part ghost-are deep and thought provoking. Still, the snarky comments between characters, humorous pop culture references, and quirky Afterlife denizens keep the story from being too heavy. There is plenty of action as Norwood and his allies pursue the group, but along the way acts of courage and loyalty bond Lexi and her friends even deeper. The various plotlines are tied up but not without great sacrifices. Fans of the "Harry Potter" series will enjoy the creative and secretive Grims' society, though this series is for older teens as it contains violence, mature language, and sexual inferences. Sherry J. Mills, Hazelwood East High School, St. Louis, MO