Die for Me

Written by Amy Plum

Narrated by Julia Whelan

Die for Me is the first in an internationally bestselling paranormal romance series by Amy Plum. This thoroughly original young adult novel caused Booklist to proclaim, "Move over, Bella and Edward."

When Kate Mercier's parents die in a tragic car accident, she has to leave everything behind and move to Paris to live with her grandparents. Kate knows her life will never be the same. But she has no idea how right she is…until she meets Vincent. Mysterious, sexy, and unnervingly charming, Vincent Delacroix puts Kate in danger of losing her heart all over again. Especially when Kate discovers his impossible secret: Vincent is no normal human. He has a terrifying destiny and enemies who are determined to destroy him and all of his kind. And Kate soon realizes that if she follows her heart, she may never be safe again.

Die for Me is the first book in a trilogy rich with atmosphere and thrills. Readers will no doubt agree with New York Times bestselling author Aprilynne Pike, who said, "I devoured this lush, mysterious romance, which delivers a refreshingly human heroine alongside a hero truly deserving of the title."

This paperback edition has extras inside. Discover some of Kate's favorite things; enjoy a sneak peek at Until I Die, the sequel to Die for Me; and more!

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: May 10, 2011
• ISBN: 9780062067807

Amy Plum

Amy Plum is the international bestselling author of the Dreamfall series, the Die for Me series, and the After the End series. She spent her childhood in Birmingham, Alabama, her twenties in Chicago and Paris, and several more years in London, New York, and the Loire Valley. Now she lives in Paris and swears she’ll never move again. You can visit Amy online at www.amyplumbooks.com.

Reviews for Die for Me

[srfeike · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book was entertaining and well written. The revenants themselves are a unique idea, but the actual storyline is a retell of every other YA romance story out there. Though I liked the story and am glad to have read it, it did not fill me with the need to go out and read the rest of the series. I think my favorite part about the whole book is the cover, which is completely gorgeous!

[lthoman_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have mixed feelings on this one. First, the plot point comparisons to Twilight are abundant and fairly obvious. I’m not going to go into the minutia in detail, because others have already done so. Personally, I don’t actually mind if one book is really reminiscent of another, as long as it has its own spin on the subject matter.Yes, this book has many similarities to Twilight, as they are both teen paranormal romances between a human and an immortal. But Revenants ≠ Vampires, Kate ≠ Bella, and Vincent ≠ Edward. So I don’t really mind that the story bears some resemblance to Twilight. I don’t begrudge Ms. Plum her inspiration (if indeed Twilight was her inspiration — I haven’t asked her, so I don’t know), because I honestly think genuine new ideas are a dying breed. If we demanded all books were utterly unique, there wouldn’t be much to read.That said, while I don’t mind that Die for Me resembled Twilight, I also can’t help but compare the two in terms of what I liked and didn’t like.Winner: Die for MeI liked Kate. She seemed a relatively level-headed teen who tried to think through the bizarre situation she was in. Yes, she had her share of caution-to-the-wind “but I’m just so in love” moments, but mostly she tried to actually use her brain and make logical choices. She tried not to let her relationship with Vincent define her (although ultimately, it pretty much did), and didn’t turn into a puddle of goo every time he looked at her.I also loved the Parisian setting. I’ve got to be honest: I’ve been to Paris, and I wasn’t all that thrilled with it. But I would love to go to the Paris that’s described in this book. Ms. Plum beautifully paints a picture of Parisian culture and nightlife that’s vivid and lush.I enjoyed the Revenants mythology. It was a unique and intriguing (not to mention far less gross) take on the traditional zombie/vampire theme. I liked that most of the time, they appeared utterly human and didn’t have any defining [cough*sparkly*cough] characteristics. That made it a lot more believable that they were just walking around in public, mingling with the humans. And the “rules” of their existence made sense within the context of the story, which is always a must for me to enjoy a paranormal/fantasy/sci-fi anything.And overall, I liked Ms. Plum’s writing style. She chose her words well and her writing style had a nice flow to it.Oh, and the cover art? Die for Me wins, no contest. So pretty.Winner: TwilightI’ve got to admit: while I would never put Twilight up there as the greatest romantic literature ever (Jane Austen would roll over in her grave), Stephenie Meyer had a knack for conveying the belly-fluttery feeling of first infatuation (I’m not going to call it love. I’m not.) She was really good at putting those swoony feelings into words. And Amy Plum also does a good job, just not as good.Stephenie Meyer also had an advantage with “the hook.” The thing that kept you needing to go to the next chapter, because you couldn’t just stop there. It’s why I tore through all 4 books of the Twilight saga in just a couple days, the same amount of time it took me to read Die for Me. I was interested, but the sense of urgency just wasn’t there.Too Close to CallI know that people keep saying that Kate and Vincent have a healthier relationship than Edward and Bella…but I’m just not seeing it. Both girls are kind of consumed. Both relationships go from just-met to can’t-live-without-you in a freakishly short period of time. Both guys are just a wee bit stalkerish. And if the title of the book is any indication, I’m kind of guessing that at some point, both girls are ultimately going to sacrifice their lives so they can stay with their stud.Yeah, Kate is less dramatic than Bella. I don’t see cliff jumping in her immediate future. And if Vincent left her, she’d probably be okay. Eventually. But it doesn’t change the fact that Kate basically clings to Vincent as the most/only important thing in her life.A couple other thoughts:Insta-LoveIt’s out in full force in Die for Me. I have to admit, I’m one of those people that’s bothered by it, but also accepts it as a necessary evil in YA. I’m not sure I’d go so far as to say that Kate and Vincent’s relationship is realistic — I know that instant attraction takes place in real life, but the can’t-live-without-you super-devotion that develops in an extremely short period of time…I’m not convinced that it’s entirely realistic.Final ConflictFirst of all, I saw the bad guy coming from a mile away. It seemed like the reveal of the bad guy was supposed to be somewhat shocking, but there was some extremely heavy foreshadowing that made it…not.Then when it came down to the final showdown, everything felt a little too convenient. Of course things are possible with Kate and Vincent that haven’t ever been possible for anyone, ever. Because they’re just so deeply bonded after knowing each other a couple months, more than people who have been in love for decades. Of course. *sigh*On the one hand, I get that it’s probably not as much fun to write/read about a “normal” relationship where they have to deal with the situations they’re in with whatever skills they already possessed (or didn’t possess). But on the other hand, why is this relationship so much stronger than other human-revenant relationships? They don’t know each other all that well, haven’t known each other all that long, and I don’t buy that their instant chemistry trumps another couple’s decades of intimacy.I still found the end of the book exciting and mostly satisfying. I just kind of wish the way it got there didn’t feel a bit contrived.Final Verdict:I liked Die for Me. I just didn’t love it. And since it is bound to be directly compared to Twilight (it’s even being marketed as “the next Twilight” and fans are told “if you liked Twilight, you’ll love Die for Me”), I can’t help but try to think about which one I enjoyed reading more.And honestly, even though I will be the first to admit that Die for Me is technically superior and has far fewer frustrating elements…I have to give the edge to Twilight. It had that pull, that sense of urgency that kept me reading late into the night even though I had a newborn baby who I just knew was going to wake up at 4 a.m. I didn’t feel that with Die for Me. It was just…good.I still am interested in reading the sequel, Until I Die. Just because book 1 resembled Twilight doesn’t mean the entire series will, and I think I would probably enjoy it more if my mind wasn’t constantly drawing comparisons between the two. And again, I’m not saying I didn’t enjoy Die for Me. It just didn’t sweep me up and enthrall me like I wanted it to.3.5 stars

[eomalley_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I held off reading Amy Plum’s 2011 début novel Die For Me, the first installment of her Revenants trilogy, due to a wonderfully entertaining review on Amazon (which has sadly disappeared) that laid all the negatives of the book out with plenty of facts backing the criticisms up. I love a well-thought-out argument and since, in this instance, it detailed how very much Die For Me was like Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight I decided I was in no hurry to check it out. At the time, I just wasn’t in the mood for another Twilight clone. Now that I have discovered plenty of new worlds in the pages of books outside of Twilight I decided to give Die For Me a chance (a $1.99 ebook sale didn’t hurt either). What I found was a highly addictive read that had me tearing through the story and grabbing up book two, Until I Die, before I’d even finished book one. Is it Twilight re-born? Or something totally new? Let’s dig deeper.What I LovedThe Mythology: The revenant mythology Amy Plum has created is unique and fascinating. It calls to mind both zombies and the immortals of Highlander – with the latter feeling like the strongest influence. I found it interesting that “good” revenants have an “addiction” to save others but “bad” revenants desire to kill, while their physical attributes allow them to blend easily into society. Die For Me very carefully lays out the mythology and I loved that many questions Kate had about Vincent were answered in this first book.The Setting: I’ve never been to Paris, but I’ve read about so many of the places mentioned here in other books or heard about them in my long ago French classes. Since author Amy Plum actually lives in the City of Lights, she threw in all kinds of little touches to the story that made me feel I was actually visiting the city and interacting with the people who call it home. Little bits of etiquette, the cafés and markets, the hidden courtyards – everything combined to give a sense of realism to the tale.What I LikedNo Love Triangle: Yep, you heard me – no love triangle! While Vincent’s friend Jules has delicately expressed some interest in Kate, at no point in this book did it ever feel like an actual triangle was imminent. A refreshing change.The Truth Is Out There: By this I mean that while the entire Revenant community is very careful to keep their secrets, the truth can and does get out. By the time the story ends someone close to Kate is brought into the secret Revenant world, so Kate is not alone in her knowledge of Revenants. There is also an entire network of public servants helping keep the secret, which is kind of nice.The Characters: I liked Vincent and Kate, despite their Edward/Bella vibes. Vincent is not as dark and tortured as Edward (most of the time), but Kate definitely has signs of the “not very beautiful, loves the classics, what does he see in me?” heroine that seems too familiar. There is a nice investigation of grief in Die For Me, however, as she struggles to deal with the loss of her parents and her fear of losing anyone else she loves to death. She also shows a fighting spirit – when Vincent is in danger at one point she swings a sword right along with the bad guy…just very badly. Good to see some fighting spirit.There are a lot of secondary characters between Vincent’s Revenant family and Kate’s human one, but they are very well-defined and easy to keep apart. My hands down favorite, however, is Kate’s sister Georgia who is a party animal but loves her sister more than anything in the world. There is a wonderful sibling relationship on display in this book; the girls may be complete opposites, but they have each other's back every step of the way.What Made Me HesitateTwilight Lives: More so in this first book of the trilogy, but oh is that Twilight feeling alive and well! Kate/Bella, Vincent/Edward, Charlotte/Alice – these were the worst offenders. Co-dependency rears its ugly head in Die For Me when Kate breaks up with Vincent at one point. She is the one to initiate the break-up but, just like Meyer’s New Moon (which I happen to love), both of them become ghosts of themselves and basically can’t handle being apart. I can definitely see the correlations made by that long ago reviewer, but overall the story was addictive enough I could overlook the similarities.Favorite Quote “Well, spit on my empty grave—if it ain’t the attack of the Disney princesses!” he snarled. (Chapter 37)ConclusionAmy Plum has created a wonderfully unique mythology involving a zombie/immortal race called Revenants that is absolutely fascinating. Die For Me is a page-turner, but it suffers slightly from some Twilight overtones. Thankfully, this is off-set by the compelling backdrop of Paris, plenty of action and romance, and a cast of likable characters. Die For Me is a great addition to your YA paranormal reading pile.

[inkygal · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I don't do Zombies. But this book isn't even zombies. They're revenants. So I liked this book it was pretty good. Because the first to chapters were all like Kate being so messed up it was kinda boring, but once it got going I really enjoyed it. The take on zombies was interesting. I mean I've never really been into this kind of thing. I don't read zombie or vampire very much. So this was actually really good and different than other Paranormal. The first 2/3rds are revolving about Kate and her adjustment and meeting Vince and dealing with her feelings for him and what would come with a relationship of a kind like him. The last 3rd is the introduction of more conflict that results in the ending stand up. I'm curious to see where things will go from in the next book. This book was very romantic. Vincent is hot and romantic. I enjoyed it but there were a couple times that it started getting heated but it died down.I went into this thinking it would be clean. Nope. There is some language scattered throughout. As well as a couple scenes where a girl changes in a room with a boy there (back turned) and vice versa. That struck me weird. It was a bit uncomfortable. Some little innuendo, talk of wishing they could go to bed right then. But self control. Either way I enjoyed the book. And I'm interested to see how it continues in Until I Die.

[forsakenfates · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a really interesting book. I never thought I would enjoy a book about zombies (or revenants if you want to be specific). Vincent and his "family" were by far the best parts of the book. Each of them had a unique personality that was fun to read.

Plum has such a unique way of writing that really intrigued me. I really enjoyed her prose and dialogue.

[a.happy.booker · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I thoroughly enjoyed Die For Me. I felt the Paris setting was exceptionally written, providing a romantic and beautiful background for this original story. From the small cafe where Kate would read to the Pont des Arts, the Parisian scenery was used effectively to enhance the romantic tone. Most paranormal novels could take place almost anywhere, but this story could only have taken place in Paris. The way the scenery was written was one of my favorite aspects of this book.

I enjoyed the characters too. They were rich in charisma, engaging, and each had their own distinctive personalities. Jules was the teasing and flirtatious bad boy, Charlotte, the sweet BFF, and her brother Charles, the moody teenager, and a few more Revenants were very entertaining in their interactions with one another.

I was surprised to find the main character, Kate, was not a badass heroine nor was she a weak and whiny damsel. She was an average teen dealing with the loss of her parents who enjoyed losing herself in books, museums, and art. Very relatable and, well, normal. Vincent, too, was not over the top "alpha", he seemed very mature, perceptive, and sincere. The one drawback to Vincent's character is that he did have some extreme stalkerish tendencies. I don't know why authors do that, it is creepy, not romantic!



Anyway..other than that, I enjoyed their relationship. There was, of course, the instant chemistry, but from there, the romance grew between them at a believable pace and there was no declarations of undying love. It was nice. They were both very open and honest with each other about their feelings, there wasn't a lot of posturing or whining. It was absolutely refreshing.

I really felt like the Revenants themselves were a wholly original and interesting concept. I was fascinated by the bits and pieces of the Revenant mythology, I wish the author would have explored that further. The fact that they were driven by compulsion to save the lives of random strangers at the cost of their own lives was utterly intriguing. I hated that they kept referring to themselves as zombies. I felt like I was more committed to the revenant idea than the author herself. I really hope that is one of the kinks that gets worked out as the series continues.

The plot itself was fairly simple, almost formulaic; bad guys vs. good guys. There wasn't a lot of action, but that was okay. I was definitely held captive by the writing and the interaction between the characters. The plot's resolution, I thought, was tied up a bit loosely, leaving me with many questions I'm sure will be addressed in later books. There was a bit of a Twilight feel to a lot of it. The Revenant family all living together, the obsessive stalking thing, the conflict between the good revenants and the bad revenants which was kind of a "this town ain't big enough for the both of us" type of thing. There were definitely some flaws, but none that were serious enough, for me, that it took away from my enjoyment of the story. I think that this was a wonderful debut from an author I am excited to see more from!

[eliazenaida · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

this is a great book it got my attention when I 1st read it

[Bridget McCullough · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The main character was a little off sometimes but a strong character toward the end. All in all, it was a good book.

[kailiasage · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I had no idea what to expect from this book. The cover jacket is so vague and mysterious that I was utterly excited to being reading this book. Can I just say right now that this book was like a breath of fresh air for one reason (among others) 1: the supernatural creature that was featured in this book is one that I haven’t seen a lot of.“Revenants” is the new concept (kind of like zombies) in this book and I was super interested to see how the author would play this out. Revenants are immortal….people?...who die over and over again to save someone else’s life. After dying, for three days, the revenants reanimate and then it begins all over again. As Kate, our protagonist, learns about the revenants, so do we and honestly, I just loved how Amy did it. It wasn’t too much information that over whelmed us but good amounts scattered throughout the book.I loved the characters in this book, especially Kate. She’s horrified at Vincent’s true identity but she moves on with it; she doesn’t just stick with the fact that she’s got a paranormal boyfriend, which was really nice. She’s stubborn and proves that she can stand up for herself, against everything. Vincent, the love interest, was also a favorite of mine because he’s such a (French, oh la la) gentleman. He treats Kate with respect and he understands that she’s human but she’s also very strong. He also understands that when she says she’s okay with learning new information, he doesn’t keep her in the dark like a feeble child; he tells her what she wants to know. If you can’t already tell, their relationship is awesome, built very much on trust and understand and love; very awesome!A French setting, an awesome protagonist, a swoon worthy (really, really swoon worthy) love interest, and a very well thought out, interesting concept, Die for Me is a must read. Even if you’re hesitant towards paranormal these days, give this book a chance. You might just be very pleasantly surprised.

[bonnie_ferrante · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A clever, intriguing variation on the immortals theme. Kate is a well-rounded character on her own. When she meets Vincent, a unique immortal, a whole new world is revealed to her. This could make a terrific series.

[alphaomegavoyager7_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Interesting book. At first, I thought this was an exact copy of twilight. After all, Vincent was a "zombie". However, after reading the whole book, I was surprised how different the book was and all the action in it. I was very interested by the 'volants' who die (again and again) to save people. However, being a villain sometimes seems so much sexier :)

[westfargolibrary · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Following the death of their parents, Kate and Georgia move to Paris to live with their grandparents. At a cafe, Kate meets Vincent, an immortal. At first, Kate thinks the hardest thing about being with Vincent is his immortality, she soon learns about the real danger of being in love with an immortal. Vincent and his kind, Revenants, are in a war with the Numa, also immortal, which will put Kate and Georgia's lives in danger.

[lovejoy_rat · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Love loved this book! Strong female lead is a refreshing and well deserved changed from the love-sick forlorn damsels in distress that so often are featured in teen paranormal romance. Author made reading about Paris a joy - I couldn't wait to see where she would set the next scene. I've never in my life wanted to go to Paris, but after reading her dazzling descriptions I want to go now.Vincent is a great hero, and the rest of his revenant family are three dimensional and all people I'd love to meet. The whole concept around dying to save another is a great premise for a paranormal. Hope this makes for a long series.

[literarycravings · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

With the influx of paranormal romances hitting the YA market I thought Die for Me would be one in the same. While it does have typical elements within the story it did have unique surprises that made it different. Which lead to an interesting story.I enjoyed how the story was set in romantic and exotic Paris, France which in my book automatically added diversity and freshness to the story. It was interesting to read how Kate, the main character, navigated her new surroundings and the handsome mysterious male Vincent. Who brought to her life new adventures and dangers. The romance between Kate and Vincent was typical and a bit fast for me, I would have liked for a bit more development and drama since how the ending played out this will clearly develop into a series. Though in the end it didn’t really detract from the story as a whole because while half the focus was set on their romance it was more on the discovery of the Revenants and how they affected and changed Kate’s life. What really captured me was the paranormal element within the story that Vincent and his friends brought. The Revenants were unique and intriguing, grabbing my attention from when they were first introduced with their powers and missions. I wish there were more of those intense scenes with the Revenants, watching them go to work and battle their enemies. Since the story was told in first person narrative through Kate’s point of view I found her to be a good strong character with a clear voice. Overall I found that I enjoyed Die for Me. Amy’s writing style was clear and entertaining and I look forward to reading more of Kate and Vincent’s story.

[catfantastic_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I was drawn to this title by the Parisian setting and the beautiful cover art. Die for Me is yet another take on the popular teen paranormal romance trend, and is pretty standard fare for the genre. When her parents die, teenager Kate and her older sister, Georgia, move to Paris to live with their grandparents. Georgia is the extroverted party girl, out enjoying the Paris nightlife, but Kate is a quieter girl, who enjoys reading in cafes and visiting museums, where she meets a handsome and mysterious boy named Vincent. Vincent and his friends live in a palace, and are immortals known as "revenants." Killed in the act of saving someone's life, they continue to sacrifice themselves, repeatedly dying in the act of rescuing others. There are also "bad" revenants, known as "numa," who died after betraying others. Well, it's another teen paranormal romance and, while the Parisian setting is a unique touch, I wish Plum had done more with setting details and ambience. The descriptions feel flat and lifeless, rather than evoking the magic and history of the city. Kate is a rather uninspiring heroine. She is indecisive and unable to handle immortals without having a nervous meltdown. She doesn't take charge, or move the plot forwards, but merely follows Vincent around, or else mopes and feels sorry for herself. Vincent himself is merely an archetype - he is the expected good looking, polite, gentlemanly boyfriend who is also immortal, heroic, and completely willing to make the heroine the centre of his universe. The plot is slow moving, with the bulk of the book focusing on Kate and Vincent's saccharine outings and her sulking about his immortality. In the end, there are better-written young adult books out there, and I don't see any reason to recommend this one in particular.

[marjorie.mallon · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed Die for Me but it didn't quite hit the 5 star or upper 4 star spot for me. But, it did transport me to Paris which was pretty nice considering I'm in Lockdown in the UK! I preferred the latter part of the book which I engaged with more as it became a whole lot more lively. So, don't give up on this too early on, I promise it gets more exciting. The start felt a bit slow to me, which was a bit of a surprise with the title Die For Me. But, overall this is a nice easy read/romance and an interesting take on the usual zombie type idea - the premise was good.

Would I recommend? Yes, overall I enjoyed it.

[sapphireddragon · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book has been sitting on my TBR shelf (literally) for over a year now. I almost picked it up a number of times but always had something else I wanted or needed to read first. I finally picked up it up on Sunday night because I was in need of a change of pace from what I had been reading and after reading just a page knew I was in for a treat.

The way Ms Plum writes is easy to read and friendly and the story engaging enough that before you know it you are are half way through the book and ready to finish it within a matter of hours.

I liked the characters. The way the characters were painted in tis book left me with a clear image in my head of what i though they should look like and how they would act. I found Kate likeable and endearing and wanted a Vincent of my very own :-)

The setting of Paris is the ideal Romantic setting and again, Ms Plum's writing painted me a picture of a glorious city.

However I need to go back to the story. It was fresh and original and I look forward to reading the next instalment, which I already have on my kindle. Hopefully it won't take me so long to get to it this time.

I give this book 4 stars

[mrsdanaalbasha · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

[Monday, October 17, 2011] I just finished the book and I can't wait for book two. I've read great books lately and this is really one of them. I enjoyed the feeling of Paris, adventure, good food and love.

Kate and Vincent are so cute together and I have to say I just loved Jules. Charlotte love to Ambrose promises great addition to the upcoming sequel.

I learned so much about Paris just by reading the book.

[tjsjohanna_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

So this is one genre of supernatural beings that I haven't read much about. One of the interesting things about the plot is the heroine comes to terms with the losses of death by falling in love with someone who is so intimately involved with death.

[zerogoal · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Es geht um ein junges Mädchen mit dem Namen Kate Mercier. Nachdem tragischen Unfall ihrer Eltern ziehen Kate und ihre Schwester Georgia nach Paris zu ihren Großeltern. Kate sucht ihren Seelenfrieden in ihren Büchern bis sie eines Tages Vincent trifft. Vincent ist kein normaler Junge, dies spürt auch Kate. Sie fühlt sich auf eine seltsame Art zu ihm hingezogen. Während Sparziergängen an der Seine entlang verliebt sie sich in ihn. Doch diese Liebe ist nicht zum Besten gestellt,denn durch einen Zufall erfährt Kate das dieser Junge ein Revenant ist. Er kämpft für das gute und muss sich gegen eine Gruppe rachsüchtiger Revenants behaupten. Ob die Liebe zu einander bestehen kann steht auf einem anderen Blatt geschrieben.

[kelly_mills-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I was really looking forward to this read & was surprised to find I didn't like it quite as much as expected. Having thought a lot about it, there is really just one aspect that brought the rating down for me. I thoroughly enjoyed Amy Plum's writing and character & plot development. This story is set in Paris, a city that I absolutely adore, so it was fun to revisit in the novel. Die For Me has a unique premise and I will be reading the sequel. The one thing I didn't care for was the "instant" love between the two main characters of the book. Sometimes when you see "instant" love, it is later explained as to how that love is not really so "instant" after all. That was not the case here. The main guy falls madly, hopelessly in love with the main girl with no real explanation. Certainly not because of getting to know her. There is a small explanation given as to why he would be attracted to her after a certain event takes place, but to me at least that didn't explain his head over heels falling for her. And it bugged me. Thus the 3 star rating. However, I still recommend this book for the various reasons listed previously, and am looking forward to checking out the sequel soon.

[ncdonnas · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I thoroughly enjoyed Die For Me. I felt the Paris setting was exceptionally written, providing a romantic and beautiful background for this original story. From the small cafe where Kate would read to the Pont des Arts, the Parisian scenery was used effectively to enhance the romantic tone. Most paranormal novels could take place almost anywhere, but this story could only have taken place in Paris. The way the scenery was written was one of my favorite aspects of this book.

I enjoyed the characters too. They were rich in charisma, engaging, and each had their own distinctive personalities. Jules was the teasing and flirtatious bad boy, Charlotte, the sweet BFF, and her brother Charles, the moody teenager, and a few more Revenants were very entertaining in their interactions with one another.

I was surprised to find the main character, Kate, was not a badass heroine nor was she a weak and whiny damsel. She was an average teen dealing with the loss of her parents who enjoyed losing herself in books, museums, and art. Very relatable and, well, normal. Vincent, too, was not over the top "alpha", he seemed very mature, perceptive, and sincere. The one drawback to Vincent's character is that he did have some extreme stalkerish tendencies. I don't know why authors do that, it is creepy, not romantic!



Anyway..other than that, I enjoyed their relationship. There was, of course, the instant chemistry, but from there, the romance grew between them at a believable pace and there was no declarations of undying love. It was nice. They were both very open and honest with each other about their feelings, there wasn't a lot of posturing or whining. It was absolutely refreshing.

I really felt like the Revenants themselves were a wholly original and interesting concept. I was fascinated by the bits and pieces of the Revenant mythology, I wish the author would have explored that further. The fact that they were driven by compulsion to save the lives of random strangers at the cost of their own lives was utterly intriguing. I hated that they kept referring to themselves as zombies. I felt like I was more committed to the revenant idea than the author herself. I really hope that is one of the kinks that gets worked out as the series continues.

The plot itself was fairly simple, almost formulaic; bad guys vs. good guys. There wasn't a lot of action, but that was okay. I was definitely held captive by the writing and the interaction between the characters. The plot's resolution, I thought, was tied up a bit loosely, leaving me with many questions I'm sure will be addressed in later books. There was a bit of a Twilight feel to a lot of it. The Revenant family all living together, the obsessive stalking thing, the conflict between the good revenants and the bad revenants which was kind of a "this town ain't big enough for the both of us" type of thing. There were definitely some flaws, but none that were serious enough, for me, that it took away from my enjoyment of the story. I think that this was a wonderful debut from an author I am excited to see more from!

[soplada · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I've lived in a beautiful place ...
I've lived in Paris ...
I've imagined every detail :)
it's wonderful
and for a completeness i add (Red light) by Selena Gomez ;) after it's ended it's fascinating...
TRY IT

[cynditefft · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I liked the premise, but this book was mostly just okay for me. I never fell in love with Vincent (in fact, I liked Jules better) because the dialogue between him and Kate seemed unnatural.

The ending was satisfying, which helped bring it from 2 to 3 stars for me.

[readingdate · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

With so many paranormal choices on the shelves, it's not easy to find one that has that special unique quality. Die For Me satisfied my paranormal craving by introducing the revenant concept and featuring a picturesque Paris setting. The first book in the Revenants trilogy sets up the mythology, characters and romance and left me wanting more.

Kate Mercier and her older sister Georgia have recently moved from the States to Paris to live with their grandparents after the death of their parents. Georgia deals with her grief by going out every night, while Kate keeps a lower profile. She's a bookish girl with a fondness for museums, and she finally ventures out of her room to soak up the atmosphere. She quickly meets and becomes enamored with Vincent, a gorgeous and charming local, with a secret to hide. Vincent is a revenant, which is an undead zombie-type being. He and his band of fellow revenants don't terrorize the people of Paris by hunting flesh though; they sacrifice their lives over and over to save others. They also have to look out for the evil revenants called numa who don't have the kind intentions of Vincent's group. Kate must decide if a relationship with the undead Vincent is worth the challenges that come with it.

I was enticed to pick up this book because of the Paris setting and the idea of the revenants. The premise did not seem entirely original, but the combination of romance, Paris, and this revenant element worked for me. The first book sets up a lot of options to explore in the sequel, and I'm intrigued to continue the series. The writing and even pace kept my interest along with the mix of romance, mythology and action.

Kate as a character is sensible and cautious, and this relationship with Vincent takes her out of her comfort zone. She's understandably having a tough time dealing with the death of her parents, and not sure if she can handle Vincent's unique situation. Vincent is protective, sweet and generous to Kate and wants to find a way to make her comfortable with him as a revenant. Their love story doesn't move too quickly, and they have many romantic moments as they explore Paris together. We are introduced to Vincent's friends and they liven up the story with tales of their history and challenges with the undead life. I especially liked Jules and Charlotte and their friendship that develops with Kate.

Regarding the listening experience of the audiobook, reader Julia Whelan does an impeccable job handling the character voices and French words used throughout the book. Her narration is perfect for Kate, but she also does a stellar job with the other voices such as Vincent and his friends, Kate's grandparents, and her sister Georgia with her occasional Southern accent. One of the reasons I chose the audiobook version of Die For Me was to hear the French words and pronunciation spoken correctly since my French language skills are lacking. Julia Whelan handles the language well. Though there is not too much French spoken in the book because Kate speaks to Vincent in English because he doesn't usually get to speak it. Die For Me is one of my favorite audiobook experiences so far this year.

I would describe this book as a paranormal romance, and while there is an element of action and danger, it felt like more of a love story. The revenant story is compelling and I'm so curious to see what will happen next. Happily, Die For Me does not end with a big cliffhanger, but there are hints of things to come that have me intrigued. The sequel is called Until I Die (that sounds ominous) and should be out around May 2012.

[amymathisgreen · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is a good book!!! I couldn't get enough of it. However, the only thing I didn't like was the use of the word zombie to describe them. I felt it was a fake way to explain them. The word just didn't feel right. Plus I could see that things would work out in the end. I never felt like they wouldn't. I wish there could have been a deeper story.

[marandaray · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It was a good book and a quick read. I absolutly adored the fact that it took place on Paris, Great setting for a tumultuous love story! It took a little while for the plot to really start but the background was in no way boring! I am looking forward to see what else awaits.

[bduke_15 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I thought this book started out really well, I loved the twist of "revenants" instead of the usual paranormal book. I loved the Paris setting, I can just imagine myself sitting at an outdoor cafe and reading. Ahhhhh. I appreciated that the main character was really close to her sister and grandparents and was a big reader and loved museums. The main character and her love interest take their time getting to know each other, and that was refreshing. There are obvious Twilight comparisons, but I enjoyed the unique twists. However, the middle of the book really dragged for me. It did pick up at the end, though. I read this on my Kindle so I couldn't mark places with inappropriate things like cussing and vulgarities. I don't remember anything too offensive, though. All in all, I enjoyed it.

[neysakristanti-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The first time I came across Die for Me was from the hype in Goodreads, and it hooked me almost instantly. Paris? That's my favorite city. Catchy title? Check. Gorgeous cover? Check. Overall? Totally made it to my list.But it was long before I decided to pick it up, and it spent quite a long time on my TBR list.This book introduced us to our main character, Kate Mercier, as she struggled with her parents sudden death. Along with her sister, Georgia, they moved out to Paris, where their grandparents lived.Finally felt comfortable with her new home, Kate's life was shaken once again when she met Vincent, the gorgeous boy at the cafe who seemed to watch her and all.But when she saw Vincent's friend crushed by a train, and seemed alive and healthy the next time they met, Kate was suddenly thrust into the world of the Revenant, where the chosen people could die and reanimated again and again.The plot was intriguing, and the execution was well enough. The tension building was done nicely, and it made readers sitting on the edge of their seat and flipping the book, wanting more. It was sagging in some parts, but for most part, I think the story flowed well enough. I also could picture the scene perfectly on my head, with the great description that didn't give out too much or too little.For me personally, I think that Kate's character was a bit flat and too common. It's not like she's a Mary-Sue, but I think she lacks uniqueness and surprise.Our main hero, Vincent, was charming and oh-so-handsome, and totally all over Kate. That's okay. It's not a total turn-off point for me. But then again, lack of surprise.Oddly, I found that the secondary character was more interesting and real than our main character. Ambrose (Vincent's friend) and Georgia (Kate's sister) were the two character I like. Georgia's personality was so distinct-explosive, reckless, and all action-while Ambrose was truly a funny and devil-may-care guy.Overall, I think this book is quite okay. For all of people who loves Fantasy, as well as aww-romance, go for this book, because this is exactly what you're looking for.

[beckymmoe_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Die for Me is a solid debut effort for novelist Amy Plum, who clearly uses her first-hand knowledge of Paris to create a lush and vibrant backdrop for her story. I received an ARC from NetGalley of this title, and I am glad that I did. It's a fresh take on YA fantasy in a market that has really taken off these days but has tended to offer a lot of same-old, same-old as of late. Die for Me is the story of sixteen-year-old Kate Mercier, who, along with her older sister Georgia, has recently moved to Paris to live with her grandparents after a tragic accident leaves them orphans. Plum does an excellent job of writing about Kate's pain and the difficulty she has dealing with her loss throughout the book. Naturally, some time after arriving in Europe, Kate meets a boy, a beautiful boy who seems to have an air of mystery about him. I really liked that Kate and Vincent's initial meetings aren't all trumpets playing and angels singing, but more like the awkward and potentially embarrassing beginnings often experienced outside of fiction. As Kate slowly comes to learn what Vincent is—because of course he isn't a regular human—the story continues to unfold nicely. In a genre overrun with vampires, shape shifters, witches, and the latest, fallen angels, Vincent and his brethren are something new. They're revenants, undead immortals who became what they are by sacrificing their lives for another's and now they devote their—lives? existences? remaining time on the planet?— to helping save as many humans as they can. They are also locked into eternal combat with the numa, their evil undead counterparts who are determined to destroy as many human lives as they can.
For the first half or so of the novel, I was completely immersed in the story. It was a solid five-star read. The concept of the revenants was totally new, though, and I did have to go back and forth quite a bit at first to get a better handle on who they are and what they can do—even now, I'm not entirely sure I could ace a pop quiz on the subject, but a passable score should be doable. The idea of this supernatural race is definitely something new, and it was a nice change. The second half of the book is what slipped it down to a four-star read for me; it's an engaging read and a solid story, but it does have a healthy dose of the melodrama so prevalent in YA fiction. It was refreshing to see that Kate and Vincent didn't magically have an instant relationship, but naturally once they did have one it suddenly became the relationship that will put all other relationships to shame. Some of their later conversations drifted a bit into the overly sappy Romeo-and-Juliet-style of conversation, but it wasn't any more over the top than other examples I've read lately in this genre. Kate and Georgia's grandparents were present in the story but just barely—they had a tendency to just smile benignly on the girls no matter what, which did make them seem like much flatter characters than many of the others in the story. The main villain, too, could have been a bit more present in the story before his dramatic showing in the climax—it felt like we really didn't get a solid enough grasp on his character and motivations up to that point. Overall, though, none of these things seriously detracted from my enjoyment of the story. It should do really well with its target audience, and I have a feeling it will spend more time out with my students than on my classroom library shelves this spring. I am looking forward to seeing what Plum has in mind for these characters in the next book in the series, because I believe it has the potential to be even better than the first.