Review: Dead Til Death (Ballistic Incantations #2) by Charlie Fey

My Rating: 4

Synopsis: 

...Ballistic Incantations...

Maintaining a 2.0 in Black Magic school is hard, especially when you have a Blood Alcohol Level of .24. "Vegas" is determined to do it though. He only came to Absolution Academy--school for Black Magic--to find the one thing he craves the most...a way to bring his girlfriend Katherine back Book 2: Dead til Death

So Vegas managed to get an "A" for his Crypto-Biology class but it sure wasn't EASY. He's just a few more cut classes away from being kicked out of Absolution Academy and he's down to two options: Allow Seth Bynum to tutor him or get ready for magic school "Special Ed."

Somewhere in his drug induced stupor Vegas manages to get his hands on Kaye's Spell book. Unfortunately, the thing is enchanted, and not in a good way that brings a charming prince and a happy ending. It's cool, Vegas doesn't want a "happy ending" from some dude anyway, but the book is enchanted by EVIL and starts to twist and pervert Vegas' mind...not that anyone can really tell the difference...

Meanwhile in Emo-Ville...

Seth is trying his best to save Vegas, but how can you save someone who wants you DEAD? Vegas is going to have to get in line, because it seems like a lot of people want Seth Bynum dead, including Seth Bynum himself. If only Seth could get suicide right...just ONCE! Just ONCE and all this B.S. will be over. But mistakes Seth made in his past continue to haunt him and it doesn't seem like Seth can die dead enough to be forgiven...

Also a pregnant teen, cyborgs and a budding interracial romance between a perky demon hunter and a suicidal black magic mage. 300+ pages of pure awesome! What are you waiting for? 

My Review:

Fans of Easy "A" will just continue to devour this extremely entertaining series. The idea of magic has always appealed to readers everywhere. Having a series that revolves around kids going to a school for magic where teachers don't mind turning kids into crazy psychopaths? Well, that just goes straight to the heart, now doesn't it? This series is an excellent debut, and if it continues on this track, will just continue to get better and better with each new installment.

Dead Til' Death has all the excitement, fun, and get-funny-looks-from-those-around-you laughter that the first novel of the series has, while continuing to display the well-written works of a great novel. 

The character development in Dead Til' Death is even better than that of Easy "A". All the original characters that were closely followed, like the sexy bad boy, Vegas and Seth, who I can't help but love, make their solid appearances. However, whole new sides of the characters are shown. More of the backstory is revealed, and it will have readers questioning the way that they feel about characters. New characters, or characters that were not shown very much in Easy "A", also proved great development. An example is Bird, a professor who I found absolutely hilarious.

Powerful themes are slightly hidden under the humor and magic, but still manage to brilliantly shine through. Having the differences between the students perceived as good and the students perceived as evil hold connections to real life, and it is interesting to see how they interact. The topics of love, loss, and finding oneself are all greatly addressed, in a deliciously enticing story.

Fey uses a voice that one does not see very often. While the humor can range in levels of maturity (although staying funny as hell throughout) portions of the writing are worded beautifully. Together, the two create a highly entertaining and satisfying story that the readers will drink down faster than Vegas can stomach his alcohol.

If readers did not fall in love with Fey's comedic series with Easy "A", then they will be head over heels after reading Dead Til Death. I am thankful that this is a series, because I am definitely excited to read more.