I have so many good things to say about this! The pacing, the characters… it’s such a fun read. The emotional highs and lows were so well timed. I have got to read this again!

First off...DISCLAIMER: I requested this title on NetGalley. Thanks to Xpresso Book Tours and Rebecca Rook for providing an ecopy. This didn't influence my review in any way.

Supernatural meets the Ghost Roads series by Seanan McGuire (there are a couple of details, one especially, that tie the GR world with this one, though I have no reason to think they're derivative) with a sprinkle of The Twelve Labours of Hercules. The author did a good job of making the protagonist likeable despite the reason that landed her in the afterlife, and both her regret and her love for music came across as heartfelt and genuine. The supporting (though not always supportive 😂) cast was mostly unique (I say "mostly" because of the detail I hinted at above) and made for a fun read, and the tasks Valentine had to undertake to fulfill her penance were very imaginative...So, why 3 stars? Because I craved for more. The trials, in particular, were inconsistent at best both in difficulty and scope, and even when they were said to be next to impossible (and especially in one instance, they did take a terrible toll) or promised irresistible temptations and unspeakable horrors (the Wild Hunt), either the writing didn't manage to convey the gravity of the situation, or such trials were simply too brief and/or a little underwhelming. I think with a little more fleshing out and editing, the book could have been fantastic (I did notice some errors too, though not grammatical ones - just spots where the author apparently couldn't decide on a tense or a turn of phrase, and ended up keeping both). Regardless, if you're a fan of dead/undead characters, peculiar found families, coming-of-age narratives and bittersweet endings, you'll probably find a lot to love in this story.

Valentine has been scraping by on her own for years, holding down multiple jobs while pursuing her musical career despite being estranged from her family. On the cusp of success, driving in the rain, she makes a momentary miscalculation and ends up...dead.

Worse yet, she's killed an innocent couple by her carelessness.

But that's not the end of her story. Luckily, randomly, the gods take pity and set a series of nearly impossible tasks for her to achieve with the chance to reverse the events of that fateful night. Which gods? Weeeellll, it's a grab-bag: African-American folk hero High John the Conqurer, along with a grumpy Paul Bunyon, and the genus loci of Route 66, as well as the unofficial patron saint of American musicians (Dale Wright, whose real-life parallel I was frustrated to not find) are in charge of Valentine's Herculean trials.

I didn't love this New Adult novel, despite the fun road-trip vibe, and the Americana strewn along the way. Valentine never popped off the page, and I felt as if the stakes were very low: each of her tasks felt like a forgone conclusion to me.

Thanks much to NetGalley and Hellebore House for the eARC in exchange for my unfettered opinion.

The premise of the book was interesting however the execution was lackluster.

I prefer a boom with well rounded characters. While the main characters had the potential to be engaging and interesting, the author never goes beyond the surface.

The pacing was slow, plodding in some places .

Young adults may enjoy this book. It just wasn't for me..

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC.

THE PENANCE OF VALENTINE CASH by Rebecca Rook(Thank you Netgalley and Xpresso book tours for the earc---Jan 16)

Review:
2.5⭐
This book was a dnf. I was so excited for it, but the execution utterly failed. I mean, I liked the idea book, but I didn't like the book. From what I read, THE PENANCE OF VALENTINE CASH didn't stray from the death, second chance of life kind of ordeal...in that way, it reminded me of Afterlife of the Party and Teen Spirit(also known as Teen Angels Sing). I liked that aspect, but I felt like the story wasn't going anywhere. I don't know what I was expecting, which made the book hard to read and a little confusing. However, THE PENANCE OF VALENTINE CASH would be the perfect book for someone who loves genre and weirdness that this book brings.

What I Liked About It:
*the task for second chance at life

This book is far to YA for me. I am not able to hook myself to the storyline or the characters. I think there is definitely a huge audience for this but it's unfortunately not me.

I liked the idea of "The Penance of Valentine Cash", but the execution fell somewhat flat for me. The writing style wasn't really for me and the story both dragged on and felt rushed at the same time.

I struggled to get through the book over the past couple of days.
Valentine Cash is an up and coming singer who just made it big. However, when a small decisions changes her life forever she must go through a variety of challenges and tasks.
It’s hard to make a thorough review of this book without giving challenges. Yet, our narrator is so selfish and annoying.
I would’ve liked the author to develop the character more. We get a hint of a queer character who doesn’t really deal with her problems.

Good God was this book utterly amazing! I honestly picked it up on a whim, and I cannot express just how delighted I am that I did so, because I loved it so so much! The story of an up-and-coming musician forced to complete a series of harrowing tasks to earn a return to life, The Penance of Valentine Cash is the Americana urban fantasy I didn't know I needed until I read it.

Despite the clear inspiration from The Twelve Labors of Hercules, this book draws from an eclectic mix of American folklore for its fantasy elements, which is an angle that I surprisingly don't see too much of these days! Not to mention it's backed up with fantastic characters, with the titular Valentine Cash being an absolute standout. Her grappling with not only the supernatural challenges she has to undertake, but also with the weight of her actions and whether or not she really deserves a second chance is the core of the story, and it makes the magic feel so much more real! And shout out to Six, who is the best personification of an American highway I've ever seen in fiction. All in all, an utterly enchanting novel, and one that I heartily recommend! Thank you to NetGalley and Hellebore House for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review!