Ward Against Death

Twenty-year-old Ward de’Ath expected this to be a simple job—bring a nobleman’s daughter back from the dead for fifteen minutes, let her family say good-bye, and launch his fledgling career as a necromancer. Goddess knows he can’t be a surgeon—the Quayestri already branded him a criminal for trying—so bringing people back from the dead it is.

But when Ward wakes the beautiful Celia Carlyle, he gets more than he bargained for. Insistent that she’s been murdered, Celia begs Ward to keep her alive and help her find justice. By the time she drags him out her bedroom window and into the sewers, Ward can’t bring himself to break his damned physician’s Oath and desert her.

However, nothing is as it seems—including Celia. One second, she’s treating Ward like sewage, the next she’s kissing him. And for a nobleman’s daughter, she sure has a lot of enemies. If he could just convince his heart to give up on the infuriating beauty, he might get out of this alive…

(Note: This title is more aptly a New Adult or YA cross-over than a true YA title.)

4 stars:"This book is such a well-written, enjoyable read and I got out of it exactly what I didn't get out of The Girl in the Steel Corset: nuanced characters, the promise of an appealing romance, well-plotted action, fun adventures, rich world-building, and clever use of magic. I can't wait to find out what happens next to this reluctant necromancer...and I bet you're really going to like him, too." –Wendy Darling, The Midnight Garden

5 stars:"Really great, fantastic book! I enjoyed it so much, and now to read more!" –Louisa, Words I Write Crazy

5 stars: "I don't normally start reviews off this way, but I honestly think that this was one if not the best books I've read all year, and since it's almost July at the time of my writing this, that's definitely saying something." –Jess, The Romanceaholic

4.5 stars: "Great main characters, awesome world-building, gripping plot, suspense, action, humor. . .whatever could go wrong here? All of those elements, when mixed well in just the right doses, hold so much potential to make a story great. . .and Ward Against Death was pretty darn great in my eyes." –Jillian, Words Run Amok: A Writer's Confessional

5 stars: "The book was a fantastic ride!" –Saly, Goodreads Reviewer

5 stars: "I started reading Ward Against Death in utter excitement and couldn't put it down. I knew it would be good, but it was just so much more than I thought it would be! Melanie Card, you astound me with your writing prowess." –Kate, Nomalicious Reads

4 stars: "Ward was simply adorable, charming, goofy, clumsy, brave, loyal, and so many other descriptive adjectives I could come up with. I wanted to hug him, scold him, laugh at him, fear for him, and congratulate him." –Michelle, The Bookshelf Stalker Queen of the Undead

5 stars: "I’ve never read about Necromancers before, but as long as the story has Ward, I will be counting the days for the second book in this series." –Debbie, I Heart YA Books

5 stars: "Ward Against Death reads almost like a historical fantasy, although it exists in a completely different universe — comparable, perhaps, to Elizabeth C. Bunce’s Starcrossed, in which traditions and fashion are akin to Old-Timey Europe and there is a thing or two borrowed from the steampunk cannon. But at the same time, the world of WARD is a creation all its own, with magic and intrigue and conspiracy theories aplenty." –E. Kristin Anderson, editor of Dear Teen Me: Authors Write Letters to their Teen Selves

4 stars: "This book is a fun and refreshing take on necromancers." –Amber, Fall Into Books

5 stars: "The dialogue and internal monologue is witty and clever. (There is a lot of mental dueling between the protagonists.) The world-building is very well handled – hints within context, no info dumps—serving to construct an intriguing and original time and place." –Ron, Goodreads Reviewer

5 stars: "Ooo I adored this book! The world was so lush and vivid. The plot was woven beautifully and I was sucked right into the story. While that was all a bonus, the characters are what had me captivated." –Stacey Kennedy, USA Today bestselling author of the Dirty Little Secrets and Club Sin series

4 stars: "From the very beginning, I knew Ward Against Death was going to be a winner. It reminded me too much of my all-time favorite TV show, Pushing Daisies, for me to not enjoy it." –Angie, Pinkindle

5 stars: "This was a great start to an impressive and imaginative new series. High fantasy set in a post apocalyptic world where the Goddess and her two sons rule with an iron fist according to the priests and nobility over a Dystopian society rife with corruption and crime. I can't wait to read the next book Ward Against Darkness." –Earicka, Eat My World Book Blog