A Review of Dead If I Do By Tate Hallaway

Ahhh, yet another series to add to my never ending list of must read books.

The Garnet Lacey series by Tate Hallaway seems to be quirky, different, and amusing all while showing us the foibles that tend to happen while walking on the darker side of life.

Dead If I Do is the fourth book in the Dead/Garnet Lacey series and the first book that I've read by Tate Hallaway. The other books in the series, which I must now add to my to-read list include Tall, Dark and Dead ; Dead Sexy ; and Romancing the Dead.

The main character is Garnet Lacey a Wiccan witch who is possessed by the dark Goddess Lilith who decided Garnet's body was a good place to take up residence. If Garnet gets upset or something crazy happens, Lilith will come out and she likes to cause damage.

Garnet is currently planning her wedding to her alchemist vampire fiance Sebastian who has a perpetual teenage dhampyr son her doesn't seem to like the thought of Garnet and Sebastian getting married. So he insists upon raising his dead zombie, witch mother turned vampire from her grave. She promptly curses Garnet and Sebastian's wedding which wreaks havoc on everything. The bridesmaid dresses get changed from stylish silver sheaths to salmon pink monstrosities with huge butt bows, the band cancels, the baker quits and the trouble just keeps coming. Add to that Garnet's own ex, Parrish shows up. She still has the wedding ring he gave her in her jewelry box. Yeesh! Oh and did I mention Garnet's parents, Minnesotan Norwegian decent hippie farmers are in town?

Dead If I Do is an interesting read full of twists, turns and OMG what is going to happen to this poor couple next anticipation? Will they ever make it to the altar or will the curse prevail?

I love how Hallaway adds in all the paranormal elements and the craziness that they cause but also throws in very real life situations that we all may face; like parents that don't share your opinions but want you to see their way of thinking, ex boyfriend/girlfriend issues that come up and the troubles they cause especially when you still have feeling for them or ties to them-like a child (Sebasitian's dhampyr son, who likes to get in the way and insists on living with Garnet and Sebastian). Then there are the complicated though welcome and worthy relationships with friends both near and far.

And you thought your wedding planning was a disaster. Poor Garnet gets hers cursed but still struggles on.

If you want to see paranormal characters dealing with very real life situations in addition to all the paranormal hoopla they have to face, this is a book for you. You'll love it.