Title: Dead Is Not an Option
Author: Marlene Perez
Pages: 252
Genre: Young Adult

Dead Is Not an Option is the fifth and final installment in the “Dead Is” series from fiction writer Marlene Perez. As with any final book of a series, it answered a lot of questions, tied up a lot of loose ends and was largely constructed on storylines from earlier books of the series. Although the novel had its own storyline that was thoroughly enjoyable, if you’re only now contemplating Marlene Perez, I’d suggest you start at the beginning. Not because you won’t enjoy this book without the backstory, but because after reading this book you’ll want to learn more about the characters and the events leading to the conclusion.

Here’s a brief synopsis of the book:

“It’s springtime of senior year, and psychic sleuth Daisy Giordano is preparing to say goodbye to Nightshade High. But no college acceptance letters have arrived yet, and she’s beginning to worry about where she’ll end up come fall—and if it will be anywhere near her boyfriend, Ryan. But that’s not the only uncertainty Daisy’s dealing with. There’s a vamps-versus-shifters war going on in Nightshade, and things are so tense that there is talk of canceling the prom. The conflict is carrying over to the Giordano home, since Rose and Daisy are both dating werewolves and Poppy’s new boyfriend is a vampire.

Can the paranormal community in Nightshade finally find peace? And will Daisy and her friends survive graduation? All of these questions and more are answered in the latest explosive installment in the Dead Is series.”

I really enjoyed learning about Daisy’s modern day life and those around her. In the town of Nightshade there are vampires, werewolves, witches, psychics and even some supernatural species I’ve not previously read about. As you can imagine, with that many paranormal folk around, there’s bound to be trouble. And there is.

Several people in the community have been murdered with their throats torn to shreds. This puts a strain on the already tenuous relationship between the vampire and werewolf community. Each accuses the other of the murders and tensions run high as the crimes remain unsolved. On top of that there’s a possibility that the crimes are being committed by the group known as The Scourge, a radical and ruthless group of humans sworn to eradicate the world of all supernatural beings.

Although Daisy is concerned about not yet receiving a college acceptance letter, she’s soon drawn into the war that’s brewing in her hometown. On top of that, she’s having a hard time fulfilling her promise to find a way to free a young woman (whose body and spirit are trapped inside a jukebox) and her fiance (whose body is trapped inside that of a pig). Especially since the witch responsible for cursing the couple has no intention of reversing the spell.

The novel was a good final installment in the “Dead Is” series and one I really enjoyed reading. If you like fun mysteries with a supernatural backdrop you’ll enjoy this book.

I wish there had been more written about Daisy and Ryan’s relationship because they’re really sweet together. However, I really liked the way this book ended. I’d say, Dead Is Not an Option by Marlene Perez is a nice finish to the series and a solid read in itself.