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List of 13
If Jim C. Hines wrote about Gilmore Girls taking a journey through the underworld, it might be a little something like A LIST OF 13.
Death sucks, but there’s good beer in Purgatory.
Alice and her adult daughter, Claire, created a “bucket list” of thirteen experiences they would seek out before Alice died from cancer. They never expected to die in a plane crash attempting to cross off number three. Now, mother and daughter are stuck in the underworld, unable to move on to their ultimate destiny until they finish the list, but finding an Irish Pub near the Fields of Asphodel, or swimming naked in the ocean while being pursued by bloodthirsty Aztecs and a smitten Egyptian god is as hard as it sounds. When everything they ever thought they knew is challenged, will faith be enough to carry them through?
A LIST OF 13 moves between the time after Alice’s death and the time before, allowing the reader to explore the way her relationships evolve and intertwine throughout her life and beyond.
Death sucks, but there’s good beer in Purgatory.
Alice and her adult daughter, Claire, created a “bucket list” of thirteen experiences they would seek out before Alice died from cancer. They never expected to die in a plane crash attempting to cross off number three. Now, mother and daughter are stuck in the underworld, unable to move on to their ultimate destiny until they finish the list, but finding an Irish Pub near the Fields of Asphodel, or swimming naked in the ocean while being pursued by bloodthirsty Aztecs and a smitten Egyptian god is as hard as it sounds. When everything they ever thought they knew is challenged, will faith be enough to carry them through?
A LIST OF 13 moves between the time after Alice’s death and the time before, allowing the reader to explore the way her relationships evolve and intertwine throughout her life and beyond.
- GenresFiction
236 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 16, 2018
2 people are currently reading
11 people want to read
About the author
E.A. Comiskey
14 books20 followersE.A. Comiskey is an award-winning fiction writer and nationally syndicated blogger. Her work is broadly described as “speculative fiction” and is often a wild mix of humor, mythology, fantasy, horror, and romance.
She lives in a much-loved, rickety old house in rural Michigan with her husband, children, and a veritable zoo of creatures. If there’s a festival in the area, you can bet she’s there, most likely drawing on the pavement with chalk. After all, when you live in Michigan, you go outside whenever you get the chance.
She lives in a much-loved, rickety old house in rural Michigan with her husband, children, and a veritable zoo of creatures. If there’s a festival in the area, you can bet she’s there, most likely drawing on the pavement with chalk. After all, when you live in Michigan, you go outside whenever you get the chance.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 13, 2018
This has probably been one of my top 5 books all year!
And you know I know what I'm saying, because I've read 142 books so far, in 2018.
I can't believe I almost said no to this gem,
when the author sent me a review request - I was overloaded on review copies at the time. Little did I know that as soon as I was going to start List of 13, I would try to read in portions, only so as to make the time I spend with this book become longer. Because I loved being in the experience so much!
I also feel like we have to address the elephant in the room. We often look at a cover like this and think, oh, this is going to be cheap. This isn't going to be interesting. Well, guess that? Judging by the cover does make sense sometimes, because it tells you how much the publisher invested into the title, how much they're with the times and how much they know about marketing the book. But honestly, judging by the cover is a saying for good reason. I was offered the book before it had a cover on Goodreads at all, and perhaps that's the stroke of luck for me - because I probably wouldn't have chosen to read it if it had been there. Serves me right! (Don't judge me - we reviewers get A LOT of review requests, and wading through them is hard. There are no reviews yet, so there is little to go by when you make the decision of whether to give his book 6 hours of your life or not. There are only so many hours to give.) Anyway, I'm getting long winded, but basically! DON'T. JUDGE. BY THE COVER!!! You'll be missing out. This book should have a video cover with fireworks, for all I know. It was so perfect. READ IT.
And now come read the 5 reasons to read this book here on my blog.
I thank the author for giving me a free copy of the book in exchange to my honest opinion. Receiving the book for free does not affect my opinion.
Read Post On My Blog | Themed Bookstagram | Quick Update Bookstagram | Bookish Twitter
I also feel like we have to address the elephant in the room. We often look at a cover like this and think, oh, this is going to be cheap. This isn't going to be interesting. Well, guess that? Judging by the cover does make sense sometimes, because it tells you how much the publisher invested into the title, how much they're with the times and how much they know about marketing the book. But honestly, judging by the cover is a saying for good reason. I was offered the book before it had a cover on Goodreads at all, and perhaps that's the stroke of luck for me - because I probably wouldn't have chosen to read it if it had been there. Serves me right! (Don't judge me - we reviewers get A LOT of review requests, and wading through them is hard. There are no reviews yet, so there is little to go by when you make the decision of whether to give his book 6 hours of your life or not. There are only so many hours to give.) Anyway, I'm getting long winded, but basically! DON'T. JUDGE. BY THE COVER!!! You'll be missing out. This book should have a video cover with fireworks, for all I know. It was so perfect. READ IT.
And now come read the 5 reasons to read this book here on my blog.
I thank the author for giving me a free copy of the book in exchange to my honest opinion. Receiving the book for free does not affect my opinion.
Read Post On My Blog | Themed Bookstagram | Quick Update Bookstagram | Bookish Twitter
March 27, 2019
I had a hard time rating this book, because while I enjoyed it, there were some obvious flaws as well as some dull points and other points that flat out didn't make sense.
Let me also say that I don't believe in purgatory, and the fact that there were so many other biblical references made this a hard book for me to read, even though it is fiction. There were some things that I found to be true, but for the most part it was hard to swallow some of the aspects of this book because they were outright blasphemous to the Bible. I tried to read it from a purely fiction aspect, but that was still hard to do.
I did really enjoy the mother daughter relationship in this book. In the beginning of the book I really couldn't connect with Claire's character, but as it went on I found myself liking her more and more.
Another obvious problem with the beginning of this book was the characters did things that were completely unbelievable in the eyes of the reader, but as you get further into the story, their initial actions begin to make more sense.
If you would like to read more book reviews, check out my blog at www.sarahjuneblog.com
xoxo
Sarah June
*I was sent a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Receiving this book did not in any change my opinion of the book.
Let me also say that I don't believe in purgatory, and the fact that there were so many other biblical references made this a hard book for me to read, even though it is fiction. There were some things that I found to be true, but for the most part it was hard to swallow some of the aspects of this book because they were outright blasphemous to the Bible. I tried to read it from a purely fiction aspect, but that was still hard to do.
I did really enjoy the mother daughter relationship in this book. In the beginning of the book I really couldn't connect with Claire's character, but as it went on I found myself liking her more and more.
Another obvious problem with the beginning of this book was the characters did things that were completely unbelievable in the eyes of the reader, but as you get further into the story, their initial actions begin to make more sense.
If you would like to read more book reviews, check out my blog at www.sarahjuneblog.com
xoxo
Sarah June
*I was sent a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Receiving this book did not in any change my opinion of the book.
April 26, 2019
Note: I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I got the request for this whenever I had just finished ready the PJO series. I was still really into mythology (when am I not??) and I was super excited to check out another book that had the Fields of Asphodel, and even excited to see what other kinds of “afterlife” theories that the author would include.
And, admittedly, the book does have some really intriguing settings. I really liked the premise of this book: a mother/daughter pair traveling through the underworld and trying to finish their bucket list as their “unfinished business”. I’ve literally never heard of a similar story and I think that it’s extremely unique and fun. I also really enjoyed how each setting was kind of… toned down. For example, if you know mythology, then you’ve heard of Cerebrus. In List of 13, he’s just a little three headed pup. Hades is just a man. I liked that Comiskey made things less overwhelming in that way.
However… I was really thrown off by the way that the story actually plays out.
First: The mother/daughter dynamic. I quite obviously cannot speak for every mother/daughter pair but this was an extremely hard relationship to enjoy. I felt like the dialogue between the two was a bit unrealistic and the way they interact was just… off. To me, anyways. *Spoiler* Example: The daughter literally kisses Hades seconds after finding out that they are dead as a revenge tactic against her mother who… slept with a “carnie” (Claire’s words, not mine).
Second: The pacing. I had a really hard time deciding how I felt about this because the author specifically sets it all up so that there is no passing of time (at least the way that we experience time on Earth). In that sense, I guess that you can’t technically say that things are rushed but… they are really rushed. The ending of this was quite predictable for me but I still was not expecting it to happen as fast as it did.
Third: The steady biblical references. I had literally no idea that this would be as religious as it turned out to be? I mean, it plays into the story, sure, but I was entirely unprepared for it. If you’re comfortable with books with heavy religious talk in it, I’d definitely recommend this one to you. It’s just not really my cup of tea. That’s of course a personal reference of mine so I decided not to hold it against the book’s rating, but it is something to keep in mind.
Lastly: The development. This was touch and go for me because I liked that the author gave us glimpses into the past to add context to the story when necessary, but the characters themselves would’ve been strengthened a lot with a little more detail to them. Claire was basically just angry and bullheaded and Alice felt like a submissive doormat to me. Neither were awful, but both could’ve been improved upon.
Overall, this was just unfortunately not for me. I think that there are plenty of people who would enjoy this kind of story (actually I know it because most people who have rated this on Goodreads appear to like it), and I encourage you to check it out if you think you’d be one of them! It fell short for me, but everyone reads the same book differently.
I got the request for this whenever I had just finished ready the PJO series. I was still really into mythology (when am I not??) and I was super excited to check out another book that had the Fields of Asphodel, and even excited to see what other kinds of “afterlife” theories that the author would include.
And, admittedly, the book does have some really intriguing settings. I really liked the premise of this book: a mother/daughter pair traveling through the underworld and trying to finish their bucket list as their “unfinished business”. I’ve literally never heard of a similar story and I think that it’s extremely unique and fun. I also really enjoyed how each setting was kind of… toned down. For example, if you know mythology, then you’ve heard of Cerebrus. In List of 13, he’s just a little three headed pup. Hades is just a man. I liked that Comiskey made things less overwhelming in that way.
However… I was really thrown off by the way that the story actually plays out.
First: The mother/daughter dynamic. I quite obviously cannot speak for every mother/daughter pair but this was an extremely hard relationship to enjoy. I felt like the dialogue between the two was a bit unrealistic and the way they interact was just… off. To me, anyways. *Spoiler* Example: The daughter literally kisses Hades seconds after finding out that they are dead as a revenge tactic against her mother who… slept with a “carnie” (Claire’s words, not mine).
Second: The pacing. I had a really hard time deciding how I felt about this because the author specifically sets it all up so that there is no passing of time (at least the way that we experience time on Earth). In that sense, I guess that you can’t technically say that things are rushed but… they are really rushed. The ending of this was quite predictable for me but I still was not expecting it to happen as fast as it did.
Third: The steady biblical references. I had literally no idea that this would be as religious as it turned out to be? I mean, it plays into the story, sure, but I was entirely unprepared for it. If you’re comfortable with books with heavy religious talk in it, I’d definitely recommend this one to you. It’s just not really my cup of tea. That’s of course a personal reference of mine so I decided not to hold it against the book’s rating, but it is something to keep in mind.
Lastly: The development. This was touch and go for me because I liked that the author gave us glimpses into the past to add context to the story when necessary, but the characters themselves would’ve been strengthened a lot with a little more detail to them. Claire was basically just angry and bullheaded and Alice felt like a submissive doormat to me. Neither were awful, but both could’ve been improved upon.
Overall, this was just unfortunately not for me. I think that there are plenty of people who would enjoy this kind of story (actually I know it because most people who have rated this on Goodreads appear to like it), and I encourage you to check it out if you think you’d be one of them! It fell short for me, but everyone reads the same book differently.
December 2, 2018
My full review available on facingthestory.com
This was a light and fun book which I read in only a few sittings. I enjoyed following Claire and Alice on their adventures in the Underworld as they completed their list of 13 experiences they would like to pursue. Both characters were likable and unique despite their differences. Their relationship, although often strained, really developed in marvellous ways and I was happy to see that they managed to put aside their differences and past mistakes in order to focus and conquer the challenges they faced in the Underworld. Rory’s involvement was also gratifying, especially during the difficult stages in the Underworld where he supported his wife and daughter from afar.
The small details linked to each part of the Underworld made for a very vivid and striking setting. The mythological elements of the book were well integrated into the story line and the plot developed with a steady pace and without too much focus on the mythology but rather a greater emphasis on Claire and Alice’s journey. However, the story jumped a lot between the past and present and it was sometimes difficult to follow the time jumps and points of view. Despite this small shortcoming, the execution of the writing and character development was still excellent.
Overall, this book offers something for everyone, whether you love the thrill of an adventure, prefer to delve into the challenges of a mother-daughter relationship or even enjoy a mix of fantasy and mythology.
List of 13 is soon to be published on 16th December!
Many thanks to the author, E.A. Comiskey, for providing a free advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.
This was a light and fun book which I read in only a few sittings. I enjoyed following Claire and Alice on their adventures in the Underworld as they completed their list of 13 experiences they would like to pursue. Both characters were likable and unique despite their differences. Their relationship, although often strained, really developed in marvellous ways and I was happy to see that they managed to put aside their differences and past mistakes in order to focus and conquer the challenges they faced in the Underworld. Rory’s involvement was also gratifying, especially during the difficult stages in the Underworld where he supported his wife and daughter from afar.
The small details linked to each part of the Underworld made for a very vivid and striking setting. The mythological elements of the book were well integrated into the story line and the plot developed with a steady pace and without too much focus on the mythology but rather a greater emphasis on Claire and Alice’s journey. However, the story jumped a lot between the past and present and it was sometimes difficult to follow the time jumps and points of view. Despite this small shortcoming, the execution of the writing and character development was still excellent.
Overall, this book offers something for everyone, whether you love the thrill of an adventure, prefer to delve into the challenges of a mother-daughter relationship or even enjoy a mix of fantasy and mythology.
List of 13 is soon to be published on 16th December!
Many thanks to the author, E.A. Comiskey, for providing a free advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.
March 29, 2019
Alice is dying and despite her unbreakable faith she is worried, especially about leaving her daughter Claire orphaned. Having to sit her daughter down and tell her she has cancer is the hardest thing she has ever done, but after a a little too much to drink the pair decide to write a bucket list for them to complete together.
Before long Alice has sold her home and Claire has taken a secondment from her work and studies to throw themselves into ticking off their List Of 13. However, shortly into their journey tragedy strikes and the pair are involved in a fatal plane crash, finding themselves thrust into the depths of the Underworld.
Here they quickly realise they must face a series of dangerous and difficult challenges in order to complete the unfinished business they left behind in life. With their relationship already prone to being tempestuous and a recent falling out adding extra strain the pair have to work together as they travel through numerous world’s and landscapes in order to complete the list they started.
This book was completely different to how I imagined it and was actually far more religious than I had anticipated. I’m not a religious person, but I really enjoyed this unique take on the afterlife, especially as no specific ‘God’ was named which leaves the whole concept of ‘The Creator’ open to the readers interpretation.
The story had me hooked from the first page and I loved how the author moves seamlessly between the detail of ‘before’ death and the afterlife giving the book a truly complete feel. I felt I really got to know the character’s well thanks to the glimpses of their life before which allowed me to understand their thoughts, feelings and reactions to obstacles they came up against as they travelled the Underworld.
The relationship between Alice and Claire is perfectly written, showing a relateable vision of Mother/Daughter interaction. Alice is over-protective and Claire is a strong willed young woman trying to make her stamp on the world which often leads to a clash of personalities – so realistic, I’m sure many can relate!
The pacing of the book is brilliant with plenty of action to keep the story moving, plus the author has a fantastically descriptive writing style which really sucked me into the worlds she has created. Despite the topic of death and loss being such a heavy one the book didn’t feel that way, instead for me the focus was largely on the dynamics of the family and their interwoven relationships. There is also a strong feeling of hope which is created by the two strong, fearless female protagonists that Comiskey has written – this book definitely exudes plenty of girl power!
Something that was instilled in me from an early age was not to judge a book by it’s cover and I’m so glad I don’t as this book was amazing. The story has been been whirring through my mind constantly since I finished reading which is always a sign of a great story for me. Despite the cover of List Of 13 lacking some of the glitz and glam of other titles please don’t discount it, it’s an unforgettable read that I adored from start to finish.
Before long Alice has sold her home and Claire has taken a secondment from her work and studies to throw themselves into ticking off their List Of 13. However, shortly into their journey tragedy strikes and the pair are involved in a fatal plane crash, finding themselves thrust into the depths of the Underworld.
Here they quickly realise they must face a series of dangerous and difficult challenges in order to complete the unfinished business they left behind in life. With their relationship already prone to being tempestuous and a recent falling out adding extra strain the pair have to work together as they travel through numerous world’s and landscapes in order to complete the list they started.
This book was completely different to how I imagined it and was actually far more religious than I had anticipated. I’m not a religious person, but I really enjoyed this unique take on the afterlife, especially as no specific ‘God’ was named which leaves the whole concept of ‘The Creator’ open to the readers interpretation.
The story had me hooked from the first page and I loved how the author moves seamlessly between the detail of ‘before’ death and the afterlife giving the book a truly complete feel. I felt I really got to know the character’s well thanks to the glimpses of their life before which allowed me to understand their thoughts, feelings and reactions to obstacles they came up against as they travelled the Underworld.
The relationship between Alice and Claire is perfectly written, showing a relateable vision of Mother/Daughter interaction. Alice is over-protective and Claire is a strong willed young woman trying to make her stamp on the world which often leads to a clash of personalities – so realistic, I’m sure many can relate!
The pacing of the book is brilliant with plenty of action to keep the story moving, plus the author has a fantastically descriptive writing style which really sucked me into the worlds she has created. Despite the topic of death and loss being such a heavy one the book didn’t feel that way, instead for me the focus was largely on the dynamics of the family and their interwoven relationships. There is also a strong feeling of hope which is created by the two strong, fearless female protagonists that Comiskey has written – this book definitely exudes plenty of girl power!
Something that was instilled in me from an early age was not to judge a book by it’s cover and I’m so glad I don’t as this book was amazing. The story has been been whirring through my mind constantly since I finished reading which is always a sign of a great story for me. Despite the cover of List Of 13 lacking some of the glitz and glam of other titles please don’t discount it, it’s an unforgettable read that I adored from start to finish.
December 26, 2018
I thought that this was a good story on the afterlife and trying to resolve your unfinished business while also having different gods and different areas in the underworld so that they were able to try and complete it. Personally I thought parts of it was just a little too religious for myself which did turn me away from the book a little.
Overall, a good story and one that is different from other books I have read about the afterlife
-- To see my full review please go to my blog on www.movieandbooksgirl.com
Overall, a good story and one that is different from other books I have read about the afterlife
-- To see my full review please go to my blog on www.movieandbooksgirl.com
October 21, 2018
Update: my blog post is now up! Here’s the link: https://kimberlyreads97.wordpress.com...
I want to share some of my initial thoughts after I finished reading this story.
When I first was getting into the book, it took me a little while to get used to the switching of perspectives (from what was the characters’ present to what they experienced before the main event happened) but once I was accustomed to hearing from these two different perspectives I practically was flying through the story wanting to know what was going to happen next.
I enjoyed the overall story a lot, even if at times things felt a bit cheesy.
I want to share some of my initial thoughts after I finished reading this story.
When I first was getting into the book, it took me a little while to get used to the switching of perspectives (from what was the characters’ present to what they experienced before the main event happened) but once I was accustomed to hearing from these two different perspectives I practically was flying through the story wanting to know what was going to happen next.
I enjoyed the overall story a lot, even if at times things felt a bit cheesy.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews