When Death Gives You Lemons Book Review: Cute, Funny and Unexpectedly Warming

When Death Gives You Lemons by Alice G. Brooks is a beautiful urban queer fantasy written about pain, punishment and death. Received an ARC, and here’s my absolutely mesmerised review of the book. It’s very much a recommendation from me.

I didn’t know what to expect when I picked this book about a murderer and a grim reaper. And in no way, I’d have thought it would leave me with happy tears. It was an entirely uncharted territory. But here we are. When Death Gives You Lemons is cute, funny and unexpectedly warming.

My Rating:

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

“Cute, funny and unexpectedly warming.”

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What the Book is About

At its core, When Death Gives You Lemons is about Isaac, a guilt-ridden murderer who seeks a second chance after death... for redemption. Taking his side is Grim, a reaper tired of escorting souls to the afterlife, day after day. Now they're in the living realm together – Isaac seeking forgiveness; Grim trying to understand humans.

As Isaac searches his past for a forgiveness that may never come, Grim discovers the truth behind the murders. The road to forgiveness, as it turns out, has never been this queer. The book is often philosophical, but also comforting and heartwarming.

What Works?

Where do I even begin? Throughout the story, I kept thinking, “Can a story about death be this cute and funny?” Turns out, yes. Absolutely yes.

There's something endlessly entertaining about watching a supernatural being – Grim Reaper – witness the mundane chaos of human life. Grim felt like a baby robot learning the world and the nuances of human behaviour. Alice has created a beautiful, witty reaper character here.

Apart from that, Alice's writing is conversational and straightforward, making the book easy to read. Even serious themes like grief, forgiveness and acceptance never felt overwhelmingly heavy. She manages that balance with complete ease.

Alice also managed to keep the pace natural. Nothing felt dragged or forced. The story felt like a conversation between two friends. The ending is touching, too, beautiful, closing on a happy note.

It’s rare to find a book that talks so openly about death yet leaves you with happy tears. Resonated with my own thoughts around death.

What Falls Short?

When Death Gives You Lemons has nothing much to complain from my side. Except for a few moments in the end where Isaac felt like an irritating crackpot, the book was absolutely perfect for me. It was a crisp story overall.

Who Should Read It?

It’s a fun, light read best suited for fans of contemporary fantasy. It’s also a philosophical fiction around the themes of death and the afterlife. And it has elements of LGBTQ+ relationships. If you’re unafraid to enjoy humour in the heaviest of life moments, this book is for you.

Final Thoughts

When Death Gives You Lemons is one of those rare books that’s wholesome and unique. Alice has written something special – a story about guilt and forgiveness that somehow manages to be funny and deeply moving. It left me with happy tears and a lot of warm feelings about life (and death). It’s a must-read, doesn’t matter what genre you enjoy.

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