Review of Billy Bones: Beyond the Grave

Blurb:

Meet Billy Bones.

He's dead.

Literally.

Finding himself in the Afterlife, ten year old Billy must wait to be recycled back into the Livingworld. Meanwhile, he's stuck trying to figure out how he's supposed to survive in this backwards existence where sunlight burns, the dead are living, and the memories of his past lives are stored in a secret book.

The problem is that Billy's has been stolen, and now he has to find it and discover why the dreaded Reaper is after him.

Choose for Billy and help him find his way through the Afterlife in this new "Choose-Your-Own-Demise" novel.

***Includes both a "Choose Your Own Demise" version as well as a "Chapter" version (for those that prefer a more traditional reading experience).***

My Review:

I had so much fun reading this fantasy children’s story, and could not have been more impressed by how it worked. Billy Bones: Beyond the Grave, A Choose-Your-Own-Demise Novel, was like nothing I have ever read before. As you read about Billy, a boy who has recently died and finds himself in the AfterLife, you get to often choose what decision Billy makes. For example, Billy comes upon a dog. His coices are to walk away from it or to bring the dog with him. You click on your choice, and the story either continues on until the next decision needs to be made, or sometimes you make a “wrong” choice and meet an untimely end – of course this gives you the option to go back and change your answer too ;)

Billy is a great character too, and the comical and lighthearted way that Mr. Burton deals with a subject like death was great. In fact, I read a little of the beginning to my youngest, and my non-reader seemed pretty interested in the book – very high praise there! The mythology behind the AfterLife was pretty in-depth, yet I would say very easy to follow for the target audience – a great feat for a children’s book author. The plot was exciting and engaging, and you just didn’t want the story to end. I found attachments with not only Billy, but also many of the friends he meets along the way. I actually found myself going back and taking the other choices just to see what would happen, that is if I didn’t meet an untimely end. LOL

As a mother of two boys, I could not recommend this book more highly! I was impressed all around from characters to setting to the elaborate and reader-driven plot. Creativity at its best here, and as a 40+ year old woman, I’m anxiously awaiting another book. Here’s hoping for a series!

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

About the Author:

David H. Burton was born in Windsor, Ontario to parents that instilled in him the love of the written word at a very young age. Throughout his childhood, David read relentlessly, often into the wee hours of the morning.

Fantasy and Science Fiction novels have always been David's greatest vice and he has indulged in the likes of Terry Brooks, Robert Jordan, Margaret Weis, Mark Anthony, J.R.R. Tolkien, George R.R. Martin, Robert J. Sawyer, Isaac Asimov, Melanie Rawn, Marion Zimmer Bradley, J.K. Rowling and for interest, some Margaret Atwood and Jose Saramago.

David graduated from the University of Toronto with a major in Biology and a minor in Classical Civilization. He also dabbled in Computer Science, to which he owes his current occupation in the Telecommunications world at one of the large banks in Canada.

When David isn't writing he enjoys spending time with his partner and three boys: hiking, swimming, kayaking, biking, and reading. David has a great fondness for Portuguese cuisine, good wine, and all things left of centre.

Feel free to connect with David online at:

Blog: http://davidhburton.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/davidhburton
Facebook: http://facebook.com/davidhburton