Die for Me, written by Amy Plum, is a story of love, loss, desire, and the supernatural. Kate and her sister Georgia have suffered the tragic loss of their parents, who were so horrifically injured in a car accident that Kate could not even recognize her father’s face. After the funerals, Georgia who is now acting as the legal guardian to Kate decides that they will go live with their grandparents in France.
Kate is distressed, depressed, and horribly lonely. While France is a familiar place, as she visited every summer growing up and can speak French fluently, she cannot get over the void that her parent’s deaths left behind. Eventually she pushes herself to go outside and begins visiting coffee shops where she sips on drinks and reads books all day. One day while reading, Kate spots a handsome boy who smiles and nods in her direction.
This boy, Vincent, intrigues her, but he is not human— he is something otherworldly. He is strikingly handsome, beautifully articulate, oddly sarcastic, and he is hiding a secret identity. His identity that he has to keep under the radar specializes in saving lives and helping others, but it comes with a price. As Kate gets closer to him, she has to question whether she is truly ready to be in a romantic relationship with someone, let alone a boy who will encounter danger for the rest of his life.
I really enjoyed this book, and was pleasantly surprised when the female protagonist consistently spoke up for herself. Not only was she firm with her family, but she was also straightforward with the men in the book. Yes, she was emotional. Yes, she fell in love. But she didn’t partake in activities or relationships that she didn’t want to be involved in, and she had no problem questioning the actions of others when necessary. I also found most of her emotions portrayed in the book to be highly believable, and her relationship with Vincent began as a crush and developed into something more over time. I wasn’t smacked over the head with her notion of “undying love”, the moment she met eyes with him, which was a relief.
The relationship between Kate and her sister Georgia was very gentle, which I found odd but beautiful. They did bicker, but one of them always apologized and came scurrying back. It was the type of sisterly-love that is romanticized, even when not entirely true. I had expected a volatile/loving relationship between the two considering they are described to be complete opposites. Even the relationship between Kate and her grandparents is fairytale-esque. They honestly let Kate and Georgia do as they please, never asking questions or setting boundaries.
Overall, the book was intriguing and kept me wanting more. I am excited to see how Kate’s relationship with Vincent develops, along with her integration into the supernatural world.