Review: Dead Girls Are Easy (Nicki Styx Book 1) by Terri Garey

TLDR recap:

When Nicki Styx wakes up in the hospital, the last thing she’s expecting is a super hottie of a doctor and a new ability to go along with her near death experience.  She just wants to get home and back to work in her vintage clothing store with her best friend Evan, maybe get a date with Dr. Joe, and move on with her life.  But when a friend who was dabbling in voodoo dies and asks her for help, her world gets turned upside down and shaken, not stirred.  Dead Girls Are Easy is a GraveTells Recommended Read!

• Title: Dead Girls Are Easy
• Series: Nicki Styx Book 1
• Author: Terri Garey
• Prominent Characters: Nicki Styx, Dr. Joe Bascombe, Evan
• Recommended reader age: 16+
• Sexual content level: moderate

*** This review is SPOILER-FREE! Read on with confidence! ***

Thoughts:

Dead Girls Are Easy starts off with a bang and doesn’t let up until the final pages.  It is sharp, witty, scary, sweet, and runs along a roller coaster ride of a plot.  Nicki finds herself with the ability to see and hear the dead after waking up in the hospital and does what any red blooded woman would do — tries to ignore it.  It’s scary, tough, and forces her to go beyond her personal boundaries.  People are generally resistant to change, we like to stay in our comfort zones. Having major life events that force us to adapt to new rules are neither fun nor easy.

When Joe asks Nicki for a date, she really can’t believe it.  He seems so different than she is with his fancy car and very important job.  Nicki is a bit of a wild child- into goth chic, all things awesomely vintage, and unapologetically going after what she wants sexually – and while drawn to Joe, isn’t sure he’s the right man for her.  Add in the complications from her new ability, and Nicki is walking a tight rope trying to figure out just how her life is going to work with her new love interest (who thinks she’s sexy as hell, but maybe a little nuts) and the people who keep popping up asking for help.

Throw together some big (and I do mean BIG) secrets from Nicki’s past with her adorable gay best friend Evan, very hip fashion sense, a steamy hero with a heart of gold, and some very real danger.  This book is a fun, enjoyable read that is a great series starter.  I’m looking forward to the next book, and you will too!  With Ms. Garey’s fresh, witty voice, delightful hero and heroine, and the balance of scary moments with sexy you’ve got a really delightful little book.

Memorable quotes:

Nicki’s guide on how to flirt with a sexy, undercover wild man of a doctor:

“Too bad.  I’ve got a nurse’s outfit I wore to a Halloween party once, and I was thinking we could play Hide the Stethoscope.”

He laughed, eyeing me appreciatively.  “You like to shock people, don’t you?”

I shrugged, grinning.  “Is it that obvious?”

“Oh, it’s obvious.  But it’s kinda cute.”

I concur wholeheartedly!

If I were going to dance with the Devil, I’d prefer the romantic, slightly edgy version presented by Anne Rice in her novels.  A grinning skeleton with delusions of royalty just wasn’t my thing.

I want to go to this gym!

“Oooh.”  I gave a mock shudder.  “Two handsome, sweaty men giving their muscles a workout.  Sounds like heaven to me.”

“You know it.”  Evan winked at me as he swallowed a sip of coffee.  “And the showers are to die for.”

Let’s keep our priorities straight, people!

Joe lowered his arm, wincing at the glare.  He lifted his head with an effort and looked around the room, taking in the ring of lamps surrounding the bed.  There were ten of them…I know, I’d counted them often enough during the night.

“Wow.”  He eased his head back to the pillow.  “Did we make a porno movie?”

I giggled tiredly, realizing how it must look to wake up in a sea of red sheets, bright lights all around.

“More importantly,”  Joe licked dry lips, eyes already closing, “was I any good?”

If you liked Dead Girls Are Easy of the Nicki Styx series…

If you liked Dead Girls Are Easy, you might also enjoy the Pepper Martin series by Casey Daniels (starting with Don of the Dead). Casey Daniels is a Cleveland native (like yours truly) and I’ve read every Pepper Martin book and enjoyed them immensely.  They’re a funny blend of chick lit, urban fantasy, and romance.  Pepper’s got spunk and way more fashion sense than I do.

You might also like Devil Without a Cause (which I reviewed last month and gushed over shamelessly).  It’s the first book in a new series by Ms. Garey called the Devil’s Bargain.  Sure to be yummy, steamy, and full of naughty antics by my favorite fallen angel.

Final thoughts:

Go out and get yourself a Terri Garey book already!  You won’t be disappointed!  I really like the heroine and hero: their relationship is believable, intense, and full of moments of tenderness and frustration (for everyone, characters and reader).  I loved seeing what Nicki would do next to shock Joe, and Joe himself has some sexy surprises in the closet.  This couple is hot for each other and make a real connection.  I can’t wait to see how things develop for them in future books as Nicki learns to deal with her ability and their relationship matures.  I am happy to give Dead Girls Are Easy a GraveTells Recommended Read!

Rating: Dead Girls Are Easy

Related links:

Buy Dead Girls Are Easy: Amazon

Buy Devil Without a Cause: Amazon (Devil was a November Reviewer’s Choice book! Read GT’s review here.)

Buy Don of the Dead: Amazon

Here are a few places you can find Dead Girls Are Easy author Terri Garey:

• http://www.tgarey.com/ (website)
• http://www.tgarey.blogspot.com/ (blog)