Grim by David Cinella is a thriller/fiction/supernatural novel focused on Gabriel Matthews, a teen whose best friend is the Reaper. When his mother is diagnosed with cancer, Gabriel makes a reckless deal with the Reaper in order to save her - but the consequences of the deal are more than he ever anticipated.
I greatly appreciated the characterisation of Gabriel, a teenager who always tries to escape the rules and rebel, but eventually becomes inescapably snared by them.
Grim holds a sombre message that sometimes we have to simply accept that things are not in our control, and that we should not try to change the unchangeable. Additionally, it presents a heartful representation of how grief can ultimately lead to complete self destruction and the destruction of others around oneself.
This novel kept me on edge, and I had a seriously difficult time putting it down. From the ‘adventures’ Gabriel embarks on, to the internal conflict he faces, to the characterisation of the Reaper itself - I was hooked. Cinella has a masterful way of painting images in the mind of the reader; I was able to fully visualise everything. The gloomy atmosphere of Grim was also done exceptionally well. Especially nearing the end, I truly felt as suffocated, cornered, and desperate as Gabriel. This story is a tragedy, and the ending hurt me so badly, but it was well executed.
Nearing the end, while I did anticipate the biggest plot twist, there were several smaller ones that caught me off guard and made me gasp in surprise! Truly, nothing is as it seems….
And after completing this novel, I would rate it a solid 4/5 stars, and I encourage anyone who likes thrillers and supernatural stories to give it a read.

Grim by David Cinnella, At seven Gabriel lost his father, but it was also the first time he saw the dark shadow. The next time he sees it it was while at his mother‘s work and he asked “who he was?” Gabriel is a lonely little boy who is bullied at school and so looks to the Grim Reaper as someone to talk to despite Grim, cannot talk back. years later, Gabriel is in high school and still being bullied by the same bully. His mom is remarried to ROBERT and he is doing his best to get on with life. One day after school, his mom tells him devastating news which sends Gabriel reeling and desperate to change it. this is when he calls on Grim and makes a deal that will change his life in increasingly devastating ways. This was a really really good book. I absolutely enjoyed it. I do wish Grim could’ve talked but I totally understand why he didn’t. I do want to say they have a part in the book where it says Father Joseph had a look on his face as if he realized everything he ever believed in wasn’t true, but I didn’t get that because for one thing he was a Catholic priest, they believe in purgatory and the afterlife, and everything that happened to him only prove what he believe. I mean, not everybody’s met with angels and trumpets… Or at least I don’t think they are. either way this is an awesome book although I wouldn’t put it under horror. It still was an awesome awesome read! this is a book. I definitely recommend. #NetGalley, #TheBookWhisperer, #TheBlindReviewer, #DavidCinnella, #Grim,

I wouldn’t classify this as a horror book, but a dark suspense, yes. I loved this. I thought the concept was interesting and it kept me engaged. It wasn’t something that I have heard of or read previously. It was completely unique. It was a lot heavier than I expected since it dabbled in the morality of consequences of actions. I think there could have been some room for improvement including creating some more elements of fear or horror if wanting to classify this as a horror book. In general, I really, really enjoyed this one. This book comes out February 26, 2025.

Thank you to David Cinnella, Book Whisperer, and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book for a honest review.

Wow I really enjoyed this book! It was a thriller book that gradually got darker. It was a roller coaster of a ride. Starting as an 8yr to an 18yr Gabriel goes thru hell in more ways than 1. First losing his father at a young age, trouble in school, a bully, then his mother’s illness, and the decision that changed everyone’s lives. The emotional rollercoaster the author put me on was no less than exhilarating! There were times I had tears in my eyes and others I laughed then a few gasps and audible “OH MY GOD!” “NO WAY” “WHAT?!”
If you’re looking for a book to get you out of a slump or are dipping your toe into the thriller/horror genres then this is a great book to start with. I myself love all things horror/thriller and I was still totally entranced with this book. The world thru Gabriel’s eyes/mind really hit close to the heart.
I truly felt his fear, hopelessness, depression, defeat, love for his mother, guilt for his actions, anger, regret. I loved the writing, the story/plot was very entertaining! I will definitely keep an eye out for future work of this author.

Reapers and deals, two things that never end well - sad and emotional with a good dose of creepy and disturbing. You know this isn't going to have a HEA, no spoiler there, a dark tale with a dark end.

Ever since he was a child, Gabriel Matthews, has been able to see the Grim Reaper when death was near. While this may frighten most of us, the Reaper himself becomes almost a comfort to Gabriel as he grows into a teenager. The one lesson in life Gabriel has learned the hard way is that death doesn't discriminate and when it's your time, it's your time. Or so he thought. When Gabriel receives some tragic news, his old friend the Reaper is there to make Gabriel a deal that that has him wondering how far he's willing to go to change fate . Would you make a deal with death if it meant saving someone you loved?
This was a fantastic view into the exploration of morality and just how far people are willing to go for those they love. The way this author portrays Gabriel as a young, agile teenager at the beginning of this book while we slowly watch him deteriorate and get sicker the longer this guilt and shame weighs on him throughout the book is genius. Gabriel's character is written very well in the way that a teenager doesn't stop to think about consequences until they are staring him in the face. I do wish we had more of a horror aspect involved in this story, rather than the suspense that truly carried this story. There wasn't much real horror, except for the murders that were rushed through in my opinion. I was more on the edge of my seat waiting to see if Gabriel could fulfill his contract before the Reaper's deadline was up. I was really hoping for maybe death himself to be more scary, or if maybe some of the souls Gabriel reaped had come back to haunt him it might have been a little spookier. The way the author portrayed death was interesting and I enjoyed the black door scenes where the souls went instead of the author attempting to write a heaven and hell storyline. The ending was a bit predictable but I did highly enjoy it, especially the totality of Irene and Gabriel's storyline. 4/5 stars because while I did enjoy the characters and the story itself I just wish it would have been a little creepier.

📕 Summary: Gabriel Matthews has been able to see the Grim Reaper ever since he was a child. When the teenager receives some tragic news, he is offered a horrific deal.
🌟Review: A fantastic exploration of morality and how far a person will go in the defense of love. Are we able to handle the consequences of our actions when force to make a life changing choice? The grief and moral dilemma that Gabriel goes through is extremely moving. I took one star off because the conclusion is a bit predictable; I absolutely still recommend this to anyone who enjoys horror and psychological thrillers.

This is a macabre and sad story reflecting on human loneliness and grief, a slow-burn suspense with a gradual descendence into darkness.

Ever since his father's death at a young age, Gabriel can see the Grim Reaper. Gabe is bullied often and finds solace in drawing, as a lonely teen he befriends the Grim and calls on him to blow off steam. After some devastating news, the Grim offers him a deal, one hundred souls in return for a life extension. Gabe grapples with the morality of the decision, but eventually desperation wins, and he tries to figure out how best to meet his end of the bargain. Along the way he begins to lose himself, but gains some extraordinary abilities.

This was an interesting take on Reaper lore, and raises questions on how far people would be willing to go to save their loved ones. Although not massively descriptive or gory, the writing focuses more on the emotions and gradual changes that occur as a consequence of the Reaper's deal.

With thanks to Netgalley, Book Whisperer, and the author for access to this eARC.

3.75 stars, rounded up to 4. This was a unique take on the world of grief and reaping. I loved the evolution of Gabe’s relationship with the reaper throughout his life. I also loved witnessing his evolution with loss and grief throughout his short life span, as well as seeing the different aspects of grief in various other stages of life with the other characters and their losses they were going through. I only subtracted stars for typical first novel reasons: editing issues and my desire for the story to be better fleshed out so to speak.