Dette Chambers' Death Journal

by L.M. du Preez

A journal to write her wrongs.



Dette thought she'd broken the deadly habit of tracking a person, but as soon as Zach walked in, she couldn't keep her eyes away. Without meaning to, he becomes her greatest temptation and Dette needs to find a way to overcome the curse that's burdened her for decades.

Genres: Paranormal

332 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 25, 2016

Reviews

[Jan Crompton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Refreshingly different

I was drawn in on the first page and read this book in one sitting. Some of it was sad, some disturbing and some beautiful. What I enjoyed the most was the fact that I have never read a book quite like this before. It didn't end the way I wanted it to, but I think it ended the way it needed to. All in all a brilliant example of the good and bad in all of us. I loved it and will look out for this author again!

[Leilani Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly great read. I don't think I've highlighted so many passages before!

I loved Dette's internal struggle, and most importantly, how she expressed it. Seriously, I highlighted most of the book.

I was somewhat disappointed that it ended up being a love story--but it wasn't over the top. It wasn't mushy gushy bullshit, thank God.

The ending was bittersweet, yet it left a smile on my face.

[Talia C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book !!! I never wanted to put it down! I was hooked right from the beginning. Dette started out as your typical Wednesday Adams. She was dark, creepy, and secluded. But then she meets Zach; a popular young man with a smart ass attitude. Watching/reading their love grow for each other through all of the ups and downs (and not your typical ups and downs either) was extremely well written.
But the ending... ugh.. MADE ME CRY !! I did not see it ending that way !

Five stars well deserved !

Thank you Voracious Readers for sending this amazing book my way !

[Laura May · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't really expect to finish this book. At the 4% mark I called it pretentious, and at 20% (which I was surprised to reach) I found it immature. It certainly is that, and it is almost absurdly full of tropes. I also had the peculiar feeling I was watching some kind of jerky noir cartoon, more than reading a book: and yet here we are, with a 5 star rating.

I don't think everybody will like this book. I think that a lot of people will be turned off by the things I've mentioned--and I can totally understand that, because goodness knows, I am typically a brutal reviewer. More than 3 stars--hey, more than 2 stars--isn't given lightly. However what I found is that I started to really, profoundly, relate to the cursed girl in this novel. But to dive a little deeper, i'm going to have to throw in some spoiler tags, a trigger warning or so, and a follow-up warning that this is likely going to get uncomfortably personal.


In Dette Chambers' Death Journal, Dette dies and is given a choice--to die or to live forever. She chooses the latter, and becomes a monster: she's numb to the exigencies of life, of emotion, or of anything save death. She becomes this sort of sexual vampire, in a way: she can sense when people are on the edge of death, and pushes them over the brink, basically to get her rocks off. That's the only thing she really feels any more: all else is numb. Then she meets our male protag, Zach, and she slowly regains some feelings, and some desires--but (MEGA SPOILER ALERT) she can never be truly human again. She comes to revile her curse, the monster within, and the way in which her new undead life revolves around it.

I really feel like Dette, and that's how this book got to me. I haven't killed over a thousand people--or anybody, for that matter. But what I do have is some epic PTSD, and I find that the way Dette described the world is the way I see the world. It's a place full of threat, from which we're somehow disconnected, sort of floating and unable to reach some kind of fit. It's like wearing a thousand jumpers, but instead of just enclosing and stifling your torso, they're all over--you're technically still in there, but the barrier is insurmountable.

At the moment, I'm supposed to be reading a somewhat scientific book about PTSD, so that I can understand my pathology, or whatever it is you'd call it. I've found that even reading about other people's traumas is almost unbearable for me--reading about others' experiences of PTSD is overwhelming, terrifying. Reading it through Dette's voice, the author's voice, was somehow more relatable. The moment Dette describes how her dream of Zach, with its magical realist overtones of food and sensuality and grief, made her feel like a woman--that's about when I broke. Then there is the way in which Dette describes her one and only sexual experience:

"It didn't hurt, it didn't feel pleasurable, it didn't feel like anything. It was like getting my hair cut or my nails trimmed; I could see what was happening, but I couldn't feel it. That womanly skin had been disconnected from my nervous system. That human part of me was what had died that moonless night."

"Never did I imagine disappointment and hesitation to coat the idea of spending an entire day with Freddy."

"Regrettably, I had already let our physical relations go too far. I could've said no, I could've said stop, but I didn't. The harsh, shameful truth is I wanted him to like me. And I desperately wanted to like his clueless touch and careless kiss."

"Yes, I had sex,...and it was devastatingly hollow. He didn't last long and I was grateful. It was nothing how I had imagined sex would be, but I also knew something wasn't right or normal with me. I was dead down there."

I hope that the author is okay, because I don't want her have had to go through the same things as me, as so many of us, to be able to write like this, and to have such knowledge of how it feels.


Well, there we go. I can understand why the author describes herself as having had a hard time writing some of the scenes in this book, as it really does go to some dark places. For me though, personally, it was well worth the read.

[Virginia Yep · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing. I started reading and stayed up all night. The characters are well developed and believeable. The story moves along at a nice pace. You actually come to care about the characters. I definately recommend this book.

[S-Gnome · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was really unusual. I felt like I was sitting in the car with them going on the trip to find help. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants a good, deep read that's going to stay with them.

[Dawnn Fuss · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun book. Just when you start to think the whole "living dead" thing is played out, someone comes up with something truly unique to lure those hard-core living dead fans back in.

[Kylee McCarthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this copy for free in return for a review. Will contain some spoilers but hopefully no specifics.

I absolutely adored this story! It was so new and refreshing for me as I havent read too many books with the same premise. I loved that the story centered around a girls journal about her misdeeds. And lead her to wanting to be even better.

I adore that the girl was strong before she met the boy, as she had been resisting the powers who be for over a year. And I love that you felt the characters emotions throughout the story.

I become entranced with both Dette and Zach and felt like I was involved with the journey fully, which is a testament to how much I absolutely adored the writing and how easy I found it to fully and be entrenched.

I highly recommend this book for anyone that wants to be sad but also full of hope by the ending. I loved the ending. I am also someone that falls more in love with characters when they make heartbreaking decisions that are the right choice even though they hurt.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book! So much so that I read it in one sitting in the small hours of the morning. Loved that it was dark but with patches of light too. And OMG the feels in the last third of the book! I thoroughly recommend giving this book a read!

[Sara Kuttel · Rating 5 out of 5]

The personal file of Odette

I could not put the book down. Difficult at times to read, dark, but moments of sunshine, hope would filter through. Definitely worth the read.

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (4/18/2023)! 🎁

[Cherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story

Great story very unique and engaging
Definitely recommend this to everyone who loves a great story
Well written unique and different approach

[Kranna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable read and something I have not read before

[Maree Croxon Mapperson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must admit this story takes you to many different stories, it’s not at all what I expected. Touching on so many different things. I enjoy the journey. Maree

[K.J. Simmill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dette Chambers' Death Journal by L.M. du Preez is a paranormal fiction novel focusing around the main character and her attempt to reclaim humanity after so long living with a monstrous curse. Dette has a death wish unlike any other. For so long she has watched, distancing herself from those who look like her, those who were once what she was. They could never understand now. Death calls to her, and she answers. She has never shied away from it, why would she? She cannot die and her only remaining pleasure is tempting those close into its sweet embrace. She whispers to them, their life in her hands. Never before has she wanted anyone to live. Not until she met Zach, a man who awakens things in her long thought lost. Against her desire, against her pleasure he is spared. His presence in her life is rekindling things she thought lost, and for the first time she is honest about who and what she is. A journey of self-discovery, and rediscovery sees that for the first time since her death she begins to understand more about her curse, and seeks answers. But the things she discovers are both shocking and terrifying.

Dette Chambers' Death Journal is certainly a unique novel, I have never read anything quite like it. The sole focus is on the main character, her history provided by entries into her journal, and conversations with Zach. There is clear growth in the characters, both of whom are seeking to change in order to better themselves, a development that is pleasant to witness. Written in the first person narrative this well-crafted story will keep you turning the pages as the sense of urgency to learn more about what truly happened on the day of Dette’s death. L.M. du Preez has successfully captured a dark and horrific tale, and shows her talent in setting intense, emotionally charged scenes, well-scripted dialogue, and a perfect ending.

[Kerry Bridges · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dette Chambers is a monster. She's dead and, even worse, she has the power to persuade other people to their deaths too. Then Dette meets Zach and shows him her journal and suddenly, Dette has a chance to break her curse. How high a price would you pay to be human again?

I liked the idea of this novel, it's definitely a twist on the living dead/zombie genre and Dette and Zach are both very likeable characters in their own way. The device of recording previous events in Dette's past life as a journal is a good one and it adds another dimension to the story.

Unfortunately, the sexual descriptions are just totally off putting for me - I don't want to read a book with very sexual scenes and particularly one where they are unnecessarily graphic and actually quite unpleasant. I am afraid to say it really did spoil the novel for me and I think it should have been made clearer at the start because I am sure I'm not the only one.

As an aside, I also would like to read a novel that I can actually read without a magnifying glass so with a reasonable size of text. A lot of people do read at night and I can't imagine what is to be gained by having such small text that it is illegible.

All in all, this is definitely a 3 star novel - good in places but absolutely not on my favourites list!

[Shiela]

In Dette Chambers Death Journal the author tells the freighting story of Dette the undead. She' not a zombie or a vampire but shes not alive either. She begins telling the story of our "life after death" and how she enjoys death. Then she meets Zach. Who reminds her of her first death yet she doesn't want Zach to die. And how Zach remains so close even though doing so puts him in harms way. I'm usually not big on vampire type books but I did enjoy this one. The author does a good job with both Dette and Zach. She is able to give them both character and life that's strong enough to hold the readers interest and makes us want to continue reading. Its a quick and easy read that you will not want to put down. There were a few grammatical issues that caused me to have to reread a paragraph now and then but even that was done much better than most. I recommend this to the undead type readers and look forward to something else by L.M. de Preez.

[Cruikshank · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Love stories with complex main characters, because too often a book is just going to be simple without a lot of depth or personality. The characters in L. M du Preez Dette Chambers' Death Journal are definitely complex and well-rounded and there is a lot of depth to the story. Sure, there are moments that are kind of boring and cliche, but they are few and far between and this is an incredibly exciting and unique book. I must confess I'm not a huge fan of vampire books, but this one had me hooked from the very beginning and refused to let go. Well done, L. M du Preez, and anyone who is interested in a well told story about a not-quite-vampire should pick up Dette Chambers' Death Journal.

[251 Things To Do · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author did an amazing job in hooking the reader from the very beginning. I easily got sucked into this novel, and couldn’t put it down. The two main characters Dette and Zach are both very unique and intriguing, especially Dette. It’s rare that you find such complex characters these days in novels and the development of the protagonist Dette blew my mind. Every chapter revealed more and more of her unique abnormal personality. I feel like the title of the book definitely gives you the expectation that it will be a twisted horror story, but it is definitely not and so much more. One of the best fictional pieces I have read in a long time.

[J.A. Kerr · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wanted to read something different and I found it with this story. It's nothing like anything I've read before and I was hooked from the first page. A dark chilling tale that I found difficult to put down. Read it over 2 nights and my horror of Dette slowly changed to admiration. This is a love story and a ghost story rolled into one and I can't wait to read more from this author. Highly recommend!

[Juliet Aharoni · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author's imagination runs wild in this book. The reader is shocked from the beginning by the premise of Dettie's death journal. As Dettie reveals the horrors of her life experiences, the reader also gets a better understanding about Zach's role in Dettie's life. The magical atmosphere, although very dark, captures the reader's attention to the end.
Highly recommended.

[Courtney Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Firstly, the title grabbed my attention very quickly! I easily wanted to know more about Dett Chambers and her death journal. The blurb was fascinating, and the dedication catch my attention more than usual.

I was immediately sucked into this book, and the world within it. It was easy to read in one day because I got totally and completely lost in the story and only realized I had spent hours reading when I was finished. I don’t think I’ve read a book similar to this before, but I can only hope to find one even half as good as this in the future!

The main characters, Dette and Zach, are so well-written. It’s easy to become attached to them as the story progresses. I loved reading them come closer together as the book went along. I’m a fan of the “Cursed with Suck” trope, and Dette is squarely within that trope. I didn’t think I would like her as much as I did.

The story moves at just the right pace – a lot of well-described scenes without feeling drawn out or overdone. The addition of the journal entries help break up the story to keep it interesting until the last page.

I must have re-read the last chapter 2-3 times, because I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact the story was over. Definitely did not see the ending coming; it hit me like a freight train, but I would do it all over again if I could! I hope to see more from this author, whether in the same style as this book, or a different style all together. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to read something a little dark, a little bittersweet, and more than a little exciting!

[Gabriella Shlyakh · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Deliciously Morbid Love Letter to Writing, Addiction & Hope

It's so hard to even know what to pick first when talking about this book.

I loved it, for starters. This story starts off with a conceit--Dette Chambers is human-like, but not human, but we don't know quite what separates her from the people around her. Yet. As the story goes on, it gets sexier, spookier, and quietly transforms into a tender meditation on addiction, willpower, and the people who make our lives worth living.

Du Preez never uses addiction as a crutch to push the story along, but instead lingers as a compassionate narrator, empathetic but pragmatic about her characters strengths and shortcomings. This is a book that deals with a fair amount of dark topics: suicide, addiction, death, and SA--but the ultimate achievement of this story is that despite the topics, it never feels hopeless. Quite the opposite. The book beautifully and marvelously explores the world of human connection and lack thereof.

I gobbled up this book in one weekend! I cannot recommend it enough with the coming gloomy/spooky months coming up. Put this on your TBR right now!

[Patel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so intense and way more emotional than I was expecting. It's so much more than a typical paranormal romance and I was 100% committed to every moment. Dark, gothic, romantic, terrifying. It gave me Wednesday Addams vibes, vampire vibes, and something totally new. I can't recommend it enough!

[Jerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a very potential novel about a character named Dette who struggles with a habit of tracking people. When Zach enters the story, she finds herself tempted to track him, which becomes a burden for her.
I literally got chills and loved the book

[Ingrid Smeds · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written, enjoyed the storyline.

[Rumeysa Noah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to cry at the end...cause i was so sad..i realized that we had to move on at some point in our life...albeit being painstaking