Utterly delightful - this was so so fun and I'll absolutely be recommending it to anyone who needs a good quirky time!

This book was so much fun. I loved it. Vampires, werewolves, hell and heaven. Female gay lead character. Let’s have more from this author! Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

Always Carry Your Scythe by Pip Paisley is a quick, fun read featuring Trixie, the daughter of Death. She isn’t thrilled by the thought of following in her mother’s professional footsteps and hasn’t really forgiven Mom for leaving her with Aunt Harry as a child. Trixie will go to any length, though, to help her best friend Zuzi, including playing the King of Hell’s gameshow, To the Wheel.

I liked Trixie quite a bit, she is fun-loving, open-minded, persistent, but still struggles with vulnerability. Most of the other characters need a little more fleshing out but since this seems like the beginning of a series, that will probably come.

The plot moves very quickly and has lots of amusing parts, as well as some serious for balance. For the characters, the stakes were quite high, but the story was told in such an entertaining way.

I’ll be looking for more in this series. Recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and Pip Paisley for providing a free digital ARC.

This was an awesome and super fun read! I loved the concept and the execution. I finished it in a day because I had to know what was next or to find the answer to a previously set up mystery. It left enough open ended that im really hoping it's because another book will be incoming,and ill be stoked to read that too!

I saw this book, and I was intrigued by both the cover and the blurb. I thought, “what the heck,” and I requested it. It looked to be a fun romp, and it really delivered. I found the main character to be really sympathetic and fun, and she doesn’t back down from a fight. Trixie is a faithful friend to Zuzi, and I love how she goes about showing that. While there were a couple of things that weren’t perfect, I found this book so well-written and fun, I didn’t care a bit about that. I’d love to see Trixie, Maybelle, and Zuzi again, even the minor characters. This book is a fun way to spend an afternoon. Highly recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

This had everything that I was hoping for from the description. The overall feel of the story worked with everything that I wanted and thought the overall feel had that supernatural element to this. Pip Paisley has a great writing style and left me wanting to read more in this series and author.

I wanted to have a blast reading this, but it was just ok for me personally. It had a great premise and characters, but the plot didn't really get fleshed out in the way I was hoping for, and I could have used WAY more Hellhound-Doodle.

While the story started out strong, I would have liked a bit more detail in the hell section (which strangely didn't seem quite hellish enough. Though I lOVED the American Gladiators style challenge --more of that, please!)

I guess I felt like the world building was a little shallow across the board. I wanted to spend more time getting to know about these people and their lives, while the book seemed more into following the "save someone from hell" plot line.

The nice thing about this book is it seems to be a set up for a series, so there is potential to dive deeper into these topics in the future. (I would be interested in stories about interning for Death. Actually, I'd be interested in more stories about Death, period!)

This isn't a bad book by any means, just not a match with my expectations. Although there are ingredients in here to do some cool stuff in the future.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for granting me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This Young/New Adult supernatural romp through Hell was a fun read! Trixie doesn't want to go into the family business - her mom is Death - but finds herself navigating Hell anyways, specifically a demonic game show under investigation by the Angel Investigation Bureau (AIB). The author has populated the story with descriptive settings and recognizeable supernatural fantasy characters: vampires, demons, angels, sorcerors, werewolf drag queens and fan favourite...Hellhound doodle puppies - all with a humourous slant.

The plot at times is a bit ridiculous and the ending is a bity tidy, but while the text could use a quick copyedit and sometimes the balance between telling and showing is off, the writing is easy to read and accessible. Overall, this is a fun(ny) adventure following sassy supernatural characters that centres on friendship and family, and I'd definitely read more if this turns out to be a series.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author Pip Paisley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oh my goodness! What a heap of supernatural/demonic fun! Trixie D'Vita's mom is Death. Yes, that Death. Capital D Death. Mom wants Trixie to go into the family business, but Trixie is not keen on that idea. She works at Aunt Harry's bar and is happy with that for now. Mom is still trying to convince Trixie to apprentice for Death and gives Trixie a mini-scythe and tells her to carry with her always. This gift will eventually come in pretty handy. Unfortunately, one night Trixie sees something terrible happen to a friend and can't prevent it. Don't want to put any spoilers out, but suffice to say she goes to Hell to get her friend back. Demonic game shows, the King of Hell, an agent in training for the Angel Investigation Bureau and a Hellhound-doodle are all part of the quest Trixie is on. Loved that this is a different take on the afterlife and it's a really fun read! Hoping there will be a book 2!

This could have really been something. Filed under humor on NetGalley I expected to laugh or giggle. There was no giggling. Most of the book is narrated by Trixie, daughter of Death.
So many fantasy characters (death, devils, vampires etc), and all seemed so close to humans, men and women. I just feel like one of the mystical beings could just be non binary.
I’m not sure why but I wasn’t really rooting for anyone in the book besides the dog. Nothing was that surprising, new or described in an interesting way. I feel like the show “the Good Place”, had much more interesting hell scapes.
Death can be any shape or form and this is how they dress “She was dressed in her usual work uniform of black leather bustier, leather pants and thigh-high stiletto boots.”.
I just feel like Death would be shaped and dressed more amorphous like Barba Papa.
I was definitely not the audience of this book. Others might like it.

I was really curious about this title. The blurb and cover caught my attention straightaway. I really enjoyed Darynda Jones' Charlie Davidson series and was picturing something somewhat similar, with a snarky but also somewhat hapless/lost protagonist, dragged into the world of Death and darkness somewhat against her will, with hijinks and action to follow. Unfortunately, I found a story that seemed a little all over the place, that read more like a Who's Who of supernatural creatures. I couldn't seem to engage with the characters or world that was established. It felt like not much was happening, beyond characters being introduced and described, for pages on end. I couldn't seem to find my way into the world, unfortunately, and wasn't able to finish. This one wasn't a good fit for me.

What a debut novel! Trixie and co. had me drawn into their world from the get go and had me laughing and crying at all the right moments. Pip has delivered a humorous, well paced story on life, death and the power of friendship and resilience set in a familiar yet different world. Eagerly looking forward to the next set of adventures from Trixie and friends (and yes, please include the hellhound).

Trixie D’Vita, the daughter of Death, isn’t sure what she wants to do with her life, but she knows she doesn’t want to follow in her mother’s footsteps. Then her best friend gets sent to Hell by a rigged gameshow, and she follows her down there to rescue her (and mom absolutely flips).

This was a really interesting book with a lot of potential, and I did enjoy it, but it was kind of all over the place. At times it felt like it was trying to smoosh too many different things into one book - a Hellish gameshow, elements of Wizard of Oz, America’s Ninja Warrior, a big reveal at the end that kind of fell flat.

I do wish there had been a bit more depth to the characters, and more exploration into some of the points of conflict - was there an ulterior motive to the gift of the scythe? does Trixie ever develop the traits Death suggested she might? - but all in all, it was still a whimsical, funny, interesting story.

a fun and light hearted read. i loved the humour- you can tell the book was written in aw ay that was meant to make the reader smile. though sometimes satirical books can come off as a little heavy handed, always carry your scythe does not feel that way at all. i liked this- so thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC!

Wow! Great book!! The characters. The world building. The humor and heart. A fun, fast read. Highly recommended!

Always Carry Your Scythe by Pip Paisley is a riotous bundle of demonic fun and to cap it all, there is a Hellhound-Doodle. A Hellhound-doodle! If you don't know I am a sucker for any incornation of a pet Cerberus by now then I don't know what else to tell you. A hellhound-doodle. GENIUS!

Favourite quote (one of a great many); "Trixie, can you pass the hot sauce?" Death asked

Call my gast well and truly flabbered at just how much fun this book is. The cocncept and storyline goes beyond quirky (a very good thing), the characters are absolutely bonkers, the pace is screaming and I am all over it. If you have a day where you want a quick read that glows sunshine claws and happy hellfire with lots of sparkles and mayhem from the minute you begin, welp, tadaa!

Absolutely brilliant!

Thank you to Netgalley, and Pip Paisley for this screamer of an ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own