The Reaper's Quota

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Pub Date 10 Nov 2021 | Archive Date 2 Aug 2022

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Description

Meet Grim Reaper #2497. Behind on his work, he must complete his quota of thirty Random Deaths or face termination in the worst way.

Faced with an insurmountable task and very little time to complete it, Reaper #2497 struggles to hang on to the one thing he's not supposed to have - his humanity.

Meet Grim Reaper #2497. Behind on his work, he must complete his quota of thirty Random Deaths or face termination in the worst way.

Faced with an insurmountable task and very little time to complete...


Advance Praise

Being in the mind of Steve the Reaper for a couple of days as I read this unique and darkly humorous story was something I won't soon forget. I loved the moments of insight into the human condition of living and dying, and was moved by some lovely, relatable scenes when Steve gets a vision of the lives of each of his victims before he swings his scythe. But Steve isn't really cut out for this life, or his former human life. What he wants is to be human again, and do better next time.

Being in the mind of Steve the Reaper for a couple of days as I read this unique and darkly humorous story was something I won't soon forget. I loved the moments of insight into the human condition...


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ISBN 9798781351893
PRICE US$2.99 (USD)

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Average rating from 40 members


Featured Reviews

4.5 stars
This was a really unique and fun read. I loved the sarcastic humor. However, that cliff hanger…
I cannot wait for the next book!

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Grim Reaper #2497 is slacking on his Random Deaths monthly quota and at risk of permanent execution. He is slacking because he is struggling to hold back his humanity whilst having to complete his Grim Reaper duties.

Reaper #2497 is sarcastic and funny and it brought lightness to the death scenes. I found myself smirking at some of the execution reports. I am very excited to see what happens to #2497 from here and will definitely be reading the next book!

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A really enjoyable read that was full of sarcsm and dark humour. It was well written with a compelling storyline that I couldn't put down and made for a very quick and easy read. Twisty and a fantastic ending that left me wanting more

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A dark humor fiction story about a reaper who wants to become human again. The story ends on a cliffhanger and boy, is if a deep one! This was a really quick read. It feels like a case study into peoples lives, almost voyeuristic. Our reaper main character is given a number but somehow remembers his name when he was human, which he isn’t supposed to. He remembers being human and gets in trouble for not filling his quota of accidental death reapings. The main reaper character has an interesting, dark and sarcastic humor. I loved reading about how peoples bodies would be found after they were reaped, and the way he filled out paperwork after the reapings. I can’t wait for the next book!

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Ebook/Dark Humor:. I really liked this book and I want to thank Netgalley for giving me a copy in lieu of an honest review. Without repeating the summary, I want to say that Grim Reaper #2497, aka Steve, is a simple guy with a job he hates. He does try to make the best of it with dry, dark humor on his paperwork. This is a fun short read of about four hours. Nothing is heart stopping, just 2497's inner turmoil in first person on how through his quota. The book is short and be prepared for an abrupt ending.

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This is SUCH a good read. One of the reasons that I'm so grateful to be part of the NetGalley family is to be introduced to books I'd not normally come across and this is one of them.

Steve is Reaper #2497 and he's behind on his quota. The writing is excellent and fast paced and the emotional mixed with sarcasm and wit had me spell bound with this unique book.

The world of the Grim Reaper was a fascinating one and one that will stick with me for a long time.

I'd highly recommend this read and my only disappointment was the cliffhanger ending. However, I'm very much looking forward to the sequel.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to preview this excellent read and many congratulations to Sarah McKnight - I'll be reading more!

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The Reaper’s Quota by Sarah McKnight

This is a hilarious and fast story to read. It was nothing like what I was expecting and I thoroughly enjoyed the entire book.

Reaper # 2497 (a.k.a. Steve) is tasked with a set amount of deaths he has to complete or he will be executed. This story is about the Random Death quota he has to complete. He is torn between his humanity and his need for survival. While completing his tasks, he is struggling with the right and wrong of being a Reaper.

My only issue with this book is the ending. It ends on a cliffhanger. I am, however, going to be looking for the second in this series.

Thank you to #Netgalley and author Sarah McKnight for a copy of this book for an honest review. #TheReapersQuota

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I tore through this book in a day I found it so engrossing. McKnight has been so inventive, not only creating the world of the Reapers, but also the many stories of the people Reaper 2497 encounters throughout the book. The story was violent, poignant and darkly funny in equal measure. Safe to say I was delighted to see a sequel will be coming out soon, and it'll certainly be on my list to read!

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This book is not your typical Grim Reaper story, where mostly Grim Reapers find some unexpected lover and fall in love. No, the author broke the conventional story for the Grim Reapers. I found that this book is the most realistic story of Grim Reapers. They're not some tall, dark-haired, broody, handsome men; they're skeletons with hollow eye sockets. They are literally skeletons covered in a black cloak with their scythes slung over their shoulders. This is the description I've known since I was a teenager, broken only by the creative imaginations of other people's perceptions of Grim Reapers.

The book can be funny at times, with Steve, our main character, who was sassy and witty. He made the story come alive, and I laughed at his witty and sarcastic internal monologue, especially the reference to The Pirates of the Caribbean. The author did a refreshing take on the story of Grim Reapers, and this is one of the unique and most creative stories I've read so far. Hilarity aside, the story delves more profound into the topic of regret and hope. I found Steve to be relatable in a way. He hopes for a second chance but doesn't really voice it because it might be jinxed, and it would be gone in an instant. He hopes secretly, and his internal monologue made me sympathize with him. He's full of regrets, wanting to have a once-over in life and right his wrongs.

This story tackles how humans' lives are fragile being comparable to delicate china. The backstories of every person he'd taken were also realistic because somewhere, it's happening in every different person. The theme of life and death here is riveting because it's spot-on! This is one of those books I'd never get tired of recommending to friends and strangers. Everything about this is well-written, the characters are likeable, and even in death, the Reaper Headquarters captured the perfect reflection of humans' lives in the realm of the living. The routine of people going to work, eat, sleep, and vice versa.

BUT.

WHEN I REACHED THE LAST PAGE OF THE BOOK. DUDE. I WAS LYING DOWN ON MY BED WHEN I TURNED TO THE NEXT PAGE AND READ "WONDERING WHAT'S NEXT FOR STEVE?" COME ON!!!!!!! I BOLTED UPRIGHT FROM MY POSITION AND BEGAN THROWING THE PILLOW ON THE BED AGAIN AND AGAIN. I THOUGHT THIS WAS A STAND-ALONE, BUT I WAS LED TO BELIEVE IN A LIE. THE CLIFFHANGER --- I CANNOT. WHEN IS MID-2022?????!!! BECAUSE NEED BOOK 2 NOW!!!!

But I still love the book but I hate the cliffhanger, but it's a good thing, right??? RIGHT???!!!!!????!! I NEED BOOK TWO. NOW.

MASSIVE MASSIVE MASSIVE THANK YOU THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY FOR THIS E-ARC!!!!!!!!! I OWE YOU BIG TIME!!!!

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It was a darkly humorous, funny, and entertaining story. I laughed and turned pages fast.
Can't wait to read the next story.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

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Well that was fun. Who knew a grim reaper could have such a sense of humour!

Grim Reaper #2497, who feels like his name was Steve when he was human, is behind on his quota of 30 random deaths. Failure to complete the required number of terminations will probably result in his own termination. He has also been warned to stop thinking about whether it would be possible to revert to human.

This was an enjoyable change of pace and I chuckled quite a bit, especially when reading Steve's Random Death reports. The story is really well told and you can almost hear the reapers' bones clicking and clacking as they bustle about headquarters. The book ends in a cliffhanger and I'm looking forward to reading Book 2. This book was published in November 2021 and Book 2, Chasing the Reaper, was released recently.

My thanks to BooksGoSocial via Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the chance to read this book.

I really enjoyed this book and its take from the Reapers perspective. I have always been fascinated with the Grim Reaper and immediately wanted to read this just because it was unique.

Sarah McKnight had me from page one as I learned why a Reaper became a Reaper, how each were given assignments daily, but also had quotas to meet in order to keep the qorld from becoming over populated, and also how "Steve" is starting to question being a Reaper. I ended up caring about characters, which seems odd since one is a Grim Reaper and the story ending on a cliff hanger meant I was immediately looking for the 2nd one.

I definitely recommend this quick read which is a different take on the Grim Reaper. It is more feeling than dark and dreary.

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This book is my second in the horror genre in recent days, and I don't normally venture there. Nonetheless, this is quite good. I enjoyed the humor and was pleasantly surprised that I liked it as much as I did. I'll have to check out the author's other work.

Thanks very much for the free review copy!!

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The Reaper's Quota by Sarah McKnight is a quick humorous horror read. I couldn't put this book down! I actually would rate this book over 5 stars if I could! The main character is Reaper 2497 or Steve in his human life. He struggles with having human feelings which reapers are not supposed to have. All he wants is another chance to be human again. He has fulfilled his assigned deaths but struggles with his 30 random death quota. This book follows him as he tries to meet his quota in three days or face execution by the big boss. The ending leaves us with a cliffhanger. I can't wait for the second book to find out what happens! If you are looking for a humorous paranormal book, I highly recommend this book to be added to your read list!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in return for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

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Reapers as you've not really met them before. No humanity visble, just the traditional skeleton, cloak and scythe, with quotas to complete. Each month a number of random deaths need to be added and these make up the bulk of freak accidents and unusual and unexpected deaths.
We foĺow the progress of Steve, a reaper for 2 years, as he tries to understand his life and world. Bearing in mind his memory was supposed to have been wiped.
The humour is dark and the style very matter of fact. This was Steve, and his life, and what he did each day, how he killed people and how he reported their deaths. Yes there are still reports, clerks and filing cabinets in this enormous bureaucracy of death.

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Reaper #2497 (or Steve) has a job to do: complete 30 Random Deaths or face execution. But there's one thing getting in his way, one thing he shouldn't have as a Reaper - his humanity.

This was such an enjoyable read! McKnight does a wonderful job of getting the reader to connect with Reaper #2497 and have you rooting for him. The story is also filled with a lot of dark humour and had me laughing out loud! I loved the idea that the Reapers' job is like any other mundane job, with quotas to fill and deadlines to meet.

This was a brilliant short story and would definitely recommend to readers who are a fan of dark humour.

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Grim Reaper # 2497 has completed all of his Assigned Deaths, but not his Random Death quota for the month. He has three days to perform 30 random killings, or be executed. So, 2497 becomes something of an avenging angel, shortening the lives of the abusive, the unpleasant, and the annoying. (You may actually cheer when some of these jerks are dispatched.)

It's fairly obvious that 2497 does not particularly like killing, and is hoping for nothing more than a do-over as a human. And, he may just get a crack at that, though not quite in the way he expects . . .

This fun and funny novel would be a treat for fans of dark humor, and for faithful viewers of HBO's "Six Feet Under."

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Grim Reaper #2497 (or Steve as he prefers to be called) is struggling to make his monthly quota again. He has no trouble ending the lives of those who are dying from accidents, disease or famine but it’s the random lives he has to take every month that cause him problems. He knows the Reapers must harvest extra lives to help keep population growth under control, but it’s choosing who to take that he finds difficult. He’s already been warned by the Big Boss that his days as a Reaper may be limited if he can’t overcome his human feelings (which Reapers shouldn’t have) about which lives to take.

Darkly humorous, this novella is a delightfully fun read as Reaper #2497 goes looking for those most worthy of dying early and in inventive ways. He knows he is being watched by the Big Boss but can’t help letting his human feelings influence his choices. Just be warned –after finishing this, you’ll be left wanting to immediately read the sequel.

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The Reaper’s Quota is the first book in the Reaper Chronicles series by American author, Sarah McKnight. Grim Reaper #2497 is being pulled up by the Big Boss for not meeting his quota of Random Deaths. He’s completed his Assigned Deaths (old, sick, fatal accidents or suicides) but, with three days left in the month, still has thirty Random Deaths to do. He is solemnly reminded that Random Deaths are necessary to prevent the world from overpopulating.

Trouble is, #2497, or Steve (the name that just feels right to him), is troubled by very human feelings that seem to be absent in other Reapers. Whereas some Reapers take great pleasure in their job, Steve doesn’t enjoy taking lives at all. When he can’t avoid killing Randoms, he tries to find those that deserve it, or have only a short time left anyway. But the official warning means he has to get busy or he will be exterminated.

Being exterminated would mean he wouldn’t have to snuff out lives, but then he wouldn’t exist anymore; what he’d really like is go back to being human, to get another chance, to do it better this time. Because he thinks that last time, his wasn’t a good life, and killing his cheating business partner in a fit of anger was what made him a Reaper in the first place.

So he takes his scythe and reluctantly gets started on his quota of Randoms. During a break, another Reaper warns him that his thoughts and deeds are being monitored by the higher-ups, and a sneak peek at the files tells him he has been flagged as a problematic Reaper.

Then, while out looking for suitable Randoms, he encounters a human who can actually see him. After they each get over the shock, the chat they have is revelatory for both, and it makes Steve even more determined to find out how he can return to being human.

But then Steve breaks a Reaper Rule, intervening when another Reaper is carrying out Assigned Death tasks, something punishable by immediate extermination. But the result is totally unexpected, and has him challenging the Big Boss about their role. The Big Boss doesn’t appreciate criticism, and his next instruction reflects this.

It’s always fun to read a story with a quirky protagonist, and a Grim Reaper is certainly that. Despite being a murderer, Steve is the sort of guy you can’t help liking, or sympathising with his plight. McKnight gives him some wise words and insightful observations and, because he’s just bones, has him thinking things like “I think about biting my tongue to stop myself from saying anything more. Since I don’t have one, the words continue to spill out.”

Needless to say, the premise of the story dictates that the body count is high, with some very creative manners of death, and the cliff-hanger ending will have the reader appreciating that the sequel, Chasing The Reaper has already been published. Very entertaining!
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Books Go Social.

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This was a fun and unique novella following Grim Reaper #2947 struggling with his humanity and fulfilling his role as a Reaper.

After reading some pretty heavy books recently it was nice to change it up with some dark humour and a shorter book. I loved the premise and found it was delivered really well by McKnight.

There is a sequel that has recently been published but I find I would have preferred it as potentially a standalone as the ending was just that perfect open-ended cliffhanger. Nonetheless I'll be picking up the sequel soon!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an eARC in return for my honest review.

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The Reaper's Quota is brillant!

Who thought that a Reaper would have a quota? Well they do!

This novel is a great take on what happens when death is at your door, but also, what and who is a Reaper.

A Reaper is a person who committed murder while still living. Upon their death they become Reapers. All memory of who they were before death is erased, or is it?

Reapers have rules they have to abide by and meet their quotas or else.... Oh and they also have a boss!

This novel follows Steve, a Reaper on his quest to meet his quota or meet his demise. Steve doesn't enjoy taking life and has to make the decision to kill or be killed.

A very heart felt novel focusing on the anguish of whose life to take while judging yourself doing it. A down to earth novel that will have you turning the pages and the ending will leaving you hanging!

Ready for book 2

A creative, well written novel that had me laughing and tearing up. The cliff hangar at the end had me wanting more! Genius!

Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for making this review possible!

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I absolutely loved the dark humor in this book. It is a gory and gruesome story, so please be aware of that before picking it up, but a stunning story on how precious life is.

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The premise of the story is what got me first interested in reading- reapers are just like anybody else; they have jobs and quotas to fill! I liked how the story flowed with our main character reaper being reprimanded for not meeting his month's quota. It was interesting to see how the random death's were chosen, and I thought the reports he had to fill out were hilarious. During this, the main subplot of him longing to be human again and wondering how to make that happen was genius! And the added element of a human woman he could actually talk to brought a hint of romance (and I didn't see it coming). I was on the edge of my seat wondering if he'd meet his quota, and if we would find out if he turned human, or found out how to. This book leaves us with a cliff-hanger and open-ended, and I saw that there is a sequel. I will for sure be checking out the sequel. I think this book would make a great comedic television show someday (in the vein of The Good Place), and it was a great palette cleanser for a horror fan (dark, but not too dark)!

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This was a fun ride along with the main Reaper.
He just can't stop trying to figure out what his life was like before he died.

The fun qualifications to become a reaper after you die is that you had to have killed someone.
Either on purpose or on accident. no forgiveness.
You are assigned daily quotas and have to complete random death quotas as well.
All Reapers looks exactly the same: skeleton with scythe

you better be a good time keeper after you die
no body has missed a quota yet, so it is unknown what will happen

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I received this kindle book as an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Grim Reaper #2497 (a.k.a. Steve) doesn't like being a reaper very much. He only got the gig because he killed his business partner and then died decades later in Prison -- see, if you kill someone, whether accidentally or otherwise, you spend your eternal afterlife reaping the souls of other people, until your bones get so old they literally turn to dust.

Steve fulfills his assignments (terminally ill people or other people slated to die) reluctantly, but he hates having to meet his "random death" quota a.k.a the 30 random people that he has to kill, some of whom, without Steve's intervention, would have had long lives ahead of them. Since he hasn't been fulfilling his quota lately, he is called in front of the Big Boss and told that he has to randomly kill 30 people in 3 days, otherwise Steve will be executed. The book is basically about Steve going about this grim tasks.

I really loved "The Office" or "Office Space" feel of this book -- but instead of TP Reports, there are Random Death quotas. The reapers stand around the office water cooler "drinking" their Elixir (which they can't really drink because the reapers are literally just walking skeletons) and talking shop. Some reapers are sadistic, some are over achievers, and some, like Steve, do the bare minimum with a modicum of effort. Sitting above the minions, making sure the work is carried out, is the nasty boss with a bad attitude ready to drop the hammer at any moment.

How Steve orchestrates his random kills is borderline ridiculous, which brings some levity into what otherwise would be a somber set of circumstances. Despite the humor, however, it does get rather tedious after a while and I would have liked to have more substance to the story, which is why I'm only giving the book 4 stars instead of 5. The book is 90% focused on the background story of the people that Steve kills and the description of how they die and 10% focused on bringing Steve's story forward. The book ended with a cliffhanger, which I presume will pick up in a sequel -- though I think that the book was short enough that it could have been continued as a Part 2 to the same book.

If you're in the mood for something short and light, then this book is for you!

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The Reaper's Quota is an original, sarcastic and enjoyable read. I was drawn to its unique plot of Grim Reaper #2497, who has to meet his random death quota. Plagued by human thoughts, every execution weighs heavy on him. Sarah presents a beautiful mix of sarcasm and emotions, and I devoured this book in one sitting. The world of Grim Reapers is nothing but fascinating and spellbinding. The death reports make me giggle! The ending is a memorable cliffhanger, and I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel. A 5-star read all the way!

Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for an ARC. This honest review is left voluntarily.

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The humour in the book is amazing. The sarcastic sense of humour from Reaper #2497 really shows the extent to which his humanity is still present and had me laughing at some many points.
I read this in 2 days and it was so enjoyable. The cliff-hanger has made me so excited for a sequel

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A dark read full of sarcastic and dark humour. Well written and so original. Grim Reaper #2497 is not very good at his job and at risk of permanent execution. Too put it bluntly he is too empathetic with his victims. A fun read with a twisty ending which definitely left me wanting more.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

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I wasn’t really sure what I would think of this but I’m really glad I had the chance to read it. It’s such a unique idea and I really liked the first person narrative. I’ll definitely be reading the next book.

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Delightfully dark and humorous tale of one reaper who just needs more and questions everything, and doesn't really choose to fit in. Just like Jonathan Livingston Seagul but darker and with a scythe. Can't wait to see what happens next!

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Humorous, bittersweet, and human. This short novel tells about the job and humanity of a REAPER.
Meeting your assigned quota isn’t hard, but those extra Random Deaths are .
Steve, the Reaper has started having Human thoughts and feelings and his boss is not happy about it.
If you are not Squamish about this subject, you will enjoy this novel.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me this ARC. I do recommend.

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If you kill someone in this life, you’ll become a Grim Reaper in the next, taking life as you’re assigned and without remorse. Reaper #2497, or Steve as he was called in his past life, just can’t do it. He just can’t get past his remnant human emotions. Emotions he isn't suppose to have. No reaper is supposed to remember or have these feelings. But Steve does. He’s barely meeting his quota, and he knows the Boss is not happy, and when the Boss isn’t happy, you get executed. But what does that mean if you’re already dead?
The Reaper’s Quota by Sarah McKnight is a delightfully lighthearted perspective on death and what makes us human, and how our choices can affect our lives (or deaths). I fantastic blend of “1,000 Ways To Die” and “Office Space”, I would highly recommend this to fan’s of either. 4/5 Stars

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Reaper #2497 is all of us when we have a task to do, but don’t want to do it. This book is the perfect amount of dark humor. I laughed out loud and enjoyed following “Steve” around, especially during his death reports.

I plan on reading the next book since The Reaper’s Quota ended on a cliff hanger. Thank you again to Netgalley for the ARC.

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