Micky O'Brady Books
33 Degrees
33 Degrees
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You haven’t arrived, until you’re departed.
Seventeen-year-old Gwendolyn O’Karran survived a kidnapping. Her best friend Sarah did not—and Gwen has absolutely no recollection of the events that led to Sarah’s death. With her life torn to shreds and her heart tormented by survivor’s guilt, Gwen doesn’t expect much from her future, least of all the boy she’s had a crush on for years to attempt suicide—or herself to rescue him. Twice.
But: seventeen-year-old Kai Harrison is convinced he has a valid reason to kill himself. He and his twin brother Cole were in an accident that caused their hearts to stop—enough for Kai to get a first-hand impression of what lies beyond the confines of life. All he wants is to flatline, enter the afterlife, and bring Cole back from the coma he’s in.
As crazy as it sounds, Gwen, conscience heavy from Sarah’s death, is intrigued. Obsessed about reuniting with their loved ones, Gwen and Kai come up with a plan to flatline themselves and trigger a near-death experience. Their quest to beat death at his own game brings them closer, but when they plunge into their reckless experiments, the boundaries between life and death begin to blur. As disturbing visions begin to haunt Gwen and force her to confront the consequences of trespassing to the other side, she realizes she opened the door in both directions when she pierced the veil of life and death. Everything Gwen thought she knew about the night that killed her best friend is challenged—and the secrets that surround Sarah’s death are still very much alive.
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The story is layered, and it takes time to unravel the secrets of 33 Degrees one by one, but Micky O’Brady does it in a way that is not overwhelming. It kept me engaged in the mystery, and I was thoroughly hooked. It was intriguing that someone could make his heart stop to enter the afterlife and then come back to life again. There were several plot twists that I did not see coming. All the action and suspense kept me on the edge of my seat. The chapters flowed smoothly into each other. The characters were brilliant and complex and were developed naturally throughout the story. The story is well-written and held my interest. O’Brady took me on a bumpy ride, and I did not expect the ending. It was mind-blowing.
I've always been a big fan of O'Brady's work, but this is the first time I literally couldn't put it down. Once I started reading it, I wanted to know what happened next. I purposely didn't look at the clock to see what time I finished it; I didn't want to know how late I had stayed up reading it. Although it strayed a bit further into the supernatural than I'm really comfortable with, it was fascinating and engaging, and contained the signature romance O'Brady is famous for. I think she has another hit on her hands.
Micky O'Brady's realistic, heart-wrenching story is filled with love and friendship, bound with grief, desperation, and regrets. The complexity of the storyline brings about a shocking ending which left me shaking my head, trying to comprehend what I had just read. I enjoyed reading about Gwen's and Kai's carefree youth before the horrific events which followed. At first, the characters that were added in between seemed like page-fillers, but each soon became relevant to the development of the storyline and kept me thoroughly engrossed. O'Brady's 33 Degrees hit home to me in many ways, having recently (and suddenly) lost my father, but it also helped me find some peace of mind regarding his death. I know that I will be giving this novel a place on the top shelf of my reading collection, where only the best books reside.
Micky O'Brady's 33 Degrees is a haunting tale of life, death, and the fine line between them. It's also a story of secrets, lies, and the lengths people will go to keep things hidden. The two main characters are well-developed; they show realistic emotions, are easy to relate to, and are oh-so likable, even when they are experimenting with things they have no business being anywhere near. The plot is unique and full of action, and it twists its way to the end as you follow their individual stories, especially Gwen's, and experience the pain survivor's guilt can bring. It's bad enough for an adult to deal with, but even harder for those barely adult. The subject has been dealt with compassionately and expertly. There's also a lesson in not messing with things you don't understand, especially if you aren't prepared for the consequences. This is an excellent story; I enjoyed reading it and believe anyone else will too.