The Queen of Second Chances by Kam Karem introduces Destiny Wyrd, an eighteen-year-old who can heal the dying and steal them a little more time, a power she discovers through a battered porta-potty that mysteriously appears whenever someone nearby is about to die. When her beloved friend, Ms Bella, is found bleeding in an alley, Destiny saves her, only to clash with Clay, a grouchy and gorgeous Grim Reaper who insists Bella's death was never Destiny's to interfere with. As Destiny digs into who attacked Bella and why, she is pulled into a small-town mystery involving sibling rivalry, a looming tax sale on Bella's bookstore, and a much bigger secret about her own family and the paranormal world hiding in plain sight around her.

Kam Karem writes with a sharp, funny, instantly likeable voice, and Destiny's narration carries the book from start to finish with constant quips and a refreshing lack of self-pity about her strange life. The pacing is brisk, juggling the central mystery, Destiny's prickly chemistry with Clay, and her search for answers about her own powers. The supporting cast, especially her cousins Mort and Aurora, gives the story real warmth and a found-family feel that grounds all the paranormal chaos. What stood out most to me was how the mystery and the romance both pay off by the end, while still leaving plenty of intriguing threads about Destiny's family and her future as a "Fate in Training" for a sequel. The Queen of Second Chances is a fun, quick-paced read for anyone who delights in reading small-town mysteries with magic and slow-burn romance.

What if saving someone’s life meant breaking the rules of fate? The Queen of Second Chances by Kam Karem is the story of Destiny Child Wyrd, an eighteen-year-old with an extraordinary ability. Whenever a mysterious porta-potty appears in her yard, it signals that someone is about to die. Destiny can sometimes step in and give certain people a little more time, but at a cost. Then a beloved bookstore owner is attacked, and Destiny finds herself pulled into a dangerous investigation with Sheriff Mort, who’s also her cousin. Along the way, she crosses paths with Clay, a Grim Reaper who believes death should follow its intended course. He annoys her, but oddly enough, she also finds him attractive. At the same time, he has some demons he needs to deal with. As tensions grow between Destiny’s mission and the forces determined to stop her, she must decide how far she’s willing to go to give others a second chance. Will she succeed or won’t she? And what does her future hold?

The Queen of Second Chances by Kam Karem kept me smiling. It had a good mix of humor, mystery, and supernatural twists. Destiny definitely grabbed my attention. She’s funny, stubborn, caring, and full of personality. She and Clay were a lot of fun together. Some of the most entertaining moments came from their clashing views. Destiny's bond with her cousin Mort was another highlight for me. Their playful banter reminded me of Lorelai and Sookie from Gilmore Girls. The writing is conversational, and the small-town setting added charm to the book. There was also an interesting balance of questions about life, death, choice, and responsibility without ever feeling heavy. Anyone looking for a paranormal romance, cozy mystery, or a story filled with quirky characters will want to pick this one up. This creative, engaging read left me eager to spend more time in Destiny’s world.

Kam Karem brings us lively paranormal new adult fiction in The Queen of Second Chances. Since her parents passed away when she was four, Destiny Wyrd has wanted a Tardis – a machine that can send you back in time. What Destiny did get, however, was a beige porta-potty, or as she liked to call it, a BBC. When the mirror in the BBC shows her Miss Bella, owner of the bookstore in Olde Town, Destiny rushes to the alley to reverse the damage. You see, Destiny Wyrd is no ordinary eighteen-year-old but a Fate in Training. She has the power to heal injuries and give the Deserved Dying a bit more time to settle any unfinished business. Suddenly, the town is full of Grim Reapers, soul-sucking paranorms, and one particular Grim called Clay has gotten under Destiny’s skin. Destiny needs to find out who would want Miss Bella dead and why.

Author Kam Karem delivers a superb novel with a quirky main character whom everyone will love. From the very start, this story is fast-paced, making you want to keep reading and devour it in one sitting. The dialogue is delivered with unmatched precision and will have you fully invested in the characters with spunky personalities. The descriptions will drive your senses to overload, making this a worthwhile read. The Queen of Second Chances is suitable for young adult readers and ticks all the right boxes with a paranormal mystery, fight scenes, and brilliant character development. All of this brings balance to a fantastic plot and themes of destiny, fate, and family.

In The Queen of Second Chances by Kam Karem, Destiny Wyrd earns her living with a drone investigation business in Boulder County, where a magical porta-potty appears in her yard whenever someone is close to death. When the mirror reveals Bella, the elderly owner of Bella’s Books, bleeding in an alley, Destiny saves her before a Grim can claim her soul from the Book of the Dead. Sheriff Morticia Wyrd, Destiny’s cousin, begins investigating Bella’s attack as Bella’s son Ben and daughter Lydia each face questions about the bookstore’s future. As danger spreads through Olde Town, Destiny is pulled into a family secret connected to a hidden source beneath Bella’s shop, while her untaught Fate power begins steering her choices. Every save brings her closer to the rules governing life and death.

Kam Karem’s The Queen of Second Chances leans creatively into Destiny’s possible Fate role, granting a second chance at life to people on death’s list. I really like Destiny. She's intelligent and compassionate, but she's also funny. You have to root for a protagonist who throws coffee at a Grim that expects obedience, and who names a ghostly wind form “Mr. Twist,” treating a kind of scary presence like a bothersome backyard pest. And there's a Morticia! Karem fleshes her out fully and makes her a natural protector, staying beside Destiny when she needs it and stepping in when a man is not very nice to his wife in public. Karem loads the book with visual settings, from the former bordello with its balcony above Olde Town, to Bella’s Books when viewed through smoke and glass. Readers who enjoy small-town paranormal mysteries with crime, family secrets, and battles between good and evil will adore this book. Very highly recommended.