Title: Desires of the Dead
Author: Kimberly Derting
Series: The Body Finder #2
Genre: YARelease Date: March 17, 2011
Publisher: Headline
Edition: Paperback
Source: Publisher
Blurb:Violet and Jay are finally dating, but adjusting to the new relationship is not as easy as Violet anticipated. Especially when she has to split Jay's time and attention with his new best friend, Mike, and Mike's pesky younger sister - who happens to be obsessed with Jay. Meanwhile, when Violet's special abilities lead her to the body of a young boy, her tip to the police puts her on the radar of the FBI. Violet tries to fend off the FBI's questions while maintaining the semblance of a normal life, but somebody's leaving her threatening notes and an echo around Mike's house reinforces that all is not right. Violet is forced to admit that perhaps the only people who can help her figure it out are the very people she's desperate to avoid - the FBI.
I loved The Body Finder so much that I wasn't sure if Desires of the Dead was going to live up to it. In a sense I was right, but this keeps being a great novel nonetheless.Violet still is an amazing character and this time she has to worry about people finding out about her ability to sense the echoes of the death. She struggles a lot with it but I liked how at the end she's the one who decides what to do and who to tell, although she does get some help and advice from her parents and Jay.Jay keeps being as awesome as ever and while his relationship with Violet goes through some bumps, at the end they still make a great couple. As the story evolves you can see how their relationship matures and becomes more serious.There are some new interesting characters like Rafe. He's a quiet and intriguing character and I really hope the author tells us more about him in the next book.To me, the reason this book wasn't as good as the previous one is the mystery. In the first book I didn't know who the bad guy was until the end but this time around it's pretty clear who's to blame. Honestly, I don't know how the characters could have missed it.All in all, this was an amazing read with a great cast of characters and a interesting plot. I can't wait to read the next one!Memorable Lines:“Your parents asked me to stop by and check on you on my way home. They won’t be back until late. Can I trust the two of you here . . . alone?”“Of course you can—” Jay started to say.“Probably not—” Violet answered at the same time. And then she caught a glimpse of the horror-stricken expression on Jay’s face, and she laughed. “Relax, Uncle Stephen, we’re fine. We were just doing homework.”Previous Book:1. The Body Finder - ReviewNext Book:3. Untitled (2012)Rating:
Title: The Body Finder
Author: Kimberly Derting
Series: The Body Finder #1
Genre: YARelease Date: November 25, 2010
Publisher: Headline
Edition: Paperback
Source: Publisher
Blurb:Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her “power” to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world . . . and the imprints that attach to their killers.
Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find dead birds her cat had tired of playing with. But now that a serial killer has begun terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he’s claimed haunt her daily, she realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.
Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet on her quest to find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved to find herself hoping that Jay’s intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she’s falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer . . . and becoming his prey herself.
I don't think there are enough words to describe how much I loved this book. Violet has a gift for seeing and hearing the echos of the dead. Saying that, there wasn't much paranormal touches in the story. Mostly this has Violet trying to solve the murders of a few local girls and while her ability is important, I felt like it wasn't the focus of the book, which was refreshing and made me love the novel a lot.
One of the best things of the book or more accurately my favourite parts of the book were the ones that involved the relationship between Violet and Jay. Theirs is an unusual one in YA fiction. I loved that they were best friends since they were kids and that because of that they knew each other so well. Jay has always known about Violet's gift, which was also a nice change from other books, and I especially liked how he always took care and wanted to protect Violet without making her feel useless or inferior. It was so much fun seeing them go from friends to something more and truth be told those probably were my favourite scenes of the book. Jay is a total sweetheart and he has become my favourite male YA character.
As for the plot, the author had me guessing who the bad guy was. There were a lot of twists that at times kept me at the edge of my seat and at the end I didn't really know who the bad guy was until it was revealed.
All in all, this was an unputdownable book with an awesome murder-mystery plot and incredible set of characters. The Body Finder was one of the best YA books I've ever read. I can't wait to read the sequel.
Memorable Lines:
"I just don't want anything bad between us," she offered by way of an explanation.
"I know." He reached out, capturing her hand in his. He laced his fingers casually through hers.
Violet leaned against him and the calm finally came, settling over her peacefully.
And the he kissed her. Gently. Softly. Not on the lips, as she'd imagined so many times before, but on her forehead.
The gesture was sweet and a little possessive.
Violet hoped, maybe, it was a start.
Next Book:
2. Desires of the Dead (February 15, 2011)
Rating:
Posts
