Author: Kimberly Derting
Rating: 5 of 5
Harpercollins Publishers | February 4, 2011 | Hardcover
Violet can sense the echoes of those who've been murdered—and the matching imprint that clings to their killers. Only those closest to her know what she is capable of, but when she discovers the body of a young boy she also draws the attention of the FBI, threatening her entire way of life.
As Violet works to keep her morbid ability a secret, she unwittingly becomes the object of a dangerous obsession. Normally she'd turn to her best friend, Jay, except now that they are officially a couple, the rules of their relationship seem to have changed. And with Jay spending more and more time with his new friend Mike, Violet is left with too much time on her hands as she wonders where things went wrong. But when she fills the void by digging into Mike's tragic family history, she stumbles upon a dark truth that could put everyone in danger.
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Last Spring Kimberly Derting's The Body Finder introduced us to Violet Ambrose; a girl with the ability to find the dead by sensing their unique echoes. The extraordinary storyline of the book caught the attention of many YA fiction enthusiasts and in turn put Derting's first novel on the map. After almost a year, Derting is back with the follow-up to The Body Finder entitled Desires of the Dead; a gripping and chilling second novel.
Desires of the Dead is not merely a repetition of the events that occurred in the previous book. This book takes a different approach to Violet's ability, and yet it still manages to deliver a convuluted plot full of twists and turns. One way that Derting does this is by approaching the story from two different perspectives. While the majority of the book is a third person perspective of Violet's life filled with echoes, there are a handful of intertwining chapters that follow the life of a slightly disturbed and anonymous female character. The juxtaposition of the two perspectives, combined with the haunting details of each gruesome discovery, will leave you fighting off goose flesh.
Desires of the Dead is not merely a repetition of the events that occurred in the previous book. This book takes a different approach to Violet's ability, and yet it still manages to deliver a convuluted plot full of twists and turns. One way that Derting does this is by approaching the story from two different perspectives. While the majority of the book is a third person perspective of Violet's life filled with echoes, there are a handful of intertwining chapters that follow the life of a slightly disturbed and anonymous female character. The juxtaposition of the two perspectives, combined with the haunting details of each gruesome discovery, will leave you fighting off goose flesh.
Including the unknown girl, every person that crosses Violet's path is intrinsic to the story that is unfolding. Each new character that graces the pages of this book has been written with a purpose in mind. In addition, the characters that readers know and love from The Body Finder have not been forgotten. Specifically, fans of Jay will be happy to hear that he has a greater presence in this book and that he is as charming as ever. Derting writes of Jay`s affection for Violet in a way that seems effortless. The moments they share together can be either exhilerating or heartbreaking, but they will always leave you wanting more.
When it comes to Violet, Desires of the Dead gives readers the opportunity to see how she has transformed as a young woman, and how comfortable she now feels in her own skin. The changes that readers will see within Violet are most noticeable in how she perceives her ability. For a long time Violet felt as though sensing the echoes of the dead was something that should be hidden from the rest of the world. What she learns throughout the course of this book is that sensing echoes is really a gift, rather than the curse she once thought it to be. Linking the echoes with the new people in Violet`s life was an excellent way for Derting to highlight Violet`s progress and to make her ability much more personal.
When it comes to sequels it is always a hit or miss, but Derting has risen to the challenge by delivering an electrifying thriller that offers one of the most touching YA romances out there. Desires of the Dead will paralyze you with fear one minute and then make you swoon the next. All I can say is that I only hope that this isn't the last we will hear from Violet Ambrose.
-Christie
Thank you to HarperCollins Canada for this advanced copy. :) For more information about the book you can visit the HarperCollins Canada website, follow them on Twitter or visit their Facebook page. Happy reading!
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