About the Book
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Author:
- Kimberly Derting
Cover Story: Leafy
BFF Charm: Yay!
Swoonworthy Scale: 6-8
Talky Talk: 2 Legit 2 Quit
Bonus Factors: Mystery, Secret Agents
Relationship Status: On Again, Off Again
Cover Story: Leafy
This series’ artistic take on foliage is stark and kind of pretty. Best of all — it’s not embarrassing.
The Deal:
So I went to read a new ARC I received, The Last Echo, only to discover that it was the THIRD book in the series! Somehow I’d missed the second! Obvs I had to remedy that.
Now that Violet and Jay are together, and everything’s calmed down from The Body Finder, her life should be just peachy, am I right? Wrong. Because, unfortunately, the dead (or to be exact persons and animals whose lives were cut short) call to Violet. And she has to answer.
BFF Charm: Yay!
Okay, let me tell you. Being Violet’s BFF is no easy task. But then again, being Violet isn’t so hot sometimes either. The power the unrestful dead have over her would suck SO MUCH that I have to give her a pass on some of the angst. BUT the girl had me SO frustrated for much of the book. I mean, look, I get it. You’re a teenager. And you have this kind of horrible “gift” that you can’t control. And I understand why you want your freedom, and why you feel isolated, but you’ve got to pull it together, because this is literally life or death we’re talking about here!!!! Thankfully, Violet only tortured me (and herself) for some of the book before she DID get her shit together, so the rest of the time I felt happy to have her by my side.
Swoonworthy Scale: 6-8
This is a sliding scale, depending on whether or not you enjoy the angst of fights and misunderstandings and stubbornness and the potential breakup. For me, I just wanted to slap Violet upside the head a couple of times, and the angst was akin to TORTURE, but like I said earlier, she ultimately pulls her head out of her ass, so I was okay. Plus, I love Jay. I mentioned in my review of the first book how he’s not and MLD, but a boy next door, and I would like to add to that that he is mature and kind and realistic — not to mention how he dealt with Violet’s (not completely unfounded) jealousy had me shouting hallelujah. Plus, there’s some pretty steamy sexytimes throughout.
Talky Talk: 2 Legit 2 Quit
Derting captures the teenaged girl voice almost too well, as is evidenced by the heartburn she gave me while I was reading this book! But then again, the only reason I cared so much, was because she made me care. So. Much. Her writing is an interesting combination of a very realistic portrayal of a 17-year old girl with the gruesome addition of serial killers and crimes of passion and murders in general. I was glad that she didn’t just jump right into a another serial killer plot in this second book, but it did feel like more of a bridging book — not quite as complete as the first, but setting up a lot for the third.
Bonus Factor: Mystery
I SO LOVE it when I don’t figure out the mystery, and Derting surprised me at many turns. She uses the device where certain brief chapters are told from the perspective of the big bad, but in such a way as to keep you guessing who it is.
Bonus Factor: Secret Agents
Derting introduces new characters in this book, and while they aren’t featured too heavily until the end, I believe that Sara Priest’s special crime solving team — especially Rafe, the MLD with secret “gifts” of his own will be just what this series needs to take in a whole new (and awesome) direction.
Relationship Status:
On again, off again You guys! I know this is not the kind of book my mother would have wished for me, but I just can’t seem to stay away from it for long! So, okay, sometimes we’ve had our drama, and I know a big part of the reason I’m drawn to it is because it scares me a little, but when we break up I miss it so much! And when we get back together, things are so good…
FTC Full Disclosure: I received neither money nor cocktails for writing this review (dammit!). Desires of The Dead is available now.
