Sunday, May 19, 2013

Book Review: Desires of The Dead by Kimberly Derting

THE DETAILS:
Pages: 358
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy
Publisher: Headline, Harper Collins
Release Date: 15/02/2011
Series: This is the second book in 'The Body Finder' series
Got it for my birthday from a friend.

THE BLURB:
VIOLET AMBROSE'S SECRET IS OUT
Violet has a curious gift: the ability to sense the echoes emitted by murder victims. Only her boyfriend Jay and her closest family know. But when she locates the body of a missing boy sought by the FBI she puts herself firmly on their radar.

NOW SHE'S BEING WATCHED
As if dealing with regular calls from the FBI isn't enough, threatening notes are being left on her doorstep, and she feels disturbing echoes around the home of Jay's new best friend. Violet needs answers fast...


WHO CAN SHE TURN TO?
Violet should feel closer to Jay now he's moved from best friend to boyfriend, but she hasn't told him what's worrying her. She tells herself she's protecting him, but is their fledgling relationship strong enough to cope?


As Violet faces her fears alone she uncovers dark truths that lead her to danger...


MY REVIEW:
'Desires of The Dead' was a book I had big expectations for. And, by big expectations I mean that 'The Body Finder' made it onto my Favourites list and that this book was highly anticipated. While I did still enjoy the book there were parts of the story that annoyed me greatly and it did take me a long time to get through those bits of the story.

I was really happy to see that Jay and Violet's relationship was progressing at the start of the book as I thought they made a great couple. I was not happy for very long after that though, because I found myself getting very frustrated with the way that Violet would treat him. Violet starts to realise just how much of an effect Jay has on other girls and she begins to worry an awful lot about how much she can tell him- not because she doesn't trust him, but because she doesn't want him to worry and to tell her family. It felt like Jay was the only one putting anything in to the relationship  and that the only good thing I can really say about their relationship is that they at least know their sexual education (sorry for any spoilers this may/may not allude to).

So for the majority of the middle section of the book I was closing the book, scowling and putting it down. I did not really feel like reading about how much Violet's love life was crumbling because she didn't know how to communicate with her boyfriend. I felt like the actual plot of the book could have gone unaffected if Violet had of told Jay things earlier. Really there is nothing Jay could have done to change the way things played out. I also think I could have imagined Violet and Jay having a fight or disagreeing about her keeping her secret, which wouldn't have bothered me as much as the fight she was having because she wasn't even communicating in the first place.

Violet's secret is a big issue in 'Desires of the Dead'. Violet is finding it difficult to decide if she would let her secret out or not. Personally I think Violet should be very careful about who she reveals her secret to (that's probably because of all of the 'Charmed' that I have been watching) and I think Violet feels that way too. I'm happy with how Violet handled that and I can say that it is one aspect of the book that I can at least say that I am happy with.

I think the last five or so chapters of the book really saved the story and made me want to read the sequel. Prior to those last chapters I was not feeling interested in reading any of the sequels. I don't think that this book was anywhere near as good as the first one though and that the ending didn't completely redeem the bad qualities of the book.

I'm still a little wary of a couple of characters and wish that some things could have been a little less unresolved. I would have liked to have felt a little more sure about things, but I guess that's what sequels are for...

I also realised that this probably wasn't the best book to jump right into after reading a heap of girly contemporary novels. 'The Body Finer' series is definitely not for the faint-hearted and regardless of how affected you are by novels with these kinds of subjects I think you'd probably enjoy these a bit more if you read something  fantasy first.

Overall, this book can have 3.5 stars out of 5. I hope that the sequels are an improvement on this and that Violet learns how to communicate...

Your Favourite Blogger,
Natalie

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