DESIRES OF THE DEAD
(A Body Finder Novel #2)
Author: Kimberly Derting
Source: Publisher
* I received this book free 
of charge in exchange for 
an honest review*

  • Reading level: Young Adult
  • Hardcover: 368 pages
  • Publisher: HarperCollins (March 15, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0061779849
  • ISBN-13: 978-0061779848

SUMMARY:

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. 

MY THOUGHTS:

If you have read my previous review for the first book, The Body Finder, you are well aware that my family suffered during my reading of that novel.  Well, needless to say, my family suffered twice as much while reading the latest in the series, Desires of the Dead!  I did not want to put this book down at all!  My children starved at lunch time and was forced to fend for themselves.  My husband felt neglected as I ignored him while reading this book,  only glancing up to kiss him goodbye before work and before bed.

In the latest installment, we are again reading from Violet’s point of view.  Violet and Jay are still a couple with just as much sweet and tender moments that we experienced in the first book.  Her family is still involved with her life including her Uncle Stephen who was a major person in The Body Finder.  Her friends are just as fun and goofy–if not more–along with new friends that move to town and play an important role in the story.

When Violet starts to receive threatening gifts and phone calls, Violet starts to pull away from Jay though.  She feels like her secret of what she can do is her secret alone and tries to deal with it without involving Jay and her family.  When she also comes across an echo of a kidnapped boy, she is pulled into a bigger group involving the FBI.  She finds herself being interrogated by Sara, an FBI specialist, and another boy around her age named Rafe who works with Sara.  Along the way, we learn that Sara and Rafe have secrets of their own and are just as reluctant to tell Violet their stories as Violet was to tell hers. Violet must learn who to trust and who to turn to when her stalker starts to take more drastic measures against her.

I literally could not put this book down.  I gripped the pages in suspense so hard that I bent the pages!  Just like in The Body Finder, you will think you have it figured out and then the author will send you in another direction.  Ms. Derting knows how to keep the reader on the edge of their seat and their heart racing with anticipation!  Just like the echo’s call to Violet, you will find yourself drawn into this book and not letting go!

MY RATING:


Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading! 5 STARS!

THE BODY FINDER
Source: Library Loan
  • Reading level: Young Adult
  • Hardcover: 336 pages
  • Publisher: HarperCollins; 1 edition (March 16, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0061779814
  • ISBN-13: 978-0061779817
SYNOPSIS:

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 left for her. But now that a serial killer is terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he’s claimed haunt her daily, Violet realizes she might be the only person who can stop him. 

Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved by her hope 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. 
MY THOUGHTS:

WOW! I had heard so much about this book, all of it positive, that I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it!  I was intrigued with the summary and the plot that I knew it was going to be a hard book to put down. 

I am sorry to admit that my family suffered while I was reading this book.  I was so into this book, they had to fend for themselves at meal time.  THAT is how good this book is.  I loved the characters of Violet and Jay.  The writing was witty and flowed great with suspense and love weaved together perfectly.  The author constantly kept leading you down one path to figuring it all out, and then she yanks you in a different direction.  The suspense, intrigue and overall plot was so captivating, that you couldn’t help but tune out everything else in life just you can keep reading!  

I am amazed by this author’s writing and the world she has created with this book.  Who would have thought psychics who see echo’s would be so captivating? I didn’t, but I am so happy to have given it a chance — to capture me in the world of Kimberly Derting. By far, one of the better books I have read this year! I definitely will be checking out the next book in this series!

MY RATING:

Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading! 5 STARS