Search This Blog
April Reviews Link-Up
May Reviews Link-Up
June Reviews Link-Up
July Reviews Link-Up
August Reviews Link-Up
September Reviews Link-Up
October Reviews Link-Up
November Reviews Link-Up
December Reviews Link-Up
2024 Literary Escapes Challenge
2024 Build Your Library Reading Challenge
Desires of the Dead A Clamor-Worthy Sequel? Um, Not Quite.
Reading back over my review of The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting makes me laugh. To say the book made me excited for a sequel would be a bit of an understatement. My exact words were, "Please, God, tell me there's a sequel in the works ..." I was seriously clamoring, which is funny considering Desires of the Dead really isn't all that clamor-worthy. Not that it's terrible or anything, it's just not as riveting as its predecessor.
Desires of the Dead starts three months after The Body Finder ends. By now, 16-year-old Violet Ambrose has come to terms with her little "talent" of recognizing the imprints left behind by the dead. Sort of. It's not like she's ready to broadcast her freakishness to the world, but at least she's learning to control the sensations that cloud her mind every time she's near a dead body or someone who's been responsible for another's death. She's relieved that life's returning to normal, or at least this new version of normal. Violet may never get used to the fact that adorable Jay Heaton's no longer her best friend, but her boyfriend. Not that that's a bad thing.
Violet's tentative hold on normal shatters one day when she's wandering along Seattle's waterfront and hears the faint strains of a harp. From the way her body tingles with anticipation, pulling her toward the sound, she knows the music's not coming from the radio or a street performer. It's an echo. Violet's anonymous, phoned-in tip leads police to the body of a missing child. And grabs the attention of the FBI. An agent wants her help to find the little boy's killer.
As much as Violet wants to use her skill for good, she doesn't want it to take over her life. But ignoring the FBI agent's calls doesn't bring normal back. Someone's sending Violet disturbing messages, she's seeing a weird imprint at her high school, and Jay's spending more time with the new kid than he is with her. As if all that's not quite enough to deal with, Violet's being trailed by Rafe, a guy with "talents" that seem all too familiar. Overwhelmed by all the mysteries, she doesn't know where to turn, whom to trust. Only one thing is really clear: Violet's running out of time to figure it all out.
Even though I didn't like Desires of the Dead as much as the first book, I still love the premise behind this series. The idea of imprints - not so much that dead people have them, but that the souls of those who killed them (whether on purpose, in the line of duty, or by accident)are stained with matching "echoes" - seems kind of profound to me, really. It's what sets this series apart from all the others featuring psychics helping troubled souls find rest. Derting's story people are likable enough, without being anything special. A little character depth would have been nice, especially in Jay's case. I still like him, but he's getting a little boring. That's not my main complaint with Desires of the Dead, though. Mostly, I was bugged by how predictable it became. The plot hummed along in a very straightforward way, with no subtlety, no real complexity. I kept hoping for red herrings, clues that led nowhere, or anything to add a little originality and ... nope, didn't really happen. Still, the book's quick pacing kept me interested, making the story enjoyable if a little humdrum. Am I clamoring for the next book? Not exactly, although there is the intriguing matter of Rafe ...
Oh, and speaking of clamoring, have you read the plot summary for Derting's newest, The Pledge (available November 2011)? Now, that one's got me clamoring. Not to mention salivating. And praying to the ARC gods.
(Readalikes: The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting, The Sight by Judy Blundell and Imprints by Rachel Ann Nunes)
Grade: C
If this were a movie, it would be rated: R for language (a handful of F-bombs, plus other, milder invectives), violence and some sexual content
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Reading
Listening
Followin' with Bloglovin'
-
-
The Widow of Falbrooke Court5 hours ago
-
-
The Cultist’s Wife by Bj Sikes7 hours ago
-
-
-
-
-
The Humans: Matt Haig18 hours ago
-
-
-
Books from the Backlog #91 day ago
-
-
-
-
Bookish Quote of the Day!!2 days ago
-
-
-
Audiobook: The Mango Tree3 days ago
-
-
-
-
Final Cut by Marjorie McCown5 days ago
-
-
-
Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth6 days ago
-
-
-
-
-
Reading as a retreat from reality1 week ago
-
Reading Recap March 20243 weeks ago
-
-
March Monthly Wrap-up4 weeks ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
What Happened to Summer?6 months ago
-
6/25/23 Extra Ezra10 months ago
-
-
-
-
-
Are you looking for Pretty Books?1 year ago
-
-
-
-
-
Grab my Button!
Blog Archive
- ► 2021 (159)
- ► 2020 (205)
- ► 2019 (197)
- ► 2018 (223)
- ► 2017 (157)
- ► 2016 (157)
- ► 2015 (188)
- ► 2014 (133)
- ► 2013 (183)
- ► 2012 (193)
- ▼ 2011 (232)
- ► 2010 (257)
- ► 2009 (211)
- ► 2008 (192)