Latest Read: Anna Dressed In Blood

Here are the basics ...
Book: Anna Dressed In Blood (Anna #1)
Author: Kendare Blake
Blog: http://kendare-blake.livejournal.com/
Category: Young Adult - Horror

My 2nd ARC! Except this book is already out, so after you read my review.. you don't have to wait to buy it :)  Thank you again to Magan (Rather Be Reading) for sending this to me!! 


My thoughts ...
Short summary:  Cas Lockwood inherits his family's vocation of killing the dead when his father is murdered by a ghost.  Now Cas travels with his mother following legends and local myths, taking out ghosts all over the country. They arrive in a new town in search of his latest "job" - to track and kill a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood.  She's unlike any ghost he's faced ever before and has killed every person that's dared step into her home.  Until Cas.  

The good:  I admit, I was a little skeptical.  I haven't read any horror stories since my days of reading R.L. Stine's Fear Street in high school.  But this book sounded interesting and it was free! (Can't beat that.) So imagine my surprise when I found myself really enjoying this book.  I loved Cas' voice as a protagonist.  He was sarcastic, funny (in a dark way but I guess killing ghosts does that to you), totally a guy in some ways but also vulnerable.  The people he eventually befriends are great characters too.  In my mind, they were the Willow and Xander to Cas' Buffy (the author also makes a Buffy reference so she gets bonus points for that!).  There's a certain plot line in the book that I could see coming but the whole time I thought - is the author really going to do this? And you know, it worked for me.  The book is just so unexpected.

The bad:  By the time I hit the last page, I knew there'd be more to this book.  And I thought - ugh another trilogy where I have to wait a year between each book? Then I checked out the author's blog and it's actually going to be a DUOLOGY. (I don't think I've heard the word duology used before.) Anyway, waiting for one more book doesn't seem too bad now.  But some people I refer books to specifically ask me NOT to recommend a series if they want a quick, good read.  Which I completely get.    

Do I recommend?:  I do! But at the same time, I can see how this book might not be for everyone.  If you enjoy reading paranormal/fantasy and don't mind stretching your imagination a bit, give this book a shot! 

Happy reading!