DEAD GIRL by Kerrie Faye
Fiction, YA, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, 412 pages
4****
Blurb: Dying has its perks…mostly. Bullied teen, Ember O’Neill goes from the weird girl to the tyrant of her school when she is resurrected from a deadly prank. Now secretly supernatural, she dethrones the school drama queen and snags the hot new guy, but her reign is at risk when the Order, a heretical sect, sends an assassin to eliminate her. Ember must expose her powers, potentially losing all she has gained, in order to save herself and her friends as her killer closes in.
Thoughts: When I first started reading this, I thought it was just a book about a bullied teen who is having trouble with her life. Well, it is. And then some. It wasn’t until I was a couple chapters in that I realized it is much more than that, because this particular teen has powers! Another “at first” was the author talking about synesthesia and I thought she got it wrong because I know someone with this and the author’s description wasn’t right. Again… I was the one making the wrong assumption as I got farther into the story. The main character, Ember, has always been an outcast, but high school is the worst. After an abysmal ninth grade, her father spends the summer weekends camping with her and teaching her all sorts of survival techniques. But it is only after her own death—and resurrection—that she starts really coming into her own. She meets up with enemies out to kill her (again) and friends who will help her understand what’s going on, demons and angels… but who is who and why do they want her dead?
The only thing that brought this down to a 4 was the ending—or lack thereof. This is a serialized story (first part of a series) that took care of some things, but definitely left quite a few threads dangling so you know there is going to be more. Plus, some sadness in the end. Still, this book is worth the read. And I will anxiously be awaiting the next one in the series.
Recommendation: Definitely recommended.
Disclaimer: Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”
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