Anna Dressed in Blood: My Late Halloween Treat

Title: Anna Dressed in Blood

Author: Kendara Blake

Publication Date: August 30, 2011

Genre: Horror, Mystery, Paranormal Romance, Young-Adult

Summary (by Goodreads):

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.
So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.
When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.
But she, for whatever reason, spares Cas's life.

Review:

                True that it was just the average boy meets girl story when the girl is a ghost that kills people and the boy is a ghost-hunter…

                A girl standing in front of a creepy house dressed in a blood-stained white dress. Her dark hair smoothly undulates with the sinister atmosphere of the place…

                Well, that’s only the front cover of Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendara Blake. I always mention that the cover of a book actually reflects what the readers expect from the story and this novel is another impressive masterpiece. When I first saw the cover of Anna Dressed in Blood, I immediately wanted to read it and be spooked and scared since that was what I expected it to be. I started reading it during the Halloween season and hell yeah, while reading alone in my room, it was kinda freaky. Haha! However, when I finished the book, it wasn’t really that creepy and scary. You'll surely appreciate how brilliantly the story was plotted. So here’s my review for my late Halloween treat (it’s still November though…).

What I like about the book…

                I like how Blake plotted the story and the characters as well. It was a mix of different genres that the young will surely enjoy. Horror, mystery, romance and adventure are all in this novel. The romance part of the story was something I like most. It was something new and unique. Reading from the plot, you’ll already get the hint that the main character Cas will fall for the ghost Anna. Bur what makes the story interesting was the mystery behind Anna’s death and how Cas slowly fell for Anna despite the fact that it was his duty to kill this deadly ghost.

                Moreover, the book was well-written. It was fast-paced and Blake’s writing style and technique was descriptively effective. There were parts where you will really get spooked and you would want someone to accompany you while reading it.

What I don’t like about the book…

                The mystery of Anna’s death was indeed interesting but it was somehow predictable. I’m also a fan of crime books so it was really easy for me to predict who killed Anna. However, the mystery of Anna’s curse was what made the mystery essentially worked for me.

Conclusion:

                In conclusion, I love the book! I’m already wanting and waiting for a sequel. The ending just kept me hanging and excited for what’s next for Cas and Anna. 

My Dream Casts:

                I actually had a hard time looking for the right Anna to play for the movies. I visualize Anna as a fair dark-haired girl so I end up with Vanessa Morano. I think she’s pretty enough to be a ghost. Hehe..

                     

                Yeah, I know Adam Gregory’s too hot for Cas Lowood but I visualize Cas to be hot and strong and brave so I think Adam will work as a good Cas for the movie. J

                            

My Name is Memory: A Reincarnated Love Story

Title: My Name is Memory

Author:  Ann Brashares

Publication Date: June 2, 2010

Genre: Young-adult, Paranormal Romance

Summary (by Goodreads):

Daniel has spent centuries falling in love with the same girl. Life after life, crossing continents and dynasties, he and Sophia (despite her changing name and form) have been drawn together-and he remembers it all. Daniel has "the memory", the ability to recall past lives and recognize souls of those he's previously known. It is a gift and a curse. For all the times that he and Sophia have been drawn together throughout history, they have also been torn painfully, fatally, apart. A love always too short.

Interwoven through Sophia and Daniel's unfolding present day relationship are glimpses of their expansive history together. From 552 Asia Minor to 1918 England and 1972 Virginia, the two souls share a long and sometimes torturous path of seeking each other time and time again. But just when young Sophia (now "Lucy" in the present) finally begins to awaken to the secret of their shared past, to understand the true reason for the strength of their attraction, the mysterious force that has always torn them apart reappears. Ultimately, they must come to understand what stands in the way of their love if they are ever to spend a lifetime together.

A magical, suspenseful, heartbreaking story of true love, My Name is Memory proves the power and endurance of a union that was meant to be.

Review:

                I was walking and looking for some good books to read in a local bookstore when I stumbled upon this book. I have to give credit to the author for the title because it really caught my attention. But, honestly, I was more enticed to read this when I read the plot was quite similar to Fallen by Lauren Kate. I expected some angels and demons flying all throughout the story but as I go through, it’s a totally different plot. However, there some similarities and I just couldn’t help comparing. While Fallen was all about a never-ending love of an angel to a mortal who keeps on reincarnating, My Name is Memory is purely love story of two people who reincarnate and Daniel, the main character has the Memory where he remembers everything in his past life. The mystery is how and why was he capable of remembering his past life. Another coincidence is that the names of the characters are quite the same in both books. In Fallen, the main character was Daniel and Luce/Lucinda and in the latter, Daniel and Lucy were the subjects. Another point that I would like to cite is that the book, I think, should not fall under a young-adult category because of some intimate scenes and the main characters grew up as adults in the later part of the story.

                However, I have to acknowledge that the plot is indeed unique and still different with Fallen. The differences and the uniqueness overpower the similarities so it was fun to read. I was really enjoying the book until the end. The ending was left hanging and there were just so many unsolved mysteries and questions. So I am definitely expecting a sequel of this book. Though, I’ve been hearing that it is the first of a trilogy so I’m looking forward for the next issue. If you’re a fan of an epic reincarnation love story, you’ll surely find this one interesting.

                 Moreover, I like the story though there are still many questions that linger in my mind after I read it. I don't know if I will love it or not..But the writing is exceptionally creative though it challenged my comprehension a lot of times while reading. haha!

Dream Casts:

Willa Holland (as Lucy/Sophia/Constance)

Landon Liboiron (as Daniel)