"Imagination has a poor memory; it slinks away and goes blurry. Eyes remember for much longer."

My Pre-Reading

When I started this book, I had pretty high expectations. But Kendare Blake exceeded all of them. This book was everything a good horror book should be. I spent most of my time reading it terrified of all the ghosts and supernatural forces, and I was still terrified by the end of it. 

Oh, and of course the reddish brown font on cream colored paper added to the terrifying aspect of the book. I was afraid of Anna from the very second I opened the cover... even before I had met her. When the text looks like it could be dried blood, I know things are about to go down.

Anna was a most fascinating creation, and I wanted to get to know her more and more as the story progressed. I think it takes a special kind of author to make a monster come off as likeable, and Blake most definitely achieved that. Anna's transformation throughout the novel was incredible, and I never would have seen it coming. Her death and how it occurred was kept secret until just the right moment, and I thought the way in which it was revealed was very fitting. I really liked the idea that even ghosts can be possessed by some other supernatural force. Blake did a great job of humanizing Anna, even though she was the most fearsome ghost Cas had ever faced (or at least one of them).

Although being inside of Cas' head sometimes made me want to yell at him, I feel like that would happen inside any teenager's head. Cas comes across as a real boy, and I felt like I could even relate to him sometimes. Even though he kills ghosts and even though he's a boy, Cas goes through things that most teenagers do, if only in a different manner. His development over the course of the book is slow going, but I think he evolves into a much better person by the end. He's learned to love, to have friends, to protect the ones he loves, and he's determined to save Anna. 

I was hooked on this book from the very beginning. I couldn't put it down (probably partly because I started it before bed and was too afraid to sleep...), I didn't want it to end, and I can't wait for Girl of Nightmares to come out in August. I'll be trying to get my hands on a copy ASAP. 

5/5 on this book, for sure.. This book was phenomenal. Go read it right now if you haven't yet.

--Ashley