Book Review: Cold Kiss

Cold Kiss

By: Amy Garvey

Published by: HarperTeen

Page Count: 336

Release Date: September 20, 2011

Buy it at Amazon or IndieBound

Source: Provided by Publisher via NetGalley

Audience: Young Adult

A deliciously dark and heartbreaking tale of the lengths one will go to in order to preserve first love....

Cold Kiss is the story of Wren, a high school student, who recently lost her first love in a tragic car crash. She struggles with the pain and longing, but can't find a way to cope without Danny. How can your love be laughing and smiling one day and buried the next? It just isn't fair and Wren can't accept that Danny is gone. She refuses to let him go and uses her growing magical powers to raise him from the dead. However, will this new version of Danny be the same as the boy she loved and lost?

I went into this novel expecting an entertaining read, but I wasn't prepared to love it as much as I did. My heart broke for Wren from the very beginning. Garvey did an amazing job of putting the reader into Wren's mind. You feel her pain and understand how it drives her to make selfish decisions. High school and first love are difficult enough without the added pain that grief can bring. Readers will watch Wren at her lowest point and then as she slowly rises to make things right. I really enjoyed seeing the growth of this character from start to finish; Wren shows that we all have flaws but there is hope for us all.

I also really enjoyed that this wasn't a typical zombie novel. Danny isn't the mindless, brain craving, shuffling zombie that dominates most tales. Rather he is more like the dead from the Harry Potter series that are controlled by someone else - following their every order to the letter. I really liked this style of zombie because you can still see the personality which made the story more poignant. Danny is not just something that has crawled from the grave intent on killing the townspeople - he is the shell of a wonderful boy whose life was cut short.

The characters and Garvey's writing style make this an ideal autumn read. As the temperature drops and the leaves begin to fall, I can't imagine anything better than curling up with Wren's story. She is a character that will linger in your thoughts and tug at your heart strings. Cold Kiss should be on everyone's "to read" list this fall.

I just saw that there is a sequel to Cold Kiss, which makes me super happy. I want to spend more time in Wren's world.

One Last Gripe: I am still confused with what happened to Wren's dad.

My Favorite Thing About This Book: Garvey's lyrical writing style - this one reads like a ballad on lost love and misguided choices

First Sentence: I wasn't thinking about falling in love the day I met Danny Greer. (This is from an ARC edition and is subject to change with publication.)

Favorite Character: Wren

Least Favorite Character: Wren's Mom

Summary:

When her boyfriend, Danny, is killed in a car accident, Wren can’t imagine living without him. Wild with grief, she uses the untamed powers she’s inherited to bring him back. But the Danny who returns is just a shell of the boy she once loved.

Wren has spent four months keeping Danny hidden, while her life slowly unravels around her. Then Gabriel DeMarnes transfers to her school and somehow, inexplicably, he can sense her secret. Wren finds herself drawn to Gabriel, who is so much more alive than the ghost of the boy she loved. But Wren can’t turn her back on Danny or the choice she made for him—and she realizes she must find a way to make things right, even if it means breaking her own heart.

Amy Garvey’s transcendent teen debut is perfect for fans of Shiver and Beautiful Creatures. Wren’s unforgettable voice and story will stay with readers long after the last page is turned.