The blog Stainless Steel Droppings has hosted this reading challenge for the past 6 years. This reading challenge asks you to read books that fall into the following genres:
Mystery
Suspense
Thriller
Dark Fantasy
Gothic
Horror
Supernatural
When this all started I chose Peril the First, which asked me to read 4 books. And I’m proud to say I finished them all! Just in time too, given this last post is happening on Halloween. I found that I really enjoyed all of my reads and I’m super happy that it pushed a scaredy cat like me to read a few things outside my comfort zone. Though I’ll admit I’m happy to get back to my normal fare…as well as a few Christmas reads to get in the mood for the next season.
So, Without Further Ado, My 4th Book…Anna Dressed in Blood
BookTalk
Theseus Cassio Lowood has inherited his father’s job. His duty is to rid the world of ghosts that kill humans. Note: the word “rid” Yep, you can’t “kill” a ghost, they’re already dead. And don’t even think about calling Cas something as demeaning as a Ghostbuster. The kid has killed over 20 ghosts in a few short years. Traveling across the country to perform his duty.
And while everyone agrees that Cas is doing an excellent job of banishing ghosts, it’s something that’s left him friendless and fatherless. But all of this is about to change in Thunder Bay. Cas is about to find an unlikely group of friends including a Prom Queen and a geeky wizard. He’ll witness terrifying ghosts, at least one murder, and the very being that killed his father. And not everyone will make it out alive…
Review
This was not the scariest of all my reads. At points it freaked me out a little…like the final ghost or when Anna scares up all of her previous kills to drive Cas away. There were times where I could just picture the image of this terrifying being *shiver*. But Cas is so calm and collected about it all. Constantly reassuring the reader that it’s all under control. So this book never really built up the suspense to become truly terrifying. Not that the book needed that extra element. Nope. This read is all about Cas facing his fears…like making friends, falling in love, and taking down the demons of his past. The way the plot flowed offered up surprises. Super surprises. Like Holy killing Batman! Someone dies in the beginning of this. Did not see that coming. Honestly read it and thought I was going to wake up from a dream of some kind.
I think at this point I need to say a thing or two about the cover of the book. First, Love It. I love this cover, it has so much movement, it’s pretty and creepy all at the same time…and is it just me or does it fade in lots of red/little red/lots of red? Just me? *sigh* I stare at computer screens for too much of my day! But, I want to yell at the publishers…”This book is about a boy! Do you know how hard it is to get a guy to pick up a cover like this?!” It’s like 13 Reasons Why all over again. It’s hardest to get boys to read and then we have to stymie a perfectly acceptable boy protagonist with a beautiful dress cover. Yep, this is the world of Librarianship.
However, I really should get back to my love of this book. I read the bulk of it in about 2 hours or so. Once I really got into the story I couldn’t stop! What’s great is that one of the major plot points end roughly 3/4 of the way through the book…opening up that last fourth for a surprise plot ending you didn’t even realize was going to happen. And it all flowed so well, not nearly as awkward as I’ve just made it sound.
Also, this book is the beginning of a series. Though, I’m not quite sure where it’s going. There seem to be some mortality issues in succeeding with Cas’s desires. But my doubts aside I’ll be standing in line for the next installment. I have to see where all this is headed. The ghost killing, the friendships, and the romance. Sooo obvious that this book was just the beginning.
Rating: 4/5 Ghost story full of Ghosts but not scary enough to sleep with the light on.
Sara O
thelibrarianreads 