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mehsi's review against another edition
4.0
Anna Dressed in Blood, a paranormal love story. Ghost hunter falls in love with a dead girl.
It is not that intrusive, I am sure many wouldn't mind. But I can say it annoys me.
I really liked the story. The idea of a ghost hunter falling in love with a girl who is dead and who he needs to exorcise and how everything goes way different then planned is a nice one.
I like how Cas changed through the story, from I will do it all by myself, he learns to make friends and trust them. I am happy to see he makes friends (eventhough he wasn't really willing, but I am guessing that is probably because he is afraid he will have to move again and will lose them).
Though Cas had some stereotype behaviour that you would see in horror movies. The whole don't go in the house, it will kill you (or atleast will try to) stereotype. He kept going back to the house, sure it went ok every time (meaning he didn't get killed), but again, you would say he would stop, but apparently he really wanted to go there.
Mike and his friends annoyed me in the beginning, I don't tend to like that type of person.
Wacking someone with a board and then dragging them in an haunted house and leave them for dead/waiting for Anna to appear. Who does that? Really? Luckily Anna spares Cas and his life (for no apparent reasons by then). Though she kills Mike (really gruesome, it still gives me shivers knowing how he died).
The gore, some parts gave me goosebumps (reading some parts of it during the night isn't a good idea). But it fits the story.
The first time they saw Anna was quite scary, not knowing what she is, not knowing how she would look. The cover helped quite a bit with what she would look like but that is only the backside of her. Luckily the author describes everything, from the blood dripping of her dress to the black eyes, black veins. I could so imagine how Anna looked.
I never expected the last part to become that way. They freed Anna, saw her (really gruesome) past, and now she isn't a demon/vengeful spirit any more. But suddenly murders are happening, and the knife is gone.
I always had a feeling the rats on the attic were more then just rats, I thought it might be something bigger, especially with the cat acting the way he did when they first moved in. It always gave me shivers, and when Cas his mom told him there was something bigger I got goosebumps all over.
And yes, it turned out it was the same ghost/voodoo spirit that had killed Cas his father years ago.
The knife apparently was their link, he could follow Cas wherever he would go. And while Cas was out ghost killing and putting them to rest.. the voodoo spirit would eat the ghosts Cas killed.
In the end a big mighty fight happened and Anna sacrified herself to save Cas and their friends. Or atleast, she dragged him to some hole (probably hell) and disappeared.
I might try book 2, I am hoping that it contains less effing/fucking/curse words. I still have questions, like where did Anna go? What happened to the voodoo spirit? And many more. So I might just buy it when the paperback comes out next year. (Gah almost 1 year wait :().
Anyways, I would recommend this book to everyone who is in for a little twist to the ghost hunter stories that are around.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
Spoiler
-1 star for the use of effing/fuck/fucking. I just don't think it is necessary. One occasion he called people assholes, why? Well they just nodded at him and didn't want to shake his hand.It is not that intrusive, I am sure many wouldn't mind. But I can say it annoys me.
I really liked the story. The idea of a ghost hunter falling in love with a girl who is dead and who he needs to exorcise and how everything goes way different then planned is a nice one.
I like how Cas changed through the story, from I will do it all by myself, he learns to make friends and trust them. I am happy to see he makes friends (eventhough he wasn't really willing, but I am guessing that is probably because he is afraid he will have to move again and will lose them).
Though Cas had some stereotype behaviour that you would see in horror movies. The whole don't go in the house, it will kill you (or atleast will try to) stereotype. He kept going back to the house, sure it went ok every time (meaning he didn't get killed), but again, you would say he would stop, but apparently he really wanted to go there.
Mike and his friends annoyed me in the beginning, I don't tend to like that type of person.
Wacking someone with a board and then dragging them in an haunted house and leave them for dead/waiting for Anna to appear. Who does that? Really? Luckily Anna spares Cas and his life (for no apparent reasons by then). Though she kills Mike (really gruesome, it still gives me shivers knowing how he died).
The gore, some parts gave me goosebumps (reading some parts of it during the night isn't a good idea). But it fits the story.
The first time they saw Anna was quite scary, not knowing what she is, not knowing how she would look. The cover helped quite a bit with what she would look like but that is only the backside of her. Luckily the author describes everything, from the blood dripping of her dress to the black eyes, black veins. I could so imagine how Anna looked.
I never expected the last part to become that way. They freed Anna, saw her (really gruesome) past, and now she isn't a demon/vengeful spirit any more. But suddenly murders are happening, and the knife is gone.
I always had a feeling the rats on the attic were more then just rats, I thought it might be something bigger, especially with the cat acting the way he did when they first moved in. It always gave me shivers, and when Cas his mom told him there was something bigger I got goosebumps all over.
And yes, it turned out it was the same ghost/voodoo spirit that had killed Cas his father years ago.
The knife apparently was their link, he could follow Cas wherever he would go. And while Cas was out ghost killing and putting them to rest.. the voodoo spirit would eat the ghosts Cas killed.
In the end a big mighty fight happened and Anna sacrified herself to save Cas and their friends. Or atleast, she dragged him to some hole (probably hell) and disappeared.
I might try book 2, I am hoping that it contains less effing/fucking/curse words. I still have questions, like where did Anna go? What happened to the voodoo spirit? And many more. So I might just buy it when the paperback comes out next year. (Gah almost 1 year wait :().
Anyways, I would recommend this book to everyone who is in for a little twist to the ghost hunter stories that are around.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
geneags's review against another edition
5.0
Oh yes, this was a pretty scary one, especially when I was reading it at 2am and had to go to the kitchen for a snack break. I turned on all the lights on my way there. Hheee.
Anna Dressed in Blood had magic, dark magic mostly I should say, voodoo, and obeah. Obeah? Color me surprised, never in my life have I read anything about Obeah. You see, I was born in the Caribbean, and I grew up hearing about Obeah, Obeahmen and Obeahwomen. I couldn't believe it, would never have expected to find such a familiar dark topic in a paranormal book. I actually laughed and had to do a double take when I saw the word. It's not something I would want to reminisce about but it brought back some memories. I was pretty young when I would hear stories about the dark craft growing up. I would hear some pretty scary stories and was also told that it only affects you if you believe in it. There was some contradiction to that advice, because I can remember some poor soul having a difficult time in their life and my Grandmother saying that someone put Obeah on them.
Okay, I should get back to the story. Haven't read much ghost stories and this is the best one I've read so far. I think it could also be described as an horror story as well as a story of friendship and living. After Cas' father died on a de-ghosting case, it was left up to him to continue the legacy of ridding the world of the evil feinds. All Cas knows is ghosts and more ghost, he's been a loner his entire life and wishes to keep it that way, he doesn't want to be responsible for the lives of others and he doesn't know how to be with the living anyway. When he was sent a tip about a ghost who needs vanquishing (Cas wouldn't like that term it being a ghostbuster one, lol) called Anna Dressed in Blood he can feel that this one is going to be different.
Everything on this job was different for Cas, first his barrier of not letting anyone in was broken through by new friends Thomas and Carmel. Inexperienced at ghost hunting but brave enough to fight side by side with Cas. And second, Cas doesn't hesitate to send the ghost he's hunting to wherever it belongs, but Anna was a different story. He can't find it in himself to send her away. Anyone who dares enters Anna's domain doesn't leave with their life, but when Cas unwittingly finds himself in her house unprepared, instead of ripping him to shreds she allows him to leave. Let's not forget the Obeahman. The Obeahman's existence brings up questions for Cas, mostly about his Athame. The same Athame his father and ancestors used to re-kill ghosts and send them away. Where do the ghosts actually go? Is the Athame good or bad?
Cas has never been in love, or was never drawn to a human girl. I think it was unfortunate that he was born into such a destiny and to be thrown into to it at such a young age. All Cas knows is ghosts, so no wonder the first time he feels drawn to a girl she turns out to be a ghosts. Anna and Cas's affection towards each other was a little strange for me but I accepted that his mostly secluded life from the living made it inevitable.
Cool and creepy story, really enjoyed it. Can't wait to see where it goes.
Anna Dressed in Blood had magic, dark magic mostly I should say, voodoo, and obeah. Obeah? Color me surprised, never in my life have I read anything about Obeah. You see, I was born in the Caribbean, and I grew up hearing about Obeah, Obeahmen and Obeahwomen. I couldn't believe it, would never have expected to find such a familiar dark topic in a paranormal book. I actually laughed and had to do a double take when I saw the word. It's not something I would want to reminisce about but it brought back some memories. I was pretty young when I would hear stories about the dark craft growing up. I would hear some pretty scary stories and was also told that it only affects you if you believe in it. There was some contradiction to that advice, because I can remember some poor soul having a difficult time in their life and my Grandmother saying that someone put Obeah on them.
Okay, I should get back to the story. Haven't read much ghost stories and this is the best one I've read so far. I think it could also be described as an horror story as well as a story of friendship and living. After Cas' father died on a de-ghosting case, it was left up to him to continue the legacy of ridding the world of the evil feinds. All Cas knows is ghosts and more ghost, he's been a loner his entire life and wishes to keep it that way, he doesn't want to be responsible for the lives of others and he doesn't know how to be with the living anyway. When he was sent a tip about a ghost who needs vanquishing (Cas wouldn't like that term it being a ghostbuster one, lol) called Anna Dressed in Blood he can feel that this one is going to be different.
Everything on this job was different for Cas, first his barrier of not letting anyone in was broken through by new friends Thomas and Carmel. Inexperienced at ghost hunting but brave enough to fight side by side with Cas. And second, Cas doesn't hesitate to send the ghost he's hunting to wherever it belongs, but Anna was a different story. He can't find it in himself to send her away. Anyone who dares enters Anna's domain doesn't leave with their life, but when Cas unwittingly finds himself in her house unprepared, instead of ripping him to shreds she allows him to leave. Let's not forget the Obeahman. The Obeahman's existence brings up questions for Cas, mostly about his Athame. The same Athame his father and ancestors used to re-kill ghosts and send them away. Where do the ghosts actually go? Is the Athame good or bad?
Cas has never been in love, or was never drawn to a human girl. I think it was unfortunate that he was born into such a destiny and to be thrown into to it at such a young age. All Cas knows is ghosts, so no wonder the first time he feels drawn to a girl she turns out to be a ghosts. Anna and Cas's affection towards each other was a little strange for me but I accepted that his mostly secluded life from the living made it inevitable.
Cool and creepy story, really enjoyed it. Can't wait to see where it goes.
stacias99's review against another edition
4.0
A fun and, in some ways, original read, [b:Anna Dressed in Blood|9378297|Anna Dressed in Blood (Anna, #1)|Kendare Blake|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1398637405s/9378297.jpg|14261925] has a unique concept - a ghost hunter falls in love with his prey - that it does a really good job of delivering on. I always enjoy a sarcastic protagonist, so check. The supporting characters were also interesting and well-drawn. I liked the plot as well. I wanted to know what was going to happen and I cared about the plight of the characters. I look forward to reading the next novel in the series.
pleasantbastard's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
princess_frog's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
robotnik's review against another edition
What I wanted: horror book about a teen ghost slayer who confronts a murderous ghost girl and exorcises her or whatever, with lots of creepy atmosphere and spooks.
What I got: reject CW teen drama with a protagonist who has an annoying personality, wants to romance the ghost who's not spooky or scary at all, and talks like the guy who grows up to cheat on his wife with his 18 year old babysitter.
What I got: reject CW teen drama with a protagonist who has an annoying personality, wants to romance the ghost who's not spooky or scary at all, and talks like the guy who grows up to cheat on his wife with his 18 year old babysitter.
cedrisc's review against another edition
3.0
A very strange book. It was great to have a guy as the main character but the story was a bit boring. Even with all the stuff happening, the characters didn't seem real and I am not talking about the ghosts. Not sure I will read the next one.