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creolelitbelle's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Entertaining but not a "good" book. When I read off my list to my husband, he described this book as "we have Buffy at home." Ironically, the author more recently released a trilogy set in the Buffyverse, which leads me to believe this was her fanfiction before she got permission to write true Buffy stories instead of pulling from late 90s/early 2000s tv shows for inspiration in this fanfic mashup.
- MC named Cas, dad killed on a hunt, has special athame (SPN)
- kills ghosts
- has a source of information in New Orleans
- side character named WILL ROSENBERG
- references Buffy
- references the mystery machine from Scooby-Doo
- Gideon - father figure like SPN's Bobby who was friends with his dad, name from Elder on Charmed, is from London like Giles...
- Men of Power = Men of Letters (SPN)
- Thomas & Carmel = scoobies like Buffy
- Thomas = Willow (witch
- found Carmel's ex & his friend dead by a monster's hand
- Carmel = Cordelia
- Anna = Angel. Evil, saved, but still a ghost/supernatural creature
- Cas has prophetic dreams
- Cas hunts "the thing that killed dad"... SPN, anyone?
- Carmel calls Cas "Buffy" to Thomas
Read this for a nostalgic fun foray back into shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Charmed, and Supernatural. I listened to the audiobook, and it is a good time, enough to convince me to check the adventures in the sequel. Do not expect a serious story with good writing.
- kills ghosts
- has a source of information in New Orleans
- side character named WILL ROSENBERG
- references Buffy
- references the mystery machine from Scooby-Doo
- Gideon - father figure like SPN's Bobby who was friends with his dad, name from Elder on Charmed, is from London like Giles...
- Men of Power = Men of Letters (SPN)
- Thomas & Carmel = scoobies like Buffy
- Thomas = Willow (witch
- found Carmel's ex & his friend dead by a monster's hand
- Carmel = Cordelia
- Anna = Angel. Evil, saved, but still a ghost/supernatural creature
- Cas has prophetic dreams
- Cas hunts "the thing that killed dad"... SPN, anyone?
- Carmel calls Cas "Buffy" to Thomas
Read this for a nostalgic fun foray back into shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Charmed, and Supernatural. I listened to the audiobook, and it is a good time, enough to convince me to check the adventures in the sequel. Do not expect a serious story with good writing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Bullying
phoenixlovesbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is my first read of the year, and I absolutely loved it. I fell in love with Anna and her story, and Anna & Cas were sweet together. I will 100% continue the duology and novella :)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Body horror, Child death, and Blood
Moderate: Child abuse and Sexual assault
Minor: Physical abuse
bookcaptivated's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Violence, and Gore
Moderate: Misogyny and Murder
Minor: Animal death and Sexism
gen_wolfhailstorm's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
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? It's complicated
5.0
September pick for Amy McCaw's YA Book Club 2023.
I've had this on my tbr for the longest time, so I'm glad to have had an opportunity to read this with the book club and tune into to fellow readers thoughts real time.
I thought Anna Dressed in Blood was equal in atmosphere and horror. The ghost slaying themes were fascinating and uncomfortably eery, but sadly a solitary life.
I liked how focused Cas was as a main character and how serious he took reaping the ghosts of the dead from the land of the living, but it made me sad how much he distanced himself from his peers and how closed off he was from normal high school life/the future. I couldn't help but see that he did want to flock to people and "widen his circle" but there was that constant worry of being held back by others and the risking of innocent lives.
The romance was a bit too instant for me, but I think it unfurled quite tenderly and sweet, despite still not really getting how it happened.
Overall, this was a fantastic story!
I've had this on my tbr for the longest time, so I'm glad to have had an opportunity to read this with the book club and tune into to fellow readers thoughts real time.
I thought Anna Dressed in Blood was equal in atmosphere and horror. The ghost slaying themes were fascinating and uncomfortably eery, but sadly a solitary life.
I liked how focused Cas was as a main character and how serious he took reaping the ghosts of the dead from the land of the living, but it made me sad how much he distanced himself from his peers and how closed off he was from normal high school life/the future. I couldn't help but see that he did want to flock to people and "widen his circle" but there was that constant worry of being held back by others and the risking of innocent lives.
The romance was a bit too instant for me, but I think it unfurled quite tenderly and sweet, despite still not really getting how it happened.
Overall, this was a fantastic story!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Grief, Gore, Murder, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Abandonment
blue_roses's review against another edition
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror
Minor: Rape, Physical abuse, and Pedophilia
midnightgremlin's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Murder, Blood, Death, Death of parent, and Violence
Minor: Grief
the_books_music_life's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.5
This is a perfect read for the spooky season and I enjoyed this book so much. While I had my issues with a few things overall I really loved this book.
All the supernatural aspect flowed really well together and we get to see different sides of the supernatural genre in this book, which is rare; you either get vampires and werewolves, or witches and wizards. You don't usually get the spread of supernatural creates that we got in this book. And not in a way that feels cohesive and concise.
Anna Dressed in Blood is my second Kendare Blake series and in every one of her books that I've read so far I ship the main character with a ghost. The way their relationship is written just makes you fall in love with them and their relationship and I wish they could find a way to be together.
The dark/slight humor in this book was the icing on the cake for me. I love Kendare Blake's humor it's so slight that you can miss it, my humor is the same and I adored it in this book.
Without spoilers all I can say about a certain scene is WTF!!! Why did you have to do that! No how could you!!!
If you want to know what I'm talking about just know it involves a death that I will pretend didn't happen.
All the supernatural aspect flowed really well together and we get to see different sides of the supernatural genre in this book, which is rare; you either get vampires and werewolves, or witches and wizards. You don't usually get the spread of supernatural creates that we got in this book. And not in a way that feels cohesive and concise.
Anna Dressed in Blood is my second Kendare Blake series and in every one of her books that I've read so far I ship the main character with a ghost. The way their relationship is written just makes you fall in love with them and their relationship and I wish they could find a way to be together.
The dark/slight humor in this book was the icing on the cake for me. I love Kendare Blake's humor it's so slight that you can miss it, my humor is the same and I adored it in this book.
Without spoilers all I can say about a certain scene is WTF!!! Why did you have to do that! No how could you!!!
If you want to know what I'm talking about just know it involves a death that I will pretend didn't happen.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Death of parent, Grief, Death, Murder, Body horror, Cannibalism, Blood, and Child death
Moderate: Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Bullying and Sexual harassment
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