The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
The Body Finder
Kimberly Derting
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: March 16, 2010
Pages: 336
Rating: 4.5 stars
“A serial killer on the loose. A girl with a morbid ability. And the boy who would never let anything happen to her.
Violet Ambrose can find the dead. Or at least, those who have been murdered. She can sense the echoes they leave behind… and the imprints they leave on their killers. As if that weren’t enough to deal with during junior year, she also has a sudden, inexplicable, and consuming crush on her best friend since childhood, Jay Heaton.
Now a serial killer has begun terrorizing Violet’s small town… and she realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.”
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Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her “power” to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world . . . and the imprints that attach to their killers.
Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find dead birds her cat had tired of playing with. But now that a serial killer has begun terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he’s claimed haunt her daily, she realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.
Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet on her quest to find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved to find herself hoping that Jay’s intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she’s falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer . . . and becoming his prey herself.
The Body Finder is an original story that will captivate readers from page 1. It’s thrilling and exciting. Violet’s ability gives the book an overall eerie feeling. The Body Finder has a perfect blend of romance, suspense and mystery. The Body Finder is a book that will keep you up, late into the night, glued to the pages.
I was completely sumersed in Violet’s world from page 1. Kimberly Derting created a world that was so believable. I would absolutely love to revisit it! The plot is completely original, unlike anything I’ve ever read before. I always love when paranomal aspects of books are brand new, then there’s no expectations and it’s never been done before.
Another stunning element of The Body Finder was it’s characters. I found Violet to be relatable and fun. She was a smart, strong protagaist, and had a pleasant voice. Jay was definately swoon worthy and a total sweetheart. It was also interesting reading about the character of the serial killer. You had the regular story, then you’d have little snippets from the serial killer, and then you knew SOMETHING was going to happen.
I loved the romance in The Body Finder – it was 100% believable! There was a build-up to the romance, making readers wait for it to happen. Another thing I loved was how there were several scenes that were just filled with tension between Jay and Violet, making it that much more realistic!
Basically I loved this book to an absurd degree. It was so wonderful. I would never have guessed this was Kimberly Derting’s debut. The Body Finder was just fantastic overall, and one you do not want to miss reading. I am eagerly awaiting book 2, Desires of the Dead which comes out in 2011.
I am doing the happy dance, because I want to read this book solely for my superficial attraction to the cover, and that's wrong. But now that you've reviewed it, I SO want to read it.
Great review! =D
I'm so very tempted to buy this book! Great review, Erica =)
This sounds really good!! I may have to look into this one.
Hmmm, this one was already on my wishlist, but I may have to move it up and check it out sooner.
Great review! Hadn't heard of this one, but it sounds original, interesting, and worth reading. Thanks for the great review!
Amazing book review. It's as if I was on the verge of the story. It makes me want to buy the book, NOW! LOL.