The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

The Body Finder
Kimberly Derting
Pages: 336 (hardcover)
Publisher: HarperTeen
ISBN-13: 978-0061779817
Source: Won from Raila, and bought a copy
My Summary:

Violet Ambrose can see and hear echoes of the dead. Ever since she was a child, she's always been drawn to animals that have been killed...and even humans that have been killed.

When a serial killer starts to prey on innocent girls in town, Violet knows that she's the only one who will be able to spot the killer, and the echoes of his victims that cling to him. Except Jay, Violet's best friend, isn't too keen on letting Violet run around looking for a killer. To complicate things more, Violet's starting to feel something more for Jay, especially when the other girls in her town start flocking to him like bees to honey.

The more Violet digs and searches, the closer she gets to discovering the killer...maybe even too close for her own good.

Dear Kimberly Derting: You totally rock as an author (and a person, I'm sure), and The Body Finder is incredible. Very spectacular. Or any other praise-worthy word you prefer.

The relationships in this book are wonderful. I definitely want to see more relationships like these in YA novels. Violet's family actually cares about her, acts like a family, and are present throughout the story (something that is definitely not always the case in YA novels). Violet's friendship with Jay is realistic and sweet. None of the characters seemed cliché, and Violet's unique and unusual ability was artfully woven into the story in such a normal way that it didn't seem weird or impossible for her to have this skill.

The suspense builds slowly, and the mystery kept me curious about what would happen next. Violet's gift has to be the most intriguing part, because it is nothing like what I've read before. In the end, I really want to get my hands on the sequel, Desires of the Dead. If it's anything like its predecessor, it's going to be amazing.

Highlights: The passages narrated by the killer were definitely amazingly eerie. I think that had to be my favorite part, because I wasn't really expecting it. And okay, the cover is totally wonderful too. It just seems to work perfectly with the story. The realistic characters and interactions between them, of course, were a huge plus.

Lowlights: I saw the ending coming, but that didn't bother me too much. It would have been awesome too, if there was just a bit more suspense, a bit more mystery, and a bit more of the killer's perspective because that was definitely interesting.

Rating: 5 out of 5