Review: Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.


When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

But she, for whatever reason, spares Cas's life. (YA)

Review:

Wow.

Just wow.

I don't think I have the words to describe Anna Dressed in Blood adequately. Or maybe I have too many, or maybe just not the right words.

The words that do come to mind are: gruesome,…..gripping…..beautiful…. terrifying…..snarky….. brilliant….

From the first page I was pulled in to this incredible world of ghosts, witches and voodoo mixed with curses, revenge, romance and destiny. I actually found myself holding my breath on several occasions only to be relieved of my tension by a well placed moment of humor.

The writing is just incredible. Intense and vivid, I could SEE everything. I felt like I was trapped in a movie…..I was right behind Cas, seeing Anna through his eyes. Cas is mesmerized by her terrifying beauty and power even though he's there to kill her.

" She's standing above me, the goddess of death….." (pg 77)

"Instead I find a ghost with the strength of a storm…………Persephone back from Hades, or Hecate half decayed." (pg 84)

I was so entranced by the writing that I was often shocked by events even though it seemed fairly obvious after the fact. Anything can happen in Anna Dressed in Blood.

I could go on and on but I won't. Go read this book. Like yesterday. I have no less than 20 post-it notes marking my favorite passages and my phone is filled with comments and notes about everything I loved as I was reading.

A few weeks ago the Top Ten Tuesdays meme question was: Top Ten Books I Wish I Could Read Again For The First Time. I would want to read Anna Dressed in Blood for the first time over & over again.

Rating: 4 out of 4 Definitely made it to my top books of the year list. I'll be re-reading Anna Dressed in Blood and it has a spot on the "keeper" shelf.

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Buy the book! Anna Dressed In Blood
Publisher: Tor Teen August 30, 2011
Source: Lena from Addicted 2 Novels THANK YOU!!! xoxoxoxo