Review: Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey

Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey

September 20, 2011

HarperTeen

Synopsis:
When her boyfriend, Danny, is killed in a car accident, Wren can’t imagine living without him. Wild with grief, she uses the untamed powers she’s inherited to bring him back. But the Danny who returns is just a shell of the boy she once loved.

Wren has spent four months keeping Danny hidden, while her life slowly unravels around her. Then Gabriel DeMarnes transfers to her school and somehow, inexplicably, he can sense her secret. Wren finds herself drawn to Gabriel, who is so much more alive than the ghost of the boy she loved. But Wren can’t turn her back on Danny or the choice she made for him—and she realizes she must find a way to make things right, even if it means breaking her own heart.

Amy Garvey’s transcendent teen debut is perfect for fans of Shiver and Beautiful Creatures. Wren’s unforgettable voice and story will stay with readers long after the last page is turned.

My Review:
Cold Kiss is an eerie and romantic novel that has a somewhat messed up and confused protagonist who decides it's a good idea to bring her dead boyfriend back. She doesn't consider any of the consequences, and only knows that her love will be back and that they can be together again. What follows is tons of confusion, magick, and another boy who enters into the picture and changes everything for Wren. This isn't your average zombie novel, folks!

Wren is a conflicted and loving girl who doesn't know how to live her life after her boyfriend Danny dies. They spent all of their time together and loved each other so much that it is hard for Danny to let go and move on. She makes the greatest mistake of her life bringing Danny back from the dead and spends a majority of the novel scared and confused.

I could feel the love that she felt for Danny and while it doesn't warrant bringing him back from the dead, I can see that she was so hurt and confused that she wasn't thinking straight. While I did get annoyed at her at times for brushing off the help of Gabriel, the new boy in town who makes her feel again, I could see that she just didn't know what to do.

Danny is somehow who is not at all easy to connect to as a zombie. The way Wren describes him when he was alive makes me see why she could love him so much and be so upset and conflicted about who he is after she brings him back. When it is eventually revealed to him that he died, I felt a flicker of sympathy for him. He didn't know what to think and I felt angry at Wren for having him go through that pain.

Gabriel is a bit of an enigma at first. While he is very upfront with Wren and reveals secrets about himself right away, I could tell that he was always holding something back. I didn't see why Wren would fall for him so quickly. I couldn't see any sparks between them and their romance felt a bit forced. I did like how willing Gabriel was to help Wren with her HUGE problem and I liked him much better because of that.

Cold Kiss is a sad, creepy, and romantic debut that I really enjoyed! The writing is so honest and heartfelt that I couldn't help but get deeply engrossed in the story. You have to check this one out when it releases!

My Review: