ARC Review of Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey

Title: Cold Kiss
Author: Amy Garvey
Expected Publication: September 20, 2011
Publisher: HarperCollins
Courtesy of NetGalley
All Made Up (Amy's Blog)
Amy's Twitter
Amy's Facebook Page

Synopsis:

"It seemed so right. Danny was mine, I was his, and that wasn’t going to work if he was dead. So I would make him not dead, not anymore. I didn’t think any further than what it would feel like to kiss him again, to wrap my arms around him and bury my head against his shoulder.

That was my first mistake. It also turned out to be the biggest.”

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.

I finished reading this book yesterday and had to let it sit over night. The story was amazing, amazing and sad. I think I cried the through the entire book. Amy Garvey has written an emotionally intriguing tale of loss, magic, and consequences.

• Wren - A young girl with uncanny magical powers who lost her first love in a devastating car accident.
• Danny - The love of Wren's life whose death causes unseen consequences in Wren's life.
• Gabriel - The new boy at school who can see inside Wren's head. The only person she can trust with a terrible secret
• Robin - Wren's sister who is coming into her powers, finding no one to guide her.

Anybody who has been traumatized by the loss of someone they love dearly will empathize with Wren. She is torn apart by Danny's death and falls into a deep dark hole of depression. When she discovers a way to spend more time with Danny, everything that could go wrong does. She has a deep dark secret and no one she can share it with. Or, perhaps there is someone she can tell. Maybe she has no choice but to tell him.

As she gets to know Gabriel, she feels a connection to him. She is having a tough time understanding why he likes her, when her life is completely full of drama. Even as she tries to push him away, he remains loyal, understanding, and helpful.

While I loved the story, I found the writing didn't flow as well as I thought it should have. I caught myself flipping back and forth between pages because I kept getting lost. The book was more of a narrative than I like also. I find it easier to get involved in a story with characters who interact with each other. Bantering dialogue engages me and brings me into the story.

When I finished reading this book, I was completely and totally emotionally drained.

*This is an Advanced Reader Copy Review. It is an Uncorrected E-Proof meaning changess can still be made to Cold Kiss at this time. I want to thank NetGalley and HarperCollins for allowing me to review this surprisingly intriguing book. Anything quoted or alluded to is subject to change. All opinions are 100% mine. I do not work for any entity that may cause bias nor am I compensated for my reviews in any other way than by my followers who read and comment on my reviews!