Review: Guardian of the Dead - Karen Healey

Where I got it: ARC from Little, Brown and Co.
Rating:  5 stars
Cover Rating: 4 stars (the lips should be red)
Genre: Young Adult
Publication Date: April 1, 2010
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Page Count: 345 p.

Ellie is just a normal girl in a New Zealand boarding school. She has a best friend, Kevin and she has a crush on a boy. She worries about curfew and getting caught with Kevin spending the night. When she bumps into(literally) her crush, her eyes start to open and she's about to find out that things are not always as they seem.

Break out your dictionary and brush up on your Māori   mythology. Karen Healey deftly crafts a tale which combines modern day with ancient legends. If you love mythology you will love this book. I really appreciated that our main character, Ellie, was not weak. She wasn't overly powerful, but she could hold her own for the most part. I also love that at one point she does have to question or at least drastically come to terms with the going-ons that crop up around her. Normally the characters just accept everything that is going on and no one thinks to stop and say "hmmm... well that's not right?". She was so real and just amazing. There was romance and legends and betrayals and of course an EPIC BATTLE! This book kept me on my toes. I was never sure what might happen or if someone was going to throw in the towel. If you don't have a copy of this book, you need to get one as soon as possible. This debut can not be missed. This book is not for the faint of heart however. There are parts that might make your skin crawl or your stomach churn. Not a lot of those parts, but you've been warned. Ellie's the best Heroine I have read so far. I look forward to who Karen Healey will introduce us to next.

First Line: "I opened my eyes."

Favorite Line: "I worked steadily, touching the note in my pocket every now and then to make sure it was still there, like tonguing a sore tooth."