Review: The Body Finder - Kimberly Derting

Where I got it: Library
Rating:  4.5 stars
Cover Rating: 5 stars (Hauntingly beautiful)
Genre: Young Adult
Publication Date: March 1, 2010
Publisher: HarperCollins
Page Count: 327 p.

Violet has an odd gift. She has the ability to sense imprints of the dead. The only person outside of her family to know of her ability is her best friend Jay. Over the summer Jay grew up and now Violet is awakening to feelings that she didn't have before. When she finds a body in the lake this spawns a new hunt for the killer at large. More and more girls go missing and Jay and Violet spend more time together , so he can "protect" her. But, when Violet decides to try and seek out the killer using her abilities she puts herself in more danger than she realizes.

*claps very enthusiastically for Kimberly Derting* Wow, I didn't think this book would live up to it's hype. Boy was I surprised. The only part that troubled me is the time period that this book takes place. In the beginning it's really confusing and I wasn't sure if it was summer or the school year or what. This was a fantastic read. I have not read anything with such a great mystery and such steamy(and I mean steamy) romance. If you have not picked this up yet, do yourself a favor and read it soon. Violet's ability was unique and well described, and it was fantastic how she could use it. This whole book was really fascinating. The novel progressed with a couple of chapters in third person following Violet and then a chapter from the killer's point of view. The only way you'll be able to put this book down is if you stop before page 20. Once I read the first chapter from the killer's point of view I was complete enthralled. And the romance, whew... very hot, I'm impressed that considering how (relatively) tame the actual romance was it was hot. One thing that did creep me out, and had me wondering if it was intentional or not was Jay. He just seemed really intense, emotion-wise, all of a sudden. All in all I will definitely be purchasing my own copy of this book and probably a copy or two for my friends. I can't wait to see what Kimberly will write for us next!

First Line:
"Violet Ambrose wandered away from the safety of her father as she listened to the harmony of sounds weaving delicately around her."

Favorite Line:
"She had the strangest sensation of garlic in the back of her mouth...it was pungent and thick, and nearly overpowering."