ARC Review: Kendare Blake - Anna Dressed in Blood

Kendare Blake - Anna Dressed in Blood

• Pub. Date: August 30, 2011
• Publisher: Doherty, Tom Associates, LLC
• Format: Hardcover 320pp
• Age Range: Young Adult

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.

I received this from Around The World ARC Tours. Here is my honest review:

Wow. What a fantastically creepy novel! It had action, suspense, teens, some high school, and ghosts! I'm not used to ghost stories, but this was a great way to break into the genre. I really enjoyed the development of this story, even if it was slightly predictable. The end threw me for a loop though! So I guess we'll see what happens in the next one!

What I liked:

• The action. All the fight scenes with ghosts kept me entertained and in suspense!
  
• Cas. He's a likable loner. His life is almost sad, but he endures. You always root for him and want more for his life. Plus it's fun to read a book from a guy's POV sometimes!
  
• Side characters. Carmel is very interesting. She seems like she should be typical, but she's not. Thomas is so fun. He's a chicken, but he needs bravery and summons it when he needs it. Even Cas's mom provides great plot lines for this story. And Anna.. well, she speaks for herself.
  

What I didn't like:

• It's slightly predictable. The story seemed to always go right where I thought it would. Like I said before, though.. the end threw me a bit, and I'm hoping it's not quite true!
• How many times does Cas need to get hit in the head??

Bottom line: This is a great ghost story!! I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it.

Rating:

4/5 book sharks!