Book Review : Picture the Dead by Adele Griffin (Author) & Lisa Brown (Illustrator)

Picture the Dead by Adele Griffin (Author), Lisa Brown (Illustrator)

Published February 1st 2012 by Sourcebooks, Incorporated
Paperback, 272 pages
Available on Amazon | The Book Depository | Sourcebooks

Jennie feels the tingling presence of something unnatural in the house now that Will is dead.

Her heart aches without him, and she still doesn't know how he really died. It seems that everywhere she turns, someone is hiding yet another clue. As Jennie seeks the truth, she finds herself drawn ever deeper into a series of tricks and lies, secrets and betrayals, and begins to wonder if she had every really known Will at all.

Picture The Dead is a charming gothic ghost story which incorporates elements of suspense, mystery and paranormal. Each chapter is ended with detailed illustrations which reflects the bits and pieces of Jennie's scrapbook. The overall design of the book is very eye-catching and special. However, I don't feel particularly spooked or frightened by the story.

Jennie is a likeable heroine. She has just lost her beloved Will in a battlefield, and her heart aches for him, but be that as it may, she is still a normal girl who craves for love and attention. So when Quinn (Will's brother) expresses his love for her, her heart starts to flutter. She considers of letting go of Will and try focusing her life in a new direction.

However, when strange things begin to happen in the Pritchett household, Jennie fears that Will's spirit is angry and unforgiving. But then, she also discovers various clues in different forms, which arouses her suspicion about things that happen around her.

The author's command of language is rather impressive. Her writing style is distinctive and descriptive, her words significant yet easy to understand, gives the reader a better perceptive of what is happening at an exact moment. The historical background of the story is quite refreshing - it is set during the period of the Civil War in America, when spiritualism is starting to take hold of the society.

I liked how the story turned out in the end. It was really unforeseen that I would heartily applaud the author's way of turning the direction of the novel. Clues are thrown in bit by bit, but I never thought of the possibilities that there is a secret behind Will's death.

Picture The Dead is a quick, enjoyable read, but it is not as creepy and haunting as I'd expected. I'd say this book is more suitable for middle graders, but if you're a teen or adult who likes ghost stories, then by all means pick it up. ;)

Rating:

ADELE GRIFFIN has written a number of novels for middle grade and young adult readers, including the Witch Twins and Vampire Island series, as well as the novels Sons of Liberty and Where I Want to Be, both National Book Award Finalists. She lives with her husband and daughter in Brooklyn, New York.

Visit the Official Website for Picture The Dead for more details.

Book Review : Token of Darkness by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

Token of Darkness by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (February 9, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385737505
• ISBN-13: 978-0385737500
• Purchase Token of Darkness on Amazon / Barnes & Noble / IndieBound

Cooper Blake has everything going for him—until he wakes from a car accident with his football career in ruins and a mysterious, attractive girl by his side. Cooper doesn’t know how Samantha got there or why he can see her; all he knows is that she’s a ghost, and the shadows that surround her seem intent on destroying her.

No one from Cooper’s old life would understand what he can barely grasp himself. . . . But Delilah, the captain of the cheerleading squad, has secrets of her own, like her ability to see beyond the physical world, and her tangled history with Brent, a loner from a neighboring school who can hear strangers’ most intimate thoughts. Delilah and Brent know that Cooper is in more trouble than he realizes, and that Samantha may not be as innocent as she has led Cooper to believe. But the only way to figure out where Samantha came from will put them all in more danger than they ever dreamed possible.

* Read an EXCERPT of Token of Darkness.

This is my first book by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, and I have to say it doesn't really leave a good impression to me. The story lacks action from the beginning until the middle part, and I feel like it was put together without a main point. Yes, I know Cooper's involved in an accident, there's a ghost who's not really a ghost called Samantha accompanying him, and they both met a psychic named Brent, but I don't feel connected to either of the characters. I think the "darkness" and "shadows" are supposed to make the reader feel scared or at least, acknowledge that it has some horrifying effect. But no, I don't feel anything, at all. I think The Complete Horowitz Horror (which is intended for children aged 12+) is so much better than this book.

SPOILERS!

The ending is better, but it still sounds off. Not quite right, I mean. Turns out Samantha the ghost is actually an elemental, which is a raw form of power. It finally resides in Margaret's body (Margaret is her maker) and Cooper promises to take her out for a date. Duh.

Token of Darkness has some paranormal elements, and the writing is quite good, but it is not exciting enough. I can only say that it is slightly entertaining. Maybe I'll try reading something else by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes in the future. Maybe.

Rating:

Notes: 100% clean read. No kissing or sexual content. Fans of Amelia Atwater-Rhodes might enjoy this book.

Purchase Token of Darkness on Amazon / Barnes & Noble / IndieBound

Amelia Atwater-Rhodes was born in Maryland in 1984 and grew up in Concord, Massachusetts. Her first novel was written when she was thirteen. She currently attends the University of Massachusetts, where she is studying English.