Review: Cold Kiss

Author: Amy Garvey

Release date: September 20th 2011

Publisher: HarperTeen

Hardcover, 292 pages

Add to your library: Goodreads

It was a beautiful, warm summer day, the day Danny died.

Suddenly Wren was alone and shattered. In a heartbroken fury, armed with dark incantations and a secret power, Wren decides that what she wants--what she "must" do--is to bring Danny back.

But the Danny who returns is just a shell of the boy Wren fell in love with. His touch is icy; his skin, smooth and stiff as marble; his chest, cruelly silent when Wren rests her head against it.

Wren must keep Danny a secret, hiding him away, visiting him at night, while her life slowly unravels around her. Then Gabriel DeMarnes transfers to her school, and Wren realizes that somehow, inexplicably, he can sense the powers that lie within her--and that he knows what she has done. And now Gabriel wants to help make things right.

But Wren alone has to undo what she has wrought--even if it means breaking her heart all over again.(via Goodreads)

I was so right when I decided to read this. It's not that heavy, no huge lump in my chest. But it made me shiver and made me feel the creeps.

When I first encountered this online, I was so sure I wanted to read it. When I got my copy, I don't know why I didn't read it immediately. I just felt that it wasn't the right time. Is there ever a right time for reading a specific book?

It is obvious by the synopsis that this is sort of paranormal or magical. What Wren did was truly magical and yes, unforgivable. Bringing back someone from down below doesn't just sound wrong, in fact, it is the worst mistake anyone could ever have. Well, if the person wants to have zombie apocalypse or whatever, maybe it isn't. But Wren didn't think of the consequences. All she wanted was to be with Danny, her boyfriend. It makes sense to me, okay. When someone you love dies, you think you cannot bear to live another day without that person. So all you can do is curl up in your bed and just sulk on your own. But when you have something just like what Wren has, you'd do otherwise. And I'm not saying it's right! It's just that, Wren doesn't know her limits and she was upright blinded by the love she has for Danny so she thought she was doing the right thing. What she did absolutely affected her and even her relationship with her friends. I so pity Jess and Darcia. They do not even have a single clue as to what their friend have done!

I love and hate Wren's Mom. If she was just open to her kids, maybe Wren wouldn't have gotten too far. Or no, I just really hate her for keeping secrets from Wren and her sister, Robin. I know how parents used to say that they're doing this or that because they're protecting their kids. But still! I wouldn't even argue. I'm already an adult, well sort of but I'm still a kid, a daughter and maybe I won't understand that unless I become a parent myself.

Wren's love interests, yes, there were two of them. Of course, there was Danny and this mysterious new boy Gabriel. They were both nice. Alive and even dead. They weren't that swoony for me. But sure they have their own shining moments here especially Gabriel. Although I know Gabriel is super mysterious than he seems to be!

What I loved the most about this book was the feeling it gave me. It never, even for once made me feel that it was just some contemporary novel trying to be a paranormal/magical/fantasy novel. It left me feeling that it was really something not normal which is a good thing. It was able to live up to its preferred theme. I swear. The descriptions that Amy Garvey wrote were so scary at times and yet it was beautifully written!

Cold Kiss is a light paranormal/fantasy/magical read. I bet anyone will actually enjoy this one. It's a fascinating read that will make you shiver at times. I can't wait to read Glass Heart! I hope I'll be able to know more of Wren's background and even of Gabriel.