So up until 148 pages into the book, I thought this was going to be my review. This book is feeling really similar to The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. The Naturals is one of my all time favorite series, but it’s to the point that I’m getting bored with this particular book. I originally really enjoyed The Body Finder, because the concept was so unique. Now, the sequel, just feels unoriginal. I guess I just feel disappointed of its lack of originality, or perhaps, in the world of mystery books, I’ve read all there is to read in the genre. I certainly hope, it’s NOT the latter.

Since finishing the book, I realized that it’s not fair to compare it to The Naturals, because, nothing really happened in this book. That’s my main criticism. Sure, there were a few times something somewhat interesting happened, but most of the time it was just Violet being moody. If you market a book to be about a teenager who finds dead bodies, I would certainly hope it would be more fast paced and less of a romance than this book. I love a good romance, but this book mainly consisted of the love life of two sixteen year olds. If I wanted to read an entire book like that, I would’ve picked up a contemporary, not a mystery.
My last complaint has to do with both books, which is that they tied up too neatly. I hate it when I read a mystery series and all of the plot lines get tied up in a nice little bow and everyone lives happily ever after. Like, I’m sorry, but life doesn’t happen like that so it just bugs me when authors choose those endings. It feels like a cop out and honestly endings like that are too boring and innocent for me. The first book could’ve honestly been a standalone. This book was not needed.

I WANT MORE

THE TWEET
Violet returns in DESIRES OF THE DEAD, where her ability has attracted the attention of the FBI and another more sinister person.


WHAT WORKED
What I liked most about DESIRES OF THE DEAD (beyond the tension filled, suspensful plotline) was the progression of Violet and Jay's relationship. It seemed natural and realistic, not rushed at all. Violet and Jay started out as friends in the previous book, THE BODY FINDER, but in DESIRES OF THE DEAD, their relationship has progressed to something more and Violet especially, is trying to deal with this change in status. I loved how the two characters actually talked about their feelings and the consequences of taking their relationship to the next step. I think this not only made Violet and Jay seem like real people, but it sends a good message to young adult readers who may. and most likely are, facing a similar situation.

The other thing I loved about DESIRES OF THE DEAD was the switch in point of view from Violet to the perpetrator of the crime. This made the story more darker and twisted because readers were allowed to experience the thoughts and feelings of the criminal. It also gave the story more depth and kept me reading in order to find out what would happen next and when the identity of the killer would be revealed.


OVERALL
DESIRES OF THE DEAD is a tension filled read from beginning to end. Fans of mystery and suspense will definitely enjoy this book.


THE RATING

I finished this book in only three evenings, which is to say that I couldn't put it down once I started reading.
Compared to the first book in the series, The Body Finder, I found the crime/mystery-storyline not quite as thrilling I had suspected the ending for some while.
I still really liked the book, because it was very interesting to read about the development in Violet and Jay's relationship. They had already been through a lot, but in the second book they have to have to settle some basic issues in their relationship and take some big steps forward.
One of the things I like most of the series is that Violet is a very strong female character that seems very real and is easily likable. She is neither overly confident and unable to accept any help, nor is she whiny and unable to do anything without her boyfriend (*cough* like Bella fom Twilight *cough*).

I couldn't put down the first book, and same with the second one, although this was harder to get into than the first book, I still loved it! The exciting and actions in the book, I just couldn't put it down. Violet finding dead bodies again. And her relationship with Jay, was kind bumpy as I remembered it. Good read.

I just re-read this book and looking at the 4 star review I gave it after the first read...I don't know why I did. I would say 2.5 stars now. It was pretty frustrating. All of a sudden Violet is keeping all these secrets from Jay, and running off into dangerous situations by herself all the time when he would for sure come with her and try to keep her safe. Then there is the just glaringly obvious things that she doesn't seem to be able to figure out -

Spoiler

she sees the cats imprint in Mike's house, knows it is not Mike so it must be his sister. Well then she sees his sister and it is not her so there is no one else it can possibly be. I mean it is just Mike and his sister...no father or anything. Seriously? You just overlook that glaringly obvious fact that more than 2 people live in the house?

Things like that just frustrated me so much! I just wanted to shake her and say you are smarter than this!!!!

For about the second or third time ever I couldn't legitimately finish this book.

It was killing me of cringe worthy romance and boredom.

i like Rafe. A lot :)

I was so disappointed with this book. I LOVED the body finder and I thought it ended perfectly so when I heard there was a 2nd book coming out I was wondering how they could continue the story and keep it good. Well the didnt. The middle of the book I liked I thought the story was going somewhere and it was interesting but then the was no follow through with the characters. Im sad to say I was just so disappointed with this book

I first read this book when I was about 13/14 years old. Re-reading this at the age of 22 was definitely a different experience, but not any less enjoyable than the first time around.
I half expected this book to be not as good as I had remembered, or suspecting that I might not enjoy it as much now that I’m an adult. Safe to say this was not the case. Whilst I didn’t love it like I did when I was 14, I still thought this book deserves a lot of credit for holding up so well over time.
I will point out that this book is definitely more of a young adult choice rather than a new adult, so I’ll treat it and rate it as such.

WHAT WORKED
• The general plot for this book was overall really solid. Maybe even better than the first book. I liked that there was multiple plot points at the same time (i.e. the stalker, the FBI and the eventual killer).

• Having Violet meet people that might be different as well, was a good choice. It opens up a realm of possibilities for future storyline’s and I’m excited to see where they take them.

WHAT DIDN’T WORK
• Every so often there was a chapter from the point of view of someone who becomes Violets stalker. The moment this stalker is mentioned you are able to guess straight away who this person is and I’m genuinely unsure if this was intentional or not. The name of the stalker is never mentioned throughout the chapters until the official ‘reveal’ but I truly can’t believe the author didn’t think the identity wouldn’t be blatantly obvious. This therefore begs the question, why bother trying to hide the stalkers identity in the first place?

• Miscommunication is the biggest plot device used in this book, and boy do I hate miscommunication. Everything that goes wrong in this book could have easily been avoided if Violet had just told someone, anyone, what had been happening or where she was going! She constantly lies and hides things and it’s frustrating! This is exactly what happened in the first book and it looks like she still hasn’t learnt her lesson. It also gets a little boring seeing her repeat the same mistakes over and over again.


Overall this book was super easy to read and took me all of 3 and a half hours to finish.
It was nice to go back and read something from the past and still enjoy it all these years later.

Final rating is 3.5 stars rounded up to a 4.