Anna Dressed in Blood (Anna Dressed in Blood, #1)

by Kendare Blake

[littleread1]

I grew up reading R.L. Stine and Christopher Pike, so horror, in a mild sense, is where I got my reading start. I don't read much of it anymore, but when several friends raved about this book, I knew it was one I had to check out.

I don't read many books that have male main characters, but it was easy to imagine being a teenage boy (what does that say about my mental state?) with the way Blake wrote about Cas. He has had a unique up-bringing, in that his father, and now he kill ghosts. But can you kill something that is already dead? He struggles with this throughout the story. Especially once he meets Anna. Who has killed many people over the years. But for some (still unknown) reason she doesn't have to kill him. So he holds conversations with her. He becomes obsessed with her. He (apparently) falls in love with her.

What?! I loved this book, gave it 5/5 even, but still can't wrap my head around that. I have to take the whole love is unexplainable concept at face value in this one. Because honey, if you ever kill a bunch of people I will drop you so fast your head would spin. The only other thing I had a hard time grasping was the ghosts are corporeal. Anyone can touch them, see them. But only certain few can kill them. But honestly? I don't care. The story was so good, and unique, and original, and all the other words that describe books I love.

I felt for these characters, their joy was mine, their sorrow had me in tears ... and also a little creeped out since I stayed up until after midnight just to finish this book. Be warned, there is some blood and gore, but along with that are some heart-wrenching scenes that have you rooting for Anna and Cas, even though they are on opposite sides and their relationship should be impossible. It is easy for me to recommend this book. I have no doubt you will at least like it, if not love it.