Review: The Body Finder (The Body Finder #1) - Kimberly Derting

 Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her "power" to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. 
Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world . . . and the imprints that attach to their killers.Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find dead birds her cat left for her. But now that a serial killer is terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he's claimed haunt her daily, Violet realizes she might be the only person who can stop him
.Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved by her hope that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer . . . and becoming his prey herself


It has been a while since I read a book that has made me shake. I think that the last book to do this to me was... probably lauren Oliver's Delirium, which I read three months ago. This book is filled with action and romance and at some points it is damn right scary.


It also sort of has a way of creeping up on you. Let me explain. Through the book, I felt that yes, I was enjoying it but no, it wasn't fantastic, but by the last few pages I was oblivious to the real world. All I could think about was the book. I was shaking, sat straight, didn't dare to blink, willing those characters on. Perfect execution, Miss Derting.


What I found unique and amazing was the fact that we get some chapters written in the baddie's POV (which reminds me of a book that I once read, along similar lines in year 9, can't remember what it was called!!) as well as following our lovely protagonist Violet.


Violet, Violet, Violet. I <3 Violet, she was written just right. Not too perfect, I mean she runs off to go and confront a murderer, for crying out loud. But she also isn' whiny and annoying and I loved her character, I didn't really relate to her, but I connected. 


Then there is Jay. Who I guess I love simply because he actually reminds me so much of my boyfriend, (guilty confession there!). Jay is sweet and protective (but no stalker-protective, romantic-protective). AND HE'S JUST A NORMAL GUY! (HALLELUJAH!) As well as this, I was overjoyed at the lack of a !OMG TWO BOYS TO PICK FROM WHICH ONE CAN I TAKE! love triangle, there are other people involved in the relationship but we all know it's Jay and Violet all the way! As well as this, it developed at a decent rate, we first meet Violet at a point in her life where her feelings for her best friend are just changing, it isn't  meeting and relationship within a week, which annoys me. (Hypocritical, as me and my fellow only knew each other a week before we became exclusive)


The plot is very original, no vampires, no werewolves, no witches. Just a girl who can find dead bodies and her amazing NORMAL boyfriend. It was quite scary at some points and does hit home with the target audience; teenage girls. As an 18 year old, I know what it's like to fear these things happening and I was shivering and shaking at some scenes because I was terrified for Violet!


The writing is blunt. Derting didn't try any poetic writing, and I love her for it. There is a very well written and quite steamy make-out session, no purple prose anyway.


Overall rating: A

Stand alone/series: First in a series

Released: Febuary 15th 2011 (Paperback)

Publisher: HarperCollins/HarperTeen

Pages: 352

Book obtained via: Bought