BOOK REVIEW: Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Publication Date: August 30, 2011
Synopsis (Goodreads):

Just your average boy-meets-girl, girl-kills-people story...
Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.
So did his father before him, until his gruesome murder by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father’s mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.
When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn’t expect anything outside of the ordinary: move, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he’s never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, but now stained red and dripping blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.
And she, for whatever reason, spares his life

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Review:

I’ve been busy for the past few weeks so I had to squeeze minutes everyday  just to read a book. And this time it’s harder because it’s a horror book. Even when I'm not yet sleepy, I quit my reading at night because my imagination was too wild, making myself scared for no reason.

Anyway, I just have to say..Whew! That was one mind thrilling read! I was expecting that because I've heard a lot about the book so when I had the chance when I won a book giveaway, I chose the book. Thanks Melissa of Book Nerd Reviews! 

The book is about Cas, a ghost hunter and his adventures. When his father died, he took over the job and he's been driven to find who's responsible for his father's death. With his mother, they go to different places just to find those bad ghosts for him to kill and gain experience until he's ready to fight the one he's been wanting to kill for so long. Then he meets Anna dressed in blood, and his plan changes.

I like that the book is narrated from a guy's POV. It's just different because you're in a guys head. It's breathtakingly fresh and good. I like Cas very much. Not just because it's his POV, but because he has a very cool persona. I like how he's so confident about himself, that it's not annoying. Having the kind of job he has, he has a hard time trusting other people. He's afraid of attachment, thus it's just him and his mom. I like how  he learned to trust and love people or a ghost in his case.

I liked all the supporting characters especially Thomas. Love his geekiness! I love how they affected Cas in a good way and make him change his perspective in life. 

I liked how the story flowed. There was never a dull moment. It's either scary, terrifying, sad, funny or sweet. It's an emotional ride so if you haven't read it yet, give this a try! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Rating:

Memorable Quotes:

“I’ve seen most of what there is to be afraid of in this world, and to tell you the truth, the worst of them are the ones that make you afraid in the light. The things that your eyes see plainly and can’t forget are worse than huddled black figures left to the imagination. Imagination has a poor memory; it slinks away and goes blurry. Eyes remember for much longer.”