Bookanistas: ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD & GIRL OF NIGHTMARES

I am a wimp.  I still remember seeing the movie "Carrie" when I was thirteen (before you start thinking I'm THAT old, note that this was a rental movie at a sleepover--okay, it was on Betamax!) and being unable to sleep for a week. And don't even get me started on "Silence of the Lambs."

However, I recently read Kendare Blake's ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD and GIRL OF NIGHTMARES for a freelance project. And I am so glad that I did because, scary aside, these books are wonderfully written.

In both of these fresh, fast-paced tales about friendship, family, love, loyalty and the undead, the author keeps a commanding hold on her narrator's voice. True and clear in every line. The novels are rich with great descriptions like, “Nestled in between refurbished family homes are houses cut out at bad angles, their coats of paint peeling in scabs..."  Blake builds upon the classic newcomer-to-high-school story by creating a world in which magic hovers around everyone, whether they are aware of its power or not.  Beyond ghost story, Blake nudges readers to ask themselves why they believe what they do and whether they think love has limits. 


I finished ANNA and immediately picked up GIRL OF NIGHTMARES. I wanted more of Cas and his unlikely cohorts--popular, pretty Carmel and nerdy yet magical Thomas--and more of that pitch-perfect narrative voice.  Horror or not, this wimp is definitely on board to read anything by Kendare Blake for the sharp, gorgeous writing and richly drawn characters. Sure, these books are scary but really the first word I'd choose for Blake's work is high-quality.
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