Heartless Lyn @ Great Imaginations

Let me just start with a little intro before I write this review:WOW, JUST WOW!! I seriously considered skipping class just to finish this book!!I'm not much of a horror fan, and this book has enough chills to qualify as such, but Blake sunk her hook in my mouth with the over-the-top characterization. Cas - an epic guy POV, and his development as a character and as a person nearly outshone the disturbing and wonderfully beautiful love story. I was a bit disturbed by the amount of loose cursing in the book, but it can easily be overlooked. This male lead was so refreshing and new in the field. So many times, a teen guy POV is downright tepid. I tend to lean towards the female-centered stories. But Cas' ache for his father and his revenge, mixed with his coming of age and his realization that he can have a life outside of his fate was treated with care and flair. Anna - I love characters that turn from good to bad. I'm such a sucker for the redemption character in any movie, book or TV show. Females, sadly, never get to play this part, however. But Blake really broke the mold as she smashed the gender roles and switched the two. Having Anna as the redeemed, the personification of death, the victim, the heroine, and as the stronger partner really gave this book an extra punch. And how beautiful was this relationship??! Carmel - I really had a mindset to dislike her, but this girl was a perfect "normie" kick-ass female lead. I like how she bounced between Thomas and Cas, and I wish the story would have focused on her development as well. She is a great secondary character who has what it takes to hold her own. Tybalt - one of the reasons I did not give this book 5 stars. It was just too sad for me to look over. (Yep, I'm a crazy cat lady).Overall, I felt that this book was brilliant, yet a tad bit rushed. I really would have liked to have seen a little more from the secondary characters (Carmel, Thomas, and the mother), but the story itself is solid, new, and something that I haven't seen in a while.