Scan barcode
kathydavie's review against another edition
2.0
First in the Darklight urban fantasy series young YA based in Riley's Switch, New Mexico.
My Take
Well, this is the YA version of Charlie Davidson, her other series about a grim reaper who falls in love with someone she shouldn't. Too bad it's not as well done. To be honest, my eyeballs got sore reading this with all the rollin' they were doin'.
Although, to be fair. This quite possibly may be how younger teens interact with each other. Thank you, god, that I am an adult. I suspect this is one of those stories only for young teens---adults shouldn't bother.
Oh, c'mon. Her parents have been dead for years and she still needs her hands held? Then there's the initial scene when Azrael chooses unwisely and all the ensuing excessive melodrama. Gag. Yeah, and if Cameron is who he says he is, how is it that he can't tell the truth about what happened with that initial action by Azrael?? Follow this up with all the
overwrought sequences with Lusk and Azrael refusing to explain anything. Oh, yeah, baby, sttrrreeeetttttccccchhhhhh that story out, fill up them pages…! But why must it be at my expense, wahhh...
Why isn't Cameron living at home?
I just hate the clichéd use of the refusal to explain anything. It's so much easier to just drag people around and ignore them.
I'm not buying the logic on this. Azrael is supposed to speed up a death in order to save two other lives in order that the person they would have hit doesn't die, but the person whose death is to be sped up is too critical to the world's future AND is expected in Heaven. What their prophecies only work when they're dead? Convoluted? I really can't say more without spoiling the story. If you have such a plethora of time available that you'll actually borrow this from the library---hint, hint---you'll see what I mean.
Ooh, coinkydinks. Yup. I ain't believing it neither, nor does Jones provide a reason why this particular news team shows up in this particular town on this particular date. What? Just because your readers are young teens, you figure they're not bright??
Arghh, it's just full of illogical melodrama and manufactured excuses. Wait'll you learn the truth about Lorelei's parents' death...lame, stupid, idiotic...etc.
The Story
The story opens on the anniversary of Lorelei's parents' death with her two best friends doing what they do every year---keeping her company, distracting her mind, sharing her grief.
With death on the menu, how can it help popping up everywhere!
The Characters
Lorelei McAlister is a pastor's granddaughter—her parents died in a traffic accident. She has a most unwelcome gift—when she brushes up against someone, she can see their past. Grandpa, Bill, is the pastor of the Sanctuary, a nondenominational church in Riley's Switch. He, Grandma, and Lorelei run a small convenience store.
Casey Niyol Blue-Spider, a.k.a., the Glitch, is one of Lorelei's best friends along with Brooklyn Prather.
Cameron Lusk is a classmate who keeps very much to himself. Mr. Lusk is the father who has a hard time accepting what Cameron is, although he does love his son; Hannah Noel was Cameron's mother. Jared Kovach is a new student who seems much too familiar. Tabitha Sind is, in Lorelei's words, "ill equipped to be human"; Amber Gonzales is the "A" to her "T". Ashlee and Sydnee Southern are cohorts with a problem. Need I even mention that they're all cheerleaders. Principal Alan Davis remembers Kovach from long ago. Elliott Davis was his brother who died years ago. Ms. Mullins is a very level-headed teacher.
Jophiel is Nephilim, the messenger, "placed upon earth to protect the prophet". Azrael is a Seraphim, also a messenger, and the Angel of Death.
Sheriff Dewayne Villanueva, Betty Jo is grandma's friend, Mr. Lusk, and the Prathers are some of the townspeople in on it.
Arabeth was the first prophet back in the mists of time, like 1200 B.C., or so. Geez, even the story explaining the bloodlines is lame. Interesting, but not logical in terms of elderly grandparents being able to raise enough money to send three children off into the world before they're old enough to be on their own.
John Dell, a reporter from the Tourist Channel, is in town to cover the ghostly hotel.
The Cover
The cover is a group portrait above of Jared, Lorelei, and Cameron while the bottom is a golden perspective of lockers stretching down a long, long hallway.
The title is just too cute with death on kissing terms with the pastor's granddaughter in Death and the Girl Next Door.
My Take
Well, this is the YA version of Charlie Davidson, her other series about a grim reaper who falls in love with someone she shouldn't. Too bad it's not as well done. To be honest, my eyeballs got sore reading this with all the rollin' they were doin'.
Although, to be fair. This quite possibly may be how younger teens interact with each other. Thank you, god, that I am an adult. I suspect this is one of those stories only for young teens---adults shouldn't bother.
Oh, c'mon. Her parents have been dead for years and she still needs her hands held? Then there's the initial scene when Azrael chooses unwisely and all the ensuing excessive melodrama. Gag. Yeah, and if Cameron is who he says he is, how is it that he can't tell the truth about what happened with that initial action by Azrael?? Follow this up with all the
overwrought sequences with Lusk and Azrael refusing to explain anything. Oh, yeah, baby, sttrrreeeetttttccccchhhhhh that story out, fill up them pages…! But why must it be at my expense, wahhh...
Why isn't Cameron living at home?
I just hate the clichéd use of the refusal to explain anything. It's so much easier to just drag people around and ignore them.
I'm not buying the logic on this. Azrael is supposed to speed up a death in order to save two other lives in order that the person they would have hit doesn't die, but the person whose death is to be sped up is too critical to the world's future AND is expected in Heaven. What their prophecies only work when they're dead? Convoluted? I really can't say more without spoiling the story. If you have such a plethora of time available that you'll actually borrow this from the library---hint, hint---you'll see what I mean.
Ooh, coinkydinks. Yup. I ain't believing it neither, nor does Jones provide a reason why this particular news team shows up in this particular town on this particular date. What? Just because your readers are young teens, you figure they're not bright??
Arghh, it's just full of illogical melodrama and manufactured excuses. Wait'll you learn the truth about Lorelei's parents' death...lame, stupid, idiotic...etc.
The Story
The story opens on the anniversary of Lorelei's parents' death with her two best friends doing what they do every year---keeping her company, distracting her mind, sharing her grief.
With death on the menu, how can it help popping up everywhere!
The Characters
Lorelei McAlister is a pastor's granddaughter—her parents died in a traffic accident. She has a most unwelcome gift—when she brushes up against someone, she can see their past. Grandpa, Bill, is the pastor of the Sanctuary, a nondenominational church in Riley's Switch. He, Grandma, and Lorelei run a small convenience store.
Casey Niyol Blue-Spider, a.k.a., the Glitch, is one of Lorelei's best friends along with Brooklyn Prather.
Cameron Lusk is a classmate who keeps very much to himself. Mr. Lusk is the father who has a hard time accepting what Cameron is, although he does love his son; Hannah Noel was Cameron's mother. Jared Kovach is a new student who seems much too familiar. Tabitha Sind is, in Lorelei's words, "ill equipped to be human"; Amber Gonzales is the "A" to her "T". Ashlee and Sydnee Southern are cohorts with a problem. Need I even mention that they're all cheerleaders. Principal Alan Davis remembers Kovach from long ago. Elliott Davis was his brother who died years ago. Ms. Mullins is a very level-headed teacher.
Jophiel is Nephilim, the messenger, "placed upon earth to protect the prophet". Azrael is a Seraphim, also a messenger, and the Angel of Death.
Sheriff Dewayne Villanueva, Betty Jo is grandma's friend, Mr. Lusk, and the Prathers are some of the townspeople in on it.
Arabeth was the first prophet back in the mists of time, like 1200 B.C., or so. Geez, even the story explaining the bloodlines is lame. Interesting, but not logical in terms of elderly grandparents being able to raise enough money to send three children off into the world before they're old enough to be on their own.
John Dell, a reporter from the Tourist Channel, is in town to cover the ghostly hotel.
The Cover
The cover is a group portrait above of Jared, Lorelei, and Cameron while the bottom is a golden perspective of lockers stretching down a long, long hallway.
The title is just too cute with death on kissing terms with the pastor's granddaughter in Death and the Girl Next Door.
yodamom's review against another edition
4.0
Lorelei, has to live with the pain of her parents disappearance. The ten year anniversary is near and her two best friends stay near her during this period to comfort her. Everything is going normal till Lorelei brushes against a tall, dark, boy who starts an avalanche of change in her life.
When she touched people she gets visions or predictions she's not sure which. Most of her past visions have been pretty mundane, till the dark haired stranger. When she touched him, she saw something that left her with goosebumps, something evil.
There is a strange blond boy at school. She has known him all her life but he has been very distant the last few years. He avoids crowds, sneers at all. He's creepy and handsome. Lorelei starts seeing him staring at her, following her, stalking her, while giving her that glare. Till a dark handsome stranger shows up at school and the glare switches and the fights begin.
I love the characters that Ms. Jones writes. She develops full, interesting 'people' with ticks, troubles and intelligence. I look foreword to seeing where these teens travel to on their quest and who they become in the process. There is no sex, crudeness or extreme behavioral issues you see in many YA books just a great adventure with a light romance and some snark.
When she touched people she gets visions or predictions she's not sure which. Most of her past visions have been pretty mundane, till the dark haired stranger. When she touched him, she saw something that left her with goosebumps, something evil.
There is a strange blond boy at school. She has known him all her life but he has been very distant the last few years. He avoids crowds, sneers at all. He's creepy and handsome. Lorelei starts seeing him staring at her, following her, stalking her, while giving her that glare. Till a dark handsome stranger shows up at school and the glare switches and the fights begin.
I love the characters that Ms. Jones writes. She develops full, interesting 'people' with ticks, troubles and intelligence. I look foreword to seeing where these teens travel to on their quest and who they become in the process. There is no sex, crudeness or extreme behavioral issues you see in many YA books just a great adventure with a light romance and some snark.
novelette's review against another edition
5.0
I love Darynda Jones. I am so excited that she has the Darklight series in progress.
halynah's review against another edition
4.0
Pretty good, but not unputdownable. There were some funny situations and dialogues, but sometimes the pacing was too slow and repetitive.
rvmama's review against another edition
1.0
I really disliked this book. The storyline was confusing and when I finally figured out what was going on I hated it. None of the humor I expected. Really depressing .
laurenhunter143's review against another edition
1.0
I wanted to like this book so much, but honestly it felt like I was reading a unfinished draft of the story instead. There were good ideas and characters but the plot line seemed to jump all over the place and I had a hard time following along and falling into the story. I wasn't able to even finish it and will not be reading the rest of the series.
janina_reads's review against another edition
Meeh. Kind of weird and jumbled, plus I can already smell the love triangle. Main character is way too accepting of the situation and annoying me to no end. At the beginning, I was very curious to see where this would go, but that curiosity has been drowned in endless descriptions of and talk about a certain omigod-so-hot character and an unsubtle humour that just isn't my thing. Abandoned at 30%.
jeslyncat's review against another edition
3.0
I see what a number of other reviewers are talking about--this was fairly jumbled and kind of all over the place. 2.5 stars.
reddyrat's review against another edition
4.0
So many bloggers have raved about Darynda Jones's books that I've been dying to read them. I decided to pick up her YA series first. With the first book the Darklight series, I'm definitely a Darynda Jones fan and look forward to reading more of her YA and adult books.
Lorelai is your everyday small-town New Mexican teenager, except for the fact that she occasionally has visions when she touches people. She helps her grandma tend the family store, loves her iMac, stresses over tests, complains that she's too short, and spends most of her time hanging out with her two best friends. But everything changes when she meets Jared "supernova hot" Kovach.
I went into Death and the Girl Next Door blind. I didn't read the synopsis and I couldn't remember any specifics from reviews I'd read. It was fun to be surprised as the paranormal twist revealed itself. And so it did, with a literal death-defying bang as Lorelai was thrown to her death - except for the fact that she didn't die. This was followed up immediately by a crazed fight between Jared and Cameron, the school loner who's been stalking Lorelai. Needless to say, the book was full of action.
The highlight of the book was Lorelai's friends, Brooklyn and Glitch. Especially Glitch. They're the type of friends who will stand next to you and face any danger, no questions asked. Even better, they'll chime in with a few snarky, geeky quips that will make you roll your eyes and laugh. Cameron too quickly grew on me. He has a hard exterior that covers a painful past and a great responsibility. He has a dark sense of humor that I love.
I was a fan of Jared, although he was not my favorite character. He's your typical alpha, emo, dangerous, dark hero. He's likable and his passion for Lorelai definitely set my heart pounding a few times, but I think I've read a few too many books with his personality type. Plus, Lorelai went on Bella-style about his hotness(although not quite so bad).
Death and the Girl Next Door is a very fast read. Like I said earlier, it is chock full of action and jumps from one scene to the other - perhaps too quickly sometimes but at least it doesn't drag. Ms. Jones does a good job in giving us enough information about the characters and the paranormal world to make this first installment feel complete while leaving plenty of holes for future books to fill. The book doesn't break any new ground in the paranormal realm, but it does put a new spin on a frequently told world and managed to surprised me with some extra twists at the end. I'm looking forward to seeing where the Darklight series goes.
Rating: 3.5 / 5
Lorelai is your everyday small-town New Mexican teenager, except for the fact that she occasionally has visions when she touches people. She helps her grandma tend the family store, loves her iMac, stresses over tests, complains that she's too short, and spends most of her time hanging out with her two best friends. But everything changes when she meets Jared "supernova hot" Kovach.
I went into Death and the Girl Next Door blind. I didn't read the synopsis and I couldn't remember any specifics from reviews I'd read. It was fun to be surprised as the paranormal twist revealed itself. And so it did, with a literal death-defying bang as Lorelai was thrown to her death - except for the fact that she didn't die. This was followed up immediately by a crazed fight between Jared and Cameron, the school loner who's been stalking Lorelai. Needless to say, the book was full of action.
The highlight of the book was Lorelai's friends, Brooklyn and Glitch. Especially Glitch. They're the type of friends who will stand next to you and face any danger, no questions asked. Even better, they'll chime in with a few snarky, geeky quips that will make you roll your eyes and laugh. Cameron too quickly grew on me. He has a hard exterior that covers a painful past and a great responsibility. He has a dark sense of humor that I love.
I was a fan of Jared, although he was not my favorite character. He's your typical alpha, emo, dangerous, dark hero. He's likable and his passion for Lorelai definitely set my heart pounding a few times, but I think I've read a few too many books with his personality type. Plus, Lorelai went on Bella-style about his hotness(although not quite so bad).
Death and the Girl Next Door is a very fast read. Like I said earlier, it is chock full of action and jumps from one scene to the other - perhaps too quickly sometimes but at least it doesn't drag. Ms. Jones does a good job in giving us enough information about the characters and the paranormal world to make this first installment feel complete while leaving plenty of holes for future books to fill. The book doesn't break any new ground in the paranormal realm, but it does put a new spin on a frequently told world and managed to surprised me with some extra twists at the end. I'm looking forward to seeing where the Darklight series goes.
Rating: 3.5 / 5