A Beautiful Madness: Review: Death and the Girl Next Door by Darynda Jones

Death and the Girl Next Door by Darynda Jones

Darklight #1

Release Date: October 2^nd, 2012

Number of Pages: 274

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Source: NetGalley

Darynda Jones, author of The New York Times bestselling series that began with First Grave on the Right, brings us Death and the Girl Next Door, a thrilling Young Adult novel garnering high praise and early buzz from major authors

Ten years ago, Lorelei's parents disappeared without a trace. Raised by her grandparents and leaning on the support of her best friends, Lorelei is finally beginning to accept the fact that her parents are never coming home. For Lorelei, life goes on.

High school is not quite as painful as she thinks it will be, and things are as normal as they can be. Until the day the school's designated loner, Cameron Lusk, begins to stalk her, turning up where she least expects it, standing outside her house in the dark, night after night. Things get even more complicated when a new guy—terrifying, tough, sexy Jared Kovach—comes to school. Cameron and Jared instantly despise each other and Lorelei seems to be the reason for their animosity. What does Jared know about her parents? Why does Cameron tell Jared he can't have Lorelei? And what will any of them do when Death comes knocking for real? Thrilling, sassy, sexy, and inventive, Darynda Jones's first foray into the world of teens will leave readers eager for the next installment.

I requested Death and the Girl Next Door on a whim, and I have no regret getting it. I hadn’t read anything by Darynda Jones, but I really enjoy her first Young adult series. I didn’t really think I would start this book and end up reading it in one sitting. There is something addicting and fun about Darynda Jones’ writing. The book might not have been perfect, but I still enjoyed reading this book a lot more than I expected. This is the kind of book that will make you forget what is going on around you, and make you forget about time.

I have to say, I really liked the characters in Death and the Girl Next Door. Lorelai was a fun main character to follow, and I really enjoyed seeing the dynamic with her two best friends, Brooklyn and Glitch. They just look like the kind of people you would have fun with, the kind of people you want as friends. Then, there’s Cameron, the loner who suddenly starts stalking Lorelai. He has many secrets, and most of them are related to Jared, someone he seems to loathe. Jared is the mysterious love interest, with secrets and abilities that will keep you wondering the truth of his power. I was really curious about him, and that kept me reading. There was just something about him that made me swoon and made me want to read more about him.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It is addicting, entertaining and fun. This is the kind of book that will keep you hooked from the first few chapters. The characters will make you laugh; smile, and it will leave you wanting for the sequel Death, Doom, and Detention. Death and the Girl Next Door is a promising beginning to an interesting series. I will definitely keep on reading this series, and I will definitely check Darynda Jones other work. This was a great and original read.

About the Author:

From GoodReads

NYTimes and USA Today Bestselling Author Darynda Jones won the 2009 Golden Heart® in the paranormal category for her manuscript FIRST GRAVE ON THE RIGHT. As a born storyteller, she grew up spinning tales of dashing damsels and heroes in distress for any unfortunate soul who happened by, annoying man and beast alike. After the Golden Heart final, she pimped herself as best she could, landed an amazing agent and has sold 8 books to St. Martin's Press. Darynda lives in the Land of Enchantment, also known as New Mexico, with her husband of more than 25 years and two beautiful sons, the Mighty, Mighty Jones Boys.

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