Want a NOOK? Explore Now
Be careful what you wish for. . . .
When Wren's boyfriend, Danny, died, Wren decided that what she wanted—what she had to do—was to bring Danny back. And so, in a heartbroken fury, armed with dark incantations and a secret power, she did.
But the Danny who returns isn't the boy Wren fell in love with, and she must hide him away while her life unravels around her. Then Gabriel transfers to her school and somehow he knows what she has done—and he wants to help make things right.
But Wren alone must undo what she has wrought—even if it means breaking her heart all over again.
To what lengths is it acceptable to go to hold on to someone you love?
Devastated by the premature death of her boyfriend, Wren enlists her natural magical abilities to bring him back—although even Wren has to admit that the Danny she has brought back is only a shadow of what he was in life. Desperate to keep what she has done a secret, Wren is forced to live a double life. She must keep one foot firmly planted in teenage reality: attending classes, dealing with friends and ducking her mother's questions. Her other foot is planted in her secret, as she struggles to keep a boy who is more her puppet than her former boyfriend hidden. Her plans are slowly unraveling when she meets Gabriel, a new boy who can read her thoughts and guesses her dark secret. As Danny becomes more difficult for Wren to handle, she begins to see that not only is he not the boy she once knew, but he might actually be dangerous. In the end, it is Danny's own words that help Wren the most. Fast-paced and achingly real, this fresh tale hints at the danger that lurks beneath Wren's spell without veering into the macabre. Driven by her selfish desires both to keep Danny and then to be rid of him, Wren is not a traditional heroine, but her character is ultimately redeemed by her decision to make things right no matter the cost.
A provocative romance rises above zombie conventions. (Fiction. 14 & up)
ephrielle
Posted January 21, 2012
From the beginning this book has started in such a way as to make it unique. Instead of following the cause and effect model we are going backwards. Something has already happened and now we are going to figure it out in reverse. A great use of the unexplored areas of the English language.
Basically, you have a teenage girl getting carried away by her feelings. Everything at that age seems so permanent and intense. In the throes of her undying love she makes a mistake, a huge mistake. As most teenagers find that intense lasting emotion was more of a growth pain. Now she finds herself not liking the consequences and needing a way out. Sprinkle in some zombie and magic and you are good to go. A relatively quick read.
26 out of 27 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted March 8, 2012
This book was great, i mean really great. I managed to read it in an hour but that may be cause im a speed reader anyway it catches your attention when you first see it. As you get into it, its impossible to put the book down. Overall, amazing!!!!!!!! A must read for anyone who loves romance and suspense.
16 out of 21 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 15, 2012
This book has a really good story line, realistic characters and a heart breaking tragedy. So in short...it has it all.
Wish there could have been a different timeline for the way the story was told. It would've been more gripping if the events were happening as you read then instead of being in retrospect for the main topics.
Great book though.
Have a boyfriend named danny, who's described exactly the way the one in this book is. Brought on a whole new level of bonechilling, makes you wonder...what would you do?
11 out of 14 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted August 24, 2012
This was a waste of my time I do not recomend this book to anyone you will hate it and wish you had never even considered geting this book so do not get this book I didnt even want to give it one star
8 out of 19 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.SammiiTX
Posted December 22, 2011
I recived this as a prize from one of the authors of The International Kissing Club, Shelle Roberts! Thanks so much for the book!! It was amazing!
I really enjoyed the book, it was interesting. It was extremley different then most books I read on the terms that I don't do ghost's well. The creep me out, and so I stay away from them. There was something different about this book though, and it was a good change.
The plot was adequete, not perfect, and kind of all over the place. Sometimes I had to go back and re-read the page to understand what the next page was talking about. It bothered me because I really don't like doing that.
The characters were fun though! They dealt with what teenagers our age deal with. Well other than one of them being from a family of witches and being able to bring back a person from the dead.
The character I just described was Wren, the main character. She is a keep to yourself person with only a few best friends, till she meets Danny. He takes her out of her shell and just makes her happy. That is.. till he dies and she goes into depression and pushes everyone away and is hiding a big secret that I can't say!! That is till a new guy comes along...
This new guy is Gabriel, he is new to town and is instantly atracted to Wren! Of course Wren is still hiding somethings and isnt interested in this new mysterious hottie! Gabriel is the kind that will do anything he to get what he wants and always wants to help people. Always. So watch your thoughts around Mr. Mystery, you never know when he's listening!!
This book was amazing, it was a quick and easy read. I give it 39 out of 59 Tacos!! Which is equal to 3 stars!! Woo!! Pre-order it and you won't be sorry. Even if your against ghost books, this one is worth it!!
~~Sam!
7 out of 8 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.RemyKR
Posted October 25, 2011
I loved this book. I could not put it down:D
6 out of 11 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted August 24, 2012
This book is geared more for teenage reading. A young girl who has some kind of power to communicate with her dead boyfriend and to be able to shatter light bulbs.
This book was too chatty, no real depth to storyline or characters.
5 out of 10 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Yogurlala
Posted October 18, 2011
Cold Kiss is unlike anything I have read before, and it was not what I was expecting, but in a good way! It starts off with a girl named Wren trying to cope after her boyfriend dies in a horrible car accident. His name is Danny, and he was everything to her. He is not completely dead though, she brought him back to life with her powers, and is hiding him in her neighbor's garage. No one, except for her knows he isn't truly dead, and she tries to visit him when she can, but also tries to keep her own life going.
She tries her best to juggle school, her friends, Danny, her family, and her job; all the while, keeping her powers in check and keeping her secret. This becomes increasingly difficult as Danny starts to remember who he is, and he becomes harder to keep hidden. Also a new Yummy student arrives, named Gabriel; and he rocks Wren's world when he tells her he knows her secrets.
When everything in Wren's life begins to fall apart she must find the strength and courage with in herself to make some hard decisions, in order to set things right.
It was a very emotional yet beautiful read. It's a book that deals with love and loss, and the struggles a person faces afterwards. Wren was a very interesting and beautiful character. I enjoyed every moment of her story, though some of the moments were very difficult. Your with her as she deals with the loss of Danny, and the loss of love. The struggle with controlling her powers, and understanding them and herself. Also her journey of heartbreak, forgiveness, acceptance, and learning to love again.
This is a very heartbreakingly beautiful book. Be prepared to get emotional!
Overall Rating = A+
5 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted August 25, 2012
I was hesitant to read this because i thought it was a book for teens. I am so glad i read it. I am 41 years old and enjoyed this book immensely. Read it in two days! Great, different storyline.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted August 24, 2012
Poor writing, trite images. Amateurish plot. No wonder it was free.
2 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Never Felt a Connection Review brought to you by Annabell Beware of
spoilers I was intrigued by the blurb for this novel. I was very
curious to see how a story about a girl who brings her dead boyfriend
back to life would play out. I was not as impressed as I was hoping I
would be. Cold Kiss had fairly good potential to be something
romantically beautiful but the characters as well as lack of plot dimmed
its chances. The main character Wren lost my compassion and sympathy
early on. I have lost people I loved and have often wondered what would
happen if, maybe, I had the potential to bring them back so I could
completely understand where Wren was coming from with her loss of Danny.
He was her first love and died so young. But Wren spends most of the
novel either complaining about how stupid her idea was of bringing Danny
back to life or how horrible of a person she is for doing so. I just
wanted to slap her a few times and tell her to stop with the self-pity
party and get it together! She also spends a great deal of time
complaining about how many secrets her mother holds but Evie never once
tells her the truth or asks for her help to give her mother a chance.
Gabriel was a pretty great character compared to Wren. He is cliché hot
new guy in town with a hint of bad boy and mysterious but I still liked
him. He is strong and caring and open with his feelings but he also had
a tendency to be too clingy with Wren. I also didn’t really believe
Wren’s feelings for Gabriel. Wren’s feelings seemed too shallow like she
only wanted to be with Gabriel for comfort and needed someone to make
her feel better about herself. Gabriel’s feelings did seem more genuine
but it wasn’t realistic how easily he believed Wren and how much he
dedicated himself to helping her. I love the idea behind both Wren and
Gabriel’s powers. I like Wren’s ability to be able to use her powers to
make her stronger or even shut people up but her lack of common sense
was frustrating. Gabriel’s ability to feel what someone else feels and
even be able to see into their memories through those feelings was
awesome! It’s also way to close to comfort but I wouldn’t mind having
that power *wink* What I did like about Cold Kiss was the fact that the
story immediately starts with Wren’s big mistake. Readers are instantly
thrown into Wren’s turmoil and how much she has to fight to keep both
her lies and secrets straight. I also liked the writing. The words flow
naturally and the book is an easy read. As much as I felt for Wren and
the heartbreak she had to endure, I could never find a connection with
her or her decisions. She often acted like such a brat with her mother
and never gave her mother a chance to open up about the magic that runs
in their family. She acted so unappreciative and selfish. For fans of
stories filled with witchcraft mixed with a zombie like plot, Cold Kiss
may be a book you enjoy. This review and more at openbooksociety dot com
2 out of 10 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Cold Kiss is a story that you will surely be empathetic for. It was like "sugar icing on top of a poison cupcake." A well written and sweet story of a love that knows no bounds, although with every flip of the page will kill you bit by very bit. Leaving you with a mountain of used tissues.
I was drawn into Wren's sorrow. You can't help but to wonder if you would do what Wren is capable of, bringing back the dead. Just one of the powers she is still trying to understand. It's not farfetched to love someone so dearly, and having Danny be her first love is easy to grasp and understand as to why Wren did what she did.
To love someone either a boyfriend, a husband, a girlfriend, or even a grandparent, the way she devoutly loves Danny; I would have made the same choice and deed if I was capable of the act. (I miss you Grandpa!)
Amy Garvey has done a great job in pulling her readers into the story not only in thought but with their hearts. Putting the reader in Wren's mind and experiencing the pain and tribulations right along with her.
I fell in love with Danny! He isn't your typical zombie. He had emotions, thoughts, and no mindless cravings for brains. He was such the ideal boyfriend that even in death and rising he only thought of Wren. In life he was the person who made everyone smile, and the one who would make a fool of himself just to cheer you up. And he is the prime example of a wonderful person whose life was just cut short.
Garvey has such a lyrical and ballad like form of writing that I'm sure everyone will enjoy!
The ending though heart breaking, gave me the feeling of 'closure.' But if Amy Garvey decides to have a sequel, I won't in the least bit mind opening the wound back up!
Thank you Amy and HarperTEEN for Cold Kiss!!
2 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.ValiaLind-Author
Posted September 28, 2011
I have to begin by saying that this story will take your breath away. When I first heard about the concept I wasn't sure what to expect. There are various way this story could've played out. However, nothing prepared me to the spectacular way Amy delivers Wren's story.
When Wren loses her boyfriend in a car accident, she loses her first love. She is a special girl, with powers living within her that she doesn't quite understand. She reaches out to that power in a moment of grief and brings Danny back to life. Or more accurately to the land of the living. Danny is not the same boy she fell in love with. Wren spends most of her time hiding Danny and trying to figure out what the future will hold.
Then Gabriel walks into her life, and he knows her secret. Yes, even the deepest and darkest secret of her power. Gabriel and Wren draw closer together. Their relationship is beautiful and difficult because Wren is still trying to make things right with Danny. Danny is a broken shell of a boy she once knew. Gabriel is a gorgeous complication. How do you chose between your first love and a boy who seems to see down to your soul?
This book was one of the best books I've read all year. The writing is charming, full of heart. I have to be honest and say that I've shed a few tears reading this story. Alright, maybe a bit more than few. I wouldn't call it an ocean per say. :)
I can't begin to explain the decisions that Wren has to make in this book. Even though this story incorporates supernatural, the life Wren lives can be related to every day situations. We all make decisions that may break our hearts. Some things, some people, stay with you to your very soul. How do you let go of that? Do you let go at all? This book is elegantly written. It touches the heart, speaks to the soul, and teaches you that life is beautiful, even with pain and heartache. Amy weaves the words together in a way that brings us close to the characters and shows us the ways of life. You don't just read this book, you feel it.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Cold Kiss was such a great and unique read! It was a refreshing new story about a love lost by unforeseen circumstances and coping with it in an unusual way. I really, REALLY loved that this book was lightly paranormal. Its definitely not something I come across often, but it played out nicely throughout the story.
Wren is a great character and I loved her real and raw emotions. She has power and enough of it to bring back her dead boyfriend (Danny), which turned out to be a flop. I appreciated the truthfulness Wren put out - well not when it came to hiding him from others, but in any other situation.
I enjoyed all of the other characters in Cold Kiss. Each character was so dynamic even if they weren't a huge part. I admire that and it always kept me interested. I think I liked Danny more than anyone else. It was creepy to think that he was really dead, but you are learning so much about what was between him and Wren, along with his personality.
The only thing I didn't love was that it kept going back into the past. We don't experience some of the things alongside the characters and I feel this takes away from reader connections. I did however enjoy the writing very much and will be looking forward to seeing more of Amy Garvey!
Overall, Cold Kiss contained love and learning to cope with the reality of losing someone you love. It's a book you'll really enjoy and might even want to read again!
Review based on ARC
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Heart-breaking and emotional, Cold Kiss is a unique story that will make each part of your heart ache yet, show you that there is a way to overcome tragic events.
Wren is devastated when her boyfriend, her first love, Danny is killed in a car accident. When she decides she'd do anything to have him back, she uses her powers, ones she doesn't know much about, to bring him back from the dead. But, instead of the Danny she knew and loved, she find herself with a cold, distant Danny... not her boyfriend she once knew. Hiding Danny from the world seems hard enough, but when Gabriel shows up, being like her and sensing her power, she begins to realize that keeping Danny here may have been the wrong thing to do. But, after losing her love once, could she be strong enough to do it again?
Each page of Cold Kiss is heart shattering. Even in the semi-happy parts you can feel the chill within the words. It's an emotional book which is meant to teach you something. That sometimes, your emotions take over and you make the wrong decisions, but you have to be strong enough to set them right. That, just because you've lost something so significant that was such a part of your life, doesn't mean that you won't ever find it again. Cold Kiss shows that sometimes you have to make the wrong decision to realize how to come out on top again.
Amy Garvey does this in a beautiful way of using Wren, our lead character. Wren has powers, powers that she doesn't know much about because her mother tries to hide them. She uses them anyway to bring back Danny because she's overwhelmed with grief. I liked watching Wren grow. She goes from this I-can't-lose-you to I-can-learn-to-move-on type of girl, and I enjoy watching characters who come to realize that.
Then we have Gabriel. Who to say the least, has had a rough life. I loved his character. He keeps such a good head on his shoulders, yet is strong and smart. His caring side is what gets to you. Not only is he cute with blonde hair and gray-blue eyes, but he's always willing to help. To be there for the people who mean something to him and I love that about a boy.
Overall, I think Cold Kiss is a moving story. Literally, about learning to let go and move on. That things happen for a reason, you shouldn't be able to change it, you just have to learn to appreciate what you had when you had it and then accept your new future.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted November 2, 2012
Wren is a special girl with abilities that she doesn't yet fully understand and her mother, the person who should be explaining them to her, refuses to. So Wren turns to her estranged aunt in order for some guidance. When Wrens boyfriend Danny dies in a terrible accident, she does everything within her reach to bring him back to her. Not understand the cost that came with it.
I enjoyed this book and once I started it, I had to finish it. I got it from a free nook friday a couple of weeks ago and it grabbed my attention. I like Amy Garvey's writing. Wrens mother irritated me a little, she seemed a little too closed off and if she doesn't want her daughter using her ability she probably should have explain it to her instead of shutting her out. Telling a teenage daughter not to do something, only made her want to do more.
There is a lot of mystery in the book, like why Wrens father left them, why her mother won't talk to her about their abilities, and why her mother and her mother sister won't talk to each other. Unfortunately, none of that get's answered here, which is okay as I wait to eventually hope getting the next book.
It was sad and the ending made me teary because it's understandable how a loss like that can be hard to get over and let go. Overall I enjoyed the beginning of this series, and hope to have some questions answered soon.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.DonnaWDW
Posted October 26, 2012
I thought it was a cute book, easy read. I do think she could have added a little closure at the end, such as what actually happened to the father, and where is he now.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted October 19, 2012
I really enjoyed this book, great story and really liked the way Amy Garvey writes, would definitely recommend this
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted October 16, 2012
This book is written for teenage girls. I think they would like it. The story shifts from present to past and back to present but not difficult to follow.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted October 14, 2012
Very good book. I'm surprised it was free. I really liked the writing and storyline, it was sad and unique. I am surprised there were any negative reviews...
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
Overview
Be careful what you wish for. . . .
When Wren's boyfriend, Danny, died, Wren decided that what she wanted—what she had to do—was to bring Danny back. And so, in a heartbroken fury, armed with dark incantations and a secret power, she did.
But the Danny who returns isn't the boy Wren fell in love with, and she must hide him away while her life unravels around her. Then Gabriel transfers to her school and ...