Desires of the Dead (Body Finder Series #2)

A Suspenseful Thrill Ride!!

The Body Finder was one of my favorite books of 2010, so I was extremely excited when I found out there was going to be a sequel. I was very curious to see how Kimberly Derting would continue Violet's story since the first book could very well be a stand alone book. Whatever it would be, I was positive that I wanted to see more, lots more, of Violet and Jay as a couple. She completely delivered on that front!

Violet and Jay are one of the most amazing couples in Young Adult fiction, and I think a lot of it has to do with how well they know each other. They have numerous things in common, they're considerate to one another, they have trust, love and definitely a lot of attraction. In this book they become even more intimate, and those scenes when they are together are written beautifully! But like any couple, things aren't always perfect, and Violet and Jay go through a rough patch that nearly killed me. I was in so much pain for them!

While in The Body Finder Violet's family is in the forefront, in Desires of the Dead it's her friends who have taken the spotlight. Chelsea and Claire have some of my favorite scenes in this book. As far as the new characters go, I'm really interested in seeing what roles Sara Priest and Rafe will play in future books.

Another thing I was happy to see were the chapters where we get to hear from "the bad guy". It was one of my favorite things from The Body Finder.part of what made it so creepy was getting into the killer's head. The ones in this book are more disturbing than creepy, but they were just as fascinating.

Kimberly Derting delivers another exciting, suspenseful mystery with Desires of the Dead. She kept me on the edge of my seat, holding my breath, those last few chapters. If you're looking for a book that will get your heart racing, from both the suspense and the romance, this is it. :)

6 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

Reading Teen Review

Desires of the Dead picks up where The Body Finder left off. Violet and Jay are just as disgustingly adorable as they were before, but Violet is haunted by the things that have happened to her. The book takes a different tone this time. Where I felt the first book was upbeat, funny, and cheerful (I know, strange considering the storyline), this book was much more somber. I feel like Violet bordered on depressed throughout most of the book. This is completely understandable considering what she has had to go through, and also considering the agonizing choices that she is having to make. But instead of leaning on Jay, and confiding in him, she begins to pull away from him, and the secrets take their toll on her and on their relationship. It was so frustrating to see her withdrawal, and consistently put herself in danger, making the same mistakes over and over. Sometimes I just wanted to shake her and scream, "DON'T GO OFF ALONE!! Especially when you have a creepy stalker!" *Shakes head in disbelief* I'm pretty sure that's what Jay wanted to say to her too! :)

The romance between Violet and Jay was very steamy. I really do adore them together. I think he is so ridiculously good to her. He's romantic and thoughtful, always putting what's best for her first. I do think the romance went a little overboard in this one. My daughter was reading a book recently and said she almost felt like a third wheel when she read about the heavy romance between the two main characters. That's kind of how I felt with this book. But the relationship between the two of them was still really cute, and the romantic tension later in the story was fierce. I felt so much emotion.....

The mystery, suspense, twists and turns are almost as intense in this book as in the last one. Early in the story, you get a glimpse into the mind of a very disturbed girl who is out to get Violet. Kimberly does such an amazing job, pulling you into the thoughts of not just the main character, but also this other strange and sinister mind. My own mind was spinning, constantly coming up with different scenarios of who was out to hurt Violet and why. By the end of the book, I was exhausted! My heart was pounding right up to the last chapter!

-Andye (http://ReadingTeen.net/)

5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

Suspense...Romance...New Echoes...who could ask for more!!

Desires of the Dead is the second book in the series The Body Finder. The love, passion, and suspense in the book are great. If you have read The Body Finder you will not be disappointed. However, I did find that Desires of the Dead was not as suspenseful as The Body Finder. I was still freaked out and felt like I need to lock the doors. However, The Body Finder left you not wanting to even leave your bed. So, just keep in mind that you may not be "pee your pants" freaked but you will definitely be left a little nerved.

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

loved it!

A little slow to start but well worth it. Great story, good characters, action, romance. Super.

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

Such a great series! I LOVE JAY!

Desires of the Dead is the follow up to The Body Finder where Violet has the ability to find the dead if they are not properly laid to rest. She also sees a matching imprint on the killer which could make her extremely valuable if her gift is ever revealed. The only people who know about what Violet can do is her family, as it was passed through the women in her family, and also her best-friend-turned-boyfriend Jay. Jay learned about what Violet could do when they were kids and has always accepted who she is. There has been much swooning for Jay. When Violet finds an Echo, it seems to drain her of any energy until the body is put to rest. Jay is always by her side to keep her going but readers shouldn't get the impression that this makes Violet a fragile girl who needs to be saved; if anything, she doesn't run or hide from her gift.

On a regular outing with her friend, Violet finds an Echo calling to her and drawing her closer. Violet isn't able to do anything without her friend finding out, but that doesn't mean that she will stop. This particular Echo changes Violet's life in more ways than she could imagine. In helping, she attracts the attention of the FBI and realizes since Jay is now her boyfriend, she can't tell him everything as she did when they were best friends. Jay, as a boyfriend, wants to protect Violet and that might mean telling her parents about the dangerous situations she puts herself in; but Violet isn't ready to share everything with her parents.

With the FBI on her trail and Jay's overwhelming need to protect her, Violet also feels that she is being stalked. First, hang up calls and then, creepy gifts are left at her car and later, threatening letters. When she turns to Jay, she doesn't find the answers she needs and things get shaky. Violet is also dealing with the insecurities that come with dating a guy who every woman seems to want. I would like to include myself on that list! All the stress and secrets cause major problems for Jay and Violet. Kimberly writes scenes so beautifully that you can't help but to get emotionally invested in these characters. Jay, I heart you!

I love that Violet's family members see that she is going through a lot and give Violet the space to deal with it in her own way, but they are always close enough if she needs them. I can't remember reading a YA book with such emotionally-stable families. Desires of the Dead really has it all! There is plenty of stalker/ killer creepiness, and yet lots of love, kissing, sweetness, and of course the emotional stuff. Kimberly Derting is an amazing author and has quickly become one of my favorites. I can see myself re-reading both The Body Finder and Desires of the Dead over and over. I would recommend this book to everyone and I see movie potential all over these books.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Surprising!

Page turner 100%. Great sequel. It was even more shocking then the first book. It kept you guessing til the very end.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Awesome sequel!!

DESIRES OF THE DEAD, by Kimberly Derting, is the continuation of The Body Finder series. We left off with Violet and Jay turning their friendship into a relationship amid Violet coming out about her ability to sense the dead and the respective killer.

Where I felt The Body Finder lacked in action, Desires of the Dead definitely upped the anty. Many heart-pounding situations were happening simultaneously, and I found myself speeding through the book to get to the end.

Violet and Jay are the sweetest couple (probably ever) and I love how they went through numerous ups and downs together throughout the book. Violet's gift and her solo exploration of it was the main issue that poked holes in this relationship and showed them how to make it stronger.

I liked the introduction of new characters in this book. Sara, the FBI agent, and her 'helper', Rafe, added to the mix of this really great sophomore novel of the series. I was intrigued (and still am) with Rafe and his mysersious connection with Violet. I hope to see these characters in future books.

My love for Violet and Jay, many new characters, and this cover (BEAUTIFUL!) really made this book linger in my mind long after it was finished. I cannot wait for the next one!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Slightly disappointed, but still a reasonable story

I read the first book and really enjoyed it, so I decided to read the second book. It has a great story line, with several twists that I didn't see coming. By the ending, you can tell there will be more books. As for the characters, Violet really got on my nerves. She's really indecisive and mopey. She is not the lovable character from the first book. Also, this book has more mature content (as Violet and her boyfriend take things further than teens should). I would not recommend this book for younger teens.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

even better

Loved this book! I hope there are more to come!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Great sequel to an thrilling series!

After reading The Body Finder I was a bit curious to find out what Kimberly Derting would come up with in the next book in the series. The Body Finder does not leave you on a cliffhanger, the problem was resolved and it had a great ending that could've made it a stand alone novel. Even though I wasn't really sure what to expect on Desires of the Dead, I knew that I definitely wanted more of Jay and Violet, but mainly swoon worthy good guy Jay. Thanks to my generous friend, I had the opportunity to read Desires of The Dead and get to know more about these wonderful characters.

Desires of the Dead started off a little slower for me than The Body Finder did, it took me just a little longer to get into it and it had a bit of a different feel to it. Just like in The Body Finder we get to see the story unfold from Violet's point of view but also from someone else, someone that's jealous of Violet's happiness and secretly hates her. It wasn't as creepy as the chapters we got from the killer in the first book but it was still a little disturbing to see the point of view of someone full of hate and jealousy, someone that seems damaged, but I really didn't feel she was as dangerous as the killer in the first one. I did find it very interesting that the titles from each of the stalker's chapters was named after one of the seven deadly sins and they fit each little chapter perfectly. I ended up liking that a lot, we get a feel of what this person is really like and what's going through the stalker's mind, I loved that we get little clues into who might be the stalker with each chapter as we read.

At first I wasn't so sure I was liking the direction that the story was taking, we have the stalker and at the same time we have Violet trying to understand her ability a lot more and get a little control over it. We also have the addition of a couple of new characters that might play an important role in Violet's future and what she decides to do with her powers, I wasn't so sure how that was going to turn out. After a while and once I got into the book I decided the new direction the story was taking was going to be a good one in the end and since it didn't really affect the love I had for Jay and Violet I was ok with it.

You really have to read it to find out what it is because I don't want to spoil it for you. Just know that Kim once again throws those twists and surprises as the story is unfolding that prove all of your predictions wrong, just like she did in the first book. Even though it didn't give me the chills and goosebumps like The Body Finder did, I still liked Desires of the Dead a whole lot! I love Jay and Violet's relationship and how it grows even stronger in this one, the writing that flows easily and the well developed characters, even the side characters that we get to know a lot more. Definitely a great sequel and I cannot wait to see what will happen next in this series because even though it doesn't end in a cliffhanger it leaves you wondering of the possibilities of Violet's future.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

review taken from One Book At A Time

I had high hopes for this one. It's hard not to when the first in a series comes out with a bang. With the paranormal element and a cast of characters you can't help but love, I think think series will go far.

I really love Violet's ability. The author has definitely put some thought into it. Each death has a distinctive call for Violet and I think that is truly a unique aspect to this story. I think she's really coming to terms with what she can do. Before it was just a matter of animals and proper burial. I think she's realizing she can use it for the greater good. I like the character growth involved in this. Although there was awhile there she was your typical teenage girl. It had nothing to do with her ability and everything to do with Jay. I wanted to smack her and tell her to stop being so foolish.

I hope Jay is always there to be her knight in shinning armor. It's not that she needs saving, but the dead call to her so strongly that sometimes she doesn't realize the danger she puts herself in. He's known her for so long and cares for her so much that it's hard not to find him so endearing. I also liked the addition of Rafe. I hope the author doesn't make it a love triangle in the future. But Rafe would make a great shoulder for Violet to lean on.

I pegged the mystery pretty easily this time. But, I don't think it was about the mystery in this installment. It was about Violet accepting that she can use her ability to help others. Which brings us to the FBI involvement. I wasn't sure about Sara at first. I couldn't figure out what she was after. But, I was glad she was so interested in Violet and I think she (and her crew) can really help Violet.

I highly recommend this series to anyone that likes a touch of mystery mixed in with their paranormal. It's perfect for teens and adults!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Just as great as the first!

If you enjoyed the first book you will love the second.

Must read.

I love Body Finder and immediately had to read Desires of the Dead. Both great. I hope there is a #3.

DESIRES OF THE DEAD- A phenomenal sequel to THE BODY FINDER with new creepy cases and sexy kisses that keep you up all night!

Several weeks have passed since the incidents of THE BODY FINDER. Now that Violet and Jay have changed their status from best friends and to more than friends one could think their relationship wouldn’t be intriguing anymore. Although they are together neither has lost his unique personality. Both protagonists develop new sides of their personalities and show that they can ,beside being together, still be two individuals.

Kimberly Derting generously considered our demand for more Jay and Violet and wrote so many more exciting, romantic and steamy scenes that one has to love DESIRES OF THE DEAD only on their account.

Violet is finally willing to explore the wide possibilities of her talent to sense the dead and Jay more than ever determined to protect her. There were times Violet annoyed me with her stoic and reckless behaviour, but in the end it were the conflicts, are always the conflicts that awake my interest.

With the new case Violet is eventually thrown into and the involvement of the FBI, new dimensions of her ability are demonstrated. We get a glimpse of the working methods of the FBI and meet many new characters that communicate a different spirit than already established characters.

We meet Sarah who works for the FBI and her assistant Rafe who is the most mysterious character in this series so far. Although Violet has a relationship with Jay there is something that also connects her with Rafe. He knows things he couldn’t know and does things he shouldn’t do.
I sense a love triangle emerging and am really anxious to read about the relationship and feelings between the three of them. As I already stated I am team Jay , but I can’t resist that pull to excitingly new character Rafe. I really want to find out what’s the matter with him and which role he plays in Violet's life. He seems to have a special ability of his own and I cannot wait for Derting to reveal it.

The new murder case is not the only criminal and immoral incident that is thematised. A new family has moved to town with a bunch of secrets in tow. I don't want to go into detail, you should find out yourselves.

As in THE BODY FINDER Derting's writing is excellent and absorbing. She writes about the darker sides of life and the wicked thoughts of the human mind and is totally authentic and believable. Her language is rich, her characters are interestingly edgy and her story well-developed.

The story is told from Violet’s point of view on the one hand, on the other we also hear thoughts and witness actions of another narrator. This person is not as insane as THE BODY FINDER murderer, but sometimes just equally creepy. Derting plays with her readers and our loyalty towards Violet when applying a second point of view that is determined by the hatred for Violet and whose actions are directed towards the goal of Violet’s destruction.

I am more than thrilled about Derting’s announcement of two more novels in THE BODY FINDER series and I am terribly curious to find out what happens next, which other bodies haunt Violet and if someone or somewhat could be able to come between this special something that connects Jay and Violet.

THE VERDICT

DESIRES OF THE DEAD can definitely fulfill the desires of every reader in search for a phenomenal novel with high creep 'n' cuddle factor!

highly recommended

this was an awesome book. the first 1 was better but this 1 was pretty good too. it eeps you wondering.

Awesome Series!

Why did I wait so long to read Desires of the Dead? (I have no idea!) I read The Body Finder earlier this year, and I absolutely loved it. Kimberly Derting has such an amazing way with words. I am totally kicking myself for not reading this sooner!

In the book, we see a lot of the same characters from the first book. The main characters are Violet and Jay, who I always enjoy reading about. We really get to see their relationship grow throughout this book, and I think they are a really great couple together. Jay is as awesome in this book as he was in the last, maybe even a bit more, actually. I found Violet to be a tad bit frustrating. She was constantly putting herself in some really dangerous situations. I wanted to yell at her for it. It wouldn¿t be hard to talk to someone, like Jay for instance. She totally didn¿t have to be alone. But she felt the pull, and just had to check it out. Silly girl.

The secondary characters are just as I remember them; Vi¿s friends were a hoot, and her parents were great. (Although I do wish they had been a bit more involved in what was going on with Vi.) We are also introduced to some interesting new characters; new student Mike and his sister, Megan, and also to FBI agents, Sara and Rafe. Oh Rafe¿ He¿s quite a mysterious character, and left me wanting to know more about his story. I am really hoping that we will see MUCH more of him in the next book.

This writing in this book was fabulous. Ms. Derting has a way of grabbing your attention, and not letting go. I was in suspense throughout the whole book, and I just had to know what was going to happen next! The book was also very well paced. I had it finished in no time!

Overall¿ This series is amazing! I love the characters, the mystery and suspense, Jay¿ (ha!) If you haven¿t checked this series out yet, you definitely should. I will be impatiently waiting to read The Last Echo!

Happy Reading!

Ughh

Cant wait till The Last Echo:) I love Jay and Vi!!

L<3ve

Desires of the Dead was just as good as The Body Finder! It was everything I had hoped it would be and more!

Desires Of The Dead picks up 3 months after the first book. Jay and Violet are continuing with their relation and all their friends are still along for the ride. A brother and sister pair of new students arrive at their school which seems to be the start of new problems for Violet. Including the FBI seeming to having an interest in her.

I loved this book just as much as the first! Jay and Violets relationship definitely goes through ups and downs and 100% heats up! And I was so happy with their journey in this book! I loved it! And I LOVE Jay <333. Chelsea is hilarious I love her. Also a new character I cannot wait to read more about is Rafe!!! I have a feeling he will be causing some trouble in the future Mr. Emo eye candy woo woo! :)

Another thing I love about these books is how Derting let's us into the twisted minds of others. Just love the details, the torture, and the feelings in them! I got to admit, the animals parts most certainly make me sad.

Overall I really adored this book! I cannot wait for book three!! This series is so worth the read! :)

Good one! Better than the first one :)

I really liked it =)
It's way better than the first one, which I didn't like much >_<".
There's more action in the story and more problems to solve :)
It's really good, I can't wait for the third one, The Last Echo ^_^

Great!

I couldnt stop reading this book so i finished reading it at 2 IN THE MORNING!! Great plot and a great romance! Book 1 was amazing too! Great romance! And thriller! I totally recommend this! :)