Expect one of us is dead.
And the other is alive.
We've grown up together.
We can see each other, talk to each other.
But no one else can.
It's not supposed to be this way, apparently.
Meaning there's something different about us.
Different from a normal ghost's standards.
Our names are Lark and Wren Noble.
Author: Kady Cross
Series: Sisters of Blood and Spirit
Standing: Book 1
POV: 1st person by Lark and Wren, past tense
Genre: YA paranormal
Source: Physical copy
Pages: 288
Release: March 31st 2015
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Favourite line: "Six years of kickboxing., a year in a mental hospital, a lifetime of having to defend myself against ghostly possession," Lark said. "I think I'm strong enough."
Rating: 5 Stars
Blurb: (Goodreads)
Wren Noble is dead—she was born that way. Vibrant, unlike other dead things, she craves those rare moments when her twin sister allows her to step inside her body and experience the world of the living.
Lark Noble is alive but often feels she belongs in the muted Shadow Lands—the realm of the dead. Known as the crazy girl who talks to her dead sister, she doesn’t exactly fit in with the living, though a recent suicide attempt and time in a psych ward have proved to her she’s not ready to join her sister in the afterlife.
Now the guy who saved Lark’s life needs her to repay the favor. He and his friends have been marked for death by the malevolent spirit of a vicious and long-dead serial killer, and the twins—who should know better than to mess with the dead—may be their only hope of staying alive.
✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
I'm not a huge fan of stories with ghosts, as I've read a few terrible ones, and they've scared me off. But I've read Kady Cross's Steampunk Chronicles, and it was fantastic, so I decided to give this one a try. SO GLAD I DID.
This book features Lark and Wren, who are identical twins, minus their hair colour (Lark's is white, Wren's is red). The difference is that Wren was a stillborn, meaning she was dead at birth. However, though that may be the case, she very much isn't, because she's been growing up right alongside Lark. No one expect Lark can see her.
The plot of the book begins simple enough with a group of people having been marked by a serial-killer ghost, and they need Lark and Wren's help. But nothing is ever merely simple, and the plot thickens with complications. New revelations about Lark and Wren turn their world upside down, new ghosts that decided to come out to play, and the confirmation that Lark and Wren are a rarity with immense power, both in the living world and dead. Needless to say, there are a multitude of questions that remain unanswered in the first book, all which leave the reader hanging for the next one.
This book was fast-paced, taking place literally within a weekend. Friday night, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday for the final showdown. Bam, bam, bam. Done. It was fast, but then again, this wasn't a particularly long book (at least for my standards). There was no short of action (Lark and Wren are seriously awesomse) and desperation, and it really gives you perspective of how much one can do all in the time span of twenty-four hours. Again, desperation makes time seem a lot longer than what it actually is.
Lark has faced a lot of ridicule, being known as the "crazy girl who pretends to talk to her dead sister." She doesn't trust others easily, as she's been hurt time and time again, and because of that, her character is bitter and snarky. Bad experiences have led Lark to be wary of people claiming to want to be "friends"; she's done with being the laughing stock, done with people saying nasty things about her and Wren. Lark's love for Wren is what causes her to drive others away; she absolutely can't stand it when they make fun of her, because no matter what, Wren is still able to hear their cruel comments.
Wren, in contrast, is considerably more optimistic than Lark. She's more open to the possibilities of making friends, falling in love, and all the other opportunities Lark has. Much like Lark, Wren loves her sister dearly. As optimistic as Wren normally is, she has no qualms against terrifying the people who hurt Lark by whispering ghostly secrets into their heads, the first step in driving them insane. Of course, she never takes it that far, but she does enough so that they never approach Lark again. No one hurts Lark and gets away with it. That, ladies and gentlemen, is sisterly love.
I really connected to Lark and Wren. Lark, who is tough for her sister, and Wren, who will secretly plot revenge. They are their own people, and both make choices with their sister in mind. Two sides of the same coin, so to speak, expect one is alive and the other is dead. Seriously, wouldn't it be awesome to have someone super close with you be able to exact revenge on both you behalves?
This book does contain a bit of romance, but Kady Cross is able to masterly weave it in so that it's not overpowering the main plot. I honestly do not think this book would have been able to work if romance had been a bigger theme. Everyone in the book has their priorities straight, and there's very little time to have romantic feelings all mixed up in it. I would not categorize this under "romance" at all, and that is by far fine by me. The love and protectiveness between Lark and Wren is a lot more interesting and cute than the actual boy-girl attractions here.
I loved the ending. It left you in a bit of suspense with the introduction of two new characters, as well as the anticipation of Lark and Wren's father might be coming back into the picture soon. I highly recommend this book if you're looking for a book with a few scares, deep sisterly love, and snark. I absolutely cannot wait to read the next book!
I'd like to give this a try! Sounds pretty dang cool.
ReplyDeleteI would definitely recommend this book! It's so good!
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