Review: Death and the Girl Next Door – Darynda Jones

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.

Series:  Darklight #1
Release Date:  October 2, 2012
Publisher:  St. Martin’s Press
Source:  Edelweiss
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Reviewer’s Thoughts:

I love Darynda Jones.  She creates these characters that are witty and charismatic that you instantly fall in love with them.  With the Darklight series, she taking that same formula and given it a YA twist.

Our heroine Lorelei, a sophomore in high school, and her friends Brooklyn and Glitch, find themselves in the middle of a biblical battle between light and dark.  With the help of her friends, and hot archangel Jared, Lorelei discovers there is more going on in their small New Mexico town than they ever imagined and they are right in the middle of it.

I loved Lorelei, Brooklyn and Glitch.  Alone, I’m sure these three would just be regular 15 year olds.  But when they’re together, they become a comedic trio that make it an absolute joy to read.  There is a bond between the three that is quite evident by how they interact with each other.  They can be snarky one minute, lovable the next and a fierce battalion protecting one of their own after that.  Even if they didn’t believe one of their own 100%, they never left that person’s side. 

And I can’t write this review without taking about Jared.  Darynda Jones has a knack for creating these broody heroes who ooze hotness (can you say Reyes??).  She’s done an excellent job of having Jared teeter on the edge between the hot guy with the jerk appeal and the guy who feels almost too much.  He’s the right balance of both for Lorelei and quite frankly, for the reader too.

This was a fun book to read.  The comedic elements mixed perfectly with the suspense around Jared and the biblical implications we are introduced to.  This is a book that will definitely appeal to adult paranormal readers, while giving the teens someone to swoon over.