Review of Die for Me by Amy Plum

Summary Per Amazon:
In the city of lights, two star-crossed lovers battle a fate that is destined to tear them apart again and again for all eternity. When Kate Mercier's parents die in a tragic car accident, she leaves her life--- and memories--- behind to live with her grandparents in Paris. For Kate, the only way to survive her pain is escaping into the world of books and Parisian art. Until she meets Vincent. Mysterious, charming, and devestatingly handsome, Vincent threatens to melt the ice around Kate's guarded heart with just his smile. As she begins to fall in love with Vincent, Kate discovers that he's a revenant-- an undead being whose fate forces him to sacrifice himself over and over again to save the lives of others. Vincent and those like him are bound in a centuries-old war against an evil group of revenants who exist only to murder and betray. Kate soon realizes that if she follows her heart, she may never be safe again.

Review:
Could zombies be replacing vampires as the newest undead "it thing?" If Amy Plum's debut, Die for Me, is any indication, this teen librarian says that it is a almost certain. Edward and Bella have held our hearts for a long time, but Plum may have hit on something new with her Kate and Vincent. Like Twilight, there was a lot that I loved about this book. For instance, Kate and her sister have a typical, true-to-life sibling relationship filled with fights, drama, and that deep-down love that always overcomes sibling rivalry. What's more, Kate's grandparents are the ultimate guardians, trusting, open, and loving with Kate. Plum's writing is beautiful and she does a fantastic job of drawing a picture of the Parisian background that the story is set against. The setting and culture of France add a whole new level of gothic romance to the picture.

However, I do have to say that the story was a little quick for my taste. The romance was instantaneous, without that slow, tense buildup that makes so many great love stories worth the wait. Also, at times, Kate came off a little whiny and a little too "in her head." And Georgia, Kate's sister, was a just a tad too much of a party girl. Yet, everything combined, the story works to leave you wanting more, so I'll be awaiting number two in this new series. And, I hope that you will, too.

Grade: A-

Review of What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

Summary Per Amazon:

After a scandal involving her mother and a famous college basketball coach rocked her family and her old hometown, McClean decided to live with her dad. His job as a restaurant consultant requires they pick up often, and at each new place she carefully selects who she’ll be—Eliza, Beth, or someone else with a new name and different interests. It’s easier this way for McClean, who is reluctant to form any true attachments. Then at their latest stop, McClean does something she’s not done in a long while—reveal her real name. But who is this McClean and is she ready to forgive her mother, fall for the boy next door, and finally stick around?

Review:

I'm a perennial fan of Sarah Dessen's work, and this novel did not disappoint. McClean's story, as always, is smartly done by Dessen, revealing a magnetic world that the reader wants to inhabit right along with the characters. The language of the novel is clean and sharp with pacing that moves the reader along while giving just the right amount of detail to help the reader feel as if he/she know McClean, Dave, and the rest in real life and not just on the page. The characters, especially McClean, are all well-rounded, with their strengths and weaknesses out there for everyone to see. The plot wraps up nicely as well, leaving the typical warmth that comes from reading one of Dessen's novels. All in all, it is another powerful story from Sarah Dessen about life, love, friendship, identity, and starting over. Oh, and it was really nice to see a few familiar faces from Along for the Ride (a personal favorite) pop up as well. Bravo, Ms. Dessen, on a flawless performance!

Grade: A+