Cold Kiss [Hardcover]

Amy Garvey (Author)

Book Description

Release date: September 20, 2011

It was a beautiful, warm summer day, the day Danny died.

Suddenly Wren was alone and shattered. In a heartbroken fury, armed with dark incantations and a secret power, Wren decides that what she wants—what she must do—is to bring Danny back.

But the Danny who returns is just a shell of the boy Wren fell in love with. His touch is icy; his skin, smooth and stiff as marble; his chest, cruelly silent when Wren rests her head against it.

Wren must keep Danny a secret, hiding him away, visiting him at night, while her life slowly unravels around her. Then Gabriel DeMarnes transfers to her school, and Wren realizes that somehow, inexplicably, he can sense the powers that lie within her—and that he knows what she has done. And now Gabriel wants to help make things right.

But Wren alone has to undo what she has wrought—even if it means breaking her heart all over again.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Fast-paced and achingly real, this fresh tale hints at the danger that lurks beneath Wren’s spell without veering into the macabre. 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.” (Kirkus Reviews )

“Garvey could easily have told a cautionary tale about being careful what you wish for; instead, this is a story of the redemption possible in taking responsibility for mistakes and the comfort found in sharing burdens.” (Horn Book Magazine )

“Beautiful and haunting. Every page tore me apart—and I loved it.” (Lauren Kate, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Fallen and Torment )

“The writing heightens the sense of tragedy and hopelessness and makes us care. While the supernatural elements are an essential hook, it is the pain of first love lost, that longing for the person who is irretrievably gone, that is the crux of Garvey’s gripping first novel for young adults.” (Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) )

“Fans of Shiver will appreciate the nuanced, more bitter than sweet portrayal of star-crossed supernatural love in this promising debut novel.” (Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books )

About the Author

Amy Garvey is a former editor who now works on the other side of the desk as an author. She grew up reading everything she could get her hands on, watching too much TV, and wishing she was Samantha Stephens from Bewitched. (She still wishes that, actually.) She is also the author of Cold Kiss. Amy lives in West Chester, Pennsylvania, with her family.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: HarperTeen (September 20, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 006199622X
• ISBN-13: 978-0061996221
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (90 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,276,610 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Almost a really great book...but not quite. September 20, 2011

By Wendy Darling

Format:Hardcover

How far would you go to save the person you loved most in the world? And what if he were already...dead?

Wren's boyfriend Danny died in a car accident before she had a chance to say goodbye. In a moment of grief, she brings him back from the dead with a powerful spell. But she soon realizes that the boy brought back is no longer quite the boy she loved.

I was really impressed by many aspects of this novel. From the description, I expected to find a typical YA paranormal romance, but was pleasantly surprised to find that the author spends a great deal of time reflecting on love, loss, grief, and responsibility. She skillfully sketches out the close relationship between Danny and Wren, and specifically shows us what an adorable boyfriend and great person he was. So it's all too easy to feel sympathy for Wren's pain and to understand how her bereavement led her to grasp for such a incredible solution without considering the enormity of the consequences.

Wren is a great character, too, full of complexity and conflict and confusion. She has dyed hair and piercings and a mouthy exterior, but she's also close to her sister, trying to understand her mother and the powers she's inherited, and estranged from her two best friends. The first half of this novel was extremely compelling to me as I was drawn in by Wren's struggle to balance the exhausting demands of her terrible secret with the ties she has to her everyday life, and I felt a great deal of sympathy for the guilt and grief that overwhelms her, as well as a great deal of admiration for the way she accepted responsibility for the choices she had made.

The story started to lose its magic for me, however, as Wren began to neglect Danny more and more. While at first, it seemed understandable that she would simply put him to sleep when she needed to leave because of his increasing awareness and dependence upon her, it began to happen far too much for my comfort, particularly after a certain turning point. (The paranormal aspects of the book are also very slight.) While I wasn't enraged by the presence of Gabriel, the new boy who is attentive towards her, as I think it's a natural progression in life, I don't think that it was necessary to have given him the kind of insight that he had. It didn't really add anything to the story, and made his role both much more and much less important than it needed to be. Had the book focused more on Wren and the importance of learning to let go, reading it would have been a much stronger and much more gut-wrenching experience.

Overall, I liked this book but didn't love it as much as I initially thought I would. The interesting premise and the emotional themes that were introduced in the beginning just weren't explored quite as deeply as I'd hoped they'd be--which is a shame, because with a little more development, this slight book had the potential to transcend the genre and to be something really, really great.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars A review from Bookworm1858 July 15, 2012

By bookworm1858 VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

I was drawn in by the unusual cover but ended up delaying reading this after seeing that it was classified as paranormal, which is not my preferred genre. Not that I don't enjoy paranormals; I just tend to like contemporary and historical stories more. But after reading positive reviews from bloggers I didn't expect to like this book, I decided to check it out for myself.

It started out very promisingly with main character Wren so broken after the sudden death of her boyfriend Danny that she calls upon her extraordinary mysterious powers to bring him back to life where she keeps him hidden in her neighbor's garage. For a while, it seems okay. Wren gets Danny before and after school while drifting through the rest of the day in a fog. She has isolated herself from her best friends and her family but at least she has Danny. Except increasingly he is not her Danny but a Danny who is remembering the terrible night of his death and how he no longer belongs with Wren. And then a new guy arrives at school with his own powers and he discovers her secret, prompting her to clean up the gigantic mess she made.

This sounded different and the writing was very smooth and easy. I was able to move through the book fairly quickly. However while the beginning was good, I found myself liking the book less and less. Why? Several things. I was uncomfortable with Wren moving on with mysterious new guy so quickly while still entangled with Danny. It felt like cheating to me as Wren wanted her Danny in addition to this second guy. I also did not like the new guy, who seemed like a very convenient plot device to bring everything to a head while also giving Wren a new love interest.

Then Wren's mysterious powers are inherited from her mother but it is not something that is talked about. She does not call herself a witch although that seems to be the correct descriptor and it is all very hush-hush. I understand that there is a complicated history there but as a reader, I was disappointed with the information I received. The last problem I'll mention was just a general dislike for Wren. Besides what felt like cheating to me, there was just a general selfishness on her part and her overly self-reliant stance. She couldn't really handle everything and her refusal to recognize that drove me up the wall.

Overall: The more time I spent with Wren, the less I liked her although I ended the book with a lot of questions about her powers. Although there is a sequel, I do not anticipate picking it up unless pressured by many rave reviews.

Cover: Seems a little different from the usual (no girl in a pretty dress) and I love the blue-green which is shiny in person but the giant lips are creepy!

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Chilling! :) September 28, 2011

By Valia Lind

Format:Hardcover

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.