ARC BOOK REVIEW ~ DEATH AND THE GIRL NEXT DOOR BY DARYNDA JONES

Blurb from Goodreads

ARC provided by NetGalley

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.

I will admit to being a die-hard fan of Darynda Jones ever since discovering her Charley Davidson series a while back. She writes with such charm and addictivness that keeps me coming back for more.

Death and the Girl Next Door is her first book in the new series, Darklight--and it's a Young Adult book to boot.

Right off the bat, I loved the three Amigos--bffs x 3--Lorelei, Glitch, and Brooklyn. Their conversations were humorous and their bond is a strong one that is envious. And I think I may have fallen in love with Glitch a little. He seriously stole the show a few times with his snarkiness.

At first glance, DatGND starts out like most YA paranormals:

*Lorelei can touch people and see things that no one else can.
*skanky girls you love to hate that give heroine a hard time.
*Twilight-y feeling in cafeteria when mysterious dark haired bad boy enters and can hear heroine thoughts.
*a possible love triangle (at first) where you're not sure who the bad guy is.

So what makes this story so different? Two words: Darynda.Jones.

I can't explain it, but her writing flows so effortlessly. Her characters are three-dimensional and full of flaws. Her humor is contagious. And man can she write a kiss scene that literally curls your toes.

She gives you a little to barely whet your appetite and leaves you wanting more--some secrets are revealed (and a little somewhat predictable), but there are so many more secrets left yet to discover and be revealed. Like what in the hell happened during the Boy Scout camping trip, D?  Seriously--it's killing me.

I simply loved the animosity between Cameron and Jared. Those two boys love to hate each other.

"You know," Jared said in a husky whisper I could barely hear, "your heart's beating a little fast." His smile disappeared. " I can take care of that for you."

Overall, Death and the Girl Next Door is a story about sacrifices, forbidden love, and apocalyptic possibilities when demons threaten the peace of mankind. Throw in some snarky humor, steamy first kisses, and a small town ready to do battle, you have a recipe for a great young adult series.

I'm hooked Mrs. Jones. Again. You slay me. And I am yours.