Title: Eighteen Kisses by Laura Jane Cassidy
Pages: 217
Release Date: May 2nd 2012
Published by: Puffin Books
Source: Author (thanks Jen!)
Buy: Amazon | Book Depository
Summary:
Jacki King loves being back in Dublin - she's enjoying the music scene and interning at Electric magazine. She still has flashbacks to the murder case she solved the year before, though her friends, especially Nick, keep her distracted.
Until, one day, Jacki's frightening nightmares begin again. And when the police contact her about a local missing girl, she knows the two are connected.
Two years before, on her eighteenth birthday, Kayla Edwards disappeared.
No body has ever been found.
But now Kayla is communicating with Jacki from beyond the grave - and she won't stop until the truth is revealed...
Eighteen Kisses marks a new start of Jacki's life. In Angel Kiss, she ignored Beth's presence, and it almost cost her her life solving the mystery surrounding her death. Jacki plans to heed Kayla's calls this time and let Kayla lead her to whoever took her life, but it wasn't easy, not when people are still hoping to see her alive even after two years. No body has been found and now Jacki is faced with friends and family in various degrees of grieving, wondering if Kayla will ever be back.
Admittedly, Angel Kiss was something I enjoyed better than Eighteen Kisses, but Eighteen Kisses is an important book that marks all kinds of transition in Jacki's life. This is the book where Jacki grows. She was determined to embrace her gift and use it to help more people solve the mystery of their deaths. Even the relationships and connections in her life were slowly shifting and changing, she was going through the different phases of friendship with her mates from both Dublin and Avarna, and the landscape of her love life with Nick leads Jacki to a drastic change. Eighteen Kisses felt like a big test for Jacki, picking up a slew of life-changing, important lessons that seem to forge a new, better version of herself. One who realizes that her gift might be there to help others, but sometimes, she needs to help herself as well.
But what is a Jacki King story without all the mystery and danger that seem to follow her and her uncanny ability to communicate with the dead? Kayla's case is another intriguing puzzle to solve, with clues everywhere, and readers will be swept along with Jacki throughout the guessing, putting together the pieces and circumstances that surrounds Kayla's life and her death. Jacki is up for a bigger challenge, trying to figure out who the culprit is among the eighteen people. Laura Jane Cassidy masterfully developed Jacki's own storyline and brought resolution to the mystery surrounding Kayla's death in a concise, clear way. But that's not to say that there aren't twists and turns that will shock the readers. Even I was surprised with how things turned out to be. Keep in mind, dear readers, that in this book, appearances can be very deceiving. Those with secrets to keep will do their best to keep them hidden, whatever it takes.
Unlike in Angel Kiss, Eighteen Kisses had me having an instantaneous dislike for some characters, most of whom rousing suspicions the moment they were introduced. Jacki got on my nerves as well. Blinded by love, being immature, was a side of Jacki wasn't used to seeing. On the other hand, Eighteen Kisses had some notable, sweet moments which I really enjoyed reading about. The things that I loved in Angel Kiss were still present in Eighteen Kisses, and I think as the main character, Jacki, did a lot of growing up in this book, so did Laura's writing. Eighteen Kisses brought out different facades of Jacki's personality, and even though I didn't like some of it, it was time for Jacki to face that her ability will be a big part of her life from then on. Momentarily intense, gripping, sometimes puzzling and scary, Eighteen Kisses is a nice, smooth follow up to Angel Kiss. Very engaging and there was never a dull moment in this book.
With the way Eighteen Kisses was written, I can only imagine what's in store for Jacki in the third book. It was like a long prequel for something even bigger. I can't wait to find out!
Content (plot, story flow, character):
I disliked Nick and I loved Colin even more!
I disliked Nick and I loved Colin even more!
Shining: Worthy of a Goddess' Love!
Book Cover:
I loved this cover as it conveys the story more.
I loved this cover as it conveys the story more.
I received this book free of charge from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Kai and Tin,
ReplyDeleteEighteen Kisses reminds me a bit of "Ghost Whisperer". This is my first time to see this book. I love the mystery behind it. Thanks for the great review. This book will be on my reading list.
-Dannielle/ The Unseelie Nerd
Hello Book Whales crew! It kind of does sound like Ghost Whisperer, but this is YA. Check Angel Kiss first and if you liked it, read Eighteen Kisses!
DeleteWonderful review! This sounds really interesting. I hadn't actually heard of this series before now, but I will definitely have to check out the first book. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteSteph @ Stepping Out Of The Page
Hi Steph! Oh you should definitely give this one a try. I think it's not released in the US that's why it's not really well known just yet. But you better read it! :)
DeleteIt's too bad you didn't enjoy this as much as the first novel. I've been seeing this happen more and more with sequels. There's always just 'something' about it that's missing. Hopefully book 3 will pick up!
ReplyDeleteHey Vivien. Eighteen Kisses was still enjoyable, it's just that I think the author took more time into developing the main character's personality so the story took a backseat. At least she was more 'solid'. But there's still something to look forward to in Book 3! :)
Delete