Blog tour for Dead Jealous by Sharon Jones: Review + Giveaway

Posted by Jess
Release Date: July 4th, 2013
Finished Date: May 5th, 2013

Publishers: Orchard Books
Source: For review

Format: Paperback
Pages: 320

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

People think of Mother Nature as a gentle lady. They forget that she's also Death...Sixteen-year-old Poppy Sinclair believes in quantum particles, not tarot cards, in Dawkins, not druids. Last summer, in a boating accident in the Lake District, Poppy had a brush with death. But the girl she finds face down in Scariswater hasn't been so lucky. 

As she fights to discover the truth behind what she believes is murder, Poppy is forced to concede that people and things are not always what they seem and, slipping ever deeper into a web of lies, jealousy and heart-stopping danger, she comes to realise - too late - that the one thing that can save her has been right there, all the time.

The Review: Wow. Actually astounded with how much I enjoyed this book. I don't normally seek out YA thrillers/crime books, but when the publishers where offering this little baby up for grabs to review, I couldn't say no. I'm glad I didn't. It was a great book, one that I actually couldn't put down! 

I really very much liked everything about this book, especially Poppy, it was great being in her head, she's a great protagonist, one that you instantly like. You really just get swept up into the story and everything that Poppy goes through you feel and experience that as well.

It was really nice to read a book set in England, it's such a nice change and the way Sharon Jones manages to captivate the reader with her descriptions and development of the story made it an even better reading experience for me as whole.

As far as romance goes, it's more sub-plot and it seems unrequited, although it is a mutual feeling it isn't discovered by the two until things get tense and come to blows. Overall the there was enough underlining romance to keep you wanting more and rooting for the two loves. But mostly Dead Jealous is very much centred around the plot and the mystery unravelling around Poppy and her friends. It took me a while to figure out who the killer was, in the end I wasn't overly surprised because when said killer was found out I sort of had a bad feeling about that person anyway. 

As a first book Sharon Jones has done incredibly well with Dead Jealous. It's one of dark mystery, betrayal, danger and suspense, with a little romance and some comedy just thrown in to turn it up a notch.

Overall, really enjoyable read, very fresh and addicting from the get go. One that I would recommend to anyone who's a fan of YA mystery/thriller books. If you enjoyed New Girl by Paige Harbison, you'll most definitely love this one too I most definitely am looking forward to another Poppy Sinclair mystery. Very much a solid 5 stars from me.

This book was given to me by the publishers in exchange for an honest review.

Extract (Prologue):

It was a good place, a peaceful place. The kind of place where the past could lie, forever.

At the foot of the hill the lake was frozen in a dead calm, a dark mirror reaching the clouds that rolled in above. Not that those weirdos down at the festival would be turning in any time soon. No, they’d be partying into the early hours, but still, best to do it now, rather than wait.

Do it now and get it over with. The earth was waterlogged after two days’ rain. It would be heavy going, but that was OK. Good, honest hard work: burying the dead. Took an hour to dig a hole deep enough and dark enough that not even the full moon could penetrate. But still, her stiff pale hands were visible against the lacy black dress. And her eyes...her eyes were open, shining like silver coins. Staring.Watching.

Sods of clay rained down until she was properly hidden, until there was nothing but trampled-down earth to remember that either of them was ever there. Shit. What if someone noticed she was missing?

No. It would be OK.

8 People got lost all the time. Especially people like her. It was a good place for her. A peaceful place. A place to be forgotten.

GIVEAWAY!

I bet you're intrigued now! Well you can be in with a chance of winning a copy of Dead Jelous. Just fill out the rafflecopt form below. There are 3 mandatory entires and 2 optional entries. The winner will be announced at the end of the month by email, they will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be picked.

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