{Blog Tour} Dead Silence by Kimberly Derting: Review & Teaser Quote + Giveaway

You guys, I am soooo excited to be a part of the Dead Silence Blog Tour organized by Candace at Candace's Book Blog/CBB Book Promotions!  This is absolutely one of my favorite series, and I am beyond thrilled to bring you not only my review but a teaser quote from this (final!?!) book in the series PLUS the most incredible giveaway!  Check it out below and be sure to stop by the rest of the tour for more awesome reviews, guest posts & interviews!

Title: Dead Silence
Author: Kimberly Derting
Series: The Body Finder, book #4
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: April 16, 2013
Source: ARC from publisher for blog tour
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Violet thought she’d made peace with her unique ability to sense the echoes of the dead and the imprints that cling to their killers…that is until she acquired an imprint of her own. Forced to carry a reminder of the horrible events of her kidnapping, Violet is more determined than ever to lead a normal life. However, the people who run the special investigative team Violet works for have no intention of letting her go.

When someone close to Violet becomes a suspect in a horrific murder, she finds herself pulled into a deadly hunt for a madman with an army of devoted followers. Violet has survived dangerous situations before, but she quickly discovers that protecting those closest to her is far more difficult than protecting herself.

This is probably going to read more like a plea to the author than a review.  So be it.

I love this series.  I love the characters, how much they've matured over the course of these four books and how their relationships have changed.  And I'm not ready to say goodbye yet.  When I finished Dead Silence, it didn't feel like goodbye, either.  So many things feel unresolved; it didn't feel like an ending at all, not even an open-ended type of conclusion.  I was actually anticipating an announcement from the author regarding the next book, but then I saw THIS post.  I knew it was likely that this would be the last book, and nothing is definite, as evidenced by the author's response to my comment on the aforementioned post (see below), but it hurt my heart to know that this may be the last body-finding adventure I get to go on with Violet, Jay, and the rest of the Center gang.

And it's obvious how much Kimberly Derting does indeed love her characters, even though she puts them through hell at times.  There are some intense and horrifying moments for Violet, and she puts herself in danger entirely too often, but at the end of the day, she's a great heroine, role model and just an intriguing character overall.  Her gift -- or curse, depending on the situation -- definitely makes life interesting.  And once she learns that she's not alone, that there are others like her with similar gifts, things get really exciting.

As remarkable as Violet's gift may be, actually using it is what gets her into trouble.  More often than not, using her gift means stumbling onto a murder victim, and Violet can't get any peace of mind until the victim is laid to rest and the murder is solved.  The author creates an added layer of creepiness to the story by interspersing Violet's perspective with that of the killer, and a disturbing game of cat and mouse ensues while Violet searches for clues to aid in the Center's investigations.  And while the killer is loose, no one is safe...not Violet, not her colleagues, and not her friends.

Violet's had her ability since she was a child, and she's mostly kept it a secret, though her best friend Jay has known the truth of her gift for years.  Jay has proven himself compassionate and caring and completely trustworthy time and again, showing exactly why he has become one of my most treasured book boyfriends. He's the real deal, and the relationship between Jay and Violet, from best friends to first loves, is my absolute favorite kind.  Have you ever read about a more honest and adorable fictional couple in YA literature?  I don't think so.  Sure, they hem and haw around their feelings for each other in the beginning, but they've been nothing but forthright with each other since.  Just as Violet is an inspiring character, this romance is one to aspire to...a love for the ages, if you will.

Sure, there have been complications, with the relationships in this story and in general, but these characters persevere and do what is ultimately right.  They fight the good fight.  And I'm not sure I'll ever be able to adequately express how much I'm going to miss all of them.  If this is it for Violet and friends, I'm glad the series ended on the note it did.

But hear this, Kimberly Derting:  I will ALWAYS be ready for more, so whenever you feel like writing more of Violet, Jay, Rafe or even Chelsea, know that you have a willing reader in me.  (Please, please, PLEASE write more body-finding adventures!  Pretty please?)


Rating:  


Teaser Quote*:

     Still reeling, Violet was about to close the journal when she saw something sticking out from between the pages.  A slip of paper, maybe.  She stuck her finger between the sheets of paper, and just as she was opening the book, a photograph drifted out, floating to the floor in front of her.
     She didn't have to pick it up to realize what she was looking at. Who she was looking at. All she had to do was count.
     They were all there, the Circle of Seven.

Kimberly Derting is the author of the BODY FINDER series (HarperCollins) and THE PLEDGE trilogy
(Simon & Schuster). She lives in the Seattle area, with her husband and three children, who often find the outrageous things they say either in the pages of her books or posted on Twitter or Facebook for the entire world to see.

You can visit her website at www.kimberlyderting.com.

*Teaser Quote was procured from an Advance Reading Copy and is subject to change.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Check out the recent tour stops below or visit the full tour schedule:

April 3

Gone Pecan ~ Review & Interview

Vy's Blog ~ Review & Teaser Quote

April 4 
Beauty and the Bookshelf ~ Review

April 5
Hope, Love and Happy Endings ~ Review & Teaser Quote

Reading Lark ~ Review & Book BFF

I hope you've enjoyed this series as much as I have! Thanks for stopping by & happy reading!