Velveteen

May 27, 2012 Experiment BL626 rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, paranormal, reviewed

CAUTION: Long Review

I thought the story of 110,000 words was going to be a bloody tale of revenge but it wasn't. The blurb was awfully misleading:

Velveteen aches to deliver the bloody punishment her killer deserves. And she's figured out just how to do it. She'll haunt him for the rest of his days.

Uh, no. Velveteen was actually about a bunch of angry, disillusioned dead people called Departurists who wanted out of purgatory and so they commit a series of terrorist acts in order to accomplish the...more

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Jul 13, 2012 Hayden Casey marked it as to-read-via-netgalley-and-edelweiss · review of another edition

Dear Daniel Marks,
Please give me an ARC of this immediately because you are cool.

Thanks,
Hayden

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Oct 28, 2012 Emily May rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-na, fantasy, annoying

I love this cover and I love this idea: a ghost trapped in purgatory getting revenge on the serial killer who brought about her early death. It should have been really exciting and dark and gripping, but the result was one messy disappointment made worse by frequently clumsy prose. If I get over half way through a book but don't finish it, I allow myself to leave a rating as long as I state that I didn't get to the end. And really, I feel I read enough to know that myself and Velveteen (the nove...more I love this cover and I love this idea: a ghost trapped in purgatory getting revenge on the serial killer who brought about her early death. It should have been really exciting and dark and gripping, but the result was one messy disappointment made worse by frequently clumsy prose. If I get over half way through a book but don't finish it, I allow myself to leave a rating as long as I state that I didn't get to the end. And really, I feel I read enough to know that myself and Velveteen (the novel, not the character) were never going to get along.

This is the story of Velveteen Monroe who was kidnapped and murdered at the age of sixteen by a serial killer and madman referred to as Bonesaw. Now she is trapped in the grey and dreary purgatory and dreams of delivering a slow and painful punishment to her killer, instead she settles for haunting him, destroying his furniture and helping his would-be victims to escape and avoid the same fate she endured. However, her haunting begins to have consequences and her very soul is threatened by her actions; perhaps once she would have sacrificed her soul for vengeance, but a blooming romance gives her a new reason to want to stick around.

The first thing I didn't like was the mish-mash world-building of purgatory. I don't even know how to explain it, it was ridiculous. How I wish I'd read the Kirkus review before starting this because their choice of the word "erratic" to describe the world, characters and plot going on in purgatory is about as spot on as you can get. There are too many characters, too many subplots (most of which are uninteresting) and too many unanswered questions. Purgatory made me think of some kind of wacky eighties-themed party - and not the fun kind; I was constantly in a state of bewilderment at what I assume were supposed to be colourful characters and behaviour, but were actually just the cause of numerous "huh?"s.

But even more than that was the unbelievability of Velveteen's state of mind. This girl had been kidnapped at sixteen, tied up in a man's house for a week, starved, beaten, cut open with knives, and eventually killed. Why was she not more... damaged? Or even if we are supposed to believe that she's unnaturally tough, why is the situation handled so casually? In the very first chapter, Velveteen is in Bonesaw's house and discovers his latest victim tied up and the way the whole situation is told is so offhand and cold. There's a teenage girl - a child - tied up in this man's house, he intends to hurt her and then kill her... why isn't everyone just a little more concerned? Velveteen acts like the situation almost bores her, it's so unrealistic.

I don't think the chapters I missed could possibly hold anything that would make up for the bad I'd already read. Not recommended.

Emily is disappointed =((less)

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Mar 30, 2012 Katy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

4.5 stars - Ah, what the hell - I'm rounding up to 5.

This book was long, and I wouldn't say this book was absolutely mind-blowing, but the writing as truly amazing. It was really sick an twisted, so disgustingly graphic, so mentally chilling - not usually my type of thing, but I was totally diggin' it. Just to give you a taste of what you would be reading: (view spoiler)...more 4.5 stars - Ah, what the hell - I'm rounding up to 5.

This book was long, and I wouldn't say this book was absolutely mind-blowing, but the writing as truly amazing. It was really sick an twisted, so disgustingly graphic, so mentally chilling - not usually my type of thing, but I was totally diggin' it. Just to give you a taste of what you would be reading: (view spoiler) Was that so gross that it was freakin' awesome or what?

Chapter 1 had me hooked as I got a glimpse of the twisted world of Bonesaw. But then the book lost me for several chapters as it began going down a different direction. Marks is VERY descriptive in setting up the scene, but I didn't see why he spent so much time setting up Purgatory when it didn't have much to do with Bonesaw. Perhaps chapter 1 may have been better as a prologue. But right about chapter 8 was when the story went back on track (at least according to the summary), and the rest of the book for me was a pretty smooth ride.

I'm not sure how I feel that most of the book was about Purgatory instead of Bonesaw. Still, the book had some action as Velvet make a few visits back to Bonesaw and as Purgatory saw the rise of the revolution - as well as some romance scenes. Yes, it was one of those "I like you but I shouldn't be with you" type of romances, but it wasn't the dragged-out "c'mon let's get on with it already" kinds. I found Velvet and Nick's bickering and flings to be quite hilarious. A preview:
(view spoiler)

I was impressed with Marks' ability to write a girl's point of view. Man is Velvet a kickass bitch. But whereas some authors' writing would make me hate the main characters or be extremely annoyed by them, I found Velvet's bitchiness to be "part of her charm."

I did have a complaint about Nick, and that was I resented Marks for making him too girly at the beginning. I know he was going through a lot, and I'm not opposed to a guy getting in touch with his feminine side and shedding a few tears, but I was kind of annoyed with Nick at first. Thankfully, he made up for it pretty quick and I liked his cocky yet sweet attitude.

I also like each of Velvet's sidekicks, and I'm so glad Marks did not make Kipper out to be the stereotypical flamboyant gay friend. I think he was actually my second favorite supporting character, right after Quenton, who is absolutely hilarious.

Overall, the book was a great read. It may not have been mind-blowing, but I think Marks is a truly talented writer, and I'm anxious to read the sequel and any future projects he may have.(less)

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Aug 16, 2012 Devon Ashley rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: completed-arcs, quit-reading, reviewed-on-blog

Riddle me this: Why does a book description that goes off about a ghost seeking revenge against her serial killer, but is mostly about an uprising in the weirdest purgatory I've ever heard of, have so many good ratings? Answer: Hell's bells if I know.

Oh, yeah...there are spoilers ahead, because this book was just a modge podge of wtf-ery.

Velveteen started off so promising with Velvet using her ghost mojo to destroy things in the serial killer's home, and then realizing the sicko had collected a...more Riddle me this: Why does a book description that goes off about a ghost seeking revenge against her serial killer, but is mostly about an uprising in the weirdest purgatory I've ever heard of, have so many good ratings? Answer: Hell's bells if I know.

Oh, yeah...there are spoilers ahead, because this book was just a modge podge of wtf-ery.

Velveteen started off so promising with Velvet using her ghost mojo to destroy things in the serial killer's home, and then realizing the sicko had collected another girl to torture. Instead of moving forward with that story, she leaves because she has to slip back into purgatory because somebody might notice she's missing. Hmm...okay. (Why does she have to be butt naked to travel through - and arrive in a dark alley that's frighteningly similar to Nocturn Alley? Cobblestone pathways, weird clothing...totally felt like I was in Harry Potter). And I've never heard of a ghost that practically had to be present for roll call and participate in something I can only call group counseling in purgatory. They're dead...leave 'em alone already. If they wanna hang out in purgatory, that's their decision. Then out of nowhere some shadow thing comes along whipping up souls into its tendrils and showing them really bad things. O-kaaaay.... They're dead right? It's not like this shadow can destroy their soul or anything, but they scatter like it's that deformed monster from Cloverfield snatching them up.

Apparently, our girl Velvet, who's just a kid and been in purgatory for only a few years, is the leader of a team of scavengers that have the best fight record against the shadows. Say what? It's purgatory! How can someone so new have the best record? People have been there for thousands and thousands of years and this two year old is better? (You can't see it, but I'm shaking my head right now, cause her out of this world - ahem...purgatory - number is 57.) Sigh...Velveteen is just filled with things that make my eyes roll and my head shake, and I'm not even gonna get into how quickly Velvet and Nick are rolling around in her bed groping each other - oh, wait...yes I am - a few hours after they met!

Are you sure were not just in the head of some delusional mental patient in Bellevue? Cause this book is filled with crazy stuff all over the place. Now I try to find the good in every book I read, but Velveteen made this really hard. Luckily, I loved the chapters where she faced off with her killer, and I was ready to upgrade this nightmare to two stars, but they were so few and far between, I just couldn't mislead my readers into thinking this was worth two stars. And I hate giving one stars. Oddly enough, I had to upload my one star pic from the harddrive cause it had never been used before on the Crazy Dream blog. The first chapter with her screwing with Bonesaw was awesome...but then I had to suffer through totally unawesomeness for 200 more pages before I was given another short glimpse of Bonesaw. I'm so disappointed right now, cause the author was onto something really great with this whole ghost-revenge-on-a-serial-killer thing, but fell flat when the focus shifted onto this ridiculous version of purgatory.

I'd pass on this one peeps. It took me forever to read cause it put me to sleep every night. And to be honest, I pulled the sheet over Velveteen and called her death at 277 pages.

description

Novel provided publisher via NetGalley.(less)

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Oct 10, 2012 Brad marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley-arc

Why does the girl on the cover remind me of a teenage Bellatrix Lestrange?

17 likes · like · see review

Aug 22, 2012 Neyra rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: best-of-all, dystopia, ya-pnr

With it's vivid world-building and intriguing characters, Velveteen is hauntingly beautiful and just as riveting, bringing new meaning to life after death!

Imagine dying, and landing, not in heaven, not in hell, but in Purgatory. the place where souls who are not quite ready to crossover, go. After being kidnapped and brutally murdered, that is exactly where sixteen year old Velveteen Monroe ends up. and in Purgatory, everyone has a purpose, everyone has a job to do. But Velveteen is angry, and s...more With it's vivid world-building and intriguing characters, Velveteen is hauntingly beautiful and just as riveting, bringing new meaning to life after death!

Imagine dying, and landing, not in heaven, not in hell, but in Purgatory. the place where souls who are not quite ready to crossover, go. After being kidnapped and brutally murdered, that is exactly where sixteen year old Velveteen Monroe ends up. and in Purgatory, everyone has a purpose, everyone has a job to do. But Velveteen is angry, and she can't seem to let her murderer go. Bonesaw. Determined to bring him down once and for all, Velvet breaks all the rules by crossing back into the land of the living, and haunting him, rescuing his would be victims from a terrible fate. But haunting has a price, and if she's not careful, Velveteen's obsession will destroy all that she knows in Purgatory. Is she willing to bring everyone down with her, or can she save them and herself before it's too late?

"No one knows what they're doing in this, Manny. But if I can't trust my instrincts, then I can't trust anything."

Velvet brings a refreshing new character to life with her quick tongue, strong leadership, and no bullshit attitude. As leader of the Salvage team, a group of souls responsible for crossing over to the land of the living and rescuing kidnapped souls, Velvet has more than enough to worry about. But she's developed and unhealthy obsession with her killer and wants nothing more than to see him destroyed. What I loved about Velveteen is oddly enough, her reluctance to admit she has any ounce of kidness at all. She's determined to keep her feelings at bay, but deep down she knows, she cares. When Purgatory is hit by a shadowquake--think eight point five earthquake with octopus like shadow creatures that instill fear into their victims--Velvet and her Salvage crew: twelve year old twins Luisa and Logan (whom I just loved), and Quentin, must travel to the daylight, and rescue a soul. What she never expected to find was the boy who'd make her question her actions AND her feelings.

I really enjoyed Nick's character, he brought humor, and assurance to not only Velvet, but her friends as well. And he seemed to be taking his death in stride, but as expected, Nick is just as scared. And I loved how we get glimpses of his vulnerability. the one thing that definitely threw me off was that he seemed to be too in touch with his feelings. I guess I'm more use to the strong alpha males, that reading about Nick disoriented me for a second. This is not to say I disliked him, I loved Nick, I just found it odd that Velvet seemed to be the Alpha & Omega in this.. relationship. Lol

I enjoyed the secondary characters as well. Especially Logan, he made me laugh with his moodyness and snarky ass comments; and for a twelve year old, Luisa definitely had some spunk in her. She's not someone you'd want to mess with. She'll kick your butt! >.< Lol Quentin was the shy one, but he appealed to me, though there wasn't much interaction with him, which I would have loved.

The story line was rather interesting. It fluctuated from Velveteen's revenge to saving Purgatory--though i'll admit it was a slow read even with the action--but the writing was so beautiful and the characters well written, I was engaged with the story from the beginning.

*Fair warning: It may not be completely gruesome, but some scenes are not for the squirmish*

This book was given to me for review by the publisher via Netgalley(less)

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Apr 20, 2012 Isamlq rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-galley

I suspect that the tone she’s speaks will be a hit or miss with readers. Irreverent, she could be. Cheeky but perfectly aware of how unlikeable she was. Despite such an interesting character, the flow of the story felt choppy. With endings that served to emphasize how silly, horrific, stupid something was… the novelty of all those one liner endings eventually wore off because they cut off the flow of the story. Add the fact that it wasn’t that easy to get into at first. There’s little explanatio...more I suspect that the tone she’s speaks will be a hit or miss with readers. Irreverent, she could be. Cheeky but perfectly aware of how unlikeable she was. Despite such an interesting character, the flow of the story felt choppy. With endings that served to emphasize how silly, horrific, stupid something was… the novelty of all those one liner endings eventually wore off because they cut off the flow of the story. Add the fact that it wasn’t that easy to get into at first. There’s little explanation as to what was what and who was who, so I had to learn everything along side the new guy. I couldn’t tell heads from tails, why something was happening or why something being done, so I could just imagine how confused he was… because I certainly was. Basically, it wasn’t that easy to get into in the beginning.

Recalling my excitement over the possibility of a ghost-girl haunting her killer, I admit it was this aspect of the story delivered. Her memories of him… and anything to do with him had the effect they were suppose to have: Horror, I say. Yet, the story isn’t as simple as a dead girl haunting her killer (if you could even say that that is simple) because it’s a just small part in a bigger world of her Purgatory. The things is things were confusing; not only did her cheeky ways, one liner endings cut off the flow, I felt as if I were plopped right in middle of something happening and then expected to know what was up. I learned at the same the newbie did… but things did clear up a while later.

Speak of Purgatory, I’d never quite pictured it that way. She and the people around her made for an interesting read. Having just read WANDERDUST, with its team of paranormals, I was quite surprised to encounter something similar here. Though, I have to say that the “teams” in this one were much more interesting. On one hand there’s Collectors, then on the other Scavengers. That one tram was comprised of poltergeist siblings, members that could posses either living or non living was certainly different, Luisa especially. I just wish a little more of her Purgatory were laid out more smoothly.

Thanks NETGALLEY!
3/5
(less)

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May 10, 2012 Rae M. rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, romance, paranormal-romance, paranormal, net-galley, dead-narrators, ghosts-and-hauntings, didnt-like, review-or-comment, read-in-2012, annoying-protagonist, arcs, male-authors, cliched-up-the-yinyang, huge-disappointment, weak-heroine, crappy-love-interest, 01-star

Man, I was so excited for this book. Honestly. I was so excited to see it was on netgalley and I snapped it up immediately. I am so, so disappointed. Perhaps my excitement was the main mistake.

I'll start with the positive because that's a bit easier. I liked the world building. It's not really hard when the idea of heaven/hell/purgatory is already in culture, but it was nice to have this interpretation of what purgatory would be like. The government/setup I have problems with, which I'll get int...more Man, I was so excited for this book. Honestly. I was so excited to see it was on netgalley and I snapped it up immediately. I am so, so disappointed. Perhaps my excitement was the main mistake.

I'll start with the positive because that's a bit easier. I liked the world building. It's not really hard when the idea of heaven/hell/purgatory is already in culture, but it was nice to have this interpretation of what purgatory would be like. The government/setup I have problems with, which I'll get into later, but the literal just aesthetic of the world is very neat. About the only character I actually liked was Fassbinder from the Paper Aviary. Not only is the Paper Aviary one of the nicer descriptions, Fassbinder was a wonderful character, even in the end. The only one I truly liked.

Now we move on to the parts I didn't like.

I don't like Velvet. She really seems like one of those people who desperately need a reality check and to be taken down a notch. She's overly selfish in addition to being bitchy and completely unlikable. She's pretty much not civil to anyone, but without the guilty/selfless charm that made me adore some "bitchy" female protagonists I've read. Judging by the fight in which she met Nick in the trailer of the fortune teller, she's not even that great of a fighter either! Her team did the vast majority of the work and she just stood there gloating like she was the badass of the world. At least she admits her team is awesome. She'd be better if she admitted she definitely wasn't the person to be on such a team, much less a leader. Which brings us to the actual setup/government of the world.

Why in the world would you allow CHILDREN and TEENAGERS to be responsible for purgatory's safety, much less a teenager like Velvet? From the impression the author gives off, Velvet hadn't been dead very long (maybe a couple of years? Long enough to know the ropes but not long enough to not be a teenager anymore.) So why would she be a leader of a team, much less on one? Not to mention apparently Velvet broke some sort of record for the most souls ever and is their current best Salvage team which is just sad.

Speaking of teenagers, oh my god the senseless teenage rivalries that exist in this novel are on a level completely ridiculous. Isadora and her crew have no qualities except any quality that would make them disgusting to Velvet. They're literally a stereotype of the rich preppy girl that nobody's ever actually met but everybody thinks of. The fact that the rivalry between them exists is just another tribute to Velvet's complete immaturity. Why in the world would either of them even bother? Their world is kind of falling apart all around them. They just have way, way more serious things to think about. Taking that whole pointless rivalry out of the novel would have done it some favors.

The plot is hardly there until the end. I mean there's brief bits of it throughout the novel but it doesn't have the cohesive quality that I look for. The "building up" is hardly there. Something relevant happens and then there's this very, very long section of stuff that's not important to the plot.

The romance wasn't good either. It was like 2 days in and already Nick was like "omg I totally love you don't you love me?". Plus I don't dig Nick. Much like Velvet he doesn't really seem to have any redeeming qualities, but I suppose they deserve each other just for that reason. But half the fun of reading romance is being into the love interest, and I simply don't get it here, not even a glimmer of attraction. It got so bad I began to even doubt Velvet's taste in physical appearance, which seems to be the only thing she really likes in him anyway by the way.

The major issue of the novel in my opinion are the characters. The Collectors are your typical over-dressed prom queen stereotypes. Luisa is the cute little child with a sweet face who's actually quite morbid. Her twin, Logan, is also young and sweet hiding a dark inclination. Quentin is your typical thin, shy guy. I imagine he's probably a geek to match. The love interest is hot and totally into the main character but doesn't really have any other qualities other than being perfect and exactly what she needs! (plus the over-dressed prom queen leader totally digs him which irks the main character). Pretty much all the adults seem to be unlikable and stern.

Despite all this though, I know the young adult community will totally fall head over heels in love with it. I give it kudos for trying to be different, but it definitely didn't work out for me. If the characters had been better, I think it would have turned out quite a bit different.

Also, the writing itself isn't bad at all, on a sentence basis, not looking at the plot itself. The author has a nice writing style, easily readable. The author obviously has talent. I might pick up something he writes in the future, but I definitely won't pick up another book in this series.

copy provided by netgalley. thanks!(less)

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Sep 01, 2012 Christian Marotti rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-didn-t-finish

I tried about five times to get into this and I just couldn't.
I am going to try again but we will see. :)

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May 31, 2012 Pixie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-releases, arc, netgalley

Meet the strange and dark world of Purgatory in Velveteen . This was an oddly beautiful and fascinating story with a lot of depth and unique world-building. I went into this novel with a lot of excitement to begin with because I am a huge fan of The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. So when I heard some of the comparisons that it was like reading a darker YA version, I jumped at the chance. I’d like to make a note now that in my honest opinion, it’s NOTHING in comparison to The Lovely Bones. It’s fa...more Meet the strange and dark world of Purgatory in Velveteen . This was an oddly beautiful and fascinating story with a lot of depth and unique world-building. I went into this novel with a lot of excitement to begin with because I am a huge fan of The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. So when I heard some of the comparisons that it was like reading a darker YA version, I jumped at the chance. I’d like to make a note now that in my honest opinion, it’s NOTHING in comparison to The Lovely Bones. It’s fantastic, yes, and it’s told from the view of a dead girl, but this is darker and wittier at times. Velvet has power and sass, and it’s unique all on its own.

Purgatory was strange. I kept imagining a gothic Tim Burton setting world, kind of like in the movie Sweeny Todd. I know. I’m probably strange for that, but that’s the picture I kept picking up for it. The descriptions were vividly detailed. I thought the ash was interesting and the concepts kept my attention. The only thing I wanted more from the story was more of Velveteen’s conflict with Bonesaw. I think from the blurb, I had expected it to be more about her revenge on her killer, but the majority of the story was about life in Purgatory it seemed. However! I don’t want to give away spoilers at all. Let’s just say that it’s a long book with a lot of interesting action that didn’t disappoint in the slightest.

The characterization was confusing sometimes. There were several characters to keep up with. And I was a bit distant from the romance on occasion.
Velveteen (by the way, I just LOVE her name!) has spark. She’s a bit bitchy at times, and she’s not afraid to admit it. I like her personality. She’s straight-forward, strong, smart, and witty. Plus has a great sense of fashion. But what a violent way to die. I felt sympathy for her often, which proved that I had easily attached myself to her character from the beginning and held on through the end.

I liked the dark humor sprinkled in at times, and the natural flow of dialogue between the characters. The background was chilling and twisted. I was hooked from the beginning until the end. The writing was incredibly crafted.

All in all, Velveteen was a wonderful read and I certainly hope to be reading more in the future. This will keep you up late into the night gasping out loud and flipping the pages with a rush.

P.S. I just adore the cover of this book!

<3
Pixie(less)

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Oct 19, 2012 Amanda (Pearl the Book Girl) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, debut-2012, 2012-release, october, own, egalley, ghosts, horror, bir-2012

3/13/2012
COVER! I love the font, but I'm not 100% sure about the models. I was expecting something more artsy, maybe more of a drawn cover and less of a fashion magazine style cover. However, I'm still EFFING EXCITED for this book and can't wait for it to release!

Update 3/27/2012

OMG I HAVE NEVER WANTED SOMETHING MORE FROM NETGALLEY IN MY WHOLE LIFE.

Update 4/25/2012

YESSSSSSSSS

Update 5/5/2012

OMG this book...I tell ya, it is so unlike any YA I've ever read. It's got all of the elements of YA books...more

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Oct 12, 2012 Krista (CubicleBlindness Reviews) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Review originally written and posted to
http://yabookreads.com/blog/2012/10/0...

Characters: Velvet is the leader of her collections group. Possibly the most famous of her time, going on 56 souls rescued. She leads Quentin, Luisa and Logan into situations in which souls that have been captured need to be released. Her position as body thief or “body snatcher” is when she takes over a human body to help the group get in closer with the soul stealers and help rescue them, and bring them to purgator...more Review originally written and posted to
http://yabookreads.com/blog/2012/10/0...

Characters: Velvet is the leader of her collections group. Possibly the most famous of her time, going on 56 souls rescued. She leads Quentin, Luisa and Logan into situations in which souls that have been captured need to be released. Her position as body thief or “body snatcher” is when she takes over a human body to help the group get in closer with the soul stealers and help rescue them, and bring them to purgatory.

Plot: There are 3 different layers of stories happening in this novel. Velvet has an obsession with Bonesaw, the man who killed her and so she haunts him (against the rules). There is also something dark and dangerous happening in the Vermillion district of Purgatory that maybe connected to the worsening Shadowquakes. Then there is Nick. He is the love interest and just so happens to be placed into Velvet’s group and now she has to train him, but they’re not allowed to date (yeah right!)

Originality: The world building is very imaginative and unique. The story is divided up between time in Purgatory and time on Earth. Purgatory is described as ashy, dirty and creaky (well the railway is) They have buildings and structured districts. But they cover their bodies with ash so they don’t shine so bright and they are in a constant cloudy darkness. My favorite and most original part of the story are the Shadowquakes. Creepy tendrils that come from above and grab you, showing visions of the most horrific scenes. And quaking enough to knock down buildings.

Writing: The writing has a lot of pop culture references and even though dealing with some heavier topics, takes it on in a more campy way. Small conversations of why these souls are stuck in purgatory. Good VS Evil and consequences for your actions. It’s pretty fast paced, very little down time, one event leading right into another. .

Krista’s Rating: I honestly went into the story thinking it was going to be just Velvet haunting Bonesaw. But got so much more, a whole new world and group of characters that range from zombie-esq to supportive best friend material. Although dealing with some religious ideas that surround purgatory and “moving on” it never gets overwhelming or overdone. It was a lot of fun to read. There are several different layers to the story. Velvet is a strong and menacing character you wouldn’t want to mess with, but would make an amazing friend to have on your side.(less)

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May 11, 2011 Leah Clifford marked it as to-read · review of another edition

So freaking excited for this one!

8 likes · like · see review

May 15, 2012 Sonya rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When I saw this book on Netgalley and read the synopsis I HAD to have it, but I was so sure I wasn’t going to be approved that when I got it I swear I did a happy dance that resembled a scarecrow losing control of is limbs and two year old on sugar. Breathe, the concept of heaven, hell, limbo aka purgatory is ingrained in all human culture with their own versions to fit their beliefs. So it was nice to see Daniel’s take on such an old concept and give it a different spin. Purgatory’s mythology r...more
When I saw this book on Netgalley and read the synopsis I HAD to have it, but I was so sure I wasn’t going to be approved that when I got it I swear I did a happy dance that resembled a scarecrow losing control of is limbs and two year old on sugar. Breathe, the concept of heaven, hell, limbo aka purgatory is ingrained in all human culture with their own versions to fit their beliefs. So it was nice to see Daniel’s take on such an old concept and give it a different spin. Purgatory’s mythology reminds me of a governmental agency with protocols and codes of conduct. And dire consequences for breaking the rules (unable to dim). Velveteen (rocking name) I liked her surly-ness she was a great character and it was easy for that surly-ness to be misunderstood. Truth be told I don’t know how I would be after being tortured over days then killed. How would you? I asked myself this and that’s how I approached Velveteen’s character considering she could have been insane towards the end of her life, she had found a way to cope with a horrible situation.

I liked that even though Velveteen was strong outwardly she was still vulnerable and doubted herself but despite having such a shity hand dealt to her, she didn’t have a pity party for herself. Even dead she tried to stop her killer haunting him saving his victims whenever she could. Logan and Louisa were my favorite secondary characters so cute but capable of extreme violence the fact they were older than Velvet reminded me of “Third rock from the sun” Tommy who looks the youngest but is in fact the oldest. The story had a nice flow and the pacing had me finished in two days that’s because I had to sleep. Nick, the love interest is the kind of guy any girl would fall for he says the right things, makes the right moves and is always ready to protect or support Velvet. Much to her dismay, though secretly she loves it and slowly he pushes pass her
defenses. It seems that these two have destiny that maybe bigger than both of them. Isadora Velvet’s arch nemesis is barely worth mentioning that is until I read the ending and she surprised me Isadora showed some character by acknowledging Velvet after she had just saved them all.

http://sonythebooklover.com/2012/05/v...

Dirty bits what I didn’t like, the first chapter leads you to believe that this book will be about Bonesaw and Velvet their conflict. Her coming to terms with her death and the fact he was still killing girls. I liked the idea of Velvet haunting him and f*@king up his crap, cuz if it were me I would want him dead too. The story shifted around quite a bit like incomplete thoughts I don’t know if that’s because its an arc or it was intentional. Nick and Velvet though I like them together there was a touch of instant love there, things seemed too easy. Though I know for a fact that this is a plausible relationship because it remedied me of my own relationship and how easy it was to be with each other. But this is a book make me work for it a little love triangles are only passé if there’re written terribly. Last thing about the romance as much as I liked Nick there were times in the story where he did come off as the girl (wanting to talk about their relationship) and Velvet the jerky guy who was having a little fun with the naive pretty girl, in this case boy. The unanswered questions left in the air what happened to Bonesaw? What was Manny’s relationship with Clay? What happened that made Clay turn to the dark side? you know those pesky questions. Please tell us in book 2 please. I gave Velveteen a four out five despite its faults when I started reading they became transparent as I read, translation it didn’t get in the way of me enjoying this book. The pacing was good kept me on the hook until the finish line. And Daniel’s writing was so good the way he turned a phrase even if it sucked. I would have kept reading just see they way his words unfolded on the page. Sorry if I sound like a fan girl its just writing has always appealed to me stringing words together to make this world that didn’t exist before like J.K Rowling with Harry Potter, and having it make an impact on people. I just kept wanting to know what happened next.

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Jul 02, 2012 Kristin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, ya

The story follows Velvet through purgatory. There are some glimpses into her past from when she was brutally tortured and murdered by a man named Bonesaw. At first I thought this book was going to be her haunting him but the majority of the book is her in purgatory. She is part of a kick-ass team who seem to help keep purgatory up and running by protecting it. On one of her missions she saves Nick who was captured in a crystal ball by a hijacker (a ghost who was commanding a living body). Nick e...more

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Dec 21, 2012 Christina (A Reader of Fictions) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites-fantasy, favorites-humor, needs-more-hype

Originally reviewed on A Reader of Fictions.

Velveteen is another novel with a whole lot of hype surrounding its release. The premise sounds so insane and creepy that this should come as no surprise. A dystopia about the dead? Serial killers? Purgatory? Strong heroine? That's all kinds of awesome, right? Well, I definitely think so.

My first recommendation is not to come into Velveteen looking for a dystopia. There really isn't anything particularly dystopian here, although I do see some definite...more Originally reviewed on A Reader of Fictions.

Velveteen is another novel with a whole lot of hype surrounding its release. The premise sounds so insane and creepy that this should come as no surprise. A dystopia about the dead? Serial killers? Purgatory? Strong heroine? That's all kinds of awesome, right? Well, I definitely think so.

My first recommendation is not to come into Velveteen looking for a dystopia. There really isn't anything particularly dystopian here, although I do see some definite possibility for there to be a big reveal of evil government at work later in the series. This could have been a huge disappointment, because obviously I love dystopias, but the whole of the story was so delightfully fresh and funny that I wasn't particularly bothered.

On Twitter, I've seen people tweeting Daniel Marks as they read through this book. They commented how grossed out they were and how horrified. Well, I really didn't have any moments where I was overwhelmed by the ick or horror factors. Maybe I just have a strong stomach, but I doubt it, since I can't watch a horror movie without hiding through pretty much all of it. There are gross things that happen, but they're no worse than what I've encountered in all the zombie novels I've read. So, basically, if you don't often read macabre things, Velveteen might freak you out, but, otherwise, I wouldn't worry unduly.

Actually, more than anything else, I thought Velveteen was hilarious. Humor of course is very subjective. I suspect most readers will either love or hate Velveteen, depending on whether you think Daniel Marks' humor is funny or obnoxious. For me, it totally worked. If you're concerned, you might want to watch some of Marks' vlogs and see if you like his style.

The description of the novel makes a big deal about Velvet's desire for revenge against her murderer, Bonesaw. While this certainly is a plot point, it's actually a fairly minor plot arc, important to the story, but definitely not the focus of Marks' grisly tale. Still, he definitely wove this arc perfectly into the larger tale.

The focus of the novel is, instead, on the tensions within Purgatory. There is a revolution happening in Purgatory. The Departurists believe that the powers that be within Purgatory are preventing them from moving on and unfairly keeping them from the daylight (aka the world of the living). The revolutionaries are somehow causing bigger and bigger cracks to form in Purgatory, by trapping souls in daylight and causing shadowquakes. The world building on this Purgatory was crazy cool for sure.

Within Purgatory, there are jobs, ranging just as widely, although differently, from those in our world. Our heroine, Velvet, has one of the best jobs, as a salvager team leader. Scavengers enter daylight to save trapped souls, putting an end to shadowquakes and protecting Purgatory. This gives them a rare chance to travel to daylight and is also just really cool, since you need special abilities to do it. Teams consist of four: one body thief, who takes over the body of a living human temporarily, one undertaker, who takes over a dead body and becomes a zombie, and two poltergeists, who stay ghosty but have a natural power to move things in that form. Velvet and her team are the best and they love what they do. On one of their missions, they rescue Nick, aka love interest.

Now, we must talk about Velveteen. She is an amazing heroine, assuming you like them sarcastic, closed-off, and a bit violent. Thankfully, I do. If you're sick of all of the wimpy, clutsy, obedient heroines that can't do anything but moan about boys, you will love Velvet, as she is the antithesis of all things Bella. Similar heroines are Lex from Croak or Ashline from Wildefire. Velvet has a smart mouth and is quick to resort to physical violence. Just to give you an idea of the kind of girl we'll dealing with: she dressed up as Alex from A Clockwork Orange at one point. She felt real to me, and she read like a female.

Her romance with Nick also totally worked. There was definitely instalust, but Velvet is not the kind of girl to mistake that for love. She initially thinks he looks like and probably is an asshole. There's lots of kissing, because she's not the kind of girl who is against having a little fun. Though Nick and Velvet's relationship does progress fairly quickly emotionally, there's a natural flow to it. The two really do have a rapport. They have real conversations, develop little inside jokes, and have awesome witty banter. Their chemistry is fantastic.

So yeah, I thought this was a fantastic ride, entertaining and funny from beginning to end. I definitely anticipate Marks' next macabre tale and hope for more dystopian-ness!(less)

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Oct 19, 2012 Cathy Keaton rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arcs-rcs, read-in-2012, reviewed

Velveteen is a book I've been waiting to read for about two years now because I found Danny Marks somehow through his YouTube vlogging. He's such a great personality and he'd vlog about editing Velveteen, getting it ready for his agent to go on out on sub with it, and then had a very quick sale of the manuscript to his publisher. Of course, I was really happy to have been approved for an ARC several months ago.

But, after reading Velveteen, it really wasn't a book that captured my attention for t...more Velveteen is a book I've been waiting to read for about two years now because I found Danny Marks somehow through his YouTube vlogging. He's such a great personality and he'd vlog about editing Velveteen, getting it ready for his agent to go on out on sub with it, and then had a very quick sale of the manuscript to his publisher. Of course, I was really happy to have been approved for an ARC several months ago.

But, after reading Velveteen, it really wasn't a book that captured my attention for the right reasons. Sure, it's very different YA paranormal fiction from what you've likely encountered, and that is good. The world building is unique and well-detailed—it's interesting, and I had no trouble at all envisioning the world of purgatory and understanding the logic of how it operated. Still, this ends up not being enough to completely save this book for me.

First off, the writing is verbose—very verbose—so, it should have been pared down. It would have trimmed off 100+ pages, as this was a tad too long of a read. Velvet, being the protagonist, starts out with the goal to kill the serial killer, Bonesaw, who is her killer. I love that whole angle, but, weirdly, she doesn't do the most obvious thing and just grab one of his many precious knives and stab him to death in his sleep. As badly as she wants to kill him, I think her reason for not killing him doesn't work. She's too afraid, apparently. Meh....

She spends most of her time in purgatory because she's not even supposed to be in the world of the living at all. She is part of a Salvage team—a group of purgatory souls who go to 'daylight,' where living people live, and take care of problems caused by wayward purgatory souls messing up things and causing shadowquakes in purgatory. Apparently, doing anything in daylight causes shadowquakes in purgatory.

This is why Velvet feels guilty every time she haunts Bonesaw, or tries to free his victims. She has to do this all secretly. That's fine, hun, but could you just get your revenge over with already? It's kind of sucky having all these shadowquakes because you're so darn undetermined to kill your killer.

Next, I must move on to Nick, Velvet's love interest who just doesn't really need to be in the story because he seems like he could have been excluded and it wouldn't have changed the story much. Although, he does do some heroic things with his inexplicable specialness. He's a golden boy, perfect jock guy whose pretty funny, but still, not really layered with any depth. Neither is anyone else. Although, I suppose Bonesaw is the lone character with any hint of depth, oddly enough.

My biggest problem with this novel is that the real rub of the story, the story itself, doesn't emerge until the very end. Get this: a group of wayward souls, revolutionists, want to escape purgatory and possess the living bodies of humans in order to have a second life. That would make a cool premise for a story, if only it had been used as the actual story for this novel. But, we don't find out that's the motive of the revolutionists until it's nearly over, so it is mostly just a story about an unremarkable teen girl living in purgatory trying not to jump on the hot new guy in front of everybody. She has no purpose, no goal until the end and it's too late to keep the story engaging.

It's not a bad read, but one that doesn't engage the emotions much because life is too easy for Velvet until the very, very end and it's just too late to cop a care for her, or anybody else, by then. Depending on taste, you may find this a really fun story, so go ahead and try it if it sounds like your cup o' tea.

*I received a copy of this book as an ARC from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.(less)

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Dec 05, 2012 Misty Baker rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

** A 4.5 Review **

Horror is a way of life in my household. While other mothers (who, let’s face it…are probably better suited to be a parent than myself) are going over multiplication flash cards or baking cookies. I am busy teaching my children about the complexities of Cujo, or George A. Romero.

See…I love being scared. I love the way the tiny hairs on the back of my neck stand up when I know something (most likely hairy and with very large teeth) is lurking around the corner. The pounding in m...more

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May 13, 2013 Sex in the Library rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: death, funny, no-sex, paranormal, young-adult, teen-romance, horror, violence

Meet sixteen-year-old Velvet as she is breaking into a house, smashing items, pulling liquids out of the refrigerator to throw all over the antiseptically clean floor, and, in general, vandalizing this house –which she says she trashes often. Then we watch her walk through the solid door and through the door of the shed where the serial killer, who brutally and graphically killed her, now has a new victim.

Velvet is a ghost turned poltergeist, trying to stop the killer, but having to return da...more

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May 09, 2013 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Summary:
Velveteen, Velvet for short, is dead. She's in Purgatory because she is too young for Heaven or Hell to know what to do with. Purgatory is a little different than what we normal think of. It is separated into areas, like neighborhoods I suppose. The souls are put into an area and then given a job. Velvet is a Salvager. She gets to go grab souls that should be in Purgatory and also deal with banshees. As a Salvager and the team leader for that matter, Velvet has a pretty good status in Pu...more Summary:
Velveteen, Velvet for short, is dead. She's in Purgatory because she is too young for Heaven or Hell to know what to do with. Purgatory is a little different than what we normal think of. It is separated into areas, like neighborhoods I suppose. The souls are put into an area and then given a job. Velvet is a Salvager. She gets to go grab souls that should be in Purgatory and also deal with banshees. As a Salvager and the team leader for that matter, Velvet has a pretty good status in Purgatory even though she is breaking the rules.

Velvet was killed by a serial killer nicknamed Bonesaw. Obviously, this pissed Velvet off. Unfortunately as a ghost, Velvet can only haunt him. While dreams of gore run through her head, she is reduced to moving his things. Thankfully this is as creepy as one might expect. Velvet has to be careful with her haunting though because this is breaking the number one rule of Purgatory. Thou shalt not haunt!

If the job and haunting was not enough, there are some changes going on in Purgatory. There are more shadow quakes and a group is rising up against how things are run. Velvet, as a leader, is responsible for figuring out what is going on and possibly saving the gray, ashy place she resides.

No YA novel would be complete without a little romance. Nick, Mr. love interest, is a soul that was salvaged by Velvet. Unfortunately for her, he ends up being an employee who is off limits. She plays the "get away from me" line again and again, but you know the two are just meant to be together. Besides, Velvet can't help being a little attracted to him. Love is in the dull air.

My thoughts:
Man the pacing of this story sucks! The first chapter is thrilling, but then it dips down to a rather stalled pace, then it picks back up again about 115 pages in, but then dips again. It is a mixture of exciting and unbelievably long parts. That made this book hard to get through. It is very disappointing because the overall storyline, characters, and world building are done very well.

I generally love character development over all else. Velvet is wonderfully developed. Other than the fact that she is a rather rough character, she is easy to picture and get to know. I understand her underlying motivation and I went through several parts of rooting for her. She is a heroine that is easy to love even though she isn't a sweet girly girl. The fact that she is done so well is the only thing that kept me reading.

The world building within the story is also awesome. Purgatory is an interesting place to be. It is an odd mixture of nothingness and high school. There are definitely certain areas that are more elite than others. Certain jobs are of higher status and there are cliques along with bullying and revolution. Along with this is a lot of description about the drab surroundings. I was intrigued and wouldn't mind reading another story that involved this back drop. The only problem is that some of this description slowed the storyline down.

Overall, I would put this in my high school classroom with an interest on who picks it up. It is a little creepy, gory, and inappropriate for younger ages. I teach juniors and seniors, so I don't think they would have too big of a problem. There are some students that are a little more sensitive to frights than others, so a warning about serial killers and lots of blood may detract for their enjoyment. Plus, this needs to go to a student that gives a book more than a few pages to get into it. If not, they are not likely to finish. (less)

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Apr 14, 2013 Stacey rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I thought "Velveteen" was supposed to be about a teenage girl who was murdered by a serial killer and then haunts the killer as a ghost. This kind of happens in the course of this book but that is not really what the novel is about at all. Really the haunting is just something that Velvet does in secret when she isn't fighting for souls in Purgatory. Had the book truly been about the ghost haunting her killer, I may have liked it more. Those very infrequent scenes were the best part of this book...more I thought "Velveteen" was supposed to be about a teenage girl who was murdered by a serial killer and then haunts the killer as a ghost. This kind of happens in the course of this book but that is not really what the novel is about at all. Really the haunting is just something that Velvet does in secret when she isn't fighting for souls in Purgatory. Had the book truly been about the ghost haunting her killer, I may have liked it more. Those very infrequent scenes were the best part of this book.

Sadly, this book really was about a world of Purgatory where some people go when they die. They must stay in Purgatory until whatever needs resolved is resolved. Then they turn to ash and move onward (and hopefully upward). Velveteen is a part of a squad of teenagers whose job is to find lost souls and bring them back to Purgatory. She has only been there a few (implied) years but already she has a record for most souls saved. She brings a soul named Nick back to Purgatory with her and thus begins a relationship she tries to fight but can't.

I had a lot of problems with this book. I thought the world was made entirely too foreign and complicated. Nothing was explained well. Even the action scenes were beyond confusing. I couldn't even try to explain to you how they retrieved Nick on their mission, it was very bizarre. I did not care for the abrasive Velvet or the whiny Nick. Unfortunately I also didn't find much to like about the other people on the soul recovery team and found a scene where a young looking team member named Logan was found once again lost in an opium den especially disturbing. I was so disappointed with this book that it actually almost became a `did not finish'. I kept plugging on so that I could say I did read the story in full. I wish I didn't have to be so negative in this review but the only parts I found slightly exciting were those where Velvet is haunting Bonesaw, her killer. I definitely won't read any further installments and if you are interested in the idea of this book, I'd suggest reading a book sample before paying good money for this book.(less)

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Feb 01, 2013 Brooke rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-reviewed, books-i-didn-t-like

Favourite Quote: “She never saw the point of making fun of strangers – how could you possibly know enough about them to hit below the belt?”

I really wanted to love this book, because I suscribe to Danny Marks on youtube and he’s just awesome! So I thought his book would be too. I was so wrong, for me it was a total disappointment. I give to 2/5 stars.

Let’s start with the plot, I thought it was going to focus on a Velvteeen getting revenge on her murderer, but that was only in the book a couple o...more

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Jan 04, 2013 Rosy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I went into this book with a fairly open mind.. I like to put a bunch of books in my to-read shelf and then weeks later just pick one without reading the description again. It's like a surprise... that I already approved for myself beforehand. I enjoyed this book and found it very intriguing. There were moments of such darkness, the descriptions of Bonesaw's actions for example, that literally left me chilled. I found that to be fantastic. The book shocked me with moments like that. Moments that...more

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Dec 13, 2012 Georgia Hegner rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Alright. so i can completely understand why some people may be disappointed in this book. the blurb was very misleading. it seems like it is a romance about some girl in purgatory who is trying to take some revenge on the guy who killed her. really that is sort of the secondary plot.

i think that this book was beautiful. it was less of a teen romance and more of a detective/mystery/thriller/romance. it was dark and very entertaining. this was not a perfect world, velvet is not a perfect girl, she...more

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Oct 30, 2012 Bibliojunkies rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It’s no secret that we Bibliojunkies love our fictional boys. What you may not know is that we also have a number of female characters we love too. We all adore the loyalty and cutting wit that defines Elizabeth Bennett. Katniss Everdeen won us all over with her ability to survive. Two of our favorite young literary heroes wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for their friends Hermione Granger and Annabeth Chase.

And now?

Now we have Velveteen Monroe. The first class sarcastic goth body snatcher of P...more

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Oct 25, 2012 Liviania rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Velveteen (usually called Velvet) did not die easily. She was tortured to death by a serial killer she calls Bonesaw. And, well, it's left her a little cranky. Her job in the afterlife is to retrieve lost souls and help prevent the destabilization of the City of the Dead. But she can't help breaking the number one rule: no haunting. Because she can help his future victims . . . and help Bonesaw to his own grave.

I'll point out the same thing almost every other reviewer has pointed out: VELVETEEN...more Velveteen (usually called Velvet) did not die easily. She was tortured to death by a serial killer she calls Bonesaw. And, well, it's left her a little cranky. Her job in the afterlife is to retrieve lost souls and help prevent the destabilization of the City of the Dead. But she can't help breaking the number one rule: no haunting. Because she can help his future victims . . . and help Bonesaw to his own grave.

I'll point out the same thing almost every other reviewer has pointed out: VELVETEEN is much more about the City of the Dead and the potential revolution brewing than it is about Bonesaw. I, for one, was relieved. The few details Daniel Marks gave about Bonesaw have stayed with me and I'm perfectly happy not knowing more. Plus, the city was really interesting. Marks worldbuilding is very well done. He sets up a bunch of questions to be answered in the sequel, but still delivers a complete story in VELVETEEN.

While I may have some issues with the blurb, the title is perfect. VELVETEEN really is Velvet's show. She is not nice. She's angry, defensive, and has a biting wit. (Understandable.) At the same time, she's very responsible and a decent leader. She's motivated to do well at her job and she takes care of her crew. She's capable of caring for people, but she doesn't let anyone in easy. Her coworkers are her new family. But she does pretty well by them, even if she's still pretty mean.

I liked Velvet's relationship with Nick, the new guy. They're instantly attracted, but not instantly in love. The relationship is further complicated when Velvet becomes Nick's boss, making him firmly off limits. And as responsible as Velvet is, she does have trouble with the rules.

VELVETEEN is a morbidly entertaining read with a fabulous protagonist. I'm certainly going to read the sequel, because I love Velvet in all her prickly, flawed glory. I'm quite fond of the bureaucratic afterlife as well and I'm interested to see the consequences of the events of VELVETEEN on the current system in the sequel. (less)

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Oct 21, 2012 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Velveteen Monroe is dead. At sixteen, she was killed by a serial killer called Bonesaw after being kidnapped and tortured. Now, she resides in the City of the Dead, or as it's usually known, Purgatory. Something holds her back from moving on, so she becomes part of a squadron that saves captured souls used for magic that create devastating shadowquakes in the City of the Dead. They cause cracks throughout Purgatory. In her spare time, Velvet visits her killer and haunts him, destroying his stuff...more Velveteen Monroe is dead. At sixteen, she was killed by a serial killer called Bonesaw after being kidnapped and tortured. Now, she resides in the City of the Dead, or as it's usually known, Purgatory. Something holds her back from moving on, so she becomes part of a squadron that saves captured souls used for magic that create devastating shadowquakes in the City of the Dead. They cause cracks throughout Purgatory. In her spare time, Velvet visits her killer and haunts him, destroying his stuff and freeing his other victims. Her ultimate wish is to kill him and make him pay for his disgusting crimes, but unsanctioned hauntings are against the rules and those caught are harshly punished. Aside from all of this, a faction of citizens that are calling for a Departure from the City of the Dead starting with burning effigies and quickly escalating. How they expect to accomplish this is unknown, but Velvet must stop them to save Purgatory.

Based on the description of the novel, I was expecting a book about a ghost girl getting revenge on a serial killer, which would be pretty cool. What I got with Velveteen was so much more. Daniel Marks' view of Purgatory is the most unique I've ever read. It's dull, dusty, and decaying, made up of a hodgepodge of different architectural movements. Everyone there has a job to do, whether it be fighting to free trapped souls like Velvet or something more mundane. They are productive and make a real life for themselves instead of marking time until they cross over. Even though no one really wants to be there, there is a nice sense of camaraderie between the residents. Every night, they gather for salon to perform and to share their stories with each other. Everyone is forced to be there and has something that they need to do or overcome in order to move on to the unknown. It is also interesting to see old souls in young bodies. Some people died young, but have been there for a very long time, making their level of maturity and mental age not equal to their appearance.

Velvet is a pretty cool character who is strong, no nonsense, and isn't afraid to take leadership.I like how intelligent and sensitive she is despite her hard, sarcastic outer shell. She feels an immediate attraction to Nick, but recognizes it as such and tries to push him away. I like a girl that can recognize the difference between attraction/lust and love. I also like a girl that stands up to her killer and tries to sabotage him at every turn. I do wish there was more about the serial killer because I find them morbidly fascinating. Nick is a far cry from the alpha male jerks that have become so prevalent in the genre. His vulnerability is the first thing we see because he has to come to terms with the fact the he was killed and is stuck in purgatory after he was trapped in a crystal ball. He keeps it together pretty well because he's strong and tempers his anxiety and fear with humor, but he still shows emotion and freaks out a little. This type of male love interest is so enjoyable because not all guys are borderline abusive and emotionless. Men have emotions even though society tends to mock those that don't act or think like a "manly" man should.

I love Velveteen. Although pretty long, I breezed through it in a couple days. I was totally sucked into this cool and twisted version of Purgatory. Each page that went by was more addictive than the last and I felt compelled to finish it as fast as possible. I enjoyed being confused for a couple of parts in the novel. Daniel Marks just throws the reader into the deep end of his world and doesn't spell everything out for them. I respect an author that trusts that I as a reader don't need every little thing fed to me. I am definitely reading the next book and anything else Daniel Marks writes.(less)

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Oct 20, 2012 Erin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A surprisingly delightful, dark, gritty, and gothic novel about Purgatory and "life after death". I was blown away by this book and it's very original and unique spin on the afterlife. At first I was a bit taken aback by the pretty dark and gruesome premise and Velveteen's, "Velvet", role in The City of the Dead. Velvet is now the head of an elite "Salvaging" team tasked with retrieving lost souls and stopping mortal magic from destroying the City. This team, made up of old souls that still appe...more A surprisingly delightful, dark, gritty, and gothic novel about Purgatory and "life after death". I was blown away by this book and it's very original and unique spin on the afterlife. At first I was a bit taken aback by the pretty dark and gruesome premise and Velveteen's, "Velvet", role in The City of the Dead. Velvet is now the head of an elite "Salvaging" team tasked with retrieving lost souls and stopping mortal magic from destroying the City. This team, made up of old souls that still appear as children, is the best and Velvet is becoming a legend due to her own exploits. She is also desperate to keep her secret, that she's the victim of a serial killer and she spends all of her down time trying to thwart him from taking other victims by "haunting" him, a forbidden act. The rescue of Nick, a soul that was trapped by mortal magic, threatens to derail Velvet's stoic and "bitch" reputation and she is desperate to keep her secret. Her growing feelings for Nick and his obvious reciprocation creates a lot of complications, not only for Velvet's secret but also her standing as team leader. Along the way, we find out that there is an underground "terrorist" movement that threatens the balance and existence of the city and endangers the mortal world. As Velvet and her team race to save the City, Velvet is also given an opportunity to face her "murderer" and her own demons.

Words really can't describe how delight I was with this book. While I wouldn't really recommend this book to any one younger than say 13/14, I loved the dark, harsh reality of this world and how Mr. Marks has taken an almost sacrosanct religious belief and turned it on it's nose. This book is definitely thought provoking and gives credence to the idea of "life after death" but gives it a spin that no one really imagined. This is the kind of unique and original story that I adore. While a bit twisted, I can honestly say that I've never read anything like it. This book is definitely going into my favorites of 2012 and I eagerly await the next twisted tale from Mr. Marks.

I received a copy of this book from Mr. Marks after winning a contest on the blog, Literary Escapism. While I really appreciated the gift, I can honestly say that it didn't influence my thoughts or review of this book. I didn't know what I was getting into when I started and man, it was a roller coaster ride!(less)

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Oct 06, 2012 BookHookup rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

**I received an ARC of this book from the publisher but that did not influence the review**

This was originally reviewed on The Book Hookup here

Celeste’s review: As a cover snob this one caught my eye straight away. Then I read the description and was intrigued: Velvet was brutally murdered by a pyschopath and ended up in purgatory after she died. But this is purgatory like you have never imagined: it is a society for all the people stuck in between. She is able to sneak away from the bizarre soc...more **I received an ARC of this book from the publisher but that did not influence the review**

This was originally reviewed on The Book Hookup here

Celeste’s review: As a cover snob this one caught my eye straight away. Then I read the description and was intrigued: Velvet was brutally murdered by a pyschopath and ended up in purgatory after she died. But this is purgatory like you have never imagined: it is a society for all the people stuck in between. She is able to sneak away from the bizarre society and haunt her murderer. While Velvet does achieve in making his life a little more annoying, as well as saving a few other victims, it’s still not enough.

Plot Development: It took about 1/3 of the way through to understand the plot. Once I did figure out what was going on I thought the idea of the revolution and shadowquakes in purgatory were very cool and unique. I also liked that Velvet is part of the cause for shadowquakes even though she won’t admit to haunting. However, the violent descriptions are effed up.

My Likes:

I liked Nick, I liked the attraction between Velvet and Nick ~ their relationship was definitely full of sizzle. I could totally picture him. When he was described as a model for Abercrombie and Fitch I was like, sign me up!
I liked the purgatory society, the fact that there even was a society and that they had rules = very cool. They are just trying to survive until they go to a better place. It gets pretty interesting, because like any society there always seems to be a power struggle to be in charge. Throw in a little corruption and it gets even more interesting. THAT storyline is I loved.

What I had SERIOUS issues with: Way too many descriptions regarding Velvet’s serial killer. The author went into way too much detail and I was extremely uncomfortable and sickened. Basically, to me the author put just a little too much thought into that part of the story and there was no added value. Honestly, I wouldn’t want to be left alone with the author.

Rec it? Based on that I would give the book 1 star. It only goes higher (up to 2 stars) because of the cool purgatory dystopian society. However, I don’t think this book is appropriate YA. If you gloss over the horrid body mutilation parts the story has potential.(less)

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