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Angel Kiss

by Laura Jane Cassidy (Goodreads Author)

3.84 of 5 stars 3.84 · rating details · 135 ratings · 31 reviews

Jacki King is fifteen and adjusting to her new life in a small village. She's missing Dublin but she's making new friends: artistic Colin, feisty Emily - and Nick, gorgeous yet unavailable. But no sooner is Jacki settled than the torturous headaches and nightmares begin - followed by strange visions, voices and signs...Jacki refuses to believe that something paranormal is...more

Paperback, 304 pages

Published May 1st 2011 by Razorbill (first published April 15th 2011)

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Jul 29, 2011 Jessie Kiely rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own

I Cannot Say How Much I Loved This Book <3 I Was Obessed with It:L I Read It In One Sittin At The Beach In Wexford The Other Day (Im Still tryin to get All The Sand Out Of It :L ) It Was A Really Great Summer Read :) I Found That I Was Very Comfortable Readin It even Though Sayin That sounds Weird I Did It May Of Had Something To Do With The Fact That It Had All My Favourite Things ( Ireland Cause I Live In Dublin , Music Rock All The Way Yerrr :L , Black , Converse , Band T-shirts , Paranorm...more

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Jun 11, 2011 Precious rated it 4 of 5 stars

Originally posted at Fragments of Life.

I loved how the mystery side of the novel was balanced with just the right amount of interaction between Jacki and the people around her. She did not lose contact and awareness of the real world amidst the burden of her duty and the onslaught of the severe headaches, visions and dreams. The haunting was not relentless but it came with a steady flow of clues that I found to be creepy. The gaps in between the arrival of these clues were filled with the colorf...more Originally posted at Fragments of Life.

I loved how the mystery side of the novel was balanced with just the right amount of interaction between Jacki and the people around her. She did not lose contact and awareness of the real world amidst the burden of her duty and the onslaught of the severe headaches, visions and dreams. The haunting was not relentless but it came with a steady flow of clues that I found to be creepy. The gaps in between the arrival of these clues were filled with the colorful history and the present of Avarna. Jacki was starting to make friends. Her first friend, Colin, was her key to getting to know the people of Avarna. He was artistic and was pleased by anything related to anime. He proved himself to be a good and dependable friend. He was my favorite character in the novel. He was naturally charming and kindhearted.

Nick, the undeniably handsome but taken guy, caught Jacki’s eyes. Jacki nurtured a crush on him despite his unavailable state. I like that she didn’t give up that easily behaving herself for the sake of Nick’s relationship with Sarah, the prettiest girl in the village. I wanted more between interaction between Nick and Jacki. I felt that there could have been more. She was starting to adjust, to find a place for herself in Avarna when the strange things that were happening to her reached a higher level. Something was happening to her. But Jacki did not know what. The only thing that she knew was that it was not normal – something that she refused to believe.

As the ghost’s calling became more insistent, Jacki had to face the truth: she needed to pay attention to the ghost and help her. With the help of Colin, she tried to gather information. But in a village so small, where people have kept secrets for years, could she manage to get the information she needed to find out who the killer was? I was filled with a sense of familiarity and comfort with the people of Avarna. Cassidy breathed life into them with glimpses into their history. One of the things that I liked was how I could see the past and present of the characters. The decisions they had made, their present and the what-ifs that filled Jacki’s mind made me feel close to them.

Angel Kiss is a creepy mystery that will draw in readers with its charming characters, chilling haunting and flawless writing. I was hooked with Jacki’s life so much, enjoying how she adjusted to the village and how she interacted with people. Then there would be breaks from that, paranormal touches that would make my hair stand on end. I found the flow of the mystery natural. It was the kind that moved in a steady, unhurried pace that would weave around the story, teasing the readers. I recommend this to paranormal readers and mystery readers.(less)

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May 25, 2011 Daisy Chain Books rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review

In a Young Adult market dominated by vampires, angels and werewolves, Laura Jane Cassidy’s debut novel, Angel Kiss is a breath of fresh air. When I first heard about this one, I marked it as yet another angel novel, but I was wrong. In actual fact there’s not a celestial being in sight. Instead, Cassidy presents to us a perfect blend of mystery, spooky supernatural happenings and romance which all combine for an exciting, unique debut that will keep you reading late into the night.

Read the full...more

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Jan 22, 2012 Marleen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Jacki King is a normal 15 year old girl. She loves her guitar, performing and writing songs. She is really upset with her mother for taking her away from all her friends and activities in Dublin to the small rural village of Avarna.
However, it doesn’t take Jacki long to start making new friends and even fall in love with the gorgeous but unavailable Nick. In fact, she would say her new life is quite promising, if it weren’t for the nightmares and headaches she’s been having ever since the move....more

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Nov 06, 2011 Paradoxical rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reading-list, books-otherwise

The book starts off a bit slow (ignoring the prologue, which is basically a glimpse of the future), with Jacki having just moved to a little village with her mother. She feels a bit out of place, she never wanted to move from Dublin, but she isn't irritating about it and does try to fit in with her new surroundings, which made me give a few ticks to my mental Like column. It also helped that she and her mother are close, and you can feel that in the interactions they have with one another.

Jacki...more The book starts off a bit slow (ignoring the prologue, which is basically a glimpse of the future), with Jacki having just moved to a little village with her mother. She feels a bit out of place, she never wanted to move from Dublin, but she isn't irritating about it and does try to fit in with her new surroundings, which made me give a few ticks to my mental Like column. It also helped that she and her mother are close, and you can feel that in the interactions they have with one another.

Jacki (of course) meets a cute boy (unfortunately taken), meets another cute boy (gay, friendly, her new best friend in this village), and starts having strange dreams and odd headaches she can't make heads or tails of. Turns out she's (somewhat) communicating with the spirit of a murdered girl.

The book was rather decent, though a few things struck me as unrealistic. Or, at the very least, very convenient for Jacki. When she visits a doctor because of the headaches, the doctor doesn't prescribe some pills or whatnot, instead, the doctor refers Jacki to a Healer. This is because the doctor believes there's something supernatural going on. ...Yeah. I wasn't very convinced either. Then there's her crush on Nick, who has a girlfriend, but said girlfriend is somewhat the stereotypical ultra pretty shallow somewhat mean girl. Who's a bad girlfriend to boot. Sigh.

I wanted to know more about Nick other than he's cute. There was nothing there. There's no real development for him, and I'm just left feeling rather cold when Jacki talks about how hot he is or how obsessive she's getting about this crush of hers. I have no idea why she likes him so much, other than for his looks--in fact, I'm convinced that's the only reason as to why she likes him.

The ending is rather abrupt and (to me, anyway) was rather predictable. Everything sort of fell together too easily, and I wanted the mystery to be a bit more.... hm. In depth, I suppose. It's an all right book though. Not terrible, but not great. There's more potential--it could have been a lot better. It's not all bad, though. The writing is easy to read, and the dialogue and description were balanced rather well. Pacing could use some work, especially in the beginning (too slow) and the end (too abrupt). Overall, 2-3 stars, rounding up to 3. (less)

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Jul 15, 2011 Jennifer Bell rated it 2 of 5 stars

(I like to rate books with a percentage and I give this 39%, which is very nearly three stars, but not quite)

For a debut novel written by someone in their early 20s I thought it was pretty good.

The mystery element was pretty good, though I guessed who 'dunnit' much before I should have.

The characterisation of Nick was a little poor, in that I didn't get a sense of who he was at all; just that he's good looking. I tend to root for the characters who don't have all that much going for them looks...more

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Jan 02, 2012 Kerri O'C rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is one of those books that you are annoyed to finish.
It's set in rural ireland i found this refreshing as many of the books relating to Ireland in the least are very.....leprechaun-y of some sort and it had a great story line too very relevant! and it was as though i was looking out my window in some of the scenes describing the area.It was a very easy book to relate to and i could see a lot of the characterstics of my closest friends in the charachters.

The story line was brilliant,but the...more

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May 29, 2011 Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Not at all what I was expecting it to be but amazing nonetheless. I could not put it down in the two days I was reading it and when I couldn't read it because of other plans, it was always on my mind. I even read it instead of studying for an important English exam I had the next day. I liked the characters and how well Jacki thinks like a teenager. I like how I can relate to the character personality-wise so well it's like I'm staring into a mirror. I like the description of the clothes and how...more

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Jun 08, 2012 Hallie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, this-side-of-pond-pub, 48-hour-book-challenge, fantasy

From LJ write-up:

[Goodreads blurb] Jacki King is fifteen and adjusting to her new life in a small village. She's missing Dublin but she's making new friends: artistic Colin, feisty Emily - and Nick, gorgeous yet unavailable. But no sooner is Jacki settled than the torturous headaches and nightmares begin - followed by strange visions, voices and signs...Jacki refuses to believe that something paranormal is happening. But then she discovers the unsolved murder that occurred in the village years b...more From LJ write-up:

[Goodreads blurb] Jacki King is fifteen and adjusting to her new life in a small village. She's missing Dublin but she's making new friends: artistic Colin, feisty Emily - and Nick, gorgeous yet unavailable. But no sooner is Jacki settled than the torturous headaches and nightmares begin - followed by strange visions, voices and signs...Jacki refuses to believe that something paranormal is happening. But then she discovers the unsolved murder that occurred in the village years before...

Actually, I've just spotted something on pasting that in, though it's something that will only mean anything to a small number of readers (especially ones, like me, considerably older than the book's target readers): the tone of the book reminds me quite a bit of the stories in Jackie magazine and its like. It's very girly. Nick is gorgeous, and within one very brief and highly embarrassing meeting, Jacki is pulling petals off a flower and thinking about first love. After a second, where he's with his girlfriend (who's also gorgeous but fake, so it's okay!) , she's writing love songs about him, pretty much, and so it goes.

While this is very off-putting, there's quite a bit of good stuff in here along with the fluff. The author has a nice ear for dialogue, and the village (not a real one) is fun to read about - this isn't the kid of cod-Irish we get so fed up with seeing in books and on film/TV, and it's not played for the cheap laughs either.

The other thing I liked is that Cassidy bucks the usual trend of this type of story, in having the local GP recognise from the one office visit that something supernatural is actually going on, and send Jacki straight off to a local healer. Jacki does drag her heels a bit before giving in and going to see him, but it's rather a nice twist on the 'nobody will believe meeeee' theme. (Though that can be effective too, of course.) The characters' behaviour does occasionally seem more than a bit unlikely, and the murder is pretty obvious. But, despite the weaknesses, it kept me entertained enough, and I'm happy to try the next book, which is set up in the short framing sequences with Jacki being asked to participate in solving the murders of four girls.
(less)

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Apr 01, 2012 Charlotte Phillips rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'm not usually a huge fan of the crime detective novels, but when fantasy meets crime, how could I say no? The book was short and perhaps somewhat simplistic in it's nature, but the underlying plot of it was different, even though it was perhaps a little rushed and a little predictive. The book did seem to have a lot of imagination and creativity within it though that made it come alive within the readers mind, making it more than just words on the page. I liked the way she described the charac...more I'm not usually a huge fan of the crime detective novels, but when fantasy meets crime, how could I say no? The book was short and perhaps somewhat simplistic in it's nature, but the underlying plot of it was different, even though it was perhaps a little rushed and a little predictive. The book did seem to have a lot of imagination and creativity within it though that made it come alive within the readers mind, making it more than just words on the page. I liked the way she described the characters, making them seem and feel like real people, and yet at the same time I felt it could have done with more detail and information, giving you this really clear image of the characters, who they are, what they are like. It is obvious though that the author has wanted to write something different and fresh which is why I very much enjoyed the whole paranormal touch to it with the whole crime touch.

In many ways the book actually reminded me of a program known as the Ghost whisperer, as the concept is fairly similar to both. I admit, I would have likde to have read more, would have loved for the book to really go into depth and detail. I did enjoy the fact it was a quick but enjoyable read, don't get me wrong, but in many places it felt somewhat rushed because it seemed that the author was just wanting to get to the end and as soon as they possibly could. There was room for potential and compared to other novels I have read, it is one of those that I would place on the quick but somewhat interesting reads.

Where it felt rushed, the plot felt weak, your mind is left with many questions that are unanswered. How was it she came about this bag so quickly without anyone noticing or questioning her motions. How did she manage to get it back to the caravan without anyone seeing it. What happened between her and Nick, did something evolve from it, were rumors spread about what had occured? There just seemed to be a lot missing for me, and I just felt that in some respects it was a little bit of a let down, yet good enough to read when bored and needing something.

(less)

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Jun 13, 2011 Kai (Amaterasu Reads) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: teens, for-review, books-i-own, 2011-tbr-pile

Review posted at Amaterasu Reads

Jacki doesn't believe in ghosts. But when she experienced a strange bout of headaches, nightmares plaguing her every sleeping moment, and she started seeing a girl nobody else sees, Jacki knew something was wrong. She and her mother moved to Avarna in hopes of a fresh start, what with her father's death still heavily upon them. While Jacki was struggling to fit in a small town that was drastically different from Dublin, she was also trying to make sense of what w...more Review posted at Amaterasu Reads

Jacki doesn't believe in ghosts. But when she experienced a strange bout of headaches, nightmares plaguing her every sleeping moment, and she started seeing a girl nobody else sees, Jacki knew something was wrong. She and her mother moved to Avarna in hopes of a fresh start, what with her father's death still heavily upon them. While Jacki was struggling to fit in a small town that was drastically different from Dublin, she was also trying to make sense of what was happening to her. Jacki is a fascinating person to read of. She's mature in more ways than you can imagine a fifteen year old can be. One who has experienced heartache and loss at such a young age, has great insight about life, love and relationships. She also writes beautiful music and lyrics, an aspect which I greatly loved in Angel Kiss. She found a great friend in Colin, whom I loved dearly. He was such a great friend to Jacki.

I do have to say though, that again, it seems that romance is a bit lacking. I have to admit I loved Nick's description as an "unattainable boy", but the romance between Nick and Jacki left a lot to be desired. Nick did not have enough exposure in the book for him to build a solid personality, much less a relationship with Jacki. But what the love story lacked, the mystery of the unsolved murder of Beth Cullen made up for. Unpredictable, thrilling and it will keep us on our toes, guessing the identity of the killer and following Jacki's quest to solve Beth's murder. I can feel the hairs on the back of my neck raising in response to a four year old singing a rhyme about a dead person.

Angel Kiss has a nice touch of the supernatural, a brush of real life and a dash of romance merged into one book. I liked how Laura was able to fuse Jacki's struggles and her grief with the fact that someone from the afterlife was trying to reach her. There were moments where the supernatural angle of the book seem to fade away, and it was just Jacki adjusting to a life in a quiet town, which was, in its own, already worth reading for. Every single person in the town of Avarna has played an integral role in the story, and their interactions combined with the dark mystery surrounding the town and its past is what makes Angel Kiss such an interesting read!

A great, steady debut for Laura Jane Cassidy! Angel Kiss is a page-turner that didn't fail to give me goosebumps while I was reading. I'm looking forward to see what else Laura has in store for us!(less)

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May 17, 2011 FreakChiq rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-release

They say you should always start with the bad stuff first. I’ll stick with this and start my modest review with the one thing I didn’t like so much.

I’m a sucker for love stories, and when I read in the synopsis that Jackie’s love interest is a gorgeous yet unavailable guy named Nick, I thought this would be the kind of romance I like the most (especially the “unavailable” part intrigued me). But to my disappointment it didn't turn out as I hoped. Nick’s presence in the story is just too limited...more

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Apr 20, 2013 Doreen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

a paranormal story where a teenage girl is sensitive to the ghosts and it seems like we will be seeing more of jacki in her role as a 'spiritual consultant' to the police to solve cold cases, whereby the witnesses or victims are deceased.
the book is readable as it also has some BG relationship, friendship stories.

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Jun 04, 2011 Livey rated it 5 of 5 stars

It was amazing!!! I love romantic (ish) mysteries!
I read it in two days flat when I was supposed to be revising!
A real page turner. When I was called for meals I would shout I'm just finishing this page, but I kept reading until they came and got me!
I was soo annoyed when I finished it!

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May 16, 2011 R.F. Long rated it 5 of 5 stars

I love a thriller, especially one that keeps me guessing. Well drawn, rounded characters, an intriguing premise, and laugh out loud moments combine to make this a page turner. Loved that I wasn't a hundred per cent sure who did it until the reveal--doesn't happen that often. Highly recommend.

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Feb 01, 2012 Ilonita50 rated it 4 of 5 stars

At the begining i was sceptical as this is writers 1st book, and the plot was set in ireland..somehow i didnt expect to like this book. But im impressed of very intersting story and i couldnt put it down, until i finished it. Great created detective for teens and not only, and it gave a sad feeling that book is over>so im loking forward for the next book!

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Oct 31, 2012 Mel (who is deeply in love with Hal) rated it 4 of 5 stars

First book of 2012.
Damn you, exams! *shakes fist*

Having said that, I am so glad it was THIS book which led me into the literary year. I now have renewed faith in YA Literature. A touch of romance, a touch of the supernatural, and a touch of mystery.

This book was super. All my favourite genres combined into one lovely slice of fiction. The writing style was easy-going, and I zipped through the book with a sense of anticipation. I hope to see more of this author in the future.

P.S.
Was I the only on...more

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Jul 29, 2011 Emily rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

Couldn't put it down! Some of the prose tends to be a little purple, especially with regards to Nick, but I sat down in the afternoon and starting reading, and the next thing i knew, it was bedtime. I think that LJ's characters and her plot were so excellent that it made up for some of the more awkward turns of phrase, and the expertise that she needs in that area will come with time and practice. The author should be insanely proud of herself, she got me reading supernatural crime fiction, a ge...more

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Aug 06, 2011 Sarah Holland rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

read this in one sitting couldnt put it down and now i have 4 hours to get some sleep before i have to get up for work.. worth it tho cant wait for 18 kisses any ideas on the release date?

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Dec 15, 2012 Chloe rated it 4 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved this book! Such a good story line and I would definitely read a book like this again.

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Jan 02, 2013 Dulce Salazar rated it 5 of 5 stars

Perfect way to start the year, i couldn't leave the book alone until i finish it!

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Jun 06, 2012 Lucy Tregidon rated it 4 of 5 stars

I loved this book but parts of it kinda scared me a little. I really liked the way it ended though and overall I really liked it. :)

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Sep 01, 2011 Michelle Moloney King rated it 5 of 5 stars

A fab YA book with a dark side. Looking forward to the next - 18 Kisses

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Mar 21, 2012 Alicia Lee ❀ rated it 5 of 5 stars

What a thrillin book i couldnt even but it down such amazing book :)

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Jul 05, 2011 Can't-Decide-On-A-Name;) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: dark-romance

A nice, well-set environment story with a chilling murder......

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Sep 01, 2012 Emily Ward rated it 5 of 5 stars

It was a brilliant first book.

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Feb 16, 2012 Nikki Heath rated it 4 of 5 stars

Great paranormal mystery.

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Jun 01, 2011 Lisad rated it 5 of 5 stars

I read this book in a day and I really enjoyed it. Laura's writing is very conversational and really hooks you into the story. The characters are very believable and I loved spending time with Jacki and her new friends. The only problem I had was that the ending came too quickly I could have happily stayed in Avarna for much longer. Laura Jane Cassidy is a name to watch out for in Teen fiction and this debut is a triumph. I can't wait to read the next installment.

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Sep 12, 2011 Kimonoh rated it 4 of 5 stars

I the beginning it was really slow, and it took a while to get to know all the necessary characters, but once you did the story unfolded so well. The ending was a bit short though, it all happened so fast and then it was over, and I wasn't quite fond of the really super young age, although that doesn't affect the quality of the book itself.

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May 12, 2012 Eggy marked it as to-read

I read the the first part of the book in amazon and i simply loved it :)))) Though I cannot find it anywhere? Any recommendations??

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About Laura Jane Cassidy

Laura Jane Cassidy was born in 1986 in Co. Kildare in Ireland and has taken time out from her studies at Trinity College Dublin to write full-time. She dislikes when people use the Internet to cheat at table quizzes, but likes when they use it to visit her popular blog - http://laurajanecassidy.com where she talks about book-related matters as well as playlists, fashion and lots of other stuff.

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“...you put everything into your first love, because you really believe it's going to last forever. That is its triumph and its tragedy, the reason you will never forget it, and the reason it is so difficult to let go.” — 6 people liked it

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