Anna Dressed in Blood (Anna, #1) in Nothing But Reading Challenges

Sep 22, 2018 Susan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I wasn't sure if this was a 3.5 star book or a 4 star book but I decided it would be 4 stars from me. I don't read horror so for this being something way out of my comfort zone I totally loved it. I thought There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins was way scarier but I still really enjoyed the ghost story aspect of this book. I really didn't think I would like it at all. That is why I gave it 4 stars as well because I ended up really enjoying myself with this book.

Anna is a ghost i ...more

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Nov 19, 2011 Kristen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Want to spend some time with a creepy scary ghost story? Then check out Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake. It’s not the creepiest or the scariest but it’s another for the faint of heart either.

We are introduced to Cas while he is out one night killing a ghost. How does one kill something that is already dead? Well, he has an athame that was his father’s, before his father was killed, and Cas believes it is a special knife. He also believes that setting the ghosts free so they can not harm o Want to spend some time with a creepy scary ghost story? Then check out Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake. It’s not the creepiest or the scariest but it’s another for the faint of heart either.

We are introduced to Cas while he is out one night killing a ghost. How does one kill something that is already dead? Well, he has an athame that was his father’s, before his father was killed, and Cas believes it is a special knife. He also believes that setting the ghosts free so they can not harm others is his calling. He is meant to do it. Because of this, he doesn’t stay in any one place long. His mother moves them where ever they need to be. And where they need to be is looking into the ghost story of Anna.

Anna is a ghost who was killed in 1958 and now like all the ghosts that Cas releases is killing. She kills and leaves no trace of her victims.

What ensues is Cas’ introduction into the social minefield known as high school. He sets out to find the queen bee because he knows that the popular kids will know all the ghost stories. And while he knows a little about Anna, he needs to know more including where he ghost is likely to be. And as expected, by identifying the queen bee, he pisses off the queen bee’s court which includes an ex-boyfriend jealous jock and his goon friends. Fast forward to them tricking Cas and taking him exactly where he wants to go – Anna’s house. But things go terribly wrong. And for Cas Ina. Creepy sort of way they go right because he meets Anna. And over time he finds that he wants to save her as much as destroy her. We get some quick glimpses into voodoo and other magics. We get introduced to and (thankfully) well acquainted with both the mystery and the answers to what happened to Cas’ father too.

This book had a great balance of creepiness, scariness, gore, evil, ghosts, good guys, magic and fear. It had just a hint of a teenage love story too. Normally I would say that I want to see more of the relationship develop. But here, since we are talking about a really bloody murdering ghost and teenage boy, it was ok to see only a little. And it was the perfect amount of the right stuff to see. The author made Anna scary angry and vulnerable and sympathetic at the same time. It was easy to route for an ending where she doesn’t end up the big bad evil. And it was easy to route for her and Cas even while knowing that they really couldn’t be together. It was also really nice to see the author not find some wacky convoluted was to resurrect Anna.

My biggest disappointment was actually when I realized that there will be a sequel based on Anna. I think that Cas and his ghost hunting abilities/story have potential. But bringing Anna back, when things were so nicely tied up, will likely be a little bit of a stretch. I hope I am wrong and the author has found a way to do the second installment without making the whole thing crazy, because I don’twant to see my opinion of Anna spoiled. But this means that I need to get on putting some pages together dedicated to this series…

This book is a great read for those who enjoy the creepy goose bump inducing story with just enough realizing in it to scare the daylights out of you! ...more

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May 11, 2012 Rachel Willis rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: books-read-in-2012

Scared witless is the only way I can describe how I felt while reading this book. I had this horrible feeling of dread creeping up on me that was so real I felt the need to classify it in my actual life, only to realize it had nothing to do with me and completely related to the story. Scared beyond the ability to gather my wits. I love this book and would definitely recommend it to anyone in full control of their faculties, able to manage not peeing on themselves when they hear something go bump ...more

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Mar 27, 2019 Roseann rated it liked it · review of another edition

Boy meets girl, boy likes girl, only problem is, girl is dead.

Cas has always enjoyed using the gift he has for hunting ghosts. He finds them and he gets them gone. He’s never thought he could possibly fall for one. Will Cas be able to get rid of the ghost know as “Anna Dressed in Blood” or will he be able to keep her around?

An interesting switch on the ghost hunting teen story with interesting characters and some decent action make this a novel to take a look at. Fans of paranormal and contemp ...more

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Sep 04, 2011 Nairabell rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2011, 5-star, teen-ya-paranormal, favorites, read-in-2012

Cas Lowood has an unusual life. He lives with his kitchen witch mother and their spirit sniffing cat and spends all his free time hunting ghosts in hopes of avenging his father's death. Cas is following in his father's footsteps killing the vengeful dead before they can claim more victims. When Cas gets a tip about a particularly viscious ghost he goes off to discover more about Anna Dressed in Blood as she is known, and soon finds there is a lot he doesn't know.

I'd seen this book mentioned all Cas Lowood has an unusual life. He lives with his kitchen witch mother and their spirit sniffing cat and spends all his free time hunting ghosts in hopes of avenging his father's death. Cas is following in his father's footsteps killing the vengeful dead before they can claim more victims. When Cas gets a tip about a particularly viscious ghost he goes off to discover more about Anna Dressed in Blood as she is known, and soon finds there is a lot he doesn't know.

I'd seen this book mentioned all over the web with loads of rave reviews. I loved all the teasers people had posted on their blogs so I decided to read this over Halloween. I'm really glad I did as it is an amazing read, managing to blend creepy with gross and sweet in a storyline packed with so many twists and turns it makes your head spin.

The plot is amazing. I was expecting the tagline to cover the plot "Just your average boy-meets-girl, girl-kills-people story..." but there is so much more to it than that. Cas and Anna's stories rapidly become more complex than I was expecting and all the other characters introduce so much depth to the story I could barely stop myself reading. There are also a lot of pop-culture references which are brilliant and made the book have a self-aware feel.

I don't read many books with male protagonists so I was surprised to like Cas as much as I did, though with a name like Theseus Cassio I was always going to like him. The characters on the whole are really well written, from the hero Cas to his kitchen witch mother (who isn't stereotypical or mocked) and the reluctant sidekick Thomas. Anna is incredibly well developed managing to find a balance between menacing and vulnerable, and despite her bad girl role I loved her.

The ending is well written and cleverly done, managing to conclude the story with some big twists I didn't predict. It does lead into the next book which is good in some ways, but leaves a few unanswered questions which will bug me until I get the chance to read it.

All in all, this was an incredible read and I can't wait for the sequel - Girl of Nightmares.

Plot: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Ending: 9/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Cover: 10/10

Overall: 49/50 ...more

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Jan 22, 2012 Morgan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal, fiction, young-adult, ghosts

This book kept the same Supernatural, jr. feel in some ways, but that's not a bad thing at all. I still finished the book in less than a day.

Would have bumped it up a little more if it weren't for a couple things that were a bit...neatly wrapped? Like given from the beginning basically.

The second book is next in line so we will see if I keep the same "would recommend if the synopsis sounds good to you" feelings. ...more

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