The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

Synopsis:
Violet Ambrose is starting her junior year in high school and faces problems shared by many teens. She is madly in love with Jay Heaton, her best friend since first grade, but does not know if he feels the same. She is trying to do well at school, but classes do not always hold her interest. Unlike others, however, Violet has the ability—or perhaps the curse—of sensing violent deaths around her. Every demise leaves a hint screaming to be discovered: sometimes a sheen of colors, other times a chorus of bells or even a specific smell. When Violet was eight, she discovered a girl's body in the woods behind her house. This same killer is now striking her community again, kidnapping and murdering teenage girls. He even seems to be getting closer to Violet with every kill. She must deal with her emotions for Jay at the same time as she tries to stop this vicious murderer before it is too late for both.

My Review:
This was such an interesting idea for a story. It was almost like Stephen King meets the show “Medium” but different because this is geared towards young adults and the main character does not have visions or dreams but something called “echos” which is more like sound and light. I do not normally read books like this (ones involving murder) but I have to say I really loved it! This book had such a striking balance between the action in the story and the relationship between Violet and Jay. Derting defiantly understands how teenagers react to each other and nothing felt forced. I also loved the way she described Violet’s surroundings so you felt like you were there but not so much that you get bogged down in the details.

I LOVED Jay as a character and I smiled every time I read the interactions between him and Violet. This one was a page turned and hard to put down which is why I had to finish before I went to bed. . .early this morning. The artist in me also has to comment on the breath-taking cover which offset the scarier side of this story. I am really looking forward to the next book to find out what happens with these characters and see where the story takes them!