<>

Albert Camus

Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.

Saturday, April 6, 2013

Review and Giveaway Deadly Kisses by Kerri Cuevas Book Tour

“I believe we have a date with death”
For book like this one I will love and I will always read Young Adult genre.
Deadly Kisses entwines in a beautiful and harmonious way the innocence, love, family love, despair, resignation, hope and power to take hard decisions.
Since the beginning I liked Aiden for how he communicates with those he must reap. He’s funny and yet he uses a warm and empathic tone. I was also very curious to know how he looks. You receive apparently contradictory bits of information that will stir your curiosity.
“Brown and reddish ligaments wrapped around bones and a rotted meat smell seeped into my nose.”
Because if he’s too "bony" how it will end the romance you expect? Fortunately, all explanations and solutions given by the author are very pertinent and possible in this context, which makes the reading to be a pleasure even greater.
The love story takes place at the boundary between our World and beyond. The Underworld receives a social structure and, similar to what often happens in "ours", the thirst for power and own desires will spoil the normal You’d be surprised the dirty politics that go on down here.
From here arise all Aiden and Bee’s problems, but also will come the unique and small chance of success, but nobody know if Aiden and Bee will be able to take advantage. Because of what kind of success we can talk about when your kiss brings death or when the refusal to perform the task will mean eternal damnation for you nor would save the loved one or for selling your soul you’ll become a slave of an impressive evil forces?
I couldn’t bring myself to smash remains of other fallen Grim Reapers anymore. What if that was me in there someday?”
Just looking at the facts and the fact is, we’re all going to lose.”
I liked the way the author gives color and life to the underworld characters. The atmosphere is similar to a Nightmare before Christmas and / or Corpse Bride. The reader receives equally the grotesque and humor, both peppered with some terror. The gently humor is smart used and generally comes from the characters’ “clever” lines. Grotesque is kept in a reasonable amount and helps to underscore the tragedy experienced by the main characters and the secondary ones. Because you're wrong if you think that what's important here is just Bee's life. The stakes are changing and growing at every step. The curse that started it all seems to demand ever more victims, and the story takes "apocalyptic" dimensions.
We want what we want. The heart has its own agenda.
The action has rhythm. There is always tension and a note of unpredictability. Every time the plans are turned upside down and the next step or consequences are hidden.
It’s funny how life takes twists and turns and goes to places you never would have dreamed of.
I liked also Aiden’s mentor / boss. The author was inspired when she chose him, because manages to convey all real and literary meanings that this name bear. In addition it proves to be a good way to draw attention to some contemporary issues:
“I get it. The English language has become foreign since I died.”
I would like the author to find a way to continue the story. I will certainly read it. Until then, I recommend you to read Deadly Kisses. It's a story as delicate and sweet as your lover kiss.


Romanian:

“I believe we have a date with death”
Pentru cărți ca aceasta îmi va plăcea şi voi citi mereu genul Young Adult.
Deadly Kisses îmbină superb şi armonios: inocența, iubirea, dragostea pentru familie, deznădejdea, resemnarea, speranța şi puterea de a lua decizii nu tocmai uşoare.
Încă de la bun început mi-a plăcut Aiden pentru felul în care comunică cu cei pe care trebuie să-i secere. Are un ton amuzant şi totuşi cald şi empatic. Am fost şi foarte curioasă să aflu cum arată. Primeşti frânturi de informații aparent contradictorii care-ți zgândăre curiozitatea pur şi simplu.
“Brown and reddish ligaments wrapped around bones and a rotted meat smell seeped into my nose.”
Căci dacă e prea „osos” cum se va încheia povestea de dragoste pe care o aşteptăm? Din fericire, toate explicațiile şi soluțiile date de autoare sunt pertinente şi foarte posibile în contextul dat, ceea ce face ca plăcerea lecturii să fie şi mai mare.
Povestea de dragoste se desfăşoară la limita dintre lumea noastră şi cea de dincolo. Aceasta primeşte o structură socială şi, similar cu ceea se întâmplă adeseori în a „noastră”, setea de putere şi propriile dorințe ajung să vicieze raporturile normale: „You’d be surprised the dirty politics that go on down here.
De aici se nasc toate problemele lui Aiden şi Bee, dar tot de aici va veni şi unica, mica şansă de succes, dar de care nu se ştie dacă Aiden şi Bee vor reuşi să profite. Căci de ce reuşită putem vorbi atunci când sărutul tău aduce moartea sau atunci când refuzul de a-ți îndeplini sarcina ar însemna condamnarea ta eternă şi nici nu ar salva persoana iubită sau atunci când vânzându-ți sufletul devii sclavul unei forțe malefice impresionante?
“I couldn’t bring myself to smash remains of other fallen Grim Reapers anymore. What if that was me in there someday?”
“Just looking at the facts and the fact is, we’re all going to lose.”
Mi-a plăcut şi modul în care autoarea dă culoare vieții şi personajelor de dincolo. Atmosfera este una similară unui Coşmar înainte de Crăciun şi/sau Miresei Moarte, cititorul având parte în aceeaşi măsură de umor şi grotesc presărate cu ceva teroare. Umorul delicat este folosit cu cap şi vine în general din replicile “istețe” ale personajelor. Grotescul este menținut în cote rezonabile şi ajută la sublinierea tragediei prin care trec atât personajele principale, cât şi cele secundare. Pentru că vă înşelați dacă credeți că ceea ce e important aici e doar viața lui Bee. Mizele se schimbă şi cresc de la un moment la altul. Blestemul de la care a pornit totul pare să ceară din ce în ce mai multe victime, iar povestea capătă dimensiuni “apocaliptice”.
We want what we want. The heart has its own agenda.
Acțiunea e susținută, există tensiune şi mereu e păstrată o notă de imprevizibilitate. De fiecare dată planurile sunt date peste cap şi pasul următor sau consecințele se păstrează ascunse.
It’s funny how life takes twists and turns and goes to places you never would have dreamed of.
Vă mai spun doar că mi-a plăcut mult şi mentorul/şeful lui Aiden. Autoarea a fost inspirată când l-a ales pentru că reuşeşte să transmită toate semnificațiile reale şi literare care îi însoțesc numele. In plus se doveşte o cale potrivită pentru a atrage atenția asupra unor lucruri contemporane:
“I get it. The English language has become foreign since I died.”
Mi-aş dori ca autoarea să găsească o cale pentru a continua povestea. Cu siguranță o voi citi. Până atunci, vă recomand să citiți Deadly Kisses. Este o poveste sensibilă şi dulce ca sărutul persoanei iubite.

Abouth the author:
Kerri Cuevas was born and raised in Rhode Island. She moved to New Hampshire with her husband, three kids, cats and a rabbit named Hercules in 2005. When she's not writing, she's chasing chickens on her small farm or searching for the ultimate mac-a-cheese recipe.

Kerri went to college for Early Childhood Education but now writes books for young adults full-time. Her storytelling stems from watching too many horror flicks as a teen, but she no longer needs to sleep with the lights on.



The Blog Tour and the giveaway was organized by Xpresso Book Tous
Find the Tour Schedule  here

9 comments:

Adutza said...

Awesome ♥

meduza said...

Really nice interview :) Thank you for the giveaway :)

Alexandra Ioana said...

imi place fata de pe coperta mult de tooot <3 imi aduce aminte de o carte da numai stiu care....:P

~ I still hope !~ said...

Imi place imaginea de pe coperta :D si interviul este super :)

CCAM said...

Ma zapaciti! Care interviu?!?!?!?!

Unknown said...

I want to win ! FIngers crossed

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the giveaway! The book seems very interesting! :D

VampedChik said...

This sounds like a great book! I will have to add it to my wishlist!
-Amber

Andreea Florentina said...

Thanks for the giveaway!