Review: Girl of Nightmares

Book Review

Girl of Nightmares by: Kendare Blake

3 Stars

Blurb: It's been months since the ghost of Anna Korlov opened a door to Hell in her basement and disappeared into it, but ghost-hunter Cas Lowood can't move on.

His friends remind him that Anna sacrificed herself so that Cas could live—not walk around half dead. He knows they're right, but in Cas's eyes, no living girl he meets can compare to the dead girl he fell in love with.

Now he's seeing Anna everywhere: sometimes when he's asleep and sometimes in waking nightmares. But something is very wrong...these aren't just daydreams. Anna seems tortured, torn apart in new and ever more gruesome ways every time she appears.

Cas doesn't know what happened to Anna when she disappeared into Hell, but he knows she doesn't deserve whatever is happening to her now. Anna saved Cas more than once, and it's time for him to return the favor.

Girl of Nightmares was not as gripping as it's predecessor. I started this book almost a month ago and though I got more into it as it went on, it wasn't until the last 30-40 pages that I really got sucked in. Then it ended and I wasn't really pleased or sad. 

Girl of Nightmares starts about 6 months after the end of book 1. Most of the book consisted of Cas and Thomas trying to figure out where Anna is and why Cas is 'seeing' her when no one else can. Gideon (Cas's mentor) turned out to be a major disappointment. More of a minor character this time that can't place himself to help anyone. I was disappointed by his lack of feeling and minor understanding to Cas's plight. Even his mother told him to do whatever was necessary to save the girl. 

Even the elusive "Order," was disappointing in that they are so stuck in their old ways and plain ol' old they don't have a firm understanding of the world now. Even Justine seems content with their teachings and never thinks of a different way. Granted, she saves Cas a few times and Thomas, I couldn't like her enough in the brief time she was in the story. 

I never really like Carmel and this book reinforced that hatred and no matter how she tried redeeming herself I couldn't help but feel I was the one she shunted in front of the entire school. I mean in reality who wou'dnt want a couple of supernatural fighting guys on their side, just in case.  

The final battle was bland and the Obeahman wasn't as frightening as before. At least Cas was able to free all the souls, but even that felt unfinished because his father never showed. Maybe there will be a book 3 but at this point, I wouldn't care too much.

Girl of Nightmares was a conflicting mix of intrigue, horror, mayhem and gore that many supernatural/paranormal fans won't get enough. I was left wanting a bit more.