REVIEW--Girl of Nightmares

Today I'm reviewing Girl of Nightmares, the second book in the Anna series by Kendare Blake.  Don't you love how the cover looks so similar to Anna Dressed in Blood?

 

• Second book in Anna series
• Supernatural/Suspense 

*Possible spoilers ahead if you haven't read Anna Dressed in Blood! 

Summary from Goodreads:
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.

The Gist
Cas just can't move on since Anna Korlov disappeared into Hell.  He admits that he fell in love with a ghost and is now lost without her.  He continues to see her (both when he's awake and when he's asleep) and knows she is being tortured.  Unable to move on, Cas and his friends set off to find a way to save her.

What I Loved

• This book dives deeper into the characters, especially Cas and his feelings for Anna.  This added so much to the book and I really began to appreciate the characters more.
• There is a forest scene in this book that is SO CREEPY!  I can't even imagine seeing that scene on a big screen.  Creepy but so awesome!
• I liked the change in settings in this book.  Cas and his friend Thomas travel overseas to find a way to save Anna and it made the story more dangerous and thrilling.
• I loved the scene with Thomas' Aunt Riika...again, creepy.  Think I use the word "creepy" enough to describe this book?!  

What I Didn't Love

• The part of the plot revolving around the athame (Cas's knife)--which was a big part of the plot--was pretty confusing at times for me.  Felt like I had to think too much about how the athame worked, who it affected, etc.
• This book, like most sequels, seemed slower than the first in the series.  A lot of build-up.
• I also didn't think Girl of Nightmares was as scary as the first book.
• I missed Anna--she wasn't in this book as much as the first and I loved her character.  

My favorite quote--"But the mall is a thing that should not be suffered.  Except maybe for Cinnabon." 

I'll be back tomorrow with an outfit inspired by the book!