Death and the Girl Next Door (Darklight)

My Thoughts: Geez, I thought I would love this one, seriously. Usually I like these kind of novels even though it seems like there are a lot of them. Girl stuck between two boys where the boys are on different sides.

Well, we are introduced to Lorelei who lost her parents a while ago. They went missing and nobody knows why/where. Lorelei lives with her grandparents now.

A new boy comes to town and takes an interest in her. His name is Jared. But this also draws the attention of Cameron whose known her since she was just a kid.

Jared starts stalking Lorelei and Cameron is always right there.

I expected a love triangle, I really did. It even seemed like at first there would be one. But I never really felt like either boy really wanted her. It was more about the boys hatred toward one another. It was them bickering back and forth a lot.

Lorelei was just kind of stuck in the middle, with one trying to kill her while the other tried to stop it.

I don't know, this just wasn't the novel for me. It was ok, but I just didn't feel the connection to it. I'll probably continue the series to see where it ends, but it was just ok in my opinion. I never connected to it on a deeper level. I also have not read this author's adult series either so maybe I shall try those as well.

I'm not going to love every story I read and I'm ok with that.
Overall: It was just ok for me. I've read some good reviews, and some ok reviews for it, so it must not just be me. I wanted more of a love triangle when I started I guess and I never really got that.

Cover: I do like the cover! I would pick it up for the cover alone!

What I'd Give It: 3/5 Cupcakes
________
Taken From Princess Bookie

Death and the girl next door is about Lorelei's who meets the new hot boy at school, Jared Kovach and instantly feel attracted to him. But there is Cameron, the loner, who is stalking her and seems to hate Jared, warning him to stay away from Lorelei. Soon Lorelei and her friends make shocking discoveries about both boys and their destiny that will change their lives forever. 

I started this book thinking that there was a love-triangle. There wasn't, far from it actually. Jared, mysterious,sexy and kind of bad, was the only love interest for the heroine. He was a gentleman and every now and then I found myself blushing and grinning about something he did, easy to say he was swoon-worthy. 

Death and the Girl Next Door is a funny and mysterious book with witty characters. I loved how everything was intertwined, even though it took some time before questions were answered but once it did I had a very hard time putting it down. 

The whole death and angels concept is very unique and thrilling. Everything about this book is pretty believable, I had no problem relating to the book and the characters even though they weren't 'new'. My favorite characters were Glitch and Brooklyn with their constant bickering. There was never a dull moment with them around and I was always laughing about something they did or said, like really-laughing-with-tears-streaming-down my-face, laughing.

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: A love triangle with a nephilim and an archangel. And I thought my high school drama was bad.

Opening Sentence: The small town of Riley's Switch, New Mexico, had only one coffee house, and I sat at a booth in it with my two best friends.

The Review:

Best-selling author, Darynda Jones, takes on young hearts and paranormal mayhem with her debut Young Adult novel, Death and the Girl Next Door. Small town girl, Lorelei, is about to get a crash course in all things angelic when she is saved from a fatal collision with a bus by the sexy new transfer student, Jared Kovach. If that wasn't enough to set her heart racing, maybe the crazy supernatural fight she witnesses right afterward will. Things start speeding up in Riley's Switch that includes some dark secrets, a destiny, and the Angel of Death.

Lorelei McAlister has always had visions. It's not something she feels makes her special in anyway. At least that's what she believed before she met Jared Kovach and her life was forever changed. He saved her when she should have died, keeping her soul on this Earthly plane for reasons of his own. Now with the help of her friends, Lorelei will find out the unintentional consequences of changing this one event in history. Her character is smart and sassy while underplayed physically, making her very likable indeed. The love of her grandparents and support of her friends allows her to be more self-confident than other teenage girls that might be thrown into situations beyond the ordinary. Rather than brood and whine about her lot in life, she seizes and enjoys each moment. Without the support of all of the secondary characters, Lorelei would come off as less than genuine.

There is a forbidden quality to the love interest in this book. Lorelei and Jared most assuredly have chemistry but do they have what it takes to make it last? Jared is not in the least bit human and has confessed to breaking "the rules" for her at least once. Their relationship definitely has a "star-crossed" feel to it but I hope that there is a happier ending for them than Romeo and Juliet had. While they do not have other characters making themselves known as contenders of affection, they most certainly have others that are against their relationship. Cameron certainly offers a negative, both verbally and physically, aspect toward anything to do with Jared.

Cameron Lusk is a fantastic character that enriches the entire story. Lorelei has supporters, like her friends and family, that trust her judgment. This is not the case with Cameron. He has known her most of his life but also has extensive knowledge of the supernatural aspects that she is just becoming privy to. His character offers a brooding and pessimistic view of events as they unfold. His pain and anger provide a more well-rounded emotional response to the story as a whole. All the characters in this book represent multiple facets of human nature that give the reader a fuller overall appreciation of circumstances.

The story itself is fast-paced and the revelations never stop coming. I ended up reading it twice just so that I had time to absorb all the information. Death and the Girl Next Door offers a ride which leaves you breathless and longing for more. I can recommend this to established fans and new comers alike. If you enjoy Kenyon's Chronicles of Nick, you're going to love this series as well!

FTC Advisory: St. Martin's Press graciously provided me with a copy of Death and the Girl Next Door. No goody bags, sponsorships, "material connections," or bribes were exchanged for my review. The only payment received came in the form of hugs and kisses from my little boys.

Death and the Girl Next Door is the first book in Darynda Jones's new YA series, Darklight.

Right from the start, we meet our heroine, Lorelei McAllister, and she turns out to be an awesome heroine. Lorelei is 16 years old, and lives with her grandparents. She spends all her time with her two best friends, Brooke (short for Brooklyn), and Glitch (don't ask for his real name lol). It is their friendship that makes this such a fun story, as they were fun, and enjoyable to watch them together, not to mention a loyal friendship. Darynda Jones does such a fabulous job creating all these characters in this book.

Lorelei is different, and her two friends know this, as she has visions. Her parents disappeared years ago, and Lorelei does not remember anything of that fateful day. Her grandparents and her friends are always supportive and try not to let her be alone. Of course the friendship between the three of them is hilarious, with a lot of Jones' normal humorous comments, that she has become known for in her Charley Davidson series.

In the beginning, Lorelei notices that she is being stalked by someone from her school, that she has known since childhood, but now distant. We meet Cameron, a tall good looking hunk, who seems to only glower at everyone. Why is Cameron stalking Lorelei?

Enter Jared, the new boy in school, who mesmerizes Lorelei immediately. Jared looks like a god, with almost every girl in school unable to not stare at him. But he only looks at Lorelei. The one thing you see right away is that Cameron, the stalker, and Jared the new kid on the block, seem to hate each other. They are always fighting, and glowering at each other.

I did find myself a bit confused very early on, with things going back and forth. But once things settled down, and you got to know the characters, and especially more about Jared and Cameron, and why they hate each other, then the story flowed. But it took a few things to happen, and some dangerous to Lorelei, to find out what was happening, and why. So not to spoil things for you, Jared is not human, and does have an ulterior motive for visiting Lorelei. Cameron, who is human, but has certain abilities, knows everything about Jared, hence his defensiveness toward Lorelei. She then understands that Cameron was not stalking her, but instead he was following Jared, who was following her. lol

There is no love triangle in DATGND, as Lorelei and Jared are the couple in this story. Despite what she learns about him, having saved her early on, Lorelei does trust her feelings for Jared. She is confused, and trying to understand why he is here for her, and frankly at this point, so are we. We learn the truth about Lorelei's visions, and what they mean, but we come to really like Jared. I wasn't totally crazy about Cameron, as he was always fighting, glowering, and nasty, but Brooke seemed to be the one to have some control over Cameron.

The last half of the book was very exciting, tense, with multiple twists, questions and surprising answers. Lorelei learns about herself, her abilities, as well as everything about Jared. At times, she finds herself scared, but she knows he would never hurt her, and they do become a great couple that you find yourself rooting for. She is also a wonderful heroine, as she is tough, compassionate, loyal, and has a nice kick to keep both boys behaving. lol

The truth is revealed in an awesome plot, which is surprising, and more wide ranging then thought, with so many people involved. This totally was different, and now there will be so many questions that will still need to be answered. Darynda Jones has created a wonderful story, with a super heroine, and some great secondary characters. This was an excellent story, with an unlikely romance that despite its odds, have you rooting for them. Lastly, I love Darynda Jones' writing, as she has a way of creating a storyline that puts you into tense action scenes, and out of blue, you find yourself cracking up with her humorous witty comments. An amazing talent! I for one, will be staying with this series, and can't wait for the next book, Death, Doom & Detention.

Death and the Girl Next Door was not my cup of tea. For the life of me, I just couldn't finish the last 60 pages of this book. I found myself skimming a lot, barely paying attention to the story.

Majority of time while reading this book, I was stuck in a perpetual state of frustration. I was frustrated with the plot which seemed to grow ever large and confusing. I like books that keep you on your toes and don't give the big secret(s) away right away. On the flip side, there's those books that drag you along for far too long. I stayed with Death and the Girl Next Door for two reasons. One because it was an ARC I personally requested and two because the story was intriguing enough to keep me interested. However, a good chunk of the time I was innerly begging for a bone to be thrown. A bunch of stuff happened and we received a lot of information throughout the book, but 2 and 2 just never added up for me. It constantly felt like information overload. I couldn't decipher what was important and what was trivial. Although I like to be surprised I also like having a small handle on the situation. I had no idea where Death and the Girl Next Door was headed because I didn't even know what was happening while it was happened. We received a lot of information but not the crucial details that backed them up. I felt like what this book lacked was a strong background for each of the characters along with the paranormal aspects that affect the story.

I was frustrated with the characters who I couldn't really identify with or get a good grip on. Just about every character fell flat for me. There was just no meat to any of them, no back story Sure, each had their own funny or epic lines here and there, but when they weren't talking it was easy to forget they even existed. Lorelai's grandparents are often referred to as the cream of the crop when it comes to grandparents, but their presence were barely acknowledged. Lor, along with her friends, spend a lot of time breaking rules such as staying out past curfew and going out while grounded. But we never saw nor heard of the repercussions. The danger of grounding or other teenage punishment conventions didn't seem real enough. The rest of the characters didn't really do it for me either. Lor was very passionate about her friends and family. But she was also very whiny and lacked self-esteem. Many times over she'd remark on how she wasn't pretty enough for Jared because he was out of her league. She'd also constantly question why he showed any interest in her at all. At one point I thought enough is enough girl!! I found her "I'm not good enough" spiel a tad dramatic and very overdone. Jared was smoldering, sure, but that's about it. Cameron... sigh... what can I say about him? He's super sassy and downright assey. He had a tude throughout the whole book, one that I wish would have taken a break a break at some point. I understood where Cameron's negativity sprouted from but his constant need to pick fights and name-call got tiresome.

The synopsis of this book tries to trick us into thinking there might be a love triangle. But for all those despisers out there, I'm here to tell you that there is most definitely not a love triangle, at least not in the way you might think. At times if felt like there was a particular girl who had two guys vying for her attention but for once it's not the heroine. Whoopee!!!

And finally, I was frustrated with the writing style which at times felt choppy and had me re-reading sections in order to figure out what was going on. There's some parts that just still don't make sense to me. A lot of the time I felt like I had missed something or wasn't able to properly put that previously mentioned 2 and 2 together.Perhaps it was merely because I had the ARC and the not the finished copy. *shrugs*

Overall I really didn't enjoy this book that much, at least not as much as I had hoped to. I give it 2 stakes because the core of the story was pretty original but the execution was just too jumbled for my tastes. This is an "angel" book but there are so many other supernatural things going on/happening so it's easy to forget that angels are at play.

I fell in love with the angel of death, guys. In Death and the Girl Next Door a novel by author Darynda Jones (First Grave on the Right) we find ourselves experiencing main character Lorelei's encounters with Mr. Tall, Dark and dangerous: Jared Kovach who has a dark secret that will change Lorelei's world forever.

The title of Death and the Girl Next Door instantly caught my attention, it made me immediately assume that the novel would be unique and action-packed. Not only was it, but I got a lot more than I assumed I would from the novel. While I came expecting a story about (basically) death coming for the main character, I ended up learning that novel is a lot more than what the title provides. Death and the Girl Next Door is a story with romance, action and the supernatural. Can I get an awesome-sauce?

The novel begins with an introduction to our main character, Lorelei, as well as her friends. I got a quick feel for the novel as being playful and dangerous. Right off the hop, I enjoyed Lorelei's friends since they managed to remind me a lot of my own friends and being a teenager myself, I loved how Jones made the dialogue pretty realistic since we don't talk wealthy, intelligent, aristocrats 24/7. You know what I mean, when YA authors have teen characters who sound really mature, when in reality (and depending on the age group) teens don't sound anything like the way the author portrays them.

So I give Darynda Jones a pat on the back for realism.

As the novel progressed, I found myself falling for Jared Kovach a.k.a. the Angel of Death, Azrael. Since I'm a DC comics nerd, I immediately imagined him as Azrael from the Order of St. Dumas. Ignore my nerdy moment, but the way Jared speaks in the novel and is described as this badass, avenging, condemning angel had me imagining the character and placing him as Jared.

The novel centers mostly on the reasons why Jared has come to Earth as well as what it has to do with Lorelei and her parent's disappearance. I personally felt that the novel moved way too quickly and that you would go from one fast paced situation to another with no place for breaks, which as you can imagine, left me a bit confused. But put that aside, I think it's really the characters in the novel that make it so genuine and great.

Death and the Girl Next Door is Hush, Hush with the angel of death and a main character who has experienced her fair share of the supernatural world. I'd recommend the novel to readers who want to read a novel with a romance between a sexy-pants dangerous angel and a mortal girl. Fans of novels like Becca Fitzpatrick's Hush, Hush will fall hard for Death and the Girl Next Door and if you love supernatural romance's I would point you in the direction of Death and the Girl Next Door.

I saw the captivating cover on Goodreads. I know I have to read this book quick. Not only is the cover pretty but the summary left me salivating. Death and the Girl Next Door is witty, impressive, and downright sexy.
Let me give you glimpse of the story with no spoilers. Lorelei thinks she's living a normal life. Until two hot guys started getting her attention. One who is dark and broody. The other is light and protective. Did I mention that they're both hot? Things started to get puzzling for Lorelei when Cameron started stalking her. Who is that new mysterious guy? What do the two boys want from her? Who is she really? You have to read this book to find out.

The world building is good and believable. I like the school setting. It made it more realistic. I also find the plot thrilling, it truly grabbed my attention. While reading this book, I have several "laughing moments" Yes, the dialogues are witty and funny. Though there were some slow moments in the first part of the book; some scenes were quite detached from the story. But it was worth sticking till the end. The secrets and twists made this book engaging. After finding out what Lorelei is...................(No Spoilers) I swear! I didn't see it coming. I love those kinds of book, where I get electrified or shocked! This book is infused with it. I truly enjoyed "Death and the Girl Next Door".

The character building is awesome. They are likable and connectable. Lorelei is the main character here. She's the girl to envy. Two drool worthy guys are constantly battering each other for her to be safe. What makes Lorelei so special? Again you gave to read this book to find out. Cameron is not your typical jock guy. Don't let the looks fool you. His character is downright mysterious. He's the type of guy who doesn't like attention yet his looks say a different thing. He is so hot! His mysteriousness glued me to him. As for Jared, he's the tough guy. Yep, girls who like bad guys will definitely drool over him. The characters are so colorful and vibrant. You would really wish that they were real people instead of just from a book. I also like how the author took her time describing the them. I didn't have a hard time imagining what they look like.

As for the love angle, it was okay. I think it was a bit rushed. I wish there's more pull to Jared and Lorelei's blossoming relationship. Like a Jared's POV on why he was drawn to Lorelei. This will let the readers feel that it was not "I love you already". Though, the scenes between Jared and Lorelei turned my heart into marshmallows. It was sweet and sexy. Is there a love triangle? Well, you have to buy this book first.

Overall, this book is a wonderful read. I enjoyed the dialogues and shocking moments. The story is not predictable which gave this book an edge. I can't wait for book two!! I need to know what happens next.

I give this book 4 whales.

I recently got into reading Darynda's Charley Davidson series and had to read this one as I loved her writing style. I am happy to see that style translated over to this book. It was a really cute read that I loved. Lorelei is not your typical teen but we soon learn she is way more than that. I loved her character and how the author made her so independent and so snarky. She is really cool and witty. I loved that she was just a little bit different too but if she only knew just how different she really was.

We start this book with Lor being a typical teenager enjoying her life until things take a drastic change for her in the form of Cameron and Jared. These boys are both so different in some many ways and we really learn just how different as the book goes on. I loved everything about both of them even if they were both a little too eager to always fight and be a little crazy. It made for an entertaining read though especially when they would argue with each other. I loved that Lor could make them listen to her though and tone down their issues around her. She had a calming effect on both of them.

Lor learns pretty quickly some really interesting facts about herself and the boys and whoa was it a doozy. I have to say I didn't see that coming. I loved the world that the author created too of the small town life and the high school drama that Lor dealt with too. It was a great look into that world. The author did a good job of creating such complex characters that had some serious issues to deal with. I loved that they all tried to stay as normal as possible though throughout it all.

Overall this was a great read and I loved everything about it. The world building and character development was well thought out. I loved the pace of the book and how it all flowed so well. It made for a really enjoyable read. I loved this book and can't wait for the next installment.I think you should check this one out for a great read.

I received this book for free for review from the publisher and that in no way infulenced my review.

This book was mind-boggling. In a good way. The back of the book doesn't really give much away so when I started reading it I started making guesses, and then those guesses were proven wrong so I made some more, and then those were proven wrong. So I guess its good that this was definitely not predictable, even with the characters. I was torn between Cameron and Jared, and, in fact, I didn't even really like Jared until around half way through the novel...then I loved him. And I didn't not see half the stuff coming in this book...like what they really were, why she was so special, AND I still want to know what happened between Cameron and Glitch in the second grade! Overall this book started off a bit slow. There was a pretty major fight scene, but it was killing me that nothing was getting explained until about page 100 in this novel. So you are left anticipating it and wanting to pull your hair out. But the world that Darynda Jones has created is a very intriguing, hilarious, and eventful one, just like her Charley Davidson series. You gotta love an author who can bring subtly humour to her novels as well as some great one liners and still making you feel the passion between characters and the loyalty of friends.
Good:
Lorelei--funny, loyal, determined. Big things come in small packages.
Brooklyn--hilarious. I love how she can stand up to anyone for her friends and for what's right even when she is five nothing and they are six-five. Love it
Glitch--also quite hilarious, although I worry about him
Jared--smokin' hot. And very protective of Lorelei.
Cameron--also quite funny, and I love when he tries to intimidate Brook with his mere presence.
Bad:
A little slow at first and maybe it was just be but I felt like the book was going one way, the completely changed directions, and then it did it again leaving me with some paperback whiplash.
Overall (Writing style, story line, and general):
Overall the story is definitely an interesting one, the plot was filled with action and humor, the characters were each special in their own way and I never really had to re-read anything to make sure I was understanding it all correctly. Darynda Jones brings your into a new fun and action filled world that will keep you guessing and coming back for more.

Originally posted here: [...]
Darynda Jones became famous for her adult series started with First grave on the right and Death and the girl next door is her first book for young adult. My first reaction was absolutely enthusiastic, because I thought that the book had all the ingredients for a compelling and funny reading, but later on I had to change my mind a bit. Overall, I liked it and I will surely keep on reading this series, even if, for me, it has some flaws.

The plot caught my attention: Lorelai, whose parents disappeared under weird circumstances, has always had visions. Things began to change when a new mysterious guy, Jared, comes into her school and Cameron starts following her around. Then Lorelai is hit by a truck and is about to die, when Jared brings her back to life. But Jared and Cameron do not get along that well and things start to get really complicated when Lor finds out something about herself and her past.

So, in this book there are angels and demons. An angel of Death, to be very precise, and an angel who became human. Oh, and a Nephilim, too. I know, there are just so many books with angels in them, but I can't help it, I like them a lot. Too bad that there were some cliché which prevent me from really loving the story; also, the ending was a little bit too fast and I am not sure I liked the twist.

What about the characters? Lorelai is our usual girl; she underestimates herself but has exceptional powers. She considers herself 'average' but she made bad and sexy Jared fall in love with her at first sight (oh, no!). Jared defies divine laws just to save her; Jared, a human angel, can kill easily and has a supernatural beauty (clearly). That's what I was referring to when I mentioned cliché. Even the other characters, like the blond nemesis of Jared, Cameron, and Lorelai's gang of friends, fit perfectly in this scenario.

That said, I have to admit I did enjoy the book. The writing is lovely and there are some pretty funny lines; Lor and her friends have a way of talking that crack me up. And I am very curious to see what will happen next to Lor and to discover who the mysterious woman in her dream was. So I really hope the next book will be better, now that we got to know the characters.

If you like angels and quick stories, then you may like this one.

My favourite quote:

"I know," he said in almost bored contemplation. "My manners suck. I like to chalk it up to a dissatisfying childhood."
"I'd chalk it up to that narcissistic personality disorder laces with a smidgen of schizophrenia. Your mother would be proud."

Oh where to start...

I think I will start with Lorelei our main character. She is still dealing with the disappearance of her parents ten years ago and lives with her amazing and supportive grandparents. I really enjoyed her personality because she is feisty, and I find her spunkiness refreshing. Lorelei has two amazing friends, Brooklyn and Casey. They are so great together and the banter back and forth between them will have you laughing your pants off sometimes. They are what best friends should be and are there for her when Lorelei's life is turned upside down by two guys, who seem to be in some sort of supernatural war that Lorelei is right in the middle of.

Insert the two guys...

Cameron is the rugged, hot guy that keeps to himself and has grown up with Lorelei, but has never really paid attention to her. So when he start to follow her around, she just thinks he's stalking her. And then there's Jared, who is new to town and drop dead gorgeous and mysterious. Both of these guys have secrets that are unbelievable and fascinating at the same time. So when Lorelei accidentally touches Jared, she has a vision about him. She is instantly intrigued by him. Cameron and Jared absolutely despise each other and fight all the time. Somehow she manages to make these boys behave, but not all the time. There is romance of course and there is a love triangle, but not who you would suspect. Lorelei and Jared have steaminess pouring off them. You are certainly in for for a treat.

As the story progresses we learn why Cameron and Jared hate each other so much and the war that is looming around them. And things really get going after Lorelei finds out who she is and learns her role in all of this. All the dreams and visions she has had most of her life all start to make sense. Secrets are revealed and some of which you really don't see coming either. It keeps you on your toes.

This is both an alluring and captivating take on light and dark angels with twists that leave you wanting more when you reach the last page. The plot is well developed and the characters are relatable, and likable each in their own ways. You can't help but root for them. I look forward to see where Jones takes us next with Lorelei, Jared and Cameron. If you are a fan of hot angels, paranormal, urban fantasies with steamy romance, this is a must read for sure. You won't be disappointed

Death and the Girl Next Door had a promising synopsis and I had high hopes for this novel, however I was mildly disappointed. From the first page I felt this novel was lacking in maturity, whether in characters or plot. The characters were a bit childish and two dimentional while the plot felt a bit slow and then very rushed and confusing in the middle and the end.
Characters: I personally could not connect or even much care for any of the characters in this novel. The main protagonist Lorelei was forgettable, I honestly don't remember much about her and I've only read this novel a couple of days ago. She was smitten at first sight by Jared and I just didn't comprehend how they have surpassed their confessions of love and went straight into angst over how they can ever be together and if their love is strong enough to go through it all. I did however enjoy Cameron, he was funny, and while he did feel a bit of a boy with the way he picks fights left and right, he was at least better than the brooding Jared. Don't get me wrong, I love brooding bad boys but Jared just couldn't pull it off. Plot: oh boy, I really didn't like how the author randomly jumped into action when one second they were sitting down chilling and the next windows are breaking and blood is being splattered. Then the next second the two main characters are kissing each other while everything else broke loose. I just felt I couldn't really follow the action and I just felt it was a bit absurd with the way the plot developed.
While I had a ton of issues with this novel, I did enjoy it and never thought about stopping the novel. I just hoped that the plot was complex enough but didn't leave us wondering on the intentions of all the characters and I just hoped the characters and romance were better developed. All in all, I know many people who have enjoyed this novel and if you are a paranormal fan, then you should check this one out!

What an amazing start for a new series!!! Once I started Death and the Girl Next Door I did not want to put it down! Sleep...way overrated. Groceries...we can call for take-out right? Laundry...can't I just stop at the store for new clothes...oh you mean for you...you're a grown man, DH, you can do your own...I MUST finish this book! And I did! Start to finish in about six hours. Darynda Jones created a world that sucked me in and wouldn't let me go. I'm ready for book #2! What do you mean I have to wait for March 2013? *pouts* FINE! I'll wait, but I'm not happy about it!

I was already a huge fan of Ms. Jones and her Charley Davidson series and elements that I love in it are present in the Darklight series. Humor...check. Fast paced action...check. Incredible friends that support our heroine...check, check (Lorelei's two best friends, Brooklyn and Glitch, are ready to accompany her into all kinds of trouble). Kickass heroine...check (although Lorelei does have more of a penchant for kicking shins). Supernatural hottie...check and check again (Cameron, tall and blonde. Jared, tall and dark. Both with secrets).

Then there's the twist at the end that I did NOT see coming! I want to know what happens next! Is it March yet?

Go! As fast as you can and get Death and the Girl Next Door now!

When I started this book I was in freaking love. I could not put it down. I was so engrossed in it, I had to know what was happening. I thought it was going to be a for sure 5 star glowing rating. But at the end, when everything was coming together and we were getting all the info we wanted I was just not feeling it. I honestly can't even say for sure why, I don't know if it was too much info at once, or I was just not liking what I was hearing but I was a little disappointed. Its not to say I didn't really enjoy the book because I did but something took a wrong turn for me at the ending.

So besides the ending like I said I freaking LOVED it. Lorelei reminded me a lot of Charley from Darynda's adult series. She was witty and funny and always had something sarcastic to say. Her 2 best friends held their own and their banter was always entertaining. The two mysterious men Cameron and Jared where both exciting. Both had secrets and both were somehow involved in Lorelei's life. I was in love with Jared as soon as we met him, I didn't care who or what he was.

When we start piecing some of the puzzle together we hear Reaper a lot. At first I was like oh no! I thought that since Darynda's adult series was about a Reaper then she shouldn't be including that here. But she took this story and went a very different a unique way with it. Its nothing like Charley Davidson series.

What really kept me going was the big mystery. Exactly who and what were Cameron and Jared, why where they both always fighting and why was Lorelei somehow involved. Plus their was some fun twists in there that just made me want to read it as fast as I can. I guess I did since I read it one day. I wish I could point my finger on the ending though, but I am sorry I just can't.

This book was awesome. It has love, visions, fighting, and Death. Lorelie is a sweet high school girl. She has great friends and a great sense of humor. She also happens to be able to see visions when she touches people. When she touches a new boy and sees a vision of him in gladiator form fighting a huge monster she thinks it is only jibberish. Then her childhood neighbor, Cameron, starts stalking her. Look out her window at night, there he is. Turn the corner at school, guess who. He is kind of an ass by all appearances. Plus he HATES the new guy. Keeps calling him reaper. Turns out that Cameron is a Nephilim and Jared (the new guy) is an angel of death.

Jared was sent down to take Lorelie a few minutes before her time in order to stop a chain of events and answer a prayer. She was destined to die and he was going to make sure that it was quick and painless instead of drawn out. The only thing is he doesn't want to. He wants her to live and do what she is destined to do. Would have been fine if Cameron didn't know who and what he was after seeing him as a child. Cameron hates Jared and they have some hella awesome fights. Like stop time make it look like a tornado went through fight.

Read this book and tell me what you think. You have to laugh out loud at parts and tear up at others. Just to give you a small hint, a few quotes that I love.

"She was elderly. Probably, like, forty or something."

"still had to pray every night for the girl-part fairy to get off her butt and do her job."

"Nothing like a society with two heads of state and one poverty-stricken, uneducated, mentally ill constituent to back us."

Can you say you didn't laugh at least once? Cause I am almost thirty and so NOT elderly damn it.

reviewed by Stacy

5 Stars

5 Flames

This story had a unique twist to the "angel of death" tale. I've read several other books that are written around the grim reaper or death angel, but Darynda Jones definitely put some very interesting mythology around it that made it a lot different and exciting. I loved where this story took Lorelei.

The characters were good, especially Lorelei and her two friends. My favorite scenes in the book were ones between her and her two friends. They have such an easy comaraderie, a banter that can sound so forced in most books but which made these guys so real and endearing in this book. This was definitely one of the author's major strengths.

I love the triangle developing between Loreilei, Cameron and Jared, although I must say I felt Loreilei picked the wrong guy...at least in this first book in the series. Maybe she'll change her mind later, but for now, I definitely disagree with her choice. I felt she picked him only because of his looks and his dark allure that is caused by what he is, not so much who he is. It seemed to be kinda instalove to me. Additionally, it took way too long for her to listen to Cameron and understand that she was in danger. I figured she'd be smarter than that, so that aspect of her kind of got on my nerves a bit.

Another thing that I did love about the book though was how her family was brought into events so early and completely. In most stories, teens are undergoing some high-danger or paranormal situation and no one knows but them. So it was unique and refreshing for Loreilei's family to be a part of it.

All in all, this was an intriguing story that did suck me in and keep me interested. I am looking forward to seeing how things turn out.

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Autumn

*Beware of possible Spoilers*

Lorelei McAlister knew she was a bit different. But everyone feels like that in high school, right? Her friends, Brooklyn and Glitch, have always been there to support her and in the end that's all that matters.

All that matters until she realizes that the very same day she finds the school loner, Cameron, has been following her, a mysterious new boy makes his appearance at Riley High. Lorelei can't believe how beautiful Jared is (He's a total supernova!) but when she accidentally makes contact with him, she sees only fear and destruction. Of course, it's just her luck that the only boy she has ever been interested in might just be the Angel of Death.

As the story unfolds, Lorelei and her friends all have a part to play in the war between heaven and hell. Nothing is as it seems and sometimes you can't help but break all the rules.

Death and the Girl Next Door is Jones' first venture into the "Young Adult" genre and she really makes the grade. Her characters are funny, intelligent and lovable. The boys (I'm Team Cameron!) are mysterious and totally swoon worthy. The banter is hilarious and the plot is complex. My only reservation was that the story was a bit slow in the beginning but I was not at all disappointed with the outcome. The next installment of the trilogy, Death, Doom and Detention, is set for release in March 2013 and I can't wait to see where Darynda takes it from here.

This review and more at openbooksociety dot com

The following is based on an eARC the publisher provided to me via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Review (no spoilers):
I really enjoyed this book, though it was very different from what I had expected when I picked it up. I was under the impression that it's a Reaper story, but it's actually not. Not really anyway, or not in the way I had supposed. Instead, the novel both taps into and builds on a kind of mythological background I hadn't anticipated but was definitely intrigued by! I can't say too much about it because of spoilers but I'm really curious to see this develop and unfold in the next book now that the cards are on the table, so to speak.

I found Lorelei likeable and easy to relate to. Despite her strange and unreliable ability (she sometimes gets short visions or glimpses when she touches people) she is just a regular teenager, hanging out with her friends and trying to make it through highschool while trying not to think about the ten-year-anniversary of her parents' mysterious disappearance too much. She's strong but she also has flaws and insecurities. One of my favorite aspects in the book was the dynamic between her and her two best friends, Glitch and Booklyn. Especially Brooke because she was so snarky and called bullshit when she saw it. The three of them really stick together no matter what and had each others' backs. I also really liked that Lorelei's grandparents played such an important role because quite often in YA, the protagonists' parents/families are very marginal or absent.

When Cameron Lusk, the school loner, starts stalking Lorelei and standing outside her house all night, she is really freaked out and doesn't know how to react or how to confront him. And when Jared, the new guy at school, gives her visions which are impossible and warm, fuzzy feelings despite the fact that there's also an aura of danger added to the hotness of his perfect features, things move into the weird and mysterious fast. Why can't Cameron and Jared be in the same room (much less talk) without breaking into a fight? What do they know about Lorelei that she doesn't? Which one of them is dangerous for her and which one tries to protect her - and from whom? What really happened the day Lorelei's parents disappeared and why can she not remember? Why are both Cameron and Jared so strong?

Another thing I had more or less resigned myself to after reading the book description was a love triangle. I'm not a big fan of those usually. So I'm glad to say that Darynda Jones manages to pull a two-guys-one-girl story off without one! The Romance between Jared and Lorelei starts with an instant attraction but it's not insta-love. She's interested and she crushes, also because the now hottest guy in school seems to have eyes for her only. But she doesn't fancy herself head over heels in love with him even though she barely knows him and is certain that he's hiding something. I really liked Jared. Being who and what he is isn't easy and I found it adorable that for once, the super-hot guy is kinda shy and embarrassed about the reaction he gets from the female part of the student body. He doesn't sport the cocky attitude most gorgeous boys in YA have. He's on a mission, committed and ready to make sacrifices. He really cares about Lorelei a lot, enough to risk losing all of his power. But he's not a goody-goody either. The characters generally emerged as well fleshed-out, complex people over the course of the novel and each had a clearly distinguishable voice.

I know I've been vague about the plot and what actually happens in the novel, but that is because it's nearly impossible to talk about it without spoilers. Let it be said that there's loads of action, mystery, investigating, and discovering things about the past. However, after an important, long action scene near the beginning, things drag a little and we see nothing of Cameron and Jared while Lorelei puzzles over them. That frustrated me a bit. But once Lorelei and her friends find the two guys again, things get moving once more and there are no more draggy bits until the end. Seriously, I found it hard to put the book down to get some much-needed sleep. It's just so compelling to read on! And I want to talk about all the spoilery stuff and discuss it with other people who have already read the book so I can speculate about what's going to happen. Because though I had an idea of who was who and what was happening, there were quite a few turns at the end when things are revealed that I just never saw coming. At all. But they made perfect sense in the story.

Two minor things: in some scenes Lorelei was a bit too innocent or naïve for my taste, and the way she and Brooke sometimes talked about Jared's hotness and objectified him rubbed me a bit the wrong way. It was mostly just at the beginning but I felt the need to point it out. Why does the guy-crush always have to be defined primarily by his hotness while the girl is unaware of her own appeal? Fortunately, Jared also had other traits to make him awesome and didn't care/know about the effect of his appearance.

So overall I really liked Death and the Girl Next Door. The writing kept me hooked, it was witty, action-filled, and I had fun trying to figure things out. The romance took a bit longer to develop than I'd thought but then it took off and there were also some steamish bits, though nothing too extreme. The important characters are well-developed. The mythological world-building background was easily my favorite part though because it picked up on an aspect I hadn't heard of before, and I'm curious to see things continue in the next installment of the series!

Death and the Girl Next Door is a fun, fun novel! Darynda Jones definitely doesn't slack on the sarcasm in this story. All the teenagers are hilarious, and have the sarcasm going on. I honestly can say I don't have a favorite character. Lorelei (Lor) is the main character, and she's strong and witty. I quickly identified with Lor as she's only five feet tall...yeah, I'm short, too. I love all these teens. Brookly and Glitch are Lor's two best friends. Jared and Cameron are the two gorgeous supernatural guys. Jared is in love with Lor, and Cameron is Lor's protector (no love triangle).

Lorelei sees visions, and when she meets Jared, the gorgeous new guy at her school, he's to die for, literally. And when the gorgeous loner guy Cameron starts stalking her, Jared and Cameron have instant hate for each other, and as they're trying to kill each, little Lor is caught in the middle. But all she can do is drop some shin kicks between these two six-feet tall supernaturals. Lor's life just got complicated; who she thought she was, is not who she really is, and Jared is a big part of that complication and mystery.

Lor can't keep her eyes off Jared, let alone her hands. Lor is Jared's forbidden fruit; she will be the death of him. This is kind of morbid for Jared considering who he is. Lor and Jared's romance is sweet and deadly, and one I want more of.

Death and the Girl Next Door is absolutely hilarious. I loved these five teens that fight against the dark side. I recommend this novel as a great, fun paranormal read!

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy.

Witty friends, brooding supernatural beings, and otherworldly hi-jinx wrapped in high school drama, DEATH AND THE GIRL NEXT DOOR capitalizes on some of my favorite Buffy the Vampire Slayer tropes. Though the silliness of Lorelei, Brooklyn, and Glitch's conversation didn't always hit the mark, the premise and character dynamic was entertaining enough that I'll be interested to try more Darynda Jones, either Darklight or Charley Davidson.

DEATH AND THE GIRL NEXT DOOR introduces a world that has a lot of potential, though the this first book doesn't necessarily stand out as unique. The banter between Lorelei and her friends reminded me of UNSPOKEN, the romantic dynamic reminded me of a (lighter) FALLEN, and all of these elements combined brought to mind Buffy. While the mix of enjoyable elements has me ready to try other books by this author, I'm not convinced that Darklight will stand out in the crowd. Still, DEATH AND THE GIRL NEXT DOOR was a quick read that introduced danger, romance, and humor in equal parts, which is enough to bring me back for more.

Fans of high school drama mixed with magic will enjoy DEATH AND THE GIRL NEXT DOOR, but only if they don't mind a bit of silliness to lighten the drama. The tone and character dynamic definitely worked for me, even if the premise wasn't quite a slam dunk. As this was my first Darynda Jones book, I'll be checking out both the next Darklight, DEATH, DOOM, AND DETENTION, as well as Jones's prior series, Charley Davidson.

Sexual Content: Kissing.

Courtesy of Happy Endings Reviews

Death and the Girl Next Door is the first in a new series about a high school girl who is like any other - slightly awkward, quiet but quirky, and loved but not popular - except Lorelei McAlister also has visions that are inexplicable, and things are about to get very complicated. When a new boy Jared Kovach arrives in town who seems... different, Lorelei is immediately drawn to him. But this is a problem for Cameron Lusk, a lurker in Lorelei's class who suddenly has very strong, very violent feelings toward the new guy. Of course, what's a girl without her two best friends, Glitch and Brooklyn, who are also drawn into the fray. And this is all before lunch.

High school's hard, but for this gang, it really is life or death. As with any first book in the series, there's a certain amount of world-building, set up, and exposition to be done. At times this bogs down the beginning of the book, and the first real confrontation between Jared and Cameron with Lorelei at the center is so extreme that it all gets a little confusing.

This new series is still finding its footing, but shows real promise in what's to come. Once Lorelei and Jared really begin to interact, past that initial spark that lights between them in the hallways of their school - like any great teen romance - and once Lorelei begins to get some answers, the story really picks up through the end. The ghostbusters gang formed by Lorelei, Jared, Cameron, Brooklyn, and Glitch is so much fun and so full of personality that it's easy to see how they'll carry the rest of the series. The humor we've come to expect from Darynda Jones is alive and well here. And there's enough tension, conflict, and unanswered questions to fuel momentum for the next book and beyond.

Series: Darklight
#1 Death and the Girl Next Door
#2 Death, Doom, and Detention
#3 Death and the Girl He Loves

When I first got this book in the mail, I was super-excited to read it. Not only because I had heard such amazing things about Darynda Jones' Grave Series, but just looking at the cover, I knew we were in for a love triangle...and oh how I love romantic tension. Well, I really enjoyed this book, but was disappointed in the romance aspect. It was there, but felt more like an introduction than anything captivating and steamy (I know this is YA, but still!) What I did love was the banter between Lorelei and her best friends Glitch and Brooklyn. It was wonderful to read teenage characters that really read as teenage characters, but also were super supportive of each other. The secondary characters in general were all refreshingly encouraging and loving - so often in YA novels, the family doesn't "get" the hero or becomes a hindrance instead of a help. I also was completely captivated with the plot: good vs bad angels, evil presences, prophets... oh my! I really had no idea where Ms. Jones was taking it and loved being along for the ride. There were many twists along the way that I did not see coming, and I love that! I cannot wait to read the next book, but in the meantime, I'm going to check out her Grave series right now!

This was Darynda Jones first venture into the young adult world and I was impressed. I thoroughly enjoyed Death and the Girl Next Door. While maybe not perfect, there is a lot I can overlook when I have a host of fantastic characters to capture my attention, and that's what I found here.

Lorelei, the protagonist, has two amazing best friends, Glitch and Brooklyn. So when Cameron begins to stalk her, and then Jared shows up and weird things start to happen, like her dying and being brought back to life, she has them to fall back on and tells them everything. Unlike a lot of books where the heroine will keep the secrets and loses her friends. And when Cameron and Jared start hanging out with these three, I enjoyed the banter, the sarcasm and wit really kept me entertained.

There is a lot of mystery in this book. Lorelei's parents just disappeared one day ten years ago and no one knows what happened. Then, there's Cameron and Jared, who between them, seem to have a lot of secrets. There's a lot of questions that come up and not all of them are answered by the end of the book.

I really enjoyed the touch of romance here too. Thankfully there's no love triangle though I did feel as though the cover hinted at one.

With the revelations that came at the end of this book, I'm really looking forward to the next in the series, Death, Doom and Devotion and I'm expecting great things from it.

The book was very,very good in bordes to I love it and I will pray to someone publish the book in Greece.

A paranormal YA novel with an angel(or two),no triangle and a Lorelei who doesn't piss me off not even a little!Everything a girl can ask is here.Jared is on my Top 5 list about guys from books i wish they were real(paranormal version).He is an angel and not a lesser one.He is the Angel of the death(the hot version not the one with the skeleton).Darynda Jones made me the angel of death look hot and to actually to want to see him.And the things he says sometimes are just wow.

Jared breaks the first rule of the angels and now he has to pay the price.He has stack in the earth(not that it's a bad thing for me and Lorelei).Cameron is stalking Lorelei(do not judje yet).Lorelei has visions that sometimes come true or don't make sense.Lorelei doesn't have any feelings for Cameron but she feels something for Jared.I want these 2 to end up together.

And yet, the thought of being anywhere else in the universe floods me with unbearable pain.

The book have so many quotes that are amazing and that gives the book at least 1 or 2 stars.The personalities of the characters were of very interesting and I liked them.Hopefull book 2 will be as good as this

Lorelei's life is a bit odd. Her parents disappeared ten years ago and she's been raised by her grandparents ever since. And Lorelei has visions. Strange visions that she often doesn't understand, like the one she had about the new guy, Jared, fighting a dark, demonic creature. While Lorelei tries to figure that one out, she also realizes that a fellow classmate is stalking her. But that's just the beginning.

Ooh, I don't want to give too much away on this one. This is the first in Darynda's new Darklight series and it's perfect for teen readers and fans of the Charley Davidson books as well. The premise is definitely unique and the characters are great -- plus it's all packaged in Darynda's trademark style!

Lorelei and her friends are fantastic characters. In fact, all of the characters are convincing and real. The teens act like teens -- with a little more freedom than I recall at that age, but given what you learn about them later that actually becomes understandable.

My one complaint -- and I'm sure others will note this as well -- is that as the first in a series, there's understandably a lot of set up. There's no info-dump here, but the majority of DGND is clearly set up for what will come next in the series. As such, I really wish there was less of a wait time before the release of book two, but them's the breaks.

From the cover art and description, I thought this was another supernatural love triangle story, which I don't mind, but they are a little overdone. Refreshingly, there is no love triangle with the main character, just some solid, somewhat angsty, romance. I was also very pleased with the voice of Loralei's narration and dialogue--there is a lot of humor and wordplay, such that it reminded me of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" at times. I'm surprised this book hasn't gotten more attention as far as review numbers.

I borrowed the first book from my library's e-site, but I paid for the second in the series--had to keep reading!

Diehard fans of the angel genre may enjoy this book more than I did. Lor is a high school student who sees visions and gets caught up with dueling angels. It's mostly a book about teen girl romance. The angelology is rather puerile and vapid. The author doesn't appear to have given much thought to the angel aspect of the plot as much it is just stupid. Let's just say there are about 100 better angel books out there than this. What rescues this book from the lowest pit of shame and abuse is the writing. It is well written and the author does have a very engaging, sassy, smart mouth writing style that keeps you flipping the pages even though there ain't much to this story behind the style and clever lines. The main character, Lor, is well done, and she did engage my interest. I also enjoyed the secondary characters. It's just the plot...It seemed to spiral from 'what the f***' to the 'oh please, I'm not that stupid.' Right? Or am I?

Death and The Girl Next Door is the first book in Darynda Jones's young adult Darklight series.
This book is filled with not only suspense, mystery, horror, but also a great deal of humor and a little taste of romance.
This is the perfect book for readers looking for a little mystery and action as well as comedy and just a hint of romance.
I personally had a really fun time reading this book. There were pages that had me at the "edge of my seat" while others had me laughing out loud so much that it irritated my sister after a while. Each page had me hooked and wanting to know what happened next.
Overall, this book is a quick read that will have you hooked from the first page till the very last, and leave you wanting to read the second book right away!

I Love Darynda Jones! I love her Charlie Davidson series and now I'm loving her Darklight series! I'm just reading this series now eventhough it was written in 2012. If you love her adult novels than you will love her ya novels too!! You rock Darynda and I can not wait for the final Charlie book! Heartbroken but still excited!!??

Im not sure how I feel about this book.I liked it and yet I felt a bit let down by it.Perhaps its the fact that I've read books dealing with these types of angels before.I kept waiting for the romance..the history and it never came.I kept waiting for these two guys to fight over Lorelei romantically and they didnt.In fact they fought..so much it got old because it seemed trivial what they were fighting for.The book was a bit confusing until the ending..It would have been better to have more history of the angels.I kept waiting for the big build up and there never was..it flitted from one thing to another like the snap of a finger.I did enjoy the wittiness of the characters..they were pretty hilarious.I just feel the book could have delved a bit more into the characters then it did.I love the cover as well..I think thats why i expected more romance then there was.

"Death and the girl next door" is the first of the trilogy "Darklight", and as expected a lot of questions are left unanswered. Lorelei is a young girl being raised by her grandparents since her parents disappeared several years ago. She has two great friends, Brooklyn and Glitch, and the three of them are there to support each other through thick and thin. Lorelei has scattered visions and one day she sees a strange battle between a monster and a beautiful boy. After that, she notices she is being stalked by another student named Cameron - a strange boy with no friends. Lorelei eventually realises Cameron may not be after her at all, but after the beautiful boy she saw in her vision and who has materialised as a student in her high school. Suddenly Lorelei's world becomes way more complicated and a sea of questions arise with very dark beings. Is this weird group of friends strong enough to battle dark forces?

I loooved this book and can't believe I have to wait until March to read the second one. I was sort of worried because it is young adult, but it reads beautifully. The dialogues are witty and fun, I love Glitch for being the comic relief. It's very fast paced and although every main character is easy to love, each has a lot of intriguing layers and nobody is left without secrets - which makes the story awesome. Don't think it's a simple group of friends in a big adventure, the whole plot runs deeper and gets darker as it evolves, but somehow Darynda manages to maintain the innocence afloat. And the strong friendship between the three main characters is enough to make us believe they'll make it through every dark thing that is yet to come. Hopefully!

Death and the girl next door was a fun, quick read. The characters were funny and likable. The story concept was done well and I found it easy to keep reading. It was definitely a fast read that was easy to get caught up in. The characters interactions I found very entertaining and I love Death as a romantic interest for our main Character. Over all I found I liked it a lot and want to know what happens next. Sometimes that's all you need in a good book. I would recommend it to you if you like YA paranormal set in High School.:

Darynda has done it again! This time she's going to rock the world of the younger generation! As you know this is a YA, the characters are in high school. My first experience with this author was from The Grave Series, so I was intrigued to see a YA book come out. I wasn't disappointed, another bang up job by this awesome author! The characters had perfect chemistry and wit entwining into a well written story. I really like the lead and her friends; they all complement each other perfectly. I think Darynda has a knack for writing a good support group for her lead. The boys of course will be every school girls crush and some adults too (I can say that because they are OLD and all - you'll get this comment when you read the book - see how I drug you in?)... Good job Darynda!

Contemporary, Paranormal Riley's Switch, New Mexico

Lorelei McAlister is starting to accept the fact that her parents that disappeared ten years ago just aren't coming back. And while she misses them life must go on and she has her grandparents and best friends. Being a sophomore she is finding that high school isn't as bad as she thought it would be.

At least it wasn't until the school loner, Cameron Lusk, started stalking her. Every time she turns around Cameron is there. Not to mention the fact she can find him outside her house night after night. Things are further complicated by a new guy that comes to town, Jared Kovach. Jared is tough and sexy and when he comes to school things change even more.

Cameron and Jared despise each other instantly and Lorelei is completely mystified by the fact that it seems to be completely due to her.

Lorelei gets the feeling the Jared knows something about her parents but what? And what does Cameron mean when he says Jared can't have her?

This is wonderful story. The twist to the Angel of Death makes this a very fun read and will have readers clamoring for more. The story line is very interesting and will keep the reader guessing as to just what is going on and what each character has to do with everything that is happening. The story also gives some really good twists that the reader will never see coming. It will also have readers very happy to find out this is the beginning of a new series of books that will have them eagerly reaching and waiting for the next books in the series. This is a Young Adult that is sure to please everyone and will have readers checking out other books by this author.

(This Review and more at my blog: Into the Worm's Hole )

Look at the title of this book. Right, now look at the synopsis. Does that make you wanna read it? Kind of. Should you read it? It wouldn't be a complete waste of time. The book wasn't perfect, but it was fun. It was kind of long though, without much movement plot-wise. Basically a really long intro to the series so I feel like it should have been shorter.

The writing was great. So great, that it made me wanna read the next book. Even though the plot went nowhere and some of the characters borderline on childish. Somehow, Jones' writing made it easy to ignore all that and enjoy the book. Even if the pace was slow. Even if the characters were silly and childish. And I'm not saying it was so amazing that I read it in one sitting. I didn't. I read it in three days, which is a long time for me. It was hard to get into, but not unbearable.

Okay, so, the plot. So it wasn't completely unexpected. It really wasn't progressing at all through-out the story. I mean, the big question of "Hey, where are my parents?" was kind of answered, but that was the only mystery solved. It was easy to stay involved, because of the humor, but I don't know. I feel like without it, it would have been hard to stay involved. There wasn't something really surprising at the end. Not exactly a plot twist, but a definite surprise. I think almost anyone would enjoy this fun, easy, read.

Like I've mentioned before, the characters were silly, almost childish. But I enjoyed the banter between Glitch and Brooke. But they, like all the other characters could be easily forgotten. Like, you know, when you read a book, you finish it, you start to think about it again, and you realize that you've forgotten most of the characters names but not their personalities? Yeah, I just finished the book like two hours ago, and I forgot Brooke's name. I had to look her up. I am ashamed of myself to be completely honest.

There is a love triangle in this book, just not the one you think. You're thinking hey, Cameron, Jared, and Lorelie, Love Triangle Alert! And there is, just not with them. It's more of a semi-love-triangle between Cameron, Brooke, and Glitch. Jared was your typical, supernatural love interest. And totally swoon worthy. "You intoxicate me, Lorelei McAlister. You will be my downfall." When he said stuff like that I died. I know it's cliche, but come on! Does that not make you drool? Fine, it may be just me, but omigosh swoon.

SUMMARY OF REVIEW(In case you don't actually feel like reading the review):
Plot: 3 out of 5 Okay, but no real progression
Characters: 3 out of 5 Forgettable but undeniably funny
Romance: 4 out of 5 Cliche, but Jared was still swoon worthy, if a little dark
Writing: 4 out of 5 I think it must be magical. It kept me in the story when the plot didn't
Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Rated G So clean, your grandma could read this book

I couldn't even finish this one. The dialogue was so poorly written, and the characters tried SO HARD to be funny that I honestly wanted to punch them. Seriously. Lorelei refuses to say the word hell, so she consistently says heck. Like she's 10. And no, I do not in any way conflate swearing with maturity, but that was just ridiculous.

So then Lorelei and her best friend Brooklyn (who is even more annoying than Lorelei--yes, it is apparently possible to be more annoying than Lorelei), basically sit around and talk about nothing in the voices of 10-13 year olds, are mad casual about the fact that Lorelei has premonitions and is being stalked. And natch, Lorelei doesn't think she's pretty, but cut to INEXPLICABLY SMOLDER-Y TEENAGE BOYS WITH THE SEXUAL COMMAND OF GROWN MEN PINING FOR HER AND TRYING TO SEDUCE HER. I mean, COME ON.

So she's the queen of insta-love, and this dude shows up with a fake name, and she KNOWS that it's fake, and she's like, "Meh, I'm going to roll with it because he's HAWT." I was like, honey, please--he ain't the boy for you.

If I dare say it, Lorelei is too DUMB to be a book heroine. I just wanted her to wise up and stop being so ignorant and dumb and downright incapable of saying anything funny at all.

I'm glad I got this from the library and that I didn't waste my money on it.

Very good read. I was a bit worried that I would like it all that much but it was great.

Lorelei has visions but not all the time and they sometimes come true. While having coffee with her two best friend she brushes this guys arm and sees a very realistic vision of a boy slaying a beast. This new guy ends up at school where there is an immediate conflict between Jared (new guy) and Cameron. It seems Cam is following Lorelei which scares her. When she is hit by a truck Jared saves her and Cameron tries to kill him.

The story is very good and has some twists. Enjoy the read :)

This series isnt as good as her Charley Davidson's series, & the plot is a bit odd, not believable. Plot started out good, then the last 3 chapters, the Sanctuary part til the end, i dont know, it was just kind of an odd explanation for Lorelei, Cameron & Jared's roles in Riley Town, their histories. You hav 2 angels which cant get rid of a demon in the main character?!? And the Angel of Death's reason for stayn on earth, NO surprise, he's in luv w/ Lorelei. I cudnt wait to end the book, unfortunately, i wont get the next books, not interesting enough for me.

I love Darynda Jones and feel like everything that she touches is gold. When I found this series I was so excited and oh how I wish it was as good as I hoped it would be. Getting through this series was almost painful. I am not sure if Lorelei was written to be so annoying because she is young or if the heroine was just meant to be annoying and whiny. The no common sense, continuous self deprecation....it made it hard to get through the books. I wanted to love these but unfortunately I was just disappointed.

Spoiler.

This was a very enjoyable fun Young Adult read. But the one thing that bugged me was the extreme height disparity between the lead male and female characters. He's a giant 6'5 and the girl is a hobbity 5 foot nothing? They would look just ridiculous together. I couldn't remotely envision a romance between these two.

While I think Darynda Jones' Charlie Charlie Davidson series is far superior to this one, it was still enjoyable to read.

I fell in love with Darynda Jones' writing with Charley Davidson. While waiting for the newest release of the Grave series, I checked out this series. It is geared toward a younger audience but it provides the mystery and suspense that Jones is known for. The characters keep you guessing and coming back for more. If you need a great comfort book, this is it!

I am a fan of Jones's Charley Davidson's series and when I heard she was coming out with a YA series I couldn't wait to get my hands on it! Death and the Girl next Door is NOT what I expected. Our Main heroine Lorelei is your typical sophomore, who enjoys hanging out with her two best friends Brooklyn and Glitch. Things start to get weird when the school loner Cameron begins stalking Lorelei, every time she turns around she sees him lurking in the corner. Lorelei always had visions; some come true while others are just random and bizarre. Things get stranger when a boy from Lorelei's vision shows up at her school! Next thing you know Cameron and the mysterious Jared are fighting over her.

I truly wanted to like this book, but I found Lorelei extremely annoying, and the story's mystery too dragged out. I'm probably in the minority who didn't like this book. When Jared first shows up at school, Lorelei didn't really freak out that this is the SAME guy from her vision. Instead she's drooling over how amazingly hot he is, and he of all people noticed someone like her who is pasty white and plain (she said so herself). In another scene in the first half of the book, we have Cameron and Jared fighting over Lorelei, Cameron tells Lorelei to stay away from Jared because he's the dangerous bad guy. While Cameron tries to get Lorelei away from Jared, what does Lorelei do instead? She attacks Cameron and defends Jared! WTH? She doesn't even know Jared and Cameron may be the school's loner but at least she knows of him since the third grade (or was it kindergarten, I forgot). If I was in her situation, I wouldn't trust either dudes.

The book's pacing was slow, I found myself constantly losing interest or not caring about what's going on. In the first quarter of the book, Lorelei is demanding answers to what is going on around her. Why are Cameron and Jared fighting over her? Why are they both so freakishly strong? What is Jared? etc. Instead of getting answers, the characters beat around the bush about it. This drove me nuts! I pushed on hoping that things would get better but not so much. Once I found who was what, I was a little surprised since I wasn't expecting the book to be about certain paranormal beings but it still didn't make up for the majority of the book.

Overall I felt this book lacking in the story, character development, and world-building. The world-building didn't feel put together until towards the end of the book where readers finally get some answers. Death and the Girl next Door didn't offer anything new or exciting to the YA genre, the elements found in this book can be found in numerous of other YA title in the market today. This is a start to a new series, and one I won't be continuing. From the other reviews I've seen, many seem to really love this book, so while it wasn't for me it might be for you. I suggest anyone who's still interested in this book to maybe read a chapter sample or excerpt, or borrow from friend/library before thinking about dishing out the $10.

I enjoyed this book. It was fast paced and kept my attention. I enjoyed reading a paranormal book that wasn't based on werewolves or vampires. I enjoyed the relationships between all the characters and can't wait to read more.

Loved the beginning of her teen series, I am also a fan of Charley Davidson so this was defiantly a switch but a great one, I'm not one for teen novels either but like I said this blew me away :D great book!