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The Sisters of Blood and Spirit #1
Sisters of Blood and Spirit
Wren Noble is dead—she was born that way. Vibrant, unlike other dead things, she craves those rare moments when her twin sister allows her to step inside her body and experience the world of the living.
Lark Noble is alive but often feels she belongs in the muted Shadow Lands—the realm of the dead. Known as the crazy girl who talks to her dead sister, she doesn’t exactly fit in with the living, though a recent suicide attempt and time in a psych ward have proved to her she’s not ready to join her sister in the afterlife.
Now the guy who saved Lark’s life needs her to repay the favor. He and his friends have been marked for death by the malevolent spirit of a vicious and long-dead serial killer, and the twins—who should know better than to mess with the dead—may be their only hope of staying alive.
Lark Noble is alive but often feels she belongs in the muted Shadow Lands—the realm of the dead. Known as the crazy girl who talks to her dead sister, she doesn’t exactly fit in with the living, though a recent suicide attempt and time in a psych ward have proved to her she’s not ready to join her sister in the afterlife.
Now the guy who saved Lark’s life needs her to repay the favor. He and his friends have been marked for death by the malevolent spirit of a vicious and long-dead serial killer, and the twins—who should know better than to mess with the dead—may be their only hope of staying alive.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published March 31, 2015
67 people are currently reading
5493 people want to read
About the author
Kady Cross
16 books1,908 followersKady Cross is a pseudonym for USA Today bestselling author Kathryn Smith. She lives in Connecticut with her husband and a pride of cats. She likes singing with Rock Band on the 360, British guys, Vietnamese food, and makeup (she’s hopelessly addicted to YouTube makeup tutorials!). When she’s not writing Kady likes to catch up on her favorite TV shows, read a good book or make her own cosmetics.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 298 reviews
April 29, 2017
BLOG REVIEW
https://passthefeels.wordpress.com/20...
Actual Rating: 2.75 Stars
The rating may seem like I didn't like this book, but that's not true, I did like it, I just couldn't give it a full 3 stars because I've read other books that I've given 3 stars which I enjoyed more than this one...see my dilemma? Anyway, I'll continue...
I loved the start of this book, and thought It started out very promising, but as I continued reading it just went in a direction I wasn't really hoping it would go.
The beginning included a school setting, ghosts, and a gripping back story to the characters, all in which I feel was lost after the first 50 pages or so. cries.
Also, one thing that really bugged me was that the whole book consisted of talk about the suicide attempt by Lark, which set up the novel to where it was going to go, yet it was never explained or even talked about in detail, it was as if readers were already meant to know exactly what they were talking about everytime it was mentioned. Maybe this'll be explained in more detail in the sequel?
The characters, I felt I couldn't really get attached to and I found some quite annoying, like Lark. Lark is one of our two main protagonists (as this book is told in dual point of view through different chapters), and I found her to be so aggravating and just downright painful to read from most of the time. Wren was the other POV, she was a little more interesting (because she's a ghost), and much less aggraving than Lark, although she still did have her moments.
At times I just got completley confused with the characters, and what was going on with them. The writing to me felt as if it was trying to appeal to the stereotyped version of 'teenagers', such as using unnessecary slang words or internal monolouge.
As well as this, at times it felt like the author was attempting to hint at something but was not being subtle at all, like she thought us readers were not smart enough to figure it out on our own (which I'm 99% sure was not the intention of the author at all, I'm just saying how it felt). Thus, a few things I did work out before they were revelaed, or even thought about by the characters yet.
I feel like this book had a lot of potential, but didn't quite meet that point for me, although it was still entertaining to read, and I did enjoy it despite its faults.
https://passthefeels.wordpress.com/20...
Actual Rating: 2.75 Stars
The rating may seem like I didn't like this book, but that's not true, I did like it, I just couldn't give it a full 3 stars because I've read other books that I've given 3 stars which I enjoyed more than this one...see my dilemma? Anyway, I'll continue...
I loved the start of this book, and thought It started out very promising, but as I continued reading it just went in a direction I wasn't really hoping it would go.
The beginning included a school setting, ghosts, and a gripping back story to the characters, all in which I feel was lost after the first 50 pages or so. cries.
Also, one thing that really bugged me was that the whole book consisted of talk about the suicide attempt by Lark, which set up the novel to where it was going to go, yet it was never explained or even talked about in detail, it was as if readers were already meant to know exactly what they were talking about everytime it was mentioned. Maybe this'll be explained in more detail in the sequel?
The characters, I felt I couldn't really get attached to and I found some quite annoying, like Lark. Lark is one of our two main protagonists (as this book is told in dual point of view through different chapters), and I found her to be so aggravating and just downright painful to read from most of the time. Wren was the other POV, she was a little more interesting (because she's a ghost), and much less aggraving than Lark, although she still did have her moments.
At times I just got completley confused with the characters, and what was going on with them. The writing to me felt as if it was trying to appeal to the stereotyped version of 'teenagers', such as using unnessecary slang words or internal monolouge.
As well as this, at times it felt like the author was attempting to hint at something but was not being subtle at all, like she thought us readers were not smart enough to figure it out on our own (which I'm 99% sure was not the intention of the author at all, I'm just saying how it felt). Thus, a few things I did work out before they were revelaed, or even thought about by the characters yet.
I feel like this book had a lot of potential, but didn't quite meet that point for me, although it was still entertaining to read, and I did enjoy it despite its faults.
March 31, 2016
An Electronic Advanced Reader Copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.
Some scary scenes had me creeped out at night. I could pretty much picture the entire scenario in the abandoned hospital taking place..like a horror flick. Katy Cross knows exactly how to plan out the story. And she does it in a way where not only are you scared for the characters, but you're scared because of the super creepy scenes she created. And you're imagining it perfectly in your head and getting scared yourself!
I liked reading about the sisterly relationship. How close they were even if their situation was unique. Some say she might sound crazy. Having your dead twin sister talking in your head any time can probably do that to you. I also liked how Kady Cross made them both so different because no two twins are alike. The group of friends they also encounter ended up being their rock and I really liked how they worked together.
Definitely a fan of Kady Cross' work and I'm looking forward to the second installment in this supernatural duology.
RATING 4/5
QUOTES
"Hey, if making fun of me made them feel strong, then they obviously had their own problems."
"I had nothing to be ashamed of. Maybe I'd made a couple of bad choices, but they had been mine."
"These people didn't matter; I knew who and what I was."
"A girl screams and he shows up talking like she'd done something wrong? Shouldn't he be asking she was all right?"
"She'd hurt herself, not anyone else."
"You got into this together, you stay in together."
"I do so love me a clever little girl."
"The living. So afraid of dying, when they ought to embrace it."
"I'm superior to you because I don't need to make others afraid to feel important."
"I believed that what a person was in life manifested when they were dead—it showed on them in ways they'd managed to hide when living."
"My fist was more effective than an iron bar."
Some scary scenes had me creeped out at night. I could pretty much picture the entire scenario in the abandoned hospital taking place..like a horror flick. Katy Cross knows exactly how to plan out the story. And she does it in a way where not only are you scared for the characters, but you're scared because of the super creepy scenes she created. And you're imagining it perfectly in your head and getting scared yourself!
I liked reading about the sisterly relationship. How close they were even if their situation was unique. Some say she might sound crazy. Having your dead twin sister talking in your head any time can probably do that to you. I also liked how Kady Cross made them both so different because no two twins are alike. The group of friends they also encounter ended up being their rock and I really liked how they worked together.
Definitely a fan of Kady Cross' work and I'm looking forward to the second installment in this supernatural duology.
RATING 4/5
QUOTES
"Hey, if making fun of me made them feel strong, then they obviously had their own problems."
"I had nothing to be ashamed of. Maybe I'd made a couple of bad choices, but they had been mine."
"These people didn't matter; I knew who and what I was."
"A girl screams and he shows up talking like she'd done something wrong? Shouldn't he be asking she was all right?"
"She'd hurt herself, not anyone else."
"You got into this together, you stay in together."
"I do so love me a clever little girl."
"The living. So afraid of dying, when they ought to embrace it."
"I'm superior to you because I don't need to make others afraid to feel important."
"I believed that what a person was in life manifested when they were dead—it showed on them in ways they'd managed to hide when living."
"My fist was more effective than an iron bar."
March 8, 2015
This was a unique concept.
The story was fast paced and intriguing, but I feel like we didn't get a lot of information. Why do Lark and Wren have this connection? What is up with their family history? Why wasn't there more kissing?
Lark and Wren are interesting enough. I wasn't completing sold on either of them, but I kept reading because I wanted to know how it played out. The ending left a lot to be desired, especially if this is a stand alone.
All in all, it was a quick read with a lot of potential to be great.
**Huge thanks to Harlequin and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
The story was fast paced and intriguing, but I feel like we didn't get a lot of information. Why do Lark and Wren have this connection? What is up with their family history? Why wasn't there more kissing?
Lark and Wren are interesting enough. I wasn't completing sold on either of them, but I kept reading because I wanted to know how it played out. The ending left a lot to be desired, especially if this is a stand alone.
All in all, it was a quick read with a lot of potential to be great.
**Huge thanks to Harlequin and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
May 3, 2016
DNF @47%
Lark and Wren are twins. Wren died at birth and is a ghost. The two of them still communicate with each other frequently. I really liked the idea behind this story. The characters were awful. I either hated them or could have cared less about them.
Lark had issues and tried to kill herself. The other kids at school treated her like shit because of it. A group of kids had an encounter with a ghost. They needed Lark's help to reverse what the ghost had done to them. Did they treat her kindly before or after asking for her help? No. One of the kids publicly humiliated her before asking for help. Wren let it go because she had a crush on the guy. Lark, rightly so, was a bitch to the other kids. They constantly lectured her about how she needed to be nicer and more understanding. All of these people were assholes. She should have told them to get lost and deal with their issues on their own. They weren't deserving of her help. The teen drama is what ruined this book.
Lark and Wren are twins. Wren died at birth and is a ghost. The two of them still communicate with each other frequently. I really liked the idea behind this story. The characters were awful. I either hated them or could have cared less about them.
Lark had issues and tried to kill herself. The other kids at school treated her like shit because of it. A group of kids had an encounter with a ghost. They needed Lark's help to reverse what the ghost had done to them. Did they treat her kindly before or after asking for her help? No. One of the kids publicly humiliated her before asking for help. Wren let it go because she had a crush on the guy. Lark, rightly so, was a bitch to the other kids. They constantly lectured her about how she needed to be nicer and more understanding. All of these people were assholes. She should have told them to get lost and deal with their issues on their own. They weren't deserving of her help. The teen drama is what ruined this book.
March 17, 2015
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I'm a huge fan of The Steampunk Chronicles series so when I saw that Cross was coming out with a new book I was absolutely thrilled to get my hands on it. Sisters of Blood and Spirit is unlike anything Cross has written before but I loved the originality of the idea and though the execution wasn't perfect this series definitely holds a lot of potential.
I didn't immediately like Lark and Wren, but once I got used to their characters I enjoyed reading about them. Lark was an interesting character because though I didn't necessarily like her I really liked reading about her story. By far the hardest part of this novel was finding ways to connect to Lark, I really wanted to like her but she just made it really difficult. She wasn't just cold and distant to the secondary characters but to the reader as well. Wren was a little bit easier to relate to but she played a much smaller role in the novel so I didn't get to see her as much as I would have liked.
What really made this story was the fantastic plot and world building. I loved reading about the Shadowlands, which I hope we get to learn more about later, and the world of deliciously eerie ghosts who are out for murder. Its been a long time since I read a book as creepy as this one and Cross did a fantastic job chilling me to the bone with her murderous ghosts and violent visions. I absolutely loved the lore surround the ghosts and I'm excited to learn even more about this world in following novels.
My biggest complaint about this novel was, that while I really loved the story itself, I felt like I barely knew the characters. I felt like Lark and Wren had a super interesting back story but we barely learned anything about them and I spent the whole novel feeling a little disconnected from the two of them. Because Lark has such a harsh personality she didn't develop many relationships with any of the secondary characters and that made it hard to connect with anyone other than Wren. Since I felt like I barely knew the characters the romance ended up feeling a little forced but hopefully the second novel will give more opportunity to connect with each of the characters.
Despite a little bit of a rough start this series has a lot of potential and I'm excited to see where it goes next. Cross is a fantastic writer and with a little more character development I know I could get really into this series. I definitely recommend this series to fans of YA paranormal!
I'm a huge fan of The Steampunk Chronicles series so when I saw that Cross was coming out with a new book I was absolutely thrilled to get my hands on it. Sisters of Blood and Spirit is unlike anything Cross has written before but I loved the originality of the idea and though the execution wasn't perfect this series definitely holds a lot of potential.
I didn't immediately like Lark and Wren, but once I got used to their characters I enjoyed reading about them. Lark was an interesting character because though I didn't necessarily like her I really liked reading about her story. By far the hardest part of this novel was finding ways to connect to Lark, I really wanted to like her but she just made it really difficult. She wasn't just cold and distant to the secondary characters but to the reader as well. Wren was a little bit easier to relate to but she played a much smaller role in the novel so I didn't get to see her as much as I would have liked.
What really made this story was the fantastic plot and world building. I loved reading about the Shadowlands, which I hope we get to learn more about later, and the world of deliciously eerie ghosts who are out for murder. Its been a long time since I read a book as creepy as this one and Cross did a fantastic job chilling me to the bone with her murderous ghosts and violent visions. I absolutely loved the lore surround the ghosts and I'm excited to learn even more about this world in following novels.
My biggest complaint about this novel was, that while I really loved the story itself, I felt like I barely knew the characters. I felt like Lark and Wren had a super interesting back story but we barely learned anything about them and I spent the whole novel feeling a little disconnected from the two of them. Because Lark has such a harsh personality she didn't develop many relationships with any of the secondary characters and that made it hard to connect with anyone other than Wren. Since I felt like I barely knew the characters the romance ended up feeling a little forced but hopefully the second novel will give more opportunity to connect with each of the characters.
Despite a little bit of a rough start this series has a lot of potential and I'm excited to see where it goes next. Cross is a fantastic writer and with a little more character development I know I could get really into this series. I definitely recommend this series to fans of YA paranormal!
Read
January 4, 2016What a cool idea to have a stillborn twin be able to grow up and still be a part of the living twin's world. The developing romances/relationships between the characters is sweet. The girls are so different. I love them both! Can't wait to read the next book!
June 28, 2017
This review was originally posted on (un)Conventional Bookviews
Sisters of Blood and Spirit was both creepy at times and a bit sad, but more than that, it was a story about loyalty between sisters, no matter that one was dead and the other alive. And I'm kicking myself for not starting this book earlier
There was a lot of action packed into the pages of Sisters of Blood and Spirit, and it was really good, too. Lark has a strong bond to her still-born sister, Wren, who lives as much in the real world as in the shadowlands. So much so that she was sent to a mental hospital for hearing voices - when all that happened was that she answered out loud when her sister was talking to her. And when it all became too much for her, she tried to kill herself. Which her parents had such a hard time dealing with they handed her over to her grandma.
Needless to say, Lark has some pretty big trust issues, and Sisters of Blood and Spirit dealt with that in a way that made it seem very realistic. Lark found herself a group of friends, who, at first seemed to want her only for her ability to see and interact with ghosts, but it soon became obvious that this was not all they were interested in. Both Wren and Lark wanted more friends, and fighting a very strong ghost who fed off people's fears brought both action and suspense to their story.
As Sisters of Blood and Spirit unfolded, it became clear that there was more to Lark and Wren than met the eye - both in the world of the living and in the shadowlands, and I am definitely eager to return to their world to learn more both about them and about their ancestors. Of course, a budding romance is part of my attraction as well.
Written in third and first person point of view, past tense with both Lark and an exterior narrator, Sisters of Blood and Spirit flowed very well, and while a lot of the action was fast paced, there were also parts where dialogues slowed things down, or made the atmosphere change from tense to a bit more mellow. Plus, I love sarcasm, which most of the characters spoke fluently.
I chuckled at his choice. "Okay, you pick, then." I had settled into an easy pace now, slicing through the water. "Obviously, I suck at conversation." "You?" I didn't have to look to know he was smirking again. "But you're so friendly and open."
It seemed like so much more of a betrayal when it was your mother who didn't care. Your mother was supposed to be the one person you could always count on. The one person that would love you forever no matter what you did.
Sisters of Blood and Spirit was both creepy at times and a bit sad, but more than that, it was a story about loyalty between sisters, no matter that one was dead and the other alive. And I'm kicking myself for not starting this book earlier
There was a lot of action packed into the pages of Sisters of Blood and Spirit, and it was really good, too. Lark has a strong bond to her still-born sister, Wren, who lives as much in the real world as in the shadowlands. So much so that she was sent to a mental hospital for hearing voices - when all that happened was that she answered out loud when her sister was talking to her. And when it all became too much for her, she tried to kill herself. Which her parents had such a hard time dealing with they handed her over to her grandma.
Needless to say, Lark has some pretty big trust issues, and Sisters of Blood and Spirit dealt with that in a way that made it seem very realistic. Lark found herself a group of friends, who, at first seemed to want her only for her ability to see and interact with ghosts, but it soon became obvious that this was not all they were interested in. Both Wren and Lark wanted more friends, and fighting a very strong ghost who fed off people's fears brought both action and suspense to their story.
As Sisters of Blood and Spirit unfolded, it became clear that there was more to Lark and Wren than met the eye - both in the world of the living and in the shadowlands, and I am definitely eager to return to their world to learn more both about them and about their ancestors. Of course, a budding romance is part of my attraction as well.
Written in third and first person point of view, past tense with both Lark and an exterior narrator, Sisters of Blood and Spirit flowed very well, and while a lot of the action was fast paced, there were also parts where dialogues slowed things down, or made the atmosphere change from tense to a bit more mellow. Plus, I love sarcasm, which most of the characters spoke fluently.
I chuckled at his choice. "Okay, you pick, then." I had settled into an easy pace now, slicing through the water. "Obviously, I suck at conversation." "You?" I didn't have to look to know he was smirking again. "But you're so friendly and open."
It seemed like so much more of a betrayal when it was your mother who didn't care. Your mother was supposed to be the one person you could always count on. The one person that would love you forever no matter what you did.
December 22, 2017
I really liked this book. I'm not entirely sure why the average rating is so low. Because I really loved The Steampunk Chronicles by this author, I decided to give this one a go regardless; for which I'm glad.
Lark and Wren's relationship is agonizing, poignant, and incredibly sweet. Their unique and crazy situation was unlike anything I've ever read before. They're each torn between the living world and the dead world and one of them is stuck on either side. Everybody thinks Lark is crazy because she and see and talk to her dead twin, and also Lark attempted suicide shortly before the events of the book.
Lark begins the book as an introverted, sad girl who finds it impossible to be comfortable in her own skin. Wren is Lark's twin sister who was stillborn. Lark can sees and interact with Wren and always has been able to do so. Their situation has given them each certain abilities. Lark can see and interact with ghosts at large and even has the ability to heal the wraith wounds they can inflict upon the living. She is ridiculously brave, a total smart ass, and just the right amount of reckless. Wren is a badass in her own right. She is also more open and vulnerable than Lark. I did really like both of them as people, though I may have liked Wren just a smidgen more than Lark if I'm being honest.
Throughout the course of the book we get to see each of the twins have their first experience with boyfriends. They also make friends and battle ghosts-one bad one in particular that decides to go after several of Lark's schoolmates. We get to see how Wren has the potential to become an evil spirit. We see what she could and would actually do with that power if that's the route she decided to take, which I found equally fascinating and terrifying. Some of the scenes are pretty graphic, but nothing too terrible.
I will say that this book does not answer all of the questions that it raises. I know that was a problem for several reviewers, but I didn't think of it as a particular issue. The twins are clearly unique and their situation isn't one to which there could or should be answers readily available. I wasn't expected to learn why they were able to do the things they could, and so I wasn't disappointed when this wasn't resolved. They're teenage girls at the end of the day; there's only so much they are going to be able to answer and resolve on their own. I found it somewhat realistic that everything wouldn't be wrapped up in a nice, neat little bow at the conclusion of the story.
It did seem like this could easily have been carried into a second book, or possibly even a third. I'm glad the author chose not to do that; there are entirely too few stand alone novels in YA these days.
Update 12/2017: apparently I didn’t realize this was the first in a series when I posted this review. Had I realized that at the time, I may have continued with the series. Too much time has passed at this point that I don’t remember a single thing about this book, and will therefore likely not be continuing with the series. I’d have to re-read this one to continue and I have too many TBR books to be re-reading ones that clearly didn’t have a lasting impression on me.
Lark and Wren's relationship is agonizing, poignant, and incredibly sweet. Their unique and crazy situation was unlike anything I've ever read before. They're each torn between the living world and the dead world and one of them is stuck on either side. Everybody thinks Lark is crazy because she and see and talk to her dead twin, and also Lark attempted suicide shortly before the events of the book.
Lark begins the book as an introverted, sad girl who finds it impossible to be comfortable in her own skin. Wren is Lark's twin sister who was stillborn. Lark can sees and interact with Wren and always has been able to do so. Their situation has given them each certain abilities. Lark can see and interact with ghosts at large and even has the ability to heal the wraith wounds they can inflict upon the living. She is ridiculously brave, a total smart ass, and just the right amount of reckless. Wren is a badass in her own right. She is also more open and vulnerable than Lark. I did really like both of them as people, though I may have liked Wren just a smidgen more than Lark if I'm being honest.
Throughout the course of the book we get to see each of the twins have their first experience with boyfriends. They also make friends and battle ghosts-one bad one in particular that decides to go after several of Lark's schoolmates. We get to see how Wren has the potential to become an evil spirit. We see what she could and would actually do with that power if that's the route she decided to take, which I found equally fascinating and terrifying. Some of the scenes are pretty graphic, but nothing too terrible.
I will say that this book does not answer all of the questions that it raises. I know that was a problem for several reviewers, but I didn't think of it as a particular issue. The twins are clearly unique and their situation isn't one to which there could or should be answers readily available. I wasn't expected to learn why they were able to do the things they could, and so I wasn't disappointed when this wasn't resolved. They're teenage girls at the end of the day; there's only so much they are going to be able to answer and resolve on their own. I found it somewhat realistic that everything wouldn't be wrapped up in a nice, neat little bow at the conclusion of the story.
It did seem like this could easily have been carried into a second book, or possibly even a third. I'm glad the author chose not to do that; there are entirely too few stand alone novels in YA these days.
Update 12/2017: apparently I didn’t realize this was the first in a series when I posted this review. Had I realized that at the time, I may have continued with the series. Too much time has passed at this point that I don’t remember a single thing about this book, and will therefore likely not be continuing with the series. I’d have to re-read this one to continue and I have too many TBR books to be re-reading ones that clearly didn’t have a lasting impression on me.
October 22, 2016
Words cannot express how much I love this book. I am immediately about to find the second book so that I can start it. It was an easy read with elements of mystery and suspense; which I loved. Lady Cross never gave away anything or hinted to the ending which is one thing I love about her writing. The idea in her story is new and captivating and she leaves me wanting more
June 15, 2016
I've got to say, it's been a really long time since I've read a bad book and that really makes me happy. It's probably mostly because I'm quite easily pleased but then again. This book as well, I really enjoyed this. I loved how the group sticked together no matter what, even though some of them weren't the best of friends. I loved the relationship between the twins, Lark and Wren, I overall just really enjoyed this.
I do think you have to be open for a paranormal kind of genre to enjoy this though. You have to like that sort of stuff in order to like this book, which I do so that's great.
I thought it was fast paced, written smoothly, serious content mixed with humour and sarcasm (my fav).
So yeah, if you like stories that have to do with ghosts and paranormality, then you will definitely like this too.
I do think you have to be open for a paranormal kind of genre to enjoy this though. You have to like that sort of stuff in order to like this book, which I do so that's great.
I thought it was fast paced, written smoothly, serious content mixed with humour and sarcasm (my fav).
So yeah, if you like stories that have to do with ghosts and paranormality, then you will definitely like this too.
August 18, 2017
3.5/5 stars ~ This was so much better than I was expecting! Not fully invested but definitely a nice read :)
RTC
RTC
March 31, 2017
Very pleasantly surprised by this one! Full review to come!!
I picked out this book awhile ago because I liked the premise that one of a twin was dead and the alive twin could communicate with the dead one. Being intrigued with the macabre, this one was an easy pick. This is about twin sisters Lark and Wren. Lark was born and Wren was still born. All Lark's life, she could see and communicate with Wren which caused her to be labeled as the crazy girl. After harrowing events, she is back in high school trying to be "normal", but when kids from the school discover that ghosts are real, Lark and Wren are needed to save the day.
I was surprised at how much I did enjoy this book. I was a little nervous about a teen drama since Trial by Fire, but this one sucked me in. Mainly because there wasn't much of a "set up" time. Within the first two chapters, we find out; Lark can see and commune with ghosts, Wren is her supernatural backup on everything, and a group of kids has been marked by a ghost and it is slowing sucking the life out of them. It started fast! And I very much enjoyed that. There was no ramp up and yet it didn't feel rushed at all. We all know about ghosts, ghosts stories, and the supernatural that there was no need for the whole back story. We did get pieces here and there that helped push the plot along. It was really interesting because the characters are kind of pre-developed in a sense and not in a bad way. There's not an overwhelming character development that some teen books have. Lark knows who she is and she is feisty as all get out.
Lark!! Oh my gosh Lark! I love her so much! So many times i laughed out loud at what she said or did. I really liked the inner monologue that we got from her. The point of view switched from Lark and Wren and you can really tell the difference between the two. Lark is snarky, and smart -arsy and she doesn't take any crap from any one. It was so cute reading scenes later in the book when she does change slightly. Wren is also a very interesting character to read. Her perspective on the world and life in general is very unique and at times funny.
At some point in the book, I realized that this was just a Supernatural episode with sisters instead of brothers, and one of them is actually dead. It might be mistaken as just a rip off of that, but Cross made it her own. Yes it had similar attributes, but the details and premise are different. She was able to put her own spin on the supernatural with a basis from common knowledge. I did enjoy her usage of "meat suite". Made me laugh.
As with a high school teen drama book, there is language, and with it being on the scary side, there is stronger language and some scenes that might give you a disturbing mental picture.
I am super excited for the next book and am going to be adding the second book to my personal library. 5 Stars and hope to read more from Kady Cross.
I picked out this book awhile ago because I liked the premise that one of a twin was dead and the alive twin could communicate with the dead one. Being intrigued with the macabre, this one was an easy pick. This is about twin sisters Lark and Wren. Lark was born and Wren was still born. All Lark's life, she could see and communicate with Wren which caused her to be labeled as the crazy girl. After harrowing events, she is back in high school trying to be "normal", but when kids from the school discover that ghosts are real, Lark and Wren are needed to save the day.
I was surprised at how much I did enjoy this book. I was a little nervous about a teen drama since Trial by Fire, but this one sucked me in. Mainly because there wasn't much of a "set up" time. Within the first two chapters, we find out; Lark can see and commune with ghosts, Wren is her supernatural backup on everything, and a group of kids has been marked by a ghost and it is slowing sucking the life out of them. It started fast! And I very much enjoyed that. There was no ramp up and yet it didn't feel rushed at all. We all know about ghosts, ghosts stories, and the supernatural that there was no need for the whole back story. We did get pieces here and there that helped push the plot along. It was really interesting because the characters are kind of pre-developed in a sense and not in a bad way. There's not an overwhelming character development that some teen books have. Lark knows who she is and she is feisty as all get out.
Lark!! Oh my gosh Lark! I love her so much! So many times i laughed out loud at what she said or did. I really liked the inner monologue that we got from her. The point of view switched from Lark and Wren and you can really tell the difference between the two. Lark is snarky, and smart -arsy and she doesn't take any crap from any one. It was so cute reading scenes later in the book when she does change slightly. Wren is also a very interesting character to read. Her perspective on the world and life in general is very unique and at times funny.
At some point in the book, I realized that this was just a Supernatural episode with sisters instead of brothers, and one of them is actually dead. It might be mistaken as just a rip off of that, but Cross made it her own. Yes it had similar attributes, but the details and premise are different. She was able to put her own spin on the supernatural with a basis from common knowledge. I did enjoy her usage of "meat suite". Made me laugh.
As with a high school teen drama book, there is language, and with it being on the scary side, there is stronger language and some scenes that might give you a disturbing mental picture.
I am super excited for the next book and am going to be adding the second book to my personal library. 5 Stars and hope to read more from Kady Cross.
December 31, 2015
Review to come!
Update 4/1/15:
I received an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
I am a huge fan of Kady Cross, and absolutely adore her Steampunk Chronicles series (if you haven't read that series yet, and are interested in a good steampunk book, check it out!). However, this is a marked departure from her usual steampunk novels, and she tries her hand at ghosts. And I must say that she did an excellent job! There are some complaints I have, but overall this was an exciting, unique, and creative novel that will appeal to a wide audience. Kady Cross's writing is wonderful and provides a well-crafted story that makes you never want to stop reading. This book is short, so you'll have no problem flying through this novel and reading it in one sitting. Trust me, you'll want to see how it ends! Packed with action, twists, and turns, you won't know what to expect.
First off, let me address the things I disliked about the book (always my least favorite part of a review). The major thing for me was the lack of description of some characters. We received a good description of what Wren and Lark looked like, as well as a couple other characters, but there were some characters in which their description was kind of just left to the imagination. While I don't completely mind this, and we did receive a little description here and there, I wanted a bit more. I like having a clear picture of what the characters look like so that I can connect to those characters more. However, it didn't really take away from the novel, and this is something that could be easily taken care of in the sequel. The other slight problem I had was the lack of differentiation between Wren and Lark's POV. Even though whose POV we are reading from, sometimes (especially if you don't pay attention) it was difficult to tell who was talking. Granted, the girls are twins, but they still had very unique personalities, and that didn't always come through. My final complaint (and again this is something easily fixable in the sequel) was that I didn't truly feel like I knew the characters by the end of the book. I just wanted a bit more.
Anyway, besides these couple things, I loved this book! But due to those things, I had to lower my rating. I will say that I didn't immediately like Wren and Lark. However, they turned into great leads. I did like Lark a bit more than Wren though. My heart broke for Lark and everything she has had to deal with. And I definitely didn't blame her for being suspicious of the group of "friends" she had acquired because of the ghost. But at the same time, there were times I wanted to smack her for being so suspicious. I really liked the "Scooby Gang" of Mace, Ben, Sarah, Roxie, and Gage. They had me cracking up many times. So for what I do know of these characters, I like so far (well maybe with the exception of Sarah...).
Where this book truly shines is the plot itself. This is a fantastic ghost-hunting story, and the plot deserves 5 stars. The world building is excellent, and is an amazing start to the rest of the series. I was very intrigued by the Shadowlands, and there are many unanswered questions that I look forward to finding out the answer to. I am really excited to learn more about the ghost world Kady Cross has created in the future books!
I definitely recommend checking this book out if you like a good ghost story. While there are some things I wish were changed, the book and series shows a ton of potential. I can't wait to see where Ms. Cross takes the series, and it's safe to say I will definitely be checking out the next one!
Happy reading :)
Update 4/1/15:
I received an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
I am a huge fan of Kady Cross, and absolutely adore her Steampunk Chronicles series (if you haven't read that series yet, and are interested in a good steampunk book, check it out!). However, this is a marked departure from her usual steampunk novels, and she tries her hand at ghosts. And I must say that she did an excellent job! There are some complaints I have, but overall this was an exciting, unique, and creative novel that will appeal to a wide audience. Kady Cross's writing is wonderful and provides a well-crafted story that makes you never want to stop reading. This book is short, so you'll have no problem flying through this novel and reading it in one sitting. Trust me, you'll want to see how it ends! Packed with action, twists, and turns, you won't know what to expect.
First off, let me address the things I disliked about the book (always my least favorite part of a review). The major thing for me was the lack of description of some characters. We received a good description of what Wren and Lark looked like, as well as a couple other characters, but there were some characters in which their description was kind of just left to the imagination. While I don't completely mind this, and we did receive a little description here and there, I wanted a bit more. I like having a clear picture of what the characters look like so that I can connect to those characters more. However, it didn't really take away from the novel, and this is something that could be easily taken care of in the sequel. The other slight problem I had was the lack of differentiation between Wren and Lark's POV. Even though whose POV we are reading from, sometimes (especially if you don't pay attention) it was difficult to tell who was talking. Granted, the girls are twins, but they still had very unique personalities, and that didn't always come through. My final complaint (and again this is something easily fixable in the sequel) was that I didn't truly feel like I knew the characters by the end of the book. I just wanted a bit more.
Anyway, besides these couple things, I loved this book! But due to those things, I had to lower my rating. I will say that I didn't immediately like Wren and Lark. However, they turned into great leads. I did like Lark a bit more than Wren though. My heart broke for Lark and everything she has had to deal with. And I definitely didn't blame her for being suspicious of the group of "friends" she had acquired because of the ghost. But at the same time, there were times I wanted to smack her for being so suspicious. I really liked the "Scooby Gang" of Mace, Ben, Sarah, Roxie, and Gage. They had me cracking up many times. So for what I do know of these characters, I like so far (well maybe with the exception of Sarah...).
Where this book truly shines is the plot itself. This is a fantastic ghost-hunting story, and the plot deserves 5 stars. The world building is excellent, and is an amazing start to the rest of the series. I was very intrigued by the Shadowlands, and there are many unanswered questions that I look forward to finding out the answer to. I am really excited to learn more about the ghost world Kady Cross has created in the future books!
I definitely recommend checking this book out if you like a good ghost story. While there are some things I wish were changed, the book and series shows a ton of potential. I can't wait to see where Ms. Cross takes the series, and it's safe to say I will definitely be checking out the next one!
Happy reading :)
February 21, 2015
I absolutely loved this book! My reading preferences are really starting to change lately and this book was everything I wanted!
Lark is a twin and she talks to her twin everyday. This is great for Lark except that her twin, Wren, is dead and has been dead since birth. Lark knows she's not crazy, but not everyone thinks that way and after having to go back to school and face her classmates after her suicide attempt life just well sucks. Things take a strange turn when a few of classmates need her help and Wren's.
Some people might not like Lark, but I loved her. She was really tough, snarky, and the big B most times, but I still adored her. She has had to put up with a lot of stuff including her parents shipping her off to live with her grandmother so I can see why she is the way she is. Could she have toned it down at times yes, but I wouldn't have wanted her too. She was who she was and I think the author did an incredible job at writing here. Wren was the opposite and it was nice having that balance. I think it helped Lark ground herself a little and it helped her be able to face her daily life.
The story was awesome! It was gross and creepy and just so cool! I really liked all the ghosts stuff and I think the author did an amazing job at adding things I haven't read before. I have to hand it to her to because the big baddie was chill worthy! The story had a nice balance between romance, plot, and funny spots. Nothing seemed fake between the characters. They all knew where they stood and nothing was sugared coated or hidden. I really appreciated the honestly that was thrown in. I would like to know more about the Shadowlands (the place where Wren goes to get away from the living). I think there is a whole new world there and I can't wait to see it developed. Plus I think Wren has a dark side and I'm really curious to see that side of her and I want to know more about Larks abilities. I have a feeling all will be explored in the next installment.
The only thing that bothered me about this was the last few pages. Something happens that I think was out of character and I am really hoping the author isn't going to throw in a dreaded love triangle. I like where the characters are with each other and I don't think the story needs that. It is way stronger without the added drama. Other than that this story was amazing and just what I have been looking for!
Lark is a twin and she talks to her twin everyday. This is great for Lark except that her twin, Wren, is dead and has been dead since birth. Lark knows she's not crazy, but not everyone thinks that way and after having to go back to school and face her classmates after her suicide attempt life just well sucks. Things take a strange turn when a few of classmates need her help and Wren's.
Some people might not like Lark, but I loved her. She was really tough, snarky, and the big B most times, but I still adored her. She has had to put up with a lot of stuff including her parents shipping her off to live with her grandmother so I can see why she is the way she is. Could she have toned it down at times yes, but I wouldn't have wanted her too. She was who she was and I think the author did an incredible job at writing here. Wren was the opposite and it was nice having that balance. I think it helped Lark ground herself a little and it helped her be able to face her daily life.
The story was awesome! It was gross and creepy and just so cool! I really liked all the ghosts stuff and I think the author did an amazing job at adding things I haven't read before. I have to hand it to her to because the big baddie was chill worthy! The story had a nice balance between romance, plot, and funny spots. Nothing seemed fake between the characters. They all knew where they stood and nothing was sugared coated or hidden. I really appreciated the honestly that was thrown in. I would like to know more about the Shadowlands (the place where Wren goes to get away from the living). I think there is a whole new world there and I can't wait to see it developed. Plus I think Wren has a dark side and I'm really curious to see that side of her and I want to know more about Larks abilities. I have a feeling all will be explored in the next installment.
The only thing that bothered me about this was the last few pages. Something happens that I think was out of character and I am really hoping the author isn't going to throw in a dreaded love triangle. I like where the characters are with each other and I don't think the story needs that. It is way stronger without the added drama. Other than that this story was amazing and just what I have been looking for!
April 15, 2015
**I received this book for free from (Harlequin Teen) via (NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!! This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**
*Genre* Young Adult, Paranormal
*Rating* 3.5-4
*My Thoughts*
Kady Cross, author of The Steampunk Chronicles, returns with a new series called Sisters of Blood and Spirit. Cross introduces readers to twin sisters Wrenleigh and Lark Noble who couldn't be more different, but are nearly inseparable.
Wren is a Dead Born with vibrant red hair who lives in Shadow Lands, a place between dimensions, and is able to possess Lark. Lark has white blonde hair, doesn't exactly fit in with other kids after attempting to take her own life, and was subsequently banishment to her grandmothers home by her outrageously awful parents.
*Full Review Posted @ Gizmos Reviews 04/15/2015*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
*Recvd via NetGalley 01/26/2015: Released: March 31, 2015 by Harlequin Teen
*Genre* Young Adult, Paranormal
*Rating* 3.5-4
*My Thoughts*
Kady Cross, author of The Steampunk Chronicles, returns with a new series called Sisters of Blood and Spirit. Cross introduces readers to twin sisters Wrenleigh and Lark Noble who couldn't be more different, but are nearly inseparable.
Wren is a Dead Born with vibrant red hair who lives in Shadow Lands, a place between dimensions, and is able to possess Lark. Lark has white blonde hair, doesn't exactly fit in with other kids after attempting to take her own life, and was subsequently banishment to her grandmothers home by her outrageously awful parents.
*Full Review Posted @ Gizmos Reviews 04/15/2015*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
*Recvd via NetGalley 01/26/2015: Released: March 31, 2015 by Harlequin Teen
October 18, 2016
A girl with the ability to see her dead, twin sister, whom we also get a perspective from, was the perfect amount of creepiness for this Halloween season. Aside from the obvious bond between the siblings, I loved the additional character driven focus this book provided. As a romance lover, this one was beautifully tragic in its relationship between an unlikely pair, and I'm anxious to continue just to discover how it will flourish, if it does.
Sisters of Blood and Spirit was dark, much darker than I expected, and I loved the contrast of the happiness each sister believed they were missing in their lives. This was a great book in so many ways, but somewhere along the way I lost interest in the adventure of tracking evil spirits, and that's the primary reason for lowering my rating.
Sisters of Blood and Spirit was dark, much darker than I expected, and I loved the contrast of the happiness each sister believed they were missing in their lives. This was a great book in so many ways, but somewhere along the way I lost interest in the adventure of tracking evil spirits, and that's the primary reason for lowering my rating.
April 26, 2015
Another book that I thought would be good. Sadly I was mistaken. I struggled to get to chapter six. This was even after I got to chapter four and read several other books before I picked up this book again to try and give it another chance. That is when I got to chapter six and finally put the book down for good. There was nothing intriguing in the six chapters that I read that made me want to keep reading this book. Neither Wren or Lark had any endearing qualities either. Which Wren is the bad twin and Lark is supposed to be the good twin but she was more mousy than anything.
January 23, 2020
My thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin TEEN for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.
This may sound like damning with faint praise, but I was surprised when I started reading this and I was enjoying it. Many of my friends whose reading opinion I trust DNF'd it and hated it, so I admit, I expected to hate it too.
But I didn't. I rather enjoyed it. I didn't love it, but I didn't rage-quit it either. I liked the premise of the book, the characters felt real (I wasn't fond of the parents' abandonment of their daughter, especially after said daughter had attempted suicide. Yeah, abandoning her after that suicide attempt is going to make her feel SO much better. I get that if the parents were present and loving, that it would make it difficult for the teen characters to do what they were doing, I get its a trope of these types of books, but I HATE it. Back to the review.) and the danger felt real enough, though there was a bit of Deus ex Machina going on and not a lot was explained, to the characters or to the reader, but from what I understand, much is explained in the second book, so I don't mind. As long as I know the answers are coming, I'll keep reading.
The only thing other than the selfish parents that I didn't like was the lack of religion and God in the book. Yes, I know most YA books don't have that in them, but it makes no sense to me that there is this HUGE BIG BAD EVIL, but no equally big and powerful good. It takes teenage kids putting themselves into danger without an equally powerful force behind them to save the day. Granted, the ghosts aren't being portrayed as demons, they are being portrayed as humans who have died and continued on their evil ways, but there are very few ghosts on the "good" side. The thought is that the good ones pass on to the next life, but the bad ones stay behind to make life miserable for the living.
So I don't agree with the portrayal of the afterlife in this, but it is inventive and it kept my attention.
This is one of those books that I would recommend for YA on up, definitely. It is dark, there is violence against teens by evil ghosts, a suicide attempt that is bloody and mentioned multiple times, dead people described rather gruesomely and one of the MC's has visions of her sister doing horrible things to their friends and that sister does have a rather sick trophy case of a specific body part, though not parts provided by their friends. Also trespassing, absent parental figures and a police officer authority figure who isn't very professional add to the feeling of lack of respect for authority. I know, I know, teens go through that rebellious phase and this speaks to that, I was once a rebellious teen myself, but I felt I should mention it.
I did love the bond between the sisters and there was more than just one other female character and while one was the stereotypical mean girl, it rang true to me. Also, NO LOVE TRIANGLE. One of the guys was legit JUST a friend with the MC. So props for that.
3.5 stars, rounded down to 3, for the reasons listed above. It's well written, I will read the next one and I think most YA readers will enjoy it.
This may sound like damning with faint praise, but I was surprised when I started reading this and I was enjoying it. Many of my friends whose reading opinion I trust DNF'd it and hated it, so I admit, I expected to hate it too.
But I didn't. I rather enjoyed it. I didn't love it, but I didn't rage-quit it either. I liked the premise of the book, the characters felt real (I wasn't fond of the parents' abandonment of their daughter, especially after said daughter had attempted suicide. Yeah, abandoning her after that suicide attempt is going to make her feel SO much better. I get that if the parents were present and loving, that it would make it difficult for the teen characters to do what they were doing, I get its a trope of these types of books, but I HATE it. Back to the review.) and the danger felt real enough, though there was a bit of Deus ex Machina going on and not a lot was explained, to the characters or to the reader, but from what I understand, much is explained in the second book, so I don't mind. As long as I know the answers are coming, I'll keep reading.
The only thing other than the selfish parents that I didn't like was the lack of religion and God in the book. Yes, I know most YA books don't have that in them, but it makes no sense to me that there is this HUGE BIG BAD EVIL, but no equally big and powerful good. It takes teenage kids putting themselves into danger without an equally powerful force behind them to save the day. Granted, the ghosts aren't being portrayed as demons, they are being portrayed as humans who have died and continued on their evil ways, but there are very few ghosts on the "good" side. The thought is that the good ones pass on to the next life, but the bad ones stay behind to make life miserable for the living.
So I don't agree with the portrayal of the afterlife in this, but it is inventive and it kept my attention.
This is one of those books that I would recommend for YA on up, definitely. It is dark, there is violence against teens by evil ghosts, a suicide attempt that is bloody and mentioned multiple times, dead people described rather gruesomely and one of the MC's has visions of her sister doing horrible things to their friends and that sister does have a rather sick trophy case of a specific body part, though not parts provided by their friends. Also trespassing, absent parental figures and a police officer authority figure who isn't very professional add to the feeling of lack of respect for authority. I know, I know, teens go through that rebellious phase and this speaks to that, I was once a rebellious teen myself, but I felt I should mention it.
I did love the bond between the sisters and there was more than just one other female character and while one was the stereotypical mean girl, it rang true to me. Also, NO LOVE TRIANGLE. One of the guys was legit JUST a friend with the MC. So props for that.
3.5 stars, rounded down to 3, for the reasons listed above. It's well written, I will read the next one and I think most YA readers will enjoy it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 24, 2015
I received this ARC from the author in a contest won on Twitter, I was in no way compensated for this review.
I was beyond happy when I won an ARC of Sisters of Blood and Spirit by Kady Cross! From Kady no less! I adored her Steampunk Chronicles and was beyond eager for her new ghost series!
The story is very, very intriguing! Lark and Wren are twin sisters, except Wren was stillborn, but Lark has seen her sister for pretty much ever. It's gotten her into quite a bit of hot water. People think she's crazy talking to someone who is clearly not there. It led her to do the unthinkable and her time at the hospital was another nightmare she had to endure. To top it all off, Lark's mother envies that Wren visits her, but not herself, her own mother, so her parents dump her at her grandmother's house to live. They seriously just abandoned their daughter for something that wasn't even her fault. It's definitely a tragic way to start the story.
But I must say, I love Lark! She's got an attitude on her that I can totally get behind. She doesn't let people's insults bother her...unless they start turning on her sister. Then she gets mad, and so does Wren and you do not want to have a spirit angry with you!
The story focuses on Lark reluctantly helping out some kids at school who have a very angry ghost gunning for them. Roxi is sort of her friend, in that Roxi is uber friendly and Lark takes a liking to her in a way. But she wasn't prepared to help out these other kids when she was bombarded with the problem.
What made this story even more incredible is that it's told from both Lark and Wren's point of view. Before starting this story, I was unsure if Wren would be a friendly spirit in Lark's life. I thought, maybe she's evil. She can have moments of "life" when she steps into Lark's body and I feared she would like it too much and never leave. But that's not at all the case! Lark and Wren actually have a very good relationship; a true sisterly bond despite that one of them is not of the living!
The characters were incredible! I love Lark and Wren, but the students in need of help were great too! I still kind of wonder if Lark is going to find herself in a love triangle between Ben and Mace. She has a past connection with Mace that links them together, but he's the one already with a girlfriend. But they just have so many moments together, I couldn't tell if he was supposed to be a love interest or not! Ben most definitely was a love interest and I must say that I loved his best! LOL!
Wren isn't without a possible love interest either! She's been crushing hard on Kevin and Kevin is a psychic of sorts. So he can hear her, he played a part in rescuing Lark as well as Mace. But he's alive and Wren's not, so there will definitely be some complications in that area!
Lark has finally found people she think she can call friends and she hasn't had that in...forever. She will do whatever it takes to keep them safe, even if it means facing down a big, nasty spirit.
I always find ghost books intriguing! They seem like the rarely explored supernatural in books, because they're ghosts. They're dead and there's not much life for them to live in the afterlife...or so we think! I am amazed with each ghost book I read at how incredibly awesome these stories are! And Kady Cross has just blown me away...again! I loved her Steampunk Chronicles, it was an introduction to the Steampunk genre for me, of course it was loaded with paranormal goodness as well, but I absolutely LOVED her ghost story! And while there weren't any references to Supernatural, I felt like we had some nice hat tips to them with just little things here and there! And the references to Scooby Doo positively made my day!
Sisters of Blood and Spirit has everything one could need in a ghost story! There was action, romance, ghosts, suspense, and of course creepy ghosts!! I loved every minute of it and now I have the grueling wait until the next book! I highly recommend this book if you're looking for a good ghost story--but note I mean that as in a book with ghosts as main characters and not a story meant to keep you up at night armed with salt and iron! *winks*
Overall Rating 5/5 stars
Sisters of Blood and Spirit releases March 31, 2015
I was beyond happy when I won an ARC of Sisters of Blood and Spirit by Kady Cross! From Kady no less! I adored her Steampunk Chronicles and was beyond eager for her new ghost series!
The story is very, very intriguing! Lark and Wren are twin sisters, except Wren was stillborn, but Lark has seen her sister for pretty much ever. It's gotten her into quite a bit of hot water. People think she's crazy talking to someone who is clearly not there. It led her to do the unthinkable and her time at the hospital was another nightmare she had to endure. To top it all off, Lark's mother envies that Wren visits her, but not herself, her own mother, so her parents dump her at her grandmother's house to live. They seriously just abandoned their daughter for something that wasn't even her fault. It's definitely a tragic way to start the story.
But I must say, I love Lark! She's got an attitude on her that I can totally get behind. She doesn't let people's insults bother her...unless they start turning on her sister. Then she gets mad, and so does Wren and you do not want to have a spirit angry with you!
The story focuses on Lark reluctantly helping out some kids at school who have a very angry ghost gunning for them. Roxi is sort of her friend, in that Roxi is uber friendly and Lark takes a liking to her in a way. But she wasn't prepared to help out these other kids when she was bombarded with the problem.
What made this story even more incredible is that it's told from both Lark and Wren's point of view. Before starting this story, I was unsure if Wren would be a friendly spirit in Lark's life. I thought, maybe she's evil. She can have moments of "life" when she steps into Lark's body and I feared she would like it too much and never leave. But that's not at all the case! Lark and Wren actually have a very good relationship; a true sisterly bond despite that one of them is not of the living!
The characters were incredible! I love Lark and Wren, but the students in need of help were great too! I still kind of wonder if Lark is going to find herself in a love triangle between Ben and Mace. She has a past connection with Mace that links them together, but he's the one already with a girlfriend. But they just have so many moments together, I couldn't tell if he was supposed to be a love interest or not! Ben most definitely was a love interest and I must say that I loved his best! LOL!
Wren isn't without a possible love interest either! She's been crushing hard on Kevin and Kevin is a psychic of sorts. So he can hear her, he played a part in rescuing Lark as well as Mace. But he's alive and Wren's not, so there will definitely be some complications in that area!
Lark has finally found people she think she can call friends and she hasn't had that in...forever. She will do whatever it takes to keep them safe, even if it means facing down a big, nasty spirit.
I always find ghost books intriguing! They seem like the rarely explored supernatural in books, because they're ghosts. They're dead and there's not much life for them to live in the afterlife...or so we think! I am amazed with each ghost book I read at how incredibly awesome these stories are! And Kady Cross has just blown me away...again! I loved her Steampunk Chronicles, it was an introduction to the Steampunk genre for me, of course it was loaded with paranormal goodness as well, but I absolutely LOVED her ghost story! And while there weren't any references to Supernatural, I felt like we had some nice hat tips to them with just little things here and there! And the references to Scooby Doo positively made my day!
Sisters of Blood and Spirit has everything one could need in a ghost story! There was action, romance, ghosts, suspense, and of course creepy ghosts!! I loved every minute of it and now I have the grueling wait until the next book! I highly recommend this book if you're looking for a good ghost story--but note I mean that as in a book with ghosts as main characters and not a story meant to keep you up at night armed with salt and iron! *winks*
Overall Rating 5/5 stars
Sisters of Blood and Spirit releases March 31, 2015
July 21, 2015
This book features Lark and Wren, who are identical twins, minus their hair colour (Lark's is white, Wren's is red). The difference is that Wren was a stillborn, meaning she was dead at birth. However, though that may be the case, she very much isn't, because she's been growing up right alongside Lark. No one expect Lark can see her.
The plot of the book begins simple enough with a group of people having been marked by a serial-killer ghost, and they need Lark and Wren's help. But nothing is ever merely simple, and the plot thickens with complications. New revelations about Lark and Wren turn their world upside down, new ghosts that decided to come out to play, and the confirmation that Lark and Wren are a rarity with immense power, both in the living world and dead. Needless to say, there are a multitude of questions that remain unanswered in the first book, all which leave the reader hanging for the next one.
This book was fast-paced, taking place literally within a weekend. Friday night, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday for the final showdown. Bam, bam, bam. Done. It was fast, but then again, this wasn't a particularly long book (at least for my standards). There was no short of action (Lark and Wren are seriously awesomse) and desperation, and it really gives you perspective of how much one can do all in the time span of twenty-four hours. Again, desperation makes time seem a lot longer than what it actually is.
Lark has faced a lot of ridicule, being known as the "crazy girl who pretends to talk to her dead sister." She doesn't trust others easily, as she's been hurt time and time again, and because of that, her character is bitter and snarky. Bad experiences have led Lark to be wary of people claiming to want to be "friends"; she's done with being the laughing stock, done with people saying nasty things about her and Wren. Lark's love for Wren is what causes her to drive others away; she absolutely can't stand it when they make fun of her, because no matter what, Wren is still able to hear their cruel comments.
Wren, in contrast, is considerably more optimistic than Lark. She's more open to the possibilities of making friends, falling in love, and all the other opportunities Lark has. Much like Lark, Wren loves her sister dearly. As optimistic as Wren normally is, she has no qualms against terrifying the people who hurt Lark by whispering ghostly secrets into their heads, the first step in driving them insane. Of course, she never takes it that far, but she does enough so that they never approach Lark again. No one hurts Lark and gets away with it. That, ladies and gentlemen, is sisterly love.
I really connected to Lark and Wren. Lark, who is tough for her sister, and Wren, who will secretly plot revenge. They are their own people, and both make choices with their sister in mind. Two sides of the same coin, so to speak, expect one is alive and the other is dead. Seriously, wouldn't it be awesome to have someone super close with you be able to exact revenge on both you behalves?
This book does contain a bit of romance, but Kady Cross is able to masterly weave it in so that it's not overpowering the main plot. I honestly do not think this book would have been able to work if romance had been a bigger theme. Everyone in the book has their priorities straight, and there's very little time to have romantic feelings all mixed up in it. I would not categorize this under "romance" at all, and that is by far fine by me. The love and protectiveness between Lark and Wren is a lot more interesting and cute than the actual boy-girl attractions here.
I loved the ending. It left you in a bit of suspense with the introduction of two new characters, as well as the anticipation of Lark and Wren's father might be coming back into the picture soon. I highly recommend this book if you're looking for a book with a few scares, deep sisterly love, and snark. I absolutely cannot wait to read the next book!
Original post at Books, Stars, Writing. And Everything In Between.
The plot of the book begins simple enough with a group of people having been marked by a serial-killer ghost, and they need Lark and Wren's help. But nothing is ever merely simple, and the plot thickens with complications. New revelations about Lark and Wren turn their world upside down, new ghosts that decided to come out to play, and the confirmation that Lark and Wren are a rarity with immense power, both in the living world and dead. Needless to say, there are a multitude of questions that remain unanswered in the first book, all which leave the reader hanging for the next one.
This book was fast-paced, taking place literally within a weekend. Friday night, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday for the final showdown. Bam, bam, bam. Done. It was fast, but then again, this wasn't a particularly long book (at least for my standards). There was no short of action (Lark and Wren are seriously awesomse) and desperation, and it really gives you perspective of how much one can do all in the time span of twenty-four hours. Again, desperation makes time seem a lot longer than what it actually is.
Lark has faced a lot of ridicule, being known as the "crazy girl who pretends to talk to her dead sister." She doesn't trust others easily, as she's been hurt time and time again, and because of that, her character is bitter and snarky. Bad experiences have led Lark to be wary of people claiming to want to be "friends"; she's done with being the laughing stock, done with people saying nasty things about her and Wren. Lark's love for Wren is what causes her to drive others away; she absolutely can't stand it when they make fun of her, because no matter what, Wren is still able to hear their cruel comments.
Wren, in contrast, is considerably more optimistic than Lark. She's more open to the possibilities of making friends, falling in love, and all the other opportunities Lark has. Much like Lark, Wren loves her sister dearly. As optimistic as Wren normally is, she has no qualms against terrifying the people who hurt Lark by whispering ghostly secrets into their heads, the first step in driving them insane. Of course, she never takes it that far, but she does enough so that they never approach Lark again. No one hurts Lark and gets away with it. That, ladies and gentlemen, is sisterly love.
I really connected to Lark and Wren. Lark, who is tough for her sister, and Wren, who will secretly plot revenge. They are their own people, and both make choices with their sister in mind. Two sides of the same coin, so to speak, expect one is alive and the other is dead. Seriously, wouldn't it be awesome to have someone super close with you be able to exact revenge on both you behalves?
This book does contain a bit of romance, but Kady Cross is able to masterly weave it in so that it's not overpowering the main plot. I honestly do not think this book would have been able to work if romance had been a bigger theme. Everyone in the book has their priorities straight, and there's very little time to have romantic feelings all mixed up in it. I would not categorize this under "romance" at all, and that is by far fine by me. The love and protectiveness between Lark and Wren is a lot more interesting and cute than the actual boy-girl attractions here.
I loved the ending. It left you in a bit of suspense with the introduction of two new characters, as well as the anticipation of Lark and Wren's father might be coming back into the picture soon. I highly recommend this book if you're looking for a book with a few scares, deep sisterly love, and snark. I absolutely cannot wait to read the next book!
Original post at Books, Stars, Writing. And Everything In Between.
July 25, 2015
It was okay.
After my initial realization that this was not going to be the epic horror story I was expecting, I planned to hate Sisters of Blood and Spirit. What kind of horror story doesn't even freak me out a little? In fact, half way through the book I went out into the pitch black at midnight on unfamiliar roads to pick up my sister and you know how spooked I felt?
Nada. If anything I spent the entire drive grumbling about how non-scary the book was.
But, benefit of the doubt, maybe it was just my library that mislabeled it. Maybe this was never intended to be horror-horror, just paranormal. In which case this is adequate and still uninteresting.
Well, technically this book fits that definition. The plot follows two sisters, Lark who is alive but wishes she were dead and Wren, her dead twin sister who who wishes to be alive. The two share bond and Lark can see Wren (and other ghosts)
Lark is all like:
while her sister is basically
(And I do mean #fabulous. Ever time Lark describes her sister we are reminded of it. Every time.)
Its an interesting premise and carried off decently well. The two sisters have distinct personalities. However, their backstory would have made a lot more interesting story than the one we are presented with. Because the biggest problem...is the plot.
And silly teenage girl drama.
Which basically means the same thing. These sisters have epic, barely explained, untapped power...
...yet they just stumble around crushing on boys.
Anyway, semi-decent plot overall and even I have to admit that it could have been waaaayyyy worse. I guess I was pleasantly surprised in my disappointment? It just wasn't what I was looking for.
I guess I'd also add that this plot leaves too many gaping holes. I assume that means setting up for a sequel/series. Yet like so many books that turn into a series I am not nearly endeared enough to the characters to want more of them. There are too many unanswered questions to make this a really "well crafted" read. I don't recommend or not recommend. I'll just say it for sure isn't a horror story.
Note: My 13-year-old brother just took one look at the cover and said "Sisters of Blood and...Stupidity. Caution: Do Not Read"...so take that for what it is worth ;)
After my initial realization that this was not going to be the epic horror story I was expecting, I planned to hate Sisters of Blood and Spirit. What kind of horror story doesn't even freak me out a little? In fact, half way through the book I went out into the pitch black at midnight on unfamiliar roads to pick up my sister and you know how spooked I felt?
Nada. If anything I spent the entire drive grumbling about how non-scary the book was.
But, benefit of the doubt, maybe it was just my library that mislabeled it. Maybe this was never intended to be horror-horror, just paranormal. In which case this is adequate and still uninteresting.
par·a·nor·mal
ˌperəˈnôrm(ə)l/
adjective
denoting events or phenomena such as telekinesis or clairvoyance that are beyond the scope of normal scientific understanding.
Well, technically this book fits that definition. The plot follows two sisters, Lark who is alive but wishes she were dead and Wren, her dead twin sister who who wishes to be alive. The two share bond and Lark can see Wren (and other ghosts)
Lark is all like:
while her sister is basically
(And I do mean #fabulous. Ever time Lark describes her sister we are reminded of it. Every time.)
Its an interesting premise and carried off decently well. The two sisters have distinct personalities. However, their backstory would have made a lot more interesting story than the one we are presented with. Because the biggest problem...is the plot.
And silly teenage girl drama.
Which basically means the same thing. These sisters have epic, barely explained, untapped power...
...yet they just stumble around crushing on boys.
Anyway, semi-decent plot overall and even I have to admit that it could have been waaaayyyy worse. I guess I was pleasantly surprised in my disappointment? It just wasn't what I was looking for.
I guess I'd also add that this plot leaves too many gaping holes. I assume that means setting up for a sequel/series. Yet like so many books that turn into a series I am not nearly endeared enough to the characters to want more of them. There are too many unanswered questions to make this a really "well crafted" read. I don't recommend or not recommend. I'll just say it for sure isn't a horror story.
Note: My 13-year-old brother just took one look at the cover and said "Sisters of Blood and...Stupidity. Caution: Do Not Read"...so take that for what it is worth ;)
October 26, 2015
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: A quick paranormal read about twin ghost-hunting sisters, and their unusual bond through death.
Opening Sentence: The scars on my wrist itched.
The Review:
It makes a change to read something a little different, even if it isn’t a fantastic mind-boggling read. Sisters of Blood and Spirit wasn’t the latter but was a refreshing read. I enjoyed reading something focused on siblings and their relationships first, and romance thereafter and that’s what the foundation of this book was set on; the twin sisters.
Now, Lark and Wren aren’t like other twins, and you’re probably thinking: ‘yeah, they’re probably polar opposites or something along those lines.’ Yes and no. They definitely have contrasting personalities but the main difference is that one is alive and the other isn’t. Although Wren was a stillborn and to the world never really existed, Lark has been able to see her since birth and has built a strong relationship with her, one so strong that when Wren isn’t around Lark feels incomplete.
When we were little, Lark asked me if I lived in Heaven. I told her I didn’t know. I still didn’t. It was an untruth that the dead had all the answers. We just had different questions.
I thought their relationship was very sweet and quite disturbing. I can’t imagine how Lark must have felt growing up, knowing that she can essentially see ghosts. It makes me think of the little boy in the Sixth Sense, and that was not a favourite movie of mine! They’re both there for each other, Wren helps Lark out in dangerous situations with malevolent spirits, whilst Lark helps bring Wren back to the “good” side.
I wanted her to rest, and she wouldn’t if I didn’t help. She’d lie there all night and think about how she could have done things differently so the people she’d started to care for wouldn’t look at her like she was a freak.
What she failed to realize was that we were all freaks-every last one of us, living or dead. It didn’t matter.
I read this story pretty quickly, and I imagine I’ll want to continue the series but I make no promises. It was a good enough read whilst it lasted, but it’s not the sort of book that had me craving for more.
Notable Scene:
His nostrils flared slightly. “I’m the guy who kicked in a window to get to you. The guy who found you in a pool of your own blood and wrapped your arms in pillowcases to try to stop the bleeding. I’m the guy who prayed for you to live while you begged me to let you die. I don’t want your apology.”
“What the hell do you want? Gratitude? A freaking medal?” I wasn’t yelling, but I was close.
“What do I want?” His fingers tightened on my arm. “Jesus, Lark. I want you to forgive me!”
FTC Advisory: Harlequin Teen provided me with a copy of Sisters of Blood and Spirit. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: A quick paranormal read about twin ghost-hunting sisters, and their unusual bond through death.
Opening Sentence: The scars on my wrist itched.
The Review:
It makes a change to read something a little different, even if it isn’t a fantastic mind-boggling read. Sisters of Blood and Spirit wasn’t the latter but was a refreshing read. I enjoyed reading something focused on siblings and their relationships first, and romance thereafter and that’s what the foundation of this book was set on; the twin sisters.
Now, Lark and Wren aren’t like other twins, and you’re probably thinking: ‘yeah, they’re probably polar opposites or something along those lines.’ Yes and no. They definitely have contrasting personalities but the main difference is that one is alive and the other isn’t. Although Wren was a stillborn and to the world never really existed, Lark has been able to see her since birth and has built a strong relationship with her, one so strong that when Wren isn’t around Lark feels incomplete.
When we were little, Lark asked me if I lived in Heaven. I told her I didn’t know. I still didn’t. It was an untruth that the dead had all the answers. We just had different questions.
I thought their relationship was very sweet and quite disturbing. I can’t imagine how Lark must have felt growing up, knowing that she can essentially see ghosts. It makes me think of the little boy in the Sixth Sense, and that was not a favourite movie of mine! They’re both there for each other, Wren helps Lark out in dangerous situations with malevolent spirits, whilst Lark helps bring Wren back to the “good” side.
I wanted her to rest, and she wouldn’t if I didn’t help. She’d lie there all night and think about how she could have done things differently so the people she’d started to care for wouldn’t look at her like she was a freak.
What she failed to realize was that we were all freaks-every last one of us, living or dead. It didn’t matter.
I read this story pretty quickly, and I imagine I’ll want to continue the series but I make no promises. It was a good enough read whilst it lasted, but it’s not the sort of book that had me craving for more.
Notable Scene:
His nostrils flared slightly. “I’m the guy who kicked in a window to get to you. The guy who found you in a pool of your own blood and wrapped your arms in pillowcases to try to stop the bleeding. I’m the guy who prayed for you to live while you begged me to let you die. I don’t want your apology.”
“What the hell do you want? Gratitude? A freaking medal?” I wasn’t yelling, but I was close.
“What do I want?” His fingers tightened on my arm. “Jesus, Lark. I want you to forgive me!”
FTC Advisory: Harlequin Teen provided me with a copy of Sisters of Blood and Spirit. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
April 13, 2015
This review originally appeared on my blog, Leeanna.me.
==
In SISTERS OF BLOOD AND SPIRIT, twins Lark and Wren take on a vicious ghost that’s targeted some of the town’s teenagers. Lark and Wren are uniquely capable of fighting ghosts because Wren is dead and Lark can talk to ghosts.
WHAT I LIKED:
--Lark’s personality. She’s abrasive, snarky, and speaks her mind. Understandably so, since most of the school sees her as a freak for talking to her dead sister and trying to commit suicide.
--Nan. It was great to see a supportive parent figure in a YA book. Nan is understanding, accepts Lark and Wren, and doesn’t try to talk Lark out of fighting ghosts. I also liked that Lark fessed up to her grandmother, because she didn’t want to keep secrets.
--The romance between Lark and Ben. Usually I’m indifferent on romance, but I could get behind this one. It was great to have a boy who came out and said he liked Lark without being arrogant about it. I also liked that they crushed on each other a bit and didn’t rush things.
--The concept. The idea behind SISTERS OF BLOOD AND SPIRIT is what made me want to read the book. Twin sisters, able to communicate and interact even though one is dead? Pretty cool.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE:
--A lot left unexplained. I see now that SISTERS OF BLOOD AND SPIRIT is the first in a new series, but I was still left with a lot of questions. What are the Shadow Lands? Why is Wren so powerful? Why does Wren stay with Lark? Why does Bent (the book’s villain) want to form an army? Who is Emily? And so on.
--Too many in the Scooby Gang. Most of the book is taken up with Lark and Wren helping their new friends hunt a ghost, but I couldn’t tell some of those friends apart. There’s Mace, Sarah, Gage, Ben, Kevin, and Roxi. Some have more page time than others, and maybe they’ll have more development in future books, but in this book, some of them are just chess pieces.
--Lark’s suicide attempt. The author mentions this a lot, as well as mentions that the ghosts at the psych ward wanted to recruit Wren. I feel like the reader needed to see this, rather than be told about it again and again.
--The ending is rushed. Lark and the others actually put some preparation and thought into defeating the bad ghost, but it’s over super fast. I expected more there, and hey, what happened to Bent’s razor?
==
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
See more of my reviews:
==
In SISTERS OF BLOOD AND SPIRIT, twins Lark and Wren take on a vicious ghost that’s targeted some of the town’s teenagers. Lark and Wren are uniquely capable of fighting ghosts because Wren is dead and Lark can talk to ghosts.
WHAT I LIKED:
--Lark’s personality. She’s abrasive, snarky, and speaks her mind. Understandably so, since most of the school sees her as a freak for talking to her dead sister and trying to commit suicide.
--Nan. It was great to see a supportive parent figure in a YA book. Nan is understanding, accepts Lark and Wren, and doesn’t try to talk Lark out of fighting ghosts. I also liked that Lark fessed up to her grandmother, because she didn’t want to keep secrets.
--The romance between Lark and Ben. Usually I’m indifferent on romance, but I could get behind this one. It was great to have a boy who came out and said he liked Lark without being arrogant about it. I also liked that they crushed on each other a bit and didn’t rush things.
--The concept. The idea behind SISTERS OF BLOOD AND SPIRIT is what made me want to read the book. Twin sisters, able to communicate and interact even though one is dead? Pretty cool.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE:
--A lot left unexplained. I see now that SISTERS OF BLOOD AND SPIRIT is the first in a new series, but I was still left with a lot of questions. What are the Shadow Lands? Why is Wren so powerful? Why does Wren stay with Lark? Why does Bent (the book’s villain) want to form an army? Who is Emily? And so on.
--Too many in the Scooby Gang. Most of the book is taken up with Lark and Wren helping their new friends hunt a ghost, but I couldn’t tell some of those friends apart. There’s Mace, Sarah, Gage, Ben, Kevin, and Roxi. Some have more page time than others, and maybe they’ll have more development in future books, but in this book, some of them are just chess pieces.
--Lark’s suicide attempt. The author mentions this a lot, as well as mentions that the ghosts at the psych ward wanted to recruit Wren. I feel like the reader needed to see this, rather than be told about it again and again.
--The ending is rushed. Lark and the others actually put some preparation and thought into defeating the bad ghost, but it’s over super fast. I expected more there, and hey, what happened to Bent’s razor?
==
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
See more of my reviews:
December 24, 2015
CONTENT WARNINGS: Lesbian & ableist slurs used by a bully, suicide attempt, scenes from a psychiatric care facility, sexual assault.
Great concept/premise, but the story itself didn't really grab me. Still indeed to read Book 2, though (Sisters of Salt and Iron, due out in 2016).
P.S. Goodreads' review-writing pop-up looks different now.
Great concept/premise, but the story itself didn't really grab me. Still indeed to read Book 2, though (Sisters of Salt and Iron, due out in 2016).
P.S. Goodreads' review-writing pop-up looks different now.
Read
February 5, 2017DNF: I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE. I GIVE UP, I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FINISH THIS SINCE 2016 (MARCH!). RANT WILL CONTINUE LATER...
May 11, 2015
Rating: 3.75/5
Review coming soon!
Review coming soon!
October 14, 2022
I am a huge fan of Kady Cross and her writing style, so I was very excited to read this book, and I wasn't disappointed. This story is about 2 sisters, Lark, who is alive, and her twin, Wren, who isn't. Wren was stillborn, but she and Lark have a bond that even death couldn't break. Another weird thing about them is that Lark can see the departed, and Wren can slip into Lark's body if she is so inclined.
"I stepped into my sister and took over her body for the time being. People called it possession, but I didn't like to use that term in regards to Lark. Thankfully, she was just asleep. I opened my eyes - Lark's eyes."
So cool! Lark has always been a loner because being known as the crazy kid who talked to ghosts, among other things, has left her jaded when it comes to having friends and trusting others with her secrets. Unfortunately, when some kids from school are in trouble with an evil entity they crossed, Lark is their only hope, so she bites the bullet and agrees to help them, mostly because Wren is adamant that she must.
This book was full of great characters, an interesting premise, and a lot of action! I'm very much looking forward to reading the second book in this duology.
5/5 stars.
"I stepped into my sister and took over her body for the time being. People called it possession, but I didn't like to use that term in regards to Lark. Thankfully, she was just asleep. I opened my eyes - Lark's eyes."
So cool! Lark has always been a loner because being known as the crazy kid who talked to ghosts, among other things, has left her jaded when it comes to having friends and trusting others with her secrets. Unfortunately, when some kids from school are in trouble with an evil entity they crossed, Lark is their only hope, so she bites the bullet and agrees to help them, mostly because Wren is adamant that she must.
This book was full of great characters, an interesting premise, and a lot of action! I'm very much looking forward to reading the second book in this duology.
5/5 stars.
January 12, 2023
I loved this book! Had me hooked right at the start to the end. The ending wasn’t very satisfying, didn’t know there was a second book to this, but was good if you like teen reads and mystery with fantasy
September 29, 2015
Find this review and more on my blog The Rest Is Still Unwritten!
Sisters of Blood and Spirit is the first book in best-selling author Kady Cross’s new YA series and introduces her readers to a promising paranormal and ghostly new world.
Twin sisters Lark and Wren Noble couldn’t be more different. For starters one is blond, the other a redhead and both have very different personalities. Oh, and Lark is alive, whereas Wren….isn’t. Stillborn at birth, Wren has spent her entire life by her sister’s side, the only person who is able to see and interact with her as though she is a living, breathing human being. As a ghost, Wren is able to travel between the living world and the Shadow Lands, a place where ghosts dwell and exist. Lark has had a difficult life, made more so by the rumours that seem to follow her, branding her as crazy and insane for talking to her “imaginary” sister, but Lark wouldn’t give her sister up for the world. When Lark is approached by a group of teens from her school who have found themselves haunted by the spirit of a long dead serial killer, Wren and Lark must set out to stop the ghost from tormenting and torturing the kids further or risk someone ending up dead……
As someone who adores Cross’s Steampunk Chronicles, Sisters of Blood and Spirit was a novel I knew I had to read the moment I heard about its existence. While I wasn’t blown off my feet, I found Sisters of Blood and Spirit to be a promising and solid read. Cross features two very different sisters, with the novel detailed through their varying POV’s.
Solidly written, Sisters of Blood and Spirit sets up a promising ghostly series and features an overall aura that will appeal to fans of Rachel Vincent’s Soul Screamers series as well as anyone who loves a good ghost busting mystery.
Overall I did like both Wren and Lark. Lark was very guarded and self-protecting, but considering the reactions people had towards her, that really was understandable. Wren on the other side was a little softer, but also has a very dark side to her, courtesy of her ghostly nature. Both sisters are very different, but the thing that stood out most for me was the strong relationship between them. They would clearly do anything for each other and I loved how Cross managed to convey this within the story!
Sisters of Blood and Spirit is a bit of a ghost mystery and ghost busting type read, with Lark unafraid to take ghosts head on and delve into the hauntings happening to her classmates. Though she is reluctant to help in the beginning, Lark quickly becomes determined to bring the responsible ghost to justice; even if it means going ghostbuster on his ass!
The teenagers Lark and Wren help; Mason, Roxi, Ben, Kevin, Sarah and all proved to be potential friends to Lark and Wren with romances between Lark and Ben and Wren and Kevin beginning. Personally I kinda found the romance between Lark and Ben was unnecessary and I didn’t really feel the connection between. Not when there was Mace. Though he is with Sarah, I felt like he and Lark had a real connection and I liked the dynamic between them. Though Lark is interested in Ben, and he her, I’m interested to see what Cross does with Lark and Mace as I feel they have real possibility.
Wren’s relationship with Kevin on the other hand has me scratching my head a bit. Though she is a ghost, Kevin being a medium makes him one of the only people besides Lark who can hear, and occasionally see Wren. They seemed really sweet and I thought they both cared for one another, but something Kevin does at the end of the book has left me feeling disheartened with them. Obviously they have more than their shares of obstacles in their way but surely Kevin didn’t have to do what he did….
Sisters of Blood and Spirit appears to be a great new series and if the first novel is anything to go by Kady Cross has big plans in store for Lark and Wren and I for once can’t wait to find out what they are!
Sisters of Blood and Spirit is the first book in best-selling author Kady Cross’s new YA series and introduces her readers to a promising paranormal and ghostly new world.
Twin sisters Lark and Wren Noble couldn’t be more different. For starters one is blond, the other a redhead and both have very different personalities. Oh, and Lark is alive, whereas Wren….isn’t. Stillborn at birth, Wren has spent her entire life by her sister’s side, the only person who is able to see and interact with her as though she is a living, breathing human being. As a ghost, Wren is able to travel between the living world and the Shadow Lands, a place where ghosts dwell and exist. Lark has had a difficult life, made more so by the rumours that seem to follow her, branding her as crazy and insane for talking to her “imaginary” sister, but Lark wouldn’t give her sister up for the world. When Lark is approached by a group of teens from her school who have found themselves haunted by the spirit of a long dead serial killer, Wren and Lark must set out to stop the ghost from tormenting and torturing the kids further or risk someone ending up dead……
As someone who adores Cross’s Steampunk Chronicles, Sisters of Blood and Spirit was a novel I knew I had to read the moment I heard about its existence. While I wasn’t blown off my feet, I found Sisters of Blood and Spirit to be a promising and solid read. Cross features two very different sisters, with the novel detailed through their varying POV’s.
Solidly written, Sisters of Blood and Spirit sets up a promising ghostly series and features an overall aura that will appeal to fans of Rachel Vincent’s Soul Screamers series as well as anyone who loves a good ghost busting mystery.
Overall I did like both Wren and Lark. Lark was very guarded and self-protecting, but considering the reactions people had towards her, that really was understandable. Wren on the other side was a little softer, but also has a very dark side to her, courtesy of her ghostly nature. Both sisters are very different, but the thing that stood out most for me was the strong relationship between them. They would clearly do anything for each other and I loved how Cross managed to convey this within the story!
Sisters of Blood and Spirit is a bit of a ghost mystery and ghost busting type read, with Lark unafraid to take ghosts head on and delve into the hauntings happening to her classmates. Though she is reluctant to help in the beginning, Lark quickly becomes determined to bring the responsible ghost to justice; even if it means going ghostbuster on his ass!
The teenagers Lark and Wren help; Mason, Roxi, Ben, Kevin, Sarah and all proved to be potential friends to Lark and Wren with romances between Lark and Ben and Wren and Kevin beginning. Personally I kinda found the romance between Lark and Ben was unnecessary and I didn’t really feel the connection between. Not when there was Mace. Though he is with Sarah, I felt like he and Lark had a real connection and I liked the dynamic between them. Though Lark is interested in Ben, and he her, I’m interested to see what Cross does with Lark and Mace as I feel they have real possibility.
Wren’s relationship with Kevin on the other hand has me scratching my head a bit. Though she is a ghost, Kevin being a medium makes him one of the only people besides Lark who can hear, and occasionally see Wren. They seemed really sweet and I thought they both cared for one another, but something Kevin does at the end of the book has left me feeling disheartened with them. Obviously they have more than their shares of obstacles in their way but surely Kevin didn’t have to do what he did….
Sisters of Blood and Spirit appears to be a great new series and if the first novel is anything to go by Kady Cross has big plans in store for Lark and Wren and I for once can’t wait to find out what they are!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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April 13, 2015I absolutely could not wait to get my hands on Sisters of Blood and Spirit. I absolutely loved Kady Cross ever since I read the Steampunk Chronicles series, so I was curious to see what she would come up with in this ghost story. I definitely was not disappointed.
Lark Noble is the girl that everyone thinks is crazy. Why? Because she can talk to the dead, mostly with her sister Wren, who was stillborn at birth, but who still hangs around to experience as much of the living world at Lark’s side as she possibly can. Lark tries to keep her head down and keep to herself so that she gives people no reason to think she is crazy. But all that changes when a group of kids need her help, especially when they convince her that she’s the only one that can help them.
Lark was a really awesome main character, but she’s one that grows on you over time. She’s been through so much in her short lifetime, and has learned the hard way how to be strong. I love how much she loves her sister, and wants to do the right thing by helping her new friends, even when she’s terrified of what could happen. She’s so determined, and I love that about her.
Wren was an awesome sister to Lark, and her being a ghost just makes her even more awesome. I love that even though she’s a ghost, she’s still just a part of the gang. The other kids go out of their way to include her, even though they can’t all see her. There are a lot of secondary characters in the book that you will really love, as well as a few you’re not going to love so much. But they are all well written.
There is a bit of romance in the book as well, and it was sweet and it definitely doesn’t overpower the book at all. I’m super curious to see where it’s going to go in the next book, and which characters are going to get together with whom.
I’ve recently become a pretty big fan of ghost stories, and I love the ones that keep me on my toes. That is exactly what happened with this book. Some parts were intense, and really kept me on the edge of my seat, wondering what was going to happen. There were also a few cringe-worthy moments in the book as well. I loved it. The end of the book came together very nicely, and left with me enough questions that I’m anxious to get my hands on the next book to get answers. I can’t wait to get the next book to see what comes next for Lark and her gang.
Overall; I really enjoyed reading this book. I love a good ghost story, and that’s definitely what I got with Sisters of Blood and Spirit. I am really excited for the next book in the series, as I have SO many questions that I need answers to, and I’m curious to see where the romance goes in the book. Check it out!
Happy Reading!!
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