Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion

Vi, ~Sara~ and I are reading The Body Finder for the Random List Challenge, One Book For Each Genre Challenge, and wherever else we can fit it in- we would love company so if you are reading this book for any challenge, please feel free to join in the discussion!

Hi, I am also going to read "The Body Finder" for the One Book for each genre challenge. I don't mean to butt in but I would love to read it at the same time as some other people and or/ join any discussion.
Thanks-Leslie

Great Leslie! Glad to have you join us :)

Found the thread! Do we want to start on Sunday or Monday?

Hi Vi-
Sara can start Monday- ok with you?

Sure, that's ok.

Good Morning folks! Hope Monday dawned bright and early. It's evening out here and I will be starting the book in an hour or two. I will post comments as I go and hopefully they won't spoil your reading :)

I started it this morning. Hmmm...not what I expected. I don't want to say any more until everyone's had the chance to start it. Seems like an easy, absorbing read.

I started Attachments before I wanted to start this book and got caught up. Anyway, I started this book today morning on my commute to work. I didn't expect how it is either. I'm planning to read in the night where I can experience the full creepiness.

I don't like creepiness! I finished it but will wait to chat about it. Vi, I am reading Attachments soon, how do you like it so far?

Okay, I hate creepiness. The book didn't sound like that at all. Haven't had a chance to start it yet, and now I feel nervous. I am interested to see what people say about it. I feel like I need to be prepared for creepy parts.

I love creepiness. Really. I like horror, thriller books. I just read around 3-4 chapters (damn bus, it came in earlier) and I think the tone of it would suit better at night when all the creepiness gets magnified. Ok, I'd better stop here before you all think I'm crazy.

Fran, I loved Attachments. I didn't expect to so which made it even more good. I won't spoil anymore. Though, the book is set in 1999-2000. Which makes me wonder..

Leslie, I haven't read that many chapters yet for me to give you more info, but so far from the lot I read, it didn't seem that creepy..

I don't feel like it's giving too much away to say that there is a killer on the loose- I think that's in the blurb about the book. I was surprised that in a YA book we the reader get to experience what the killer is thinking and doing. As a mom of teens the premise of the book bothered me- too close to home.

Hello everyone.
I got back into town later than I thought so won't start reading until tomorrow and I'll comment then. I hope you are all enjoying it!
I also love creepiness so maybe I'll wait until dark to read it. :)

The book is not all creepiness. The relationship between Violet and Jay is all first love cuteness.

OK, I'm done also. It was an absorbing and a pleasant read. I take it back, not much creepiness in this book.

Vi wrote: "OK, I'm done also. It was an absorbing and a pleasant read. I take it back, not much creepiness in this book."

I had a feeling I might be the only one who found it creepy! I just had a hard time with the whole killing of teen girls off the street thing.

After you mentioned it, it is very surprising that the author would show the POV of the killer in an YA book. I do agree that the relationship between Violet and Jay was very cute. Though Violet did tend to have almost-TSTL moments now and then to jolt me out of the book. Once all are done, maybe we can have a better discussion.

I do agree about vi's TSTL moments!

I'm only on chapter 6 but so far I'm really enjoying it. I just got the keys to my new house yesterday (yay) so my reading time is pretty limited lately.
I think adding the killer's perspective was necessary to give the book a bit of an edge. When you consider what we are subjected to in both movies and tv from a fairly young age, taking this part of it out would have made it too tame IMO, although I'm probably not a good judge since I can remember (thanks to my older sister) watching Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th movies when I was 8 or 9. :o
I haven't really come across any TSTL parts yet, at least not that I noticed, aside from her incessant mooning over Jay which I find comical but mildly annoying due to the constant reiteration of the same things, but like you said Fran, he's her first love. That single-minded focus mixed with her teenage lack of confidence really makes her character easier to relate to. Even though I do want to smack her upside the head and tell her to just kiss him already, I know I wouldn't have acted any differently when I was her age, much to the annoyance of my friends I am sure! :D

I just finished reading it but now it's way past my bedtime and I'm off to bed. I'll be back to comment tomorrow; I look forward to seeing what you guys thought about it!

*Spoilers*

There were things I really liked, and some that I thought could have been done better. I really liked Violet's special ability, it was very interesting and I thought it was neat how she could sense each different dead person in a unique way, using different senses. I also liked for the most part, her relationship with Jay. I agree Sara, that it seemed true to her age. But the using others to make each other jealous I found annoying. And it seemed to take her so long to figure out how he felt. And once Violet confessed her feelings to him, he was kind of smug about it with that "about time" attitude. I was surprised to find that in a YA we were in the killer's mind. I was uncomfortable with that because I think going after vulnerable teens hit too close to home for me, having 2 teens myself and a pre-teen daughter. I didn't mind the premise, just surprised to be in his head. I guess the author did a good job with that part because it spooked me. I also felt the police were slow to figure out the plot twist at the end, and Violet took too many chances; jogging alone and actually going after the killer without telling anyone. All in all a good read.

Fran, I second all that you said. While the 'using other people to create jealousy' made me roll my eyes, it was still cute and enjoyable. And I loved both Violet and Jay.

The one gripe I have about the book is Violet's TSTL tendency. She knows she shouldn't be doing some TSTLy YET she will be doing just that. For example, during the search scene in the forest, she knows she shouldn't be leaving the phone in the car, yet she went anyway. I think this was the 3rd instance and it really jolted me out of the book.

*Spoilers*

The TSTL part that really annoyed me was at the end when she knows the killer is after her for whatever reason and she tells her friends to leave her alone, injured, and defenceless in an isolated spot...and they did! I don't think a high school would be that hard for the killer to break into and get past the police and teacher protection which, as far as I could tell, seemed to be focused on the dance and not on the rest of the school. If this was an isolated incident of stupidity then maybe I could have let it slide, but considering all the other times she took unnecessary risks it was too much for me to believe. It reminded me of horror movies where the victim is running from the killer and instead of running out the front/back door they run up the stairs trapping themselves on the upper level or somewhere equally stupid. Unless you have a loaded shotgun up those stairs/in the basement/in the room with no other exits why the hell would you go there?!?

As for Violet's special ability, the part I liked the best was when she woke up with her cat, fresh from the kill, on her. It was amusing but also showed how hard it must be for her when she can't even rely on her home to insulate her from her "gift". It would be difficult to not have a nervous breakdown. I'd be finding a new home for my kitty and getting a dog instead!

Vi and Sara,

Yes! Both of your TSTL examples are right on- can't believe I forgot to mention those. Sara, I was thinking "cheesy horror movie" too during the farthest-bathroom-possible scene.

Oh yeah, I completely blacked out the prom part. I kept hoping, please, not that, not that. Of course, Jay has to almost die with that unnecessary suspense near the end. Hmmpf.

I took a look at the reviews of the next book. It seems like there is a triangle in the make. I now soo don't want to pick up the next book.

Don't get me wrong, I love cheesy horror movies, but usually I expect a little more depth in a book. This just felt like the author was grasping at straws to bring about the final confrontation. I don't think she wanted her readers laughing at the climax but I don't see how anyone could take that seriously!

Vi wrote: "Oh yeah, I completely blacked out the prom part. I kept hoping, please, not that, not that. Of course, Jay has to almost die with that unnecessary suspense near the end. Hmmpf ..."

LOL. Not only is she too stupid to live, but she's got to take someone else with her! :D

So there is the seemingly obligatory YA possible love triangle coming up but also I get the impression that her TSTL moments increase from a 2 star review I read. That's really too bad because I loved the premise of this book. I was hoping that since her and Jay were together now that the story could focus more on her talent and less on her immature attitude. I guess that isn't to be.