Sisters of Blood and Spirit by Kady Cross

Title: Sisters of Blood and Spirit
Author: Kady Cross
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: March 31st
Rating: 4/5

 
Cover Impressions: I really like the idea behind this cover but the photoshop isn't quite up to snuff and I can't concentrate too long on the hairline without grimacing. 

The Gist: 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.

Review:
Sisters of Blood and Spirit has a really interesting premise.  Twin sisters, one girl and one ghost - both more powerful than they know.  When they encounter a group of teens who have been marked by a frightening spirit, they agree to try and save them, even if that means venturing into the ruins of a mental institution that is filled with ghosts who would love to get their hands on the sisters.

The plot is very suspenseful and has some great, scary elements.  I actually avoided reading it right before bed.  There are some terrifying ghosts and, despite a few slow downs as we get introduced to the world building of this new series, the plot moves along pretty well.

I did feel a little lost in that so much seemed to have happened to the group prior to the start of this novel.  The girls grew up along side one another, but with Wren being considered the invisible friend.  Lark attempted suicide, was saved by a neighbor boy, institutionalized (where she had some harrowing experiences), abandoned by her parents and moved in with her grandmother.  I actually went to check if I was mistaken and there was a book (or novella) prior to this in the series, but there isn't.  Maybe Cross will be publishing a prequel at some point - either way, the time I spent trying to piece together the events of the past took away from my enjoyment of the plot of this novel.
 
The characters were fun.  Lark is the snarky, defenses up against the world, sister while Wren is kind and just wants to be accepted.  There was clearly some effort to distinguish between the narration style of the sisters, but it didn't always work and there were times where I forgot which POV I was currently reading. The sisters were also incredibly forgiving of each other.  They never seemed to get mad at each other, no matter what the offense.  The side characters each had some spark of personality, which is often difficult for large groups.  They seem to have potential for fleshing out as the series continues.  I was thankful that the love interest didn't quite turn out as expected (please Kady, no love triangle in future books...)

Bottom Line: Sisters of Blood and Spirit is a fun read with an interesting premise and some super spooky ghosts.  I will definitely be checking in with the next book in this series.   

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age:15 and up
Sex: Kissing
Violence: Attempted suicide, Violence by supernatural means, 
Inappropriate Language: Shit, Dyke, Retard, Bitch, Fuck, Bastard, Cock
Substance Use/Abuse: None

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