Die For Me by Amy Plum

Die For Me by Amy Plum

HarperTeen, May 2011

341 pages

Book Source: Public Library

In the City of Lights, two star-crossed lovers battle a fate that is destined to tear them apart again and again for eternity.

When Kate Mercier's parents die in a tragic car accident, she leaves her life--and memories--behind to live with her grandparents in Paris. For Kate, the only way to survive her pain is escaping into the world of books and Parisian art. Until she meets Vincent.

Mysterious, charming, and devastatingly handsome, Vincent threatens to melt the ice around Kate's guarded heart with just his smile. As she begins to fall in love with Vincent, Kate discovers that he's a revenant--an undead being whose fate forces him to sacrifice himself over and over again to save the lives of others. Vincent and those like him are bound in a centuries-old war against a group of evil revenants who exist only to murder and betray. Kate soon realizes that if she follows her heart, she may never be safe again.

In this incandescent debut, newcomer Amy Plum has created a powerful paranormal mythology with immortal revenants. The Paris setting comes enchantingly alive as a relentless struggle between good and evil takes place in its streets. Rich with romance, atmosphere, and thrills, Die for Me will leave readers breathlessly awaiting its sequel.

-- Summary from GoodReads.com

Judging by the cover...: I'm not the lying sort, so I'll put it right out there: I read this book solely because of the cover. While reading, I couldn't help but frequently stop and just gaze at the beauty of it; the black vines, the model's dress, the cityscape, and most importantly, the beautifully rich scarlett tones used. I'm in lust with this cover.

Favorite Elements:

• Paris - If you don't want to visit the most romantic city in the world, you have no soul. Well, okay, maybe that was a bit harsh, but come on! Every place Vincent took Kate was another reason to go weak in the knees for him all over again (at least for me). It sounds so beautiful, so magical, that it was tempting to not jump on the first plane headed to France.
• Non-Brain Eating Zombies - A hot undead boyfriend who won't try to ingest my grey matter? Sign me up!
• French - This might seem like a repeat of my first fav, but really, it isn't. I've always been jealous of those who can speak the language. Though I fared better at it than Spanish, my grasp of it never became like that of German. Seriously, try being romantic while speaking THAT!
• The Cover - You mean I've harped on that too much already? Oh, fine!

Overall: C+

While not the most stellar of paranormal romances, I can't say it was the worst, either. Kate's adventures with Vincent were fun, and while I'd probably run like hell if a boyfriend of mine were to tell me that he was immortal, I do admire her willingness to put up with him and his "family". The Revenants are an interesting idea, much different than vampires or werewolves, and I really liked the direction the story was taking. Everything wrapped up neat, and I'll most definitely be checking out the next book in the series.

My one "but" for this book isn't really something I can fault the author with, since it is my personal preference. I would much rather read a story where the characters draw out their realization that they love each other, instead of meeting and falling in love with each other on the first page. In those sort of books, it always seems as if the heroine spends most of her time wallowing in her inability to be glued to the hero's side 24/7. If you're the sort who likes that kind of thing, then you'll be a big fan.

Recommendation: For those of you who love paranormal romances, you're in luck. Whether you borrow it, buy it, or steal it*, if you can't get to it today, it's okay. But definitely put it in your TBR pile. And make sure you frame that gorgeous cover!

*Um, yeah. About that. Don't really do that.