Book Review: Die for Me by Amy Plum

Book reviews

5 May

Amy Plum- Die for Me (Revenants #1) Format- Paperback Source- self-purchase Publisher- Hachette/ Atom Publication date- 2011 Synopsis- 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.Review- Die for Me is the first book in a YA paranormal series set in France. Kate Mercier is 16 and has relocated to Paris with her sister to live with her grandparents following the death of her parents. Kate is mourning the loss of her parents and seems to function in a grief-stricken haze, keeping mainly to herself and spending time reading books in cafes. Until she meets Vincent, mysterious and handsome he takes an interest in her and shows her the sights of Paris. It’s through their friendship that Kate begins to feel alive again; emotions that had long been buried are uncovered as she develops feelings for him.But then she finds out his a Revenant, an undead or glorified zombie who is destined to die again and again in order to save the lives of mortals. Even Vincent is surprised by his soft spot for Kate and is determined to make their relationship work despite his fate. Kate appears quite intelligent and actually weighs up whether she is willing to risk her life and her emotional wellbeing for a boy. She decides she’s experienced enough grief in the previous year and doesn’t want to be privy to seeing her boyfriend die over and over again.Unfortunately there’s an old war brewing between the Revenants and their arch enemies which places Kate and her sister’s life in danger. So she is inevitably pulled back into the supernatural world and forced to face its consequences.As I said Kate is quite intelligent and although there are times when she becomes a typical teenage girl and is awkward around Vincent and a little lovesick she does seem to seriously consider whether it’s all worth it. Vincent being beautiful and immortal is a little cliché but I did find the Revenants to be a different spin on typical paranormal stories and refreshing in this genre.The ending has nicely set up the next story and I’m interested to see how Kate and her sister cope in the aftermath of the supernatural war and what other challenges will arise in its wake. Paris offered a different setting for an exciting paranormal series. I think what sets this YA novel apart from so many others on the market is that Amy Plum has a beautiful writing style and I really felt the characters were alive and realistic (albeit zombified). The second book in the series, Until I Die will be released in May, 2012 and my review will be posted in the next week.