Cold Kiss
by Amy Garvey
Review by Stacey Strickland
Find this book: JF Garvey
Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey is not your typical zombie book. There is no apocalypse, no plague…not even any firearms. This is a zombie book about love and grief.
Wren, like all the other women in her family, has powerful magical abilities. She grew up watching her mother and aunt brighten colors, light fires, and levitate items with their special gifts. Now, her mother never speaks of these abilities, her aunt and mother are on unfriendly terms, and Wren has learned not to ask questions.
Danny, Wren’s boyfriend, was killed when he and a friend were drinking and driving. Wren was beyond distraught at the loss of her first love. She sets out to use her abilities to bring him back, without thinking of the consequences.
At first, Danny is just Danny…but colder to the touch. He doesn’t remember the accident and seems content with Wren’s regular visits to his hideout in her neighbor’s garage.
But, he begins to remember. And he becomes dangerous. Then, he is missing.
While dealing with Danny’s disappearance and aggression, Wren struggles with the loss of her first love, the loss of her old friendships, the secrets of home, and the attention of a new boy who can sense her strange abilities.
The book is not particularly well-written and contains many plot holes and moments when the characters’ motives seem unclear or illogical. However, it is an interesting story that I never would have found if it didn’t vaguely smell of zombies.
Cold Kiss is much different than I expected. It is more a story about an uneducated witch and less a zombie love story. Young people struggling to learn who they are will appreciate Wren’s battle with her magical abilities and her mother’s secrets. Many will also identify with the strong feelings associated with losing a loved one, and the misguided actions we might all take if given enough magic.