Blood and Salt

"When you fall in love, you will carve out your heart and throw it into the deepest ocean.
You will be all in--
blood and salt."

So...Is it possible to scream at the top of my lungs about how amazing this book is?? UMMM YEAH!!!!! I mean SERIOUSLY...Blood & Salt...where have you been all my life??? I am completely and utterly obsessed, amazed, in awe, its genius, its beautiful...its haunting........i mean...there are so many words to describe this BREATH-TAKING book. I had heard from so many people that it completely rocked and so the anticipation was about to drive me crazy....and then........it happened........ I opened my mail.......AND THERE IT WAS...the most beautiful piece of young adult writing that I have read in a long time......AWE...absolute AWE....

"I loved you before you were even a complete thought in my mind. You gave me a reason to live, to fight, to remember that good still remained in this world."

Blood and Salt is the PERFECT young adult book for this season!! One of the first things that grabbed my attention when I saw this book was the amazingly creepy yet hauntingly beautiful cover. I mean how gorgeous is the black and white artwork of the young girl in an old style dress with the title of Blood and Salt in RED.....Whoever came up with the artwork for this cover....I...AM...OBSESSED.

The next thing that grabbed my attention was a section in the synopsis of this book....."Romeo and Juliet meets Children of the Corn in this one-of-a-kind romantic horror." I mean how can you read that and then not instantly want to devour this book??

and so it began...
I opened to the first page and my journey into Blood & Salt began....
Blood & Salt is the story of Ash Larkin and her journey to find out the truth about her family's heritage. Ash and her twin brother, Rhys have to leave their home in New York City to travel to Kansas to save their mother after they arrive home and discover that she has left them to go back to her hometown called Quivira. Ash's mother left them in order to save them from an curse that has followed them their whole life. Ash and Rhys decide to follow their mother and save their family and heritage once and for all.

From the very first chapter of this book we are introduced to memorable and a few swoon-worthy characters. I loved Beth and her quirky ways and I always felt like there was something mysterious about her and couldn't wait to discover what it was.... AND THEN....we meet Dane. AHHH...Usually I don't like insta-love...but in this case...I COMPLETLY LOVED IT!!! Dane was just amazing..he was mysterious, gorgeous, and secretive and the connection that is described between Ash and Dane just makes you SWOON!!! Ah...FORBIDDEN LOVE ROCKS!!

There were so many feels...so many twists...so many SECRETS!! I could literally write about this book all day long...BUT...then it would take away from amazing chills you will get when you discover all the truths to Blood & Salt. This book has it all...romance, mystery, horror, and TONS of suspense...Each chapter was a new adventure and I was captivated throughout the entire book up until the very last page...I want more..I need more...NOW!!!

"The separation you're feeling...sometimes people distance themselves from things they know they'll have to say good-bye to one day."

Kim Liggett...you rocked my face off with this book. Your captivating writing had me devouring each page and I literally could not put the book down. I found myself reading till 2 am one morning and it still wasn't enough. I will forever be completely OBSESSED with you and will stalk and beg for ALL of your future books.... (and i literally CANNOT WAIT to get my hands on Blood and Salt #2...although I have no idea how you are going to fit more awesomeness into this story...I....MEAN.....SERIOUSLY....)

I'm a huge fan of YA horror novels and wow, just, wow on BLOOD AND SALT. This is one roller coaster ride into a centuries old world hidden in some Kansas cornstalks. Set within this cult is a 500 year old story of hate, loss, and ghosts seeking immortality. What's not to love?

What worked? The creeptastic mood of this novel has readers follow twins Ash and Rhys Larkin after their mother to Quivira, a mysterious town in Kansas. Add to this the ghostly presence of a girl that looks a lot like Ash that won't leave. This ghost shows Ash bloody things that might happen or had already happened. What's terrifying to Ash is how much the ghost looks like her!

Ash is someone who is loyal and won't give up on her mother after she leaves suddenly. What really works though is the chemistry between her and the hottie Dane. Seriously, this chemistry sizzles. Just his smell sets off longings and desires that can't be turned off.

Dane though has some secrets of his own. I loved whenever Ash and him were together. The pages literally ignite with passion. Liggett does a great job showing us two lovers that a centuries long curse can't tear apart.

The secrets within the cornstalks are horrific and chilling. The ghost of Ash's ancestor, Katia, has set up some kind of invisible shield so people can't get in or out. The cult within at first seems to welcome Ash and her brother but little by little cracks appear. Not everyone is what they seem. The villagers prepare her for a ceremony in which she will be the vessel of Katia to be reunited with her murdered lover Alonso. But there is much more going on here. Sinister forces along with a string of gruesome deaths seem to follow Ash along with visions that have her losing track of time.

There's some very vivid images that are haunting. Don't read at night without a light as these scenes are very descriptive as well as horrific.

Bittersweet forbidden love meets Children of the Corn with a ohmigod reveal that will have readers gasping. Bloody, powerful, and stunning, this novel had me wanting more!