From bestselling author Kelly Andrew comes the most electrifying dark romance of the decade...
Following the death of his father, Thomas Walsh had to grow up quickly, taking on odd-jobs to keep food on the table and help pay his gravely ill mother's medical bills. When he's offered a highly paid position as an interpreter for an heiress who exclusively signs, Thomas -- the hearing child of a Deaf adult -- jumps at the opportunity.
But the job is not without its challenges. Thomas is expected to accompany Vivienne wherever she goes, but from the start, she seems determined to shake him. To make matters worse, her parents keep her on an extremely short leash. She is not to go anywhere without express permission. She is not to deviate from her routine.
She is, most importantly, not to be out after dark.
A selective-mute, Vivienne Farrow hasn't said a word in years -- not since going missing in Red Rock Canyon when she was four years old. No one knows quite what happened to her out in the dark. They only know that the sound of her voice is now as deadly as a poison. Anyone who hears her speak suffers a horrible death.
Ever since that fatal family vacation, Vivienne has been desperately searching for a way to regain control of both her voice and her body. Because the face staring out of the mirror isn't hers. It's something with teeth.
Thankfully, Vivienne has a plan. She's finally found someone who claims to be able to perform a surgical exorcism. She just needs to find a way to get rid of Thomas first. But Thomas can't afford to walk away, nor is he willing to abandon the mysterious girl he's quickly falling for, no matter what dark powers threaten to swallow them both whole.
Following the death of his father, Thomas Walsh had to grow up quickly, taking on odd-jobs to keep food on the table and help pay his gravely ill mother's medical bills. When he's offered a highly paid position as an interpreter for an heiress who exclusively signs, Thomas -- the hearing child of a Deaf adult -- jumps at the opportunity.
But the job is not without its challenges. Thomas is expected to accompany Vivienne wherever she goes, but from the start, she seems determined to shake him. To make matters worse, her parents keep her on an extremely short leash. She is not to go anywhere without express permission. She is not to deviate from her routine.
She is, most importantly, not to be out after dark.
A selective-mute, Vivienne Farrow hasn't said a word in years -- not since going missing in Red Rock Canyon when she was four years old. No one knows quite what happened to her out in the dark. They only know that the sound of her voice is now as deadly as a poison. Anyone who hears her speak suffers a horrible death.
Ever since that fatal family vacation, Vivienne has been desperately searching for a way to regain control of both her voice and her body. Because the face staring out of the mirror isn't hers. It's something with teeth.
Thankfully, Vivienne has a plan. She's finally found someone who claims to be able to perform a surgical exorcism. She just needs to find a way to get rid of Thomas first. But Thomas can't afford to walk away, nor is he willing to abandon the mysterious girl he's quickly falling for, no matter what dark powers threaten to swallow them both whole.
Title: I Am Made of Death
Author: Kelly Andrew
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Expected Publication Date: February 25, 2025
Review:
Thank you to Scholastic for sending me a early copy of this book to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I'm going to start by saying I dove into this book with no clue as to what it was about. I did not even read the blurb. It came in the mail and I found the cover so intriguing I just wanted to see what it was about. And it did not disappoint in the least. This is my first book by Kelly Andrew and it made me want to read everything else she has written.
Vivienne experienced something when she was four years old that changed her life forever and forced her to become a selective mute. I loved the idea of one of the main characters not being able (willing, really) to speak. It made for such an interesting dynamic between her, her handler (Thomas Walsh), her family, and her friends. The mystery of what happened to Vivienne persists throughout the book creating a mystery that you absolutely needs to see solved. I really liked her character and the mystery surrouning who she is and what happened to her. She was easily relatable and real. I could feel her emotions, despite her difference in how she communicated.
Right away her dynamic with Thomas is fraught with anger. She feels chained by her step-father's insistence that she need a handler to begin with. She does everything she can to push Walsh away, but it never works. Walsh is strong, and has some secrets of his own that he doesn't reveal. It makes their interactions very tense. But there's also something that draws them together. He sees Vivienne in a way no one else has and wants to know more of her. Their romance is a slow burn, which I loved. And it's not the center of the story, which also was refreshing. I liked Thomas right away. Though I was surprised at his young age and the fact he was hired for the job of watching over Vivienne. Understanding this comes later in the book, but there are hints strewn throughout if you pay attention.
I've seen the word horror thrown around for this book and I honestly didn't feel that for it. I was worried because I am not a reader of horror (tends to gibe me nightmares). Having now read the book, I would not classify it as such. Gothic, yes. Paranormal, definitely. Dark academia, just a bit.
Andrew does a fabulous job building the world in which Thomas and Vivienne live. You're never quite sure who can be trusted, though you do get a sense of who may have ties to the evil that is lurking throughout the book. There are so many secrets the characters are holding close to their chest. And those secrets really do surround Vivienne and shape who she is.
I see that this book is somehow connected to other books this author has written. At least by having them in the same universe and perhaps with some crossover characters. But this can be read as a stand alone, in my opinion. Perhaps had I read the other books associated with this world, I may say differently. I had no trouble understanding the world or any of the characters the author included. Of course now I want to go back and read the other two books I've seen associated with this one.
The only thing I will say I was not happy with was the rush that came at the end. I feel like all the mystery came out at once and the author was trying to tie up all the loose ends rather quickly.
Andrew pulls you into her story with her gripping story telling, hooking you right from the start and keeping you on your toes the entire time. It was engaging, a little terrifying, and a bit disturbing. If you're looking for a gothic, young adult mystery with paranormal elements that has Leigh Bardugo and Flatliners vibes, pick this book up and give it a try.
Author:
Kelly Andrew lost her hearing when she was four years old and she’s been dreaming up stories in the silence ever since.
Andrew lives in New England with her husband and their two daughters (and a very grouchy Boston Terrier). She has a BSW, but received her Masters in English & Creative Writing. When she’s not writing, she enjoys obsessing over a good book, scouring flea markets for treasure, and getting intentionally lost in the woods.
Andrew is represented by Josh Adams at Adams Literary.
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