I didn't know too much about this book going in to it. The blurb does not give much detail other than a young girl who can 'see' death when she touches you. That, in itself, was enough to peek my interest and the story was enough to hold it throughout the book.Ember takes her first life at the age of four, albeit unwittingly. From that point on death becomes a constant in her life. She can see each persons death every time she touches them and she is visited regularly by the Grim Reaper himself, a faithful companion for much of her life. That alone would be enough to drive any young girl to the brink of madness, but it's only part of Ember's problems. Plagued with the mysterious disappearance of her father, a substance abusing mother, a brother battling his own demons of death and depression and the erratic behavior of her life long best friend; Ember is about the loneliest person you could ever come across. Yet she never truly gives up and never looks to further the burden on others with her problems.Murders and disappearances are erupting around Ember and all with eerily similar details to her fathers crime scene. Several newcomers to town are showing their interest in Ember, the police see her as Undesirable Number One and someone seems determined to kill her. Ember and Asher both develop well as characters. Asher is intense but caring and protective. His relationship with Ember moves a bit quick but it's not an instant love situation just a mutual magnetic attraction. However, I found most of the other characters a bit lacking in substance. Raven is about the worst best friend you could ask for and through much of the book I just flat out didn't like her. Ian, Ember's brother, I think has real potential as a character. He's a broody artist and I would have liked to get more insight on his story.I do have to say that too often the dialogue felt off or immature. It is a young adult book and not being a young adult myself...perhaps that is just my personal hang up. I don't normally gravitate to stories with angels and reapers and though I can't say that there were many twists and turns, there were a few things I didn't expect and that was enough to keep me intrigued. It's not a very long book and I think maybe that was it's problem for me with character development. But overall this is a good base to what is sure to continue to be an a great story filled with a dark and romantically Gothic feel.
