Blurb:
Internet followers, beauty, power. It all sounded good.
Until it transformed into a terrifying reality Dorianna couldn’t stop.
When her father is jailed, her mother ships lonely, plain Dorianna to her aunt’s. There, Dorianna yearns to build a new identity, but the popular Lacey bullies her—mostly for getting attention from her ex, Ander.
Ander takes Dorianna to Coney Island where Wilson, a videographer, creates a stunning compilation of her. She dreams of being an online sensation, as she’s never even had a birthday party, and vows she’d give anything to go viral. Wilson claims he’s the Prince of Darkness and warns her the pledge has downsides.
Dorianna thinks he’s joking. She has no idea of how dire the consequences might be.
Until it transformed into a terrifying reality Dorianna couldn’t stop.
When her father is jailed, her mother ships lonely, plain Dorianna to her aunt’s. There, Dorianna yearns to build a new identity, but the popular Lacey bullies her—mostly for getting attention from her ex, Ander.
Ander takes Dorianna to Coney Island where Wilson, a videographer, creates a stunning compilation of her. She dreams of being an online sensation, as she’s never even had a birthday party, and vows she’d give anything to go viral. Wilson claims he’s the Prince of Darkness and warns her the pledge has downsides.
Dorianna thinks he’s joking. She has no idea of how dire the consequences might be.
My review:
This
is Dorianna's second chance. She's the new girl at school, and this
time, no one will tease or ignore her. When the mysterious Wilson tells
her to pledge her soul for beauty and popularity, Dorianna doesn't think
he's serious when she does so. She becomes Sungirl and acquires a huge
internet following. People adore her, she has a cute boyfriend, and it's
everything she hoped it would be. Until her videos grow dark and
twisted. Nothing she can do stops them. Her vow to Wilson was more than a
joke. And it is far more than she bargained for.
DORIANNA is a YA horror that puts a modern twist on "A Picture of Dorian Gray." I do love the way the author did so with the internet and videos. The descriptions of Dorianna's videos made me feel as though I was watching them. I was shocked and yet reveled in it with how they evolved as her soul darkened.
Dorianna was a girl I liked and hated at various times, but I think that was the intention. She was so caught up in wanting to be beautiful and popular that I couldn't root for her, and even though that could be frustrating, the twist at the end made the read worthwhile. Wilson was an awesome bad boy. Odd, charming, and artistic, he was the perfect dark lure for Dorianna. My favorite character was Bailey, the artsy best friend who was cool without being fake. Lacey as a frenemy worked well, and I think I respected Lacey a little by the end.
This is a fantastic read for YA lovers who love the trouble that comes with high school cliques, popularity contests, and parties that get out of hand all with a supernatural edge.
DORIANNA is a YA horror that puts a modern twist on "A Picture of Dorian Gray." I do love the way the author did so with the internet and videos. The descriptions of Dorianna's videos made me feel as though I was watching them. I was shocked and yet reveled in it with how they evolved as her soul darkened.
Dorianna was a girl I liked and hated at various times, but I think that was the intention. She was so caught up in wanting to be beautiful and popular that I couldn't root for her, and even though that could be frustrating, the twist at the end made the read worthwhile. Wilson was an awesome bad boy. Odd, charming, and artistic, he was the perfect dark lure for Dorianna. My favorite character was Bailey, the artsy best friend who was cool without being fake. Lacey as a frenemy worked well, and I think I respected Lacey a little by the end.
This is a fantastic read for YA lovers who love the trouble that comes with high school cliques, popularity contests, and parties that get out of hand all with a supernatural edge.
Buy links: Amazon * B&N * Evernight Teen
Add it to read on Goodreads.
Stalk Catherine Stine here.
Sounds like a great read with a dark side. Glad you liked it.
ReplyDeleteOh wow, this sounds like a must-read. And I usually love darker, unlikable characters.
ReplyDeleteAlways loved the tale of Dorian Gray! What a great premise!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Catherine Stine!
A YA horror with a Dorian Gray twist. That's a pretty awesome premise. And there's another book for my TBR list!
ReplyDeleteI just love that name, Dorianna. What a cool name. And I've recently gotten more into YA, and was curious about YA horror specifically. Might have to check this one out.
ReplyDeleteReally great idea for a story. Modernizing it was cool.
ReplyDeleteSounds like the kind of screwed up wants some teenagers have, willing to do anything for popularity. Good review.
ReplyDeleteI think that is a great concept for a story as so many teens want to become internet sensations. They want to go viral. And then you add in a Prince of Darkness? Nice.
ReplyDeleteThis one has been on my to-read list and my Kindle for a while. I need to bump it up and read it sooner rather than later. Thanks for the review!
ReplyDeleteGreat review, Christine. Congrats to Catherine for creating another super book to read.
ReplyDeleteGreat Review, Christine. Sounds like a twisted read and a good one!!!
ReplyDeleteThis one sounds great! I love the Evernight Teen books!
ReplyDeleteThanks to everyone for popping by! This is a great book, perfect for this time of year. :)
ReplyDeleteGrats Catherine! It sounds creepy.
ReplyDeleteI love this idea. :-)
ReplyDeleteAnna from Elements of Writing
Very intriguing. A great review Christine.
ReplyDeleteWhy thanks! And what fortuitous timing as I am just posting my review of Of Blood and Sorrow. Coincidence, really!!!
ReplyDelete