Dead Beautiful

Title: Dead Beautiful
Author: Yvonne Woon
Age Level: Young Adult (Grades 9-12)
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Copyright: 2010
ISBN: 9781423119562

On her 16th birthday, Renee Winters finds both of her parents lying dead in the middle of a forest. Just a few days later, she is whisked away by a grandfather she hasn't seen in years. She soon finds herself at Gottfried Academy in northern Maine, a mysterious boarding school that specializes in the study of philosophy, Latin, and "crude sciences." Here, Renee finds herself strangely attracted to Dante, a fellow student with a bad reputation and a deadly secret. As she settles in at Gottfried Academy and her relationship with Dante grows deeper, she realizes that the mystery and danger that awaits is far beyond her wildest dreams.

I really enjoyed Dead Beautiful. Although the story was fiction, the ideas behind the story were rooted in philosophers of the past, which gave the book more validity than much of today's romantic fantasy. I also found it incredibly interesting because the concept presented in this novel was very different than the vampires, witches, werewolves, and fairies I've been reading about lately. The love story was also quite compelling. Hopefully a sequel is in the works!


(Review based on an advance copy. This book will be released in September 2010.)