Rating 4.5 Stars - Audio Version.

I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook. I just wanted to say Christine Lakin (the narrator) did a marvelous job with all the voices, she really gave this story life. The music was a wonderful touch as well, really added to the suspense & really should be included in more readings.

Tana was one of those characters that drive you nuts, but in the best of ways. At the beginning there she is sitting surrounded by corpses having a full on mental breakdown. Her brain just said 'nope, can't do this' & switched off for a few hours. Of course in turn I was like 'move you bloody idiot!' with the best of intention of course, I didn't want her to end up like everyone else. But the thing is her reaction, no matter how frustrating was realistic. You grab a teenager & throw them in a situation like that of course they're going to loose their shit. This is a big part of why I enjoyed this book so much, another factor was after Tana had her spaz moment, she picked her ass off the floor & planed her best course of action. No running around screaming, or being hysterical. Tana used her brains to improve her situation. Gotta love a girl like that!

This is pretty much how the rest of the story went - shit would go down and Tana would react, then use her noggin to improve her situation with the knowledge and skills she possessed at the time. Plus the girl had some Made self awareness. She knew she occasionally made reckless and insane decisions but she also knew why she did it. There's thousands of adults who wonder around on a daily bases doing this exact thing with no clue as to why they did it. 'It's just who they are'. Pfft. Tana (yes a fictional character, but the point still stands) could see when she was spiraling down hill and take maters into her own hands.

Anyways I'll stop fangirling over Holy Blacks talent to write fascinating characters (hello Gabriel) or her incredible skill at creating the scene, leaving me to be very concerned and creeped out throughout certain parts of the book..... okay after I say a few more things, then I'll stop!
The Coldest Girl in Coldtown could be pretty gory at times (makes sense being a vampire story) what sets this book apart from others was Tana's intimate fixation with said gore. She at times would go into hyper-awareness & just forget everything except what she was focused on with an unusual combination of lust and disgust. I'm not sure how H.B pulled it off to be honest but kudos! She did a spectacular job of it. Even I couldn't help but be dragged under and feel similar sensations when hearing from Tana's POV, which equaled a confusing mix of feelings and emotions for me. Which I imagine had probably been the point.

All in all I am a massive fan of this audiobook. It was perfect for Halloween (even if we don't officially celebrate here in Aus). I'm cut up that this isn't a series, I would have loved to read further adventures of Tana & Gab's. Bound to have been interesting that's for sure.

Opening sentence: Ruby said I'd never drown - not in deep ocean, not by shipwreck, not even by falling drunk in someone's pool.

Well that was bizarre and not at all like i expected. still really good read though. I kind of felt like this book or should i say writing enchanted me, I just wanted, needed to keep reading it, to find out all its secrets, what really happened. Even though this book was filled with stuff that should of been entirely boring i wasn't in the slightest bored. I suppose thats what good writers do, they suck you in no matter whats written on the pages.

The characters were....interesting and to me really American. similar to what i would picture bumpkin american's to be like without the extreme stereotype's.

The ending was not quite what i expected, we were lead at every turn, and even though i knew this book was fiction, for some strange reason i expected it to be written more like non-fiction. but i suppose the younger sister, our protagonist, Chloe has cracked and isn't telling us (the readers) the truth. throughout the book she clearly wasn't a very reliable narrator, so its hard to tell.

Either way i rather enjoyed myself, I'm pleased I randomly stumbled across Imaginary Girls and decided to read it.

Great cover by the way - doesn't completely fit in with the story line but its good. 

Random Quote i enjoyed:

"I looked up into the sky, and her balloons were everywhere, it seemed, the air marred with bloody streaks and littered with demands, and nothing and no one could stop them from coming."