Title: The Ghost and the Goth
Author: Stacey Kade
Hardcover: 288 pages
Published: June 29, 2010
Reading Level: YA
My copy: Around the World Tours
My rating: 4 out of 5 wicked hearts
Blurb from author's website:
Alona Dare–Senior in high school, co-captain of the cheerleading squad, Homecoming Queen three years in a row, voted most likely to marry a movie star…and newly dead.
I’m the girl you hated in high school. Is it my fault I was born with it all-good looks, silky blond hair, a hot bod, and a keen sense of what everyone else should not be wearing? But my life isn’t perfect, especially since I died. Run over by a bus of band geeks—is there anything more humiliating? As it turns out, yes—watching your boyfriend and friends move on with life, only days after your funeral. And you wouldn’t believe what they’re saying about me now that they think I can’t hear them. To top it off, I’m starting to disappear, flickering in and out of existence. I don’t know where I go when I’m gone, but it’s not good. Where is that freaking white light already?
Will Killian–Senior in high school, outcast, dubbed “Will Kill” by the popular crowd for the unearthly aura around him, voted most likely to rob a bank…and a ghost-talker.
I can see, hear, and touch the dead. Unfortunately, they can also see, hear and touch me. Yeah, because surviving high school isn’t hard enough already. I’ve done my best to hide my “gift.” After all, my dad, who shared my ability, killed himself because of it when I was fifteen. But lately, pretending to be normal has gotten a lot harder. A new ghost—an anonymous, seething cloud of negative energy with the capacity to throw me around—is pursuing me with a vengeance. My mom, who knows nothing about what I can do, is worrying about the increase in odd incidents, my shrink is tossing around terms like “temporary confinement for psychiatric evaluation,” and my principal, who thinks I’m a disruption and a faker, is searching for every way possible to get rid of me. How many weeks until graduation?
My quick wicked thoughts... This was a fun and entertaining story about a girl everyone loves to hate and guy that few know exist and how they are pushed together for a common goal.
Why I was tempted to read this...Well I love a good ghost story and the twist of a goth guy sounded fun.
Cover thoughts...Well my ARC was just a plain red cover, but looking at the picture of the book that will be released...I love it! I think it is fun and colorful, definitely eye-catching and it will stand out on the shelves.
Romance Meter...About a 3.5 out of 5. There is a lot that Alona and Will have to overcome before they can even recognize that spark between each other and pursue that, but it is a fun trip all the same.
Character and Plot...Alona appears shallow, self absorbed and honestly just a bitch in the first of the book, I was wondering if she was going to get on my nerves or not. Once you got some background information on why she was the way she was...and her thoughts shifted some throughout the book dealing with friends and a boyfriend that wasn't what she thought, she got a reality check and became fun and likable. I have to say I was laughing out loud at some of the snarky, smart-ass comments she made, it really kept the book rolling along. Will is your average loner guy with a few select friends, just thought of as the weird guy by most in school. Poor guy had a lot to deal with considering the principal hated him and he sees ghosts everywhere, plus a black cloud he suspects is his father following him around. The plot had direction and you know what it was leading towards but there were still some surprises thrown in to change your thinking. The author did a good job of keeping the readers interest up and the plot developing.
The Ending...I have to say I am a lover of happy endings and about half way thru this book I realized there is NO WAY it could end happily like I wanted it to, things just couldn't work out that way given the information I was given at that point. Closer to the end of the book, I knew I was right and was getting a little bummed out, I admit. BUT, happy ending lovers do not despair, the author had a few more tricks up her sleeve and things ended satisfactorily for me and I look forward to reading more!
Sequel news...YES! in the works per the author's blog, as of the March post it was titled Princess Poltergeist. Definitely on my wish list!
Fun Author Fact...This is Stacey Kade's first book but this isn't the first thing she has written. She is an award winning corporate copywriter and has written everything from backhoe loaders to breast pumps. Now that's depth!
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