The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade
Publisher: Hyperion
Release Date: June 29, 2010
Source: Bought
Format: Hardcover, 281 pages
Purchase: Book Depository
Summary from Goodreads:
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?
I’m not super big into ghosts, so I actually avoided this book for a while. It’s not that I’m scared of the idea of them or anything, they’re just something I was never really interested in, not like other supernatural beings. I was browsing in my bookstore one day though, and they didn’t have any new books that grabbed me, so I picked this up. And let me tell you I am so happy I did.
Stacey Kade is excellent at setting these two characters up as the stereotype, and then stripping that away throughout the story as you get to know them. Alona in the beginning seems shallow. And she is. But over the course of the book she does do some growing. So while she annoyed me initially, I grew to love her. Especially her interactions with Will. Stacey definitely nailed the chemistry between them. I loved that Will was not your typical YA supernatural hottie that everyone just has to swoon over. He was a breath of fresh air.
This is definitely a fun and light read. I loved that the chapters alternated between points of view, from Alona to Will. They each had their own unique voices, they didn’t run together. It definitely worked for this book. The writing was smooth and definitely made this a fast read. Once I picked this up, even with having to go to work and sleep I finished this within 24 hours of having started. I don’t do that very often, unless a book really grabs me. An awesome pick for something light to read this summer!
Yas
thanks for such a wonderful review… i have been wanting to buy this book but also has my apprehensions simply coz i haven’t really tried reading about books… anyway, looks like i will be reading this after all! 😀
Library of the Lost
Great review! You’ve convinced me to read this 🙂
Christy @TheReaderBee
I have this on my list to read! It sounds really good. I’m glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Aimee
I’ve seen some good reviews for this one. I want to read it. Thanks for the review.
Aimee