Mar 17, 2011

The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade

The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade
The Ghost and the Goth, book #1


Next book in series: Queen of the Dead
Publisher: Hyperion Books
Release Date: June 29, 2010
Hardcover: 281 Pages
Age Group: Young Adult (13+)
Buy: Amazon
Add to Goodreads
Source: Library
Challenge: '11 Support Your Local Library Challenge
Overall: five hearts


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?(Summary from Goodreads.)


First Paragraph: It was easy enough to sneak out of school. I knew that from previous experience. This time, all I had to do was wait until Mrs. Higgins had led everyone onto the outdoor track and then slip behind the bleachers and walk down to the other opening in the chain-link fence. 


I've been wanting to read The Ghost and the Goth for a while, I had heard lots of things about it being a cute, short, light read. I chose to read it exactly for that reason. I wanted to read a book that was cute and not very serious like a lot of the books I've been reading lately. 


And that's exactly what I got! :) It was cute, funny, very-light, and a very short read. I loved the writing style and everything flowed very nicely together. I was always happy to dive into Alona and Will's world. 


I love how it is almost a normal high school teen story, but has a light supernatural element to it. Also, switching between Alona and Will's perspectives were really fun. They are completely different, and I love that. I really love when an author can create these two completely different characters and get into both of their heads with no trouble. 


Usually Alona's type of character would bug me; perfect, popular, blonde cheerleader who thinks she can do whatever she wants. But even though Alona might of been that way when she was alive, she still had a whole different side to her that no one, even her best friend, knew about. She tried to keep this perfect image so no one would know what really went on at her house. 


I really liked Will's sarcastic, moody voice. He always made me laugh. He's the one who left the lasting impression. He had a lot more character to him, and you just really want to know more about his ability to see and communicate with the spirits. I really hope to see that in the sequel, Queen of the Dead. Which will be coming out June 7th! 


I really can't wait to dive into more of their story. I am content at the way The Ghost and the Goth ended, but at the same time I want to read more. It's just so much of a fun, light read. 


I really don't know what else to say about this book, other than read it. It's not very long and doesn't have very much depth to it, but it is a really cute book. It may be cute, but it's not one of those books that is way too cute and girly to read. It has a perfect balance between cute and supernatural element. 


Cover: five hearts
I LOVE this cover! It is so cute! I love the colors and everything. The models on the front cover really fit the descriptions of Alona and Will perfectly. Right down to the clothes! I love how Alona is kind of disappearing, to make her more ghostly
Cover art: Jacket photo by Tom Corbett, Jacket design by Jennifer Jackman
I recommend this book to: Anyone who would love to read a cute, short read. 


Rating Breakdown:

Plot: 18/20
Characters: 19/20
Creativity: 19/20
Writing: 20/20
Ending: 19 /20

Overall:  95/100=five hearts

3 comments:

  1. Aww this sounds great! :D I like that too, when the author can tell a story from two completely different points of view and still make it work.

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  2. I loove sarcastic male voices. And light cute reads. Gotta find this book! 

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  3. Ahh, you should! I got it from the library last year and LOVED it. It's a cute, short read. 

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