Review: The Ghost and the Goth (The Ghost and the Goth #1) by Stacey Kade

Title: The Ghost and the Goth

Author: Stacey Kade

Series: The Ghost and the Goth
            1. The Ghost and the Goth
            2. Queen of the Dead
            3. Body and Soul

Format: Hardcover (281 pages)

Release Date: June 29, 2010

Genre(s): Young Adult, Paranormal Romance, Humor

Rating:

 

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Summary

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? Source

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Review

Plot: I was excited about finally being able to read this book, but also very skeptical with it as well. It seemed from the plot that this book would be full of stereotypes and labels and it's a fine line to walk when it comes to books. However, I was happy that this book played on them very well and didn't make them stereotypical....stereotypes. Kade gave each character a back story and some substance rather than a character to fill the silence or to liven up a situation. The plot mostly follows Alona, who just passed away from being hit by a bus (Mean Girls popped in my mind at that scene), trying to find her way around her past life and how to get out of it. She goes to Killian, a classmate who is defined as a Goth loner, who she thinks can help her out as well as helps him in some ways. Besides the characters, the plot has a very strong backbone. By that, I mean it sticks with itself and doesn't have any pronounced plot holes. The plot flows through the book and many scenes only compliment what happens at the end of the book. It keeps you on the edge throughout because you want to know what the black cloud is, why Alona is defensive about her life and if anything will become of Alona and Killian.

Character(s): Killian - I put Killian first because he is a new character that I fell in love with. He is hilarious as well as loyal and brave. He has gone through a lot but still makes decisions logically and doesn't let the comments of others effect him. Many ghost whisperers are scared of what they have or talk to the dead in public and are barely noticed once they do. Killian is a realistic interpretation of what could happen to a ghost whisperer if they're continually caught talking to air or knowing private things about others. I like how Killian is used to his abilities but still doesn't know everything about them.
Alona - It seems like a given not to like Alona because she's supposed to be snotty and high maintenance. But even after the first book, I like her. You can already see her facade breaking down and see her finally face her past. Has she completely changed? Definitely not. But when she's with Killian and seeing her when she sees her mother, you see why Alona acts the way she does. I like how Kade gave her some room to develop but also didn't do it in one book since this is a series and it hasn't been too long since her death.

Cover: I loved seeing the cover during the summer because it is very bright and colorful, and looks like a great read for the summer. It draws you in to a story that, on the outside, seems happy and fun, but gives you a deep story that has those elements as well. Plus, the models on the front are dead on to the characters' appearances! That makes me a happy camper.

Closing Thoughts: All I have to say is that this is a great summer read. I'm glad I read it now because the summer sets the tone for it and you get completely immersed in it but it still feels like summer. The plot is fluid and builds to not only a great turning point but also to the rest of the series. The characters develop and grow but not entirely because they still have flaws and it is not the end of the journey. This is a great book to read at any time, but I would definitely recommend this for a summer read that is quick and refreshing!

Where to find Stacey:

Website l Twitter l Goodreads

Peace and Fangs,
Alisha