Book Review: Queen of The Dead (The Ghost and the Goth, #2) by Stacey Kade

Queen of The Dead (The Ghost and the Goth, #2) by Stacey Kade

Reading Level: Young Adult
Release Date: May 31, 2011
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH
Pages: 288

Source: Received from publisher/author for honest review

(Blog Tour: The Teen Book Scene)

Summary: After being sent back from the light, Alona Dare - former homecoming queen, current Queen of the Dead - finds herself doing something she never expected: working. Instead of spending days perfecting her tan by the pool (her typical summer routine when she was, you know, alive), Alona must now cater to the needs of other lost spirits. By her side for all of this - ugh - “helping of others” is Will Killian: social outcast, seer of the dead, and someone Alona cares about more than she’d like.Before Alona can make a final ruling on Will’s “friend” or “more” status, though, she discovers trouble at home. Her mom is tossing out Alona’s most valuable possessions, and her dad is expecting a new daughter with his wicked wife. Is it possible her family is already moving on? Hello! She’s only been dead for two months! Thankfully, Alona knows just the guy who can put a stop to this mess.Unfortunately for Alona, Will has other stuff on his mind, and Mina, a young (and beautiful) seer, is at the top of the list. She’s the first ghost-talker Will’s ever met—aside from his father—and she may hold answers to Will’s troubled past. But can she be trusted? Alona immediately puts a check mark in the “clearly not” column. But Will is - ahem - willing to find out, even if it means leaving a hurt and angry Alona to her own devices, which is never a good idea.Packed with romance, lovable characters, and a killer cliffhanger, Queen of the Dead is the out-of-this-world sequel to The Ghost and the Goth.

My Review: In the first installment, The Ghost and the Goth, Stacey presented an adorable take on a prissy ghost girl and the goth boy who could see her. In the beginning, Alona came across as a spunky cheerleader whose attitude lacked positivity. However, in the sequel, I saw different sides to her behavior. I was happy to see that Will had a good influence on her personality, even if it came too late in death. In the first book, I was rooting for Alona to start liking Will and luckily I got my wish! Will, is just so cute. He might have been a loner and weird at times, but you couldn't help but feel sorry for his continuous annoyance with the ghosts. I wouldn't be able to walk down the street and have several ghosts bothering me. A psych ward would probably end up being my new home if I was in his shoes. However, the way he handled it, of course with the help of Alona, was downright impressive.

Now, you'd think Alona and Will having a more than friends relationship would be creepy, yet it wasn't. Stacey's way of writing, depicted Alona's character to be more than just a wandering ghost. Her sarcasm and presence seemed to surpass the thought that ghosts aren't real. I would sometimes forget that Alona passed away, that's how bright her aura was around Will. My favorite part of the novel was when Alona finds herself in an unforeseen situation with Lily's coma stricken body. I know you're thinking what the hell does that mean? I rather not say though, it's such a fun scene! In addition, I enjoyed the new characters presented in this novel, let's just say Will might not be the only one of his kind. All in all, a great follow-up to this high-spirited story. I look forward to seeing what happens to Will and Alona's relationship, especially after the set-back!

My Rating:

Author's Info:

As an award-winning corporate copywriter, Stacey Kade has written about everything from backhoe loaders to breast pumps. But she prefers to make things up instead. From her first childhood scribbles about a magical necklace that would turn people into cats, Stacey has long been fascinated with what happens when the “ordinary” bumps up against “out of this world.” What if aliens landed on Earth? What if the afterlife is really just another dimension? She lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband, Greg, and their three retired racing greyhounds, Joezooka (Joe), Tall Walker (Walker) and SheWearsThePants (Pansy). When she’s not reading or writing, you’ll likely find her parked in front of the television with her Roswell DVDs, staring rapturously at Jason Behr.

For more info on Stacey, visit her sites:

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