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lavendermarch's review against another edition
5.0
Really good! I'm so glad I finally got the chance to read it! (The library copy was damaged, and they had to get a new one. It took a couple months.)
The characters:
Nick was cute. I liked him alright, but didn't love him.
Lacey was awesome, very full of fire. She grew on me.
Alice was wise, and I loved hearing her story and seeing her move on.
Bertha was...necessary, but annoying.
The Boy was? were? cool.
Karen was, excuse my language, a bitch.
And her parents were sweet.
I loved the MC, Sarah. She really grew as a character, and I enjoyed seeing her get fleshed out.
I'm glad Karen got what was coming to her. :)
The characters:
Nick was cute. I liked him alright, but didn't love him.
Lacey was awesome, very full of fire. She grew on me.
Alice was wise, and I loved hearing her story and seeing her move on.
Bertha was...necessary, but annoying.
The Boy was? were? cool.
Karen was, excuse my language, a bitch.
And her parents were sweet.
I loved the MC, Sarah. She really grew as a character, and I enjoyed seeing her get fleshed out.
I'm glad Karen got what was coming to her. :)
caitiep92's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
3.5
markandlanguage's review against another edition
2.0
First book I read after my reading slump. It really said don’t trust men, fuck them, and I’m here for that. I do love books that have a take on the afterlife, and this one was enjoyable. I felt the romance plot line wasn’t as developed, the writing was weak in some points, and there was a lot of the author using literary devices to leave questions unanswered. I do think the final paragraph of the book is really good, though I do wonder what happens to her mom later on.
hannahreadslotsofbooks's review against another edition
3.0
The title was what originally got me interested in this book. The premise was also interesting with 16 year old Sarah waking up dead at the Mall of America. She finds out later that she ate poisoned mushrooms at her father’s wedding, which resulted in her death. She spends her time in the afterlife figuring out who killed her, trying to save her dad from her murderer, and clear all of this up so she can “move on.”
If the story just focused on her trying to solve her murder, I feel like it would have been better. There’s a side story where she falls for another person in the afterlife and pretty much makes a fool of herself and declares her love for him (and he for her) after knowing each other for about two weeks in the afterlife. Sarah makes terrible choices while in the afterlife so she can be close to Nick, but would leave her stuck in limbo forever. However, none of her actions have really lasting consequences and she ends up being rewarded with a happy ending in the end.
Overall, I’d say the book was ok. Not my favorite, but not the worst thing I’ve read. Just wish there wasn’t the weird afterlife love story and she could have been more independent.
If the story just focused on her trying to solve her murder, I feel like it would have been better. There’s a side story where she falls for another person in the afterlife and pretty much makes a fool of herself and declares her love for him (and he for her) after knowing each other for about two weeks in the afterlife. Sarah makes terrible choices while in the afterlife so she can be close to Nick, but would leave her stuck in limbo forever. However, none of her actions have really lasting consequences and she ends up being rewarded with a happy ending in the end.
Overall, I’d say the book was ok. Not my favorite, but not the worst thing I’ve read. Just wish there wasn’t the weird afterlife love story and she could have been more independent.
laurenc18's review against another edition
4.0
This was such a cute book! It was super funny, and it had a really good message. I loved the ending and the entire book.
gretarose1122's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
babsie126's review against another edition
4.0
Light, fluffy (for as fluffy as a book about murdered teens can be) and an easy read. Just what I needed right now.
snchard's review against another edition
2.0
Pretty average YA novel. I wish it had been less about afterlife romance and more a straight-up murder mystery. Supporting characters were more interesting than main character, who never quite became likable for me. Would definitely read the same book from Alice's or Bertha's POV, I feel like that could be a fantastic story. Worldbuilding wasn't great, but I'm not sure it could have been with the whole mall premise, anyway.
eatingfiction's review against another edition
2.0
This was just really not my cup of tea.
I wanted a fun, over the top, ridiculous comedy featuring some weird ghost people stuff. But that's not really what this book was and it didn't appeal to me at all. I don't generally enjoy paranormal books so it's no surprise really, but I was expecting this to be a comedy. It tried, but it was often just lame.
The characters were a pretty flat, typical YA cast. The I'm So Ordinary main character who is Not So Ordinary (Can you believe it?!?!?!) and the love interest who is all kinds of flawless. A couple other side characters who played their part but aren't worth mentioning.
In the end, I think this book was trying to be too many things. It was about the afterlife, but it couldn't find it's place between trying to be a comedy and having deeper themes. It was a romance - but a very insta-lovey, utterly dull one. And it was a mystery, a boring, predictable, very poorly executed murder mystery which didn't add anything to the story. The murderer was revealed very early on and it took away any and all momentum that plot had.
Unfortunately, I can't recommend this book. Perhaps if it intrigues you for whatever reason, but I say it's not worth your time. Sorry!
I wanted a fun, over the top, ridiculous comedy featuring some weird ghost people stuff. But that's not really what this book was and it didn't appeal to me at all. I don't generally enjoy paranormal books so it's no surprise really, but I was expecting this to be a comedy. It tried, but it was often just lame.
The characters were a pretty flat, typical YA cast. The I'm So Ordinary main character who is Not So Ordinary (Can you believe it?!?!?!) and the love interest who is all kinds of flawless. A couple other side characters who played their part but aren't worth mentioning.
In the end, I think this book was trying to be too many things. It was about the afterlife, but it couldn't find it's place between trying to be a comedy and having deeper themes. It was a romance - but a very insta-lovey, utterly dull one. And it was a mystery, a boring, predictable, very poorly executed murder mystery which didn't add anything to the story. The murderer was revealed very early on and it took away any and all momentum that plot had.
Unfortunately, I can't recommend this book. Perhaps if it intrigues you for whatever reason, but I say it's not worth your time. Sorry!