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shannonleighd's review against another edition
2.0
The premise of this book was really interesting, but it ended up just being another cliché- and angst-filled young adult novel. I would give it 2 1/2 stars if I could but I decided to round down because it's not quite a 3 star book.
Cass can see and talk to ghosts. Just before she got this ability she had a huge falling out with her best friend. The best friend, the most popular girl in the school, turned the entire student body of not one, but two schools, against Cass. Now that Cass has a few ghost friends at the school that spy on everyone for her, she has all the dirt on everyone. So she's not picked on or bullied anymore and now everyone pretty much ignores her. Then one of the popular boys, Tim, asks for Cass's help in talking to his recently deceased mother. She decides to help him and slowly beings to form a friendship with someone who's actually alive.
The problem I had with this book was that the main idea seemed fresh but the execution, not so much. The fact that Cass only uses the ghosts to be vindictive and further alienate herself from her classmates is both unimaginative and petty. I understand that she's a teenager and that's how they think, but really, she's just being a jerk. Cass gets excited when she finds out that her ex-best friend is being cheated on and you start to agree with everyone else that Cass is a creepy bitch.
So obviously, I had a hard time connecting with Cass. But then again, any time I read a book about a socially awkward teen outcast I have a hard time connecting so that could just be a problem with me. I don't understand the mentality of being bullied and not standing up for yourself. Cass has no friends and no ambition in life and basically her only goal is to make everyone as miserable as she is, and I just can't fathom putting that much energy into something so negative.
Another big thing that really bothered me; why do so many teen books have to end at the prom? It's just so overdone.
I wish this book had centered more around Cass's ability and her ghosts and less about her petty vindictiveness. Thankfully, she did grow up a little toward the end, but if the author writes a sequel I don't think I'll bother with it.
Cass can see and talk to ghosts. Just before she got this ability she had a huge falling out with her best friend. The best friend, the most popular girl in the school, turned the entire student body of not one, but two schools, against Cass. Now that Cass has a few ghost friends at the school that spy on everyone for her, she has all the dirt on everyone. So she's not picked on or bullied anymore and now everyone pretty much ignores her. Then one of the popular boys, Tim, asks for Cass's help in talking to his recently deceased mother. She decides to help him and slowly beings to form a friendship with someone who's actually alive.
The problem I had with this book was that the main idea seemed fresh but the execution, not so much. The fact that Cass only uses the ghosts to be vindictive and further alienate herself from her classmates is both unimaginative and petty. I understand that she's a teenager and that's how they think, but really, she's just being a jerk. Cass gets excited when she finds out that her ex-best friend is being cheated on and you start to agree with everyone else that Cass is a creepy bitch.
So obviously, I had a hard time connecting with Cass. But then again, any time I read a book about a socially awkward teen outcast I have a hard time connecting so that could just be a problem with me. I don't understand the mentality of being bullied and not standing up for yourself. Cass has no friends and no ambition in life and basically her only goal is to make everyone as miserable as she is, and I just can't fathom putting that much energy into something so negative.
Another big thing that really bothered me; why do so many teen books have to end at the prom? It's just so overdone.
I wish this book had centered more around Cass's ability and her ghosts and less about her petty vindictiveness. Thankfully, she did grow up a little toward the end, but if the author writes a sequel I don't think I'll bother with it.
justasking27's review against another edition
4.0
I don't read much YA any more because the angst and insta-love annoys me too much. But this story grabbed me and kept me hooked from page 1. The characters, 'breathers' and ghosts included, are all layered and realistic, and their development kept the plot moving. Although I think everyone in the story could really use a hug, that's probably true of most people.
serenityfire's review against another edition
3.0
There were elements of this book that I liked, but it really felt like it ended too abruptly. And the heroine was a bit hard to like.
I received a free copy of this book to review.
I received a free copy of this book to review.
aprilbooksandwine's review against another edition
3.0
Cass McKenna from Give Up The Ghost by Megan Crewe has the dirt on everyone, she knows everybody's dirty little secrets. How? Well, she can interact with ghosts, who see everything. However, there is one little problem, some has discovered Cass's secret and now she must decide the value of interacting with humans for a change.
Read the rest of my review here
Read the rest of my review here
devafagan's review against another edition
5.0
I will start this off by admitting that I have known Megan online for many years -- we've exchanged critiques, commiserated over rejections, and cheered each other onward to publication. I am always a little nervous about writing something about a book by a friend -- my policy is to be honest, but I also tend toward the "if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all" camp.
But with this book, I feel free to gush, because I really, truly loved it! I actually had critiqued a much earlier version of the same story several years ago, and thought it was good. But Megan has taken that good story and made it great. The lovely prose and sharp characterization is still there, but this time around I found what I value most in fiction: strong emotional connections to the characters. These characters worked their way into my heart and stuck there.
There's much more I'd like to say, and perhaps I will update this in a bit, but I wanted to get down my initial reaction.
But with this book, I feel free to gush, because I really, truly loved it! I actually had critiqued a much earlier version of the same story several years ago, and thought it was good. But Megan has taken that good story and made it great. The lovely prose and sharp characterization is still there, but this time around I found what I value most in fiction: strong emotional connections to the characters. These characters worked their way into my heart and stuck there.
There's much more I'd like to say, and perhaps I will update this in a bit, but I wanted to get down my initial reaction.
mouse909's review against another edition
5.0
This book was amazing! I loved it and didn't want it to end. It's a must read.
mackenzierm's review against another edition
4.0
I was excited to read this since I joined Goodreads a year or so ago, for two reasons I suppose. The first being that it's a ghost story - and I love ghost stories; the second being that the cover intrigued me and the synopsis sounded so good.
This book sure didn't disappoint. It was just as good as I thought it would be. The only complaint from my point of view was that the beginning started off slow.
So right, Give Up The Ghost is about Cass McKenna. A girl who prefers talking to the ghosts of dead people rather than "breathers" as she so kindly calls them. She has a mission and that mission is to oust all the crap that people do and make them man up to what they've done. That's when Tim comes in. He has discovered her secret and wants her help to commune with his dead mother. While her life steadily becomes more entwined with Tim's she begins to see that he needs more help than most people care to see and she's one of the only people who really care.
This book is amazing. As you read through it, you see how Cass's opinions and priorities change and you also see how she changes.
I really liked all the lists that Cass was constantly spouting. It was clear she had a thing for lists and I liked that. You got to see how she thought about things. It was all pretty logical.
I'm absolutely certain I've read a book really similar to this one a couple years ago. The part about how the ghosts hang around until their connection to earth has been cut and they can move on. It felt so familiar. I just can't think of what book it was that I read it in.
All in all, a fabulous book. I'm glad I got the opportunity to read it.
This book sure didn't disappoint. It was just as good as I thought it would be. The only complaint from my point of view was that the beginning started off slow.
So right, Give Up The Ghost is about Cass McKenna. A girl who prefers talking to the ghosts of dead people rather than "breathers" as she so kindly calls them. She has a mission and that mission is to oust all the crap that people do and make them man up to what they've done. That's when Tim comes in. He has discovered her secret and wants her help to commune with his dead mother. While her life steadily becomes more entwined with Tim's she begins to see that he needs more help than most people care to see and she's one of the only people who really care.
This book is amazing. As you read through it, you see how Cass's opinions and priorities change and you also see how she changes.
I really liked all the lists that Cass was constantly spouting. It was clear she had a thing for lists and I liked that. You got to see how she thought about things. It was all pretty logical.
I'm absolutely certain I've read a book really similar to this one a couple years ago. The part about how the ghosts hang around until their connection to earth has been cut and they can move on. It felt so familiar. I just can't think of what book it was that I read it in.
All in all, a fabulous book. I'm glad I got the opportunity to read it.
lpcoolgirl's review against another edition
5.0
Loved this book! Really great! Really enjoy Megan Crewe's writing! So good! Loved the ghosts!! Very funny! And there was a happy ending! Whoo!
awwwyisss44's review against another edition
3.0
I've always wondered what it would be like to be friends with a ghost, and in Megan Crewe's debut novel, Give Up the Ghost, that's exactly what Cass McKenna prefers. Cass prefers to be friends with ghosts instead of "breathers," which is the name given to the living. Ghosts are simple, uncomplicated, dependable, and most of all they see and hear everything.
These little facts are what helps Cass become the most feared person in her high school. She knows everyone's dirty little secrets and has made it her mission in life to expose those secrets, or to at least hold them over people to get them to do what she wants. Whether it's being a modern day Robin Hood of sorts and protecting someone from the people that are taking advantage of them, or just getting revenge on the people that have treated her badly, the secrets always come out and Cass is the one to help them along.
This is not your typical ghost story. It's fun; light, spunky, and even has a few moments that could possibly break your heart. Within Cass' role as the school's Robin Hood of secrets, for lack of a better description, Cass catches the attention of Tim, the student council vice president and all around popular guy. He discovers her secret, and he doesn't want to expose her secret, he wants her to use it to contact his mother who recently passed away.
After Cass reluctantly agrees to help Tim and in this process she becomes more and more involved in Tim's life and comes to find that maybe the living aren't as bad as she thought they were. She also finds that maybe that picture perfect guy she started to help is more messed up and needs her help more than she would have ever thought.
I adored the ghosts; they were so funny and quirky, while most of the human character seemed to be more abrasive and uncooperative with the story. I think character development should have been focused on more, I mean aside from Cass, Tim, and Norris (a ghost); I can't really remember anyone else's names. I did love Megan's writing style though, it flowed nicely and Give Up the Ghost was a pretty quick read for that reason.
I found the ending to be quite unsatisfying, but it did leave it open where there could possibly be more adventures with Cass and Tim. And I hope that's the case. I would love to see more from the two of them and see where things go.
Overall, I thought it was a good story, and totally not scary like most ghost stories. I can't wait to see more from Megan, and I can't wait to see where her writing goes from here. If you're looking for a cute, quick read that's light and fun, then you should totally check out Give Up the Ghost. It fits all those things and more. Plus, like most debut authors this year, it has an amazing cover! It's so cute and totally reflects the story at hand.
These little facts are what helps Cass become the most feared person in her high school. She knows everyone's dirty little secrets and has made it her mission in life to expose those secrets, or to at least hold them over people to get them to do what she wants. Whether it's being a modern day Robin Hood of sorts and protecting someone from the people that are taking advantage of them, or just getting revenge on the people that have treated her badly, the secrets always come out and Cass is the one to help them along.
This is not your typical ghost story. It's fun; light, spunky, and even has a few moments that could possibly break your heart. Within Cass' role as the school's Robin Hood of secrets, for lack of a better description, Cass catches the attention of Tim, the student council vice president and all around popular guy. He discovers her secret, and he doesn't want to expose her secret, he wants her to use it to contact his mother who recently passed away.
After Cass reluctantly agrees to help Tim and in this process she becomes more and more involved in Tim's life and comes to find that maybe the living aren't as bad as she thought they were. She also finds that maybe that picture perfect guy she started to help is more messed up and needs her help more than she would have ever thought.
I adored the ghosts; they were so funny and quirky, while most of the human character seemed to be more abrasive and uncooperative with the story. I think character development should have been focused on more, I mean aside from Cass, Tim, and Norris (a ghost); I can't really remember anyone else's names. I did love Megan's writing style though, it flowed nicely and Give Up the Ghost was a pretty quick read for that reason.
I found the ending to be quite unsatisfying, but it did leave it open where there could possibly be more adventures with Cass and Tim. And I hope that's the case. I would love to see more from the two of them and see where things go.
Overall, I thought it was a good story, and totally not scary like most ghost stories. I can't wait to see more from Megan, and I can't wait to see where her writing goes from here. If you're looking for a cute, quick read that's light and fun, then you should totally check out Give Up the Ghost. It fits all those things and more. Plus, like most debut authors this year, it has an amazing cover! It's so cute and totally reflects the story at hand.