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michelle_pink_polka_dot's review
5.0
Shortly after book 1 leaves off, book 2 picks up...
Alona, who has been sent back from the light, is now supposed to help other ghosts find their peace. The only problem with that is 1. She doesn't have the best personality for helping and 2. her parents start finding their own kind of peace a little too soon for her likings and all hell breaks loose.
Will, who now has Alona as his spirit guide (and maybe more), meets up with a group of people that are actually like him!! (Yes there are other ppl who can see/hear ghosts besides him and his deceased father!!) But the joy is soon smothered when he realizes these people (The Order-- kinda Harry Potterish of a name if you ask me) don't have the same views on the dead as he does.
For a #2 book in a series this book was awesome!!! Was I wild about the turn it took with Alona? Not really.... but that's ok, I can get over it because it still made me love Will and Alona. I can't wait to read [b:Body and Soul|12346737|Body and Soul (The Ghost and the Goth, #3)|Stacey Kade|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1319990136s/12346737.jpg|17326110]!
My Awesome Blog:
http://pinkpolkadotbookblog.blogspot.com/
Alona, who has been sent back from the light, is now supposed to help other ghosts find their peace. The only problem with that is 1. She doesn't have the best personality for helping and 2. her parents start finding their own kind of peace a little too soon for her likings and all hell breaks loose.
Will, who now has Alona as his spirit guide (and maybe more), meets up with a group of people that are actually like him!! (Yes there are other ppl who can see/hear ghosts besides him and his deceased father!!) But the joy is soon smothered when he realizes these people (The Order-- kinda Harry Potterish of a name if you ask me) don't have the same views on the dead as he does.
For a #2 book in a series this book was awesome!!! Was I wild about the turn it took with Alona? Not really.... but that's ok, I can get over it because it still made me love Will and Alona. I can't wait to read [b:Body and Soul|12346737|Body and Soul (The Ghost and the Goth, #3)|Stacey Kade|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1319990136s/12346737.jpg|17326110]!
My Awesome Blog:
http://pinkpolkadotbookblog.blogspot.com/
ria_mhrj's review
4.0
Really enjoyed Queen of the Dead - the same elements that made The Ghost and the Goth so much fun remain in place, but there's a pleasing amount of character and plot development in this second instalment. Alona continues to be the standout character for me, by virtue of her honesty and determination, even when it results in a mean girlish outburst. The revelations about Will's abilities and his father's past also made for compulsive reading.
I was very sad to learn that the third book will be the last one - suffice to say, I'm looking forward to finding out how the trilogy wraps up.
I was very sad to learn that the third book will be the last one - suffice to say, I'm looking forward to finding out how the trilogy wraps up.
nykare's review
4.0
4 only because I guessed the end - it's not like it was possible to save my Alona and Will any other way really... But still :)
What I don't understand is how some authors can't make make-up session between the two living persons as hot as Stacey can make make-up session between the ghost and the goth. I just love the two of them <3
What I don't understand is how some authors can't make make-up session between the two living persons as hot as Stacey can make make-up session between the ghost and the goth. I just love the two of them <3
bwreads's review
4.0
Alona Dare is queen of the first tier in her high school until she skips zero hour gym one morning and gets hit by a school bus. Instead of a white light, she finds herself “waking up” at the scene of the accident every morning, unable to move on to whatever is supposed to come next. It doesn’t take long for her to discover she’s not the only invisible person on the school grounds. The halls are crowded with other spirits, too. And soon she realizes that there’s a student who can see them all.
Will Killian was born with the ability to see spirits. Unfortunately, in these times, people who hear voices are heavily medicated and locked in a padded room. He’s trying desperately to finish high school without that happening. It gets harder for him to accomplish once Alona notices that he can see her, and insists he help her move on. He’s got other things to worry about, though. A malevolent dark force has been chasing him. He’s not sure who or what it is, but he suspects it has to do with his father, who could also see spirits, and who committed suicide the year before.
What follows is a fun and distinctly uncreepy ghost story that masquerades as a light read, but deals with some heavy topics. Alona and Will take turns telling the story from very different perspectives. The deeper you get into the story, the more you realize that each of them is holding something back, both from each other and from the reader.
Will Killian was born with the ability to see spirits. Unfortunately, in these times, people who hear voices are heavily medicated and locked in a padded room. He’s trying desperately to finish high school without that happening. It gets harder for him to accomplish once Alona notices that he can see her, and insists he help her move on. He’s got other things to worry about, though. A malevolent dark force has been chasing him. He’s not sure who or what it is, but he suspects it has to do with his father, who could also see spirits, and who committed suicide the year before.
What follows is a fun and distinctly uncreepy ghost story that masquerades as a light read, but deals with some heavy topics. Alona and Will take turns telling the story from very different perspectives. The deeper you get into the story, the more you realize that each of them is holding something back, both from each other and from the reader.
nitzanschwarz's review against another edition
4.0
Oh, I loved this book very much.
Alona Dare, with all her imperfection, is just so very likable it's odd. She has her shallow moments, and her deep moments and they are all wrapped up in one package in a way that makes total sense (kudos to the lovely author for that!). She is dead, and yet so strangely alive in her reaction and thoughts. She's changing, too, and evolving, in more than one way.
Will is just delicious in my mind. I love him, his character, and how he cares about Alona - even though she drives him insane sometimes. He is also a good friend, a guy with character, and someone who has seen his fair share of things. And he is not afraid to put Alona in her place—quite literally, sometimes. Hey, someone's got to keep her legs on the ground. Or slightly above it, or whatever it is ghosts do.
The rest of the ghost-talkers were an interesting addition to the story. I like how we find out more about Will's abilities and their different levels of them, and how we learn more about ghosts and Will's dad. I did not like the Order, though I've got a feeling I was not supposed to. They are not bad, but rather Will and Alona's opposites in the way they decipher their mission as ghost speakers, and I just love Will and Alona too much. I think, honestly, that their way must be balanced with Will's to get the best mix.
I knew what the cliffhanger for this book would be. I had read the summaries for all three books before starting to read them, so I accidentally got some spoilers. And even so, I was surprised with the way the wonderful author took it--I had not expected it to happen mid-book, and not expected to see all it had brought to Alona's character and Will's. I loved the ending, so very much. It left such a strong taste for more and was yet simply the perfect way to close this book. Very sweet, as well.
In conclusion: I can't wait to read the next book. I hope to get my hands on all three books soon, even though it's difficult to get them where I live.
Alona Dare, with all her imperfection, is just so very likable it's odd. She has her shallow moments, and her deep moments and they are all wrapped up in one package in a way that makes total sense (kudos to the lovely author for that!). She is dead, and yet so strangely alive in her reaction and thoughts. She's changing, too, and evolving, in more than one way.
Will is just delicious in my mind. I love him, his character, and how he cares about Alona - even though she drives him insane sometimes. He is also a good friend, a guy with character, and someone who has seen his fair share of things. And he is not afraid to put Alona in her place—quite literally, sometimes. Hey, someone's got to keep her legs on the ground. Or slightly above it, or whatever it is ghosts do.
The rest of the ghost-talkers were an interesting addition to the story. I like how we find out more about Will's abilities and their different levels of them, and how we learn more about ghosts and Will's dad. I did not like the Order, though I've got a feeling I was not supposed to. They are not bad, but rather Will and Alona's opposites in the way they decipher their mission as ghost speakers, and I just love Will and Alona too much. I think, honestly, that their way must be balanced with Will's to get the best mix.
I knew what the cliffhanger for this book would be. I had read the summaries for all three books before starting to read them, so I accidentally got some spoilers. And even so, I was surprised with the way the wonderful author took it--I had not expected it to happen mid-book, and not expected to see all it had brought to Alona's character and Will's. I loved the ending, so very much. It left such a strong taste for more and was yet simply the perfect way to close this book. Very sweet, as well.
In conclusion: I can't wait to read the next book. I hope to get my hands on all three books soon, even though it's difficult to get them where I live.
beeboisourgod's review against another edition
3.0
Queen of the Dead was a quick, fun read that I finished in one sitting, but I think it falls into the category of "middle book syndrome."
Now, maybe jealousy with the new character and the romance aspect is just not something I should be reading right now for personal reasons... or maybe the more likely option is it just feels kind of forced, but on top of that, this book strays wildly from the things that initially drew me to the series in the first place.
Alona's character has been downgraded from the clever, street smart, take-action heroine, to a vindictive and paranoid jealous mess who won't even listen to a reasonable argument. Almost everything that made her interesting, entertaining and refreshing in the first book has been stripped away, or not explored at all... her growth, her interactions with Will, her rational thinking. And the pettiness has been dialed up to 11. All the problems in this story are pretty much caused by her stupid, revenge-fueled decision, which doesn't even make logical sense because Will actually made a valid point!
And Will? Hello, when did leg fetish and (basically) horny become a defining personality? We don't actually get to see a lot of character from "The Ghost" and "The Goth" in this one.
The plot has kind of gone from the mysterious Sixth Sense "I see dead people" to "Who ya gonna call?" Ghostbusters! Complete with ghost containment units, some kind of ghost-busting light beam, and a secret group of ghost hunters that fall under the category of one of my least favourite "villain" tropes ever (ala Buffy's The Initiative, Supernatural's British Men of Letters, etc.), the type who believe all [Blank] are evil or worth nothing or should be destroyed and it's their way or the highway and yada, yada, yada. I don't know, the whole thing just made it feel more cartoonish? Not that I have a glaring problem with it necessarily, it just doesn't fit into what I was hoping for from this series.
And I know I sound bitter, but I'm not. I still enjoyed the book, but I have some major issues with it, (especially the handling of Alona's character and the way it ended), but here's hoping it's just a speed bump and the last book will tie it all together. It's not like I picked up a book like this looking for some big grand breathtaking plan anyway, it was cute, it was fast, it was just nothing special compared to the first one.
Now, maybe jealousy with the new character and the romance aspect is just not something I should be reading right now for personal reasons... or maybe the more likely option is it just feels kind of forced, but on top of that, this book strays wildly from the things that initially drew me to the series in the first place.
Alona's character has been downgraded from the clever, street smart, take-action heroine, to a vindictive and paranoid jealous mess who won't even listen to a reasonable argument. Almost everything that made her interesting, entertaining and refreshing in the first book has been stripped away, or not explored at all... her growth, her interactions with Will, her rational thinking. And the pettiness has been dialed up to 11. All the problems in this story are pretty much caused by her stupid, revenge-fueled decision, which doesn't even make logical sense because Will actually made a valid point!
And Will? Hello, when did leg fetish and (basically) horny become a defining personality? We don't actually get to see a lot of character from "The Ghost" and "The Goth" in this one.
The plot has kind of gone from the mysterious Sixth Sense "I see dead people" to "Who ya gonna call?" Ghostbusters! Complete with ghost containment units, some kind of ghost-busting light beam, and a secret group of ghost hunters that fall under the category of one of my least favourite "villain" tropes ever (ala Buffy's The Initiative, Supernatural's British Men of Letters, etc.), the type who believe all [Blank] are evil or worth nothing or should be destroyed and it's their way or the highway and yada, yada, yada. I don't know, the whole thing just made it feel more cartoonish? Not that I have a glaring problem with it necessarily, it just doesn't fit into what I was hoping for from this series.
And I know I sound bitter, but I'm not. I still enjoyed the book, but I have some major issues with it, (especially the handling of Alona's character and the way it ended), but here's hoping it's just a speed bump and the last book will tie it all together. It's not like I picked up a book like this looking for some big grand breathtaking plan anyway, it was cute, it was fast, it was just nothing special compared to the first one.
squishies's review
4.0
I don't know why, but I'm such a sucker for these type of books. They're so much fun and easy to read. I love the way it is written (the voices/tones of Alona and Will) and the plot's not half bad.
karen_k77's review
5.0
Once again, Stacey Kade amazed me with the surprising greatness of her books. Before I read the first book in the series, I thought it would be kind of shallow and light, but it turned out to have more depth than I ever expected. Not Pacific-Ocean-depth, but definitely deeper than I thought.
The characters stayed consistent, and their thoughts and personalities were very different in their respective chapters. Mina and the Order definitely added some drama and mystery, even though I wasn't quite satisfied with how that got wrapped up. Maybe they'll be back in the third book. Alona getting trapped in Lily's body was perhaps the most dramatic and ground-shaking event that Kade could have written. Just like the first book, it leaves me begging for more. I have so many questions; how is Will going to handle having to love two separate entities; Alona's personality and Lily's body? And what if they somehow succeed in their goal of freeing Alona's spirit and restoring Lily's to her body? What kind of drama will that cause, if Will is stuck between both of them? And the Order wasn't dealt with, like I've already mentioned, so what will they have to do with the next book?
I can't wait for June, 2012.
And just like the first book, I enjoyed the backseat that the romance took. Sure, Will's and Alona's relationship is exciting and funny to read about, but it wasn't the main focus of the book. They spent half the book in separate perils, even. And I respect the book a little more for that, because I don't see how it can be categorized as a romance when there was so much else going on.
I was not disappointed by the second book in the Ghost and the Goth series, and I eagerly (very, very eagerly) await the third installment.
The characters stayed consistent, and their thoughts and personalities were very different in their respective chapters. Mina and the Order definitely added some drama and mystery, even though I wasn't quite satisfied with how that got wrapped up. Maybe they'll be back in the third book. Alona getting trapped in Lily's body was perhaps the most dramatic and ground-shaking event that Kade could have written. Just like the first book, it leaves me begging for more. I have so many questions; how is Will going to handle having to love two separate entities; Alona's personality and Lily's body? And what if they somehow succeed in their goal of freeing Alona's spirit and restoring Lily's to her body? What kind of drama will that cause, if Will is stuck between both of them? And the Order wasn't dealt with, like I've already mentioned, so what will they have to do with the next book?
I can't wait for June, 2012.
And just like the first book, I enjoyed the backseat that the romance took. Sure, Will's and Alona's relationship is exciting and funny to read about, but it wasn't the main focus of the book. They spent half the book in separate perils, even. And I respect the book a little more for that, because I don't see how it can be categorized as a romance when there was so much else going on.
I was not disappointed by the second book in the Ghost and the Goth series, and I eagerly (very, very eagerly) await the third installment.
chaoseisor's review
3.0
Slight twist in this, which was a bit different for this style of book, Alona I'd grating though, and Will was a touch stupid.