Monday, September 15, 2008

Ghostgirl by Tonya Hurley

It's the first day of school. This is going to be Charlotte's year. Her year to shine, her year to be popular, her year to get the boy. After getting a surprise boost to her goal, Charlotte chokes to death on a gummy bear. But she's not one to let that get in her way! Dead or alive she's still going to get her guy. And by get her guy I mean act with single minded stalkerish purpose.

“Charlotte Usher headed purposefully across the parking lot to the front doors of Hawthorn High, repeating her positive mantra – ‘This year is different. This is my year.’ Instead of being forever etched in her classmate’s high school memories as the girl who just too up space, the seat filler, the one who sucked up precious air that could be put to better use, she was going to start off the year on the other foot, a foot with the hottest, most uncomfortable shoes money could buy.”

This book has gotten rave reviews from all the big name review magazines. People seem to love it. Me? I thought it fell a bit flat. Charlotte is just sort of one dimensional - she's not a character she's more of a caricature. She's apparently never had a friend in her life and all she cares about is Damon - the hot boy she stalked for several years including secret photos and videos that she's made into insane screensavers. That's not to say that the book isn't funny, because it certainly is, but Charlotte never develops. She remains her frighteningly self-absorbed clueless stalker self, until, kabam, she's not.

Now the packaging on the other hand, beautiful. A coffin cutout on the cover. Pink and Black flowers and vines decorating every single page, silver edged pages. This one is sure to be picked up by a wide spread of gals.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Exactly! Loved the packaging, the story itself...not as much. Wasn't bad, but had the potential to be so much more.

Trisha

Jenn H. said...

Yeah, I tried to read this one, too. I just couldn't stayed interested. But the packaging is fabulous!

Kelly @ IdealistMom.com said...

I agree! I couldn't even bring myself to finish it.