The Ghost and the Goth

The Ghost and the Goth
By Stacey Kade
Hyperion, 2010. 281 pp. Young adult fiction.

Alona Dare, former Queen of Popular, is now a wandering spirit after her unfortunate collision with the school bus. Expecting her classmates and friends to wildly mourn her death, she is shocked by the lack of respect she receives after her funeral. To top it off, someone can hear and see her--but that someone is Will Killian, weirdo extraordinaire in Alona's book. Nonetheless, Alona coerces Will to help her reach the "white light" she's expecting, because even weird help is better than none at all. In the process, both discover unanticipated depths in each other and actually even form a sort of friendship.

This was a light, funny, and surprisingly enjoyable novel. I've read other young adult books with similar topics, but this was actually successful. Although peppered with some more mature portions, I found this book to be even heartwarming. This will appeal especially to the crowd who enjoys supernatural romances, particularly to those looking for a lighter touch than standard fare.

CW