Tonya Hurley. GHOSTGIRL

What a very cool book. Part of the appeal is the packaging, not to take away from the writing – which is witty and funny. The book is black & pink with a coffin on the front. When you open the first page, it has an illustration of ghostgirl. Then between each chapter is another clever illustration with quotations. Really, you have to see it to appreciate it.
The story is quirky and yet realistic too, in its own creepy way. Charlotte was determined that this would be her year. She would finally become popular. In a moment of serendipity, she is assigned to be lab partner to her major crush Damon Dylan. At the end of class, after agreeing to help tutor Damen and therefore make him fall in love with her in the process, Charlotte chokes on a gummy bear and dies. Just when her life was turning around, Charlotte dies. She’s not happy at all at this turn of events.
After getting orientated to her new way of life at DeadEd, an alternative school for dead kids, she’s determined to find a way to spend more time in her old life. Then she realizes that one girl can actually see her. She uses this as a way to intermingle with her old life. She refuses to accept her status as no longer living. This angers the other non-living and they set out to stop her.
This is a funny, satirical and heartwarming story. Publisher’s Weekly called it Beetlejuice meets Heathers. I agree with that description. The characters are unique and fun and the dialogue is sharp! I really enjoyed it and was pleased to see the sequel is due out in July. It’s on my list!

The author is intriguing. She's been a screenwriter for film and TV. If you’d like to read more about her, click here for her website.

Here’s the cover for the sequel due out in July.