The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade

Summary Provided by Goodreads:

Alona Dare–Senior in high school, co-captain of the cheerleading squad, Homecoming Queen three years in a row, voted most likely to marry a movie star… and newly dead.
 
I’m the girl you hated in high school. Is it my fault I was born with it all-good looks, silky blond hair, a hot bod, and a keen sense of what everyone else should not be wearing? But my life isn’t perfect, especially since I died. Run over by a bus of band geeks—is there anything more humiliating? As it turns out, yes—watching your boyfriend and friends move on with life, only days after your funeral. And you wouldn’t believe what they’re saying about me now that they think I can’t hear them. To top it off, I’m starting to disappear, flickering in and out of existence. I don’t know where I go when I’m gone, but it’s not good. Where is that freaking white light already?

Will Killian–Senior in high school, outcast, dubbed “Will Kill” by the popular crowd for the unearthly aura around him, voted most likely to rob a bank…and a ghost-talker.

I can see, hear, and touch the dead. Unfortunately, they can also see, hear and touch me. Yeah, because surviving high school isn’t hard enough already. I’ve done my best to hide my “gift.” After all, my dad, who shared my ability, killed himself because of it when I was fifteen. But lately, pretending to be normal has gotten a lot harder. A new ghost—an anonymous, seething cloud of negative energy with the capacity to throw me around—is pursuing me with a vengeance. My mom, who knows nothing about what I can do, is worrying about the increase in odd incidents, my shrink is tossing around terms like “temporary confinement for psychiatric evaluation,” and my principal, who thinks I’m a disruption and a faker, is searching for every way possible to get rid of me. How many weeks until graduation?

My Thoughts:
The Ghost and the Goth was a pleasant surprise! It was cute, funny, and a quick read. The story is told in dual view points by Alona Dare, formerly the most popular girl in the school until she was hit by a bus and died and Will Killian, social outcast who can see and talk to the dead. Neither of them likes each other, but they soon realize they are going to need each other’s help. The book seemed interesting enough for me to read, but as I read the first few chapters I was afraid I was wasting my time. Boy was I wrong! The story kept getting better and better.

I loved Alona. I assumed she was a self-centered bitch, and she totally was, but she was also thoughtful and smart. There was more to her life then she ever let on. Will was my favorite out of the two. Everyone considers him a crazy freak. One of my favorites lines in the book is when Alona is telling him he is goth because “your hair is black, you have piercings, you wear black all the time and act all freaky”. Will responds with, “I’m not goth. My hair is naturally this color. I have three piercings in one ear, that’s it. This shirt is navy blue, and if I act weird all the time, it’s because of ghosts like you.” I thought this exchange was perfect. Many people do not look at what is beyond a person’s exterior, or how they look. People are always so quick to judge, especially teenagers. Will has a pretty hard time, and no one ever gives him the benefit of the doubt, but he really is a sweet guy who doesn’t want to hurt anyone. He cares about people, and helps Alona do the same. Throughout the book, Alona and Will become friends and I thought they had great chemistry especially since their total opposites. 

On top of the original plot and the characters that made this book great, I also really loved the cover. Will and Alona's facial expressions are perfect! I can imagine this scene taking place! Alona is annoying the crap out of Will and doesn't care at all and Will obviously wishes he was dead! I love it!

I enjoyed this book a lot and the second book in the series, Queen of the Dead comes out June 7, 2011! I can't wait!