The Queen of the Dead

Today's post is on The Queen of the Dead by Stacy Kade. It is the second in her The Ghost and The Goth series. It is 266 pages long and is published by Hyperion. The cover has Alona and Will on it looking happy and bored respectively. The intended reader is someone who likes funny young adult stories, ghost stories, and teen drama. There is no sex, mild language, and mild violence in this book. The story is told from the first person close perspective of the two main character's moving from one to another chapter to chapter. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- The Ghost

Okay I admit it. I'm not perfect, no matter what you've heard. First off, I'm dead. Second, I got sent back from the Great Beyond. I mean, seriously, who is running things up there? Now I have to spend the summer after my senior year working- and on behalf of a bunch of whiny spirits, no less. But a girl's got to do what a girl's got to do.
It's a good thing Will Killian is still around. Even through he drives me crazy, and he could seriously do with a tan- Hello! It's summer!- I'm glad he's here to help me. Correction: was here to help me. Now he's all distracted y this frizzy-haired girl who can- big deal- communicate with the dead, too. Whatever. I don't need Will. But there are some things- like saving my parents from a couple horrible mistakes- that would be easier with his assistance. Still, I will get what I want... with or without him

The Goth

I'm still totally amazed that Alona Dare is my spirit guide and that it works. . Yes, I've had crush on her since sixth grade, but I also kind of hated her. And sure, she had to die before she'd talk to me- but I don't know, I kind of like having her around.
Things get confusing when I meet Mina, who's the first ghost-talker I've ever encountered (other than my dad). I always thought Alona and I were doing the right thing helping those other ghosts, but Mina has me thinking otherwise. Plus, she might know stuff about my dad that even my mom doesn't. But if there's one thing I should have learned by now, it's no to ignore Alona. That's never a good idea.

Review- This one is not as funny as the first book but it a very solid second book. Kade is getting more into the world. We learn that there is a society that handles things dealing with ghosts and that Will's dad was one of them. Then he left. Will has a lot going on in this book on the one hand Alona and all her problems and on the other the other ghost-talkers. I can see some plot threads for the last book being put into place. Kade has a very good voice that I think is very real. I knew an Alona Dare in high school and I was Will Killain, without the ghost-talking part sadly, so I think that she had something good here. Alona is still selfish but she is 17 and she died before she really deal with her problems. Her parents are not helping her move on either. But what she does in this book is not okay and I feel sorry for Will. What Will needs is someone who is not afraid to him the truth, other than Alona, but the people who have that are not going to because they want him. I can see a big show-down coming for the third book. The only thing I wanted more of in this book was humor because the first book was just so funny.

I give this book a Four our of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.