Ghost Week, Pt. 2: Happy Día De Los Muertos!

Yes, I know that Día de los Muertos is Wednesday, but it will be over shadowed by All Souls Day.
Therefore, I will ‘celebrate’ it today, so get ready for another haunting blog on the dead and what they can do to you in the afterlife.

                I have finished Ruined by Paula Morris. In this book, Rebecca Brown has been plucked from New York City and sent to live with her estranged Aunt Claudia and cousin, Aurelia, in New Orleans. The city looks like any normal city at first, despite the devastation from Katrina, until she starts to learn the city’s tragic past. Filled with magic, voodoo, curses and diseases, New Orleans is anything but a normal town, and Rebecca is about to find out just how dangerous it can be for herself.

                Rebecca went to Helena Bowman’s party, and some strange things happen. First, she feels so bad because Anton’s friends, including Helena, are avoiding him because he’s with her, and she doesn’t really know many people. So Anton takes her outside, where they talk awhile and maybe share a smooch. But, before anything else can happen, Lisette, the ghostly girl only Rebecca seems to be able to see, shows up. Then Helena starts screaming that she sees the black girl outside, but nobody can see Lisette, right?

                As it turns out, The Bowman family can see Lisette, as well as Rebecca. She goes back to Claudia and tells her about it, where Claudia asks Rebecca if she had seen the ghost, and Rebecca lies. She learns more about what happened when she goes to see Lisette in the graveyard. Lisette tells her that she will tell her the story on a trip down to her mother’s old house, if Rebecca comes, which she does. Rebecca sneaks out later that week, eager to learn the story behind Lisette and how she ties with the Bowman’s.

                Lisette reveals that she was the daughter of Mr. Bowman, 155 years ago. Mr. Bowman died and left her a lot of money and a house in his will. Mrs. Bowman was furious and attacked Lisette, which caused her to fall and die. Her death was covered up by the Bowman’s lawyer and doctor, saying she died of Yellow Fever. When her mother came, she was told the same cover story, which she didn’t believe, so she placed a curse upon the Bowman family. It was a harsh curse and took all the strength out of Lisette’s mother, causing her to die shortly after. Rebecca is horrified by this story, but she doesn’t exactly want the Bowman’s fate to be carried out.

                This story has a crazy ending. It was a page-turning book that kept me exhilarated all the way to the end. I was fascinated by the way family ties can be intertwined so far back in history, and how they can be so deadly. I think this story shows very well the importance of telling the truth to avoid spirits and curses, but that might be a minor theme. This was a great book; everything I expected for a book with rave reviews from other amazing authors. A ghostly tale with a horrifying ending, and jam-packed with excitement and mystery; you’re going to love this book.

RED’S ALL STAR REVIEW: 4 ½ out of 5 stars. This book kept me reading until the end, and I couldn’t put it down.

MASS APPEAL: This novel focuses on the viewpoint of a girl, so it may appeal to girls slightly more, but it’s so mysterious and exciting at the end that I think anyone would enjoy.

Buy This book On Amazon. Click Here!