ruined

ruined
ruined #1
paula morris
ya/horror
point
published 2009

Rebecca Brown couldn't feel more out of place in New Orleans, where she comes to live while her dad is away on business.  She's staying in a creepy house with her aunt Claudia, who reads tarot cards for a living.  And at the snooty prep school, a pack of filthy-rich girls treat Rebecca like she's invisible.  Only gorgeous, unavailable Anton Grey seems to give Rebecca the time of day, but she wonders if he's got a hidden agenda.

Then one night, among the oak trees in Lafayette Cemetery, Rebecca makes a friend.  Sweet, mysterious Lisette is eager to show Rebecca the nooks and crannies of New Orleans.  There's just one catch.

Lisette is a ghost.

A ghost with a deep, dark secret, and a serious score to settle.

As Rebecca learns more from her ghost friend - and as she begins to trust Anton Grey - she also uncovers startling truths about her own history.  Will Rebecca be able to right the wrongs of the past, or has everything been ruined beyond repair?

There was something about this book that held me back from completely enjoying it.  It could be that Morris spent 4 pages describing the Mardi Gras parade route.  Or the walk that Lisette and Rebecca take to Tremé that is a four mile walk and we read about every. single. mile.

It was parts like that.  Unnecessarily long passages that added very little, if anything, to the story.  I found myself not caring, a lot.  And,

*****SPOILER*****

It bothered me a little that it was supposed to be okay for the other girl to die just because she 'looked down' on Rebecca.  I mean sure, she was a snob but she didn't go out of her way to make Rebecca's life miserable she just most pretending like Rebecca didn't exist.  So for that, we're relieved that she's the one who is going to die?  I don't know.  The closest person to an antagonist is Toby and nothing happens to him.

It was interesting enough that I'll read the next book - mostly because the next book is a different 'ghost' story altogether.