Review: Oh, My Goth by Gena Showalter

Synopsis from Amazon:
Fiercely independent high school senior Jade Leigh is every bit the nonconformist. With her goth appearance and her sarcastic wit, she doesn't hide her disdain for her lame teachers or the boring jocks in her classes. Who needs them, she values her individuality and free thinking more than anything else in the world. But everything changes after her smart mouth lands her in hot water and the school principal decides to teach her a lesson she won't likely forget. Jade is shocked to find herself in a virtual reality game that is a Freaky Friday-like alternate world - where suddenly everyone around her is goth and she's just one of the crowd.

Review:
A great story about individuality and learning to accept yourself for who you are. Not only does it deal with issues of loss, self-image and friendship but it address the notion of preconceived concepts based on what a person looks like rather than their personality or actions. It reinforces the ideal that you should always get to know a person rather than judging them on appearance alone. My 9 year old put this very well she said 'if some people looked the same on the outside as they are on the inside then there would be some very ugly people' very profound for a 9 year old. Terrific first person narrative making it easy to relate to, with lovely quotes for the main characters diary at the start of each chapter, really reinforces the story. Some use of bad language but it did not seem out of context and was not excessive. In conclusion a humorous look at a relevant topic applicable to both teens and adults; a very enjoyable read.

Review: Heart You, You Haunt Me by Lisa Schroeder

                                                     

Synopsis from Amazon

Ava Can't see or touch him, unless she is dreaming. She can't hear his voice, except for the faint whispers in her mind. Most would think she's crazy, but she knows he's here.  Jackson. The boy Ava thought she'd spend the rest of her life with. He's back from the dead, as proof that love truly knows no bounds.

Review:
A quick read. Set out in verse which actually really suits this story. It is wonderfully descriptive within a small amounts of words, the words literally dance across the page.  I actually cried from the start of this story; the images and emotions evoked by the funeral scene brought back memories of losing my mum a few years ago. Beautifully written so I experienced complete empathy with the feelings of loss, grief and guilt. The references to emotions as colours was inspiring and easy to relate to. It reminded me of Ghostgirl by Tonya Hurley in parts. A great book for anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one.