Review: Ruined

 

Title: Ruined

Author: Paula Morris

Publisher: Point

Release Date:   August 1st 2009

Format: Paperback (ARC)

Rebecca couldn't feel more out of place in New Orleans, where she comes to spend the year while her dad is traveling. She's staying in a creepy old house with her aunt. And at the snooty prep school, the 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, in Lafayette Cemetery, Rebecca makes a friend. Sweet, mysterious Lisette is eager to talk to Rebecca, and to show her the nooks and crannies of the city. 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 slowly learns 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?

Ruined is a ghost story, and being so, is different from what I normally read. I was a tad bit worried if I'd like it or not, but I wanted to give it a shot.

I loved it.

Rebecca Brown is a great character, and SO easy to relate to. She's a bit of a rebel when she gets to New Orleans, and goes places and sees people she's told to stay away from. Her personality is great, and she doesn't fall head over heels for the story's hottie, Anton Grey. She's completely grounded in the romantic relationship with him and I really liked that. I didn't feel like reading it was turning my brain to mush.

My only problem with the characters was Lizette the ghost. She's portrayed in the beginning as a 'little' girl. Yet, we later learn (much later), that she was sixteen when she died. So, I had a really hard time imagining her as a full grown teen and not a little eight year old bouncing along with Rebecca. Plus, the cover image is not at all how Lizette is described. That was a little bothersome.

Aside from the characters, the material was great. It pulled me in, and I didn't want to stop at the end of a chapter, because Morris pulled some pretty awesome cliff-hangers.

At the beginning, it was a tad bit slow, but as I got to the middle, the pieces began to fall together and the real mystery began. It really shined a light on New Orleans' beautiful and dangerous history, the culture, and the reality of the people in that city.

At the end, I was already a big fan of this book. Then I read the acknowledgments, and I now am a big fan of the author, Paula Morris:
 

"Readers interested in learning more about the rich and complex history of New Orleans might want to start with Ned Sublette's 'The World that Made New Orleans: From Spanish Silver to Congo Square'. And anyone keen to help rebuild and renew this unique American city should visit www.makeitrightnola.org or www.habitat-nola.org."

 
Look at that! The author did some research! That. Is. Awesome. And she supports the help of the real city this story is based on. Total bonus points.

So, when I closed this book, and marked it as finished, I felt satisfied and happy. It's a good story, easy to read, and a great book to suggest to friends. 

I gave it FOUR out of FIVE sporks