[LM_NET] Review: YA: Ruined (a ghost story)

[Pamela Thompson <pthomp@SISD.NET>]

Ruined

by Paula Morris

Scholastic, 2009.

309 pages
Rebecca hates the idea of leaving her friends in New York City for a semester in 
filthy post-Katrina New Orleans attending a snooty boarding school full of the 
city's richest families. She hates living with her weird Aunt Claudia who reads 
tarot cards for tourists in the Bourbon Street district and seems to know an awful 
lot about voodoo legends and curses.
The prep school kids are cliqueish and rude to Rebecca and consider her an outcast. 
Only one boy, Anton Grey, talks to her, but he is careful not to let his other 
"friends" know that he is nice to Rebecca. Once Rebecca follows Anton and his 
friends into the Lafayette Cemetery and stays hidden from view. As she is leaving, 
she stumbles upon a young girl named Lisette. Lisette is easy to talk to and tells 
Rebecca all about the history of New Orleans and the rich families who live near 
the cemetery. There's only one problem: Rebecca is the only one who can see 
Lisette--because Lisette is a ghost.
Rebecca and Lisette try to discover the reason that Lisette is not at rest. They 
are thrown into danger when an old Haitian voodoo curse threatens Rebecca's life.
Part ghost story, part high school clique novel, Ruined is an entertaining read 
that will appeal to mystery and gothic readers who have a penchant for dark and 
gloomy places and mysterious happenings in the Big Easy (New Orleans). Recommended 
for YA collections grades 7-up.

Just posted to my blog at http://booksbypamelathompson.blogspot.com/



Pamela Thompson, MLIS
Library Media Specialist
Col. John O. Ensor Middle School
13600 Ryderwood
El Paso, TX
915-937-6018
pthomp@sisd.net<mailto:pthomp@sisd.net>

visit my YA novel blog at http://booksbypamelathompson.blogspot.com/


"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog is too dark to 
read." --Groucho Marx

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