Ruined: A Ghost Story
A gripping YA supernatural novel set in New Orleans: TWILIGHT with a ghostly twist.\ 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 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...
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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? PRAISE FOR PAULA MORRIS'S NOVEL QUEEN OF BEAUTY: "A stunning debut novel...a masterful work." -- The New Zealand HeraldPublishers WeeklyWith this haunting love letter to New Orleans, Morris makes her YA debut, telling the story of 15-year-old Rebecca Brown, a proud New Yorker sent to live with a family friend while her father travels overseas. Ostracized as an outsider, Rebecca struggles to fit in and cope with her new surroundings. When she befriends Lisette, a ghost who has haunted the cemetery ever since her mysterious death 155 years earlier, Rebecca is drawn into an eerie story of betrayal, loss, old curses and family secrets. As Mardi Gras approaches, so does the culmination of something dark and angry that has been brewing for decades. This moody tale thoroughly embraces the rich history, occult lore and complex issues of race, ethnicity, class and culture that have defined New Orleans for centuries, turning the city into a character in its own right. Rather than shy away from the shameful or tragic moments of the past, Morris uses them to capture the city's essence. From Mardi Gras rituals to voodoo spells, Hurricane Katrina to jazz, this is a story that could only be told in New Orleans. Ages 12–up. (Aug.)
\ VOYA\ - Valerie Ott\ Morris, a newcomer to the young adult scene, blends science fiction, history, and teen angst into an entertaining and unique story about two main characters: Rebecca, a typical fifteen-year-old, and New Orleans, the city to which she is temporarily displaced while her father is in China. Upon arriving in the Big Easy post-Katrina, Rebecca is on edge about meeting her eccentric aunt but even more anxious about attending an all-girls private academy. Snooty Helena Bowman and a complicated caste system tied to old money and even older secrets make Rebecca feel like an outsider until she meets Lisette in Lafayette Cemetery. After a handful of cryptic conversations with the mysterious Lisette, Rebecca discovers that her new friend is, in fact, a ghost. As Mardi Gras approaches, the story progresses to its climax. Anton Grey, one of the elite set, breaks rank and asks Rebecca to an insider-only party at the Bowman mansion. After Lisette's appearance at the party sends shockwaves through the upper echelon, Rebecca learns that Lisette has a score to settle with the Bowmans and makes the shocking discovery that her own fate is intricately linked to the century-old curse placed on them. This story has broad appeal because it straddles the line between ghost story and realistic fiction so well. In this more plot- than character-driven novel, Rebecca's voice is authentic enough. The real star, however, is New Orleans itself; the city's aura of intrigue is deliciously described and makes the story much richer, especially for teens who remember Katrina. Reviewer: Valerie Ott\ \
