The Dead and Buried by Kim Harrington Series: Stand Alone
Published by Scholastic Point on January 1st, 2013
Genres: Mystery, YA
Goodreads
A haunted house, a buried mystery, and a very angry ghost make this one unforgettable thriller.
Jade loves the house she's just moved into with her family. She doesn't even mind being the new girl at the high school: It's a fresh start, and there's that one guy with the dreamy blue eyes. . . . But then things begin happening. Strange, otherworldly things. Jade's little brother claims to see a glimmering girl in his room. Jade's jewelry gets moved around, as if by an invisible hand. Kids at school whisper behind her back like they know something she doesn't.
Soon, Jade must face an impossible fact: that her perfect house is haunted. Haunted by a ghost who's seeking not just vengeance, but the truth. The ghost of a girl who ruled Jade's school — until her untimely death last year. It's up to Jade to put the pieces together before her own life is at stake. As Jade investigates the mystery, she discovers that her new friends in town have more than a few deep, dark secrets. But is one of them a murderer?
Really? So no one is going to say it? Nobody?
Ok. Fine. If you all won’t say it I guess I will be the bad guy.
I didn’t like “The Dead and Buried”.
There, I said it. It’s out there into the infinite universe that is the internet.
I waited patiently and eagerly for “The Dead and Buried”. I figured that a book with more than 90% of 3+ stars reviews on Goodreads would be good. I didn’t see too many it was better than a chocolate covered orgasm 5 stars or I‘m in love but there were a few tiny mistakes 4 stars and only a couple it was a pleasant read 3 stars. It was a nice enough mix for me to be excited.
That’s what I get for putting all my faith in Goodreads.
Please, stop your cries of blasphemy. I know it isn’t Goodreads fault that “The Dead and Buried” fell flat on it’s back (damn cover). I should have known better. Yes I love ghost but I really don’t like mysteries. Yes I love YA but I absolutely LOATHE constant and vigorous teen angst. If I would have paid more attention to the blurb instead of the darn cover and mixed but nice reviews I would have seen that this was not my kind of read.
“The Dead and Buried” starts off with Jade (our heroine) finally living her dream. Her dad and step-mom has finally agreed to move Jade and her little brother from their podunk rural hometown to a suburb right outside of Boston. She finally has that big suburban house she always sees on “those movies”, she is starting her senior year at a big high school, and she has just meet a amazingly hot boy with unbelivable blue eyes. Everything is just “perfect”.
Ugh, B-O-R-I-N-G!
But wait! Jade just found out she is living in a house were a girl who went to Jade’s new school, who “ruled” that school, who would have been entering her senior year just like Jade, was murdered! And now this girl (Kayla) is haunting Jade’s “perfect house.
GASP!! SHOCK!! CRIES OF OUTRAGE!!!!
This is typically the part where a person who was unimpressed with the first portion of the book would gush about the amazing plot twist, suspense, and pace change the book made in the second part.
I am not a typical person.
Even though Harrington threw in this amazing paranormal feature (what kind of person doesn’t love a ghost story?), it just didn’t do it for me. I mean seriously! A shallow ghost?! Don’t believe me? Here is a snippet of Ms. Kayla’s diary:
And yeah, I’m spoiled by my parents and, yeah, I’m used to getting what I want. But I work hard for it, too. Sure, some things are handed to me. But others take time and effort. The difference between me and losers is that I don’t quit. That’s why I usually end up getting my way.
But why am I mean? Simple. Because I can be.
I know, there is always a “mean girl”. But you would think that someone pushing you down a flight of stairs so hard your neck snaps, would make you take your head out of your ass. But nooo, instead of going to hell like a horrible bully who literally and selfishly stole the future of a hard working kid, she decides to haunt the house she died in so she can get revenge on her killer. I’m sorry, I just can’t. I appreciate the writing (which was superb). I appreciate the plot twist. I even appreciate Jade because she had a backbone. But a shallow, single minded , selfish, ghost who still believes she is Queen B? No I can’t accept that.
{yes I went a little gif crazy but I needed some excitement after this one}
