Ruined: A Novel

Without giving too much away, this book is a great New Orleans ghost story. It offers the younger reader (I would say tween and up) some nice info about the city, especially Mardi Gras, and a little history. The author makes the main character real and easy for the reader to relate to. There are also some underlying messages of racism, privilege, and bullying. The character does do some things a parent wouldn't like (such as sneaking out of the house at night to go into a graveyard) but nothing that is not in the realm of many teens' imaginations. I read it an immediately passed it onto my daughter, who is appreciating the story and now wanting to learn more about New Orleans history. Most of the main characters are female, but it isn't about fashion, hairstyles, etc. that would preclude it from a boy. Overall, I thought it was a great ghost story that wasn't overly scary and not inappropriate for a younger reader. Nice treat for Halloween-time!!

New Orleans is a city that seems to attract the supernatural in popular fiction -- from Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles to Sherilyn Kenyon's Dark-Hunter Series -- and "Ruined" seems, at first glance, to be no exception. Paula Morris' engaging and concise writing style, however, have leant this novel a keen readability and an engaging plotline that keeps the reader flipping pages through every twist and turn. "Ruined" is the story of Rebecca Brown, a thoroughly modern New York City girl sent to live with her eccentric fortune-telling 'aunt' in New Orleans while her father is away on business. While there, Rebecca is thrown into the swirling morrass of New Orleans history and society as she navigates a dangerous haunting and a curse that have the power to ruin her entire life. Morris uses the venerable city's lush atmospherics to her advantage as the setting becomes a character in and of itself. Rebecca Brown is an engaging protagonist who is very down-to-earth and easily accesible to boys and girls alike; her disgusted reactions to the vapid and ruthless girls she attends school with are funny without being too contrived. Morris, in fact, balances that line very keenly in the novel -- while Aunt Claudia is almost too cliched, she is still original; while Aurelia (the cousin) is almost too excited, she is still believable. The supernatural elements of the novel are dealt with in such a realistic and straight manner that they come across as equally believable as the rest of the book. While there are some creeping moments and some fairly hefty twists and turns, Morris saves the novel from being a dime-a-dozen spookfest by taking breaks from the central plot to focus on characterization and setting, a tactic which works to her advantage. Morris' experience with the actual city of New Orleans is also a great strength; she is unflinching both in her representation of the grand city post-Katrina and her truthful commentary on how the rest of America has come to nearly forget about New Orleans. But that isn't all -- Morris has layered the novel with fascinating historical and societal references about the history of New Orleans, but she smoothly straddled the line in esoterica: the glances of history are fascinating but are not so abundant that they distract from the rest of the novel. Morris' concise writing style and the smooth inner voice of Rebecca combine with the lush atmospherics of the setting as well as the haunting qualities of New Orleans itself to create quite the pageturner; indeed, this is the first ghost story I've read in the last year that I actually enjoyed from start to finish. I'll eagerly anticipate the next release from a talented author. Five out of five stars. NOTE: Another, somewhat similar, ghost story -- also set in Louisiana -- is called "Walk of the Spirits" by Richie Tankersley Cusick; anyone who enjoyed "Ruined" will likely find great enjoyment in reading this kindred novel. Walk of the Spirits

Elegantly written and featuring subtle historical and political references, author Paula Morris has crafted a compelling story. Her characters are believable and interesting, and the text balances vivid detail with brevity. A page turner from page one! Themes: -class and social status -cultural differences between the North and South of the united States -reconstruction of New Orleans after the Katrina -history of New Orleans -being different than peers and maneuvering social situations in high school

Having just finished all the Sookie Stackhouse books published to date (and loved them!), I can't help but start off with how much I love the setting of this tale in New Orleans! Here our main character, Rebecca, is forced to live with family friends who are far from conventional. To make matters worse, her new school is loaded with old-money cliquish nonsense, something Rebecca has zero interest in. But a welcome new friendship is waiting... After meeting a sweet and even kind ghost girl her own age, Rebecca is plunged even deeper into this world within a world of the darker histories of some of the old families and snotty school cliques, deep dark secrets, murder and mystery, voo-doo and curses, and trying to right the wrongs of generations past. This book was an engaging and pleasant read that builds to an exciting climax. I'd recommend it for a primarily female audience, but also to reader of all ages and both genders who loves a good New Orleans ghost story or a haunting tale of the paranormal.

Although I don't really believe that people can come back as ghosts (I do believe in the supernatural, though), there's no fun like a good "ghost story." Rebecca is a very likable heroine (but she hardly ever minds her elders!!) and you feel sorry for her right from the start. After all, who wants to sleep in a room filled with Voodoo stuff and a monkey skull? But Rebecca hangs in there and has the adventure of a lifetime, helping to fulfill a prophecy concerning the ending of a curse that has been killing teenaged girls for 150 years or more. It's a great story and it would make a pretty good movie, too!