Ghostgirl: Homecoming by Tonya Hurley

Release Date: Available Now!!! From Little, Brown Young Readers

Synopsis:

Heaven couldn't be a phone bank, could it?

Charlotte Usher discovers that the afterlife isn't quite what she pictured when she's forced to intern at a hotline for troubled teens. Before she can officially cross over, she'll have to be a source of guidance for one such teen. The problem is she doesn't have much advice to offer since dying hasn't exactly boosted her confidence level.

But when Hawthorne High's leading, love-to-hate cheerleader Petula and her gothic little sis' Scarlet find themselves suddenly resting-in-peace in comas, Charlotte's opportunity to save them will prove to be the risk of a lifetime-for all of them.

I read quite a few reviews that said that this second book wasn't as good as the first, but I don't agree. I really liked this one. It captured the fun and heart of the first book, while introducing some cool new ideas about the afterlife.

Most of your favorite characters are back for more and a few new ones are introduced as well. Charlotte has moved on, but the great unknown isn't all it's cracked up to be. It's more boring than high school and she finds herself missing her old friend Scarlett.

Meanwhile, Scarlett is fighting battles of her own, namely her just-might-be-ending relationship with boyfriend Damen. When Scarlett's mean queen sister Petula has her own near-death experience, Scarlett is forced to go into the everafter to find Charlotte and save her sister.

I for one hope Hurley keeps the Ghostgirl books coming. They are tons of fun and I love her witty, sarcastic characters and her inventive look at life after death. They read really quickly and are full of very cool illustrations. I can't help but turn the pages late into the night.

Looking forward to a third book.