Ruined by Paula Morris

Release Date: Available Now from Point

Synopsis:

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?

If you've been reading my blog for awhile, you probably know that I like to travel. I also love books that make me feel like traveling or that remind me of trips I've taken in the past. I went to New Orleans probably 6 years ago, well before Katrina, and I fell in love with the city. There is no place else like it in the world. When you walk down the street, it's like walking back in time and you can feel the history surrounding you.

Ruined captures that feeling perfectly. It's a wonderful mix of a good ol'fashioned ghost story and an amazing historical all rolled up into one. Through Rebecca we get to discover the city of New Orleans as it is today, post-Katrina, where people are focused on rebuilding their homes and their lives.

Then through, Lisette, we see the New Orleans that was and we get to take a walking tour of New Orleans through the ages. The two characters stories work so well together that I was immediately swept into the action and couldn't wait to find out what happened next.

I love ghost stories, so this one was right up my alley. Morris' writing is eerie and suspenseful, which creates an atmosphere where you never really know which character is friend or foe.

I highly recommend this one, especially if you love to travel through literature. When I can't get out of town, it's always nice to be able to see the sights through my books. I will be planning a trip to New Orleans in the next year or two, so that I can once again experience the magic that I know is still there.