Review: The Dead and Buried - Kim Harrington

Title: The Dead and Buried

Author: Kim Harrington

Release Date: January 1st 2013

Publisher:  Scholastic Point

Genres: Young Adult, Horror, Mystery

Pages: 304

Source: Bought

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?

 

This book doesn't have anything new or original but that isn't what kept me reading. Kim Harrington's writing is just so addictive and unputdownable that I just couldn't stop. Yes, we've seen the 'new girl comes to a new town and her house is haunted' story about a billion times but Kim just somehow makes it different. In a really, really good way.

Jade was a very likeable character. She's very smart and brave, but also has a lot of flaws. I think she's the only character in this book that I actually liked and connected with. I found some of the other characters kinda stereotypical and ones that you see everyday in a high school setting.

Some would say there's a love triangle but I have to disagree. We don't really spend too much time with either guys (the lack of chemistry and romance in this book kills me!) and the romance is just on the side. I never did like both of the guys since they weren't really that developed or interesting.

Don't you just hate it when 50% in and you already had guessed who the killer was? So annoying! What I like about horror/mystery books is that it keeps me guessing and I even more love it when I get my guesses wrong and then BAM! The killer just appears on the page and I kick myself for not seeing it sooner. But but but...... that's what I love about it. Granted, it's not really the author's fault that I guessed it way earlier than I should have, but still.

The ghost scenes were written really well! I admit I'm such a wimp and I regretted reading this at night but you guys, I recommend this to anyone who's a fan of Kim Harrington (I do love her other YA series more but I still enjoyed this loads) and lovers of mystery and horror!