{Review} The Ghoul Next Door by Lisi Harrison

Cleopatra de Nile:  
Cleo was the queen bee of the RADs, the normies, and everyone in between at Merston High. But now it's "Frankie this" and "Melody that" . . . these new girls sure know how to get her lashes in a tangle. When Cleo lands a Golden Teen Vogue photo opp for her friends everything seems to be back on track...until they bail to be in some film . . . Frankie and Melody's film! Can't a royal get some loyal?

Frankie Stein:
Frankie lost her head over Brett once and vows never to do it again. Not that she has a choice. Bekka is clinging to her guy like saran. But when Brett comes up with a plan that could help the RADS live freely, sparks fly. And Bekka will stop at nothing to put out their flames. Even if it means destroying the entire monster community.

Melody:
The clock is tick-tick-ticking away. Melody has a serious deadline to save her boyfriend, Jackson, from being exposed by the vengeance-seeking Bekka. But Cleo is making it royally difficult for the normie while threatening her acceptance into their exclusive group. A group that melody suspects she has more in common with than she even thought.

Title: The Ghoul Next Door {Monster High, book 2}

Author: Lisi Harrison

Publication: 05th April 2011

Publisher:  Poppy

256 pages

This book is the second novel of a serie. I read the French translation.

My review

I really loved the first book, Monster High, it was a refreshing and funny novel. This one is perhaps a bit less funny and more serious, but it was nonetheless a great read. I was really not disappointed in this sequel and I'm now looking forward to reading the third book.

The narration and chapters are alternated between Frankie, our favorite monster, Cleo and Melody. This allows to break the monotony, as the three girls could not be more different from each other. However, they have more in common than we may think at first. The characters, and especially Frankie and Melody, are just as endearing and appealing as in the first one. I was really happy to meet them again. It was also great to have Cleo's point of view, even if she is quite selfish and snobbish she's also quite entertaining.

There may be more action than in the previous one as the twists are abundant and numerous. While some aspects are fairly predictable, I was sometimes totally surprised. The conclusion is quite surprising and I think the next book is going to be full of mysteries. The plot is fast-paced and I read it really quickly. Finally, the atmosphere is once again pleasant and enjoyable. I think the ambiance is what I love the most: in the same book you can find vampires, ghosts, werewolves, Medusa's grandson and much more.

This second instalment is perhaps a bit less funny than the previous one, but it is nonetheless very light and refreshing. Once again I had a great time, it was a relaxing and a cheering break. The writing is still very pleasant. It's true that The Ghoul Next Door is a bit superficial, but for me it's also a metaphore for adolescence. And in this one Lisi Harrison may insist a bit more on teenage years, acceptance of the differences, the prejudices and the desire to fit in. References to contemporary culture are again very numerous and once more entertaining.

To sum up, this second instalment offers us a funny plot, a lot of humor and a few surprises. The universe is just as offbeat and wacky as in the first one. Lisi Harrison features teenage years, and the discomfort that can come with this period of life, with great accuracy and skill. The characters are appealing and I'm very curious to know what the third book holds for them. Indeed, The Ghoul Next Door ends on rather compromising circumstances and I think the sequel is promising and will be full of surprises. Where There's a Wolf, There's a Way will be released on September 20th 2011.