ghostgirl: Homecoming [Hardcover]

Tonya Hurley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2009 | Series: Ghostgirl

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.


Praise for ghostgirl:

* Polished dark-and-deadpan humor, it's a natural fit with Gen Y, too." --Publishers Weekly (starred review)

* "[Tonya] beats out witty teen-speak like a punk-band drummer, keeping the narrative fast-paced and fun yet thought-provokingly heartwarming. Goofy, ghastly, intelligent, electrifying." --Kirkus (starred review)

*"Tim Burton and Edgar Allan Poe devotees will die for this fantastic, phantasmal read." --School Library Journal (starred review)

* "Readers with a taste for black humor and satire will feast on Hurley's crisp, wise dialogue. Anticipate a well deserved cult following." --VOYA (starred review)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up—In Ghostgirl (Little, Brown, 2008), Charlotte choked on a gummy bear and died, and, in this latest installment, she is still struggling in her unlife. After Dead Ed, she moves on to answer phones for a hotline for troubled teens, hardly her idea of Heaven. However, the appearance of a new friend helps to soothe her hurting heart. Maddy seems to understand Charlotte and when all of Charlotte's Dead Ed friends abandon her to take on their new "lives," Charlotte and Maddy bond. There is something more than meets the eye about Maddy, though. Meanwhile, Petula has gone into a coma due to a staph infection caused by a bad pedicure. In her quest to get her sister back, Scarlett has also entered a comatose state. Will Charlotte be able to guide the girls back home while managing the events in her own life? With its equal blend of humor and heartbreak, Hurley's novel is sure to find an audience. Make sure you have the first volume on hand. Readers will definitely want both for the full picture.—Emily Garrett Cassady, North Garland High School, Garland, TX
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

New York Times bestselling ghostgirl author, Tonya Hurley, has credits spanning all platforms of teen entertainment including: creating, writing and producing two hit TV series, writing and directing several acclaimed independent films, developing a ground-breaking collection of video games and board games and creating and providing content for award-winning websites. Ms. Hurley lives in New York with her husband and daughter. Her Web site is www.ghostgirl.com.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 296 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; 1 edition (July 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 031611359X
• ISBN-13: 978-0316113595
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 1 x 9.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #472,334 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

New York Times bestselling ghostgirl author, Tonya Hurley, has credits spanning all platforms of teen entertainment including: creating, writing and producing two hit TV series, writing and directing several acclaimed independent films, developing a ground-breaking collection of video games and board games and creating award-winning websites. Hurley's films have premiered in film festivals around the world including TriBeca, LA Independent, and Edinburgh and her work has been featured on ABC, IFC and PBS. She was nominated for the prestigious Rockefeller Foundation Award in film.

Her first novel, ghostgirl, which is now also available in paperback, was an instant best-seller and has received starred reviews from the literary publications Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, VOYA and School Library Journal. Her second book in the series, ghostgirl Homecoming, was featured on Ace of Cakes along with Harry Potter and was released July 1, 2009. ghostgirl Lovesick, the third book in teh series, will be released July 12, 2010. The ghostgirl audiobooks, narrated by Parker Posey with original music by Vince Clarke, are available for digital download at www.audible.com.

Ms. Hurley lives in New York with her husband and daughter. Her Web site is www.ghostgirl.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ghostgirl: Homecoming is HYSTERICALLY TRAGIC!, June 24, 2009

By 

nemmers (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: ghostgirl: Homecoming (Hardcover)

First of all, I really loved the dark, twisted, hysterical ghostgirl. I was so excited to read this sequel, hoping that it would be half as good as the first one, which would make it worth the while for me. Well, it was even BETTER. BETTER! It was more hysterical, even wittier than the first, and it went much deeper. You learn to care about all the characters and learn more about the world they live, or not live, in, and Hurley's twists and turns will have you re-thinking all of them and their motives as well as have you laughing out loud! This author's ability to weave the ridiculous with the profound is incredible. This book is just as amazing as it's cover, which is gorgeous, by the way. My only hope is that they make a movie of this series and fast, and that there are many more books to follow! Ghostgirl: Homecoming is filled lots of laughs and even some tears, and if I didn't read it myself, I wouldn't believe it. I simply could not put this book down!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A nice sequel, June 29, 2009

By 

The Compulsive Reader (Big Rapids, MI, USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: ghostgirl: Homecoming (Hardcover)

Charlotte Usher is back in Ghostgirl: Homecoming and she has graduated from Dead Ed...only, she hasn't quite moved up in the afterworld. She's now got an internship at a hotline for troubled teens--a job Charlotte is certain that she isn't exactly qualified for--and her new friend Maddy is super controlling. And then when her earthly friends find themselves in deep trouble, Charlotte will have to make a decision that could change everything.

Charlotte and her gang are just as amusing and entertaining in this sequel to Ghostgirl. Tonya Hurley offers readers yet another twisty story that will have readers laughing even harder than the first book, but she also offers a little more depth as she tackles bigger issues and gets readers thinking a little more. The more observant reader will pick up once again on Hurley's many references to the horror genre, which makes Homecoming a fun and smart read. Though the ending and some resolutions are a bit abrupt and seem to happen without reasonable explanations, fans of the series will be able to overlook it in favor of the nicely satisfying ending.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a SEQUEL!, July 7, 2009

By 

YA QUEEN (Boston) - See all my reviews

This review is from: ghostgirl: Homecoming (Hardcover)

I really loved ghostgirl, and I thought if the sequel ghostgirl: Homecoming was half as good, I'd be happy. Well, it was even BETTER! The story is so deep and profound, I actually learned a lot about life and myself from this book, and the lines are even more hysterical than the first book. I don't know how this author juggles both the hysterical and the melancholy and touching moments, but she does with ease. This book is a MUST READ. I can't wait for more ghostgirl books!