Wednesday, October 21, 2009

" Ruined" by Paula Morris

WELCOME to NEW ORLEANS:
CITY of VOODOO and BEAUTY.
HURRICANES and HAUNTINGS.

A New Orleans Garden District setting, complete with a ghost, a cemetery and voodoo , is ALWAYS going to grab my attention!
This is my first Paula Morris read but it won't be my last! I really enjoyed this book! As someone who knows and loves New Orleans and is familiar with the Garden District, it was very important to me that Paula capture place, she did a wonderful job !

Rebecca Brown is 15 years old, she loves her New York City home, her school, her friends, the last thing she wants to do is spend 6 months in New Orleans with Aunt Claudia ( who isn't really her aunt) and her daughter Aurelia! She has no choice in the matter though. Her Dad is being sent to China on business and her mother is deceased, so that leaves no one else to care for her. Arriving in New Orleans she finds that Aunt Claudia lives in a creepy house in the Garden District, and reads Tarot Cards in the French Quarters Jackson Square for a living. The city is still reeling after Hurricane Katrina and she's been enrolled in a private school full of Orleanian blue blood divas!

When boredom sends her eaves dropping on a group of teenage blue bloods in the Lafayette Cemetery across the street, she runs straight into Lisette Villieux, a teenage ghost from 1853 ! Through her friendship with Lisette she discovers secrets of New Orleans past and uncovers secrets about her own life! A mysterious read with a delightful ending! Considered a young adult book that I can tell you is a great read for any age!

Copyright 2009 by Paula Morris
IBSN: -10:0-545-04215-1
Published by Point
Hardcover 309 pps.

20 comments:

Rosaria Williams said...

I do hope Paula appreciates what you're doing for her.

Craig Glenn said...

Wow, that sounds like a great read! Nice review.

Craig Glenn

RNSANE said...

Sounds like great fun. Having lived six years in New Orleans, during my nursing school years at Charity over forty years ago, and for a few years after, I always love anything about the city, including a forensic novel,written by my nurse colleague, Eileen Dreyer "Sinners and Saints" which includes a major hurricane, written just BEFORE Katrina!

Janet, said...

That does sound like a good one!

Cynthia Pittmann said...

Interesting plot, Carol.I like the idea of a spirit friend...the diva girls...I never heard of that idea in NewO but I think it makes sense. Most places have a community of elites...gosh you are wide-read...I like many styles and subjects, too. I think it's fun to read young adult and children's lit too. Some of the stories are so charmingly compelling. xx

Nezzy (Cow Patty Surprise) said...

It definitively sounds like an enjoyable read for any age. Good review and thanks so much for sharing. It is something my older grandchildren would enjoy reading.

Have a terrific day filled with blessings and books!!!

Pat in east TN said...

You haven't lead me astray yet with your recommendations ... another to add to my 'wish list' until my TBR pile goes down.

Kathryn Magendie said...

Hellooooo! So we were ships that passed in the day, or night, or whatever *teehee* --

Marguerite said...

Great review and book! I love any story about N'awlins and can't wait to read it. Thanks for sharing, cher!

Vicki Lane said...

Sounds interesting! I'm fond of good YA or children's books.

Kelly said...

...sounds like the perfect book for the Halloween season. I'm going to look into it! Thanks for the review...

Arkansas Patti said...

Thanks, you haven't steered me wrong yet. Right now I am reading and loving Rick Bragg's 'All Over But the Shouting' after your praise of his works. That man can REALLY write.
Paula for later.

the wild raspberry said...

sounds very intriguing!

have a wonderful day~~~
chas

Morning's Minion said...

Maybe not the spot for this particular comment, but just noticed one of Janice Holt Giles' books in your favorites list. I have enjoyed her books since "Miss Willie" was a Farm Journal Bookshelf selection back in the early 70's. A good writer and not enough exposure I think.

Deb Shucka said...

Whoa, that sounds like a great book. I love the cover, too.

CHummelKornell said...

This one I'll read. Thanks for sharing. You do a great service in promoting the arts. Thanks.

Paula said...

Ooooh- that sounds very interesting, Carol!

Kaye Wilkinson Barley - Meanderings and Muses said...

Oooooh - sounds terrific!!! Thanks, Carol!

NitWit1 said...

Love the review. Cemeteries are some of my favorite places as you will see from several of my posts. I just discovered a lovely one this week in Springfield MO, Maplewood, old and ablaze with autumn's Maples.

I've visited NO 3x, always the Quarter and the enchanting cemeteries.

Medora said...

I just recommended this one to some of my teen patrons here at work - good story, told well.