Beth Watson

(This review can also be found on my blog The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl).


I've been wanting to read this book for awhile. I love books with ghosts in them. I had high hopes for this book, but it just turned out to be an mediocre read.

Right away, the title of this book suggests that it's not going to be a scary book or one that takes itself too seriously. I do like the title, and I found it very interesting.

I like the cover. I think it suits a young adult book, and the cover fits with the setting of the book.

The world building was alright. I just felt that the ghosts were able to do too many things such as they were able to manipulate objects in the living world. They could move things, open doors, log on to Facebook, etc. It was the logging on to Facebook that really got to me. The ghosts even had their own Facebook pages! They could even write on others' Facebook profiles. I just think that because the ghosts were able to do too much, they would've been discovered in a real world setting.

The pacing was just alright. It wasn't too fast, and it wasn't too slow. It was just kind of there. I found myself not really in a rush to find out what would happen next.

I did enjoy the idea of the plot. I like how Kendra is able to see her dead best friend and then realizes she can actually see ghosts. I like how there was a mystery incorporated in the book. There was also romance going on with all the characters. However, I just felt as if there was too much going on with the plot. Perhaps this book would've been better without the romance especially the romance between Loic and Amber. I also felt as if the mystery about how Loic died wasn't that big of a mystery at all. I had correctly predicted the mystery surrounding Loic's death from the very beginning. There is a small plot twist towards the end, but it's not a major one. The author does leave the ending of this book open for the next book in the series, but I think this book could work well as a stand alone.

I didn't really connect with any of the characters, but I did enjoy them. My favorite character was Amber. To me, she felt the most realistic. It was good to see the wide range of emotions she was feeling throughout the book. I enjoyed her zest for life (even if she was dead). I also liked Pierrot. He seemed like a sweet boy, and it was clear how much he loved his brother. As for Kendra, I didn't like the way she treated her mother. I found her to be a bit disrespectful and a bit spoiled. I also didn't really care for Loic. To me, he came across as very whiny and a little bit selfish. I get that he just died and wanted answers, but it's like he just wanted everything to happen all at once. He was a very impatient boy.

I felt that the dialogue fit in more with a middle grade book rather then a young adult book. The way the characters thought and spoke made them seem like they were around thirteen or fourteen as opposed to being around seventeen years old. I also felt the dialogue didn't fit in with a modern day story. I can understand Amber using words that people don't really say anymore being as she died in the 1980s (although she's been a ghost, so surely she would've picked up the modern day lingo), but even Kendra used odd words such as the word "crimmers" (or something to that effect) when she was shocked about something. There's not really any violence, but there is some swearing. There's also no sexual references besides kissing.

Overall, Getting a Life, Even If You're Dead by Beth Watson is just an alright read. It's not great, but it's definitely not a bad read by any means. I believe that if the ghosts were a bit more believable and the book was written in more of a young adult tone, it could've been much better. I probably will read the next book in the series simply because it will focus on Amber.

I'd recommend this book to those aged 13 who are like the mystery genre but also like their books with a little bit of romance.


(I received a free paperback of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review).… (mere)

Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My initial reaction upon finishing this book was, “Noooooooooooooo!” Although online listings label this book as part of a series, the physical book itself doesn’t make that clear, so I was expecting it to have a neatly wrapped-up ending. But it finished with a cliff hanger and left several story-lines unresolved. I wish I had the sequel right now so I could see what happens next, which is an indicator of how good this book was.

The contradictory title (“Getting a *Life* Even If You’re *Dead*”), and the intriguing premise that Amber had been dead when she was Kendra’s best friend and now, years later, needs Kendra’s help to save a boy, were what initially piqued my interest. Right from the beginning, the story evokes a lot of questions that beg to be answered about the characters and what’s going on in the novel, which keeps readers engrossed. A few important themes are even tackled: The effect people have on others. Dealing with death, guilt and suicide. Parent/child relationships.

I just had a few minor gripes. Overuse of ellipses drive me crazy—they’re the type of thing that can add a lot to writing if used sparingly and carefully, but otherwise they distract from and weaken it—and I think they were overused a bit here. There were a few places where the dialog/actions could have been strengthened to give scenes more power. The falling-in-love connections between the teens were believable, but they happened fast enough to make me roll my eyes. I typically don’t read books where romances play a significant role, so I may be bias in that respect.

Overall, a lot is packed into this small book. The characters are sympathetic and three dimensional. The pacing is quick—I read it in two days. The plot was unique and kept me guessing. This would be a nice addition to any paranormal, YA, or mystery collection. I look forward to reading the sequel.… (mere)