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Deadgirl #1
Deadgirl
Dead is such a strong word...
Lucy Day, 15 years old, is murdered on her very first date. Not one to take that kind of thing lying down, she awakens a day later with a seemingly human body and more than a little confusion. Lucy tries to return to her normal life, but the afterlife keeps getting in the way.
Zack, her crush-maybe-boyfriend, isn’t exactly excited that she ditched him on their first date. Oh, and Abraham, Lucy’s personal Grim Reaper, begins hunting her, dead-set on righting the error that dropped her back into the spongy flesh of a living girl. Lucy must put her mangled life back together, escape re-death, and learn to control her burgeoning powers while staying one step ahead of Abraham.
But when she learns the devastating price of coming back from the dead, Lucy is forced to make the hardest decision of her re-life - can she really sacrifice her loved ones to stay out of the grave?
Lucy Day, 15 years old, is murdered on her very first date. Not one to take that kind of thing lying down, she awakens a day later with a seemingly human body and more than a little confusion. Lucy tries to return to her normal life, but the afterlife keeps getting in the way.
Zack, her crush-maybe-boyfriend, isn’t exactly excited that she ditched him on their first date. Oh, and Abraham, Lucy’s personal Grim Reaper, begins hunting her, dead-set on righting the error that dropped her back into the spongy flesh of a living girl. Lucy must put her mangled life back together, escape re-death, and learn to control her burgeoning powers while staying one step ahead of Abraham.
But when she learns the devastating price of coming back from the dead, Lucy is forced to make the hardest decision of her re-life - can she really sacrifice her loved ones to stay out of the grave?
284 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 12, 2012
4 people are currently reading
1599 people want to read
About the author
B.C. Johnson
12 books59 followersB.C. Johnson lives in Southern California with his beautiful wife Gina, his fluffy/angry Corgi-mix Luna, and his destructive Viking sons Dash and Wyatt. He writes about snarky characters being snarky while supernatural things try to eat them. When he’s not playing video games, watching Marvel movies, or just generally being a ninth-level dork, he’s thinking about doing all that stuff. All of his books, blogs, essays, and manifestos can be read at bc-johnson.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
May 3, 2012
This book is what every young writer should read!! A friend of mine recommended it and I was blown away with how in tune B.C. is with his audience, and how well he was able to create characters that were believable, characters you wanted to be friends with (or be friends with if you were still in high school).
What I loved about this book most, though, was B.C.'s ability to weave in advanced vocabulary that even made me refer to my dictionary! I gave my cousin the book to read (she's a high school student interested in pursuing a career in writing), and she's admitted that the verbiage choices that B.C. makes has made her "sound more intelligent."
Parents and Teachers, this book is a great resource that is very relatable to today's culture. It presents current youth struggles, tackles self esteem and fitting in, with a fantasy driven setting of the afterlife which is neither depressing nor grotesque. Lucy's group of friends is a typical high school group, no one is an outcast, no one has to prove anything, and there are definitely no sparkling vampires. It's a healthy read for students of all ages and I would definitely recommend this book to any teen. Who knows, maybe they'll get some good vocab words that will help them in their essays and college apps!
B.C., I'm 30, and I loved your book. Please keep writing more novels that all age ranges can enjoy! We're looking forward to the next one!
What I loved about this book most, though, was B.C.'s ability to weave in advanced vocabulary that even made me refer to my dictionary! I gave my cousin the book to read (she's a high school student interested in pursuing a career in writing), and she's admitted that the verbiage choices that B.C. makes has made her "sound more intelligent."
Parents and Teachers, this book is a great resource that is very relatable to today's culture. It presents current youth struggles, tackles self esteem and fitting in, with a fantasy driven setting of the afterlife which is neither depressing nor grotesque. Lucy's group of friends is a typical high school group, no one is an outcast, no one has to prove anything, and there are definitely no sparkling vampires. It's a healthy read for students of all ages and I would definitely recommend this book to any teen. Who knows, maybe they'll get some good vocab words that will help them in their essays and college apps!
B.C., I'm 30, and I loved your book. Please keep writing more novels that all age ranges can enjoy! We're looking forward to the next one!
November 1, 2018
I know it seems like a corny book but it was so good! I loved it!
April 15, 2013
Deadgirl is a very confusing, long novel yet fortunately has a very likable main character. It was worth the read. Although I must admit to skimming some of the middle. I do wish it had been shortened.
The characters, whom I didn't find extremely memorable, were still realistic. Lucy is definitely a heroine to root for, and pity. She has many struggles. Yet I did love how she could still joke once in a while. And Abraham felt like a very well written character as well. I also felt the dialogue in the book was natural. This was a relief as I have recently read a couple books with incredibly forced dialogue. This made the book easier to read.
My favorite part of the book is the ending. It is open and very well-written. Maybe there will be sequel. I know some readers won't be satisfied by the ending. I, however, absolutely loved the atmosphere in the ending. Kind of hopeful, yet with the knowledge of many struggles ahead. The ending is the most memorable part of the story.
The ideas in the book would have been great, if pulled off correctly. Unfortunately, I don't think that they were. At least not at the beginning. The transitions are really confusing. BAM. Lucy is here. BAM. Now she is here. Etc. The beginning felt very jumbled. By the end of the book I was a little more warmed up to the deadgirl thing.
I also liked Lucy's friends. While their personalities weren't completely unique, they were still interesting to read about. Especially since the end leaves you wondering about one! That is all I will say.
Overall, I did enjoy Deadgirl. It definetely did have it's flaws though, and I will not be rereading it.
*I received this book in exchange for an honest review*
3/5 bookcases
The characters, whom I didn't find extremely memorable, were still realistic. Lucy is definitely a heroine to root for, and pity. She has many struggles. Yet I did love how she could still joke once in a while. And Abraham felt like a very well written character as well. I also felt the dialogue in the book was natural. This was a relief as I have recently read a couple books with incredibly forced dialogue. This made the book easier to read.
My favorite part of the book is the ending. It is open and very well-written. Maybe there will be sequel. I know some readers won't be satisfied by the ending. I, however, absolutely loved the atmosphere in the ending. Kind of hopeful, yet with the knowledge of many struggles ahead. The ending is the most memorable part of the story.
The ideas in the book would have been great, if pulled off correctly. Unfortunately, I don't think that they were. At least not at the beginning. The transitions are really confusing. BAM. Lucy is here. BAM. Now she is here. Etc. The beginning felt very jumbled. By the end of the book I was a little more warmed up to the deadgirl thing.
I also liked Lucy's friends. While their personalities weren't completely unique, they were still interesting to read about. Especially since the end leaves you wondering about one! That is all I will say.
Overall, I did enjoy Deadgirl. It definetely did have it's flaws though, and I will not be rereading it.
*I received this book in exchange for an honest review*
3/5 bookcases
November 12, 2014
4*s
Review posted here...
http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.co...
Deadgirl was a fab read, slightly strange and unusual but in a good way.
The synopsis is spot on with its description of the book so straight onto my thoughts….
I thought Deadgirl was a very unique story and it kept my interest all of the way through. Lucy was a very relatable 15yr old going through all of the things a girl that age should be – including her first date which ends in disaster. She had a great voice and outlook that was easy to read and connect with which helped in getting behind her and her problems. Her problem – being that she is sort of dead – was very strange and took a little getting used to but that is what brought the uniqueness to the story, especially with the way she had to do something to stay whole. The danger begins when she starts to be hunted by a mysterious man/entity who seems to want to kill or capture her, that brought a whole new excitement to the story as a good few run and chase scenarios happen and you’re left wondering just what is going on. She also meets a new friend who helps her a lot with her new existence and the strange plane that she seems to be able to travel to on a whim.
Whilst she is trying to navigate her ‘undead’ life in another place, she also has to manage her home & school life which becomes difficult to say the least because for one; her parents have become super protective since she went missing for the night and two; she has friends and a social life to deal with and lastly; a burgeoning romance with Zack. I liked the bit of love connection that Luce got with Zack, it added a sweetness to the story that we wouldn’t have gotten anywhere else and it gave her something to cling to, a hope for that love and something to fight for as she struggles with what she has become.
Obviously things aren’t always hunky dory and the constant fear of not only her personal hunter finding her and taking her to who knows where but also living with the consequences of what she must do and the morality of that. Is being alive worth risking the lives of everyone you love? Luce will certainly decide when all events lead to an inevitable battle in the all action conclusion. So, as I said – great read, unique story, exciting, different, mind-bending, strange and unusual…..but all in the best possible way and very enjoyable.
Review posted here...
http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.co...
Deadgirl was a fab read, slightly strange and unusual but in a good way.
The synopsis is spot on with its description of the book so straight onto my thoughts….
I thought Deadgirl was a very unique story and it kept my interest all of the way through. Lucy was a very relatable 15yr old going through all of the things a girl that age should be – including her first date which ends in disaster. She had a great voice and outlook that was easy to read and connect with which helped in getting behind her and her problems. Her problem – being that she is sort of dead – was very strange and took a little getting used to but that is what brought the uniqueness to the story, especially with the way she had to do something to stay whole. The danger begins when she starts to be hunted by a mysterious man/entity who seems to want to kill or capture her, that brought a whole new excitement to the story as a good few run and chase scenarios happen and you’re left wondering just what is going on. She also meets a new friend who helps her a lot with her new existence and the strange plane that she seems to be able to travel to on a whim.
Whilst she is trying to navigate her ‘undead’ life in another place, she also has to manage her home & school life which becomes difficult to say the least because for one; her parents have become super protective since she went missing for the night and two; she has friends and a social life to deal with and lastly; a burgeoning romance with Zack. I liked the bit of love connection that Luce got with Zack, it added a sweetness to the story that we wouldn’t have gotten anywhere else and it gave her something to cling to, a hope for that love and something to fight for as she struggles with what she has become.
Obviously things aren’t always hunky dory and the constant fear of not only her personal hunter finding her and taking her to who knows where but also living with the consequences of what she must do and the morality of that. Is being alive worth risking the lives of everyone you love? Luce will certainly decide when all events lead to an inevitable battle in the all action conclusion. So, as I said – great read, unique story, exciting, different, mind-bending, strange and unusual…..but all in the best possible way and very enjoyable.
May 3, 2016
3.5 Stars
Full Review:
*I received a free ecopy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
I actually, unfortunately, had some issues with this book up until about the 65% mark.
The story itself was good, and the book was never a struggle to get through---my issue was mostly that Lucy's POV read exactly the way I imagine a grown man would imagine a teenage girl to be like. Her thoughts were filled with lots of jealousy/judginess/pettiness toward her best friends, a constant preoccupation with her hair and makeup and clothing and body even while in life-or-death situations, ridiculous scheming just to talk to guys, lots of snark, etc. Maybe other people had different teenage experiences, and Lucy wasn't a bad person, but my teen self just didn't find her very likeable or relatable, and it made the book feel a little too cliche-high-school for my taste. There's a reason I stick to sci-fi/fantasy---high school drama just isn't what I like to read about.
But then, around 65%, something happened that suddenly made things a lot more interesting and took the focus off the high school drama and into the paranormal. Lucy's character also got a little less preoccupied with superficial things which made her more likeable to read about. And, to be fair, she was funny sometimes, and I can see some people liking her sense of humor/snark (though I found Zack's jokes to be the best).
I also liked the gray area of Lucy vs. the antagonist because, you see, that's exactly what he was---an antagonist, not a villain. He was trying to kill the main character of the book... yet I completely understood his reasons and somewhat agreed with them myself, though of course I also understood Lucy's side because I wouldn't want to die either if I were in her shoes.
Another thing I liked was how the book ended. It was unexpected but realistic, and I was glad that the ending actually took the events of the book and the effects they had into account.
So overall, even though Lucy's character wasn't relatable to me, the story was good, the supernatural aspect was different from the usual, and the book was an enjoyable read that drew me in enough to keep reading the series!
Recommended For:
YA paranormal readers looking for something with out-of-the-norm supernatural creatures.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
Full Review:
*I received a free ecopy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
I actually, unfortunately, had some issues with this book up until about the 65% mark.
The story itself was good, and the book was never a struggle to get through---my issue was mostly that Lucy's POV read exactly the way I imagine a grown man would imagine a teenage girl to be like. Her thoughts were filled with lots of jealousy/judginess/pettiness toward her best friends, a constant preoccupation with her hair and makeup and clothing and body even while in life-or-death situations, ridiculous scheming just to talk to guys, lots of snark, etc. Maybe other people had different teenage experiences, and Lucy wasn't a bad person, but my teen self just didn't find her very likeable or relatable, and it made the book feel a little too cliche-high-school for my taste. There's a reason I stick to sci-fi/fantasy---high school drama just isn't what I like to read about.
But then, around 65%, something happened that suddenly made things a lot more interesting and took the focus off the high school drama and into the paranormal. Lucy's character also got a little less preoccupied with superficial things which made her more likeable to read about. And, to be fair, she was funny sometimes, and I can see some people liking her sense of humor/snark (though I found Zack's jokes to be the best).
I also liked the gray area of Lucy vs. the antagonist because, you see, that's exactly what he was---an antagonist, not a villain. He was trying to kill the main character of the book... yet I completely understood his reasons and somewhat agreed with them myself, though of course I also understood Lucy's side because I wouldn't want to die either if I were in her shoes.
Another thing I liked was how the book ended. It was unexpected but realistic, and I was glad that the ending actually took the events of the book and the effects they had into account.
So overall, even though Lucy's character wasn't relatable to me, the story was good, the supernatural aspect was different from the usual, and the book was an enjoyable read that drew me in enough to keep reading the series!
Recommended For:
YA paranormal readers looking for something with out-of-the-norm supernatural creatures.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
November 8, 2014
Lucy Day is 15 years old and she’s dead. Kind of. After spending all freshman year flirting with Zack he has finally asked her on a date, and what happens? She disappears from the group, dies in a back alley, and he spends all night looking for her. So not cool. When she wakes up the next day with a killer headache and her perfect outfit ruined she notices some changes. She doesn’t eat, she doesn’t sleep, and she doesn’t even go to the bathroom. The biggest different, though, is the blistering cold she feels and the alternate world she enters when she tries to sleep. Is she alive? Dead? A ghost? A zombie? With a little help from her friends, a strange mute, and a Grim Reaper she begins a dangerous adventure to discover who, or what, she is.
I will admit at first glance I didn’t think I would like this book. Zombie romance? No thanks. But this was so much more than a supernatural romance. 5/5 stars. Would read again. An incredibly unique take on undeath.
Some of the characters fell a little flat, namely the parents who played a mostly background role to the plot, but the main characters were well written. There was just enough suspense and misfortune to keep the story rolling without feeling hokey, and the romance wasn’t overdone – it fit in perfectly with 15-year old Lucy’s crazy life. I loved the variety of characters that were brought into play – it wasn’t just a single teen clique, it was a mash-up of personalities and people that kept things interesting. Even the places were described in just the right amount – not too detailed, but not too vague. Just enough to place the plot and get a picture base in your head. And that cliffhanger! Oh, that cliffhanger! Book #2 cannot come quickly enough!
I will admit at first glance I didn’t think I would like this book. Zombie romance? No thanks. But this was so much more than a supernatural romance. 5/5 stars. Would read again. An incredibly unique take on undeath.
Some of the characters fell a little flat, namely the parents who played a mostly background role to the plot, but the main characters were well written. There was just enough suspense and misfortune to keep the story rolling without feeling hokey, and the romance wasn’t overdone – it fit in perfectly with 15-year old Lucy’s crazy life. I loved the variety of characters that were brought into play – it wasn’t just a single teen clique, it was a mash-up of personalities and people that kept things interesting. Even the places were described in just the right amount – not too detailed, but not too vague. Just enough to place the plot and get a picture base in your head. And that cliffhanger! Oh, that cliffhanger! Book #2 cannot come quickly enough!
October 17, 2017
Deadgirl is one of Roberta at Offbeat YA’s shout from the rooftops fandom books, and I’m always interested in books that other people love that no one has ever heard of. I feel like every book lover has at least a few, and they’re usually well worth reading. We also share a love of Christopher Pike, and the premise of this book strongly resembles the one in Remember Me. Trigger warnings: guns, death.
When Lucy Day is shot to death in a deserted parking lot one night after a date, she can’t figure out why she wakes up in perfect condition the next morning. Her friends and family have been frantic, but she returns to school as though everything is fine. At first it is, but her near-death experience seems to have some strange side effects. She’s never hungry, and when she sleeps, she goes to a gray wasteland where a creature shrouded in white light wants to kill her. Did Lucy really survive the shooting, or is she some kind of living dead?
This book is definitely a slow burn. I like that Johnson takes the time to fully flesh out the details of his supernatural universe and its rules. More than a lot of mainstream fiction, it feels like it’s possible for it to be a real place because everything in it, from the side effects of Lucy’s condition to her interactions with her parents, is carefully drawn and limited by reality. Teenagers don’t just get to disappear for days at a time and do whatever they want; they have crushes but are not instantly in love forever or even all that smooth when it comes to dating, and even Johnson’s gray world is bound by the rules of physics (even if its physics are slightly different than ours).
There are times when this attention to detail drags at the story’s momentum though, and I wasn’t always eager to return to it. While I’m fascinated by Johnson’s world, it’s inexplicably heavy. At the end of the day, Lucy is still dead, but there’s little room in the narrative for sorrow. (I guess that was just me. I’m sad for her, even if she never really has a spare minute in between trying to save lives to be sad for herself.) While the writing is fine, there are quite a few pop culture references/slang, which I always feel are going to date the novel faster than necessary. (Lucy thinking “five-by-five” made me really happy though, because Buffy.)
I’m on the fence about Lucy as a character. I like her, and I appreciate that she’s flawed: a little spoiled, a little selfish, occasionally bitchy, but that these things don’t get in the way of her fighting for the right things. She reminds me a lot of Shari Cooper from Remember Me, in fact, only more fifteen. Her friends are rounded and likable enough, but none of them stand out to me so far. I’m fiercely interested in Puck though, the strange friend Lucy meets in the gray world, and their relationship struck me as the most interesting and well-developed in the story.
Any misgivings aside, I’m interested in the world Johnson has created, and since it’s a first novel, I feel like there’s a lot of room for this series to grow into its better aspects. It’s packed with potential. He’s definitely created something that is outside the norm for YA fiction, and it’s well worth a read for that reason alone. I’m looking forward to seeing how the characters and the story progress in the rest of the series.
I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.
When Lucy Day is shot to death in a deserted parking lot one night after a date, she can’t figure out why she wakes up in perfect condition the next morning. Her friends and family have been frantic, but she returns to school as though everything is fine. At first it is, but her near-death experience seems to have some strange side effects. She’s never hungry, and when she sleeps, she goes to a gray wasteland where a creature shrouded in white light wants to kill her. Did Lucy really survive the shooting, or is she some kind of living dead?
This book is definitely a slow burn. I like that Johnson takes the time to fully flesh out the details of his supernatural universe and its rules. More than a lot of mainstream fiction, it feels like it’s possible for it to be a real place because everything in it, from the side effects of Lucy’s condition to her interactions with her parents, is carefully drawn and limited by reality. Teenagers don’t just get to disappear for days at a time and do whatever they want; they have crushes but are not instantly in love forever or even all that smooth when it comes to dating, and even Johnson’s gray world is bound by the rules of physics (even if its physics are slightly different than ours).
There are times when this attention to detail drags at the story’s momentum though, and I wasn’t always eager to return to it. While I’m fascinated by Johnson’s world, it’s inexplicably heavy. At the end of the day, Lucy is still dead, but there’s little room in the narrative for sorrow. (I guess that was just me. I’m sad for her, even if she never really has a spare minute in between trying to save lives to be sad for herself.) While the writing is fine, there are quite a few pop culture references/slang, which I always feel are going to date the novel faster than necessary. (Lucy thinking “five-by-five” made me really happy though, because Buffy.)
I’m on the fence about Lucy as a character. I like her, and I appreciate that she’s flawed: a little spoiled, a little selfish, occasionally bitchy, but that these things don’t get in the way of her fighting for the right things. She reminds me a lot of Shari Cooper from Remember Me, in fact, only more fifteen. Her friends are rounded and likable enough, but none of them stand out to me so far. I’m fiercely interested in Puck though, the strange friend Lucy meets in the gray world, and their relationship struck me as the most interesting and well-developed in the story.
Any misgivings aside, I’m interested in the world Johnson has created, and since it’s a first novel, I feel like there’s a lot of room for this series to grow into its better aspects. It’s packed with potential. He’s definitely created something that is outside the norm for YA fiction, and it’s well worth a read for that reason alone. I’m looking forward to seeing how the characters and the story progress in the rest of the series.
I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.
September 22, 2024
Excerpt from my review - originally published at Offbeat YA.
Pros: Unique, mind-blowing premise and setting. Characters with authentic voice. A lovestruck but spunky heroine. Engaging, imaginative prose.
Cons: A couple of not completely convincing attitudes. A few inconsistencies that won't really affect your reading pleasure. Some small mistakes slipped through revision.
WARNING! Violence and attempted rape, though not described in a graphic manner. Underage drinking.
Will appeal to: Afterlife books fans who begin to think they've seen it all.
OK, so I have an addiction to Dead Girl Books - I'veshouted it from rooftops stated it often and very clearly. I'm a sucker for young girls ending up in whatever version of the Afterlife an author can come up with. I've even seen some of them brought back to life. So a book called Deadgirl was a winner with me from the title on. But when I found out it was a completely different take on the subject, I immediately screamed yay for diversity. Because having a dead character who wakes up the next day, apparently alive but not vampirized/zombified/whatevered like it's custom nowadays, made me throw my fists in the air in excitement extremely happy - though my usual composure may have suffered a little because of that. Then, it turned out the book was even better than I had given it credit for after reading the blurb, an extract and other reviews - though, unsurprisingly, less renowned than most not-so-glorious pieces of writing. Can I rectify this wrong? Well - I'm going to try :).
First off, as I'm writing my review, Deadgirl is - unfortunately - out of print, due to Cool Well Press recently collapsing under the weight of the economic conjuncture. BUT! for those of you who will eventually take interest in reading this novel, here's the good news...well, actually, two pieces of good news: 1) Deadgirl will beresurrected reprinted soon! and 2) Deadgirl will even get a sequel! This is what the author himself stated in response to a message I sent him. So, don't fear committing to this book - it will be in print again soon...and now I'm going to tell you why you should give it a (fat) chance.
Lucy is your typical teen - except she isn't. Johnson - a rather young male author on his first novel - was able to write a convincing 15 years old female, though involved in exceptional circumstances. Her insecurities, her feelings for Zack, the way she relates to her friends and parents, the make-up-and-attire issues...she's totally fleshed out. But of course, Lucy is not typical when it comes to her situation and the way she deals with it. She fights for her life - or what's left of it - and that of her friends, making the best of what feels like a desperate situation. And she's a fighter from the very first chapter, when she tries to stay alive despite all odds, in front of a group of would-be rapists and murderers. The next chapters take us back a couple of days before Lucy's death, giving us a chance to grasp the reason why she was able to come back - or never really died in the first place. When we think we're about to read about her big date with Zack, there's an original, gutsy transition that we are to fully understand only later. And no, I'm not going to spoil that with a preemptive explanation ;).
So now Lucy is, let's say, half-alive. Or alive in a peculiar way. Or dead in a peculiar way. She finds herself visiting a world where some of the everyday-life rules don't apply, or are reversed. This world (which doesn't have a reassuringly all-wrapping name like Heaven or Hell or Purgatory or whatever) is unique, wonderfully - though scarily - depicted, visually mind-blowing. She also meets an unlikely new friend there - Puck - who will be crucial in helping her understand her new situation and deal with its unwritten laws, not to mention try to save the day at the end. [...]
Whole review here.
Pros: Unique, mind-blowing premise and setting. Characters with authentic voice. A lovestruck but spunky heroine. Engaging, imaginative prose.
Cons: A couple of not completely convincing attitudes. A few inconsistencies that won't really affect your reading pleasure. Some small mistakes slipped through revision.
WARNING! Violence and attempted rape, though not described in a graphic manner. Underage drinking.
Will appeal to: Afterlife books fans who begin to think they've seen it all.
OK, so I have an addiction to Dead Girl Books - I've
First off, as I'm writing my review, Deadgirl is - unfortunately - out of print, due to Cool Well Press recently collapsing under the weight of the economic conjuncture. BUT! for those of you who will eventually take interest in reading this novel, here's the good news...well, actually, two pieces of good news: 1) Deadgirl will be
Lucy is your typical teen - except she isn't. Johnson - a rather young male author on his first novel - was able to write a convincing 15 years old female, though involved in exceptional circumstances. Her insecurities, her feelings for Zack, the way she relates to her friends and parents, the make-up-and-attire issues...she's totally fleshed out. But of course, Lucy is not typical when it comes to her situation and the way she deals with it. She fights for her life - or what's left of it - and that of her friends, making the best of what feels like a desperate situation. And she's a fighter from the very first chapter, when she tries to stay alive despite all odds, in front of a group of would-be rapists and murderers. The next chapters take us back a couple of days before Lucy's death, giving us a chance to grasp the reason why she was able to come back - or never really died in the first place. When we think we're about to read about her big date with Zack, there's an original, gutsy transition that we are to fully understand only later. And no, I'm not going to spoil that with a preemptive explanation ;).
So now Lucy is, let's say, half-alive. Or alive in a peculiar way. Or dead in a peculiar way. She finds herself visiting a world where some of the everyday-life rules don't apply, or are reversed. This world (which doesn't have a reassuringly all-wrapping name like Heaven or Hell or Purgatory or whatever) is unique, wonderfully - though scarily - depicted, visually mind-blowing. She also meets an unlikely new friend there - Puck - who will be crucial in helping her understand her new situation and deal with its unwritten laws, not to mention try to save the day at the end. [...]
Whole review here.
July 7, 2016
Title: Deadgirl
Author: B.C. Johnson
Publisher: Curiosity Quills, 2014
Genre: YA Fantasy, YA Paranormal
**I received a copy of this book free from the Author in exchange for an honest review**
My Review:
It took me about halfway through the book to understand really what was going on…and it was frustrating. But it was also worth it. It was definitely worth the patience, and though I didn’t know what was going on, I couldn’t put the book down. I was submerged in the depths of Johnson’s prose. It was an awesome experience.
Essentially, the story starts with Lucy Day, a 15 year old, running for her life from five truly evil-looking guys. When Lucy is shot in the stomach, they take off and leave her there. Lucy is transported to a gray ocean landscape, and wonders if she’s in Hell. However, she wakes up on the asphalt and sees that, though there is still blood from a wound, she is alive. Or undead. She’s not really sure. She goes about explaining her incident to the police and her parents, conveniently leaving off the “getting shot” part, and tries to resume her life. She picks up with Zack, the boy from her date, and her crush for as long as she can remember, but weird things start to happen: whenever she goes to sleep, she wakes up on the gray beach, a strange phantom ball of light is following her at night/a strange man is following her during the day, and she keeps getting helpful texts from a stranger. Oh, and she slowly starts to get so cold that she steals warmth from those around her, leaving them in a stupor. What exactly is going on? Who is hunting Lucy? And more importantly, is Lucy dead? A ghost? What IS she?
I cried at the end. Literally cried, and a book hasn’t made me cry in awhile. There’s a scene that breaks your heart…but I don’t do spoilers, so I’ll leave it out. You’ll just have to read it yourself.
Is it Classroom-Appropriate?
This is a tough one, so I’m going to say it’s not “classroom relevant.” There’s only one swear word, a “F*** it” said by Zack, and the other words are just “effing,” which is not a swear word. No sex. A kiss or two. But there’s nothing to use it for in the classroom. Way more of an at-home novel, and it’s a good one.
Age Range:
I would say 13 and up…the one swear word isn’t that shocking for a teenager. I mean, it’s just one. The rest of the book is very relatable to teens. I’d let my niece read it. Well. Maybe next year, when she actually turns 13. Then I’ll let her.
End Result:
I only read Deadgirl because I received a copy of the sequel from NetGalley, Deadgirl: Ghostlight, without realizing it was a sequel. I messaged the author via Goodreads and he was kind enough to give me a copy of the first book so that I could understand the book I’m reviewing for NetGalley. I’m giving it ★★★★★. I am going right to the sequel to see what happens next…and I’m recommending it to my friends. If you want a truly original story, with a protagonist that actually talks and thinks like a normal human being (and is quite funny, at that), then I would say grab a copy. No stilted dialogue. No boring over-descriptions. No fast-paced confusing action scenes. Just a book that you can’t put down because you want to know: what happened to Lucy Day?
July 14, 2012
I have been sent some amazing books to review this year. And you can put Deadgirl right up there with the best of them!! This book was just... WOW!!! This is one fantastic, didn't want to put down read!!
Deadgirl starts at a really nice pace as you get to know the characters. And then BAM!!! The action begins!! There is so much that I want to talk about, but whatever I say will spoil it for you all and this is definitely a book that you MUST read!!
Lucy Day is a normal 15yo girl, going to school, hoping to get Zack to ask her on a date and spending time with friends. She finally gets that date with Zack, but before the end of the night she is murdered. But then the next day she wakes up... Now she must piece together what is happening to her while trying to outrun Abraham who is trying to end her existence. I loved all the characters. Lucy is one kick ass protagonist!! If I was in a bind, I would definitely want her on my side!! Morgan, is such a caring best friend and really comes through for Lucy! Puck, is someone that Lucy meets on her journey and at one point in the book we get to learn the back story of Puck, which I loved. And then we have Zack... I loved him! At one stage we get a glimpse into his feelings for Lucy... Perfectly written!!
There is a scene towards the end of the book that takes place in Starbucks, and despite me being so upset with what was happening, I think that if it had have been written any other way I would have been disappointed because the way it turns out fits in just as it should with the story.
I don't think that I have read a book written by a male author told from a females point of view that was so spot on before. The romance was perfect, the interaction with her friends was perfect. The action was perfect. The whole book was perfect!! I can't express how much I loved Deadgirl. One of my favourite reads of the year to date!!
Deadgirl starts at a really nice pace as you get to know the characters. And then BAM!!! The action begins!! There is so much that I want to talk about, but whatever I say will spoil it for you all and this is definitely a book that you MUST read!!
Lucy Day is a normal 15yo girl, going to school, hoping to get Zack to ask her on a date and spending time with friends. She finally gets that date with Zack, but before the end of the night she is murdered. But then the next day she wakes up... Now she must piece together what is happening to her while trying to outrun Abraham who is trying to end her existence. I loved all the characters. Lucy is one kick ass protagonist!! If I was in a bind, I would definitely want her on my side!! Morgan, is such a caring best friend and really comes through for Lucy! Puck, is someone that Lucy meets on her journey and at one point in the book we get to learn the back story of Puck, which I loved. And then we have Zack... I loved him! At one stage we get a glimpse into his feelings for Lucy... Perfectly written!!
There is a scene towards the end of the book that takes place in Starbucks, and despite me being so upset with what was happening, I think that if it had have been written any other way I would have been disappointed because the way it turns out fits in just as it should with the story.
I don't think that I have read a book written by a male author told from a females point of view that was so spot on before. The romance was perfect, the interaction with her friends was perfect. The action was perfect. The whole book was perfect!! I can't express how much I loved Deadgirl. One of my favourite reads of the year to date!!
November 20, 2015
Regarding The Nature Of Life... Or What Happened To Lucy
If this is a series it will need to be read in order. . if this is a stand alone it is still awesome :)
Lucy is having the best day of her life... Or at least that's the way it seems at first... Then she wonders what exactly has happened to her. Is she still herself? What is she? What happened to her?
This was a supernatural thriller that totally floored me with both its mysteries and originality. I was left guessing until the narrator gave me the answers (which I find awesome) as to the manner of being Lucy had become as well as the nature of whoever or whatever was hunting her! Full of angst and dismay this is way more than a young adult book :) I can't wait to see what this author comes up with next !
***This book is suitable for mature young adult through adult readers who like mayhem anf mystety in their coming of age transformation supernatural thrillers :D
If this is a series it will need to be read in order. . if this is a stand alone it is still awesome :)
Lucy is having the best day of her life... Or at least that's the way it seems at first... Then she wonders what exactly has happened to her. Is she still herself? What is she? What happened to her?
This was a supernatural thriller that totally floored me with both its mysteries and originality. I was left guessing until the narrator gave me the answers (which I find awesome) as to the manner of being Lucy had become as well as the nature of whoever or whatever was hunting her! Full of angst and dismay this is way more than a young adult book :) I can't wait to see what this author comes up with next !
***This book is suitable for mature young adult through adult readers who like mayhem anf mystety in their coming of age transformation supernatural thrillers :D
November 6, 2014
Having had the opportunity to read DEAD GIRL as part of the book's blog tour, I was delighted to find it was as enjoyable as I had hoped. And it didn't even occur to me that the book was written by a guy. Which I dare say, impresses me; not every guy can pull off writing for a female protagonist without making them look like caricatures of the female species. So, score one for the team!
DEAD GIRL starts off with a literal bang before taking us back a few days prior to the event, as teenage Lucy hangs with her friends and thinks about boys. Life seems pretty ordinary for Lucy until she loses it. And then things get really strange.
This book was awesome in my very humble opinion and I highly recommend it to lovers of the YA and supernatural genres.
DEAD GIRL starts off with a literal bang before taking us back a few days prior to the event, as teenage Lucy hangs with her friends and thinks about boys. Life seems pretty ordinary for Lucy until she loses it. And then things get really strange.
This book was awesome in my very humble opinion and I highly recommend it to lovers of the YA and supernatural genres.
April 21, 2014
WOW! This book made me laugh and cry- sometimes at the same time! It was absolutely amazing. I loved the main character, she was witty and sarcastic- everything I could have dreamed for! The other characters were great as well. This was sort of a mystery- it had that aspect in it several places- and the answers were really unexpected and flabbergasting. I was on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. The plot is like none other, the end is amazing, and I want MORE! Amazing amazing amazing!!! Thank you, B.C. Johnson. I will take this story and the messages in it, to my grave.
May 3, 2012
Great book! It was exciting, kept me asking questions, and felt original (even with all the other supernatural books and movies out there!). I didn't know if I'd be able to relate to Lucy, but she's actually pretty funny and I ended up really liking her. Definitely recommend this book!
January 4, 2015
My Thoughts On The Book:
'Dead is such a strong word.....'
The Plot Of The Story:
I've read books in a similar vein as this one before but generally they end up going down the 'Reaper' route where Deadgirl take a different path entirely and where it ends up is quite unexpected, but in a good way as it makes it quite individual.
Lucy Day is normal fifteen year old girl, with friends and a crush on the hottest boy in school. She lives an ordinary life with regular parents and a loving home until the day she finds herself alone, scared and staring down the barrel of a gun while surrounded by a gang of youths intent on harm. She clearly remembers the gun going off and the bullet hitting her but when she wakes up unhurt in the car-park where she fell she's obviously very scared and confused as to what happened to her. Is she dead? Did she dream the gunshot? Why is she now constantly cold and no longer needing food? Why, whenever she closes her eyes does she end up on a strange beach in a strange land with only a mute and rather odd man called Puck? What is that evil chasing her and what does it want from her?
The plot of this book does lead to lots and lots of questions...... and it does take pretty much the whole book to get the answers to the above questions and the many others raised during the course of the story. It's a long wait while we get the truth behind Lucy's death and resurrection, to what exactly she is and why she is able to do the things she can now do. It does get revealed eventually but personally maybe it took a little too long for some things to come out, well for me anyway as I felt just as confused as Lucy at times and I didn't really appreciate it at the time but by the end you can forgive it when you get to realise the truth along with poor old Lucy.
The Characters:
Lucy Day - The heroine of the story and the titular Deadgirl...... but is she really? 15 years old and clearly remembering being shot yet she's still on the earthly plane and decided understand why, is she dead or not? In love with Zack from school and a life that's turning in on itself Lucy is understandably confused beyond belief.
Morgan - Lucy's best female friend. She's beautiful and everything Lucy wishes she was.
Zack - Lucy long time crush but do they belong together and can they get it together at all?
Puck/Robin - Lucy's ally in the fight against the darkness, a strange man that can't talk yet is the only one who knows the truth about Lucy's 'condition'
Abraham - The enemy, the darkness but what does he really want from poor Lucy.
The Book's Setting (Time and Place):
The Time - The now, contemporary times.
The Place - Everyday town in the U.S. and in the 'Grey', the beyond/the other or flip side
The Writing:
B.C. Johnson has done a very clever thing with this book by making it totally relatable to teenage girls everywhere and is spot on with it, there are plenty of pop culture references to keep the story of the now, it should appeal to the younger audiences a great deal because of it but that doesn't mean older readers won't it enjoy it as I am well over the targeted age for this book and I found it to be a irresistible and enjoyable read too. The book is simple to comprehend but written intelligently and using language that all ages can understand easily, Johnson doesn't hide behind long and rarely used words, keeping it simple and to the point while still relatable
The characterisation in Deadgirl are fantastic. Lucy is completely likeable and oh so easy to root for, you want her to discover the truth and to survive her trails as you need her to succeed. She's a sassy girl and strong willed but with a touch of classic naivety to her character too that makes her all the more human despite her new-fund strangeness. She's snarky and intriguing to read and is just the tip of the iceberg as all of the characters are great in their own way, they are all compelling to watch and each has their own pertinent place within the bounds of the story. You find you have empathy with them all for different and sometimes conflicting reasons but it all adds to the overall charisma of the book itself. You find yourself feeling a lot of emotional responses to each of them individually, going from hatred to fear, sympathy to attraction and all the emotions in-between. Johnson has covered all the human emotional responses available and used them succinctly and wisely to give the book the right kind of vibe at the correct time, cleverly done.
The plot of the story is different from the norm and goes down a path that you really wouldn't expect but the blurb for the book is bang on when it comes to what you should expect from the book as it explains the basic story to a tee. The author has taken the book away from the kind of 'dead' folk story you're used to and done something completely unexpected with it and I think the book is all the better for taking such a untraditional route when dealing with dying and the afterlife.
The story in itself does have it's flaws but at the end of the day by the time the book is finished you've pretty much forgotten them and find yourself eager to find out what happens next, or at least that was the way of things for me in this case and I am more than a little keen to see where Johnson will take the sequel when it arrives so it must be a decent read for that fact alone.
Final Thoughts:
This is a new and refreshing take on what happens to you when you die and it's such an original take that I think it needs serious consideration as a book to read just because it is so different to other books on the market. The author has cleverly written witty, slightly offbeat and snarky characters with real heart and put them into an unusual circumstance successfully and created a wonderful book while doing so. It may take it's time to get to those all important answers but I still believe it's definitely a book worth considering if you like your YA books about death and the afterlife and this is a book that will suit all tastes in my opinion, regardless of your age, so why not give it a try?
'Dead is such a strong word.....'
The Plot Of The Story:
I've read books in a similar vein as this one before but generally they end up going down the 'Reaper' route where Deadgirl take a different path entirely and where it ends up is quite unexpected, but in a good way as it makes it quite individual.
Lucy Day is normal fifteen year old girl, with friends and a crush on the hottest boy in school. She lives an ordinary life with regular parents and a loving home until the day she finds herself alone, scared and staring down the barrel of a gun while surrounded by a gang of youths intent on harm. She clearly remembers the gun going off and the bullet hitting her but when she wakes up unhurt in the car-park where she fell she's obviously very scared and confused as to what happened to her. Is she dead? Did she dream the gunshot? Why is she now constantly cold and no longer needing food? Why, whenever she closes her eyes does she end up on a strange beach in a strange land with only a mute and rather odd man called Puck? What is that evil chasing her and what does it want from her?
The plot of this book does lead to lots and lots of questions...... and it does take pretty much the whole book to get the answers to the above questions and the many others raised during the course of the story. It's a long wait while we get the truth behind Lucy's death and resurrection, to what exactly she is and why she is able to do the things she can now do. It does get revealed eventually but personally maybe it took a little too long for some things to come out, well for me anyway as I felt just as confused as Lucy at times and I didn't really appreciate it at the time but by the end you can forgive it when you get to realise the truth along with poor old Lucy.
The Characters:
Lucy Day - The heroine of the story and the titular Deadgirl...... but is she really? 15 years old and clearly remembering being shot yet she's still on the earthly plane and decided understand why, is she dead or not? In love with Zack from school and a life that's turning in on itself Lucy is understandably confused beyond belief.
Morgan - Lucy's best female friend. She's beautiful and everything Lucy wishes she was.
Zack - Lucy long time crush but do they belong together and can they get it together at all?
Puck/Robin - Lucy's ally in the fight against the darkness, a strange man that can't talk yet is the only one who knows the truth about Lucy's 'condition'
Abraham - The enemy, the darkness but what does he really want from poor Lucy.
The Book's Setting (Time and Place):
The Time - The now, contemporary times.
The Place - Everyday town in the U.S. and in the 'Grey', the beyond/the other or flip side
The Writing:
B.C. Johnson has done a very clever thing with this book by making it totally relatable to teenage girls everywhere and is spot on with it, there are plenty of pop culture references to keep the story of the now, it should appeal to the younger audiences a great deal because of it but that doesn't mean older readers won't it enjoy it as I am well over the targeted age for this book and I found it to be a irresistible and enjoyable read too. The book is simple to comprehend but written intelligently and using language that all ages can understand easily, Johnson doesn't hide behind long and rarely used words, keeping it simple and to the point while still relatable
The characterisation in Deadgirl are fantastic. Lucy is completely likeable and oh so easy to root for, you want her to discover the truth and to survive her trails as you need her to succeed. She's a sassy girl and strong willed but with a touch of classic naivety to her character too that makes her all the more human despite her new-fund strangeness. She's snarky and intriguing to read and is just the tip of the iceberg as all of the characters are great in their own way, they are all compelling to watch and each has their own pertinent place within the bounds of the story. You find you have empathy with them all for different and sometimes conflicting reasons but it all adds to the overall charisma of the book itself. You find yourself feeling a lot of emotional responses to each of them individually, going from hatred to fear, sympathy to attraction and all the emotions in-between. Johnson has covered all the human emotional responses available and used them succinctly and wisely to give the book the right kind of vibe at the correct time, cleverly done.
The plot of the story is different from the norm and goes down a path that you really wouldn't expect but the blurb for the book is bang on when it comes to what you should expect from the book as it explains the basic story to a tee. The author has taken the book away from the kind of 'dead' folk story you're used to and done something completely unexpected with it and I think the book is all the better for taking such a untraditional route when dealing with dying and the afterlife.
The story in itself does have it's flaws but at the end of the day by the time the book is finished you've pretty much forgotten them and find yourself eager to find out what happens next, or at least that was the way of things for me in this case and I am more than a little keen to see where Johnson will take the sequel when it arrives so it must be a decent read for that fact alone.
Final Thoughts:
This is a new and refreshing take on what happens to you when you die and it's such an original take that I think it needs serious consideration as a book to read just because it is so different to other books on the market. The author has cleverly written witty, slightly offbeat and snarky characters with real heart and put them into an unusual circumstance successfully and created a wonderful book while doing so. It may take it's time to get to those all important answers but I still believe it's definitely a book worth considering if you like your YA books about death and the afterlife and this is a book that will suit all tastes in my opinion, regardless of your age, so why not give it a try?
August 15, 2012
Title: Dead Girl
Author: B.C. Johnson
Publisher: Cool Well Press
Date of Release: April 12th, 2012
Number of Pages: 368
Source: Author for honest review.
Summary from Goodreads:
"You know how it is: go on a date, get killed, wake up the next morning. No? Just me?" - Lucy Day
Fifteen-year-old Lucy Day falls between the gears in the machinery of the afterlife. She is murdered while on her first date, but awakens a day later, completely solid and completely whole. She has no hunger for brains, blood, or haunting, so she crosses “zombie,” “vampire,” and “ghost” off her list of re-life possibilities. But figuring out what she is becomes the least of her worries when Abraham, Lucy’s personal Grim Reaper, begins dogging her, dead-set on righting the error that dropped her back into the spongy flesh of a living girl.
Lucy must put her mangled life back together, escape re-death, and learn to control her burgeoning psychic powers while staying one step ahead of Abraham. But when she learns the devastating price of coming back from the dead, Lucy is forced to make the hardest decision of her re-life—a decision that could save her loved ones...or kill them.
Review: First off this cover is brilliant, the girl with her back turned looking into the water fits Lucy perfectly. I had a bit of trouble actually getting into the novel. For about fifty pages I have no idea what happened. Which is the party where you know Lucy dies and comes back. In retrospect as I have been really thinking about this novel, I do believe it was intended to be read that way. It’s either that or the rule of the world Mr. Johnson was building were blurry and baffled me. I haven’t been able to decide. If we had fully understood what we read, nothing would have been left to explore in the end.
Lucy changed into a whole new character by the end of the novel. She was forced to grow up in her death. Her whole way of life was turned upside down. I was confused along with her as she died and then had to understand the rules of her new life. I didn’t fully fall for Zack something about him made me hold back. There were several minor characters I wish were given more screen time, but it would have drawn from the main conflict I believe. Anyways the idea that Grimm Reapers are lost souls who have been taken and have come back to collect, freaked me out. I truly thought that maybe Abraham was there to help Lucy but than BAM. Very clever Mr. Johnson, very clever.
While the main character is fifteen the book read with a larger vocabulary that I was immensely grateful for. If your looking for something a bit different pick up Dead Girl.
Author: B.C. Johnson
Publisher: Cool Well Press
Date of Release: April 12th, 2012
Number of Pages: 368
Source: Author for honest review.
Summary from Goodreads:
"You know how it is: go on a date, get killed, wake up the next morning. No? Just me?" - Lucy Day
Fifteen-year-old Lucy Day falls between the gears in the machinery of the afterlife. She is murdered while on her first date, but awakens a day later, completely solid and completely whole. She has no hunger for brains, blood, or haunting, so she crosses “zombie,” “vampire,” and “ghost” off her list of re-life possibilities. But figuring out what she is becomes the least of her worries when Abraham, Lucy’s personal Grim Reaper, begins dogging her, dead-set on righting the error that dropped her back into the spongy flesh of a living girl.
Lucy must put her mangled life back together, escape re-death, and learn to control her burgeoning psychic powers while staying one step ahead of Abraham. But when she learns the devastating price of coming back from the dead, Lucy is forced to make the hardest decision of her re-life—a decision that could save her loved ones...or kill them.
Review: First off this cover is brilliant, the girl with her back turned looking into the water fits Lucy perfectly. I had a bit of trouble actually getting into the novel. For about fifty pages I have no idea what happened. Which is the party where you know Lucy dies and comes back. In retrospect as I have been really thinking about this novel, I do believe it was intended to be read that way. It’s either that or the rule of the world Mr. Johnson was building were blurry and baffled me. I haven’t been able to decide. If we had fully understood what we read, nothing would have been left to explore in the end.
Lucy changed into a whole new character by the end of the novel. She was forced to grow up in her death. Her whole way of life was turned upside down. I was confused along with her as she died and then had to understand the rules of her new life. I didn’t fully fall for Zack something about him made me hold back. There were several minor characters I wish were given more screen time, but it would have drawn from the main conflict I believe. Anyways the idea that Grimm Reapers are lost souls who have been taken and have come back to collect, freaked me out. I truly thought that maybe Abraham was there to help Lucy but than BAM. Very clever Mr. Johnson, very clever.
While the main character is fifteen the book read with a larger vocabulary that I was immensely grateful for. If your looking for something a bit different pick up Dead Girl.
April 25, 2016
Receive a review copy from the publisher in exchange of an honest review.
Deadgirl was something totally different and based on phantoms. I don't read many phantom stories so this was quite intriguing for me. I enjoyed the balance of the writing and language. This had romance, drama, action and your typical high school student needs -- overprotective parents, parties and more.
Lucy Day is your normal 15 year old highbschool freshman. Nothing unusual about her until she's attacked by 4 guys and killed. The only thingis she dies and comes back to life as a phantom. That is totally awesome. Even as a 15 year old, Lucy was smarter than the average person. No matter what was thrown her way she put up a fight and definitely tried to protect those she love. The powers she had were pretty nice, I just didn't like how her kiss or touch could steal memories. That makes it hard to be around people at times for her. Lucy Day was an awesome character.
Zack was absolutely amazing. I loved his kindness and love for Lucy. It was truly pure. Zack knew how to have fun. When he found out the truth about Lucy, he never freaked out. He just loved her much more. The ending made me sad and I think it was their last kiss in the hospital when Zack saved her that must have did something to his feelings. It totally sucked.
Morgan was an awesome best friend. I mean she never pushed Lucy for answers. Morgan was never abrasive either. She was caring. She was outspoken, but always in the right manner. She never thought Lucy was crazy either. She excepted the truth without pushing Lucy away.
Puck was awesome! I was glad there was another phantom in the story and he was super cool. Even though he couldn't speak he always there to help Lucy either in the Grey or real life. He was awesome!
Abraham was a reaper out to get Lucy and restore balance. He seemed like creepy, stalker man. I didn't like him at all. He was willing to hurt Morgan and Zack just to get to Lucy which I hated. I'm glad he got what he deserved.
Daphne is a strange one. I mean, I couldn't believe she was helping Lucy, but what the hell was she if not a reaper or phantom?
Overall, this was a pretty good read and the characters were cool too. I definitely want to read the sequel Deadgirl: Ghostlight.
Deadgirl was something totally different and based on phantoms. I don't read many phantom stories so this was quite intriguing for me. I enjoyed the balance of the writing and language. This had romance, drama, action and your typical high school student needs -- overprotective parents, parties and more.
Lucy Day is your normal 15 year old highbschool freshman. Nothing unusual about her until she's attacked by 4 guys and killed. The only thingis she dies and comes back to life as a phantom. That is totally awesome. Even as a 15 year old, Lucy was smarter than the average person. No matter what was thrown her way she put up a fight and definitely tried to protect those she love. The powers she had were pretty nice, I just didn't like how her kiss or touch could steal memories. That makes it hard to be around people at times for her. Lucy Day was an awesome character.
Zack was absolutely amazing. I loved his kindness and love for Lucy. It was truly pure. Zack knew how to have fun. When he found out the truth about Lucy, he never freaked out. He just loved her much more. The ending made me sad and I think it was their last kiss in the hospital when Zack saved her that must have did something to his feelings. It totally sucked.
Morgan was an awesome best friend. I mean she never pushed Lucy for answers. Morgan was never abrasive either. She was caring. She was outspoken, but always in the right manner. She never thought Lucy was crazy either. She excepted the truth without pushing Lucy away.
Puck was awesome! I was glad there was another phantom in the story and he was super cool. Even though he couldn't speak he always there to help Lucy either in the Grey or real life. He was awesome!
Abraham was a reaper out to get Lucy and restore balance. He seemed like creepy, stalker man. I didn't like him at all. He was willing to hurt Morgan and Zack just to get to Lucy which I hated. I'm glad he got what he deserved.
Daphne is a strange one. I mean, I couldn't believe she was helping Lucy, but what the hell was she if not a reaper or phantom?
Overall, this was a pretty good read and the characters were cool too. I definitely want to read the sequel Deadgirl: Ghostlight.
November 11, 2014
I jumped at the chance to read Dead Girl by B.C. Johnson – I loved the cover and title.
The story is told from the point of view of Lucy, a funny, snarky 15-year-old swooning over her first love. Several things were quite refreshing in this story. The main group of kids are generally wholesome, their parents are involved, and the confusion of just being a teenager was realistically shown. Sadly, Lucy is killed after her first date – and wakes up not entirely alive or dead.
The story-line was unique, also refreshing in the midst of vampires, angels, and faeries. Not to mention chosen ones and girls getting tested to determine what they’ll be/who they’ll marry. So kudos to the author for that as well.
The flow was confusing at times - sometimes that worked because Lucy was confused, other times my attention faded away, waiting for things to start making sense. The fun internal dialog also went a little too far at times. I would have advised cutting at least 20% of the book and don’t think the reader would have missed a thing. But it was still a fun story which made me WANT to get back to the plot rather than put down the book.
Aside from a lack of editing, this book also displayed exactly why/how not to do a prologue. The prologue starts excitingly where things change for the main character. At the end of the prologue, Lucy is dead, exactly as expected by the jacket copy. Then chapter one takes us back to a rambling past, prior to the incident, leaving the reader wondering what they’ve missed, especially since the prologue doesn’t use Lucy’s name. I understand why the author did this – otherwise nothing interesting would have happened except excessive internal dialogue for three chapters. My suggestion would have been to trim the real beginning and move quickly to the exciting moment in a linear fashion. No confusion, no frustration.
In spite of this, the story was unique, fun, and a refreshing look at more typical teenagers. I’d recommend it, but tell the reader not to be frustrated when they get bored, keep going, you won’t miss anything important. Oh, I LOVED the way the author transitioned back to the timeline after the murder – so for that, I’ll forgive the silly prologue arrangement!
The story is told from the point of view of Lucy, a funny, snarky 15-year-old swooning over her first love. Several things were quite refreshing in this story. The main group of kids are generally wholesome, their parents are involved, and the confusion of just being a teenager was realistically shown. Sadly, Lucy is killed after her first date – and wakes up not entirely alive or dead.
The story-line was unique, also refreshing in the midst of vampires, angels, and faeries. Not to mention chosen ones and girls getting tested to determine what they’ll be/who they’ll marry. So kudos to the author for that as well.
The flow was confusing at times - sometimes that worked because Lucy was confused, other times my attention faded away, waiting for things to start making sense. The fun internal dialog also went a little too far at times. I would have advised cutting at least 20% of the book and don’t think the reader would have missed a thing. But it was still a fun story which made me WANT to get back to the plot rather than put down the book.
Aside from a lack of editing, this book also displayed exactly why/how not to do a prologue. The prologue starts excitingly where things change for the main character. At the end of the prologue, Lucy is dead, exactly as expected by the jacket copy. Then chapter one takes us back to a rambling past, prior to the incident, leaving the reader wondering what they’ve missed, especially since the prologue doesn’t use Lucy’s name. I understand why the author did this – otherwise nothing interesting would have happened except excessive internal dialogue for three chapters. My suggestion would have been to trim the real beginning and move quickly to the exciting moment in a linear fashion. No confusion, no frustration.
In spite of this, the story was unique, fun, and a refreshing look at more typical teenagers. I’d recommend it, but tell the reader not to be frustrated when they get bored, keep going, you won’t miss anything important. Oh, I LOVED the way the author transitioned back to the timeline after the murder – so for that, I’ll forgive the silly prologue arrangement!
November 14, 2014
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review).
(This review may contain spoilers).
I did really like the front cover of this book and I thought the blurb sounded really intriguing. Unfortunately, I couldn’t really connect that well with the main character, Lucy. There was a lot of repetition in the fact that she was ‘cute’… and a couple of times at quite inappropriate moments. (Like when she was being chased. A few of the other random thoughts made sense… but when you’re running from someone, I think it’s unlikely you’d be thinking about how cute you were). There were also times I felt she came across as really shallow.
The storyline itself was quite intriguing. There was an interesting air of mystery about the book and I felt that that the whole hot and cold thing was a really interesting one.
I particularly liked Wanda as a character and it was a shame that I didn’t see much of her. Daphne was intriguing as well… but I felt there wasn’t much seen of Sara. I couldn’t really see her as a character.
Morgan was interesting, to an extent, but I felt she was described as being just a bit too perfect. I would have liked a bit more history about her friendship with Lucy. (I kind of felt that Lucy was a bit too willing to drop her friends).
I found Puck to be quite an interesting character. I would have liked to know a bit more about him and his family, who seemed to be quite strange anyway. Plus, it would have been nice to know if his name had any specific meaning. (His personality/attitude seemed to fit quite well with the character of Puck…)
The Grey area was quite interesting, as was the whole concept of the Mors. It was quite interesting to read about the whole explanation, though I would have liked some of the answers early on.
I didn’t mind Zack as a character, but I was less thrilled with the romance. It seemed a bit too… convenient. I did feel that the responses of Lucy’s parents fit really well… at least they cared about her. At least mostly.
I’m not sure if I’d read a sequel to this book. I’ll have to wait and see what my feelings are if one is written.
(This review may contain spoilers).
I did really like the front cover of this book and I thought the blurb sounded really intriguing. Unfortunately, I couldn’t really connect that well with the main character, Lucy. There was a lot of repetition in the fact that she was ‘cute’… and a couple of times at quite inappropriate moments. (Like when she was being chased. A few of the other random thoughts made sense… but when you’re running from someone, I think it’s unlikely you’d be thinking about how cute you were). There were also times I felt she came across as really shallow.
The storyline itself was quite intriguing. There was an interesting air of mystery about the book and I felt that that the whole hot and cold thing was a really interesting one.
I particularly liked Wanda as a character and it was a shame that I didn’t see much of her. Daphne was intriguing as well… but I felt there wasn’t much seen of Sara. I couldn’t really see her as a character.
Morgan was interesting, to an extent, but I felt she was described as being just a bit too perfect. I would have liked a bit more history about her friendship with Lucy. (I kind of felt that Lucy was a bit too willing to drop her friends).
I found Puck to be quite an interesting character. I would have liked to know a bit more about him and his family, who seemed to be quite strange anyway. Plus, it would have been nice to know if his name had any specific meaning. (His personality/attitude seemed to fit quite well with the character of Puck…)
The Grey area was quite interesting, as was the whole concept of the Mors. It was quite interesting to read about the whole explanation, though I would have liked some of the answers early on.
I didn’t mind Zack as a character, but I was less thrilled with the romance. It seemed a bit too… convenient. I did feel that the responses of Lucy’s parents fit really well… at least they cared about her. At least mostly.
I’m not sure if I’d read a sequel to this book. I’ll have to wait and see what my feelings are if one is written.
May 1, 2012
Wow! Could I give this ten stars please? This was exciting! B. C. Johnson has told a superb tale. The book keeps you guessing and wondering what will happen next.
Lucy, the main character is very likable and has the spunk I like to see in female characters. She's only 15 and seems way beyond what I imagine would be the maturity of 15 or what I was at 15. But it is a different time and I was a late-bloomer even way back in the stone-age. Maybe the young adults who read this will find her immature, who knows? But what I do pick up is that she is a bright, capable young woman. Who may be dead, or not? Who knows. I certainly don't want to give anything away. The author writes in an immediate way that keeps you engrossed in the story, in Lucy's head. If you are an adult and read this you will long for her safety and lean toward being parental. But I think if you are a young adult you may pull in different directions, maybe more like the choices Lucy leans toward.
I want to make sure that I include in this review that I was fortunate enough to receive this book for review from BookRooster dot com. Thank you. I felt lucky to have the experience of reading/living this book.
< Spoiler Alert >
I was very surprised when I finished reading this to find that B. C. Johnson is in fact a man. I was surprised because I usually find that male authors don't get 'female'. Their females are not allowed the emotion or breath of a 'real' female. But I think for the most part Mr. Johnson captured the essence. The only other male that has done that well, in my opinion, is James Patterson in his Max series.
Ok, maybe that wasn't much of a spoiler, but it would have been for me. Great job, B. C.!
Lucy, the main character is very likable and has the spunk I like to see in female characters. She's only 15 and seems way beyond what I imagine would be the maturity of 15 or what I was at 15. But it is a different time and I was a late-bloomer even way back in the stone-age. Maybe the young adults who read this will find her immature, who knows? But what I do pick up is that she is a bright, capable young woman. Who may be dead, or not? Who knows. I certainly don't want to give anything away. The author writes in an immediate way that keeps you engrossed in the story, in Lucy's head. If you are an adult and read this you will long for her safety and lean toward being parental. But I think if you are a young adult you may pull in different directions, maybe more like the choices Lucy leans toward.
I want to make sure that I include in this review that I was fortunate enough to receive this book for review from BookRooster dot com. Thank you. I felt lucky to have the experience of reading/living this book.
< Spoiler Alert >
I was very surprised when I finished reading this to find that B. C. Johnson is in fact a man. I was surprised because I usually find that male authors don't get 'female'. Their females are not allowed the emotion or breath of a 'real' female. But I think for the most part Mr. Johnson captured the essence. The only other male that has done that well, in my opinion, is James Patterson in his Max series.
Ok, maybe that wasn't much of a spoiler, but it would have been for me. Great job, B. C.!
February 7, 2017
Lucy Day's going to have the perfect night, the perfect first date with her long-time crush-could-be-love–right up until she's attacked and, to her surprise when she wakes up three days later, killed. The rest of the book follows Lucy as she learns what it means to be a dead girl (technically, a phantom), trying to dodge her personal grim reaper, while simultaneously making sure she doesn't let her parents know what happened, erase the memories of her friends, or fail high school.
It's a concept with promise; phantoms aren't written about often in contemporary paranormal fiction, and certainly not as anything more than bumps the night. It's refreshing to come across something on the unique side of things. That said, I have a hard time finding teen girls written by adult men convincing as characters, and Lucy suffers that same flaw here. She's just not quite right - or rather, she's too perfectly ideal for what teen boys want, or at least believe teen girls are like.
Thee's a good amount of violence in this book, and you should avoid it if would-be gang rape, murder, and suicide aren't things you want to read about. It's also repetitive, and more than one miracle escape happens - handy, but you can only push suspension of belief so many times before it breaks.
It's a concept with promise; phantoms aren't written about often in contemporary paranormal fiction, and certainly not as anything more than bumps the night. It's refreshing to come across something on the unique side of things. That said, I have a hard time finding teen girls written by adult men convincing as characters, and Lucy suffers that same flaw here. She's just not quite right - or rather, she's too perfectly ideal for what teen boys want, or at least believe teen girls are like.
Thee's a good amount of violence in this book, and you should avoid it if would-be gang rape, murder, and suicide aren't things you want to read about. It's also repetitive, and more than one miracle escape happens - handy, but you can only push suspension of belief so many times before it breaks.
July 30, 2020
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 2.5 stars
Deadgirl follows the story of Lucy Day, who is murdered unintentionally on her first date. She, however, is unable to stay dead, and wakes up the next morning with nothing but a blood stained dress. But why is she waking up every morning in a beach instead of her home? What is happening to her body? Read Deadgirl to find out.
Deadgirl was an …… interesting book. I had no expectations when I started this, as I had requested it for review just by seeing that cover and none of my friends had read or reviewed it. I think this would make a great movie. The action scenes would be well accounted for, but as a book, I didn’t click with it. It kind of fizzled out by the end.
The story starts well enough, but there was a lot going on and it was very difficult to keep track of everything. I got confused more than a few times and had to start again from a few pages before. It wore me out. I didn’t have any problems with the characters, as far as I can remember. (It’s been a while since I completed this.) The pacing was also alright. The execution was what I struggled with. If it would have gone a little more slowly, I guess I could have enjoyed it more.
All in all, Deadgirl, even though it had an awesome plot, fell flat for me. But go on and read it! Maybe you’ll like it more than I did!
Rating: 2.5 stars
Deadgirl follows the story of Lucy Day, who is murdered unintentionally on her first date. She, however, is unable to stay dead, and wakes up the next morning with nothing but a blood stained dress. But why is she waking up every morning in a beach instead of her home? What is happening to her body? Read Deadgirl to find out.
Deadgirl was an …… interesting book. I had no expectations when I started this, as I had requested it for review just by seeing that cover and none of my friends had read or reviewed it. I think this would make a great movie. The action scenes would be well accounted for, but as a book, I didn’t click with it. It kind of fizzled out by the end.
The story starts well enough, but there was a lot going on and it was very difficult to keep track of everything. I got confused more than a few times and had to start again from a few pages before. It wore me out. I didn’t have any problems with the characters, as far as I can remember. (It’s been a while since I completed this.) The pacing was also alright. The execution was what I struggled with. If it would have gone a little more slowly, I guess I could have enjoyed it more.
All in all, Deadgirl, even though it had an awesome plot, fell flat for me. But go on and read it! Maybe you’ll like it more than I did!
August 22, 2012
**3 Stars**
I was provided a copy indirectly from the author (through a group on Goodreads.com) for an honest review.
MY OVERVIEW: Yikes, I don’t really know how to do an overview on this book. It wasn’t really that memorable, and I just put it down.
PROS: I liked Luce. She was a believable teenage character. There were a few points where she slipped a little from the believable realm. I also liked Morgan. I think she was my favorite. I honestly wish there was more of her in the book.
CONS: It is pretty confusing at times. You don’t fully understand what is going on because Luce (Lucy) doesn’t and you are in her head. I just wish that there was a little more explanation earlier on in the book. Also, I didn’t really like Puck. I know you were supposed to, but the whole “maybe” hand gesture thing got really annoying. Especially when you find out that he knows a lot more than he is letting on.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS: I am glad I read it. It isn’t a book I would re-read, but I am glad I read it once. Would I recommend it? Maybe to the right person, but the book just wasn’t memorable or original enough for me. I saw a lot of different books I have read recently in it.
I was provided a copy indirectly from the author (through a group on Goodreads.com) for an honest review.
MY OVERVIEW: Yikes, I don’t really know how to do an overview on this book. It wasn’t really that memorable, and I just put it down.
PROS: I liked Luce. She was a believable teenage character. There were a few points where she slipped a little from the believable realm. I also liked Morgan. I think she was my favorite. I honestly wish there was more of her in the book.
CONS: It is pretty confusing at times. You don’t fully understand what is going on because Luce (Lucy) doesn’t and you are in her head. I just wish that there was a little more explanation earlier on in the book. Also, I didn’t really like Puck. I know you were supposed to, but the whole “maybe” hand gesture thing got really annoying. Especially when you find out that he knows a lot more than he is letting on.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS: I am glad I read it. It isn’t a book I would re-read, but I am glad I read it once. Would I recommend it? Maybe to the right person, but the book just wasn’t memorable or original enough for me. I saw a lot of different books I have read recently in it.
January 6, 2016
Lucy is 15. But, she isn’t a typical teenage girl. She woke up from her first date without a pulse. She shouldn’t be able to wake up after being shot. Or should she? Eventually, her personal Grim Reaper shows up make her really dead. Abraham has more to him than just collecting the undead girl, though. Lucy has to make a decision that could hurt those she loves, though. Lots of teenage angst there!
There are so many things that happen with Lucy and the pace of this book keep it all interesting and left me wanting more and more. Lucy is such a likable character. She is strong, puts up a fight, and doesn’t give in too easily. It is a little confusing in the beginning, but that changes as the story goes on and things become more apparent the further into the story I went. Having never read anything by this author before, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it and how well it was written. Not many male author can do a good job writing about a female teenager main character, but Mr. Johnson not only did it, but he did it so well! I’m looking forward to reading more from this author!
*Copy provided for review.
There are so many things that happen with Lucy and the pace of this book keep it all interesting and left me wanting more and more. Lucy is such a likable character. She is strong, puts up a fight, and doesn’t give in too easily. It is a little confusing in the beginning, but that changes as the story goes on and things become more apparent the further into the story I went. Having never read anything by this author before, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it and how well it was written. Not many male author can do a good job writing about a female teenager main character, but Mr. Johnson not only did it, but he did it so well! I’m looking forward to reading more from this author!
*Copy provided for review.
June 22, 2016
Deadgirl (The Deadgirl Saga #1) by B.C. Johnson is a terrific fantasy book that will keep you entertained from page one! Lucy is a girl that has no luck at all. She dies, but doesn't. Murdered on her first date but is too stubborn to stay dead. This leads to such a crazy story that will have you guessing what will happen next from page to page, you will never be right! There is also someone, not a person, after her to correct the mistake of her not dying. There is also a mystery being helping her. Life gets crazy. To stay in a human form, she must vamp memories. It gets crazy, fun, suspenseful, and exciting. She jumps to "the grey" which seems to be a between world and has some strange adventures there too. Being dead sure never seemed so exciting before now. Awesome book. I had read book 2 and had to go back and read the first to see how she became this way. Both books are great! I received this book for a honest review and it in no way effected my review or rating. I can't wait for book 3!
December 5, 2012
I thoroughly enjoyed “Deadgirl”. This novel has excellent character development, especially concerning the use of dialogue. You truly sympathize and care for Lucy and her supporting characters. Lucy is a girl that everyone knows, familiar, without being what I call a “blank slate Bella”; she is intelligent, funny, warm, and has a great sense of humor about herself and her teenage escapades. The supernatural element is a breath of fresh air: magical realism is a very trendy thing in young adult fiction right now, and B.C. Johnson has done something completely different with it, which takes some talent. There is a definite flow to the story line that makes this an easy read and a page turner. As an English teacher and avid reader, I strongly recommend this book for its poignant language, sense of humor, memorable characters, and refreshing plot. I am eagerly awaiting a sequel, or movie, or both!
April 23, 2013
The character development in this book is phenomenal! I got so into what was going to happen to Lucy and her friends. No character is a blank slate, and none are cliches. Yet, BC Johnson has time to make you care about their strengths, flaws, and outcome of the story. Especially the main character Lucy. She stays true to her character, but still develops throughout the novel.
The paranormal element in this book is done in a really refreshing way that I haven't seen before. I also loved that Lucy wasn't going through it alone. She had a team of supporting characters that you really cared about.
The writing is firstly very well paced. I read through this book in about two days. The dialogue is also hilarious and very realistic at the same time.
I only wish the very end scene had a slightly different outcome (nope, not giving any spoilers!), but the way it is does leave it open for a sequel which I SO hope happens!
The paranormal element in this book is done in a really refreshing way that I haven't seen before. I also loved that Lucy wasn't going through it alone. She had a team of supporting characters that you really cared about.
The writing is firstly very well paced. I read through this book in about two days. The dialogue is also hilarious and very realistic at the same time.
I only wish the very end scene had a slightly different outcome (nope, not giving any spoilers!), but the way it is does leave it open for a sequel which I SO hope happens!
June 1, 2013
Books & Sweet Epiphany
www.booksandsweetepiphany.blogspot.com
Deadgirl is GOOD.
Like DEAD GOOD (Pun intended). *grin*
Seriously, the beginning caught my attention and I slept at 2 in the morning because I couldn't put Deadgirl down.
The storyline is riveting and gave a whole new twist to the 'life after death' scenario, which, in this case, life after death... was life (though I'm not really sure the kind of life Lucy is really living).
Lucy is really explored in this book and I really love her personality and charm.
However, my favourite character in this story is....PUCK!
He is an old guy in the story and he's freaking funny.
I definitely love the writing style because it has humor in it even though some parts of the story are kinda dark and horrific to some readers. (Not me! Because I love dark and scary...in writing)
B.C. Johnson is in my favourite authors list.
Not only that, Deadgirl is definitely worth the racoon eyes. *grin*
Sincerely,
Selina.
www.booksandsweetepiphany.blogspot.com
Deadgirl is GOOD.
Like DEAD GOOD (Pun intended). *grin*
Seriously, the beginning caught my attention and I slept at 2 in the morning because I couldn't put Deadgirl down.
The storyline is riveting and gave a whole new twist to the 'life after death' scenario, which, in this case, life after death... was life (though I'm not really sure the kind of life Lucy is really living).
Lucy is really explored in this book and I really love her personality and charm.
However, my favourite character in this story is....PUCK!
He is an old guy in the story and he's freaking funny.
I definitely love the writing style because it has humor in it even though some parts of the story are kinda dark and horrific to some readers. (Not me! Because I love dark and scary...in writing)
B.C. Johnson is in my favourite authors list.
Not only that, Deadgirl is definitely worth the racoon eyes. *grin*
Sincerely,
Selina.
September 12, 2012
Deadgirl was a great book about a girl who gets shot during an attack on herself, yet doesn't really "die" in the true sense of the word. Everyone can still see her, she can still eat, drink, etc....she's just not quite alive. While she is still trying to figure out exactly what's going on, since she isn't convinced she's really dead, strange things start to happen. I don't want to give any of the book away, other than the ending is a bit sad (concerning her new boyfriend Zach), so I highly recommend you read the book for yourself and see if YOU enjoy it as much as I did!
March 6, 2014
I absolutely LOVED this book! Loved!!! I can't wait to read the next one! Johnson's characters and the storyline were so well formed . . . I was immediately invested and remained invested throughout.
As someone who once was a teenage girl, and well, still often is even all these years later, I can say that B.C. Johnson really knows how to write a teenage, female, point of view. I'm very impressed and loved so much of Lucy's snark and self-depreciating humor. She's awesome. Truly awesome.
I can't wait for DEADGIRL to hit shelves later this year--I promise you will all love it!
As someone who once was a teenage girl, and well, still often is even all these years later, I can say that B.C. Johnson really knows how to write a teenage, female, point of view. I'm very impressed and loved so much of Lucy's snark and self-depreciating humor. She's awesome. Truly awesome.
I can't wait for DEADGIRL to hit shelves later this year--I promise you will all love it!
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