Three Quarters Dead by Richard Peck

Title: Three Quarters Dead

Author:  Richard Peck

Pages: 208

Genre: YA/ Teen

Source: Book It Forward ARC Tours

Kerry is chosen by the coolest clique in school and so she thinks life has finally begun. But then it seems all over when her three friends are killed in a shocking car accident. Or are they? Only weeks after the accident, Kerry receives a text from one of the girls: We're all 3 here at my aunt's in the city. Take the 3:50 train. B there. [via Goodreads]

I really tried to get into this book but for some reason it fell flat for me.  Maybe it was that I didn't really like the narrator, Kerry.  Or that the themes in the story were not unique and, in the end, predictable.  But to me, this book was just okay.  Let me explain:

The first half of the book really dragged for me.  In this first half you meet Kerry and how she wants to be popular and will do anything to get noticed by the three most popular girls (Tanya, Natalie and Makenzie) in her school.  Of course, the mean girls - the one's we all love to hate.  They're rude, they're snobby, obnoxious and yet, they somehow notice Kerry.  Just when she thinks she's finally going to hit the big time... these three girls die in a car accident.

Kerry finds herself in a slump - feeling three quarters dead (if you must).  That is until she gets a call from one of her dead friends.  Now, this second half of the book picked up for me.  Call me a masochist, but I like a good scare and, although the book was not scary per say, it did have a few moments that were goosebump worthy.  What can I tell you? I dug the ghostly mean girls.  It was mildly gory, had some violence and even touched on some adult themes, but it was still a rather tame read.  I enjoyed this latter half of the book and I found the ending to be surprisingly good.  I find that I still think about it from time to time - so that definitely brought it up a notch in my book.

All in all, this was a fast-paced read that you'll find yourself smiling over one minute and then freaked out a few pages later.  Although it really was not my cup of tea, I can definitely see its appeal and know there are many readers who will enjoy it.  I'd say if you like contemporary/paranormal YA lit, with a hint of horror thrown in, then you might want to pick this one up.

My Rating: