Thursday, May 14, 2009

She's a Ghost Magnet

There's something about almost dying that makes a girl rethink her priorities. Take Nicki Styx-she was strictly goth and vintage, until a brush with the afterlife leaves her with the ability to see dead people. Before you can say boo, Atlanta's ghosts are knocking at Nicki's door. Now her days consist of reluctantly cleaning up messes left by the dearly departed, leading ghouls to the Light . . . and one-on-one anatomy lessons with Dr. Joe Bascombe, the dreamy surgeon who saved her life. All this catering to the deceased is a real drag, especially for a girl who'd rather be playing hanky-panky with her hunky new boyfriend . . . who's beginning to think she's totally nuts. But things get even more complicated when a friend foolishly sells her soul to the devil, and Nicki's new gift lands her in some deep voodoo. As it turns out for Nicki Styx, death was just the beginning.

Title: Dead Girls are Easy
Author: Terri Garey
Series: Nicki Styx, Book 1
Start & Finished: 3/2/09
Published: 2007
Publisher: Avon
Pages: 372 (paperback)
Genre: Paranormal- Romance

“My name is Nicki Styx, and I’m a dead chick magnet. A psychic magnet, if you will. One near death experience, and my life was changed forever. Now restless spirits seem to sense a kindred one in me, and they all want to tell me their stories.” An interesting beginning but hardly one that can sum up Terri Garey’s spunky heroine with a wicked sense of humor from her debut novel Dead Girls Are Easy.

Garey’s book was one of the best paranormals I’ve read so far this year. It was hilarious and interesting, and just plain fun! The characters are great; especially the main one and I loved her kitschy little shoppe that she co-owns with her best friend Evan (who is a doll by the way). Another thing I liked is that I’m a bit partial to the setting as it takes place in Atlanta- Little Five Points to be exact.

The Nicki Styx series is everything that the show Ghost Whisperer wishes it could be. While most of the time the TV show either goes for the scary or the heartwarming with the main character being mostly a good girl, Garey and her character Nicki Styx are the complete and total opposite. Well, that’s not to say that the book was not heartwarming at times as it is, but as Nicki said, she’s “one tough cookie” and while her Joe does remind me of Meredith’s Jim, I believe that if I had to choose, I’d pick these books over the TV series any day.

I do wonder why the author decided to write this series. Did she watch the show and become fed up with it and decided to put her own spin on a girl who sees dead people? Did she hear about the show, think it was a good idea and go from there? Or was it something else altogether? Well the author claims she found herself thinking one day: “What if someone who thought the dark side was really cool (i.e., a Goth girl) actually had to deal with ghosts and spirits on a regular basis? How would it change them?” Regardless of how she came about Nicki Styx, I’m just glad she did and I can hardly wait to read more in this series.

“And what do I get out of it? Scared shitless and sleepless, that’s what. Dead people jumping up like Pop-Tarts to impose their unfinished business on me. Dying isn’t what scares me-- it’s living like this that does.” I leaned forward, hands clasped. “Do I look like Mother Teresa to you?”

Nicki Styx Series:
1. Dead Girls Are Easy (2007)
2. A Match Made in Hell (2008)
3. You're the One that I Haunt (2009)
4. Silent Night, Haunted Night (2009)

Links: Author Blog, HaperCollins Author Page, Handbags and Gladrags Homepage
Interview: Tampa Newspaper, Blog Interview, Romance Novel TV

Picture Explanations
Emergency Room: When Nicki died she came back with a little something extra.
Little Five Points: Takes place here
Voodoo: Nicki's friend died and her soul is in deep trouble...
Baron Samedi: is one of the loa of Haitian Vodou and features prominantely in the book.

14 comments:

  1. I want to read this one for the setting alone! Have you ever eaten at The Vortex? We love to go there when we're in Atlanta.

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  2. fun cover and it does sound like a good series. I need to add this to my TBR.
    http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/

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  3. Sounds like a good read. This kind of reminds me of the Pepper Martin series and I really like that one.

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  4. Oooh...this sounds really, really great.

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  5. Hey, LadyTink, and thanks so much for the great review! (Wow, pictures and everything! You're awesome!) :-)

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  6. I loved this book! In fact, I had completely forgotten that I was planning on continuing on with this series until after I saw your review. I'm gonna have to request the next one from the library ;)

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  7. Bermudaonion: I may have grew up just outside of Atlanta but I hardly ever ventured into it. I don't believe I've ever been to Little Five Points but hopefully we'll go the next time we're visiting famiily (which will be in July *fingers crossed*!).

    Naida: Isn't it? I hope you enjoy them if you do!

    The Book Resort: The next one is on my list of things to get to. Hopefully soon....

    Sharon: Never heard of that! Well, from what I just read about the first one, it sounds like Nicki is a much more fun character and less superficial. Interesting combo in an amateur slueth though so I may have to take a stab at those. Thanks!

    Nymeth: I really enjoyed it a lot. This was very fresh and interesting!

    Terri: You're more than welcome. Thanks for the amazing book! :)

    Samantha.1020: I might actually end up buying the next few since this was the only one my library had (besides a short story in an anthology which I already own). Can't wait to continue with this series though.

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  8. Awesome review! I really need to read this - I loved the idea of Ghost Whisperer when it started, but the show just seemed flat to me. This series sounds great though, Nicki sounds like she's so clever and sassy.

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  9. I love books that make me laugh and have funny heroines. I can't wait to read this one.

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  10. Joanne: Thanks! I liked Ghost Whisperer too but stopped watching when the plot became too complicated. The whole Jim/ other guy thing was really stupid. Nicki is the bomb though lol.

    MonieG: She's hilarious, I'm sure you'll love her!

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  11. This sounds irresistible! My library doesn't own the series, but I've put in a request. I mentioned that it won the RITA award for best first book, so hopefully that will carry some weight. :-)

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  12. My library got this one in, finally - along with the sequel, which I'm looking forward to - and I just finished it. Lots of fun. Thanks for the recommendation! Working on the review now...

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  13. Darla D: I'm so glad you liked it! I really want to get more of these but my library doesn't have any more.

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