Reviewed by Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen for TeensReadToo.com
After surviving a near-death experience, Amber Borden's life is not what one would call normal. Amber is a Temp Lifer, where every so often she inhabits another person's body, letting their soul rest and allowing for Amber to experience someone else's life and help them with their problems, whether she wants to or not. First, Amber was the popular girl in school, Leah, and then her boyfriend's older sister, Sharayah.
This third time around Amber is now Alyce, her best friend, while, surprisingly, her deceased grandmother inhabits Amber. Of course, as being BFFs one would think that the assignment would be a piece of cake, since BFFs don't hide anything from each other. However, Amber is in for a rude awakening, as her friend's life isn't as bad as she thought it was - it's even more complicated!
For one, Alyce's mother is not what Amber had believed her to be. Sure, she still scares the stuffing out of Amber just by looking at her. However, the only reason why she is the way she is, and the reason why Alyce spends most of her time with Amber, is because her mother has mental problems. Mood swings accompanied with changes in behavior and personalities, Alyce has always had to take care of her mother, not wanting her to go to an institution and not wanting anyone to know the problems she encounters right at home.
While discovering her best friend's home life, Amber also finds out that her best friend is looking for The Lost. This "Lost" might just be the answer as to why Amber found herself in her best friend's body in a coffin. It's a good thing Amber has Dustin to help her figure out the whereabouts of The Lost, since the GEM can't tell her much. Amber will do anything to help her friend, even if it means having to go on dates!
With the problems of her best friend's mother, The Lost, and threats brought upon her boyfriend by a Dark Lifer, one could say Amber's life is unique...but for Amber it's now normal.
It is just AMAZING how Linda Joy Singleton develops her characters and keeps the plot and storyline so original and mysterious, leaving the readers on their toes. Instead of just identifying the main characters, Singleton allows even the readers to inhabit the bodies of those who would be used as secondary characters in other novels.
This installment helps us wonder: How much do we really know about our best friends? And do we want to know all about them, or will the truth just be too much? DEAD GIRL IN LOVE is full of twists and turns, but in the end love is definitely in the air. This last installment wraps up this series nicely in both Amber's aspect of life and also Amber and her mother's.
Now we must sit and wonder whether Singleton will write another installment in the series, just because it would be as great as the first three. Or wonder what wonderful series will she cook up next!
After surviving a near-death experience, Amber Borden's life is not what one would call normal. Amber is a Temp Lifer, where every so often she inhabits another person's body, letting their soul rest and allowing for Amber to experience someone else's life and help them with their problems, whether she wants to or not. First, Amber was the popular girl in school, Leah, and then her boyfriend's older sister, Sharayah.
This third time around Amber is now Alyce, her best friend, while, surprisingly, her deceased grandmother inhabits Amber. Of course, as being BFFs one would think that the assignment would be a piece of cake, since BFFs don't hide anything from each other. However, Amber is in for a rude awakening, as her friend's life isn't as bad as she thought it was - it's even more complicated!
For one, Alyce's mother is not what Amber had believed her to be. Sure, she still scares the stuffing out of Amber just by looking at her. However, the only reason why she is the way she is, and the reason why Alyce spends most of her time with Amber, is because her mother has mental problems. Mood swings accompanied with changes in behavior and personalities, Alyce has always had to take care of her mother, not wanting her to go to an institution and not wanting anyone to know the problems she encounters right at home.
While discovering her best friend's home life, Amber also finds out that her best friend is looking for The Lost. This "Lost" might just be the answer as to why Amber found herself in her best friend's body in a coffin. It's a good thing Amber has Dustin to help her figure out the whereabouts of The Lost, since the GEM can't tell her much. Amber will do anything to help her friend, even if it means having to go on dates!
With the problems of her best friend's mother, The Lost, and threats brought upon her boyfriend by a Dark Lifer, one could say Amber's life is unique...but for Amber it's now normal.
It is just AMAZING how Linda Joy Singleton develops her characters and keeps the plot and storyline so original and mysterious, leaving the readers on their toes. Instead of just identifying the main characters, Singleton allows even the readers to inhabit the bodies of those who would be used as secondary characters in other novels.
This installment helps us wonder: How much do we really know about our best friends? And do we want to know all about them, or will the truth just be too much? DEAD GIRL IN LOVE is full of twists and turns, but in the end love is definitely in the air. This last installment wraps up this series nicely in both Amber's aspect of life and also Amber and her mother's.
Now we must sit and wonder whether Singleton will write another installment in the series, just because it would be as great as the first three. Or wonder what wonderful series will she cook up next!
