After her estranged brother suddenly dies, a girl embarks on a road trip to rediscover who her brother really was in Vicky Skinner’s contemporary YA novel, We Are the Ghosts. When Ellie’s estranged brother, Luke, dies in a car accident, she’s not sure whether to be devastated that she lost the person who was once her best friend or enraged, still, that he left without a word a year ago. Now, the … word a year ago. Now, the only people who seem to understand what she’s going through are Luke’s best friend and his ex-girlfriend, who she bonds with over their desire to figure out where Luke went when he walked out of their lives.
As she gets closer to them, and closer to Cade, a boy who seems determined to get to know her better, she realizes that she’s not the only one with reasons to be angry at Luke. And when Ellie makes a discovery that changes everything, she and her new friends hit the road, hoping that following Luke’s trail will bring them answers about the life Luke was living away from them.
more
***Actual Rating: 4/5 Reborn Stars***
Just to clarify, I read this book right after finishing How the Light Gets In by Katy Upperman because you know, both are for the blog tours AND the blurbs are equally interesting. Despite the fact that both books sound pretty similar since they’re all about dealing with the death of a beloved someone, I’m actually shocked how much resemblance both stories bear. Not only do the main storylines look alike, it’s even harder to tell the characters’ experiences apart at some point. However, I’m no way disappointed by this book because there’s a lot to like about the protagonists here. *wink*
To begin with, We Are The Ghosts stars Ellie, the female main character, who lost her dearest brother, Luke, to a tragic car accident–the car skidded on an icy road and dove right into Lake Michigan–and she’s been left miserable ever since. In order to find out why Luke was on his way to another city when he barely left the house (or so that’s what Ellie thinks), and what he was doing, Ellie embarks on a journey to seek the answers with Luke’s best friend and ex-girlfriend…as well as a last-minute partner, Cade, a mysterious guy who’s been secretly caring about her.
During their road trip to the other side of the States, instead of living the life and exploring the surroundings, Ellie’s been enamored with the mystery of Luke’s sudden death and odd occurrence. She wraps her head around figuring out the truth and misses all the potentials of either developing a friendship with her partners or something more romantic with this Cade guy who seems quite determined to know her better.
When Ellie finally finds the person Luke had obviously been having clandestine meetings with for a long time, her entire world is flipped upside down and she might as well be drowned by the harsh reality. At first, I was very pissed off about everything Ellie and Luke’s closest friends have to endure because nothing is fair. The truth is cold and ugly and simply displayed right there in front of them and yet, no one can tolerate the heartbreaking impact, let alone accept what it is/what it means.
Much to my surprise, the more I ponder on the outcome and what Ellie has discovered, the easier it is to embrace the truth. I’ve never thought the end of this book could be so earth-shattering that even breathing hurts. What Ellie discovers, or rediscovers, isn’t something that’ll sit well with anyone. It’s as if all she’s looking for from all the way to Michigan turns out to be some kind of betrayal, and it’s pretty much a living nightmare. Thankfully, with the mindset of an optimist which Ellie and her friends pick up along the journey, they eventually get to make peace with the truth and their lives in general.
To sum up, We Are The Ghosts is such a thought-provoking book that’ll certainly get you thinking and wondering about life issues/people around you/your own adventure. I really appreciate the overall concept of seeking the ultimate truth of something seemingly mysterious yet makes perfect sense. Ellie, Cade, and their friends’ road trip is definitely a story you don’t want to miss and I’m sure you’ll realize that you are the main hero in your own story of life by the time you finished reading this.
***Thanks to Xpresso Tours and the author for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.***