The Ghoul Next Door by Lisi Harrison

Title: The Ghoul Next Door (Monster High #2)
Author: Lisi Harrison
ISBN: 9780316099110
Publisher: Poppy
Page #: 241
Released: April 5, 2011
Source: My local public library

Summary:
"Clopatra De Nile
* New pet snake *Has Deuce - the hottest guy in school - all wrapped up *Herve Leger bandage dress, strappy gold platforms
Cleo was the queen bee of the RADs, the normies, and everyone in between at Merston High. But now it's 'Frankie this' and 'Melody that'... these new girls sure know how to get their lashes in a tangle. When Cleo lands a golden Teen Vogue photo op for her friends, everything seems to be back on track... until they bail to be in some film... Frankie and Melody's film! Can't a royal get some loyal?

Frankie Stein
Frankie lost her head over Brett once and vows to never do it again. Not that she has a choice: Bekka is clinging to her guy like plastic wrap. But when Brett comes up with a plan that could help the RADs live free, sparks fly, and Bekka will stop at nothing to put out the flames... even if it means destroying the entire monster community.

Melody Carver
The clock is tick-tick-ticking. Melody has a serious deadline to save her boyfriend, Jackson, from being exposed by the vengeance-seeking Bekka. But Cleo is making it royally difficult for the normie while threatening her acceptance into the RADs' exclusive group... a group that Melody suspects she has more in common with than she ever thought.

Fitting in is out."
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First Lines:

"The amber-infused air snapped with anxiety. It crackled with anticipation. It popped with impatience. Still, Cleo refused to rest until the de Nile Palace was fit for a king, even if the staff thought she was a royal pain in the -"
Page 1
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Review:

If you haven't read the first book in this series, I highly recommend it. Lisi Harrison is quite a fun author - I'm quickly learning that I should just read everything she writes.

This book is the second in the Monster High series. Cleo is our main girl this time and she is kinda pissed that she isn't the head honcho anymore. Well, she is... people have just forgotten it. She has to find her way back to the top by bribing her friends with a photo shoot. It works... but not as well as she'd hoped. You also get a taste for what Frankie's life is like these days. She had a huge slip up in the first book and she is learning how to cope. And not expose all of her new friends. It's quite the twisty road! :)

Seriously, I think the most fun thing about this book is the names and the maladies. I mean, Frankie Stein?! Come on, now. Too fun. The rest are equally awesome. I think that alone makes for a clever story. I also love some of the new characters in this book. One zombie, one fire breather, and much more. It gives the RADs and interesting dynamic, for sure.

Frankie is really good at coming up with plans, but not always great in figuring out how to impliment them. She finds a way to get people to stop "head hunting" the RADs... and in turn making the normies question everything they saw. And then she comes up with another plan on how to get normies to understand that RADs are just people too. That one backfires a little... but I'm not going to spoil it for you. I think I've been friends with a few of those planners before - not that we ever carried out any of the big plans like that. :)

I am also really starting to like the character Melody. She's trying to fit in with the RADs, but she isn't special in any way. But she knows what it is like to be judged by your looks/talents. It pulls in that topic of acceptance and all - from both sides. There is a little hint in the end that she may not be as normal as she thought... but I won't spoil it for you.

I really will be recommending this series to anyone who loves fantasy humor. This book is lighthearted and a very quick read. It's probably time for me to go request the third book in this series now - since it came out recently. I can't wait to see what else this author has up her super-stylish sleeves!
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