12+: Monster High and Monster High 2: The Ghoul Next Door - Lisi Harrison

Release Date: 02/09/10

BOOK BLURB:

The monster community has kept a low profile at the local high school, but when two new girls enrol, the town will never be the same. Created just fifteen days ago, Frankie Stein is psyched to trade her father's formaldehyde-smelling basement lab for parties and prom. But with a student body totally freaked out by rumors of monsters stalking the halls, Frankie learns that high school can be rough for a chic freak like her. She thinks she finds a friend in fellow new student Melody Carver-but can a 'normie' be trusted with her big secret?


REVIEW:

If you want a title set in a high school environment with a bit more horror, a lot more glitter and of course a whole host of monstrously good fun characters then you really have to try Monster High. It’s well written, the author has a great idea and also manages to tap into the drone like psyche of the High School environment. It may well be less song and dance than the Disney version but the characters are vivid, their struggles for acceptance interesting to follow and above all its their perseverance that demonstrates that no matter how bad things get, friends can be found in strange places. Definitely a title to turn the drab to the fab and to quote Frankie creates a totally VOLTAGE opening book to a series.






Release Date: 07/04/11

BOOK BLURB:

Tensions are running high as Melody teams up with Frankie in a race against time to try and stop Bekka from spilling Jackson's big secret. But Frankie has bigger plans in mind - she and Brett decide to film a documentary to further the RADs cause ...but Bekka isn't about to let some monster steal her man! Meanwhile, Cleo freaks when her friends bolt on her Teen Vogue photo shoot to be in Frankie's documentary, and she starts giving Melody the evil eye - just what is that royal pain up to? Will Cleo stop at nothing to remain queen bee, even if it means teaming up with Bekka - a normie?!


REVIEW:

The second book in the Monster High Series and here we get to know others cast members a little more. This title frequents the glamour queen of the high School and Queen of De-Nile, Cleo. She’s brash, she’s impulsive and she has a passion for fashion that would dwarf any of the preppy’s out there. Great characterisation, a wonderful build up for the world as well as allowing the overlying arc to develop in such a way that it feels natural and demonstrates that the real monsters aren’t always the ones who appear to be on the outside. All in a tale of friendships abound and to be honest a lot of ghoulishly good fun all in.