Losing Logan by Sherry Ficklin
Published by Clean Teen Publishing
Published on: May 2nd, 2014
Genres: Young Adult
Pages: 300
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
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What if the one thing you never meant to hold on to, is the one thing you can’t let go of?
Normally finding a hot guy in her bedroom wouldn’t irritate Zoe so badly, but finding her childhood friend Logan there is a big problem. Mostly because he’s dead.
As the only person he can make contact with, he talks Zoe into helping him put together the pieces surrounding his mysterious death so he can move on.
Thrust into his world of ultra popular rich kids, Zoe is out of her element and caught in the cross-hairs of Logan’s suspicious ex-girlfriend and the friends he left behind, each of whom had a reason to want him dead. The deeper they dig to find the truth, the closer Zoe gets to a killer who would do anything to protect his secrets. And that’s just the start of her problems because Zoe is falling for a dead guy.
Ordinarily, I would never comment on the dedication at the beginning of a book, but I want to comment on this one. “For Everyone who was ever mean to me in high school. Suck it.” I loved this! And it really set the tone for this book, at least I thought it did. The main character Zoe, is every bit as snarky as this dedication sounds and I loved that too. Zoe’s getting ready to start her senior year, but it’s not a happy time for her. Her ex-best friend from when she was younger has just committed suicide. Or did he? Logan was pretty much the most popular guy at her school. He was good looking, rich, smart and funny. While at the funeral home for visitation, Zoe sees Logan and thinks he has just pulled the biggest prank ever. Only it’s not a prank and Logan really is a ghost and Zoe is the only one that can see him.
The book is YA of course. Zoe is sarcastic, funny and underneath her tough personality, a really good person. She has only one real friend, Carlos, her gay BFF. When Logan realizes that Zoe can see him, he is relieved. He doesn’t know why he hasn’t moved on and finally he has someone to talk to. Zoe and Logan begin to realize that he was murdered but he has no idea who killed him. They hatch a plan for Zoe to change her life and infiltrate the popular clique to try and figure out who killed him.
The book is a very fast read, and for the most part I did enjoy it. A few things did bother me. Zoe gets a new wardrobe and suddenly her life is different? Really? It turns out that Zoe is a pretty girl but almost no one notices her until Logan starts coaching her on how to act. It’s explained away by the abrasive personality(sarcasm)she has always had in the past. I really don’t want to tell the whole story but I did want to mention this. The other thing was that I knew from almost the beginning who the murderer was. But then I am not the target audience, so I am sure not that many people will figure it out that easy.
At it’s heart, this book is a romance. A doomed romance, but still a romance. At the same time, the author introduces another guy that cares about Zoe, Kyle, and I really cared about his character as well. Carlos was a pretty great character also. The author has written good characters that you really feel like you know by the end. Zoe’s character, with all her sarcasm and funny remarks, lightens up the mood of the book; without that it would have been a pretty sad story.
Overall, I liked the book and would recommend it to teenagers, probably 14+. There’s a bit of violence, a few curse words and no sexual situations.
I’m Lorna and I live in Maryland. Since retiring, I spend my time mostly reading and reviewing books. My favorite reads are Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, and Young Adult. I read a lot of indie books in addition to traditionally published books. Favorite paranormal creature? Vampires, but I am really liking werewolves more everyday.
I will have to mention this one to a friend of mine. Not my wheelhouse but I think it would be right up hers.
Yes, teenage ghosts might not be for everyone but it was a good read. 🙂
I love sarcastic heroines for some reason this sounds like a good read.
It was a good read 🙂
“For Everyone who was ever mean to me in high school. Suck it.” Ha I love this so hard, too! This sounds right up my alley and it’s so weird I hadn’t heard of it before! Zoe sounds like the kind of MC I love and can really relate to. I love sarcastic sense of humors! I’ll have to keep an eye out for this one! Great review! 🙂
I know right? Perfect dedication for a book that takes place in high school! I think it comes out in May 🙂 and thanks!
“Clean Teen Publications” is the publisher? Does that mean there’s no cursing, drinking or sex? (Just curious. Doesn’t matter either way to me.) Yeah, a new wardrobe doesn’t really change your life, no matter how cute it is.
There is some cursing, yes. Sex is talked about in other teens relationships but since the MC’s love interest is a ghost it sure isn’t happening for her, lol It’s been quite awhile since I read this and I honestly can’t remember if anyone drinks in it. 🙂
oh it’s a new book to me but it sounds great! I really like the sound of it, and I agree with you about the dedication, so true! I’m curious to discover Zoe I confess, thanks for the nice review.
Yes, it sure set the mood for the whole book. And thanks:)
I really enjoy books like this, I can never seem to resist them. Zoe totally sounds like my kind of character. And with a dedication like that, you know the author has spunk that usually translates well through the characters..
Spunk with a huge side dose of snark for sure! Hope you enjoy it if you read it 🙂
Perhaps a bit too young for me, but I do like books with ghosts, and especially with snarky humor and sarcasm.
yes if you don’t enjoy YA it might not be for you:) I don’t like all YA but some of it is pretty good. And I love snarky humor and sarcasm too!