Review: Goth Girl Rising by Barry Lyga

Title: Goth Girl Rising

Author: Barry Lyga
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Over-All Rating: 4.0/5.0

Summary (from Amazon): "Time is a funny thing in the hospital. In the mental ward. You lose track of it easily.

After six months in the Maryland Mental Health Unit, Kyra Sellers, a.k.a. Goth Girl, is going home. Unfortunately, she's about to find out that while she was away, she lost track of more than time. Kyra is back in black, feeling good, and ready to make up with the only person who's ever appreciated her for who she really is. But then she sees him. Fanboy. Transcended from everything he was into someone she barely recognizes. And the anger and memories come rushing back.
There's so much to do to people when you're angry. Kyra's about to get very busy."

My Review:  When I began to read Goth Girl Rising, I had the idea of a humorous, getting revenge on all the things that went wrong in your life, type of story.  Well, it was close, but in a way, it was far from it.  When you read about a person being released from a mental hospital, you know your in for one heck of a ride.
My thougths as I began the book?  Well to be honest, it started off kind of slow.  You weren't really sure what was happening, and the reasons for everything Kyra mentioned along the way, but it all connected as the story went on. 
The whole plot was unique in its own way, and it kept you going, even if the action had slowed down. 
The story itself led you on a roller coaster of emotions, making you wonder what kind of twists and turns were coming your way.
I felt sympathy for Kyra, and sometimes I wondered why in the world she did some of the things she had done.
I have several complaints though.  A lot of the time while reading the story, I only felt like I was "reading" words, not really being placed within the setting.  Ever had that feeling?  Sometimes, I felt like I couldn't connect in with the story, or I didn't feel like I was in the setting of the book.  Does that make sense?
The book was written in sections. 
One of the sections was named "The last time I saw her."  This goes back to the last time Kyra saw her mom in the hospital, dying of cancer.  I found it unique how it would start, then end, then begin with the exact same beginning, except more of the story would be added each time, until it ended.  I thought that was pretty cool, because I haven't seen that in a story before this one.
Although Kyra was stubborn, and sometimes mouthy, I found her to be more strong than any of the other characteristics.  Yeah, some parts of the stories she had silent parties with the rest of the goths, involving drugs.  But she refused to give her self away, and become a slut like her other two friends, as well as most of the school.  I was happy for her.

Overall, I found the story to be within the coming of age type, because she delt with a lot that teens go through today.  Whether it be drugs, sex, or suicide, she got through it all, and set some good examples.  And as I read on, and got to know the characters more, the more I got into the story, so it's not like you're going to be confused while reading it.
Cover Rating: 7/10

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