Posted on Dark Faerie Tales.Body & Soul is the third and final book in Stacey Kade’s The Ghost and the Goth series. It took me a while to warm up to the series, but as each book came along, I was pleasantly surprised with where the series went. With each book came a message, and in Body & Soul, I was surprised at how different the main character seemed to me. It was about reinvention and acceptance, and I enjoyed it.Body & Soul takes place about a month after Alona and Will faced the Order. In a blink of an eye, and a last-minute decision, Alona inhabits Lily Turner’s body. Lily was Will’s best friend, and in order for her to survive, Alona did what she thought was right. But being Lily is much different than inhabiting her body. Everyone wants Lily, and while Alona pretended for a while, it has become too much for her. In search for a solution, Will and Alona has come across another ghost willing to achieve a second chance at life. Will anything ever be the same?Alona was just as snarky in Lily’s body as she has ever been. She hasn’t changed one bit, but has accepted more than she has before. Alona is witty and has a unique personality, and was kind enough to pretend for Lily’s family’s sake. But being trapped in another body must take a toll on her personality and who she is. No wonder she rebelled and made a few changes. One thing’s for sure, I cannot fault her for not being loyal to Lily’s family and treating them like they were her own family.Will is a great friend. He is someone that I would want a lot of male leads to be based on. I couldn’t help but love him, despite his quirks and nuances, and you know, the whole ghost thing. He is written well and it’s clear how much development and work was put into him. Not just from Body & Soul, but overall. Will has changed as well, but I think for the better. He and Alona compliment each other, and it’s refreshing to see in a YA book.Body & Soul’s world seemed a little more unpredictable than the other books. Despite the setting in Lily’s house, or at a random store-front looking for Malachi, it set the tone for that scene. Both Alona and Will evolved, sometimes surprising me with what they were about to do. Other times? I didn’t even notice it. I was just trying to follow along with what was going on, hoping I didn’t miss anything.I liked the plot. It felt realistic. I felt the importance and stress of what Alona and Will were going through. I felt the burden and guilt that Alona felt. And lastly, I felt Will’s anguish about everything. While I didn’t always agree with their actions, especially Alona’s, I understood them and where Kade was taking them. The dialogue (banter) was witty and easy, and I never felt anything was forced.Stacey Kade’s Body & Soul was a good end of the series. I was satisfied at the conclusion and enjoyed it it. I’m glad at where Kade left things, and I didn’t linger thinking about any what-if scenarios.
