Rose Marshall died in 1952 in Buckley Township, Michigan, run off the road by a man named Bobby Cross—a man who had sold his soul to live forever, and intended to use her death to pay the price of his immortality. Trouble was, he didn't ask Rose what she thought of the idea.
It's been more than sixty years since that night, and she's still sixteen, and she's still running.
They have names for her all over the country: the Girl in the Diner. The Phantom Prom Date. The Girl in the Green Silk Gown. Mostly she just goes by "Rose", a hitchhiking ghost girl with her thumb out and her eyes fixed on the horizon, trying to outrace a man who never sleeps, never stops, and never gives up on the idea of claiming what's his. She's the angel of the overpass, she's the darling of the truck stops, and she's going to figure out a way to win her freedom. After all, it's not like it can kill her.
You can't kill what's already dead.
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"Word of warning, this is not a title for children. So if you want to listen, might have to make sure the audience is mature before clicking play.
Another thing to note is that this book is basically a compilation of stories centered around a ghost of a young girl named Rose. Thus, you might have to be prepared for one chapter not being directly connected to the next.
Perhaps this is why it took me a couple of chapters to warm up to this book. Initially, the only thing keeping me glued is the author's imaginative telling of how her universe's ghost come about and interact with the living. Kudos as well to the setting she placed Rose in: The Road.
For those who like creative and refreshing stories, I would definitely recommend this title.
Though I have to warn you that you might think twice about going on the road, taking in hitchhikers, and taking up random race challenges.
"
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NMP (4 out of 5 stars)