Promise not to Tell

I am always looking for good book club reads that I can recommend to others...but this was not one of them. Promise not to Tell is the debut novel of Jennifer McMahon, and I personally feel it should be classified under the Young Adult genre as opposed to being considered a novel. It was an easy read that kept me interested enough to want to find out what happens in the end, but it was reminiscent of one of my childhood favorites (Wait till Helen Comes...a classic children's ghost story). I felt that the writing was amateurish, and I found several grammatical errors (which is a pet peeve of mine...if you are going to publish a professional work, HIRE AN EDITOR!!!). This book has a four star rating on the Barnes and Noble website, which disappoints me. I did enjoy the portrayal of the playground drama, and the recurring discussion of how difficult and important it is for a child to "fit in". The ghost story aspect is what keeps readers engaged in the writing, but the more powerful message lies in the feelings of regret and shame that the protagonist feels due to decisions she made years ago. I think that this book could be instrumental in teaching children the importance of treating people in a way that they will never regret. Overall, I'm giving this book two and a half pigs...