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American Ghoul
Seventeen-year-old Howard Pickman has some unusual problems: He comes from a family of ghouls with a long history of digging up corpses, and he’s just moved to a new school filled with kids that are scarier than he is. American Ghoul is the story of an exceptionally odd teenager trying to survive the most terrible time anybody has to go through -- senior year at high school.
356 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 28, 2012
27 people are currently reading
285 people want to read
About the author
Walt Morton
4 books10 followersWalt Morton is a writer, photographer, and artist. AMERICAN GHOUL, his
debut novel, has been called “The Tom Sawyer of horror fiction.” With
this book he is continuing a decade-long exploration into the macabre
via photography, film, painting and writing. Walt has lectured at the
British Film Institute and studied intensively in five martial arts.
AMERICAN GHOUL is his first of a planned sextet of books that reinvent
the supernatural horror genre. Born and raised in rural Pennsylvania,
he now lives in Venice, California with his dog, Juniper.
debut novel, has been called “The Tom Sawyer of horror fiction.” With
this book he is continuing a decade-long exploration into the macabre
via photography, film, painting and writing. Walt has lectured at the
British Film Institute and studied intensively in five martial arts.
AMERICAN GHOUL is his first of a planned sextet of books that reinvent
the supernatural horror genre. Born and raised in rural Pennsylvania,
he now lives in Venice, California with his dog, Juniper.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
October 20, 2015
American Ghoul is a very interesting read, surprising me with its beautiful story telling and uniqueness. Whenever I think of a ghoul, I just feel repulsed and I tend to avoid books involving them. So, it's really a big surprise when I loved this book.
17-year old Howard and his family are ghouls. They try to keep low profile and live like regular humans. Once a month, Howard's father digs a fresh grave and brings 'Harvest' to his family. The family cannot survive without human meat at regular intervals. But, somehow, their secret is out and when Howard is not at home, the locals set his parents and his house on fire. They think that Howard is dead in the house as well. Howard goes to his grandmother, his only living relative, who barely survives. His grandmother gives Howard a roof and food. The duo become a team and help each other survive. Now, his grandmother wants him to go to high school..the biggest risk and the most terrible thing ever.
What started as a cool horror novel ended up being one of the coolest contemporary reads. Bullying and high school drama is so realistic that all kids who think of them as misfits will relate to it. A real applause to the author for making this premise as unique as possible. High school is a cliche, but not a ghoul in the high school. That's what has created much more interest to the book and had me rooted.
There has been some places where there are repetitions in the narration. I think that could be solved with proper editing. But, otherwise, this book is well worth the time and price you pay for it.
Well done!
4 STARS!
17-year old Howard and his family are ghouls. They try to keep low profile and live like regular humans. Once a month, Howard's father digs a fresh grave and brings 'Harvest' to his family. The family cannot survive without human meat at regular intervals. But, somehow, their secret is out and when Howard is not at home, the locals set his parents and his house on fire. They think that Howard is dead in the house as well. Howard goes to his grandmother, his only living relative, who barely survives. His grandmother gives Howard a roof and food. The duo become a team and help each other survive. Now, his grandmother wants him to go to high school..the biggest risk and the most terrible thing ever.
What started as a cool horror novel ended up being one of the coolest contemporary reads. Bullying and high school drama is so realistic that all kids who think of them as misfits will relate to it. A real applause to the author for making this premise as unique as possible. High school is a cliche, but not a ghoul in the high school. That's what has created much more interest to the book and had me rooted.
There has been some places where there are repetitions in the narration. I think that could be solved with proper editing. But, otherwise, this book is well worth the time and price you pay for it.
Well done!
4 STARS!
February 6, 2013
American Ghoul was a very interesting story with memorable, well-written characters.
Normally, when I think about a ghoul, I think of a dirty, nasty creature that ravages cemeteries to pick the bones of the dead. Howard and his family are ghouls, but not in the traditional sense. They rob graves occasionally to have what they call a Harvest once a month to get the nutrients, hormones, etc...that ghouls aren't born with. Without the Harvest they would become very sick and possibly die. To look at Howard and his family, you would never know they were ghouls. They are just as human as everyone else.
There is so much more to this story than just the ghoul aspect. Due to some terrible circumstances, Howard has to go live with his grandmother. This brings a whole new set of problems and situations that Howard has to work through. I really liked his grandmother. She's a little crazy and quirky, and the same could be said for the new friends Howard makes.
Having ghouls in a story, you know there is going to be some gore. Honestly, it's lite gore and nothing too stomach-churning. I would categorize this story as lite horror.
Overall, I really liked this story. It was well-written with believable characters. It kept my interest until the very end.
*Book Hollow*
Normally, when I think about a ghoul, I think of a dirty, nasty creature that ravages cemeteries to pick the bones of the dead. Howard and his family are ghouls, but not in the traditional sense. They rob graves occasionally to have what they call a Harvest once a month to get the nutrients, hormones, etc...that ghouls aren't born with. Without the Harvest they would become very sick and possibly die. To look at Howard and his family, you would never know they were ghouls. They are just as human as everyone else.
There is so much more to this story than just the ghoul aspect. Due to some terrible circumstances, Howard has to go live with his grandmother. This brings a whole new set of problems and situations that Howard has to work through. I really liked his grandmother. She's a little crazy and quirky, and the same could be said for the new friends Howard makes.
Having ghouls in a story, you know there is going to be some gore. Honestly, it's lite gore and nothing too stomach-churning. I would categorize this story as lite horror.
Overall, I really liked this story. It was well-written with believable characters. It kept my interest until the very end.
*Book Hollow*
June 28, 2019
As the name would suggest, this novel is about an American ghoul. The main ghoul protagonist is Howard Pickman. Set in 1977, Howard is a senior in high school. After his parents were murdered in Georgia, he hitch hikes to New Jersey to live with his grandmother. Like most ghouls, Howard can pass for human, with one major exception—in order to survive, he must eat human flesh. Fortunately, the flesh that he eats are from the recently deceased, making it a bit less revolting. Howard tries to fly under the radar. As a ghoul, it’s not a good idea to seek attention, but that doesn’t stop him from attracting the ire of the school bullies/sadists/psychopaths.
This novel was a bit of a mixed bag. It started off strong with a very dramatic opening with the townspeople attacking Walt’s parents and him fleeing for his life. But when he settles into his new life in New Jersey, the book really slows down. So much of it was mundane. Perhaps it was the author trying to show that ghouls live normal human lives, but it was rather dull and forgettable. The novel then heats up late as Walt’s feud with the school bullies come to a head. The novel ends with a fiery conclusion. The bottom line is that the novel starts strong, ends strong, but there’s not a whole lot there in the middle. This novel was a solid read, but I thought it could have been more.
Carl Alves - author of Conjesero
This novel was a bit of a mixed bag. It started off strong with a very dramatic opening with the townspeople attacking Walt’s parents and him fleeing for his life. But when he settles into his new life in New Jersey, the book really slows down. So much of it was mundane. Perhaps it was the author trying to show that ghouls live normal human lives, but it was rather dull and forgettable. The novel then heats up late as Walt’s feud with the school bullies come to a head. The novel ends with a fiery conclusion. The bottom line is that the novel starts strong, ends strong, but there’s not a whole lot there in the middle. This novel was a solid read, but I thought it could have been more.
Carl Alves - author of Conjesero
October 29, 2015
American Ghoul was a book that absolutely blew me away. It was so different than what I expected and really read very similar to a contemporary novel, but in the 70's and with a ghoul who ate humans. Dead ones. So don't worry, no murdering happening. ;)
Howard is a fun character. And really quite funny. Or I guess the situations he gets into and the people he's with are funny. I did a lot of laughing when reading this book! I also liked how he struggled to be his ghoul self and how he had to find a way to come to terms with the fact he had to eat humans to live. He's done it his whole life, it's nothing new, but after losing his parents and moving in with this Granny he starts finding it difficult. Seeing this made him more relate-able. Understanding that it wasn't easy for him to dig people out of their graves to bring them home to eat.
The secondary characters were done amazingly well. Granny is freaking hilarious as is Howard's friend Sebastian. Both of these characters brought a lot of humor to the story.
The book takes place in the 70's and music is a fairly strong theme in the book, which was a lot of fun.
It's been a few months since I read the book and I can still tell you that it was fantastic. It's one that really does stick with you and it's a book I would definitely reread. While the eating humans part may have made me squirm a little it's a small part of the story and actually added a bit of humor because of the misadventures of getting the dead body in the first place. Howard was a character I really enjoyed reading about and I would love to read more books about him in the future.
You can find this review, and others like it, on my blog at http://www.candacesbookblog.com
Howard is a fun character. And really quite funny. Or I guess the situations he gets into and the people he's with are funny. I did a lot of laughing when reading this book! I also liked how he struggled to be his ghoul self and how he had to find a way to come to terms with the fact he had to eat humans to live. He's done it his whole life, it's nothing new, but after losing his parents and moving in with this Granny he starts finding it difficult. Seeing this made him more relate-able. Understanding that it wasn't easy for him to dig people out of their graves to bring them home to eat.
The secondary characters were done amazingly well. Granny is freaking hilarious as is Howard's friend Sebastian. Both of these characters brought a lot of humor to the story.
The book takes place in the 70's and music is a fairly strong theme in the book, which was a lot of fun.
It's been a few months since I read the book and I can still tell you that it was fantastic. It's one that really does stick with you and it's a book I would definitely reread. While the eating humans part may have made me squirm a little it's a small part of the story and actually added a bit of humor because of the misadventures of getting the dead body in the first place. Howard was a character I really enjoyed reading about and I would love to read more books about him in the future.
You can find this review, and others like it, on my blog at http://www.candacesbookblog.com
December 31, 2012
CALLING ALL YOU ZOMBIE FANS I HAVE FOUND YOUR NEXT READ!
American Ghoul is the COOLEST Zombie I have read. I usually don't read Zombie books but I really enjoyed the cover on this one and this one is very different because it has real everyday issues the main character Howard has to face. So with this in mind I decided to read it and I am so glad I did. It is a fast paced read and when the end comes you will not even realize it. I kept checking my Kindle thinking I missed something but no I did not. I will be reading more books by Walt Morton because he has such a way with writing that grips you and you never see it coming.
In American Ghoul we meet Howard and his family.They have just moved to a new place and Howard is starting a new school. Who the heck wants to start a new school when you are a senior. It is hard enough to start a new school period but add in the craziness of being a Zombie and starting a new school as the new kid and not exactly being the coolest kid on the block you have American Ghoul. Poor Howard goes through some crazy things but at least he has a new best friend Sebastian to help him along the way. At least he has the band and Sebastian to help him through this tough year.
This book is fast paced and full of so much 70's references I loved it! Take a few minutes out of your crazy day and come on a ride that will surly leave you laughing!
American Ghoul is the COOLEST Zombie I have read. I usually don't read Zombie books but I really enjoyed the cover on this one and this one is very different because it has real everyday issues the main character Howard has to face. So with this in mind I decided to read it and I am so glad I did. It is a fast paced read and when the end comes you will not even realize it. I kept checking my Kindle thinking I missed something but no I did not. I will be reading more books by Walt Morton because he has such a way with writing that grips you and you never see it coming.
In American Ghoul we meet Howard and his family.They have just moved to a new place and Howard is starting a new school. Who the heck wants to start a new school when you are a senior. It is hard enough to start a new school period but add in the craziness of being a Zombie and starting a new school as the new kid and not exactly being the coolest kid on the block you have American Ghoul. Poor Howard goes through some crazy things but at least he has a new best friend Sebastian to help him along the way. At least he has the band and Sebastian to help him through this tough year.
This book is fast paced and full of so much 70's references I loved it! Take a few minutes out of your crazy day and come on a ride that will surly leave you laughing!
January 17, 2014
I had little hopes of liking this title, I hoped it would be different and thought it would be some whiny memoir based story of oh the protagonist being sanguine about his plight for two hundred plus pages. However, after a few pages in, I was happy to discover that was not the case. The story follows Howard "Don't call me Howie" Pickman as he grows up and comes to terms being a ghoul. The story is set amidst the seventies, and it is a refreshing story that could be of an average American boy, but Howard is no average boy. He is a ghoul, and he has to balance life being a teenager in New Jersey living with his Grandmother and being a grave robbing ghoul. The novel is well written, and feels like a real memoir, great care is taken with the "ghoul" aspect so much so it blends seamlessly into the narrative and never seems over the top or cartoonish. This is a very auspicious debut. I look forward to the next title my Mr. Morton.
August 13, 2016
3.5 stars.
Howard Pickman, teenage ghoul, on funerals:
It ain't easy being a ghoul. I mean it's not like people appreciate the fact that you're recycling the remains of their dead loved ones. What good is a corpse for, anyway? It's just meat. And for a ghoul like Howard, dead humans are a source of his daily RDA of essential vitamins and minerals.
In American Ghoul, the premise is that ghouls are people, just like you and me, except with special dietary needs. Howard comes from a long line of ghouls, all marked by their mismatched eyes, and all requiring a bit of human flesh, in addition to the usual meat (beef, chicken, pork) and potatoes. With a regular dose of fresh corpse, ghouls like Howard are extraordinarily healthy; without it, they grow ill and ghouly looking.
The story begins with Howard watching his parents die, slaughtered by a literal pitchfork and torch waving mob. It's the 1970s, in some bum-fuck town in Georgia, and the locals have gotten wind of his family's habit of raiding the local graveyard for entrees.
Howard escapes and goes to live with his grandmother, also a ghoul, in New Jersey. Granny is happy to take in her grandson, but expects him to help with the "harvest," earn his keep, attend high school, and eventually go to college. Raised on the idea that a ghoul who calls attention to himself is a dead ghoul, the idea reinforced by his parents' brutal death, Howard just wants keep a low profile. But that's difficult when his new friend, the chronically angry Sebastian, enlists him in a punk rock bank, named, ironically, the Corpseman. Meanwhile, a pretty girl has her eye on Howard, and he, typical clueless teen boy, isn't sure if this is a good thing. What definitely isn't good, is the fact that he, Sebastian and the rest of the band, are the high school heroes'/bullies' favorite punching bags.
The funny thing about American Ghoul is that it is an un-horrific horror story. Maybe because I was weaned on Stephen King, but I found it low on gore, with the bloodiest scene being a car wreck and not the depiction of a body being carved up for supper. There's also no hint of the supernatural, with Howard's condition being hereditary and one might presume, grounded in some perfectly logical scientific explanation.
I've never seen, erm, heard the allure of punk music -- the genre produced music that makes me grumble like an old person about "noise." And the bands in the story -- The Ramones, etc. -- were slightly (slightly) before my time. Nevertheless, the description of the 70s punk scene, a time when music was mostly on vinyl, when finding interesting music meant digging through manky old records stores, makes all that racket seem almost appealing.
The plot is rather loose, with the story being a depiction of Howard's day-to-day life in his new town: attending school, going on dates, playing in the band, harvesting meat at the local graveyards, etc. There really isn't a significant antagonist until halfway through the story. Consequently, the story lacks any urgency, and is powered primarily by Howard's wry voice and the effective use of the 1970s timeframe. I like that the plot didn't go with the tired trope of punishing the protagonist for his misdeed -- rather significant misdeed, but I'd say justified. But once the antagonist is dealt with, the short remainder of the novel loses steam, and sort of fizzles to a close.
A refreshing break from the usual "supernatural boy (or really old man who looks twenty) crushing on ordinary girl" cliche that typifies most paranormal YA novels.
Howard Pickman, teenage ghoul, on funerals:
It's crazy. You gotta wonder: who is this all for? The deceased don't care about the pageantry because they are either in heaven, hell, a new reincarnation, or no place at all. And the family is so wracked with grief that they barely pay attention. So the answer is simple: all this pomp supports the church and funeral industry who are out to make as much money as possible.
It ain't easy being a ghoul. I mean it's not like people appreciate the fact that you're recycling the remains of their dead loved ones. What good is a corpse for, anyway? It's just meat. And for a ghoul like Howard, dead humans are a source of his daily RDA of essential vitamins and minerals.
In American Ghoul, the premise is that ghouls are people, just like you and me, except with special dietary needs. Howard comes from a long line of ghouls, all marked by their mismatched eyes, and all requiring a bit of human flesh, in addition to the usual meat (beef, chicken, pork) and potatoes. With a regular dose of fresh corpse, ghouls like Howard are extraordinarily healthy; without it, they grow ill and ghouly looking.
The story begins with Howard watching his parents die, slaughtered by a literal pitchfork and torch waving mob. It's the 1970s, in some bum-fuck town in Georgia, and the locals have gotten wind of his family's habit of raiding the local graveyard for entrees.
Howard escapes and goes to live with his grandmother, also a ghoul, in New Jersey. Granny is happy to take in her grandson, but expects him to help with the "harvest," earn his keep, attend high school, and eventually go to college. Raised on the idea that a ghoul who calls attention to himself is a dead ghoul, the idea reinforced by his parents' brutal death, Howard just wants keep a low profile. But that's difficult when his new friend, the chronically angry Sebastian, enlists him in a punk rock bank, named, ironically, the Corpseman. Meanwhile, a pretty girl has her eye on Howard, and he, typical clueless teen boy, isn't sure if this is a good thing. What definitely isn't good, is the fact that he, Sebastian and the rest of the band, are the high school heroes'/bullies' favorite punching bags.
The funny thing about American Ghoul is that it is an un-horrific horror story. Maybe because I was weaned on Stephen King, but I found it low on gore, with the bloodiest scene being a car wreck and not the depiction of a body being carved up for supper. There's also no hint of the supernatural, with Howard's condition being hereditary and one might presume, grounded in some perfectly logical scientific explanation.
I've never seen, erm, heard the allure of punk music -- the genre produced music that makes me grumble like an old person about "noise." And the bands in the story -- The Ramones, etc. -- were slightly (slightly) before my time. Nevertheless, the description of the 70s punk scene, a time when music was mostly on vinyl, when finding interesting music meant digging through manky old records stores, makes all that racket seem almost appealing.
The plot is rather loose, with the story being a depiction of Howard's day-to-day life in his new town: attending school, going on dates, playing in the band, harvesting meat at the local graveyards, etc. There really isn't a significant antagonist until halfway through the story. Consequently, the story lacks any urgency, and is powered primarily by Howard's wry voice and the effective use of the 1970s timeframe. I like that the plot didn't go with the tired trope of punishing the protagonist for his misdeed -- rather significant misdeed, but I'd say justified. But once the antagonist is dealt with, the short remainder of the novel loses steam, and sort of fizzles to a close.
A refreshing break from the usual "supernatural boy (or really old man who looks twenty) crushing on ordinary girl" cliche that typifies most paranormal YA novels.
October 27, 2015
In ‘American Ghoul’ we meet Seventeen-year-old Howard Pickman. Howard Pickman seems to be a normal teenager on the outside, but Howard is a Ghoul and his family has been digging up corpses for a long time to survive.
When Howard’s parents are killed after people found out they were Ghouls, the only person Howard can turn to is his grandmother. Soon Howard is not only getting used to his new life as a Ghoul with his grandmother, but he is also send to attend high school. Being a teenager is hard enough, and all Howard wants to do is keep a low profile and survive high school.
‘American Ghoul’ is a very unique and interesting book. It’s the first time I read a book about a Ghoul. To be honest I even needed to look the word Ghoul up in a dictionary because I had forgotten what kind of ‘thing’ it was. According to the dictionary, a Ghoul is a legendary evil being that robs graves and feeds on corpses. Not really something I thought I would enjoy reading about. But don’t be misled.. ‘American Ghoul’ is a great and amazingly good written story about a teenage Ghoul who really is just a good kid.
This book was such a surprise for me. I really didn’t know what to expect when I started reading this book but I was interested from the very first page. Walt Morton has a way of writing that is easy to follow and makes you think your reading a coming-of-age story about a ‘normal’ teenager. You could easily forget that this teenager was a Ghoul, except for the eating stuff. It sounds gross, but it really didn’t seem so gross while reading it.
The main character Howard is easy to like. He is kind and smart and really is just a normal guy, but just with a strange diet. ‘American Ghoul’ isn’t a horror story, but a great, funny and touching story about being a teenager and growing up. I really enjoyed it and I’m even surprised this book hasn’t gotten more attention since its publication in November 2012. I can easily see this book being made into a movie. And I would definitely want to see it!!
When Howard’s parents are killed after people found out they were Ghouls, the only person Howard can turn to is his grandmother. Soon Howard is not only getting used to his new life as a Ghoul with his grandmother, but he is also send to attend high school. Being a teenager is hard enough, and all Howard wants to do is keep a low profile and survive high school.
‘American Ghoul’ is a very unique and interesting book. It’s the first time I read a book about a Ghoul. To be honest I even needed to look the word Ghoul up in a dictionary because I had forgotten what kind of ‘thing’ it was. According to the dictionary, a Ghoul is a legendary evil being that robs graves and feeds on corpses. Not really something I thought I would enjoy reading about. But don’t be misled.. ‘American Ghoul’ is a great and amazingly good written story about a teenage Ghoul who really is just a good kid.
This book was such a surprise for me. I really didn’t know what to expect when I started reading this book but I was interested from the very first page. Walt Morton has a way of writing that is easy to follow and makes you think your reading a coming-of-age story about a ‘normal’ teenager. You could easily forget that this teenager was a Ghoul, except for the eating stuff. It sounds gross, but it really didn’t seem so gross while reading it.
The main character Howard is easy to like. He is kind and smart and really is just a normal guy, but just with a strange diet. ‘American Ghoul’ isn’t a horror story, but a great, funny and touching story about being a teenager and growing up. I really enjoyed it and I’m even surprised this book hasn’t gotten more attention since its publication in November 2012. I can easily see this book being made into a movie. And I would definitely want to see it!!
April 7, 2015
How does this not have 5 star reviews across the board?! This book is now one of my favorites. I am so sad it's over! Howard is a serious yet lovable character who draws you quickly into his ghoul world. Amidst the morbidity and gruesome scenes, Howard remains a rock of human character (even though he's a ghoul). I thought I might feel squeamish reading about human-eating but I was just strangely curious. This story really makes you wonder if those "myths" might actually be true. Even though it brought up awful memories of my childhood, I enjoyed reading about the bullying and peer pressure because I feel the author did an excellent job of making it REAL (not the milk water "bullying" portrayed in some novels). Howard gives a speech at one point that had me tearing up because it was geared toward all of the "misfits" out there who feel like they're unwanted and less than normal. How the bullying etc was resolved in the end made me scream "Hell yeah!" at the top of my lungs and wish that I had been born a ghoul. One gripe, Mr. Morton: what about Sebastian?! There was no ending explained for him. Of course, maybe Mr. Morton has plans for him in another novel? Hmmmm, one can hope. Read this! You'll love it!
September 30, 2013
I don't like horror stories, and this really doesn't count as one. It's more of a coming of age story with the extra zaniness of being a ghoul thrown in. This isn't a paranormal story where the protagonist has super powers, or has a soul mate, or saves the world. It's a guy trying to make it out of high school alive while having to occasionally eat dead people. Although the story is relationship driven, it isn't driven by romantic relationships. Family relationships--Harold and his father and mother, Harold and his Granny--and friendships are the most important relationship in the story.
The story is told from the POV of Harold Pickman a 17 year old ghoul, and it's simplicity reflects the age and experiences of its protagonist. There are some great descriptions of high school, and the punk rock scene in Philly that feel very authentic. The ending kept me up all night.
The author promises more of Harold, and I'll definitely be picking up the next book in the series.
The story is told from the POV of Harold Pickman a 17 year old ghoul, and it's simplicity reflects the age and experiences of its protagonist. There are some great descriptions of high school, and the punk rock scene in Philly that feel very authentic. The ending kept me up all night.
The author promises more of Harold, and I'll definitely be picking up the next book in the series.
October 29, 2015
Ghoulishly Imaginative and Fun!
This is my first read by this author so I wasn't sure what exactly to expect, but when I read the blurb, I knew I had to read this book. The author has done a fantastic job with this book. He has a real talent for grabbing you and keeping you turning the pages. His imaginations are exceptional and very unique, and it really shows in the read. I have to admit that I have read very little in the way of ghoul and zombie reads, but this book makes me want to search more out to see if there are more that I am missing out on. I absolutely love Howard and immensely enjoyed his coming of age as a ghoul story. As Howard is a ghoul with a long family history, he is also a teenager and you really get that teen angst along with the humor an everything else in this book. I definitely recommend this book and can't wait to read more from this author. I was given a complimentary copy of this book for an honest review.
This is my first read by this author so I wasn't sure what exactly to expect, but when I read the blurb, I knew I had to read this book. The author has done a fantastic job with this book. He has a real talent for grabbing you and keeping you turning the pages. His imaginations are exceptional and very unique, and it really shows in the read. I have to admit that I have read very little in the way of ghoul and zombie reads, but this book makes me want to search more out to see if there are more that I am missing out on. I absolutely love Howard and immensely enjoyed his coming of age as a ghoul story. As Howard is a ghoul with a long family history, he is also a teenager and you really get that teen angst along with the humor an everything else in this book. I definitely recommend this book and can't wait to read more from this author. I was given a complimentary copy of this book for an honest review.
January 21, 2015
American Ghoul was a wonderful surprise. Steeped in Seventies music and atmosphere, reading this was like opening an old Yearbook except one filled with flesh-eating ghouls and would-be punk rock band dudes. The M/C discovers he is a ghoul and, as a result, has to consume human flesh. This involves digging up dead bodies and butchering them.
Sounds great, right? Imagine trying to be a teen boy on top of it all - it's tough to date the girl you like when your ghoulish grandma keeps eating all the meat in the freezer.
I know this premise sounds absurd (and, let's be honest, disgusting) but Morton truly makes it work with funny scenes and clear prose. I kept laughing and reading, even through the dig-up-the-corpse sections. My advice is to download the sample and give it a try if you like dark humor, 70's music, and teen horror with a twist.
Sounds great, right? Imagine trying to be a teen boy on top of it all - it's tough to date the girl you like when your ghoulish grandma keeps eating all the meat in the freezer.
I know this premise sounds absurd (and, let's be honest, disgusting) but Morton truly makes it work with funny scenes and clear prose. I kept laughing and reading, even through the dig-up-the-corpse sections. My advice is to download the sample and give it a try if you like dark humor, 70's music, and teen horror with a twist.
March 2, 2015
This book is surprisingly good. I didn't have high hopes going in and it starts a bit slow. But around third way it really picks up and comes in focus.
Being a book about ghouls written in first person I expected some quirky homour and book delivers. From robbing graves to navigating high school, from being in a punk band to romance book manages to be funny without being corny or over the top.
Morton's ghouls never apologise for what they are nor do they seek understanding. They just are what they are altough occasional pangs of regrets ake them more likable.
This not really a horror story, it's ore of a humor story so don't expect goosebups or fright. But you can expšect quite a few laughs mixed with some serious themes like bullying.
Being a book about ghouls written in first person I expected some quirky homour and book delivers. From robbing graves to navigating high school, from being in a punk band to romance book manages to be funny without being corny or over the top.
Morton's ghouls never apologise for what they are nor do they seek understanding. They just are what they are altough occasional pangs of regrets ake them more likable.
This not really a horror story, it's ore of a humor story so don't expect goosebups or fright. But you can expšect quite a few laughs mixed with some serious themes like bullying.
August 27, 2013
Unique twist on a coming-of-age story. Perhaps a tad overlong, but enjoyable as we follow along with Howard as he deals with the usual teenage angst and the extra pressure of keeping his secret safe. Recommended.
August 4, 2013
Appropriately grisly in its life-of-a-ghoul scenes, compellingly realistic in its coming-of-age narrative. An entertaining read.
January 13, 2014
Good read
this was a really fun book too read. kept my interest throughout the whole book. give it a try, you won't be disappointed!
this was a really fun book too read. kept my interest throughout the whole book. give it a try, you won't be disappointed!
April 2, 2014
This wasn't really a horror story but I enjoyed it was very well-written.
August 28, 2014
I thought this was a really good book.. ODD and not my normal genre but I enjoyed the read.
April 8, 2015
Very entertaining
Very good twists lots of fun to read boy meets girl, joins a band, loved the ending. I would definitely read more from this author
Very good twists lots of fun to read boy meets girl, joins a band, loved the ending. I would definitely read more from this author
August 3, 2020
Great book
The story was wild and weird, just pulling you in and kept me guessing. I didn't want to put it down.
The story was wild and weird, just pulling you in and kept me guessing. I didn't want to put it down.
August 4, 2020
Terrific debut!!!
A great new take on ghouls. Very enjoyable and I hope he follows up with more books in this genre.
A great new take on ghouls. Very enjoyable and I hope he follows up with more books in this genre.
Read
April 20, 2023DNF
I got about 38% of the way through the book before I just couldn't finish it. It moved so slowly that it couldn't keep me interested to finish it. I may try again later.
I got about 38% of the way through the book before I just couldn't finish it. It moved so slowly that it couldn't keep me interested to finish it. I may try again later.
July 22, 2017
The book starts out a little slow as the author gives us the background, but once he’s finished giving us the background information, which doesn’t take long, the action starts and doesn’t stop throughout the book.
We all know how difficult it is to be a teenager with raging hormones, boring classes, and tormenting bullies, but imagine watching your parents burnt to death, as you narrowly escape with your life because your father told the vigilante crowd you were in the house sleeping as it is burning to the ground. Imagine further, you’re in Georgia and your nearest relative lives in New Jersey and you only have a few dollars, so a bus or plane is out of the question.
Young Howard Pickman hitches to New Jersey to live with his grandmother, who he hasn’t seen in years. His grandmother is a haggard shell of a woman even though she is just into her early sixties. Howard figures out why after they dig up a freshly dead, not embalmed carcass (embalming fluid is poison to a ghoul), and granny regains her health after nearly four years of not eating human flesh.
Howard is convinced by his grandmother to go back to high school, so he can go to college and pursue an education to become a mortician. You see, ghouls are not like zombies who eat the living, they are scavengers that just clean up the would-be wasted carcasses of the already dead by raided cemeteries in the early morning, while hopefully, no one is watching.
Well, going back to school was a big mistake, like any other high school, Pinebury HS is filled with bullies and jocks and jocks that are bullies. Of course, there are other nerds and cheerleaders, as well. When he takes his SAT and scores in the top five percentile nationally, the trouble begins. Or, ends… depending on how you look at it. OK, maybe the beginning of the end. This really pisses off the Senior Class President, as he believes this somehow lessens his accomplishment on the SAT, even though they both did equally fantastic, though our ghoul was a nerdy newcomer. But, the class president joins with the jocks to harass and bully the now “famous” nerd.
Things really heat up when one the of the nerdy crowd commits suicide (??) in the boy’s locker room and the boys form a punk band. Howard calls more attention to himself by getting a Mohawk haircut and starts dating one of the prettiest girls in school.
I really don’t want to give you too many spoilers, but this is a fun and exciting book after the preliminaries. If you enjoy heart-wrenching drama, alternative lifestyles, a little romance, high school shenanigans, murder, and mayhem, this book is for you!
We all know how difficult it is to be a teenager with raging hormones, boring classes, and tormenting bullies, but imagine watching your parents burnt to death, as you narrowly escape with your life because your father told the vigilante crowd you were in the house sleeping as it is burning to the ground. Imagine further, you’re in Georgia and your nearest relative lives in New Jersey and you only have a few dollars, so a bus or plane is out of the question.
Young Howard Pickman hitches to New Jersey to live with his grandmother, who he hasn’t seen in years. His grandmother is a haggard shell of a woman even though she is just into her early sixties. Howard figures out why after they dig up a freshly dead, not embalmed carcass (embalming fluid is poison to a ghoul), and granny regains her health after nearly four years of not eating human flesh.
Howard is convinced by his grandmother to go back to high school, so he can go to college and pursue an education to become a mortician. You see, ghouls are not like zombies who eat the living, they are scavengers that just clean up the would-be wasted carcasses of the already dead by raided cemeteries in the early morning, while hopefully, no one is watching.
Well, going back to school was a big mistake, like any other high school, Pinebury HS is filled with bullies and jocks and jocks that are bullies. Of course, there are other nerds and cheerleaders, as well. When he takes his SAT and scores in the top five percentile nationally, the trouble begins. Or, ends… depending on how you look at it. OK, maybe the beginning of the end. This really pisses off the Senior Class President, as he believes this somehow lessens his accomplishment on the SAT, even though they both did equally fantastic, though our ghoul was a nerdy newcomer. But, the class president joins with the jocks to harass and bully the now “famous” nerd.
Things really heat up when one the of the nerdy crowd commits suicide (??) in the boy’s locker room and the boys form a punk band. Howard calls more attention to himself by getting a Mohawk haircut and starts dating one of the prettiest girls in school.
I really don’t want to give you too many spoilers, but this is a fun and exciting book after the preliminaries. If you enjoy heart-wrenching drama, alternative lifestyles, a little romance, high school shenanigans, murder, and mayhem, this book is for you!
October 29, 2015
I was wary when I started. Zombie books aren’t a thing for me. But this is about ghouls so I cautiously grabbed this one. I was wrong to be wary. This was interesting, wonderful and a great way to begin my countdown to Halloween.
the characters are humorous, sarcastic and real. It’s refreshing to read a teenage tale that is not mired with drama on normal teenage angst. The writing style is that of a journal but in gothic stylings. This is Howard’s tale. His life from the time he had tragedy hit until he graduated from high school. It is a tale of woe but also strength and embracing and accepting who you are.
Howard isn’t your typical teen. He is a ghoul. Before tragedy he seemed to accept this and live under the radar. After not so much. He goes to live with his granny where we see many misadventures occur. His and granny’s first graveyard trip is one. His mohawk hair is another.
Granny is a wise woman but also a hoot. Her dream of a mortician in the family again cracked me up. Her views and philosophy of being a ghoul was wise and I believed helped Howard.
Each character brings its own dimension to the story. Howard was a ghoul trying to come to terms with what he was and trying to survive high school. His views warred with each other. He wanted to be a good person but it conflicted with being a ghoul. He wanted to be as his dad said but he was smart and also stood out because he tried to fly under the radar. Sebastian and the band helped but so did Marie.
The story was written in a true christopher Pike meet RL Stine and Stephen King. We have the macabre, the gothic and dark and also the freaky. We see the dark side of teenagers in this book and some sections will freak you out. I love a good horror and gothic book and this was that for sure.
I am curious to read more in the series especially since Howard is now off to college. How does he survive college and keep his secret of being a ghoul would be fascinating to read.
A true gothic dark tale that will engross you with the narration and story and at times freak you out in a good way. this story though does have a lesson for us. In Howard’s journey he learns to accept and embrace himself. That what he was didn’t make him a bad person but just a part of him. This is a lesson to learn accept all aspects of who you are and embrace it for it is a part of you.
the characters are humorous, sarcastic and real. It’s refreshing to read a teenage tale that is not mired with drama on normal teenage angst. The writing style is that of a journal but in gothic stylings. This is Howard’s tale. His life from the time he had tragedy hit until he graduated from high school. It is a tale of woe but also strength and embracing and accepting who you are.
Howard isn’t your typical teen. He is a ghoul. Before tragedy he seemed to accept this and live under the radar. After not so much. He goes to live with his granny where we see many misadventures occur. His and granny’s first graveyard trip is one. His mohawk hair is another.
Granny is a wise woman but also a hoot. Her dream of a mortician in the family again cracked me up. Her views and philosophy of being a ghoul was wise and I believed helped Howard.
Each character brings its own dimension to the story. Howard was a ghoul trying to come to terms with what he was and trying to survive high school. His views warred with each other. He wanted to be a good person but it conflicted with being a ghoul. He wanted to be as his dad said but he was smart and also stood out because he tried to fly under the radar. Sebastian and the band helped but so did Marie.
The story was written in a true christopher Pike meet RL Stine and Stephen King. We have the macabre, the gothic and dark and also the freaky. We see the dark side of teenagers in this book and some sections will freak you out. I love a good horror and gothic book and this was that for sure.
I am curious to read more in the series especially since Howard is now off to college. How does he survive college and keep his secret of being a ghoul would be fascinating to read.
A true gothic dark tale that will engross you with the narration and story and at times freak you out in a good way. this story though does have a lesson for us. In Howard’s journey he learns to accept and embrace himself. That what he was didn’t make him a bad person but just a part of him. This is a lesson to learn accept all aspects of who you are and embrace it for it is a part of you.
January 11, 2013
You can also find this review at http://girlinthewoodsreviews.blogspot...
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This book changed my view of the 70's. It really did. Trust me.
Howard Pickman has a secret. A secret that burned his parents to death and caused him to be homeless.
He's a ghoul. If you're wondering, no he's not a GHOST. There's a difference between those two. Ghouls are grave robbers that feast on the meat on the newly dead. He can't stop doing it even though he wants to so guys quit your 'ewws' and your views of the EVIL of it. He'll get sick and all those stuff and he'll look very ugly too. He really wants to be normal, but no matter how much he tries, he still tries to fit in with his friends.
Pulled into high school, accompanied with his grandmother's hopes for him to become a mortician, he is plunged into a world of bullies, drugs and most importantly punk rock. His new friends form a band called the Corpsemen (courtesy of Gerald) and there is irony in it. Don't get it? Never mind.
A girl called Marie Ramos has been paying attention to Howard ever since he joined Photography classes and he is in the same state with her. Together they engage in a relationship that is both uncertain and feared by Howard.
With the memories of his grandfather's letters and grandmother guiding him, he learns how to survive in a world where his kind are seen as monsters.
Emotional, horrible, mysterious and thrilling, this book has completely gripped me in its claws without any intention of letting go.
Brief Review: With a slight resemblance to The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, this book brings us to understand what the word 'growing up' really means. And how what you are affects your future and everyone around you. An impressive debut.
My Rating: 4/5 "Really Liked It"
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This book changed my view of the 70's. It really did. Trust me.
Howard Pickman has a secret. A secret that burned his parents to death and caused him to be homeless.
He's a ghoul. If you're wondering, no he's not a GHOST. There's a difference between those two. Ghouls are grave robbers that feast on the meat on the newly dead. He can't stop doing it even though he wants to so guys quit your 'ewws' and your views of the EVIL of it. He'll get sick and all those stuff and he'll look very ugly too. He really wants to be normal, but no matter how much he tries, he still tries to fit in with his friends.
Pulled into high school, accompanied with his grandmother's hopes for him to become a mortician, he is plunged into a world of bullies, drugs and most importantly punk rock. His new friends form a band called the Corpsemen (courtesy of Gerald) and there is irony in it. Don't get it? Never mind.
A girl called Marie Ramos has been paying attention to Howard ever since he joined Photography classes and he is in the same state with her. Together they engage in a relationship that is both uncertain and feared by Howard.
With the memories of his grandfather's letters and grandmother guiding him, he learns how to survive in a world where his kind are seen as monsters.
Emotional, horrible, mysterious and thrilling, this book has completely gripped me in its claws without any intention of letting go.
Brief Review: With a slight resemblance to The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, this book brings us to understand what the word 'growing up' really means. And how what you are affects your future and everyone around you. An impressive debut.
My Rating: 4/5 "Really Liked It"
March 25, 2014
Humor, Horror & Punk Rock
I want to say upfront that I usually shy away from YA and coming of age novels as a rule because the new crop of writers are churning out such crap fiction that it hurts to read it. American Ghoul enticed me with the description, so I took a chance. It was such a great decision!
American Ghoul is a satirical romp through the late seventies, with loving dashes of humor, Horror and punk rock delivered in a thoroughly credible and witty manner. The protagonist, Howard, is my favorite character, along with his radical friend Sebastian. The characters have big personalities in this book, and the author takes the time to provide small details that really define each character and make them unique. There are no cookie cutter tropes here. Even the secondary characters get backstory.
It was a particular joy to be reminded of what it was like to be a teenager during that era. The tidbits of music, movies, cars and other things added in that showed a late seventies setting. Morton does an excellent job at this, and gets the feeling just right.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who was alive then, likes horror, is a teenager, likes a well written book, or just a fabulous story. I want book two...
I want to say upfront that I usually shy away from YA and coming of age novels as a rule because the new crop of writers are churning out such crap fiction that it hurts to read it. American Ghoul enticed me with the description, so I took a chance. It was such a great decision!
American Ghoul is a satirical romp through the late seventies, with loving dashes of humor, Horror and punk rock delivered in a thoroughly credible and witty manner. The protagonist, Howard, is my favorite character, along with his radical friend Sebastian. The characters have big personalities in this book, and the author takes the time to provide small details that really define each character and make them unique. There are no cookie cutter tropes here. Even the secondary characters get backstory.
It was a particular joy to be reminded of what it was like to be a teenager during that era. The tidbits of music, movies, cars and other things added in that showed a late seventies setting. Morton does an excellent job at this, and gets the feeling just right.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who was alive then, likes horror, is a teenager, likes a well written book, or just a fabulous story. I want book two...
January 4, 2014
Great story. Despite the fact that it's about a corpse-eating Ghoul, and the fact that it's set 30 years before I was even in school, I really found the high school aspect of this story to be quite believable (having sat at the so-called "nerds & fags table" myself). I also really liked the whole murder mystery plot that kept following Howard through his senior year (poor Myron!), and as far as homicidal maniacs go, those kids were very convincing! I also absolutely LOVED both Granny & Sebastian as characters (everyone needs an angry best friend and a crazy Grandma for comic relief!). And I honestly disagree with Howard's final decision, but I can see why he made it. I just still think Granny might have been right about the whole Mortuary School thing (JMO). That being said, I would totally recommend this to anyone trying to find their own way in the world, not just fans of horror (because, honestly, there wasn't all that much of it in here, despite Howard's food cravings). I think this is a great read, and I am looking forward to reading more of Mr. Morton's work!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 9, 2014
Lots of mixed feelings about this one. I became interested in it because I was hoping to see a creative take on a mythological creature trying to survive in a modern setting, but I felt it focused more on the drama that goes on when bullying and drugs begin taking over teen’s lives.
I liked the analogy Howard comes up with to describe horror fans- people are usually drawn more to monsters or slashers. I’m definitely a monster fan. My favorite parts of the book focused on the dangerous, awkward, and occasionally hilarious business of finding food as a ghoul. I grew up reading historical tales of survival cannibalism, so perhaps I have a skewed sense of humor about this kind of thing.
Overall I enjoyed the characters and writing style, but the sadistic attitudes of the villains and the constant theme of giving in to peer pressure and picking up dangerous habits made it more depressing than I expected.
I liked the analogy Howard comes up with to describe horror fans- people are usually drawn more to monsters or slashers. I’m definitely a monster fan. My favorite parts of the book focused on the dangerous, awkward, and occasionally hilarious business of finding food as a ghoul. I grew up reading historical tales of survival cannibalism, so perhaps I have a skewed sense of humor about this kind of thing.
Overall I enjoyed the characters and writing style, but the sadistic attitudes of the villains and the constant theme of giving in to peer pressure and picking up dangerous habits made it more depressing than I expected.
April 13, 2014
To revert to 70s lingo, this book cracked me up. If you're in the mood for an unusual romp and an easy read, give this book a shot. Once I survived the first harvesting story and realized that was the worst of the blood and guts, I was able to relax and laugh about awkward high school experiences, life in the 1970s, and my first experience with ghouls. Thank you, Ginny, for sharing your talented family with me.
July 18, 2015
Enjoyed this much more than I was expecting to, interesting take on paranormal fiction with a focus on how hard it is to fit into every day life - fantasy fiction that felt very real, with a nice 70's setting
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