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80s Ghosts
The year is 2009, and Chrissy Rodriguez is determined to make her ghost hunting vlog an internet success. She’s only one more failed investigation away from financial ruin and having to move back home. When she receives an email asking her to investigate Merlin High, a school that burned down in the 80s, she is presented with a unique opportunity that could make or break her.
As they explore the decaying halls searching for evidence of the paranormal, Chrissy notices that her team is acting a little…off. Everything begins to unravel, blurring the lines between past and present. With her team stretched to its limits, Chrissy realizes that some secrets want to be found. And some of them have even been waiting.
As they explore the decaying halls searching for evidence of the paranormal, Chrissy notices that her team is acting a little…off. Everything begins to unravel, blurring the lines between past and present. With her team stretched to its limits, Chrissy realizes that some secrets want to be found. And some of them have even been waiting.
346 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 28, 2024
407 people are currently reading
2289 people want to read
About the author
V.S. Lawrence
8 books101 followersV.S. Lawrence grew up in Utah being scared of everything. Now, she puts her fears on paper, writing spooky books that feel like Scooby Doo chase music. When not writing, she can be found buried in a horror novel, wandering aimlessly, or cuddling her dog, Rigby. She is still scared of everything.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 324 reviews
October 4, 2024
The main reason this book didn't rank higher with me is that mixed media aspect of it was unnecessarily jarring with the transcripts being really dry and boring, in my opinion, and every time it was introduced it took me a while to get back into the story.
May 14, 2024
A book about ghosts...from the 80s..
Do I want to read it? DUH!
Not only was this book written about ghosts from my favorite era, the present tense is 2009 so we get the nostalgia from then, too. I am so happy this author mentioned Aqua Net because honestly, would it even be about the 80s if they didn't?
As a lover of shows like Ghost Hunters & Ghost Adventures when they first came out, I absolutely loved the premise of this book.
High school was hell for me so the fact the main setting for this story happened to be in one was even more fitting. There were scenes throughout that genuinely creeped me out and others than were gut wrenching. I connected with the main character, Chrissy, and her defense mechanisms around certain situations.
The fact I totally ignored work and flew through this one should let you know you need to read this!
And can we swoon over that cover for a minute, please?
Do I want to read it? DUH!
Not only was this book written about ghosts from my favorite era, the present tense is 2009 so we get the nostalgia from then, too. I am so happy this author mentioned Aqua Net because honestly, would it even be about the 80s if they didn't?
As a lover of shows like Ghost Hunters & Ghost Adventures when they first came out, I absolutely loved the premise of this book.
High school was hell for me so the fact the main setting for this story happened to be in one was even more fitting. There were scenes throughout that genuinely creeped me out and others than were gut wrenching. I connected with the main character, Chrissy, and her defense mechanisms around certain situations.
The fact I totally ignored work and flew through this one should let you know you need to read this!
And can we swoon over that cover for a minute, please?
August 23, 2025
An enjoyable listen, about our MC Chrissy and her band of ghost hunters, set in present day 2009, she has a vlog that she is desperate to make a success of, the only problem is, she’s one failed investigation away from going broke.
Her team is then invited to investigate paranormal happenings at Merlin High School, where tragedy struck when it burned down in the 80s. There are flashbacks to the tragedy, and also the present day, mixed with recording transcripts and interviews.
It was verging on the YA genre for me, it was spooky in some places, but not overly so, there was some romance, which I found a bit eye rolling, and the story overall didn’t keep me completely engaged. I didn’t particularly click with the characters either.
That being said, it was an easy enough listen, it wasn’t overly taxing and was entertaining enough. It was also well narrated. Therefore a middle of the road score from me.
Many thanks to NetGalley and RBmedia for a copy of this Audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
Her team is then invited to investigate paranormal happenings at Merlin High School, where tragedy struck when it burned down in the 80s. There are flashbacks to the tragedy, and also the present day, mixed with recording transcripts and interviews.
It was verging on the YA genre for me, it was spooky in some places, but not overly so, there was some romance, which I found a bit eye rolling, and the story overall didn’t keep me completely engaged. I didn’t particularly click with the characters either.
That being said, it was an easy enough listen, it wasn’t overly taxing and was entertaining enough. It was also well narrated. Therefore a middle of the road score from me.
Many thanks to NetGalley and RBmedia for a copy of this Audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
July 2, 2025
Got this audiobook arc for review on Netgally.
I liked the cover and the blurb sounded something that I would like. The beginning was interesting but as the mystery grew and we got more info about the past, characters and ghost I got really hooked in the story. I didn't always enjoy the characters but in the end it was a 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars.
I liked the cover and the blurb sounded something that I would like. The beginning was interesting but as the mystery grew and we got more info about the past, characters and ghost I got really hooked in the story. I didn't always enjoy the characters but in the end it was a 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars.
August 29, 2025
**3.5-stars**
Chrissy is determined to make her ghost hunting show a success. Even though her vlog-style show has been developing, she's literally one failed investigation away from financial ruin.
Her back is against the wall, that's why her latest investigation has to be a success and she's willing to do anything, risk anything, to make that happen.
When she receives an invitation to investigate Merlin High School, the location of a fire in the 1980s where many lives were lost, she jumps at the opportunity.
The high school is prime grounds for haunting. They could actually find something good this time. Evidence that will boost her show to the next level.
As she and her team settle in and begin their formal investigation of the school, Chrissy notices everyone seems to be acting strangely, including herself. As past and present begin to blur, the investigation starts to go off the rails.
Before, Chrissy just wanted her show to be a success. Now, she'd be happy for them all to just get out alive. What's going on at the old Merlin High, and how will Chrissy and her team be able to help and move past it all?
Unfortunately, after an engaging start, 80s Ghosts took a nosedive into eye roll territory about 3/4 of the way through for me. There's just a certain level of silliness I can get behind, and this was not it.
Let it be known, I love campy, I do not love cheesy.
With this being said, I did enjoy and appreciate the ideas behind this story. The initial set-up was great. I just wanted more intensity and dark horror imagery, which I don't really feel like I got.
I would be interested in picking up more from this author though. Even though this one didn't go in the direction I had hoped, I still see a lot of promise with this writing.
I think for Readers who are newer to the Horror genre, or maybe making the transition from YA to Adult, this could be a good fit. Also, if you are really into Ghost Hunting content in whatever medium, this could be a fun one for you.
The audiobook was also well done and I would recommend that format if you're going to pick this one up. It was a great listening experience.
Thank you to the publisher, Tantor Media, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
I'm glad I had the chance to read this one, and will definitely pick up future work from V.S. Lawrence!
Chrissy is determined to make her ghost hunting show a success. Even though her vlog-style show has been developing, she's literally one failed investigation away from financial ruin.
Her back is against the wall, that's why her latest investigation has to be a success and she's willing to do anything, risk anything, to make that happen.
When she receives an invitation to investigate Merlin High School, the location of a fire in the 1980s where many lives were lost, she jumps at the opportunity.
The high school is prime grounds for haunting. They could actually find something good this time. Evidence that will boost her show to the next level.
As she and her team settle in and begin their formal investigation of the school, Chrissy notices everyone seems to be acting strangely, including herself. As past and present begin to blur, the investigation starts to go off the rails.
Before, Chrissy just wanted her show to be a success. Now, she'd be happy for them all to just get out alive. What's going on at the old Merlin High, and how will Chrissy and her team be able to help and move past it all?
Unfortunately, after an engaging start, 80s Ghosts took a nosedive into eye roll territory about 3/4 of the way through for me. There's just a certain level of silliness I can get behind, and this was not it.
Let it be known, I love campy, I do not love cheesy.
With this being said, I did enjoy and appreciate the ideas behind this story. The initial set-up was great. I just wanted more intensity and dark horror imagery, which I don't really feel like I got.
I would be interested in picking up more from this author though. Even though this one didn't go in the direction I had hoped, I still see a lot of promise with this writing.
I think for Readers who are newer to the Horror genre, or maybe making the transition from YA to Adult, this could be a good fit. Also, if you are really into Ghost Hunting content in whatever medium, this could be a fun one for you.
The audiobook was also well done and I would recommend that format if you're going to pick this one up. It was a great listening experience.
Thank you to the publisher, Tantor Media, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
I'm glad I had the chance to read this one, and will definitely pick up future work from V.S. Lawrence!
July 13, 2025
The cover of this book immediately caught my eye, and after reading the synopsis, I knew I had to dive in. Big thanks to RB Media and NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.
I listened to the audiobook over the course of a couple of days and really enjoyed the narration, it added a lot to the atmosphere and pacing. The story centers around Chrissy and a team of paranormal investigators as they take on a case that could be their big break... but of course, things don’t quite go as planned. The plot was creepy, immersive, and had a cinematic quality. I could easily picture the scenes playing out like a movie as I listened. While some elements were a bit predictable, I still found it entertaining and fun. I was born in the 90s but If you grew up loving Scooby-Doo like I did, there’s a good chance this one will hit the nostalgic sweet spot for you too!
I listened to the audiobook over the course of a couple of days and really enjoyed the narration, it added a lot to the atmosphere and pacing. The story centers around Chrissy and a team of paranormal investigators as they take on a case that could be their big break... but of course, things don’t quite go as planned. The plot was creepy, immersive, and had a cinematic quality. I could easily picture the scenes playing out like a movie as I listened. While some elements were a bit predictable, I still found it entertaining and fun. I was born in the 90s but If you grew up loving Scooby-Doo like I did, there’s a good chance this one will hit the nostalgic sweet spot for you too!
April 24, 2025
dnf at 36% just bc i didn’t care AT ALL
August 11, 2024
I had fun reading this book. I really liked the characters but the plot was a little wobbly at points. Overall a decent ghost story
August 9, 2024
It was entertaining but low on scares, and I could count a few plot holes as well. The characters were well-written, however, but there were a handful of typos, leading me to rate this a solid 3 stars straight down the middle. There's enough to like, but enough to dislike as well.
July 8, 2025
If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if Buzzfeed Unsolved met Stranger Things in a burned-down high school, 80s Ghosts has your answer—and it’s creepy, nostalgic, and just a little bit bizarre. V.S. Lawrence serves up a solid supernatural mystery wrapped in VHS static, shoulder pads, and decaying drywall, all seen through the lens of a desperate ghost-hunting vlogger one unpaid bill away from calling it quits.
The story follows Chrissy Rodriguez in 2009, trying to keep her paranormal vlog alive while the internet collectively shrugs. Her last-ditch shot at fame (or at least relevance) lands her at Merlin High—a school that burned down in the 1980s under mysterious circumstances. From the moment Chrissy and her crew set foot in the ruins, things start to go sideways: team dynamics shift, time doesn’t quite behave, and the air practically hums with secrets that haven’t stopped echoing since leg warmers were in style.
There’s a lot to like here. The setting is spot-on, and not just because it’s haunted. Lawrence uses the school as more than a backdrop; it breathes, remembers, and distorts reality in ways that quietly mess with your head. There’s no reliance on cheap jump scares—just the slow, steady unraveling of reality until you’re not sure if you’re reading about ghosts or witnessing trauma still haunting the walls. The sense of dread grows steadily, and the 80s flashbacks are just eerie enough to feel like déjà vu with a pulse.
The plot moves briskly, even if some twists feel more like educated guesses than surprises. There are connections that land with a satisfying aha, but a few coincidences stretch belief, even in a ghost story. That said, it didn’t take away from the fun—think Scooby-Doo for grown-ups, if Daphne had anxiety and Fred carried a GoPro.
Bianca Bryan’s narration brings it all together in the audiobook. Her voice shifts smoothly across characters, giving each one just enough distinction without veering into caricature. She’s especially good at capturing the simmering tension that bubbles just under the surface—never overly dramatic, but always aware that something’s wrong. Her pace matches the story’s build: calm where it needs to be, quick when the fear kicks in, and unflinchingly steady when the ghosts are whispering from behind the drywall.
This is a 3.5-star read for me—entertaining, a little spooky, and an easy recommendation for fans of haunted places, 80s nostalgia, or messy found-family horror stories. And while the plot doesn’t always shock, it keeps you curious. If nothing else, it makes a strong case for never doing a ghost hunt in a school that looks like the Breakfast Club never left.
The story follows Chrissy Rodriguez in 2009, trying to keep her paranormal vlog alive while the internet collectively shrugs. Her last-ditch shot at fame (or at least relevance) lands her at Merlin High—a school that burned down in the 1980s under mysterious circumstances. From the moment Chrissy and her crew set foot in the ruins, things start to go sideways: team dynamics shift, time doesn’t quite behave, and the air practically hums with secrets that haven’t stopped echoing since leg warmers were in style.
There’s a lot to like here. The setting is spot-on, and not just because it’s haunted. Lawrence uses the school as more than a backdrop; it breathes, remembers, and distorts reality in ways that quietly mess with your head. There’s no reliance on cheap jump scares—just the slow, steady unraveling of reality until you’re not sure if you’re reading about ghosts or witnessing trauma still haunting the walls. The sense of dread grows steadily, and the 80s flashbacks are just eerie enough to feel like déjà vu with a pulse.
The plot moves briskly, even if some twists feel more like educated guesses than surprises. There are connections that land with a satisfying aha, but a few coincidences stretch belief, even in a ghost story. That said, it didn’t take away from the fun—think Scooby-Doo for grown-ups, if Daphne had anxiety and Fred carried a GoPro.
Bianca Bryan’s narration brings it all together in the audiobook. Her voice shifts smoothly across characters, giving each one just enough distinction without veering into caricature. She’s especially good at capturing the simmering tension that bubbles just under the surface—never overly dramatic, but always aware that something’s wrong. Her pace matches the story’s build: calm where it needs to be, quick when the fear kicks in, and unflinchingly steady when the ghosts are whispering from behind the drywall.
This is a 3.5-star read for me—entertaining, a little spooky, and an easy recommendation for fans of haunted places, 80s nostalgia, or messy found-family horror stories. And while the plot doesn’t always shock, it keeps you curious. If nothing else, it makes a strong case for never doing a ghost hunt in a school that looks like the Breakfast Club never left.
July 2, 2025
I am shocked to find that I don't have much to say about this book. I enjoyed it. The ghost hunter tv show theme is always fun to read but adding in a high school where a lot of people died in a fire, that got my attention. So while this was a wonderful read, there isn't much to say other than I liked it and it was a quick read--I binged it in two sittings(sorry, I had to pee) and thought about it for a bit then wrote this.
May 30, 2024
So when I saw the cover of this book, I was interested. When I read what it was about, I knew I just needed to get my hands on a copy. The Author was very kind enough to send me an e-Arc to read and review.
I contacted my bookstagram friend Meg and knew she would be keen to buddy read this as she loves a good horror book.
We meet the Othersiders team - Chrissy, Rodney and Bill and they are a team of ghost hunters. This was set in the early 90s, so the internet was just becoming a thing and they wanted to be different and run their show on the internet and not on tv. Chrissy gets an email from Sam Cleeves to come see a school about 8hrs from where she lives. He goes on to explain what happened to the school in the 80s and the paranormal activity he experiences there. So the team pack up and go, albeit with some reluctance from Bill and Rodney. Chrissy has no idea what she has signed up for and how far it will push her and her team.
The first 17 chapters are slow and world building, but once the team arrives, the pace starts picking up and you feel like you can't put the book down! It was fun having guesses as to what the deeper truth is and why the guys were acting sketchy. I blew through half the book in a day! Sorry Meg! Because I watched alot of scary movies in the 90s, I could picture certain events (think of Nightmare on elm street - the anticipation and just the sinister feelings (not freddy) or Paranormal activity ish). This would have made for a very cool movie! Please do yourself a favor and grab a copy! You won't be disappointed.
I contacted my bookstagram friend Meg and knew she would be keen to buddy read this as she loves a good horror book.
We meet the Othersiders team - Chrissy, Rodney and Bill and they are a team of ghost hunters. This was set in the early 90s, so the internet was just becoming a thing and they wanted to be different and run their show on the internet and not on tv. Chrissy gets an email from Sam Cleeves to come see a school about 8hrs from where she lives. He goes on to explain what happened to the school in the 80s and the paranormal activity he experiences there. So the team pack up and go, albeit with some reluctance from Bill and Rodney. Chrissy has no idea what she has signed up for and how far it will push her and her team.
The first 17 chapters are slow and world building, but once the team arrives, the pace starts picking up and you feel like you can't put the book down! It was fun having guesses as to what the deeper truth is and why the guys were acting sketchy. I blew through half the book in a day! Sorry Meg! Because I watched alot of scary movies in the 90s, I could picture certain events (think of Nightmare on elm street - the anticipation and just the sinister feelings (not freddy) or Paranormal activity ish). This would have made for a very cool movie! Please do yourself a favor and grab a copy! You won't be disappointed.
June 30, 2025
This was a solid haunted school situation. my issue is that I did it on audio and the narrator was weirdly chipper and it just did not fit with the story. ruined my vibe.
July 4, 2025
Big fan of the cover love the VHS style.
I listened to the audiobook and unfortunately I wasn’t a big fan of the narration style. It was a bit too monotone for me and I struggled to get invested in the story as a result.
Possibly if I had read the book I might have been more interested in the characters, but as it stands I found them a little bit bland. I would also have liked a bit more action/creepy moments. It wasn’t a bad story, just not one for me as I was able to guess where it was going.
Thank you NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
I listened to the audiobook and unfortunately I wasn’t a big fan of the narration style. It was a bit too monotone for me and I struggled to get invested in the story as a result.
Possibly if I had read the book I might have been more interested in the characters, but as it stands I found them a little bit bland. I would also have liked a bit more action/creepy moments. It wasn’t a bad story, just not one for me as I was able to guess where it was going.
Thank you NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 28, 2025
Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the audio ARC. This one was on my radar for a while, so I’m stoked I had the chance to bump it up my TBR.
I started this one at the same time as reading a paperback of Let’s Split Up by Bill Wood. It also opens up with a paranormal investigation, and even featured a camcorder, giving it that old school feel. I really thought for a second I was going to have dueling ghost novels, but LSU quickly deviated.
80s Ghosts features Chrissy Rodriguez, a down-on-her-luck paranormal investigator trying to make it big. I was so excited to get into this, and the parallels to my own ghost hunting story, BestGhost, made it even more enjoyable from the jump. Chrissy has the chance to investigate Merlin High with her crew, and although funds are already tight, she’s determined to make this work. A couple hotel room bookings later, they pack up into their very own Mystery Machine (a great nod IMO) and take off. As you can typically suspect in ghost hunting stories, there is not much discovery in the first couple nights. We get the set up, the backstory, the mystery, the tension, and maybe just the beginnings of a hint of haunting. And that’s just how I like it.
The novel has a bunch of nods to the 80s, some of which worked for me as a 90s kid as well. The overall description of how the kids acted back then, especially toward each other (something that I feel has certainly changed) kind of felt akin to Carrie. The mall scene brought back nostalgia for a time when cruising the various stores was the IT place to be. When pizza, a soda, and movies were only a couple bucks.
The novel is also unique in the sense that it blended a few things that are not typical for ghost hunting stories. Or at least I didn’t expect them. Chrissy has nightmares throughout that are part haunting/part clairvoyance, each one growing in intensity. There are multiple twists, not just ones including the spirits left behind, and it’s even a revenge story! While I did think to myself that they must have been some incredibly powerful ghosts to pull it all off, it’s certainly pulse pounding. There is redemption, a smidge of romance, character growth, and forgiveness. A lot of real life ghost hunting shows say they do it to help trapped spirits move on to the afterlife, and this one is no different…well except for the confirmed ghosts.
Great for fans of the 80s, Buzzfeed Unsolved/Ghost Files, and all things paranormal. It was nice to see someone follow a dream, even if it was at the stake of financial ruin, and it was nice to rope in Chrissy’s finding herself and acceptance.
https://fanfiaddict.com/review-80s-gh...
I started this one at the same time as reading a paperback of Let’s Split Up by Bill Wood. It also opens up with a paranormal investigation, and even featured a camcorder, giving it that old school feel. I really thought for a second I was going to have dueling ghost novels, but LSU quickly deviated.
80s Ghosts features Chrissy Rodriguez, a down-on-her-luck paranormal investigator trying to make it big. I was so excited to get into this, and the parallels to my own ghost hunting story, BestGhost, made it even more enjoyable from the jump. Chrissy has the chance to investigate Merlin High with her crew, and although funds are already tight, she’s determined to make this work. A couple hotel room bookings later, they pack up into their very own Mystery Machine (a great nod IMO) and take off. As you can typically suspect in ghost hunting stories, there is not much discovery in the first couple nights. We get the set up, the backstory, the mystery, the tension, and maybe just the beginnings of a hint of haunting. And that’s just how I like it.
The novel has a bunch of nods to the 80s, some of which worked for me as a 90s kid as well. The overall description of how the kids acted back then, especially toward each other (something that I feel has certainly changed) kind of felt akin to Carrie. The mall scene brought back nostalgia for a time when cruising the various stores was the IT place to be. When pizza, a soda, and movies were only a couple bucks.
The novel is also unique in the sense that it blended a few things that are not typical for ghost hunting stories. Or at least I didn’t expect them. Chrissy has nightmares throughout that are part haunting/part clairvoyance, each one growing in intensity. There are multiple twists, not just ones including the spirits left behind, and it’s even a revenge story! While I did think to myself that they must have been some incredibly powerful ghosts to pull it all off, it’s certainly pulse pounding. There is redemption, a smidge of romance, character growth, and forgiveness. A lot of real life ghost hunting shows say they do it to help trapped spirits move on to the afterlife, and this one is no different…well except for the confirmed ghosts.
Great for fans of the 80s, Buzzfeed Unsolved/Ghost Files, and all things paranormal. It was nice to see someone follow a dream, even if it was at the stake of financial ruin, and it was nice to rope in Chrissy’s finding herself and acceptance.
https://fanfiaddict.com/review-80s-gh...
September 29, 2024
I think this indie book would be absolutely perfect for ya fans who like their horror not-too-scary.
July 10, 2025
Thank you NetGalley & RBMedia for the audiobook in exchange for an honest review
3.75 stars
This was a fun nostalgic read. Kind of gave me Strangers Things vibes but I think this was just because some of it is based in the 80s. Plot twists were a bit predictable and stale but overall an enjoyable read (listen)
3.75 stars
This was a fun nostalgic read. Kind of gave me Strangers Things vibes but I think this was just because some of it is based in the 80s. Plot twists were a bit predictable and stale but overall an enjoyable read (listen)
November 19, 2024
It’s the last chance before financial ruin for Chrissy and her ghost hunting business. Along with her friends and colleagues, Rodney and Bill they take on the investigation of Merlin High School, the scene of an horrific fire on prom night. But something lurks in the hallways of the abandoned school and her friends are acting strangely.
An old school haunted house story set in 2009 with real Point Horror vibes. A tragic backstory with murderous intent. All the characters are here, the popular pretty girl, the dark male, the bully, the bullied, the high school hierarchy, the lost and the haunted all combine to make this a fabulous creepy tale of good and evil.
Chrissy is wonderful, flawed with underlying psychic abilities, Rodney is the strong one but with heavy sadness and guilt wrapped around him and Bill is the geek with a dark secret. Fast paced with some great twists, this is on KU and absolutely worth a read!
An old school haunted house story set in 2009 with real Point Horror vibes. A tragic backstory with murderous intent. All the characters are here, the popular pretty girl, the dark male, the bully, the bullied, the high school hierarchy, the lost and the haunted all combine to make this a fabulous creepy tale of good and evil.
Chrissy is wonderful, flawed with underlying psychic abilities, Rodney is the strong one but with heavy sadness and guilt wrapped around him and Bill is the geek with a dark secret. Fast paced with some great twists, this is on KU and absolutely worth a read!
July 13, 2024
On the one hand, it was entertaining/interesting enough to keep me reading. On the other hand, it was riddled with typos and continuity errors/weird inconsistencies (a character born in the 80s has never seen any cars from the 80s outside of movies and TV? WHUT?). It was repetitive and predictable, and the "twists" all rely on the protagonist being too dense to ask questions when the answers are *right in front of her!* If you like frustration, this one might be for you!
You know, I think I've talked myself down to a 2.5 now. With a good editor who would insist on the author fixing the aforementioned issues, plus taking out a good percentage of the repetitive padding, this could easily be a 3.5, maybe even 4 star book.
You know, I think I've talked myself down to a 2.5 now. With a good editor who would insist on the author fixing the aforementioned issues, plus taking out a good percentage of the repetitive padding, this could easily be a 3.5, maybe even 4 star book.
June 26, 2024
Ghosts from the 80s? Saying things like rad and dweeb? I'm in.
I truly enjoyed this story! I did see most of the twists coming but that didn't ruin my experience. I felt like it told the story beautifully and in exactly the right way. Lovely emotional moments at the end.
I truly enjoyed this story! I did see most of the twists coming but that didn't ruin my experience. I felt like it told the story beautifully and in exactly the right way. Lovely emotional moments at the end.
February 4, 2025
This story is so fresh and different! It wasn't creepy, but I still loved it! That plot twist totally surprised me! I'm hooked on this author's style – I'll read anything she writes!
July 1, 2025
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book via NetGally in exchange for an honest review!
This book is a supernatural ghost story with a mystery.
We follow our main female character Chrissy Rodriguez in the year of 2009. She has left home against her parents wishes to follow her dream and try to prove to the world that the supernatural is real via her ghost hunting vlog. She is in a though possition financally and is depending on her next job to «save» her situation. A perfect opportunity arises when she recieves and email asking her to investigate Merlin High, a school that burned down in the 80s. She is bringing her coworkers Rodney and Bill to this school to search for evidence of the paranormal. Rodney do not really believe in the supernatural and he is really hesitant to join this job. Why that is, you have to read the book to find out!
If you like a good ghost story this book is for you! I liked the supernatural aspect of the book. I enjoyed following our main characters and how they evolved trought the book. There might even have been a small romance side plot here! The mystery hold my attention trough the book and I was exited to know how the book ended! How did the school burn down? Was anyone involved in setting the fire? And are there actually any ghosts inside. This school?
This book is a supernatural ghost story with a mystery.
We follow our main female character Chrissy Rodriguez in the year of 2009. She has left home against her parents wishes to follow her dream and try to prove to the world that the supernatural is real via her ghost hunting vlog. She is in a though possition financally and is depending on her next job to «save» her situation. A perfect opportunity arises when she recieves and email asking her to investigate Merlin High, a school that burned down in the 80s. She is bringing her coworkers Rodney and Bill to this school to search for evidence of the paranormal. Rodney do not really believe in the supernatural and he is really hesitant to join this job. Why that is, you have to read the book to find out!
If you like a good ghost story this book is for you! I liked the supernatural aspect of the book. I enjoyed following our main characters and how they evolved trought the book. There might even have been a small romance side plot here! The mystery hold my attention trough the book and I was exited to know how the book ended! How did the school burn down? Was anyone involved in setting the fire? And are there actually any ghosts inside. This school?
September 2, 2024
Book Review 🖤
80's Ghost By @vslawrence.author
Rating ~ 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I absolutely loved this book ! I finished it while being in the hospital all day yesterday due to being concussed 😩 Thank God for Dark Mode on my Kindle, or else it would've been a struggle to finish.
I am also super obsessed with this cover ! It's spooky and just completely stands out, which is what caught my eye to check it out ! I have never read V.H Lawrence, but I can't wait to get into some other books from this author!!!
This book was a very easy read & creepy , was definitely a very fun read. I've always been into ghosts and haunted stuff, so this book was definitely the perfect fit ♡♡
If you haven't read this book, I highly recommend it !! It's also free on Kindle Unlimited ♡
80's Ghost By @vslawrence.author
Rating ~ 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I absolutely loved this book ! I finished it while being in the hospital all day yesterday due to being concussed 😩 Thank God for Dark Mode on my Kindle, or else it would've been a struggle to finish.
I am also super obsessed with this cover ! It's spooky and just completely stands out, which is what caught my eye to check it out ! I have never read V.H Lawrence, but I can't wait to get into some other books from this author!!!
This book was a very easy read & creepy , was definitely a very fun read. I've always been into ghosts and haunted stuff, so this book was definitely the perfect fit ♡♡
If you haven't read this book, I highly recommend it !! It's also free on Kindle Unlimited ♡
July 30, 2025
Ok, so I admit I went into this for the nostalgia and I came out surprised. This book is reminiscent of RL Stine, but if he did an adult book, then combine that with a hint of Stranger Things. 80’s combined with recent times + ghosts!
This book was an interesting take on a ghost hunt/murder investigation. The main character has a ghost investigation business and gets a request to investigate an old high school that was home to a mass casualty during the 80’s which killed several students when a fire broke out during a school dance. This ghost hunt turns into a full fledged murder investigation with some twists I didn’t see coming.
(I listened to an audiobook ARC thanks to NetGalley)
This book was an interesting take on a ghost hunt/murder investigation. The main character has a ghost investigation business and gets a request to investigate an old high school that was home to a mass casualty during the 80’s which killed several students when a fire broke out during a school dance. This ghost hunt turns into a full fledged murder investigation with some twists I didn’t see coming.
(I listened to an audiobook ARC thanks to NetGalley)
May 19, 2024
From the outset, I found myself drawn into Chrissy’s world, her relationships with Rodney and Bill, and was excited to delve into their ghost hunting investigations. I’m a fan of ghost hunting shows (okay, unsolved/ghost files) so could easily imagine the equipment they used during their investigations. I appreciated the attention to detail for these.
I found the characters easy to connect to and the story compelling. I read this story super fast (saying something from a usually snail paced reader) because I couldn’t wait to learn more about the Merlin High investigation and the disaster that had happened at the school which had left behind supernatural elements. I will say, this was incredibly well done in terms of pacing. I was left wanting to read more after every chapter. I was also genuinely creeped out by some of the descriptions and hauntings.
There were enough breadcrumbs left along the way for me to make some connections, though I wasn’t ever 100% certain how they were going to play out and so that left me eagerly reading on in the story. If you enjoy ghost stories, 80s nostalgia and murder mysteries, this is the book for you!
#bookreview #ghoststory #horrorbook #spookybook #80sghosts #amreading #amreadinghorror #arcreview #fantasyreader #booksbooksbooks #bookish #bookstagram
I found the characters easy to connect to and the story compelling. I read this story super fast (saying something from a usually snail paced reader) because I couldn’t wait to learn more about the Merlin High investigation and the disaster that had happened at the school which had left behind supernatural elements. I will say, this was incredibly well done in terms of pacing. I was left wanting to read more after every chapter. I was also genuinely creeped out by some of the descriptions and hauntings.
There were enough breadcrumbs left along the way for me to make some connections, though I wasn’t ever 100% certain how they were going to play out and so that left me eagerly reading on in the story. If you enjoy ghost stories, 80s nostalgia and murder mysteries, this is the book for you!
#bookreview #ghoststory #horrorbook #spookybook #80sghosts #amreading #amreadinghorror #arcreview #fantasyreader #booksbooksbooks #bookish #bookstagram
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 20, 2024
This was a fun ride. It's a fast read and I enjoyed the interesting take on "psychic" type characters. I'm big on the 80s and loved the nods to the era. The imagery was enough while not being overwhelming. You can make some educated guesses about where the story will go but I didn't think that took anything from the book. Check this one out!
July 23, 2025
Thank you to RBmedia, NetGalley & V.S. Lawrence for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 2 stars.
Genre(s): horror, paranormal.
Overall impression: I really wanted to love 80s Ghosts but it fell completely flat for me. Despite the narrator suiting the FMC Chrissy's voice quite well, I felt disengaged and disinterested in the characters and storyline. Whilst the ghost lore was interesting, I wish it had been pursued in more depth. It didn't really have the horror element or scare factor that I was hoping for, so I was left feeling unsatisfied by the ending.
Tropes:
➵ Ghost hunting
➵ Haunted school
➵ Prom disaster
➵ Possessions
➵ Friends acting weird
➵ Secret identity
➵ Searching for the killer
➵ Romance sub-plot
⤷ Plot:
I've played Phasmophobia on PC with some of my friends and I was so excited to relive those memories through this ghost hunting novel. Unfortunately, it fell completely flat for me and I realised pretty early on that it wasn't going to meet my expectations.
At the start of the novel, we're introduced to the trio of main characters that have decided to start a ghost hunter YouTube channel. They know the market is saturated, so their sticking point is to be ethical and respectful of ghosts. But then we jump right into a scene where they're faking their hauntings and have zero respect for the dead. It was so contradictory that I immediately took a dislike to the characters. When they finally decide to do a 'real' trip to a haunted school, the whole thing just seemed so amateur and poorly planned. The events that followed felt way too convenient to be believable with Chrissy connecting with community members that just happened to contact her at the perfect time to give the next clue in what really happened at the school all those years ago. Instead of getting the full story from the locals, we're fed crumbs of information at an excruciatingly slow pace. I stopped caring really quickly and only finished the book out of completeness.
Another issue I had was the romance sub-plot. Not every book needs to have romance and it worked so poorly in this one. The characters had zero chemistry so it was completely random when they hooked up. It was just another part of the book that felt jarring and disjointed.
⤷ Characters:
I didn't really like any of the characters. Chrissy was broke and despite having zero luck with the previous investigations, decided to throw all her eggs in one basket and spend all of her money on this last trip. I had a really hard time feeling any sort of sympathy towards her because it made no sense that she would think the school haunting would gain her any money, given none of her previous videos on YouTube had. But I tried to overlook that and just hope the story would get better.
The rest of her team were pretty two dimensional. They were disinterested and cold towards the investigation at the start, so there was no one to root for or relate to. They didn't undergo any character development throughout the story either, so the ending felt completely unsatisfying.
⤷ World-building:
Set in a paranormal world, there was a level of minor world-building. The ghosts had limited powers and could affect those living close to the school through dream manipulation, apparitions, flashbacks and minor possessions. Unfortunately, their powers were so limited that I never actually believed the main characters were in danger. I wasn't particularly scared - if anything I was a little bit bored.
⤷ Writing:
The writing was very clear and straight forward. I enjoyed the use of technical words like EMS when the group were ghost hunting, it made the story feel well researched and believable. The rest of the modern jargon/slang words were quite jarring though and it took me a second to reengage with the story when these terms were thrown in. The general sentence structure and pace of the story was really well done.
⤷ Everything else:
Bianca Bryan narrated the RBmedia audiobook version of 80s Ghosts. While her voice fit the role of Chrissy quite well, there were scenes that didn't lend very well to narration - like the written transcripts of the voice/video recording. It sounded robotic and completely disengaged me from the story. I would recommend this book in written format instead of audio in this instance.
Statistics:
➵ Date read: 08/07/2025-10/07/2025 (3 days).
➵ Page count: 9 hrs 35 mins.
➵ Type: audiobook.
➵ Volume: standalone.
➵ Special: NetGalley ARC.
Social Media Links:
Instagram | TikTok | Threads
Follow for reviews, unboxings and book aesthetic videos.
Rating: 2 stars.
Genre(s): horror, paranormal.
Overall impression: I really wanted to love 80s Ghosts but it fell completely flat for me. Despite the narrator suiting the FMC Chrissy's voice quite well, I felt disengaged and disinterested in the characters and storyline. Whilst the ghost lore was interesting, I wish it had been pursued in more depth. It didn't really have the horror element or scare factor that I was hoping for, so I was left feeling unsatisfied by the ending.
Tropes:
➵ Ghost hunting
➵ Haunted school
➵ Prom disaster
➵ Possessions
➵ Friends acting weird
➵ Secret identity
➵ Searching for the killer
➵ Romance sub-plot
⤷ Plot:
I've played Phasmophobia on PC with some of my friends and I was so excited to relive those memories through this ghost hunting novel. Unfortunately, it fell completely flat for me and I realised pretty early on that it wasn't going to meet my expectations.
At the start of the novel, we're introduced to the trio of main characters that have decided to start a ghost hunter YouTube channel. They know the market is saturated, so their sticking point is to be ethical and respectful of ghosts. But then we jump right into a scene where they're faking their hauntings and have zero respect for the dead. It was so contradictory that I immediately took a dislike to the characters. When they finally decide to do a 'real' trip to a haunted school, the whole thing just seemed so amateur and poorly planned. The events that followed felt way too convenient to be believable with Chrissy connecting with community members that just happened to contact her at the perfect time to give the next clue in what really happened at the school all those years ago. Instead of getting the full story from the locals, we're fed crumbs of information at an excruciatingly slow pace. I stopped caring really quickly and only finished the book out of completeness.
Another issue I had was the romance sub-plot. Not every book needs to have romance and it worked so poorly in this one. The characters had zero chemistry so it was completely random when they hooked up. It was just another part of the book that felt jarring and disjointed.
⤷ Characters:
I didn't really like any of the characters. Chrissy was broke and despite having zero luck with the previous investigations, decided to throw all her eggs in one basket and spend all of her money on this last trip. I had a really hard time feeling any sort of sympathy towards her because it made no sense that she would think the school haunting would gain her any money, given none of her previous videos on YouTube had. But I tried to overlook that and just hope the story would get better.
The rest of her team were pretty two dimensional. They were disinterested and cold towards the investigation at the start, so there was no one to root for or relate to. They didn't undergo any character development throughout the story either, so the ending felt completely unsatisfying.
⤷ World-building:
Set in a paranormal world, there was a level of minor world-building. The ghosts had limited powers and could affect those living close to the school through dream manipulation, apparitions, flashbacks and minor possessions. Unfortunately, their powers were so limited that I never actually believed the main characters were in danger. I wasn't particularly scared - if anything I was a little bit bored.
⤷ Writing:
The writing was very clear and straight forward. I enjoyed the use of technical words like EMS when the group were ghost hunting, it made the story feel well researched and believable. The rest of the modern jargon/slang words were quite jarring though and it took me a second to reengage with the story when these terms were thrown in. The general sentence structure and pace of the story was really well done.
⤷ Everything else:
Bianca Bryan narrated the RBmedia audiobook version of 80s Ghosts. While her voice fit the role of Chrissy quite well, there were scenes that didn't lend very well to narration - like the written transcripts of the voice/video recording. It sounded robotic and completely disengaged me from the story. I would recommend this book in written format instead of audio in this instance.
Statistics:
➵ Date read: 08/07/2025-10/07/2025 (3 days).
➵ Page count: 9 hrs 35 mins.
➵ Type: audiobook.
➵ Volume: standalone.
➵ Special: NetGalley ARC.
Social Media Links:
Instagram | TikTok | Threads
Follow for reviews, unboxings and book aesthetic videos.
June 13, 2024
Aaaaah!!! The joy of a long looked for preorder’s arrival. I’m absolutely haunted by the concept and the cover of author VS Lawrence’s new novel, 80s Ghosts, and ended up finishing it at 3:30 AM. It was so good there was no way I could sleep until I knew what happened. The sign of a great story!
A horror tale set in the aughts, ghost hunting vlogger Chrissy has an opportunity to explore paranormal activity at long abandoned and derilict Merlin High School. It was destroyed by a suspicious fire during a Homecoming dance in the 1980’s, with great loss of life of students trapped in the gymnasium. This opportunity is also a final chance for Chrissy and her team to make a go of their failing business by exploring this ‘80’s tragedy and capturing evidence of “othersider” activity.
Needless to say, this is no ordinary haunting. With Chrissy’s team acting weirdly, and evidence of conflicting eerie forces, she has to marshal her leadership skills and her own latent paranormal abilities despite her fear. (I will personally never look at a straw the same way ever again!)
The 80’s nostalgia (you can just smell the Aqua Net), the terrifying images (eeeek, the straw and so much more!), a kick ass othersider final girl, the team relationships being put to otherworldly stress, and a perfect horror ending all made this so worth the wait.
Actually, now I can’t wait for VS Lawrence’s next tale of terror…..
A horror tale set in the aughts, ghost hunting vlogger Chrissy has an opportunity to explore paranormal activity at long abandoned and derilict Merlin High School. It was destroyed by a suspicious fire during a Homecoming dance in the 1980’s, with great loss of life of students trapped in the gymnasium. This opportunity is also a final chance for Chrissy and her team to make a go of their failing business by exploring this ‘80’s tragedy and capturing evidence of “othersider” activity.
Needless to say, this is no ordinary haunting. With Chrissy’s team acting weirdly, and evidence of conflicting eerie forces, she has to marshal her leadership skills and her own latent paranormal abilities despite her fear. (I will personally never look at a straw the same way ever again!)
The 80’s nostalgia (you can just smell the Aqua Net), the terrifying images (eeeek, the straw and so much more!), a kick ass othersider final girl, the team relationships being put to otherworldly stress, and a perfect horror ending all made this so worth the wait.
Actually, now I can’t wait for VS Lawrence’s next tale of terror…..
June 6, 2024
Really great story, excellent debut!
A high school haunted by ghosts from a deadly 80’s fire. A ghost hunting team there to investigate. Who instead wind up way more involved than they ever thought. Fast paced, strong female lead, twists and turns and a good solid story.
A high school haunted by ghosts from a deadly 80’s fire. A ghost hunting team there to investigate. Who instead wind up way more involved than they ever thought. Fast paced, strong female lead, twists and turns and a good solid story.
July 13, 2024
4.5 overall!
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