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Ghosted
Not yet published
Expected 10 Nov 26A darkly humorous story about a girl desperate for revenge against a boy who ghosts her, while trying to keep her sleep paralysis demon at bay and navigate her first serious crush on a girl—for fans of The Ex Hex and the Scary Movie franchise!
"Oh no . . . Did I hurt the big bad demon’s feelings?"
Keziah is very familiar with the concept of ghosts—after all, a sleep paralysis demon has been her closest companion for the last few years. She's, unfortunately, also all-too-familiar with the concept of being ghosted. Which isn't helping her quest to secure a date for the Homecoming dance, to get her best friend off her back and help her bid for Homecoming queen. And then she meets a guy who just transferred to the all-boys school nearby. He's charming, cute, and—unlike with her other dates—she actually sees potential with him.
Too bad he ghosts her, too.
This time, though, she isn't going to take it so easily. Not when Guy and his friends mess with her real true love, Mr. Kim's food truck, and especially not when she finds out the real reason Guy transferred in the first place. If he wants to ghost, she'll haunt him right back to where he came from.
Enacting revenge while her sleep paralysis demon keeps bugging her certainly won’t be easy but, with help from a cute girl, let the real (and well-deserved) ghosting begin!
"Oh no . . . Did I hurt the big bad demon’s feelings?"
Keziah is very familiar with the concept of ghosts—after all, a sleep paralysis demon has been her closest companion for the last few years. She's, unfortunately, also all-too-familiar with the concept of being ghosted. Which isn't helping her quest to secure a date for the Homecoming dance, to get her best friend off her back and help her bid for Homecoming queen. And then she meets a guy who just transferred to the all-boys school nearby. He's charming, cute, and—unlike with her other dates—she actually sees potential with him.
Too bad he ghosts her, too.
This time, though, she isn't going to take it so easily. Not when Guy and his friends mess with her real true love, Mr. Kim's food truck, and especially not when she finds out the real reason Guy transferred in the first place. If he wants to ghost, she'll haunt him right back to where he came from.
Enacting revenge while her sleep paralysis demon keeps bugging her certainly won’t be easy but, with help from a cute girl, let the real (and well-deserved) ghosting begin!
Kindle Edition
Expected publication November 10, 2026
About the author
Talia Tucker
4 books111 followersTalia Tucker lives and writes in New Jersey. She has a BA in Communication from Rutgers University and an MA in Liberal Studies from Loyola University Maryland. She loves mindless comedies and twisty slow-burn dramas, both of which inspire her writing, as does her connection to her Korean and Jamaican communities. Rules for Rule Breaking is her YA debut.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
👻🖤 Ghosted by Talia Tucker 🖤👻
I wanted to like this but it fell flat for me. I really struggled with the pacing of this book. It just wasn't for me.
What to Expect
👻 Revenge plot
😈 Sleep paralysis demon
🏫 Homecoming
🌈 Sapphic crush
🍜 Food truck
🖤 Dark humor
_ _ _
📅 Pub Date: November 10, 2026
📝 Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Feiwel & Friends, and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
I wanted to like this but it fell flat for me. I really struggled with the pacing of this book. It just wasn't for me.
What to Expect
👻 Revenge plot
😈 Sleep paralysis demon
🏫 Homecoming
🌈 Sapphic crush
🍜 Food truck
🖤 Dark humor
_ _ _
📅 Pub Date: November 10, 2026
📝 Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Feiwel & Friends, and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley, Feiwel & Friends, and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for providing me with an advance reader copy of Ghosted in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
From the moment I picked up Ghosted, I absolutely loved the premise it was establishing. The prose was engaging, the concept immediately hooked me, and the characters felt authentic and memorable. Even Steve, who functions as both an antagonist and, in many ways, a secondary protagonist, quickly became one of my favorite parts of the novel.
One of the novel's greatest strengths is its dialogue. Every conversation felt natural, distinct, and true to the characters speaking. Whether the scene was emotionally devastating or genuinely funny, the dialogue never felt forced or overly polished. Instead, it read like real people talking to one another, which made the relationships feel authentic and allowed both the humor and emotional moments to land naturally. In a genre where dialogue can sometimes become overly dramatic, Ghosted felt refreshingly human. Even the supporting cast felt like people with lives outside the protagonist's story. None of them existed simply to fill space; each had their own personality, purpose, and story, making the world feel richer and more believable.
The first third of the novel is where Ghosted truly shines. It asks compelling questions, establishes an eerie atmosphere, and introduces enough mystery to keep the pages turning. I found myself constantly theorizing, connecting clues, and trying to unravel what was really happening. As someone who loves psychological horror and mysteries that invite speculation, I was completely invested.
The middle third, however, is where the pacing lost me. The focus shifted heavily toward character and romance development, both of which were genuinely well written, but I felt the balance between character development and plot development became uneven. The mystery that had initially captivated me seemed to take a backseat for too long, causing the momentum to slow considerably. While I personally continued because the opening had earned enough of my trust to keep going, I also found myself understanding why some readers might choose to set the book aside during this section.
Thankfully, the final third regains that momentum. The mystery begins weaving back together, smaller threads established early in the novel start connecting, and the story once again becomes difficult to put down. It reminded me just how compelling the premise truly is when the horror, mystery, character development, and emotional stakes are all working together. Ghosted is at its absolute best when it trusts its characters, because they're compelling enough to carry both the humor and the heartbreak.
My biggest criticism comes from the ending, not because of where Keziah's story ends, but because of how quickly she gets there. I actually felt her ultimate fate fit the trajectory of her character. What didn't quite work for me was how rapidly her emotional journey concluded afterward. Keziah spends the entire novel stubbornly questioning reality, challenging everything she's told, and refusing to accept easy answers. That relentless, sarcastic, emotionally messy determination is what made me love her. By the end, I found myself wishing she had been given more page time to remain unmistakably Keziah while coming to terms with her new reality. Likewise, Steve, one of the novel's most fascinating and unsettling characters, deserved more page time in the final act. Their dynamic was one of the book's greatest strengths, and I left wanting more of it.
Ultimately, my biggest criticisms stem from how invested I became in these characters. I wasn't ready to leave Keziah and Steve behind, and I think that's one of the highest compliments I can give any novel.
Overall, Ghosted is a strong psychological horror novel with memorable characters, thoughtful trauma representation, genuine dark humor, and an engaging central mystery. While the uneven pacing in the middle and a conclusion that felt emotionally rushed kept it from becoming a five-star read for me, I still found it to be an enjoyable and worthwhile experience that I'd happily recommend to readers who enjoy psychological horror, emotionally driven mysteries, and stories that blend supernatural elements with deeply human struggles.
From the moment I picked up Ghosted, I absolutely loved the premise it was establishing. The prose was engaging, the concept immediately hooked me, and the characters felt authentic and memorable. Even Steve, who functions as both an antagonist and, in many ways, a secondary protagonist, quickly became one of my favorite parts of the novel.
One of the novel's greatest strengths is its dialogue. Every conversation felt natural, distinct, and true to the characters speaking. Whether the scene was emotionally devastating or genuinely funny, the dialogue never felt forced or overly polished. Instead, it read like real people talking to one another, which made the relationships feel authentic and allowed both the humor and emotional moments to land naturally. In a genre where dialogue can sometimes become overly dramatic, Ghosted felt refreshingly human. Even the supporting cast felt like people with lives outside the protagonist's story. None of them existed simply to fill space; each had their own personality, purpose, and story, making the world feel richer and more believable.
The first third of the novel is where Ghosted truly shines. It asks compelling questions, establishes an eerie atmosphere, and introduces enough mystery to keep the pages turning. I found myself constantly theorizing, connecting clues, and trying to unravel what was really happening. As someone who loves psychological horror and mysteries that invite speculation, I was completely invested.
The middle third, however, is where the pacing lost me. The focus shifted heavily toward character and romance development, both of which were genuinely well written, but I felt the balance between character development and plot development became uneven. The mystery that had initially captivated me seemed to take a backseat for too long, causing the momentum to slow considerably. While I personally continued because the opening had earned enough of my trust to keep going, I also found myself understanding why some readers might choose to set the book aside during this section.
Thankfully, the final third regains that momentum. The mystery begins weaving back together, smaller threads established early in the novel start connecting, and the story once again becomes difficult to put down. It reminded me just how compelling the premise truly is when the horror, mystery, character development, and emotional stakes are all working together. Ghosted is at its absolute best when it trusts its characters, because they're compelling enough to carry both the humor and the heartbreak.
My biggest criticism comes from the ending, not because of where Keziah's story ends, but because of how quickly she gets there. I actually felt her ultimate fate fit the trajectory of her character. What didn't quite work for me was how rapidly her emotional journey concluded afterward. Keziah spends the entire novel stubbornly questioning reality, challenging everything she's told, and refusing to accept easy answers. That relentless, sarcastic, emotionally messy determination is what made me love her. By the end, I found myself wishing she had been given more page time to remain unmistakably Keziah while coming to terms with her new reality. Likewise, Steve, one of the novel's most fascinating and unsettling characters, deserved more page time in the final act. Their dynamic was one of the book's greatest strengths, and I left wanting more of it.
Ultimately, my biggest criticisms stem from how invested I became in these characters. I wasn't ready to leave Keziah and Steve behind, and I think that's one of the highest compliments I can give any novel.
Overall, Ghosted is a strong psychological horror novel with memorable characters, thoughtful trauma representation, genuine dark humor, and an engaging central mystery. While the uneven pacing in the middle and a conclusion that felt emotionally rushed kept it from becoming a five-star read for me, I still found it to be an enjoyable and worthwhile experience that I'd happily recommend to readers who enjoy psychological horror, emotionally driven mysteries, and stories that blend supernatural elements with deeply human struggles.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks #NetGalley for the ARC of Ghosted.
This was a fun read and I flew through the book. Keziah is a textbook unreliable narrator and I enjoy that in books especially horror themed ones. I also enjoyed how the initial LI and main male character doesnt even officially get a name, going by Guy throughout. It was fun reading Keziahs declining mental health and wondering were the things she saw actually happening and what was real and what was in her mind.
I enjoyed her building relationship with Gigi throughout the book a well. It felt believable and they both felt believably flawed to me. I do think a few interactions between them came off a little rushed but overall I think their relationship was the strongest and most engaging in the book. As well as watching Keziah struggle against her own self sabatoging behaviors as she half tries to ruin the relationship believing herself unworthy.
I would have liked to learn more about her heavily hinted about past and the trauma is seems she endured when younger. As well as more of her relationship with her mother and why it is so toxic. Also would like to learn more about Jessica and their relationship. It felt believable and I enjoyed their animosity though I think later developments would have gone down easier with more development of Jessica's character.
I enjoyed all the side characters as well. I guess I would have just liked there to be more of everything. It was a short and quick read but had the pacing been a little slower and more fleshed out I wouldnt have minded either.
Only thing keeping it from a 5 star read for me is I felt the ending maybe last 20 pages were a little rushed. I am not completely sold on ending though I understand the cyclical nature of it. I think taking more time and really drawing up the dread and angst and resolutions there would elevate it.
At end of the day I enjoyed the book and it made me interested in viewing the authors other books as well!
This was a fun read and I flew through the book. Keziah is a textbook unreliable narrator and I enjoy that in books especially horror themed ones. I also enjoyed how the initial LI and main male character doesnt even officially get a name, going by Guy throughout. It was fun reading Keziahs declining mental health and wondering were the things she saw actually happening and what was real and what was in her mind.
I enjoyed her building relationship with Gigi throughout the book a well. It felt believable and they both felt believably flawed to me. I do think a few interactions between them came off a little rushed but overall I think their relationship was the strongest and most engaging in the book. As well as watching Keziah struggle against her own self sabatoging behaviors as she half tries to ruin the relationship believing herself unworthy.
I would have liked to learn more about her heavily hinted about past and the trauma is seems she endured when younger. As well as more of her relationship with her mother and why it is so toxic. Also would like to learn more about Jessica and their relationship. It felt believable and I enjoyed their animosity though I think later developments would have gone down easier with more development of Jessica's character.
I enjoyed all the side characters as well. I guess I would have just liked there to be more of everything. It was a short and quick read but had the pacing been a little slower and more fleshed out I wouldnt have minded either.
Only thing keeping it from a 5 star read for me is I felt the ending maybe last 20 pages were a little rushed. I am not completely sold on ending though I understand the cyclical nature of it. I think taking more time and really drawing up the dread and angst and resolutions there would elevate it.
At end of the day I enjoyed the book and it made me interested in viewing the authors other books as well!
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Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and Netgalley sending me this ARC!!
First of all, great writing. I loved the figurative language the author used, and it really pulled the book up a star in my opinion. I will say though, the plot didn't make too much sense, especially because the whole point is she gets back at a guy who ghosted her (but we don't see him until like 25 percent of the way through, after she was ghosted by ANOTHER completely different dude). Secondly, maybe this is because I don't suffer from sleep paralysis but the whole thing with the demon was confusing because there were whole chapters in his perspective, buthe barely affected the plot at all. He was used as an excuse most of the time but NEVER actually interacted with any characters other than the main one. On top of that, the demon (Steve) never helped the main character in anyway (even though that was what the summary said) and I was a little sad, because I expected a book about a love/hate relationship between the two and they solve her problems together but the demon is snarky. As much as the book was all over the place, I did like that it was just casually gay. It could have been done a lot better though. When she came out, she just kind of was like "Oh. Okay then." AND IT WAS NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED BY ANYONE ELSE. At most it was met with mild surprise. That was a bit weird to me.
TLDR: Fun, but all over the place
First of all, great writing. I loved the figurative language the author used, and it really pulled the book up a star in my opinion. I will say though, the plot didn't make too much sense, especially because the whole point is she gets back at a guy who ghosted her (but we don't see him until like 25 percent of the way through, after she was ghosted by ANOTHER completely different dude). Secondly, maybe this is because I don't suffer from sleep paralysis but the whole thing with the demon was confusing because there were whole chapters in his perspective, buthe barely affected the plot at all. He was used as an excuse most of the time but NEVER actually interacted with any characters other than the main one. On top of that, the demon (Steve) never helped the main character in anyway (even though that was what the summary said) and I was a little sad, because I expected a book about a love/hate relationship between the two and they solve her problems together but the demon is snarky. As much as the book was all over the place, I did like that it was just casually gay. It could have been done a lot better though. When she came out, she just kind of was like "Oh. Okay then." AND IT WAS NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED BY ANYONE ELSE. At most it was met with mild surprise. That was a bit weird to me.
TLDR: Fun, but all over the place
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Title: Ghosted
Author: Talia Tucker
Genre: Young Adult
Ghosted by Talia Tucker is a dark humour book with paranormal, revenge and a splash of queer romance elements thrown in.
The book is about a teenager named Keziah who is dealing with her insecurities. On top of that, she has a sleep paralysis demon who haunts her on a daily basis, which plays heavily on her insecurities.
After she has had enough of being ghosted by every guy she comes across, she plots her revenge. With the help of her new friend, she decided that the best way to get revenge was to haunt him, just as her sleep paralysis demon had been haunting her. Throughout the book, she questions herself and her emotional conflicts, which frustrate both her and the reader.
My opinion: The book has potential. It deals with queer romantic feelings that might be confusing for teenagers, especially when they’re at that age. The queer romance element is not forced and developed very organically, which I loved, but the pacing of the whole book is slow and painful to finish. It might be because I’m not in the right age demographic and couldn’t hide my frustration with the protagonist. The decisions she made seemed selfish and questionable, even though she kept saying she would rather not hurt anyone. It took me a week to finish the book instead of a few hours. Therefore, this book is a 2-star read for me.
Author: Talia Tucker
Genre: Young Adult
Ghosted by Talia Tucker is a dark humour book with paranormal, revenge and a splash of queer romance elements thrown in.
The book is about a teenager named Keziah who is dealing with her insecurities. On top of that, she has a sleep paralysis demon who haunts her on a daily basis, which plays heavily on her insecurities.
After she has had enough of being ghosted by every guy she comes across, she plots her revenge. With the help of her new friend, she decided that the best way to get revenge was to haunt him, just as her sleep paralysis demon had been haunting her. Throughout the book, she questions herself and her emotional conflicts, which frustrate both her and the reader.
My opinion: The book has potential. It deals with queer romantic feelings that might be confusing for teenagers, especially when they’re at that age. The queer romance element is not forced and developed very organically, which I loved, but the pacing of the whole book is slow and painful to finish. It might be because I’m not in the right age demographic and couldn’t hide my frustration with the protagonist. The decisions she made seemed selfish and questionable, even though she kept saying she would rather not hurt anyone. It took me a week to finish the book instead of a few hours. Therefore, this book is a 2-star read for me.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you, Feiwel & Friends and NetGalley, for the ARC!
Y’all, I literally begged for this book because I was immediately sold on “for fans of Scary Movie franchise.” Let me tell you, it did not disappoint!
It was hilarious, and Keziah was funny from the start. She literally won me over with “He’s like a white noise machine in khaki clothes.” Like girl, I’m sure I dated that same guy at one point. But here are some other things that made me love it:
-A sleep paralysis demon named STEVE! like the least scary name possible.
-The banter was so much fun. It was like everyone was just programmed to be sassy AF. Loved it.
-REVENGE! Honestly, the amount of time I thought about revenge when a guy ghosted me is insane, but relatable AF.
-THAT TWIST!! Like hello?? What do you mean by all that, and then that happens? GAGGED!
Honestly, 10/10, and I cannot wait to read more from Talia.
Y’all, I literally begged for this book because I was immediately sold on “for fans of Scary Movie franchise.” Let me tell you, it did not disappoint!
It was hilarious, and Keziah was funny from the start. She literally won me over with “He’s like a white noise machine in khaki clothes.” Like girl, I’m sure I dated that same guy at one point. But here are some other things that made me love it:
-A sleep paralysis demon named STEVE! like the least scary name possible.
-The banter was so much fun. It was like everyone was just programmed to be sassy AF. Loved it.
-REVENGE! Honestly, the amount of time I thought about revenge when a guy ghosted me is insane, but relatable AF.
-THAT TWIST!! Like hello?? What do you mean by all that, and then that happens? GAGGED!
Honestly, 10/10, and I cannot wait to read more from Talia.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Was given an E-ARC for honest review!
Ghosted, by Talia Tucker is a fun, fast-paced read that had me wanting more and more after every chapter! Keziah, is such an incredibly relatable, unhinged MC, who I found myself rooting for early on and never let go! The well-blended humor seeps into every page, (literal LOL moments, apologies to my wife who thought I was crazy laughing in the middle of the night), and along with Talia’s whip-smart dialogue and unique voice, it made for such an engaging read, and gave each character their own, definitive voice!
And no spoilers, BUT THAT ENDING THOUGH!!!!
I will not recover for weeks, but I am perfectly fine with that! This book is so fun and fresh; it’s one of my favorite reads this year! Fantastic from cover to back, I’m so thankful I was able to read an ARC and I definitely CANNOT WAIT to have the physical copy on my shelf!
5/5 Stars! ⭐️
Ghosted, by Talia Tucker is a fun, fast-paced read that had me wanting more and more after every chapter! Keziah, is such an incredibly relatable, unhinged MC, who I found myself rooting for early on and never let go! The well-blended humor seeps into every page, (literal LOL moments, apologies to my wife who thought I was crazy laughing in the middle of the night), and along with Talia’s whip-smart dialogue and unique voice, it made for such an engaging read, and gave each character their own, definitive voice!
And no spoilers, BUT THAT ENDING THOUGH!!!!
I will not recover for weeks, but I am perfectly fine with that! This book is so fun and fresh; it’s one of my favorite reads this year! Fantastic from cover to back, I’m so thankful I was able to read an ARC and I definitely CANNOT WAIT to have the physical copy on my shelf!
5/5 Stars! ⭐️
Read
June 10, 2026Unhinged, cackle-out-loud, and wickedly tongue-in-cheek, this paranormal dark comedy kept me reading late into the night, and had me rivalling our sleep-deprived heroine's nighttime routine of A) intermittently peeking over my bed covers, hoping I hadn't conjured my own sleep paralysis demon, and B) loading up on plenty of caffeine and ramen so I could keep the pages turning without interruption. With propulsive pacing, bisexual banter, and a twisty ending that had my jaw sweeping the floor, this book is for every petty, misunderstood teen girl hellbent on revenge, who doesn't just wallow in misery when she's wronged, but haunts her ghosts right back. Talia Tucker is a viciously smart writer, and GHOSTED is comedy platinum!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received this book as an Arc from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Ghosted by Talia Tucker has a little bit of everything. There's romance of course, but you also get mystery, secret societies, and paranormal elements. And as a Stay, I personally truly enjoyed Bang Chan of Stray Kids "cameo" in the story. Because, of course, Stray Kids everywhere, all around the world! But just a little warning, if you prefer a nice, neat, happy ending, then this book may not be for you. I actually couldn't put it down and finished it in a day or two. Overall, I give this 5 stars!
June 21, 2026
I really wanted to like this one, but there was too many leaps that I, as the reader, had to make because there weren’t enough details explaining what was going on. Everything definitely needed more flushing out, from the history of the town, to how she got a demon attached to her, to back stories on all of the characters.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
DNF
The concept of this book seemed great and I really wanted to like it but the writing was very two dimensional and sophomoric for me.
I think this could be a great YA and might appeal more to that audience.
The concept of this book seemed great and I really wanted to like it but the writing was very two dimensional and sophomoric for me.
I think this could be a great YA and might appeal more to that audience.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Ghosted will having you dying laughing one moment and filled with dread the next. Grab some popcorn and get comfortable, because this book will have you too invested in the storm to look away. A perfect balance of camp and creep.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I love a good unreliable narrator and Keziah is now up there as one of my favorites. It was so refreshing to not have an HEA but still have such a satisfying end!
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