What do you think?
Rate this book
Paper Ghosts
Not yet published
Expected 1 Sep 26The highly anticipated new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Other Birds hailed as “whimsical, wise, and delightfully mysterious.” (Real Simple)
In a small North Carolina town, Wester House has stood in its richest neighborhood for decades, and the Wester women have held the town enthralled for generations. Some folks love them. Some folks fear them. But no one truly understands them. Why does a rainy season cause so much anxiety and dismay among them? Why do they know so much about those who live near and around them? Why is no one allowed inside the house and why does Willamena Wester want to bring her granddaughter, Bailey, back into the fold?
To understand the Wester women, you would have to meet Willamena fifty years before, when a love-struck girl made a fateful choice that trapped her in this house forever. The Wester women have always balanced their need for control with their desire for love, and when that balance is off, disaster happens. At age eighteen, Bailey Wester left town amid scandal and heartbreak. But now the pull of family is drawing her back, and old ghosts are stirring to life. Can curses be broken? Do ghosts find rest? And what does it take to become the woman you were always meant to be?
Sarah Addison Allen’s stunning prose will transport you to a place where enchantment is around every corner, and love finds a way of bringing us home.
In a small North Carolina town, Wester House has stood in its richest neighborhood for decades, and the Wester women have held the town enthralled for generations. Some folks love them. Some folks fear them. But no one truly understands them. Why does a rainy season cause so much anxiety and dismay among them? Why do they know so much about those who live near and around them? Why is no one allowed inside the house and why does Willamena Wester want to bring her granddaughter, Bailey, back into the fold?
To understand the Wester women, you would have to meet Willamena fifty years before, when a love-struck girl made a fateful choice that trapped her in this house forever. The Wester women have always balanced their need for control with their desire for love, and when that balance is off, disaster happens. At age eighteen, Bailey Wester left town amid scandal and heartbreak. But now the pull of family is drawing her back, and old ghosts are stirring to life. Can curses be broken? Do ghosts find rest? And what does it take to become the woman you were always meant to be?
Sarah Addison Allen’s stunning prose will transport you to a place where enchantment is around every corner, and love finds a way of bringing us home.
288 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication September 1, 2026
About the author
Sarah Addison Allen
40 books18.7k followersSarah Addison Allen is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of eight novels. A native of Asheville, North Carolina, Allen is credited with bringing "Southern Magical Realism" to a mainstream audience. Her work, characterized by its romantic, lyrical prose and its exploration of family dynamics through a supernatural lens, has been translated into more than thirty languages and sold millions of copies worldwide.
Allen’s debut novel, Garden Spells (2007), became a breakout success and an indie bookseller favorite, spending weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Her subsequent works—The Sugar Queen (2008), The Girl Who Chased the Moon (2010), The Peach Keeper (2011), Lost Lake (2014), First Frost (2015) and Other Birds (2022)—have each been bestsellers, garnering acclaim for their quiet magic and subtle, folkloric elements integrated into contemporary Southern life.
The daughter of a journalist father and a mother who was a celebrated cook, Allen grew up in a household where storytelling and food were the primary love languages, elements that now define her fiction. She attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, graduating with a degree in Literature. At age 39, Allen took a hiatus from publishing following a diagnosis of late-stage breast cancer. Her return to writing was marked by a shift toward more poignant narratives.
Allen’s most recent project, Paper Ghosts (2026), continues her tradition of blending mystery with the supernatural. She currently resides in Asheville, North Carolina with her family.
Allen’s debut novel, Garden Spells (2007), became a breakout success and an indie bookseller favorite, spending weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Her subsequent works—The Sugar Queen (2008), The Girl Who Chased the Moon (2010), The Peach Keeper (2011), Lost Lake (2014), First Frost (2015) and Other Birds (2022)—have each been bestsellers, garnering acclaim for their quiet magic and subtle, folkloric elements integrated into contemporary Southern life.
The daughter of a journalist father and a mother who was a celebrated cook, Allen grew up in a household where storytelling and food were the primary love languages, elements that now define her fiction. She attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, graduating with a degree in Literature. At age 39, Allen took a hiatus from publishing following a diagnosis of late-stage breast cancer. Her return to writing was marked by a shift toward more poignant narratives.
Allen’s most recent project, Paper Ghosts (2026), continues her tradition of blending mystery with the supernatural. She currently resides in Asheville, North Carolina with her family.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 270 reviews
Want to Read
February 8, 2026I can't wait. Sarah Addison Allen is my absolute favorite author. Her books are just delightful and anyone who loves her work should follow her social media. From time to time she writes tiny, whimisical snippits of stories that brighten any day.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Oh, I absolutely loved Paper Ghosts by Sarah Addison Allen! What a lovely surprise it was to come across this title in the Most Requested carousel on NetGalley! I immediately jumped on it and requested an ARC. I was over the moon with joy when I found the widget on my shelf!
You'll laugh, you'll want to cry, and in the end - all is well that could possibly end well! Don't mess with the Wester Witches!
The Wester women know all of your secrets and will force you to do their bidding...
As usual, Sarah Addison Allen conjures up a story chock full of colourful, larger than life characters, whimisical pathetic fallacies, and a passionate but doomed love affair... sniffle, sniffle! (Gotta ship Wills and Jack - they are such a dynamic, gutsy pair. Jack won my heart: he can teach me how to play the guitar anytime!)
Another impossible-to-put-down novel by one of my favourite magical realism authors. Bravo!
My thanks to the author, Sarah Addison Allen, her publishers, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an ARC of this incredible novel in exchange for an honest review. Five well deserved stars, and then some! Highly recommended!
You'll laugh, you'll want to cry, and in the end - all is well that could possibly end well! Don't mess with the Wester Witches!
The Wester women know all of your secrets and will force you to do their bidding...
As usual, Sarah Addison Allen conjures up a story chock full of colourful, larger than life characters, whimisical pathetic fallacies, and a passionate but doomed love affair... sniffle, sniffle! (Gotta ship Wills and Jack - they are such a dynamic, gutsy pair. Jack won my heart: he can teach me how to play the guitar anytime!)
Another impossible-to-put-down novel by one of my favourite magical realism authors. Bravo!
My thanks to the author, Sarah Addison Allen, her publishers, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an ARC of this incredible novel in exchange for an honest review. Five well deserved stars, and then some! Highly recommended!
Read
March 1, 2026Judy Sebastian from Eastham Public Library
I’m always excited when I get to read anything by Sarah Addison Allen, even her short paragraphs based on photos. She has a way of writing magic realism that delights and allows me to sink into the story, eager for the next page. The women of Wester House have always been feared in their community. They isolate themselves but seem to have some sort of magic ability to know everything about everyone in town. But their personal lives are never complete, so when Willa’s granddaughter Bailey comes back to be raised, Willa plans to do everything in her power to not make the same mistakes her grandmother made with her. Lyrically written and not to be missed, although some things are not completely explained which leaves me with questions. Loved it.
I’m always excited when I get to read anything by Sarah Addison Allen, even her short paragraphs based on photos. She has a way of writing magic realism that delights and allows me to sink into the story, eager for the next page. The women of Wester House have always been feared in their community. They isolate themselves but seem to have some sort of magic ability to know everything about everyone in town. But their personal lives are never complete, so when Willa’s granddaughter Bailey comes back to be raised, Willa plans to do everything in her power to not make the same mistakes her grandmother made with her. Lyrically written and not to be missed, although some things are not completely explained which leaves me with questions. Loved it.
May 10, 2026
In the close-knit place of Hen Town, North Carolina lies a small community that was once North Carolina's largest chicken farm. And for generations, the mysterious Wester family home has stood the test of time as change has ebbed and flowed through Hen Town, sure as the ocean tide. Whether the Wester home was left alone by the townspeople out of reverence or fear, however, none can say.
The "Witches of Wester" are every bit a mystery to teenage Bailey Wester as they are to the rest of Hen Town. Bailey knows that her family has secrets miles-deep, everyone does. Whispers and rumors have swirled around her like invisible winds for Bailey's whole life, but her Mim has never let her close enough to touch the truth. Until Bailey begins seeing strange figures in and around the Wester home grounds, that is; some that look like they're from another time.
"Paper Ghosts" is the sort of book I begged myself to love from the start despite a few clunky, opening chapters. It has some really beautiful flickers of the sort of magical realism that rendered Sarah Addison Allen's "Garden Spells" one of my favorite books of all time; but those flickers are fleeting, and they're few.
Overall, the pacing of "Paper Ghosts" never felt right and it lacked the steady current of magical realism I was hoping for. It moves--or rather, suddenly leaps--forward multiple times before you're able to cozily settle in with the characters or the time period they're found in, and that created a distance from the story that I never got past. Certainly reminiscent of some of Addison Allen's older works, "Paper Ghosts" is an oddball of a novel: magical in moments, then shockingly dark in others, fast-paced and yet hard to get through at points. I wish (more than anyone) that I could recommend it to readers, but if you're looking for that true, Addison Allen magic, discover "Garden Spells" for the first time, or go back to it again.
*Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my advanced review copy of this title*
The "Witches of Wester" are every bit a mystery to teenage Bailey Wester as they are to the rest of Hen Town. Bailey knows that her family has secrets miles-deep, everyone does. Whispers and rumors have swirled around her like invisible winds for Bailey's whole life, but her Mim has never let her close enough to touch the truth. Until Bailey begins seeing strange figures in and around the Wester home grounds, that is; some that look like they're from another time.
"Paper Ghosts" is the sort of book I begged myself to love from the start despite a few clunky, opening chapters. It has some really beautiful flickers of the sort of magical realism that rendered Sarah Addison Allen's "Garden Spells" one of my favorite books of all time; but those flickers are fleeting, and they're few.
Overall, the pacing of "Paper Ghosts" never felt right and it lacked the steady current of magical realism I was hoping for. It moves--or rather, suddenly leaps--forward multiple times before you're able to cozily settle in with the characters or the time period they're found in, and that created a distance from the story that I never got past. Certainly reminiscent of some of Addison Allen's older works, "Paper Ghosts" is an oddball of a novel: magical in moments, then shockingly dark in others, fast-paced and yet hard to get through at points. I wish (more than anyone) that I could recommend it to readers, but if you're looking for that true, Addison Allen magic, discover "Garden Spells" for the first time, or go back to it again.
*Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my advanced review copy of this title*
May 15, 2026
I’m not sure how to even put this book into words. It was touching and depressing but full of hope. The characters were flawed but there was something beautiful about them too. You see multiple point of views throughout decades of their lives and it’s heartbreaking to see how much life changes people and their relationships.
The story mainly revolves around Bailey but it all starts with her grandmother (Wills). I thoroughly enjoyed that the book started with the past of her grandmother so you could understand who she was and why she ended up the way she did by time Bailey came into the picture. It added a lot of depth to Wills and gave me a lot of empathy for her, how her life turned out and how her past irrevocably changed who she would become.
The pacing was a little jumpy. Especially switching point of views mid chapter. Sometimes it would take me a second to realize whose point of view I was on now because it would just switch. However that didn’t really affect my enjoyment of the book. I finished it in about two days and could not put it down.
Overall I really enjoyed this book. It was very character driven, full of growth, sorrow and hope. The magical realism was well done. I’m still left with questions on how some things played out between the end and the epilogue. I will be thinking about this book for a long time.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Sarah Addison Allen and team for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
The story mainly revolves around Bailey but it all starts with her grandmother (Wills). I thoroughly enjoyed that the book started with the past of her grandmother so you could understand who she was and why she ended up the way she did by time Bailey came into the picture. It added a lot of depth to Wills and gave me a lot of empathy for her, how her life turned out and how her past irrevocably changed who she would become.
The pacing was a little jumpy. Especially switching point of views mid chapter. Sometimes it would take me a second to realize whose point of view I was on now because it would just switch. However that didn’t really affect my enjoyment of the book. I finished it in about two days and could not put it down.
Overall I really enjoyed this book. It was very character driven, full of growth, sorrow and hope. The magical realism was well done. I’m still left with questions on how some things played out between the end and the epilogue. I will be thinking about this book for a long time.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Sarah Addison Allen and team for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
May 16, 2026
This is my third Sarah Addison Allen novel that I have read and probably my favorite. 4.5 stars rounded up. It contains the same whimsy as the other books and the backdrop of family history, the house, the town, it's people etc was so well done I thought this was just the building up for some huge plot twists and magical mayhem. However, the author took a very understated and gentle way of telling a story that was not quite expected, but very much enjoyed.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this novel.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this novel.
May 25, 2026
3-1/2 stars
The Wester women tend to be wealthy, reclusive, all-knowing, and intimidating so, through their generations, the townspeople sometimes call them witches. It’s as if the Wester women have eyes and ears everywhere. In the 1970s, teenage Willamena Wester generally follows all of her grandmother’s rules but, when Willamena makes a last-minute decision of her own, tragedy strikes. She becomes ruled by fear and resentment and eventually molds her granddaughter into the person she thinks she should be.
I always adore Sarah Addison Allen’s magical realism and her southern characters and settings. I loved the concept that photographs of dead people are “paper ghosts”. All her novels are entirely different from each other. While the magic in this one was creative, as expected, Allen didn’t allow us to get to know her main characters very well because she had to keep their motivations and impulses mysterious. Because of this, I did not particularly care all that much about them. They were portrayed very stoically with their primary personality traits being bossiness, self-imposed loneliness, and secrecy.
The secondary characters were more interesting to me, even though they were on the lower end of the Sarah Addison Allen Quirky Scale. Unlike the Wester women, the other characters were free to do anything and become whomever they wanted to be. Perhaps the moral of the story is to live the life you want to live. Make mistakes, face consequences, and don’t lock yourself away. Don’t make drastic life decisions because of one situation. And understand that you also have to let your children become their own people.
I’d like to thank Allen, NetGalley, and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an early galley of this novel from one of my favorite authors. Paper Ghosts will be released on September 1, 2026.
The Wester women tend to be wealthy, reclusive, all-knowing, and intimidating so, through their generations, the townspeople sometimes call them witches. It’s as if the Wester women have eyes and ears everywhere. In the 1970s, teenage Willamena Wester generally follows all of her grandmother’s rules but, when Willamena makes a last-minute decision of her own, tragedy strikes. She becomes ruled by fear and resentment and eventually molds her granddaughter into the person she thinks she should be.
I always adore Sarah Addison Allen’s magical realism and her southern characters and settings. I loved the concept that photographs of dead people are “paper ghosts”. All her novels are entirely different from each other. While the magic in this one was creative, as expected, Allen didn’t allow us to get to know her main characters very well because she had to keep their motivations and impulses mysterious. Because of this, I did not particularly care all that much about them. They were portrayed very stoically with their primary personality traits being bossiness, self-imposed loneliness, and secrecy.
The secondary characters were more interesting to me, even though they were on the lower end of the Sarah Addison Allen Quirky Scale. Unlike the Wester women, the other characters were free to do anything and become whomever they wanted to be. Perhaps the moral of the story is to live the life you want to live. Make mistakes, face consequences, and don’t lock yourself away. Don’t make drastic life decisions because of one situation. And understand that you also have to let your children become their own people.
I’d like to thank Allen, NetGalley, and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an early galley of this novel from one of my favorite authors. Paper Ghosts will be released on September 1, 2026.
May 29, 2026
I love stories about witches. People love to call women they don't understand witches. It's just easier to call them that than trying to understand them. That's what it is like in Hen Town, NC, where time moves a little bit slower than everywhere else. At the heart of Hen Town lies the Wester House, where no one is allowed in that doesn't belong there. And to understand the women of Wester House, one needs to go back to Willamena Wester's prom night. In the days that followed, something tragic happens that forces Willamena to live the rest of her days at Wester House, when all she ever really wanted to do was get as far away from it as possible. All her relationships that followed, even with her granddaughter, Bailey, is cast upon with the shadow of this house. As a similar tragedy faces Bailey, her grandmother forces her to leave Wester House and build her own life. But 8 years later, as Willamena is on her death bed, Bailey comes back and puts all of the pieces together. She realizes that sometimes witches aren't witches at all, but rather women who have been wronged and spend the rest of their lives not wanting to be wronged again.
Many thanks to NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.
Many thanks to NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.
May 12, 2026
Pub date - 9/1/26
Publisher - St Martin’s Press
Author - Sarah Addison Allen
A story full of hope. Hope for a better life. Hope for a happy life.
Allen’s writing is done very well and carries strong throughout the book. The powerful dynamic of mental illness is the star of the show here. I found the cast of characters unlikable. Every single one with demons to battle. While I appreciate the use of mental illness to build upon the plot, it didn’t make room for anything else. For this reason alone is why I’m giving it 3 stars.
I wouldn’t mind reading another book of hers that wasn’t so depressing.
*Special thanks to St. Martins Press via NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Paper Ghosts by Sarah Addison Allen.
Publisher - St Martin’s Press
Author - Sarah Addison Allen
A story full of hope. Hope for a better life. Hope for a happy life.
Allen’s writing is done very well and carries strong throughout the book. The powerful dynamic of mental illness is the star of the show here. I found the cast of characters unlikable. Every single one with demons to battle. While I appreciate the use of mental illness to build upon the plot, it didn’t make room for anything else. For this reason alone is why I’m giving it 3 stars.
I wouldn’t mind reading another book of hers that wasn’t so depressing.
*Special thanks to St. Martins Press via NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Paper Ghosts by Sarah Addison Allen.
April 28, 2026
I appreciate St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. This was a solid 4+ stars and I can see why Sarah Addison Allen has such a devoted readership.
The intergenerational story is beautifully woven, and watching the development of Wills and Bailey unfold was a genuine pleasure. Allen’s touch of magical realism felt effortless and organic, nicely suited to the atmosphere of a fictional small town near the Piedmont of North Carolina. The characters are engaging and the pacing kept me completely absorbed. Read it in 2 days.
If you enjoy character-driven stories with a hint of magic and a strong sense of place, this one is worth checking out. This was my first and I’m looking forward to exploring more of Allen’s work.
The intergenerational story is beautifully woven, and watching the development of Wills and Bailey unfold was a genuine pleasure. Allen’s touch of magical realism felt effortless and organic, nicely suited to the atmosphere of a fictional small town near the Piedmont of North Carolina. The characters are engaging and the pacing kept me completely absorbed. Read it in 2 days.
If you enjoy character-driven stories with a hint of magic and a strong sense of place, this one is worth checking out. This was my first and I’m looking forward to exploring more of Allen’s work.
May 17, 2026
As with all of Sarah Addison Allen’s books this one is steeped in southern charm, and magic, but this one also is bit gothic. It is a tale of a family that has a dark hold over an entire small town. More specifically, it is an old woman that seems to hold all the cards. Not just the cards of the townspeople, but also those of her family. It is a hold that transcends generations and the granddaughters seem to be doomed to live sad, dark lives because of this generational curse. The big question is- can this curse be broken and is it possible for one of the granddaughters to shake free of what appears to be unbreakable? I would like to thank NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book prior to publication.
May 11, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I didn’t connect with this one quite as much as her previous books. The timeline shift felt a little jarring to me, and it pulled me out of the story at times. I still appreciated parts of it, but overall it wasn’t my favorite of hers.
I didn’t connect with this one quite as much as her previous books. The timeline shift felt a little jarring to me, and it pulled me out of the story at times. I still appreciated parts of it, but overall it wasn’t my favorite of hers.
May 3, 2026
Hauntingly beautiful with a touch of magic.
Sarah Addison Allen delivers another Southern fiction story with her signature blend of warmth and magical realism. This standalone novel unfolds in three parts, starting with Willamena ‘Wills’ Wester at 18 and told in third person through multiple perspectives that reveal the Wester family legacy over time.
Wills is raised by her formidable grandmother, Alice, whose need for control has shaped both the family and the town. This need for control comes with an emotional cost that is paid in heartbreak and loneliness. Determined not to repeat the past, Wills pushed her granddaughter, Bailey, away from Hen Town. Now, eight years later, Bailey returns to a house that feels full of memory and mystery, searching for long-overdue answers.
The writing is lyrical, with magical elements that add just the right touch without taking over the story. There are also subtle nods to Allen’s other works that add a layer of enchantment for longtime readers. While the shifts between parts and the ending might seem a tad abrupt, overall it’s a beautifully told moving look at family, heartbreak, and the courage it takes to change.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the digital advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own and based on the ARC, which may differ from the final published version.
Sarah Addison Allen delivers another Southern fiction story with her signature blend of warmth and magical realism. This standalone novel unfolds in three parts, starting with Willamena ‘Wills’ Wester at 18 and told in third person through multiple perspectives that reveal the Wester family legacy over time.
Wills is raised by her formidable grandmother, Alice, whose need for control has shaped both the family and the town. This need for control comes with an emotional cost that is paid in heartbreak and loneliness. Determined not to repeat the past, Wills pushed her granddaughter, Bailey, away from Hen Town. Now, eight years later, Bailey returns to a house that feels full of memory and mystery, searching for long-overdue answers.
The writing is lyrical, with magical elements that add just the right touch without taking over the story. There are also subtle nods to Allen’s other works that add a layer of enchantment for longtime readers. While the shifts between parts and the ending might seem a tad abrupt, overall it’s a beautifully told moving look at family, heartbreak, and the courage it takes to change.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the digital advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own and based on the ARC, which may differ from the final published version.
May 26, 2026
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Format: ebook
All I can say is this book flew by. I was shocked when I realized I got to 90% and only had a little bit left to go. From the first page, I was immediately captivated and wanted to hear more about Willamena & the Feathers.
Highlights:
⭐️ World building of Hen Town. As mentioned above, from the start, I was pulled into this quaint but mysteriously little town.
⭐️ Our protagonists’ background story. As the reader, we are taken on a tour of Willamena’s teenage life and how she became the witch of Wester House. In addition, we see her granddaughter, Bailey, takes center stage and how her family affects her own storyline.
⭐️ A modern-day fairytale plot holding true that families will go to the end of the world to protect their own.
⭐️ The writing style. Everything flowed from Willamena’s past to Bailey’s childhood, then to the present. Nothing was rushed & there were no plot holes.
⭐️ Tasha & her ability to smell feelings.
Pitfall:
❌ None!
Overall, I was transported to Hen Town and I’m sad I had to leave. This was a quick read because of how captivating it was! Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this book for my honest opinion and review!
Format: ebook
All I can say is this book flew by. I was shocked when I realized I got to 90% and only had a little bit left to go. From the first page, I was immediately captivated and wanted to hear more about Willamena & the Feathers.
Highlights:
⭐️ World building of Hen Town. As mentioned above, from the start, I was pulled into this quaint but mysteriously little town.
⭐️ Our protagonists’ background story. As the reader, we are taken on a tour of Willamena’s teenage life and how she became the witch of Wester House. In addition, we see her granddaughter, Bailey, takes center stage and how her family affects her own storyline.
⭐️ A modern-day fairytale plot holding true that families will go to the end of the world to protect their own.
⭐️ The writing style. Everything flowed from Willamena’s past to Bailey’s childhood, then to the present. Nothing was rushed & there were no plot holes.
⭐️ Tasha & her ability to smell feelings.
Pitfall:
❌ None!
Overall, I was transported to Hen Town and I’m sad I had to leave. This was a quick read because of how captivating it was! Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this book for my honest opinion and review!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC!
I have been a fan of Sarah Addison Allen for far more years than I'm comfortable calculating. I also find her to be a truly incredible woman and applaud her perseverance and unique ability to remain whimsical and find the magic in the ordinary.
Addison Allen's voice is still clearly heard through 'Paper Ghosts', albeit, the novel feels rushed. The fade to black moments cut out much of the controversy of the separate narrations and feel like we're fast forwarding through the book. It's the only book of hers that we've jumped decades and not in a good way. We miss all the character building - which makes it hard to adjust to the new reality on the page.
Mim as a teenager was heart breaking. Mim has an almost ruthless rationalization of her situation. I appreciate that about her because it speaks to her years of survival -- of boiling down extreme emotions into an easy question. It is frightening to see that on the page and be the 3rd party viewer screaming at her to think of a creative third option. I regret that we didn't get to see Mim as a young adult and a woman growing into herself. The spiral of understanding just what a Paper Ghost means for her. Bailey is such a hard character to know. She gets such little time on the page and it's snippets of three very different decades. My heart breaks for her because she doesn't understand why her life was structured that way, but I don't truly know her. I'm also curious to see if the Wester Womens' curse dilute with Bailey? Does it end altogether? It would have been lovely to watch Bailey's realization and processing of Mim's history with her.
Overall, it's still a great representation of magical realism and a true deep dive into the decisions women make to hold themselves together -- whether destructive or restorative. There was just too much missing from the page. My rating is reflective of this.
I have been a fan of Sarah Addison Allen for far more years than I'm comfortable calculating. I also find her to be a truly incredible woman and applaud her perseverance and unique ability to remain whimsical and find the magic in the ordinary.
Addison Allen's voice is still clearly heard through 'Paper Ghosts', albeit, the novel feels rushed. The fade to black moments cut out much of the controversy of the separate narrations and feel like we're fast forwarding through the book. It's the only book of hers that we've jumped decades and not in a good way. We miss all the character building - which makes it hard to adjust to the new reality on the page.
Mim as a teenager was heart breaking. Mim has an almost ruthless rationalization of her situation. I appreciate that about her because it speaks to her years of survival -- of boiling down extreme emotions into an easy question. It is frightening to see that on the page and be the 3rd party viewer screaming at her to think of a creative third option. I regret that we didn't get to see Mim as a young adult and a woman growing into herself. The spiral of understanding just what a Paper Ghost means for her. Bailey is such a hard character to know. She gets such little time on the page and it's snippets of three very different decades. My heart breaks for her because she doesn't understand why her life was structured that way, but I don't truly know her. I'm also curious to see if the Wester Womens' curse dilute with Bailey? Does it end altogether? It would have been lovely to watch Bailey's realization and processing of Mim's history with her.
Overall, it's still a great representation of magical realism and a true deep dive into the decisions women make to hold themselves together -- whether destructive or restorative. There was just too much missing from the page. My rating is reflective of this.
May 1, 2026
I thought the “paper ghosts” idea was really interesting, it shows how we hold onto memories of the people we’ve lost. The pacing was good too, I had enough time to connect with the characters and understand why they made the choices that they did. It was definitely an emotional read.
The book deals with grief in an honest, and easy to understand way that still hits pretty deep. It shows the confusion and the sense of belief that can come with losing someone close to you.
Overall, it’s a really sweet and meaningful story about loss, healing, and hope.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity. I really enjoyed reading this!
The book deals with grief in an honest, and easy to understand way that still hits pretty deep. It shows the confusion and the sense of belief that can come with losing someone close to you.
Overall, it’s a really sweet and meaningful story about loss, healing, and hope.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity. I really enjoyed reading this!
May 10, 2026
I am so grateful that I got to read an advance copy of Paper Ghosts. Allen is the author of that made me appreciate magical realism in a way I didn’t before reading her books. This novel is a little darker than the others I’ve read but it also is a book about hope and love. There are mean girls, family secrets, and … well no spoilers but darker things. Is the past ever really over? Does death end love? I hope you’ll decide to take a journey to Hen Town, North Carolina, a town with its own sense of time and its own line of witches.
P.S. I loved the reference to Dellawisps from Allen’s book Other Birds.
P.S. I loved the reference to Dellawisps from Allen’s book Other Birds.
May 18, 2026
Sarah Addison Allen is on of my favorite writers, and this book is up here with her best. She is one of only a few American writers who can claim to write magical realism. The magic in her books is never there to be amusing or cozy. (Though I love that in other books.)It pushes the plot forward and gives the reader another dimension in which to see the characters.
This is one of the only books from the past few years that I can honestly say, I wish it was longer. I wanted to spend more time with the characters, which span three generations (four if you count the epilogue.) I liked the way bullying was addressed in the book, but I would have liked to see the characters reflect upon it a little bit more. In spite of those minor quibbles, this book was a can’t-put-it -down five star read for me.
This is one of the only books from the past few years that I can honestly say, I wish it was longer. I wanted to spend more time with the characters, which span three generations (four if you count the epilogue.) I liked the way bullying was addressed in the book, but I would have liked to see the characters reflect upon it a little bit more. In spite of those minor quibbles, this book was a can’t-put-it -down five star read for me.
May 21, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC! ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
I loved the eerie quality of this story. The author has an amazing talent for creating just the right atmosphere, especially for pivotal moments in the story. You actually feel like you could have been there. I do wish that Bailey had the chance to learn more specifics about the peculiar talent she shared with her grandmother and great-great grandmother, and we would have had some insight into how she handled it moving forward. Even with that, I love the book so much (literally could not put it down) that it still deserves 5 stars. Sarah Addison Allen is not officially on my list of must-read authors!
#NetGalley #StMartinsPress #PaperGhosts
I loved the eerie quality of this story. The author has an amazing talent for creating just the right atmosphere, especially for pivotal moments in the story. You actually feel like you could have been there. I do wish that Bailey had the chance to learn more specifics about the peculiar talent she shared with her grandmother and great-great grandmother, and we would have had some insight into how she handled it moving forward. Even with that, I love the book so much (literally could not put it down) that it still deserves 5 stars. Sarah Addison Allen is not officially on my list of must-read authors!
#NetGalley #StMartinsPress #PaperGhosts
May 24, 2026
Thanks to Net Galley and St. Martin’s press for the ARC. Opinions are my own.
Four stars for Sarah Addison Allen’s latest. Character driven, this family legacy story covers love, loss, and throws in some ghostly mystery. The title, “Paper Ghosts,” is perfect.
For me, this book has a different feeling from Allen’s other books; the only phrase I can thing of is more direct, less whimsical, but magical all the same. Recommended.
Four stars for Sarah Addison Allen’s latest. Character driven, this family legacy story covers love, loss, and throws in some ghostly mystery. The title, “Paper Ghosts,” is perfect.
For me, this book has a different feeling from Allen’s other books; the only phrase I can thing of is more direct, less whimsical, but magical all the same. Recommended.
May 1, 2026
4.5/5 stars
Perfect for readers who expect flawed but deeply human characters and a story that seamlessly blends everyday with a whisper of something more.
Paper Ghosts is a novel about things we carry, pasts that linger, memory, and grief for things left unsaid.
Perfect for readers who expect flawed but deeply human characters and a story that seamlessly blends everyday with a whisper of something more.
Paper Ghosts is a novel about things we carry, pasts that linger, memory, and grief for things left unsaid.
May 22, 2026
Something was different and slightly off in Addison Allen’s newest novel. There was a more violent aspect along with darker secrets than in her previous novels. Most of the characters oozed traits that made them unlikable. The large time jumps also didn’t allow for character development. I’m sad that this one was a miss for me. SAA will continue to be one of my auto-read authors because she writes magical realism unlike any other.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press through Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
*Expected publication September 2026.*
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press through Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
*Expected publication September 2026.*
May 23, 2026
This is phenomenal. It’s so good that you’ll want more of it. A beautiful story told in three parts, each better than the next. Thanks to the publisher for the copy.
May 26, 2026
3.5 ⭐️
Loved the premise of this book- the first part was very intriguing. Unfortunately, the second and third parts were not quite as good hence the 3.5; however, I still enjoyed and it was a pretty quick read.
Loved the premise of this book- the first part was very intriguing. Unfortunately, the second and third parts were not quite as good hence the 3.5; however, I still enjoyed and it was a pretty quick read.
May 21, 2026
Paper Ghosts has all the elements I’ve come to expect from Sarah Addison Allen with her signature blend of subtle magic and everyday life that makes her stories feel both whimsical and grounded. While it didn’t quite reach the same level as some of her other books for me, I still found it a charming and enjoyable read. There’s something about the quiet, almost-unnoticed touches of fantasy woven through real-life struggles that gives her writing such a cozy, comforting feel.
May 25, 2026
I was able to read an advance copy of this via NetGalley! Thank you NetGalley and Sarah Addison Allen.
May 3, 2026
I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. Oh my goodness the excitement I had when I saw that one of my favorite authors is releasing a new novel, I was so excited to be able to read it! Oh my word where do I start?
I have read books from this author since I was a teenager. I found her "Garden Spells" book in my local library and I was drawn to the beautiful cover. I have read every book of hers and I love her writing and the magical elements and all her quirky character's that you just fall in love with!
This book.. was a just disappointment. I really really wanted to love it but I didn't connect with any of the character's. We are teased with just a very very small amount of Allen's magical elements but it was so small it just felt like it was not written from Allen herself. This book felt completely different than her other books and not in a good way. It just made me sad. I feel like the way the book is laid out that it is a rough draft. I found myself lost a lot with the time jumps throughout the book. I don't even know why on earth Allen decided to make the father gay all of a sudden? It felt so out of left field it felt like she threw that in to appease the pro-gay agenda audience. I just want Allen to give us a book like all her other books that had characters and story plots that we so fell in love with! :(
I have read books from this author since I was a teenager. I found her "Garden Spells" book in my local library and I was drawn to the beautiful cover. I have read every book of hers and I love her writing and the magical elements and all her quirky character's that you just fall in love with!
This book.. was a just disappointment. I really really wanted to love it but I didn't connect with any of the character's. We are teased with just a very very small amount of Allen's magical elements but it was so small it just felt like it was not written from Allen herself. This book felt completely different than her other books and not in a good way. It just made me sad. I feel like the way the book is laid out that it is a rough draft. I found myself lost a lot with the time jumps throughout the book. I don't even know why on earth Allen decided to make the father gay all of a sudden? It felt so out of left field it felt like she threw that in to appease the pro-gay agenda audience. I just want Allen to give us a book like all her other books that had characters and story plots that we so fell in love with! :(
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received this book through NetGalley from St. Martin's Press free of charge in exchange for my honest opinion.
If you ask me what my very favorite genre is, I will tell you magical realism every single time. There is something about a story that layers the everyday with the unexplainable that just gets me every time. So when I saw that Sarah Addison Allen, who I think of as an absolute queen of the genre, had a new book coming out, I knew I had to read it.
Paper Ghosts is set in a small North Carolina town called Hen Town, centered around Wester House and the women who have lived there for generations. The Wester women are a subject of fascination and fear for the people around them. Nobody is allowed inside the house. Nobody fully understands them. And nobody knows exactly what is behind the family's quiet, unsettling power.
The story follows two main characters: Bailey, who left Hen Town at eighteen under a cloud of scandal and heartbreak, and her grandmother Willamena, known as Wills to her friends, who was herself raised in the very same house by a grandmother the townspeople called the Witch of Wester House. The Wester women carry a gift: they can see and communicate with ghosts. But depending on who is raising you, that gift can feel less like a blessing and more like a chain.
One of the things I loved most about this book was getting to see Willamena as a young girl. I always find myself gravitating toward the origin stories of complicated characters, because understanding why someone is the way they are changes everything about how you feel about them. Wills as a teenager was my favorite part of the whole story.
The book also looks at generational trauma and the way we try, sometimes with very little success, to do better than the person who raised us. Wills pushes her son away, wanting him to have the life she never had. When he returns years later with young Bailey, Wills does the same thing all over again, convinced she is making the better choice. As parents, so many of us carry that same hope: that we will break the cycle, that we will get it right. This book sits with that tension in a really honest way.
The ghost communication storyline centers mostly around a ghost named Jack, and it was handled well. But I will admit I was left wanting more. We learn that Wills' grandmother knew everything that happened in town because the ghosts would come to her and fill her in, and there were even "blind spots" in town where a teenage Wills could slip away undetected. I found that concept absolutely fascinating and would have loved to see it explored further. Bailey's relationship with her own gift was also something I wished the book had dug into more deeply. She catches glimpses throughout the story, including a moment after her mother's death that is quietly heartbreaking, but she writes them off as imagination or trauma. There is so much potential there that I hope gets room to breathe in a future book.
Because yes, I would love a sequel. The story wraps up in a satisfying way, but I am not ready to leave the Wester women behind. A follow-up centered on Bailey and the next generation? I would read it immediately.
Paper Ghosts comes out September 1, 2026, and I cannot think of a more perfect book to have in your hands as the seasons start to shift. This is a curl-up-with-a-blanket, warm-cup-of-tea kind of read that gives you just enough of the eerie and unexplained to feel like spooky season without ever tipping into anything that will actually frighten you. It is atmospheric and emotional and quietly magical in all the best ways.
If you ask me what my very favorite genre is, I will tell you magical realism every single time. There is something about a story that layers the everyday with the unexplainable that just gets me every time. So when I saw that Sarah Addison Allen, who I think of as an absolute queen of the genre, had a new book coming out, I knew I had to read it.
Paper Ghosts is set in a small North Carolina town called Hen Town, centered around Wester House and the women who have lived there for generations. The Wester women are a subject of fascination and fear for the people around them. Nobody is allowed inside the house. Nobody fully understands them. And nobody knows exactly what is behind the family's quiet, unsettling power.
The story follows two main characters: Bailey, who left Hen Town at eighteen under a cloud of scandal and heartbreak, and her grandmother Willamena, known as Wills to her friends, who was herself raised in the very same house by a grandmother the townspeople called the Witch of Wester House. The Wester women carry a gift: they can see and communicate with ghosts. But depending on who is raising you, that gift can feel less like a blessing and more like a chain.
One of the things I loved most about this book was getting to see Willamena as a young girl. I always find myself gravitating toward the origin stories of complicated characters, because understanding why someone is the way they are changes everything about how you feel about them. Wills as a teenager was my favorite part of the whole story.
The book also looks at generational trauma and the way we try, sometimes with very little success, to do better than the person who raised us. Wills pushes her son away, wanting him to have the life she never had. When he returns years later with young Bailey, Wills does the same thing all over again, convinced she is making the better choice. As parents, so many of us carry that same hope: that we will break the cycle, that we will get it right. This book sits with that tension in a really honest way.
The ghost communication storyline centers mostly around a ghost named Jack, and it was handled well. But I will admit I was left wanting more. We learn that Wills' grandmother knew everything that happened in town because the ghosts would come to her and fill her in, and there were even "blind spots" in town where a teenage Wills could slip away undetected. I found that concept absolutely fascinating and would have loved to see it explored further. Bailey's relationship with her own gift was also something I wished the book had dug into more deeply. She catches glimpses throughout the story, including a moment after her mother's death that is quietly heartbreaking, but she writes them off as imagination or trauma. There is so much potential there that I hope gets room to breathe in a future book.
Because yes, I would love a sequel. The story wraps up in a satisfying way, but I am not ready to leave the Wester women behind. A follow-up centered on Bailey and the next generation? I would read it immediately.
Paper Ghosts comes out September 1, 2026, and I cannot think of a more perfect book to have in your hands as the seasons start to shift. This is a curl-up-with-a-blanket, warm-cup-of-tea kind of read that gives you just enough of the eerie and unexplained to feel like spooky season without ever tipping into anything that will actually frighten you. It is atmospheric and emotional and quietly magical in all the best ways.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Sarah Addison Allen for providing an ARC copy of Paper Ghosts in exchange for an honest review.
This was my first time reading Sarah Addison Allen, so I came in with no expectations beyond liking the description and thinking, “ghosts, paper, emotional damage, sure, let’s see where this goes.” Overall, I really appreciated the writing. It was readable without feeling overly simple, witty without trying too hard, and noticeably more polished than some of the fiction I’ve read lately. You know when a book feels like it has actually been edited with care instead of released into the wild wearing one shoe? This had that.
What worked best for me was the atmosphere and the way the story balanced charm with heavier emotional undercurrents. There’s a softness to the writing, but it still has enough bite to keep it from feeling too precious. I liked that the book had personality on the page. The voice felt confident, and even when I wasn’t fully connected to every character, I could still appreciate the craft behind the story.
That said, I did struggle a bit with liking or rooting for some of the characters. Not every character needs to be lovable, obviously. I support women’s wrongs in fiction. But there were moments where I felt more like I was observing them than emotionally investing in them. I also felt like the mental illness plot sometimes overpowered the story. It had the potential to add depth and complexity, but at times it felt a little too insistent, like the book was trying very hard to make sure I understood its Serious Emotional Themes. And I did. I just wanted a little more breathing room around them.
Still, this was a strong four-star read for me. It was smart, polished, and engaging, with writing that made me understand why Sarah Addison Allen has such a dedicated readership. It wasn’t perfect, but it had enough heart, wit, and atmosphere to make me glad I picked it up, and it definitely made me curious about her backlist.
What worked for me:
- The writing felt polished, readable, and genuinely witty.
- The atmosphere had a nice blend of charm, emotion, and mystery.
- The concept immediately pulled me in.
- The story had more craft and personality than a lot of fiction I’ve read recently.
- It made me want to try more from Sarah Addison Allen.
What didn’t fully work for me:
- I struggled to fully like or root for some of the characters.
- Some emotional beats felt a little too heavy-handed.
- The mental illness plot occasionally overpowered the rest of the story.
- A few moments felt like they were trying too hard to land thematically.
Tropes and vibes:
Family secrets
Ghostly atmosphere
Emotional healing
Small-town-ish literary charm
Witty women with baggage
Past and present colliding
Who should read it:
Read this if you like polished, emotionally layered fiction with magical realism, ghosts, family complications, and writing that feels warm but still has a little snap to it. Paper Ghosts wasn’t flawless for me, but it was memorable, well-written, and full of enough charm and emotional mess to keep me engaged. Four stars for the wit, the polish, and the fact that I now understand why Sarah Addison Allen readers keep showing up.
This was my first time reading Sarah Addison Allen, so I came in with no expectations beyond liking the description and thinking, “ghosts, paper, emotional damage, sure, let’s see where this goes.” Overall, I really appreciated the writing. It was readable without feeling overly simple, witty without trying too hard, and noticeably more polished than some of the fiction I’ve read lately. You know when a book feels like it has actually been edited with care instead of released into the wild wearing one shoe? This had that.
What worked best for me was the atmosphere and the way the story balanced charm with heavier emotional undercurrents. There’s a softness to the writing, but it still has enough bite to keep it from feeling too precious. I liked that the book had personality on the page. The voice felt confident, and even when I wasn’t fully connected to every character, I could still appreciate the craft behind the story.
That said, I did struggle a bit with liking or rooting for some of the characters. Not every character needs to be lovable, obviously. I support women’s wrongs in fiction. But there were moments where I felt more like I was observing them than emotionally investing in them. I also felt like the mental illness plot sometimes overpowered the story. It had the potential to add depth and complexity, but at times it felt a little too insistent, like the book was trying very hard to make sure I understood its Serious Emotional Themes. And I did. I just wanted a little more breathing room around them.
Still, this was a strong four-star read for me. It was smart, polished, and engaging, with writing that made me understand why Sarah Addison Allen has such a dedicated readership. It wasn’t perfect, but it had enough heart, wit, and atmosphere to make me glad I picked it up, and it definitely made me curious about her backlist.
What worked for me:
- The writing felt polished, readable, and genuinely witty.
- The atmosphere had a nice blend of charm, emotion, and mystery.
- The concept immediately pulled me in.
- The story had more craft and personality than a lot of fiction I’ve read recently.
- It made me want to try more from Sarah Addison Allen.
What didn’t fully work for me:
- I struggled to fully like or root for some of the characters.
- Some emotional beats felt a little too heavy-handed.
- The mental illness plot occasionally overpowered the rest of the story.
- A few moments felt like they were trying too hard to land thematically.
Tropes and vibes:
Family secrets
Ghostly atmosphere
Emotional healing
Small-town-ish literary charm
Witty women with baggage
Past and present colliding
Who should read it:
Read this if you like polished, emotionally layered fiction with magical realism, ghosts, family complications, and writing that feels warm but still has a little snap to it. Paper Ghosts wasn’t flawless for me, but it was memorable, well-written, and full of enough charm and emotional mess to keep me engaged. Four stars for the wit, the polish, and the fact that I now understand why Sarah Addison Allen readers keep showing up.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
You can’t read this story and not think about what gets inherited in your own family, since all families pass down more than just names and belongings. This is the story of a family that also passes down fear, silence, and the shape of every choice that came before.
Sarah Addison Allen’s Paper Ghosts📷 is a haunting, character-driven Southern story about the Wester women of Hen Town🐔, North Carolina, a family surrounded by rumor, wealth, isolation, and the kind of mystery that makes neighbors whisper the word “witches.” It gave off a “Practical Magic” vibe at first, but once you caught on to the underlying mystery and the vibe turned darker, it explained so much more, and you started to understand why the Wester home has stood apart from the town for generations. It was both admired and avoided, and the women who live there seem to know too much, see too much, and keep far too many secrets.
The story begins before Bailey Wester fully understands the legacy she has inherited. I picked up the book not knowing who the main character was, and I recommend you do the same. Suffice it to say, it’s truly about all the Wester women and their legacy.
I really enjoyed this book. It has many of the things I love about Sarah Addison Allen’s work: a vivid Southern setting, emotionally complex women, family secrets, a thread of magic woven into the ordinary world, and a story that is ultimately about healing, even when it begins in pain. The idea of photographs📸 as “paper ghosts” is especially beautiful. It serves as a reminder that memory can preserve people, but it can also trap them.
The strongest part of the novel, for me, was the intergenerational storytelling. I also appreciated that magical realism never completely overtakes the story. It is there in flickers: in the atmosphere, in the house, in the strange presences around Bailey, and in the way memory seems to linger almost physically. This gives the book a soft gothic quality without pushing it fully into fantasy or horror.
I did have some struggles with the pacing. The story moves across time and perspective in ways that can feel abrupt, and a few transitions made me pause to reorient myself. I also wanted a little more time to settle deeply into the characters, especially because the emotional stakes are so rooted in understanding who these women are and why they make the choices they do. Some motivations remain intentionally guarded for the mystery of the story, but that distance occasionally kept me from feeling as connected as I wanted to be.
Paper Ghosts📷 worked for me as a moving, melancholy novel about family, memory, regret, and the courage it takes to stop letting the past decide your future. It is not a cozy, whimsical magical realism story from beginning to end. It is more reflective than that. But there is hope here too. I enjoyed reading it and appreciate NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my unbiased review. Watch for it in September 2026.
Rating: 4 stars (⭐⭐⭐⭐)
Sarah Addison Allen’s Paper Ghosts📷 is a haunting, character-driven Southern story about the Wester women of Hen Town🐔, North Carolina, a family surrounded by rumor, wealth, isolation, and the kind of mystery that makes neighbors whisper the word “witches.” It gave off a “Practical Magic” vibe at first, but once you caught on to the underlying mystery and the vibe turned darker, it explained so much more, and you started to understand why the Wester home has stood apart from the town for generations. It was both admired and avoided, and the women who live there seem to know too much, see too much, and keep far too many secrets.
The story begins before Bailey Wester fully understands the legacy she has inherited. I picked up the book not knowing who the main character was, and I recommend you do the same. Suffice it to say, it’s truly about all the Wester women and their legacy.
I really enjoyed this book. It has many of the things I love about Sarah Addison Allen’s work: a vivid Southern setting, emotionally complex women, family secrets, a thread of magic woven into the ordinary world, and a story that is ultimately about healing, even when it begins in pain. The idea of photographs📸 as “paper ghosts” is especially beautiful. It serves as a reminder that memory can preserve people, but it can also trap them.
The strongest part of the novel, for me, was the intergenerational storytelling. I also appreciated that magical realism never completely overtakes the story. It is there in flickers: in the atmosphere, in the house, in the strange presences around Bailey, and in the way memory seems to linger almost physically. This gives the book a soft gothic quality without pushing it fully into fantasy or horror.
I did have some struggles with the pacing. The story moves across time and perspective in ways that can feel abrupt, and a few transitions made me pause to reorient myself. I also wanted a little more time to settle deeply into the characters, especially because the emotional stakes are so rooted in understanding who these women are and why they make the choices they do. Some motivations remain intentionally guarded for the mystery of the story, but that distance occasionally kept me from feeling as connected as I wanted to be.
Paper Ghosts📷 worked for me as a moving, melancholy novel about family, memory, regret, and the courage it takes to stop letting the past decide your future. It is not a cozy, whimsical magical realism story from beginning to end. It is more reflective than that. But there is hope here too. I enjoyed reading it and appreciate NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my unbiased review. Watch for it in September 2026.
Rating: 4 stars (⭐⭐⭐⭐)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 270 reviews