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Tell the Ghosts I'm Gone
Moll, Redd, Agnes, and Ossie are powerful -- and dangerous. But they don't want people to fear them. They've spent their lives trying to understand and control their supernatural gifts, trying to help people instead of hurt them.
That's why they offer paranormal investigative services to anyone who needs them. But when the case of a missing young woman brings them to an old (and potentially haunted) Victorian mansion, soon it's the four teens who are in the greatest danger. The secrets they uncover about the paranormal forces inhabiting the house may shed light on the darkness that exists at the edge of their powers and finally help them gain control -- if they can make it out alive.
That's why they offer paranormal investigative services to anyone who needs them. But when the case of a missing young woman brings them to an old (and potentially haunted) Victorian mansion, soon it's the four teens who are in the greatest danger. The secrets they uncover about the paranormal forces inhabiting the house may shed light on the darkness that exists at the edge of their powers and finally help them gain control -- if they can make it out alive.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 171 reviews
Did Not Finish
October 22, 2026dnf @ 40% 💔
This is an "it's not you, it's me" type of situation. The characters were funny but okay. The paranormal aspect wasn't that interesting, so I'm just going to call it quits. I really wanted to love this, but this just wasn't for me. 😢
٠࣪⭑ Thank you to Bloomsbury USA Children's Books and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review! All opinions and statements are my own. ٠࣪⭑
This is an "it's not you, it's me" type of situation. The characters were funny but okay. The paranormal aspect wasn't that interesting, so I'm just going to call it quits. I really wanted to love this, but this just wasn't for me. 😢
٠࣪⭑ Thank you to Bloomsbury USA Children's Books and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review! All opinions and statements are my own. ٠࣪⭑
Did Not Finish
November 6, 2026Soft DNF: 6%
Tell The Ghosts I’m Gone is my first book by Kalynn Bayron and I am hoping that I can see myself venturing back to this in the future…
Given the title of this book and how we are very much into the Fall Season/Vibes, I really thought that I was going to be able to lock into this book and devour it in one sitting. Unfortunately, by the end of Chapter 1, I knew that this was going to be a struggle. Tell The Ghosts I’m Gone is more of a me problem than a book problem. While the synopsis presents a very interesting story, I couldn’t see myself really reading past Chapter 1. I honestly don’t understand why I couldn’t sit down and focus. Why in the world couldn’t I find some type of excitement towards this?!?! Why in the world am I DNFing this so early and experiencing feelings that make it okay to do so?!?! Truly, I don’t have an answer to any of these questions. All I know is that Tell The Ghosts I’m Gone has a beautiful book cover that I don’t want to look away from but a story that I cannot seem to get into at this is moment. There is a huge possibility that if my public library ends up ordering the audiobook on Libby then I might be able to see myself returning to this. But, we shall see.
Please take my review with a gain of salt right now. Tell The Ghosts I’m Gone is a perfect read for both Spooky Season and this Fall Season. I am the problem. It’s okay to read this book if you do become motivated to do so.
Thank you NetGalley and Bloomsbury YA for granting my request for an Advanced Reader’s Copy in exchange for my honest and personal opinion!!!
Tell The Ghosts I’m Gone is my first book by Kalynn Bayron and I am hoping that I can see myself venturing back to this in the future…
Given the title of this book and how we are very much into the Fall Season/Vibes, I really thought that I was going to be able to lock into this book and devour it in one sitting. Unfortunately, by the end of Chapter 1, I knew that this was going to be a struggle. Tell The Ghosts I’m Gone is more of a me problem than a book problem. While the synopsis presents a very interesting story, I couldn’t see myself really reading past Chapter 1. I honestly don’t understand why I couldn’t sit down and focus. Why in the world couldn’t I find some type of excitement towards this?!?! Why in the world am I DNFing this so early and experiencing feelings that make it okay to do so?!?! Truly, I don’t have an answer to any of these questions. All I know is that Tell The Ghosts I’m Gone has a beautiful book cover that I don’t want to look away from but a story that I cannot seem to get into at this is moment. There is a huge possibility that if my public library ends up ordering the audiobook on Libby then I might be able to see myself returning to this. But, we shall see.
Please take my review with a gain of salt right now. Tell The Ghosts I’m Gone is a perfect read for both Spooky Season and this Fall Season. I am the problem. It’s okay to read this book if you do become motivated to do so.
Thank you NetGalley and Bloomsbury YA for granting my request for an Advanced Reader’s Copy in exchange for my honest and personal opinion!!!
August 22, 2026
Kalynn — I will follow you in to whatever genre you decide to write.
This book got creeeepy at times. Like ‘I need to turn my light on’ kind of creepy. The descriptions of some of these ghosts really, really got to me!!
But you know what, I loved it. I loved this book.
I loved our gang of characters and their variety of powers. I loved the found family bond. I loved how they would literally be ride or die.
The plot was twisty, intriguing and intense. The stakes were high and punches weren’t pulled. Brilliant.
I would definitely like a sequel, considering all those things that happened at the end.
Moll, Redd, Ossie, Agnes (!!) you have my entire heart. You’re all very dear to me.
Not quite five stars as I found some bits a little rushed/confusing and I wish there were a bit more time taken on fleshing out some other bits of the story, but overall I loved it.
Thank you to Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ) | Bloomsbury Children's Books for the e-arc via NetGalley
This book got creeeepy at times. Like ‘I need to turn my light on’ kind of creepy. The descriptions of some of these ghosts really, really got to me!!
But you know what, I loved it. I loved this book.
I loved our gang of characters and their variety of powers. I loved the found family bond. I loved how they would literally be ride or die.
The plot was twisty, intriguing and intense. The stakes were high and punches weren’t pulled. Brilliant.
I would definitely like a sequel, considering all those things that happened at the end.
Moll, Redd, Ossie, Agnes (!!) you have my entire heart. You’re all very dear to me.
Not quite five stars as I found some bits a little rushed/confusing and I wish there were a bit more time taken on fleshing out some other bits of the story, but overall I loved it.
Thank you to Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ) | Bloomsbury Children's Books for the e-arc via NetGalley
November 2, 2026
One of the only YA authors whose books I’ll consistently pick up
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTfKPLyAL/
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTfKPLyAL/
September 2, 2026
I wanted to like this one so much, but unfortunately, I struggled throughout. This can 100% be a “me thing” and not indicative of other readers’ potential enjoyment.
I liked the characters, especially the representation. My biggest challenge was that there was so much “tell” and not enough “show.” I felt like I was simply being told what was happening instead of watching the story unfold in front of me. It also felt a bit repetitive at times, and I struggled with the FMC’s ability to function as normally as she did despite the interference of her gift. It just didn’t quite ring true for me.
I am thankful to have received the complimentary eARC from Bloomsbury via NetGalley, which gave me the opportunity to read it ahead of publication. Unfortunately, because I found it difficult to stay engaged with the story, it took me until publication day to finish it.
This paranormal mystery has some light horror elements that I think some readers will really love and connect with. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t the book for me this time.
I liked the characters, especially the representation. My biggest challenge was that there was so much “tell” and not enough “show.” I felt like I was simply being told what was happening instead of watching the story unfold in front of me. It also felt a bit repetitive at times, and I struggled with the FMC’s ability to function as normally as she did despite the interference of her gift. It just didn’t quite ring true for me.
I am thankful to have received the complimentary eARC from Bloomsbury via NetGalley, which gave me the opportunity to read it ahead of publication. Unfortunately, because I found it difficult to stay engaged with the story, it took me until publication day to finish it.
This paranormal mystery has some light horror elements that I think some readers will really love and connect with. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t the book for me this time.
August 8, 2026
I was really into the family dynamic of the main cast - orphans with supernatural abilities being gathered up and raised/loved/protected by a witch. I really wanted a bit more about what the characters had forgotten or repressed about their pasts (maybe it’s a little voyeuristic of me but honestly, I wanted a bit more backstory to really dig into why they were the way they were).
The bad guys were definitely too cardboard-cutout. I wanted something more, especially from Malcom. He was just… raging? For no real reason? Like he doesn’t give any kind of justification for what he wants. He’s just vaguely threatening.
Also these kids have a lot of freedom. There was one (1) mention of an online school assignment for one character. Like, were the rest of them in virtual school? Did they actually have homework to be doing? They’re just roaming around the city with none of the normal teenager concerns, even in the backs of their minds. Surely having paranormal powers doesn’t excuse you from deadlines - especially if said powers are secret.
{Thank you Bloomsbury for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review; all thoughts are my own}
The bad guys were definitely too cardboard-cutout. I wanted something more, especially from Malcom. He was just… raging? For no real reason? Like he doesn’t give any kind of justification for what he wants. He’s just vaguely threatening.
Also these kids have a lot of freedom. There was one (1) mention of an online school assignment for one character. Like, were the rest of them in virtual school? Did they actually have homework to be doing? They’re just roaming around the city with none of the normal teenager concerns, even in the backs of their minds. Surely having paranormal powers doesn’t excuse you from deadlines - especially if said powers are secret.
{Thank you Bloomsbury for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review; all thoughts are my own}
October 1, 2026
✨ Rating: 4⭐️
🫧 Vibes: supernatural horror
🎶 Song: bad guy - billie eilish
📚 Would I recommend? yes!
💬 tldr thoughts: a great creepy read for this spooky season with a heartfelt story!
In the package:
📦 supernatural powers
📦 found family
📦 suspense and horror
Plot: Moll, Redd, Agnes, and Ossie have spent their lives trying to understand and control their supernatural gifts, trying to help people instead of hurt them. They decide to offer paranormal investigative services which leads them to a Victorian mansion, filled with danger.
Thoughts: This is my first book by this author and the concept was really fun (and creepy!). I can't say I've read anything like this before but I was engaged the entire time. I wish we had a bit more backstory on these characters and their powers because we were just sort of told they had powers. I loved the relationship between the foster kids and how much they protected each other. Mixing blog posts into the book was also a unique idea, I love when books deviate from the traditional style.
Thank you Bloomsbury Books for the ARC!
✩⁺₊✩☽⋆ follow me on instagram ⋆☾✩⁺₊✩
🫧 Vibes: supernatural horror
🎶 Song: bad guy - billie eilish
📚 Would I recommend? yes!
💬 tldr thoughts: a great creepy read for this spooky season with a heartfelt story!
In the package:
📦 supernatural powers
📦 found family
📦 suspense and horror
Plot: Moll, Redd, Agnes, and Ossie have spent their lives trying to understand and control their supernatural gifts, trying to help people instead of hurt them. They decide to offer paranormal investigative services which leads them to a Victorian mansion, filled with danger.
Thoughts: This is my first book by this author and the concept was really fun (and creepy!). I can't say I've read anything like this before but I was engaged the entire time. I wish we had a bit more backstory on these characters and their powers because we were just sort of told they had powers. I loved the relationship between the foster kids and how much they protected each other. Mixing blog posts into the book was also a unique idea, I love when books deviate from the traditional style.
Thank you Bloomsbury Books for the ARC!
✩⁺₊✩☽⋆ follow me on instagram ⋆☾✩⁺₊✩
November 2, 2026
This was my first read of author Kaylynn Bayron and I really enjoyed her character work!! I feel like I need to go watch Annie now.
Thank you to the Bloomsbury Creator Circle for my gifted physical copy of this book. This is my honest review:
This book is YA Fiction/Horror and follows four teenagers (ages 13-18) with psychic/supernatural gifts as they pursue their dream of researching and investigating the paranormal.
The main characters (foster siblings) behaved in all the anxious and dramatic ways specific to teenagers. I really felt the love and connection between the group. The youngest, Ossie, seemed written much younger than 13, which threw me off a bit. I feel like Hannigan’s character needed more development. The antagonists felt underdeveloped as well, and held very little interest for me. I loved Penelope, she was super odd and hilarious.
The plot pacing was very slow. The main storyline in the house does not begin until after the 70% mark in the book. There were some plot twists, but since most of the action occurred only toward the end of the book, the twists didn’t really have enough impact.
The world building was done well. The imagery was clear and the descriptions of events (especially those involving rats) were very detailed. The author was also detailed in her discussion of the types of entities and the paranormal investigating equipment. These might have been better as an appendix than a portion of the book. The historical discussion of spiritualists of the past was interesting and thorough. The magic system and the true potential of each kid, including the forces that brought them together, needed more detail.
This book has no spice, only a reference to kissing.
This book can be read by middle school through high school age kids. Although listed as YA Horror, this book is not scary, maybe more creepy or gross (again the rats) at times.
Overall, although slow paced, I felt connected to the characters in this story and I would try another book by this author.
Thank you to the Bloomsbury Creator Circle for my gifted physical copy of this book. This is my honest review:
This book is YA Fiction/Horror and follows four teenagers (ages 13-18) with psychic/supernatural gifts as they pursue their dream of researching and investigating the paranormal.
The main characters (foster siblings) behaved in all the anxious and dramatic ways specific to teenagers. I really felt the love and connection between the group. The youngest, Ossie, seemed written much younger than 13, which threw me off a bit. I feel like Hannigan’s character needed more development. The antagonists felt underdeveloped as well, and held very little interest for me. I loved Penelope, she was super odd and hilarious.
The plot pacing was very slow. The main storyline in the house does not begin until after the 70% mark in the book. There were some plot twists, but since most of the action occurred only toward the end of the book, the twists didn’t really have enough impact.
The world building was done well. The imagery was clear and the descriptions of events (especially those involving rats) were very detailed. The author was also detailed in her discussion of the types of entities and the paranormal investigating equipment. These might have been better as an appendix than a portion of the book. The historical discussion of spiritualists of the past was interesting and thorough. The magic system and the true potential of each kid, including the forces that brought them together, needed more detail.
This book has no spice, only a reference to kissing.
This book can be read by middle school through high school age kids. Although listed as YA Horror, this book is not scary, maybe more creepy or gross (again the rats) at times.
Overall, although slow paced, I felt connected to the characters in this story and I would try another book by this author.
September 1, 2026
Tell The Ghosts I'm Gone is a supernatural YA thriller with horrorish elements. It held my attention and the concept was really fun. There are many things for me that just didn't work unfortunately. We were thrown right into the characters and their abilities, but were never shown a backstory as to why they are the way they were, I just needed more development there. I thought the found family elements were absolutely impeccable and I just loved their relationship.
The pacing at times was uneven. Sometimes pulling me in and being super exciting and then noticing oh what is happening as I was completely zoning out due to the pacing. The overall concept and idea of the book was good, but the plot for me fell flat. The mystery the kids were solving, honestly I didn't really care for it. Sometimes it completely lost my interest. It wasn't grabbing me as I thought it would. Don't get me wrong the book is well written and the concept fun, it is most probably a me problem!
Overall, this was a fun read as a whole, I think it's perfect for upcoming spooky season. I think it will appeal to a lot ! Give it a shot if it seems like your style.
✨ Thank you to @bloomsbury & Kalynn Bayron for my gifted copy. All opinions expressed are my own. #BloomsburyCreatorCircle
The pacing at times was uneven. Sometimes pulling me in and being super exciting and then noticing oh what is happening as I was completely zoning out due to the pacing. The overall concept and idea of the book was good, but the plot for me fell flat. The mystery the kids were solving, honestly I didn't really care for it. Sometimes it completely lost my interest. It wasn't grabbing me as I thought it would. Don't get me wrong the book is well written and the concept fun, it is most probably a me problem!
Overall, this was a fun read as a whole, I think it's perfect for upcoming spooky season. I think it will appeal to a lot ! Give it a shot if it seems like your style.
✨ Thank you to @bloomsbury & Kalynn Bayron for my gifted copy. All opinions expressed are my own. #BloomsburyCreatorCircle
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Sort of like Stroud's Lockwood and Co. books, but more young adult. I would probably buy this for high school but will pass for middle school.
Sort of like Stroud's Lockwood and Co. books, but more young adult. I would probably buy this for high school but will pass for middle school.
October 18, 2026
I was so interested in the paranormal aspect of this and was intrigued in the beginning. While this was a good read it slowed down in the middle just waiting for something to happen and it does read a bit on the younger YA side (which isn't bad but I definitely may have personally aged out of that lol). Either way Kalynn's writing is great and I'd love an adult novel from her with paranormal aspects!
October 29, 2026
Love a found family dynamic 🫶
This was bit more juvenile than I was expecting, with way too many fart jokes and not enough development of the characters. The antagonists were very... silly (to me) and the plot easily became jumbled, but! The atmosphere was great and it was incredibly easy to care for the main four characters, even if I wish we would have delved into their backstories and motivations a bit more.
Overall, I'd recommend to people looking for a quick, spooky read (and don't mind a story reading pretty young for YA)
This was bit more juvenile than I was expecting, with way too many fart jokes and not enough development of the characters. The antagonists were very... silly (to me) and the plot easily became jumbled, but! The atmosphere was great and it was incredibly easy to care for the main four characters, even if I wish we would have delved into their backstories and motivations a bit more.
Overall, I'd recommend to people looking for a quick, spooky read (and don't mind a story reading pretty young for YA)
November 1, 2026
Kalynn Bayron never misses. This book felt like a mash up of Scooby Doo and Ghostbusters but the kids are the ones with the powers. It was so much fun, action packed and filled with Kalynn Bayron's classic emotional depth. I thought the focus on family and the different ways in which people can become a unit was really lovely. I would have ideally liked to have had a little more of the characters backstories but I really enjoyed each of them. This was a perfect final read of the spooky season.
September 20, 2026
this was probably the first kalynn bayron book i genuinely really liked. i can clearly see the way she improved as an author over the years!
also the audiobook is really amazing guys i definitely recommend picking it up in this format!
thank you libro.fm for the alc!
also the audiobook is really amazing guys i definitely recommend picking it up in this format!
thank you libro.fm for the alc!
September 24, 2026
This book tried to be too much and in the process, became a jumbled mess. Take the setting from "Stranger Things" Upside Down + characters from "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" + the show "Ghost Hunters" and then apparently the play "Annie" (the author refrences this in her acknowledgements at the end, can't say I remember that storyline very much, but I didn't make that connection at all) = I was lost and confused a lot. I didn't know if I was supposed to focus on the characters dealing with their struggles, the society that created "the warren," or the creation of a monster. It felt like there wasn't a set plot line. I've loved all of Bayron's stuff I've read, this one just didn't hit the mark.
September 14, 2026
3.5 ⭐️
I’d love more from this crew of paranormal investigating teens 🙂
I’d love more from this crew of paranormal investigating teens 🙂
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Closer to a 4, it was a little verbose all over, but the teen characters who have a paranormal service and have abilities of their own are on the hunt for a new ghost mystery to solve that wraps them up in the historical period of Portland where they're meeting and asking questions of various people and having their own ghostly visions to try to figure it out.
What I loved most was the interspersed learning chapters about hauntings, ghosts, types of paranormal activities, and more that build a solid foundation for Ossie, Agnes, Redd, and Moll's work.
It wasn't as creepy as I was expecting, I think her fairytale retellings have a bit more darkness than this one but it will keep good company with more of the ghosts stories that are coming out for middle grade when they level up to YA (The Last Resort series written by multiple authors in the series from Scholastic) for example and also Jackson's newest middle grade Ghost in the Night
What I loved most was the interspersed learning chapters about hauntings, ghosts, types of paranormal activities, and more that build a solid foundation for Ossie, Agnes, Redd, and Moll's work.
It wasn't as creepy as I was expecting, I think her fairytale retellings have a bit more darkness than this one but it will keep good company with more of the ghosts stories that are coming out for middle grade when they level up to YA (The Last Resort series written by multiple authors in the series from Scholastic) for example and also Jackson's newest middle grade Ghost in the Night
September 30, 2026
Characters: 3.75⭐️
Setting: 3.50⭐️
Plot: 3.75⭐️
Themes: 3.00⭐️
Personal enjoyment: 3.50⭐️
Emotional Impact: 3.25⭐️
Overall rating: 3.50⭐️
Moll, Redd, Agnes and Ossie all have special abilities that are dangerous if not controlled, but they want to use them for good. They start a paranormal investigation service and get their chance to investigate a potentially haunted Victorian mansion that was turned into a coffee shop. The owner stated people would end up in rooms with no explanation on how they got there and even started hearing voices in the walls. But when they start to discover the secrets hidden within this house, the four of them start to unravel forces beyond their control.
There are so many layers to this story, it is hard to begin where to start. What I thought was going to be a story about teenagers with psychic abilities partaking in paranormal investigations turned into a much deeper story of entities, the occult and crazy demon portals? I think this story was really interesting, but most of the time I did not know where the story was going and when we got to the end I felt like "huh, that's it?". It was definitely an interesting tale, but what I felt was that it took a lot to get to that point in the story.
I do love Kalynn Bayron's storytelling and the way she weaves all the pieces together, but for this one, it felt like this one took a little bit longer to get going.
Would I recommend this book? Maybe.
Thank you to Bloomsbury for the finished copy for an honest review.
Setting: 3.50⭐️
Plot: 3.75⭐️
Themes: 3.00⭐️
Personal enjoyment: 3.50⭐️
Emotional Impact: 3.25⭐️
Overall rating: 3.50⭐️
Moll, Redd, Agnes and Ossie all have special abilities that are dangerous if not controlled, but they want to use them for good. They start a paranormal investigation service and get their chance to investigate a potentially haunted Victorian mansion that was turned into a coffee shop. The owner stated people would end up in rooms with no explanation on how they got there and even started hearing voices in the walls. But when they start to discover the secrets hidden within this house, the four of them start to unravel forces beyond their control.
There are so many layers to this story, it is hard to begin where to start. What I thought was going to be a story about teenagers with psychic abilities partaking in paranormal investigations turned into a much deeper story of entities, the occult and crazy demon portals? I think this story was really interesting, but most of the time I did not know where the story was going and when we got to the end I felt like "huh, that's it?". It was definitely an interesting tale, but what I felt was that it took a lot to get to that point in the story.
I do love Kalynn Bayron's storytelling and the way she weaves all the pieces together, but for this one, it felt like this one took a little bit longer to get going.
Would I recommend this book? Maybe.
Thank you to Bloomsbury for the finished copy for an honest review.
September 2, 2026
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review..
Gotta start with the basics. I'm a huge fan of Kalynn Bayron. Love her and her work down. I don't always resonate with everything she writes but I always respect it and the work and thought that goes into its creation. I have been stoked about this book since it was announced. Foster siblings with supernatural powers getting their Ghost Hunters on? Yeah that's my ting!
All in all, I liked this book. It was clear a lot of research went into the story that was told regarding Sarah Winthrup and the Warren Society. However, I cannot help feeling like this took us away from the promised concept: paranormal investigations! That was a bummer because that's what I was here for. I was never particularly interested in the rest. The interspersed blog posts sort of tried to keep the spirit of the concept but they were not totally successful for me.
I liked the characters enough, especially in the early portions of the book. Funny, clever, traumatized, affectionate. Great. Yet, as events progressed, it felt less and less like the characters were developing so much as they were reiterating their archetypes. I enjoyed the familial relationships between the characters, but they also felt thinner than I wanted. There was no real confrontation around Hannigan's treatment of their powers. There was no confrontation around the lies. It feels to me like the story built us up to an unearned reveal and then left us with nothing to chew over about it. There's no resentment? No hard feelings? I wanted more complexity from a book that certainly dealt in complexity in its main characters. How much death or harm must a person cause before they qualify as a monster? Who gets to decide? How monstrous must a person be before their bodily autonomy becomes a courtesy and not a right? How much control do you owe the person who feeds and houses you? The actual narrative is chock-full of interesting stuff but it doesn't have any room to breathe.
I rarely say this, but I think book needed to be longer so that I could feel more emotionally invested. The stakes felt...muted. "I just have to" isn't a motive. Predictable events occurred, which is fine, but because they were both predictable and not necessarily well-justified, for want of a better term, the payoff to anticipating these events was nonexistent. This is not me saying the book is bad by any means. This is me seeing places where I think the book could have been better. Purely subjective, and I won't pretend otherwise. I wanted more creepiness, more chills and thrills. This doesn't deliver on that, in my opinion. Hence it taking me weeks to read a book I otherwise could have finished in a day. [As a side note, the romance was a firm and emphatic no. Did none of y'all watch the Fosters?!]
If you enjoy banter, old-school teen detective stories, the found family trope, and paranormal investigations shows, you just might like this!
Three Stars
Gotta start with the basics. I'm a huge fan of Kalynn Bayron. Love her and her work down. I don't always resonate with everything she writes but I always respect it and the work and thought that goes into its creation. I have been stoked about this book since it was announced. Foster siblings with supernatural powers getting their Ghost Hunters on? Yeah that's my ting!
All in all, I liked this book. It was clear a lot of research went into the story that was told regarding Sarah Winthrup and the Warren Society. However, I cannot help feeling like this took us away from the promised concept: paranormal investigations! That was a bummer because that's what I was here for. I was never particularly interested in the rest. The interspersed blog posts sort of tried to keep the spirit of the concept but they were not totally successful for me.
I liked the characters enough, especially in the early portions of the book. Funny, clever, traumatized, affectionate. Great. Yet, as events progressed, it felt less and less like the characters were developing so much as they were reiterating their archetypes. I enjoyed the familial relationships between the characters, but they also felt thinner than I wanted. There was no real confrontation around Hannigan's treatment of their powers. There was no confrontation around the lies. It feels to me like the story built us up to an unearned reveal and then left us with nothing to chew over about it. There's no resentment? No hard feelings? I wanted more complexity from a book that certainly dealt in complexity in its main characters. How much death or harm must a person cause before they qualify as a monster? Who gets to decide? How monstrous must a person be before their bodily autonomy becomes a courtesy and not a right? How much control do you owe the person who feeds and houses you? The actual narrative is chock-full of interesting stuff but it doesn't have any room to breathe.
I rarely say this, but I think book needed to be longer so that I could feel more emotionally invested. The stakes felt...muted. "I just have to" isn't a motive. Predictable events occurred, which is fine, but because they were both predictable and not necessarily well-justified, for want of a better term, the payoff to anticipating these events was nonexistent. This is not me saying the book is bad by any means. This is me seeing places where I think the book could have been better. Purely subjective, and I won't pretend otherwise. I wanted more creepiness, more chills and thrills. This doesn't deliver on that, in my opinion. Hence it taking me weeks to read a book I otherwise could have finished in a day. [As a side note, the romance was a firm and emphatic no. Did none of y'all watch the Fosters?!]
If you enjoy banter, old-school teen detective stories, the found family trope, and paranormal investigations shows, you just might like this!
Three Stars
September 3, 2026
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for approving me to read this book, I’m rating it 4.0 stars.
Woah what a perfect start to Autumn! This book was eerie and I wasn’t sure at first how dark and deep it would get as our main characters are young, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised.
The main characters are paranormal investigators and find themselves unravelling quite the mystery. With gifts, family lore and grief tangled up at the centre of the plot we get a story with depth and layers that kept me locked in. Now I will say the gifts are interesting and some are more likeable than others, ok maybe likeable isn’t the right word as each “gift” seems to have its consequences. We also have some internal mysteries unfolding amongst the characters that unlocks parts of them that you may question if they really should’ve been revealed.
Turned out to be quite the read for sure!
Woah what a perfect start to Autumn! This book was eerie and I wasn’t sure at first how dark and deep it would get as our main characters are young, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised.
The main characters are paranormal investigators and find themselves unravelling quite the mystery. With gifts, family lore and grief tangled up at the centre of the plot we get a story with depth and layers that kept me locked in. Now I will say the gifts are interesting and some are more likeable than others, ok maybe likeable isn’t the right word as each “gift” seems to have its consequences. We also have some internal mysteries unfolding amongst the characters that unlocks parts of them that you may question if they really should’ve been revealed.
Turned out to be quite the read for sure!
September 3, 2026
Kaylynn Bayron has been an autobuy author for me since I read This Poison Heart and she still is. She knows how to write YA so well.
Tell the Ghosts I’m Gone was so entertaining and I love a mystery that keeps you guessing. There were definitely some creepy moments and twists that kept me interested, and I liked trying to figure out what was actually going on. Overall, I’d say this was a really fun read, especially if you like ghost stories, supernatural mysteries, and a little bit of horror. 👻🖤 I also love the friends and found family vibes.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury USA Children's Books | Bloomsbury YA for this ARC.
Tell the Ghosts I’m Gone was so entertaining and I love a mystery that keeps you guessing. There were definitely some creepy moments and twists that kept me interested, and I liked trying to figure out what was actually going on. Overall, I’d say this was a really fun read, especially if you like ghost stories, supernatural mysteries, and a little bit of horror. 👻🖤 I also love the friends and found family vibes.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury USA Children's Books | Bloomsbury YA for this ARC.
September 26, 2026
3/5
I wanted to love this but a lot of it fell short for me. The story seemed so interesting but it was not unfolding as I read it the way I wanted it to. I want to be shown what is happening, not told about what happened.
The horror and paranormal elements were GREAT but a lot of it was so unrealistic (yes I know, its paranormal lol, but the everyday things should be more realistic). The kids were school age but school seemed to be barely a thing. I also wasn't big into the villains because they did not have good reasons to be the villains imo.
I wanted to love this but a lot of it fell short for me. The story seemed so interesting but it was not unfolding as I read it the way I wanted it to. I want to be shown what is happening, not told about what happened.
The horror and paranormal elements were GREAT but a lot of it was so unrealistic (yes I know, its paranormal lol, but the everyday things should be more realistic). The kids were school age but school seemed to be barely a thing. I also wasn't big into the villains because they did not have good reasons to be the villains imo.
October 29, 2026
I'm a little bit on the fence about this one. On the one hand, it was a cool and spooky paranormal mystery with a good ending that was not even remotely disappointing - which I like. On the other hand, the characters felt flat, the magic was incoherent or perhaps random is the better word, and the banter between the characters was simply terrible.
So, I don't know. Story-wise, I'd rate this a solid 4 out of 5 stars. Same with the flair and the mysterious atmosphere. Writing style, character development, and world-building, however, are a 2 out of 5, and that only when I am feeling generous.
So, I don't know. Story-wise, I'd rate this a solid 4 out of 5 stars. Same with the flair and the mysterious atmosphere. Writing style, character development, and world-building, however, are a 2 out of 5, and that only when I am feeling generous.
September 3, 2026
i’ll read anything kalynn gives us at this point. this was a fantastic spooky read that was the perfect mix of her writing that i love so much with the vibes of ghost-hunting shows (like my fav buzzfeed unsolved with ryan and shane rip)
September 18, 2026
I almost immediately said…Annie?? Haha. Really enjoyed this book. Kalynn Bayron is a master with the pen. There was a few details that I was left with questions on, such as what the mom does for work if she works and the kids school schedule. Ossie also actsd a little younger than I would imagine children his age would, but it did not take me out of the story. 4.5 starts rounded to 5!
November 1, 2026
This was the perfect thing to read on halloween. I'm telling you it's a glorious roller coaster. I loved every second of it. The love. The loss. The grief. The paranormal!!! Omg, it has everything. A wonderful addition to my Kalynn Bayron collection of books. 10 outta 10 spoooookies.
November 6, 2026
A unique genre blending story. This story is filled with suspense, found family, secret societies (or a cult?), ghosts and supernatural powers.
This would’ve been a bit stronger if more info was shared about their powers but overall this was a decent story.
This would’ve been a bit stronger if more info was shared about their powers but overall this was a decent story.
October 7, 2026
This was SO GOOD.
September 1, 2026
If you're looking for a YA paranormal horror read for the spooky season then please pick this one up!
This book takes place in Oregon with a group of paranormal gifted kids. The gifts range from emotions, persuasion, mind reading, and controlling pests. They decide they want to use their gifts to investigate the paranormal and help people. This leads them down a road of ghosts, a secret society, and secrets.
This book was the perfect spooky read. Between the gifted kids, investigating, and ghosts I was hooked. I was able to do an immersive read which was great. The narrator did a wonderful job! I'll def pick up this author again!
Thank you Bloomsbury for the gifted physical book and Libro.fm for the gifted audiobook.
This book takes place in Oregon with a group of paranormal gifted kids. The gifts range from emotions, persuasion, mind reading, and controlling pests. They decide they want to use their gifts to investigate the paranormal and help people. This leads them down a road of ghosts, a secret society, and secrets.
This book was the perfect spooky read. Between the gifted kids, investigating, and ghosts I was hooked. I was able to do an immersive read which was great. The narrator did a wonderful job! I'll def pick up this author again!
Thank you Bloomsbury for the gifted physical book and Libro.fm for the gifted audiobook.
October 6, 2026
DNF @ 17% / chapter 4 - YA supernatural horror
I normally find Kalynn Bayrons books really easy to read and connect to but I struggled with this one. I found the characters lacking and their gifts confusing. The story is basically 4 orphans ( I believe, I'm not 100% sure if the FMC is an orphan or not) who live in a world supposedly with people hiding gifts. All 4 characters have gifts and live with a "witch" (I didn't get so far as to learn what the mothers gifts are but she is described as a witch) The FMC, Molly, gift is that she can see peoples auras / feelings but if she concentrates on them she can kill them. She nearly kills a man on the bus and only feels ashamed her power let loose but not guilt that she nearly killed a man. The 4 of them - 1 aged 18, 2 aged 16 and 1 aged 12 (the 12 year old felt out of place to me and quite immature) get requested to inspect a haunting from a lecturer at the university. It just didn't feel realistic to me that they would get the job and that somehow, the four of them all with gifts, just so happened to be orphaned in the same home. I would have liked some backstory to the gifts / how they came together.
I normally find Kalynn Bayrons books really easy to read and connect to but I struggled with this one. I found the characters lacking and their gifts confusing. The story is basically 4 orphans ( I believe, I'm not 100% sure if the FMC is an orphan or not) who live in a world supposedly with people hiding gifts. All 4 characters have gifts and live with a "witch" (I didn't get so far as to learn what the mothers gifts are but she is described as a witch) The FMC, Molly, gift is that she can see peoples auras / feelings but if she concentrates on them she can kill them. She nearly kills a man on the bus and only feels ashamed her power let loose but not guilt that she nearly killed a man. The 4 of them - 1 aged 18, 2 aged 16 and 1 aged 12 (the 12 year old felt out of place to me and quite immature) get requested to inspect a haunting from a lecturer at the university. It just didn't feel realistic to me that they would get the job and that somehow, the four of them all with gifts, just so happened to be orphaned in the same home. I would have liked some backstory to the gifts / how they came together.
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