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The Haunted Librarian

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A lonely librarian finds love, friends, and a few ghosts between the shelves in this cozy, paranormal tale from beloved bestselling author Auralee Wallace.

It’s a dark and stormy night…and Amelia Bates is caught in the rain. Life hasn’t always been kind to her, and being a ghostseer certainly doesn’t make things any easier.

Glowing warmly through the autumnal downpour is her safest the library. Amelia, the newly hired librarian, has always relished the comfort of curling up with a novel, vastly preferring it to the company of humans (alive or ghostly).

But Amelia is shocked to discover the building is full of more than quiet stories and warm cups of tea. There are curious, talkative patrons, a shy, bespectacled head librarian who makes her heart skip a beat, and three quirky spirits causing paranormal havoc that endangers the future of the library.

To help the ghosts and save the building, Amelia will have to gather all her bravery and wits, because learning to trust others might just be the first step to a happily ever after she only thought was possible in books.

368 pages, Paperback

First published October 6, 2026

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About the author

Auralee Wallace

20 books1,569 followers
After spending her formative years reading Grimms’ fairy tales and stirring up potions in the creek behind her house, Auralee Wallace knew she would grow up to be a witch. When that didn’t work out, she decided becoming a writer was the next best thing. Now, Auralee is the author of multiple novels, including the Otter Lake mystery series and The Evenfall Witches B&B mysteries. She lives in Ottawa with her husband, kids, dog, and cat.
She can be found on Twitter, Goodreads, Facebook, Instagram, and her website http://auraleewallace.com/.

Auralee is represented by Natalie Lakosil, Looking Glass Literary and Media.

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5 stars
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357 (23%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 268 reviews
Profile Image for Krystal.
958 reviews222 followers
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
September 22, 2026
The Haunted Librarian marks my second time reading Auralee Wallace's work and I am enjoying her quirky, heartwarming style. The cozy cover art is a great fit for this gentle narrative about a ghostseer falling in love with a crumbling library that hosts a trio of ghosts from different time periods.

The Professor
He has a lovely demeanor and flawed memory. He sits in his favorite chair upstairs by the fire reading. If I had to be a ghost I could think of worse ways to spend the afterlife. 😉

Minnie
She has limited communication and a scarier physical appearance than the others. However, Minnie hit me square in the heart because as her longing was palpable.

Braden
He embodies the late '80's early '90's Point Break style. His character provided some laugh out loud interactions with Amelia the beloved, buttoned up librarian. He is the ghost with the most page time and he also provides a much-needed connection between the characters.

Amelia is excited to begin her new job as a librarian. Spending her days among the stacks fills her with joy. The handsome bespectacled fellow librarian causes her nervous heart to flutter. Amelia has spent her life ignoring the ghosts she sees and sticking to books to feel balanced. The library is in trouble, and she may have to rely on some unlikely help to save it.

A cute, cozy read for spooky season. Even the chilled, rainy atmosphere felt right to welcome autumnal vibes. The dash of romance had more to do with personal growth than sultry vibes so take that into consideration according to your personal preferences. It was a perfect read for me to take in nibbles before bed during a busy week.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group for providing an ARC via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Dee (in the Desert).
827 reviews241 followers
November 3, 2026
A cozy read for Halloween & the Day of the Dead. I'd categorize it as a cozy paranormal with just a whiff of a romance. At first I found the MC Amelia the "ghost-seer" a bit off-putting, but I warmed to her as her character grew. I loved the library ghosts, especially Braden (Dude!). Overall, a good read & perfect for spooky season and will check out this author's back-list.
Profile Image for Richard Derus.
4,664 reviews2,402 followers
October 24, 2026
Rating: 3.75* of five

The Publisher Says: A lonely librarian finds love, friends, and a few ghosts between the shelves in this cozy, paranormal tale from beloved bestselling author Auralee Wallace.

It’s a dark and stormy night…and Amelia Bates is caught in the rain. Life hasn’t always been kind to her, and being a ghostseer certainly doesn’t make things any easier.

Glowing warmly through the autumnal downpour is her safest the library. Amelia, the newly hired librarian, has always relished the comfort of curling up with a novel, vastly preferring it to the company of humans (alive or ghostly).

But Amelia is shocked to discover the building is full of more than quiet stories and warm cups of tea. There are curious, talkative patrons, a shy, bespectacled head librarian who makes her heart skip a beat, and three quirky spirits causing paranormal havoc that endangers the future of the library.

To help the ghosts and save the building, Amelia will have to gather all her bravery and wits, because learning to trust others might just be the first step to a happily ever after she only thought was possible in books.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.

My Review
: Librarian + ghosts x cozy romantasy = terrific #Deathtober entertainment. Another story I was never sorry to pick back up, but didn't think to do so for days at a time. I thought Simon, Amelia's love interest, was very dull; I forget which ghost called Amelia "dude" all the time but that *really* grated after the skatey-eighth time.

The humor is gentle, the tone is the good kind of sentimental, the milieu could grow legs and be the book your grands are happiest to find after you die. It was fine, but I wanted to be able to invest in Amelia more. Next book?

Ace Books only wants $12.99 for an ebook, which is exactly the right price.
Profile Image for Rebecca.
98 reviews
Did Not Finish
November 11, 2026
DNF @ 65%. I can not listen to anymore of this book. It’s been hours and hours of NOTHING. This reads like a middle grade book to me.
Profile Image for Ashley Lynn.
120 reviews5 followers
September 6, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was such a cozy fun read. Amelia’s character growth was perfect, she goes from anxious librarian to a confident one with the help of her ghost friends. This book is about being unafraid, accepting yourself for who you are, and being ready to admit when it is time for you to move on. The ghosts were my favorite part and brought a lot of laughter and growth to the story and the main character, Amelia. Simon is adorable. And Rosalinda - 🥹. The book made me laugh and cry! Such a fun cozy read, perfect for fall!
Profile Image for MikaReadsFantasy.
437 reviews34 followers
October 14, 2026
The Haunted Librarian by Auralee Wallace was such a cosy read, and I absolutely loved the autumnal library atmosphere!

Newly hired librarian Amelia Bates prefers books to people, living or dead, but her new workplace turns out to be anything but quiet. Between a shy head librarian and a trio of quirky ghosts causing paranormal havoc, Amelia finds herself getting more attached to the place and its inhabitants than she ever expected.

The atmosphere was definitely one of my favourite things about this book. Almost the entire story takes place inside the library, which feels like a warm, welcoming refuge from the storm outside. The people are lovely, the setting is wonderfully cosy, and I especially enjoyed the ghosts. They all have distinct personalities and come from different eras, making their interactions with Amelia a lot of fun. The modern ghost constantly calling her “dude” was particularly entertaining, even if I suspect I’d find that nickname absolutely infuriating myself.

There’s also a little romance sprinkled into the story, but it never overshadows the main focus on the library, the ghosts, and Amelia’s relationships with them. For my personal taste, the balance was just right!

Amelia herself is an interesting protagonist. Her past and her ability to see ghosts left her isolated during her youth, and she has continued to keep people at a distance as an adult. Her insecurity and hesitation in social situations could be frustrating at times, but they felt believable for her character and gave her more depth. I just wish we’d gotten to know her colleagues better, as they seemed interesting beyond their shared love of books.

The central conflict kept me invested because, by that point, I had grown quite attached to the library and its supernatural residents.

The pacing slowed down a little in the final third, and the ending was perhaps a touch too sentimental for my personal taste. And yet, once I finished, I found myself wishing there were more! For all its little flaws, this was a delightful, comforting read that left me wanting to spend more time with these characters. I’m genuinely sad that it’s a standalone.
Profile Image for Bree Kaitlyn.
134 reviews5 followers
October 21, 2026
Sobbed my eyes out the whole last 100 pages of this book. Instant five stars.
Profile Image for Maria.
3,548 reviews103 followers
October 9, 2026
Quaint, small seaside town with a charming library and a haunted library – this had everything needed for a spooky read. This leans heavier towards the paranormal side, which is nice, with Amelia needing to help the ghostly residents of the library, while keeping it all from her new employers. I enjoyed the story, but it did drag in the middle and I found myself when Amelia actually had to be a librarian as both the patrons and her work-related tasks were few and far between. Otherwise, this was cute and the ending was fitting.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the review copy.
Profile Image for Tyler Hancsak.
648 reviews205 followers
September 21, 2026
This was so cute, wholesome, and I loved the haunted spooky vibes for a good kick off to Halloween season! Amelia had so much growth in this book and it was honestly such a soft and sweet cozy fantasy. Even the ghosts were fun and seeing the slow burn romance develop was cuuuuute.
Profile Image for Keila (speedreadstagram).
2,581 reviews348 followers
October 25, 2026
Okay yes sometimes you just need a cozy haunted paranormal book, and well look no further than this book because it is that and more. It is so cute. The stakes are really low, and I dont mean that in a bad way, just in the way that this is the book to cozy up to when things are too much. You know the kind of book that is more like a warm hug than a stab to the eye? Yes that. The romance was sweet and a slow burn and it was a true delight. I absolutely adored the small town setting and of course the fall vibes. Overall this is a really sweet book and one you should pick up.
Profile Image for Tracy Emro.
2,239 reviews65 followers
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
September 25, 2026
Amelia Bates has not had an easy life, she grew up in foster care and never quite fit in, and to make matters worse, she saw ghosts and had to keep it secret, so no one thought she was crazy. She completely cut out that part of her life, going as far as to make rules to ignore them. Without family or friends, Amelia lost herself in books and her greatest wish in life was to become a librarian. So, when she receives an invitation to apply at the Cavendish Library on Prince Edward Island, she was thrilled. But things seemed to go down from there…

First, she encountered several ghosts on her way to the library and then the weather turned and she was drenched and disheveled when she arrived for her interview, late of course, only to find the door locked. But to her surprise and relief, she was called back by a librarian named Rosalinda, when she turned to leave and was given the job with no questions asked. She was delighted until she was introduced to Simon, the head librarian, who just happened to be just about the most gorgeous man she has ever seen, leaving her tongue tied and feeling awkward. When Simon asks to speak to Rosalinda alone, she realizes that she is not alone, there are several ghosts haunting the library. Ghosts that she refuses to acknowledge and who refuse to be ignored, making it hard for her to seem “normal” and alienating her from Simon. But this is just the beginning, and things are about to get even stranger, and Amelia will have to decide if she is going to stick to her rules or will she finally open her heart and mind?

I really liked this story, it wasn’t the romantasy I was expecting, it was more cozy fantasy with a potential love interest. Amelia is a very interesting and complex character whose life has taught her to be secretive and private, she has never had friends and her experiences at the library take her out of her comfort zone, but as she grows and heals, she slowly learns to trust others and herself. I wasn’t sure if I liked her for the first third of the book, but she grew on me and I ended up rooting for her to find her way to happiness. Overall, it was a charming story of found family, trust, and new beginnings and a book that I would happily recommend.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for a DRC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *
Profile Image for gracie.
924 reviews356 followers
October 12, 2026
Cute and perfect for the spooky season, I really enjoyed this one even with the very slow start. Thank you Berkeley Publishing for the arc!
Profile Image for Linne.
441 reviews96 followers
September 29, 2026
Thank you for the free book @penguinrandomhouse and @berkleypub #penguinrandomhousepartner #berkleyIG #BerkleyBookstagram. Thank you for the free audiobook, @prhaudio

This author is really becoming a favorite of mine when it comes to cozy spooky with a heart!

If you love the feel of Halloween but without the full-on scare factor, please try out the cozy spooky genre!!

So the main character (Amelia) just got hired at the local library. With her being a ghostseer, she spotted 3 ghosts in the property on her first day! She doesn’t want anybody to know she can see ghosts so she continuously ignores them. That’s pretty much the plot 😂

I was actually surprised that the ghosts at first gave me the creeps 😂 I like the haunted library setting - perfect for spooky season. There’s also a romance subplot with Amelia and the head librarian. And my favorite part was the mix of paranormal and found family in this book!!

This is definitely another one you should totally add to your TBR for your Halloween reading! It comes out next Tuesday!!
Profile Image for Melissa.
75 reviews1 follower
Did Not Finish
October 13, 2026
DNF 60% im so bored I dont even know whats happening
Profile Image for Madelyn.
111 reviews4 followers
October 14, 2026
This was cute, but the ghosts were more lively than the breathing characters. I wanted even more of them and less of Amelia.
Profile Image for Sowmya.
351 reviews3 followers
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
September 23, 2026
This had promise and was such a let down.
Amelia darling... you have serious issues and its not related to your tragic backstory or the ghosts or even your lack of coherent thoughts that often spills out totally unfiltered.
Wait... that your good side
The boring side is everything Amelia.
This had it all
sentient Library
Ghosts with wit AND issues
a smart MMC with glasses
BOOKS, BOOK and seeecccrretttsss but in the end the book just haunts my TBR's.
Profile Image for Shelley.
5,691 reviews491 followers
October 26, 2026
*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Fantasy / Cozy
*Rating* 3.5

*Full Review Shortly*

Sorry, this took too long to post. I spent a few hours in the ER and then I didn't have any energy to do anything for a few days.
Profile Image for Ashley.
704 reviews97 followers
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
September 19, 2026
Thank you to Berkley Publishing for providing me with a gifted ebook copy of The Haunted Librarian through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Amelia is a librarian who can communicate with ghosts and Simon is her coworker and fellow librarian who wears SLG!…be still my heart! I love a book with an FMC that can see ghosts and The Haunted Librarian delivered all of the cozy paranormal vibes for me.

It was fun seeing Amelia and the ghosts slowly become friends and work together to save the library. I thought Amelia was a great character and could definitely see how her past had affected her as an adult. I did find myself wishing that some of the relationships between the characters would have been explored more and not taken place off the page.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭:
• Haunted Library
• Paranormal Fiction
• Cozy Mystery
• Personal Growth

𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥: 🌶️

If you love paranormal vibes and library romance with a cozy ghost mystery then I would definitely recommend The Haunted Librarian.
Profile Image for Anna Tan.
Author 36 books178 followers
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
September 8, 2026
Amelia Bates has three rules when dealing with ghosts, which basically amounts to ignoring anything and everything about them. But the old library on Prince Edward Island, where she's finally fulfilling her life-long dream of being a librarian, is filled with ghosts. And not just any ghosts she can ignore, but ones who are actively trying to get her attention. And of course, the head librarian just has to be the most dreamy - yet unattainable - guy, doesn't he?

I don't normally go for ghost stories, but this one sounded like not so much horror but more rom-com, ala Caspian the Friendly Ghost. It does have its darker moments - Amelia has to figure out the three resident ghosts' pasts in order to help them move on, and not all of that is pretty. The story as a whole, however, is light-hearted and cosy. Amelia has to confront her fears and her awkwardness, the ghosts have to face their pasts, and somewhere along the lines, they actually become friends.

Whilst love is a major theme - and weaves itself through the book- the actual romance side of it is super slow burn and no spice. I think this is partly because Amelia spends most of the book going "BUT HE DOESN'T LIKE ME" in the face of all the evidence. The main theme is self-acceptance with a huge dose of found family - not just for Amelia, but for all of them.

I brought this along with me during a weekend trip to Bangkok, and I have to say that The Haunted Librarian is a perfect light read over vacation. It's funny and light hearted, and though there are ghosts and malevolent happenings, there's nothing too dark to scare you while you're in unfamiliar places.

Note: I received a digital ARC of this book from Berkley Publishing Group via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Profile Image for Natalie Bennett.
299 reviews
May 21, 2026
2.5 ⭐️ — It was a really cute premise, and it started out strong, but I felt like there was very little storytelling about Amelia being an actual librarian. Most of the time she was at the library, it was closed. There was reference to her being such a great librarian and people talking about all the amazing things she did for patrons, but there was little of her doing her job actually discussed in the story. Also, her relationship with Simon wasn't as touched upon through the story as much as I would have liked. The majority of their interactions were her pushing him away, so it felt a bit rushed when they admitted their feelings for one another in the end without much build-up beforehand. I thought her relationship with the ghosts was really cute, as well as her opening up and being vulnerable to make relationships and build connections with other people and seeing the good in her ghost-seeing abilities, but I feel like the storytelling didn't land as well as I hoped it would.
Profile Image for Amanda Ferrante.
72 reviews
August 15, 2026
I have so many questions/complaints. First Amelia was annoying. Who doesn’t like the fall? What kind of person doesn’t like the fall? Second, librarians don’t wear “woolen tights” to look “so librarian”. They wear book merch tshirts, cute dresses, and cardigans. Third, “the genius behind the Dewey decimal system” did the author research the guy? He was a pig and an awful human. And finally, wtf is a resting librarian face and I want to know if I have one.

Overall the story fell flat to me. Amelia was unlikeable in my opinion. It seemed like there was no real librarian storyline, just that she was in the building. As a librarian, that’s why I picked up this book. It felt like the author was trying to make a librarian job look cool without real sustenance to it.
Profile Image for Marlene.
3,640 reviews255 followers
October 23, 2026
It’s not just that the librarian is haunted, the library is too. Which is part of the problem. The librarian being haunted is actually the smaller problem of the two. The LIBRARY being haunted is a big, huge, gigantic, soul-sucking (and building-sucking) problem of truly epic proportions.

Not that freshly-minted, newly employed Amelia Bates is ready to tackle the big problem yet. She’s much too preoccupied dealing with her own small problem. Her lifelong small problem.

Amelia sees ghosts. She always has – for as long as she can remember. She’s convinced that her ability to see ghosts is what caused her parents to abandon her on the doorstep of an orphanage. She’s absolutely certain that her ability isolated her among the other children – at least until she determined her rules for appearing normal. As long as she doesn’t engage with the ghosts, she can keep up the pretense of being normal.

But it IS a pretense. The safest way for Amelia to get by is to keep herself to herself. Books became her safe space, a safe space she decided to turn into a career by becoming a librarian.

Amelia’s new job, at a tiny private library outside the equally tiny town of Cavendish on Prince Edward Island, is Amelia’s dream job. At least until she arrives for her first day of work and sees that the library is haunted by not just one but three ghosts – and that the head librarian looks like her very own dream of a “bookish boyfriend” come true.

She’s caught between tongue-tied embarrassment whenever Simon even enters the room, and extreme but hopefully hidden mortification whenever one of the library’s three ghosts does their best/worst to get her attention and force her to out herself. She has much too much experience of exactly how badly that goes, and desperately wants to keep her job.

But the ghosts just as desperately NEED Amelia’s attention. They need a ghostseer’s help to leave the library, and their ghostseer is just not cooperating. At least not until she figures out that the ghosts’ inability to leave is just the tip of an iceberg of destructive proportions and that the ghosts and the library that shelters them are all going to be sucked into a cosmic vortex unless Amelia learns all about the ghostseer heritage that she never knew she had.

Before her new ghostly friends, her dream job – and her dream man – are literally sucked into oblivion. And her along with them.

Escape Rating B: I picked this one up in spite of myself. I read the author’s previous book, The Late Night Witches, and was not impressed. The protagonist of that earlier book was more than a bit of a doormat, and that’s not my preference in main characters. At all.

Amelia Bates is not a doormat. She’s had a hard-knock life, she’s got a gift she sees as a curse, she’s right that it sets her apart, and she’s got no clue how to deal with it or the ghosts who always find her. She’s doing her best – even though it doesn’t always work for her – but she’s still doing. She found a job she loves and a career she thinks she can manage and she keeps trying. (I did have to remind myself that this is definitely a fantasy version of a library and not a real one. Amelia’s not quite “one of us” but her heart and her efforts on behalf of the library are generally in the right place.)

And the reasons that she doesn’t know how to manage her gift make sense within the story. No one is deliberately hiding a family secret for convoluted reasons. She just doesn’t have anyone to ask – and she never has.

That she bumbles and stumbles with dealing with everything may have gone on just a touch long in this story – the action doesn’t pick up until the halfway point – but she’s always trying. She’s just not always succeeding. And that feels realistically human as well even though the world she’s in is, again, a fantasy. (Even in fantasy worlds – or perhaps especially in fantasy worlds – humans need to behave like, well, humans.)

Once she starts interacting with the ghosts and she realizes that there’s something really wrong, the story gets a whole lot more interesting – and so, frankly, does Amelia. Because she opens up – and out. She befriends the ghosts. She starts working on the mysteries that brought them each there in the first place. She’s trying to help.

The cozy warmth of that part of the story, and Amelia’s change of heart, had some of the same feels as Under the Whispering Door, while Amelia’s initial distrust of the ghosts and fears about their disruption reminded me more than a bit of The Most Unusual Haunting of Edgar Lovejoy, although Amelia is never afraid of the ghosts per se the way that Edgar is. She’s afraid that their presence will make a mess of her attempt at normalcy – and she’s not wrong about that!

What Amelia needs is a mentor, rather like the titular character in Robin D. Owens’ classic urban fantasy Ghost Seer series. She needed someone to show her the ropes – but she doesn’t have that someone in her life. She’s doing her best with the library’s rather eccentric assistance, but she’s always trying to solve the mystery and prevent the disaster without having a good starting point for her research or her quest.

In the end, the story – and the eventual, one-step-forward, two-steps-back romance with Simon – does manage to storm its way (literally) to a happy ending, with just the right touch of bittersweet to make it feel earned. If you’re looking for a cozy paranormal with a bit of romance and a whole lot of heart, this just might be the right book for this spooky season!

Originally published at Reading Reality
4,279 reviews1,773 followers
October 9, 2026
Eeeeppp!!! I ADORED this book! And am so in love with Auralee Wallace's quirky storytelling style. So. Much. Fun. And, honestly, a librarian heroine on a magical quest, albeit reluctantly, makes for the perfect atmospheric autumn read. Especially since there are ghosts...and a kinda sentient library. And a bit of light romance with an adorably befuddled head librarian. Amelia and Simon are endearingly socially awkward which made for some fun interactions. And the ghosts! Three unique spectres with distinctive backstories that hold important keys to Amelia's quest. Such an entertaining read...and a surprisingly emotional one as well. I teared up at the bittersweet ending.

I listened to the audible edition and thoroughly enjoyed Stephanie Cannon's narration. She captured the essence of each character perfectly. I especially loved the soothing tones of the professor! Her performance made the story that much more compelling and my only critique is that it was over all too soon!
Profile Image for Calamity Ayne.
135 reviews10 followers
June 16, 2026
3.5 stars rounded up.

Auralee Wallace’s latest book was as nice to read as her others. She builds worlds that feel real, and that you can step right into. MC Amelia’s new job as the night librarian in a sentient library haunted by three ghosts proves to be more than she was expecting.

(You’ll need to suspend your disbelief as to why a small town library with hardly any patrons would need a night librarian.)

As a (reluctant) ghostseer, Amelia’s always done her best to avoid ghosts at all costs. When the library and the ghosts’ fates entangle, she’s compelled to lean into her abilities for the good of the library, the ghosts, and her new friends.

An overall good and cozy read. I like the author’s writing, and really hope she gets back to writing the
Evenfall Witches B&B series!

Thank you to ACE and NetGalley for the ARC!
Profile Image for Courtney.
82 reviews
October 23, 2026
In a nutshell: A good premise and some great ideas (and an adorable cover)... very sloppily executed, with a horrible protagonist.

My main problem with this book was our lead, Amelia. Her main character traits are that she's lonely but refuses to get close to anyone, is a consistent liar who's upset anytime someone accuses her of lying, that she hates her gift but has never actually tried to use it, and that she doesn't know how to speak or behave like a regular person but is super self aware enough to know that, and won't shut up about it. (Internally. It felt like 70% of dialogue in this book was her inner thoughts, and it got old real fast. She's awkward. We get it. Stop beating us over the head with it!)
She's so incredibly unlikeable and I was not able to sympathize with her. It's one thing to have resentments and a difficult past that makes it difficult to open up, but my goodness. She has no sympathy for those who have passed away. She decides an entire group of people (in this case, ghosts) are evil without having actually tried to engage with one. Even after she decides she's going to try to help them, she barely does and wastes so much time. She was frankly infuriating to read. Braden was right - she is horrible.

The next biggest issue I had was just how underbaked the whole thing was. The other human characters talk about how great Amelia has been, but we never see that. Amelia and Rosalinda apparently develop some amazing, intense friendship, but we just get told that at the end. Simon falls for her, despite all that we get of them interacting is awkward, impersonal, brief moments. Frankly, the writing just often felt lazy. The library may be sentient - but we'll never get a reason or a why or a how about it. There's a very curious side character throughout the whole book that I kept expecting we'd get answers on, but he's waved off at the end with a line about how Amelia will get to him later (omg). Our main character also buys a box of stuff she hopes will help her, but decides none of it will work without actually trying it (and guess what!). Even the resolution to the main problem of the story is incredibly lazy. The answers are literally just given to Amelia, like "here you go, you get to know now". Seriously maddening. This is just one of those stories where characters often act dumb and/or unrealistic in order to drag things out, and I can't stand that.

The ghosts are the best part of this book, and the reason I'm giving it two stars. (Unfortunately, it takes about 100 pages to get the lead to start interacting with them. Ugh.) I loved Braden and I cried for Minnie. I would have loved to spend more time with them, learn more about them, see them bonding more with the lead, or get to see more of what their relationships were like with each other , but, as I said, underbaked. There wasn't enough time for more of them when we needed more of Amelia's neuroticism. It's honestly quite sad how much unfulfilled potential there was here.

What else? There was a few mistakes an editor should have caught. This is the second book I've read by this author, and both have unsatisfying endings to their romances. When we get to the most important goodbye between characters towards the end, it's incredibly lackluster. More should have been said, or just something better. You can't just reference Dorothy saying goodbye to Scarecrow and leave it at that! Sorry, but again, lazy. There were also just some things that didn't make any sense to me, like how Braden could grab Amelia or move DVDs, but never thought to look through books or try to get on the computer to do his own research about why they were stuck there; Also, maybe the author was just trying to do something different in the genre, but no one's picking up a supposed cozy book about a librarian helping trapped ghosts, and enjoying the fact that this character hates Autumn. Nor is anyone enjoying the vibes of her home constantly smelling like fish. (Was begging the book to stop mention the fish.)

Despite all this book's flaws, I actually didn't hate the experience of reading it! The book is cozy-ish (though very by numbers). It was a fast, simple read, that I was happy to keep picking up. I liked the quotes from other books at the top of every chapter, I liked the idea of the love interest at least, I loved the ghosts, and I actually found there to be a couple funny bits.
I really could have liked this - the concepts are great - but sadly, it's just like... a faded, static-y, ghost of what could have been a better story.
Profile Image for Laura.
2,907 reviews93 followers
November 5, 2026
I adore this book so much! Amelia finds herself being hired as a librarian. But this isn’t your ordinary library. Amelia is a ghostseer, and over time, she has learned to just ignore ghosts. It doesn’t always work in her favor, but some habits are hard to stop. Now Amelia finds herself in a haunted library, and she is determined to ignore the ghosts within. But she soon discovers that she cannot always ignore them if she wants their help to save the library. She found love, friendship, ghosts, and so much more.
The narrator, Stephanie Cannon has an amazing voice. The way she was able to portray each character and give them all unique voices is phenomenal. I was shocked to discover that she was the only narrator. Just amazing! The tones and inflections for each character fit perfectly for each character. I couldn’t imagine anyone else portraying them. She brought this world to life. Incredible.
This was such a heartwarming read. Grab your blanket, a mug of something warm, and cuddle up to read this cozy paranormal read.
A very special thanks to PRHAudio for the gifted ALC.
Profile Image for Amber.
609 reviews55 followers
October 11, 2026
*Thank you Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group | Ace for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. This in no way effects my opinion*

Imagine spending your whole life pretending ghosts don't exist. Now imagine getting your dream job at the library which so happens to be haunted. The kicker? You have to stop pretending ghosts don't exist because if you don't help them, your library could be in peril.

This is my second book by Auralee and I have to say I liked this one much better! It was cute and quirky. I think the ghosts toook the the show. They were fantastic. Braden was hilarious and the Professor was precious. Even scary Minnie was cute. They each brought something special to help Amelia grow in her confidence.

This was the perfect fall read. It was cozy but also had some spooky vibes. The book makes me thing of cold, rainy fall days where you just want to curl up and read a book.

The ending was precious and heartwarming. I laughed. I cried. Those are some of the best things I can ask for in a story. With that being said, I think my biggest issue with the story was the relationship between Simon and Amelia. It just felt... awkward. Okay, so both characters are awkward but I just didn't feel the chemistry between them. They never really seemed to be together. It would have been fun to see the friendship explored more. I think it could have really added to the story.

Overall, it was such a cute cozy paranormal story. I highly recommend it!
Profile Image for Lyon.Brit.andthebookshelf.
1,054 reviews50 followers
November 5, 2026
✨ Thank you to the publisher for the copy! ✨

Auralee Wallace is officially the ambiance queen🍂👻

Much like her other books…I had such a wonderful time with The Haunted Librarian. There is just something about the way Auralee brings a setting to life. Her descriptions are so vivid that I can practically picture every rain soaked street…cozy corner and warmly lit library.

This time…we meet Amelia Bates a newly hired librarian who would much rather spend her time surrounded by books than people. But her new library comes with a few unexpected residents… three mischievous ghosts…a little paranormal chaos and perhaps even the possibility of romance👻 I loved the combination of cozy library atmosphere…quirky spirits…and a touch of mystery. Auralee has become one of those authors whose books feel like a comfort read to me.

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