The Haunting of Sunshine Girl

The Haunting of Sunshine Girl #1

by Paige McKenzie, Alyssa Sheinmel

Shortly after her sixteenth birthday, Sunshine Griffith and her mother, Kat, move from sunny Austin, Texas, to the rain-drenched town of Ridgemont, Washington. From the moment they arrive, Sunshine feels her world darken with an eeriness she cannot place. Something about their new house is just…creepy.

In the days that follow, Sunshine is followed around the house by an icy breeze, phantom wind slams her bedroom door shut, and eventually, the laughter Sunshine hears on her first night evolves into sobs. As the spirits haunting her house become more frightening—and it becomes clear that Kat is in danger—Sunshine must accept what she is, pass the test before her, and save her mother from a fate worse than death.

Genres: Young Adult, Horror, Paranormal, Fantasy, Ghosts, Mystery, Fiction

298 pages, Paperback

First published March 24, 2015

About the author

Paige is the young star of the hit YouTube channel The Haunting of Sunshine Girl. What began as a simple “girl and her haunted house” story has grown to a multi-webisode network with stories of zombies, ghosts, Sasquatch and lots of Sunshine! Full of positivity, humor and plenty of scares, The Haunting of Sunshine Girl has allowed Paige to spread her unique brand of adorkableness to other teens (and many adults) all over the world! At the age of 16, Paige (along with her mother, actress Mercedes Rose and producing partner, Nick Hagen) co-founded the production company Coat Tale Productions.
Paige's latest book series, B*Witch from Hachette Books hit shelves in 2020. A sequel is planned for 2021. Paige lives in Portland, Oregon with her fur baby, Pongo.

Reviews

[Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies · Rating 1 out of 5]

You might love this book if you love Zooey Deschanel's adorkable-types and the manic pixie dream bullshit, but if you're like me and 1) mute, 2) change the channel every time you see her face on TV, this book will make you want to rip your hair out strand by strand. The main character's name is Sunshine.



I have high standards for horror, and this book doesn't meet any of them. It was a watered-down version of Dark Water (no pun intended) with a sad attempt at using Fatal Frame's photography schtick with the most annoyingly cute and perky character in the entire fucking world. She is so cute! She is so sweet! She is so clumsy!



She never curses!

“Jeezus Loueezus,” I sigh, wrapping my fingers around my phone and standing. I turn my neck from side to side. The air between my bones crackles and pops when I move. “I feel like an old lady,” I say out loud.

I wanted to strangle her 5 pages into the book! The moments of fear are made absolutely anticlimactic because of how stupid and idiotic and childish the main character seems.

“Good golly!” I shout, folding my arms across my chest and balling my hands into fists. My heart is racing. Another chill runs down my spine, and then another, and another, until it feels like I’ll never be warm again. I sit on my bed and shiver, my heart pounding.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that a character has to curse to be believable. I'm saying she has to be realistic, and a manic pixie dream girl in a horror just makes the entire book seem completely laughable.

Imagine Zooey Deschanel being adorkable in a horror movie. That's what this book is. I'm more inclined to laugh than be afraid.



The main character is so forcedly cute. She is an epitome of the weird (yet adorable!) girl trope. She is super fucking special, being:

1. Adopted, and she's so special because of it.

Softly I say, “I’m adopted.”

“What?” Nolan asks, still not looking up from his book.

“I’m adopted,” I repeat louder, and start pacing at a normal speed.

“You’re right,” he nods. “But those tons of people aren’t in the situation you’re in.”

2. With such wonderfully different eyes

And my eyes are green, not gray like Mom’s. Ashley says they look like cat’s eyes. You know how some people’s eyes change color depending on the light or what they’re wearing? Not mine. They’re always the same milky, light kind of green. And even in the dark my pupils never get big. I’ve literally never seen anyone with eyes that look like mine.

3. She's so different because she dresses differently than everyone else! She wears pajamas with puppies on them, as well as footie pajamas (oh, wait, that was 8th grade!)

I don’t dress like a crazy person or anything like that; I just don’t dress like most of the other kids I know either. I like crocheted hats and scarves, T-shirts with funny little icons on them, and long sleeves that hang past my wrists.

4. She talks to her dog, collects unicorns, has a stuffed taxidermy owl called Dr. Hoo, and loves art and photography! Math and sciences? Fuck that!

I allow myself to zone out a little bit and count the minutes until third period, the only class I really care about: visual arts.

Really. I hate, hate, hate adorkable characters, and this book was nearly intolerable. There was very little fearful about it. I had a better time watching Dark Water. If you wanted a good horror book, go read the most excellent Anna Dressed in Blood.

[Maxine (Booklover Catlady) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am in the process of re-sharing books I read years back that I think are worth a look…this is one of them.

b>I love a well done ghost/haunted house story, don't you?

Some books are just sheer brilliant entertainment, where you are truly in a world of pleasure as the book absorbs you into it's imaginary world. This was one of those books for me and I really did enjoy it a lot. I read it really quickly, with a need to know what happens next.

The author, Paige McKenzie has a very popular YouTube channel centered around the Haunting of the Sunshine Girl. I have never seen it, in fact had not heard of it but after I realised it I wondered how that would translate over to a novel. It did just fine.

In a nutshell a young sixteen year old teenager and her mother move to a creepy old house in a new town so that her mother can take up a new job. Before long thing are going bump in the night and things are not making sense in a practical way.

The book is atmospheric, the creepy tension builds slowly as different things occur. Will anyone believe Sunshine about what's going on in the house? Sunshine is a quirky girl, dresses differently, drawn to taxidermy and ancient books. Let's just day she's not in the cool crowd at school but I loved her for that. She's s mature sixteen too which helped.

This is a haunted house ghost story, but it's done SO WELL because there is in-depth background into why it's happening and what is meant to happen. It's not just random in other words. It's spooky enough without being terrifying, it's not a gore filled horror book, it's spine-tingling creepy writing that has a very interesting plot wrapped around it.

Don't let the marketed to the YA audience aspect put you off, I am 43 and yes, there are a few teen characters, but that's about it, the book will please those of all ages. It throws in ancient lores and legends and the rules of playing with the ghosts, even helping the ghosts who are "stuck" here and need help moving on.

If you like a good yarn, a book that kicks off early with something interesting then does not stop, characters that not only develop but transform at times and most of all a haunted house, a good ghost, some bad evil demon ghosts gone bad and a story behind it all that makes for some fascinating reading, then grab this one. It's a very enjoyable read.

Kudos to Paige McKenzie for this, her first novel and having it develop from her YouTube channel. No doubt lots of her YT followers will be reading the book. (And hooray for no sappy teen love story weaved in!)

4-4.5 stars from me. Fabulous piece of creepy fiction that you won't want to put down.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher Weinstein Books in return for an honest review, many thanks.

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[J.L. Sutton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite the ghostly presences which follow our heroine, I wasn't sure how creepy this was; still, I found McKenzie's The Haunting of Sunshine Girl a page-turner. Sunshine is likable, has a quirky personality and apparently is a Luiseach, beings who aren't exactly human, but have the ability to help spirits pass on. In addition to preparing to help the spirit of a small child as well as her own mother who has been possessed by a water demon, Sunshine is also being recruited to repair a rift between our world and the spirit world. Not much is revealed about the rift or how it can be repaired. I'm sure there's more about that and a mysterious mentor who doesn't show his face here in the second book. The book was fast-paced, especially as we drew near the life and death consequences on New Year's Eve. The end didn't wow me, but I plan to read the sequel. 3.5 stars.

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

www.melissa413readsalot.blogspot.com

That was a creepy little ghost story. I liked it a lot. Sunshine and her mother move from Texas to Washington so that Sunshine's mom (Kat) can work at a better position in the town's hospital.

I loved how the author described them first coming to the house, how all of the houses were so quiet and no one in the yards, no kids. Then they get to the house and Sunshine had a weird feeling about it. All of that pulled me right in.

Sunshine starts school not long after that and becomes friends with Nolan. I loved his character in the book, he's not a love interest, he's something else :)

Sunshine is upset the school doesn't have a photography department because she likes to use "old school" cameras, you know.. with REAL film. :) She has a couple of rolls she wanted to develop to see if she caught a ghost from her house on them. That's all I'm saying about that. She sends them to her best friend Ashley back home. There is a really reliable place that Sunshine wants her to get them developed for her. I'm not going to tell you what they reveal!

The story moves on at a good pace and we find out more about the ghost that his haunting the house. Actually, we find out a lot about what's going on in that house. It's way more than I ever thought!

I think this story is a brilliant take on ghosts and other creatures. I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to the next one!

FYI: Sunshine is not what she seems to be....... :)

[Sarah Churchill · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first third of this book was SO creepy I loved it! A great haunting story in the vein of the movie 'Paranormal Activity'. I liked the main character Sunshine and the relationship with her mother, especially as it changed during the haunting. The guy/love interest (because it's YA, nobody can last a month past 16 without a love interest, obvs) is cute enough, if a little too convenient.

But then the story turned into something completely different. It stopped being about the haunting really, and definitely stopped being creepy. It's more about Sunshine and her... 'destiny' is the best I can say without major spoilers. From the middle of the book it went pretty downhill for me, I lost interest a little and it started to get predictable and too darn convenient. I'm actually a bit disappointed that in the end it felt... bland. Not at all like the first part, which I think got my hopes up a little too high :(

[Grace (LovingDemBooks) Z. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Buy this book HERE on Amazon or buy this book HERE on BookDepository with FREE WORLDWIDE SHIIPPING

1 out of 5 stars (Please read my rating system further below). GAH, I wanted to love this book so badly! The author is so nice and I love her YouTube videos. I really, really, REALLY hope that this book was not ghost written. But hey, it was co written with Alyssa Shimmel so I'm not really sure! The writing style in this book was very conversational and sounded EXACTLY the way a teenage girl would talk. Yes, I understand that this book is written from a teenage girl's point of view, but by the middle of this book, I just couldn't read further into the story because I couldn't engage into the writing style anymore. Because I was annoyed with how the book was written most of the time, I don't think I engaged into the story that well. The story was really predictable and I really didn't understand the weird chapters that were not from Sunshine's perspective. As for characters, they were quite generic. The only the that really stood out to me was the fact that Sunshine really was into vintage clothing and that she had a really good relationship with her mother. Overall, my high expectations for this book were unfortunately not met.

My rating system: (I do use half stars.)
5 - I do not use the 5 star. Not because a book might not be worthy, but because a book is never perfect.
4 - I loved it! There weren't too many flaws, and I had no trouble getting through it. (A 4 star rating is the highest rating I've ever given a book.)
3 - I enjoyed the book, but there we're flaws that made me enjoy it less.
2 - I finished the book, but there were too many flaws for me to enjoy it.
1 - I could not finish the book, and I probably did not finish it....

[Tabetha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 2.75 "Creeptastic" (quote from the book) Stars
Review: to come--in short, NOT really scary, and the twists and turns became too involved, and at that point, I became a casual observer, rather than a participant, in this "horror story".

[Lisa Mandina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to thank Weinstein Books and Perseus Books for sending me an ARC of this title. I didn't know anything about the YouTube Channel before I found out about this book. I've always enjoyed a good ghost story, and when I was younger, I used to go to the library and check out all the "true haunting" books. About 10 years ago I even went to a couple "real" haunted houses with my younger cousin and aunt and my mom. One was a Bed and Breakfast, called the Mason House Inn that is located in Bentonsport, Iowa, where we went and had a paranormal expert named Christopher Moon give us lessons on how to try to catch evidence of ghosts, and even shared his own findings. And we went up to a cemetery at night, and it was pretty spooky. So anyway, when I heard about this book I was instantly interested based on the description.

The main character is Sunshine Griffith. She and her mother have just moved from Texas to a small town in Washington state, and into what Sunshine calls a "creepy" house. And she likes the word creepy. She uses it to describe just about everything, the house, the street that really only seems to contain their house, and what is going on in the house. Right away she gets a weird feeling in the house, and starts hearing sounds. Footsteps on the 2nd floor, even though she figures out that the way it is carpeted up there, she shouldn't be able to hear any footsteps even if there was someone up there. She also hears whispering, most of the time so quiet she can't tell what it is saying, but sometimes she can. And a little girl's laugh too. And anyone who watches scary movies knows just how creepy that sound can be. Next things start being in different places than where she left them. And then, one night she and her mom are both home and hear what sounds like a little girl yelling for help, and splashing noises. They run upstairs to where the bathroom door has slammed shut, and water seems to be coming out as it seems the tub is overflowing. But when the open the door, there isn't anyone in there. The water is pretty gross though, as if the pipes were dirty, and it leaves a slimy coating on everything that touches it. After they get it all cleaned up, it's as if her mom has lost all memory of what happened, as if it got scrubbed away as they cleaned. And now that Sunshine should actually have her mom on her side, her mom acts almost angry when Sunshine brings it up. Her mom begins to change as well, growing more distant.

Yes, she started a new school. And she does make a friend pretty quickly. You see Sunshine was really into photography at her old school, she even has a really fancy camera, and likes to develop the film herself. When she signs up for the art class at her school, it is almost as if it was an afterthought. All the students do all day is get stuff from a craft supply closet and make sculptures out of pipe cleaners and other similar things. The teacher is really weird and creepy. Sunshine is fortunate enough that a nice boy sits across from her the first day. Nolan talks to her and really becomes a good friend. When she finds out that his grandfather really used to be into paranormal things and that Nolan respected and paid a lot of attention to what his grandfather did, she feels able to share what is going on in her house. And together, they start to investigate these strange events. Together they will learn why Sunshine is seeing these things but now her mom isn't.

There is also someone that is an unknown narrator who chimes in every once in awhile. And this person knows exactly what Sunshine is dealing with. But they don't come forward and reveal themselves until the very end.

A great story. The haunting is very well set up in the story, and I like the whole background story that we learn bit by bit throughout the book. I'm guessing there will be a sequel, or a series you might say as the ending of the story leaves us. I enjoyed it so much I had to go start looking through the YouTube channel: The Haunting of Sunshine Girl Network. I got through a few very short, like 1-2 minute videos tonight, and subscribed as well. I'll be going back as I have time to watch on. There are quite a few similar things in the video to the book so far, but it is different enough to be its own thing.

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank god that's over. You know what's funny, I'm working on a novel myself, and it too is a haunted house book. The Haunting of Sunshine Girl is everything I DON'T want my book to be.

The main character is a text book example of a Mary Sue. She's adorkably clumsy, self conscious with her frizzy hair and oh-so-unique thrift store clothes obsession, and never swears because golly gee think of the children! She has odd eyes (of course), her name is weird (Sunshine, ick), and she's destined to be a super special snowflake.

In addition to an insufferable main character, the "horror" element is nonexistent. There is no tension or suspense, let alone true horror aspects. I never for one second thought our special heroine wouldn't succeed in defeating the demon. The mythology in this novel was very weakly explained. I really dislike the trope of withholding information because "it's too soon for you to know" or "You'll understand in time". No dude just tell me now!

The thing is, lots of kids like horror. Real horror. I have always been obsessed with horror. Ever since I was a little kid a good suspenseful thriller was my absolute favorite type of story. This wouldn't have lived up to my 11 year old expectations, let alone now. Very disappointing.

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 A fun book that comes with some you tube videos that I kind of fell into, knowing nothing about the videos nor the story. Can see the YA group eating these paranormal stories up, watching the corresponding videos. Interesting storylines, with some interesting characters trying to find their niche in life while delving into the land of ghosts, goblins and things that go bump in the night.

ARC from NetGalley.

[Kristen Fowler · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, I have to say that I picked up this title based on the jacket cover reviews. Wes Craven AND R.L. Stine both loved it? I'm in, 100%. I'm happy to say that I wasn't disappointed.

Now, reading this book was like taking a chilly walk through the evening fog; you feel unsettled, almost anxious at times, and you're just waiting for that hand to reach out and grab you. That creepy feeling at the base of your spine doesn't go away when you close the book for the night, and you certainly don't feel as alone as you did before you started reading. I'd love to see this book go to the big screen, and I'd love to see someone like Wes Craven tackle it. The mind that gave us Nightmare on Elm Street, Scream, and My Soul to Take would definitely be a brilliant fit for a film adaptation.

That being said, the book certainly holds its own. The writing style certainly places it in the teen category, but also gives it a certain edge the genre has been lacking. I for one am tired of dystopian futures and paranormal romance (gag!), and this book is certainly none of these. Instead, it's a coming of age story with a brilliant twist. There is no over explanation for things that don't need to be overly-explained, and while you get to glimpse into the protagonist's world, much of it is left up to the reader to imagine (love it!). Also, it becomes very apparent from page one that you will be going on this adventure with Sunshine from start to finish. I look forward to the next book and hope to see more from Paige McKenzie in the near future.

[HippieWitch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could not put down since I started the first page.. What a great read

[Karleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an e-book ARC of this book from the publishers via netgalley. I've never seen the youtube channel sadly.

This book follows a girl named Sunshine who moved with her mother from Austin, Texas to Ridgemount, Washington. They rent a home they found on craigslist in the little town and right from the moment they pull up in the driveway Sunshine knows there is something off. Everything is foggy, cold and wet. From the very first night, Sunshine hears the footsteps on the floors, the giggling of a little girl and soon experiences her items moving around her room and board games set up ready to be played. Sunshine is quite positive that the spirit haunting her home is a little girl but, is it really only one spirit, are there more? Is it even human? With the help of a new boy from school - Nolan, Sunshine learns about her life, the spirit(s) in her house as well as what her future will hold.

I really enjoyed this book, I must admit I was thoroughly creeped out during the first half of the book. I don't like to admit how much of a wuss I am, but I would only read this during the day, just in case it bothered me too much. [haha] I love horror anything but I have an over active imagination that can cause some sleepless nights.

I found this book read more like a middle-grade story rather than young adult but don't like that deter you from picking this one up. It was an easy read with creepy bits, twists and turns as well as a fantastic ending. If you have a chance to read this book, I suggest you do!

[Iris · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was really dumb, but it was also pretty fun. Nothing about it was in any way special or remarkable. The writing sucked. It's supposedly YA but it felt really juvenile. It was soooooo cliche, and I don't think there was a single original thing about it. The characters had no personality, and I don't even remember them anymore tbh. It also felt really dumbed down, as if the author thought teens weren't intelligent creatures. The plot was weak and made very little sense, and the ending was super rushed. But I enjoyed myself. It was a hella fun, creepy and mildly terrifying read.

And that's really all I have to say about it. The Haunting of Sunshine Girl was astonishingly mediocre.

***Initial Reaction, October 7, 2018***

This was... Unremarkable. It was really low quality, and super cliche, but it was also a really fun read. RTC.

[Pau · Rating 3 out of 5]

This my second horror book in past few weeks (the other one was Asylum - read my review here). I've been on a YA horror kick lately, but I may have had my fill. It's highly likely that this is the last YA horrorbook for me in a while.

A quick fun read, with a good bit of mystery, some romance and a mother-daughter dynamic.It's predictable but not completely annoying.
Recommended for overnight travel as it is somewhat of a page-turner. Or, if you're a new creeptastic place and couldn't sleep.

SYNOPSIS

This is the story of a special girl named Sunshine, whose hippie-esque name actually has an explanation. It starts after her sixteenth birthday, when she and her adopted mother had to move to Washington State because of a great job offer. Even though our single-mom works long hours, she has managed to build a strong and close relationship with Sunshine. But Sunshine is no ordinary girl. As a baby, she was left in the hospital still mucky from delivery. Mom finds baby Sunshine and decides to adopt her almost instantly. How mom keeps her relationship with Sunshine and still maintain a successful career is a massive feat in itself. Sunshine's special abilities only kicks in on her sixteenth birthday. From that day on, she can feel and interact with souls. Like a medium-psychic. Immediately, this is put to good use since their house is inhabited by not one but TWO ghosts. The first one to appear is a little girl who appears to have met her end in a bathtub. The second is far more sinister and had possessed Sunshine's mom. On the other hand, Sunshine can't be possessed because she is a luiseach (?). A rare parahuman who is not susceptible to possession and helps souls to move on. Before Sunshine can tackle her house's resident... evils... she is assisted by Nolan, her art teacher with secrets, and a hidden character that appears once every few chapters with an exposition of what just happened. Creepy hidden character is creepy. Sunshine's biggest test in this story is to get mom to snap-out of her possession, while also answering mysteries about her true paranormal self.

ORIGINS
This book is written as a companion to the YouTube sensation of the same name (channel here). It's a series of seemingly real vlogs that lasts about just past the minute mark each. Feel free to watch the story unfold on YouTube because the book is very different. The stories in YouTube started in 2011 and had evolved to include new storylines and characters that I don't care for. Basically, the first two seasons are good, then it's downhill from there.

WRITING STYLE, ETC.
As all YouTube celebrity books, like Girl Online, the authors have followed a no-fail formula in terms of plot and character developments. This way it's predictable but still massively entertaining. This is not a work of art. Rather, this is what you read when you don't want to think about things too much and is in the mood for a horror book. It's not a good horror book. Nearly everything is cliche. Nearly everything is unoriginal. As a character, Sunshine is average. Her decisions are typical and her actions are no more impressive than everyone else here.

There was a point in the book, past the 50% mark that the story slowed down. Massive info dump and shallow self-exploration was happening. It was supposed to be slow WHAMS and discussed the history of the ghosts in the house. I honestly think that those slow parts could have been more action-packed. It was so different from the fast-paced first part. Let's just say that the first 50% was good, the rest was 'meh'.

LESSONS/ISSUES
+ ADOPTION - I like Sunshine's attitude towards adoption. She doesn't whine or hold ill feelings towards the situation. She's adopted; her birth mom abandoned her; her mom loves her; it's all good. I think that this is the right attitude towards adoption. In that, have respect for your birth parent's decision to leave you behind. Then, feel lucky and satisfied that your adopted parents love you just the same as if you were biologically related. This crumbles somewhat when people start offering her unsolicited information about her birth parents. Admittedly, she didn't as for them. But come on. I thought you were over that.
+ ACCEPTANCE - This bit wasn't great for me. It took a while for Sunshine to accept that she has massive paranormal ability. It hindered her actions in the climax one-on-one with evil beings. She was full of self-doubt and had a hard time using her powers. It's ok at first when she just found out. But her mom was possessed AND there was a deadline. I thought that she didn't have time to doubt herself.
+ TEENAGER - A lot of the contemporary YA I have read have teenage characters that are very negative. Is this really how teenagers are these days?

OVERALL
Once again, I did enjoy reading this. It was an easy read. Everything was out in the open. There was very little complexity in terms of plot or characters. I wish the creepy stalker guy didn't exposition everything to make the book smarter. 3/5 stars.

Recommended.

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

In case you thought, like I did, "Gosh darn, that thar is a intriguing and fascinating cover," I would like to state for the record the picture on the front has nothing whatsoever to do with the story. However, the girl on the front is the co-author (Paige McKenzie) and she is also the narrator of the audiobook.
In case you care.

So.
As a story, this book is just meh. It’s got all the standard plot lines (girl moves to new town - it’s the SouthWest desert to NorthWest rainforest for all you Twilight Fans - makes one friend, finds out she’s got special powers and is rare individual, doesn’t think she’s pretty/talented/etc, has a dog and cat and a demon-possessed parent, and saves the day at the very end) and is fairly boring. I’d have given it 2 stars on its own.

However, as a marketable piece of franchise, this is rather brilliant.

This all started as a webshow a few years back. The storyline in the show is different from what’s in the book and while the print version spells a lot of stuff out and is less Blair Witchish, the original show is more fun and cute and eerie-esque and believable because while Sunshine can be super-irritating and annoying, she is also quite genuine. The show's a haunted house mockumentary that, apparently, many people thought was real and they got all bent out of shape when they found it was a produced dealie.
I am fascinated by how this all came about. Apparently, some writer guy approached his TV-actress friend and wanted to make a web series that tapped into the current trend of occult pop culture. The actress agreed and they got her daughter, who was a youngun at the time, involved and the daughter became the show’s main character and part-time collaborator. She's Sunshine.

Recently, The Weinstein Group bought into all this and optioned the series for either a movie or TV show and also this book, hoping to appeal to fans and also to grab a whole new set of teens who weren’t exposed to the show when it was all the rage.

Paige McKenzie, who looks like this decade’s Keri Russell, is credited as the author of this book, though she actually collaborated with author Alyssa Sheinmel to get this thing done. As I mentioned, she's the original Sunshine in the YouTube series and the real-life daughter of the actress who co-conspired to bring this all together, Mercedes Rose (she plays Mom in the series, as well).
Paige also reads the audio version, which makes perfect sense but is also highly amusing because she plays the character she’s reading but she reads the book so differently than she plays the character.

So, yeah. I'm fascinated by this entire little web project turned Surprise! Franchised! and will try my hardest to keep up with it all, regardless of the mediocre story in this book.

[Jeannette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read on the WondrousBooks blog.

I had a very love-hate relationship with this book. It earned as many stars as it did because it was, as every character just loves saying, simply creepy.

Pros: The setting is really interesting and the writing really comes through in the scary parts. This is the first book in my life that has made me feel like I'm actually seeing a horror movie enfold. I'm not easily scared by movies since I've been a fan of the horror genre for as long as I've been allowed to choose which movies I want to watch. And therefore, a book can creep me out even less. The last time I was as freaked by a book as this time, was when I was reading The Lord of the Rings, the part about Moria. And LoTR can hardly be called a horror story.

The Haunting of Sunshine Girl captures the scary masterfully, the tension rises gradually and you find yourself waiting for a ghost to pop up next to your bed to play some Monopoly.

(As a side note I would like to mention that during Sunshine's first encounter with Anna, my lights went out. Right as I was reading about ghostly giggle and words, whispered in the night. That was a scare!)

Cons: Sunshine's name. Strangle it and make it suffer. No one should be called something as stupid.

The Jane Austen melodrama. Neither is Sunshine anything like a JA character, nor is McKenzie anything like JA herself. She's trying really hard to make it happen. CONSTANT references do not help the situation, it's a bad case of the wannabe. And let's face it, Sunshine is not an easy character to like, she's a prude and from the way she describes her style, I'd say she looks like a beggar in my imagination. I'm telling you, Sunshine, Mr. Darcy wouldn't fall for Elizabeth if she was wearing somebody's old smelly sweaters 5 sizes too big.

The verdict: Despite the annoying main character, it's a good horror book. Creepy mom, mysterious occurrences, ghosts and demons, etc. If anything, it did give me chills.

[Penelope (Penelope’s Picks) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars

Really bland, predictable and silly. Obviously I was not expecting Thomas Harris-like thrills upon going into a YA horror novel, but this was far too tame. Overall, there were a variety of problems that I had with this story; not just the fear factor (or lack thereof.) The dialogue seemed dated when this story is set in modern day, which often led to a very cheesy, inappropriate comical effect. (To quote little miss Sunshine: "I mean cheesy with a capital C!") None of the characters seemed to have much development, even our main character, who goes through quite a challenging ordeal. What could have been the start of a very interesting series failed due to very poor execution. Needless to say, I will not be continuing with this series.

[Alex ☣ Deranged KittyCat ☣ · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF - 13%

I really should just give up trying to read YA...

"You ok?"
"Just klutzy," I nod, rubbing my knee. Later I'll discover a big purple bruise blossoming beneath my clothes. "I could trip over my own two feet," I add.

[Wendi Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great ghost story! I know this is based on a Youtube channel, but I haven't seen any of the videos, and think it works well as a standalone novel (well, it's a part of a trilogy, but standalone in that you don't have to reference the Youtube content). Sunshine and her mom, Kat, move to Washington State, and it immediately becomes apparent that their house is haunted. However, Kat can't remember any of the creepy events after they occur, and is staunchly pro-fact, pro-science, so Sunshine's all alone until she meets Nolan, a classmate and believer in the paranormal.

Some of the events that happen to Sunshine are truly scary, and gave me shivers! I also felt that the characters were well-developed, and the small town had its own creepy, claustrophobic personality. This is a promising start to a trilogy!

[Vilma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderfully creepy and suspenseful, eliciting an addictive chill that keeps you feverishly turning the pages.

“A scream so bloodcurdling I can still hear it echoing in my ears.

A little girl’s voice begging for mercy.

A darkness so black, it felt like I’d never see the sun again.”

Paige McKenzie hits the sweet spot by successfully adapting her much-loved, super creepy YouTube series into a novel that touts a great balance of chills and humor. At times, it’s terrifying, other times it’s lighthearted, and sometimes, it’s even sweetly emotive. Through the peaks and valley, twists and turns of the story, the mystery of the haunting intensifies, keeping us readers entirely engaged. The writing is solid and between all the mysterious things that go bump in the night, my vivid imagination, and the witty, sharp characters, I thoroughly enjoyed The Haunting of Sunshine Girl.

“This cold is something else entirely. It’s snaking underneath my clothes and covering my skin in goose bumps. It feels kind of like when you have a fever and you’re shivering despite the fact that your temperature is rising and you’re bundled up under layers of covers in bed. The kind of cold that’s damp, as though the whole house needs to be run through a dryer.”

When Sunshine and her adoptive mother move to Ridgemont, Washington from Austin, Texas, an oppressive, wet cold settles upon Sunshine. Everything is gray and creepy and stale. Almost immediately, she begins to experience mysterious noises, cries, giggling. It quickly becomes clear that someone is haunting their home. Perhaps even more than one ghost. And even more frightening, it seems that only Sunshine can sense it. What starts off as small shifts, slamming doors and alarming sounds, quickly escalates into something else much scarier. Our unlikely heroine, Sunshine, becomes enthralled by what’s happening, determined to prove the paranormal activity her mother seems to easily dismiss.

Sunshine meets a new classmate, Nolan, who has familial (and sentimental) ties to the paranormal and thus becomes Sunshine’s only friend in Ridgemont, as well as her partner in crime. Nolan is intelligent, inquisitive and willing to help Sunshine unravel the mysteries that chill the air of her new home. Time becomes a less bearable burden when her mother begins to act strangely, withdrawing from the person she was… the person whom Sunshine loved the most in the entire world.

I loved the constant creepiness factor, the suspense and anticipation, and the quick-witted dialogue. I would have loved to see more big action scenes to terrorize and tantalize… I think that would have made the momentum even more dynamic and exciting, but nonetheless, between the questions that swirl, the likable characters, and the eerie, supernatural events, I devoured this novel quickly and enthusiastically. It’s a must-read for those who love paranormal thrillers (especially YA).

The novel ends in a way that leaves the story open for more to come, but also satisfies readers who crave a standalone story.

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

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[Kalilah · Rating 4 out of 5]

'The Haunting of Sunshine Girl' immediately caught my attention because I recalled watching the author's Youtube videos in the past, and thinking they were amusing.
Usually, books by Youtubers do not interest me. But since this one felt like a "proper" story and not just some hastily put together Youtubery tut, I wanted to give it a go. Plus, it's about ghosts, and as you might know I am hugely interested and gripped by paranormal stuff.

The story is told in the first person by Sunshine (although a mysterious 3rd party adds its two-cents every few chapters or so). Upon discovering this, I was worried that the narration would be overly teenage-esque and spine-chillingly cliched. However I soon discovered a skilled and confident story-teller in Sunshine, and I found myself quickly absorbed - and actually enjoying it!
I think Paige McKenzie got the balance right for the most part (i.e: making Sunshine a realistic, relatable young person, without going overboard and just coming across as mentally retarded), so I was very impressed, even excited, about that!

Plotwise, there's suspense, horror and even mystery. The characters are interesting and varied, they each have an individual "aura" about them, but since this is a series I don't think we've seen everything they have to offer yet.
There's enough ghostliness and spooks to satisfy the warped mind, including some brilliant moments that actually gave me the creeps - which is a big plus!
I have to say, the types of hauntings we encounter in this story are refreshing and quite unique to anything I've read before, both recently and historically.
Just another thumbs-up-inducing aspect of 'The Haunting of Sunshine Girl'.

Overall, a very good read.
Eagerly anticipating Book Two (and eagle-ly keeping my eye on a hardback copy of Book One. While the typos of my proof copy are endearing, nothing beats owning the real thing).

Thanks to Lovereading4kids for providing me with a review copy.
Publication Date: 26 March 2015

[Franci Karou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leggi la recensione completa qui: http://coffeeandbooksgirl.blogspot.it...

Una presenza in quella casa nasce in seguito al successo della serie web horror trasmessa su YouTube, The Haunting of Sunshine Girl, un fenomeno che ha catturato la curiosità di molti, ottenendo milioni di visualizzazioni. Tutto ha inizio quando una sedicenne pubblica su internet dei video inquietanti con i quali rivela il sospetto che in casa sua vi siano dei fantasmi. La serie diventa virale e da lì non passa molto prima che un editore contatti la ragazza e le chieda di scrivere un libro ispirato ad essa. Una presenza in quella casa è il primo romanzo di Paige McKenzie e, nonostante l'autrice sia molto giovane e nei suoi piani non ci fosse l'intenzione, in un primo momento, di scrivere un romanzo, devo ammettere che è scritto parecchio bene. La storia è scorrevole, la tensione è dosata nel modo giusto e l'atmosfera è più creepy di quanto ci si possa aspettare, capace di far correre sul serio dei brividi lungo la schiena. Davvero un bel romanzo di cui non vedo l'ora di leggere il seguito.
La storia narra di Sunshine, una sedicenne che si trasferisce in una nuova città, a causa del lavoro della madre. La casa in cui vanno ad abitare appare subito come un edificio sinistro e freddo, ma è una sensazione che avverte soltanto Sunshine e che la madre tende a minimizzare. Si tratta di una casa vecchia e fatiscente, piena di spifferi e scricchiolii, è normale che abbia un che di inquietante. Ma non è solo questo che preoccupa Sunshine. Sin dalla prima sera in quella casa, avverte la presenza di qualcuno. A turbarla diversi rumori e voci, un pianto di bambina, un gelo continuo sulla pelle, uno strano odore di muffa, umidità ovunque. Sunshine non riesce a convincere la madre dei suoi sospetti, ovvero che la casa sia infestata, e così comincia a fare foto e video, sperando di catturare qualche immagine che testimoni che i suoi non sono solo i vaneggiamenti di una pazza o la scusa per non stare in quella casa. C'è davvero una presenza e lei è convinta che sia quella di una bambina di dieci anni, una bambina che le mette a soqquadro la stanza, che vuole giocare con lei, che sta cercando di comunicarle qualcosa.
Le cose, però, diventano ancora più complicate quando la madre di Sunshine inizia a comportarsi in modo strano e distante. A quel punto, la ragazza non sa più chi possa aiutarla, chi possa crederle. Ma, forse, potrebbe trovare il giusto complice in Nolan, compagno di scuola che veste anni '80, un ragazzo carino e un po' nerd che, come lei, ha la passione per le cose vintage. Nolan ha perso un nonno al quale era molto affezionato, un nonno che credeva nel paranormale. Così anche lui ci crede e non si tira indietro quando Sunshine chiede il suo aiuto per risolvere il mistero di quella presenza in casa sua e di tutti gli strani fenomeni che stanno accadendo. Ma basteranno le ricerche di questo zelante ragazzo per ottenere le risposte che cerca? Riuscirà a portare un po' di luce in mezzo a tanta oscurità? La storia che ci racconta la McKenzie non spicca forse per originalità, le vecchie case infestate dai fantasmi sono ormai un cliché nel genere paranormal e horror. Eppure l'autrice ha saputo sfruttare bene gli elementi a sua disposizione, creando una storia che dosa in maniera notevole pathos e tensione. Sunshine è una protagonista interessante, con il suo passato oscuro (è stata adottata, non si sa chi siano i suoi veri genitori) e le sue passioni per il mondo antico. Un'eroina moderna che sogna di essere stata Jane Austen in un'altra vita, una ragazza con un nome speciale che nasconde mille segreti. Nonostante sia terrorizzata all'idea di avere a che fare con dei fantasmi, riesce a mantenere abbastanza sangue freddo per portare avanti le sue intenzioni di dimostrare il fenomeno paranormale di cui sono vittime lei e la madre. Il loro è un rapporto esclusivo, fatto di complicità e risate, un rapporto che qualunque ragazza invidierebbe. Ecco perché ci tiene a difenderlo ad ogni costo, sua madre è tutta la famiglia che le resta.
In un momento di caos totale, quando crede di essere rimasta completamente sola a combattere contro qualcosa di inspiegabile e più grande di lei, ecco che si fa più importante il legame con Nolan, che diventa un elemento fondamentale nella sua personale battaglia contro il male che la circonda. Un aiuto insperato ma essenziale, un supporto di cui ha assolutamente bisogno se vuole salvare la vita della madre. E così la storia si fa ancora più appassionante, grazie a questa piccola componente romance che rende più godibile la lettura e smorza un po' di tensione. Certo, non aspettatevi chissà cosa, è giusto un accenno - e forse mi è piaciuto proprio per questo - ma non nego che il ruolo di Nolan accanto a Sunshine mi ha davvero convinta, così come quello della strana professoressa Wilde, anche lei elemento fondamentale per giungere alla verità. I personaggi sono caratterizzati abbastanza bene, le descrizioni fisiche non mancano e nemmeno quelle di loro particolari vizi, abitudini e interessi, come anche i riferimenti ai loro passati. Per essere un romanzo d'esordio, non ho trovato nessun errore tipico nel quale molti esordienti incappano, nessun momento di noia, o mancanza di approfondimento. La storia scorre senza intoppi e viene dato spazio sufficiente a tutti i dettagli più importanti. Ho letto questa storia con impeto, spinta dalla voglia di sapere sempre di più, di scoprire come sarebbe andare a finire. E non mi ha delusa per niente, anzi sono certa che anche The Awakening of Sunshine Girl mi conquisterà. Sunshine è una ragazza spaventata dal suo destino e dalla sua natura, ma è anche molto combattiva, al momento giusto sa come trasformare il panico in arma, sa come essere ciò per cui è nata. Ho molto ammirato la sua determinazione che, nonostante le tante paure, è riuscita a emergere in maniera concreta, rendendola una protagonista veramente speciale. Una presenza in quella casa è un romanzo che parte da elementi semplici e comuni del genere a cui fa riferimento, ma che riesce a stupire e avvincere il lettore, a turbarlo, a coinvolgerlo in delle vicende sempre più misteriose e intriganti. Molte le scene che vi metteranno i brividi, soprattutto durante la prima parte del romanzo. Vi dico solo che io ho dovuto leggere alla luce del sole. Non mi capita spesso di leggere romanzi del genere, ma questo si è conquistato la mia approvazione e mi ha messo addosso tanta curiosità riguardo il seguito.

[Kelly (Diva Booknerd) · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://www.divabooknerd.com/2015/04/t...
I love when a book surprises you, as The Haunting of Sunshine Girl did. I expected a mild paranormal, but what I ended up with was a quite creepy storyline that freaked me out on quite a few occasions. I hadn't heard of the YouTube phenomenon surrounding this book, nor have I seen the online clips but in no way did it hamper my reading experience and I really enjoyed it. Sunshine is adopted, just turned sixteen and moving across the country to what is essentially a haunted house. Imagine waking up in the middle of the night to the sound of footsteps skipping across the floor upstairs, a child's eerie laughter while she moves around your possessions. And she isn't the only spirit trapped within the house.

The storyline is wonderfully written and kept me absolutely enthralled. The Haunting of Sunshine Girl won't keep you awake at night, but the hair on your arms will definitely be standing on end. My only complaint is the explanations throughout is presented in big blocks, not allowing the reader to fully absorb the information. But those are few and far between.

I liked Sunshine, even if I couldn't relate to her. She's quirky and unconventionally cool. Nolan is a kindred spirit, he and Sunshine have a beautiful friendship and rapport, but it often leads Sunshine to wonder why Nolan is going out of his way to help when no one else seems to believe her.

It was impossible to put down. Deliciously creepy and enthralling, I'm looking forward to seeing where the series leads. Recommended for fans of Anna Dressed in Blood or those looking for a mild horror while still maintaining their sanity.

[Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to say that “The Haunting of Sunshine Girl” is one of the most interesting horror novels I have ever read. It has an unexpected blend of ghosts, romance, teen angst, and plot.

I really enjoyed the characters and their arcs. Sunshine especially is a great and likable character who reacts to the extraordinary paranormal situations in a way that most of us would. That being disbelief quickly followed by fright. I won’t give away what else she goes through, but needless to say it isn’t something most of us would encounter. At least I hope not. I do like to sleep on occasion.

My first thoughts were this isn’t too scary, which quickly progressed to being afraid to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night (which is when I was foolish enough to read a horror story), and finally ended up with “my significant other needs to read this”. That last bit is the most telling, as she is what could be called a horror connoisseur. She likes terrifying things and “The Haunting of Sunshine” fits that requirement at many points.

Oddly enough, the book can be classified as clean as long as someone is ok with paranormal violence. There is no bad language, only the vaguest of sexual references, and no drinking or drug usage. Therefore, I can easily recommend “The Haunting of Sunshine Girl” for any age provided they are comfortable with books by authors such as R.L. Stine. It’s a lot of good old-fashioned ghost story fun.

This review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars
This was fun YA horror story. It was very predictable and tropey, but I still found it pretty entertaining. I don't think I'll continue on with the series though. I just don't love supernatural YA horror enough. 

[Alyxandria Ang · Rating 5 out of 5]

ONE SITTING GUYS! One goddamn sitting, I finished this book in one sitting even though I had tons of schoolwork and tests coming up!

Sorry for the slight exaggeration there, but I had just finished the book and I was freaking out so hard! This book was amazing and that's probably because I love scary movies and watching horror flicks. Want your socks to be knocked off? READ THIS BOOK.

Likes
- Very different from the Webseries ~ The book is based off of a Youtube webseries, one that I actually had watched before I read the book. It's amazing how the author used the same concepts as the webseries, but used an entirely different plot and story. I love how it was truly just 'based' off it and not 'copied'.
- Creating a scary story without being too cheesy ~ Rarely do I ever read scary ghost books that aren't cliche and cheesy af, as in they have ghosts in blankets and the mainstream moving of shadows in the dark. This book brings the theory of elemental demons, demons that can control different elements and also the ying and the yang, or the good and the evil spirits.
- Good balance of creepy and not creepy ~ If a book is just throwing scary stuff at you, it's definitely not one worth reading. I liked how there was a background and story behind the hauntings and an actually explanation as to why the ghost lingered, which is more than I can say for most books.
- A gripping chiller that will leave you in awe ~ It's really difficult for me to get gripped onto a good and creepy read because I'm just the kind of person who watches scary movies for a living. And so I feel bad for the authors that write scary books and I read them because I have such high expectations. It was surprisingly a very spine-chilling novel that kept me on the edge of my seat, so job well done!
- Unpredictable ~ I'm usually able to predict the ending of most books but I was completely in awe by the end of this one.

Dislikes
- The ghosts were too nice ~ I have this weird feeling that the ghosts were way too nice in the book. Well there are some exceptions but the main ghost haunting the house was just a little girl, and she was kind of helpless and like sweet in a way. It kind of threw me off since the title is The HAUNTING of Sunshine Girl. I honestly don't know why I'm complaining about this.
- Not for everyone ~ It's a scary book, guys. No exaggeration there and if you don't like sitting down to watch a scary movie or the SyFy TV network then I don't know how you'll handle some of the things that go on in the book. But try it anyways because the writing style is amazing.

Overall it's a fantastic read that will definitely not make you bored. It will scare you, haunt you, and even make you root for the ghosts! A perfect haunting thriller (just what I needed). For fans of Mary Downing Hahn or perhaps Stephen King. If you watch shows about ghosts and hauntings, the book is great. Although the book did run into some snags here and there, you'll want to get it the next time you visit your local bookstore.

[Jolene · Rating 3 out of 5]

***Thank you Weinstein Books and Netgalley for providing this in exchange for an honest review**

3.5 Stars


I have never seen the YouTube channel this is based on, so I have no clue how it compares. As a book, this was a really fun story.

Sunshine and her mother, Katherine, have just moved half way across the country to Ridgemont, WA. Her mother has been offered a position in the new Neo-Natal unit at Ridgemont Hospital. Sunshine mourns the loss of having her BFF with her all the time and, well, sun shine. Not only does she have to adjust to life in grey skied Washington, she also has the feeling that something just isn't right at home. Sunshine and Katherine have always been close. They've been together almost everyday since Sunshine was abandoned at the hospital. Katherine happened to be working the night Sunshine was left. She from the moment she laid eyes on Sunshine, Katherine knew they were meant to be mother and daughter.

Sunshine knows there's something wrong on the first night in their new house. She hears the voice of a small child. Soon, someone is pulling all of Sunshine's toys out. Board games are set up to be played. There are screams in the night. The scariest part? Sunshine is the only one who notices or remembers any of this.

I really enjoyed this. The characters are fun and likable. Sunshine is the kind of girl you want to root for. She is smart, brave, and isn't boy crazy. The story has a great creepy feel to it. There is a second POV that pops in every now and then. I did find this a little confusing at first. You don't know who it is or what they're talking about. Their voice feels a little forced until the pieces fall into place. After that the second voice flows nicely with the rest of the story. The romance was allowed to form gradually. It had a very natural feel and was a breath of fresh air as far as YA romances go.

I will definitely continue with this series

[Patty (IheartYA311) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book but I didn't. It seemed very forced and parts were too silly to be believable. I had DNFed it in the past, and I'm thinking it should have stayed that way. Basic writing bores me. The character development and plot were ok but overall the book lacks passion.

[Mathieu Mazza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ma chronique 4/5 : http://enjoybooksaddict.blogspot.fr/2...