Ghost Town

Saranormal #1

by Phoebe Rivers, Odessa Sawyer (Cover artist)

Sara Collins is a normal twelve-year-old girl with an abnormal secret: She is psychic. She’s had her abilities for as long as she can remember, but she doesn’t like to talk about them. She hopes that if she ignores them, they might go away. Sara wants nothing more than to have a normal life, and to her, “normal” doesn’t include anything paranormal.

But Sara’s life is about to be turned upside down, because she’s moving across the country with her dad to an old shore town in New Jersey. A shore town with a lot of history…and more than its fair share of ghosts roaming around. As Sara tries to settle into her new home, she discovers that for the first time, the ghosts around her can communicate with her. One ghost in particular desperately needs something from her and won’t leave her alone. Sara wants to help, but she’s scared. Can Sara put her fear aside and help the spirit? Will doing so put her in jeopardy?

Meanwhile, Sara meets a great local girl named Lily Randazzo, and against all odds, really bonds with her. Sara has made a true friend for the first time in her life. Maybe New Jersey isn’t so bad after all….

Genres: Middle Grade, Paranormal, Ghosts, Mystery, Fantasy, Horror, Childrens

152 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Phoebe Rivers had a brush with the paranormal when she was thirteen years old, and ever since then, she has been fascinated by people who see spirits and can communicate with them. In addition to her intrigue with all things paranormal, Phoebe also loves cats, French cuisine, and wiling her afternoons away in coffee shops writing stories. Phoebe has written dozens of middle-grade fiction books and is thrilled to now be exploring Sara’s paranormal world.

Reviews

[Henrietta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally Posted on LeisureReads.com

Sara’s mother has passed away when she’s little. When her dad finds a new job, they leave California and settle in an old shore town in New Jersey. Since her first encounter with ghosts when she was four years old, Sara has been struggling to ignore her abilities to sense ghosts. But with ghosts already occupying the new home where she now lives, can she still ignore them?

Because Sara assumes that ghosts are ominous, she is afraid of her psychic power. She also thinks that she must seek some form of protection from the evil. As the story progresses, Sara meets with new people and eventually learns to realize that it is ultimately up to her to decide whether or not she’d put her abilities into good use.

What I love about Sara is that even when she feels uncertain and scared, she does not rely on others to make decisions for her. She may not make the right choice every single time but she is not reckless. In the story, Sara gradually learns to trust her instinct and despite her discomfort, she steps up and faces her fear. When she senses urgency and potential danger, she is not afraid to do her best to help out and hopefully rectify the issue. I also love how she pays careful attention to her environment and uses what is readily available to her to help her resolve a dire situation that could otherwise turn out to be disastrous.

I love this story and I look forward to reading the next book in the Saranormal series.

[Sina & Ilona Glimmerfee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inhalt: Niemand ahnt, dass Sara Geister sehen kann und nun muss sie auch noch mit ihrem Vater umziehen. Das neue Haus ist renovierungsbedürftig und ihre Vermieterin eine alte Frau, die Wahrsagerin ist, doch damit nicht genug, scheint die kleine Stadt voll mit Geistern zu sein.

Art des Buches: Kinderbuch (10-12 J.)

Wie fand ich das Buch? Ich mochte die Charaktere und auch das Städtchen, in das Sara zieht. Die Geschichte ist nett geschrieben und hat einen guten Spanungsbogen. Allerdings war mir anfangs nicht klar, welchen Sinn es haben könnte, warum Sara Geister sehen kann. Leider wurde die Reihe nicht weiter übersetzt, trotzdem habe ich nicht das Gefühl, dass ich als Leser mit einem starken Cliffhanger allein gelassen werde.

Gab es etwas zum Nachdenken und/oder Nachforschen? Für mich nicht, aber ich könnte mir vorstellen, dass Kinder sich auf Grund der Geschichte für Halbedelsteine interessieren könnten.

3 passende Wörter zum Buch? Geister – Neuanfang - Freundschaft

Wem empfehlen? Allen Mädchen, die sich für Geistergeschichten interessieren, die nicht zu gruselig sind.

[Aimee Holland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rereading for the nostalgia and bc i don’t think i ever finished the series! First book exactly how I remembered!

[Stephanie ((Strazzybooks)) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ghosts, the boardwalk, new friendships.
I really liked this one, and I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

[Isabella H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sara Collins is a twelve year old psychic. Ever since she was in preschool she could see sprits. She does not tell anyone about her secret. In this book she moves to New Jersey with her dad and lives in the up stairs of a 80 year old medium lady Azura. She makes friends with the next door neighbor Lily and her cousin David. David works on the boardwalk and sells tickets for the haunted house. Lily and Sara go in and when they come out she sees a spirt. The sprit keeps coming back and talking to her. He is telling her to save the children and to watch out. One day she is eating ice cream with her friend and she feels fire. Then she sees that the haunted house is on fire and there is kids in the haunted house. Will the kids get out in time? My favorite part of the book is when they go it to Lily's aunts business and she sees the picture of the ghost when he was still alive on the wall.

[Andre · Rating 5 out of 5]

I give this book 5 (*****) stars because, I think that the author really makes you get into the story, and since it is a ghost story I really think that it makes you imagine everything that is happening because of the many details he adds.

This book maybe doesn’t really relates to my hero's journey because I obviously can’t see ghosts, but anyways it was very fun to read and finish it. I also really liked it because I feel like her character was not the typical spoiled California girl, she was shy and had a passion on photography, she was convinced that she had to know why she saw ghosts all the time.

I think that people from 8 - 14 should read this book because I think that kids younger wouldn’t understand it. I really think they should read it because it is another kind of story and it is also very fun to read, the story really gets to you.

My favorite part of the book was the chapter 7 because when they are at the haunted house and she was really scared because she thought that she was seeing real ghosts but in reality she wasn’t. But when she comes out of the haunted house she sees that their is really a ghost man chasing her.

_________________________________________________________________________


Le doy a este libro 5 (*****) estrellas porque, creo que el autor realmente hace que te metes en la historia, y ya que es una historia de fantasmas Realmente crees que te hace imaginar todo lo que ocurre a causa de la muchos detalles, añade.

Este libro puede que en realidad no se relaciona con el viaje de mi héroe porque obviamente no puedo ver fantasmas, pero de todos modos fue muy divertido de leer y terminarlo. También me gustó porque me siento como su personaje no era la típica niña mimada de California, era tímida y tenía una pasión por la fotografía, que estaba convencido de que tenía que saber por qué ella vio fantasmas todo el tiempo.

Creo que la gente de 8-14 deben leer este libro porque creo que los niños más pequeños no lo entenderían. Realmente creo que deberían leer porque es otro tipo de historia y también es muy divertido de leer, la historia realmente llegue a usted.

Mi parte favorita del libro fue el capítulo 7 porque cuando están en la casa embrujada y ella estaba muy asustada porque pensaba que estaba viendo fantasmas reales pero en realidad no lo era. Pero cuando ella sale de la casa encantada que ve que su es realmente un hombre fantasma perseguirla.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very short. This book is probably around the level I was reading in second or third grade. It's a little more than a junior-fic novel, but has a large print which doesn't make it any longer. The text itself is a bit more advanced, using words like "examined" and "decrepit".

Sara is 12 when her father decides to uproot the two of them from their California home and move cross-country to the shore of New Jersey. There they move in to an old house owned by a local fortune-teller named Lady Azura, who rents the upper floors to the them in exchange for running errands and Sara's fathers' assistance in fixing up the house. Sarah soon makes friends with some of the local kids, and in her explorations of the area discovers that something is going on at the local haunted house maze on the boardwalk that just happens to really be haunted. The ghost wants Sara to stop a tragedy from occurring, and Sara must face her terror of the ghosts she sees in order to find out what's going on before it's too late.

Overall, I like it. The story, although short, was interesting. Sara is a likable character, and it's interesting 'watching' her become braver throughout the course of the novel. It was a VERY fast read, and I kind of wish it had been written for an older audience - it seemed like just as the plot was getting started, everything was over in just a few chapters. I'll have to see if the author has any other books that might be similar, but have a bit more content.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prior to this, the most recent Heather Alexander – Phoebe Rivers is the house pseudonym for the Saranormal series – book I’d read was her entry in the Creepover series (Ready for a Scare?). In my review of that book, I mentioned my disappointment at how the resolution of the plot rationalized the supernatural, thereby destroying the suspense that Alexander had worked so hard to create. In Ghost Town, however, this is not the case. The story ends the way it should, immersed in the eeriness that shrouds it from page one. It’s a good, solid book, with a likable protagonist whose actions and narrative voice are authentically those of an intelligent, worry-ridden twelve year old girl. The pace is perfect: the reader is not rushed through multiple, and contrived, dramatic peaks, but led cautiously (reflecting Sara’s hesitance and confusion) and realistically from one key moment to the next, right up to its satisfying climax.

There is much left unresolved in Sara’s life, as is usual in a series, and I look forward to following her adventures in the subsequent tales. My one concern is that Ms. Alexander’s contributions seem to end after book four. Hopefully, this won’t affect continuity of character, voice, or plot. We’ll find out!

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book kept my interest. I enjoyed reading about Sara as she copes with her ability to see ghosts. Sara and her father move far away from California to a new town across the US. They move in with a psychic, reader and rent the second and third floor of her home. Since her dad lost his job, he is fixing up the old home to help pay for rent. Sara can see several ghosts living in the home and meets one on the boardwalk that insists that she help. When she figures out what to do, she is able to help divert a disaster. This is a good story for girls who are struggling with making new friends, and trying to deal with the ups and downs of life. 10 year old girls would enjoy this book.

[Savana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was superific!!!!!lol.I really loved this book it was very intresting and fun to read.I think the things Sara is going through are very weird things because she can see and hear ghosts.I mean come on who wouldnt want to be able to see and hear ghosts!?!?!?!?I just have to say,I like this book because it makes you think about whats going on and what is going to happen next.Phoebe Rivers you Rock!!!!!!!!

[Karol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was drawn too this book at the Scholastic Book Fair. I was interested in this book because of Sara's ability to see spirits and even more so when I learned she moved from CA to NJ.
This is a great introduction to the Saranormal series. I look forward to getting to know more about Sara and her new life as I plan to continue to read through the series.

[Mrs. Bailey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good, quick read. It's about a girl who moves to a new town and sees ghosts in her new house and around the town. If you are looking for a good Halloween book that's not too scary, you'll enjoy Ghost Town.

[Small Review · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was good! Reminds me of Shadowland

[✦BookishlyRichie✦ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good, might check out the rest of the series.

[Cara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This would be a great book for a 4th-6th grader looking for a ghost story.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not written for me, but I could do with a bit less 'woe is me'

[The Transmuted Tree · Rating 2 out of 5]

The mystery was pretty weak. Nothing about the writing grabbed me. On the blander side as these types of books go.

[Traci · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book reminded me slightly of Nancy Drew in a beach town with Ghosts.

[Erika Sorocco · Rating 3 out of 5]

“It’s hard to see what others can’t, isn’t it, my dear?”

Having grown up obsessed with the show So Weird , and believing that I was an amateur paranormal investigator, my heart skipped a beat when I learned of Phoebe Rivers' Ghost Town {Saranormal, # 1}. This is a series that my younger self craved - so much so that it felt eerily familiar to me; though I can't recall ever having read it in the past. Clearly a mystery in, and of, itself, yes? But I digress...one part Ghost Whisperer , two parts Meg Cabot's The Mediator , this is a short but sweet start to a series that is ideal for those who like a little paranormal phenomena in their lives.

From the outside, twelve-year-old Sara Collins appears totally normal. In fact, her blonde hair might even lead you to believe that she runs with the popular crowd, and is always fielding texts from admirers. You'd be half right. She is quite the popular character - just not with the living . You see, Sara is hiding two things from the world: 1} she can see dead people {ghosts}, and 2} she's psychic. Pretty crazy, right? Armed with the ability to see, and interact with, ghosts since she was a tot, Sara has grown used to her abilities - and the fact that they are detrimental to relationship-building with peers. After all, how can you find a bestie when you've got dead people dancing in your peripheral vision? When Sara's father uproots her from sunny California for an old shore town in New Jersey she thinks maybe things will change for the better...until she reaches her final destination.

Stellamar is everything that Sara didn't want in a new home. Quaint, charming... yes ; but also old. Historic old. The type of historic old meaning there are ghosts everywhere - and they're all vying for Sara's attention. The worst part of it all? They're inescapable, because many are residing in the old Victorian she and her father are living in with the intriguing {yet oft-times odd} Lady Azura, an 80-year-old so-called Medium. But that's not the worst of it. While Sara has grown used to seeing ghosts around her, this is the first time she has ever been able to communicate with them - adding a whole new layer of bizarre to her abnormal abilities.

Sara wants to help the dead, especially one older gentleman who seems desperate for her assistance; but she's worried that there will be no turning back once that channel is opened. And now that she has finally begun to build strong friendships with the locals, Lily Randazzo in particular, she's reluctant to do anything that could get in the way of making Stellamar a home, and finally fitting in. Now she's left with the choice of ignoring her calling, or somehow melding it with her social life so that she can have a bit of both worlds for the first time ever.

NGL, mid-grade books tend to be my preference when it comes to reading because I l-o-v-e discovering series that I can share with my students. Plus, many have far more depth then other genres available - at least IMO. While Ghost Town feels more surface-level/shallow in regards to reading, it is a fast-paced tale full of friendship, charming sights, and a subtle mystery that female readers, especially, will enjoy diving into.

Sara is a reserved, fairly one-dimensional character who, while likable, will hopefully open up more in future installments; whereas Lily is a big personality who is playful and fun. While there are hints of future romance to come, I am most interested in learning more about the mysterious Lady Azura, who seems to be full of secrets and suspense. All that said, I found the climax to be an incredible letdown {hence the 3 stars}; and I don't feel anything, or anyone, really intrigued me enough to return for book two, Haunted Memories {Saranormal, # 2}. Not saying I won't; but the jury's still out.

[Erin Penn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aimed at the 8-12 year old crowd (and could appeal to those older), Saranormal follows 12-year-old Sara after she and her dad move from California to a New Jersey seaside community complete with a boardwalk following her dad's new job.

Sara doesn't like being uprooted, not only for all the normal changes made in her life, but also because she knew where all the ghosts lived in her old home area and could avoid them. New Jersey has been settled by large populations a lot longer and has exponentially more ghosts as a result. You see, Sara can see ghosts for as long as she can remember. But for the most part they don't bother her and she doesn't bother them.

But in this new town, one is insisting on interacting with her. Should she ignore the old man ghost or listen? And can she do that and make friends with the new people around her without seeming weird?

First of a series of eleven books. It was published in 2012, and technology has changed somewhat since them. I see there are a lot of new covers available and the series might have been "freshened" like they do with the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew - but I don't know for certain. If anyone knows, pass on the information!

[arbor g · Rating 4 out of 5]

GIRL I ATE THIS UP.

now let me sit you down and explain a few things rq,,,,

1. i will LOVE anything with a good mc and pacing (obligatory icpa mention, this is why i like frying pan/ollie as a character despite her being a mary sue, literally the best execution of the trope)

2. also,,, i havent read this in a HOT MINUTE. i only have vols 4-11 on my shelf and i found this series from the ‘spooky’ bin in my ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LIBRARY in grade 4.

anyways, kid me ADORED this. themes are definitely good for a younger audience who is seeking something ‘edgy’

the font and book interior is easy on my awful eyes (prescription so bad the glasses place looks at the paper and goes “ooh,,, i dunno if we can do this.”) so bonus points for that!!

the location names are cool. respectfully, i might have to steal ‘stellarmar’ for an oc or smth,,

this series is an INVESTMENT. liked this one? better get your wallet ready because there’s TEN MORE BOOKS!! rip to all my canadian readers, a book costs a whole house here 🙏🏼🙏🏼💔

uhhhh,,,, im running out of things to say,,,, till is alive BYEEEEEE

[Jess - The Hexed Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

It's kinda weird for a 33 y/o woman to be rating and reviewing a book meant for 8-12 y/o's but y'all know mid-grade paranormal is my FAVORITE.

I loved this story so much! Sara was fun to get to learn about and I'm interested to see more of what her powers might mean and how she can use them! I think the best thing about this book is that unlike the Creepover series (which I also love), this series is all focused on Sara, rather than switching MC's every book.

This was great, if (you or) your mid-grade kid like paranormal stories, I think this one was a hit!

Characters 4; Cover 5; Plot 4; Pace 5; Writing 4; Enjoyment 5.

[Luna :) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed it. It was pretty light. I feel like some things could’ve been explored with a little bit more depth, but then again it’s a children’s book with about a 150 pages and other 10 books in the series to explore everything. Plus I knew what I was getting into. I wanted to be entertained and the story is quite sweet, yet realistic on the fact that if you were able to see spirits you’d be scared too.
The only thing I didn’t like was the fact that Sara was ignoring Lilly on one chapter and the other they were already hanging out, without an explanation that gave a little more of continuity.

[JV Austen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, so I'm an adult (sorta) but I love to read kidlit. The main character Sara is far from normal because she can see ghosts! Will the move into the house of a fortune teller in a New Jersey shore town make her life easier or harder? I like the jumping off point of a recent move and the complications that naturally surround that for a 12 year old along with her desperate urge to appear "normal". Fun, light read for an adult, my daughter would have liked these as a kid.

[Sarah Khalil A.A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

ok so this book is something else, something that I don't know how to describe, so I just gave it 5 stars, I feel like I understood Sarah more and more of how she felt about everything and what she was going through.
I will just recommend this book to those who went through paranormal activities in their lives, as it will just make you understand things better. It's a middle-grade book, but I will suggest this book for everyone to read too.

[Hannah Belyea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sara isn't sure why she can see ghosts, or why her dad has moved them to a small town - but when she finds a spirit attempting to communicate with her, warning of danger, she must decide whether she's willing to trust the dead...when it is them that have kept her from trusting for so long...Rivers brings young readers a decently promising mystery, predictable but likeable in its characters and atmosphere. Why is Sara being drawn to this spirit, and what does it want from her?

[Abby · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty quick and easy read. The story was pretty cute; your typical "tween can see ghosts but no one else can so she feels alone but ends up making friends" story. I loved the setting of the house they live in and the pier that takes up the majority of the story. I could very easily picture it and I liked the atmosphere it gave the story.

[NWH · Rating 5 out of 5]

Think Meg Cabot's Mediator Series for elementary students. Spooky, but not overly scary. Girl physic plagued with ghosts.

NoveList Plus Info:
Genre: Paranormal Fiction
Tone: Scary
Writing Style: Attention-Grabbing
Subject: Girl psychics, Girls and Ghosts, Moving to a new state, ghosts, psychic ability, twelve-year-old girls, preteen girls

[Makenna stull · Rating 2 out of 5]

A girl named Sara who moves to a new town with her father and sees ghosts in her new house and around the town. I really enjoyed how descriptive the author made each characters. If you are looking for a good Halloween book that's not too scary, you'll enjoy Ghost Town.

[Athirah Salleh · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.4/5 ⭐️

I would much appreciated this book if I read this at a younger age. Being on early twenties I would say the storyline is quite predictable.

Anyway I will recommend this book to young readers