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Shadow Girl
The house on Arrow Island is full of mystery.
Yet when Mei arrives, she can’t help feeling relieved. She’s happy to spend the summer in an actual mansion tutoring a rich man’s daughter if it means a break from her normal life—her needy mother, her delinquent brother, their tiny apartment in the city. And Ella Morison seems like an easy charge, sweet and well behaved.
What Mei doesn’t know is that something is very wrong in the Morison household.
Though she tries to focus on her duties, Mei becomes increasingly distracted by the family’s problems and her own complicated feelings for Ella’s brother, Henry. But most disturbing of all are the unexplained noises she hears at night—the howling and thumping and cries.
Mei is a sensible girl. She isn’t superstitious; she doesn’t believe in ghosts. Yet she can’t shake her fear that there is danger lurking in the shadows of this beautiful house, a darkness that could destroy the family inside and out… and Mei along with them.
Yet when Mei arrives, she can’t help feeling relieved. She’s happy to spend the summer in an actual mansion tutoring a rich man’s daughter if it means a break from her normal life—her needy mother, her delinquent brother, their tiny apartment in the city. And Ella Morison seems like an easy charge, sweet and well behaved.
What Mei doesn’t know is that something is very wrong in the Morison household.
Though she tries to focus on her duties, Mei becomes increasingly distracted by the family’s problems and her own complicated feelings for Ella’s brother, Henry. But most disturbing of all are the unexplained noises she hears at night—the howling and thumping and cries.
Mei is a sensible girl. She isn’t superstitious; she doesn’t believe in ghosts. Yet she can’t shake her fear that there is danger lurking in the shadows of this beautiful house, a darkness that could destroy the family inside and out… and Mei along with them.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published December 19, 2017
22 people are currently reading
2740 people want to read
About the author
Liana Liu
2 books64 followersLiana Liu was born and raised in New York City, and lives there still. She received her MFA in fiction writing from the University of Minnesota.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
October 21, 2017
(I received an advance copy of this book for free. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)
This was a contemporary story about a girl staying in a haunted house.
Mei was a nice girl, and she worked so hard to try and get somewhere in life. She also really cared for her family, and was irritated by the way her brother behaved.
The storyline in this was about Mei being hired as an academic tutor by a rich family, and being asked to move into their summer home with them. There was some strange goings on, and the daughter of the family, who Mei was tutoring, claimed that the house was haunted by the daughter of the family who originally owned the house.
The ending to this was pretty good, and I liked the little twist at the end.
7 out of 10
This was a contemporary story about a girl staying in a haunted house.
Mei was a nice girl, and she worked so hard to try and get somewhere in life. She also really cared for her family, and was irritated by the way her brother behaved.
The storyline in this was about Mei being hired as an academic tutor by a rich family, and being asked to move into their summer home with them. There was some strange goings on, and the daughter of the family, who Mei was tutoring, claimed that the house was haunted by the daughter of the family who originally owned the house.
The ending to this was pretty good, and I liked the little twist at the end.
7 out of 10
January 2, 2018
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Initial Post Reading Thoughts
While Shadow Girl has an intriguing premise, it sadly fell a little short for me. I was really excited about the fusion of contemporary and mystery/suspense, but unfortunately it didn’t work very well in this case. There was a lot that was left unexplained and not in a good way. I did like the contemporary aspects of the novel though!
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What I Liked
The mystery. I really did enjoy the mystery of this story…until I realized that I wasn’t going to be getting any answers which you can read more about below. The mystery and suspense is what kept me from putting this book down! I really wanted to know what was going on the entire time I was reading which made Shadow Girl a really fast-paced read!
The contemporary moments. As you’ll learn more about below, Shadow Girl was a bit of a fusion novel. It contained both Mystery/Suspense and Contemporary elements. There are my top two genres to read, but I think I love contemporary just a tad bit more. I loved the contemporary aspects of this book. I liked learning more about Mei and her family and how she will do anything to become successful. I loved her interactions with the Morison family and how she fell in love with their lifestyle which is the complete opposite of her home life. These were the moments that ultimately captured my interest in the end as I was so sure I was going to love this book for it’s creepy/suspense factor.
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What I Didn’t Like
The lack of answers. Towards the end of the book, I kept reading and reading and the amount of remaining pages I needed to read were becoming less and less and still, I was getting no answers. What was the point of the haunted house? Why was this ghost terrorizing Ella and Mei? Was it relevant? Honestly, I don’t think so. I just honestly didn’t understand the point. The horror/suspense aspects of this novel are what initially made me pick it up and, unfortunately, those aspects fell short.
The genre fusion. Initially, this was what I was the most excited about when it came to Shadow Girl. Contemporary and Suspense/Mystery are my favourite genres to read and to have them mixed together for this story really intrigued me! However, as you can see above, it didn’t end up working so well in the end. I just wish there was a little more to it. The idea was there and it could have been really cool, but to much was left unanswered…and not in a good way.
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While I enjoyed some aspects of Shadow Girl, I was left feeling disappointed by others. I really wanted to love this one, but unfortunately it lacked in the areas that I was initially really excited for. I won’t give up on Liana Liu’s stories just yet though as I really did enjoy her writing style!
December 23, 2017
Check out more reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...
Mei is an academic tutor saving for college. She takes the job helping Ella as she gets to meet her father, Mr. Morison a powerful man in the financial industry and as a bonus she gets to spend the summer out at their vacation home on Arrow Island. But things are not as easy going as they appear. She is annoyed by Henry, her charge's brother, she is taken advantage of by Nessa, her boss and then there are the unexplained noises she hears at night—the howling and thumping and cries.
This book could have been one of my favorite books of the year...
What I liked!
-MEI! I really liked the main character and how she put a lot of effort into getting out of her poor situation and how she worked out how to work with these rich women and the kids she helps. This could be any kid in America today trying to find their way out of poverty.
-The Chinese heritage. Mei is American but her mom is wholly Chinese and talks to her daughter in her native language. I loved this part of their mother/daughter relationship BUT I wish that more was incorporated having to do with her heritage!
-The contrast of rich family to poor circumstances was startlingly brutal. It really made you sympathize with Mei and see why she wants to make it big time in the financial sector. The
-The ghost! This was a great idea even though it was rather easy for Mei to learn all about who the ghost was... actually Ella and Henry both knew more than her and it was super easy for them to get the information. I still enjoyed her struggle to believe the ghost existed and to give credence to what the ghost said was going to happen...
-The mystery of her boss's husband was obvious but i enjoyed the pressures it put on Mei... The story could have been terribly boring but what she wanted warred with what she thought she should do and I enjoyed that!
Why it wasn't my favorite book of the year...
This book was meant to be a fusion genre. Fusion is one of my ALL TIME favorite genres... I like to mix it up and keep the story different with elements from other genres. The author did a good job working other genres into the story... the problem is the pay off for each genre MUST BE PRESENT! And that is unfortunately lacking in this book.
-Mystery: From who the ghost is and why she wanted revenge on the Morison family.
-Thriller: What does the ghost have to do with her charge, Ella? Why is she pestering the girl and now Mei?
-Contemporary: Mei has to decide what she is going to do with her knowledge about Mr. Morison... will she take the internship?
-Coming of Age: Mei must decide which school she will be attending... her first choice or one for her mother?!
-Romance: Will she or won't she fall for Henry Morison?
Each one of these had its own ending but they were all limp... Only one had a proper strong ending and while I liked her choice on that one I wanted more to do with the mystery! With a little more development and some stronger plot I felt like the premise could have been realizes better. Also the romance had little to do with anything and smacked of instalove. I didn't hate it but it just felt out of place and shoe-horned in. Then to have that limp ending on it.
I didn't hate this book... it was a great read as far as a REAL high school graduate who is quite uncertain what to do next. She doesn't quite trust the adults in her life to lead her to the right decision. The fusion fell flat but the journey wasn't totally lost. There is an ending to everything and Mei is well on her way to any future she imagines for herself!
I wish the cover and title better reflected a graduate's muddled journey and how helping Ella let go of the ghost helped her too...
⋆ ⋆ ⭐⭐⭐ Premise & World Building
⋆ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Cover & Title
⋆ ⋆ ⭐⭐⭐ Development & Storycraft
⋆ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Writing & Narrative
⋆ ⋆ ⭐⭐⭐ Plot & Pacing
⋆ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Relationships
⋆ ⋆ ⭐⭐⭐ Feelings
BOTTOM LINE: Not quite the thrilling ghost story advertised but a lovely HS graduate muddling along...
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
______________________
You can find this review and many others on my book blog @ Perspective of a Writer. See my special perspective at the bottom of my reviews under the typewriter...
October 31, 2017
Shadow Girl was a poorly paced borefest. I do not understand why this is being pitched as a paranormal mystery when it was so clearly not. The supposed ghost lore is mentioned only a handful of times, and even then, it is not a focus of the story. It was not remotely spooky. There are a few bumps and wails in the night, but they could - and were - easily explained away. It was mostly driven by the fact that Ella, Mei’s student, claims her room is haunted by a ghost. I need way more suspense and atmosphere and haunting shenanigans to keep me interested than that. The entire subplot was messy and disjointed, thrown in without planning or consideration, and making little sense. We barely know the identity of the ghost - if there even was one - let alone anything more about this world’s ghost lore. I wanted to be spooked. I don’t necessarily mind an open ending, in fact, I would have liked it if the story had left us wondering whether it was real or all in Ella’s head. I just needed the story to choose whether it was a paranormal mystery or not and commit to delivering that story, not half-assing it like it did.
The fact that we follow the petty drama of the Morison family, rather than the ghost story, could have been perfectly fine if I had actually cared about the family. But I didn’t. Their lack of personality made it hard for me to empathise with their situation. Henry was stereotypical and dry. His romance with Mei was rushed, awkward and unnecessary. I did like Ella but Vanessa, Jeffery, Mei’s mother, Doris and Mr Morison were all shallow and underdeveloped. I was also confused by the Jeffery drama. They clearly state was is happening halfway through the book - or imply it so heavily, so clearly, that it is obvious to everyone - but the fact that it is a Thing was a big twist at the end? I did not even realise it was meant to be a mystery!
I wish I could say that I loved the narration but I honestly did not even enjoy Mei as a protagonist. Her internal monologue revealed how she hid her rude and judgemental self under layers of over-the-top politeness and fake smiles. I found it difficult to care about her when I was so frustrated with her. She made Henry out to be this snobbish rich boy for no good reason. He was sweet with his sister and kind toward her. Her antagonism was off-putting and just judgemental.
Liu does have a very simplistic writing style. I loved how well the story flowed and how it was so easy to flick through the whole book in a single sitting. I wish she had focused on developing her character more, however, or at least given us a creepy atmosphere for the ghost elements to shine.
I did like that Liu did highlight the microaggressions faced by a lot of Asian-Americans in their daily lives. Obviously, I cannot speak for the representation myself - Mei is Chinese-American - but I loved how well the cultural differences between Mei and Henry were woven in. It was a nice touch.
Overall? Very disappointing. There was nothing substantial that I enjoyed about this book. At all.
Review copy provided by the publisher for an honest review.
The fact that we follow the petty drama of the Morison family, rather than the ghost story, could have been perfectly fine if I had actually cared about the family. But I didn’t. Their lack of personality made it hard for me to empathise with their situation. Henry was stereotypical and dry. His romance with Mei was rushed, awkward and unnecessary. I did like Ella but Vanessa, Jeffery, Mei’s mother, Doris and Mr Morison were all shallow and underdeveloped. I was also confused by the Jeffery drama. They clearly state was is happening halfway through the book - or imply it so heavily, so clearly, that it is obvious to everyone - but the fact that it is a Thing was a big twist at the end? I did not even realise it was meant to be a mystery!
I wish I could say that I loved the narration but I honestly did not even enjoy Mei as a protagonist. Her internal monologue revealed how she hid her rude and judgemental self under layers of over-the-top politeness and fake smiles. I found it difficult to care about her when I was so frustrated with her. She made Henry out to be this snobbish rich boy for no good reason. He was sweet with his sister and kind toward her. Her antagonism was off-putting and just judgemental.
Liu does have a very simplistic writing style. I loved how well the story flowed and how it was so easy to flick through the whole book in a single sitting. I wish she had focused on developing her character more, however, or at least given us a creepy atmosphere for the ghost elements to shine.
I did like that Liu did highlight the microaggressions faced by a lot of Asian-Americans in their daily lives. Obviously, I cannot speak for the representation myself - Mei is Chinese-American - but I loved how well the cultural differences between Mei and Henry were woven in. It was a nice touch.
Overall? Very disappointing. There was nothing substantial that I enjoyed about this book. At all.
Review copy provided by the publisher for an honest review.
December 5, 2017
DNF at 49%
It's been a long time since I DNF'd a book but unfortunately SHADOW GIRL wasn't something I could force myself to push through. Sure, I only had an hour and twenty minutes remaining but I just couldn't do it. For a book that was pitched as a paranormal mystery thriller, there was little plot to that affect.
Instead we got to experience a rehashing of what the role of an academic tutor meant, watch our protagonist flip flop between liking the brother of her charge and then quickly disliking him again, experience her pushover-ness when she'd promise herself she wouldn't do any errands or favours for Ella's mother that didn't directly involve her tutoring.. only to do them anyway.. and so much more that was also a lot of nothing.
Ontop of the plot, or lack thereof, Liu's writing style just didn't appeal to me. It seemed she tried to make it flow in ways, try to keep the narrative interesting, but unfortunately the attempt fell flat. Which mirrored my experience with the characters. I didn't find anyone sympathetic or interesting or compelling and the vague hints towards this mystery was equally as bland.
Sorry, wouldn't recommend.
** I received an ARC from Edelweiss and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
It's been a long time since I DNF'd a book but unfortunately SHADOW GIRL wasn't something I could force myself to push through. Sure, I only had an hour and twenty minutes remaining but I just couldn't do it. For a book that was pitched as a paranormal mystery thriller, there was little plot to that affect.
Instead we got to experience a rehashing of what the role of an academic tutor meant, watch our protagonist flip flop between liking the brother of her charge and then quickly disliking him again, experience her pushover-ness when she'd promise herself she wouldn't do any errands or favours for Ella's mother that didn't directly involve her tutoring.. only to do them anyway.. and so much more that was also a lot of nothing.
Ontop of the plot, or lack thereof, Liu's writing style just didn't appeal to me. It seemed she tried to make it flow in ways, try to keep the narrative interesting, but unfortunately the attempt fell flat. Which mirrored my experience with the characters. I didn't find anyone sympathetic or interesting or compelling and the vague hints towards this mystery was equally as bland.
Sorry, wouldn't recommend.
** I received an ARC from Edelweiss and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
March 1, 2018
I have mixed feelings about this book.
You know those books that have nothing technically wrong with it? The plot is cohesive and moving. The characters have a distinct voice and drive. The characters are even likable and struggle and change and grow. But there just seems to be some key piece missing. Some spark of life. It just lulls from event to event.
That was unfortunately this book.
It was a relatively simplistic and cliche kind girl is hired to care for a rich kid on their families private island for the summer. The synopse made it seem like a good chunk of the story would revolve around this paranormal mystery of a haunting. But it didn't. We had a couple nights of seeing things, a couple dreams, a couple of haunting and a couple of noises in the darkness.
In truth, this is a story about a American Chinese girl named Mei receiving a job opportunity. Mei is the academic tutor for Elle Morison. Possibly the cutest, shy kid ever who added so much depth to the characters in the story but was absent for much of the book! *groans* The story way mainly about driven Mei discovering and healing and helping Elle become happy. There was a dash of romance, but thank the lord character development stayed cohesive! Mei was way too driven to fall for someone with so little interaction and time.
I have to say my favorite part of the story was the development between Mei and Elle.
Over the course of the summer, you saw this shy little girl really beginning to be present and interactive with her surroundings. She began to flourish. Mei at first didn't know how to handle Elle, but really listened to her and engaged the child. It was really beautiful.
Very Uptown Girls (with less crying)
You know those books that have nothing technically wrong with it? The plot is cohesive and moving. The characters have a distinct voice and drive. The characters are even likable and struggle and change and grow. But there just seems to be some key piece missing. Some spark of life. It just lulls from event to event.
That was unfortunately this book.
It was a relatively simplistic and cliche kind girl is hired to care for a rich kid on their families private island for the summer. The synopse made it seem like a good chunk of the story would revolve around this paranormal mystery of a haunting. But it didn't. We had a couple nights of seeing things, a couple dreams, a couple of haunting and a couple of noises in the darkness.
In truth, this is a story about a American Chinese girl named Mei receiving a job opportunity. Mei is the academic tutor for Elle Morison. Possibly the cutest, shy kid ever who added so much depth to the characters in the story but was absent for much of the book! *groans* The story way mainly about driven Mei discovering and healing and helping Elle become happy. There was a dash of romance, but thank the lord character development stayed cohesive! Mei was way too driven to fall for someone with so little interaction and time.
I have to say my favorite part of the story was the development between Mei and Elle.
Over the course of the summer, you saw this shy little girl really beginning to be present and interactive with her surroundings. She began to flourish. Mei at first didn't know how to handle Elle, but really listened to her and engaged the child. It was really beautiful.
Very Uptown Girls (with less crying)
December 24, 2018
what???? Okay, so this wasn’t necessarily a BAD book. But what???? It feels so unfinished, and the whole plot of the book is so underdeveloped. I mean, the story is supposed to be a scary haunting, and I just felt so bored? It was more of a contemporary teen girl-meets-boy, that just so happened to have a little haunting action. I’m just so confused with this whole book. The writing was good, and I saw so much potential, but the end was so underwhelming!! I sat here thinking “how is she going to pull everything together with so few pages left?” And the ending was so! rushed!
also also, this has nothing to do with the plot, but the main character’s name is barely mentioned in the book? I had to go back and check her for her name, because I couldn’t remember reading it.
Before I move to spoilers, I’m just going to say that all in all, this book had a lot of gaps that needed to be filled. This would usually call for a two star review, but the writing was decent and the book did have potential, but it was unused.
_
spoiler section:
to give some examples on the questions I’m asking:
1.) what happened with that whole porcelain ballerina thing?
2.) The dad gives Mei an internship after she snitched about the phone call. Why???
3.) the ENTIRE. STORY. WITH. ELEANOR. what even happened?????? One second I thought the ghost was slowly possessing Mei, the next second she’s gone?
4.) why did Ella pull all this witch stuff in the bathroom? I wish the book elaborated.
5.) what was the whole point of having Doris? She was literally a subplot that didn’t matter
6.) why was the grandpa correcting Mei on the Arrow family facts? Leading to
7.) why did grandpa not want her going to the graveyard???
All of this could have 100% been elaborated on but it wasn’t, which made me sad.
also also, this has nothing to do with the plot, but the main character’s name is barely mentioned in the book? I had to go back and check her for her name, because I couldn’t remember reading it.
Before I move to spoilers, I’m just going to say that all in all, this book had a lot of gaps that needed to be filled. This would usually call for a two star review, but the writing was decent and the book did have potential, but it was unused.
_
spoiler section:
to give some examples on the questions I’m asking:
1.) what happened with that whole porcelain ballerina thing?
2.) The dad gives Mei an internship after she snitched about the phone call. Why???
3.) the ENTIRE. STORY. WITH. ELEANOR. what even happened?????? One second I thought the ghost was slowly possessing Mei, the next second she’s gone?
4.) why did Ella pull all this witch stuff in the bathroom? I wish the book elaborated.
5.) what was the whole point of having Doris? She was literally a subplot that didn’t matter
6.) why was the grandpa correcting Mei on the Arrow family facts? Leading to
7.) why did grandpa not want her going to the graveyard???
All of this could have 100% been elaborated on but it wasn’t, which made me sad.
December 25, 2017
If you are looking for a suspenseful, paranormal mystery, this isn't the book for you.
If you are looking for an interesting, broken, (Asian!) heroine in a YA novel that is light on the romance and angst, yet emotionally tumultuous, this is probably for you.
My recommendation: go in with no expectations and enjoy!
I didn't particularly like this book at first, but it grew on me. The writing is first-person present and full of short, abrupt sentences. Mei is initially closed off and not especially likable. From the start the "mystery" of Arrow Island and what will happen to the Morisons is pretty predictable. The paranormal aspects were, at best, weird. Generally I found them unnecessary.
Yet as the story progresses, I found myself enjoying it more and more. Mei's relationship with Ella and the Morison family is poignant and well-developed. Her character change is believable, and not just fueled by a boy. I also appreciated Mei's relationship with her own family. It felt raw and real. I like the pacing of this book and the way it breaks up her stay at the Island with a trip home.
I'd recommend this one - just not as a paranormal thriller. There are paranormal elements, including an exorcising scene and creepy dreams that I didn't take seriously but a younger reader might. This book also contains some language (f-bombs) but nothing too heavy.
I'll definitely keep an eye out for more from this author.
Thank you for sending this as a Christmas present, Kris!
If you are looking for an interesting, broken, (Asian!) heroine in a YA novel that is light on the romance and angst, yet emotionally tumultuous, this is probably for you.
My recommendation: go in with no expectations and enjoy!
I didn't particularly like this book at first, but it grew on me. The writing is first-person present and full of short, abrupt sentences. Mei is initially closed off and not especially likable. From the start the "mystery" of Arrow Island and what will happen to the Morisons is pretty predictable. The paranormal aspects were, at best, weird. Generally I found them unnecessary.
Yet as the story progresses, I found myself enjoying it more and more. Mei's relationship with Ella and the Morison family is poignant and well-developed. Her character change is believable, and not just fueled by a boy. I also appreciated Mei's relationship with her own family. It felt raw and real. I like the pacing of this book and the way it breaks up her stay at the Island with a trip home.
I'd recommend this one - just not as a paranormal thriller. There are paranormal elements, including an exorcising scene and creepy dreams that I didn't take seriously but a younger reader might. This book also contains some language (f-bombs) but nothing too heavy.
I'll definitely keep an eye out for more from this author.
Thank you for sending this as a Christmas present, Kris!
January 23, 2021
Lovely premise, but it just felt so unfinished.
May 6, 2018
Abstract:
Mei is a lower-middle class Asian-American teenager trying to live up to the high performance expected from her and concentrates solely on earning some extra money for her college and her family. So, when she receives an offer of being an educational tutor to Ella Morison, the ever-so-quite and strange child of muliti-billionaire Morison household, she leaves for Arrow Island for two months without any hesitation.
Soon she meets with Victoria, Ella, Henry and Mr. Morison and subconsciously steps into the mystery that revolves around the characters and the house. With a ghost that haunts the house at night, and the Morisons' fragile relationships, Mei becomes more than just an educational tutor.
Verdict:
Honesty, I enjoyed the novel at first even though I found it a bit cliched at times. Although it is not the type of novel I would expect teenage romance to be carried out in an over-dramatic way, it somehow happened but sadly, could not live up to the expectation. It did have mystery and ghost as it mentioned in the synopsis, however, I felt like the combination just did not work out well for the novel. The author probably tried to balance everything out but it just became too much messy in the end. I feel like the novel could work excellent without the ghost and would have received a higher rating as it had so many elements laid out beautifully.
Mei is a lower-middle class Asian-American teenager trying to live up to the high performance expected from her and concentrates solely on earning some extra money for her college and her family. So, when she receives an offer of being an educational tutor to Ella Morison, the ever-so-quite and strange child of muliti-billionaire Morison household, she leaves for Arrow Island for two months without any hesitation.
Soon she meets with Victoria, Ella, Henry and Mr. Morison and subconsciously steps into the mystery that revolves around the characters and the house. With a ghost that haunts the house at night, and the Morisons' fragile relationships, Mei becomes more than just an educational tutor.
Verdict:
Honesty, I enjoyed the novel at first even though I found it a bit cliched at times. Although it is not the type of novel I would expect teenage romance to be carried out in an over-dramatic way, it somehow happened but sadly, could not live up to the expectation. It did have mystery and ghost as it mentioned in the synopsis, however, I felt like the combination just did not work out well for the novel. The author probably tried to balance everything out but it just became too much messy in the end. I feel like the novel could work excellent without the ghost and would have received a higher rating as it had so many elements laid out beautifully.
December 18, 2018
super uneventful and downright boring, a disappointment
2/5
2/5
Read
February 12, 2018It’s only January right now, and I’ve found one of my favorite books of the year. For reference, my favorite last year was a belated reading of Lucy and Linh by Alice Pung. Like Lucy and Linh, Liana Liu’s Shadow Girl is another incredible read with a heroine from a low-income Asian immigrant background and strong narrative thread focusing on family. I read Shadow Girl in one sitting, staying up past 2 in the morning — which was not the greatest idea, considering it’s quite the spooky story.
What struck me right away was how real Mei felt as a character. Her inner life and voice, and the mix of guilt and protectiveness she felt for her mother were all too familiar to me. To top it all off, part of my Chinese name is Mei and like the heroine, I used to do tutoring as a high schooler to help pay the bills. The familiarity of Mei’s life made the paranormal aspects of Shadow Girl all the more scary.
Admittedly, I have a pretty low bar for scary. I skirt any piece of media that feels even the teensiest bit stressful, and I’m not a fan of ghost stories. But the cover and the Asian protagonist were a strong draw for me, so I gave this book a try, and I’m so glad I did. While people made of sterner stuff may not find the paranormal element as scary as they’d like, the suspense that builds from the shadows within the majestic mansion that Mei goes to tutor in and the Morison family tensions were enough to keep me up through the night.
Mei’s relationship with her mother and brother, and her struggle to understand herself and discover the freedom to pursue her dreams, are what make this book. This may be a fraction of the plot — most of it is devoted to Mei’s time spent at the Morison’s mansion and the slowly building mystery of its shadowy past — but it’s what makes this so worth a read. I loved the little details — Mei listening through the walls to her mother vacuuming around their small apartment, how Mei navigates a world of racist comments and wealthy, petty parents who want to hire her as a tutor, and the list goes on.
Finally, this is a small detail, but shoutout to how spoken Chinese is handled in this book. Mei’s mother speaks wholly in Chinese, and it’s done in a way that isn’t exoticized or whitewashed over. No clumsy attempts at incorporating translations through awkward clues, or tacky imitations of Chenglish, or randomly shoehorned-in lone Chinese words. Mei’s mother speaks Chinese, and it’s translated in a straightforward way, no decoration or smoothing over. It’s just there. And I loved it.
If you’re looking for a suspenseful, spooky story, or you just want to see some high quality Asian representation in YA lit (of course you do!), buy this now. I’m so happy I read this book, even if it kind of wrecked my sleep schedule. Totally worth it.
Recommendation: Buy it now!
What struck me right away was how real Mei felt as a character. Her inner life and voice, and the mix of guilt and protectiveness she felt for her mother were all too familiar to me. To top it all off, part of my Chinese name is Mei and like the heroine, I used to do tutoring as a high schooler to help pay the bills. The familiarity of Mei’s life made the paranormal aspects of Shadow Girl all the more scary.
Admittedly, I have a pretty low bar for scary. I skirt any piece of media that feels even the teensiest bit stressful, and I’m not a fan of ghost stories. But the cover and the Asian protagonist were a strong draw for me, so I gave this book a try, and I’m so glad I did. While people made of sterner stuff may not find the paranormal element as scary as they’d like, the suspense that builds from the shadows within the majestic mansion that Mei goes to tutor in and the Morison family tensions were enough to keep me up through the night.
Mei’s relationship with her mother and brother, and her struggle to understand herself and discover the freedom to pursue her dreams, are what make this book. This may be a fraction of the plot — most of it is devoted to Mei’s time spent at the Morison’s mansion and the slowly building mystery of its shadowy past — but it’s what makes this so worth a read. I loved the little details — Mei listening through the walls to her mother vacuuming around their small apartment, how Mei navigates a world of racist comments and wealthy, petty parents who want to hire her as a tutor, and the list goes on.
Finally, this is a small detail, but shoutout to how spoken Chinese is handled in this book. Mei’s mother speaks wholly in Chinese, and it’s done in a way that isn’t exoticized or whitewashed over. No clumsy attempts at incorporating translations through awkward clues, or tacky imitations of Chenglish, or randomly shoehorned-in lone Chinese words. Mei’s mother speaks Chinese, and it’s translated in a straightforward way, no decoration or smoothing over. It’s just there. And I loved it.
If you’re looking for a suspenseful, spooky story, or you just want to see some high quality Asian representation in YA lit (of course you do!), buy this now. I’m so happy I read this book, even if it kind of wrecked my sleep schedule. Totally worth it.
Recommendation: Buy it now!
July 22, 2019
*2.5 stars*
The premise for this YA mystery was promising: Mei lives on an island with a rich family for the summer, tutoring young Ella. She's kind of in stasis - newly graduated from high school, and pretending to be happy with classes at the city college in the fall, living with her mother. The Morisons are a nice distraction - a husband the family rarely sees, an insecure wife, handsome and elusive son, and Ella, who proves to be an enigma herself.
Mei hears some creepy noises, and Ella tells her that it's the ghost of a little girl, Eleanor, who used to live in the house. Mei does not believe in ghosts, but admits that something isn't quite right in the house. Mixed in is an almost romance, almost friendship with Henry, and some weirdness between the Morison parents.
I really wanted to like this book, but it fell short. I thought it tried too hard to do too many things at once. Certain scenes were creepy, but haunted house stories usually have a tension running through, an ominous feeling. Shadow Girl didn't have that, for the most part. The romance fell short, and the twist at the end came to no surprise. Even more frustrating, I didn't think that Mei grew at all as a character.
That said, the cover is gorgeous!
The premise for this YA mystery was promising: Mei lives on an island with a rich family for the summer, tutoring young Ella. She's kind of in stasis - newly graduated from high school, and pretending to be happy with classes at the city college in the fall, living with her mother. The Morisons are a nice distraction - a husband the family rarely sees, an insecure wife, handsome and elusive son, and Ella, who proves to be an enigma herself.
Mei hears some creepy noises, and Ella tells her that it's the ghost of a little girl, Eleanor, who used to live in the house. Mei does not believe in ghosts, but admits that something isn't quite right in the house. Mixed in is an almost romance, almost friendship with Henry, and some weirdness between the Morison parents.
I really wanted to like this book, but it fell short. I thought it tried too hard to do too many things at once. Certain scenes were creepy, but haunted house stories usually have a tension running through, an ominous feeling. Shadow Girl didn't have that, for the most part. The romance fell short, and the twist at the end came to no surprise. Even more frustrating, I didn't think that Mei grew at all as a character.
That said, the cover is gorgeous!
December 22, 2017
I'm kind of conflicted about this book because there wasn't necessarily anything bad about it, but it really wasn't what I was expecting.
The book's blurb promises a mystery and a ghost. Both of which you kind of get but... not really. They're kind of in the background to everything else happening in the book, which is Mei dealing with her own issues - such as giving into her boss' demands too easily, trying to appease a young girl who believes in ghosts, her problems with her careless and inconsiderate brother, and her romantic feelings for Henry. The mystery and the ghost are barely there, and though they play a large part in the ending of the novel, it ultimate feels unexplored and leads to an unsatisfying end.
I did like Mei as a character. She was quiet and introverted, which is not something you often get as a character. And when we did get a look into the supernatural elements of the book, it was interesting and well-written. I really didn't like the main relationship between Mei and Henry. It was clichéd, and Henry was an annoying character.
I think the book's main downfall is that it pretends its something that it's not - which leads to being disappointing. If it had been a contemporary without the supernatural elements it could have been good. Or if it had fully explored its supernatural elements it could have been great! But with a weird mishmash of the two, it felt like the book didn't really know what it was.
The book's blurb promises a mystery and a ghost. Both of which you kind of get but... not really. They're kind of in the background to everything else happening in the book, which is Mei dealing with her own issues - such as giving into her boss' demands too easily, trying to appease a young girl who believes in ghosts, her problems with her careless and inconsiderate brother, and her romantic feelings for Henry. The mystery and the ghost are barely there, and though they play a large part in the ending of the novel, it ultimate feels unexplored and leads to an unsatisfying end.
I did like Mei as a character. She was quiet and introverted, which is not something you often get as a character. And when we did get a look into the supernatural elements of the book, it was interesting and well-written. I really didn't like the main relationship between Mei and Henry. It was clichéd, and Henry was an annoying character.
I think the book's main downfall is that it pretends its something that it's not - which leads to being disappointing. If it had been a contemporary without the supernatural elements it could have been good. Or if it had fully explored its supernatural elements it could have been great! But with a weird mishmash of the two, it felt like the book didn't really know what it was.
November 4, 2018
What was the point of even HAVING the ghost in the story?
Misleading cover.
Misleading title.
Misleading blurb at the back that gives anyone who reads it the idea that it would be an eerie read - that it would be perfect for Halloween.
I was bored out of my wits the entire time I was reading this. Dragging plot. Unimpressive characters. Annoying protagonist.
Oh, and the ghost carried no actual significance in the story. Everything would have turned out exactly the same EVEN WITHOUT HER. She was a poorly-made device inserted to make the book seem creepy and mysterious - blech. I regret spending ACTUAL money on this.
Misleading cover.
Misleading title.
Misleading blurb at the back that gives anyone who reads it the idea that it would be an eerie read - that it would be perfect for Halloween.
I was bored out of my wits the entire time I was reading this. Dragging plot. Unimpressive characters. Annoying protagonist.
Oh, and the ghost carried no actual significance in the story. Everything would have turned out exactly the same EVEN WITHOUT HER. She was a poorly-made device inserted to make the book seem creepy and mysterious - blech. I regret spending ACTUAL money on this.
December 25, 2017
I liked this a lot better than I thought I would. It falls in a weird mix of YA contemporary with ghost story so I think that's why it doesn't get more buzz. I liked the main character and the side characters. It does end a bit abruptly however. It is a fast enjoyable read otherwise.
October 5, 2017
This was a heck of a page-turner – I was totally hooked by the gothic creepiness and the increasingly oppressive atmosphere of the Morisons’ island. I loved how that atmosphere echoed the way Mei felt trapped in her family life, and the way the ghost story paralleled and linked together with Mei’s personal journey. An evocative and memorable read.
Read the full review at Starship Library
Read the full review at Starship Library
May 6, 2019
This shouldn’t have been marketed as a thriller/ghost story. I read the whole book waiting for a climax that never happened. At the end I was left unsatisfied. If the ghost plot line had been removed completely and I went into the book just thinking of it as a story of a girl tutoring over the summer without any supernatural stuff, I might have enjoyed it more.
February 16, 2021
“Then all at once I'm crushed by sadness. Because I realised none of this is actually me or permanent or real. I don't belong here; I can't belong. It was only the alcohol that made me believe - for a brief moment - that I could.”
What the book is about?
Shadow Girl by Liana Liu is about a teenage girl named Mei. She goes to Arrow island to tutor Morison's family's younger daughter Ella. While Mei is at Arrow Island she realizes a couple of things. One being that She does not fit in here. since the family is Rich and she is not however she is grateful for the opportunity. Two she has a very small little crush on Henry the son here. And three this place is haunted. At the being of the book, you see Mei Telling Vanessa (Mrs. Morison) that she does not believe in ghosts. However, after much Convincing from Ella, Mei starts to believe that there might be an actual ghost here.
What I liked!
I loved the relationship between Ella and Mei! I thought it was the cutest thing Ever! It reminded me of Mei being the big sister and Ella being the little sister! I also enjoyed the humor in this book. Henry and his side remarks that he would make about Mei and then she would give him one back were just so hilouras. And I really appreciated how we got some back story about the characters and their families. As well as, the history of Arrow Island.
What I didn't like.
I honestly wasn't a fan of how the author at the end of the book left so many unanswered questions. I get it it's a ghost story and so it's supposed to make you feel sort of spooky. But I felt like the author just rushed the last 80 pages and I feel like if she would have added more contexts at the end of the story, then we would have been able to get those answers that we needed. For example, we didn't really get the answer to why the ghost was only talking to Mei and Ella. And also what happened to the Morison family after their scandal. Also, I felt like every time when we would get to a point in the story the author didn't finish the point because she would move on to a different subject. So that's why I'm giving this book 3/5 stars because the author and left many unanswered questions about the ghost, the Morrison family, and Mei.
Would I recommend it?
I would recommend it if you were looking for something that is a light and easy mystery book that you don't have to pay a lot of attention to. However, if you're looking for something that is deep-diving into ghosts or a complex read then I would not recommend it.
My rating!
3/5 stars
What the book is about?
Shadow Girl by Liana Liu is about a teenage girl named Mei. She goes to Arrow island to tutor Morison's family's younger daughter Ella. While Mei is at Arrow Island she realizes a couple of things. One being that She does not fit in here. since the family is Rich and she is not however she is grateful for the opportunity. Two she has a very small little crush on Henry the son here. And three this place is haunted. At the being of the book, you see Mei Telling Vanessa (Mrs. Morison) that she does not believe in ghosts. However, after much Convincing from Ella, Mei starts to believe that there might be an actual ghost here.
What I liked!
I loved the relationship between Ella and Mei! I thought it was the cutest thing Ever! It reminded me of Mei being the big sister and Ella being the little sister! I also enjoyed the humor in this book. Henry and his side remarks that he would make about Mei and then she would give him one back were just so hilouras. And I really appreciated how we got some back story about the characters and their families. As well as, the history of Arrow Island.
What I didn't like.
I honestly wasn't a fan of how the author at the end of the book left so many unanswered questions. I get it it's a ghost story and so it's supposed to make you feel sort of spooky. But I felt like the author just rushed the last 80 pages and I feel like if she would have added more contexts at the end of the story, then we would have been able to get those answers that we needed. For example, we didn't really get the answer to why the ghost was only talking to Mei and Ella. And also what happened to the Morison family after their scandal. Also, I felt like every time when we would get to a point in the story the author didn't finish the point because she would move on to a different subject. So that's why I'm giving this book 3/5 stars because the author and left many unanswered questions about the ghost, the Morrison family, and Mei.
Would I recommend it?
I would recommend it if you were looking for something that is a light and easy mystery book that you don't have to pay a lot of attention to. However, if you're looking for something that is deep-diving into ghosts or a complex read then I would not recommend it.
My rating!
3/5 stars
January 7, 2019
I was browsing reviews after finishing this book and I truly think that anyone who was disappointed the lack of spookiness is missing the point. I love a good ghost story as much as the next person, but what was even more interesting to me was Mei's experience as the daughter of immigrants. Everything she goes through in this story is 100% authentic.
On the surface, Shadow Girl fits the template of your standard gothic ghost story: lower class young woman finds work as a governess (or in this case, academic tutor) for a wealthy family living in a remote location with a beautiful, yet troubled mother; a distant, mysterious father; a rakish, attractive half-brother the same age as our protagonist; and of course a precocious, imaginative young daughter haunted by a ghost who may or may not really exist. Even the creepy-housekeeper-strangely-devoted-to-the-family-and-rude-for-no-reason-to-the-protagonist makes an appearance. But the story is different from most gothic ghost stories because of the protagonist herself: she's the daughter of Chinese immigrants, and she's othered not only because of her social status but because of her ethnicity as well.
The instances of racism are subtle, but they ring true to any minority living in America. Mei endures a long cab ride where the driver blabbers on about Korea even though she isn't Korean. She attends a wild party full of wealthy teens her age and it's really obvious that she's the only Asian there, AND she's mistaken for another girl the whole night. She is self-conscious about the meal her mom cooks to share with her wealthy eventual-friend, Henry, even though it's her favorite food. She sacrifices her own dreams of going to a her dream school, a distant university, because she feels guilty about leaving her mother behind. And of course, again and again she's reminded that she doesn't belong in the Morisons' world - even though she has never once forgotten that fact. As a daughter of immigrants myself, these were all highly-relatable situations.
I just want to point out one scene that really stood out to me, where Mei is getting ready for the fancy surprise birthday party. She takes off her golden stud earrings, handed down to her from her mother, who got them from her mother, and replaces them with a pair of silver earrings regifted to her by her employer. In order for her to try to fit in with these people, she has to shed a part of her identity and put on something more fitting, but the golden earrings are an heirloom, while the silver earrings came from someone who gave them away without a second thought because they actually meant nothing to her. I thought this was a great job by the author of combining Mei's experience both as an ethnic minority and as someone who came from a poor background.
The paranormal aspects of the story were much more subtle, relegated mostly to strange bumps-in-the-night and gruesome nightmares. But again, I don't think that the spookiness was so much the point of the book as it was the way through which Mei is able to develop. Which, by the way, I really loved her character development through the story. She often does this thing where she thinks something but then says something else, except much more politely, and I feel this SO MUCH. What's even better is by the end of the book she starts actually saying these things out loud, and she no longer cares about appearing nice or friendly. GET IT, MEI!
There was also a bit of social commentary/scathing criticism of the 1%, which was much appreciated, but even though Mei aspires to work in finance one day, you completely understand why - as someone who grew up watching her mother sacrifice for everything they ever had, of course Mei wants a career that will help her make her mother's life easier!
Anyway, I really loved this book and I'm sad that people wrote it off because it wasn't strictly a horror story. It's much more a coming-of-age story, and I'm so, so grateful that someone wrote one that we can relate to.
On the surface, Shadow Girl fits the template of your standard gothic ghost story: lower class young woman finds work as a governess (or in this case, academic tutor) for a wealthy family living in a remote location with a beautiful, yet troubled mother; a distant, mysterious father; a rakish, attractive half-brother the same age as our protagonist; and of course a precocious, imaginative young daughter haunted by a ghost who may or may not really exist. Even the creepy-housekeeper-strangely-devoted-to-the-family-and-rude-for-no-reason-to-the-protagonist makes an appearance. But the story is different from most gothic ghost stories because of the protagonist herself: she's the daughter of Chinese immigrants, and she's othered not only because of her social status but because of her ethnicity as well.
The instances of racism are subtle, but they ring true to any minority living in America. Mei endures a long cab ride where the driver blabbers on about Korea even though she isn't Korean. She attends a wild party full of wealthy teens her age and it's really obvious that she's the only Asian there, AND she's mistaken for another girl the whole night. She is self-conscious about the meal her mom cooks to share with her wealthy eventual-friend, Henry, even though it's her favorite food. She sacrifices her own dreams of going to a her dream school, a distant university, because she feels guilty about leaving her mother behind. And of course, again and again she's reminded that she doesn't belong in the Morisons' world - even though she has never once forgotten that fact. As a daughter of immigrants myself, these were all highly-relatable situations.
I just want to point out one scene that really stood out to me, where Mei is getting ready for the fancy surprise birthday party. She takes off her golden stud earrings, handed down to her from her mother, who got them from her mother, and replaces them with a pair of silver earrings regifted to her by her employer. In order for her to try to fit in with these people, she has to shed a part of her identity and put on something more fitting, but the golden earrings are an heirloom, while the silver earrings came from someone who gave them away without a second thought because they actually meant nothing to her. I thought this was a great job by the author of combining Mei's experience both as an ethnic minority and as someone who came from a poor background.
The paranormal aspects of the story were much more subtle, relegated mostly to strange bumps-in-the-night and gruesome nightmares. But again, I don't think that the spookiness was so much the point of the book as it was the way through which Mei is able to develop. Which, by the way, I really loved her character development through the story. She often does this thing where she thinks something but then says something else, except much more politely, and I feel this SO MUCH. What's even better is by the end of the book she starts actually saying these things out loud, and she no longer cares about appearing nice or friendly. GET IT, MEI!
There was also a bit of social commentary/scathing criticism of the 1%, which was much appreciated, but even though Mei aspires to work in finance one day, you completely understand why - as someone who grew up watching her mother sacrifice for everything they ever had, of course Mei wants a career that will help her make her mother's life easier!
Anyway, I really loved this book and I'm sad that people wrote it off because it wasn't strictly a horror story. It's much more a coming-of-age story, and I'm so, so grateful that someone wrote one that we can relate to.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 25, 2017
Want to see more bookish things from me? Check out my Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfer...
*I was sent a copy of this by the publisher in exchange for my honest review*
One summer, Mei is hired by a wealthy business man and is required to stay on Arrow Island with the family while she tutors Ella. As the summer progresses, she becomes interested in Ella's older brother, Henry. She also notices that at night, mysterious noises happen and although she doesn't believe in ghosts, she begins to become curious about the history of the house and the family who once lived there.
I really wanted to like this book as the premise sounded interesting... Unfortunately, I found it to be boring and very slow paced. I felt that the book was pitched as a paranormal mystery, but felt as though the ghost aspect was only a sub plot to the Morrison family drama. I wasn't invested in any of the characters or care about what happened to them. Mei bothered me as a main character and I felt that she was very critical and pessimistic, but tried to cover it with being overly nice and polite. It honestly just got on my nerves quickly and I wanted her to stop talking half the time. I also felt that the plot jumped around so much there was no clear path the story was trying to take... it seemed like it was a bunch of subplots thrown together in the hopes of creating something interesting.
Overall, it just wasn't the book for me.
*I was sent a copy of this by the publisher in exchange for my honest review*
One summer, Mei is hired by a wealthy business man and is required to stay on Arrow Island with the family while she tutors Ella. As the summer progresses, she becomes interested in Ella's older brother, Henry. She also notices that at night, mysterious noises happen and although she doesn't believe in ghosts, she begins to become curious about the history of the house and the family who once lived there.
I really wanted to like this book as the premise sounded interesting... Unfortunately, I found it to be boring and very slow paced. I felt that the book was pitched as a paranormal mystery, but felt as though the ghost aspect was only a sub plot to the Morrison family drama. I wasn't invested in any of the characters or care about what happened to them. Mei bothered me as a main character and I felt that she was very critical and pessimistic, but tried to cover it with being overly nice and polite. It honestly just got on my nerves quickly and I wanted her to stop talking half the time. I also felt that the plot jumped around so much there was no clear path the story was trying to take... it seemed like it was a bunch of subplots thrown together in the hopes of creating something interesting.
Overall, it just wasn't the book for me.
March 31, 2018
I bought this book at the promise of supernatural/horror mystery, but sadly it isn't really that at all in the end. There's genuine creepiness when the story is focused on the supernatural, yet it just fails to capitalize. It could have been a disturbing look into the history of the island and the first family, but it is only grazed upon. Mei's relationship with Ella as her tutor was the one true highlight, and any time it shifted away I just felt it wanting to go back to her working with Ella.
I came in with high hopes, but was disappointed. It's not a terrible book and was a decent read, but beware the description of this book. It barely touches on what it promises, which is sad because it started with such potential. 2.75 out of 5
I came in with high hopes, but was disappointed. It's not a terrible book and was a decent read, but beware the description of this book. It barely touches on what it promises, which is sad because it started with such potential. 2.75 out of 5
January 4, 2018
I thought this was going to be a lot more haunted and creepy than it was, but I’m still not disappointed.
January 21, 2018
The ending threw me off a little, but I still really enjoyed this book.
March 3, 2021
super cute and intriguing
October 15, 2021
2.5/5 - I would have liked it, but there was entirely no point to the "ghost" or "shadow girl" or whatever???????
December 27, 2017
I have just finished reading the very wonderful book Shadow Girl. and I cannot wait to tell others about what an awesome this book is. I must admit that I have been reading very slowly the past few days as I wanted to hold on to this story for a very long time. This book is a combination of mystery, romance, adventure and one surprise after another. The characters are true to life....with a few exceptions which I will not reveal right now. The author speaks with clarity and with emotions close to those that we all live with every day. Reading Shadow Girl during this holiday season was like receiving a special gift......full of surprises --wonder and enjoyment.
January 15, 2018
Spooky ghost books are not my cup of tea, but I loved this. I liked how spoken Chinese was handled - straightforward translation, no tacky fumbling with context clues or exoticized italics. I loved Mei's inner life and her relationship with her mother. So many little details were so real -- from the heavy sense of duty to listening to her mother move around the house and peeling fruit for her.
There were so many moments where I was like oh, that's me. That is too. And that. (The spooky bits were plenty spooky for me, though probably not so much for other people.)
Anyway, it's 2 in the morning, which is honesty hour, so I'm juat gonna say -- A one star review by a white girl saying she thinks the heroine is annoying or too judgy or negative? *Rolls eyes* It's called a complex character and realistic writing of a character from an immigrant background. It's how people who have less power and privilege sometimes end up moving through the world.
Good book, A+ content, etc etc. Totally recommend.
There were so many moments where I was like oh, that's me. That is too. And that. (The spooky bits were plenty spooky for me, though probably not so much for other people.)
Anyway, it's 2 in the morning, which is honesty hour, so I'm juat gonna say -- A one star review by a white girl saying she thinks the heroine is annoying or too judgy or negative? *Rolls eyes* It's called a complex character and realistic writing of a character from an immigrant background. It's how people who have less power and privilege sometimes end up moving through the world.
Good book, A+ content, etc etc. Totally recommend.
February 11, 2018
#ownvoices This was all over the place. Plot holes, loose ends... I think she was trying to do too much and it didn't work unfortunately.
2018 AtY "own voices"
2018 AtY "own voices"
January 5, 2018
wow!! that was extremely sucky!!!!
this is not a book. this is a giant massive list . The main character is some negative girl who is the most boring narrator to ever exist. she is so annoying and you dont even see her name ever in the book except the back cover. the only good thing about this book is the cover. it's supposed to be a ghost story, right?? wrong. there is less that 2% of paranormal activity in here. WHat a let down. instead, its this hella downer tutor girl who is super boring, fake as HELL and some rich family with drama. its annoying. It's literally so boring. If you want the book to be actually enjoyable, start reading from page 283 (the surprise party, the ending, where the main character actually isn't just a bland nobody who says the opposite of what she thinks and is super boring and who i hate a lot). the very end is tolerable. my favorite character is ella because she's ok i guess. If the back cover didn't have the main character's name, you would think its meimei because her brother says it once. one time. at the VERY END. so that was annoying. mei is super fake it was so annoying. just stop being fake and maybe actually start having a better outlook on life or maybe try being an actual person with actual people feelings?? and observations?? and maybe i'll hate you less.
I looked into the reviews of the other book written by this author and the same result. it's extremely boring. never reading anything from them again.
read this in 2 days because it was so awful i needed to get through with it so i could move on to better books ASAP.
do not recommend. save yourself by not reading this
this is not a book. this is a giant massive list . The main character is some negative girl who is the most boring narrator to ever exist. she is so annoying and you dont even see her name ever in the book except the back cover. the only good thing about this book is the cover. it's supposed to be a ghost story, right?? wrong. there is less that 2% of paranormal activity in here. WHat a let down. instead, its this hella downer tutor girl who is super boring, fake as HELL and some rich family with drama. its annoying. It's literally so boring. If you want the book to be actually enjoyable, start reading from page 283 (the surprise party, the ending, where the main character actually isn't just a bland nobody who says the opposite of what she thinks and is super boring and who i hate a lot). the very end is tolerable. my favorite character is ella because she's ok i guess. If the back cover didn't have the main character's name, you would think its meimei because her brother says it once. one time. at the VERY END. so that was annoying. mei is super fake it was so annoying. just stop being fake and maybe actually start having a better outlook on life or maybe try being an actual person with actual people feelings?? and observations?? and maybe i'll hate you less.
I looked into the reviews of the other book written by this author and the same result. it's extremely boring. never reading anything from them again.
read this in 2 days because it was so awful i needed to get through with it so i could move on to better books ASAP.
do not recommend. save yourself by not reading this
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